I was the caretaker and docent at a house museum for years.

One day this young couple came in. I heard the young man tell his companion, indicating me. "She'll know," he said.

They came closer and the man said, What is the animal that is about so high and it waddles and makes funny sounds?

I said, Oh, that's a porcupine.

Oh, he said. Then after a pause, he said, Should we be afraid of it?