# ■ 6 They don't believe me

Where was my spacesuit？

Eee-Eee found it up in a tree where another squirrel was living in it．Eee-Eee told the squirrel to get out of my spacesuit．

I was happy to wear the spacesuit．Hoo-Woo took me to the door where I first came in．

Hoo-Woo made his noise：'Hoo-woo！'as I opened the door．He was sad that I was going．

I said，'I'm coming back，'and I went out to my spaceship．

I got in and said，'Take me home．'

The stars changed suddenly．I saw my world in space，all green and beautiful．A few minutes later the spaceship landed and I was home．

My father ran from the house shouting，'Hummy！'

I kissed my father．

My mother was angry with me．'I didn't know if you were dead or alive！'she cried．'It's been a week！'

A week！It felt like months to me．

I've got some very exciting news for you，'I said．

OK，'my mother said．'Let's sit in the theat and talk there．Oh yes，'she said to my father，'why don't you go to the house and bring us something to drink？'

Strange．Robots usually bring the drinks．But I just thought my mother wanted to be specially nice to me．

I told my mother what had happened．When my father came with drinks，I told my story anain．

Telling my story，I looked at the green fields of wheat moving in the wind．The wheat went on for thousands of miles，looking just the same everywhere．

How different it was in the Star Zoo！Every time you turned your head， you saw something new．That had frightened me at first but now I thought the Star Zoo was wonderful．

I explained that feeling to my parents．

Yes，yes，Hummy，'my mother said，looking quickly at my father．

I saw a spaceship land near the house．'Who's coming？'I asked．

My mother and father looked at each other．Then I knew．

It's Buff，isn't it？'I said．'You called him when you were getting the drinks！'I said to my father．I was really angry．'How could you？Wait！You don't believe me，do you？'

Your head is full of dreams， Hummy，'my father said．'You must be married to Buff，but only for a year．Then you can get married to someone you like．'

I jumped up．'I hate you！Why did I come back？Why didn't I go straight to the Star Council？'

Buff walked up to us．'Hello again，Kate，'he said．'I still remember the first name you told me．'

I had an idea．'Listen to what happened to me，'I said，and Itold my story a third time．

Buff laughed．' What a story！You can tell me stories like that every night．'

So you don't believe me？'I smiled．

He just laughed．

OK，Buff，'I said．'Come with me．I'll show you the Star Zoo．If it's only a story， I'll marry you． I'll even get married for five years if you want．OK？'

Why not？'Buff said．'I'll bring a robot to see what's really there．Robots never lie．'

Buff borrowed one of our family robots and we took off．My father watched us go with a worried face．

It was black in the empty space far between stars and we couldn't see anything．Buff was surprised when we landed onthe Star Zoo．

We put on spacesuits and went out．Buff looked at the door，very surprised． We went in．

After we went through the second door，Buff stood without moving and he looked at the trees and didn't say anything． The robot closed the door behind us．

Hoo－Woo ran out of the trees to meet me． I was happy to see him and happy to be back in the Star Zoo again． I wasn't afraid at all．

I looked round at Buff and my heart stopped．Buff's face was full of hate and he was holding a laser gun．The gun was pointing at Hoo－Woo．

■ 6 他們不相信我

我的太空服哪兒去啦？

“噫噫”在一棵樹上找到了它，另一隻松鼠住在裡面。“噫噫”叫那隻松鼠從我的太空服裡出來。

穿上太空服我很高興。“呼嗚”把我帶到起初我進來的門那兒。

我開門的時候，呼嗚叫了一聲：“呼——嗚！”。我要走了，它有些難過。

我說：“我會回來的。”然後就出去回到了我的飛船上。

我進了飛船，說道：“帶我回家。”

星星突然變了。我看見我的星球在太空中，全是綠色，很美。幾分鐘後飛船著陸，我回到了家。

爸爸從房子裡跑出來，喊道：“蜂兒！”

我親了爸爸。

媽媽在生我的氣。“我不知道你是死是活！”她大聲說，“整整一個星期！”

一個星期！我覺得象是好幾個月了。

“我給你們帶來一個非常令人激動的消息，”我說。

“好，”媽媽說，“我們到麥田裡坐下談談。哦，對了，”她對爸爸說，“你能不能到房子裡給我們拿點喝的？”

奇怪，一般是機器人拿飲料的。但我只以為媽媽是想對我特別地好些。

我把所發生的事情跟媽媽說了。爸爸把飲料拿來後，我又把事情說了一遍。

我一邊講著我的經歷，一邊看著綠油油的麥田在風中搖曳。麥田綿延數千英里，哪兒看上去都一個樣。

星際動物園裡就截然不同！每當你轉過頭，就能看到新的東西。一開始，還把我嚇了一跳，可現在我覺得星際動物園真棒。

我把我的感覺向父母說了。

“好了，好了，蜂兒，”媽媽說，並很快地瞥了爸爸一眼。

我看到有一隻飛船降落在房子旁邊。“誰來了？”我問道。

媽媽和爸爸對視了一眼。我馬上就明白了。

“是牛子，對不對？”我說，“你拿飲料的時候給他打電話了！”我對爸爸說。我真的生氣了。“你怎麼能這樣？等一等！你們不相信我，是嗎？”

“你的腦子裡充滿夢想，蜂兒。”爸爸說，“你得嫁給牛子，不過是一年的事。然後你可以嫁給一個你喜歡的人。”

我跳了起來。“我恨你們！我為什麼要回來？我為什麼不直接去星際理事會？”

牛子朝我們走來。“又見面了，蟲子。”他說，“我還記得你第一次告訴我的名字。”

我想出了個主意。“你聽聽我都經歷了些什麼。”我說。接著，我又把事情講了一遍。

牛子笑了。“好一個故事！你每天晚上都可以給我講這樣的故事。”

“這麼說你不相信我？”我笑道。

他只是笑。

“好，牛子，”我說，“跟我來。我帶你去看星際動物園。如果是假的，我就嫁給你。如果你願意，我可以嫁給你五年。行嗎？”

“有什麼不好？”牛子說，“我要帶一個機器人去看看到底是怎麼回事兒。機器人從不撒謊。”

牛子帶上我家的一個機器人，我們就起飛了。我爸爸面露愁容地看著我們走了。

星星之間的茫茫太空一片漆黑，我們什麼也看不見。我們星際動物園著陸時牛子很吃驚。

我們穿上太空服到了外面。牛子看著那扇門，驚訝萬分。我們走了進去。

我們穿過第二道門，牛子一動不動地站住了，他看著那些樹，沒有說話。機器人在後面把門關上。

“呼嗚”從樹林裡跑出來迎接我。我很高興看到它，也很高興又回到星際動物園。我一點都不怕。

我回頭去看牛子，我的心差點兒停止了跳動。牛子滿臉憎惡，他手裡拿著一支激光槍。槍是對準“呼鳴”的。