THE BEGINNING OF THE ARMADILLOS
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THIS, O Best Beloved, is aory of the High and Far-Off Times. In the very middle of those times was a Stickly- Prickly Hedgehog, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazoing shelly snails and things. And he had a friend, a Slow- Solid Tortoise, who lived on the banks of the turbid Amazoing greeuces<samp>藏书网</samp> and things. And so that was all right, Best Beloved. Do you see?But also, and at the same time, in those High and Far-Off Times, there ainted Jaguar, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon too; ae everything that he could catch. When he could not catch deer or monkeys he would eat frogs ales; and when he could not catch frogs ales he went to his Muar, and she told him how to eat hedgehogs and tortoises.
She said to him ever so many times, graciously waviail, My son, when you find a Hedgehog you must drop him into the water and then he will uncoil, and when you catch a Tortoise you must scoop him out of his shell with your paw. And so that was all right, Best Beloved.
Oiful night on the banks of the turbid Amazon, Painted Jaguar found Stickly-Prickly Hedgehog and Slow-Solid Tortoise sitting uhe trunk of a fallehey could not run away, and so Stickly-Prickly curled himself up into a ball, because he was a Hedgehog, and Slow-Solid Tortoise drew in his head a into his shell as far as they would go, because he was a Tortoise; and so that was all right, Best Beloved. Do you see?
Now attend to me, said Painted Jaguar, because this is very important. My mother said that when I meet a Hedgehog I am to drop him into the water and then he will uncoil, and when I meet a Tortoise I am to scoop him out of his shell with my paw. Now which of you is Hedgehog and which is Tortoise? because, to save my spots, I t tell.
Are you sure of what your Mummy told you? said Stickly-Prickly Hedgehog. Are you quite sure? Perhaps she said that when you uncoil a Tortoise you must shell him out the water with a scoop, and when you paw a Hedgehog you must drop him on the shell.
Are you sure of what your Mummy told you? said Slow-and-Solid Tortoise. Are you quite sure? Perhaps she said that when you water a Hedgehog you must drop him into your paw, and when you meet a Tortoise you must shell him till he uncoils.
I dont think it was at all like that, said Painted Jaguar, but he felt a little puzzled; but, please, say it again more distinctly.
When you scoop water with your paw you uncoil it with a Hedgehog, said Stickly-Prickly. Remember that, because its important.
But, said the Tortoise, when you paw your meat you drop <tt></tt>it into a Tortoise with a scoop. Why t you uand?
You are making my spots ache, said Painted Jaguar; and besides, I didnt want your advice at all. I only wao know which of you is Hedgehog and which is Tortoise.
I shant tell you, said Stickly-Prickly. but you se out of my shell if you like.
Aha! said Painted Jaguar. Now I know youre Tortoise. You thought I wouldnt! Now I will. Painted Jaguar darted out his paddy-paw just as Stickly-Prickly curled himself up, and of course Jaguars paddy-paw was just filled with prickles. Worse than that, he kickly-Prickly away and away into the woods and the bushes, where it was too dark to find him. The his paddy-paw into his mouth, and of course the prickles hurt him worse than ever. As soon as he could speak he said, Now I know he isnt Tortoise at all. But--and then he scratched his head with his un-prickly paw--how do I know that this other is Tortoise?
But I am Tortoise, said Slow-and-Solid. Your mother was quite right. She said that you were to se out of my shell with your paw. Begin.
You didnt say she said that a minute ago, said Painted Jaguar, sug the prickles out of his paddy-paw. You said she said something quite different.
Well, suppose you say that I said that she said something quite different, I dohat it makes any difference; because if she said what you said I said she said, its just the same as if I said what she said she said. Oher hand, if you think she said that you were to une with a scoop, instead of pawio drops with a shell, I t help that, I?
But you said you wao be scooped out of your shell with my paainted Jaguar.
If youll think again youll find that I didnt say anything of the kind. I said that your mother said that you were to se out of my shell, said Slow-and-Solid.
What will happen if I do? said the Jaguar most sniffily and most cautious.
I dont know, because Ive never been scooped out of my shell before; but I tell you truly, if you want to see me swim away youve only got to drop me into the water.
I dont believe it, said Painted Jaguar. Youve mixed up all the things my mother told me to do with the things that you asked me whether I was sure that she didnt say, till I dont know whether Im on my head or my paiail; and now you e and tell me something I uand, and it makes me more mixy than before. My mother told me that I was to drop one of you two into the water, and as you seem so anxious to be dropped I think you dont want to be dropped. So jump into the turbid Amazon and be quick about it.
I warn you that your Mummy wont be pleased. Dont tell her I didnt tell you, said Slow-Solid.
If you say another word about what my mother said-- the Jaguar answered, but he had not fihe sentence before Slow-and-Solid quietly dived into the turbid Amazon, swam under water for a long way, and came out on the bank where Stickly-Prickly was waiting for him.
That was a very narrow escape, said Stickly-Prickly. I dont rib Painted Jaguar. What did you tell him that you were?
I told him truthfully that I was a truthful Tortoise, but he wouldnt believe it, and he made me jump into the river to see if I was, and I was, and he is surprised. Now hes goo tell his Mummy. Listen to him!
They could hear Painted Jaguar r up and down among the trees and the bushes by the side of the turbid Amazon, till his Mummy came.
Son, son! said his mother ever so many times, graciously waviail, wh<s></s>at have you been doing that you shouldnt have done?
I tried to scoop something that said it wao be scooped out of its shell with my paw, and my paw is full of per-ickles, said Painted Jaguar.
Son, son! said his mother ever so many times, graciously waviail, by the prickles in your paddy-paw I see that that must have been a Hedgehog. You should have dropped him into the water.
I did that to the other thing; and he said he was a Tortoise, and I didnt believe him, and it was quite true, and he has dived uhe turbid Amazon, and he wont e up again, and I havent anything at all to eat, and I think we had better find lodgings somewhere else. They are too clever ourbid Amazon for poor me!
Son, son! said his mother ever so many times, graciously waviail, now attend to me and remember what I say. A Hedgehog curls himself up into a ball and his prickles stick out every which way at once. By this you may know the Hedgehog.
I dont like this old lady otle bit, said Stickly-Prickly, uhe shadow of a large leaf. I wonder what else she knows?
A Tortoise t curl himself up, Muar went on, ever so many times, graciously waviail. He only draws his head and legs into his shell. By this you may know the tortoise.
I dont like this old lady at all--at all, said Slow-and-Solid Tortoise. Even Painted Jaguar t fet those dires. Its a great pity that you t swim, Stickly-Prickly.
Dont talk to me, said Stickly-Prickly. Just think how much better it would be if you could curl up. This is a mess! Listen to Painted Jaguar.
Painted Jaguar was sitting on the banks of the turbid Amazon sug prickles out of his Paws and saying to himself--
t curl, but swim--
Slow-Solid, thats him!
Curls up, but t swim--
Stickly-Prickly, thats him!
Hell never fet that this month of Sundays, said Stickly-Prickly. Hold up my , Slow-and-Solid. Im going to try to learn to swim. It may be us９９ｌｉb?eful.
Excellent! said Slow-and-Solid; and he held up Stickly-Pricklys , while Stickly-Prickly kicked iers of the turbid Amazon.
Youll make a fine swimmer yet, said Slow-and-Solid. Now, if you unlace my back-plates a little, Ill see what I do towards curling up. It may be useful.
Stickly-Prickly helped to uortoises back-plates, so that by twisting and straining Slow-and-Solid actually mao curl up a tiddy wee bit.
Excellent! said Stickly-Prickly; but I shouldnt do any more just now. Its making you bla the face. Kindly lead me into the water once again and Ill practice that side-stroke which you say is so easy. And so Stickly-Prickly practiced, and Slow-Solid swam alongside.
Excellent! said Slow-and-Solid. A little more practice will make you a regular whale. Now, if I may trouble you to unlace my bad front plates two holes more, Ill try that fasatihat you say is so easy. Wont Painted Jaguar be surprised!
Excellent! said Stickly-Prickly, all wet from the turbid Amazon. I declare, I shouldnt know you from one of my own family. Two holes, I think, you said? A little more expression, please, and dont grunt quite so much, or Painted Jaguar may hear us. When youve finished, I want to try that long dive which you say is so easy. Wont Painted Jaguar be surprised!
And so Stickly-Prickly dived, and Slow-and-Solid dived alongside.
Excellent! said Slow-and-Solid. A leetle more attention to holding your breath and you will be able to keep house at the bottom of the turbid Amazon. Now Ill try that exercise of putting my hind legs round my ears which you say is so peculiarly fortable. Wont Painted Jaguar be surprised!
Excellent! said Stickly-Prickly. But its straining your back-plates a little. They are all overlapping now, instead of lying side by side.
Oh, thats the result of exercise, said Slow-and-Solid. Ive noticed that your prickles seem to be melting into one another, and that yrowing to look rather more like a pinee, and less like a chestnut-burr, than you used to.
Am I? said Stickly-Prickly. That es from my soaking ier. Oh, wont Painted Jaguar be surprised!
They went on with their exercises, each helping the other, till m came; and when the sun was high they rested and dried themselves. Then they saw that they were both of them quite different from what they had been.
Stickly-Prickly, said Tortoise after breakfast, I am not what I was yesterday; but I think that I may yet amuse Painted Jaguar.
That was the very thing I was thinking just now, said Stickly- Prickly. I think scales are a tremendous improvement on prickles--to say nothing of being able to swim. Oh, wont Painted Jaguar be surprised! Lets go and find him.
By and by they found Painted Jaguar, still nursing his paddy-paw that had been hurt the night before. He was so astohat he fell three times backward over his own paiail without stopping.
Good m! said Stickly-Prickly. And how is your dear graummy this m?
She is quite well, thank you, said Painted Jaguar; but you must five me if I do not at this precise moment recall your name.
Thats unkind of you, said Stickly-Prickly, seeing that this time yesterday you tried to se out of my shell with your paw.
But you hadnt any shell. It rickles, said Painted Jaguar. I know it was. Just look at my paw!
You told me to drop into the turbid Amazon and be drowned, said Slow-Solid. Why are you so rude and fetful to-day?
Dont you remember what your mother told you? said Stickly- Prickly,--
t curl, but swim--
Stickly-Prickly, thats him!
Curls up, but t swim--
Slow-Solid, thats him!
Then they both curled themselves up and rolled round and round Painted Jaguar till his eyes turruly cart-wheels in his head.
Then he went to fetch his mother.
Mother, he said, there are two new animals in the woods to- day, and the ohat you said couldnt swim, swims, and the ohat you said couldnt curl up, curls; and theyve gone shares in their prickles, I think, because both of them are scaly all over, instead of one being smooth and the other very prickly; and, besides that, they are rolling round and round in circles, and I dont feel fy.
Son, son! said Muar ever so many times, graciously waviail, a Hedgehog is a Hedgehog, and t be anything but a Hedgehog; and a Tortoise is a Tortoise, and ever be anything else.
But it isnt a Hedgehog, and it isnt a Tortoise. Its a little bit of both, and I dont know its proper name.
Nonsense! said Muar. Everything has its proper name. I should call it "Armadillo" till I found out the real one. And I should leave it alone.
So Painted Jaguar did as he was told, especially about leaving them alone; but the curious thing is that from that day to this, O Best Beloved, no one on the banks of the turbid Amazon has ever called Stickly-Prickly and Slow-Solid anything except Armadillo.
There are Hedgehogs and Tortoises in other places, of course (there are some in my garden); but the real old and clever kind, with their scales lying lippety-lappety one over the other, like pine-e scales, that lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon in the High and Far-Off Days, are always called Armadillos, because they were so clever.
So that; all right, Best Beloved. Do you see?
IVE never sailed the Amazon,
Ive never reached Brazil;
But the Don and Magdelana,
They go there when they will!
Yes, weekly from Southampton,
Great steamers, white and gold,
Go rolling down to Rio
(Roll down--roll down to Rio!)
And Id like to roll to Rio
Some day before Im old!
Ive never seen a Jaguar,
Nor yet an Armadill
O dilloing in his armour,
And I spose I never will,
Unless I go to Rio
These woo behold--
Roll down--roll down to Rio--
Roll really down to Rio!
Oh, Id love to roll to Rio Some day before Im old!
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