i am enjoying the animal anecdotes of saki's burmese letters:

"i was enjoying my midday tub, when my boy came and announced that a big bear had been caught and was being brought up to me; i implored him not to do anything so rash but he went away saying "master bringing, yes." the bathroom was comparatively small and i knew that if a large bear were introduced there would be unpleasantness. i hastily forgave my enemies and tried to say my prayers, but the only one i could remember was the prayer for fine weather. as it happened my boy meant bird when he said bear, having caught a large sort of buzzard...so i left off praying for fine weather and unforgave my enemies forthwith. the bird has fine plumage but a very sinister expression; when i go near it it opens its mouth, elevates its crest and glares at me with baleful eyes." "

~~~

"my new pony i have called "microbe" on account of his diminutive size."

~~~

"my boy has just got me some crows' eggs; the burmans don't quite approve of my taking them as they have an idea that the spirits of their grandmothers turn into crows, but i cannot be expected to respect the eggs of other people's grand mothers. some absurd owls built themselves a nest inside my roof, which was a rash thing to do; of course i promptly took care of their eggs for them."

~~~

"then there was a duckling. i thought of putting it with the squirrel, but the latter looks upon everything as meant to be eaten and the duck had broad views on the same subject, so i thought they had better live in single blessedness. as the squirrel occupied the only empty biscuit tin the duck had to go into the waste paper basket where it was quite happy.

~~~

[all to his sister ethel, 1893.]