Animal Helpers 



No matter, the damage done by the grubs 

 would be far more serious, and there is 

 nothing like the hungry hunter for ridding 

 a field of these. Children must not disturb 

 the mole that protects us from the cockchafer. 



The toad is harmless, but there is more 

 than that to commend him to our notice. 

 He is also a meritorious helper, a greedy 

 devourer of snails, beetles, larvae, and all 

 vermin. During the day remaining discreetly 

 under the cool shelter of a stone, in some 

 dark hole, at nightfall he leaves his retreat 

 and makes his round, dragging himself awk- 

 wardly on his great belly. There is a snail 

 on its way to the lettuces, a wood-louse on 

 the threshold of its burrow, a cockchafer 

 laying its eggs in the ground. The toad 

 comes very gently, opens a mouth like an 

 oven, and in three mouthfuls the three are 

 swallowed up with a smack of the throat as 

 a sign of satisfaction. That was good, it 

 really was ! Let us look out for some more ! 



The excursion is continued. When it ends 

 at dawn, you can imagine the amount of 

 vermin of every kind contained in the glutton's 

 spacious stomach. And there are some who 

 kill this valuable animal, who stone it to 

 death because it is ugly. Children must 



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