HOW THE RHINOCEROS GOT HIS SKIN

  ONCEuponatime,onanuninhabitedislandontheshoresoftheRedSea,therelivedaParseefromwhosehattheraysofthesunwerereflectedihan-orientalsplendour.AndtheParseelivedbytheRedSeawithnothingbuthishatandhisknifeandacooking-stoveofthekindthatyoumustparticularlyoudonedayhetookflourandwaterandcurrantsandplumsandsugarandthings,andmadehimselfonecakewhichwastwofeetacrossandthreefeetthick.ItwasindeedaSuperiorestible(thatsmagidheputitonstovebecausehewasallowedtocookoove,andhebakeditandhebakedittillitwasalldonebrownamostseal.ButjustashewasgoitherecamedowntothebeatheAltogetherUninhabitedInterioroneRhinoceroswithahornonhiswopiggyeyes,andfewmanners.InthosedaystheRhinocerossskinfittedhimquitetight.Therewerenowrinklesinitanywhere.HelookedexactlylikeaNoahsArkRhinoceros,butofcoursemuchbigger.Allthesame,hehadnomahen,andhehasnomannersnow,andheneverwillhaveanymanners.Hesaid,How!

  andtheParseeleftthatcakeandclimbedtothetopofapalmtreewithnothingonbuthishat,fromwhichtheraysofthesunwerealwaysreflectedihan-orientalsplendour.AndtheRhinocerosupsettheoil-stovewithhisnose,andthecakerolledonthesand,andhespikedthatcakeonthehornofhisnose,aeit,aaway,wavinghistail,tothedesolateandExclusivelyUninhabitedInteriorwhichabutsontheislandsofMazanderan,Socotra,andPromontoriesoftheLargerEquinox.ThentheParseecamedownfromhispalm-treeandputthestoveonitslegsaedthefollowingSloka,which,asyouhavenotheard,Iwillnowproceedtorelate:--

  Themthattakescakes

  WhichtheParsee-manbakes

  Makesdreadfulmistakes.

  Andtherewasagreatdealmoreinthatthanyouwouldthink.

  Because,fiveweekslater,therewasaheatwaveintheRedSea,andeverybodytookoffalltheclothestheyhad.TheParseetookoffhishat;buttheRhiookoffhisskinandcarrieditoverhisshoulderashecamedowntothebeachtobathe.Inthosedaysitbuttonedunderhwiththreebuttonsandlookedlikearoof.HesaidnothingwhateverabouttheParseescake,becausehehadeatenitall;andheneverhadanymahen,since,orhenceforward.Hewaddledstraightintothewaterandblewbubblesthroughhisnose,leavinghisskinonthebeach.

  PresentlytheParseecamebyandfoundtheskin,andhesmiledonesmilethatranallroundhisfaes.Thenhedahreetimesroundtheskinandrubbedhishands.Theohiscampandfilledhishatwithcake-crumbs,fortheParseeeanythingbutcake,andneversweptouthiscamp.Hetookthatskin,andheshookthatskin,andhescrubbedthatskin,andherubbedthatskinjustasfullofold,dry,stale,ticklycake-crumbsandsomeburnedcurrantsaseveritcouldpossiblyhold.Thenheclimbedtothetopofhispalm-treeandwaitedfortheRhioeoutofthewaterandputiton.

  AndtheRhinocerosdid.Hebuttoupwiththethreebuttons,andittickledlikecakecrumbsiheedtoscratch,butthatmadeitworse;andthenhelaydownonthesandsandrolledandrolledandrolled,aimeherolledthecakecrumbstickledhimworseandworseandworse.Theothepalm-treeandrubbedandrubbedandrubbedhimselfagainstit.Herubbedsomudsohardthatherubbedhisskinintoagreatfoldoverhisshoulders,andanotherfoldunderh,wherethebuttoobe(butherubbedthebuttonsoff),andherubbedsomemorefoldsoverhislegs.Anditspoiledhistemper,butitdidntmaketheleastdifferehecake-crumbs.Theywereinsidehisskinaickled.Sohewenthome,veryangryindeedandhorriblyscratchy;andfromthatdaytothiseveryrhinoceroshasgreatfoldsinhisskinandaverybadtemper,allonatofthecake-crumbsinside.

  ButtheParseecamedownfromhispalm-tree,wearinghishat,fromwhichtheraysofthesunwerereflectedihan-orientalsplendour,packeduphiscooking-stove,aawayinthedireofOrotavo,Amygdala,theUplandMeadowsofAnantarivo,andtheMarshesofSonaput.

  THISUninhabitedIsland

  IsoffCapeGardafui,

  BytheBeachesofSocotra

  AndthePinkArabianSea:

  Butitshot--toohotfromSuez

  Forthelikesofyouandme

  Evertogo

  InaP.and0.

  AndcallontheCake-Parsee!松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

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