"Wee Tim'rous Beasties": Studies of Animal life and Character

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Douglas English. "Wee Tim'rous Beasties": Studies of Animal life and Character

PREFACE

MUS RIDICULUS

THE STORY OF A FIELD VOLE

THE APOLOGY OF THE HOUSE SPARROW

THE AWAKENING OF THE DORMOUSE

THE PURPLE EMPEROR

THE HARVEST MOUSE

THE TRIVIAL FORTUNES OF MOLGE

THE PASSING OF THE BLACK RAT

“THE FOX’S TRICKS ARE MANY; ONE IS ENOUGH FOR THE URCHIN”

Отрывок из книги

Mus ridiculus! The taunt had been flung at him by a stout field-vole, and, by reason of its novelty as well as of its intrinsic impertinence, had sunk deep into his memory. He had felt at the time that “Wee sleekit, cowrin’, tim’rous beastie” was but a poor rejoinder. But he knew no Latin and chose what was next in obscurity. Besides, he was a young mouse then, and breathless with excitement.

The scene rose vividly before him—the moon shining grimly overhead, and the mouse-folk stealing from the half-threshed stack across two fields into the farmstead.

.....

“Ah, but this mouse had a poetic licence.”

“Look it up.”

.....