Escape of Jengis Khan.

The Mogul and Kalmuc Tartars attribute to the white owl the preservation
of Jengis Khan, the founder of their empire; and they pay it on that
account almost divine honours. The prince, with a small army, happened to
be surprised and put to flight by his enemies. Forced to seek concealment
in a coppice, an owl settled on the bush under which he was hid. At the
sight of this animal the prince's pursuers never thought of searching the
spot, conceiving it impossible that such a bird would perch where any
human being was concealed. Jengis escaped, and ever after his countrymen
held the white owl sacred, and every one wore a plume of its feathers on
his head. The Kalmucs continue the custom to this day, at all their great
festivals; and some tribes have an idol in the form of an owl, to which
they fasten the real legs of this bird.

[Illustration]

ANECDOTE LXXXIX.

A Refugee Squirrel.

A squirrel, whose bad luck it was to be captured, was lodged for safe
custody in a trap used for taking rats alive. Here he remained for several
weeks, till at length, panting for liberty, he contrived to make his
escape through a window, and repaired once more to his native fields. The
family in which he had been a sportive inmate, were not a little vexed at
the loss of their little favourite, and the servant was ordered in the
evening of the same day to remove the trap, that they might no longer be
reminded of their loss; but on proceeding to discharge his duty, he found
to his surprise that the squirrel, all wet and ruffled by the storm, had
reassumed his station, and again taken up his lodgings in a corner of the
trap.

[Illustration]

ANECDOTE XC.

Retaliation.

A wild stork was brought by a farmer into his poultry yard to be the
companion of a tame one, which he had long kept there; but the tame stork,
disliking a rival, fell upon the poor stranger, and beat him so
unmercifully that he was compelled to take wing, and with some difficulty
escaped. About four months afterwards, however, he returned to the poultry
yard, recovered of his wounds, and attended by three other storks, who no
sooner alighted, than they all together fell upon the tame stork, and
killed him.

[Illustration]

ANECDOTE XCI.

A Newsman Extraordinary.

One of the carriers of a large newspaper having become indisposed, his son
took his place; but not knowing the subscribers he was to supply, he took