按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
this； by the way； was true。 a hunter； a man； had killed and skinned this lion somewhere up in the western wild several months before。 but that doesnt e into this story。
〃all the same； shift；〃 said puzzle； 〃even if the skin only belonged to a dumb； wild lion； oughtnt we to give it a decent burial？ i mean； arent all lions rather … well； rather solemn？
because of you know who。 dont you see？鈥�
〃dont you start getting ideas into your head； puzzle；〃 said shift。 〃because； you know； thinking isnt your strong point。 well make this skin into a fine warm winter coat for you。鈥�
〃oh； i dont think id like that；〃 said the donkey。 〃it would look … i mean； the other beasts might think … that is to say； i shouldnt feel …鈥�
〃what are you talking about？〃 said shift； scratching himself the wrong way up as apes do。
〃i dont think it would be respectful to the great lion； to aslan himself； if an ass like me went about dressed up in a lion…skin；〃 said puzzle。
〃now dont stand arguing； please；〃 said shift。 〃what does an ass like you know about things of that sort？ you know youre no good at thinking； puzzle； so why dont you let me do your thinking for you？ why dont you treat me as i treat you？ i dont think i can do everything。 i know youre better at some things than i am。 thats why i let you go into the pool； i knew youd do it better than me。 but why cant i have my turn when it es to something i can do and you cant？ am i never to be allowed to do anything？ do be fair。
turn and turn about。鈥�
〃oh； well； of course； if you put it that way；〃 said puzzle。
〃i tell you what；〃 said shift。 〃youd better take a good brisk trot down river as far as chippingford and see if they have any oranges or bananas。鈥�
〃but im so tired； shift；〃 pleaded puzzle。
〃yes； but you are very cold and wet；〃 said the ape。 〃you want something to warm you up。 a brisk trot would be just the thing。 besides； its market day at chippingford today。鈥�
and then of course puzzle said he would go。
as soon as he was alone shift went shambling along； sometimes on two paws and sometimes on four； till he reached his own tree。 then he swung himself up from branch to branch； chattering and grinning all the time； and went into his little house。 he found needle and thread and a big pair of scissors there； for he was a clever ape and the dwarfs had taught him how to sew。 he put the ball of thread （it was very thick stuff； more like cord than thread） into his mouth so that his cheek bulged out as if he were sucking a big bit of toffee。 he held the needle between his lips and took the scissors in his left paw。
then he came down the tree and shambled across to the lion…skin。 he squatted down and got to work。
he saw at once that the body of the lion…skin would be too long for puzzle and its neck too short。 so he cut a good piece out of the body and used it to make a long collar for puzzles long neck。 then he cut off the head and sewed the collar in between the head and the shoulders。 he put threads on both sides of the skin so that it would tie up under puzzles chest and stomach。 every now and then a bird would pass overhead and shift would stop his work； looking anxiously up。 he did not want anyone to see what he was doing。 but none of the birds he saw were talking birds； so it didnt matter。
late in the afternoon puzzle came back。 he was not trotting but only plodding patiently along； the way donkeys do。
〃there werent any oranges；〃 he said； 〃and there werent any bananas。 and im very tired。〃 he lay down。
〃e and try on your beautiful new lion…skin coat；〃 said shift。
〃oh bother that old skin；〃 said puzzle。 〃ill try it on in the morning。 im too tired tonight。鈥�
〃you are unkind； puzzle；〃 said shift。 〃if youre tired what do you think i am？ all day long； while youve been having a lovely refreshing walk down the valley； ive been working hard to make you a coat。 my paws are so tired i can hardly hold these scissors。
and you wont say thank you …and you wont even look at the coat …and you dont care … and… and…鈥�
〃my dear shift；〃 said puzzle getting up at once； 〃i am so sorry。 ive been horrid。 of course id love to try it on。 and it looks simply splendid。 do try it on me at once。 please do。鈥�
〃well； stand still then；〃 said the ape。 the skin was very heavy for him to lift； but in the end； with a lot of pulling and pushing and puffing and blowing； he got it on to the donkey。 he tied it underneath puzzles body and he tied the legs to puzzles legs and the tail to puzzles tail。 a good deal of puzzles grey nose and face could be seen through the open mouth of the lions head。 no one who had ever seen a real lion would have been taken in for a moment。 but if someone who had never seen a lion looked at puzzle in his lion…skin he just might mistake him for a lion； if he didnt e too close； and if the light was not too good； and if puzzle didnt let out a bray and didnt make any noise with his hoofs。
〃you look wonderful； wonderful；〃 said the ape。 〃if anyone saw you now； theyd think you were aslan； the great lion； himself。鈥�
〃that would be dreadful；〃 said puzzle。
〃no it wouldnt；〃 said shift。 〃everyone would do whatever you told them。鈥�
〃but i dont want to tell them anything。鈥�
〃but you think of the good we could do！〃 said shift。 〃youd have me to advise you； you know。 id think of sensible orders for you to give。 and everyone would have to obey us； even the king himself。 we would set everything right in narnia。鈥�
〃but isnt everything right already？〃 said puzzle。
〃what！〃 cried shift。 〃everything right？…when there are no oranges or bananas？鈥�
〃well； you know；〃 said puzzle； 〃there arent many people … in fact； i dont think theres anyone but yourself who wants those sort of things。鈥�
〃theres sugar too；〃 said shift。
〃hm yes；〃 said the ass。 〃it would be nice if there was more sugar。鈥�
〃well then； thats settled；〃 said the ape。 〃you will pretend to be aslan； and ill tell you what to say。鈥�
〃no； no； no；〃 said puzzle。 〃dont say such dreadful things。 it would be wrong； shift。 i maybe not very clever but i know that much。 what would bee of us if the real aslan turned up？鈥�
〃i expect hed be very pleased；〃 said shift。 〃probably he sent us the lion …skin on purpose； so that we could set things to right。 anyway； he never does turn up； you know。 not nowadays。鈥�
at that moment there came a great thunderclap right overhead and the ground trembled with a small earthquake。 both the animals lost their balance and were flung on their faces。
〃there！〃 gasped puzzle； as soon as he had breath to speak。 〃its a sign； a warning。 i knew we were doing something dreadfully wicked。 take this wretched skin off me at once。鈥�
〃no； no；〃 said the ape （whose mind worked very quickly）。 〃its a sign the other way。 i was just going to say that if the real aslan； as you call him； meant us to go on with this； he would send us a thunderclap and an earth…tremor。 it was just on the tip of my tongue； only the sign itself came before i could get the words out。 youve got to do it now； puzzle。 and please dont let us have any more arguing。 you know you dont understand these things。 what could