Birth of the Calf 



25 



constant application to some one handicraft. 

 She had stood thus for some hours and would 

 so stand for many more, without food save such 

 as she might reach from her post of sentinel ; 

 not until the calf was able to take nourishment 

 would she move from the spot, lest harm should 

 befall the helpless young. It was not, in fact, 

 till the commencement of the second day that 

 the calf uttered grunts and 

 murmurs of discontent, and 

 then his mother raised him to 

 his feet by aid of trunk and 

 forefoot, and so guided his 

 trembling limbs and supported 

 him till he found the udders pendent from 

 the breast and gained strength as he satisfied 

 his hunger. 



And so the days passed in feeding and 

 sleeping, the mother always within sight or 

 hearing of her young, always ready to face 

 any odds in its protection, returning to its side 

 whenever any suspicious sound reached her 

 ears, or when the wind brought notice of the 

 approach of any man or any beast that might 



