234 THE FIRESIDE SPHINX 



to American as to French children ; and all may 

 read how Moumouth lived, suffered, triumphed, 

 died, and was honoured in his grave ; while the 

 cruel steward who persecuted him was appropri 

 ately cooked and eaten by avenging cannibals, 

 sighing out with his last breath the name of the 

 innocent animal he had so barbarously sought to 

 destroy. 



M. Bedolliere, author of this delightful and har 

 rowing tale, borrowed Mere Michel and Lustucru 

 from an old song, familiar to many generations of 

 Gallic infancy. 



&quot; C est la Mere Michel qui a perdu son chat, 

 Qui cri par la fenetre a qui le lui rendra ; 

 Et le Compere Lustucru qui lui a repondu : 

 Allez, Mere Michel, votre chat n est pas perdu. 



&quot; C est la Mere Michel qui lui a demande : 

 Mon chat n est pas perdu ! vous 1 avez done trouve ? 

 Et le Compere Lustucru qui lui a repondu : 

 Donnez une recompense, il vous sera rendu. 



&quot; Et la Mere Michel lui dit : C est decide, 

 Si vous rendez mon chat, vous aurez un baiser. 

 Le Compere Lustucru qui n en a pas voulu, 

 Lui dit : Pour un lapin votre chat est vendu. &quot; 



With schooldays come La Fontaine s Fables, 

 unless indeed a surfeit of mathematics has by this 

 time driven even La Fontaine from the field, and 

 youthful students learn, or should learn, of Rodilard 



