"IthinkyourhouseisthemostinterestinghouseIwaseverin,"Isaidaswesetoffinthedirectionofthetown."MayIcomeandseeyouagainto-morrow?" "Certainly,"saidtheDoctor."Comeanydayyoulike.To-morrowI'llshowyouthegardenandmyprivatezoo." "Yes,"saidhe."Thelargeranimalsaretoobigforthehouse,soIkeeptheminazoointhegarden.Itisnotaverybigcollectionbutitisinterestinginitsway." "Itmustbesplendid,"Isaid,"tobeabletotalkallthelanguagesofthedifferentanimals.DoyouthinkIcouldeverlearntodoit?" "Ohsurely,"saidtheDoctor—"withpractise.Youhavetobeverypatient,youknow.YoureallyoughttohavePolynesiatostartyou.Itwasshewhogavememyfirstlessons." "PolynesiawasaWestAfricanparrotIhad.Sheisn'twithmeanymorenow,"saidtheDoctorsadly. "Ohno,"saidtheDoctor."Sheisstillliving,Ihope. ButwhenwereachedAfricasheseemedsogladtogetbacktoherowncountry.Sheweptforjoy. AndwhenthetimecameformetocomebackhereIhadnotthehearttotakeherawayfromthatsunnyland—although,itistrue,shedidoffertocome.IleftherinAfrica—Ahwell!Ihavemissedherterribly.Sheweptagainwhenweleft.ButIthinkIdidtherightthing. ShewasoneofthebestfriendsIeverhad. Itwasshewhofirstgavemetheideaoflearningtheanimallanguagesandbecomingananimaldoctor. IoftenwonderifsheremainedhappyinAfrica,andwhetherIshalleverseeherfunny,old,solemnfaceagain—GoodoldPolynesia!—Amostextraordinarybird—Well,well!" Justatthatmomentweheardthenoiseofsomeonerunningbehindus;andturningroundwesawJipthedogrushingdowntheroadafterus,asfastashislegscouldbringhim. Heseemedveryexcitedaboutsomething,andassoonashecameuptous,hestartedbarkingandwhiningtotheDoctorinapeculiarway. ThentheDoctortooseemedtogetallworkedupandbegantalkingandmakingqueersignstothedog. Atlengthheturnedtome,hisfaceshiningwithhappiness. "Polynesiahascomeback!"hecried."Imagineit.Jipsaysshehasjustarrivedatthehouse.My!Andit'sfiveyearssinceIsawher—Excusemeaminute." Heturnedasiftogobackhome.Buttheparrot,Polynesia,wasalreadyflyingtowardsus. TheDoctorclappedhishandslikeachildgettinganewtoy;whiletheswarmofsparrowsintheroadwayfluttered,gossiping,upontothefences,highlyscandalizedtoseeagrayandscarletparrotskimmingdownanEnglishlane. Onshecame,straightontotheDoctor'sshoulder,wheresheimmediatelybegantalkingasteadystreaminalanguageIcouldnotunderstand. Sheseemedtohaveaterriblelottosay. AndverysoontheDoctorhadforgottenallaboutmeandmysquirrelandJipandeverythingelse;tillatlengththebirdclearlyaskedhimsomethingaboutme. "Ohexcuseme,Stubbins!"saidtheDoctor."Iwassointerestedlisteningtomyoldfriendhere.Wemustgetonandseethissquirrelofyours—Polynesia,thisisThomasStubbins." Theparrot,ontheDoctor'sshoulder,noddedgravelytowardsmeandthen,tomygreatsurprise,saidquiteplainlyinEnglish, "Howdoyoudo?Irememberthenightyouwereborn.Itwasaterriblycoldwinter.Youwereaveryuglybaby." "Stubbinsisanxioustolearnanimallanguage,"saidtheDoctor."IwasjusttellinghimaboutyouandthelessonsyougavemewhenJipranupandtoldusyouhadarrived." "Well,"saidtheparrot,turningtome,"ImayhavestartedtheDoctorlearningbutInevercouldhavedoneeventhat,ifhehadn'tfirsttaughtmetounderstandwhatIwassayingwhenIspokeEnglish. Yousee,manyparrotscantalklikeaperson,butveryfewofthemunderstandwhattheyaresaying. Theyjustsayitbecause—well,becausetheyfancyitissmartor,becausetheyknowtheywillgetcrackersgiventhem." BythistimewehadturnedandweregoingtowardsmyhomewithJiprunninginfrontandPolynesiastillperchedontheDoctor'sshoulder. Thebirdchatteredincessantly,mostlyaboutAfrica;butnowshespokeinEnglish,outofpolitenesstome. "HowisPrinceBumpogettingon?"askedtheDoctor. "Oh,I'mgladyouaskedme,"saidPolynesia."Ialmostforgottotellyou.Whatdoyouthink?—BUMPOISINENGLAND!" "InEngland!—Youdon'tsay!"criedtheDoctor."Whatonearthishedoinghere?" "Hisfather,theking,senthimheretoaplacecalled—er—Bullford,Ithinkitwas—tostudylessons." "Bullford!—Bullford!"mutteredtheDoctor."Ineverheardoftheplace—Oh,youmeanOxford." "Yes,that'stheplace—Oxford,"saidPolynesia"Iknewithadcattleinitsomewhere.Oxford—that'stheplacehe'sgoneto." "Well,well,"murmuredtheDoctor."FancyBumpostudyingatOxford—Well,well!" "ThereweregreatdoingsinJolliginkiwhenheleft.Hewasscaredtodeathtocome. Hewasthefirstmanfromthatcountrytogoabroad. Hethoughthewasgoingtobeeatenbywhitecannibalsorsomething. Youknowwhatthoseniggersare—thatignorant!Well!—Buthisfathermadehimcome. HesaidthatalltheblackkingsweresendingtheirsonstoOxfordnow. Itwasthefashion,andhewouldhavetogo. Bumpowantedtobringhissixwiveswithhim. Butthekingwouldn'tlethimdothateither. PoorBumpowentoffintears—andeverybodyinthepalacewascryingtoo.Youneverheardsuchahullabaloo." "DoyouknowifheeverwentbackinsearchofTheSleepingBeauty?"askedtheDoctor. "Ohyes,"saidPolynesia—"thedayafteryouleft.Andagoodthingforhimhedid:thekinggottoknowabouthishelpingyoutoescape;andhewasdreadfullywildaboutit." "AndTheSleepingBeauty?—didheeverfindher?" "Well,hebroughtbacksomethingwhichheSAIDwasTheSleepingBeauty. Myself,Ithinkitwasanalbinoniggeress. Shehadredhairandthebiggestfeetyoueversaw. ButBumpowasnoendpleasedwithherandfinallymarriedheramidgreatrejoicings.Thefeastingslastedsevendays. ShebecamehischiefwifeandisnowknownoutthereastheCrown-PrincessBumPAH—youaccentthelastsyllable." "Andtellme,didheremainwhite?" "Onlyforaboutthreemonths,"saidtheparrot. "Afterthathisfaceslowlyreturnedtoitsnaturalcolor.Itwasjustaswell. Hewassoconspicuousinhisbathing-suitthewayhewas,withhisfacewhiteandtherestofhimblack." "AndhowisChee-Cheegettingon?—Chee-Chee,"addedtheDoctorinexplanationtome,"wasapetmonkeyIhadyearsago.IlefthimtooinAfricawhenIcameaway." "Well,"saidPolynesiafrowning,—"Chee-Cheeisnotentirelyhappy. Isawagooddealofhimthelastfewyears. Hegotdreadfullyhomesickforyouandthehouseandthegarden. It'sfunny,butIwasjustthesamewaymyself. YourememberhowcrazyIwastogetbacktothedearoldland? AndAfricaISawonderfulcountry—Idon'tcarewhatanybodysays. Well,IthoughtIwasgoingtohaveaperfectlygrandtime. Butsomehow—Idon'tknow—afterafewweeksitseemedtogettiresome.Ijustcouldn'tseemtosettledown. Well,tomakealongstoryshort,onenightImadeupmymindthatI'dcomebackhereandfindyou. SoIhuntedupoldChee-Cheeandtoldhimaboutit. Hesaidhedidn'tblamemeabit—feltexactlythesamewayhimself. Africawassodeadlyquietafterthelifewehadledwithyou. Hemissedthestoriesyouusedtotellusoutofyouranimalbooks—andthechatsweusedtohavesittingroundthekitchen-fireonwinternights. Theanimalsouttherewereverynicetousandallthat. Butsomehowthedearkindcreaturesseemedabitstupid.Chee-Cheesaidhehadnoticedittoo. ButIsupposeitwasn'ttheywhohadchanged;itwaswewhoweredifferent. WhenIleft,pooroldChee-Cheebrokedownandcried. Hesaidhefeltasthoughhisonlyfriendwereleavinghim—though,asyouknow,hehassimplymillionsofrelativesthere. Hesaiditdidn'tseemfairthatIshouldhavewingstoflyoverhereanytimeIliked,andhimwithnowaytofollowme. Butmarkmywords,Iwouldn'tbeabitsurprisedifhefoundawaytocome—someday.He'sasmartlad,isChee-Chee." Atthispointwearrivedatmyhome.Myfather'sshopwasclosedandtheshutterswereup;butmymotherwasstandingatthedoorlookingdownthestreet. "Goodevening,Mrs.Stubbins,"saidtheDoctor."Itismyfaultyoursonissolate. Imadehimstaytosupperwhilehisclothesweredrying. Hewassoakedtotheskin;andsowasI. WeranintooneanotherinthestormandIinsistedonhiscomingintomyhouseforshelter." "Iwasbeginningtogetworriedabouthim,"saidmymother."Iamthankfultoyou,Sir,forlookingafterhimsowellandbringinghimhome." "Don'tmentionit—don'tmentionit,"saidtheDoctor."Wehavehadaveryinterestingchat." "WhomightitbethatIhavethehonorofaddressing?"askedmymotherstaringatthegrayparrotperchedontheDoctor'sshoulder. "Oh,I'mJohnDolittle.Idaresayyourhusbandwillrememberme. Hemademesomeveryexcellentbootsaboutfouryearsago. Theyreallyaresplendid,"addedtheDoctor,gazingdownathisfeetwithgreatsatisfaction. "TheDoctorhascometocuremysquirrel,Mother,"saidI."Heknowsallaboutanimals." "Oh,no,"saidtheDoctor,"notall,Stubbins,notallaboutthembyanymeans." "Itisverykindofyoutocomesofartolookafterhispet,"saidmymother."Tomisalwaysbringinghomestrangecreaturesfromthewoodsandthefields." "Ishe?"saidtheDoctor."Perhapshewillgrowuptobeanaturalistsomeday.Whoknows?" "Won'tyoucomein?"askedmymother."TheplaceisalittleuntidybecauseIhaven'tfinishedthespringcleaningyet.Butthere'sanicefireburningintheparlor." "Thankyou!"saidtheDoctor."Whatacharminghomeyouhave!" Andafterwipinghisenormousbootsvery,verycarefullyonthemat,thegreatmanpassedintothehouse. 
