The Dung Beetle (10)

The Dung Beetle (10)

  " Always up to something ! Aren't they darling ? " the mothers said in a chorus, and oozed mother love.

  But the dung beetle was bored and asked for directions to the nearest hothouse.

  " It is far, far away, nearly at the end of the world, on the other side of the ditch, " explained one of the lady earwigs.
  " If one of my children ever should think of traveling so far away I would die. I am shure of it. "

  " Well, that is where I am going, " said the dung beetle, and to show that he was really gallant, he left without saying good-bye.

  In the ditch he met many realtives ; all of them dung beetles.
  " This is our home, " they said.
  " It is quite comfortable : warm and wet. Please step down into the land of plenty. You must be tired after all your travels. "

   " I am ! " replied the dung beetle.
   " I have lain a whole day and a whole night on linen. Cleanlines wears you out so. Then I stood under a draughty flowerpot until I got arthritis in my wings. It is a blessing to be with my own kind again. " 

  " Do you come from hothouse ? " one of the older dung beetles asked.

(10/20)