The Swiss Family Robinson: A Translation from the Original GermanWyss, Johann David
General
The Swiss Family Robinson: A Translation from the Original German
Wyss, Johann David
Family life -- Fiction; Islands -- Fiction; Survival -- Fiction
Jack was soon on his feet. "But I have not been idle all day," he said;
"look here!" and he pointed to a belt round his waist. It was a broad
belt of yellow hair, in which he had stuck a couple of pistols and a
knife. "And see," he added, "what I have made for the dogs. Here, Juno!
Turk!" the dogs came bounding up at his call, and I saw that they were
each supplied with a collar of the same skin, in which were fastened
nails, which bristled round their necks in a most formidable manner.
"Capital, capital! my boy," said I, "but where did you get your
materials, and who helped you?"
"Except in cutting the skin," said my wife, "he had no assistance, and
as for the materials, Fritz's jackal supplied us with the skin, and the
needles and thread came out of my wonderful bag. You little think how
many useful things may be had from that same bag; it is woman's duty and
nature, you know, to see after trifles."
Fritz evidently did not approve of the use to which his jackal's hide
had been devoted, and holding his nose, begged his little brother to
keep at a distance. "Really, Jack," he said, "you should have cured the
hide before you used it; the smell is disgusting; don't come near me."
"It is not the hide that smells at all," retorted Jack, "it is your
nasty jackal itself, that you left in the sun."
"Now, boys," said I, "no quarreling here; do you, Jack, help your
brother to drag the carcass to the sea, and if your belt smells after
that you must take it off and dry it better."
The jackal was dragged off, and we then finished our work of unloading
our boat. When this was accomplished we started for our tent, and
finding no preparation for supper, I said, "Fritz, let us have a
Westphalian ham."
"Ernest," said my wife, smiling, "let us see if we cannot conjure up
some eggs."
Fritz got out a splendid ham and carried it to his mother triumphantly,
while Ernest set before me a dozen white balls with parchment-like
coverings.
"Turtles' eggs!" said I. "Well done, Ernest! where did you get them?"
"That," replied my wife, "shall be told in due course when we relate our
adventures; now we will see what they will do toward making a supper for
you; with these and your ham I do not think we shall starve."
Leaving my wife to prepare supper, we returned to the shore and brought
up what of the cargo we had left there; then, having collected our herd
of animals, we returned to the tent.
The meal which awaited us was as unlike the first supper we had there
enjoyed as possible. My wife had improvised a table of a board laid on
two casks; on this was spread a white damask tablecloth, on which were
placed knives, forks, spoons, and plates for each person. A tureen of
good soup first appeared, followed by a capital omelette, then slices of
the ham; and finally some Dutch cheese, butter, and biscuits, with a
bottle of the captain's Canary wine, completed the repast.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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