HOW THE WHALE GOT HIS THROAT

  INthesea,onceuponatime,OmyBestBeloved,therewasaWhale,aefishes.Heatethestarfishandthegarfish,andthecrabandthedab,andtheplaidthedadtheskateandhismate,andthemackereelandthepickereel,andthereallytrulytwirly-whirlyeel.Allthefisheshecouldfindinalltheseaheatewithhismouth--so!Tillatlasttherewasonlyonesmallfishleftinallthesea,andhewasasmallStuteFish,andheswamalittlebehindtheWhalesrightear,soastobeoutofharmsway.ThentheWhalestooduponhistailandsaid,Imhungry.AndthesmallStuteFishsaidinasmallstutevoiobleandgenerousCeta,haveyouevertastedMan?

  No,saidtheWhale.Whatisitlike?

  Nice,saidthesmallStuteFish.nubbly.

  Thechmesome,saidtheWhale,andhemadetheseafrothupwithhistail.

  Oimeisenough,saidtheStuteFish.IfyouswimtolatitudeFiftyNorth,longitudeFortyWest(thatismagic),youwillfind,sitting_on_araft,_in_themiddleofthesea,withnothingonbutapairofbluevasbreeches,apairofsuspenders(youmust_not_fetthesuspenders,BestBeloved),andajaife,oneship-wreckedMariner,who,itisonlyfairtotellyou,isamanofinfinite-resourd-sagacity.

  SotheWhaleswamandswamtolatitudeFiftyNorth,longitudeFortyWest,asfastashecouldswim,and_on_araft,_in_themiddleofthesea,_with_nothingtowearexceptapairofbluevasbreeches,apairofsuspenders(youmustparticularlyrememberthesuspenders,BestBeloved),_and_ajaife,hefoundonesingle,solitaryshipwreckedMarirailinghistoesier.(Hehadhismummysleavetopaddle,orelsehewouldneverhavedo,becausehewasamanofinfinite-resourd-sagacity.)

  Thentheenedhismouthbadbadbacktillitnearlytouchedhistail,andheswallowedtheshipwreckedMariner,ahewassittingon,andhisbluevasbreeches,andthesuspenders(whiust_net),_and_thejaife--Heswallowedthemalldownintohiswarm,dark,insidecup-boards,andthenhesmackedhislips--so,andturnedroundthreetimesonhistail.

  ButassoonastheMariner,whowasamanofinfinite-resourd-sagacity,foundhimselftrulyiheWhaleswarm,dark,insidecup-boards,hestumpedandhejumpedahumpedandhebumped,andheprandhedanced,andhebangedandheged,aa,andheleapedandhecreeped,andheprowledandhehowled,andhehoppedandhedropped,andhecriedandhesighed,andhecrawledandhebawled,aeppedandhelepped,andhedancedhornpipeswhereheshouldnt,andtheWhalefeltmostunhappyindeed.(_Have_yottenthesuspenders?)

  SohesaidtotheStuteFish,Thismanisverynubbly,andbesidesheismakingmehiccough.WhatshallIdo?

  Tellhimtoeout,saidtheStuteFish.

  SotheWhalecalleddownhisownthroattotheshipwreckedMariner,eoutandbehaveyourself.Ivegotthehiccoughs.

  Nay,nay!saidtheMariner.Notso,butfarotherwise.Takemetomynatal-shoreae-cliffs-of-Albion,andIllthinkaboutit.Andhebegantodancemorethanever.

  Youhadbettertakehimhome,saidtheStuteFishtotheWhale.Ioughttohavewarnedyouthatheisamanofinfinite-resourd-sagacity.

  SotheWhaleswamandswamandswam,withbothflippersandhistail,ashardashecouldforthehiccoughs;andatlasthesawtheMarinersnatal-shoreae-cliffs-of-Albion,andherushedhalf-thebeadopenedhismouthwideandwideandwide,andsaid,gehereforWier,Ashuelot,Nashua,Keene,andstationsoch_burgRoad;andjustashesaidFitchtheMarinerwalkedoutofhismouth.ButwhiletheWhalehadbeenswimming,theMariner,whowasindeedapersonofinfinite-resourd-sagacity,hadtakenhisjaifeandcutuptheraftintoalittlesquaregratingallrunningcriss-cross,aieditfirmwithhissuspenders(_now_,youknowwhyyouwerenottetthesuspenders!),andhedraggedthatgratinggoodandtightintotheWhalesthroat,astuck!Theedthefollowing_Sloka_,which,asyouhavenotheardit,Iwillnowproceedtorelate--

  Bymeansofagrating

  Ihavestoppedyourating.

  FortheMarinerhewasalsoanHi-ber-ni-an.Aeppedoutontheshingle,ahometohismother,whohadgivenhimleavetotrailhistoesier;andhemarriedandlivedhappilyeverafterward.SodidtheWhale.Butfromthatdayoinginhisthroat,whichhecouldhercoughupnorswallowdowedhimeatinganythingexceptvery,verysmallfish;andthatisthereasonwhywhalesnowadaysmenorboysorlittlegirls.

  ThesmallStuteFishwentandhidhimselfinthemuduheDoor-sillsoftheEquator.HewasafraidthattheWhalemightbeangrywithhim.

  TheSailortookthejaifehome.Hewaswearingthebluevasbreecheswhenhewalkedoutontheshihesuspenderswereleftbehind,yousee,totiethegratingwith;andthatistheendof_that_tale.

  WHENtheport-holesaredarkandgreen

  Becauseoftheseasoutside;

  Whentheshipgoes_wop_(withawigglebetween)

  Aewardfallsintothesoup-tureen,

  Aruoslide;

  WhenNurseyliesonthefloorinaheap,

  AndMummytellsyoutolethersleep,

  Andyouarentwakedorwashedordressed,

  Why,thenyouwillknow(ifyouhaventguessed)

  YoureFiftyNorthandFortyWest!松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

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