Produced by Meredith Dixon and Melissa Reid By Abbie Farwell Brown Kisington Town. Illustrated. Songs of Sixpence. Illustrated. Their City Christmas. Illustrated. John of the Woods. Illustrated. Fresh Posies. Illustrated. Friends and Cousins. Illustrated. The Star Jewels and Other Wonders. Illustrated. The Flower Princess. Illustrated. The Curious Book of Birds. Illustrated. A Pocketful of Posies. Illustrated. In the Days of Giants. Illustrated. The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts. Illustrated. The Lonesomest Doll. Illustrated. Houghton Mifflin Company Boston and New York [Frontispiece: THERE WERE WIDE WINDOW-SEATS AND CUSHIONS] Kisington Town by Abbie Farwell Brown "Blessed are the peacemakers." With Illustrations [Illustration: Le Lion Passant] To the Best of Readers, Whose Pleasant Voices taught me the Love of Books Dear Father : Dear Mother O for a book and a shadie nook Eyther in-a-door or out, With the greene leaves whisp'ring overhede, Or the street-cryes all about, Where I may Reade at my ease, Both of the Newe and Olde For a jollie goode Booke, whereon to looke, Is better to me than Golde! -- Old Song CONTENTS I. HAROLD II. THE SIEGE OF KISINGTON III. RED REX IV. THE DRAGON OF HUSHBY, PART I V. THE DRAGON OF HUSHBY, PART II VI. THE DRAGON OF HUSHBY, PART III VII. THE BARGAIN VIII. THE WONDER-GARDEN IX. THE KING'S COAT OF ARMS X. THE LION PASSANT XI. HOPE XII. THE HERMIT GNOME XIII. HAROLD'S LUNCHEON XIV. THE ROBBER XV. THE BANDAGED HAND XVI. THE KING'S PIE XVII. THE MYSTERY OF THE PIE XVIII. LITTLE BEAR: AN OJIBWAY LEGEND XIX. THE RED KING'S VISIT XX. THE BEAR'S DAUGHTER XXI. RED REX AND KING VICTOR XXII. THE BOOKS CONQUER Note: The tales of "The Wonder-Garden" and "The King's Pie" are here reprinted by courteous permission of the publishers of _St. Nicholas_, in which magazine they originally appeared. The tales of "The Dragon of Hushby," "The Lion Passant," and "Little Bear," are reprinted by kind permission of the publishers of _The Churchman_. The Icelandic legend of "The Bear's Daughter" is sketched from notes of a talk by Vilhjalmir Stef'ansson, the explorer, who is lamented as lost on the late unfortunate voyage of the Karluk to Arctic waters. ILLUSTRATIONS THERE WERE WIDE WINDOW-SEATS AND CUSHIONS--Colored frontispiece. HAROLD BEGAN TO READ FROM THE RED-AND-GOLD BOOK SHE LOOKED BAD-TEMPERED THE MAIDENS WOULD PAUSE TO LOOK AFTER THE GOLDEN COACH HE STOOD IN THE DOORWAY TALKING WITH THE STRANGER From drawings by Ruby Winckler I: HAROLD Once upon a time there was a peaceful Kingdom which you will hardly find upon the map. In one corner of the Kingdom by the sea was the pretty little Town of Kisington, where a great many strange things had happened in the past, the chronicles of which filled the town library.