the story of doctor dolittle-第6部分

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Chee…Chee　brought　the　Doctor　and　his　animals

out　of　the　hiding…place　and　they　set　off　for　the

Land　of　the　Monkeys。



It　was　a　long；　long　way；　and　they　often　got

very　tiredespecially　Gub…Gub。　　But　when　he

cried　they　gave　him　milk　out　of　the　cocoanuts

which　he　was　very　fond　of。



They　always　had　plenty　to　eat　and　drink；

because　Chee…Chee　and　Polynesia　knew　all　the

different　kinds　of　fruits　and　vegetables　that　grow

in　the　jungle；　and　where　to　find　themlike

dates　and　figs　and　ground…nuts　and　ginger　and

yams。　　They　used　to　make　their　lemonade　out　of

the　juice　of　wild　oranges；　sweetened　with　honey

which　they　got　from　the　bees'　nests　in　hollow

trees。　　No　matter　what　it　was　they　asked　for；

Chee…Chee　and　Polynesia　always　seemed　to　be

able　to　get　it　for　themor　something　like　it。

They　even　got　the　Doctor　some　tobacco　one　day；

when　he　had　finished　what　he　had　brought　with

him　and　wanted　to　smoke。



At　night　they　slept　in　tents　made　of　palm…

leaves；　on　thick；　soft　beds　of　dried　grass。　　And

after　a　while　they　got　used　to　walking　such　a　lot

and　did　not　get　so　tired　and　enjoyed　the　life　of

travel　very　much。



But　they　were　always　glad　when　the　night

came　and　they　stopped　for　their　resting…time。

Then　the　Doctor　used　to　make　a　little　fire　of

sticks；　and　after　they　had　had　their　supper；　they

would　sit　round　it　in　a　ring；　listening　to

Polynesia　singing　songs　about　the　sea；　or　to　Chee…

Chee　telling　stories　of　the　jungle。



And　many　of　the　tales　that　Chee…Chee　told

were　very　interesting。　　Because　although　the

monkeys　had　no　history…books　of　their　own

before　Doctor　Dolittle　came　to　write　them　for

them；　they　remember　everything　that　happens　by

telling　stories　to　their　children。　　And　Chee…Chee

spoke　of　many　things　his　grandmother　had　told

himtales　of　long；　long；　long　ago；　before　Noah

and　the　Floodof　the　days　when　men　dressed

in　bear…skins　and　lived　in　holes　in　the　rock　and

ate　their　mutton　raw；　because　they　did　not　know

what　cooking　washaving　never　seen　a　fire。

And　he　told　them　of　the　Great　Mammoths　and

Lizards；　as　long　as　a　train；　that　wandered　over

the　mountains　in　those　times；　nibbling　from　the

tree…tops。　　And　often　they　got　so　interested

listening；　that　when　he　had　finished　they　found

their　fire　had　gone　right　out；　and　they　had　to

scurry　round　to　get　more　sticks　and　build　a　new

one。



Now　when　the　King's　army　had　gone　back

and　told　the　King　that　they　couldn't　find　the

Doctor；　the　King　sent　them　out　again　and　told

them　they　must　stay　in　the　jungle　till　they　caught

him。　　So　all　this　time；　while　the　Doctor　and　his

animals　were　going　along　towards　the　Land　of

the　Monkeys；　thinking　themselves　quite　safe；

they　were　still　being　followed　by　the　King's　men。

If　Chee…Chee　had　known　this；　he　would　most

likely　have　hidden　them　again。　　But　he　didn't

know　it。



One　day　Chee…Chee　climbed　up　a　high　rock

and　looked　out　over　the　tree…tops。　　And　when

he　came　down　he　said　they　were　now　quite　close

to　the　Land　of　the　Monkeys　and　would　soon

be　there。



And　that　same　evening；　sure　enough；　they　saw

Chee…Chee's　cousin　and　a　lot　of　other　monkeys；

who　had　not　yet　got　sick；　sitting　in　the　trees　by

the　edge　of　a　swamp；　looking　and　waiting　for

them。　　And　when　they　saw　the　famous　doctor

really　come；　these　monkeys　made　a　tremendous

noise；　cheering　and　waving　leaves　and　swinging

out　of　the　branches　to　greet　him。



They　wanted　to　carry　his　bag　and　his　trunk

and　everything　he　hadand　one　of　the　bigger

ones　even　carried　Gub…Gub　who　had　got　tired

again。　　Then　two　of　them　rushed　on　in　front　to

tell　the　sick　monkeys　that　the　great　doctor　had

come　at　last。



But　the　King's　men；　who　were　still　following；

had　heard　the　noise　of　the　monkeys　cheering；

and　they　at　last　knew　where　the　Doctor　was；

and　hastened　on　to　catch　him。



The　big　monkey　carrying　Gub…Gub　was　coming

along　behind　slowly；　and　he　saw　the　Captain

of　the　army　sneaking　through　the　trees。

So　he　hurried　after　the　Doctor　and　told　him　to

run。



Then　they　all　ran　harder　than　they　had　ever

run　in　their　lives；　and　the　King's　men；　coming

after　them；　began　to　run　too；　and　the　Captain

ran　hardest　of　all。



Then　the　Doctor　tripped　over　his　medicine…

bag　and　fell　down　in　the　mud；　and　the　Captain

thought　he　would　surely　catch　him　this　time。



But　the　Captain　had　very　long　earsthough

his　hair　was　very　short。　　And　as　he　sprang　forward

to　take　hold　of　the　Doctor；　one　of　his　ears

caught　fast　in　a　tree；　and　the　rest　of　the　army

had　to　stop　and　help　him。



By　this　time　the　Doctor　had　picked　himself

up；　and　on　they　went　again；　running　and　running。

And　Chee…Chee　shouted；



〃It's　all　right！　　We　haven't　far　to　go　now！〃



But　before　they　could　get　into　the　Land　of

the　Monkeys；　they　came　to　a　steep　cliff　with　a

river　flowing　below。　　This　was　the　end　of　the

Kingdom　of　Jolliginki；　and　the　Land　of　the

Monkeys　was　on　the　other　sideacross　the

river。



And　Jip；　the　dog；　looked　down　over　the　edge

of　the　steep；　steep　cliff　and　said；



〃Golly！　How　are　we　ever　going　to　get　across？〃



〃Oh；　dear！〃　said　Gub…Gub。　　〃The　King's

men　are　quite　close　nowLook　at　them！　　I　am

afraid　we　are　going　to　be　taken　back　to　prison

again。〃　　　And　he　began　to　weep。



But　the　big　monkey　who　was　carrying　the

pig　dropped　him　on　the　ground　and　cried　out

to　the　other　monkeys。



〃Boysa　bridge！　　Quick！Make　a　bridge！

We've　only　a　minute　to　do　it。　　They've　got　the

Captain　loose；　and　he's　coming　on　like　a　deer。

Get　lively！　　A　bridge！　　A　bridge！〃



The　Doctor　began　to　wonder　what　they　were　going

to　make　a　bridge　out　of；　and　he　gazed　around

to　see　if　they　had　any　boards　hidden　any　place。



But　when　he　looked　back　at　the　cliff；　there；

hanging　across　the　river；　was　a　bridge　all　ready

for　himmade　of　living　monkeys！　　For　while

his　back　was　turned；　the　monkeysquick　as　a

flashhad　made　themselves　into　a　bridge；　just

by　holding　hands　and　feet。



And　the　big　one　shouted　to　the　Doctor；　〃Walk

over！　　Walk　overall　of　youhurry！〃



Gub…Gub　was　a　bit　scared；　walking　on　such

a　narrow　bridge　at　that　dizzy　height　above　the

river。　　But　he　got　over　all　right；　and　so　did　all

of　them。



John　Dolittle　was　the　last　to　cross。　　And　just

as　he　was　getting　to　the　other　side；　the　King's

men　came　rushing　up　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff。



Then　they　shook　their　fists　and　yelled　with

rage。　　For　they　saw　they　were　too　late。　　The

Doctor　and　all　his　animals　were　safe　in　the　Land

of　the　Monkeys　and　the　bridge　was　pulled　across

to　the　other　side。



Then　Chee…Chee　turned　to　the　Doctor　and

said；



〃Many　great　explorers　and　gray…bearded

naturalists　have　lain　long　weeks　hidden　in　the

jungle　waiting　to　see　the　monkeys　do　that　trick。

But　we　never　let　a　white　man　get　a　glimpse　of　it

before。　　You　are　the　first　to　see　the　famous

‘Bridge　of　Apes。'〃



And　the　Doctor　felt　very　pleased。







THE　EIGHTH　CHAPTER



THE　LEADER　OF　THE　LIONS



JOHN　DOLITTLE　now　became　dreadfully；　awfully　busy。

He　found　hundreds　and　thousands　of　monkeys　sickgorillas；

orangoutangs；　chimpanzees；　dog…faced　baboons；　marmosettes；

gray　monkeys；　red　onesall　kinds。　　And　many　had　died。



The　first　thing　he　did　was　to　separate　the

sick　ones　from　the　well　ones。　　Then　he　got

Chee…Chee　and　his　cousin　to　build　him　a　little

house　of　grass。　　The　next　thing：　he　made　all

the　monkeys　who　were　still　well　come　and　be

vaccinated。



And　for　three　days　and　three　nights　the

monkeys　kept　coming　from　the　jungles　and　the

valleys　and　the　hills　to　the　little　house　of　grass；

where　the　Doctor　sat　all　day　and　all　night；

vaccinating　and　vaccinating。



Then　he　had　another　house　madea　big　one；

with　a　lot　of　beds　in　it；　and　he　put　all　the　sick

ones　in　this　house。



But　so　many　were　sick；　there　were　not　enough

well　ones　to　do　the　nursing。　　So　he　sent

messages　to　the　other　animals；　like　the　lions　and　the

leopards　and　the　antelopes；　to　come　and　help

with　the　nursing。



But　the　Leader　of　the　Lions　was　a　very　proud

creature。　　And　when　he　came　to　the　Doctor's

big　house　full　of　beds　he　seemed　angry　and

scornful。



〃Do　you　dare　to　ask　me；　Sir？〃　he　said；　glaring

at　the　Doctor。　　〃Do　you　dare　to　ask　meME；

THE　KING　OF　BEASTS；　to　wait　on　a　lot　of　dirty

monkeys？　　Why；　I　wouldn't　even　eat　them

between　meals！〃



Although　the　lion　looked　very　terrible；　the

Doctor　tried　hard　not　to　seem　afraid　of　him。



〃I　didn't　ask　you　to　eat　them；〃　he　said　quietly。

〃And　besides；　they're　not　dirty。　　They've　all

had　a　bath　this　morning。　　YOUR　coat　looks　as

though　it　needed　brushingbadly。　　Now

listen；　and　I'll　tell　you　something：　the　day　may

come　when　the　lions　get　sick。　　And　if　you　don't

help　the　other　animals　now；　the　lions　may

find　themselves　left　all　alone　when　THEY　are

in　trouble。　　That　often　happens　to　proud　people。〃　　



〃The　lions　are　never　IN　troublethey　only

MAKE　trouble；〃　said　the　Leader；　turning　up　his

nose。　　And　he　stalked　away　into　the　jungle；　feeling

he　had　been　rather　smart　and　clever。



Then　the　leopards　got　proud　too　and　said

they　wouldn't　help。　　And　then　of　course　the

antelopesalthough　they　were　too　shy　and　timid

to　be　rude　to　the　Doctor　like　the　lionTHEY

pawed　the　ground；　and　smiled　foolishly；　and　said

they　had　never　been　nurses　before。



And　now　the　poor　Doctor　was　worried　frantic；

wondering　where　he　could　get　help　enough

to　take　care　of　all　these　thousands　of　monkeys

in　bed。



But　the　Leader　of　the　Lions；　when　he　got

back　to　his　den；　saw　his　wife；　the　Queen　Lioness；

come　running　out　to　meet　him　with　her　hair

untidy。



〃One　of　the　cubs　won't　eat；〃　she　said。　　〃I

don't　know　WHAT　to　do　with　him。　　He　hasn't

taken　a　thing　since　last　night。〃　　



And　she　began　to　cry　and　shake　with　nervousness

for　she　was　a　good　mother；　even　though

she　was　a　lioness。



So　the　Leader　went　in