CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE PIG-TALE

 

BY this time the appetites of the guests seemed to be nearly satisfied, and even Bruno had the resolution to say, when the Professor offered him a fourth slice of plum-pudding, ‘I thinks three helpings is enough!’

Suddenly the Professor started as if he had been electrified. ‘Why, I had nearly forgotten the most important part of the entertainment! The Other Professor is to recite a Tale of a Pig—I mean a Pig-Tale,’ he corrected himself. ‘It has Introductory Verses at the beginning, and at the end.’

‘It ca’n’t have Introductory Verses at the end, can it?’ said Sylvie.

‘Wait till you hear it,’ said the Professor: ‘then you’ll see. I’m not sure it hasn’t some in the middle, as well.’ Here he rose to his feet, and there was an instant silence through the Banqueting-Hall: they evidently expected a speech.

‘Ladies, and gentlemen,’ the Professor began, ‘the Other Professor is so kind as to recite a Poem. The title of it is "The Pig-Tale". He never recited it before!’ (General cheering among the guests.) ‘He will never recite it again!’ (Frantic excitement, and wild cheering all down the hall, the Professor himself mounting the table in hot haste, to lead the cheering, and waving his spectacles in one hand and a spoon in the other.)

Then the Other Professor got up, and began: