Why do squirrels have lines on their backs?

Rama  decided  to  wage  war against Ravana  to get back Sita . The Vanaras  under the leadership of Hanuman , took it as a privilege to help Lord Rama and Lakshmana.

They have to cross the Ocean to reach Lanka .The Vanara Sena ,Rama, Lakshmana  have to cross the  ocean.It was decided to build a bridge .In those days with limited materials  and without machines  , the Vanara sena  started to construct the bridge. 

The Vanaras(monkeys)  carried huge  rocks, boulders  and mud on their shoulders and threw them in the ocean  .Some of the vanaras placed these in their places  so as to make a bridge.

Every one wanted to take part in this construction .Even birds as they flew , took little stones and filled the gaps  between rocks.

Seeing all these, a little squirrel  wanted to do his little part. 
What he did was , he first dipped himself in the sea , ran to the shore , rolled in the sand, then ran to the construction site  and shrugged himself off there. A very little sand fell from his body.He was happy at this. 

He started repeating the task again and again.Dipping in the sea, rolling on the sand, shrugging his body near the construction sight .

But the vanaras  felt he was disturbing them, from finishing their task.So the vanaras  started yelling at him.

The little squirrel  did not listen.One of the vanara caught  him in his hand, shouted at him and threw him away from that place.

Straight , the squirrel fell into Lord Rama's lap, who was seeing all this.
Rama with his palm and three fingers  consoled  the squirrel ,and asked the vanaras to allow the squirrel to do whatever he could do.

Anywork howsoever little it could be should be appreciated is Rama's advice to the vanaras.
And ofcourse the advice holds good for every one of us.

As Rama consoled and patted with his fingers, the squirrel, got three lines as mark of recognition  of the very little work he did.

image courtesy--google.