German composition

Section 189 The Favourite Hares. — III

Finding him extremely tractable, I made it my⁠1 custom to carry him always after breakfast into the garden, where he hid himself generally under the leaves of a vine, sleeping⁠2 or chewing the cud till evening; in the leaves also of that vine he found a favourite repast⁠3. I had not long habituated him to this taste of liberty, before⁠4 he began to be impatient for the return of the time⁠5 when he might enjoy it⁠6. He would invite me to the garden⁠7 by drumming (S. 111, N. 6) upon my knee, and by (S. 185, N. 26) a look of such expression⁠8 as it was not possible to misinterpret. If the⁠9 rhetoric did not immediately succeed, he would take the skirt of my coat (S. 36, N. 7, A) between his teeth, and pull it with all his force⁠10. Thus Puss might be said to be perfectly tamed⁠11; the shyness of his nature was done away⁠12, and, on the whole⁠13, it was visible by many symptoms, which I have not room to enumerate⁠14, that he was happier in human society than when (S. 27, N. 7) shut up with⁠15 his natural companions.

Not so Tiny; upon him the kindest⁠16 treatment had not the least effect. He too was sick, and in his sickness had an equal share of my attention⁠17; but when, after his recovery, I took the liberty to stroke him, he would grunt, strike with his fore feet, spring forward, and bite⁠18. He was, however⁠19, entertaining in his way; even his surliness was matter of mirth⁠20, and in his play he preserved such an air of gravity⁠21, and performed his feats with such solemnity of manner⁠22, that in (an) him too I had an agreeable companion.

Notes

1 zur.

2 Use this and the following verb in the Imperfect, preceded by ‘and’; to chew the cud, sein Futter wiederkäuen.

3 in — repast, auch aß er die Blätter des Weinstocks besonders gern.

4 = when; insert the adv. schon after ‘he’.

5 to — time = to long impatiently for the time.

6 when — it = when (S. 131, N. 4) he could again enjoy this liberty.

7 = to come into the garden with him.

8 Render ‘of such expression’ by the adj. ‘expressive’; as = that, followed by man and the active form of the verb.

9 = his; and construe according to the following example: He will never succeed, er wird nie seinen Zweck erreichen.

10 Supply the adv. ‘forward’ after this noun.

11 Say ‘And so (somit) I may (dürfen) perhaps (wohl) say of “Puss” that he was quite tamed’.

12 = his natural shyness was conquered.

13 überhaupt; visible = clear.

14 = which (S. 66, N. 15) on account of want of (an) room I cannot enumerate here.

15 ‘to be shut up’, here sich ausschließlich befinden; with, bei.

16 liebreich.

17 in — attention = and during his sickness I nursed him with equal (gleich) attention.

18 Supply ‘at (nach) me’ here.

19 Supply ‘also’ here; in, auf.

20 = amusing.

21 = such a grave air (Miene, f.).

22 = solemn dignity.