the story of doctor dolittle-第7章

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At　least　he　shall　not　have　to　buy　his　fruit　in　the

Land　Where　You　Pay　to　Eat！〃



But　Chee…Chee　told　them　that　all　these

things　would　be　too　heavy　to　carry　so　far　and

would　go　bad　before　half　was　eaten。



〃If　you　want　to　please　him；〃　he　said；　〃give

him　an　animal。　　You　may　be　sure　he　will　be

kind　to　it。　　Give　him　some　rare　animal　they

have　not　got　in　the　menageries。〃　　



And　the　monkeys　asked　him；　〃What　are

MENAGERIES？〃



Then　Chee…Chee　explained　to　them　that

menageries　were　places　in　the　Land　of　the

White　Men；　where　animals　were　put　in　cages

for　people　to　come　and　look　at。　　And　the

monkeys　were　very　shocked　and　said　to　one

another；



〃These　Men　are　like　thoughtless　young　onesstupid

and　easily　amused。　　Sh！　It　is　a　prison　he　means。〃　　



So　then　they　asked　Chee…Chee　what　rare

animal　it　could　be　that　they　should　give　the

Doctorone　the　White　Men　had　not　seen　before。

And　the　Major　of　the　Marmosettes　asked；



〃Have　they　an　iguana　over　there？〃



But　Chee…Chee　said；　〃Yes；　there　is　one　in　the

London　Zoo。〃　　



And　another　asked；　〃Have　they　an　okapi？〃



But　Chee…Chee　said；　〃Yes。　　In　Belgium；

where　my　organ…grinder　took　me　five　years　ago；

they　had　an　okapi　in　a　big　city　they　call　Antwerp。〃　　



And　another　asked；　〃Have　they　a　pushmi…pullyu？〃



Then　Chee…Chee　said；　〃No。　　No　White　Man

has　ever　seen　a　pushmi…pullyu。　　Let　us

give　him　that。〃　　







THE　TENTH　CHAPTER



THE　RAREST　ANIMAL　OF　ALL



PUSHMI…PULLYUS　are　now　extinct。　　That　means；　there　aren't

any　more。　　But　long　ago；　when　Doctor　Dolittle　was　alive；

there　were　some　of　them　still　left　in　the　deepest　jungles

of　Africa；　and　even　then　they　were　very；　very　scarce。

They　had　no　tail；　*but　a　head　at　each　end；

and　sharp　horns　on　each　head。　　They　were　very

shy　and　terribly　hard　to　catch。　　The　black　men

get　most　of　their　animals　by　sneaking　up　behind

them　while　they　are　not　looking。　　But　you　could

not　do　this　with　the　pushmi…pullyubecause；

no　matter　which　way　you　came　towards　him；　he

was　always　facing　you。　　And　besides；　only　one

half　of　him　slept　at　a　time。　　The　other　head

was　always　awakeand　watching。　　This　was

why　they　were　never　caught　and　never　seen　in

Zoos。　　Though　many　of　the　greatest　huntsmen

and　the　cleverest　menagerie…keepers　spent　years

of　their　lives　searching　through　the　jungles

in　all　weathers　for　pushmi…pullyus；　not　a　single

one　had　ever　been　caught。　　Even　then；　years

ago；　he　was　the　only　animal　in　the　world　with

two　heads。



Well；　the　monkeys　set　out　hunting　for　this

animal　through　the　forest。　　And　after　they　had

gone　a　good　many　miles；　one　of　them　found

peculiar　footprints　near　the　edge　of　a　river；

and　they　knew　that　a　pushmi…pullyu　must　be

very　near　that　spot。



Then　they　went　along　the　bank　of　the　river

a　little　way　and　they　saw　a　place　where　the

grass　was　high　and　thick；　and　they　guessed　that

he　was　in　there。



So　they　all　joined　hands　and　made　a　great

circle　round　the　high　grass。　　The　pushmi…

pullyu　heard　them　coming；　and　he　tried　hard

to　break　through　the　ring　of　monkeys。　　But　he

couldn't　do　it。　　When　he　saw　that　it　was　no

use　trying　to　escape；　he　sat　down　and　waited　to

see　what　they　wanted。



They　asked　him　if　he　would　go　with　Doctor　Dolittle

and　be　put　on　show　in　the　Land　of　the　White　Men。



But　he　shook　both　his　heads　hard　and　said；

〃Certainly　not！〃



They　explained　to　him　that　he　would　not　be

shut　up　in　a　menagerie　but　would　just　be　looked

at。　　They　told　him　that　the　Doctor　was　a　very

kind　man　but　hadn't　any　money；　and　people

would　pay　to　see　a　two…headed　animal　and　the

Doctor　would　get　rich　and　could　pay　for　the

boat　he　had　borrowed　to　come　to　Africa　in。



But　he　answered；　〃No。　　You　know　how　shy

I　amI　hate　being　stared　at。〃　　　And　he　almost

began　to　cry。



Then　for　three　days　they　tried　to　persuade

him。



And　at　the　end　of　the　third　day　he　said　he

would　come　with　them　and　see　what　kind　of　a

man　the　Doctor　was；　first。



So　the　monkeys　traveled　back　with　the

pushmi…pullyu。　　And　when　they　came　to　where

the　Doctor's　little　house　of　grass　was；　they

knocked　on　the　door。



The　duck；　who　was　packing　the　trunk；　said；

〃Come　in！〃



And　Chee…Chee　very　proudly　took　the　animal

inside　and　showed　him　to　the　Doctor。



〃What　in　the　world　is　it？〃　asked　John

Dolittle；　gazing　at　the　strange　creature。



〃Lord　save　us！〃　cried　the　duck。　　〃How　does

it　make　up　its　mind？〃



〃It　doesn't　look　to　me　as　though　it　had　any；〃

said　Jip；　the　dog。



〃This；　Doctor；〃　said　Chee…Chee；　〃is　the

pushmi…pullyuthe　rarest　animal　of　the　African

jungles；　the　only　two…headed　beast　in　the

world！　　Take　him　home　with　you　and　your

fortune's　made。　　People　will　pay　any　money　to

see　him。〃　　



〃But　I　don't　want　any　money；〃　said　the　Doctor。



〃Yes；　you　do；〃　said　Dab…Dab；　the　duck。

〃Don't　you　remember　how　we　had　to　pinch

and　scrape　to　pay　the　butcher's　bill　in

Puddleby？　　And　how　are　you　going　to　get　the

sailor　the　new　boat　you　spoke　ofunless　we

have　the　money　to　buy　it？〃





〃I　was　going　to　make　him　one；〃　said　the　Doctor。



〃Oh；　do　be　sensible！〃　cried　Dab…Dab。

〃Where　would　you　get　all　the　wood　and　the

nails　to　make　one　with？And　besides；　what　are

we　going　to　live　on？　　We　shall　be　poorer　than

ever　when　we　get　back。　　Chee…Chee's　perfectly

right：　take　the　funny…looking　thing　along；　do！〃



〃Well；　perhaps　there　is　something　in　what　you　say；〃

murmured　the　Doctor。　　〃It　certainly　would　make

a　nice　new　kind　of　pet。　　But　does　the　er

what…do…you…call…it　really　want　to　go　abroad？〃



〃Yes；　I'll　go；〃　said　the　pushmi…pullyu　who

saw　at　once；　from　the　Doctor's　face；　that　he　was

a　man　to　be　trusted。　　〃You　have　been　so　kind

to　the　animals　hereand　the　monkeys　tell　me

that　I　am　the　only　one　who　will　do。　　But　you

must　promise　me　that　if　I　do　not　like　it　in　the

Land　of　the　White　Men　you　will　send　me

back。〃　　



〃Why；　certainlyof　course；　of　course；〃　said

the　Doctor。　　〃Excuse　me；　surely　you　are

related　to　the　Deer　Family；　are　you　not？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　pushmi…pullyu〃to　the

Abyssinian　Gazelles　and　the　Asiatic　Chamois

on　my　mother's　side。　　My　father's　great…

grandfather　was　the　last　of　the　Unicorns。〃　　



〃Most　interesting！〃　murmured　the　Doctor；

and　he　took　a　book　out　of　the　trunk　which　Dab…

Dab　was　packing　and　began　turning　the　pages。

〃Let　us　see　if　Buffon　says　anything〃



〃I　notice；〃　said　the　duck；　〃that　you　only　talk

with　one　of　your　mouths。　　Can't　the　other　head

talk　as　well？〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　the　pushmi…pullyu。　　〃But　I

keep　the　other　mouth　for　eatingmostly。　　In

that　way　I　can　talk　while　I　am　eating　without

being　rude。　　Our　people　have　always　been　very

polite。〃　　



When　the　packing　was　finished　and　everything

was　ready　to　start；　the　monkeys　gave　a

grand　party　for　the　Doctor；　and　all　the　animals

of　the　jungle　came。　　And　they　had　pineapples

and　mangoes　and　honey　and　all　sorts　of　good

things　to　eat　and　drink。



After　they　had　all　finished　eating；　the　Doctor

got　up　and　said；



〃My　friends：　I　am　not　clever　at　speaking

long　words　after　dinner；　like　some　men；　and　I

have　just　eaten　many　fruits　and　much　honey。

But　I　wish　to　tell　you　that　I　am　very　sad　at

leaving　your　beautiful　country。　　Because　I　have

things　to　do　in　the　Land　of　the　White　Men；　I

must　go。　　After　I　have　gone；　remember　never

to　let　the　flies　settle　on　your　food　before　you

eat　it；　and　do　not　sleep　on　the　ground　when　the

rains　are　coming。　　IererI　hope　you　will

all　live　happily　ever　after。〃　　



When　the　Doctor　stopped　speaking　and　sat

down；　all　the　monkeys　clapped　their　hands　a

long　time　and　said　to　one　another；　〃Let　it　be

remembered　always　among　our　people　that　he

sat　and　ate　with　us；　here；　under　the　trees。

For　surely　he　is　the　Greatest　of　Men！〃



And　the　Grand　Gorilla；　who　had　the　strength

of　seven　horses　in　his　hairy　arms；　rolled　a　great

rock　up　to　the　head　of　the　table　and　said；



〃This　stone　for　all　time　shall　mark　the　spot。〃　　



And　even　to　this　day；　in　the　heart　of　the

Jungle；　that　stone　still　is　there。　　And　monkey…

mothers；　passing　through　the　forest　with　their

families；　still　point　down　at　it　from　the　branches

and　whisper　to　their　children；　〃Sh！　There　it　is

lookwhere　the　Good　White　Man　sat　and　ate　food

with　us　in　the　Year　of　the　Great　Sickness！〃



Then；　when　the　party　was　over；　the　Doctor

and　his　pets　started　out　to　go　back　to　the　seashore。

And　all　the　monkeys　went　with　him　as

far　as　the　edge　of　their　country；　carrying　his

trunk　and　bags；　to　see　him　off。







THE　ELEVENTH　CHAPTER



THE　BLACK　PRINCE



BY　the　edge　of　the　river　they　stopped　and　said　farewell。



This　took　a　long　time；　because　all　those　thousands

of　monkeys　wanted　to　shake　John　Dolittle　by　the　hand。



Afterwards；　when　the　Doctor　and　his　pets

were　going　on　alone；　Polynesia　said；



〃We　must　tread　softly　and　talk　low　as　we

go　through　the　land　of　the　Jolliginki。　　If　the

King　should　hear　us；　he　will　send　his　soldiers

to　catch　us　again；　for　I　am　sure　he　is　still　very

angry　over　the　trick　I　played　on　him。〃　　



〃What　I　am　wondering；〃　said　the　Doctor；

〃is　where　we　are　going　to　get　another　boat　to

go　home　in。。。。　　Oh　well；　perhaps　we'll　find

one　lying　about　on　the　beach　that　nobody　is

using。　　‘Never　lift　your　foot　till　you　come　to

the　stile。'〃



One　day；　while　they　were　passing　through

a　very　thick　part　of　the　forest；　Chee…Chee　went

ahead　of　them　to　look　for　cocoanuts。　　And

while　he　was　away；　the　Doctor　and　the　rest　of

the　animals；　who　did　not　know　the　jungle…paths

so　well；　got　lost　in　the　deep　woods。　　They　wandered

around　and　around　but　could　not　find

their　way　down　to　the　seashore。



Chee…Chee；　when　he　could　not　see　them

anywhere；　was　terribly　upset。　　He　climbed　high

trees　and　looked　out　from　the　top　branches　to

try　and　see　the　Doctor's　high　hat；　he　waved　and

shouted；　he　called　to　all　the　animals　by　name。

But　it　was　no　use。　　They　seemed　to　have

disappeared　altogether。



Indeed　they　had　lost　their　way　very　badly。

They　had　strayed　a　long　way　off　the　path；　and

the　jungle　was　so　thick　with　bushes　and

creepers　and　vines　that　sometimes　they　could　hardly

move　at　all；　and　the　Doctor　had　to　take　out

his　pocket…knife　and　cut　his　way　along。　　They

stumbled　into　wet；　boggy　places；　they　got　all

tangled　up　in　thick　convolvulus…runners；　they

scratched　themselves　on　thorns；　and　twice　they

nearly　lost　the　medicine…bag　in　the　under…brush。

There　seemed　no　end　to　their　troubles；　and

nowhere　could　they　come　upon　a　path。



At　last；　after　blundering　about　like　this　for

many　days；　getting　their　clothes　torn　and　their

faces　covered　with　mud；　they　walked　right　into

the　King's　back…garden　by　mistake。　　The　King's

men　came　running　up　at　once　and　caught　them。



But　Polynesia　flew　into　a　tree　in　the　garden；

without　anybo