09-rikki-tikki-tavi- 第4部分

kill　him　underground。〃



So　he　sang　a　very　mournful　song　that　he　made　up　on　the　spur　of

the　minute；　and　just　as　he　got　to　the　most　touching　part；　the

grass　quivered　again；　and　Rikki…tikki；　covered　with　dirt；　dragged

himself　out　of　the　hole　leg　by　leg；　licking　his　whiskers。　　Darzee

stopped　with　a　little　shout。　　Rikki…tikki　shook　some　of　the　dust

out　of　his　fur　and　sneezed。　　〃It　is　all　over；〃　he　said。　　〃The

widow　will　never　come　out　again。〃　　And　the　red　ants　that　live

between　the　grass　stems　heard　him；　and　began　to　troop　down　one

after　another　to　see　if　he　had　spoken　the　truth。



Rikki…tikki　curled　himself　up　in　the　grass　and　slept　where　he

wasslept　and　slept　till　it　was　late　in　the　afternoon；　for　he

had　done　a　hard　day's　work。



〃Now；〃　he　said；　when　he　awoke；　〃I　will　go　back　to　the　house。

Tell　the　Coppersmith；　Darzee；　and　he　will　tell　the　garden　that

Nagaina　is　dead。〃



The　Coppersmith　is　a　bird　who　makes　a　noise　exactly　like　the

beating　of　a　little　hammer　on　a　copper　pot；　and　the　reason　he　is

always　making　it　is　because　he　is　the　town　crier　to　every　Indian

garden；　and　tells　all　the　news　to　everybody　who　cares　to　listen。

As　Rikki…tikki　went　up　the　path；　he　heard　his　〃attention〃　notes

like　a　tiny　dinner　gong；　and　then　the　steady　〃Ding…dong…tock！　　Nag

is　deaddong！　　Nagaina　is　dead！　　Ding…dong…tock！〃　　That　set　all

the　birds　in　the　garden　singing；　and　the　frogs　croaking；　for　Nag

and　Nagaina　used　to　eat　frogs　as　well　as　little　birds。



When　Rikki　got　to　the　house；　Teddy　and　Teddy's　mother　（she

looked　very　white　still；　for　she　had　been　fainting）　and　Teddy's

father　came　out　and　almost　cried　over　him；　and　that　night　he　ate

all　that　was　given　him　till　he　could　eat　no　more；　and　went　to　bed

on　Teddy's　shoulder；　where　Teddy's　mother　saw　him　when　she　came　to

look　late　at　night。



〃He　saved　our　lives　and　Teddy's　life；〃　she　said　to　her

husband。　　〃Just　think；　he　saved　all　our　lives。〃



Rikki…tikki　woke　up　with　a　jump；　for　the　mongooses　are　light

sleepers。



〃Oh；　it's　you；〃　said　he。　　〃What　are　you　bothering　for？　　All

the　cobras　are　dead。　　And　if　they　weren't；　I'm　here。〃



Rikki…tikki　had　a　right　to　be　proud　of　himself。　　But　he　did

not　grow　too　proud；　and　he　kept　that　garden　as　a　mongoose　should

keep　it；　with　tooth　and　jump　and　spring　and　bite；　till　never　a

cobra　dared　show　its　head　inside　the　walls。