"My lord speaks well and wisely," said the sweet voice of the Fairy
Queen, "and that all may know our wishes to be the same, I shall grant
to each of our subjects here present, before the Royal Wedding March
begins, one wish each, for that which is best for the one wishing it."
The Court Detective, the Court Physician, and the Court Lawyer each
wished for greater wisdom; and this the Royal Couple said was a very
desirable wish, and should be granted. The Private Secretary asked that
he might be continued all his life in the service of the King; and this
was granted him, for a better Private Secretary was never known. The
Prince Zuzu, and the Princess Lulu--for so they might as well be called
at this time--each wished that all their friends might be happy and
contented, that the King and Queen might live and reign for ever and
keep Fairy-land a place whence good children may have good gifts sent to
them.
The Widow Pickle made a wish which after all was, under the
circumstances, perhaps quite as practical as any. "This looks like a
wedding," said she, "and I have not a thing in the world fit to wear.
Dear me, I wish I was back in the city for just a day or so to do some
shopping."
Now, as they all finished their wishes, they looked about them upon a
strange and wondrous scene. The sun was just sinking and all the earth
seemed as though flooded with gold. The King and Queen stood hand in
hand upon the steps of the throne; and near by, grown very large, was
the Enchanted Banjo, swung high between two tall trees. Birds came and
perched upon the strings of the Enchanted Banjo, and the wind blew
leaves across the strings; and as they looked at these things the
Enchanted Banjo began to play.
BALLAD OF THE GOOD CHILD
When little children have been good--
As all good little children should--
It's very strange, but very true,
That then the sky is bright and blue
Until the sun sinks in the west
And then the stars all look their best
And something whispers far away:
"You have been very good to-day."
The bees that hurry home for night;
The little chickens, plump and white;
The katydids--they shout the word
Until on every side 'tis heard;
The crickets hidden in the grass
Chirp merrily to all who pass:
"That child, in study, work and play,
Was very, very good to-day!"
And when your little prayer is said
And you have snuggled in your bed
And when your eyelids slowly close--
Why, then, oh, what do you suppose?
The bed, the chair, your clothes, the wall,
The turned-down light--they one and all
Seem glad, and speak of you and say:
"You have been very good to-day."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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