Swiss Family Robinson - Johann David Wyss (poetry books to read txt) 📗
- Author: Johann David Wyss
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her go?’
`Why, my dear, kind-hearted wife, that was weeks and weeks ago! Those
little birds are all strong and big by this time, and I daresay Mrs.
Bustard here has forgotten all about them. Besides, she is badly
wounded, and we must try to cure the hurt. If we succeed, she will be a
valuable addition to our poultry-yard; if we cannot, you shall roast
her for dinner.’
Resuming our march, we next arrived at the Monkey Grove, which was the
scene of the tragicomic adventure by which Fritz became the guardian of
the orphan ape.
While he amused us all by a lively and graphic description of the
scene, Ernest was standing apart under a splendid cocoanut palm,
gazing in fixed admiration at the grand height of the stem, and its
beautiful graceful crown of leaves. The cluster of nuts beneath these
evidently added interest to the spectacle, for, drawing quietly near
him, I heard a long-drawn sigh, and the words:
`It’s awfully high! I wish one would fall down!’ Scarcely had he
uttered these words, than, as if by magic, down plumped a huge nut at
his feet.
The boy was quite startled, and sprang aside, looking timidly upwards,
when, to my surprise, down came another.
`Why, this is just like the fairy tale of the wishing-cap!’ cried
Ernest. `My wish is granted as soon as formed!’
`I suspect the fairy in this instance is more anxious to pelt us and
drive us away, than to bestow dainty gifts upon us,’ said I. `I think
there is most likely a cross-grained old ape sitting up among those
shadowy leaves and branches.’
We examined the nuts, thinking they were perhaps old ones, and had
fallen, in consequence, naturally, but they were not even quite ripe.
Anxious to discover what was in the tree, we all surrounded it, gaping
and gazing upwards with curious eyes.
`Hollo! I see him!’ shouted Fritz presently. `Oh, a hideous creature!
What can it be? Flat, round, as big as a plate, and with a pair of
horrid claws! Here he comes! He is going to creep down the tree!’
At this, little Franz slipped behind his mother, Ernest took a glance
round to mark a place of retreat, Jack raised the butt-end of his gun,
and every eye was fixed on the trunk of the tree, down which a large
land-crab commenced a leisurely descent. As it approached within reach,
Jack hit at it boldly, when it suddenly dropped the remaining distance,
and opening its great claws, sidled after him with considerable
rapidity, upon which he fairly turned tail and ran.
We all burst into a roar of laughter, which soon made him face about,
and then, to our infinite amusement, the little fellow prepared for a
fresh onset; laying down all he was carrying, pulling off his jacket
and spreading it wide out in both hands, he returned to the charge,
suddenly threw his garment over the creature, wrapped it well round it,
and then pummelled it with all the strength of his fists.
For a few minutes I could do nothing but laugh, but then running to him
with my hatchet, I struck several sharp blows on his bundle, which we
opened carefully, and found within the land-crab perfectly dead.
`Well, this is an ugly rascal!’ cried Jack. `If he hadn’t been so
hideous, I should not have dealt so severely with him. I wasn’t a bit
afraid. What is the creature’s name?’
`This is a crab, a land-crab,’ said I, `of which there are many
varieties, and this, I think, is called a cocoanut crab, or at least it
deserves the name, for it is evidently very fond of eating these nuts,
since it takes the trouble to climb the trees for them; the difficulty
of getting at the kernel, too, is considerable. You showed no little
presence of mind, Jack, when you thought of catching it in your jacket;
in fact it might have been more than a match for you otherwise, for
some are most determined fighters, and are very swift too. Now let us
take it, as well as the nuts, to the sledge, and go on our way.’
Progress became difficult, for we were constantly stopped in passing
through the wood, by having to cut away the hanging boughs and creeping
plants which interlaced them. Ernest was behind, and by and by called
me back to see what proved to be an important discovery; from the
several stalks of one of these creepers flowed clear cold water, and I
recognized the ‘liane rouge’, which is known in America, and is so
precious to the thirsty hunter or traveller.
This is truly one of God’s good gifts to man! The boys were much
delighted with this curious plant. `Only fancy, mother,’ said Ernest,
as he showed it to her, `how cheering and refreshing to find this if
one were lost and alone in a vast forest, wandering for days and days
without being near a proper spring of water.’
`But are you certain it is safe to drink this?’ asked she. I assured
her it was so, and advised the boys to cut enough to quench the thirst
of the whole party, including our animals. This they did, only finding
it necessary, as with the sugar canes, to cut air holes above the
joints.
After struggling onward for a short time, we emerged from the thickets
into open ground, and saw the calabash trees in the distance. As we
drew near, their curious appearance and singular fruit caused much
surprise and also amusement, for we were speedily established among the
trees, where, as I chose and cut down the gourds most likely to be
useful, every one engaged merrily in the work of cutting, carving,
sawing and scooping some manner of dish, bowl, cup, jar or platter,
according to his several taste or ability.
We were to dine here, and after a time Fritz and Jack began to prepare
a fireplace, their great ambition being to heat the stones red hot, and
cook the crab in a hollow gourd. Their mother, therefore, left them to
their own devices, and attended to the hungry animals, unharnessing the
ass to graze, and giving cocoanut milk to the poor little monkey, who
had been obliged to travel in a covered basket for some time, lest he
should be lost in the woods. The wounded bustard had been completely
forgotten, and from heat and thirst was suffering greatly until her
friendly care revived it, and it was tied to a tree and allowed to move
about, its fierce spirit greatly tamed by adversity.
The cooking operations came to a stand soon after the fire was
lighted, for it appeared that we had no more water in the jars we had
brought, so the boys proposed to go in search of a spring. I agreed to
accompany them; Ernest also wished to join us, and as our intention was
to examine merely the surrounding wood, I saw no objection to leaving
their mother and Franz for a short time.
Very soon after our exploration began, Ernest, who was in front,
turned with a face of terror, shouting, `A wild boar! An immense wild
boar, father! Do come quick!’
And, sure enough, I heard a loud snorting and puffing as some large
animal passed hastily through the thick underwood beyond us. `After
him, lads, after him!’ cried I, hurrying forwards. `Call the dogs!
Stand ready to fire!’ And we pressed through the bushes to the spot
where Ernest had seen the creature.
The ground was grubbed up, and some potatoes lay about, showing that we
had disturbed him at his mid-day meal. Ernest and Jack were more
disposed to gather the roots than to follow up the chase. Fritz and I
alone went after the dogs, who eagerly pushed on, and by the sounds we
heard had evidently attacked the boar at no great distance. Terrific
barking, snarling and grunting, guided us to the scene of action, and
we beheld our mastiffs one on each side of a large respectable-looking
pig, holding on by the great ears, while the animal, on seeing us,
appeared rather to beseech our interference than to propose to offer a
desperate resistance.
In a moment the truth became apparent! The captive grunter was no
fierce native of the forest, but our own runaway sow! Our excitement
had been wound to so high a pitch, that the discovery was quite a
shock, and we felt half angry with the creature who had disappointed
us; then the absurdity of the whole thing made us laugh heartily, and
calling off the dogs, the old lady was released from her ignominious
position.
Our laughter resounding through the wood, brought Ernest and Jack from
their potatoes, to see what was going on.
`Much use you two would have been suppose we had required help,’ cried
Fritz, as they too recognized their old friend.
`Ah, well, you see,’ returned Jack, `Ernest and I had a sort of a kind
of presentiment that this was going to be the old sow. And just look at
our fine potatoes!’
A good deal of joking on the subject ensued, but was interrupted by
Ernest, who drew our attention to fruit resembling apples on the
surrounding bushes, and on the grass beneath them.
The sow was making amends for the fright and pain she had endured by
munching and crunching this fruit at a great rate. Fritz feared that it
might be the poisonous manchineel, against which I once warned them,
but on examining it, I was induced to pronounce a more favourable
opinion, and we collected a quantity in hopes that, if the monkey
approved of it as well as the old sow, we might be able to enjoy a
feast ourselves.
All this time not a drop of water had we seen, and our own thirst
increasing, we felt eager to procure some before returning to our
resting-place.
Jack preceded us, and we made our way towards a high rock, which rose
above the thickets, when he suddenly startled us by a loud cry of `A
crocodile! Father! Father! A crocodile!’
`Nonsense, boy! A crocodile of all things, in this dry, parched
forest, where we can’t get so much as a mouthful of water!’
On advancing to where Jack stood, I perceived that his mistake was not
so very silly after all, for I beheld an iguana, one of the largest of
the lizard species, and a truly formidable-looking fellow. I was glad
to assure Jack that the strange creature he had found was perfectly
harmless, and that its flesh being esteemed a delicacy, it would be a
valuable prize to carry back with us.
In another moment Fritz would have fired, but arresting his
hand—`Your shot,’ I said, `would probably only wound the animal, and
being extremely tenacious of life, it would certainly escape us; we
must gain possession of the sleeping beauty by a gentler method.’
`You are not going to kiss it, are you, father?’ asked Jack, with a
grin. I tried to rebuke him for his impertinence, but, failing, I
commenced operations. I first attached a cord and running-noose to a
stout stick, and holding a light switch in my other hand, I began to
approach the creature with soft, slow steps, while the boys looked on
with the utmost curiosity.
Presently I began very softly to whistle a sweet, yet very lively air,
which I continued more and more distinctly as I drew near the lizard;
until, awaking, it seemed to listen with pleasure—raising its head as
though better to catch the sounds, or to discover whence they came.
When
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