“But it’s no use going at all till you’ve found the Dodo,” he added.
“Good gracious! how did you know that we were looking for it,” cried Dick.
“Oh, I know everything,” said the Sage, complacently. “Did you ever know a Sage who didn’t?”
“I’m afraid I’ve never known one at all before, Sir,” said Dick; “but I should think it must be very useful to know such a lot, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it isn’t bad,” admitted the Sage; “would you like to know how I became so clever?”
“Oh, yes, please,” cried all the children at once.
Motioning them to a seat on an onion bulb, the little man struck an attitude, and began—
“I was brought up on Verbs of irregular kind,
With a Pronoun or two as a treat,
While a strict course of Logic, to strengthen my mind,
My pastors and masters thought meet.
I had Lessons for breakfast, and Sums for my tea,
Learnt to play the Arithmetic nicely,
And gained all the prizes at School—don’t you see,
For construing Doggerel concisely.
They were Isms, and Ologies, Science, and Cram,
Quadratic Equations, and Butter,
The Pons asinorum, and Strawberry Jam,
And the Cane, did I mumble or mutter.”