The Swiss Family Robinson - Full Audiobook : Chapter 04

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wiss, Chapter four.
Fritz groaned heavily under the weight of his canes as
we traveled on, and pitied the poor Negroes who had
to carry such heavy burdens of them. He then, in
imitation of me, tried to refresh himself by sucking a

(00:21):
sugar cane, but was surprised to find he failed in
extracting any of the juice. At last, after some reflection,
he said, ah, I remember, if there is no opening
made for the air, I can get nothing out. I
requested him to find a remedy for this. I will
make an opening, said he, above the first knot in

(00:43):
the cane. If I draw my breath in sucking, and
this make a vacuum in my mouth, the outer air
then forces itself through the hole I have made to
fill this vacuum, and carries the juice along with it.
And when this division of the cane is emptied, I
can proceed to pierce above the next knot. I am
only afraid that, going on this way, we shall have

(01:04):
nothing but empty canes to carry to our friends. I
told him that I was more afraid the sun might
turn the syrup sour before we got our canes home. Therefore,
we need not spare them well at any rate, said he.
I have filled my flask with the milk of the
cocoanut to regale them. I told him I feared another disappointment,

(01:25):
for the milk of the cocoanut removed from the shell
spoiled sooner than the sugar cane juice. I warned him
that the milk exposed to the sun in his tin
flask was probably become vinegar. He instantly took the bottle
from his shoulder and uncorked it. When the liquor flew
out with a report foaming like champagne, I congratulated him

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on his new manufacture and said, we must beware of intoxication.
Oh taste, Papa, he said, it is delicious, not at
all like vinegar, but capital knew sweet sparkling wine. This
will be the best treat if it remains in this state.
I fear it will not be so, said I. This

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is the first stage of fermentation. When this is over
and the liquor is cleared, it is a sort of
wine or fermented liquor, more or less agreeable according to
the material used by applying heat. A second and slower
fermentation succeeds, and the liquor becomes vinegar. Then comes on

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a third stage, which deprives it of its strength and
spoils it. I fear in this burning climate you will
carry home only vinegar or something still more offensive. But
let us drink each other's health now but prudently, or
we shall soon feel the effects of this potent beverage.
Perfectly refreshed, we went on cheerfully to the place where

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we had left our gourd utensils. We found them quite
dry and hard as bone. We had no difficulty in
carrying them in our game bags. We had scarcely got
through the little wood where we had breakfasted when Turk
darted furiously on a troop of monkeys who were sporting
about and had not perceived him. He immediately seized the female,

(03:12):
holding a young one in her arms, which impeded her flight,
and had killed and devoured the poor mother before we
could reach him. The young one had hidden itself among
the long grass. When Fritz arrived, he had run with
all his might, losing his hat, bottle and canes, but
could not prevent the murder of the poor mother. The

(03:33):
little monkey. No sooner saw him than it leaped upon
his shoulders, fastening its paws in his curls, and neither cries,
threats nor shaking could rid him of it. I ran
up to him, laughing, for I saw the little creature
could not hurt him, and tried in vain to disengage it.
I told him he must carry it. Thus it was

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evident the sagacious little creature, having lost its mother, had
adopted him for a father. I succeeded in last in
quietly releasing him, and took the little orphan, who was
no bigger than a cat, in my arms, pitying its helplessness.
The mother appeared as tall as Fritz. I was reluctant

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to add another mouth to the number we had to feed,
but Fritz earnestly begged to keep it, offering to divide
his share of cocoanut milk with it till we had
our cows. I consented, on condition that he took care
of it and taught it to be obedient to him. Turk,
in the meantime, was feasting on the remains of the
unfortunate mother. Fritz would have driven him off, but I

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saw we had not food sufficient to satisfy this voracious animal,
and we might ourselves be in danger from his appetite.
We left him therefore with his prey, the little orphan,
sitting on the shoulder of its protector, while I carried
the canes. Turk soon overtook us and was received very coldly.

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We reproached him with his cruelty, but he was quite
unconcerned and continued to walk after Fritz. The little monkey
seemed uneasy at the sight of him, and crept into
Fritz's bosom, much to his inconvenience, But a thought struck him.
He tied the monkey with a cord to Turk's back,
leading the dog by another cord. As He was very

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rebellious at first, but our threats and caresses at last
induced him to submit to his burden. We proceeded slowly,
and I could not help anticipating the mirth of my
little ones when they saw us approach like a pair
of showmen. I advised Fritz not to correct the dogs
for attacking and killing unknown animals. Have him bestows the

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dog on man as well as the horse for our
friend and protector. Fritz thought we were very fortunate then,
in having two such faithful dogs. He only regretted that
our horses had died on the passage, and only left
us the ass. Let us not disdain the ass, said,
I I wish we had him here. He is of

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a very fine breed and would be as useful as
a horse to us. In such conversations. We arrived at
the banks of our river before we were aware. Flora
barked to announce our approach, and Turk answered so loudly
that the terrified little monkey leaped from his back to
the shoulder of its protector and would not come down.

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Jerk ran off to meet his companion, and our dear
family soon appeared on the opposite shore, shouting with joy
at our happy return. We crossed at the same place
as we had done in the morning, and embraced each other.
Then began such a noise of exclamations. A monkey, a
real live monkey. Oh, how delightful, How glad we are?

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How did you catch him? He's very ugly, said little Francis,
who was almost afraid of him. He's prettier than you are,
said Jack. See how he laughs. How I should like
to see him. Eet, if we only had some cocoa nuts,
said Ernest, have you found any and are they good?
Have you had any unpleasant adventures? Asked my wife. It

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was in vain to attempt replying to so many questions
and exclamations at length. When we had got a little piece,
I told them that though I had brought them all
sorts of good things, I had unfortunately not met with
any of our companions. God's will be done, said my wife.
Let us thank him for saving us and again bringing

(07:31):
us together. Now this day has seemed an age. But
put down your loads and let us hear your adventures.
We have not been idle, but we are less fatigue
than you. Boys. Assist your father and brother. Jack took
my gun, Earnest the cocoa nuts, Francis the gourd rinds,

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and my wife the game bag. Fritz distributed his sugar
canes and placed the monkey on Turk's back, to the
amusement of the children. He begged Ernest to carry his gun,
but he complained of being overloaded with the great bulls.
His indulgent mother took them from him, and we proceeded
to the tent. Fritz thought Ernest would not have relinquished

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the bulls if he had known what they contained, and
called out to tell him they were cocoanuts. Give them
to me, cried Ernest. I will carry them, mamma, and
the gun too. His mother declined, giving them. I can
throw away these sticks, said he, and carry the gun
in my hand. I would advise you not, observed Fritz,

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for the sticks are sugar canes. Sugar canes, cried they
all surrounding Fritz, who had to give them the history
and teach them the art of sucking the canes. My wife,
who had a proper respect for sugar in her housekeeping,
was much pleased with this discovery and the history of
all our acquisitions, which I displayed to her. Nothing gave

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her so much pleasure as our plates and dishes, which
were actual necessaries. We went to our kitchen and were
gratified to see preparations going on for a good supper.
My wife had planted a forked stick on each side
of the hearth. On these rested a long, thin wand
on which all sorts of fish were roasting. Francis being

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entrusted to turn the spit on the other side was
impaled a goose on another spit, and a row of
oyster shells formed the dripping pan. Besides this, the iron
pot was on the fire, from which arose the savory
odor of a good soup. Behind the hearth stood one
of the hogsheads, opened and containing the finest Dutch cheeses

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enclosed in cases of lead. All this was very tempting
to hungry travelers, and very unlike a supper on a
desert island. I could not think my family had been
idle when I saw such a result of their labors.
I was only sorry that they had killed the goose,
as I wished to be economical with our poultry. Have

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no uneasiness, said my wife. This is not from our
poultry yard. It is a wild goose, killed by Earnest.
It is a sort of penguin, I believe, said Ernest,
distinguished by the name of Booby, and so stupid that
I knocked it down with a stick. It is web footed,
has a long, narrow beak, a little curved downwards. I

(10:20):
have preserved the head and neck for you to examine.
It exactly resembles the penguin of my book of natural history.
I pointed out to him the advantages of study, and
was making more inquiries about the form and habits of
the bird. When my wife requested me to defer my
catechism of natural history. Ernest has killed the bird, added she.

(10:42):
I received it. We shall eat it. What more would
you have? Let the poor child have the pleasure of
examining and tasting the cocoa nuts very well, replied I.
Fritz must teach them how to open them. And we
must not forget the little monkey who has lost his
mother's milk. I've tried him, cried Jack. He will eat nothing.

(11:04):
I had told them he had not yet learned to eat,
and we must feed him with coconut milk till we
could get something better. Jack generally offered all his share,
but Ernest and Francis were anxious to taste the milk themselves.
But the monkey must live, said Jack petulantly, and so
must we all, said mother. Supper is ready, and we

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will reserve the coconuts for dessert. We sat down on
the ground, and supper was served on our gourd Rine's service,
which answered the purpose admirably. My impatient boys had broken
the nuts, which they found excellent, and they made themselves
spoons of the shell. Jack had taken care the monkey

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had his share. They dipped the corner of their handkerchiefs
in the milk and let him suck them. They were
going to break up some more nuts after emptying them
through the natural holes, but I stopped them and called
for a saw. I carefully divided the nuts with this instrument,
and soon provided us each with a neat basin for
our soup, to the great comfort of my dear wife,

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who was gratified by seeing us able to eat like
civilized beings. Fritz begged now to enliven the repast by
introducing his champagne. I consented, requesting him, however, to taste
it himself before he served it. What was his mortification
to find it vinegar? But we consoled ourselves by using

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it a sauce to our goose, a great improvement also
to the fish we had now to hear the history
of our supper. Jack and Francis had caught the fish
at the edge of the sea. My active wife had
performed the most laborious duty in rolling the hogshead to
the place and breaking open the head. The sun was

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going down as we finished supper, and recollecting how rapidly
night succeeded. We hastened to our tent, where we found
our beds much more comfortable from the kind attention of
the good mother, who had collected a large audition of
dried grass. After prayers, we all lay down the monkey
between Jack and Fritz, carefully covered with moss to keep

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him warm. The fowls went to their roost as on
the previous night, and after our fatigue, we were all
soon in a profound sleep. We had not slept long
when a great commotion among the dogs and fowls announced
the presence of an enemy. My wife, Fritz and I,
each seizing a gun, rushed out. By the light of

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the moon. We saw a terrible battle going on. Our
brave dogs were surrounded by a dozen jackals. Three or
four were extended dead, but our faithful animals were nearly
overpowered by numbers. When we arrived, I was glad to
find nothing worse than jackals. Fritz and I fired on them.
Two fell dead, and the others fled slowly, evidently wounded.

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Turk and fled. Flora pursued and completed the business, and then,
like true dogs, devoured their fallen foes, regardless of the
bonds of relationship. All being quiet again, we retired to
our beds. Fritz, obtaining leave to drag the jackal he
had killed towards the tent, to save it from the
dogs and to show to his brothers next morning. This

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he accomplished with difficulty, for it was as big as
a large dog. We all slept peacefully the remainder of
the night, till the crowing of the cock awoke my
wife and myself to a consultation on the business of
the day. End of Chapter four