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BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
The smaller girl created a diversion by beginning to recite 〃On the
Road to Mandalay。〃 She only knew the first line； but she put her
limited knowledge to the fullest possible use。 She repeated the line
over and over again in a dreamy but resolute and very audible voice； it
seemed to the bachelor as though some one had had a bet with her that
she could not repeat the line aloud two thousand times without stopping。
Whoever it was who had made the wager was likely to lose his bet。
〃Come over here and listen to a story；〃 said the aunt； when the
bachelor had looked twice at her and once at the communication cord。
The children moved listlessly towards the aunt's end of the carriage。
Evidently her reputation as a story… teller did not rank high in their
estimation。
In a low； confidential voice； interrupted at frequent intervals by loud；
petulant questionings from her listeners； she began an unenterprising and
deplorably uninteresting story about a little girl who was good； and
made friends with every one on account of her goodness； and was finally
saved from a mad bull by a number of rescuers who admired her moral
character。
〃Wouldn't they have saved her if she hadn't been good？〃 demanded
the bigger of the small girls。 It was exactly the question that the
bachelor had wanted to ask。
〃Well； yes；〃 admitted the aunt lamely； 〃but I don't think they would
have run quite so fast to her help if they had not liked her so much。〃
〃It's the stupidest story I've ever heard；〃 said the bigger of the small
girls； with immense conviction。
〃I didn't listen after the first bit； it was so stupid；〃 said Cyril。
The smaller girl made no actual comment on the story； but she had
long ago recommenced a murmured repetition of her favourite line。
〃You don't seem to be a success as a story…teller；〃 said the bachelor
suddenly from his corner。
The aunt bristled in instant defence at this unexpected attack。
〃It's a very difficult thing to tell stories that children can both
understand and appreciate；〃 she said stiffly。
〃I don't agree with you；〃 said the bachelor。
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BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
〃Perhaps you would like to tell them a story；〃 was the aunt's retort。
〃Tell us a story；〃 demanded the bigger of the small girls。
〃Once upon a time；〃 began the bachelor； 〃there was a little girl called
Bertha； who was extra…ordinarily good。〃
The children's momentarily…aroused interest began at once to flicker；
all stories seemed dreadfully alike； no matter who told them。
〃She did all that she was told； she was always truthful； she kept her
clothes clean； ate milk puddings as though they were jam tarts； learned
her lessons perfectly； and was polite in her manners。〃
〃Was she pretty？〃 asked the bigger of the small girls。
〃Not as pretty as any of you；〃 said the bachelor； 〃but she was
horribly good。〃
There was a wave of reaction in favour of the story； the word
horrible in connection with goodness was a novelty that commended
itself。 It seemed to introduce a ring of truth that was absent from the
aunt's tales of infant life。
〃She was so good；〃 continued the bachelor； 〃that she won several
medals for goodness； which she always wore； pinned on to her dress。
There was a medal for obedience； another medal for punctuality； and a
third for good behaviour。 They were large metal medals and they
clicked against one another as she walked。 No other child in the town
where she lived had as many as three medals； so everybody knew that
she must be an extra good child。〃
〃Horribly good；〃 quoted Cyril。
〃Everybody talked about her goodness； and the Prince of the country
got to hear about it； and he said that as she was so very good she might
be allowed once a week to walk in his park； which was just outside the
town。 It was a beautiful park； and no children were ever allowed in it；
so it was a great honour for Bertha to be allowed to go there。〃
〃Were there any sheep in the park？〃 demanded Cyril。
〃No；〃 said the bachelor； 〃there were no sheep。〃
〃Why weren't there any sheep？〃 came the inevitable question arising
out of that answer。
The aunt permitted herself a smile； which might almost have been
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BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
described as a grin。
〃There were no sheep in the park；〃 said the bachelor； 〃because the
Prince's mother had once had a dream that her son would either be killed
by a sheep or else by a clock falling on him。 For that reason the
Prince never kept a sheep in his park or a clock in his palace。〃
The aunt suppressed a gasp of admiration。
〃Was the Prince killed by a sheep or by a clock？〃 asked Cyril。
〃He is still alive； so we can't tell whether the dream will come true；〃
said the bachelor unconcernedly； 〃anyway； there were no sheep in the
park； but there were lots of little pigs running all over the place。〃
〃What colour were they？〃
〃Black with white faces； white with black spots； black all over； grey
with white patches； and some were white all over。〃
The storyteller paused to let a full idea of the park's treasures sink
into the children's imaginations； then he resumed：
〃Bertha was rather sorry to find that there were no flowers in the
park。 She had promised her aunts； with tears in her eyes； that she
would not pick any of the kind Prince's flowers； and she had meant to
keep her promise； so of course it made her feel silly to find that there
were no flowers to pick。〃
〃Why weren't there any flowers？〃
〃Because the pigs had eaten them all；〃