But John the Garbage-man said nothing at all, the while that he
changed nouns to "fork" and "dish," and carefully annotated each verb
in the book as meaning "to eat." Thereafter he carried off the book
along with his garbage, and with--which was the bewildering part of
it--self-evident and glowing self-esteem. And all that watched him
spoke the Dirghic word of derision, which is "Tee-Hee."




3--How Thereupon Ensued a Legal Debate


Now Horvendile in his bewilderment consulted with a man of law. And
the lawman answered a little peevishly, by reason of the fact that age
had impaired his digestive organs, and he said, "But of course you are
a lewd fellow if you have been suspected of writing about eating."

"Sir," replies Horvendile, "I would have you consider that if your
parents and your grandparents had not eaten, your race would have
perished, and you would never have been born. I would have you
consider that if you and your wife had not eaten, again your race
would have perished, and neither of you would ever have lived to have
the children for whose protection, as men tell me, you of Philistia
avoid all mention of eating."

"Yes, for the object of this most righteous law," declares the lawman,
"is to protect those whose character is not so completely formed as to
be proof against the effect of meat market reports and grocery