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

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<hr style="width: 65%;" />[64] <h2>PLUM PUDDING STORY</h2> <div class='cap'>WHEN Puss, Junior, awoke from his nap he was surprised to find himself in the Queen's lap. It was growing dark and for a moment he wondered where he was. "Don't ask where you are, my dear Puss," laughed the Queen, "for you are safe and well."</div> "Your Majesty," said Puss, rubbing his eyes, "I was also very comfortable. Pardon me for dropping off to sleep in your presence." Just then a page appeared and announced that dinner was served. The King arose and offered his arm to the Queen, Puss following quietly after. As he stepped down the great stairway to the royal dining room he heard some one singing in a deep voice: <div class='poem'> "When good King Arthur ruled this land, He was a goodly King; He stole three pecks of barley meal To make a bag pudding. "A bag pudding the King did make And stuffed it well with plums, And in it put great lumps of fat [65]As big as my two thumbs. "The King and Queen did eat thereof, And noblemen beside; And what they could not eat that night The Queen next morning fried." </div> "Plum pudding!" said Puss to himself. "That sounds pretty nice," and he followed the King and Queen into the great dining hall. Many noblemen were present and the table was a most gorgeous affair. Silver tankards and wonderful gold dishes gleamed in the candlelight. Puss was very much impressed and behaved beautifully. And when the plum pudding came on the table the same deep voice began to sing: <div class='poem'> "And what they could not eat that night The Queen next morning fried." </div> "Puss," said the Queen in a whisper, "let's finish the pudding between us! I know you'd like some more, and so would I. Moreover," she added in a still lower whisper, "I don't intend getting up early to-morrow morning to fry what's left over—so let us finish it to-night." Presently the court fool came running in, his fool's cap all ajingle with bells. He capered about, swinging up and down a little stick which was also covered with tiny bells. These were silver, and the ones in his cap were of gold, so that the sound was very sweet. The next morning Puss mounted his Good[66] Gray Horse and rode away, and after a while he came to a great mound of earth in which was a little wooden door on leather hinges. "What sort of a house is this?" thought Puss. And then, as if in answer to his question, the door opened and there stood a big brown bear dressed in a fur overcoat. And, oh, dear me! at first Puss was startled, and the Good Gray Horse reared on his hind legs. But the big brown bear didn't growl. Not even a little bit. He just smiled as only a brown bear can, and said: <div class='poem'> "If you have money I'll sell you some honey." </div> So Puss jumped down and followed the bear into his hill house, for Puss was curious to see what kind of a home this big, smiling brown bear had, you see. Well, I want you to know it was a mighty nice sort of a place. There was a big fireplace with great immense crackling logs, and over it, on the mantelpiece, were two beautiful carved candlesticks made from deers' horns, and a cuckoo clock. And just then out came the little cuckoo herself and began to sing. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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