Puss in Boots, Jr., and the Good Gray Horse

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h1>PUSS IN BOOTS, JR.<br/> AND THE GOOD GRAY<br/> HORSE</h1> <h3>BY</h3> <h2>DAVID CORY</h2> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <h2>THE MAGIC WINGS</h2> <div class='cap'>ONE morning as little Puss, Junior, on his Good Gray Horse rode through Mother Goose country he saw a spider sitting in her tiny lace house. She kept very still, for the early dewdrops still clung to the delicate web. And as the sun shone down they looked for all the world like diamonds on a piece of lace. So little Puss, Junior, stretched out his paw and, would you believe it, instead of a drop of water he picked off a real diamond.</div> <p>"Ha, ha!" cried the little black spider. "The witch's feather in your hat has changed the dewdrop into a diamond. But I have no use for precious stones, so you may have it. The flies that come to my net are more to my liking." And then she tied the strings of her little black bonnet and put on her black silk mitts and waited for a fly to make a call.</p> <p>Well, after putting the diamond in his pocket,<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</SPAN></span> Puss rode away, and by and by, after a while he came to a steep hill. And, oh, dear me! it was a dreadfully steep hill, for Puss had missed his way and there was no path or road for him to follow. And while he waited, not knowing what to do, he heard a little voice say:</p> <div class='poem'> "If I bring four wings to you<br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">To fasten on your horse's shoe</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Will you give me for my locket</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The sparkling diamond in your pocket?"</span><br/></div> <p>"How do I know my Good Gray Horse can fly with these wings?" asked Puss.</p> <p>"He may try them first," said the voice, and out from behind a stump jumped a little dwarf, dressed in green, with a red turban on his head. Quick as a wink he fastened a wing to each foot of the Good Gray Horse. And then he clicked his tongue against his teeth and away went the Good Gray Horse up in the air like a great bird.</p> <p>"Hold on!" shouted the dwarf. "Don't forget to give me the diamond," and he held out his little hat for Puss to drop it in as the Good Gray Horse sailed away on his winged feet over the mountain.</p> <p>Well, as soon as he crossed the top of the great high mountain he came down to earth and, strange to say, as soon as he touched the ground the wings on his feet changed into long, silky hairs, and, but for these, he was just the same as he was before meeting the dwarf.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</SPAN></span></p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/gs03.png" width-obs="359" height-obs="450" alt="Puss on a Horse" title="" /></div> <p>"Come, little master, since I have lost my wings, to yonder inn. I am hungry for oats." So Puss rode forward and, after leaving him in the stable, sat down in the inn and waited for his<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</SPAN></span> dinner. Pretty soon a little bird settled on the window sill and sang:</p> <div class='poem'> "From my snug little nest in the old apple tree,<br/> <span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">All covered with blossoms so fair,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I never have seen, though I'm over thirteen,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">A horse that could fly thro' the air."</span><br/></div> <p>Just then the innkeeper's wife came in, and when she saw the little bird on the window sill close to Puss, Junior, she cried, "Time for little birds to be in their nests." So the little bird flew away, and as soon as Puss had eaten his dinner he again mounted his Good Gray Horse. After a while he met an old man and a little dog. The little dog was carrying a basket in his mouth and the little old man a big pipe, from which the smoke curled up in the shape of a bird. All of a sudden he gave a puff and, would you believe it, a glossy gray pigeon flew away.</p> <p>Pretty soon the smoke again curled up from the pipe into the form of a pigeon, and then, just as before, the little old man gave a puff, and away flew a pigeon, only this time it was grayish blue.</p> <p>I don't know how long this would have gone on if the little old man had not suddenly turned around.</p> <p>"You have a wonderful pipe," said little Puss, Junior. "I've never seen one like it."</p> <p>"There are lots of strange things in Mother Goose Land," answered the little old man. "If<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</SPAN></span> you are a traveler, as I think you are, you will meet with many strange adventures."</p> <p>Then with a bow he turned in at the gate of a little pink-and-blue cottage, at the rear of which stood a pigeon house on top of a tall pole. As Puss turned around for a last look, again the smoke from the little old man's pipe changed into a pigeon, which flew straight toward the little pigeon house.</p> <p>Well, after that Puss rode along for some time, and by and by the moon came out and dimly lighted the road, which now led through a forest. It was very quiet, except for the tooting of an owl or the cry of a tree toad.</p> <p>Little Puss commenced to whistle when, all of a sudden, the Good Gray Horse jumped to the side of the road, and there, right in front of him, stood a tiny fairy, dressed in green. "Halt, Sir Cat!" he cried, waving his silver wand.</p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />