The Surprising Adventures of the Magical Monarch of Mo and His People | Page 4

a request was sent to all loyal subjects throughout the Valley asking
them to find a head for their King that was neat and substantial.
In the meantime the King had a rather hard time of it. When he wished
to go any place he was obliged to hold out in front of him, between his
thumbs and fingers, the glass eyes, that they might guide his footsteps.
This, as you may imagine, made his Majesty look rather undignified,
and dignity is very important to every royal personage.
At last a wood-chopper in the mountains made a head out of wood and
sent it to the King. It was neatly carved, besides being solid and durable;
moreover, it fitted the monarch's neck to the T. So the King rummaged
in his pocket and found the glass eyes, and when these were put in the
new head the King announced his satisfaction.
There was only one drawback--he couldn't smile, as the wooden face
was too stiff; and it was funny to hear his Majesty laughing heartily
while his face maintained a solemn expression. But the glass eyes
twinkled merrily and every one knew that he was the same kind-hearted
monarch of old, although he had become, of necessity, rather
hard-headed.
Then the King sent word to the wood-chopper to come to the palace
and take his pick of the princesses, and preparations were at once begun
for the wedding.
But the wood-chopper, on his way to the court, unfortunately passed by
the dwelling of the Purple Dragon and stopped to speak to the monster.

Now it seems that when the Dragon had swallowed the King's head, the
unusual meal made the beast ill. It was more accustomed to berries and
caramels for dinner than to heads, and the sharp points of the King's
crown (which was firmly fastened to the head) pricked the Dragon's
stomach and made the creature miserable. After a few days of suffering
the Dragon disgorged the head, and, not knowing what else to do with
it, locked it up in a cupboard and put the key in its pocket.
When the Dragon met the wood-chopper and learned he had made a
new head for the King, and as a reward was to wed one of the
princesses, the monster became very angry. It resolved to do a wicked
thing; which will not surprise you when you remember the beast's
purple color.
"Step into my parlor and rest yourself," said the Dragon, politely.
Wicked people are most polite when they mean mischief.
"Thank you, I'll stop for a few minutes," replied the wood-chopper;
"but I can not stay long, as I am expected at court."
When he had entered the parlor the Dragon suddenly opened its mouth
and snapped off the poor wood-chopper's head. Being warned by
experience, however, it did not swallow the head, but placed it in the
cupboard. Then the Dragon took from a shelf the King's head and glued
it on the wood-chopper's neck.
"Now," said the beast, with a cruel laugh, "you are the King! Go home
and claim your wife and your kingdom."
The poor wood-chopper was much amazed; for at first he did not really
know which he was, the King or the wood-chopper.
He looked in the mirror and, seeing the King, made a low bow. Then
the King's head thought: "Who am I bowing to? There is no one greater
than the King!" And so at once there began a conflict between the
wood-chopper's heart and the King's head.
The Dragon was mightily pleased at the result of its wicked stratagem,

and having pushed the bewildered wood-chopper out of the castle,
immediately sent him on his way to the court.
When the poor man neared the town the people ran out and said: "Why,
this is the King come back again. All hail, your Majesty!"
"All nonsense!" returned the wood-chopper. "I am only a poor man
with the King's head on my shoulders. You can easily see it isn't mine,
for it's crooked; the Dragon didn't glue it on straight."
"Where, then, is your own head?" they asked.
"Locked up in the Dragon's cupboard," replied the poor fellow,
beginning to weep.
"Here," cried the King's head; "stop this. You mustn't cry out of my
eyes! The King never weeps."
"I beg pardon, your Majesty," said the wood-chopper, meekly, "I'll not
do it again."
"Well, see that you don't," returned the head more cheerfully.
The people were greatly amazed at this, and took the wood-chopper to
the palace, where all was soon explained.
When the Queen saw the King's head she immediately kissed it; but the
King rebuked her, saying she must kiss only him.
"But it is your head," said the poor Queen.
"Probably it is," replied the King; "but it