days.”
He peered sharply at Henry through his spectacles.
“Do you begin with a B as in Balneographology, or a P
as in Prestidigitation?” he asked suddenly.
“With a P,” said Henry, “as in Pickle.”
Professor Parrot ruffled the pages with his claws
and wings until his feathers flew. “Here it is!” he said.
“Pickle. And he read silently. “Hm,” he stared at Henry
over his spectacles, “A pickle is two things!”
“It
is?
” said Henry.
“Yes,” said the Professor.
Henry and Perry crowded together and looked over
Professor Parrot’s shoulder, as he read aloud.
“First, a pickle is something which is put in salt
water or vinegar, and is marinated.”
“What’s marinated?” asked Henry and Perry
together.
“Hm,” said the Professor, scratching his head with
one of his claws. “That comes from marine, which
means ocean, so you are either in salt water or vinegar,
or in the ocean,” said the Professor.
“I am?” said Henry.
“You are!” said the Professor, who closed the book,
after putting a twig in between the pages to mark his
place.
“But the other thing you are is very serious,” he
said.
“It is?” said Henry.
“It is,” repeated the Professor, looking
sympathetically at Henry.
HENRY
THE
PICKLE
86
 |
 |
 |
 |