The Animal Story Book

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Lang Andrew. The Animal Story Book

‘TOM’ AN ADVENTURE IN THE LIFE OF A BEAR IN PARIS

SAÏ THE PANTHER

THE BUZZARD AND THE PRIEST

COWPER AND HIS HARES

A RAT TALE

SNAKE STORIES

WHAT ELEPHANTS CAN DO

THE DOG OF MONTARGIS

HOW A BEAVER BUILDS HIS HOUSE

THE WAR HORSE OF ALEXANDER

STORIES ABOUT BEARS

STORIES ABOUT ANTS

THE TAMING OF AN OTTER

THE STORY OF ANDROCLES AND THE LION

MONSIEUR DUMAS AND HIS BEASTS

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

THE ADVENTURES OF PYRAMUS

THE STORY OF A WEASEL

STORIES ABOUT WOLVES

TWO HIGHLAND DOGS

I

II

III

MONKEY TRICKS AND SALLY AT THE ZOO

HOW THE CAYMAN WAS KILLED

THE STORY OF FIDO

BEASTS BESIEGED

MR. GULLY

STORIES FROM PLINY. HOW DOGS LOVE

THE STRANGE HISTORY OF CAGNOTTE

STILL WATERS RUN DEEP; OR THE DANCING DOG

THEO AND HIS HORSES; JANE, BETSY, AND BLANCHE

MADAME THÉOPHILE AND THE PARROT

THE BATTLE OF THE MULLETS AND THE DOLPHINS

MONKEY STORIES

ECCENTRIC BIRD BUILDERS

THE SHIP OF THE DESERT

‘HAME, HAME, HAME, WHERE I FAIN WAD BE’

NESTS FOR DINNER

FIRE-EATING DJIJAM

THE STORY OF THE DOG OSCAR

DOLPHINS AT PLAY

THE STARLING OF SEGRINGEN

GRATEFUL DOGS

GAZELLE. PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF A TORTOISE

COCKATOO STORIES

THE OTTER WHO WAS REARED BY A CAT

STORIES ABOUT LIONS

BUILDERS AND WEAVERS

‘MORE FAITHFUL THAN FAVOURED’

DOLPHINS, TURTLES, AND COD

MORE ABOUT ELEPHANTS

BUNGEY

LIONS AND THEIR WAYS

THE HISTORY OF JACKO I

SIGNORA AND LORI

OF THE LINNET, POPINJAY, OR PARROT, AND OTHER BIRDS THAT CAN SPEAK

PATCH AND THE CHICKENS

THE FIERCE FALCON

MR. BOLT, THE SCOTCH TERRIER

A RAVEN’S FUNERAL

A STRANGE TIGER

HALCYONS AND THEIR BIOGRAPHERS

THE STORY OF A FROG

PART I

PART II

THE WOODPECKER TAPPING ON THE HOLLOW OAK TREE

DOGS OVER THE WATER

THE CAPOCIER AND HIS MATE

OWLS AND MARMOTS

EAGLES’ NESTS

Отрывок из книги

Some sixty years ago and more, a well-known artist named Décamps lived in Paris. He was the intimate friend of some of the first authors, artists, and scientific men of the day, and was devotedly fond of animals of all sorts. He loved to paint them, and he kept quite a small ménagerie in his studio where a bear, a monkey, a tortoise, and a frog lived (more or less) in peace and harmony together.

The bear’s name was ‘Tom,’ the monkey was called ‘Jacko I.,’1 the frog was ‘Mademoiselle Camargo,’ and the tortoise ‘Gazelle.’

.....

Harlequin had recruited a columbine and a shepherdess, and he introduced these ladies as partners for the promised minuet. With all the air of an old friend he whispered a few words to Tom, who, in the best of humours after so many cakes, replied with his most gracious growl. The harlequin, turning towards the gallery, announced that his lordship had much pleasure in complying with the universal request, and amidst loud applause, the shepherdess took one of Tom’s paws and the columbine the other. Tom, for his part, like an accomplished cavalier, walked between his two partners, glancing at them by turns with looks of some surprise, and soon found himself with them in the middle of the pit of the theatre which was used as a ball-room. All took their places, some in the boxes, others in the galleries, the greater number forming a circle round the dancers. The band struck up.

The minuet was Tom’s greatest triumph and Fan’s masterpiece, and with the very first steps success was assured and went on increasing with each movement, till at the last figure the applause became delirious. Tom was swept off in triumph to a stage box where the shepherdess, removing her wreath of roses, crowned him with it, whilst the whole theatre resounded with the applause of the spectators.

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