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Speaker 1: Yale. Hello everyone, and welcome to the Animal Tales podcast,

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where you suggest the animal for us to write a

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story about. My name's Josephine and I've got a brand

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new animal story here just for you. There are over

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four hundred animal tales now and all are available on

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our premium service, alongside over seventy premium only stories for

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a tiny fee. They are all advert free. Eleiana is

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from Florida, U s A. And she would like a

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story with an alligator, a peacock and an iguana. You

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can learn more about these creatures in the Animal Facts

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after the story. Now, settle back, relax, and I'll begin

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The Beasts of Butterworth House. The Butterworth Estate sat on

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the edge of a large, overgrown swamp. It had been

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difficult to build the house, for there were lots of trees,

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soft ground and animals to contend with, but Charles Butterworth

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had insisted it was the perfect place for his new home.

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He had moved in the very day the house was finished,

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and the next day brought in his menagerie of exotic pets.

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Charles Butterworth saw himself as a collector, adding animals from

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around the world to show off to his wealthy friends.

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He had two zebras, a buffalo, a pair of cappuchin monkeys,

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a sloth, a peacock, and an iguana. The animals were

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kept within the grounds but were never allowed inside the house,

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and because Charles didn't like to get his own hands dirty,

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he hired a keeper to look after them. That person

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was Eliana. Eliana loved her job from the first moment.

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She loved the gardens and the view of the swamp,

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but best of all, she loved getting to know the

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animals she looked after. But what Eliana did not like

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was Charles Butterworth. He threw his slipper at me again,

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grumbled Prince the Peacock. He said, I was too loud.

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I told you to stay away from his study, Eliana sighed.

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His friends tried to put a collar on me yesterday

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and walk me with their dogs, complained Ziggy the iguana.

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I am sorry about how you were all treated, Eliana sighed.

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You do your best, Prince said kindly, But a grand

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bird like me deserves better than this boggi. He screelched

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his foot down and winced when the dirty water rose

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up around his toes. Elianna knew that Charles Butterworth saw

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his menagerie as possessions, not creatures that needed care and attention.

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They were for showing off, and not a thought was

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given to how suitable this home was for them. Elianna

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had even dreamed of taking the animals far far away

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from the Butterworth estate, somewhere they could run free or

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at least be treated with respect. But in reality it

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wasn't so simple. Moving two zebras, a buffalo, a pair

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of cappuchin monkeys, a sloth, a peacock, and an iguana

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was far too difficult to task. So instead Elianna did

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what she could, taking care of the animal's needs and

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keeping them entertained. Girl, I'm taking the car out, Charles

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Butterworth shouted at her one day from his study's window.

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I won't be long. Eliana tried not to smile. She

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liked it whenever mister Butterworth went out, it was an

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opportunity to let the animals roam free for a while.

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She made sure to watch him go, then opened the

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gates to the animal pens. The animals were soon spreading

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out into the wider garden, enjoying their moment of freedom.

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Until that is ziggy came, crashing into her feet. Eleiana,

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come quick, the iguana cried, there's a monster. Cautiously, Eliana

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followed to the garden's edge, beyond which was swamp water

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covered in duck weed. Prince the peacock was here facing

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off against a very large alligator. Get out, Prince demanded,

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this is our garden, garden, the alligator snapped, this is

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a swamp, my swamp. Elianna carefully placed herself in front

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of the peacock, making sure to keep a wary eye

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on the large reptile. Please excuse us, she said, diplomatically.

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Everywhere before you is now the Butterworth estate. Your swamp,

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i'm afraid is behind you. The alligator only scoffed. Nonsense,

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he said, I was hatched on this very spot. This

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will always be the swamp. I'm sorry, but mister Butterworth

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sees it differently, Eliana explained, feeling caught in the middle. Please,

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there's plenty of swamp behind you. I don't agree with your,

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mister Butterworth. The alligator replied, and I'm sure none of

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my fellow gaiters will either. Please understand, Eliana said, carefully,

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Mister Butterworth likes to show off his menagerie, and I

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fear he has no love or respect for animals. If

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he finds you here, I dread to think what action

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he might take. Like I said, grinned the alligator, I

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was hatched here. This is my swamp. I'm not afraid

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of your mister Butterworth. In fact, he should be afraid

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of me. To show the conversation was over, the alligator

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lunged forward, heading towards the house. There was nothing any

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of them could do to stop him. Oh, Butterworth's not

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going to be happy about this, the iguana said joyfully.

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He seemed to like the idea of seeing his owner's reaction.

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All the peacock, the iguana, and Eliana could do was

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follow the large reptile at a safe distance. None of

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them wanted to end up court between its long, toothy jaws.

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The creature is heading for the house, said Prince, pointing

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out the obvious. The door to the kitchen was wide open,

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and the alligator was heading straight to it. Doesn't he

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understand we're not allowed in there. I don't think he cares,

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Eliana groaned. She tried one more appeal to the alligator. Please,

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mister Butterworth doesn't like animals in his house, and I

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don't like his house on my swamp, the alligator replied

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as he entered. I guess we're even. Eliana followed the

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trail of muddy wet Prince through the kitchen and into

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the beautifully decor hall. Oh my goodness, Prince said, appearing

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beside her. His own curiosity had got the better of him,

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and Ziggy too. This is even grander than I imagined.

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Can you two please wait outside, Eliana asked. There's already

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one animal that shouldn't be in here. But I want

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to look at the wall paper, insisted the peacock, and

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I want to see if the alligator recks the place,

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Ziggy chuckled. Eliana considered looking for a cloth to clean

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up the mud, but didn't dare take her eyes off

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of the enormous reptile. Oh no, the dining room, she cried.

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It had several expensive white rugs that the alligator was

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now crossing. Oh my, said the delighted peacock. What a

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beautiful var It was displayed on a marble column before

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the window, but not for long. The heavy tail grazed

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the column and the vase swayed. Eliana could do nothing

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as it toppled sideways to crash upon the floor. Oh

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my stars, the peacock cried, covering his eyes with his wings.

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What a ghastly waist. Please no more, begged Eliana, as

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the alligator turned into the adjoining room. Mister Butterworth is

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not a man you want to upset. They were now

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in the study, lined with bookshelves. A large desk stood

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opposite a fireplace, over which was hung a hunter's rifle.

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Why should I be worried if your mister Butterworth is upset,

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asked the alligator gleefully. If he likes I can give

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him something to really be upset about. The sound of

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a car door slamming made Eliana stiffen. Charles Butterworth was back.

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Maybe we should run, suggested Ziggy. Looking frantic, Eliana turned

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to look at the broken vase and filthy rugs in

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the dining room. There would be no time to hide those.

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Stay out of sight, she said to the peacock and

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the iguana. At least he doesn't have to know that

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you're in here too. Is your butter Man back? The

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alligator asked, turning his body sharply I'd like to have

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a word. Oh no, you don't, said Eliana, quickly, pulling

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the study door closed. Maybe there was still time to

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fix this. She dashed through to the hall, pulling the

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dining room door closed behind her. Just as Charles Butterworth

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entered through the front door. Girl asked mister Butterworth suspiciously,

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what are you doing? Ah, I was just getting a

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glass of water in the kitchen when I heard the car.

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I was coming to open the door for you, Eliana lied,

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I see, said mister Butterworth. Well, it's just as well

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you're here. I have news to share. Oh, Eliana said,

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What sort of news could Charles Butterworth possibly want to

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share with her? The estate has been a success, so

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I've secured the neighboring land. By the end of next summer,

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there'll be a string of beautiful estates just like this one.

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Eliana's face went white. But but what about the swamp,

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she asked, What of it? It's an un unfortunate I saw,

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But it's cheap land. Mister Butterworth replied, I shall have

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it drained. But what about the animals who live there?

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Eliana said, they'll have nowhere to go. You'll be building

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on their homes. Mister Butterworth laughed, silly girl, they're not important,

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he said. The business of building homes and making money

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is important. If you're so concerned, then perhaps we can

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sell some of the creatures to menageries just like mine.

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A sudden commotion erupted behind the door beside them. It

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was the doorway to Butterworth's study. What the devil is that?

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Bellowed mister Butterworth as he reached for the handle and

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threw the door open. Inside there was carnage. Books had

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tumbled from shep elves, a chair lay in pieces, the

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furniture was raked with claws, and there was a mess everywhere.

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Amongst it all, an iguana and a peacock were scrambling

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to get away from something hidden by the desk. What

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is the meaning of this? Shouted Charles Butterworth, as a

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flurry of blue and green feathers launched themselves at him.

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You despicable man, prince squawked, Look what your greed has

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brought into your house. Mister Butterworth cried out, batting at

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the peacock with his arms. Get this foul bird away

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from me, he yelled. Eleanor managed to lift the peacock free,

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but mister Butterworth was furious. How fortunate that peacock feathers

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look so pretty when plucked? Leave him alone, demanded, You've

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grown too attached to these creatures, mister Butterworth spat. They're

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just animals, noisy, smelly, rowdy, wild animals, and they do

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not belong in my house. It was at that moment

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that the alligator made itself known, with a throaty, booming growl,

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capturing mister Butterworth's full attention. It appeared from behind the desk,

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its eyes firmly fixed on the home's owner. For a moment,

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they stared each other down, then burst into action. The

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alligator sprang forward, jaws wide, but mister Butterworth had his

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eyes on something else. He vaulted the desk to snatch

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the rifle from above the fireplace. As the alligator turned

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to face him once more, mister Butterworth raised the gun

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and pulled the trigger, and nothing happened. He tried again,

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as the color drained from his face. Nothing. Ziggi joined

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Eliana and Prince in the doorway as the alligator backed

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mister Butterworth to the window. This is my swamp, snarled

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the reptile. You've already stolen much from me, and now

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I hear you want to do it again and again.

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Mister Butterworth's eyes were wide with fear as his shaking

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fingers dropped the rifle to fight with the window latch.

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Now let's not be hasty, he pleaded. A little late

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for that, said the alligator. Wait, shouted Eliana. She had

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no love for Charles Butterworth, but she didn't want to

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see him swallowed by a gaiter either. It was enough

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to make the alligator pause, giving time for the panicked

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man to throw open the window and leap to the

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lawn outside. But he wasn't alone. The lawn was covered

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in alligators, screaming. Mister Butterworth ran, never to be seen again.

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I guess this belongs to me now, grinned the alligator.

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But what about us, asked Eliana, What about the animals?

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The alligator considered it for a moment. You can stay,

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he said, but no more. Building deal nodded Eliana. Quickly.

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The Butterworth estate became Critter Castle, home to two zebras,

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a buffalo, a pair of cappuchin monkeys, a sloth, a peacock,

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an iguana and their keeper, and whenever they wanted, an

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alligator or two as well. Animals. Fact, American alligators are

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apex predators, meaning that they are at the top of

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the food chain and have no animals preying on them.

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Because of this, they can live long lives in the

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wild to around fifty years of age. Peacock is the

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name of the male pea fowl. Females are called pea hens.

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Despite this, we commonly refer to the species as peacocks,

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possibly due to the extravagant colours and display of the male.

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Females are much plainer and lack the impressive tail feathers.

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Iguanas are found in Central and South America and the

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Caribbean islands. They are a large lizard, able to reach

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up to two meters that's six point five feet in length.

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Thank you for your suggestions, Eliana. Make sure you join

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us next time for another great animal tale. Good Bye.