[Illustration]
So the thimble was sent to the Queen, who prized it more than anything
else she owned.
On the appointed day the General set off for the dance with a number of
the Teenie Weenies, and as they drew near the village they were met by a
body of wild men who had been sent out as a guard of honor to escort the
General into the village. He was led to a spot beneath a big bush where
the Queen sat cross-legged on a wonderfully soft piece of cloth which
had been thrown on the ground. Over her head hung another cloth which
was fastened at the four corners to long poles held in the hands of four
wild men.
A great many wild men and women stood about an open spot under the bush,
which had been swept until it was as clean as a pin. Many children ran
about the place, some of them climbing onto the grass houses and into
the trees. On the edge of the crowd stood several small animals, and
some birds were perched in the bush overhead.
The General made a low bow to the Queen and when she motioned for him to
sit by her side, he sat down on the soft cloth. The Queen and the
General talked for some time through the Poet, who translated for them.
Presently the Queen gave a command to one of her warriors and instantly
several men, who were sitting on the ground in front of the Queen, began
to beat on drums. The drums were made out of a piece of hollow reed. The
ends were covered with snake skin and they made a very pretty, mellow
sound. Another man beat on a piece of wood which had been fixed to a
split reed, while three or four women beat paddles together in time with
the music.
Instantly a number of voices broke into a loud song from behind a house
near by and presently the dancers came hopping and prancing into the
cleared spot before the Queen. First came a warrior with a long spear
and when he danced directly in front of the Queen he broke the spear in
two over his knee. Next came a man with a queer seed pod over his head
and in one hand he carried a whip with which he struck the warrior every
now and then. In the other hand he carried a dried seed pod which
rattled loudly in time with the song. The next dancer wore a frog’s head
and hopped in time with the music, much after the fashion of a frog.
Several girls followed the frog man, carrying plates of smoked frog ham
and rice cakes.
“The first man in the dance,” explained the Poet to the General, “is the
Spirit of War. He broke the spear to show you that the war was over and
the next man rattled the seed pod and struck him with the whip to scare
him away, which means that the wild men are through with war and wish to
get rid of the War Spirit. The frog man represents the frog meat which
the wild men eat, and his funny dance means that good times are coming,
for you see the pretty girls follow with plates of rice cakes and meat.”
The dancers performed for several minutes and then the man with the whip
and rattle chased the Spirit of War over the hill out of sight, which
meant that the Spirit of War was gone for good.
After the dance a great fire was built and when a heap of hot ashes had
burned, the wild men wrapped several frog hams in sassafras leaves and
put them into the hot bed of ashes to roast. When the hams were cooked
they were cut into slices and served to the Teenie Weenies and the wild
men. Wonderfully delicious rice cakes were also served and the Teenie
Weenies ate until they were quite filled. The greedy Dunce ate so much
he became quite ill and had to be carried back to the Teenie Weenie
camp, where the Doctor was kept busy most of the night putting heated
buttons on his aching tummy, until the pain was gone.
[Illustration]
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Chapter Twenty-Six
HOME
Put a bean on to boil, Mr. Cook!
Put a bean on to boil, Mr. Cook!
For an army, it must eat
And rest its weary feet;
So put on a bean, Mr. Cook!
The Teenie Weenie soldiers sang this song as they sat about their tiny
camp fire one evening shortly after the peace dance. They were all
happy, for they were to start for home in the morning. The Sailor was
now well enough to stand the long trip and that was all that had been
holding them back.
“He can stand the trip,” the Doctor said, “if he is carried in some way
that will not jolt him. He was badly wounded and I wouldn’t care to have
him ride in one of the army wagons, as they are much too rough.”
“We can make a litter and get two mice to carry it,” suggested Tess
Bone.
“That’s a good idea,” said the Doctor. “He will rest that way in fine
shape.”
The Turk and the Old Soldier agreed to make the litter and in a short
time they had built such a cozy one the Sailor was quite pleased with
it.
“Crickety!” exclaimed the Dunce when he saw the litter, “I wish I was
wounded so I could ride in that instead of walkin’ all the way home.”
[Illustration]
The army wagons were loaded and early in the morning the little army
began the long journey home. First the cannon and then the baggage and
wagons had to be moved across the river on the raft. It took the little
people all day to move across the river, for many trips had to be made
with the clumsy raft. But at the end of the day not a single Teenie
Weenie was left on Sabo Island.
As Queen Mooie had given the Teenie Weenies so many presents of frog
hams, rice cakes, delicious seeds and many hickory nut meats, the little
people were well supplied with good food. Every evening after the day’s
march the happy little army ate their meal gathered around a glowing
camp fire. They laughed and joked, sang songs, told stories and gossiped
with the many birds and animals of the woods who gathered about the camp
fire.
Often the Teenie Weenies listened to a strange tale of the forest, told
by some owl or chipmunk, and quite often the birds sang to them.
One evening a wicked old weasel came prowling around the camp. The
little folks were quite alarmed about it, for the old fellow hung around
for a long time. They could see his wicked green eyes shining in the
light from the camp fire and when the General asked him what he wanted,
he never answered. At last the General told several of the soldiers to
fire off their rifles.
“Shoot in the air over his head and give him a good scare,” ordered the
General. “I think that will fix him.”
At the first sound of the guns the weasel quickly disappeared into the
night and nothing more was seen of him, although the men kept a mighty
close watch for several days.
When the army came to the place where they had built the bridge, they
found the squirrel whom they had hired to guard it, on duty.
“Well, here I am,” shouted the squirrel. “And here is the bridge just as
you left it.”
“You have done your duty well,” said the General, and he ordered the
Cook to pay the squirrel the ten sunflower seeds and the hickory nuts
which had been promised him.
“Well, I always believe in doin’ my duty,” said the squirrel. “If I
agree to do a thing I always stick to my word—I’d rather lose every
whisker I’ve got than go back on my word.”
A bluejay who was sitting in a bush near by snickered and the squirrel
gave him a nasty look. The Teenie Weenies thought for a minute that
there might be a quarrel, but the bluejay flew off, so they felt much
easier.
After a pleasant talk with the squirrel, the General ordered the army to
march on and as long as the Teenie Weenies were in sight the squirrel
waved to them from the top of an old stump.
The trip seemed to agree with the Sailor. He grew stronger and stronger
under the watchful eye of the Doctor and the two dainty nurses. He was
fed on broth and a tiny bit of poached bird’s egg each day, and as the
army drew near home he was almost strong enough to walk.
One day the Teenie Weenies were surprised to hear a bird shout to them
from a bush over their heads and when they looked up they saw it was
Tilly Titter, the English Sparrow—an old and trusted friend.
Of course the General ordered a halt, while the men gathered around the
sparrow and asked many questions.
“How are the twins?” asked Mr. Lover.
“Fine! Just fine!” cried the bird. “I was over to the village yesterday
and they were playin’ foot ball with a gooseberry. They are as husky as
a caterpillar in a mulberry bush. Your wife is as fat as butter; I’ll
bet she has gained half an ounce since you left her.”
After the Teenie Weenies had learned all the news from home the General
gave a message to Tilly and asked her to deliver it to the Teenie Weenie
village.
“You can just bet your last fish worm I’ll carry that message as quick
as I can,” said the bird. “Everyone in the village will be tickled to
death to hear that you are so near home. Grandpa will be so ’appy ’e’ll
shout ’imself ’oarse.”
Spreading her wings, Tilly Titter flew into the air and quickly
disappeared in the direction of the Teenie Weenie village.
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Chapter Twenty-seven
THE GRAND REVIEW
Tilly Titter flew as she never flew before and in a short time she
landed on the ground beside the shoe house, her feathers all ruffled up
with excitement.
“I’ve got news,” she shouted, as the little women gathered about her.
“I’ve just come from the General and the army will be home in about
three days.”
[Illustration]
“Is my husband well?” shouted Mrs. Lover.
“He’s as healthy as a dandelion and as pink as a rose bud,” answered
Tilly.
“How’s the Poet and the Lady of Fashion?” asked Grandpa.
“Well and ’appy,” cried Tilly. “As I was a sayin’, the army will be ’ome
in about three days. The General said to tell you that they would arrive
on Friday afternoon if everthing goes well. He says for you to have a
good supper ready for the boys and to have plenty, for they will be as
hungry as young robins.”
“Is the Sailor getting along nicely?” asked Miss Guff.
“Fine as a fiddle! Fine as a fiddle!” answered the sparrow. “Wants to
walk, ’e’s feelin’ so well, but the Doctor makes ’im stay in the litter
and ride.”
“Well, we have got to get busy and do somethin’ for the boys,” cried
Grandpa. “We’ve got to give ’em a big feed and decorate the place with
flags and show ’em we’re glad to see ’em.”
“We’ll get up a grand supper for them,” cried Mrs. Lover, “and we’ll
have a dance afterwards.”
“I’ll bring over a big chunk of cheese,” cried the mouse that had joined
the crowd.
“I’ll get some fat worms for the supper,” cried Tilly, and instantly she
blushed a deep brown. “Oh, I forget you don’t eat worms. Well, I’ll get
some sunflower seeds.”
“I’ll donate a few nuts,” said Nick, the squirrel, who had been hoping
for a chance to speak.
“Oh, I forgot to say that the General said ’e would come in ahead of the
army so ’e could review them as they marched into the village,” cried
Tilly.
“He’s going to review the troops, did you say?” asked Grandpa, who was
hard of hearing.
“Yes!” shouted Tilly, right into the old gentleman’s ear. “The General
is goin’ to review the army.”
“Well, we got to get a reviewing stand ready for him,” cried Grandpa.
“I’ll help,” shouted the mouse, “and I’ll get some mice to help, too.”
“All right, get ’em!” cried Grandpa. “The sooner we get to work the
better it will be.”
In a short time the Teenie Weenies were as busy as bees in a clover
field. The little women set to work cooking and baking. They made cakes
and cookies by the thimble full. They made ginger cookies, nut cookies,
chocolate cake, fruit cake and half an English walnut full of doughnuts,
besides all sorts of other good things.
Grandpa put eight mice, a chipmunk and half a dozen bugs to work getting
the place ready for the returning soldiers. They cleaned up the rubbish
under the rose-bush, they moved all the desks out of the schoolhouse,
where the dinner and dance were to be held, and they made a reviewing
stand out of the top of a candy box.
Nick, the squirrel, worked hard opening nuts. He gnawed so many his
teeth became sore, but he never complained, for he was a very patriotic
squirrel and most fond of the Teenie Weenies.
[Illustration]
The little folks decorated the village with Teenie Weenie flags and
bunting and when the time arrived for the army to march home the village
was crowded with all sorts of visitors. Bugs, mice, squirrels, birds,
chipmunks, and even a few chickens and ducks, crowded under the
rose-bush.
The General rode in ahead of the army and took his place on the
reviewing stand amid the wildest shouting and waving of flags, but when
the troops came marching into view there was such a squealing of
squirrels and mice and squawking of chickens, ducks and birds, one could
hardly hear oneself think. Grandpa shouted so hard that he had one of
his choking fits, and a mouse had to pound him on the back until he
could get his breath.
When the review was over there was much hugging and kissing and some
crying, for most of the little women shed a few tears of happiness, but
that’s a strange way women folks have of showing they are happy. One old
hen cried so hard she had to be led away. A duck insisted on kissing the
Dunce and a mouse hugged Paddy Pinn so hard it nearly broke his arm.
After the little soldiers had visited for a time they were called into
the old derby hat for supper and such a supper as they had! There was
roasted bird’s egg, frog ham, escalloped hickory nut, walnut au gratin,
creamed hearts of sunflower seed, water cress and wild cherry salad, and
cakes and cookies and sliced grape and ice cream.
When the little soldiers had eaten until they could not hold another
morsel, the General arose from his seat at the head of the big table and
made a speech.
“Friends and men of the Teenie Weenie army,” he began, “I want to thank
you for your loyal and hearty service. You have gone through hardships
and you have risked your lives in battle without complaint. You have
done this to aid those in trouble and nothing greater can be said of
your deeds than that they were done willingly. Men, I am proud to have
been your leader.”
“Three cheers for the army!” shouted a mouse who had been helping to
wait on table, and the cheers were given with a will.
Next the Lady of Fashion made a little speech. She very prettily thanked
the General and the army for having rescued the Poet and herself from
the wild men and as she sat down there were tears in her pretty eyes.
The Poet spoke and Grandpa made a speech about the great war in
forty-two, but few heard what the old gentleman said, for they were
anxious to talk to one another about the great events of the rescue of
their friends.
“Friends!” shouted Paddy Pinn, when Grandpa had sat down, “I think the
Dunce ought to explain to the rest of us just why that old duck was so
anxious to kiss him.” Every one yelled so loudly for the Dunce that he
was forced to stand up, but he was so embarrassed he couldn’t speak a
word and the Teenie Weenies laughed so hard they cried.
When the tables had been cleared away the orchestra started playing and
in a few minutes the little folks were swinging around to the music of
“The Lady of Fashion Waltz.” They danced until nearly morning—in fact it
was broad daylight when the tired little soldiers crawled into their
tiny beds, every one of them mighty thankful that they were safely home
again.
“The war is over, our duty is done;
Hang up the pistol, the sword and the gun.”
Rufus Rhyme,
_Teenie Weenie Poet_.
[Illustration]
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● Transcriber’s Notes:
○ Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected.
○ Typographical errors were silently corrected.
○ Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only
when a predominant form was found in this book.
○ Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_);
text that was bold by “equal” signs (=bold=).