"That is very nice of you," said the Queen, "but now let me assure you
that your Wishing Wands are meant for use in the kingdom of Gee-Whiz,
and not in the kingdom of the Fairies. While you are with me you can
have anything you like as often as you like, by only wishing for it, if
I am not mistaken in thinking that my Fairies are able to do anything I
ask of them."
"I wish," said Zuzu, "that I had a sled that would run up hill."
"A very good and sensible wish," said the Queen, "and one which is
easily granted. Here is your sled, with your name on it in nice red
color, and with low sharp runners; and I assure you it will run up hill
just as well as down; which has never been the case in your country, and
which is a great objection to all sleds used there."
"Now," said Lulu, clapping her hands and jumping up and down, "we must
have some snow! But I wish it could be warm snow, for cold snow is not
pleasant, and makes one's hands red."
Again the Queen smiled and waved her wand and lo! as she did so soft
snow began to fall all about them, so that the ground was soon quite
white. Almost afraid to test it, Lulu put her hand into the snow, but
withdrew it again with a cry of delight. To her great surprise the snow
was quite warm and nice.
"I think you will find this sort of snow very comfortable," said the
Queen.
"I don't see how anything so cold as snow can be warm," said Zuzu, only
half believing that this could be true.
"You do not remember," said the Fairy Queen, "that this country is more
or less tropical, so that here snow might be expected to be warm."
"At any rate," said Zuzu, "I find it very nice, and with a sled that
runs up hill, and snow that does not get cold, I don't see what more any
one could ask. I don't think I'll wish any more, because I can't think
of anything to wish."
"I know what I'd like!" cried Lulu.
"And what is that, my dear?" asked the Queen.
"I'd like a doll."
"What sort of doll, my dear? We have many very fine ones."
"I'd like a new doll--no, I wouldn't, because that would be leaving my
old dolly, and I am sure I like my old dolly as much as I could any new
one, yet I want a new one, too. Now, what can I do, when I want both a
new doll and an old one?"
"That is very easy," said the Queen. "I will get you a doll which is
both old and new." And again she waved her wand.
Lulu looked down, and almost cried aloud; for there in her arms was a
brand new doll, the finest she had ever seen, that could laugh and talk
and eat, which was quite new, but which, to her great surprise, was also
quite old! She felt free to love it quite as much as she liked, and so
she did love it very much. As she stood with the doll in her arms, to
her great surprise the Enchanted Banjo began to play and the doll began
to sing, and the song it sang was called:
I'M THE DOLLY YOU LOVE BEST
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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