English
THEweekafterTaffimaiMetallumai(wewillstillcallherTaffy,BestBeloved)madethatlittlemistakeaboutherDaddy’sspearandtheStranger-manandthepicture-letterandall,shewentcarp-fishingagainwithherDaddy.
HerMummywantedhertostayathomeandhelphanguphidestodryonthebigdrying-polesoutsidetheirNeolithicCave,butTaffyslippedawaydowntoherDaddyquiteearly,andtheyfished.
Presentlyshebegantogiggle,andherDaddysaid,‘Don’tbesilly,child.’
‘Butwasn’titinciting!’saidTaffy.‘Don’tyourememberhowtheHeadChiefpuffedouthischeeks,andhowfunnytheniceStranger-manlookedwiththemudinhishair?’
‘WelldoI,’saidTegumai.‘Ihadtopaytwodeerskins—softoneswithfringes—totheStranger-manforthethingswedidtohim.’
‘Wedidn’tdoanything,’saidTaffy.‘ItwasMummyandtheotherNeolithicladies—andthemud.’
‘Wewon’ttalkaboutthat,’saidherDaddy,‘Let’shavelunch.’
Taffytookamarrow-boneandsatmousy-quietfortenwholeminutes,whileherDaddyscratchedonpiecesofbirch-barkwithashark’stooth.
Thenshesaid,‘Daddy,I’vethinkedofasecretsurprise.Youmakeanoise—anysortofnoise.’
‘Ah!’saidTegumai.‘Willthatdotobeginwith?’
‘Yes,’saidTaffy.‘Youlookjustlikeacarp-fishwithitsmouthopen.Sayitagain,please.’
‘Ah!ah!ah!’saidherDaddy.‘Don’tberude,mydaughter.’
‘I’mnotmeaningrude,reallyandtruly,’saidTaffy.‘It’spartofmysecret-surprise-think.
Dosayah,Daddy,andkeepyourmouthopenattheend,andlendmethattooth.
I’mgoingtodrawacarp-fish’smouthwide-open.’
‘Whatfor?’saidherDaddy.
‘Don’tyousee?’saidTaffy,scratchingawayonthebark.
‘Thatwillbeourlittlesecrets’prise.
WhenIdrawacarp-fishwithhismouthopeninthesmokeatthebackofourCave—ifMummydoesn’tmind—itwillremindyouofthatah-noise.
Thenwecanplaythatitwasmejumpedoutofthedarkands’prisedyouwiththatnoise—sameasIdidinthebeaver-swamplastwinter.’
‘Really?’saidherDaddy,inthevoicethatgrown-upsusewhentheyaretrulyattending.‘Goon,Taffy.’
‘Ohbother!’shesaid.
‘Ican’tdrawallofacarp-fish,butIcandrawsomethingthatmeansacarp-fish’smouth.
Don’tyouknowhowtheystandontheirheadsrootinginthemud?
Well,here’sapretencecarp-fish(wecanplaythattherestofhimisdrawn).
Here’sjusthismouth,andthatmeansah.’Andshedrewthis.(1.)
‘That’snotbad,’saidTegumai,andscratchedonhisownpieceofbarkforhimself;butyou’veforgottenthefeelerthathangsacrosshismouth.’
‘ButIcan’tdraw,Daddy.’
‘Youneedn’tdrawanythingofhimexceptjusttheopeningofhismouthandthefeeleracross.
Thenwe’llknowhe’sacarp-fish,‘causetheperchesandtroutshaven’tgotfeelers.Lookhere,Taffy.’Andhedrewthis.(2.)
‘NowI’llcopyit.’saidTaffy.‘Willyouunderstandthiswhenyouseeit?’
‘Perfectly,’saidherDaddy.
Andshedrewthis.(3.)‘AndI’llbequiteass’prisedwhenIseeitanywhere,asifyouhadjumpedoutfrombehindatreeandsaid‘”Ah!”’
‘Now,makeanothernoise,’saidTaffy,veryproud.
‘Yah!’saidherDaddy,veryloud.
‘H’m,’saidTaffy.‘That’samixynoise.Theendpartisah-carp-fish-mouth;butwhatcanwedoaboutthefrontpart?Yer-yer-yerandah!Ya!’
‘It’sverylikethecarp-fish-mouthnoise.Let’sdrawanotherbitofthecarp-fishandjoin‘em,’saidherDaddy.Hewasquiteincitedtoo.
‘No.Ifthey’rejoined,I’llforget.Drawitseparate.Drawhistail.Ifhe’sstandingonhisheadthetailwillcomefirst.‘Sides,IthinkIcandrawtailseasiest,’saidTaffy.
‘Agoodnotion,’saidTegumai.“Here’sacarp-fishtailfortheyer-noise.’Andhedrewthis.(4.)
‘I’lltrynow,’saidTaffy.‘’MemberIcan’tdrawlikeyou,Daddy.WillitdoifIjustdrawthesplitpartofthetail,andthesticky-downlineforwhereitjoins?’Andshedrewthis.(5.)
HerDaddynodded,andhiseyeswereshinybrightwith‘citement.
‘That’sbeautiful,’shesaid.‘Nowmakeanothernoise,Daddy.’
‘Oh!’saidherDaddy,veryloud.
‘That’squiteeasy,’saidTaffy.‘Youmakeyourmouthallaroundlikeaneggorastone.Soaneggorastonewilldoforthat.’
‘Youcan’talwaysfindeggsorstones.We’llhavetoscratcharoundsomethinglikeone.’Andhedrewthis.(6.)
‘Mygracious!’saidTaffy,‘whatalotofnoise-pictureswe’vemade,—carp-mouth,carp-tail,andegg!Now,makeanothernoise,Daddy.’
‘Ssh!’saidherDaddy,andfrownedtohimself,butTaffywastooincitedtonotice.
‘That’squiteeasy,’shesaid,scratchingonthebark.
‘Eh,what?’saidherDaddy.‘ImeantIwasthinking,anddidn’twanttobedisturbed.’
‘It’sanoisejustthesame.It’sthenoiseasnakemakes,Daddy,whenitisthinkinganddoesn’twanttobedisturbed.Let’smakethessh-noiseasnake.Willthisdo?’Andshedrewthis.(7.)
‘There,’shesaid.‘That’sanothers’prise-secret.
Whenyoudrawahissy-snakebythedoorofyourlittleback-cavewhereyoumendthespears,I’llknowyou’rethinkinghard;andI’llcomeinmostmousy-quiet.
Andifyoudrawitonatreebytheriverwhenyouarefishing,I’llknowyouwantmetowalkmostmostmousy-quiet,soasnottoshakethebanks.’
‘Perfectlytrue,’saidTegumai.Andthere’smoreinthisgamethanyouthink.
Taffy,dear,I’veanotionthatyourDaddy’sdaughterhashituponthefinestthingthatthereeverwassincetheTribeofTegumaitooktousingshark’steethinsteadofflintsfortheirspear-heads.
Ibelievewe’vefoundoutthebigsecretoftheworld.’
‘Why?’saidTaffy,andhereyesshonetoowithincitement.
‘I’llshow,’saidherDaddy.‘What’swaterintheTegumailanguage?’
‘Ya,ofcourse,anditmeansrivertoo—likeWagai-ya—theWagairiver.’
‘Whatisbadwaterthatgivesyoufeverifyoudrinkit—blackwater—swamp-water?’
‘Yo,ofcourse.’
‘Nowlook,’saidherDaddy.‘S’poseyousawthisscratchedbythesideofapoolinthebeaver-swamp?’Andhedrewthis.(8.)
‘Carp-tailandroundegg.Twonoisesmixed!Yo,badwater,’saidTaffy.‘’CourseIwouldn’tdrinkthatwaterbecauseI’dknowyousaiditwasbad.’
‘ButIneedn’tbenearthewateratall.Imightbemilesaway,hunting,andstill—’
‘Andstillitwouldbejustthesameasifyoustoodthereandsaid,“G’way,Taffy,oryou’llgetfever.”
Allthatinacarp-fish-tailandaroundegg!ODaddy,wemusttellMummy,quick!’andTaffydancedallroundhim.
‘Notyet,’saidTegumai;‘nottillwe’vegonealittlefurther.Let’ssee.Yoisbadwater,butSoisfoodcookedonthefire,isn’tit?’Andhedrewthis.(9.)
‘Yes.Snakeandegg,’saidTaffy‘Sothatmeansdinner’sready.Ifyousawthatscratchedonatreeyou’dknowitwastimetocometotheCave.So’dI.’
‘MyWinkie!’saidTegumai.‘That’struetoo.Butwaitaminute.Iseeadifficulty.SOmeans“comeandhavedinner,”butshomeansthedrying-poleswherewehangourhides.’
‘Horridolddrying-poles!’saidTaffy.
‘Ihatehelpingtohangheavy,hot,hairyhidesonthem.
Ifyoudrewthesnakeandegg,andIthoughtitmeantdinner,andIcameinfromthewoodandfoundthatitmeantIwastohelpMummyhangthetwohidesonthedrying-poles,whatwouldIdo?’
‘You’dbecross.So’dMummy.Wemustmakeanewpictureforsho.Wemustdrawaspottysnakethathissessh-sh,andwe’llplaythattheplainsnakeonlyhissesssss.’
‘Icouldn’tbesurehowtoputinthespots,’saidTaffy.
‘Andp’rapsifyouwereinahurryyoumightleavethemout,andI’dthinkitwassowhenitwassho,andthenMummywouldcatchmejustthesame.No!
Ithinkwe’dbetterdrawapictureofthehorridhighdrying-polestheirveryselves,andmakequitesure.
I’llputtheminjustafterthehissy-snake.Look!’Andshedrewthis.(10.)
‘P’rapsthat’ssafest.It’sverylikeourdrying-poles,anyhow,’saidherDaddy,laughing.
‘NowI’llmakeanewnoisewithasnakeanddrying-polesoundinit.I’llsayshi.That’sTegumaiforspear,Taffy.’Andhelaughed.
‘Don’tmakefunofme,’saidTaffy,asshethoughtofherpicture-letterandthemudintheStranger-man’shair.‘Youdrawit,Daddy.’
‘Wewon’thavebeaversorhillsthistime,eh?’saidherDaddy,‘I’lljustdrawastraightlineformyspear.’Andhedrewthis.(11.)
‘EvenMummycouldn’tmistakethatformebeingkilled.’
‘Pleasedon’t,Daddy.Itmakesmeuncomfy.Dosomemorenoises.We’regettingonbeautifully.’
‘Er-hm!’saidTegumai,lookingup.‘We’llsayshu.Thatmeanssky.’
Taffydrewthesnakeandthedrying-pole.Thenshestopped.‘Wemustmakeanewpictureforthatendsound,mustn’twe?’
‘Shu-shu-u-u-u!’saidherDaddy.‘Why,it’sjustliketheround-egg-soundmadethin.’
‘Thens’posewedrawathinroundegg,andpretendit’safrogthathasn’teatenanythingforyears.’
‘N-no,’saidherDaddy.‘Ifwedrewthatinahurrywemightmistakeitfortheroundeggitself.Shu-shu-shu!‘Itellyouwhatwe’lldo.
We’llopenalittleholeattheendoftheroundeggtoshowhowtheO-noiserunsoutallthin,ooo-oo-oo.Likethis.’Andhedrewthis.(12.)
‘Oh,that’slovely!Muchbetterthanathinfrog.Goon,’saidTaffy,usinghershark’stooth.HerDaddywentondrawing,andhishandshookwithincitement.Hewentontillhehaddrawnthis.(13.)
‘Don’tlookup,Taffy,’hesaid.‘TryifyoucanmakeoutwhatthatmeansintheTegumailanguage.Ifyoucan,we’vefoundtheSecret.’
‘Snake—pole—broken—egg—carp—tailandcarp-mouth,’saidTaffy.‘Shu-ya.Sky-water(rain).’
Justthenadropfellonherhand,forthedayhadcloudedover.‘Why,Daddy,it’sraining.Wasthatwhatyoumeanttotellme?’
‘Ofcourse,’saidherDaddy.‘AndItoldityouwithoutsayingaword,didn’tI?’
‘Well,IthinkIwouldhaveknownitinaminute,butthatraindropmademequitesure.I’llalwaysremembernow.
Shu-yameansrain,or“itisgoingtorain.”Why,Daddy!’Shegotupanddancedroundhim.
‘S’poseyouwentoutbeforeIwasawake,anddrawedshu-yainthesmokeonthewall,I’dknowitwasgoingtorainandI’dtakemybeaver-skinhood.Wouldn’tMummybesurprised?’
Tegumaigotupanddanced.(Daddiesdidn’tminddoingthosethingsinthosedays.)‘Morethanthat!Morethanthat!’hesaid.
‘S’poseIwantedtotellyouitwasn’tgoingtorainmuchandyoumustcomedowntotheriver,whatwouldwedraw?SaythewordsinTegumai-talkfirst.’
‘Shu-ya-las,yamaru.(Sky-waterending.Rivercometo.)whatalotofnewsounds!Idon’tseehowwecandrawthem.’
‘ButIdo—butIdo!’saidTegumai.
‘Justattendaminute,Taffy,andwewon’tdoanymoreto-day.We’vegotshu-yaallright,haven’twe?Butthislasisateaser.La-la-la’andhewavedhisshark-tooth.
‘There’sthehissy-snakeattheendandthecarp-mouthbeforethesnake—as-as-as.Weonlywantla-la,’saidTaffy.
‘Iknowit,butwehavetomakela-la.Andwe’rethefirstpeopleinalltheworldwho’veevertriedtodoit,Taffimai!’
‘Well,’saidTaffy,yawning,forshewasrathertired.‘Lasmeansbreakingorfinishingaswellasending,doesn’tit?’
‘Soitdoes,’saidTegumai.‘To-lasmeansthatthere’snowaterinthetankforMummytocookwith—justwhenI’mgoinghunting,too.’
‘Andshi-lasmeansthatyourspearisbroken.IfI’donlythoughtofthatinsteadofdrawingsillybeaverpicturesfortheStranger!’
‘La!La!La!’saidTegumai,waivinghisstickandfrowning.‘Ohbother!’
‘Icouldhavedrawnshiquiteeasily,’Taffywenton.‘ThenI’dhavedrawnyourspearallbroken—thisway!’Andshedrew.(14.)
‘Theverything,’saidTegumai.‘That’slaallover.Itisn’tlikeanyoftheothermarkseither.’Andhedrewthis.(15.)
‘Nowforya.Oh,we’vedonethatbefore.Nowformaru.Mum-mum-mum.Mumshutsone’smouthup,doesn’tit?We’lldrawashutmouthlikethis.’Andhedrew.(16.)
‘Thenthecarp-mouthopen.ThatmakesMa-ma-ma!Butwhataboutthisrrrrr-thing,Taffy?’
‘Itsoundsallroughandedgy,likeyourshark-toothsawwhenyou’recuttingoutaplankforthecanoe,’saidTaffy.
‘Youmeanallsharpattheedges,likethis?’saidTegumai.Andhedrew.(17.)
‘’Xactly,’saidTaffy.‘Butwedon’twantallthoseteeth:onlyputtwo.’
‘I’llonlyputinone,’saidTegumai.‘IfthisgameofoursisgoingtobewhatIthinkitwill,theeasierwemakeoursound-picturesthebetterforeverybody.’Andhedrew.(18.)
‘Now,we’vegotit,’saidTegumai,standingononeleg.‘I’lldraw‘emallinastringlikefish.’
‘Hadn’twebetterputalittlebitofstickorsomethingbetweeneachword,so’stheywon’trubupagainsteachotherandjostle,sameasiftheywerecarps?’
‘Oh,I’llleaveaspaceforthat,’saidherDaddy.Andveryincitedlyhedrewthemallwithoutstopping,onabignewbitofbirch-bark.(19.)
‘Shu-ya-lasya-maru,’saidTaffy,readingitoutsoundbysound.
‘That’senoughforto-day,’saidTegumai.‘Besides,you’regettingtired,Taffy.Nevermind,dear.
We’llfinishitallto-morrow,andthenwe’llberememberedforyearsandyearsafterthebiggesttreesyoucanseeareallchoppedupforfirewood.’
Sotheywenthome,andallthateveningTegumaisatononesideofthefireandTaffyontheother,drawingya’sandyo’sandshu’sandshi’sinthesmokeonthewallandgigglingtogethertillherMummysaid,‘Really,Tegumai,you’reworsethanmyTaffy.’
‘Pleasedon’tmind,’saidTaffy.‘It’sonlyoursecret-s’prise,Mummydear,andwe’lltellyouallaboutittheveryminuteit’sdone;butpleasedon’taskmewhatitisnow,orelseI’llhavetotell.’
SoherMummymostcarefullydidn’t;andbrightandearlynextmorningTegumaiwentdowntotherivertothinkaboutnewsoundpictures,andwhenTaffygotupshesawYa-las(waterisendingorrunningout)chalkedonthesideofthebigstonewater-tank,outsidetheCave.
‘Um,’saidTaffy.‘Thesepicture-soundsareratherabother!
Daddy’sjustasgoodascomeherehimselfandtoldmetogetmorewaterforMummytocookwith.’
Shewenttothespringatthebackofthehouseandfilledthetankfromabarkbucket,andthensherandowntotheriverandpulledherDaddy’sleftear—theonethatbelongedtohertopullwhenshewasgood.
‘Nowcomealongandwe’lldrawalltheleft-oversound-pictures,’saidherDaddy,andtheyhadamostincitingdayofit,andabeautifullunchinthemiddle,andtwogamesofromps.
WhentheycametoT,Taffysaidthatashername,andherDaddy’s,andherMummy’sallbeganwiththatsound,theyshoulddrawasortoffamilygroupofthemselvesholdinghands.
Thatwasallverywelltodrawonceortwice;butwhenitcametodrawingitsixorseventimes,TaffyandTegumaidrewitscratchierandscratchier,tillatlasttheT-soundwasonlyathinlongTegumaiwithhisarmsouttoholdTaffyandTeshumai.
Youcanseefromthesethreepicturespartlyhowithappened.(20,21,22.)
Manyoftheotherpicturesweremuchtoobeautifultobeginwith,especiallybeforelunch,butastheyweredrawnoverandoveragainonbirch-bark,theybecameplainerandeasier,tillatlastevenTegumaisaidhecouldfindnofaultwiththem.
Theyturnedthehissy-snaketheotherwayroundfortheZ-sound,toshowitwashissingbackwardsinasoftandgentleway(23);andtheyjustmadeatwiddleforE,becauseitcameintothepicturessooften(24);
andtheydrewpicturesofthesacredBeaveroftheTegumaisfortheB-sound(25,26,27,28);andbecauseitwasanasty,nosynoise,theyjustdrewnosesfortheN-sound,tilltheyweretired(29);andtheydrewapictureofthebiglake-pike’smouthforthegreedyGa-sound(30);
andtheydrewthepike’smouthagainwithaspearbehinditforthescratchy,hurtyKa-sound(31);andtheydrewpicturesofalittlebitofthewindingWagairiverforthenicewindy-windyWa-sound(32,33);andsoonandsoforthandsofollowingtilltheyhaddoneanddrawnallthesound-picturesthattheywanted,andtherewastheAlphabet,allcomplete.
Andafterthousandsandthousandsandthousandsofyears,andafterHieroglyphicsandDemotics,andNilotics,andCryptics,andCufics,andRunics,andDorics,andIonics,andallsortsofotherricksandtricks(becausetheWoons,andtheNeguses,andtheAkhoonds,andtheRepositoriesofTraditionwouldneverleaveagoodthingalonewhentheysawit),thefineoldeasy,understandableAlphabet—A,B,C,D,E,andtherestof‘em—gotbackintoitspropershapeagainforallBestBelovedstolearnwhentheyareoldenough.
ButIrememberTegumaiBopsulai,andTaffimaiMetallumaiandTeshumaiTewindrow,herdearMummy,andallthedaysgoneby.Anditwasso—justso—alittletimeago—onthebanksofthebigWagai!
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