Dr. Dolittle was very tired. He slept and slept for many days. Chee-Chee made sure nobody bothered the doctor.
A few days later, the monkeys held a celebration for the doctor. "My friends, brothers, and sisters, tonight we honor Dr. Dolittle," the chief monkey said. All the monkeys stood up and beat their chests. "This land is now yours!" the chief spread his arms.
"Thank you, but I’m afraid I can’t stay," Dr. Dolittle said, embarrassed. The monkeys stared at the doctor.
"Pardon me?" the chief asked.
"We must return to Puddleby," he announced.
The next day the monkeys held a meeting. "Why does the doctor have to leave?" the chief asked.
"Dr. Dolittle owes money in Puddleby," explained Chee-Chee.
"What is money?" the chief asked.
Chee-Chee explained about money.
"Then how can we help him?" the chief said.
"Give him a rare animal they don’t have in zoos," Chee-Chee answered.
"ZOOS? What are zoos?" the monkeys asked together.
"Zoos are where humans keep animals in cages," Chee-Chee said sadly.
"Why? That’s . . . that’s . . . cruel!" whispered the chief.
"Humans pay money to see animals in cages," Chee-Chee continued. The monkeys were glad they lived freely in the jungle. "Don’t worry! Dr. Dolittle will take very good care of the animal," said Chee-Chee.
The monkeys decided to give Dr. Dolittle a pushmi-pullyu. The pushmi-pullyu is the rarest animal in the world. It is almost impossible to catch them. But the monkeys knew how and set out to find one.
After a while, they returned with a strange-looking animal. The pushmi-pullyu had a head at each end and no tail. On each head were sharp horns.
"Let me go!" The pushmi-pullyu began to cry. The pushmi-pullyu was very shy and scared.
"Are you sure you cannot stay with us, Dr. Dolittle?" the chief asked again.
"I wish I could. But I must go home," the doctor said kindly.
"Then we want to give you a gift," the chief said.
"What in the world?" Dr. Dolittle gazed at the strange creature.
"May I present the rarest animal in the world? The pushmi-pullyu!"
Dr. Dolittle could not take his eyes off the pushmi-pullyu.
"Stop staring at me!" The creature began crying again.
"Oh, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude," Dr. Dolittle apologized. "Which head do I talk to?"
"I listen," said the first head.
"And I speak," said the second.
Dr. Dolittle looked at the creature. "I’ll take him only if he wants to come," the kind doctor explained.
"If I don’t like it in your world, will you send me back?" asked the pushmi-pullyu.
"I promise," Dr. Dolittle replied. The pushmi-pullyu agreed to go to Puddleby.
"This animal will make you lots of money," Chee-Chee said happily.
"Money? I don’t want money," Dr. Dolittle replied.
"We need money! You must buy a boat for that sailor, and what about food?" cried Dab-Dab.
"Money," sighed Dr. Dolittle. "What a headache!"
It was time to say good-bye to the monkeys.
"We will never forget you, Dr. Dolittle," the chief monkey said. One by one, the monkeys came up to Dr. Dolittle. "Three cheers for Dr. Dolittle!" shouted the chief.
With that, Dr. Dolittle left the Land of the Monkeys.