IT was a mighty lucky thing that the Good Gray Horse in the last story ran into the haymow instead of the corncrib. Well, as soon as Puss picked himself up the Good Gray Horse pulled his head out of the haymow. He had gone in quite deep, for he was going at a great rate, and it's a wonder he didn't go right through the great mound of hay.
"Whew! Miew!" cried Puss, pulling wisps of hay out of his hair and dusting off the tops of his red boots. "That was a pretty sudden stop!"
"Yes, but it turned out all right," said the little old man. "It was about the best way to stop your horse, methinks. It was lucky there was hay in the way, I should say."
"How could you be such a bad old thing?" asked Puss, stroking the Good Gray Horse on the nose. "The idea of your running away with us!"
The Good Gray Horse made no reply, however. He looked a little foolish, but, beyond that, he seemed very much the same, except that his collar was pushed up over his ears and his harness twisted about his neck.
"Well, put him in the stable," said the little old man. "We'll give him a good bed and some oats. My own horse may show up some time this evening—that is, if he ever gets tired of running."
Into the Hay Mow
After the Good Gray Horse was made comfortable the little old man led Puss, Junior, into the house.
"Mother," he called out, as he opened the door, "here is a visitor for you."
A queer little old woman arose from her rocking chair and came forward. "What! a cat!" she exclaimed, throwing up her hands in dismay. "John, you know I don't like cats!"
"Then, madam," said Puss, Junior, politely, "I'll not trespass on your hospitality," and he turned to leave.
"Not so, not so!" cried the little old man. "Mother, you don't understand what has happened. This noble cat has done me a good turn. My old mare ran away and he kindly hitched up his Good Gray Horse to my wagon and brought me home."
"Ah," said the little old man's wife, "that's another story. This cat is no ordinary cat. Let him make himself comfortable while I go and see about supper."
But Puss still hesitated.
"You are indeed welcome," said the little old woman, peering over her glasses to get a good look at him; "you shall stay and rest yourself, for you have helped my good man, and whoever does my man a good turn shall never go unrewarded."
"HIGH-HO, how the winds blow!" exclaimed little Puss, Junior, as he rode along on his Good Gray Horse toward the castle of my Lord Carabas to see his dear father, Puss in Boots.
But New Mother Goose Land is a big country and Puss did not realize how long a journey it was. You see, he had been seeking adventures for so long and had traveled so far—sometimes on the back of his good friend, Goosey Goosey Gander, sometimes in the airship whose captain was a downy goose and the sailors four and twenty doves, and then, again, on broomsticks and umbrellas and baskets that flew in the air with their old women owners—that now, once more astride of his Good Gray Horse who had carried him many a mile in Old Mother Goose Land he felt he would soon be with his father.
Well, as Puss rode along he came to a bend in the road where an automobile stood. It had evidently broken down, for the chauffeur was tinkering with the machinery.
All of a sudden a blackbird perched herself on the fence along the road and began to sing:
"Taffy was a chauffeur, Taffy was a loafer,Taffy broke a tire everywhere he went.His master soon grew tired, Taffy he was fired;Taffy he was fired without another cent."Taffy came to master's house; master wasn't in.Taffy made an awful row, kicked up such a din.He blew on his auto horn, blew with all his might;Everyone but Taffy ran away in fright."
"Whoa there!" cried Puss, Junior, and the blackbird must have thought it was meant for her, for she stopped her song and looked at our small hero. And of course the Good Gray Horse stopped, and Taffy—well, he crawled out from under the automobile and scowled at the blackbird. And this made Puss, Junior, laugh, and the Good Gray Horse cough and the blackbird snicker, all of which made Taffy very red in the face.
"Tell-tale-tit, your tongue shall be slit," he cried, but the blackbird clapped her wings and flew away. And after that Puss, Junior, said gid-ap to his horse and rode off, leaving Taffy to finish mending his automobile. And after a little while the blackbird came back and settled herself on the head of the Good Gray Horse.
"Where are you going?" she said.
"To visit my father, Puss in Boots," replied our little hero.
THREE little kittens lost their mittensAnd they began to cry,"Oh, mother dear, we very much fearThat we have lost our mittens."
THREE little kittens lost their mittensAnd they began to cry,"Oh, mother dear, we very much fearThat we have lost our mittens."
"I'll help you find them," cried Puss, Junior, looking in through the door of a little green house.
"Will you?" said a little tabby cat.
"I think we lost them by the woodpile," said a little gray kitten.
"Perhaps we dropped them while playing hide and go seek," said a cute black kitty.
"Come on, my little pussyfoots," cried Puss, Junior, with a grin. "I'm pretty good at finding things—except people—I can't find my dear father."
"How did you lose him?" asked the first little kitty, as they all ran out into the back yard.
"I don't know any more than you know how you lost your mittens," replied Puss, Junior, with a laugh.
"If you find our mittens we'll help you find your father," cried the three little kittens. But,hunt as they might, no mittens were to be found. Under the woodpile and back of the old well, behind the woodshed and under the grape arbor, they hunted, but in vain.
Puss and Mittens
"You naughty kittens! Lost your mittens! Then you shall have no pie!"
"Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow."
"No, you shall have no pie."
"Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow."
"Have you looked in the barn?" asked Puss.
"No," cried the three little kittens.
"Well, that's a good place to look if you've been playing there," suggested Puss. So they all ran out to the barn. But just as they entered the big door a little mouse scurried into a hole and a big gray rat ran into the corn bin.
"Look here, little mouse, if you'll tell us whether you've seen any mittens we won't hurt you," cried Puss. But the little mouse didn't reply.
"My dear Mr. Rat," said Puss, Junior, speaking into a crack of the corn bin, "if you'll tell us whether you have seen any mittens we'll promise not to touch you." But the rat didn't answer.
"They're afraid of you," said the little black kitty.
"Then you ask them," whispered Puss, Junior.
"Did you see our mittens?" whispered the black kitty to the little mouse.
"Yes," replied a squeaky voice. "I saw some mittens in the tool closet." Then the little black kitty ran over to the tool closet, and pretty soon he came dancing out on his two hind legs. "Here they are! Here they are!" he cried, with a happy purr.
THE three little kittens found their mittens,And they began to cry,"Oh, mother dear, see here, see here!See, we have found our mittens."
THE three little kittens found their mittens,And they began to cry,"Oh, mother dear, see here, see here!See, we have found our mittens."
"Thank you," said the black kitty, as the little mouse peeped out of her house, "thank you very much for telling us where our mittens were."
"We promise never to hurt you," cried the three little kittens.
Puss, Junior, walked over to the corn bin. "Look here, Mr. Rat," he said, in a gruff voice, "as long as you were so mean not to tell us where the mittens were, I won't promise not to catch you."
"You'd better wait till you get the chance," replied the rat, looking down from the top of the bin.
"Just wait till we grow up, Mr. Rat," said the three little kittens, looking very fierce with their whiskers standing out straight from their little fat cheeks and their tails twice their natural size. "You had better not be too sure of yourself.
"For many a rat who has spoken like thatHas been caught when he least was aware.So you'd better look out what you are about,For we are three kittens who dare."
"That's the way to talk to him," said Puss, Junior, admiringly. "We'll scare him to death, anyway."
"No, you won't," said the rat. "You don't know who I am. I'm the rat 'that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.'"
"Oh, you are, are you?" said Puss. "Well, what are you doing here?"
"Making a visit," replied the rat.
"Look out," advised Puss, "or you may not find it a pleasant one."
"Nonsense!" replied the rat with a loud laugh. "Who's afraid of three little kittens? They can't even find their mittens." Before he had time to say another word Puss, Junior, sprang on top of the corn bin. Away went the rat, over the barn floor, out through the open door, down the path to the road. Puss, Junior, kicked off his red-topped boots and went after him.
"Go it, Puss, dear!" screamed three little kittens. "Catch him!"
The ground was covered with a light fall of snow, but this made no difference to Puss, Junior. He was a big, strong, healthy cat, and he didn't mind running barefoot in the snow.This was not the case with Mr. Rat, however. Very soon his feet became so cold that he could hardly run, and before he reached the gate Puss pounced upon him.
"Look here," said Puss, fiercely, holding him down on the frozen ground—"look here, Mr. Rat, we don't want you around here any longer. Do you understand?"
"I'll promise to go back to Jack's house if you'll let me up."
"All right," said Puss. "Now go!" And away went the frightened rat.
"PUT on your mittens, you silly kittens,And you shall have some pie.Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r.""Oh, let us have the pie,Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r."
"PUT on your mittens, you silly kittens,And you shall have some pie.Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r.""Oh, let us have the pie,Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r."
Mrs. Cat stood in the doorway of her little house and again she called out, "Put on your mittens, you silly kittens."
"And I'll pull on my boots," said Puss, Junior, running back to the barn. "My toes are almost frozen."
"Has the horrid old rat really gone?" asked the three little kittens.
"He has," replied Puss. "Didn't you see me catch him just before he reached the gate?"
"There was so much snow flying about that we couldn't see very well," said the gray kitten.
"Well, I caught him, all right," replied Puss, pulling on his boots, "but he begged me so hard to let him go that I did. He promised he'd never come back."
"If he really is the 'rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built' I don't believeJack will be very glad to see him," said the little tabby cat, pulling on her mittens.
"My paws are almost frozen," cried the little gray kitten. "I'm so glad we have found our mittens."
"Good-by, mousie," cried the little black kitten, going up to the mouse hole and peeping in. "We all thank you very much for telling us where our mittens were. We're going into the house now, for mother has some pie for us. We'll bring you out a little piece of crust in a few minutes."
"Don't forget!" she answered, peeping out of her hole. "Bring us three pieces, for I have two little children who are very fond of pie crust."
"You be sure to save a little piece of crust," said the black kitty to the tabby kit, "and you, too," he said, turning to the gray kitten; "then we'll have three pieces!"
"Let's close the barn door," said Puss, before they started off for the house. "The little mouse may freeze if we leave it open."
It was a very big barn door that ran on little iron wheels, and it wasn't easy to move. "Push!" cried Puss, bracing his feet against the side of the barn.
"We can't push any harder," cried the three little kittens.
"Try again," said Puss. "Now, all together, heave ho, heave ho!" The big door began tomove. "Push!" cried Puss. "It's beginning to move."
The three little kittens did their best, and pretty soon the little wheels went round and round, faster and faster, until all of a sudden the big door bumped into the other end of the doorway, sending Puss, Junior, and the three little kittens head over heels into the snow.
"GOODNESS, what a bump!" cried the little black kitty, wiping the snow from his eyes.
"Gracious! what a bump!" said Puss, scrambling up from the ground. "I think I felt it more than the old barn door, for I was underneath, you see, and you were piled on top of me."
The three little kittens felt very sorry and commenced to brush the snowflakes from his fur coat. "There's snow in your boot legs," said the little gray kitten, standing on tiptoe and looking down Puss, Junior's, boots. "Don't you feel it? I should think it would make you shiver."
"I'll soon find out," said Puss, pulling them off and turning them upside down.
"Are they wet inside?" asked the tabby kitten, anxiously.
"Not very," said Puss, squinting up one eye and peering in.
"If they are," said the little black kitten, "mother will dry them for you at the fire."
Then:
The three little kittens put on their mittens,And soon ate up the pie."Oh, mother dear, we greatly fearThat we have soiled our mittens."
While Puss was busy placing his boots before the kitchen stove the three little kittens seated themselves at the table.
Puss shaking out his boot
"Why don't you take off your mittens?" Puss asked. "I guess you're so hungry you can't wait," he added with a laugh.
It took but a short time for his boots to dry, for there was a big, blazing fire in the stove.
"Don't you want something to eat?" askedMrs. Cat, coming over to Puss. "You have very pretty boots," she continued, lifting up one and looking at it with much admiration.
"Yes, they are nice boots," said Puss, Junior. "They were made for my famous father, Puss in Boots. Mr. Solomon Grundy, who was born on a Monday, made them years ago for my father. And one day, it was only last week, when I stopped at his store, I saw a notice in his window that he had died on Saturday and was buried on Sunday, and that was the end of Solomon Grundy."
"Too bad," said Mrs. Cat.
"When I went into the store," continued Puss, "Mrs. Grundy took them down from a shelf and sold them to me. Then she went across the street to ask an old friend where my father lived, but she couldn't find out—her friend didn't know or couldn't remember—so here I am, still searching for my daddy."
"Too bad," said Mrs. Cat again. "I'm really very sorry. But do not give up hope, for you will find him I am sure."
AFTER Mrs. Cat had powdered Puss, Junior's, toes so that they would slip easily into his boots she turned to see what the three little kittens were doing. They had just finished eating the pie. She had been so interested in hearing how Puss, Junior, had found his red-top boots that she hadn't heard them say:
"Oh, mother dear, we greatly fearThat we have soiled our mittens."
"What!" exclaimed Mrs. Cat. "Soiled your mittens, you naughty kittens!"
Then they began to sigh,"Mi-ow, mi-ow, mi-ow."Then they began to sigh,"Mi-ow, mi-ow, mi-ow."
"Take them off at once," cried Mrs. Cat.
"We will, mother," said the three little kittens.
"I can't imagine why you kept them on," said Mrs. Cat.
"We were so hungry we didn't have time to take them off," said the little black kitten.
"My fingers were so cold I thought I'd leave them on," cried the tabby kitten.
"I didn't think about anything," sobbed the little gray kitten. "I just looked at the pie, and then I forgot I had on mittens."
Mrs. Cat
Mrs. Cat stood with her front paws on her hips, looking first from one little kitten to another.
"Did you ever see anything like children?" she sighed, turning to Puss, Junior.
"My dear madam, forgive them this once.They were so excited over finding the pie that they lost their heads."
"It's a good thing they are tied on," said Mrs. Cat, with a laugh; "they might not be found as easily as the mittens."
The three little kittens looked very much ashamed. Then the little black kitten ran over to the washtubs and, jumping on a stool, turned the hot-water faucet. His mother handed him a big cake of soap, and in another minute the other two little kittens climbed up beside him.
"What are you going to do?" asked Mrs. Cat, with a sly wink at Puss, Junior.
"Never mind, mother, dear. Please don't look." And they commenced to scrub their mittens. And when they had them all covered with lather they dipped them into the water and squeezed them until the soapsuds looked like a snow drift, and after that they all reached down and pulled out the stopper, and when the soapy water was all gone they filled the tub again with nice, clean water and washed the mittens all over again. But, oh, dear me! the water was so deep that the little gray kitten wet her little pink sleeve.
THE three little kittens washed their mittensAnd hung them up to dry."Oh, mother dear, do you not hearThat we have washed our mittens?"
THE three little kittens washed their mittensAnd hung them up to dry."Oh, mother dear, do you not hearThat we have washed our mittens?"
Sure enough, all the mittens were washed and neatly hung on the clothesline. But the clothesline was so high that Puss had been forced to climb a stepladder. The kittens had stood below, their little paws full of clothespins, and every time Puss needed a pin one of them had climbed up and handed it to him.
"Washed your mittens! Oh, you're good kittens.But I smell a rat close by.Hush! Hush! mee-ow, mee-ow.We smell a rat close by,Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow!"
cried Mrs. Cat.
When Puss heard this he ran around the house. I guess he expected to find the "rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built." But Mrs. Cat had made a mistake, for there was no rat to be seen. Instead, there stood the little mouse who two or three stories ago had told the black kitty where to find their mittens.
"What do you want?" asked Puss, Junior, kindly.
"I think the three little kittens have forgotten their promise to give me three pieces of pie. I've been waiting in the barn all this time."
"Kittens!" cried Puss.
The three little kittens came tumbling around the house. But the little mouse ran behind a tree.
"Did you forget to save some pie crust for the little mouse and her two children?" asked Puss.
"Of course not!" replied the three kittens.
"I tucked a little piece under my plate," said the gray kitten.
"I put a little piece in the old clock," said the tabby kitten.
"And I put mine behind the big shell on the mantelpiece," cried the black kitty.
"Go and get them," said Puss, "for Mrs. Mouse can't be kept waiting; her babies out in the barn will be crying for her."
The three little kittens ran into the house, and pretty soon returned with the pie crust.
"We'll carry it out to the barn for you," they cried.
So the little mouse ran ahead, and when she was safe in the barn she waited until the kittens had placed the three little pieces of pie crust on the floor. As soon as they had gone the little mouse came out and carried the pie crust into her house.
SING asongof sixpence,A pocketful of rye,Four and twenty blackbirdsBaked in a pie.When the pie was openedThe birds began to sing.Wasn't that a dainty dishTo set before the king?
SING asongof sixpence,A pocketful of rye,Four and twenty blackbirdsBaked in a pie.When the pie was openedThe birds began to sing.Wasn't that a dainty dishTo set before the king?
Well, when little Puss, Junior, heard those blackbirds singing he halted before the castle and knocked on the gate.
"You must have a thousand canaries."
"Canaries nothing," replied the old retainer. "The King's twenty-four blackbirds are singing."
But, goodness, gracious me! all of a sudden something happened. And it was even worse than when the raven cried, "Croak!" and the farmer's mare fell down and broke her knee. For just then, while
The maid was in the gardenHanging out the clothes,Down came a blackbirdAnd snapped off her nose.
Pretty maid
Perhaps he was angry because he hadn't been invited to sing for the King. I'm sure I don't know, but, anyway, he was a mighty mean bird, let me tell you.
"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried the poor maid, and she sat down on a garden bench and began to weep. Just then the four and twenty blackbirds jumped out of the pie and flew into the garden to look for that naughty bird. But they couldn't find him. Oh, dear, no! He was far away by that time, maybe at the North Pole of Mother Goose Land, which they tell me is a frosted stick of sugar candy.
"Oh, what shall I do?" sobbed the maid, still holding her poor nose in her hands.
"You had better call in the doctor," suggested Puss.
"He lives a good two miles from here," said the old retainer, "and our telephone is out of order."
"I'll go fetch him," said Puss. "Dry your eyes, pretty maid!" And, jumping on his Good Gray Horse, he galloped away. And the four and twenty blackbirds flew after him so that in case the naughty blackbird came back to nip little Puss, Junior's, nose they would be there to protect him.
DOCTOR FOSTER went to Glo'sterIn a shower of rain;He stepped in a puddle up to his middle,And never went there again.
DOCTOR FOSTER went to Glo'sterIn a shower of rain;He stepped in a puddle up to his middle,And never went there again.
Which was a mighty lucky thing, for, goodness knows, perhaps the poor maid never would have had her nose mended if Puss hadn't found the good doctor at home.
Well, as soon as he learned what was the matter, he jumped up behind Puss, and the Good Gray Horse kicked out his heels and galloped away, and the four and twenty blackbirds trailed after them, and pretty soon, not so very long, they came to the Blackbird-pie Castle. There sat the poor maid in the garden, still holding her nose in her hand.
"Let's see it," said the doctor, opening his little black bag and taking out medicine and bandages.
"I'm afraid it's half gone," sobbed the maid, "I don't want to look at it."
Dr. Foster binding up the Maid's nose
"But I do," said the doctor. "Otherwise, how can I mend it?" And I guess he was right, for he was the most famous doctor in all MotherGoose Land. Well, as soon as she took away her hand he said:
"It's not as bad as it might be. It still looks like a nose!"
"Does it?" she sobbed.
"Oh yes," said the doctor, turning to Puss and the old retainer. "You'll hardly know the blackbird touched it after I get through."
"Maybe he only pinched it," said Puss.
"Or only tweaked it," said the old retainer.
"Perhaps he thought it was a cherry," laughed the doctor, putting on some powder.
And then the maid began to smile. "It feels much better already," she said.
"Well it's always a good thing to call in the doctor," said the learned man. "You never can tell what may happen," and, picking up his little black bag, he held out his hand. "Two shillings, please!"
"Mercy me!" she cried. "I haven't had my wages for this month."
"What did you do with last month's?" asked the doctor, but before she could reply one of the four and twenty blackbirds dropped a gold piece in his hand. I guess he felt dreadfully ashamed to think that one of his brothers had pinched a pretty girl's nose.
THE King was in his counting-house,Counting out his money;The Queen was in the parlor,Eating bread and honey.
THE King was in his counting-house,Counting out his money;The Queen was in the parlor,Eating bread and honey.
And now let us see where little Puss, Junior, was. Oh yes, I remember now. He was in the garden of the Blackbird-pie Castle, where the poor maid's nose had been nipped by a naughty, bad blackbird. Well, after the good Doctor had gone, the old retainer took Puss to see the King, who was so busy counting his money that he didn't even look up.
"Your Worship," began the retainer.
"What do you want?" asked the King, angrily. "I've just counted up to three trillion two hundred and thirty-seven billion, nine hundred and forty-eight million, seven hundred and fifteen thousand, four hundred and—and—now you've gone and made me miss, and I'll have to count all over again."
"Start off at four hundred. A few sovereigns less won't matter to a king," said little Puss, Junior.
"I'm not so sure about that," replied HisMajesty, taking off his crown and scratching his head. "One likes to be right as well as King!"
"Nobody said, my lord!" cried the old retainer. "But consider your health. Let's take this wise cat's suggestion and quit for the time being."
"All right," said the King. "Let's go find the Queen."
She was in the parlor eating bread and honey. "How do you do, my dear Puss, Junior?" she cried.
"I am very well, thank Your Majesty," he replied.
"I have just heard what valuable assistance you have rendered our court," continued the Queen.
Puss would have blushed had not his cheeks been covered with whiskers.
"I did but do my duty, Your Majesty," he replied.
"What's that?" asked the King.
"Did you not hear, my lord?" cried the Queen. "Our maid had her nose bitten by a naughty blackbird, and our little friend here quickly fetched the Doctor, bringing him on his Good Gray Horse in short time."
"Indeed!" exclaimed His Majesty. "I will reward him. He shall have a castle and a retinue."
"Your Royal Highness," exclaimed Puss,Junior, "I am overwhelmed with your generosity, but I needs must decline your offer. For until I find my father, the famous Puss in Boots, I may not rest upon my journey except for sleep and refreshment."
Puss kissing the Queen's hand
"Zounds!" exclaimed the King. "You are a gallant cat. Would that all my subjects were as faithful to their duty as you are! But," headded, with a smile, "you shall rest here for the night, for a good dinner and a sound sleep will make you travel the faster on the morrow."
The Queen by this time had finished her bread and honey.
"Come out on the terrace," she suggested, "for it is cool and pleasant there, and the flowers are very beautiful. I would show Sir Cat our flower garden."
The King, therefore, gave his arm to the Queen and Puss gallantly held up her train, the three walking slowly out upon the broad terrace. The sun was quite low in the sky, for it was late in the afternoon. The big hills to the westward seemed to hold up the sky, and Puss wondered whether the jolly old sun would not bump himself as he slid down over the edge of the world.
"Come, Puss dear, take my hand," said the Queen. She then went over and sat down on a marble bench. Picking up Puss, she held him in her arms and commenced to sing, and presently he fell fast asleep. The Queen looked up at the King and said, "Is he not a dear little cat?" and the King for answer took from his purse several gold pieces and tucked them away in Puss, Junior's, pocket.
WHEN Puss, Junior, awoke from his nap he was surprised to find himself in the Queen's lap. It was growing dark and for a moment he wondered where he was. "Don't ask where you are, my dear Puss," laughed the Queen, "for you are safe and well."
"Your Majesty," said Puss, rubbing his eyes, "I was also very comfortable. Pardon me for dropping off to sleep in your presence."
Just then a page appeared and announced that dinner was served. The King arose and offered his arm to the Queen, Puss following quietly after. As he stepped down the great stairway to the royal dining room he heard some one singing in a deep voice:
"When good King Arthur ruled this land,He was a goodly King;He stole three pecks of barley mealTo make a bag pudding."A bag pudding the King did makeAnd stuffed it well with plums,And in it put great lumps of fatAs big as my two thumbs."The King and Queen did eat thereof,And noblemen beside;And what they could not eat that nightThe Queen next morning fried."
"Plum pudding!" said Puss to himself. "That sounds pretty nice," and he followed the King and Queen into the great dining hall. Many noblemen were present and the table was a most gorgeous affair. Silver tankards and wonderful gold dishes gleamed in the candlelight. Puss was very much impressed and behaved beautifully. And when the plum pudding came on the table the same deep voice began to sing:
"And what they could not eat that nightThe Queen next morning fried."
"Puss," said the Queen in a whisper, "let's finish the pudding between us! I know you'd like some more, and so would I. Moreover," she added in a still lower whisper, "I don't intend getting up early to-morrow morning to fry what's left over—so let us finish it to-night."
Presently the court fool came running in, his fool's cap all ajingle with bells. He capered about, swinging up and down a little stick which was also covered with tiny bells. These were silver, and the ones in his cap were of gold, so that the sound was very sweet.
The next morning Puss mounted his GoodGray Horse and rode away, and after a while he came to a great mound of earth in which was a little wooden door on leather hinges.
"What sort of a house is this?" thought Puss. And then, as if in answer to his question, the door opened and there stood a big brown bear dressed in a fur overcoat. And, oh, dear me! at first Puss was startled, and the Good Gray Horse reared on his hind legs. But the big brown bear didn't growl. Not even a little bit. He just smiled as only a brown bear can, and said:
"If you have moneyI'll sell you some honey."
So Puss jumped down and followed the bear into his hill house, for Puss was curious to see what kind of a home this big, smiling brown bear had, you see.
Well, I want you to know it was a mighty nice sort of a place. There was a big fireplace with great immense crackling logs, and over it, on the mantelpiece, were two beautiful carved candlesticks made from deers' horns, and a cuckoo clock. And just then out came the little cuckoo herself and began to sing.
ONE, I love; two, I love;Three, I love, I say;Four, I love with all my heart;Five, I cast away.Six, he loves; seven, she loves;Eight, both love.Nine, he comes; ten, he tarries;Eleven, he courts, and twelve, he marries.
ONE, I love; two, I love;Three, I love, I say;Four, I love with all my heart;Five, I cast away.Six, he loves; seven, she loves;Eight, both love.Nine, he comes; ten, he tarries;Eleven, he courts, and twelve, he marries.
On a big stone by the wayside sat a little boy and girl. She held a daisy in her hand, from which she slowly picked off the petals as she counted:
"One, I love; two I love."
"Whoa!" cried Puss, Junior.
"Three, I love, I say."
Both the children looked up. "What a dandy cat," cried the little girl, "and what a beautiful horse."
"Give us a ride?" asked the little boy.
"Do you know how to ride?" asked Puss, with a grin.
"I can ride my rocking horse ever so fast," the little boy replied.
"So can I," said the little girl.
"Stand on the stone," said Puss. "I'll ride up close, and then you both can climb up behindme. Easy there!" cried Puss, guiding the Good Gray Horse up to the children, who stood close together on the big high stone. "Now climb up behind me," and in a minute the two children had scrambled on to the saddle. "Gid-ap!" and off went the Good Gray Horse on a canter.
"Isn't this great?" cried the little boy.
"Isn't it lovely?" said the little girl.
"One, I love; two, I love; three, I love, I say; four, I love with all my heart," sang Puss. "There are just four of us. You two and my Good Gray Horse and I."
"But that isn't the way," said the little girl. "You must count the petals!"
"Oh, is that so?" asked Puss. "I like my way just the same."
"So do I," said the little boy. "All four of us are pretty good chums already."
And the Good Gray Horse whinnied, as much as to say: "I'm a good friend. See what I'm doing—carrying you all so nicely on my big, broad back?"
"That settles it," said Puss. "My Good Gray Horse likes it that way."
"There's our house over there," cried the little girl. "We'd better get off here."
"All right," and Puss helped them down. "Good-by, good-by," and then the two children ran up the path to tell mother all about it.
AS little Jenny Wren,Was sitting by her shedShe waggled with her tail,She nodded with her head.She waggled with her tailAnd nodded with her head,As little Jennie WrenWas sitting by her shed.
AS little Jenny Wren,Was sitting by her shedShe waggled with her tail,She nodded with her head.She waggled with her tailAnd nodded with her head,As little Jennie WrenWas sitting by her shed.
"May I put up my Good Gray Horse for the night?" asked Puss, Junior.
"You may, my good Sir Cat," replied the little bird. "Hay you will find for his supper, and straw for his bedding."
So Puss, Junior, jumped down and led his steed inside the big red barn and, after tying him in the stall, he looked around for a pitchfork.
"What are you looking for?" asked little Jenny Wren.
"A pitchfork, my dear," announced Puss. "I must spread straw for my horse so that he may rest comfortably, and bring in some hay from the mow for his supper. My paws will not do, so I must ask you where I may find the pitchfork."
"Here it is, my good Sir Cat. Now let me see you use it," answered little Jenny Wren,flying over to the opposite side of the shed and lighting on the handle of a large hay fork.
"Now, my little Lady Wren," cried Puss, after spreading the straw about the stall until he had a fine bed for the horse, "show me, if you please, the haymow, for I must give him some hay."
"I will show you the oats bin, also," said the Wren, "and here is the measure. You must lift this little wooden slide, but see that you don't spill the grain on the floor."
Lifting the slide ever so little, Puss held the measure carefully under the wooden trough until it was filled. Then he carried it over to his horse, who neighed twice, as much as to say, "Thank you."
"And now," said Jenny Wren, "what about yourself, my Lord Cat?"
"Lord Cat!" laughed Puss. "Do lords tend their own steeds? I fear the word Sir is even out of place."
"Never mind," said little Jenny Wren, "you have the manners of a gentleman, and that is enough for me."
"Thank you," said Puss.
"Come, follow me," cried Jenny Wren, and she led Puss into a pretty little cottage close by. "Hang up your cap and place your stick behind the door, and then wash your hands in my room. By that time I shall have supper ready for you."