Major Pickford
laughed when I said so; but he promised to get me a live fawn. Nurse, what
is a fawn?"
"It is a young deer, my lady."
"Nurse, please can you tell me anything about fawns? Are they pretty
creatures, and can they be tamed; or are they fierce, wild little things?"
"They are very gentle animals; and, if taken young, can be brought up by
sucking the finger like a young calf or a pet lamb. They are playful and
lively, and will follow the person who feeds them, like a dog. They are
very pretty, of a pale dun or red colour, with small white spots on the
back like large hailstones; the eyes are large, and soft, and black, with
a very meek expression in them; the hoofs are black and sharp: they are
clean and delicate in their habits, and easy and graceful in their
movements.
"I remember," continued Mrs. Frazer, "to have heard of a sad accident
which was caused by a fawn."
"Oh, what was it, nurse? Do tell me, for I don't see how such a timid
pretty creature could hurt any one."
"A party of Indians were rowing in a canoe on one of the great American
rivers. As they passed a thick clump of trees, a young fawn suddenly
sprang out, and, frightened by their cries, leaped into the water. For
some days the rain had been heavy; the river was therefore running with a
wild, impetuous current; and the fawn was carried along by the rushing
tide at a tremendous rate.
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