HOW THE LEOPARD GOT HIS SPOTS

  INthedayswheneverybodystartedfair,BestBeloved,theLeopardlivedinaplacecalledtheHighVeldt.MemberitwasnttheLowVeldt,ortheBushVeldt,ortheSourVeldt,butthesclusivelybare,hot,shinyHighVeldt,wheretherewassandandsandy-colouredrodsclusivelytuftsofsandy-yellowishgrass.TheGiraffeandtheZebraandtheElandandtheKoodooaebeestlivedthere;andtheyweresclusivelysandy-yellow-brownishallover;buttheLeopard,hewasthesclusivestsa-yellowish-browofthemall--agreyish-yellowishcatty-shapedkindofbeast,achedthesclusivelyyellowish-greyish-brownishcolouroftheHighVeldttoonehair.ThiswasverybadfiraffeandtheZebraaofthem;forhewouldliedownbyasclusivelyyellowish-greyish-brownishstoneorclumpofgrass,aheGiraffeortheZebraortheElandortheKoodooortheBush-BuckortheBonte-Buckcamebyhewouldsurprisethemoutoftheirjumpsomelives.Hewouldindeed!And,also,therewasahiopianwithbowsandarrows(asclusivelygreyish-brownish-yellowishmahen),wholivedontheHighVeldtwiththeLeopard;awousedtohunttogether--theEthiopianwithhisbowsandarrows,andtheLeopardsclusivelywithhisteethandclaws--tilltheGiraffeandtheElandandtheKoodooandtheQuaggaandalltherestofthemdidntknowwhichwaytojump,BestBeloved.Theydidntindeed!

  Afteralongtime--thingslivedforeversolonginthosedays--theylearoavoidanythingthatlookedlikeaLeopardorahiopian;andbitbybit--theGiraffebeganit,becausehislegswerethelo--theywentawayfromtheHighVeldt.Theyscuttledfordaysanddaysanddaystilltheycametoagreatforest,sclusivelyfulloftreesandbushesandstripy,speckly,patchy-blatchyshadows,aheyhid:andafterantime,whatwithstandinghalfintheshadeandhalfoutofit,andwhatwiththeslippery-slidyshadowsofthetreesfallingoheGiraffegrewblotchy,andtheZebragrewstripy,andtheElandandtheKoodoogrewdarker,withlittlewavygreyliheirbackslikebarkorunk;andso,thoughyoucouldhearthemahem,youcouldveryseldomseethem,andthenonlywhenyouknewpreciselywheretolook.Theyhadabeautifultimeinthesclusivelyspeckly-spicklyshadowsoftheforest,whiletheLeopardahiopianranaboutoverthesclusivelygreyish-yellowish-reddishHighVeldtoutside,wwherealltheirbreakfastsandtheirdinnersaeashadgolasttheyweresohungrythattheyateratsalesandrock-rabbits,theLeopardahiopian,aheyhadtheBigTummy-ache,bothtogether;aheymetBaviaan--thedog-headed,barkingBaboon,whoisQuitetheWisestAnimalinAllSouthAfrica.

  SaidLeopardtoBaviaan(anditwasaveryhotday),Wherehasallthegamegone?

  AndBaviaanwinked.Heknew.

  SaidtheEthiopiantoBaviaan,youtellmethepresenthabitatoftheabinalFauna?(Thatmeantjustthesamething,buttheEthiopianalwaysusedlongwords.Hewasagrown-up.)

  AndBaviaanwinked.Heknew.

  ThensaidBaviaan,Thegamehasgoootherspots;andmyadvicetoyou,Leopard,istogointootherspotsassoonasyou.

  Ahiopiansaid,ThatisallveryfiIwishtoknowwhithertheabinalFaunahasmigrated.

  ThensaidBaviaan,TheabinalFaunahasjoiheabinalFlorabecauseitwashightimeforage;andmyadvicetoyou,Ethiopian,istogeassoonasyou.

  ThatpuzzledtheLeopardahiopian,buttheysetofftolookfortheabinalFlora,aly,aftereversomanydays,theysawagreat,high,tallforestfulloftreetrunksallsclusivelyspeckledandsprottledandspottled,dottedandsplashedandslashedandhatchedandcross-hatchedwithshadows.(Saythatquicklyaloud,andyouwillseehowveryshadowytheforestmusthavebeen.)

  Whatisthis,saidtheLeopard,thatissosclusivelydark,asofulloflittlepiecesoflight?

  Idontknow,saidtheEthiopian,butitoughttobetheabinalFlora.IsmellGiraffe,andIhearGiraffe,butItseeGiraffe.

  Thatscurious,saidtheLeopard.Isupposeitisbecausewehavejusteinoutofthesunshine.IsmellZebra,andIhearZebra,butItseeZebra.

  Waitabit,saidtheEthiopian.Itsalongtimesincewevehuntedem.Perhapswevefottenwhattheywerelike.

  Fiddle!saidtheLeopard.IrememberthemperfectlyontheHighVeldt,especiallytheirmarrow-bones.Giraffeisaboutseventeehigh,ofasclusivelyfulvousgolden-yellowfromheadtoheel;andZebraisaboutfourandahalffeethigh,ofasclusivelygrey-fawncolourfromheadtoheel.

  Umm,saidtheEthiopian,lookingintothespeckly-spicklyshadowsoftheabinalFlora-forest.Thentheyoughttoshowupinthisdarkplacelikeripebananasinasmokehouse.

  Buttheydidnt.TheLeopardahiopianhuntedallday;andthoughtheycouldsmellthemahem,theyneversawohem.

  Foodnesssake,saidtheLeopardattea-time,letuswaittillitgetsdark.Thisdaylighthuntingisaperfectsdal.

  Sotheywaitedtilldark,aheLeopardheardsomethihingsniffilyiarlightthatfellallstripythroughthebranches,andhejumpedatthenoise,anditsmeltlikeZebra,anditfeltlikeZebra,andwhenhekdownitkickedlikeZebra,buthecould.Sohesaid,Bequiet,Oyoupersonwithoutanyform.Iamgoingtositonyourheadtillm,becausethereissomethingaboutyouthatIdontuand.

  Presentlyheheardagruntandacrashandascramble,ahiopiancalledout,IvecaughtathingthatItsee.ItsmellslikeGiraffe,anditkickslikeGiraffe,butithasntanyform.

  Dontyoutrustit,saidtheLeopard.Sitonitsheadtillthem--sameasme.Theyhaventanyform--anyofem.

  Sotheysatdownonthemhardtillbrightm-time,andthenLeopardsaid,Whathaveyouatyourendofthetable,Brother?

  TheEthiopianscratchedhisheadandsaid,Itoughttobesclusivelyarichfulve-tawnyfromheadtoheel,anditoughttobeGiraffe;butitiscoveredalloverwithchestnutblotches.Whathaveyouatyourendofthetable,Brother?

  AndtheLeopardscratchedhisheadandsaid,Itoughttobesclusivelyadelicategreyish-fawn,anditoughttobeZebra;butitiscoveredalloverwithbladpurplestripes.Whatintheworldhaveyoubeendoingtoyourself,Zebra?DontyouknowthatifyouwereontheHighVeldtIcouldseeyoutenmilesoff?Youhaventanyform.

  Yes,saidtheZebra,butthisisnttheHighVeldt.tyousee?

  Iow,saidtheLeopard.ButIcouldntallyesterday.Howisitdone?

  Letusup,saidtheZebra,andwewillshowyou.

  TheylettheZebraandtheGiraffegetup;andZebramovedawaytosomelittlethorn-busheswherethesunlightfellallstripy,andGiraffemovedofftosometallishtreeswheretheshadowsfellallblotchy.

  Nowwatch,saidtheZebraandtheGiraffe.Thisisthewayitsdone.Owo--three!Andwheresyourbreakfast?

  Leopardstared,ahiopianstared,butalltheycouldseewerestripyshadowsandblotchedshadowsintheforest,butneverasignofZebraandGiraffe.Theyhadjustwalkedoffandhiddenthemselvesintheshadowyforest.

  Hi!Hi!saidtheEthiopian.Thatsatrickworthlearning.Takealessonbyit,Leopard.Youshowupinthisdarkplacelikeabarofsoapinacoal-scuttle.

  Ho!Ho!saidtheLeopard.Woulditsurpriseyouverymuchtoknowthatyoushowupinthisdarkplacelikeamustard-plasteronasackofcoals?

  Well,callingnameswontcatner,saidtheEthiopian.Thelongaleofitisthatwedontmatchourbackgrounds.ImgoingtotakeBaviaansadvice.HetoldmeIoughttoge;andasIvenothingtogeexceptmyskinImgoingtogethat.

  Whatto?saidtheLeopard,tremendouslyexcited.

  Toanicewblackish-brownishcolour,withalittlepurpleinit,andtouchesofslaty-blue.Itwillbetheverythingforhidinginhollowsandbehindtrees.

  Sohegedhisskinthenandthere,andtheLeopardwasmoreexcitedthanever;hehadneverseenamangehisskinbefore.

  Butwhataboutme?hesaid,whehiopianhadworkedhislastlittlefiohisfinenewblackskin.

  YoutakeBaviaansadvicetoo.Hetoldyoutogointospots.

  SoIdid,saidtheLeopard.IwentintootherspotsasfastasIcould.Iwentintothisspotwithyou,andalotofgoodithasdoneme.

  Oh,saidtheEthiopian,BaviaandidntmeanspotsinSouthAfrica.Hemeantspotsonyourskin.

  Whatstheuseofthat?saidtheLeopard.

  ThinkofGiraffe,saidtheEthiopian.Orifyoupreferstripes,thinkofZebra.Theyfindtheirspotsandstripesgivethemper-feetsatisfa.

  Umm,saidtheLeopard.IwouldntlooklikeZebra--notforeverso.

  Well,makeupyourmind,saidtheEthiopian,becauseIdhatetogohuntingwithoutyou,butImustifyouinsistonlookinglikeasun-flainstatarredfence.

  Illtakespots,then,saidtheLeopard;butdontmakeemtoovulgar-big.IwouldntlooklikeGiraffe--notforeverso.

  Illmakeemwiththetipsofmyfingers,saidtheEthiopian.Theresplentyofblackleftonmyskinstill.Standover!

  Thehiopianputhisfivefingersclosetogether(therelentyofblackleftonhisnewskinstill)andpressedthemallovertheLeopard,andwhereverthefivefiouchedtheyleftfivelittleblackmarks,allclosetogether.YouseethemonanyLeopardsskinyoulike,BestBeloved.Sometimesthefingersslippedandthemarksgotalittleblurred;butifyoulookcloselyatanyLeopardnowyouwillseethattherearealwaysfivespots--offfivefatblager-tips.

  Nowyouareabeauty!saidtheEthiopian.Youlieoutonthebaregroundandlooklikeaheapofpebbles.Youlieoutonthenakedrodlooklikeapieceofpudding-stone.Youlieoutonaleafybrandlooklikesunshiingthroughtheleaves;andyoulierightacrossthetreofapathandlooklikenothinginparticular.Thinkofthatandpurr!

  ButifImallthis,saidtheLeopard,whydidntyougospottytoo?

  Oh,plainblacksbestfger,saidtheEthiopian.NowealongandwellseeifwetgetevenwithMr.Owo-Three-Wheres-your-Breakfast!

  Sotheywentawayandlivedhappilyeverafterward,BestBeloved.Thatisall.

  Oh,nowandthenyouwillheargrown-upssay,theEthiopiangehisskinortheLeopardhisspots?Idontthinkevengrown-upswouldkeeponsayingsuchasillythingiftheLeopardahiopianhadntdoonce--doyou?ButtheywillneverdoitagaiBeloved.Theyarequiteteheyare.

  IAMtheMostWiseBaviaan,sayinginmostwisetones,Letusmeltintothelandscape--justustwobyourlones.

  Peoplehavee--inacarriage--calling.ButMummyisthere....

  Yes,Igoifyoutakeme--Nursesaysshedontcare.

  Letsgouptothepig-stiesandsitonthefarmyardrails!

  Letssaythingstothebunnies,andwatchemskittertheirtails!

  Lets--oh,anything,daddy,solongasitsyouandme,Andgoingtrulyexpl,andnotbeingintilltea!

  Heresyourboots(Ivebroughtem),andheresyourdstick,

  Andheresyourpipeandtobacco.Oh,ealongoutofit--quick.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

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