Twinkle and Chubbins: Their Astonishing Adventures in Nature-Fairyland

  "Look out for the line of enchantment! You'll soon cross it, if youdon't watch out."

  "What line of enchantment?" asked Twinkle.

  "It's almost under your nose," replied the little creature.

  "I don't see anything at all," she said, after looking closely.

  "Of course you don't," said the beetle. "It isn't a mark, you know, thatany one can see with their eyes; but it's a line of enchantment, justthe same, and whoever steps over it is sure to see strange things andhave strange adventures."

  "I don't mind that," said Twinkle.

  "Well, I don't mind if you don't," returned the beetle, and by that timehe had crept across the path and disappeared underneath a big rock.

  Twinkle went on, without being at all afraid. If the beetle spoke truly,and there really was an invisible line that divided the common, realworld from an enchanted country, she was very eager to cross it, as anylittle girl might well be. And then it occurred to her that she musthave crossed the enchanted line before she met the beetle, for otherwiseshe wouldn't have understood his language, or known what he was talkingabout. Children don't talk with beetles in the real world, as Twinkleknew very well, and she was walking along soberly, thinking this over,when suddenly a voice cried out to her:

  "Be careful!"

  Chapter IIThe Rolling Stone

  OF course Twinkle stopped then, and looked around to see who had spoken.But no one was anywhere in sight. So she started on again.

  "Look out, or you'll step on me!" cried the voice a second time.

  She looked at her feet very carefully. There was nothing near them but abig round stone that was about the size of her head, and a pricklythistle that she never would step on if she could possibly help it.

  "Who's talking?" she asked.

  "Why, _I'm_ talking," answered the voice. "Who do you suppose it is?"

  "I don't know," said Twinkle. "I just can't see anybody at all."

  "Then you must be blind," said the voice. "I'm the Rolling Stone, andI'm about two inches from your left toes."

  "The Rolling Stone!"

  "That's it. That's me. I'm the Rolling Stone that gathers no moss."

  "You can't be," said Twinkle, sitting down in the path and lookingcarefully at the stone.

  "Why not?"

  "Because you don't roll," she said. "You're a stone, of course; I cansee that, all right. But you're not rolling."

  "How silly!" replied the Stone. "I don't have to roll every minute to bea Rolling Stone, do I?"

  "Of course you do," answered Twinkle. "If you don't roll you're just acommon, _still_ stone."

  "Well, I declare!" exclaimed the Stone; "you don't seem to understandanything. You're a Talking Girl, are you not?"

  "To be sure I am," said Twinkle.

  "But you don't talk every minute, do you?"

  "Mama says I do," she answered.

  "But you don't. You're sometimes quiet, aren't you?"

  "'Course I am."

  "That's the way with me. Sometimes I roll, and so I'm called the RollingStone. Sometimes you talk, and so you're the Talking Girl."

  "No; I'm Twinkle," she said.

  "That doesn't sound like a name," remarked the Stone.

  "It's what papa calls me, anyway," explained the girl. Then, thinkingshe had lingered long enough, she added:

  "I'm going up the hill to pick those berries. Since you can roll,suppose you go with me."

  "What! Up hill?" exclaimed the Stone.

  "Why not?" asked Twinkle.

  "Who ever heard of a stone rolling up hill? It's unnatural!"

  "Any stone can roll down hill," said the child. "If you can't roll uphill, you're no better than a common cobble-stone."

  "Oh, I can roll up hill if I have to," declared the Stone, peevishly."But it's hard work, and nearly breaks my back."

  "I can't see that you have any back," said Twinkle.

  "Why, I'm all back," replied the Stone. "When _your_ back aches, it'sonly a part of you. But when _my_ back aches, it's all of me except themiddle."

  "The middle ache is the worst of all," said Twinkle, solemnly. "Well, ifyou don't want to go," she added, jumping up, "I'll say good-bye."

  "Anything to be sociable," said the Stone, sighing deeply. "I'll goalong and keep you company. But it's lots easier to roll down than it isto roll up, I assure you!"

  "Why, you're a reg'lar grumbler!" exclaimed Twinkle.

  "That's because I lead a hard life," returned the Stone, dismally. "Butdon't let us quarrel; it is so seldom I get a chance to talk with one ofmy own standing in society."

  "You can't have any standing, without feet," declared Twinkle, shakingher head at the Stone.

  "One can have _under_standing, at least," was the answer; "andunderstanding is the best standing any person can have."

  "Perhaps that is true," said the child, thoughtfully; "but I'm glad Ihave legs, just the same."

  Chapter IIISome Queer Acquaintances

  "WAIT a minute!" implored a small voice, and the girl noticed a yellowbutterfly that had just settled down upon the stone. "Aren't you thechild from the farm?"

  "To be sure," she answered, much amused to hear the butterfly speak.

  "Then can you tell me if your mother expects to churn to-day," said thepretty creature, slowly folding and unfolding its dainty wings.

  "Why do you want to know?"

  "If she churns to-day, I'll fly over to the house and try to steal somebutter. But if your mother isn't going to churn, I'll fly down into thegulch and rob a bees' nest I know of."

  "Why do you rob and steal?" inquired Twinkle.

  "It's the only way I can get my living," said the butterfly. "Nobodyever gives me anything, and so I have to take what I want."

  "Do you like butter?"

  "Of course I do! That's why we are called butterflies, you know. Iprefer butter to anything else, and I have heard that in some countriesthe children always leave a little dish of butter on the window-sill, sothat we may help ourselves whenever we are hungry. I wish I had beenborn in such a country."

  "Mother won't churn until Saturday," said Twinkle. "I know, 'cause I'vegot to help her, and I just hate butter-making!"

  "Then I won't go to the farm to-day," replied the butterfly. "Good-bye,little girl. If you think of it, leave a dish of butter around where Ican get at it."

  "All right," said Twinkle, and the butterfly waved its wings andfluttered through the air into the gulch below.

  Then the girl started up the hill and the Stone rolled slowly besideher, groaning and grumbling because the ground was so rough.

  Presently she noticed running across the path a tiny Book, not muchbigger than a postage-stamp. It had two slender legs, like those of abumble-bee, and upon these it ran so fast that all the leaves flutteredwildly, the covers being half open.

  "What's that?" asked Twinkle, looking after the book in surprise.

  "That is a little Learning," answered the Stone. "Look out for it, forthey say it's a dangerous thing."

  "It's gone already," said Twinkle.

  "Let it go. Nobody wants it, that I know of. Just help me over thisbump, will you?"

  So she rolled the Stone over the little hillock, and just as she did soher attention was attracted by a curious noise that sounded like "Pop!pop! pop!"

  "What's that?" she inquired, hesitating to advance.

  "Only a weasel," answered the Stone. "Stand still a minute, and you'llsee him. Whenever he thinks he's alone, and there's no one to hear,'pop' goes the weasel."

  Sure enough, a little animal soon crossed their path, making the funnynoise at every step. But as soon as he saw that Twinkle was staring athim he stopped popping and rushed into a bunch of tall grass and hidhimself.

  And now they were almost at the berry-bushes, and Twinkle trotted sofast that the Rolling Stone had hard work to keep up with her. But whenshe got to the bushes she found a flock of strange birds sitting uponthem and eating up the berries as fast as they could. The birds were notmuch
bigger than robins, and were covered with a soft, velvety skininstead of with feathers, and they had merry black eyes and long,slender beaks curving downward from their noses, which gave to theirfaces a saucy expression. The lack of usual feathers might not havesurprised Twinkle so much had she not noticed upon the tail of each birdone single, solitary feather of great length, which was certainly aremarkable thing.

  "I know what they are," she said, nodding her head wisely; "they'rebirds of a feather."

  At this the birds burst into a chorus of laughter, and one of them said:

  "Perhaps you think that's why we flock together."

  "Well, isn't that the reason?" she asked.

  "Not a bit of it," declared the bird. "The reason we flock together isbecause we're too proud to mix with common birds, who have feathers allover them."

  "I should think you'd be ashamed, 'cause you're so naked," she returned.

  "The fact is, Twinkle," said another bird, as he pecked at a blueberryand swallowed it, "the common things in this world don't amount to much.There are millions of birds on earth, but only a few of us that have butone feather. In my opinion, if you had but one hair upon your head you'dbe much prettier."

  "I'd be more 'strord'nary, I'm sure," said Twinkle, using the biggestword she could think of.

  "There's no accounting for tastes," remarked the Rolling Stone, whichhad just arrived at Twinkle's side after a hard roll up the path. "Formy part, I haven't either hair or feathers, and I'm glad of it."

  The birds laughed again, at this, and as they had eaten all the berriesthey cared for, they now flew into the air and disappeared.

  Chapter IVThe Dancing Bear

  "REALLY," said Twinkle, as she began picking the berries and putting theminto her pail, "I didn't know so many things could talk."

  "It's because you are in the part of the gulch that's enchanted,"answered the Rolling Stone. "When you get home again, you'll think thisis all a dream."

  "I wonder if it isn't!" she suddenly cried, stopping to look around, andthen feeling of herself carefully. "It's usually the way in all thefairy stories that papa reads to me. I don't remember going to sleep anytime; but perhaps I did, after all."

  "Don't let it worry you," said the Stone, making a queer noise thatTwinkle thought was meant for a laugh. "If you wake up, you'll be sorryyou didn't dream longer; and if you find you haven't been asleep, thiswill be a wonderful adventure."

  "That's true enough," the girl answered, and again began filling herpail with the berries. "When I tell mama all this, she won't believe aword of it. And papa will laugh and pinch my cheek, and say I'm likeAlice in Wonderland, or Dorothy in the Land of Oz."

  Just then she noticed something big and black coming around the bushesfrom the other side, and her heart beat a good deal faster when she sawbefore her a great bear standing upon his rear legs beside her.

  He had a little red cap on his head that was kept in place by a band ofrubber elastic. His eyes were small, but round and sparkling, and thereseemed to be a smile upon his face, for his white teeth showed in twolong rows.

  "Don't be afraid," called out the Rolling Stone; "it's only the DancingBear."

  "Why should the child be afraid?" asked the bear, speaking in a low,soft tone that reminded her of the purring of a kitten. "No one everheard of a Dancing Bear hurting anybody. We're about the most harmlessthings in the world."

  "Are you really a Dancing Bear?" asked Twinkle, curiously.

  "I am, my dear," he replied, bowing low and then folding his armsproudly as he leaned against a big rock that was near. "I wish there wassome one here who could tell you what a fine dancer I am. It wouldn't bemodest for me to praise myself, you know."

  "I s'pose not," said Twinkle. "But if you're a Dancing Bear, why don'tyou dance?"

  "There it is again!" cried the Rolling Stone. "This girl Twinkle wantsto keep everybody moving. She wouldn't believe, at first, that I was aRolling Stone, because I was lying quiet just then. And now she won'tbelieve you're a Dancing Bear, because you don't eternally keepdancing."

  "Well, there's some sense in that, after all," declared the Bear. "I'monly a Dancing Bear while I'm dancing, to speak the exact truth; andyou're only a Rolling Stone while you're rolling."

  "I beg to disagree with you," returned the Stone, in a cold voice.

  "Well, don't let us quarrel, on any account," said the Bear. "I inviteyou both to come to my cave and see me dance. Then Twinkle will be sureI'm a Dancing Bear."

  "I haven't filled my pail yet," said the little girl, "and I've got toget enough berries for papa's supper."

  "I'll help you," replied the Bear, politely; and at once he began topick berries and to put them into Twinkle's pail. His big paws lookedvery clumsy and awkward, but it was astonishing how many blueberries thebear could pick with them. Twinkle had hard work to keep up with him,and almost before she realized how fast they had worked, the little pailwas full and overflowing with fine, plump berries.

  "And now," said the Bear, "I will show you the way to my cave."

  He took her hand in his soft paw and began leading her along the side ofthe steep hill, while the Stone rolled busily along just behind them.But they had not gone far before Twinkle's foot slipped, and in tryingto save herself from falling she pushed hard against the Stone andtumbled it from the pathway.

  "Now you've done it!" growled the Stone, excitedly, as it whirledaround. "Here I go, for I've lost my balance and I can't help myself!"

  Even as he spoke the big round stone was flying down the side of thegulch, bumping against the hillocks and bits of rock--sometimes leapinginto the air and then clinging close to the ground, but going faster andfaster every minute.

  "Dear me," said Twinkle, looking after it; "I'm afraid the Rolling Stonewill get hurt."

  "No danger of that," replied the Bear. "It's as hard as a rock, and nota thing in the gulch could hurt it a bit. But our friend would have toroll a long time to get back here again, so we won't wait. Come along,my dear."

  He held out his paw again, and Twinkle took it with one of her handswhile she carried the pail with the other, and so managed to get overthe rough ground very easily.

  Chapter VThe Cave of the Waterfall

  BEFORE long they came to the entrance to the cave, and as it looked darkand gloomy from without Twinkle drew back and said she guessed shewouldn't go in.

  "But it's quite light inside," said the bear, "and there's a prettywaterfall there, too. Don't be afraid, Twinkle; I'll take good care ofyou."

  So the girl plucked up courage and permitted him to lead her into thecave; and then she was glad she had come, instead of being a 'fraid-cat.For the place was big and roomy, and there were many cracks in the roof,that admitted plenty of light and air. Around the side walls wereseveral pairs of big ears, which seemed to have been carved out of therock. These astonished the little girl.

  "What are the ears for?" she asked.

  "Don't walls have ears where you live?" returned the Bear, as ifsurprised.

  "I've heard they do," she answered, "but I've never seen any before."

  At the back of the cave was a little, tinkling waterfall, that splashedinto a pool beneath with a sound that was very like music. Near this wasa square slab of rock, a little raised above the level of the floor.

  "Kindly take a seat, my dear," said the bear, "and I'll try to amuseyou, and at the same time prove that I can dance."

  So to the music of the waterfall the bear began dancing. He climbed uponthe flat stone, made a graceful bow to Twinkle, and then balancedhimself first upon one foot and then upon the other, and swung slowlyaround in a circle, and then back again.

  "How do you like it?" he asked.

  "I don't care much for it," said Twinkle. "I believe I could do bettermyself."

  "But you are not a bear," he answered. "Girls ought to dance better thanbears, you know. But not every bear can dance. If I had a hand-organ tomake the music, instead of this waterfall, I might do better."

  "Then I wish yo
u had one," said the girl.

  The Bear began dancing again, and this time he moved more rapidly andshuffled his feet in quite a funny manner. He almost fell off the slabonce or twice, so anxious was he to prove he could dance. And once hetripped over his own foot, which made Twinkle laugh.

  Just as he was finishing his dance a strange voice cried out:

  "For bear!" and a green monkey sprang into the cave and threw a big rockat the performer. It knocked the bear off the slab, and he fell into thepool of water at the foot of the waterfall, and was dripping wet when hescrambled out again.

  The Dancing Bear gave a big growl and ran as fast as he could after themonkey, finally chasing him out of the cave. Twinkle picked up her pailof berries and followed, and when she got into the sunshine again on theside of the hill she saw the monkey and the bear hugging each othertight, and growling and chattering in a way that showed they were angrywith each other and not on pleasant terms.

  "You _will_ throw rocks at me, will you?" shouted the Bear.

  "I will if I get the chance," replied the monkey. "Wasn't that a fine,straight shot? and didn't you go plump into the water, though?" and heshrieked with laughter.

  Just then they fell over in a heap, and began rolling down the hill.

  "Let go!" yelled the Bear.

  "Let go, yourself!" screamed the monkey.

  But neither of them did let go, so they rolled faster and faster downthe hill, and the last that Twinkle saw of them they were bounding amongthe bushes at the very bottom of the big gulch.