ng-room floor
when they want to draw pictures, and she said, 'Now I'll draw you some
beautiful pictures! You can look over my shoulder, but you mustn't
joggle. First I'll draw Daddy fishing. It isn't very like him; but Mummy
will know, because I've drawn his spear all broken. Well, now I'll draw
the other spear that he wants, the black-handled spear. It looks as if
it was sticking in Daddy's back, but that's because the shark's tooth
slipped and this piece of bark isn't big enough. That's the spear I want
you to fetch; so I'll draw a picture of me myself 'splaining to you. My
hair doesn't stand up like I've drawn, but it's easier to draw that way.
Now I'll draw you. I think you're very nice really, but I can't make you
pretty in the picture, so you mustn't be 'fended. Are you 'fended?'
The Stranger-man (and he was a Tewara) smiled. He thought, 'There must
be a big battle going to be fought somewhere, and this extraordinary
child, who takes my magic shark's tooth but who does not swell up or
burst, is telling me to call all the great Chief's tribe to help him. He
is a great Chief, or he would have noticed me.
'Look,' said Taffy, drawing very hard and rather scratchily, 'now I've
drawn you, and I've put the spear that Daddy wants into your hand, just
to remind you that you're to bring it. Now I'll show you how to find my
Mummy's living-address. You go along till you come to two trees (those
are trees), and then you go over a hill (that's a hill), and then you
come into a beaver-swamp all full of beavers. I haven't put in all the
beavers, because I can't draw beavers, but I've drawn their heads, and
that's all you'll see of them when you cross the swamp. Mind you don't
fall in! Then our Cave is just beyond the beaver-swamp. It isn't as high
as the hills really, but I can't draw things very small. That's my Mummy
outside. She is beautiful. She is the most beautifullest Mummy there
ever was, but she won't be 'fended when she sees I've drawn her so
plain. She'll be pleased of me because I can draw. Now, in case you
forget, I've drawn the spear that Daddy wants outside our Cave. It's
inside really, but you show the picture to my Mummy and she'll give it
you. I've made her holding up her hands, because I know she'll be so
pleased to see you. Isn't it a beautiful picture? And do you quite
understand, or shall I 'splain again?'
The Stranger-man (and he was a Tewara) looked at the picture and nodded
very hard. He said to hims
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