The Story of a Nodding Donkey | Page 4

it out for the Spotted Giraffe to fall into.
Down the Giraffe fell, but he landed in the net of the Jolly Fisherman,
just as a circus performer falls into a net from a high trapeze, and he
was not harmed.
"Dear! I'm glad you caught me," said the Giraffe, after he had managed
to climb out of the net to the top of a work table which ran under all the
shelves.
"Yes, I got there just in time," replied the Jolly Fisherman, as he slung
his net over his shoulder again.
"And I'm very sorry I pulled you from the shelf," said the Rolling
Elephant. "I didn't mean to do it, Mr. Giraffe."
"Well, as long as no harm is done, we'll forget all about it and have
some fun," put in the Plush Bear. "This doesn't happen every night," the
Bear went on, speaking to the Nodding Donkey. "You must not get the
idea that it is dangerous here."
"Oh, no, I think it's a very nice place," the Nodding Donkey answered.
"It's my first day here, you see."
"Oh, yes, it's easy to see that," said the China Cat. "You are so new and
shiny any one would know you were just made. Well, now what shall
we do? Who has a game to suggest or a riddle to ask?" and, as she
spoke, she put out her paw and began to roll a red rubber ball on the
shelf near her. For, though she was very stiff in the daytime, being
made of china like a dinner plate, the Cat could easily move about at

night if no human eyes watched her.
"Let's play a guessing game," suggested the Rolling Elephant, who, by
this time had managed to get down to the table without upsetting any
more of the toys. "If we play tag or hide and go seek, I'm so big and
clumsy I may knock over something and break it."
"That's so--you might," growled the Plush Bear, but, though he spoke
in a growling voice he was not at all cross. It was just his way of
talking. "Well, what sort of a guessing game do you want to play, Mr.
Elephant?"
"I'll think of something, and you must all see if you can guess what it
is."
"That's too hard a game," objected the China Cat. "There are so many
things you might think of."
"Well, I'll give you a little help," returned the Rolling Elephant. "I'm
thinking of something that goes up and down and also sideways."
For a moment none of the toys spoke. Then, all of a sudden, the Plush
Bear cried:
"You're thinking of the Nodding Donkey! His head goes up and down
and also sideways."
"That's right!" admitted the Rolling Elephant. "I didn't imagine you'd
guess so soon. Now it's your turn to think of something."
"Let's have the Nodding Donkey give the next question," suggested the
China Cat. "It's his birthday, you know, and we ought to help him
remember it."
"Go ahead! Give us something to guess, Nodding Donkey!" growled
the Plush Bear.
"Let me think," said the new toy, slowly. "Ah, I have it! What am I
thinking of that is like a snowball and has two eyes?"

"A snowman!" guessed a wax doll.
"No," said the Nodding Donkey, laughing.
"A Polar Bear," suggested the Rolling Elephant.
"No," said the Donkey again.
Then the toys thought very hard.
"Is it a rubber doll?" asked a Jack in the Box. "No, it couldn't be that,"
he went on, "for a rubber doll isn't as white as a snowball. I give up!"
"But I don't!" suddenly cried a Tin Soldier. "You were thinking of our
White China Cat, weren't you?" he asked.
"Yes," answered the Nodding Donkey, "I was. You have guessed it!"
"Now it's the Tin Soldier's turn to give us something to guess," said the
Elephant. "Oh, we're having lots of fun!"
And so the toys were. All through the night they played about in the
North Pole workshop of Santa Claus. When it was nearly morning the
Nodding Donkey spoke to the Plush Bear, asking:
"Where is this Earth place, that Santa Claus said he was going to take
some of us?"
"Oh, my! don't ask me," said the Plush Bear. "I've never been down to
Earth, though I know packs and packs of toys have been taken there.
But it must be a real jolly sort of place, for every time Santa Claus goes
there he comes back laughing and seems very happy. Then he loads up
some more toys to take there."
"I think I should like to go," murmured the Nodding Donkey. "How
does one go--in one of the toy trains of cars I see on the shelves?"
"Oh, my, no!" laughed