Corky got up and walked round the lake, and when he reached the other side, he glanced up. 'I don't believe it!' he cried. At the top of the grassy hillside he'd come down, was the most extraordinary rock he'd ever seen. It seemed to be made of mother-of-pearl, and it glistened in the radiant light that was everywhere. As he stared fascinated, suddenly at the very top, a head appeared. He could only see the outline from where he was standing, but it looked like an animal's head with two rather large ears. It rose up, up, UP, as if it were stuck on the end of a giant pole.
'Cor! It's a monster and that's its neck!'
Before he could say another word, there was a whizzing sound and the THING - whatever it was, flew into the air and landed right on the spot where he had sat, but without its neck! It was a head and body but no legs! Corky began to wonder if he was in some film studio where they were making a cartoon. The next minute the neck and legs were back on and the animal got up. It was a giraffe.
''Owever did 'e do that ? I don't believe it!' - Corky repeated. Then it disappeared.
Suddenly a voice high above him said 'In that case, young man, I don't exist'
Corky looked up, startled.
'I'll give you another chance, as obviously you're a newcomer here. Do you believe in me or not ?'
'Er - yes, of course I do'
'Very well then, I DO exist' said the giraffe. 'Now we can introduce ourselves. I'm Geraldine - the tallest inhabitant here. Not everyone appreciates my wit. They regard me as a pain in the neck! '
Corky laughed out loud at this. 'That's wot my Mum calls me'
'I'm afraid I can't shake hooves with you. I just couldn't resist trying on these ridiculous garments of yours. How DO you walk in them ?'
Corky looked down and saw that she was wearing a sock on each of her front hooves and shoes on each of the back. When he tried to explain that you wore the socks and shoes together, Geraldine seemed to have lost interest and was tugging at them to get them off. To his dismay she tossed them into the air and they disappeared!
"There!' she said 'You won't need those stupid things any more' She turned to him. 'You're surprised' she said, 'and I'm not surprised that you're surprised. In fact I should be surprised if you weren't surprised. Do you follow me ?' Corky nodded.
'Good. My voice, you observe, is high-pitched. Ha!Ha! Another of my little jokes. By the way, just now you saw a demonstration of a technique I've patented - my collapsible neck and legs. SO useful for travelling don't you think ? Now where were we ? Or rather - where are we ? You see there is no PAST TENSE here. It's all PRESENT. At this moment you are wondering where you are and wishing your Mum could see all this'
' 'Ow d'you know that ?' asked Corky in surprise.
'I can read your thoughts'.
'Cor! Can you really ?'
'0 yes. Let me explain. You, Corky, are your THOUGHTS! I will now pause for you to consider this important fact'.
There was silence and Geraldine smiled gently as she looked down at the boy with his puzzled expression.
'Of course' she went on, 'you don't understand now, but you will gradually. Everything happens gradually here. Even in your world, as you are aware, an acorn doesn't suddenly become an oak tree. Anyway forget that for the moment and answer me one question. How do you like it here ?'
'It's WONDERFUL!' cried Corky excitedly. 'It's far too good to be true, wherever it is!'
'The first part of your answer is correct' said Geraldine. 'It IS wonderful. The second part however is utter nonsense! It's not TOO good to be true. It's SO good because it IS true. And now young man I will reveal to you where you are'
'Where ?' asked Corky eagerly.
'THINK LAND' she replied. 'You are in the CHILDREN'S REALM!'
