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Banfield, E. J. (Edmund James), 1852-1923

"Confessions of a Beachcomber"


Dissection revealed--What--marvellous! a nest egg. But why did the
snake show such reluctance to leave the box? The first or forward half
was hooked out from among the straw, and there was another oval
distention--another nest egg! The snake had discovered elsewhere a china
egg, had swallowed it, and then crawled in at the knot hole, and got
outside another. Escape was impossible. until the problem was solved by
halving.
There are no more accusations of dishonourable motives on the part of
the hens in doing away with the porcelain patterns to escape the arduous
duty of laying. It was all the fault of the serpent. Now the serpent is
not wise, for any nest egg beguiles him. It takes a long while to digest
such hardware. Traps are now laid for him. An egg of china is put in a
box, the open part of which is covered with small mesh-wire netting. The
snake submits to the temptation of the egg coyly resting on a bunch of
grass, and having made it its own, cannot let go. Then comes abhorred
fate in the shape of a gleeful man with a long-handled shovel, and the
end of the snake is piece--s.
ADVENTURE WITH A CROCODILE
"Cooling of the air with sighs,
In an odd angle of the Isle.


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