The Magic Pudding: Being the Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and His Friends Bill Barnacle & Sam SawnoffLindsay, Norman
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The Magic Pudding: Being the Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and His Friends Bill Barnacle & Sam Sawnoff
Lindsay, Norman
Animals -- Juvenile fiction; Australia -- Juvenile fiction; Fantasy literature; Humorous stories; Puddings -- Juvenile fiction
"Never give way to despair while whiskers can be made from dry
grass," said Bunyip Bluegum, and suiting the action to the word,
he swiftly made a pair of fine moustaches out of dried grass and
stuck them on with wattle gum. "Now, lend me your hat," he said
to Bill, and taking the hat he turned up the brim, dented in the
top, and put it on. "The bag is also required," he said to Sam,
and taking that in his hand and turning his coat inside out, he
stood before them completely disguised.
"You two," he said, "must remain in hiding behind the tree. You
will hear me knock, accost the ruffians and hold them in conversation.
The moment you hear me exclaim loudly, "Hey, Presto! Pots and Pans,"
you will dart out and engage the villains at fisticuffs. The rest
leave to me."
Waiting till the others were hidden behind the tree, Bunyip rapped
smartly on the door which opened presently, and the Wombat put his
head out cautiously.
"Have I the extreme pleasure of addressing Watkin Wombat, Esq.?"
inquired Bunyip Bluegum, with a bow.
Of course, seeing a perfect stranger at the door, the Wombat had
no suspicions, and said at once. "Such is the name of him you see
before you."
"I have called to see you," said Bunyip, "on a matter of business.
The commodity which I vend is Pootles' Patent Pudding Enlarger,
samples of which I have in the bag. As a guarantee of good faith
we are giving samples of our famous Enlarger away to all well-known
puddin'-owners. The Enlarger, one of the wonders of modern science,
has but to be poured over the puddin', with certain necessary
incantations, and the puddin' will be instantly enlarged to double
its normal size." He took some sugar from the bag and held it up.
"I am now about to hand you some of this wonderful discovery. But,"
he added impressively, "the operation of enlarging the puddin' is
a delicate one, and must be performed in the open air. Produce
your puddin', and I will at once apply Pootles' Patent with marvellous
effect."
"Of course it's understood that no charge is to be made," said the
Possum, hurrying out.
"No charge whatever," said Bunyip Bluegum.
So on the principle of always getting something for nothing, as the
Wombat said, Puddin' was brought out and placed on the ground.
"Now, watch me closely," said Bunyip Bluegum. He sprinkled the
Puddin' with sugar, made several passes with his hands, and
pronounced these words--
"Who incantations utters
He generally mutters
His gruesome blasts and bans.
But I, you need not doubt it,
Prefer aloud to shout it,
Hey, Presto! Pots and Pans."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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