A Hundred Anecdotes of Animals Part 3

ANECDOTE XXIV.

The Bear and Child.

Leopold, Duke of Lorraine, had a bear called Marco, of the sagacity and sensibility of which we have the following remarkable instance. During a severe winter, a boy, ready to perish with cold, thought proper to enter Marco's hut, without reflecting on the danger which he ran in exposing himself to the mercy of the animal which occupied it. Marco, however, instead of doing any injury to the child, took him between his paws, and warmed him by pressing him to his breast until the next morning, when he suffered him to depart. The boy returned in the evening to the hut, and was received with the same affection. For several days he had no other retreat, and it added not a little to his joy, to perceive that the bear regularly reserved part of his food for him. A number of days pa.s.sed in this manner without the servants knowing anything of the circ.u.mstance. At length, when one of them came one day to bring the bear his supper, rather later than ordinary, he was astonished to see the animal roll his eyes in a furious manner, and seeming as if he wished him to make as little noise as possible, for fear of awaking the child, whom he clasped to his breast.

The animal, though ravenous, did not appear the least moved with the food which was placed before him. The report of this extraordinary circ.u.mstance was soon spread at court, and reached the ears of Leopold; who, with part of his courtiers, was desirous of being satisfied of the truth of Marco's generosity. Several of them pa.s.sed the night near his hut, and beheld with astonishment that the bear never stirred as long as his guest showed an inclination to sleep. At dawn the child awoke, was very much ashamed to find himself discovered, and, fearing that he would be punished for his rashness, begged pardon. The bear, however, caressed him, and endeavoured to prevail on him to eat what had been brought to him the evening before, which he did at the request of the spectators, who conducted him to the prince. Having learned the whole story, Leopold ordered care to be taken of the little boy, who would doubtless have soon made his fortune, had he not died a short time after.

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ANECDOTE XXV.

The Dolphin.

In the reign of Augustus Caesar there was a dolphin in the Lucrine lake, which formed a most romantic attachment to a poor man's son. The boy had to go every day from Baiae to Puteoli to school, and such were the friendly terms on which he had got with the dolphin, that he had only to wait by the banks of the lake and cry, _Simo_, _Simo_, the name he had given to the animal, when, lo! Simo came scudding to the sh.o.r.e, let fall the sharp p.r.i.c.kles of his skin, and gently offered his back for the boy to mount upon. The boy, nothing afraid, used to mount instantly, when the dolphin, without either rein or spur, would speed across the sea to Puteoli, and after landing the young scholar, wait about the vicinity till he was returning home, when it would again perform the same sort of civil service. The boy was not ungrateful for such extraordinary favour, and used every day to bring a good store of victuals for Simo, which the animal would take from his hand in the most tame and kindly manner imaginable. For several years this friendly intercourse was kept up; it was, in fact, only terminated by the death of the boy; when, as the story goes, the dolphin was so affected at seeing him return no more, that it threw itself on the sh.o.r.e, and died, _as was thought_, of very grief and sorrow!

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'BUT PAST BELIEF, A DOLPHIN'S ARCHED BACK PRESERVED ARION FROM HIS DESTINED WRACK; SECURE HE SITS, AND WITH HARMONIOUS STRAINS REQUITES THE BEARER FOR HIS FRIENDLY PAINS.']

ANECDOTE XXVI.

The Death of Antiochus Revenged.

When Antiochus was slain in battle by Centaretrius the Galatian, the victor exultingly leaped on the back of the fallen king's horse; but he had no sooner done so, than the animal, as if sensible that it was bestrode by the slayer of his master, instantly exhibited signs of the greatest fury, and bounding forwards to the top of a lofty rock, with a speed which defied every attempt of Centaretrius to disengage himself, leaped with him over the precipice, at the foot of which both were found dashed to pieces.

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ANECDOTE XXVII.

Mice as Navigators.

Although there are few who would dispute the cleverness and sagacity of the larger animals, it is doubtful if there are many who credit the mouse with even average intelligence. The following instance may go far to raise our humble friend in the popular estimation; more especially as it has been vouched for by eye-witnesses. In countries where berries are but thinly dispersed, these little animals are obliged to cross rivers to make their distant forages. In returning with their booty to their magazines, they are obliged to recross the stream; in doing which they show an ingenuity little short of marvellous. The party, which consists of from six to ten, select a water-lily leaf, or some other floating substance, on which they place the berries on a heap in the middle; then, by their united force, bring it to the water's edge, and after launching it, embark and place themselves round the heap, with their heads joined over it, and their backs to the water. In this manner they drift down the stream, until they reach the opposite sh.o.r.e, when they unload their cargo, which they store away for the proverbial rainy day.

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ANECDOTE XXVIII.

A Calculating Crow.

A carrion crow, perceiving a brood of fourteen chickens under the care of the parent-hen, on a lawn, picked up one; but on a young lady opening the window and giving an alarm, the robber dropped his prey. In the course of the day, however, the plunderer returned, accompanied by thirteen other crows, when every one seized his bird, and carried off the whole brood at once.

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ANECDOTE XXIX.

Porus Saved by his Elephant.

King Porus, in a battle with Alexander the Great, being severely wounded, fell from the back of his elephant. The Macedonian soldiers, supposing him dead, pushed forward, in order to despoil him of his rich clothing and accoutrements; but the faithful elephant, standing over the body of its master, boldly repelled every one who dared to approach, and while the enemy stood at bay, took the bleeding Porus up with his trunk, and placed him again on his back. The troops of Porus came by this time to his relief, and the king was saved; but the elephant died of the wounds which it had received in the heroic defence of its master.

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ANECDOTE x.x.x.

Drawing Water.

Some years ago, an a.s.s was employed at Carisbrook Castle, in the Isle of Wight, in drawing water by a large wheel from a very deep well, supposed to have been sunk by the Romans. When the keeper wanted water, he would say to the a.s.s, "Tom, my boy, I want water; get into the wheel, my good lad;" which Thomas immediately performed with an alacrity and sagacity that would have done credit to a n.o.bler animal; and no doubt he knew the precise number of times necessary for the wheel to revolve upon its axis, to complete his labour, because every time he brought the bucket to the surface of the well, he constantly stopped and turned round his honest head to observe the moment when his master laid hold of the bucket to draw it towards him, because he had then a nice evolution to make, either to recede or to advance a little. It was pleasing to observe with what steadiness and regularity the poor animal performed his labour.

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ANECDOTE x.x.xI.

The Broken Heart.

During the French Revolution M. des R----, an ancient magistrate and most estimable man, was condemned to death on the charge of conspiracy and thrown into prison. M. des R---- had a water spaniel, which had been brought up by him, and had never quitted him. Refused admission to the prison, he returned to his master's house, and found it shut; he took refuge with a neighbour. Every day at the same hour the dog left the house, and went to the door of the prison. He was refused admittance, but he constantly pa.s.sed an hour before it, and then returned. His fidelity at length won over the porter, and he was one day allowed to enter. The dog saw his master and clung to him. The gaoler with difficulty forced him away. He came back the next morning, and every day; once each day he was admitted. He licked the hand of his friend, looked him in the face, again licked his hand, and went away of himself.

After the execution, at which the dog was present, he walked by the side of the corpse to its burial-place, and after the ceremony laid himself upon the grave. There he pa.s.sed the first night, the next day, and the second night. The neighbour in the meantime, unhappy at not seeing him, goes in search of his friend, finds him by his master's grave, caresses him, and makes him eat. An hour afterwards the dog escaped, and regained his favourite place. Three months pa.s.sed away, each morning of which he came to seek his food, and then returned to the grave of his master; but each day he was more sad, more meagre, more languis.h.i.+ng. He was chained up, but broke his fetters; escaped; returned to the grave, and never quitted it more. It was in vain that they tried to bring him back. They carried him food, but he ate no longer. For hours he was seen employing his weakened limbs in digging up the earth that separated him from his master. Pa.s.sion gave him strength, and he gradually approached the body; at last his faithful heart gave way, and he breathed out his last gasp, as if he knew that he had found his master.

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