Карлсон, который живет на крыше

           "YouseebeforeyoutheCleverDogNicholson—thedogwhocandoanything:telephone,fly,bakecakes,talk,scratchhisears…anything!"

           AtthatmomentthelittlepoodleactuallysatdownbesideJack’schairandstartedtoscratchhisear.

           "Yousee!I’mnotexaggerating,"saidKarlsson."Thisdogcanreallydoanything."

           "Rot!"saidJack."Anydogcandothat.Butmakehimtalk;notquitesoeasy,eh?Haha!"

           Karlssonturnedtowardthepuppy."D’youfinditdifficulttotalk,Nicholson?"

           "Notatall,"saidNicholson."OnlywhenI’msmokingacigar."

           Eric,Bridget,andChristophernearlyjumped.Itsoundedexactlyasifthepuppywastalking.ButEricimagineditmustbeKarlssonwhowasuptosometrick.Hewasgladofthatbecausehewantedanordinarydogandnotonethatcouldtalk.

           "Please,Nicholson,"saidKarlsson,"won’tyoutellallourfriends—andJack—alittleaboutadog’slife?"

           "Certainly,"saidNicholson.

           Andhebegantotellastory.

           "Iwasatthemoviestheothernight,"hesaid,jumpingplayfullyaroundKarlsson’slegs.

           "Oh,soyouwenttothemovies?"saidKarlsson.

           "Yes,andthereweretwodogfleassittingnexttome,"saidNicholson.

           "Therewere,werethere?"saidKarlsson.

           "Yes,andwhenwegotoutintothestreetafterwardIheardoneofthefleassayingtotheother,‘Shallwewalkhome,orshallwegobydog?’"

           Thechildrenallthoughtitwasagoodperformance,eventhoughtherehadnotbeenmuchmagic.OnlyJacksatthere,lookingsuperior.