The Queen's Fairy Wand
"You see, Princess," said the Queen, when they were safely within the
palace, "it is rather dangerous to leave the dolls awake while I am
away. I feared, after I had started, you might have trouble with
them, and so hurried back as soon as I could. Did they frighten you?"
"A little," said Dot, "for they would not be quiet an instant."
"No; that is the way with dolls. If one wishes to take any comfort
with them they must be kept asleep. Then we can love them and play
with them as much as we desire, but while they are awake they are
sure to cause no end of trouble."
"I'll keep my dolls asleep," said Tot, with decision.
"Yes," agreed the girl, "they are nicer that way. But did you see the
Watch-Dog of Merryland?" she asked the Queen.
"Yes, indeed; and I told him just how to block up the archway if any
more strangers appeared," was the answer.
"Was he countin' his whiskers?" asked Tot.
"Not when I arrived. I think he was playing with a piece of jelly
cake."
"Oh, yes," said the girl. "Tot gave it to him."
The Queen was silent for a time, and appeared to be thinking without
her machine, which made the girl anxious. But finally her Majesty
said, "Now that I have looked after the safety of my first three
Valleys, I feel I should visit the last three, for it has been years
since I have entered them."
"Can't we go with you?" asked Dot, eagerly.
"I cannot answer that question now, for I have not consulted my
thinking machine, without which I never make an important move, but I
will let you know in the morning."
Dot and Tot were all excitement after that to know what the thinking
machine would advise, for they were curious to see the remaining
Valleys of this wonderful country. But the Queen said no more about
the journey that evening, and devoted herself to entertaining them in
such a pretty and modest way that they grew to love the big Wax Doll
very dearly.
Before breakfast the next morning, however, they asked what her
thinking machine had said, and she at once replied:
"You may, if you wish, go with me to visit the other Valleys. Since
you are my adopted children and a Prince and Princess of Merryland,
it is right you should know all about your own country; therefore we
will make the journey together."
"That's lovely!" cried Dot, with delight. "When shall we start?"
"Whenever you please," answered the Queen. "As you seem so anxious,
we may as well start after breakfast."
"Good!" exclaimed Tot, who was already busily eating; "I'm ready."
So, breakfast being finished, they all walked down to the river,
wearing their golden crowns and feeling happy at the prospect of new
adventures.
They found the boat lying beside the steps outside the wall, and the
wooden soldiers who were on guard saluted them respectfully as they
seated themselves and made ready to start. The Queen sat in the
middle of the boat, with Dot at one end and Tot at the other. But now
they were not obliged to wait for the slow current to carry them
along.
For when the pretty Queen waved her fairy wand around her golden
head, the boat shot out from the shore and glided swiftly toward the
rocky arch that led to the Fifth Valley of Merryland. This they
reached in a few minutes and passed quickly through, while Dot and
Tot looked eagerly ahead to see what the Fifth Valley was like.
It seemed very quiet as it lay under the rays of the morning sun, and
at first the children thought the Valley resembled one of the quiet
country scenes at home. For nothing remarkable met their eyes, and
they felt rather relieved at the contrast between this and the
wonderful Toy Valley they had just left.
Yet Dot soon decided the place was inhabited, for they came to a
queer looking group of buildings standing near the shore. These could
not be seen clearly at first, but the boat drew nearer every moment,
and finally the Queen waved her fairy wand and some magic power
carried them quickly to the shore at a spot near to the buildings.
The children sprang out upon the grass, and then they could see
better what these strange houses looked like.
All the buildings were exactly alike, and stood about as high as a
tall man. In shape they were square, with a flat roof, but around
each roof was a stout railing. There were no windows at all, and each
house had but one door, which was placed in the center, halfway
between the floor and the roof. Even this was more a doorway than a
door, being nothing but a square hole, with a broad shelf projecting
outside and inside the bottom of the opening.
The entire group of buildings was painted a pure white, but
underneath each hole, or doorway, was a big, black number. The house
nearest the river on the left side was number 1, and the one on the
right side was number 47; yet the houses were not laid out into
streets, but stood here and there upon the smooth lawn, without any
attempt at order or regularity.
"Well, how do you like this Valley?" asked the Queen, with a laugh as
she saw Dot and Tot looking at the queer place with sober faces.
"The houses seem very odd--if they are houses," replied Dot. Then she
enquired: "Who lives in them?"
"King Felis lives in number 1," said the Queen. "At least, he did
several years ago when I last visited him. I will now call him, that
I may introduce you to his Majesty."
Thereupon she gave a shrill whistle, and a moment later a great
Maltese pussycat sprang upon the shelf of the doorway at number 1 and
sat there for an instant crouched, with its ears pointing into the
air and its big yellow eyes gazing steadily at the visitors. Then the
pussy leaped lightly to the ground, and standing upon its rear legs
before the Queen, he bobbed his head solemnly up and down and said,
"Welcome, Queen of Merryland, to the Valley of Pussycats!"
"I thank you, King Felis," responded the Wax Doll sweetly. "But
permit me to introduce to you my adopted children, Princess Dot and
Prince Tot of Merryland."
The big pussy looked at the children with surprise, but nodded his
head politely.
"The Prince and Princess seem like people from the big, outside
world," he said, with a wise look; and then he turned to Dot and
asked:
"Do you pull the tails of pussycats?"
"Oh, no!" exclaimed the girl, who was just then admiring the beauty
of the cat King as well as his ability to speak.
"Or pinch their ears?" he continued.
"Never!" declared Dot.
"I did--once," remarked Tot, composedly. "An' it yelled."
The big kitty looked at the boy gravely and said:
"Should you do such a thing in this Valley I would ask the Queen to
send you away at once. It is really a wicked amusement, for it hurts
a pussy as much as if someone should pinch your own ears."
"All right," remarked Tot. "I'll be good."
"You will find my adopted children both kind and gentle," said the
Queen; "so pray do not fear them, King Felis."
"Your Majesty rules all Merryland," he replied; "and your children
shall be as welcome in our Valley as yourself. But I must call my
people, that they may pay their respects to your Majesty."
"Where are they?" asked Tot, who had been looking around and could
see no other living thing than the big Maltese.
"At this time of day they are asleep, as all good pussycats should
be," was the King's answer. "The sun is warm and pleasant just now,
and my people are enjoying their mid-day naps."
He then lifted his voice and uttered a loud, wailing cry.
Scarcely had it died away when the pussys began to appear. They
leaped from the roofs of the houses, from the doorways, and even from
among the shady clumps of long grass. Every house added six or seven
to the number, and soon hundreds of pussycats were standing before
the Queen, bowing gracefully and crying, "Welcome, your Majesty!" in
all sorts of voices.
They were plump and comfortable looking, and Dot had no idea there
were so many kinds and colors of pussys in the world. Some had long,
silky hair, and some short, velvety hair; some had long, bushy tails,
some short tails and some no tails at all. They were white and black,
blue and gray, yellow and red, speckled and tortoise-shell in color.
Some had pretty ribbons around their necks and some of the older ones
wore spectacles; but all were as neat as wax, and seemed well cared
for.
The big King was the largest of them all; yet there were many various
sizes, down to the tiniest kittens with their eyes just open.
When all this array of pussys had saluted the Queen they sat down
upon the grass and began to purr, while some indulged in a yawn
behind their paws and others commenced to wash their faces; for they
had just been aroused from a long nap.
"Your people seem happy and contented, King Felis," remarked the
Queen, when she had looked them over carefully.
"Oh, yes; they are thriving finely," replied the Maltese King. "But
why should they not? They have no troubles nor cares, and pass their
lives in eating and sleeping. With comfortable homes and plenty of
food they cannot help being the happiest pussycats in the big round
world."
"I should think not, indeed," said the Queen.
"But now you must permit me to offer you the hospitality of my
house," said the King. "It is nearly dinner time, and you will wish
to rest and eat. Our houses are not very large, so I must divide your
party and place you in separate families. The boy will be cared for
by my cousin Tabby, who lives at number 16. The girl I will place
with Uncle Palladius, who lives at number 9. And your Majesty will, I
trust, partake of the hospitality of my humble home." And he bowed
again, very politely.
"We accept your kindness with much pleasure and many thanks,"
answered the Queen; and then she whispered to Dot and Tot not to be
afraid, for the pussys would treat them with great courtesy.