Adventures in the Land of Canaan | Page 2

danced gayly in company with her partner, a
very fine gentleman.
They were both very prettily dressed. The little lady Marionette wore a
beautiful white silk dress brocaded with pink roses, whilst her partner
had on a blue velvet coat, knee breeches, white silk stockings, and
diamond shoe buckles. Their clothes were really very grand!
And they danced so gayly, too.
"Just as if they like dancing with each other!" the little girl once said to
her aunt.
"You are a fanciful child, Molly," answered the woman, laughing.
"All the same, I believe I am right," replied the little girl.
This evening, however, they were not to be found in their accustomed
place. The little platform on which they danced was there, but the dolls
themselves were gone!
The little girl looked round the shop much bewildered.

"Where can they be?" she said.
At last she saw the little lady Marionette sitting on the right hand
counter, with her back against the Noah's Ark.
"Well, how funny!" exclaimed the little girl aloud. "How have you got
there?"
"Walked, of course," answered the little Marionette in a sweet little
voice.
The little girl's astonishment at this reply was very great. So great that it
kept her silent.
"You seem rather surprised," said the little Marionette. "Why?"
"Why, I never knew you could talk!" she exclaimed, recovering a little
from her surprise. "Or any other toy, either," she added.
"Life is full of surprises," remarked the little Marionette; "especially in
the toy-shop."
"I wish you would tell me all about it," said the little girl, becoming
bolder. "If toys can walk and talk, why don't children know it?"
"Because, although they have known many toys, yet they are very
ignorant regarding their habits," she answered. "That is the reason.
"At the same time," she continued, "as it is, generally speaking, only
when mortals are not present that we can move and speak freely, this
ignorance is, perhaps, partly excusable."
"But how long will you be able to go on talking to me?"
"That I can't tell you. I can only say that our power of talking to a
Mortal--a power which comes but once in the lifetime of every
toy--generally lasts from a fortnight to three weeks."
The little girl clapped her hands.

"You will be able to talk to me, then, every day that I am here!" she
exclaimed with pleasure. "I am only going to stay with my aunt and my
cousin for twelve days longer."
She paused a moment, then added:
"How I should like you to tell me some stories of toys--a new story
every day, you know. Couldn't you do that?"
The little Marionette looked doubtful.
"Before I attempt anything of the sort, I shall have to consult Father
Christmas--the well-known and much-esteemed patriarch. As he is the
Head of our Society, I should like to do nothing without his advice and
sanction."
The little girl sighed anxiously.
"I do hope he'll say 'yes'," she said. "I want so much to hear stories of
toys told by a toy."
"I'll do my best to please you," said the little Marionette. "Come here at
the same time to-morrow,--by yourself, for I can only speak before one
Mortal at a time,--and I will see what I can do."
"Thank you," she said gratefully. "Please give my best love to Father
Christmas; and tell him if he says 'yes' I will see that Auntie puts him at
the very top of the Christmas tree."
She turned to go, then paused and came back.
"I should just like to ask you one thing before I go," she said. "Don't
you and your partner enjoy dancing together?"
The pink cheeks of the little lady seemed to grow a little pinker.
"Perhaps we do," she replied.
"I thought so," remarked her new friend with some satisfaction. "Good

evening! I shall come again to-morrow at this same time."
CHAPTER II
The next evening the little girl returned to the Noah's Ark, where she
found the little Marionette in the same position.
"Well!" she said eagerly.
"I have consulted Father Christmas," answered the little Marionette.
"He is of the opinion that I may, without harm, tell you tales of some of
the toys. You shall therefore hear the most interesting stories I can
remember."
"That will be very nice," said the little girl. "Will you begin at once?"
"At once," she agreed, and began the story of "The Rabbit and the
Mouse."

THE RABBIT & THE MOUSE
The white Rabbit and the brown Mouse were both talented, though in
different ways. The Rabbit's talent showed itself in the precision and
vigor with which he could beat a drum as he sat on his hind-legs; the
Mouse in the swiftness and grace with which he could speed to