There is a story very like this of another seal that its owners tried several times to get rid of. They failed to do so, the knowing creature always finding its way back. At one time it even crept into the room through an open window and made its way up to bask by the fireside.
While it is not strange that the seal can be easily tamed, we should not look for such a thing in so savage an animal as the alligator, the most feared and hated of the animals found in the waters of our Southern States. Yet even this ferocious reptile can be tamed, as the following story will show.
The alligator in question was taken when very young, before its wild nature had shown itself, and was fed and attended to by its master, of whom it became very fond. It grew so tame that it would follow him about the house like a dog, even scrambling up and down stairs after him.
But the funny thing about this comical pet was that its chief friend was the cat, and that pussy returned its friendship. When the cat lay drowsing before the fire, the alligator would crawl up, lay its head on her back, and go to sleep in this position. It seemed happy whenever the cat was near, but grew very restless if its furry friend was away.
Raw flesh was fed to it and sometimes milk, which it liked very much. At night, in cold weather, it slept in a box, with wool for it to nestle in. But one night there came a sharp frost and the little guest was forgotten. The next morning the native of warm climates was found frozen to death.
THE STORK, CORMORANT AND ALBATROSS
It would take many pages to tell about all the wild animals that have at times been tamed by man or made to serve him in various ways. As it is, we must confine ourselves to a few, and have selected the three water-birds named above all of which have been of service to man in some way.
The Stork is not a tame bird in the sense of being kept about the household, but it has so long been taken care of and laws made to protect it, that it has grown very familiar and may be seen walking about the streets of Holland, even among crowds of people, without a show of fear. No one wants it for food, for its flesh is not good, and it does so much service by eating frogs, snakes and other troublesome animals, that every one feels friendly towards it.
It also struts about in the market places and keeps them clean and fresh by eating all the offal. Thus it plays the part of the turkey-buzzard of our Southern cities, which is taken care of for the same reason.
The Common Stork of the Old World countries is a large bird, long-legged and long-necked. It is pure white in color, except that the wings are partly black and the bill and legs are red. It sleeps standing on one leg, with the neck folded and the head turned back on the shoulders. If alarmed, as when a dog comes near, it makes a loud snapping noise with its bill.