English
Well,nowthathewasstartedoncemoreuponhisoldhobbyoftheshellfishlanguages,therewasnostoppingtheDoctor.Heworkedrightthroughthenight.
AlittleaftermidnightIfellasleepinachair;abouttwointhemorningBumpofellasleepatthewheel;andforfivehourstheCurlewwasallowedtodriftwheresheliked.
ButstillJohnDolittleworkedon,tryinghishardesttounderstandthefidgit'slanguage,strugglingtomakethefidgitunderstandhim.
WhenIwokeupitwasbroaddaylightagain.TheDoctorwasstillstandingatthelistening-tank,lookingastiredasanowlanddreadfullywet.Butonhisfacetherewasaproudandhappysmile.
"Stubbins,"hesaidassoonashesawmestir,"I'vedoneit.
I'vegotthekeytothefidgit'slanguage.
It'safrightfullydifficultlanguage—quitedifferentfromanythingIeverheard.
Theonlythingitremindsmeof—slightly—isancientHebrew.
Itisn'tshellfish;butit'sabigsteptowardsit.
Now,thenextthing,IwantyoutotakeapencilandafreshnotebookandwritedowneverythingIsay.
Thefidgithaspromisedtotellmethestoryofhislife.
IwilltranslateitintoEnglishandyouputitdowninthebook.Areyouready?"
OncemoretheDoctorloweredhisearbeneaththelevelofthewater;andashebegantospeak,Istartedtowrite.Andthisisthestorythatthefidgittoldus.
THIRTEENMONTHSINANAQUARIUM
"IwasborninthePacificOcean,closetothecoastofChile.
Iwasoneofafamilyoftwo-thousandfive-hundredandten.
Soonafterourmotherandfatherleftus,weyoungstersgotscattered.
Thefamilywasbrokenup—byaherdofwhaleswhochasedus.
Iandmysister,Clippa(shewasmyfavoritesister)hadaverynarrowescapeforourlives.
Asarule,whalesarenotveryhardtogetawayfromifyouaregoodatdodging—ifyou'veonlygotaquickswerve.
ButthisonethatcameafterClippaandmyselfwasaverymeanwhale,Everytimehelostusunderastoneorsomethinghe'dcomebackandhuntandhunttillheroutedusoutintotheopenagain.
Ineversawsuchanasty,perseveringbrute.
"Well,weshookhimatlast—thoughnotbeforehehadworriedusforhundredsofmilesnorthward,upthewestcoastofSouthAmerica.Butluckwasagainstusthatday.
Whilewewererestingandtryingtogetourbreath,anotherfamilyoffidgitscamerushingby,shouting,'Comeon!Swimforyourlives!Thedog-fisharecoming!'
"Nowdog-fishareparticularlyfondoffidgits.
Weare,youmightsay,theirfavoritefood—andforthatreasonwealwayskeepawayfromdeep,muddywaters.
What'smore,dog-fisharenoteasytoescapefrom;theyareterriblyfastandcleverhunters.Soupwehadtojumpandonagain.
"Afterwehadgoneafewmorehundredmileswelookedbackandsawthatthedog-fishweregainingonus.Soweturnedintoaharbor.
IthappenedtobeoneonthewestcoastoftheUnitedStates.
Hereweguessed,andhoped,thedog-fishwouldnotbelikelytofollowus.
Asithappened,theydidn'tevenseeusturnin,butdashedonnorthwardandweneversawthemagain.
IhopetheyfrozetodeathintheArcticSeas.
"But,asIsaid,luckwasagainstusthatday.
WhileIandmysisterwerecruisinggentlyroundtheshipsanchoredintheharborlookingfororange-peels,agreatdelicacywithus—-SWOOP!BANG!—wewerecaughtinanet.
"Westruggledforallwewereworth;butitwasnouse.
Thenetwassmall-meshedandstronglymade.
Kickingandflippingwewerehauledupthesideoftheshipanddumpeddownonthedeck,highanddryinablazingnoon-daysun.
"Hereacoupleofoldmeninwhiskersandspectaclesleantoverus,makingstrangesounds.
Somecodlinghadgotcaughtinthenetthesametimeaswewere.
Thesetheoldmenthrewbackintothesea;butustheyseemedtothinkveryprecious.
Theyputuscarefullyintoalargejarandaftertheyhadtakenusonshoretheywenttoabighouseandchangedusfromthejarintoglassboxesfullofwater.
Thishousewasontheedgeoftheharbor;andasmallstreamofsea-waterwasmadetoflowthroughtheglasstanksowecouldbreatheproperly.
Ofcoursewehadneverlivedinsideglasswallsbefore;andatfirstwekeptontryingtoswimthroughthemandgotournosesawfullysorebumpingtheglassatfullspeed.
"Thenfollowedweeksandweeksofwearyidleness.
Theytreateduswell,sofarastheyknewhow.
Theoldfellowsinspectaclescameandlookedatusproudlytwiceadayandsawthatwehadtheproperfoodtoeat,therightamountoflightandthatthewaterwasnottoohotortoocold.Butoh,thedullnessofthatlife!Itseemedwewereakindofashow.
Atacertainhoureverymorningthebigdoorsofthehousewerethrownopenandeverybodyinthecitywhohadnothingspecialtodocameinandlookedatus.
Therewereothertanksfilledwithdifferentkindsoffishesallroundthewallsofthebigroom.
Andthecrowdswouldgofromtanktotank,lookinginatusthroughtheglass—withtheirmouthsopen,likehalf-wittedflounders.
Wegotsosickofitthatweusedtoopenourmouthsbackatthem;andthistheyseemedtothinkhighlycomical.
"Onedaymysistersaidtome,'Thinkyou,Brother,thatthesestrangecreatureswhohavecaptureduscantalk?'
"'Surely,'saidI,'haveyounotnoticedthatsometalkwiththelipsonly,somewiththewholeface,andyetothersdiscoursewiththehands?
Whentheycomequiteclosetotheglassyoucanhearthem.Listen!'
"Atthatmomentafemale,largerthantherest,pressedhernoseupagainsttheglass,pointedatmeandsaidtoheryoungbehindher,'Oh,look,here'saqueerone!'
"Andthenwenoticedthattheynearlyalwayssaidthiswhentheylookedin.
Andforalongtimewethoughtthatsuchwasthewholeextentofthelanguage,thisbeingapeopleofbutfewideas.
Tohelppassawaythewearyhourswelearneditbyheart,'Oh,look,here'saqueerone!'Butwenevergottoknowwhatitmeant.
Otherphrases,however,wedidgetthemeaningof;andweevenlearnedtoreadalittleinman-talk.
Manybigsignstherewere,setupuponthewalls;andwhenwesawthatthekeepersstoppedthepeoplefromspittingandsmoking,pointedtothesesignsangrilyandreadthemoutloud,weknewthenthatthesewritingssignified,'NoSmokingandDon'tSpit.'
Thenintheevenings,afterthecrowdhadgone,thesameagedmalewithonelegofwood,sweptupthepeanut-shellswithabroomeverynight.
Andwhilehewassodoinghealwayswhistledthesametunetohimself.
Thismelodyweratherliked;andwelearnedthattoobyheart—thinkingitwaspartofthelanguage.
"Thusawholeyearwentbyinthisdismalplace.
Somedaysnewfisheswerebroughtintotheothertanks;andotherdaysoldfishesweretakenout.
Atfirstwehadhopedwewouldonlybekepthereforawhile,andthatafterwehadbeenlookedatsufficientlywewouldbereturnedtofreedomandthesea.
Butasmonthaftermonthwentby,andwewereleftundisturbed,ourheartsgrewheavywithinourprison-wallsofglassandwespoketooneanotherlessandless.
"Oneday,whenthecrowdwasthickestinthebigroom,awomanwitharedfacefaintedfromtheheat.
Iwatchedthroughtheglassandsawthattherestofthepeoplegothighlyexcited—thoughtomeitdidnotseemtobeamatterofverygreatimportance.
Theythrewcoldwateronherandcarriedheroutintotheopenair.
"Thismademethinkmightily;andpresentlyagreatideaburstuponme.
"'Sister,'Isaid,turningtopoorClippawhowassulkingatthebottomofourprisontryingtohidebehindastonefromthestupidgazeofthechildrenwhothrongedaboutourtank,'supposingthatwepretendedweweresick:doyouthinktheywouldtakeusalsofromthisstuffyhouse?'
"'Brother,'saidshewearily,'thattheymightdo.Butmostlikelytheywouldthrowusonarubbish-heap,wherewewoulddieinthehotsun.'
"'But,'saidI,'whyshouldtheygoabroadtoseekarubbish-heap,whentheharborissoclose?
WhilewewerebeingbroughthereIsawmenthrowingtheirrubbishintothewater.
Iftheywouldonlythrowusalsothere,wecouldquicklyreachthesea.'
"'TheSea!'murmuredpoorClippawithafarawaylookinhereyes(shehadfineeyes,hadmysister,Clippa).'Howlikeadreamitsounds—theSea!
Ohbrother,willweeverswiminitagain,thinkyou?
EverynightasIlieawakeonthefloorofthisevil-smellingdungeonIhearitsheartyvoiceringinginmyears.HowIhavelongedforit!
Justtofeelitonceagain,thenice,big,wholesomehomelinessofitall!
Tojump,justtojumpfromthecrestofanAtlanticwave,laughinginthetradewind'sspindrift,downintotheblue-greenswirlingtrough!
Tochasetheshrimpsonasummerevening,whentheskyisredandthelight'sallpinkwithinthefoam!
Tolieonthetop,inthedoldrums'noondaycalm,andwarmyourtummyinthetropicsun!
TowanderhandinhandoncemorethroughthegiantseaweedforestsoftheIndianOcean,seekingthedeliciouseggsofthepop-pop!
Toplayhide-and-seekamongthecastlesofthecoraltownswiththeirpearlandjasperwindowsspanglingtheflooroftheSpanishMain!
Topicnicintheanemone-meadows,dimblueandlilac-gray,thatlieinthelowlandsbeyondtheSouthSeaGarden!
Tothrowsomersaultsonthespringysponge-bedsoftheMexicanGulf!
Topokeaboutamongthedeadshipsandseewhatwondersandadventureslieinside!
—Andthen,onwinternightswhentheNortheasterwhipsthewaterintofroth,toswoopdownanddowntogetawayfromthecold,downtowherethewater'swarmanddark,downandstilldown,tillwespythetwinkleofthefire-eelsfarbelowwhereourfriendsandcousinssitchattingroundtheCouncilGrotto—chatting,Brother,overthenewsandgossipofTHESEA!...Oh—'
"Andthenshebrokedowncompletely,sniffling.
"'Stopit!'Isaid.'Youmakemehomesick.
Lookhere:let'spretendwe'resick—orbetterstill,let'spretendwe'redead;andseewhathappens.
Iftheythrowusonarubbish-heapandwefryinthesun,we'llnotbemuchworseoffthanwearehereinthissmellyprison.Whatdoyousay?Willyouriskit?'
"'Iwill,'shesaid—'andgladly.'
"Sonextmorningtwofidgitswerefoundbythekeeperfloatingonthetopofthewaterintheirtank,stiffanddead.
Wegaveamightygoodimitationofdeadfish—althoughIsayitmyself.
Thekeeperranandgottheoldgentlemenwithspectaclesandwhiskers.
Theythrewuptheirhandsinhorrorwhentheysawus.
Liftinguscarefullyoutofthewatertheylaidusonwetcloths.Thatwasthehardestpartofall.
Ifyou'reafishandgettakenoutofthewateryouhavetokeepopeningandshuttingyourmouthtobreatheatall—andeventhatyoucan'tkeepupforlong.
Andallthistimewehadtostaystiffassticksandbreathesilentlythroughhalf-closedlips.
"Well,theoldfellowspokedusandfeltusandpinchedustillIthoughtthey'dneverbedone.
Then,whentheirbackswereturnedamoment,awretchedcatgotuponthetableandnearlyateus.
Luckilytheoldmenturnedroundintimeandshooedheraway.
Youmaybesurethoughthatwetookacoupleofgoodgulpsofairwhiletheyweren'tlooking;andthatwastheonlythingthatsavedusfromchoking.
IwantedtowhispertoClippatobebraveandstickitout.
ButIcouldn'tevendothat;because,asyouknow,mostkindsoffish-talkcannotbeheard—notevenashout—unlessyou'reunderwater.
"Then,justaswewereabouttogiveitupandletonthatwewerealive,oneoftheoldmenshookhisheadsadly,liftedusupandcarriedusoutofthebuilding.
"'Nowforit!'Ithoughttomyself.'We'llsoonknowourfate:libertyorthegarbage-can.'
"Outside,toourunspeakablehorror,hemadestraightforalargeash-barrelwhichstoodagainstthewallontheothersideofayard.
Mosthappilyforus,however,whilehewascrossingthisyardaverydirtymanwithawagonandhorsesdroveupandtooktheash-barrelaway.Isupposeitwashisproperty.
"Thentheoldmanlookedaroundforsomeotherplacetothrowus.
Heseemedabouttocastusupontheground.
Butheevidentlythoughtthatthiswouldmaketheyarduntidyandhedesisted.Thesuspensewasterrible.
Hemovedoutsidetheyard-gateandmyheartsankoncemoreasIsawthathenowintendedtothrowusinthegutteroftheroadway.
But(fortunewasindeedwithusthatday),alargemanin,blueclothesandsilverbuttonsstoppedhiminthenickoftime.
Evidently,fromthewaythelargemanlecturedandwavedashortthickstick,itwasagainsttherulesofthetowntothrowdeadfishinthestreets.
"Atlast,toourunutterablejoy,theoldmanturnedandmovedoffwithustowardstheharbor.
Hewalkedsoslowly,mutteringtohimselfallthewayandwatchingthemaninblueoutofthecornerofhiseye,thatIwantedtobitehisfingertomakehimhurryup.
BothClippaandIwereactuallyatourlastgasp.
"Finallyhereachedthesea-wallandgivingusonelastsadlookhedroppedusintothewatersoftheharbor.
"Neverhadwerealizedanythinglikethethrillofthatmoment,aswefeltthesaltwetnesscloseoverourheads.
Withoneflickofourtailswecametolifeagain.
Theoldmanwassosurprisedthathefellrightintothewater,almostontopofus.
Fromthishewasrescuedbyasailorwithaboat-hook;andthelastwesawofhim,themaninbluewasdragginghimawaybythecoat-collar,lecturinghimagain.
Apparentlyitwasalsoagainsttherulesofthetowntothrowdeadfishintotheharbor.
"Butwe?—Whattimeorthoughthadweforhistroubles?WEWEREFREE!Inlightningleaps,incurvingspurts,incrazyzig-zags—whooping,shriekingwithdelight,wespedforhomeandtheopensea!
"ThatisallofmystoryandIwillnow,asIpromisedlastnight,trytoansweranyquestionsyoumayaskaboutthesea,onconditionthatIamsetatlibertyassoonasyouhavedone."
TheDoctor:"IsthereanypartoftheseadeeperthanthatknownastheNeroDeep—ImeantheoneneartheIslandofGuam?"
TheFidgit:"Why,certainly.There'sonemuchdeeperthanthatnearthemouthoftheAmazonRiver.Butit'ssmallandhardtofind.Wecallit'TheDeepHole.'
Andthere'sanotherintheAntarcticSea."
TheDoctor:"Canyoutalkanyshellfishlanguageyourself?"
TheFidgit:"No,notaword.Weregularfishesdon'thaveanythingtodowiththeshellfish.Weconsiderthemalowclass."
TheDoctor:"Butwhenyou'renearthem,canyouhearthesoundtheymaketalking—Imeanwithoutnecessarilyunderstandingwhattheysay?"
TheFidgit:"Onlywiththeverylargestones.
Shellfishhavesuchweaksmallvoicesitisalmostimpossibleforanybuttheirownkindtohearthem.
Butwiththebiggeronesitisdifferent.
Theymakeasad,boomingnoise,ratherlikeanironpipebeingknockedwithastone—onlynotnearlysoloudofcourse."
TheDoctor:"Iammostanxioustogetdowntothebottomofthesea—tostudymanythings.
Butwelandanimals,asyounodoubtknow,areunabletobreatheunderwater.Haveyouanyideasthatmighthelpme?"
TheFidgit:"IthinkthatforbothyourdifficultiesthebestthingforyoutodowouldbetotryandgetholdoftheGreatGlassSeaSnail."
TheDoctor:"Er—who,orwhat,istheGreatGlassSeaSnail?"
TheFidgit:"Heisanenormoussalt-watersnail,oneofthewinklefamily,butaslargeasabighouse.
Hetalksquiteloudly—whenhespeaks,butthisisnotoften.
Hecangotoanypartoftheocean,atalldepthsbecausehedoesn'thavetobeafraidofanycreatureinthesea.
Hisshellismadeoftransparentmother-o'-pearlsothatyoucanseethroughit;butit'sthickandstrong.
Whenheisoutofhisshellandhecarriesitemptyonhisback,thereisroominitforawagonandapairofhorses.
Hehasbeenseencarryinghisfoodinitwhentraveling."
TheDoctor:"IfeelthatthatisjustthecreatureIhavebeenlookingfor.
Hecouldtakemeandmyassistantinsidehisshellandwecouldexplorethedeepestdepthsinsafety.Doyouthinkyoucouldgethimforme?"
TheFidgit:"Alas!no.
IwouldwillinglyifIcould;butheishardlyeverseenbyordinaryfish.
HelivesatthebottomoftheDeepHole,andseldomcomesout—AndintotheDeepHole,thelowerwatersofwhicharemuddy,fishessuchasweareafraidtogo."
TheDoctor:"Dearme!That'saterribledisappointment.Aretheremanyofthiskindofsnailinthesea?"
TheFidgit:"Ohno.Heistheonlyoneinexistence,sincehissecondwifediedlong,longago.HeisthelastoftheGiantShellfish.
Hebelongstopastageswhenthewhaleswereland-animalsandallthat.
Theysayheisoverseventythousandyearsold."
TheDoctor:"GoodGracious,whatwonderfulthingshecouldtellme!IdowishIcouldmeethim."
TheFidgit:"Werethereanymorequestionsyouwishedtoaskme?Thiswaterinyourtankisgettingquitewarmandsickly.I'dliketobeputbackintotheseaassoonasyoucanspareme."
TheDoctor:"Justonemorething:whenChristopherColumbuscrossedtheAtlanticin1492,hethrewoverboardtwocopiesofhisdiarysealedupinbarrels.Oneofthemwasneverfound.Itmusthavesunk.Iwouldliketogetitformylibrary.Doyouhappentoknowwhereitis?"
TheFidgit:"Yes,Ido.ThattooisintheDeepHole.
WhenthebarrelsankthecurrentsdrifteditnorthwardsdownwhatwecalltheOrinocoSlope,tillitfinallydisappearedintotheDeepHole.
IfitwasanyotherpartoftheseaI'dtryandgetitforyou;butnotthere."
TheDoctor:"Well,thatisall,Ithink.
Ihatetoputyoubackintothesea,becauseIknowthatassoonasIdo,I'llthinkofahundredotherquestionsIwantedtoaskyou.ButImustkeepmypromise.
Wouldyoucareforanythingbeforeyougo?
—itseemsacoldday—somecracker-crumbsorsomething?"
TheFidgit:"No,Iwon'tstop.AllIwantjustatpresentisfreshsea-water."
TheDoctor:"Icannotthankyouenoughforalltheinformationyouhavegivenme.Youhavebeenveryhelpfulandpatient."
TheFidgit:"Praydonotmentionit.IthasbeenarealpleasuretobeofassistancetothegreatJohnDolittle.
Youare,asofcourseyouknow,alreadyquitefamousamongthebetterclassoffishes.Goodbye!
—andgoodlucktoyou,toyourshipandtoallyourplans!"
TheDoctorcarriedthelistening-tanktoaporthole,openeditandemptiedthetankintothesea."Good-bye!"hemurmuredasafaintsplashreachedusfromwithout.
Idroppedmypencilonthetableandleanedbackwithasigh.
Myfingersweresostiffwithwriters'crampthatIfeltasthoughIshouldneverbeabletoopenmyhandagain.
ButI,atleast,hadhadanight'ssleep.
AsforthepoorDoctor,hewassowearythathehadhardlyputthetankbackuponthetableanddroppedintoachair,whenhiseyesclosedandhebegantosnore.
InthepassageoutsidePolynesiascratchedangrilyatthedoor.Iroseandletherin.
"Anicestateofaffairs!"shestormed."Whatsortofashipisthis?
There'sthatcoloredmanupstairsasleepunderthewheel;theDoctorasleepdownhere;andyoumakingpot-hooksinacopy-bookwithapencil!
ExpecttheshiptosteerherselftoBrazil?
We'rejustdriftingaroundthesealikeanemptybottle—andaweekbehindtimeasitis.What'shappenedtoyouall?"
Shewassoangrythathervoicerosetoascream.ButitwouldhavetakenmorethanthattowaketheDoctor.
Iputthenote-bookcarefullyinadrawerandwentondecktotakethewheel.
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