The Adventures of Tutu

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22661, 16 March 1939, Page 5 (Supplement)

The Adventures of Tutu

When they had finished eating, a sott-toned shell announced a visitor, none other than the chief instructor himself who, bowing before them, said; “Sirs, am here to conduct you to the Table ot Change, whereon you shall again sleep almost the sleep of death; but, fear not, when you awake you will remember all things and be, as one of us, able to breathe and dwell in the mighty deeps, to swim with the speed of the swordusli and, when you have bathed in the baths of pressure you will b:; able to descend to the floor of the deepest ocean. Come,” he added, and, -although Tutu and Toto had quite forgotten who he was and all-their past experiences, they felt no fear and did not hesitate to go with the stately and learned being of the sea. .. . . Together they left the temple of sleep and, stepping into a gorgeous sea sleigh, were rapidly drawn by two magnificent sea horses to a shining dome-shaped building • in the heart of a beautiful ’ garden. Along a glorious roadway, between columns of huge sea roses ablaze with blossom, they sped, and drew up noiselessly at a great white door guarded by two sea dragons with large, fierce-looking eyes. The chief Instructor held up a wand of office, and the dragons with one accord drew away from the door, whicli opened to admit the trio. Here our adventurers wore introduced to the chief anatomist, who examined them and handed them over to a green-robed attendant. ‘‘Take them,” ho commanded, "to the chamber of preparation, and let them be ready for the table in one hour’s time. Fear not,” he Said to Tutu and Toto, “there will be no pain, and you will awake with powers no mortal ever dreamed of, masters of the sea, the earth, and the air.” He raised his hand in a graceful salute and passed on. “Come,” said the green-robed attendant, and led them into a vast chamber, wherein a long deep swimming pool occupied the centre with a series of caves on each side, In one of these our adventurers disrobed, and together plunged intc the swimming pool. TSSow the water; of this pool had been subjected tc salinic and magnetic treatment, am soon the swimmers tingled all ove:

(By J. J. Stroud)

with strange and delightful feelings , of vitality and power. They raced ( each other from end to end, leapt, out of the water like sporting dolphins, and marvelled at their own skill in the wonderful pool. All 100 soon the attendant beck- j oned to them to leave the pool, and conducted them to another chamber, in which strange jets sprayed sea water sparkling with all the colours of the rainbow. Whichever way they turned the jets piayed a magnetic spray over their bodies, producing feelings of exceptional energy and delignt. Still another chamoer they visited, in. which the air seemed to be alive with vitality, and every breath gave them courage and power. At last a light green mantie was given them, and the attendant led them to the chamber of the table of change. As they entered 'the door the murmuring as of a mighty sea met their ears, and they noticed two highly burnished cylinders, the domed ends of which seemed to release the rhythmical murmuring. Attending these was a very ancient being, who - seemed to regulate, with certain valves and levers, the sound' of the cylinders. On the wall facing them, which seemed to be of pure white marble, the word silence came and went in glowing light, and around the table stood the six instructors and many greenrobed students. Signing to Tutu to recline on the table, the chief anatomist raised his hand with a signal to the ancient being of the cylinders, and ’immediately the whole body of Tutu was transparent in a blaze of light. And he slept. So deeply did he slumber he felt not the slightest pain, though bone after bone, muscle after muscle, and nerve after nerve were subjected to a myriad processes. Tubes were inserted into his body, and strange machines purred as they transformed his tissue to the requirements of the sea. And, with never a word, the chief anatomist worked on the body of Tutu until all was accomplished, when an attendant wheeled in a stretcher on which Tutu was placed and borne away, to slumber deeply A tor seven days and nights. Toto i bravely mounted the table as Tutu I was wheeled out, and underwent ■ the same mysterious processes, and

was borne away to sleep by his comrade. Now before the seven days passed news came to Coraliana that a big fleet of barbarian warships . was steadily steaming towards Aotearoa, and would arrive off the north-east coast before the awakening of the knights commanders, and it was not the will of the king and queen of all the seas that a battle should be fought before our adventurers were ready to take up their duties; so the king commanded the dominate of Coraliana to gather together all the wise warriors of the sea under his jurisdiction, and hold a conference in the hall of wisdom tb decide oq a course of action that would at least delay the barbarian fleet. Now there attended that conference one .Chilean, whose home was deep down in the Polar waters of the Antarctic, where he ruled over the peoples of .the ice. . A gigantic snow-white warrior he was. with a beard that reached to his knees, and eyes that shone with the glint of an ice cap. “Leave the barbarian ships to me,” he roared with a storm-like voice, and laughed “Ha, ha! And I will stir up such a gale in the south that the ice fields shall be loosened and cause storms that will scatter the barbarian vessels.” And thus it was decided, and soon terrible storms arose and drove the barbarian battleships back into the northern seas, and kept them bottled up in their harbours until our adventurers were quite recovered from their strange experiences, and had been under the pressure treatment, and received many lessons from the instructors in the wisdom and strategy of the 1 seas, and acquired skill and power never before granted to mortal men.