Пеппи Длинныйчулок

           Itwasalittlemonkey,dressedinbluepants, yellowjacket,andawhitestrawhat. 

           Pippiwalkedalongthestreetwithonefootonthesidewalkandtheotherinthegutter. TommyandAnnikawatchedaslongastheycouldseeher. Inalittlewhileshecameback,andnowshewaswalkingbackward. Thatwasbecauseshedidn’twanttoturnaroundtogethome. WhenshereachedTommy’sandAnnika’sgateshestopped. 

           Thechildrenlookedateachotherinsilence. AtlastTommyspoke. "Whydidyouwalkbackward?" 

           "WhydidIwalkbackwards?"saidPippi. "Isn’tthisafreecountry? Can’tapersonwalkanywayshewantsto ?Forthatmatter,letmetellyouthatinEgypteverybodywalksthatway,andnobodythinksit’stheleastbitstrange." 

           "Howdoyouknow?"askedTommy. "You’veneverbeeninEgypt,haveyou?" 

           "I’veneverbeeninEgypt?IndeedIhave. That’sonethingyoucanbesureof.Ihavebeenallovertheworldandseenmanythingsstrangerthanpeoplewalkingbackward. IwonderwhatyouwouldhavesaidifIhadcomealongwalkingonmyhandsthewaytheydoinFarthestIndia." 

           "Nowyoumustbelying,"saidTommy. 

           Pippithoughtamoment."You’reright,"shesaidsadly,"Iamlying." 

           "It’swickedtolie,"saidAnnika, whohadatlastgatheredupenoughcouragetospeak. 

           "Yes,it’sverywickedtolie,"saidPippievenmoresadly.