Chitchat

Chitchat is a young squirrel who arrives in the garden of Roz's lodge as a newcomer, and her meeting with Brightbill marks a turning point in the gosling's life. She is introduced as a twelve-and-a-half-week-old squirrel who is new to the area, and her first words to Brightbill come in a breathless, unbroken stream of observations about his home. She comments on how large and round his house is and admits she does not understand why smoke sometimes comes out of it. The narrator openly wonders how Chitchat could possibly have enough air in her lungs to keep talking in such a manner, and how Brightbill found the patience to listen, but the gosling stood politely nodding while the squirrel rambled on and on.

First Friendship with Brightbill

After Chitchat's torrent of words finally came to a pleasant silence, Brightbill stood on one foot for a moment before taking a deep breath and responding. He told her it was very nice to meet her, that he did not think she talked too much but rather just enough, and that he liked her, so they should be friends. A great smile spread across the little squirrel's face, and for once Chitchat was left speechless. This exchange, which the book marks with the chapter title "The New Friendship," establishes Chitchat as Brightbill's first friend and the first creature to accept the gosling without reservation. Her chatter, which might have been overwhelming to another listener, is met by Brightbill with complete acceptance, and the two form an immediate bond.

Shelter During the Harsh Winter

Chitchat's loyalty to Roz and Brightbill is tested during the brutal winter that grips the island. On a cold and windy night, with firelight spilling from the Nid into the darkness, Roz's fine hearing catches the sound of tiny footsteps crunching in the snow. A weak voice asks if she can join Roz by the fire because she is frozen. Chitchat crawls into the light, shivering, with pieces of ice stuck to her fur. When she finally feels the warmth of the fire, she collapses. Roz lifts her from the floor, places her gently on a warm stone, and lets her sleep. Chitchat is the first of many animals to seek refuge in Roz's lodge that night; within an hour a family of hares arrives and huddles in a corner without a word, followed by Pinktail the opossum, Swooper the owl limping in, some chickadees, a magpie, Fink the fox, Digdown the groundhog, and the Fuzzy Bandits carrying an old tortoise named Crag who is in the worst condition of all. Creatures that should have been hibernating deep underground had been awakened by the vicious weather, and only the healthiest animals and warmest homes were safe. The lodge gradually fills with tired animals, and Chitchat's arrival marks the beginning of Roz's role as a refuge for the island's creatures.

Role in the Defense Against the RECO

Chitchat's most dramatic moment comes during the attack by the RECO robots, when she proves herself a fierce defender of Roz. As Fink barks orders from below and the forest swarms with an army of wild animals distracting the robot and luring it deeper into a trap, Chitchat leaps from the branches and claws at the robot's eyes, screaming that anyone who comes onto their island and tries to take away her friend's mother has a big problem with her. The robot points its rifle at the squirrel and pulls the trigger. A blazing beam of light tears through the forest, sending tree branches crashing to the ground. It grazes poor Chitchat, burning the tip of her tail, but she ignores the pain and rushes to the safety of the canopy. Her willingness to attack a machine far larger than herself, and to endure injury without faltering, demonstrates the fierce loyalty she feels toward Roz and Brightbill. The singed tip of her tail becomes a mark of her courage in the defense of her adopted family.

Character and Significance

Chitchat embodies the theme of acceptance that runs through the story of Roz's integration into the island community. Her endless talking, which could be read as a flaw, is embraced by Brightbill as simply the way she is, and her friendship with the gosling opens the door for Roz's broader acceptance by the animals. She is also a bridge between the domestic world of the lodge and the wild world of the forest, moving easily between the two. Her role in the RECO battle shows that even the smallest creatures can be the most courageous, and that the bonds Roz has formed are not one-sided but are returned with fierce devotion. Chitchat's progression from a chattering newcomer to a wounded defender of her friend's mother traces the growth of community on the island and the depth of feeling that a robot's kindness can inspire in the natural world.