134 WILD ANIMALS. 



larly after his repast on raw flesb. This denizen of the woods 

 had been found in a wolfs lair in the depths of a forest on 

 the frontiers of the kingdoms of Oude and Nepaul. The wolves 

 which abound in these countries often carry off children from the 

 villages, but the little captives do not always fall a prey to the 



i tooth of their captor. Many instances are recorded of children 



I being carried off by a she-wolf to her cubs, all the habits of which 



\ (poor humanity !) the little stranger acquired." 



t When it is remembered that the race of wolves is older than 

 the flood, a fact proved by their remains being found in ante- 

 diluvian deposits, and that they are met with in all countries both 

 in the new world as well as the old, also that men of all ages and 

 all nationalities, have waged war against these animals or been the 

 victims of their ferocity, it can hardly be wondered at that history 

 is full of fictions, superstitious and exaggerated descriptions of 

 the brutes. The wolf's habit of secreting food beneath the earth, 

 burying it for future use, a custom common to all the dog tribe, 

 led to the belief that he ate earth to increase his weight, a state- 

 ment often made in ancient books. Thus " Pierce Penilesse " 

 says,® " a wolfe, being about to devour a horse, doth balist his 

 belly with earth, that he may hang the heavier upon him, and then 

 forcibly flyes in his face, never leaving his hold till he had eaten 

 him up." 



In Hone's Year Book, an extract is given from another curious 



old work entitled " The Majick of Kirani, King of Persia, and of 



Harpocration," printed in the year 1685, which is quaintly de- 



\ scribed as a work sought for by the learned, but seen by the few : 



\ ■ — " A wolf is a savage, crafty animal ; if any one, therefore, 



1 drink his blood, he will go mad, and can never more be cured ; 



'l its right eye carried privately about one performs great things, 



for all four-footed creatures, wild and tame, will fly from the 



bearer ; and he will pass through the midst of his enemies, and no 



man will touch him. It also enables a man to conquer in every 



cause ; it puts away all phantoms ; it also expels all fits of agues; 



and a sheep will never tread upon the shin of a wolf. Also the eye 



" " Pierce Penilesse, Ms Supplication to the Diuell/' written by Thomas Nash, 

 sent., 1592. 



