In the midst of this, Fritz did not neglect the training of his young
eagle. The royal bird began already to pounce very cleverly on the dead
game his master brought, and placed before him; sometimes between the
horns of the buffalo, sometimes on the back of the great bustard, or the
flamingo; sometimes he put it on a board, or on the end of a pole, to
accustom it to pounce, like the falcon, on other birds. He taught it to
settle on his wrist at a call, or a whistle; but it was some time before
he could trust it to fly, without a long string attached to its leg, for
fear its wild nature should carry it from us for ever. Even the indolent
Ernest was seized with the mania of instructing animals. He undertook
the education of his little monkey, who gave him sufficient employment.
It was amusing to see the quiet, slow, studious Ernest obliged to make
leaps and gambols with his pupil to accomplish his instruction. He
wished to accustom Master Knips to carry a pannier, and to climb the
cocoa-nut trees with it on his back; Jack and he wove a small light
pannier of rushes, and fixed it firmly on his back with three straps.
This was intolerable to him at first; he ground his teeth, rolled on the
ground, and leaped about in a frantic manner, trying in vain to release
himself.
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