THE VILLAGE PET 



179 



harmless ; he knew by name every one in the village, and 

 knew his own name. 



The king's son — to whom he belonged — assured me 

 that the ape could talk, and that he himself could under- 

 stand what the animal said ; but he declined to gratify my 

 request to hear it. However, he called the ape by name, 

 telling him to come, and the ape obeyed. The man then 

 gave him a long-necked gourd and told him to go to the 

 spring and bring some water. The animal hesitated, but 

 after the command had been two or three times repeated 

 he reluctantly obeyed. After a few minutes he returned 

 with the gourd about half filled with water. In carrying 

 the vessel he held it by the neck, but this deprived him of 

 the use of one hand. He waddled along on his feet, using 

 the other hand, but now and then he set the gourd on the 

 ground, still holding to it, and using it something after the 

 manner of a short stick. On delivering the gourd of water 

 to his master, he gave evidence of knowing that he had 

 done a clever thing. 



I expressed a desire to see him fill the gourd at the 

 spring. The water was then emptied out, and the gourd 

 was again given to him. On this occasion we followed 

 him to the place where he got the water. On arriving he 

 leaned over the spring and pressed the gourd into the 

 water, but the mouth of it was turned down so that the 

 water could not flow into it. As he lifted the gourd out 

 it turned to one side, and a small quantity flowed into it. 

 He repeated the act a number of times and seemed to 

 know how it ought to be done, although he was very awk- 

 ward in trying to do it. Whenever the water in the mouth 



