Читать книгу Gobble-Up Stories - Oscar Mandel - Страница 15

THE FLATTERED HIPPOPOTAMUS

The hippopotamus was delighted. “What are you delighted about?” asked his best friend, the crocodile, who could not bear to see him so happy.

“Why,” said the hippopotamus, “when the lion spoke to us last night on behalf of the pension for retired lions, he smiled at me and said in the hearing of all present: ‘Without Handsome Hippo’s assistance, I am powerless here.’ ”

“Ha!” sneered the crocodile. “I hate to disillusion you, my dear friend, but you make me laugh. Handsome Hippo! Are you truly taken in by this obvious piece of flattery?”

“No, I am not,” answered the hippopotamus. “I am not flattered by what the lion said; but I am flattered to be the one he chose to flatter.”