III.

Finding him extremely tractable, I made it my[1] custom to carry him always after breakfast into the garden, where he hid himself generally under the leaves of a vine, sleeping[2] or chewing the cud till evening; in the leaves also of that vine he found a favourite repast[3]. I had not long habituated him to _this taste of_ liberty, before[4] he began to be impatient for the return of the time[5] when he might enjoy it[6]. He would invite me to the garden[7] by drumming (S. 111, N. 6) upon my knee, and by (S. 185, N. 26) a look of such expression[8] as it was not possible to misinterpret. If the[9] rhetoric did not immediately succeed, he would take the skirt of my coat (S. 36, N. 7, _A_) between his teeth, and pull it with all _his_ force[10]. Thus Puss might be said to be perfectly tamed[11]; the shyness of his nature was done away[12], and, on the whole[13], it was visible by many symptoms, which I have not room to enumerate[14], that he was happier in human society than when (S. 27, N. 7) shut up with[15] his natural companions.

Not so Tiny; upon him the kindest[16] treatment had not the least effect. He too was sick, and in his sickness had an equal share of my attention[17]; but when, after his recovery, I took the liberty to stroke him, he would grunt, strike with his fore feet, spring forward, and bite[18]. He was, however[19], entertaining in his way; even his surliness was matter of mirth[20], and in his play he preserved such an air of gravity[21], and performed his feats with such solemnity of manner[22], that in (+an+) him too I had an agreeable companion.

[1] +zur.+

[2] Use this and the following verb in the Imperfect, preceded by ‘and’; to chew the cud, +sein Futter wiederkäuen+.

[3] in — repast, +auch aß er die Blätter des Weinstocks besonders gern+.

[4] = when; insert the adv. +schon+ after ‘he’.

[5] to — time = to long impatiently for the time.

[6] when — it = when (S. 131, N. 4) he could again enjoy this liberty.

[7] = to come into the garden with him.

[8] Render ‘of such expression’ by the adj. ‘expressive’; as = that, followed by +man+ and the active form of the verb.

[9] = his; and construe according to the following example: He will never succeed, +er wird nie seinen Zweck erreichen+.

[10] Supply the adv. ‘forward’ after this noun.

[11] Say ‘And so (+somit+) I may (+dürfen+) perhaps (+wohl+) say of “Puss” that he was quite tamed’.

[12] = his natural shyness was conquered.

[13] +überhaupt+; visible = clear.

[14] = which (S. 66, N. 15) on account of want of (+an+) room I cannot enumerate here.

[15] ‘to be shut up’, here +sich ausschließlich befinden+; with, +bei+.

[16] +liebreich+.

[17] in — attention = and during his sickness I nursed him with equal (+gleich+) attention.

[18] Supply ‘at (+nach+) me’ here.

[19] Supply ‘also’ here; in, +auf+.

[20] = amusing.

[21] = such a grave air (+Miene+, f.).

[22] = solemn dignity.

_Section 190._

THE FAVOURITE HARES.