extremity of the body of the grub. "I see, I see!" she exclaimed;
"it is their way of milking. O the funny little pastoral people!"
Whilst she was in this ecstasy, the ant with the ends of his
antennae took the transparent little drop into his mouth; and then
carefully cleansed with the brushes of his feet the sugared antennse
which had served for fork and spoon, or rather for fingers.

"I should like to talk with him," said Piccolissima, as she saw the
ant making his toilet, "but these are a very silent, a very reserved
people; perhaps they are dumb."

The ant, who had just swallowed the drop of sirup, now quietly
descended the aspen walk; his belly was well stuffed and shining,
and he stopped now and then to rest, and wash his face. He met, as
he went down, an ant who was ascending the path. The new comer ran
up to him as to an intimate friend, as soon as he saw him, and
eagerly struck him with his antennae. The motion was very rapid; the
ant returned it by shaking his antennae, but more gently, and by
opening his mandibles. "Are they going to dispute, and to bite each
other?" thought Piccolissima. Not at all. The ant who had received
the sirup upon the end of his tongue, now offered a little drop of
it to the one who was hungry, who received it upon his tongue, while
he continued to caress with his antennae, and even with his little
paws, the friend who offered it. The joy of Piccolissima was so
great at the sight of this mutual kindness, that she made one of her
old leaps, and shook the frail stalk. Immediately there was a
violent commotion among the ants, who in great crowds blackened the
end of the twig. They ran hither and thither in the greatest terror,
striking their antennae one against the other. Many of them caressed
the grubs more eagerly, in a violent and impetuous manner, as if to