This story came from a piece of wood. I was hiking in the mountains on a trail that led around a swamp. Beside the trail was a piece of wood, gnawed on each end by beavers. It looked like a small football to me. I picked it up and took it to my classroom. When my students asked what it was, I told them that it was a Beaver Ball. Thus, Beaver Ball was born. I would like to acknowledge all of my students from that time, and hence, for their imagination.