YoumaythinktheanimalswereverystupidnottoseeatoncethatUncleAndrewwasthesamekindofcreatureasthetwochildrenandtheCabby.Butyoumustrememberthattheanimalsknewnothingaboutclothes.TheythoughtthatPolly’sfrockandDigory’sNorfolksuitandtheCabby’showlethatwereasmuchpartsofthemastheirownfurandfeathers.Theywouldn’thaveknowneventhatthosethreewereallofthesamekindiftheyhadn’tspokentothemandifStrawberryhadnotseemedtothinkso.AndUncleAndrewwasagreatdealtallerthanthechildrenandagooddealthinnerthantheCabby.Hewasallinblackexceptforhiswhitewaistcoat(notverywhitebynow),andthegreatgreymopofhishair(nowverywildindeed)didn’tlooktothemlikeanythingtheyhadseeninthethreeotherhumans.Soitwasonlynaturalthattheyshouldbepuzzled.Worstofall,hedidn’tseemtobeabletotalk.
Hehadtriedto.WhentheBulldogspoketohim(or,ashethought,firstsnarledandthengrowledathim)heheldouthisshakinghandandgasped“GoodDoggie,then,pooroldfellow.”Butthebeastscouldnotunderstandhimanymorethanhecouldunderstandthem.Theydidn’thearanywords:onlyavaguesizzlingnoise.Perhapsitwasjustaswelltheydidn’t,fornodogthatIeverknew,leastofallaTalkingDogofNarnia,likesbeingcalledaGoodDoggiethen;anymorethanyouwouldlikebeingcalledMyLittleMan.
ThenUncleAndrewdroppeddowninadeadfaint.
“There!”saidaWarthog,“it’sonlyatree.Ialwaysthoughtso.”(Remember,theyhadneveryetseenafaintorevenafall.)
TheBulldog,whohadbeensniffingUncleAndrewallover,raiseditsheadandsaid,“It’sananimal.Certainlyananimal.Andprobablythesamekindasthoseotherones.”
“Idon’tseethat,”saidoneoftheBears.“Ananimalwouldn’tjustrolloverlikethat.We’reanimalsandwedon’trollover.Westandup.Likethis.”Herosetohishindlegs,tookastepbackwards,trippedoveralowbranchandfellflatonhisback.
“TheThirdJoke,theThirdJoke,theThirdJoke!”saidtheJackdawingreatexcitement.
“Istillthinkit’sasortoftree,”saidtheWarthog.
“Ifit’satree,”saidtheotherBear,“theremightbeabees’nestinit.”
“I’msureit’snotatree,”saidtheBadger.“Ihadasortofideaitwastryingtospeakbeforeittoppledover.”
“Thatwasonlythewindinitsbranches,”saidtheWarthog.
“Yousurelydon’tmean,”saidtheJackdawtotheBadger,“thatyouthinkitsatalkinganimal!Itdidn’tsayanywords.”
“Andyet,youknow,”saidtheElephant(theShe—Elephant,ofcourse;herhusband,asyouremember,hadbeencalledawaybyAslan).“Andyet,youknow,itmightbeananimalofsomekind.Mightn’tthewhitishlumpatthisendbeasortofface?Andcouldn’tthoseholesbeeyesandamouth?Nonose,ofcourse.Butthen-ahem-onemustn’tbenarrow-minded.VeryfewofushavewhatcouldexactlybecalledaNose.”Shesquinteddownthelengthofherowntrunkwithpardonablepride.
“Iobjecttothatremarkverystrongly,”saidtheBulldog.
“TheElephantisquiteright,”saidtheTapir.
“Itellyouwhat!”saidtheDonkeybrightly,“perhapsit’sananimalthatcan’ttalkbutthinksitcan.”
“Canitbemadetostandup?”saidtheElephantthoughtfully.ShetookthelimpformofUncleAndrewgentlyinhertrunkandsethimuponend:upsidedown,unfortunately,sothattwohalf-sovereigns,threehalf—crowns,andasixpencefelloutofhispocket.Butitwasnouse.UncleAndrewmerelycollapsedagain.
“There!”saidseveralvoices.“Itisn’tananimalatall,it’snotalive.”
“Itellyou,itisananimal,”saidtheBulldog.“Smellitforyourself.”
“Smellingisn’teverything,”saidtheElephant.
“Why,”saidtheBulldog,“ifafellowcan’ttrusthisnose,whatishetotrust?”
“Well,hisbrainsperhaps,”sherepliedmildly.
“Iobjecttothatremarkverystrongly,”saidtheBulldog.
“Well,wemustdosomethingaboutit,”saidtheElephant.“BecauseitmaybetheNeevil,anditmustbeshowntoAslan.Whatdomostofusthink?Isitananimalorsomethingofthetreekind?”
“Tree!Tree!”saidadozenvoices.
“Verywell,”saidtheElephant.“Then,ifit’satreeitwantstobeplanted.Wemustdigahole.”
ThetwoMolessettledthatpartofthebusinessprettyquickly.TherewassomedisputeastowhichwayupUncleAndrewoughttobeputintothehole,andhehadaverynarrowescapefrombeingputinheadforemost.Severalanimalssaidhislegsmustbehisbranchesandthereforethegrey,fluffything(theymeanthishead)mustbehisroot.Butthenotherssaidthattheforkedendofhimwasthemuddierandthatitspreadoutmore,asrootsoughttodo.Sofinallyhewasplantedrightwayup.Whentheyhadpatteddowntheearthitcameupabovehisknees.
“Itlooksdreadfullywithered,”saidtheDonkey.
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