The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-28
: THE LAUGHING HIPPOPOTAMUS.
a Fairy Story Of the jungle by L. Frank Baum. the Original Father
" Goose"

-
pent and had. no bones to hinder his bend
ing his flesh Into any position. This made
him walk in a wabbly fashion. but ne
black people had great respect for him.
Gouie's hut was made of branches Of trees
stuck together with mud. and his clothing
consisted OF a grass mat tied around hts
middle. But his relationship to the chief
ana the sorcerer gave him a certain dig
nifty, and he was much addicted to solitary
thought. Perhaps it was natural that these
thoughts frequently turned upon his enc
miles, the APPROPRIATENESS. and that he
should consider many ways Of capturing
them.
Finally he completed hts plans. and SGT
ABOUT digging a great pit in the ground.
midway between two sharp curves Of the
river When the pit was finished he covered
1t over with small branches OF trees. and
stre~ed earth upon them. smoothing the
surface+se artfully thai no one would sus-
pect there was a big hole underneath. Then
Gouie laughed softly to himself and went
home to supper.
That evening the Queen said to Keo, who
was growing to be a fine child for his age:
II wish you'd run across the bend and
ask your Uncle Nikki to come here. I have
found e strange plant, and want him to
tell me If 1t is good to eat"
The jolly one laughed heartily as he
started upon his errand, for he. felt as i'm
portant ASA boy does ,wlren. he IS sent for
the first time to the corner grocery to buy.
a yeast cake.
''Guk-uk-uk-uk!ieuk -uk-uk!" was the
way he laughed: and if you think a hip
popotamus does not laughSthis way you
have but to listen to one: and you will find
Isam right.
He crawled out of the mud where he was
wallowing and tramped away through the
bushes. and the last hissmother heard as
she. lay half. In and half out. of the water
was his musical .'guk-uk-uk-uk!" dying
away sin the distance.
Keo was in such a, hapy mood that he
scarcely noticed where he stepped. so he
was much surprised when. in the middle of
a laugh, the ground gave way beneath him
and he fell to the bottom OF Gouie's deep
pit. He was not badly hurt. but had
bumped his nose severely as he went down:
SO he stopped laughing and began to think
how he should get out again. Them he
found the walls were higher than his head
and that he was a prisoner.
So he laughed a little at his own tmisfor.
tune. and the laughter soothed him.to sleep.
SO that he snored all through the night I'M
til daylight came.
When Gouie peered over the edge of the
pit next morning he exclaimed:
why, tits Ippi-the jolly One"
Keo recognized the scent Of a black man
and tried to raise his head bis:a enough to
bite him.. Seeing which. Gouie spoke in the
hippopotamus language. which h. had
learned from his grandfather. the sorcsrer.
Have peace. little one: you are my cap
tive"
Yes: 1 will have 4 piece Of your leg II
1 can reach It," retorted Keo: and then he
laughed at his own OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES"
But Gouie. being q thoughtful black man.
went away without further talk. and did moi
return until the following morning. When he
again leaned over the pit Keo was SO weak
from hunger that he could hardly laugh at
all.
do you give up?' asked Gouie. ''or do
you still wish to fight?'
What will happen II I give up?'' inquired
Keo.
The black man scratched his woolly head
in perplexity.
at is hard to say. Ippi. You are too young
to work, and II / kill you for food / shall
lose your tus1s. which arc not yet grown.
why, o Jolly One. did you fall into my hole7
I wanted to catch your mother or one Of
your uncles."
''Guk-uk-uk-uky" laughed Keo. you
must let me go. after all. black man.; for
I am OF no use to your
THAT 1 will not do" declared Gouie: ''un-
less he added. Is ar a~fterthousht. you
will make a bargain with me-
LET me hear about the bargain. black
one, for I am hungry said Keo.
IT will let you go II you swear by the
tusks Of your grandfather that you will
return to me in a year and . day and be-
come my prisoner sgain."