“‘Hideous witch!’ I exclaimed. ‘You have no nose to wear it in! You are uglier than the blue-faced monkey, or the toad with three tails. The very sight of you makes the leaves drop off the trees with horror. You odious, squint-eyed—’
“‘Catch that parrot!’ shrieked the enraged Panka. ‘Wring that parrot’s neck! Pull his feathers out! Let me get at him!’
“I rose in the air, and flying round her head, continued—‘Snub-nosed, monkey-faced, bald-headed [this adjective was not exactly correct, but I was too angry to choose my words], hump-backed Ant-eater!!!’ and with the last word, the most opprobrious epithet that can be applied to an African, I gave the creature a peck in the face that sent her tumbling over backwards, and flew off among the trees. A storm of arrows followed me, but I escaped unhurt, and flying rapidly, was soon far away from the spot.”
“‘Hideous witch!’ I exclaimed.”
Here the parrot paused to take breath, having become quite excited in telling her story.
“Ahem!” said the woodchuck. “May I be permitted to ask a question, Miss Mary?”
“Certainly,” replied the parrot graciously. “What is it, Woodchuck?”
“Did I understand,” said the woodchuck cautiously, “that the bogghun never takes his tail out of his mouth?”