"I believe," said I, laughing, "this must be the country of pigmies,
and they are coming to welcome us."
"They are the Lilliputians, father," said Jack; "I have read of them;
but I thought they had been less."
"As if Gulliver's Travels was true!" said Fritz, in a tone of derision.
"Then are there no pigmies?" asked he.
"No, my dear boy," said I; "all these stories are either the invention
or the mistakes of ancient navigators, who have taken troops of monkeys
for men, or who have wished to repeat something marvellous. But the
romance of Gulliver is an allegory, intended to convey great truths."
"And now," said Fritz, "I begin to see our pigmies have beaks and
wings."
"You are right," said I; "they are penguins, as Ernest explained to us
some time since. They are good swimmers; but, unable to fly, are very
helpless on land."
I steered gently to the shore, that I might not disturb them; but Jack
leaped into the water up to his knees, and, dashing among the penguins,
with a stick struck right and left, knocking down half a dozen of the
poor stupid birds before they were aware. Some of these we brought away
alive. The rest, not liking such a reception, took to the water, and
were soon out of sight. I scolded Jack for his useless rashness, for the
flesh of the penguin is by no means a delicacy.
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