Читать книгу Chunky, the Happy Hippo: His Many Adventures онлайн

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“Yes, I think Mumpy will be a good name for her,” said Mrs. Hippo, and so Chunky’s sister was named. Then there was left only his brother, who was younger than Chunky.

Just as Mrs. Dippo finished naming the two little animal children, the one who was left without a name awakened from his sleep and got up. He slipped on a muddy place near the bank of the river and bumped into Chunky, nearly knocking him over.

“Oh, look out, you bumpy boy!” cried Mrs. Hippo, speaking, of course, in animal talk.

“Ha! That’s his name!” cried Mrs. Dippo, with a laugh.

“What is?” asked Mrs. Hippo.

“Bumpy!” said Mrs. Dippo. “Don’t you see? He bumped into Chunky, so you can call him Bumpy!”

“That’s a fine name,” said Mrs. Hippo, and Bumpy liked it himself.

So that is how the three little hippos were named, and after that they kept on eating and growing and growing and eating until they were quite large—larger even than pigs.

One day, Mr. and Mrs. Hippo and most of their animal friends were quite far out in the river, diving down to dig up the sweet roots that grew near the bottom. Chunky, Mumpy and Bumpy were on the bank lying in the sun to get dry, for they had been swimming about near shore.