David Cory

“ To their utter astonishment they heard a shrill neigh close at hand, and, turning to see what manner of steed had answered so quickly their wishes, they beheld two fine gray horses in the meadow close by. Leaning their heads over the fence rail, the two animals gazed at them with expectant eyes.
"Why, they already have on their saddles and bridles!" cried the tinker, with amazement. "Are you a fairy cat? Do your wishes always come true?"
"That is a nice question to answer," replied Puss, "but in this case, you can see for yourself." ”

“ Every child in town would want to see a cat who wore boots!"
At this Puss, Jr.'s, face was all smiles. In fact, his whiskers curled up in a most laughable way, making his little face quite irresistible.
"Thank you both very much," he replied, "but before I answer I must tell you that I am in search of my illustrious parent, the famous Puss in Boots. If I join your circus how am I to find my dear father?"
"Easy as not," answered the clown, quickly. "We are always on the move. A new town 'most every day. We never linger long in any one spot." ”

“ No doubt he will know, as he is a very wise man and an old retainer." So saying, she led the way into the castle, followed by Puss, Jr., and the little owl.
"Puss in Boots? Puss in Boots?" repeated the old man, in an inquiring tone, talking half to himself. "Why, is he not in the employ of my Lord of Carabas?"
"Yes, indeed!" cried the Queen. "Now I remember. My dear Puss in Boots, Junior, you still have a long journey before you; but to the brave all things are possible. Although he lives far beyond the border-line of Mother Goose Land, a good traveler need not despair." ”

“ PUSS FOLLOWS WEE WILLIE WINKIE THE vesper bells were ringing as Puss, Jr., entered the great gate that led into the city of Babylon. Along the street the lamps were being lighted and their flickering gleams sent the shadows hiding in building and alley. ”

“ The cans bump and make a most cheerful noise. And every step is nearer home, where my supper of oats is waiting for me, and my good master's supper is waiting for him."
"I'd like to climb up into your wagon and go home with you," said Puss. "Do you suppose your master would object?"
"You can ask him," replied the old horse. "But you mustn't climb up until you do."
"Certainly not," replied Puss, indignantly. "I wouldn't take such a liberty. Tell me more about him." The old horse whisked his tail and commenced:
"Jockety jog, jockety jog! ”

“ Puss in Boots, the well-known nursery character, dearly loved by old and young. Puss, Junior, is in search of his father, but in the meantime has consented to join our circus. I venture to say that no other circus in the world has so wonderful a cat among its performers. You will all be charmed to see him act. His first performance will be to ride around the ring on our beautiful Arabian horse, White Marvel!" As the clown finished Puss jumped nimbly to the horse's back and commenced riding around the ring as if he had been accustomed to this sort of thing all his life. ”

“ The cocks were crowing lustily in the barn-yards, and every now and then the bark of a dog, faint but clear, would come to their ears.
"It's funny to look at a house from the outside in the early morning," said Puss. "I've always looked out from the inside."
[68] "Of course you have, my dear little traveler," answered Mother Goose, "but now that you are on your journey to find your famous father, Puss in Boots, you will see many things very differently."
"Well," said the gander, for the first time speaking, "I'm a bit tired, so I think I will alight near this old barn." ”

“ Puss, Jr., almost felt like crying. "Did you ever hear of Puss in Boots?" he asked.
"Certainly," replied all three fiddlers at once, [87] "but he doesn't live here. No cats do. We make all the noise in this castle. You don't think for a moment Old King Cole could stand any more noise, do you?"
"My father wouldn't make any noise," replied Puss, Jr., indignantly.
"I never heard of a cat that didn't," said one of the fiddlers.
"All cats make an awful noise at night," said another.
"They meow and cry like everything on the back fence," said the third fiddler. ”

“ Is all work and no play,"
she continued, unconsciously making a little rhyme.
"But where is Jack?" asked Puss, after he had consoled her by saying that there was much harder work in the world than laying golden eggs.
"Oh, he's up at the giant's house, hiding somewhere," she replied.
"Won't you show me the way?" said Puss, "for I have a message from his mother to deliver to him."
"Come along; follow me," she cackled, and Puss walked by her side, politely helping her over the rough places, as the path became steeper and steeper. Near the top of the hill was the giant's house. ”

“ Puss walked inside and sat down on a bag of flour. "All I do is to grind corn for people," continued the miller, sitting down on a dusty stool. "They bring their corn in to be ground and then they leave. When they come back the corn is ready for them,—that is, the flour. They take it away and I'm left all alone. So what do I do? Well, I make friends with a little mouse [92] and a big rat that live in the old mill." As he spoke the little mouse ran out of her hole and sat down by the miller. ”

“ So I shall ride away, thankful at my good luck in having a steed for a mere wish. As wishes are horses, pussy-cats may ride," he said, with a laugh.
The gray horse proved a good roadster and covered many a mile before midday. Presently, on coming to a crossway, Puss decided to take the road that led through the woods. He had hardly entered when he saw a funny little man dressed like a huntsman. In his right hand he carried a bow and on his back was a quiver full of arrows.
A small dog ran along at his heels, snuffing about continually, as if expecting to find a rabbit [131] or a squirrel. ”

“ Just then Parson Rook looked over at them. "Why, Puss in Boots, Junior!" he called out. "Come over here," and, turning to the wedding guests, he said: "There is the son of the famous Puss in Boots. We are honored to have so illustrious a person with us. And delighted, too, for he is a great traveler and a jolly good fellow." ”

“ Never does he old Naggetty flog."
"That's a blessing," said Puss, Jr. "I've seen so many poor horses whipped. It's a shame that a man can hurt a horse."
"Yes, a horse is a man's most faithful friend," replied old Naggetty. "He works for him all the time."
"Don't you get tired?" asked Puss. ”

“ Puss, Jr., watched the funny race with much amusement until he was startled by a voice at his side, saying, "Glad to see you," and, turning around, he saw a small cat with a fiddle under her paw.
[17] PUSS, JR., TRUDGED ALONG BRAVELY [18]
[19] "Hey diddle-diddle," she sang in a high, sweet voice, and scratched away on the strings like a player in an orchestra.
"Tell me," Puss, Jr., said to her as the music stopped for a moment, "why is the moon out to-day? I thought it only came out at night."
"Why, don't you know?" she replied. "It is going to let the cow jump over it to-day." ”

“ All the circus people did their best. Puss, Jr., jumped through three hoops without touching the back of the big white horse, and the clown was funnier than he had ever been in all his life. The circus-lady never looked so pretty, nor did she ever ride so well before. ”

“ While I go a-hoeing and mowing each morn,
Gaily run the reel and the little spinning-wheel,
Whilst I am singing and mowing my corn."
"Are farmers always so happy?" asked Puss when the man stopped singing.
The farmer smiled and said: "My good sir, when one is blessed with a fine wife and a good farm he can beat a canary-bird at singing."
"You don't say so!" said Puss, Jr. "But [140] suppose one has neither, what should such an unlucky one do?"
"Don't ask me," said the farmer, setting to work again. "I'm a simple man, and what is happiness for me might not be for another." ”

“ Puss clung tightly to the reins, and, on looking back, saw the bewildered tinker still standing by the fence, while his horse careered across the meadow, kicking up his heels and snorting at a great rate.
[130] PUSS MEETS A HUNTER AND THEY BOTH LEARN THAT THE OWL IS A USEFUL BIRD
WELL, that was a clumsy tinker," said Puss to himself, as he guided his good gray horse into the highway. "But I suppose he is no rider, and therefore is safer upon his own two legs. ”

“ Rowley in Mother Goose, so I took a chance."
"Well, I don't want you to try to stop me," [81] said Rowley, "for I had enough fuss when I left home. You see, my people didn't want me to go at all."
"Then why did you?" asked Puss, who by this time had come up to the frog.
"Because I was tired to death of the old pond," replied Rowley. "One has got to see the world some time, and when one is young is the time and not when one is old."
"Yes, 'every dog must have his day,'" quoted Puss. ”

“ The pussy-cat did not answer for a few minutes. Then she said: "What you say is very true. I suppose I ought to be thankful that I have such nice strong claws. It's not hard work climbing trees, and, as far as running goes, my legs carry me very well. Perhaps I don't need wings, after all."
"Well, I never saw a flying cat," admitted Puss, Jr., "although I've seen some remarkable things since I started out to find my father, Puss in Boots."
"So you are a traveler," said the pussy-cat [62] , jumping down from the wall and walking up to Puss. "How long have you been seeking your father?" ”

“ In front of him he wheeled a little cart in which was a large pot of porridge.
[30] "Some like it hot,
Some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot,
Nine days old."
"Well, it won't be in that pot even nine minutes!" cried the beggar-man. "Here, my good friend," he cried, "give me sixpence worth of your porridge, and be quick about it."
"Don't be in a hurry," said the porridge-man. "Where's the sixpence?"
"Here in my good right hand," replied the beggar-man.
"Ah!" said the porridge-man, "you shall have your porridge."
"I will also have some," said Puss.
"Hot or cold?" asked the man. ”

“ At the time the miller was talking the mouse and the rat kept a close watch on Puss, Jr. They knew from experience, most likely, that cats are not millers, and although Puss, Jr., with his boots and cap, his clothes and staff, did not resemble an ordinary cat, at the same time he was a cat. So the rat and the mouse kept at a safe distance. ”

“ All came to see the wedding
Of Jenny Wren, the fair.
Then followed him the Lark,
For he could sweetly sing,
And he was to be the clerk
At Cock Robin's wedding.
[117]
"Let us make haste," cried Puss, Jr., "or we shall be late."
"Please don't go so fast," begged the old bullfrog. "I'm a very poor walker."
"Here, climb up on my back," said the squirrel. "You can lean against my tail. It will keep you from falling off."
This helped matters a great deal, and our little friends moved forward at a good pace. The old bullfrog was also much relieved. ”

“ Porker in a kindly tone, pushing a chair up next to hers for Puss.
"Puss in Boots, Junior, madam," he replied, with a polite bow.
"This is Wiggie and this is Tiggie," said their mother, and the two small pigs got up and shook hands with him.
[15] They had a merry lunch, and he was surprised to see how clean and well behaved the Porker family was.
"You know," said Mrs. Porker, as if reading his thoughts, "that pigs are really the cleanest of animals, only man is so cruel to pigs—he shuts them up in small pens and makes them appear quite the opposite. ”

“ He'd just eat me up."
"That he would," said Puss. "He's no good, either. He broke his promise to me last night," and then Puss told Jack how the giant had said he would let the little hen off for once if Puss would tell some of his adventures.
"And I spent all last evening telling him stories till I was tired out," concluded Puss, "and now he has kept that poor little hen by his side all night long. She's in the great living-room on the table, not daring to move. And the giant has the gold egg tightly grasped in his hand." ”

“ Then all the rest of the actor folk did their stunts; the monkeys played baseball, and the elephants had a boxing-match, and when all was over the clown and the circus-lady ran up to Puss, Jr., and said, "You were the star performer of the whole show!" which, of course, pleased Puss immensely.
[57] A TERRIBLE FIGHT STOPPED BY USING PLUM-CAKE AS the circus entered a town one bright, sunny morning, the lion and the unicorn escaped from their cages. Great was the excitement! All the circus people started after them with long ropes, hoping to be able to lasso them. ”

“ How the wicked Wolf stole the Magic Button and how the wolves plotted to eat up Little Red Riding Hood and all her family, and how the Flyaways and King Cole sent the wolves flying, makes a story no children will want to miss. ”

“ Sometimes they have a baby in their arms and two or three small children hanging on to their skirts. And they always pat my nose and say:
"'How is old Naggetty Nogg to-day?' Sometimes I get a lump of sugar, too."
"You make me wish that I could drive a milk-wagon," said Puss, Jr., with a sigh. "I'd like to be a milkman if I had a Naggetty Nogg to drive."
[99] WHO IS A MAN'S MOST FAITHFUL FRIEND? ”

“ Porker for her goodness Puss said good-by to the three little pigs.
"Don't forget me," called out Piggie as Puss, Jr., climbed over the fence.
"Of course I won't," he called back, and waved his paw to Piggie in the doorway.
[16] PUSS SEES THE COW JUMP OVER THE MOON PUSS, JR., trudged along bravely for some time, but, finding it very dusty, he left the road and climbed over the low stone wall that bordered the big pasture on his right.
"It's funny to see the moon in the daytime," he remarked as he crossed the long green meadow dotted everywhere with yellow cowslips ”

“ The milk is all kept in great big pans in long rows. It's very cool inside, for the milk-house is built over a spring that bubbles away all the time, running out of the old stone milk-house down to the meadows, where the cows drink it and the little fish swim in it. I know, because one time when my right forefoot was hurt they put me out in the meadow and many a good drink I've had from that same little brook. The bottom is all bright little stones, and the ferns hang over the edge of the bank, and the little birds hop down and drink. Oh, it's very pleasant out there in the meadow. ”