It Happened Once In Scotland

Gaius has explained the igloo joke to Terence, who now understands it.

Terence thinks he will test it on Rusty.

Where is he?

Here he comes now with Mathilde, Bertille's mother.

Mathilde is holding his hand. He's walking funny.

Here we are at last, says Mathilde. Have we missed much?

Some good jokes, says Gaius. Terence will tell you.

Let us sit on a bench, says Mathilde. Rusty has trouble standing. 

I might need special shoes, says Rusty.

Maybe you could get your toes back from the otter, says Bertille.

Unlikely, says the Head of Slugs. He'll have swallowed them by now.

Then he'll vomit, says Terence.

Or he won't vomit, says Gaius. Just because that happened once, with a gold coin, and a different otter, in Scotland, doesn't mean this otter will vomit.

What are you suggesting? asks the Head of Slugs.

That this otter, Hideo, may have spat them out and be toying with them at this moment, says Gaius. 

Or, if he has swallowed them, says Jean-Claude, and he doesn't vomit, he must defecate eventually. And then, le voilà!

Yuck, dad! says Bertille. That's disgusting.

But we must admit all possibilities, says Gaius. 

All right, says the Head of Slugs. My break is nearly over, and I must return to my office. I shall go via the otter pool. 

I'll come with you, says Gaius. This sea slug is growing heavier by the moment.

Gaius and the Head of Slugs head for the otter pool.

Terence sits beside Rusty, and asks him what penguins build their houses with.

I don't know, says Rusty.

Igloo, says Terence. 

It's a poor version of the original riddle, and Rusty is puzzled.