Anecdotes of Animals Part 7

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LIV

HONORS TO THE LIVING AND THE DEAD

The people of Athens, when they had finished the temple, called _Hecatompedon_, set at liberty the beasts of burden that had been chiefly engaged in that work, allowing them to pasture at large, free from all further service. It is said that one of these animals afterward came of its own accord to work, and putting itself at the head of the laboring cattle, marched before them to the citadel. The people were pleased with this action, and said that the animal should be kept at public expense as long as it lived. Many people have shown particular marks of regard in burying animals which they have cherished and been fond of. The graves of Cimon's mares, with which he thrice conquered at the Olympic games, are still to be seen near his own tomb. Xanthippus, whose dog swam by the side of his galley to Salamis, when the Athenians were forced to abandon their city, afterward buried it with great pomp upon a promontory, which to this day is called the _Dog's Grave_. In Pliny, we have an amusing account of a superb funeral ceremony, which took place during the reign of Claudius; in which the ill.u.s.trious departed was no other than a crow, so celebrated for its talents and address, that it was looked upon as a sort of public property. Its death was felt as a national loss; the man who killed it was condemned to expiate the crime with his own life; and nothing less than a public funeral could, as it was thought, do justice to its memory. The remains of the bird were laid on a bier, which was borne by two slaves; musicians went before it, playing mournful airs; and a great crowd of people of all ages and conditions, brought up the rear of the melancholy procession.

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LV

MONKEY VERSUS SNAKE

The monkeys in India, knowing by instinct how dangerous snakes are, are most vigilant in their destruction. They seize them by the neck, when asleep, and running to the nearest flat stone, grind down their heads by a strong friction on the surface, often looking at them, and grinning at their progress. When sure that the poisonous fangs are destroyed, they toss the reptiles to their young ones to play with, and seem to be greatly pleased at the death of their enemies.

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LVI

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH

A dog, between the breed of a mastiff and a bulldog, belonging to a chimney sweeper, lay, according to his master's orders, on a soot bag, which he had placed, carelessly, almost in the middle of a narrow back street, in a town in the south of England. A loaded cart pa.s.sing by, the driver told the dog to move out of the way. When he refused to move, he was scolded, then beaten, first gently, and afterward pretty hard with the cart whip. But it was all to no purpose; the dog still lay quietly on the bag. The driver, with an oath, threatened to drive over the dog--he did so, and the faithful animal, in trying to stop the wheel by biting it, was crushed to pieces.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Faithful unto Death.--Page 112]

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LVII

MUSICAL SEALS

Seals have a very delicate sense of hearing, and are much delighted with music. A gentleman, in his account of a voyage to Spitzenbergen, tells us that the son of the s.h.i.+p's captain who was very fond of playing on the violin, never failed to have a large audience when in the seas frequented by these animals; and he has seen them follow the s.h.i.+p for miles when any person was playing on deck.

LVIII

A STRANGE FOSTER MOTHER

On an estate in Scotland a terrier had a litter of pups, which were at once taken away from her and drowned. The unfortunate mother was very unhappy, until, a few weeks later, she saw a brood of ducklings, which she seized and carried to her house, where she kept them, following them in and out with the greatest care, and nursing them after her own fas.h.i.+on, with the most affectionate anxiety. When the ducklings, following their natural instinct, went into the water, their foster-mother was terribly alarmed; and as soon as they came back to land, she quickly s.n.a.t.c.hed them up in her mouth, and ran home with them.

What is still more strange is, that the same animal, when her litter of pups were taken away the year before, seized two chicks, which she brought up with the same care she now bestowed upon the ducks. When the young c.o.c.ks began to try their voices, their foster-mother was as much annoyed as she now was by the swimming of the duckings--and never failed to repress their attempts at crowing.

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LIX

SONNINI AND HIS CAT

M. Sonnini, when in Egypt, had an Angora cat, of which he was extremely fond. It was entirely covered with long white silken hairs, and its tail formed a magnificent plume, which the animal elevated at pleasure over its body. Not one spot, not a single dark shade marred the dazzling whiteness of its coat. Its nose and lips were of a delicate rose color.

Two large eyes sparkled in its round head; one was of yellow and the other of fine blue.

This beautiful animal had even more beauty of manners than grace in att.i.tude and movements. However ill any one used her, she never tried to put out her claws from their sheaths. Sensible to kindness, she licked the hand which caressed, and even the one which tormented her. In Sonnini's solitary moments, she kept the most of the time close by his side. She interrupted him often in the midst of his labors or meditations, by little caresses that were very touching, and she usually followed him in his walks. During his absence she sought and called for him all the time. She knew his voice at a distance, and seemed on each fresh meeting with him to feel increased delight.

"This animal," says Sonnini, "was my princ.i.p.al amus.e.m.e.nt for several years. How plainly was her love for me shown in her face! How many times have her caresses made me forget my troubles and comforted me in the midst of my misfortunes! My beautiful and interesting companion, however, at last died. After several days of suffering, during which I never left her, the light of her eyes, which were constantly fixed on me, went out, and her death rent my heart with sorrow."

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LX

THE DINNER BELL

It is customary in large boarding-houses to announce the dinner-hour by sounding a bell. A cat belonging to one of these houses always hastened to the hall on hearing the bell, to get its usual meal; but it happened one day that she was shut up at dinner time in a chamber, and it was in vain for her that the bell had rung. Some hours afterward, having been released from her confinement, she hastened to the hall, but found nothing left for her. The clever cat then went to the bell, and ringing it, tried to call the family to a second dinner, in which she hoped to get her usual share.

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LXI

FORAGING