the story of little black sambo-第2部分
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and we will eat you up。〃
Then he waddled off to catch fish for himself; and left
Little Black Mingo alone beside the big pile of eggs。
And Little Black Mingo sat down on a big stone and hid her
face in her hands; and cried bitterly; because she couldn't
swim and she didn't know how to get away。
Presently she heard a queer little squeaky noise that
sounded like 〃Squeak; Squeak; Squeak!!! Oh Little Black
Mingo; help me or I shall be drowned。〃 She got up and
looked to see what was calling; and she saw a bush coming
floating down the river with something wriggling and
scrambling about in it; and as it came near she saw that it
was a Mongoose that was in the bush。 So she waded out as
far as she could; and caught hold of the bush and pulled it
in; and the poor Mongoose crawled up her arm on to her
shoulder; and she carried him to shore。
When they got to shore the Mongoose shook himself; and
Little Black Mingo wrung out her petticoat; and so they both
very soon got dry。
The Mongoose then began to poke about for something to eat;
and very soon he found the great big pile of Mugger's eggs。
〃Oh; joy!〃 said he; 〃what's this?〃
〃Those are Mugger's eggs;〃 said Little Black Mingo。
〃I'm not afraid of Muggers!〃 said the Mongoose; and he sat
down and began to crack the eggs; and eat the little muggers
as they came out。 And he threw the shells into the water;
so that the old Mugger should not see that any one had been
eating them。 But he was careless; and he left one eggshell
on the edge; and he was hungry and he ate so many that the
pile got much smaller; and when the old Mugger came back he
saw at once that some one had been meddling with them。
So he ran to Little Black Mingo; and said; 〃How dare you eat
my eggs?〃
〃Indeed; indeed I didn't;〃 said Little Black Mingo。
〃Then who could it have been?〃 said the Mugger; and he ran
back to the eggs as fast as he could; and sure enough when
he got back he found the Mongoose had eaten a whole lot
more!!
Then he said to himself; 〃I must stay beside my eggs till
they are hatched into little muggers; or the Mongoose will
eat them all。〃 So he curled himself into a ring round the
eggs and went to sleep。
But while he was asleep the Mongoose came to eat some more
of the eggs; and ate as many as he wanted; and when the
Mugger woke this time; oh! WHAT a rage he was in; for there
were only six eggs left! He roared so loud that all the
little muggers inside the shells gnashed their teeth; and
tried to roar too。
Then he said; 〃I know what I'll do; I'll fetch Little Black
Mingo's big chatty and cover my eggs with that; then the
Mongoose won't be able to get at them。〃 So he swam across
to the shore; and fetched the dhobi's big chatty; and
covered the eggs with it。 〃Now; you wicked little Mongoose;
come and eat my eggs if you can;〃 said he; and he went off
quite proud and happy。
By and by the Mongoose came back; and he was terribly
disappointed when he found the eggs all covered with the big
chatty。
So he ran off to Little Black Mingo; and asked her to help
him; and Little Black Mingo came and took the big chatty off
the eggs; and the Mongoose ate them every one。
〃Now;〃 said he; 〃there will be no little muggers to make a
feast for tomorrow。〃
〃No;〃 said Little Black Mingo; 〃but the Mugger will eat me
all by himself I am afraid。〃
〃No he won't;〃 said the Mongoose; 〃for we will sail away
together in the big chatty before he comes back。〃
So he climbed on to the edge of the chatty; and Little Black
Mingo pushed the chatty out into the water; and then she
clambered into it and paddled with her two hands as hard as
she could; and the big chatty just sailed beautifully。
So they got across safely; and Little Black Mingo filled the
chatty half full of water and took it on her head; and they
went up the bank together。
But when the Mugger came back; and found only empty egg…
shells he was fearfully angry。 He roared and he raged; and
he howled and he yelled; till the whole island shook; and
his tears ran down his cheeks and pattered on the sand like
rain。
So he started to chase Little Black Mingo and the Mongoose;
and he swam across the river as fast as ever he could; and
when he was half way across he saw them landing; and as he
landed they hurried over the first ridge。
So he raced after them; but they ran; and just before he
caught them they got into the house; and banged the door in
his face。 Then they shut all the windows; so he could not
get in anywhere。
〃All right;〃 said he; 〃you will have to come out some time;
and then I will catch you both; and eat you up。〃
So he hid behind the back of the house and waited。
Now Black Noggy was just coming home from the bazaar with a
tin of kerosene on her head; and a box of matches in her
hand。
And when he saw her the Mugger rushed out and gobbled her
up; kerosene tin; matches and all!!!
When Black Noggy found herself in the Muggers' dark inside;
she wanted to see where she was; so she felt for the match…
box and took out a match and lit it。 But the Mugger's teeth
had made holes in the kerosene tin; so that the flame of the
match caught the kerosene; and BANG!! the kerosene
exploded; and blew the old Mugger and Black noggy into
little bits。
At the fearful noise Little Black Mingo and the Mongoose
came running out; and there they found Black Noggy and the
old Mugger all blown to bits。
So Little Black Mingo and the Mongoose got the nice little
house for their very own; and there they lived happy ever
after。 And Little Black Mingo got the Mugger's beard for her
seat; and the Mongoose got Black Noggy's handkerchief for
his。 But he was so wee he used to put it on the Mugger's
nose; and there they sat; and had their tea every evening。
End