and
several times pricked him on the proboscis with their awls. The noble
animal did not chastise them in the manner he might have done, and
seemed to think they were too contemptible to be angry with them. But he
took other means to punish them for their cruelty. He filled his trunk
with water of a dirty quality, and advancing towards them in his
ordinary manner, spouted the whole of the puddle over them. The
punishment was highly applauded by those who witnessed it, and the poor
cobblers were laughed at for their pains."

[Illustration: THE ELEPHANT AND THE COBBLERS--Page 68.]

"Ha! ha! ha! He must have been a very knowing animal, Uncle Thomas. I
dare say, the cobblers behaved better in future."

"I dare say they would, Boys. Here is another story of the same
description, but the trickster did not escape so easily."

"A person in the island of Ceylon, who lived near a place where
elephants were daily led to water, and often sat at the door of his
house, used occasionally to give one of these animals some fig leaves, a
food to which elephants are very partial. Once he took it into his head
to play one of the elephants a trick. He wrapped a stone round with fig
leaves, and said to the carnac, 'This time I will give him a stone to
eat, and see how it will agree with him.' The carnac answered, 'that the
elephant would not be such a fool as to swallow a stone.' The man,
however, reached the stone to the elephant, who, taking it with his
trunk, immediately let it fall to the ground. 'You see,' said the
keeper, 'that I was right;' and without further words, drove away his
elephants. After they were watered, he was conducting them again to
their stable. The man who had played the elephant the trick was still
sitting at his door, when, before he was aware, the animal ran at him,
threw his trunk around his body, and, dashing him to the ground,
trampled him immediately to death."

CHAPTER IV.

Uncle Thomas introduces to the Notice of the Young Folks the
Ettrick Shepherd's Stories about Sheep; and tells them some
Interesting Stories about the Goat, and its Peculiarities.

"I dare say, Boys, you have not forgotten the Ettrick Shepherd's
wonderful stories about his dogs. Some of those which he relates about
sheep are equally remarkable, and as he tells them in the same pleasing
style, I think I cannot do better than read to you the chapter in 'The
Shepherd's Calendar' which he devotes to this animal.