This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Tim McKenzie. The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting, Part 3, Chapter 8, The Great Bullfight. The next day was a great day in Monte Verde. All the streets were hung with flags, and everywhere gaily dressed crowds were to be seen flocking towards the bull ring, as the big circus was called where the fights took place. The news of the doctor's challenge had gone round the town, and it seemed had caused much amusement to the islanders. The very idea of a mere foreigner daring to match himself against the great Pepito de Malaga served him right if he got killed. The doctor had borrowed a bullfighter's suit from Don Enrique, and very gay and wonderful he looked in it, though Bumpo and I had hard work getting the waistcoat to close in front, and even then the buttons kept bursting off in all directions. When we set out from the harbour to walk to the bull ring, crowds of small boys ran after us, making fun of the doctor's fatness, calling out, Juan Agapoco el Grezo Matador, which is the Spanish for John Doolittle, the fat bullfighter. As soon as we arrived, the doctor said he would like to take a look at the bulls before the fight began, and we were at once led to the bullpen where behind a high railing six enormous black bulls were tramping about wildly. In a few hurried words and signs, the doctor told the bulls what he was going to do and gave them careful instructions for their part of the show. The poor creatures were tremendously glad when they heard that there was a chance of bullfighting being stopped, and they promised to do exactly as they were told. Of course the man who took us in there didn't understand what we were doing. He merely thought the fat Englishman was crazy when he saw the doctor making signs and talking in ox tongue. From there the doctor went to the Matador's dressing rooms, while Bumpo and I with Polynesia made our way into the bullring and took our seats in the great open-air theatre. It was a very gay sight. Thousands of ladies and gentlemen were there, all dressed in their smartest clothes, and everybody seemed very happy and cheerful. Right at the beginning Doniengry got up and explained to the people that the first item on the programme was to be a match between the English doctor and Pipito de Mallaca. He told them what he had promised if the doctor should win, but the people did not seem to think there was much chance of that. A roar of laughter went up at the very mention of such a thing. When Pipito came into the ring everybody cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped and waved their hands. Presently a large door on the other side of the ring was rolled back and in-galloped one of the bulls. Then the door was closed again. And once the Matador became very much on the alert, he waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him. Pipito stepped nimbly aside and the people cheered again. This game was repeated several times, but I noticed that whenever Pipito got into a tight place and seemed to be in real danger from the bull, an assistant of his who always hung around somewhere near drew the bull's attention upon himself by waving another red cloak. Then the bull would chase the assistant and Pipito was left in safety. Most often as soon as he had drawn the bull off this assistant ran for the high fence and vaulted out of the ring to save himself. They evidently had it all arranged, these Matadors, and it didn't seem to me that they were in any very great danger from the poor clumsy bulls so long as they didn't slip and fall. After about ten minutes of this kind of thing the small door into the Matador's dressing room opened and the doctors strolled into the ring. As soon as his fat figure dressed in sky blue velvet appeared the crowd rocked in their seats with laughter. Juan Agapoco, as they had called him, walked out into the center of the ring and bowed ceremoniously to the ladies in the boxes. Then he bowed to the bull. Then he bowed to Pipito. While he was bowing to Pipito's assistant the bull started to rush at him from behind. Look out! Look out! The bull! You will be killed! yelled the crowd. But the doctor calmly finished his bow. Then turning round he folded his arms, fixed the onrushing bull with his eye and frowned a terrible frown. Presently a curious thing happened. The bull's speed got slower and slower. It almost looked as though he were afraid of that frown. Soon he stopped altogether. The doctor shook his finger at him. He began to tremble. At last tucking his tail between his legs the bull turned round and ran away. The crowd gasped. The doctor ran after him. Round and round the ring they went both of them puffing and blowing like grampuses. Excited whispers began to break out among the people. This was something new in bullfighting to have the bull running away from the man instead of the man away from the bull. At last in the tenth lap with a final burst of speed Juan Acapulco the English Matador caught the poor bull by the tail. Then leading the now timid creature into the middle of the ring the doctor made him do all manner of tricks standing on the hind legs, standing on the front legs dancing, hopping, rolling over. He finished up by making the bull kneel down. Then he got on to his back and did hand springs and other acrobatics on the beast's horns. Pepito and his assistant had their noses sadly out of joint. The crowd had forgotten them entirely. They were standing together by the fence not far from where I sat muttering to one another and slowly growing green with jealousy.  Does the caballero wish for a fresh bull? asked Don Enrique. No, said the doctor. I want five fresh bulls and I would like them all in the ring at once please. At this a cry of horror burst from the people. They had been used to seeing matadors escaping from one bull at a time but five that must mean certain death. Pepito sprang forward and called to Don Enrique not to allow it saying it was against all the rules of bullfighting. Ha! Polynesia chuckled into my ear it's like the doctor's navigation he breaks all the rules but he gets there if they'll only let him he'll give them the best show for their money they ever saw. A great argument began half the people seemed to be on Pepito's side and half on the doctor's side at last the doctor turned to Pepito and made another very grand bow which burst the last button off his waistcoat. Well of course if the caballero is afraid he began with a bland smile. Afraid screamed Pepito I am afraid of nothing on earth I am the greatest matador in Spain with this right hand I have killed nine hundred and fifty-seven bulls. All right then said the doctor let's see if you can kill five more let the bulls in he shouted Pepito de Malaga is not afraid. A dreadful silence hung over the great theatre as the heavy door into the bullpen was rolled back then with a roar the five big bulls bounded into the ring look fierce I heard the doctor call to them in cattle language don't scatter keep close get ready for a rush take Pepito the one in purple first but for heaven's sake don't kill him just chase him out of the ring now then all together go for him the bulls put down their heads and all in line like a squadron of cavalry charged across the rings straight for poor Pepito for one moment the Spaniard tried his hardest to look brave but the sight of the five pairs of horns coming at him at full gallop was too much he turned white to the lips ran for the fence vaulted it and disappeared now the other one the doctor hissed and in two seconds the gallant assistant was nowhere to be seen Juan Agapoco the fat matador was left alone in the ring with five rampaging bulls the rest of the show was really well worth seeing first all five bulls went raging round the ring butting at the fence with their horns pouring up the sand hunting for something to kill then each one in turn would pretend to catch sight of the doctor for the first time and giving a ball of rage would lower his wicked looking horns and shoot like an arrow across the ring as though he meant to toss him to the sky it was really frightfully exciting and even I who knew it was all arranged beforehand held my breath in terror for the doctor's life when I saw how near they came to sticking him but just at the last moment when the horns points with two inches from the sky blue waistcoat the doctor would spring nimbly to one side and the great brutes would go thundering harmlessly by missing him by no more than a hair then all five of them went for him together completely surrounding him slashing at him with their horns and bellowing with fury how he escaped alive I don't know for several minutes his round figure could hardly be seen at all in that scrimmage of tossing heads stamping hooves and waving tails it was as Polynesia had prophesied the greatest bullfight ever seen one woman in the crowd got quite hysterical and screamed up to Don Enric stop the fight stop the fight he is too brave a man to be killed this is the most wonderful matador in the world let him live stop the fight but presently the doctor was seen to break loose from the mob of animals that surrounded him then catching each of them by the horns one after another he would give their heads a sudden twist and throw them flat on the sand the great fellows acted their parts extremely well I have never seen trained animals in a circus do better they lay there panting on the ground where the doctor threw them as if they were exhausted and completely beaten then with a final bow to the ladies John Doolittle took a cigar from his pocket lit it and strolled out of the ring end of chapter 8 the great bullfight this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting part 3 chapter 9 we depart in a hurry as soon as the door closed behind the doctor the most tremendous noise I've ever heard broke loose some of the men appeared to be angry friends of papitos I suppose but the ladies called and called to have the doctor come back into the ring when at length he did so the women seemed to go entirely mad over him they blew kisses to him they called him a darling then they started taking off their flowers their rings, their necklaces and their brooches and threw them down at his feet you never saw anything like it a perfect shower of jewelry and roses but the doctor just smiled up at them bowed once more and backed out now Bumpo said, Polynesia this is where you go down and gather up all those trinkets and we'll sell them this is what the big matadors do leave the jewelry on the ground and their assistants collect it for them we might as well lay in a good supply of money while we've got the chance you never know when you may need it when you're traveling with the doctor never mind the roses, you can leave them but don't leave any rings and when you've finished go and get your 3,000 pesetas out of Don Ricky Tickey Tommy and I will meet you outside and we'll pawn the gigas at that Jew's shop and we'll take the gigas run along and not a word to the doctor, remember outside the bull ring we found the crowd still in a great state of excitement violent arguments were going on everywhere Bumpo joined us with his pockets bulging in all directions and we made our way slowly through the dense crowd to that side of the building where the matadors dressing room was the doctor was waiting at the door for us good work, doctor said Polynesia flying onto his shoulder great work, but listen I smell danger I think you'd better get to the ship now as quickly and as quietly as you can put your overcoat on over that giddy suit I don't like the looks of this crowd more than half of them are furious because you've won Don Ricky Tickey must now stop the bullfighting and you know how they love it what I'm afraid of is that some of these matadors who are just mad with jealousy may start some dirty work I think this would be a good time to get away I dare say you're right, Polynesia said the doctor, you usually are the crowd does seem to be a bit restless I'll slip down to the ship alone so I shan't be so noticeable and I'll wait for you there you come by some different way but don't be long about it, hurry as soon as the doctor had departed Bumpo sought out Don Enrique and said, honourable sir you owe me three thousand pesetas without a word looking cross-eyed with annoyance Don Enrique paid his bet we next set out to buy the provisions and on the way we hired a cab and took it along with us not very far away we found a big grocery shop which seemed to sell everything to eat we went in and bought up the finest lot of food you ever saw in your life as a matter of fact, Polynesia had been right about the danger we were in the news of our victory must have spread like lightning through the whole town as we came out of the shop and loaded the cab up with our stores we saw various little knots of angry men hunting around the streets waving sticks and shouting the Englishmen where are those accursed Englishmen who stopped the bull fighting hang them to a lamppost throw them in the sea the Englishmen, we want the Englishmen after that we didn't waste any time you may be sure Bumpo grabbed the Spanish cab driver with the signs that if he didn't drive down to the harbor as fast as he knew how and keep his mouth shut the whole way he would choke the life out of him then we jumped into the cab on top of the food, slammed the door pulled down the blinds and away we went we won't get a chance to pawn the jewelry now said Polynesia as we bumped over the cobbly streets but never mind it may come in handy later on don't give the cabbie more than 2% as 50 Bumpo that's the right fare, I know well, we reached the harbor all right and we were mighty glad to find that the doctor had sent Chichi back with the rowboat to wait for us at the landing wall unfortunately, while we were in the middle of loading the supplies from the cabin to the boat, the angry mob arrived upon the wharf and made a rush for us Bumpo snatched up a big beam of wood that lay near and swung it round and round his head bringing out dreadful African battle yells the while this kept the crowd off while Chichi and I hustled the last of the stores into the boat and clambered in ourselves Bumpo threw his beam of wood into the thick of the Spaniards and leapt in after us then we pushed off and rode like mad for the curlew the mob upon the wall howled with rage shook their fist and hurled stones in all manner of things after us poor old Bumpo got hit on the head it only raised a small bump while the bottle smashed into a thousand pieces when we reached the ship's side the doctor had the anchor drawn up and the sails set and everything in readiness to get away looking back we saw boats coming out from the harbour wall after us filled with angry shouting men so we didn't bother to unload our rowboat but just tied it onto the ship's stern with a rope and jumped aboard it only took a moment more to swing the curlew round into the wind just beating out of the harbour on our way to Brazil ha! sighed Polynesia as we all flopped down on the deck to take a rest and get our breath that wasn't a bad adventure quite reminds me of my old seafaring days when I sailed with the smugglers golly, that was the life never mind your head Bumpo it will be all right when the doctor puts a little arctic on it think what we got out of the scrap a boatload of ship stores pockets full of jewelry all set as not bad you know not bad end of part 3 chapter 9 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the voyages of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting part 4 chapter 1 shellfish languages again Miranda, the purple bird of paradise had prophesied rightly when she had foretold a good spell of weather for three weeks the good ship Curlew plowed her way through smiling seas before a steady powerful wind I suppose most real sailors would have found this part of the voyage dull but not I as we got further south and further west the faces of the seas seemed different every day and all the little things of the voyage which an old hand would have hardly bothered to notice were matters of great interest for my eager eyes we did not pass many ships when we did see one the doctor would get out his telescope and we would all take a look at it sometimes he would signal to it asking for news by hauling up little coloured flags upon the mast and the ship would signal back to us in the same way the meaning of all the signals was printed in a book which the doctor kept in the cabin he told me it was the language of the sea and that all ships could understand it whether they be English Dutch or French our greatest happening during those first weeks was passing an iceberg when the sun shone on it it burst into a hundred colours sparkling like a dueled pallet in a fairy story through the telescope we saw a mother polar bear with a cub sitting on it watching us the doctor recognised her as one of the bears who had spoken to him when he was discovering the North Pole so he sailed the ship up close and offered to take her and her baby on the Curlew if she wished it but she only shook her head thanking him she said it would be far too hot for the cub on the deck of our ship with no ice to keep his feet cool it had been indeed a very hot day but the nearness of that great mountain of ice made us all turn up our coat collars and shiver with the cold during those quiet peaceful days I improved my reading and writing a great deal with the doctor's help I got on so well that he let me keep the ship's log this is a big book kept on every ship a kind of diary in which the number of miles run the direction of your course and everything else that happens is written down the doctor too in what spare time he had was nearly always writing in his notebooks I used to peep into these sometimes now that I could read but I found it hard work to make out the doctor's handwriting many of these notebooks seem to be about sea things there were six thick ones filled full with notes of different seaweeds and there were others on sea birds others on sea worms others on seashells they were all someday to be rewritten printed and bound like regular books one afternoon we saw floating around us great quantities of stuff that looked like dead grass the doctor told me this was a gulfweed a little further on it became so thick that it covered all the water as far as I could reach it made the curlew look as though it was moving across a meadow instead of sailing the Atlantic crawling about upon this weed many crabs would be seen and the sight of them reminded the doctor of his dream of learning the language of the shellfish he fished several of these crabs up with a net and put them in his listening tank to see if he could understand them among the crabs he also caught a strange looking chubby little fish which he told me was called a silver fidget after he had listened to the crabs for a while with no success he put the fidget into the tank and began to listen to that I had to leave him at this moment to go and attend to some duties on the deck but presently I heard him below shouting for me to come down again stubbins he cried as soon as he saw me a most extraordinary thing quite unbelievable I'm not sure whether I'm dreaming can't believe my own senses why doctor I said what is it, what's the matter the fidget he whispered pointing with a trembling finger to the listening tank the little loud fish was still swimming quietly he talks English and he whistles tunes English tunes talks English I cried whistles why it's impossible it's a fact said the doctor whiten the face with excitement it's only a few words scattered with no particular sense to them all mixed up with his own language which I can't make out yet but their English word unless there's something very wrong with my hearing and the tune he whistles there's anything always the same tune now you listen and tell me what you make of it tell me everything you hear don't miss a word I went to the glass tank upon the table while the doctor grabbed a notebook and a pencil undoing my collar I stood upon the empty packing case he had used for a stand and put my right ear down under the water for some moments I detected nothing at all except with my dry ear the heavy breathing of the doctor as he waited all stiff and anxious for me to say something at last from within the water sounding like a child singing miles and miles away I heard an unbelievably thin small voice ah I said what is it? asked the doctor in a horse trembling whisper what does he say? I can't quite make it out I said it's mostly in some strange fish language oh wait a minute yes now I get it no smoking my here's a queer one there's a bunch of postcards here this way out don't spit what funny things to say doctor but wait now he's whistling the tune what tune is it? gasped the doctor John Peel aha! cried the doctor that's what I made it out to be and he wrote furiously in his notebook I went on listening this is most extraordinary the doctor kept muttering to himself as his pencil went wiggling over the page thrilling I wonder where he here's some more I cried some more English the big tank needs cleaning that's all now he's talking fish talk again the big tank the doctor murmured frowning in a puzzled kind of way I wonder where on earth he learned then he bounded up out of his chair I have it he yelled this fish has escaped from an aquarium well of course look at the kind of things he's learned picture postcards they always sell them in aquariums don't spit no smoking this way out for things that attendants say and then my here's a queer one that's the kind of thing that people exclaim when they look into the tanks it all fits there's no doubt about it Stubbins we have here a fish who has escaped from captivity and it's quite possible not certain by any means but quite possible that I may now through him be able to establish communications with the shellfish this is a great piece of luck end of chapter one this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recorded by Chris Goringe the voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting part 4 chapter 2 the fidgets story well now that he was started once more upon his old hobby of the shellfish languages there was no stopping the doctor he worked right through the night a little after midnight I fell asleep in a chair about two hours in the morning Bumpo fell asleep at the wheel and for five hours the curler was allowed to drift where she liked but still John Doolittle worked on trying his hardest to understand the fidgets language struggling to make the fidget understand him when I woke up it was broad daylight again the doctor was still standing at the listening tank looking as tired as an owl and dreadfully wet on his face there was a proud and happy smile Stubbins he said as soon as he saw me stir I've done it I've got the key to the fidgets language it's a frightfully difficult language quite different from anything I've ever heard the only thing it reminds me of slightly as ancient Hebrew it isn't shellfish but it's a big step towards it now the next thing I want you to take a pencil and a flesh notebook and write down everything I say the fidget has promised to tell me the story of his life I will translate it into English and you put it down in the book are you ready? once more the doctor lowered his ear beneath the level of the water and as he began to speak I started to write and this is the story that the fidget told us 13 months in an aquarium I was born in the Pacific Ocean close to the coast of Chile I was one of the family of 2,510 soon after our mother and father left us we youngsters got scattered the family was broken up by a herd of whales who chased us I and my sister Clipper she was my favourite sister had a very narrow escape for our lives as a rule whales are not very hard to get away from if you're good at dodging if you've only got a quick swerve but this one that came after Clipper and myself was a very mean whale every time he lost us under a stone he'd come back and hunt and hunt he routed us out into the open again I never saw such a nasty, persevering brute well we shook him at last though not before he had worried us for hundreds of miles northwards up the west coast of South America but luck was against us that day while we were resting and trying to get our breath another family of fidgets came rushing by shouting come on swim for your lives the dog fish are coming now dog fish are particularly fond of fidgets we are you might say their favourite food and for that reason we always keep away from deep muddy waters what's more dog fish are not easy to escape from they are terribly fast and clever hunters so up we had to jump and on again after we'd gone a few more hundred miles we looked back and saw that the dog fish were gaining on us so he turned into a harbour it happened to be one on the west coast of the United States here we guessed and hoped we would not be likely to follow us as it happened they didn't even see us turn in but dashed on northward and we never saw them again I hoped they froze to death in the Arctic seas but as I say luck was against us that day while I and my sister were cruising gently round the ships anchored in the harbour looking for orange peels a great delicacy with us swoop bang we were caught in a net we struggled for all we were worth there was no use the net was small meshed and strongly made kicking and flipping we were hauled up the side of the ship and dumped down on the deck high and dry in a blazing noonday sun here a couple of old men in whiskers and spectacles lent over us making strange sounds some coddling had got caught in the net at the same time as we were these the old men threw back into the sea but us they seemed to think very fresh us they put us carefully into a large jar they had taken us on shore they went to a big house and changed us from the jar into glass boxes full of water this house was on the edge of the harbour and a small stream of seawater was made to flow through the glass tank so we could breathe properly of course we'd never lived inside glass walls before and at first we kept on trying to swim through them and got our noses awfully sore bumping the glass at full speed then followed weeks and weeks of weary idleness they treated us well they knew how the old fellows in spectacles came and looked at us proudly twice a day and saw we had the proper food to eat the right amount of light and the water was neither too hot or too cold but oh the dullness of that life it seemed we were a kind of show at a certain hour every morning the big doors of the house were thrown open and everybody in the city who had nothing special to do came in and looked at us there were other tanks filled with different kinds of fishes all around the walls of the big room and the crowds would go from tank to tank looking in at us through the glass with their mouths open like half-witted flounders we got so sick of it that we used to open our mouths back at them this they seemed to think highly comical one day my sister said to me think you brother that these strange creatures who have captured us can talk surely said I have you not noticed that some talk with their lips open some with the whole face and yet others discourse with their hands right close to the glass you can hear them listen at that moment a female larger than the rest pressed her nose up against the glass pointed at me and said to her young behind her oh look here's a queer one and then we noticed that they nearly always said this when they looked in and for a long time we thought that such was the whole extent of the language this being a people but few ideas to help pass away the weary hours we learned it by heart here's a queer one but we never got to know what it meant other freighters however we did get the meaning of and we even learned to read a little in man talk many big signs there were set up upon the walls and when we saw that the keepers stopped the people from spitting and smoking pointed at these signs angrily and read them out loud we knew then that these writings signified no smoking and don't spit then in the evenings after the crowd had gone the same aged male with one leg of wood swept up the peanut shells with a broom every night and while he was so doing he always whistled the same tune to himself this melody we rather liked and we learned that too by heart thinking it was part of the language thus a whole year went by in this dismal place some days new fishes were brought in to the other tanks and other days old fishes were taken out at first we hoped we would only be kept here for a while and that after we'd been looked at sufficiently we'd be returned to freedom and the sea but as month after month went by and we were left undisturbed our hearts grew heavy within our prison walls of glass and we spoke to one another less and less one day when the crowd was thickest in the big room a woman with a red face fainted from the heat I watched through the glass and saw that the rest of the people got highly excited though to me it did not seem to be a matter of very great importance they threw cold water on her and carried her out into the open air this made me think mightily and presently a great idea burst upon me sister I said turning to poor Clipper who was sulking at the bottom of our prison trying to hide behind a stone from the stupid gaze of the children who were thronged about our tank supposing that we pretended we were sick do you think they would take us also from this stuffy house brother said she wearily that they might do but most likely they would throw us on a rubbish heap by in the hot sun but said I why should they go abroad to seek a rubbish heap when the harbour is so close while we were being brought here I saw men throwing their rubbish into the water if they would only throw us also there we could quickly reach the sea the sea murmured poor Clipper with a far away look in her eyes she had fine eyes my sister Clipper how like a dream it sounds the sea oh brother do you again think you every night as I lie awake on the floor of this evil smelling dungeon I hear it's hearty voice ringing in my ears how I've longed for it just to feel it once again the nice big wholesome homeliness of it all to jump just to jump from the crest of an Atlantic wave laughing in the trained wooden sprint rift down into the blue green swirling trough to chase the shrimps on a summer evening when the sky is red and the lights all pink within the foam to lie on the top in the doldrums noon-day calm and warm your tummy in the tropic sun to wander hand in hand once more through the giant seaweed forests of the Indian Ocean seeking the delicious eggs of the pop-pop to play hide and seek among the castles of the coral towns with their pearl and jasper windows spangling the floor of the Spanish Maine to picnic in the anemone meadows dim blue and lilac grey that lie in the lowlands beyond the south sea garden to throw somersaults on the springy sponge beds of the Mexican Gulf to poke about among the dead ships and see what wonders and adventures lie inside and then on winter nights when the northeaster whips the wind into throth to swoop down and down to get away from the cold down to where the waters warm and dark down and still down till we spy the twinkle of the fire eels far below where our friends and cousins sit chatting round the council grotto chatting brother over the news and gossip of the sea oh and then she broke down completely sniffling stop it I said you make me homesick look here let's pretend we're sick or better still let's pretend we're dead and see what happens if they throw us on a rubbish heap and we fly in the sun we'll not be much worse off than we are here in this smelly prison what do you say will you risk it I will she said gladly so next morning two fidgets were found by the keeper floating on the top of the water in their tank stiff and dead we gave a mighty good imitation of dead fish although I say it myself the keeper ran and got the old gentleman with the spectacles and whiskers they threw up their hands in horror when they saw us lifting us carefully out of the water they laid us on wet cloths that was the hardest part of all if you're a fish and get taken out of the water you have to keep opening your mouth to breathe at all and even that you can't keep up for long and all this time we had say stiffer sticks and breathed silently through half closed lips well the old fellas poked us and felt us and pinched us till I thought they'd never be done then when their backs were turned a moment a wretched cap got up on the table and nearly ate us luckily the old man turned round in time and shoot her away you may be sure though that we took a couple of good gulps of air when they weren't looking and that was the only thing that saved us from choking I wanted to whisper to clip her to be brave and stick it out but I couldn't even do that because as you know most kinds of fish talk cannot be heard not even a shout unless you're underwater then just as we were about to give it up and let on that we were alive one of the old men's sugar-head sadly lift us up and carried us out of the building now for it I thought to myself we'll soon know our fate liberty or the garbage can outside to our unspeakable horror he made straight for a large ash barrel which stood against the wall on the other side of the yard most happily for us however while he was crossing this yard a very dirty man with a wagon and horses drove up and took the ash barrel away I suppose it was his property then the old man looked around for some other place to throw us he seemed about to cast us on the ground but he evidently thought this would make the yard untidily and he desisted the suspense was terrible he moved outside the yard gate and my heart sank once more as I saw he now intended to throw us in the gutter of the roadway but fortune was indeed with us that day a large man in blue clothes and silver buttons stopped him in the nick of time evidently from the way the large man lectured and waved a short thick stick it was against the rules of the town to throw dead fish in the streets at last to our unutterable joy the old man turned and moved off with us towards the harbour he walked so slowly muttering to himself all the way watching the man in blue out of the corn river's eye I wanted to bite his finger and make him hurry up both Clipper and I were actually at our last gasp finally he reached the seawall and giving us one last sad look he dropped us into the waters of the harbour never had we realised anything like the thrill of that moment as we felt the salt wetness close over our heads with one flick of our tails we came to life again the old man was so surprised he fell right into the water almost on top of us from this he was rescued by a sailor with a boat hook and the last we saw of him the man in blue was dragging him away by the coat collar lecturing him again apparently it's also against the rules of the town to throw dead fish into the harbour but we what time or thought had we for his troubles we were free in lightning leaps in curving spurts in crazy zigzags whooping shrieking with delight we sped for home in the open sea that is all of my story and I will now as I promised last night try to answer any questions you may ask about the sea on condition that I am set at liberty as soon as you are done the doctor is there any part of the sea deeper than that's known as the nearo deep I mean the one near the island of Guam at the fidget why certainly there's one much deeper than that near the mouth of the amazon river but it's small and hard to find we call it the deep hole and there's another in the Antarctic sea the doctor can you talk any shellfish language yourself the fidget no not a word we regular fishers don't have anything to do with the shellfish we consider them a low class the doctor but when you're near them can you understand the sound they make talking I mean without necessarily understanding what they say the fidget only with the very largest ones shellfish have such weak small voices it is almost impossible for any but their own kind to hear them but with the bigger ones it's different they make a sad booming noise rather like an iron pipe being knocked with a stone only not nearly so loud of course the doctor I am most anxious to get down to the bottom of the sea to study many things but we land animals as you no doubt know are unable to breathe under water have you any ideas that might help me the fidget I think that for both your difficulties the best thing for you to do would be to try and get hold of the great glass sea snail the doctor who or what is the great glass sea snail the fidget he is an enormous saltwater snail one of the Winkle family but as large as a big house he talks quite loudly when he speaks but this is not often he can go to any part of the ocean at all depths because he doesn't have to be afraid of any creature of the sea his shell is made of transparent mother a pearl so that you can see through it but it's thick and strong when he's out of his shell and he carries it empty on his back there's room in it for a wagon and a pair of horses he has been seen carrying his food in it when travelling the doctor I feel that that is just the creature I've been looking for he could take me and my assistant inside his shell and we could explore the deepest depths in safety do you think you could get him for me the fidget alas no I would willingly if I could but he is hardly ever seen by ordinary fish he lives at the bottom of the deep hole and seldom comes out and into the deep hole the lower waters of which are muddy fishes such as we are afraid to go the doctor dear me that's a terrible disappointment are there many of this kind of snail in the sea the fidget oh no he is the only one in existence since his second wife died long long ago he is last of the giant shellfish he belongs to past ages when the whales were land animals and all that they say he's over 70,000 years old the doctor good gracious what wonderful things he could tell me I do wish I could meet him the fidget were there any more questions you wish to ask me the water in your tank is getting quite warm and sickly I'd like to be put back into the sea as soon as you can spare me the doctor just one more thing when Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic in 1492 he threw overboard two copies of his diary sealed up in barrels one of them was never found it must have sunk I would like to get it from my library do you happen to know where it is the fidget yes I do that too is in the deep hole when the barrel sank the covens drifted it northwards down what we call the orinoco slope till it finally disappeared into the deep hole if it was any other part of the sea I'd try and get it for you but not there the doctor well that is all I think I'll put you back into the sea because I know that as soon as I do I'll think of a hundred other questions I wanted to ask you but I must keep my promise would you care for anything before you go it seems a cold day some cracker crumbs or something the fidget no I won't stop all I want just at present is fresh sea water the doctor I cannot thank you enough for all the information you've given me you've been very helpful and patient the fidget pray do not mention it it's a real pleasure to be of assistance to the great John Doolittle you are as of course you know already quite famous among the better class of fishes goodbye and good luck to you to your ship and to all your plans the doctor carried the listening tank to a porthole opened it and emptied the tank into the sea goodbye he murmured as a faint splash reached us from without I dropped my pencil on the table and leaned back with a sigh stiff with writer's cramp that I felt as though I should never be able to open my hand again but I at least had had night sleep as for the poor doctor he was so weary that he had hardly put the tank back up on the table and dropped into a chair when his eyes closed and he began to snore in the passage outside Polynesia scratched angrily at the door I rose and let her in a nice state of affairs she stormed what sort of ship is this upstairs asleep under the wheel the doctor asleep down here and you making pottocks in a copy book with a pencil expect the ship to steer herself to Brazil we're just drifting around the sea like an empty bottle and a week behind time as it is what happened to you all she was so angry that her voice rose to a scream but it would have taken more than that to wake the doctor I put the notebook carefully in a drawer and went on deck to take the wheel chapter 2 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Chris Gorringe the voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting part 4 chapter 3 Bad weather as soon as I had the curl who swung round upon her course again I noticed something peculiar we were not going as fast as we had been our favourable wind had almost entirely disappeared this at first we did not worry about thinking that at any moment it might spring up again but the whole day went by then 2 days then a week 10 days and the wind grew no stronger the coulou just dawdled along at the speed of a toddling babe I now saw that the doctor was becoming uneasy he kept getting out his sextant an instrument which tells you what part of the ocean you are in and making calculations he was forever looking at his maps and measuring distances on them the far edge of the sea all around us he examined with his telescope 100 times a day but doctor I said when I found him one afternoon mumbling to himself about the misty appearance of the sky it wouldn't matter so much would it if we did take a little longer over the trip we've got plenty to eat on board now and the purple bird of paradise will know we've been delayed by something that we couldn't help yes I suppose so he said thoughtfully but I hate to keep her waiting at this season of the year she generally goes to the Peruvian mountains for her health and besides the good weather she prophesied is likely to end any day now and delay us still further if we could only keep moving at even a fair speed I wouldn't mind it's this hanging around almost dead still that gets me restless ah here comes a wind not very strong but maybe it'll grow a gentle breeze from the northeast came singing through the ropes and we smiled up hopefully at the curl whose leaning masts we've only got another 150 miles to make to sight the coast of Brazil said the doctor if that wind would just stay with us steadily for a full day we'd see land but suddenly the wind changed swung to the east then back to the northeast then to the north it came in fitful gusts as though it hadn't made up its mind which way to blow I was kept busy at the wheel swinging the curlew this way and that to keep the right side of it presently we heard Polynesia who was in the rigging keeping a lookout for land or passing ships screech down to us bad weather coming that jumpy wind is an ugly sign and look over there in the east see that black line low down if that isn't a storm I'm a landlubber the gales round here are fierce when they do blow Teya canvas out like paper you take the wheel doctor it'll need a strong arm if it's a real storm I'll go wait Bumpo and Chi Chi this looks bad to me we'd best get all the sail down right away till we see how strong she's going to blow indeed the whole sky was now beginning to take on a very threatening look the black line to the eastward grew blacker as it came nearer and nearer a low rumbly whispering noise went moaning over the sea the water which had been so blue and smiling turned to ruffled ugly grey and across the darkening sky shreds of clouds swept like tattered witches flying from the storm I must confess I was frightened you see I had only so far seen the sea in friendly moods sometimes quiet and lazy sometimes laughing, venturesome and reckless sometimes brooding and poetic when moonbeams turn to ripples into silver threads and dreaming snowy night clouds piled up fairy castles in the sky but as yet I had not known or even guessed at the terrible strength of the sea's wild anger when that storm finally struck us we leaned right over flatly on our side as though some invisible giant had slapped the poor curler on the cheek after that things happened so thick and so fast that what with the wind that stopped your breath the driving blinding water the deafening noise and the rest I haven't a very clear idea of how our shipwreck came about I remember seeing the sails which we were now trying to roll up upon the deck torn out of our hands by the wind and go overboard like a penny balloon very nearly carrying chichi with them and I have a dim recollection of Polynesia screeching somewhere for one of us to go downstairs and close the portholes in spite of our masts being bare of sail we were now scutting along to the southward at a great pace but every once in a while huge grey black waves would arrive from under the ship's side like nightmare monsters swell and climb then crash down upon us pressing us into the sea and the poor curler would come to a standstill half under water like a gasping drowning pig while I was clambering long towards the wheel to see the doctor clinging like a leech with hands and legs to the rails lest I be blown overboard one of those tremendous seas tall loose my hold filled my throat with water swept me like a cork the full length of the deck my head struck a door with an awful bang and then I fainted end of chapter 3 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Lucy Burgoyne The Voyages Part 4 Chapter 4 Wrecked When I awoke I was very hazy in my head the sky was blue and the sea was calm at first I thought that I must have fallen asleep in the same on the deck of the curler and thinking that I would be late for my turn at the wheel I tried to rise my feet I found I couldn't my arms were tied to something behind me with a piece of rope by twisting my neck around I found this to be a mast broken off short then I realised that I wasn't sitting on a ship at all I was only sitting on a piece of one I began to feel uncomfortably scared screwing up my eyes I searched the rim of the sea north east, south and west no land, no ships nothing was inside I was alone in the ocean at last little by little my bruised head began to remember what had happened first the coming of the storm the sails going overboard then the big wave which had banged me against the door but what had become the doctor and the others what day was this tomorrow or the day after and why was I sitting on only part of a ship working my hand into my pocket I found my pen knife and the rope that tied me this reminded me of a shipwreck story which Joe had once told me the captain who had tied his son to a mast in order that he shouldn't be washed overboard by the gale so of course it must have been the doctor who had done the same to me but where was he the awful thought came to me that the doctor and the rest of them must be drowned since there was no other wreckage to be seen upon the waters I got to my feet and stared around the sea again nothing nothing but water and sky presently a long way off I saw the small dark shape of a bird skinning low down over the swell when it came quite close I saw it was a stormy petrol I tried to talk to it to see if it could give me news but unlikely I hadn't learned much seabird language and I couldn't even attract its attention much less make it understand what I wanted twice its circle round my raft lazily with hardly a flip of the wing and I could not help wondering in spite of the distress I was in where it had spent last night how it or any other living thing had weathered such a smashing storm it made me realise the great big difference between different creatures and that size and strength are not everything to this petrol a frail little thing of feathers much smaller and weaker than I the sea could do anything she liked it seemed and his only answer was a lazy saucy flip of the wing he was the one who should be called the able seaman for come raging gale come sunlit calm this wilderness of water was his home after swooping over the sea around me just looking for food he went off in the direction from which he had come and I was alone once more I found I was somewhat hungry and a little thirsty too I began to think all thoughts of miserable thoughts the way one does when he is lonesome and has missed breakfast what was going to become of me now if the doctor and the rest were drowned I would starve to death or die of thirst then the sun went behind some clowns and I felt cold how many hundreds or thousands of miles was I from any land what if another storm should come and smash up even this poor raft on which I stood I went on like this for a while growing glumia and glumia when suddenly I thought of Polynesia you're always safe with the doctor she had said he gets there remember that I'm sure I wouldn't have minded so much if he had been here with me it was this being all alone that made me want to weep and yet the petrol was alone what a baby I was I told myself to be scared to the verge of tears just by loneliness I was quite safe where I was for the present anyhow John do little wouldn't get scared by a little thing like this he only got excited when he made a discovery found a new bug or something and if what Polynesia had said was true he couldn't be drowned and things would come out alright in the end somehow I threw out my chest buttoned up my collar and began walking up and down the short raft to keep warm I would be like John do little I wouldn't cry and I wouldn't get excited how long I paced back and forth I don't know but it was a long time I had no choice to do at last I got tired and lay down to rest and in spite of all my troubles I soon fell fast asleep this time when I woke up stars were staring down at me out of a cloudless sky the sea was still calm and my strange craft was rocking gently under me on an easy swell all my fine courage left me as I gazed up into the big silent night well the pains of hunger and thirst set to work in my stomach harder than ever are you awake? said a high silvery voice at my elbow I sprung up as though someone had stuck a pin in me and there perched at the very end of my raft her beautiful golden tail glowing dimly in the starlight Saint Miranda the purple bird of paradise never have I been so glad to see anyone in my life my nose fell into the water as I leapt to hug her I didn't want to wake you said she I guess you must be tired after all you've been through don't squash the life out of me boy I'm not a stuffed duck you know oh Miranda you dear old thing said I I'm so glad to see you tell me where is the doctor is he alive? of course he's alive he's over there about 40 miles to the westwood what's he doing there? he's sitting on the other half of the curlew shaving himself or he was when I left him well thank heaven he's alive said I and Bumpo and the animals are they all right? yes they're with him your ship broke in half in the storm the doctor had tied you down when he found you stunned and got separated and floated away golly it was a storm one has to be a gull or an albatross to stand that sort of weather I had been watching for the doctor for three weeks from a cliff top but last night I had to take refuge in a cave to keep my tail feathers from blowing out and soon as I found the doctor he sent me off with some porpoises to look for you a stormy petrol volunteered to help us in our search there had been quite a gathering of sea birds waiting to greet the doctor but the rough weather sort of broke up the arrangements that had been made to welcome him properly it was the petrol that first gave us the tip where you were well but how can I get to the doctor Miranda? I haven't any oars get to him? why? you're going to him now look behind you I was rising on the sea's edge and I now saw that my rough was moving through the water but so gently that I had not noticed it before what's moving us? I asked the porpoises? said Miranda I went to the back of the raft and looked down into the water and just below the surface I could see the dim forms of four big porpoises their slag skins glinting in the moonlight pushing at the raft with their noses they're old friends of the doctors said Miranda they'd do anything for John do little we should see his party soon now we're pretty near the place I left them yes there they are see that dark shape no more to the right of where you're looking can't you make out the figure of the black man standing against the sky now Shu Chi spies us he's waving don't you see them I didn't for my eyes were not as sharp as Miranda's but presently from somewhere in the murky dusk I heard Bum Po singing his African comic songs with the full force of his enormous voice and in a little by peering and peering in the direction of the sound I at last made out a dim mess of tattered splintered wreckage all that remained of the poor curlew floating low down upon the water a halloa came through the night and I answered it we kept it up calling to one another back and forth across the calm night sea and a few minutes later the two halves of our brave little ruined ship bumped gently together again now that I was nearer and the moon was higher I could see more plainly their half of the ship was much bigger than mine it lay partly upon its side and most of them were perched upon the top munching ship's biscuit the close down to the edge of the water using the seas calm surface for a mirror and a piece of broken bottle for a razor John Doe Little was shaving his face by the light of the moon End the chapter this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Lucy Burgoyne The Voyages of Dr. Doe Little by Hugh Lofting part 4 chapter 5 Land they all gave me a great greeting as I clamped off my half of the ship onto theirs Bumpo brought me a wonderful drink of fresh water which he drew from a barrel and a cup of tea tea and Polynesia stood around me feeding me ship's biscuit but it was the sight of the doctor smiling face just knowing that I was with him once again that cheered me more than anything else as I watched him carefully wipe his glass razor and put it away for future use I could not help comparing him in my mind with the stormy petrol indeed the vast strange knowledge which he had gained from his speech and friendship with animals had brought him the power to do things which no other human being would dare to try like the petrol he could apparently play with the sea in all who moves it was no wonder that many of the ignorant savage peoples among whom he passed in his voyages made status of him showing him as half a fish half a bird and half a man and ridiculous though it was I could quite understand what Miranda meant when she said she firmly believed that he could never die just to be with him gave you a wonderful feeling of comfort and safety except for his appearance his clothes were crumbled and damp and his battered high hat was stained with salt water that storm which had so terrified me had disturbed him no more than getting stuck on the mud bank in Paddleby River politely thanking Miranda for getting me so quickly he asked her if she would now go ahead of us and show us the way to spider monkey island next he gave orders to the porpoises to leave my old piece of the ship and push the bigger half wherever the bird of paradise should lead us how much he had lost in the wreck beside his razor I did not know everything most likely together with all the money he had saved up to buy the ship with and still he was smiling as though he wanted for nothing in the world the only things he had saved as far as I could see beyond the barrel of water and bag of biscuit were his precious notebooks these I saw when he stood up he had strapped them around his waist with yards and yards of twine he was as old Matthew Mug used to say a great man he was unbelievable and now for three days we continued our journey slowly but steadily southward the only inconvenience we suffered from was the cold this seemed to increase as we went forward the doctor said that the island disturbed from its usual paths by the great gale had evidently drifted further south than it had ever been before on the third night poor Miranda came back to us nearly frozen she told the doctor that in the morning we would find the island quite close to us though we couldn't see it now as it was a misty dark night she said that she must hurry back at once to warm a climate and that she would visit the doctor in Puttleby next August as usual don't forget Miranda said John do little if you should hear anything of what happened to Long Arrow to get word to me the bird of paradise assured him she would and after the doctor had thanked her again and again for all that she had done for us she wished to slug and disappeared into the night we were all awake early in the morning long before it was light waiting for our first glimpse at the country we had come so far to see and as the rising sun turned the eastern sky to grey of course it was old Polynesia who first shouted about it that she could see palm trees and mountain tops with the growing light it became plain to all of us a long island with high rocky mountains in the middle and so near to us that you could almost throw your hat upon the shore the porpoises gave us one last push and our strange looking craft bumped gently on a low beach then thanking our lucky stars for a chance to stretch our cramped legs we went off to the land the first land even though it was floating land that we had trodden for six weeks what a thrill I felt as I realised that spider monkey island the little spot in the atlas which my pencil had touched lay at last beneath my feet when the light increased still further we noticed that the palms and grasses of the island seemed with it and almost dead we were on account of the cold that the island was now suffering from in its new climate these trees and grasses he told us were the kind that belonged to warm tropical weather the porpoises asked if we wanted them any further and the doctor said that he didn't think so not for the present nor the raft either he added for it was already beginning to fall to pieces and could not float much longer as we were preparing to go inland and explore the island we suddenly noticed a whole band of red Indians watching us with great curiosity from among the trees the doctor went forward to talk to them that he could not make them understand he tried by signs to show them that he had come on a friendly visit the Indians didn't seem to like us however they had bows and arrows and long hunting spears with his stone points in their hands and they made signs back to the doctor to tell him that if he came to step nearer they would kill us all they evidently wanted us to leave the island at once it was a very uncomfortable situation at last the doctor made them understand that he only wanted to see the island all over and that then he would go away though how he meant to do it with no boat to sail in more than I could imagine while they were talking among themselves another Indian arrived apparently with a message that they were wanted in some other part of the island because presently shaking their spears threateningly at us they went off with the newcomer what to skirt his pagans said Bumpo did you ever see such inhospitableity never even asked us if we'd had breakfast the benighted bounders shhh they're going off to their village said Polynesia I'll bet there's a village on the other side of those mountains if you take my advice doctor you'll get away from this beach while their backs are turned let us go up into the high land for the present some place where they won't know where we are they may grow friendlier when they see we mean no harm open faces and look like a decent crowd to me they're just ignorant probably never saw white fags before so feeling a little bit discouraged by our first reception we moved off towards the mountains in the center of the island End of chapter Chapter 6 We found the woods at the feet of the hills thick and tangly and somewhat hard to get through on Polynesia's advice we kept away from all paths and trails feeling it best to avoid meeting any Indians for the present but she and Chi Chi were good guides and splendid jungle hunters two of them set to work at once looking for food for us in a very short space of time they had found quite a number of different fruits and nuts which made excellent eating though none of us knew the names of any of them we discovered a nice clean stream of good water which came down from the mountains so we were supplied with something to drink as well we followed the stream up towards the heights and presently we came to parts where the woods were thinner and the ground rocky and steep we could get glimpses of wonderful views all over the island with the blue sea beyond while we were admiring one of these the doctor suddenly said Shhh, a jibizri, don't you hear it we listened and heard somewhere in the air above us an extraordinarily musical hum like a bee but not just one note this hum rose and fell up and down almost like someone singing another insect but the jibizri beetle hums like that said the doctor I wonder where he is quite near by the sound flying among the trees probably oh, if I only had my butterfly net why didn't I think to strep that around my waist too cunt found the storm I may miss the chance of a lifetime now of getting the rarest beetle in the world oh, look there he goes a huge beetle three inches long I should say suddenly flew by our noses the doctor got frightfully excited he took off his hat to use as a net swooped at the beetle and caught it he nearly fell down a precipice onto the rocks below in his wild hurry but that didn't bother him in the least he knelt down chortling upon the ground with the jibizri safe under his hat from his pocket he brought out a glass top box and into this he very skillfully made the beetle walk from under the rim of the hat then he rose up happy as a child to examine his new treasure through the glass lid it certainly was the most beautiful insect it was pale blue underneath but it's back was glossy black with huge red spots on it there isn't an entomologist in the whole world who wouldn't give all he has to be in my shoes today said the doctor who, Loa, this jibizri has got something on his leg look like mud, I wonder what it is he took the beetle carefully out of the box and held it by its back in his fingers where it waved its six legs slowly in the air we all crowded about him peering at it rolled around the middle section of its right foreleg with something that looked like a thin dried leaf it was bound on very neatly with a strong spider web it was marvelous to see how John do little with his fat heavy fingers undid that cobweb cord and unrolled the leaf whole without tearing it or hurting the precious beetle the jibizri he put back into the box then he spread the leaf out flat and examined it you can imagine our surprise when we found that the inside of the leaf was covered with signs and pictures drawn so tiny that you almost needed a magnifying glass to tell what they were some of the signs we couldn't make out at all the pictures were quite plain figures of men and mountains mostly the whole was done in a curious sort of brown ink for several moments there was dead silence while we all stared at the leaf fascinated and mystified I think this is written in blood said the doctor at last it turns that color when it's dry somebody pricked his finger to make these pictures it's an old dodge when you're short of ink but highly unsanitary thing to find tied to a beetle's leg I wish I could talk beetle language and find out where the jibizri got it from but what is it I asked rows of little pictures and signs what do you make of it doctor it's a letter he said a picture letter all these little things put together mean a message but why give a message to a beetle to carry and to a jibizri the rarest beetle in the world extraordinary thing then he fell to muttering over the pictures I wonder what it means men walking up a mountain men walking into a hole in a mountain a mountain falling down it's a good drawing that men pointing to their open mouths bars, prison bars perhaps men praying men lying down they look as though they might be sick and last of all just a mountain a peculiar shaped mountain all of a sudden the doctor looked up sharply at me a wonderful smile of delighted understanding spreading over his face long arrow he cried don't you see stubbins why of course only a naturalist would think of doing a thing like this giving his letter to a beetle not a common beetle but to the rarest of all one that other naturalist would try to catch well well long arrow a picture letter from long arrow for pictures are the only writing that he knows yes but who is the letter to I asked it's to me very likely Miranda had told him I know years ago that someday I meant to come here but if it's not for me then it's for anyone who caught the beetle and read it it's a letter to the world well but what does it say it doesn't seem to me that it's much good to you now you've got it yes it is he said because look I can read it now man walking up a mountain that's long arrow and his party man going into a hole in a mountain they enter a cave looking for medicine plants or mosses a mountain falling down some hanging rocks must have slipped and trapped them imprisoning them in the cave and this was the only living creature that could carry a message for them to the outside world a beetle who could burrow his way into the open air of course it was only a slim chance that the beetle would be ever caught and the letter read but it was a chance and when men are in great danger they grab at any straw of hope all right now look at the next picture men pointing to their open mouths they are hungry men praying begging anyone who finds this letter to come to their assistance men lying down they are sick or starving this letter stubbins is their last cry for help he sprang to his feet as he ended snatched out a notebook in between the leaves his hands were trembling with haste and agitation come on he cried up the mountain all of you there's not a moment to lose bumpo bring the water and nuts with you heaven only knows how long they've been pining underground let's hope and pray we're not too late but where are you going to look I asked Miranda said the island was a hundred miles long and the mountain seemed to run all the way down the center of it didn't you see the last picture he said grabbing up his hat from the ground and cramming it on his head it was an oddly shaped mountain look like a hawk's head well, there's where he is if he's still alive first thing for us to do is to get up on a high peak and look around the island for a mountain shape like a hawk's head just to think of it there's a chance of my meeting long arrow the son of golden arrow after all come on, hurry to delay may mean death to the greatest naturalist ever born end of part four chapter six this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting part four chapter seven hawk's head mountain we all agreed afterwards that none of us was so hard in our lives before as we did that day for my part I know I was often on the point of dropping exhausted with fatigue but I just kept on going like a machine, determine that whatever happened, I would not be the first to give up when we had scrambled to the top of a high peak almost instantly we saw the strange mountain pictured in the letter in shape it was the perfect image of a hawk's head as far as we could see the second highest summit in the island although we were all out of breath from our climb the doctor didn't let us rest a second as soon as he had sighted it with one look at the sun for direction down he dashed again breaking through thickets splashing over brooks taking all the shortcuts for a fat man he was certainly the swiftest cross-country runner I ever saw we floundered after him as fast as we could when I say we I mean Bumpo and myself for the animals, Jip, Chichi and Polynesia were a long way ahead even beyond the doctor enjoying the hunt like a paper chase at length we arrived at the foot of the mountain we were making for and we found its sides very steep said the doctor now we separate and search for caves this spot where we now are will be our meeting place if anyone finds anything like a cave or a hole where the earth and rocks have fallen in he must shout and hula-la to the rest of us if we find nothing we will all gather here in about an hour's time everybody understand then we went off our different ways each of us you may be sure was anxious to be the one to make a discovery and never was a mountain search so thoroughly but alas nothing could we find that looked in the least like a fallen in cave there were plenty of places where rocks had under the foot of the slopes but none of these appeared as though caves or passages could possibly lie behind them one by one tired and disappointed we straggled back to the meeting place the doctor seemed gloomy and impatient but by no means inclined to give up jip, he said couldn't you smell anything like an Indian anywhere no, said jip I sniffed at every crack on the mountainside but I am afraid my nose would be of no use to you here doctor the trouble is the whole air is so saturated with the smell of spider monkeys that it drowns every other scent and besides it's too cold and dry for good smelling it is certainly that, said the doctor and getting colder all the time I'm afraid the island is still drifting to the southward let's hope it stops before long or we won't be able to get even nuts and fruit to eat what luck did you have none doctor I climbed to every peak and pinnacle I could see I searched every hollow and cleft but not one place could I find where men might be hidden and Polynesia asked the doctor did you see nothing that might put us on the right track not a thing doctor but I have a plan oh good cried john do little full of hope renewed what is it, let's hear it did you still have that beetle with you she asked the biz-biz or whatever it is you call that wretched insect yes said the doctor producing the glass top box from his pocket here it is all right now listen said she if what you have supposed is true that is that long arrow had been trapped inside the mountain by falling rock he probably found that beetle inside the cave he wouldn't have been likely to take the biz-biz in with him would he he was hunting plants you say not beetles isn't that right yes said the doctor that's probably so very well it is fair to suppose then that the beetle's home or his hole is in that place the part of the mountain where long arrow and his party are imprisoned isn't it quite quite all right then the thing to do is to let the beetle go and watch him and sooner or later he'll return to his home in long arrow's cave and there we will follow him or at all events she added smoothing down her wing feathers with a very superior air we will follow him till the miserable bug starts nosing under the earth but at least he will show us what part of the mountain long arrow is hidden in but he may fly if I let him out said the doctor then we shall just lose him and be no better off than we were before let him fly snorted Polynesia scornfully a parrot can wing it as fast as a biz-biz I fancy if he takes to the air I'll guarantee not to let the little devil out of my sight and if he just crawls along the ground you can follow him yourself splendid cried the doctor Polynesia you have a great brain I'll set him to work at once and see what happens again we all clustered round the doctor carefully lifted off the glass lid and let the big beetle climb out upon his finger ladybug, ladybug fly away home croon Bumpo your house is on fire and you're chill oh be quiet snap Polynesia crossley stop insulting him don't you suppose he has wits enough to go home without your telling him I thought perchance he might be of a philandering disposition said Bumpo humbly he is tired of his home and needs to be encouraged shall I see him home sweet home thank you no then he'd never go back your voice needs a rest don't sing to him just watch him oh and doctor why not tie another message to the creature's leg telling long arrow that we're doing our best to reach him and that he mustn't give up hope I will said the doctor and in a minute he had pulled a dry leaf from a bush nearby looking at it with little pictures and pencil at last neatly fixed up with his new mailbag Mr. Jabizri crawled off the doctor's finger to the ground and looked about him he stretched his legs polished his nose with his front feet and then moved off leisurely to the westward we had expected him to walk up the mountain instead he walked around it do you know how long it takes a beetle to walk around a mountain I assure you it takes an unbelievably long time as the hours dragged by we hoped and hoped that he would get up and fly the rest and let Polynesia carry on the work of following him but he never opened his wings once I had not realized before how hard it is for a human being to walk slowly enough to keep up with a beetle it was the most tedious thing I have ever gone through and as we doddle along behind watching him like hawks lest we lose him under a leaf or something we all got so cross and ill-tempered we were ready to bite one another's heads off and when he stopped to look at the scenery our polishes knows some more I could hear Polynesia behind me letting out the most dreadful seafaring swear words you ever heard after he had led us the whole way down the mountain he brought us to the exact spot where we started from and there he came to a dead stop well said Bumpo to Polynesia what do you think of the beetle since now you see he doesn't know enough to go home oh be still you hot and taut snap Polynesia wouldn't you want to stretch your legs for exercise if you'd been shut up in a box all day probably his home is near here and that's why he's come back but why I asked did he go the whole way around the mountain first then the three of us got into a violent argument but in the middle of it all the doctor suddenly called out look look we turned and found that he was pointing to the Jebusri who is now walking up the mountain at a much faster and more business like gate well said Bumpo sitting down wherely if he's going to walk over the mountain and back for more exercise I'll wait for him here Cheechy and Polynesia can follow him indeed it would have taken a monkey or a bird to climb the place where the beetle was now walking up it was a smooth flat part of the mountain side steep as a wall but presently when the Jebusri was no more than ten feet above our heads we all cried out together for even while we watched him he had disappeared into the face of the rock like a raindrop soaking into sand he's gone! cried Polynesia there must be a hole up there and in a twinkling she had flittered up the rock and was clinging to the face of it with her claws yes! she shouted down we've run him to earth at last his hole is right here behind a patch of lichen big enough to get two fingers in ah! cried the doctor this great slab of rock then must have slid down from the summit cave like a door poor fellows what a dreadful time they must have spent there oh! if we only had some picks and shovels now picks and shovels wouldn't do much good said Polynesia look at the size of the slab a hundred feet high and as many broad you would need an army for a week to make any impression on it I wonder how thick it is said the doctor and he picked up a big stone and banged it with all his might against the face of the rock it made a hollow booming sound like a giant drum we all stood still listening while the echo of it died slowly away and then a cold shiver ran down my spine for from within the mountain back came three answering knocks boom, boom, boom wide eyed we looked at one another as though the earth itself had spoken and the solemn little silence that followed was broken by the doctor like heaven he said in a hushed reverent voice some of them at least are alive end of part four chapter seven this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting part five chapter one a great moment the next part of our problem was the hardest of all how to roll aside, pull down our break open that gigantic slab as we gazed up at it towering above our heads it looked indeed a hopeless task for our tiny strength but the sounds of life from inside the mountain had put new heart in us and in a moment we were all scrambling around trying to find opening our crevice which would give us something to work on chichi scaled up the sheer wall of the slab and examined the top of it where it leaned against the mountain side I uprooted bushes and stripped off hanging creepers that might conceal a weak place the doctor got more leaves and composed new picture letters for the jibizri to take in if he should turn up again waltz Polynesia carried up a handful of nuts and pushed them into the beetles hole one by one inside to eat nuts are so nourishing she said but jib it was who scratching at the foot of the slab like a good ratter made the discovery which led to our final success doctor he cried running up to John Doodle with his nose all covered with black mud this slab is resting on nothing but a bed of soft earth you never saw such easy digging I guess the cave behind must be just too high up for people with their hands or they could have scraped away out long ago if we can only scratch the earth bed away from under the slab might drop a little then maybe the Indians can climb out over the top the doctor hurried to examine the place where jib had dug why yes he said if we can get the earth away from under this front edge the slab is standing up so straight we might even make it fall right down in this direction it's well worth trying we had no tools but the sticks and slivers of stone which we could find around a strange sight we must have looked the whole crew of us squatting down on our heels scratching and burrowing at the foot of the mountain like six badgers in a row after about an hour during which inspired the cold the sweat fell from our foreheads in all directions the doctor said be ready to jump from under clear out of the way if she shows signs of moving if this slab falls on anybody will squash him flatter than a pancake presently there was a grating grinding sound look out yell John do little here she comes scatter we ran for our lives outwards toward the sides the big rock slid gently down about a foot into the trough which we had made beneath it for a moment I was disappointed for like that it was as hopeless as before no signs of a cave mouse showing above it but as I looked upward I saw the top coming very slowly away from the mountain side we had unbalanced it below as it moved apart from the face of the mountain sounds of human voices crying gladly in a strange tongue issued from behind faster and faster the top swung forward downward then with the roaring crash which shook the whole mountain range beneath our feet it struck the earth and cracked in halves how can I describe to anyone that first meeting between the two greatest naturalists the world ever knew long arrow the son of golden arrow and John do little MD of puddle by on the marsh the scene rises before me now plain and clear in every detail though it took place so many many years ago but when I come to write of it words seem such poor things with which to tell you of that great occasion I know that the doctor whose life was surely full enough of big openings always counted the setting free of the Indian scientists as the greatest thing he ever did for my part knowing how much this meeting must mean to him I was on pins and needles of expectation and curiosity as the great stone finally thunder down at our feet and we gazed across it to see what lay behind the gloomy black mouth of a tunnel full 20 feet high was revealed in the center of this opening stood enormous red Indian seven feet tall handsome muscular slim and naked but for a beaded cloth about his middle and an eagle's feather in his hair he held one hand across his face to shield his eyes from the blinding sun which he had not seen in many days it is he I heard the doctor whisper at my elbow I know him by his great height and the scar upon his chin he stepped forward slowly across the fallen stone with his hand outstretched to the red man presently the Indian uncovered his eyes and I saw that they had a curious piercing gleam in them like the eyes of an eagle but kinder and more gentle he slowly raised his right arm the rest of him still and motionless like a statue and took the doctor's hand in his it was a great moment Polynesian nodded to me in a dissatisfied kind of way and I heard old Bumpo sniffle sentimentally then the doctor tried to speak to Long Arrow but the Indian knew no English of course and the doctor knew no Indian presently to my surprise I heard the doctor trying in different animal languages how do you do? he said in dog talk I'm glad to see you in horse signs how long have you been buried in deer language still the Indian moved but stood there straight and stiff understanding not a word the doctor tried again in several other animal dialects but with no result till at last he came to the language of eagles great red skin he used in the fierce screams and short grunts that the big birds use never have I been so glad in all my life as I am today to find you still alive in a flash Long Arrow's stony face lit up with the smile understanding and back came the answer in eagle tongue mighty white man I owe my life to you for the remainder of my days I am your servant to command afterwards Long Arrow told us that this was the only bird or animal language that he had ever been able to learn but that he had not spoken it in a long time for no eagles ever came to this island then the doctor signaled to Bumpo who came forward with the nuts and water but Long Arrow neither ate nor drank taking the supplies with a knot of thanks he turned and carried them into the inner dimness of the cave we followed him inside we found nine other Indians men women and boys lying on the rock floor in a dreadful state of thinness and exhaustion some had their eyes closed as if dead quickly the doctor went round them all and listened to their hearts they were all alive but one woman we could not speak even to stand upon her feet at a word from the doctor chi chi and Polynesia sped off into the jungles after more fruit and water while Long Arrow was handing round what food we had to his starving friends we suddenly heard a sound outside the cave turning about we saw clustered at the entrance the band of Indians who had met us so inhospitable at the beach they peered into the dark cave cautiously at first the other Indians with us they came rushing in laughing clapping their hands with joy and jabbering away at a tremendous rate Long Arrow explained to the doctor that the nine Indians we had found in the cave with him were two families who had accompanied him into the mountains to help him gather medicine plants and while they had been searching for a kind of moss good for indigestion which grows only inside of damp caves the great rock slab had slid down and shut them in then for two weeks they had lived on the medicine moss and such fresh waters could be found dripping from the damp walls of the cave the other Indians on the island had given them up for lost and mourned them as dead and they were now very surprised and happy to find their relatives alive when Long Arrow turned to the newcomers and told them in their own language that it was the white man who had found and freed their relatives they gathered round John Doolittle Long Arrow said they were apologizing and trying to tell the doctor how sorry they were that they had seemed unfriendly to him at the beach they had never seen a white man before and had really been afraid of him especially when they saw him conversing with the porpoises they had thought he was the devil, they said then they went outside and looked at the great stone we had thrown down big as a meadow and they walked round and round it pointing to the break running through the middle wondering how the trick of felling it was done travelers who have since visited Spider Monkey Island tell me that the huge stone slab is now one of the regular sites of the island and that the Indian Guides when showing it to visitors always tell their story of how it came there they say that when the doctor found that the rocks had entrapped his friend Long Arrow he was so angry that he ripped the mountain in halves with his bare hands and let him out of part 5 chapter 1 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the voyages of Dr. Doolil by Hugh Lofting part 5 chapter 2 the men of the moving land from that time on the Indians treatment of us was very different we were invited to their village for a feast to celebrate the recovery of the lost families and after we had made a litter from saplings to carry the sick woman in we all started off down the mountain on the way the Indians told Long Arrow something which appeared to be sad news for on hearing it his face grew very grave the doctor asked him what was wrong and Long Arrow said he had just been informed that the chief of the tribe an old man of 80 had died early that morning that, Polynesia whispered in my ear must have been what they went back to the village for when the messenger fetched them from the beach remember what did he die of? asked the doctor he died of cold said Long Arrow indeed now that the sun was setting we were all shivering ourselves this is a serious thing said the doctor to me the island is still in the grip of that current flowing southward we will have to look into this tomorrow if nothing can be done about it the Indians had better take to canoes and leave the island the chance of being wrecked will be better than getting frozen to death in the ice flows of the Antarctic presently we came over a saddle in the hills and looking downward on the far side of the island we saw the village a large cluster of grass huts and gaily colored totem poles close by the edge of the sea the mystic said the doctor delightfully situated what is the name of the village Popsapettle said Long Arrow that is the name also of the tribe the word signifies in Indian tongue the men of the moving land there are two tribes of Indians on the island the Popsapettles at this end and the Bagjagdurags at the other which is the larger of the two peoples the Bagjagdurags by far their city covers two square leagues but added Long Arrow a slight frown darkening his handsome face for me I would rather have one Popsapettle than a hundred Bagjagdurags the news of the rescue we had made had evidently got ahead of us for as we drew nearer to the village we saw crowds of Indians streaming out to greet the friends and relatives whom they had never thought to see again these good people when they too were told how the rescue had been the work of the strange white visitor to their shores all gathered round the doctor shook him by the hands patted him and hugged him then they lifted him up upon their strong shoulders and carried him down the hill into the village there the welcome we received was even more wonderful in spite of the cold air of the coming night the villagers who had all been shivering within their houses through open their doors and came out in hundreds I had no idea that the little village could hold so many they thronged about us smiling and nodding and waving their hands and as the details of what we had done were recited by long arrow they kept shouting strange singing noises which we supposed were words of gratitude or praise we were next escorted to a brand new grass house clean and sweet smelling within and informed that it was ours six strong Indian boys were told off to be our servants on our way through the village we noticed a house larger than the rest standing at the end of the main street long arrow pointed to it and told us it was the chief's house but that it was now empty no new chief having yet been elected to take the place of the old one who had died inside our new home a feast of fish and fruit had been prepared most of the more important men of the tribe were already seating themselves at the long dining table when we got there long arrow invited us to sit down and eat this we were glad enough to do as we were all hungry but we were both surprised and disappointed when we found that the fish had not been cooked the Indians did not seem to think this extraordinary in the least but went ahead gobbling the fish with much relish the way it was raw with many apologies the doctor explained to long arrow that if they had no objection we would prefer our fish cooked imagine our astonishment imagine that the great long arrow so learned in the natural sciences did not know what the word cooked meant Polynesia who was sitting on the bench between John Doodle and myself pulled the doctor by the sleeve I'll tell you what's wrong doctor she whispered as he leaned down to listen to her these people have no fires they don't know how to make a fire look outside it's almost dark and there is a light showing the whole village this is a fireless people end of part 5 chapter 2 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this recording is by Mark Smith of Simpsonville, South Carolina the voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting part 5 chapter 3 fire then the doctor asked Long Arrow if he knew what fire was explaining it to him by pictures drawn on the Buckskin tablecloth Long Arrow said he had seen such a thing coming out of the tops of volcanoes but that neither he nor any of the pops of petals knew how it was made poor parish and heathens muttered Bumpo no wonder the old chief died of cold at that moment we heard a crying sound at the door and turning round we saw a weeping indian mother with a baby in her arms she said something to the Indians which we could not understand and Long Arrow told us the baby was sick and she wanted the white doctor to try and cure it oh lord grown Polynesia in my ear just like puddlebee patients arriving in the middle of dinner well one thing the food's raw so nothing can get cold anyway the doctor examined the baby and found it once that it was thoroughly chilled fire fire that's what it needs he said turning to Long Arrow that's what you all need this child will have pneumonia if it isn't kept warm I truly but how to make a fire said Long Arrow that is the difficulty all the volcanoes in this land are dead then we fell to hunting through our pockets to see if any matches had survived the shipwreck the best we could muster were two whole ones and a half all with the heads soaked off them by salt water hark Long Arrow said the doctor divers ways there be of making fire without the aid of matches one glass and the rays of the sun that however since the sun has set we cannot now employ another is by grinding a hard stick into a soft log is the daylight gone without alas yes then I fear we must await the moral for besides the different woods we need an old squirrel's nest for fuel and that without lamps you could not find in your forest at this hour you're cunning and your skill oh white man Long Arrow replied but in this you do us on injustice know you not that all fireless people's can see in the dark having no lamps we are forced to train ourselves to travel through the blackest night lightless I will dispatch a messenger and you shall have your squirrel's nest within the hour he gave an order to two of our boy servants running and sure enough in a very short space of time a squirrel's nest together with hard and soft woods was brought to our door the moon had not yet risen and within the house it was practically pitch black I could feel and hear however that the Indians were moving about comfortably as though it were daylight the task of making fire the doctor had to perform almost entirely an arrow in the Indians to hand him his tools when he mislaid them in the dark and then I made a curious discovery now that I had to I found that I was beginning to see a little in the dark myself and for the first time I realized that of course there is no such thing as pitch dark so long as you have a door open or a sky above you calling for the loan of a bow the doctor loosened the string and started to put the stick into a loop and began grinding the stick into the soft wood of the log soon I smelt that the log was smoking then he kept feeding the part that was smoking with the inside lining of the squirrel's nest and he asked me to blow upon it with my breath he made the stick drill faster and faster more smoke filled the room and at last the darkness about us began to flame the Indians murmured and grunted with astonishment at first they were all for falling on their knees and worshipping the fire then they wanted to pick it up with their bare hands and play with it we had to teach them how it was to be used and they were quite fascinated when we laid our fish across it on sticks and cooked it they sniffed the air with relish as for the first time in history the fish passed through the village of Popsipettle then we got them to bring us piles and stacks of dry wood and we made an enormous bonfire in the middle of the main street round this when they felt its warmth the whole tribe gathered and smiled and wondered it was a striking sight one of the pictures from our voyages that I most frequently remember that roaring jolly blaze beneath the black night sky and all about it a vast ring of Indians a firelight gleaming on bronze cheeks white teeth and flashing eyes a whole town trying to get warm giggling and pushing like school children in a little when we had got them more used to the handling of fire the doctor showed them how it could be taken into their houses if a hole were only made in the roof to let the smoke out and before we turned in after that long, long tiring day we had fires going in every hut in the village the poor people were so glad to get really warm again that we thought they'd never go to bed well on into the early hours of the morning the little town fairly buzzed with a great low murmur the Popsipettles sitting up talking of their wonderful pale face visitor and this strange good thing fire end of chapter this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this recording is by Mark Smith of Simpsonville, South Carolina the voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting part five chapter four what makes an island float very early in our experience of Popsipettles kindness we saw that if we were to get anything done at all we would almost always have to do it secretly the doctor was so popular and loved by all that as soon as he showed his face at his door in the morning crowds of admirers waiting patiently outside flocked about him and followed him wherever he went after his fire-making feet people expected him I think to be continually doing magic and they were determined not to miss a trick it was only with great difficulty that we escaped from the crowd the first morning and set out with long arrow to explore the island at our leisure in the interior we found that not only the plants and trees were suffering from the cold the animal life was in even worse straits everywhere shivering birds were to be seen the feathers all fluffed out gathering together for flight to summer lands and many laid dead upon the ground going down to the shore we watched land-crabs and large numbers taking to the sea to find some better home while away to the southeast we could see many icebergs floating a sign that we were now not far from the terrible region of the Antarctic as we were looking out to sea we noticed our friends the porpoises jumping through the waves the doctor hailed them and they came in shore we asked them how far we were from the south polar continent about a hundred miles they told him and then they asked him why he wanted to know because this floating island we are on said he is drifting southward all the time in a current it's an island that ordinarily has its own real sultry weather sun strokes and all that if it doesn't stop going south we're pretty soon everything on it is going to perish well said the porpoises then the thing to do is to get it back into a warmer climate isn't it yes but how said the doctor we can't row it back no said they but whales could push it if you only got enough of them what a splendid idea whales the very thing said the doctor do you think you could get me some why certainly said the porpoises we passed one herd of them out there sporting around among the icebergs we'll ask them to come over and if they aren't enough we'll try and hunt up some more better have plenty thank you said the doctor you are very kind by the way do you happen to know how this island came to be a floating island at least half of it I notice is made of stone it is very odd that it floats at all isn't it it is unusual they said but the explanation is quite simple it used to be a mountainous part of south america an overhanging part sort of an awkward corner you might say way back in the glacial days thousands of years ago it broke off the mainland and by some curious accident the inside of it which is hollow got filled with air as it fell into the ocean you can only see less than half of the island the bigger half is under water and in the middle of it underneath is a huge rock air chamber running right up inside the mountains and that's what keeps it floating what a percurious phenomena said bumpo is indeed said the doctor I must make a note of that and out came the everlasting notebook the porpoises went bounding off towards the icebergs and not long after we saw the sea heaving and frothing as a big herd of whales came towards us at full speed they certainly were enormous creatures and there must have been a good two hundred of them here they are said the porpoises poking their heads out of the water good said the doctor now just explain to them will you please that this is a very serious matter for all the living creatures in this land and asked them if they will be so good is to go down to the far end of the island put their noses against it and push it back near the coast of southern Brazil the porpoises evidently succeeded in persuading the whales to do as the doctor asked for presently we saw them thrashing through the seas going off towards the south end of the island then we lay down upon the beach and waited after about an hour the doctor got up and threw a stick into the water for a while this floated motionless but soon we saw it begin to move gently down the coast ah said the doctor see that the island is going north at last thank goodness even faster we left the stick behind and smaller and dimmer grew the icebergs on the skyline the doctor took out his watch threw more sticks into the water and made a rapid calculation huh fourteen and a half knots an hour he murmured a very nice speed it should take us about five days to get back near Brazil well that's that quite a load off my mind clear I feel warmer already let's go and get something to eat