JustatthatmomentPolynesiacameintotheroomandsaidsomethingtotheDoctorinbirdlanguage. OfcourseIdidnotunderstandwhatitwas. ButtheDoctoratonceputdownhisknifeandforkandlefttheroom. "Youknowitisanawfulshame,"saidtheparrotassoonastheDoctorhadclosedthedoor. "Directlyhecomesbackhome,alltheanimalsoverthewholecountrysidegettohearofitandeverysickcatandmangyrabbitformilesaroundcomestoseehimandaskhisadvice. Nowthere'sabigfathareoutsideatthebackdoorwithasquawkingbaby.CansheseetheDoctor,please!—Thinksit'sgoingtohaveconvulsions. Stupidlittlething'sbeeneatingDeadlyNightshadeagain,Isuppose. TheanimalsareSOinconsiderateattimes—especiallythemothers. TheycomeroundandcalltheDoctorawayfromhismealsandwakehimoutofhisbedatallhoursofthenight. Idon'tknowhowhestandsit—reallyIdon't. Why,thepoormannevergetsanypeaceatall! I'vetoldhimtimeandagaintohavespecialhoursfortheanimalstocome. Butheissofrightfullykindandconsiderate. Heneverrefusestoseethemifthereisanythingreallywrongwiththem. Hesaystheurgentcasesmustbeseenatonce." "Whydon'tsomeoftheanimalsgoandseetheotherdoctors?"Iasked. "OhGoodGracious!"exclaimedtheparrot,tossingherheadscornfully. "Why,therearen'tanyotheranimal-doctors—notrealdoctors. OhofcoursethereAREthosevetpersons,tobesure.But,blessyou,they'renogood. Yousee,theycan'tunderstandtheanimals'language;sohowcanyouexpectthemtobeanyuse? Imagineyourself,oryourfather,goingtoseeadoctorwhocouldnotunderstandawordyousay—noreventellyouinyourownlanguagewhatyoumustdotogetwell!Poof!—thosevets!They'rethatstupid,you'venoidea! —PuttheDoctor'sbacondownbythefire,willyou?—tokeephottillhecomesback." "DoyouthinkIwouldeverbeabletolearnthelanguageoftheanimals?"Iasked,layingtheplateuponthehearth. "Well,italldepends,"saidPolynesia."Areyoucleveratlessons?" "Idon'tknow,"Ianswered,feelingratherashamed."Yousee,I'veneverbeentoschool.Myfatheristoopoortosendme." "Well,"saidtheparrot,"Idon'tsupposeyouhavereallymissedmuch—tojudgefromwhatIhaveseenofschool-boys.Butlisten:areyouagoodnoticer?—Doyounoticethingswell? Imean,forinstance,supposingyousawtwocock-starlingsonanapple-tree,andyouonlytookonegoodlookatthem—wouldyoubeabletotellonefromtheotherifyousawthemagainthenextday?" "Idon'tknow,"Isaid."I'venevertried." "Wellthat,"saidPolynesia,brushingsomecrumbsoffthecornerofthetablewithherleftfoot—"thatiswhatyoucallpowersofobservation—noticingthesmallthingsaboutbirdsandanimals:thewaytheywalkandmovetheirheadsandfliptheirwings;thewaytheysnifftheairandtwitchtheirwhiskersandwiggletheirtails. Youhavetonoticeallthoselittlethingsifyouwanttolearnanimallanguage. Foryousee,lotsoftheanimalshardlytalkatallwiththeirtongues;theyusetheirbreathortheirtailsortheirfeetinstead. Thatisbecausemanyofthem,intheoldendayswhenlionsandtigersweremoreplentiful,wereafraidtomakeanoiseforfearthesavagecreaturesheardthem. Birds,ofcourse,didn'tcare;fortheyalwayshadwingstoflyawaywith. Butthatisthefirstthingtoremember:beingagoodnoticeristerriblyimportantinlearninganimallanguage." "Itsoundsprettyhard,"Isaid. "You'llhavetobeverypatient,"saidPolynesia. "Ittakesalongtimetosayevenafewwordsproperly. ButifyoucomehereoftenI'llgiveyouafewlessonsmyself. Andonceyougetstartedyou'llbesurprisedhowfastyougeton. Itwouldindeedbeagoodthingifyoucouldlearn. BecausethenyoucoulddosomeoftheworkfortheDoctor—Imeantheeasierwork,likebandagingandgivingpills.Yes,yes,that'sagoodideaofmine. 'Twouldbeagreatthingifthepoormancouldgetsomehelp—andsomerest.Itisascandalthewayheworks. Iseenoreasonwhyyoushouldn'tbeabletohelphimagreatdeal—Thatis,ifyouarereallyinterestedinanimals." "Oh,I'dlovethat!"Icried."DoyouthinktheDoctorwouldletme?" "Certainly,"saidPolynesia—"assoonasyouhavelearnedsomethingaboutdoctoring.I'llspeakofittohimmyself—Sh!Ihearhimcoming.Quick—bringhisbaconbackontothetable." 
