NONE of the Gourd men ever had the appearance of being either sensible
or well behaved. But one ought not to expect sense and dignity from any
of their race, for, all over the world, those who have neither are said
to be as “green as a gourd.”
It was only the gourd babies who seemed to know anything at all about
behaving properly. Strange as it may seem, the younger members of this
awkward family were as sweet and quiet as any babies in the whole
vegetable kingdom.
Some of these gourd children were made by using the large part for a
head and putting a deep frill about the neck for a gown. This was held
in place by a pin run through both gown and baby.
Others were made by using the slender part for a head and putting the
same kind of a frill about the neck for a dress. The last kind could
sit up as well as any real child.
It was the easiest thing in the world to make rhymes about these
dolls—indeed the rhymes seemed to almost make themselves.
[Illustration: THE LAUGHING GOURD MAN
Now I’ve learned to roll about so well
I can pass all the peg-legs by.
]