74 words to know before reading Just So Stories

1. A flat structure for floating or traveling on water.
2. A large amount or number of something.

swim to latitude Fifty North, longitude Forty West (that is magic), you will find, sitting on a raft, in the middle of the sea, with nothing on but a pair of blue canvas breeches, a pair of

1. A strong, coarse cloth used for making sails, tents, or paintings.
2. A piece of fabric stretched over a frame for painting.

will find, sitting on a raft, in the middle of the sea, with nothing on but a pair of blue canvas breeches, a pair of suspenders (you must not forget the suspenders, Best Beloved), and a

1. Short trousers fastened just below the knee, traditionally worn for riding or by men in the past.
2. Informal term for trousers or pants in general.

sitting on a raft, in the middle of the sea, with nothing on but a pair of blue canvas breeches, a pair of suspenders (you must not forget the suspenders, Best Beloved), and a jackknife, one

1. A folding pocket knife with a blade that swings into the handle.
2. A dive where the body bends at the waist and then straightens.

breeches, a pair of suspenders (you must not forget the suspenders, Best Beloved), and a jackknife, one shipwrecked Mariner, who, it is only fair to tell you, is a man of

1. Keen mental discernment and good judgment.
2. Wisdom or soundness in decision-making.

shipwrecked Mariner, who, it is only fair to tell you, is a man of infinite-resource-and-sagacity.” So the Whale swam and swam to latitude Fifty North, longitude Forty West, as fast as he could

1. A framework of parallel or crossed bars, typically used as a screen or cover.
2. A harsh, irritating sound or noise.

had taken his jackknife and cut up the raft into a little square grating all running crisscross, and he had tied it firm with his suspenders (now you know why you were

1. A large, humped mammal used for transport in deserts.
2. A color resembling light tan or yellowish-brown.

How the Camel Got His Hump Now this is the next tale, and it tells how the Camel got his big hump. In the

1. A rounded protuberance on the back of a camel or other animal.
2. A small hill or mound.

How the Camel Got His Hump Now this is the next tale, and it tells how the Camel got his big hump. In the beginning of

1. A loud, prolonged cry or sound, often made by animals like wolves.
2. A strong, mournful noise caused by wind.

were just beginning to work for Man, there was a Camel, and he lived in the middle of a Howling Desert because he did not want to work; and besides, he was a Howler himself. So he ate sticks

1. A loud, deep laugh or cry, often resembling an animal's sound.
2. A glaring mistake or blunder, especially in speech or writing.

“Well,” said the Horse, “there’s a thing in the middle of your Howling Desert (and he’s a Howler himself) with a long neck and long legs, and he hasn’t done a stroke of work since Monday

1. An exclamation expressing doubt, dissatisfaction, or contempt.
2. A sound made to indicate skepticism or disapproval.

and milkweed and prickles, most ’scruciating idle; and when anybody spoke to him he said “Humph!” Just “Humph!” and no more. Presently the Horse came to him on Monday morning, with a saddle on

1. A gait of a horse or other four-legged animal, faster than a walk but slower than a canter.
2. To move at a steady, brisk pace.

with a saddle on his back and a bit in his mouth, and said, “Camel, O Camel, come out and trot like the rest of us.” “Humph!” said the Camel; and the Horse went away and told the Man.

1. To go and bring back something.
2. To retrieve data or information.

the Whale. “What is it like?” “Nice,” said the small ’Stute Fish. “Nice but nubbly.” “Then fetch me some,” said the Whale, and he made the sea froth up with his tail. “One at a time is enough,”

1. A supernatural creature in Islamic mythology, often depicted as a spirit with free will.
2. A genie, typically associated with granting wishes in folklore.

travel that way because it is Magic), and he stopped to palaver and pow-pow with the Three. “Djinn of All Deserts,” said the Horse, “is it right for anyone to be idle, with the world so

1. A large, thick-skinned mammal with one or two horns on its snout.
2. Found in Africa and Asia, known for its size and strength.

How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin Once upon a time, on an uninhabited island on the shores of the Red Sea, there lived

1. Not lived in or occupied by people.
2. Empty or deserted, with no permanent residents.

How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin Once upon a time, on an uninhabited island on the shores of the Red Sea, there lived a Parsee from whose hat the rays of the sun were

1. Lines or beams of light radiating from a source.
2. Marine fish with flat bodies and wing-like fins.

inside. But the Parsee came down from his palm-tree, wearing his hat, from which the rays of the sun were reflected in more-than-oriental splendour, packed up his cooking-stove, and went

1. Magnificent and impressive beauty or grandeur.
2. Brilliant or radiant light.

things on the Parsee’s hat are the rays of the sun reflected in more-than-oriental splendour, because if I had drawn real rays they would have filled up all the picture. The cake has

1. Small, dried seedless grapes used in cooking and baking.
2. A type of small, tart berry from the Ribes family, often used in jams and desserts.

of the kind that you must particularly never touch. And one day he took flour and water and currants and plums and sugar and things, and made himself one cake which was two feet across and three

1. Small fragments of bread, cake, or other baked goods.
2. Tiny pieces or bits of something.

he scrubbed that skin, and he rubbed that skin just as full of old, dry, stale, tickly cake-crumbs and some burned currants as ever it could possibly hold. Then he climbed to the top of his

1. A large, carnivorous feline with a yellowish coat and black spots, native to Africa and Asia.
2. A term used to describe a spotted pattern resembling that of a leopard's coat.

How the Leopard Got His Spots In the days when everybody started fair, Best Beloved, the Leopard lived in a place

1. An open, uncultivated grassland or plain in southern Africa.
2. A term used to describe rural or wild landscapes in South Africa.

Best Beloved, the Leopard lived in a place called the High Veldt. ’Member it wasn’t the Low Veldt, or the Bush Veldt, or the Sour Veldt, but the ’sclusively bare, hot, shiny High Veldt, where

1. A tall African mammal with a long neck and legs, the tallest living terrestrial animal.
2. Known for its distinctive spotted coat and ossicones (horn-like structures).

yellowish-greyish-brownish colour of the High Veldt to one hair. This was very bad for the Giraffe and the Zebra and the rest of them; for he would lie down by a ’sclusively

1. A striped African mammal of the horse family.
2. A pedestrian crossing marked with white stripes.

colour of the High Veldt to one hair. This was very bad for the Giraffe and the Zebra and the rest of them; for he would lie down by a ’sclusively yellowish-greyish-brownish stone or

1. A large African antelope with spiral horns.
2. A type of grain, similar to wheat, used in brewing and baking.

rock and ’sclusively tufts of sandy-yellowish grass. The Giraffe and the Zebra and the Eland and the Koodoo and the Hartebeest lived there; and they were ’sclusively sandy-yellow-brownish

1. Relating to the original inhabitants of a region.
2. Indigenous people native to a particular area.

He knew. Said the Ethiopian to Baviaan, “Can you tell me the present habitat of the aboriginal Fauna?” (That meant just the same thing, but the Ethiopian always used long words. He was a

1. To slap someone on the buttocks as punishment or play.
2. To defeat soundly in a competition or game.

that he saw, or heard, or felt, or smelt, or touched, and all his uncles and his aunts spanked him. And still he was full of ’satiable curtiosity! One fine morning in the middle of the

1. A large, mostly herbivorous mammal with thick skin, short legs, and a massive body, native to Africa.
2. A semi-aquatic animal that spends much of its time in rivers or lakes.

was louder than several brass bands. He went especially out of his way to find a broad Hippopotamus (she was no relation of his), and he spanked her very hard, to make sure that the

1. A large, ground-dwelling monkey with a long snout and a short tail, found in Africa and Arabia.
2. A term used informally to describe a foolish or crude person.

your pipe and tobacco. Oh, come along out of it—quick. This is Wise Baviaan, the dog-headed Baboon, Who is Quite the Wisest Animal in All South Africa. I have drawn him from a statue that I made

1. Sweet, juicy fruits with a thick rind and pulpy interior, such as watermelon or cantaloupe.
2. Slang term for a woman's breasts.

spanked him with her broad, broad hoof; and he asked his hairy uncle, the Baboon, why melons tasted just so, and his hairy uncle, the Baboon, spanked him with his hairy, hairy paw. And still

1. A large aquatic reptile with a long snout, strong jaws, and thick skin, found in tropical regions.
2. Leather made from the skin of a crocodile, used in fashion.

me,” said the Elephant’s Child most politely, “but have you seen such a thing as a Crocodile in these promiscuous parts?” “Have I seen a Crocodile?” said the Bi-Coloured-Python-Rock-Snake,

1. Covered with or resembling grease; slippery or oily.
2. (Informal) Unpleasantly dishonest or insincere.

kind), and said to all his dear families, “Goodbye. I am going to the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, to find out what the Crocodile has for dinner.”

1. A large marsupial native to Australia, known for its powerful hind legs and tail used for hopping.
2. A term used in boxing to describe a punch that is thrown with an exaggerated motion.

The Singsong of Old Man Kangaroo Not always was the Kangaroo as now we do behold him, but a Different Animal with four short legs.

1. A narrow horizontal surface projecting from a wall or cliff.
2. A ridge or shelf of rock.

“Go away!” He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on a rock-ledge in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Middle God Nquing. He went to Nquing at eight

1. A wild dog native to Australia, known for its sandy or reddish coat.
2. (Slang) A cowardly or treacherous person.

Dingo—always hungry, dusty in the sunshine, and showed him Kangaroo. Nqong said, “Dingo! Wake up, Dingo! Do you see that gentleman dancing on an ashpit? He wants to be popular and very

1. Smiling broadly, often showing teeth.
2. Expressing happiness, amusement, or pleasure.

his hind legs ached. He had to! Still ran Dingo—Yellow-Dog Dingo—hungrier and hungrier, grinning like a horse-collar, never getting nearer, never getting farther; and they came to the Wollgong

1. Experienced a dull, continuous pain.
2. Felt distress or longing.

he ran through the blue gums; he ran through the spinifex; he ran till his front legs ached. He had to! Still ran Dingo—Yellow-Dog Dingo—always hungry, grinning like a rattrap, never

1. Located at or toward the back (e.g., hind legs).
2. A female deer, especially a red deer over three years old.

down from the bank, and knotted himself in a double-clove-hitch round the Elephant’s Child’s hind legs, and said, “Rash and inexperienced traveller, we will now seriously devote ourselves to a

1. Small fragments or splinters of something broken (e.g., glass, wood).
2. A region in South Australia, including the Flinders Ranges.

know how to get over; so he stood on his legs and hopped. He had to! He hopped through the Flinders; he hopped through the Cinders; he hopped through the deserts in the middle of Australia. He

1. Small pieces of burned material, like coal or wood, that remain after a fire.
2. Ashes or residue left from combustion.

on his legs and hopped. He had to! He hopped through the Flinders; he hopped through the Cinders; he hopped through the deserts in the middle of Australia. He hopped like a Kangaroo. First he

1. Covered with sharp points or thorns.
2. Easily irritated or sensitive to touch.

“When you scoop water with your paw you uncoil it with a Hedgehog,” said Stickly-Prickly. “Remember that, because it’s important.” “But,” said the Tortoise, “when you paw your meat you

1. A small spiny mammal with a short tail, found in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
2. A defensive military formation with troops arranged in a circle.

of the High and Far-Off Times. In the very middle of those times was a Stickly-Prickly Hedgehog, and he lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon, eating shelly snails and things. And he had a

1. Cloudy or murky due to stirred-up sediment or particles in a liquid.
2. Thick or dense with suspended matter, making it difficult to see through.

as you seem so anxious to be dropped I think you don’t want to be dropped. So jump into the turbid Amazon and be quick about it.” “I warn you that your Mummy won’t be pleased. Don’t tell her I

1. A slow-moving land reptile with a hard shell, part of the Testudinidae family.
2. A term used metaphorically to describe someone or something very slow.

of the turbid Amazon, eating shelly snails and things. And he had a friend, a Slow-Solid Tortoise, who lived on the banks of the turbid Amazon, eating green lettuces and things. And so that was

1. A large, powerful wild cat native to the Americas, known for its spotted coat.
2. A luxury British car manufacturer.

and so that was all right, Best Beloved. Do you see? “Now attend to me,” said Painted Jaguar, “because this is very important. My mother said that when I meet a Hedgehog I am to drop him

1. In a kind, courteous, or elegant manner.
2. Willingly or generously, often with goodwill.

knows?” “A Tortoise can’t curl himself up,” Mother Jaguar went on, ever so many times, graciously waving her tail. “He only draws his head and legs into his shell. By this you may know the

1. Relating to the later part of the Stone Age, marked by polished stone tools and farming.
2. Pertaining to the cultural period before the Bronze Age.

How the First Letter Was Written Once upon a most early time was a Neolithic man. He was not a Jute or an Angle, or even a Dravidian, which he might well have been, Best

1. A chewy candy made from sugar or molasses, boiled and pulled until soft.
2. Informal term for insincere or exaggerated flattery.

went down through the beaver-swamp to the Wagai river to spear carp-fish for dinner, and Taffy went too. Tegumai’s spear was made of wood with shark’s teeth at the end, and before he had

1. A preserved dead body, especially from ancient Egypt.
2. (Informal) A term of endearment for one's mother, chiefly British.

to be dropped. So jump into the turbid Amazon and be quick about it.” “I warn you that your Mummy won’t be pleased. Don’t tell her I didn’t tell you,” said Slow-Solid. “If you say another word

1. A large semiaquatic rodent with strong teeth, known for building dams and lodges.
2. The fur of a beaver, used in making hats and clothing.

you to go to my Mummy, because your legs are longer than mine, and you won’t fall into the beaver-swamp, and ask for Daddy’s other spear—the one with the black handle that hangs over our

1. A wetland area with waterlogged ground, often dominated by trees and shrubs.
2. To overwhelm or flood with excessive amounts of something.

are trees), and then you go over a hill (that’s a hill), and then you come into a beaver-swamp all full of beavers. I haven’t put in all the beavers, because I can’t draw beavers, but I’ve

1. A type of deciduous tree with thin bark, often white or silver in color.
2. A bundle of birch twigs used for corporal punishment.

will be angry.” He got up and twisted a big flat piece of bark off a birch-tree and gave it to Taffy. He did this, Best Beloved, to show that his heart was as white as the

1. A set of letters or symbols used to write a language.
2. The basic elements or principles of a subject.

How the Alphabet Was Made The week after Taffimai Metallumai (we will still call her Taffy, Best Beloved) made

1. A freshwater fish, often found in ponds.
2. To complain or find fault constantly.

a Tewara. “Silly!” said Taffy, and she stamped her foot, because she saw a shoal of very big carp going up the river just when her Daddy couldn’t use his spear. “Don’t bother grownups,” said

1. A piece of jewelry worn around the neck.
2. A decorative chain or string of beads, gems, or other materials.

so Taffy put up her little hand and pulled at the beautiful bead and seed and shark-tooth necklace round his neck. The Stranger-man (and he was a Tewara) thought, “This is a very, very, very

1. A crustacean with a broad carapace, stalked eyes, and five pairs of legs.
2. To move sideways or diagonally, like a crab.

The Crab That Played with the Sea Before the High and Far-Off Times, O my Best Beloved, came the Time of

1. Willing to comply with orders or requests.
2. Submissive to authority or rules.

said the Man. “Is all the Earth obedient to you?” “Yes,” said the Man. “Is all the Sea obedient to you?” “No,” said the Man. “Once a day and once a night the Sea runs up the Perak river and

1. A narrow, lightweight boat pointed at both ends, propelled by paddles.
2. A small open boat used for recreation or sport on water.

sounds all rough and edgy, like your shark-tooth saw when you’re cutting out a plank for the canoe,” said Taffy. “You mean all sharp at the edges, like this?” said Tegumai. And he drew.

1. A short pole with a broad flat end used for propelling boats.
2. To move a boat using a paddle.

the canoe from being tipped over. The canoe is made out of one piece of wood, and there is a paddle at one end of it.

1. A tool used for cutting, consisting of two metal blades joined together.
2. A type of swimming kick where legs move in a scissor-like motion.

is no stone or hole near by; and when the earth is too hard, by the help of these same scissors you can run up a tree.” And Pau Amma said, “I do not choose yet, for, all soft as I am, these

1. Domesticated or not wild; trained to live with humans.
2. Gentle or docile in nature.

and listen; for this befell and behappened and became and was, O my Best Beloved, when the Tame animals were wild. The Dog was wild, and the Horse was wild, and the Cow was wild, and the Sheep

1. The meat of a mature sheep, used as food.
2. (Informal) A term for a dull or stupid person.

what is this that smells so good in the Wild Woods?” Then the Woman picked up a roasted mutton-bone and threw it to Wild Dog, and said, “Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods, taste and try.” Wild

1. Braided or intertwined strands of hair, rope, or other material.
2. Folded or pleated, as in fabric or pastry.

the fire, so that it smelt like new-mown hay, and she sat at the mouth of the Cave and plaited a halter out of horsehide, and she looked at the shoulder of mutton-bone—at the big broad

1. A rope or strap used to lead or tie an animal, typically a horse.
2. A type of women's top with straps that tie behind the neck and back.

not so clever as I am.” Wild Horse bent his wild head, and the Woman slipped the plaited hide halter over it, and Wild Horse breathed on the Woman’s feet and said, “O my Mistress, and Wife of my

1. The long, thick hair growing from the neck or head of certain animals, like lions or horses.
2. A person's long, thick hair, often styled or flowing.

he could hear everything. When the Woman heard Wild Horse tripping and stumbling on his long mane, she laughed and said, “Here comes the second. Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods what do you

1. An agreement between parties on terms of a transaction.
2. Something bought at a lower price than usual.

stretched tail-down at the mouth of the Cave fell down—woosh!—because it remembered the bargain she had made with the Cat, and when the Woman went to pick it up—lo and behold!—the Cat was

1. A piece of fabric hung to cover a window or divide a room.
2. A barrier or screen used in theaters to conceal the stage.

to drag them out and dry them and cut them up for firewood. I haven’t drawn the horsehide curtain at the mouth of the Cave, because the Woman has just taken it down to be cleaned. All those

1. To see or observe something, often with awe or wonder.
2. An exclamation used to draw attention to something remarkable.

The Singsong of Old Man Kangaroo Not always was the Kangaroo as now we do behold him, but a Different Animal with four short legs. He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride

1. Supernatural beings in Islamic and Arabian folklore, often possessing magical powers.
2. Spirits or demons that can be benevolent or malevolent, mentioned in pre-Islamic Arabian mythology.

the little Butterfly’s sake, not for the sake of showing off—and, lo and behold, four huge Djinns came out of the earth! “Slaves,” said Suleiman-bin-Daoud, “when this gentleman on my finger”

1. Had an angry argument or disagreement.
2. Engaged in a verbal dispute or conflict.

the King. Some of the wives were nice, but some were simply horrid, and the horrid ones quarrelled with the nice ones and made them horrid too, and then they would all quarrel with

1. Engaging in an angry argument or disagreement.
2. Fighting or disputing verbally with someone.

the hands of these nine hundred and ninety-nine Queens who vex me with their continual quarrelling.” So he went on between the lilies and the loquats and the roses and the cannas and the

1. Flowering plants known for large, fragrant blooms.
2. Symbolize purity, renewal, or devotion in various cultures.

Then Balkis—The Most Beautiful and Excellent Balkis—went forward through the red lilies into the shade of the camphor-tree and laid her hand upon Suleiman-bin-Daoud’s shoulder and said,

1. A white crystalline substance with a strong aroma, derived from the wood of the camphor tree.
2. Used in medicine, moth repellents, and as a plasticizer.

forgot his nine hundred and ninety-nine bothersome wives, and laughed, till the camphor-tree shook, at the Butterfly’s boast. And he held out his finger and said, “Little man, come

1. Feeling fear or scared.
2. Afraid or alarmed by something.

my dear darling husband, and I’ll never contradict again.” The Butterfly was nearly as frightened as his wife, and Suleiman-bin-Daoud laughed so much that it was several minutes before he found