Napolibugten

Polly fløj over Napolibugten. Vandet var grønt. Vesuv-bjerget lå på den anden side af bugten. Luften duftede af salt og diesel.

Polly flew over the Bay of Naples. The water was green. Mount Vesuvius was across the bay. The air smelled of salt and diesel.

Hun fulgte kysten. Hun så vasketøj på altanerne og scootere i gaderne.

She followed the shore. She saw laundry on balconies and scooters in the streets.

Hendes destination var en gammel bygning ved vandet. Et lille skilt lød: STAZIONE ZOOLOGICA ANTON DOHRN, 1872.

Her destination was an old building by the water. A small sign read: STAZIONE ZOOLOGICA ANTON DOHRN, 1872.

Dette er det ældste institut for marinbiologi i verden. Det har studeret blæksprutter siden 1873.

This is the oldest marine biology institute in the world. It has studied octopuses since 1873.

Polly satte sig på rækværket. En ung forsker i en laboratoriekittel åbnede bagdøren. Hun smilede. "Kom ind."

Polly perched on the railing. A young researcher in a lab coat opened the back door. She smiled. "Come in."

Bygningen duftede af havet. Lange korridorer havde glasakvarier på begge sider. Polly så sardiner og en lille blæksprutte.

The building smelled like the sea. Long corridors had glass tanks on both sides. Polly saw sardines and a small octopus.

Forskerens navn var Chiara. "Blæksprutterne er de klogeste dyr her," sagde hun.

The researcher's name was Chiara. "The octopuses are the smartest animals here," she said.

De kom til et højt akvarium. Skiltet sagde PASTA, 2,3KG, GPO. Indeni var en kæmpe Stillehavsblæksprutte. Den foldede sig ind i et rør. Et gyldent øje betragtede.

They came to a tall tank. The sign said PASTA, 2.3KG, GPO. Inside was a giant Pacific octopus. It folded itself into a pipe. One golden eye watched.

"Pasta," sagde Chiara, "mød Polly."

"Pasta," Chiara said, "meet Polly."

Blæksprutten rørte sig ikke. Men den holdt øje.

The octopus did not move. But it watched.

"Du kan sætte dig på kanten," sagde Chiara. "Hun vil ikke sprøjte dig."

"You can perch on the rim," Chiara said. "She will not splash you."