e common tongue of
the Forest-monkeys--that is the language of nearly all the Mulgars that
live in the forests of Munza--Jacquet-mulgars, Mullabruks, purple-faced
and saffron-headed Mulgars, Skeetoes, tuft-waving Manquabees,
Fly-catchers and Squirrel-tails, and many more than I can mention.
Seelem taught them also a little of the languages of the dreaded
Gunga-mulgars, of the Collobs, and the Babbab[=o][=o]mas. But the
Minimul-mulgars' and the Oomgars' or man-monkeys' languages (white,
black, or yellow) he could not teach, because he did not know them.
When, however, they were alone together they spoke the secret language
of the Mulla-mulgars dwelling north of the Arakkaboas--that is,
Mulgar-royal. This language in some ways resembles that of the
Portugalls, in some that of the Oggewibbies, and, here and there--but in
very little--Garniereze. Seelem, of course, taught his sons, and
especially Thumb, many other things besides--more, certainly, than would
contain itself in a little book like this. But, above all, he taught
them to walk upright, never to taste blood, and never, unless in danger
or despair, to climb trees or to grow a tail.

But now, after all these thirteen years of absence from Assasimmon's
palace in the beautiful Valleys of Tishnar, Seelem began to desire more
and more to see again his home and his brother, with whom as a child he
had walked in scarlet and Mamasul, and drunk his syrup from an ivory
cup. He grew more gloomy and morose than ever, squatted alone, his eyes
fixed mournfully in the air. And Mutta would whisper to Nod: "Sst, zun
nizza-neela, tus-weeta zan nuome."

The more cunning of the Forest-mulgars at first had come in troops to
Seelem, laden with gifts of nuts and fruits, because they were afraid of
him. But he would sit in his red jacket and merely stare at them as if
they were no better than flies. And at last they began in revenge to do
him as much mischief as their wits could contrive, until he grew
utterly weary of their scuffling and quarrelling, their thumbs and
colours, fleas and tails. At last he could hear himself no longer, and
one morning, in the first haze of sunrise over the sleeping forest, he
called Mutta and his three sons to where he sat in the shadow of Glint's
great budding Ukka-tree. And he told them he was going on a long
journey--"beyond and beyond, forest and river, forest swamp and river,
the mountains of Arakkaboa, leagues, leagues away"--to seek again the
Valle