Part 9 (1/2)
The Stork at the fountain was now singing an odd little song in a soft, cooing voice, and as Dot listened she caught the following words:
Coo-oo-oo, Coo-oo-oo!
Babies are born ev'ry minute, 'tis true Babies are best when they're chubby and new; 'Most anybody will want one or two; Some people willingly take quite a few.
Here comes another! For babies are due To fall when they're fresh and tender and new.
Coo-oo-oo, Coo-oo-oo!
Babies are blossoms that fall like the dew.
Just then the older Stork, which seemed to be the chief of the nurses, came toward the fountain and said to another of the birds, ”It is time to take one of the babies into the world. They are coming quite fast to-day, and we must make room for the new ones.”
”Very well,” answered the other. They walked among the babies until they came to one quite big and strong, who was lying fast asleep.
This baby the Stork picked up very tenderly and placed upon the other bird's back, twining its little arms around the long, soft neck, to which it clung tightly.
Then, spreading its great wings, the Stork flew into the air, bearing the baby gently, and sailed over the edge of the Valley into the world beyond, where it disappeared from view.
”That is the way we keep our Valley from getting crowded,” said the old Stork.
”Do you suppose,” asked Dot, ”that I lived here once, when I was a baby?”
”Probably,” answered the bird. ”But, of course, I cannot remember all the babies, especially after they grow big.”
”Oh, of course not,” exclaimed the girl.
”Course not,” said Tot; ”too many of 'em.”
”Now, if you will excuse me, I'll feed the two babies who have just arrived,” said the motherly old Stork; and so the children watched it and the other Storks for some time, and admired the gentle way in which they tended the babies, and heard again and again the crooning song:
Hushaby, lullaby, Sweet flower from the sky,
which always seemed to have the effect of sending the babies to sleep.
Having taken one more drink at the fountain and said goodbye to the kind Storks, Dot and Tot returned to their boat.
As they pushed it out into the stream, Dot asked a Stork that stood watching them:
”What is in the next Valley?”
”Oh, the Queen of all Merryland lives there,” answered the bird, ”for that is the Fourth Valley, and lies in the center of the Seven.”
Then, with a feeling of awe at their approach to the Queen who ruled this wonderful land, the children turned their eyes anxiously toward the fourth archway. But as the boat drifted through its entrance, Tot looked back into the Valley they were leaving and noticed another baby-blossom floating down from the sky, while the voice of a Stork sang softly:
”Coo-oo-oo, Coo-oo-oo!
Babies are born every minute, 'tis true.”
CHAPTER 10 The Queen of Merryland
When the boat carried Dot and Tot beyond the rocky arch that led to the Fourth and most important Valley of Merry-land, the children held their breaths in suspense; for here lived the Queen of all this wonderful country, and they had no idea what she was like.