The Life of the Grasshopper 



sails, sometimes colourless, sometimes pale- 

 green, as are the Cicada's wings at the be- 

 ginning. We are amazed at their size when 

 we think of the paltry bundles that repre- 

 sented them at first. How did so much stuff 

 manage to find room there ! 



The fairy-tales tell us of a grain of hemp- 

 seed that contained the underlinen of a prin- 

 cess. Here is a grain that is even more 

 astonishing. The one in the story took 

 years and years to sprout and multiply and 

 at last to yield the quantity of hemp required 

 for the trousseau; the Locust's supplies a 

 sumptuous set of sails in a short space of 

 time. 



Slowly the proud crest, standing erect in 

 four straight blades, acquires consistency 

 and colour. The latter turns the requisite 

 shade on the following day. For the first 

 time the wings fold like a fan and lie in their 

 places; the wing-cases lower their outer edge 

 and form a gutter which falls over the sides. 

 The transformation is finished. All that re- 

 mains for the big Locust to do is to harden 

 his tissues still further and to darken the grey 

 of his costume while revelling in the sun. 

 Let us leave him to enjoy himself and re- 

 trace our steps a little. 



416 



