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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/39358-h.zip b/39358-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3cc423c --- /dev/null +++ b/39358-h.zip diff --git a/39358-h/39358-h.htm b/39358-h/39358-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e67ab7b --- /dev/null +++ b/39358-h/39358-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1817 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Winter Nosegay, by AUTHOR. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + img {border: 0;} + .tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + ins {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr.chap { margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + hr.tb { margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + clear: both; + } + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + .copyright {text-align: center; font-size: 70%;} + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: justify;} + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + .small {font-size: 70%;} + .big {font-size: 110%;} + .adtitle2 {font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + .adtitle {font-size: 200%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + + .author {font-size: 120%; text-align: center;} + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .chaptertitle {text-align: center; font-size: 110%; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1.5em;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 90%;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .unindent {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + .right {text-align: right;} + .poem {margin-left: 30%; text-align: left;} + .poem2 {margin-left: 15%; text-align: left;} + .sig {margin-right: 10%; text-align: right;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align:baseline; + position: relative; + bottom: 0.33em; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + .hang1 {text-indent: -3em; margin-left: 3em;} + .cap:first-letter {float: left; clear: left; margin: -0.2em 0.1em 0; margin-top: 0%; + padding: 0; line-height: .75em; font-size: 300%; text-align: justify;} + .cap {text-align: justify;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Winter Nosegay, by Walter Crane + +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: A Winter Nosegay + Being Tales for Children at Christmastide + +Author: Walter Crane + +Release Date: April 3, 2012 [EBook #39358] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WINTER NOSEGAY *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the University of Florida Digital Collections.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 453px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="453" height="600" alt="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 448px;"> +<img src="images/illus_001.jpg" width="448" height="600" alt="man in clouds" /> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /><div class='bbox'> +<h1>A</h1> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/title.png" width="600" height="86" alt="Title" /> +</div> +<div class='center'><br /><br /><span class='big'><b>Being Tales for Children at Christmastide.</b></span><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 76px;"> +<img src="images/emblem.png" width="76" height="100" alt="Emblem" /> +</div> + +<div class='center'><br /><br /> +<span class='small'>LONDON:</span><br /> +W. SWAN SONNENSCHEIN & ALLEN,<br /> +PATERNOSTER SQUARE.<br /> +<span class='small'>1881.</span><br /> +</div></div> + + + + +<div class='copyright'> +LONDON:<br /> +PRINTED BY WOODFALL & KINDER,<br /> +MILFORD LANE, STRAND, W.C.<br /> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 118px;"> +<img src="images/illus_004a.png" width="118" height="142" alt="Owl" /> +</div> + + + + +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="contents"> +<tr><td align="left">THE MAN IN THE MOON, AND HOW HE GOT THERE</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">CAT AND DOG STORIES</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">A FORTUNE IN AN EMPTY WALLET</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 233px;"> +<img src="images/illus_004b.png" width="233" height="147" alt="mound of grass" /> +</div><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 443px;"> +<img src="images/illus_006.jpg" width="443" height="600" alt="Riding a rooster" /> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> +<h2>The Man in the Moon.</h2> + +<hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>THE MAN IN THE MOON.</h2> + + +<div class='cap'>ONCE upon a time, long before people were able to +learn what they wanted to know from printed +books, long before children had pretty pictures to tell +them tales, there lived an old student with his pupil. +Together they spent all the day in poring over musty +old books and papers, trying to find out why the sun +was hot; and in the night-time they might always be +seen gazing at the sky, counting how many stars there +were there. They were very curious folk, and wanted to +know the reasons for all sorts of out-of-the-way things +that everybody else was content to know the mere facts +of, such as why birds have two wings and not three, +why crocodiles have no fins, seeing that they can swim +in the water, and many other matters that would not +interest sensible beings. They always had at their side a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +young owl, and a serpent, toothless and blind with age; +for they thought that youthful observation and aged +craftiness were most suitable companions for them in their +labours. If at any time old Fusticus, for so the old +student was named, got dispirited in his work, or felt +inclined to give it up as a hopeless task, he had but to +turn round in his chair, and there behind him sat his +owl, who seemed to say, as he cocked his head on one +side, "Never despair, success only comes after long perseverance!" +Or if he stuck fast at any point, and +could make no progress, one glance at the old serpent +made him think, "Snakes wait whole days and nights +on watch for their prey; why should I give in?" And, +strange to say, with a little more attention and care, he +always did get over his smaller difficulties.</div> + +<p>But at last old Fusticus got weary of his long studies, +as he seemed never to find an answer to any one of the +questions he had set himself; and he was about to +give them up altogether, when he came across a curious +passage in the old tome in which he was reading. For +a long time he could not make it out at all, but after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +deep thought and consultation with his pupil, he discovered +that it was a spell, by which he could call up +the Spirit of Darkness, whom he could compel to grant +him any three wishes that he might demand. The only +condition was that he should give to the Spirit of +Darkness whatever he should ask of him.</p> + +<p>Old Fusticus thought and thought a long time over +this discovery, and at last decided to make use of it. +So one day he repeated the charm he had learnt from +the book, and when he had finished the last word, to +his amazement, for he did not quite believe it was all +true, there stood before him the Spirit of Darkness! +He was not at all like what he had imagined he would +have been; for he had not a hideous face, nor a tail, +but was dressed in the costume of a court gentleman, +with a sword at his side and a cocked hat in his hand. +He had, too, a pigtail, ruffles and all complete!</p> + +<p>"Sire," he said to Fusticus, "what is your will? +You have summoned me to you by a power not your +own—you know the condition on which you use that +power. What is your wish?"</p><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> + +<p>"My wish you shall soon learn, or rather my three +wishes. But what is it that you demand in return?"</p> + +<p>"All that I ask is now—nothing! All that I want +is your first-born babe!"</p> + +<p>"I have no child—I am an old man without a wife. +If I had a child, you should have him." Fusticus did +not think what he was saying, you see; but he felt +quite safe in offering a thing that did not exist.</p> + +<p>"'Tis a bargain!" cried the wicked Spirit at once and +with glee. "Here is a written compact! Sign!" and +Fusticus with a laugh put his name to the paper, for he +thought: "Ah, my fine fellow! you have over-reached +yourself this time! In trying to get too much, you +have got nothing at all!" and he laughed again.</p> + +<p>"Your wishes?" asked the Spirit of Darkness, putting +the signed document into his coat-tail pocket.</p> + +<p>"Well!" said Fusticus, "first of all I will have—— +dear me! what shall I have? Now I come to think of +it, I don't know that I want anything at all! Let me +see, I have clothes, a house, my owl and my old serpent, +I have a pupil, my books, my—oh! I know! I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +have not got a horse to ride upon! But to wish for +only a horse! Spirit, let me have a <i>Cock</i> large enough +for me to ride upon!"</p> + +<p>And forthwith there appeared a monstrous cock, so +large that Fusticus could easily sit upon its back. And +this he at once did. "Shan't I look grand now!" +thought Fusticus, "as I ride through the village. All +eyes will be upon me!" Just at that moment the cock +gave a loud crow, and began to strut onwards, and away +they went to the village. And as the last sound of the +cock's crow died away, the Spirit of Darkness vanished.</p> + +<p>The cock made his way straight to the village, and +through the chief street. Everybody turned to look at +Fusticus and his remarkable mode of travelling, but his +friends did not, as he had expected, seem very much +struck with its grandeur. "Poor old Fusticus has gone +quite mad," they said to each other; "that comes of +too much reading!" and they would not return the +polite bows that Fusticus showered upon them. And so +silly old Fusticus soon came to repent his first wish. +"Oh! that I had not been so foolish!" cried Fusticus,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +and as soon as he got out of the village, he dismounted +from his cock, and again called upon the Spirit of +Darkness.</p> + +<p>"And so you already want something more? You +mortals are never contented," said the latter. "Everybody +laughs at my steed," answered Fusticus; "I cannot +ride through the streets without looking absurd! Give +me a golden carriage, drawn by four real horses this +time, with as many servants as attend a duke;" and the +next moment up drove the most magnificent carriage he +had ever beheld, with four prancing white horses, and a +footman and two postilions. Behind it rode two lords, +to guard it. "Now I shall indeed be happy! Now my +friends can no longer laugh!" thought Fusticus, and +the very next day he took his first drive.</p> + +<p>When his friends saw that Fusticus had come into +such luck, and had such a grand carriage of his +own, they all thought "Dear me! some rich relation of +Fusticus must have died, and left him all this. I hope +he did not see me laugh when he passed me yesterday +on that curious cock of his!" But Fusticus was too<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +pleased to be unfriendly with anybody, when he saw +what marked attention his grand equipage brought him. +He sat smiling inside his carriage and had a kind word +for all, even for the poor old woman he saw the +rough villagers jeering at and abusing. He even called +to them to stop breaking the pitchers and pots that +she was trying to sell in the market-place, the only +grudge that they had against her being that she had +a rather more hooked nose than their own!</p> + +<p>Fusticus now lived for some time quite happy. Everybody +thought a great deal of him, because of his fine +carriage, in which he used to take daily drives. All the +young unmarried ladies of the village tormented him +that he was still a bachelor, saying that his carriage +must have been made for two, as there were two seats +in it. And this seemed such a forcible argument to +Fusticus, that he soon took one of the ladies as a wife. +In course of time a little baby was born to them. +Scarcely was the child a week old, when one morning, +just as Fusticus was nursing his little pet, in through +the window sprang the Spirit of Darkness! Drawing the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +written compact from his pocket, he said, "In accordance +with this, give me up your child, your first-born! +But you have one wish still left. What may it be?" +Fusticus was struck dumb; he could not recover himself +for a long time, for in his happiness he had quite forgotten +his promise, quite forgotten his third wish, and +all about the Spirit of Darkness!</p> + +<p>"I cannot yield my child, my young and innocent +darling!" he cried. "Anything else you may take—my +life, my carriage, anything, but leave me my child!"</p> + +<p>"The child! the child! and nothing else!" shrieked +the demon, and then, regaining himself, with a smile +added: "And your last wish?"</p> + +<p>"If I lose my boy," answered Fusticus, "my joy +on this earth is for ever gone. If you take my child, +then, oh Spirit of Darkness and Deceit! then, may I for +all eternity pass my life in the Moon!" "Granted too +is your third——" "But I have not finished yet," +broke in Fusticus, "and may my child for ever remain +with me there!"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 445px;"> +<img src="images/illus_015.jpg" width="445" height="600" alt="holding child" /> +</div> + +<p>And there you may see them both to this day, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +the child was changed into a spider. And every now +and then the good little spider lets himself down by his +thread to the earth and takes his father back all the +news of the day.</p> + +<p>But if you, Reader, had three wishes granted to +you, I hope you would choose them better and more +wisely than did old Fusticus!</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 100px;"> +<img src="images/illus_016.png" width="100" height="51" alt="flower" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 121px;"> +<img src="images/illus_018.png" width="121" height="107" alt="dog" /> +</div> +<h2>Cat and Dog Stories.</h2> + +<hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> + + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 198px;"> +<img src="images/illus_020.png" width="198" height="250" alt="dog" /> +<span class="caption">TIM.</span> +</div> + + + +<h2>CAT AND DOG STORIES.</h2> + + +<div class='cap'>IT was a rainy November afternoon, and floods of +water poured down from the skies, growing hourly +in strength. "Just as if the heaven were weeping to +find that its tears grew so plentiful," I thought. I +know that it is sometimes the case with me. When I +am naughty and am scolded, I begin to cry just a little; +but my tears flow quicker and quicker as I think how +shameful it is for a great girl like me to be weeping,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +and the more ashamed I become, the more I cry. But +I must not go on like this, or my story will turn out +a tearful one, and I shall really end by weeping myself.</div> + +<p>Well, it was a rainy day, raining so hard that I +could not go out on the lawn to play; and I was tired +of amusing myself with my soft ball indoors. I was +sitting with my head resting between my hands, trying +to think of some new game, when suddenly the door +swung open, and in walked a crooked old woman, +trudging towards me on her crooked staff.</p> + +<p>"Why are you so unhappy, my dear?" she asked me +in a kind, though croaking, voice.</p> + +<p>"I don't know how to pass the time, ma'am," I said, +rather frightened.</p> + +<p>"Little girls, aye, and big girls too, should always +have something to do; they should never idle away +their hours. I am your fairy godmother, Nelly; look +at my face."</p> + +<p>And I looked up at her. Sure enough, she did +look like my godmother, only a little more ugly and +a good deal more kind!</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p> + +<p>"As you have been a good girl this morning, and +finished your knitting and sewing, I am going to give +you something that will amuse you. I am going to +gift you with the knowledge of animal language. +Look at your cat and dog on the hearth! They are +telling each other stories. Would you like to listen to +what they are saying?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, <i>that</i> I should!" I exclaimed.</p> + +<p>She touched me on the lips with her crooked staff, +and suddenly I heard two little voices gossiping round +the fire. I glanced round at my fairy godmother, but +she had vanished. I had not time to think how wonderful +it all was—I was too much taken up +with what I heard. There sat my precious +Miss Perkie, with King Charlie at her side, +so interested that his little pink tongue +had pushed its way out through his teeth.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 120px;"> +<img src="images/illus_022.png" width="120" height="159" alt="dog with bow" /> +<span class="caption">KING CHARLIE.</span> +</div> + +<p>I drew my chair nearer to the hearth, +so that I might hear their conversation the better. But +Charlie turned round upon me rather angrily, and said:</p> + +<p>"If you want to listen, Nelly, don't make such a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +noise with your stool. It disturbs me, and it is really +provoking to lose the thread of an adventure in that +way. Pray begin the story again, Perkie."</p> + +<p>He always was rather a sharp-tempered dog, so I did +not answer him. Yet the rude way in which he +addressed me struck me as rather funny. I remember +thinking that, perhaps, if all the world spoke dog-language, +dogs would be the masters, and we human +beings the slaves.</p> + +<p>Perkie then continued:</p> + +<p>"As I was saying——"</p> + +<p>"No, she has put the first part out of my head, now! +If I am once stopped in a story all the first part +vanishes. I never was very quick at learning and all +that, you know. People think that petting and cuddling +are quite enough for a dog of my royal pedigree! They +never consider my mind. It is true I can beg, and play +at hide-and-seek with a biscuit: I can eat game, and +drink real turtle-soup. And they pay great respect to +my dignity and kingly grace; but as for my mental—however, +never mind that, Pussy; it's not to the point!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +Go on with your story from the beginning, and Nelly +and I will listen."</p> + +<p>"I was going to tell Charlie of an adventure that +I once had with some horrid, mongrel dogs," said +Pussy. "I hate dogs, and so does my whole race, +and mongrels more than any others. Now a noble +mastiff or a royal King Charles" (and here Miss Perkie +bowed graciously to her companion, though I fancied +I could see a faint little smile curl round her lower +jaw as she glanced up at me, as if to say to me +that she only put up with him for my sake), "neither +of <i>them</i> would worry a harmless cat, for they are real +gentlemen, who honour weakness and timidity" (another +little nod). "But to go on with my story—</p> + +<p>'I was out in the yard one day to see if I could +not pick up a stray mouseling or so, when I suddenly +came upon three brutal-looking dogs, asleep and snoring +near a basket.</p> + +<p>"I turned to flee, as quickly as I could; but the +middle dog must have heard the little cry of fright +that escaped me. He leaped up, gave a loud bark<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +that awoke his two friends, and all three set after +me.</p> + +<p>"A tall wall surrounded the yard, and foolishly I +had not made for the gate through which I had come +in. What was I to do? 'They will have me,' I +thought, 'they must have me sooner or later!' My +terror was too great for me to describe.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/illus_025.png" width="300" height="132" alt="three dogs" /> +<span class="caption">THE THREE MONGREL CURS.</span> +</div> + +<p>"Round and round the yard they chased me—round +and round again! I could not see the opening +of the gate for a long time, so quickly did I tear along.</p> + +<p>"Mongrel curs are clever, though I don't know why +they should be. They had sense enough—bad sense I +then thought it; but now I laugh at the adventure,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +as it is happily over, and as I paid the dogs back +in their own coin—well, they had sense enough to +separate and drive me into a corner. 'Now, surely, +it is all over with me!' I said to myself; but I +managed to keep them off for a long while by setting up +my back and spitting at them. They dared not draw +nigh, they dared not touch me, for they knew my claws +were all ready stretched out to scratch their eyes out.</p> + +<p>"How long we stood thus I +cannot say. My nerves were so +tight-strung that I was scarcely myself +at all."</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 122px;"> +<img src="images/illus_026.png" width="122" height="124" alt="dogs running" /> +<span class="caption">"THEY DARED NOT DRAW +NIGH."</span> +</div> + +<p>"Well, and what did you do?" +asked King Charlie, his big eyes +almost starting from his head, and +his tongue far protruded from his mouth. "Do go on! +You keep one so long in suspense! Did they kill you +or not?"</p> + +<p>I could not help laughing at his silly question; +but Charlie seemed mightily offended at my conduct, so +I smothered my merriment as best I could.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Shall I go on?" asked Pussy; to which we both +eagerly replied, "Yes, yes, <i>please</i>, Pussy."</p> + +<p>She continued: "I was in this awkward position, +hissing, spitting, back up, claws shot out, when an +idea struck me. The dogs were close together in a +body, and it was not much of a jump for me—I +sprang forward, right over their heads, and rushed +away towards the gate which stood +straight before me. I reached it in +safety, and looked around.</p> + +<p>"There were the three dogs, barking +loudly, close behind me! 'Now +for my idea!' thought I, 'now or +never! Victory or death!'</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 113px;"> +<img src="images/illus_027.png" width="113" height="128" alt="looking around door" /> +<span class="caption">"THE DOOR WAS ONLY +HALF OPEN."</span> +</div> + +<p>"The door was only half open, +and that favoured my plans. If that had not been the +case——"</p> + +<p>"Do keep to the story!" again interrupted the +eager King Charles; "you are always moralizing."</p> + +<p>"If that had not been the case, I should have +been lost," continued Pussy, quite calmly, and not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +regarding His Highness. "Well, I jumped violently +against the half-closed gate, and slammed it to with a +loud bang. It just caught the first dog's toe, and I +knew what had happened by +the yelping and howling of +the wretched cur. Ah! the +tables were turned now! +And, in triumph, I laid my +side close up against the +door, and purred as loudly +as I could, until my throat ached. The dog howled still +louder than before on the other side, his two brother +sinners barking all the time in disappointed fury.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 170px;"> +<img src="images/illus_028a.png" width="170" height="122" alt="dog's toe caught" /> +<span class="caption">"IT JUST CAUGHT THE FIRST DOG'S TOE."</span> +</div> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 162px;"> +<img src="images/illus_028b.png" width="162" height="98" alt="turkey and pig" /> +<span class="caption">"THE TURKEY AND THE PIG JOINED IN."</span> +</div> + +<p>"A funny concert it must have been! All the +animals flocked out from the farmyard close by, to see<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +what was the matter. The turkey joined in, screeching +at her loudest. The little pig grunted and squeaked, +and <i>I</i> lay against the door, purring louder than ever.</p> + +<p>"Then the donkey came up, and looked on. He was +a bit of a philosopher, and looked grave and unconcerned. +Or it may have been that the clover he had in +his mouth was too precious to gobble down or to drop. +In fact, his attention did seem to be divided; for one +ear appeared to be listening to the concert, the other +to the music of his own crunching. +Poor old Neddy! he thinks himself so +wise and such a philosopher in human +and animal things! And all the time +he is such a stupid! Even <i>I</i> stopped +purring for a moment to laugh at him.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 104px;"> +<img src="images/illus_029.png" width="104" height="163" alt="donkey" /> +<span class="caption">"HE WAS A BIT OF A PHILOSOPHER."</span> +</div> + +<p>"The kid in the neighbouring field +pranced for very joy at the music. He +had never had an accompaniment before; and he frisked +about here, there, and everywhere, inviting even the +frog beneath his feet to join him in the dance. Unequal +playmates, you will say; and so thought the frog; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +the kid was delighted nevertheless, though he soon forsook +his partner, and went careering on.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 174px;"> +<img src="images/illus_030a.png" width="174" height="157" alt="donkey and frog" /> +<span class="caption">UNEQUAL PLAYMATES.</span> +</div> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 105px;"> +<img src="images/illus_030b.png" width="105" height="161" alt="bunny" /> +<span class="caption">FORGET-ME-NOT</span> +</div> + +<p>"Out from her hutch the rabbit poked her head, +with a sprig of forget-me-not in her mouth. Her ears<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +were pricked up, and she listened. 'What can it all +mean?' she asked her little ones.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 163px;"> +<img src="images/illus_031a.png" width="163" height="75" alt="birds" /> +<span class="caption">THE SQUABBLE IN THE POND.</span> +</div> + +<p>"I looked towards the duck-pond. 'What lovely +music!' cried one duckling to his comrade.</p> + +<p>"'Hideous, you mean!' cried the other, and then +they fought and quarrelled till scarcely a feather was left +between them. This is the way with quick-tempered +little ducklings: they fight for a worm, and are good +friends again as soon as either of +them has eaten it up. Sulky little +boys and girls have a lesson to learn +from them in this, so that even a +duckling is a teacher at times, if we +can only read our lesson aright.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 109px;"> +<img src="images/illus_031b.png" width="109" height="82" alt="after a worm" /> +<span class="caption">"COME ALONG THEN."</span> +</div> + +<p>"The noise the dogs were making reached even the +end of the field, where a blackbird was busily engaged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +with an obstinate worm, who preferred his hole to the +open air. And the terrified bird forsook half his dinner, +in his anxiety to get away.</p> + +<p>"My adventure, you see," continued Pussy, "at any +rate created a noise in the neighbourhood! At length +the dogs' master came out with +a whip in his hand. He walked +up to them, and must have +laid about him pretty freely, for +their howling increased to something +indescribable. Then suddenly +they stopped, and I heard +the dog-whip flung fiercely at the crouching curs. And +then their master went away, as I could tell by his +retreating steps.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 146px;"> +<img src="images/illus_032.png" width="146" height="130" alt="three dogs" /> +<span class="caption">"FLUNG FIERCELY AT THE CURS."</span> +</div> + +<p>"I was full of curiosity to see how they looked in +their humbled frame of mind. So I with great difficulty +scrambled up the wall. I looked over, and nearly +<i>tumbled</i> over too, for I could hardly keep my balance, so +great was my inward rejoicing at their discomfiture.</p> + +<p>"'So you are paid out, you three cruel, mischief-makers!'<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +I cried, and leaped down again from the +wall.</p> + +<p>"They howled back their reply, which I did not +wait to hear—and that is the end of my story," said +Pussy.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Pussy dear!" I said. And King +Charlie danced frantically round the room to show his +delight at the way the adventure had ended.</p> + +<p>"I hate low under-bred curs, and I am always glad +to see them punished," he cried, again assuming his +kingly look. He was a despot in spirit, and really +thought himself King of the dogs. Poor, harmless, vain +little Charlie, I loved him all the same!</p> + +<p>"Now it is your turn to tell <i>me</i> a story," said +Miss Perkie to him. "I will tell you something more +of these three dogs afterwards."</p> + +<p>"Very well," began King Charles, "very well; a +tale you shall have, but a short one. My tail is not +long, and my tales are not long," and he looked towards +Pussy; then at me; but neither of us smiled: he was +only a dog of small intellect, so I forgave him.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Your story was of dogs," he went on; "mine shall +be of cats. You hate dogs—I hate cats; therefore we +like each other."</p> + +<p>Pussy did not quite follow the reasoning, as I could +see from her puzzled face; but since the end was +true, and the argument sounded well, she thought it +must be all right.</p> + +<p>"My story is of a cat of your tribe, Perkie," he +continued; "of a Maltese kitten. They are all great play-babies, +you know, and I suppose you owe your earnestness +of character to me. But that is not to the point! +The kitten I am speaking of was called <i>Pussy</i>. That +seems to be a common name in your family, Pussy; +and it is a most extraordinary thing that all the cats +and kittens I have ever known have had that name, and +it is yours too, Perkie, isn't it? However, it is a very +pretty name, so I won't say anything more about it. +It is not to the point either! To proceed: this +Pussy was a <i>very</i> great play-baby. A soft ball was +her joy, her comfort; a saucer of milk, her greatest +delight. How you cats can live on milk, I cannot<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +understand. It's very nice in its way, but it goes +such a <i>little</i> way, though <i>that</i> is not much to the +point again! Well, this cat's mother was a thief—all +cats are thieves—she used regularly, when she had a +chance, to go to the jar of milk that was kept for +me and for the family, and lap up as much as she +could reach with her tongue.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 127px;"> +<img src="images/illus_035.png" width="127" height="161" alt="drinking" /> +<span class="caption">"AND LAP UP AS MUCH AS SHE COULD."</span> +</div> + +<p>"Of course I hated her for this alone; but another +vile practice she had increased my dislike for her. She +would, every morning after the piano was dusted, jump +upon the music-stool, and thence bound on to the keyboard. +She would then walk about on it backwards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +and forwards, making the most abominable sounds—screeching +notes, buzzing notes, groaning notes; groaning +notes, buzzing notes, screeching notes, worse than +the railway train. I could not stay in the same room +with her, and used rather to go out and sit in the cold +attic.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 205px;"> +<img src="images/illus_036.png" width="205" height="161" alt="performer" /> +<span class="caption">AN UNSKILLED PERFORMER</span> +</div> + +<p>"I never actually fought her, for I always pitied her +weakness, and her claws were very long and sharp. Her +daughter was just as annoying in other ways, though I +must confess that her ball-games were rather pretty. +But still I do not agree with frivolity being turned into +a science, and her games were almost scientific in grace<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +and action. I will try to describe to you her morning +occupation.</p> + +<p>"First of all, of course, was the mewing scene—'Mieaou—mieaou—mieaou!' +'What is it my little +sweetie wants, then?' the lady of the house would ask; +'does it want its pretty little ball?' And then she +would throw the miserable soft ball to her.</p> + +<p>"I sat by and looked on, half scornful, half amused, +half—— I forget what the other half was!"</p> + +<p>"Half asleep?" suggested Pussy.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps half asleep, but I forget. The kitten would +then watch where the ball fell, waiting till it stopped +rolling. She would never touch it until it got to a +considerable distance from her. Then she would suddenly +dart upon a hassock or a footstool close by it, +and fiercely gaze down upon it. After a while, she +would stretch out one paw, and set it rolling, and, as +it rolled, crawl after it, crouching low down to the +ground.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 446px;"> +<img src="images/illus_038.jpg" width="446" height="600" alt="counting money" /> +</div> + +<p>"Suddenly a pounce, and a little squeak of delight: +'The ball is mine,' she thinks, and begins to play<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +with it. She tosses it to and fro, now biting it, +now patting it—preparatory, no doubt, to swallowing +it.</p> + +<p>"But do not be too sure, Miss Pussy! See, the +ball flies from her, as if possessed with life. It rolls +away, on and on. And Pussy, who had thought it +dead, seems struck with wonder. 'Can it be alive after +all?' she thinks; 'there must be a mouse inside it!' +then scamper, scamper, a spring and a leap, and she +has caught the ball again. Once more it escapes from +her claws—once more she bounds towards it, and now +it is surely hers. I confess it was rather interesting to +me to look on, and more than once I nearly joined in +the chase after the ball myself. Then Pussy would roll +about on the floor with it, but never did she find a +mouse inside it. Poor Pussy, every day she deceived +herself thus! Then I would laugh to myself. Cats are +such silly aimless things! They have no higher motives +than a soft ball!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Miss Perkie, "but isn't it time you +began your story?"</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p> + +<p>"That is my story, you simpleton!" answered King +Charlie.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I did not know that: it was not much like +one, you know."</p> + +<p>"Eh? I call it a capital story. But now it is +your turn again, unless Miss Nelly will tell us one?" +he said, and turned to me.</p> + +<p>"I don't know many stories of cats' and dogs' +adventures; but I will describe a walk I once took with +the dog I had before you, Charlie, if you like."</p> + +<p>And I began: "His name was Tim, and he was a +Pomeranian dog. Everybody liked him, and he liked +everybody and everything excepting cats. He never +harmed <i>our</i> cats, though—it was before your time, +Perkie—and never used even to worry them. But he +could not abide strange cats. His greatest enemy was +a big black tom, that lived quite near here. He is +dead now, killed by Tim, and I am going to tell you +how it all happened.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 234px;"> +<img src="images/illus_041.png" width="234" height="377" alt="black tom cat" /> +<span class="caption">"HIS GREATEST ENEMY WAS A BIG BLACK TOM-CAT."</span> +</div> + +<p>"One day we were out for our morning walk—just +as <i>we</i> go now, Charlie—when he spied this hated cat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +perched up on a high rock that overhung the lane. +He was peering down at us, and I suppose he thought +we should not see him. But 'Tim's eyes looked everywhere +when we were out together,' I used to say. At<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +any rate, he saw his enemy up there at once, and made +after him at full speed. The frightened cat did not seem +to know what to do, and in his flurry did the worst +thing he could have done. Behind him stretched a field of +barley, and the foolish animal rushed straight into it. I +called to Tim, but he did not hear, or pretended not to.</p> + +<p>"The next thing I saw was Tim +coming along, wagging his tail, the +tom-cat dead between his teeth.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 105px;"> +<img src="images/illus_042.png" width="105" height="192" alt="standing up" /> +<span class="caption">"HE STOOD UP ON HIS HIND-LEGS."</span> +</div> + +<p>"I scolded Tim, and beat him; +but he could not understand that he +had not done a very virtuous deed. +For my own part, I was not sorry +the cat had been killed; he was a +great nuisance in the neighbourhood, +and often used to steal our chickens. +So I could not find the heart to give Tim all the beating +he deserved; and when he stood up on his hind-legs, +half-sorrowfully, half-beseechingly, looking into my face, +I felt that he had only acted according to his nature, +and that what was wrong in us to do might not be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +a sin in him. Therefore I took the dear old dog back +again into my favour, and forgave him his disobedience +in not coming when I called him. The darling old +fellow bore me no spite, and soon he was gambolling +along again at my side, as though nothing had +happened."</p> + +<p>"Quite right, quite right!" interposed King Charlie +at this point; "but go on with the story."</p> + +<p>"We walked on until we came to a farm-yard," I +continued. "All of a sudden Tim rushed forward, +then back again to me, barking loudly, +as though mad.</p> + +<p>"'What is it, Tim? What is it? +Good dog! good fellow!' I cried to +him, but no good; he seemed distracted +about something.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 104px;"> +<img src="images/illus_043.png" width="104" height="105" alt="bird on lamb" /> +</div> + +<p>"Then I looked in the direction in which he was +barking, and there I saw on the steps of the barn a +large toy-lamb, which some children must have left +behind them. On its back a bird was perched. The +poor dickie had made a mistake; he thought, no doubt,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +it was a real lamb! And Tim, too, who had never +seen such an extraordinary sight before, was astonished +beyond measure, and resented what he thought was +meant for a personal insult to himself.</p> + +<p>"He scrambled under the wooden fence that surrounded +the farm-yard, and hurried towards the terrible +object.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 201px;"> +<img src="images/illus_044.png" width="201" height="152" alt="under the fence" /> +<span class="caption">"HE SCRAMBLED UNDER THE WOODEN FENCE."</span> +</div> + +<p>"'Come back—here, Tim—Tim!' I shouted after +him, but in vain: the bird had flown from the lamb's +back, and the lamb was already torn to tatters by the +furious dog.</p> + +<p>"Then he came back to me, barking 'See how I +have treated the impostor!'</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But I did not see with his eyes. I whipped him +again, and after having given the woman at the farm +enough money to buy another lamb, I took him home. +Two misbehaviours in one walk I thought quite enough.</p> + +<p>"Poor old Tim! he died soon afterwards, and then +you came, you know, Charlie. That's all my story. +I love to recall my memories of dear old Tim; but I +am afraid I've not interested you two much."</p> + +<p>"No, not much, as far as I am concerned," rudely +answered King Charles. I did not mean it, but I had +made him very jealous by the love I had shown for +Tim. I could not therefore take offence at his rude +answer, especially as His Majesty had always been +petted and spoilt so much.</p> + +<p>"It is Perkie's turn now to tell her other story," he +added.</p> + +<p>"I am ready," said Pussy, and began at once: +"As I said before, my story shall be about the same +three dogs, and how they tried to catch a mouse. I +heard it from the mouse's own lips—I'll tell you how, +later on—so it must be true!</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> + +<p>"The lazy dogs were, as usual, snoring in the +kitchen of the house to which they belonged. A little +mouse peeped her head out of a hole, and saw them +asleep. 'Surely,' she thought,—'surely I can get onto +the table without waking them.' So she tried.</p> + +<p>"She reached the table without a sound, and the +dogs still snored on peacefully. To mount the leg of +the table, and to climb up among the dishes and glass +were but the matter of a moment to her. Then she +set to work. As she tasted the nice, fresh cheese, she +quite forgot all about her enemies, the dogs. She +clattered the plates, and made such a noise, that they +soon started from their sleep.</p> + +<p>"'A mouse! a mouse on the table!' they cried, and +rushed towards it.</p> + +<p>"'I am, anyhow, safe up here,' thought mousie, and +nibbled on.</p> + +<p>"The dogs soon grew weary of waiting below, and +consulted together as to what they should do. At last +they hit upon a plan. They seized the table-cloth between +their teeth, and began to drag it from the table.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +Crash! crash! down came the dishes and plates and +vases, knives and forks and all, smothering the dogs in +broken bits of glass and water.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 175px;"> +<img src="images/illus_047.png" width="175" height="263" alt="down it came" /> +<span class="caption">"DOWN IT ALL CAME, SMOTHERING THE DOGS IN BROKEN BITS OF GLASS AND WATER."</span> +</div> + +<p>"Poor little mousie was nearly dragged down too, +only she just managed to scramble onto the table again, +whence she leaped down to the ground. The dogs saw +her, however, and gave chase. She climbed up the +wooden partition leading to the loft; but a friend of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +mine sat up there in wait for her. The sly puss had +expected that all would turn +out as it had happened, and +thought she would get a +nice meal without the trouble +of hunting it down. She +was mistaken, though—for +mousie saw her, and stopped +half-way up the wall, just out +of reach of the dogs. They +stood below, barking at her, but could do nothing more.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 113px;"> +<img src="images/illus_048a.png" width="113" height="135" alt="out of reach" /> +<span class="caption">"JUST OUT OF REACH OF THE DOGS."</span> +</div> + +<p>"After a while mousie felt her +strength giving way, so she ran a +little sideways along the wall, +jumped down, and scampered +through the open door along the +passage. Her three torturers hurried +after her, and away they all +went helter-skelter.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 129px;"> +<img src="images/illus_048b.png" width="129" height="183" alt="chasing the mouse" /> +<span class="caption">"ALONG THE PASSAGE."</span> +</div> + +<p>"Now, midway across the passage +stood the hall-bench. The mouse sprang over it at one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +bound; but the three clumsy dogs were not so clever. +The first one jumped too short, and he just caught the +further side of the bench; he pulled it backwards, and +together both came down with a crash. He limped back +to the hearth-side with a lame leg, having had enough +of mouse-catching. His two companions saw his fall, and +followed him. All bullies are cowards!" sagely added +Pussy, parenthetically.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 153px;"> +<img src="images/illus_049a.png" width="153" height="172" alt="over the hall bench" /> +<span class="caption">THE HALL-BENCH.</span> +</div> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 192px;"> +<img src="images/illus_049b.png" width="192" height="189" alt="down with a crash" /> +<span class="caption">"DOG AND BENCH CAME DOWN WITH A CRASH."</span> +</div> + +<p>"And what became of the mouse?" asked the impatient +Charlie.</p> + +<p>"Why, I was there for her all ready at the end of +the passage, and the dogs had done my work for me.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +But I did not eat her up. I promised her her life if +she would tell me all about how she escaped from them, +and what they had suffered—and +that's how I know it all."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Pussy dear, for +your——"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 125px;"> +<img src="images/illus_050a.png" width="125" height="104" alt="caught" /> +</div> + +<p>"What are you thinking about, +child, calling me Pussy?" exclaimed my godmother, +shaking me from a deep sleep. "I have come to bid +you good-bye, as I am going now. Little girls should be +more respectful to their elders."</p> + +<p>"But, really, I suppose I must have been dreaming +that——"</p> + +<p>"Little girls should not dream foolish things. You +should know better, my dear. Now, good-bye, Nelly!"</p> + +<p>And so it was all a dream! Yes, there lay Pussy and +Charlie fast asleep, too. Dear me! I wish it had been +real, though!</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 215px;"> +<img src="images/illus_050b.png" width="215" height="98" alt="dog fetching" /> +</div><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> + + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 445px;"> +<img src="images/illus_051.jpg" width="445" height="600" alt="rich man and poor man" /> +</div> + + + +<hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>A FORTUNE IN AN EMPTY WALLET.</h2> + + +<div class='cap'>IN the north of England, several hundred years ago, +there lived a young knight. He was very poor, as +his father had spent all his money, and the only things +of value that he left his son were a white horse of +wonderful beauty and a very curious old sword. Edgar—that +was the knight's name—was obliged to leave his +home, for he had no money to spend in keeping up a +large house; and, besides, his father had been deeply in +debt, and the tradesmen were clamouring for their bills +to be paid, and threatening to put him in prison if he +did not pay them. So, having filled two bundles with +clothes and food, he mounted his horse and rode off to +seek his fortune abroad.</div> + +<p>He had been journeying along for several days, not +knowing where to go or what to do, when one evening<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +he found himself riding through a dark and gloomy +forest. He was thinking to himself how dismal his +future looked, and was wondering how he should be +able to make a living, when all of a sudden his horse +started, reared up on his hind-legs, and then stood +quite still, trembling with fright.</p> + +<p>Edgar looked around him, and saw, standing under +the shadow of an old yew-tree, the figure of an aged +man. His form was bent with years, and he leaned for +support on a thick knotted stick. His clothes were +patched and torn, his toes peeped out from his worn-out +boots, while in one hand he carried an old wallet, which +had been carefully mended, and which evidently contained +something that he greatly valued.</p> + +<p>As soon as Edgar's horse stopped short, the old man +came near, and asked for alms.</p> + +<p>"You have come to the wrong person," replied +Edgar; "for though I would gladly help you if I +could, I expect that I am quite as poor as you +are, except that I still have my sword and my good +steed."</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> + +<p>The old man looked earnestly at the sword, and +his eyes sparkled as he asked eagerly—</p> + +<p>"Where did you get that sword from?"</p> + +<p>"My father gave it to me," replied Edgar; "and +he brought it home with him when he returned from +the wars beyond the seas."</p> + +<p>"Noble knight!" returned the old man, "in my +wallet I have a jewel that is beyond price. That sword +of yours takes my fancy, and if you like to exchange +it for my wallet and what it contains, I assure you that +you will not repent it."</p> + +<p>"Let me first see the jewel," said Edgar; for +although he was very anxious to get it, he wanted first +of all to make quite sure that it was really there.</p> + +<p>"Before I let you have my wallet I must have your +sword," said the old man; "but if you do not like +your bargain, I will give it you back again. You see I +cannot possibly run away with it, for you are on horse-back, +while I am on foot."</p> + +<p>At first Edgar refused to do this, but at last he +agreed; for he thought to himself that he could easily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +get the sword back, as of course the old man could not +run as fast as his horse. He therefore handed down +his sword and received the old wallet in exchange.</p> + +<p>He opened it eagerly, but to his rage and dismay +found that it was empty. In his anger he turned round +so suddenly, that by accident he touched his horse with +his spur. The horse at once began to gallop off, and it +had carried him some distance before he could stop it.</p> + +<p>When he returned to the spot where he had given +up his sword, he at first saw nothing of the beggar, but +happening to look up, to his great surprise he saw him +sitting in the top of a tall tree, having climbed there +so as to be out of his reach.</p> + +<p>"Honoured knight!" cried the beggar, "forgive me +for playing you such a trick, and rest assured that you +shall not in the end suffer for it. This sword which I +hold in my hand belonged to my great-grandfather, who +was killed in the first crusade, and it has chanced to +become your property in some way or other. I knew it +at once by the curious hilt, of which the cross-piece is, +as you know, turned up at one end and down at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +other. Give me your knightly word that you will not +harm me, and I will come down and explain to you how +it is that I value the sword so highly. Of one thing you +may be certain—I shall not deceive you again. And +what I tell you will be of great service to you."</p> + +<p>Edgar promised the beggar that he should be safe, +and the latter began to scramble down from his uncomfortable +perch. But, wonderful to relate, he was quite +changed, and was now a handsome youth, though still +dressed in the same tattered old clothes.</p> + +<p>"My name," said the beggar, "is Bertram; and to +you I owe a debt of gratitude that I can never repay, +for by means of this sword I can win back the castle +and lands of my ancestors, from which I have been +lately driven to wander about in the guise of an old +beggar. Henceforth we will be as brothers, and the +half of my lands shall be yours; for had it not been for +you, they would never again have become mine. But +let me tell you my story.</p> + +<p>"Three years ago my father died, and I became heir +to all his estates; but my step-mother was a wicked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +woman, and hated me with all her might. Twelve +months since she married again, and both she and her +husband set to work to drive me from my home. Many +of their attempts failed; but at last they secured the +help of an old wizard, who turned me into a beggar. +Of course nobody recognized me in this disguise, and +my own servants only laughed and jeered when I told +them who I was, and my step-father drove me from the +castle with blows that I was too feeble to resist.</p> + +<p>"I begged him to have mercy, but he only laughed; +and the wizard, who was standing by him, said, 'A +beggar you must remain until you find your great-grandfather's +sword:' then they slammed the door in my +face.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/panorama.jpg" width="600" height="353" alt="celebration" /> +</div> + + +<p>"My father thought that he was perfectly safe to +keep the castle for ever, as he believed the sword had +been lost in a foreign land, and that I never could +possibly find it again. But chance has brought it to +me when I least expected it, and at a time when I am +within a mile of my castle. Come, my friend, let us +go and take possession, for I know that the wizard +spoke the truth when he said that I should enjoy +my own again when I got this sword, because +already half of what he said has come true, since I +am once more my own self, instead of being an old +beggar."</p> + +<p>Edgar took Bertram up behind him on his horse, and +together they rode off to the castle, which was not far +distant. Leaving the horse tied to a tree, they drew +near to the gate, when they heard shouts and songs and +music, from which they knew that a great feast was +being held.</p> + +<p>"This way," said Bertram; and they ran down a +narrow passage, then up a steep flight of stairs which +led to a platform, from which they could look into the +courtyard. A wonderful scene met their eyes. The +courtyard was full of people, who were eating, drinking, +singing, and enjoying themselves to their hearts' content. +Two funny men were so happy that they were kissing +each other; and in the middle several servants, with +their long sharp knives, were cutting up an ox that had +been roasted whole, while a number more were bringing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a><br /><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +in fresh dishes of delicacies, such as peacocks, truffles, +and boars' heads.</p> + +<p>Bertram quickly looked around, and whispering to +Edgar—"He is not here," motioned him to follow, and +ran down the stairs again.</p> + +<p>They passed through many passages and rooms, +meeting no one, for everybody seemed to be helping at +the feast. At length they reached a stone terrace that +ran along outside the wall of the castle. They walked +along this, until Bertram suddenly stopped opposite a +large window, and signed to Edgar to look through.</p> + +<p>He did so, and saw a man seated at a table with a +lot of money before him, which he was paying away as +fast as he could to several wicked-looking Jews with fur +caps, who were putting it into bags, and carrying it +away.</p> + +<p>"The wretch!" said Bertram; "see how he is +wasting my money. Let us dash in upon him through +the window, so that he may see his day is over." So +saying, he jumped right through the window on to the +floor, closely followed by Edgar.</p><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> + +<p>At the sound of the breaking of glass the Jews +looked up, and seeing two strange figures coming +through the window, they ran off as fast as they could, +leaving their money behind, and shouting out that they +had seen a spirit. His step-father fainted with terror, +but the old steward at once knew his master again, and +kneeling down, kissed his hand, blessing the day that +had brought him back once more. Soon all the servants +came running in, having heard the shouts of the Jews +as they rushed away. Their delight at again seeing their +young master, whom they had mourned as dead, was +beyond bounds, and they brought him beautiful clothes, +and took away his ragged garments, while his wicked +step-father was hurried off to prison.</p> + +<p>They then conducted him to the courtyard, and seated +him in the chair of state, after which they served the +banquet that had been prepared for his step-father. But +amidst all his happiness Bertram did not forget his +friend Edgar, who had been the means of restoring his +inheritance to him. Taking him by the hand, he led +him to the seat of honour, saying aloud as he did so,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span>—</p> + +<p>"Henceforth we are brothers, and everything shall +belong to both of us equally. But for you, I should +still be wandering about in the forest; so the least I +can do is to share my good-fortune with you."</p> + +<p>Bertram and Edgar lived together for many years, +beloved by all; and Edgar never repented the day when +he exchanged his sword for an empty wallet.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 93px;"> +<img src="images/illus_064.png" width="93" height="41" alt="decoration" /> +</div> + +<div class='center'><br /><br />————————————<br /> +<span class='small'><span class="smcap">Woodfall & Kinder</span>, Printers, Milford Lane, Strand, W.C.</span></div><hr class="chap" /><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> + + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 437px;"> +<img src="images/illus_065.jpg" width="437" height="600" alt="man writing" /> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Winter Nosegay, by Walter Crane + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WINTER NOSEGAY *** + +***** This file should be named 39358-h.htm or 39358-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/3/5/39358/ + +Produced by Emmy, Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the University of Florida Digital Collections.) + + +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. 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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: A Winter Nosegay + Being Tales for Children at Christmastide + +Author: Walter Crane + +Release Date: April 3, 2012 [EBook #39358] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WINTER NOSEGAY *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the University of Florida Digital Collections.) + + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + + +A WINTER NOSEGAY. + +Being Tales for Children at Christmastide. + +[Illustration] + + LONDON: + W. SWAN SONNENSCHEIN & ALLEN, + PATERNOSTER SQUARE. + 1881. + + + + + LONDON: + PRINTED BY WOODFALL & KINDER, + MILFORD LANE, STRAND, W.C. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + THE MAN IN THE MOON, AND HOW HE GOT THERE 1 + + CAT AND DOG STORIES 13 + + A FORTUNE IN AN EMPTY WALLET 45 + + + + +The Man in the Moon. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE MAN IN THE MOON. + + +ONCE upon a time, long before people were able to learn what they wanted +to know from printed books, long before children had pretty pictures to +tell them tales, there lived an old student with his pupil. Together +they spent all the day in poring over musty old books and papers, trying +to find out why the sun was hot; and in the night-time they might always +be seen gazing at the sky, counting how many stars there were there. +They were very curious folk, and wanted to know the reasons for all +sorts of out-of-the-way things that everybody else was content to know +the mere facts of, such as why birds have two wings and not three, why +crocodiles have no fins, seeing that they can swim in the water, and +many other matters that would not interest sensible beings. They always +had at their side a young owl, and a serpent, toothless and blind with +age; for they thought that youthful observation and aged craftiness were +most suitable companions for them in their labours. If at any time old +Fusticus, for so the old student was named, got dispirited in his work, +or felt inclined to give it up as a hopeless task, he had but to turn +round in his chair, and there behind him sat his owl, who seemed to say, +as he cocked his head on one side, "Never despair, success only comes +after long perseverance!" Or if he stuck fast at any point, and could +make no progress, one glance at the old serpent made him think, "Snakes +wait whole days and nights on watch for their prey; why should I give +in?" And, strange to say, with a little more attention and care, he +always did get over his smaller difficulties. + +But at last old Fusticus got weary of his long studies, as he seemed +never to find an answer to any one of the questions he had set himself; +and he was about to give them up altogether, when he came across a +curious passage in the old tome in which he was reading. For a long time +he could not make it out at all, but after deep thought and +consultation with his pupil, he discovered that it was a spell, by which +he could call up the Spirit of Darkness, whom he could compel to grant +him any three wishes that he might demand. The only condition was that +he should give to the Spirit of Darkness whatever he should ask of him. + +Old Fusticus thought and thought a long time over this discovery, and at +last decided to make use of it. So one day he repeated the charm he had +learnt from the book, and when he had finished the last word, to his +amazement, for he did not quite believe it was all true, there stood +before him the Spirit of Darkness! He was not at all like what he had +imagined he would have been; for he had not a hideous face, nor a tail, +but was dressed in the costume of a court gentleman, with a sword at his +side and a cocked hat in his hand. He had, too, a pigtail, ruffles and +all complete! + +"Sire," he said to Fusticus, "what is your will? You have summoned me to +you by a power not your own--you know the condition on which you use +that power. What is your wish?" + +"My wish you shall soon learn, or rather my three wishes. But what is it +that you demand in return?" + +"All that I ask is now--nothing! All that I want is your first-born +babe!" + +"I have no child--I am an old man without a wife. If I had a child, you +should have him." Fusticus did not think what he was saying, you see; +but he felt quite safe in offering a thing that did not exist. + +"'Tis a bargain!" cried the wicked Spirit at once and with glee. "Here +is a written compact! Sign!" and Fusticus with a laugh put his name to +the paper, for he thought: "Ah, my fine fellow! you have over-reached +yourself this time! In trying to get too much, you have got nothing at +all!" and he laughed again. + +"Your wishes?" asked the Spirit of Darkness, putting the signed document +into his coat-tail pocket. + +"Well!" said Fusticus, "first of all I will have---- dear me! what shall +I have? Now I come to think of it, I don't know that I want anything at +all! Let me see, I have clothes, a house, my owl and my old serpent, I +have a pupil, my books, my--oh! I know! I have not got a horse to ride +upon! But to wish for only a horse! Spirit, let me have a _Cock_ large +enough for me to ride upon!" + +And forthwith there appeared a monstrous cock, so large that Fusticus +could easily sit upon its back. And this he at once did. "Shan't I look +grand now!" thought Fusticus, "as I ride through the village. All eyes +will be upon me!" Just at that moment the cock gave a loud crow, and +began to strut onwards, and away they went to the village. And as the +last sound of the cock's crow died away, the Spirit of Darkness +vanished. + +The cock made his way straight to the village, and through the chief +street. Everybody turned to look at Fusticus and his remarkable mode of +travelling, but his friends did not, as he had expected, seem very much +struck with its grandeur. "Poor old Fusticus has gone quite mad," they +said to each other; "that comes of too much reading!" and they would not +return the polite bows that Fusticus showered upon them. And so silly +old Fusticus soon came to repent his first wish. "Oh! that I had not +been so foolish!" cried Fusticus, and as soon as he got out of the +village, he dismounted from his cock, and again called upon the Spirit +of Darkness. + +"And so you already want something more? You mortals are never +contented," said the latter. "Everybody laughs at my steed," answered +Fusticus; "I cannot ride through the streets without looking absurd! +Give me a golden carriage, drawn by four real horses this time, with as +many servants as attend a duke;" and the next moment up drove the most +magnificent carriage he had ever beheld, with four prancing white +horses, and a footman and two postilions. Behind it rode two lords, to +guard it. "Now I shall indeed be happy! Now my friends can no longer +laugh!" thought Fusticus, and the very next day he took his first drive. + +When his friends saw that Fusticus had come into such luck, and had such +a grand carriage of his own, they all thought "Dear me! some rich +relation of Fusticus must have died, and left him all this. I hope he +did not see me laugh when he passed me yesterday on that curious cock of +his!" But Fusticus was too pleased to be unfriendly with anybody, when +he saw what marked attention his grand equipage brought him. He sat +smiling inside his carriage and had a kind word for all, even for the +poor old woman he saw the rough villagers jeering at and abusing. He +even called to them to stop breaking the pitchers and pots that she was +trying to sell in the market-place, the only grudge that they had +against her being that she had a rather more hooked nose than their own! + +Fusticus now lived for some time quite happy. Everybody thought a great +deal of him, because of his fine carriage, in which he used to take +daily drives. All the young unmarried ladies of the village tormented +him that he was still a bachelor, saying that his carriage must have +been made for two, as there were two seats in it. And this seemed such a +forcible argument to Fusticus, that he soon took one of the ladies as a +wife. In course of time a little baby was born to them. Scarcely was the +child a week old, when one morning, just as Fusticus was nursing his +little pet, in through the window sprang the Spirit of Darkness! Drawing +the written compact from his pocket, he said, "In accordance with this, +give me up your child, your first-born! But you have one wish still +left. What may it be?" Fusticus was struck dumb; he could not recover +himself for a long time, for in his happiness he had quite forgotten his +promise, quite forgotten his third wish, and all about the Spirit of +Darkness! + +"I cannot yield my child, my young and innocent darling!" he cried. +"Anything else you may take--my life, my carriage, anything, but leave +me my child!" + +"The child! the child! and nothing else!" shrieked the demon, and then, +regaining himself, with a smile added: "And your last wish?" + +"If I lose my boy," answered Fusticus, "my joy on this earth is for ever +gone. If you take my child, then, oh Spirit of Darkness and Deceit! +then, may I for all eternity pass my life in the Moon!" "Granted too is +your third----" "But I have not finished yet," broke in Fusticus, "and +may my child for ever remain with me there!" + +[Illustration] + +And there you may see them both to this day, but the child was changed +into a spider. And every now and then the good little spider lets +himself down by his thread to the earth and takes his father back all +the news of the day. + +But if you, Reader, had three wishes granted to you, I hope you would +choose them better and more wisely than did old Fusticus! + +[Illustration] + + + + +Cat and Dog Stories. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration: TIM.] + + + + +CAT AND DOG STORIES. + + +IT was a rainy November afternoon, and floods of water poured down from +the skies, growing hourly in strength. "Just as if the heaven were +weeping to find that its tears grew so plentiful," I thought. I know +that it is sometimes the case with me. When I am naughty and am scolded, +I begin to cry just a little; but my tears flow quicker and quicker as I +think how shameful it is for a great girl like me to be weeping, and +the more ashamed I become, the more I cry. But I must not go on like +this, or my story will turn out a tearful one, and I shall really end by +weeping myself. + +Well, it was a rainy day, raining so hard that I could not go out on the +lawn to play; and I was tired of amusing myself with my soft ball +indoors. I was sitting with my head resting between my hands, trying to +think of some new game, when suddenly the door swung open, and in walked +a crooked old woman, trudging towards me on her crooked staff. + +"Why are you so unhappy, my dear?" she asked me in a kind, though +croaking, voice. + +"I don't know how to pass the time, ma'am," I said, rather frightened. + +"Little girls, aye, and big girls too, should always have something to +do; they should never idle away their hours. I am your fairy godmother, +Nelly; look at my face." + +And I looked up at her. Sure enough, she did look like my godmother, +only a little more ugly and a good deal more kind! + +"As you have been a good girl this morning, and finished your knitting +and sewing, I am going to give you something that will amuse you. I am +going to gift you with the knowledge of animal language. Look at your +cat and dog on the hearth! They are telling each other stories. Would +you like to listen to what they are saying?" + +"Oh, _that_ I should!" I exclaimed. + +She touched me on the lips with her crooked staff, and suddenly I heard +two little voices gossiping round the fire. I glanced round at my fairy +godmother, but she had vanished. I had not time to think how wonderful +it all was--I was too much taken up with what I heard. There sat my +precious Miss Perkie, with King Charlie at her side, so interested that +his little pink tongue had pushed its way out through his teeth. + +[Illustration: KING CHARLIE.] + +I drew my chair nearer to the hearth, so that I might hear their +conversation the better. But Charlie turned round upon me rather +angrily, and said: + +"If you want to listen, Nelly, don't make such a noise with your stool. +It disturbs me, and it is really provoking to lose the thread of an +adventure in that way. Pray begin the story again, Perkie." + +He always was rather a sharp-tempered dog, so I did not answer him. Yet +the rude way in which he addressed me struck me as rather funny. I +remember thinking that, perhaps, if all the world spoke dog-language, +dogs would be the masters, and we human beings the slaves. + +Perkie then continued: + +"As I was saying----" + +"No, she has put the first part out of my head, now! If I am once +stopped in a story all the first part vanishes. I never was very quick +at learning and all that, you know. People think that petting and +cuddling are quite enough for a dog of my royal pedigree! They never +consider my mind. It is true I can beg, and play at hide-and-seek with a +biscuit: I can eat game, and drink real turtle-soup. And they pay great +respect to my dignity and kingly grace; but as for my mental--however, +never mind that, Pussy; it's not to the point! Go on with your story +from the beginning, and Nelly and I will listen." + +"I was going to tell Charlie of an adventure that I once had with some +horrid, mongrel dogs," said Pussy. "I hate dogs, and so does my whole +race, and mongrels more than any others. Now a noble mastiff or a royal +King Charles" (and here Miss Perkie bowed graciously to her companion, +though I fancied I could see a faint little smile curl round her lower +jaw as she glanced up at me, as if to say to me that she only put up +with him for my sake), "neither of _them_ would worry a harmless cat, +for they are real gentlemen, who honour weakness and timidity" (another +little nod). "But to go on with my story-- + +'I was out in the yard one day to see if I could not pick up a stray +mouseling or so, when I suddenly came upon three brutal-looking dogs, +asleep and snoring near a basket. + +"I turned to flee, as quickly as I could; but the middle dog must have +heard the little cry of fright that escaped me. He leaped up, gave a +loud bark that awoke his two friends, and all three set after me. + +"A tall wall surrounded the yard, and foolishly I had not made for the +gate through which I had come in. What was I to do? 'They will have me,' +I thought, 'they must have me sooner or later!' My terror was too great +for me to describe. + +[Illustration: THE THREE MONGREL CURS.] + +"Round and round the yard they chased me--round and round again! I could +not see the opening of the gate for a long time, so quickly did I tear +along. + +"Mongrel curs are clever, though I don't know why they should be. They +had sense enough--bad sense I then thought it; but now I laugh at the +adventure, as it is happily over, and as I paid the dogs back in their +own coin--well, they had sense enough to separate and drive me into a +corner. 'Now, surely, it is all over with me!' I said to myself; but I +managed to keep them off for a long while by setting up my back and +spitting at them. They dared not draw nigh, they dared not touch me, for +they knew my claws were all ready stretched out to scratch their eyes +out. + +"How long we stood thus I cannot say. My nerves were so tight-strung +that I was scarcely myself at all." + +[Illustration: "THEY DARED NOT DRAW NIGH."] + +"Well, and what did you do?" asked King Charlie, his big eyes almost +starting from his head, and his tongue far protruded from his mouth. "Do +go on! You keep one so long in suspense! Did they kill you or not?" + +I could not help laughing at his silly question; but Charlie seemed +mightily offended at my conduct, so I smothered my merriment as best I +could. + +"Shall I go on?" asked Pussy; to which we both eagerly replied, "Yes, +yes, _please_, Pussy." + +She continued: "I was in this awkward position, hissing, spitting, back +up, claws shot out, when an idea struck me. The dogs were close together +in a body, and it was not much of a jump for me--I sprang forward, right +over their heads, and rushed away towards the gate which stood straight +before me. I reached it in safety, and looked around. + +"There were the three dogs, barking loudly, close behind me! 'Now for my +idea!' thought I, 'now or never! Victory or death!' + +[Illustration: "THE DOOR WAS ONLY HALF OPEN."] + +"The door was only half open, and that favoured my plans. If that had +not been the case----" + +"Do keep to the story!" again interrupted the eager King Charles; "you +are always moralizing." + +"If that had not been the case, I should have been lost," continued +Pussy, quite calmly, and not regarding His Highness. "Well, I jumped +violently against the half-closed gate, and slammed it to with a loud +bang. It just caught the first dog's toe, and I knew what had happened +by the yelping and howling of the wretched cur. Ah! the tables were +turned now! And, in triumph, I laid my side close up against the door, +and purred as loudly as I could, until my throat ached. The dog howled +still louder than before on the other side, his two brother sinners +barking all the time in disappointed fury. + +[Illustration: "IT JUST CAUGHT THE FIRST DOG'S TOE."] + +[Illustration: "THE TURKEY AND THE PIG JOINED IN."] + +"A funny concert it must have been! All the animals flocked out from the +farmyard close by, to see what was the matter. The turkey joined in, +screeching at her loudest. The little pig grunted and squeaked, and _I_ +lay against the door, purring louder than ever. + +"Then the donkey came up, and looked on. He was a bit of a philosopher, +and looked grave and unconcerned. Or it may have been that the clover he +had in his mouth was too precious to gobble down or to drop. In fact, +his attention did seem to be divided; for one ear appeared to be +listening to the concert, the other to the music of his own crunching. +Poor old Neddy! he thinks himself so wise and such a philosopher in +human and animal things! And all the time he is such a stupid! Even _I_ +stopped purring for a moment to laugh at him. + +[Illustration: "HE WAS A BIT OF A PHILOSOPHER."] + +"The kid in the neighbouring field pranced for very joy at the music. He +had never had an accompaniment before; and he frisked about here, there, +and everywhere, inviting even the frog beneath his feet to join him in +the dance. Unequal playmates, you will say; and so thought the frog; +but the kid was delighted nevertheless, though he soon forsook his +partner, and went careering on. + +[Illustration: UNEQUAL PLAYMATES.] + +[Illustration: FORGET-ME-NOT] + +"Out from her hutch the rabbit poked her head, with a sprig of +forget-me-not in her mouth. Her ears were pricked up, and she listened. +'What can it all mean?' she asked her little ones. + +[Illustration: THE SQUABBLE IN THE POND.] + +"I looked towards the duck-pond. 'What lovely music!' cried one duckling +to his comrade. + +"'Hideous, you mean!' cried the other, and then they fought and +quarrelled till scarcely a feather was left between them. This is the +way with quick-tempered little ducklings: they fight for a worm, and are +good friends again as soon as either of them has eaten it up. Sulky +little boys and girls have a lesson to learn from them in this, so that +even a duckling is a teacher at times, if we can only read our lesson +aright. + +[Illustration: "COME ALONG THEN."] + +"The noise the dogs were making reached even the end of the field, where +a blackbird was busily engaged with an obstinate worm, who preferred +his hole to the open air. And the terrified bird forsook half his +dinner, in his anxiety to get away. + +"My adventure, you see," continued Pussy, "at any rate created a noise +in the neighbourhood! At length the dogs' master came out with a whip in +his hand. He walked up to them, and must have laid about him pretty +freely, for their howling increased to something indescribable. Then +suddenly they stopped, and I heard the dog-whip flung fiercely at the +crouching curs. And then their master went away, as I could tell by his +retreating steps. + +[Illustration: "FLUNG FIERCELY AT THE CURS."] + +"I was full of curiosity to see how they looked in their humbled frame +of mind. So I with great difficulty scrambled up the wall. I looked +over, and nearly _tumbled_ over too, for I could hardly keep my balance, +so great was my inward rejoicing at their discomfiture. + +"'So you are paid out, you three cruel, mischief-makers!' I cried, and +leaped down again from the wall. + +"They howled back their reply, which I did not wait to hear--and that is +the end of my story," said Pussy. + +"Thank you, Pussy dear!" I said. And King Charlie danced frantically +round the room to show his delight at the way the adventure had ended. + +"I hate low under-bred curs, and I am always glad to see them punished," +he cried, again assuming his kingly look. He was a despot in spirit, and +really thought himself King of the dogs. Poor, harmless, vain little +Charlie, I loved him all the same! + +"Now it is your turn to tell _me_ a story," said Miss Perkie to him. "I +will tell you something more of these three dogs afterwards." + +"Very well," began King Charles, "very well; a tale you shall have, but +a short one. My tail is not long, and my tales are not long," and he +looked towards Pussy; then at me; but neither of us smiled: he was only +a dog of small intellect, so I forgave him. + +"Your story was of dogs," he went on; "mine shall be of cats. You hate +dogs--I hate cats; therefore we like each other." + +Pussy did not quite follow the reasoning, as I could see from her +puzzled face; but since the end was true, and the argument sounded well, +she thought it must be all right. + +"My story is of a cat of your tribe, Perkie," he continued; "of a +Maltese kitten. They are all great play-babies, you know, and I suppose +you owe your earnestness of character to me. But that is not to the +point! The kitten I am speaking of was called _Pussy_. That seems to be +a common name in your family, Pussy; and it is a most extraordinary +thing that all the cats and kittens I have ever known have had that +name, and it is yours too, Perkie, isn't it? However, it is a very +pretty name, so I won't say anything more about it. It is not to the +point either! To proceed: this Pussy was a _very_ great play-baby. A +soft ball was her joy, her comfort; a saucer of milk, her greatest +delight. How you cats can live on milk, I cannot understand. It's very +nice in its way, but it goes such a _little_ way, though _that_ is not +much to the point again! Well, this cat's mother was a thief--all cats +are thieves--she used regularly, when she had a chance, to go to the jar +of milk that was kept for me and for the family, and lap up as much as +she could reach with her tongue. + +[Illustration: "AND LAP UP AS MUCH AS SHE COULD."] + +"Of course I hated her for this alone; but another vile practice she had +increased my dislike for her. She would, every morning after the piano +was dusted, jump upon the music-stool, and thence bound on to the +keyboard. She would then walk about on it backwards and forwards, +making the most abominable sounds--screeching notes, buzzing notes, +groaning notes; groaning notes, buzzing notes, screeching notes, worse +than the railway train. I could not stay in the same room with her, and +used rather to go out and sit in the cold attic. + +[Illustration: AN UNSKILLED PERFORMER] + +"I never actually fought her, for I always pitied her weakness, and her +claws were very long and sharp. Her daughter was just as annoying in +other ways, though I must confess that her ball-games were rather +pretty. But still I do not agree with frivolity being turned into a +science, and her games were almost scientific in grace and action. I +will try to describe to you her morning occupation. + +"First of all, of course, was the mewing +scene--'Mieaou--mieaou--mieaou!' 'What is it my little sweetie wants, +then?' the lady of the house would ask; 'does it want its pretty little +ball?' And then she would throw the miserable soft ball to her. + +"I sat by and looked on, half scornful, half amused, half---- I forget +what the other half was!" + +"Half asleep?" suggested Pussy. + +"Perhaps half asleep, but I forget. The kitten would then watch where +the ball fell, waiting till it stopped rolling. She would never touch it +until it got to a considerable distance from her. Then she would +suddenly dart upon a hassock or a footstool close by it, and fiercely +gaze down upon it. After a while, she would stretch out one paw, and set +it rolling, and, as it rolled, crawl after it, crouching low down to the +ground. + +[Illustration] + +"Suddenly a pounce, and a little squeak of delight: 'The ball is mine,' +she thinks, and begins to play with it. She tosses it to and fro, now +biting it, now patting it--preparatory, no doubt, to swallowing it. + +"But do not be too sure, Miss Pussy! See, the ball flies from her, as if +possessed with life. It rolls away, on and on. And Pussy, who had +thought it dead, seems struck with wonder. 'Can it be alive after all?' +she thinks; 'there must be a mouse inside it!' then scamper, scamper, a +spring and a leap, and she has caught the ball again. Once more it +escapes from her claws--once more she bounds towards it, and now it is +surely hers. I confess it was rather interesting to me to look on, and +more than once I nearly joined in the chase after the ball myself. Then +Pussy would roll about on the floor with it, but never did she find a +mouse inside it. Poor Pussy, every day she deceived herself thus! Then I +would laugh to myself. Cats are such silly aimless things! They have no +higher motives than a soft ball!" + +"Yes," said Miss Perkie, "but isn't it time you began your story?" + +"That is my story, you simpleton!" answered King Charlie. + +"Oh, I did not know that: it was not much like one, you know." + +"Eh? I call it a capital story. But now it is your turn again, unless +Miss Nelly will tell us one?" he said, and turned to me. + +"I don't know many stories of cats' and dogs' adventures; but I will +describe a walk I once took with the dog I had before you, Charlie, if +you like." + +And I began: "His name was Tim, and he was a Pomeranian dog. Everybody +liked him, and he liked everybody and everything excepting cats. He +never harmed _our_ cats, though--it was before your time, Perkie--and +never used even to worry them. But he could not abide strange cats. His +greatest enemy was a big black tom, that lived quite near here. He is +dead now, killed by Tim, and I am going to tell you how it all happened. + +[Illustration: "HIS GREATEST ENEMY WAS A BIG BLACK TOM-CAT."] + +"One day we were out for our morning walk--just as _we_ go now, +Charlie--when he spied this hated cat perched up on a high rock that +overhung the lane. He was peering down at us, and I suppose he thought +we should not see him. But 'Tim's eyes looked everywhere when we were +out together,' I used to say. At any rate, he saw his enemy up there at +once, and made after him at full speed. The frightened cat did not seem +to know what to do, and in his flurry did the worst thing he could have +done. Behind him stretched a field of barley, and the foolish animal +rushed straight into it. I called to Tim, but he did not hear, or +pretended not to. + +"The next thing I saw was Tim coming along, wagging his tail, the +tom-cat dead between his teeth. + +[Illustration: "HE STOOD UP ON HIS HIND-LEGS."] + +"I scolded Tim, and beat him; but he could not understand that he had +not done a very virtuous deed. For my own part, I was not sorry the cat +had been killed; he was a great nuisance in the neighbourhood, and often +used to steal our chickens. So I could not find the heart to give Tim +all the beating he deserved; and when he stood up on his hind-legs, +half-sorrowfully, half-beseechingly, looking into my face, I felt that +he had only acted according to his nature, and that what was wrong in us +to do might not be a sin in him. Therefore I took the dear old dog back +again into my favour, and forgave him his disobedience in not coming +when I called him. The darling old fellow bore me no spite, and soon he +was gambolling along again at my side, as though nothing had happened." + +"Quite right, quite right!" interposed King Charlie at this point; "but +go on with the story." + +"We walked on until we came to a farm-yard," I continued. "All of a +sudden Tim rushed forward, then back again to me, barking loudly, as +though mad. + +"'What is it, Tim? What is it? Good dog! good fellow!' I cried to him, +but no good; he seemed distracted about something. + +[Illustration] + +"Then I looked in the direction in which he was barking, and there I saw +on the steps of the barn a large toy-lamb, which some children must have +left behind them. On its back a bird was perched. The poor dickie had +made a mistake; he thought, no doubt, it was a real lamb! And Tim, too, +who had never seen such an extraordinary sight before, was astonished +beyond measure, and resented what he thought was meant for a personal +insult to himself. + +"He scrambled under the wooden fence that surrounded the farm-yard, and +hurried towards the terrible object. + +[Illustration: "HE SCRAMBLED UNDER THE WOODEN FENCE."] + +"'Come back--here, Tim--Tim!' I shouted after him, but in vain: the bird +had flown from the lamb's back, and the lamb was already torn to tatters +by the furious dog. + +"Then he came back to me, barking 'See how I have treated the +impostor!' + +"But I did not see with his eyes. I whipped him again, and after having +given the woman at the farm enough money to buy another lamb, I took him +home. Two misbehaviours in one walk I thought quite enough. + +"Poor old Tim! he died soon afterwards, and then you came, you know, +Charlie. That's all my story. I love to recall my memories of dear old +Tim; but I am afraid I've not interested you two much." + +"No, not much, as far as I am concerned," rudely answered King Charles. +I did not mean it, but I had made him very jealous by the love I had +shown for Tim. I could not therefore take offence at his rude answer, +especially as His Majesty had always been petted and spoilt so much. + +"It is Perkie's turn now to tell her other story," he added. + +"I am ready," said Pussy, and began at once: "As I said before, my story +shall be about the same three dogs, and how they tried to catch a mouse. +I heard it from the mouse's own lips--I'll tell you how, later on--so it +must be true! + +"The lazy dogs were, as usual, snoring in the kitchen of the house to +which they belonged. A little mouse peeped her head out of a hole, and +saw them asleep. 'Surely,' she thought,--'surely I can get onto the +table without waking them.' So she tried. + +"She reached the table without a sound, and the dogs still snored on +peacefully. To mount the leg of the table, and to climb up among the +dishes and glass were but the matter of a moment to her. Then she set to +work. As she tasted the nice, fresh cheese, she quite forgot all about +her enemies, the dogs. She clattered the plates, and made such a noise, +that they soon started from their sleep. + +"'A mouse! a mouse on the table!' they cried, and rushed towards it. + +"'I am, anyhow, safe up here,' thought mousie, and nibbled on. + +"The dogs soon grew weary of waiting below, and consulted together as to +what they should do. At last they hit upon a plan. They seized the +table-cloth between their teeth, and began to drag it from the table. +Crash! crash! down came the dishes and plates and vases, knives and +forks and all, smothering the dogs in broken bits of glass and water. + +[Illustration: "DOWN IT ALL CAME, SMOTHERING THE DOGS IN BROKEN BITS OF +GLASS AND WATER."] + +"Poor little mousie was nearly dragged down too, only she just managed +to scramble onto the table again, whence she leaped down to the ground. +The dogs saw her, however, and gave chase. She climbed up the wooden +partition leading to the loft; but a friend of mine sat up there in +wait for her. The sly puss had expected that all would turn out as it +had happened, and thought she would get a nice meal without the trouble +of hunting it down. She was mistaken, though--for mousie saw her, and +stopped half-way up the wall, just out of reach of the dogs. They stood +below, barking at her, but could do nothing more. + +[Illustration: "JUST OUT OF REACH OF THE DOGS."] + +"After a while mousie felt her strength giving way, so she ran a little +sideways along the wall, jumped down, and scampered through the open +door along the passage. Her three torturers hurried after her, and away +they all went helter-skelter. + +[Illustration: "ALONG THE PASSAGE."] + +"Now, midway across the passage stood the hall-bench. The mouse sprang +over it at one bound; but the three clumsy dogs were not so clever. The +first one jumped too short, and he just caught the further side of the +bench; he pulled it backwards, and together both came down with a crash. +He limped back to the hearth-side with a lame leg, having had enough of +mouse-catching. His two companions saw his fall, and followed him. All +bullies are cowards!" sagely added Pussy, parenthetically. + +[Illustration: THE HALL-BENCH.] + +[Illustration: "DOG AND BENCH CAME DOWN WITH A CRASH."] + +"And what became of the mouse?" asked the impatient Charlie. + +"Why, I was there for her all ready at the end of the passage, and the +dogs had done my work for me. But I did not eat her up. I promised her +her life if she would tell me all about how she escaped from them, and +what they had suffered--and that's how I know it all." + +"Thank you, Pussy dear, for your----" + +[Illustration] + +"What are you thinking about, child, calling me Pussy?" exclaimed my +godmother, shaking me from a deep sleep. "I have come to bid you +good-bye, as I am going now. Little girls should be more respectful to +their elders." + +"But, really, I suppose I must have been dreaming that----" + +"Little girls should not dream foolish things. You should know better, +my dear. Now, good-bye, Nelly!" + +And so it was all a dream! Yes, there lay Pussy and Charlie fast asleep, +too. Dear me! I wish it had been real, though! + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +A Fortune in an Empty Wallet. + + + + +A FORTUNE IN AN EMPTY WALLET. + + +IN the north of England, several hundred years ago, there lived a young +knight. He was very poor, as his father had spent all his money, and the +only things of value that he left his son were a white horse of +wonderful beauty and a very curious old sword. Edgar--that was the +knight's name--was obliged to leave his home, for he had no money to +spend in keeping up a large house; and, besides, his father had been +deeply in debt, and the tradesmen were clamouring for their bills to be +paid, and threatening to put him in prison if he did not pay them. So, +having filled two bundles with clothes and food, he mounted his horse +and rode off to seek his fortune abroad. + +He had been journeying along for several days, not knowing where to go +or what to do, when one evening he found himself riding through a dark +and gloomy forest. He was thinking to himself how dismal his future +looked, and was wondering how he should be able to make a living, when +all of a sudden his horse started, reared up on his hind-legs, and then +stood quite still, trembling with fright. + +Edgar looked around him, and saw, standing under the shadow of an old +yew-tree, the figure of an aged man. His form was bent with years, and +he leaned for support on a thick knotted stick. His clothes were patched +and torn, his toes peeped out from his worn-out boots, while in one hand +he carried an old wallet, which had been carefully mended, and which +evidently contained something that he greatly valued. + +As soon as Edgar's horse stopped short, the old man came near, and asked +for alms. + +"You have come to the wrong person," replied Edgar; "for though I would +gladly help you if I could, I expect that I am quite as poor as you are, +except that I still have my sword and my good steed." + +The old man looked earnestly at the sword, and his eyes sparkled as he +asked eagerly-- + +"Where did you get that sword from?" + +"My father gave it to me," replied Edgar; "and he brought it home with +him when he returned from the wars beyond the seas." + +"Noble knight!" returned the old man, "in my wallet I have a jewel that +is beyond price. That sword of yours takes my fancy, and if you like to +exchange it for my wallet and what it contains, I assure you that you +will not repent it." + +"Let me first see the jewel," said Edgar; for although he was very +anxious to get it, he wanted first of all to make quite sure that it was +really there. + +"Before I let you have my wallet I must have your sword," said the old +man; "but if you do not like your bargain, I will give it you back +again. You see I cannot possibly run away with it, for you are on +horse-back, while I am on foot." + +At first Edgar refused to do this, but at last he agreed; for he thought +to himself that he could easily get the sword back, as of course the +old man could not run as fast as his horse. He therefore handed down his +sword and received the old wallet in exchange. + +He opened it eagerly, but to his rage and dismay found that it was +empty. In his anger he turned round so suddenly, that by accident he +touched his horse with his spur. The horse at once began to gallop off, +and it had carried him some distance before he could stop it. + +When he returned to the spot where he had given up his sword, he at +first saw nothing of the beggar, but happening to look up, to his great +surprise he saw him sitting in the top of a tall tree, having climbed +there so as to be out of his reach. + +"Honoured knight!" cried the beggar, "forgive me for playing you such a +trick, and rest assured that you shall not in the end suffer for it. +This sword which I hold in my hand belonged to my great-grandfather, who +was killed in the first crusade, and it has chanced to become your +property in some way or other. I knew it at once by the curious hilt, of +which the cross-piece is, as you know, turned up at one end and down at +the other. Give me your knightly word that you will not harm me, and I +will come down and explain to you how it is that I value the sword so +highly. Of one thing you may be certain--I shall not deceive you again. +And what I tell you will be of great service to you." + +Edgar promised the beggar that he should be safe, and the latter began +to scramble down from his uncomfortable perch. But, wonderful to relate, +he was quite changed, and was now a handsome youth, though still dressed +in the same tattered old clothes. + +"My name," said the beggar, "is Bertram; and to you I owe a debt of +gratitude that I can never repay, for by means of this sword I can win +back the castle and lands of my ancestors, from which I have been lately +driven to wander about in the guise of an old beggar. Henceforth we will +be as brothers, and the half of my lands shall be yours; for had it not +been for you, they would never again have become mine. But let me tell +you my story. + +"Three years ago my father died, and I became heir to all his estates; +but my step-mother was a wicked woman, and hated me with all her might. +Twelve months since she married again, and both she and her husband set +to work to drive me from my home. Many of their attempts failed; but at +last they secured the help of an old wizard, who turned me into a +beggar. Of course nobody recognized me in this disguise, and my own +servants only laughed and jeered when I told them who I was, and my +step-father drove me from the castle with blows that I was too feeble to +resist. + +"I begged him to have mercy, but he only laughed; and the wizard, who +was standing by him, said, 'A beggar you must remain until you find your +great-grandfather's sword:' then they slammed the door in my face. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +"My father thought that he was perfectly safe to keep the castle for +ever, as he believed the sword had been lost in a foreign land, and that +I never could possibly find it again. But chance has brought it to me +when I least expected it, and at a time when I am within a mile of my +castle. Come, my friend, let us go and take possession, for I know that +the wizard spoke the truth when he said that I should enjoy my own +again when I got this sword, because already half of what he said has +come true, since I am once more my own self, instead of being an old +beggar." + +Edgar took Bertram up behind him on his horse, and together they rode +off to the castle, which was not far distant. Leaving the horse tied to +a tree, they drew near to the gate, when they heard shouts and songs and +music, from which they knew that a great feast was being held. + +"This way," said Bertram; and they ran down a narrow passage, then up a +steep flight of stairs which led to a platform, from which they could +look into the courtyard. A wonderful scene met their eyes. The courtyard +was full of people, who were eating, drinking, singing, and enjoying +themselves to their hearts' content. Two funny men were so happy that +they were kissing each other; and in the middle several servants, with +their long sharp knives, were cutting up an ox that had been roasted +whole, while a number more were bringing in fresh dishes of delicacies, +such as peacocks, truffles, and boars' heads. + +Bertram quickly looked around, and whispering to Edgar--"He is not +here," motioned him to follow, and ran down the stairs again. + +They passed through many passages and rooms, meeting no one, for +everybody seemed to be helping at the feast. At length they reached a +stone terrace that ran along outside the wall of the castle. They walked +along this, until Bertram suddenly stopped opposite a large window, and +signed to Edgar to look through. + +He did so, and saw a man seated at a table with a lot of money before +him, which he was paying away as fast as he could to several +wicked-looking Jews with fur caps, who were putting it into bags, and +carrying it away. + +"The wretch!" said Bertram; "see how he is wasting my money. Let us dash +in upon him through the window, so that he may see his day is over." So +saying, he jumped right through the window on to the floor, closely +followed by Edgar. + +At the sound of the breaking of glass the Jews looked up, and seeing two +strange figures coming through the window, they ran off as fast as they +could, leaving their money behind, and shouting out that they had seen a +spirit. His step-father fainted with terror, but the old steward at once +knew his master again, and kneeling down, kissed his hand, blessing the +day that had brought him back once more. Soon all the servants came +running in, having heard the shouts of the Jews as they rushed away. +Their delight at again seeing their young master, whom they had mourned +as dead, was beyond bounds, and they brought him beautiful clothes, and +took away his ragged garments, while his wicked step-father was hurried +off to prison. + +They then conducted him to the courtyard, and seated him in the chair of +state, after which they served the banquet that had been prepared for +his step-father. But amidst all his happiness Bertram did not forget his +friend Edgar, who had been the means of restoring his inheritance to +him. Taking him by the hand, he led him to the seat of honour, saying +aloud as he did so,-- + +"Henceforth we are brothers, and everything shall belong to both of us +equally. But for you, I should still be wandering about in the forest; +so the least I can do is to share my good-fortune with you." + +Bertram and Edgar lived together for many years, beloved by all; and +Edgar never repented the day when he exchanged his sword for an empty +wallet. + +[Illustration] + +WOODFALL & KINDER, Printers, Milford Lane, Strand, W.C. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Winter Nosegay, by Walter Crane + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WINTER NOSEGAY *** + +***** This file should be named 39358.txt or 39358.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/3/5/39358/ + +Produced by Emmy, Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the University of Florida Digital Collections.) + + +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. 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