I THE SACRED BEETLE 17 



comrade steadies himself to hoist the load a little 

 higher. Thus, by a combination of judicious efforts, 

 I have seen them mount ascents, the one above hold- 

 ing up, the lower one pushing, where all the obstinate 

 efforts of a single beetle must have failed. All, how- 

 ever, have not the same zeal in difficult moments ; 

 some, just when their assistance is most wanted on a 

 slope, do not appear in the least aware that there is 

 anything to overcome. While the unhappy Sisyphus 

 is exhausting himself in efforts to surmount his diffi- 

 culties, the other remains passive, incrusted on the 

 ball, rolling down with it, and forthwith hoisted up 

 again. 



I have often tried the following experiment on 

 two associates in order to judge of their inventive 

 faculties in a serious predicament. Let us suppose 

 them on level ground, the assistant firmly seated on 

 the ball, the other pushing. Without disturbing the 

 latter, I nail the ball to the ground with a long, 

 strong pin ; it comes to a sudden stop. The beetle, 

 unaware of my treachery, doubtless believes in some 

 rut, some dandelion root or pebble stopping the 

 way. He redoubles his efforts, struggles his hardest, 

 but nothing moves. What has happened? Let us 

 go and see. Twice or thrice he walks round his 

 pellet. Discovering nothing which can explain its 

 immovableness, he goes behind and pushes again. 

 The ball remains motionless. Let us look above. 

 He climbs up to find nothing but his motionless 

 colleague, for I have taken care to drive the head of 

 the pin in deep enough to hide the head in the mass 

 of the ball. He examines the summit and again 

 descends ; fresh thrusts are vigorously applied in 



C 



