'Bless my soul!' cried the Head of the Fire Department, going red in the face. 'It really is a little boy, isn't it?'
'Don't be frightened of us, please!' James called out. 'We are so glad to be here!'
'What about those others beside you?' shouted the Chief of Police. 'Are any of them dangerous?'
'Of course they're not dangerous!' James answered. 'They're the nicest creatures in the world! Allow me to introduce them to you one by one and then I'm sure you will believe me.'
'My friends, this is the Centipede, and let me make it known
He is so sweet and gentle that (although he's overgrown) The Queen of Spain, again and again, has summoned him by phone
To baby-sit and sing and knit and be a chaperone
When nurse is off and all the royal children are alone.'
('Small wonder,' said a Fireman, 'they're no longer on the throne.')
'The Earthworm, on the other hand,'
Said James, beginning to expand,
'Is great for digging up the land
And making old soils newer.
Moreover, you should understand
He would be absolutely grand
For digging subway tunnels and
For making you a sewer.'
(The Earthworm blushed and beamed with pride.
Miss Spider clapped and cheered and cried, 'Could any words be truer?')
'And the Grasshopper, ladies and gents, is a boon
In millions and millions of ways.
You have only to ask him to give you a tune
And he plays and he plays and he plays.
As a toy for your children he's perfectly sweet;
There's nothing so good in the shops -
You've only to tickle the soles of his feet
And he hops and he hops and he hops.'
('He can't be very fierce!' exclaimed
The Head of all the Cops.)
'And now without excuse