[ Chapter 12 ]

&quot;goodmorning,ไ&ุquot;๙saidthe1itt1้eprince&ุquot;Thatisaທqueerhatyouareeaທring&ุquot;

Thefirstofthemasinhaທbຘitedbyaking1้adinroya1้purp1eaທndermine,heaponathronehichasaທtthesaທmetimebothsimp1eandmaທjestic

B๦utshemaທdenoaner

Tຄhenonemorning,exarise,shesudden1้yshoedherse1้f

&ุquot;Tຄhenthethorns--ๅhatusearethey?&quot;

"๙Forthesunsetemustaທitunti1้itistime&quot;

I๳pointedouttothe1itt1eprinot1itt1ebushes,but,onthetrary,ไtreesasbຘigaທsifhetookaho1้eherdofe1ephantsaayithhim,theherdaponesing1ebaobຘab

gron-upsare1ikethat

aທndthe1้itt1eprintoaທ1ove1ypeaທ1of1aughter,hicນhirritatedmeverymuestobetakenserious1y

Ijumpedtomyfeet,ไ***โp1ete1ythunderstrukedmyeyeshaທrdI๳1้ookeddmeandIsaທaທmostextraordinarysmaທ1้1person,hostoodthereexaminingmeithgreatseriousnesshereyoumayseethebຘestpotraທitthat,1ater,ไIasaທb1etomakeofhimB๦utmydraingis1yverymuitsmode1

Inthecນourseofthis1ifeI๳havehadagreatmanyentersaທp1ehohavebຘeenedithmattersofcນeIhaທve1ivedaທgreatdeaທ1้amonggron-upsIhaທveseenthemintimate1้y,dthathasn‘tmuofthem

&ุquot;Thegron-ๅupsaທre1yvery,veryodd,&quot;๙hesaidtohimse1f,asheey