“Perhaps not,” replied the priest, “but there are incidents pertaining to its later life which I fancy are quite unusual.”
The priest’s story was resumed:
“In spite of the ugliness of the half-beast the mother loved it dearly. She realized, however, that it must not be seen by the neighbors, and in consequence it was kept in the cellar, but when it grew older was allowed to roam about at night. Always it returned before daylight, and crept to its bed in a corner of the cellar.
“Bright metal, and keen-edged tools, appeared to fascinate it, and due to this the father first learned of its amazing strength.
“Delloux possessed a long-bladed knife which he valued highly, and he was using it one day in skinning a fox when his wife called to him. The knife was left lying beside the half-skinned carcass of the animal. When he returned, both had disappeared!
“Entering the cellar, he found the beast cutting apart the body of the fox and greedily eating it. It had never liked him; and when he approached and made as though to take away the knife it rose and, with a shove of its long arm, sent Delloux sprawling through the open doorway. When he picked himself up the creature faced him from the door, and growled menacingly.
“It was then but ten years old.
“Delloux was a strong man, but his strength was a puny thing when matched against this powerful brute. The knife was abandoned to it thereafter.
“From that day on, it refused to eat cooked food; but at night went into the forest and killed game, which it carried home and ate raw.
“A few words of the French language it was able to learn, but not enough to permit of continued conversation.