Puss in Boots, Jr., and the Good Gray Horse.
by David Cory.
THE MAGIC WINGS
ONE morning as little Puss, Junior, on his Good Gray Horse rode through Mother Goose country he saw a spider sitting in her tiny lace house. She kept very still, for the early dewdrops still clung to the delicate web.
And as the sun shone down they looked for all the world like diamonds on a piece of lace. So little Puss, Junior, stretched out his paw and, would you believe it, instead of a drop of water he picked off a real diamond.
"Ha, ha!" cried the little black spider. "The witch"s feather in your hat has changed the dewdrop into a diamond. But I have no use for precious stones, so you may have it. The flies that come to my net are more to my liking." And then she tied the strings of her little black bonnet and put on her black silk mitts and waited for a fly to make a call.
Well, after putting the diamond in his pocket, Puss rode away, and by and by, after a while he came to a steep hill. And, oh, dear me! it was a dreadfully steep hill, for Puss had missed his way and there was no path or road for him to follow. And while he waited, not knowing what to do, he heard a little voice say:
"If I bring four wings to you To fasten on your horse"s shoe Will you give me for my locket The sparkling diamond in your pocket?"
"How do I know my Good Gray Horse can fly with these wings?" asked Puss.
"He may try them first," said the voice, and out from behind a stump jumped a little dwarf, dressed in green, with a red turban on his head.
Quick as a wink he fastened a wing to each foot of the Good Gray Horse.
And then he clicked his tongue against his teeth and away went the Good Gray Horse up in the air like a great bird.
"Hold on!" shouted the dwarf. "Don"t forget to give me the diamond," and he held out his little hat for Puss to drop it in as the Good Gray Horse sailed away on his winged feet over the mountain.
Well, as soon as he crossed the top of the great high mountain he came down to earth and, strange to say, as soon as he touched the ground the wings on his feet changed into long, silky hairs, and, but for these, he was just the same as he was before meeting the dwarf.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
"Come, little master, since I have lost my wings, to yonder inn. I am hungry for oats." So Puss rode forward and, after leaving him in the stable, sat down in the inn and waited for his dinner. Pretty soon a little bird settled on the window sill and sang:
"From my snug little nest in the old apple tree, All covered with blossoms so fair, I never have seen, though I"m over thirteen, A horse that could fly thro" the air."
Just then the innkeeper"s wife came in, and when she saw the little bird on the window sill close to Puss, Junior, she cried, "Time for little birds to be in their nests." So the little bird flew away, and as soon as Puss had eaten his dinner he again mounted his Good Gray Horse. After a while he met an old man and a little dog. The little dog was carrying a basket in his mouth and the little old man a big pipe, from which the smoke curled up in the shape of a bird. All of a sudden he gave a puff and, would you believe it, a glossy gray pigeon flew away.
Pretty soon the smoke again curled up from the pipe into the form of a pigeon, and then, just as before, the little old man gave a puff, and away flew a pigeon, only this time it was grayish blue.
I don"t know how long this would have gone on if the little old man had not suddenly turned around.
"You have a wonderful pipe," said little Puss, Junior. "I"ve never seen one like it."
"There are lots of strange things in Mother Goose Land," answered the little old man. "If you are a traveler, as I think you are, you will meet with many strange adventures."
Then with a bow he turned in at the gate of a little pink-and-blue cottage, at the rear of which stood a pigeon house on top of a tall pole. As Puss turned around for a last look, again the smoke from the little old man"s pipe changed into a pigeon, which flew straight toward the little pigeon house.
Well, after that Puss rode along for some time, and by and by the moon came out and dimly lighted the road, which now led through a forest. It was very quiet, except for the tooting of an owl or the cry of a tree toad.
Little Puss commenced to whistle when, all of a sudden, the Good Gray Horse jumped to the side of the road, and there, right in front of him, stood a tiny fairy, dressed in green. "Halt, Sir Cat!" he cried, waving his silver wand.
THE HOLD-UP
"OH, who is so merry, so merry, heigh ho!
As the light-hearted fairy, heigh ho, heigh ho!"
As soon as the little fairy I mentioned in the last story finished his song Puss, Junior"s, Good Gray Horse stood up on his hind legs, for he wasn"t used to these little people of the forest, you see.
"Whoa, my good steed," cried Puss. "Don"t you see it"s only a little fairy?"
"Only a little fairy!" cried the forest fay. "I would have you understand, Sir Cat, that I have at my command a million subjects. I have but to sound a call upon my silver horn and they will surround you."
"Bah!" cried Puss, scornfully. "I have no fear of such tiny things."
But, oh, dear me! no sooner had he said this than the fairy blew a shrill blast upon his silver horn, and from all directions came thousands of little fairies on moth millers and fireflies. And, oh, dear me! again, before Puss knew what was going to happen they stretched tiny ropes about his Good Gray Horse and bound his legs fast, and after that they tied Puss to the saddle.
"Ha, ha!" laughed the little fairy. "Now, my good Sir Cat, will you believe that fairies have power?"
"Gid-ap!" cried Puss, but his good gray steed could move neither head nor foot. "Gid-ap!" he cried again; but his Good Gray Horse could move neither ears nor tail.
"Gracious me!" exclaimed Puss. "I"m in a pretty mess!" And then the fairies began to sing:
"Pride must ever have a fall.
Ne"er despise the weak and small.
Only he who"s brave and good Shall pa.s.s safely through this wood."
"I don"t see how that applies to me," cried Puss, stoutly. "I may have been a trifle rude, but I maintain I"m brave and good."
Well, just then, all of a sudden, a big kind-hearted owl flew down from his nest in a tree and cut all the fairy ropes with a big pair of scissors. And then he gave a great hoot, which so frightened the fairies that they flew away, helter skelter, into the depths of the forest.
"You have been very kind to me," said Puss. "How shall I repay you?"
"Forget it," said the owl, taking off his gold-rimmed spectacles and wiping his left eye with a yellow silk handkerchief. "If you would get safely out of this forest,
"Follow the path, the moon is still bright.
Take the first turn--the one to the right.
The Willow Tree Inn you"ll find in due course, Where you"ll find shelter for you and your horse."
"Thank you," said Puss. "If your directions are as good as your rhyme I shall have no trouble in finding the place."
WILLOW TREE INN
THE moonlight shone brightly on the sign of the Willow Tree Inn as Puss reached up for the big bra.s.s knocker. But he wasn"t tall enough, so he stood on an empty flower pot and rapped twice on the door.