Jimmy’s Birthday

Today is Jimmy’s birthday. He has received a lot of presents. He is sitting at the table with his new book.

Lily Christine is in the room too. She has her favorite doll in her hands. The doll’s face is all smeared with jam, for Lily is trying to feed her darling.

Jimmy, the Carrot, has forgotten all about his little guest. He cannot leave the book — there are lots of pictures in it.

Lily feels lonely. It is not interesting to play all alone.

“Jimmy,” she says softly. “Jimmy, will you play with me?”

“I won’t,” the boy says without looking at his little guest.

“Isn’t it your birthday today?” Lily asks.

“Well, what if it is?” the Carrot says.

“Why, you invited me, didn’t you?” Lily says.

“What if I invited you — what then?” Jimmy says without moving.

“Suppose I go home — what then?” little Lily says, taking her doll and going to the door.

“Don’t be silly, Lily. You are a big girl now. Don’t be cross! There’s a dear girl! You know that there’s a chocolate tart in the cupboard for tea. I would like you to taste it,” Jimmy says and puts his book away.

“When will you have tea?” Lily asks.

“We shall have it at five o’clock,” he says.

“What time is it now?” Lily asks.

“The tower clock has just chimed four,” Jimmy answers.

“How long must we wait for five o’clock tea?” Lily asks.

“Don’t be curious! It isn’t nice!” the boy says.

“Still, I want to know,” Lily says stubbornly.

“Well, we must wait an hour,” he says.

“Is that long? How many minutes are there in an hour?” the curious girl asks.

“There are a lot of minutes in an hour,” Jimmy says.

He does not know himself, so he tries to change the subject.

“And how much is a lot?” his little guest asks again.

“Don’t ask such silly questions!” the boy says angrily.

Lily is about to cry.

“I’m your guest and you shout at me. You aren’t polite,” she says to the Carrot.

Jimmy is ashamed. He comes up to Lily and says:

“Forgive me, Lily. Don’t be angry with me! Let us look at the pictures! Look!”

“What is this?” the little girl says.

“A shark. Have you ever seen a shark? It is a very big fish,” Jimmy says.

“No, I haven’t. Have you?” the girl asks.

“Yes, I have. I saw one in my father’s book last year,” says Jimmy. He is very glad that Lily is not angry with him anymore.

“How big is a shark?” asks the curious girl.

“Oh, awfully big — as big as this room, and even bigger. A shark can swallow a man.”

“Oh, that can’t be, Jimmy. No, that can’t be,”Lily cries in horror. “Why must it swallow a man?”

“Because sharks feed on men,” Jimmy says.

“Oh, Carrot, how awful! Now I’ll never, never, never go to the lake without you,” Lily whispers.

Jimmy, the Carrot, laughs at his little friend. He knows that there are no sharks in their lake, but Lily does not.

So the Carrot thinks to himself: “I’m much cleverer than this silly little girl.”