Lessons From The Waterfall

Square Verdrel, Rouen.

Now Terence, says Belle. We'll find Roo-kai and the others, and you can stay here with them.

They'll be at the waterfall, says Nico.

Oh dear, says Belle.

It's quite safe, says Nico.

They walk to the ornamental waterfall, where water splashes down over rocks, into a pond, with ducks in it.

Sure enough, Roo-kai is there, with the carrot.

Baby Pierre and Ouvert are nearby.

The three frogs are discussing the possiblity of a swimming competition.

Roo-kai, says Belle. Nico and I want to look at more paintings, but Terence is bored, so we've brought him to you.

Right! says Roo-kai. 

Belle and Nico return to the Musée des Beaux Arts.

Yay! says Terence. Can I go to the top of the waterfall and look down?

Why? asks Roo-kai.

And can I take the carrot? asks Terence.

What for? asks Roo-kai.

To give it a lesson, says Terence.

I was thinking of giving it a lesson, says Roo-kai. 

What lesson? asks Terence. 

How to float on its back, says Roo-kai.

It doesn't have a back says Terence.

It does, says Roo-kai. See this hole. This is where the word Carrot comes out, when it says it.

So what? says Terence.

This is the front of the carrot, says Roo-kai. So, (he rotates the carrot), this must be the back.

Carrot, says the carrot.

So can I? asks Terence.

No, says Roo-kai. What would your lesson have been, if I'd let you?

I'd be at the top with the carrot, and I'd show it the rocks and the water, and the spray, and the arrows, says Terence. 

Arrows! says Roo-kai. Where are they?

You can only see them from up there, says Terence.

I don't believe you, says Roo-kai. I'm flying up to take a look for myself.

He flies up. 

Terence knows there are no arrows. Or if there are, you can't see them. He learned that in the Musée des Beaux Arts, at least.

But now he is in charge of the carrot.

Roo-kai is at the top of the waterfall, looking down

A fine mist of spray from the waterfall makes it hard for him to see that the carrot is now in the water.

Nor can he see the ducks swimming towards it, like arrows.

Eager to see if it's bread.