DO BEASTS HAVE IMMORTAL SOULS?
That animals can cheat and deceive is plainly shown by the following:— “One of my friends had a couple of little toy terrier dogs. As is usually the case in such instances, though very fond of each other, they were horribly jealous with regard to their master, and neither could endure to see the other caressed. It so happened that one of them broke its leg, and was in consequence much petted. Its companion, seeing the attention that was paid to the injured animal, pretended to be lame itself, and came limping to its master, holding up the corresponding leg, and trying to look as if it were in great pain. “The following anecdote is sent me by a friend:
“‘A Skye terrier of our acquaintance named “Mont” had at one time a very sore leg, and during his illness he got a great deal of sympathy and petting. Ever since, when he has been in any mischief, he comes running on three legs, holding up the one which was once sore, but is now quite well. In his own way he is quite as arrant an impostor as the well-known begging “sailor” with one leg tied up to look as if he had lost it.’” “A curious and rather ludicrous instance of cheatery on the part of the dog was observed by one of my friends. “He has three little black-and-tan terriers, father, mother, and daughter, which are great pets, and consider the house as their own property. Like most pet dogs, they have their favorite spots by way of couches; and as they all three generally take a fancy to the same spot, there is occasionally a difference of opinion and a slight loss of temper. The one pet spot of all is a soft cushion at the head of a sofa. Now the cushion had accommodated easily the father and the mother; but when the daughter came, and in course of time wanted her share of the couch, it was found that the quarters were rather too74limited for comfort, especially as the daughter persisted in growing until she reached the size of her parents. “One day the father and daughter had got into the room first, and, according to custom, made straightway for the cushion, on which they established themselves comfortably, occupying the whole of its surface. Presently the mother came in, and also went to the cushion. She tried to take her place on it, but her husband was too selfish and her daughter too undutiful to move, and in consequence she had to retire. “Presently she went to the farthest corner of the room, and suddenly began to scratch violently, barking, growling, and sniffing as if she were digging out a rat. Up jumped the others, all blazing with excitement, and anxious to have their share of the sport. As soon as they had got their noses well down in the corner, the mother ran to the sofa at full speed, jumped on the cushion, curled herself round, and was happy. However, she was generous in victory, and made room for her husband and daughter as they came back to the sofa crest-fallen and humiliated.” “One of the most amusing anecdotes of attempted cheatery is narrated of an elephant by Lady Barker:— “‘When we paid them a visit upon the afternoon of the storm, the huge beasts were taking a bath, or rather giving it to themselves by filling their trunks with water and dashing it over their heads, trumpeting and enjoying themselves immensely. At a little distance the cooks were busy baking the chupatties—a muffin as large as a soup-plate, and nearly as thick—in mud ovens; and the grass-cutters had been down to a “jhed,” or pond, near, to wash the dust off the large bundles of grass for the elephants’ suppers. We talked a little to the mahouts, and one very picturesque old man seemed exceedingly proud of his elephant’s superior slyness and cunning, and begged us to stay and see him “cheat.” So we waited till “Burra Sahib,” or “Mr. Large,” had finished his bath and came slowly up to the mahout for his supper. “‘The mahout called out to the cook to bring the chupatties, and made us retire behind a tree and watch what Burra Sahib did. As soon as the cook went away, the elephant put up his trunk and broke off a large bough of the tree above him. This they generally do to serve as a brush to keep off flies, so he knew that was nothing remarkable. He then looked slyly around him with his bright, little, cunning eyes; and as he could not see his mahout, he thought the coast was clear, and hastily snatched up a chupattie, which he put under the branch on the top of his head. I noticed how carefully he felt with his flexible trunk if any edge was uncovered, and arranged the leaves so as to hide his spoil completely. “‘Burra Sahib then raised his voice and bellowed for his supper in loud and discordant tones. The mahout then ran up as if he had been a long distance off, stood in front of him, and commenced handing him the chupatties, counting as he did so, one, two, three, and so on. The elephant received each in his trunk, and put it gently into his huge mouth, bolting it as though it had been a small pill. Twelve chupatties was the allowance, and he required this sort of food to keep him in good condition. When the mahout came to number eleven muffin he looked about for the twelfth in great dismay, pretending that he could not think what had become of it, and calling for the cook to scold him, searching on the ground, and wondering, in good Hindostanee, where that other chupattie could be. The elephant joined in the search, turning over an empty box which was near, and trumpeting loudly. “‘The mahout was delighted to see how much this farce amused me, and at last he turned suddenly to the elephant, who was still hunting eagerly for the missing chupattie, and reviled him as a thief and a “big owl,” adding all sorts of epithets, and desiring him to kneel down, which Burra Sahib did very reluctantly. The mahout then scrambled up on his head, snatched off the branch, and flung down the chupattie, belaboring the elephant well with the bough which had served to conceal it. It seems that the trick had been played successfully many times before Burra Sahib was found out, and the poor cook used to get into trouble, and be accused of keeping the missing chupattie for his own private consumption.’” That this trait of human character is also possessed by the beasts must be very evident to any one who has observed their habits. The following anecdotes will illustrate this point:— “All those who have watched the habits of animals must have remarked how widely spread among them is this species of humor—namely, annoying and insulting a stronger being than themselves whenever they think that they can do so with impunity. And so strong is the impulse to gratify their sense of humor that they do not hesitate to do so at the risk of their lives. M. Mouhot, in his work on ‘Indo-China and Cambodia,’ mentions that he has often witnessed very amusing scenes between the monkey and the crocodile. “The latter animal is lying half asleep on the bank, and is espied by the monkeys. They seem to consult together, approach, draw back, and at last proceed to overt acts of annoyance. If a monkey can find a convenient branch, he goes along it, swings himself down, hangs by a hand or foot, slaps the crocodile on the nose, and instantly scrambles up the branch out of the reptile’s reach. Sometimes, when no branch is sufficiently near, several monkeys will hang to each other so as to make a chain, and, swinging backward and forward over the crocodile’s head, the lowermost monkey will torment the reptile to his heart’s content. The cream of the joke is when the crocodile is at last so irritated that it opens its enormous jaws, makes a vicious snap at the monkey, and just misses him. Whenever this happy event occurs, there are screams and chatterings of exultation from the monkeys, and a vast number of joyful gambols executed among the branches.” “In Mr. T. C. Jerdon’s ‘Birds of India’ there is an amusing notice of the habits of the Chukor partridge (Caccabis Chukor) when domesticated. It is very tame and familiar, and sometimes becomes rather a nuisance on account of its habit of playing tricks on people. It has a special facility in discovering the most vulnerable spot, and inflicts sly pecks at the bare feet of the native servants as they move through the house. Its great amusement, however, is to find the man who pulls the punkah half asleep, as is customary with these men as they rock backward and forward at their monotonous task. The little bird pecks his legs so fiercely and actively that he is quite unable to drive it away and go on with his work, and he is at last obliged to call for some one to rid him of his tormentor.” “The following anecdote was related by the Rev. Philip Skelton, as having come under his own observation:— “‘I have entertained a great affection and some degree of esteem for swallows, ever since I saw a remarkable instance of their sense and humor played off upon a cat which had, upon a very fine day, rested herself upon the top of a gate-post, as if in contemplation, when ten or a dozen swallows, knowing her to be an enemy, took it into their heads to tantalize her in a manner which showed a high degree not only of good sense but of humor. One of these birds, coming from behind her, flew close by her ear, and she made a snap at it with her paw, but too late. Another swallow, in five or six seconds, did the same, and she made the same unsuccessful attempt to catch it; this was followed by a third, and so on to the number just mentioned; and every one as it passed seemed to set up a laugh at the disappointed enemy very like the laugh of a young child when tickled. The whole number, following one another at the distance of about three yards, formed a regular circle in the air, and played it off like a wheel at her ears for nearly an hour, not seeming at all alarmed at me, who stood within six or seven yards of the post. I enjoyed this sport as well as the pretty birds, till the cat, tired out with disappointment, quitted the gate-post, as much huffed, I believe, as I had been diverted.’” “‘I know a case where a parrot is allowed to go about the house at its likes. In that house there is also a cat, with which Polly is pleased to amuse herself. One day when the cat was lying asleep on the rug, the parrot began to mew and scream just like young kittens when they are hurt. Up jumped the cat, and rushed in frantic haste to her beloved offspring, and was very much astonished to find them all safe and comfortably asleep. She then returned to the rug; but as soon as she had curled herself up and settled herself comfortably, the parrot recommenced her mewings and cries, and in this way contrived to dupe the cat three times.’” “Many of the lower animals not only show their playfulness in such tricks as those which have been mentioned, but are able to appreciate and take part in the games played by children. When I was a boy I knew a little dog, a King Charles spaniel, which was an accomplished player at the well-known game called tag, or touch. The little animal displayed quite as much enthusiasm as any of the human players, and would dart away from the boy who happened to be ‘touch’ with an anxiety that almost appeared to be terror. Of course to touch the dog was an impossibility; but he was a generous little creature, with a strong sense of justice, and so, when he thought that his turn ought to come, he stood still and waited quietly to be touched. His mode of touching his playfellows was always by grasping the end of their trousers in his teeth; and as it was impossible for the boy to stop when so seized in full course, the dog often got jerked along the ground for some little distance.”