Binney the beaver, and other stories

by Lucy Ellen Guernsey

"I should think a wildcat would have had hard work to catch you," remarked Binney.

"Yes, if I saw him first; but then, you know, he might pounce upon me unawares. Well, in this way I lived for the first long happy year of my life. One unlucky day, however, I left my father and mother on a tree, and went away by myself into the woods for a ramble. I travelled along at leisure, now and then stopping to gather dates, or some other fruit, till I found myself upon the sea-shore, and then I thought I would go down to the beach and see what I could find there.

"I noticed a tall ship on the water, and some sailors in a boat near the shore; but I had seen them before, and did not feel any alarm, as I was quite sure of my ability to keep out of their way. I saw some broken biscuits lying under the tree, and I thought I would go down and examine them. I took a bit very cautiously at first, and finding it very nice, was proceeding to make a hearty meal, when all at once I found myself caught in a net, while at the same moment a sailor sprang from a thicket near by, and made me prisoner. O how I did scratch and bite, but it was of no use. I could not get away.

"The sailor was very much pleased with his prize. He carried me on board the ship, and gave me to the captain, who received me kindly, admired my fine fur and long bushy tail, and offered me all sorts of good things to eat. But you may guess I had not a great deal of appetite at that time. From the ship I could see the shore and the green woods, and I almost fancied I could hear my father and mother calling me.

"The next day the ship sailed away. I saw the woods sink lower and lower, and the land grow more and more dim and distant, till at last it faded away entirely, and nothing met my eyes but water, water in every direction. I was very sad at first, and almost thought my heart would break. But the captain and all the men were kind to me; I had plenty to eat and drink, and abundance of playmates, and I began to find out that running up and down the ropes was almost as good fun as climbing trees. Once I fell into the water. I gave myself up for lost at that time, for I cannot swim at all; but one of the men threw me a rope, which I caught, and he hauled me on board wrapped me up in a blanket to warm me. After that I was more careful.

"After a voyage of many months I came to this country, and the captain gave me to our master. I am very happy here. The days are cold and dark, and there are no pretty trees; but every one is kind to me, and now that I have you to play with, my dear, good old Binney, I am as contented as if I were at home in Madagascar."

So saying, Mackey put his little arms round Binney's neck, and gave him a good hug; and when Mrs. Smith came up to see what had become of her pets, she found them fast asleep together in the nest which they had made.

And now I come to the end of Binney's history; a very melancholy end, I am sorry to say. Mr. B— had occasion to leave town for a while, and thinking that a change would be good for Binney, who had grown fat and lazy from too much good living, he sent him to the Tower, where a number of wild animals were kept at that time. Cops, who had the charge of these animals, received Binney with pleasure, and treated him with the greatest possible kindness.

But the change was a sad one for poor Binney. He missed the liberty he had enjoyed in his master's house; he missed his merry little playmate, the lemur; and above all, he pined for his kind friend, Mrs. Smith. He grew thin and weak, moped about all day, and would take no food except a few raisins now and then. At last Mr. Cops grew so much alarmed about his health that he determined to carry him home again. But it was too late. The beaver's heart was broken. As soon as he saw his old friend, he gave a little cry of joy, crept to his favorite place under her chair, and died!

Mackey's destiny was not so mournful. His master thought he would be sorrowful without the society of his old friend, so he sent him to the Regent's Park gardens, where there are a great many wild animals of all descriptions. Here they gave him a nice house, and a pretty little wife of his own species, with whom he lived long and happily, and for all I know, he may be living yet.