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prevents a bird's living under water。 So their guess is really a very fair
one； no more silly than that of the savages； who when they first saw the
white men's ships； with their huge sails； fancied they were enormous sea…
birds； and when they heard the cannons fire； said that the ships spoke in
thunder and lightning。 Their guess was wrong； but not silly； for it was
the best guess they could make。
But I do know of one old woman who was silly。 She was a boy's
nurse； and she gave the boy a thing which she said was one of the snakes
which St。 Hilda turned into stone； and told him that they found plenty of
them at Whitby； where she was born； all coiled up； but what was very odd；
their heads had always been broken of。 And when he took it； to his father；
he told him it was only a fossil shellan Ammonite。 And he went back
and laughed at his nurse； and teased her till she was quite angry。
Then he was very lucky that she did not box his ears； for that was what
he deserved。 I dare say that； though his nurse had never heard of
Ammonites； she was a wise old dame enough； and knew a hundred things
which he did not know； and which were far more important than
Ammonites； even to him。
How？
Because if she had not known how to nurse him well； he would
perhaps have never grown up alive and strong。 And if she had not known
how to make him obey and speak the truth； he might have grown up a
naughty boy。
But was she not silly？
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
No。 She only believed what the Whitby folk； I understand； have
some of them believed for many hundred years。 And no one can be
blamed for thinking as his forefathers did； unless he has cause to know
better。
Surely she might have known better？
How？ What reason could she have to believe the Ammonite was a
shell？ It is not the least like cockles； or whelks； or any shell she ever
saw。
What reason either could she have to guess that Whitby cliff had once
been coral…mud； at the bottom of the sea？ No more reason； my dear child；
than you would have to guess that this stone had been coral…mud likewise；
if I did not teach you so；or rather； try to make you teach yourself so。
No。 I say it again。 If you wish to learn； I will only teach you on
condition that you do not laugh at； or despise； those good and honest and
able people who do not know or care about these things； because they
have other things to think of： like old John out there ploughing。 He
would not believe youhe would hardly believe meif we told him that
this stone had been once a swarm of living things； of exquisite shapes and
glorious colours。 And yet he can plough and sow； and reap and mow； and
fell and strip； and hedge and ditch； and give his neighbours sound advice；
and take the measure of a man's worth from ten minutes' talk； and say his
prayers； and keep his temper； and pay his debts；which last three things
are more than a good many folks can do who fancy themselves a whole
world wiser than John in the smock…frock。
Oh； but I want to hear about the exquisite shapes and glorious colours。
Of course you do； little man。 A few fine epithets take your fancy far
more than a little common sense and common humility； but in that you are
no worse than some of your elders。 So now for the exquisite shapes and
glorious colours。 I have never seen them； though I trust to see them ere I
die。 So what they are like I can only tell from what I have learnt from Mr。
Darwin； and Mr。 Wallace； and Mr。 Jukes； and Mr。 Gosse； and last； but not
least； from one whose soul was as beautiful as his face； Lucas Barrett；
too soon lost to science；who was drowned in exploring such a coral…reef
as this stone was once。
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
Then there are such things alive now？
Yes； and no。 The descendants of most of them live on； altered by
time； which alters all things； and from the beauty of the children we can
guess at the beauty of their ancestors； just as from the coral…reefs which
exist now we can guess how the coral…reefs of old were made。 And that
this stone was once part of a coral…reef the corals in it prove at first sight。
And what is a coral…reef like？
You have seen the room in the British Museum full of corals；
madrepores； brain…stones； corallines； and sea…ferns？
Oh yes。
Then fancy all those alive。 Not as they are now； white stone： but
covered in jelly； and out of every pore a little polype； like a flower；
peeping out。 Fancy them of every gaudy colour you choose。 No bed of
flowers； they say； can be more brilliant than the corals； as you look down
on them through the clear sea。 Fancy； again； growing among them and
crawling over them； strange sea…anemones； shells； star…fish； sea…slugs； and
sea…cucumbers with feathery gills； crabs； and shrimps； and hundreds of
other animals； all as strange in shape； and as brilliant in colour。 You may
let your fancy run wild。 Nothing so odd； nothing so gay； even entered
your dreams； or a poet's； as you may find alive at the bottom of the sea； in
the live flower…gardens of the sea…fairies。
There will be shoals of fish； too； playing in and out； as strange and
gaudy as the rest；parrot…fish who browse on the live coral with their
beak…like teeth； as cattle browse on grass； and at the bottom； it may be；
larger and uglier fish； who eat the crabs and shell…fish； shells and all；
grinding them up as a dog grinds a bone； and so turning shells and corals
into fine soft mud； such as this stone is partly made of。
But what happens to all the delicate little corals if a storm comes on？
What； indeed？ Madam How has made them so well and wisely； that；
like brave and good men； the more trouble they suffer the stronger they are。
Day and night； week after week； the trade…wind blows upon them； hurling
the waves against them in furious surf； knocking off great lumps of coral；
grinding them to powder； throwing them over the reef into t