CHAPTER 14 The Queen's Fairy Wand
"You see, Princess," said the Queen, when they were safely within thepalace, "it is rather dangerous to leave the dolls awake while I amaway. I feared, after I had started, you might have trouble withthem, 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 comfortwith them they must be kept asleep. Then we can love them and playwith them as much as we desire, but while they are awake they aresure 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 theWatch-Dog of Merryland?" she asked the Queen.
"Yes, indeed; and I told him just how to block up the archway if anymore 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 jellycake."
"Oh, yes," said the girl. "Tot gave it to him."
The Queen was silent for a time, and appeared to be thinking withouther machine, which made the girl anxious. But finally her Majestysaid, "Now that I have looked after the safety of my first threeValleys, I feel I should visit the last three, for it has been yearssince I have entered them."
"Can't we go with you?" asked Dot, eagerly.
"I cannot answer that question now, for I have not consulted mythinking machine, without which I never make an important move, but Iwill let you know in the morning."
Dot and Tot were all excitement after that to know what the thinkingmachine would advise, for they were curious to see the remainingValleys of this wonderful country. But the Queen said no more aboutthe journey that evening, and devoted herself to entertaining them insuch a pretty and modest way that they grew to love the big Wax Dollvery dearly.
Before breakfast the next morning, however, they asked what herthinking machine had said, and she at once replied:
"You may, if you wish, go with me to visit the other Valleys. Sinceyou are my adopted children and a Prince and Princess of Merryland,it is right you should know all about your own country; therefore wewill 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 newadventures.
They found the boat lying beside the steps outside the wall, and thewooden soldiers who were on guard saluted them respectfully as theyseated themselves and made ready to start. The Queen sat in themiddle of the boat, with Dot at one end and Tot at the other. But nowthey were not obliged to wait for the slow current to carry themalong.
For when the pretty Queen waved her fairy wand around her goldenhead, the boat shot out from the shore and glided swiftly toward therocky arch that led to the Fifth Valley of Merryland. This theyreached in a few minutes and passed quickly through, while Dot andTot 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, andat first the children thought the Valley resembled one of the quietcountry scenes at home. For nothing remarkable met their eyes, andthey felt rather relieved at the contrast between this and thewonderful Toy Valley they had just left.
Yet Dot soon decided the place was inhabited, for they came to aqueer looking group of buildings standing near the shore. These couldnot be seen clearly at first, but the boat drew nearer every moment,and finally the Queen waved her fairy wand and some magic powercarried them quickly to the shore at a spot near to the buildings.
The children sprang out upon the grass, and then they could seebetter what these strange houses looked like.
All the buildings were exactly alike, and stood about as high as atall man. In shape they were square, with a flat roof, but aroundeach roof was a stout railing. There were no windows at all, and eachhouse had but one door, which was placed in the center, halfwaybetween the floor and the roof. Even this was more a doorway than adoor, being nothing but a square hole, with a broad shelf projectingoutside and inside the bottom of the opening.
The entire group of buildings was painted a pure white, butunderneath each hole, or doorway, was a big, black number. The housenearest the river on the left side was number 1, and the one on theright side was number 47; yet the houses were not laid out intostreets, but stood here and there upon the smooth lawn, without anyattempt at order or regularity.
"Well, how do you like this Valley?" asked the Queen, with a laugh asshe saw Dot and Tot looking at the queer place with sober faces.
"The houses seem very odd--if they are houses," replied Dot. Then sheenquired: "Who lives in them?"
"King Felis lives in number 1," said the Queen. "At least, he didseveral years ago when I last visited him. I will now call him, thatI may introduce you to his Majesty."
Thereupon she gave a shrill whistle, and a moment later a greatMaltese pussycat sprang upon the shelf of the doorway at number 1 andsat there for an instant crouched, with its ears pointing into theair and its big yellow eyes gazing steadily at the visitors. Then thepussy leaped lightly to the ground, and standing upon its rear legsbefore 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. "Butpermit me to introduce to you my adopted children, Princess Dot andPrince Tot of Merryland."
The big pussy looked at the children with surprise, but nodded hishead politely.
"The Prince and Princess seem like people from the big, outsideworld," he said, with a wise look; and then he turned to Dot andasked:
"Do you pull the tails of pussycats?"
"Oh, no!" exclaimed the girl, who was just then admiring the beautyof 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 tosend you away at once. It is really a wicked amusement, for it hurtsa 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 theQueen; "so pray do not fear them, King Felis."
"Your Majesty rules all Merryland," he replied; "and your childrenshall be as welcome in our Valley as yourself. But I must call mypeople, that they may pay their respects to your Majesty."
"Where are they?" asked Tot, who had been looking around and couldsee no other living thing than the big Maltese.
"At this time of day they are asleep, as all good pussycats shouldbe," 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. Theyleaped from the roofs of the houses, from the doorways, and even fromamong the shady clumps of long grass. Every house added six or sevento the number, and soon hundreds of pussycats were standing beforethe Queen, bowing gracefully and crying, "Welcome, your Majesty!" inall sorts of voices.
They were plump and comfortable looking, and Dot had no idea therewere 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 oneswore spectacles;
but all were as neat as wax, and seemed well caredfor.
The big King was the largest of them all; yet there were many varioussizes, down to the tiniest kittens with their eyes just open.
When all this array of pussys had saluted the Queen they sat downupon the grass and began to purr, while some indulged in a yawnbehind their paws and others commenced to wash their faces; for theyhad just been aroused from a long nap.
"Your people seem happy and contented, King Felis," remarked theQueen, when she had looked them over carefully.
"Oh, yes; they are thriving finely," replied the Maltese King. "Butwhy should they not? They have no troubles nor cares, and pass theirlives in eating and sleeping. With comfortable homes and plenty offood they cannot help being the happiest pussycats in the big roundworld."
"I should think not, indeed," said the Queen.
"But now you must permit me to offer you the hospitality of myhouse," said the King. "It is nearly dinner time, and you will wishto rest and eat. Our houses are not very large, so I must divide yourparty and place you in separate families. The boy will be cared forby my cousin Tabby, who lives at number 16. The girl I will placewith Uncle Palladius, who lives at number 9. And your Majesty will, Itrust, partake of the hospitality of my humble home." And he bowedagain, 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 beafraid, for the pussys would treat them with great courtesy.