The Sunbonnet Babies in Italy Read online

  AN AFTERNOON IN THE PARK

  That afternoon the Sunbonnet Babies begged to visit the lovely parknear the shore of the bay. They wanted to run and play games withother children under the tall green trees.

  "How would you like to take a look under the deep water and see allthe strange creatures that live there?" asked their father.

  "Oh, that would be wonderful! But how can we do it?" asked Molly.

  "We can do it easily when we get to the park," said her father.

  "Let's do it the very first thing. Just think of seeing how all thebig and little fish live 'way down in the deep, deep ocean!"

  "I am afraid we shall be drowned," said May. "I think I shall not liketo go under the deep water any better than I liked to walk on topof the volcano."

  "Why, it will be as easy as walking on this path," said their father."Here we are at the door already. Shall we open it and take a lookinto the fish world?"

  "Oh, dear! I feel as if I were Alice in Wonderland," said May. "Isthis the door into the long, dark tunnel? I wonder if we shall falldown, down, down the tunnel just as Alice did. O father! Will the fishtalk with us, the same as the rabbit and all the other animals talkedwith Alice?"

  "If you should happen to fall asleep, as Alice did, the fish willprobably tell you all their secrets," said her father. "But there isno long, dark tunnel here down which you must fall. We will each paythis man at the door two lire, then he will open the door and let usgo in."

  In another moment the door closed behind them, and they stood in thestrangest place they had ever seen. It looked like the bottom of thegreat ocean, with ragged rocks and slippery seaweed everywhere,and many kinds of strange fish swimming quietly about them.

  And yet, the water did not wet the children, and they could not touchthe fish. A strong glass wall held back both the water and the fish.

  Molly and May walked along a narrow path close beside the glass wall,and watched the queer fish chase each other about in the water or lielazily under the shadow of a big rock.

  At last Molly said, "Why, the bottom of the ocean looks very much likethe top of the earth. There are hills and valleys and rocks and sandand green things growing everywhere."

  "See that tiny forest of pink coral. I suppose our coral neck chainsgrew at the bottom of the ocean in just that way."

  "And see those timid little animals peeping from the doors of theirpretty shell houses. I wonder if they like always to carry about suchheavy houses on their backs."

  "Here is a whole family of lazy turtles," called May. "Look at thatbig fellow! I believe his shell is large enough for me to creep into,if he were not inside of it."

  _"Look at that big fellow!"_]

  "I advise you not to try it while he is there," said her father. "Ifhe once took a bite of you, he would never let go."

  "Oh, my!" exclaimed Molly. "But see those little starfish and that bigsoft jellyfish. They are not afraid of the turtle. And those eels areplaying close about him."

  Just then a frightened scream came from May, who had walked ahead ofthe others.

  "Come quickly!" she cried. "Here is a big, big round thing with eightlong arms, or legs, I don't know which they are. They keepreaching out as if they were trying to get hold of something. And itstwo big round eyes are looking straight at me! I'm glad the glass wallis between us. It's the worst looking thing I ever saw in all my life!What is it, father?"

  _"Its two big round eyes are looking straight at me!"_]

  "Well, well!" exclaimed her father. "That is an octopus. A real, liveoctopus! It is a big one, too. It can easily reach six or seven feetwith those long legs."

  "Why is it called an octopus, father?" asked Molly. "Why haven't weseen one before, and what does it do with so many legs?"

  "It is called an octopus because it has eight feet, and the wordoctopus means 'eight-footed.' We have never seen one before because itlives at the bottom of the ocean, and we have not visited the bottomof the ocean until to-day. I suppose it uses its feet more in catchingfood than it does in walking. I have heard that when it winds themaround anything it never lets go."

  Just then their mother called, "Come with me! I have found thestrangest fish you ever heard of. If you touch the fish, it will giveyou a tiny electric shock. Who wants to try it?"

  "Oh, I do!" cried Molly, and in went her hand to stroke the sleepyfish lazily swimming about in a small tank of water. But the hand cameout more quickly than it went in.

  "Oh! oh!" she cried. "My hand prickles just as if it were asleep. Whata strange, strange fish! You touch it, May."

  "No!" said May. "I don't want to touch it. I don't want an electricshock. I want to go back to the park and play."

  "Very well," said her father. "I believe we have stayed with thesedeep-sea creatures long enough. We will go out through the secretdoor, the way we came in."

  And so, in a few moments, they were all standing in the brightsunshine looking out over the deep blue water which was the home of somany strange and interesting creatures.

  "Have we really been 'way down under that deep water, father?" askedMolly. "Or was it just a fish museum that we were in?"

  "That is a good name for it," said her father. "We have been in anaquarium. Many of the fish that are caught alive in the MediterraneanSea are brought to this aquarium, so people may study and enjoy them."

  "I feel as if I had really and truly been to the bottom of the sea,"said Molly. "I am glad I am not a fish. I should much rather be alittle girl and have a ride in that goat cart. Those Italian childrenhave just had a ride. See, they are each paying the man a penny.O sir! Please may we ride next?"

  _May shook the reins and away they went_]

  "And please may I drive the goats?" asked May. "I know how to drive mypony."

  In another moment Molly and May were climbing into the small cart. Maythen shook the reins and away they went, with the man following closebehind them.

  They passed groups of jolly boys and girls playing marbles, spinningtops, or rolling hoops. They were clean, well-dressed children, notragged and poor like so many children Molly and May had seen inother parts of the city.

  _Suddenly a little boy began to race with the goats_]

  Smiling nurse maids pushed dear little babies about in handsomecarriages, or sat on shaded benches watching the little children attheir play.

  Everyone was interested in the small goat cart with its happypassengers.

  Suddenly a little boy who was rolling a hoop began to race with thegoats. He ran along beside them, driving his hoop as fast as hecould make it go. The goats did not want to be left behind, so theytrotted faster and still faster, but the little boy with his rollinghoop kept up with them.

  The Sunbonnet Babies began to be a bit frightened, they were riding sovery fast. May pulled on the reins and cried, "Whoa! whoa! stop!stop!" The small Italian goats did not understand English, so they ranfaster than ever. They were enjoying the race, and so was the man whoowned them. But when he saw that his little passengers were afraid, hesprang forward to stop his team. Just at that moment the goats turnedsharply about, and over went the cart, Sunbonnet Babies and all.

  Everybody was then really frightened, though only for a moment. Mollyand May were on their feet in a jiffy. The boys and girls all laughedand talked at the same time, and the man scolded his goats for theirnaughty trick.

  "Please don't scold the goats," said the little boy with the hoop."You ought to praise them. They knew if you stopped them they wouldlose the race, so they tried to turn around and go in the otherdirection. Then the cart tipped over and spoiled the fun."

  "It was fun, wasn't it?" exclaimed Molly. "But let's not do it overagain. Let's have a tea party now."

  "Oh, yes! Let's have a tea party!" cried May. "Here is a lovely placefor it in front of this pretty tea house. Who wants some grape juiceand some little cakes?"

  "Oh, I do!" "And I do!" cried two happy voices in real AmericanEnglish, for the little boy with the hoop was an American, just likethe
Sunbonnet Babies. And so they had the jolliest tea party under thebig trees in the park that three little American children ever hadtogether, which is saying a very great deal.

  The Buried City]