The Junior Classics, Volume 8: Animal and Nature Stories — John Shaqi
The Junior Classics, Volume 8: Animal and Nature Stories
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 8: Animal and Nature Stories
Children's literature
To prevent her climbing, she was secured by a slight chain. This
she soon managed to break, and once having performed the operation,
she did not fail to attempt it again. To do this, she would first
draw herself back as far as she could get, and then suddenly dart
forward, in the hope of snapping it by the jerk; and though she was
thus sent reeling on the floor, she would again pick herself up,
panting as if her little heart would break, shake out her
disarranged coat, and try once more. When observed, however, she
would sit quietly down, cock her head cunningly on one side, follow
the chain with her eye along its whole length to its fastening on
the floor, walk leisurely to that point, hesitating a moment, and
then make another plunge. All this time she would eye her master
sharply, and if he moved, she would fall down on the floor at once,
and pretend to be asleep.
She was a very neat and cleanly creature, everlastingly brushing
her clothes, and bathing regularly in a bath of snow provided for
her in the cabin. This last operation was her great delight. She
would throw up the white flakes with her diminutive nose, rolling
about and burying herself in them, wipe her face with her soft
paws, and then mount to the side of the tub, looking round her
knowingly, and barking the prettiest bark that ever was heard. This
was her way of enforcing admiration; and being now satisfied with
her performance, she would give a goodly number of shakes to her
sparkling coat, then, happy and refreshed, crawl into her airy bed
in the bull's-eye, and go to sleep.
The Indian believes the bear to be possessed not only of a
wonderful amount of sagacity, but of feelings akin to those of
human beings. Though most species are savage when irritated, some
of them occasionally exhibit good humour and kindness.
A story is told of a man in Russia, who on an expedition in search
of honey, climbed into a high tree. The trunk was hollow, and he
discovered a large cone within. He was descending to obtain it,
when he stuck fast. Unable to extricate himself, and too far from
home to make his voice heard, he remained in that uncomfortable
position for two days, sustaining his life by eating the honey. He
had become silent from despair, when, looking up, what was his
horror to see a huge bear above him, tempted by the same object
which had led him into his dangerous predicament, and about to
descend into the interior of the tree!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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