HIS BIRTH 3 



left the form and perhaps lost himself amongst 

 the furze. He constantly renewed his struggles 

 to have his way ; but the moment he ceased, she 

 removed the restraining pad and caressed him 

 till, like his sister, he became drowsy and at length 

 fell asleep. 



When the stars shone bright, the hare rose, 

 stretched her stately limbs, covered the little 

 sleepers with the grass-blades, gathered herself 

 for a spring, and leapt to an outcropping rock. 

 On landing she leapt again and again and again, 

 in order to prevent any beast of prey from 

 following her tracks and discovering the form. 

 After taking these precautions she made for the 

 crest of the hill, and standing on the ruin, snuffed 

 the wind and scrutinised the waste. Presently, 

 assured that no enemy threatened, she set out 

 for the feeding-ground. At the foot of the long 

 slope she repeated her ruse of the leaps, and 

 passed through a hole in the wall that separated 

 the wild from the farm land, to which she had 

 been attracted by the tender herbage of the 

 young wheat. 



Near midnight the leverets awoke and found 

 her gone ; yet in their loneliness they uttered 

 neither plaint nor call, nor, strange to say, 

 attempted to leave the form, but nestled close 

 hour after hour awaiting her return. They gave 



