And he was met at the place of his descent by a great philosopher, who was to show him everything.
First of all they came through a wood, and the stranger looked upon the trees. "Whom have we here?" said he.
"These are only vegetables," said the philosopher. "They are alive, but not at all interesting."
"I don't know about that," said the stranger. "They seem to have very good manners. Do they never speak?"
"They lack the gift," said the philosopher.
"Yet I think I hear them sing," said the other.
"That is only the wind among the leaves," said the philosopher. "I will explain to you the theory of winds: it is very interesting."
"Well," said the stranger, "I wish I knew what they are thinking."
"They cannot think," said the philosopher.
"I don't know about that," returned the stranger: and then, laying his hand upon a trunk: "I like these people," said he.
"They are not people at all," said the philosopher. "Come along."
Next they came through a meadow where there were cows.
"These are very dirty people," said the stranger.
"They are not people at all," said the philosopher; and he explained what a cow is in scientific words which I have forgotten.
"That is all one to me," said the stranger. "But why do they never look up?"
"Because they are graminivorous," said the philosopher; "and to live upon grass, which is not highly nutritious, requires so close an attention to business that they have no time to think, or speak, or look at the scenery, or keep themselves clean."
"Well," said the stranger, "that is one way to live, no doubt. But I prefer the people with the green heads."
Next they came into a city, and the streets were full of men and women.
"These are very odd people," said the stranger.
"They are the people of the greatest nation in the world," said the philosopher.
"Are they indeed?" said the stranger. "They scarcely look so."
XIV. - THE CART-HORSES AND THE SADDLE-HORSE.
Two cart-horses, a gelding and a mare, were brought to Samoa, and put in the same field with a saddle-horse to run free on the island. They were rather afraid to go near him, for they saw he was a saddle-horse, and supposed he would not speak to them. Now the saddle-horse had never seen creatures so big. "These must be great chiefs," thought he, and he approached them civilly. "Lady and gentleman," said he, "I understand you are from the colonies. I offer you my affectionate compliments, and make you heartily welcome to the islands."
The colonials looked at him askance, and consulted with each other.
"Who can he be?" said the gelding.
"He seems suspiciously civil," said the mare.
"I do not think he can be much account," said the gelding.
"Depend upon it he is only a Kanaka," said the mare.
Then they turned to him.
"Go to the devil!" said the gelding.
"I wonder at your impudence, speaking to persons of our quality!" cried the mare.
The saddle-horse went away by himself. "I was right," said he, "they are great chiefs."
XV - THE TADPOLE AND THE FROG.
"BE ashamed of yourself," said the frog.
"When I was a tadpole, I had no tail."
"Just what I thought!" said the tadpole.
"You never were a tadpole."
XVI. - SOMETHING IN IT.
THE natives told him many tales. In particular, they warned him of the house of yellow reeds tied with black sinnet, how any one who touched it became instantly the prey of Akaanga, and was handed on to him by Miru the ruddy, and hocussed with the kava of the dead, and baked in the ovens and eaten by the eaters of the dead.
"There is nothing in it," said the missionary.
There was a bay upon that island, a very fair bay to look upon; but, by the native saying, it was death to bathe there. "There is nothing in that," said the missionary; and he came to the bay, and went swimming. Presently an eddy took him and bore him towards the reef. "Oho!" thought the missionary, "it seems there is something in it after all." And he swam the harder, but the eddy carried him away.