The Elephant Weevil 



them all. She confided her eggs to the 

 acorns while these were still green. They 

 are now lying on the ground, brown before 

 their time and pierced with a round hole 

 through which the larva has escaped after 

 consuming the contents. It would be easy 

 under a single oak to fill a basket with these 

 empty ruins. The Weevil has done more 

 than the Jay and more than the Field-mouse 

 to get rid of the superfluity. 



Soon man arrives, thinking of his Pigs. 

 In my village it is a great event when the 

 public crier announces the opening day for 

 gathering acorns in the common woods. 

 The more zealous inspect the ground on the 

 eve, in order to select a good place. Next 

 morning, at peep of day, the whole family 

 is there. The father beats the higher 

 branches with a pole; the mother, wearing 

 a large canvas apron which allows her to 

 force her way through the thickets, gathers 

 from the tree all that her hand can reach; 

 the children pick up what lies on the ground. 

 And the baskets are filled, followed by the 

 hampers and the sacks. 



After the glee of the Field-mouse, the 

 Jay, the Weevil and so many others, here 

 109 



