"What was the joke?" asked Scraps.
"A Horner said they have less understanding than
we, because they've only one leg. Ha, ha! You see
the point, don't you? If you stand on your legs,
and your legs are under you, then--ha, ha, ha!--
then your legs are your under-standing. Hee, hee,
hee! Ho, ho! My, but that's a fine joke. And the
stupid Hoppers couldn't see it! They couldn't see
that with only one leg they must have less
under-standing than we who have two legs. Ha, ha,
ha! Hee, hee! Ho, ho!" The Chief wiped the tears
of laughter from his eyes with the bottom hem of
his white robe, and all the other Horners wiped
their eyes on their robes, for they had laughed
just as heartily as their Chief at the absurd
joke.
"Then," said Scraps, "their understanding of the
understanding you meant led to the
misunderstanding."
"Exactly; and so there's no need for us to
apologize," returned the Chief.
"No need for an apology, perhaps, but much need
for an explanation," said Scraps decidedly. "You
don't want war, do you?"
"Not if we can help it," admitted Jak Horner.
"The question is, who's going to explain the joke
to the Horners? You know it spoils any joke to be
obliged to explain it, and this is the best joke I
ever heard.
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