Chapter 9: The Monkeys Council from The Story of Doctor Dolittle

English

Chee–CheestoodoutsidetheDoctor'sdoor,keepingeverybodyawaytillhewokeup.ThenJohnDolittletoldthemonkeysthathemustnowgobacktoPuddleby.

Theywereverysurprisedatthis;fortheyhadthoughtthathewasgoingtostaywiththemforever.Andthatnightallthemonkeysgottogetherinthejungletotalkitover.

AndtheChiefChimpanzeeroseupandsaid,

"Whyisitthegoodmanisgoingaway?Ishenothappyherewithus?"

Butnoneofthemcouldanswerhim.

ThentheGrandGorillagotupandsaid,

"Ithinkweallshouldgotohimandaskhimtostay.

Perhapsifwemakehimanewhouseandabiggerbed,andpromisehimplentyofmonkey–servantstoworkforhimandtomakelifepleasantforhim—perhapsthenhewillnotwishtogo."

ThenChee–Cheegotup;andalltheotherswhispered,"Sh!Look!Chee–Chee,thegreatTraveler,isabouttospeak!"

AndChee–Cheesaidtotheothermonkeys,

"Myfriends,IamafraiditisuselesstoasktheDoctortostay.HeowesmoneyinPuddleby;andhesayshemustgobackandpayit."

Andthemonkeysaskedhim,"WhatisMONEY?"

ThenChee–CheetoldthemthatintheLandoftheWhiteMenyoucouldgetnothingwithoutmoney;youcouldDOnothingwithoutmoney—thatitwasalmostimpossibletoLIVEwithoutmoney.

Andsomeofthemasked,"Butcanyounoteveneatanddrinkwithoutpaying?"

ButChee–Cheeshookhishead.Andthenhetoldthemthatevenhe,whenhewaswiththeorgan–grinder,hadbeenmadetoaskthechildrenformoney.

AndtheChiefChimpanzeeturnedtotheOldestOrangoutangandsaid,"Cousin,surelytheseMenbestrangecreatures!Whowouldwishtoliveinsuchaland?Mygracious,howpaltry!"

ThenChee–Cheesaid,

"Whenwewerecomingtoyouwehadnoboattocrosstheseainandnomoneytobuyfoodtoeatonourjourney.

Soamanlentussomebiscuits;andwesaidwewouldpayhimwhenwecameback.

Andweborrowedaboatfromasailor;butitwasbrokenontherockswhenwereachedtheshoresofAfrica.

NowtheDoctorsayshemustgobackandgetthesailoranotherboat—becausethemanwaspoorandhisshipwasallhehad."

Andthemonkeyswereallsilentforawhile,sittingquitestilluponthegroundandthinkinghard.

AtlasttheBiggestBaboongotupandsaid,

"Idonotthinkweoughttoletthisgoodmanleaveourlandtillwehavegivenhimafinepresenttotakewithhim,sothathemayknowwearegratefulforallthathehasdoneforus."

Andalittle,tinyredmonkeywhowassittingupinatreeshouteddown,

"Ithinkthattoo!"

Andthentheyallcriedout,makingagreatnoise,"Yes,yes.LetusgivehimthefinestpresentaWhiteManeverhad!"

Nowtheybegantowonderandaskoneanotherwhatwouldbethebestthingtogivehim.

Andonesaid,"Fiftybagsofcocoanuts!"

Andanother—"Ahundredbunchesofbananas!

—AtleastheshallnothavetobuyhisfruitintheLandWhereYouPaytoEat!"

ButChee–Cheetoldthemthatallthesethingswouldbetooheavytocarrysofarandwouldgobadbeforehalfwaseaten.

"Ifyouwanttopleasehim,"hesaid,"givehimananimal.Youmaybesurehewillbekindtoit.Givehimsomerareanimaltheyhavenotgotinthemenageries."

Andthemonkeysaskedhim,"WhatareMENAGERIES?"

ThenChee–CheeexplainedtothemthatmenagerieswereplacesintheLandoftheWhiteMen,whereanimalswereputincagesforpeopletocomeandlookat.

Andthemonkeyswereveryshockedandsaidtooneanother,

"TheseMenarelikethoughtlessyoungones—stupidandeasilyamused.Sh!Itisaprisonhemeans."

SothentheyaskedChee–CheewhatrareanimalitcouldbethattheyshouldgivetheDoctor—onetheWhiteMenhadnotseenbefore.AndtheMajoroftheMarmosettesasked,

"Havetheyaniguanaoverthere?"

ButChee–Cheesaid,"Yes,thereisoneintheLondonZoo."

Andanotherasked,"Havetheyanokapi?"

ButChee–Cheesaid,"Yes.InBelgium,wheremyorgan–grindertookmefiveyearsago,theyhadanokapiinabigcitytheycallAntwerp."

Andanotherasked,"Havetheyapushmi–pullyu?"

ThenChee–Cheesaid,"No.NoWhiteManhaseverseenapushmi–pullyu.Letusgivehimthat."

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