The family Robinson Crusoe

by Johann David Wyss

Father.—Will you let me decide the question for you? I think our abode should be called The Falcon’s Nest; for, my boys, you are not yet arrived at the dignity of eagles, but are simply, poor birds of prey; and like the falcon, you also are, I trust, obedient, docile, active, and courageous. Ernest can have no objection to this; for, as he knows, falcons make their nests in large trees. All exclaimed, clapping their hands, Yes, yes, we will have it The Falcon’s Nest! the sound is quite chivalrous; so, Health to Falcon’s Nest Castle! cried they all, looking up to the tree, and making low bows. I poured out a small quantity of sweet wine, and presented it to each, to solemnize our baptism. And how, said I, shall we name the promontory, where Fritz and I in vain wearied our eyes, in search of our companions of the vessel? I think it may properly be called, Cape Disappointment.

All.—Yes, this is excellent. And the river with the bridge——

Father.—If you wish to commemorate one of the greatest events of our history, it ought to be called The Jackall’s River; for these animals crossed it when they came and attacked us, and it was there that one of them was killed. The bridge I should name Family Bridge, because we were all employed in its construction, and all crossed it together in our way to this place. It will be quite a pleasure to converse about the country we inhabit, now that we have instituted names as if every thing belonged to us.

Ernest.—It will be just as if we had farms and country houses, all dependent upon our castle.

Francis.—It is the same as if we were kings.

My Wife.—And the queen-mother is not without hope, that her little slips of majesty will conduct themselves mercifully towards their subjects,—the birds, the agoutis, the geese, and the flamingoes; the..... What more shall I say? for I do not know the family name of all your vassals. Let me, therefore, end, by hoping that you will not depopulate your kingdom.

Fritz.—No, mother, we will take care of that. We will endeavour to extirpate, only those among our subjects, who are wicked.

In this pleasing kind of chat, the time of dinner passed agreeably away. We settled the basis of a geography of our own country; and amused ourselves with saying that it must go by the first post to Europe.

After dinner, Fritz again set to work upon his case; and, to my great astonishment, he had possession of one of the cork-jackets, and was preparing to cut it to pieces, and use it as a lining to the cylinders. In the name of Heaven, cried I, where did you get the jacket? I was quite sure we had left them all at Tent House; and when I gave you leave this morning, to take one of them, it was in the hope that, tired with waiting, you would use some other wood, and that the jacket would escape. As it is, I must shut my eyes while you cut it, for I will not retract my word. But tell me where you got it? It was I, said my wife, who placed it as a saddle on the ass’s back, for little Francis to sit upon. You, it seems, did not observe it; but nothing escapes that lynx-eyed boy of ours, called Fritz.

Well, well, since it is thus, replied I, let him make use of it if he can; the cutting it will at least exercise his patience. I shall soon find how to manage it, said Fritz, by holding it near the fire. We let him do as he liked, and I went out to look for Jack, whom I met, dragging the skin of his porcupine with great difficulty along; for it was still armed with all the quills, with the exception of about a dozen, which we had taken for the arrows. He spread it at my feet, entreating me to assist him in making some coats of mail, or cuirasses, of it, for the dogs, as I had before recommended to him, and which he had taken care not to forget. After making him clean the skin completely on the inside, with some cinders and sand mixed together, I assisted him in cutting it, and his mother helped him in the sewing. When this was done, we put the first that was dried on the back of the patient Turk, which gave him a respectable warlike sort of an appearance, and no one could doubt that he was sufficiently well armed to encounter even an hyæna.