CARING FOR THE HAIR 



109 



As a rule, hairs do not stand up perfectly straight. 

 Instead, each slants under the skin as the picture shows, 

 and the way the cell is pointed decides which way the 

 hair shall bend. 



When a cat sees a dog and bristles up her tail three 

 times as big as usual, it is because, at the very same 

 instant, each tiny muscle 

 pulls each tiny hair 

 into standing position. 

 When the fright is over, 

 the muscles let go little 

 by little, and those thou- 

 sands of hairs fall quietly 

 into place again. 



Take the hair that you 

 pulled from your own 

 head and try to stretch 

 it. Look at its size, 

 so slender, and see 

 how hard you can pull 

 it before you break it. Its strength will surprise you. 



Horsehair ropes are especially strong and useful, but 

 perhaps the most interesting hair rope in the world is 

 in Japan. It was made from the hair of thousands of 

 women who wished to do what they could for a beautiful 

 temple. They gave their long black hair to be used in 

 making a rope to ring the bell with. This rope is long 



HAIR MUSCLES AT WORK 



