e elephants laid themselves down. At a given signal they reached out
their trunks to the table, and fell to eating and drinking with as much
propriety as if they had been so many men and women.

[Illustration]

XXXIII

CUNNING AS A FOX

An American gentleman was hunting foxes, accompanied by two bloodhounds.
The dogs were soon in scent, and followed a fox nearly two hours, when
suddenly they appeared at fault. The gentleman came up with them near a
large log lying upon the ground, and was much surprised to find them
taking a circuit of a few rods without an object, every trace of the
game seeming to have been lost, while they still kept yelping. On
looking round about himself, he saw sly Reynard stretched upon the log,
as still as if he were dead. The master made several efforts to direct
the attention of his dogs toward the fox, but failed. At last he went so
near the artful creature that he could see it breathe. Even then no
alarm was shown; and the gentleman, seizing a club, aimed a blow at him,
which Reynard evaded by a leap from his strange hiding-place, having
thus for a time effectually eluded his greedy pursuers.

[Illustration]

XXXIV

FAITHFUL THOUGH UNLOVED

A gentleman once owned a mastiff which guarded the house and yard, but
had never any particular attention from his master. One night, as his
master was retiring to his room, attended by his valet, an Italian, the
mastiff silently followed him upstairs, something which he had never
been before known to do, and to his master's astonishment, came into his
bedroom. He was at once turned out; but the poor animal began scratching
violently at the door, and howled loudly for admission. The servant was
sent to drive him away; but again he returned, and seemed more anxious
than before to be let in. Getting tired of his barking, the gentleman
bade the servant open the door, that they might see what it was the
animal wanted to do. As soon as he was let in the dog walked to the bed,
and crawling under it, laid himself down as if intending to spend the
night there. To save farther trouble, this was allowed. About midnight
the chamber door opened, and some one was heard stepping carefully
across the floor. The gentleman started from his sleep; the dog sprang
from his covert, and seizing the unwelcome intruder, fixed him to the
spot. All was dark, and the gentleman rang his bell in great fear in
order to procure a light. The person who was pinn