(Adapted)
In a southern garden lived a family of green lizards, under the roots
of a palm-tree. They were merry little creatures, and their parents
loved them dearly.
One day Father Lizard said to his children: “Your mother and I must go
away this morning; now be good children; stay close together, and be
sure that one of you keeps watch for fear of snakes and hawks!”
The little lizards promised; and for some time they were very careful;
first one kept watch, and then another; but at length Sprightly said:
“There is no danger near. Why should we not all play together, just for
a little while?”
Oh dear! they forgot their promise, and see what came of it! While they
were playing merrily, a great snake glided quietly out from the grass,
seized poor Sprightly, and carried her off to his den.
The other lizards fled in terror. Swiftfoot ran up the tree, Longtail
hid in the nest, and Goldstar ran away and away, to the farthest end
of the garden. She did not dare to go home again, but found a hole in
the bank near a summerhouse, and slipping into it, stayed all night,
weeping for the death of her dear Sprightly.
Next day she tried to find her way home, but the garden was large, and
she was too afraid of snakes to go far; so she decided to stay where
she was, and make her home in the hole by the summerhouse.
One day, as she was lying in the sun, Goldstar saw a boy standing near
her, with a cane in his hand. At first she was afraid to move, fearing
he might strike her; but Carlos (for that was the boy’s name) was fond
of lizards, and would not have hurt one for the world. He spoke softly
to Goldstar, and she soon saw that he was kind and good. He stroked
her gently, first with a green leaf, then with his hand, and Goldstar
lay still, and was not afraid any more.
They became great friends, and Carlos came every day to see his pretty
lizard and play with her. One day, as he was coming down the garden
walk, he saw a large hawk hovering in the air near the summerhouse,
just about to dart down on something. “Oh! my lizard! my lizard!” cried
Carlos; and he ran as fast as he could to the spot, shouting and waving
his arms. The hawk flew screaming away, and Goldstar ran to Carlos, and
crept inside his jacket. She could not speak, but he knew that she was
glad, and perhaps was trying to thank him in her own way.
One very hot day, Carlos was taking a nap in the summerhouse, when
he was waked by something running over his face. He brushed it away
without opening his eyes, but it came again, and still again. In fact,
he could not get rid of it. At last he sat up, wide awake and very
angry, and found that it was Goldstar. He tried to shake her off, but
she ran into his bosom. He was going to pull her out in a pet, when,
looking down, he saw a large snake, with head raised and glittering
eyes, gliding slowly toward him. He knew its bite was fatal, and he
sprang up with a loud cry. The snake stopped, and then turning, glided
away into the bushes.
[Illustration]
Very gently, Carlos drew his little pet from his bosom, and stroked her
green and golden back. “Dear Goldstar,” he said, “if I saved you from
the hawk, you have saved me from the serpent. I will love you and take
care of you as long as you live.” And so he did.