Page:Account of a most surprising savage girl.pdf/11

11 the wild game by speed of foot. She retained this inclination for catching fish in the water two years after her capture.One day happening to be brought to the castle of Songi, she no sooner perceived a door open, which led to a large pond, than she immediately ran and threw herself into it, drest as she was, swam round all the sides of it, and landing on a small island, went in search of frogs, which she ate at leisure. This circumstance puts me in mind of a comical adventure which M. le Blanc told me herself.

When any company visited M. d’Epinoy at Songi, he used to send for the girl, who soon became more tame, and began to discover much good humour, and a softness and humanity of disposition, which the savage life she had been obliged to follow for self-preservation, had not been able to efface. One day, as she was present at a great entertainment in the castle, observing none of the delicacies she esteemed, every thing being cooked, she ran out like lightning, and traversing all the ditches and ponds, returned with her apron full of frogs, which she spread very liberally on the plates of all the guests, and was quite overjoyed at having found such good cheer. We may easily figure to ourselves