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to。〃
〃They all look very happy and clean；〃 I said。 〃Would you mind telling
me the names of some of them？〃
〃Certainly。 Well now： that funny…looking thing with plates on his back；
nosing under the brick over there； is a South American armadillo。 The
little chap talking to him is a Canadian woodchuck。 They both live in
those holes you see at the foot of the wall。 The two little beasts doing
antics in the pond are a pair of Russian minks and that reminds me： I
must go and get them some herrings from the town before noonit is
early…closing to…day。 That animal just stepping out of his house is an
antelope； one of the smaller South African kinds。 Now let us move to the
other side of those bushes there and I will show you some more。〃
〃Are those deer over there？〃 I asked。
〃DEER！〃 said the Doctor。 〃Where do you mean？〃
〃Over there；〃 I said； pointing〃nibbling the grass border of the bed。
There are two of them。〃
〃Oh； that；〃 said the Doctor with a smile。 〃That isn't two animals： that's
one animal with two headsthe only two…headed animal in the world。 It's
called the 'pushmi…pullyu。' I brought him from Africa。 He's very tame
acts as a kind of night…watchman for my zoo。 He only sleeps with one
head at a time； you see very handythe other head stays awake all night。〃
〃Have you any lions or tigers？〃 I asked as we moved on。
〃No；〃 said the Doctor。 〃It wouldn't be possible to keep them here and
I wouldn't keep them even if I could。 If I had my way； Stubbins； there
wouldn't be a single lion or tiger in captivity anywhere in the world。 They
never take to it。 They're never happy。 They never settle down。 They are
always thinking of the big countries they have left behind。 You can see it
in their eyes； dreamingdreaming always of the great open spaces where
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
they were born； dreaming of the deep； dark jungles where their mothers
first taught them how to scent and track the deer。 And what are they given
in exchange for all this？〃 asked the Doctor； stopping in his walk and
growing all red and angry〃What are they given in exchange for the glory
of an African sunrise； for the twilight breeze whispering through the palms；
for the green shade of the matted； tangled vines； for the cool； big…starred
nights of the desert； for the patter of the waterfall after a hard day's hunt？
What； I ask you； are they given in exchange for THESE？ Why； a bare cage
with iron bars； an ugly piece of dead meat thrust in to them once a day；
and a crowd of fools to come and stare at them with open mouths！No；
Stubbins。 Lions and tigers； the Big Hunters； should never； never be seen in
zoos。〃
The Doctor seemed to have grown terribly seriousalmost sad。 But
suddenly his manner changed again and he took me by the arm with his
same old cheerful smile。
〃But we haven't seen the butterfly…houses yetnor the aquariums。
Come along。 I am very proud of my butterfly…houses。〃
Off we went again and came presently into a hedged enclosure。 Here I
saw several big huts made of fine wire netting； like cages。 Inside the
netting all sorts of beautiful flowers were growing in the sun； with
butterflies skimming over them。 The Doctor pointed to the end of one of
the huts where little boxes with holes in them stood in a row。
〃Those are the hatching…boxes；〃 said he。 〃There I put the different
kinds of caterpillars。 And as soon as they turn into butterflies and moths
they come out into these flower…gardens to feed。〃
〃Do butterflies have a language？〃 I asked。
〃Oh I fancy they have；〃 said the Doctor〃and the beetles too。 But so
far I haven't succeeded in learning much about insect languages。 I have
been too busy lately trying to master the shellfish…talk。 I mean to take it up
though。〃
At that moment Polynesia joined us and said； 〃Doctor； there are two
guinea…pigs at the back door。 They say they have run away from the boy
who kept them because they didn't get the right stuff to eat。 They want to
know if you will take them in。〃
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
〃All right；〃 said the Doctor。 〃Show them the way to the zoo。 Give
them the house on the left； near the gatethe one the black fox had。 Tell
them what the rules are and give them a square mealNow； Stubbins； we
will go on to the aquariums。 And first of all I must show you my big； glass；
sea…water tank where I keep the shellfish。〃
THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER
MY SCHOOLMASTER； POLYNESIA
WELL； there were not many days after that； you may be sure； when I
did not come to see my new friend。 Indeed I was at his house practically
all day and every day。 So that one evening my mother asked me jokingly
why I did not take my bed over there and live at the Doctor's house
altogether。
After a while I think I got to be quite useful to the Doctor； feeding his
pets for him； helping to make new houses and fences for the zoo； assisting
with the sick animals that came； doing all manner of odd jobs about the
place。 So that although I enjoyed it all very much （it was indeed like living
in a new world） I really think the Doctor would have missed me if I had
not come so often。
And all this time Polynesia came with me wherever I went； teaching
me bird language and showing me how to understand the talking signs of
the animals。 At first I thought I would never be able to learn at allit
seemed so difficult。 But the old parrot was wonderfully patient with me
though I could see that occasionally she had hard work to keep her temper。
Soon I began to pick up the strange chatter of the birds and to
understand the funny talking antics of the dogs。 I used to practise listening
to the mice behind the wainscot after I went to bed； and watching the cats
on the roofs and pigeons in the market…square of Puddleby。
And the days passed very quicklyas they always do when life is
pleasant； and the days turned into weeks； and weeks into months； and soon
the roses in the Doctor's garden were losing their petals and yellow leaves
lay upon the wide green lawn。 For the summer was nearly gone。
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