"Ha, ha!" roared the miller, "I was only joking."
"So was I," answered the little man. "Give me the stool. I will heal that patient first, then will see about the others."
The miller presently brought out the injured stool, and while it was being mended he and Puss, Jr., had a talk.
[Ill.u.s.tration: "IF I"D AS MUCH MONEY AS I COULD SPEND"]
"Yes," said the miller as Puss seated himself on a sack of flour, "I"m a busy man. It"s grind, grind all day long. Red corn and yellow corn and white corn from the cribs of the farmers. From the fields to my mill, and then from here to the baker or the kitchen, and then into cakes for little children. The big wheel goes round and round all day long and the water splashes and gurgles as it turns it. And then I tie up the sacks after they are well filled, and then the wagon comes and takes them away. Every day the same thing, year in and year out."
"It"s nice and cool," said Puss, "and the flour smells sweet, and it"s home, you know. I"m a little tired with my long journey and wish I could find my dear father."
"Cheer up," said the miller. "You"ll find him soon, I"m sure of that."
PUSS OVERHEARS A PROPOSAL AND IS INVITED TO A WEDDING
It was a merry time, When Jenny Wren was young, So neatly as she danced, And so sweetly as she sung--
Robin Redbreast lost his heart; He was a gallant bird; He doffed his hat to Jenny, And thus to her he said:
"My dearest Jenny Wren, If you will but be mine, You shall dine on cherry pie, And drink nice currant wine."
"I"ll dress you like a goldfinch, Or like a peac.o.c.k gay; So if you"ll have me, Jenny, Let us appoint the day."
While on his journey Puss, Jr., paused to listen to this sweet song. On a branch above him sat Robin Redbreast. With his hat held in one claw he bowed most beautifully to a little wren that sat on a limb just below him. "I"ll dress you like a goldfinch," repeated Robin, swinging his beautiful green hat with its long black feather up and down in the breeze.
Jenny blushed behind her fan, And thus declared her mind: "Then let it be to-morrow, Bob; I"ll take your offer kind.
"Cherry pie is very good, So is currant wine; But I"ll wear my russet gown, And never dress too fine."
"I"d like to buy her a beautiful gold dress," said Robin Redbreast, turning to look at Puss, Jr., who stood very quietly at the foot of the tree.
"I think her little russet gown is much nicer," replied Puss. "To tell you the truth, she wouldn"t look very much like a wren if you dressed her like a goldfinch."
"Of course I wouldn"t," chirruped little Jenny Wren; "and, besides, I wouldn"t feel at all like myself. I might think Robin had married a goldfinch instead of me; and I don"t want to think that."
"Of course you don"t," said Puss, kindly.
"You are both right," said Robin Redbreast. "I only thought for the moment that she would like a different gown, but she shall have her way. There is only one little bird in the world for me, and that is Jenny Wren."
Jenny hid her face behind her fan, for she was I blushing very hard.
Indeed, her cheeks were I almost as red as Robin"s breast.
"To-morrow, then, shall be our wedding-day," said Robin, "and you are invited, my dear Puss, Junior."
PUSS AND SEVERAL ACQUAINTANCES JOURNEY TO THE WEDDING
Robin rose up early, Before the break of day; He flew to Jenny Wren"s house, To sing a roundelay.
He met the c.o.c.k and Hen, And bade the c.o.c.k declare, This should be his wedding-day, With Jenny Wren, the fair.
The c.o.c.k then blew his horn, To let the neighbors know This was Robin"s wedding-day, And they might see the show.
Puss, Jr., was also up bright and early. He carefully polished his red-top boots and dusted his cap with the long feather in it. Then he started out for the woods.
"c.o.c.k-a-doodle-do!" cried the rooster.
"How do you doodle-do, my n.o.ble Sir Chanticleer?" asked Puss, bowing. "I am on my way to c.o.c.k Robin"s wedding; he has given me an invitation,"
he added, as the rooster stopped crowing to listen.
A little squirrel ran down from his tree and stood upright on his hind legs as Puss came to the edge of the woods. "Follow me," said Puss.
"There is to be a fine wedding in your forest city this morning." So the little squirrel ran after Puss.
Presently they came to a little pond. On a big log sat a very friendly-looking old bullfrog. "Ker-chunk, ker-chunk!" he cried.
"Get off your log and come with us," said Puss, Jr. "There is to be a grand wedding in the woods."
The bullfrog jumped off his log into the water with a great splash and swam to the sh.o.r.e. Scrambling up the bank, he followed Puss and the squirrel. The three had only gone a little ways when they came to a chipmunk.
"h.e.l.lo, Chip!" cried the little squirrel. "Don"t you want to join us?"
"Where are you going?"
"To a wedding," said Puss, Jr.
"All right," said the chipmunk, and he ran up and joined Puss, Jr."s, little party. After going for some distance they came to a brook.
"How shall we get across?" asked Puss, Jr.
"I"m all right," said the bullfrog. "I"ll swim." And with a beautiful dive he landed in the middle of the stream and swam away to the other bank.
"I wish my boots were rubber," said Puss. "I might wade across and carry you two on my back."
While they were wondering what to do, a muskrat swam up to the bank and said: "Why don"t you walk over Beaver Dam? It"s only a little distance from here."
"Will it be perfectly safe?" asked the little squirrel, timidly.
"Certainly, my dear friends," replied the muskrat. "You run along the bank and I"ll show you the way."
So Puss and his small comrades followed the little muskrat till they reached Beaver Dam.