"What do you want, children?" asked the old man who kept the animal store.
"We—we'd like a monkey, if it doesn't cost too much," said Bunny.
"And a parrot, too. Don't forget the parrot, Bunny," whispered Sue. "We want a parrot that can talk."
"And how much is a parrot, too?" asked Bunny.
The old man smiled at the children. Then he said:
"Well, parrots and monkeys cost more than you think. A parrot that can talk well costs about ten dollars!"
Bunny looked at Sue and Sue looked at Bunny. They had never thought a parrot cost as much as that. Bunny had thought about twenty-five cents, and Sue about ten.
"Well," said Bunny with a sigh, "I guess we can't get a parrot."
"Does one that can't talk cost as much as that?" Sue wanted to know.
"Well, not quite, but almost, for they soon learn to talk, you know," answered the nice old man.