Puss in Boots, Jr., and the Good Gray Horse Part 10

THE MISCHIEVOUS RAVEN

A FARMER went trotting upon his gray mare-- b.u.mpety, b.u.mpety, b.u.mp!

With his daughter behind him so rosy and fair-- Lumpety, lumpety, lump!

"Can you direct me to the wise man who lives in yonder village?" asked Puss, Junior, bowing politely to the farmer's pretty daughter.

"Whoa!" cried the farmer to his gray mare.

"Isn't he a lovely cat?" whispered his daughter.

"What did you say?" asked the farmer, looking Puss, Junior, over from head to toe.

"I merely inquired," replied Puss, haughtily, "if you could direct me to the wise man in yonder town?"

"Whoa!" cried the farmer as the old gray mare started off. "Whoa, there!

Can't you hear the gentleman cat addressing your master?"

"Whoa, Betsy," coaxed the farmer's pretty daughter.

"Well, Sir Cat," said the farmer, as soon as the old mare became quiet, "we have several men in our town who think they are wise, but some of us farmers don't quite agree with them."

And then, all of a sudden, something dreadful happened.

A raven cried croak! And they all tumbled down-- b.u.mpety, b.u.mpety, b.u.mp!

The mare broke her knees, and the farmer his crown-- Lumpety, lumpety, lump!

And, oh, dear me, the farmer's pretty daughter dropped the mirror from her vanity bag, and it broke all to smithereens and she felt so unhappy about it that she began to cry. And then:

The mischievous raven flew laughing away-- b.u.mpety, b.u.mpety, b.u.mp!

And vowed he would serve them the same the next day, Lumpety, lumpety, lump!

"Botheration!" cried the farmer, rubbing the b.u.mp on the top of his head. "That raven is angry because I set up a scarecrow in my cornfield."

"Well, father," said his daughter, "our mare can't take us to town. What shall we do?"

"You get up behind Sir Puss and ride to town," he replied. "I'll take the mare home. That's the best way, I guess."

CANDY TOWN

PUSS, JUNIOR, helped the farmer's pretty daughter into the saddle, and then away went the Good Gray Horse to Candy Town. Well, after maybe a mile and a laugh and smile, Puss said, "I feel just like a Knight of the Round Table, for I have rescued a maiden in distress." And this made the farmer's pretty daughter laugh till her cheeks grew red as two apples.

"Well, then, I shall call you Sir Cat," she said, and this so pleased Puss that he began to purr at a great rate. It was great fun, he thought. And the farmer's daughter thought it great sport, too, I imagine, for she began to sing a little song, and this is the way it went:

"Heigh-ho, over we go, p.u.s.s.y and I to town, What does he wish? A nice little fish, And I a silken gown.

But where is the money to buy all that, Unless I may borrow from Sir p.u.s.s.y Cat?"

"Of course you may," cried Puss. "Just wait till we get to town."

And then the farmer's pretty daughter blushed very red. "I was only in fun," she said.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

"But I wasn't," replied Puss.

"Why, have you enough money?" she asked, giving him a hug.

"Don't squeeze so tight," cried Puss. "We may have an accident, and one is enough for to-day. I hope your father will get the old gray mare home safely."

"Never fear," she replied, "father will attend to that, all right."

"Here we are," said Puss, looking up at a sign-post on which was written, "Candy Town." "Now, where's the shop with the silken gowns?"

"Over there. Don't you see it right next to the baker's shop."

"Oh yes," laughed Puss, "I see it now," and he drew rein in front of the quaint little shop and helped the farmer's daughter to alight.

"Come in with me," she said, "for I'd like to buy what you like." And this so pleased Puss that he made up his mind to buy any gown she fancied, even if it were trimmed with diamonds.

"Do you want that pretty blue one?" he asked, with a smile.

"How did you guess?" she answered. "You are a wonderful cat."

"And now," said Puss, when the gown was wrapped up, "let's have a cream puff in the baker's next door, for I'm sure you're hungry."

"You're a wonderful guesser, Sir Puss," she cried, "indeed you are, as well as a most generous little cat."

THE BRAMBLE BUSH MAN

THERE was a man in our town, And he was wondrous wise.

He jumped into a bramble bush And scratched out both his eyes.

And when he found his eyes were out He cried with grief and pain, And jumped into another bush And scratched them in again.

"That's the man I'm looking for," cried little Puss, Junior. "I wonder where he lives. Maybe he can tell me where to find my father."

"You hold your horse while I ask the baker's wife," said the farmer's pretty daughter.

Pretty soon she came back and said: "He lives in a little house just outside the town. It's not far from our place."

So she and Puss rode away, and she was mighty careful, let me tell you, not to drop the package containing the silk gown which Puss had given her.