“Is the literal part of that a fact?” asked Mohi. “True as truth,” said Babbalanja; “the Polyp will live turned inside out.” “Somewhat curious, certainly,” said Media.—“But me-thinks, Babbalanja, that somewhere I have heard something about organic functions, so called; which may account for the phenomena you mention; and I have heard too, me-thinks, of what are called reflex actions of the nerves, which, duly considered, might deprive of its strangeness that story of yours concerning Grande and his body.” “Mere substitutions of sounds for inexplicable meanings, my lord. In some things science cajoles us. Now, what is undeniable of the Polyp some physiologists analogically maintain with regard to us Mardians; that forasmuch, as the lining of our interiors is nothing more than a continuation of the epidermis, or scarf-skin, therefore, that in a remote age, we too must have been turned wrong side out: an hypothesis, which, indirectly might account for our moral perversities: and also, for that otherwise nonsensical term—‘the coat of the stomach;’ for originally it must have been a surtout, instead of an inner garment.” “Pray, Azzageddi,” said Media, “are you not a fool?” “One of a jolly company, my lord; but some creatures besides wearing their surtouts within, sport their skeletons without: witness the lobster and turtle, who alive, study their own anatomies.” “Azzageddi, you are a zany.” “Pardon, my lord,” said Mohi, “I think him more of a lobster; it’s hard telling his jaws from his claws.” “Yes, Braid-Beard, I am a lobster, a mackerel, any thing you please; but my ancestors were kangaroos, not monkeys, as old Boddo erroneously opined. My idea is more susceptible of demonstration than his. Among the deepest discovered land fossils, the relics of kangaroos are discernible, but no relics of men. Hence, there were no giants in those days; but on the contrary, kangaroos; and those kangaroos formed the first edition of mankind, since revised and corrected.” “What has become of our finises, or tails, then?” asked Mohi, wriggling in his seat.