Chapter 1

           OncewhenIwassixIsawamagnificentpictureinabookaboutthejungle,calledTrueStories. Itshowedaboaconstrictorswallowingawildbeast. Hereisacopyofthepicture. 

           Inthebookitsaid: "Boaconstrictorsswallowtheirpreywhole,withoutchewing. Afterwardtheyarenolongerabletomove,andtheysleepforsixmonthstheyneedfordigestion." 

           InthosedaysIthoughtalotaboutjungleadventures,andeventuallymanagedtomakemyfirstdrawing,withacoloredpencil. MydrawingNumberOnelookedlikethis: 

           Ishowedthegrown-upsmymasterpiece,andIaskedthemifmydrawingscaredthem. 

           Theyanswered,"Whyshouldanyonebescaredofahat?" 

           Mydrawingwasnotapictureofahat. Itwasapictureofaboaconstrictordigestinganelephant. ThenIdrewtheinsideoftheboaconstrictor,sothegrown-upscouldunderstand. Theyalwaysneedexplanations. 

           MydrawingNumberTwolookedlikethis: 

           Thegrown-upsadvisedmetoputawaymydrawingsofboaconstrictors,outsideorinside,andapplymyselfinsteadtogeography,history,arithmetic,andgrammar. ThatiswhyIgaveup,attheageofsix,amagnificentcareerasanartist. IhadbeendiscouragedbythefailureofmydrawingNumberOneandofmydrawingNumberTwo. 

           Grown-upsneverunderstandanythingbythemselves,anditisexhaustingforchildrentohavetoexplainoverandoveragain.