Birds, Beasts and Relatives

It was my birthday. I lay there savouring the feeling of having a whole day to myself when people would give me presents and the family would be forced to accede to any reasonable requests.

Per tutta risposta Mosè smise di bere quel nettare russo per guardarlo bene in faccia. "Ciao vecchio finocchio", lo salutò. E poi ricominciò a bere e ad ubriacarsi.

The bear, I decided, had got to become mine. The dogs and my other animals would soon get used to it and together we could go waltzing over the hillsides.

«Secondo me», stava dicendo Larry, «è un poltergeist maledettamente grosso.» «Non puo essere un poltergeist, caro», disse mamma. «I poltergeist sono quelli che fanno volare le cose.» «Be', qualsiasi cosa sia, se ne sta lassù a trascinare le sue catene facendo un fracasso dell'accidente», disse Larry, «e io esigo che venga esorcizzata. Tu e Margo siete le esperte del paranormale. Dovete pensarci voi, andate lassù e procedete.»

Roger and I would squat in the heavily scented shade of the myrtle bushes and watch the array of creatures that passed us; at certain times of the day the branches were as busy as the main street of a town.

I visualized myself walking proudly through the olive groves, preceded by the dogs, Ulysses, and my two magpies, and trotting at my heels, four tame hedgehogs, all of which I would have taught to do tricks.

Adult ant-lions come in a variety of sizes and, for the most part, rather drab colouring. They look like extremely untidy and demented dragon-flies. They have wings that seem out of all proportion to their bodies and these they flap with a desperate air, as though it required the maximum amount of energy to prevent them from crashing to the earth.

Surely you're joking Theodore?' he protested. 'You mean to say that each snail is both a male and a female?' 'Yes indeed,' said Theodore, adding with masterly understatement, 'it's very curious.' 'Good God,' cried Larry. 'I think it's unfair. All those damned slimy things wandering about seducing each other like mad all over the bushes, and having the pleasures of both sensations. Why couldn't such a gift be given to the human race? That's what I want to know.