'HELLO!' roared the deepest voice Corky had ever heard. He opened his eyes and gaped in astonishment. There was a lion with an enormous head and a huge tail which was swinging from side to side like a gigantic windscreen-wiper!
'WHO ARE YOU?' he bellowed.
'Not so loud dear', said Geraldine and her soothing voice made Corky feel much better. 'Let me introduce you two. This is Corky and this is Leo - er my gentleman friend' and she giggled like a schoolgirl. 'Come on Leo, shake a paw. He won't bite you'
'Me bite 'IM!' thought Corky 'That's a larf that is' He held out his hand nervously and held his breath at the same time but he needn't have worried. The paw felt warm and furry.
' 'Ow d'you do' he said politely.
'I DO remarkably well' replied Leo, 'considering that I've lost my pride since I came here'
'You mean you've lost your cubs?'
'O no. I mean the pride the peacock and I have in common'
'I know. Toffee-nosed!'
'Toffee-nosed? What an extraordinary expression!' said Geraldine, 'Leo is a most humble creature and we all love him. He's so strong and powerful and yet SO gentle' and she looked at him adoringly.
'My Mum's got a gentleman friend and 'e's big and strong, but ever so nice and she goes soppy about 'im too' said Corky. He looked across at Leo and smiled. 'Funny this' he continued, 'me sitting 'ere talking to you like this and not a bit afraid, not like when I was at the zoo and the lion there was in a cage with great steel bars'
'A CAGE?' said Leo throwing up his paws in horror.
'S' right. Lions is always locked up in cages where I comes from 'cos they're dangerous and the keeper 'as to watch out, especially when it's dinner-time and 'e chucks in a great 'unk of meat, in case 'e gets 'is 'and bitten orf!'
1 was NEVER in a cage' said Leo.
'That's 'cos you was probably in Africa before you come 'ere and you was free'
'Oh yes I was free - just as I am now but THERE I was the King of the Beasts'
'And you was proud and orl the other animals was afraid of you' said Corky
'Afraid of LEO?' said Geraldine in surprise
'Oh yes. You thank your lucky stars you're 'ere and not there, Geraldine. You wouldn't be Leo's lady friend, you'd be 'is dinner! Nice NECK of stew you'd make too' and Corky laughed.
"That remark is NOT funny' she replied sharply, but soon recovered her calmness as two animals came bounding towards them. 'Look" she cried. 'It's Pet and Priscilla. They're simply LIVING to meet you Corky. I sent out a thought to them that you had arrived'
'DYING to meet me you mean' Corky corrected her
'CORKY!' Geraldine shrieked. 'Don't you EVER use that unmentionable word here! '
Pet was the whitest fluffiest lamb you could imagine, and that was exactly what Corky had always done - imagine. This was the very first time he had actually SEEN one, because he'd never actually SEEN a field! They took to each other instantly and as they snuggled close together and Corky rubbed his chin across his soft woolly coat he suddenly felt guilty. 'To fink that I've eaten lamb and enjoyed it too!, especially with mint-sauce! Why I may 'ave eaten one of Pet's relations! I'll NEVER do that again, NEVER' he vowed.
'I certainly hope you won't' said Geraldine. 'A terrible thing to do'
'But we orl does'
'Does what?' asked Leo
'Eat lamb'
'Eat LAMB!' Leo exploded and got purple in the face
'That makes us quits then' said Corky, I've eaten lamb and I bet you've eaten giraffe!'
Geraldine was speechless with indignation.
'And what about ME-OW?' said a soothing voice. It was Priscilla, a beautiful Siamese cat with sleek brown and white fur that reminded Corky of chocolate and cream.
'Don't let me interrupt this fascinating discussion' she purred. Geraldine introduced her to Corky.
'PURRhaps you will PURRmit me to say something. Speaking PURRsonally I too am guilty, for I've eaten mice and rats and birds. But all that is past and we're all in the present and we're all friends and this is a PURRfect place. So relax everybody, just like I do', and Priscilla stretched herself elegantly and closed her lovely blue eyes.
'PURRfect, PURRfect' she repeated, smiling contentedly.
