STORY OF A CHILD AND SNAKE. 159 



North America. A child was accustomed, when it 

 got its breakfast, to go beside the decaying trunk of a 

 tree, in the cavity of which lodged a large black 

 snake. With this reptile the child was observed to 

 divide its breakfast, giving the snake, generally, every 

 third or fourth spoonful of its pottage and milk. 

 The creature, harmless whilst unprovoked, rested its 

 head on its benefactor's knee, looking in her face, and 

 seemingly counting the spoonfuls ; but when, by 

 neglect, it did not receive its due share, it then made 

 so free as to attempt to help itself: but for this im- 

 pertinence it often got a blow with the spoon and a 

 reprimand. The friends of the child, conceiving that 

 this extraordinary friendship might have dangerous 

 consequences should a quarrel ensue, prevailed upon 

 the child to entice the snake from its habitation, when 

 they killed it without pity ; and by the same blow 

 might be said to destroy their child, — for when she 

 saw the fate of her friend and companion, she wept 

 and lamented so much, that it undermined her 

 health and brought her to the grave. 



Poor child ! her sensibility vras great. Had she 

 lived to maturity, she would, in all probability, have 

 made a most affectionate wife and mother. Yet, who 

 could blame her parents for their apprehensions of the 

 insidious disposition of her favourite? Who could 

 have divined such an unfortunate result ? 



