FRIENDSHIP IN ANIMALS 81 



sent to work in the shrubbery by the lake, and at 

 once the swan made a companion of him; each 

 morning it would come from the lake to meet him, 

 to spend the whole day in his company. In due time 

 the work was finished and the man went away. Once 

 more the swan was miserable, and it made the lady 

 of the house unhappy to see it, so anxious appeared 

 the bird to be with her whenever she went near the 

 lake, so distressed when she left it. All at once there 

 was a change in its behaviour ; it was no longer waiting 

 and watching for a visitor to the lake-side and ready 

 to leave the water on her appearance. It now appeared 

 quite contented to be alone and would rest on the 

 water at the same spot for an hour at a time, floating 

 motionless or else propelling itself with such a slow 

 and gentle movement of its oars as to make it appear 

 almost stationary. It was an astonishing change 

 but a welcome one, as the unhappiness of the swan 

 had begun to make everybody feel bad, and now it 

 looked as if the poor bird had become reconciled to a 

 solitary life. A little later the reason of this change 

 appeared when the extraordinary discovery was 

 made that the swan was not alone after all, that he 

 had a friend who was constantly with him — a big 

 trout! The fish had his place at the side of the bird, 

 just below the surface, and together they would rest 

 and together move like one being. Those who first saw 

 it could hardly credit the evidence of their own senses, 

 but in a short time they became convinced that this 

 amazing thing had come to pass, that these two ill- 

 assorted beings had actually become companions. 



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