Illustration of dogs runningContinued illustration
“Don’t know anything about it? By my tail, you must be a stranger here,” said the panting,fat one. Ready afterwards called him “Paf” for short—“P” standing for panting and “F” for fat, you see.
“At midnight on the 21st of June, if it is moonlight, a wonderful thing happens. All the beasts, birds and flowers in this part of the world meet in an open space near the woods. They have music, dancing and refreshments. Then the Eagle, who is the king of the birds, grants a wish to any animal who has a clear record.
“The Eagle gives the wish to the beasts, instead of the birds and flowers, because nobody ever has anything against the flowers anyway, and they don’t care for new experiences. As for the birds, they have so many chances to travel and do interesting things that His Majesty,the Eagle, decided to go outside of his own family and give the wish to the four-footers. You see, they get around very little as they have no wings.
“Come on,” said the panting, fat dog
“Come on,” said the panting, fat dog
“The animals are not what they once were,” Paf went on, as they hurried along. “Last year no one could get it, and the year before only one had a chance even to try.”
“Do many want to try?” asked Ready.
“Not so many as there were in my young days,” said Paf. “It’s unpleasant being refused, you see, and having all the little things you have done and forgotten thrown in your face. I’d try myself to-night, but I had a bad time a few days ago with an old alley cat. It was all her fault of course, but I know she will be here to-night to complain of me if I should come forward.
“It is hard, these days,” Paf went on, “to get a clear record, since they allow all kinds of cats to vote, and even flowering vines and chickens can speak against us. So what is an animal to do? It used to be that an English sparrow’s vote counted nothing, but now these worthless creatures have as much to say as we do. Why, no cat has a chance because themice are all invited. Times are sadly changed.” And poor Paf sighed.
They allow all kinds of cats to vote
They allow all kinds of cats to vote