And I would sit on the river-wall with my feet dangling over the water and sing with the men, pretending to myself that I too was a sailor.įor I longed always to sail away with those brave ships when they turned their backs on Puddleby Church and went creeping down the river again, across the wide lonely marshes to the sea. The sailors sang strange songs as they pulled upon the ropes and I learned these songs by heart. I used to go down and watch the sailors unloading the ships upon the river-wall. Sailing-ships came up this river from the sea and anchored near the bridge. A river ran through the middle of it and over this river there was a very old stone bridge, called Kingsbridge, which led you from the market-place on one side to the churchyard on the other. At that time Puddleby was only quite a small town. My name was Tommy Stubbins, son of Jacob Stubbins, the cobbler of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh and I was nine and a half years old. And first of all I must tell you something about myself and how I came to meet the Doctor. In fact sometimes I almost think I ought to say that this book was written by Polynesia instead of me. If there is any happening I am not quite sure of, she is always able to put me right, to tell me exactly how it took place, who was there and everything about it.
And, as every one who ever met her knows, Polynesia's memory is the most marvelous memory in the world. That wonderful bird (she is now nearly two hundred and fifty years old) sits on the top of my desk, usually humming sailor songs to herself, while I write this book. But whenever I am in doubt and have to hesitate and think, I always ask Polynesia, the parrot. Now of course, when I am quite an old man, my memory isn't so good any more. But we were both of us so busy then voyaging around the world, having adventures and filling note-books full of natural history that I never seemed to get time to sit down and write of our doings. Many years ago the Doctor gave me permission to do this. But I now come to set down that part of the great man's life which I myself saw and took part in. THE SHELLFISH RIDDLE SOLVED AT LASTĪll that I have written so far about Doctor Dolittle I heard long after it happened from those who had known him-indeed a great deal of it took place before I was born. LONG ARROW, THE SON OF GOLDEN ARROWĬHAPTER V.
I HEAR OF THE GREAT NATURALISTĬHAPTER XV.
0 kommentar(er)
