Speaker 1: David and the Phoenix by Edward Ormandroyd, Chapter one, in
Speaker 1: which David goes mountain climbing and a mysterious voice is
Speaker 1: overheard all the way there. David had saved this moment
Speaker 1: for himself, struggling not to peek until the proper time came.
Speaker 1: When the car finally stopped, the rest of them got
Speaker 1: out stiffly and went into the new house, but David
Speaker 1: walked slowly into the back yard with his eyes fixed
Speaker 1: on the ground. For a whole minute, he stood there,
Speaker 1: not daring to look up. Then he took a deep breath,
Speaker 1: clenched his hands tightly, and lifted his head. There it
Speaker 1: was as Dad had described it, but infinitely more grand.
Speaker 1: It swept upward from the valley floor, beautifully shaped and soaring,
Speaker 1: so tall that its misty blue peak could surely talk
Speaker 1: face to face with the stars. To David, who had
Speaker 1: never seen a mountain before, the sight was almost too
Speaker 1: much to bear. He felt so tight and shivery inside
Speaker 1: that he didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or
Speaker 1: cry or both. And the really wonderful thing about the
Speaker 1: mountain was the way it looked at him. He was
Speaker 1: certain that it was smiling at him like an old
Speaker 1: friend who had been waiting for years to see him again.
Speaker 1: And when he closed his eyes he seemed to hear
Speaker 1: a voice which whispered, come along then and climb. It
Speaker 1: would be so easy to go. The back yard was
Speaker 1: hedged in, with part of the hedge growing right across
Speaker 1: the toes of the mountain, but there was a hole
Speaker 1: in the privet large enough to crawl through, and just
Speaker 1: beyond the hedge, the mountain side awaited him, going up
Speaker 1: and up in one smooth sweep until the green and
Speaker 1: tawny faded into hazy heights of rock. It was waiting
Speaker 1: for him. Come and climb, it whispered, come and climb.
Speaker 1: But there was a great deal to do first. They
Speaker 1: were going to move into the new house. The moving
Speaker 1: van was standing out in front. The car must be unloaded.
Speaker 1: David would be needed to carry things. Regretfully, he waved
Speaker 1: his hand at the peak and whispered, it shouldn't take long.
Speaker 1: I'll be back as soon as I can. Then he
Speaker 1: went around to the front door to see what could
Speaker 1: be done about speeding things up. Inside, everything was in confusion.
Speaker 1: Dad was pushing chairs and tables around in an aimless way.
Speaker 1: Mother was saying, they'll all have to go out again.
Speaker 1: We forgot to put down the rug first. Aunt Amy
Speaker 1: was making short dashes between the kitchen and the dining room,
Speaker 1: muttering to herself, and Becky was roaring in her crib
Speaker 1: because it was time for her bottle. David asked, can
Speaker 1: I do anything, hoping that the answer would be no.
Speaker 1: Come here, Aunt Amy said, grabbing him by the arm,
Speaker 1: help me look for that ironing board. When the ironing
Speaker 1: board was finally located, Mother had something for him to do,
Speaker 1: and when he was finished with that, Dad called for
Speaker 1: his help. So the afternoon wore on without lead up,
Speaker 1: and also without any signs of progress in their moving.
Speaker 1: When David finally got a chance to sneak out for
Speaker 1: a breathing spell, he felt his heart sink. Somehow, in
Speaker 1: all the rush and confusion, the afternoon had disappeared already
Speaker 1: the evening sun was throwing shadows across the side of
Speaker 1: the mountain and touching its peak with a rudy blaze.
Speaker 1: It was too late now, he would have to wait
Speaker 1: until morning before he could climb. As he gazed up
Speaker 1: miserably at the glowing summit, he thought he saw a
Speaker 1: tiny speck soar out from it in a brief circle.
Speaker 1: Was it a bird of some sort, or just one
Speaker 1: of those dots that swim before your eyes when you
Speaker 1: stare too long at the sky. It almost seemed like
Speaker 1: the mountain waving its hand, as if to say that
Speaker 1: it was quite all right for him to wait until morning.
Speaker 1: He felt better then, and returned more cheerfully to the
Speaker 1: moving It was long after dark before the moving van
Speaker 1: drove away. Becky crooned happily over her bottle, and the
Speaker 1: rest of them gathered in the kitchen for a late
Speaker 1: supper of sandwiches and canned soup, But David could not
Speaker 1: eat until he had found the courage to ask one question,
Speaker 1: May I climb the mountain tomorrow? Aunt Amy muttered something
Speaker 1: about landslides, which were firmly fixed in her mind as
Speaker 1: the fate of people who climbed mountains. But Dad said,
Speaker 1: I don't see why not do you, and look to
Speaker 1: mother for agreement. Mother said, well, be very careful in
Speaker 1: a doubtful tome, and that was that you never know
Speaker 1: what you will find when you climb a mountain, even
Speaker 1: if you have climbed them before, which, of course David
Speaker 1: never had. Looking up from the foot of the mountain.
Speaker 1: He had thought that it was a smooth slope from
Speaker 1: bottom to top, but he was discovering as he climbed
Speaker 1: that it was not smooth at all, but very much
Speaker 1: broken up. There were terraces, ledges, knolls, ravines, and embankments,
Speaker 1: one after another. The exciting part of it was that
Speaker 1: each feature concealed the ones above it. At the top
Speaker 1: of a rise would be an outcropping of strangely colored rock,
Speaker 1: invisible from below. Beyond the outcropping, a small stand of
Speaker 1: aspens would quiver in the breeze, their quicksilver leaves hiding
Speaker 1: a tiny meadow on the slope behind, And when the
Speaker 1: meadow had been discovered, there would be a something else beyond.
Speaker 1: He was a real explorer now. When he got to
Speaker 1: the top, he thought he would build a little tower
Speaker 1: of stones, the way explorers always do. But at the
Speaker 1: end of two hours steady climbing, he was ready to
Speaker 1: admit that he would never reach the peak.
Speaker 2: That day.
Speaker 1: It still rose above his head, seeming as far distant
Speaker 1: as ever, but he did not care. Now it had
Speaker 1: been a glorious climb, and the distance he had already
Speaker 1: covered was a considerable one.
Speaker 2: He looked back.
Speaker 1: The town looked like a model of a town, with
Speaker 1: little toy houses and different colored roofs among the trees
Speaker 1: that made a darker patch on the pattern of the
Speaker 1: valley floor. The mountains on the other side of the
Speaker 1: valley seemed like blue clouds stretching out over the edge
Speaker 1: of the world. Even the peak could not give him
Speaker 1: a better view than this. David gazed up at the
Speaker 1: face of a scarp, which rose like a cliff above him,
Speaker 1: a smooth, bare wall of rock that had halted his climb.
Speaker 1: Halfway up the scarp was a dark, horizontal line of bushes,
Speaker 1: something like a hedge. Apparently there was a ledge or
Speaker 1: shelf there, and he decided to climb up to it
Speaker 1: before he returned home. To scale the rock face itself
Speaker 1: was impossible, however, there were no hand or footholds, so
Speaker 1: he turned and made his way through the grass until
Speaker 1: he reached the end of the bare stone. Then he
Speaker 1: started upward again. It was hard work, vines clutched at
Speaker 1: his feet, and the close set bushes seemed unwilling to
Speaker 1: let him pass. He had one nasty slip, which might
Speaker 1: have been his last if he had not grabbed a
Speaker 1: tough clump of weeds at the crucial instant. But oh,
Speaker 1: it was worth it. He felt like shouting when at
Speaker 1: last he reached the ledge. Truly it was an enchanted place.
Speaker 1: It was a long, level strip of ground several yards wide,
Speaker 1: carpeted with short grass and dandelions. Bushes grew along most
Speaker 1: of the outer edge. The inner edge was bounded by
Speaker 1: a second scarp, a wall of red stone with sparkling
Speaker 1: points of light embedded in its smooth surface. David threw
Speaker 1: himself on the grass and rolled in it. It was
Speaker 1: warm and soft and sweet smelling. It soothed away the
Speaker 1: hurt of his aching muscles and the sting of his scratches.
Speaker 1: He rolled over on his back and cushioned his head
Speaker 1: in his hands. The sky seemed to be slipping along
Speaker 1: overhead like a broad blue river. The breeze ruffled his
Speaker 1: hair and whispered. The bushes murmured and gossiped to each other.
Speaker 1: Even the sunlight seemed to hum to him as it
Speaker 1: laid warm hands on his face. But there was another
Speaker 1: sound which now and then rose above these murmurs. Then
Speaker 1: it would fade and be drowned out by the breeze.
Speaker 1: Hard to say why, but it just did not seem
Speaker 1: to fit there. David propped himself up on his elbows
Speaker 1: and listened more intently. The sound faded. He had been
Speaker 1: imagining it. No, he had not been imagining it. There
Speaker 1: it was again.
Speaker 2: He sat up.
Speaker 1: Now he noticed that the ledge was divided by a
Speaker 1: thicket which grew from the inner side to the outer.
Speaker 1: The noise, whatever it was, came from the other side
Speaker 1: of the thicket. David's curiosity was aroused, but it occurred
Speaker 1: to him that it might be wise to be cautious.
Speaker 1: The noise did not sound dangerous, but well, he had
Speaker 1: never been up a mountain before, and there was no
Speaker 1: telling what he might find. He dropped into a crouch
Speaker 1: and crept silently up to the tangle of bushes. His
Speaker 1: heart began to pound, and he swallowed to relieve the
Speaker 1: dryness in his throat. The noise was much more distinct now,
Speaker 1: and it sounded like like. Yes, not only sounded like
Speaker 1: but was someone talking to himself? Who could it possibly be? Well,
Speaker 1: there was only one to find out. He dropped then
Speaker 1: on his stomach and carefully began to worm his way
Speaker 1: under the thicket. The branches grew very low, and the
Speaker 1: ground was full of lumps and knobs which dug into
Speaker 1: him with every movement. There were vines, too, and some
Speaker 1: prickly things like thistles, which had to be pushed out
Speaker 1: of the way without allowing their leaves to rustle. He
Speaker 1: progressed by inches, pushing with his toes, pulling with his
Speaker 1: finger tips, wriggling with the rest of his body. At
Speaker 1: last he could see light breaking through the foliage in
Speaker 1: front of him. He was nearing the other side. A
Speaker 1: bunch of leaves hung before his face. He hesitated, then
Speaker 1: pushed them aside gently, slowly, and peered out. He thought
Speaker 1: his heart would stop. End of chapter one, Chapter two,
Speaker 1: in which David meets the phoenix and there is a
Speaker 1: change in plans. There stood an enormous bird. David had
Speaker 1: been to the zoo, and at home he had a
Speaker 1: book of birds with colored pictures. He knew the more
Speaker 1: common large birds of the world, the ostrich, the conder,
Speaker 1: the albatross, eagles, cranes, storks.
Speaker 2: But this bird.
Speaker 1: Its shape was like that of an eagle, but stouter.
Speaker 1: Its neck had the length and elegant curve of a
Speaker 1: swan's neck. Its head was again like an eagle's with
Speaker 1: a hooked bird of prey beak, but the expression in
Speaker 1: its brown eyes was mild. The long wings were blunt
Speaker 1: at the tips, the tail was short and broad, The
Speaker 1: legs feathered half way down ended in taloned feet. An
Speaker 1: iridescent sheen sparkled on its plumage, reflecting sunlight from the
Speaker 1: scarlet crest, the golden neck and back the breast of silver,
Speaker 1: the sapphire wings and tail. Its size alone would have
Speaker 1: been enough to take David's breath away. He could have
Speaker 1: stood beneath the arch of that neck with room to spare.
Speaker 1: But the most astonishing thing was that the bird had
Speaker 1: an open book on the ground and was apparently trying
Speaker 1: to learn part of it by heart. Vivo vives viv
Speaker 1: The bird read very slowly and distinctly, staring hard at
Speaker 1: the book. Vivimos vivis viven That is simple enough, you
Speaker 1: blockhead now. Then, without looking, it cleared its throat, looked
Speaker 1: away from the book, and repeated in a rapid mutter,
Speaker 1: vivo vives vive v a viv, Oh, dear, what is
Speaker 1: the matter with me here? The temptation to peek overcame
Speaker 1: it for an instant, and its head wavered. But it
Speaker 1: said no, no, in a firm tone, looked carefully the
Speaker 1: other way, and began once more, vivo vives, vive quite correct,
Speaker 1: so far h v h oh dear these verbs?
Speaker 2: Where was I? Oh?
Speaker 1: Yes vivo. David's head reeled as he watched this amazing performance.
Speaker 1: There was no need to pinch himself to see if
Speaker 1: he were dreaming. He was perfectly wide awake. Everything else
Speaker 1: around him was behaving in a normal way. The mountain
Speaker 1: was solid beneath him, the sunlight streamed down as before.
Speaker 1: Yet there was the bird, unmistakably before him, undeniably studying
Speaker 1: its book and speaking to itself. David's mind caught hold
Speaker 1: of a phrase and repeated it over and over again.
Speaker 1: What on earth? What on earth? But of course there
Speaker 1: was no answer to that question, and he might have
Speaker 1: lain hidden there all day, staring out at the bird
Speaker 1: and marveling, had it not been for a bee which
Speaker 1: came droning into the thicket straight before him. He had
Speaker 1: a horror of bees ever since he had once bumped
Speaker 1: into a hive by mistake. When he heard that dread
Speaker 1: sound approaching, his whole body broke into a sweat. All
Speaker 1: thought of the bird was immediately driven from his head.
Speaker 1: He could tell from the noise that it was one
Speaker 1: of those big black and yellow fuzzy bees, the ones
Speaker 1: with the nasty dispositions. Perhaps the thought paralyzed him, perhaps
Speaker 1: he was lying on its nest. On it came buzzing
Speaker 1: and blundering through the leaves. Suddenly it was upon him,
Speaker 1: so close that he could feel the tiny breeze stirred
Speaker 1: up by its wings. All self control vanished. He beat
Speaker 1: at it wildly with his hands, burst out of the
Speaker 1: thicket like an explosion, and smashed full tilt into the bird.
Speaker 1: Before he could stop himself with a piercing squawk, the
Speaker 1: bird shot into the air, flipped over, and came fluttering
Speaker 1: down facing him, talons outstretched, hooked, beak open, eyes a glare.
Speaker 1: Completely terrified, David turned and bolted for the thicket. He
Speaker 1: managed to thrash halfway through when a vine trapped his feet.
Speaker 1: He pitched forward, shielding his face with his arms, and
Speaker 1: was caught up short by a dead branch, snagging his shirt.
Speaker 2: He was stuck. This was the end.
Speaker 1: He closed his eyes and waited, too numb with fear
Speaker 1: to think or cry out. Nothing happened. Slowly, he turned
Speaker 1: his head around. The bird, although it still glared menacingly,
Speaker 1: seemed undecided whether to attack or flee. What may I ask?
Speaker 1: Are you doing here? It said, at last, in a
Speaker 1: severe voice. I I I was taking a walk, David
Speaker 1: said faintly. I'm awfully sorry if I bothered you or anything.
Speaker 1: You should not have come up here at all. The
Speaker 1: bird snapped, well, I'm really sorry, but there was a
Speaker 1: bee in the bush here. I I didn't mean to.
Speaker 1: The fright had been too much. Tears started in David's eyes,
Speaker 1: and his lip began to tremble. The bird seemed reassured
Speaker 1: for its manner visibly softened. It lowered and folded its wings,
Speaker 1: and the glare faded from its eyes. I'd go away,
Speaker 1: David mumbled, apologetically. Only I'm stuck. He rubbed his eyes
Speaker 1: on his sleeve. The bird looked at his dismal face
Speaker 1: and began to fidget awkwardly. There there, it said, I
Speaker 1: had no intention of I'm afraid that I stuck. Did
Speaker 1: you say?
Speaker 2: Very easily?
Speaker 1: Mended, my dear fellow, merely a question of here, let
Speaker 1: me look. It crashed through the thicket to where David
Speaker 1: was caught and thrust its head down through the branches.
Speaker 1: Its muffled voice came floating up. Take heart, there seems
Speaker 1: to be aha, just so one moment, please, bit of vine,
Speaker 1: there we are. There was a snapping sound from below,
Speaker 1: and David's foot was released. He unstuck the snag from
Speaker 1: his shirt, pushed his way out of the thicket, and
Speaker 1: sat down.
Speaker 2: Weakly on the grass.
Speaker 1: Wheugh, at least the bird was not going to harm him.
Speaker 1: It seemed to be quite a kindly creature.
Speaker 2: Really.
Speaker 1: He had just frightened it and made it angry by
Speaker 1: bursting out of the bushes. So suddenly he heard a
Speaker 1: flailing in the thicket, followed by the bird's anxious voice. Hello,
Speaker 1: are you still there?
Speaker 2: Yes? What?
Speaker 1: There were more sounds of struggle. This is rather awkward.
Speaker 1: I The fact is I am afraid that I am
Speaker 1: stuck myself.
Speaker 2: Could you?
Speaker 1: Yes, of course, said David. He smiled to himself a
Speaker 1: little shakily, and re entered the thicket. When he had
Speaker 1: disentangled the bird, the two of them sat down on
Speaker 1: the grass and looked at each other. They hesitated, not
Speaker 1: quite sure how to begin, I trust, said the bird.
Speaker 1: At last, that you are not of a scientific turn
Speaker 1: of mind. I don't know, said David. I'm interested in things,
Speaker 1: if that's what you mean.
Speaker 2: No, it is not.
Speaker 1: There is a great deal of difference between the interests
Speaker 1: shown by normal people and the obsessive interest of scientists.
Speaker 1: You are not, I hope, acquainted with any scientists. No Ah,
Speaker 1: said the bird, with a relieved sigh. Everything is quite
Speaker 1: all right, then, I do hope that you will forgive
Speaker 1: my behavior. I am not usually so rude. The fact
Speaker 1: is that you gave me quite a horrible start. Oh
Speaker 1: I'm sorry, I frightened. You frightened, my dear fellow, said
Speaker 1: the bird testily. I am never frightened. I do not
Speaker 1: know the meaning of the word. What I mean is,
Speaker 1: David said quickly, that you frightened me. This seemed to
Speaker 1: pacify the bird, and David, to heighten the good impression, added, golly,
Speaker 1: you looked fierce. The bird smiled complacently. I can rise
Speaker 1: to a terrifying ferocity when aroused, a noble strain of fighting.
Speaker 1: Blood courses through my veins. Not that I go out
Speaker 1: of my way to seek quarrels, you understand. On the contrary,
Speaker 1: peaceful could well describe my general attitude meditative. I am
Speaker 1: usually to be found thinking. I have a powerful intellect.
Speaker 1: No doubt you have noticed the stamp of genius on
Speaker 1: my brow. David supposed that the bird meant its scarlet crest,
Speaker 1: and he nodded. That's one of the first things I
Speaker 1: noticed about you. Indeed, cried the bird, delightedly. You are
Speaker 1: certainly more alert than most. But as I was saying,
Speaker 1: I am usually to be found thinking. The first condition
Speaker 1: of thinking is solitude, and that I fear is a
Speaker 1: desert duratum, most difficult of realization. I beg your pardon, people,
Speaker 1: explained the bird. Do not leave you alone, Oh, said David.
Speaker 1: He flushed, thinking that the words had been aimed at him,
Speaker 1: and began to get up, but the bird signaled him
Speaker 1: to remain where he was. I do not mean you,
Speaker 1: my dear fellow. I assure you that I am delighted
Speaker 1: to make your acquaintance. It is all the others. Do
Speaker 1: you know that I have spent the greater part of
Speaker 1: my life being pursued. I was chased out of Egypt
Speaker 1: like a common game bird, out of the mountains of
Speaker 1: Greece too, the hills of Lebanon, the desert of Africa,
Speaker 1: the Arabian wilds. No matter where I fled, people would
Speaker 1: come prying and peering and sneaking after me. I have
Speaker 1: tried Tibet, China, and the steps of Siberia with the
Speaker 1: same result. At last, I heard of a region where
Speaker 1: there was peace, where the inhabitants let each other alone. Here,
Speaker 1: I thought I should pardon me for interrupting.
Speaker 2: Where? Why here?
Speaker 1: To be brief, said the bird, waving its wing toward
Speaker 1: the valley. Here, I thought I should be able to breathe.
Speaker 1: At my age, one likes a little quiet. Would you
Speaker 1: believe that I am close to five hundred years old? Golly,
Speaker 1: said David. You don't look at the bird gave a
Speaker 1: pleased laugh. My splendid physical condition does conceal my years
Speaker 1: at any rate. I settled here in the hope of
Speaker 1: being left alone. But do you think I was safe? David,
Speaker 1: seen that he was supposed to answer no, shook his head.
Speaker 2: Quite right, said the bird. I was not.
Speaker 1: I had been here no more than three months when
Speaker 1: a scientist was hot on my trail, a most disagreeable fellow,
Speaker 1: always sneaking about with binoculars a camera, and I fear
Speaker 1: a gun. That is why you startled me. For an
Speaker 1: instant I thought you were he Oh, David cried, I'm
Speaker 1: awfully sorry. I didn't bother you on purpose. It's just
Speaker 1: that I never saw a mountain before. So I climbed
Speaker 1: up here to see what one looked like. You climbed
Speaker 1: up here, Yes, climbed, said the bird, looking very thoughtful.
Speaker 1: Climbed I might have known. It proves, you see, that
Speaker 1: the same thing could be done again by someone older
Speaker 1: and stronger. A very grave point, Oh, I see, said David.
Speaker 1: You mean the precisely the scientist he is, I fear
Speaker 1: very persistent.
Speaker 2: I first noticed him over there. The bird waved its wing.
Speaker 1: Toward the opposite side of the valley, so I removed
Speaker 1: to this location. But he will undoubtedly continue his pursuit.
Speaker 1: The bad penny always turns up. It will not be
Speaker 1: long before the sharp scientific nose is again quivering in
Speaker 1: my direction. Oh dear, that's terrible. Your sympathy touches me,
Speaker 1: said the bird huskily. It is most unusual to find
Speaker 1: someone who understands but have no fear for me. I
Speaker 1: am taking steps, I am preparing. Imagine his disappointment when
Speaker 1: he arrives here and finds me flown from the nest.
Speaker 1: I am to be brief leaving. Do you see this book, yes,
Speaker 1: said David. I heard your reading it, but I couldn't
Speaker 1: understand it. Is it magic? No, my boy, it is Spanish.
Speaker 1: I have chosen a little spot, chilly but isolated in
Speaker 1: the Andes Mountains, South America, you know, and of course
Speaker 1: one must be prepared. I am learning Spanish so that
Speaker 1: I shall be able to make my way about in
Speaker 1: South America. I must admit my extreme reluctance to depart.
Speaker 1: I have become very fond of this ledge. It is
Speaker 1: exactly suited to my needs. Ideal climate, magnificent view. They
Speaker 1: fell into a lengthy silence. The bird gazed sadly out
Speaker 1: over the valley, and David rested his chin in his
Speaker 1: hands and thought the mystery was clearing up. The bird's
Speaker 1: presence on the mountain and the fact that it had
Speaker 1: been reading a book were explained, and so natural was
Speaker 1: its speech that David found him itself accepting it as
Speaker 1: nothing unusual. The thing that worried him now was that
Speaker 1: the bird would soon leave here. They had only just met,
Speaker 1: and already the promise of a most interesting friendship was dissolving.
Speaker 1: The bird had taken time to talk to him and
Speaker 1: explain things to him as though he were an equal,
Speaker 1: And although he did not understand many of the long
Speaker 1: words it used, he felt pleased at being spoken to
Speaker 1: as though he did understand. And the bird knew all
Speaker 1: about far away countries, had visited them and lived in them,
Speaker 1: and had adventures in them for almost five hundred years.
Speaker 2: Oh, there were.
Speaker 1: So many things David wanted to know and ask about, But.
Speaker 2: The bird was leaving.
Speaker 1: If only he could persuade it to stay, even for
Speaker 1: a short while, he could try, anyhow, and after all,
Speaker 1: the bird had said itself that it did not want
Speaker 1: to go. Bird, he stopped and flushed. It was hard
Speaker 1: to put into words, Your servant, my boy, Well, I
Speaker 1: I don't believe I know your name, David stammered, unable
Speaker 1: to get the real question out. Ah forgive me, cried
Speaker 1: the bird, jumping up. Permit me the honor of presenting myself.
Speaker 1: I dare say my name is familiar to you, celebrated
Speaker 1: as it is in song and story. I am the
Speaker 1: one and only, the unique Phoenix. And the phoenix bowed deeply,
Speaker 1: very glad to meet you, said David. I'm David, delighted,
Speaker 1: my dear fellow, an honor and a pleasure. They shook
Speaker 1: hand and wing solemnly. Now as you were saying, well, phoenix,
Speaker 1: I was just thinking, David stammered, it's too bad. I mean,
Speaker 1: couldn't you It would be nice if we well, do
Speaker 1: you really have to go to South America? It would
Speaker 1: be nice if you'd stay awhile until the scientist shows up. Anyway,
Speaker 1: and I like talking with you. His face burned. It
Speaker 1: seemed like a lot to ask. The phoenix hurrumped several
Speaker 1: times in its throat and shuffled its feet. Really, I
Speaker 1: cannot tell you how how much you well? Really, such
Speaker 1: a delightful request. Ahhrrumph Perhaps it can be arranged, oh, phoenix.
Speaker 1: David threw his arms around the bird's neck, and then,
Speaker 1: unable to restrain himself any longer, turned a somersault.
Speaker 2: On the grass.
Speaker 1: But for the present, it seems to be getting late,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix. We shall talk it over some other
Speaker 1: time and decide. Gully it is late. I hadn't noticed. Well,
Speaker 1: i'll have to go or they'll worry about me at home.
Speaker 1: But I can come up and see you tomorrow, can't I,
Speaker 1: of course, my boy, in the bustle of morning, in
Speaker 1: the hush of noon, in the ah, to be brief
Speaker 1: at any time, and I'll bring you some cookies if
Speaker 1: you like, ah, said the phoenix, closing its eyes. Sugar cookies,
Speaker 1: by any chance, it asked faintly. David noticed the feathers
Speaker 1: of its throat jumping up and down with rapid, swallowing motions.
Speaker 1: I'll ask aunt Amy to make them tonight. Ah splendid,
Speaker 1: my boy, splendid? Shall we say? Not more than? Ah?
Speaker 1: That is not less than a fifteen? All right, phoenix?
Speaker 1: My aunt Amy keeps a big jar full of cookies,
Speaker 1: and I can have as many as I like. The
Speaker 1: phoenix took David's arm, and together they strolled to the
Speaker 1: other end of the ledge. Now don't mention this to
Speaker 1: any one, but there is an old goat trail down
Speaker 1: this side. It is somewhat grown over, but eyes as
Speaker 1: sharp as yours should have no trouble with it. It
Speaker 1: will make your travels up and down easier. Another thing,
Speaker 1: I trust you will not make known our rendezvous or
Speaker 1: what you will not tell anyone that I am here.
Speaker 1: Oh no, I won't say a word. Well, I'll see
Speaker 1: you tomorrow. Yes, as the French so cleverly say ah,
Speaker 1: well to breathe brief good bye, my boy until tomorrow.
Speaker 1: Then David waved his hand, found the goat trail and
Speaker 1: started down. He was too happy even to whistle, so
Speaker 1: he contented himself with running whenever he found a level place,
Speaker 1: and when he reached home he stood on his hands
Speaker 1: in the back yard for two whole seconds. End of
Speaker 1: chapter two recording by Greg Weeks. Chapter three, in which
Speaker 1: it is decided that David should have an education and
Speaker 1: an experiment is made.
Speaker 2: Next day.
Speaker 1: It took less than an hour to reach the ledge,
Speaker 1: and David was sure that he could shorten the time
Speaker 1: even more when he was familiar with the goat trail.
Speaker 1: The phoenix was not in sight when he arrived, and
Speaker 1: for an instant David was stricken with fright. Had the
Speaker 1: bird gone in spite of its promise? But no, He
Speaker 1: heard a reassuring noise. It came from the thicket, and
Speaker 1: it sounded very much like a snore. David smiled to
Speaker 1: himself and shouted, Hello, phoenix. There was a thrashing sound
Speaker 1: in the thicket, and the phoenix appeared looking very rumpled
Speaker 1: and yawning behind its wing. Greetings, my boy, it cried,
Speaker 1: a splendid morning. Then the phoenix caught sight of the
Speaker 1: paper bag in David's hand and swallowed in a suggestive way.
Speaker 1: David thrust the bag of cookies behind his back. Now, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: he said firmly, you have to promise me you won't
Speaker 1: go away to South America. You said last night that
Speaker 1: it could be arranged, So let's arrange it right now.
Speaker 1: Until we do not one. The phoenix drew itself up indignantly.
Speaker 1: My very dear fellow, it said, you wound me, You
Speaker 1: cut me to the quick. I will not be bribed.
Speaker 1: I it stopped and swallowed again. Oh well, it continued
Speaker 1: more mildly. One does not fight fate, does one. I
Speaker 1: suppose under these circumstances, I must accept it's settled. Then
Speaker 1: David cried joyfully. So they sat down on the grass together,
Speaker 1: and for a long time nothing was heard but sounds
Speaker 1: of munching. My boy, said the phoenix, at last, brushing
Speaker 1: the crumbs from its chest. I take a modest pride
Speaker 1: in my way with words, but nothing in the language
Speaker 1: can do these ah baked poems. Justice words fail me.
Speaker 1: I'm glad you like them, David said politely, and now
Speaker 1: my boy, continued the phoenix as it settled back comfortably.
Speaker 1: I have been thinking yesterday you showed an intelligent interest
Speaker 1: in my problems and asked intelligent questions. You did not
Speaker 1: scoff as others might have done. You have very rare qualities,
Speaker 1: David flushed and mumbled denials. Do not be so modest,
Speaker 1: my boy. I speak the truth. It came to me
Speaker 1: that such a mind as yours, having these qualities, should
Speaker 1: be further cultivated and refined, and I should be avoiding
Speaker 1: my clear cut duty if I did not take this
Speaker 1: task in hand myself. Of course, I suppose some attempt
Speaker 1: to educate you has already been made, has it not? Well,
Speaker 1: I go to school, if that's what you mean. Not now, though,
Speaker 1: because it's summer vacation. And what do they teach you there? Oh,
Speaker 1: reading and writing and arithmetic and things like that, Aha,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix triumphantly. Just as I suspected a classical education,
Speaker 1: understand me, I have nothing against a classical education as such.
Speaker 1: I realize that mathematics, Greek and Latin are excellent for
Speaker 1: the discipline of the mind. But in the broad view,
Speaker 1: a classical education is not a true education. Life is real,
Speaker 1: life is earnest. One must face it with a practical education.
Speaker 1: The problems of life, my dear fellow, Classical education completely
Speaker 1: ignores them. For example, how do you tell a true
Speaker 1: unicorn from a false one? I? I don't know, I thought,
Speaker 1: not where do you find the philosopher's stone? I don't know? Well,
Speaker 1: then I shall ask a simple one, what is the
Speaker 1: first rule of defense when attacked by a chimera? David
Speaker 1: scorned uncomfortably. I'm afraid I don't know that either, he
Speaker 1: said in a small voice. There you are, cried the phoenix.
Speaker 1: You do not have a true practical education. You are
Speaker 1: not ready for life. I, my boy, am going to
Speaker 1: take your education in hand, oh, said David. Do you
Speaker 1: mean are you going to give me lessons? Through his
Speaker 1: mind flashed a picture of the phoenix with spectacles on
Speaker 1: its beak and a ruler in its wing, writing out
Speaker 1: sentences on a blackboard. The thought gave him a sinking feeling.
Speaker 1: After all, it was summer, and summer was supposed to
Speaker 1: be vacation time. And what an education it will be.
Speaker 1: The phoenix went on, ignoring his question, absolutely without equal
Speaker 1: the full benefit of my vast knowledge, plus a number
Speaker 1: of trips to Oh traveling, said David, suddenly feeling much better.
Speaker 1: That's different, Oh phoenix, that'll be wonderful. Where will we go? Everywhere,
Speaker 1: my boy, said the phoenix, with an airy wave of
Speaker 1: its wing, to all corners of the earth. We shall
Speaker 1: visit my friends and acquaintances.
Speaker 2: Oh do you have?
Speaker 1: Of course, my boy, I am nothing if not a
Speaker 1: good mixer. My acquaintances to mention, but a few include fawns, dragons, unicorns, trolls, gryffins, gryffins, gryffens.
Speaker 1: Excuse me, David interrupted, What were those last three?
Speaker 2: Please?
Speaker 1: Gryffins explained. The phoenix are the small, reddish, friendly ones.
Speaker 1: Gryffons are the quick tempered, proud ones. Gryffens.
Speaker 2: Ah.
Speaker 1: Well, the most that anyone can say for them is
Speaker 1: that they are harmless. They are very stupid, I see,
Speaker 1: said David doubtfully. What do they look like? Each looks
Speaker 1: like the other, my boy, except that some are bigger
Speaker 1: and some are smaller. But to continue, sea monsters, leprechauns, rocks, gnomes, elves, basilisks, nymphs,
Speaker 1: ah and many others all are of the better sort, since,
Speaker 1: as I have many times truly observed, one is known
Speaker 1: by the company one keeps. And your education will cost
Speaker 1: you nothing. Of course, it would be agreeable if you
Speaker 1: could supply me with cookies from time to time, as
Speaker 1: many as you want, Phoenix, Will we go to Africa? Naturally,
Speaker 1: my boy. Your education will include in Egypt and China
Speaker 1: and Arabia. Yes, your education will, oh, Phoenix, Phoenix. David
Speaker 1: jumped up and began to caper while the phoenix beamed,
Speaker 1: but suddenly he stopped. How are we going to travel, Phoenix?
Speaker 1: I have wings, my boy, yes, but I don't do
Speaker 1: not be so dense, my dear fellow. I shall carry
Speaker 1: you on my back, of course, oh, said David, weekly
Speaker 1: on your on your back? Are you sure that isn't
Speaker 1: there some other? I mean, can you do it? The
Speaker 1: phoenix drew itself up to its full height. I am hurt, yes,
Speaker 1: deeply hurt by your lack of faith. My magnificent build
Speaker 1: should make it evident that I am an exceedingly powerful flier.
Speaker 1: In the heyday of my youth, I could fly around
Speaker 1: the world in five hours. But come along, I shall
Speaker 1: give you proof positive David reluctantly followed the phoenix to
Speaker 1: a spot on the edge of the shelf where there
Speaker 1: was a gap in the bushes. He glanced over the brink,
Speaker 1: the sheer face of the scarp fell away beneath them,
Speaker 1: plunging down to the tiny trees and rocks below. He
Speaker 1: stepped back quickly with a shudder.
Speaker 2: Let's let's do it tomorrow, he quavered.
Speaker 1: Nonsense, said the phoenix firmly. No time like the present.
Speaker 1: Now then upon my back. Ha, How am I going
Speaker 1: to sit on my back?
Speaker 2: Quite so?
Speaker 1: Now your arms around my neck, your legs behind my wings? Please,
Speaker 1: there we are ready. No, said David, faintly, splendid. The
Speaker 1: proof is to be demonstrated, the to be brief. We
Speaker 1: are off. The great wings were outstretched. David gulped, clutched
Speaker 1: the phoenix's neck tightly, and shut his eyes. He felt
Speaker 1: a hopping sensation, then a long, sickening, downward swoop that
Speaker 1: seemed to leave his stomach far behind. A tremendous rush
Speaker 1: of air snatched at his shirt. He opened his eyes
Speaker 1: and choked with fright. The ground below was rushing up
Speaker 1: to meet them, swaying and revolving. Something was terribly wrong.
Speaker 1: The phoenix was breathing in hoarse gasps. Its wings were
Speaker 1: pounding the air frantically. Now they had turned back, the
Speaker 1: scarp loomed before them, solid and blank. Above them, high
Speaker 1: above them was the ledge. It looked as though they
Speaker 1: would not get.
Speaker 2: Back to it.
Speaker 1: Up, up, up, they crawled through the air. The wings
Speaker 1: slapped wildly, faster and faster they were gaining, slipping back,
Speaker 1: gaining again. The phoenix sobbed as it stretched its neck
Speaker 1: in the last effort, fifty feet twenty feet ten. With
Speaker 1: a tremendous surge of its wings, the phoenix managed to
Speaker 1: get one claw over the edge and to seize the
Speaker 1: branch of a bush in its beak. David's legs slipped
Speaker 1: from the bird's back. He dangled over the abyss from
Speaker 1: the outstretched neck and prayed the bush saved them. They
Speaker 1: scrabbled up over the edge, tottered there for an instant,
Speaker 1: and dropped on the grass. For a long time. They lay,
Speaker 1: gasping and trembling. At last, the phoenix weakly raised its head.
Speaker 1: Puff well, my boy, puff, puff, whew, very narrow squeak,
Speaker 1: I puff. David could not answer. Their earth reeled under him,
Speaker 1: and would not stop no matter how tightly he clutched
Speaker 1: the grass.
Speaker 2: Puff.
Speaker 1: I repeat, I am puff, an exceedingly powerful flier. There
Speaker 1: are a few birds, none I dare say who puff
Speaker 1: could have done even this much. The truth of the
Speaker 1: matter is that you are a lot puff heavier than
Speaker 1: you look. I hope you are not being overfed at home.
Speaker 1: I don't know, said David, wondering whether or not he
Speaker 1: was going to be sick. Well, my course is clear,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix firmly. I must practice setting up exercises,
Speaker 1: roadwork and whatnot. Rigorous diet, lots of sleep, regular hours. Courage,
Speaker 1: my dear fellow. We shall do it yet. And so
Speaker 1: for the following week the phoenix practice. Every morning, David
Speaker 1: climbed up to the ledge, bringing sandwiches for himself, cookies
Speaker 1: for the phoenix, and a wet towel. Then, while he
Speaker 1: kept count the phoenix did setting up exercises. After this,
Speaker 1: the bird would jog, trot up and down the ledge
Speaker 1: and practice jumping. Then there would be a fifteen minute
Speaker 1: rest and refreshment period, and when that was over, the
Speaker 1: phoenix would launch itself into the air. This was the
Speaker 1: part David liked best.
Speaker 2: It was a magnificent sight.
Speaker 1: The phoenix dashed back and forth at top speed, wheeled
Speaker 1: in circles, shot straight up like a rocket, plunged, hovered, looped, rolled, soared,
Speaker 1: fluttered now and then it would swoop back to the
Speaker 1: ledge beside David and wipe the sweat from its brow.
Speaker 1: I trust you see signs of progress, my boy. David
Speaker 1: would wrap the wet towel around the phoenix's neck. You're
Speaker 1: doing better and better, phoenix. I especially liked that part
Speaker 1: where you twist over on your back and loop and
Speaker 1: plunge all at the same time. I do perform that
Speaker 1: rather well, don't I. It is not easy, but just
Speaker 1: the thing for acquiring ouch muscle tone. Are there any
Speaker 1: more cookies?
Speaker 2: Ah?
Speaker 1: There are delicious. As I was saying, let this be
Speaker 1: a lesson to you, my boy. If at first you
Speaker 1: don't succeed, try try again. The phoenix would take wing again,
Speaker 1: and David would settle back against a rock and watch.
Speaker 1: Sometimes he thought of the education he was to get.
Speaker 1: Sometimes he thought how nice it would be if he
Speaker 1: could fly. And sometimes he did not think at all,
Speaker 1: but just sat with his eyes half shut, feeling the
Speaker 1: sunlight on his face. And listening to the rustle of
Speaker 1: the wind in the thicket. At the end of the week,
Speaker 1: the phoenix, after a brilliant display of acrobatics, landed on
Speaker 1: the ledge, clasped its wings behind its back, and looked
Speaker 1: solemnly at David. Well, my boy, it said, I believe
Speaker 1: your education can begin forthwith Are you ready? End of
Speaker 1: chapter three, Chapter four, in which David and the phoenix
Speaker 1: go to visit the Griffins and a great danger is
Speaker 1: narrowly averted. A chill raced up and down David's spine
Speaker 1: as he got to his feet. Do do you think
Speaker 1: a week's practice is enough? Absolutely, my dear fellow, I
Speaker 1: am now in the very pink of condition. Not that
Speaker 1: I was ever out of condition, mind you, It was
Speaker 1: merely that I ah Well to be brief, my boy,
Speaker 1: I am now ready, Yes, but well you remember the
Speaker 1: last time? Yes, look here, If it will make you
Speaker 1: feel better, suppose we have a trial flight along the ledge. Well,
Speaker 1: all right, David got up as before on the phoenix's back.
Speaker 1: The phoenix spread its wings and hopped into the air.
Speaker 1: They glided easily down the length of the ledge, clearing
Speaker 1: the thicket in the middle by a good two feet.
Speaker 1: There you are, my boy, said the bird proudly, as
Speaker 1: they landed at the other end. Let's go, said David,
Speaker 1: as bravely as he could. They were in the air again.
Speaker 2: Once more.
Speaker 1: He felt that rush of wind against his face and
Speaker 1: heard the pounding of wings, But this time there was
Speaker 1: no giddy downward swoop. He breathed again and opened his eyes.
Speaker 1: The world was falling away, and everything on it was
Speaker 1: growing smaller by the second. The valley could be cradled
Speaker 1: in two hands. The mountains on either side looked like
Speaker 1: wrinkles in gray cloth. Now he could see plains in
Speaker 1: the distance, and little silver threads of rivers. As he looked,
Speaker 1: the whole world began to revolve slowly. The phoenix was
Speaker 1: soaring in a wide circle. Well, my boy, it called
Speaker 1: over its shoulder. Whom shall we visit first? It's really
Speaker 1: up to you, phoenix, David shouted back. But how about
Speaker 1: the the Biffins or Whiffins or.
Speaker 2: Whatever you call them.
Speaker 1: You mean the Gryffins, Gryffins and gryffins, my boy, very well,
Speaker 1: we shall visit the Gryffins only. However, it is best
Speaker 1: to leave the others alone. The phoenix swung around and
Speaker 1: began to fly toward the morning sun with such tremendousnes
Speaker 1: speed that David had to crouch down to avoid being
Speaker 1: blown off. The wind screamed past his ears, toward his
Speaker 1: shirt and hair, and made his eyes brim over with tears.
Speaker 1: It was cold, but he was too excited to care.
Speaker 1: Below them, plains, rivers, forests, and cities rushed across the
Speaker 1: face of the earth. This is wonderful, phoenix, David shouted.
Speaker 1: The phoenix's reply was not clear. Normal speed, air stream, prime,
Speaker 1: days of my youth were the only words David caught,
Speaker 1: but he could tell from the tone that the phoenix
Speaker 1: was pleased. The view blow was not to last long.
Speaker 1: Within half an hour they had run into a heavy overcast,
Speaker 1: and for a long time it was like flying through
Speaker 1: very wet, cold cotton. David glanced down, hoping to see
Speaker 1: the fog thin out. Suddenly he caught sight of a
Speaker 1: black object rocketing up toward them. Before he could call
Speaker 1: out a warning, the thing hurtled by so close that
Speaker 1: its backwash very nearly knocked him from the bird's back.
Speaker 1: The phoenix reduced speed, and the black object, after banking
Speaker 1: in a wide curve, came cruising up alongside. David was
Speaker 1: amazed to see that it was a pale but beautiful lady,
Speaker 1: dressed all in black, sitting on a broom. Hello, phoenix,
Speaker 1: she cried in a teasing voice. I haven't seen you
Speaker 1: in ever so long. Good morning, I am sure, the
Speaker 1: phoenix replied, stiffly, staring straight ahead, Phoenix, the lady continued coaxingly.
Speaker 1: I'm awfully bored. Won't you race me?
Speaker 2: Please?
Speaker 1: Idle hands find mischief to do, said the phoenix severely.
Speaker 1: We are making good use of our time, and I
Speaker 1: suggest that you do the same. Don't be so stuffy, phoenix,
Speaker 1: she pouted, Come and race with me. I've got a
Speaker 1: new broom and I want to see how good it is.
Speaker 1: Please no, said the phoenix sharply. Oh all right for you,
Speaker 1: she said, tossing her head. You just don't dare, because
Speaker 1: you know I'll beat your tail feathers off, and she
Speaker 1: shot back into the mist below. Indeed, the phoenix snorted,
Speaker 1: beat my tail feathers off.
Speaker 2: Ha Is she a witch?
Speaker 1: David asked, yes, my boy, and a shocking example of
Speaker 1: the decline of the younger generation. She will come to
Speaker 1: no good end.
Speaker 2: Believe me. Tail feathers.
Speaker 1: Indeed, just then they burst out of the clouds and
Speaker 1: into the hot sunlight below them. The land was wild
Speaker 1: and desolate, a vast rolling plain covered for the most
Speaker 1: part with dry, tawny grass. Here and there were groves
Speaker 1: of trees drooping beneath the sun. The phoenix, still snorting
Speaker 1: indignantly to itself, dropped to within a hundred feet of
Speaker 1: the ground. They began to soar back and forth. Can
Speaker 1: you see anything, my boy? David had never seen a griffin,
Speaker 1: of course, so he was not sure what to look for.
Speaker 1: But he caught sight of something lying in the shade
Speaker 1: of a bush and pointed it out to the phoenix. Ah,
Speaker 1: quite so, the phoenix said, doubtfully, it does not look
Speaker 1: like but we can take a closer look. They landed
Speaker 1: and walked toward the bush and its shadows sprawled a
Speaker 1: very untidy animal. Its tail and hind quarters were exactly
Speaker 1: like those of a panther, its chest and fore legs
Speaker 1: were like a hawk's, and it had pointed wings. Burrs
Speaker 1: matted its dusty fur, Its claws were shabby and split,
Speaker 1: and numerous black flies were crawling over its haunches. The
Speaker 1: bush trembled with its snoring. Bah, we are wasting our
Speaker 1: time here, my boy. This is a griffin, a discussing brute,
Speaker 1: isn't it, and the phoenix sniffed disapprovingly. Maybe if we
Speaker 1: wake it up, David suggested, it could tell us where
Speaker 1: the other ones live. Next to impossible. For one thing,
Speaker 1: a cannon could not awaken the beast. For another thing,
Speaker 1: it would not, even if awake, be able to tell
Speaker 1: us anything. You simply cannot imagine the stupidity of these brutes. Well,
Speaker 1: let's try it and away, David said, very well, but
Speaker 1: it will be a complete waste of time. The phoenix
Speaker 1: shrugged its shoulders, stepped up to the griffin and kicked
Speaker 1: it violently. Phoenix, David cried in alarm. Don't hurt it,
Speaker 1: no fear, said the phoenix, delivering another lusty kick. One
Speaker 1: simply cannot damage a sleeping gryffin. Give me a hand,
Speaker 1: my boy. David took hold of the gryffin's wing and
Speaker 1: the phoenix seized its tail. For the next ten minutes,
Speaker 1: they kicked and pulled and pounded, shouting hay and wake
Speaker 1: up at the top of their lungs. It was hot work,
Speaker 1: and David finally admitted to himself that the phoenix had
Speaker 1: been right, But before he could say so, the phoenix
Speaker 1: completely lost its temper and savagely bit the Gryffin's tail.
Speaker 2: That did it.
Speaker 1: The griffin opened one eye half way and said, unum,
Speaker 1: get up. The phoenix bellowed. The gryffin struggled into a
Speaker 1: sitting position and yawned a tremendous and noisy yawn. Then
Speaker 1: squinted blurrily at David and murmured, what day is it? Wednesday?
Speaker 1: David said, could you please tell us? Oh, Wednesday, said
Speaker 1: the gryffin. It thought about this for a while, mumbling
Speaker 1: Wednesday Wednesday to itself. It lifted one leg as if
Speaker 1: to scratch the fly bites, changed its mind in mid
Speaker 1: gesture and dropped the leg again. Oh Wednesday, it said,
Speaker 1: at last. So it isn't Saturday, No, said David. What
Speaker 1: we want to know is not Saturday, said the gryffin,
Speaker 1: sinking down to the ground with a huge sigh of relief. Ah,
Speaker 1: come back on Saturday, Saturday afternoon. I generally get up
Speaker 1: on Saturday in the afternoon. The words faded into a snore.
Speaker 1: There you are, my dear fellow, said the phoenix, just
Speaker 1: as I said. Oh, bore a very annoying animal, said
Speaker 1: David angrily. I agree, my boy, But the gryffins are different,
Speaker 1: I assure you. Now let me see where should we look?
Speaker 1: There they come, David cried. Suddenly, look, and indeed a
Speaker 1: number of winged creatures were loping down a hillside toward them.
Speaker 1: Good heavens, the phoenix shouted, those are the ones we
Speaker 1: do not want to meet. On my back, quick, What
Speaker 1: are they? David gasped as he threw himself on the
Speaker 1: bird's back.
Speaker 2: Gryffins.
Speaker 1: The phoenix rushed along the ground a few feet and
Speaker 1: sprang into the air, but it was too late. The
Speaker 1: foremost griffins, with powerful strokes of their wings, shot up
Speaker 1: to meet them. The phoenix swerved sharply. They missed the
Speaker 1: snapping beak of the first gryffon by half an inch,
Speaker 1: and dodged the second, only to smash into the third.
Speaker 1: David was stunned by the blow and the fall. When
Speaker 1: he regained consciousness, he found himself in the tight grip
Speaker 1: of two gryffins. The phoenix was struggling feebly with another,
Speaker 1: and still more were crowding around them, screaming like hawks.
Speaker 1: They looked like the sleeping Gryffin, but were as large
Speaker 1: as ponies. Their eyes were yellow and un blinking, and
Speaker 1: their tails twitched like an angry cat's. Their smell, like
Speaker 1: the lion house in the zoo, made David feel faint. Well, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: said the largest griffin coldly.
Speaker 2: You know the rule, I believe.
Speaker 1: The phoenix smiled weakly and cleared its throats. Ah there, Gryffin,
Speaker 1: it said, unsteadily. Fancy meeting you here?
Speaker 2: Ah? Ah? Rule? What rule? Rule?
Speaker 1: Twenty six, said the griffin. No human beings shall be
Speaker 1: allowed to enter the Oh that rule, said the phoenix,
Speaker 1: with a careless laugh. I thought everyone knew that the
Speaker 1: Council of nineteen thirty five had changed it. Can it
Speaker 1: be that you have not yet heard that?
Speaker 2: Won't do? Phoenix?
Speaker 1: You have also heard, of course, of the penalty for
Speaker 1: breaking the rule, which you must suffer along with this
Speaker 1: human boy. Now one moment, my dear Gryffin, I ah death.
Speaker 1: The phoenix quailed, and David's legs went limp under him,
Speaker 1: but they had no chance to plead with the Griffins.
Speaker 1: Their captors formed two lines. One on each sight of them,
Speaker 1: and at a scream of command from the leader, all
Speaker 1: began to march. The gryffin that had been holding the
Speaker 1: phoenix winked horribly at David and made a throat cutting
Speaker 1: gesture with its wing. Courage My boy, the phoenix whispered,
Speaker 1: it is always darkest before dawn. Presently they reached a hillside.
Speaker 1: David and the phoenix were marched up to a cave
Speaker 1: and thrown in. Two of the gryffins sat down at
Speaker 1: the entrance to guard them, while the others went off
Speaker 1: to consider the best method of carrying out the penalty.
Speaker 1: David was terribly frightened now, but he did not want
Speaker 1: to let the phoenix know it. In a voice which
Speaker 1: trembled a little, he asked, what are we going to do?
Speaker 1: The phoenix frowned. Do not be downcast, my boy, My
Speaker 1: brain is equal to any occasion. I shall think silence please,
Speaker 1: And the phoenix, covering its eyes with one wing, thought
Speaker 1: to keep himself occupied. David explored the cave, but there
Speaker 1: was nothing to see. The cave was small and bare.
Speaker 1: He tested the wall thoroughly to see if there were
Speaker 1: any places where they might dig their way out there
Speaker 1: were none. His feet raised a cloud of fine dust,
Speaker 1: which got into his eyes and nose and made him sneeze.
Speaker 1: Violently discouraged, he went back to the phoenix and sat down.
Speaker 1: There was a long silence. Gradually an idea came to David.
Speaker 1: It started as a small faint thought at the back
Speaker 1: of his mind. Wavered began to grow and expand and
Speaker 1: fill out, became bigger and clearer and better. And Phoenix
Speaker 1: cried David, jumping to his feet. My boy, my very
Speaker 1: dear boy, said the phoenix, its voice breaking with emotion.
Speaker 1: I have thought, I have pondered, I have well to
Speaker 1: be brief. It is no use stiff upper lip, my boy.
Speaker 1: We are doomed, Phoenix. I let this be a lesson
Speaker 1: to you, my boy, even though it be your last one.
Speaker 1: Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Speaker 2: Ah.
Speaker 1: Who could have said in the golden days of my
Speaker 1: youth that I should come to such an end, Oh
Speaker 1: miss bird, Oh unhappy boy Phoenix.
Speaker 2: But we can show them how to die, my boy,
Speaker 2: We still have that the.
Speaker 1: Last magnificent gesture. Let those who have lived wisely and
Speaker 1: well show that they can die in the same way.
Speaker 2: I hope.
Speaker 1: I am to go first, so that you may have
Speaker 1: an example to follow. Phoenix, My boy, listen please, and
Speaker 1: David whispered in the phoenix's ear. The plan had seemed
Speaker 1: like a good one while it was still in his mind,
Speaker 1: but put into words that sounded a little too simple.
Speaker 1: As he whispered, David began to feel more and more foolish,
Speaker 1: so that finally he stopped altogether. I I guess it's
Speaker 1: really kind of silly, he stammered. But the phoenix was
Speaker 1: looking at him with hope and admiration in its eyes.
Speaker 1: My very dear chap, it said solemnly, I salute you.
Speaker 1: I humbly await your signal. Do you really think it
Speaker 1: will work?
Speaker 2: My boy?
Speaker 1: It must, it can it shall proceed poor as the
Speaker 1: plan now seemed to David, he prepared to carry it out.
Speaker 1: Holding his breath so as not to sneeze again, he
Speaker 1: scooped up as much dust as he could hold in
Speaker 1: two hands. Then he took his position on one side
Speaker 1: of the cave, nodded the phoenix toward the other, and
Speaker 1: glanced out to see if the guardian Gryffins were looking.
Speaker 2: They were not.
Speaker 1: Now he whispered the cave rocked with their uproar. David
Speaker 1: screamed at the top of his voice and kicked the walls.
Speaker 1: The phoenix let out a series of ear splitting whistles
Speaker 1: and squawks and beat its wings frantically. Echoes bounced from
Speaker 1: wall to wall. The two Griffins came rushing into the cave,
Speaker 1: adding to the racket with their shrieking. Now, David shouted
Speaker 1: and he flung the double handful of dust into the
Speaker 1: Gryffin's faces. Instantly they were all choking and sneezing in
Speaker 1: the thick cloud. He plunged between the legs of the
Speaker 1: two Gryffins, who, in the confusion, began to bite and
Speaker 1: tear savagely at each other. David and the phoenix burst
Speaker 1: out of the cave together. The other the Griffins, aroused
Speaker 1: by the noise, were bounding toward them. David flung himself
Speaker 1: on the phoenix's back and shouted, fly and sneezed. From
Speaker 1: somewhere behind him, a set of talons snatched out and
Speaker 1: ripped through the back of his shirt. He kicked blindly
Speaker 1: and felt his foot crunch into something, which shrieked fly Phoenix.
Speaker 1: He sobbed the phoenix was already in the air and
Speaker 1: needed no encouragement. They heard raucous cries and the thunder
Speaker 1: of wings behind them. David looked back over his shoulder.
Speaker 1: The gryffins were rising from the ground in pursuit, their
Speaker 1: legs drawn up under them and their wings beating faster.
Speaker 1: He screamed, you have seen nothing in the way of
Speaker 1: flying until now, my boy. The phoenix shouted back, watch this.
Speaker 1: Its wings were two blurs, slicing through the air and
Speaker 1: roaring like kettledrums. The ground below streamed backwards. David looked
Speaker 1: back again. The Gryffins were falling into the distance. Their
Speaker 1: cries were getting fainter. Now they looked like a flock
Speaker 1: of starlings, now like a cluster of flies, now like gnats.
Speaker 1: And then they had faded out of sight, and David
Speaker 1: and the phoenix were streaking over the grassland alone. Ten
Speaker 1: minutes later they reached ashore and landed. They flopped on
Speaker 1: the sand, panting, and David, suddenly feeling very faint, closed
Speaker 1: his eyes and put his head between his knees. After
Speaker 1: they had got their breath, the phoenix padded David on
Speaker 1: the shoulder and said huskily. I congratulate you, my boy.
Speaker 1: Your plan was magnificent, precisely what I should have done
Speaker 1: had I thought of at first. Needless to say, we
Speaker 1: shall not go on looking for the Gryffins. But now
Speaker 1: you know exactly what they are like, midway in size
Speaker 1: between the Griffins and the Griffins, and reddish in color,
Speaker 1: most amiable souls, willing to do anything for anyone. It
Speaker 1: is hard to believe that they are all related. But enough,
Speaker 1: my boy, let us go home. As soon as they
Speaker 1: reached the ledge, the phoenix put David down and prepare
Speaker 1: to take off again. Where are you going, phoenix? David
Speaker 1: asked some business to attend to my boy, muttering under
Speaker 1: its breast something that sounded like tail feathers. Indeed, the
Speaker 1: phoenix soared off, and David, stiff and sore and thoroughly tired,
Speaker 1: started down the mountain side for home. End of chapter four.
Speaker 1: Chapter five, in which the scientist arrives in pursuit of
Speaker 1: the phoenix, and there are alarms and excursions by night.
Speaker 1: The lights downstairs were all on when David got home,
Speaker 1: and as soon as he opened the front door he
Speaker 1: could tell that they had company. He shouted, I'm home
Speaker 1: and sneezed. The dust from the griffin's cave still clung
Speaker 1: to him, tickling his nose. Well, here he is, at last,
Speaker 1: said dad's voice. Come on in, David. Then, as David
Speaker 1: walked into the living room, Good heavens, son, what's happened
Speaker 1: to you? You're back, David, mother said, in a horrified voice,
Speaker 1: Your poor back. What happened to you? David felt himself.
Speaker 1: The back of his shirt was ripped to tatters, and
Speaker 1: there were three lines of caked blood across his shoulders.
Speaker 1: He remembered now it was the griffin that had tried
Speaker 1: to grab him as he and the phoenix made their escape,
Speaker 1: but he had promised the phoenix to keep it secret.
Speaker 1: He stammered, Aye, I had an accident and dust all
Speaker 1: over you. Mother went on, Well, said David desperately. It
Speaker 1: was a dusty accident. It seems to have been very dusty. Indeed,
Speaker 1: said a third voice. There was a loud sneeze. David's
Speaker 1: father jumped up. You gave me such a shock when
Speaker 1: you came in that I almost forgot David. We have
Speaker 1: a guest, and he introduced David to a very tall,
Speaker 1: thin man with a bald head. His face and neck
Speaker 1: were burnt red by the sun, and he had on
Speaker 1: a pair of thick glasses which made his pale eyes
Speaker 1: look immense. For some reason, David took an instant dislike
Speaker 1: to him, but he shook hands politely and said, how
Speaker 1: do you do David? Eh, said the man, Well, well,
Speaker 1: are you.
Speaker 2: A good boy?
Speaker 1: David.
Speaker 2: Of all the stupid.
Speaker 1: Questions in the world, that was the one David hated most.
Speaker 1: He clenched his teeth and looked the other way. David dear,
Speaker 1: said mother, with an awkward laugh. I think you'd better
Speaker 1: go upstairs and wash and change. When David came into
Speaker 1: the living room again, the guest was talking excitedly, completely
Speaker 1: unknown to man. He was saying, it's the discovery of
Speaker 1: the age. My name will be famous if I succeed
Speaker 1: in my plans. How fascinating, Mother said, And to think
Speaker 1: of it happening right here. And it's huge, the guest said,
Speaker 1: simply huge and brilliantly colored. For a scientist like myself,
Speaker 1: it's more than fascinating. David was listening now, scientist, scientist.
Speaker 1: His heart missed a beat and he choked, Oh no,
Speaker 1: it couldn't be thus scientist, or could it David here
Speaker 1: spends all his time up on the mountain. His father said,
Speaker 1: maybe he's seen it. The guest turned his big, pale,
Speaker 1: unpleasant eyes on David. Well, David, he said, maybe you
Speaker 1: can help me. Now, have you seen anything unusual on
Speaker 1: the mountain? Unusual, said David unsteadily. There was a pain
Speaker 1: in his chest from the pounding of his heart. Yes, David,
Speaker 1: the guest went on, Unusual, so unusual that you couldn't
Speaker 1: miss it. A very large bird with bright plumage. The
Speaker 1: floor under David seemed to rock. It was true, then,
Speaker 1: it was horribly true. This was the scientist who had
Speaker 1: been chasing the phoenix. This was their enemy bird. David dodged. Wo. Wo,
Speaker 1: Why there are lots of birds up there, sparrows and
Speaker 1: meadow larks and and sparrows, but nothing like a huge
Speaker 1: bird with bright feathers. Well, he would have to tell
Speaker 1: a lie, after all, it was for the phoenix's sake, no,
Speaker 1: said David. Ah, said the scientist, but his cold eyes
Speaker 1: bored into David's for another instant, plainly saying, I'm not fooled,
Speaker 1: young man. It's odd. He continued that no one has
Speaker 1: seen it, but I have no doubt it somewhere here.
Speaker 1: I am going to begin my search as soon as
Speaker 1: my equipment gets here. Tell us about it, said mother politely.
Speaker 1: Well I discovered it on the other side of the valley,
Speaker 1: you know, said the scientist eagerly, Quite by accident. I
Speaker 1: was really looking for another species. Now, birds, you know,
Speaker 1: have fixed habits. If you know those habits, you can
Speaker 1: predict just what they will do at any time. This
Speaker 1: particular bird was a daytime creature, so I tried to
Speaker 1: watch it in between dawn and dusk. But it seemed
Speaker 1: to have a mind of its own, you might almost
Speaker 1: say an intelligence. It avoided me in a very clever way,
Speaker 1: and it avoided my traps also uncanny. So after several
Speaker 1: weeks I decided to shoot it if I got the chance.
Speaker 1: Then suddenly it disappeared, but I'm certain it came over
Speaker 1: to this side of the valley. There was no escape
Speaker 1: from the subject. During dinner, the scientists could think and
Speaker 1: talk of nothing else. He described the merits of dead falls, snares,
Speaker 1: steel traps, and birdlime. He asked which they thought would
Speaker 1: make the best bait, A rabbit, a beefsteak, a live
Speaker 1: lamb or carrion. He told them all about the new
Speaker 1: high powered long range rifle which he had ordered, and
Speaker 1: he vowed to them all that he would not rest
Speaker 1: until the bird was either caught or killed for the
Speaker 1: advancement of human learning. David listened with horror. The dinner
Speaker 1: before him went untouched. His only thought was that now
Speaker 1: he would have to warn the phoenix as soon as possible.
Speaker 1: The phoenix would go to South America after all, and
Speaker 1: his education would end before it had even started, all
Speaker 1: because of this hateful man. He fought to hold back
Speaker 1: his tears. Dinner was over at last, David mumbled his
Speaker 1: excuses and ducked out of the dining room, but Aunt
Speaker 1: Amy seized him firmly. Just as he thought he he
Speaker 1: had got away. Bed time for you, David, She said firmly, Oh,
Speaker 1: aunt Amy, please, I've got to upstairs, young man. You've
Speaker 1: had enough gallivanting around for one day. You're all worn out.
Speaker 1: I'm not, said David, struggling. I feel fine, Look, I
Speaker 1: just have to It was useless. She marched him upstairs
Speaker 1: to his room and stood in the doorway until he
Speaker 1: had undressed and put on his pajamas and got into bed. Now,
Speaker 1: She said, you go to sleep. The mountain will still
Speaker 1: be there in the morning, unless there's a land slide.
Speaker 1: Good night, and she turned out the light and shut
Speaker 1: the door.
Speaker 2: This was awful.
Speaker 1: He could not sneak down stairs because the stairs could
Speaker 1: be seen from the living room. He could not climb
Speaker 1: out of his window because the rose arbor was directly
Speaker 1: beneath it, and he would be ripped by the thorns.
Speaker 1: And mother always came in to say good night before
Speaker 1: she went to bed. If he was not there when
Speaker 1: she came in tonight, there would be a lot of
Speaker 1: unpleasant explaining to do. The only thing then was to
Speaker 1: wait until the scientist went home and everyone.
Speaker 2: Was in bed.
Speaker 1: It was a maddening wait. The scientist's voice went on
Speaker 1: and on like the drone of an electric fan, interrupted
Speaker 1: only by an occasional murmur from mother or dad. For
Speaker 1: a while, David sat in bed, twisting the sheets in
Speaker 1: his hands. Then he got up and paced the room
Speaker 1: in his bare feet. It seemed to him that three
Speaker 1: or four whole night times had passed before he finally
Speaker 1: heard all three voices raised and talking at once. The
Speaker 1: scientist was going now they were saying goodbye at the
Speaker 1: front door. Now the door was being closed now or
Speaker 1: there were footsteps on the stairs. He jumped into bed
Speaker 1: just before mother put her head in and said good night.
Speaker 1: Dear David murmured, pretending to be half asleep. His door
Speaker 1: closed again, the light switches snapped, and there was silence.
Speaker 1: He waited another half hour to make sure everyone was asleep.
Speaker 1: As quickly and silently as he could, hold on his clothes,
Speaker 1: crept out of his room and slid cautiously down the
Speaker 1: banister in the backyard, He put on his shoes, dived
Speaker 1: through the hedge, and started to race up the mountain side.
Speaker 1: Fortunately there was a nearly full moon and no clouds
Speaker 1: in the sky, but even with this light it was
Speaker 1: not easy to keep to the trail. Several times he
Speaker 1: lost his way, so that the trip took much longer
Speaker 1: than usual, but he found the ledge at last, climbed
Speaker 1: over the final difficult rock, and sat down to catch
Speaker 1: his breath. When he could speak, he called softly, Phoenix.
Speaker 1: There was no answer, Phoenix. He pushed through the thicket
Speaker 1: to the other side of the ledge. Phoenix. The phoenix
Speaker 1: was gone. The tears that had been stopped up all
Speaker 1: evening could be held no longer. David dropped to the ground,
Speaker 1: leaned his forehead against a rock, and let them go.
Speaker 1: He had just remembered, as soon as they had come
Speaker 1: back from the Griffin adventure, the phoenix had flown off
Speaker 1: on some sort of business, and it had not said
Speaker 1: when it would return. The tears cleared David's mind and
Speaker 1: made him feel better. Now what he began to think.
Speaker 1: If he stayed on the ledge all night, they might
Speaker 1: find out at home and make a terrible fuss. But
Speaker 1: if he did not warn the phoenix before morning, the
Speaker 1: scientist might creep up while the bird was resting and
Speaker 1: trap it or shoot it. So he would have to
Speaker 1: warn the phoenix and return home, and the only way
Speaker 1: to do both these things was to write the phoenix
Speaker 1: a note. But he had neither paper nor pencil. A
Speaker 1: fine mess he had made of everything. Now he would
Speaker 1: have to go all the way back home, write the note,
Speaker 1: come all the way back up to the ledge, and
Speaker 1: then go home again. David trudged down the mountain side
Speaker 1: in a very low mood. Now that he had a
Speaker 1: definite plan to work on, his fear was gone, but
Speaker 1: he felt that he had been pretty stupid to rush
Speaker 1: off without thinking of everything first. In his mind he
Speaker 1: could hear the phoenix saying look before you leap, my boy,
Speaker 1: and other wise words of advice, and he had cried too,
Speaker 1: lucky that no one had been there to see that.
Speaker 1: As he approached the house, he was surprised to see
Speaker 1: all the lights ablazed and to hear his name being called.
Speaker 1: Oh oh, he thought, they've found out I've gone here,
Speaker 1: I am, he shouted, opening the door. What's the matter.
Speaker 1: It was a strange sight which met him inside. Dad,
Speaker 1: in his gray pajamas, was waving a revolver and making
Speaker 1: fierce noises. Mother, looking frightened, had a shoe in one hand.
Speaker 1: Aunt Amy, with her hair and rags, was also well
Speaker 1: armed with a big cast iron frying pan. Becky was
Speaker 1: howling upstairs. David.
Speaker 2: Mother cried, are you all right?
Speaker 1: Where have you been? Did he hurt you? Who? Said, David,
Speaker 1: I'm all right? What's the matter? The burglar? Said mother excitedly.
Speaker 1: He put his head in the window and said, pst.
Speaker 1: I tell you burglars don't say paste. Dad said. They
Speaker 1: tried to make as little noise as possible. Just let
Speaker 1: me catch him doing it again, he added, waving his
Speaker 1: pistol running around on that mountain at all hours of
Speaker 1: the night. Aunt Amy grumbled with burglars, and I don't
Speaker 1: know what all loose in town. And then we found
Speaker 1: that you were gone, and we thought he had stolen you.
Speaker 1: Mother went on, where have you been? I couldn't sleep,
Speaker 1: said David, So I went for a walk. Well, thank heavens,
Speaker 1: you're safe, said mother, hankering after that mountain all night,
Speaker 1: aunt Amy muttered, as if he wasn't up there all day.
Speaker 1: Look here, son said, Dad, what do you know about this? Honestly?
Speaker 1: Dad said David. I couldn't sleep. There's nothing wrong with that.
Speaker 1: I can't help it if I can't sleep. So I
Speaker 1: took a walk. There's nothing wrong with oh all right,
Speaker 1: all right, His father said, I suppose it's just a coincidence.
Speaker 1: Let's all get back to sleep, and David, the next
Speaker 1: time you can't sleep, try counting sheep. Gradually the house
Speaker 1: calmed down, Becky stopped wailing. Dad put away his gun.
Speaker 1: Good nights were said, the lights were turned off. David
Speaker 1: knew that it would be at least an hour before
Speaker 1: he dared to move again, and he would have to
Speaker 1: be doubly careful. This time, and he was a little
Speaker 1: nervous himself now about that burglar, what if he should
Speaker 1: meet him when he went out again. He tried to
Speaker 1: forget about that by thinking of what he would put
Speaker 1: in the note for the phoenix. He had got as
Speaker 1: far as dear phoenix, and was wondering how you spelled
Speaker 1: phoenix when there came a swish and a thump at
Speaker 1: his window, followed by a cautious whisper.
Speaker 2: Piste. David felt his scalp prickle. Wo woo, whoe. Who's that?
Speaker 2: He quavered?
Speaker 1: Is that you, my boy? Whispered a familiar guarded voice. Ah,
Speaker 1: thank heavens, and the phoenix crawled through the window. Weak
Speaker 1: with relief, David snapped on the bedside light. The phoenix
Speaker 1: presented a shocking sight. Its face was drawn with fatigue,
Speaker 1: and it looked rather dragged. Its back sagged, its wings
Speaker 1: drooped to the floor, and it walked with a limp. Oh, Phoenix, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: David whispered. He jumped to support the bird before it
Speaker 1: collapsed entirely. Ah, thank you, my boy. The phoenix murmured,
Speaker 1: your bed I presume may I thank you? The springs
Speaker 1: creaked under its weight as the phoenix gingerly lay down.
Speaker 1: What a night, my boy, what a night, it sighed, weakly,
Speaker 1: closing its eyes.
Speaker 2: Oh, phoenix, what happened? Can I do anything for you?
Speaker 1: David whispered, A damp cooling cloth upon my forehead would
Speaker 1: be welcome, my boy, murmured the phoenix, also a bit
Speaker 1: of nourishment. David slid down the banister, got a handful
Speaker 1: of cookies and a glass of milk, and dampened a
Speaker 1: dish towel. When he returned, the phoenix was fast asleep. Phoenix,
Speaker 1: he whispered, wake up, here's your The phoenix woke with
Speaker 1: a violent start and stared wildly around the room. Trapped,
Speaker 1: it muttered, making a frenzied effort to get off the bed.
Speaker 1: Not so loud, David whispered, sharply, it's me understanding, donned
Speaker 1: in the phoenix's eyes, and it eased itself back with
Speaker 1: a sigh. Ah you, my boy, you gave me quite
Speaker 1: a fright, I thought. But here the phoenix caught sight
Speaker 1: of the milk and cookies and sat up again. Ambrosia,
Speaker 1: it sighed, reverently, and nectar, you are a prince, my
Speaker 1: dear fellow, and the phoenix reached out eagerly. Now, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: David whispered as he wrapped the wet towel around the
Speaker 1: phoenix's head. What's happened? Ah, that feels heavenly, my boy, munch, munch,
Speaker 1: what has happened? Munch, munch, gulp. I was insulted. I
Speaker 1: accepted a challenge, and I brilliantly maintained my honor. Let
Speaker 1: that be a lesson to you, my boy, death before
Speaker 1: dishonor Yes, in spite of my age. I but Phoenix,
Speaker 1: what happened to be brief?
Speaker 2: Then? My boy?
Speaker 1: For brevity is the soul of wit. Although I am
Speaker 1: not trying to be witty now, I am simply too
Speaker 1: worn out brevity? Ah, where was I? I think you
Speaker 1: were telling me what happened to you tonight? David said, Ah, yes,
Speaker 1: quite so well. I raced the witch to put it
Speaker 1: quite simply, Oh, Phoenix, did you win? She said that
Speaker 1: she would beat my tail feathers off. Did she not behold,
Speaker 1: my dear fellow, every tail feather intact?
Speaker 2: Good for you? Phoenix?
Speaker 1: How did it go? I found her somewhere over Scotland
Speaker 1: and accepted her challenge. We jockeyed about for starting positions.
Speaker 1: And she insulted me by offering me a handicap, which
Speaker 1: of course I refused. For several hundred miles, it was
Speaker 1: nip and tuck, as it were then over Luxembourg. I
Speaker 1: put all my energies into a magnificent sprint and won
Speaker 1: the race by three and a half broomlenks. She claimed
Speaker 1: a fowl and went off in a fit of sulks.
Speaker 2: Of course.
Speaker 1: I never I saw a witch who was a good loser,
Speaker 1: and I well, the fact is, my boy, that I
Speaker 1: am not as young as I used to be. I
Speaker 1: simply crawled home. Oh you poor Phoenix, but you one know.
Speaker 1: Good for you, Phoenix, I'm proud of you. I didn't
Speaker 1: like her at all. There you are. I had to
Speaker 1: win for both of us. Now, as I wended my
Speaker 1: weary way homeward, I realized that I should be too
Speaker 1: tired to go traveling tomorrow. So I decided to tell
Speaker 1: you in case you should want to do something else
Speaker 1: during the day. But I did not know which house
Speaker 1: was yours. I had to pick one at random. I
Speaker 1: thrust my head in a window and uttered a cautious post.
Speaker 1: Imagine my dismay when I was answered by a piercing scream.
Speaker 1: I had to beat a hasty and undignified retreat into
Speaker 1: a garage until all was peaceful again. Then I did
Speaker 1: the same thing at the next house, and the next,
Speaker 1: with the same results. The phoenix side. Would you believe it,
Speaker 1: my boy, this is the fifth house I tried, but
Speaker 1: I knew I was on the right track when I
Speaker 1: heard them calling for you. Oh so it was you,
Speaker 1: said David. You almost frightened mother to death. She thought
Speaker 1: you were a burglar. My dear fellow, I am really
Speaker 1: sorry for having caused any misunderstanding or fright said the
Speaker 1: phoenix apologetically. It was just that I wanted to tell
Speaker 1: you of my victory, that is, to tell you that
Speaker 1: I should be indisposed tomorrow. Then David recalled that he
Speaker 1: had something to say too. The shock of remembering was
Speaker 1: such that he blurted out the news without thinking of
Speaker 1: softening the blow. Phoenix, listen, the scientist is here. The
Speaker 1: phoenix sat up in bed with a jerk, and David
Speaker 1: barely suppressed as startled exclamation by clamping a hand over
Speaker 1: its beak. It's not so bad yet, he whispered, hurriedly,
Speaker 1: because he's not sure where you are. And he has
Speaker 1: to wait for his equipment to get here. But oh, phoenix,
Speaker 1: now I suppose you'll go to South America after all,
Speaker 1: and I won't have any more education. The phoenix leaped
Speaker 1: to its feet and struck a defiant pose. My boy,
Speaker 1: it said angrily, you are mistaken. I refuse to be
Speaker 1: chased around any longer, even the lowly worm turns. Am
Speaker 1: I a mouse? Or am I the phoenix? If that
Speaker 1: insufferable man wishes to pursue me further, if he cannot
Speaker 1: mind his own business, then by jove, we shall meet
Speaker 1: him face to face and fight to the finish. Its voice,
Speaker 1: which had been getting louder and louder, ended in an
Speaker 1: indignant squawk, its battle cry. As it explained later, David's
Speaker 1: warning sh was too late. They heard rapid footsteps and
Speaker 1: the sound of light switches snapping. Quick David said out
Speaker 1: the window with a hasty farewell, my boy. The phoenix
Speaker 1: plunged headlong toward the window and tripped.
Speaker 2: Over the sill.
Speaker 1: There was a resounding crash outside as the bird landed
Speaker 1: on the rose arbor. A brief but furious thrashing and muttering,
Speaker 1: and then the reeding flurry of wings Dad burst into
Speaker 1: the room with his revolver, followed by Mother and Aunt
Speaker 1: Amy with two frying pans. This time he stuck his
Speaker 1: head in the window and said, pst at me. David cried,
Speaker 1: a big dark shape in the window. This time Dad
Speaker 1: telephoned the police, and no time at all, three car
Speaker 1: loads of wary policemen were swarming over the house and
Speaker 1: yard with guns and flashlights drawn. It was the fifth
Speaker 1: or was it the sixth call they had received from
Speaker 1: the neighborhood that night, they explained. There followed an hour
Speaker 1: of questions, arguments, and theories, during which everyone became very excited.
Speaker 1: Everyone that is except David, although he acted excited to
Speaker 1: avoid suspicion. But he was happy. He had warned the phoenix,
Speaker 1: and the phoenix was going to stay and there was
Speaker 1: nothing to worry about until tomorrow. End of chapter five,
Speaker 1: Chapter six, which the Phoenix has a plan and David
Speaker 1: and the Phoenix call in a sea monster. Well you're
Speaker 1: in all the papers this morning, phoenix, said David as
Speaker 1: he sat down beside the reclining bird.
Speaker 2: Next morning, they don't know who you.
Speaker 1: Are, but they're all talking about what happened last night.
Speaker 1: They call you the whispering burglar. The police are pretty worried,
Speaker 1: My dear chap, said.
Speaker 2: The phoenix apologetically.
Speaker 1: Let me repeat my sincere regrets for causing alarm. It
Speaker 1: was not my desire to the police. Did you say,
Speaker 1: have they discovered any clues? No, said David, reassuringly. They
Speaker 1: can't find a thing. They think the whispering burglar climbed
Speaker 1: up a ladder to saste into the upstairs windows. Only
Speaker 1: they can't find the ladder. They call it the missing
Speaker 1: mystery clue. The phoenix gazed at the sky and mused,
Speaker 1: in all the papers, you say, well, fame at last,
Speaker 1: though hardly the kind I had expected. What a pity
Speaker 1: that there can be no photographs with the story. Imagine
Speaker 1: a picture of me on the front page, a profile perhaps,
Speaker 1: or would a full length shot be more effective or both?
Speaker 1: Let us say with I know you'd look very handsome, Phoenix.
Speaker 1: David interrupted, But what we should be thinking about is
Speaker 1: the scientist. What are we going to do? Oh that,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix. I was coming to that, my boy,
Speaker 1: the battle is already half won.
Speaker 2: I have a plan. Good for you, Phoenix, What is it? Aha?
Speaker 1: Said the phoenix, with a mysterious smile. All will unfold
Speaker 1: in time. Rest assured that the plan is brilliant. In
Speaker 1: one stroke of genius, it solves everything tactics, My boy,
Speaker 1: Napoleon had nothing on me.
Speaker 2: But what is it?
Speaker 1: Phoenix tut, my boy, said the phoenix in a maddening way.
Speaker 1: Control your impatience. You will see. Now we shall have
Speaker 1: to buy some things, so we shall need money. Let
Speaker 1: me see, several of the leprechauns have large pots of gold. No,
Speaker 1: I fear they would not part with so much as
Speaker 1: a penny. Tight fisted, my dear fellow, you never saw
Speaker 1: such misers.
Speaker 2: Hmm, Well there are the dragons.
Speaker 1: Of course, they guard heaps of treasure in caves. But no,
Speaker 1: they are excellent chaps in most respects, but frightfully stuffy
Speaker 1: about loans and gifts. No, the gin, No, his money
Speaker 1: is all tied up in Arabian oil speculation. Aha, why
Speaker 1: didn't I think of that before?
Speaker 2: The sea monster? Of course, do sea.
Speaker 1: Monsters have money, asked David. No, but the sea monster
Speaker 1: should know where a pirate treasure is buried, quite in
Speaker 1: its nautical line.
Speaker 2: We shall visit the.
Speaker 1: Monster, my boy tomorrow. Of course, I could not fly
Speaker 1: a foot to day to save my life. My muscles
Speaker 1: are killing me. Oh, poor phoenix, David said, but he
Speaker 1: was so excited that he could not feel much pity.
Speaker 1: Pirate treasure. They were going to dig for pirate treasure.
Speaker 1: We shall need a spade. I trust you will arrange
Speaker 1: for it, my boy, of course, phoenix, said David, jumping
Speaker 1: to his feet. I'll get everything ready right away. Don't
Speaker 1: move till I get back. Impossible, my boy, the phoenix
Speaker 1: groaned as it shifted into a more comfortable position. David
Speaker 1: raced home to collect the necessary things for the trip,
Speaker 1: Remembering how cold it had been last time. He took
Speaker 1: his leather jacket out of the closet and a pair
Speaker 1: of gloves and a scarf for the phoenix. He borrowed
Speaker 1: a bottle of liniment and took all the cookies from
Speaker 1: the cookie jar, and he picked the shortest of three
Speaker 1: spades in the garage. During the rest of the day,
Speaker 1: he massaged the phoenix's back and wings with a liniment.
Speaker 1: He was exploding with curiosity about the plan, of course,
Speaker 1: but the phoenix would only smile its smug ast smile
Speaker 1: and tell him to wait and see, wait and see,
Speaker 1: which almost drove David mad. Tomorrow took its time, the
Speaker 1: way it always does when you are anxious to see
Speaker 1: it arrive. But it finally came, and David found himself
Speaker 1: with the spade held tightly under one arm, his jacket
Speaker 1: zipped up to his chin, gloves on, and scarf notted.
Speaker 1: Already to go to the west this time, said the phoenix,
Speaker 1: as David got up on its back. This is the
Speaker 1: monster's Pacific season. You know, ready, my boy, splendid, we
Speaker 1: are off over the mountains and desert. They sped over
Speaker 1: the shore, out across the ocean.
Speaker 2: For a long time.
Speaker 1: They hurtled through a huge blue loneliness, dark blue below,
Speaker 1: lighter blue above. Once they passed over a ship, a
Speaker 1: pencil dot trailing a pin scratch of white. Another time
Speaker 1: they startled a high flying albatross, which gave a frightened
Speaker 1: squawk and plunged down out of sight with folded wings.
Speaker 1: Aside from that, there was nothing to see until they
Speaker 1: reached the islands. The phoenix slowed down to a glide
Speaker 1: and dropped lower. These are the coral atolls of the Pacific,
Speaker 1: my boy, it called over its shoulder. That lake in
Speaker 1: the center of each island is called the lagoon. David
Speaker 1: was enchanted by the atolls. They were made of tiny
Speaker 1: islets struck together like the beads of a necklace, and
Speaker 1: the colors the dark blue of the sea became lighter
Speaker 1: around the islands, melting from sapphire to turquoise to jade.
Speaker 1: The atolls were ringed with dazzling white surf and beach,
Speaker 1: and they all had cool green swaths of palm trees
Speaker 1: and underbrush, and each lagoon also had its varying shades
Speaker 1: of blue, like the outer sea. I fear we may
Speaker 1: have trouble, my boy, said the phoenix, as they scanned
Speaker 1: the empty beaches. The monster shifts about from island to
Speaker 1: island to avoid discovery. We shall just have to search
Speaker 1: and search. They did, atoll after atoll, until at the
Speaker 1: end of an hour they were rewarded. David suddenly spotted
Speaker 1: a dark object stretched out on the beach of a lagoon,
Speaker 1: and at the same time the phoenix said Aha, triumphantly.
Speaker 1: They began to spiral down. The sea monster was immense.
Speaker 1: Its body could have filled the living room at home.
Speaker 1: Its neck was twenty feet long, and so was its tail,
Speaker 1: which ended in a barbed point. It had huge seal
Speaker 1: like flippers, and its polished brown hide was made up
Speaker 1: of scales as big as dinner plates. Wake up, monster,
Speaker 1: the phoenix cried. We The next instant they were lost
Speaker 1: in a cloud of flying sand and spray, through which
Speaker 1: could be heard a prodigious splash. When it had cleared,
Speaker 1: they found themselves alone on the beach. The only sign
Speaker 1: of the sea monster was a great furrow in the sand,
Speaker 1: which led down to the agitated water. Golly, that was fast,
Speaker 1: David marveled as they shook the sand from themselves. Do
Speaker 1: you think it'll come back, phoenix? Of course, my boy, curiosity.
Speaker 1: If nothing else will bring it up again. In the meantime,
Speaker 1: we might as well sit down and wait. They sat
Speaker 1: down and waited. David took off his jacket. For fifteen minutes,
Speaker 1: they heard nothing but the murmuring of the surf and
Speaker 1: the rustling clatter of palm fronds. At last, there was
Speaker 1: a slight splashing noise from the lagoon. There, David whispered,
Speaker 1: pointing thirty feet off shore, an ear was being thrust
Speaker 1: cautiously above the rippled surface. It twitched once or twice,
Speaker 1: then pointed quiveringly in their direction. Come out, monster, The
Speaker 1: phoenix shouted, It is I the Phoenix. The sea monster's
Speaker 1: head appeared slowly, followed by several yards of neck. It
Speaker 1: peered at them short sightedly, weaving its head from side
Speaker 1: to side to get a better view. David saw that
Speaker 1: it had two short, straight horns just in front of
Speaker 1: its ears, eyes that were soft and cowlike, and a
Speaker 1: most expressive set of whiskers. The whiskers were now at
Speaker 1: a doubtful half masted angle. Ah, Phoenix, said the sea
Speaker 1: monster at last, in a mild voice. Can't you remember
Speaker 1: to wake me a bit more gently?
Speaker 2: I thought you were.
Speaker 1: Come on out, said the phoenix firmly, and stopped, looking
Speaker 1: like a lost sheep.
Speaker 2: Uh what about uh?
Speaker 1: That said the sea monster, hesitantly, pointing one ear at David.
Speaker 1: This said the phoenix is David. He is getting an education.
Speaker 1: I assure you that he will not bite these sea monsters.
Speaker 1: Swam toward them. Heaved itself out of the water and
Speaker 1: offered it huge flipper for David to shake. Sorry I
Speaker 1: rushed off like that, it said. The trouble is I've
Speaker 1: had such a bad case of war nerves. Why sometimes
Speaker 1: I jump out of my skin at nothing at all?
Speaker 1: Were you in the war, David asks, Ah, was, I,
Speaker 1: sighed the sea monster. It flopped down comfortably on its belly,
Speaker 1: curled its tail around its front flippers, and sighed again.
Speaker 1: But David noticed that its whiskereds had perked up to
Speaker 1: a quite cheerful angle. The sea monster was obviously delighted
Speaker 1: to as someone listen to its troubles. Yes, it said,
Speaker 1: heaving a third sigh. I was from the very beginning
Speaker 1: much again.
Speaker 2: My will guns all over the place. Terrible.
Speaker 1: Did they shoot you, David asked, horrified, Well at me
Speaker 1: in a way. I'm thankful to say they never hit me,
Speaker 1: but there were some pretty near misses. All the oceans
Speaker 1: were simply packed with ships. I couldn't lift my head
Speaker 1: out of the water without bringing down a perfect rain
Speaker 1: of shells and bullets. The intelligent thing in that case,
Speaker 1: the Phoenix broke in with a sniff, would have been
Speaker 1: to stay under water. Thank you, phoenix, said the sea
Speaker 1: monster dryly.
Speaker 2: But I do like to.
Speaker 1: Breathe now and then. Anyway, I wasn't safe even under water.
Speaker 1: They'd drop depth charges on me. One ship even launched
Speaker 1: a torpedo at me. How awful, said David, tut my boy,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix. I have no doubt our friend is
Speaker 1: stretching the truth shamelessly. You need not look so smug, monster.
Speaker 1: You are not the only one in the war. I
Speaker 1: have gone through anti aircraft fire a number of times,
Speaker 1: some of it was very severe. In fact, once I
Speaker 1: once I had the whole North Atlantic fleet after me,
Speaker 1: the Sea Monster interrupted proudly. And I remember the Franco
Speaker 1: Prussian war, said the phoenix, which I dare say you
Speaker 1: do not well?
Speaker 2: Uh no, I don't. There you are, the phoenix, crowed.
Speaker 1: The Sea Monster, looking rather ruffled, pointedly turned from the
Speaker 1: Phoenix and said to David, what should you like to
Speaker 1: do David. David suddenly remembered what they had come for,
Speaker 1: and the excitement rushed back into his heart. He opened
Speaker 1: his mouth to cry, we want to dig for treasure,
Speaker 1: and then stopped short. Asking for money. He knew was
Speaker 1: an impolite thing to do, especially from some one you
Speaker 1: had only just met, and there was no telling how
Speaker 1: the Sea Monster might feel about people nosing around for
Speaker 1: its treasure. So he looked at the Phoenix and waited
Speaker 1: for it to speak. The Phoenix caught David's glance, cleared
Speaker 1: its throat several times and looked apologetically at the sea monster.
Speaker 1: Monster Old chap It said soothingly, I am deeply sorry
Speaker 1: for having doubted you just now, deeply sorry. Quite all right,
Speaker 1: said the sea monster stiffly. Yes, the phoenix continued, We
Speaker 1: both know that you have passed through perilous times, through
Speaker 1: dangers which I must confess would have left me a
Speaker 1: shattered wreck. The sea monster sighed sadly, but its whiskers
Speaker 1: were beginning to rise again. The monster bears up very
Speaker 1: well under this fearful strain, don't you think so, my boy?
Speaker 1: A splendid example for the rest of us, magnificent. The
Speaker 1: sea Monster's whiskers were quivering with pleasure. Monster, Old chap
Speaker 1: Old friend, you are never one to let a boon
Speaker 1: companion down. If I have said at once, I have
Speaker 1: said it a hundred times the sea monster, I have said.
Speaker 1: The sea monster is the helpful sort. Mention the words
Speaker 1: staunch friend, I have said, and immediately the sea monster
Speaker 1: comes to mind. The phoenix reached up one wing and
Speaker 1: began to pat the sea monsters slipper Monster, Old chum,
Speaker 1: we ah, we well, the plain fact is that we ah,
Speaker 1: we have need of such a trifling matter here. The
Speaker 1: phoenix gave a careless laugh that I should not really
Speaker 1: bring it up at all. Ah, we need a bit
Speaker 1: of money, oh, said the sea monster. Its whiskers sagged. Now,
Speaker 1: please do not be offended, monster, said the phoenix hastily.
Speaker 1: After all, you have no need for the treasure, and
Speaker 1: it does absolutely no good buried under the ground. It
Speaker 1: doesn't do any harm there either, said the sea monster. Really, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: I never thought you, monster, said the phoenix solemnly. This
Speaker 1: is a matter of life or death. Life or death. Ha, please, monsters,
Speaker 1: said David. It really is life or death, because the
Speaker 1: scientist is chasing the phoenix, and the phoenix has a
Speaker 1: plan to escape him, and we need some money to
Speaker 1: carry out the plan so the scientists can't hurt the phoenix.
Speaker 1: A few small coins will do, added the phoenix, with
Speaker 1: a winning smile, A Lewis di'eure, for example, or some
Speaker 1: pieces of eight, after which you may bury the rest again, please, monsters,
Speaker 1: David begged. The monster looked at David, at the Phoenix,
Speaker 1: and then at David again, and then at the lagoon.
Speaker 1: It's sighed a very doubtful sigh. Oh all right, it said, reluctantly.
Speaker 1: But for goodness sake, don't go telling anyone where you
Speaker 1: found it. Of course not, said the phoenix, and David
Speaker 1: leaped up and shouted hooray and grabbed the spade and
Speaker 1: his jacket. The stuff is on the next island, said
Speaker 1: the sea man. I can swim over with you two
Speaker 1: on my back. This way, please, we have to leave
Speaker 1: from the outer beach. The sea monster was a magnificent swimmer.
Speaker 1: Its neck cut through the water like the stem of
Speaker 1: a Viking ship, and it left a frothing wake behind.
Speaker 1: Every once in a while it would plunge its head
Speaker 1: into the water and come up with a fish.
Speaker 2: Which it would swallow whole.
Speaker 1: Should you like some breakfast, David, said the sea monster. No,
Speaker 1: thank you, David answered, but you go right ahead, phoenix.
Speaker 2: He added, what are you doing?
Speaker 1: The phoenix, which had been walking up and down with
Speaker 1: its wings clasped behind its back, stopped and gazed over
Speaker 1: the sea, pacing the quarter deck, My boy, scanning the horizon.
Speaker 1: That is what one usually does at sea.
Speaker 2: I believe.
Speaker 1: You'll be wanting us to call you admiral, next, said
Speaker 1: the sea monster acidly. They steamed on twenty minutes and
Speaker 1: seventy six large breakfast fish. Later, they sighted the island,
Speaker 1: a little smudge on the horizon. Dead ahead land hoe,
Speaker 1: A voice croaked, Thank heavens. David turned in surprise. The
Speaker 1: phoenix was no longer pacing the quarter deck and scanning
Speaker 1: the horizon. It was sitting limply, with its head down
Speaker 1: and a glassy stare in its eyes. You had better
Speaker 1: hurry up, David said to the sea monster.
Speaker 2: I think the phoenix is sea sick. I am not.
Speaker 1: The phoenix gasped merely, LP temporary. The sea monster turned
Speaker 1: and smiled sweetly at the phoenix. You'll get used to
Speaker 1: it in no time, Admiral. When they landed, however, the
Speaker 1: phoenix recovered rapidly and even began to put on a
Speaker 1: slight nautical swagger. The sea monster humped off down the beach,
Speaker 1: followed eagerly by the two treasure hunters, and a few
Speaker 1: minutes it came to a halt and sniffed the sand
Speaker 1: very carefully, swinging its head snakelike to and fro. It
Speaker 1: settled on one spot, sniffed, it thoroughly felt the sand
Speaker 1: with its whiskers, and then solemnly announced, here, ahoy me, hearties.
Speaker 1: The phoenix shouted, turn too, and stand by to splice
Speaker 1: the main brace. Steady as she goes mates. David needed
Speaker 1: no encouragement from anyone. He began to dig furiously, flashing
Speaker 1: in the sun. The spade bit into the beach, and
Speaker 1: coarse white sand spurted in all directions. The phoenix was
Speaker 1: quite as excited as David. It danced around the deepening
Speaker 1: hole with isa sparkle, shouting such piratical terms as shiver
Speaker 1: me timbers, strike your colors, and give 'em no quarter lads.
Speaker 1: Suddenly it began to beat time with its wing and
Speaker 1: to sing in a raucous voice. Cut the king's throat
Speaker 1: and take the king's gold. Heave ho bullies for Panama.
Speaker 1: There's plenty of loot for the lad who is bold.
Speaker 1: Heave away bullies for Panama. You're flat on that last note,
Speaker 1: said the sea monster. My dear monster, I have perfect pitch. Oh, yes,
Speaker 1: you have perfect sea legs too.
Speaker 2: Well.
Speaker 1: Uh, how are you coming along, my boy? Any signs
Speaker 1: of treasure David did not hear. In fact, he heard
Speaker 1: nothing from the first crunch of the spade onward. His
Speaker 1: education was now richer by this fact. Once you start
Speaker 1: out after treasure. You can think of nothing else until
Speaker 1: it is found. The sun was beating hotly on him.
Speaker 1: Little rivulets of sweat poured down his face and arms,
Speaker 1: his muscles ached, blisters were beginning to form on his hands.
Speaker 1: Heedless of all, he dug on. He had settled into
Speaker 1: the rhythm of it now and nothing could distract him.
Speaker 1: Tell you what's a good thing for sea sickness, said
Speaker 1: the sea monster, slyly, you take a pretending not to hear.
Speaker 1: The phoenix stood first on one leg and then on
Speaker 1: the other, and stared into the sky. David dug tirelessly.
Speaker 1: Suddenly the bade grated on something solid, and they all jumped.
Speaker 1: David shouted, here it is, and shoveled up sand frantically.
Speaker 1: The phoenix danced around the hole, also shouting. Even the
Speaker 1: sea monster arched its neck to get a better view.
Speaker 1: They could see a brass ring crusted with verdigris, fastened
Speaker 1: to a partly exposed piece of wood. The sand flew.
Speaker 1: Now they could see studded strips of metal bound to
Speaker 1: the wood in a rusty padlock, and in a few
Speaker 1: minutes a whole chest with slanting sides and a curved lid.
Speaker 1: And tarnished brass hinges was uncovered. David threw the spade
Speaker 1: on the beach, seized the brass handle and tugged. It
Speaker 1: came off in his hand. Here, let me, said the
Speaker 1: sea monster. David got out of the hole, and the
Speaker 1: sea monster worked one flipper carefully under the chest. Look Out,
Speaker 1: it said, and heaved its slipper up. The chest shot
Speaker 1: into the air, tumbled down end over end, and split
Speaker 1: wide open.
Speaker 2: On the beach.
Speaker 1: David gasped a dazzling, sparkling heap spilled out on the sand.
Speaker 1: There were heaps of gold and silver coins, the silver
Speaker 1: black with tarnish, but the gold still bright. There were pearls, rubies, diamonds, barrels, emeralds, opals, sapphires,
Speaker 1: amethysts and bracelets, necklaces, pendants, sunbursts, brooches, rings, pins, combs, buckles, lockets, buttons, crucifixes,
Speaker 1: and carved pieces of jade and ivory and coral and
Speaker 1: jet and coronets, crowns, tierras, armbands and jeweled daggers, picture frames, vases,
Speaker 1: silver knives and forks, and spoons, sugar bowls, platters, goblets.
Speaker 1: For an hour, they examined the treasure. David fairly wallowed
Speaker 1: in it, exclaiming, look at this one, or oh, how beautiful,
Speaker 1: or just golly. The phoenix muttered such things as king's
Speaker 1: ransom and wealth of the Indies. The sea monster was
Speaker 1: not interested in the treasure, but kept glancing nervously.
Speaker 2: Out to sea.
Speaker 1: At last, the phoenix said, I think we had better
Speaker 1: make our choice. Three or four coins should do it.
Speaker 1: The sea monster gave a relieved sigh. Let's get the
Speaker 1: rest of it underground right away. You have no idea
Speaker 1: what trouble it can cause.
Speaker 2: The choice was difficult.
Speaker 1: There were so many coins, all of them with queer
Speaker 1: writing and heads of unknown gods and kings. David finally
Speaker 1: picked out four gold pieces and tied them up in
Speaker 1: his handkerchief. Then the sea monster swept the rest of
Speaker 1: the treasure into the hole. They all pushed sand in
Speaker 1: on top of it and jumped on the mound till
Speaker 1: it was level with the rest of the beach. The
Speaker 1: Phoenix turned to the sea monster and said, solemnly, monster,
Speaker 1: old fellow, I knew you would not fail us. You
Speaker 1: stood forth in our hour of need, and we shall
Speaker 1: not forget. And David echoed, thank you, monster, the sea
Speaker 1: monster ducked its head and blushed.
Speaker 2: A wave of fiery.
Speaker 1: Red started at its nose, traveled rapidly back over its ears,
Speaker 1: down its neck, along the body, and fanned out to
Speaker 1: the tips of its flippers and the extreme end of
Speaker 1: the barb in its tail. Even its whiskers turned pique. Well,
Speaker 1: uh glad to help. Uh nothing to it, really, it mumbled.
Speaker 1: Then it turned abruptly, galloped down to the sea, plunged
Speaker 1: into the surf, and was gone. End of chapter six.
Speaker 1: Chapter seven, in which the Phoenix plan is carried out.
Speaker 1: And there are more alarms and excursions in the night. Now,
Speaker 1: my boy, said the Phoenix. When they got back to
Speaker 1: the Ledge that afternoon. Are the shops still open? I
Speaker 1: think they're open till six, said David, shaking the sand
Speaker 1: out of his shoes. Are we going to buy something? Precisely,
Speaker 1: my boy, A hardware store should have what we need.
Speaker 1: Now you will take our gold and purchase the following,
Speaker 1: and the Phoenix listed the things it wanted and told
Speaker 1: David which to bring to the ledge, in which to
Speaker 1: leave below. And a hatchet. The Phoenix concluded, we have
Speaker 1: one at home already, said David. Now listen phoenix, can't
Speaker 1: you tell me what all this is for?
Speaker 2: What are we going to do with it? My boy?
Speaker 1: The feline's existence was terminated as a direct result of
Speaker 1: its inquisitiveness.
Speaker 2: What did you say? Curiosity killed the cat.
Speaker 1: Explained the phoenix. Oh, but now run along, my boy,
Speaker 1: A very important thought has just come to me. I
Speaker 1: must meditate a while. The phoenix glanced at the thicket and.
Speaker 2: Hid a yawn behind one wing.
Speaker 1: Oh, all right, said David, I'll see you in the morning.
Speaker 1: Then it wasn't until he got home that he thought
Speaker 1: of something. He couldn't spend pirate gold pieces, or even
Speaker 1: show them to any one without being asked a lot
Speaker 1: of embarrassing questions.
Speaker 2: What to do? Ask Dad or.
Speaker 1: Mother or aunt Amy to lend him some money more
Speaker 1: embarrassing questions. Well, he would have to rob his bank.
Speaker 1: But wait, why hadn't he remembered just before they had moved,
Speaker 1: Uncle Charles had given him a ten dollar bill as
Speaker 1: a farewell present. He had been saving it for a
Speaker 1: model airplane, but the excitement of the last few days
Speaker 1: had driven it completely out of his mind. Of course,
Speaker 1: the phoenix's plan was more important than any model plane
Speaker 1: could be, so he kept the gold pieces tied up
Speaker 1: in his handkerchief and took his ten dollars to a
Speaker 1: hardware store where he bought what the phoenix wanted, a
Speaker 1: coil of rope, an electric door bell, a pushbutton, and
Speaker 1: one hundred feet of insulated wire. Then he brought the
Speaker 1: package home, hid it behind the woodpile in the garage,
Speaker 1: and sat down to think wire, bell, push button, What
Speaker 1: could the phoenix possibly want with them? And what was
Speaker 1: the rope for? And the hatchet. The more he puzzled
Speaker 1: over it, the more confused he became, and finally he
Speaker 1: just gave up. There was only one thing he was
Speaker 1: sure about. Whatever the plan was, they would have to
Speaker 1: carry it out as soon as possible. Two days had
Speaker 1: passed since the scientist had shown up. The new gun
Speaker 1: he had ordered might arrive at any time now, perhaps
Speaker 1: even today, When they had been digging up the pirate treasure,
Speaker 1: the scientist had got his new rifle and had started
Speaker 1: to hunt through the mountains. The thought gave David a
Speaker 1: creepy feeling on the back of his neck. They certainly
Speaker 1: would have to hurry. Early next morning, David climbed up
Speaker 1: to the ledge, bringing with him the coil of rope
Speaker 1: and the hatchet. As an afterthought, he had added a
Speaker 1: paper bag full of cookies. Here's the stuff, phoenix, he
Speaker 1: called out as he stepped on to the ledge.
Speaker 2: Where are you?
Speaker 1: There was a crash from the thicket, as though someone
Speaker 1: had jumped up in it suddenly, and the phoenix stumbled out,
Speaker 1: rubbing its eyes. Ah splendid, my boy, Yes, I was
Speaker 1: just ah thinking, phoenix, said David. I'm not going to
Speaker 1: ask you again what your plan is, because I know
Speaker 1: you'll tell me when it's time. But whatever it is,
Speaker 1: we'd better do it right now. The scientist may show
Speaker 1: up any minute. Precisely, my boy, never put off until tomorrow.
Speaker 1: What can be done today? One of my favorite proverbs.
Speaker 1: We shall begin immediately, hear. The phoenix caught sight of
Speaker 1: the bag in David's hand and added hastily, But of
Speaker 1: course we must not forget that first things come first.
Speaker 1: You might have brought more, said the phoenix. Fifteen minutes later,
Speaker 1: there weren't any more in the jar. David said, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: Please tell me what we're going to do. I don't
Speaker 1: care if curiosity did kill the cat. I've been thinking
Speaker 1: about the rope and wire and bell all night, and
Speaker 1: I can't make heads or tails out of it. The
Speaker 1: phoenix gave a pleased laugh. Of course you cannot, my boy.
Speaker 1: The plan is far too profound for you to guess
Speaker 1: what it is. But set your mind at rest. I
Speaker 1: shall now explain the rope and hatchet. David leaned forward eagerly. Now, scientists,
Speaker 1: you know, have fixed habits. If you know those habits,
Speaker 1: you can predict just what they will do at any time.
Speaker 1: Our particular scientist is a daytime That is to say,
Speaker 1: he comes at dawn and goes at dusk, his invariable habit.
Speaker 1: My boy, Well there you are, my boy, said the
Speaker 1: phoenix triumphantly. We shall sleep during the day and continue
Speaker 1: your education at night.
Speaker 2: Oh, said David.
Speaker 1: He thought about this awhile, then asked, but suppose the
Speaker 1: scientist comes up on the ledge during the day and
Speaker 1: catches you asleep.
Speaker 2: Aha.
Speaker 1: That is where the rope and hatchet come in. Never fear,
Speaker 1: my boy, I thought of that. Also, we are going
Speaker 1: to construct a snare at each end of the ledge.
Speaker 1: How hand me that twig, my boy. The phoenix took
Speaker 1: the twig, found a bare spot of earth and sketched
Speaker 1: a picture. First, we find a sapling and clear the
Speaker 1: branches from it with a hatchet like this. Next, we
Speaker 1: get a stake, cut a notch in it and drive
Speaker 1: it into the ground, so the sapling is bent down
Speaker 1: to it and fitted into the notch which holds it down.
Speaker 1: You see, my boy. Now we make a noose, so
Speaker 1: from a piece of rope, tie it to the end
Speaker 1: of the sapling and spread the loop out on the path.
Speaker 1: This way the whole snare is hidden under grass and leaves.
Speaker 1: The phoenix beamed and flung out its wings in a
Speaker 1: dramatic gesture. Just picture it, my dear Chap, the scientists
Speaker 1: smiling evilly as he skulks along the path, the unwary footstep,
Speaker 1: the sapling jarred out of the notch, springing upward the
Speaker 1: tightened noose, and our arch enemy dangling by the foot
Speaker 1: in mid air, completely at our mercy. Magnificent golly phoenix,
Speaker 1: said David. That's pretty clever, clever, my boy, better to say,
Speaker 1: a stroke of genius. Only I phoenix could have thought
Speaker 1: of it, And consider the poetic justice of it. This
Speaker 1: is exactly the sort of trap that the scientist once
Speaker 1: set for me. Well shall we begin. The phoenix had
Speaker 1: made the snares sound delightfully simple, but they soon discovered
Speaker 1: that the job was harder than it sounded. First, they
Speaker 1: had to find the right kind of sapling, springy and strong.
Speaker 1: The sapling had to be in the right place, one
Speaker 1: by the goat trail, the other at the far end
Speaker 1: of the ledge. When they had been chosen, David had
Speaker 1: to shinny up them to lop off their branches. That
Speaker 1: was a very awkward business. A sapling swayed and trembled
Speaker 1: under his weight, and he could only use one hand
Speaker 1: for the hatchet. Then he had to make two stakes
Speaker 1: from stout hard wood, cut a notch at one end,
Speaker 1: and drive them into the ground with the flat of
Speaker 1: the hatchet. But the hardest part was trying to bend
Speaker 1: the sapling down to the stake and fitting it into
Speaker 1: the notch. It took the weight of both of them
Speaker 1: to bring the sapling to the ground. If they got
Speaker 1: the slightest bit off balance, it would spring up again.
Speaker 1: Once David fell off, the sapling went swish back into
Speaker 1: the air, flinging the astonished phoenix thirty feet up the
Speaker 1: mountain side. It was not until the afternoon, when the
Speaker 1: sun had turned rudy and shadows were beginning to stretch
Speaker 1: dark fingers across the land that they finished the job.
Speaker 1: But at last the saplings were set in the notches,
Speaker 1: uses were formed and fastened on grass, and leaves were
Speaker 1: strewn over. The snares, chips, hewn branches, and other evidences
Speaker 1: of their work were removed. They sat down and looked
Speaker 1: proudly at each other. My boy said the phoenix. I
Speaker 1: have had a wide and sometimes painful experience with traps,
Speaker 1: so you may believe me when I say that these
Speaker 1: are among the best I have seen.
Speaker 2: We have done well.
Speaker 1: They're sure strong enough, David agreed, flexing his fingers to
Speaker 1: take the stiffness out of them. But what are we
Speaker 1: going to do if the scientist does get caught in one?
Speaker 1: We shall burn that bridge when we reach it, my boy, Now,
Speaker 1: do you have the pliers, wire cutters and screwdriver below? Yes,
Speaker 1: they're down in the cellar. What are we going to
Speaker 1: do with them? Phoenix? Patience? Patience, you will be told
Speaker 1: when the time comes. I shall meet you tonight after dark,
Speaker 1: as soon as it is safe for me to come down.
Speaker 1: I trust you will have everything ready. Are you coming
Speaker 1: down precisely?
Speaker 2: My boy?
Speaker 1: A risk I admit, but a necessary one. There is
Speaker 1: a hedge at the back of your house, is there not, splendid?
Speaker 1: You may await me there. David, sitting in the shadow
Speaker 1: of the hedge, jumped when he heard the phoenix's quiet.
Speaker 1: Good evening, My boy, phoenix, he whispered, how did you
Speaker 1: do it?
Speaker 2: Golly?
Speaker 1: I didn't see you at all, and it isn't even
Speaker 1: dark yet. I have been hunted long enough, my boy,
Speaker 1: to have learned a few tricks. It is merely a
Speaker 1: matter of gliding close to the ground, selecting the best shadows,
Speaker 1: and keeping a sharp lookout. Well, let us get on
Speaker 1: with the plan. Have you the tools here?
Speaker 2: Yes?
Speaker 1: Here, they are splendid now, my boy, since we must
Speaker 1: continue your education during the night, it is necessary that
Speaker 1: we have some way of getting in touch with each other.
Speaker 1: If you climb the mountain side in the dark, you
Speaker 1: may unwittingly fall into our own snare. It is far
Speaker 1: easier for me to come down than it is for
Speaker 1: you to go up, and under cover of darkness, I
Speaker 1: can do it quite safely. The question now is how
Speaker 1: will you know when I have arrived that my boy
Speaker 1: is the nub or crux of the situation. A difficult problem,
Speaker 1: you will admit, But I have worked out the solution.
Speaker 1: The Phoenix lowered its voice impressively. My boy, we are
Speaker 1: going to install this bell in your room, and the
Speaker 1: pushbuton on the base of that telephone pole. When I
Speaker 1: arrive here at night, I shall press the button to
Speaker 1: let you know that I am ready to go. A
Speaker 1: magnificent idea, isn't it. It did not seem very practical
Speaker 1: to David. Well, Phoenix, that's a good idea, he said, carefully,
Speaker 1: But how are we going to hide the wires? And
Speaker 1: what about the noise of the bell? Nothing to it,
Speaker 1: my boy, the wires. There are wires between your house
Speaker 1: and the telephone pole already. One more would not be
Speaker 1: noticed the noise. You have a pillow on your bed
Speaker 1: under which the bell can be muffled. Yes, that's true.
Speaker 1: It still sounded impractical. Just a man, the Phoenix continued enthusiastically.
Speaker 1: Perhaps later we can install another bell at this end.
Speaker 1: Then we could learn Morse code and send messages to
Speaker 1: each other, exactly like a private telephone line. Put in
Speaker 1: this way, the idea had a certain appeal, and David
Speaker 1: found himself warming to it. But there was another thing.
Speaker 1: To consider. How about electricity, Phoenix, look above you, my boy,
Speaker 1: the telephone pole is simply loaded down with power lines
Speaker 1: waiting to be tapped. The phoenix was evidently set on
Speaker 1: carrying out the plan, and David did not want to
Speaker 1: wear out the bird's patience with more objections, and well,
Speaker 1: why not, there should be no harm in trying it
Speaker 1: out anyway. They gathered up the tools and walked along
Speaker 1: the hedge to the telephone pole, which was in one
Speaker 1: corner of the yard. The phoenix began to uncoil the wire,
Speaker 1: while David gazed up doubtfully at the shadowy maze of
Speaker 1: lines and insulators on the cross arms. Electricity said, the
Speaker 1: phoenix thoughtfully is a complicated and profound subject. There are ampers,
Speaker 1: and there are volts, and there are kilowatt hours. I
Speaker 1: might also mention positive and negative, and ah, all that
Speaker 1: sort of thing most profound. Perhaps I had better investigate
Speaker 1: up there, screwdriver please. The phoenix took the screwdriver in
Speaker 1: one claw and flew up to the top of the pole.
Speaker 1: David could hear the creak of the lines under the
Speaker 1: phoenix's weight and the rattling of the screwdriver against the
Speaker 1: porcelain insulators.
Speaker 2: For some minutes.
Speaker 1: The phoenix investigated, clicking and scraping about and muttering quite so,
Speaker 1: and there we are. Then it fluttered down again and
Speaker 1: rubbed its wings together. The whole situation up there is
Speaker 1: a lot simpler than I thought it would be, my boy.
Speaker 1: The power lines merely come up to the pole on
Speaker 1: one side, pass through the insulator, and go away from
Speaker 1: the pole on the other side. Child's play. The covering
Speaker 1: on the lines is rather tough, how however, we shall
Speaker 1: have to use the wire cutters. The phoenix returned to
Speaker 1: the top of the pole with the cutters and worked
Speaker 1: on the wires for five more minutes. Bits of debris
Speaker 1: began to shower down on the hedge. One of the
Speaker 1: wires vibrated on a low note, like a slack guitar string.
Speaker 1: We must not forget the difference between alternating and direct current,
Speaker 1: my boy, said the phoenix, as it flew down again.
Speaker 1: An important problem that where is our wire? Ah, there
Speaker 1: we are the pliers. Please do you need any help
Speaker 1: up there? David asked, Now everything is coming along beautifully,
Speaker 1: thank you. I shall have everything finished in a flash,
Speaker 1: trailing one end of the wire in its beak. The
Speaker 1: phoenix flew up into the darkness. Once more, The tinkering
Speaker 1: sounds began again, and a spurt of falling debris rattled
Speaker 1: in the leaves of the hedge. Suddenly, it happened. There
Speaker 1: was a terrific burst of blue light, sharp squawk from
Speaker 1: the phoenix, and a shower of sparks. Another blue flash
Speaker 1: blazed up. The lights in the house and down the
Speaker 1: whole street flickered and went out in the blackness which followed.
Speaker 1: Each stage of the phoenix's descent could be heard as
Speaker 1: clearly as cannon shots. The twanging and snapping as it
Speaker 1: tumbled through the wires, a drawn out squawk, and the
Speaker 1: flop of wings in the air. Below the crash into
Speaker 1: the hedge, the jarring thud against the ground. Broken wires
Speaker 1: began to sputter ominously and fire out sparks. A smell
Speaker 1: of singed feathers and burning rubber filled the air. By
Speaker 1: the light of the sparks, David saw the phoenix staggering
Speaker 1: to its feet. He jumped to the bird's side, but
Speaker 1: the phoenix waved him away with its wing. Quick My boy,
Speaker 1: it gasped, We must make a strategic retreat. Meet me
Speaker 1: on the ledge in the morning out the phoenix beat
Speaker 1: at the smoldering sparks in its tail and flew off,
Speaker 1: leaving a trail of acrid smoke hanging in the air.
Speaker 1: David had the presence of mind to gather up all
Speaker 1: the tools, the wire, bell and pushbutton, and one of
Speaker 1: the phoenix's feathers, which had been torn out during the fall.
Speaker 1: He slipped through a cellar window, hid the equipment under
Speaker 1: a stack of old boxes, and ran noisily up the
Speaker 1: stairs into the kitchen. Hey, he shouted, The lights are out.
Speaker 2: Is that you dear?
Speaker 1: Came mother's anxious voice from the dining room. The telephone's dead,
Speaker 1: Dad shouted from the hall. Aunt Amy came bumping down
Speaker 1: the stairs with a candle. It's the burglar, she cried,
Speaker 1: turning out all the lights so he can murder us
Speaker 1: in our beds. Look, David shouted, the line's broken in
Speaker 1: our backyard. They could hear the wailing of sirens. Now
Speaker 1: fire trucks, repair trucks, and police cars pulled up in
Speaker 1: front of the house.
Speaker 2: Everyone in the.
Speaker 1: Block turned out to see what had happened. It took
Speaker 1: the repair men an hour to untangle the wires, and
Speaker 1: fix them. And all the time policemen were going through
Speaker 1: the crowd, asking questions and writing things down in their
Speaker 1: note books. They were looking rather haggard, David thought. End
Speaker 1: of chapter seven, Chapter eight, in which David and the
Speaker 1: phoenix visit a banshee and a surprise as planted in
Speaker 1: the enemy's camp. Next day, Mother asked David to help
Speaker 1: her straighten out the garden, which had been trampled by
Speaker 1: the repairman, so he could not go to see the
Speaker 1: phoenix until after lunch. But when that was finished, he
Speaker 1: rushed up the mountain side as fast as he could,
Speaker 1: wondering all the way what he and the phoenix were
Speaker 1: going to do now. The ledge was empty. When he
Speaker 1: got there, he shouted phoenix and listened. Hell came a faint,
Speaker 1: answering cry from the other end of the ledge. David
Speaker 1: jumped through the thicket. A pitiful sight met his eyes.
Speaker 1: There was the phoenix, dangling by one foot from the snare,
Speaker 1: its wings fably struggling, and its free foot clawing the air.
Speaker 1: The feathers of its wings and tail were singed. Great
Speaker 1: beads of sweat rolled from its forehead into a puddle
Speaker 1: on the ground below The snared foot was blue and swollen.
Speaker 1: Get me down, gasped the phoenix weakly. David took a
Speaker 1: running leap at the sapling, which broke under the sudden
Speaker 1: increase of weight, and the two of them crashed to
Speaker 1: the ground. He unfastened the noose and dragged the phoenix
Speaker 1: to the shadiest, softest spot on the ledge hoist with
Speaker 1: my own petards, said the phoenix, bitterly rub my foot.
Speaker 1: Will you, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, hurts.
Speaker 2: What happened?
Speaker 1: David asked, as he rubbed the swollen foot. How long
Speaker 1: have you been caught? Missed my way in the dark?
Speaker 1: Said the phoenix, wiping its brow. Thought I was on
Speaker 1: the other side of the ledge and landed right on
Speaker 1: that fool trap. Hung there all night and all morning.
Speaker 1: Thought you would never come, My boy, Oh dear, oh dear,
Speaker 1: what a horrible experience. My tail was still on fire
Speaker 1: when I landed too. I fully expected to be burned
Speaker 1: to a crisp. A large tear rolled down the phoenix's beak.
Speaker 1: David murmured soothing words and continued to chafe the phoenix's foot.
Speaker 1: Does it feel any better now? The feeling is coming back,
Speaker 1: my boy, said the phoenix, gritting its beak ouch all
Speaker 1: pins and needles. It flexed its toes gingerly rub a
Speaker 1: bit more, please gently, The swelling began to go down.
Speaker 1: With a handful of damp grass, David soothed the marks
Speaker 1: left by the noose. That stupid electric company, the phoenix
Speaker 1: suddenly burst out, putting everyone in danger with a short
Speaker 1: circuited power line. Let this be a lesson to you,
Speaker 1: my boy. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. They
Speaker 1: will hear from us. Believe me, we shall write them
Speaker 1: a stiff complaint. Well, phoenix, said David. Hopefully we can
Speaker 1: set the snare again if we can find another good sapling.
Speaker 1: And we still have the other one, so we're pretty
Speaker 1: well protected. And why couldn't we meet every night by
Speaker 1: the hedge the way we did last night. The bell
Speaker 1: was a good idea, but we could get along without it.
Speaker 1: The phoenix sighed, I suppose you are right, my boy.
Speaker 1: There is no use crying over spilt milk. One must
Speaker 1: set one's jaw and good heavens, my boy duck. The
Speaker 1: phoenix threw itself to the ground and wildly motioned to
Speaker 1: David to do the same. He flattened himself out beside
Speaker 1: the bird and said, what is it? Phoenix down the
Speaker 1: mountain side, whispered the phoenix. Look, do not stick your
Speaker 1: head over too far. David wormed his way to the edge,
Speaker 1: peered down and gasped below him on the grassy slope
Speaker 1: at the foot of the scarp with a figure clad
Speaker 1: in khaki. It was the scientist. Do you think he
Speaker 1: saw us? The phoenix whispered, I don't think so, David
Speaker 1: whispered back, he's looking off to the left, Oh, phoenix,
Speaker 1: what if he comes up here?
Speaker 2: What'll we do?
Speaker 1: Listen, hissed the phoenix. Run down there, talk to him,
Speaker 1: lead him away, distract his attention. Anything, only be quick,
Speaker 1: all right. The phoenix melted into the thicket, and David
Speaker 1: jumped to his feet. As he dashed down the trail,
Speaker 1: his brain whirled with questions.
Speaker 2: What should he do? What could he say? How could
Speaker 2: he lead.
Speaker 1: The scientist away? Where would the phoenix go? In his haste,
Speaker 1: he forgot one important thing. His foot tripped over the
Speaker 1: pile of grass and leaves on the trail. The released
Speaker 1: sapling sprang upward. The noose tightened with a cruel jerk
Speaker 1: around his ankle, and he was snatched into the air.
Speaker 1: As the blood rushed to his head, he lost control
Speaker 1: of himself and began to struggle wildly and shout at
Speaker 1: the top of his voice. The flat, dry voice of
Speaker 1: the scientist drifted to him, as if through a long tunnel.
Speaker 2: What's all this?
Speaker 1: What are you doing here? Who set this snaw? Get
Speaker 1: me down, David choked, please. A hand seized him by
Speaker 1: the scruff of the neck. A knife flashed through the
Speaker 1: air and cut the rope. David landed on his feet,
Speaker 1: but his legs gave way and he dropped to his knees.
Speaker 1: He felt dizzy as the blood rushed away from his
Speaker 1: head again. The scientist tilted his sun helmet back and said, well,
Speaker 1: well David, in a disagreeable tone. His eyes narrowed behind
Speaker 1: the spectacles. What is this snare doing here? David struggled
Speaker 1: to his feet and clutched a bush for support. Thank
Speaker 1: you for cutting me down, he said. The cold blue
Speaker 1: eyes found David's and held them in a hypnotic stare.
Speaker 1: What is this trap doing here? Who said it? I?
Speaker 1: I was coming down the trail and and I.
Speaker 2: Was caught in it?
Speaker 1: David stammered, You are avoiding my question, young man, said
Speaker 1: the scientist who set this snare. Answer me. There was
Speaker 1: a brilliant flash of gold and blue in the sunlight,
Speaker 1: the whistle of feathers cleaving the air, the sharp thwock
Speaker 1: of fisted talons striking The scientist pitched forward with a
Speaker 1: surprised grunt and lay still across the trail, and the phoenix,
Speaker 1: executing a flip in the air to check its speed,
Speaker 1: settled down beside David view. Halloo, it shouted excitedly. Yoicks
Speaker 1: and tally ho. Did you see that stoop?
Speaker 2: My boy? By jove, the.
Speaker 1: Best trained falcon could not have done better. Believe me,
Speaker 1: I have been saving that blow for a long time.
Speaker 1: By jove, what a magnificent stoop. I think I shall
Speaker 1: take up scientist hunting as a regular thing. Thank goodness, phoenix,
Speaker 1: David exclaimed, another minute, and you would have been too late,
Speaker 1: But I hope you haven't hurt.
Speaker 2: Him very much.
Speaker 1: Nonsense, my boy, said the phoenix, A head so stuffed
Speaker 1: with scientific fact cannot be injured. He will come too
Speaker 1: in a short while. The phoenix lifted the scientist's sun
Speaker 1: helmet and examined.
Speaker 2: The back of his head.
Speaker 1: A large lump is developing, my boy, A most pleasant sight.
Speaker 1: I fear the sun helmet is now useless, crushed like
Speaker 1: an egg shell, and the phoenix smiled proudly.
Speaker 2: Well, I hope.
Speaker 1: It isn't serious, David said, doubtfully.
Speaker 2: In a way.
Speaker 1: We'll have to do something precisely, my boy. But I
Speaker 1: think we should have a drink first. The phoenix detached
Speaker 1: a canteen from the scientist's belt and took a deep swig.
Speaker 1: Ah delicious. Our friend is well prepared, my boy. And
Speaker 1: indeed the scientist had all sorts of things with him,
Speaker 1: a hand axe, a sheath knife, a compass, a camera, binoculars,
Speaker 1: a stopwatch, notebooks and pencils, a coil of rope maps.
Speaker 1: There was also a packet of sandwiches, which the phoenix
Speaker 1: opened and began to eat. Now, listen, phoenix, we have
Speaker 1: to do something quite right, my boy, the phoenix mumbled
Speaker 1: with its mouthful. Have a sandwich, spoils of war, peanut butter,
Speaker 1: very nourishing. The fact is that I have just thought
Speaker 1: of another plan which cannot fail.
Speaker 2: Have we any money left?
Speaker 1: Yes, four gold pieces? Why splendid? Now, my boy, I
Speaker 1: shall leave you. When the scientist wakes up. You will
Speaker 1: help him down to wherever he lives. Find out where
Speaker 1: his room is. I shall meet you by the hedge
Speaker 1: at midnight.
Speaker 2: Be sure you have the gold pieces with you? All right?
Speaker 1: What are we sure you will not have a sandwich?
Speaker 2: No? Thank you? What are we? Very well?
Speaker 1: Farewell then, my boy, till midnight. David poured what was
Speaker 1: left in the canteen over the scientist's head and fanned
Speaker 1: him with a note book. Presently the man stirred and groaned.
Speaker 1: Then he sat up and muttered what hit me? Can
Speaker 1: you stand up yet? David said, two days to ask
Speaker 1: any more questions. The scientist got up, groaning, put on
Speaker 1: his broken spectacles, collected his scattered equipment, and leaned on David.
Speaker 1: The two of them proceeded slowly down the trail together,
Speaker 1: frequently sitting down to rest. The scientist murmured the name
Speaker 1: of his hotel and pointed out the direction. Townspeople stared
Speaker 1: at them as they passed, but no one stopped them
Speaker 1: or asked questions, and they reached the hotel without further incident.
Speaker 1: They entered the lobby and the scientist sank into a chair.
Speaker 1: Let me help you to your room, said David. In
Speaker 1: a few minutes, the scientist got up again and they
Speaker 1: took the elevator to the fourth floor. David closely watched
Speaker 1: the direction they were going, and when they came into
Speaker 1: the scientist's room, he looked quickly through the window. There
Speaker 1: was a fire escape just outside. He had the information now,
Speaker 1: fourth floor, west side, fire escape by window. The scientist
Speaker 1: eased himself on to the bed with a groan. Then
Speaker 1: he turned to David and said severely, there's something strange
Speaker 1: about all this, and I intend to get to the
Speaker 1: bottom of it. You'll be hearing from me, young mad
Speaker 1: all right, said David, closing the door, and you'll be
Speaker 1: hearing from us. He added in an undertone, if I know.
Speaker 1: The phoenix flying at night was colder than flying by day,
Speaker 1: but it was more thrilling too. They whistled through an
Speaker 1: immense blackness. Stars glittered overhead, and quicksilver patches of moonlight
Speaker 1: and shadow flashed across the clouds below. They were going
Speaker 1: to Ireland, but why, David did not know. The phoenix
Speaker 1: was playing its weight and sea game again. In an
Speaker 1: hour or so, they shot out over the edge of
Speaker 1: the cloud mass, and David could see a rocky coast below,
Speaker 1: dark and cold in the half light, the phoenix began
Speaker 1: to slant down toward it, and presently they landed in
Speaker 1: a little meadow. One side of the meadow ran down
Speaker 1: to a bog filled with reeds, and on the other
Speaker 1: side was a gloomy wood. Everything was dark and indistinct,
Speaker 1: but David thought he could tell why the phoenix had
Speaker 1: called this the Emerald Isle. The grass beneath their feet
Speaker 1: was the thickest he had ever felt. He touched a
Speaker 1: boulder and found it furry with moss. With the wood
Speaker 1: and the reed choked bog, the whole place would be
Speaker 1: rich with various greens in the daylight. Just then they
Speaker 1: saw a little man approaching them from the wood. He
Speaker 1: was three feet tall, dressed all in green, and had
Speaker 1: a long white beard. When he reached them, he raised
Speaker 1: his cap politely and said, good evenin to you. A
Speaker 1: fine evening to you, my good leprechaun, said the phoenix.
Speaker 1: Could you kindly tell us, will you have a cigar?
Speaker 1: The leprekahan interrupted with a surprised thank you very much.
Speaker 1: The phoenix took the cigar bit off the end and
Speaker 1: popped it into its beak. The leprechaun lighted it, and
Speaker 1: the phoenix puffed away stick A gum, lad, said the
Speaker 1: leprechaun to David, holding out a pack. Why, yes, thank you,
Speaker 1: said David. He took the stick of gum from the
Speaker 1: pack and was immediately sorry for it. The stick was
Speaker 1: made of wood and had a small wire spring like
Speaker 1: a mouse trap, which snapped down on his finger and
Speaker 1: made him yelp with pain. At the same instant, the
Speaker 1: phoenix's cigar exploded, knocking the startled bird backwards into a bush.
Speaker 2: Ha ha ha.
Speaker 1: Shouted the leprechaun, rolling on the ground and holding his sides.
Speaker 2: Ha ha ha.
Speaker 1: In a trice, the phoenix had pounced on the leprechaun
Speaker 1: and pinned him to the ground. Let him up, said
Speaker 1: David furiously. I'll punch his head for him. I think,
Speaker 1: my boy, said the phoenix coldly, that I shall carry
Speaker 1: the creature up into the clouds and drop him, or
Speaker 1: should we take him back with us and hand him
Speaker 1: over to the scientist. Now, don't take a fence, your honor,
Speaker 1: said the leprechaun. I thought you'd look at it as
Speaker 1: kind of comic. Exceedingly comic, said the phoenix severely. I
Speaker 1: am quite overcome with mirth and merriment. But perhaps perhaps
Speaker 1: I shall let you off lightly if you tell us
Speaker 1: where the band she lives the the banshee of Mare's
Speaker 1: Nest wood the same speak. A new light of respect
Speaker 1: and fear came into the leprechaun's eyes. She's a terror,
Speaker 1: she is what'll you'll be wanting? None of your business,
Speaker 1: roared the phoenix.
Speaker 2: Where is she?
Speaker 1: The leprechaun had begun to tremble. Follow the path yonder
Speaker 1: through the wood until you reach the cave, Your honor,
Speaker 1: you're not friends of hers, are you? You'll not be
Speaker 1: telling on me. I'm really sorry for those jokes, your honor.
Speaker 1: The leprechaun's fright was so genuine now that the phoenix
Speaker 1: relented and let him go. The little creature dashed off
Speaker 1: like a rabbit into the bog let. That be a
Speaker 1: lesson to you, my boy, said the phoenix. Beware the
Speaker 1: leprechaun bearing gifts. But I wonder why the thought of
Speaker 1: the band she frightened him. So they followed the path
Speaker 1: until they came to the mouth of a cave under
Speaker 1: a heap of rocks. The phoenix plunged in and David
Speaker 1: nervously followed. The cave turned out to be a long
Speaker 1: passageway that led, after several turns, into a chamber. From
Speaker 1: the ceiling of this rocky vault hung an electric light bulb,
Speaker 1: which glared feebly through drifts of smoke. All around the
Speaker 1: walls were wooden boxes stacked up to make shells and cupboards.
Speaker 1: These were filled with an astonishing array of objects bottles, vials, alumbooks, retorts,
Speaker 1: test tubes, decanters, cages, boxes, jars, pots, skulls, books, snake skins, wands,
Speaker 1: waxen images, pins and needles, locks of hair, crystal balls,
Speaker 1: playing cards, dice, witch hazel forks, tails of animals, spices,
Speaker 1: bottles of ink in several colors, clay pipes, small brass
Speaker 1: scale compasses, measuring cups, a piggy bank, which squealed off
Speaker 1: and on in a peevish way, balls of string and ribbons,
Speaker 1: a pile of magazines called the Warlock Weekly, a broken ukulele,
Speaker 1: little heaps of powder, colored stones, candle ends, some potted cacti,
Speaker 1: and an enormous cash register. In the middle of the chamber,
Speaker 1: a little hideous crone in a mother hubbard crouched over
Speaker 1: a saucepan, stirring it with a wooden spoon. The saucepan
Speaker 1: was resting in the coals of an open fire, and
Speaker 1: smoke and steam together spread out in a murky, foul
Speaker 1: smelling fog. The crone peered at them over the top
Speaker 1: of her spectacles and cackled, Come in, Come in, dearies.
Speaker 1: I'll be with you as soon as ever I finished
Speaker 1: this brew. The phoenix, who had been gazing around the
Speaker 1: chamber in surprise, said, my dear banshee, since when have
Speaker 1: you taken up witchcraft? This is most unexpected, ah tis
Speaker 1: the phoenix, exclaimed the hag, peering at them again. Well
Speaker 1: fancy that now, ah you may well ask, and I'll
Speaker 1: be telling you tis a poor life being a banshee,
Speaker 1: long hours and not so much as sixpence in it
Speaker 1: for a full night's work. And I got that sick
Speaker 1: of it, so I changed me trade. Sure you'll never
Speaker 1: make a go of it, they told me. And at
Speaker 1: your age, they says, And once you've got your station
Speaker 1: in life, they says, there's no changing it.
Speaker 2: It's in the.
Speaker 1: Prime of me life I am, says I, and I'll
Speaker 1: not be changing me mind. For all your cackling, says I.
Speaker 1: And if certain mouths don't shut up, says I, I'll
Speaker 1: cast spells that'll make certain people wish they were dead,
Speaker 1: that set them back on their heels. You may be
Speaker 1: sure well, twas the best decision of me life. The
Speaker 1: money pours in like sorrows to a widow, and I'll
Speaker 1: be retiring within the year to live out my days
Speaker 1: like a proper queen.
Speaker 2: Then the band.
Speaker 1: She caught sight of David and hobbled over to him,
Speaker 1: peering into his frightened eyes. Ah, the wee darling, she crooned,
Speaker 1: the plump little mannikin what a broth he'd make. To
Speaker 1: be sure, she pinched his arm and he started back
Speaker 1: in terror, so firm and plump to make the mouth water.
Speaker 1: Sell em to me, phoenix, nonsense, says the phoenix, sharply
Speaker 1: what we desire at this instant. The contents of the
Speaker 1: saucepan began to hiss and bubble. Whoops, dearies, the brew
Speaker 1: is boiling, shrieked the banshee, and she hobbled back to
Speaker 1: the fire to resume her work. She looked in a
Speaker 1: recipe book, stirred, clapped her hands, sang, hair raising incantations
Speaker 1: in a quavery voice, and added a pinch of salt
Speaker 1: and sulfur. She sprinkled spices from a shaker, waved her
Speaker 1: wand popped in a dead toad, and fanned up the
Speaker 1: fire with an ostrich plume. Now for the hard part,
Speaker 1: she said, grinning at them toothlessly. She measured out a
Speaker 1: spoonful of green powder, weighed it in the scales, and
Speaker 1: flung it into the saucepan. There was a loud explosion,
Speaker 1: A huge blast of steam flared out and engulfed them.
Speaker 1: When it had cleared, they saw the banshee tilting the
Speaker 1: saucepan over a small bottle. One ruby drop of fluid
Speaker 1: fell into the bottle. It darted forth, d days of
Speaker 1: light as it fell, and tinkled like a silver coin,
Speaker 1: rolling down flights of marble steps the band. She corked
Speaker 1: the bottle and held it up proudly to the light.
Speaker 1: Will you look at that now, she crooned, the finest
Speaker 1: ever I brood ah, the mystic droplet. Some swain will
Speaker 1: be buying that now and putting it in a lasses
Speaker 1: cup of tea, and she'll be pining away for love
Speaker 1: of him before the day's out. She put the bottle
Speaker 1: on the shelf, pasted a label on it, and turned
Speaker 1: to them with a business like air. Now, dearies, what'll
Speaker 1: you be wanting? Filters poison? I've a special to day,
Speaker 1: only five shillings of ale a spell? What about your fortunes?
Speaker 1: One shilling if seen in the crystal ball, one and
Speaker 1: six if read from the palm a hex, I've the
Speaker 1: finest in six counties. A ticket to the wall purgesse
Speaker 1: night ball. We want a whale, said the phoenix, and
Speaker 1: we shall accept nothing but the best and loudest you have. Ah,
Speaker 1: a Banchee's whale, is it? Cried the hag. You've come
Speaker 1: to the right shop, dearies, to be sure, Now let
Speaker 1: me see. She hobbled to a shelf which contained a
Speaker 1: row of boxes, ran her finger along them, stopped at one,
Speaker 1: and took it down. Here we are key of c sharp,
Speaker 1: two minutes long, only five shillings threepence. No, no, said
Speaker 1: the phoenix. A larger one. We have something more than
Speaker 1: mice to frighten a bigger one. Ah, here's a lovely
Speaker 1: one now five minutes long, ascending scale with a sob
Speaker 1: at the end, guaranteed to scare a statue yours for
Speaker 1: ten and six. I call that a real bargain now, Bah,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix, impatiently. Enough of these squeaks. We want
Speaker 1: a real whale, My dear banshee, such a wail as
Speaker 1: never before was heard on the face of this earth
Speaker 1: and stopped this babbling about shillings and pence. We are
Speaker 1: prepared to pay an gold. The phoenix took the four
Speaker 1: pieces of gold from David and carelessly tossed them into
Speaker 1: the air the band. She's eyes flew wide open, and
Speaker 1: she twirled herself around like a top.
Speaker 2: Ah.
Speaker 1: The sweet music of its tinklings, she exclaimed, the lovely
Speaker 1: sheen of light upon it. There's a sight for eyes
Speaker 1: used to nought but silver. Ah, But, dearies, I've no
Speaker 1: whale worth four pieces of gold. I'll have to make
Speaker 1: one up special. She hobbled rapidly around the chamber until
Speaker 1: she found a box as large as a bird cage
Speaker 1: and an ear trumpet. She opened the box, shook it
Speaker 1: to make sure it was empty, and put in two
Speaker 1: heads of cabbage. Such monstrous appetites these whales do have,
Speaker 1: she explained. She fastened the lid carefully with a catch
Speaker 1: lock and inserted the ear trumpet in a hole in
Speaker 1: one side of the box. Then she disappeared through a
Speaker 1: sound proof door, which they had not seen before on
Speaker 1: account of the smoke. Fifteen minutes later, the band she
Speaker 1: came out with the box, plugging up the hole in
Speaker 1: its side with a bit of wax. She was pale
Speaker 1: and trembling, and beads of sweat covered her face. She
Speaker 1: smiled weakly at them, seized an earthenware jug and drained
Speaker 1: it in one gulp. The color began to return to
Speaker 1: her face. Hooshed, she gasped, wiping her brow with the
Speaker 1: sleeve of her mother. Hubbard Ah, dearies, that was an
Speaker 1: effort of me. Life tis a wail to make one
Speaker 1: burst with pride, though I do say so, meself. Thirteen
Speaker 1: minutes long by the clock, with a range of ten octaves,
Speaker 1: twould frighten the old nick himself. Splendid, said the Phoenix.
Speaker 1: The fact is, I sometimes suspect that that is precisely
Speaker 1: with whom we are dealing at home. The light suddenly
Speaker 1: dawned on David Phoenix. He cried, I bet we're going
Speaker 1: to give the whale to the scientist precisely my boy.
Speaker 1: The Phoenix beamed, Oh golly, golly, golly, David sang as
Speaker 1: he danced around, and I'll guarantee it, dearies the band
Speaker 1: she cackled, one hundred percent satisfaction or your money back,
Speaker 1: defeat and confusion to the enemy. The Phoenix shouted, giving
Speaker 1: the special squawk, which was its battle cry. The band
Speaker 1: she received her gold. The Phoenix told David for goodness
Speaker 1: sake not to drop the box or let the lid
Speaker 1: pop open, or they would regret it to their dying day. David,
Speaker 1: hearing the rustle of the whale as it ravenously attacked
Speaker 1: the cabbages inside the box, assured the Phoenix that he
Speaker 1: would be careful. The band she said, Ah, Phoenix, do
Speaker 1: sell the laddie to me, but her tone was more
Speaker 1: teasing than serious, and they all laughed. Goodbyes were set
Speaker 1: all around, and David and the Phoenix left. The last
Speaker 1: thing they heard as they felt their way up the
Speaker 1: dark passage was the happy cackling of the band she
Speaker 1: and the clang of the cash register. They got back
Speaker 1: to the hotel before dawn and very carefully crept down
Speaker 1: the fire escape into the scientist's room. They put the
Speaker 1: box on the bedside table, stuck out their tongues at
Speaker 1: the sleeping scientists and crept out again. Then they went home,
Speaker 1: the Phoenix to the ledge, and David to bed, where
Speaker 1: he fell asleep Instantly. The whale was wildly successful. The
Speaker 1: scientists released it from its box at seven o'clock in
Speaker 1: the morning. People living in the hotel thought the world
Speaker 1: had come to its end. The rest of the town
Speaker 1: wondered if it was a riot or an earthquake, or both.
Speaker 1: With three steam kaliopes thrown in for good measure, David,
Speaker 1: who lived twelve blocks from the hotel, stirred in his
Speaker 1: sleep and dreamed he was riding a fire engine. Even
Speaker 1: the phoenix claimed later that a kind of moan was
Speaker 1: borne on the breeze all the way up to the ledge.
Speaker 1: The hotel burst into activity like a kicked ant hill.
Speaker 1: People poured down the fire escapes, shot out through the doors,
Speaker 1: lowered themselves into the the street with ropes of knotted blankets.
Speaker 1: Others barricaded themselves in their rooms by piling furniture against
Speaker 1: the doors and windows. One guest found his way to
Speaker 1: the cellar and hid in an ash can for two days.
Speaker 1: The manager crawled into the office safe and locked the door,
Speaker 1: without even bothering to remember that he was the only
Speaker 1: one who knew the combination. The telephone exchange was jammed
Speaker 1: as calls flooded in to mobilize the Boy Scouts, the
Speaker 1: Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the National Guard, and the
Speaker 1: Volunteer Flood Control Association. When the whale finally died out,
Speaker 1: which was not until seven thirty because it had devoured
Speaker 1: both cabbages during the night and had grown to more
Speaker 1: than twice its original size, the police entered the hotel
Speaker 1: in force, armed to the eyebrows. They found nothing. At
Speaker 1: the end of a three hour search, the chief handed
Speaker 1: in his resignation. As for the scientist, he disappeared completely.
Speaker 1: A farmer living three miles out of town said he
Speaker 1: saw a man just in a night shirt and a
Speaker 1: head bandage running down the valley road. The farmer guessed
Speaker 1: the man's speed to be thirty five miles an hour,
Speaker 1: but he added there was such a cloud of dust
Speaker 1: being raised that he could not see very well. It
Speaker 1: might have been fifty miles an hour. He said. No
Speaker 1: one doubted him. End of chapter eight. Chapter nine, in
Speaker 1: which David and the phoenix, call on a fawn, and
Speaker 1: a lovely afternoon comes to a strange end. The phoenix
Speaker 1: was dead, tired, and no wonder All in one week
Speaker 1: it had escaped from Griffin's, raced with a witch, made
Speaker 1: round trip flights to the Pacific Isles in Ireland, been
Speaker 1: caught in a snare, got burned by a short circuit,
Speaker 1: and been knocked down by an exploding cigar. Even a
Speaker 1: bird as strong as the phoenix canet do all these
Speaker 1: things without needing a rest. So the traveling part of
Speaker 1: David's education was stopped for a while to let the
Speaker 1: phoenix recover. The days went by pleasantly on the land.
Speaker 1: Summer was at its height. The sun fell on them
Speaker 1: with just the right amount of warmth. As they lolled
Speaker 1: in the grass, The air was filled with a lazy murmuring.
Speaker 2: Listen.
Speaker 1: The murmuring seemed to say, don't talk, don't think, close
Speaker 1: your eyes and listen. Below them, the whole valley danced
Speaker 1: and wavered in the heat waves, so that it seemed.
Speaker 2: To be under water.
Speaker 1: There were long, lazy conversations that began nowhere and ended nowhere,
Speaker 1: the wonderful kind in which you say whatever comes to
Speaker 1: your head without fear of being misunderstood, because what you
Speaker 1: say has little importance in a way. The phoenix told
Speaker 1: of the times and adventures it had had, of the
Speaker 1: forgotten corners of the world, where life went on as
Speaker 1: it had from the beginning, and of friends who lived there,
Speaker 1: Of trolls who mined metal from the earth and made
Speaker 1: from it wondrous machines which whirred and clattered and clanked
Speaker 1: and did absolutely nothing. The best kind of machine after all,
Speaker 1: my boy, since they injure no one, and there is
Speaker 1: nothing to worry about when they break down. Of unicorns,
Speaker 1: excellent chaps, but so frightfully melancholy, which shone white in
Speaker 1: the sun and tossed their ivory horns like rapiers. Of
Speaker 1: a dragon, who, having no treasure to guard, got together
Speaker 1: a pathetic heap of colored pebbles in its cave. And
Speaker 1: really he came to believe in time that they were
Speaker 1: absolutely priceless, and went about with a worried frown of
Speaker 1: responsibility on his brow. David, in turn, told the phoenix
Speaker 1: about the games he used to play when he lived
Speaker 1: in the flat country, and all about school and mother
Speaker 1: and Dad and Aunt Amy and Becky. He could not
Speaker 1: help laughing now and then over the scientist's defeat. But
Speaker 1: whenever this came up, the phoenix would shake its head with.
Speaker 2: A kind of sad wisdom.
Speaker 1: My boy, there are certain things such as head colds
Speaker 1: and forgetting where you have left your keys, which are inevitable,
Speaker 1: And I am afraid that the scientist is too. Oh, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: You don't think he'll come back, do you, Yes, my boy,
Speaker 1: I do. I can see the whole train of events.
Speaker 1: He will recover from his fright. He will be curious
Speaker 1: about the whale and will return to investigate it. Once here,
Speaker 1: he will remember us, and we shall have to take
Speaker 1: him into account once more. Oh do you think it'll
Speaker 1: happen soon? Oh no, my boy, nothing to worry about
Speaker 1: for the time being, but we must remember that it
Speaker 1: will happen some day. Yes, I guess you're right. I
Speaker 1: think he's hateful. I cannot disagree with you there, my boy.
Speaker 1: Of course, I have no doubt that in general the
Speaker 1: advancement of science is all to the good. Knowledge is power.
Speaker 1: But on days like this, I sometimes wonder, does it
Speaker 1: not seem to you that the highest aim in life
Speaker 1: at the moment is to enjoy the sunlight and allow
Speaker 1: others to do the same, you write, Phoenix, but then
Speaker 1: you always are I was just thinking the same thing.
Speaker 2: It's funny.
Speaker 1: I mean, well, you know, why can't people leave other
Speaker 1: people alone and and well just enjoy themselves and lie
Speaker 1: in the sun and listen to the wind. That is
Speaker 1: the way of the world, my boy, getting and spending
Speaker 1: and all that sort of thing. But come, why should
Speaker 1: we worry over the follies of the rest of the world.
Speaker 1: A day like this was made for living, not thinking,
Speaker 1: begone dull care, and they would forget the scientist and
Speaker 1: watch a pair of butterflies chase each other instead. But
Speaker 1: one day, the phoenix suddenly stood up with a startled
Speaker 1: expression on its face. My dear chap, it exclaimed, I
Speaker 1: have just remembered tomorrow. What about tomorrow? Why, my boy,
Speaker 1: tomorrow another century rounds its mark to be brief. Tomorrow
Speaker 1: is my birthday, my five hundredth birthday. Well, congratulations, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: thank you, my boy, five hundred destiny. Have I mentioned before,
Speaker 1: my boy, that I have a magnificent destiny? No, what
Speaker 1: is it, Phoenix? I well, it is strange, my boy,
Speaker 1: But I do not know, but that it is magnificent,
Speaker 1: no one can doubt. Do I have one too? Of course,
Speaker 1: my boy, we all do. David was glad of that.
Speaker 1: He did not know exactly what a destiny was, however,
Speaker 1: and he tried to think of how one would look.
Speaker 1: But the only picture which came to his mind was
Speaker 1: that of a small, mousy creature, his destiny, looking up
Speaker 1: in admiration to a splendid thing of flame and gold,
Speaker 1: dazzling to the eyes, the phoenix's mysterious destiny. He said,
Speaker 1: we'll have to do something special tomorrow to celebrate phoenix.
Speaker 1: The phoenix looked thoughtful. I think we had better do
Speaker 1: whatever we are going to do today, it said. Well,
Speaker 1: we can do something today and tomorrow, then, said David,
Speaker 1: after all, a birthday only comes once a year, and
Speaker 1: it seems a shame to spend only one day it,
Speaker 1: especially when it's a five hundredth birthday tomorrow, said the phoenix.
Speaker 2: Doubtfully.
Speaker 1: I have a strange feeling, my boy, for once I
Speaker 1: find myself unable to explain most odd, most odd five
Speaker 1: hundredth birthday. Ah well, it went on more cheerfully. I
Speaker 1: shall undoubtedly remember later. The pressing question is what shall
Speaker 1: we do now? David got up, thought for a while,
Speaker 1: and suddenly flung his arms wide. Oh, Phoenix, he cried.
Speaker 1: It's such a beautiful day. I wish it could go
Speaker 1: on forever. Couldn't we go somewhere, somewhere where we Oh,
Speaker 1: I don't know, I can't explain anywhere, you say, phoenix.
Speaker 1: The phoenix looked at him for a long time. I
Speaker 1: think I understand, my boy. Yes, how about one of
Speaker 1: the forgotten places I told you about? Should you like
Speaker 1: to meet a fawn? It was a green valley, completely
Speaker 1: enclosed by the barren mountains which towered above it. At
Speaker 1: one end, a waterfall hungung on the face of a cliff,
Speaker 1: a misty thread pouring into a rainbow arched pool. A
Speaker 1: brook serpentined through fields and groves of trees. There were
Speaker 1: flocks of sheep and goats in the fields here, and
Speaker 1: there were strange ruins of marble and red granite, columns, peristals,
Speaker 1: benches carved with lions heads, and pedestals. They landed in
Speaker 1: a little glade, and David got down in silent wonderment.
Speaker 1: The very stillness of the air was enchanted, the grass
Speaker 1: dappled with sun and shadow, wore a mantle of flowers.
Speaker 1: Clouds of butterflies sprang up at their approach and swirled
Speaker 1: about them. To their right stood two broken columns, half
Speaker 1: hidden beneath a wild tangle of vine and clusters of
Speaker 1: purple grapes. Beyond was the forest, dark and cool and silent,
Speaker 1: with shafts of sunlight in it, like golden spears pinning
Speaker 1: the forest floor to earth. There was no breeze, and
Speaker 1: as David stood there, scarcely daring to breathe, they heard
Speaker 1: the sound of shepherd pipes coming from the edge of
Speaker 1: the wood. It was a minor tune, but somehow lilting too,
Speaker 1: with the rippling of water in it, and the laughter
Speaker 1: of birds flying high, and the whisper of reeds as
Speaker 1: they bent together by the edge of streams, and the
Speaker 1: gaiety of crickets by night, and the pouring of summer rain.
Speaker 1: The piping died away, and the phoenix beckoned to the
Speaker 1: spell bound David. Together they walked across the glade, leaving
Speaker 1: behind them a wake of swirling butterflies. An immense oak
Speaker 1: stood at the edge of the forest. At its foot
Speaker 1: on a bed of moss, set the fawn. He was
Speaker 1: the same size as David from the waist down. He
Speaker 1: was covered with shaggy hair like a goat's, and instead
Speaker 1: of feet, he had cloven hoofs. The hair on his
Speaker 1: head was black and curly and tumbled around small pointed
Speaker 1: ears and a pair of short horns. His eyes were
Speaker 1: slanted slightly upward, and he had a pointed chin and
Speaker 1: a snub nose. The fawn waved his pipes saucily at
Speaker 1: the phoenix and gave a wry smile. Hello, phoenix, back
Speaker 1: again to honor us with your wit and wisdom. What
Speaker 1: gems of advice have you got for us now, my
Speaker 1: dear fawn, said the phoenix stiffly. I have brought my
Speaker 1: friend David, who is acquiring an education. We the fawn
Speaker 1: smiled at David. Want to race? He said? Sure, said David,
Speaker 1: where to one moment? Hrumped the phoenix. What we down
Speaker 1: to that pedestal and back?
Speaker 2: Said the fawn.
Speaker 1: All right, wait till I tie my shoe. The phoenix
Speaker 1: hrumped again. This is all very well in its place.
Speaker 1: But we should ready, said the fawn. One, two, three go.
Speaker 1: They dashed for the stone marker. It was an even
Speaker 1: race until they reached the pedestal, but there, David tried
Speaker 1: to turn without slowing down, slipped on the grass and
Speaker 1: went sprawling on his hands and knees. The fawn knew better.
Speaker 1: He sprang at the pedestal with both hooks, bounced from
Speaker 1: it like a spring, and began to race back to
Speaker 1: the oak. But then he too fell, tripping over a vine,
Speaker 1: and David shot past him and touched the oak one
Speaker 1: jump ahead of him, shouting first. They sat down on
Speaker 1: the moss, panting. The fawn said, you can really run.
Speaker 1: I'm sorry you fell. Well, you fell too, so that
Speaker 1: makes us even, said David. They looked at each other
Speaker 1: and for some reason burst out laughing. They rolled around
Speaker 1: on the moss and laughed until tears came, while the
Speaker 1: phoenix fidgeted in reproachful silence. When they had calmed down
Speaker 1: a little, the fawn said, can you dance? No, said David.
Speaker 1: I wish I could, though the educational value of dancing
Speaker 1: is practically nil. The phoenix began severely. I advise sure
Speaker 1: you can dance, said the fawn.
Speaker 2: Listen.
Speaker 1: He brought the pipes to his lips and began to play,
Speaker 1: and much to his surprise and delight, David found himself
Speaker 1: dancing as though he had never done anything else else
Speaker 1: in his life. The wonderful thing was that he did
Speaker 1: not have to think about what he was doing. The
Speaker 1: music was doing it all for him. He saw that
Speaker 1: even the phoenix was shuffling round in time to the piping,
Speaker 1: and looking very embarrassed about it too. There said the
Speaker 1: fawn when they had finished. You can dance, and very well.
Speaker 1: Even old phoenix can dance. Suddenly he jumped up and cried,
Speaker 1: let's go, come on, and started to run. David followed,
Speaker 1: not knowing where they were going, and not caring. The
Speaker 1: phoenix came after them, half running and half flying to
Speaker 1: keep up. They raced across the glade, through a stand
Speaker 1: of trees and out into the meadow. Beyond there, they
Speaker 1: came to a bank of daisies and threw themselves into
Speaker 1: the middle of it and began to pelt each other
Speaker 1: with blossoms. The phoenix finally caught up in the spirit
Speaker 1: of it, collected a huge bunch while they were wrestling,
Speaker 1: flew suddenly over them and drowned them beneath a deluge
Speaker 1: of flowers. Near By was the stream they split, lashed
Speaker 1: in the shallows skipped pebbles over the surface and dug
Speaker 1: a harbor with two dikes in the sandy part of
Speaker 1: the shore. The fawn showed David how to build little
Speaker 1: boats of reeds, and the phoenix made them sail by
Speaker 1: blowing up a wind with its wings. They had a
Speaker 1: tree climbing contest, which David won because his feet were
Speaker 1: better than hoofs for standing on branches, but the fawn
Speaker 1: won the jumping contest because of the tremendous spring in
Speaker 1: his legs. They came out even in the handstand. Summer
Speaker 1: salt and skin the cat contest, and the phoenix won
Speaker 1: when they played skip rope with a piece of vine
Speaker 1: because it could hover in the air with its wings
Speaker 1: while the vine swished over and under. They had fun
Speaker 1: with the sheep and goats too. The fawn made the
Speaker 1: animals dance and caper to a tune from his pipes,
Speaker 1: and showed David how to ride on the rams. He
Speaker 1: crept up very quietly from behind, jumped suddenly on their backs,
Speaker 1: got a quick grip around their necks, and a way
Speaker 1: in a rush. It was almost as good as flying,
Speaker 1: except that you got jolted off sooner or later. Then
Speaker 1: watch out it took some quick dodging to escape the
Speaker 1: horns of the angry rams. They left the goats alone
Speaker 1: because of their sharper horns and the wicked look in
Speaker 1: their eyes. I know where some pictures are, said the
Speaker 1: fawn come on, and he led them to a kind
Speaker 1: of glade ringed with shattered columns. The ground there was
Speaker 1: covered with moss and drifts of leaves. They each got
Speaker 1: a stick to clear away the debris and uncovered a
Speaker 1: beautiful mosaic pavement. It was made of bits of colored
Speaker 1: stone and tile, which were arranged to make pictures. There
Speaker 1: were scenes of youths treading out wine, minstrels with lyres,
Speaker 1: gods with curly hair, and a beast which was half
Speaker 1: man and half horse. There were maidens dancing to flute
Speaker 1: and drums, hunters battling with boars and lions, warriors clashing
Speaker 1: with sword and shield and spear. There were series of
Speaker 1: pictures teelling stories of wonders and adventures in far distant lands, voyages, wars, conquests.
Speaker 1: The fawn proudly pointed out a picture of other fawns
Speaker 1: dancing with nymphs. The phoenix gazed very thoughtfully at some
Speaker 1: scenes of a bird building and sitting in a nest
Speaker 1: of flames. But the last picture of this story had
Speaker 1: been broken up by roots, so they could not see
Speaker 1: how it ended. When they came to the end of
Speaker 1: the valley where the rainbow arched over the pool, David
Speaker 1: told them of the pot of gold, which is supposed
Speaker 1: to be at the foot of rainbows. They looked for it,
Speaker 1: but without success, because the rainbow disappeared whenever they got
Speaker 1: too close to it. So David and the fawn contented
Speaker 1: themselves with jumping into the pool and ducking each other
Speaker 1: and making bubbly noises, while the phoenix, who could not swim,
Speaker 1: stood on the.
Speaker 2: Shore and beamed at them.
Speaker 1: They picked ferns from under the waterfall and made wreaths
Speaker 1: and garlands, which they threw at the phoenix's head like quoits.
Speaker 1: The fawn showed them a certain place to shout from
Speaker 1: if you wanted to hear an echo. The phoenix shouted
Speaker 1: A stitch in time saves nine, and the echo dolorously answered,
Speaker 1: A switch is fine for crime. Wet and tired from
Speaker 1: splashing in the pool, they stretched out in the sun
Speaker 1: to dry. A grape vine grew near them, and they
Speaker 1: gorged themselves on the fruit, smearing their faces and hands
Speaker 1: with purple, and David closed his eyes and thought, now
Speaker 1: I'm having a dream, and so is the phoenix. We're
Speaker 1: all dreaming the same thing and living in the dream.
Speaker 1: And I wish, oh, I wish none of us will
Speaker 1: ever wake up. But he had just opened his eyes
Speaker 1: again when the fawn leaped to his feet and cried
Speaker 1: listen and flicked his pointed ears forward like a cat.
Speaker 1: David stood up and said, in a puzzled voice, I
Speaker 1: don't hear anything. He noticed that the phoenix had also
Speaker 1: got up and was listening uncomfortably to whatever it was. Listen, Oh,
Speaker 1: cried the fawn. There was a joyous light in his
Speaker 1: eyes as he leaned forward with his lips slightly parted,
Speaker 1: straining toward the mysterious silence. Suddenly he shouted, uncoming, uncoming,
Speaker 1: and dashed off into the wood. Good Heavens, muttered the phoenix.
Speaker 1: I had forgotten about this. Let us go home, my boy.
Speaker 1: A strange, uncontrollable trembling.
Speaker 2: Had seized David's legs.
Speaker 1: He still could hear nothing, but some feeling, some hint
Speaker 1: of an unknown tremendous event hung quivering in the air
Speaker 1: about them, and sent little electric thrills racing up and
Speaker 1: down his whole body. Oh, phoenix, what is it?
Speaker 2: What is it?
Speaker 1: He whispered. I think we had best be going, my boy,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix, anxiously. Come along, phoenix. But he heard
Speaker 1: it now. It came whispering toward them, the sound of pipes, caroling,
Speaker 1: pipes such as the fawn had played, but greater as
Speaker 1: an organ is greater than a flute. The wild sweet
Speaker 1: sound rose and fell, swelled like a full choir, diminished
Speaker 1: into one soprano voice that pierced David through and through,
Speaker 1: caressing and tugging, calling, come, come, run, run phoenix. David cried,
Speaker 1: Oh phoenix, listen, listen, run run. The pipes whispered, Let
Speaker 1: us go home, my boy, said the phoenix, warningly, come, come,
Speaker 1: cried the pipes. They could be resisted no longer. In
Speaker 1: a transport of joy. David shouted, I'm coming, and raced
Speaker 1: away toward the sound. There is nothing in his mind now,
Speaker 1: nothing in the whole world, but a desire to be
Speaker 1: near those pipes. He must run like the winds, leap
Speaker 1: and shout, roll in the grass, throw himself down flowered slopes.
Speaker 1: Follow that magic music wherever it should lead. He fled
Speaker 1: blindly through the wood, heedless of the branches which whipped
Speaker 1: his face and the thorns which tore at his legs.
Speaker 1: The pipes were calling more loudly, now, run, run faster, faster.
Speaker 1: Then the phoenix plunged to earth in front of him,
Speaker 1: threw out both wings and shouted stop, let me go, phoenix,
Speaker 1: David cried, let me buy. I want to run, I
Speaker 1: must run. He made a desperate effort to push past
Speaker 1: the outstretched wings, but the phoenix flung him to the ground,
Speaker 1: picked him up before he could kick once, and threw
Speaker 1: him on its back. Then they were flying at full speed,
Speaker 1: dodging through gaps in the branches and between close set trunks,
Speaker 1: with leaves and twigs slashing them from every side. They
Speaker 1: burst out of the wood and sped over a meadow.
Speaker 1: David saw below them a huge fawn like figure pacing
Speaker 1: majestically across the sword. A flaming wreath encircled its brow,
Speaker 1: garlands of flowers hung from its arms and shoulders, and
Speaker 1: those enchanted pipes were lifted to its lips. Around the
Speaker 1: cloven hoofs and trailing out behind danced a maltaitude of creatures,
Speaker 1: lambs and kids, gamboling, goats and rams tossing their horns, foxes,
Speaker 1: furry waves of squirrels, rabbits kicking up their heels, fawns
Speaker 1: and nymphs, rollicking frogs and crickets and serpents. Above them
Speaker 1: flew birds and butterflies and beetles and bats in swirling clouds.
Speaker 1: Full voiced the glorious pipes sang come, come, run, run, follow,
Speaker 1: leap and dance, adore and obey, run, oh, run, heed
Speaker 1: me before all passes follow, before it is too late,
Speaker 1: too late, too late, And David, in a delirium of desire, shouted,
Speaker 1: I'm coming and jumped from the phoenix's back For an instant.
Speaker 1: As he fell through the air, he thought he would
Speaker 1: succeed in joining the dancing throng, but the phoenix, plunging
Speaker 1: after him falcon wise with folded wings, seized his collar
Speaker 1: in its talons and snatched him up from the very
Speaker 1: arms of the fawn, who had recognized him and called
Speaker 1: his name. As he fell up toward the cloudless sky,
Speaker 1: they soared. David cried, pleading, pommeling the phoenix with his fists.
Speaker 1: The phoenix ignored his struggling and continued to climb with
Speaker 1: tremendous wing strokes, up and up and up. The piping
Speaker 1: grew fainter in the distance, its magic weakened, the enchanted
Speaker 1: dancers diminished into specks. The valley fell away until it
Speaker 1: was only a green splash nestled among the jagged peaks,
Speaker 1: and David burst into tears, and then wondered why he
Speaker 1: was crying, and tried to remember and could not. The
Speaker 1: trembling left his body, and he dangled limply, his eyes closed.
Speaker 1: End of chapter nine, Chapter ten, in which a five
Speaker 1: hundredth birthday is celebrated and the phoenix bows to tradition.
Speaker 1: That's funny, said David, rubbing his eyes and looking around
Speaker 1: in a puzzled way.
Speaker 2: Where are we? Phoenix? Home?
Speaker 1: Is the sailor home from the hill, the phoenix said?
Speaker 1: And the hunter home from the sea? Or is it
Speaker 1: the other way around? At any rate, we are home,
Speaker 1: my boy, And so they were. Weren't we playing with
Speaker 1: a fawn just now?
Speaker 2: Quite so?
Speaker 1: But there was something else, David said.
Speaker 2: Something.
Speaker 1: Didn't somebody say follow before it is too late or
Speaker 1: something like that? Did we follow? I can't remember. No,
Speaker 1: my boy, By the time one hears that, it is
Speaker 1: already too late. Oh too late for what? He wondered.
Speaker 1: Oh well, he sighed and fell.
Speaker 2: To day dreaming.
Speaker 1: A cough from the phoenix brought him back. Beg your pardon.
Speaker 1: I have never seen you so thoughtful, my boy. However,
Speaker 1: I believe I know what you are thinking about. It
Speaker 1: is a difficult problem, is it not. Yes, I was
Speaker 1: just thinking what you could get me for a birthday present,
Speaker 1: interrupted the phoenix. Am I not correct?
Speaker 2: David?
Speaker 1: Who had not given this a thought until now? Fly
Speaker 1: us Aha, said the phoenix triumphantly, Just as I thought.
Speaker 1: Believe me, my dear fellow, when you have been around
Speaker 1: as long as I have, you can read the minds of.
Speaker 2: Your friends as easily as a book. Now.
Speaker 1: The problem of what to give is a hard one
Speaker 1: at any time, But the problem of what to give
Speaker 1: for a five hundredth birthday is even harder. A monogrammed ashtray.
Speaker 1: I do not receive cigars often enough to make that practical.
Speaker 1: A hand knitted sweater it would not fit. They never do.
Speaker 1: A gold plated watch chain. I have no watch. No,
Speaker 1: the best idea would be to get me something which
Speaker 1: I can use, certainly, phoenix. David stammered, what do you want? Then, Ah,
Speaker 1: we have reached the kernel of the problem. And the answer,
Speaker 1: my boy, is this cinnamon. Cinnamon precisely. Also a box
Speaker 1: of matches, the kind that strike anywhere.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 1: Well, all right, it doesn't sound like much of a present.
Speaker 1: But if that's what you really want, what are you
Speaker 1: going to do with them?
Speaker 2: Phoenix?
Speaker 1: I mean, if you don't mind my asking, The plain
Speaker 1: fact is, my boy, said the phoenix, doubtfully. The plain
Speaker 1: fact is, well, I do not know odd, but something
Speaker 1: tells me.
Speaker 2: I shall need them.
Speaker 1: Well, it will come to me in the morning, no doubt,
Speaker 1: and then, of course I shall be very glad to
Speaker 1: have them on hand, all right, Cinnamon and matches then,
Speaker 1: and I'll get some. No, I won't tell you that.
Speaker 1: It'll be a surprise, a surprise splendid, my boy. You
Speaker 1: could not, I suppose, drop me a small hint. No,
Speaker 1: but of course not one hint, and my powerful intellect
Speaker 1: could guess everything, and then the surprise would be spoiled
Speaker 1: well until tomorrow. Then that evening, David shut himself in
Speaker 1: his room and robbed his bank. It was a squat
Speaker 1: cast iron box with a penny saved as a penny
Speaker 1: earned in raised letters on one side. The only way
Speaker 1: to open it was to smash it with a crowbar,
Speaker 1: but it could be emptied. It had to be tilted
Speaker 1: just so with a knife blade in the slot to
Speaker 1: catch the coins and guide them out. This is what
Speaker 1: David did with a bread knife borrowed from the kitchen.
Speaker 1: It was a slow, uncertain job, and one coin he
Speaker 1: guessed it was a dime by the way it rattled,
Speaker 1: never did come out, but the rest, which included his
Speaker 1: change from Uncle Charles present, would be enough. Early next
Speaker 1: morning he went to the store and bought three large
Speaker 1: boxes of stick cinnamon, two cans of powdered cinnamon, and
Speaker 1: a huge box of matches. For the surprise, he got
Speaker 1: a whole court of strawberry ice cream with a piece
Speaker 1: of dry ice to keep it from melting. He wanted
Speaker 1: to buy a cake too, and candles, but there was
Speaker 1: not enough money left. Then he remembered that a new
Speaker 1: batch of cookies had been baked at home yesterday, which
Speaker 1: would have to do instead. He wrapped the cinnamon and
Speaker 1: matches up in a neat package with white paper, tied
Speaker 1: it in a blue ribbon and wrote on it two Phoenix,
Speaker 1: Happy five hundred from David. Then he took all the
Speaker 1: cookies from a jar, borrowed two plates and spoons, put
Speaker 1: everything into a large paper bag, and set out for
Speaker 1: the phoenix's ledge. He was surprised to find the phoenix
Speaker 1: working busily in the middle of a wide place on
Speaker 1: the ledge. Apparently the bird had been at it all night,
Speaker 1: for a huge pile of sticks and brush had been
Speaker 1: heaped up on the ground and shaped roughly like a nest.
Speaker 1: Right now, the phoenix was struggling with a small log,
Speaker 1: trying to get it on the pile. Hello Phoenix, Happy birthday.
Speaker 1: Ah there, my boy, thank.
Speaker 2: You very much.
Speaker 1: Could you kindly give me a hand with this log?
Speaker 1: They heaved and grunted the piece of wood to the
Speaker 1: top of the pile, and David said, what's this for, phoenix? This,
Speaker 1: my boy, is a pyre, a bit untidy around the edges,
Speaker 1: but none the less a pyre, Oh, said David.
Speaker 2: What's that? Well, a pyre? You know, a sort of.
Speaker 1: Fire as it were, Oh, fire, I thought you said,
Speaker 1: Oh yes, fire. Isn't it awfully warm for a fire?
Speaker 1: The weather is unusually tropical said the phoenix, cocking one
Speaker 1: eye towards the sun. This fire, however, is necessary, but
Speaker 1: I shall explain later. Meanwhile, if you will just aid
Speaker 1: me with this branch, And for the next fifteen minutes
Speaker 1: they worked over the heap, adding to it and shaping
Speaker 1: it up. David kept his thoughts to himself. He can
Speaker 1: see that the phoenix knew what it was doing, so
Speaker 1: everything must be all right. By the way, my boy,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix casually, when they had finished. My prediction
Speaker 1: was correct. I knew it would be. The inevitable has occurred.
Speaker 1: What are you talking about, Phoenix? The scientist, My boy,
Speaker 1: he is in our midst. Once more, David clutched a
Speaker 1: branch in the heap and said, oh, phoenix, in a
Speaker 1: frightened voice. Now, my dear fellow, there is no cause
Speaker 1: for alarm. He is not nearby at present. I sent
Speaker 1: him back. Send him back. How nothing to it, my boy,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix smugly. He was up at the crack
Speaker 1: of dawn, toiling with typical stoopidy in full sight on
Speaker 1: the slope below. He was making a blind of green
Speaker 1: branches to hide in while he spies on me. Really,
Speaker 1: the childishness of his efforts to think for a minute
Speaker 1: he could fool me with such tricks. Well, I waited
Speaker 1: until he had gone down the slope to cut more greenery,
Speaker 1: and when his back was turned, I slipped down to
Speaker 1: the blind and took his binoculars. But, Phoenix, what did
Speaker 1: you want with his binoculars? I did not want his binoculars,
Speaker 1: my boy.
Speaker 2: But he did.
Speaker 1: His language when he discovered the loss was simply frightful.
Speaker 1: I could hear it all the way up here. Of course,
Speaker 1: he had to return to town for another pair. But
Speaker 1: he'll be back precisely, my boy. But he will have
Speaker 1: something to keep him busy when he returns. I took
Speaker 1: the liberty of destroying his blind. That will hold him.
Speaker 2: But it won't hold him long, Phoenix, We've got to
Speaker 2: think of something else.
Speaker 1: Now, your whole birthday is spoiled. On the contrary, my boy,
Speaker 1: it will hold him long enough. Now, please do not
Speaker 1: ask me why. You must take my word for it,
Speaker 1: and I shall explain later. And my birthday is not spoiled.
Speaker 1: I am looking forward with a great deal of pleasure
Speaker 1: to the surprise which you promised me. Come, let us
Speaker 1: enjoy it whatever it is, and forget the scientist. Well,
Speaker 1: are you sure about the scientist?
Speaker 2: Absolutely?
Speaker 1: The phoenix was so positive that David began to feel better.
Speaker 1: He picked up the paper bag and said, well, it
Speaker 1: isn't much of a surprise really, just a birthday party
Speaker 1: and your present. But I think the present should come
Speaker 1: after the party, don't you quite so, my boy? But
Speaker 1: I shall leave the management of the whole affair in
Speaker 1: your capable hands, all right, said David. Now you'll have
Speaker 1: to turn around, Phoenix and not look while I'm getting
Speaker 1: it ready. Phoenix obediently turned around, clasping its wings behind
Speaker 1: its back and tried hard not to peek. David set
Speaker 1: the party things out on the grass, ice cream in
Speaker 1: the middle, the cookies in a ring around it, plates
Speaker 1: on either side, and spoons beside the plates. He set
Speaker 1: the phoenixes present off to one side where it could
Speaker 1: be reached when they had finished. All right, Phoenix, you
Speaker 1: can turn around now. The phoenix took a long look
Speaker 1: at everything and said, huskily, my dear Chap, this is
Speaker 1: quite the nicest moment of my life. How can I
Speaker 1: possibly thank you? They sat down in their places. David
Speaker 1: passed the cookies and served the ice cream, and said
Speaker 1: that as far as he was concerned, this was the
Speaker 1: best birthday party he had ever been to, and the
Speaker 1: Phoenix said quite so, my boy. But might I make
Speaker 1: so bold as to ask why? And David answered, well,
Speaker 1: the reason is that usually during birthday parties you have
Speaker 1: to play stupid games like pin the tail on the
Speaker 1: donkey and button button who has the button, in spite
Speaker 1: of the fact that eating good things is the real
Speaker 1: reason for having a party, as everybody knows. And the
Speaker 1: Phoenix said, precisely, my boy, But people have somehow lost
Speaker 1: the main idea of the thing. When you come right
Speaker 1: down to it, ice cream is the basis of it
Speaker 1: any sensible party, and everything else is a waste of time.
Speaker 1: And David said, yes, Phoenix, but don't forget cake and
Speaker 1: cookies and candy and nuts and things. They're not as
Speaker 1: good as ice cream, but they're not a complete waste
Speaker 1: of time either, and the Phoenix said, of course not,
Speaker 1: my dear fellow. They are important too. And speaking of
Speaker 1: ice cream, have you noticed that while chocolate is very
Speaker 1: good and vanilla enjoys great popularity, still there is nothing
Speaker 1: like strawberry. And David said, yes, you're right, rather sadly,
Speaker 1: because the Phoenix was eating most of it.
Speaker 2: At last, the.
Speaker 1: Ice cream carton was empty and all the cookies were gone.
Speaker 1: They both sighed regretfully and brushed away the crumbs, and
Speaker 1: the phoenix looked hopefully at the present David had brought.
Speaker 1: Happy birthday, Phoenix, David said, and he handed the gift
Speaker 1: over with a little bow. Thank you, my boy, Thank you.
Speaker 1: The Phoenix opened the package eagerly and gave a pleased cry.
Speaker 1: Just what I wanted, my dear chap. I'm glad you
Speaker 1: like it, David said. Do you know yet what it's for?
Speaker 1: Can you really use it for something? The Phoenix suddenly
Speaker 1: stopped smiling and looked at David with a strange expression
Speaker 1: on its face, an expression David had never seen there before.
Speaker 1: A vague dread swept through him, and he faltered, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: you do know what it's for?
Speaker 2: What is it? Tell me?
Speaker 1: Well, my boy, Well, the fact is yes, I do know.
Speaker 1: It came to me this morning while I was constructing
Speaker 1: the ah nest here. I am afraid it will be
Speaker 1: a bit hard to explain. The cinnamon ah the cinnamon, well,
Speaker 1: cinnamon branches are what I should really have. But Phoenix,
Speaker 1: what's it for? Behold, my boy. The phoenix opened the
Speaker 1: boxes and spread the cinnamon sticks on the nest. Then
Speaker 1: it took the cans and sprinkled the cinnamon powder over
Speaker 1: the top and sides of the heap, until a whole
Speaker 1: nest was brick dust red. There we are, my boy,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix sadly. The traditional cinnamon pyre of the
Speaker 1: Phoenix celebrated in song and story. And with the third
Speaker 1: mention of the word pyre, David's legs went weak and
Speaker 1: something seemed to catch in his throat. He remembered now
Speaker 1: where he had heard that word before. It was in
Speaker 1: his Book of Explorers, and it meant it meant phoenix,
Speaker 1: He choked, Who is the pyre for?
Speaker 2: For myself? Said the phoenix. Phoenix.
Speaker 1: Now I implore you, please, oh dear, I knew it
Speaker 1: would be difficult to explain.
Speaker 2: Look at me, my boy.
Speaker 1: David did as he was told, although his eyes were
Speaker 1: filled with tears and he could not see through the blur. Now,
Speaker 1: said the phoenix gently. The fact is that I have
Speaker 1: besides my unusually acute intellect and instinct. This instinct told
Speaker 1: me that it was my birthday to day. It also
Speaker 1: told me to build this nest of cinnamon. Now it
Speaker 1: tells me that I must make this nest my pyre,
Speaker 1: because that is what the phoenix does at the end
Speaker 1: of five hundred years. Now, please, my boy, I admit
Speaker 1: it does not appear to be a very joyful way
Speaker 1: of celebrating, but it must be done. This is the
Speaker 1: traditional end of the phoenix, my boy, and we cannot
Speaker 1: ignore the tradition, no matter what our feelings may be.
Speaker 1: Do you see no, David cried, Please, phoenix, don't do it.
Speaker 2: It's horrible.
Speaker 1: I won't let you do it, but I must, my
Speaker 1: dear Chap, I cannot help it. This is what it
Speaker 1: means to be the phoenix. Nothing can stop the tradition. Please,
Speaker 1: my boy, do not take on so it is not
Speaker 1: in the least horrible, I assure you. My instinct tells me. So.
Speaker 1: You said you were going to give me an education,
Speaker 1: David sobbed. You said we would see, you said, and
Speaker 1: we've only been on four adventures. You never told me
Speaker 1: about this. I am terribly sorry, my boy. I could
Speaker 1: not tell you about it because I did not know
Speaker 1: about it until now. As for your education, it is
Speaker 1: a pity to have it cut short in this way.
Speaker 1: I had great plans, but consider you have had four
Speaker 1: advance inchers, which no one else in the world has had.
Speaker 1: And besides my boy, we shall see each other again.
Speaker 1: I do not know how or where, but I am
Speaker 1: positive of it. The phoenix flicked a tear from its
Speaker 1: eye with the tip of one wing, while with the
Speaker 1: other it patted David awkwardly on the shoulder. Don't go, Phoenix,
Speaker 1: please don't go. I must my boy here. Permit me
Speaker 1: to present you with a small token ouch of our friendship.
Speaker 1: Dimly through his tears, David saw the phoenix pluck the longest,
Speaker 1: bluest feather from its tail, and he felt it being
Speaker 1: pressed into his hand.
Speaker 2: Goodbye, David, said the phoenix, gruffly.
Speaker 1: David could stand it no longer. He turned and rushed
Speaker 1: blindly from the phoenix, blundered into the thicket and dropped
Speaker 1: to the ground with his head buried in his arms.
Speaker 1: Behind him, he heard the sticks snapping as the phoenix
Speaker 1: mounted its pire. A match rasped against the box. The
Speaker 1: first ton of flames sizzled in the branches Davi Hevid
Speaker 1: pressed his hands over his ears to shut out the sound,
Speaker 1: but he could feel the heat of the flames as
Speaker 1: they sprang up, and the noise would not be shut out.
Speaker 1: It grew and grew, popping, crackling, roaring, until it seemed
Speaker 1: to fill the world. Perhaps he fainted, or perhaps from
Speaker 1: numbness he slipped into a kind of deep sleep. Whichever
Speaker 1: it was, he returned to consciousness again. Suddenly his hands
Speaker 1: had slipped from his ears, and a sound had brought
Speaker 1: him back. He lifted his head and listened. The fire
Speaker 1: had burnt itself out. Now the only noise was the
Speaker 1: hiss and pop of dying embers. But these sounds were
Speaker 1: too gentle to have awakened him. It must have been
Speaker 1: something else. Yes, it was a voice. He could hear
Speaker 1: it quite plainly. Now there were angry shouts coming from
Speaker 1: somewhere below the ledge. Carefully avoiding the sight of the pyre,
Speaker 1: David crawled to the edge.
Speaker 2: And glanced over.
Speaker 1: Far down on the slope at the foot of the
Speaker 1: scarp was a tiny fire figure, dancing and bellowing with rage.
Speaker 1: The scientist had returned and discovered the ruins of his
Speaker 1: blind David watched him dully. No need to worry about
Speaker 1: him any more, how harmless he looked now, even ridiculous
Speaker 1: David turned away. He noticed then that he was holding
Speaker 1: something in his hand, something soft and heavy. As he
Speaker 1: lifted it to look more closely, it flashed in the sunlight.
Speaker 1: It was the feather the phoenix had given him, the
Speaker 1: tail feather, tail feather, but the phoenix's tail had been
Speaker 1: a sapphire blue. The feather in his hand was of
Speaker 1: the purest, palest gold. There was a slight stir behind him.
Speaker 1: In spite of himself, he glanced at the remains of
Speaker 1: the pyre, his mouth dropped open. In the middle of
Speaker 1: the white ashes and glowing coals, there was movement. Something
Speaker 1: within was struggling up toward the top. The noises grew
Speaker 1: stronger and more definite. Charred sticks were being snapped, ashes
Speaker 1: kicked aside, Embers pushed out of the way. Now like
Speaker 1: a plant thrusting its way out of the soil. There
Speaker 1: appeared something pale and glittering, which knotted in the breeze.
Speaker 1: Little tongues of flame, it seemed, licking out into the air. No,
Speaker 1: not flames, a crust of golden feathers. A heave from
Speaker 1: below lifted the ashes in the center of the pile.
Speaker 1: A fine cloud of flakes swirled up into the breeze.
Speaker 1: There was a flash of sunlight glinting on brilliant plumage,
Speaker 1: and from the ruins of the pyre stepped forth a
Speaker 1: magnificent bird. It was the phoenix. It must be the phoenix,
Speaker 1: but it was a new and different phoenix. It was
Speaker 1: young and wild, with a fierce amber eye. Its crest
Speaker 1: was tall and proud, its body the slim, muscular body
Speaker 1: of a hunter. Its wings narrow and long and pointed
Speaker 1: like a falcon's. The great beak and talons razor sharp
Speaker 1: and curving, and all of it, from crest to talons
Speaker 1: was a burnished gold that reflected the sun in a
Speaker 1: thousand dazzling lights. The bird stretched its wings, shook the
Speaker 1: ash from its tail, and began to preen itself. Every
Speaker 1: movement was like a flash of a silent explosion.
Speaker 2: Phoenix. David whispered, Phoenix.
Speaker 1: The bird started, turned toward him, looked at him for
Speaker 1: an instant with wild, fearless eyes, then continued its preening.
Speaker 1: Suddenly it stopped and cocked its head, as if listening
Speaker 1: to something. Then David heard it too, a shout down
Speaker 1: the mountain side, louder and clearer, now excited and jubilant.
Speaker 1: He shivered and looked down. The scientist was tearing up
Speaker 1: the goat trail as fast as his long legs would
Speaker 1: carry him, and he was waving a rifle. Phoenix, David cried, Fly, Fly, Phoenix.
Speaker 1: The bird looked at the scientist, then at David, its
Speaker 1: glance curious but without understanding. Paralyzed with fear, David remained
Speaker 1: on his knees as the scientist reached an open place
Speaker 1: and threw the gun up to his shoulder. The bullet
Speaker 1: went whining by with an ugly hornet noise, and the
Speaker 1: report of the gun echoed along the scarp. Fly Phoenix.
Speaker 1: David sobbed. A second bullet, snarled at the bird and
Speaker 1: spattered out little chips of rock from the inner wall
Speaker 1: of the ledge. Oh, Fly Fly. David jumped up and
Speaker 1: flung himself between the bird and the scientist. It's me,
Speaker 1: he cried, It's David. The bird gazed at him closely,
Speaker 1: and a light flickered in its eye, as though the
Speaker 1: name had reached out and almost but not quite touched
Speaker 1: an ancient memory. Hesitantly, it stretched forth one wing and
Speaker 1: with a tip of it lightly brushed David's forehead, leaving
Speaker 1: there a mark that burned coolly. Get away from that bird,
Speaker 1: you little idiot, the scientist shrieked.
Speaker 2: Get away.
Speaker 1: David ignored him. Fly Phoenix, he cried, and he pushed
Speaker 1: the bird toward the edge. Understanding dawned in the amber eyes.
Speaker 1: At last, the bird, with one clear, defiant cry, leaped
Speaker 1: to an out jutting boulder. The golden wings spread, the
Speaker 1: golden neck curved back, the golden talons pushed against the rock.
Speaker 1: The bird launched itself into the air and soared out
Speaker 1: over the valley, sparkling, flashing, shimmering, a flame large as
Speaker 1: a sunburst, a meteor, a diamond, a star, diminishing at
Speaker 1: last to a speck of gold dust, which glimmered twice
Speaker 1: in the distance before it was gone altogether. End of
Speaker 1: Chapter ten. End of David in the Phoenix by Edward
Speaker 1: Ormandroid