'As noble thoughts the inward being grace,
So noble whiskers dignify the face.'
Prayers and entreaties to remove the whiskers being of no avail, Bunyip
decided to leave home without more ado.
The trouble was that he couldn't make up his mind whether to be a
Traveller or a Swagman. You can't go about the world being nothing, but
if you are a traveller you have to carry a bag, while if you are a
swagman you have to carry a swag, and the question is: Which is the
heavier?
[Illustration]
At length he decided to put the matter before Egbert Rumpus Bumpus, the
poet, and ask his advice. He found Egbert busy writing poems on a slate.
He was so busy that he only had time to sing out--
'Don't interrupt the poet, friend,
Until his poem's at an end.'
and went on writing harder than ever. He wrote all down one side of the
slate and all up the other, and then remarked--
'As there's no time to finish that,
The time has come to have our chat.
Be quick, my friend, your business state,
Before I take another slate.'
[Illustration]
'The fact is,' said the Bunyip, 'I have decided to see the world, and I
cannot make up my mind whether to be a Traveller or a Swagman. Which
would you advise?'