Extinct??!

Last night at dinner, the girlies were engaged in a discussion about their favourite animals.

Child Number Three declared that hippos are, hands-down, the bestest animals at the zoo.

Child Number One expressed an extreme fondness for the tigers.

And Child Number Two is simply mad about elephants.

After a moment's pondering on the subject, Child Number Two, who is about to start grade one, made the following statement:

Child Number Two: (gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling) Elephants are big. REALLY big. But dinosaurs are the biggest animals in the world, I think.

Father: (gently correcting, and attempting to allay Child Number Three's fears, as her eyes have suddenly gone REALLY BIG at the mention of dinosaurs) Sweetie, dinosaurs don't count as the biggest animals in the world, because dinosaurs aren't living anymore. They all died a long time ago. They're extinct.

Child Number Two: (mildly belligerent) I bet they do TOO stink. I bet they REALLY stinked when they were ALIVE. (turning to her mother for support) Right, Mum?! That's what EX-STINKED means, right?! They USED to stink, but they don't anymore!!

Mother: (just trying to GET THROUGH DINNER) Oh, absolutely. Just don't tell your new teacher I said so, will you?