a very good temper; but I should not like to say so
positively, because I was still young when she died, and perhaps the
blows she gave me, and the bites she inflicted, were only intended for my
good; though I did not think so at the time.

[Footnote A: I have preferred adopting this word in speaking of female
dogs, as it comes nearer to the original, _zaiyen_.]

As we were very poor, we were forced to live in a wretched kennel in the
dampest part of the town, among dogs no better off than ourselves. The
place we occupied overhung the water, and one day when the old doggess
was punishing me for something I had done, the corner in which I was
crouched being rotten, gave way, and I fell plump into the river. I had
never been in the water before, and I was very frightened, for the stream
was so rapid that it carried me off and past the kennels I knew, in an
instant. I opened my mouth to call out for help; but as I was almost
choked with the water that got into it, I shut it again, and made an
effort to reach the land. To my surprise I found that, by moving my paws
and legs, I not only got my head well above the water, but was able to
guide myself to the bank, on to which I at length dragged myself, very
tired and out of breath, but quite recovered from my fear. I ran over the
grass towards the town as fast as I could, stopping now and then to shake
my coat, which was not so wet, however, as you would suppose; but before
I had got half way home I met the doggess, hopping along, with her tongue
out of her mouth, panting for breath, she having run all the way from the
kennel, out of which I had popped so suddenly, along the bank, with the
hope of picking me up somewhere. She knew, she said, that I should never
be drowned. But how she _could_ know that was more than I could then
imagine.

When we met, after I had escaped so great a danger, I flew to her paws,
in the hope of getting a tender lick; but as soon as she recovered
breath, she caught hold of one of my ears with her teeth, and bit it till
I howled with pain, and then set off running with me at a pace which I
found it difficult to keep up with. I remember at the time thinking it
was not very kind of her; but I have since reflected that perhaps she
only did it to brighten me up and prevent me taking cold.

This was my first adventure, and also my first acquaintance with the
water. From that day I often ventured into the river, and in the end
became so good a swimmer