the story of doctor dolittle-第9部分

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voice　like　a　little　girl；　said　aloud；



〃Bumpo；　some　one　might　turn　thee　into　a

white　prince　perchance。〃　　



The　King's　son　started　up　off　the　seat　and

looked　all　around。



〃What　is　this　I　hear？〃　he　cried。　　〃Methought

the　sweet　music　of　a　fairy's　silver　voice　rang

from　yonder　bower！　　Strange！〃



〃Worthy　Prince；〃　said　Polynesia；　keeping

very　still　so　Bumpo　couldn't　see　her；　〃thou　sayest

winged　words　of　truth。　　For　'tis　I；　Tripsitinka；

the　Queen　of　the　Fairies；　that　speak　to

thee。　　I　am　hiding　in　a　rose…bud。〃　　



〃Oh　tell　me；　Fairy…Queen；〃　cried　Bumpo；

clasping　his　hands　in　joy；　〃who　is　it　can　turn

me　white？〃



〃In　thy　father's　prison；〃　said　the　parrot；

〃there　lies　a　famous　wizard；　John　Dolittle　by

name。　　Many　things　he　knows　of　medicine　and

magic；　and　mighty　deeds　has　he　performed。

Yet　thy　kingly　father　leaves　him　languishing

long　and　lingering　hours。　　Go　to　him；　brave

Bumpo；　secretly；　when　the　sun　has　set；　and

behold；　thou　shalt　be　made　the　whitest　prince　that

ever　won　fair　lady！　　I　have　said　enough。　　I

must　now　go　back　to　Fairyland。　　Farewell！〃



〃Farewell！〃　cried　the　Prince。　　〃A　thousand　thanks；

good　Tripsitinka！〃



And　he　sat　down　on　the　seat　again　with　a

smile　upon　his　face；　waiting　for　the　sun　to　set。







THE　TWELFTH　CHAPTER



MEDICINE　AND　MAGIC



VERY；　very　quietly；　making　sure　that　no　one　should　see

her；　Polynesia　then　slipped　out　at　the　back　of　the　tree

and　flew　across　to　the　prison。



She　found　Gub…Gub　poking　his　nose　through

the　bars　of　the　window；　trying　to　sniff　the

cooking…smells　that　came　from　the　palace…

kitchen。　　She　told　the　pig　to　bring　the　Doctor

to　the　window　because　she　wanted　to　speak　to

him。　　So　Gub…Gub　went　and　woke　the　Doctor

who　was　taking　a　nap。



〃Listen；〃　whispered　the　parrot；　when　John

Dolittle's　face　appeared：　〃Prince　Bumpo　is

coming　here　to…night　to　see　you。　　And　you've

got　to　find　some　way　to　turn　him　white。　　But

be　sure　to　make　him　promise　you　first　that　he

will　open　the　prison…door　and　find　a　ship　for

you　to　cross　the　sea　in。〃　　



〃This　is　all　very　well；〃　said　the　Doctor。

〃But　it　isn't　so　easy　to　turn　a　black　man　white。

You　speak　as　though　he　were　a　dress　to　be　re…

dyed。　　It's　not　so　simple。　　‘Shall　the　leopard

change　his　spots；　or　the　Ethiopian　his　skin；'　you

know？〃



〃I　don't　know　anything　about　that；〃　said

Polynesia　impatiently。　　〃But　you　MUST　turn　this

man　white。　　Think　of　a　waythink　hard。

You've　got　plenty　of　medicines　left　in　the　bag。

He'll　do　anything　for　you　if　you　change　his

color。　　It　is　your　only　chance　to　get　out　of

prison。〃　　



〃Well；　I　suppose　it　MIGHT　be　possible；〃　said

the　Doctor。　　〃Let　me　see；〃　and　he　went　over

to　his　medicine…bag；　murmuring　something

about　〃liberated　chlorine　on　animal…pigment

perhaps　zinc…ointment；　as　a　temporary　measure；

spread　thick〃



Well；　that　night　Prince　Bumpo　came　secretly

to　the　Doctor　in　prison　and　said　to　him；



〃White　Man；　I　am　an　unhappy　prince。

Years　ago　I　went　in　search　of　The　Sleeping

Beauty；　whom　I　had　read　of　in　a　book。　　And

having　traveled　through　the　world　many　days；

I　at　last　found　her　and　kissed　the　lady　very

gently　to　awaken　heras　the　book　said　I　should。

'Tis　true　indeed　that　she　awoke。　　But　when

she　saw　my　face　she　cried　out；　‘Oh；　he's　black！'

And　she　ran　away　and　wouldn't　marry　mebut

went　to　sleep　again　somewhere　else。　　So　I　came

back；　full　of　sadness；　to　my　father's　kingdom。

Now　I　hear　that　you　are　a　wonderful　magician

and　have　many　powerful　potions。　　So　I　come　to

you　for　help。　　If　you　will　turn　me　white；　so

that　I　may　go　back　to　The　Sleeping　Beauty；　I

will　give　you　half　my　kingdom　and　anything

besides　you　ask。〃　　



〃Prince　Bumpo；〃　said　the　Doctor；　looking

thoughtfully　at　the　bottles　in　his　medicine…bag；

〃supposing　I　made　your　hair　a　nice　blonde

colorwould　not　that　do　instead　to　make　you

happy？〃



〃No；〃　said　Bumpo。　　〃Nothing　else　will

satisfy　me。　　I　must　be　a　white　prince。〃　　



〃You　know　it　is　very　hard　to　change　the　color

of　a　prince；〃　said　the　Doctor〃one　of　the　hardest

things　a　magician　can　do。　　You　only　want

your　face　white；　do　you　not？〃



〃Yes；　that　is　all；〃　said　Bumpo。　　〃Because　I

shall　wear　shining　armor　and　gauntlets　of　steel；

like　the　other　white　princes；　and　ride　on　a

horse。〃　　



〃Must　your　face　be　white　all　over？〃　asked　the　Doctor。



〃Yes；　all　over；〃　said　Bumpo〃and　I　would

like　my　eyes　blue　too；　but　I　suppose　that　would

be　very　hard　to　do。〃　　



〃Yes；　it　would；〃　said　the　Doctor　quickly。

〃Well；　I　will　do　what　I　can　for　you。　　You　will

have　to　be　very　patient　thoughyou　know　with

some　medicines　you　can　never　be　very　sure。　　I

might　have　to　try　two　or　three　times。　　You　have

a　strong　skinyes？　　Well　that's　all　right。

Now　come　over　here　by　the　lightOh；　but　before

I　do　anything；　you　must　first　go　down　to

the　beach　and　get　a　ship　ready；　with　food　in　it；

to　take　me　across　the　sea。　　Do　not　speak　a　word

of　this　to　any　one。　　And　when　I　have　done　as

you　ask；　you　must　let　me　and　all　my　animals

out　of　prison。　　Promiseby　the　crown　of　Jolliginki！〃



So　the　Prince　promised　and　went　away　to　get

a　ship　ready　at　the　seashore。



When　he　came　back　and　said　that　it　was　done；

the　Doctor　asked　Dab…Dab　to　bring　a　basin。

Then　he　mixed　a　lot　of　medicines　in　the　basin

and　told　Bumpo　to　dip　his　face　in　it。



The　Prince　leaned　down　and　put　his　face　in

right　up　to　the　ears。



He　held　it　there　a　long　timeso　long　that

the　Doctor　seemed　to　get　dreadfully　anxious

and　fidgety；　standing　first　on　one　leg　and　then

on　the　other；　looking　at　all　the　bottles　he　had

used　for　the　mixture；　and　reading　the　labels　on

them　again　and　again。　　A　strong　smell　filled

the　prison；　like　the　smell　of　brown　paper

burning。



At　last　the　Prince　lifted　his　face　up　out　of　the

basin；　breathing　very　hard。　　And　all　the　animals

cried　out　in　surprise。



For　the　Prince's　face　had　turned　as　white　as

snow；　and　his　eyes；　which　had　been　mud…colored；

were　a　manly　gray！



When　John　Dolittle　lent　him　a　little　looking…

glass　to　see　himself　in；　he　sang　for　joy　and

began　dancing　around　the　prison。　　But　the

Doctor　asked　him　not　to　make　so　much　noise

about　it；　and　when　he　had　closed　his　medicine…bag

in　a　hurry　he　told　him　to　open　the　prison…door。



Bumpo　begged　that　he　might　keep　the　looking…

glass；　as　it　was　the　only　one　in　the　Kingdom

of　Jolliginki；　and　he　wanted　to　look　at　himself

all　day　long。　　But　the　Doctor　said　he　needed

it　to　shave　with。



Then　the　Prince；　taking　a　bunch　of　copper

keys　from　his　pocket；　undid　the　great　double

locks。　　And　the　Doctor　with　all　his　animals　ran

as　fast　as　they　could　down　to　the　seashore；　while

Bumpo　leaned　against　the　wall　of　the　empty

dungeon；　smiling　after　them　happily；　his　big

face　shining　like　polished　ivory　in　the　light　of

the　moon。



When　they　came　to　the　beach　they　saw

Polynesia　and　Chee…Chee　waiting　for　them　on　the

rocks　near　the　ship。



〃I　feel　sorry　about　Bumpo；〃　said　the　Doctor。



〃I　am　afraid　that　medicine　I　used　will　never

last。　　Most　likely　he　will　be　as　black　as　ever

when　he　wakes　up　in　the　morningthat's　one

reason　why　I　didn't　like　to　leave　the　mirror　with

him。　　But　then　again；　he　MIGHT　stay　whiteI

had　never　used　that　mixture　before。　　To　tell　the

truth；　I　was　surprised；　myself；　that　it　worked

so　well。　　But　I　had　to　do　something；　didn't　I？

I　couldn't　possibly　scrub　the　King's　kitchen

for　the　rest　of　my　life。　　It　was　such　a　dirty

kitchen！I　could　see　it　from　the　prison…

window。Well；　well！Poor　Bumpo！〃



〃Oh；　of　course　he　will　know　we　were　just

joking　with　him；〃　said　the　parrot。



〃They　had　no　business　to　lock　us　up；〃　said　Dab…Dab；

waggling　her　tail　angrily。　　〃We　never　did　them　any　harm。

Serve　him　right；　if　he　does　turn　black　again！　I　hope　it's

a　dark　black。〃　　



〃But　HE　didn't　have　anything　to　do　with　it；〃

said　the　Doctor。　　〃It　was　the　King；　his　father；

who　had　us　locked　upit　wasn't　Bumpo's　fault。

。。。I　wonder　if　I　ought　to　go　back　and　apologize

Oh；　wellI'll　send　him　some　candy

when　I　get　to　Puddleby。　　And　who　knows？

he　may　stay　white　after　all。〃　　



〃The　Sleeping　Beauty　would　never　have　him；

even　if　he　did；〃　said　Dab…Dab。　　〃He　looked

better　the　way　he　was；　I　thought。　　But　he'd

never　be　anything　but　ugly；　no　matter　what

color　he　was　made。〃　　



〃Still；　he　had　a　good　heart；〃　said　the　Doctor

〃romantic；　of　coursebut　a　good　heart。

After　all；　‘handsome　is　as　handsome　does。'〃



〃I　don't　believe　the　poor　booby　found　The

Sleeping　Beauty　at　all；〃　said　Jip；　the　dog。

〃Most　likely　he　kissed　some　farmer's　fat　wife

who　was　taking　a　snooze　under　an　apple…tree。

Can't　blame　her　for　getting　scared！　　I　wonder

who　he'll　go　and　kiss　this　time。　　Silly　business！〃



Then　the　pushmi…pullyu；　the　white　mouse；

Gub…Gub；　Dab…Dab；　Jip　and　the　owl；　Too…Too；

went　on　to　the　ship　with　the　Doctor。　　But　Chee…

Chee；　Polynesia　and　the　crocodile　stayed　behind；

because　Africa　was　their　proper　home；　the　land

where　they　were　born。



And　when　the　Doctor　stood　upon　the　boat；　he

looked　over　the　side　across　the　water。　　And　then

he　remembered　that　they　had　no　one　with　them

to　guide　them　back　to　Puddleby。



The　wide；　wide　sea　looked　terribly　big　and

lonesome　in　the　moonlight；　and　he　began　to

wonder　if　they　would　lose　their　way　when　they

passed　out　of　sight　of　land。



But　even　while　he　was　wondering；　they　heard

a　strange　whispering　noise；　high　in　the　air；

coming　through　the　night。　　And　the　animals　all

stopped　saying　Good…by　and　listened。



The　noise　grew　louder　and　bigger。　　It　seemed

to　be　coming　nearer　to　thema　sound　like　the

Autumn　wind　blowing　through　the　leaves　of　a

poplar…tree；　or　a　great；　great　rain　beating　down

upon　a　roof。



And　Jip；　with　his　nose　pointing　and　his　tail

quite　straight；　said；



〃Birds！millions　of　themflying　fastthat's　it！〃