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194 J 22 FABLED STORIES FROM THE ZOO.
sat defiant, smacking her lips at the sight of
us. We understood by that what had befallen
our comrade, and that the Chinese monster
wanted more, for snakes are a dainty dish for
them. They often gain the battle, for their
fat protects them from our fangs doing them’
any harm, as the poison gets no chance of
entering their blood, and its effect seems to be
lost amongst their lard. They therefore place
their feet with impunity upon us, tear us to
pieces, and eat us piecemeal. I hate swine!"
" But not the sucking pigs," muttered a blind
earthworm from another cage, by way of a
faint jest.
" Don’t attempt to joke," retaliated the
rattlesnake, "or I will frighten you until you
become rigid, and then the least touch will break
you in two, my frail friend, and you will be
handed over to ’ Lord Snake,’ who dwells in
a glass house all by himself, and lives upon
humble earthworms and inferior snakes, who
all sacrifice themselves to keep him in high
and glossy trim."
The poor blind earthworm had not a word
to say in self-defence. He was from the
tropics, not from Ireland.
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