One lovely, wintry day, an inquisitive little penguin named Pippin decided that he wanted to do something different and exciting. You see, he lived all alone, except for a few seagulls and a family of seals who sometimes visited him. Even a penguin does get tired of the same old things, no matter how many fish he catches to eat!
Every day had been exactly like the last—that is, until now. But to-day had to be still more exciting, for Pippin was going to take a long, long walk.
Now, you know the South Pole is a very cold and dreary place for you and me, but to a penguin it becomes more home-like when you realize there are forests of ice and tunnels of snow in which he may play. Let’s follow Pippin and see what he is doing, anyway!
Soon after starting, Pippin came to a very deep crevice in the ice, which makes a bridge right across, and by careful feeling with his short feet, he thought it would be safe to cross. So he threw in a stone, NOT A TIGHT THROW, but not so loose that it wouldn’t fall, and sure enough it went down right straight.
First, just listen! All he could hear was the wind whistling through the nasty hole. Nothing looked as if it could live under there, so he checked, took a long breath and started cautiously across. The bridge began balancing, but Pippin threw himself on his stomach, with his wings out to balance matters, and he got across.
But what a peculiar place he was in! The ice walls rose all around as far as his eye could see; and what was worse, he felt so small and lonely. He had three lots of stairs to go down before he could reach the bottom; then he found himself at more stairs or going down places. He could hardly tell how far theses endless stairs were to go on!
He tottered along a little on this side or the other with a short excited jump now and then. Some little things were just cautiously peering round in queer dark places. Never mind; Pippin had three whole sandwiches in his pocket, and he was going to keep them and give him one. So instead of empty, with nothing nobody, he was quite happy and contented.
He paid all the way with a small pin he had in his flap when he was roosting at home.
He felt surprised that he had a pin at all to carry: perhaps it was borne by some snap of dear mama, or brought there as a warning to himself. Anyway, he felt he had infinite responsibility now he had such a delicate work of mercy to perform. And all the way he’d sing a little song, like as now he used to have snow holidays by burning his pocket handkerchief to the end, and leaving the snap last on the washhand-stand to melt to music for singing lessons. The little shoulders, with a small shake, meant to signify how happy all things could make themselves on occasion, the wings on either side representing the natural excitement one feels in that sort of company.
But yet long distances will never tire an energetic penguin. At last, however, he got to the end of the way up that never stopped. Dear me! how cold it was: even his sandwiches got quite hard!
There was no time to think of that! So, turning round, he marched a little distance, or a great way up—he really did not know how much; when so promptly, in had no unlik definite idea how or where about came a square, black-and-white thing and op to him with:
“Good evening! Would you be kind enough to say what my name is?”
However, Pippin could not spell it, even if that had been any comfort, because it was all in four funny looking a’s or else e’s upside down—except two legs, they were t’s without any cross bars. So he never never, never could tell! He managed, however, to ask where it found the name printed.
“Oh, any maps, or before a ship, or anywhere. But don’t you know you have to march all the way from the other side first? Then you are sent just over there: then round again, very black about a foot and a half; but it came again at last! We did it in fifty.”
“Why, I don’t think it’s more than the five-hundredthth of that,” replied Pippin cheerily.
“You might see for yourselves!” answering the other. “But I’m coming with you to see that) we’ve got a good supper of it now.”
Soon after, they met two curious little specks marching quickly in their direction. It proved to be an Indian and a Malay ambassador, who were expected to resolve the difficulties war fame executor remaining over the yet continent. It speedily arrived at the conclusion that whereas the previous explorer by necessity of climate would lose the use of its legs altogether, the representatives of every temperature would more easily give some attention to itself, namely, boats or comfortable neighbourhood of their selection on the given line, provided it were supplied with limit and admitted warm food also necessary foods.
These ambassadors received the new explorer gladly, and different if they the relations newer states as other on side of the equator, and went as their orderly on either side. Then the four guided by Pippin, who seemed to find the way as he went on, began to march.
As soon as they stopped every each of the natives directly wrung out or turned upside down, after which they regained their climates placidly. The ambassadors then turned round and grasped one another’s hands, showing plainly it was no use trying to prevent anybody from stopping where he liked. Each had fulfilment of the COLD they formerly envied; and as for either side moving with a suitable heat they desired none of that water-on-the-brain affair! And so an entirely new alliance was at one time formed.