ained what
a cow is in scientific words which I have forgotten.

"That is all one to me," said the stranger. "But why do they never look
up?"

"Because they are graminivorous," said the philosopher; "and to live upon
grass, which is not highly nutritious, requires so close an attention to
business that they have no time to think, or speak, or look at the
scenery, or keep themselves clean."

"Well," said the stranger, "that is one way to live, no doubt. But I
prefer the people with the green heads."

Next they came into a city, and the streets were full of men and women.

"These are very odd people," said the stranger.

"They are the people of the greatest nation in the world," said the
philosopher.

"Are they indeed?" said the stranger. "They scarcely look so."

XIV.--THE CART-HORSES AND THE SADDLE-HORSE.

Two cart-horses, a gelding and a mare, were brought to Samoa, and put in
the same field with a saddle-horse to run free on the island. They were
rather afraid to go near him, for they saw he was a saddle-horse, and
supposed he would not speak to them. Now the saddle-horse had never seen
creatures so big. "These must be great chiefs," thought he, and he
approached them civilly. "Lady and gentleman," said he, "I understand
you are from the colonies. I offer you my affectionate compliments, and
make you heartily welcome to the islands."

The colonials looked at him askance, and consulted with each other.

"Who can he be?" said the gelding.

"He seems suspiciously civil," said the mare.

"I do not think he can be much account," said the gelding.

"Depend upon it he is only a Kanaka," said the mare.

Then they turned to him.

"Go to the devil!" said the gelding.

"I wonder at your impudence, speaking to persons of our quality!" cried
the mare.

The saddle-horse went away by himself. "I was right," said he, "they are
great chiefs."

XV.--THE TADPOLE AND THE FROG.

"Be ashamed of yourself," said the frog.

"When I was a tadpole, I had no tail."

"Just what I thought!" said the tadpole.

"You never were a tadpole."

XVI.--SOMETHING IN IT.

The natives told him many tales. In particular, they warned him of the
house of yellow reeds tied with black sinnet, how any one who touched it
became instantly the prey of Akaanga, and was handed on to him by Miru
the ruddy, and hocussed with the kava of the dead, and baked in the ovens
and eaten by the eaters of the dead.