Matters were in this state when one day the shark said : ' I really hardly know how to thank you for all your kindness to me during these weeks . Here I have nothing of my own to offer you , but if you would only consent to come home with me , how gladly would I give you anything that might happen to take your fancy . ' ' I should like nothing better , ' cried the monkey , his teeth chattering , as they always did when he was pleased . ` But how could I get there ? Not by water . Ugh ! It makes me ill to think of it ! ' ` Oh ! do n't let that trouble you , ' replied the shark , ` you have only to sit on my back and I will undertake that not a drop of water shall touch you . ' So it was arranged , and directly after breakfast next morning the shark swam close up under the tree and the monkey dropped neatly on his back , without even a splash . After a few minutes -- for at first he felt a little frightened at his strange position -- the monkey began to enjoy himself vastly , and asked the shark a thousand questions about the fish and the sea-weeds and the oddly-shaped things that floated past them , and as the shark always gave him some sort of answer , the monkey never guessed that many of the objects they saw were as new to his guide as to himself . The sun had risen and set six times when the shark suddenly said , ` My friend , we have now performed half our journey , and it is time that I should tell you something . ' ` What is it ? ' asked the monkey . ` Nothing unpleasant , I hope , for you sound rather grave ? ' ` Oh , no ! Nothing at all . It is only that shortly before we left I heard that the sultan of my country is very ill , and that the only thing to cure him is a monkey 's heart . ' ` Poor man , I am very sorry for him , ' replied the monkey ; ` but you were unwise not to tell me till we had started . ' ` What do you mean ? '
asked the XXXXX ; but the monkey , who now understood the whole plot , did not answer at once , for he was considering what he should say .
day first fish home left minutes sea-weeds shark times weeks