Ho, Mister Daddy-long-legs, it is queer How much you know. A very savage being you appear-- You are not, though. With gentle grace and kindly bows You tell us where to find the cows. Ho, Daddy-long-legs, tell me, tell me now Which direction I must go if I find my cow. 'Way over yonder--'way over there-- That's the way he points us with his long leg in the air. Ho, Mister Daddy-long-legs, when you sprawl Upon the fence, One wouldn't think the cows would moo at all When you commence To show us where their feet have made A winding pathway to the shade. Ho, Daddy-long-legs, tell me, tell me now Which direction I must go if I find my cow. 'Way through the meadow--'way down the brook-- See his long leg pointing out the place where we must look! "Well!" said the King, "that is a most extraordinary thing, most extraordinary indeed, and I shall certainly have to call the matter to the attention of my Court Detective. But, madam, as we have no cows at present, how would a little cocoanut milk do? We can get you any amount of that." "I have never tried it," said the Widow, "but I am sure it will be very much better than no milk at all." "Very well, then," said the King, "I'll have Jiji get you all you want." [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XII THE GOLD WAFFLE-IRON Meantime the Private Secretary departed, but now in a few moments returned with a very fine new Waffle-iron, all of gold, which he had had made as the Widow instructed, with small hills and hollows all over its surface. "This," said the Widow Pickle, "is the most beautiful Waffle-iron I ever used. If I do not make good Waffles now, it surely will be my own fault." So now the Private Secretary also got her some palm flour, and two quarts of cocoanut milk; and after making a little fire in front of the palace door, the Widow Pickle busied herself and soon produced a nice brown Waffle, with hills and hollows all over it, from her new gold Waffle-iron. "Now, if I only had some syrup," said she, "I am sure I could recommend this Waffle for any purposes connected with eating." The King had been watching her very closely in her work. "What do you mean by syrup?" asked he curiously. "This," said the Widow, "is certainly a strange country--not that I wish to criticize in the least, your Majesty. But I was just thinking that a world without syrup is very singular indeed." "Well, you will understand," said the King of Gee-Whiz, "we who live on this Island are not very different from Fairies. At least, we are dependent upon the Fairies for all we eat and wear and use. They are our work people, and we have to take what they give us and be thankful. Now, I suppose the Fairies have never considered that syrup was necessary for us." Zuzu and Lulu listened with the greatest interest, and when the king spoke of Fairies they could not restrain themselves.