第15章 HOW THE FIRST LETTER WAS WRITTEN(2)

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 himself,'If I do not fetch this great Chief's tribe to help him,he will be slain by his enemies who are coming up on all sides with spears.Now I see why the great Chief pretended not to notice me!He feared that his enemies were hiding in the bushes and would see him.Therefore he turned to me his back,and let the wise and wondetful child draw the terrible picture showing me his difficulties.I will away and get help for him from his tribe.'He did not even ask Taffy the road,but raced off into the bushes like the wind,with the birch-bark in his hand,and Taffy sat down most pleased.

Now this is the picture that Taffy had drawn for him!

'What have you been doing,Taffy?'said Tegumai.He had mended his spear and was carefully waving it to and fro.

'It's a little berangement of my own,Daddy dear,'said Taffy.

'If you won't ask me questions,you'll know all about it in a little time,and you'll be surprised.You don't know how surprised you'll be,Daddy!Promise you'll be surprised.'

'Very well,'said Tegumai,and went on fishing.

The Stranger-man--did you know he was a Tewara?--hurried away with the picture and ran for some miles,till quite by accident he found Teshumai Tewindrow at the door of her Cave,talking to some other Neolithic ladies who had come in to a Primitive lunch.

Taffy was very like Teshumai,especially about the upper part of the face and the eyes,so the Stranger-man--always a pure Tewara--smiled politely and handed Teshumai the birch-bark.He had run hard,so that he panted,and his legs were scratched with brambles,but he still tried to be polite.

As soon as Teshumai saw the picture she screamed like anything and flew at the Stranger-man.The other Neolithic ladies at once knocked him down and sat on him in a long line of six,while Teshumai pulled his hair.

'It's as plain as the nose on this Stranger-man's face,'she said.'He has stuck my Tegumai all full of spears,and frightened poor Taffy so that her hair stands all on end;and not content with that,he brings me a horrid picture of how it was done.

Look!'She showed the picture to all the Neolithic ladies sitting patiently on the Stranger-man.'Here is my Tegumai with his arm broken;here is a spear sticking into his back;here is a man with a spear ready to throw;here is another man throwing a spear from a Cave,and here are a whole pack of people'(they were Taffy's beavers really,but they did look rather like people)'coming up behind Tegumai.Isn't it shocking!'

'Most shocking!'said the Neolithic ladies,and they filled the Stranger-man's hair with mud (at which he was surprised),and they beat upon the Reverberating Tribal Drums,and called together all the chiefs of the Tribe of Tegumai,with their Hetmans and Dolmans,all Neguses,Woons,and Akhoonds of the organisation,in addition to the Warlocks,Angekoks,Juju-men,Bonzes,and the rest,who decided that before they chopped the Stranger-man's head off he should instantly lead them down to the river and show them where he had hidden poor Taffy.

By this time the Stranger-man (in spite of being a Tewara)was really annoyed.They had filled his hair quite solid with mud;they had rolled him up and down on knobby pebbles;they had sat upon him in a long line of six;they had thumped him and bumped him till he could hardly breathe;and though he did not understand their language,he was almost sure that the names the Neolithic ladies called him were not ladylike.However,he said nothing till all the Tribe of Tegumai were assembled,and then he led them back to the bank of the Wagai river,and there they found Taffy making daisy-chains,and Tegumai carefully spearing small carp with his mended spear.

'Well,you have been quick!'said Taffy.'But why did you bring so many people?Daddy dear,this is my surprise.Are you surprised,Daddy?'