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happy？〃
〃No；〃 said Bumpo。 〃Nothing else will
satisfy me。 I must be a white prince。〃
〃You know it is very hard to change the color
of a prince；〃 said the Doctor〃one of the hardest
things a magician can do。 You only want
your face white； do you not？〃
〃Yes； that is all；〃 said Bumpo。 〃Because I
shall wear shining armor and gauntlets of steel；
like the other white princes； and ride on a
horse。〃
〃Must your face be white all over？〃 asked the Doctor。
〃Yes； all over；〃 said Bumpo〃and I would
like my eyes blue too； but I suppose that would
be very hard to do。〃
〃Yes； it would；〃 said the Doctor quickly。
〃Well； I will do what I can for you。 You will
have to be very patient thoughyou know with
some medicines you can never be very sure。 I
might have to try two or three times。 You have
a strong skinyes？ Well that's all right。
Now come over here by the lightOh； but before
I do anything； you must first go down to
the beach and get a ship ready； with food in it；
to take me across the sea。 Do not speak a word
of this to any one。 And when I have done as
you ask； you must let me and all my animals
out of prison。 Promiseby the crown of Jolliginki！〃
So the Prince promised and went away to get
a ship ready at the seashore。
When he came back and said that it was done；
the Doctor asked Dab…Dab to bring a basin。
Then he mixed a lot of medicines in the basin
and told Bumpo to dip his face in it。
The Prince leaned down and put his face in
right up to the ears。
He held it there a long timeso long that
the Doctor seemed to get dreadfully anxious
and fidgety； standing first on one leg and then
on the other； looking at all the bottles he had
used for the mixture； and reading the labels on
them again and again。 A strong smell filled
the prison； like the smell of brown paper
burning。
At last the Prince lifted his face up out of the
basin； breathing very hard。 And all the animals
cried out in surprise。
For the Prince's face had turned as white as
snow； and his eyes； which had been mud…colored；
were a manly gray！
When John Dolittle lent him a little looking…
glass to see himself in； he sang for joy and
began dancing around the prison。 But the
Doctor asked him not to make so much noise
about it； and when he had closed his medicine…bag
in a hurry he told him to open the prison…door。
Bumpo begged that he might keep the looking…
glass； as it was the only one in the Kingdom
of Jolliginki； and he wanted to look at himself
all day long。 But the Doctor said he needed
it to shave with。
Then the Prince； taking a bunch of copper
keys from his pocket； undid the great double
locks。 And the Doctor with all his animals ran
as fast as they could down to the seashore； while
Bumpo leaned against the wall of the empty
dungeon； smiling after them happily； his big
face shining like polished ivory in the light of
the moon。
When they came to the beach they saw
Polynesia and Chee…Chee waiting for them on the
rocks near the ship。
〃I feel sorry about Bumpo；〃 said the Doctor。
〃I am afraid that medicine I used will never
last。 Most likely he will be as black as ever
when he wakes up in the morningthat's one
reason why I didn't like to leave the mirror with
him。 But then again； he MIGHT stay whiteI
had never used that mixture before。 To tell the
truth； I was surprised； myself； that it worked
so well。 But I had to do something； didn't I？
I couldn't possibly scrub the King's kitchen
for the rest of my life。 It was such a dirty
kitchen！I could see it from the prison…
window。Well； well！Poor Bumpo！〃
〃Oh； of course he will know we were just
joking with him；〃 said the parrot。
〃They had no business to lock us up；〃 said Dab…Dab；
waggling her tail angrily。 〃We never did them any harm。
Serve him right； if he does turn black again！ I hope it's
a dark black。〃
〃But HE didn't have anything to do with it；〃
said the Doctor。 〃It was the King； his father；
who had us locked upit wasn't Bumpo's fault。
。。。I wonder if I ought to go back and apologize
Oh； wellI'll send him some candy
when I get to Puddleby。 And who knows？
he may stay white after all。〃
〃The Sleeping Beauty would never have him；
even if he did；〃 said Dab…Dab。 〃He looked
better the way he was； I thought。 But he'd
never be anything but ugly； no matter what
color he was made。〃
〃Still； he had a good heart；〃 said the Doctor
〃romantic； of coursebut a good heart。
After all； ‘handsome is as handsome does。'〃
〃I don't believe the poor booby found The
Sleeping Beauty at all；〃 said Jip； the dog。
〃Most likely he kissed some farmer's fat wife
who was taking a snooze under an apple…tree。
Can't blame her for getting scared！ I wonder
who he'll go and kiss this time。 Silly business！〃
Then the pushmi…pullyu； the white mouse；
Gub…Gub； Dab…Dab； Jip and the owl； Too…Too；
went on to the ship with the Doctor。 But Chee…
Chee； Polynesia and the crocodile stayed behind；
because Africa was their proper home； the land
where they were born。
And when the Doctor stood upon the boat； he
looked over the side across the water。 And then
he remembered that they had no one with them
to guide them back to Puddleby。
The wide； wide sea looked terribly big and
lonesome in the moonlight； and he began to
wonder if they would lose their way when they
passed out of sight of land。
But even while he was wondering； they heard
a strange whispering noise； high in the air；
coming through the night。 And the animals all
stopped saying Good…by and listened。
The noise grew louder and bigger。 It seemed
to be coming nearer to thema sound like the
Autumn wind blowing through the leaves of a
poplar…tree； or a great； great rain beating down
upon a roof。
And Jip； with his nose pointing and his tail
quite straight； said；
〃Birds！millions of themflying fastthat's it！〃
And then they all looked up。 And there；
streaming across the face of the moon； like a
huge swarm of tiny ants； they could see thousands
and thousands of little birds。 Soon the
whole sky seemed full of them； and still more
kept comingmore and more。 There were so
many that for a little they covered the whole
moon so it could not shine； and the sea grew
dark and blacklike when a storm…cloud passes
over the sun。
And presently all these birds came down close；
skimming over the water and the land； and the
night…sky was left clear above； and the moon
shone as before。 Still never a call nor a cry
nor a song they madeno sound but this great
rustling of feathers which grew greater now
than ever。 When they began to settle on the
sands； along the ropes of the shipanywhere
and everywhere except the treesthe Doctor
could see that they had blue wings and white
breasts and very short； feathered legs。 As soon
as they had all