Coppertop: The Queer Adventures of a Quaint ChildGaze, Harold
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Coppertop: The Queer Adventures of a Quaint Child
Gaze, Harold
Australia -- Juvenile fiction; Fantasy fiction; Girls -- Juvenile fiction
Kiddiwee grew so white and nervous that it was decided he should watch
from one of the windows of the tower.
“’Es, but I do wish I could do it instead of Cece,” were his last words
as he went below.
Biddy-be-sure mounted her broomstick, and, flying over the parapet, she
hovered under the Blarney Stone with her apron spread out, to catch
Coppertop if she fell.
White and anxious, Tibbs helped Coppertop over the side of the Castle,
holding tightly to her legs until she was able to grasp the iron rail,
which has been put there for the purpose. She was now hanging over the
side of the Castle, upside-down! The blood rushed to her head, and she
felt terribly giddy, but with great courage she held on, and lowered
herself, inch by inch, whilst Tibbs held her legs in a tight grip,
until her head was on a level with the Blarney Stone.
To make things safer, Pimby, the Flying Pig, flew over also, and
insisted on catching hold of the coat of Coppertop’s pyjamas, which he
held tightly between his teeth.
Tibbs’ face was perspiring with anxiety and fatigue, but he would
rather have fallen to the bottom himself, than have let go of those
precious little ankles.
There was a distant rumble of thunder, and a few drops of rain fell
upon them.
Coppertop’s heart beat faster at the sound, and she felt as though she
must choke, for she hated a thunderstorm. Besides, it sounded ominously
like the Clerk of the Weather, up to his mischief again, in spite of
his promise. It would be too terrible if he interfered now--just at the
critical moment.
She must hasten to kiss the stone without delay. She was surprised to
find that it had a face, and that it pouted its lips to be kissed, in
a most amusing way. Coppertop wanted to laugh, and then to cry. And
as she looked down she saw that Biddy-be-sure, with her white apron
outstretched, had grown to look strangely like her big four-posted Bed!
She suddenly felt very limp and nerveless, but she thought of the
December day, so nearly hers; and, with a mighty effort, she raised her
head forward, and--KISSED THE BLARNEY STONE!
* * * * *
There was a blinding flash of lightning! A roar of thunder! And, to her
amazement, Coppertop felt herself FALLING!
Tibbs still held her ankles, but he was falling too! The Castle was
falling! EVERYTHING was FALLING!
Down, down like a stone she fell, through Biddy’s apron, pulling the
Flying Pig with her!
Oh! what would happen when she reached the ground? But there was no
ground, for that was falling, too!
Whirling! Swirling! Down! DOWN! WALLOP!
* * * * *
BANG!!
Coppertop opened her eyes, and sat bolt upright in bed!
“It was a REAL Bang! Of course it was! It’s Jane, banging on the door,”
exclaimed Coppertop, rubbing her eyes and yawning. “Goodness me!
however did I get back here? And I never said good-bye to Tibbs and
Kiddiwee!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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