English
This,OBestBeloved,isanotherstoryoftheHighandFar-OffTimes.
IntheverymiddleofthosetimeswasaStickly-PricklyHedgehog,andhelivedonthebanksoftheturbidAmazon,eatingshellysnailsandthings.
Andhehadafriend,aSlow-SolidTortoise,wholivedonthebanksoftheturbidAmazon,eatinggreenlettucesandthings.
Andsothatwasallright,BestBeloved.Doyousee?
Butalso,andatthesametime,inthoseHighandFar-OffTimes,therewasaPaintedJaguar,andhelivedonthebanksoftheturbidAmazontoo;andheateeverythingthathecouldcatch.
Whenhecouldnotcatchdeerormonkeyshewouldeatfrogsandbeetles;andwhenhecouldnotcatchfrogsandbeetleshewenttohisMotherJaguar,andshetoldhimhowtoeathedgehogsandtortoises.
Shesaidtohimeversomanytimes,graciouslywavinghertail,‘Myson,whenyoufindaHedgehogyoumustdrophimintothewaterandthenhewilluncoil,andwhenyoucatchaTortoiseyoumustscoophimoutofhisshellwithyourpaw.’
Andsothatwasallright,BestBeloved.
OnebeautifulnightonthebanksoftheturbidAmazon,PaintedJaguarfoundStickly-PricklyHedgehogandSlow-SolidTortoisesittingunderthetrunkofafallentree.
Theycouldnotrunaway,andsoStickly-Pricklycurledhimselfupintoaball,becausehewasaHedgehog,andSlow-SolidTortoisedrewinhisheadandfeetintohisshellasfarastheywouldgo,becausehewasaTortoise;andsothatwasallright,BestBeloved.Doyousee?
‘Nowattendtome,’saidPaintedJaguar,‘becausethisisveryimportant.
MymothersaidthatwhenImeetaHedgehogIamtodrophimintothewaterandthenhewilluncoil,andwhenImeetaTortoiseIamtoscoophimoutofhisshellwithmypaw.
NowwhichofyouisHedgehogandwhichisTortoise?
because,tosavemyspots,Ican’ttell.’
‘AreyousureofwhatyourMummytoldyou?’saidStickly-PricklyHedgehog.‘Areyouquitesure?
PerhapsshesaidthatwhenyouuncoilaTortoiseyoumustshellhimoutthewaterwithascoop,andwhenyoupawaHedgehogyoumustdrophimontheshell.’
‘AreyousureofwhatyourMummytoldyou?’saidSlow-and-SolidTortoise.‘Areyouquitesure?
PerhapsshesaidthatwhenyouwateraHedgehogyoumustdrophimintoyourpaw,andwhenyoumeetaTortoiseyoumustshellhimtillheuncoils.’
‘Idon’tthinkitwasatalllikethat,’saidPaintedJaguar,buthefeltalittlepuzzled;‘but,please,sayitagainmoredistinctly.’
‘WhenyouscoopwaterwithyourpawyouuncoilitwithaHedgehog,’saidStickly-Prickly.‘Rememberthat,becauseit’simportant.’
‘But,’saidtheTortoise,‘whenyoupawyourmeatyoudropitintoaTortoisewithascoop.Whycan’tyouunderstand?’
‘Youaremakingmyspotsache,’saidPaintedJaguar;‘andbesides,Ididn’twantyouradviceatall.IonlywantedtoknowwhichofyouisHedgehogandwhichisTortoise.’
‘Ishan’ttellyou,’saidStickly-Prickly.‘butyoucanscoopmeoutofmyshellifyoulike.’
‘Aha!’saidPaintedJaguar.‘NowIknowyou’reTortoise.YouthoughtIwouldn’t!NowIwill.’
PaintedJaguardartedouthispaddy-pawjustasStickly-Pricklycurledhimselfup,andofcourseJaguar’spaddy-pawwasjustfilledwithprickles.
Worsethanthat,heknockedStickly-Pricklyawayandawayintothewoodsandthebushes,whereitwastoodarktofindhim.
Thenheputhispaddy-pawintohismouth,andofcoursetheprickleshurthimworsethanever.
Assoonashecouldspeakhesaid,‘NowIknowheisn’tTortoiseatall.
But’—andthenhescratchedhisheadwithhisun-pricklypaw—‘howdoIknowthatthisotherisTortoise?’
‘ButIamTortoise,’saidSlow-and-Solid.Yourmotherwasquiteright.Shesaidthatyouweretoscoopmeoutofmyshellwithyourpaw.Begin.’
‘Youdidn’tsayshesaidthataminuteago,’saidPaintedJaguar,suckingthepricklesoutofhispaddy-paw.‘Yousaidshesaidsomethingquitedifferent.’
‘Well,supposeyousaythatIsaidthatshesaidsomethingquitedifferent,Idon’tseethatitmakesanydifference;becauseifshesaidwhatyousaidIsaidshesaid,it’sjustthesameasifIsaidwhatshesaidshesaid.
Ontheotherhand,ifyouthinkshesaidthatyouweretouncoilmewithascoop,insteadofpawingmeintodropswithashell,Ican’thelpthat,canI?’
‘Butyousaidyouwantedtobescoopedoutofyourshellwithmypaw,’saidPaintedJaguar.
‘Ifyou’llthinkagainyou’llfindthatIdidn’tsayanythingofthekind.Isaidthatyourmothersaidthatyouweretoscoopmeoutofmyshell,’saidSlow-and-Solid.
‘WhatwillhappenifIdo?’saidtheJaguarmostsniffilyandmostcautious.
‘Idon’tknow,becauseI’veneverbeenscoopedoutofmyshellbefore;butItellyoutruly,ifyouwanttoseemeswimawayyou’veonlygottodropmeintothewater.’
‘Idon’tbelieveit,’saidPaintedJaguar.
‘You’vemixedupallthethingsmymothertoldmetodowiththethingsthatyouaskedmewhetherIwassurethatshedidn’tsay,tillIdon’tknowwhetherI’monmyheadormypaintedtail;andnowyoucomeandtellmesomethingIcanunderstand,anditmakesmemoremixythanbefore.
MymothertoldmethatIwastodroponeofyoutwointothewater,andasyouseemsoanxioustobedroppedIthinkyoudon’twanttobedropped.
SojumpintotheturbidAmazonandbequickaboutit.’
‘IwarnyouthatyourMummywon’tbepleased.Don’ttellherIdidn’ttellyou,’saidSlow-Solid.
‘Ifyousayanotherwordaboutwhatmymothersaid—’theJaguaranswered,buthehadnotfinishedthesentencebeforeSlow-and-SolidquietlydivedintotheturbidAmazon,swamunderwaterforalongway,andcameoutonthebankwhereStickly-Pricklywaswaitingforhim.
‘Thatwasaverynarrowescape,’saidStickly-Prickly.‘Idon’tribPaintedJaguar.Whatdidyoutellhimthatyouwere?’
‘ItoldhimtruthfullythatIwasatruthfulTortoise,buthewouldn’tbelieveit,andhemademejumpintotherivertoseeifIwas,andIwas,andheissurprised.Nowhe’sgonetotellhisMummy.Listentohim!’
TheycouldhearPaintedJaguarroaringupanddownamongthetreesandthebushesbythesideoftheturbidAmazon,tillhisMummycame.
‘Son,son!’saidhismothereversomanytimes,graciouslywavinghertail,‘whathaveyoubeendoingthatyoushouldn’thavedone?’
‘Itriedtoscoopsomethingthatsaiditwantedtobescoopedoutofitsshellwithmypaw,andmypawisfullofper-ickles,’saidPaintedJaguar.
‘Son,son!’saidhismothereversomanytimes,graciouslywavinghertail,‘bythepricklesinyourpaddy-pawIseethatthatmusthavebeenaHedgehog.Youshouldhavedroppedhimintothewater.’
‘Ididthattotheotherthing;andhesaidhewasaTortoise,andIdidn’tbelievehim,anditwasquitetrue,andhehasdivedundertheturbidAmazon,andhewon’tcomeupagain,andIhaven’tanythingatalltoeat,andIthinkwehadbetterfindlodgingssomewhereelse.
TheyaretoocleverontheturbidAmazonforpoorme!’
‘Son,son!’saidhismothereversomanytimes,graciouslywavinghertail,‘nowattendtomeandrememberwhatIsay.
AHedgehogcurlshimselfupintoaballandhispricklesstickouteverywhichwayatonce.BythisyoumayknowtheHedgehog.’
‘Idon’tlikethisoldladyonelittlebit,’saidStickly-Prickly,undertheshadowofalargeleaf.‘Iwonderwhatelsesheknows?’
‘ATortoisecan’tcurlhimselfup,’MotherJaguarwenton,eversomanytimes,graciouslywavinghertail.‘Heonlydrawshisheadandlegsintohisshell.Bythisyoumayknowthetortoise.’
‘Idon’tlikethisoldladyatall—atall,’saidSlow-and-SolidTortoise.‘EvenPaintedJaguarcan’tforgetthosedirections.It’sagreatpitythatyoucan’tswim,Stickly-Prickly.’
‘Don’ttalktome,’saidStickly-Prickly.‘Justthinkhowmuchbetteritwouldbeifyoucouldcurlup.Thisisamess!ListentoPaintedJaguar.’
PaintedJaguarwassittingonthebanksoftheturbidAmazonsuckingpricklesoutofhisPawsandsayingtohimself—
‘Can’tcurl,butcanswim—
Slow-Solid,that’shim!
Curlsup,butcan’tswim—
Stickly-Prickly,that’shim!’
‘He’llneverforgetthatthismonthofSundays,’saidStickly-Prickly.‘Holdupmychin,Slow-and-Solid.I’mgoingtotrytolearntoswim.Itmaybeuseful.’
‘Excellent!’saidSlow-and-Solid;andheheldupStickly-Prickly’schin,whileStickly-PricklykickedinthewatersoftheturbidAmazon.
‘You’llmakeafineswimmeryet,’saidSlow-and-Solid.‘Now,ifyoucanunlacemyback-platesalittle,I’llseewhatIcandotowardscurlingup.Itmaybeuseful.’
Stickly-PricklyhelpedtounlaceTortoise’sback-plates,sothatbytwistingandstrainingSlow-and-Solidactuallymanagedtocurlupatiddyweebit.
‘Excellent!’saidStickly-Prickly;‘butIshouldn’tdoanymorejustnow.It’smakingyoublackintheface.
KindlyleadmeintothewateronceagainandI’llpracticethatside-strokewhichyousayissoeasy.’
AndsoStickly-Pricklypracticed,andSlow-Solidswamalongside.
‘Excellent!’saidSlow-and-Solid.
‘Alittlemorepracticewillmakeyouaregularwhale.
Now,ifImaytroubleyoutounlacemybackandfrontplatestwoholesmore,I’lltrythatfascinatingbendthatyousayissoeasy.Won’tPaintedJaguarbesurprised!’
‘Excellent!’saidStickly-Prickly,allwetfromtheturbidAmazon.
‘Ideclare,Ishouldn’tknowyoufromoneofmyownfamily.Twoholes,Ithink,yousaid?
Alittlemoreexpression,please,anddon’tgruntquitesomuch,orPaintedJaguarmayhearus.
Whenyou’vefinished,Iwanttotrythatlongdivewhichyousayissoeasy.Won’tPaintedJaguarbesurprised!’
AndsoStickly-Pricklydived,andSlow-and-Soliddivedalongside.
‘Excellent!’saidSlow-and-Solid.
‘AlittlemoreattentiontoholdingyourbreathandyouwillbeabletokeephouseatthebottomoftheturbidAmazon.
NowI’lltrythatexerciseofputtingmyhindlegsroundmyearswhichyousayissopeculiarlycomfortable.Won’tPaintedJaguarbesurprised!’
‘Excellent!’saidStickly-Prickly.‘Butit’sstrainingyourback-platesalittle.Theyarealloverlappingnow,insteadoflyingsidebyside.’
‘Oh,that’stheresultofexercise,’saidSlow-and-Solid.
‘I’venoticedthatyourpricklesseemtobemeltingintooneanother,andthatyou’regrowingtolookrathermorelikeapinecone,andlesslikeachestnut-burr,thanyouusedto.’
‘AmI?’saidStickly-Prickly.‘Thatcomesfrommysoakinginthewater.Oh,won’tPaintedJaguarbesurprised!’
Theywentonwiththeirexercises,eachhelpingtheother,tillmorningcame;andwhenthesunwashightheyrestedanddriedthemselves.
Thentheysawthattheywerebothofthemquitedifferentfromwhattheyhadbeen.
‘Stickly-Prickly,’saidTortoiseafterbreakfast,‘IamnotwhatIwasyesterday;butIthinkthatImayyetamusePaintedJaguar.
‘ThatwastheverythingIwasthinkingjustnow,’saidStickly-Prickly.
‘Ithinkscalesareatremendousimprovementonprickles—tosaynothingofbeingabletoswim.Oh,won’tPaintedJaguarbesurprised!Let’sgoandfindhim.’
ByandbytheyfoundPaintedJaguar,stillnursinghispaddy-pawthathadbeenhurtthenightbefore.Hewassoastonishedthathefellthreetimesbackwardoverhisownpaintedtailwithoutstopping.
‘Goodmorning!’saidStickly-Prickly.‘AndhowisyourdeargraciousMummythismorning?’
‘Sheisquitewell,thankyou,’saidPaintedJaguar;‘butyoumustforgivemeifIdonotatthisprecisemomentrecallyourname.’
‘That’sunkindofyou,’saidStickly-Prickly,‘seeingthatthistimeyesterdayyoutriedtoscoopmeoutofmyshellwithyourpaw.’
‘Butyouhadn’tanyshell.Itwasallprickles,’saidPaintedJaguar.‘Iknowitwas.Justlookatmypaw!’
‘YoutoldmetodropintotheturbidAmazonandbedrowned,’saidSlow-Solid.‘Whyareyousorudeandforgetfulto-day?’
‘Don’tyourememberwhatyourmothertoldyou?’saidStickly-Prickly,—
‘Can’tcurl,butcanswim—
Stickly-Prickly,that’shim!
Curlsup,butcan’tswim—
Slow-Solid,that’shim!’
ThentheybothcurledthemselvesupandrolledroundandroundPaintedJaguartillhiseyesturnedtrulycart-wheelsinhishead.
Thenhewenttofetchhismother.
‘Mother,’hesaid,‘therearetwonewanimalsinthewoodsto-day,andtheonethatyousaidcouldn’tswim,swims,andtheonethatyousaidcouldn’tcurlup,curls;andthey’vegonesharesintheirprickles,Ithink,becausebothofthemarescalyallover,insteadofonebeingsmoothandtheotherveryprickly;and,besidesthat,theyarerollingroundandroundincircles,andIdon’tfeelcomfy.’
‘Son,son!’saidMotherJaguareversomanytimes,graciouslywavinghertail,‘aHedgehogisaHedgehog,andcan’tbeanythingbutaHedgehog;andaTortoiseisaTortoise,andcanneverbeanythingelse.’
‘Butitisn’taHedgehog,anditisn’taTortoise.It’salittlebitofboth,andIdon’tknowitspropername.’
‘Nonsense!’saidMotherJaguar.‘Everythinghasitspropername.Ishouldcallit“Armadillo”tillIfoundouttherealone.AndIshouldleaveitalone.’
SoPaintedJaguardidashewastold,especiallyaboutleavingthemalone;butthecuriousthingisthatfromthatdaytothis,OBestBeloved,nooneonthebanksoftheturbidAmazonhasevercalledStickly-PricklyandSlow-SolidanythingexceptArmadillo.
ThereareHedgehogsandTortoisesinotherplaces,ofcourse(therearesomeinmygarden);buttherealoldandcleverkind,withtheirscaleslyinglippety-lappetyoneovertheother,likepine-conescales,thatlivedonthebanksoftheturbidAmazonintheHighandFar-OffDays,arealwayscalledArmadillos,becausetheyweresoclever.
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