THE DOG. 137 



lost not only his child but his dog, who had faithfully 

 attended him for years. 



At the break of day, the shepherd, accompanied by 

 several of his neighbours, went forth in quest of the 

 child, but without success. On returning to the cottage, 

 at the approach of night, he found that his dog had 

 been home, and had instantly left it on receiving a piece 

 of cake, and so it was for several following days. He 

 therefore determined to remain at home one day j and 

 on the dog departing, as usual, with his cake, he fol- 

 lowed him to ascertain the cause of so strange a procedure. 

 The dog now led the way to a cataract, the banks of 

 which, almost joined at the top, yet separated by an 

 abyss of immense depth, presented a spectacle at once 

 astonishing and appalling ; and down one of these rug- 

 ged and almost perpendicular descents he proceeded, and 

 at last entered a cave, the mouth of which was almost 

 on a level with the torrent. It was with difficulty that 

 the shepherd followed ; but on entering, he beheld, with 

 feelings that cannot be described, his child, eating the 

 cake the faithful dog had just brought. 



It afterwards appeared, that the child had wandered 

 from the spot where he was left, to the brink of the 

 precipice, and then either fallen or scrambled down till 

 he reached the cave ; which he had not quitted from 



