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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/4044-h.zip b/4044-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4286550 --- /dev/null +++ b/4044-h.zip diff --git a/4044-h/4044-h.htm b/4044-h/4044-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b11cb90 --- /dev/null +++ b/4044-h/4044-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2081 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of What the Animals Do and Say, by Eliza Lee Follen +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + font-size: small ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's What the Animals Do and Say, by Eliza Lee Follen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: What the Animals Do and Say + +Author: Eliza Lee Follen + +Posting Date: June 11, 2009 [EBook #4044] +Release Date: March, 2003 +First Posted: October 20, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT THE ANIMALS DO AND SAY *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +WHAT THE ANIMALS DO AND SAY +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +BY +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +MRS. FOLLEN +</H2> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Illustrated with Engravings +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +WHAT THE ANIMALS DO AND SAY. +</H2> + +<P> +"Could you not tell us a traveller's story of some strange people +that we have never heard of before?" said Harry to his mother, the +next evening. +</P> + +<P> +After a moment or two of thought, Mis. Chilton said, "Yes, I will +tell you about a people who are great travellers. They take journeys +every year of their lives. They dislike cold weather so much that +they go always before winter, so as to find a warmer climate." +</P> + +<P> +"They usually meet together, fathers, mothers, and children, as well +as uncles, aunts, and cousins, but more especially grandfathers and +grandmothers, and decide whither they shall go. As their party is so +large, it is important that they should make a good decision." +</P> + +<P> +"When they are all prepared, and their mind quite made up, they all +set off together. I am told that they make as much noise, on this +occasion, as our people make at a town-meeting; but as I was never +present at one of the powwows of these remarkable travellers, I +cannot say." +</P> + +<P> +"What is a powwow?" asked Harry. +</P> + +<P> +"It is the name the Indians give to their council meetings," replied +Mis. Chilton. +</P> + +<P> +She went on. "This people, so fond of travelling, have no great +learning; they write no books; they have no geographies, no +steamboats, no railroads, but yet never mistake their way." +</P> + +<P> +"Four-footed travellers, I guess," said Harry. +</P> + +<P> +"By no means; they have no more legs than any other great +travellers; but you must not interrupt me." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, to go back to our travellers; every one is ready and glad to +prepare apartments for them, such as they like. They are so lively, +so merry, and good-natured, that they find a welcome every where. +They are such an easy, sociable set of folks that they like a house +thus prepared for them just as well as if they had built it +themselves." +</P> + +<P> +"I have been told that when they arrive at any place, before they +wash themselves, or brush off the dust of their journey, they will +go directly to one of these houses that has been prepared for them, +and examine every part of it; and, if they like it, they seem to +think they have, of course, a right to it, and they take possession +directly, and say, 'Thank you' to nobody." +</P> + +<P> +"No one is affronted with them; but every one is ready and glad to +accommodate the strangers as well as he can, merely for the sake of +their good company. They come to us in May, and leave our part of +the country in August, to visit other lands. +</P> + +<P> +"The great reason, I think, that all the world welcomes these +travellers is, that they are such a happy, merry set of beings they +make every one around them cheerful; their gayety is never-failing. +They rise with the first streak of light; there are no sluggards +among them. They are all musical, and sing as they go about their +work; but their music pleases me best when they join in their +morning hymn. When the morning star is growing pale, and rosy light +tinges the edges of the soft clouds in the east, this choir of +singers stop for a second, as if waiting, in silent reverence, for +the glad light to appear; then, just as the first ray gilds the hill +tops and the village spire, all pour forth a joyful song, swelling +their little throats, and making such a loud noise that every sleepy +head in the neighborhood awakes." +</P> + +<P> +"Ah! now I have caught you, Mother," said Frank; "these famous +travellers are martins. I wonder, when you said they were not four +footed, I did not think of martins. I heard George say, the other +day, that his father had put up a martin box, and how they came and +looked at it first, before they took it, and that they always sang +before daylight, and what a noise they made. +</P> + +<P> +"But, Mother, when you tell that story again, you must not say little +throats, or any one will know who your travellers are quick enough; +but do please tell us more about them." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Frank, you have caught me; these travellers are martins; and, +if you wish, I will tell you more about them. Mr. Wilson, whom I +have been reading to-day, calls them birds of passage." +</P> + +<P> +"What does that mean, Mother?" +</P> + +<P> +"It means that they find it necessary for their support to pass from +one country to another when winter is coming on. At that time they +leave us. +</P> + +<P> +"Some people think that martins and swallows hide themselves from the +cold in holes in rocks and banks, or in hollow trees; but Wilson, +who spent many years in watching the habits of birds, and learning +their history, thinks that these fly a great way off to a warmer +country as winter approaches, and that they return again in the +spring." +</P> + +<P> +"But how can they find the way?" asked Frank. +</P> + +<P> +"All that we know about that, Frank, is, that He who created the +martins has given to them the knowledge that guides them right. In +their long way through the pathless air, they never make a mistake. +Our great vessels and our skilful captains sometimes get lost in the +wide ocean; but these little birds always know the way, and arrive +with unerring certainty at their place of destination. +</P> + +<P> +"Our great poet, Bryant, has written some beautiful lines to a +water-fowl, which express this idea. I will repeat these lines to you +if you like to hear them. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + 'Whither, 'midst falling dew,<BR> + While glow the heavens with the last steps of day,<BR> + Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue<BR> + Thy solitary way?<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Vainly the fowler's eye<BR> + Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong,<BR> + As, darkly limned upon the crimson sky,<BR> + Thy figure floats along.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Seek'st thou the plashy brink<BR> + Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide,<BR> + Or where the rocking billows rise and sink<BR> + On the chafed ocean side?<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + There is a Power whose care<BR> + Teaches thy way along that pathless coast,—<BR> + The desert and illimitable air,—<BR> + Lone wandering, but not lost.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + All day thy wings have fanned,<BR> + At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere;<BR> + Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land,<BR> + Though the dark night is near.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + And soon that toil shall end;<BR> + Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest,<BR> + And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend,<BR> + Soon, o'er thy sheltered nest.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven<BR> + Hath swallowed up thy form; yet on my heart<BR> + Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given,<BR> + And shall not soon depart.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + He who, from zone to zone,<BR> + Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight,<BR> + In the long way that I must tread alone,<BR> + Will lead my steps aright.'"<BR> +</P> + +<P> +"I should like to learn that by heart," said Frank; "I like it very +much." +</P> + +<P> +"Come, Mother," said Harry, "what more have you to tell us about +these travellers?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not much, Harry. The martin is such a universal favorite that +Wilson says he never knew but one man that did not like them and +treat them kindly. Wherever they, go, they find some hospitable +retreat prepared for their reception. Some people have large +habitations formed for the martins, fitted up with a variety of +apartments and conveniences; these houses are regularly occupied +every spring, and the same individual birds have been known to +return to the same box for many successive years. +</P> + +<P> +"The North American Indians, who have a great regard for martins, cut +off all the top branches of a young tree, and leave the prongs a +foot or two in length, and hang hollow gourds or calabashes on the +ends for nests." +</P> + +<P> +"What are gourds and calabashes, Mother?" said Harry. +</P> + +<P> +"A gourd, my dear, is a vegetable, something like a squash, only +much thicker and harder; when hollowed out, it is as hard as if it +were made of wood, and not so easy to break. It is shaped something +like a short, straight-necked winter squash; a calabash is a large +kind of gourd. +</P> + +<P> +On the banks of the Mississippi, the negroes stick up long poles, +with calabashes on the ends, to accommodate the martins. +</P> + +<P> +Martins have been known, when no house was provided for them, to +take possession of part of a pigeon house; and no pigeon ever dares +to set its foot in the martin's side of the house. The martin is a +very courageous and spirited bird, and will attack hawks, crows, and +even great bald eagles; he whirls around and around them, and +torments them, till, at last, he succeeds in driving them off. This +makes the martin a very valuable friend to the farmer, whose +chickens he defends from their enemies. +</P> + +<P> +The martins are very faithful and affectionate to each other; when +the mother bird is hatching her eggs, her mate often sits by her +side; and sometimes he will take her place, and send her out to take +exercise and get food. He passes a great deal of his time at the +door of her apartment, chattering to her, as if he were telling her +amusing stories; and then he will sing very softly and tenderly to +her, and he does every thing he can to please her. +</P> + +<P> +The martin has very strong and large wings, and short legs, that +they may not interfere with his flight, which is very rapid. It is +calculated by Mr. Wilson that this bird flies as fast as a mile in a +minute. Sometimes you may see a martin flying in the midst of a +crowded street, so near people that it seems as if they might catch +him; and then, quick as thought, he darts out of their reach, and, +in less than a minute, you may see him far up among the clouds, +looking like a little black speck upon their silver edges." +</P> + +<P> +"How happy, Mother," said Frank, "the martins must be, to be able to +fly about among the clouds, and travel so far, and go just where +they please so easily!" +</P> + +<P> +"God has made every living thing to be happy," said his mother; "and +in this we see His goodness. Are not you happy, too?" +</P> + +<P> +"Almost always, Mother. Sometimes I am not happy." +</P> + +<P> +"What is the reason why you are not always happy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, things trouble me, and I feel cross and impatient." +</P> + +<P> +"But if you try to bear with disagreeable things, and conquer your +ill-humor, and make yourself patient, are you unhappy then?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, Mother; but then I have to try very hard." +</P> + +<P> +"But you are happy when you succeed. Now, what is it in you that +tries to be good, and is happy when it succeeds?" +</P> + +<P> +"It is my mind, Mother." +</P> + +<P> +"Would you, Frank, give up your mind for a pair of martin's wings?" +</P> + +<P> +"O, no, Mother; but I want my mind, and a pair of wings too." +</P> + +<P> +"If you think your mind is better than the martin's wings, my dear, +be thankful for the possession of it; and be thankful too that God +has allowed you the privilege of making yourself happy by your own +efforts, and by the exercise of your thoughts, for they are the +wings of your mind. You do not now see a martin in the air; you are +only thinking of him; and yet you feel how pleasant it might be to +be like him, up among the clouds. +</P> + +<P> +The martin cannot have the pleasure we have now had, but God has +given him wings, and taught him the way through the air, and put +love into his heart for his mate; and let us rejoice in his +happiness, and, more than all, let us rejoice in the goodness of Him +who has put joy into so many hearts. And when, my dear children, you +see the martin cutting his way so swiftly through the air, and when +you think of him travelling away thousands of miles, guided by the +goodness of God to the right place, and you wish that you had wings +like him, and think that he is happier than you are, you can then +remember a far greater gift that God has bestowed upon you. +</P> + +<P> +Although the martin's flight is very swift and very high, yet he can +go but so far, and he knows not what directs him. When his wings are +wearied, and he is nothing but a speck of dust, and when your body +also is nothing but dust, these thoughts of yours, that have pursued +him, will be still travelling on; and, if you stretch the wings of +your mind, and soar upward, as the martin does with his bodily +wings, and like him, use all your powers as God directs you, you +will be rising higher and higher. And you will also know to whom you +go, and who gives you all your powers. The martin knows nothing of +this. He must go and come at such a time, and do just as all other +martins have done; but you are free to choose for yourself, and to +take the right and happy way, because you know it is the right way, +and the path to heaven. +</P> + +<P> +But I must tell you what made me think particularly now of these +travellers through the pathless air. Last week, you remember, I was +ill, and shut up in my room. As I was sitting at my chamber window, +enjoying the perfume of the apple blossoms, and listening to the +song of the birds, and the soft sighing of the south wind, the world +looked as beautiful to me as if it had been that moment created. +</P> + +<P> +You remember that there is an olive jar in the cherry tree close to +my window, which I had last autumn desired to have placed there, in +the hope that the birds would build in it this spring. +</P> + +<P> +While I was looking I saw a bluebird alight on the tree. Presently +she came nearer and nearer to the jar, and looked earnestly at the +small round opening in it, as much as to say, 'That looks like a +nice place for a nest.' Then she came still nearer, and looked round +to see if any one noticed her. I kept very still. At last she grew +bolder, and flew upon the jar. Now she looked around again, as if +she was afraid of something. Then she turned her head sideways, and +looked up and down, this way, and that way, and every way, till she +satisfied herself that no enemy was near. At last, she flew upon the +edge of the hole, and courageously looked in; then she quickly drew +her head out, and looked all around again. I thought she looked +directly into my face, and came to the conclusion that I was a +friend, for she went part way in. Then she suddenly drew her +beautiful head and shoulders out again, and looked about once more. +At last, she seemed satisfied, made one more effort, and flew in. +She staid in long enough to make up her mind that it was a good +place for her nest, and then she flew off, quick as thought. In less +than two minutes she came back with her mate. They alighted upon a +bough near the jar, and it was plain that they were confabulating +together, and that she was urging him to go in and look at the place +she had chosen for her nursery. Her mate looked very wise and grave, +as much as to say, 'My dear, we must not be too hasty. We must +choose this home of ours with great care. Too much of our happiness +depends upon this step to allow of any mistake'; he then flew upon +the outside of the jar, and went through just the same ceremonies +that his better half had performed before, only he was still more +deliberate and cautious about entering. At last, he flew in, and, in +a short time, appeared again, and alighted on a branch near the jar +by the side of his dear mate. There they conversed together in their +bird language for some time, as plainly to me as if they had spoken +good English. 'This,' said he, 'is a nice large comfortable place, +my dear. That great house is rather too near, to be sure, but I am +well informed that its inhabitants, and those of all this +neighborhood, will never molest us. Last year, the cherry birds ate +up all the cherries in all the gardens around here, and not one of +the thieves received the slightest harm. We will, I think, begin our +work immediately, and make a nice soft bed for our young to rest in +when we shall be so happy as to have any.' This, I am sure, was the +result of their confab, for directly they began to pick up hay, and +furze, and feathers, and every soft thing they could find, and carry +them into the jar. +</P> + +<P> +The male bird, which I knew by the greater brightness of his +plumage, and his more slender form, seemed to be fondest of bringing +sticks, one of which was too long for the mouth of the jar to admit. +It was very amusing to witness his efforts to get the stick in; but +it would not do; the stick fell to the ground. All day long, these +pretty creatures were busy at their work; one usually watched while +the other was in the jar arranging the nest for their expected +brood. In about a week, it was evident that their work was +completed, for they carried in no more sticks or dried grass. They +were gone a great part of the day, I suppose playing, after so much +hard work, but they returned at evening. Some one in the +neighborhood fired a gun. This scared the bluebirds so that they +staid away for two whole days; and, when they returned, it was +amusing to see how timidly they entered their house. Then they would +fly off to another tree at a distance, and make believe they had +nothing to do with the one their nest was in. At last, they grew +bolder; and, every evening at sunset, I saw the mother bird go into +her nest while her mate went to roost. +</P> + +<P> +There was a slight feeling of despondency in my heart when I first +went to look out of this window; but when I saw these birds, and +witnessed the scene of faithful love and domestic industry and +happiness set forth by these little creatures, the spirit of +complaint was rebuked within me, and I learned a new lesson of +serene trust and assurance that all were cared for by the Creator of +all. +</P> + +<P> +But I must tell you the rest of the story of the bluebirds; and I am +sorry to say, they met with sad trials. The first encroacher, as +they supposed him to be, was a woodpecker; he seemed, as I thought, +to mean them no harm; but as soon as they heard his tap, tap, tap, +they flew at him very angrily and drove him away. A more dangerous +enemy was at hand, one that from his size you would not have +supposed dangerous to them. A little wren, not nearly so large as +the bluebird, came one day to the tree; and, seeing the jar, having +examined it, and being pleased with it, resolved to take it for +herself. The little thief waited till the bluebirds had gone upon +some expedition; and then, without any ceremony, without any fear of +any thing, she entered the jar, and was evidently confirmed in her +purpose of taking possession of it. Probably she held a consultation +with her mate; but this I did not witness, as I did that between the +two bluebirds. The next day this pert little Madam Wren, or her +mate, I could not tell which, came again, and, perching on the +topmost branch of the tree, poured forth a loud triumphant song, and +then, as soon as the coast was clear, entered the house she was +resolved to appropriate to herself. In a minute after, she appeared +at the mouth of the jar with her bill full of the dried grass of +which the bluebird's nest was made, which she threw out on the +ground disdainfully. Back again she flew, and in an instant brought +some more and threw it out. This she did with the most impudent look +you can imagine. Then she flew swiftly in and out, like a little +termagant, throwing out of the mouth of the jar, sticks, dead +leaves, grass, with all the nice soft things which the poor bluebird +had been a week in collecting. Every now and then, she came out for +a minute and sang as sweetly as if she were not engaged in such a +piratical work; and the little rogue looked up in my face so +saucily, too, as much as to say, 'Who cares for you?' Then she began +singing at the top of her voice, exulting over her work of +destruction. Can you suppose it was any sense of honesty that +prevented her using the bluebird's nest after having stolen her +house? No, Jenny Wren had no principle. You would have laughed to +see how scornfully she tossed out those dead leaves. Every thing +went out of the nest pell-mell. The little monster! what could the +poor bluebirds say or do? This bird evidently had no conscience, at +least not a good one, that is plain. Never did general rejoice more +over the capture and destruction of a city than this little bit of a +bird rejoiced over the destruction of the bluebird's nest, and at +the unlawful possession of the house. I saw her carrying in a long +stick that suited her better than the short ones that the bluebird +had carried in: she found she could not get it in if she took it in +the middle; so she changed the place, and held it by the end, and so +by that means got it in. She was more cunning than the bluebird. Now +you might hear the two little robbers sing again. They are happier +than any king can be nowadays. Poor, dear, beautiful bluebirds! What +has become of them? Then came the mother. She looked into the jar +and saw the destruction of her nest—all her week's work. How +distressed she seemed! but the victorious wrens had no pity on her. +They drove her away. She disappeared. The saucy conquerors flew in +and out of their stolen house twenty times a minute, caring for +nothing. They could have had no moral sense; but they were very +amusing, and they were nothing but birds; they knew no better; so we +must forgive them." +</P> + +<P> +"I like stories about animals better than any other stories," said +Frank. "I think animals know as much, and sometimes more than we do. +So, Mother, do tell us all you can think of about elephants, bears, +and lions, as well as dogs, and cats, and birds." +</P> + +<P> +"I have laid up in my memory two or three dog and cat stories, which +I will tell you, and then I will see what I can remember of lions, +bears, and elephants. But first I must tell you what I have lately +read about courts of justice among the crows." +</P> + +<P> +"What is a court of justice?" asked Harry. +</P> + +<P> +"A court of justice is an assemblage of men who meet together to +ascertain if any one who is accused of doing a wrong thing has +really done it or not. If he is proved to have committed the +offence, he is declared to be guilty; if he is not proved to have +done it, he is declared not guilty. +</P> + +<P> +A writer on the history of the Feroe Islands describes these +extraordinary courts as if he had witnessed them. He says, these +crow-courts are observed here (in the Feroe Islands) as well as in +the Scotch Isles. The crows collect in great numbers, as if they had +been all summoned for the occasion. A few of the flock sit with +drooping heads, others seem as grave as if they were judges, and +some are exceedingly active and noisy, like lawyers and witnesses; +in the course of about an hour the company generally disperse, and +it is not uncommon, after they have flown away, to find one or two +left dead on the spot. +</P> + +<P> +Dr. Edmondstone, in his View of the Shetland Islands, says that +sometimes the crow-court, or meeting, does not appear to be complete +before the expiration of a day or two,—crows coming from all +quarters to the session. As soon as they are all arrived, a very +general noise ensues, the business of the court is opened, and +shortly after they all fall upon one or two individual crows, (who +are supposed to have been condemned by their peers,) and put them to +death. When the execution is over, they quietly disperse." +</P> + +<P> +"I shall never look at a crow, Mother, again," said Harry, "without +dislike—cruel creatures." +</P> + +<P> +"We don't understand these things," said his mother; "animals have +no compassion for their sick companions; they kill them sometimes +for being sick. It seems very cruel, but we don't understand enough +to judge." +</P> + +<P> +"Now, Mother, what new story have you about dogs?" +</P> + +<P> +"The story I shall tell you now seems to show that dogs have good +hearts, and are compassionate and magnanimous. A dog was placed to +watch a piece of ground, perhaps a garden. A boy ran across the +forbidden place. The dog chased him. The boy, greatly frightened, +ran very fast, fell, and broke his leg. The dog, when he came up and +heard the boy's cries, did not touch him, but ran up to the passers +by, and barked till he attracted their attention, and brought some +one to the aid of the poor boy, who could not move. +</P> + +<P> +The faithful creature had performed his duty in driving away +intruders; but he had too good a heart, and was too generous to hurt +a fallen enemy. In the account I read he was called a Christian dog. +His conduct would be a good example to all Christians. +</P> + +<P> +I have now a story of a roguish dog that I think we could not praise +so much for his goodness as for his cunning. A gentleman in Paris +was in the habit of crossing every day one of the bridges over the +Seine, on his way to his place of business. One day, a very dirty +poodle dog rubbed himself so against his boots as to make it +necessary to get a man, who sat at one end of the bridge with +blacking, to clean them. The next day the same thing occurred, and +again and again, till, at last, the gentleman suspected that the +bootblack had taught the dog this trick, in order by that means to +get customers. He watched, and saw, when he approached the bridge, +Master Poodle go and roll himself in a mud puddle, and then come and +rub himself against his boots. The gentleman accused the bootblack +of the trick. After a while the man laughed, and confessed his +roguery." +</P> + +<P> +"That poodle was a brick," said Harry. +</P> + +<P> +"One more story of dogs. A surgeon of Leeds, in England, found a +little spaniel who had been lamed. The surgeon carried the poor +animal home, bandaged up his leg, and after two or three days turned +him out. The dog returned to the surgeon's house every morning till +his leg was perfectly well. +</P> + +<P> +At the end of several months, the spaniel again presented himself, +bringing another dog who had also been lamed, and intimating, as +plainly as piteous and intelligent looks could intimate, that he +desired the same kind assistance to be rendered to his friend as had +been bestowed upon himself. +</P> + +<P> +But I am forgetting poor puss. +</P> + +<P> +Mr. W., a friend of mine, whose word might be taken for any thing, +told me an extraordinary anecdote of a cat, which he said he knew to +be true. +</P> + +<P> +A friend of his was setting out on a voyage to some place, I forget +where. Every thing was carried on board, and the two friends were in +the cabin about taking leave of each other. "I asked my friend +before parting," said Mr. W., "whether he had every thing that he +wanted; if there was nothing more that he could think of to make him +more comfortable or happy on his voyage." "One thing," he replied, +"would add to my pleasure very much, if you would bring it to me. In +the counting room of my store is a small white cat; I am very fond +of the poor thing, and she will miss me I know; I should like to +take her with me." I immediately went ashore and found his little +cat looking very sorrowful in his lonely room; I carried her to him. +They seemed mutually pleased at meeting." +</P> + +<P> +When the vessel returned, Mr. W. received this account from the +officers of the ship. They said that his friend made a great pet of +the cat, and fed her always at his own meal times. He taught her to +stand on her hind legs and ask for her food; he made her jump over a +stick for his amusement; in short, he taught her to perform a great +many amusing tricks. The officers and men were all very fond of poor +little puss. +</P> + +<P> +At length, the young man became very ill. The cat would not leave +him night or day. At last, one day, she left the cabin and began to +run about the ship, making the most terrible mewing. The sailors +offered her food; she refused it. She would not be comforted. +Finally, her cries turned into a complete howl. She manifested the +greatest suffering, and, at last, she ran off to the end of the +bowsprit and leaped into the sea. Just at the moment that the poor +little faithful, loving cat was swallowed up by the waves, her human +friend breathed his last, and they both entered the invisible land +together. +</P> + +<P> +Such an extraordinary event, and the gloom which a death at sea +always casts over a ship's company, both together made the sailors +even more than usually superstitious. They all declared that, every +night at that same hour when the sick man died, a white cat was seen +leaping into the ocean. The white crests of the breaking waves might +easily thus appear to an ignorant person who lives, as a sailor +does, in the midst of the wonders and sublime scenes which the ocean +presents, in the awful terrors of its storms, or the serene glory of +its quiet hours. But the love of the poor dumb animal for its +master—that was a beautiful reality. +</P> + +<P> +I have a story now for you, Frank, about a horse, as I know you are +particularly fond of horses. An Arab chief with his tribe had +attacked in the night a caravan, and had plundered it; when loaded +with their spoil, however, the robbers were overtaken on their +return by some horsemen of the Pacha of Acre, who killed several, +and bound the remainder with cords. The horsemen brought one of the +prisoners, named Abou el Mavek, to Acre, and laid him, bound hand +and foot, wounded as he was, at the entrance to their tent. As they +slept during the night, the Arab, kept awake by the pain of his +wounds, heard his horse's neigh at a distance, and being desirous to +stroke, for the last time, the companion of his life, he dragged +himself, bound as he was, to the horse which was picketed at a +little distance. +</P> + +<P> +"Poor friend," said he; "what will you do among the Turks? You will +be shut up under the roof of a khan, with the horses of a pacha or +an aga; no longer will the women and children of the tent bring you +barley, camel's milk, or dourra, in the hollow of their hands. No +longer will you gallop, free as the wind of Egypt, in the desert. No +longer will you cleave with your bosom the water of the Jordan which +cools your sides, as pure as the foam of your lips. If I am to be a +slave, at least may you go free. Go, return to our tent which you +know so well; tell my wife that Abou el Marek will return no more; +but put your head still into the folds of the tent, lick the hands +of my beloved children." +</P> + +<P> +With these words, he untied with his teeth the fetters, and set the +courser at liberty. But the noble animal, on recovering its freedom, +instead of bounding away alone, bent its head over its master, and, +seeing him in fetters, took his clothes gently in its teeth, lifted +him up, set off at full speed, and, without ever resting, made +straight for the distant but well-known tent in the mountains. +</P> + +<P> +The horse arrived in safety, laid his master down at the feet of his +wife and children, and immediately dropped down dead with fatigue. +The whole tribe mourned him, the poets celebrated his fidelity, and +his name is still constantly in the mouths of the Arabs of Jericho. +</P> + +<P> +And now, boys, let us talk about the elephant a little. I have been +reading something of his history, and I am disposed to think that, +of all animals, he is, on the whole, the most intelligent." +</P> + +<P> +"More intelligent than the dog, Mother?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, it seems so to me. He is not so disinterested, so loving, but +he reasons more than any other animal. He is also capable of very +strong attachment, but he will not bear ill treatment. The elephant +seems revengeful. The dog still loves the master who is unkind to +him. +</P> + +<P> +The elephant will learn to assist his master in his work. An +elephant who belonged to the Duke of Devonshire would come out of +her house when her keeper called her, take up a broom, and stand +ready to sweep the paths and grass when he told her to do so. She +would take up a pail or a watering pot, and follow him round the +place, ready to do his bidding. Her keeper usually rode on her neck, +like the elephant drivers in India, and he always spread over her a +large, strong cloth for alighting, which the elephant, by kneeling, +allowed him to do. He desired her to take off the cloth. This she +contrived to do by drawing herself up in such a way that the +shrinking of her loose skin moved the cloth, and it gradually +wriggled on one side, till, at last, it would fall by its own +weight. The cloth, of course, fell all in a heap; but the elephant +would spread it carefully on the grass, and then fold it up, as you +fold your napkin, till it was small enough for her purpose; then she +held it up with her trunk for a moment, and, at last, with one jerk, +threw it up over her head to the centre of her back, where it +remained for use, out of the way, ready for next time, and as nicely +placed as if human hands had put it there. +</P> + +<P> +A few years ago, an elephant in London was taught to take part in a +play. She came in and marched very properly in a procession. At the +waving of her keeper's hand, she would kneel down and salute any +individual, or put a crown on the head of the true prince. She would +eat and drink with great propriety of manner, and make her reverence +to the audience. But all this is nothing to what the elephants were +taught by the Romans. The keepers, by treating their elephants with +the utmost kindness, taking care of them as to health, and doing +every thing to make them happy, acquired over them the greatest +power. The elephants learned to love music. They were at first +frightened by the loud instruments; but, after a while, became very +fond of all, particularly of the gentle flute, at which they would +show their delight by beating time with their great feet. The +keepers accustomed them to the sight of great multitudes of people. +At one time, when a particular exhibition of the docility of +elephants was required, twelve of the most sagacious and well +trained were made to march into the theatre with a regular step. At +the voice of their keeper, they moved in harmonious measure, +sometimes in a circle, and sometimes divided into parties, +scattering flowers around them. In the intervals of the dance, they +would beat time to the music, and were careful to keep in proper +order. After this display, the elephants were feasted, as the Romans +were in the habit of feasting themselves, in grand style. Splendid +couches were placed, ornamented with paintings and covered with +tapestry. Before the couches, upon tables of ebony and cedar, was +spread the banquet, in vessels of gold and silver. When the feast +was prepared, the twelve elephants marched in; six gentleman +elephants dressed in the robes of men, and six lady elephants +attired in women's clothes. They lay down in order upon the couches; +and then, at a certain signal, extended their trunks, and eat their +suppers with the most praiseworthy moderation and propriety. "Not +one of them," says the historian of the elephant, "appeared the +least voracious, or manifested the least desire for more than his +share of the food, or an undue proportion of the delicacies. They +were as moderate also in their drink, and received the cups that +were presented to them with the greatest decorum and temperance." +</P> + +<P> +The elephants were taught to hurl javelins, and catch them with +their trunks, and to pretend to fight with each other, for the +amusement of their warlike masters, and were taught also to perform +a dance. Finally, these wonderful animals would do what you would +think was utterly impossible. You remember, when the circus riders +were here seeing a man walk and dance on a rope." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Mother," said Frank; "but an elephant could not do that, I'm +sure." +</P> + +<P> +"Historians of Rome, supposed to give true accounts, say that the +elephants were taught to walk along a rope forward and then +backward. One elephant is described as walking up a slanting rope to +the roof of the theatre with a man on his back." +</P> + +<P> +"I should not have liked to be the man on his back," said Harry. +</P> + +<P> +"It is as astonishing, perhaps more so, that a horse has been taught +to do similar things. When I was in Paris, I saw some horses dance a +quadrille very respectably, and keep excellent time. One of the +Roman historians relates, "An elephant, having been punished for +stupidity in executing some feat which he was required to learn, was +observed, at night, endeavoring to practise what he had failed to +perform in the daytime." It is mentioned that elephants have been +observed practising their lessons by moonlight, without any +directions from the keepers. Think what a good example elephants are +for school boys. I have only told you a very little about this +wonderful animal; yet enough, I hope, to make you want to read some +of the many books about him. You have, I think, read of the story of +the elephant who was wounded in his proboscis or trunk, and, in his +anger, unintentionally killed his keeper, and of what the keeper's +wife did." +</P> + +<P> +"No, Mother," said Frank; "we have never read it. What did she do?" +</P> + +<P> +"In her despair, not knowing what she did, she held out her son, and +said to the raging animal, "Take him too." The angry elephant became +quiet. He seemed to understand the agony of the poor woman. He +gently lifted and placed upon his back the little child, and ever +after obeyed him for a master." +</P> + +<P> +"You know the story in Evenings at Home, Mother, of the Elephant and +the Cobbler, how the fellow pricked the elephant's trunk, and how +the elephant punished him by squirting muddy water all over him." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. The elephant's trunk is so susceptible that nothing enrages +him so much as any wound on it. He cannot bear patiently the +slightest scratch. +</P> + +<P> +Now I will tell you a story of a lion. An English gentleman, who was +living in India, had a fancy to see what effect extreme gentleness, +and kindness, and very simple diet would have upon the character of +the lion. The gentleman had the good fortune to get a baby lion for +the experiment. He made a real pet of him. He fed him with bread and +milk and rice, and such things, and took care always to satisfy him +with food. The young lion loved his master, who was always very kind +to him, and who was really very fond of his lionship. This man +lived, as in India a gentleman often does, in a house by himself, +and could easily have his friend lion with him, without annoying any +one. The baby grew bigger and bigger, and became a good-sized, +full-grown lion. He was gentle and happy, full of play, and rather a +pleasant companion to his two-legged friend. Whether the lion ever +roared for his master's amusement, the friend who told me this story +did not say. +</P> + +<P> +At last, this gentleman wished to return to England to see his old +mother. He was too much attached to his lion to leave him, and so +took him in the place of a dog. The lion was very good all the +voyage. No one had a word to say against him. His conduct and +manners were faultless. He played with the sailors, he obeyed his +master, and, in short, was a very quiet, well-behaved, human lion. +When the gentleman arrived in England, as soon as he could leave the +ship, he called for a carriage to take him to his mother. When he +got into the carriage, the lion jumped in after him. "Your honor," +said the driver, "I'm afraid of that beast." "O, never mind," said +the gentleman; "he'll not hurt you." "But, your honor, I never in my +born days took a lion in my carriage. It's not a place for such +brutes." "There's always a first time," said the gentleman. "Here's +a crown for my lion; and now get on; I can't wait." The cabman, +thinking it wise to make the best of things, and not quarrel with a +man who had a lion for a friend, stepped up on his box, and drove +away rattlety-bang to Regent's Park, some three or four miles' +drive. The lion was much astonished, and sat bolt upright on his +hind legs, looking out of the window. He did not appreciate the +BEAUTIES of London; he was disgusted with the noise, and growled a +little. The driver heard him, and drove all the faster. Poor Lord +Lion, his temper was tried; but he bore it better than most lions +would. At last, the cab stopped at the house of the gentleman's +mother. He sprang out, and rang the bell: "Does Mrs. B. live here?" +"Yes, sir." "Is she well?" The footman turned pale as ashes, and +scampered off as if he thought the lion would devour him. The +gentleman ran up stairs, and the lion after him. In another moment, +the arms of the son were around his mother. Presently, the lady saw +the lion. She had heard of her son's pet, and saw she was in no +danger. She begged her son, however, to put him down in the yard and +keep him chained, or she should not have a servant in the house. The +lion was not happy chained. The gentleman, finding, moreover, that +he could not go into the streets with his friend without being +followed by a mob, at last placed him in the Tower, where there were +other lions, and gave many charges that the pet lion should be well +treated. Many years afterwards, the gentleman returned from another +voyage to India; and, after seeing his mother, went to the Tower to +see his friend. When he came to the large cage in which the lion was +confined, the keeper said, "This is our finest and our fiercest +lion." "Open the door," said the gentleman. The keeper, not knowing +him, objected. The gentleman insisted, and entered. The lion was +lying down, and, seeing a man in his cage, for a moment looked +angry; in another moment he rose on his hind legs, put his paws +around his old master, and showed the greatest delight at seeing +him." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, he was almost as good as a dog," said Frank. "But now, Mother, +please tell us the story about a bear which you said you heard on +your journey last summer." +</P> + +<P> +"I ought rather," said Mrs. Chilton, "to call it the story of a cow, +for she was the heroine of the tale. I was travelling with a small +party among the White Hills. When we stopped to dine, we saw a +number of people assembled around the door of the hotel, and found +that they were looking at a black bear that had been just shot. This +bear had inspired the neighborhood with some fear, for he was a +large one. They had tried a number of times to shoot him; but all in +vain. Master Bruin was never off his guard. At last, the poor fellow +foolishly left the deep wild wood, where he could easily hide +himself, for a little grove. When the villagers saw his mistake, +they immediately took steps to surround the grove. The number of the +inhabitants was small; so they summoned all the women and children, +as well as the men, and so got an unbroken line all around the +little wood. As soon as the bear sought any part, in order to +escape, he was saluted by the most frightful screams, as well as a +shower of stones. He fled to the opposite side, but there met with +the same reception. This went on for some time. At last, some one +succeeded in shooting him. He measured a little over six feet from +the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, and his teeth were very +formidable. +</P> + +<P> +A gentleman who had assisted in the capture of the bear, told me the +story I promised to tell you of the cow and the bear. A little girl, +about twelve or thirteen years of age, was sent by her mother, one +afternoon, to bring home the cows from a neighboring wood, where +they were at pasture. There were many fallen trees, as is often the +case in our wild woods; and the child amused herself by climbing +over the trunks. +</P> + +<P> +Now, one of the black-looking logs was a large bear that was lying +asleep, and the little girl jumped right upon his growling majesty. +The bear arose, evidently not quite pleased at being made a stepping +stone, took the little girl in his great shaggy paws, and gave her +an ugly hug, such as only a bear can give. Mr. Bear would have +squeezed the breath out of the body of the poor little girl, had not +the good old cow seen the danger. The courageous creature, instead +of running away, turned back immediately, and began goring the bear +with her horns in such a way as to force old Bruin, if he valued a +whole hide, to turn round and defend himself. So he let go his hold +on the little girl, who, though sadly frightened and bruised, was +still strong enough to run towards home. Presently the bear followed +her. Immediately the cow attacked him again with her horns, and +drove him off. This continued till they got out of the wood, when +the bear ran back to his own home. The gentleman who told us this +story said he had seen the little girl, and that she had never quite +recovered from the effect of the horrid squeeze of the grim old +bear, but still suffered in her chest. Still she was thankful that +her life was saved, and always considered the good old cow her +preserver." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, Mother," said Frank, "I did not think that a cow could be good +for any thing but to give milk." +</P> + +<P> +"In Germany, they use cows for draught, and make them work pretty +hard. There you see cows every day doing the same work that our oxen +do, and giving the poor man his supper at the end of the day +besides; and it is said that the labor does not hurt them. The +Germans feed the cows well, treat them gently and kindly, but make +them, as well as the dogs, work for a living." +</P> + +<P> +"Now I will tell you a story about a pike. We are apt to think fishes +very stupid; that they have no feeling. A gentleman in England, +a surgeon and a naturalist, told me of what he had himself seen. A +pike had struck its head against a tenter hook on a post in the pond +where he was swimming. His agony was so great that he darted +backward and forward with the greatest rapidity, then buried his +head in the mud, then whirled his tail round and round, and threw +himself up into the air to the height of two or three feet, and, at +last, he threw himself out of the pond upon the grass. Dr. Warwick +placed his hand on the fish, examined the injury, and observed that +the hook had entered the skull, wrenching up one side of the bone +and depressing the other, and that a small part of the brain had +escaped. With a toothpick the doctor restored the bones to their +proper places. The patient remained perfectly still during the +operation, and after-ward was returned to his native element. He +seemed restless for a little while, and then lay quiet. Dr. Warwick +then made a sort of cradle in which he placed the poor sufferer, who +seemed disposed to lie still on one side." +</P> + +<P> +"The next day, very early, Dr. Warwick went to the pond. To his +astonishment, he found that the pike knew and remembered him. The +fish came to the edge of the pond, placed his jaw upon the toe of +the doctor's boot, let himself be taken hold of and caressed, and +allowed the wound to be examined. It was much better. When the +doctor walked along the side of the pond, the fish followed him. +When the doctor returned from his walk, he found his patient +watching for him. The pike then swam backward and forward while the +doctor remained there. The fish had lost one eye in consequence of +the wound from the hook, and, when his blind side was towards the +doctor, was always very restless. The poor fellow seemed anxious to +keep his surgical friend in sight. The doctor would often whistle +when he went to the pond; and the pike always came at the call, and +showed pleasure at seeing him. Dr. Warwick introduced his family to +his friend and patient, the pike. The grateful fish allowed them to +give him food, and put aside much of his native shyness. In truth, +he received their attentions very civilly, but he always showed a +decided preference for his medical friend. Dr. Warwick was the +father of my friend, Mrs. A., in Liverpool. He related all these +facts to me himself, and they are all to be perfectly relied upon." +</P> + +<P> +Now I will read you a German story called Caliph Stork. +</P> + +<P> +One pleasant afternoon, the Caliph of Bagdad was sitting comfortably +on his sofa: he had slept a little, (for it was a hot day,) and +looked quite bright after his nap. He was smoking a long rose-wood +pipe, and sipping coffee, which was poured out for him by a slave; +and occasionally he stroked his beard with great satisfaction. In +short, it was evident that he felt quite pleasantly. +</P> + +<P> +This was the best time of day for speaking with him; for at this +hour he was always very good-natured and affable; and, on this +account, the Grand Vizier Mansor always visited him at this hour. He +came also this afternoon, but looking very thoughtful, quite against +his wont. The caliph took the pipe partly away from his mouth, and +said, "What makes you look so thoughtful, Grand Vizier?" +</P> + +<P> +The grand vizier crossed his arms over his breast, bowed to his +master, and answered, "Sir! whether I look thoughtful or not is more +than I know; but certain it is, that there is a pedler down stairs +who has such beautiful things, that it vexes me not to have any +money to spare." +</P> + +<P> +The caliph was very willing to do his grand vizier a favor; so he +sent the black slave to bring the pedler up stairs. The pedler came. +He was a little, dumpy man, with a dark complexion, and dressed in +ragged garments. He bore a chest in which were wares of all sorts: +pearls and rings, richly mounted pistols, drinking cups, and combs. +The caliph and his vizier rummaged over the whole chest, and the +caliph finally bought some pistols for himself and Mansor, and a +comb for the vizier's wife. As the pedler was about to close the +chest, the caliph saw a little drawer, and asked if there was any +thing more in it. The pedler pulled the drawer out, and showed in it +a box of blackish powder, and a paper with curious writing on it, +which neither the caliph nor Mansor could read. "I got these two +things from a merchant who found them at Mecca, in the street; I do +not know what they contain, but you may have them very cheap, for I +cannot do any thing with them." +</P> + +<P> +The caliph, who liked to have old manuscripts in his library, +although he could not read them, bought the paper and the box, and +dismissed the pedler. +</P> + +<P> +The caliph, however, thought he should like to know the contents of +the manuscript, and asked the vizier if he knew any body who could +decipher it. "Most gracious sovereign and master," answered he, +"there is a man at the great mosque, who is called Selim the +Learned; he understands all languages; send for him; perhaps he may +make out these mysterious characters." +</P> + +<P> +The learned Selim was soon brought. "Selim," said the caliph to him, +"they say you are very learned; now just look into this manuscript, +and see whether you can read it; if you can, I will give you a new +dress; but if you cannot, you shall have twelve boxes on the ear, +and twenty-five blows on the soles of your feet, for having been +called, without reason, Selim the Learned." +</P> + +<P> +Selim bowed and said, "Be it as you command, Sir!" He examined the +writing for a long time, and then suddenly cried out, "This is +Latin, sir, or I'll give you leave to hang me." "Let us hear what it +contains, then, if it is Latin," said the caliph. +</P> + +<P> +Selim began to translate: "O man who findest this, praise Allah for +his goodness. Whoever snuffs up some of the powder in this box, and +at the same time says, 'Mutabor,' may change himself into any +animal, and will understand the language of animals. If he wishes to +return to the human shape, let him bow three times towards the East, +and pronounce the same word. But let him take care, after he is +transformed, not to laugh, otherwise the word will disappear +entirely from his memory, and he will remain a beast." +</P> + +<P> +When Selim the Learned had read this, the caliph was exceedingly +delighted. He made Selim swear never to reveal any thing of the +secret to any one; then he gave him a beautiful robe, and dismissed +him. +</P> + +<P> +Then he said to his grand vizier, "That is what I call a good +bargain, Mansor! How impatient I am to become a beast! Come to me +easily to-morrow morning, and we will go out into the fields, snuff +up a little of the powder, and then listen to what is said in the +air and in the water, in the woods and in the fields!" +</P> + +<P> +Scarcely had the caliph breakfasted and dressed, the next morning, +when the grand vizier appeared, according to his orders, to +accompany him in his excursion. The caliph stuck the box with the +magic powder into his girdle, and having commanded his retinue to +remain behind, he set off with only the grand vizier, on his way. +They went first through the spacious gardens of the caliph, but they +could not find any living animal to try their experiment upon. At +last, the vizier proposed to go out to a pond, where he had often +seen many animals, particularly storks, which had attracted his +attention by their grave demeanor and their chattering. +</P> + +<P> +The caliph approved of the vizier's proposal, and went with him +towards the pond. When they got there, they saw a stork, walking +gravely back and forth, searching for frogs, and occasionally +chattering something to himself. At the same time they saw another +stork soaring high in the air, above the place. +</P> + +<P> +"I will wager my beard, most gracious Sir," said the grand vizier, +"that these two long-legs are carrying on a fine conversation +together. What say you to turning ourselves into storks?" +</P> + +<P> +"Well said!" answered the caliph. "But let us see; how is it that +one is to become man again?" +</P> + +<P> +"O, yes! we are to bow three times towards the East, and say, +Mutabor, and then I am caliph again, and you vizier. But for +Heaven's sake don't laugh, or we are lost!" +</P> + +<P> +While the caliph was speaking, he saw the other stork come sailing +down over their heads, and settle in a business manner on the +ground. Quickly he drew the box from his girdle, took a good pinch +of the powder, and handed it to the grand vizier, who also took a +pinch, and then both cried out, "Mutabor!" +</P> + +<P> +Immediately their legs shrivelled up, and became thin and red; the +beautiful yellow slippers of the caliph and his companion turned +into clumsy stork-feet; their arms became wings; their necks +stretched out from their shoulders, and were an ell long; their +beards disappeared, and their bodies were covered with soft +feathers, instead of clothes. +</P> + +<P> +"That's a pretty bill of yours, Mr. Grand Vizier," said the caliph, +after a long pause of astonishment. "By the beard of the Prophet, I +never saw any thing like that in my life." +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you kindly," answered the grand vizier, bowing; "but, if I +may be allowed the observation, your highness looks almost handsomer +as stork than as caliph. But come, if you please, let us listen to +our comrades yonder, and try whether we really do understand +Storkish." +</P> + +<P> +In the mean time the other stork had alighted on the ground. He +arranged his feathers with his bill, put himself to rights, and +walked up to the first stork. +</P> + +<P> +The two new storks made haste to approach them, and overheard, to +their astonishment, the following conversation. +</P> + +<P> +"Good morning, Mrs. Longlegs; you are early on the meadow." +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you, dear blatterbeak! I have been getting a little +breakfast. Will you take a bit of lizard, or a frog's leg?" +</P> + +<P> +"Much obliged, but I have no appetite this morning. I came on to the +meadow for quite a different purpose. I am to dance before the +guests at my father's to-day, and I thought I would exercise a +little in private beforehand." +</P> + +<P> +At the same time the young storkess marched about the field making +the oddest gesticulations. The caliph and Mansor looked on with +wonder. But at last, when she put herself into a picturesque +attitude on one foot, and gracefully waved her wings, they could +stand it no longer; an inextinguishable laugh burst from their +bills, from which they did not recover for some time. The caliph +composed himself first. "What a capital joke!" cried he; "I never +saw any thing better in my life; it is a pity that the stupid birds +were frightened away by our laughter, else she would certainly have +sung!" +</P> + +<P> +But it now occurred to the grand vizier that they had been forbidden +to laugh during their transformation. He communicated his anxiety to +the caliph. +</P> + +<P> +"By Mecca and Medina!" cried the caliph, "it would be a pretty piece +of business if I had to remain a stork all my life! Try think of the +stupid word; I can't remember it." +</P> + +<P> +"We must bow three times towards the East, and say, Mu—Mu—Mu—." +They turned to the East, and bowed away till their beaks touched the +ground. But, alas! The magic word had vanished, and with all the +caliph's bowing, and his vizier's crying Mu—Mu—, all recollections +of it had disappeared from their memories, and the poor Chasid and +his vizier still remained storks as before. +</P> + +<P> +The caliph and the grand vizier walked in a melancholy mood through +the fields, not knowing what to do in their sad plight. They could +not get out of their stork-skins, and it would not do for them to go +back to the town to tell any one of their condition, for who would +believe a stork if he said that he was the caliph? And even if they +had believed him, would the inhabitants of Bagdad be willing to have +a stork for their caliph? So they sneaked about for several days, +feeding upon wild fruits, which, however, they could not manage very +well, on account of their long bills. For lizards and frogs, they +had no appetite. Their only satisfaction in this sad predicament was +that they could fly; and they often flew over on to the roofs in the +city of Bagdad, to see what was going on. +</P> + +<P> +For the first few days they observed great uneasiness and mourning +in the streets. But, on the fourth day of their enchantment, as they +were sitting on the roof of the caliph's palace, they saw in the +street below a splendid procession. The drums and fifes sounded, and +a man in a scarlet robe, embroidered with gold, came riding along on +a richly caparisoned horse, surrounded by servants in glittering +garments. Half the town were at his heels, and all were shouting, +"Hail to Mizra! Caliph of Bagdad!" The two storks looked at each +other as they sat on the roof, and the Caliph Chasid said, "Do not +you begin to understand how I come to be enchanted, Grand Vizier? +This Mizra is the son of my mortal enemy, the powerful enchanter, +Kaschnur, who in an evil hour vowed vengeance against me. But I do +not yet give up all hope. Come with me, faithful companion in +misfortune; we will make a pilgrimage to the grave of the Prophet; +perhaps the charm may be broken in sacred places." +</P> + +<P> +So they raised themselves from the roof of the palace, and flew in +the direction of Medina. +</P> + +<P> +Flying, however, did not suit the two storks very well, on account +of their want of practice. "Ah, Sir," groaned the vizier, after they +had been flying a couple of hours, "with your permission—I cannot +stand it any longer; you fly too fast! Besides, it is already +growing dark, and we should do well to be looking out for some place +to pass the night." +</P> + +<P> +Chasid yielded to the request of his officer, and perceiving a +ruined building in the valley below, they flew down to it. The place +which they had pitched upon for their night-quarters, seemed to have +been a castle. Beautiful columns were still standing among the +ruins, and numerous chambers, which were in tolerable preservation, +testified to the former splendor of the house. Chasid and his +companion walked about the passages to find a dry spot; suddenly the +stork Mansor stood still. "Lord and Master," whispered he, softly, +"if it were not that it would be foolish for a grand vizier—and +still more so for a stork—to be afraid of ghosts! I do not feel +easy at all, for I heard some one sighing and moaning, quite +plainly." The caliph also stopped, and heard distinctly a noise as +of some one weeping, which sounded more like a human being than like +an animal. Full of expectation, he was about to advance towards the +place whence the sound proceeded; but the vizier seized him by the +wing with his bill, and begged him earnestly not to expose himself +to new unknown dangers; but in vain! The caliph, under whose stork-wings +there beat a valiant heart, tore himself away with the loss of +some feathers, and ran into a dark passage. He soon came to a door, +which appeared not to be fastened, and from which proceeded distinct +sighs and a slight hooting. He pushed the door open with his bill, +but remained standing in astonishment on the threshold. In the +ruinous chamber, which was lighted scantily by a small grated +window, he saw a large owl sitting on the floor. Large tears were +rolling from her great round eyes, and with a hoarse voice she +uttered complaints from her crooked beak. But when she beheld the +caliph and his vizier, who had crept after him in the mean time, she +raised a loud cry of joy. Then she gracefully wiped the tears from +her eyes with her brown-spotted wing, and, to the great astonishment +of both, she cried out, in good human Arabic, "Welcome, ye storks; +ye are a good omen of my deliverance, for it has been prophesied to +me that a great good fortune would come to me through the means of +some storks!" +</P> + +<P> +When the caliph had recovered from his astonishment, he made a bow +with his long neck, placed his thin feet in a graceful position, and +said, "Owl! thy words would lead me to conclude that thou art a +partaker of our misfortune. But alas! thy hope of being delivered by +us is in vain. Thou wilt perceive our helplessness when thou hast +heard our story." The owl begged him to relate it, and the caliph +began, and told her what we already know. +</P> + +<P> +When the caliph had finished telling their story to the owl, she +thanked him, and said, "Hear, alas! my history, and you will see +that I am not less unhappy than you. My father is the King of India, +and I, his only daughter, am named Susa. The enchanter, Kaschnur, +who enchanted you, brought me also into misery. He came one day to +my father, and desired me for wife for his son Mizra. But my father, +who is a quick-tempered person, had him kicked down stairs. The +scoundrel contrived to come into my presence again under another +form; and once, when I wished to take some refreshments in the +garden, he brought to me, in the disguise of a slave, a potion which +transformed me into this horrible shape. As I was powerless from +fright, he brought me hither, and cried with a terrible voice into +my ear,—" +</P> + +<P> +"Here shalt thou remain, ugly and despised even by the beasts, until +thy death; or until some one of his own accord shall desire to marry +thee, even in this vile shape. Thus I revenge myself on thee and thy +proud father." +</P> + +<P> +"Since then, many months have elapsed. Solitary and sad, I live as a +hermit in these walls, despised by the whole world, disgusting even +to the beasts; the beauties of nature are shut from me, since I am +blind by day, and, only when the moon pours her pale light over +these walls, does the veil of darkness fall from my eyes." +</P> + +<P> +She ended, and wiped her tears again with her wing, for the +narration of her sorrows had caused her to weep. +</P> + +<P> +The caliph pondered deeply on the story of the princess. "If I am +not entirely in error," said he, "there is a secret connection +between our misfortunes; but where shall I find the key to this +riddle?" +</P> + +<P> +The owl answered, "Sir, I have also the same feeling; for it was +prophesied to me, in my earliest youth, by a wise woman, that a +stork would bring me great good luck; and perhaps I can tell in what +manner we may deliver ourselves." +</P> + +<P> +The caliph was much amazed, and asked in what manner she meant. "The +enchanter," said she, "who has rendered us both unhappy, comes once +every month to these ruins. Not far from this chamber, there is a +hall in which he is accustomed to revel with many comrades; I have +often watched them there. They relate to each other their villanous +deeds, and perhaps he may pronounce the magic word which you +have forgotten." +</P> + +<P> +"O dearest Princess," exclaimed the caliph, "tell me when will he +come, and where is the hall?" +</P> + +<P> +The owl was silent for a moment, and then said,— +</P> + +<P> +"Do not take it ill, but I can fulfil your wish only on one +condition." +</P> + +<P> +"What is it? what is it?" cried Chasid; "whatever you please; I will +agree to any thing." +</P> + +<P> +"Why, I should like to obtain my own liberty also; but this is +possible only on condition that one of you shall marry me." +</P> + +<P> +The storks seemed somewhat embarrassed by this proposal, and the +caliph motioned to his officer to go out with him a moment. +</P> + +<P> +"Grand Vizier," said the caliph, when they got outside of the door, +"this is a stupid business, but I should think you might marry her." +</P> + +<P> +"Indeed!" answered he; "do you wish to have my eyes scratched out by +my wife as soon as I get home? Besides, I am an old man, and you are +young and unmarried; it would be more reasonable for you to give +your hand to a beautiful young princess." +</P> + +<P> +"Ay, but there's the rub," sighed the caliph, drooping his wings +composedly; "who told you that she was young and beautiful? That is +what I call buying a pig in a poke!" +</P> + +<P> +So they talked a long while about it, till, at last, as the caliph +saw that his vizier preferred remaining a stork to marrying the owl, +he made up his mind to fulfil the condition himself. The owl was +highly delighted. She informed them that they could not have come at +a better time, for probably the enchanters would assemble that +night. +</P> + +<P> +She left the chamber with the storks, to conduct them to the hall; +they walked for a long time through a dark passage; at last, a +bright light streamed towards them from a ruined wall. Having +reached this, the owl advised them to remain perfectly still. From +the cleft at which they stood, they could see over the whole hall. +It was surrounded by columns, and splendidly ornamented. Numerous +colored lamps supplied the want of daylight. In the midst of the +hall, stood a round table covered with various delicacies. Round the +table, was placed a sofa on which sat eight men. In one of these men +the storks recognized the merchant who had sold them the magic +powder. The one who sat next to him asked him to relate his newest +exploits. He told, among others, the story of the caliph and his +vizier. +</P> + +<P> +"And what word did you give them?" asked another of the magicians. +"A very hard Latin one; it is called MUTABOR." +</P> + +<P> +When the storks heard this at their chink in the wall, they were +almost out of their senses with joy. They ran so swiftly to the door +of the ruin, with their long feet, that the owl could scarcely keep +up with them. When they had got out, the caliph said with emotion to +the owl, "Deliverer of my life, and of the life of my friend, accept +me for your husband, as an eternal mark of gratitude for what you +have done for us." Then he turned towards the East. Three times the +storks bowed their long necks towards the sun, which just then was +rising over the mountains; cried MUTABOR, and in an instant they +were disenchanted, and the master and servant lay in each other's +arms, weeping for joy. But who could describe their astonishment, +when, on looking round, they saw a beautiful lady in magnificent +attire? "Do you not know your owl?" said she, smiling, as she gave +her hand to the caliph. It was she, and the caliph was so enraptured +with her beauty and grace, that he declared he had been most +fortunate in having been turned into a stork. +</P> + +<P> +All three now returned to Bagdad, where the arrival of the caliph +excited great astonishment. All had supposed that he was dead, and +the people were highly delighted to recover their beloved ruler. +</P> + +<P> +The caliph Chasid lived long and happily with his wife, the +princess; and sometimes, when the grand vizier came to see him of an +afternoon, when he was in particularly good humor, he would +condescend to imitate the appearance of the grand vizier in the +character of the stork; walking gravely about, with feet extended, +chattering, and waving with his arms; and showed how the grand +vizier bowed in vain towards the East, and cried Mu—Mu. But when he +kept this up too long, the vizier used to threaten that he would +tell the caliph's wife the discussion, outside of the door, about +the princess owl. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's What the Animals Do and Say, by Eliza Lee Follen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT THE ANIMALS DO AND SAY *** + +***** This file should be named 4044-h.htm or 4044-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/4/4044/ + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: What the Animals Do and Say + +Author: Eliza Lee Follen + +Posting Date: June 11, 2009 [EBook #4044] +Release Date: March, 2003 +First Posted: October 20, 2001 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT THE ANIMALS DO AND SAY *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + +WHAT THE ANIMALS DO AND SAY + + +BY + +MRS. FOLLEN + + + + +Illustrated with Engravings + + + + +WHAT THE ANIMALS DO AND SAY. + + +"Could you not tell us a traveller's story of some strange people +that we have never heard of before?" said Harry to his mother, the +next evening. + +After a moment or two of thought, Mis. Chilton said, "Yes, I will +tell you about a people who are great travellers. They take journeys +every year of their lives. They dislike cold weather so much that +they go always before winter, so as to find a warmer climate." + +"They usually meet together, fathers, mothers, and children, as well +as uncles, aunts, and cousins, but more especially grandfathers and +grandmothers, and decide whither they shall go. As their party is so +large, it is important that they should make a good decision." + +"When they are all prepared, and their mind quite made up, they all +set off together. I am told that they make as much noise, on this +occasion, as our people make at a town-meeting; but as I was never +present at one of the powwows of these remarkable travellers, I +cannot say." + +"What is a powwow?" asked Harry. + +"It is the name the Indians give to their council meetings," replied +Mis. Chilton. + +She went on. "This people, so fond of travelling, have no great +learning; they write no books; they have no geographies, no +steamboats, no railroads, but yet never mistake their way." + +"Four-footed travellers, I guess," said Harry. + +"By no means; they have no more legs than any other great +travellers; but you must not interrupt me." + +"Well, to go back to our travellers; every one is ready and glad to +prepare apartments for them, such as they like. They are so lively, +so merry, and good-natured, that they find a welcome every where. +They are such an easy, sociable set of folks that they like a house +thus prepared for them just as well as if they had built it +themselves." + +"I have been told that when they arrive at any place, before they +wash themselves, or brush off the dust of their journey, they will +go directly to one of these houses that has been prepared for them, +and examine every part of it; and, if they like it, they seem to +think they have, of course, a right to it, and they take possession +directly, and say, 'Thank you' to nobody." + +"No one is affronted with them; but every one is ready and glad to +accommodate the strangers as well as he can, merely for the sake of +their good company. They come to us in May, and leave our part of +the country in August, to visit other lands. + +"The great reason, I think, that all the world welcomes these +travellers is, that they are such a happy, merry set of beings they +make every one around them cheerful; their gayety is never-failing. +They rise with the first streak of light; there are no sluggards +among them. They are all musical, and sing as they go about their +work; but their music pleases me best when they join in their +morning hymn. When the morning star is growing pale, and rosy light +tinges the edges of the soft clouds in the east, this choir of +singers stop for a second, as if waiting, in silent reverence, for +the glad light to appear; then, just as the first ray gilds the hill +tops and the village spire, all pour forth a joyful song, swelling +their little throats, and making such a loud noise that every sleepy +head in the neighborhood awakes." + +"Ah! now I have caught you, Mother," said Frank; "these famous +travellers are martins. I wonder, when you said they were not four +footed, I did not think of martins. I heard George say, the other +day, that his father had put up a martin box, and how they came and +looked at it first, before they took it, and that they always sang +before daylight, and what a noise they made. + +"But, Mother, when you tell that story again, you must not say little +throats, or any one will know who your travellers are quick enough; +but do please tell us more about them." + +"Yes, Frank, you have caught me; these travellers are martins; and, +if you wish, I will tell you more about them. Mr. Wilson, whom I +have been reading to-day, calls them birds of passage." + +"What does that mean, Mother?" + +"It means that they find it necessary for their support to pass from +one country to another when winter is coming on. At that time they +leave us. + +"Some people think that martins and swallows hide themselves from the +cold in holes in rocks and banks, or in hollow trees; but Wilson, +who spent many years in watching the habits of birds, and learning +their history, thinks that these fly a great way off to a warmer +country as winter approaches, and that they return again in the +spring." + +"But how can they find the way?" asked Frank. + +"All that we know about that, Frank, is, that He who created the +martins has given to them the knowledge that guides them right. In +their long way through the pathless air, they never make a mistake. +Our great vessels and our skilful captains sometimes get lost in the +wide ocean; but these little birds always know the way, and arrive +with unerring certainty at their place of destination. + +"Our great poet, Bryant, has written some beautiful lines to a +water-fowl, which express this idea. I will repeat these lines to you +if you like to hear them. + + 'Whither, 'midst falling dew, + While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, + Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue + Thy solitary way? + + Vainly the fowler's eye + Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, + As, darkly limned upon the crimson sky, + Thy figure floats along. + + Seek'st thou the plashy brink + Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide, + Or where the rocking billows rise and sink + On the chafed ocean side? + + There is a Power whose care + Teaches thy way along that pathless coast,-- + The desert and illimitable air,-- + Lone wandering, but not lost. + + All day thy wings have fanned, + At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere; + Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, + Though the dark night is near. + + And soon that toil shall end; + Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest, + And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend, + Soon, o'er thy sheltered nest. + + Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven + Hath swallowed up thy form; yet on my heart + Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given, + And shall not soon depart. + + He who, from zone to zone, + Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, + In the long way that I must tread alone, + Will lead my steps aright.'" + +"I should like to learn that by heart," said Frank; "I like it very +much." + +"Come, Mother," said Harry, "what more have you to tell us about +these travellers?" + +"Not much, Harry. The martin is such a universal favorite that +Wilson says he never knew but one man that did not like them and +treat them kindly. Wherever they, go, they find some hospitable +retreat prepared for their reception. Some people have large +habitations formed for the martins, fitted up with a variety of +apartments and conveniences; these houses are regularly occupied +every spring, and the same individual birds have been known to +return to the same box for many successive years. + +"The North American Indians, who have a great regard for martins, cut +off all the top branches of a young tree, and leave the prongs a +foot or two in length, and hang hollow gourds or calabashes on the +ends for nests." + +"What are gourds and calabashes, Mother?" said Harry. + +"A gourd, my dear, is a vegetable, something like a squash, only +much thicker and harder; when hollowed out, it is as hard as if it +were made of wood, and not so easy to break. It is shaped something +like a short, straight-necked winter squash; a calabash is a large +kind of gourd. + +On the banks of the Mississippi, the negroes stick up long poles, +with calabashes on the ends, to accommodate the martins. + +Martins have been known, when no house was provided for them, to +take possession of part of a pigeon house; and no pigeon ever dares +to set its foot in the martin's side of the house. The martin is a +very courageous and spirited bird, and will attack hawks, crows, and +even great bald eagles; he whirls around and around them, and +torments them, till, at last, he succeeds in driving them off. This +makes the martin a very valuable friend to the farmer, whose +chickens he defends from their enemies. + +The martins are very faithful and affectionate to each other; when +the mother bird is hatching her eggs, her mate often sits by her +side; and sometimes he will take her place, and send her out to take +exercise and get food. He passes a great deal of his time at the +door of her apartment, chattering to her, as if he were telling her +amusing stories; and then he will sing very softly and tenderly to +her, and he does every thing he can to please her. + +The martin has very strong and large wings, and short legs, that +they may not interfere with his flight, which is very rapid. It is +calculated by Mr. Wilson that this bird flies as fast as a mile in a +minute. Sometimes you may see a martin flying in the midst of a +crowded street, so near people that it seems as if they might catch +him; and then, quick as thought, he darts out of their reach, and, +in less than a minute, you may see him far up among the clouds, +looking like a little black speck upon their silver edges." + +"How happy, Mother," said Frank, "the martins must be, to be able to +fly about among the clouds, and travel so far, and go just where +they please so easily!" + +"God has made every living thing to be happy," said his mother; "and +in this we see His goodness. Are not you happy, too?" + +"Almost always, Mother. Sometimes I am not happy." + +"What is the reason why you are not always happy?" + +"Why, things trouble me, and I feel cross and impatient." + +"But if you try to bear with disagreeable things, and conquer your +ill-humor, and make yourself patient, are you unhappy then?" + +"No, Mother; but then I have to try very hard." + +"But you are happy when you succeed. Now, what is it in you that +tries to be good, and is happy when it succeeds?" + +"It is my mind, Mother." + +"Would you, Frank, give up your mind for a pair of martin's wings?" + +"O, no, Mother; but I want my mind, and a pair of wings too." + +"If you think your mind is better than the martin's wings, my dear, +be thankful for the possession of it; and be thankful too that God +has allowed you the privilege of making yourself happy by your own +efforts, and by the exercise of your thoughts, for they are the +wings of your mind. You do not now see a martin in the air; you are +only thinking of him; and yet you feel how pleasant it might be to +be like him, up among the clouds. + +The martin cannot have the pleasure we have now had, but God has +given him wings, and taught him the way through the air, and put +love into his heart for his mate; and let us rejoice in his +happiness, and, more than all, let us rejoice in the goodness of Him +who has put joy into so many hearts. And when, my dear children, you +see the martin cutting his way so swiftly through the air, and when +you think of him travelling away thousands of miles, guided by the +goodness of God to the right place, and you wish that you had wings +like him, and think that he is happier than you are, you can then +remember a far greater gift that God has bestowed upon you. + +Although the martin's flight is very swift and very high, yet he can +go but so far, and he knows not what directs him. When his wings are +wearied, and he is nothing but a speck of dust, and when your body +also is nothing but dust, these thoughts of yours, that have pursued +him, will be still travelling on; and, if you stretch the wings of +your mind, and soar upward, as the martin does with his bodily +wings, and like him, use all your powers as God directs you, you +will be rising higher and higher. And you will also know to whom you +go, and who gives you all your powers. The martin knows nothing of +this. He must go and come at such a time, and do just as all other +martins have done; but you are free to choose for yourself, and to +take the right and happy way, because you know it is the right way, +and the path to heaven. + +But I must tell you what made me think particularly now of these +travellers through the pathless air. Last week, you remember, I was +ill, and shut up in my room. As I was sitting at my chamber window, +enjoying the perfume of the apple blossoms, and listening to the +song of the birds, and the soft sighing of the south wind, the world +looked as beautiful to me as if it had been that moment created. + +You remember that there is an olive jar in the cherry tree close to +my window, which I had last autumn desired to have placed there, in +the hope that the birds would build in it this spring. + +While I was looking I saw a bluebird alight on the tree. Presently +she came nearer and nearer to the jar, and looked earnestly at the +small round opening in it, as much as to say, 'That looks like a +nice place for a nest.' Then she came still nearer, and looked round +to see if any one noticed her. I kept very still. At last she grew +bolder, and flew upon the jar. Now she looked around again, as if +she was afraid of something. Then she turned her head sideways, and +looked up and down, this way, and that way, and every way, till she +satisfied herself that no enemy was near. At last, she flew upon the +edge of the hole, and courageously looked in; then she quickly drew +her head out, and looked all around again. I thought she looked +directly into my face, and came to the conclusion that I was a +friend, for she went part way in. Then she suddenly drew her +beautiful head and shoulders out again, and looked about once more. +At last, she seemed satisfied, made one more effort, and flew in. +She staid in long enough to make up her mind that it was a good +place for her nest, and then she flew off, quick as thought. In less +than two minutes she came back with her mate. They alighted upon a +bough near the jar, and it was plain that they were confabulating +together, and that she was urging him to go in and look at the place +she had chosen for her nursery. Her mate looked very wise and grave, +as much as to say, 'My dear, we must not be too hasty. We must +choose this home of ours with great care. Too much of our happiness +depends upon this step to allow of any mistake'; he then flew upon +the outside of the jar, and went through just the same ceremonies +that his better half had performed before, only he was still more +deliberate and cautious about entering. At last, he flew in, and, in +a short time, appeared again, and alighted on a branch near the jar +by the side of his dear mate. There they conversed together in their +bird language for some time, as plainly to me as if they had spoken +good English. 'This,' said he, 'is a nice large comfortable place, +my dear. That great house is rather too near, to be sure, but I am +well informed that its inhabitants, and those of all this +neighborhood, will never molest us. Last year, the cherry birds ate +up all the cherries in all the gardens around here, and not one of +the thieves received the slightest harm. We will, I think, begin our +work immediately, and make a nice soft bed for our young to rest in +when we shall be so happy as to have any.' This, I am sure, was the +result of their confab, for directly they began to pick up hay, and +furze, and feathers, and every soft thing they could find, and carry +them into the jar. + +The male bird, which I knew by the greater brightness of his +plumage, and his more slender form, seemed to be fondest of bringing +sticks, one of which was too long for the mouth of the jar to admit. +It was very amusing to witness his efforts to get the stick in; but +it would not do; the stick fell to the ground. All day long, these +pretty creatures were busy at their work; one usually watched while +the other was in the jar arranging the nest for their expected +brood. In about a week, it was evident that their work was +completed, for they carried in no more sticks or dried grass. They +were gone a great part of the day, I suppose playing, after so much +hard work, but they returned at evening. Some one in the +neighborhood fired a gun. This scared the bluebirds so that they +staid away for two whole days; and, when they returned, it was +amusing to see how timidly they entered their house. Then they would +fly off to another tree at a distance, and make believe they had +nothing to do with the one their nest was in. At last, they grew +bolder; and, every evening at sunset, I saw the mother bird go into +her nest while her mate went to roost. + +There was a slight feeling of despondency in my heart when I first +went to look out of this window; but when I saw these birds, and +witnessed the scene of faithful love and domestic industry and +happiness set forth by these little creatures, the spirit of +complaint was rebuked within me, and I learned a new lesson of +serene trust and assurance that all were cared for by the Creator of +all. + +But I must tell you the rest of the story of the bluebirds; and I am +sorry to say, they met with sad trials. The first encroacher, as +they supposed him to be, was a woodpecker; he seemed, as I thought, +to mean them no harm; but as soon as they heard his tap, tap, tap, +they flew at him very angrily and drove him away. A more dangerous +enemy was at hand, one that from his size you would not have +supposed dangerous to them. A little wren, not nearly so large as +the bluebird, came one day to the tree; and, seeing the jar, having +examined it, and being pleased with it, resolved to take it for +herself. The little thief waited till the bluebirds had gone upon +some expedition; and then, without any ceremony, without any fear of +any thing, she entered the jar, and was evidently confirmed in her +purpose of taking possession of it. Probably she held a consultation +with her mate; but this I did not witness, as I did that between the +two bluebirds. The next day this pert little Madam Wren, or her +mate, I could not tell which, came again, and, perching on the +topmost branch of the tree, poured forth a loud triumphant song, and +then, as soon as the coast was clear, entered the house she was +resolved to appropriate to herself. In a minute after, she appeared +at the mouth of the jar with her bill full of the dried grass of +which the bluebird's nest was made, which she threw out on the +ground disdainfully. Back again she flew, and in an instant brought +some more and threw it out. This she did with the most impudent look +you can imagine. Then she flew swiftly in and out, like a little +termagant, throwing out of the mouth of the jar, sticks, dead +leaves, grass, with all the nice soft things which the poor bluebird +had been a week in collecting. Every now and then, she came out for +a minute and sang as sweetly as if she were not engaged in such a +piratical work; and the little rogue looked up in my face so +saucily, too, as much as to say, 'Who cares for you?' Then she began +singing at the top of her voice, exulting over her work of +destruction. Can you suppose it was any sense of honesty that +prevented her using the bluebird's nest after having stolen her +house? No, Jenny Wren had no principle. You would have laughed to +see how scornfully she tossed out those dead leaves. Every thing +went out of the nest pell-mell. The little monster! what could the +poor bluebirds say or do? This bird evidently had no conscience, at +least not a good one, that is plain. Never did general rejoice more +over the capture and destruction of a city than this little bit of a +bird rejoiced over the destruction of the bluebird's nest, and at +the unlawful possession of the house. I saw her carrying in a long +stick that suited her better than the short ones that the bluebird +had carried in: she found she could not get it in if she took it in +the middle; so she changed the place, and held it by the end, and so +by that means got it in. She was more cunning than the bluebird. Now +you might hear the two little robbers sing again. They are happier +than any king can be nowadays. Poor, dear, beautiful bluebirds! What +has become of them? Then came the mother. She looked into the jar +and saw the destruction of her nest--all her week's work. How +distressed she seemed! but the victorious wrens had no pity on her. +They drove her away. She disappeared. The saucy conquerors flew in +and out of their stolen house twenty times a minute, caring for +nothing. They could have had no moral sense; but they were very +amusing, and they were nothing but birds; they knew no better; so we +must forgive them." + +"I like stories about animals better than any other stories," said +Frank. "I think animals know as much, and sometimes more than we do. +So, Mother, do tell us all you can think of about elephants, bears, +and lions, as well as dogs, and cats, and birds." + +"I have laid up in my memory two or three dog and cat stories, which +I will tell you, and then I will see what I can remember of lions, +bears, and elephants. But first I must tell you what I have lately +read about courts of justice among the crows." + +"What is a court of justice?" asked Harry. + +"A court of justice is an assemblage of men who meet together to +ascertain if any one who is accused of doing a wrong thing has +really done it or not. If he is proved to have committed the +offence, he is declared to be guilty; if he is not proved to have +done it, he is declared not guilty. + +A writer on the history of the Feroe Islands describes these +extraordinary courts as if he had witnessed them. He says, these +crow-courts are observed here (in the Feroe Islands) as well as in +the Scotch Isles. The crows collect in great numbers, as if they had +been all summoned for the occasion. A few of the flock sit with +drooping heads, others seem as grave as if they were judges, and +some are exceedingly active and noisy, like lawyers and witnesses; +in the course of about an hour the company generally disperse, and +it is not uncommon, after they have flown away, to find one or two +left dead on the spot. + +Dr. Edmondstone, in his View of the Shetland Islands, says that +sometimes the crow-court, or meeting, does not appear to be complete +before the expiration of a day or two,--crows coming from all +quarters to the session. As soon as they are all arrived, a very +general noise ensues, the business of the court is opened, and +shortly after they all fall upon one or two individual crows, (who +are supposed to have been condemned by their peers,) and put them to +death. When the execution is over, they quietly disperse." + +"I shall never look at a crow, Mother, again," said Harry, "without +dislike--cruel creatures." + +"We don't understand these things," said his mother; "animals have +no compassion for their sick companions; they kill them sometimes +for being sick. It seems very cruel, but we don't understand enough +to judge." + +"Now, Mother, what new story have you about dogs?" + +"The story I shall tell you now seems to show that dogs have good +hearts, and are compassionate and magnanimous. A dog was placed to +watch a piece of ground, perhaps a garden. A boy ran across the +forbidden place. The dog chased him. The boy, greatly frightened, +ran very fast, fell, and broke his leg. The dog, when he came up and +heard the boy's cries, did not touch him, but ran up to the passers +by, and barked till he attracted their attention, and brought some +one to the aid of the poor boy, who could not move. + +The faithful creature had performed his duty in driving away +intruders; but he had too good a heart, and was too generous to hurt +a fallen enemy. In the account I read he was called a Christian dog. +His conduct would be a good example to all Christians. + +I have now a story of a roguish dog that I think we could not praise +so much for his goodness as for his cunning. A gentleman in Paris +was in the habit of crossing every day one of the bridges over the +Seine, on his way to his place of business. One day, a very dirty +poodle dog rubbed himself so against his boots as to make it +necessary to get a man, who sat at one end of the bridge with +blacking, to clean them. The next day the same thing occurred, and +again and again, till, at last, the gentleman suspected that the +bootblack had taught the dog this trick, in order by that means to +get customers. He watched, and saw, when he approached the bridge, +Master Poodle go and roll himself in a mud puddle, and then come and +rub himself against his boots. The gentleman accused the bootblack +of the trick. After a while the man laughed, and confessed his +roguery." + +"That poodle was a brick," said Harry. + +"One more story of dogs. A surgeon of Leeds, in England, found a +little spaniel who had been lamed. The surgeon carried the poor +animal home, bandaged up his leg, and after two or three days turned +him out. The dog returned to the surgeon's house every morning till +his leg was perfectly well. + +At the end of several months, the spaniel again presented himself, +bringing another dog who had also been lamed, and intimating, as +plainly as piteous and intelligent looks could intimate, that he +desired the same kind assistance to be rendered to his friend as had +been bestowed upon himself. + +But I am forgetting poor puss. + +Mr. W., a friend of mine, whose word might be taken for any thing, +told me an extraordinary anecdote of a cat, which he said he knew to +be true. + +A friend of his was setting out on a voyage to some place, I forget +where. Every thing was carried on board, and the two friends were in +the cabin about taking leave of each other. "I asked my friend +before parting," said Mr. W., "whether he had every thing that he +wanted; if there was nothing more that he could think of to make him +more comfortable or happy on his voyage." "One thing," he replied, +"would add to my pleasure very much, if you would bring it to me. In +the counting room of my store is a small white cat; I am very fond +of the poor thing, and she will miss me I know; I should like to +take her with me." I immediately went ashore and found his little +cat looking very sorrowful in his lonely room; I carried her to him. +They seemed mutually pleased at meeting." + +When the vessel returned, Mr. W. received this account from the +officers of the ship. They said that his friend made a great pet of +the cat, and fed her always at his own meal times. He taught her to +stand on her hind legs and ask for her food; he made her jump over a +stick for his amusement; in short, he taught her to perform a great +many amusing tricks. The officers and men were all very fond of poor +little puss. + +At length, the young man became very ill. The cat would not leave +him night or day. At last, one day, she left the cabin and began to +run about the ship, making the most terrible mewing. The sailors +offered her food; she refused it. She would not be comforted. +Finally, her cries turned into a complete howl. She manifested the +greatest suffering, and, at last, she ran off to the end of the +bowsprit and leaped into the sea. Just at the moment that the poor +little faithful, loving cat was swallowed up by the waves, her human +friend breathed his last, and they both entered the invisible land +together. + +Such an extraordinary event, and the gloom which a death at sea +always casts over a ship's company, both together made the sailors +even more than usually superstitious. They all declared that, every +night at that same hour when the sick man died, a white cat was seen +leaping into the ocean. The white crests of the breaking waves might +easily thus appear to an ignorant person who lives, as a sailor +does, in the midst of the wonders and sublime scenes which the ocean +presents, in the awful terrors of its storms, or the serene glory of +its quiet hours. But the love of the poor dumb animal for its +master--that was a beautiful reality. + +I have a story now for you, Frank, about a horse, as I know you are +particularly fond of horses. An Arab chief with his tribe had +attacked in the night a caravan, and had plundered it; when loaded +with their spoil, however, the robbers were overtaken on their +return by some horsemen of the Pacha of Acre, who killed several, +and bound the remainder with cords. The horsemen brought one of the +prisoners, named Abou el Mavek, to Acre, and laid him, bound hand +and foot, wounded as he was, at the entrance to their tent. As they +slept during the night, the Arab, kept awake by the pain of his +wounds, heard his horse's neigh at a distance, and being desirous to +stroke, for the last time, the companion of his life, he dragged +himself, bound as he was, to the horse which was picketed at a +little distance. + +"Poor friend," said he; "what will you do among the Turks? You will +be shut up under the roof of a khan, with the horses of a pacha or +an aga; no longer will the women and children of the tent bring you +barley, camel's milk, or dourra, in the hollow of their hands. No +longer will you gallop, free as the wind of Egypt, in the desert. No +longer will you cleave with your bosom the water of the Jordan which +cools your sides, as pure as the foam of your lips. If I am to be a +slave, at least may you go free. Go, return to our tent which you +know so well; tell my wife that Abou el Marek will return no more; +but put your head still into the folds of the tent, lick the hands +of my beloved children." + +With these words, he untied with his teeth the fetters, and set the +courser at liberty. But the noble animal, on recovering its freedom, +instead of bounding away alone, bent its head over its master, and, +seeing him in fetters, took his clothes gently in its teeth, lifted +him up, set off at full speed, and, without ever resting, made +straight for the distant but well-known tent in the mountains. + +The horse arrived in safety, laid his master down at the feet of his +wife and children, and immediately dropped down dead with fatigue. +The whole tribe mourned him, the poets celebrated his fidelity, and +his name is still constantly in the mouths of the Arabs of Jericho. + +And now, boys, let us talk about the elephant a little. I have been +reading something of his history, and I am disposed to think that, +of all animals, he is, on the whole, the most intelligent." + +"More intelligent than the dog, Mother?" + +"Yes, it seems so to me. He is not so disinterested, so loving, but +he reasons more than any other animal. He is also capable of very +strong attachment, but he will not bear ill treatment. The elephant +seems revengeful. The dog still loves the master who is unkind to +him. + +The elephant will learn to assist his master in his work. An +elephant who belonged to the Duke of Devonshire would come out of +her house when her keeper called her, take up a broom, and stand +ready to sweep the paths and grass when he told her to do so. She +would take up a pail or a watering pot, and follow him round the +place, ready to do his bidding. Her keeper usually rode on her neck, +like the elephant drivers in India, and he always spread over her a +large, strong cloth for alighting, which the elephant, by kneeling, +allowed him to do. He desired her to take off the cloth. This she +contrived to do by drawing herself up in such a way that the +shrinking of her loose skin moved the cloth, and it gradually +wriggled on one side, till, at last, it would fall by its own +weight. The cloth, of course, fell all in a heap; but the elephant +would spread it carefully on the grass, and then fold it up, as you +fold your napkin, till it was small enough for her purpose; then she +held it up with her trunk for a moment, and, at last, with one jerk, +threw it up over her head to the centre of her back, where it +remained for use, out of the way, ready for next time, and as nicely +placed as if human hands had put it there. + +A few years ago, an elephant in London was taught to take part in a +play. She came in and marched very properly in a procession. At the +waving of her keeper's hand, she would kneel down and salute any +individual, or put a crown on the head of the true prince. She would +eat and drink with great propriety of manner, and make her reverence +to the audience. But all this is nothing to what the elephants were +taught by the Romans. The keepers, by treating their elephants with +the utmost kindness, taking care of them as to health, and doing +every thing to make them happy, acquired over them the greatest +power. The elephants learned to love music. They were at first +frightened by the loud instruments; but, after a while, became very +fond of all, particularly of the gentle flute, at which they would +show their delight by beating time with their great feet. The +keepers accustomed them to the sight of great multitudes of people. +At one time, when a particular exhibition of the docility of +elephants was required, twelve of the most sagacious and well +trained were made to march into the theatre with a regular step. At +the voice of their keeper, they moved in harmonious measure, +sometimes in a circle, and sometimes divided into parties, +scattering flowers around them. In the intervals of the dance, they +would beat time to the music, and were careful to keep in proper +order. After this display, the elephants were feasted, as the Romans +were in the habit of feasting themselves, in grand style. Splendid +couches were placed, ornamented with paintings and covered with +tapestry. Before the couches, upon tables of ebony and cedar, was +spread the banquet, in vessels of gold and silver. When the feast +was prepared, the twelve elephants marched in; six gentleman +elephants dressed in the robes of men, and six lady elephants +attired in women's clothes. They lay down in order upon the couches; +and then, at a certain signal, extended their trunks, and eat their +suppers with the most praiseworthy moderation and propriety. "Not +one of them," says the historian of the elephant, "appeared the +least voracious, or manifested the least desire for more than his +share of the food, or an undue proportion of the delicacies. They +were as moderate also in their drink, and received the cups that +were presented to them with the greatest decorum and temperance." + +The elephants were taught to hurl javelins, and catch them with +their trunks, and to pretend to fight with each other, for the +amusement of their warlike masters, and were taught also to perform +a dance. Finally, these wonderful animals would do what you would +think was utterly impossible. You remember, when the circus riders +were here seeing a man walk and dance on a rope." + +"Yes, Mother," said Frank; "but an elephant could not do that, I'm +sure." + +"Historians of Rome, supposed to give true accounts, say that the +elephants were taught to walk along a rope forward and then +backward. One elephant is described as walking up a slanting rope to +the roof of the theatre with a man on his back." + +"I should not have liked to be the man on his back," said Harry. + +"It is as astonishing, perhaps more so, that a horse has been taught +to do similar things. When I was in Paris, I saw some horses dance a +quadrille very respectably, and keep excellent time. One of the +Roman historians relates, "An elephant, having been punished for +stupidity in executing some feat which he was required to learn, was +observed, at night, endeavoring to practise what he had failed to +perform in the daytime." It is mentioned that elephants have been +observed practising their lessons by moonlight, without any +directions from the keepers. Think what a good example elephants are +for school boys. I have only told you a very little about this +wonderful animal; yet enough, I hope, to make you want to read some +of the many books about him. You have, I think, read of the story of +the elephant who was wounded in his proboscis or trunk, and, in his +anger, unintentionally killed his keeper, and of what the keeper's +wife did." + +"No, Mother," said Frank; "we have never read it. What did she do?" + +"In her despair, not knowing what she did, she held out her son, and +said to the raging animal, "Take him too." The angry elephant became +quiet. He seemed to understand the agony of the poor woman. He +gently lifted and placed upon his back the little child, and ever +after obeyed him for a master." + +"You know the story in Evenings at Home, Mother, of the Elephant and +the Cobbler, how the fellow pricked the elephant's trunk, and how +the elephant punished him by squirting muddy water all over him." + +"Yes. The elephant's trunk is so susceptible that nothing enrages +him so much as any wound on it. He cannot bear patiently the +slightest scratch. + +Now I will tell you a story of a lion. An English gentleman, who was +living in India, had a fancy to see what effect extreme gentleness, +and kindness, and very simple diet would have upon the character of +the lion. The gentleman had the good fortune to get a baby lion for +the experiment. He made a real pet of him. He fed him with bread and +milk and rice, and such things, and took care always to satisfy him +with food. The young lion loved his master, who was always very kind +to him, and who was really very fond of his lionship. This man +lived, as in India a gentleman often does, in a house by himself, +and could easily have his friend lion with him, without annoying any +one. The baby grew bigger and bigger, and became a good-sized, +full-grown lion. He was gentle and happy, full of play, and rather a +pleasant companion to his two-legged friend. Whether the lion ever +roared for his master's amusement, the friend who told me this story +did not say. + +At last, this gentleman wished to return to England to see his old +mother. He was too much attached to his lion to leave him, and so +took him in the place of a dog. The lion was very good all the +voyage. No one had a word to say against him. His conduct and +manners were faultless. He played with the sailors, he obeyed his +master, and, in short, was a very quiet, well-behaved, human lion. +When the gentleman arrived in England, as soon as he could leave the +ship, he called for a carriage to take him to his mother. When he +got into the carriage, the lion jumped in after him. "Your honor," +said the driver, "I'm afraid of that beast." "O, never mind," said +the gentleman; "he'll not hurt you." "But, your honor, I never in my +born days took a lion in my carriage. It's not a place for such +brutes." "There's always a first time," said the gentleman. "Here's +a crown for my lion; and now get on; I can't wait." The cabman, +thinking it wise to make the best of things, and not quarrel with a +man who had a lion for a friend, stepped up on his box, and drove +away rattlety-bang to Regent's Park, some three or four miles' +drive. The lion was much astonished, and sat bolt upright on his +hind legs, looking out of the window. He did not appreciate the +BEAUTIES of London; he was disgusted with the noise, and growled a +little. The driver heard him, and drove all the faster. Poor Lord +Lion, his temper was tried; but he bore it better than most lions +would. At last, the cab stopped at the house of the gentleman's +mother. He sprang out, and rang the bell: "Does Mrs. B. live here?" +"Yes, sir." "Is she well?" The footman turned pale as ashes, and +scampered off as if he thought the lion would devour him. The +gentleman ran up stairs, and the lion after him. In another moment, +the arms of the son were around his mother. Presently, the lady saw +the lion. She had heard of her son's pet, and saw she was in no +danger. She begged her son, however, to put him down in the yard and +keep him chained, or she should not have a servant in the house. The +lion was not happy chained. The gentleman, finding, moreover, that +he could not go into the streets with his friend without being +followed by a mob, at last placed him in the Tower, where there were +other lions, and gave many charges that the pet lion should be well +treated. Many years afterwards, the gentleman returned from another +voyage to India; and, after seeing his mother, went to the Tower to +see his friend. When he came to the large cage in which the lion was +confined, the keeper said, "This is our finest and our fiercest +lion." "Open the door," said the gentleman. The keeper, not knowing +him, objected. The gentleman insisted, and entered. The lion was +lying down, and, seeing a man in his cage, for a moment looked +angry; in another moment he rose on his hind legs, put his paws +around his old master, and showed the greatest delight at seeing +him." + +"Why, he was almost as good as a dog," said Frank. "But now, Mother, +please tell us the story about a bear which you said you heard on +your journey last summer." + +"I ought rather," said Mrs. Chilton, "to call it the story of a cow, +for she was the heroine of the tale. I was travelling with a small +party among the White Hills. When we stopped to dine, we saw a +number of people assembled around the door of the hotel, and found +that they were looking at a black bear that had been just shot. This +bear had inspired the neighborhood with some fear, for he was a +large one. They had tried a number of times to shoot him; but all in +vain. Master Bruin was never off his guard. At last, the poor fellow +foolishly left the deep wild wood, where he could easily hide +himself, for a little grove. When the villagers saw his mistake, +they immediately took steps to surround the grove. The number of the +inhabitants was small; so they summoned all the women and children, +as well as the men, and so got an unbroken line all around the +little wood. As soon as the bear sought any part, in order to +escape, he was saluted by the most frightful screams, as well as a +shower of stones. He fled to the opposite side, but there met with +the same reception. This went on for some time. At last, some one +succeeded in shooting him. He measured a little over six feet from +the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, and his teeth were very +formidable. + +A gentleman who had assisted in the capture of the bear, told me the +story I promised to tell you of the cow and the bear. A little girl, +about twelve or thirteen years of age, was sent by her mother, one +afternoon, to bring home the cows from a neighboring wood, where +they were at pasture. There were many fallen trees, as is often the +case in our wild woods; and the child amused herself by climbing +over the trunks. + +Now, one of the black-looking logs was a large bear that was lying +asleep, and the little girl jumped right upon his growling majesty. +The bear arose, evidently not quite pleased at being made a stepping +stone, took the little girl in his great shaggy paws, and gave her +an ugly hug, such as only a bear can give. Mr. Bear would have +squeezed the breath out of the body of the poor little girl, had not +the good old cow seen the danger. The courageous creature, instead +of running away, turned back immediately, and began goring the bear +with her horns in such a way as to force old Bruin, if he valued a +whole hide, to turn round and defend himself. So he let go his hold +on the little girl, who, though sadly frightened and bruised, was +still strong enough to run towards home. Presently the bear followed +her. Immediately the cow attacked him again with her horns, and +drove him off. This continued till they got out of the wood, when +the bear ran back to his own home. The gentleman who told us this +story said he had seen the little girl, and that she had never quite +recovered from the effect of the horrid squeeze of the grim old +bear, but still suffered in her chest. Still she was thankful that +her life was saved, and always considered the good old cow her +preserver." + +"Why, Mother," said Frank, "I did not think that a cow could be good +for any thing but to give milk." + +"In Germany, they use cows for draught, and make them work pretty +hard. There you see cows every day doing the same work that our oxen +do, and giving the poor man his supper at the end of the day +besides; and it is said that the labor does not hurt them. The +Germans feed the cows well, treat them gently and kindly, but make +them, as well as the dogs, work for a living." + +"Now I will tell you a story about a pike. We are apt to think fishes +very stupid; that they have no feeling. A gentleman in England, +a surgeon and a naturalist, told me of what he had himself seen. A +pike had struck its head against a tenter hook on a post in the pond +where he was swimming. His agony was so great that he darted +backward and forward with the greatest rapidity, then buried his +head in the mud, then whirled his tail round and round, and threw +himself up into the air to the height of two or three feet, and, at +last, he threw himself out of the pond upon the grass. Dr. Warwick +placed his hand on the fish, examined the injury, and observed that +the hook had entered the skull, wrenching up one side of the bone +and depressing the other, and that a small part of the brain had +escaped. With a toothpick the doctor restored the bones to their +proper places. The patient remained perfectly still during the +operation, and after-ward was returned to his native element. He +seemed restless for a little while, and then lay quiet. Dr. Warwick +then made a sort of cradle in which he placed the poor sufferer, who +seemed disposed to lie still on one side." + +"The next day, very early, Dr. Warwick went to the pond. To his +astonishment, he found that the pike knew and remembered him. The +fish came to the edge of the pond, placed his jaw upon the toe of +the doctor's boot, let himself be taken hold of and caressed, and +allowed the wound to be examined. It was much better. When the +doctor walked along the side of the pond, the fish followed him. +When the doctor returned from his walk, he found his patient +watching for him. The pike then swam backward and forward while the +doctor remained there. The fish had lost one eye in consequence of +the wound from the hook, and, when his blind side was towards the +doctor, was always very restless. The poor fellow seemed anxious to +keep his surgical friend in sight. The doctor would often whistle +when he went to the pond; and the pike always came at the call, and +showed pleasure at seeing him. Dr. Warwick introduced his family to +his friend and patient, the pike. The grateful fish allowed them to +give him food, and put aside much of his native shyness. In truth, +he received their attentions very civilly, but he always showed a +decided preference for his medical friend. Dr. Warwick was the +father of my friend, Mrs. A., in Liverpool. He related all these +facts to me himself, and they are all to be perfectly relied upon." + +Now I will read you a German story called Caliph Stork. + +One pleasant afternoon, the Caliph of Bagdad was sitting comfortably +on his sofa: he had slept a little, (for it was a hot day,) and +looked quite bright after his nap. He was smoking a long rose-wood +pipe, and sipping coffee, which was poured out for him by a slave; +and occasionally he stroked his beard with great satisfaction. In +short, it was evident that he felt quite pleasantly. + +This was the best time of day for speaking with him; for at this +hour he was always very good-natured and affable; and, on this +account, the Grand Vizier Mansor always visited him at this hour. He +came also this afternoon, but looking very thoughtful, quite against +his wont. The caliph took the pipe partly away from his mouth, and +said, "What makes you look so thoughtful, Grand Vizier?" + +The grand vizier crossed his arms over his breast, bowed to his +master, and answered, "Sir! whether I look thoughtful or not is more +than I know; but certain it is, that there is a pedler down stairs +who has such beautiful things, that it vexes me not to have any +money to spare." + +The caliph was very willing to do his grand vizier a favor; so he +sent the black slave to bring the pedler up stairs. The pedler came. +He was a little, dumpy man, with a dark complexion, and dressed in +ragged garments. He bore a chest in which were wares of all sorts: +pearls and rings, richly mounted pistols, drinking cups, and combs. +The caliph and his vizier rummaged over the whole chest, and the +caliph finally bought some pistols for himself and Mansor, and a +comb for the vizier's wife. As the pedler was about to close the +chest, the caliph saw a little drawer, and asked if there was any +thing more in it. The pedler pulled the drawer out, and showed in it +a box of blackish powder, and a paper with curious writing on it, +which neither the caliph nor Mansor could read. "I got these two +things from a merchant who found them at Mecca, in the street; I do +not know what they contain, but you may have them very cheap, for I +cannot do any thing with them." + +The caliph, who liked to have old manuscripts in his library, +although he could not read them, bought the paper and the box, and +dismissed the pedler. + +The caliph, however, thought he should like to know the contents of +the manuscript, and asked the vizier if he knew any body who could +decipher it. "Most gracious sovereign and master," answered he, +"there is a man at the great mosque, who is called Selim the +Learned; he understands all languages; send for him; perhaps he may +make out these mysterious characters." + +The learned Selim was soon brought. "Selim," said the caliph to him, +"they say you are very learned; now just look into this manuscript, +and see whether you can read it; if you can, I will give you a new +dress; but if you cannot, you shall have twelve boxes on the ear, +and twenty-five blows on the soles of your feet, for having been +called, without reason, Selim the Learned." + +Selim bowed and said, "Be it as you command, Sir!" He examined the +writing for a long time, and then suddenly cried out, "This is +Latin, sir, or I'll give you leave to hang me." "Let us hear what it +contains, then, if it is Latin," said the caliph. + +Selim began to translate: "O man who findest this, praise Allah for +his goodness. Whoever snuffs up some of the powder in this box, and +at the same time says, 'Mutabor,' may change himself into any +animal, and will understand the language of animals. If he wishes to +return to the human shape, let him bow three times towards the East, +and pronounce the same word. But let him take care, after he is +transformed, not to laugh, otherwise the word will disappear +entirely from his memory, and he will remain a beast." + +When Selim the Learned had read this, the caliph was exceedingly +delighted. He made Selim swear never to reveal any thing of the +secret to any one; then he gave him a beautiful robe, and dismissed +him. + +Then he said to his grand vizier, "That is what I call a good +bargain, Mansor! How impatient I am to become a beast! Come to me +easily to-morrow morning, and we will go out into the fields, snuff +up a little of the powder, and then listen to what is said in the +air and in the water, in the woods and in the fields!" + +Scarcely had the caliph breakfasted and dressed, the next morning, +when the grand vizier appeared, according to his orders, to +accompany him in his excursion. The caliph stuck the box with the +magic powder into his girdle, and having commanded his retinue to +remain behind, he set off with only the grand vizier, on his way. +They went first through the spacious gardens of the caliph, but they +could not find any living animal to try their experiment upon. At +last, the vizier proposed to go out to a pond, where he had often +seen many animals, particularly storks, which had attracted his +attention by their grave demeanor and their chattering. + +The caliph approved of the vizier's proposal, and went with him +towards the pond. When they got there, they saw a stork, walking +gravely back and forth, searching for frogs, and occasionally +chattering something to himself. At the same time they saw another +stork soaring high in the air, above the place. + +"I will wager my beard, most gracious Sir," said the grand vizier, +"that these two long-legs are carrying on a fine conversation +together. What say you to turning ourselves into storks?" + +"Well said!" answered the caliph. "But let us see; how is it that +one is to become man again?" + +"O, yes! we are to bow three times towards the East, and say, +Mutabor, and then I am caliph again, and you vizier. But for +Heaven's sake don't laugh, or we are lost!" + +While the caliph was speaking, he saw the other stork come sailing +down over their heads, and settle in a business manner on the +ground. Quickly he drew the box from his girdle, took a good pinch +of the powder, and handed it to the grand vizier, who also took a +pinch, and then both cried out, "Mutabor!" + +Immediately their legs shrivelled up, and became thin and red; the +beautiful yellow slippers of the caliph and his companion turned +into clumsy stork-feet; their arms became wings; their necks +stretched out from their shoulders, and were an ell long; their +beards disappeared, and their bodies were covered with soft +feathers, instead of clothes. + +"That's a pretty bill of yours, Mr. Grand Vizier," said the caliph, +after a long pause of astonishment. "By the beard of the Prophet, I +never saw any thing like that in my life." + +"Thank you kindly," answered the grand vizier, bowing; "but, if I +may be allowed the observation, your highness looks almost handsomer +as stork than as caliph. But come, if you please, let us listen to +our comrades yonder, and try whether we really do understand +Storkish." + +In the mean time the other stork had alighted on the ground. He +arranged his feathers with his bill, put himself to rights, and +walked up to the first stork. + +The two new storks made haste to approach them, and overheard, to +their astonishment, the following conversation. + +"Good morning, Mrs. Longlegs; you are early on the meadow." + +"Thank you, dear blatterbeak! I have been getting a little +breakfast. Will you take a bit of lizard, or a frog's leg?" + +"Much obliged, but I have no appetite this morning. I came on to the +meadow for quite a different purpose. I am to dance before the +guests at my father's to-day, and I thought I would exercise a +little in private beforehand." + +At the same time the young storkess marched about the field making +the oddest gesticulations. The caliph and Mansor looked on with +wonder. But at last, when she put herself into a picturesque +attitude on one foot, and gracefully waved her wings, they could +stand it no longer; an inextinguishable laugh burst from their +bills, from which they did not recover for some time. The caliph +composed himself first. "What a capital joke!" cried he; "I never +saw any thing better in my life; it is a pity that the stupid birds +were frightened away by our laughter, else she would certainly have +sung!" + +But it now occurred to the grand vizier that they had been forbidden +to laugh during their transformation. He communicated his anxiety to +the caliph. + +"By Mecca and Medina!" cried the caliph, "it would be a pretty piece +of business if I had to remain a stork all my life! Try think of the +stupid word; I can't remember it." + +"We must bow three times towards the East, and say, Mu--Mu--Mu--." +They turned to the East, and bowed away till their beaks touched the +ground. But, alas! The magic word had vanished, and with all the +caliph's bowing, and his vizier's crying Mu--Mu--, all recollections +of it had disappeared from their memories, and the poor Chasid and +his vizier still remained storks as before. + +The caliph and the grand vizier walked in a melancholy mood through +the fields, not knowing what to do in their sad plight. They could +not get out of their stork-skins, and it would not do for them to go +back to the town to tell any one of their condition, for who would +believe a stork if he said that he was the caliph? And even if they +had believed him, would the inhabitants of Bagdad be willing to have +a stork for their caliph? So they sneaked about for several days, +feeding upon wild fruits, which, however, they could not manage very +well, on account of their long bills. For lizards and frogs, they +had no appetite. Their only satisfaction in this sad predicament was +that they could fly; and they often flew over on to the roofs in the +city of Bagdad, to see what was going on. + +For the first few days they observed great uneasiness and mourning +in the streets. But, on the fourth day of their enchantment, as they +were sitting on the roof of the caliph's palace, they saw in the +street below a splendid procession. The drums and fifes sounded, and +a man in a scarlet robe, embroidered with gold, came riding along on +a richly caparisoned horse, surrounded by servants in glittering +garments. Half the town were at his heels, and all were shouting, +"Hail to Mizra! Caliph of Bagdad!" The two storks looked at each +other as they sat on the roof, and the Caliph Chasid said, "Do not +you begin to understand how I come to be enchanted, Grand Vizier? +This Mizra is the son of my mortal enemy, the powerful enchanter, +Kaschnur, who in an evil hour vowed vengeance against me. But I do +not yet give up all hope. Come with me, faithful companion in +misfortune; we will make a pilgrimage to the grave of the Prophet; +perhaps the charm may be broken in sacred places." + +So they raised themselves from the roof of the palace, and flew in +the direction of Medina. + +Flying, however, did not suit the two storks very well, on account +of their want of practice. "Ah, Sir," groaned the vizier, after they +had been flying a couple of hours, "with your permission--I cannot +stand it any longer; you fly too fast! Besides, it is already +growing dark, and we should do well to be looking out for some place +to pass the night." + +Chasid yielded to the request of his officer, and perceiving a +ruined building in the valley below, they flew down to it. The place +which they had pitched upon for their night-quarters, seemed to have +been a castle. Beautiful columns were still standing among the +ruins, and numerous chambers, which were in tolerable preservation, +testified to the former splendor of the house. Chasid and his +companion walked about the passages to find a dry spot; suddenly the +stork Mansor stood still. "Lord and Master," whispered he, softly, +"if it were not that it would be foolish for a grand vizier--and +still more so for a stork--to be afraid of ghosts! I do not feel +easy at all, for I heard some one sighing and moaning, quite +plainly." The caliph also stopped, and heard distinctly a noise as +of some one weeping, which sounded more like a human being than like +an animal. Full of expectation, he was about to advance towards the +place whence the sound proceeded; but the vizier seized him by the +wing with his bill, and begged him earnestly not to expose himself +to new unknown dangers; but in vain! The caliph, under whose stork-wings +there beat a valiant heart, tore himself away with the loss of +some feathers, and ran into a dark passage. He soon came to a door, +which appeared not to be fastened, and from which proceeded distinct +sighs and a slight hooting. He pushed the door open with his bill, +but remained standing in astonishment on the threshold. In the +ruinous chamber, which was lighted scantily by a small grated +window, he saw a large owl sitting on the floor. Large tears were +rolling from her great round eyes, and with a hoarse voice she +uttered complaints from her crooked beak. But when she beheld the +caliph and his vizier, who had crept after him in the mean time, she +raised a loud cry of joy. Then she gracefully wiped the tears from +her eyes with her brown-spotted wing, and, to the great astonishment +of both, she cried out, in good human Arabic, "Welcome, ye storks; +ye are a good omen of my deliverance, for it has been prophesied to +me that a great good fortune would come to me through the means of +some storks!" + +When the caliph had recovered from his astonishment, he made a bow +with his long neck, placed his thin feet in a graceful position, and +said, "Owl! thy words would lead me to conclude that thou art a +partaker of our misfortune. But alas! thy hope of being delivered by +us is in vain. Thou wilt perceive our helplessness when thou hast +heard our story." The owl begged him to relate it, and the caliph +began, and told her what we already know. + +When the caliph had finished telling their story to the owl, she +thanked him, and said, "Hear, alas! my history, and you will see +that I am not less unhappy than you. My father is the King of India, +and I, his only daughter, am named Susa. The enchanter, Kaschnur, +who enchanted you, brought me also into misery. He came one day to +my father, and desired me for wife for his son Mizra. But my father, +who is a quick-tempered person, had him kicked down stairs. The +scoundrel contrived to come into my presence again under another +form; and once, when I wished to take some refreshments in the +garden, he brought to me, in the disguise of a slave, a potion which +transformed me into this horrible shape. As I was powerless from +fright, he brought me hither, and cried with a terrible voice into +my ear,--" + +"Here shalt thou remain, ugly and despised even by the beasts, until +thy death; or until some one of his own accord shall desire to marry +thee, even in this vile shape. Thus I revenge myself on thee and thy +proud father." + +"Since then, many months have elapsed. Solitary and sad, I live as a +hermit in these walls, despised by the whole world, disgusting even +to the beasts; the beauties of nature are shut from me, since I am +blind by day, and, only when the moon pours her pale light over +these walls, does the veil of darkness fall from my eyes." + +She ended, and wiped her tears again with her wing, for the +narration of her sorrows had caused her to weep. + +The caliph pondered deeply on the story of the princess. "If I am +not entirely in error," said he, "there is a secret connection +between our misfortunes; but where shall I find the key to this +riddle?" + +The owl answered, "Sir, I have also the same feeling; for it was +prophesied to me, in my earliest youth, by a wise woman, that a +stork would bring me great good luck; and perhaps I can tell in what +manner we may deliver ourselves." + +The caliph was much amazed, and asked in what manner she meant. "The +enchanter," said she, "who has rendered us both unhappy, comes once +every month to these ruins. Not far from this chamber, there is a +hall in which he is accustomed to revel with many comrades; I have +often watched them there. They relate to each other their villanous +deeds, and perhaps he may pronounce the magic word which you +have forgotten." + +"O dearest Princess," exclaimed the caliph, "tell me when will he +come, and where is the hall?" + +The owl was silent for a moment, and then said,-- + +"Do not take it ill, but I can fulfil your wish only on one +condition." + +"What is it? what is it?" cried Chasid; "whatever you please; I will +agree to any thing." + +"Why, I should like to obtain my own liberty also; but this is +possible only on condition that one of you shall marry me." + +The storks seemed somewhat embarrassed by this proposal, and the +caliph motioned to his officer to go out with him a moment. + +"Grand Vizier," said the caliph, when they got outside of the door, +"this is a stupid business, but I should think you might marry her." + +"Indeed!" answered he; "do you wish to have my eyes scratched out by +my wife as soon as I get home? Besides, I am an old man, and you are +young and unmarried; it would be more reasonable for you to give +your hand to a beautiful young princess." + +"Ay, but there's the rub," sighed the caliph, drooping his wings +composedly; "who told you that she was young and beautiful? That is +what I call buying a pig in a poke!" + +So they talked a long while about it, till, at last, as the caliph +saw that his vizier preferred remaining a stork to marrying the owl, +he made up his mind to fulfil the condition himself. The owl was +highly delighted. She informed them that they could not have come at +a better time, for probably the enchanters would assemble that +night. + +She left the chamber with the storks, to conduct them to the hall; +they walked for a long time through a dark passage; at last, a +bright light streamed towards them from a ruined wall. Having +reached this, the owl advised them to remain perfectly still. From +the cleft at which they stood, they could see over the whole hall. +It was surrounded by columns, and splendidly ornamented. Numerous +colored lamps supplied the want of daylight. In the midst of the +hall, stood a round table covered with various delicacies. Round the +table, was placed a sofa on which sat eight men. In one of these men +the storks recognized the merchant who had sold them the magic +powder. The one who sat next to him asked him to relate his newest +exploits. He told, among others, the story of the caliph and his +vizier. + +"And what word did you give them?" asked another of the magicians. +"A very hard Latin one; it is called MUTABOR." + +When the storks heard this at their chink in the wall, they were +almost out of their senses with joy. They ran so swiftly to the door +of the ruin, with their long feet, that the owl could scarcely keep +up with them. When they had got out, the caliph said with emotion to +the owl, "Deliverer of my life, and of the life of my friend, accept +me for your husband, as an eternal mark of gratitude for what you +have done for us." Then he turned towards the East. Three times the +storks bowed their long necks towards the sun, which just then was +rising over the mountains; cried MUTABOR, and in an instant they +were disenchanted, and the master and servant lay in each other's +arms, weeping for joy. But who could describe their astonishment, +when, on looking round, they saw a beautiful lady in magnificent +attire? "Do you not know your owl?" said she, smiling, as she gave +her hand to the caliph. It was she, and the caliph was so enraptured +with her beauty and grace, that he declared he had been most +fortunate in having been turned into a stork. + +All three now returned to Bagdad, where the arrival of the caliph +excited great astonishment. All had supposed that he was dead, and +the people were highly delighted to recover their beloved ruler. + +The caliph Chasid lived long and happily with his wife, the +princess; and sometimes, when the grand vizier came to see him of an +afternoon, when he was in particularly good humor, he would +condescend to imitate the appearance of the grand vizier in the +character of the stork; walking gravely about, with feet extended, +chattering, and waving with his arms; and showed how the grand +vizier bowed in vain towards the East, and cried Mu--Mu. But when he +kept this up too long, the vizier used to threaten that he would +tell the caliph's wife the discussion, outside of the door, about +the princess owl. + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's What the Animals Do and Say, by Eliza Lee Follen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHAT THE ANIMALS DO AND SAY *** + +***** This file should be named 4044.txt or 4044.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/4/4044/ + +Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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They dislike cold weather so much that +they go always before winter, so as to find a warmer climate." + +"They usually meet together, fathers, mothers, and children, as well +as uncles, aunts, and cousins, but more especially grandfathers and +grandmothers, and decide whither they shall go. As their party is so +large, it is important that they should make a good decision." + +"When they are all prepared, and their mind quite made up, they all +set off together. I am told that they make as much noise, on this +occasion, as our people make at a town-meeting; but as I was never +present at one of the powwows of these remarkable travellers, I +cannot say." + +"What is a powwow?" asked Harry. + +"It is the name the Indians give to their council meetings," replied +Mis. Chilton. + +She went on. "This people, so fond of travelling, have no great +learning; they write no books; they have no geographies, no +steamboats, no railroads, but yet never mistake their way." + +"Four-footed travellers, I guess," said Harry. + +"By no means; they have no more legs than any other great +travellers; but you must not interrupt me." + +Well, to go back to our travellers; every one is ready and glad to +prepare apartments for them, such as they like. They are so lively, +so merry, and good-natured, that they find a welcome every where. +They are such an easy, sociable set of folks that they like a house +thus prepared for them just as well as if they had built it +themselves." + +"I have been told that when they arrive at any place, before they +wash themselves, or brush off the dust of their journey, they will +go directly to one of these houses that has been prepared for them, +and examine every part of it; and, if they like it, they seem to +think they have, of course, a right to it, and they take possession +directly, and say, 'Thank you' to nobody." + +"No one is affronted with them; but every one is ready and glad to +accommodate the strangers as well as he can, merely for the sake of +their good company. They come to us in May, and leave our part of +the country in August, to visit other lands. + +"The great reason, I think, that all the world welcomes these +travellers is, that they are such a happy, merry set of beings they +make every one around them cheerful; their gayety is never-failing. +They rise with the first streak of light; there are no sluggards +among them. They are all musical, and sing as they go about their +work; but their music pleases me best when they join in their +morning hymn. When the morning star is growing pale, and rosy light +tinges the edges of the soft clouds in the east, this choir of +singers stop for a second, as if waiting, in silent reverence, for +the glad light to appear; then, just as the first ray gilds the hill +tops and the village spire, all pour forth a joyful song, swelling +their little throats, and making such a loud noise that every sleepy +head in the neighborhood awakes." + +"Ah! now I have caught you, Mother," said Frank; "these famous +travellers are martins. I wonder, when you said they were not four +footed, I did not think of martins. I heard George say, the other +day, that his father had put up a martin box, and how they came and +looked at it first, before they took it, and that they always sang +before daylight, and what a noise they made. + +But, Mother, when you tell that story again, you must not say little +throats, or any one will know who your travellers are quick enough; +but do please tell us more about them." + +"Yes, Frank, you have caught me; these travellers are martins; and, +if you wish, I will tell you more about them. Mr. Wilson, whom I +have been reading to-day, calls them birds of passage." + +"What does that mean, Mother"?" + +"It means that they find it necessary for their support to pass from +one country to another when winter is coming on. At that time they +leave us. + +Some people think that martins and swallows hide themselves from the +cold in holes in rocks and banks, or in hollow trees; but Wilson, +who spent many years in watching the habits of birds, and learning +their history, thinks that these fly a great way off to a warmer +country as winter approaches, and that they return again in the +spring." + +"But how can they find the way?" asked Frank. + +"All that we know about that, Frank, is, that He who created the +martins has given to them the knowledge that guides them right. In +their long way through the pathless air, they never make a mistake. +Our great vessels and our skilful captains sometimes get lost in the +wide ocean; but these little birds always know the way, and arrive +with unerring certainty at their place of destination. + +Our great poet, Bryant, has written some beautiful lines to a water- +fowl, which express this idea. I will repeat these lines to you if +you like to hear them. + + 'Whither, 'midst falling dew, + While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, + Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue + Thy solitary way? + + Vainly the fowler's eye + Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, + As, darkly limned upon the crimson sky, + Thy figure floats along. + + Seek'st thou the plashy brink + Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide, + Or where the rocking billows rise and sink + On the chafed ocean side? + + There is a Power whose care + Teaches thy way along that pathless coast,-- + The desert and illimitable air,-- + Lone wandering, but not lost. + + All day thy wings have fanned, + At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere; + Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, + Though the dark night is near. + + And soon that toil shall end; + Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest, + And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend, + Soon, o'er thy sheltered nest. + + Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven + Hath swallowed up thy form; yet on my heart + Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given, + And shall not soon depart. + + He who, from zone to zone, + Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, + In the long way that I must tread alone, + Will lead my steps aright.'" + +"I should like to learn that by heart," said Frank; "I like it very +much." + +"Come, Mother," said Harry, "what more have you to tell us about +these travellers?" + +"Not much, Harry. The martin is such a universal favorite that +Wilson says he never knew but one man that did not like them and +treat them kindly. Wherever they, go, they find some hospitable +retreat prepared for their reception. Some people have large +habitations formed for the martins, fitted up with a variety of +apartments and conveniences; these houses are regularly occupied +every spring, and the same individual birds have been known to +return to the same box for many successive years. + +The North American Indians, who have a great regard for martins, cut +off all the top branches of a young tree, and leave the prongs a +foot or two in length, and hang hollow gourds or calabashes on the +ends for nests." + +"What are gourds and calabashes, Mother?" said Harry. + +"A gourd, my dear, is a vegetable, something like a squash, only +much thicker and harder; when hollowed out, it is as hard as if it +were made of wood, and not so easy to break. It is shaped something +like a short, straight-necked winter squash; a calabash is a large +kind of gourd. + +On the banks of the Mississippi, the negroes stick up long poles, +with calabashes on the ends, to accommodate the martins. + +Martins have been known, when no house was provided for them, to +take possession of part of a pigeon house; and no pigeon ever dares +to set its foot in the martin's side of the house. The martin is a +very courageous and spirited bird, and will attack hawks, crows, and +even great bald eagles; he whirls around and around them, and +torments them, till, at last, he succeeds in driving them off. This +makes the martin a very valuable friend to the farmer, whose +chickens he defends from their enemies. + +The martins are very faithful and affectionate to each other; when +the mother bird is hatching her eggs, her mate often sits by her +side; and sometimes he will take her place, and send her out to take +exercise and get food. He passes a great deal of his time at the +door of her apartment, chattering to her, as if he were telling her +amusing stories; and then he will sing very softly and tenderly to +her, and he does every thing he can to please her. + +The martin has very strong and large wings, and short legs, that +they may not interfere with his flight, which is very rapid. It is +calculated by Mr. Wilson that this bird flies as fast as a mile in a +minute. Sometimes you may see a martin flying in the midst of a +crowded street, so near people that it seems as if they might catch +him; and then, quick as thought, he darts out of their reach, and, +in less than a minute, you may see him far up among the clouds, +looking like a little black speck upon their silver edges." + +"How happy, Mother," said Frank, "the martins must be, to be able to +fly about among the clouds, and travel so far, and go just where +they please so easily!" + +"God has made every living thing to be happy," said his mother; "and +in this we see His goodness. Are not you happy, too?" + +"Almost always, Mother. Sometimes I am not happy." + +"What is the reason why you are not always happy?" + +"Why, things trouble me, and I feel cross and impatient." + +"But if you try to bear with disagreeable things, and conquer your +ill-humor, and make yourself patient, are you unhappy then?" + +"No, Mother; but then I have to try very hard." + +"But you are happy when you succeed. Now, what is it in you that +tries to be good, and is happy when it succeeds?" + +"It is my mind, Mother." + +"Would you, Frank, give up your mind for a pair of martin's wings?" + +"O, no, Mother; but I want my mind, and a pair of wings too." + +"If you think your mind is better than the martin's wings, my dear, +be thankful for the possession of it; and be thankful too that God +has allowed you the privilege of making yourself happy by your own +efforts, and by the exercise of your thoughts, for they are the +wings of your mind. You do not now see a martin in the air; you are +only thinking of him; and yet you feel how pleasant it might be to +be like him, up among the clouds. + +The martin cannot have the pleasure we have now had, but God has +given him wings, and taught him the way through the air, and put +love into his heart for his mate; and let us rejoice in his +happiness, and, more than all, let us rejoice in the goodness of Him +who has put joy into so many hearts. And when, my dear children, you +see the martin cutting his way so swiftly through the air, and when +you think of him travelling away thousands of miles, guided by the +goodness of God to the right place, and you wish that you had wings +like him, and think that he is happier than you are, you can then +remember a far greater gift that God has bestowed upon you. + +Although the martin's flight is very swift and very high, yet he can +go but so far, and he knows not what directs him. When his wings are +wearied, and he is nothing but a speck of dust, and when your body +also is nothing but dust, these thoughts of yours, that have pursued +him, will be still travelling on; and, if you stretch the wings of +your mind, and soar upward, as the martin does with his bodily +wings, and like him, use all your powers as God directs you, you +will be rising higher and higher. And you will also know to whom you +go, and who gives you all your powers. The martin knows nothing of +this. He must go and come at such a time, and do just as all other +martins have done; but you are free to choose for yourself, and to +take the right and happy way, because you know it is the right way, +and the path to heaven. + +But I must tell you what made me think particularly now of these +travellers through the pathless air. Last week, you remember, I was +ill, and shut up in my room. As I was sitting at my chamber window, +enjoying the perfume of the apple blossoms, and listening to the +song of the birds, and the soft sighing of the south wind, the world +looked as beautiful to me as if it had been that moment created. + +You remember that there is an olive jar in the cherry tree close to +my window, which I had last autumn desired to have placed there, in +the hope that the birds would build in it this spring. + +While I was looking I saw a bluebird alight on the tree. Presently +she came nearer and nearer to the jar, and looked earnestly at the +small round opening in it, as much as to say, 'That looks like a +nice place for a nest.' Then she came still nearer, and looked round +to see if any one noticed her. I kept very still. At last she grew +bolder, and flew upon the jar. Now she looked around again, as if +she was afraid of something. Then she turned her head sideways, and +looked up and down, this way, and that way, and every way, till she +satisfied herself that no enemy was near. At last, she flew upon the +edge of the hole, and courageously looked in; then she quickly drew +her head out, and looked all around again. I thought she looked +directly into my face, and came to the conclusion that I was a +friend, for she went part way in. Then she suddenly drew her +beautiful head and shoulders out again, and looked about once more. +At last, she seemed satisfied, made one more effort, and flew in. +She staid in long enough to make up her mind that it was a good +place for her nest, and then she flew off, quick as thought. In less +than two minutes she came back with her mate. They alighted upon a +bough near the jar, and it was plain that they were confabulating +together, and that she was urging him to go in and look at the place +she had chosen for her nursery. Her mate looked very wise and grave, +as much as to say, 'My dear, we must not be too hasty. We must +choose this home of ours with great care. Too much of our happiness +depends upon this step to allow of any mistake'; he then flew upon +the outside of the jar, and went through just the same ceremonies +that his better half had performed before, only he was still more +deliberate and cautious about entering. At last, he flew in, and, in +a short time, appeared again, and alighted on a branch near the jar +by the side of his dear mate. There they conversed together in their +bird language for some time, as plainly to me as if they had spoken +good English. 'This,' said he, 'is a nice large comfortable place, +my dear. That great house is rather too near, to be sure, but I am +well informed that its inhabitants, and those of all this +neighborhood, will never molest us. Last year, the cherry birds ate +up all the cherries in all the gardens around here, and not one of +the thieves received the slightest harm. We will, I think, begin our +work immediately, and make a nice soft bed for our young to rest in +when we shall be so happy as to have any.' This, I am sure, was the +result of their confab, for directly they began to pick up hay, and +furze, and feathers, and every soft thing they could find, and carry +them into the jar. + +The male bird, which I knew by the greater brightness of his +plumage, and his more slender form, seemed to be fondest of bringing +sticks, one of which was too long for the mouth of the jar to admit. +It was very amusing to witness his efforts to get the stick in; but +it would not do; the stick fell to the ground. All day long, these +pretty creatures were busy at their work; one usually watched while +the other was in the jar arranging the nest for their expected +brood. In about a week, it was evident that their work was +completed, for they carried in no more sticks or dried grass. They +were gone a great part of the day, I suppose playing, after so much +hard work, but they returned at evening. Some one in the +neighborhood fired a gun. This scared the bluebirds so that they +staid away for two whole days; and, when they returned, it was +amusing to see how timidly they entered their house. Then they would +fly off to another tree at a distance, and make believe they had +nothing to do with the one their nest was in. At last, they grew +bolder; and, every evening at sunset, I saw the mother bird go into +her nest while her mate went to roost. + +There was a slight feeling of despondency in my heart when I first +went to look out of this window; but when I saw these birds, and +witnessed the scene of faithful love and domestic industry and +happiness set forth by these little creatures, the spirit of +complaint was rebuked within me, and I learned a new lesson of +serene trust and assurance that all were cared for by the Creator of +all. + +But I must tell you the rest of the story of the bluebirds; and I am +sorry to say, they met with sad trials. The first encroacher, as +they supposed him to be, was a woodpecker; he seemed, as I thought, +to mean them no harm; but as soon as they heard his tap, tap, tap, +they flew at him very angrily and drove him away. A more dangerous +enemy was at hand, one that from his size you would not have +supposed dangerous to them. A little wren, not nearly so large as +the bluebird, came one day to the tree; and, seeing the jar, having +examined it, and being pleased with it, resolved to take it for +herself. The little thief waited till the bluebirds had gone upon +some expedition; and then, without any ceremony, without any fear of +any thing, she entered the jar, and was evidently confirmed in her +purpose of taking possession of it. Probably she held a consultation +with her mate; but this I did not witness, as I did that between the +two bluebirds. The next day this pert little Madam Wren, or her +mate, I could not tell which, came again, and, perching on the +topmost branch of the tree, poured forth a loud triumphant song, and +then, as soon as the coast was clear, entered the house she was +resolved to appropriate to herself. In a minute after, she appeared +at the mouth of the jar with her bill full of the dried grass of +which the bluebird's nest was made, which she threw out on the +ground disdainfully. Back again she flew, and in an instant brought +some more and threw it out. This she did with the most impudent look +you can imagine. Then she flew swiftly in and out, like a little +termagant, throwing out of the mouth of the jar, sticks, dead +leaves, grass, with all the nice soft things which the poor bluebird +had been a week in collecting. Every now and then, she came out for +a minute and sang as sweetly as if she were not engaged in such a +piratical work; and the little rogue looked up in my face so +saucily, too, as much as to say, 'Who cares for you?' Then she began +singing at the top of her voice, exulting over her work of +destruction. Can you suppose it was any sense of honesty that +prevented her using the bluebird's nest after having stolen her +house? No, Jenny Wren had no principle. You would have laughed to +see how scornfully she tossed out those dead leaves. Every thing +went out of the nest pell-mell. The little monster! what could the +poor bluebirds say or do? This bird evidently had no conscience, at +least not a good one, that is plain. Never did general rejoice more +over the capture and destruction of a city than this little bit of a +bird rejoiced over the destruction of the bluebird's nest, and at +the unlawful possession of the house. I saw her carrying in a long +stick that suited her better than the short ones that the bluebird +had carried in: she found she could not get it in if she took it in +the middle; so she changed the place, and held it by the end, and so +by that means got it in. She was more cunning than the bluebird. Now +you might hear the two little robbers sing again. They are happier +than any king can be nowadays. Poor, dear, beautiful bluebirds! What +has become of them? Then came the mother. She looked into the jar +and saw the destruction of her nest--all her week's work. How +distressed she seemed! but the victorious wrens had no pity on her. +They drove her away. She disappeared. The saucy conquerors flew in +and out of their stolen house twenty times a minute, caring for +nothing. They could have had no moral sense; but they were very +amusing, and they were nothing but birds; they knew no better; so we +must forgive them." + +"I like stories about animals better than any other stories," said +Frank. "I think animals know as much, and sometimes more than we do. +So, Mother, do tell us all you can think of about elephants, bears, +and lions, as well as dogs, and cats, and birds." + +"I have laid up in my memory two or three dog and cat stories, which +I will tell you, and then I will see what I can remember of lions, +bears, and elephants. But first I must tell you what I have lately +read about courts of justice among the crows." + +"What is a court of justice?" asked Harry. + +"A court of justice is an assemblage of men who meet together to +ascertain if any one who is accused of doing a wrong thing has +really done it or not. If he is proved to have committed the +offence, he is declared to be guilty; if he is not proved to have +done it, he is declared not guilty. + +A writer on the history of the Feroe Islands describes these +extraordinary courts as if he had witnessed them. He says, these +crow-courts are observed here (in the Feroe Islands) as well as in +the Scotch Isles. The crows collect in great numbers, as if they had +been all summoned for the occasion. A few of the flock sit with +drooping heads, others seem as grave as if they were judges, and +some are exceedingly active and noisy, like lawyers and witnesses; +in the course of about an hour the company generally disperse, and +it is not uncommon, after they have flown away, to find one or two +left dead on the spot. + +Dr. Edmondstone, in his View of the Shetland Islands, says that +sometimes the crow-court, or meeting, does not appear to be complete +before the expiration of a day or two,--crows coming from all +quarters to the session. As soon as they are all arrived, a very +general noise ensues, the business of the court is opened, and +shortly after they all fall upon one or two individual crows, (who +are supposed to have been condemned by their peers,) and put them to +death. When the execution is over, they quietly disperse." + +"I shall never look at a crow, Mother, again," said Harry, "without +dislike--cruel creatures." + +"We don't understand these things," said his mother; "animals have +no compassion for their sick companions; they kill them sometimes +for being sick. It seems very cruel, but we don't understand enough +to judge." + +"Now, Mother, what new story have you about dogs?" + +"The story I shall tell you now seems to show that dogs have good +hearts, and are compassionate and magnanimous. A dog was placed to +watch a piece of ground, perhaps a garden. A boy ran across the +forbidden place. The dog chased him. The boy, greatly frightened, +ran very fast, fell, and broke his leg. The dog, when he came up and +heard the boy's cries, did not touch him, but ran up to the passers +by, and barked till he attracted their attention, and brought some +one to the aid of the poor boy, who could not move. + +The faithful creature had performed his duty in driving away +intruders; but he had too good a heart, and was too generous to hurt +a fallen enemy. In the account I read he was called a Christian dog. +His conduct would be a good example to all Christians. + +I have now a story of a roguish dog that I think we could not praise +so much for his goodness as for his cunning. A gentleman in Paris +was in the habit of crossing every day one of the bridges over the +Seine, on his way to his place of business. One day, a very dirty +poodle dog rubbed himself so against his boots as to make it +necessary to get a man, who sat at one end of the bridge with +blacking, to clean them. The next day the same thing occurred, and +again and again, till, at last, the gentleman suspected that the +bootblack had taught the dog this trick, in order by that means to +get customers. He watched, and saw, when he approached the bridge, +Master Poodle go and roll himself in a mud puddle, and then come and +rub himself against his boots. The gentleman accused the bootblack +of the trick. After a while the man laughed, and confessed his +roguery." + +"That poodle was a brick," said Harry. + +"One more story of dogs. A surgeon of Leeds, in England, found a +little spaniel who had been lamed. The surgeon carried the poor +animal home, bandaged up his leg, and after two or three days turned +him out. The dog returned to the surgeon's house every morning till +his leg was perfectly well. + +At the end of several months, the spaniel again presented himself, +bringing another dog who had also been lamed, and intimating, as +plainly as piteous and intelligent looks could intimate, that he +desired the same kind assistance to be rendered to his friend as had +been bestowed upon himself. + +But I am forgetting poor puss. + +Mr. W., a friend of mine, whose word might be taken for any thing, +told me an extraordinary anecdote of a cat, which he said he knew to +be true. + +A friend of his was setting out on a voyage to some place, I forget +where. Every thing was carried on board, and the two friends were in +the cabin about taking leave of each other. "I asked my friend +before parting," said Mr. W., "whether he had every thing that he +wanted; if there was nothing more that he could think of to make him +more comfortable or happy on his voyage." "One thing," he replied, +"would add to my pleasure very much, if you would bring it to me. In +the counting room of my store is a small white cat; I am very fond +of the poor thing, and she will miss me I know; I should like to +take her with me." I immediately went ashore and found his little +cat looking very sorrowful in his lonely room; I carried her to him. +They seemed mutually pleased at meeting." + +When the vessel returned, Mr. W. received this account from the +officers of the ship. They said that his friend made a great pet of +the cat, and fed her always at his own meal times. He taught her to +stand on her hind legs and ask for her food; he made her jump over a +stick for his amusement; in short, he taught her to perform a great +many amusing tricks. The officers and men were all very fond of poor +little puss. + +At length, the young man became very ill. The cat would not leave +him night or day. At last, one day, she left the cabin and began to +run about the ship, making the most terrible mewing. The sailors +offered her food; she refused it. She would not be comforted. +Finally, her cries turned into a complete howl. She manifested the +greatest suffering, and, at last, she ran off to the end of the +bowsprit and leaped into the sea. Just at the moment that the poor +little faithful, loving cat was swallowed up by the waves, her human +friend breathed his last, and they both entered the invisible land +together. + +Such an extraordinary event, and the gloom which a death at sea +always casts over a ship's company, both together made the sailors +even more than usually superstitious. They all declared that, every +night at that same hour when the sick man died, a white cat was seen +leaping into the ocean. The white crests of the breaking waves might +easily thus appear to an ignorant person who lives, as a sailor +does, in the midst of the wonders and sublime scenes which the ocean +presents, in the awful terrors of its storms, or the serene glory of +its quiet hours. But the love of the poor dumb animal for its +master--that was a beautiful reality. + +I have a story now for you, Frank, about a horse, as I know you are +particularly fond of horses. An Arab chief with his tribe had +attacked in the night a caravan, and had plundered it; when loaded +with their spoil, however, the robbers were overtaken on their +return by some horsemen of the Pacha of Acre, who killed several, +and bound the remainder with cords. The horsemen brought one of the +prisoners, named Abou el Mavek, to Acre, and laid him, bound hand +and foot, wounded as he was, at the entrance to their tent. As they +slept during the night, the Arab, kept awake by the pain of his +wounds, heard his horse's neigh at a distance, and being desirous to +stroke, for the last time, the companion of his life, he dragged +himself, bound as he was, to the horse which was picketed at a +little distance. + +"Poor friend," said he; "what will you do among the Turks? You will +be shut up under the roof of a khan, with the horses of a pacha or +an aga; no longer will the women and children of the tent bring you +barley, camel's milk, or dourra, in the hollow of their hands. No +longer will you gallop, free as the wind of Egypt, in the desert. No +longer will you cleave with your bosom the water of the Jordan which +cools your sides, as pure as the foam of your lips. If I am to be a +slave, at least may you go free. Go, return to our tent which you +know so well; tell my wife that Abou el Marek will return no more; +but put your head still into the folds of the tent, lick the hands +of my beloved children." + +With these words, he untied with his teeth the fetters, and set the +courser at liberty. But the noble animal, on recovering its freedom, +instead of bounding away alone, bent its head over its master, and, +seeing him in fetters, took his clothes gently in its teeth, lifted +him up, set off at full speed, and, without ever resting, made +straight for the distant but well-known tent in the mountains. + +The horse arrived in safety, laid his master down at the feet of his +wife and children, and immediately dropped down dead with fatigue. +The whole tribe mourned him, the poets celebrated his fidelity, and +his name is still constantly in the mouths of the Arabs of Jericho. + +And now, boys, let us talk about the elephant a little. I have been +reading something of his history, and I am disposed to think that, +of all animals, he is, on the whole, the most intelligent." + +"More intelligent than the dog, Mother?" + +"Yes, it seems so to me. He is not so disinterested, so loving, but +he reasons more than any other animal. He is also capable of very +strong attachment, but he will not bear ill treatment. The elephant +seems revengeful. The dog still loves the master who is unkind to +him. + +The elephant will learn to assist his master in his work. An +elephant who belonged to the Duke of Devonshire would come out of +her house when her keeper called her, take up a broom, and stand +ready to sweep the paths and grass when he told her to do so. She +would take up a pail or a watering pot, and follow him round the +place, ready to do his bidding. Her keeper usually rode on her neck, +like the elephant drivers in India, and he always spread over her a +large, strong cloth for alighting, which the elephant, by kneeling, +allowed him to do. He desired her to take off the cloth. This she +contrived to do by drawing herself up in such a way that the +shrinking of her loose skin moved the cloth, and it gradually +wriggled on one side, till, at last, it would fall by its own +weight. The cloth, of course, fell all in a heap; but the elephant +would spread it carefully on the grass, and then fold it up, as you +fold your napkin, till it was small enough for her purpose; then she +held it up with her trunk for a moment, and, at last, with one jerk, +threw it up over her head to the centre of her back, where it +remained for use, out of the way, ready for next time, and as nicely +placed as if human hands had put it there. + +A few years ago, an elephant in London was taught to take part in a +play. She came in and marched very properly in a procession. At the +waving of her keeper's hand, she would kneel down and salute any +individual, or put a crown on the head of the true prince. She would +eat and drink with great propriety of manner, and make her reverence +to the audience. But all this is nothing to what the elephants were +taught by the Romans. The keepers, by treating their elephants with +the utmost kindness, taking care of them as to health, and doing +every thing to make them happy, acquired over them the greatest +power. The elephants learned to love music. They were at first +frightened by the loud instruments; but, after a while, became very +fond of all, particularly of the gentle flute, at which they would +show their delight by beating time with their great feet. The +keepers accustomed them to the sight of great multitudes of people. +At one time, when a particular exhibition of the docility of +elephants was required, twelve of the most sagacious and well +trained were made to march into the theatre with a regular step. At +the voice of their keeper, they moved in harmonious measure, +sometimes in a circle, and sometimes divided into parties, +scattering flowers around them. In the intervals of the dance, they +would beat time to the music, and were careful to keep in proper +order. After this display, the elephants were feasted, as the Romans +were in the habit of feasting themselves, in grand style. Splendid +couches were placed, ornamented with paintings and covered with +tapestry. Before the couches, upon tables of ebony and cedar, was +spread the banquet, in vessels of gold and silver. When the feast +was prepared, the twelve elephants marched in; six gentleman +elephants dressed in the robes of men, and six lady elephants +attired in women's clothes. They lay down in order upon the couches; +and then, at a certain signal, extended their trunks, and eat their +suppers with the most praiseworthy moderation and propriety. "Not +one of them," says the historian of the elephant, "appeared the +least voiacious, or manifested the least desire for more than his +share of the food, or an undue proportion of the delicacies. They +were as moderate also in their drink, and received the cups that +were presented to them with the greatest decorum and temperance." + +The elephants were taught to hurl javelins, and catch them with +their trunks, and to pretend to fight with each other, for the +amusement of their warlike masters, and were taught also to perform +a dance. Finally, these wonderful animals would do what you would +think was utterly impossible. You remember, when the circus riders +were here seeing a man walk and dance on a rope." + +"Yes, Mother," said Frank; "but an elephant could not do that, I'm +sure." + +"Historians of Rome, supposed to give true accounts, say that the +elephants were taught to walk along a rope forward and then +backward. One elephant is described as walking up a slanting rope to +the roof of the theatre with a man on his back." + +"I should not have liked to be the man on his back," said Harry. + +"It is as astonishing, perhaps more so, that a horse has been taught +to do similar things. When I was in Paris, I saw some horses dance a +quadrille very respectably, and keep excellent time. One of the +Roman historians relates, "An elephant, having been punished for +stupidity in executing some feat which he was required to learn, was +observed, at night, endeavoring to practise what he had failed to +perform in the daytime." It is mentioned that elephants have been +observed practising their lessons by moonlight, without any +directions from the keepers. Think what a good example elephants are +for school boys. I have only told you a very little about this +wonderful animal; yet enough, I hope, to make you want to read some +of the many books about him. You have, I think, read of the story of +the elephant who was wounded in his proboscis or trunk, and, in his +anger, unintentionally killed his keeper, and of what the keeper's +wife did." + +"No, Mother," said Frank; "we have never read it. What did she do?" + +"In her despair, not knowing what she did, she held out her son, and +said to the raging animal, "Take him too." The angry elephant became +quiet. He seemed to understand the agony of the poor woman. He +gently lifted and placed upon his back the little child, and ever +after obeyed him for a master." + +"You know the story in Evenings at Home, Mother, of the Elephant and +the Cobbler, how the fellow pricked the elephant's trunk, and how +the elephant punished him by squirting muddy water all over him." + +"Yes. The elephant's trunk is so susceptible that nothing enrages +him so much as any wound on it. He cannot bear patiently the +slightest scratch. + +Now I will tell you a story of a lion. An English gentleman, who was +living in India, had a fancy to see what effect extreme gentleness, +and kindness, and very simple diet would have upon the character of +the lion. The gentleman had the good fortune to get a baby lion for +the experiment. He made a real pet of him. He fed him with bread and +milk and rice, and such things, and took care always to satisfy him +with food. The young lion loved his master, who was always very kind +to him, and who was really very fond of his lionship. This man +lived, as in India a gentleman often does, in a house by himself, +and could easily have his friend lion with him, without annoying any +one. The baby grew bigger and bigger, and became a good-sized, full- +grown lion. He was gentle and happy, full of play, and rather a +pleasant companion to his two-legged friend. Whether the lion ever +roared for his master's amusement, the friend who told me this story +did not say. + +At last, this gentleman wished to return to England to see his old +mother. He was too much attached to his lion to leave him, and so +took him in the place of a dog. The lion was very good all the +voyage. No one had a word to say against him. His conduct and +manners were faultless. He played with the sailors, he obeyed his +master, and, in short, was a very quiet, well-behaved, human lion. +When the gentleman arrived in England, as soon as he could leave the +ship, he called for a carriage to take him to his mother. When he +got into the carriage, the lion jumped in after him. "Your honor," +said the driver, "I'm afraid of that beast." "O, never mind," said +the gentleman; "he'll not hurt you." "But, your honor, I never in my +born days took a lion in my carriage. It's not a place for such +brutes." "There's always a first time," said the gentleman. "Here's +a crown for my lion; and now get on; I can't wait." The cabman, +thinking it wise to make the best of things, and not quarrel with a +man who had a lion for a friend, stepped up on his box, and drove +away rattlety-bang to Regent's Park, some three or four miles' +drive. The lion was much astonished, and sat bolt upright on his +hind legs, looking out of the window. He did not appreciate the +BEAUTIES of London; he was disgusted with the noise, and growled a +little. The driver heard him, and drove all the faster. Poor Lord +Lion, his temper was tried; but he bore it better than most lions +would. At last, the cab stopped at the house of the gentleman's +mother. He sprang out, and rang the bell: "Does Mrs. B. live here?" +"Yes, sir." "Is she well?" The footman turned pale as ashes, and +scampered off as if he thought the lion would devour him. The +gentleman ran up stairs, and the lion after him. In another moment, +the arms of the son were around his mother. Presently, the lady saw +the lion. She had heard of her son's pet, and saw she was in no +danger. She begged her son, however, to put him down in the yard and +keep him chained, or she should not have a servant in the house. The +lion was not happy chained. The gentleman, finding, moreover, that +he could not go into the streets with his friend without being +followed by a mob, at last placed him in the Tower, where there were +other lions, and gave many charges that the pet lion should be well +treated. Many years afterwards, the gentleman returned from another +voyage to India; and, after seeing his mother, went to the Tower to +see his friend. When he came to the large cage in which the lion was +confined, the keeper said, "This is our finest and our fiercest +lion." "Open the door," said the gentleman. The keeper, not knowing +him, objected. The gentleman insisted, and entered. The lion was +lying down, and, seeing a man in his cage, for a moment looked +angry; in another moment he rose on his hind legs, put his paws +around his old master, and showed the greatest delight at seeing +him." + +"Why, he was almost as good as a dog," said Frank. "But now, Mother, +please tell us the story about a bear which you said you heard on +your journey last summer." + +"I ought rather," said Mrs. Chilton, "to call it the story of a cow, +for she was the heroine of the tale. I was travelling with a small +party among the White Hills. When we stopped to dine, we saw a +number of people assembled around the door of the hotel, and found +that they were looking at a black bear that had been just shot. This +bear had inspired the neighborhood with some fear, for he was a +large one. They had tried a number of times to shoot him; but all in +vain. Master Bruin was never off his guard. At last, the poor fellow +foolishly left the deep wild wood, where he could easily hide +himself, for a little grove. When the villagers saw his mistake, +they immediately took steps to surround the grove. The number of the +inhabitants was small; so they summoned all the women and children, +as well as the men, and so got an unbroken line all around the +little wood. As soon as the bear sought any part, in order to +escape, he was saluted by the most frightful screams, as well as a +shower of stones. He fled to the opposite side, but there met with +the same reception. This went on for some time. At last, some one +succeeded in shooting him. He measured a little over six feet from +the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, and his teeth were very +formidable. + +A gentleman who had assisted in the capture of the bear, told me the +story I promised to tell you of the cow and the bear. A little girl, +about twelve or thirteen years of age, was sent by her mother, one +afternoon, to bring home the cows from a neighboring wood, where +they were at pasture. There were many fallen trees, as is often the +case in our wild woods; and the child amused herself by climbing +over the trunks. + +Now, one of the black-looking logs was a large bear that was lying +asleep, and the little girl jumped right upon his growling majesty. +The bear arose, evidently not quite pleased at being made a stepping +stone, took the little girl in his great shaggy paws, and gave her +an ugly hug, such as only a bear can give. Mr. Bear would have +squeezed the breath out of the body of the poor little girl, had not +the good old cow seen the danger. The courageous creature, instead +of running away, turned back immediately, and began goring the bear +with her horns in such a way as to force old Bruin, if he valued a +whole hide, to turn round and defend himself. So he let go his hold +on the little girl, who, though sadly frightened and bruised, was +still strong enough to run towards home. Presently the bear followed +her. Immediately the cow attacked him again with her horns, and +drove him off. This continued till they got out of the wood, when +the bear ran back to his own home. The gentleman who told us this +story said he had seen the little girl, and that she had never quite +recovered from the effect of the horrid squeeze of the grim old +bear, but still suffered in her chest. Still she was thankful that +her life was saved, and always considered the good old cow her +preserver." + +"Why, Mother," said Frank, "I did not think that a cow could be good +for any thing but to give milk." + +"In Germany, they use cows for draught, and make them work pretty +hard. There you see cows every day doing the same work that our oxen +do, and giving the poor man his supper at the end of the day +besides; and it is said that the labor does not hurt them. The +Germans feed the cows well, treat them gently and kindly, but make +them, as well as the dogs, work for a living." + +"Now I will tell you a story about a pike. We are apt to think fishes +very stupid; that they have no feeling. A gentleman in England, +a surgeon and a naturalist, told me of what he had himself seen. A +pike had struck its head against a tenter hook on a post in the pond +where he was swimming. His agony was so great that he darted +backward and forward with the greatest rapidity, then buried his +head in the mud, then whirled his tail round and round, and threw +himself up into the air to the height of two or three feet, and, at +last, he threw himself out of the pond upon the grass. Dr. Warwick +placed his hand on the fish, examined the injury, and observed that +the hook had entered the skull, wrenching up one side of the bone +and depressing the other, and that a small part of the brain had +escaped. With a toothpick the doctor restored the bones to their +proper places. The patient remained perfectly still during the +operation, and after-ward was returned to his native element. He +seemed restless for a little while, and then lay quiet. Dr. Warwick +then made a sort of cradle in which he placed the poor sufferer, who +seemed disposed to lie still on one side." + +"The next day, very early, Dr. Warwick went to the pond. To his +astonishment, he found that the pike knew and remembered him. The +fish came to the edge of the pond, placed his jaw upon the toe of +the doctor's boot, let himself be taken hold of and caressed, and +allowed the wound to be examined. It was much better. When the +doctor walked along the side of the pond, the fish followed him. +When the doctor returned from his walk, he found his patient +watching for him. The pike then swam backward and forward while the +doctor remained there. The fish had lost one eye in consequence of +the wound from the hook, and, when his blind side was towards the +doctor, was always very restless. The poor fellow seemed anxious to +keep his surgical friend in sight. The doctor would often whistle +when he went to the pond; and the pike always came at the call, and +showed pleasure at seeing him. Dr. Warwick introduced his family to +his friend and patient, the pike. The grateful fish allowed them to +give him food, and put aside much of his native shyness. In truth, +he received their attentions very civilly, but he always showed a +decided preference for his medical friend. Dr. Warwick was the +father of my friend, Mrs. A., in Liverpool. He related all these +facts to me himself, and they are all to be perfectly relied upon." + +Now I will read you a German story called Caliph Stork. + +One pleasant afternoon, the Caliph of Bagdad was sitting comfortably +on his sofa: he had slept a little, (for it was a hot day,) and +looked quite bright after his nap. He was smoking a long rose-wood +pipe, and sipping coffee, which was poured out for him by a slave; +and occasionally he stroked his beard with great satisfaction. In +short, it was evident that he felt quite pleasantly. + +This was the best time of day for speaking with him; for at this +hour he was always very good-natured and affable; and, on this +account, the Grand Vizier Mansor always visited him at this hour. He +came also this afternoon, but looking very thoughtful, quite against +his wont. The caliph took the pipe partly away from his mouth, and +said, "What makes you look so thoughtful, Grand Vizier?" + +The grand vizier crossed his arms over his breast, bowed to his +master, and answered, "Sir! whether I look thoughtful or not is more +than I know; but certain it is, that there is a pedler down stairs +who has such beautiful things, that it vexes me not to have any +money to spare." + +The caliph was very willing to do his grand vizier a favor; so he +sent the black slave to bring the pedler up stairs. The pedler came. +He was a little, dumpy man, with a dark complexion, and dressed in +ragged garments. He bore a chest in which were wares of all sorts: +pearls and rings, richly mounted pistols, drinking cups, and combs. +The caliph and his vizier rummaged over the whole chest, and the +caliph finally bought some pistols for himself and Mansor, and a +comb for the vizier's wife. As the pedler was about to close the +chest, the caliph saw a little drawer, and asked if there was any +thing more in it. The pedler pulled the drawer out, and showed in it +a box of blackish powder, and a paper with curious writing on it, +which neither the caliph nor Mansor could read. "I got these two +things from a merchant who found them at Mecca, in the street; I do +not know what they contain, but you may have them very cheap, for I +cannot do any thing with them." + +The caliph, who liked to have old manuscripts in his library, +although he could not read them, bought the paper and the box, and +dismissed the pedler. + +The caliph, however, thought he should like to know the contents of +the manuscript, and asked the vizier if he knew any body who could +decipher it. "Most gracious sovereign and master," answered he, +"there is a man at the great mosque, who is called Selim the +Learned; he understands all languages; send for him; perhaps he may +make out these mysterious characters." + +The learned Selim was soon brought. "Selim," said the caliph to him, +"they say you are very learned; now just look into this manuscript, +and see whether you can read it; if you can, I will give you a new +dress; but if you cannot, you shall have twelve boxes on the ear, +and twenty-five blows on the soles of your feet, for having been +called, without reason, Selim the Learned." + +Selim bowed and said, "Be it as you command, Sir!" He examined the +writing for a long time, and then suddenly cried out, "This is +Latin, sir, or I'll give you leave to hang me." "Let us hear what it +contains, then, if it is Latin," said the caliph. + +Selim began to translate: "O man who findest this, praise Allah for +his goodness. Whoever snuffs up some of the powder in this box, and +at the same time says, 'Mutabor,' may change himself into any +animal, and will understand the language of animals. If he wishes to +return to the human shape, let him bow three times towards the East, +and pronounce the same word. But let him take care, after he is +transformed, not to laugh, otherwise the word will disappear +entirely from his memory, and he will remain a beast." + +When Selim the Learned had read this, the caliph was exceedingly +delighted. He made Selim swear never to reveal any thing of the +secret to any one; then he gave him a beautiful robe, and dismissed +him. + +Then he said to his grand vizier, "That is what I call a good +bargain, Mansor! How impatient I am to become a beast! Come to me +easily to-morrow morning, and we will go out into the fields, snuff +up a little of the powder, and then listen to what is said in the +air and in the water, in the woods and in the fields!" + +Scarcely had the caliph breakfasted and dressed, the next morning, +when the grand vizier appeared, according to his orders, to +accompany him in his excursion. The caliph stuck the box with the +magic powder into his girdle, and having commanded his retinue to +remain behind, he set off with only the grand vizier, on his way. +They went first through the spacious gardens of the caliph, but they +could not find any living animal to try their experiment upon. At +last, the vizier proposed to go out to a pond, where he had often +seen many animals, particularly storks, which had attracted his +attention by their grave demeanor and their chattering. + +The caliph approved of the vizier's proposal, and went with him +towards the pond. When they got there, they saw a stork, walking +gravely back and forth, searching for frogs, and occasionally +chattering something to himself. At the same time they saw another +stork soaring high in the air, above the place. + +"I will wager my beard, most gracious Sir," said the grand vizier, +"that these two long-legs are carrying on a fine conversation +together. What say you to turning ourselves into storks?" + +"Well said!" answered the caliph. "But let us see; how is it that +one is to become man again?" + +"O, yes! we are to bow three times towards the East, and say, +Mutabor, and then I am caliph again, and you vizier. But for +Heaven's sake don't laugh, or we are lost!" + +While the caliph was speaking, he saw the other stork come sailing +down over their heads, and settle in a business manner on the +ground. Quickly he drew the box from his girdle, took a good pinch +of the powder, and handed it to the grand vizier, who also took a +pinch, and then both cried out, "Mutabor!" + +Immediately their legs shrivelled up, and became thin and red; the +beautiful yellow slippers of the caliph and his companion turned +into clumsy stork-feet; their arms became wings; their necks +stretched out from their shoulders, and were an ell long; their +beards disappeared, and their bodies were covered with soft +feathers, instead of clothes. + +"That's a pretty bill of yours, Mr. Grand Vizier," said the caliph, +after a long pause of astonishment. "By the beard of the Prophet, I +never saw any thing like that in my life." + +"Thank you kindly," answered the grand vizier, bowing; "but, if I +may he allowed the observation, your highness looks almost handsomer +as stork than as caliph. But come, if you please, let us listen to +our comrades yonder, and try whether we really do understand +Storkish." + +In the mean time the other stork had alighted on the ground. He +arranged his feathers with his bill, put himself to rights, and +walked up to the first stork. + +The two new storks made haste to approach them, and overheard, to +their astonishment, the following conversation. + +"Good morning, Mrs. Longlegs; you are early on the meadow." + +"Thank you, dear blatterbeak! I have been getting a little +breakfast. Will you take a bit of lizard, or a frog's leg?" + +"Much obliged, but I have no appetite this morning. I came on to the +meadow for quite a different purpose. I am to dance before the +guests at my father's to-day, and I thought I would exercise a +little in private beforehand." + +At the same time the young storkess marched about the field making +the oddest gesticulations. The caliph and Mansor looked on with +wonder. But at last, when she put herself into a picturesque +attitude on one foot, and gracefully waved her wings, they could +stand it no longer; an inextinguishable laugh burst from their +bills, from which they did not recover for some time. The caliph +composed himself first. "What a capital joke!" cried he; "I never +saw any thing better in my life; it is a pity that the stupid birds +were frightened away by our laughter, else she would certainly have +sung!" + +But it now occurred to the grand vizier that they had been forbidden +to laugh during their transformation. He communicated his anxiety to +the caliph. + +"By Mecca and Medina!" cried the caliph, "it would be a pretty piece +of business if I had to remain a stork all my life! Try think of the +stupid word; I can't remember it." + +"We must bow three times towards the East, and say, Mu--Mu--Mu--." +They turned to the East, and bowed away till their beaks touched the +ground. But, alas! The magic word had vanished, and with all the +caliph's bowing, and his vizier's crying Mu--Mu--, all recollections +of it had disappeared from their memories, and the poor Chasid and +his vizier still remained storks as before. + +The caliph and the grand vizier walked in a melancholy mood through +the fields, not knowing what to do in their sad plight. They could +not get out of their stork-skins, and it would not do for them to go +back to the town to tell any one of their condition. for who would +believe a stork if he said that he was the caliph? And even if they +had believed him, would the inhabitants of Bagdad be willing to have +a stork for their caliph? So they sneaked about for several days, +feeding upon wild fruits, which, however, they could not manage very +well, on account of their long bills. For lizards and frogs, they +had no appetite. Their only satisfaction in this sad predicament was +that they could fly; and they often flew over on to the roofs in the +city of Bagdad, to see what was going on. + +For the first few days they observed great uneasiness and mourning +in the streets. But, on the fourth day of their enchantment, as they +were sitting on the roof of the caliph's palace, they saw in the +street below a splendid procession. The drums and fifes sounded, and +a man in a scarlet robe, embroidered with gold, came riding along on +a richly caparisoned horse, surrounded by servants in glittering +garments. Half the town were at his heels, and all were shouting, +"Hail to Mizra! Caliph of Bagdad!" The two storks looked at each +other as they sat on the roof, and the Caliph Chasid said, "Do not +you begin to understand how I come to be enchanted, Grand Vizier? +This Mizra is the son of my mortal enemy, the powerful enchanter, +Kaschnur, who in an evil hour vowed vengeance against me. But I do +not yet give up all hope. Come with me, faithful companion in +misfortune; we will make a pilgrimage to the grave of the Prophet; +perhaps the charm may be broken in sacred places." + +So they raised themselves from the roof of the palace, and flew in +the direction of Medina. + +Flying, however, did not suit the two storks very well, on account +of their want of practice. "Ah, Sir," groaned the vizier, after they +had been flying a couple of hours, "with your permission--I cannot +stand it any longer; you fly too fast! Besides, it is already +growing dark, and we should do well to be looking out for some place +to pass the night." + +Chasid yielded to the request of his officer, and perceiving a +ruined building in the valley below, they flew down to it. The place +which they had pitched upon for their night-quarters, seemed to have +been a castle. Beautiful columns were still standing among the +ruins, and numerous chambers, which were in tolerable preservation, +testified to the former splendor of the house. Chasid and his +companion walked about the passages to find a dry spot; suddenly the +stork Mansor stood still. "Lord and Master," whispered he, softly, +"if it were not that it would be foolish for a grand vizier--and +still more so for a stork--to be afraid of ghosts! I do not feel +easy at all, for I heard some one sighing and moaning, quite +plainly." The caliph also stopped, and heard distinctly a noise as +of some one weeping, which sounded more like a human being than like +an animal. Full of expectation, he was about to advance towards the +place whence the sound proceeded; but the vizier seized him by the +wing with his bill, and begged him earnestly not to expose himself +to new unknown dangers; but in vain! The caliph, under whose stork- +wings there beat a valiant heart, tore himself away with the loss of +some feathers, and ran into a dark passage. He soon came to a door, +which appeared not to be fastened, and from which proceeded distinct +sighs and a slight hooting. He pushed the door open with his bill, +but remained standing in astonishment on the threshold. In the +ruinous chamber, which was lighted scantily by a small grated +window, he saw a large owl sitting on the floor. Large tears were +rolling from her great round eyes, and with a hoarse voice she +uttered complaints from her crooked beak. But when she beheld the +caliph and his vizier, who had crept after him in the mean time, she +raised a loud cry of joy. Then she gracefully wiped the tears from +her eyes with her brown-spotted wing, and, to the great astonishment +of both, she cried out, in good human Arabic, "Welcome, ye storks; +ye are a good omen of my deliverance, for it has been prophesied to +me that a great good fortune would come to me through the means of +some storks!" + +When the caliph had recovered from his astonishment, he made a bow +with his long neck, placed his thin feet in a graceful position, and +said, "Owl! thy words would lead me to conclude that thou art a +partaker of our misfortune. But alas! thy hope of being delivered by +us is in vain. Thou wilt perceive our helplessness when thou hast +heard our story." The owl begged him to relate it, and the caliph +began, and told her what we already know. + +When the caliph had finished telling their story to the owl, she +thanked him, and said, "Hear, alas! my history, and you will see +that I am not less unhappy than you. My father is the King of India, +and I, his only daughter, am named Susa. The enchanter, Kaschnur, +who enchanted you, brought me also into misery. He came one day to +my father, and desired me for wife for his son Mizra. But my father, +who is a quick-tempered person, had him kicked down stairs. The +scoundrel contrived to come into my presence again under another +form; and once, when I wished to take some refreshments in the +garden, he brought to me, in the disguise of a slave, a potion which +transformed me into this horrible shape. As I was powerless from +fright, he brought me hither, and cried with a terrible voice into +my ear,--" + +"Here shalt thou remain, ugly and despised even by the beasts, until +thy death; or until some one of his own accord shall desire to marry +thee, even in this vile shape. Thus I revenge myself on thee and thy +proud father." + +"Since then, many months have elapsed. Solitary and sad, I live as a +hermit in these walls, despised by the whole world, disgusting even +to the beasts; the beauties of nature are shut from me, since I am +blind by day, and, only when the moon pours her pale light over +these walls, does the veil of darkness fall from my eyes." + +She ended, and wiped her tears again with her wing, for the +narration of her sorrows had caused her to weep. + +The caliph pondered deeply on the story of the princess. "If I am +not entirely in error," said he, "there is a secret connection +between our misfortunes; but where shall I find the key to this +riddle?" + +The owl answered, "Sir, I have also the same feeling; for it was +prophesied to me, in my earliest youth, by a wise woman, that a +stork would bring me great good luck; and perhaps I can tell in what +manner we may deliver ourselves." + +The caliph was much amazed, and asked in what manner she meant. "The +enchanter," said she, "who has rendered us both unhappy, comes once +every month to these ruins. Not far from this chamber, there is a +hall in which he is accustomed to revel with many comrades; I have +often watched them there. They relate to each other their villanous +deeds, and perhaps he may pronounce the magic word which you +have forgotten." + +"O dearest Princess," exclaimed the caliph, "tell me when will he +come, and where is the hall?" + +The owl was silent for a moment, and then said,-- + +"Do not take it ill, but I can fulfil your wish only on one +condition." + +"What is it? what is it?" cried Chasid; "whatever you please; I will +agree to any thing." + +"Why, I should like to obtain my own liberty also; but this is +possible only on condition that one of you shall marry me." + +The storks seemed somewhat embarrassed by this proposal, and the +caliph motioned to his officer to go out with him a moment. + +"Grand Vizier," said the caliph, when they got outside of the door, +"this is a stupid business, but I should think you might marry her." + +"Indeed!" answered he; "do you wish to have my eyes scratched out by +my wife as soon as I get home? Besides, I am an old man, and you are +young and unmarried; it would be more reasonable for you to give +your hand to a beautiful young princess." + +"Ay, but there's the rub," sighed the caliph, drooping his wings +composedly; "who told you that she was young and beautiful? That is +what I call buying a pig in a poke!" + +So they talked a long while about it, till, at last, as the caliph +saw that his vizier preferred remaining a stork to marrying the owl, +he made up his mind to fulfil the condition himself. The owl was +highly delighted. She informed them that they could not have come at +a better time, for probably the enchanters would assemble that +night. + +She left the chamber with the storks, to conduct them to the hall; +they walked for a long time through a dark passage; at last, a +bright light streamed towards them from a ruined wall. Having +reached this, the owl advised them to remain perfectly still. From +the cleft at which they stood, they could see over the whole hall. +It was surrounded by columns, and splendidly ornamented. Numerous +colored lamps supplied the want of daylight. In the midst of the +hall, stood a round table covered with various delicacies. Round the +table, was placed a sofa on which sat eight men. In one of these men +the storks recognized the merchant who had sold them the magic +powder. The one who sat next to him asked him to relate his newest +exploits. He told, among others, the story of the caliph and his +vizier. + +"And what word did you give them?" asked another of the magicians. +"A very hard Latin one; it is called MUTABOR." + +When the storks heard this at their chink in the wall, they were +almost out of their senses with joy. They ran so swiftly to the door +of the ruin, with their long feet, that the owl could scarcely keep +up with them. When they had got out, the caliph said with emotion to +the owl, "Deliverer of my life, and of the life of my friend, accept +me for your husband, as an eternal mark of gratitude for what you +have done for us." Then he turned towards the East. Three times the +storks bowed their long necks towards the sun, which just then was +rising over the mountains; cried MUTABOR, and in an instant they +were disenchanted, and the master and servant lay in each other's +arms, weeping for joy. But who could describe their astonishment, +when, on looking round, they saw a beautiful lady in magnificent +attire? "Do you not know your owl?" said she, smiling, as she gave +her hand to the caliph. It was she, and the caliph was so enraptured +with her beauty and grace, that he declared he had been most +fortunate in having been turned into a stork. + +All three now returned to Bagdad, where the arrival of the caliph +excited great astonishment. All had supposed that he was dead, and +the people were highly delighted to recover their beloved ruler. + +The caliph Chasid lived long and happily with his wife, the +princess; and sometimes, when the grand vizier came to see him of an +afternoon, when he was in particularly good humor, he would +condescend to imitate the appearance of the grand vizier in the +character of the stork; walking gravely about, with feet extended, +chattering, and waving with his arms; and showed how the grand +vizier bowed in vain towards the East, and cried Mu--Mu. But when he +kept this up too long, the vizier used to threaten that he would +tell the caliph's wife the discussion, outside of the door, about +the princess owl. + + + + +End Project Gutenberg's What The Animals Do and Say, by Eliza Lee Follen + diff --git a/old/wtnml10.zip b/old/wtnml10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1334806 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/wtnml10.zip |