when they were pursued
by a number of wolves. She put the horse into a gallop, and drove
towards her home with the utmost speed. She was not far from it; but
the ferocious animals gained upon her, and were on the point of rushing
on to the sledge. For the preservation of her own life, and that of the
remaining children, the poor, frantic creature cast one of them to her
blood-thirsty pursuers. This stopped their career for a moment; but,
after devouring the poor child, they renewed the pursuit, and a second
time came up with the vehicle. The mother, driven to desperation,
resorted to the same horrible expedient, and threw another of her
offspring to her ferocious assailants. The third child was also
sacrificed in the same way, and soon after, the wretched being reached
her home in safety. Here she related what had happened, and endeavoured
to palliate her own conduct, by describing the dreadful alternative to
which she had been reduced. A peasant, however, who was among the
bystanders, and heard the recital, took up an axe, and with one blow
cleft her skull in two, saying, at the same time, 'that a mother who
could thus sacrifice her children for the preservation of her own life,
was no longer fit to live.' The man was committed to prison, but the
Emperor subsequently granted him a pardon."

The tame wolf at the Jardin des Plantes, is described by M. Frederic
Cuvier, in the following manner:--"This animal was brought up as a young
dog, became familiar with every person whom he was in the habit of
seeing, and in particular followed his master everywhere, evincing
chagrin at his absence, obeying his voice, and showing a degree of
submission, scarcely differing in any respect from that of the most
thoroughly domesticated dog. His master being obliged to be absent for a
time, presented his pet to the Jardin des Plantes, where the animal,
confined in a den, continued disconsolate, and would scarcely take his
food. At length, however, his health returned; he became attached to his
keepers, and appeared to have forgotten all his former affection; when,
after eighteen months, his master returned. At the first word he
uttered, the wolf, who had not perceived him among the crowd, recognized
him, exhibited the most lively joy, and, being set at liberty, lavished
on his old friend the most affectionate caresses. A second separation
and return was followed by similar demonstrations of sorrow, which,
however, again yielded to time. T