296 "Pharoe's Mouse." 



cannot be but deceaved in ascribing this quality 

 to her when she is to enter into the Crocodile 

 but rather I beleeve, she useth this defence 

 against the Aspe, and therefore the Author seeing 

 her so covered with . mudde might easily be mis- 

 taken in her purpose. For it is true indeed that 

 when she seeth the Aspe upon the land she 

 calleth her fellowes who arme themselves as be- 

 foresaid before the combat, by which meanes 

 they are safely preserved, from the bit ings of 

 their enemies ; or if it be true that they wallow 

 themselves in the mudde, they do not dry them- 

 selves in the sunne, but while their bodies are 

 moist, slide downe more easily into the Crocodiles 

 belly." 



Notwithstanding their belief in these wonder- 

 ful stories, which, however, if we except the 

 crocodile story, are not much more incredible 

 than some of those which pass current at the 

 present time for example, the fable of the vege- 

 table antidote mentioned above the old writei^s 

 knew a good deal about the Egyptian ichneumon, 

 at all events, and were perfectly aware of its 

 value as a vermin-killer. Topsell tells us that 

 " it eateth indifferently every living thing, as 

 Snales, Lizards, cainelions, all kinds of Serpents, 

 Frogs, mice, and Aspes," and that it "loveth all 

 manner of foules," and he was quite aware of 

 its propensity for destroying the eggs and young 

 of the crocodile, " whereby," he adds, " the mer- 

 ciful providence of God doth notably appeare, 



