Adventure and adventurers -- Juvenile fiction; Fantasy fiction; Oz (Imaginary place) -- Juvenile fiction
"I wish Betsy were here," thought the little Prince. "Couldn't we have
fun? I wish she could see these dolls!" Scarcely hearing the clatter of
dishes on the tray, as the Princess greedily ate her breakfast, Reddy's
eyes roved enviously over the vast collection of toys. A sudden thump,
as the little Giantess jumped out of her chair, recalled him to the
serious purpose of his visit. Princess Elma, with a saucer of cream in
her hands, was pattering toward him calling at the top of her voice:
"Here Kitty! Kitty! Kitty! Where are you Kitty dear?"
The thought of the Hungry Tiger as a little girl's kitten was so
ridiculous that Reddy chuckled in spite of himself, and when little
Elma, after several unsuccessful attempts, dragged the tiger from
beneath a low sofa and began dipping his nose in the cream, Reddy
laughed outright.
The Hungry Tiger was growling and snarling so ferociously and Elma
filling the air with such boisterous terms of endearment that neither
of them heard. After a futile struggle with the Giantess, the tiger
settled himself on the floor and began to lap up the cream, with an
expression of unhappy and hopeless resignation. Squatting on the floor
beside him, the Princess continued to shower him with vigorous caresses.
"Finish your breakfast, sweet," she cooed in a voice like a ferry-boat
whistle, "then mother'll take you for a nice little ride in the doll
coach!"
Reddy hoped to have a few words with the Hungry Tiger, and began to
creep cautiously toward the strange pair. But just as he came within
hailing distance the Hungry Tiger finished the cream, and Elma lifted
him joyfully into the air. Torn between mirth and sympathy, Reddy
watched the Giantess dress the indignant and struggling tiger in a doll
coat and cap, tuck him unceremoniously into a doll coach and wheel him
out of the nursery.
"I'll have to wait till they come back," sighed Reddy, as the doll
coach went bumping down the entry and the shrill protests of the Hungry
Tiger grew fainter and fainter. "And while I wait I might as well look
around."
This proved so interesting that he was surprised to hear the great
clock on the mantle strike twelve. As there was still no sign of the
Hungry Tiger, he sensibly decided to eat his lunch. Choosing the
coziest of the doll houses, he walked boldly up the front steps and
into the dining room. The chairs and table were exactly the right size,
and with a little chuckle of enjoyment Reddy set the table, drew up a
chair and ate his piece of pancake in peace and comfort.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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