large/12918/tommy_smiths_animals_1812_librivox_64kb_mp3/tommysmith_11_selous_64kb_37
large/12918/tommy_smiths_animals_1812_librivox_64kb_mp3/tommysmith_11_selous_64kb
English
12918
Now think how many owls there are all over the country, and think what thousands and thousands of rats and mice they must catch every night, and then think what a lot of good they must do. NOW THINK HOW MANY OWLS THERE ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THINK WHAT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF RATS AND MICE THEY MUST CATCH EVERY NIGHT AND THEN THINK WHAT A LOT OF GOODS THEY MUST DO
I suppose?” Tommy Smith didn’t quite know what to say to this. “Of course, if you really _are_ very useful,” he began— “Well, if you were a farmer,” the owl went on, “I don’t suppose you would like to have all your corn, and wheat, and hay, and everything eaten up by rats and mice, would you?” “Oh no,” said Tommy Smith. “That is what would happen, though, if it wasn’t for me,” said the owl. “You see, _I_ eat the rats and mice. They are my proper food, especially the mice. A full-grown rat is rather large for me—too large to swallow whole, at anyrate; and I like to swallow things whole if I can. But the mice and the young rats are just the right size, and you’ve no idea what a lot of them I eat. I have a very good appetite, I can tell you, and so have my children. Of course, I have to feed them as well as myself, so there is plenty of work for me to do. Every night I fly round the fields and farmyards, and when I see a mouse, or a rat, or a mole, or a shrew-mouse, down I pounce upon it.  BIRD IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT I SUPPOSE TOMMY SMITH DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO THIS OF COURSE IF YOU REALLY ARE VERY USEFUL HE BEGAN WELL IF YOU WERE A FARMER THE OWL WENT ON I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALL YOUR CORN AND WHEAT AND HAY AND EVERYTHING EATEN UP BY RATS AND MICE WOULD YOU OH NO SAID TOMMY SMITH THAT IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THOUGH IF IT WASN'T FOR ME SAID THE OWL YOU SEE I EAT THE RATS AND MICE THEY ARE MY PROPER FOOD ESPECIALLY THE MICE A FULL GROWN RAT IS RATHER LARGE FOR ME TOO LARGE TO SWALLOW HOLE AT ANY RATE AND I LIKE TO SWALLOW THINGS WHOLE IF I CAN BUT THE MICE AND THE YOUNG RATS ARE JUST THE RIGHT SIZE AND YOU'VE NO IDEA WHAT A LOT OF THEM I EAT I HAVE A VERY GOOD APPETITE I CAN TELL YOU AND SO HAVE MY CHILDREN OF COURSE I HAVE TO FEED THEM AS WELL AS MYSELF SO THERE IS PLENTY OF WORK FOR ME TO DO EVERY NIGHT I FLY ROUND THE FIELDS AND FARMYARDS AND WHEN I SEE A MOUSE OR A RAT OR A MOLE OR A SHREW MOUSE DOWN I POUNCE UPON IT
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