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 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY
 
 ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY 
 
 FROM THE FRENCH OF 
 
 Mm. LA COMTESSE DE SEGUR. 
 
 BY P. S., A GRADUATE OF ST. JOSEPH'S. EMMITTSBURG, MD. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 H. L. KILNER & CO., 
 
 PUBLISHERS.
 
 COPYRIGHT, JOHN B. PIET, 188O.
 
 PZ 
 10.3 
 
 TO MY LITTLE MASTER, 
 
 M. HENRI DE SEGUR. 
 
 MY little master, you have been good to me, but you have 
 epoken contemptuously of donkeys in general. To make you better 
 acquainted with them, I write and offer you this story of my adven- 
 tures, from which you will learn, my dear little master, how I, a poor 
 donkey, and my very many donkey friends, have been and are 
 still unjustly treated by men. You will see that we have much 
 intelligence and many excellent qualities; you will also see how 
 wicked I was in my youth, that I was severely punished for it, and 
 how repentance changed me and restored to me the friendship of my 
 comrades and masters. In fine, you will perceive on reading this 
 book, that instead of saying " as stupid as a donkey, as ignorant as a 
 donkey, as headstrong as a donkey," one should say, "as intelligent 
 as a donkey, as learned as a donkey, as docile as a donkey," and that 
 you and your kindred might well be proud of these eulogiums. 
 
 Hi ! ban ! my good master, I hope no period of your life may 
 resemble the early years of your faithful servant, 
 
 CADICHON, THE LEARNED DONKEY. 
 
 545637
 
 ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 1 DO not remember my infancy ; I was probably unhappy, like 
 all infant donkeys, pretty and graceful as we all are. I was certainly 
 very intelligent, since, even at my present time of life, being now 
 somewhat advanced in years, my mental endowments are far superior 
 to those of my comrades. More than once did I outwit my poor 
 masters, who were but men, and who, consequently, could not be 
 expected to possess the intelligence of a donkey. 
 
 I shall begin these Adventures by relating one of the tricks I 
 played upon them in my youth.
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Page- 
 I. TITE MARKET, - - - -1 
 
 II. THE PURSUIT, - ... 8 
 
 III.-NEW MASTERS, ------ 13 
 
 IV. THE BRIDGE, ------ 17 
 
 V. THE CEMETERY, - 24 
 
 VI THE HIDING-PLACE, ... - 32 
 
 VII.-THE LOCKET, ... - 40 
 
 VIII. THE FIRE, - - 46 
 
 IX. THE DONKEY RACE, - 53 
 
 X. GOOD MASTERS, ------ 66 
 
 XI. CADICHON SICK, ------ 75 
 
 XII. THE ROBBERS, - 78 
 
 XIII. THE VAULTS, - 86 
 
 XIV. THERESA, ----- 94 
 
 XV. THE GUNNING PARTY, - - 111 
 
 XVI MEDOR, - - -122 
 
 XVII. THE SCHOOL CHILDREN, - 1.32 
 
 XVIII. THE BAPTISM, - - 138 
 
 XIX.-THE LEARNED DONKEY, - 147 
 
 XX. THE FROG. - - - 161 
 
 XXI.-THE PONY. - - 168 
 
 XXII. THE PUNISHMENT. - - 18O 
 
 XXIII. THE REFORMATION, - - - 194 
 
 XXIV.-THE ROBBERS, - 218 
 
 XXV. THE REPARATION, - - 239 
 
 XXVI. THE BOAT, ------ 254
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 T. 
 
 THE MARKET. 
 
 MEN not being supposed to be aware of all that don- 
 keys know, you, who read this book, are doubtless igno- 
 rant of what is well known to all my donkey friends, 
 namely : that every Tuesday in the town of Laigle there 
 is held a market, where vegetables, butter, eggs, cheese 
 and other excellent things are sold. This Tuesday is a 
 day of torture for my poor comrades ; it was so for me 
 before I was bought by my present good old mistress, your 
 grandmother. I belonged to a farmer's wife, exacting 
 and cruel. Just imagine, my dear little master, that she 
 carried her malice so far as to collect all the eggs her 
 hens laid, all the butter and cheese from her cows' milk, 
 all the vegetables and fruits that ripened during the week, 
 to fill baskets which she placed upon my back. 
 
 And when I was so heavily laden that I could 
 scarcely move, this wicked woman seated herself upon 
 the baskets and obliged me to trot thus burdened, over- 
 whelmed, indeed, to the market of Laigle, a league from 
 the farm. I was all this time in a rage 1 dared not show,
 
 2 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 for fear of the stick my mistress carried, a very big one 
 full of knots, that hurt sorely when she beat me. When- 
 ever I saw or heard these preparations for market, I 
 sighed, I groaned, I ever brayed, in hopes of softening 
 the hearts of my owners. 
 
 " Shut your mouth, great idle thing," said they, coming 
 to get me, "shut your mouth, and do not deafeii us with 
 
 your coarse, horrid voice. Hi! han! hi! han ! that is 
 beautiful music you are giving us! Edward, my boy, bring 
 this lazy beast up to the door whilst your mother puts 
 the load on his back. Here is a basket of eggs one 
 more! The cheese the butter! now the vegetables. 
 That's right! Here is a fine load, that is going to 
 bring us several five franc pieces. Mary, my daughter,
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 3 
 
 bring a chair for your mother to mount the donkey. 
 Good bye, a pleasant trip, wife, and make this lazy beast 
 move. Hold on, here is your stick, hit him with it." 
 
 Pan! Pan! 
 
 " That's right, a few more caresses of that kind and 
 he'll go." 
 
 Vlan ! Vlan ! The stick never ceased to belabor my 
 sides, my legs, my neck ; I trotted, I almost galloped, yet 
 the woman still beat me. I was indignant at so much 
 injustice and cruelty; I tried to kick and throw her off, 
 but I was too heavily burdened ; I could only start and 
 sway from side to side, thus affording myself the satisfac- 
 tion of feeling her slipping down. "Wicked donkey! 
 stupid animal! headstrong creature!" said she, " I am 
 going to teach you better, I'll let you feel the weight of 
 my stick." 
 
 And indeed, she beat me so I could scarcely reach the 
 town. We arrived at last. All the baskets were lifted 
 off my poor skinned back and placed on the ground. 
 My mistress having tied me to a post, went to break- 
 fast, whilst I, who was dying of hunger and thirst, got 
 not a sprig of grass, or a drop of water. I found means 
 of getting close to the vegetables during her absence and 
 refreshed myself by filling my stoi iach with a basket of 
 salad and cabbage. 1 had never eaten anything so good 
 in my life, but just as I was finishing the last cabbage and 
 the last salad, my mistress returned. She uttered a 
 scream on seeing her basket empty ; I regarded her with 
 such a satisfied insolent air, that she immediately recog-
 
 4 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 nized me as the author of her loss. I shall not repeat 
 to you the names she called me. She was very high- 
 tempered, and when in a rage, she swore and said things 
 that made me blush, donkey as I am. Having loaded 
 me with the most humiliating reproaches, to which I made 
 no reply, except by licking my lips and turning my back 
 upon her, she took her stick and began to beat me so 
 cruelly, that I, at last, lost all patience, and launched at 
 her three kicks, the first of which broke her nose and 
 
 two teeth; the second, her wrist, and the third, striking 
 her in the stomach, knocked her over. Twenty persons 
 rushed upon me, overwhelming me with blows and vile 
 words. They carried my mistress off, I know not where, 
 and left me attached to the post, near which the market- 
 ing I had brought was displayed. Here I remained 
 a long time ; seeing that no one thought of me, I ate a 
 second basket of excellent vegetables, and cutting with 
 my teeth the cord that held me, I quietly took the road 
 home. 
 
 Every one I passed on the way seemed astonished at 
 seeing me alone.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 5 
 
 " Look, there is a donkey with a broken strap ! He 
 has escaped," said one. 
 
 "It must be a fugitive from the galleys," said another. 
 And they all began to laugh. 
 
 " He doesn't carry a heavy load on his back," remarked 
 a third. 
 
 " Very true," exclaimed a youth, " he has been at some 
 mischief." 
 
 " Catch him, husband," said a woman, "let us put the 
 little one in the saddle." 
 
 " He will carry you. as well as the little boy," replied 
 the husband. 
 
 "Wishing to give them a good opinion of my gentleness 
 and condescension, I very quietly approached the woman 
 and stopped to let her mount. 
 
 " He doesn't seem at all vicious," said the man, helping 
 his wife into the saddle.
 
 6 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 I smiled with pity at hearing this. Vicious ! as if a 
 donkey kindly treated was ever vicious! We become 
 ill-tempered, disobedient, headstrong, only in retaliation 
 for the blows and foul names heaped upon us. When 
 properly treated, we are good natured much better in 
 this respect than other animals. 
 
 I carried the wife and child home. The latter was a 
 pretty little boy about two years old, who caressed me 
 fondly, thought me charming, and wanted to keep me 
 altogether. But I reflected that this would not be hon- 
 est; my masters had bought me, I belonged to them. I 
 had already revenged myself upon my mistress by break 
 ing her nose, teeth and wrist, and giving her a good kick 
 in the stomach. Seeing, then, that the mother would 
 yield to the little boy, whom she spoiled (I soon perceived 
 this whilst they were on my back), I jumped to one side, 
 and before the mother could seize my bridle, was off in a 
 gallop towards home. 
 
 Mary, my master's daughter, saw me first. 
 
 " Oh ! there is Cadichon. How early he has returned. 
 Here, Edward, come take off his saddle." 
 
 " Wicked creature," said Edward, in an angry tone, 
 " one has always to be bothered with you. But why has he 
 returned alone ? I'll bet he has run away. Yile beast ! " 
 he added, kicking me on the leg, " if I knew you had 
 escaped, I would give you a hundred licks of the stick ! " 
 
 Once rid of my saddle and bridle, I went off galloping. 
 Scarcely had I entered the pasture, when I heard loud 
 cries proceeding from the house. Approaching the
 
 THE ADVENTUBES OF A DONKEY. 7 
 
 hedge, I saw that the farmer's wife had been brought 
 home, and I recognized the screams as those of the chil- 
 dren. I listened most intently, and heard Edward say to 
 his father : 
 
 <k Father, I am going to tie him to a tree, and take the 
 big wagon whip and beat him till he falls to the ground ! " 
 
 " Very well, my son, go, but do not kill him, for we 
 would lose what he cost us. I shall sell him at the next 
 fair." 
 
 I trembled with fright on hearing these words, and on 
 seeing Edward run to the stable for the whip. There was 
 no time for hesitation, and without any scruple now as 
 to defrauding my owner of what he had paid for me, I 
 ran towards the hedge separating me from the fields, and 
 dashed against it with such force, that I broke the 
 branches and made my way through. I ran at full speed 
 through the field, and I continued to gallop a very long 
 time, believing myself pursued. At last, unable to go 
 farther, I stopped ; I listened, but heard nothing. I 
 mounted a slight eminence, I saw no one. Then I began 
 to breathe freely, and rejoice at having delivered myself 
 from these wicked farmers. 
 
 But I now commenced to wonder what would become 
 of me. If I remained where was I would be discovered, 
 recognized and taken back to my master's. What should 
 I do ? where should 1 go ? 
 
 I looked around, and finding myself solitary and 
 unhappy, I was about to shed tears over my sad fate, 
 when I perceived that I was on the edge of a magnificent 
 woods, it was the forest of St. Evroult.
 
 8 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "What good luck!" I exclaimed, "In this forest I 
 shall find tender herbage, water, fresh moss; 1 shall 
 remain here a few days, and then go to another forest, 
 iarther, much farther from my master's farm." 
 
 I entered the forest; I ate with delight the tender 
 grass and I drank the water from a beautiful spring. 
 Towards night, I lay down on the moss at the foot of an 
 old pine, and there slept peacefully till morning. 
 
 II. 
 
 THE PURSUIT. 
 
 THE next morning after eating and drinking, I thought 
 over my happiness. 
 
 " Here," said I, " they can never find me, I am saved. 
 In two days, however, when I shall have rested from my 
 fatigue, I will go still farther." 
 
 Scarcely was this reflection finished, when I heard the 
 distant barking of a dog, then of another, and in a few 
 minutes I distinguished the sound of a whole pack of 
 hounds. Anxious, and even somewhat frightened, I 
 arose and went towards a little stream that I had noticed 
 in the morning. Scarcely had 1 done so, ere I heard 
 Edward saying to the dogs : 
 
 " Come, come, dogs, seek him well, find me this wicked 
 donkey, bite him, tear his legs to pieces and bring him to 
 me, that I may lay my whip on his back."
 
 Towards evening two men entered the meadow. '.Page H-)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 11 
 
 1 nearly sank to the ground from fright; but suddenly 
 remembering that I could throw the dogs off my track 
 by walking in the water, I ran at once to the stream, 
 which fortunately was bordered on both sides with very 
 thick bushes. I walked a very long time without stop- 
 ping ; the barking of the dogs died away in the distance, 
 as well as the voice of the wicked Edward. 
 
 Breathless and exhausted I stopped an instant to 
 drink, and I ate a few leaves from the bushes. My legs 
 were stiff with cold, but I dared not quit the water, for 
 fear the dogs might return and get upon my trail. When 
 somewhat rested I began to run, following the stream 
 all the while, until I was out of the forest. I then found 
 myself in a vast meadow, where cows and oxen (over fifty 
 in number) were pasturing. They took no notice of me, 
 so I lay down in the sun to rest in a corner of the field. 
 Towards evening two men entered the meadow. 
 " Brother," said the tallest of the two, " shall we not 
 bring up the cattle tonight? they say there are wolves 
 in the woods." 
 
 " Wolves ! who told you that nonsense ? " 
 " The Aigle folks. They tell how a donkey from the 
 hedge farm was carried off and devoured in the forest." 
 
 " Bah 1 let it go, the people of that farm are so cruel, 
 they have beaten their donkey to death." 
 " Why, then, would they say the wolves devoured it ? " 
 " Because it is not known that they killed it." 
 " Even so, it would be better to bring in the cattle." 
 " Do as you wish, brother, I leave it to you."
 
 12 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 I did not stir in my corner, for fear of being discovered. 
 The gras8 was high and concealed me entirely, the cattle 
 did not pass near me, but were driven towards the gate 
 and thence to their masters' farm. 
 
 I had no fear of wolves, for 1 was the very donkey of 
 whom the men spoke ; and in the forest where I had 
 passed the night, I had not seen even a wolf's trail. So 
 I slept delightfully, and was finishing my breakfast when 
 the cattle re-entered the field, led by two big dogs. 
 
 Whilst I was quietly looking at them, one of the dogs 
 perceived me, and barking fiercely, ran at me, followed 
 by his companion. What would become of me? how 
 should I escape them ? I rushed against the fence enclos- 
 ing the meadow ; the stream I had followed crossed the 
 lot, and I was fortunate enough to clear this stream, also 
 to hear the voice of one of the men I had seen the evening 
 before, calling back his dogs. I quietly continued my 
 walk until I had reached another forest, the name of 
 which I did not know. I must now have been more than 
 ten leagues from the hedge farm ; consequently 1 was 
 safe, no one knew me, and I could show myself without 
 fear of being taken back to my former owners.
 
 III. 
 
 THE NEW MASTERS. 
 
 I LIVED peacefully in this forest one month. Some- 
 times I felt a little lonesome, but I preferred solitude to 
 misery. I was then tolerably happy, when I began to 
 perceive that the grass was getting scarce and dry, the 
 leaves falling, the water freezing, the ground growing 
 damp. 
 
 " Alas ! alas ! " thought I, " what is to become of me? 
 If I stay here I shall perish of cold, of hunger and thirst, 
 but where shall I go ? who is there that wants me ?" 
 
 By dint of reflection, I devised a means of securing 
 Bhelter. Leaving the forest, I went to a little village 
 near by. There I saw a small, neat looking, isolated 
 house, and a good woman seated at the door spinning. 
 I was touched with her sad, gentle appearance; I ap- 
 proached her and put my head upon her shoulder. Much 
 startled, the good woman uttered a scream and jumped 
 up from her chair. I did not stir, but regarded her with 
 a pitiful, supplicating air. 
 
 " Poor beast ! " said she, at length, " you do not look 
 
 wicked. If no one owned you, I would be very much 
 
 pleased to have you supply the place of my poor old 
 
 Grison, who died of old age. I could then continue to 
 
 a (is)
 
 14: THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 make my living selling my vegetables at the market 
 But, no doubt, you have a master," she added, sighing. 
 
 " To whom are you talking, grandmother ? " said a soft 
 voice from the inside of the house. 
 
 " I am talking to a donkey that has come here and put 
 his head on my shoulder, and he looks at me so pitifully 
 that I haven't the heart to drive him away." 
 
 "Let me see! let me see!" answered the soft voice. 
 And immediately there appeared on the threshold a 
 handsome little boy six or seven years of age, neatly but 
 poorly clad. He looked at me with a curious, half timid 
 air. 
 
 " May I pet him, grandmother ? " said he. 
 
 " Certainly, my George, but take care that he does 
 not bite you." 
 
 The little boy extended his arm, and not being able to 
 reach me, he advanced a step, then another, and began to 
 smooth my back. 
 
 I did not stir for fear of frightening him ; I only 
 turned my head towards him, and passed my tongue over 
 his hand. 
 
 " Grandmother, grandmother, this poor donkey is so 
 good-natured, he has licked my hand." 
 
 " It is very strange that he should be alone. Where is 
 his master? Go, George, to the village inn, where 
 travelers stop, and make inquiries about him. His mas- 
 ter is probably worried about him." 
 
 "Shall I take the donkey, grandmother? " 
 
 " He will not follow you ; let him go where he wishes."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 15 
 
 George started off in a run; I trotted after him. 
 When he saw that I followed, he came to me, and petting 
 me, said: " Say then, my pretty donkey, since you follow 
 me, you will surely let me ride you." And he mounted 
 at once, exclaiming as he did so, " get up ! " I went off in 
 a little gallop, which enchanted him. "Ho! ho!" said 
 he before the inn, I stopped immediately, and George 
 dismounted. I remained opposite the door, not stirring 
 any more than if I had been tied. 
 
 " What is it, my boy ? " said the inn-keeper. 
 
 " I came to know, Mr. Duval, if this donkey at the door 
 belongs to you or any of your customers?" 
 
 Mr. Duval came to the door and regarded me attent- 
 ively. " No, my boy," said he, " it is not mine, nor that 
 of any one I know. You will have to inquire further." 
 
 George remounted, and setting oif again in a gallop, 
 we went from house to house, inquiring for my owner. 
 No one knew me, and we returned to the good grand- 
 mother, who was still sitt;ng in the door spinning. 
 
 " Grandmother, the donkey belongs to no one about 
 here. What are we to do with him ? He keeps close to 
 me, but he jumps away when anybody else tries to touch 
 him." 
 
 " In that case, my George, we must not let him stay 
 out doors all night; something might happen to him. 
 Lead him to our poor Grison's stable, give him a bundle 
 of hay and a bucket of water. We can take him to 
 market to-morrow, and perhaps we may find his master." 
 
 " And if we do not find him, grandmother 2 "
 
 16 THE ADVENTUKES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " We will keep the donkey till some one claims him. 
 We could not let the poor beast perish of cold this winter, 
 or fall into the hands of wicked people who would beat 
 him, or cause his death from fatigue and hard treatment." 
 
 After giving me food and water, George caressed me 
 and went out, saying, as he shut the door : 
 
 " How I hope he has no master, so he may stay with us." 
 
 Next day, having given me my breakfast, George put 
 a halter on my neck and led me up to the door; the 
 grandmother next placed a very light pack-saddle on my 
 back and seated herself upon it. George then brought 
 a little basket of vegetables, which ehe took upon her 
 knees, and we set out for the market of Mamers. The 
 good woman sold her vegetables at a fair price, no one 
 recognized me, and I returned with my new mistress. 
 
 I lived there four years ; I was happy, injuring no one 
 and making myself very useful, for I loved my little 
 master, who never beat me, never worked me to death and 
 always fed me well. However, I was no glutton; in 
 summer, remnants of vegetables and the herbs which 
 neither the horses nor cows ate; in winter a little hay 
 and the skins of potatoes, carrots and turnips, satisfied 
 my wants, as is the case with other donkeys. 
 
 There were some days I did not enjoy, those on which 
 my mistress hired me to the children in the neighbor- 
 hood. Being poor, and not always having enough work 
 to keep me busy, she was very glad to make a little some- 
 thing by hiring me to the children of the castle near by. 
 
 Tiiey were not always good children. 
 
 Listen to what happened on one of these excursions.
 
 IV. 
 
 THE BRIDGE. 
 
 THERE were six donkeys drawn up in the yard ; 1 was 
 one of the handsomest and strongest of the number. 
 Three little girls brought us oats in a bucket. Whilst 
 eating I listened to the children's conversation. 
 
 " Come " said Charles," let us choose our donkeys, as for 
 myself, I take that one," pointing to me with his finger. 
 
 " You always take the best," answered the five children 
 at once, " we must draw lots." 
 
 " How do you wish us to draw lots, Caroline," replied 
 Charles, " do we put the donkeys in a bag and draw them 
 out as one does balls ? " 
 
 "Ah! ah! ah!" said Francis, "what an idiot, with 
 his donkeys in a bag ! As if one could not number them 
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, put the numbers in a bag, and let each 
 draw his number." 
 
 " So we can " cried the five others, " Ernest set down 
 the numbers, while we write them on the donkey's backs. 
 
 These children are dunces, said I to myself. If they 
 had the sense of a donkey, instead of tiring themselves 
 writing numbers on our backs, they would simply arrange 
 us along the wall, the first would be 1, the second, 2, and 
 BO on for the rest. 
 
 2* (17)
 
 18 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 Meanwhile, Francis had brought a big piece of coal. 
 I was the first, so he made an enormous 1 on my back ; 
 whilst he wrote 2 on that of my comrade, I gave myself 
 a vigorous shake, to convince him that, his invention was 
 not a famous one. Behold, the particles of coal flew off 
 and the 1 disappeared. "You dunce!" cried he, "I 
 must commence over." Whilst he re wrote his number 
 1, my comrade that had perceived my doings, and was 
 also mischievous, shook himself in turn. Behold the 2 
 disappear. Francis began to get angry; the others 
 laughed and mocked him. I made a sign to my com- 
 rades and we let him number us, no one budged. Ernest 
 returned with the numbers in his handkerchief ; each one 
 drew. Whilst they were looking at what they had drawn 
 I made another sign to my comrades, and we all -shook 
 ourselves worse than ever. More coal, more numbers, it 
 must be commenced over, the children were enraged. 
 Charles was triumphant and giggled ; Ernest, Albert, 
 Caroline, Cecilia and Louisa were indignant at Francis, 
 who in turn, stamped his foot, my comrades and I began 
 to bray. The noise attracted the papas and mamas. 
 The cause was explained to them and one of the papas 
 suggested the plan of arranging us along the wall. He 
 made the children draw their numbers. 
 
 " One ! " cried Ernest. It was myself. 
 
 " Two ! " cried Cecilia. It was one of my friends. 
 
 " Three, cried Francis, and so on to the last. 
 
 " Let us start now," said Charles, " I go first." 
 
 " Oh ! I shall soon overtake you," replied Ernest with 
 animation.
 
 THE ADVENTUKES OF A DONKEY. 19 
 
 I bet not." 
 
 " I bet I shall." 
 
 Charles taps his donkey, which sets off at a gallop. 
 Before Ernest has time to touch me with a whip, I start 
 also, and at such a pace that Charles is speedily over- 
 taken. Ernest is delighted, Charles is furious. He taps 
 and keeps tapping his donkey. Ernest has no need to 
 tap me ; I run, I fly like the wind. I pass Charles in a 
 minute, and I hear the others who follow, laughing, and 
 crying out : 
 
 " Bravo 1 donkey number 1, bravo ! he runs like a 
 horse." 
 
 Self love gives me courage ; I continue to gallop until 
 we reach a bridge. I stop suddenly, for I have just per- 
 ceived that a large plank in the bridge is rotten ; I do 
 not wish to fall in the water with Ernest, but to return 
 to the others who are far, far behind us. 
 
 " Ho there ! ho there ! donkey," said Ernest to me, 
 " On the bridge, donkey, on the bridge." 
 
 I resist, he gives me a touch with the switch. 
 
 I still continue to walk towards the others. 
 
 " Headstrong thing ! stupid brute 1 will you turn and 
 pass the bridge ? " 
 
 I walk on towards my comrades and rejoin them, in 
 epite of this wicked boy's cross words and blows. 
 
 " Why do you beat your donkey, Ernest? " cries Caro- 
 line, " he is excellent, he went flying and you overtook 
 Charles." 
 
 " I beat him to make him go over the bridge, he is 
 determined to turn back."
 
 20 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "Ah ! bah ! because he was alone ; now that we are 
 all together he will pass the bridge like the rest." 
 
 " Unfortunate creatures ! " think I, " they are all going 
 to fall into the river. I must try to convince them of 
 the danger." 
 
 And I set off in a gallop towards the bridge, to Ernest's 
 great satisfaction and amidst cries of joy from the other 
 children. 
 
 I gallop up to the bridge ; reaching it, I stop suddenly 
 as if afraid, Ernest astonished, urges me on, I recoil with 
 an air of fright that surprises Ernest still more. Silly 
 boy ! he sees nothing though the rotten board is in full 
 view. The others rejoin him, and enjoy the spectacle of 
 his efforts to make me go across and mine not to do so. 
 At last the whole party dismount from their donkeys, 
 each one pushing and beating me mercilessly, still I budge 
 not. 
 
 " Pull him by the tail," cries Charles, " donkeys are so 
 headstrong that if you want to make them go one way, 
 they are sure to go the other." 
 
 Behold them seize me by the tail. I defend myself 
 with a kick ; they all beat me at once, and yet I will not 
 move an inch. 
 
 " Wait Ernest," says Charles, " let me go first and he 
 will certainly follow." 
 
 He tries to advance, to prevent him I place myself 
 crosswise before the bridge, but by dint of blows he 
 makes me fall back. 
 
 Well," said 1 to myself, I'll give up, if this bad boy
 
 THE ADVENTUKE8 OF A DONKEY. 23 
 
 wants to be drowned, let him be, I have done my best to 
 save him ; since he is so determined, let him taste a 
 draught." 
 
 Scarcely had his donkey touched the rotten plank, ere 
 it gave way, and both rider and animal were thrown into 
 the water. There was no danger for my comrade, as like 
 the rest of his race, he knew how to swim, but Charles 
 struggled and screamed without the power of extricating 
 himself. 
 
 "A pole ! a pole ! " he cried. 
 
 The Children ran in every direction, at last Caroline 
 found a long pole, which she hastily held out to him ; he 
 seized it, but his weight was dragging her in, and she 
 called for help. Ernest, Francis and Albert ran to her. 
 At length, with a great deal of difficulty, they succeeded 
 in drawing to land the unhappy Charles, who had drank 
 more than he relished, and who was wet from head to 
 foot. When assured of his safety, they all began to laugh 
 at his piteous plight; Charles got angry, they jumped 
 upon their donkeys, and with bursts of laughter advised 
 him to return to the house and change his clothes. Wet 
 as he was, he mounted his donkey. I laughed in my 
 sleeve at his ridiculous figure, the current had carried 
 away his hat and shoes, the water was running off him 
 to the ground, his dripping hair clung to him, and his 
 countenance was furious altogether he was a most ludi- 
 crous picture. The children laughed, my comrades 
 pranced and ran to express their delight. 
 
 I ought to add that Charles' donkey was detested by
 
 24: THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 the rest of us, because he was quarrelsome, gluttonous 
 and stupid, qualities very rare among us. 
 
 At length Charles disappeared, and both children and 
 donkeys became more quiet. Every one caressed me and 
 admired my spirit, and we all started off again, I at the 
 head of the baud. 
 
 V. 
 
 THE CEMETERY. 
 
 WE went at a brisk pace ; and soon approached the 
 village cemetery, which is about a league from the castle. 
 "Suppose we turn back and take the forest road," said 
 Caroline. 
 
 " Why ? " asked Cecilia. 
 
 " Because I do not like cemeteries." 
 
 " Why do you not like them," replied Cecilia with an 
 air of derision. "Are you afraid you will not get away ? " 
 
 " No, but I think of the poor people who are buried 
 there, and it makes me sad." 
 
 The children ridiculed Caroline and rode directly past 
 the wall. They were just about to keep on, when Caro- 
 line, who seemed disquieted, stopped her donkey, leaped 
 off, and ran to the cemetery gate. 
 
 " What are you doing, Caroline, where arc you going ? " 
 exclaimed the others. 
 
 Caroline did not answer, but hurriedly pushing open
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 25 
 
 the gate, she entered the cemetery, looked all around her, 
 and ran towards a freshly made grave. 
 
 Ernest, who had anxiously followed, had caught up 
 with her, at the moment when bending over the grave, 
 she lifted up a poor little boy, of about three years, 
 whose moans had attracted her attention. 
 
 " What is the matter, my poor little one ? Why aro 
 you crying? " 
 
 The child could not answer for his sobs. 
 
 " Why are you here alone ? " said Caroline again, 
 noticing the child's beauty and miserable clothing.
 
 26 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 They left me here, I am hungry," he answered sob- 
 bing. 
 
 " Who left you here ? " 
 
 "The black men, I am hungry," was the answer 
 accompanied with another sob. 
 
 "Ernest," said Caroline, "run, and get our lunch, 
 quick ; we must give this poor little fellow something to 
 eat ; he will tell us afterwards why he weeps, and why 
 he is here." 
 
 Ernest ran to get the basket of provisions, whilst Caro- 
 line endeavored to console the child. In a few minutes 
 Ernest re-appeared, followed by the whole band, whom 
 curiosity had attracted to the spot. They gave the child 
 some cold chicken and some bread soaked in wine. As 
 he eat, his tears ceased to flow, his countenance became 
 smiling. When he had eaten heartily, Caroline again 
 asked him why he was lying on this grave. 
 
 " Because they have put grandmother here. I want to 
 wait till she comes back." 
 
 " Where is your papa ? " 
 
 " I can't tell, I dont know him." 
 
 "And your mama? " 
 
 " I don't know, black men carried her off as they did 
 grandmother." 
 
 " But who takes care of you ? " 
 
 " No one." 
 
 Who feeds you ? " 
 
 " Nobody, I suck nurse." 
 
 " Where is your nurse ? "
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 27 
 
 Down there at the house." 
 
 "What does she do?" 
 
 " She walks, and she eats grass." 
 
 "Grass?" 
 
 Here all the children looked at one another with sur- 
 prise. 
 
 " Is she silly ? " said Cecilia in an undertone. 
 
 " He does not know what he is saying," replied Fran- 
 cis, " he is too little." 
 
 " Why," continued Caroline, " does not your nurse 
 take you home? " 
 
 " She can't, she has no arms." 
 
 The children's surprise increased. 
 
 " How then can she carry you 2 " 
 
 " I get on her back/ 
 
 " Do you sleep with her ? " 
 
 " Oh ! no, I could not do that," said the child smiling. 
 
 " Where then does she sleep ? Hasn't she a bed ? " 
 
 The child began to laugh as he answered. 
 
 " Oh ! no, she sleeps on straw." 
 
 " What does he mean " said Ernest, " let us ask him to 
 take us to the house, we shall see his nurse, and she can 
 explain matters." 
 
 "I must confess, it is all a mystery to me," said 
 Francis. 
 
 " Will you go back to your home, my little one ? " 
 asked Caroline. 
 
 " Yes, but not all alone ; I am afraid of the black men, 
 grandma's room was full of them."
 
 28 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " We will all go with you, you must show us the 
 way." 
 
 Caroline re-mounted her donkey, and took the little 
 boy upon her lap. He showed us the way, and in five 
 minutes we all reached the cabin of mother Thibaut, who 
 died the evening previous and was huried that morning. 
 The child ran to the house and called out " Nurse ! 
 Nurse!" Immediately a goat bounded out of the open 
 stable, and darting towards the child, testified its joy at 
 his return by a thousand gambols and caresses. The 
 child likewise fondled it, and then said " Suck Nurse." 
 The goat immediately lay down on the ground, the little 
 boy stretched himself near her, and began to suck as if 
 he had neither eaten nor drunk. 
 
 " There, the nurse is explained," said Ernest, at last, 
 " What shall we do with this child ? 
 
 "We have nothing to do with him, except leave him 
 with his nurse," said Francis. 
 
 The others cried out with indignation. 
 
 " It would be wrong," answered Caroline, " to abandon 
 this poor little one, he might soon die for want of care." 
 
 "What do you wish to do with him," said Francis, 
 "are you going to take him home with you ? " 
 
 " Certainly ; I shall ask mama to keep him at the house 
 whilst she makes inquiries as to who he is, and whether 
 he has any relatives or not." 
 
 "And our donkey party, are we to give that up and all 
 return ? " 
 
 " No, Ernest will be kind enough to accompany me,
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 31 
 
 and the rest of you can continue your excursion, there 
 will still be four, so you can well do without Ernest and 
 me." 
 
 " She is right," said Francis, " let us mount and con- 
 tinue our ride." 
 
 And they departed, leaving the kind Caroline with 
 her cousin Ernest. 
 
 " How fortunate it is they tried to tease me by passing 
 so near the cemetery ! " said she, " but for that, I would 
 not have heard this poor child, and he would have spent 
 the entire night on the cold, damp ground." 
 
 It was I whom Ernest mounted. With my usual intel- 
 ligence, comprehending that we must reach the castle as 
 promptly as possible, I set off at a gallop, my comrade 
 followed, and we were there in half an hour. The family 
 was startled at our unexpectedly early return. Caro- 
 line recounted her adventure with the child. Her mama 
 was puzzled as to what arrangements could be made for 
 him, when the porter's wife offered to raise him with her 
 son, who was about the same age. The offer was accepted. 
 On sending to the village to make inquiries concern- 
 ing his name and parentage, Caroline's mama learned 
 that his father had been dead a year, his mother six 
 months ; the child had been living with a wicked, miserly 
 old grandmother, who had just died the day before, that 
 following the coffin to the cemetery, he had been forgot- 
 ten and left there ; moreover, that he was not poor, the 
 grandmother having been in comfortable circumstances. 
 The porter's wife raised him well, and he became a fine
 
 32 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 fellow. I know him, his name is John Thibaut, he ia 
 always kind to animals, which proves his good heart, and 
 he is very fond of me, which proves his sense. 
 
 The good goat was also brought to the porter's and 
 found a home there. 
 
 VI. 
 
 THE HIDING PLACE. 
 
 I HAVE already said that I was happy, but my happi- 
 ness was soon to end. George's father was a soldier 
 and when he returned to his country, bringing the money 
 his dying ca-ptain had left him, and the cross given him 
 by his general, he bought a house at Mamers, to which 
 he removed his old mother and little son, and sold me to 
 a neighboring farmer. I was very sad at leaving my 
 good, old mistress and my little master George; both 
 had been kind to me and I had been faithful to them. 
 
 My new owner was not unkind, but he had a foolish 
 fancy for making everything about him work, and myself 
 among the number. He used to harness me to a little 
 cart and make me haul earth, manure, apples, wood, 
 I commenced to grow lazy, I did not like to be harnessed, 
 and market day 1 especially detested, not that they 
 loaded me too heavily or beat me, but because I had to 
 stand without eating from the morning, till three or four 
 o'clock in the afternoon. When the heat was great, 1
 
 Cadichon's master says good-by to his friends. (Page 35.) 
 
 (83)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 35 
 
 nearly died of thirst, waiting till everything was sold, 
 till my master had received his money and said good day 
 to his friends, with whom he must also take a glass. 
 
 I was not very good in those days ; I wanted fair treat- 
 ment, if denied me I sought revenge. Here is one of my 
 tricks, from which you will perceive not only that don- 
 keys are not stupid, but also that I had become very bad. 
 
 On market day the family arose earlier than usual 
 the vegetables were to be gathered, the butter churned, 
 the eggs collected. In summer, sleeping out-doors in a 
 large meadow, I saw and heard these preparations, and 
 knew that at ten o'clock, they would come to har- 
 ness me to the little cart tilled with all their market- 
 able produce. I have already said how tiresome and try- 
 ing this market was to me, so having noticed in the 
 meadow a large ditJi tilled with briers and brambles, 
 here I determined if possible, to conceal myself in such 
 a manner that no one could find me at the moment of 
 departure. Market day arrived ; as soon as I saw the 
 farm folks beginning to move about, I very gently de- 
 scended into the ditch, and there buried myself so com- 
 pletely, that discovery was almost impossible. I had been 
 there an hour hid away amongst the briers, when I heard 
 the boy calling me, running in every direction to tind me, 
 and at last returning to the farm-house. Doubtless he 
 had apprised the master of my disappearance, for in a 
 few minutes I heard the farmer's voice calling his wife 
 and all the other farm folks to come help find me. 
 
 "He must have got through the hedge," said one.
 
 36 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " How conld he have got through, there is no break 
 anywhere," replied the other. 
 
 " Some one has left the gate open," said the master. 
 " Run into the fields boys, he cannot be far ; go quick, 
 and bring him, for time passes, and we shall be too late." 
 
 Every one started off into the fields or the woods, run- 
 ning and calling me. I laughed to myself down in the 
 hole, and took good care not to make my appearance. 
 After the lapse of an hour, they all returned breathless 
 And panting, from a fruitless search. 
 
 The master having sworn at me, and said no doubt I 
 had been taken, put one of his horses to the cart, and 
 drove off in a very bad humor. When I saw that all 
 returned to their work, and no one could see me, lifting 
 up my head very cautiously, I looked around. Finding 
 myself alone, I suddenly emerged from the ditch, and 
 running to the other end of the field, to mislead their 
 suspicions as to where I had been, I began to bray with 
 all my strength. 
 
 At this noise every one on the farm ran. 
 
 " Here he is come back," cried the shepherd. 
 
 " Which way did he come ? " said the mistress. 
 
 " Which way did he go ? " replied the wagoner. 
 
 In my joy at having escaped the market, I ran to 
 them. They were delighted to see me, caressed me, said 
 I was a good creature to have escaped from the thieves, 
 and paid me so many compliments that I was ashamed, 
 knowing full well how much more deserving I was of the 
 stick than caresses. They let me graze quietly, and I
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 37 
 
 should have passed a charming day, had not my con- 
 science reproached me for having deceived my poor 
 master. 
 
 When the farmer came home and learned of my re- 
 turn, he was well pleased, but very much surprised. 
 Next day he went all around the meadow, and carefully 
 repaired even the slightest breach in the hedge. 
 
 " The donkey will be very smart to escape now," said 
 he, on finishing. I have stopped even the smallest holes 
 with stakes and brambles ; there is not room enough for 
 a cat to get through." 
 
 The week passed quietly, my adventure was no longer 
 thought of. But the next market day I repeated the 
 wicked trick, and again concealed myself in the ditch, for 
 so doing saved me so much fatigue and weariness. As be- 
 fore, they sought me every where ; their astonishment was 
 greater than ever, they were now fully convinced that a 
 skillful thief had carried me off by letting me through 
 the gate. 
 
 " This time," said my master sadly, " he is certainly 
 lost. He will not be able to escape again, and even if he 
 should, he could not get into the meadow, for I have re- 
 paired the breaches in the hedge too carefully." 
 
 He went off sighing, and one of the horses again took 
 my place in the cart. As on the preceding occasion, I 
 emerged from my hiding place when everybody had got 
 out of the way, but I was prudent enough not to an- 
 nounce my appearance with a hi han ! as before. 
 
 When they found me quietly eating grass in the field, 
 
 4
 
 38 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 and my master learned that I had returned a short time 
 after his departure, I saw that they had suspected me of 
 some trick, for no one paid me any compliments, every- 
 one eyed me with distrust, and I fully perceived that 
 they watched me more closely than before. I laughed 
 in my sleeve at them and said to myself. 
 
 " Good friends, you will be very sharp if you discover 
 the trick I have played on you ; I am smarter than you, 
 and I intend to keep the game up." 
 
 So I concealed myself a third time, very well pleased 
 with my cunning. 'But scarcely was I stowed away in 
 the ditch, ere I heard the furious barking of the big watch 
 dog, and the voice of my master, saying : 
 
 " Seize him Caesar, seize him ; go down into the ditch, 
 bite his legs, bring him ! bravo my dog ! seize him, seize 
 him ! " 
 
 Caesar indeed darted down, he bit my legs, my body, 
 and he would have devoured me, had I not decided to 
 leave that ditch. I was about to run towards the hedge, 
 and try forcing a passage through, when the farmer who 
 was waiting for me, threw a slip-knot over my head and 
 brought me to a stand. He was armed with a whip and 
 he made me feel it most sensibly ; the dog continued to 
 bite, the master to beat me, and I repented bitterly of 
 my idleness. At last the farmer called Caesar off, put 
 up his whip, exchanged the slip knot around my neck for 
 a halter, and led me all mortified and beaten unmerci- 
 fully, to the little cart which was in readiness for me. 
 
 I learned afterwards that one of the children, who had
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 39 
 
 been stationed near the gate, to open it if I returned, 
 had perceived me coming out of the ditch, and had car- 
 ried the news to his father. The little traitor ! 
 
 For a long time after, until my troubles and sad expe- 
 rience had taught me better, I wished all manner of evil 
 to him. 
 
 From that day 1 was treated more severely. They 
 wished to keep me shut up, but I found means of open- 
 ing all the fastenings with my teeth ; if a latch, I lifted 
 it ; if a button, I turned it ; if a bolt, I pushed it aside. 
 I went just where I pleased. The farmer swore, scolded 
 and beat me ; he became harder on me, and I got to be 
 worse and worse to manage. I felt that I had brought 
 all this unhappiness on myself. I compared my present 
 miserable life with that I had formerly led among the 
 same people ; but instead of reforming me, the reflexion 
 made me only more head-strong and vicious. One day I 
 went into the kitchen garden and eat all the salad; 
 another day I knocked down the little boy who had 
 betrayed me ; another time, I drank a tub of cream they 
 had placed out to be churned. I tramped on their 
 chickens and young turkeys, I bit their pigs ; in fine, I 
 got so unmanageable that the mistress at last asked her 
 husband to sell me at the fair at Mamers, which was to 
 take place in fifteen days. I had become a very thin, 
 miserable looking object, by reason of blows and poor 
 nourishment. But now, wishing to put me in a good 
 condition, (as the farmers say,) that I might sell to advan- 
 tage, everyone on the farm was forbidden to maltreat
 
 40 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 me. I was released from work and was well fed. Very 
 happy indeed was I during those fifteen days. My mas- 
 ter, at the expiration of that time, took me to the fair 
 and sold me for a hundred francs. I longed to give him 
 a good bite at parting, but fearing such an act might 
 make a bad impression on my new owner, I contented 
 myself with turning my back upon him with a gesture 
 of contempt. 
 
 VII. 
 
 THE LOCKET. 
 
 I HAD been bought by the parents of a delicate little 
 girl, aged about twelve years, who living in the country 
 and having no friends of her own age, was greatly in 
 need of diversion, for the father devoted very little time 
 to her, and the mother, though fond of her child, was so 
 jealous, she could not bear to see her attached to anything 
 but herself, not even animals. The physician having pre- 
 scribed recreation of some kind, the mother decided upon 
 donkey rides. My little mistress was named Pauline; 
 she was a very kind, gentle, pretty child, of a sad, quiet 
 disposition. She was often sick, but every day when not 
 unwell, she went riding, and it was my delight to show 
 her the prettiest paths and woods I knew. At first, 
 we were always accompanied by a domestic, but when 
 everyone saw what good care I took of her, we were
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 41 
 
 allowed to go alone. It was she who called me Cadichon, 
 which name I have ever retained. 
 
 " Go, take a stroll with Cadichon," the father would 
 say, " there is no danger with a donkey like that, he has 
 the intelligence of a man, and he will always bring you 
 safe home." 
 
 So we would go out together. "When my little mis- 
 tress got tired of walking, I used to stand near a slight 
 elevation, or rather descend into a hollow, that she might 
 mount the more easily. I would also lead her up to hazel 
 trees filled with nuts, and stop to let her gather them. 
 She loved me much, and expressed it by kind attentions 
 and caresses. When bad weather prevented our prome- 
 nades, she would come to the stable, bringing me bread, 
 fresh grass, salad leaves, carrots ; she would stay a long 
 time, a very long time; and talking to me, though believ- 
 ing that I did not understand her, she would tell me all 
 her little troubles, often with tears. 
 
 " Oh ! my poor Cadichon," she would say, " you are 
 a donkey, and you cannot understand me, yet you are 
 my only friend, for it is only to you I can say all I think. 
 Mama loves me, but she is jealous, she wants me to love 
 nothing but herself. I have no childish friends, and I 
 am so lonesome." 
 
 And then she would weep and caress me. I loved her 
 too, and I pitied the poor little thing. When she was 
 near me, I was very careful not to move, for fear of 
 tramping on her.
 
 42 THE ADVENTUKES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 One day she came running towards me in the greatest 
 delight. 
 
 "Cadichon, Cadichon," she cried," mama has given 
 me a locket with her hair ; I am going to mix some of 
 yours with it, for you too are dear to me, and I shall then 
 have the hair of the two I love best in the world." 
 
 She cut off a little of my mane and put it in the 
 locket with her mother's hair. 
 
 It made me happy to see how much Pauline loved me 
 and I was proud of having my hair in a locket, but I 
 must confess the effect was not very pretty ; coarse, stiff 
 and grey as my mane was, it made her mothers tress look 
 frightful. Pauline never perceived this, and she was 
 turning her locket in every direction, and admiring it 
 extravagantly, when her mother entered. 
 
 "What are you looking at," said the mother. 
 
 " My locket mama," answered Pauline concealing it 
 somewhat. 
 
 " Why did you bring it here ? " 
 
 ' To show it to Cadichon." 
 
 " What foolishness ! Indeed Pauline, you are losing 
 your head with Cadichon ! as if he could understand 
 anything about a locket with hair ! " 
 
 " I assure you, mama, he understands very well, he 
 licked my hand when when " 
 
 Here Pauline blushed and was silent. 
 
 " Well, why do you not finish 2 What made Cadichon 
 lick your hand \ "
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEr. 43 
 
 " Mama, I would rather not tell you, I am afraid you 
 will scold me," said Pauline, much embarrassed. 
 
 " \V hat is it, at once ? " replied her mother impatiently. 
 " Speak, what nonsense have you been at now ? " 
 
 " It is not nonsense, mama, on the contrary " 
 
 " Then why are you afraid to tell me ? I suppose you 
 have been giving Cadichon oats to make him sick." 
 
 " No, I have given him nothing, on the contrary " 
 
 " On the contrary ? You provoke me, Pauline now 
 listen to me, I wish to know what you have been doing 
 here for the last hour nearly." 
 
 And indeed the arrangement of my hair in the locket 
 had been rather a long process ; it was necessary to take 
 off the paper back of the locket, remove the glass, insert 
 the memento of myself, and then put the whole together 
 again. 
 
 Pauline still hesitated, at last, she said in a very low 
 tone and with great embarrassment. 
 
 " I cut a little of Cadichon's mane to " 
 
 " To what ? " said her mother impatiently, " finish now, 
 you cut it for what ? " 
 
 " To put it in the locket," was the very low answer. 
 
 " In what locket ? " said her mother angrily. 
 
 " In the one you gave me." 
 
 "In that I gave you with my hair!" replied the 
 mother with increasing anger. And what have you done 
 with my hair ? " 
 
 " It is still there, see," said poor Pauline, displaying 
 the locket.
 
 44 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " My hair mixed with a donkey's mane ! " exclaimed 
 the mother in a rage. "Ah! it is too much! You do 
 not deserve the present I gave you ! To class me with a 
 donkey ! To express the same affection for a donkey as 
 forme!" 
 
 And snatching the locket from the hands of the unfor- 
 tunate, stupefied Pauline, she dashed it to the ground, 
 
 trampled it under foot and broke it into a thousand 
 pieces. Then without noticing her daughter, she left the 
 stable, slamming the door violently. 
 
 Pauline surprised and frightened at this outburst of 
 temper, was motionless an instant, then breaking into 
 Bobs, and throwing herself upon my neck, she exclaimed 
 passionately:
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 45 
 
 " Cadichon, Cadichon, you see how I am treated ! 
 They do not want me to love you, but I will love you in 
 epite of them, and more than them, because you are good 
 to me you never scold me, you never grieve me, and 
 you always try to amuse me in our promenades. Alas! 
 Cadichon, how unfortunate that you can neither under- 
 stand me nor talk to me. Oh ! what I would tell you ! " 
 
 Pauline was silent, she threw herself on the ground 
 and continued to weep gently. I was touched arid dis- 
 tressed at her grief, but I could not console her or even 
 let her know that I understood her. 1 felt enraged at 
 this mother, who through stupid or excessive affection, 
 could render her child so unhappy. Had it been in my 
 power, I would have told her of the grief she caused 
 Pauline, and the injury it did her already delicate health, 
 but Alas ! I could not speak. I could do nothing but 
 look sadly on at the poor child's flowing tears. 
 
 Scarcely a quarter of an hour had elapsed since her 
 mother's leaving the stable, when a servant opened the 
 door and called Pauline. 
 
 " Madamoiselle," said she,-" your mama has sent for 
 you, she does not wish you to stay in the stable with 
 Cadichon, or even to come here at all." 
 
 " Cadichon, my poor Cadichon ! " exclaimed Pauline, 
 " they do not wish me to see you any more ! " 
 
 " Only when you go out riding, Mademoiselle, your 
 mama says, the place for you is in the parlor, not in the 
 Btable" 
 
 Pauline made no answer ; she knew her mother exacted
 
 46 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 obedience, but embracing me again, and I felt her tears 
 on my neck as she did so, she left the stable to return no 
 more. 
 
 From that time Pauline became sadder and more deli- 
 cate, she coughed, she grew pale and thin. The bad 
 weather rendered our promenades shorter and less fre- 
 quent. When we did go however, I was brought up to 
 the castle steps, Pauline mounted without saying one 
 word to me, or taking any notice of me, bnt as soon as 
 we were out of sight, she jumped off, caressed me, and 
 relieved her heart by recounting her daily troubles and 
 griefs, though still thinking I could not understand her. 
 It was thus I learned her mama's continued displeasure 
 since that affair of the locket, how Pauline's life was 
 sadder and more irksome than ever, and how the malady 
 from which she suffered was becoming graver every day. 
 
 VIIL 
 
 THE FIRE. 
 
 JUST as I had gone to sleep one evening, I was awakened 
 by cries of " fire ! fire ! " Startled and terrified 1 endeav- 
 ored to rid myself of the leather strap that held me fast, 
 but in vain did I pull at it, and roll on the ground, the 
 strap would not break. At last the happy idea occurred 
 to me of cutting it with my teeth, and this I succeeded 
 in doing after several efforts. My poor stable was lighted
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 4:7 
 
 up with the reflexion of the fire ; the cries, the noise 
 increased ; I heard the lamentations of the servants, the 
 crash of falling walls, the giving way of floors, the roar- 
 ing of flames ; the smoke had already reached my stable, 
 and no one thought of me, no one had had charity enough 
 just to open my door and let me out. The flames 
 increased in violence, already I began to experience a 
 feeling of great heat and suffocation. 
 
 " It is all over for me," said I, " I am condemned to be 
 burned alive ! what a frightful death 1 Oh ! Pauline, my 
 dear mistress, you have forgotten your poor Cadichon ! " 
 
 Scarcely had I, not pronounced, but thought these . 
 words, when my door was opened violently, and I heard 
 the terrified voice of Pauline calling me. Happy at 
 being saved, I darted towards her, and we were just on 
 the threshold, when a frightful crash made us recoil. A 
 building directly opposite my stable had tumbled down, 
 and every passage was choked up with the ruins; my 
 poor mistress must now perish for having attempted to 
 save me .1 We were nearly suffocated with the smoke, the 
 dust of the fallen building, and the heat. Pauline 
 dropped down beside me. Suddenly, I took a dangerous 
 resolution, but the only one that could save us. Seizing 
 my little mistress's dress in my teeth, she being partly 
 unconscious from fright, I darted across the burning 
 beams that strewed the ground. Being fortunate enough 
 to get through without her clothing taking fire, I now 
 stopped to see whither I must direct my steps ; every- 
 thing around us was in flames. Discouraged and almost
 
 48 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 in despair, I was going to lay Pauline, now utterly uncon- 
 scious, on the ground, when perceiving an open cave ; I 
 rushed in, (knowing full well that in one of these vaults 
 under the castle we were in absolute safety,) and I laid 
 Pauline near a tub of water, so that she could bathe her 
 forehead and temples on awaking from her swoon. It did 
 not last very long, arid when she awoke to consciousness 
 and found herself out of danger, she threw herself upon her 
 knees, and in a touching prayer thanked God for having 
 BO mercifully preserved her. Then, after thanking me 
 with a tenderness and gratitude quite affecting, she drank 
 a few mouthfuls of water from the tub and listened. 
 The fire continued its ravages, everything was burning; 
 we still heard a few voices, but so indistinctly that we 
 could not recognize them. 
 
 " Poor mama and papa! " said Pauline, " they think I 
 have perished in disobeying them, by going to Cadichon's 
 rescue. We must now wait till the fire is extinguished. 
 No doubt, we shall spend the night in the vault. " Good 
 Cadichon ! " she added, " I owe my life to yon." 
 
 She said no more, but took her seat on an upturned 
 chest, and leaning her head upon an empty barrel, was 
 soon asleep. I felt tired and hungry, so I drank from 
 the tub, and stretching myself out near the door, I was not 
 long in following her example. 
 
 I awoke very early. Pauline still slept. I arose softly 
 and went to the door, which 1 opened ; everything was 
 burned and the flames extinguished, and I saw that one 
 could easily pick his way through the ruins to the castle
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 49 
 
 yard, I gave a light hi ! han ! to awaken my mistress, 
 who opened her eyes, and seeing me near the door, she 
 ran towards it and gazed around her. 
 
 " All burned up ! all gone ! " said she sadly, " I shall 
 never see the castle any more. I shall be dead before it 
 is rebuilt, I feel it; I am weak and sick, very sick, 
 although mama says 
 
 " Come, my Cadichon," she continued after remaining 
 pensive and motionless for a few minutes, " come, let us 
 go now, I must find mama and papa to console them, 
 they think me dead." 
 
 She lightly threaded her way among the fallen stones, 
 the crumbled walls, the still smoking beams. I followed 
 her, and we soon reached the lawn, where she got on my 
 back. Directing my steps towards the village, we lost 
 no time in finding the house where her parents had taken 
 refuge. Believing their child lost, they were plunged in 
 the deepest affliction. 
 
 At sight of her, they uttered an exclamation of joy 
 and rushed out to clasp her in their arms. She recounted 
 to them with what intelligence and courage 1 had saved 
 her life; but instead of thanking and caressing me, the 
 mother surveyed me with an air of indifference, and the 
 father never deigned to look at me at all. 
 
 " He nearly caused your death, my poor child," said 
 the mother. " If you had not been so foolish as to think 
 of opening the stable, and setting him at liberty, your 
 father and 1 would not have passed such a night of deso- 
 lation." 
 
 5
 
 50 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 u But," said Pauline earnestly, " it is he who--" 
 
 " Hush, hush," replied the mother interrupting her, 
 " say no more to me about this animal which I detest, 
 for he has almost caused your death." 
 
 Pauline sighed, looked sorrowfully at me and was 
 silent. 
 
 From that day I never saw her more. The terrible 
 fright, the fatigue of a night passed out of bed, but espe- 
 cially the low temperature of the vault, all increased the 
 disease from which she had suffered a long time. In the 
 morning she was taken with a fever that never left her. 
 The chill of the preceding night finished what sadness 
 and weariness had commenced ; her chest already weak, 
 could not stand the shock, and she died at the end of a 
 month, neither regretting life nor fearing death. She 
 often spoke of me and called me in her delirium. No 
 one thought of me now. I ate what I could find, and I 
 slept unsheltered in cold and rain. "When I saw the 
 coffin which contained the body of my poor, little mis- 
 tress carried out of the house, my grief was so intense 
 that I left that part of the country, and have never been 
 there since.
 
 Ill 
 
 Sho was taken with a fever. (Fa^e 50.)
 
 IX. 
 
 THE DONKEY RACE. 
 
 I LIVED miserably on account of the season, for the 
 home I had selected was in a forest where I could scarcely 
 find the wherewith to keep me from dying of hunger and 
 thirst. When the streams were frozen I eat snow, my 
 only nourishment was got by nibbling thistles, my only 
 shelter the pines. How often did I not compare my 
 present sad existence with that I had led at my good 
 master George's, and even at the farmer's to whom he 
 had sold me, until I gave myself up to idleness, mischief 
 and revenge. However, there were no means of improv- 
 ing my miserable condition, for I was determined to 
 remain free, and master of my actions. Sometimes, by 
 way of recreation, I went to the outskirts of a village 
 very near the forest, to find out what was going on in the 
 world. One day, it was Springtime (and the fine weather 
 had set in,) I was surprised to notice that something 
 extraordinary was going on, the village wore a festive 
 air, people went in throngs, every one arrayed in his or 
 her holiday garments, and what was still more astonish- 
 ing, all the donkeys of a neighboring county were col- 
 lected there, curried and rubbed, carrying neither panier 
 
 5* (53)
 
 54 THE ADVENTUEES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 nor saddle, some even having flowers on their head or 
 around their neck, and every one accompanied by a 
 master, leading him by a bridle. 
 
 " This is singular," thought I, u there is no fair going 
 on to day ! What can all my comrades be doing here, 
 curried and decorated? And how fat they are! they 
 have certainly been well fed this winter ! " 
 
 As I mentally ejaculated these words, I looked at 
 myself; my back, my belly, my crest were thin and rough, 
 and the hair all over my body standing awry, but I felt 
 strong and vigorous. 
 
 " I would rather be homely," thought I, " but healthy 
 and active ; none of my comrades here, so handsome, 
 fat and well cared for, could support the fatiques and 
 privations I have endured all winter." As I drew near 
 to ascertain the meaning of this re-union of donkeys, 
 one of the boys in charge of them, perceiving me, began 
 to laugh. 
 
 " Come boys, come see the beautiful donkey that has 
 just arrived ! How well curried he is ! " cried he. 
 
 "And well fed and cared for," said another. " Has he 
 come for the race ? "
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 55 
 
 " If he has, let him ran," cried a third, " there is no 
 danger of his gaining the prize." 
 
 A general laugh followed these words. Though dis- 
 pleased at the boys' stupid jokes, my vexation was tem- 
 pered by the satisfaction of having learned what all the 
 commotion meant. There was to be a race, but when or 
 how? Wishing to know more, I continued to listen, 
 though apparently understanding nothing of what was 
 said. 
 
 " Are they going to start soon ? " inquired one of the 
 young men. 
 
 " I do not know, they are waiting for the Mayor." 
 
 " Where is the race course ? " said a good woman who 
 had just arrived. 
 
 " In the big meadow by the mill, mother Tranchet," 
 answered John. 
 
 " How many donkeys are there here now ? " 
 
 " There are sixteen not counting you, mother Tran- 
 chet." A burst of laughter followed this jest. 
 
 "Ah ! you are a scamp ! " said mother Tranchet laugh- 
 ing, " and what does the winner of the race get ? " 
 
 " Honor first, and a silver watch next." 
 
 " I would be well pleased to be a donkey for the sake 
 of gaining the watch ; I have never had the money to 
 buy a watch." 
 
 ** Well, if you had brought a donkey you would have 
 to run the chance." 
 
 And all laughed their heartiest. 
 
 Where do you suppose I would get a donkey? Have
 
 56 TUB ADVENTUKES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 I ever had the means to buy one, or to feed one after buy- 
 ing it." 
 
 This good woman pleased me greatly she had such a 
 cheerful, lively air; and the idea struck me of trying to 
 win her the watch. I was accustomed to running, for 
 every day in the woods I took long runs to warm myself, 
 and I had formerly enjoyed the reputation of running as 
 long and as swiftly as a horse. 
 
 " Come," said I to myself, " let's try ; if I do not win, 
 I lose nothing; if I do win, I shall gain a watch for 
 mother Tranchet, who greatly desires it." 
 
 Starting off at a little trot, I took my place beside the 
 last mule, and assuming a proud air I began to bray 
 vigorously. 
 
 " Stop ! stop ! " exclaimed Andrew, " will you stop that 
 music? Get away donkey, you are without a master, 
 you are too badly curried, you can't run." 
 
 I held my peace, but did not budge. Some laughed, 
 some were vexed, and they were beginning to contend 
 among themselves, when mother Tranchet exclaimed : 
 
 " Well, if he has no master, he is going to have a mis- 
 tress; I recognize him now. It is Cadichon, poor Miss 
 Pauline's donkey ; they drove him off when the poor, 
 little thing was no longer there to protect him, and I 
 firmly believe he has lived all winter in the woods, for 
 no one has seen him since. I take him to-day into my 
 service ; he is going to run for me." 
 
 " It is Cadichon ! " cried several in various directions. 
 " 1 have heard of this famous Cadichon."
 
 "Here is my money."- (Page 59.) 
 
 <67>
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 59 
 
 " But mother Tranchet," said John, " if he is going to 
 run for you, you must drop a silver piece of fifty centimes 
 in the Mayor's bag, just like everybody else." 
 
 " That shall not hinder me, my children, here is my 
 money," she added, untying a knot in her handkerchief, 
 " but don't ask any more, for I hav'nt it." 
 
 "Ah well ! if your donkey wins you will not loose any- 
 thing, for all the village has contributed to this bag, it 
 contains more than a hundred francs." 
 
 I approached mother Tranchet, and I whirled on my 
 heel, leaped and kicked with such facility, that the boys 
 began to fear I might win the day. 
 
 " Listen, John," said Andrew in an undertone, "you 
 were wrong to let mother Tranchet contribute to the bag. 
 That gives her a right to let Cadichon run, and he has 
 such a nimble air, I fear he may win the watch and 
 money." 
 
 "Ah bah ! how silly you are ! Don't you see there what 
 a figure this poor Cadichon cuts ! He is going to make us 
 laugh, he'll not go far indeed." 
 
 " I can't say, suppose I coax him off with some oats." 
 
 "And what of mother Tranchet's money?" 
 
 " Her donkey gone, the money would be returned to 
 her." 
 
 " I agree ; Cadichon is no more to her, than to you or 
 me. Get some oats and try to coax him off without 
 mother Tranchet's knowledge." 
 
 I had heard and understood all ; so when Andrew 
 returned with the oats in his apron, instead of approaching
 
 60 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 him, I drew near mother Tranchet, who was talking with 
 her friends. Andrew followed ; John thinking I had 
 not seen seen the oats, took me by the ears and made me 
 turn my head. Still I would not budge, notwithstand- 
 ing my longing to taste such a luxury. Andrew began 
 to push, John, to pull me, and I to bray in my loudest 
 voice. Mother Tranchet turned, and seeing themanosuvres 
 of Andrew and John : 
 
 " Boys," said she, you are not doing right there. Since 
 you made me deposit my silver piece in the bag, you 
 must not take Cadichon off. It appears to me that you 
 are afraid of hinr" 
 
 "Afraid ! afraid of a dirty donkey like that ! Oh ! no, 
 we have no fears of him," said Andrew. 
 
 " Then why would you try to lead him off? " 
 
 " To give him some oats." 
 
 "Ah ! that's a different thing ! " replied mother Tran- 
 chet in a sportive way, " you are very obliging, just pour 
 the oats on the ground so that he can eat them at his 
 ease ! And to think that I suspected you of giving them 
 to him from malice ! How one can be mistaken." 
 
 Andrew and John were ashamed and vexed, but they 
 took good care to conceal it. Their companions laughed 
 to see them so nicely caught, mother Tranchet clapped 
 her hands, and as for me, I was delighted, eating my oats 
 with avidity, and feeling a renewal of strength as I did 
 so. I was quite pleased with mother Tranchet also. 
 Having finished eating, I was impatient to start. At 
 last there was a great tumult, the Mayor had just ordered
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 61 
 
 us to be ranged in line. I modestly took the last place. 
 My appearance alone, without a master, was the signal 
 for a general inquiry as to who I was, and to whom I 
 belonged. 
 
 " To no one," said Andrew. 
 
 " To me," cried mother Tranchet. 
 
 " It is necessary to contribute to the bag, mother Tran- 
 chet," said the Mayor. 
 
 " I have done so, Mr. Mayor." 
 
 " Good ; write mother Tranchet's name," said the 
 Mayor. 
 
 " It is already down, sir," replied the secretary. 
 
 " Yery well," said the Mayor. " Is everything ready ? 
 One, two, three ! Start ! " 
 
 At this the boys suddenly released the donkeys they 
 were holding, giving them a smart blow of the whip at 
 the same time. All started. No one had held me, and 
 as I honestly awaited my turn all the others had a slight 
 advantage over me. But we had not gone more than a 
 hundred steps ere I reached them. Behold me now at 
 the head of the band, outstripping them, indeed, without 
 overtaxing myself to do BO. The boys halloed and 
 cracked their whips to urge on their own. I glanced 
 back occasionally to see their disconcerted visages, to 
 contemplate my triumph and laugh at their efforts. My 
 companions, furious at being distanced by me a poor, 
 unknown, piteous looking creature redoubled their 
 efforts to overtake me, and endeavored to block the road, 
 one against another. I heard behind me savage cries,
 
 62 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 kicks, bites. Twice was I reached, almost passed, by 
 John's donkey. Perhaps I ought to have employed the 
 same means against him that he had used in outstrip- 
 ping his companions; but I disdained such unworthy 
 manoeuvres. I saw, however, that not to be beaten it 
 was necessary to do my utmost. With a vigorous bound, 
 I dashed ahead of my rival, who at the same moment 
 seized me by the tail. So great was the pain that I 
 almost dropped down on the spot; but the thought of 
 victory inspired me with courage to snatch myself away, 
 leaving a piece of my tail in his mouth. The desire of 
 vengeance gave me wings. I ran with such speed that 
 not only did I reach the goal first, but far, far ahead of 
 all my rivals. I was breathless, exhausted, but happy 
 and triumphant, reveling amidst the applause of thousands 
 of spectators who thronged the fields. With a victor's 
 pride I walked up to the tribunal of the Mayor, who 
 was to bestow the prize. Good mother Tranchet also 
 advanced, caressing and promising me a fine repast of 
 oats. She extended her hand for the watch and silver 
 which the Mayor was about to give her, when Andrew 
 and John, running in breathless haste, exclaimed : 
 
 " Stop, Mr. Mayor, stop ; it is not right, that. No one 
 knows this donkey. Mother Tranchet has no right to 
 the prize. This donkey does not count; it was mine 
 and John's donkeys that beat; the watch and money 
 belong to us." 
 
 " Did not mother Tranchet contribute to the race ? " 
 
 " Yes, Mr. Mayor, but"
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 65 
 
 " Was there any opposition when she did so? " 
 
 No, Mr. Mayor, but" 
 
 "Did you oppose it at the moment of departure?" 
 
 No, Mr. Mayor, but" 
 
 " Then mother Tranchet's donkey has really won the 
 watch and money." 
 
 " Mr. Mayor, assemble the municipal council to decide 
 this question ; you have no right to decide alone." 
 
 The Mayor hesitated. Seeing this, I abruptly seized 
 the watch and bag with my teeth and put them in the 
 hands of mother Tranchet, who, anxious and trembling, 
 awaited the Mayor's decision. 
 
 This act of intelligence put every one on our side and 
 covered me with applause. 
 
 " Behold the question decided by the victor in favor of 
 mother Tranchet," said the Mayor, laughing. " Gentle- 
 men of the municipal council, at table we will deliberate 
 upon my allowing justice to be decided by a donkey. 
 Friends," added he, casting a mischievous glance at 
 Andrew and John, " in my opinion the greatest donkey 
 among us is not that of mother Tranchet." 
 
 " Bravo ! bravo ! Mr. Mayor ! " arose from every side. 
 And all laughed except Andrew arid John, who went off 
 shaking their fists at me. 
 
 And as to myself, was I pleased? No, my pride 
 revolted ; the Mayor had insulted me in calling my ene- 
 mies donkeys. It was ungrateful and base to do so. I 
 had displayed courage, forbearance, patience, intelligence, 
 and this was my recompense! Having insulted, they
 
 66 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 abandoned me. Even mother Tranche!,, in lior joy at 
 getting a watch and a purse of a hundred and thirty-five 
 francs, forgot her benefactor and thought no more of the 
 promised repast of oats, but departed with the crowd, 
 leaving me minus the reward I so truly deserved ! 
 
 X. 
 
 GOOD MASTERS. 
 
 LEFT sad and solitary in the field, and suffering from 
 my bitten tail, I was just wondering to myself if donkeys 
 were not better than men, when I felt a soft hand caress 
 me, and heard a voice not less gentle, saying : 
 
 " Poor thing ! they have been unkind to you, come, 
 poor beast, come go home to grandma's, she will feed and 
 care for you better than your wicked masters ! Poor don- 
 key ! how thin you are ! " 
 
 Turning round, I saw a pretty little boy about five 
 years old, his sister apparently three, and the nurse. 
 
 "James," said Ruth, "what are you saying to this 
 poor donkey ? " 
 
 " I told it to come home to grandma's, it is all alone, 
 poor beast ! " 
 
 " Yes, James, take him ; wait, I am going to get on his 
 back. Nurse, nurse, put me on the donkey's back." 
 
 The nurse put the little girl on my back ; James wished 
 to lead me, but had no bridle.
 
 I seized the watch and bajj with my teeth. (Pase 65.) 
 
 (67
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 69 
 
 " Wait nurse," said he, " I am going to tie my hand- 
 kerchief around his neck. 
 
 Little James tried to do so, but my neck was much too 
 large for his small handkerchief; the nurse gave him hers 
 and it was too small. 
 
 " What shall I do nurse ? " said he, ready to cry. 
 
 " We must get a halter or rope from the village. 
 Come, my little Ruth, get down." 
 
 "No," said Ruth, clinging to my neck, "I want to 
 stay on the donkey, I want him to take me home." 
 
 " But you have nothing to lead him with; you see he 
 won't move any more than if he were a stone." 
 
 " Wait nurse, yes he will, I know his name, it is Cadi- 
 chon, mother Tranchet told me so, I am going to pet and 
 coax him, and I believe he will follow me." 
 
 James came up to me and whispered in my ear. " Go 
 my nice Cadichon, please go." 
 
 This dear little boy's confidence touched me, I noticed 
 with pleasure, that instead of asking for a stick to make 
 me go, he had thought only of kind and gentle means. 
 So, scarcely had he finished his words and the accom- 
 panying caresses, ere I began to move. 
 
 " You see nurse, he understands me, he loves me," 
 exclaimed James, his cheeks flushed, his eyes sparkling 
 with joy, as he ran a little in advance to show me the 
 way. 
 
 "As if a donkey could understand anything! he goes 
 because he is tired of standing here." 
 
 " But nurse, he follows me, you see."
 
 70 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " Because he smells the bread in your pocket." 
 
 " Do you think he is hungry, nurse ? " 
 
 " Very likely, you see how thin he is." 
 
 " Yes he is, poor Cadichon, and for me not to think of 
 giving him my bread." 
 
 And taking from his pocket the piece of bread intended 
 for his luncheon, he offered it to ine. 
 
 I was offended at the nurse's unkind suggestion, and 
 delighted with an opportunity of proving that she had 
 judged me harshly, I followed James and carried Ruth 
 on my back, not from interest at all, but from civility 
 and courtesy. 
 
 I refused the offered bread, and contented myself with 
 licking James's hand. 
 
 " Nurse, look ! look ! he licks my hand," exclaimed 
 James. " He does not want the bread. Oh ! my dear, 
 nice Cadichon, how I love you ! You see now nurse, 
 that he follows me because he loves me, and not to get 
 the bread." 
 
 " So much the better for you, if you can believe you 
 have a donkey like one nobody else ever saw, a model 
 donkey. I know they are all headstrong and vicious, 
 and for my part, I do not like them." 
 
 " Oh nurse, poor Cadichon is not vicious, see how good 
 he is to me." 
 
 "And how long will it all last ? " 
 
 " My Cadichon, you will always be good to me and 
 Ruth, won't you ? " said James, caressing me. 
 
 I turned towards him with such a look of affection,
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 71 
 
 that in spite of his tender years, he noticed it ; then I 
 cast upon the nurse such a furious glance that she like- 
 wise observed it, for she said immediately : 
 
 " What a wicked eye ! and defiant air ! he looks at me 
 as if he wanted to devour me ! " 
 
 " Oh nurse," replied James, " how can you say that ? 
 he looks at me with such a gentle air, as if he wished to 
 embrace me." 
 
 Both were right, and I had not been misunderstood. I 
 promised myself to be gentle and good to James, Kuth, 
 and all on the place who would be kind to me, and I 
 also made the wicked resolution, of being spiteful and 
 vicious to those who would maltreat or insult me, as the 
 nurse had done. This desire of vengeance, was event- 
 ually to cause me much unhappiness. 
 
 Talking as they went, we kept on and soon reached 
 their grandmother's residence. 
 
 They left me at the door, where I stood quietly, like a 
 well behaved donkey, not even nibbling the grass that 
 bordered the gravel walks. 
 
 In two minutes, James re-appeared, accompanied by 
 his grandmother. 
 
 " Come see, grandma, come see how gentle he is, and 
 how he loves me. Do not believe nurse, I beg you," said 
 James clasping his hands. 
 
 " No, grandma, don't believe it, I entreat you not to 
 believe it," repeated Ruth. 
 
 " Let us see," said the grandmother smiling, " let us see 
 this famous donkey."
 
 72 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 And coming up to me, she touched me, she caressed 
 me, she took hold of my ears, put her hand to my mouth, 
 I stood very quietly, making not the slightest attempt to 
 Lite her, or even get away from her. 
 
 " He seems to be very gentle," she said, " how could 
 you say, Emily, that he had a wicked look ? " 
 
 "Isn't he good, grandma, isn't he? and musn't we 
 keep him ? " said James. 
 
 " My dear little one, I believe he is very good ; but how 
 can we keep him, since he is not ours? He must be taken 
 back to his master." 
 
 " He has no master, grandma." 
 
 "We are sure he has no master, grandma," replied 
 .Ruth, who always repeated her brother's words. 
 
 " How is that, it is impossible." 
 
 " It is true, grandma, mother Tranchet told me." 
 
 " Then how did he gain the race prize for her ? Since 
 he ran for her, she must have borrowed him from some 
 one." 
 
 " No, Grandma, he came all alone, and wanted to run 
 with the others. Mother Tranchet paid the risk, but she 
 does not own him, he belongs to nobody, it is Cadichon, 
 whose mistress, poor Pauline died ; her parents drove 
 him oif, and he has lived all winter in the woods." 
 
 " Cadichon ! the famous Cadichon who saved his little 
 mistress from the fire ? Ah ! I am very glad to know 
 him ; he is truly an extraordinary and admirable donkey." 
 
 And she walked around me, regarding me attentively. 
 Proud to see my reputation so well established, I reared 
 my head, inflated my nostrils and shook my mane.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 73 
 
 " Oh ! how thin he is ! Poor beast ! his devotion met 
 with little recompense," said the grandmother in a serious 
 manner and tone of reproach. " We will keep him, my 
 child, we will keep him, since he has been abandoned 
 and driven oft* by those who ought to have cared for and 
 loved him. Call Bouland to put him in the stable and 
 give him a good bed." 
 
 James, delighted, ran to get Bouland, who came imme- 
 diately. 
 
 " Bouland, here is a donkey the children have brought 
 home ; take him to the stable and feed and water him," 
 said the grandmother. 
 
 " Must he then be taken to his master ? " said Bouland. 
 
 "No; he has no master. It appears that he is the 
 famous Cadichon that was driven off after the death of 
 his little mistress. He came to the village and my little 
 children found him abandoned in the field. They 
 brought him home and we are going to keep him." 
 
 " And madam does well to keep him ; there is not his 
 equal in all the country. I have heard most wonderful 
 things about him. They say he hears and understands 
 all that is said to him. Let us try him, madam. Come, 
 Cadichon, come get some oats." 
 
 I immediately turned and followed Bouland. 
 
 " It is astonishing," said the grandmother ; " he really 
 understood." 
 
 And she went in the house, but James and Ruth 
 accompanied me to the stable. I was placed in a stall, 
 my companions being two horses and a donkey. Bou-
 
 74: THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 land, assisted by James, made me a good bed, and then 
 went to get my oats. 
 
 " More, more, Bouland ; I beg you to give him more," 
 said James; "lie needs a hearty meal, he has run BO 
 hard." 
 
 " But, Master James, if you give him too many oata 
 he will get so lively that you and Miss Iluth can't ride 
 him." 
 
 " Oh ! he is such a good donkey, I know we can ride 
 him all the same." 
 
 They gave me an enormous quantity of oats and put 
 a bucket of water beside me. Being thirsty, I first drank 
 a little and then attacked my oats, meanwhile congratu- 
 lating myself upon having fallen into the hands of this 
 good little James. I also made some reflections upon 
 mother Tranchet's ingratitude. Then devouring my 
 bundle of hay, I lay down on my straw, and, couched 
 like a king, I slept.
 
 XI. 
 
 CADICHON SICK. 
 
 MY only employment next morning was to take the 
 children riding an hour. James himself got me my oats, 
 and in spite of Bouland's warning, he gave me enough 
 to feed three donkeys my size. I ate all that was given 
 me ; I was happy. But on the third day I felt sick, I 
 had fever, and both head and stomach seemed affected ; I 
 could eat neither hay nor oats, but remained extended 
 upon the straw. 
 
 " Here is Cadichon not up yet," said James coming to 
 Bee me. " Come, Cadichon, it is time to rise, I am going 
 to give you your oats." 
 
 I endeavored to rise but my head fell back heavily 
 upon the straw. 
 
 "Oh! Cadichon is sick," exclaimed little James, 
 " Bouland, Bouland, come quick, Cadichon is sick ! " 
 
 " How is that," said Bouland, " he ate his breakfast 
 this morning ? " 
 
 Going up to the trough, Bouland looked in and said : 
 
 " He is sick, he has not touched his oats his ears are 
 warm," added he, taking hold of my ears, " and his side 
 beats." 
 
 (75)
 
 76 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " What does that mean, Bouland ? " exclaimed poor 
 James, in great alarm. 
 
 " It means master James, that Cadichon has a fever, 
 you have fed him too high, we must get the veterinary." 
 
 " What is a veterinary ? " asked James, still more 
 alarmed. 
 
 " It is a horse doctor. You see, master James, I told 
 you right. The poor beast suffered this winter from 
 hunger and want of shelter, (you can tell by looking at 
 him, see the color of his hair and how lean he is,) then 
 he got very much heated running at the race. He ought 
 to have had a few oats, and some grass to strengthen him, 
 but you have given him just as many oats as he could 
 eat." 
 
 " Oh ! my poor Cadichon ! he is going to die, and it is 
 my fault ! " said James with a sob. 
 
 "No, master James, he is not going to die this time, 
 but he must be bled and put out on grass." 
 
 " Oh ! but it will hurt so to bleed him," said James, 
 all in tears. 
 
 " Not this bleeding ; you will see, for I am going to 
 bleed him at once, whilst waiting for the veterinary." 
 
 " I don't want to see, I don't want to see," cried James, 
 running away, " I am sure it will hurt him." 
 
 Bouland took his lancet, placed it on a vein in my 
 neck, struck it a slight blow with a hammer, and the 
 blood gushed out immediately. As the blood flowed, I 
 began to feel better, my head became less heavy, and I 
 was relieved of oppression ; I was soon able to rise. Bou-
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 77 
 
 land stopped the blood and gave me some bran water, and 
 in about an hour led me into the field. I was better but 
 not well, and nearly eight days elapsed before I entirely 
 recovered. Meanwhile, James and Ruth loaded me with 
 such kindness and attentions as I shall never forget. 
 They came to see me several times a day ; they gathered 
 grass and held it up to my mouth, that I might be spared 
 the trouble of bending my head to browse ; they brought 
 me garden salad, cabbage and carrots; every evening 
 they led me into the stable themselves, to find the trough 
 full of my favorite dainty, potato pickings with salt. 
 One day, dear little James wanted to give me his pillow, 
 because, he said, my head was too low when I slept. 
 Another time Ruth wished to lend me her coverlet, to 
 keep me warm at night, and again, they wrapped my legs 
 with pieces of woolen stuff, for fear of my taking cold. 
 I was distressed at not being able to express my gratitude, 
 for I had the misfortune of understanding everything, 
 without the power of uttering a word. I got well at last, 
 and soon after my recovery, learned that James and Ruth 
 with several of their cousins, were getting up a donkey 
 party to the woods.
 
 XII. 
 
 THE ROBBERS. 
 
 THE children were assembled in the yard, and with 
 them were many donkeys from the neighboring villages. 
 I recognized nearly all of the latter as my rivals at the 
 race. John's donkey eyed me savagely, whilst I, in re- 
 turn, bestowed upon him most insulting glances. Nearly 
 all the grandchildren of James's grandmother were there : 
 Maud, Beatrice, Elizabeth, Helen, Ruth, William, Henry, 
 Louis and James. All the mammas were to accompany 
 them on donkeys, whilst the papas went on foot and 
 armed with switches to keep the lazy animals moving. 
 Before starting, there was as usual in such cases, a slight 
 contention as to who should have the best animal ; every- 
 body wanted me, no one was willing to give up, so it was 
 at last decided to draw lots. I fell to the lot of little 
 Louis, James's cousin ; he was an excellent child, and I 
 would have been well satisfied had I not seen poor little 
 James's unsuccessful efforts to hide his tears. Every 
 time he looked at me they would flow afresh. I felt very 
 sorry, but was unable to comfort him; however, it was 
 necessary for him as well as myself to learn resignation 
 and patience. With manly resolution he mounted hia 
 donkey, saying to Louis as he did so: 
 
 (78)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 79 
 
 " I will keep near you, Louis ; don't make Cadichon 
 gallop too fast, or I will be behind." 
 
 " And why would you remain behind ? why not gallop 
 like me ? " 
 
 " Because Cadichon gallops faster than any other don- 
 key in the country." 
 
 " How do you know ? " 
 
 " Because I saw him run for the prize the day of the 
 donkey race at the village, and he was far ahead of all 
 the others." 
 
 Louis promised his cousin not to go too fast, and we 
 both started off in a trot. My companion was no lag- 
 gard, so I had to restrain myself but little that we might 
 keep together. The others following, some briskly, some 
 tardily, we thus reached the forest where stood the very 
 beautiful ruins of an old convent and chapel that the 
 children were anxious to see. The place bore an evil 
 reputation throughout the country, and no one liked to 
 go there except in large companies. At night, it was 
 said, strange noises were heard issuing from the ruins, 
 groans, cries, the clinking of chains ; and several travel- 
 ers who laughed at these accounts, and went to visit the 
 spot alone, never returned and were never afterwards 
 heard of. 
 
 Every one dismounted, and when we had been turned 
 loose to graze with the bridle over our heads, the papas 
 a id mammas took their children by the hand to prevent 
 their straying off or lagging behind, and much to my 
 anxiety the whole party was soon lost to sight amid the
 
 80 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 ruins. I likewise left my companions, and screened 
 myself from the sun under a half-ruined arch, upon a 
 declivity beside the woods, and a little farther distant 
 than the convent. I had scarcely been there a quarter 
 of an hour when I heard a noise near the arch. Crouch- 
 ing in a recess of the ruined wall, where unperceived, I 
 could see all around, I listened. The noise, though dull, 
 increased ; it seemed to be underground. 
 
 Not many minutes and I saw a man's head cautiously 
 peering up amidst the bushes. 
 
 " Nothing," said he in a low tone, looking all around. 
 " No one you may come, comrades. Every one is to 
 take a donkey and lead him carefully." 
 
 He then moved out of the way to allow passage to 
 about a dozen men. 
 
 " If the donkeys escape," said he, in an undertone, 
 "don't amuse yourselves running after them. Quick, 
 and no noise, that is the order." 
 
 Creeping through the woods, which were very thick 
 just there, the men moved cautiously but quickly. 
 The donkeys seeking shade, were browsing upon the 
 grass at the edge of the forest. At a given signal, every 
 robber caught a donkey by his bridle and led him into 
 the thicket. Instead of resisting, struggling and braying 
 to give the alarm, these donkeys allowed themselves to 
 be taken as passively as if they were sheep. Five 
 minutes after the robbers had reached the thicket at the 
 foot of the arch. One by one my comrades were led 
 into the bushes, whence they disappeared. I heard the 
 noise of their footsteps under ground, then all was silent.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 81 
 
 " Here," thought I, " is an explanation of the myste- 
 rious noises that have frightened the country, a band of 
 robbers concealed in the convent vaults. They must be 
 taken, but how ? that's the difficulty." 
 
 I remained concealed in my recess (whence I had a 
 fine view of the entire convent ruins, and the surround- 
 ing country), and did not stir until I heard the voices of 
 the children seeking their donkeys. Then I ran forward 
 to prevent their going too near the arch and thicket, so 
 skilfully concealing the entrance to the vaults that it was 
 impossible to perceive them. 
 
 " There is Cadichon ! " exclaimed Louis. 
 
 " But where are the others \ " said all the children at 
 once. 
 
 " They must be near," said Louis's papa. 
 
 " We had better seek them by the ravine behind the 
 arch; the grass there is fine, and they have probably 
 wished to taste it." 
 
 Trembling at thoughts of the danger they incurred, I 
 rushed from the side of the arch to prevent their passing. 
 They endeavored to make me move, but I resisted so 
 stoutly, barring the passage whichever way they at- 
 tempted to go, that Louis's papa stopped his brother-in- 
 law and said to him : 
 
 " Listen, there is something very extraordinary about 
 Cadichon's behavior. You know what is said of this 
 animal's intelligence. Listen to me, and let us turn back. 
 Besides, it is not likely that all the donkeys would be on 
 the other side of the ruins."
 
 82 THS ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " You are right," answered James's papa, " and I per- 
 ceive the grass around the arch pressed down as if it had 
 been recently trampled upon. No doubt our donkeys 
 have been stolen." 
 
 They returned towards the mammas, who had kept the 
 children with them, and I followed with a light heart, 
 happy at having probably averted a terrible calamity. 
 They talked low, and I perceived that they got close 
 together. 
 
 " How shall we manage this ? " said Louis's mamma, 
 when they had called me up. " One donkey can't carry 
 all these children." 
 
 "Put the smallest on Cadichon, and let the rest follow 
 with us," said James's mamma. 
 
 " Come, Cadichon, let us see how many you can carry," 
 said Helen's mamma. 
 
 Ruth being the smallest, was put in front, then Helen, 
 then James, then Louis. The whole four were not heavy, 
 and wishing to show that I could carry them without 
 the least fatigue, I set off in a trot. 
 
 " Not so fast, Cadichon ! " cried the papas, " gently, so 
 we can hold on to those on your back." 
 
 I changed my gait to a walk, and proceeded, sur- 
 rounded by the larger children and the mammas, the papaa 
 following to assist those that were disposed to lag behind. 
 
 " Mamma, why didn't papa hunt for our donkeys? " said 
 Henry, who was the youngest of the band, and found 
 the way long. 
 
 " Because your papa thinks they have been stolen, and 
 it would be useless to seek them."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 83 
 
 " Stolen ! who stole them ? I saw nobody." 
 
 " Nor did I, but there were traces of footsteps around 
 the arch." 
 
 " But then, mamma, he ought to have hunted for the 
 robbers," said William. 
 
 " That would have been very imprudent, as there must 
 have been several men, to have taken thirteen donkeys. 
 They were probably armed, and would have killed or 
 wounded your papas." 
 
 "Armed, mamma ! " said William. 
 
 " Yes, with clubs, knives, perhaps pistols." 
 
 " Oh ! how very dangerous ! Papa was right to return 
 with my uncles ! " exclaimed Maud. 
 
 " We must hasten home, for your papa and uncles are 
 going to the village al'ter our return." 
 
 " Why, mamma ? " asked William. 
 
 44 To warn the guards, and try to recover the donkeys." 
 
 " 1 am sorry we went to see the ruins," said Maud. 
 
 " Why ? " replied Beatrice, " they were beautiful." 
 
 " Yes, but it was very dangerous. Suppose the rob- 
 bers had captured us instead of the donkeys ? " 
 
 " That would have been impossible ! there were too 
 many of us," said Elizabeth. 
 
 " But there must have been a number of robbers," was 
 Maud's reply. 
 
 " We would all have fought them," said Elizabeth. 
 
 " With what ? we had only a stick." 
 
 "And our feet, our fists, our teeth ; 1 would have 
 ecratched them to death ; I would have torn their eye* 
 out!"
 
 84 THE ADVENTUKE8 OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "And the robbers would have killed you, that's all," 
 said William. 
 
 " Killed me ! and papa and mamma there ! do you sup- 
 pose they would have allowed the robbers to carry me off 
 or kill me?" 
 
 " The robbers would have killed them too, and before 
 they killed you," answerd Beatrice. 
 
 "Do you think, then, that there was an army of 
 robbers ? " 
 
 " There could not have been less than a dozen." 
 
 " A dozen ? what nonsense ! do you believe that rob- 
 bers always go in dozens, like oysters ? " 
 
 " You are always making fun of whatever is said to 
 you ! I say that to carry off thirteen donkeys, there 
 muat have been at least twelve men." 
 
 " I bet so myself, and the thirteenth was to make good 
 measure, like little pies." 
 
 The mammas, and the other children laughed at this 
 conversation, until it turned into dispute ; then Eliza- 
 beth's mamma bade her be silent, and said that Beatrice 
 was probably correct as to the number of robbers. 
 
 We were not long in reaching the house, and great 
 was the surprise of all there, to see the party returning 
 on foot, and me, Cadichon, carrying four children. But 
 when the papas recounted the disappearance of the don- 
 keys, and my persistency in not allowing any one to 
 approach the arch, all shook their heads, and gave vent 
 to a multitude of most singular suppositions ; some said 
 the donkeys had been swallowed up by demons ; others,
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 85 
 
 that the religious buried in the chapel had seized them to 
 ride all over with them ; and others again, that the angels 
 guarding the convent, reduced to dust and ashes every 
 animal approaching too near the cemetery where the 
 souls of the religious wandered. Not one suggested the 
 idea of robbers concealed in the vaults. 
 
 Immediately on their return, the three papas acquainted 
 the grandmother with the probable theft of their donkeys, 
 after which the horses were put to the carriage, and they 
 went to lay their complaint before the authorities of the 
 neighboring town. In two hours they returned with an 
 officer and six guards. Such was my reputation for intel- 
 ligence, that the gravest suspicions were based upon my 
 resistance to the attempted passage of the arch. The 
 guards were armed with pistols and carbines, ready to 
 take the field. However, they accepted the grandmother's 
 invitation to dinner, and sat down to the table with the 
 ladies and gentlemen.
 
 XIIL 
 
 THE VAULTS. 
 
 THE dinner was not long, for the soldiers were anxious 
 to make their inspection before night. They asked the 
 grandmother's permission to take me with them. 
 
 " He will be very useful in our expedition, madam," 
 said the officer. " This Cadichon is not an ordinary 
 donkey; he has already accomplished more difficult 
 things than we are going to require of him." 
 
 " Take him, if you think it necessary, but do not 
 fatigue him too much, I beg of you. The poor beast 
 made that journey this morning and returned with four 
 of my grandchildren on his back." 
 
 " Oh, as to that, madam, you may be perfectly easy ; 
 be sure we will treat him as kindly as possible." 
 
 Having eaten and drunk, my dinner being a peck of 
 oats, an armful of salad, carrots and other vegetables, 
 with a bucket of water, I was ready to start. When 
 they came to take me, I placed myself at the head and 
 they all followed a donkey guiding soldiers ! They did 
 not seem vexed at this, however, for they were all good 
 men. Soldiers are generally considered rough and harsh, 
 but I assure you they are just the contrary ; no people in 
 
 (80)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 87 
 
 the world are kinder, none more charitable, patient and 
 generous than these same military men. Whilst on the 
 road they took every imaginable care of me, relaxing 
 their pace when they thought me fatigued, and proposing 
 to let rne drink at every stream we crossed. 
 
 It was nearly night when we reached the convent. 
 Fearing their horses might be a disadvantage, they had 
 been left at a village near the forest. The officer now 
 gave orders for the men to follow all my movements and 
 to keep together. Without hesitation I led them to tho 
 entrance of the arch overgrown with bushes, and whence 
 I had seen the twelve robbers issue. 
 
 With the greatest anxiety, I saw that they remained 
 there. To get them away I went a few steps behind the 
 wall ; they followed and I returned to the bushes, pre- 
 venting them from returning also, by barring the way 
 whenever they attempted a step in that direction. They 
 understood me and remained concealed along the wall. 
 
 I then approached the entrance to the vaults, and 
 began to bray with all the strength of my lungs. I was 
 not long in attaining my object. All my imprisoned 
 comrades responded vigorously. 1 made a step towards 
 the soldiers, who divined my manoeuvres, and I returned 
 to the entrance of the vaults, where I began to bray 
 again. This time there was no answer, and I suspected 
 that the robbers to prevent my comrades' braying had 
 tied stones to their tails. Everybody knows that on bray- 
 ing we raise our tails, and not being able to raise their 
 tails, because of the weight of the stones, my comrades 
 held their peace.
 
 88 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 I remained about two steps from the entrance. Soon 
 a man's head cautiously peered up amidst the bushes. 
 Looking all around and seeing no one but myself: 
 
 "Ah!" said he, "here is the knave we missed this 
 morning. You will rejoin your companions, my brayer." 
 
 As he was about to seize me, I retreated a couple of 
 steps, he followed, I still kept out of his reach, until I 
 
 had brought him to the angle of the wall, behind which 
 my friends, the soldiers, were concealed. 
 
 Before he had time to utter a cry even, they had seized, 
 gagged, and bound and extended him on the ground. I 
 returned tr> the entrance and brayed again, not doubting 
 but this would bring another to see what had become of 
 his companion. And sure enough, I soon heard a slight 
 movement among the bushes, and saw a new head look-
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 89 
 
 ing around with the same precaution. Not being able to 
 reach me, the second robber did precisely as the first. I 
 executed the same mano3uvre, and he was in the soldiers' 
 hands before he had time to know what had happened. 
 I proceeded thus, until six were taken. After the 
 sixth, I brayed in vain ; no one appeared. I suppose, 
 noticing that their companions did not return, the rob- 
 
 bers began to suspect a trap and determined to run no 
 more risks. 
 
 Meanwhile, night had set in and we could scarcely see. 
 The officer sent one of his men for re-inforcements to 
 attack the robbers in their cave, and to take away in a 
 vehicle, the six prisoners bound and gagged. The remain- 
 ing soldiers were divided into two bands to guard the 
 convent outlets ; as for me, receiving many caresses and
 
 90 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 unbounded compliments, I was allowed to follow my own 
 inclinations. 
 
 " If he were not a donkey," said one soldier, " he woiild 
 merit the cross." 
 
 " Hasn't he one on his back ? " said another. 
 
 " Hush that," said a third, " its a poor joke ; you know 
 very well that this cross is marked upon their backs to 
 remind us that one of their number had once the honor 
 of carrying our Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 " That's why it is a cross of honor," was the answer. 
 
 " Silence," said the officer in an undertone, " Cadichon 
 pricks up his ears." 
 
 I indeed heard an extraordinary noise from beneath 
 the arch, it was not the sound of footsteps, but rather 
 that of stifled cries and a sort of crackling. The soldiers 
 likewise heard it, but could not divine the cause. At 
 last a thick smoke was seen issuing from the air holes 
 and lower windows of the convent, tongues of flame 
 leaped out, and in a few minutes all was on fire. 
 
 " They have set fire to the vaults, so they can escape by 
 the doors," said the officer. 
 
 " It must be extinguished, lieutenant," replied a sol- 
 dier. 
 
 " Be very careful ! Guard every opening more closely 
 than ever, and if the robbers show themselves, fire your 
 carbines, use the pistols afterwards." 
 
 The officer had truly divined their manoeuvres ; under- 
 standing that they had been discovered and their com- 
 rades captured, the robbers hoped to avail themselves of
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 91 
 
 the opportunity afforded by the soldiers' efforts in extin- 
 guishing the flames, to make their own escape and liberate 
 their friends. We soon saw the remaining six and their 
 captain ru-h out of the masked entrance by the bushes; 
 but three guards were at this post ; each one drew his 
 carbine before the robbers had time to use their arms. 
 Two of the thieves fell, and the third let his pistol drop 
 from his hands, his arm was broken. But the captain 
 and the other three rushed furiously upon the soldiers, 
 who, sabre in one hand and pistol in the other, fought 
 like lions. Before the officer and the two soldiers guard- 
 ing the opposite side of the convent had had time to 
 come to their companions' assistance, the combat was 
 nearly ended and the robbers all either killed or wounded; 
 the captain who still defended himself against a soldier, 
 being the only one on his feet. His two comrades 
 were dangerously wounded. The arrival of reinforce- 
 ments ei de 1 the contest. In the twinkling of an eye, 
 the captain was surrounded, disarmed, gagged and put 
 beside the other six. 
 
 During this struggle the fire died out; in fact, nothing 
 had been burning but some bushes and undergrowth, but 
 the officer before penetrating into the vaults wished to 
 await the arrival of the expected reinforcements. The 
 night was well advanced, when we saw the six addi- 
 tional soldiers and the vehicle which was to take away 
 the prisoners. They were placed in it side by side. The 
 officer being humane, had given orders to remove the 
 gags, and in consequence, the soldiers were loaded with
 
 92 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 all manner of abusive epithets, to which, however, they 
 paid no attention. Two of them got into the wagon to 
 escort the prisoners, and meanwhile litters were made to 
 carry the wounded. 
 
 During these preparations, I accompanied the officer, 
 who, with eight men, penetrated into the vaults. We 
 traversed a long corridor, which sloped downward, until 
 at last we reached the vaults, where the brigands had 
 established their dwelling. One of these caves served 
 for their stable, and here we found all my comrades cap- 
 tured that day, each one with a stone to his tail. The 
 stones were immediately detached, and the donkeys 
 began to bray in unison. Being underground, it was 
 deafening. 
 
 " Silence ! donlceys ! " said a soldier, " unless you want 
 your trinkets put on again." 
 
 " Let them alone," responded another soldier, " you 
 know very well they are sounding Cadichon's praises." 
 
 " I would prefer their doing it in another tone," said 
 the first soldier laughing. 
 
 " This man assuredly," said I to myself, " does not like 
 music. "What does he find to censure in my comrades' 
 voices." Poor comrades ! they chanted their deliverance. 
 
 We continued our inspection. One of the vaults was 
 full of stolen goods. In another, were the prisoners kept 
 to wait on them, some attended to the dishes, the cook- 
 ing, the cleaning of the vaults, others made the clothing 
 and shoes. Some of these unhappy creatures had been 
 there for two years ; they were chained by twos, and had
 
 THE ADVENTUKE8 OF A DONKEY. 93 
 
 little bells to their arms and feet, so as to keep one 
 always acquainted with their movements. Two robbers 
 remained constantly with them as guards, and never 
 more than two captives were allowed in the same vault, 
 except those who made the clothing. The latter were all 
 together whilst working, but during this time the end of 
 their chain was attached to a ring fastened in the wall. 
 
 I learned afterwards that these captives, about forty in 
 number, were the visitors to the ruins, who had been dis- 
 appearing for the last two years. They related how the 
 robbers had killed before their eyes, three of them, who 
 were sick, and one who obstinately refused to work. 
 
 The soldiers delivered all these poor creatures, brought 
 the donkeys to the castle, carried the wounded men to 
 the hospital, and put the robbers in prison. The latter 
 were judged and condemned ; the captain to death, the 
 others to transportation to Cayenne. As for me, I was 
 the universal subject of admiration ; wherever I went, I 
 heard persons saying : 
 
 " It is Cadichon ! the famous Cadichon, worth all the 
 donkeys in the country 1 "
 
 XIV. 
 
 THERESA. 
 
 MY little mistresses, (for my masters and mistresses 
 corresponded to the number of the grandmother's grand- 
 children,) had a cousin, of whom they were very fond. 
 She was near their age, and their most intimate friend. 
 Theresa was her name, and a good, kind little darling she 
 was. She never touched me with a switch, and never 
 permitted anyone to do so when she was on my back. 
 
 In one of our promenades, my young mistresses came 
 upon a little girl seated along the roadside. She rose at 
 their approach and came limping towards them, asking 
 alms. They were all touched at her sad, dejected appear- 
 ance. 
 
 " Why do you limp, little one ? " said Theresa. 
 
 " Because my shoes hurt me, miss." 
 
 " \Vhy don't you ask your mamma to get you another 
 pair?" 
 
 " I have no mamma, miss." 
 
 " Ask your papa, then ? " 
 
 " I have no papa, miss." 
 
 " But with whom do you live? " 
 
 With nobody, I live alone." 
 
 " Who feeds you ? " 
 
 (94)
 
 A little girl asked alms from them.-(Page 04.) 
 
 (05)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 97 
 
 " Sometimes nobody, sometimes everybody." 
 
 " How old are you ? " 
 
 " I do not know, miss, about seven years perhaps." 
 
 Where do you sleep ? " 
 
 " Wherever anybody takes me in ; when everybody 
 drives me away, I sleep out-doors, under a tree, near a 
 hedge, anywhere." 
 
 " But in winter you must freeze." 
 
 " I get cold, but I am used to it." 
 
 " Have you had any dinner to-day ? " 
 
 " I have not eaten since yesterday." 
 
 " Oh ! that is dreadful, dreadful," said Theresa, with 
 tears in her eyes. "My dear cousins, wouldn't your 
 grandma give this poor little thing something to eat and 
 let her sleep in the castle ? " 
 
 " Certainly," answered the three cousins, " grandma 
 would be delighted, and, besides, she always does what 
 we wish her to do." 
 
 " But, Theresa," said Beatrice, " how shall we get her 
 to the house ? see how she limps." 
 
 " Put her on Cadichon, and let us go on foot, instead 
 of taking turns on Cadichon, two by two, as we have 
 been doing." 
 
 " Oh, to be sure ; what a good idea," exclaimed the 
 three cousins. 
 
 They put the little girl on my back, and Maud gave 
 her a piece of bread that had been left of their lunch. 
 She was delighted to get a ride, but so great were her
 
 98 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 fatigue and hunger, that she ate the bread with avidity, 
 and said nothing. 
 
 When we reached home, Maud and Elizabeth took the 
 child into the kitchen, whilst Beatrice and Theresa ran 
 to their grandmother. " Grandma," said Beatrice, " will 
 you let us give a good little girl that we found on the 
 road something to eat ? " 
 
 "Certainly, my darling; but who is she?" 
 
 "I don't know, grandma." 
 
 VV^here does she live?" 
 
 " Nowhere, grandma." 
 
 "Nowhere! how is that? Her parents must live 
 somewhere." 
 
 " She has no parents, grandma, she is all alone." 
 
 " And," said Theresa, timidly, " will you let the poor 
 little thing sleep here? " 
 
 " If she really has no home, I could not turn her away ; 
 but I must see her and speak to her." 
 
 So saying, she arose and went to the kitchen where the 
 little ffirl was finishing her meal. She called the child, 
 who came limping, questioned her and obtained the same 
 replies. It was truly an embarrassing case. To send 
 this child away, plunging her again into the state of 
 abandonment and suffering from which she had just been 
 rescued, would be impossible ; but then what was to be 
 done with her? who was to take charge of and raise 
 her? 
 
 " Listen, my dear," said the grandmother, "you will 
 eat and sleep here, whilst I make inquiries as to the truth
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 99 
 
 of jour account, and in a few days I will see what I can 
 do for yon." 
 
 She then gave orders to prepare a bed for the child, 
 and not to let her want for anything; but the poor little 
 creature was so filthy that no one wished to touch her or 
 even come near her. Theresa was in despair ; she could 
 not insist upon her aunt's servants doing what was so 
 repugnant to them. 
 
 " It was I," thought she, " who brought her here, and 
 I am the one to have the care and trouble. But how 
 shall I do?" 
 
 After a moment's reflection, an idea presented itself. 
 
 " Wait, my dear," said she, " I will be back presently." 
 And she ran to her mamma. 
 
 " Mamma," said she, " ought I not to take a bath ? " 
 
 " Yes, Theresa, go now, your nurse is waiting for you." 
 
 " Mamma, instead of taking a bath myself, would you 
 let me give one to the little girl we have brought here ? " 
 
 " What little girl ? I have not seen her." 
 
 "A poor, poor little thing, who has no papa, no mamma, 
 no one to take care of her, who sleeps out-doors, and eats 
 only what people give her. Maud's grandma says she 
 may stay at the castle, but none of the servants will 
 touch her." 
 
 Why not?" 
 
 "Because she is so dirty, so dirty, she is disgusting; 
 then mamma, if you are willing, I will bathe her in my 
 place, not to disgust nurse. I will undress and soap her 
 myself, and I will cut her hair, which is all tangled and 
 full of little white insects."
 
 100 THE ADVENTUBE8 OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " But, my little Theresa, won't it disgust you too, to 
 touch and wash her ? " 
 
 "A little, mamma, but when I think that if I were in 
 her place, it would make me so happy to have somebody 
 care for me, I feel encouraged. And mamma, when she 
 is washed, will you let me put some of my old clothes on 
 her, till I buy her new ones ? " 
 
 " Certainly, my dear little Theresa, but how can you 
 buy her clothing ? You have only two or three francs, 
 about enough to get her a chemise." 
 
 " Oh ! mamma, you forgot my twenty franc piece ! " 
 
 " That you gave your papa to keep for you, so you 
 would not spend it ? I thought you were saving that to 
 buy a beautiful prayer book like Maud's." 
 
 "I would rather do without the beautiful prayer book, 
 mamma, I still have my old one." 
 
 " Do as you wish, my child, whenever there is a ques- 
 tion of doing good, I leave you free to use your own 
 pleasure." 
 
 Her mamma embraced her, and then went with her to 
 see this little girl that no one would touch. 
 
 " If she has any disease of the skin, that Theresa can 
 catch, I shall not let Theresa touch her," said the mother. 
 
 The little girl still waited at the door. A careful 
 examination of her hands and body revealed no traces of 
 disease, but a great deal of dirt. Her hair was so full of 
 vermin, that making her sit on the grass, Theresa's 
 mamma cut it close to her head, without touching it with 
 her hands. When it was all on the grass, she took it up
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 101 
 
 on a shovel, and told one of the servants to throw it 
 away out of reach. Then in a tub of tepid water, with 
 Theresa's assistance, she gave the little beggar's head a 
 thorough washing and cleaning. Having wiped it, she 
 said to Theresa : " Now, my pet, 
 whilst you give her a bath, I 
 will throw these rags in the fire." 
 Maud, Beatrice and Elizabeth 
 came to Theresa's assistance; 
 they all four led her into the 
 bath room and undressed her, 
 in spite of the disgusting odor 
 of her rags and dirt. Then 
 eagerly plunging her in the 
 water, they soaped her from 
 head to foot. The operation 
 was such a pleasant one to all 
 parties, both the little girl and 
 her friends, that she was kept 
 in somewhat longer than ne- 
 cessity required. When the bathing was over, and 
 she had expressed her satisfaction, the four assisted her 
 out of the bath tub. Then after wiping and rubbing 
 her skin until it was very red and as dry as a ham bone, 
 they arrayed her in a chemise, a petticoat and a dress 
 belonging to Theresa, all of which answered the purpose, 
 because Theresa, like other little girls in her station, 
 wore her clothes very short, whilst the little beggar's 
 were expected to reach her ankles. The waist was some-
 
 102 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 what long, but not being excessively particular, everyone 
 was pleased. When about to put on her shoes and 
 stockings, the children perceived a sore upon the instep. 
 It was this which had made her limp. Maud immedi- 
 ately ran to her grad mother for some salve. The grand- 
 mother gave what was necessary, and Maud, assisted by 
 her three friends, one of whom steadied the little girl, 
 whilst a second held her foot, and a third unrolled the 
 bandage and applied the liniment. They were nearly 
 one quarter of an hour arranging a compress and band ; 
 sometimes it was too tight, sometimes not tight enough ; 
 the band was too high, or the compress too low ; they 
 disputed and jerked the sore foot first this way and then 
 that, the owner, meanwhile, not daring to object or utter 
 a complaint. At last, however, the bandage was arranged 
 satisfactorily, a pair of Theresa's old stockings and slip- 
 pers put on her feet, and the little beggar relieved of her 
 kind waiting maids' attentions. When she returned to 
 the kitchen no one recognized her. 
 
 " This is certainly not the little fright that just went 
 out of here," said one servant. 
 
 " It is the same child," replied another servant, " but 
 no one would know it, she looks so genteel now." 
 
 "It is all lost time for Madame d'Arbe and the chil- 
 dren to fix her up like that. As for me, I would not 
 have touched her if they had given me twenty francs," 
 said the cook. 
 
 " And she smelt so bad," said the kitchen girl. 
 
 " You ought not to have such a sensitive nose, my
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 105 
 
 fair one," replied the coachman, " you who have your 
 gridirons, your saucepans and all such things to clean." 
 
 "My gridirons and saucepans are not strong of the 
 stable, like some people I know," was the kitchen girl's 
 answer, somewhat piqued 
 
 " Ah ! ah ! ah ! she is angry, take care of the broom ! " 
 said the other servants. 
 
 " If she takes hers, I know very well where to find 
 mine," said the coachman, " and the pitchfork and curry- 
 comb." 
 
 " Come, come," interposed the cook, " don't go too far ; 
 she is passionate, and you know you must not irritate 
 her." 
 
 " What is that to me ? if she gets angry, so will I." 
 
 " .But I do not want that here ; madam does not like 
 disputes ; it is very certain that we all would come in for 
 a share of the blame." 
 
 " Le Vatel is right," said another servant " Hush, 
 Thomas, you are always getting up a quarrel. Besides, 
 this is not your place." 
 
 "Indeed! my place is anywhere, when 1 have no 
 stable work to do." 
 
 " But you have work to do," replied the cook. " Look 
 at Cadichon, not yet unsaddled, and walking up and 
 down like a countryman waiting for his dinner." 
 
 "I believe Cadichon listens at the doors; he is more 
 cunning than he seems ; he is a real scamp of a donkey," 
 said the coachman, as he called me, and taking hold of 
 my bridle, led me to the stable. Having unbridled and
 
 106 THE ADVENTURES OF A DO> KEY. 
 
 unsaddled me, lie left me alone, that is, with two horses 
 and another donkey, with none of whom I ever deigned 
 to converse. 
 
 I know not what took place that evening at the castle, 
 but the next afternoon I was saddled, and with the little 
 beggar on my back, my four little mistresses following 
 on foot, we all went to the village. I learned from their 
 conversation that they were on a shopping expedition 
 for their prot6g6. Theresa wished to furnish the outfit 
 entire, the others insisted on paying their share, and the 
 dispute grew so animated, that had I not stopped at the 
 store of myself, they would have passed it. In helping 
 the little girl to get down, they nearly pitched her face 
 foremost on the ground, for all darted at her at once; 
 one caught her by the legs, another by the arms, a third 
 by the waist, whilst Elizabeth, who was stronger than 
 two or three of the others put together, pushed them 
 away so that she could help the child off all by herself. 
 Pulled here and there, the poor thing began to cry of 
 fright, until she attracted the attention of passers by. 
 The store-keeper opened the door : 
 
 " Good morning, young ladies, let me help you, you 
 are not strong enough to lift this little girl." 
 
 My young mistresses, satisfied at not having yielded to 
 one another, relinquished their hold on the child and the 
 store-keeper immediately lifted her off my back. 
 
 " What will you have, young ladies ? " said Madam 
 Juivet. 
 
 " We want to get materials for clothing for this little 
 girl," answered Beatrice.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 107 
 
 " Oh, certainly ; is it a dress, a petticoat, or undergar- 
 ments you wish? " 
 
 " We want materials for all, Madam Juivet," answered 
 Maud ; " let us have enough to make three chemises, one 
 petticoat, one dress, one apron, one neckerchief, two 
 bonnets." 
 
 " Let me speak, Maud," whispered Theresa, "since I am 
 going to pay." 
 
 " No, you are not going to pay all, we wish to pay 
 part," was the whispered answer. 
 
 " But I would rather pay alone," said Theresa in the 
 same tone, "she is my girl." 
 
 " No, she isn't, she belongs to us all," said Maud. 
 
 " What materials do you prefer ? " interrupted Madam 
 Juivet, impatient to sell. 
 
 Whilst Maud and Theresa continued their dispute in 
 an undertone, Beatrice and Elizabeth took advantage of 
 the opportunity to make the purchases. 
 
 " Good bye, Madam Juivet," said they, " send it home 
 as soon as possible, and enclose the bill also." 
 
 " How is that ! " exclaimed Maud and Theresa, " have 
 you already bought the things? " 
 
 " Yes," answered Beatrice, with a mischievous air, " we 
 selected all that was necessary whilst you two were 
 talking." 
 
 "But you ought to have consulted our tastes too," 
 replied Maud. 
 
 " Certainly, since I am the person who pays," said 
 Theresa.
 
 108 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 ** We'll all pay, we'll all pay ! " cried the other three 
 in chorus. 
 
 " How much is it ? " inquired Theresa. 
 
 " Thirty-two francs, miss." 
 
 " Thirty-two francs ! " exclaimed the frightened Theresa, 
 " but I have only twenty." 
 
 "Ah ! we'll pay the rest," said Maud. 
 
 " So much the better, as we will then have all helped 
 to clothe her," said Elizabeth. 
 
 " So thanks to Madam Juivet, we are at last agreed, 
 and it was not such an easy matter," said Beatrice laugh- 
 ing. 
 
 Through the open door, I had heard all, and was indig- 
 nant at Madam Juivet, for she had charged my kind 
 little mistresses at least double the value of their goods. 
 I hoped their mammas would not consent to the imposi- 
 tion. "VVe returned home, every one pleased, thanks to 
 Madam Juivet, as Beatrice had innocently remarked. 
 
 It was beautiful weather, and all were seated on the 
 lawn in front of the house when we arrived. William, 
 Henry, Louis and James had been fishing in one of the 
 ponds, during our trip to the village, and had just 
 returned with three fine fishes and a number of little 
 ones. Whilst Louis and James took oif my saddle and 
 bridle, the four little girls gave their mammas an account 
 of their purchases. 
 
 " What did they come to? " said Theresa's mamma. 
 " How much is left of your twenty franc piece ? " 
 
 Theresa was a little embarrassed, and blushed slightly 
 as she answered :
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 109 
 
 " Nothing, mamma." 
 
 " Nothing! twenty francs to dress a child six or seven 
 years old ! " said Maud's mamma. " That is dreadfully 
 high ! what have you bought ? " 
 
 Theresa could not tell, she could only say that Beatrice 
 and Elizabeth had made the selection. 
 
 But the conversation was interrupted by the arrival of 
 Madam Juivet with the package, much to the delight of 
 Beatrice and Elizabeth, who were beginning to think 
 they had made a bad bargain. 
 
 " Good day, Madam Juivet," said the grandmother," 
 " open your package here on the lawn and let us see 
 what these little girls have bought." 
 
 Making a salutation, Madam Juivet laid down her 
 bundle, undid it, and after taking from it the bill, which 
 she handed Beatrice, proceeded to display the goods. 
 
 Beatrice had blushed on receiving the bill ; her grand- 
 mother took it from her hands and uttered an exclama- 
 tion of surprise. 
 
 " Thirty two francs to dress a little beggar ! Madam 
 Juivet," added she, in a severe tone, " you have taken 
 advantage of my grandchildren's ignorance ; you know 
 very well that these materials are entirely too expensive 
 for our purpose. You will take them all back, and know 
 that hereafter we deal no more with you." 
 
 " Madam," said Madam Juivet, with restrained wrath, 
 " these young ladies consulted their own tastes, I did not 
 make the selection of a single article." 
 
 " But you ought to have shown them only what was 
 10
 
 110 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 suitable, and not have tried to palm off on them your old 
 merchandise that no one wants." 
 
 " Madam, these young ladies having bought my goods, 
 ought to pay for them." 
 
 " They will pay for none of them," replied the grand- 
 mother, in a tone of severity, " and you may take them 
 all baok. Go, immediately ; I shall send my maid to 
 make the necessary purchases of Madam Jourdan." 
 
 Madam Juivet retired in a terrible rage. I accompa- 
 nied her to the road, braying triumphantly and frisking 
 around her, much to the children's amusement and her 
 own terror, for feeling guilty, she feared my vengeance, 
 as everybody considered me somewhat of a sorcerer, and 
 consequently evil doers stood greatly in awe of me. 
 
 The mammas scolded the children, the boys laughed at 
 them ; as for me, I quietly nibbled the grass, and watched 
 them run, skip and play. Listening meantime to all 
 that was said (for I always took good care to keep within 
 hearing distance). I learned that next day there was to 
 be a gunning party, that Henry and William were to 
 have little muskets for the occasion, and also, that one of 
 their young neighbors was invited to join them.
 
 XV. 
 
 THE GUNNING PARTY. 
 
 As I have already remarked there was to be agr.nning 
 expedition next day, William and Henry were ready 
 before anyone else it was their first appearance as gun- 
 ners so equipped with guns and game bags, their eyea 
 sparkling with pleasure, they strutted around in a proud, 
 defiant manner, as if they expected to shoot all the game 
 in the country. I followed at a distance, and observed 
 all their preparations for the expedition. 
 
 " William," said Henry in a thoughtful manner, 
 " when our game bags are full, where shall we put the 
 rest of our game ? " 
 
 " That is just what I was thinking of," answered Wil- 
 liam, " I will ask papa to let us take Cadichon." 
 
 This idea did not please me at all ; 1 knew that young 
 gunners fired a little at random and in aiming at a par- 
 tridge, they might send the load into me, so 1 anxiously 
 awaited the result of the request. 
 
 " Papa," said William to his father who approached, 
 " may we take Cadichon ? " 
 
 " For what ? " answered the father laughing, " do you 
 wish to gun on donkey back, and pursue the partridges 
 
 (in)
 
 112 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 in their flight? If so, you must first put wings to 
 Cadichon." 
 
 " No, papa," said Henry, a little vexed, " we want him 
 to carry our game when our pouches are too full." 
 
 " To carry your game ! " replied his father greatly sur- 
 prised and still laughing. " You think then, poor inno- 
 cents, you are going to kill not only something, but a 
 great deal!" 
 
 " Certainly papa," was Henry's piqued reply, " I have 
 twenty cartridges in my vest, and 1 shall kill fifteen 
 pieces of game, at least." 
 
 "Ah ! ah ! ah ! that is really a good joke ! Do you 
 know what you will kill, you two and your friend 
 Alfred?" 
 
 "What papa," 
 
 " Time and nothing else." 
 
 "Well papa," said Henry, very much annoyed, " why 
 do you give us guns, and take us out gunning, if you 
 think us so stupid and awkward as to kill nothing ? " 
 
 " To teach you to gun, little dunces, nobody is a suc- 
 cessful gunner at first, one becomes so only by dint of 
 practice." 
 
 Here the conversation was interrupted by the arrival 
 of Alfred, also ready to shoot all he came across. Wil- 
 liam and Henry were Btill flushed with indignation 
 when Alfred joined them. 
 
 " Papa thinks we are not going to shoot anything, 
 Alfred," said William, " we'll convince him that we are 
 better gunners than he thinks."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 113 
 
 " Don't worry about it ; we shall kill more than them- 
 selves," replied Alfred. 
 
 " Why more ? " inquired Henry. 
 
 " Because we are young, active and nimble, whilst our 
 papas are getting a little old." 
 
 "Yes indeed," said Henry, "my papa is forty-two 
 years old, whilst William is fifteen and I thirteen. What 
 a difference ! " 
 
 *' And between my papa and me too ! He is forty-three, 
 whilst I am but fourteen ! " said Alfred. 
 
 " Listen to me," said William, " without telling papa, 
 I am going to have Cadichon saddled and the panniers 
 put on him. He will follow us, and we will make him 
 carry our game." 
 
 " Oh, that is splendid ! " replied Alfred, " but put on 
 the big panniers, for if we were to kill a buck it would 
 take up a great deal of room." 
 
 Henry was charged with the commission. 1 laughed 
 to myself at their foresight, for I was very sure not only 
 of not being loaded with a buck, but of returning with 
 panniers as empty as at my departure. 
 
 " Ready ! " said the papas. " We will go ahead, and 
 you boys keep near. We will disband on getting into 
 the field." 
 
 " What does this mean, Cadichon following us? " said 
 William's father in great surprise, "Cadichon orna- 
 mented with two enormous baskets ! " 
 
 " Those baskets," said the game-keeper laughing, " are 
 to carry the young gentlemen's game."
 
 114 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "Ah! ah! they wish to put him at their head 1 
 would prefer Cadichon's following (if he has nothing else 
 to do,) instead of taking the lead," replied William's 
 father. 
 
 And he smiled as he glanced at William and Henry, 
 who tried to look very indifferent. 
 
 " Is your gun cocked, William? " inquired Henry. 
 
 " Not yet, it is so hard to cock and uncock, that I pre- 
 fer waiting till a partridge starts up." 
 
 " We are now in the field," said their papa, " keep in 
 a line and shoot ahead, straight ahead of you, not to the 
 right or the left, unless you want to kill some of us." 
 
 The partridges flew up on all sides ; I remained pru- 
 dently behind, and even at a little distance, finding it 
 advisable, for more than one dog that happened to be in 
 the way, got a few grains of shot. The dogs scented the 
 game, started it up, and did their duty in every respect, 
 reports of muskets were heard all along the line. I did 
 not lose sight of my three young boasters, they fired often, 
 but got nothing, none of the three even touched a hare 
 or partridge. Their impatience was so great that they 
 always fired out of range, either too far or too near; 
 sometimes all three aimed in vain at the same partridge. 
 The papas on the 'contrary, were having fine sport, each 
 report of the gun representing an addition to their game 
 bags. In about two hours, Henry and William's papa 
 came up to them. 
 
 " Well, children," said he, " is Cadichon very heavily 
 laden 3 Is there still room for me to empty my game 
 bag ? for it is too full."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 115 
 
 There was no answer ; the boys knew from their 
 father's mischievous manner, that he was making sport 
 of them. As for me, I came running up, and turned one 
 of the baskets towards him. 
 
 " How is this ? " said he, " empty! your game bags will 
 burst if you cram them." 
 
 The game bags were flat. Laughing at the young 
 gunners' discomfitted air, he emptied his birds into one 
 of my baskets and hastened to his dog which was start- 
 ing more game. 
 
 " I see how your father kills so many partridges," said 
 Alfred; " he has two dogs that scare up the game and 
 bring it to him, when he kills it ; as for us, they have 
 not left us even one dog." 
 
 "That is true," replied Henry, "perhaps we have 
 killed a number of partridges, but have lost them for 
 want of a dog to bring them to us." 
 
 " But I have not seen any fall," said William. ' 
 "Because a partridge does not fall as soon as it is 
 shot," said Alfred, " It flies a little and falls some dis- 
 tance off." 
 
 "But when papa and my uncles shoot," persisted 
 William, " their partridges fall immediately." 
 
 " It seems so to you," explained Alfred, " because you 
 are some ways off, but if you were in their place, you 
 would notice the difference." 
 
 William said nothing, but his manner betrayed very 
 little confidence in Alfred's words. They had all begun 
 to leave off somewhat of the proud, soldierly air with 
 which they sallied forth as gunners.
 
 116 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 They commenced to inquire the hour. 
 
 " I am hungry," said Henry. 
 
 " I am thirsty," said Alfred. 
 
 "I am tired," said William. 
 
 As to the papas, they fired and killed, and had plenty 
 of luck. However, not forgetting their young compan- 
 ions, and not wishing to fatigue them too much, they 
 proposed a halt for breakfast, which met with universal 
 approbation. Calling in the dogs from the field to rest 
 for awhile, they all directed their steps towards a farm 
 about a hundred steps off, where the grandmother had 
 sent the provisions. 
 
 They seated themselves on the ground under an old 
 oak, and opened the baskets, which displayed as usual on 
 such occasions, a chicken pie, a ham, hard eggs, cheese, 
 marmalade, preserves, a big bun, an enormous cake and 
 several bottles of old wine. All the gunners, young and 
 old, had fine appetites, and ate enough to have aston- 
 ished a spectator. Yet the grandmother had provided 
 so bountifully for the needs of the most voracious, that 
 half the provisions remained for the game-keepers and 
 farm people. The dogs had the scraps to appease their 
 hunger and pond water to quench their thirst. 
 
 " You have not had much luck, children," said Alfred's 
 papa. " Cadichon does not move as if he were heavily 
 laden." 
 
 " It is no wonder, papa, we had no dogs, you had them 
 all." 
 
 "Ah ! you think then that one, two or three dogs would
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 117 
 
 have insured the death of all the partridges that passed 
 under your nose." 
 
 " No, papa, they would not have killed the partridges, 
 but they would have sought and brought us those we had 
 killed, and then" 
 
 " Those you killed ! " interrupted the father, with an 
 air of astonishment. "Do you really think you have 
 killed any birds?" 
 
 " Certainly, papa, only as we did not see them fall, we 
 could not pick them up." 
 
 "And do you suppose you would not have seen them if 
 they had fallen ? " 
 
 " No, papa, for our sight is not as keen as that of the 
 dogs." 
 
 At this, the father, the uncles, and even the game- 
 keepers, burst into a loud laugh, whilst the children red- 
 dened with vexation. 
 
 " Now listen," said William and Henry's father, 
 " since you lose your game for want of dogs, we are going 
 to let you have a dog, when we get through breakfast 
 and commence to gun again." 
 
 "But, papa," said William, "the dogs will not follow 
 us, they do not know us as well as they do you." 
 
 " To make them follow you, we will give you the two 
 attendants, and we will not start for a half hour after 
 you, and then the dogs will not be tempted to rejoin us." 
 
 " Oh ! thanks, papa," exclaimed William, radiant with 
 joy. " With the dogs we are sure to kill as many as 
 vou!"
 
 118 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 Breakfast over and all rested, the young gunners were 
 eager to set out with the dogs and the guards. 
 
 " Now we look like real gunners," said they, with an 
 air of satisfaction. 
 
 And we tried the field again, I following them as 
 before breakfast, but always at a little distance. The 
 guards had been told to keep near the children in order 
 to prevent any imprudence. The partridges flew up on 
 all sides as in the morning, the young gentlemen fired as 
 in the morning, and with like success. Yet the dogs did 
 their duty, they sought, they stopped the birds, but 
 brought none, for this reason only, there were none to 
 bring. At last, Alfred impatient at firing to no purpose 
 and seeing one of the dogs standing the game, concluded 
 that he would fire before the partridges had flown up, and 
 thus secure his prize indeed. He aimed, he fired the 
 dog fell, struggling and uttering a piercing howl. 
 
 " Zounds ! it is our best dog ! " exclaimed the game- 
 keeper rushing towards it. 
 
 But the dog was dead ere he reached it, it had been 
 shot in the head and died almost instantly. 
 
 " You made a fine shot that time, master Alfred." said 
 the guard, laying the poor animal down, "1 suppose that 
 ends the gunning." 
 
 Alfred was motionless with consternation, William and 
 Henry seemed much affected at the dog's death, whilst 
 the gamekeeper concealed his wrath and looked at the 
 poor creature without saying a word. 
 
 I approached to see which dog had been the miserable
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 119 
 
 victim of Alfred's awkwardness and conceit, and what 
 was not my sorrow, my anguish, on recognizing Medor, 
 my friend, my dearest friend ! and oh ! imagine my hor- 
 ror to see the guard lift Medor up, and put him in one 
 of the baskets on my back ! Ah ! behold the game I 
 was condemned to carry, Medor, my friend, murdered by 
 a bad, stupid, conceited boy ! 
 
 We returned to the farm not quite so merry as we left, 
 the children not speaking a word, the guard occasionally 
 letting fall a furious oath, and I feeling no consolation, 
 except in the thought of the severe, humiliating repri- 
 mand the murderer would surely receive. 
 
 On reaching the farm we found the papas still there, 
 for not having their dogs, they preferred to rest till the 
 children's return. 
 
 "Already ! " they exclaimed at the sight of us. 
 
 " I really believe," said William's papa, " they have 
 killed a big piece of game of some sort. Cadichon walks 
 as if he had a load, and one of the baskets hangs as if it 
 contained something heavy." 
 
 They arose and came towards us, but the children, 
 with rueful countenances, lagged behind. Their parents 
 were struck with their demeanor, what could it mean ? 
 
 " They certainly have not the air of victors," said 
 Alfred's father, laughing. 
 
 " Perhaps they have killed a calf or a sheep, mistaking 
 it for a rabbit," answered William's papa, also laughing 
 
 The gamekeeper approached. 
 
 " What's the matter, Michaud ? you look as downcast 
 as the gunners."
 
 120 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "And with cause, sir, we bring a sad game." 
 
 " Tell us what it is then, a sheep, a calf, a donkey? " 
 
 "Ah ! sir, it is nothing to laugh at, it is your dog, 
 Medor, the very best of the band, that master Alfred has 
 killed, taking him for a partridge." 
 
 " Medor ! Oh ! the awkward boy ! if ever he guns 
 here again " exclaimed the poor dog's master. 
 
 " Come here, Alfred," said his father, " you see now 
 the result of your conceit and ridiculous presumption. 
 Say good-bye to your friends, sir ; you are goin# home 
 immediately, and you will put your gun away in my 
 room, to touch it no more until you have learned a little 
 sense and modesty. 
 
 " But, papa," answered Alfred, assuming an air of 
 indifference, " I don't know why you should get so angry, 
 it often happens that the dogs are killed on gunning 
 parties." 
 
 " The dogs ! the dogs are killed ! " exclaimed the stupe- 
 fied father, " indeed this is too much ! You have beauti- 
 ful notions of gunning, sir ! " 
 
 " But, papa," continued Alfred, still apparently indif- 
 ferent, " everybody knows that very often the best gun- 
 ners kill their dogs accidentally." 
 
 " My dear friends," said his father, turning towards 
 the other gentlemen, " will you excuse me for having 
 brought such an ill-mannered boy here? I did not 
 believe him capable of so much stupidity and impudence." 
 
 Then to his son : 
 
 ** You have my orders, sir, go 1 "
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 121 
 
 " But, papa" 
 
 " Silence ! I tell you," answered the father in a tone of 
 severity, "not one word, if you don't want to make 
 acquaintance with my ramrod ! " 
 
 Alfred hung his head and went off, covered with con- 
 fusion. 
 
 " You see, children," said William and Henry's 
 papa to them, " you see the result of presumption ; that 
 is, belief in a merit or quality which one does not possess. 
 What happened with Alfred, might have happened with 
 you also. You were all so convinced that nothing was 
 easier than to be an expert marksman, you had nothing 
 to do but to take aim, and the game was yours. You 
 have all three been ridiculous since morning, you have 
 despised our counsels, our experience, and in fact, you 
 are all three guilty of poor Medor's death. I see that 
 you are both too young for gunning. In a year or two 
 you may try it again. Meantime, return to your gar- 
 dens and other childish amusements, it will be the better 
 for everyone." 
 
 William and Henry hung their heads and made no 
 answer, but sadly returned to the house. My unfortu- 
 nate friend Medor, whose history I am going to relate to 
 you, was buried in the garden by the children them- 
 selves, who wished to perform this last mournful rite for 
 their pet After reading the following sketch of his life, 
 you will see why I loved him so much.
 
 XVI. 
 
 MED OR. 
 
 I HAD known Medor a long time ; I was young, and 
 he still younger, when we became acquainted and formed 
 mutual and inalterable attachment. I was then living 
 miserably with those wretched farmers who had bought 
 me from a dealer in donkeys, and from whom I escaped 
 so cleverly. I was quite thin, for really they never gave 
 me enough to eat. Medor (presented to them as a good 
 watch dog, and afterwards proving himself a superb 
 hunting dog) fared better than I ; he amused the chil- 
 dren, who often gave him bread and scraps of their meals ; 
 moreover, as he acknowledged to me himself, whenever it 
 was possible, he used to slip into the dairy with the mis- 
 tress or servant, where he was always sure to find some 
 means of lapping a little milk or cream, and seizing the 
 particles of butter which fell from the churn. Medor 
 was kind ; my lean, miserable appearance excited his 
 pity, and one day he brought me a piece of bread, pre- 
 senting it with a most triumphant air. 
 
 " Eat, my poor friend," said he, in his language, " I 
 have bread enough given me for my own sustenance, and 
 you, you have only thistles and poor grass, and hard]y 
 enough of these to keep you alive." 
 
 (122)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 123 
 
 " Good Medor," said I, " I am sure you have deprived 
 yourself of this for me. I do not suffer so much as you 
 think, for I am used to meagre fare, little sleep, much 
 work, and hard beatings." 
 
 "I am not hungry, my friend," replied Medor, "I assure 
 you, I am not hungry. Prove your friendship for me by 
 accepting my little present. It is trifling I know, but I 
 offer it willingly, and if you persist in refusing, I shall 
 feel quite grieved." 
 
 "Then I accept, my kind Medor," said I, "because I 
 am fond of you, and I must confess, that I shall relish it 
 greatly, for I am hungry." 
 
 And I ate the bread good Medor had brought me, he 
 keenly enjoying the eagerness with which I crunched and 
 swallowed it. I felt thoroughly revived by this unac- 
 customed repast, and said so to Medor, believing I could 
 thus best express my gratitude. The result was charac- 
 teristic of Medor, every day he brought me the biggest 
 piece of bread given him. In the evening, he used to 
 come and lie down beside me under the tree or bush I 
 had selected for my night's shelter, and we thus enjoyed 
 many a pleasant conversation. Had no one suspected, 
 or could have understood, for we conversed without talk- 
 ing. We other animals, we do not pronounce our words 
 like men, but we understand one another by winks, 
 motions of the head, the ears, the tail, and we converse 
 among ourselves as readily as men. 
 
 One evening Medor came to me quite sad and de- 
 jected.
 
 124 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "My friend," said he, I fear I shall no longer be able 
 to bring you a part of my bread ; my masters have de- 
 cided that 1 am big enough to be tied all day, and let loose 
 only at night. Moreover, my mistress has scolded the 
 children for giving me so much bread ; she has forbidden 
 them to feed me at all, because she wishes to feed me her- 
 6elf and that sparely, to make me a good watch dog, she 
 
 "My kind Medor," said I, "if it is the thought of my 
 losing the bread that frets you, compose yourself, 1 no 
 longer need it, for this morning I discovered a hole in 
 the side of the hay rack, from which I have already help- 
 ed myself to a little hay, and I find that I can easily do 
 so every day." 
 
 " Indeed ! " exclaimed Medor, "I am so glad ! but yet it 
 gave me such pleasure to share my bread with yon. And 
 then to be tied all day, and see you only at night, it is 
 really sad ! " 
 
 "We conversed a long time and it was very late when 
 he left me. 
 
 "I shall have time enough to sleep during the day," 
 said he, "and you too, as you are not kept very busy 
 either at this season." 
 
 All the next day passed indeed without my seeing poor 
 Medor. Towards evening, I was impatiently awaiting 
 him, when his cries reached my ears. Running to the 
 hedge, I saw that wicked woman, the farmer's wife hold- 
 ing my kind friend by the skin of his neck, whilst Edward 
 beat him with a carriage whip. I dashed through a breach
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DOXKEY. 125 
 
 in the hedge, caught Edward by the arm, and bit him in 
 such a fashion that the whip fell from his hands. The 
 wicked woman released her hold on Medor, who escaped ; 
 this was all I wanted, so I let go Edward's arm, and was 
 about returning to my enclosure, when I felt myself seized 
 by the ears. It was the farmer's wife, who in a rage 
 called out to Edward : 
 
 "Give me the big whip, till I beat this vicious animal ! 
 There never was a worse donkey in the world ! Give it 
 to me, or whack him yourself 1 " 
 
 " I can't lift my arm," said Edward in tears, " it ia 
 numb." 
 
 Seizing the whip that lay on the ground, she ran at me 
 to avenge her cruel son. I was not fool enough to wait 
 for her, you may be sure. Just as she had nearly caught 
 me, I made a leap and left her some distance behind, she 
 continued to pursue me, and I to escape, taking great 
 care to keep myself out of reach .of the whip. This race 
 amused me very much ; I saw my mistress's wrath increase 
 in proportion to her fatigue. I could run and sweat 
 without doing myself the slightest harm, whilst she, cov- 
 ered with perspiration, was completely exhausted, with-
 
 126 
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 out having had the pleasure of giving me even one lash 
 of the whip. My friend was sufficiently avenged when 
 our promenade ended. I sought him with my eyes 
 (for I had seen him run towards my enclosure), but in 
 vain, he was afraid to show himself before the departure 
 of his cruel mistress. 
 " You wretch ! cried the enraged woman as she turned 
 
 to leave, " I will pay you up for all this when I get yon 
 under the saddle!" and she went towards the house, 
 whilst I remained alone. 
 
 I now ventured to call Medor. He timidly lifted his 
 head from the hole in which he had sought refuge. I 
 ran to him. 
 
 " Come," said I, " she is gone. What did you do ? 
 why did Edward beat you 2 "
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 127 
 
 " Because I seized a piece of bread one of the children 
 had dropped on the ground. She saw me, darted at me, 
 and calling Edward, told him to beat me unmercifully." 
 
 " Did no one try to defend you ? " 
 
 " Defend me indeed ! they all cried out, that's right ! 
 whip him Edward, so he won't do it again. 'Keep 
 qniet,' said Edward, ' I shall not go half way in the mat- 
 ter, you'll hear how I can make him sing.' And at my 
 first cry, they all clapped their hands, exclaiming bravo ! 
 bravo!" 
 
 "Wicked little creatures!" cried I. "But why did 
 you take the bread, Medor ? Had they not given you 
 your supper ? " 
 
 " Yes indeed, I had already eaten, but the bread in my 
 soup was in such small pieces, that I could not get any 
 of it out for you, but, if I could have carried off that big 
 piece the child dropped, you would have had a delight- 
 ful repast." 
 
 " My poor Medor ! and it was for me you were beaten ! 
 Thanks, my friend, thanks; I shall never forget your 
 kindness 1 But let me entreat you to not repeat it ! Do 
 you suppose that that bread would have given me any 
 pleasure, if I had known what risks you ran to get it ? 
 I would rather a hundred times live on thistles, knowing 
 that you were well treated and happy." 
 
 We conversed a long time, and I made Medor promise 
 never again to incur the danger of a beating on my 
 account ; I also promised him that I would play all sorts 
 of tricks on these people, and I kept my word. One day
 
 128 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 I knocked Edward and his sister into a puddle of water, 
 and then ran off, leaving them struggling in the mud. 
 Another time, I ran at the little three year old boy, as 
 if I were going to bite him, how his screams of terror 
 rejoiced my heart! Again, pretending to have the colic, 
 I rolled on the ground with a heavy load of eggs on nay 
 back; every egg was smashed. My mistress, though 
 furious, did not dare strike me, she believed I was really 
 sick, that I was going to die, and they would lose all the 
 money I had cost them, so instead of beating me, she led 
 me back to the stable, and gave me some hay and bran. 
 I never played a better trick in my life, and that evening 
 Medor and I almost hurt ourselves laughing over it. 
 Another time, seeing all their linen spread out on the 
 hedge to dry, I took every piece in my teeth, one by one, 
 and threw it into the barnyard pool. No one had seen 
 me do this ; so when the mistress could not find her linen, 
 and when, at last after a search in every direction, it was 
 discovered just where I have told you, she flew into a 
 terrible rage, and beat the servant, who beat the children, 
 who beat the cats, the dogs, the calves, the sheep ! Oh ! 
 it was a charming uproar to me, every body screamed 
 and was furious. Medor and I certainly passed a gay 
 evening. 
 
 In my subsequent reflexions upon these wicked deeds, 
 I have sincerely reproached myself, for I revenged upon 
 the innocent the faults of the guilty. Medor sometimes 
 censured me and advised moderation, but no, I would not 
 listen, every day I got worse and worse, only however to
 
 CL29)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 131 
 
 suffer for it, my evil conduct bringing its own punish- 
 ment as you will learn hereafter. 
 
 One day (and a sad day it was for me,) a gentleman 
 who was passing took a fancy to Medor and offered the 
 farmer a hundred francs for him. The farmer, believing 
 him a dog of very little account, was delighted, and my 
 poor friend with a rope around his neck, disappeared 
 with his new master, He cast a sorrowful glance at me, 
 and in vain did I run from one side of the hedge to the 
 other seeking a passage, every breach was closed, and I 
 had not even the consolation of bidding my dear Medor 
 farewell. From that day, life there was almost insup- 
 portable. Medor's departure was just before the little 
 episode of market day, and my subsequent flight into the 
 forest of St. Evroult, which I have already related. 
 During the years that followed, I often, very often 
 thought of my friend, and the pleasure it would be to see 
 him again, but where seek him? for I knew his new 
 master did not live in that part of the country, but was 
 only there on a visit to some friends. 
 
 Judge of my happiness, some time after little James 
 had brought me to your grandmother's, at seeing arrive 
 with your uncle and cousins William and Henry, my 
 friend, my dear friend Medor! He recognized me at 
 once, and covered me with caresses, I responding to them, 
 and following him everywhere. Our cordiality excited 
 great surprise, but all attributed it to Medor's delight at 
 being in the country, and mine in finding a companion 
 for my promenades. If they had been able to under-
 
 132 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 etand our long conversation they would have known the 
 cause of our mutual affection. 
 
 Medor was much pleased at all I told him of my 
 present calm and peaceful life, of my master's kindness, 
 of my excellent and even glorious reputation throughout 
 this part of the country. He sympathized with me in 
 the recital of my pitiful adventures, and he laughed, 
 though blaming me, at the tricks I had played on the 
 farmer who bought me from George's father. He actually 
 was puffed up with pride when I told him of my victory 
 at the race ; he deplored the ingratitude of poor Pauline's 
 parents, and shed tears over the sad fate of that unhappy 
 child. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 THE SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 ONE day Medor strayed off from the house where he 
 had been born, and had always lived quite comfortably. 
 He was in pursuit of a cat that had stolen a piece of 
 meat given him by the cook, who thought it a little 
 tainted. Medor, not being so delicate, had just put it 
 down by his kennel, when a cat concealed near by, darted 
 at the meat and carried it off, much to my friend's indig- 
 nation, as he was not often regaled on such luxuries. He 
 pursued the thief with all the speed of his limbs, and 
 would soon have caught her, if, wicked cat that she was,
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 133 
 
 she had not bethought herself of climbing a tree. Medor, 
 of course could not follow, and he was tantalized with 
 seeing her devour before his eyes, the delicious morsel of 
 which she had robbed him. Justly irritated at such 
 effrontery, he remained at the foot of the tree, barking, 
 growling and uttering a thousand reproaches. This 
 attracted the attention of some children just out of 
 school, and they united with Medor in annoying her. 
 They even attacked her with stones until at last it was a 
 veritable shower. The cat climbed higher, and tried to 
 conceal herself in the thickest foliage. But this did not 
 stop them, the shower of stones continued, accompanied 
 by loud hurrahs, whenever a plaintiff mewing informed 
 her persecutors that she had been hit. 
 
 Medor began to weary of this game ; the enemy's 
 touching cries had appeased his wrath and he feared that 
 the children were too cruel. To end their sport he com- 
 menced to bark at them, and pull them by the blouse, 
 but it had no effect, save that of causing a few stones to 
 be directed against himself. At last, a hoarse, horrible 
 cry, followed by a rustling among the branches, an- 
 nounced their success, the poor cat was grievously 
 wounded, and had fallen from the tree. One minute 
 after, she was not only wounded, but dead, her head hav- 
 ing been crushed by a stone. This was a source of rejoic- 
 ing to the mischievous children, who ought to have wept 
 over their cruelty. As for Medor, he regarded his enemy 
 with compassion, and the boys with an air of keen
 
 134 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 reproach. Just as he was about to return to the house, 
 one of them exclaimed : 
 
 " Oh! let us give him a bath in the river, it would be so 
 amusing! " 
 
 " Yes indeed, what a splendid idea," cried the others, 
 u catch him, Frederick, there he goes ! " 
 
 Behold Medor pursued by the cruel rascals, he and 
 they running at full speed. Unfortunately, there were 
 about a dozen of them scattered around, which obliged 
 him always to run straight ahead, for if he deviated in 
 the least, to the right or left, he could be surrounded and 
 his flight retarded instead of hastened. At that time he 
 was very young, not more than four months old ; he 
 could run neither very swiftly, nor any great distance 
 without stopping, consequently his pursuers captured 
 him. One seized him around the body, one by the tail, 
 another by the paw, the neck, the ears, the back, they 
 pulled him this way and that, to amuse themselves with 
 his cries. At last, putting a cord around his neck almost 
 tight enough to strangle him, they forced him by dint of 
 kicks to the river. . 
 
 Two of them were about to remove the cord, and 
 plunge him in, when the biggest boy exclaimed : 
 
 " Wait, let's tie two bladders to his neck, and make 
 him swim ; we can push him to the mill, and make him 
 pass under the wheel." 
 
 Vainly did poor Medor struggle; what could he do 
 against a dozen little scamps, the youngest of them, at 
 least, in his seventh year ? Andrew the most cruel of the
 
 They beat the boys. (Page 1370 
 
 033)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 137 
 
 band, tied the two bladders around his neck, and then 
 launched him into the very middle of the stream. My 
 persecuted friend, impelled by the current, and still more 
 vigorously by the poles in his tormentors' hands, reached 
 the place where the water precipitates itself under the 
 mill wheel. Once under the wheel, he would certainly 
 be ground to pieces. 
 
 The workmen returned from their dinner, and one of 
 them hastened to raise the barrier restraining the water. 
 Perceiving Medor, he said : 
 
 "Another of your cruel tricks," you rascals ; said he look- 
 ing at the boys who waited in delightful anticipation of 
 seeing Medor drawn under the wheel. " Friends," he 
 added, speaking to his fellow workmen, "come here and 
 help punish these bad boys, who have been amusing 
 themselves trying to drown a poor dog." 
 
 His comrades ran, and whilst he saved Medor by push- 
 ing a plank towards the poor creature for him to climb 
 upon, the others gave chase to the boys, caught every one, 
 and whipped them well, some with ropes, some with 
 whips, some with sticks. The cries of the chastised 
 children resounded far and near, for the workmen did 
 not strike lightly. At last the job was finished, and 
 Medor's persecutors retreated, crying, sobbing and rub- 
 bing their smarting skins. 
 
 The strangling cord around Medor's neck was cut, and 
 he was put out in the sun to dry upon some hay. He 
 was soon dry, and ready to go home, but when the black- 
 smith led him back, the people there said they did not 
 
 12*
 
 138 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 want him, they had too many dogs already, and they 
 would throw him in the water with a stone to his neck, 
 if he were left. The blacksmith was a kind man, and 
 pitying Medor, took him to his own house. But at sight 
 of the dog his wife got angry, her husband would ruin 
 them, she said, they had not the wherewith to feed a 
 worthless cur, and, besides, there was a tax upon dogs. 
 
 Her opposition was so determined and so violent that 
 her husband for peace sake got rid of Medor, by giving 
 him to the cruel farmer with whom I then lived, and who 
 had been wanting a watch dog. 
 
 You now know how Medor and I became acquainted, 
 and also, why we were so fondly attached to each other. 
 
 XVIIL 
 
 THE BAPTISM. 
 
 WILLIAM and Maud were to stand sponsors for a new 
 born child, whose mother had been Maud's nurse. Maud 
 wanted them to call the baby after her. 
 
 " Not at all," said William, " since I am godfather, I 
 have the right to name her, and I wish to call her Pier- 
 ette." 
 
 "Pierette!" exclaimed Maud, "that's a frightful 
 name ! I don't want her named Pierrette, she shall be 
 called Maud ; as I am the godmother, I am the one who 
 has the right to name her."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 139 
 
 " No, you havn't, the godfather has the best right, and 
 
 I shall call her Pierrette." 
 
 " If she is to be named that, I won't be godmother." 
 " If she is to be named Maud, I won't be godfather." 
 " Just as you please about that, I can ask papa to take 
 
 your place." 
 
 "And I, Miss, can ask mamma to take your place." 
 " Besides, I am quite sure aunt would not like her 
 
 called Pierrette, it is too frightful and ridiculous." 
 
 "And I am sure uncle would not like her called Maud, 
 
 it is too horrible and stupid." 
 
 " How did he happen to call me Maud then ? Go to 
 
 him and tell him you think it is a horrible, stupid name, 
 
 go, my good man, and you will see how you will be 
 
 received ! " 
 
 " Well, you may say what you please, but I say I will 
 
 not be godfather for any Maud." 
 
 " Papa," said Maud mischievously, running to her 
 
 father, " will you stand godfather with me for little 
 
 Maud ? " 
 
 " What Maud, dear pet ? I know 110 Maud but you." 
 " My little godchild, papa, that I want called Maud 
 
 when she is baptized to-day." 
 
 " But William is to stand with you, and there cannot 
 
 be two godfathers." 
 
 " Papa, William does not wish to be godfather." 
 
 " Why ? what is the meaning of this whim ? " 
 
 " Because he thinks Maud a horrible stupid name, and 
 
 wants to call her Pierrette."
 
 140 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " Pierrette ! that would be horrible and stupid indeed ! " 
 
 " It is just what I told him papa, but he would not 
 believe me." 
 
 " Listen, my daughter, try to reason with your cousin, 
 and if he insists upon not being godfather unless the 
 baby is named Pierrette, I will cheerfully stand in place 
 of him." 
 
 During Maud's conversation with her father, William 
 had run to his mother. 
 
 " Mamma," said he, " will you stand godmother with 
 me in Maud's place, for the little girl that is to be bap- 
 tized to-day." 
 
 " Why is not Maud going to stand? it was a request of 
 the baby's mother that she would." 
 
 " Mamma, Maud wants the baby named after her, I 
 think her name too ugly, and as I am godfather, I want 
 the baby called Pierrette." 
 
 " Pierrette ! that is frightful, William is pretty, but 
 Pierrette is ridiculous ! " 
 
 " Oh ! mamma, please call her Pierrette At any rate, 
 I don't want her called Maud." 
 
 " But if neither of you will give up, how will you fix 
 matters ? ' 
 
 " Mamma, that is why I came to ask you to stand for 
 little Pierrette in place of Maud ? " 
 
 "My poor William, I must tell you frankly, that I 
 want no more of this Pierrette, the name is too ridicu- 
 lous, besides, the child's mother was Maud's nurse, not 
 yours, and you know very well, that she desires most
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 141 
 
 particularly to have Maud for godmother. For my part, 
 I think she would be pleased to have the baby called 
 Maud." 
 
 " Then, I can't be godfather." 
 
 At this instant Maud ran up, exclaiming : 
 
 " Well, William, have you decided \ We start in an 
 hour, and must have a godfather." 
 
 " I am willing for her not to be called Pierrette, but 
 I am not willing for her to be called Maud." 
 
 " Well, since you have given up Pierrette, I will give 
 up Maud. But let us ask nurse what name she wants 
 baby called." 
 
 " You are right ; go ask her." 
 
 Maud went running off to the baby's mother and soon 
 came back. 
 
 " William, William," she exclaimed, " nurse wants her 
 little daughter named Marie Maud." 
 
 " Did you inquire if she ought not to be called Pier- 
 rette, as I am godfather ? " 
 
 " Yes, I asked her, and she burst out laughing; 
 mamma laughed too ; they both said it was impossible, 
 Pierrette was too ugly." 
 
 William blushed slightly, however, as he himself had 
 began to think Pierrette ridiculous, he sighed and said 
 nothing more on that subject. 
 
 " Where are the sugar plums ? " he asked. 
 
 " In a big basket that will be taken to the church, the 
 boxes and wrappings are left here. They are all ready, 
 let us see how many there are." And they ran to the 
 hall where everything was in readiness.
 
 142 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "What are these pennies for?" inquired William, 
 "there seem to be nearly as many as sugar plums." 
 
 " They are to be thrown to the school children," said 
 Maud. 
 
 " The school children ? Are we going to the school 
 after the baptism ? " 
 
 " No, we are to throw these from the church door, 
 where all the school children collect on such occasions ; 
 we throw them by the handful, and the children catch 
 them or pick them up from the ground." 
 
 " Did you ever see it done ? " 
 
 " Never, but I have heard that it is very amusing." 
 
 " I do not think I would like it, for I know very well 
 the children fight and get hurt ; besides I do not like 
 the idea of flinging things to children as if they were 
 dogs." 
 
 " Maud, William, come see the baby, it has just arrived ; 
 we start shortly," cried Beatrice, out of breath. 
 
 Both of them ran, trying to reach the baby first. 
 
 " Oh ! how fine our godchild is ! " said William. 
 
 " Yes, indeed," replied Maud, " she has a dress embroid- 
 ered all around, a lace bonnet, and a cloak lined with 
 pink silk." 
 
 " Did you give her all those pretty things ? " 
 
 " Oh ! no, I had not enough money ; mamma paid for 
 everything except the bonnet and I paid for it." 
 
 All was ready ; though the weather was fine the car- 
 riage was brought out for the baby and its nurse, and 
 the sponsors only. Maud and William were in the car-
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 14:3 
 
 riage like important personages. They started. I, har- 
 nessed to the children's little conveyance waited for 
 them. Louis, Helen, James and Kuth took the back 
 seats, Beatrice and Elizabeth the front to drive, whilst 
 Henry climbed behind. The mammas, papas and nur- 
 ses started at different intervals, so that some of them 
 might be near us in case of accident ; but this was only 
 an excess of prudence, for with me they knew there was 
 nothing to fear. 
 
 I set oft' in a gallop, notwithstanding my load, self- 
 love excited me to overtake and even pass the carriage. 
 I went like the wind and the children were enchanted. 
 
 " Bravo ! " they cried. " Courage, Cadichon, keep on 
 galloping ! Hurrah for Cadichon, the king of donkeys 1 " 
 
 They clapped their hands and applauded. 
 
 " Bravo ! " cried people whom I passed on the road. 
 " Look at that donkey, he runs like a horse ! Good luck 
 and no upsets ! " 
 
 The papas and mammas trudging along, were not so 
 encouraging however, but wanted me to relax my speed, 
 instead of which, I only galloped the faster. I was not 
 very long in overtaking the carriage, and triumphantly 
 did 1 dash past the horses, they looked at me with surprise. 
 Feeling mortified at being overtaken by a donkey, espe- 
 cially as they had started first, they attempted a gallop, 
 but the driver tightened his reins, and obliged them to 
 relax their speed, whilst I hurried on faster than ever, so 
 that when they reached the church door, my little mas- 
 ters and mistresses had all descended from the vehicle,
 
 144 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 whilst I, very warm and out of breath, was standing 
 quietly hitched near the hedge for shade. 
 
 The parents on arriving, admired my swiftness, and 
 complimented the children on their equipage. 
 
 The fact is we made quite a sensation, my carriage and 
 I, I being well rubbed and curried, and decorated with 
 variegated dahlias of red and white behind my ears, the 
 harness polished and embellished with red mountings, 
 and the vehicle repaired and varnished. We certainly 
 presented a dashing appearance. 
 
 Through the open window, I witnessed the baptismal 
 ceremony, the infant screamed as if it were being mur- 
 dered, Maud and William, somewhat embarrassed at 
 their honors, got confused in repeating the Creed, and 
 the priest was obliged. to prompt them. Poor little god- 
 father and godmother, their eyes were suffused with tears, 
 and their faces as red as cherries! However, their mis- 
 take was no unusual occurrence, and often happens with 
 grown people. 
 
 Little Marie Maud being baptized, they went out of 
 the church to throw sugar plums and pennies to the 
 children collected around the door. As soon as the god- 
 father and godmother appeared, all exclaimed ; "Hurrah 
 for the godmother ! hurrah for the godfather ! " 
 
 The basket of sugar plums was ready, it was handed 
 Maud, whilst William received the basket of pennies. 
 Taking a handful of the former, Maud let them fall in H 
 shower among the children. This was the signal for a 
 general battle, a faithful representation of starving dogs.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 145 
 
 All rushed to the same spot, disputing every handfull, 
 both of sugarplums and pennies, as it was thrown; they 
 tore one another's hair, they struggled, they rolled over 
 on the ground, and half the coveted articles were lost, 
 crushed under foot or hidden in the grass. William did 
 not laugh, nor Maud, alter the first handful, for she saw 
 that these battles were serious. For several of the chil- 
 dren were crying, and others were badly scratched. 
 
 "You were right, William," said she, as soon as they 
 took their seats in the carriage, " the next time I am god- 
 mother, I shall give the children sugar plums, not throw 
 them." 
 
 " Nor I, the pennies," said William, " I shall give them 
 like you do the sugar plums." 
 
 The carriage started off, and I did not hear the rest of 
 their conversation. 
 
 My party now began to crowd in their vehicle, accom- 
 panied by the papas and mammas. 
 
 " Cadichon," said Maud's mamma, " has already pro- 
 duced a sensation, so now he can afford to return more 
 quietly and take us with him." 
 
 " Mamma," said Beatrice, " do you like this custom of 
 throwing the children sugar plums and pennies? " 
 
 " No, dear child, I find it a very ignoble custom, the 
 children reminding one of dogs fighting for a bone. If 
 ever I am godmother in this part of the country, I shall 
 distribute the sugar plums among the children, instead of 
 throwing them, and I shall give to the poor, the amount 
 of money wasted in pennies ilung at random."
 
 146 THE ADVENTITRF8 OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "You are right, mamma; please let me be godmother 
 to do as you say." 
 
 "As an absolute necessity for your fulfilling that office, 
 we must have a baby to be baptized," said the mamma, 
 smiling, " and I know of none." 
 
 " Oh, how provoking ! I could be godmother with 
 Henry. What would you call your godson, Henry." 
 
 " Henry, of course, what would you call him ? " 
 
 " Madelon." 
 
 " Oh horror ! Madelon ! In the first place it is not a 
 name." 
 
 " It is as much of a name as Pierrette." 
 
 " Pierrette is prettier, and besides you see that Wil- 
 liam yielded." 
 
 " I could give up too," replied Beatrice, " but we have 
 time enough to think of it." 
 
 We reached the castle, all got out of the carriage and 
 hastened to lay aside their holiday attire ; my trinkets 
 and dahlias were also taken off and I was turned out to 
 pasture, whilst the children ate their lunch.
 
 XIX. 
 
 THE LEARNED DONKEY. 
 
 ONK day I saw the children run into the meadow 
 where I was quietly grazing very near the castle. Louis 
 and James were playing around me, finding amusement 
 in getting on my back, They thought themselves as 
 nimble as gymnasts, whilst they were, in reality, I must 
 confess, somewhat clumsy, little James especially, who 
 was plump, chunkier than his cousin. Louis at last, 
 by holding on to my tail, managed to climb (he called it 
 jumping) up on my back. James made prodigious efforts 
 to follow his example, but the poor little fat fellow slip- 
 ped, fell and got out of breath, and it was very evident 
 that he could not succeed without the assistance of his 
 cousin somewhat older than himself. To spare them so 
 much fatigue, I went towards a piece of rising ground. 
 Louis had already shown his agility, and James had just 
 succeeded with a great effort in seating himself, when we 
 heard the whole joyous band crying out : " James, 
 Louis, we are going to the fair day after to-morrow, to 
 gee the learned donkey ! " 
 
 " The learned donkey ? what is that ? " inquired James. 
 
 " A donkey " replied Elizabeth, "that plays all man- 
 ner of tricks." 
 
 (147)
 
 148 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " What tricks ? " 
 
 "Well tricks tricks of tricks I mean," said Beat- 
 nee. 
 
 " He can't beat Cadichon, I know." 
 
 " Pshaw ! Cadichon ! " said Henry, " Cadichon is a 
 very fine animal and very intelligent of his kind, but he 
 is nothing in comparison with the learned donkey at 
 the fair ! " 
 
 " I am very sure," answered Maud, " that if Cadichon 
 were shown these tricks he could do them." 
 
 " Let us see what this learned donkey does, and then 
 we can judge better as to whether he is more learned 
 than our Cadichon," said William. 
 
 " William is right," replied Maud, " let us wait till 
 after the fair." 
 
 " And what will we do after the fair ? " said Eliza- 
 beth. 
 
 " We will dispute," replied Beatrice laughing. James 
 and Louis after whispering a few words to each other, 
 had kept silence until the rest went away. When assured 
 that these were out of sight and hearing, they com- 
 menced to dance around me, laughing and singing : 
 
 " Cadichon, Cadichon, 
 To the fair you will go, 
 And the learned donkey show 
 That as smart as he may be, 
 You are smarter still than he; 
 Every one will honor you, 
 Every one will praise you too, 
 And we shall be proud, so do 
 Your best. Cadichon, Cadichon."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 14:9 
 
 " What we are singing is very pretty," said James, 
 stopping suddenly. 
 
 " That is because they are rhymes," answered Louis. 
 " I really think they are pretty." 
 
 " Rhymes ? I thought it was very difficult to make 
 
 rhymes." 
 
 Very easy as you see, 
 Though difficult apparently. 
 
 " There are some more." 
 
 " Let us run and say them to our cousins." 
 
 " No, no, if they heard our verses, they would gue?s 
 what we are going to do ; we must take them by surprise 
 at the fair." 
 
 " But do you believe papa and uncle will let us take 
 Cadichon to the fair ? " 
 
 " Certainly, when we tell them in confidence, we want 
 him to see the learned donkey." 
 
 " Let us run quick to ask them." 
 
 They were running at full speed towards the house 
 jnst as the papas were coming to the meadow to see what 
 the children were doing. " Papa, papa! "cried they, 
 " come quick ; we have something to ask you." 
 
 " Speak children, what is it 1 " 
 
 " Not here, papa, not here," was the mysterious answer, 
 each one drawing his father aside. 
 
 ""What is the matter?" said Louis'3 papa, laughing. 
 " Into what conspiracy do you wish to drag me ? " 
 
 " Sh sh, papa, here is what it is : you know that day 
 after to-morrow there will be a learned donkey at the fair. 1 '
 
 150 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 ** No, I did not know it, but what have we to do with 
 learned donkeys, we, who have Cadichon ? " 
 
 " That is precisely what we say, papa, that Cadichon 
 is smarter than any of them. JMy sisters and cousins are 
 going to the fair to see this educated donkey, and we 
 would like very much to take Cadichon, so that he may 
 Bee what this donkey does and imitate him." 
 
 " What?" said James's papa, " would you put Cadichon 
 in the crowd to look at the donkey ? " 
 
 " Yes, papa, instead of going in the carriage, we can 
 ride Cadichon, and get very near the circle in which the 
 learned donkey plays his tricks." 
 
 " I would not ask anything better myself, but I do not 
 believe Cadichon could learn much in one lesson." 
 
 " Can't you, Cadichon, do as many smart tricks as that 
 Billy, educated donkey ? " 
 
 In addressing this question, James looked at me so 
 anxiously, that to reassure him, I began braying, laugh- 
 ing all the while at his fears. 
 
 " Do you hear that, papa," said James triumphantly, 
 " Cadichon says yes." 
 
 The two papas laughed, caressed their little boys, and 
 turned away, promising not only that I should go to the 
 fair, but that they would accompany us there. 
 
 " Ah ! " said I to myself, " they doubt my capacity ! 
 It is astonishing how much more intelligent these chil- 
 dren are than their fathers." 
 
 The great day arrived. One hour before our depart- 
 ure, my toilet was made, and Louis and James having
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 151 
 
 curried and rubbed me to the verge of vexation ; after 
 which, they decorated me with a perfectly new bridle 
 and saddle, and then announced their readiness to start, 
 as they wished to set out a little in advance, for fear of 
 being late. 
 
 " Why do you wish to go so early ? " asked Henry, 
 " and how are you going ? " 
 
 " We are going on Cadichon, and want to start early, 
 because we can't go fast," said Louis. 
 
 " Are you two going alone ? " inquired Henry. 
 
 " No, papa and uncle will accompany us." 
 
 " It will certainly be tiresome, if you are going at a 
 gait to suit their walk." 
 
 " Oh ! we never find it tiresome in our papa's com- 
 pany." 
 
 " I prefer going in the carriage, we will get their long 
 before you." 
 
 " No, you will not, for we will start so much sooner." 
 
 As they finished speaking, I was led out all saddled 
 and decorated the fathers were ready ; they put their 
 little boys on my back, and I started very slowly, so as 
 not to make their fathers run. 
 
 In an hour we reached the fair ground, where we 
 found many persons already collected around the rope 
 marking out a circle, within which the educated donkey 
 was to display his ability. The fathers of the two little 
 boys I had brought, stationed us very near the rope, and 
 my other masters and mistresses soon rejoined us. 
 
 The sound of a drum was the signal for my learned
 
 152 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 friend's appearance. All eyes were fixed upon the cur- 
 tain, which rose at last, and he came forth, a thin, sad, 
 miserable looking creature. His master called him ; he 
 approached, but with an air of fear, and I saw at once, 
 that the poor thing's learning had been instilled by hard 
 beatings. 
 
 " Gentlemen and ladies," said the master, " I have the 
 honor of presenting to you Mirliflore, the prince of don- 
 keys. He is not like the rest of his race, he is a learned 
 donkey, more learned indeed than many of us, he is the 
 donkey par excellence, and without an equal/ Come, 
 Mirliflore, show what you can do, but first salute these 
 gentlemen and ladies like a well raised donkey." 
 
 This discourse touched my pride, and made me very 
 angry ; I resolved to be revenged before the end of the 
 exhibition. 
 
 Mirliflore advancing three steps, made an inclination 
 of his head with a melancholy air. 
 
 " Go, Mirliflore, go give this bouquet to the prettiest 
 lady here." 
 
 I laughed at seeing every hand half extended to 
 receive the bouquet. Mirliflore went all around the cir- 
 cle, and stopping before a fat, ugly woman that I after- 
 wards learned was the master's wife, and who held a 
 little sugar in her hand, lay down his flowers. 
 
 This want of taste enraged me; leaping over the rope 
 to the great surprise of every one present, and making a 
 graceful salutation, to those on my right, my left, before 
 and behind me, I walked resolutely up to the fat woman,
 
 063)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 155 
 
 snatched the bouquet from her hands, and laid it on 
 Maud's lap. I then returned to my place, amidst the 
 plaudits of the multitude. Every one inquired the 
 meaning of this apparition ; some believed it was all 
 arranged beforehand, and that there were two learned 
 donkeys ; whilst others who had seen me with my little 
 masters recognizing me, were delighted at my intelli- 
 gence. 
 
 Mirliflore's master seemed quite vexed, but the animal 
 
 himself appeared so indifferent to my triumph, that I 
 began to believe him really stupid, which is a quality 
 very rare among us donkeys. When silence was re-estab- 
 lished, the master called Mirliflore out again. 
 
 "Come Mirliflore, show these gentlemen and ladies 
 that you not only know how to distinguish beauty, but 
 likewise stupidity ; take this caj> and put it on the most 
 stupid person here."
 
 156 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 Saying this, he gave Mirliflore a magnificent dunce 
 cap, ornamented with bells and variegated ribbons. Mir- 
 iiflore, taking it between his teeth, went towards a fat, 
 red faced boy, who inclined his head in advance to receive 
 it. From his resemblance to the fat woman, so falsely 
 declared the most beautiful person present, it was easy to 
 recognize this boy as her son, and the master's assistant. 
 
 " Now," thought I, " is the moment to revenge this 
 fool's insulting words ! " 
 
 And before anyone could think of preventing me, I 
 again darted into the arena, ran to my comrade, snatched 
 the dunce cap from him at the moment he was about to 
 place it on the fat boy's head, and ere the master had 
 time to defend himself, rushing at him, at putting my 
 fore feet upon his shoulders, I tried to place the cap upon 
 his head. He repulsed me violently, and grew furious, 
 as peals of laughter and applause resounded on all sides. 
 
 "Bravo donkey!" they cried, "this one is the real 
 learned donkey." 
 
 Emboldened by the applause of the multitude, I made 
 anew effort to fit the cap; as he recoiled I advanced, 
 and we finished by a flying race, the man running at full 
 speed, I after him, not getting near enough to him to 
 ornament him with the cap, and not wishing to do 
 him any harm. At last I jumped behind him, and 
 placing my fore feet upon his shoulders, let him feel 
 my weight ; he fell and I profited by it, to bury his head 
 up to his very chin in the dunce's cap. I retired imme- 
 diately ; the man arose, but being somewhat confused and
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 157 
 
 stunned by the fall, and unable to see clearly, he began 
 to turn and jump. And I to complete the farce pre- 
 tended to do the same, interrupting this burlesque imita- 
 tion, by approaching him and braying in his ear, then 
 standing on my hind feet, jumping like him, sometimes 
 to one side, some times before him. 
 
 To depict the laughter, the bravos, the joyful stamp- 
 ing of feet, would be an impossibility. Never had a 
 
 donkey in the world such success, such a triumph ! The 
 ring was invaded by hundreds of persons wishing to 
 touch, to caress, to approach me. Those who knew me 
 were proud of what I had done, and told my name to 
 those not acquainted with me. Numberless anecdotes, 
 botli true and false, were related, in which I played a 
 magnificent part. One time, said my admirers, I had
 
 158 THE ADTEXTUKES OF A. DOXKJCT. 
 
 extinguished a fire, working a pump all alone: I had 
 ascended to the third story, opened my mistress's door, 
 seized her asleep in bed, and all hope of escape by the 
 stairs being cut off, I had jumped from the third story, 
 having first carefully placed my mistress on my back 
 that neither she nor I had been hurt, because her guardian 
 angel had sustained us in the air and we had gently 
 descended to the ground. Another time, unassisted, I 
 had killed fifty brigands, strangling them one by one with 
 a single bite, so that none awakened to alarm the rest. 
 I had afterwards liberated one hundred and fifty prison- 
 ers these robbers had kept chained in the caves for the 
 sake of their services, making the poor creatures work to 
 feed and enrich their masters. Again, at a race, I had 
 beaten the best horses in the country, and finally, in five 
 hours, I had made twenty-five leagues without stopping. 
 
 The admiration for me increased in proportion to the 
 circulation of these stories. I was surrounded, almost 
 smothered, and the soldiers were obliged to drive off the 
 crowd. Happily, the parents of James, Louis, and all 
 my other masters had led their children away, whilst the 
 crowd collected around me. I had much difiiculty in 
 escaping from my admirers, who wished to carry me in 
 triumph even the assistance of the soldiers was not suf- 
 ficient to prevent such an honor, and I, in order to force 
 my way through the crowd, was obliged to give a few 
 bites, and attempted kicks, taking care, however, to hurt 
 no one. 
 
 Once rid of the crowd, I sought Louis and James, but
 
 O50)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 161 
 
 in vain. Not wishing my dear little masters to return 
 home on foot, I ran to the stable where our horses were 
 always kept to see if they were still there, and, not find- 
 ing them, I knew Louis and James had gone. Then, 
 taking the road to the castle, and running at full speed, 
 I soon caught up with the two carriages packed with 
 parents and children to the number of fifteen. 
 
 " Cadichon ! there is Cadichon ! " exclaimed all the 
 children when they saw rne. 
 
 The carriages were stopped ; James and Louis asked 
 permission to get out, as they wished to compliment and 
 caress me, and return home on foot. Their example was 
 followed by Ruth and Helen, then by William and Henry, 
 and at last by Elizabeth, Beatrice and Maud. 
 
 " So you see," said Louis and James, " we knew Cadi- 
 chon better than you ! How he did distinguish himself! 
 He easily understood all the tricks of that stupid Mirliflore 
 and his foolish master." 
 
 " So he did," answered "William, " but 1 would like very 
 much to know why he insisted upon putting that dunce- 
 cap on the master. Was it because he thought the master 
 a fool, and knew that the donkey's ears (the dunce-cap 
 was fashioned in that style) were a mark of imbecility ?" 
 
 "Certainly, he understood it," spoke Maud; "he is 
 smart enough for that." 
 
 " Ah ! ah ! ah ! You say that because he gave yon 
 the bouquet as the prettiest person present." 
 
 " Not at all ; I did not think myself the prettiest, and, 
 since you speak of it, let me tell you that I was astonished, 
 
 14*
 
 162 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 and wished very much he had given the bouquet to 
 mamma, for she was the prettiest person there." 
 
 " You represented her," said William, " and I believe 
 that, leaving aunt aside, Cadichon's choice could not have 
 been better." 
 
 " And I then, am I so ugly ? " asked Beatrice. 
 
 * Certainly not, but each one to his taste, and Cadi- 
 chon's taste selected Maud," replied William. 
 
 " Instead of discussing beauties and frights," said 
 Elizabeth, " we ought to inquire of Cadichon how he 
 could understand so well what this man said." 
 
 " What a pity Cadichon cannot speak ! how much he 
 could tell ! " replied Helen. 
 
 " Who knows but what he does understand ? " said 
 Elizabeth. " I myself have read the ' Recollections of a 
 Doll,' and does a doll appear to see and understand? 
 That doll wrote about all she heard and saw." 
 
 " And do you really believe that ? " asked Henry. 
 
 " Certainly I believe it," replied Elizabeth. 
 
 " How could the doll write ? " 
 
 " She wrote at night, with a tiny pen made of a hum- 
 ming bird's feather, and hid her ' Recollections ' under her 
 head." 
 
 " Don't believe such nonsense, my poor Elizabeth," 
 said Beatrice. " It was a lady who wrote those l Recol- 
 lections of a Doll,' and to make the book more amusing, 
 she pretended to be the doll and to write as if she were 
 one." 
 
 " Do you think, then, it was not a real doll that wrote 
 them ? " asked Elizabeth.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 163 
 
 " Certainly it was not," replied Maud. " How do you 
 suppose a lifeless doll, made of wood or stuffed with bran 
 could reflect, see, hear and write ? " 
 
 Talking thus, they reached the castle. Running 
 immediately to their grandmother, who had remained at 
 home, they recounted all my doings and how I had 
 astonished and delighted every one. 
 
 " Pie is truly wonderful, this Cadichon," said she, 
 coming to caress me. "I have known intelligent 
 donkeys, far more sagacious than other animals, but 
 never did I see one like Cadichon ! I must confess, we 
 are very unjust to donkeys." 
 
 I turned towards her with a look of gratitude. 
 
 " One would really suppose he understood me," she 
 continued. " My poor Cadichon, rest assured you shall 
 never be sold whilst I live, and you shall be as well 
 taken care of as if you understood everything that was 
 going on around you." 
 
 I sighed at thought of my old mistress's age, for she 
 was fifty-nine, and I not more than nine or ten. 
 
 " My dear little masters," thought I, " when your 
 grandmother dies do not sell me, I entreat you, but keep 
 me and let me die in your service." 
 
 As to the learned donkey's unfortunate master, I after- 
 wards repented bitterly of the trick I had played upon 
 him, and you will see the sad consequences of my desire 
 to display my intelligence.
 
 XX. 
 
 THE FROG. 
 
 THE wicked boy who killed my friend, Medor, had at 
 last (by dint of coaxing probably,) obtained pardon and 
 permission to visit again at your grandmother's. I could 
 not bear him, you may well imagine, and I sought every 
 opportunity of playing some ugly trick upon him, for I 
 lacked charity and had not yet learned to forgive. 
 
 This Alfred was a coward, but always boasting of his 
 courage. One day, when his father had brought him to 
 your grandmother's on a visit, the other children pro- 
 posed a stroll in the woods. Maud, who ran ahead sud- 
 denly jumped aside screaming. 
 
 " "What is the matter ? " said William, running to her 
 assistance. 
 
 " I was frightened at a frog that jumped on my foot." 
 
 " Is it possible that you are afraid of frogs, Maud ? 
 For my part," said Alfred, " I am afraid of nothing, of 
 no animal." 
 
 "Why then," retorted Maud, "did you jump so high 
 the other day, when I told you there was a spider on your 
 arm?" 
 
 4< Because I did not understand what you said to me." 
 
 (164)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 165 
 
 " Did not understand ? It was very easily understood." 
 " Certainly it was, if I had heard aright, but I thought 
 you said, ' look at that spider down there,' and I jumped 
 aside only to see it better," 
 
 " The idea ! " chimed in William, " that is not so, for 
 as you jumped, you cried, * Oh, William, take it off, 
 please ! ' " 
 
 " I meant to say, ' take it off, so I can see it better.' " 
 " He is telling a story," whispered Beatrice to Maud." 
 " So I perceive," was Maud's low response. 
 I was listening to the conversation and profited by it, 
 as you will see. The children were seated upon the 
 grass, and I was near, having followed them. Perceiv- 
 ing a little green frog very near Alfred's open pocket, 
 my plan was quickly formed and easily executed. 
 Approaching noiselessly, I seized the frog by one leg, 
 and slyly dropped it into the little boaster's pocket, 
 quietly withdrawing as soon as the deed was done, so 
 that Alfred might not suspect me of having made him 
 this beautiful present. 
 
 I could not hear distinctly all the conversation, but I 
 distinguished this much, that Alfred continued to boast 
 of his courage, he was afraid of no creature, not even of 
 lions, at which the rest uttered an exclamation of incre- 
 dulity. Just at this moment Alfred wished to blow his 
 nose. Running his hand into his pocket, he withdrew it 
 with a cry of terror, and rising precipitately, screamed 
 aloud : 
 
 44 Take it out ! take it out ! Oh ! I beg you to take it 
 out ! I am so afraid 1 Help ! help 1 "
 
 166 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " What is the matter, Alfred ? " eaid Maud, half laugh- 
 ing, half frightened. 
 
 "An animal ! an animal! Take it out, I beg you ! " 
 
 " What animal do you mean, and where is it \ " said 
 William. 
 
 "In my pocket! I felt it, I touched it! Oh! take it 
 out, take it away ! I am afraid of it, I dare not touch it ! " 
 
 " Do it yourself, you coward ! " replied Henry, indig- 
 nantly. 
 
 " Well, just listen," said Elizabeth, " he is afraid of 
 something in his pocket, and wants us to take it out, 
 because he dares not touch it ! " 
 
 After their first fright, the children were greatly 
 amused at Alfred's contortions, who knew not how to 
 rid himself of the creature he felt wriggling about in 
 his pocket. His terror increased with every movement 
 of the frog. At last, frightened almost to distraction, 
 and finding no other means of escape from this creature 
 that he felt moving and yet dared not touch, he pulled 
 off his jacket and threw it on the ground, remaining in 
 his shirt sleeves. The others burst out laughing and made 
 a rush for the jacket. Henry opened the hind pocket; 
 the imprisoned frog seeing daylight, darted through the 
 opening, narrow as it was, and each one saw a pretty 
 little scared frog, that sought safety in desperate efforts 
 to put itself out of reach. 
 
 " The enemy has taken flight," said Maud, laughing. 
 
 " Take care it doesn't chase you," said William. 
 
 " Don't go too near, it might devour you ! " said 
 Henry.
 
 THE ADVENTUBES OF A DONKEY. 167 
 
 " Nothing is so dangerous as a frog ! " added Beat- 
 rice. 
 
 " If it were only a lion, Alfred would attack it ! " 
 chimed in Elizabeth, "but a frog! All his courage 
 could not defend him from its claws ! " 
 
 " You forget its teeth ! " continued Louis. 
 
 " You may pick up your jacket,' aid James, catching 
 the frog. " I hold your enemy prisoner." 
 
 Alfred remained motionless and mute with shame at 
 having thus exposed himself to so much ridicule. 
 
 "Let us dress him," cried William, "he has not 
 strength enough to put on his jacket ! " 
 
 " Take care," said Henry " that a fly or a gnat is not 
 on it, for that would be a new danger to fear ! " 
 
 Alfred tried to escape, but all the children, big and 
 little ran after him ; William holding the jacket, the 
 others pursuing the coward and endeavoring to intercept 
 his retreat. It was a very amusing race for all but poor 
 Alfred, who, red with shame and anger, ran first to the 
 right and then to the left, and everywhere encountered 
 an enemy. I joined the party, and galloped before and 
 behind him, increasing his fear by braying and attempt- 
 ing to seize him by the seat of his trousers ; once I caught 
 him, but he jerked away leaving a piece of the trousers 
 in my mouth which increased the other children's laughter. 
 I succeeded at last in catching him with a firm hold, lie 
 uttered such a cry, that, for an instant, I feared having 
 seized skin as well as cloth. William and Henry were 
 the first to reach him ; he tried to struggle against them,
 
 168 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 but I pulled him gently, at which he screamed again, 
 and then became as meek as a lamb, never budging any 
 more than a statue whilst William and Henry put his 
 jacket on him. Seeing that my services were no longer 
 needed, I released him, and went my way delighted at 
 having succeeded in rendering him so ridiculous. He 
 never knew how that frog got into his pocket, and from 
 that lucky day he dared boast no more of his courage 
 before the children. 
 
 XXI. 
 
 THE PONY. 
 
 MY vengeance ought to have been appeased, but it was 
 not ; I still retained for Alfred such sentiments of hatred 
 as instigated me to play another trick upon him, of which 
 I afterwards bitterly repented. We were rid of him for 
 nearly a month after the episode of the frog. One day, 
 however, his father brought him over, not much to any- 
 one's delight. 
 
 " What shall we do to amuse this boy ? " said William 
 to Maud. 
 
 " Propose a riding party to the woods ; Henry will 
 mount Cadichon ; Alfred, the farm mule ; and you, your 
 pony." 
 
 " Oh! that's a splendid idea, provided he wishes to go! " 
 
 " Oh ! but he must wish it ; do you just have the
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 1G9 
 
 animals saddled, and when they are ready help him 
 mount." 
 
 "William went to find Alfred, who was amusing himself 
 tormenting Louis and James. Under the pretence of 
 assisting them in their garden, he replanted their flowers, 
 pulled their vegetables, cut their strawberry vines, and 
 scattered confusion everywhere ; when, they attempted to 
 prevent him, he repulsed them with a kick or a thrust of 
 the spade, and William found them weeping over the 
 ruins of their flowers and vegetables. 
 
 " Why do you torment my poor little cousins ? " said 
 William, with evident displeasure. 
 
 " I am not tormenting them ; on the contrary, I am 
 assisting them." 
 
 " But they don't wish your assistance." 
 
 "They must be made to do right, even in spite of 
 themselves." 
 
 " It is because he is twice as big as we are that he tor- 
 ments us," said Louis; "he would not dare do so with you 
 and Henry." 
 
 " Not dare ! " replied Alfred ; " don't say that again, 
 young one." 
 
 "No, you would not dare! William and Henry are 
 much stronger than a frog, I know," said James. 
 
 At this, Alfred reddened, shrugged his shoulders with 
 an air of disdain, and, turning to William, said : 
 
 " Did you want me, dear friend? You seemed to be 
 looking for me when you came here." 
 
 " Yes ; I was going to propose a riding party," said 
 
 15
 
 170 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "William, with an air of indifference ; " be ready in a 
 quarter of an hour, if you wish to go with Henry and 
 me to the woods." 
 
 "Certainly; I would like nothing better," replied 
 Alfred eagerly, delighted at the idea of putting an end 
 to the taunts of James and Louis. 
 
 William and Alfred then went to the stable, and told 
 the hostler to saddle the pony, the farm mule and myself. 
 
 " Ah I you have a pony ! " said Alfred ; " 1 like them 
 BO much." 
 
 " It was a present from grandma." 
 
 " Do you know how to ride horseback ? " 
 
 " Yes ; I learned two years ago at riding school." 
 
 " I would love to riJe your pony." 
 
 " I would not advise you to do it, if you have never 
 learned to ride horseback." 
 
 " I never learned, but I can do it just as well as any- 
 one else." 
 
 " Did you ever try ? " 
 
 " Many a time. Who is there that can't ride horse- 
 back?" 
 
 " When did you ? your father has no saddle horses." 
 
 "I never rode horseback, but I have ridden mules, 
 which is the same thing." 
 
 " I tell you again, my dear Alfred," said William, 
 restraining a smile, "if you have never ridden horseback, 
 1 would advise you not to ride my pony." 
 
 "And why not ? " replied Alfred a little piqued, " you 
 might give him up for once."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 171 
 
 " Oil ! I don't refuse you on that account, it is because 
 the pony is a little spirited, and " 
 
 "And what ? " said Alfred, in the same tone of vexa- 
 tion. 
 
 " Well then he might throw you off." 
 
 " Be easy about that, do," answered Alfred, quite irri- 
 tated, " I am not quite so awkward as you think. If you are 
 willing to give him up to me for once, be sure 1 can ride 
 him just as good as yourself." 
 
 " Just as you please, my dear ; take the pony, I will 
 ride the mule, and Henry, Cadichon." 
 
 Henry now joined them. In a few moments we were 
 to start. Alfred approached the pony, which capered a 
 little and made two or three jumps. Alfred looked at 
 him anxiously. 
 
 " Hold him firmly," said he, " until I am on." 
 
 " There is no danger, master, the animal is not vicious, 
 and you need not be afraid," said the hostler. 
 
 " I am not at all afraid," replied Alfred quickly, " do I 
 look as if I were afraid, I, who am afraid of nothing ? " 
 
 " Except frogs," whispered Henry to William. 
 
 " What did you say, Henry ? What did you whisper to 
 William? "said Alfred. 
 
 " Oh ! nothing very interesting ! " replied Henry, mis- 
 chievously, " I told him I believed I saw a frog down on 
 grass." 
 
 Alfred bit his lip, colored deeply, but said nothing. 
 He got on the pony and began to pull the bridle, the 
 pony recoiled, Alfred clung to the saddle.
 
 172 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " Do not pull, master, do not pull, a horse must not be 
 managed like a mule," said the hostler, laughing. 
 
 Alfred slackened thereins, I started ahead with Henry, 
 William following on the mule. I maliciously broke 
 into a gallop, and the pony tried to overtake me, but I 
 went my fastest. William and Henry laughed, Alfred 
 cried out and clung to the pony's mane. We all ran, 
 and I determined not to stop until Alfred was thrown off 
 Excited by the laughter and cries, the pony was not long 
 in overtaking me, but I followed close behind him, nib- 
 bling his tail whenever he showed the slightest inclina- 
 tion to slacken his speed. We galloped thus for a quar- 
 ter of an hour, Alfred clinging to the pony's neck and 
 ready to fall at every step. Determined to hasten this 
 event, I gave a stronger nibble to the pony's tail, he 
 began to kick so vigorously that at the first essay, Alfred 
 fell upon the horse's neck, at the second, he passed over 
 its head and was stretched motionless on the ground. 
 William and Henry, thinking him hurt, dismounted 
 instantly, and ran to pick him up. 
 
 "Alfred, Alfred, are you hurt?" they anxiously 
 inquired. 
 
 " I think not, I do not know," answered Alfred, as he 
 arose, still quaking from fright. 
 
 When on his feet, his limbs trembled, his teeth chat- 
 tered. William and Henry examined him, and finding 
 neither bruise nor scratch of any sort, looked at him with 
 mingled pity and disgust. 
 
 " It is sad to be such a coward as that," said William.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 173 
 
 " I am not a coward but I am afraid." an- 
 swered All'red, his teeth still chattering. 
 
 "I hope you do not intend to mount my pony again," 
 said William, " we will exchange animals. " 
 
 And without awaiting Alfred's answer, he jumped 
 lightly on the pony. 
 
 " I would rather ride Cadichon," said Alfred, piteously. 
 
 " Just as you please," answered Henry, " take Cadi- 
 chon and I will mount Grison, the mule." 
 
 My first impulse was to prevent his getting on my 
 back, but I formed another project which finished his 
 day's amusement, and served better to express my aver- 
 sion and wickedness. So I let him mount quietly and I 
 followed far behind the pony. If Alfred had dared beat 
 me to increase my speed, I would have thrown him, but 
 knowing my young master's fondness for me, he never 
 interfered with my gait, which was regulated entirely by 
 my own pleasure. I took especial pains in going through 
 the woods, to brush him up against all the bushes, par- 
 ticularly such as holly and others of that thorny nature, so 
 that his face was well scratched. He complained of this 
 to Henry, who answered coldly : 
 
 " Cadichon does not treat people badly that he likes; 
 probably you are not in his good graces." 
 
 We soon took the road homeward, for Henry and 
 William got tired of listening to Alfred's whimpering as 
 each new branch switched across his face. He was 
 scratched ridiculously; I had every reason to believe, 
 however, that he was less amused than his companions.
 
 174: THE ACVENTUEE8 OF A DONKEY. 
 
 My frightful project was going to finish the day's enter- 
 tainment. 
 
 In returning through the farm, we had to pass a hole 
 or rather a ditch, into which emptied the pipe carrying 
 off all the stale, greasy kitchen water. It was a recepta- 
 cle for refuse of every sort, which rotting in the stag- 
 nant water, formed a black and stinking mud. I let 
 William and Henry go ahead; reaching the ditch, I 
 made a bound towards the edge and with one kick, 
 landed Alfred just where I had desired. I then stood 
 quietly enjoying the spectacle of his struggles in this 
 black, filthy pool that almost blinded and strangled him. 
 
 He attempted to scream for help, but the water got 
 into his mouth, it even reached his ears, and try as lie 
 would, he found it impossible to extricate himself. 
 " Medor," thought I, " Medor, you are revenged ! " I did 
 not reflect on the harm I might do this poor boy, who 
 had killed Medor by accident and not from malice, nor 
 did I suspect for an instant that I was far worse than 
 he. At last, William and Henry who had dismounted, 
 seeing nothing of me nor Alfred, wondered at our delay 
 and retraced their steps, to find me standing on the edge 
 of the ditch, complacently regarding my struggling 
 enemy. They approached, and uttered a cry of horror 
 at sight of Alfred, for he was in imminent risk of being 
 strangled by the mud. The farm men were called to 
 the spot immediately. They held out a pole to the un- 
 fortunate boy, who, clinging to the end, was thus rescued 
 from his peril. When landed, every one wished him to
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 175 
 
 keep at a distance, for the mud was dripping from him 
 and smelt intolerably. 
 
 " We must go tell his father," said William. 
 
 " And then papa and my uncles," added Henry, " so 
 they may tell us some way of cleansing him." 
 
 " Come, Alfred, follow UP, but please don't come too 
 near, for that mud does smell horribly." 
 
 Alfred, covered with confusion, black with mud, 
 scarcely able to see his way, followed them at a distance, 
 and was the object of much surprise and many ejacula- 
 tions from all he met. I formed the vanguard, capering, 
 running and braying with all my strength. William and 
 Henry seemed much displeased at my gayety, and tried 
 cheir best to silence me, but their screams were of no 
 avail, and in fact, only added to the racket. This un- 
 usual noise attracked the attention of all the house; 
 every one recognizing my voice, and knowing that I 
 brayed thus only on grand occasions, ran to the windows 
 so that when we came in sight of the castle, numberless 
 countenances full of curiosity peered at us through the 
 casements. Our appearance was the signal for a general 
 exclamation, followed by a simultaneous rush for the 
 door, and in a few moments everybody, big and little, 
 young and old, had decended and formed a circle around 
 us, with Alfred for the centre, every one inquiring what 
 was the matter and trying to keep out of his way. Your 
 grandmother was the first to say : 
 
 " Some one must wash this poor boy, and see if he is 
 hurt."
 
 176 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " But how to wash him is the question," said William's 
 papa. " He must take a bath." 
 
 " I will undertake the washing," said Alfred's father. 
 " Follow me, Alfred ; I see by your walk that you are 
 not hurt. Let us go to the pond, where you can plunge 
 right in ; then, when rid of some of that mud, you may 
 use the soap and finish your bath. The water is not cold 
 at this season. William will lend you linen and other 
 clothing." 
 
 Saying this, he went towards the brook, followed by 
 Alfred, who was afraid to do otherwise, as he stood con- 
 siderably in awe of his father. I ran to assist at the 
 operation, which was long and hard, for the nasty, greasy 
 mud stuck to his skin and hair. The servants hastened 
 to bring him towels, soap, clothing and shoes. The papas 
 helped scrub him, and at the end of half an hour he 
 emerged from his bath nearly clean, but shivering, and 
 so abashed that he did not wish to be seen, and begged 
 his father to take him home immediately. 
 
 Meanwhile, every one inquired how this accident had 
 happened. William and Henry mentioned the two falls. 
 
 " I believe," said William, " that Cadichon was the 
 cause of both. He bit my pony's tail, which he never 
 does when one of us is on the pony ; this forced the pony 
 into a gallop; he kicked, and sent Alfred over his head. 
 I did not see the second fall, but, judging from Cadichon's 
 triumphant air, his joyful braying, and his present com- 
 placent demeanor, it is very easy to discover that the 
 deed was intentional he detests Alfred."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 177 
 
 " How do you know he detests him ? " asked Beatrice. 
 
 " He shows it in a thousand ways," said William. 
 '* You remember the day Alfred had a frog in his pocket, 
 how Cadichon chased him, caught him by the seat of his 
 trousers, and held him whilst we put on his jacket ? I 
 observed Cadichon's expression, and perceived that he 
 cast upon Alfred such malicious glances as he bestows 
 only on those he hates. lie never looks at us in that 
 way. His eyes sparkled like coals ; indeed, his look was 
 really ugly." 
 
 " Cadichon," added he, turning towards me, " isn't it 
 so ? Haven't I guessed exactly right ; you detest Alfred, 
 and treated him badly on purpose?" 
 
 My answer was to bray and then lick his hand. 
 
 " Do you know," said Maud, " that Cadichon is really 
 an extraordinary creature ? I am sure he hears and 
 understands us." 
 
 I gave her a grateful glance, and, going up to her side, 
 laid my head on her shoulder. 
 
 " What a pity, my Cadichon," said Maud, " that you 
 get worse and worse, and oblige us to love you less and 
 less ! And what a pity it is, also, that you cannot write! 
 You have seen so miuh that would be interesting tc 
 relate," she added, passing her hand over my head and 
 neck. "If you could only write the story of your adven- 
 tures, I am sure they would be very amusing ! " 
 
 " My poor Maud," said Henry, " what nonsense you 
 are saying, wishing that Cadichon who is a donkey, could 
 write an account of his life."
 
 178 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " A donkey like Cadichon is only one in part." 
 
 " Bah ! they are all alike and do what you will, they 
 are never anything but donkeys." 
 
 " All donkeys are not alike." 
 
 " But this does not prevent people when they wish to 
 describe a man as stupid, ignorant, and headstrong, from 
 saying : 'As stupid as a donkey, as ignorant as a donkey, 
 as headstrong as a donkey' and if you were to say to me, 
 ' Henry you are a donkey,' I would get angry and cer- 
 tainly take it as an insult." 
 
 " You are right, and yet I feel and see, first that Cadi- 
 chon understands a great deal, that he loves us, and that 
 he has wonderful intelligence moreover, that donkeys 
 are donkeys when treated like donkeys, that is, with 
 harshness and even cruelty, by masters whom they cannot 
 love or serve faithfully." 
 
 "According to your doctrine, then, it is really Cadi- 
 chon's intelligence that instigated him to betray the 
 robbers, and that prompts him to so many extraordinary 
 deeds." 
 
 " Certainly, how else would you account for his reveal- 
 ing the place of their concealment, except that he wished 
 to do so? " 
 
 " I would say, that seeing his comrades enter the cave, 
 he wished to rejoin them." 
 
 " And the tricks of the learned donkey ? " 
 
 " I would account for that day's doings on the score of 
 jealousy and malice ' 
 
 " And the race in which he came off victor ? "
 
 THE ADVtNTURES OF A DONKEY. 179 
 
 " A donkey's pride." 
 
 " And the tire when he savei Pauline 3 " 
 
 "It was instinct." 
 
 " Hush, Henry, you provoke me." 
 
 " I am very fond of Cadichon, I assure you ; but I 
 consider him just what he is in reality, a donkey ; and 
 you, you make him a genius. I must say, that if he i8 
 endowed with all the mind and intelligence that you 
 believe he possesses, he is wicked and detestable. 
 
 "How so?" 
 
 "By turning into ridicule the poor learned donkey 
 and his master, thus preventing them from making the 
 money necessary for their subsistance again, in playing 
 BO many ugly tricks on Alfred, who never did him any 
 harm, and, finally, in making himself so detestable to the 
 other animals, biting, kicking and maltreating them 
 generally." 
 
 " That is true, indeed, you are right, Henry. I would 
 rather believe for the sake of Cadichon's honor, that he 
 is ignorant of what he does and the consequences of his 
 deeds." 
 
 And Maud ran off with Henry, leaving me alone, and 
 quite displeased at what I had just heard. I felt indeed 
 that Henry's condemnation of my behavior was just, 
 but I *was unwilling to acknowledge it, and still more 
 unwilling to change my conduct, by shaking off' the yoke 
 of pride, ill temper and revenge, by which I had so long 
 been governed.
 
 XXII. 
 
 THE PUNISHMENT 
 
 I REMAINED alone till evening, no one came near me. 
 Feeling lonesome and wearied, I went towards the ser- 
 vants who were airing themselves at the kitchen door, 
 and engaged in conversation. 
 
 " He is getting too wicked indeed," said the chamber- 
 maid. " What an ugly trick he played on poor Alfred ; 
 he might have killed or drowned him." 
 
 "And after that he seemed so delighted," said the valet, 
 "he ran, he leaped, he brayed, as if he had accomplished 
 something great." 
 
 " He shall be paid for it," said the coachman, " I am 
 going to give him a dressing off for his supper." 
 
 " Take care," replied the valet, " if madam sees it " 
 
 "And how would madam see it ? Do you suppose I 
 am going to whip him under madam's eyes? I shall 
 wait until he is in the stable." 
 
 " Then you will be apt to wait a long time, for this 
 animal that does only what he pleases, goes to the 4 stable 
 very late." 
 
 " Well, if I get tired waiting for him, I know a way to 
 take him there in spite of himself and without disturb- 
 ing any one." 
 
 (180)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 181 
 
 " How can you do that ? " asked the chambermaid, " for 
 the wicked thing brays in such a way as to alarm the 
 house." 
 
 " Leave him to me ! I'll stifle his breath, so that you 
 will hardly hear him breathe," was the reply, followed 
 by a burst of laughter from the whole party. 
 
 I was enraged at their spite, and began to consider 
 some means of avoiding the threatened punishment. I 
 
 would have jumped at them then, and bitten every one 
 but I dared not, for fear they would go in a body and 
 complain to my mistress, and I had a vague presentiment 
 that vexed and annoyed at my numberless tricks, she 
 might drive me off. 
 
 Whilst I was deliberating, I heard the chambermaid 
 tell the coachman to look at my wicked eyes. He
 
 182 THE ADVENTUBE8 OF A DONKEY. 
 
 shrugged his shoulders, arose, went into the kitchen, and 
 coming out again, directed his steps towards the stable. 
 In passing me he threw a slip knot over my head ; I 
 drew back to break it, and he pulled in the opposite 
 direction to make me advance ; we both pulled our best, 
 in consequence of which the tighter the cord strangled 
 me ; at the very first I tried to bray, but in vain, I could 
 
 scarcely breathe, and was forced at last to yield. lie led 
 me to the stable, the door of which was obligingly opened 
 by the other domestics. Once in my stall, they promptly 
 passed the halter over my head and untied the rope that 
 was choking me ; then the coachman having first taken 
 the precaution to shut the door, seized the wagon whip 
 and began to beat me unmercifully, without the slightest
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 183 
 
 remonstrance or sign of pity from anyone present. In 
 vain did I bray and struggle, my young masters could 
 not hear me, and the coachman was free to consult his 
 own time and taste in meting out the punishment due 
 the many wicked deeds of which 1 was accused. 
 
 He left me in a state of suffering and dejection impos- 
 sible to describe. It was the first time since my entrance 
 into this house, that I had ever been humiliated and 
 beaten. Since then, however, in reflecting upon it, I 
 have recognized the justice of my punishment. 
 
 The next day it was quite late when the coachman let 
 me out of the stable. I was strongly tempted to bite 
 him in the face, but was prevented, as on the previous 
 day, only by the fear of being driven off the place. 
 
 I directed my steps towards the house. The children 
 were all collected around the front entrance, engaged in 
 a most animated conversation. 
 
 " There he is now, that wicked Cadichon," said William, 
 seeing me approach ; " let us chase him away, he'll bite 
 us or play some ugly trick on us, like he did the other 
 day on poor Alfred." 
 
 " What was it the doctor told papa just now ? " asked 
 Maud. 
 
 " He says that Alfred is very sick ; he has a fever and 
 is delirious," replied William. 
 
 " Delirious ? " inquired James, " what is that ? " 
 
 " A person is delirious," answered William, " when he 
 has such high fever that he does not know what he says, 
 when he does not recognize anybody, and thinks he sees 
 a great many things that he does not."
 
 184 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 What does Alfred think he sees ? " asked Louis. 
 
 " He imagines all the time that Cadichon is before 
 him and going to dart at him and bite or crush him 
 under foot; the doctor is very anxious about him ; papa 
 and my uncles have gone there now." 
 
 " How base it was in Cadichon to throw poor Alfred 
 into that disgusting hole ! " said Beatrice. 
 
 " Yes ; it was really base, sir," exclaimed James, turn- 
 ing towards me. " Go ! you are wicked I do not love 
 you anymore." 
 
 "Nor I, nor I, nor I," repeated all the children in 
 unison. " Go away, we want nothing more to do with 
 you!" 
 
 I was filled with consternation ; every one, even to 
 my little James (heretofore so tender and affectionate), 
 repulsed me now. 
 
 I slowly directed my steps in another direction, but 
 turned and looked so sadly at James that his heart was 
 touched. Running to me, he put his hands on my head, 
 and said in a caressing voice : 
 
 " Listen, Cadichon, we don't love you now, but if you 
 do better 1 assure you we will love you as before." 
 
 " No, no ; never as before ! " exclaimed all the rest ; 
 lie has been too bad ! " 
 
 " You see, Cadichon, what comes of being bad," said 
 little James, passing his hand over my neck. " You see 
 that no one cares for you but," added he, whispering in 
 my ear, " I still love you a little, and if you give up your 
 ugly tripks I will love you a great deal, just as before."
 
 He Imagine* that CaJiohon IB going to Jump on aim. (rage 184.) 
 
 10' 
 
 185)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 187 
 
 " Take care, James," said Henry, " don't go too near 
 him ; if he should give you a bite or a kick, he would 
 make you suffer much." 
 
 " There is no danger ; I am very sure he'll never bite 
 any of us." 
 
 " And why not ? " He threw Alfred off twice." 
 
 " Oh ! but Alfred, that's another thing ; he does not 
 like Alfred." 
 
 "And why doesn't he like Alfred ? What did Alfred 
 ever do to him ? He might take a notion some day not 
 to like us either." 
 
 James made no answer, for indeed there was nothing 
 he could say ; but he shook his head, and turning towards 
 me, gave me such a friendly little caress, that I was 
 affected to tears. The abandonment of all the others, 
 rendered still more precious those marks of affection 
 from my dear little James ; and for the first time a sin- 
 cere thought of repentance found its way into my heart. 
 Poor Alfred's illness caused me much anxiety. In the 
 afternoon, we heard that he was worse, and the physician 
 entertained fears of his life. Towards evening my 
 young masters themselves went to his father's to make 
 inquiries about him. Their cousins impatiently awaited 
 their return, and at the first glimpse of them all cried 
 out : " Well, what news ? how is Alfred? " 
 
 " Yery sick," answered William, " and yet, not quite 
 so ill as he was." 
 
 " His poor father," said Henry, " is greatly to be pitied ; 
 he weeps and sighs, and begs th e good God to spare him
 
 188 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 his son ; he said so many touching things, that I could 
 not help crying myself." 
 
 " We must all remember him in our evening prayers, 
 we must pray, with him and for him, must we not, dear 
 ones ? " sad Elizabeth. 
 
 " Certainly, with all our hearts," responded every child 
 at once. 
 
 " Poor Alfred ! suppose he should die ! " said Beatrice. 
 
 " Then," answered Maud, " his father would lose his 
 mind from grief, for Alfred is his only child ! " 
 
 "Where is Alfred's mother?" said Elizabeth, "we 
 never see her." 
 
 " It would be very astonishing if we were to see her," 
 answered William, " for she has been dead ten years." 
 
 "And the singular part of it is, that the poor lady's 
 death was caused by her falling into the water whilst on 
 a boating party," said Henry. 
 
 " How ? was she drowned," inquired Elizabeth. 
 
 " No," said William, " she was rescued immediately ; 
 but it was warm weather, and the sudden chill of the 
 water, combined with the fright, threw her into a fever 
 and delirium just like Alfred's, from which she died in 
 eight days." 
 
 " Oh ! my God! " exclaimed Maud, " grant it may not 
 be thus with Alfred ! " 
 
 "And for this intention we must pray fervently," said 
 Elizabeth, " perhaps the good God will grant our request.' 1 
 
 " Where is James ? " inquired Beatrice. 
 
 " He was here just now, he will return," said Maud
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 191 
 
 But the poor child did not return, for he had thrown 
 himself upon his knees t^hind a chest, and with his head 
 buried in his hands, he wept and prayed ! And it was I 
 who had caused all this sorrow, Alfred's illness, his father's 
 anxiety and bitter grief, my little James's distress. This 
 thought was a sad one for me, I began to reflect that it 
 would have been better to have left Medor's death 
 unavenged. 
 
 " What good did Alfred's fall do to Medor ! " I asked. 
 " Medor is none the less lost to me, and the vengeance 1 
 have taken, has only served another purpose, that of 
 making me feared and detested." 
 
 I impatiently awaited the next morning's news of 
 Alfred, and I was among the first to hear, for James and 
 Louis harnessed me to the little carriage to take them 
 over. Immediately on our arrival, we learned from a 
 servant who was hastening for the doctor, that Alfred had 
 passed a bad night, and had just had a convulsion that 
 greatly alarmed his father. James and Louis waited for 
 the doctor. He was not long in coming, and promised 
 to give them correct news of his patient. 
 
 In half an hour he decended the steps. 
 
 "Oh! Mister Tudoux, how is Alfred?" inquired 
 Louis and James. 
 
 " Yery sick, very sick, my children, but not as ill as 1 
 feared," said Mister Tudoux very slowly. 
 
 " But these convulsions," asked Louis, " are they not 
 dangerous ? " 
 
 "No, his convulsion resulted from great irritation of
 
 192 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKKY. 
 
 the nervous system. I gave him a pill that will com- 
 pose him. He is not dangerously ill " said Doctor 
 Tudoux, in the same slow, deliberate manner. 
 
 "Then, Mister Tudoux, you do not think he will 
 die ? " asked James. 
 
 " No, no, no," was the reply in the same measured 
 tones, " he is not seriously ill, not at all." 
 
 " I am so glad ! " exclaimed both the boys, " thanks 
 Mister Tudoux. Good-bye, we must hasten home to 
 take the good news to our cousins." 
 
 " Wait, wait a moment. Isn't that Cadichon you are 
 driving ? " 
 
 " Yes, this is Cadichon," replied James. 
 
 " Then take care," said Doctor Tudoux calmly, " he 
 might throw you into a ditch as he did Alfred. Tell 
 your grandmother she ought to sell him, he is a danger- 
 ous animal," 
 
 And the Doctor bade them good morning. &s forme, 
 I remained in such a state of astonishment and humilia- 
 tion, that I stood motionless, never dreaming of taking 
 a step homeward until my little masters had thrice said 
 to me: 
 
 " Come, Cadichon, get up ! Go, Cadichon, get along, 
 we are in a hurry ! Are you going to sleep here, Cadi- 
 chon ? Get up, get up ! " 
 
 I started at last, and ran all the way to the house, 
 reaching which, we found the cousins, uncles and aunts, 
 papas and mammas assembled at the first entrance, 
 anxiously awaiting our return.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A OONKET. 193 
 
 " He is better," exlaimed James and Louis, and then 
 they related their conversation with Mister Tudoux, not 
 forgetting his last injunction. 
 
 With lively trepidation, I awaited the grandmother's 
 decision. After an instant's reflection, she said : 
 
 " It is very certain, my dear children, that Cadichon 
 no longer deserves our confidence, and I do not wish the 
 smaller of you to mount him. The very next trick he 
 plays on any one, I shall sell him to the miller, who will 
 give him employment in carrying bags of flour, but I 
 want to try him a little longer, before reducing him to 
 this state of humiliation. Perhaps he will reform, we 
 shall be able to tell very well at the end of a few 
 months." 
 
 My dejection, my humiliation, my repentance in- 
 creased, but I could not repair the evil 1 had wrought 
 myself, except by dint of patience, gentleness and time. 
 I was deeply wounded both in my pride and my affec- 
 tions. 
 
 IS'ext day we heard still more encouraging news of 
 Alfred. A few days later he was convalescent, and 
 ceased to be the subject of anxiety at the castle. 
 
 But I could never have him out of my mind, for some 
 one was continually saying within my hearing : 
 
 " Beware of Cadichon ! Remember Alfred ! " 
 
 17
 
 XXIII. 
 
 THE REFORMATION. 
 
 SINCE the day I had scratched Alfred's face, brushing 
 him up against all the thorny bnshes along the road, and 
 ended by pitching him into the ditch, there was a very 
 visible change in the treatment I received from my little 
 masters, their parents, and in fact, from every one about 
 the place. The very animals behaved differently towards 
 me ; they seemed to avoid me, moving off when I 
 approached them, or maintaining a rigid silence in my 
 presence ; for, as I have already remarked in connection 
 with my friend Medor, we other animals converse among 
 ourselves without speaking as men do, movements of the 
 eyes, the ears, the tail taking the place of words. 1 
 knew only too well what had caused this change, and I 
 was more irritated than grieved, until one day, when, 
 alone as usual, taking my ease at the foot of a pine tree, 
 I saw Henry and Elizabeth approach ; they seated them- 
 selves and continued their conversation. 
 
 " I believe you are right, Henry," said Elizabeth, " and 
 I agree with you ; I also care very little for Cadichon 
 since he treated Alfred so badly." 
 
 " And not only Alfred ; don't you remember the fair 
 
 U94)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 195 
 
 of Laigle, how he behaved to the learned donkey's mas- 
 ter ? " replied Henry. 
 
 " All ! ah ! ah ! Yes ; I recollect very well, it was 
 funny ! Everybody laughed ; but for all that, we thought 
 he displayed more wit than heart." 
 
 " That is true ; he humbled the poor donkey and his 
 master. I have been told that the unfortunate man was 
 so ridiculed he had to leave without a cent in his pocket, 
 and his wife and children were in tears for want of 
 something to eat." 
 
 " And it was all Cadichon's fault." 
 
 " Certainly ; except for him the poor man would have 
 made enough to live on several weeks." 
 
 " And, then, do you remember what was told us about 
 the tricks he played his former masters ? He ate their 
 vegetables, broke their eggs, soiled their linen I am 
 decidedly of your opinion ; I care for him no more." 
 
 Elizabeth and Henry arose and continued their walk. 
 I remained sad and dejected ; my first impulse was to 
 get angry and gratify myself by taking some slight 
 revenge, but reflection convinced me that they were 
 right; I was always taking revenge, and what had it 
 availed me? it had rendered me unhappy. 
 
 First, I had broken the teeth and the arm of one of 
 my mistresses, and kicked her in the stomach. The con- 
 sequence was that I would have been beaten almost to 
 death had I not luckily made my escape. 
 
 I had also played numberless tricks on one of my 
 masters, who had been good to me until I got lazy and
 
 106 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 vicious ; then he treated me harshly, and I became 
 very unhappy. 
 
 As to the death of my friend Medor, I had never 
 reflected that Alfred killed him not intentionally, or 
 from malice, but through awkwardness, and that for his 
 stupidity the boy was not to blame. In revenge, I had 
 tormented him, finishing by causing him a spell of sick- 
 ness, the consequence of his plunge into the ditch. 
 
 And besides all these, of what numberless untold tricks 
 had I not been guilty 1 
 
 The end of which was that no one cared for me. I 
 was alone, no one came near to console or caress me, 
 even the animals kept out of my way. 
 
 " What shall I do ? " I sadly asked myself. " If I 
 could speak, I would go and tell them all that I have 
 repented, that I beg pardon for my past conduct, that 
 hereafter, 1 promise to be good and gentle, but alas ! 
 I cannot make them understand, I cannot speak ! " 
 
 I threw myself upon the grass and wept, not as men 
 shed tears, but in the depths of my heart ; I wept, I 
 bemoaned my sad lot, and for the first time I repented 
 sincerely. 
 
 " Ah ! if I had been good " said I " and instead of 
 displaying my intelligence, had tried to show kindness, 
 gentleness, patience! if I had only been to every one 
 what I was to Pauline ! how every one would love me, 
 and how happy I should now be ! " 
 
 I reflected a long time, a very long time, forming first 
 good resolutions and plans and then bad.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 197 
 
 At last, I decided upon a reformation so as to regain 
 the favor of my masters and comrades, and I began im- 
 mediately to put my good resolutions into practice. 
 
 For some time, I had had a comrade that I treated very 
 badly, a donkey which was bought for the little ones, as 
 they were afraid to ride me after I came so near drown- 
 ing Alfred. The larger children were not afraid of me, 
 but I had lost favor and there were no longer any dis- 
 putes at their riding parties, as to who should have me, 
 little James being the only one who asked for me. 
 
 This comrade was the object of my especial contempt, 
 I always kept him behind me, kicking and biting him 
 if he attempted to pass, until at last, the poor animal 
 was worried into giving me first place and submitting to 
 all my caprices. 
 
 That evening when the time arrived for us to go into 
 the stable, I found myself near the door almost at the 
 same moment as my comrade. He eagerly made way 
 for me to enter first, but as he was a few steps ahead, I 
 stopped in turn, and made a sign for him to pass. The 
 poor donkey obeyed me, but trembling, suspicious of my 
 politeness and believing it only the prelude to some 
 trick, for instance a kick or a bite. He was very much 
 astonished to find himself safe and sound in his stall, and 
 to see me take my place peaceably in mine. 
 
 Noticing his astonishment, I said to him : 
 
 " Brother, I have treated you very badly, but I shall 
 do so no longer ; I have been proud, but I shall never be 
 so again ; I have despised, humiliated, insulted you, but 
 
 17*
 
 198 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 I do not intend to repeat it. Pardon me, brother, and 
 in future regard me as a companion, a friend." 
 
 " Thanks, brother," replied the poor donkey over- 
 joyed. " I was unhappy, but I will be happy now ; I 
 was sad, I will be gay ; I felt myself isolated, but now 
 I feel loved and protected. Thanks again, brother, love 
 me. for I already love you." 
 
 " Let me in turn, brother, thank you," said I, " for I 
 have been spiteful and you have pardoned me, I have 
 made advances and you have not repuL-ed me, I have 
 oifered you my friendship, and you have given me yours. 
 Yes, it is my turn, brother, to thank you." 
 
 And eating our supper, we thus continued to converse. 
 It was the first time, for hitherto I had never deigned to 
 notice him. I found him much better and wiser than 
 myself, and I asked him to assist me in my new life, 
 which he promised to do with equal affection and modesty. 
 
 The horses, witnesses of our conversation and my unac- 
 customed gentleness, glanced at me and then at one 
 another with surprise. Although they conversed in an 
 undertone, I heard one say : 
 
 " This is all pretence on Cadichon's part ; he is going 
 to play some trick on his companion." 
 
 " Poor donkey," answered the second horse, " I pity 
 him. Suppose we give him a hint of it." 
 
 " Oh, no indeed," replied the first horse. " Silence ! 
 Cadichon is wicked ! he would pay us up for this if he 
 were to hear us." 
 
 I was deeply wounded at the bad opinion those two
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 199 
 
 horses had of me ; the third said nothing, but putting 
 his head over the stall, he observed me attentively. I 
 looked at him sadly and humbly. He appeared surprised 
 but never moved, and continued to regard me in silence. 
 
 Fatigued and worn out by sorrow and regret, I lay 
 down upon my bed, and as I did so, perceived it was less 
 soft and comfortable than my comrade's. Instead of 
 getting angry as formerly, I recognized the justice of such 
 treatment, and indulged in penitent reflexions. 
 
 " I have been wicked," said I, " and they have pun- 
 ished me ; I have made myself detestable, and they have 
 made me feel it. I ought to congratulate myself on not 
 having been sent to the mill, where I would be beaten, 
 badly stabled, and my back broken with heavy loads." 
 
 Thus bemoaning my past misdeeds, I fell asleep. As 
 I awoke the next morning the coachman entered the 
 stable, assisting me to rise with a kick, he took off my 
 halter and set me at liberty. I remained at the door, 
 and to my surprise, beheld him curry and carefully rub 
 down my comrade, then pass my beautful ornamented 
 bridle over his head, put my English saddle on his back, 
 and lead him around to the front entrance. 
 
 Anxious, trembling with emotion, I followed, and oh ! 
 what was my chagrin, my desolation to see James, my 
 beloved little master, approach my comrade, and after a 
 little hesitation, seat himself in the saddle. I remained 
 motionless, overcome with grief. Dear little James per- 
 ceived my consternation, for coining up to me, he patted 
 me on the head and said sadly :
 
 200 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " Poor Cadichon ! you see what you have done! I am 
 not afraid to ride you, but papa and mama are afraid you 
 will pitch me off. Good bye, poor Cadichon ; be quiet, 
 I will always like you." 
 
 And he rode slowly off, followed by the coachman, 
 who cried out to him : 
 
 " Take care, Master James, do not stay too near Cadi- 
 chon, he will bite you, he will bite your donkey, you 
 know very well how wicked he is." 
 
 " He never was wicked with me and he never will be," 
 answered James. 
 
 The coachman struck the donkey, which started at a 
 trot, and both he and his rider were soon out of sight. 
 I remained rooted to the spot, overwhelmed with emo- 
 tion, which was so much the more violent in proportion 
 to the impossibility of making anyone understand my 
 repentance and my good resolutions. Almost frantic 
 with the insupportable weight oppressing my heart, I 
 started off in a run, not knowing whither 1 went. I ran 
 R long time, breaking through hedges, leaping ditches, 
 clearing fences, crossing streams, not stopping till I came 
 to a wall which I could neither break nor leap. 
 
 I looked around me. Where was I ? The country 
 seemed familiar, but I could not remember when I had 
 ever been there before. I skirted the wall at a rapid 
 pace. I was in a foam, having run several hours, judg- 
 ing by the sun. A few steps brought me to the end of 
 the wall ; I turned the corner, and recoiled with surprise 
 and terror I was not more than two steps from Pauline's 
 tomb.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 201 
 
 M y anguish was more bitter than ever. " Pauline, my 
 dear little mistress ! " I exclaimed, " you loved me because 
 I was good ; I loved you because you were good and 
 unhappy. After losing you, I found others, who, good 
 like you, treated me kindly. I was happy then, but all 
 is changed now ; my bad disposition, the desire of dis- 
 playing my ability and satisfying my vengeance have 
 destroyed all my happiness ; no one cares for me now, 
 and if I were to die no one would regret me." 
 
 I wept bitterly within myself, and for the hundredth 
 time reproached myself with my misconduct. One con- 
 soling thought suddenly inspired me with consolation. 
 " If I reform," thought I, " and do as much good as I 
 have evil, perhaps my young masters will receive me 
 again into their confidence, my dear little James 
 especially, who still loves me a little. But how shall I 
 make known to them my repentance and reformation ? " 
 
 "Whilst thus reflecting on my future, I heard steps 
 approaching the wall, and the harsh voice of a man, 
 saying : 
 
 " What is the use of crying, simpleton ? Tears will 
 not give you bread, will they ? Since I have nothing to 
 give you, what do you wish me to do here ? Do you sup- 
 pose I have a full stomach, 1 who have swallowed nothing 
 since yesterday morning but air and dust ? " 
 
 " I am very tired, father." 
 
 " Well, let us rest under the shade of this wall for a 
 quarter of an hour ; I am quite willing." 
 
 As they turned the wall and seated themselves near
 
 202 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 the tomb where I stood, judge of my astonishment at 
 seeing Mirliflore's poor master, with his wife and son ! 
 They all had a hungry, emaciated, care-worn appearance. 
 
 The father looked at me ; he seemed surprised, and, 
 after a few minutes hesitation : 
 
 " If I see aright," said he, " this is the donkey, the 
 beggarly donkey that made me lose more than fifty francs 
 at the Laigle fair. You wicked animal," he continued, 
 addressing me, " you were the cause of my poor Mirli- 
 flore being killed by the crowd ; it was you who pre- 
 vented my gaining money enough to have lived on a 
 month ; you shall pay up for it ! " 
 
 He arose and approached, but I did not stir, being 
 keenly conscious that I had merited this man's indigna- 
 tion. He was astonished. 
 
 " It cannot be the same," said he, " for he does not 
 budge any more than a stick "Pretty fellow," he con- 
 tinued addressing me and smoothing my limbs. " If I 
 had him only a month, you would not want bread my 
 son, nor your mother, nor would iry stomach be so 
 empty." 
 
 My mind was made up in an instant, I resolved to 
 follow this man for several days, and suffer everything if 
 necessary, to help him make some money for his family, 
 in reparation of the wrong I dad done him. 
 
 When they resumed their journey, I followed them ; 
 at first, it was not noticed, but the father having looked 
 around several times, and seen me always at their heels, 
 tried to drive me back. I refused to leave them, persist-
 
 The owner of MirUflore, with his wife and 8on.-<Page 203.) 
 
 C203)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 205 
 
 ently returning to my place beside or just behind 
 them. 
 
 " It is strange " said the man, " that this animal will 
 follow us! My faith, since he is so determined, let him 
 do it." 
 
 On reaching the village, he presented himself at an 
 inn, and asked for a meal and lodging, frankly confess- 
 ing that he had not a cent in his pocket. 
 
 " We have beggars enough of our own, my good 
 man," answered the inn-keeper, " without adding those 
 who do not belong here, you must go elsewhere." 
 
 I darted to the inn-keeper's side, and saluted him sev- 
 eral times in such a grotesque fashion as to make him 
 laugh. 
 
 " This animal of yours docs not appear stupid," said 
 the inn-keeper, laughing. " If you will let us see some 
 of his tricks, I will cheerfully give you food and lodg- 
 ing." 
 
 " I do not refuse, landlord, but we must have some- 
 thing in our stomachs first," answered the man, " when 
 fasting, one cannot control his voice properly." 
 
 "Come in, come in, you shall be waited on ; Madelon, 
 my old woman, dinner for three, not counting the 
 donkey." 
 
 Madelon brought them some good soup, which was 
 swallowed in the twinkling of an eye, then a nice piece 
 of boiled meat and some cabbage, both of which disap- 
 peared with equal rapidity, and at last, a dish of salad 
 
 13
 
 206 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 and some cheese, which they devoured with less avidity, 
 their hunger by this time being somewhat appeased. 
 
 My dinner was a bundle of hay, but I ate very little, 
 I had too heavy a heart to be hungry. 
 
 The inn-keeper had collected all the village to see me 
 perform, and the yard was filled, when my new master 
 led me out into the circle. He seemed greatly embar- 
 rassed, not knowing my capacity or whether I had 
 received any education. At a venture he said to me : 
 
 " Salute the society." 
 
 " I made a bow to the right, to the left, before me and 
 behind, and everybody applauded." 
 
 " "What are you going to make him do now ? " said the 
 wife in an under tone, "he doesn't know what you 
 mean." 
 
 " Perhaps he will understand. These educated don- 
 keys are intelligent, I am going to try him." 
 
 "Go, Mirliflore," (this name made me sigh) "go, kiss 
 the prettiest lady here." 
 
 Looking right and left, I perceived behind nearly 
 every one else, the landlord's daughter, a pretty brunette 
 of some fifteen or sixteen years. I directed my steps 
 towards her, and pushing away with my head, those who 
 blocked the passage, I went up to her and put my nose 
 against her forehead. She laughed and seemed to be 
 quite pleased. 
 
 "Say now, father Hutfcr, you gave that lesson, didn't 
 you ? " exclaimed several in the crowd, laughing. 
 
 "No, upon my honor," answered Hutfer, "I came 
 only as a spectator."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 207 
 
 " Now, Mirliflore," said my new master, " go find some- 
 thing, no matter what, and give it to the poorest person 
 present." 
 
 I went towards the room in which they had just dined, 
 seized a loaf of bread and triumphantly deposited it in 
 his own hands. 
 
 There was a general laugh, everybody applauded. 
 " That's not your lesson, father Hutfer," cried a friend, 
 " this donkey really is sensible, he has profited well by 
 his master's training." 
 
 "Are you going to let him have a whole loaf of bread 
 like that? " said some one in the crowd. 
 
 "No, not that," answered Hutfer, "give it to me, 
 donkey-man, this was not in our agreement." 
 
 " It was not, landlord," responded the man, " never- 
 theless rny donkey told the truth, when he pointed me 
 out as the poorest here, for until we got our dinner, my 
 wife, my son, and myself had eaten nothing since yester- 
 day morning, for want of two sous to buy a bit of bread. 
 
 " Let him have the bread, father, said Helen Hutfer, 
 "our meal bins are full, and the good God will recom- 
 pense us for what we give away." 
 
 " That is just like you, Helen," said Hutfer, " if one 
 listened to you, he would give away all he has." 
 
 " We are no longer poor, father, the good God always 
 blesses our harvests and our house." 
 
 " Well, then since you wish it let him keep his 
 bread, I am willing." 
 
 At these words, I went up to him, and made him a
 
 208 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 profound bow. Then taking between my teeth a little 
 empty pan, I presented it to each one for his contribu- 
 tion, and when after going the round my pan was full, I 
 emptied the contents into my master's hands, put the pan 
 where I had found it, and making a bow, I gravely 
 retired amidst a storm of applause. 
 
 My heart felt lighter. I was consoled and strengthened 
 in my good resolutions. My new master seemed delighted. 
 As he was about to retire, every one surrounded him, 
 begging a second exhibition on the morrow, which he 
 eagerly promised, and then went into the room with his 
 wife and son to rest. 
 
 When they found themselves alone, the wife, after look- 
 ing cautiously around her, and perceiving no one but me 
 with my head resting upon the window, said to her hus- 
 band in a low tone : 
 
 " Say husband, don't you think it very singular our 
 meeting this donkey coming out of a cemetery, its follow- 
 ing us of its own accord, and making so much money for 
 us? What amount have you there? " 
 
 " I have not yet counted," he answered, come help me, 
 you take this handful and I, the other." 
 
 " I have eight francs and four sous," said the woman, 
 after counting. 
 
 "And I have seven fifty that makes how much does 
 that make, wife ? " 
 
 " How much does that make ? Eight and four make 
 thirteen, and seven make twenty-four, and fifty make 
 make somewhere about sixty."
 
 THE ADVENTUBES OF A DONKEY. 209 
 
 " How stupid you are ! Sixty francs in my hands, 
 indeed ! It is an impossibility ! Come, my son, you are 
 something of a scholar, you ought to know that." 
 
 "What is it, papa?" 
 
 " I have eight francs four sous on one side, and seven 
 francs fifty on the other." 
 
 " Eight and four make twelve," said the boy, with 
 quite a decided air ; " carry one, and seven make twenty, 
 carry two, and fifty make make fifty fifty-two, carry 
 five." 
 
 " Dunce! how could that make fifty, since I have eight 
 in one hand and seven in the other ? " 
 
 " And fifty besides, papa." 
 
 " ' And fifty besides, papa ? ' " said his father, mocking 
 him. " Don't you see, simpleton, that the fifty are cent- 
 imes ? and centimes are not francs." 
 
 " No, papa ; but it would still be fifty. 
 
 " Fifty what ? How stupid ! how stupid ! If I were 
 to give you fifty knocks, would you call them fifty 
 francs ? " 
 
 " No, papa ; but they would still be fifty." 
 
 " Here is one on the account, big animal," said the 
 man, giving him a blow that resounded through the 
 house. The boy began to cry. I was enraged. If this 
 poor boy was stupid, it was not his fault. 
 
 " This man," said I, " does not merit my pity ; he has 
 now, thanks to myself, enough to support himself and 
 family for the next eight days. I shall still make more 
 
 18*
 
 210 THE ADVENTURES OP A DONKEY. 
 
 at to-morrow's exhibition, and, after that, I return to my 
 masters, perhaps they will receive me kindly." 
 
 I withdrew from the window and refreshed myself with 
 a few fresh thistles that I saw growing on the edge of a 
 ditch. I then went to the stable, and, finding the best 
 places there already occupied by the horses, I modestly 
 took a corner that no one wanted. There I could reflect 
 at my ease, for nobody knew me, nobody troubled him- 
 self about me. Towards night, Helen Hutfer entered 
 the stable to see if everything had been attended to, and, 
 perceiving me in my damp, obscure corner, without a 
 bed, hay or oats, she called one of the stable boys : 
 
 " Ferdinand," said she, " make a bed for this poor 
 donkey here on the damp ground, give him a measure of 
 oats and a bundle of hay, and see that he has water." 
 
 " Miss Helen," replied Ferdinand, " you will ruin your 
 papa ; you are too careful of everything. What differ- 
 ence does it make whether this beast sleeps on a hard or 
 a good bed ? It is a waste of straw, that ! " 
 
 " You don't find me too careful or kind when it con- 
 cerns yourself, Ferdinand ; I wish everything here to be 
 well treated, beasts as well as men." 
 
 " Although," said Ferdinand, with a mischievous air, 
 " there are not a few men who could easily be taken for 
 beasts, notwithstanding they do walk on two legs." 
 
 " Wherefore we say : ' Beast which eat hay,' " answered 
 Helen, smiling. 
 
 " Oh ! I would never give hay to you, miss, indeed ! 
 You have the wit the wit and the mischief of a 
 monkey ! "
 
 *Ahl miss, I did not say you were a monkey ."-(Paffe 213.) 
 
 C2UJ
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 213 
 
 Thanks for the compliment, Ferdinand ! " What are 
 you then, if I am a monkey ? " 
 
 " Ah ! Miss, I did not say you were a monkey ; and if 
 I expressed myself badly, call me a donkey, a simpleton, 
 an owl." 
 
 " No, no, not so bad as that, Ferdinand, but only a 
 babbler who talks when he ought to work. Make a bed 
 for the donkey," added she in a serious tone, " and feed 
 and water him." 
 
 She left the stable and Ferdinand complied with her 
 orders in a measure, grumbling all the while. He made 
 me a bed, giving me a few thrusts of the pitchfork as he 
 did so, ill-naturedly threw me a bundle of hay and a 
 handful of oats, and put a bucket of water beside me. 
 
 Not being fastened I could easily have left the place, 
 but in pursuance of my good resolutions I preferred to 
 suffer a little and give on the morrow, my second, and 
 last exhibition for the benefit of the man 1 had wronged. 
 
 Towards evening of the next day my master led me 
 out to a large square crowded with curious spectators; 
 I had been well advertised in the morning, the vil- 
 lage drummer having gone through the village at an 
 early hour crying out : " This evening at eight o'clock 
 there will be a grand exhibition of the learned donkey, 
 Mirliflore ; it will take place in the square opposite the 
 school and mayor's office." 
 
 I repeated all the preceding day's tricks, and added 
 some dances executed with grace ; I waltzed, I polkied, 
 and, I played on Ferdinand the innocent trick of en-
 
 214 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 gaging him to waltz by braying before him, and extend- 
 ing my front hoof in invitation. He refused at first, but 
 when every one cried out : " Yes, yes, a waltz with a 
 donkey! " he darted into the circle laughing, and began 
 to cut a thousand capers that I imitated at my best. 
 
 At last, feeling fatigued, I left Ferdinand caper alone, 
 and went as on the preceding day to get a pan. Not 
 finding any, I took between my teeth a basket withoiit 
 a lid, and, as before, presented it to each one for a con- 
 tribution. It was soon so full that I had to empty it in 
 the blouse of my reputed master. I continued my beg- 
 ging, and, when all had given me, I, making a profound 
 bow to the assembly again returned to my master, and 
 waited till he had counted the proceeds which amounted 
 to more than thirty-four francs. Thinking I had now 
 made sufficient reparation for the past, I felt at liberty 
 to return home, and consequently, after a parting saluta- 
 tion to my master, I wedged my way through the 
 crowd, and started off in a trot. 
 
 " Look there, your donkey has got away ! " said Hut- 
 fer, the inn-keeper. 
 
 " How prettily he files off," said Ferdinand. 
 
 My pretended master turned around, looked at me 
 anxiously, and called, " Mirliflore, Mirlifiore ; " but see- 
 ing I paid no attention, he cried out most piteously : 
 
 " Stop him, stop him, please ! It is my bread, my liv- 
 ing he carries ofl'; do run catch him, if you bring him 
 back I promise you another exhibition." 
 
 " Tell us where you got him, and how long you have 
 had him ? " said a man named Clonet.
 
 The town crier. (Pago 213.) 
 
 (21&)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 217 
 
 " I have had him since I owned him," answered my 
 false master, somewhat embarrassed. 
 
 " I know that," said Clonet, " but how long have you 
 owned him ? " 
 
 The man was silent. 
 
 " It appears to me," added Clonet, " that I recognize 
 him, he is the image of Cadichon, the donkey of Herpi- 
 niere castle ; If I am not very much mistaken it is 
 Cadichon." 
 
 " I was stopped. I heard a confused murmuring of 
 voices, I saw the trouble menacing my new master, who 
 suddenly dashed through the crowd, and followed by his 
 wife and son, darted off in the opposite direction to that 
 I had taken. 
 
 Some wished to pursue him, but others said it was not 
 worth while, since I had escaped and the man had taken 
 nothing away with him but the silver, which was his own, 
 I having honestly made it for him. 
 
 " And as to Cadichon," said they, " give yourselves no 
 concern about him, he can find the road home, and more- 
 over, he will not let himself be taken unless he wishes 
 it." 
 
 The crowd dispersed and all returned to their homes. 
 1 resumed my course hoping to reach my real masters 
 before night, but the way was long, and being fatigued 
 I was consequently obliged to stop about a league from tho 
 castle. It was night, the stables would be locked, so I 
 decided to make my bed in a little piece of pine woods 
 bordering on a stream. 
 
 19
 
 218 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 Scarcely had I lain down upon the moss, when I heard 
 cautious steps and voices speaking in a whisper. I 
 looked, but saw nothing, the night was too dark. I 
 listened with all my ears and heard the conversation I 
 am about to relate. 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 THE ROBBERS. 
 
 u IT is not late enough yet, Finot, it would be wiser to 
 hide ourselves in the woods a little longer." 
 
 " But Passe Partout, we must have a little daylight to 
 epy around ; I, especially, for I have not studied the 
 entrances." 
 
 " You have never studied anything, your comrades 
 certainly made a mistake in naming you Finot, I would 
 have called you Pataud, instead." 
 
 " That does not prevent nay being the originator of all 
 the good plans." 
 
 " Good plans indeed ! that depends. What are we 
 going to do at the castle ? " 
 
 " What are we going to do ? Kifle the kitchen garden, 
 cut up the artichokes, gather the peas, the beans, the 
 turnips, carrots, carry off the fruits, that is the work." 
 
 "And what then ? " 
 
 " Why do you say what then ? We are going to col- 
 lect everything in a pile, get it over the wall, and take it 
 to the market at Moulins and sell it.
 
 .THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 219 
 
 "And how will you get into the garden, dunce?" 
 
 " Over the wall, with a ladder to be sure. Would you 
 have me go to the gardener and politely request the loan 
 of his keys and tools ? " 
 
 " That's a poor joke, I only want to know if you have 
 marked out the place where we are to climb over the 
 wall?" 
 
 " No, and for that reason, I prefer going at once, to 
 reconnoitre." 
 
 "And if they should see you, what would you say ? " 
 
 " I would say that I came to beg a glass of cider and 
 a crust of bread." 
 
 " That plan is not worth much. Now, here is my idea: 
 I know the kitchen garden ; one part of the wall needs 
 repairing ; I can climb up there by setting my feet 
 among the stones ; I shall find a ladder and pass it over 
 to you, as you are not very expert in climbing." 
 
 " No ; I am not as much of a cat as you." 
 
 " But suppose some one comes to upset our plans?" 
 
 " You are a real child ; if any one comes to disturb 
 me, 1 shall know what to do." 
 
 " What would you do ? " 
 
 " If a dog, I would kill him ; 1 don't carry my sharp 
 knife to no purpose." 
 
 " But suppose it's a man ?" 
 
 "'A man?'" answered Finot, scratching his ear. 
 " That would be more perplexing- A man ? yet a man 
 can be killed as well as a dog. If it were only for some- 
 thing valuable but for vegetables 1 And, then, this castle 
 is full of people."
 
 220 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " But tell me, what would you do?" 
 
 " My faith ! I would make off as fast as possible ; it 
 would be the safest plan." 
 
 " You are a coward, do you know that ? If you see or 
 hear a man, you have only to call me, and I will settle 
 him." 
 
 " Act according to your own taste ; it would not be 
 mine." 
 
 " Well, now we are agreed this is the plan : To-night 
 we go to the kitchen garden wall ; you remain at one 
 end as a guard, whilst I climb over and get you a ladder, 
 by means of which you rejoin me." 
 
 " Yes ; it is all right," answered Finot. 
 
 Just then he looked anxiously around, listened, and 
 said in a whisper : 
 
 " I heard something stir back there, could it be 
 anybody 2 " 
 
 " Who wants to hide in the woods ? " answered Passe 
 Partout. " You are always afraid ; it may be a frog or 
 a snake." 
 
 They said no more. I did not stir again, and I now 
 began to devise some means of thwarting these robbers' 
 plans and causing their arrest. I could warn no one ; I 
 could not even prevent their entering the garden. How- 
 ever, after much reflection, I thought of a scheme that 
 might end theirs. I let them set out ahead of me, 
 determined not to budge until they were out of hearing. 
 
 I knew they could not walk fast, as the night was very 
 dark. I took a short cut, and, clearing several hedges,
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 221 
 
 readied the wall long before them. I knew the dilapi- 
 dated place of which Passe Partout had spoken, and, 
 finding it, crouched as close as possible to the wall to 
 prevent their discovering me. 
 
 Here I waited at least a quarter of an hour, still no 
 one came ; at last, I heard heavy footsteps and then a 
 faint whispering. They approached very cautiously, one 
 coming towards the spot in which I was concealed (this 
 was Passe Partout), the other going in the opposite direc- 
 tion, near the entrance (this was Finot). 
 
 I saw nothing, but I heard all. When Passe Partout 
 reached the spot where several stones had fallen from the 
 wall, and thus made a sufficient resting place for the 
 feet, he began to ascend, assisting himself with his hands. 
 I did not stir ; I scarcely breathed ; I heard and under- 
 stood every one of his movements. When he had climbed 
 about as high as my head, I darted out from my hiding 
 place, seized him by the leg and gave him a vigorous 
 pull. Before he had time to recollect himself, he was on 
 the ground, stunned by the fall, wounded by the stones. 
 To prevent his crying out, or calling on his comrade for 
 help, I gave him a hard kick on the head, which left him 
 unconscious. I then took my station very near him, 
 thinking his comrade would soon come to see what had 
 happened. I had not waited long ere I heard Finot 
 advancing very cautiously. He took a few steps and 
 stopped he listened, heard nothing and went a few 
 steps farther. In this manner, he at length drew very 
 near his companion, but without perceiving it, as hia 
 
 19*
 
 222 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 gaze was fixed upon the wall and the companion lay 
 motionless on the ground. 
 
 "Pst! pst! Have you the ladder? Must I mount 
 now ? " said he, in a low voice. The other, not hearing 
 him, of course there was no answer. I saw that he was 
 not much in the notion of climbing and might leave it 
 was time to act. I rushed at him, and, pulling him to 
 
 the ground by the back of his blouse, gave him, like his 
 companion, a hard kick on the head, and, with the same 
 success, he lay motionless near his friend. Then, having 
 nothing more to lose, I began to bray in my most formi- 
 dable voice ; I ran to the gardener's house, to the stables, 
 to the castle, braying with such violence that everybody 
 was aroused. Some of the bravest hastened out with 
 arms and lanterns ; I ran up to them, and, by running a
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 223 
 
 little ahead, led them to the two robbers stretched at the 
 foot of the wall. 
 
 "Two dead men! What can that mean?" said 
 William's father. 
 
 " They are not dead," answered James's father; " they 
 breathe." 
 
 " And I just heard one groan," said the gardener. 
 
 " Look at the blood ! Such a wound on his head ! " 
 said the coachman. 
 
 " And the other is similarly wounded ; it looks like 
 the kick of a horse or mule," said William's father. 
 
 " Yes," replied James's father ; " here is the mark of 
 the shoe on his forehead."
 
 221 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " What are the gentlemen's orders ? " asked the coach- 
 man ; " what shall we do with these men ? " 
 
 " Carry them to the house," answered William's father ; 
 " harness up the cab, and go for the doctor ; whilst wait- 
 ing for him, the rest of us will try to restore them to 
 consciousness." 
 
 The gardener brought a litter, on which the wounded 
 men were placed and carried to a large room used as an 
 orangery in winter. They were still unconscious. 
 
 " I do not know these faces," said the gardener, after 
 examining them attentively by the light. 
 
 " Perhaps they have some papers about them that will 
 reveal their identity," said Louis's father ; " we ought to 
 let their families know they are here and wounded." 
 
 The gardener rummaged in their pockets, and drew 
 forth some papers, which he handed James's papa ; then 
 two sharp, pointed knives and a big bunch of keys. 
 
 "Ah! ah! This tells what these men are," he 
 exclaimed , " they came to rob and perhaps kill ! " 
 
 " I begin to understand it all now," said William's 
 papa ; " Cadichon's presence and his extraordinary bray- 
 ings explain matters ; these men came here to rob ; 
 Cadichon instinctively divined their intentions, attacked 
 them, kicked them on the head, and then began braying 
 to arouse us." 
 
 " That is just it, the very thing," said James's papa ; 
 " this brave Cadichon can boast of having rendered us a 
 great service ; come, Cadichon, you are restored to favor 
 this time."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 225 
 
 I was happy once more, as I promenaded up and down 
 before the green-house, whilst Finot and Passe Partout 
 received the necessary attentions. They had not yet 
 recovered consciousness, when Doctor Tudoux, who was 
 not long in making his appearance, reached the spot. 
 He examined their wounds. 
 
 " Here are two well-directed blows," said he ; "I see 
 distinctly the mark of a small horse-shoe, or I might say 
 a donkey's and," added he, perceiving me, " it is prob- 
 ably a new piece of mischief on the part of this animal, 
 which seems as interested in our actions as if he under- 
 stood them." 
 
 " Not a piece of mischief, but an act of fidelity and 
 intelligence," answered William's papa ; " these men are 
 robbers, as you see by the knives and papers found on 
 them." 
 
 And he began to read : 
 
 " No. 1. Castle Herp. Many people ; not easily rob- 
 bed kitchen garden easy vegetables and fruits, wall a 
 little high. 
 
 " No. 2. Presbytery. Old priest ; no arms woman 
 servant, old and deaf Good chance to rob during Mass. 
 
 "No. 3. Sourval Castle. Master absent wife alone on 
 ground floor, servant in the second story, fine silver, 
 easily robbed. Kill if they give an alarm. 
 
 " No. 4. Chanday Castle. Fierce watch dogs to be 
 poisoned no one on the ground floor plate, gallery of 
 rich curiosities and jewels to rob. Kill if anybody
 
 226 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " You see," continued he, these men are burglars who 
 came to rifle our garden in default of something better. 
 Whilst you give them surgical attention, I will send to 
 the town for the chief of the police." 
 
 Drawing from his pocket a case of surgical instru- 
 ments, Doctor Tudoux took a lancet and bled the two 
 robbers, who soon opened their eyes. They were greatly 
 frightened at finding themselves in the castle and sur- 
 rounded by people. When entirely restored to conscious- 
 ness, they wished to speak. 
 
 " Silence knaves," said Doctor Tudoux slowly and 
 calmly. " Silence, there is no necessity for your telling us 
 who you are or what brought you here." 
 
 Finot put his hand in his vest ; the papers were not 
 there, he sought his knife, it was also gone. He looked 
 at Passe Partout with a serious ah* and said in a low 
 voice : 
 
 " I told you in the woods I heard a noise." 
 
 " Hush," answered Passe Partout in the same tone, 
 " they will understand. We must deny everything." 
 
 " But the papers, they have them." 
 
 " We must say we found them." 
 
 "And the knives?" 
 
 " We found them also, we must make a bold stand." 
 
 " Do you know who it was gave you that blow on the 
 head which stretched you senseless ? " 
 
 " My faith ! I do not know, I had not time to see or 
 hear. I found myself on the ground and struck in a 
 trice.*
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 227 
 
 "And I the same. "We must find out however, if they 
 saw us climb the wall." 
 
 " We will indeed find out, those who attacked us, of 
 course, will tell how and why." 
 
 " That is true. Till then we must deny everything. 
 Just now, let us agree upon the details of our account, 
 so as not to contradict each other. First, were we jour- 
 neying together ? Where did we find the" 
 
 " Separate these two men," said Louis's father, " they 
 are agreeing upon the tale they are to tell." 
 
 Two men seized Finot, and two, Passe Partout, bound 
 them hand and foot, in spite of their resistance, and car- 
 ried Passe Partout into another room. 
 
 The night was far advanced, all were impatiently 
 awaiting the chief of the police. About daybreak he 
 arrived, and accompanied by four policeman, having been 
 told there was question of arresting two robbers. My 
 little masters' fathers recounted all that had happened, 
 and produced the knives and papers found in the men's 
 pockets. 
 
 " This sort of a knife," said the officer, " indicates dan- 
 gerous burglars, who murder to further their purposes. 
 Moreover, it is easy to learn from these papers, that they 
 had planned several robberies in the neighborhood. I 
 would not be at all surprised if these two men were not 
 Finot and Passe Partout, very hardened brigands escaped 
 from the galleys, and now the object of official pursuit 
 in several of the departments, where they have commited 
 numberless and audacious thefts. I am going to exam-
 
 228 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKKY. 
 
 ine them separately, you may assist at the examination 
 if you wish." 
 
 Saying this, he entered the room where Finot lay. 
 Looking at him an instant, he said : 
 
 " Good morning, Finot ! so you are taken at last." 
 
 Finot trembled and reddened, but said nothing. 
 
 "Ah ! Finot, so we have lost our tongue ? Neverthe- 
 less, it was voluble enough at the last trial." 
 
 " To whom were you speaking, sir," said Finot look- 
 ing all around him, " there is no one here but myself." 
 
 " I know that very well, it is to yourself I am speaking." 
 
 " I do not know, sir, why you address me thus, I am 
 not acquainted with you." 
 
 " Yes, but I am acquainted with you, you are Finot, 
 an escaped criminal, condemned to the galleys for rob- 
 bery and assaults." 
 
 " You are mistaken, sir, I am not the person you pre- 
 tend to know so well." 
 
 " Then who are you, whence do you come, and where 
 were you going ? " 
 
 I am a dealer in sheep and was on my way to a fair at 
 Moulins, to buy lambs." 
 
 " Indeed ! and your companion, is he also a dealer in 
 sheep and lambs ? " 
 
 " I do not know, we had met but a few moments before 
 we were attacked and overcome by a band of robbers." 
 
 "And what about the papers in your pockets ? " 
 
 " I do not even know what they contain, we found 
 them not far from here, and had not time to examine 
 them.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 229 
 
 "And the knives?" 
 
 " Tiie knives were with the papers." 
 
 Really, you were lucky, to find and pick up so much 
 without being able to see, the night was very dark. 
 
 "It was mere chance. My comrade stepped upon 
 something that felt strange, we both stooped down, and 
 feeling around, found these papers and knives which we 
 divided." 
 
 " It is very unfortunate they were divided, for this 
 circumstance furnishes evidence sufficient to thrust each 
 of you in prison." 
 
 " You have no right to put us in prison, we are honest 
 men." 
 
 " That is just what we are to find out, and before very 
 long. Good-day, Finot. Do not disturb yourself, added 
 he, seeing that Finot attempted to rise from the bench. 
 " Men, give this man every attention, and keep him 
 under your eye, for he has already escaped us more than 
 once." 
 
 The officer retired, leaving Finot anxious and de- 
 jected. 
 
 " If Passe Partout should only give the same account 
 as myself," said Finot, " but it is mere chance that he 
 does." 
 
 Seeing the officer enter, Passe Partout felt that all 
 was lost ; however, he tried to conceal his anxiety and 
 appear at ease, whilst the policeman looked at him 
 attentively. 
 
 20
 
 230 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " How do you happen to be here wounded and tied ? " 
 said the officer. 
 
 " I know nothing about it," answered Passe Partout. 
 " You certainly know who you are, where you were 
 going, by whom you were wounded." 
 
 " I know very well who I am, and where I was going, 
 but I do not know who brutally attacked me." 
 
 " Well then, we will proceed in order who are 
 you?" 
 
 " Is that your business ? You have no right to ask 
 travelers who they are." 
 
 " I have so good a right, that I put thumb-screws on 
 those who refuse to answer, and take them to prison." 
 
 I will begin again : " who are you ? " 
 
 " I am a cider merchant." 
 
 " Your name if you please." 
 
 " Robert Partout." 
 
 " Where were you going ? " 
 
 " Just wherever I could by cider." 
 
 " You were not alone, you had a companion ? n 
 
 " Yes, my partner in business, we attend to our affairs 
 together." 
 
 " And these papers in your pockets, do you know any- 
 thing about them ? " 
 
 " Ah ! " said Passe Partout mentally, he has read 
 these papers, and thinks he can catch rue there, but I 
 will outwit him." 
 
 And then he added aloud : 
 
 " Do I know anything about them ? I certainly do.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 231 
 
 You mean the papers the brigands lost, and which I 
 intended taking to the city police." 
 
 " How did you get these papers ? " 
 
 " We found them on the way, and having read them, 
 were so anxious to deliver them to the authorities, that 
 we continued our journey at night." 
 
 " And the knives that were found on you ? " 
 
 " The knives? we brought them to defend ourselves, 
 for we had been told there were robbers in this part of 
 the country." 
 
 "How and by whom were you and your companion 
 wounded ? " 
 
 " By robbers who came upon us without our seeing 
 them." 
 
 " Ah ! Finot's account is different from yours." 
 
 " Finot is so frightened that he has lost his memory, 
 you must not credit what he says." 
 
 " I do not believe what he says, any more than I 
 believe what you yourself tell me, friend Passe Partout, 
 for I am well acquainted with you, you have betrayed 
 yourself. " 
 
 Passe Partout immediately perceived what a fool he 
 had been in recognizing his companion as Finot. It was 
 a nickname given him at the prison in dirision of his 
 lack of cunning. 
 
 As to Passe Partout, his real name was Partout. One 
 day as they were hurrying to the refectory, Finot ex- 
 claimed, " Passe Partout," and the name became a fix- 
 ture. He could deny matters no longer, still he would 
 not confess ; but shrugging his shoulders said :
 
 232 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " Because I am acquainted with Finot ? It was no 
 harm to suppose you spoke of my companion. I thought 
 you called him Finot in derision." 
 
 " Well, that is good ! twist that as you will ; it is none 
 the less true, however, that you and your companion 
 were journeying together buying cider, that you found 
 these papers on the road, read them, and were carrying 
 them to the town to put them in the hands of the authori- 
 ties that you bought the knives to defend yourselves 
 against robbers, that you were attacked and wounded by 
 these same robbers, is not that the story ? " 
 
 " Yes, yes ; that is, indeed, my account." 
 
 " Say, rather, your tale ; for your companion has told 
 quite another story." 
 
 " What did he say ? " anxiously inquired Passe 
 Partout. 
 
 " It is not necessary for you to know just at present, 
 but when you are both in the convict prison he will tell 
 you." 
 
 And the officer went out of the room, leaving Passe 
 Partout in a state of rage and anxiety easily imagined. 
 
 " Do you think, doctor, that these men are able to 
 walk to the town ? " inquired the officer of Doctor 
 Tudoux. 
 
 " I think they can get there, if you do not urge them 
 on too fast," responded Doctor Tudoux, slowly. " More- 
 over, should they even give out on the way, you could 
 easily send for a carriage and put them in it ; but they 
 are badly kicked on the head, and might die in three or 
 four days."
 
 20
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 235 
 
 The officer was perplexed, for he was a kind man, and, 
 although the prisoners deserved no pity, he did not wish 
 to make them suffer unnecessarily. Mr. de Ponchat, 
 father of William and Henry, seeing his embarrassment, 
 proposed to harness up one of our conveyances. His 
 offer was gratefully accepted, and, when the vehicle was 
 brought to the door, Finot and Passe Partout were put 
 into it, each between two guards. Moreover, their feet 
 were tied to prevent their leaping out and escaping, and 
 the officer on horseback rode beside the wagon, never 
 losing sight of his prisoners. They soon disappeared, 
 and I remained alone before the house, eating grass and 
 impatiently awaiting my little masters, especially my 
 dear James, whom I longed to see. 1 knew that the 
 service I had just rendered would secure their pardon 
 for all past misdeeds. 
 
 When, at last, it was a reasonable hour in the morn- 
 ing, and everyone about the castle, had arisen, dressed 
 and breakfasted, a group rushed down the front steps. 
 It was the children. All ran to me and caressed me to 
 my heart's content, but the caresses of none were so 
 affectionate or so dear to me as those of little James. 
 
 " My good Cadichon," said he, " you have come back ! 
 I was so sorry when you went away 1 You see my dear 
 Cadichon, that we still love you ! " 
 
 " He has really become good," said Maud. 
 
 "And he has lost that insolent air he used to have," 
 said Beatrice. 
 
 "And he bites his comrade and the watch dogs, no 
 longer," said Elizabeth.
 
 236 THE ADVENTURE3 OF A DONKEY. 
 
 "And he lets himself be saddled and bridled without 
 trouble," said Louis. 
 
 Helen " And he doesn't eat the bouquets, I hold in 
 my hand." 
 
 Ruth "And he doesn't kick any more when we 
 mount him " 
 
 William "And he doesn't run after my pony any 
 more to bite his tail." 
 
 James "And he has saved all our fruits and vegeta- 
 bles by causing the arrest of these robbers," 
 
 Henry "And he has broken their hands with his 
 feet." 
 
 Elizabeth " But how could he cause the arrest of the 
 robbers ? " 
 
 William " We do not know all the particulars, but 
 the household was aroused by his brayings. Papa, my 
 uncles and some servants went out, and saw Cadichon 
 galloping up and down from the house to the garden ; 
 following him with lanterns till he came to the end of 
 the wall around the kitchen garden, they there found 
 these two men, unconscious whom they discovered to be 
 robbers." 
 
 James " How could they tell these men were robbers ? 
 do not robbers look and dress like us ? " 
 
 Elizabeth " Indeed they are not like us ! I have seen 
 a band of robbers, they wore pointed hats, and chestnut 
 colored mantles and they had such wicked countenances 
 and enormous mustaches." 
 
 " Oh 1 where did you see them and when ? " exclaimed 
 all the children at once.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 237 
 
 Elizabeth " I saw them, last winter, at the Franconia 
 theatre." 
 
 Henry "Ah ! ah ! ah ! What nonsense ! I thought 
 you meant real robbers, that you had met in some of 
 your travels, and I was astonished at never having heard 
 my uncle and aunt mention it." 
 
 "Certainly, sir, they were real robbers," answered 
 Elizabeth quite piqued, " the soldiers fought against them, 
 and killed some and took some prisoners. There was 
 nothing funny about it ; I was much frightened and some 
 of the poor soldiers were wounded." 
 
 William "Ah ! ah ! ah ! how silly you are ! you saw 
 what we call a drama, which is played by paid men, who 
 repeat it every night." 
 
 Elizabeth " How can they repeat it when they are 
 killed?" 
 
 William " They only pretend to be killed or wounded, 
 they are as sound as you or I." 
 
 Elizabeth " How then did papa and my uncles know 
 these men were robbers ? " 
 
 William " Because knives to kill people were found 
 in their pockets, and " 
 
 " But those knives to kill people, how are they made ? " 
 interrupted James. 
 
 William " Like like, all other knives." 
 
 James " Then how could you tell that they were to 
 kill people ? Perhaps they were to cut their bread ? " 
 
 William " You worry me James, you always want to 
 understand everything, and you interrupted me, just as
 
 238 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 I was going to tell you, that papers were found on them, 
 revealing their plans ; it was all written down what they 
 were to do, steal our vegetables, and kill the priest and 
 many other people." 
 
 James "And why were they not going to kill us ? " 
 
 Elizabeth " Because they know papa and my uncles 
 are very brave, that they have pistols and guns, and also 
 that we all would have helped." 
 
 Henry " You would be famous assistance, indeed, if 
 any one were to attack us." 
 
 Elizabeth "I would be as brave as you, sir, and I 
 would know very well how to pull the robbers by the 
 legs to prevent their killing papa." 
 
 Maud "Come, come; don't quarrel, but let William 
 tell us what he heard." 
 
 Elizabeth " It is not necessary for William to tell us 
 what we already know." 
 
 William "Then why ask me how papa discovered that 
 these men were robbers 3 " 
 
 " Masters William and Henry, master Alfred wants 
 you," said the gardener, who had just brought the vege- 
 tables for the kitchen. 
 
 " Where is he ? " asked William and Henry. 
 
 " In the garden," answered the gardener ; " he dares 
 not come to the house, for fear of meeting Cadiehon." 
 
 sighed, as I thought that poor Alfred feared me not 
 without reason since the sad day I had treated him so 
 shamefully, almost drowning him in a filthy ditch, after 
 scratching him with briers and thorns, and nibbling the 
 pony's tail until he w r as pitched over its head.
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 239 
 
 " I ought to make reparation," said I; "what can I 
 do, what service can I render him to convince him that 
 he has no longer any reason to fear me ? " 
 
 XXV. 
 
 THE REPARATION. 
 
 WHILST I vainly pondered a means of convincing 
 Alfred of my repentance, the children approached the 
 spot where I browsed and meditated at the same time.- 
 I saw that Alfred kept at a distance and regarded me 
 with mistrust. 
 
 William " It is going to be warm to-day, and I don't 
 think it will be pleasant to go far. It would be better 
 for us to remain in the shady park." 
 
 Alfred " William is right, I have never regained my 
 strength since that spell of sickness which nearly 
 brought me to the grave, and consequently I am very 
 easily fatigued." 
 
 Henry " You must owe Cadichon a grudge, since he 
 was the cause of your illness." 
 
 Alfred " 1 do not believe he did it purposely, he was 
 probably frightened at something on the road, and jumped 
 aside, accidentally pitching me into that frightful ditch, 
 So I do not hate him, but " 
 
 William "But what?"
 
 240 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " But," said Alfred, blushing slightly, " I would rather 
 not get on him again." 
 
 The poor boy's generosity touched me, and increased 
 my regret at having treated him so badly. 
 
 Maud and Beatrice now proposed to do some cooking. 
 The children had built in their garden an oven, which 
 they heated with dry wood, gathering it themselves, and 
 this proposition was joyfully received. 
 
 They ran to get kitchen aprons and returned to their 
 garden prepared for work. Alfred and William brought 
 the wood ; breaking each branch in two, they filled their 
 oven. 
 
 Before kindling the fire, they held a consultation as to 
 what they should have for breakfast. 
 
 "I wish an omelet," said Maud. 
 
 Beatrice " I, coffee and whipped cream." 
 
 Elizabeth" I, cutlets." 
 
 "William " I, cold veal with vinegar sauce." 
 
 Henry" I, potato salad." 
 
 James " I, strawberries and cream." 
 
 Louis^ " I, slices of bread and butter." 
 
 Helen " I, grated sugar." 
 
 Euth " And I, cherries." 
 
 Alfred "I will cut the bread, set the table, prepare 
 the wine and water, and help generally." 
 
 And each one went to the kitchen to get materials for 
 the desired dish. Maud brought eggs, butter, salt, pep- 
 per, a fork and a frying pan. 
 
 " I must have some fire to melt mv butter and cook
 
 Alfred and William brought the wood. (race 219.) 
 
 (241)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 243 
 
 m 7 e gg s >" said she. "Alfred, Alfred, some fire, if you 
 please." 
 
 "Where must I kindle it?" 
 
 " Near the oven, be quick, I am beating my eggs." 
 
 "Alfred, Alfred," called out Beatrice, "run to the 
 kitchen and get the coffee for the whipped cream, I for- 
 got it, be quick." 
 
 " I must kindle the fire for Maud." 
 
 " You can do that afterwards, run quick and get my 
 coffee, now it will not take you long, and I am in a 
 hurry." 
 
 Alfred started off in a run. 
 
 " Alfred, Alfred," said Elizabeth, " I must have some 
 embers and a gridiron for my cutlets; I have cut them 
 nicely." 
 
 Alfred, who ran with the coffee, set out again for the 
 gridiron. 
 
 " 1 must have oil for my vinegar sauce," said William. 
 
 " And I, vinegar for my salad," said Henry, " quick, 
 Alfred with the oil and vinegar." 
 
 Alfred who had just brought the gridiron, returned 
 for the vinegar and oil. 
 
 " Oh ! my fire ! " said Maud, " is that how you light 
 it, Alfred ? My eggs are beaten, you are going to make 
 me lose my omelet." 
 
 " My commissions have been so numerous, I have not 
 had time to light the fire." 
 
 " And the coals ? " cried Elizabeth, " where are you, 
 Alfred ? you have forgotten my coals 1 "
 
 244 THE ADVENTUBES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " No, Elizabeth, I have not been able to get them, I 
 have been kept running." 
 
 " Hurry, Alfred, or I shall not have time to broil my 
 cutlets," was the reply. 
 
 " And I must have a knife to cut my slices of bread," 
 said Louis, " bring a knife, quick, Alfred." 
 
 " I have no sugar for my strawberries, grate the sugar, 
 Helen, hurry," said James. 
 
 "I have grated till I am tired," she answered, " I am 
 going to rest a little I am so thirsty ! " 
 
 " Eat some cherries," said Ruth, " I am thirsty, too." 
 
 "And so am I," chimed in James, "I am going to 
 taste a few to refresh myself. " 
 
 " I shall do the same," added Louis, " it is very 
 fatiguing to cut bread." 
 
 And the four little ones surrounded the basket of 
 cherries. 
 
 " Let us sit down," said Ruth, " it will be more con- 
 venient whilst refreshing ourselves." 
 
 They refreshed themselves so well that they ate every 
 cherry. When the basket was empty they looked 
 anxiously at one another. 
 
 They are all gone," said Ruth. 
 
 " We are going to get scolded," answered Helen. 
 
 " Oh ! what shall we do ? " inquired Louis, anxiously. 
 
 " Ask Cadichon to come to our aid," said James. 
 
 " What do you want Cadichon to do ? " replied Louis, 
 " he cannot make cherries appear in the basket when we 
 have eaten them all ! "
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 245 
 
 " He might do what amounts to the same," said James. 
 " Cadichon, my good Cadichon, come to our aid, see this 
 empty basket and try to fill it." 
 
 I was very near the four little gourmands. 
 
 James put the empty basket under my nose to help 
 me understand what he wanted. I smelt it and started 
 off in a trot ; going to the kitchen where I had seen some 
 one take a basket of cherries, I seized the basket between 
 my teeth, trotted off with it and deposited it in the 
 midst of the children, still seated around the stones and 
 stems in their plates. 
 
 A cry of joy greeted my return. The others turned 
 around at this and inquired the meaning of it. 
 
 u It is Cadichon ! Cadichon ! " exclaimed James. 
 
 " Dont tell," said Ruth, they will know then that we 
 ate up the other cherries." 
 
 "Well, suppose they do know it," answered James, 
 " I wish them also to know how kind and intelligent 
 Cadichon is." 
 
 And running to them, he told how I had repaired 
 their greediness. Instead of scolding the four little 
 ones, they praised James's frankness and bestowed the 
 highest eulogiums upon my intelligence. 
 
 Meanwhile Alfred had kindled Maud's fire, and 
 brought Elizabeth's coals ; Maud cooked her omelet, 
 Beatrice finished her cream, Elizabeth her cutlets, Wil- 
 liam cut his veal in slices preparatory to making the 
 seasouing, Henry stirred and stirred his potato salad ; 
 James made a niush of strawberries and cream, Louis
 
 246 
 
 THE ADVENTURES OP A DONKEY. 
 
 cut a pile of buttered bread, Helen grated sugar until 
 the sugar bowl was empty, Kuth picked over the basket 
 of cherries, whilst Alfred breathless and in a perspiration, 
 Bet the table, ran for fresh water to cool the wine, and 
 vessels of radishes, cucumbers, sardines and olives to 
 ornament the table. He had forgotten the salt, he 
 
 had not thought of the covers, glasses were wanting, 
 May bugs and gnats had fallen into the goblets and on 
 plates. When, at last, everything was ready and on the 
 table, Maud, clapping her hands to her forehead, 
 exclaimed : 
 " Ah 1 We have forgotten one thing, to ask our
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 247 
 
 mammas' permission to breakfast outdoors on a meal of 
 our own preparation." 
 
 " Let us go at once," was the unanimous answer ; 
 " Alfred will keep guard over the breakfast." 
 
 And, darting towards the house, they rushed into the 
 parlor, where their papas and mammas were assembled. 
 
 The sudden appearance of all these children, red, 
 breathless, arrayed in kitchen aprons like scullions, quite 
 surprised their parents. 
 
 Each one ran to his or her mamma, and asked the 
 required permission with such volubility that, at first, it 
 was impossible to know what they meant. After a few 
 questions and explanations, it was granted, and they 
 hastened back to Alfred and their breakfast. But Alfred 
 had disappeared. 
 
 Alfred ! Alfred ! " they cried. 
 
 " Here I am, here I am," answered a voice apparently 
 from the skies. 
 
 Looking up, they perceived Alfred, perched in an oak 
 tree. He began to descend slowly and cautiously. 
 
 " What made you climb up there? " said William and 
 Henry ; " what a strange idea that was ! " 
 
 Alfred made no reply, but continued to get down, and 
 when he had reached the ground the children were sur- 
 prised to see him pale and trembling. 
 
 " Why did you climb that tree, Alfred ? what has hap- 
 pened to you ? " said Beatrice. 
 
 " If it had not been for Cadichon, you would not have 
 found me or your breakfast either ; I climbed the oak 
 tree to save my life."
 
 21-8 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " Do tell us what has happened ? " said William ; 
 "how could Cadichon save your life and our breakfast? " 
 
 " Let us take our places at the table and listen whilst 
 we eat, I am dying of hunger," said Maud. 
 
 They seated themselves on the grass, around the table- 
 cloth ; Maud helped to her omelet, which was excellent; 
 and Elizabeth, in turn, to her cutlets, which were very 
 nice, but cooked a little too much. The rest of the 
 breakfast followed, everything turning out quite satis- 
 factorily. Whilst they ate, Alfred recounted the fol- 
 lowing : 
 
 " You had scarcely started ere the two big farm dogs, 
 attracted by the smell of food, came running to the spot. 
 I seized a stick, and, brandishing it before them, tried to 
 drive them off, but in vain ; they could not resist the 
 sight of the cutlets, the omelet, the bread, the butter, the 
 cream ; instead of flying from my stick, which they little 
 feared, they rushed at me ; I threw the stick at the head 
 of the biggest, and it jumped on my back " 
 
 " How could it jump on your back ? " said Henry ; 
 " he went behind you, did he ? " 
 
 "No," said Alfred, blushing; "but, having thrown 
 my stick at him, 1 had no means of defense, and you 
 can certainly understand the folly of my letting myself 
 be devoured by hungry dogs." 
 
 " Oli ! I understand now," replied Henry in a tone of 
 raillery, " it was you who turned upon your heel to 
 escape." 
 
 * I w^s running to ijnd you and the beasts were run-
 
 The other dog leaped at me.- (Peso 251.) 
 
 CIS)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OP A DONKEY. 251 
 
 ning after me, when Cadichon came to my assistance. 
 Seizing the biggest dog by the skin of the back, he shook 
 him well, whilst I sought safety by climbing a tree. 
 The other dog leaped at me, caught me by my clothes, 
 and would have torn me to pieces, had not Cadichon 
 rescued me from this animal also. Giving a good final 
 bite to the first dog, and throwing him up in the air 
 whence he fell a few steps farther off, bruised and bleed- 
 ing, Cadichon now seized the tail of the dog that held 
 me, which act freed me at once, for, of course, my assail- 
 ant immediately relinquished his hold. After pulling 
 him a little distance, Cadichon turned around with 
 incredible agility, and gave him a kick on the jaw bone that 
 must have broken several teeth. The two dogs went off 
 yelping, and I was about to decend when you came." 
 
 All admired my courage and presence of mind, and 
 came up to me, loading me with caresses and praises. 
 
 " You see now for yourselves," said James, with a 
 triumphant air and sparkling eyes, " that my friend Cadi- 
 chon has become excellent, I don't know whether you 
 care for him or not, but I do more than ever. We will 
 always be the best of friends, wont we Cadichon ? " 
 
 I did my best to respond with a joyful bray ; the 
 children laughed and resuming their seats at the table, 
 continued their repast, Beatrice now served her cream. 
 
 " That's good cream ! " said James. 
 
 " I wish some more," said Louis. 
 
 "And I, and I," cried Helen and Kuth, Beatrice was 
 much pleased with her success. Indeed, every dish had
 
 252 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 given such satisfaction, that the table was entirely cleared. 
 Poor James, however, had a slight humiliation. His 
 charge was the strawberries and cream. He had sugared 
 his cream and poured it over the stemmed strawberries, 
 making a very nice looking dish. Unfortunately for him, 
 he finished before the others. Seeing there was plenty 
 of time, he concluded to improve it and his dish together, 
 by mashing the berries in the cream. He crushed and 
 he crushed, so long and so well, that the result was a 
 thick pap, quite nice to the taste, but very uninviting in 
 appearance. 
 
 Then James's turn arrived to serve the strawber- 
 ries. 
 
 "Oh! what are you giving me," exclaimed Maud, 
 " what is it ? red pap ? What is it made of? " 
 
 " It is not red pap," answered James somewhat con- 
 fused, " it is strawberries and cream, and very nice, I 
 assure you, Maud ; taste it, and you will see." 
 
 " Strawberries ? " said Beatrice, " where are the straw- 
 berries \ I see none. This stuff looks disgusting." 
 
 " Oh ! yes, it is disgusting," echoed all the rest. 
 
 " I thought they would be nicer crushed," said poor 
 little James, his eyes full of tears. " But if you wish it, 
 I will go quickly and pick some more strawberries, and 
 get some cream from the house." 
 
 " No, no, James," said Elizabeth, touched at his gentle- 
 ness, " your cream is, no doubt, very nice. Give me 
 some, I will eat it with great pleasure.'*
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 253 
 
 James's face brightened, he kissed Elizabeth and helped 
 her most bountifully. 
 
 The other children, softened like Elizabeth by James's 
 mildness and good will, asked for some of his dish, and 
 all, after tasting, pronounced it excellent, much better 
 indeed than if the berries had been whole. 
 
 Little James, who had been anxiously watching their 
 countenances as they tasted his cream, became radiant 
 when he saw the success of his invention ; he partook of 
 it himself, and although not much remained for him, 
 there was enought to make him regret not having made 
 more. 
 
 Breakfast over, they washed the dishes in a large tub, 
 that had been accidentally left out, and filled during the 
 night from the rainspout. 
 
 This was not the least amusing part of the business, 
 and it was still in progress when the study bell sounded, 
 and their parents called them to their books. They 
 begged a quarter of an hour's grace, to finish wiping 
 the dishes and putting them away. It was granted, and 
 before the expiration of the time, everything was carried 
 back to the kitchen, put in its place, the children at their 
 studies, and Alfred having said good-bye, was about to 
 start home. 
 
 Before leaving, he called me to him, and seeing that I 
 approached, he ran to me, caressing and thanking me by 
 his words and pattings for the service I had rendered 
 him. I received this expression of gratitude with pleas- 
 ure. It confirmed me in the opinion that Alfred was 
 22
 
 254 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 much better than I had at first judged him, that he was 
 neither revengeful nor malicious, and also, that if some- 
 what cowardly and stupid, it was not his fault. 
 
 I had occasion a few days afterwards to render him a 
 new service. 
 
 XXVIL 
 
 THE BOAT. 
 
 James " What a pity we cannot cook a breakfast 
 every day, as we did last week, it was so amusing ! " 
 
 Louis "And what a good breakfast ! " 
 
 Maud " The best thing to me was the potato salad and 
 veal with vinegar sauce." 
 
 Beatrice " I know why very well ; it is because your 
 mamma forbids you eating such things constantly." 
 
 " Very likely," said Maud, laughing, " what we seldom 
 get to eat always appears best, especially when it is some- 
 thing we like naturally." 
 
 William " What shall we do to-day for amusement ? " 
 
 Elizabeth " Sure enough, it is Thursday, we have holi- 
 day until dinner." 
 
 Henry " If we could get a mess of fish from the big 
 pond" 
 
 Maud "What a splendid idea! we will have a dish 
 of fish for to-morrow, Friday ! " 
 
 Beatrice " How will we fish ? have we fishing lines ? n
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 255 
 
 William" We have hooks enough but we want rods." 
 
 Henry " Shall we send one of the servants to the 
 village to buy them ? " 
 
 William " They are not sold in the village, we would 
 have to send to the city and that is very far." 
 
 Maud "Oh! here comes Alfred, perhaps they have 
 some lines at his house ; and we can send some one on 
 the pony for them." 
 
 James " I will ride over on Cadichon." 
 
 Henry " You cannot go so far alone." 
 
 James " It is not far, only half a league." 
 
 " What is it, my friends, you are going to get with 
 Cadichon ? " said Alfred as he came up. 
 
 William" Fishing lines ; have you any, Alfred ? " 
 
 Alfred " No ; and there is no necessity for going so far ; 
 with knives, we can make as many ourselves, as we 
 want." 
 
 Henry " To be sure! why did we not think of it 
 before." 
 
 Alfred " Come quick to the woods to cut them. Have 
 you knives ? mine is in my pocket." 
 
 William " I have an excellent one that Maud brought 
 me from London." 
 
 Henry "And I also have one that Beatrice gave me." 
 
 James " I have one." 
 
 Louis "And I." 
 
 " Come along then," said Alfred, " whilst we cut the 
 rods, you may strip off the bark and little twigs." 
 
 "And what shall we do in the meantime ? " asked Maud, 
 Beatrice and Elizabeth.
 
 256 THE ADVEXxCRES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 " Make the other necessary preparations," said Wil- 
 liam: " get the bread, the worms, the hooks." 
 
 And they all dispersed, each one to his or her post. 
 
 I then went very quietly towards the pond, and in 
 something over half an hour, the children arrived, run- 
 ning each one with his line, and bringing the hooks and 
 other necessary appurtenances. 
 
 " We must beat the water, must we not, to bring the 
 fish to the surface," said Henry. 
 
 William " Just the contrary, we must keep quiet as 
 possible, for if we frighten the fish, they will all go down 
 to the bottom in the mud." 
 
 Maud "I think a good way of attracting them, 
 would be to throw some crumbs of bread in the water." 
 
 Beatrice " Yes, but not much ; if we feed them plen- 
 tifully, they will not not bite at the hooks." 
 
 Elizabeth " Let me do it, you prepare the hooks, whilst 
 I throw in the bread." 
 
 Elizabeth took the bread, and at the first crumb she 
 threw, half a dozen fish pounced upon it. She repeated 
 the process, assisted by Louis, James, Helen and Ruth, 
 until the fish were surfeited and would eat no more. 
 
 " I believe we have given them too much," said Eliza- 
 beth in an undertone to Louis and James. 
 
 James " What difference does that make ? they will 
 eat the rest this evening or to-morrow." 
 
 Elizabeth " But they won't bite at the bait now, 
 they are no longer hungry." 
 
 James " Oh ! oh ! our cousins will be displeased."
 
 THE A 1, VENTURES OF A DONKEY. 257 
 
 Elizabeth 4< Say nothing about it, they arc busy with 
 their hooks; perhaps the fish will bite all the same." 
 
 "The lines are ready," said William; "each of you 
 take one and cast it in the water." 
 
 They did so, and waited a few minutes in breathless 
 silence ; the fish would not bite. 
 
 Alfred " This is not a good place, let us go farther." 
 
 Helen " I believe there are no fish here, look at those 
 bread crumbs not eaten." 
 
 Maud " Let us go to the end of this pond, near the 
 boat." 
 
 William " The water is very deep there." 
 
 Elizabeth" What difference does that make ? Are 
 you afraid the fish will be drowned ? " 
 
 William " Not the fish, but one of us might fall in." 
 
 Henry " How would we fall in ? we are not going 
 near enough to the edge to slip or roll in." 
 
 William " Yery true, but for all that, I do not wish 
 the little ones to go there." 
 
 James " Oh ! yes, William, do let me go with you ? 
 we will keep at a distance from the water." 
 
 William " No, no, stay where you are ; we will soon 
 be back, for I don't think we will find any more fish 
 there than here. Moreover," he added, lowering his voice, 
 " it is your fault we have caught none, you gave the fish 
 ten times too much bread, I saw the whole thing ; 1 do 
 not wish to tell Henry, Alfred, Maud and Beatrice, but 
 it is only right that you should be punished for your 
 thoughtlessness."
 
 258 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 James insisted no more, but told the other little cul- 
 prits what William had said. They resigned themselves 
 to remain where they were, and continued to throw their 
 lines, still wishing the fish would bite, and still meeting 
 with no success. 
 
 I had followed William, Henry and Alfred to the end 
 of the pond. They also cast their liv 3S, but it was of no 
 use; in vain did they move, and change their hooks, the 
 fish would not bite. 
 
 " Friends," said Alfred, " I have an excellent idea, 
 instead of worrying ourselves waiting for the fish to come 
 to us, let us fish on a big scale, and take fifteen or twenty 
 at a time." 
 
 William " How can we take fifteen or twenty at a 
 time, when we have not taken one yet \ " 
 
 Alfred "With a sweep-net." 
 
 Henry "But it is very difficult to manage; papa 
 says, one must understand it." 
 
 Alfred " Difficult ! what nonsense ! I have cast the 
 sweep-net myself ten, yes, twenty times! It is very 
 easy." 
 
 William " Did you take many fish ? " 
 
 Alfred " I did not take any because I did not cast it 
 in the water." 
 
 Henry " Where then, and how did you cast it, if not 
 in the water ? " 
 
 Alfred " On the grass or the ground, only to learn 
 how." 
 
 William " But that is not the same thing at all, I am 
 sure you would cast it very awkwardly on the water."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 259 
 
 Alfred "Awkwardly ! Do you really think that ? I 
 will convince you of the contrary. I am going to get the 
 sweep-net which lies in the yard, drying in the sun." 
 
 William" Please don't Alfred, if anything should 
 happen, papa would scold." 
 
 Alfred "And what can happen ? I tell you, that at 
 home, we always fish with it. I am going, wait for 
 me, I'll not be long." 
 
 And away ran Alfred, leaving "William and Henry 
 anxious and dissatisfied. He soon returned dragging the 
 sweep net after him. 
 
 " Here it is," said he, spreading it out on the ground. 
 " Now fish, beware ! " 
 
 He cast the net with tolerable dexterity, and began to 
 draw it in cautiously and slowly. 
 
 " Draw it in faster," said Henry, " we will never finish 
 at that rate." 
 
 " No, no," replied Alfred, " it must be drawn very 
 gently, so as not to break the meshes and let the fish 
 escape." 
 
 He continued to draw it "very gently," as he said, 
 but only to find it empty, not one fish had been caught. 
 
 "Oh! "said he, "the first time does not count, we 
 must not be discouraged, let us commence again." 
 
 He did commence again, and succeeded no better the 
 second time than the first. 
 
 " I know what is the matter," said he, " I am too near 
 the edge of the pond, the water is not deep enough here, 
 I am going to get in the boat, which is very long, conse-
 
 260 THE AD VENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 quentlj, the farther end of it will give me sufficient 
 depth of water to unfold my net. 
 
 "No, Alfred," said William, "keep away from the 
 boat; you may get that sweep-net entangled in the oars, 
 or cordages and have an upset." 
 
 " William, you are just like a two year old baby," 
 replied Alfred, " for my part I have more courage, you'll 
 see the result." 
 
 And he darted into the boat, which swayed from side to 
 side. Although he pretended to laugh, Alfred was really 
 afraid, and I saw that he would inevitably make a blunder, 
 or do some mischief. lie unfolded and spread out his net, 
 notwithstanding the motion of the boat; but his knees 
 shook under him and his hands were unsteady. Self-love, 
 however, urged him on, and he cast the net. But the 
 movement being arrested by his fear of falling, the net 
 caught on his left shoulder, and gave him sech a jerk that 
 he fell headlong into the water. William and Henry 
 uttered a scream of terror, in unison with that which 
 escaped the unfortunate boy as he fell. Being enveloped 
 in the net which crippled all his movements, his efforts to 
 regain the shore were in vain. The more he struggled, 
 the more entangled he became in the net. I saw him 
 gradually sinking, a few minutes more and he would have 
 been beyond hope. William and Henry could give him 
 no assistance, neither of them knowing how to swim, 
 and before they could have run for help, Alfred must 
 certainly have perished. 
 
 I decided upon my part at once ; resolutely plunging
 
 (201)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 263 
 
 into the water, I swam towards him, and diving (for he 
 had already sunk considerably beneath the surface), I 
 seized with my teeth the net which enveloped him. 
 Then swimming back, pulling it after me. I climbed 
 the very steep bank, still dragging Alfred (no doubt giv- 
 ing him a few bruises on the stones and roots in our path,) 
 and laid him on the grass, motionless and unconscious. 
 
 William and Henry, pale and trembling, ran to him, 
 and with considerable difficulty, succeeded in ridding him 
 of the net which was wrapped around him. They then 
 sent Maud and Beatrice to the house for help. 
 
 The little ones, who, from a distance had seen Alfred 
 fall, also came running to the spot, and assisted William 
 and Henry to wipe his face and dripping hair. The ser- 
 vants soon appeared, and lifting the unconscious Alfred 
 from the grass carried him to the house. The other 
 children remained with me. 
 
 " You splendid Cadichon ! " exclaimed James, " it was 
 you who saved Alfred's life ! Did you all see how cour- 
 ageously he plunged into the water." 
 
 Louis Yes, certainly, and how he dived to get hold 
 of Alfred." 
 
 Elizabeth "And how carefully he drew Alfred to the 
 Bhore." 
 
 James " Poor Cadichon ! how wet he is ! " 
 
 Helen Don't go near him James, you will get your 
 clothes wet, just look how the water drips off of him." 
 . "Ah! bah! what difference does it make. if I am a 
 little wet ? " answered James, putting his arms around 
 my neck, " I shall not be as wet as Cadichon."
 
 264 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 Louis " Instead of hugging him and paying him 
 compliments, you had better take him to the stable, and 
 let us rub him down with a little straw, and then give 
 him some oats to warm him up and revive him." 
 
 James " That is true, you are right. Come, mj 
 Cadichon." 
 
 I followed James and Louis who went towards the 
 stable, making me a sign to follow them. Both began to 
 rub me down with such vehemence that they were soon 
 in a perspiration, but for all that, neither of them would 
 stop until I was dry. Meanwhile, Helen and Ruth 
 employed themselves combing and brushing my tail and 
 mane. I was superb when they had all finished, and I 
 partook with extraordinary appetite, of the oats which 
 James and Louis gave me. 
 
 " Helen," said little Ruth in a low tone to her cousin, 
 " Cadichon has a great quantity of oats, he has too many." 
 
 Helen " That's no matter, Ruth ; he has been very 
 good, and we have given him the oats as a reward." 
 
 Ruth " I would like to have a few of his oats myself." 
 
 Helen" For what ? " 
 
 Ruth " To give our poor rabbits, that love oats so 
 much, and never get any." 
 
 Helen " If James and Louis see you taking oats from 
 Cadichon, they will scold." 
 
 Ruth " They shall not see me, I will wait until they 
 are not looking." 
 
 Helen " Then you will be a thief, for you would be 
 stealing oats from poor Cadichon, who cannot complain, 
 because he cannot speak."
 
 Euth ran Joyously to her rabbits. (Paso 268.)
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 2G7 
 
 " So I would," said Ruth sadly. " My poor rabbits 
 would be too glad to have a few oats." And she seated 
 herself near my trough and watched me as I ate. 
 
 " Why are you sitting there, Ruth ? " asked Helen. 
 " Come with me to inquire for Alfred." 
 
 " No," said Ruth, " I would rather wait till Cadichon 
 finishes eating, so that if he leaves any oats, I can take 
 them for my rabbits without stealing." 
 
 Helen insisted, but Ruth refused to go, and Helen at 
 last went off' with her cousins. 
 
 I ate slowly, wishing to see if Ruth would yield even 
 once to the temptation of regaling her rabbits at my 
 expense. From time to time she looked in the trough. 
 
 " How he eats," said she, " he will never finish ho 
 cannot be hungry, for he is always eating the oats are 
 disappearing, if he would leave only a few, I should be 
 BO delighted." 
 
 I could easily have eaten all that was before me, but 
 the poor little girl excited my pity. She touched nothing 
 in spite of her desire to regale the rabbits. Pretending 
 to have enough, I quit my trough, leaving the half of 
 my oats ; Ruth uttered a cry of joy, leaped to her feet, 
 and taking the oats by the handful emptied them into 
 her black taffetta apron. 
 
 " Oh ! how kind you are, how obliging you are, my 
 dear good Cadichon," said she. " 1 never saw such a 
 donkey as you It is very genteel not to be a glutton 
 Everybody loves you because you are good The rabbits 
 will be so pleased ! I will tell them, it was you that gave 
 them their oats."
 
 268 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 And Ruth who had finished gathering up the oats and 
 putting them in her apron, ran joyously to her rabbits. 
 I saw her reach their little house, and I heard her tell 
 them how good I was, that I was not the least bit of a 
 glutton that they must follow my example, and as I 
 had left some oats for them, so ought they to leave some 
 for the little birds. 
 
 " I will soon return," said she, " to see if you are as 
 good as Cadichon." 
 
 She shut their door and ran to join Helen. 
 
 Following her to hear something from Alfred, I was 
 delighted on approaching the castle, to see him seated 
 on the grass with his friends. lie arose, and coming 
 to me, covered me with caresses. 
 
 " Here is my deliverer," said he ; " but for him I would 
 have died, I became unconscious at the very moment, 
 when Cadichon having seized the net, began to draw me 
 to land ; but I have a distinct recollection of seeing him 
 plunge in the water and dive to save me. I shall never 
 forget the service he has rendered me, and I shall never 
 come here without speaking to Cadichon." 
 
 " That is right, Alfred," said the grandmother. " He 
 who has a good heart, is no less grateful to the lower 
 animals than to men. As for me, I shall always remem- 
 ber Cadichon's services, and happen what will, I am 
 determined never to part with him." 
 
 " But grandmother," said Maud, " a few months ago 
 you talked of sending him to the mill. He would have 
 been very miserable there."
 
 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 271 
 
 " Yes, dear child, but I did not send him ; I did think 
 of it, it is true, after the trick he played Alfred, both 
 because of it, and the numberless complaints from every- 
 one on the place. But I decided to keep him in 
 acknowledgment of his former services, and I now say, 
 that not only shall he remain, but everything shall bo 
 done to render him comfortable and happy." 
 
 " Oh ! thanks, grandma, thanks," exclaimed James, 
 throwing his arms around his grandmother's neck and 
 almost pulling her to the ground. " Let me be the one 
 to take charge of my dear Cadichon, I shall love him 
 and he will love me more than he does any one else." 
 
 " Why, my little James, do you wish Cadichon to care 
 more for you than for the others ? That is not right." 
 
 " Yes, yes, grandma, it is right, for I love him more 
 than they do, and besides, when he was bad, and every- 
 body displeased with him, I still cared a little for him, 
 indeed, I might say, a great deal," he added, laughing, 
 " Isn't it so, Cadichon ? " 
 
 I answered by coming up to him and laying my head 
 on his shoulders. Everybody laughed and James con- 
 tinued : 
 
 " Now, cousins, are you willing for Cadichon to love 
 me more than he does you ? " 
 
 " Yes, yes, yes," they all answered, laughing. 
 
 " And haven't I always cared more for him than the 
 rest of you have ? " 
 
 " Yes, yes, yes," was the unanimous reply. 
 
 " You see, grandma, that since it was I who brought
 
 272 THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 Cadichon here, and it is I who love him best, it is only 
 fair that he should love me best." 
 
 " I can say no more, dear child," said the grandmother, 
 smiling, "but you cannot take care of him when you 
 are not here." 
 
 " But I shall always be here, grandma," said James, 
 eagerly. 
 
 " No, my dear child, you will not always be here, for 
 your papa and mamma take you away when they go." 
 
 James became pensive and sad, he put his arm upon 
 my neck and rested his head on his hand. Suddenly his 
 face brightened. 
 
 " Grandma," said he, " will you give me Cadichon?" 
 
 "I will give you whatever you wish, my dear little 
 one, but I cannot let you take him to Paris with you." 
 
 " No, to be sure not ; but then he will belong to me, 
 and when papa has a castle we will take Cadichon." 
 
 " I give him to you on that condition, my child, mean- 
 while he will stay here where in all probability he will 
 outlive me. Do not forget then that Cadichon is yours, 
 and to you is entrusted the charge of making him com- 
 fortable and happy."
 
 CONCLUSION, 
 
 FROM that day my little master James seemed to love 
 me more than ever, whilst I, in turn, did my very best 
 to make myself useful and agreeable, not only to him, 
 but to every one about the place. I had no reason to 
 repent of my reformation, for it gained me the esteem 
 and affection of all. I continued to watch over the 
 children, preserving them from several accidents, and 
 protecting them against bad people and wicked animals. 
 
 Alfred was often at the castle, and he never forgot his 
 promised visit to me, always bringing me some delicacy, 
 an apple, a pear, bread and salt of which I was particu- 
 larly fond, a handful of lettuce or some carrots always 
 something that he knew I fancied, which fully convinced 
 me how much mistaken I had been in my former 
 opinion of the poor boy, believing him bad, when he was 
 only a little foolish and vain. 
 
 The idea of writing the story of my adventures was 
 prompted by a series of conversations between Henry 
 and his cousins ; Henry always maintaining that I did 
 not understand what I did nor why I did it, his cousins, 
 James especially, as stoutly asserting the contrary. I 
 profited by a very severe winter, which did not permit of 
 
 (273)
 
 274: THE ADVENTURES OF A DONKEY. 
 
 my remaining out-doors, to jot down some of the most 
 important events of my life. They may amuse you, 
 perhaps, my young friends ; at any rate, they will teach 
 you, that if you wish faithful service, you must treat 
 kindly those who serve you that they who appear the 
 most stupid are not always so that a donkey like 
 everything else, has a heart to love his masters and 
 suffer from bad treatment, a will to be revenged or to 
 show his affection that it depends upon his masters to 
 make him either happy or unhappy, a friend or an 
 enemy, poor donkey as he ig. I, myself, am very happy, 
 loved by every one, and cared for as a friend by my little 
 master James. I am beginning to grow old, but we 
 donkeys sometimes live a long time, and just as long as 
 I am able to walk and be of any use whatever, my ser- 
 vices are at the disposal of my masters. 
 
 THE END.
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
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 1982 
 
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