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n N； vitamin O； vitamin P； vitamin Q； vitamin R； vitamin T； vitamin U； vitamin V； vitamin W； vitamin X； vitamin Y； and； believe it or not； vitamin Z！ The only two vitamins it doesn't have in it are vitamin S； because it makes you sick； and vitamin H； because it makes you grow horns on the top of your head； like a bull。 But it does have in it a very small amount of the rarest and most magical vitamin of them all — vitamin Wonka。'
'And what will that do to him？' asked Mr Teavee anxiously。
'It'll make his toes grow out until they're as long as his fingers 。 。 。'
'Oh； no！' cried Mrs Teavee。
'Don't be silly；' said Mr Wonka。 'It's most useful。 He'll be able to play the piano with his feet。'
'But Mr Wonka 。 。 。'
'No arguments； please！' said Mr Wonka。 He turned away and clicked his fingers three times in the air。 An Oompa…Loompa appeared immediately and stood beside him。 'Follow these orders；' said Mr Wonka； handing the Oompa…Loompa a piece of paper on which he had written full instructions。 'And you'll find the boy in his father's pocket。 Off you go！ Good…bye； Mr Teavee！ Good…bye； Mrs Teavee！ And please don't look so worried！ They all e out in the wash； you know； every one of them 。 。 。'
At the end of the room； the Oompa…Loompas around the giant camera were already beating their tiny drums and beginning to jog up and down to the rhythm。
'There they go again！' said Mr Wonka。 'I'm afraid you can't stop them singing。'
Little Charlie caught Grandpa Joe's hand； and the two of them stood beside Mr Wonka in the middle of the long bright room； listening to the Oompa…Loompas。 And this is what they sang：
'The most important thing we've learned；
So far as children are concerned；
Is never； NEVER； NEVER let
Them near your television set —
Or better still； just don't install
The idiotic thing at all。
In almost every house we've been；
We've watched them gaping at the screen。
They loll and slop and lounge about；
And stare until their eyes pop out。
（Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor。）
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotized by it；
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk。
Oh yes； we know it keeps them still；
They don't climb out the window sill；
They never fight or kick or punch；
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink —
But did you ever stop to think；
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot？
IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD！
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD！
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND！
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY； A FAIRYLAND！
HIS BRAIN BEES AS SOFT AS CHEESE！
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE！
HE CANNOT THINK — HE ONLY SEES！
〃All right！〃 you'll cry。 〃All right！〃 you'll say；
〃But if we take the set away；
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children！ Please explain！〃
We'll answer this by asking you；
〃What used the darling ones to do？
How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented？〃
Have you forgotten？ Don't you know？
We'll say it very loud and slow：
THEY 。 。 。 USED TO 。 。 。 READ！ They'd READ and READ；
AND READ and READ； and then proceed
TO READ some more。 Great Scott！ Gadzooks！
One half their lives was reading books！
The nursery shelves held books galore！
Books cluttered up the nursery floor！
And in the bedroom； by the bed；
More books were waiting to be read！
Such wondrous； fine； fantastic tales
Of dragons； gypsies； queens； and whales
And treasure isles； and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars；
And pirates wearing purple pants；
And sailing ships and elephants；
And cannibals crouching round the pot；
Stirring away at something hot。
（It smells so good； what can it be？
Good gracious； it's Penelope。）
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr Tod； the dirty rotter；
And Squirrel Nutkin； Pigling Bland；
And Mrs Tiggy…Winkle and —
Just How The Camel Got His Hump；
And How The Monkey Lost His Rump；
And Mr Toad； and bless my soul；
There's Mr Rat and Mr Mole —
Oh； books； what books they used to know；
Those children living long ago！
So please； oh please； we beg； we pray；
Go throw your TV set away；
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall。
Then fill the shelves with lots of books；
Ignoring all the dirty looks；
The screams and yells； the bites and kicks；
And children hitting you with sticks —
Fear not； because we promise you
That； in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do；
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read。
And once they start — oh boy； oh boy！
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts。 They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine；
That nauseating； foul； unclean。
Repulsive television screen！
And later； each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did。
P。S。 Regarding Mike Teavee；
We very much regret that we
Shall simply have to wait and see
If we can get him back his height。
But if we can't — it serves him right。'
28
Only Charlie Left
'Which room shall it be next？' said Mr Wonka as he turned away and darted into the lift。 'e on！ Hurry up！ We must get going！ And how many children are there left now？'
Little Charlie looked at Grandpa Joe； and Grandpa Joe looked back at little Charlie。
'But Mr Wonka；' Grandpa Joe called after him； 'there's 。 。 。 there's only Charlie left now。'
Mr Wonka swung round and stared at Charlie。
There was a silence。 Charlie stood there holding tightly on to Grandpa Joe's hand。
'You mean you're the only one left？' Mr Wonka said； pretending to be surprised。
'Why； yes；' whispered Charlie。 'Yes。'
Mr Wonka suddenly exp