The Sacred Beetle 



ally happen: once his ball is ready, a Dung- 

 beetle issues from the crowd and leaves the 

 workyard, pushing his prize backwards. A 

 neighbour, a newcomer, whose own task is 

 hardly begun, abruptly drops his work and 

 runs to the moving ball, to lend a hand to 

 the lucky owner, who seems to accept the 

 proffered aid kindly. Henceforth the two 

 work in partnership. Each does his best to 

 push the pellet to a place of safety. Was 

 a compact really concluded in the workyard, 

 a tacit agreement to share the cake between 

 them? While one was kneading and mould- 

 ing the ball, was the other tapping rich veins 

 whence to extract choice materials and add 

 them to the common store? I have never 

 observed any such collaboration; I have 

 always seen each Dung-beetle occupied solely 

 with his own affairs in the works. The 

 last-comer, therefore, has no acquired 

 rights. 



Can it then be a partnership between the 

 two sexes, a couple intending to set up house? 

 I thought so for a time. The two Beetles, 

 one before, one behind, pushing the heavy 

 ball with equal fervour, reminded me of a 

 song which the hurdy-gurdies used to grind 

 out some years ago : 



13 



