A HARD WORD.
"P-o po, p-o po, Popo, c-a-t cat, Popocat--Oh dear, what a hard
word! Let me see, Po-po-cat-e-petl. I can never pronounce it, I
am sure. I wish they would not have such hard names in
geography," said George Gould, quite out of patience. "Will you
please tell me how to pronounce the name of this mountain,
father?"
"Why, do you call that a hard word to pronounce, George? I know
much harder words than that."
"Well, father this is the hardest word I ever saw," replied
George. "I wish they had put the name into the volcano, and
burned it up."
"I know how to pronounce it," said Jane. "It is Po-po'
ca-ta'petl."
"Po-po' ca-ta'petl," said George, stopping at each syllable.
"Well, it is not so very hard, after all; but I wish they would
not have any long words, and then one could pronounce them easily
enough."
"I do not think so," said his father. "Some of the hardest words
I have ever seen are the shortest. I know one little word, with
only two letters in it, that very few children, or men either,
can always speak.
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