The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle [13]
life he leads. You see, they are very rare now, these Wiff-Waffs--very rare and very solitary. They swim around in the deepest parts of the ocean entirely by themselves-- always alone. So I presume they really don't need to talk much."
"Perhaps some kind of a bigger shellfish would talk more," I said. "After all, he is very small, isn't he?"
"Yes," said the Doctor, "that's true. Oh I have no doubt that there are shellfish who are good talkers--not the least doubt. But the big shellfish--the biggest of them, are so hard to catch. They are only to be found in the deep parts of the sea; and as they don't swim very much, but just crawl along the floor of the ocean most of the time, they are very seldom taken in nets. I do wish I could find some way of going down to the bottom of the sea. I could learn a lot if I could only do that. But we are forgetting all about breakfast--Have you had, breakfast yet, Stubbins?"
I told the Doctor that I had forgotten all about it and he at once led the way into the kitchen.
"Yes," he said, as he poured the hot water from the kettle into the tea-pot, "if a man could only manage to get right down to the bottom of the sea, and live there a while, he would discover some wonderful things-- things that people have never dreamed of."
"But men do go down, don't they?" I asked--"divers and people like that?"
"Oh yes, to be sure," said the Doctor. "Divers go down. I've been down myself in a diving-suit, for that matter. But my!--they only go where the sea is shallow. Divers can't go down where it is really deep. What I would like to do is to go down to the great depths--where it is miles deep--Well, well, I dare say I shall manage it some day. Let me give you another cup of tea."
THE EIGHTH CHAPTER
ARE YOU A GOOD NOTICER?
JUST at that moment Polynesia came into the room and said something to the Doctor in bird language. Of course I did not understand what it was. But the Doctor at once put down his knife and fork and left the room.
"You know it is an awful shame," said the parrot as soon as the Doctor had closed the door. "Directly he comes back home, all the animals over the whole countryside get to hear of it and every sick cat and mangy rabbit for miles around comes to see him and ask his advice. Now there's a big fat hare outside at the back door with a squawking baby. Can she see the Doctor, please!--Thinks it's going to have convulsions. Stupid little thing's been eating Deadly Nightshade again, I suppose. The animals are SO inconsiderate at times--especially the mothers. They come round and call the Doctor away from his meals and wake him out of his bed at all hours of the night. I don't know how he stands it-- really I don't. Why, the poor man never gets any peace at all! I've told him time and again to have special hours for the animals to come. But he is so frightfully kind and con-siderate. He never refuses to see them if there is anything really wrong with them. He says the urgent cases must be seen at once."
"Why don't some of the animals go and see the other doctors?" I asked.
"Oh Good Gracious!" exclaimed the parrot, tossing her head scornfully. "Why, there aren't any other animal-doctors--not real doctors. Oh of course there ARE those vet persons, to be sure. But, bless you, they're no good. You see, they can't understand the animals' language; so how can you expect them to be any use? Imagine yourself, or your father, going to see a doctor who could not understand a word you say--nor even tell you in your own language what you must do to get well! Poof!--those vets! They're that stupid, you've no idea!--Put the Doctor's bacon down by the fire, will you?--to keep hot till he comes back."
"Do you think I would ever be able to learn the language of the animals?" I asked, laying the plate upon the hearth.
"Well, it all depends," said Polynesia. "Are you clever at lessons?"
"I don't know," I answered, feeling rather ashamed. "You see, I've never been to school. My father is too poor to send me."
"Well," said the parrot, "I
"Perhaps some kind of a bigger shellfish would talk more," I said. "After all, he is very small, isn't he?"
"Yes," said the Doctor, "that's true. Oh I have no doubt that there are shellfish who are good talkers--not the least doubt. But the big shellfish--the biggest of them, are so hard to catch. They are only to be found in the deep parts of the sea; and as they don't swim very much, but just crawl along the floor of the ocean most of the time, they are very seldom taken in nets. I do wish I could find some way of going down to the bottom of the sea. I could learn a lot if I could only do that. But we are forgetting all about breakfast--Have you had, breakfast yet, Stubbins?"
I told the Doctor that I had forgotten all about it and he at once led the way into the kitchen.
"Yes," he said, as he poured the hot water from the kettle into the tea-pot, "if a man could only manage to get right down to the bottom of the sea, and live there a while, he would discover some wonderful things-- things that people have never dreamed of."
"But men do go down, don't they?" I asked--"divers and people like that?"
"Oh yes, to be sure," said the Doctor. "Divers go down. I've been down myself in a diving-suit, for that matter. But my!--they only go where the sea is shallow. Divers can't go down where it is really deep. What I would like to do is to go down to the great depths--where it is miles deep--Well, well, I dare say I shall manage it some day. Let me give you another cup of tea."
THE EIGHTH CHAPTER
ARE YOU A GOOD NOTICER?
JUST at that moment Polynesia came into the room and said something to the Doctor in bird language. Of course I did not understand what it was. But the Doctor at once put down his knife and fork and left the room.
"You know it is an awful shame," said the parrot as soon as the Doctor had closed the door. "Directly he comes back home, all the animals over the whole countryside get to hear of it and every sick cat and mangy rabbit for miles around comes to see him and ask his advice. Now there's a big fat hare outside at the back door with a squawking baby. Can she see the Doctor, please!--Thinks it's going to have convulsions. Stupid little thing's been eating Deadly Nightshade again, I suppose. The animals are SO inconsiderate at times--especially the mothers. They come round and call the Doctor away from his meals and wake him out of his bed at all hours of the night. I don't know how he stands it-- really I don't. Why, the poor man never gets any peace at all! I've told him time and again to have special hours for the animals to come. But he is so frightfully kind and con-siderate. He never refuses to see them if there is anything really wrong with them. He says the urgent cases must be seen at once."
"Why don't some of the animals go and see the other doctors?" I asked.
"Oh Good Gracious!" exclaimed the parrot, tossing her head scornfully. "Why, there aren't any other animal-doctors--not real doctors. Oh of course there ARE those vet persons, to be sure. But, bless you, they're no good. You see, they can't understand the animals' language; so how can you expect them to be any use? Imagine yourself, or your father, going to see a doctor who could not understand a word you say--nor even tell you in your own language what you must do to get well! Poof!--those vets! They're that stupid, you've no idea!--Put the Doctor's bacon down by the fire, will you?--to keep hot till he comes back."
"Do you think I would ever be able to learn the language of the animals?" I asked, laying the plate upon the hearth.
"Well, it all depends," said Polynesia. "Are you clever at lessons?"
"I don't know," I answered, feeling rather ashamed. "You see, I've never been to school. My father is too poor to send me."
"Well," said the parrot, "I