Little Sky-High | Page 7

all growing
and crowing--the roosters are crowing their heads off!'"
Sky-High went to the door of the governor's room and knocked.
There came a voice from within. "Well?"
"Get up! The world is all growing and crowing,--the roosters are
crowing their heads off."
The "Mandarin of the Golden Dome" did not wait for a second
summons, but got up even as Sky-High had bidden him. It was a June
morning, and he found the world as he had been warned, "all growing
and crowing."
"Have you called the governor?" asked Mrs. Van Buren, as she met
Sky-High on the stairs.
"Yes, my Lady of the Beautiful Morning."
"Did you use plain language?"
"Sky-High used the American language."
"What did you say?"
"I said, 'Get up!'"
"Oh, Sky-High, now I will have to apologize for you!"
"We never use plain language to mandarins in China," said Sky-High.
"If we did, 'whish, whish,' and our heads would be off before we could
turn!"
The Mandarin of the Golden Dome came down from the chamber; and
the Lady of the Beautiful Morning explained to him that her new boy
had not yet mastered the arts of American manners, although he

intended to be correct when addressing his superiors.
"I didn't notice anything whatever incorrect," said the governor, who
had hugely enjoyed the manner of his summons. "He awoke me--what
more was needed?"

V.
SKY-HIGH'S WONDER-TALE.
"My Lady of the Beautiful Morning" believed in the education of
story-telling; and she did not limit her stories wholly to tales with
"morals," but told those that awakened the imagination. This she did for
Lucy's sake and Charlie's, believing that all little people should pass
through fairyland once in their lives.
She used, like Queen Scheherazade of the Arabian Nights, to gather up
stories that pictured places, habits, and manners of the people, to relate;
and this year, when the garden began to flower, she had many such to
tell under the trees. Sky-High was always a listener. He was always
permitted to be with the family in the evening. He loved wonder-tales.
They carried him off as on an "enchanted carpet."
One evening Mrs. Van Buren said, "I have a new idea. Sky-High might
tell us some stories. He speaks English well when he chooses.
Sky-High, tell us some tale of your own country. You have
wonder-tales in China."
"In the stories of my country animals talk," said Sky-High.
"Tell us some of your stories in which animals talk," said Lucy,
clapping her hands.
"Animals always talk, everywhere," said Sky-High. "In China we
interpret what they say."
The word "interpret" was rather a big one for Lucy. But as Sky-High

was given to using unexpected words, the little girl was herself
beginning to indulge in a larger vocabulary.
So Sky-High began to relate an old Chinese household story.
THE SELF-RESPECTING DONKEY.
There was once a Donkey who had great respect for himself, as many
people do. Such wear good clothes. You may know what a man thinks
of himself by the clothes he wears. We Chinese moralize in our stories
as we go along. We tell think-tales.
One day the Self-respecting Donkey went out into some green
meadows near a wood, and was eating grass when a Tiger appeared on
the verge of the meadow. The Self-respecting Donkey was very much
surprised, but did not lose his dignity. So he uttered a deep bray.
"Br-a-a-a!"
The Tiger, in his turn, was very much surprised--for the Donkey's voice
seemed to penetrate the earth. But as soon as he collected his wits he
crouched as if to spring upon the Donkey and make a meal of him.
The Self-respecting Donkey did not run. He moved with a slow, firm,
and kingly step toward the Tiger. Then he dropped his head again, in
such a way that his ears looked like great proclamations of wisdom and
power.
"Br-a-a-a!"
His voice was truly terrible. The Tiger again quailed.
"Oh, Beast of the Voice of the Thunder-winds," said he, "thou canst
dispute with me and the Lion the kingship among animals!"
The Donkey brayed again in a more terrible voice than before. "If you
will accompany me into the wood," said he, "thou shalt see all animals
flee from us."

The Tiger felt complimented by an association with the animal who
had gained his voice from the thunder, and shortly they entered the
wood.
The animals all fled when they saw them coming--not from the Donkey,
but from the Tiger. Even the Raven dared not speak, and the Lion slunk
back among the rocks; because a Tiger and a Donkey, together, might
more than equal his terrifying roar.
"See," said the Donkey, "all nature flees before us. Now walk behind
me, and I will show you the secret of my power."
The Tiger