ONCEuponatime,onanuninhabitedislandontheshoresoftheRedSea,therelivedaParseefromwhosehattheraysofthesunwerereflectedihan-orientalsplendour.AndtheParseelivedbytheRedSeawithnothingbuthishatandhisknifeandacooking-stoveofthekindthatyoumustparticularlyoudonedayhetookflourandwaterandcurrantsandplumsandsugarandthings,andmadehimselfonecakewhichwastwofeetacrossandthreefeetthick.ItwasindeedaSuperiorestible(thatsmagidheputitonstovebecausehewasallowedtocookoove,andhebakeditandhebakedittillitwasalldonebrownamostseal.ButjustashewasgoitherecamedowntothebeatheAltogetherUninhabitedInterioroneRhinoceroswithahornonhiswopiggyeyes,andfewmanners.InthosedaystheRhinocerossskinfittedhimquitetight.Therewerenowrinklesinitanywhere.HelookedexactlylikeaNoahsArkRhinoceros,butofcoursemuchbigger.Allthesame,hehadnomahen,andhehasnomannersnow,andheneverwillhaveanymanners.Hesaid,How!

    andtheParseeleftthatcakeandclimbedtothetopofapalmtreewithnothingonbuthishat,fromwhichtheraysofthesunwerealwaysreflectedihan-orientalsplendour.AndtheRhinocerosupsettheoil-stovewithhisnose,andthecakerolledonthesand,andhespikedthatcakeonthehornofhisnose,aeit,aaway,wavinghistail,tothedesolateandExclusivelyUninhabitedInteriorwhichabutsontheislandsofMazanderan,Socotra,andPromontoriesoftheLargerEquinox.ThentheParseecamedownfromhispalm-treeandputthestoveonitslegsaedthefollowingSloka,which,asyouhavenotheard,Iwillnowproceedtorelate:--

    Themthattakescakes

    WhichtheParsee-manbakes

    Makesdreadfulmistakes.

    Andth