Chapter XVI: Medor

I had known Medor a long time; I was young, and he still younger, when we became acquainted and formed mutual and inalterable attachment. I was then living miserably with those wretched farmers who had bought me from a dealer in donkeys, and from whom I escaped so cleverly. I was quite thin, for really they never gave me enough to eat. Medor (presented to them as a good watch dog, and afterwards proving himself a superb hunting dog) fared better than I; he amused the children, who often gave him bread and scraps of their meals; moreover, as he acknowledged to me himself, whenever it was possible, he used to slip into the dairy with the mistress or servant, where he was always sure to find some means of lapping a little milk or cream, and seizing the particles of butter which fell from the churn. Medor was kind; my lean, miserable appearance excited his pity, and one day he brought me a piece of bread, presenting it with a most triumphant air.

“Eat, my poor friend,” said he, in his language, “I have bread enough given me for my own sustenance, and you, you have only thistles and poor grass, and hardly enough of these to keep you alive.”

“Good Medor,” said I, “I am sure you have deprived yourself of this for me. I do not suffer so much as you think, for I am used to meagre fare, little sleep, much work and hard beatings.”

“I am not hungry, my friend,” replied Medor, “I assure you, I am not hungry. Prove your friendship for me by accepting my little present. It is trifling I know, but I offer it willingly, and if you persist in refusing, I shall feel quite grieved.”

“Then I accept, my kind Medor,” said I, “because I am fond of you, and I must confess, that I shall relish it greatly, for I am hungry.”

And I ate the bread good Medor had brought me, he keenly enjoying the eagerness with which I crunched and swallowed it. I felt thoroughly revived by this unaccustomed repast, and said so to Medor, believing I could thus best express my gratitude. The result was characteristic of Medor, every day he brought me the biggest piece of bread given him. In the evening, he used to come and lie down beside me under the tree or bush I had selected for my night’s shelter, and we thus enjoyed many a pleasant conversation. And no one suspected, or could have understood, for we conversed without talking. We other animals, we do not pronounce our words like men, but we understand one another by winks, motions of the head, the ears, the tail, and we converse among ourselves as readily as men.

One evening Medor came to me quite sad and dejected.

“My friend,” said he, “I fear I shall no longer be able to bring you a part of my bread; my masters have decided that I am big enough to be tied all day, and let loose only at night. Moreover, my mistress has scolded the children for giving me so much bread; she has forbidden them to feed me at all, because she wishes to feed me herself and that sparely, to make me a good watch dog, she says.”

“My kind Medor,” said I, “if it is the thought of my losing the bread that frets you, compose yourself, I no longer need it, for this morning I discovered a hole in the side of the hay rack, from which I have already helped myself to a little hay, and I find that I can easily do so every day.”

“Indeed!” exclaimed Medor, “I am so glad! but yet it gave me such pleasure to share my bread with you. And then to be tied all day, and see you only at night, it is really sad!”

We conversed a long time and it was very late when he left me.

“I shall have time enough to sleep during the day,” said he, “and you too, as you are not kept very busy either at this season.”

All the next day passed indeed without my seeing poor Medor. Towards evening, I was impatiently awaiting him, when his cries reached my ears. Running to the hedge, I saw that wicked woman, the farmer’s wife holding my kind friend by the skin of his neck, whilst Edward beat him with a carriage whip. I dashed through a breach in the hedge, caught Edward by the arm, and bit him in such a fashion that the whip fell from his hands. The wicked woman released her hold on Medor, who escaped; this was all I wanted, so I let go Edward’s arm, and was about returning to my enclosure, when I felt myself seized by the ears. It was the farmer’s wife, who in a rage called out to Edward:

“Give me the big whip, till I beat this vicious animal! There never was a worse donkey in the world! Give it to me, or whack him yourself!”

“I can’t lift my arm,” said Edward in tears, “it is numb.”

Seizing the whip that lay on the ground, she ran at me to avenge her cruel son. I was not fool enough to wait for her, you may be sure. Just as she had nearly caught me, I made a leap and left her some distance behind, she continued to pursue me, and I to escape, taking great care to keep myself out of reach of the whip. This race amused me very much; I saw my mistress’s wrath increase in proportion to her fatigue. I could run and sweat without doing myself the slightest harm, whilst she, covered with perspiration, was completely exhausted, without having had the pleasure of giving me even one lash of the whip. My friend was sufficiently avenged when our promenade ended. I sought him with my eyes (for I had seen him run towards my enclosure), but in vain, he was afraid to show himself before the departure of his cruel mistress.

“You wretch!” cried the enraged woman as she turned to leave, “I will pay you up for all this when I get you under the saddle!” and she went towards the house, whilst I remained alone.

I now ventured to call Medor. He timidly lifted his head from the hole in which he had sought refuge. I ran to him.

“Come,” said I, “she is gone. What did you do? why did Edward beat you?”

“Because I seized a piece of bread one of the children had dropped on the ground. She saw me, darted at me, and calling Edward, told him to beat me unmercifully.”

“Did no one try to defend you?”

“Defend me indeed! they all cried out, that’s right! whip him Edward, so he won’t do it again.” ‘Keep quiet,’ said Edward, ‘I shall not go half way in the matter, you’ll hear how I can make him sing.’ And at my first cry, they all clapped their hands, exclaiming bravo! bravo!

“Wicked little creatures!” cried I. “But why did you take the bread, Medor? Had they not given you your supper?”

“Yes indeed, I had already eaten, but the bread in my soup was in such small pieces, that I could not get any of it out for you, but, if I could have carried off that big piece the child dropped, you would have had a delightful repast.”

“My poor Medor! and it was for me you were beaten! Thanks, my friend, thanks; I shall never forget your kindness! But let me entreat you to not repeat it! Do you suppose that that bread would have given me any pleasure, if I had known what risks you ran to get it? I would rather a hundred times live on thistles, knowing that you were well treated and happy.”

We conversed a long time, and I made Medor promise never again to incur the danger of a beating on my account; I also promised him that I would play all sorts of tricks on these people, and I kept my word. One day I knocked Edward and his sister into a puddle of water, and then ran off, leaving them struggling in the mud. Another time, I ran at the little three year old boy, as if I were going to bite him, how his screams of terror rejoiced my heart! Again, pretending to have the colic, I rolled on the ground with a heavy load of eggs on my back; every egg was smashed. My mistress, though furious, did not dare strike me, she believed I was really sick, that I was going to die, and they would lose all the money I had cost them, so instead of beating me, she led me back to the stable, and gave me some hay and bran. I never played a better trick in my life, and that evening Medor and I almost hurt ourselves laughing over it. Another time, seeing all their linen spread out on the hedge to dry, I took every piece in my teeth, one by one, and threw it into the barnyard pool. No one had seen me do this; so when the mistress could not find her linen, and when, at last after a search in every direction, it was discovered just where I have told you, she flew into a terrible rage, and beat the servant, who beat the children, who beat the cats, the dogs, the calves, the sheep! Oh! it was a charming uproar to me, every body screamed and was furious. Medor and I certainly passed a gay evening.

In my subsequent reflexions upon these wicked deeds, I have sincerely reproached myself, for I revenged upon the innocent the faults of the guilty. Medor sometimes censured me and advised moderation, but no, I would not listen, every day I got worse and worse, only however to suffer for it, my evil conduct bringing its own punishment as you will learn hereafter.

One day (and a sad day it was for me,) a gentleman who was passing took a fancy to Medor and offered the farmer a hundred francs for him. The farmer, believing him a dog of very little account, was delighted, and my poor friend with a rope around his neck, disappeared with his new master. He cast a sorrowful glance at me, and in vain did I run from one side of the hedge to the other seeking a passage, every breach was closed, and I had not even the consolation of bidding my dear Medor farewell. From that day, life there was almost insupportable. Medor’s departure was just before the little episode of market day, and my subsequent flight into the forest of St. Evroult, which I have already related. During the years that followed, I often, very often thought of my friend, and the pleasure it would be to see him again, but where seek him? for I knew his new master did not live in that part of the country, but was only there on a visit to some friends.

Judge of my happiness, some time after little James had brought me to your grandmother’s, at seeing arrive with your uncle and cousins William and Henry, my friend, my dear friend Medor! He recognized me at once, and covered me with caresses, I responding to them, and following him everywhere. Our cordiality excited great surprise, but all attributed it to Medor’s delight at being in the country, and mine in finding a companion for my promenades. If they had been able to understand our long conversation they would have known the cause of our mutual affection.

Medor was much pleased at all I told him of my present calm and peaceful life, of my master’s kindness, of my excellent and even glorious reputation throughout this part of the country. He sympathized with me in the recital of my pitiful adventures, and he laughed, though blaming me, at the tricks I had played on the farmer who bought me from George’s father. He actually was puffed up with pride when I told him of my victory at the race; he deplored the ingratitude of poor Pauline’s parents, and shed tears over the sad fate of that unhappy child.