Otters seem to be the most nuannaarpoqian of animals and their eye is easily caught by bright objects.  Here a bunch of red berries does the trick, apparently leading to a form of horizontal meditation.

Once, I remember, I went to look for him there and at first could not find him; then my attention was caught by something red in the black water at the edge of the foam, and I saw that Mij was floating on his back, apparently fast asleep, with a bunch of scarlet rowan berries clasped to his chest with one arm.  Such bright objects as these he would often pick up on his walks, and carry them with him until some rival attraction supplanted them.

We’ll soon be sharing a tapestry of otter stories, but here’s another quote to be going on with.  And you may also enjoy our celebration of the other great classic of lutrine literature, Henry Williamson’s Tarka the Otter, packed with illustrated quotes.  

Source: Gavin Maxwell, Ring of Bright Water (London: Penguin, 1974), pp. 139-40

Photo credit: domeckopol at pixabay