"Oh, it is certainly a shame," said Fritz, and he took off his hat, and
put it under his arm while he wiped his heated forehead; when in a flash
the little monkey he had so pitied rushed down, grasped his hat, drew it
through the rungs and was up on the branches almost before Fritz knew it
was gone.
"Oh, Aunt Fanny, he took my hat while I was looking at the big one
eating the sugar. Oh, see! he is tearing off the blue ribbon band, and
biting pieces out of the rim and dropping them down for the little
monkeys," and tears rolled down Fritz's cheeks.
The keeper, hearing the laughter, came at once, and with a pole knocked
the hat out of the monkey's hands, and although many little black
fingers clutched it as it lay a second on the floor, it was brought to
the rungs by the pole and Fritz secured it. But little remained of the
rim, and what there was of it was ragged; and when he put it on, peals
of laughter from the spectators sent him crying to his aunt. But alas!
she too was laughing, and the boy felt that his last friend had gone
over to the enemy.
"Oh, little Fritz!" she said, trying in vain to look sympathizing and
serious, "there is one kind of bird they can add to their collection
to-day and that is the _pechrogel,_ for surely you, poor child, are that
unlucky bird.
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