diff options
Diffstat (limited to '37455.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 37455.txt | 7913 |
1 files changed, 7913 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/37455.txt b/37455.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..69d90cd --- /dev/null +++ b/37455.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7913 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rainbow Book Tales of Fun & Fancy, by +Mabel Henriette Spielmann + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Rainbow Book Tales of Fun & Fancy + +Author: Mabel Henriette Spielmann + +Illustrator: Arthur Rackham + Hugh Thomson + Bernard Partridge + Lewis Baumer + +Release Date: September 16, 2011 [EBook #37455] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAINBOW BOOK TALES--FUN, FANCY *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Matthew Wheaton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + THE RAINBOW BOOK + + + _BY THE SAME AUTHOR_ + + LITTLEDOM CASTLE + + MY SON AND I + + MARGERY REDFORD + + THE LOVE FAMILY + + THE CHILD OF THE AIR + + + _All rights reserved_ + + + [Illustration: _The Fish-King and the Dog-Fish_] + + + [Illustration: + The + Rainbow + Book + + Tales of Fun & Fancy + + By + Mrs. M. H. SPIELMANN + + Illustrated by + Arthur Rackham + Hugh Thomson + Bernard Partridge + Lewis Baumer + Harry Rountree + C. Wilhelm + + NEW YORK + FREDERICK WARNE AND CO. + 1909] + + TO + + BARBARA MARY RACKHAM + + WITH ALL GOOD WISHES + + FOR HER FUTURE HAPPINESS + + MABEL H. SPIELMANN + + + + +PREFACE + + +It's all very well--but you, and I, and most of us who are healthy in +mind and blithe of spirit, love to give rein to our fun and fancy, and +to mingle fun with our fancy and fancy with our fun. + +The little Fairy-people are the favourite children of Fancy, and were +born into this serious world ages and ages ago to help brighten it, and +make it more graceful and dainty and prettily romantic than it was. They +found the Folk-lore people already here--grave, learned people whose +learning was all topsy-turvy, for it dealt with toads, and storms, and +diseases, and what strange things would happen if you mixed them up +together, and how the devil would flee if you did something with a herb, +and how the tempest would stop suddenly, as Terence records, if you +sprinkled a few drops of vinegar in front of it. No doubt, since then +thousands of people have sprinkled tens of thousands of gallons of good +vinegar before advancing tempests, and although tempests pay far less +attention to the liquid than the troubled waters to a pint of oil, the +sprinklers and their descendants have gone on believing with a touching +faith. It is pretty, but not practical. + +But what _is_ pretty and practical too, is that all of us should +sometimes let our fancy roam, and that we should laugh as well, even +over a Fairy-story. Yet there are some serious-minded persons, very +grave and very clever, who get angry if a smile so much as creeps into a +Fairy-tale, and if our wonder should be disturbed by anything so worldly +as a laugh. A Fairy-tale, they say, should be like an old Folk-tale, +marked by sincerity and simplicity--as if humour cannot be sincere and +simple too. "The true Fairy-story is not comic." Why not? Of this we may +be sure--take all the true humourless Fairy-stories and take +"Alice"--and "Alice" with its fun and fancy will live beside them as +long as English stories are read, loved for its fancy and its fun, and +hugged and treasured for its jokes and its laughter. The one objection +is this: the "true Fairy-story" appeals to all children, young and old, +in all lands, equally, by translation; and jokes and fun are sometimes +difficult to translate. But that is on account of the shortcomings of +language, and it is hard to make young readers suffer by starving them +of fun, because the power of words is less absolute than the power of +fancy in its merrier mood. + +Some people, of course, take their Fairies very seriously indeed, and +we cannot blame them, for it is a very harmless and very beautiful +mental refreshment. Some, indeed, not only believe firmly in Fairies--in +their existence and their exploits--but believe themselves to be +actually visited by the Little People. For my part, I would rather be +visited by a Fairy than by a Spook any day, or night: but when the +"sincerity" of some of us drove the Fairies out, the world was left so +blank and unimaginative, that the Spooks had to be invited in. The +admixture of faith and imagination produces strange results, while it +raises us above the commonplaceness of everyday life. + +But, as I say, certain favoured people, mostly little girls, it is true, +are regularly visited by Fairies even in the broad daylight, and they +watch them at their pretty business, at their games and play (for +Fairies, you may be sure, play and laugh, however much the Folk-lorists +may frown when we are made to laugh with them). Two hundred and fifty +years ago a Cornish girl declared that she had wonderful adventures with +the Fairies--and she meant truly what she said. And it is only fifty +years since an educated lady wrote a sincere account of her doings with +Fairies and theirs with her, in an account which was reprinted in one of +the most serious of papers, and which showed that the lady, like the +uneducated Cornish girl two centuries before, was a true "fairy-seer." +Here is a part of her story:-- + +"I used to spend a great deal of my time alone in our garden, and I +think it must have been soon after my brother's death that I first saw +(or perhaps recollect seeing) Fairies. I happened one day to break, with +a little whip I had, the flower of a buttercup: a little while after, as +I was resting on the grass, I heard a tiny but most beautiful voice +saying, 'Buttercup, who has broken your house?' Then another voice +replied, 'That little girl that is lying close by you.' I listened in +great wonder, and looked about me, until I saw a daisy, in which stood a +little figure not larger, certainly, than one of its petals. + +"When I was between three and four years old we removed to London, and I +pined sadly for my country home and friends. I saw none of them for a +long time, I think because I was discontented; I did not try to make +myself happy. At last I found a copy of Shakespeare in my father's +study, which delighted me so much (though I don't suppose I understood +much of it) that I soon forgot we were living where I could not see a +tree or a flower. I used to take the book and my little chair, and sit +in a paved yard we had. (I could see the sky there.) One day, as I was +reading the 'Midsummer Night's Dream,' I happened to look up, and saw +before me a patch of soft, green grass with the Fairy-ring upon it: +whilst I was wondering how it came, my old friends appeared and acted +the whole play (I suppose to amuse me). After this they often came, and +did the same with the other plays." + +There! what do you say to that? Do you wonder that the good folk of +Blagdon, for example, still point to the hill "where the fairies come to +dance," and show you the Fairy-rings, like that which Cedric saw (as is +recounted in this book), with the Little People capering about? Of +course, the country folk don't laugh at them, because it is all so +mysterious, and, as the scientific professors declare, abnormal, if not +supernormal; but do you believe for one moment, that in their joyous +dance the fairies do not laugh and joke as well as play and caper? The +Bird-Fairy, as appears later, was always grave and loving, and didn't +laugh--but then _she_ was an enchanted Princess, and had sad and serious +business on hand, and was not quite sure, sanguine though she was, of +defeating the machinations of the cunning and wicked Wizard. But look at +the classic Grimm, at the tiny, dancing, capering tailors whose +portraits Cruikshank drew so well in it, and say if there is not a peal +of laughter in every open mouth of them, and a chuckle in every limb and +joint. Not "comic," Mr. Folk-lorist? Why, they are the very spirit and +personification of comedy and fun! + +But then your scientist comes along and tries to explain away the +Fairy-rings themselves, which have defied explanation since Fairy-rings +first came among us. Once at Kinning Park at Glasgow (and thousands of +times elsewhere) four Fairy-rings appeared in one night--on a +cricket-ground, if you please! on which the cricketers had been +continuously playing and practising; and the poets said that they were +made by the Fairies dancing under the moonlight, or, when the moon went +to bed, by the lamplight of a glow-worm. That, _I_ think, must be the +truth, simple and sincere. Each ring was a belt of grass darker and +greener than the surrounding turf, and was eight or ten inches broad; +and the largest were nine and ten feet in diameter, and the others five +and six, measuring from the centre of the belt. And the circles were +accurate and the advent of them quite sudden. Clearly, the Fairies +_must_ have made them. But then a learned professor arose and lectured +about them before the British Association. He was a great naturalist, +and said that the rings contained a great number of toad-stools. And he +brought along a chemist who analysed the fungi, and said he found in +them a lot of phosphoric acid and potash and peroxide of iron and +sulphuric acid, and a lot of things the fairies had never heard of and +certainly never brought there, and he said that that, with phosphated +alkali and magnesia, accounted for the rings! And then another great +professor said that they must have been years in coming, and that +electricity might have something to do with it, and that small rings +sometimes spread to fifty yards in diameter--which only proves the +wonderful power of happy industry of the Fairies, even in their revels +and in their play. + +So much for the Fairies. + +But everybody is not in love with Fairies; some people don't care for +them, some (as we have seen) don't even believe in them! Many don't care +to read about them, being insensible to their grace and pretty elegance, +their exquisite dignity, and their ever-present youth. Who ever heard of +a middle-aged fairy? Such folk, be their age what it may, generally +prefer fun; especially do they love what Charles Dickens once for all +defined and established as the Spirit of Christmas. Well, here they may +find Father Christmas at home, and on his rounds. Here they will find +revealed and laid bare the whole secret and mystery of Santa +Claus--where the presents come from, and where they are stored--how they +are packed and how delivered while we are all asleep in our beds, +delivered from the waits. Here, too, the "old-fangled father" is +justified in the eyes of his "new-fangled sons," who recognise that +fundamental truths--and such truths!--are not shaken by the on-coming +tide of Time. And here, besides, you may learn what goes on on that +other side of the moon which we never see, and what is its service to +Man, and to Woman and Child as well. And for the first time in the +history of romance we discover what it was that the Sleeping Beauty +dreamt. And there are stories of other kinds--with a touch of pathos, +too. + +Story-telling is the oldest of the arts--the art of which we never +tire--the art which will be out-lived by none other, however +fascinating, however beautiful, however perfect. It may deal with human +thought and human passion; it may appeal to the highest intellect and +the profoundest sentiments of men; or just to the brightest and +dreamiest fancy of the young. Be it but well told, even though it does +not stir our emotions, the little story delights the imagination, and +makes us grateful to the teller for an hour well spent or pleasantly +whiled away. That is the greatest reward of the writer, as it is the +sole ambition of the author of these little tales. + + _Mister_ M. H. SPIELMANN. + + + + + CONTENTS + + + ADVENTURES IN WIZARD-LAND-- + + _Illustrated by_ ARTHUR RACKHAM, A.R.W.S. + + I. A Knock at the Red Door + + II. The Wizard at Home + + III. The Bird-Fairy Speaks + + IV. The Lost Catseye + + V. In the Fish-King's Realm + + VI. The Mystery of the Crab + + VII. The Magic Bracelets + + VIII. The Spell--and how it Worked + + THE OLD-FANGLED FATHER AND HIS NEW-FANGLED SONS + + THE LITTLE PICTURE GIRL + _Illustrated by_ HUGH THOMSON, R.I. + + THE SLEEPING BEAUTY'S DREAM + _Illustrated by_ BERNARD PARTRIDGE, R.I. + + THE GAMEKEEPER'S DAUGHTER + _Illustrated by_ LEWIS BAUMER + + ALL ON A FIFTH OF NOVEMBER + + FATHER CHRISTMAS AT HOME + _Illustrated by_ ARTHUR RACKHAM, A.R.W.S. + + A BIRTHDAY STORY + + LITTLE STARRY + + CEDRIC'S UNACCOUNTABLE ADVENTURE + _Illustrated by_ HARRY ROUNTREE + + ROSELLA + + THE CUCKOO THAT LIVED IN THE CLOCK-HOUSE + + CHRISTMAS AT THE COURT OF KING JORUM + _Illustrated by_ HUGH THOMSON, R.I. + + ONE APRIL DAY + + THE STORM THE TEAPOT BREWED + + MONICA THE MOON CHILD + _Illustrated by_ C. WILHELM + + + + + ILLUSTRATIONS + + + THE FISH-KING AND THE DOG-FISH + + "SO YOU'VE COME TO SEE THE WIZARD," HE SAID + + ITS HEAD WAS PATTED GRACIOUSLY + + WHAT A GLORIOUS RIDE THAT WAS + + SHE STROKED IT--ACTUALLY STROKED IT + + TAKING THE BOY AND GIRL BY A HAND, HE LED THEM + + THE LITTLE PICTURE GIRL + + IN MARCHED A STOUT BEADLE + + THEN SHE ACCEPTED HIS INVITATION TO DANCE + + "IT IS YOU, O PRINCE, THE YOUTH OF MY DREAM!" + + "YOU CAN JUST HAND OVER THAT PHEASANT" + + "WHO ARE YOU, THEN?" + + SHE RAN AND FETCHED HIS PRESENTS SHE WAS ANXIOUS TO SHOW + + IT WAS A VERY, VERY LONG LADDER + + THE TWO REINDEER ... SPED RAPIDLY AWAY + + LAY LOW, AND HATCHED AN AUDACIOUS PLOT + + "OF COURSE YOUR YOUNG MAJESTY HAS GOT THE KEY?" + + "I REALLY DO LOOK EVERY INCH A KING!" + + LOOKING NEITHER TO THE RIGHT NOR TO THE LEFT + + ROUND ABOUT WAS NOTHING BUT MOUNTAINS, CRATERS, CAVERNS + + + + + ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT + + + ADVENTURES IN WIZARD-LAND + + "ALL THESE POOR CREATURES WERE CHILDREN" + + HE TOOK TWO JEWELLED CIRCLETS OUT OF A SATCHEL + + "I AM THE BIRD-FAIRY," SHE SAID + + THEY MET MANY A QUAINT CREATURE + + THE WIZARD, WITH A GROAN OF PAIN, HAD LEAPT BACK + + LYING FULL LENGTH ON THE GROUND NEXT TO HIS SHATTERED INVENTION + + INITIAL + + HE MOUNTED IT VERY CAREFULLY + + SMILED AS SHE WAVED GOOD-BYE + + "I SUPPOSE YOU KNOW YOU'RE TRESPASSING?" + + MONICA THE MOON CHILD + + SHE WAS SOARING LIKE A BIRD RIGHT OUT INTO THE NIGHT + + A TINY FIGURE, NO BIGGER THAN MONICA'S DOLL + + ROWS UPON ROWS OF THE BEAUTIFULLEST ROSES + + THE MAN LIFTED HIS ARM SO THAT HIS FACE WAS ONCE + MORE HIDDEN IN GLOOM + + + _The Title-page and End-papers are by_ MR. CARTON MOORE PARK. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A KNOCK AT THE RED DOOR + + +"It's a shame, Dulcie. We mayn't go out just because it's raining a few +drops," said the boy at the nursery window. + +"Yes, a fearful shame," replied his sister. She always sympathised with +him and gave in to him, right or wrong. She carefully propped her doll +bolt upright on a chair and came to where he stood. "Never mind, Cyril. +Let's play at something." + +"Yes, but I do mind. It's too bad! It's always 'you mustn't' this, 'you +mustn't' that. It would be a saving of breath if they'd just say the few +things that we _might_ do. Are you willing to go on putting up with it? +I suppose you are, as you're only a girl." + +"No, I don't want to, but I've got to. Mother says it is for our good, +and we are spoilt." + +"I don't think so at all. It's very hard lines," growled Cyril. "I'm +sure the garden isn't a bit wet, and the rocks have only a sprinkle." + +Certainly the window panes had more than a sprinkle trickling down them. +But the birds were twittering fussily in the bushes and amongst the ivy, +and the garden was looking its best in the summer shower. Fitful gleams +of sunshine cast loving touches here and there on the roses and the +sweet honeysuckle; and the tall white lilies never looked fresher or +smarter. Beyond, were those tempting rocks, with their surroundings of +sand, which rose so strangely in that part of inland Kent, telling of +former ages and of the vagaries of the sea and river. The rocks were the +happy playground of these lucky Twins, who lived in the fine solitary +house close by, and who were now peering so disconsolately through the +window, flattening their noses against the glass blurred with the +pattering rain. + +They were exactly the same height; they resembled one another in +feature, and, being twins, were both nine years old; and there the +likeness ended, for his dark hair was short and thick, and hers was fair +and very long. She was timid and gentle though her bright face was very +happy; he, what is termed "a handful." + +"_I_ know!" exclaimed Dulcie after a moment's silence, drawing her +brother away from the melancholy amusement of tracing down the trailing +drops with his finger until they disappeared mysteriously at the bottom +of the glass. "I know! Let's play 'Birds, Beasts, and Fishes.'" + +Cyril cast a lingering look at the tiresome dark clouds, then with a +sigh and a frown turned round in token of consent, graciously suffered +himself to be settled at the table with paper and pencil, and was soon +excitedly trying to guess what Dulcie's Bird could be that began with +the letter c, had four between, and ended with an _e_. + +"It's very easy, really," pleaded Dulcie, burning to tell. "Do you give +it up?" + +Cyril wasn't so easily beaten as that, and thought till he grew +impatient. + +"Shall I tell you?--_Let_ me tell you!" urged his sister. + +"If you like," he replied magnanimously. + +"Canare!" + +"I'm sure it's spelt with a _y_," he said, as if he weren't quite +certain in spite of his words. + +They argued who should score the mark, and settled the point by counting +it a draw. She followed it up with a Fish, which was _s_, two between, +and an _l_, which puzzled Cyril until he found, of course, that it was +"soul." + +Believing he had lost again, he allowed his interest in the game to +flag, and still restless, he ran to the window. + +"Hooray! it's fine now," he cried. "Come along, we don't want hats!" + +"_Ought_ we to go, do you think, Cyril, without asking?" + +"I'm not going to ask, not if I know it. We would be sure to be +'don't'-ed. I'm going out. It's so stuffy here. You can do as you like." + +"If you go, I shall go too," she replied quickly, following him and +taking his hand. He didn't quite like that, but he felt, as she was +"only a woman," he would let her. + +Away they ran lightly, out into the sunshine, happy to be in the warm, +scented air, through the garden, off to the dear old rocks which were +already drying nicely, and at once a fine game of hide-and-seek was in +full swing. + +Dulcie had gone again to hide, and Cyril had his face buried in his +hands, waiting for the familiar "Cuckoo!" when he was startled instead +by a faint cry of surprise, followed by "Cyril, come quick! Quick!" + +"It must be a beetle or a toad, or something," he said to himself as he +hurried to the spot from which her voice seemed to come; but it was only +after she had repeated her excited cries that he found her at last. + +She had found a passage through the rocks which they had never noticed +before! + +"Come along!" cried Cyril joyously at the sight of it. "Come along! +we'll go on a voyage of discovery!" + + * * * * * + +Down the passage they went, far and carefully, for there was only a +glimmer of light in a thin streak peeping through, because the rocks all +but joined at the top, and the ground was uneven and slippery. But in +spite of their caution they got a sudden start, for they became aware of +a silent brook flowing deep and swiftly by, at their feet: another step +and they would have been in it. The Twins, rather startled, looked at +one another, and then without further thought they just jumped across. +Jumped into an open space--into MOONLIGHT. There was actually a full +moon overhead, but with such seams and lines about it that it bore the +appearance of being pieced together like a geographical puzzle. + +"Cyril, look there!" whispered Dulcie, pressing close up to him, as soon +as she found words. + +In the white light there stood an immense rock. In it there was a wooden +door with hewn-out steps leading up to it. A nice red door it was, with +a green knocker upon it in the shape of a mouth smiling a welcome. Of +course they went up to it, climbed the steps, which were high and +difficult, and stared at the neatly engraved brass plate below it, +which bore the words: + + +---------------------------------+ + | Knock if an answer is required. | + | If not, why? | + +---------------------------------+ + +"I'm going to knock," said Cyril. + +"Oh no, we don't want any answer," said Dulcie, "so why do it?" + +A backward glance at the steps puzzled her, for they had grown steeper +than before and impossible to climb down again, or up, for the matter of +that, and the door before which they stood was now at such a height from +the ground as to make her feel giddy to look below. She hardly had time +to think about it when Cyril raised the knocker and let it go. Instead +of the usual sound a knocker makes, a loud laugh rang out, discordant +and disconcerting. "You needn't be frightened," he remarked, for his +little sister hung back and tightened her grasp of his arm. The next +moment the door swung open and there stood on the threshold a very tall +man with an enormous bald head. He was clad in a yellow satin +dressing-gown, and wore great smoke-coloured spectacles. + +"So you've come to see the Wizard," he said blandly. "Pray walk in!" + +[Illustration: _"So you've come to see the Wizard," he said_] + +"I--I think we'd--we'd rather not, thank you very much," stammered +Cyril, very red, whilst Dulcie looked up, pale and wondering. "We're not +dressed for visiting," she urged in a loud whisper in her brother's ear. + +"But you require an answer, or why knock?" retorted the strange man. +"_Pray_ walk in," he repeated. He was so polite. + +The door swung behind them, and the trembling twins found themselves +alone with the Wizard in a very large cave, where the walls glowed with +phosphorescent light, while the further end was hidden in deep gloom. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE WIZARD AT HOME + + +"How do you do?" said the Wizard, as if he remembered he had forgotten +to ask. The Twins shyly shook hands with him and said they were quite +well, thank him. They didn't want to a bit, but he seemed to expect it. +"Let's talk matters over," he added with a smile. It was such a winning +smile that the children began to feel less uncomfortable. "You're not +always quite content, I believe," and he rubbed his hands cheerfully +together. "That mother of yours interferes rather too much, eh?" With a +rapid movement he pushed his spectacles away on to the top of his bumpy +baldness, revealing a pair of small eyes with a red, slumbering glow in +them. + +As Cyril didn't reply Dulcie ventured to remark, "If you please, my +brother thinks she says 'don't' too often." + +"But how do you know that?" interrupted Cyril, who, though surprised, +took a more practical view of the situation. + +"Because," slowly replied the Wizard, taking off his spectacles and +scratching his big nose with them--"because I was an optician in my +youth and made these glasses, through which I have only to look to see +people as they really are and not what they appear to be. ["How clever!" +broke in Dulcie under her breath.] I found out at a glance that you are +discontented with your lot, and prefer to be free. You are tired of +control, eh? Isn't that the state of Home Affairs?" + +"Yes," said Cyril, once more full of his wrongs. "It's only children who +are not allowed to do what they want. Grown-ups do as they like; so does +our dog; he goes out and comes in when he likes, eats when he wants, +leaves what he likes--or rather, what he doesn't like; so does our cat. +You see," he continued, growing quite chummy, "we are never allowed to +do this, that, and the other, like other people--animals, I mean--and +they are free and happy, and they needn't bother with lessons. It's so +stupid being a child!" he concluded plaintively, and Dulcie nodded a +similar opinion. + +"Just as I thought. Well, I shouldn't put up with it if I were you," +replied their new friend, smiling again, and scratching his nose with +his spectacles in his thoughtful, insinuating manner. "I should advise +you to go your own way, seek your own fortunes, and find your own +happiness for yourselves. We must see what we can do to help you to +freedom. Eh?" + +The little guests did not think to thank him, for their eyes had begun +to roam with curiosity over the strange things that were all about. The +cave dwelling was queerly furnished, if it could be called furniture. +There were animals of all sizes and shapes, standing around stuffed, +staring, and immovable. Snakes, fish, small birds; an elephant just like +life standing rigidly next to a number of grinning stuffed monkeys; +while a crocodile with open jaws looked snaps at a startled fawn with +wide-set eyes. It was like a frozen Zoological Gardens. + +"Once upon a time," remarked the Wizard, following the children's source +of interest, "all those poor creatures were children like you. Ah! their +end was sad, very sad; very sad indeed!" + +The Twins didn't like that remark at all, nor did they relish the +winning smile this time that accompanied it. Then bursting out laughing +he exclaimed-- + +"Now I'll show you something funny," and he brought out from a corner +what looked like a cinematograph. "Look!" he said as he touched a spring +and set it going. + +There was a hissing sound, and the gloom at the end of the cave passed +away, and there marched along in living procession all the inhabitants +of their Noah's Ark. + +Dulcie and Cyril were transfixed with delight at this charming +entertainment. + +[Illustration: _"All those poor creatures were children"_] + +"And we don't pay anything to come in!" remarked Cyril softly to his +sister. "It can't pay him. They're all going in for safety, you see--all +the birds, all the beasts----" + +"Where are the fishes?" anxiously interrupted his little sister in a +whisper. + +"Don't be such a Billy," retorted Cyril with a frown; "the fishes are +used to being drowned." + +After Noah went into the Ark and had shut the door, the gloom +reappeared. The show was over. + +"That's a little idea of my own," remarked the Wizard as he put the +machine away. "Amusing, isn't it?" + +The Twins nodded. Then he invited the children to look through a hole in +the wall of the cave, and they saw a small room. + +"That's my hospitable bedroom," he said, "that I've endowed myself with. +When I'm down in the mumps from being crouped up here so long, I go +there and wrap myself up in thoughts all nice and smug. It is fitted +with the epileptic light, rheumatic bells, and all the latest +infections. + +"Now, what were we talking about before? Ah yes! My inventions. None of +your modern up-to-date rubbish, only inventions of the future for me. +None of your wireless telephony and wireless telegraphy for me. Listen +to this." He called out-- + +"Number A. 1. Sea Power! Have you been successful in that last little +financial venture, Sire?" + +There were rushing sounds, as of waves, at the far end of the cave, and +a muffled voice replied-- + +"No, Cabalistic One, I have lost again. Just my luck! Dash--sh--sh--" +which resolved itself into the swish-swish of rolling surf. Then all was +quiet again. + +"The reply of a friend of mine residing far away at a place called 'The +Billows,'" explained the Wizard in an offhand way. "I help him in his +little transactions, which are sometimes rather--in fact very--!" and +raising his arm he smothered a laugh in his yellow satin sleeve which +was not pleasant to hear. "I always like to laugh up there," he +explained, as the children looked surprised. + +Dulcie's hand stole into her brother's and she whispered him to "Come +away, come away, do, quick, and let's go home." + +"But you haven't seen any of my marvellous jewellery yet," replied their +host, as though she had spoken aloud. + +"Don't be timid"--he was looking at them through those horrid spectacles +again, which laid bare all their thoughts. "You know I am only answering +that knock of yours. Had you not required an answer, there would have +been no information forthcoming. I should just like to show you these +bracelets I have here." He pushed his glasses across his baldness and +took two jewelled golden circlets out of a satchel which hung from the +cord of his gown. "Other children have taken great interest in them," +said the Wizard slowly--"in fact have worn all the gems out. But I've +often had them done up again; and you are both welcome to them--very +welcome to them, if you like. You see, _they_ are able to inform their +wearers how to play at 'Birds, Beasts, and Fishes' _properly_." + +"We know already," replied the boy and girl together, now restlessly +impatient to be gone. + +[Illustration: _He took two jewelled circlets out of a satchel_] + +"I don't mean that tiresome educational game you were playing when you +were waiting in because of those few drops of rain. I mean the _real_ +thing--to be actually the real animals themselves in the realms of the +Birds, Beasts, and Fishes. Only in that way can children realise how +much nicer it is to be one of them, and to live a life free from the +'don'ts' and vexatious care of their elders. Ah! _Now_ you're +interested!" + +The Twins were staring at him open-mouthed. + +"These bracelets," continued the Wizard, whilst the ten catseye gems in +each of them gleamed curiously as he spoke--"see--aren't they +beautiful-- + +"THESE BRACELETS WILL EMPOWER THE WEARERS TO BECOME BIRD, BEAST, OR +FISH, AT EACH WISH; TO REGAIN HIS SHAPE, OR HER SHAPE, AT WILL, AND TO +LIVE IN ANY ATMOSPHERE--OR IN NONE! At every change of form a catseye +will disappear and return to me. With the last wish the wonderful +adventures will be over, and the shape last chosen will remain to the +end of existence. All these silly animals in my dwelling came at the +last to seek my help as they were dissatisfied. I did what I could, +which wasn't much. Of course I don't want so many of them here," he +added carelessly, scratching his nose with his glasses, "though they do +help with my experiments--they do that--oh yes--but I always advise +getting experience first. They somehow got to know that _as children +under ten_ they could only pass _into_ my MOONLIGHT and never _out of +it_; and that my faithful BROOK would not see them twice. So they came +for help in their last shapes as animals. Oh!" he added, pulling himself +up with evident pretence, "I helped them right enough! They should have +kept a pair of catseyes--I warned them--and they might have crossed my +BROOK in some other shape than their own and changed to themselves the +other side. But somehow they were not fortunate enough to manage that. +Some people are so thoughtless. Pray excuse me, my dears, there's some +one at the knocker," and throwing the bracelets into a corner where they +glittered strangely, the Wizard vanished. + +"Come away, do come away," implored Dulcie, plucking at her brother's +sleeve. "I'm so frightened," she whimpered. "Don't touch them. Oh! I +want to go home." + +"But, sis, you heard what he said. We can't cross his horrid brook twice +whilst we are under ten. Crying won't help," replied the boy sturdily. +Nevertheless, he looked terribly frightened himself, although he patted +her shoulder comfortingly. "_I feel I must!_" he muttered; "besides, +it's our only way out of here, and get out of here we must, and escape +in some other shape." + +Cyril hastily picked up the bracelets, put one on his wrist and the +other on Dulcie's, and taking her by the hand dragged her right into the +gloomy part of the cavern farther and farther away from the hateful +dwelling and its awful master. He couldn't tell where he was leading +her, but he ran blindly on until at last there was daylight in the +distance. And the Twins found themselves surrounded by haystacks, +windmills, and other country objects. + +"Ah!" exclaimed Cyril with delight, "see how I've saved you, Dulcie!" + +"And a good job too," she replied with conviction. + +So they wandered gaily on, laughing at anything and everything in the +happiness of their escape. They _were_ happy, anyhow; happy in their +absolute freedom. And were they not in the possession, too, of the +precious bracelets which were going to lead them into all sorts of +delightful adventures as soon as they chose! They could talk of nothing +else--and babbled on of how they would cross the brook as animals, and +how they would be wiser than all the other poor creatures, by keeping a +gem in reserve and change to themselves on the other side. + +Little could they guess of the troubles and adventures that awaited +them! + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE BIRD-FAIRY SPEAKS + + +The children had been so busy chattering of fun to come, that it was all +of a sudden they realised they were in a glade which looked quite +enchanting, and with so many daisies about that Dulcie wanted to sit +down and weave those they gathered into a chain. + +"Don't wait for that," said Cyril; "carry them in my handkerchief." + +But when he felt in his pockets the handkerchief was not there. He must +have dropped it. Dulcie proposed that they should retrace their steps, +but sweet sounds of innumerable birds came from the high trees around +and filled the air--and they stayed to listen to the concert of trills, +chirrups, gentle call-notes, cadences, and bursts of tremulous song. And +now, against the deep blue sky hovered what looked like a cloud which +suddenly separated and descended, and the Twins found themselves face to +face with a most lovely being, surrounded by a ring of exquisite little +creatures, who danced to the continuous music of the Wood. + +Cyril and Dulcie gazed at their beautiful companion, who stepped towards +them smiling graciously. She looked like a lovely young girl. Draped +about her was a wondrous garment of feathers of every hue. But she was +strange indeed, for her hands, clasped behind her, drew close together +two enormous wings which sprouted from her shoulders and formed part of +her white arms; whilst upon her shapely head among her black tresses was +the aigrette of the peacock. Her attendants had no aigrette, and their +feathered draperies were of sober brown. They were much smaller too, +smaller even than the Twins. + +"I am the Bird-Fairy," she said in cooing tones, "and you are in need of +advice. I can----" + +[Illustration: _"I am the Bird-Fairy," she said_] + +"Not exactly, thanks. You _are_ pretty!" stammered Cyril, interrupting. +"It's because--we want to go our own way--at home we--" he stopped in +order to shake off Dulcie, who was tugging at his jacket. + +"If you please," asked Dulcie shyly, "what advice?" + +"It would be exactly contrary to the Wizard's," and the Fairy looked +serious. + +"Thanks very much," interrupted Cyril; "but we do want to seek our +fortunes--to go on our adventures. It's a grand thing to do," he +explained, "specially for her--she's a girl. Besides, we can't cross the +Brook as children." + +"Don't use those catseyes and it might be possible; that is, if you are +willing. Be warned! Let me carry you quickly to the other side and then +run home," said the Bird-Fairy anxiously. + +Cyril shook his head, so Dulcie shook hers. + +"It's always 'don't,'" he muttered. "It's sure to be all right, Dulcie," +he said turning to her. + +"Are you sure?" she inquired vaguely, with a lingering glance at the +Fairy, who had turned away sadly. + +"It must be if we keep that last change as we arranged." + +From the trees now issued forth sweet wood-birds of many kinds--the air +was thick with them; they circled three times round the fairy ring and +then all flew away, and the children were once more alone. + +"Wasn't that beautiful? Ah!" sighed Dulcie, looking after them, "I wish +I could be one of them and sing like them." + +Hardly were the words out of her mouth when Cyril began to stare about +in amazement. His sister was nowhere to be seen. Her disappearance was +so rapid that the earth might have swallowed her up. + +"Dulcie, Dulcie," he cried. "Wherever are you? Come back at once when I +tell you!" + +Nothing stirred in the stillness except the waving branches of the tall +trees--and a little bird that came and perched upon his shoulder and +began softly to trill into his ear what meant nothing to him. He stroked +its smooth plumage. His hand touched something hard around its throat. +He parted the feathers and found--a golden circlet set with catseyes, +one of which was missing. + +"Oh!" he exclaimed. "It's her!" + +He was too flustered to talk grammar. "How fearfully quick the change +came about--only just a slight hint like that! I say! We _shall_ have +to look out! I wonder how you like it, you pretty little bird! I wish I +could understand those chirping sounds!" + +Instantly he became like her--a lark. He understood her at once, and the +pair flew away, singing gaily as they rose together, fluttering up and +up, soaring high and ever higher into the blue azure of the cloudless +sky. + +Never was there such a blissful sensation as that, flying heavenwards to +the music of their own making. Dancing at a party to the accompaniment +of a piano was mere ordinary child's play compared to the invigorating +delight of this new experience. The earth looked like a map, and they +realised now what was meant by a "bird's-eye view." After a time, still +singing, they dropped quickly down to earth. Then Cyril led the way into +the Wood, where they perched in one of the highest trees; and they +hopped about, scanning their surroundings, and awaiting the visits of +other little feathered inhabitants whose acquaintance they expected to +make. In the meantime they gleaned various scraps of news from certain +twitterings in the adjoining branches, some of which they clearly +overheard. + +And it came as a shock that these twitterings were mostly complaints +about the scarcity of provisions; about starvation among the weak birds +who could not compete against the strong; about the unfair scrambling +for tit-bits which caused grievous bodily hurt. Then a painful rumour +was discussed about poor little Mother Starling, who had been taken +unawares by a wild beast with terrible whiskers who was seen to pounce +upon her and carry her off--and her husband, who still went about vainly +calling his mate and would not be comforted. They heard how, in the +hospitals under the hedges, things were in a bad way--how one patient +was down with a broken wing, with no hope of getting well in time to +migrate; and of others incurable, and resigned. + +All this so depressed the two joyous young larks that they flew some +distance away, when through the leaves they discovered in the tree next +to them nothing less than the beautiful Bird-Fairy reclining asleep in +the branches with her retinue of little sprites in various attitudes all +around her, their shining eyes wide open, on guard. + +The absolute silence proved too monotonous for our lively pair. So away +they flew again--miles and miles away into the open country, enjoying to +the fullest freedom found at last, feeding in the sun-gilded fields, +drinking from the pools, bathing in the sandy roads, and flying for all +they were worth in their youthful spirits. Life like this was life +indeed! + +Their happiness seemed complete, when a sudden sense of horror struck +them both at the same moment, and hardly had they realised it when they +noticed something very large which had been poised above swooping +towards them, striking terror into their souls as it came. It was a +sparrow-hawk, and death was upon them. Instinctively they swerved out of +its terrible course, and commenced a series of short, zig-zag flights, +their eyes starting nearly out of their little heads with fright. The +enemy was strong on the wing and remorseless in purpose. The poor larks, +with hearts fluttering wildly, were becoming feeble and less alert. The +next second the hawk would seize one of its prey. The little bird gave +an agonised chirp, dropped like a stone to the ground, and changed into +Dulcie, affrighted and panting for breath. She looked anxiously upwards. +Her pursuer, baulked, turned and darted upon its second quarry. Too +late! Cyril had taken the strong hint, had also Wished, and now stood in +safety on the ground beside her. + +"Come on!" he shouted to the surprised and baffled enemy. "Come on now, +and I'll wring your ugly neck!" + +But the bird didn't wait to accept his polite invitation; and a moment +later it was out of sight, and out of mind, and the children found they +were again alone in the beautiful glade. + +"I don't want to be a bird any more," said Dulcie when she had recovered +her composure. + +"No, it's too risky," admitted her brother. "When that big dark thing +came in sight there was so little time to think what to do. That second, +too," he added with a shudder, "when I thought the brute had got you, +was too awful!" + +She felt quite important now at having gone through such peril. + +"I could never have imagined that birds had such a lot to put up with," +mused Cyril as they walked on--"hunger and suffering, with the risk any +moment of being gobbled up!" + +"There ought to be some one to take care of the poor things," remarked +Dulcie. "If it hadn't been for the catseyes we should have been eaten up +and ended like that." She glanced at the bracelet on her wrist and +added, with a timid look at her brother, "It seems safer as we are." + +"Bosh!" he rejoined. "We want adventures. That's what we're going +for--and freedom. We had a ripping time as larks--till the end. It +certainly wasn't very comfortable then." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE LOST CATSEYE + + +Something was in their path; the Twins stooped to examine it and found +it to be a Hedgehog standing on its hind legs, motionless, as though +waiting for somebody, and a smile was upon the face of that Hedgehog. +All at once a Porcupine sprung up beside it, as if out of the earth, and +the two appeared on the very best of terms. + +"I _must_ get to know what they are talking about," exclaimed Dulcie. +"They seem to me to be arguing about something interesting. Oh, I do +wish I could be all ears and understand them! If only I were something +as small as a mole!" Before Cyril could remonstrate a mole she was, went +off blindly, and was quickly lost to view amongst the thick brushwood. + +"I say! I do call that _mean_," he complained. "Without even so much as +asking my advice or saying good-bye. It's silly to become a stupid mole; +it's a waste of a catseye. And all on account of a beastly spikey +hedgehog and a beastly prickly porcupine. Halloa! Wherever have you all +got to?" + +Out of humour, he looked right and left. They were nowhere to be seen. +"I hope she will soon come to her senses!" he muttered. "It isn't much +fun being left like this." + +He lay down on his back to await her, and kicked up his legs in the air +as a pastime, whilst the tall trees above him waved their upper branches +in the breeze. His glittering bracelet caught his attention, causing his +thoughts to drift on adventures past and to come. He looked harder at +it, and becoming concerned he carefully counted the missing catseyes. He +had only wished to be a lark, and to be himself. Yet THREE were gone! +The two first--and the _last_ one! "Could this," he asked himself, "be +some dreadful trick of the Wizard's--likely to occur at the last?" Cyril +turned pale at the possibility. "Or could that last one have become +loose and got lost?" he pondered. If so, he realised that it must be +found. The thought about the Wizard worried him. He was uneasy, too, +about Dulcie, and sat up eagerly listening for her coming, and wondering +what he had better do. + +Meanwhile, our little mole had groped its way to a hole whence could be +heard sounds of a quaint voice. It was that of the Porcupine saying +pretty poetry softly to the accompaniment of a slow musical titter. + + "I'm a brave and dashing Porcupine-- + Strong, elegant, and dandy; + And you a Hedgehog, bright as wine, + And sweet as sugar-candy. + Dear Hedgehog fair, say you'll be mine + And wed the dandy Porcupine! + Dear Hedgehog--bright as currant-wine, + Take me--as strong as brandy, + Be Mrs. Porcupine, I pray-- + I've begged so often--don't say nay-- + Be Mrs. Porky, sweet and jolly. + Nay--titter not, + Or off I'll trot + And straightway marry Molly." + +"Ah!" he observed after a long pause, during which the Hedgehog had +remained silent and had never moved a quill in response, "There goes +Molly the Mole!" + +Molly the Mole, who had distracted his attention, heeded him not, but +went and struck up an acquaintance with the little stranger in the hole +close by. For some time they remained in close conversation. It was not +at all an amusing conversation, as Dulcie explained later, and she was +not sorry when the danger of a horse's hoofs galloping nearly on top of +them caused them to run off. They got separated, and Dulcie was glad to +bring herself again into the possession of her own five senses. Peeping +from behind a tree, she saw Molly and the Hedgehog walking off together, +leaving the Porcupine disconsolate. And then she beheld a young girl +with short red hair dismount from her horse, walk back rapidly towards +some glittering object, and pick it up. + +Dulcie recognised at once the curious colouring of a catseye. She +glanced at the bracelet on her wrist; all was in order there. Could it +possibly belong to Cyril? The thought became a certainty. "Stop!" she +called out loudly. + +Too late--horse and rider were off. + +"Stop! Stop thief!" shouted Dulcie as she ran after them as fast as she +could. + +Now Cyril, who was not the soul of patience at any time, had come to the +conclusion that it was of no use waiting any longer, and that it would +be better to be up and doing. So he got up and pondered again and again +what to do. + +"Any way I'd better risk it and become a cat," he decided, "for like +that I've more chance of finding Dulcie, and of finding my catseye. It +would be useful to be able to see in dark corners. But I'll search about +as I am first." + +He spent some time peering and searching in the Wood. But without +success. Neither Dulcie nor the catseye was to be found. + +Just then he heard a noise. He stepped behind a tree, and peering round +from behind it he beheld not far off a young lady dismount from her +horse and pick up something. Cyril recognised it as his catseye. He +approached timidly to claim it, when she leapt up and cantered off, +evidently not seeing or hearing the boy who was running, shouting with +lusty lungs: "Stop! Hi! Stop thief!" + +Little did he know that his little sister, almost exhausted, was further +behind gasping out the same cry--while big tears from helplessness and +anxiety were coursing down her hot cheeks. For the trees hid the +children from view at the distance they were apart, as well as from the +rider; and shout as they would, their cries could not be heard by one +another. + +Cyril soon lost sight of the new owner of the gem, and didn't know what +to do, or where to trace it, or, still worse, what had become of Dulcie. +As he came to a narrow footpath which branched off from the main track, +he went quickly along it in the hope that it might prove to be a short +cut to somewhere. As it turned out he was lucky, for it proved to be a +short cut to a Town, and hardly had he entered one of the streets than +at the other end he saw entering it the rider on her horse. He ran +towards her, but only arrived just as the girl with red hair disappeared +through the door of a large white house, and the horse was being ridden +off by her groom. + +So Cyril sauntered on, anxiously meditating how to get his belonging +back. The present possessor would never believe his tale, or if she did +the less likely would she be to part with a thing so valuable--and then +perhaps only for a hundred pounds. He concluded he must take it--it was +his--at least it was more his than hers, and his life might depend upon +it. So he decided that the best thing he could do was to change into a +monkey, climb into the house by one of the open windows, grab the gem as +soon as found, and escape as quickly as he could. + +But no sooner did the quaint little monkey stand there than it was +pounced upon by a dirty brown hand, whilst a foreign voice exclaimed-- + +"Ah, ha! So dere you are, my leetle friend! You shall not escape from me +again so soon, Jacko. Ah no!" + +It was a ragged boy with a hurdy-gurdy, who had caught hold of the +little twisting, mouthing creature and was already getting it into a +miniature soldier's coat with brass buttons. A ludicrous doll's hat with +a long feather upstanding was quickly produced from his pocket, put on +its head, and the elastic slipped under its chin. A long cord was +whipped out, fixed to the red coat, and a sudden jerk hitched up the +whole arrangement on to the barrel-organ in a twinkling. + +Now Dulcie had also taken the short cut into the Town, and was just +going to enter a large garden in order to rest her weary limbs after her +useless chase, when the boy and monkey attracted her attention and she +stopped. She would have laughed, so comic was the sight, but filled with +concern at a rough jerk she cried: "Oh, please don't. You'll hurt it. Do +let it go!" + +"Let go, signorina? Ah no! Me take care never risk no more. No Jacko, +then poor Pietro starve. Just you watch him, then give poor Pietro +penny. Now, Jacko, we're 'ungry." + +Had Dulcie only known the monkey was not Jacko, but Cyril, she would +have been still more concerned. The lad turned the handle of the +instrument, and to its cracked tune she was amused to see the monkey +take off its hat with a jerky movement, replace it, dance about, salute, +and perform other antics in the most approved and undignified manner. + +The boy pulled his forelock. After much fumbling Dulcie found a penny +and gave it to him. A sunny smile was on his swarthy face as he said +"Grazia!" He kissed the monkey affectionately, and putting it in the +inner pocket of his ragged coat, moved away. + +And the monkey, peering out of that pocket, blinked twice so meaningly +at Dulcie that she stood there and gazed after it, puzzled, whilst the +boy trudged off whistling. Dulcie then found a shady seat, and having +nothing better or more hopeful to do, determined to rest there. Now, +however, that she had leisure to think it over, she didn't at all like +the loss of that gem. Supposing by some trick or other of that horrid +Wizard all the rest should drop out and not be found--at some dreadfully +awkward moment! What would poor Cyril do? And she also might come to be +in the same plight! These thoughts were too horrible! So she began +saying some poetry she had learnt in order to keep her mind on other +matters. + +She wasn't enjoying herself very much. The time seemed endless, and a +neighbouring clock which chimed the quarters didn't help it to pass any +faster; and the longer Dulcie waited, the more anxious she became. She +gave up reciting poetry, or what stood for poetry, and her only thought +became: "If only Cyril would come back!" In her fear she began to give +up hope of his ever coming back at all, and decided to try and discover +if there were such a thing as a policeman about, to whom she might +confide her troubles. + +Suddenly there arose a hullabaloo. Such a barking and rushing, and the +next moment a large black cat sprang on the seat beside her, +frightening her very much. There was a terrified shriek--a gratified +Wish--and Cyril found himself on a bench next Dulcie with a great hound +clinging to his sailor collar at the back. + +With a cry of fear she helped him in his struggles to get free; the +animal, astonished and abashed, slunk away with its tail between its +legs, and the brother and sister fell into one another's arms. Never +before had they known how fond they were of one another--for never had +they been so pleased to meet again. + +"I waited so patiently," said Dulcie; she didn't add anything about +thoughts of a friendly policeman, but inquired quickly-- + +"Do you know you've lost your catseye?" + +He nodded and grinned. + +"Have you got it?" + +He parted his lips. It was between his teeth. He pressed it back into +the empty setting of his bracelet, saying-- + +"I'd no time to wish sooner. I'll never set Towser to chase our poor +little Miranda again, you bet! How horrid it must be to be a permanent +cat!" + +"However did you get it back?" + +"Hallo! Hi!" was all she got in answer, and the next moment he was +pommelling into, and being pommelled by, a lanky youth. + +"I'll teach you--to shy stones--at a--poor defenceless--cat," gasped +Cyril, hitting out right and left, his face scarlet, and his hair all +ruffled. How they did go for one another! First one was down and the +other on top; then the pair, all legs and arms, were the other way up; +then they rolled together over and over, till at last Cyril had won a +brilliant victory before he allowed Dulcie to drag him away from the +defeated adversary, who, as soon as he was free, slunk off miserably, +with one hand to his eye and his handkerchief to his nose. + +"I'm all right," exclaimed Cyril, in answer to her anxious inquiry, +shaking himself into order. "That _was_ a lark! No--I'm not hurt, not +really. Served him jolly!" + +Dulcie noticed that he had a lump on his forehead from the fray. + +"I'm glad you won the fight with that boy, but I don't know what it was +about one little bit. And, Cyril, aren't these adventures rather +too--too dangerous, don't you think?" + +"Of course they're not, they're awfully jolly." + +"Now tell me all about it from the very beginning," said his sister as +they strolled off together. So Cyril gave her a spirited record of his +adventures whilst she listened eagerly, anxious not to miss a single +word. + +"I'll begin at the beginning," he said. "Well, the funny monkey--me, you +know----" + +"_You_, Cyril?" and Dulcie gasped with surprise. + +"Yes; don't interrupt, there's a dear. I quite enjoyed my little +performance on the organ before you. But by the second and third time I +had to do it I got sick and tired of it. The weather seemed to turn cold +and made me shiver. Then I got fearfully hungry--coppers were given me, +but no food did I get, and I felt I had had enough of the business. The +boy's pocket, too, was draughty--there was a hole in it--besides which I +got the cramp. It wouldn't have been much use trying to escape. Besides, +the monkey idea was all wrong, for people were passing all the time, +and, had they noticed a free monkey on the track of a catseye, a crowd +would have collected, and perhaps that grinning idiot might have gone +for me again. I couldn't very well change to myself inside of his +jacket, nor during a performance in public, as it might have attracted +attention. So I was obliged to wait for my chance, which came at last +when he picked up an end of a cigarette and after begging a match was +busy lighting it at a sheltered corner. I was on the pavement in a +minute, managed to slip out of my idiotic red coat to which the cord was +attached, flung off that absurd hat, and remembering my first idea I +changed into a cat, calmly sat down on the inner side of some area +railings, and peered through to watch the fun." + +"Yes, and what happened then?" interrupted Dulcie excitedly. + +"Well, you never saw such a face as that boy's when he found the +monkey's coat and hat on the ground without any monkey inside of them! +He said some foreign words and commenced running about hunting for me +everywhere, whilst I trotted off before his very eyes. Ha, ha, ha!" + +His sister pealed with laughter and delight. + +"As quickly as possible I reached the big house where I had seen the +girl with the red hair go in after she had picked up my catseye." + +"I saw her pick it up, too," broke in Dulcie. + +But Cyril went on: "The windows were still open. I jumped up from the +balcony on to a stone ledge, and then by good luck right into the +bedroom of that bothersome young lady. She was reading a book. We did +startle one another! + +"'Oh, you darling sweet pussikins!' she said. 'Ah,' I thought, 'not so +darling as all that.' And the next moment I was lifted clumsily on to +her lap and stroked and patted, whilst I looked anxiously around for my +catseye in the intervals--when she wasn't kissing my nose, which was +disturbing and uncomfortable, and girls do like kissing so. Then I saw +it gleaming on the dressing-table close to the window all the time, and +I became impatient. The stupid baby language and kisses bothered me, so +I stopped it by giving her face an ugly scratch." + +"Oh, how rude!" exclaimed Dulcie, shocked. + +"Whereupon she gave me an angry slap, which I didn't feel a bit through +the fur, and pushed me down roughly on the floor, looked at her face in +the glass, and then I heard her bathing it in the dressing-room. I say! +had I changed then, wouldn't she have been jolly surprised to find a +strange boy in there! So, remaining her darling pussikins," he continued +with a smile, "I just jumped on the table, took hold of my catseye in my +mouth, and escaped by the window before she returned, and waved my tail +in good-bye--stupid things, tails!" With a laugh, which was echoed by +Dulcie, Cyril, grown serious again, went on with his narrative: + +"But just as I alighted on the ground a boy began shying stones at me, +which it was awfully difficult to dodge. One of them caught me such a +whack on the side, and he laughed and shouted 'Hurrah, got him!'--Wasn't +I glad when I saw him just now!--Well, I was just going to change then, +when there was a great barking, and a whole lot of dogs seemed to be +bearing down on me. I thought I'd make myself scarce, so I tore off, +and as they were on my track I simply cut. I flew along the muddy +streets with the whole pack at my heels, with shouts and laughter +ringing in my ears, scampering past them, past houses, past traffic, +whizzing along for my life with the barking din and the pattering feet +always following. At last, as a last hope, I dodged round, doubled back, +the noise stopped, and I took refuge in a quiet garden, awfully puffed, +and jumped on a seat next some one resting there." + +"Me," said Dulcie, with a sigh of relief. + +"Yes, I found it was you, Sis. I Wished, and you're a trump, for I was +tired, and you rid me of that big dog." Dulcie glowed with pride and +pleasure at that. "I never knew, though, that that brute was following +me. Fortunately for me he gripped hold of the bracelet round my neck." + +"How well you tell a story, Cyril," she said simply. + +Cyril smiled contentedly. "That's nothing." + +Then she inquired anxiously: "Do you think it was the Wizard's trick, +that losing of the stone?" + +"P'raps," replied Cyril musingly. "He's quite ugly enough for anything. +But I don't think so," he added reassuringly; "it must have been an +accident--got loose, or something." + +Dulcie's mind being eased, she then told her own story as a mole. She +couldn't remember the Porcupine's verses exactly, but she repeated what +she could, and they had a good laugh over them;--before, she had been +blind to the fun in them. "I repeated them to Molly," continued Dulcie, +rippling over with fun, "and she was so offended she vowed she'd never +marry him. So I cured him of his vanity--and serve him right!" + +"But why did the Hedgehog titter? That was what you wanted to find out, +wasn't it?" asked Cyril. + +"I suppose it was expecting the Porcupine's verses." + +"Suppose?" + +"I forgot to ask." + +Cyril expressed his opinion that she had been a softy, that those +creatures weren't worth while chumming up with, and they couldn't have +much sense, and it didn't matter, after all, what they thought or did. + +"I shan't tell you any more, then," replied Dulcie, offended. + +"Yes, do," begged Cyril, curious to know the end. So after he had begged +three times, she gave way, and informed him she was glad never to have +been born a mole, for Molly was in terribly low spirits and had +apologised for them, but the reason was because all her family's skins +had been taken off their backs in order to keep fashionable ladies from +taking cold--as these ladies seemed to think that it was a prettier and +warmer skin than their own. And Molly hourly expected each moment to be +her last--and advised her new-found friend to prepare for the same +fate--which was all very terrifying. "So I made haste to wish to be my +own self again," concluded Dulcie. + +Cyril made her promise faithfully never again to run off like a mole or +anything else, which--being only too anxious to avoid another +separation--she willingly did. + +"The poor animals," she remarked earnestly, "all seem so helpless. +There's no one ever to take their part or help them." + +"Ah, you think that because we've not yet changed into something really +great," answered Cyril with conviction. + +"What a gloomy looking place we've come to! I was so interested +listening and talking, I didn't notice the way we've come," broke in his +sister, gazing at what appeared like a Jungle in front of them. +"Surprising how we got here, isn't it?" + +"I never noticed either, but it'll do beautifully," replied the boy, +quite satisfied. + +"But it doesn't seem very nice to be a Beast," argued Dulcie +reflectively, her thoughts harking back; "somehow it's so unpeaceful." + +"I tell you that's because we haven't tried anything great," repeated +her brother with an emphatic movement of his hand and a decided toss of +his head. "_If_," he said, and hesitated--"_if_ we were lions" (he +waited, then finding they were both as they were he went on, reassured), +"then we would know what it is to rule everybody, keep our friends in +order, and eat up our enemies." + +"But I don't want to eat up any one," protested Dulcie. "I think it +would be very disagreeable." + +"I should think it must taste rather nice--_they_ like it. Besides, one +never knows till one tries," remarked her brother. "I want to be a +_lion_!!" + +At once the King of Beasts confronted Dulcie. With a shriek she tore +away as fast as her small feet could scamper. Then she changed her mind. +And as a lioness, full of courage, she rejoined him. + +Grand beasts they were as they bounded into the Jungle with a mighty +roar. Startled creatures hurried out of their path, and the very +landscape appeared insignificant in their presence. Monarchs of all they +surveyed! This at last was splendid freedom. + +At a river, sparkling like glass in the burning sun, they stopped and +slaked their thirst, lapping up the water greedily. Then they turned +again into the tangle of vegetation and laid themselves down to rest. + +Purring with delight in the hot sunshine, they lazily lashed their +tails. The lion was just dozing when he was roused by something heavy +and strong winding itself in great coils around his limbs and body. He +gave forth a roar half of anger, half of fear. Struggle as he would he +could not free himself; it was a huge boa-constrictor that was closing +about him like bands of iron, and was just about to crush him to death +when the lion disappeared and a little boy in a blue serge suit wriggled +away, sobbing out: "Oh, Mother! Dulcie!" + +Just then Cyril's eye caught sight of a rifle pointed from a +neighbouring tree. To his horror it was aimed straight at the recumbent, +lazily-blinking lioness. His heart stood still with terror. He could +neither scream nor stir. Quite forgotten was the huge reptile, which had +jerked back its head in astonishment at the remarkable disappearance of +its quarry, with an undulating movement of surprise in that part of its +anatomy which might be termed its neck. But now the creature was quite +close to the lad and rearing itself up to strike at him when--crack! +crack! crack! Bullets were whizzing all around. Cyril, bewildered, +stumbled over the dead body of the reptile and fell to the ground. The +next moment he felt Dulcie's hair over his face as she pulled him on to +his feet. + +"Great snakes!" exclaimed Lord Algy. Captain Waring, who was eagerly +peering through the branches of another tree close by, laughed as he +rejoined, "Only one, my friend." + +"Eh, what? Well I'm--" drawled his lordship, craning his neck and +letting his eyeglass drop and dangle--he had stopped short in his +sentence, not seeming quite to realise what he was. "By Jove!" he now +added, "I certainly thought I hit one of those two fine brutes; most +remarkable thing I ever saw in my life." + +"_Didn't_ see, you mean, my dear Algy," replied the Captain coolly and +not without vexation. "_I've_ seen a dead serpent before. Where have +they moved to? that's the question: we shall have to track them again. A +dead snake in the grass is not worth two fine lions in the Jungle." + +"No, my dear fellow, I don't think so either--I agree with you +there--it's quite the contrary, of course," remarked his lordship with a +certain amount of energy. + +Meanwhile, Dulcie and Cyril, with white, scared faces, were fleeing hand +in hand like pixies among the trees. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +IN THE FISH-KING'S REALM + + +It was only when they reached a meadow full of wild flowers, and the +Twins, worn out with their long run, lay down to rest, that Dulcie +remarked with a sigh of relief-- + +"We never do seem to be so safe as when we are us!" + +"We won't be Birds nor Beasts any more," replied Cyril. "Hark! What's +that snoring so loud?" + +"It's not snoring. I believe it's the waves!" Saying which Dulcie jumped +up and Cyril did the same. The children found the meadow they were in +was on a cliff, and that below were far-reaching sands, and in the +distance heaved the glorious deep blue sea. + +They clapped their hands and danced with delight, and when that +performance was over they carefully descended the steps cut in the face +of the cliff which led down to the shore. + +Very soon their shoes and stockings were slung round their necks, and +they were running over the hot sand to where the wavelets came rippling +to meet their little feet. + +So immersed were they in paddling that it was a little time before they +noticed some one sitting amongst the rocks which peeped out of the +surface of the ocean a short distance away. A hand was beckoning to +them, and thinking it might be some one who wanted help, Cyril declared +he would go to the rescue, and began to wade towards the spot. + +Dulcie, fearful of his going alone, and not wishing to be left behind in +the adventure, hurried next to him. The current was rather strong and +the water got deeper as they went; but they didn't think of their +clothes (which were no longer wholly dry), but only of the rescue. When +they reached the rocks they found to their surprise a very quaint figure +calmly seated there, who motioned them in a very grand manner to a place +on each side of him. "Pray be seated. Good morning!" + +"Good morning!" exclaimed the visitors politely, taking the places +indicated. + +"Good afternoon!" said the Fish-King. "Do you mind holding my crown one +moment, my dear?" + +Dulcie took it with awe. He was a very fine gentleman indeed, and the +two children couldn't help staring at him as he smoothed his hair in +silence. He was short and stout, in a costume not unlike that of +Harlequin in the pantomime, only the colouring was green and blue. His +goggle green eyes and wide, down-drawn mouth made him look comically +like a carp, whilst the pointed wisp of white beard on his chin and the +four long white hairs he was winding round his bald head were not really +an improvement to his appearance. + +"Thank you kindly, my dear," he said as he took his crown and put it on. +It was beautifully made, entirely of the loveliest small shells, and +when he wore it he looked every inch just what he happened to be. + +In spite of his queer face, the two visitors felt quite at ease with +him, and were sure that with such a pleasant voice, too, he must be very +nice indeed. + +"What are you King of?" inquired Dulcie with a friendly smile. + +"Of the fish," he answered, patting her cheek. "I'm right glad to see +you." + +Suddenly remembering, the little couple at once donned their shoes and +stockings as a sign of respect. + +"It's very healthy, I suppose," remarked Dulcie, "living out at sea like +this?" + +"I suppose so, my lady," answered the Fish-King drily. Dulcie liked +being called "my lady." "Except," he continued thoughtfully, "for an +occasional attack of shingles I don't ail much." Then turning to Cyril +he asked: "How's that old rascal of a Wizard? laughing in his +dressing-gown, eh?" + +"I'm sorry I don't know, your Majesty," replied the boy, surprised at +the question and the way it was put. + +"You will soon get to know me. I only hope you may not be disappointed. +You certainly wouldn't have been disappointed with my ancestor." + +"Who's your ancestor?" asked Dulcie bluntly. "Was he a King-fisher too?" + +"Not at all. He was Neptune." + +"Where did he live?" + +"In Imagination." + +"Where's that?" + +Cyril raised his eyebrows at her lack of manners. + +"You turn to the right," answered his Majesty patiently, with a gesture +that way, "follow your nose, mount a hill north of the Fore Head, and +there you are. See?" + +The Twins couldn't think what answer to make--though he seemed to expect +one--so they gave a little nervous laugh. + +"Just see, there's a dear boy," said the Fish-King kindly, in order to +change the subject--"just see if you've got a copy of the _Financial +Market_ about you, will you? Or maybe you know what the Financial Time +is? That would do quite as well. Oh, beg pardon--I see you've no watch +on; pawnbroken, eh?" + +"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean; I've never heard of all that," +admitted Cyril. + +"But you _have_ heard there's been another slump!" + +"What?" ventured Dulcie. + +"In what? Why, in Seaweed, of course. Just my luck. Fishy transactions +never do pay, though they always promise to. But," he added, rousing +himself, dismal still, "you must both come down soon and have a cup of +sea or something--it's my birthday, and there's going to be jinks +below." + +"Birthday! How delightful!" said Dulcie. + +"Why, how old can you possibly be?" asked Cyril, "if it's not impolite +to ask." + +"Quite right. Let me see," said the Fish-King thoughtfully. "Ah, now I +remember. I'm just several millions of years--it takes a little time to +fix the number exactly--and eleven days." + +"That _is_ old, Sire," murmured Dulcie as she regained her breath, which +had been taken away at the idea of so many birthdays. + +"Old? Nonsense, my lady." + +"How can it be 'and eleven days' if it's your birthday, your Worship?" +asked Cyril, thinking he'd go one better than Sire. + +"Because, my Philosopher, I prefer the new-fangled Calendar which puts +one on eleven days; in that way, when I'm told I don't look my age, I +know it's true, and not flattery. See?" + +The children were not quite satisfied with the explanation. +Nevertheless, they were pleased to find it the most natural thing in the +world to be getting chummy with a Fish-King. + +"Now, do come below waves and have a cup of sea or something," he +repeated, looking appealingly first at one and then at the other. + +"Thank you very much," replied his little guests. "But," said the +cautious Dulcie, "sha'n't we be drownded?" + +"You both have your catseyes on, I presume?" And his Majesty stared +anxiously in their faces. "Yes, I see you have. Very well, then. Sit +steady! Halloa there," shouting downwards. "Lift, please!" Then +muttering, "It's high time we went," he smiled. His smile was so +unutterably comic that it was to a merry burst of childish laughter that +all the rocks descended as quickly as the tide rose above them, and the +trio, smiling still, found themselves gently deposited at the bottom of +the Ocean. + +"Wonderful thing water pressure!" remarked the Fish-King. Then, helping +them off the rocks, he added with a gracious wave of the hand, "Welcome +to my Domain!" And the Twins bowed so prettily that he appeared much +gratified. + +"Ah!" he said, taking them by the hand and stopping still, "I see Fido. +Fido, Fido!" At his call a fine dog-fish came forward at a fast swim; +and its head was patted graciously, whilst its tail wagged with +contentment. "Now," resumed his Majesty, "we'll go to the Revels;" and +they proceeded at a smart walk as buoyantly through the clear water as +through air. + +The sea-scape was perfectly beautiful, but as the Fish-King once more +seemed deep in melancholy, the Twins gazed silently around. They were +evidently walking along the King's Road, for it was wide enough to walk +three abreast; the sand was so fine and glittering that it looked like +gold dust; the path was bordered by exquisite shells. On either side +were gardens of variegated anemones. Here and there an old sodden boot +lay about untidily, at which the Fish-King frowned and looked uneasy. +They passed oyster beds, where, besides oysters, all sorts of fish, +large and small, were fast asleep, breathing heavily with their mouths +wide open. Now and again a squadron of lobsters or jelly-fish would +confront them, and respectfully divide and wait until the royal +procession of three had passed through. + +At last they came to a great object ahead which turned out to be a +sunken ship, and the children heard the Fish-King say: "Welcome, my +dears, to my home! I hope your visit to 'The Billows' will please you." +They eagerly assured him it would, for they felt certain they were going +to have a jolly time. + +On board everything was most snug and trim; and in the large saloon he +led his two little guests to one end of the long table, where they found +biscuits, tinned meats, jam, and other nice things, which they enjoyed +very much, whilst their host looked on with a satisfied expression. + +"_Now_ will you take a cup of something?" he asked--and seemed relieved +when they declined with thanks. "I'm a seatotaller myself," he observed; +"I don't drink like a fish, nor go in for cups." + +"I'm glad we said 'No, thank you,'" whispered Dulcie to Cyril, who +nodded assent. "Why are you so sad, Mr. Fish-King?" she asked when she +had satisfied her hunger, and she stroked his great flabby hand. + +He didn't answer for a moment, then trying to twist up his mouth into a +smile he said as he roused himself: "I fear I'm somewhat glum for a +birthday party, but I've had so many of them; besides, I'm bothered +about the slump! One would think Seaweed safe enough for a vested +interest, surely. From all accounts, they must have been cooked--softly, +too, in the bargain! Can you make it out, my dears?" + +[Illustration: _Its head was patted graciously_] + +The Twins couldn't understand it at all, and shook their heads quite +emphatically over the matter. + +"Now, let's go abaft," suggested his Majesty. He rose, and looked at +them with a ray of cheerfulness. "We'll watch the Water Sports. I revel +in them when they are good--usually they go bad." + +The children readily agreed. "It's lucky you happened to come on my +birthday," he continued, "for you may be amused. Here's a list of the +different Courses," and he took up a Menu from the table: "they'll race +through them like old boots!" + +"Do they race better than new ones?" inquired Cyril. + +"They've more experience," replied his Majesty. "What is about to +begin," he said quite gaily as they followed him up the gangway, +"is--let me see; ah yes--'Turtle Mocked.' Now just look at Fido"--he +leaned over the side, the Twins did likewise. "He's turning turtle!" And +the three watched with approval the antics of the dog-fish as he turned +his somersaults; and they applauded this first item on the programme. + +"Next Innings!" shouted his Majesty. "Fish balls bowled," he read from +the Menu. And taking their plaice, a game of cricket began. "They think +they can play," he whispered, "and that is the way I humour them, or +they might begin to cry, and I hate anything that reminds me of blubber. +But how can any one in their senses imagine plaice fielding at slip? +Why, they don't know cricket from a bat--nor never will at this rate, I +should think." + +"Once in London, we saw such a lot of fish in the big shops there," +volunteered Dulcie in a burst of confidence. The next moment she wished +she hadn't spoken, for Cyril was frowning at her and shaking his head. +She glanced timidly at the Fish-King. He evidently didn't mind, for he +merely remarked with a sigh: "Ah dear! One of these days my poor +subjects will be sucked from the sea through a 2d. tube, straight to +Billingsgate--I suppose that'll be the time for slumps and no mistake!" + +"I suppress the Sole and Eel Course!" he cried suddenly. There was a +great stir in the water at this intimation. "It's a dance," he muttered. +"Let's get on with the Cod Stakes." He put down the Menu and threw +overboard some nets and fishing tackle. Then began a highly amusing +exhibition by old fish showing the young ones how to nibble the bait +without taking the hook, and if taken by some mischance, how to get +unhooked--how to avoid the nets, and other life-saving dodges which his +Majesty explained to the astonished Twins. + +But hardly had he finished when a fat young gurnet who was taking part +in the sports did get hooked, and clumsily extricating himself went off +leaving a thin red track behind him. + +"The poor thing is hurt!" exclaimed Dulcie. + +"Oh no," said the King; "a herring-bone stitch is all that's necessary." + +"I know how to do that," replied Dulcie, "but I thought it was only used +to make dress things look pretty; I never heard of it for mending fish." +The excitement continued unabated. + +When the revels were over, the little strangers expressed their +enjoyment of the birthday party, and thought perhaps they ought to be +saying good-bye. Their kind host wouldn't hear of their going yet--they +hadn't even seen the Cable which he was just going to visit. + +"Who's won the prizes?" asked Cyril as they got off the ship. + +"I have," replied his Majesty. + +"Not the winners of the races and of the sports?" said the boy, in +amazement. + +"They can't expect to win the races and win the prizes too. _I_ have won +the prizes." + +"What have you won, your Worship?" + +"I forget," he answered vaguely. "I've won so many in all these years, +and they get so mis-laid--for all the world like addled eggs!" + +"But you've only just--" commenced Cyril. + +"Don't tease," said Dulcie, pulling at her brother's sleeve. And so the +matter dropped. + +Whilst Cyril and the Fish-King were talking about the price the crown +might fetch were he obliged to part with it on account of his recent +financial losses, Dulcie was so busy admiring the beautiful creatures +swimming about, that she stumbled and fell before her companions could +warn her that the Cable was lying in her path. She was soon up, and it +was the Fish-King now who was lying prone on the ground, but his +attitude was intentional; he was listening intently. At a sign from him +they did likewise. The billows overhead were lashing up the spray, and +through the rushing sound could be vaguely heard: "Number A. 1. Sea +Power! Has that nice little venture proved successful, Sire?" + +It was the Wizard's voice. The Twins stared at one another with startled +eyes. + +"No, thou Cabalistic One," shouted the Fish-King, and got up with an +impatient sigh, so he didn't hear what sounded like the echo of mocking +laughter which the children recognised before they rejoined him. "Some +one's at the bottom of that business, I'll be bound," he grumbled. "I'm +afraid I'm too green, and ye gods and little fishes alone know how I +manage to be, for I've a fit of the blues often enough," and he glanced +at the garment he wore. "Now come and inspect my Workhouse." He led them +away in silence to a small lugger, also wrecked, commandeered by his +Majesty. + +"What a lot of residences you have, Sire," remarked Dulcie timidly, +realising the situation. + +"One must, if one is a royalty," he replied. "I have even more than the +German Emperor. I've one for eating in. One for thinking in. One for not +thinking in. And a host of others. There is one which takes me eighteen +hours to reach, where I go at cradle time, where the waves hush me to +sleep with their lullaby--you have heard it--'Rocked in the Cradle of +the Deep,' eh?" + +"Yes, yes," assented the Twins readily. + +His glum face slightly relaxed, then he continued: "It's always a matter +of interest to me when my ship comes home. I don't whistle for it; I +squall for it. Look out for squalls, for I feel restless, and in my +family carping is our form of humour." + +Once inside the cabin of the lugger the Fish-King took an immense ruler, +and sitting upon the table in front of a high heap of foolscap began +ruling one wave after another. Absorbed in his occupation, his mouth +tightly drawn down, he looked more than ever like a carp. He kept on +ruling the waves, heeding neither the little coughs, the little +fidgetings, or the little hints, entreaties, regrets, or excuses of the +Twins, until, exasperated at his sudden and unaccountable oblivion to +their existence, they murmured broken words of thanks for his past +kindness, and, not a little indignant, they walked out of the cabin, +jumped over the side of the ship, and swam upwards. They met many a +quaint creature, and then diving below they rested in a quiet spot again +amongst beautiful shells--at last in peaceful calmness at the bottom of +the sea, alone with the heaving waves palpitating far above them. + +Talking over the strange conduct of the Fish-King, it occurred to Cyril +that the fact of parting from them risked reminding him of blubber, +which he hated, as he had told them before, so he must have preferred +ignoring them altogether, especially as he had work to do. But Dulcie +thought perhaps they might see him again when he was not so busy. + +"It must be rather jolly being a crowned head," mused Cyril; "I vote we +have a shy at another catseye, so as to have a gorgeous crown and boss +everything and everybody." + +Dulcie, dazzled at such a magnificent prospect, readily agreed. + +"I wish I were a crowned head!" exclaimed Cyril excitedly. + +"I wish I were a crowned head!" repeated Dulcie with fervour. + +[Illustration: _They met many a quaint creature_] + +They stared at one another. No change had come. Dulcie was the first to +understand their failure. + +"Of course not," she remarked. "How stupid of us! It's a Bird, Beast, or +Fish we have to choose, not a crowned head!" + +So her brother, to change the subject, drew her attention to an eel that +was trying to turn head over ... wriggling in a very upside down +fashion. Tired of watching it, they lay chest downwards, and, supporting +themselves on their elbows, kicked up their own heels. + +"Do you believe there is such a thing as a Sea-serpent, little Sis?" +inquired Cyril lazily. + +"I believe there are sometimes, when they are in season." + +"Well, I can tell you there are _not_. And the only season they _are_ in +is the Silly Season. Father says so." + +"It's so lovely down here, and you're spoiling it all, Cyril, by +arguing. I do think it would be nice," she added, glancing round, "to be +an oyster and have a real pearl! I wished I possessed a real pearl!" + +"Shut up," cried Cyril. But to his annoyance he found his sister already +gone, and a stupid-looking, closed-up oyster in her place, out of which +he could not get a glimmer of satisfaction. + +"You _have_ shut up and no mistake!" he said severely, "in the middle of +a conversation too." However, she was soon at his side again, and looked +very sorry. + +"Well, what was it like?" was his laconic welcome, accompanied by a +glance of disapproval. + +"Not at all nice. I didn't want to remain--although I possessed a +magnificent pearl. I felt so horribly ill--as though I had some dreadful +disease. What a life pearl-oysters must have if they feel like that!" + +"I've heard pearls _is_ a disease." + +"Then how horrid of you to let me have it. You ought to have told me." + +"How could I? You were in such a hurry. I couldn't do anything. You were +just the same over that wretched mole. I do wish you wouldn't go off +like that again; you know you promised you wouldn't." + +"I forgot. But it's the Wishes that go off so quick." + +"I say! Where was your bracelet, Dulcie, when you were an oyster?" + +"Don't know," she answered, pondering. "I s'pose it must have melted. Oh +yes, of course I remember--it had grown very small, and formed a sort of +little boundary all round me inside my shell; it's here all right now. I +can't think--let me see, what were we talking about before I went away? +There was something I was going to tell you. What _were_ we talking +about, Cyril?" + +"Sea-serpents." + +"Oh yes. Well, I was going to tell you, there must be Sea-serpents, 'cos +you remember it being in the papers and our seeing a picture of one." + +"But that was all stuff and nonsense." + +"No it wasn't." + +"Well, look here, we'll soon find out, little Duffer. I wish I were a +Sea-serpent!" + +"I'm not a Duffer, after all," was Dulcie's first thought as Cyril +vanished into what looked like the end of a wriggling tail--a tail so +long that it stretched right out of view, and she realised this must be +part of her own brother. It was slowly moving away. + +"Don't go and leave me," she cried appealingly, clutching hold of the +great scaly thing. But it moved quicker, dragging her along. So, in her +anxiety she clambered on top of it, sat down, and found to her surprise +that its undulating movement of progress formed a regular switchback, +and that she was travelling along its back towards its head in a most +pleasant and delightful manner. + +"What a funny thing to happen!" And she laughed. "But whatever will +occur when I get to the end! And what yards and yards of him there seem +to be!" + +All this she wondered and heaps more, till at last she saw the +creature's huge neck looming high up in front of her; when she got there +it stopped her progress. It turned its head round--which resembled that +of a giraffe--and its mild eyes looked kindly at her; and what was most +comic, yet comforting, it wore a nose-ring of gold set with catseyes. + +[Illustration: _What a glorious ride that was!_] + +She patted its neck affectionately; and then with a mighty glide of long +duration the huge creature took her up, up, until, with her still on its +back, gracefully reclining against its neck, the Sea-serpent arose with +her above the surface of the Ocean. + +Certainly, no one now would have taken them for twins. + +What a glorious ride that was! Nothing around but the wild surging +spray, the wind blowing in her face, brightening her cheeks, and tossing +her fair hair about. Above, the clouds, dark and heavy, tore +along--everywhere movement, reckless, turbulent movement. + +What a wild ride it was! + +Far, far in the distance appeared a dark speck. As it came nearer it +turned out to be a ship with broken mast, broken by the waves which +leaped over its deck again and again. People were on it, for shouts came +from it borne along on the wind. + +A fearful squall arose as from the very bosom of the Ocean. Lightning +played around the doomed ship. Half blinded by it, and bewildered by the +deafening noise of thunder, Dulcie just caught a glimpse of the +Fish-King in the water near, before burying her face in her hands to +escape the blinding glare of the second flash. Starting suddenly at the +terrifying clap of thunder that followed, she lost her balance and fell +off the Sea-serpent's back headlong into the surging waters. For some +time she was tossed about, sometimes swimming, sometimes floating, +enjoying the excitement of the thing, knowing she couldn't drown, and +expecting every moment to see something of her huge brother, when all of +a sudden she found herself right in the middle of a shoal of fish. + +She was startled to find, too, that like them, she had been caught in a +large net from which, swim and search as she would, she could find no +means of escape. Restlessly with her fellow-captives she turned this way +and that in vain hope of freedom. She knew she must be adding to the +salt water around, for she felt so miserably helpless and lonely, and a +heavy sob now and again escaped her. Here indeed was a lack of freedom +and no mistake, for the poor fish as well as for herself! Never, never +again, she said to herself, would she beg for fish for tea if this was +what they had to endure. Round and round inside the net she swam, +backwards, forwards, upwards, downwards--no outlet was there. If only +she could find the way she got in! The thread was so hard and strong, +too, that she could do nothing, tear at it with her little hands as she +would. She had nothing sharp about her either, not even a pin. + +The sea became calmer by degrees, but Dulcie's anxiety grew, and her +impatience with it, till the sound of men's voices from above raised +her excitement to fever pitch. + +"Oh dear, oh dear! It must be the fisher people!" And the thought that +the little swimming creatures darting about in terrified jerks would +soon be motionless for ever, helped to increase her distress. + +"Hold hard, Bill. Ain't it heavy!" said a gruff voice. + +"My missus won't be sorry," answered his mate. + +The net was actually being hauled up, and Dulcie, beating against it +with her arms and struggling hard, was being hauled up with it. + +Her sleeve had got rucked up--the catseyes glistened. + +"I wish--oh what? I can't think--to be something very small indeed--oh +quick!" + +No change occurred. She could now see the boat and the men's stooping +figures. + +"Oh please, I want to change--I want to be one of--no, I forgot, they +can't get out either--I wish I were a--a----" + +"Holy St. Patrick!" + +"Bless me, what's that?" exclaimed both men, glancing down at her. + +"--A periwinkle!" gasped Dulcie faintly. + +The next second the little girl disappeared from their view and the +fishermen rubbed their eyes and stared at one another with their mouths +open. The big fishes and little were quick to seize that golden +opportunity of their captors' careless handling of the net--and escaped, +down to every jack sprat of them. And with the gentle murmur of the sea +there mingled noisy and ugly words of baffled hope and disappointment. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE MYSTERY OF THE CRAB + + +At the base of that Cliff where the wild flowers grew, the golden sands +were still bathed in hot sunshine, and roughly caressed by the incoming +waves. Upon the crest of one of these a Periwinkle was borne, and +tossed, and flung, until it was landed high and wet on a soft bed of +seaweed. But not for long--for very soon a little girl arose from that +bed of seaweed, smoothed back her clinging hair, and cried out with joy +as she recognised her surroundings. It was Dulcie, glad to be herself +once more, and on the same beautiful sands again; and her first thought +was of course for Cyril. + +She was dripping wet. To wipe her face she took out her handkerchief, +which of course was wet also. In order to dry it she tied it to a piece +of stick; thus it could serve as a flag, too, which she could wave to +attract Cyril if he were about that coast, and show him where she was. + +Remembering that, according to some wiseheads, sea water kindly gives no +chills, she had no fear for herself; so she lay down upon a patch of +nice warm pebbles, of which she took a handful, and began idly throwing +them one by one into the tide, which was running up to her feet faster +than it retreated at the ebbing of the waves. + +She was beginning to tire of this pastime when--plash! the last stone +she threw fell plump into a sandy pool, out of which there hurried an +enormous Crab. Dulcie was frightened, for the ugly creature had espied +his disturber and was coming towards her at a quick amble, sideways. She +turned and fled towards the Cliff, and a turn of the head showed her +that her dreadful pursuer was not far behind. Up the arduous steps she +climbed, stumbling every now and again in her hurry and +excitement--those steps down which she had tripped so gaily with her +brother. Again she turned to look behind her, this time with a feeling +that here she must be safe. + +But the great Crab was coming up the steps too. Flushed and gasping, she +arrived at last on top of the Cliff amongst the wild flowers once more. + +There, too, over the top appeared the terrifying creature. It was +seemingly quite fresh, and was gaining rapidly upon her, for now she was +quite tired out. + +She could run no more. So poor Dulcie turned, and facing her pursuer, +she cried-- + +"Oh, please, please go away--oh _do, please_!" + +But the ugly Crab never lessened its pace one bit; it came nearer and +nearer--so close that she could notice how it was shaking all over; and +how repulsive--till--till she saw that it was wearing something +glittering around its body--a band of gold with one last catseye and the +others all gone. It _must_ be Cyril. Why didn't he change? Dulcie +couldn't imagine. The creature stopped motionless, and tears were +dropping from its ugly eyes. + +"What can be wrong?" cried Dulcie with a sob of horror and fear. But she +conquered her fear now that she was persuaded it was Cyril, and she +approached still closer. She stroked it--actually stroked it--and +although it was just a great horrid Crab the expression it wore was +heart-rending. + +"It's the Wizard's trick!" she exclaimed suddenly. "Poor Cyril's last +catseye won't work!" She never thought how many _she_ still had, for she +was weeping bitterly over her brother in this dreadful guise, and she +could hardly wonder what the end would be, if this indeed were not the +horrible end of all. + +"Oh, Cyril," she sobbed, addressing it. "Oh, Cyril, how dreadfully +changed you are! Whoever heard of having a crab for one's brother If +only we had remained Twins all this never could have happened!" And she +walked round and round it, wringing her hands in despair. But evidently +the poor quaking thing was powerless to give a shred of comfort, and its +whole appearance was helpless and hopeless in the extreme. + +"It's no use stopping here like this," she decided at last; "we'd better +go on," and not quite thinking what she was doing, she whistled to it, +as she whistled to Towzer, and they moved slowly forward--Dulcie, +red-eyed and dejected, and the Crab following her at a side-way amble. + +The strange pair had not proceeded far when Dulcie musingly muttered-- + +"I wish I were a crab too, then of course I should know all that has +happened!" + +Strange to relate, she didn't turn into a crab, but remained a little +girl as usual. She might have sought the reason of this had not a sight +arrested her attention which caused her to run forward with a cry of +joy. It was the sudden appearance of the Bird-Fairy, in whose +outstretched hand there glistened a jewel--a catseye; but how different +was its gleam to the one the poor Crab wore. "Take it," she said +hurriedly in her pretty soft voice--"and listen: I have wrested it from +the Wizard, whose magnetic power succeeded in recovering one unused, +though he had tried for several." + +[Illustration: _She stroked it--actually stroked it_] + +"Why did he do it?" interrupted Dulcie innocently. + +"Because he wanted to confuse me, and also to add one more to his +dreadful Zoological Collection. Now replace the stone quickly and give +me the sham one--for it belongs to the red-haired young lady, and is +stolen property." + +The child busily and anxiously obeyed her directions. + +"Stolen property?" repeated Dulcie in surprise. + +But the Bird-Fairy had flown away and disappeared. The Crab had +disappeared too. Cyril stood before her, white and trembling, and the +next second his little sister was safe and snug in his arms. + +For some time the Twins sat silent, huddled close together on the +variegated carpet of clover, and cowslips, and poppies, and bluebells. + +"That _was_ awful!" exclaimed Dulcie at last. Cyril shivered. + +"You saw the Bird-Fairy; did you hear what she said?" + +"Yes, I understood what she said--I s'pose I understood 'cos she's a +Fairy." + +"Well, what do you think of it, Cyril?" + +"I dunno; floors me completely. All I know is that I shouldn't like to +go through that scare again." + +"It was very kind of her, wasn't it?" + +The boy nodded thoughtfully and answered-- + +"Yes, and I wonder why she did it!" + +Now Dulcie thought of it, he looked quite dry. She felt his knees, +according to her custom, after his being out in the rain--he certainly +was quite dry. She said how surprised she was that he should be so. + +"How did you manage it after being in the pool?" she asked. + +"It must be running in the sun," he explained. + +It had done the same for her, and her serge frock was none the worse for +the sea water. By degrees they cheered up. They were so happy to be +together again on that lovely Cliff, with the sea beyond sparkling so +cheerfully in the bright light as though it wanted to share in their +renewed gaiety. + +"Cyril," said Dulcie, "I'm longing to hear what happened to you when we +were parted so suddenly in the Ocean during that awful storm." + +"All right," replied Cyril promptly. "When I looked round and found you +were not on my serpentine back, I didn't know where I was when you went +overboard, and therefore didn't know a bit where to search for you. I +changed into a crab so as to move about in a small space and more easily +for the purpose. I dodged the nets which were about--I had learned the +lesson we saw given during those sports----" + +"I wish I had paid more attention," sighed Dulcie. + +"And was washed ashore," continued her brother, not heeding the +interruption, "right into that pool where stones came whizzing around; +it was rather beastly. I'm getting used to have stones shied at me, but +that last one was the best aimed, and caught me a good crack on the back +of my shell and nearly startled me out of it; it quite startled me out +of the water. At the same moment I caught a glimpse of your handkerchief +with the blue border, and of you racing off full pelt. I wished to +change to myself--nothing happened. I couldn't make it out. I wished +till I was red all over. Still nothing--nothing. Then I had an awful +feeling that it was hopeless and I was in the Wizard's power." + +"Poor Cyril!" + +"Then I tore after you, shaking with fright as much as you were. I +thought you were too frightened to look at me; and that you'd never do +so and never recognise me." + +"But I did!" + +"And you saved me, dear little Sis!" Cyril had grown quite pink in the +face, and was trying to keep back unmanly tears. + +"Did you, too, see the Fish-King during the storm?" she interrupted, to +change the subject. + +"Yes. But he didn't get that ship he was after, for I stuck my huge self +between him and it, and switchbacked myself when he clung to me, like +one of those bucking horses, so he had no chance." + +"Did he recognise you, do you think?" + +"How could he? I didn't look much like the Philosopher he knew." + +"How about that ship?" + +"I was glad to see it right itself and drift away; the cries stopped, +and the passengers pointed in my direction so excitedly." + +"Perhaps they were grateful," suggested his sister. + +"Or perhaps they thought it was I who had caused them to toss." + +"But our host--it was scarcely fair to him." + +"He didn't seem to mind. He simply dived down and disappeared." + +"Now, those people," said Dulcie, "if you saw them, they must have seen +you, and therefore"--with a wise look--"therefore they are sure to put +you in the newspapers." + +"What a lark!" + +"And people who read about it are sure not to believe there was seen a +real live Sea-serpent, and wearing a nose-ring, too! And then I s'pose +they'll all be duffers, eh, Cyril? And it'll be called the Silly +Season!" + +Dulcie laughed, and Cyril laughed too, but something out at sea just +then caught his eye. He jumped up excitedly and began waving his arms +about frantically. + +"Look! look!" he shouted. + +Dulcie, kneeling by his side and shading her eyes with her hand, saw +that old clump of rocks again, and upon them stood his Majesty the +Fish-King waving his crown at them. The tide rose higher and higher. He +made three low bows in their direction--Dulcie fluttered her +handkerchief and curtsied, Cyril bowed his best--the Fish-King made a +final gesture of farewell, the Twins kissed their hands; his Majesty put +his crown firmly on his head with a smack, and disappeared with the +rocks beneath the surging spray. And they felt they would never see him +more. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE MAGIC BRACELETS + + +"How nice it is to be one's very own self again!" observed Dulcie +contentedly. "I don't think I told you, Cyril, that a star-fish stared +so rudely at me and said something about 'a Winking, Blinking, silly +Periwinkle,' which upset me very much at the time, but now it does seem +absurd," and she laughed. Then she told of her escape from the net, and +Cyril got very excited at her imprisonment within it, remarking it was a +jolly good thing _her_ last catseye had proved all right or she would +have remained a Periwinkle for ever. + +"Oh, Cyril!" she exclaimed, catching her breath, "I never thought of +that--was it my last? That idea never came to me in the net; I never +thought at the time to see how many were left. Why! Wherever is my +bracelet!" + +"I say! Where's mine?" cried Cyril. + +THE MAGIC BRACELETS WERE GONE. + +The children looked at one another, aghast. + +"I remember now," she exclaimed in awe-struck tones, "wishing to be a +crab so as to keep you company, and know the mystery, and I was too +miserable to think about the real Wishes--and never noticed or thought +about not having changed--and oh! if _I_ had happened to have one +catseye only, _I_ should have changed into a horrid crab and remained +one for really ever and ever!" + +"Oh, bother. What's the good of going on like that, Sis?" said her +brother impatiently, for her voice verged very near a whimper. "Much +better smile and thank your stars you're only a girl. Now what shall we +do? You suggest something, Dulcie." + +"Go home," was her prompt reply, wistfully and not without anxiety. + +"Yes, but it's all very well to say 'Go home'; the only way back must be +the way we came, and you know what that means; even if we can find it." + +From Dulcie's looks she evidently didn't relish the prospect. The very +idea of the Wizard made her tremble. + +"I must say," continued her brother, "I don't know how we're going to +manage it. We can't, so _he_ said, cross the Brook--and you could see he +meant it. So it's impossible, unless we roam about till we grow older, +and then we shouldn't know the exact date when we leave off being +children under ten." + +"We shouldn't know the date at all," said Dulcie disconsolately; "we +don't even know what time it is now." + +"It feels like tea-time," remarked Cyril. + +"Oh no, the sun's too hot for that." + +"Let's go through our changes and see if we can make it all out," said +Cyril; "that's the first thing to do." + +They went carefully through their various experiences from the +beginning. + +"I counted there were ten in each bracelet, so we ought each to have +five catseyes left, instead of none and no bracelets at all!" he +concluded miserably. And they were both full of trouble. But soon, +Dulcie exclaimed-- + +"Why, we _are_ Billies! We must count five more for getting back each +time into our own shapes." + +Of course, there had been the mistake, and the fact being brought to +light proved a great relief. + +"Still," said Cyril, "we ought to have been more careful, and saved two +for the end; then we could have crossed the Brook as animals or +something and taken our own shapes again on the other side, as we'd made +up our minds to do." + +"Ah, but perhaps we shouldn't have had the power on the other side," +remarked his sister. + +That was a new view of the case. The children were perplexed. + +"Anyway, we're in a nice fix," replied Cyril. + +Then they decided it was no use stopping there, especially as Cyril +said he wanted his tea badly--so the only thing was to find their way +back, and try and dodge the Wizard if they could. They wandered off, not +particularly hopeful, and very nervous. Cyril thought he should know the +way once they found the Bird-Fairy's glade. Dulcie took his arm, and +they walked on in silence, which she broke at last. + +"I wish some one would come and take care of us!" + +"I wish some one would bring me my tea!" said her brother. + +"I wish some one would come and tell us what to do!" sighed Dulcie, who +had begun to find out that it was of no use relying absolutely on Cyril +any more. "If only we were at home!" + +"I'll try to take you there, so cheer up, do," answered the boy +sturdily. + +The sea breezes were gone. The Twins had reached the Jungle. To give +themselves courage he whistled "Rule Britannia" and she hummed it, but +held his arm very tight, and every now and then looked furtively around. +There was no sight or sound of anything living. Nevertheless, they +hurried on, until they broke into a smart run, and ran, and ran.... They +halted abruptly. Cyril hadn't the slightest idea whereabouts they were, +or which direction to take. It was no use asking Dulcie if she +remembered; she only shook her head disconsolately. When they fled from +the Jungle before, they had been far too scared to notice anything at +all in the way of landmarks. + +"We've got to get out of this and reach the Town," observed the boy +thoughtfully; "and then we've got to get to the back of the cave." + +"But, Cyril, you've forgotten that after the Town comes the Wood, and +then that horrid place." + +"So I have. Well, it's quite impossible, that's all--out and out +impossible." His face was growing very red. + +"Don't you remember, Cyril, my saying how gloomy this place looked when +we entered it the first time? Well, it looks gloomy enough here for +anything, so it may turn out all right, and after all, we may be near to +where we entered. Come along--it really does seem brighter over there. +The Town may be quite close." + +It certainly was brighter beyond. But no streets were there. Instead, to +their bewilderment, the little travellers found themselves already in +the daisy glade once more. They were positively in the beautiful Wood +again. The first object that caught their eye was something white. It +was Cyril's lost handkerchief which Dulcie picked up--it was a brand new +one--and tucked it in his pocket at once. + +"I say, isn't it curious how I've brought you back so easily?" remarked +her brother. + +"It must be some short cut you found--by accident," replied his sister +decisively. And that settled that. In the absolute silence which had +reigned around, a peculiar rustling now attracted their attention. +Dulcie hung back, and Cyril held her hand as he advanced cautiously. +They came to a sudden standstill as, from a clump of trees, a tall +figure in a yellow satin gown emerged and confronted them. + +"Pray walk in!" said the Wizard, and taking the boy and girl by a hand +he led them--not through the Wood and along the country road--but +somehow straight through the back entrance into his Cave Dwelling. + +"I'm so pleased to see you again," remarked their host, smiling as he +took off his spectacles and scratched his nose with them. "I see you've +not found freedom yet! Ha, ha! Pray make yourselves quite at home." + +Out of his satchel he drew forth the two bracelets in which were no +catseyes. + +"Used them quite all, I see!" he remarked blandly. "These others, poor +things, thought they could change back the other side of my domain!" And +the Wizard laughed most unpleasantly loud--just like his knocker. + +"Please, sir," ventured Dulcie coaxingly after his hilarity was +over--"please, sir, do let us go home." + +"But your brother--I'm sure he wouldn't be satisfied." + +"Indeed I would," said Cyril. + +"Tush! Nonsense!" exclaimed the Wizard. "_I_ never say 'Don't' here--so +you are going to live with me and be oh so happy and free! free to do +everything I tell you. You would have been more useful as a Crab. But +now you shall _both_ tend my little Zoological Collection--they are not +always so still, oh no! You shall help me do my tricks. You shall help +me ruin that fishy old King; and help me keep that Bird-Fairy in order +till she shall rue the day that she ever tried to----" + +The Twins heard no more. Locked in one another's arms they had suddenly +sunk down in placid slumber. The astonished Wizard stopped in his flow +of eloquence. He walked round and round them. His face grew blacker and +blacker, whilst the Twins slept calmly on, Dulcie's head resting +peacefully on Cyril's shoulder. + +"Well I'm blessed!" muttered the Wizard, "or should be if I weren't +so...." + +[Illustration: _Taking the boy and girl by a hand, he led them_] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE SPELL--AND HOW IT WORKED + + +The poor children felt as though they had come under some gentle +influence, and curiously enough, though outwardly asleep, they were +conscious of the Wizard walking around them, pushing and pinching them, +which somehow they never felt; and they were conscious, too, that he was +troubled about something. What it was they couldn't imagine. He began to +mutter threats coupled with the name of the Bird-Fairy. + +The Wizard was clearly not at all happy. Indeed, he was profoundly +concerned--for every time he touched the children to wake them, a +sensation of cold spread over his hands which became rapidly more and +more acute until it felt like touching fire, and he shrank back +muttering and grumbling. + +At that moment there was a great rush of air. The Bird-Fairy appeared, +and with outspread wings she stood over the resting children, and, full +of pity, she gazed down at them. Then they knew they were in her care, +and they knew, too, that _they knew something which might prove useful +and precious_. And they smiled happily as they lay there. + +"What do you want here?" demanded the Wizard harshly. "How dare you come +here and try to thwart me?" + +"I have come to pray you to turn from your evil ways. Let these poor +children go," begged the Bird-Fairy in tones sweet and pleading. "They +have realised how much their happy home means to them and the safety +there is in being taken care of. Let them go back to it." + +"Tush! Nonsense! What's all that to me? Begone while I let you! I'm in +no mood to be trifled with." + +"Show kindness and mercy for once," was her reply. + +"What? Go! You remain to mock me? Remember my little Zoological +Collection. Which of us triumphed throughout?" + +"Don't boast of that." + +"But there is much to boast about. And my experiments have not stood +still since that remote period. Science has progressed!" + +"You will not be merciful?" + +A scornful laugh was all the reply he vouchsafed. + +"Then know," she continued solemnly, "that our Fairy Enchantments have +also strengthened with time." + +"Is it to be another tussle between us?" inquired the Wizard, smiling. + +"It is. And I pray it may be for the last time. I have failed before. +But this time I am going to succeed. With the girl my difficulty was not +so great, but the boy has been hard to convince that other creatures +have troubles greater than his. Others have returned to you through your +craft, but this little couple you were forced to go and meet. You sought +to entrap the boy as a Crab--it was I who restored the gem and saved +him, as you may have guessed. And with that success the Bird-Fairy's +hour now has come! You have failed to snare them as Bird, Beast, or +Fish--your science can change mortals to nothing else. And now you shall +fail to turn them to slaves." + +Again the Wizard's discordant laughter was heard, and he said-- + +"You certainly got hold of that gem, my dear--and you evidently consider +yourself in consequence an apt pupil of that old Fairy who befriended +you--worse luck to her! had she but passed a moment later there would +have been no time to frustrate me. My science would have been powerful +enough to change you into a mere Bird. My Collection would have been the +more valuable, and she could not have made you into a Fairy besides; nor +would you have known enchanting arts with power to torment me; nor would +you have had any hope of future freedom." + +The Wizard paused a moment, then rasped out-- + +"Were it not for your own salvation perhaps you wouldn't be so ready to +help the children, and to dare attempt to triumph over me. But we shall +see what progress we have both made!" + +"We shall see!" she repeated. "Touch these dear children if you can. You +find it difficult? You do not understand it, eh?" + +The Wizard, with a groan of pain, had leapt back after another attempt. + +"I soon shall understand it," he cried angrily, taking up a bottle +containing a green fluid, a few drops of which he poured into his +palms, then smiled. "This will wake them quickly enough, and probably +never let them sleep again." + +But the only result was a louder cry of pain from him and a peaceful +snore from them. + +The Bird-Fairy looked steadily at him, and the Wizard trembled with +anger and fear. Recovering himself he muttered: "You've got them well +under your wing. So it must be with you I have to deal first. Ah, ha! +I'll show you how Science can outdo your paltry old-fashioned arts!" + +Thereupon he took a curious box-shaped mechanism, pointed it at the +Bird-Fairy, pressed a spring, and instantly the pretty trio became +enveloped in a halo of rainbow. The next moment the wings of the +Bird-Fairy drooped, and the children awoke. Her Spell was broken! + +He moved his terrible invention slightly, so that she alone was +encircled by the rainbow ray. She stood there motionless like a +beautiful statue; and the Bird-Fairy was in the Wizard's power! + +[Illustration: _The wizard, with a groan of pain, had leapt back_] + +A few moments more and his triumph would be supreme and everlasting. She +would exist no more. His evil heart thumped with excitement and glee. + +A continuous and regular movement around the cave, and an underground +heaving and low, distant rumbling arrested the Wizard's attention. He +gasped and started, and the instrument he held fell from his grasp and +shivered to atoms. + +The Twins were the cause. It was they who had started the commotion. +Unobserved by the Wizard in his moment of exultation, freed by him from +the Bird-Fairy's Spell, they were free to follow the irresistible +inclination they felt when they were under it. So they gently stroked +each of the animals around, and were charmed to find that as they did so +each poor creature changed to girl or boy and vanished from its prison, +whilst the ground trembled and the rumbling became louder and louder, as +though some unseen power was helping in the rescue. So quickly did they +run round on their task that at the moment when the Wizard realised his +mishap, just as he thought he had triumphed, Dulcie and Cyril had done +their work. They started as they saw the Wizard lying full length on the +ground next to his shattered invention, the rays of which were let loose +and playing like lightning all round him. + +Then they remained rooted to the spot with amazement, for just beyond +was the Bird-Fairy, who before their astonished gaze became suddenly +bereft of her wings and covering of feathers, and now stood before them +as a lovely Princess, in draperies of silver tissue, and with a golden +circlet upon her dark hair. A happy smile was on her face, as with a +farewell gesture she motioned the children away. + +[Illustration: _Lying full length on the ground next to his shattered +invention_] + +There was a terrific noise as of a thunder-clap. They looked back. +Nothing but a dark cloud was there! + + * * * * * + +"Come quick!" cried Dulcie, taking Cyril's hand and running off with +him; "there's no shelter here. Let's get in before the rain." + +And away they sped from the rocks on which they had so often played, +reached home, ran indoors, and got upstairs just before the big drops +turned into a heavy downpour and came pattering against the nursery +window-pane. + +"Are you children ready?" called up their mother in her kind, cheery +voice. "Come down and have tea with me for a treat." + +It was a welcome invitation. They were quick to shout their thanks and +to make themselves tidy. When they entered the parlour, where the sun +was peeping in again after his absence, their mother said quietly-- + +"I'm glad you've escaped the storm." + +Later on, they all three sat in the gathering twilight at the large +bow-window watching Nature going to sleep. The two children sat up very +late that night--and they told their mother such an extraordinary story +that she wondered how ever it could have got into their heads; and +wondered where they could have read it. But they knew they hadn't read +it. + +"Look at the bump on Cyril's forehead!" exclaimed Dulcie, as conclusive +evidence of the fight. But their mother only shook her head. Cyril often +wore such marks of battle. + +"And, little Mother, we _are_ so glad to be at home." She laughed. But +they meant it. + + + + +THE OLD-FANGLED FATHER AND HIS NEW-FANGLED SONS + + +Centuries ago, an old father--as old as one of them--lay on his couch +feeling that his end was near. He was not surprised; in fact, he had +foreseen it as he had foreseen many other events. And he was reputed +wise beyond his years, and therefore far beyond those of the people who +reputed it. + +So he called softly to him his three sons. They didn't hear him, being +busy in different parts of the house; and it never occurred to him to +ring the bell, because he was so old-fangled. He shouted to them, and +they came. + +"I have three things to say to you," remarked the father solemnly. + +The sons fidgeted visibly; they had been studying, were not at home to +any one, and particularly had not wished to be disturbed in their work. +They thought that their father was going to begin another anecdote, and +it put them out of humour; but they were startled when he said-- + +"My sons, my end is near." + +Each one replied with an endearing term--just one, for they were not men +of many words. And they told him "it was only his fuss." That he was +"only a hundred, and didn't look as if he were going to be cut off +prematurely." "That he mustn't give in and should never say 'die.'" + +"I cannot argue the point," replied the old man. "Let me tell you my +last wishes as briefly as I can, for my time is short." + +They tried to dissuade him from talking so much, but it was of no avail, +for he protested that it was their duty to listen to him, and he +insisted upon having last wishes as he had read that others had had +before him, and it would be for the sons to obey and unravel them as +best they could. + +Then the father, addressing the eldest, who was ambitious and already +past middle age, spoke as follows:-- + +"My son, my first-born, find out the furthermost summit of the world, +and when you have surmounted that, you can surmount anything." + +To his second son, who was avaricious and also getting old and rather +bald, he said:-- + +"Sit patiently, and wait, and when you can hear a voice that comes from +no living throat, and can see its traces, you will want for nothing." + +To the third son, and consequently his favourite, who was romantic, +being better looking and naturally younger than his elder brothers, the +father spoke thus:-- + +"You, my son, who are the pride of my heart, the joy of my life, the +light of mine eyes, search the atmosphere till at your bidding it +showers down burning stars; then shall you go to the beautiful Princess +who awaits you, and live without labour." + +And the three brothers murmured under their breath:-- + +"Poor old dad! He's certainly very unwell." + +But he had not yet finished. + +"Try to realise your ambition, my sons," he continued. "I have shown you +the ways you should go. Then, and only then, will you have earned that +priceless jewel--Contentment." + +The old man then composed himself comfortably, and died a few years +later, after a sharp attack of senile decay, leaving many regrets and +unsettled accounts behind him. + +When that happened the three sons were very sad all day and all night. +The very next morning they called to mind his last wishes of a few years +ago, and decided to ponder over them, give them the benefit of their +doubt, and see if anything could be made out of them. And they stuck +manfully to their resolution, especially as the creditors were hourly +expected. + +The eldest son looked up all the maps and geography books he could get +hold of, and studied them until he came to the uncomfortable conclusion +that he would certainly risk death by sea and cannibals many times +before he could hope to reach the furthermost summit of the globe. + +The second son sat and waited for the voice he was both to hear and +trace, until at night he gave up in despair. So he decided that the only +voice worth listening to was that of common-sense. + +The favourite son, meanwhile, went for a long walk, bent on success, +and, unlike the others, full of a new hope. Yet, search as he would, he +could find no spot where the atmosphere changed into stars at his +bidding, and he returned home long after dinner-time disconsolate to his +supper of soup which had grown cold. + +The next morning the three brothers arose in disappointment and vexation +of mind. They murmured loud and long at having been sent on fairy-tale +errands in a world where no clever talking animals really existed, or +kind-hearted inanimate objects volunteered to befriend them on +impossible quests. + +As the first-born explained:-- + +"If I were to coax my parrot and ask him to help me in return for my +many years of kindness, as they do successfully in fairy stories, he +would bite me for my pains, as he always does whenever I feed him." + +And the second-born said:-- + +"If I were to fondle a pin and said, 'Ah, pin! canst thou help me in my +distress?' ten to one I would get pricked, and serve me right for being +so imbecile." + +"As for me," exclaimed the romantic one, "were a gentle wolf to find me +mooning about the forest thinking of my beauteous Princess, surely would +he stop and, with a keen sense of the fitness of things, he would not +trifle with politeness, but he would eat of me as much as would satisfy +his present need--perhaps even more than he could digest." + +And the brothers laughed aloud in the splenetic bitterness of their +three souls. + +Another year went by. The sons had paid their father's debts and made +some on their own account; so they held a council, and they confessed +that they had idled so long because they were haunted by the rosy +promise their father's words held out, and, do what they would, they +could neither forget them nor yet find any solution. + +Then together they pondered and thought, until one fine day (all the +rest about that time had been wet) they concluded that as they were not +believers in fairy tales, science perhaps might help them. + +So they worked and worked and worked, each with his own object. They +certainly did not lack brains, or test-tubes, or electric wire, yet just +as certainly did they lack money; and, but for the occasional doing of +menial work, they would have starved and starved and gone hungry. + +At last the eldest son solved his mystery. Now could he surmount the +furthest summit of the world, for he had invented a machine which could +carry him soaring like a bird over mountains and over seas. + +And the second son solved _his_ mystery. Now he could hear a voice that +came from no living throat and yet could see its traces, for he had +invented an automaton that could speak and could record its words with a +stylus upon tablets of wax. + +And the third son solved _his_ mystery. He had searched the atmosphere, +and now at his bidding burning stars were showered down, for he had +invented a kite fashioned on a wonderful wire, which went through the +air and drew forth electric sparks. And his heart burned with love for +the beautiful Princess whom he knew awaited him, though by this time she +must be getting on. + +The excitement of the brothers was great. "It is our genius we can +thank!" they exclaimed all in three breaths. "Our father, steeped in his +old-fangled lore, never could have foreseen our triumphs. He never could +have guessed how we should solve his posers." That was their conclusion. +Then they shook hands all round, congratulated one another, and went +their different ways. + +The eldest flew off, mounted upon his wonderful air-steed, amid the +gaping of the astonished villagers, and his two brothers looked after +him wistfully until he disappeared far away behind the clouds. The hopes +of the traveller rose ever higher and higher as for weeks and months he +soared on, exhilarated beyond all imagination. At last he came to the +furthermost summit of which his dear father had spoken so solemnly. Over +it sailed the son as easily as a bird. When crack! the machine broke and +collapsed, and the unfortunate inventor was hurled headlong into the +sea, and every moment threatened to be his last, but wasn't. As he +floundered in the water he looked annoyed, and he murmured to himself:-- + +"There must be some mistake. Who can truly say that I have found +Contentment here?" + +Meanwhile the second son had borrowed a camel and gone off with his +precious automaton to the great city, there to reap the reward of his +labours. All the way he reckoned how he could best enjoy the vast sums +of gold which would be poured into his lap. And he came to the +conclusion that to gaze at it would give more pleasure than to spend any +of it, except just a little for coffers to keep it in. He laughed aloud +in anticipation. Arrived at his journey's end, he unpacked his treasure +and set it working, and was forthwith lodged in prison--for the city +turned out to be as narrow-minded as it was great, and it assured him +that he must be a wizard. He assured it he wasn't, and proved that he +didn't believe in fairy tales, for he had not relied upon them for help. +But it was of no avail; there was nothing more to be said. This +disappointing ending to so much effort and such real success encouraged +him in the conviction that in the position in which he found himself he +could find no legitimate ground for Contentment. + +During this time the favourite son had sallied forth singing in search +of the beauteous Princess. His marvellous kite was slung behind him. He +wended his steps toward the only Court he knew of, where dwelt a +Princess good, beautiful, and unmarried--a combination of charms of +marked rarity. So joyous and merry was he, that the squirrels squeaked +and scurried away at sight of him, and the very hyenas laughed in +harmony as he passed by singing, "Tra-la-la!" in his blithe +lightsomeness. Ah, how gladsome and thrice happy was that merry, merry +morn! + +Now the Princess sat in the vast hall of the palace turning up her nose +at the stream of suitors that promenaded in front of her, very bored and +weary at the continuous routine. But she never seemed to tire of it in +her certainty that "the right one" would put in his appearance at the +right moment. + +She was a very spoilt lady indeed; there was no one to gainsay her. +Indeed, so spoilt was she, that every night she would cry for the stars, +and blame the skies for being selfish and not sparing her a few when +they knew (for she had often told them) that she wished to wear them in +her hair. And every one said how illogical it was of her, and no one +told her they were too large for practical purposes. + +One bitterly cold night, whilst she was sitting thus at her open +casement, bemoaning the selfishness of the skies, and heedless of +everything else, a mighty hubbub arose outside. + +"What ho!" called the pretty Princess. Her attendants came tumbling in +to her in their eagerness to answer her summons. + +"What's without?" she inquired. + +Nobody knew, and tumbled out to get to know. They rushed back and told +her all at once that a brand new suitor had arrived at that unusual +hour, and would she snub him at once or tarry till the morrow? It took +her a little time to unravel what was said amidst such a babel of +voices. + +"La! Oh my!" suddenly exclaimed the Princess, her eyes riveted outside +on the blackness of the night. She could scarcely believe her senses, +for there, in her garden, stars were actually falling down in showers, +lighting up the figure of a man who, with upstretched hand, was +beckoning them to come! + +He was summoned at once to the royal presence, shivering and blue with +cold; but his romantic heart throbbed at the sight of so much beauty, +and his face assumed a warmer hue. He was so intoxicated with delight +that afterwards he could never quite tell how it all came about. As in a +haze, he remembered the Princess greeting him as the one long awaited; +he recollected her saying that as he could wrest the stars from the +selfish skies, he could gratify her desire to wear some in her hair, and +bade him go collect them. + +He explained his invention. She grew impatient. He told her the +electricity would kill him. She shrugged her shoulders and insisted. He +declined to take the risk. Whereupon she turned into a fury in her +pretty illogicality, and exclaiming that he must be the wrong man after +all, she flung his invention into the fire and ordered him to be flung +after it. He took the hint by the heels and fled through the window, far +into the night. + +Not at all Content with his romantic adventure, or with life as a whole, +he enlisted and became a target in the front rank of the army. + +It was, of course, some time later that the eldest brother--who had been +plucked from the billows by a fisherman who happened to be passing by as +usual--booked his passage home, and found on his arrival that the said +home had been sold, as advertised, for building lots in eligible plots +on easy terms, to pay expenses. + +The second brother, in order to secure his freedom from prison, then and +there smashed up his automaton and trudged home, arriving just in time +to join his brother in being ordered away from their former doorstep, +though still held responsible for the rates and taxes. + +At that moment, too, the brother of the twain was deposited amongst +them, having been invalided to his sold-up home for life. + +So, in order not to trespass for fear of prosecution, they all three sat +down a little outside the boundary line and recounted each to the others +their adventures and their experiences. It was nightfall before they had +done, and they really could hardly help laughing. And then, after +thinking things out, they shook hands all round in silence. + +For the prophecy had come true. _They were content._ The three sons were +now thoroughly Content--to work no more, to do nothing more for the rest +of their existence. It wasn't worth it, they said. Their disappointments +were over, and they were fully Content that they should be so. The +villagers, once more open-mouthed in their gaping, and open-minded too, +differed from the inhabitants of the great city, and looked upon the +brothers as who should say "three wise men," and took upon themselves +the care of them in the workhouse, and were proud to get them, and to +show them to visitors. + +As to the beautiful Princess, she was changed by time into an old maid, +and still kept on turning up her nose at elderly, rheumatic suitors as +they passed on their usual rounds. + +So the old father was right after all. + +His ambitious son had surmounted everything, including disappointment. + +His avaricious son had succeeded in having his wants supplied for +nothing. + +And his favourite son could jog along as romantically as the workhouse +rules allowed, without labour and without effort. + + + + +THE LITTLE PICTURE GIRL + + +It was Christmas Eve, and a little girl lay in her little bed, wondering +what Santa Claus was going to put in her stocking this year. It was hung +up where he would be sure to see it, and upon the same chair before the +fireplace she had thoughtfully placed her clothes-brush in case he might +like to brush off the soot from his coat. + +The grate held but a few smouldering embers, for it was late, very +late--at least ten o'clock--and Minna ought to have been asleep hours +ago. Perhaps she would have been, only there were so many things to +wonder about to-night, and one cannot be sure of wondering about them +when one is fast asleep. + +So after wondering about Santa Claus, she turned to the stars, which she +could see through the uncurtained window: she wondered if they twinkled +and winked like that because they liked it or because she liked it. Then +there was the moon, which was looking straight at her in its own +unblushing, beaming way and filled the room with its light; and she sat +up in bed and watched it, wondering where it went to during the day. + +Now opposite her bed were three pictures, coloured and framed. One was +of a dainty Columbine smiling at her companion picture--a Harlequin who +stood on his toes with feet crossed, and his arms folded over his staff; +and the pair set her wondering what she would see at the promised +pantomime. + +Between them hung Minna's favourite picture. It represented a fine old +moated house covered with snow. On the white path which led from the +portico were tracks of little feet, manifestly made by the little +smiling girl who stood in the act of passing over the bridge that +spanned the moat. She appeared to be the same age as Minna, about six +years old, and was dressed in a red pelisse and fur tippet. Her dark +hair peeped from under a red, broad-brimmed hat with drooping feathers, +and her hands were hidden in a large fur muff. + +Minna herself had just such an outdoor costume, and when dressed for her +walk she had often wondered where the little Picture Girl could be +going so gaily for hers. And now Minna wondered that once more as she +glanced at her favourite picture, upon which the moon was shining so +brightly to-night, till, bathed in the bright light, it seemed to stand +right out from the shadows of the room. + +[Illustration: _The Little Picture Girl_] + +There was a creak, as though the old wardrobe wanted to stretch itself +after standing still so long--a funny little way furniture has now and +again. But Minna didn't think it was the wardrobe this time--she thought +Harlequin had done it. For it seemed to her as though he had suddenly +stretched forth his arm and struck out with his staff. No--he was just +as usual, only somewhat darker, being in shadow; and as usual just ready +to do something, yet never doing it. + +But surely with the favourite picture there was something +different!--some change! It was always morning there. And now--why, now +it was night! The moon was lighting up the old moated house, and the +stars were twinkling over its heavy, white-capped roof. Minna looked for +the little girl in red--but there was no little girl in red on the +bridge at all! + +"Of course," reflected Minna, "she must be in bed behind one of those +little dormer windows fast asleep--for it must be very late." + +This seemed strange somehow, yet it was only just as it really ought to +be. She herself never went for a morning walk in the middle of the +night, nor had she ever heard of any one else doing so. + +All at once, from the distant steeple which peeped through the white +sparkling trees beyond the bridge, came a muffled striking of the hour, +and Minna, to her increasing surprise, counted on her fingers up to ten, +and then there were two more. And then, to her amazement, whom should +she see on the bridge in the snow, which had begun gently to fall +again--not the little girl in red--but dear old Santa Claus himself, +covered up in fur and scarlet, trudging towards the house with +tempting-looking parcels slung about him! Now he fixed a ladder against +the thick, frost-laden ivy which covered the front of the old house, and +he mounted it very carefully. Then he climbed up the roof as easily as +if he had been walking along the high-road in the daylight. And then he +disappeared down one of the chimneys. Very soon he reappeared without +quite so many parcels, slowly descended the ladder, put it upon his +shoulder, and walked off with it. + +Minna's eyes followed him with the utmost astonishment and interest. Of +course, she always knew that it was Santa Claus's lovely privilege to +come down the chimney, but she had never actually known him to do +it--and then the joy of seeing him come out again, evidently on his +rounds, was breathlessly delicious! + +[Illustration: _He mounted it very carefully_] + +All was quiet now--only the moon and the stars and Minna watching over +the slumbering house and garden, about which the soft snow-flakes +hovered and fluttered. She had more than ever to wonder about now. She +longed for a peep--just one peep--inside that beautiful house, to see if +the little Picture Girl was really asleep. + +Harlequin must have guessed what Minna wanted, for there is no doubt +that he gave her a knowing look (though it might have been meant for +sweet Columbine); and just as surely Minna saw his arm stretch out and +heard the rap of his staff upon the picture frame. Then he pretended he +hadn't done it; but she forgot all about him, so great was her interest +in what she saw. + +At that touch of Harlequin's the scene had changed to a dainty bedroom. +It was dawn. A red pelisse and hat hung upon a peg on the door, and a +large muff peeped from its box on the shelf. A rosy light tinged the +face of the child who was sleeping there in the old wooden bedstead, and +woke her up. The first thing the little Picture Girl did was to look +with content into her stocking. It was very fat. And then, with a little +pant of delight, she discovered a lovely doll lying on her pillow. First +she hugged and then she kissed it; then she laid her new treasure beside +her, her heavy eyelids drooped, and she fell asleep again. + +And nothing stirred. + +"More, please!" said Minna, by this time quite at home with Harlequin. +Again he gave that knowing look, and did as she asked. A rap, and once +more she saw the garden. It had stopped snowing, and the sun was rising +over the old roof. + +Suddenly a little sweep appeared, swung himself up by the ivy, crept +stealthily up the tiles, and disappeared down a chimney. In a moment he +reappeared with a doll and a fat-looking stocking, all so quickly that, +before Minna had time to clasp her hands and cry out, he was gone +altogether. She looked at Harlequin, but he paid no attention. + +"More!" she repeated eagerly. Harlequin's staff then moved and rapped. + +And there was the breakfast-room in the old moated house. The master of +it sat at the table reading his newspaper. Soon he looked up and nodded +encouragingly at his little daughter, who very seriously was making his +tea. She nodded back and smiled. But it was a sad little smile, and her +eyes were rather red, as though something had happened. + +Then the door opened, and, to every one's surprise, in marched a stout +beadle. In one hand he held a doll and a stocking full of sweets, and in +the other he held the collar of a little sweep, with the little sweep +wriggling inside it. Close behind there came a tiny crippled girl, who +moved painfully by the aid of a crutch to the boy's side, and laid a +trembling hand on his arm. The brother and sister were much like one +another, in feature and in squalor. Great tears were rolling down her +cheeks, and her poor face was no whiter with pain than his with fright +beneath the soot, though, looking lovingly at her, he tried to appear +brave. + +The beadle noticed the little Picture Girl's look of recognition at +sight of her lost treasures, and as he gave them back to her he pointed +to the black marks on the doll's frock, which tallied with the little +sweep's grimy paw, and then jerked his head towards the crippled child +in whose possession he had found them. Then the stout beadle gave the +boy a shake, just to remind him of his wrong-doing--as if any further +reminder was needed!--and made for the door, dragging the wretched +offender after him. + +But the little Picture Girl showed so much distress, stopped him, and +looked at him so piteously, and with so much kindness in her sweet eyes, +that he let go his grip of the collar. Then she put the presents into +the boy's hand, and pushed him gently towards his sister. But the lad +shook his head sadly, and looked more ashamed than ever. + +[Illustration: _In marched a stout beadle_] + +The little Picture Girl glanced at her father, who had been silently +watching the scene. He nodded, so she pressed them on the boy, whose +eyes now filled with tears as he gazed, humbled and grateful, at the +beautiful young lady whose generosity saved him from punishment. +Meanwhile, the gentleman Christmas-boxed the beadle, who smiled fatly +and went his way. Then, for a moment or two, the picture-father's +uplifted finger wagged a warning at the boy, who hung his head: but +Minna could see that it was not so very terrible, because, if the boy +had not confessed his fault, how would the beadle have known in what +house he had yielded to temptation for his sister's sake? The little +cripple dried her eyes at seeing her brother safe, and was very grateful +for the gifts she hesitated to accept. But she had a right to keep them +now; and it was not her fault that she was the innocent cause of her +brother's offence. + +Food from the breakfast-table was wrapped up in the newspaper, the big +bundle was put into the little sweep's arms, and the two poor waifs who +had entered so miserable were sent away happy at the bright moment which +had entered into their dark lives, whilst the little Picture Girl, who +for the second time had lost the presents Santa Claus had brought her, +looked after the poor little pair quite content, and smiled as she +waved good-bye with her pretty hand. + +Then the master of the old moated house wiped his spectacles, which +somehow had become quite misty. He lifted up his little daughter in his +arms and kissed her, and, putting his hand into his pocket, drew from +his purse a gold piece which she took with a laugh of surprise and +delight, and threw her arms round his dear bronzed neck. + +Minna saw nothing more. She must have fallen fast asleep. + +It was very late when she awoke. The first thing she did was to smile as +she trotted off to look at what Santa Claus had put in her stocking. She +had seen him on his rounds. She had seen his parcels. Dear, kind old +Santa Claus, who saves up all the year to be the loving, generous friend +to little children at Christmas-time. Minna smiled again as the thought +flashed through her mind. She approached her stocking. It looked rather +thin--horridly thin. It was empty! She ran to her pillow. Nothing on it, +nothing under it! She could not understand it. Oh, Santa Claus! + +She gave a big gulp, and decided to wait and see what her father would +say about it. She had to bustle too, for the bell would very soon ring +for breakfast, at which it was her duty to preside. + +"Papa, Santa Claus has forgotten me!" were her first words after the +morning kiss. + +[Illustration: _Smiled as she waved good-bye_] + +At this, her father pursed up his lips with a blank look. "Dear, dear! +Good gracious! 'Pon my word! What a forgetful old Santa Claus. I'm +afraid he's getting past his work. Perhaps," he said, turning to the +window, as a tear was gathering in each of Minna's bright eyes, "the +snow was too thick." + +"No, Funnyums" (she often called him that), "it wasn't the snow. I know +he was out in it, 'cos I saw him." + +"Saw him, did you?" he replied, smiling. "Well, perhaps he gave all the +toys away till there were none left, and then, as the shops were shut, +there were no more to be had!" + +Minna now felt sure her father was joking as usual, and that there must +be some secret. + +"But perhaps, Minna, Santa Claus came to my room by mistake," he added. +"In fact, it occurred to me that he might. He's getting short-sighted, +you know, and--we are so very much alike. Suppose you go and see!" + +Away she ran, and there, sure enough, were Funnyums's two socks hung up! +One looked full, the other looked empty. She found in the full one all +sorts of good things to eat. Minna emptied it quickly. + +"I wish Funnyums wore stockings," she murmured. Then she went to the +empty one, which wasn't empty, because right down in the toe there was a +gold piece! + +Then Funnyums was hugged, and Funnyums was thanked, and scolded for +being up to his tricks again, and then hugged once more to make it all +right. All that stirring time he was quietly pretending to read his +newspaper--just as though he really wanted to read it at all! + +And Minna forgot everything in the excitement of Christmas Day. That +night she slept soundly. The following day she went to the pantomime, +and afterwards dreamt about Columbine. + +It was only on the morrow that she noticed again her favourite picture, +and then her mind wandered back to the wonderful things that had +happened there. And as she gazed at the little girl in red, who was +going out so joyously for her morning walk, it occurred to her where the +little Picture Girl must be going to--she was going out, as Minna was, +to spend the gold piece _her_ father had given her! + +"Ah, she deserved it," Minna said to herself. "I--I don't quite think +I've deserved mine--that is, quite so much. I should like to do +something for children who suffer and are poor," she muttered, +"like--like the children in the hospital." And slowly, as she thought it +out, she made up her mind that the doll she was going to buy should be a +very small one, and that the rest of the money from the gold piece she +would send to the "Children's Hospital Fund." + +Seldom has any child felt happier than Minna did that sunny morning as +she donned her red pelisse and hat, and took her muff from its box. She +paused at the door, and glanced at the little Picture Girl, who was +smiling back at her. "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" said +Minna out loud, dropped her a little curtsey, nodded gaily, and ran +out. + + + + +THE SLEEPING BEAUTY'S DREAM + + "She pricked her hand with the point of the spindle, and fell + into a deep, deep sleep." + + +And the creepers that had been climbing over the castle walls for a long +time, searching for the turret chamber wherein the sleeping Princess +lay--the ivy, the jessamine, the briar rose--climbed round odd niches +and corners, as if all were curious to see the lovely maiden under the +Fairy Spell. But the years went by and none had reached so high, though +one sweet little briar rose had not given up hope, and crept steadily +onward and spread as it went. And this is the dream of the beautiful +Princess:-- + +She dreamt that she arose and wandered forth out of the castle gates, on +to the sunlit terrace. Her attendants had dozed over their labours, and +she wondered at their laziness. The peacocks had stopped in their +strutting and had fallen asleep; even the singing-birds in the trees had +ceased their trilling and hidden their little heads under their wings. +But the Princess did not tarry. She went straight on, past the closed-up +daisies and sunflowers and the drooping foxgloves, past the goldfish +drowsing in the fountain basin, for all around Nature was hushed and had +fallen asleep. + +Without hesitation she crossed the meadow of wild flowers, and reached +the willow path that skirted the sparkling river, and did not stop until +she reached a willow larger than the rest. Then, bending under its +branches, she neared the water's edge. There an old wooden skiff was +moored; lifting her silken robe, she stepped into it, unfastened the +cord, and, reclining on the embroidered cushions, she closed her eyes +with a happy sigh. Away drifted the bark with its lovely burden. The +sunlight turned to twilight with lurid gleams, and pale green flecks +jewelled the sky; the twilight turned to dark grey and silver, and the +moon and stars watched her on her way. The bark floated to where the +silent river joined the open sea; still peacefully on it went, over the +bosom of the moonlit ocean, onward into the night. + +The Princess's sweet thoughts were disturbed by the sudden stopping of +her craft, which had run aground on the sands just where the tiny +wavelets retreated shyly, to venture again and as quickly withdraw. + +Soft and balmy was the summer's night, and on the breeze music came, +wafted towards the young Princess, who smiled and landed lightly, drawn +by the bright strains which led her, following, to a pleasure ground. +Lights hung festooned in the great trees, and in an open space peasants +in their picturesque costumes were dancing, and laughing as they +stepped. The Princess, from behind a tree, gazed on the scene, on the +glades and lake in the distance--all mysterious in the night; and as she +listened to the laughter and the music, she knew she had never heard +anything so delightful before. + +Happy at the sight and sounds, she moved from behind the tree, and she +saw a young man approach her with great respect--one of a group who were +not dancing. The Princess would have fled, but he was already close; and +although his dress betokened origin as humble as that of those around, +he was as handsome as a young god. They looked into one another's eyes; +then she accepted his invitation to dance. + +Afterwards they sat together on a mossy knoll and talked low--all was +silent around, and the light of the stars was reflected in the +glow-worms, but the Princess did not tell him who she was; and when he +spoke of a quest on which he was about to start, to find his unknown +betrothed, who awaited him in a distant land, she wept. Her sweet tears +fell upon his hand, which he raised to his lips and reverently kissed +them there, and she smiled on him for doing so. But the smile faded as +an old woman came, and, plucking him by the sleeve, told him it was the +hour to go. And when the Princess was alone she felt as though she had +never known before what it was to be alone. + + "... and she would be awakened by a king's son." + +How long a time passed by she did not know. But again she saw the +handsome peasant youth. And her heart sank as she thought that her +release could come only through the kiss of some king's son who could +claim her for his wife. Then she pondered no more, for she saw the +traveller now, far, far away, where she could not get near him; and he +was in a forest path, wrestling with desperate fury with a giant who had +barred the way. + +Breathlessly she watched the youth as he struggled in the brawny +monster's clutch. The Princess, moved by his stress, cried out in her +sleep. Then the rays of the noonday sun, redoubling their forceful heat, +shone forth with overpowering energy. The giant, struck with the pain of +it, clasped his hands to his head, and fell backwards like a log to the +ground. + +The Princess knew that her love was safe, and by her fear for his +safety she knew, too, how dear he was to her. And she went on +dreaming--dreaming happily of what might be the future shared with one +she loved so much. + +Her heart fluttered as with foreboding of evil. She beheld a range of +mountains, and up the foot of one of the peaks a peasant youth toiled +his weary course. But the mountain was so slippery that his efforts were +of no avail. As he gazed round she could see the handsome features, +clouded by fatigue that almost was despair. She saw that the mountain +was glistening, and that it was made of ice. + +Then she felt the breath of summer. She saw it lift the white pall from +the earth--she saw it melt the belt of ice, and as she looked the +mountain dissolved into water under the warmth of her love. She saw that +he was safe, trudging over the carpet of cowslips, smiling as he went. +She wanted to run towards him, but he passed through a thicket and +disappeared from sight. + +The Princess arose to follow him. But she lost her way, and wandered on +and on through a dense forest, where nothing stirred but scampering +hares and startled squirrels. + +At last, towards evening, she came to a path all gay with glowing +flowers, refreshed by their evening bath of dew, and whispering to one +another a hushed good-night ere closing their eyes to the light. As the +Princess passed along, the strains of an organ fell upon her ear, and +she saw a great temple before her. She stood at the open door. Within, +hundreds of candles lighted the vast grey dome. And far beyond, in a +haze of mystery, stood the man she loved, and by his side his bride, all +veiled in white. And she knew his quest was done, and that he had found +her whom he had gone to seek. Then there was a stir in the multitude, +and a peal of bells rang out on the stillness without. The Princess sank +down and felt as though she swooned. + +A kiss was on her lips, and she trembled, for she knew the moment had +come for the Prince to claim her. But the kiss was sweet. The Sleeping +Beauty came slowly back to consciousness; she awoke, and before her was +a tall knight in silver armour. His handsome features were lighted up +with joy: she knew him well, and, enfolded in his embrace, she murmured +happily:-- + +"It is you, O Prince, the youth of my dream!" + +And the little briar rose peeped in at the turret casement and nodded in +the breeze at the lovers as they sat close clasped, and as the bells +pealed forth, told the news to the ivy, which told it to the jessamine, +until soon the tidings spread over the great city far and wide, and over +all the joyful land. + + + + +THE GAMEKEEPER'S DAUGHTER + + +"Just run up to the Grange and tell her ladyship the bull-pup is doing +nicely, and that you bandaged its leg as she showed you. Make haste, +lass, if you're not too tired, as her ladyship would like to know before +she drives out." + +"All right, Dad; I'll run. It's much too cold to walk." + +Rogers, the gamekeeper, glanced with pride after the little retreating +figure, and then, as his old mother was standing in the draughty porch +awaiting him, he kissed her wrinkled face, and they entered the cottage +together. + +Nancy was soon at the Grange, her cheeks aglow under the scarlet hood of +her cloak. New people were at the big house, and there seemed a deal of +bustle going on. She waited in the vestibule and stared at the +brightness, at the beautiful pictures and decorations where, ever since +she had known the Grange, all had been damp and decay. She had never +seen anything like this before, and she was enjoying the novelty, mixed +with awe at all the grandeur, when a little girl richly dressed, about +three years old, ran up to her. Nancy dropped a little bob of a curtsey, +as her grandmother had taught her to do to the gentry. + +Little Iris was not at all shy, and was full of one thought only--the +thought of Christmas--so that she burst out with: "D'you know +to-morrow's Christmas Day?" and, without waiting for a reply, she +babbled on: "I'm going to have such boo'ful things--a dolly that sends +kisses, a pamberlator for her to ride in, a gold watch with real ticks, +and a titten with real scratches. Guess who'll bring them." + +"Her ladyship?" ventured Nancy, dazzled at such a haul of magnificence. + +"No, not Mummy," exclaimed Iris, capering with delight and revealing +more of her frills and laces. + +"I can't guess, Miss," said Nancy, smiling through her diffidence--which +was just what Iris wanted her to say. + +"It's Santa Claus! Santa Claus always brings me just what I want. Isn't +it clever?" + +"Who's Santa Claus? Is it your aunt, Miss?" + +"I'm 'peaking to you about Santa Claus--a gen'lman. I've not seen +him--never been able to catch him yet." + +"Catch him! But who tells him what you want?" She was getting quite +interested. + +"The little bird." + +Nancy felt completely mystified. What a different world this seemed to +hers! + +"What toys are _you_ going to get?" continued Iris. + +"Oh, no _toys_. I live in the cottage in the forest. Dad is always so +busy, and I help him look out for poachers--so I have useful presents, I +don't have toys. Granny gave me this warm cloak last year; and then, +Dad's pockets get so full of sweets that they last for months." + +"Sweets and useful things aren't p'esents," said Iris, surprised. "Poor +little girl! Wouldn't you like toys?" she added. + +"I think so, Miss--at least, I've not seen many. Cousin Janey has a +skipping-rope and a workbox, but she won't let me touch them." + +"Ah! you've been here long enough, Iris darling. I hear Nurse calling +you," exclaimed a soft voice, and her ladyship, with a kindly look at +the visitor, laughingly caught up her little daughter in her arms before +the child even knew she was there. Then she received the message, gave +the little messenger a slice of cake, and in a moment Nancy was +leisurely munching the fee as she trudged her way back on the grass +through the frosty park. The dusk was gathering, when suddenly in the +stillness she heard a dull thwack as of a stick against a branch--which +caused her to stop and listen. She knew what the sound meant. + +"That's one of those poachers: he's knocked down a pheasant, I'll be +bound!" said the gamekeeper's daughter to herself. "I'll just be after +him!" and, gathering her skirts close around her, she crept through into +a thick plantation. She had the intrepid fearlessness of her father, +whose companion on his rounds she had been, when no danger was thought +to be afoot, ever since she was old enough to ride pickaback. It came +quite natural to her to help him, and though the old grandmother +grumbled at her boyish ways she said nothing, for the child was obedient +enough, and could read and write and sew; and, moreover, her son would +brook no interference with his treasure--especially since her mother had +died. + +"Drop that!" cried Nancy. "Who's there?" + +Hearing only a girl's voice, a rough-looking fellow emerged grinning +from behind a tree, with the dead bird he had just picked up in his +hand. A limp bag was slung over his shoulder, a stout staff was in his +other hand, and a snarling "lurcher" dog slunk at his feet. + +"Steady, Muffins!" said the man, giving the cowering animal a gentle +kick as a reminder. "Now, Missy, what can I do for you?" + +[Illustration: "_You can just hand over that pheasant_"] + +"You can just hand me over that pheasant. Ah! it's you, is it? I know +you, Tom Grollins, and I'll report you to the gamekeeper." + +The poacher gazed at her stupidly for a moment. "Give you the blessed +bird and be reported too, Missy? Come, that ain't 'ardly fair, is it? +(_Will_ yer lie down, Muffins?) Now look 'ere. If I give yer the bird, +will y'promise not to say a word as it was Tom Grollins--on yer davey, +now? Will y'promise, Missy?" + +She nodded. Tom Grollins was not very strong of intellect, and he was a +known coward, and as the sound of a carriage was heard close by, the +bargain was hastily concluded; the pheasant was handed over without +further parley on the undertaking of the promise--"No names." + +The promise, of course, Nancy faithfully kept when she delivered to her +father the bird she had demanded with such pluck and authority, and told +him how she had got it. The gamekeeper laughed, remarking that he +wouldn't press her, but could make a pretty shrewd guess if he chose. +However, she was worth her weight in gold, he said, and he patted her on +the head for a trump--and Nancy felt uncommonly proud. But she didn't +quite understand what he meant when he said that terms such as she had +made would not be quite approved of by the Lord Chancellor. + +Then as Granny came in Nancy told of all she had seen, and of all the +wonderful presents the tiny lady at the Grange was going to receive at +Christmas, because she wanted them; and that a gentleman staying at the +house called Mr. Santa Claus gave them, and knew what to get, because a +bird--a parrot, she supposed--had heard and told him what the little +lady wanted. + +That night when Nancy was in bed she could think of nothing else but +Santa Claus and the wonderful toys; and the thoughts were just beginning +to get confused with a greatly envied skipping-rope and workbox, when +she suddenly sat bolt upright in bed wide awake. + +Her room was a tiny one leading off the kitchen, and in the moonlight +she had just seen Tom Grollins pass by--this time with a full bag on his +back, and the faithful Muffins was close at his heels. + +"Well, I never did!" exclaimed Nancy, in her astonishment and vexation +unconsciously quoting her grandmother; "I _never_ did! Now what's to be +done? Gran's no use--Dad's out. But Dad's sure to find that wicked +poacher," she reflected, on hearing the clock strike nine: "he's in the +forest, and can't be far." And she lay back, relieved at the thought +that her father had suspiciously refused the invitation of a shabby, +gaitered, and very doubtful sportsman, to drink Christmas in with +mulled beer at the village tavern. She had heard her father remark +afterwards that he wanted "to be within earshot of gunshot." So she +wouldn't worry, for Tom wouldn't get the things after all. + + * * * * * + +After a time Nancy changed her mind. As in a dream, but not feeling a +bit sleepy, she quickly donned her cloak, stealthily opened the kitchen +door so as not to disturb the old lady, and hastened out into the night. +Curiously enough, she didn't feel cold in the bleak air--and in her +hurry she never even noticed she was without shoes or stockings. + +In front of her was a man, and she quickened her pace. She soon overtook +him--sooner than she expected, for dark clouds overshadowed the moon, +and she was at his side before she knew it. + +"Tom Grollins!" she exclaimed, breathless and indignant: "how dare you! +I've caught you again!" + +"I'm not Tom Grollins," replied her companion in a deep, manly voice, in +which a funny chuckle seemed to rumble. + +For a moment the child hesitated. It certainly didn't sound like Tom +Grollins's whiny treble, but then--perhaps he was pretending, so as to +put her off. + +"Yes, you are," she retorted firmly. "Now, what are you doing here?" + +"It's a secret." + +"You're after poaching again. I shall report you to Dad. And," she added +severely, "you've just got to give me this very minute all you've got in +that bag." + +"All in my bag? Softly, softly: wouldn't that be highway robbery, with +threats?" answered the jolly voice, and with a laugh--"Oh, greedy!" + +Nancy stopped and stared hard, but it was too dark for her to see him, +as she had done from her bed. He had stopped too. + +"Who are you, then?" she asked lamely. + +"Santa Claus," came the reply. + +"Santa Claus!" repeated the child in astonishment. + +The dark cloud-wrack happened to part, and Nancy saw towering above her +the dearest and most imposing old gentleman imaginable, with a large +smiling face and long white beard. White curly hair fringed his +holly-decked scarlet cap, and his long, loose, red coat revealed here +and there glimpses of scarlet plush beneath. Instead of rabbits and +pheasants, he was laden with the newest of toys; and as to Muffins, he +was nowhere to be seen--unless he was that toy-dog dangling from the +overflowing bag, and wearing a leather collar with bell attached, and +a leather muzzle that ought to allay the fears of the most nervous. + +[Illustration: "_Who are you, then?_"] + +"Yes, little woman, I am Santa Claus--himself!" he repeated, with his +jolly chuckle. + +"I--I--beg your pardon," stammered Nancy, quite confused. + +"It's all right," he replied good-humouredly. "Now shall I see you home +before I continue my rounds?" + +"Oh, may I come with you?" The words had dropped out of her mouth before +she could stop herself. + +Santa Claus shook his head. "Come with me, indeed? I should think not! +Come with me? 'Pon my word!" Then he hesitated and smiled, and said +kindly, "Well, come along, dear. You're a good, brave little girl. But +you must know I've never made such an exception before. However, it's so +odd to find a child who doesn't know me--even such a little village +mouse as you--that we must really make one another's acquaintance." + +He drew Nancy under his cloak to keep her extra warm, and to hide her +from view, and he showed her how she could peep out. Then he took her by +the hand, and the quaint pair proceeded along the mysterious-looking +forest until they came to the part Nancy loved best. There, heaps and +heaps of fir-trees grew, the tall ones protecting the wee ones, and the +wee ones doing their best to try and grow tall too. + +Santa Claus stood still, and looked around, as if in preparation of some +important matter. Nancy felt something was going to happen, and she +peered up into the face of her guide. + +"Father Christmas has come!" he proclaimed loudly at last. + +And then what a change there was! The fir-trees all became +Christmas-trees, lighted each one--big and little--with candles, blue or +green, yellow or red, each burning with the same coloured light. And +from the diamond-frosted branches hung toys innumerable. At the top of +each tree stood triumphant a fairy-doll with wand outstretched. + +Nancy clasped her hands with rapture at the sight. "Oh, Santa Claus!" +was all she could exclaim. + +He lifted her on to his shoulder, and let her gaze until she had gazed +enough. Now, indeed, she realised what toys were--whence they came, and +how they grew. + +Then she felt he was carrying her away, and her heart beat with +curiosity and excitement, for she knew Santa Claus was proceeding on his +rounds to pay visits to all the sleeping children who deserved it, while +she was clinging to his dear old neck, and would see all that went on. + +The first visit was to Iris at the Grange, whither Santa Claus was +already on his way. They entered the pretty bedroom, where the spoilt +little lady was smiling in anticipation in her sleep; and the "dolly, +pamberlator, watch, and titten with real scratches" (immovably asleep) +were all produced as though by some conjuring trick from Santa Claus's +basket or deep pockets, and duly placed to meet the child's eager glance +on her waking. + +"Mr. Santa Claus," whispered Nancy, who had been wondering all the time, +"how did we get here?" + +"Chimney!" he whispered back. + +"Chimney?" + +Santa Claus nodded. + +This didn't make her much wiser, for to her knowledge she had never seen +the inside of a chimney in her life; but she forgot to pursue the +subject now that something more interesting was going on. + +Iris had vanished, and a pale little boy lay asleep in a room above a +flower shop. + +"He doesn't care for toys," whispered Santa Claus; "he loves that pink +geranium by his side." And a gaily painted watering-pot was placed next +to his flowering possession. "How white in comparison with the blossom +the suffering, pinched little face looks on the pillow!" thought Nancy; +"he _will_ be pleased." Before they left, Santa Claus filled the can +with water from the cracked toilet jug. + +In the large house across the way were sounds of bright music--a party +was going on. + +"I'm afraid it's too early to go there yet," said Santa Claus, +consulting his great watch. "However, we'll go and see; it's really high +time for all youngsters to be in bed." In the night-nursery were two +cots. Both were empty. "I must call on my way back," he said. + +Just then the door opened, and childish voices were heard shouting: +"Santa Claus! We'll catch him if we're quick!" + +And there was only just time for the two travellers to disappear before +the lights were turned up and the owners of the cots rushed in. + +"Nearly caught that time!" exclaimed Santa Claus, as they proceeded on +their way (it was extraordinary how alert and agile he was for such an +old and portly gentleman), and he burst out into a loud laugh, and only +recovered from it as they entered a long room full of small beds. It was +decorated with holly and mistletoe. A light burned at one end, where sat +a pleasant-looking nurse half-screened in the corner by the fire. + +Nancy followed Santa Claus's movements with breathless interest as he +flitted to each little sleeping occupant of the hospital ward--for such +it was--placing here a toy horse of skin and harness with a long wavy +tail; there a lovely picture-book with a green cover, on which the +title was printed in large gold letters. + +Twice only did Nancy heave a little sigh, quickly repressed, and her +eyes filled with longing: once when a skipping-rope was loosely tied +round the clasped hands of a little girl who was convalescent, and was +going to leave, as Santa Claus explained; and once again when, creeping +on tiptoe, he placed under the chair of the dozing nurse a very smart +workbox, with the name engraved on top. + +Every now and then Santa Claus would linger to smooth the look of pain +from a little suffering face into a smile, or touch with his cool palm a +little fevered hand. + +As she trotted round with him, tears of pity and happy sympathy filled +Nancy's eyes, and she tried to give Santa Claus a good hug--only she +couldn't reach half-way round--while he tenderly wiped those tears on +his big cuff, and carried her off, a long way, to a very poor cottage. +There they peeped round from behind the door. + +Everything looked bright, and sounded happy too, and every now and +again, amid the laughter and the chatter, the arrival of Santa Claus was +gaily prophesied. Three little girls were dancing round three of those +tiny decorated Christmas-trees Nancy had seen that eve, and their +parents, looking on happily, echoed their exclamations of joy. She was +surprised to see so much jollity in so poor a place; but Santa Claus +didn't seem to be so--he merely muttered, "It's all right this year!" +and withdrew with her the same way they had come. + +"And now," remarked Santa Claus cheerily, "before I go back to the party +children or do anything else I must visit all the other hospitals. I've +brought you home because you must be very tired, little woman. I'm +terribly busy to-night--half afraid I shan't get it over in time: just +think of the disappointment if I don't! So good-night, Nancy! Pleasant +dreams! A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" + +And his kind face bent over her in bed, as it had over so many others +that Christmas Eve; and as he pressed her hand he added, with a smile, +"I've a terrible lot to do, and I mustn't forget _anybody_!" + +The dawn heralded once again a Christmas Day, and when the sun peeped +forth he awoke Nancy. She looked round, and uttered a cry of surprise +and delight. For before her astonished eyes she seemed to see a little +fairy-land all to herself. Grouped about her bed were a skipping-rope, a +workbox--both handsomer than Janey's--and a little box besides. She +couldn't believe they were real, so she felt them all over, and not only +found they were quite real, but the little box when it was touched sent +forth the most lovely, mysterious music. + +"Dear, kind, darling Santa Claus!" exclaimed Nancy. Then she saw that +beside them there was also a plum pudding with a Christmas card +attached, from the new mistress of the Grange. What was puzzling was +that on a chair close by hung three pairs of her father's new socks with +a paper asking her to mark them; but they were marked already, and were +full of good things to eat. + +Never in all her nine years had Nancy had such a Christmas. After saying +her morning prayers, she sat down at the table, where, with elbows +outspread and her little tongue peeping out as she moved her pen, she +wrote the following letter:-- + + "DEAR MR. CLAUS,--Thank you very much for those lovely + presents: I like them very much. And thank you for the lovely + time I had going about with you last night. I shall never + forget it. Please forgive me for thinking you were the wicked + poacher, Tom Grollins. I must now say good-bye. + + "I send you 200 kisses (x x x etsetra). + + "Your grateful little friend, + "NANCY ROGERS." + +And then she addressed it to him at the Grange. + +When Nancy had stamped and posted it, her grandmother and her father +came in to breakfast, and received Nancy's grateful thanks, for she wore +a pretty new frock. Then she told them that as she had hurried back +from the post-box, so as not to be late for breakfast, she had heard the +head gardener say to the butler that Tom Grollins had been seen that +night striding quietly along with a big bag well stuffed. + +"But, Dad," continued his daughter with conviction, "it isn't true. I'm +sure it's a mistake." + +"Why isn't it true, lass?" inquired her father. "It's likelier to be +true than not." + +"Because I made the same mistake myself," said Nancy. + +"Well, it would take a good deal to persuade me that my little meeting +with that slippery rascal turned out to be a mistake!" exclaimed the +gamekeeper, as he set down his cup and smiled with satisfaction. "When +did you meet him, little woman?" + +"Last night." + +"And who do you fancy it was, dearie?" asked the old grandmother. + +"I _know_ who it was, Gran. It was Mr. Santa Claus!" As they smiled +still, she ran and fetched his presents she was anxious to show. + +And Nancy knew she was right, and that it _was_ Santa Claus, for nothing +more was heard of the poacher Tom Grollins for ever so long, and every +one Nancy asked seemed to know all about Santa Claus having been on his +rounds that night--even those who hadn't seen him. + +[Illustration: _She ran and fetched his presents she was anxious to +show_] + + + + +ALL ON A FIFTH OF NOVEMBER + +MORNING + + +It might have been the middle of the night; but it wasn't--it was Guy +Fawkes' Day, and eight o'clock on a foggy morning. The London square was +more than usually hushed and mournful, except for a warning call or +whistle as a van cautiously lumbered along, or blundered on to the +pavement. The nursery fire did its best to look cheerful: the lights +were all on too, showing up the bright pictures on the walls and the +bright faces of the three children who were chattering gaily at the +breakfast-table. And they all looked so smart! Alec and Frank in their +best suits, and tiny Molly wore her prettiest white frock and her coral +necklace, just as if she were going to a party. + +They soon scrambled off their chairs, and Molly, standing on tiptoe, +seized hold of a bunch of lilies tied up with ribbon that was on the +side table, and each of her brothers eagerly possessed himself of a neat +brown paper parcel. + +It was Father's birthday. The occasion was always kept as a holiday, and +the children were waiting for his call to summon them to his +dressing-room. + +"I think he must be fifty!" remarked Alec. + +"I fink he's fifteen," said their little sister. + +She spoke in a tone of conviction, accompanied by a toss of her short +curls. + +"Don't be silly, Mollikins," replied the boys with a laugh; but she said +she was sure she was right. + +"Halloa, Kidlets! Come along down!" came the shout of a manly voice. +There was a stampede, and a race as to who should get there first. Molly +arrived a bad third, but it was she who was first for him, for he went +towards her and picked her up. She put her free arm around his neck, but +instead of making him her little speech she exclaimed as he kissed her-- + +"Why, Daddy, your chin is full of splinters!" + +The boys delivered their presents, and were kissed or patted on the +head, and thanked, before Molly parted with the flowers which she held +so tightly in her little fist. + +"Your Babyship is very kind," said her father, gratefully shaking her by +the hand, and, laughing still, he put her down. Then he took her hint, +and seriously began to shave. + +They knew they mustn't talk to him whilst that important function was +proceeding, so the three stood still, deeply absorbed as they watched +the performance that fascinated them with its dangers and its +hairbreadth escapes. + +"_Now_ I can kiss my little Mollikins and she won't complain." He put +down the towel, took her up again, and rubbed his smooth cheek against +hers. + +"Daddy, tell me how old you are," she asked, looking into his eyes. + +"Oh, how can I do that? It's a secret." + +"Do whisper it," she coaxed. After a moment's hesitation he smilingly +whispered something into her ear. + +"Oh, what a 'tock of years!" she exclaimed. + +"What is it?" clamoured Alec. "I'm sure I'm right." + +"I'm sure I am!" asserted Frank. + +"I _know_!" cried the delighted Molly, bursting with importance. "May I +tell?" Her father nodded. "Twenty-one!" she exclaimed triumphantly. + +"Bosh! Why, he said he was that last year!" cried Frank. + +"And the year before," asserted Alec; "and the year before that--I +remember quite well. Father always says that." + +"Guy!" called their mother just then. "Please send the children in to +me." She was having her morning tea, so the young people ran into the +adjoining room to hug her and be hugged in return. + + +NOON + +"Sun's tum out!" announced Molly, as she toddled away from the nursery +window. + +"Hooray!" shouted Frank. "It's going to be fine for this evening!" + +There were going to be great doings. Father's birthday and Guy Fawkes' +Day made a grand double event long looked forward to with enjoyment. + +"Hooray!" echoed Alec rather feebly, for he was desperately busy. +Outside--now that the fog had lifted--the busy hum could be heard of +everyday life, mingled with boys' shouts as they trundled a guy about. + +"I've found something out!" suddenly exclaimed Alec in a curious voice, +and he spread out on the table the front page of an old _Times_. "Look +here, Frank!" he continued in growing excitement. "Here, under the +Births--marked with red pencil--'Guy Thompson!' That's Father--here's +the date. Wait a moment. Now I'll reckon it out. Hush! Don't say +anything while I do the sum. _I say!_ Father _is_ twenty-one!" + +"_I_ knew it!" exclaimed Molly, capering about. "I told you so." + +"Rubbish!" said Frank. "Molly, do shut up. Alec, where did you find that +paper? How did it come here?" + +"I found it there, on the rocking-chair. It looks old, and it _is_ old. +See, here's the date. It's very funny! I wish we could find out--it +_would_ be jolly to find out all by ourselves, if this really can be +true. I say, I know who'd tell us. I've heard all about Somerset +House--where you can get to know about people and their affairs--only I +don't know where the place is, or who lives there." + +"An omlibus will take us anywhere," spoke up Molly. + +"Who's _us_?" inquired Frank scornfully. + +"Never mind _her_," said Alec excitedly. "I'll tell you what. Listen: +this afternoon, when we've got to be in the play-room, let's go in a cab +to Somerset House, and just get to know once for all. I've got four +shillings in my money-box; what have you got?" + +"I'll count." Frank counted up to five shillings. + +"The man may want more. Mollikins, what have you got in your purse?" + +"Dot sixpence." + +"Well, if you pay your share, we'll take you with us--that is, if you +can put on your own hat. I can help you with your coat." And so it was +arranged. + +And at three o'clock that cold afternoon Alec, Frank, and Molly might +have been seen stealing forth into the keen air; they were supposed to +be playing at marbles in the garret or they might have been seen, and +packed back again. The boys were well muffled up, and Molly had her hat +on with the back to the front. The three were in high spirits once they +were off, and they realised the full importance of such an adventure. In +Alec's hand was the sheet of newspaper in which the truth of the +paragraph was to be tested. Alec hailed the first cab, the driver shook +his head. The second paid no attention. The third asked them who they +thought they were getting at and where they thought they were going to. + +"Somerset House!" ordered Alec, after quickly lifting Molly in, and +Frank had closed the door smartly. On the way there they behaved much +better than they usually did when they drove out. No one fidgeted; no +one complained of feeling hungry, or thirsty, or tired, or anything. + +When they alighted the cabman was told to wait. Molly and her brothers +passed through the imposing gateway of Somerset House, and were starting +to cross the quadrangle, when they saw the Beadle in his fine uniform +(whom they took to be the Duke), and learned from him where they could +find the room of which they were in search. + +"Births, please," said Alec, bold as brass, to the gentleman behind the +counter. He was leader and spokesman whenever they went shopping, and he +was leader and spokesman to-day. Frank never interfered. And Molly had +gone stonily shy. "Births, please," repeated Alec, impatient at being +stared at. + +"What name?" said the gentleman, looking at them amused. + +"Thompson," replied Alec. + +"Any particular Thompson? You see, we may have several Thompsons in our +entries--five or six at least." + +"This is Mr. Guy Thompson," said Alec, showing the marked paragraph. + +"Very well," said the gentleman (who, thought Alec, must be the Duke's +butler). "But have you got the fee?-the half-crown you must pay for the +search?" + +"A half-crown's very dear," said Alec. "Can't you do it for less?" + +The gentleman looked at them with kindly eyes. "I dare say I can," he +replied, putting his hand in his pocket, and rattling some coins. "But +I'm afraid you'll have to pay a shilling. The King wants one." They paid +their shilling for the King; watched while the gentleman looked up his +records, and followed him into the corridor as he prosecuted his search. +At last he said-- + +"Quite right. Born on the fifth of November: year's all right. It's all +in order." + +"Then Father _is_ twenty-one?" queried both boys doubtfully. + +Molly hopped on one foot in suppressed excitement. + +"_Your father!_" exclaimed the kindly clerk, handing back the coin. +"Why, how old are you?" + +"Ten," replied Alec. "Thank you." + +"And so your father married at the age of ten or thereabouts, did he? +Dear me; very precocious of him!" exclaimed the clerk, with such a +serious face that the children felt quite uncomfortable. They had not +considered the matter in that light at all. Their faces fell, and they +felt such a wish they had never come that without a word of explanation +they turned and fled. They were glad to be once more outside the +building, and thankful to find the cabman still there waiting to take +them back, and in their discomfiture he was hailed by them joyfully as a +dear old friend. + +"Home!" said Alec, when they were inside. + +"And where might that happen to be?" asked the driver with interest. + +Molly, womanlike, jumped at a conclusion. "We're lost!" she wailed, and +burst into tears, and it was only when she was in sight of her own +nursery windows that she was comforted, and smiled once more. Without +any inquiry, all their remaining savings were emptied into the willing +palm of the delighted driver, who bowed his acknowledgments repeatedly. + +The children ran through the garden entrance unobserved, and had just +got their outdoor things off when the tea-bell rang. + + +NIGHT + +When Alec, Frank, and Molly entered the drawing-room, where their +parents were in readiness, for the great annual frolic with Father, they +didn't tumble in as was their usual habit; they walked in sedately. They +had something important to say. + +"Truly, Daddy, how old are you?" asked Molly, running up to him. She +wouldn't be hushed down by the boys. She felt she wanted to make sure of +what she already knew. + +"I told you I was twenty-one, of course! One always expects such a nice +lot of presents when one is twenty-one! But you two young rascals +evidently think I really must be a very old man of forty at least!" he +replied, smiling. + +"And does he never grow older, Mummy?" + +"I don't see it, Molly darling." + +"Do you ever see the _Times_, boys?" he inquired. + +"That's just what's so queer," said Alec. "I've got it here." Alec +noticed the glance which his parents exchanged, and their expression of +astonishment when Frank remarked-- + +"We took it with us this afternoon to Somerset House." + +"Yes," corroborated Alec. + +"Me, too," chimed in Molly. + +And then they told of all they had done, and their parents tried to look +grave, but couldn't, and could scarcely speak for laughing, though they +extorted a promise that nothing of the kind should ever again be +attempted without permission. + +"Surely, what is in the _Times_," reasoned their father, "must be +true--at least one must presume so." + +"Halloa," broke in Alec. "I say, Frank! Look here! This Guy Thompson was +born in Cambridge Square! I never noticed that. Weren't you born in +Oxford Square, Father?" + +"Well, I think I might just as well have been born in one as in the +other. All I know is, that if I _was_ twenty-one, I am twenty-one--_and_ +the rest--you never asked me how many more. Come along, boys, now for +our cushion-fight! But first of all, here are your expenses back +again--your Babyship, there's your sixpence--and now I really can't wait +any longer for a romp!" + +Soon the room was gay with laughter. Father, too, had to be a real guy +and a "pretend" one, pushed about in the arm-chair with a funny long +nose spoiling his jolly face. And afterwards they all danced whilst +their mother played a hornpipe--and really it _was_ very difficult to +guess Father's years, they might have been anything! + +Then he suddenly ran out. There was a rush to the window, the blind was +drawn up, and soon, in the darkness of the night, a grand +catharine-wheel was seen whizzing round in a blaze of dripping fire. +Then such a glorious shoot of rockets arose! Whish! bang! whish! bang! +they went as they burst, each of them, into a shower of gorgeous stars +all purple, and green, and gold. + +"A--a--h!" exclaimed the three children, gazing with rapture. And-- + +"A--a--h!" they repeated over and over and over again, as splendour +followed splendour, and the sky was powdered again and again with sparks +of coloured fire. + + + + +FATHER CHRISTMAS AT HOME + +TWILIGHT + + +It was afternoon on a cold December day. Eva, all alone in the +schoolroom, sat down on the hearthrug and looked thoughtfully into the +fire. She was, however, not quite alone, for her tiny Yorkshire terrier +sprang on her lap, and after turning round and round, pawing at her +frock as though to make a comfortable hollow, settled cosily down. + +"Dot," she said, smoothing the hair back from its eyes, "I'm very +miserable. To-morrow is Christmas Eve, and every one is happy except me. +I'm in trouble again. Somehow, I'm always in trouble--I've spoilt my +velvet frock washing your feet--and you didn't want them washed, did +you?" The Honourable Dot--to give it its full title--looked desirous of +forgetting the incident, then licked her hand as a reply seemed +expected. + +"Perhaps if I had some brothers and sisters they'd get into mischief +sometimes, and it wouldn't always be me." Dot paid no heed to her +grammar, was bored, and sighed heavily. + +"I really didn't mean it when I said, 'I gloried in being naughty.' +Don't snore, Honourable! There'll be complaints from next door." + +It was curious, but Eva was having remorse, brought on by all the talk +of Peace and Goodwill which was in the air. "I've tried things before," +she muttered; "but I know what I'll do this time," she exclaimed, "I'll +give a cot to a hospital!" + +The little dog growled a protest as she suddenly got up from the floor. +Eva counted the money in her money-box. "I've five shillings all but +three farthings. I'm sure that is nothing like enough!" she mused. "It +must cost at least a million sterling pounds!" Tears came into her eyes, +but they flowed down on to a smile, as she thought of some one who +always managed to do kind deeds and who might help her. Father +Christmas! Eva thought of asking no less a person than Father Christmas +himself to advise her. But how to find him and get a nice quiet chat +with him was the difficulty. That he would come to her on Christmas Eve +she had no doubt, as he never forgot her; but she had only managed to be +awake and see him once, a long time ago, and then she but got a glimpse +of him, for he rushed out of her room as though in a terrible hurry. + +Dot's little mistress slept badly that night; she was racking her brain +as to how she could manage to remain awake so as to see Father +Christmas when he came, and then how she could coax him to stay for a +talk--for she knew quite well how busy he must be when he was on his +rounds. + +The following afternoon, during a general rummage that was going on to +find tiny candles and coloured glass balls that were over from last +year's Christmas tree, Eva picked up a scrap of printed paper, which had +come out of an old cracker. She took it upstairs to her favourite spot +on the hearthrug, and read it aloud to Dot:-- + + "Father Christmas sends this note + From out his mansion by the moat, + To all who live on land and sea, + To honour Christmas Day with glee-- + Inviting them to pass his way, + With glee to honour Christmas Day." + +Eva flushed with excitement. "Why, it's a message from him!" she cried. +"It's some kind of invitation!" and she gave Dot such a squeeze of +delight that the little creature squeaked shrilly, scurried off, and +laid low under the table. + +She thought and puzzled and pondered over the lines she had just read. +At last she grasped their meaning. "Of course! How simple, after all!" +she concluded. "He lives at some moated house, and I must go to him, not +wait for him to come to me. He always comes down the chimney--that's +the way I must go up!" + +Eva didn't hesitate a moment. The opportunity had come for which she +longed. She ran downstairs into the large, old-fashioned hall, which was +overheated as usual, by the hot-air pipes, for the huge chimney-place +was too much of a curiosity ever to be used. Here, she felt sure, was +the starting-point of her adventure. + +Luckily no one was about. It was windy when she looked up the great +chimney, so she took her long, fair hair, and made it into a loose plait +in order to keep it from blowing about her face. Then she prepared to +start and secure the first footing. + +Eva had never been up a chimney before, and when she began climbing she +was quite surprised to find how nice and clean it was, with steps, and +all white tiles. She toiled up, and up, and could see blue sky and +fleeting white clouds above. After a time she stopped to rest in a +little recess in the chimney side. When she started climbing again, the +blue sky faded away, twilight came on, and in this very, very long +chimney the light became quite dim. + +Very soon, however, she felt with a little thrill of pleasure the keen +air all around her head and shoulders, and she knew she had come to the +top. Fortunately there was a ladder--already placed for Father +Christmas to mount--and down that she went, looking below all the time +so as not to make a false step. It was a very, very long ladder indeed, +and Eva began to think she would have to go on stepping down for ever, +when at last she found herself on the ground again--in a country field +with hoar frost stiffening the blades of grass, across which she ran +straight ahead as hard as ever she could go. + + +STARLIGHT + +Once only did she halt by the side of a lane to consider what she should +do if she couldn't find her destination after all. Two robins alighted +in front of her, hopped about, and fluttered forward; they were so +persistent that they interested her and she followed them. They flew +along a side path, and Eva ran after them--ran till she arrived eager +and breathless at a wooden bridge, and found that she was in a park; +that above her was the dark vault of heaven decked out in all its +diamonds; that the bridge led across a moat; and that in front of her +was a splendid old country mansion brilliantly lighted up, where the +robins alighted on a window-sill, and paying no further attention to +her, busied themselves with crumbs. + +[Illustration: _It was a very, very long ladder_] + +Then Eva advanced, almost in spite of herself, went up the front steps, +and standing on tiptoe, lifted the knocker and let it fall. The knocker +resounded for a while musically, like a peal of bells; when they ceased, +the door opened, and a very ancient man confronted her. He was tall and +thin and bent, and was dressed in draperies, with bare legs, and he had +a funny little curl in the middle of his bald forehead. + +"Is Father Christmas at home, please?" faltered Eva. + +"Yes, little Madam," came the reply. "Do you want to see him? Really? +But you will be astonished--I warn you. Aren't you frightened?" + +"Not a bit," replied Eva. + +"Brave little girl!" said the very ancient man. "Come in!" and he +ushered her into an old oak-panelled room. It had a delicious sense of +comfort, and a delight about it which, for the moment, she didn't try to +define. Her attention was attracted by catching sight of what she +thought was her own reflection in the large mirror against the wall--it +was a little girl who came in at the same time, and was of exactly her +own height. As she looked closer she saw that the other child was uglier +than herself, unkind in expression, slovenly in appearance, and tried to +hide herself, rather, in the dark corner where she remained. And Eva, +in the novel surroundings, soon forgot all about her. + +At the far end was a great log fire, and near it a huge arm-chair, in +which sat a stout, healthy, red-faced old gentleman warmly wrapped in a +crimson dressing-gown; he was leaning back, thinking or dozing. Eva +advanced with soft steps. She was full of eagerness and excitement, for +she recognised the white-bearded, handsome old face at once from the +many coloured portraits she had seen. It was Father Christmas himself! +Eva never knew what impelled her to do it, but when she got close to him +she simply threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. + +"Bless my soul!" exclaimed Father Christmas, starting; and catching her +up, he seated her on his knee. He recognised her at once. "How you've +grown since last year, Eva!" and he looked at her with beaming eyes. "I +suppose you know you're trespassing? and the penalty is forty crackers +or a kiss!" And he chuckled and laughed so merrily that she felt quite +comfortable, finding trespassing a very pleasant occupation, and wasn't +a bit alarmed at the penalty. + +"And what brings me this honour?" he continued. + +"Good evening, Father Christmas," spoke up Eva quite boldly. "I'm afraid +I disturbed you." + +[Illustration: "_I suppose you know you're trespassing?_"] + +"Oh yes, you've disturbed me all right," he replied briskly, "but I was +only resting a little after my labours before going on my rounds +to-night." + +"What labours?" + +"Toys. Toys and sweets. I've been making toys and things all the year +through, and have only just got them finished in time. I love making +crackers, too; I spend all my evenings writing mottoes for them." + +"I found your invitation, Mr. Christmas." + +"Bless me! did you now? Ah!" He stroked his beard thoughtfully for a +moment and remained silent. Eva looked about her in amazement. + +"Those are all secrets!" he observed after a time. Father Christmas +included with a sweep of the arm the toys which were everywhere +about--hanging from the ceiling, lying about on the tables and sofas, +standing as ornaments on the mantelpiece, filling the shelves of the +bookcases, peeping from behind the glass cabinets--toys wherever one +looked. + +He arose, and taking her by the hand, led her round to enjoy the pretty +sight; and paying no attention whatever to the sullen little girl in the +corner, he asked Eva if she would like to see around his domain. "Oh +yes, yes," she cried. She quite appreciated the special honour that was +being done her. + +"They'll be coming in here soon to pack," he added. "I'm going to leave +all these secrets myself at their destinations." + +There was a tremendous bustle going on at the rear of the premises, +where a whole army of packers, carriers, postmen, and porters were +hurrying about letting down toys from the loft, packing them, labelling +them to places far and wide; loading them on huge vans which came +rumbling in and out of the courtyard with cracking of whips, and parting +shouts of "Good luck!" + +Superintending the arrangements, walking to and fro, was the very +ancient man. He was so alert, and always on the spot where wanted, yet +Eva was thinking his age must at least be two hundred, when Father +Christmas said kindly: "My dear, this is my father--he is known as +Father Time, and you have known him without having really met him face +to face before." + +"I didn't recognise him, and I didn't know he was your father, sir," she +whispered. + +"Why, yes. Don't you know that my full name is Christmas Time?" + +"Of course it is," she exclaimed with a laugh. + +The next visit was through a covered way to the printing works--where +the mottoes and "directions" for toys and Father Christmas's visiting +cards were printed. These cards were all different in design, and each +was a beautiful picture stamped with his name, and his own motto, "Peace +and Goodwill." + +Behind was the sweet factory, with its tempting packets and muslin +stockings of all sizes full of sugar-plums. But, as Father Time +appeared, Father Christmas whispered that he feared they must not +linger, and led the way up a spiral staircase in order to enable Eva to +have a peep into the toy-loft, where men were letting the toys down into +the busy yard below. How she would have loved to stay longer in each +delightful place, but without a murmur she followed her guide below and +back to the oak-panelled room. It looked so bare and different without +the toys--much like any ordinary room. + +"And now, my dear," he said, "you must excuse me for a short time, as I +must go upstairs and get ready." + +"Please, ought I to be going?" she asked politely. + +"No, no. Not yet." And he went away, up the grand staircase, to his +bedroom. There he took from the drawer his scarlet fur-lined cloak and +hood with wide swansdown trimming, which had been put away in lavender, +chose his thickest top-boots, and humming a song, proceeded to array +himself for the long, cold journey in store for him that night. + +Meanwhile, the moment he left his little visitor downstairs, the +strange-looking child approached her. + +"What's your name?" asked Eva pleasantly. + +"Eva," came the surly reply. + +"Why, that's my name!" + +"Of course. I know you, I know you through and through--good and +bad--and I wish I didn't." + +"You're a horrid story-teller," said Eva angrily. + +"Supposing I am! It's easier to tell stories than to tell the truth. +Saves a lot of trouble. Besides, it's nice. You know that as well as I +do." + +Eva would have liked to deny it, only she felt too scornful. "_Saves_ +trouble?" she said to herself. "_Makes_ trouble." But she flushed as she +remembered she had once thought that too, but only for a moment; and she +was ashamed of it now. She was ruffled and uncomfortable at the +proximity of this horrid girl, who now said slyly: "Look over there in +that cupboard, there's a doll that has been forgotten. I want it, and +I'm going to take it and hide it under my pinafore." + +"You mayn't--you mustn't!" cried Eva. "It would be stealing." + +"I don't care. Father Christmas won't know." + +"Yes, he will. I shall tell him!" + +"Then I'll say it was given to me." + +"You horrid girl! You dreadful story-teller!" + +"Don't be silly. What does it matter telling stories and stealing, so +long as you're not found out?" + +"It's just as bad if you're not found out. But you are _bound_ to be +found out," cried Eva, in horror and disgust as she saw her approach the +coveted treasure. "I tell you, wicked people are always found out; they +never escape unpunished." + +"I want it, and I'm going to have it." + +"You mustn't. Come away--you shan't!" shouted Eva, running after her; +and she seized her by both wrists. "Come away! Oh, do come away!" + +"You fool! leave me alone. Get away!" and with a scoffing laugh the girl +shook herself free, sprang on a sofa, opened the cupboard, and stretched +out her hand. + +Without a word Eva threw herself upon her, slammed-to the glass door, +and in the struggle they fell together on the floor. There was a crash +of broken glass, and through the noise Eva heard the voice of her +opponent saying faintly: "Let me go! You have won!" + +When she got up, carefully shaking the bits of glass from her frock, and +looked round, the horrid little girl had disappeared. The next moment +her host stood in the doorway with a curious smile on his face. + +"I'm going now," he said; "will you come?" + +"Oh, please, Father Christmas," exclaimed Eva ruefully, as she looked at +the glass on the floor, "do wait! I want to explain something--I----" + +"I can't keep my father waiting," he answered gently. She followed him +to the front door. There in the frosty night a beautiful sledge was in +waiting, hung with baskets and sacks overflowing with toys and sweets. +Father Christmas took his seat and beckoned to Eva. To her joy he lifted +her on to his lap and wrapped his great coat about her. Father Time, who +was on the box, shook the reins, and the two reindeer, impatient to be +off, sped rapidly away amid the jangling of bells, carrying the +travellers over the bridge, through the park, past holly and fir trees +all powdered with glistening frost, out over the country into the +bright, crisp night. + + +MOONLIGHT + +There was Eva with Father Christmas, all snug amongst his soft furs, on +his rounds. "Why do you take some toys yourself," she asked, "and send +others away in the great carts?" + +"Those in the carts are for my export and wholesale trade--shops, and so +on; these _I_ take are for my special favourites. You're on my list, my +dear, you know." Eva's heart was full of tenderness and pride, but tears +were in her eyes as she said, peering appealingly into his kind face-- + +"May I whisper something?" + +He bent his head--and she whispered. + +"Bless my soul!" was all Father Christmas replied, but he looked very +pleased and jolly. + +"And I should like to pay for it," continued Eva; "I've got five +shillings all but three farthings." + +"Never mind about that, my dear." + +"But I'm sure I ought," she replied dubiously. "Dear Father Christmas, +you are always doing kindnesses; could you tell me how to do something +like giving a cot to a hospital, or a free library, or something? That's +what I really came to ask you about, only I forgot it until now. I'm so +often in trouble, and I've so often tried to do some good, but it +doesn't come off somehow," and she sighed. + +"What you ask me is a secret," he answered. "Some people are quick to +find it out for themselves. Some people never find it out. But I will +tell it to you, dear, because I know that by to-morrow you will be on +the high road to guessing it. It is this: You need not give things. You +needn't try to be good. Try only not to be troublesome. If you are +sweet, and gentle, and kind, you give happiness--not only do you give +it, but you can then only find happiness yourself." Somehow, it didn't +sound a bit like a sermon; it was more like being told the delightfully +easy answer to a difficult sum. Eva nestled closer to her dear old +friend as she listened--it was all so peaceful, reassuring, and +soothing. + +[Illustration: _The two reindeer ... sped rapidly away_] + +The moon was shining down on the sledge and its strange occupants, and +Eva was just going to ask if he could tell her who the other little girl +was, and all about her, when she felt her arms were being disengaged +from where they clung about him, and she found herself gently deposited +on firm ground, and alone. + + * * * * * + +The Honourable Dot barked with delight because it was Christmas Eve, and +it was going with its little mistress to dine downstairs; and very +joyful and succulent the event proved to be. Not long after, when it was +fast asleep in its basket, Eva was sitting up in bed waiting anxiously +to receive the visit of her recent host. Father Christmas had done her +so much good, and she wanted to tell him so, as she had had no +opportunity of doing before. + +She was dropping asleep in that attitude, when she heard a slight noise. +Immediately she started up, and clutching tightly at a rapidly +retreating figure, she laughed aloud to find she had succeeded in +catching Father Christmas, who, mildly yielding to her entreaties, sat +down by her side. + +"I have wakened you," he said regretfully. + +"Oh no, I was waiting for you." And she told him about the happy time +she had spent with him, and thanked him nicely. "What a dreadful little +girl that other Eva was!" she concluded. "Who was she?" + +"Ah," said Father Christmas very quickly, "she is what you might be were +you to give way to bad feelings. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a +Happy New Year, my dear!" and without explaining further he kissed her +and rapidly withdrew on his business. + + +DAYLIGHT + +Outside the uncurtained window the sun was shining. Snow had been +falling softly, and was piled high on the sill. And over the hushed +landscape from the far distance the Christmas bells were ringing. Eva +joyfully hugged a large doll, which she had found asleep on her pillow. + +It was only later, when she thought over past events in detail, that it +appeared to her, though she had not paid attention to it at the time, +that Father Christmas seemed ill at ease when he was _her_ +visitor--perhaps it was because he was in a hurry. Somehow he was +different from the stout, merry-faced old gentleman she had been to see; +he had strangely shrunk to nearly as thin as her own father, and as +pale, comparatively, which she thought very odd. + +And when she looked up into that wonderful and mysterious old chimney +again, she saw that it was all dark and black, and as uninviting as any +ordinary dirty old chimney; so that it was quite hopeless for her ever +to venture up it again to find old Father Christmas "At Home." + + + + +A BIRTHDAY STORY + + +If it had not been Maisie's birthday this story could never have been +written. But the day had come for her to be five years old, and, like +every child of that age, she could no more help having a fifth birthday +than she could imagine having it without a party. At present she was +unconscious of all the delights in store, because it was only just dawn, +and her curls were still tumbled about her flushed face on the pillow, +and her eyes were still fast closed in sleep. + +But in a small bed quite close to hers there was a little girl, who was +very wide awake indeed, as she leant over with neck outstretched, gazing +eagerly at all the beautiful things so temptingly displayed on a table +at the foot of Maisie's cot--presents from every one in the house: +Hilda's box of beads bought with her own money; a long-promised +story-book resplendent in bright blue and brilliant in gold; some new +furniture for the doll's house; and a something that glittered +strangely--Hilda nearly toppled over in her curiosity to see it. She +found it to be a big red cracker with a funny coloured portrait of a +smirking crocodile stuck on the outside. "What lovely things!" she +thought, "and all for Maisie!" + +In two months' time Hilda was going to celebrate _her_ birthday and be +eight years old, and have a fuss made over _her_. But two whole months +seemed such a long way off--such a very long time to wait! Into her dark +eyes there came a strange look of envy and longing, and her handsome +face with the resolute expression contrasted strangely with her sister's +as she turned anxiously towards the fair little sleeper. + +Holding her breath, Hilda crept slowly down on to the floor, stealthily +approached the table, and seized the beautiful cracker. "Surely that +would not be missed," she reflected. Just then Maisie stirred uneasily, +which brought a flush of shame to the elder girl's cheeks; but hearing +nothing further, Hilda jumped into bed and pushed the cracker under her +own pillow. The crackling of the paper woke Maisie, who sat up, and in +the middle of a big yawn espied the table, and remembered the great +event. "Oh, Hilda," she exclaimed, "just look!" She was too excited as +she handled her treasures to notice that Hilda never stirred, that she +only answered shortly, "Yes, I know," and didn't even volunteer to say +whom the beads came from. + +During the whole morning Maisie's excitement continued; she hopped about +everywhere, watching the arrangements for the afternoon party, and +chattering about who were coming; so much so, that do what she would, +Hilda could obtain no opportunity of being alone so that she might +satisfy her burning curiosity as to what was inside the cracker. She had +dropped it behind the toy-box in the nursery, and there it lay, whilst +all the time Maisie could not understand what made her sister so +restless and impatient. + +Immediately after lunch, however, Hilda was able to satisfy her longing +at last. She picked up the cracker and hurriedly opened it. What first +came to light was a big sweet wrapped in a printed motto: "Always do +what is right and you will be happy." She read it with a pang of mental +shame, which was quickly followed by one of physical discomfort, for she +had popped the sweet into her mouth and now would as quickly have popped +it out again, only it was too late, as she had already swallowed the +horrid thing, which was filled with a liquid that tasted of bad scent. +Making a wry face, she rolled up the offending motto into a tiny ball +and threw it into the empty grate. Still, it was soothing to find in the +cracker a neatly rolled up packet of pink and green paper, which +evidently formed something amusing--a bonnet, a cap, or perhaps an +apron. At the same time she drew forth the "cracking thing," which she +loved to pull and hear it go "crack." But she always did so at arm's +length with her head turned away, and she was too frightened to pull it +all by herself. + +Their nurse's voice was heard calling Maisie to come up and be dressed. +Hilda, with a guilty, conscience-stricken look, had barely time to throw +the useless "cracking thing" out of the open window, and to hide the +rest of the cracker in the first thing at hand (which happened to be the +doll's house), when they both entered laughing and carried her off too, +to be curled and be-ribboned for the party. + +"I've seen my birthday cake, Hilda," cried Maisie, capering about. "It's +booful!" But Hilda still tasted that nauseous liqueur from the sweet, +and couldn't enter into any pleasing ideas of cake. + +Ready first, she ran into the nursery, curious as ever as to the pink +and green paper bundle, took it out, unfolded it, and found that it +would have formed a crown--only it didn't join together; she had torn it +in her hurry. She stamped her foot with vexation, and was wondering if +she could stick the two ends together when that tiresome Maisie came +running in from the next room with one of her new bronze shoes on to +show how beautiful it looked. Quick as lightning Hilda had to hide her +secret again. + +"What are you doing with the doll's house? Look at my new shoe!" +exclaimed Maisie all in a breath. + +And Hilda made a great fuss over the new shoe, and felt horridly out of +temper. + +Punctually on the stroke of three, the first of the birthday party began +to arrive--two little girl cousins, who at once begged to be allowed to +see if there was anything new in the doll's house. Hilda's heart sank at +these words, and she tried to draw their attention away, but to no +avail, for Maisie, moving towards it, said they must see the new +treasure there. With difficulty and something like a scuffle Hilda, +grown desperate, prevented her from opening it, and managed to do so +herself, quickly stuffing the bunch of paper into her pocket without +being noticed. Much admiration was bestowed on the new addition--a +little motor car which had been conveniently placed in the kitchen of +the doll's house ready to take out for an airing the little china lady +and gentleman who sat so rigidly and smiled so vacantly in the storey +above. + +Meanwhile, Hilda was inwardly owning to a feeling akin to dislike for +the very thought of that cracker, for the paper was bulging out her +pocket, flatten it as she would. She was not happy, for never before had +she done anything underhand. In fact she always tried to be an example +for her young sister, and she already regretted having given way to the +momentary impulse of envy. However, there was no time now for thoughts +or remorse, and when she reached the drawing-room she forgot all about +her trouble in helping to receive the guests. + +Eight little girls were grouped in one corner of the room whispering, +with eyes busily engaged staring at one another's sashes; whilst eight +little boys had flocked together and were looking sheepishly from out of +an opposite corner. One boy, however--who had been gazing long at +Hilda--with heroic resolution detached himself from his kind, and +entered the rival camp, where he was welcomed with pleasure and +interest. He was a young Highlander, with sandy hair and many freckles, +but his attraction was great, for he wore his native costume. The +jewelled hilt of a dagger showed above one plaid stocking, and on his +shoulder he wore a fascinating brooch with a large brown stone, which +was the envy and admiration of all the little ladies present. + +Suddenly the guests were all swooped upon by a big lady, Maisie's +mother, mixed up, and disentangled into couples; a piano was set going, +and they danced, hopped, and twirled about, wondering if they liked it; +the girls thought they did, and the boys were sure they didn't--all +except the Scotch boy, who had constituted himself Hilda's devoted +partner, and was enjoying it immensely. The polka finished, these two +sat chatting merrily at the window, when all at once Hilda became +silent. She happened to catch sight of something sticking out of the ivy +on the sill. It was the "cracking thing" which she had thrown from the +window above. Her partner was surprised to see her look as though she +were going to cry. She didn't dare do that. + +Just then tea was announced. Weighty recollection of warnings from +home-counsellors came to the minds of the children, which warnings, +however, conveniently faded away at sight of the good things set forth +so temptingly in the dining-room: custards, jellies, and all those +concoctions beloved of the youthful interior. But the chief interest +centred in Maisie's gorgeous cake, which had her name and age flowingly +written in coloured sugar, surrounded by the most realistic and sweetest +of red roses imaginable, nestling in the coolest-looking golden leaves. + +Hilda sat by the side of her Scotch cavalier, who had taken her in, and +who was much concerned when he found that she had no appetite, but less +distressed when he found that that fact did not affect his. + +Once during the meal, Hilda heard their mother ask Maisie, as she helped +her cut the birthday cake, what was in her cracker, and Maisie replied, +as she looked up from her struggles, "What cracker?" but then, in her +anxiety to know why Hilda refused to taste any of her cake till the +morrow, she did not pursue the subject. + +After tea more excitement, for there was Mr. Punch and his company, who +were in excellent form. + +"Oi, Oi, Oi!" repeated that gentleman for the dozenth time, as he bobbed +about aimlessly, in his anxiety to hit the clown and take the patient +Toby between his jointless arms. + +Later on, the eyelids of the party children began to grow heavy, though +the eyes remained unnaturally bright; and tempers became less even and +more natural. And so, like everything else, the birthday party came to +an end, and "Good-byes" were said with regret. That night cots and beds +were not despised, nor did they prove unwelcome for once, for little +tired heads were rested gratefully on cool pillows. Maisie was an +exception; she tossed about on hers, too happy and excited to get to +sleep, whilst Hilda, worn out, lay on her back with her mouth wide open, +breathing heavily, and dreaming. + +Hilda dreamt that she was alone in a boat on a ruffled lake. On a white +flag in the prow was a motto printed large, but upside down. She dreamt +that all around the frail craft, which rocked on the stormy waters, were +grinning crocodiles wearing broken crowns made of pink coral and green +fluttering paper. She crouched low and tried to hide, for she knew that +if the horrid creatures found her out she was lost for ever. Land was +quite close, but she didn't know how to get there, because her frock +was made of red crackling stuff, which glistened and made a noise +whenever she moved. + +She felt sick with fright, and sobbed and moaned at her terrible plight, +and sobbing, she woke to find that it was quite dark, that the moon was +shining on Maisie smiling in her sleep, and that she herself had been +dreaming. + +At breakfast next morning, Maisie and their mother were already seated +when Hilda silently took her place next her chattering little sister; +but it seemed to her that their mother looked unusually grave. When +Hilda lifted the cover off her bread and milk bowl, Maisie suddenly +looked in it and exclaimed: "Oh, how pretty." But Hilda turned very red, +and she hung her head ashamed. For in the bowl there was no bread and +milk--nothing but a crumpled red glazed paper with a hateful picture of +a smiling crocodile, something pink and green, a tiny paper ball of +printed paper, and a stiff thing sticking up--easily guessed at, but now +blurred and indistinct to Hilda's tearful view. + +"Oh, Maisie," she sobbed, "it was your crack--cracker. I--I took it from +your table. Do forgive me--I've been so--so very miserable." + +And their mother, rising gently and saying nothing, quickly took the +proofs of wrong-doing away, whilst Hilda felt Maisie's arm creep round +her neck and Maisie's kisses on her wet cheek.... + +And in her repentance her fault was forgiven. + +Two months later, Hilda found amongst the presents on her birthday table +a lovely cracker made of silver paper with a little heart of real gold +attached with a blue ribbon on the outside. And then Hilda ran and +whispered eagerly in her mother's ear, who looked very pleased and +kissed her. And Maisie was surprised and happy too, for Hilda put in her +hand the lovely cracker with its little heart of gold for her very own +to keep. + + + + +LITTLE STARRY + + +"I should like to go shooting, and see what the earth is like," sighed a +young star. But the Evening Star knew that meant many dangers, for down +there life was not so happy or serene as up in their lofty sphere. And +she knew, too, that he would go his own way as youth always does; and +she felt sorry, for she did not like to part with this bright little +star. And so he went. That fine crisp night the tiny star was seen to +shoot right down to earth--and the light of his presence was no longer +there. + + * * * * * + +A hard frost was on the ground. The shops were shut, for it was Boxing +Day. Those who were not on enjoyment bent were snugly quartered by their +own fireside, with the firm conviction that nothing would tempt them +away. Some, however, had business to attend to in spite of its being a +holiday, and old Joshua was one of these. He was known as "old" Joshua +because his hair had turned prematurely white--as white as the rime +which had gathered on his shabby hat as he hurried along the murky, +dimly lighted street which led to the great theatre. The wind that +entered so unceremoniously through his thin coat was biting cold--the +violin he carried was more carefully muffled up than he. + +"One, two, three," he counted, as a neighbouring clock began chiming; +"four, five, six!" + +He quickened his pace. He had to be in his place in the orchestra in +extra good time, as it was the first night of the new pantomime. And +before that, he had some one coming to meet him at the back entrance. + +"I shall be there all in good time," he muttered. "By Jupiter!" he +exclaimed, as he tripped and nearly fell over something that was lying +straight in his path. Only when he stooped down did he discover that on +the pavement lay a small child, all cold to the touch, with fair curls +dishevelled, and eyes wide open that seemed to see nothing. + +Old Joshua's heart filled with pity and indignation. "What a shame," he +muttered, "to abandon such a treasure as this! And no one about who can +help me." He looked anxiously around--no one was in sight; so he +hurriedly went in search of a policeman. When he had succeeded in +finding one, and the two reached the spot together, a crowd had +collected and was gazing wonderingly at the tiny, prostrate form. + +"Stand back there!" commanded the man of law. + +The clock chimed the quarter-hour. Old Joshua felt the cold no more--he +was in a nervous heat at the delay; nevertheless, he waited till a cab +was hailed. Then the policeman tenderly lifted the helpless little +creature into it, and the driver wrapped his rug around it. "To the +'orspital!" directed the policeman, stepping inside, and the vehicle was +driven smartly away. The crowd dispersed, and with it old Joshua, as +quickly as he could hurry through the throng. + +At the stage door he found his little Stella awaiting him with sparkling +eyes, in anticipation of her annual treat. + +"Daddy, you're late," she said, holding up a finger in mock gravity; +then she clapped her hands with delight at his arrival. + +Old Joshua would not distress her with the cause of his delay, so he +only stooped and kissed her. "Give me your hand, old lady," he said, +"and come along quickly. Through this door--that's right. Up you go. +Don't step on my poor toes or push against me when we turn the corner +more than you can help, or old Daddy Joshua and his fiddle might be a +little out of tune!" And, laughing as they went, they climbed right up +to the top back row of the vast empty theatre. There a smiling +attendant welcomed her as quite an old little friend, and when he had +seen his daughter raised up on a seat by means of a big hassock, old +Joshua, with a nod of thanks, hastened below to join his comrades of the +orchestra, and help create the squeaky din which they called "tuning +up." + +At last the lights were turned up. An eager troop of pleasure-seekers +tumbled into the gallery in a rush, and while Stella was looking around +her every available seat was quickly occupied. The other parts of the +house were filling rapidly in more dignified style, and soon every place +was tenanted in honour of the great Christmas pantomime. The large +orchestra struck up, and when the overture was over the gorgeously +painted curtain slowly rose. + +Stella, perched up aloft, forgot where she was, and everything else in +the world went straight out of her head as she gazed with rapture at the +lovely scene that was peopled with fairies, and goblins, and wonderful +beings, disporting themselves in a land that was all glitter and gold. +And so the hours flew by, in a wonder of loveliness, fairy story, and +fun. + +"'Ave a bit o' orange, dearie?" asked the stout woman who was sitting +next to her. But Stella was too engrossed to think about oranges or +neighbours, nor even did she feel the light nudge that followed. The +woman merely turned to her husband, smiled, and held her peace; while +Stella threw back her head and shook with laughter, as the Clown tickled +Pantaloon with a poker that looked extremely red hot. She wasn't a bit +tired, and was quite surprised to hear "God Save the King," and to find +the whole beautiful show was already over, like a dream. It had seemed +to her as though it must go on for ever. + +Flushed and excited, and a good deal jostled by the moving crowd, she +made her way to the staircase in order to meet the motherly attendant on +the next landing, who had promised to take her to her father at the +stage door. Stella was walking down carefully step by step, when two +young men came roughly tearing past her. A sudden push threw her off her +balance. She knew she screamed because she heard it. Then she knew and +heard nothing more. + + * * * * * + +Great fun was going forward in the biggest ward in the Children's +Hospital. Father Christmas had suddenly appeared amidst much cheering +and clapping of hands. Not only were the little inmates, the nurses, and +young doctors beaming with smiles, but Father Christmas himself felt the +glow of jollity as he busily handed the toys he carried to his two +attendant clowns. These nimble, funny fellows ran from him to the cots, +backwards and forwards, giving such beautiful toys, and saying such +funny things as they gave them, that every child was soon laughing and +happy, even those with a bandaged head or limb, or a pain inside or +outside; and the unwonted excitement brought a flush to their pale +cheeks and brightness to their eyes. + +But none of the jollification was seen by the new little inmate of the +cot that was in the far corner. A tiny blind boy lay there, with pretty, +fair curls, and large dark eyes that he turned pathetically around. He +had not spoken at all. Earlier in the evening he had shivered much, and +groaned. Now he lay peacefully smiling, for his small hands held a +musical-box that Father Christmas himself had placed there, and set +working, and the tinkle-tinkle of a pretty tune seemed to please and +soothe him. + +When the Christmas visitors had gone away, and the dolls had been hushed +to sleep by their new mothers, and the woolly animals lay hugged tightly +in the arms of drowsy owners, a little girl in a swoon from an accident +was carried into the ward. The sprained ankle had been dressed; quietly +and quickly she was put to bed, and consciousness soon returned. + +"Where am I?" said Stella, staring about her. + +"You fell down, dear," replied Nurse Evelyn, "and we are taking care of +you until you are fetched home. You'll soon be all right again. Does +your ankle hurt much? Don't move it." + +"It feels funny," replied Stella, "but doesn't hurt now it is +still--thank you very much," she added, staring about her in amazement +at the strange faces, the holly in the strange surroundings, at the +nurses in their pretty costumes with their white caps and aprons, and at +the sleeping children clutching their toys. In the cot next to hers, +however, the little fair-haired boy looked awake. His eyes in their +aimless wandering were now fixed on the high window through which the +stars were twinkling at him, and the Evening Star looked fixedly down +upon him. His hands lay listlessly on the polished wooden box. The music +had changed, and in his ear it sang of "Angels ever bright and fair." + +Stella, who was watching him with so much interest, asked who he was. + +"He is a little foundling," said Nurse Evelyn. "He was abandoned in the +cold streets." + +Stella turned her head on the pillow towards him again, and asked +timidly-- + +"Are you better?" + +"Talk to him to-morrow, dear," advised Nurse Evelyn. + +As she gazed at him Stella thought she had never seen so beautiful a +child. She stretched out her arm and took his tiny palm in hers; then he +turned his face towards her and smiled, contentedly and trustingly +leaving his hand in hers. And thus with love and pity in her heart she +fell fast asleep. + +And in the night she saw a wonderful thing--a moonbeam that seemed to +come down into the room--the small hand in hers unloosed itself, and the +boy arose looking gloriously beautiful; his eyes were shining, and he +could see the bright light, and he began climbing up the beam, so easily +that it looked like gliding, so happily now that he could see his way +and whither it was leading him. + +The next morning Stella's first thought was of the lovely vision, and of +her little companion. She turned over and looked with surprise. The cot +in the corner was empty--so very empty, and tidy with its smoothed fresh +sheets. + +"Oh, where's he gone?" she exclaimed. + +Nurse hurried to her side. "Who, dear?" + +"There--from the empty cot." + +The Nurse looked sweet and grave. "He has gone where he came from, +dear." + +"And where did he come from?" asked Stella, with a curious sense of +loneliness. + +"Where all children come from." + +Of course, Stella knew that all children are Heaven-born, and come from +the stars. Why, her own name meant a star. And, of course, she also knew +that every one who was good some day went back again to Heaven. + +"Oh," she cried, in a hushed voice, "has he gone back there?" + +"Yes, dear," replied Nurse Evelyn gently. "Now, don't think of him any +more. Here's a pretty book with pictures." + +But Stella did think of him, a great deal more. The little golden-haired +boy occupied her thoughts more than any one ever knew. And that night, +and many other nights, when she looked upwards at the vast sky, so +mysterious and serene with its millions of stars, she would wonder and +ponder. And there was always one particular little star that she loved +best, and when she looked upon it a sweetness would steal into her +heart, and she would think of the gentle boy with the angel face, who +had gone back to Heaven--for she felt quite sure that he was there +amongst them, and that he could see her, and that, perhaps, he loved +her. + +And all to herself she called him Little Starry--and she remembered him +always. + + + + +CEDRIC'S UNACCOUNTABLE ADVENTURE + +PART I + + +Cedric was flying his kite in a flowery meadow close to his home in +Cornwall. It was a favourite spot of his, for he was a boy who loved +beautiful scenery, and from there he could get a glimpse of Land's End, +with its great rocks around which the waves frothed and gambolled, +broke, and gurgled away. + +The day was grey and windy, just the sort of day for flying a kite. This +kite was of the old-fashioned sort, with a tail of his own making, and +as it soared away higher and higher, with the tail wriggling its great +length like a happy eel on a holiday, his heart was full of pride and +content. + +He kept on unwinding and unwinding the large ball of string until he +began to wonder if his kite would still be in view by the time he had +unwound it all. The wind was increasing in strength, when, to his +astonishment, and apparently for no reason at all, the pull on his arm +suddenly relaxed, and the kite all at once dropped quickly to earth, +tail first. Cedric darted forward to where it lay, some distance ahead. +When he reached it, he flung himself alongside to examine it carefully. +He could find no rent, no damage; nothing was wrong. There was nothing, +apparently, to account for such peculiar behaviour in his hitherto +well-conducted kite. + +As he passed his hand over it where it lay, he felt underneath it, +entangled in the tail, something hard. He could see it glistening +through. He quickly drew it forth, and found in his hand--a golden key. + +"Halloa! what's this?" exclaimed Cedric, as he knelt down and turned his +discovery over and over. "A yellow key. However did it get there?" was +his next thought. He continued to ask himself the riddle, but finding no +answer he gave it up, and carefully examined the key. There was no mark +on it--it wouldn't even whistle when he tried it. "Some one must have +lost it, I suppose," he went on, and concluded: "Well, it's no use to +me!" and he threw it away. Seating himself on the grass, he soon became +absorbed in getting his kite all trim again, and had temporarily secured +the string to a bush, when his attention was attracted by the key, which +lay and glistened as if it knew it was glistening. + +Cedric didn't care to trouble with it, but instinctively he picked it +up, and said-- + +"I wonder where this key belongs to?" + +At that moment his view of the Land's End became slowly obscured by a +huge iron door, the lock of which was outlined with gold. He tried the +key he held. _It fitted!_ A turn, the heavy door was unlocked, and he +put the key in his pocket. He turned the handle, pushed the door open +just enough to squeeze through, and it swung to behind him. + + * * * * * + +There had been a great commotion in Fairyland. The gnomes--who formed +the Opposition Party--had turned disloyal and wanted a republic; +whereupon the King, hurt in his dignity, insisted upon abdicating. In +fact, he was tired of power, and glad of the excuse to resign. In spite +of the prayers and entreaties of those who desired him to remain in +office he returned to the Treasury the Golden Key, together with the +crown and other royal jewels, and, to the concern of every one who +wasn't a gnome, went forth to play skittles--his sole interest and only +hobby. + +Of all the regalia, the most precious object was the Golden Key, for +whoever held it was made King of Fairyland by virtue of its possession; +and it was ordained that it could only be parted with at the monarch's +free will. It could be surrendered; it could not be withdrawn. + +So the old King deposited it in the Treasury, leaving his people--the +faithful and unfaithful alike--to fight out the matter as best they +could. In so doing they fought their very best. The quarrel between the +gnomes and the fairies waxed furious in their patriotic eagerness to get +their own way. But while blows were exchanged and relations were +otherwise strained, and the Monarchists, generally speaking, were highly +annoyed, and the Republicans were even more perturbed, the latter +suddenly lay low, and hatched an audacious plot. So daring was it that +it made their grotesque and stunted little bodies tremble as they +thought of it, and their gnarled feet shook in their shoes. + +This plot involved nothing less than the theft of the Golden Key. The +symbol of royalty was to be taken to the mountain top and flung far away +outside the boundaries of Fairydom, and a republic proclaimed and +acclaimed. A monarchy could no longer be possible. + +Meanwhile the guileless fairies, recking nothing of this, and rejoicing +in what they thought to be the discomfiture of their adversaries, chose +the popular Crown Princess for the succession, and began with much pomp +and circumstance the ceremony of investing her with the Golden Key. +They had proceeded up to a certain point when, to their horror and +amazement, on opening the treasure chamber to bear the symbol in solemn +procession upon a velvet cushion, as the law demanded, they discovered +that _the Golden Key was gone_! + +[Illustration: _Lay low, and hatched an audacious plot_] + + * * * * * + +Cedric suddenly guessed that he possessed the key to Fairyland. For he +found himself in a sun-bathed valley with clouds of rainbow hues in the +azure sky above. In the distance he beheld a rippling lake of golden +water, on the borders of which stood a palace made of gems gathered from +the circling mountains which stood as sentinels around the valley. Down +these mountains meandered little golden rills that fed the lake. Nothing +stirred but gaily coloured birds, which fluttered amongst the blossoming +fruit trees and the rich and dainty flowers. + +All around the lake, as though from nowhere, sprang crowds of fairies, +gnomes, pixies, and sprites; they were landing from the tiny +flower-decked craft, forming processions, hurrying in and out of the +palace--presenting to Cedric's astonished gaze a scene of wonderful +animation and pretty bustle. Great preparations were apparently +proceeding. + +After a time they gathered together in waiting crowds, which stretched +a long distance on either side of the approach to the shimmering +edifice, and the words came to him with curious distinctness-- + +"Hail! Cedric, King of Fairyland!" + +"K-K-King of Fairyland!" stammered the boy in bewilderment. "Am I King +of Fairyland? You're only making fun--I've only been flying my kite: I +can't be a king." + +"Of course your young Majesty has got the key?" remarked a funny little +old man at his elbow. + +"Yes," replied Cedric, starting at the suddenness of the answer to his +question, but vastly surprised, and amused too, at the quaint way in +which he was addressed. + +"Very well, then. Of course we all know you must have found it, or you +couldn't be here. I'd far rather you had it than I; experience has +taught me that much. Good morning, young gentleman; may it bring you +more pleasure than it brought me," and with a chuckle the little old man +bowed himself away. + +Cedric had no time to think, for a gorgeous equipage stopped just in +front of him. The door flew open; the boy, guessing what was expected of +him, quickly stepped inside, and, wondering at this grandeur, the new +King of Fairyland was borne swiftly through the serried ranks of his +bowing subjects to the doors of his magnificent palace. Soldiers +presented arms, a national air was played on lutes and harps, and Cedric +passed through the gates, followed by as many of the populace as had +tickets of admission to witness the most wonderful coronation you never +saw. + +[Illustration: "_Of course your young Majesty has got the key?_"] + + +PART II + +In the throne-room, on a throne of diamonds, Cedric sat in royal robes, +and on his head was a golden crown, which had been taken, as being about +his size, from the dome of the Crown Palace. Grouped near him were the +aristocracy of Fairyland--prominent among them the Crown Princess, and +her great friend and neighbour, the Queen of Gossamerland, both young, +both beautiful, and both unmarried. + +When the ceremony was over, and the shout, "Hail! Cedric, King of +Fairyland!" echoed once more, the boy, prompted by the Lord High +Chamberlain, rose and bowed his delighted acknowledgments, while the +crowds outside cheered for all they were worth. He kept standing, in +order to receive the general homage, with the quiet confidence of one +who had been used to that sort of thing every day of his life. + +Little did he guess that the populace of Fairyland, who were acclaiming +him, down to the tiniest sprite, were far from pleased to have a mortal +on their throne--that the gnomes were plotting, _with_ the fairies this +time, to depose him, for the key had come back to their land, and was +never likely to be stolen again. They had all put their heads together +how to make Cedric part with it of his own free will, according to law, +and they knew they had to accomplish their end by their wits, as no +other means held good. It was their desire now to elect their ruler by +putting the matter to the country to vote, and thus please both parties. +The gnomes, who had had time to consider it, were dumbfounded at their +stupidity in having thrown the key into Mortal-land, and they regretted +it when it was too late. + +A fair lady, wearing a tiny crown, stepped forward and curtsied low +before her monarch. It was the Crown Princess. Cedric wanted to detain +her; but it wasn't etiquette, and she smiled to herself as she swept +past with her maids of honour. She was followed by her dark friend, who +kissed Cedric's hand. Her face was more beautiful than any he had ever +beheld. In obedience to his wish that she should speak to him, the +little Queen of Gossamerland smiled and said-- + +"Sire, I have often heard of mortals, but never saw one before. It is +said that some of them never dream of coming to our country, that others +often do, but they never come really, you know. Your Majesty is the +very first. Will you graciously tell me how it feels?" + +Cedric laughed, and coughed nervously, and replied that "it felt very +pleasant and comfor'ble." + +She turned her head as she withdrew, and whispered anxiously-- + +"_Do not part with the Golden Key_, as you value your throne." + +The words, and still more the impressive and forceful manner, of the +dazzling little Queen puzzled him. He determined, nevertheless, to +follow advice so fatefully given, but he couldn't help pondering over +it; and his face was graver as he bowed to the lords and ladies and +high-born gnomes who had the honour of introduction. + +Escorted by the whole of the brilliant company, King Cedric left his +palace in order formally "to do some good deed"--which was a part of the +ancient ceremonial. He was to open a new institution for fairies who had +lost their arts and crafts and livelihoods too. When they arrived at the +building it was announced that the key which was to have been presented +to him was not forthcoming. Consternation, real or assumed--(_Cedric_ +didn't believe in it)--followed on the strange declaration of those who +were responsible for the carelessness. Amid profuse apologies, the Lord +High Chamberlain begged the King that he would use the Golden +Key--which, being a master key, could of course take the place of any +other. + +Acting on the advice given him, and alive to the evident importance of +retaining the key (which was also the key to his position), Cedric +politely and graciously refused: at which there was considerable +sensation. Arguments and persuasion were in vain, but at last he yielded +to the entreaties of those needy fairies who badly wanted their +institution. Himself he inserted the key, which was found to fit, as was +to be expected. But when he wanted to withdraw it, it had stuck, and was +immovable--the lock had been carefully arranged that it should be so. +Triumph and amusement were on every face except his. + +"I have been betrayed," muttered Cedric, and he wondered what on +Fairyland he should do next. There was silence--a breathless +interval--during which the boy never relaxed hold on his treasured +possession. + +"Cut away the lock!" he commanded. At this order the people murmured +loudly, but soon fell into silence; for they were bound by their +constitution to obey their monarch. In a few moments the Golden Key was +again safe in Cedric's pocket, and mistrust was in his heart, as it has +been in that of nearly every king who ever reigned. + +The coronation ceremony was over, and the company had dispersed, so +Cedric found himself at liberty to saunter forth. He hadn't proceeded +more than a few yards in the brilliant landscape when a Rabbit--renowned +for his white gloves--bounded up to him and humbly begged it might be +his Majesty's pleasure to receive some famous members of Animal +Fairyland who were anxious to render homage. Cedric replied royally with +a dignified nod, and followed the creature as it led the way to a +clearing in a forest close by. Here, explained the Rabbit, the animals +were allowed full liberty to say what they pleased--but beyond the +boundaries they were only able to make strange noises which their own +families alone could understand: it was thus that the secrets of +Fairyland were kept from the world outside. + +Upon a throne made from a cutting of the famous beanstalk grown for the +original Jack King Cedric seated himself, and awaited events. + +He hadn't long to wait, for a Fox trotted up and bade him welcome to +Animal Fairyland. Wonderfully tactful for his age, Cedric told the Fox +that he recognised him, having read about him in Grimm's tales, and +remarked-- + +"You were so good, Mr. Fox, to the poor horse!" + +At which the Fox sniggered shyly and withdrew. This pleasing +reminiscence gave unbounded satisfaction to the various animals that had +quickly gathered around. + +Cedric's inquiry of the Wolf as to his digestion after that little +flirtation with Red Riding Hood's grandmother was also considered +prodigiously appropriate, and was greeted with cordial appreciation. His +quick recognition, too, of the Three Bears added greatly to his +popularity, but he wasn't so happy in his remark to a stately Swan who +came up and bowed. + +"You're glad to have got rid of those ducks, I s'pose?" he observed. + +"And pray, sire, where did you hear about that? It's a chapter of my +early history I hoped had never got about!" + +"Oh, I have read all about the Ugly Duckling!" replied Cedric, persuaded +that the information would fill the Swan with pride. + +"Why, you don't mean to say--! Do you--do you tell me that--" screamed +the Swan furiously, almost choked with indignation, and it could not +finish its sentences. Then in a quieter, but still in an angry, voice, +it continued: "To think of it! Why, I plumed myself on its having been +kept out of print! So that family scandal has got round after all!" And +in defiance of all etiquette, the swan turned tail and waddled off. + +"The audience is over!" cried Cedric indignantly. + +Whereupon the deputation hastily withdrew. + +"Guide, sire?" inquired a gnome, suddenly presenting himself and going +down on one knee. "Guide to the fairy ring?" + +"Yes, please," and he followed him to where a number of peacocks stood +on guard with their tails magnificently spread. + +"Have you twopence?" asked the guide anxiously. + +"I'm not sure," answered Cedric, fumbling in his pocket. + +"If not, I'm afraid you can't be let in, sire." The gnome was looking +afraid that the king might not fall, after all, into the little trap he +was preparing. + +"Not let me in? Can't I order myself through?" + +"No 'paper' allowed! You can only be let in by paying the entrance fee." + +"I never heard of a king paying twopence to go in anywhere," said +Cedric, drawing himself up. He was not unreasonable, he felt, but he was +a little hurt in his dignity as sovereign. + +"I'm afraid your Majesty can't go against the Office of Works." + +"S'pose I ordered the peacocks to be removed," said Cedric, growing hot +at the undignified position of a monarch unable to produce the price of +a Bath bun; "s'pose I ordered their necks to be wrung, or something?" + +"It would be deplorably irregular and excessively unconstitutional." + +Cedric was taken at a disadvantage by the length of the words; but a +lucky discovery relieved him. + +"Here, I've got four ha'pennies. But I call it mean that I, of all +people, shouldn't be allowed in free." + +"It's simply to show the person is well off, and to keep the place +select--it's the same for all. In the case of royalty the amount is +returned in cash at the end of the performance." + +Cedric entered alone, and found the fairy ring far beyond anything he +could have dreamed of. Thousands of little fairies, wearing cunning +arrangements of petals from the fruit blossoms, had joined hands and +were dancing round joyously, raising tiny clouds of yellow dust, which +enveloped them as with a golden mist. As he came in sight they burst +into song, and manoeuvring cleverly until he was in their midst, they +showed what they could do in grace of movement and harmony of sound, +till, quite enchanted, he felt he could remain there for ever. + +"Go on! go on!" he shouted, clapping his hands with delight, for the +little crew had come to a standstill. + +A pixie detached himself, and kneeling, begged his Majesty to give him +the Golden Key. + +"What for?" asked Cedric, surprised. + +"To wind up the proceedings," came the reply of the fairies, who had +eagerly drawn near. + +"Can't," said Cedric. + +"_Do!_" said the prettiest of the fairies in chorus. + +Hardly knowing what he was about, so much did he want to see the +entrancing dance all over again, he held out the key to the applicant; +but, noticing a peculiar gleam dart from the pixie's eyes, he quickly +snatched it back again and replaced it in his pocket, and coming to +himself found that the peacocks were once more between him and the fairy +ring; that twopence was in his hand, and there was no one at all about. +Then he realised how narrow his escape had been. "Uneasy lies the head +that wears a crown." Cedric knew that Shakespeare had written that; but +he had never expected to learn the truth of it from experience. + +He lay on the grass, and pondered what he had better do in the trying +political situation. "What's the use of being King of Fairyland if I +have to be plotted against every hour of the day?" muttered Cedric +disconsolately. + +"No use at all." + +They were the soft tones of the little Queen of Gossamerland. She sat +down next to him and put her tiny hand on his arm. + +"What's to be done, then?" + +"It's very simple," she rejoined. "Give me the Golden Key. You'll be +king no longer, but you'll have no responsibilities or anxieties." + +"That won't be much fun for me," replied Cedric. "Besides, what will you +do with it?" + +"The right thing. I'll give it to the Crown Princess, the rightful heir. +That will save the country a general election, and fairy tranquillity +will reign once more." + +"Why did you warn me not to part with it? And now you ask me for it!" + +"I wanted to get it myself as soon as you would give it up, so that I +might deliver it to my dear friend, who will become a queen like me. +Then she can choose her husband; and, after being her bridesmaid, I +suppose I shall be married too." + +"Will you marry me?" asked Cedric bluntly. + +"Why, you'd have to live on honey!" replied the Gossamer Queen, with a +smile, half sweet, half malicious. Cedric turned it over in his mind, +but not for long. + +"Give me the key," she begged coaxingly. + +"Yes--but," argued the boy, "it's worth a lot, you know: I wouldn't so +much mind swopping it; but----" + +The Queen of Gossamerland, tired of wasting time, put out her hand so +prettily, and pursed up her lips so sweetly and daintily, that he _did_ +give her the Golden Key, and she gave a kiss as a receipt. Then she said +that the Office of Works would send for the crown, and flitted away. + +Cedric prepared to remove his crown, with a sigh to think he had no +longer any right to it, but first he ran to the stream that slowly +floated by, and took a good look at himself. He smiled with pride. "I +must say," he remarked confidentially to himself, "I really do look +every inch a king! But, after all, I couldn't go to school with this +on--the fellows would be sure to notice it." He started at the bare +idea, and laid down the crown with a feeling of "good riddance" as +profound and grateful as ever King James II. could have experienced. He +felt no other pang than that of dignity too quickly swept away. + +He placed it on the grass, confident that the Gossamer Queen would send +for it at once, and he began to think of his own return. "Now to find +that door!" he exclaimed, and looked about him to ask the way. The +golden lake, the glittering palace, the sentry of mountains--all were +there; but no living being was in sight. + +"Queer place, _I_ call it," said Cedric to himself. "No cake shops, only +honey, and no policemen to tell the way." He wandered on in the hope of +coming sooner or later, somehow and somewhere, to the door. + +After a time he met the funny little old man who had accosted him on his +arrival. He was gazing hard at the boy, looking right through him as +though he were not there. + +"Will you kindly show me the door?" said Cedric eagerly. + +"Turn you out, do you mean?" asked ex-King the First. + +"I want to turn myself out, if I can," replied Cedric. + +"Already? Good morning, young gentleman, ex-King the Second. There's a +pair of us." + +"Please show me the door." + +"When is a door not a-jar?" asked the out-o'-work sovereign. + +"Don't ask me riddles. Show me the door!" ordered Cedric in his best +royal-command manner, and looked so threatening that the little old man +quickly pointed over his shoulder. + +Cedric walked off in that direction without a word, and to his joy he +discovered the door just a little way in front of him. + +"Thank goodness!" he exclaimed, as he ran up to it--and then he suddenly +realised that he no longer possessed the Golden Key with which to open +it. How was he to escape? He turned and looked back at what now was +an immeasurable distance--so very far away did it seem--and there was +once more bustling activity about the palace. Another Coronation +ceremony was beginning all over again. + +[Illustration: "_I really do look every inch a king!_"] + +The boy flung himself against the door, and banged and kicked at it with +all his might. It was of no use. + +"Oh, the key, the key!" he cried. "If they would only spare it from +their silly triumphing for a moment, and let me out!" + +He put his eye to the keyhole, and with longing gaze he saw his kite on +the spot he had left it, with its lazy tail gently stirred by the +breeze. + +Once more he looked back, despairing of help; the same animated fairy +scene met his gaze--all so indifferent to his helplessness. Grasping the +handle of the door in his hand he shook it in desperation. + +Then he remembered. He quietly turned the handle, and walked out! + +The sea breeze blew freshly as Cedric freed his kite from the bush, and +when he looked back there was Land's End just as he had seen it before. +"And Fairyland's end, too," he muttered; for all trace of the iron door +had disappeared after he passed through. He stared in astonishment, and +couldn't make it out; and the adventure remained a mystery all the days +of his life. + + + + +ROSELLA + + +"Rosella!" + +"Yes, Mother?" And a dark-eyed little girl looked down over the +banisters into the hall. + +"I want you to get ready quickly and go to the Moat House, and persuade +Grandfather to come back with you this afternoon instead of waiting +until the evening." + +"But if he invites me to tea with him?" + +"Don't stay, dearie. I want you back before dusk, and it gets dark so +soon now; and you must help me to tie the crackers on the +Christmas-tree. It's still sunny, so make haste." + +In a few minutes the child was tripping downstairs, smart and cosy in +her red coat, hat, and muff, with all the importance of her nine years. + +"Go the shortest way--you know; keep to the path across the moor," +continued her mother, "or you might fall over bits of rock under the +snow." + +"Do you know, Mother, I always wonder, when there's snow, where all the +grass is and what's underneath? All killed by the freeze?" + +"Oh no. The snow keeps everything nice and warm," replied her mother +with a kiss. + +Davis, the portly butler, advanced and opened the front door. + +"Being _above_ the snow doesn't keep _me_ nice and warm, Mother," called +back Rosella as she ran laughing down the steps into the icy north wind, +which blew her dark hair out to its full length and heightened the warm +colour in her cheeks. + +"Make haste, and you'll be there in half-an-hour." Mrs. Silverton +returned to her boudoir, and standing at the bow-window followed with +loving eyes the graceful little red figure, until at a bend in the road +it turned, gaily waved a farewell, and was lost to sight. + +When Rosella reached the moor the high wind was against her, blowing her +frock between her knees and making her eyes water. "This way will be +very difficult and unpleasant," she thought to herself. "I'd far rather +go round by the hill, and then, too, I could see if Grandfather has got +the Snow Castle on the top finished and ready for to-morrow--I forgot +about that when Mother said to go across the moor. I should so like to +see it--I wonder if I might!" + +She stood irresolute for a moment, then left the straight path and +started running, in order to save time, in the other direction: thus +making for the hill which she intended to climb. + +The sun became obscured, and what was worse, down from the leaden yellow +sky tiny snowflakes began to flutter as though in play, rapidly +increasing in size and volume until, as if by magic, Rosella found +herself enveloped in a blinding snowstorm that obscured the landscape, +and decided her to return home. But returning home was not so easy as +turning herself round, and she soon had the growing conviction that no +matter which way she turned she was lost, utterly lost: for all that she +could see was that she no longer seemed to be dressed in red, but was +thickly coated in white. + +Twice she tripped over the uneven ground, but she stumbled along +hopefully and bravely, and even tried to sing, only the snowflakes got +into her mouth and made her shut it up tight. + +Rosella had no idea where she was, and she felt very tired. How she +wished now she had gone straight forward! There would have been no +difficulty about that. By good luck she came close up to a large piece +of overhanging rock; she did not remember ever seeing it before, so she +was more than ever confused as to the whereabouts of the hill or of +anything; but it was good for shelter. She placed her muff in a niche +above her head, and sat down to rest awhile and consider what she had +best do. + +The wind howled around her only partially sheltered retreat, and +myriads of snowflakes, drifting in, fell softly about her, creeping +closer and closer, covering her boots, lying thickly on her frock, on +her shoulders, drifting, too, into her eyes and making them blink, and +powdering her hair with white. And she felt too cold to think--too cold +to move. + + * * * * * + +After a while Rosella exclaimed: "This won't do. I must get up from +here. It's such a dreadfully cold place!" And she determined to try and +go on, if only to keep herself warm. So she shook herself, took down her +muff, and went forth. + +It was snowing as much as ever, but Rosella found that the ground was no +longer flat. She was on the hillside, and as she climbed she wondered +anxiously how she should know which side to come down, once she was on +the top, in order to find the Moat House. Then she smiled as it occurred +to her how much she must now look like the tiny, red-hooded, toy figure +in the glass paper weight at home which showed itself enveloped in a +miniature snowstorm when it was shaken. She plodded on higher and +higher. + +The weather was clearing when Rosella stood on the summit of the hill, +and she was lost in admiration as she gazed at the largest, grandest +Snow Castle she could never have imagined. Before it, too, stood a Snow +Man splendidly proportioned and set up. To her intense astonishment, as +she timidly approached he bowed politely. + +Rosella curtsied instinctively, then laughed as she went round to see +where he had broken. But he wasn't broken at all, for he turned too, +faced her, and said-- + +"I need hardly introduce myself, Rosella. I presume you recognise King +Frost when you meet him in any guise. You wished to see my Castle--and +gave yourself a polite invitation. You are welcome!" + +She was so taken aback with the suddenness of all this that she could +find no words for reply. So she made another, much lower, curtsey, which +she knew to be correct in the presence of Royalty, then she took his +proffered arm. And the tall white figure and the little white figure +mounted the white steps, went through the massive gateway, and proceeded +down a long, narrow passage lighted with a ruddy glow from the high +windows, which were glazed with something red, transparent, and +glistening. It was much warmer here, and Rosella noticed that the snow +had melted from her clothes, and that her companion also appeared to be +dressed in red. His white face with its white beard and white hair wore +quite a jovial air, and on top of it was set a crown of carved ice that +reminded her of their chandelier in the drawing-room. + +He did the honours by offering her some snow broth, which she declined. +Then she thought she ought to say something, so she remarked, with a +touch of family pride-- + +"I had no idea that Grandfather had built such a fine place as this." + +"_I_ think the credit is entirely mine," protested her companion with an +amused chuckle. "_I_ provide the material, you see, or there would have +been no 'fine place' at all. See my point?" + +"Yes, your Majesty," she assented, for she knew it wasn't polite to +argue--especially with a royal personage. + +"This way!" he exclaimed, and led her down another passage on the right, +and halted to push open a swing door of ice a little way, and genially +patted her on the cheek--which was kindly meant no doubt, but his touch +nipped her with cold so that she shivered. + +"I shall be on guard outside. If you want me, call me!" Almost as soon +as she heard the words the heavy door swung to behind her, and she found +herself alone in a great, white, glistening hall with high arches open +to the air. Evidently it was scarcely snowing now, for only little +isolated flakes came fluttering in. But in their falling they changed +into little shadowy girls and boys in white, who danced playfully around +her, and their cold white draperies swept lightly about her face, +reminding her of the blinding snowstorm she had passed through. But she +only wanted to get away to her grandfather now. + +Rosella sheltered her face with her muff and ran the gauntlet of the +persistent little snowflakes. In a corner she espied a spiral staircase +which seemed to lead up into one of the battlemented towers she had +noticed outside, and she imagined it a way of escape, so up she ran. The +steps were very slippery, but she got up to the top, where, through a +narrow loophole, she saw King Frost down below, standing there just as +she first saw him when she thought him only a Snow Man. More anxious +than ever to know how to get to her grandfather, she called out-- + +"Your Majesty!" and repeated loudly the two words over and over again, +for he either would not or could not hear her. And what was very +curious, there was an echo which called back "Rosella! Rosella!" in the +same anxious tone. + +Talking was clearly of no use; she must do something. So she tried to +squeeze her muff through the aperture in order to drop it on his head +and attract his attention--but it would not go through. It stuck there +and closed out her view. Try as she would she could not release it; and +with a gulp in her throat she realised she would have to leave it. Her +hands grew terribly cold without it, and it was too draughty to remain +there. + +From the landing on which she stood steps led up higher, so she +proceeded to explore, and found herself in an octagonal turret chamber. +"I suppose it serves me right, and I _am_ lost, _and_ there's no one to +help me!" sighed Rosella. + +"Oh yes there is!" + +"Whose voice is that?" she asked. She could see no one--but at the same +moment a sunbeam pierced through an aperture, pointed straight at what +appeared to be a lift behind a slender column, and then faded away. It +_was_ a lift, made of ice and snow, as was everything else in the +Castle. Rosella entered it and took a seat. The lift at once began +gently and slowly to go down, down, first into the foundations of the +Castle, and then into the interior of the hill right down under the +snow, till it stopped in a Grotto lined with cobwebs and suffused with a +mysterious green light. There was a soft, singing sound, as though made +by the wind. In front was a frozen lake, and the ice of it was green +from the same strange light. + +"I must try and find my way to Grandfather," said Rosella vaguely as +she wandered about the Grotto, looking about her for a way out. + + * * * * * + +Mrs. Silverton kept glancing anxiously at the clock and at the +snowstorm. Davis entered. "Madam," said he, with an usually solemn face, +"Mr. Silverton has telephoned again from the Moat House that Miss +Rosella hasn't arrived." + +"Then she must have lost her way!" exclaimed her mother, now thoroughly +alarmed. "Though I don't see how she could, keeping straight across the +moor to the Moat House gate at the end of the path. We must set out, +Davis, and find her." + +"Difficult this weather, Madam, if our young lady is lost on the moor." + +"Is it still so bad?" + +"The storm's not so thick as it was. I'll go immediately. There's no +time to be lost, to my thinking, Madam." + +"Yes, we'll go at once, Davis." + +Mrs. Silverton, pale with anxiety, sent other messengers in various +directions, and then started off herself. On the moor she met another +search party headed by old Mr. Silverton and his faithful collie dog. +And the moor rang with anxious cries of "Rosella! Rosella!" uttered by +whitened shadowy figures that looked like phantoms in the falling snow. + + * * * * * + +"I _must_ try and find my way to Grandfather," repeated Rosella +falteringly, realising that she didn't know in the least how to proceed. +She never had a notion that a Snow Castle was so intricate inside, with +a hall, a lift, a grotto, and things; indeed, she had always imagined +for no particular reason that it had no inside at all; "but of course," +she now argued, "if it has an outside it _must_ have an inside, or it +wouldn't be an outside." But it was much more startling when she looked +up and found that she was by no means alone: the cobwebs were all +inhabited. Inhabited--not by ugly spiders, but by the wee-est little +baby-fairies with the wee-est gossamer wings, swaying in their cobweb +hammocks in all attitudes, fast asleep, soothed by the lullaby hummed by +the wind. + +"This must be where they are bred!" cried Rosella, in an ecstasy of +admiration and delight. + +"This is Fairy Spring's nursery," explained a beautiful Sprite, +appearing suddenly at her elbow like a little bright sunbeam. "King +Frost is the ground landlord, you know, and allows all her young things +to sleep here and keep warm." + +"And who are you, please?" inquired the Sprite's young visitor. + +"I am Love of Goodwill, and my father's name is Christmas." + +"I know you by name quite well, and am so glad to see you. Perhaps you +would kindly help me to find my way?" + +"If you keep on going to the right, when you see the snowdrops' mother, +there you will find your landmark." + +"Oh, do please tell me more clearly. What did you say? Tell me where +I"--but Rosella was again alone in the green grotto with the sleeping +baby-fairies in their swaying hammocks, and the soft music of the wind. +"Surely there can't be any grown-up snowdrops at Christmas--it's too +early!--and I shall be losing my way for weeks!" continued Rosella. +Nevertheless, she kept on turning to the right through upward passages +first of rock, then of sand, in which were embedded deep growing roots, +then of soil with its minerals, broken up leaves, and corpses of insects +which she didn't like at all; then through a passage lined with true red +soil, where little grubs were lying fast asleep in their nests. + +"You ugly grubby little things!" remarked Rosella as she passed them. + +"They are only lying low at present. They will be lovely Painted Ladies +and visit the court of Fairy Spring," replied Love of Goodwill, hovering +again at her side. "And look! There are the baby snowdrops asleep in +their earthy cots. They, too, will awake soon and get up. I helped their +mother to get up as she was in such a hurry to see the world. I'm +afraid she will have got nipped by King Frost for her impatience. +Farewell--I must go and see what is happening." + +Rosella followed the sunbeam--into which the Sprite had vanished--and at +once felt the keen air blowing on her face, and knew she was above +ground once more. Everything was all white again. She sat down upon a +piece of rock to rest, and noticed the sunbeam pointing straight at a +little woe-begone snowdrop sticking up out of the snow before her. And +to her joy the Snow Man was close by calling "Rosella! Rosella!" in the +echo's anxious tone she had heard before--so he must have wanted her +then, badly. + +"Yes, your Majesty!" she murmured. + +He bent over her kindly. "There, little lady," he continued, "drink some +of this now!" and something cold yet stinging was poured gently down her +throat. + +"Thank you, your Majesty. I did feel tired and queer, but your snow +broth has made me all right." She said it quite gratefully. Then her +eyes opened wide and she cried in amazement-- + +"Grandfather! Why it's _you_! You were the Snow Man all the time! And +look! there's my muff up there that I left in the wall!" + +"But for that sticking up we might never have found our little +treasure," replied old Mr. Silverton. He picked her up and, holding her +aloft, showed her to her anxious mother, who came hurrying on the scene. + +"Don't shiver so, dearie," exclaimed Mrs. Silverton, passionately +embracing the child, as hot tears dropped on her daughter's face. "You +must be perished with cold, but this nice sunshine which has come out +now will do you good." + +"I didn't feel cold. It was quite nice and warm under the snow as you +said, Mother--and so wonderful!" + +Davis carried her home in triumph at the head of the procession; and +after precautionary remedies had been taken, Rosella sat cosily tucked +up in the big arm-chair in front of the huge log fire, thinking over all +she had seen. Of course she confessed to her temptation to go astray, +and was readily forgiven. Then, as Mr. Silverton insisted he had never +in his life been any one else but himself, Rosella gaily recounted her +meeting with the Snow Man at his Snow Castle. "And King Frost said, +Grandfather," concluded Rosella, "that the credit of the Castle was his +for providing the snow and not yours." + +"Bless my soul!" cried old Mr. Silverton. "And he was right there, +because I've had nothing to do with any Snow Castle or any Snow +Man--there was some talk, but nothing came of it." + +"But I was King Frost's visitor there, don't you see," insisted Rosella, +smiling. "So I know that's only one of your jokes, Grandfather." + +He smiled too and wiped his spectacles. + +The next morning Rosella volunteered to fetch her grandfather and +introduce him to King Frost. So the two climbed the hill. But no vestige +of Snow Castle or Snow Man was there. + +"There, you see!" said her grandfather, laughing, as he genially patted +her on the cheek. How cold his hand felt! It nipped her with cold, so +that she shivered. Yet the weather had changed, and it was more like a +sunny day in spring than in midwinter. + +She left old Mr. Silverton at his gate, and he assured her with a kiss +that he wasn't a bit disappointed at the wonderful disappearance, but +that it was all certainly a very remarkable affair indeed. + +Rosella thought so too. Then she turned and walked thoughtfully home. + + + + +THE CUCKOO THAT LIVED IN THE CLOCK-HOUSE + + +It was rather a ramshackle, badly-built wooden house, in which the +Cuckoo lived. Outside it looked smart enough, but inside, repairs were +badly needed. It had been handed down from father to son, and over the +front door, which was at the top of the house, stood a beautifully +carved statue of their ancestor, Sir Cuckoo de Cuckoo. + +The Clock-House was situated not far from the Dolls' House, backed by a +flowery wall in a small department of Nursery Land ruled over by Robert +and Lucy. Lucy was ground landlady of the Clock-House, and it was her +daily privilege to wind up its affairs. + +No one ever knocked at the Cuckoo's front door, because it had no +number; there was a round dozen of numbers in the immediate +neighbourhood. The pendulum, whose tongue never ceased to wag once it +was wound up, remarked, that two firm hands were required to keep things +in order. As to the chains, they regularly got weighed down under the +strain of responsibility, and a heavy weight it was. + +So, as one could not summon the Cuckoo at will, the only thing to do was +to wait and see it when it chose to appear, and then--as likely as not, +if nobody was about--Robert would seize the opportunity to take +pot-shots at it with his pea-shooter. So far he had invariably missed. +Sometimes it kept an appointment with him punctually at the hour, +sometimes it didn't. Occasionally, it came out at odd times, and then +remained indoors altogether. When that happened for a more than usually +long period, it was sure to be because the poor Cuckoo felt indisposed +in its bellows; and when it became apparent that something had gone +wrong with the inmate of the Clock-House, an entrance had to be effected +by the back door and a dose of oil administered. Whereupon the front +door would fly open and the Cuckoo appear again on the threshold--it +never ventured further--bow to the multitude, or to empty space, and +pipe "Cuc--koo!" just as many times as it felt inclined at the moment. + +One fine afternoon in spring, when the Cuckoo came out punctually, and +went through its performance of three bows with a Cuckoo call after each +salutation, there happened to be a fresh inmate all alone in the +nursery. This was Tabiatha, the new kitten, cosily reposing in her new +basket under the table. "Aha! Poultry!" mewed Tabiatha, lying low, +opening a lazy but watchful eye, and gazing upwards. "Bless my tail! +You're a tender morsel, I'll be bound--small, but a tit-bit!" So thought +the kitten, with an increasing feeling of longing in the chest. It had +sounded to Tabiatha like an echo of the call she had heard so recently +in the lane near the old farm at home. + +"I don't want to pop out any more!" said the Cuckoo after re-entering +the Clock-House. "I'm bored to tears!" And it settled down in a corner +and looked very melancholy. "What with that horrid boy, Robert, lurking +about--and now a kitten of all things! Why, life's not worth the living! +If ever I do pop out again, I should like to pop out for good and +all--stretch my wings and fly away, right away, and see something of the +world!" + +"Work! That's the cure for all woes!" solemnly ticked the pendulum. +"Look at me, I'm always at it, with a good swinging stride." The hands +didn't explain their views--they were keeping far apart, and were not on +speaking terms. "Every one is expected to do his duty," urged the +pendulum. + +"That was only meant for one day--not morning, noon, and night," argued +the Cuckoo. "It's all very well for a wagtail like you--but for a Cuckoo +with a soul above it--especially with a fine, well-trained voice!" + +"Every one must do his duty at all times. Yes, look at me--but I fear +you can't see me. Do you follow me?" asked the pendulum jokingly. +Getting no reply, it ticked-tacked on, until the Cuckoo felt quite +distracted. + + * * * * * + +"Listen to me, children," said their mother, entering the nursery, when +playtime had begun; "Nurse has gone to lie down. She isn't very well +this afternoon. So at four o'clock put everything away neatly; then make +yourselves tidy, and come downstairs, where you may have tea with me." + +Robert and Lucy said they were sorry for Nurse, but they smiled, and +hopped about with delight at the treat of tea downstairs. They promised +to do as they were told, and with muffled footsteps hurried on the +landing to open the gate and let their mother out of their domain, and +quietly closed it to keep themselves in. Then they settled down in the +nursery to "Loto;" but as Lucy always won, Robert tired of it. Card +houses didn't answer either, because it amused Robert not to build them, +but to shake the table when Lucy's structures were in course of +erection. + +Their mother, busily writing in the drawing-room, began to wonder why +the children didn't come downstairs; and tea was just being brought in, +when suddenly screams and cries were heard issuing from the nursery, and +she rushed upstairs in alarm. + +There she found the nursery littered with things, chairs in unusual +places, some overturned, and Lucy lying on the floor crying, with a cut +on her lip, which was bleeding. Robert had both stockings torn, and was +ruefully rubbing his knees. The little girl was more frightened than +hurt. + +"Whatever has happened, Robert?" exclaimed their mother as she helped +Lucy to her feet, and comforted her. + +"I was hunting," he began to explain, "and she was the gazelle, and I +was chasing her from rock to rock----" + +"Jumping from the table on to the chairs and back again," added Lucy in +further explanation, "and we both tumbled down!" + +"Serve you both right for being so disobedient as to jump on the +furniture," replied their mother, with placid satisfaction that matters +were no worse. "You ought to have been all tidied up, and downstairs by +now." + +"It isn't time yet, surely, Mother!" The three turned instinctively +towards the Cuckoo clock. It had stopped at three minutes to four. + +"There now, Lucy, you silly!" cried her brother; "if you hadn't +forgotten to wind it up, we shouldn't have had that beastly tumble, and +shouldn't have been late for tea." + +"Come, dears, quickly, and I'll help make you ready," said their mother; +and they left the nursery together. + + * * * * * + +During the excitement Tabiatha had remained unnoticed in her basket +under the table, glad in all the turmoil to be peaceful and forgotten. +She came out, stretched herself lazily, and soon began to gambol about +the room. The clock chain, lying loosely on the ground, attracted her +attention. She crouched, then leapt at one bound upon it, backed a +little, touched it with her paw, lay on her side, and played with the +bright links with all four paws and much enjoyment. With a sudden +movement she righted herself--made a spring upwards, missed the chain +and fell without hurt. Liking this novel game, she leapt higher next +time, and alighted on a cushioned chair, scratched her way up, jumped on +to a bookcase, and then on to an empty shelf. There was the chain within +easy reach. Putting out her paw, it caught instead in a ring she hadn't +noticed. To disentangle it she reached over, lost her foothold, and, +still caught in the ring, found that the rattling chain was moving +downwards with her weight until it deposited her gently on the ground, +greatly to her surprise. Again she scrambled up the furniture in the +same way. Her paw was now on both chains. Suddenly something swung +backwards and forwards-- + +Tic--tac! + +Tabiatha was for the moment dismayed, and, arching her back, she stood +rooted to the spot. + +Tic--tac! + +It came unpleasantly close to her, nearly touching her nose each time, +but she never budged an inch. Whr-r-r-r-r! + +Cuc--koo! Cuc--koo! Cuc--koo! Cuc---- + +Tabiatha, rising to the occasion, and quick to seize an opportunity or +anything else, took her last and only chance. She seized the poultry +with both paws--Crack! Snap! She lost her balance and fell down, down, +on to the cushioned chair. The Cuckoo flew into the air, alighted on +Tabiatha's back, and bounded on to the ground. Tabiatha forgot at once +her escape from breaking her neck, sprang after the Cuckoo lying there, +turned it over, paused, sniffed, found to her surprise that it was not +good to eat, that it hadn't even feathers, and was only made of wood, +turned it over again, and began tapping it and pouncing on it until, +suddenly forgetting all about it, she cantered away sideways with her +tail curling in the air. She jumped into her basket, rolled herself up, +soon purred herself fast asleep, and looked the very picture of helpless +innocence. + +The Cuckoo, out in the world at last, having recovered from its first +alarm at the useless stiffness of its wings, waited for something to +happen. As nothing did happen, it thought the world a very dull and +stupid place, and concluded that, after all, work was better than lying +there helpless, idle, motionless, and ridiculous. What was the use of +its trained voice now? It couldn't articulate a sound even to summon +help. It had no idea of the time, but the sun was shining brightly when +at last it found itself carefully lifted and placed on a higher level. + + * * * * * + +When Lucy entered the nursery that morning, soon after Robert, he +exclaimed-- + +"I say, Lucy! There's something fresh for breakfast. Look on your +plate!" + +"Oh, my poor Cuckoo!" she cried in distress. "You've shot it at last. +You bad boy--I shan't love you ever any more!" + +But she did love him at once again, for it was a fact that no one knew +how ever the Cuckoo came to be lying on the floor in the remote corner +where Nurse had picked it up. The cushioned chair was in its place +again--a long way off the clock. Every one was mystified, and could not +imagine how it had happened. But Tabiatha knew all about it, though you +would never have guessed it from her round, innocent eyes as she sat +licking first one velvety paw, and then the other velvety paw, as though +she were washing them of any share in the mischief. + +When the Clock-House was spring-cleaned, and the Cuckoo duly set there +on its legs again, it formed the firm determination to remain at its +post in the future, and, with its Clock-House in order, it worked ever +after with regularity and good humour just like one o'clock. + +"Cuc--koo!" Bow, click. + + + + +CHRISTMAS AT THE COURT OF KING JORUM + + +The great evening had come, and every one in Cosmopolis Castle was agog +with excitement. Eight months before, the Monarch had by Royal Herald +Extraordinary announced his intention of making known his decision on +Christmas Eve. And Christmas Eve had come. No wonder every one was agog +with excitement, because King Jorum was at last going to announce which +of the lovely ladies of the Court should be raised to the position of +the late Queen, his defunct consort. She, poor soul, had possessed +neither charm nor beauty, and without her he had been quite happy for +the past two years, surrounded by smiling faces and kept constantly +amused by the ladies and gentlemen of his Court. + +He had a jovial nature, and was an indulgent father to his two young +daughters, especially fond of the younger, Princess Veronica, for more +delightful sweetness, prettiness, and lovableness it would be difficult +to find in any other young damsel of sixteen years old. So believed that +fine young soldier, Prince Olivin; and so believed every one else in +the whole kingdom. Every one else, with one exception--Princess +Christobel, her sister, older by one year. She had her own ideas on the +subject evidently, for she kept a surly silence when her sister's +praises were sung. People said it was her jealousy, because she was +plain-looking, and sulky in expression and character; and some did say +she was secretly in love with Prince Olivin herself. + +Outside the castle this night the silent landscape had been decorated, +by order of King Frost, in snow and crystal. Inside the castle the great +halls had been decorated, by order of King Jorum, in holly and +mistletoe. In the antechamber to the ball-room stood the giant +Christmas-tree, hung with so many gifts of exquisite needlework from the +ladies of the Court for the King, and so many, too, for Princess +Veronica, that there was hardly room for any other presents for any one +else, so they had to be stacked up in separate heaps on the floor. + +There was one present on the tree, which was handsomer and costlier than +all the rest--it was a pair of woollen boots so cunningly and +dexterously wrought with precious jewels that they were the most +beautiful ever seen or heard of. They were the handiwork of Countess +Spinx, and of all the handsome ladies who were assembled in the +ball-room where the candles in the chandeliers cast a softening light +on their charms, she seemed this Christmas Eve the most unnerved, the +most excited. Courtiers came strolling in by twos and threes, and the +scene became animated and gay. + +For as history shows, it was the custom at the Court of King Jorum, by +special decree of the Monarch, that every man, woman, and child should +dress themselves in costumes of any distinctive style they +liked--whatever suited their fancy best. (That was the origin, ages +after, of the term--fancy-dress.) There was thus no slavish following of +fashion, and consequently every one looked, or fancied they looked, +their very, very best, and were thoroughly at ease in their quaint and, +mostly, fascinating attire. + +"Here's Little Love!" exclaimed a bevy of fair dames, pressing forward +as a handsome child stepped into their midst, dressed as Cupid, and +looking the realest of little Loves from the tips of his tiny bare toes +to the tips of his tiny bare wings. He was the King's godson and pet. + +"He's sure to know! Perhaps he can give us a hint of the news!" +exclaimed Countess Spinx with eyes blazing eagerly as she placed herself +in his path, with her crook firmly planted on the ground: she was +dressed as a shepherdess, which showed to advantage the curls on her +fair neck, and her small feet in their high-heeled shoes. "Whisper to +me!" she coaxed; "or," with a pretty shake of the crook, "I'll not let +you pass!" + +Little Love might have been deaf, looking neither to the right nor to +the left, so unconcernedly did he continue his way stolidly on to meet +the procession of the King. + +Countess Spinx bit her lip in vexation; the other ladies merely shrugged +their shoulders and laughed; and the gentlemen stroked their mouths to +hide their smiles. Then all conversation was smothered by the entry of +the heralds with their raised silver trumpets and their-- + + _Par_--parraparpar--_pip_--ha! + _Par_--parraparpar--_paar_--_r_! + +This was immediately followed by the entry of King Jorum holding Little +Love by the hand. The whole company bowed and curtsied very low--and +then stood at attention, breathless with expectation. + +King Jorum was a very big man, with a very big smile, and very big +woollen boots. He always wore woollen boots because, being his own +Commander-in-chief, he liked to stand at ease. So he said, naturally in +a very big voice-- + +"According to my promise it is now my pleasure to announce to my Court +here assembled my decision with regard to your future Queen. After +prolonged thought and study of face and character I have come to the +conclusion that there is not one lady of my Court but who is quite +lovely enough and charming enough to become my royal consort. Therefore +to choose is difficult--so difficult that it is impossible, and, being +impossible, I shall never wed again. I have spoken." + +[Illustration: _Looking neither to the right nor to the left_] + +For a moment there was intense silence. Then deafening cheers arose, and +all faces were radiant with delight, especially the faces of the ladies, +who thus remained equals, no jealousy being possible. "Such tact!" said +one. "How true!" cried another. But one lady had slipped away +unobserved. It was Countess Spinx. + +The gallant Monarch, unaccompanied, pleased at the reception given to +his declaration, smilingly passed on to the antechamber, as was his +wont, for a private view of the Christmas-tree before the revels +commenced. King Jorum had detached one of the woollen boots embroidered +with pearls and precious stones, anxiously tried it on, and was admiring +the effect, when Little Love appeared and inquired if he would grant an +interview to Prince Olivin, who was waiting without. + +"I am engaged," was his Majesty's impatient reply. + +"That, Sire, is what Prince Olivin wants to be!" + +"Eh, what's that? Put on this other boot for me"--he unfastened it from +the tree. "Ha! that's very smart. Very attentive of the dear Countess. +Now show him in!" + +The two young Princesses had not made their appearance for the +proclamation. They, as well as Little Love, had been in the King's +confidence, and they did not intend to be present. However, as the hour +of the revels was fast approaching, Veronica feared that her sister +would be late as usual, so she took her last glance at herself in the +mirror, tightened the blue ribbon that was threaded through her fair +hair, tucked a pale rose in the blue sash of her high-waisted, white +muslin frock, and flitted off happily to Christobel's room. + +"Come in!" said a not very amiable voice in response to the light tap. +"Oh, it's you, is it?" + +"Can I help you, as you have no maid?" + +Princess Christobel's room was by no means tidy. "I don't want any +help," she replied ungraciously, moving some of the garments that +littered the bed, "but you can sit down there, if you like, next to the +'Shah of Persia.'" + +Veronica took the place indicated next to the sweetest little blue +Persian kitten that was curled up fast asleep on the coverlet. + +"I like your new frock, Veronica," continued Christobel, surveying her +sister as she pinned up her black hair without troubling even to do it +before a glass; "but you look pretty in anything. If you didn't, no one +would trouble to pet you. No one ever fusses over me." + +"Papa does, for one." + +"Only because he thinks it's his duty." + +"I would if you'd let me." + +"Oh yes. You'd be very pleased if I'd let you hang about me--an ugly +girl can't show to much advantage next to a pretty one. I know your +little game." + +"Oh, Christobel! How can you say such unkind, unjust things?" protested +poor Veronica with a sob. + +"If you want to cry," said Christobel crossly, "you shouldn't do so +until you go to sleep. You cry so easily; and then your bright eyes look +heavy, and your aquiline nose gets red, and the whole Castle gets upset +about them. Who cares if _my_ eyes are red?" + +"Every one, of course. Besides, one's looks aren't everything." + +"I know differently. Looks _are_ everything. But I don't care if people +trouble about me or not, or anything they do, or think, or say!" + +"What _are_ you putting on, Christobel? Not _that_, surely!" + +"Yes. Same old Red Riding Hood cape and green skirt--does for indoors or +out. Same old crew about, I suppose?" + +"I suppose so. But it's Christmas Eve. Those loose things don't even +suit you. Let me lend you a new frock which I have, just the same as +this; we can arrange ribbons of your colour, red. We're the same height, +and it will suit you quite as well as it suits me." + +"A nice comparison people would draw, eh?" sneered Christobel; and being +ready she took the sleepy Shah in her arms and stalked downstairs with +him faintly mewing his protests, leaving her sister to follow if she +liked. + +In the ball-room Christobel superciliously took no notice of the +respectful greetings of the Court. She was naturally shy, reserved too, +and sensitive as to her appearance and lack of charm. But Veronica had a +kind word for every one, stopping to greet with a smile or a merry jest +all present; for they all adored her for her sweetness, graciousness, +and extraordinary beauty. There wasn't a man but who would have died for +her, nor a woman but who felt better for her radiant presence. Little +Love suddenly appeared and whispered something to Princess Veronica, who +blushed, was confused, and said in a low voice to her sister-- + +"Prince Olivin is here! Papa has sent for me." + +"You might have told me he was coming," replied Christobel, turning +pale. + +"But I never knew, indeed." Her sister had turned away, and Little Love +was leading Veronica towards the antechamber. + +It seemed to Princess Christobel as though every face in the ball-room +was a mask, and behind that mask were eyes that gleamed with +mockery--that she had only to turn her back, and fingers of scorn and +derision would mark her passage--and she turned and fled, never pausing +in her course through the long passages and up the marble stairway until +she was back in her room, where she flung the poor Shah and herself on +the bed and burst into a torrent of tears and lamentations in her +loneliness, disappointment, and jealousy. The kitten, too, looked +unusually blue, and mewed disconsolately--felt bored, then purred, +stretched its little self on the coverlet, and fell asleep again. Before +long the sound of the heralds' silver trumpets pierced right up into +Christobel's ears-- + + _Par_--parraparpar--_pip_--ha! + _Par_--parraparpar--_paar_--_r_! + +And she knew that the engagement was then being announced of Princess +Veronica to Prince Olivin; and the strains of the Waltz of the +Affianced which followed, played by the Court musicians, confirmed the +fact. + +How long she remained thus in the dark she did not know. Sounds of an +angry voice roused her from her stupor, and she went out into the +brilliantly lighted corridor, shading her eyes from the glare, the scent +of flowers and the soft strains of music becoming more noticeable as she +approached the stairway whence the voices proceeded--one of which she +could now distinguish as being that of her sister. She peeped over the +banisters, and saw, standing close beside Veronica, Countess Spinx, +white with suppressed passion. + +"You knew," hissed the Countess, "that there was to be no Queen." + +"I and my sister knew. Yes. Let me pass; I don't know what's become of +her. I want to fetch her." + +"You might have told it to your old friend. You are looking radiantly +beautiful to-night." + +"I am very happy." + +"Happy with your betrothed?" + +"Yes." + +"Listen! Did you know that every one said _I_ had the best chance of +being Queen?" + +"You!" exclaimed the young Princess in astonishment. "Fancy young you my +stepmother!" and she burst out into a merry laugh. The next moment she +was falling headlong down the marble stairway, and then lay quite still, +bruised and bleeding. In the stillness that ensued--for the music had +stopped--Countess Spinx flew upstairs, where she was confronted by +Princess Christobel, who pushed roughly past her and hurried down to her +sister's side. Her screams for help brought people running from every +side. The injured girl, still unconscious, was quickly borne to her +apartments, and the Court physicians surrounded her. + +All sorts of rumours were set afloat in the Castle, but all that was +gathered for certain by the company, as they dispersed, was that +Princess Veronica slipped on the marble stair owing to her new +high-heeled shoes--that the sweet face was strapped and bandaged, for it +was all cut and bruised, that the nose was broken, and her beauty spoilt +for ever. Prince Olivin was half wild with grief, and poor King Jorum +was shedding tears all alone in his study when Christobel sought +admittance. Her face was set and stern, and the sight of his weakness +didn't unnerve her as she said bluntly-- + +"Father, Veronica did not slip on the stair--she was purposely and +viciously thrown down." + +"Eh, _what_?" exclaimed the King, staring at her. "Are you taking leave +of your senses? There's not a soul who would hurt my pretty darling. +You have enemies. She has none." + +"_She_ was happy. Others were not. Countess Spinx was in a fury of +disappointment at not being chosen Queen. She flung poor Veronica down +in spite and malice. I saw her do it." + +The King bounded up. "Summon the Countess!" he cried. + +Before her Christobel repeated her accusation, and Countess Spinx tried +to assert she only put out her arms to save the unfortunate Princess +from slipping. Further questioned, she got confused, contradicted +herself, and finally sunk on her knees and prayed for mercy. + +"To the cells!" shouted the King, and his eyes falling on his jewelled +boots, he hastily tore them off and threw them after her as she was +carried away. + +When, next day, poor little Princess Veronica recovered consciousness +and was free from pain she asked for her sister, who came quickly to her +side. + +"Have you heard," asked Veronica faintly, "that I--I--I am maimed for +life? With a broken nose and scarred face I shall not only be ugly but +repulsive." + +"Poor Veronica! You will then be on the same level with me in the +future. How you will miss all the petting, all the love!" + +"I suppose my life is spoilt. And when I had beauty, I thought of it and +prized it so little. But won't you love me, Christobel?" + +"Yes, I will now." + +"Why only now?" + +"Because I shall always feel sorry for you--I have never felt sorry for +any one but myself before--and I shall love you heaps and heaps." + +"Don't you think others may feel sorry for me, too?--Poor Prince Olivin! +Poor me!" she added with a little moan. + +Christobel shook her head sadly. "Beauty is everything! You will +understand that now." + +No limbs were broken, and in a couple of days Princess Veronica, with +her head and face veiled in white lace, was able to receive some visits +of sympathy in her misfortune. + +King Jorum was inconsolable, and whenever he came out of the invalid's +room he would vow terrible threats of vengeance on Countess Spinx, who +was trembling for her spiteful life in the cells. + +On the third night after the Christmas festivities had been brought to +their sudden and tragic close, Princess Christobel dreamed such a vivid +dream that it awakened her. She dreamed that Little Love, who avoided +her whenever he could, came smilingly up to her, kissed her hand, and +raising a letter he held, showed, with a look of triumph which puzzled +her, that it was addressed to her sister. She awoke, and instantly +remembered that Little Love had really kissed her hand that evening, to +her great surprise. She sat up in bed listening, for she fancied she +heard her sister call. Becoming anxious for her comfort, she rose, and +went gently in to her. It was quiet in the dimly lighted chamber. The +invalid lay softly sleeping, her face all bandaged, and her glorious +hair a mass of gold about the pillow. Under her hand was an open letter. +Tempted by the influence of her dream, Christobel drew nearer. It was +Prince Olivin's firm writing--there were only a few lines, and the +moonlight shone full upon them. She could not help reading:-- + + "Beloved! Think not to release me. It is your sweet nature I + love. You. Your beautiful mind. Nothing could ever change them! + OLIVIN." + +Was it joy for her sister? was it some gleam of an unknown sense of +peace, tenderness, and hope in her soul, that brought scalding tears to +Christobel's eyes as, half blinded by them, she groped her way back to +her room, where she fell on her knees and cried softly, and prayed that, +now through her tears her eyes had been opened, she might learn to +become different? "Beauty is _not_ everything, then!" she repeated +wonderingly to herself over and over again, finding each time fresh +comfort in the thought. "How wrong I have been! Out of her disfigurement +Veronica says my love for her has grown, and is worth much to her in +comfort. It has brought us close together, and made us both happy. How +grateful she is for every one's attention! And now the Prince still +pleads for her! So! it was not her beauty that attracted him--it was not +her beauty--not her beauty!" Thus she thought earnestly and long, and it +brought her a strange sense of faith in herself and others. "I shall +tell them all that I, too, know how truly she deserves her happiness!" + +And tell them she did, and they opened their eyes and bowed +respectfully, and thought more of Princess Christobel than they had ever +thought before. + +New Year's Eve came round with its accustomed regularity, and the +inmates of Cosmopolis Castle were looking unusually grave for the +occasion. Princess Veronica was to appear once more in their midst, and +with the bandages removed from her poor face. It was a silent, uneasy +company that had gathered together in the great ball-room, and King +Jorum, engaged in a game of "Snap" with Little Love in a corner, looked +ill and worn from anxiety for his favourite child. + +Suddenly the card-players rose, and a thrill of excitement went through +the assembly--Princess Veronica stood on the threshold in white muslin +and blue. Her face showed no trace of scars; but her nose! Her nose was +unrecognisable. It was no more aquiline, but tip-tilted--the sweetest +little turned-up feature imaginable, and her appearance had actually +_gained_: Princess Veronica had become the loveliest lady in the land! + +After being locked in her father's arms Veronica found herself suddenly +in those of her lover. King Jorum was frantic with delight. He called +for Doctor Quick and made him Lord High Druggist of his Majesty's +dominions, with all the appanages, endowments, privileges, and +perquisites appertaining to the office. He showered honours on every +physician on or near the premises. He talked of bonfires, and of +honours, and tiaras all round, until he was hoarse. Then Princess +Christobel appeared in white muslin and red ribbons, and there were +cheers for her animated appearance and her kind expression as she +gracefully returned their greeting. "Father," she said, drawing him on +one side, "Veronica is asking for Countess Spinx. May I--may I tell the +prisoner that now all is well she is forgiven?" King Jorum shook his +head vigorously, although he was too happy to do anything but smile all +the time. "She has been in the cells for ever so long," pleaded +Christobel, and her father was so taken aback at the revelation of her +fine eyes and sweet voice, which had never at any time struck him +before, that he nodded his head violently. + +That evening a stranger was bidden to the feast--no less a person than +the great traveller, brother to Prince Olivin, just returned from a +voyage of discovery--the bronzed and manly young Duke of Rosenleaf. "Who +is that charming young girl?" he asked, as soon as he set eyes on her. + +"Princess Christobel, your Highness," replied Little Love with a sly +smile. + +King Jorum couldn't get to sleep that night. He usually slept too much, +and was in the habit of unscrewing the top of his foot-warmer and +pouring therefrom the hot coffee which he imbibed at intervals in order +not to oversleep himself in the morning and thus set a bad example in +the land. But he had no need for it to-night. He could not get to sleep +at all. + +He thought, and thought, and thought what had wrought such a marvellous +and rapid change in the character and appearance of his elder daughter. +He smiled over it, too, and smiled until his cheeks ached with so much +smiling, as much as his poor head ached with so much thought. Still he +went on thinking right through the night, and just as he put up his +arms above his head to break into a mighty yawn, he suddenly cried-- + +"I have it! That's it! She has realised the old theme of Peace and +Goodwill, as is proper at this time of year, and has turned over a new +leaf! Bravo!" And he turned himself over, snored, and overslept himself. + +So the first day of the New Year opened in complete harmony at the Court +of King Jorum. And when the Duke of Rosenleaf asked Princess Christobel +if she would make the Happy New Year a happy one for him, she smiled and +blushingly allowed him to place the prettiest of diamond rings on her +finger. + +And the New Year was still in its youth when the two young Princesses +were married. And by the time that the Shah of Persia's +great-great-grand-kittens were gambolling about the palace, it had +become a frequent and pleasant subject for argument and debate +throughout the kingdom--"Who is the most charming and lovable woman in +the land, Christobel or Veronica?" + + + + +ONE APRIL DAY + +PART I + +A QUEER GODMOTHER + + +It was the First of April. The weather could not make up its mind +whether to be tearful or gay. So, after changing three times, and +deciding at last that it was not grown-up to cry, the sun dried up the +tear-drops and beamed down on everything and everybody. + +"Isn't it a shame, Wilfrid, to have to prepare lessons when it's such a +fine afternoon?" exclaimed Norah. She rose from the study table and +looked longingly out of the French window to where the crocuses on the +lawn seemed to be having the best of it. + +"Don't be lazy," replied her brother. "Just come and help me with this +sum when I tell you." + +"I'm not going to do as you tell me. If you were grown up--say +fifteen--it would be different; but you're only a year older than +me--not even nine yet--and yet you----" + +"Halloa!" interrupted Wilfrid with a low whistle, as he strolled +towards the window. "Look at that's legs." + +"Which's?" inquired Norah, gazing in the direction he pointed. + +"Them's." + +"What's?" she asked eagerly, looking around. + +"None! Well, you _are_ an April fool!" exclaimed Wilfrid with scornful +glee as he resumed his seat; "that's the second time to-day!" + +"And you're a very rude boy, and you're not allowed to call me horrid +names like that," said Norah with dignity; "and I won't be teased +always." + +With a very offended look, she set to work on her copy-book. + +"Lend me your paint-box when we've finished our lessons, will you, Norah +dear?" said Wilfrid, after a short pause. + +"I can't," she replied, without looking up. + +"Why?" + +"I don't know why, but I can't." + +"Cat in the manger! You've got nothing you want to paint, as I have." + +There was a longer pause, during which they both scribbled away, and +scratched, and spluttered, whilst their tongues moved silently from side +to side outside their parted lips, left to right, following the +direction of each new line. + +Then Norah heaved a sigh and remarked-- + +"Wilfrid, isn't Cinderella lovely?" + +"Yes, as girls go." + +"Oh, how I wish we lived in those times, when there were fairy +godmothers and things!" exclaimed Norah rapturously; then she added with +a sigh-- + +"Aunt Leonora is my godmother, but she never gives me anything, and the +godmothers in the fairy stories always give heaps of things." + +"You can't expect great fat podges like that to be like fairy +godmothers, you silly!" + +"But she ought to like giving things. How nice it is to give presents +and be thanked!" + +"Yes; it's nice to give presents--when they are cheap. Perhaps," +continued her brother in a wise voice,--"perhaps Aunt Leonora can't +afford it if she isn't rich!" + +"Cinderella's godmother never seemed to consider the price of anything. +I wish--oh, how I wish----" + +"Oh, how I wish you'd be quiet and help me with this sum. You remember +your tables better than I do, but you needn't be jolly cocky about it +all the same." + +Norah wasn't listening to him. Her mind was far away from lessons. She +was thinking, if she had her choice, what she would like to be, what she +would like to do, and eat, and, above all, what she would like to wear. +"If only I had a fairy godmother, I----" + +"Rubbish!" exclaimed Wilfrid, growing cross, and frowning as he watched +her moving restlessly about the room. + +"I--of course, I wouldn't refuse her anything. Fairy godmothers +generally appear at first disguised as old women, and ask for something, +such as a drink of water, or beg you to carry a load of wood or whatever +they happen to have in hand. So I should be ready to do anything and +give anything, and earn my big reward." + +"Oh, shurrup!" growled her brother. "Much better lend me your +paint-box." + +But she didn't hear him; taken up with her fancies she continued +excitedly-- + +"I know what I'll do. I'll try and tempt her to come. Perhaps I may even +have a fairy godmother without knowing it!" + +And she began to dance about, singing-- + + "Tra-la-la, fairy godmother, + Come to me now, I pray; + Visit a little girl who is longing for you + And will do anything you want. + Tra-la-la, fairy godmother, come." + +It wasn't very good poetry, but Norah hadn't time to polish it up. + +"Oh, I say! How can I do my lessons with all this going on?" exclaimed +Wilfrid. And flinging his things together he bounced out of the room and +banged the door behind him. + +Norah wasn't sorry he was gone, and danced once more all round the room +singing; then knelt down, and, stretching out her arms towards the +crocuses which were so stiff and upright in their indifference, she said +plaintively-- + +"Come, dear fairy godmother, I want you!" + +And lo! between Norah and the window there suddenly appeared a little +old woman in a long cloak, whose features were hidden by the large hood +she wore. + +"Oh!" exclaimed Norah, almost breathless in her astonishment and +delight. + +"I have come," said the stranger in cracked, quavering tones. + +"I'm so glad to see you," replied Norah politely, too excited to feel +shy. + +"I--your fairy godmother--am here to test you and see if you are really +worthy. See this slate which I have brought under my cloak. Every little +lady should be able to do arithmetic right. Can you do this sum?" + +"How funny, godmother dear!" said Norah, looking at it. "We are just +learning these. It's a difficult one, but I'll try." + +In a few moments she had done the sum and proved it correct. + +"Very good," said the fairy, with a grunt of satisfaction. + +"Will you take a drink of water?" now asked the hospitable Norah +eagerly. "Do." + +"No, thank you. But I may take something else. Tell me, what of all your +treasures do you like most?" + +"Oh, my paint-box!" + +"I knew it; I am glad you tell the truth." + +"How did you know it?" asked Norah in surprise. + +"I am your fairy godmother. I'll take that paint-box, please." + +Norah brought it and gave it to her with the greatest pleasure, and +pressingly inquired if she might carry anything anywhere. But that was +not required. Then she stood waiting expectantly. And her heart seemed +to turn a somersault of delight when her fairy godmother spoke the +following words:-- + +"I am satisfied. Now you may wish for whatever you like. But you must +make up your mind before I count three." + +Norah's eyes had followed her glance at the clock, which pointed to one +minute to three; but her mind, from the flutter of excitement she was +in, became a complete blank. + +"One!" said the fairy solemnly. + +This brought the little goddaughter to her senses, and she began to +mutter confusedly-- + +"Shall I wish for a gold carriage, like Cinderella's, or a pet lamb, +with a blue ribbon and a bell round its neck, or a frock embroidered in +diamonds, or----" + +"Two!" said the fairy. + +"No," murmured Norah hurriedly. "If I were a queen, I could order those +things and everything else. I wish"--the clock struck three--"I were +a----" + +"Three!" called out the fairy. + +"----a Queen!" screamed Norah, just the second after. + +"Too late!" said the fairy. "Farewell!" And she moved towards the door. + +Norah's eyes filled with tears. "Please come back!" she pleaded. + +"I can't." + +"Oh, why can't you?" + +"I don't know why, but I can't," replied the little old woman. + +This sounded strangely in Norah's ears, and what sounded stranger still +were the next words she heard uttered; these were simply-- + +"Thanks, awfully!" + +Then Norah exclaimed at once, "That's Wilfrid's voice!" She pushed aside +the hood. "Why, you're Wilfrid!" she cried, amazed. + +"And you're April Billy!" he shouted with glee, throwing off the long +cloak. "You said you'd do anything and give anything for a reward, and +now you've had to do so without one!" And, bursting out laughing, he ran +off with the sum and the paint-box. + +Norah sat down on a footstool and burst out crying. She was angry and +disappointed, and she sobbed bitterly as she thought how she had been +tricked into doing Wilfrid's horrid sum, how she had been made to give +away her treasured paint-box which he had envied for months, and, worst +of all a thousand times, how she had no fairy godmother after all! + + +PART II + +THE LITTLE FLOWER GIRL + +But Norah was a plucky little girl, and at times a wise little girl. +And, moreover, she had a sort of feeling that it all served her right +for being silly, and dissatisfied, and too selfish to lend her +paint-box. Wilfrid certainly was a tease, but he was really a dear good +brother, and always lent her his things, and did his best to champion +her and get her out of a scrape. + +Still, she felt she would like to pay him out, all the same--he'd had +such a lovely time being fairy godmother! + +So she decided, like the weather, that it was not grown-up to cry, and +she dried her eyes. Then all at once she smiled and laughed outright. +For an idea had come to her, which she proceeded to carry out. She +certainly began to do some rather queer things. + +First of all she took off her shoes and stockings. Then she untied the +pink ribbon which kept her hair tidy, so that her curls fell in a +towsled mass about her flushed cheeks. Next she took off her pink +overall pinafore, which she hid away; and gathering her white frock over +her head, displayed a short red-and-white striped petticoat. + +Running quickly about the room she took all the violets from the vases, +strewed some of them in the fold of her frock, which she held together +in one hand, and put together a large bunch of the flowers for her other +hand. + +Then she stepped through the open window, threw some sand upon her feet +and ankles, and thus prepared, stood on the path outside, looked in, and +waited. + +Very soon Wilfrid burst into the room, exclaiming-- + +"Come and look at the healthy colour I've painted on your big doll's +pale cheeks. Oh, Norah!" he added, looking round the empty room. + +And now he became conscious of a little flower-girl standing on the +garden path, and piteously offering him a bunch of violets. + +Norah had heard what he had said, and felt vexed that he had dared to +touch her big doll; still, she had not the affection for that stately +lady that she had for the small invalid doll with the broken leg, so she +only said-- + +"Buy a bunch of violets, sir?" + +He was a tender-hearted boy, and at once fetched down his money-box from +a shelf in the cupboard, unlocked it, and took out twopence which he +gave her; but then he felt awkward and refused the flowers. + +An organ in the street started playing. + +"I can dance to that if you can pay," said the little girl thoughtfully, +eyeing the money-box. + +"How much do you want?" he asked. + +"Three shillings," she replied boldly. + +"That's all I've got." + +"That'll do, then," she said; "I want it so badly." + +"Yes, but----" + +Not heeding his protests, she stole into the room and began to dance to +the organ, as she had seen the poor children do in the streets, her +little bare feet twirling up slowly and descending with measured steps +on to the soft carpet. + +"Oh, I say!" soon exclaimed Wilfrid with dissatisfaction; "my sister +Norah can dance better than that, for nothing!" + +Nevertheless, he felt bound to empty his money-box into the hand she now +held out. + +Solemnly she made him a little bob of a curtsey. Then she began to caper +about the room in a very different sort of spirit. And then, catching +hold of the astonished boy round the neck, she kissed him. + +"Hi! Shurrup!" cried Wilfrid, disengaging himself and looking sheepish. + +"Oh, you April goose!" sang Norah; "April goose--you're an April goose, +Master Wilfrid!" And she uncovered her head and shook back her curls. + +"Halloa!" exclaimed Wilfrid, ruefully at first, and then added more +cheerily-- + +"Ha! Do you think I didn't know you all the time?" + +"Did you really?" inquired his sister, her eyes wide open with surprise. + +"No, I didn't," he replied curtly. + +Then Norah's arm stole round her brother's neck, and she put the money +into his pocket, and told him gently that she had only wanted to have a +little bit of fun, and he was welcome to use her paint-box--only please +not on her dolls. + +Then Wilfrid told her that she was a jolly good sort; and that after +all it was a shame to tease her, as she couldn't fight him for it. And +Norah hugged him, and they both laughed about how well they had +"pretended" to one another. + +The sun was shining still, and when the children romped on the lawn the +stuck-up crocuses didn't have the best of it, after all. + + + + +THE STORM THE TEAPOT BREWED + + +In a bright nursery, hung with pictures, the table was laid for tea. +Upon an iron tray, which had seen much service--even military service, +as a drum used by the nursery band--stood the tea-set. This set included +a very large cup which belonged to Nurse, bearing the funny inscription, +"I am not greedy, but I like a lot." The other cups were also lettered +in gold. One hailed, it declared, "From Margate," and showed the pier as +a proof. Another, a small one made of porcelain, wished "Many Happy +Returns to Effie" every time she looked at it. A thick, fat cup +proclaimed itself "A Present to Daniel," and a mug bore the perpetual +reminder that it was "For a Good Boy"--but it was cracked, so it didn't +look quite happy, perhaps because the reminder was not always capable of +keeping the boy good. + +The Kettle completed the party, but sat comfortably on the warm hob next +the fire, drowsily singing snatches of song, in the knowledge of having +done his duty in giving the thirsty Teapot a drink of water. So all was +ready for tea except the children. Nurse had gone to collect them, when +the Chinese Teapot, who always liked to appear important, suddenly +exclaimed-- + +"What a noise that Kettle is making, to be sure! One could scarcely hear +one's self rattle if one wanted to." + +The Kettle, ignoring the protest, sang on-- + + "Just now we were quiet, + No noise and no riot, + You could hear a bread-plate drop--Flop!" + +"We used to have a very nice English teapot once," remarked the +Porcelain Cup. + +"I remember," replied her neighbour from Margate. "He came from +Worcestershire. He was a big pot, and thought himself no end of a +swell." + +"What! Kettle-time already!" exclaimed the Tongs, yawning and stretching +his legs. + +"A nice sort of life it is for one of my grade and standing," grumbled +the Teapot, "to be surrounded by such a set of ugly, foreign mugs and +things as you all are!" + +There was a general rattling of displeasure at the insult, but it was +drowned by the Kettle, who could see a joke, singing up merrily-- + + "If there's a fuss--if a Pot should allude + As a 'mug' to a China Cup, + There's always a clatter + Of jug, plate, and platter, + Till somebody washes them up." + +"It's disgraceful to go on like this!" complained the Milk-jug, looking +rather broken-down about the handle. + +"Ah!" said the Teapot with a sneer, "when one only dates from 1887, and +hasn't a handle to one's back, one should retire to the seclusion of the +cupboard, and remain there as a curio." + + "There was once a Jubilee Jug-gins, + Jug-jug-juggins," + +hummed the Kettle. + +"Poor old crock!" said the Sugar-basin sweetly, melting with pity +through all her composition. For she was his inseparable companion, and +knew that the Milk-jug was full of human kindness, and useful still. + +"Never mind the quarrelling, darlings," whispered the gentlemanly Spoons +to their lady friends, whom they had taken in to tea, "we will protect +you." + +"Upon my word!" exclaimed she from Margate, "I'm glad _I_ was not born +in China. Where I come from rudeness is unknown." + +The Kettle took up the idea and sang gaily-- + + "They're pottery, porcelain, colour, and gold, + They come from the china shop, + Where crockery's bought, and the customer's sold, + And the Bull galloped in so angry and bold, + And when the poor, terrified shopkeeper told + Him to go, he did nothing but stop." + +"You ought to have a will of iron if you're made of the right stuff," +she continued, addressing the Tray; "you ought to keep order, but you +say nothing and do less." + +"You see, he's only a waiter--slow and unpolished," added the Teapot +spitefully. + +"My view, if I may express it--" broke in the Cup from Margate. + +"When I want your view, either of Margate or of politeness," retorted +the Tray, interrupting the remark, "I'll ask for it. If I'd the chance +I'd drop the whole lot of you, and get friendly with a new set, that I +would!" + +Whereupon the irrepressible Kettle chirruped-- + + "Then he'd pay the expense of the mender's bill-- + The mender is Doctor, you see-- + Who makes out an order, + A matter of sawder + And rivets, cement, and a fee." + +"You're always brewing mischief!" said Nurse's Cup angrily to the +Teapot; "there'll be no peace for any of us where you are." + +"That's true!" screamed out the little Tea-leaves inside the pot; "he's +always getting us into hot water." + +"I'll draw the tannin out of the whole ounce of you! You're about as +sensible as mortals who haven't the wit to understand us. But when we +go cracked like Muggins over there, or stony broke like the Juggins +next to him, or get smashed up altogether with age or lack of care, they +take notice of us at last, and then there is a mighty fine fuss." + +At this the Kettle, getting somewhat out of breath from his exertions, +bubbled out in a high key-- + + "They're Wedgwood, Staffordshire, Japanese too, + They're a breakable lot, we know; + When any one cracks any, + Chelsea or Saxony, + Dresden, or Worcester, or Bow, + They make as much shindy + As if a big windy + Was shivered to bits by a blow." + +The Teapot went on: "Those people are amusing, too; they think we ought +to last for ever, when they can't do it themselves." + +"A couple of chatterpots!" exclaimed the Nurse's Cup. "Dear me! What +with your spouting, and his showing off once he begins to sing, you're +enough to wear one out!" + +"_Dear_ you, indeed!" returned the Teapot; "_cheap_ you! Why, you were +given away with a pound of tea! Shouldn't be surprised at all!" he +continued, watching Nurse's Cup become speechless with indignation. +"But, spouting aside, I could tell you a thing or two." + +"Or three--or four--or five--or--" The Kettle might have sung on into +billions had he not begun to choke over it, and splutter, and gurgle. +Then he grew vexed, and snorted, and got angrier and angrier, until +finally, in order to breathe more easily, he knocked his lid on one +side, and began to boil with rage. + +"Ha, ha!" laughed the Teapot mockingly. "The old fellow's getting his +steam up. Pray don't de-range yourself, sir, on our account. He, he! +He's getting water on his nob!" + +This didn't seem to comfort the Kettle much. + +"What do you think about it, Spoonies?" added the Teapot. But the Spoons +heeded him not. They were conversing quietly in couples, and didn't care +to be drawn into argument. So he turned his attention elsewhere, bent on +brewing discord. "People are so thoughtless," he complained, turning a +cold shoulder to the others. "Muggins, my boy, I'm beginning to get +quite chilly; just go and fetch my cosy coat." He knew this was an +impossibility, and he only said it in order to pick a quarrel. But, +noticing a distant Plate who was openly laughing at him, he cuttingly +remarked: "Seen the plumber, lately?" Now, the Plate happened to be +suffering severely from rivets, an infirmity which she vainly tried to +hide, and which she hated to be noticed. So, getting no reply, he +added, "I presume that your plumbago is better." + +The Kettle was now puffing and spitting to such a degree that it was +difficult to imagine he was the same jolly fellow who had been singing +so good-temperedly all the time. + +And the Teapot was content. He had gained his object, and the whole set +felt as though they had been wiped the wrong way, when suddenly noisy +voices were heard outside. + +The nursery door was opened, and in burst Fred, home from Margate +School, followed by gentle little Effie; and Nurse, vigorously +protesting at being pushed forward in jerks by Bob. Poor, long-suffering +Nurse, as usual, was not having at all a good time with the three +troublesome boys. Daniel had clambered on her back, and was trying to +pull off her cap. Bob--who was not nearly such "A Good Boy" as his mug +pretended--slily untied her apron-strings. The apron dropped, and Nurse +tripped over it, jerking Daniel on to the floor; and she would have +fallen too had she not just saved herself by clutching the table. + +"Cr-cr-crikey!" clattered the China on the tray in alarm. + +"Bless those boys!" cried Nurse, as she replaced her apron; but they +only laughed. Effie was helping to put her cap straight when the +Kettle, unable to contain his feelings any longer, marked his +indignation by hissing disapproval and then boiling over. Nurse rushed +to his aid, and altered his position so that he couldn't see all that +went on. He recovered himself at once. + +Bustling into their chairs, they all sat down to tea, and at the sudden +action the whole tea-set rattled to arms, some standing at attention. +The Spoons, stirred by the children's hands, began knocking the sides of +the Cups, dealing them blows right and left, and ringing out their +resounding protests. + +"Here's a 'stranger'!" exclaimed Effie, taking a tea-leaf out of her +cup. "Who will it be?" + +"A horrid foreigner, miss--a little black Indian," replied the Teapot, +turning up his spout with scorn, and giving a vicious squeeze to the +others he held prisoners. + +"I know who it is!" said Bob, tilting back his chair, then suddenly +steadying himself by grasping the table. This was a troublesome habit of +his, which drew Nurse's usual reminder. + +"What's his name?" asked the others eagerly. + +"_I_ know--it's a secret," replied Bob mysteriously. + +At this a loud argument began. + +"My lid! Who's making the noise now?" the Teapot cried. "Pray don't +upset your precious selves." + +"I think it must be Mr. Manners who is the stranger," exclaimed Nurse, +putting her hands to her ears to shut out the tumult. + +"No!" shouted Bob. "I'll tell you--his name's Mr. Tea-leaf!" And he +laughed triumphantly. + +As the other children raised their voices to declare it was very unfair, +Bob swung back on his chair again. + +"Oh!" screamed Nurse in a fright, making a grab at the table. But she +was too late! + +Bob had already made a grab at it when, with a _Swish! Bang!_ he tumbled +over backwards, dragging the cloth with him, and everything upon it. And +the crockery lay around, all broken to atoms! + +In the moment of hushed alarm that followed, the Tray rolled away, +exclaiming in triumph: "I've got rid of them at last! I said I would +when I got the chance!" And the Kettle, gazing at the wreckage, sang on +serenely and merrily-- + + "There's been such a fuss, such a storm has been brewed, + There's no cups for the tea, and no plates for the food; + The cleverest doctor may puzzle his wits, + But he never can gather and rivet the bits!" + + + + +MONICA THE MOON CHILD + +I + +THIS SIDE OF THE MOON + + +It was one of those late afternoons in winter when the countryside looks +very white, very still, and hushed to sleep under its coverlet of +snow--just the time when the bright fire at home is thought of with +delightful longing. The gentleman who drove the phaeton that was bowling +along the frosty road must have thought so too, for he cracked his whip +so smartly that it sounded loud in the silent landscape, startling the +cob to a more hurried remembrance of his snug stable. + +"Not very far now, Doctor," he remarked to the friend who sat next to +him. "Home soon, Toodleums," he added, turning towards a big bundle of +shawls at the back of the carriage. + +"I'm in no hurry, Papa," replied a childish voice; "I call this lovely!" + +"Quite warm, eh?" + +"Quite, thank you, Papa." + +The bundle, answering to the name of Toodleums, was Monica--her father's +constant companion. She was an only child. Her mother had always been +delicate, and Monica was not allowed to be much with her. She even +forgot that the invalid at home was ailing rather more than usual +to-day, and that their long drive was to fetch her old friend the Doctor +for his opinion, for she was listening with so much interest to an +explanation which her father was giving of the new airship he had +invented. He was still describing his successful trial trip, when Monica +noticed that the moon and stars seemed to have assembled all at once to +make a night of it. Never before had she driven out after dark, and soon +she became all absorbed, in a state of muffled-up rapture, at the +unusual sights and aspect of mystery about. + +"Hi! Toodleums, do you hear? What do you say to going up with me in my +airship next time I go? Will you come?" + +"Yes, yes," she answered eagerly; "I'll come, Papa." + +"You're not afraid of bumping up against the moon?" asked the doctor +playfully, leaning over to pat her cheek. And both gentlemen laughed. +Monica didn't answer. She didn't know if she was being made fun of or +not. + +At last they were in the hall at home, amidst the lights and bustling of +the servants. As no one seemed to notice her, Monica took herself up to +the nursery. She had dressed there near the fire, and the boxes and +things had not been tidied away. Monica stared around, thinking this +very unusual, and was just beginning to feel uncomfortably lonely when a +little wrinkled old woman with very bright eyes hurriedly trotted in. + +"Oh, Grandnurse," exclaimed Monica, "no one is looking after me. How's +Mamma?" + +"Much better, Dearie. But I'm wanted downstairs; can you spare me, +Poppets? Put yourself to bed, and I'll be back directly with your hot +milk." Without waiting for an answer she bustled into the adjoining +night nursery, where Monica heard her busily opening and shutting the +great cupboards. + +The cheery old body was called Grandnurse because she had been in the +family for ever so long--so long as to have become, as it were, a member +of it. Passing through the nursery again she stopped and said-- + +"What would my Poppets say to a little sister, I wonder! A tiny new +baby!" + +"Oh, Grandnurse!" And before the old woman could hurry out of the door +Monica sprang forward, her face all aglow with excitement, and holding +her tight by the arm cried all in a breath-- + +"Is it true? Where is it? When's it coming? Who's going to bring it?" + +"Patience; I can't wait now. Let me go, Dearie," said Grandnurse, +disengaging herself from the little girl. + +"But is it true?" + +"Quite true." + +"What will it come in?" + +"A bandbox, of course," answered Grandnurse, laughing gaily as she went +out of the room. + +"Can I fetch it? When can I fetch it?" persisted Monica, following her +downstairs. + +"When there's a blue moon. Now go back, there's a dear." + +"Yes, but who's going to bring it?" + +"Don't ask me--ask the man in the moon," said the little old woman over +her shoulder in a hushed voice as she disappeared down a dark passage of +the large house. + +Monica, standing there, laughed a little scornful laugh. "Ask the man +in the moon, indeed!" she muttered. "As though there were one! She often +says that, but I'm not so silly as to believe it." And full of thought +of the new little sister she re-entered the nursery. + +The heavy curtains had not been drawn, and the moon was looking at her +just as it had done during the drive. How lovely it was, that drive! She +went to the large window seat and curled herself up in her favourite +corner. Outside it looked so cold and white that she drew the curtain +close around her with a little shiver. + +"Can Grandnurse really think there is a man in the moon?" pondered +Monica as she gazed up at it; and confusedly she thought on: "I wonder +if there is, after all. Can he be going to bring the baby? I should so +like to know, and when, or who is going to--I wish he'd tell me--perhaps +if I were to ask--who spoke about bumping up against the moon? Ah!!" + +Monica had conceived a grand idea. Quietly she stole to the table, +snatched up the empty hatbox which ought to have been tidied away, and +then--and then she crept stealthily downstairs--everything was +quiet--stealthily out into the night she went. Now she was in the great +shed, where the airship was--quite an old friend. She had seen her +father start on his journey in it, and had heard it all explained. The +precious bandbox was placed in the car, and the next moment Monica was +beside it. She touched a button. The great structure moved. She held her +breath, and her heart thumped surprisingly. Then she clapped her hands +with delight--the airship slowly moved forward out of the shed, and when +she pulled a lever thing, close at hand, she was soaring like a bird +right out into the night, soaring right up towards the heavens. She was +going to ask the Man in the Moon to be kind enough to give her the new +baby she had come to fetch. + +[Illustration:_She was soaring like a bird right out into the night_] + +How cold and crisp the air was! Monica was glad to have on her coat and +cap of fur. Higher, higher she went until she lost consciousness of +everything except the cold and a sense of loneliness. + +And the airship rose upwards, upwards, carrying its pretty burden with +eyes fast closed, and the curly brown head lay helplessly low, supported +by the staring white empty bandbox. + + * * * * * + +Bump! There was a crunching noise as of carriage wheels on a gravel +path. The airship was aground on something, and Monica realised she must +get her wits about her. She quickly pushed back the lever thing and the +noise ceased, the movement also. + +In the brilliant light, like sunlight, Monica saw she had alighted on +some rocks, whilst round about was nothing but mountains, craters, +caverns, and awful stillness. There was not a creature about, nor a sign +of anything living. It was dreary to a degree. + +"Wherever am I?" exclaimed little Monica. She scrambled out of the car, +and slung the bandbox on her arm--somehow there was company in that. +Above her a moon was shining--not _the_ moon she was accustomed to see, +but one about four times larger, as though suffering from a swollen +face, with a pattern on it like the map of Europe. + +[Illustration: _Round about was nothing but mountains, craters, +caverns_] + +"That does look queer," she muttered aloud. "Bumped against the moon!" +she thought to herself unconsciously. For now she remembered her father +having told her what the earth must look like from there; and she +realised that she had reached her destination, and was actually walking +about in the moon, and that the larger moon was really the earth. This +fact was so exciting that she sat down to consider it, enjoy its +importance, and decide what to do. + +She determined to go on, and so she rose and went gaily forward, the +bandbox swinging from her arm. But it was very difficult walking, steep +and rocky. + +At last she found herself in a large plain of broken stones--"much in +want of a steam roller," thought Monica as she bravely hobbled +along--and all around were caves. + +Out of the largest one of these there emerged a tall and majestic +figure, which, to her astonishment, slowly glided sideways towards her, +wrapped in a cloudy drapery. Then Monica was convinced; and she no +longer had any doubt whatever but that there was a Man in the Moon, and +that this was he. So very slowly did he advance that she had plenty of +time to recover from her surprise, and went forward to meet him and +introduce herself. + +His steely blue eye had a peculiar cold beam in it as he said-- + +"I bid you unwelcome! Are you not frightened?" + +"No," replied the child. "Why should I be? I've done no harm." + +"Do you call coming here no harm?" All the time he never stopped still a +second, but kept gloomily mooning about, his profile with its protruding +nose and chin in sharp outline always turned towards her. + +"I've come to--to fetch--" stammered Monica, chilled by her reception. + +"You're a trespasser! You're evidently a poacher, too," he added, +glancing angrily at the bandbox. "Begone!" + +"But, please sir, do tell me----" + +With a warning gesture the Man slowly raised his arm till its cloud-like +drapery hid his face, and he disappeared. + +"Dear me! I don't like him a little bit!" murmured Monica, staring +vacantly about, and found that where he had stood there was a big board +on which in big letters was inscribed-- + + +-------------------------------------+ + | TRESPASSERS WILL BE MOONSTRUCK. + + | BY ORDER. + + +-------------------------------------+ + +At the sight of it Monica quickly took refuge in the smallest of the +caves. + +"Who are you?" said a voice; and as soon as her eyes had become +accustomed to the gloom she saw a queer creature resembling a great toad +swathed in a long white beard. + +"Whoever you are," said the quaint inhabitant, "I'm too blind to see +you. Just lead me to the further corner, there's a good trespasser." + +Monica did not quite like being talked to like that, but she held out +the bandbox and, supporting himself by it, her new acquaintance limped +to where he was led and sat down. + +"Thanks, and many of them. It's not so draughty here," he said. + +"Have you been long in this cave?" asked Monica. + +"A few thousand years or so--I can't tell to a minute," he mumbled. "But +who are you, my dear? By birth, of course, a Lunarian, but not by +accent." + +Monica mentioned who she was. Whereupon he became quite talkative, and +began telling her about the moon, but only what she had read in her +lesson books. + +"Have you a House of Parliament?" she asked, anxious to glean useful +information. She had recently been to hear her father speak in theirs +at home, and was very proud of that. + +"We've only a moonicipality, you know," said her strange companion, +rambling on until he became quite drowsy. Emboldened by his kind manner, +she told him why she had come, and begged for his advice. To her dismay +the only reply she got was a series of the loudest snores she had ever +heard. He was sound asleep. + +"Do tell me what I had better do," she implored, and she shook and +pinched him till he awoke. + +"Get on the right side of him, and don't bother me," croaked the old +creature, and snored louder than ever. Delighted at the hint, Monica +came out on to the plain, and saw the Man gliding slowly on, sideways, +as before. He frowned heavily on seeing her there, and seemed speechless +with indignation. + +"Get on the right side of him," repeated Monica to herself as she made a +dart forward to do so. This proved unsuccessful, for just then he turned +so blue that she stopped, wondering if he was getting a fit. +Grandnurse's words, "When there's a blue moon," suddenly occurred to +her, and she knew that now was her chance. She took courage in his +slowness, and without looking at him a second time she rushed, stooping +low, into a very small cave on the other side of him. + + +II + +THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON + +It was not a cave at all. It was an arbour, the beams of which were +moonbeams, so that Monica stepped straight through into it and sat down +upon a bench. + +"Evidently the moon is not made of green cheese, as Grandnurse always +thought," pondered Monica with the pride of the discoverer. "I must +remember to tell her that." And she was just tying a knot in her +handkerchief to remind herself when she was startled to hear a musical +voice say-- + +"Are you aware that you are on the wrong side of the moon?" It belonged +to a tiny figure no bigger than Monica's doll, dressed like a lady +gardener, with apron, straw hat, and big gloves. + +"The little blind man in the cave told me it is the right side for me," +replied Monica politely. + +"Oh!! He's never done so before. But if Toady told you that, then no one +can blame the Gardeness. Who are you?" + +"I am Monica." + +"It's a strange name. Some parents have queer fancies. You are the first +moon child who has ever come back. How you have grown, to be sure; I +shouldn't have known you!" When she heard Monica's errand and had +refreshed her memory as to where she lived, she remarked with surprise, +"We've had an order for one to be sent to your address to-day. We +always forward to customers' houses. But people _never_ come and fetch +them. It's a most unheard-of proceeding!" added the little lady with a +toss of her pretty head. "Where's your check?" + +[Illustration: _A tiny figure, no bigger than Monica's doll_] + +"Cheque? Have I got to buy it? I've just spent all my money on a new +doll," said Monica, her eyes filling with tears, "and now I might have +bought the new baby instead!" + +"We're on the check system here," said the little lady, smiling. "Come +with me and I'll show you round, then you'll see what nonsense you're +talking." + +Monica brightened up, and they proceeded down a trim gravel path that +had a moonstone wall on either side and a big door at the end. + +"Who are you, please?" asked Monica as they went along. + +"Where you come from, clever people call me Selene. Here, I am the +Gardeness.--Your pass check," she added in a business-like way. "To +Order or Bearer--which do you want?" The child hesitated. "You want to +order a baby, I suppose?" The Gardeness was becoming rather impatient. + +"Oh yes, I've come to fetch it." + +"But you can't have a cheque to Order and Bearer at the same time." + +"Can't I?" inquired Monica plaintively. "How can I take it, then?" + +"That will be my business," whispered her companion mysteriously; then +added loudly: "The little ones are being checked in the Counting House +now. Be quick, or the pick of the choice will be gone." + +"To Order," faltered Monica. + +Whereupon her companion pushed the great door, which swung open, and the +quaint pair quickly passed through. "They are always on order," remarked +the Gardeness as she led Monica up a high flight of steps, "but we +forward them in our own way. Excuse my question; it was a matter of +form." + +Now they were in the loveliest garden ever seen, and Monica gave a +little sob of delight as she noticed that all around about her in every +flower nestled the dearest, wee-est little baby imaginable, whilst +hundreds of tiny creatures were tending them, drying the dew-drops from +their big round eyes, and turning their little bald heads for more air, +all the while humming a refrain which Monica recognised as her Mother's +favourite one, called the "Bee's Wedding." + +At first she marvelled silently at the beauty of the scene. Then, as she +basked in the pervading warmth, she remembered having been surprised at +seeing the moon and sun out at the same time, and now realised the moon +was sunning its garden of babies. + +"I've brought my bandbox," she remarked, laughing gaily. + +"That's a good thing," replied her companion, "as it has to be a private +transaction. Stoop down," and she drew Monica closer to the rows upon +rows of the beautifullest roses, gently moved the petals of one of them, +and revealed embedded in the heart of the rose its own sweet little +baby. + +[Illustration: _Rows upon rows of the beautifullest roses_] + +Then the Gardeness told Monica with infinite pride about the flower +infants under her care. To her visitor's remark on their resemblance to +each other, she replied touchily, "I suppose you've seen many girls +called Rose, who were alike when born, but they differ enough later! +It's the same with the rest." + +The Gardeness pointed out to her the children with the names of Lily, +Daisy, Sweet William, and others, all borne up by their especial flower; +her own flower, the Gardenia; and the Marigold's Mary; and told her how +in some flowers the children imbibe their tastes from their +surroundings. Thus, as they strolled around, Monica heard that the +Dandelion turns out too foppish a child: that amongst the wild oats the +harum-scarum boys develop: that the Blue Cornflower babies remain true +to their liking for farinaceous food: and in Love-lies-bleeding, little +Cupids are born. + +Monica went through the vegetable garden and saw the turnips, where the +noses of the infants looked so funny. "They generally take a dislike to +vegetables later on," explained the Gardeness; "now those over there," +pointing to a bed of 18-carrots, "are as good as gold. But we must not +linger here. You shall have a peep at the orchard, and visit the +Counting House; then you must be quick and make your choice." + +In the orchard were only boy babies, some sweet-tempered, others sour. +The Gardeness wouldn't recommend a gooseberry one, for it was apt to +grow up silly. There were some rosy, apple-cheeked ones, but they looked +_all_ cheek. Little gipsy-faced babies peeped with black eyes from out +of the blackberry bushes; whilst in the fruit and nut trees close by +were many pairs of hard-headed little twins, all Philips and +Philippines. + +"There's no time," observed the Gardeness, "to visit the Indian garden, +or the Chinese, or the others; I should like to have shown you some +quaint little baby girls called Peach Blossom in the Japanese garden. +But after all, I suppose you prefer an English one? They are generally +chosen according to climate." And seeing Monica smile and nod, she +hurried her off to the Counting House. + +Monica had not been considering at all what she should choose, for she +had lost her heart to that first little Rose baby. + +Very soon they reached their destination--a long, low building. +"Listen!" said the Gardeness, drawing her to an open window. "They are +actually quarrelling over it again!" There was a fearful hubbub going on +inside, above which could be distinguished-- + +"If one times six is six--six times one must be one! So that fat infant +weighs more than one and six!" + +"Ah!" exclaimed her guide, "a stupid wrangle! No wonder that complaints +arise, and that the children don't always arrive at their destinations +in time. It causes no end of bother. Pass in!" The noise ceased, and in +the enormous room hundreds of babies freshly gathered from the garden +were being numbered and ticketed by a regular little army of miniature +hospital nurses, who received instructions from their superiors standing +behind the counter. As she entered, Monica heard that No. 47,859,056--a +dear little Indian baby--was to be forwarded to some strange-sounding +address in Calcutta, where it was expected in 27 days, 7 hours, 48 +minutes, and 11.5 seconds (very business-like, but it would have been +simpler to say that day next month, for it was a lunar month). + +As it was carried away, Monica and her guide followed and entered the +Packing and Forwarding Department, and saw it wrapped up in cabbage +leaves, packed in one of the numerous bandboxes which lined the walls, +and gently warned that if it cried much it would crack its voice. Then +the box was labelled "FRAGILE! WITH CARE!" and put down a trap-door in +the floor, where it disappeared from view. + +The babies were being brought in rapidly, packed with all despatch, and +each received advice, such as, to sleep as much as it could after the +journey; when bored, to suck its thumb; to try and get its own way +whenever possible; and when it disapproved, to express the same in the +usual manner. + +Immediately they got outside the Gardeness advised Monica, as her +parents were well-to-do, to choose a set of twins, which were not +welcome everywhere, and thus save them being planted on a poor family, +for they had to be got off somehow, so were always sent (as if by +mistake) where least expected. But Monica mentioned her choice, and +begged very hard for it. So the Gardeness took the bandbox from her, +bade her wait behind a tree, and with that little toss of the head went +to gather the Rose baby which had been sent for in so unheard-of a way. +Monica waited there so long that she became very anxious. + +At last the Gardeness returned, pale and out of breath, hurriedly warned +her not to let in any cold air on to the child, which was packed all +snug and comfortable in the bandbox, and, above all, to make all speed +or she would meet some one she wouldn't like, showed her a short cut to +the boundary, kissed her hand, and was gone. + +Monica, trembling all over with excitement, hastened away with her +precious burden, the difference in weight being scarcely perceptible. +She ran quickly towards the spot where she had left the airship, quickly +placed her treasure and herself inside, and had just touched the "drop +spring" when the Man in the Moon appeared, approaching slowly. His face +was turned fully towards her, and looked quite different from what it +had been before, calm and expressionless. But she did not trust it, and +was thankful when she pushed off and felt the airship was moving away. +Feeling safe at last, Monica smiled in triumph; with one hand she raised +her bandbox on high, with the other she waved a farewell. Then the Man, +as if in protest, lifted his arm so that his face once more was hidden +in gloom. + +And Monica felt herself dropping, dropping rapidly into the blackness of +the icy cold night. + + * * * * * + +She was thinking: "My book says that no one on earth has ever seen the +other side of the moon, so no one knows what on earth is on the other +side of it. That's why Grandnurse couldn't answer my questions +properly--and the Man wouldn't. Perhaps even he has never seen the +Garden of Babies, as he was far too tall to enter that small cave. How +lucky I found it all out for myself!"--when, with a great start she came +to earth and confusedly recognised the lighted windows of her home. How +she got the airship back into its shed and how she entered the nursery +window she never quite remembered. Throwing back the heavy curtain from +the window seat, without noticing Grandnurse, who was in the room, +Monica took off her coat and cap, hurriedly placed them in the +night-nursery, ran back, and peeped eagerly under the lid of the bandbox +on the table. It was empty!! "Goodness gracious me, Missie!" cried +Grandnurse. "Not put yourself to bed yet!" + +[Illustration: _The Man lifted his arm so that his face was once more +hidden in gloom_] + +"Oh, Grandnurse, what _have_ you done with the new baby?" asked Monica +piteously, great tears brimming over her eyes. + +"They must always be unpacked at once, you know, without a moment's +delay. Come and see, my Poppets, for I'm sure you won't rest without," +added the kind old woman, leading her away. + +And there, in a dressing-room, in a bassinette, already cosily asleep +but still sucking its thumb, Monica beheld with rapture the tiny Rose +baby she had chosen in that lovely garden high up in the moon--in +Cloudland far away. + + THE END + + + Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. + Edinburgh & London + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rainbow Book Tales of Fun & Fancy, by +Mabel Henriette Spielmann + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAINBOW BOOK TALES--FUN, FANCY *** + +***** This file should be named 37455.txt or 37455.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/4/5/37455/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Matthew Wheaton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |