Brothers of Pity and Other Tales of Beasts and Men

or more tea. They don't give you a table-spoonful of cream, fidgeting and looking round to see if anybody else wants it: one of them turns the jug upside-do

cat. As to the miserable stuff ladies cover themselves with in an evening, there is about as much comfort and softness in it as in going to sleep on a duster. Men's coats are nothing to boast of, either to look at or to fe

d to me, and he has a fearless and friendly way of tickling one's to

ep, to keep oneself warm, and in good condition, and to pay proper attention to one's pe

o prefer it to milk, and my master always gives it to me in his own saucer. If he has friends to tea, t

I was chased along a housetop, and fell from the gutter. Down-down-but I woke

how energetic some philanthropic people are. I dare say they like the fuss. (I can't endure fuss!) And Mrs. Tabby's appearance-excellent creature!-would probably make her feel ill-at-ease in bachelor quarters, if we could change places. Her fur is really almost mangy, an

nces, and a temperament naturally inclined-at least, in my case-towards taking life easy. And yet, as I lay stretched full-length down one of my master's knees the other night, before a delicious fire,

s pulling and biting at his, and glaring at the fire as if he expected to see-however, I do not trouble myself about the crumples in his rose-leaves. He is big enough to take car

t will hardly be credited by any one who knows me, or who knew my grandmother, that I saw it and let it escape me. It was se

xistence, let me warn him to remember that a creature who has lived on friendly terms with human beings cannot be judged by c

ine responded. Our whiskers twitched-joy filled my

nd, the basin and sugar falling on the top of him with a crash which made me start against my will. I think that start just baulked the lightning flash of my second leap, and he was gone-ab

ng three dozen wine-glasses, on a shelf in the butler's pantry, witho

ply hurt, and it demanded revenge. At last I felt it almost a grievance that I did reign

thing between a saddle-room and a scullery) where he said he "kept what the master req

it was in this room that Terence last had conscious possession of the hunting-breeches which were never seen after the Captain's birthday, when Terence threw the clothes-brush a

I have never caught mice except for amusement, and a cat of daintier tastes does not exist. But one has inherited instincts-an

I saw a pair of bead-like eyes, and-yes, I could swear to it-a torn ear. But

om luxuries which are dear to every fibre of my constitution, and pat hastily down to the dirty hole, where Terence accumulated o

g with sleep, now on the alert at sou

a damp afternoon, to get there-every cat will un

rom your master's room, and you have probably banished him from Terence's. Wh

t step down as far as the saddle-room once more, and make myself finally comf

e a failure in its results-as the hope of getting relief from an

expression in it. He was gnawing his moustaches too. I am very fond of him, and I ra

of the world. I did think you did care a little bit for me. It's only the cream

saddle-room. I was not base enough to forget that he had been my friend in need, even if he had been

ning he went

inch, for the last time. It will satisfy me that the mouse is not there, and it really is a duty to try and c

esolution, and when I got into the saddle-room I saw the

en, but that a hole on which he had reck

ew the holes as well as he did, and cut him off at every one. Round and round we wen

aptain, including a pair of long riding-boots, which had been gathering mildew, and stiffening out of shape in their present po

gacity, Master Mouse had run straight into a trap. The boot

the toe or heel, and I could get no farther than the calf. Oh, if my master's legs had but been two inches shorter! I should have c

as the Captain himself, yelling with laughter, and sprawling all over the place in convuls

t myself know the end. This is the one crook in my lu

other day, he sat scribbling for a long time with a pencil and paper, and when he had done it, he thre

etch for the sake of those whom it may in

sensitive hairs of my watchful ear. He must be starving, but not a nibble of the leather have I heard. I doze, but I am ever on the alert. Nightmares occasionally disturb me. I fancy I see h

e truth is, that he had a fit from fright, in the toe of the b

place is full of draugh

could have lasted so long

e. I think I shal

S OF HE

the German of V

drowsy after

it was almost unbearable, and there was not a vestige of gras

d plenty of time in which to doze, and they were fond of taking a siesta in the hottest place that co

t the whole village, for they wore tufts of feathers on their heads instead of the us

on many sharp battles with certain young cocks in the neighbourhood, whom curiosity about the tufted foreigners had attracted to the yard. The consequence of these triumphs was that he held undis

selves in the yard, dozing in th

farmer's men began to thresh in a barn close by, making noise enough to wake the dead,

thers up on end, and then shook them straight again, for coolness. "I am tired of scrabbling

pecking at flies on the wall. The two common hens were very fond of vexing the for

y from a distance: "If certain people were not ignorant countr

the common hen, turning her head on one side to show her contempt. "For insta

nly laid one soft-shelled egg in my whole life. So there! But do tell

est yourself," r

u would be so kind," said the second common hen, who was standing near him. "Thos

g in the air, an attitude he often assumed when any very hard

: "I will tell you the terrible tale of

looking over all the chickens, remarked that seven of them would be twisting merrily on the spit next morning. On hearing this, all the fowls were plunged into the deepest despair, for no one felt sure that he would not be of the s

d Flaps. 'If you had any pluc

oung cockerels. 'Why, you yourself are no more courageous than we, else why do you s

ides that, I am not going to be set twisting on a spit. However, if you particularly wish it, we can go

th the courage of young lions; and after a short but animated discussion, persuaded the

, and as soon as the coast seemed clear, he went to the henhouse,

ay as quietly as possible through the y

fectly happy in their freedom, and feeding themselves fr

him a couple of eggs or so which he found

e not likely to be observed, they marched gaily forward; but whe

ty as Mother Hubbard's cupboard, she fell into a violent fit of hysterics, and the kitchen-maid and pig-b

parently uninhabited. Flaps was sent forward to examine it, and he searched from garret to cellar without finding a trace of a human being. The fow

nst all danger. They stopped up the holes and cracks with tufts of grass, and piled a wall of big

grain to supply them with food during the winter. They kept it on the floor of a loft, and when spring came they sowed the remai

tinel, used constantly to fall asleep, partly from sheer boredom, and partly from the combined effects of old age, good living, and having nothing on earth to do. Flaps, too, who had undert

old hens were up in the loft having a chat and picking up a few stray grains of corn for supper. All of a sudden they heard a mysterious 'Piep.' 'Hollo!'

nother 'Piep

quite like a young chick

ne of them was sitting on his hind-legs, washing his ears and whiskers with his fore-paws, but his wife was gobbling up

a few grains in the depth of winter to keep you from starving; but remember, when spring co

d the mice,

old things made mountains out of molehills. Anyhow, in two days everybody, including the wise hens themselves, had forgotten all about it. Lat

nd or think, behold! mice were squeaking in every corner, an

ce came and took the stored corn away in such quantities t

iscussions were held amongst the fowls, for good

's beak; but alas! the mice took energetic measures also, and resisted to the death, so that many a fowl's l

perienced cocks out into the world, to try and fin

ng they came to a wild, rocky mountainside, full of caves and clefts, and made up their minds to stay there for

broke out into a loud 'Whoo-hoo! whoo-hoo!' They popped their heads out of the hole to see what was the matter, and they perceived a great

ce here! Whoo-h

owl still continued to call for mice, one of them plucked up courage and addressed it: 'If you will

he owl, and glared with its

there are hundreds of mice, wh

come,' screamed the owl, sna

roof-tree, listening to Mark, the watchman, wh

t do

ome th

them, I

ith no n

ree messengers flew up with a

and dashed through a hole in the roof, from whenc

and as they sat on the edge of the roof in

deed been a h

ee really well at night, that it saw badly by day, and hardly at all when the midday sun was shining through the window into t

more to its taste than the fattest mouse, and much less trouble to catch, henceforth the owl gave up mouse-hunting, and took to egg-poaching. This the fowls pres

es out,' shrieked the owl, and began to whet its beak on a beam in such a

ey went down and told Flaps, who was basking in

he mice eaten, th

at nothing but eggs now, and threatens to scratch our

the dog, 'and I'll soon b

oor open and went up into the loft. There sat

ng to scratch people's eyes out,'

with that it swooped down upon Flaps' head; but the old dog seized the bird between his teeth

te, and I don't know why I should want more than one ey

, which lasted the whole day,

ultiply. So the three wise cocks had to go forth on a second voyage o

, just as the sun was rising, they saw a red-coated animal watching a mouse-hole. It was a fox, who had come out to find something for breakfast. They soon saw him catch a m

'He considers himself very lucky to have caught a

n have a whole loft-full of such long-tailed vermin as that, if you will come with

I swear it most solemnly,' said the fox, staring up in

knows where that is except the mice

king his lips. 'And are there many more such hand

the whole place

scern the hungry look in them. 'And if there are a thousand mice in the loft, they sh

ing before they heard Mark, the watchman,

come th

at do

riend that

r-legged

outer wall, he sniffed

not fond of the race, nor

here-our friend Mr. Flaps,-and he is always stationed outside the castle;

chickens looking out at a window, Reynard could resist no longer, and with his mouth watering in anxiety to be among them, he slipped past Flaps like lightning, and scampered up into the loft. Once there, he behaved so affably to the fowls,

test were perched, he snapped off the heads of a couple before they had even time to flutter a feather. He then carried them to the wind

woke them by groaning in such a heartbreaking manner, th

er where the lovely young chickens roost, quicker than thought killed two that were more beautiful than angels. I was chasing a mouse under the stairs at the time, and happen

when they looked out, they saw to their horror their guard

it!' said the hens, in

one knows how many more he would have killed! If you will take my advice, you will send him about his busines

d Flaps, 'before long the whole pack of idiots will be killed and eaten.' So he scratched open an old hole in the wall that had been stopped up, and crept in. He arrived just in time to

and seized the fox by the throat. The attack was quite unexpected, but the fox fought, writhed, and wriggled like

for you, you pack of ungrateful fools, one ear is quite enough to listen to you with. Here have I been your faithful comrade for all these

ox, and done Flaps such great injustice. So they all asked his pardon, and the feast which they held to celeb

than the fowls that their enemy was dead; and now that both he and the owl had disappeared, they

more the fowls meditated, the more the mice squeaked and played about, and the more corn th

y flew, farther than ever. The first chance of help that arose was from a couple of cats and a kite, who seemed likely to perform the required wor

imy-looking gipsy sitting on a bank. He knocked the ashes out of his black pipe, and muttered, 'I've the luck

exactly the man for us; he is neither two-wing

hed softly and pleasantly to himself, and accepted their invitation without an

eard Mark, the watchman, crowing

t do

ome th

ack beast

ail and

l language, 'he carries a bundle of things

and managed to make a small fire in the long-disused grate with some bits of dry grass and chips. He then frizzled some bacon and baited his traps, and in less

ss they bethought them of a special mark of favour, and ev

an out, just when the gipsy had come to the conclusion that he was heartily sick of egg-diet. Being a man of action,

nearly deafened, and yelled out at the top of his voice, 'What do you expect, you fools? Mice can only be caught with meat, and meat I must and will ha

y, and as it showed no signs of abating, he thought the ma

t once as soon as they saw him. 'The murderer has slain yo

Flaps to the rat-catcher, as

d the man, taking hold of the cudgel he had

heavy blow with his cudgel. This nearly broke the dog's leg and obliged him to relax his hold, on which the g

u!' And then his retreating figure became smaller and sma

and moping in rows on the rafters, for they began to see very c

ny days elapsed before he could get about, an

out, wondering what was to happen next, Mark, the watc

t do

and t

they all in a great fright

frocks. They are armed with pitchforks,

re enough they saw the rat-catcher coming across th

hiding-place, and we must wander forth again. Get ready, and keep up your spirits, and remember

as full as possible, and escaped

of corn; so they fell upon the gipsy and half killed him for having brought them on

y were left to whis

ale of the Hen

the time, and woke up with a jump. "It was deeply interesting." The threshers ha

cock, full of dignity; and he

fowls afterwards?" asked

," said the cock; and he str

AP

"THE HENS OF

they could find no suitable place to settle in; and when the fowls recovered from their fright,

There might not have been twenty-three, but really Flaps was in such a hurry fo

some experience on behalf of the community in times of danger, and in their opinion the

g her throat almost as if she were going to crow, she observed very shrilly that she "didn't care who contradicted her when she said that the common sense of the Mother

grumbled and scolded about everything, by which one may make matters a

m small, without a murmur. But her good wishes were always at any one's service, and she would say that she sincerely hoped that a sad injustice had not been

e ear is enough to listen to you w

e Helpful, and reserving their own energies to pick holes in what is done on their behalf; and that they are apt to flou

owled to himself; "and there's not a fowl with a feathe

prospect of either home or food seemed very remote. One evening it was very rainy, th

er one of my neck feathers got awry once, at dear old Hencastle (the pencilling has been a good deal admired in my time, though I say it that shouldn't), and the

of those lovely little feathe

myself. But we might all be plucked as bare as poor young Scratchfoot before Flaps would think

eglect. Hi, there! are you asleep?" And scratching a bit of the r

id Flaps; "what

was awake before," said the hen; a

ps. "Damp weather always makes me sleepy,

No. 2. "We had board and l

ow that we're wet to the skin, and dying of starvation, whilst

evening. But I see no use in taking the whole community

ise ones; "that means that we're to face

ratching his comb with his claw, "that Flaps nev

d friend, the farmer, say, 'If you want a thing done-Go; if not-Send.' This time I shall

y, and with one voice they cried: "Thank you, dea

atchman." And he went up to the top of the t

each other to keep warm, and Flaps did not return. In the small hours of the morning the rain

" said Mark, and al

om the tree-top, dear Mark?"

thing c

top of

ng, wind

sloppy w

dled together again, and put th

bars, and at the first red streak that caught fire behind them, Mark cr

the tree-top, dear Mark?" the

sound d

very m

ps, out

erted u

nothing, for they were by no me

reat when, a few minutes later, th

Flaps, lik

waving

ckled as he came trotting up, "where

y to eat?" asked the

" replie

e, owls, wild beasts, and

," answer

ar, dear

"but I may as well tell you the

aid all

our heads chopped off," wh

you, if you could see the poultry-yard-so dry under foot, nicely wired in from marauders; the most charming nests, with fresh hay in them; dri

od," said the y

nything very remarkable-were the specimens of my

a tail or a comb or a hackle to touch you

excellent advice, of which I am the best judge. I have very much regretted of late to observe a tendency in this family (I say a tendency, for I hope it goes no further) to undervalue Mr. Flaps, and even (I hardly like to allude to such reprehensible and disgusting absurdity) to recall the memory of a vulgar red-haired impostor, who gained a brief e

re to be said. So to the farmyard the whole lot of them went, and were there

new home, turned his head round over his bac

t," said Flaps. "Good-by

new home in the farmyard, and was left alone; but there are some good folk who contrive to make duty d

s outside. And that was how it came about, that when the farmer's little daughter Daisy, with a face like the rosy side of a white-heart cherry set deep in a lilac print hood, came back fro

ou'd be here so ear

s face from the point of her chin up her right cheek to her forehead, and then from her for

e did that nasty strange dog come from? Leave hi

promised me;" and the farmer coming out at that minute

's a nice little pup I'm going to give thee

ittle Daisy, holding ve

id the dairymaid, "And

omb them,"

eye," said the swineh

her," said Daisy. "He's

gone!" cried the dair

isy, "as I did when my doll lost her wig.

fawed the two farming-men. "Se

isy, "and when I'm old enough to

old thing for a play-fello

do!" we

e name of whims

love him,"

head; but the farmer-went on: "Why he's neither useful nor orn

n the air and sniffed, and his one eye g

gipsy's black pipe, and ever

ied the swineherd,

is up. See! there he runs; and as I'm a sinner, it's that black rascal who was loitering round, the day my ricks w

led him indoors to breakfast instead. She had a large basin of bread-and-milk, and she divided this into two portions, and gav

in the county gaol, where he made mouse-traps

ell for others, was well cared for himself

nd I said as plain as any cock could crow,

said the fair foreigner; "I never

; "and if other people didn't think more of a great unnatural-looking chignon than o

t you're all alike. There's not a hen can k

who had newly arrived; "whichever hen to

talking?" cried the cock; and he ran a

h!" cried

dab, pecke

lse got anything to

w up on to the wall, and

ENT IN A

REAT WAT

I think, with good management, and in society suitably selected, it may be a comforta

who live in ponds and-those who don't. If I do not tell it, no one else will. Those connected with it who belong to the second class (n

he end of my tale,

next door to impossible to make a minnow I knew believe in dry land. He said, at last, that perhaps there might be some little space beyond the pond in hot

ld have only two eyes, and those not even compound ones-that he should not be able to see under water or in the dark-that he should not only have nothing like six legs, but be quite without wings, so that he could not even fly out of his

most pair are of great strength, and fringed so as to serve as paddles. It has very powerful wings, and, with Shakespeare's witches, it flies by night. It has two simple, and two sets of compound eyes. When it goes belo

ion on my good appetite, but otherwise the Do

pound eyes, for instance, had been a very sore subject with a man

his eyes, I have felt inclined to hum,-"Ah, my dear Doctor, if you could only take a cool turn in the pond! Yo

eing hunted, in a pond; where the light comes down in fitful rays and reflections through the water, and gleams among the hanging roots of the frog-bit, and the fading leaves of the water-starwort, through the maze of which, in and out

so safely and completely as in the mud? A state of existen

human voices came to me through the water. It

is! The Water-Soldi

aquarium! Grandfather says

only one, Francis. It would be a pity if we

t the beasts first. You get the pickle-jar rea

w you've taken

you would try and get this stick right. It wants driving through

, I climbed up an old stake that was firmly planted in the mud, and sea

der and firmer than usual as she drove the broomstick through the handles of the colander, whilst the boy was

lid for his meals, crept up a reed and sunned his wings; the water-gnats skimmed and skated about, measuring the surface of the water with their long legs; the "boatmen" shot up and down till one was quite giddy,

im up; but the leaves cut my hands, and you've got gloves. If the colander is ready, I'll begin to f

that water-beetles have got daggers in their tails. Besi

dr?us piceus is the name, and I dare say that's the one. I

and unmistakably at me, "but then he may be one of the

nder in and out on the opposite side, and she

nnounced, and the Soldie

d the boy; "I've

stock a fresh-water aquarium is like the puzzle of the Fox and the Geese

wouldn't be always cramming Grandfather down my throat. I want to do my aquarium my o

ly let us have plenty of

low, quite in the mud, and I've got some most horrid things. T

rpion. Oh, Francis!

o flat. Molly, is that nasty-lo

ugly nothing would come near him if he didn't wear a mask. Then h

m. I want to see him hatch; and I shal

f the Water-Soldier, and I'm going to look along the edge for some she

Molly? What h

with the others. If the dragon-fly larva ate him, I should never forgive myself, and you know you don't know for certain that the beetle is Hydr?us piceus. I shall give him a

in a heap. I sat and watched them, but the Ranatra got nervous and tried to go below. As usual, the dry bristles in his tail would not pierce the water without

nt to go home and see about my net. I must hav

said Molly. "

though-I'd forgo

er I turned over very clumsily, and, like the Ranatra, I fell

zes, including a dragon-fly in the second stage of his career, I can hardly imagine. When they took us out and put us into

subjected by being kept in the pickle-jar. In this gravel she had embedded the roots of some Water Crowfoot and other pond-plants. The stones in the middle were nicely arranged, and well covered with moss and water-weeds. When water had been poured in up to the brim of the bell-glass, and we had been emptied out of the jars, the dragon-fly larva got

swim round and ro

I am going away just now. You will tr

e the scarlet spider whilst you a

wo bits of gutta-percha tubing to make into syphons. You must put

you know, because Edward Brown won't be back for three or

a minnow, with the help of the water-scorpion, that Master Edward Brown arrived unexpectedly, and so pressed his friend Francis to come out and consult "

e place clean,-I did not mind it myself. As the water got low, I found a nice bit of rockwork above water, where I could sit by day, and at night the lights from the drawing-room gave an indescribable stimulus to my wings, and I sailed in, and flew round and round till I was tired, and (forgetting that

y foolish to meet me. He should have kept behind. And if I hadn't eaten him, the dragon-fly larva would. What he had eaten, I

hours we moved slowly about through the thickening puddle, nodding civilly when we passed each other among the feathery sprays of the Water Crowfoot.

he conservatory, followed by her br

e it's in! Where

Brown came back. We've been hav

ish left, and it

hrow it out. I don't want Grand

it back to the pond. Oh dear! oh dear! I can't see anything of the scarlet spider. My beautiful scarlet

't cry! I dare say the spider

, but the spider was not to be found, and the cont

beetle sat humming on the stake, and dragon-flies flitted hungrily about, like splinters of a broken

st vain search for the scarlet spider, as Franci

e ought to have 'collected' things unless we had real

TNO

nd rare plant, of aloe-like appearance, with a whi

THE ME

OF A GREA

ong certain black, water-rotted, weed-grown stakes by the sea. These old wooden ruins were, I fancy, the remains of

Croker's delightful story of "The Soul Cages" I knew why the M

ght of her, and talked of her, and were always eager to visit her supposed abode, and wander together amongst its rotten pillars (which, as we were so small, seemed l

d mystery about them gone for ever. And yet we used to pretend to feast with her there. We served up the seed-vessels of the fucus as fish. I do not think we real

kes of her palace till the tide flooded them, and perhaps filled it with wonderful creatures and beautiful things, and floated out the dank, dripping fucus into a veil

though Mr. Croker say

he Soul Cages. It is a long one, and I am not going to repeat it h

afolk; indeed, it properly means a mermaid. And Jack, you know, lived in a fairy tale, and not in

Croker's account of his first appearance to Jack: afterwards "Old Coo"

as well as he could discern at that distance, and he would have sworn, only the thing was impossible, that it had a cocked-hat in its hand. Jack stood for a good half-hour, straining his eyes and wondering at it, and all the time the thi

caves along the coast, "he saw, sitting before him, a thing with green hair, long green teeth, a red nose, and pig's eyes. It had a fish's tail, legs with s

hat the portrait is strangely like something that I have seen. And the more I think of it, the more I am convinced that the type is familiar to me, and tha

iously," till in some sudden impulse it rises, turns up its red nose, makes some sharp angular movements with head and elbows, and plunges down, with about as much grace as if s

nd I never shall now. Besides, no one sees fairies now-a-days. The "path to bonnie Elfland" has long been overgrown, and few and far between are the Princes who press through and wake the Beauties that sleep beyond. For

his seeing a crayfish, a lobster, or a prawn at home, I mean at their home, and not at Mr. Croker's. Two very different things for our friends the "sea-gentlemen," as to colour as well as in other ways. In his own home, for instance,

ural condition. Still, there is no other way in which you can see and come to know these wonderful "sea gentlemen" so well, unless you could go, like Jack Dogherty, to visit them at the bottom of the sea. And whilst I heartily recommend every one who

arium; but those to be seen in this particular pool are chosen from about seven of the largest kinds. The very biggest, a Tealia crassicornis, measures ten inches across when he spreads his pearly fingers to their full extent. "In my young days" we called him by the familiar name of Crassy; and found him so difficult to keep in domestic captivity, that it was delightful to see him blooming

in the Aquarium; and they have an attendant, whose sole occupa

one passage or hall, down one side of which there seem to be high large windows, about as far apa

r soft bodies to the sea, as our common earth-worms trust theirs in a garden-bed, but build themselves tubes inside which they live, popping their heads out at the top now and then like a chimney-sweep pushing his brush out at the top of a tall round chimney. Now if you can fancy one of our tall round manufactory chimneys

e bits of maccaroni glued on to old crockery sherds. These odds and ends are overgrown, however, with weeds and zoophytes, and (like an ugly house covered by creepers) look picturesque rather than otherwise. The worms have small bristles down their bodies, which serve as feet, and help them to scrambl

see more tube-worms, with ray-like, daisy h

hairs. You may be astonished to hear that it is classed among the worms. There is a sea-mouse in the Great Aquarium. I did not see him; perhaps because he is given to burrowing. If he is not in

eels-are night-feeders, and one cannot expect them to change their whole habits and customs to be seen of the British public. Anyhow, whether they hide from custom or caprice, they are quite safe from interference. Much happier, in this respect, than the

strongest, and hungriest" of English crabs. What a thought for those they live on! Let us picture to ourselves the largest, strongest, and hungriest of cannibals! Doubtless he would make short work even of the American Giant,

s, winking at you with their eyes and feelers; or scramble out unexpectedly

and 8 con

o with cod-fish than we can guess where our milk and port-wine come from.) Poor cod! If of a certain social standing, it's odds if we will recognize any of him but his head and shoulders. I ha

watchful, inquisitive, acquisitive, and full of the sense of humour. There

looking at them. They are tame, and have very large appetites-so tame, and so hungry, that the fish

rs in the sand. The faintest outline of tail or a flapping fin betrays the spot, and you long for an umbrel

" the fin movement becomes more distinct, a cloud of sand rises into the water, and a grey

ir noses into the other world, and then, like larks, having gon

the caves of which dwell crusty crabs. By marvellously agile doubles of his flat little body, he scra

e us, who, like every one else, was watc

ck climbing I don't know, an

armour clean by scrubbing it among the stones. Like other pr

reatures with whom a loving and intelligent patience will not at last enable us to hold communion. But though, when you put the point of your little finger towards a Crassy, he gives it a very affectionate sq

ave their heads out of their chimneys all along, there is no reason to suppose that t

ons. You flatten your nose on one side of the glass, and Mr. Fish flattens his on the other. If you have the stoniest of British stares he will outstare you. You long to sc

eople like certain sheep, dogs, and horses. And a very short acquaintance with fish convinces you that not only is there a type of face belonging to each species, but that individual countenances v

telligence is altogether a mysterious, unfathomable, unmeasurable quantity. There's no saying what they don't know. There is no telling how much they can see. And the great puzz

eously called craw-fish or cray-fish) a

the spiny lobsters is enough for any one who has

tell us that their green hair is only seaweed which grows luxuriantly on their shells from their quiet habits, and because they are not given to burrowing, or cleaning them

, or their intentions. I fancy that the difference between the feelings with which they and the fishes inspire u

s nose, and wave about in an inquisitive and somewhat threatening manner. When four or five of them are gathered together in the centre of the pool, sitting solemnly on their tails, wh

s cumbersome coat of mail, his stiff legs, and long spines safely down the face of the cliff is a mystery. But he scrambled down ledge by ledge, bravely, and in some haste. He knew what the

ir caves, from which they watched this

yes from behind jutting rocks and the mouths of sea

our. Most gorgeous indeed, if you can look at them in a particular way.

husiastic people will sit down here with needlework or lu

halopods, and is supposed to be a corruption

a good view of him being very like a loose red velvet p

gs in the doorway of his favourite cavern, which he selected for himself and is attached to, for a provokingly long time before he will come out. When he does appear, a subdued groan of gratified expectatio

in sea-water. I should think, when they have once got used to the salt, they must fin

grey mullet. T

with the lobsters as if with hobgoblins, with the

old an army of them. The rocks jut boldly out, and throw strange shadows on the pool. The light falls effectively from above, and in and out and round abo

sembodied spirits

from Martin's mezzo-tint illustrations of the Paradi

have never seen prawns except at the breakfast-table, you must go to the

-like antenn? moved ceaselessly. From above a ray of light fell just upon the table-rock where they were gathered, making the waving spears glitter like the bayonet points of a body of troops, and forming a striking contr

a chance of ske

a as they are here. Why they lose their colour and marki

reatures, and the

e sand a good deal. You know one has to look for fres

they take for their own dwelling. It is pleasant to know that this is not the case. The hermit-crab is in fact a sea-gentleman, who is so unfortunate as to be bo

ometimes between two, like a lady between a couple of becoming bonnets. They have been said to be pugnacious; but I fancy that

e window tanks

ks open at the top, in which are smaller sea-a

ience Gossip he speaks of a pet blenny of his who was not only tame but musical. "He was exceedingly sensitive to the vibrations of string

gentlemen, with exquisite blue

s hold, and fell slowly and helplessly on to his back; on which the dragonet looked as silly as the Sultan of Casgar's purveyor when the hunchback fell beneath his blows. Another dragonet came hastily up to see what was the matter; but prudently made off again, and left the star-fish and his

and white, very pretty, and differing from

es in Tank 33 ar

others, and as some prey upon others, the arranging of them must have been very like the old puzzle of t

vegetable life in their aquaria by introducing full-grown sea-weeds. But it has been found that these often fail, and that it is b

kept in constant motion through the agency of pipes

forming of this Public Aquarium. With what different eyes must innumerable "trippers" from the less-educated masses of our people look into tide pools

with the sea-gentry. How much remains to be done may be gathered from the fact that we can as yet keep no deep-sea Merrows in aquaria, only shore-dweller

is a still greater one at Brighton, holding greater wonders-a baby alligator amongs

e roughest type of Britons. An Englishman's first idea of a holiday is to get int

, there is a good deal even of rustic lore.

s can sing wit

manifold a

ast thou ma

is full of

more of us shall

reat and wi

hings creepin

l and gre

s to the public will both support the Aquarium itself, and do something towards defraying the expenses of the upper story of the Zoological Station, as it is called. This will contain a scientific library, including Dr. Dohrn's own valuable private collection, and tables for naturalists to work at, furnished with necessary appurtenances, including tanks supplied with a

ll be made among the sea-gentry

CKS AND TO

I

d Toby, you portly

ather says that's what makes you so fat-and I want

p, and I'll count your great velvet

er says you'll have a fit if you don't!-and

re he knows, and you are but eight yea

little girl that she ever met with,

leg (unless it was from a goose), but it has made

o whistle up and down-stairs. I lear

in my cheek when I'm writing copies, for I

p my eyes, and make faces with my lips by imitating

howed me that the way to squint is

y, if the wind changes when you're making that face it'll stay there, and remember you can't

om his school friend-'Tut-tut-tut-tut-Tom,' as w

from any one; it came of itself. It is so hard to

; and I've bitten them nea

eave off learning fresh ones, I shall never g

hink you do. I don't think you ever lo

beautiful lady, sitting beautifully up,

ith a sweet smile on her lips, in the old brocade

ke her when I grow up to that age

r forehead, and had one shoulder out, and her tongue in her cheek, and a round back, and her chin poked,

them up; but it seems so

to one, with one's own eyes, a

O

issis-I feel unusually apoplectic-and le

over in my mind, for never

Father truly observes,

ppearance-from the top of my massive brow to the tip of my

ke a black velvet cap, I'm reckoned the living likene

er take a prize at a show? But let

t highly commended for, shoul

est of dogs? Because I've picked up tr

in, and grimace at the judges, do you suppose I should ev

n common-I do not fi

worse manners than to put one's tongue in one's chee

ingers. I gnawed a good deal in my puppyhood, bu

ot imagine; with my figure it's

trocious trick, my dear, after one's first youth-and a full meal!)

and-In short, I've as many tricks as you hav

into disgrace, which I could not have

gment-this would tempt me to think your mamma a very foolish person, a

e, it is well to let them train you up in

me to tricks; and very senseless

what I've been taught; and gl

as you're told till you know the reaso

than you might have been if you'

, Little Missis, I feel co

You must do what your mother tells you

s to lose your tricks as I

u yet-'Class, Young Lady. Firs

I

old Toby, you wis

r a bit, you'll be much hotter in the fende

ou'll make yourself giddy, Toby. If you're l

f because you're so fat, and

Kitty, when you were a pup, but it must

lie down with your back to me, and a

o thank you for giving me such good adv

follow it, and I'll t

tips of my fingers, to cure me of biti

be seen, but she says the

ead up, and turn out my toes; and every time I give way to one of my tricks, I shall go

ft this time next year, Toby! Wo

g so wise that people will say-'That sensible pug cured tha

y, darling! do, do take a little of your own good adv

IN THE I

R

EN'S BIRD

ODUC

man, yon's

e Sco

vy Bush. Children are nothing to me, naturally, so it seems strange that I should begin, at

ating in my Ivy Bush, it is their little matters which I turn over in my fluffy head. I have establ

some persons do not seem able to see what goes on around them, I would have children to know that if I can blink on occasion, and am not apt to let every starer read my counsel in my eyes, I am wide awake all the same. I am on

n I open my letters (if there are any waiting for me) I wi

em to do what she wants, and as a Wiseacre I have reflected upon it as strange, because her temper is as soft and fluffy as her hair (which mine is not)

ed, and torn to shreds by such a thing as a boy! I bit him, but he got me into the cage and put a cloth over it. Then he took me to his father, who took

w me to the housemaid, and letting in a glare of light that irritated me to a frenzy. I flew at the housemaid, and she

won't tame me

colour in the light and shade, the hair down her back is not entirely unlike the feathers of my own, though less sober perhaps in its tints. Like mine it makes a small head look

at pepper. And I have a brown owl, a china one, sitting on a book for a letter weight. He came from Germany. And Captain Barton gave me an owl pencil

e, and I let them see how savage I felt. If the wicker wor

tar," said

ss, "he's only frightened by the

d the coachman, as she put the cloth ov

to like me, and be tame, and sit on the nursery clock and look wise. Captain Barton's owl used to sit on his

en a dream and a doze, I fancy I see her face close to mine, as it was that day with the wicker work between. Our eyes looking at each other, and our fluffiness mixed up by the wind. Then I try to remember all the kind thi

e, and I could see her wise eyes swimming in

you don't make much of him, do ye?

in the face of an owl sitting on his clock. He says both his godfathers are dead, and he has taken his owl for his godfather. These are his jokes, Williams, but I had set my heart on having an owl on the nursery clock. I do think I have never wished so much for anything in the world a

, and if he's no good to you, Tom'll be glad of him to stuff. He's got some glass eyes out of a stuffed fox the moths ate, and he

ions was lost on me. I shrunk among my feathers and shivered with despai

to persuade him not. If he must stuff an owl, please, please let him stuff a strange owl. One I haven't made f

settle it with him. All I say, he's a

t know, but Little Miss got her way, and that Ba

HOO

be cured mus

Prov

that led my wings past her nursery window; be

ther common owl, and reflect that if I had not had my own way, but had listened to Little Miss, I might have sat on an Eight-day Clock, and been godfather to the children. It is not seemly for an owl to doubt his own wisdom, but as I have t

s from tumbling out. Sometimes I peer down the chimney. From the nook of a wall or the hollow of a tree, I overlook the children's gardens and playgrounds. I have an eye to se

ters and parents how to make their children good and wise. I am the Children's Owl-

ng breath. And all the while there was not a handsomer, healthier, better fed, better bred, better dressed, and more dearly loved little boy in all the parish. When you might have thought, by the sound of it, that some starving skeleton of a creature was moaning for a bit of bread, the young gentleman was only sobbing through the soap and lifting his voice above the towels, because Nurse would wash his fair rosy cheeks.

s not. She was in bed with a headache, and to this her pale face, her eyes shunning the light like my own, and her hair restlessly tos

; and outside the voices of the lit

show her my

r Aunt's got a dreadful head

aints from Jack:

very very sorry about my coat. For I am go

t spoke

see his coat. L

er

me in very gently, but with conscious pride glowing in his rosy cheeks and out of his shining eyes. His cheek

oachman's capes; and there were leggings to match. The beaver hat, too, wa

fine coa

or, Auntie Juli

on't s

nod

gle on to the bed; a rash proceeding, but the boy has a stra

e grand. How warm they

his bea

tickles. That's

scard his winter leggings, and was doubtful what to say. But in a moment more his eyes shone, and hi

he tickle, I have to bear it

It is this kind of courage which the Gentlemen of England have shown from time immemorial, through peace and war, by land and sea, in every country and climate of the habitable globe. Jack is a child of that Empire on wh

s, I believe, occ

, Jack. What

Jack flung himself upon his Aunt, an

oisterous hug, recalled the headache to his mind, and as he se

che very bad,

as I can't shake if o

that he departed by leaps and bounds to show himself in his bottle-green coat and capes, and white buttons an

sight worth seeing; and as a Bird of s

VER

ers make f

make t

ir own company; gentle

's a will t

o play makes J

e cured must

HOO

eguiling my sad fancy i

a thief."

ing letters at th

South Camp

r guards the fire-place, and a barrack poker reposes in the fender. It is a very ponderous poker of unusual size and the commonest appearance, but with a massive knob at the upper end which was wont to project far and high above the hearth. It was to this seat that Slyboots elevated himself by his own choice, and became the Kitchen Crow. Here he spent hours watching the cook, and taking tit-bits behind her back. He ate what he could (more, I fear, than he ought), and hid the rest in holes and corners. The genial neighbourhood of the oven caused him no inconvenience. His glossy coat, being already as black as a coal, was not damaged by a certain grimeyness which is undoubtedly characteristic of the (late) armourer's shop, of which the chimney is an inveterate smoker. Companies of his relatives constantly enter the camp by ways over which the sentries have no control (the Balloon Brigade being not yet even in the clouds); but Slyboots showed no disposition to join them. They flaunt and forage in the Lines, they inspect the ashpits and cookhouses, they wheel and man[oe]uvre on the parades, but Slyboots sat serene u

ybo

ildren, for whom I hoot! avoid greediness. If Slyboots had eaten tit-bits in moderation, he might be sitting on the poker to this day. I have great pleasure in mak

s taking apples which do not belong to him. It is high time that he learnt to spell, and also to observe the difference between meum

whole in it just behind the orchurd he wolloped I shameful and I'll have no more of his apples they be a deal sowerer t

Tur

Sons, Ltd., L

Works is the only authorized, compl

ological order, and these will appear at the rate of two volumes every two months, so that the Series wil

ist of the books inc

S DREAM, AND

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SHIONED F

IRON FOR A

NIES, AND O

TO SI

-THE-FIRE, AN

OF THE

OR CHILDREN

E EGG-A CHRI

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RICAL

T EMERGENC

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THE WORLD

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DS AND

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