84 



FOUB-HANDED FOLK 



A comical performance, too, was their hunt 

 for sugarplums, of which they were very fond. 

 They soon learned by experience that the desired 

 bits of candy were sometimes to be found inside 

 the mouth of the lady who " did n't want any 

 monkeys " before she saw them. All she had to 

 do was to open her mouth wide, when there was 

 a rush and a scramble to be first to explore that 

 curious candy-box. 



The first one who got there stood on her hand 

 or her shoulder, or any convenient place, rested 

 his funny little hands on her teeth, and thrust 

 his little round head out of sight in her mouth, 

 turning it this way and that till he spied the 

 tidbit, when he snatched it out and retired to 

 a safe place to eat it. This might be on top of 

 her head, or inside her neck ruche against her 

 neck, which warm nest he was very fond of. 

 This seems like a strange performance, and if I 

 had not seen it many times, I should hesitate 

 about telling it. 



If it was the bigger of the two who captured 

 the dainty, he ate it in peace, for he was not 

 so good-tempered as his conrpanion, and never 

 allowed interference with his comfort. 



But if the smaller one proved the more nimble 

 and secured the prize, he had to run and hide, 

 and sometimes fight for his rights. Even then 

 he did not always secure them, for his brother 



