4 Christy, The Ancient Legend as to t/ie Hedgehog 



Again, in 1601, Robert Chester (1566-1640), a rhymester, wrote 

 of the Hedgehog* that : — 



"Apples, or pears, or graphs, such is his meate, 

 Which, on his backe, he carries for to eate." 



In 1620, Conrad Gesner, a Swiss naturalist, wrote in his well-known 

 History of Animals : — t 



" Hedgehogs, in the autumn, live chiefly in thorny thickets and 

 vineyards. In winter, they hide themselves in hollow trees and live on 

 the food (chiefly apples) which they have stored up during the summer. 

 It is said that the Hedgehog can live for a year without food (Aristotle 

 in his JVonders). They lay up food for the winter (like marmots), 

 rolling themselves over apples (or apples and pears according to others, 

 or even dried figs, as Philes says) and running off with them stuck on 

 their spines, holding one only in the mouth, thus carrying them into 

 hollows in trees (Pliny and others). "J 



Of all the versions of the Hedgehog legend which appeared at 

 about this period, the most picturesquely-worded and detailed is 

 certainly that, published in 1607, of quaint old Edward Topsell. He 

 writes of Hedgehogs § that : — 



" In the summer time, they keepe neare vineyards and bushy 

 places, and gather fruite, laying it up against winter.|| . . . His meate 

 is apples, wormes, or grapes. When he findeth apples or grapes on 

 the earth, he rowleth himself uppon them until he have filled all his 

 prickles, and then carrieth them home to his den, never bearing above 

 one in his mouth. And, if it fortun that one of them fall off by the 

 way, he likewise shaketh of all the residue and walloweth upon them 

 afresh, untill they be all setled upon his backe againe. So, forth he 



* Love's Martyr, or Rosalin's Complaint, Lond. 4to, 1641 (or Dr. Grosart's ed., 

 New Shakespeare Soc. , p. III). 



t Hlsloria Animalium (Viviparous Quadrupeds) 2nd ed., p. 370 (Frankfort, 1620). 



X Ilerinacei in srepibus dumosis et vineis per autumnum pr?e cipue diversantur. 

 Conduntur in arbores cavas hyeme, et cibis (pomis prre cipue) per restatem congestis 

 vescuntur. Echiuum aiunt ad annum usque sine cibo durare posse (Aristoteles hi 

 Mirabilibus). Pra: parant hyemi et herinacei (ut mutes alpini) cibos ac volulati 

 supra poma (mala et pira, ut ahj : vel etram ischadas, ut Philes) affixa spinis, unum 

 amplius tenentes ore, portant in cavas arbores (Plinius et alienis). 



§ History of Foure-footed Beastes, u. 278 (1607). 



II This statement, like that with which Topsell closes, is, I believe, quite 

 inaccurate. The Hedgehog, no doubt, carries home food to its nest, but this is not 

 as winter sustenance. On this point, most authoritative modern writers are agreed 

 (see post, pp. 12 & [3). 



