They all said goodbye to Tumble and, as they were leaving FANTASY FAIR, Corky's mind was full of the amazing things they'd done, or he'd THOUGHT they'd done. Surely there couldn't possibly be anything more exciting, so he might as well go to school. It sounded interesting according to Amy.
'I'll have a fink about it in my rocking-chair' he decided.
No sooner had he said this than they all vanished and he was alone in his
cottage. "They can't 'ave the cane nor detention' he thought, "cos nobody 'urts nobody and nobody's naughty'. Then he realised that he himself hadn't got into any scrapes at all since he'd been in THINK LAND. He made a discovery. 'I've got it!' he cried, 'nobody's naughty 'ere 'cos nobody's bored. Everyfing is interesting and they don't make you do nuffing you don't want to neither, and they're orl nice and kind'.
He felt very happy. 'I know wot I'll do now. I'll ask them orl to take me wiff them to school'. So he took out his pebble and thought of Miss Wise and the children. They appeared immediately. This sudden turning up of people whenever he needed them, never failed to surprise and delight him, but to them it seemed quite natural.
'Ello! Can I come wiff you to school?' he asked.
'Of course you can' said Miss Wise, and everyone was pleased.
They arrived at the entrance to a magnificent building, whose walls were pure white and studded with pearls. They glistened in the wonderful light and as Corky stared unbelievingly, he was told they were pearls of wisdom. There were well-kept lawns and a huge swimming-pool. 'Mr Dolphin's our swimming master' the children told him, 'and we love him. He has a special sound language which he's teaching us'.
'COR! Wot a place!' Corky exclaimed. 'You should see MY school!' A picture flashed into his mind of a drab building surrounded by a concrete playground, and inside, dingy corridors with dark green tiles smelling like carbolic soap! The only flowers were the occasional ones his teacher brought on a Monday morning which he stuck in a jam-jar. Here flowers were everywhere and the air scented with their perfume.
They approached the massive doorway over which was inscribed in gold letters 'ACORN ACADEMY'. 'That's a funny name for a school', he thought.
'I'll explain' said Miss Wise. 'It's called Acorn because that's a symbol of growth. Everything starts from an idea which can develop into something big, like those great oaks out there. And here we learn how to grow our minds. Do you understand?
'Well, I FINK I do' he replied a little uncertain.
'Now I'll show you round and the rest of you can look at the list on the notice-board and decide what classes you 're going to'.
'Wot lessons do you 'ave?' Corky asked, as they crossed the large hall with wide open windows and walls covered with brilliantly-coloured paintings by the children.
'Well, the most important are the THINKING and READING lessons. Then we have Art, and Music is very popular for you can play any instrument you like'.
'Wot about 'rifmetic?' he asked.
'We don't need that. You see, we've no money and so we've no accounts to bother with, and we can measure space with our minds'.
He got more and more interested as they walked past classrooms with gleaming WHITE-boards and beautiful plants on the window-sills. Everywhere was colour, space and light. Corky was reduced to silence. He could only stare in wonder.
They came to an enormous room, 'the size of Wembley Stadium', he thought. It was filled with animals' 'COR! Do they 'ave lessons too?' he asked in amazement.
'Of course', she replied. 'They've a lot to learn too, especially about humans!' He'd heard of a school OF animals, like whales or porpoises but never a school FOR animals! In the corner of the back row was an elephant and, sitting next to him, a deer and a bull! There were foxes and hares and rabbits and geese, ducks, turkeys and chickens and they were all listening to the teacher - a very handsome Alsatian dog!
Corky stood gaping while Miss Wise went up to him. 'Mr Barker' she said, introducing him, 'this is Corky, the new boy'. The Alsatian held out its paw. 'Welcome to our THINKING class' he said. 'We're just having a discussion on the importance of forgiveness towards humans for all the cruelty they've inflicted on our parents and grandparents. It's a VERY hard lesson, especially for Trunky, as he can't forget what happened to his Uncle Jumbo'.
'Wot was that, Mr Barker?' Corky asked.
'His tusks were made into piano keys. That's why Trunky refuses to join the Music class, and he'd make SUCH a good trumpeter!'
'Do animals FINK, then?'
'Not in your world I don't expect, but they do here'.
As they left, Miss Wise told Corky how well-qualified Mr Barker was, with a diploma in Human Behaviour and how he'd spent several years before he came to THINK LAND with a human master. 'What animals find so difficult to understand' she said, 'is that children love them and make friends with them, and are not afraid of them. Then when they grow into men and women, their attitude changes and often they become cruel and regard animals as their enemies or as targets for their games'.
'Well, I won't change, NEVER!' said Corky resolutely. 'I wish I 'adn't to grow up. Miss. Grown-ups do such nasty fings and they NEVER 'ave time to listen, but I shall'.
'I'm sure you will. Corky dear', she replied, gently.
