按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
men came running up at once and caught them。
But Polynesia flew into a tree in the garden；
without anybody seeing her； and hid herself。
The Doctor and the rest were taken before the King。
〃Ha； ha！〃 cried the King。 〃So you are
caught again！ This time you shall not escape。
Take them all back to prison and put double
locks on the door。 This White Man shall scrub
my kitchen…floor for the rest of his life！〃
So the Doctor and his pets were led back to
prison and locked up。 And the Doctor was told
that in the morning he must begin scrubbing the
kitchen…floor。
They were all very unhappy。
〃This is a great nuisance；〃 said the Doctor。
〃I really must get back to Puddleby。 That
poor sailor will think I've stolen his ship if I
don't get home soon。。。。 I wonder if those
hinges are loose。〃
But the door was very strong and firmly
locked。 There seemed no chance of getting out。
Then Gub…Gub began to cry again。
All this time Polynesia was still sitting in the
tree in the palace…garden。 She was saying nothing
and blinking her eyes。
This was always a very bad sign with
Polynesia。 Whenever she said nothing and blinked
her eyes； it meant that somebody had been making
trouble； and she was thinking out some way
to put things right。 People who made trouble
for Polynesia or her friends were nearly always
sorry for it afterwards。
Presently she spied Chee…Chee swinging
through the trees still looking for the Doctor。
When Chee…Chee saw her； he came into her
tree and asked her what had become of him。
〃The Doctor and all the animals have been
caught by the King's men and locked up again；〃
whispered Polynesia。 〃We lost our way in the
jungle and blundered into the palace…garden by
mistake。〃
〃But couldn't you guide them？〃 asked Chee…
Chee； and he began to scold the parrot for
letting them get lost while he was away looking
for the cocoanuts。
〃It was all that stupid pig's fault；〃 said
Polynesia。 〃He would keep running off the
path hunting for ginger…roots。 And I was kept
so busy catching him and bringing him back；
that I turned to the left； instead of the right；
when we reached the swamp。Sh！Look！
There's Prince Bumpo coming into the garden！
He must not see us。Don't move； whatever you do！〃
And there； sure enough； was Prince Bumpo；
the King's son； opening the garden…gate。 He
carried a book of fairy…tales under his arm。 He
came strolling down the gravel…walk； humming
a sad song； till he reached a stone seat right
under the tree where the parrot and the monkey
were hiding。 Then he lay down on the seat
and began reading the fairy…stories to himself。
Chee…Chee and Polynesia watched him；
keeping very quiet and still。
After a while the King's son laid the book
down and sighed a weary sigh。
〃If I were only a WHITE prince！〃 said he； with
a dreamy； far…away look in his eyes。
Then the parrot； talking in a small； high
voice like a little girl； said aloud；
〃Bumpo； some one might turn thee into a
white prince perchance。〃
The King's son started up off the seat and
looked all around。
〃What is this I hear？〃 he cried。 〃Methought
the sweet music of a fairy's silver voice rang
from yonder bower！ Strange！〃
〃Worthy Prince；〃 said Polynesia； keeping
very still so Bumpo couldn't see her； 〃thou sayest
winged words of truth。 For 'tis I； Tripsitinka；
the Queen of the Fairies； that speak to
thee。 I am hiding in a rose…bud。〃
〃Oh tell me； Fairy…Queen；〃 cried Bumpo；
clasping his hands in joy； 〃who is it can turn
me white？〃
〃In thy father's prison；〃 said the parrot；
〃there lies a famous wizard； John Dolittle by
name。 Many things he knows of medicine and
magic； and mighty deeds has he performed。
Yet thy kingly father leaves him languishing
long and lingering hours。 Go to him； brave
Bumpo； secretly； when the sun has set； and
behold； thou shalt be made the whitest prince that
ever won fair lady！ I have said enough。 I
must now go back to Fairyland。 Farewell！〃
〃Farewell！〃 cried the Prince。 〃A thousand thanks；
good Tripsitinka！〃
And he sat down on the seat again with a
smile upon his face； waiting for the sun to set。
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
MEDICINE AND MAGIC
VERY； very quietly； making sure that no one should see
her； Polynesia then slipped out at the back of the tree
and flew across to the prison。
She found Gub…Gub poking his nose through
the bars of the window； trying to sniff the
cooking…smells that came from the palace…
kitchen。 She told the pig to bring the Doctor
to the window because she wanted to speak to
him。 So Gub…Gub went and woke the Doctor
who was taking a nap。
〃Listen；〃 whispered the parrot； when John
Dolittle's face appeared： 〃Prince Bumpo is
coming here to…night to see you。 And you've
got to find some way to turn him white。 But
be sure to make him promise you first that he
will open the prison…door and find a ship for
you to cross the sea in。〃
〃This is all very well；〃 said the Doctor。
〃But it isn't so easy to turn a black man white。
You speak as though he were a dress to be re…
dyed。 It's not so simple。 ‘Shall the leopard
change his spots； or the Ethiopian his skin；' you
know？〃
〃I don't know anything about that；〃 said
Polynesia impatiently。 〃But you MUST turn this
man white。 Think of a waythink hard。
You've got plenty of medicines left in the bag。
He'll do anything for you if you change his
color。 It is your only chance to get out of
prison。〃
〃Well； I suppose it MIGHT be possible；〃 said
the Doctor。 〃Let me see；〃 and he went over
to his medicine…bag； murmuring something
about 〃liberated chlorine on animal…pigment
perhaps zinc…ointment； as a temporary measure；
spread thick〃
Well； that night Prince Bumpo came secretly
to the Doctor in prison and said to him；
〃White Man； I am an unhappy prince。
Years ago I went in search of The Sleeping
Beauty； whom I had read of in a book。 And
having traveled through the world many days；
I at last found her and kissed the lady very
gently to awaken heras the book said I should。
'Tis true indeed that she awoke。 But when
she saw my face she cried out； ‘Oh； he's black！'
And she ran away and wouldn't marry mebut
went to sleep again somewhere else。 So I came
back； full of sadness； to my father's kingdom。
Now I hear that you are a wonderful magician
and have many powerful potions。 So I come to
you for help。 If you will turn me white； so
that I may go back to The Sleeping Beauty； I
will give you half my kingdom and anything
besides you ask。〃
〃Prince Bumpo；〃 said the Doctor； looking
thoughtfully at the bottles in his medicine…bag；
〃supposing I made your hair a nice blonde
colorwould not that do instead to make you
happy？〃
〃No；〃 said Bumpo。 〃Nothing else will
satisfy me。 I must be a white