Journeys Through Bookland Volume X Part 22

3, 4 and 5. The Three Giants were usually cruel but were afraid of the Drummer and so behaved very well.

6. The Two Men were very unwise to quarrel and perhaps deserved to lose their saddle.

7. The Witch was cruel, deceitful and always bad, deserving her awful fate.

8. The Drummer's Parents were good people, for they knew nothing of the princess when they tried to marry their son to another.

9. The Maiden was a commonplace person who did not really love the Drummer.

IV. _The Unreal and Magical Things._

1. There are no gla.s.s mountains, but an iceberg resembles one.

2. There never were giants as big as fir trees.

3. There never was a saddle that could itself carry anyone anywhere.

4. There never was an old woman who could enchant a maiden.

5. There never was a magic ring that could grant wishes. Fish never jumped from water and sorted themselves, wood never cut itself nor piled itself.

6. Never was a princess enchanted into a log and no log ever became a king's beautiful daughter.

7. It never made any difference in a young man's fortunes if he did kiss his parents on the right instead of the left cheek.

8. No castle such as this was ever built in a day.

V. _Things that Happen in Threes._

How absurd it is that in fairy stories things so often happen in sets of three! In this one short story we find:

1. The Drummer saw _three_ pieces of white linen.

2. The Drummer met _three_ giants.

3. The mountain looked as high as if _three_ mountains had been placed one upon another.

4. On the plain are _three_ things, an old stone house, a large fish pond and a dark, dreary forest.

5. The Witch did not appear till the Drummer had knocked _three_ times.

6. The Drummer wanted _three_ things, admission, food and a night's lodging.

7. The Witch a.s.signed _three_ tasks.

8. There were _three_ conditions to the first task, to scoop out the water, sort the fish, and finish by night.

9. There were _three_ parts to the second task, to cut the trees, to split them into logs and to stack them.

10. The Witch gave the Drummer _three_ tools with which to accomplish the second task, an ax, a chopper and a wedge.

11. In the third task there were _three_ steps, to place the wood in a heap, to set fire to it and to burn it.

12. The Drummer supposed he had been gone _three_ days but it was _three_ years.

13. The wedding was to take place in _three_ days.

14. The princess sang her song _three_ times.

_Tom, the Water Baby_

(Volume II, page 215)

"This is all a fairy tale, and only fun and pretense; and therefore, you are not to believe a word of it, even if it is true."

But what a wonderful tale it is; so interesting a story, such a mixture of fact and fancy, so br.i.m.m.i.n.g full of fun and laughter, so touching in pathos, and so rife with good lessons. Though "you are not to believe a word of it, even if it is true," there is so much truth in it that you really cannot keep from believing a great deal of it.

A better comprehension of _Tom, the Water Baby_ among parents will mean a greater popularity for it among children. The tale is too long for a full interpretation, but we can offer an a.n.a.lysis which will help to keep the story in mind, and some ill.u.s.trations of different meritorious features.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DONALD G. MITCh.e.l.l JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY EDGAR ALLAN POE THOMAS BUCHANAN READ EUGENE FIELD JOHN HOWARD PAYNE JOHN G. SAXE]

I. _a.n.a.lysis._ At first Tom is a real boy, a little grimy, ignorant chimney sweep, next a water baby or eft, in which character, under the tutelage of the fairies, he gains his education. Briefly at the end he is a man, an engineer, but all that is delightfully vague, for he has ceased to be the little Tom we like so thoroughly.

_Chapters I and II._

Tom, the Chimney Sweep, Works for Mr. Grimes; Summoned to sweep the chimney at Hartover Place; Overtakes the poor Irishwoman, who Walks with Tom; Asks about his prayers and makes him sad; Tells about the sea and makes him wish to be clean; Helps him pick flowers; Frightens Grimes for beating Tom, Warns them both to be clean; Promises to see them again; Disappears.

Meets the keeper who warns Grimes against poaching; Walks up the avenue; Sees the deer, trees, bees, and makes friends with the keeper; Enters the house and sweeps chimneys; Comes out in a beautiful room and sees the little white lady; Sees himself for the first time and cries; Escapes from the nurse by window and tree; Is chased by everybody; Is lost in the woods; Scales a wall; Is followed by the Irishwoman, who throws the pursuers off the scent; Crosses the river, climbs a mountain; Descends Lewthwaite Crag; Drags himself to the cottage; Begs for water of the dame; Is given milk, and put in an outhouse; Is feverish and out of his mind; Thinks he must be clean; Drags himself to the stream, looks into the clear water, and undresses; Does not see the Irishwoman transform herself to the queen of the fairies; Tumbles himself into the stream; Falls asleep in the water; Is turned into a water-baby by the fairies; Is mourned as dead by the people who find his poor dirty body.

_Chapters III and IV._

Tom, the Water Baby, Watches the caddis-flies build their homes (page 262) and go into the chrysalis state (page 262); Sees the metamorphosis of the dragon-fly (pages 263-264); Meets and makes friends with the otters (pages 270-274); Travels towards the sea after the storm; Finds the salmon and witnesses the death of Grimes (pages 278-286); Pa.s.ses the sleeping villages and reaches the sea; Greets the seal and looks for water babies; Plays with the lobsters (pages 292-294); Is caught by Professor Ptthmllnsprts and shown to Ellie, the little white lady, who flies away (pages 296-299). (Can you make out what Kingsley had in mind, by filling in the vowels of the Professor's name?)

_Chapter V._

Tom, the Water Baby, Has an adventure in the lobster pots (pages 300-303); Joins the water babies; Is met by Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid, who Examines Tom; Rewards the good children; Punishes those who know no better, viz.: Tom, The doctors, The foolish ladies, The careless nurserymaids, The cruel school teachers, Tells Tom about those who knew better.

Sees Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby, who Mothers Tom; Tells him the story.

_Chapter VI._

Tom, the Water Baby, Steals the candy from the cabinet; Becomes p.r.i.c.kly and ugly from sin; Confesses to Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid; Goes to school to rid himself of his ugliness; Is taught by the beautiful little girl; Gains his own smooth, clean skin; Recognizes the little white lady, Ellie; Learns how to join Ellie in the beautiful place; Loses her by being unkind; Hears the history of the Doasyoulikes;

_Chapter VII._

Tom, the Water Baby, Starts to go where he does not like, to find Mr. Grimes; Inquires of the King of the Herrings; Visits the last of the Gairfowl on the Allalonestone; Follows Mother Carey's chickens; Struggles with the water dog; Is carried by the mollymocks from Jan Mayen's land to Shiny Wall; Dives under the great white gate that never was opened yet; Reaches Peace-pool with the dog; Finds Mother Carey at work making new creatures from sea water; Is given pa.s.sport to the Other-End-of-No-where; Goes backward in safety.

_Chapter VIII._

Tom, the Water Baby, Comes to the place called Stop; Is blown through the Sea; Finds himself in the claws of the bogy; Sees the metals made; Slides down the whirlpool; Swims to the sh.o.r.e of the Other-End-of-No-where; Finds Gotham; Comes to the isle of Tomtoddies; Hears of their great idol, Examination; Gives information to the nimblecomequick turnip; Stumbles over the respectable old stick; Faces Examiner-of-all-Examiners; Arrives at Oldwivesfabledom; Comes to the quiet place called Leaveheavenalone; Sees the prison; Offers the pa.s.sport to the truncheon; Searches for chimney No. 345; Finds Grimes stuck in the chimney; Tries to light Grimes' pipe and to release him; Learns that the old dame teacher was the mother of Grimes; Sees Grimes' tears effect his release; Recognizes Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid as the Irishwoman; Hears Grimes sentenced to sweep out Aetna; Is blindfolded and taken up the back stairs; Recognizes St. Brandon's Isle and hears the song; Rejoices with Ellie and goes with her Sundays; Becomes a man of science and knows everything; And, it may be, marries Ellie.