THE LYNX AND THE GOAT. 13 



observed a lynx do this, stationed himself near its 

 hole. The lynx was frightened at the venerable ap- 

 pearance of the ram, and refused to come out of his 

 hie. Tired at length of his captivity, and troubled 

 with the pangs of hunger, he ventured to put forth his 

 head to take a look round him, when whack came the 

 goat's head and horns against his cranium. This was 

 a style of proceeding that did not suit the lynx, so he 

 popped back into his den. The attack and retreat 

 were repeated again and again, until at last the ram 

 laid the lynx dead at the mouth of the hole; or, as 

 Pontoppidan quaintly expresses it, " at hav laae dod i 

 sin selv-gjorte grav ;" that is, "laid him dead in his 

 self-made grave." 



The following singular adventure happened some 

 years ago to a Norwegian bonde, or peasant-farmer. 

 The man had made a large and deep pitfall for the 

 capture of wolves. Now, these pitfalls are made in 

 such a manner that it is almost impossible for wild 

 animals to get out of them when they have once fallen 

 in. Then, to render them more difficult of egress, they 

 are not only made very deep, but the sides at the top 

 are lined with sharp pieces of iron, with the stumps of 

 trees, and even with broken scythes. Well, the farmer 

 set out early one morning to visit a certain pitfall 

 which was made in a forest at a considerable distance 

 from his homestead. On coming near to it, he knew 

 by infallible signs that some species of wild animal 

 had fallen into it. Approaching eagerly to discover 

 what his prize might be, the luckless fellow over- 

 balanced himself, and tumbled headlong into his own 

 trap. Escape was impossible, as it would have re- 

 quired a ladder for the man to have got out again. 



