354 
GEESE. 
to her daughter, that her mother should venture abroad, she 
replied — “ Oh, sir ! we are not afraid of trusting her out of 
sight, for the Gander is with her.” We frankly own, that 
so strange and improbable do the above stories appear, that 
we should neither have inserted, nor paid them the slightest 
attention, had we not the following testimony to their credi- 
bility, for the accuracy of which we can vouch ; and deeply 
do we regret, that a better fate did not await so extraordinary 
a bird, which, under more intelligent observers, might have 
afforded opportunities of ascertaining the extent of so unusual 
a development of affection. 
A farmer in Cheshire possessed a flock of Geese, one of 
which, at the end of about three years, without any apparent 
cause, began to show a peculiar partiality for its master. It 
first appeared on the bird’s quitting its companions in the 
barn-yard or pond, and stalking after him. These symptoms 
became daily stronger, and in a short time, wherever the 
farmer went, whether to the mill or the blacksmith’s shop, 
or through the hustling streets of a neighbouring manufac- 
turing town, the Goose was at his heels. So perseveringly 
did it follow his steps, that if he wished to go out alone, he 
was under the necessity of fastening up the bird. 
The farmer was in the habit of holding his own plough, 
and, on these occasions, the Goose as regularly passed the 
day in the ploughing field, walking sedately, not with the 
usual waddling pace of its fellow Geese, hut with a firm 
step, head elevated, and neck erect, a short way before him, 
in the line of the furrows, frequently turning round and 
fixing its eyes intently upon him. When the length of one 
furrow was accomplished and the plough turned, the Goose, 
without losing its step, adroitly wheeled about, and thus 
continued its attendance till the evening, and then followed 
its master home ; and if permitted, would mount upon his 
lap as he sat by the fire after dark, showing the strongest 
signs of affection, and nestling his head in his bosom, or 
preening the hair of his head with its beak as it was wont 
to do its own feathers. Sometimes the farmer would go out 
shooting, and no sooner had he shouldered his gun, than his 
companion was at its post, following him as before, in spite 
