Tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit on Christmas Day 118 Jenny Wren, the Little Doll’s Dressmaker 126 Little Nell and Her Grandfather at Mrs. Jarley’s 134 Mrs. Kenwigs and the Four Little Kenwigses 152 Paul Dombey and Florence on the Beach at Brighton 174 The Runaway Couple 206 The cover lining and title-page decoration designed by Euphame Mallison. LONDON ONCE UPON A TIME I LONDON ONCE UPON A TIME ONCE there was a city called Bagdad. I know just how it looked, and so do you. It was very mysterious. It was on a mysterious river called the Tigris. There were a great many little canals running in every direction through the city. The drinking water was brought to the houses in goatskins carried on the backs of men. These water-carriers often turned out to be very interesting persons. On the banks of the river were palm-trees, and under every palm-tree was a dervish or two. The streets of the city were narrow and winding, and dark people in flowing robes flitted about on secret errands that aroused suspicion. One could never tell what they were up to. There was Haroun Al Raschid prowling around with his grand vizier and his executioner. He was full of curiosity, and had a keen sense of justice. In Bagdad everything turned out in a most remarkable way. If you were looking for one mystery, you would find half a dozen. I have recently read an article by a gentleman who has lived a number of years in Bagdad, and it appears that he has not seen any of the wonderful things that I am interested in. He says that the climate is very uncomfortable and that the thermometer often stands at 112 degrees at breakfast-time. That is very hot indeed. He says that many of the people now go about in Ford cars instead of riding on camels. When they want excitement they go to the movies. In short, according to his account, Bagdad must be getting to be very much like other places. All this is disappointing, but as I am never likely to go to the modern Bagdad, anyway, it doesn’t matter so much to me. My Bagdad is in the _Arabian Nights_, and I can still go to it whenever I feel so inclined. When I open the book I find everything just as it was “once upon a time.” It is the same with London. When I first crossed the Atlantic and visited the great city, I was a bit troubled because many parts of it looked so much like other places. I wanted it to be like the London I had read about. Of course this wasn’t fair to the people who live there, who can’t be expected to keep it just for travellers to look at.