[“Pleased to meet you,” roared Nero.] “Were you ever in a book?”
“Did you say a brook?” asked Shaggo. “Yes, I have often waded in a brook. It’s lots of fun, isn’t it?”
“No, I didn’t say brook!” roared Nero, who was not impolite. That was his lion manner of speaking. “I said book. I don’t know how you spell it, but it’s something that tells stories of animals.”
[“Pleased to meet you,” roared Nero.]
Shaggo shook his head.
“No,” he answered, “I don’t believe I was ever in a book. Though Wuffo, the leader of our herd, used to tell stories of the days when millions of buffaloes wandered over the prairies.”
“He must have been in a book to know about stories,” said Nero. “I’m in a book; and so is Tum Tum and several of us circus animals. Chunky, the happy hippo, is in a book, too. But now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll eat. Here comes the meat I was hoping for.” And Nero, the big circus lion, growled and roared his thanks to the man who brought him some bones and a chunk of meat.