Storie proprio così

Le prime righe

I Keep six honest serving-men: (They taught me all I knew) Their names are What and Where and When And How and Why and Who. I send them over land and sea, I send them east and west; But after they have worked for me, I give them all a rest. I let them rest from nine till five. For I am busy then, As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea, For they are hungry men: But different folk have different views: I know a person small— She keeps ten million serving-men, Who get no rest at all! She sends ‘em abroad on her own affairs, From the second she opens her eyes— One million Hows, two million Wheres, And seven million Whys! THE SING-SONG OF OLD MAN KANGAROO NOT always was the Kangaroo as now we do behold him, but a Different Animal with four short legs. He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on an outcrop in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Little God Nqa. He went to Nqa at six before breakfast, saying, ‘Make me different from all other animals by five this afternoon.’ Up jumped Nqa from his seat on the sandflat and shouted, ‘Go away!’ He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on a rock-ledge in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Middle God Nquing. He went to Nquing at eight after breakfast, saying, ‘Make me different from all other animals; make me, also, wonderfully popular by five this afternoon.’ Up jumped Nquing from his burrow in the spinifex and shouted, ‘Go away!’ He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on a sandbank in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Big God Nqong. He went to Nqong at ten before dinner-time, saying, ‘Make me different from all other animals; make me popular and wonderfully run after by five this afternoon.’ Up jumped Nqong from