Naïve Super Read Online Free PDF Page B

good.
    Then he asks me what animals I saw in the forest.
    I tell him I saw a horse and a squirrel.
    Only two? Børre says.
    He figures it’s not a lot. The forest is full of animals.
    The conversation revolves more and more around animals.
    A small element of competition arises. Who has seen the most animals?
    I say I’ve probably seen more animals than he has, but that it’s perfectly natural. After all, I’m 20 years older.
    Before he was born, I had already seen tons of animals, I tell him.
    He asks if I’ve seen beaver.
    Yes.
    Reindeer?
    Yes.
    Pheasant?
    Yes.
    Bear?
    No.
    Børre has seen a bear. In a zoo.
    In the zoo, all right, I say. I have also seen bears in a zoo. But I thought we were keeping zoos out of it.
    Then, we might just as well include animals we’ve seen on TV, I tell him.
    Børre asks if I’ve got cable TV.
    After we have discussed a little back and forth, Børre agrees to abandon the thing about zoos. We agree to find out what animals we’ve seen in their natural surroundings.
    First I suggest that we should include animals we’ve seen in real life, but Børre soon fouls me, pointing out that animals in zoos are also in real life.
    True.
    And to compensate for the age gap, Børre is allowed to include animals his dad has seen. I figure it’s fine. I was the one who suggested it. I still feel pretty sure I’ll win.
    When I ask Børre whether he knows what animals his dad’s seen, he just nods. He finds it unthinkable that his dad might have seen animals without telling anyone about it.
    We agree only to include one specimen of each species, irrespective of sex or age. We won’t, then, write stallion and mare and foal. We keep it simple, and write horse.
    I’d rather we drop the animals everybody’s seen. Otherwise we’ll have to list all kinds of ordinary and boring animals. Dog and cat, for example. And cow.
    But Børre doesn’t think we ought to differentiate.
    An animal is an animal, he reckons. You can’t blame the dog for being ordinary.
    No, you can’t, I say.
    Børre and/or his dad have seen these animals.
    – Horse
    – Snake
    – Hen
    – Whale
    I stop him to ask whether it was he or his dad who saw the whale.
    It was his dad.
    I ask Børre if he’s sure.
    He nods and goes on.
    – Pig
    – Goat
    – Swan
    – Elk
    – Reindeer
    – Roebuck
    – Deer
    – Cod
    Wait a minute, I tell him. A cod’s not an animal. It’s a fish.
    So what, says Børre.
    I groan and say that then we’ll have to include all the other fish as well.
    Of course, says Børre.
    Was I thinking otherwise?
    – Haddock
    – Coalfish
    – Salmon
    – Shark
    Come on, I tell him. Now you’re kidding. Your dad saw a whale OK, but a shark … Hardly anybody has ever seen shark.
    But Børre’s dad has naturally seen a shark.
    Where?
    Australia or somewhere like that, Børre says.
    I wave my arms. There’s not much I can do.
    Has he seen kangaroo as well? I ask with a certain sarcasm. Yes, Børre says.
    – Kangaroo
    – Eagle
    – Turtle
    – Hedgehog
    – Musk ox
    – Crab
    – Sheep
    – Squirrel
    – Otter
    – Hamster
    – Woodpecker
    – Cat
    – Owl
    – Frog
    – Fox
    – Hare
    – Wood grouse
    – Stag
    – Badger
    – Little birds
    I should never have started this. Fortunately it’s beginning to slow down now. I am grateful Børre doesn’t know the names of all the birds.
    – Cow
    – Grouse
    – Ferret
    – Dog
    There’s silence. A long one. Børre is thinking now. I can see he is a little unsure.
    Then he says another word.
    – Tiger
    Tiger? I ask him.
    Børre nods.
    I don’t believe you, I say.
    But it’s true, Børre says.
    I ask where he saw it.
    In Africa, Børre says.
    But I’ve got him now. Everybody knows there are no tigers in Africa. Everybody except Børre.
    I tell Børre that he ought to run upstairs and ask his dad if he’s seen a tiger. Fair is fair.
    Børre walks towards the door. Discouraged. He is doubtful.
    After a few minutes he comes back down. He is happy. His dad