|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 45
They found everything at this cottage exactly as they had been told.
They ate the daintiest little meals off the daintiest little dishes,
and they thoroughly enjoyed all the delightful little things in the
little place. Sometimes, Corette and the fairies would take naps in
little hammocks under the trees, while the Condensed Pirate helped the
little man drive up the little cows, or work in the little garden.
On the second day of their visit, when they were all sitting on the
little portico after supper, one of the sisters, thinking that the
Condensed Pirate might like to have something to do, and knowing how he
used to occupy himself, took from her basket a little half-knit tidy,
with the needles in it, and asked him if he cared to amuse himself with
that.
"No, MA'AM!" said he, firmly but politely. "Not at present. If I find
it necessary to reform again, I may do something of the kind, but not
now. But I thank you kindly, all the same."
After this, they were all very careful not to mention tidies to him.
Corette and her companion stayed with the fairies for more than a week.
Corette knew that her father and mother did not expect her at home for
some time, and so she felt quite at liberty to stay as long as she
pleased.
As to the sisters, they were delighted to have their visitors with
them.
But, one day, the Condensed Pirate, finding Corette alone, led her,
with great secrecy, to the bottom of the pasture field, the very
outskirts of the fairies' domain.
"Look here," said he, in his lowest tones. "Do you know, little
Corette, that things are not as I expected them to be here? Everything
is very nice and good, but nothing appears very small to me. Indeed,
things seem to be just about the right size. How does it strike you?"
"Why, I have been thinking the same thing," said Corette. "The sisters
used to be such dear, cunning little creatures, and now they're bigger
than I am. But I don't know what can be done about it."
"I know," said the Condensed Pirate.
"What?" asked Corette.
"Condense 'em," answered her companion, solemnly.
"Oh! But you couldn't do that!" exclaimed Corette.
"Yes, but I can--at least, I think I can. You remember those two pink
condensing balls?"
"Yes," said Corette.
"Well, I've got mine."
"You have!" cried Corette. "How did you get it?"
"Oh! when the old fellow knocked it off my head, it fell on the chair
beside me, and I picked it up and put it in my coat-pocket. It would
just go in. He charges for the balls, and so I thought I might as well
have it."
"But do you know how he works them?"
"Oh yes!" replied the Condensed Pirate. "I watched him. What do you
say? Shall we condense this whole place?"
"It wont hurt them," said Corette, "and I don't really think they would
mind it."
"Mind it! No!" said the other. "I believe they'd like it."
So it was agreed that the Fairy Cottage, inmates, and grounds should
be condensed until they were, relatively, as small as they used to be.
That afternoon, when the sisters were taking a nap and the little man
was at work in the barn, the Condensed Pirate went up into the garret
of the cottage and got out on the roof. Then he climbed to the top of
the tallest chimney, which overlooked everything on the place, and
there he laid his little pink ball.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|