Edmund Selous

Tommy Smith's Other Animals Edmund Selous

CHAPTER I: As you know, when Tommy Smith grew up the animals did not talk to him any more as they used to when he was only a little boy. But he did not grow up all at once, and in the meanwhile he had some more conversations with other creatures which I have not yet told you about. But now I will, because,put together, they will make a little book, about the same size as the last one and as there are so many little books in the world, why should not there be just one more. It is true that Tommy Smith had promised the owl not to be unkind to animals any more, and the owl had called a meeting, and told the animals all about it, and explained that Tommy Smith was sure to keep his promise, because he made it to him in a particular way, and then the animals had given three cheers, and the meeting had broken up, and everybody had gone away in a quite satisfied state of mind. So, as there was no fear now of Tommy Smith hurting the animals, and as the only reason why the animals had decided to taIk to him was to get him out of his bad habits, it seemed as if there was no need of any more conversations. But when conversations have once been begun it is not so easy for them to stop, and it was only natural that creatures who had taken all the trouble to learn the little boy language should want to speak it to a little boy- and there were some too who, in spite of what the owl had told them, were anxious to get a personal assurance from Tommy Smith himself. Then, of course, those animals who had had their conversation with Tornmy Smith had talked about it to the other ones, and what they told them had aroused their curiosity- for you may read in any natural history book that animals have curiosity strongly developed.