f little ones also; there being a
partition of wire netting between the cages.

At first the goldfinches seemed careless about their young ones. The
father canary, attracted by the cries of the baby goldfinches, forced
himself through a flaw in the wire, and began to feed them. This it did
regularly, until the goldfinches undertook the work themselves, and
rendered the kindness of the canary no longer necessary.

[Illustration]

LXXVI

CHOOSING THE LEAST OF TWO EVILS

A french dog was taught by his master to run many different errands,
among others to bring him his meals from a restaurant. The dog carried
the food in a basket, and one evening, when the dog was returning to his
master with his dinner, two other dogs, attracted by the savory smell
coming from the basket, made up their minds to attack him. The dog put
his basket on the ground and set himself courageously against the first
one that advanced against him; but while he was fighting with one, the
other ran to the basket, and began to help himself. At length, seeing
that there was no chance of beating both dogs, and saving his master's
dinner, he threw himself between his two opponents, and without further
ceremony, quickly ate up the rest of the food himself, and then returned
to his master with the empty basket.

[Illustration]

LXXVII

GOING TO MARKET

A butcher and cattle dealer had a dog which he usually took with him
when he drove cattle to market at a town some nine miles distant from
his home, to be sold. The dog was very clever at managing the cattle.

At last, so sure was the master of the wisdom and faithfulness of his
dog, that he made a wager that he would trust him with a certain number
of sheep and oxen, and let him drive them to the market all by himself.
It was agreed that no person should be within sight or hearing--at least
no one who had any control over the dog; nor was anybody to interfere or
be within a quarter of a mile.

On the day of the trial, the dog went about his business in the most
skilful and knowing manner; and although he had often to drive his
charge through the herds that were grazing, yet he never lost one, but
conducting them into the very yard to which he was wont to drive them
when with his master, he delivered them up to the person appointed to
receive them.

What more particularly marked the dog's sagacity was, that, when the
path the herd travelled lay through a spot where others were gr