It's a dashed shame that Tarquin failed all his A-levels — we were hoping to get him into Oxford.

When Vernon came in from work, he always brought me wildflowers he had found, an armsful of tiger lilies, bluebells, and white daisies.

Naturally the Chickies and the Gooverooskies and the Epatkas—the Burgomaster Gulls and the Kittiwakes and the Puffins, who are always looking for a chance to be rude—took up the cry, and—so Limmershin told me—for nearly five minutes you could not have heard a gun fired on Walrus Islet.

Across the aisle, the Milanese Madonna and her baby wear their own crowns, and she is besceptered: no further gifts are required.