THE RAT AND BEAVER. 1 09 



whole, comparatively harmless, should pay the 

 penalty of his untoward alliance, and suffer a 

 vicarious punishment, for the sins of his friend 

 and the gratification of the disappointed pursuers. 

 The rat, however, fortunately for himself, had 

 that instinctive foresight of approaching ruin 

 which proverbially belongs to his race ; and, 

 however ready to assist his neighbour when 

 matters went well with him, and something was 

 to be gained by the cooperation, he watched with 

 a prudent jealousy the conduct and fortunes of 

 one so obnoxious to hatred, and was ready, on 

 the first appearance of danger, to stand aloof and 

 disclaim him. Accordingly, when the beaver 

 presented himself at the lodge of his friend, to 

 crave a temporary asylum from his pursuers, the 

 rat, with many protestations of esteem and 

 regret, civilly declined to admit him, and recom- 

 mended him to make the most of his time by 

 swimming to some rocks to the south, where he 

 would be safe from his enemies. 



"The beaver, though stunned for a time by this 

 unexpected repulse, soon recovered his wonted 

 spirit, and, feeling his situation to be hopeless, 

 threw himself on the rat, and began a desperate 

 struggle. How the contest might have ended, 

 it was difficult to conjecture ; but the whoop of 

 the Indians arrested the combatants ; and, darting 



