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'I wonder
what else she knows?'

'A Tortoise can't curl himself up,' Mother Jaguar went on, ever
so many times, graciously waving her tail. 'He only draws his
head and legs into his shell. By this you may know the tortoise.'

'I don't like this old lady at all--at all,' said Slow-and-Solid
Tortoise. 'Even Painted Jaguar can't forget those directions.
It's a great pity that you can't swim, Stickly-Prickly.'

'Don't talk to me,' said Stickly-Prickly. 'Just think how much
better it would be if you could curl up. This is a mess! Listen
to Painted Jaguar.'

Painted Jaguar was sitting on the banks of the turbid Amazon
sucking prickles out of his Paws and saying to himself--

'Can't curl, but can swim--
Slow-Solid, that's him!
Curls up, but can't swim--
Stickly-Prickly, that's him!'

'He'll never forget that this month of Sundays,' said
Stickly-Prickly. 'Hold up my chin, Slow-and-Solid. I'm going to
try to learn to swim. It may be useful.'

'Excellent!' said Slow-and-Solid; and he held up
Stickly-Prickly's chin, while Stickly-Prickly kicked in the
waters of the turbid Amazon.

'You'll make a fine swimmer yet,' said Slow-and-Solid. 'Now, if
you can unlace my back-plates a little, I'll see what I can do
towards curling up. It may be useful.'

Stickly-Prickly helped to unlace Tortoise's back-plates, so that
by twisting and straining Slow-and-Solid actually managed to curl
up a tiddy wee bit.

'Excellent!' said Stickly-Prickly; 'but I shouldn't do any more
just now. It's making you black in the face. Kindly lead me into
the water once again and I'll practice that side-stroke which you
say is so easy.' And so Stickly-Prickly practiced, and Slow-Solid
swam alongside.

'Excellent!' said Slow-and-Solid. 'A little more practice will
make you a regular whale. Now, if I may trouble you to unlace my
back and front plates two holes more, I'll try that fascinating
bend that you say is so easy. Won't Painted Jaguar be surprised!'

'Excellent!' said Stickly-Prickly, all wet from the turbid
Amazon. 'I declare, I shouldn't know you from one of my own
family. Two holes, I think, you said? A little more expression,
please, and don't grunt quite so much, or Painted Jaguar may hear
us. When you've finished, I want to try that long dive which you
say is so easy. Won't Painted Jaguar be surprised!'

And so Stickly-Prickly dived, and Slow-and-Solid dived alongside.

'Excellent!' said Slow-and-Solid. 'A leetle more attention to
holding your breath and you will be able to keep house at the
bottom of the turbid Amazon. Now I'll try that exercise of
putting my hind legs round my ears which you say is so peculiarly
comfortable. Won't Painted Jaguar be surprised!'

'Excellent!' said Stickly-Prickly. 'But it's straining your
back-plates a little. They are all overlapping now, instead of

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