348 THE STORY-BOOK OF SCIENCE 



stone which fashions itself into teeth. So the snail's 

 house is built. The little creature sweats the stone 

 that shapes itself into a graceful shell." 



"But to arrange stones one on another and make 

 houses of them you need masons. The snail's house 

 is made without masons. " 



"When I say it is done by itself, I do not mean that 

 the stone has the faculty of making itself into a shell. 

 You never see rubble piling itself unaided into a wall. 

 God, the Father of all things, willed that the stone 

 should arrange itself in a mother-of-pearl palace to 

 serve as a dwelling for the poor animal, brother to 

 the slug, and it is accomplished according to His will. 

 In like manner He told the stone to grow up into 

 beautiful teeth from the depths of the rosy gums of 

 little boys and girls, and it is done as He willed. ' ' 



"I begin to feel rather friendly toward the snail, 

 the voracious animal that eats our flowers," said 

 Jules. 



"I do not care to make you friendly with it. Let 

 us make war on it since it ravages our gardens ; it is 

 our right ; but do not let us disdain to learn from it, 

 for it has many beautiful things to teach us. To-day 

 I will tell you of its eyes and nose." 



