“Really, Puzzle,”said Shift,“I didn’t think you’d ever say a thing like that.I didn’t think it of you, really.”
“Why, what have I said wrong?”said the Ass, speaking in rather a humble voice, for he saw that Shift was very deeply offended.“All I meant was—”
“Wantio go into the water,”said the Ape.“As if you didn’t know perfectly well what weak chests Apes always have and how easily they catch cold！Very well.I will go in.I’m feeling cold enough already in this cruel wind.But I’ll go in.I shall probably die.Then you’ll be sorry.”And Shift’s voice sounded as if he was just going to burst into tears.
“Plea don’t, plea don’t, plea don’t,”said Puzzle, half braying, and half talking.“I never meant anything of the sort, Shift, really I didn’t.You know how stupid I am and how I ’t think of more thahing at a time.I’d fotten about your weak chest.Of cour I’ll go in.You mustn’t think of doing it yourlf.Promi me you won’t, Shift.”
So Shift promid, and Puzzle went cloppety-clop on his four hoofs round the rocky edge of the Pool to find a place where he could get in.Quite apart from the cold it was no joke getting into that quivering and foaming water, and Puzzle had to stand and shiver for a whole minute before he made up his mind to do it.But then Shift called out from behind him and said：“Perhaps I’d better do it after all, Puzzle.”And when Puzzle heard that he said,“No, no.You promid.I’m in now,”and in he went.
A great mass of foam got him in the fad filled his mouth with water and blinded him.Then he went under altogether for a few ds, and when he came up again he was in quite another part of the Pool.Then the swirl caught him and carried him round and round and faster and faster till it took him right uhe waterfall itlf, and the force of the water plunged him down, deep down, so that he thought he would never be able to hold his breath till he came up again.And when he had e up and when at last he got somewhere he thing he was trying to catch, it sailed away from him till it too got uhe fall and was forced down to the bottom.When it came up again it was further from him than ever.But at last, when he was almost tired to death, and bruid all over and numb with cold, he succeeded in gripping the thing with his teeth.And out he came carrying it in front of him aing his front hoofs tangled up in it, for it was as big as a large hearthrug, and it was very heavy and cold and slimy.