quick] .4 STORY TOLL) BY A FOX 335 



glad to be alive and planned that some time I would escape from 

 this cruel band and fly back to the forest. That night when all 

 was still I crept out into the moonlight and looked about me, I 

 saw the farmhouse just below surrounded by trees and on the 

 opposite side the house in which I had been caught. I could not 

 help the sad, short, loud, sudden wail which seemed to tell how 

 mournful I felt. — I barked many times and tugged harder than 

 ever at the chain but not an answering cry or sound did I hear. 

 I was alone with these strange human beings and I must learn to 

 live with them. 



The next morning the children brought me a pan of water and 

 some food. They pushed it far into the little house and after 

 they had gone I stole up to smell of it. But the water was so 

 clear and my poor throat was so dry that I must have a drink. 

 I could not eat the food. But that night I grew so hungry that 

 I did taste it and found it very good and it made me feel so much 

 happier that I decided to eat hereafter. Every day the children 

 came to see me many times. They brought me much to eat 

 but I would not eat while anyone was near. By this time I began 

 to peep out of doors and watch the strange things which happened 

 about me. I saw many chickens walking about not even noticing 

 me but later coming close to me. I watched them and thought 

 of a plan to catch one. I left some of my breakfast scattered about 

 the door of the house and very soon an old hen came to help 

 herself. How surprised she was when I sprang at her just grab- 

 bing a mouthful of feathers. The chickens never seemed to 

 learn better and I often fooled them like this; but found myself 

 jerked back by the strong chain. 



I began to rather like the children who brought me food. I 

 ceased to bite and snarl so when they touched me. They did 

 not harm me and after many weeks I knew them as well as some 

 of my first friends. When I felt good-natured I would sleep on 

 the top of a box in the sun and there the children often petted me 

 and rubbed my head. But if I happened to be thinking of my 

 far away home in the forest I would not let them touch me but 

 would hide in the corner of the house. The children often un- 

 chained me and now I followed where they wanted me to go 

 for my legs were so stiff and tired I was only too glad to use them. 

 Sometimes they chained me to one of the apple trees and what a 

 good time I had circling round and round or jumping up into the 



