the story of doctor dolittle-第8章
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men came running up at once and caught them。
But Polynesia flew into a tree in the garden；
without anybody seeing her； and hid herself。
The Doctor and the rest were taken before the King。
〃Ha； ha！〃 cried the King。 〃So you are
caught again！ This time you shall not escape。
Take them all back to prison and put double
locks on the door。 This White Man shall scrub
my kitchen…floor for the rest of his life！〃
So the Doctor and his pets were led back to
prison and locked up。 And the Doctor was told
that in the morning he must begin scrubbing the
kitchen…floor。
They were all very unhappy。
〃This is a great nuisance；〃 said the Doctor。
〃I really must get back to Puddleby。 That
poor sailor will think I've stolen his ship if I
don't get home soon。。。。 I wonder if those
hinges are loose。〃
But the door was very strong and firmly
locked。 There seemed no chance of getting out。
Then Gub…Gub began to cry again。
All this time Polynesia was still sitting in the
tree in the palace…garden。 She was saying nothing
and blinking her eyes。
This was always a very bad sign with
Polynesia。 Whenever she said nothing and blinked
her eyes； it meant that somebody had been making
trouble； and she was thinking out some way
to put things right。 People who made trouble
for Polynesia or her friends were nearly always
sorry for it afterwards。
Presently she spied Chee…Chee swinging
through the trees still looking for the Doctor。
When Chee…Chee saw her； he came into her
tree and asked her what had become of him。
〃The Doctor and all the animals have been
caught by the King's men and locked up again；〃
whispered Polynesia。 〃We lost our way in the
jungle and blundered into the palace…garden by
mistake。〃
〃But couldn't you guide them？〃 asked Chee…
Chee； and he began to scold the parrot for
letting them get lost while he was away looking
for the cocoanuts。
〃It was all that stupid pig's fault；〃 said
Polynesia。 〃He would keep running off the
path hunting for ginger…roots。 And I was kept
so busy catching him and bringing him back；
that I turned to the left； instead of the right；
when we reached the swamp。Sh！Look！
There's Prince Bumpo coming into the garden！
He must not see us。Don't move； whatever you do！〃
And there； sure enough； was Prince Bumpo；
the King's son； opening the garden…gate。 He
carried a book of fairy…tales under his arm。 He
came strolling down the gravel…walk； humming
a sad song； till he reached a stone seat right
under the tree where the parrot and the monkey
were hiding。 Then he lay down on the seat
and began reading the fairy…stories to himself。
Chee…Chee and Polynesia watched him；
keeping very quiet and still。
After a while the King's son laid the book
down and sighed a weary sigh。
〃If I were only a WHITE prince！〃 said he； with
a dreamy； far…away look in his eyes。
Then the parrot； talking in a small； high
voice like a little girl； said aloud；
〃Bumpo； some one might turn thee into a
white prince perchance。〃
The King's son started up off the seat and
looked all around。
〃What is this I hear？〃 he cried。 〃Methought
the sweet music of a fairy's silver voice rang
from yonder bower！ Strange！〃
〃Worthy Prince；〃 said Polynesia； keeping
very still so Bumpo couldn't see her； 〃thou sayest
winged words of truth。 For 'tis I； Tripsitinka；
the Queen of the Fairies； that speak to
thee。 I am hiding in a rose…bud。〃
〃Oh tell me； Fairy…Queen；〃 cried Bumpo；
clasping his hands in joy； 〃who is it can turn
me white？〃
〃In thy father's prison；〃 said the parrot；
〃there lies a famous wizard； John Dolittle by
name。 Many things he knows of medicine and
magic； and mighty deeds has he performed。
Yet thy kingly father leaves him languishing
long and lingering hours。 Go to him； brave
Bumpo； secretly； when the sun has set； and
behold； thou shalt be made the whitest prince that
ever won fair lady！ I have said enough。 I
must now go back to Fairyland。 Farewell！〃
〃Farewell！〃 cried the Prince。 〃A thousand thanks；
good Tripsitinka！〃
And he sat down on the seat again with a
smile upon his face； waiting for the sun to set。
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
MEDICINE AND MAGIC
VERY； very quietly； making sure that no one should see
her； Polynesia then slipped out at the back of the tree
and flew across to the prison。
She found Gub…Gub poking his nose through
the bars of the window； trying to sniff the
cooking…smells that came from the palace…
kitchen。 She told the pig to bring the Doctor
to the window because she wanted to speak to
him。 So Gub…Gub went and woke the Doctor
who was taking a nap。
〃Listen；〃 whispered the parrot； when John
Dolittle's face appeared： 〃Prince Bumpo is
coming here to…night to see you。 And you've
got to find some way to turn him white。 But
be sure to make him promise you first that he
will open the prison…door and find a ship for
you to cross the sea in。〃
〃This is all very well；〃 said the Doctor。
〃But it isn't so easy to turn a black man white。
You speak as though he were a dress to be re…
dyed。 It's not so simple。 ‘Shall the leopard
change his spots； or the Ethiopian his skin；' you
know？〃
〃I don't know anything about that；〃 said
Polynesia impatiently。 〃But you MUST turn this
man white。 Think of a waythink hard。
You've got plenty of medicines left in the bag。
He'll do anything for you if you change his
color。 It is your only chance to get out of
prison。〃
〃Well； I suppose it MIGHT be possible；〃 said
the Doctor。 〃Let me see；〃 and he went over
to his medicine…bag； murmuring something
about 〃liberated chlorine on animal…pigment
perhaps zinc…ointment； as a temporary measure；
spread thick〃
Well； that night Prince Bumpo came secretly
to the Doctor in prison and said to him；
〃White Man； I am an unhappy prince。
Years ago I went in search of The Sleeping
Beauty； whom I had read of in a book。 And
having traveled through the world many days；
I at last found her and kissed the lady very
gently to awaken heras the book said I should。
'Tis true indeed that she awoke。 But when
she saw my face she cried out； ‘Oh； he's black！'
And she ran away and wouldn't marry mebut
went to sleep again somewhere else。 So I came
back； full of sadness； to my father's kingdom。
Now I hear that you are a wonderful magician
and have many powerful potions。 So I come to
you for help。 If you will turn me white； so
that I may go back to The Sleeping Beauty； I
will give you half my kingdom and anything
besides you ask。〃
〃Prince Bumpo；〃 said the Doctor； looking
thoughtfully at the bottles in his medicine…bag；
〃supposing I made your hair a nice blonde
colorwould not that do instead to make you
happy？〃
〃No；〃 said Bumpo。 〃Nothing else will
satisfy me。 I must be a white prince。〃
〃You know it is very hard to change the color
of a prince；〃 said the Doctor〃one of the hardest
things a magician can do。 You only want
your face white； do you not？〃
〃Yes； that is all；〃 said Bumpo。 〃Because I
shall wear shining armor and gauntlets of steel；
like the other white princes； and ride on a
horse。〃
〃Must your face be white all over？〃 asked the Doctor。
〃Yes； all over；〃 said Bumpo〃and I would
like my eyes blue too； but I suppose that would
be very hard to do。〃
〃Yes； it would；〃 said the Doctor quickly。
〃Well； I will do what I can for you。 You will
have to be very patient thoughyou know with
some medicines you can never be very sure。 I
might have to try two or three times。 You have
a strong skinyes？ Well that's all right。
Now come over here by the lightOh； but before
I do anything； you must first go down to
the beach and get a ship ready； with food in it；
to take me across the sea。 Do not speak a word
of this to any one。 And when I have done as
you ask； you must let me and all my animals
out of prison。 Promiseby the crown of Jolliginki！〃
So the Prince promised and went away to get
a ship ready at the seashore。
When he came back and said that it was done；
the Doctor asked Dab…Dab to bring a basin。
Then he mixed a lot of medicines in the basin
and told Bumpo to dip his face in it。
The Prince leaned down and put his face in
right up to the ears。
He held it there a long timeso long that
the Doctor seemed to get dreadfully anxious
and fidgety； standing first on one leg and then
on the other； looking at all the bottles he had
used for the mixture； and reading the labels on
them again and again。 A strong smell filled
the prison； like the smell of brown paper
burning。
At last the Prince lifted his face up out of the
basin； breathing very hard。 And all the animals
cried out in surprise。
For the Prince's face had turned as white as
snow； and his eyes； which had been mud…colored；
were a manly gray！
When John Dolittle lent him a little looking…
glass to see himself in； he sang for joy and
began dancing around the prison。 But the
Doctor asked him not to make so much noise
about it； and when he had closed his medicine…bag
in a hurry he told him to open the prison…door。
Bumpo begged that he might keep the looking…
glass； as it was the only one in the Kingdom
of Jolliginki； and he wanted to look at himself
all day long。 But the Doctor said he needed
it to shave with。
Then the Prince； taking a bunch of copper
keys from his pocket； undid the great double
locks。 And the Doctor with all his animals ran
as fast as they could down to the seashore； while
Bumpo leaned against the wall of the empty
dungeon； smiling after them happily； his big
face shining like polished ivory in the light of
the moon。
When they came to the beach they saw
Polynesia and Chee…Chee waiting for them on the
rocks near the ship。
〃I feel sorry about Bumpo；〃 said the Doctor。
〃I am afraid that medicine I used will never
last。 Most likely he will be as black as ever
when he wakes up in the morningthat's one
reason why I didn't like to leave the mirror with
him。 But then again； he MIGHT stay whiteI
had never used that mixture before。 To tell the
truth； I was surprised； myself； that it worked
so well。 But I had to do something； didn't I？
I couldn't possibly scrub the King's kitchen
for the rest of my life。 It was such a dirty
kitchen！I could see it from the prison…
window。Well； well！Poor Bumpo！〃
〃Oh； of course he will know we were just
joking with him；〃 said the parrot。
〃They had no business to lock us up；〃 said Dab…Dab；
waggling her tail angrily。 〃We never did them any harm。
Serve him right； if he does turn black again！ I hope it's
a dark black。〃
〃But HE didn't have anything to do with it；〃
