TALES OF THE MARVELLOUS.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 337, 23 May 1885, Page 22

TALES OF THE MARVELLOUS.

HOW THE MONKEYS TRICKED THE

BEES

Two monkeys sat under a tree in an Indian forest. One monkey was seen to busy himself in smearing the other with rod clay earth. When he had succeeded in entirely covering his companion, he disappeared into a neighbouring wood, leaving the other a mays of clay, but i'ov two small holes through which he peered a pair of cunning eyes. T:ien the bedaubed' monkey was seen to climb to the hollow of a tree where w.is a bee-hive. The bees buzzed about the intruder, but all they could do was to leave their stings in his clay coat. At length they swarmed away in de^oair, and the clever monkey helped himself to tlu honeycomb. Then the other monkey came out of his hidingplace and proceeded to pick oft the cl.iy covering from his brother. This done, they set to work at the honey-comb and finished it.

A STORY OF SOME KNOWING- RATS. Instinct, or reason, or both ? is what an honest fanner of Versailles asked, as lie related the following, in.ii'vellons rat story to a News reporter : ' Last fall I found the work of rats in my collar. They were eating nearly till of my vegetables, and, as I consider myself a successful trapper, I thought that I could fix them in short order. I placed about two quarts of meal in a half-bushel id jus ure, put a good trap in and covered it up. In the morning I found a rat in the trap. Amoving the game I renewed my efforts. Tue next niorning I found the bait gone, an.l, to my surprise, sticks, dirt snd small stones thrown into the half-bushel, trap sprung and — no rat. I cleared out the rubbish, put in fresh meal, and, upon examination the next morning, found nearly a quait of stones and dirt thrown in upon the spring of the trap. Again I tried, with no success. I repeated my efforts, hut found the rats equal to the emergency. They got the meal and avoided being caugiit by covering up the spring. Now, if they did not show reason, what did they show ? !