he had left the Griffin.

The monster had just awakened, and rising to his fore-legs and
shaking himself, he said that he was ready to go into the town. The
Minor Canon, therefore, walked back, the Griffin flying slowly
through the air, at a short distance above the head of his guide. Not
a person was to be seen in the streets, and they proceeded directly
to the front of the church, where the Minor Canon pointed out the
stone griffin.

The real Griffin settled down in the little square before the church
and gazed earnestly at his sculptured likeness. For a long time he
looked at it. First he put his head on one side, and then he put it
on the other; then he shut his right eye and gazed with his left,
after which he shut his left eye and gazed with his right. Then he
moved a little to one side and looked at the image, then he moved the
other way. After a while he said to the Minor Canon, who had been
standing by all this time:

"It is, it must be, an excellent likeness! That breadth between the
eyes, that expansive forehead, those massive jaws! I feel that it
must resemble me. If there is any fault to find with it, it is that
the neck seems a little stiff. But that is nothing. It is an
admirable likeness,--admirable!"

The Griffin sat looking at his image all the morning and all the
afternoon. The Minor Canon had been afraid to go away and leave him,
and had hoped all through the day that he would soon be satisfied
with his inspection and fly away home. But by evening the poor young
man was utterly exhausted, and felt that he must eat and sleep. He
frankly admitted this fact to the Griffin, and asked him if he would
not like something to eat. He said this because he felt obliged in
politeness to do so, but as soon as he had spoken the words, he was
seized with dread lest the monster should demand half a dozen babies,
or some tempting repast of that kind.

"Oh, no," said the Griffin, "I never eat between the equinoxes. At
the vernal and at the autumnal equinox I take a good meal, and that
lasts me for half a year. I am extremely regular in my habits, and do
not think it healthful to eat at odd times. But if you need food, go
and get it, and I will return to the soft grass where I slept last
night and take another nap."

The next day the Griffin came again to the little square before the
church, and remained there until evening, steadfastly regarding the
stone griffin over the door. The Minor Canon came once or twi