[Footnote 10: A nymph of one of the rivers of Hades named after her. She became the mother of Zelus (zeal), Nike (victory), Kratos (power), and Bia (strength).] [Footnote 11: Also a river of Hades, the realm of the dead.] [Footnote 12: Descartes is meant as the rival of the old philosopher Epicurus.] XXXI THE DOG WITH HIS EARS CROPPED (BOOK X.--No. 9) "What have I done to be treated in this way? Mutilated by my own master! A nice state to be in! Dare I present myself before other dogs? O ye kings over the animals, or rather tyrants of them, would any creature do the same to you?" Such were the lamentations of poor Fido, a young house-dog, whilst those who were busy cropping his ears remained quite untouched by his piercing and dolorous howls. Fido believed himself to be ruined for life; but he very shortly found that he was a gainer by the maiming. For being by nature disposed to pilfer from his companions, it would come within his experience to have many misadventures wherein his ears would be torn in a hundred places. Aggressive dogs always have ragged ears. The less they have for other dogs' teeth to fasten upon the better. When one has but a single weak place to defend, one protects it against an onset. Witness Master Fido armed with a spiked collar, and having no more ears to catch hold of than are on my hand. Even a wolf would not have known where to take him. XXXII THE LIONESS AND THE SHE-BEAR (BOOK X--No. 13) Mamma lioness had lost one of her cubs. Some hunter had made away with it, and the poor unfortunate mother roared out her wailings to such an extent that all the inhabitants of the forest were seriously disturbed. The spells of the night, its darkness and its silence, were powerless to hush the tumult of the queen of the forest. Sleep was driven from every animal within hearing. At last the she-bear rose up and coming to the wailing lioness said, "Good Gossip, just one word with you. All those little ones that have passed between your teeth, had they neither fathers nor mothers?" "To be sure they had." "Then if that be so, and as none have come to mourn their dead in cries which would split our heads: if so many mothers have borne their loss silently, why cannot you be silent also?" "I? I be silent? Unhappy I? Ah! I have lost my son! There is nought for me but to drag out a miserable old age." "But pray tell me what obliges you to do so." "Alas! Destiny. It is Destiny that hates me." [Illustration: Why cannot you be silent also?] Those are the words that are for ever in the mouths of us all. Unhappy human kind, let this address itself to you. I hear nothing but the echoing murmur of trifling complaints. Whoever, in like case, believes himself the hated of the gods, let him consider Hecuba,[13] and he will render thanks for their clemency. FOOTNOTES: