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funny； old； solemn face again Good old Polynesia！A most
extraordinary birdWell； well！〃
Just at that moment we heard the noise of some one running behind us；
and turning round we saw Jip the dog rushing down the road after us； as
fast as his legs could bring him。 He seemed very excited about something；
and as soon as he came up to us； he started barking and whining to the
Doctor in a peculiar way。 Then the Doctor too seemed to get all worked up
and began talking and making queer signs to the dog。 At length he turned
to me； his face shining with happiness。
〃Polynesia has come back！〃 he cried。 〃Imagine it。 Jip says she has just
arrived at the house。 My！ And it's five years since I saw her Excuse me a
minute。〃
He turned as if to go back home。 But the parrot； Polynesia； was
already flying towards us。 The Doctor clapped his hands like a child
getting a new toy； while the swarm of sparrows in the roadway fluttered；
gossiping； up on to the fences； highly scandalized to see a gray and scarlet
parrot skimming down an English lane。
On she came； straight on to the Doctor's shoulder； where she
immediately began talking a steady stream in a language I could not
understand。 She seemed to have a terrible lot to say。 And very soon the
Doctor had forgotten all about me and my squirrel and Jip and everything
else； till at length the bird clearly asked him something about me。
〃Oh excuse me； Stubbins！〃 said the Doctor。 〃I was so interested
listening to my old friend here。 We must get on and see this squirrel of
yoursPolynesia； this is Thomas Stubbins。〃
The parrot； on the Doctor's shoulder； nodded gravely towards me and
then； to my great surprise； said quite plainly in English；
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
〃How do you do？ I remember the night you were born。 It was a
terribly cold winter。 You were a very ugly baby。〃
〃Stubbins is anxious to learn animal language；〃 said the Doctor。 〃I was
just telling him about you and the lessons you gave me when Jip ran up
and told us you had arrived。〃
〃Well；〃 said the parrot； turning to me； 〃I may have started the Doctor
learning but I never could have done even that； if he hadn't first taught me
to understand what I was saying when I spoke English。 You see； many
parrots can talk like a person； but very few of them understand what they
are saying。 They just say it becausewell； because they fancy it is smart or；
because they know they will get crackers given them。〃
By this time we had turned and were going towards my home with Jip
running in front and Polynesia still perched on the Doctor's shoulder。 The
bird chattered incessantly； mostly about Africa； but now she spoke in
English； out of politeness to me。
〃How is Prince Bumpo getting on？〃 asked the Doctor。
〃Oh； I'm glad you asked me；〃 said Polynesia。 〃I almost forgot to tell
you。 What do you think？BUMPO IS IN ENGLAND！〃
〃In England！You don't say！〃 cried the Doctor。 〃What on earth is he
doing here？〃
〃His father； the king； sent him here to a place callederBullford； I
think it wasto study lessons。〃
〃Bullford！Bullford！〃 muttered the Doctor。 〃I never heard of the
placeOh； you mean Oxford。〃
〃Yes； that's the placeOxford；〃 said Polynesia 〃I knew it had cattle in
it somewhere。 Oxfordthat's the place he's gone to。〃
〃Well； well；〃 murmured the Doctor。 〃Fancy Bumpo studying at
OxfordWell； well！〃
〃There were great doings in Jolliginki when he left。 He was scared to
death to come。 He was the first man from that country to go abroad。 He
thought he was going to be eaten by white cannibals or something。 You
know what those niggers arethat ignorant！ Well！But his father made
him come。 He said that all the black kings were sending their sons to
Oxford now。 It was the fashion； and he would have to go。 Bumpo wanted
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
to bring his six wives with him。 But the king wouldn't let him do that
either。 Poor Bumpo went off in tearsand everybody in the palace was
crying too。 You never heard such a hullabaloo。〃
〃Do you know if he ever went back in search of The Sleeping
Beauty？〃 asked the Doctor。
〃Oh yes；〃 said Polynesia〃the day after you left。 And a good thing for
him he did： the king got to know about his helping you to escape； and he
was dreadfully wild about it。〃
〃And The Sleeping Beauty？did he ever find her？〃
〃Well； he brought back something which he SAID was The Sleeping
Beauty。 Myself； I think it was an albino niggeress。 She had red hair and
the biggest feet you ever saw。 But Bumpo was no end pleased with her and
finally married her amid great rejoicings。 The feastings lasted seven days。
She became his chief wife and is now known out there as the Crown…
Princess BumPAHyou accent the last syllable。〃
〃And tell me； did he remain white？〃
〃Only for about three months；〃 said the parrot。 〃After that his face
slowly returned to its natural color。 It was just as well。 He was so
conspicuous in his bathing…suit the way he was； with his face white and
the rest of him black。〃
〃And how is Chee…Chee getting on？Chee…Chee；〃 added the Doctor in
explanation to me； 〃was a pet monkey I had years ago。 I left him too in
Africa when I came away。〃
〃Well；〃 said Polynesia frowning；〃Chee…Chee is not entirely happy。 I
saw a good deal of him the last few years。 He got dreadfully homesick for
you and the house and the garden。 It's funny； but I was just the same way
myself。 You remember how crazy I was to get back to the dear old land？
And Africa IS a wonderful countryI don't care what anybody says。 Well；
I thought I was going to have a perfectly grand time。 But somehowI
don't knowafter a few weeks it seemed to get tiresome。 I just couldn't
seem to settle down。 Well； to make a long story short； one night I made up
my mind that I'd come back here and find you。 So I hunted up old Chee…
Chee and told him about it。 He said he didn't blame me a bitfelt exactly
the same way himself。 Africa was so deadly quiet after the life we had led
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