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第28节

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 For she had found out photography (and this is a fact) more than 13;598;000 years before anybody was born; and; what is more; her photographs did not merely represent light and shade; as ours do; but colour also; and all colours; as you may see if you look at a black…cock's tail; or a butterfly's wing; or indeed most things that are or can be; so to speak。  And therefore her photographs were very curious and famous; and the children looked with great delight for the opening of the book。

And on the title…page was written; 〃The History of the great and famous nation of the Doasyoulikes; who came away from the country of Hardwork; because they wanted to play on the Jews' harp all day long。〃

In the first picture they saw these Doasyoulikes living in the land of Readymade; at the foot of the Happy…go…lucky Mountains; where flapdoodle grows wild; and if you want to know what that is; you must read Peter Simple。

They lived very much such a life as those jolly old Greeks in Sicily; whom you may see painted on the ancient vases; and really there seemed to be great excuses for them; for they had no need to work。

Instead of houses they lived in the beautiful caves of tufa; and bathed in the warm springs three times a day; and; as for clothes; it was so warm there that the gentlemen walked about in little beside a cocked hat and a pair of straps; or some light summer tackle of that kind; and the ladies all gathered gossamer in autumn (when they were not too lazy) to make their winter dresses。

They were very fond of music; but it was too much trouble to learn the piano or the violin; and as for dancing; that would have been too great an exertion。  So they sat on ant…hills all day long; and played on the Jews' harp; and; if the ants bit them; why they just got up and went to the next ant…hill; till they were bitten there likewise。

And they sat under the flapdoodle…trees; and let the flapdoodle drop into their mouths; and under the vines; and squeezed the grape…juice down their throats; and; if any little pigs ran about ready roasted; crying; 〃Come and eat me;〃 as was their fashion in that country; they waited till the pigs ran against their mouths; and then took a bite; and were content; just as so many oysters would have been。

They needed no weapons; for no enemies ever came near their land; and no tools; for everything was readymade to their hand; and the stern old fairy Necessity never came near them to hunt them up; and make them use their wits; or die。

And so on; and so on; and so on; till there were never such comfortable; easy…going; happy…go…lucky people in the world。

〃Well; that is a jolly life;〃 said Tom。

〃You think so?〃 said the fairy。  〃Do you see that great peaked mountain there behind;〃 said the fairy; 〃with smoke coming out of its top?〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And do you see all those ashes; and slag; and cinders lying about?〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then turn over the next five hundred years; and you will see what happens next。〃

And behold the mountain had blown up like a barrel of gunpowder; and then boiled over like a kettle; whereby one…third of the Doasyoulikes were blown into the air; and another third were smothered in ashes; so that there was only one…third left。

〃You see;〃 said the fairy; 〃what comes of living on a burning mountain。〃

〃Oh; why did you not warn them?〃 said little Ellie。

〃I did warn them all that I could。  I let the smoke come out of the mountain; and wherever there is smoke there is fire。  And I laid the ashes and cinders all about; and wherever there are cinders; cinders may be again。  But they did not like to face facts; my dears; as very few people do; and so they invented a cock…and…bull story; which; I am sure; I never told them; that the smoke was the breath of a giant; whom some gods or other had buried under the mountain; and that the cinders were what the dwarfs roasted the little pigs whole with; and other nonsense of that kind。  And; when folks are in that humour; I cannot teach them; save by the good old birch…rod。〃

And then she turned over the next five hundred years:  and there were the remnant of the Doasyoulikes; doing as they liked; as before。  They were too lazy to move away from the mountain; so they said; If it has blown up once; that is all the more reason that it should not blow up again。  And they were few in number:  but they only said; The more the merrier; but the fewer the better fare。 However; that was not quite true; for all the flapdoodle…trees were killed by the volcano; and they had eaten all the roast pigs; who; of course; could not be expected to have little ones。  So they had to live very hard; on nuts and roots which they scratched out of the ground with sticks。  Some of them talked of sowing corn; as their ancestors used to do; before they came into the land of Readymade; but they had forgotten how to make ploughs (they had forgotten even how to make Jews' harps by this time); and had eaten all the seed…corn which they brought out of the land of Hardwork years since; and of course it was too much trouble to go away and find more。  So they lived miserably on roots and nuts; and all the weakly little children had great stomachs; and then died。

〃Why;〃 said Tom; 〃they are growing no better than savages。〃

〃And look how ugly they are all getting;〃 said Ellie。

〃Yes; when people live on poor vegetables instead of roast beef and plum…pudding; their jaws grow large; and their lips grow coarse; like the poor Paddies who eat potatoes。〃

And she turned over the next five hundred years。  And there they were all living up in trees; and making nests to keep off the rain。 And underneath the trees lions were prowling about。

〃Why;〃 said Ellie; 〃the lions seem to have eaten a good many of them; for there are very few left now。〃

〃Yes;〃 said the fairy; 〃you see it was only the strongest and most active ones who could climb the trees; and so escape。〃

〃But what great; hulking; broad…shouldered chaps they are;〃 said Tom; 〃they are a rough lot as ever I saw。〃

〃Yes; they are getting very strong now; for the ladies will not marry any but the very strongest and fiercest gentlemen; who can help them up the trees out of the lions' way。〃

And she turned over the next five hundred years。  And in that they were fewer still; and stronger; and fiercer; but their feet had changed shape very oddly; for they laid hold of the branches with their great toes; as if they had been thumbs; just as a Hindoo tailor uses his toes to thread his needle。

The children were very much surprised; and asked the fairy whether that was her doing。

〃Yes; and no;〃 she said; smiling。  〃It was only those who could use their feet as well as their hands who could get a good living:  or; indeed; get married; so that they got the best of everything; and starved out all the rest; and those who are left keep up a regular breed of toe…thumb…men; as a breed of short…horns; or are skye… terriers; or fancy pigeons is kept up。〃

〃But there is a hairy one among them;〃 said Ellie。

〃Ah!〃 said the fairy; 〃that will be a great man in his time; and chief of all the tribe。〃

And; when she turned over the next five hundred years; it was true。

For this hairy chief had had hairy children; and they hairier children still; and every one wished to marry hairy husbands; and have hairy children too; for the climate was growing so damp that none but the hairy ones could live:  all the rest coughed and sneezed; and had sore throats; and went into consumptions; before they could grow up to be men and women。

Then the fairy turned over the next five hundred years。  And they were fewer still。

〃Why; there is one on the ground picking up roots;〃 said Ellie; 〃and he cannot walk upright。〃

No more he could; for in the same way that the shape of their feet had altered; the shape of their backs had altered also。

〃Why;〃 cried Tom; 〃I declare they are all apes。〃

〃Something fearfully like it; poor foolish creatures;〃 said the fairy。  〃They are grown so stupid now; that they can hardly think: for none of them have used their wits for many hundred years。  They have almost forgotten; too; how to talk。  For each stupid child forgot some of the words it heard from its stupid parents; and had not wits enough to make fresh words for itself。  Beside; they are grown so fierce and suspicious and brutal that they keep out of each other's way; and mope and sulk in the dark forests; never hearing each other's voice; till they have forgotten almost what speech is like。  I am afraid they will all be apes very soon; and all by doing only what they liked。〃

And in the next five hundred years they were all dead and gone; by bad food and wild beasts and hunters; all except one tremendous old fellow with jaws like a jack; who stood full seven feet high; and M。 Du Chaillu came up to him; and shot him; as he stood roaring and thumping his breast。  And he remembered that his ancestors had once been men; and tried to say; 〃Am I not a man and a brother?〃 but had forgotten how to use his tongue; and then he had tried to call for a doctor; but he had forgotten the word for one。  So all he said was 〃Ubboboo!〃 and died。

And that was the end of the great and jolly nation of the Doasyoulikes。  And; when Tom and Ellie came to 

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