A VARIETY OF ANSWERS 133 



that singing ? " " Yes I " " Do you like to listen 

 to us when we sing ? " " Yes, yes ! " 



24 July : " Lola ! now think of something I am to 

 do : give me an order ! " (By the way, in reply to a 

 similar question put to Rolf by the wife of Colonel 

 Schweizerbarth, at Degerloch, he had commanded her 

 to " wedeln " (= to wag !) N.B. This word being only 

 used in connexion with a tail in German !) But Lola 

 merely ordered me " to work " " What am I to work 

 at ? " I inquired. " Raking the garden, reckoning, 

 writing or reading ? " And I was somewhat surprised, 

 for she was used to seeing me at work at something or 

 other for the greater part of the day ; but after mature 

 reflection she added " ales " (Alles = everything). 



27 July : To-day I invited her to tell me something 

 she might be thinking about, adding : " Will you say 

 something ? " " Ja, esen." " Oh, Lola ! " I said 

 in desperation, " Why all this talk about eating ! 

 about food ! don't I hear enough of it from senseless 

 labourers and maids ? and now you begin too ! It 

 can't be otherwise, at present : say something else ! " 

 " Ich am esen "... " What ? again f well go on " 

 " . . . zu wenig narung." " Ich am essen zu wenig 

 nahrung " (=1 from my food (derive) too little 

 nourishment). " Ja ! " Poor Lola ! 



10 August : To-day is my father's birthday : he is 

 staying with us, and Lola was to give him a " good 

 wish." I suggested all kinds of things, such as good 

 health ; long life ; and so on, but she would have none 

 of them. At last she rapped " Ich wunsche esen " ; 

 and after a short pause she continued, "... und 

 ich auch " (=1 wish him food and for myself too.) 

 " Now give him a second wish : something you your- 

 self find good." So she said : " Re jagen und has . . ." 

 " And a third ? " " Heiraten " (= to marry). Such 



