Children's stories, American; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- United States; Short stories
“A good dog. One that will bark at people and drive them away. One that
will be no trouble to keep and won’t expect to be fed. One that has no
fleas and is neat in his habits. One that will obey me when I speak to
him. In short, a good dog,” said the wizard.
“Such a dog is hard to find,” returned the glass-blower, who was busy
making a blue glass flower pot with a pink glass rosebush in it, having
green glass leaves and yellow glass roses.
The wizard watched him thoughtfully.
“Why cannot you blow me a dog out of glass?” he asked, presently.
“I can,” declared the glass-blower; “but it would not bark at people,
you know.”
“Oh, I’ll fix that easily enough,” replied the other. “If I could not
make a glass dog bark I would be a mighty poor wizard.”
“Very well; if you can use a glass dog I’ll be pleased to blow one for
you. Only, you must pay for my work.”
“Certainly,” agreed the wizard. “But I have none of that horrid stuff
you call money. You must take some of my wares in exchange.”
The glass-blower considered the matter for a moment.
“Could you give me something to cure my rheumatism?” he asked.
“Oh, yes; easily.”
“Then it’s a bargain. I’ll start the dog at once. What color of glass
shall I use?”
“Pink is a pretty color,” said the wizard, “and it’s unusual for a dog,
isn’t it?”
“Very,” answered the glass-blower; “but it shall be pink.”
So the wizard went back to his studies and the glass-blower began to
make the dog.
Next morning he entered the wizard’s room with the glass dog under his
arm and set it carefully upon the table. It was a beautiful pink in
color, with a fine coat of spun glass, and about its neck was twisted a
blue glass ribbon. Its eyes were specks of black glass and sparkled
intelligently, as do many of the glass eyes worn by men.
The wizard expressed himself pleased with the glass-blower’s skill and
at once handed him a small vial.
“This will cure your rheumatism,” he said.
“But the vial is empty!” protested the glass-blower.
“Oh, no; there is one drop of liquid in it,” was the wizard’s reply.
“Will one drop cure my rheumatism?” inquired the glass-blower, in
wonder.
“Most certainly. That is a marvelous remedy. The one drop contained in
the vial will cure instantly any kind of disease ever known to
humanity. Therefore it is especially good for rheumatism. But guard it
well, for it is the only drop of its kind in the world, and I’ve
forgotten the recipe.”
“Thank you,” said the glass-blower, and went back to his room.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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