Part 17 (1/2)
It seemed very quiet as it lay under the rays of the morning sun, and at first the children thought the Valley resembled one of the quiet country scenes at home. For nothing remarkable met their eyes, and they felt rather relieved at the contrast between this and the wonderful Toy Valley they had just left.
Yet Dot soon decided the place was inhabited, for they came to a queer looking group of buildings standing near the sh.o.r.e. These could not be seen clearly at first, but the boat drew nearer every moment, and finally the Queen waved her fairy wand and some magic power carried them quickly to the sh.o.r.e at a spot near to the buildings.
The children sprang out upon the gra.s.s, and then they could see better what these strange houses looked like.
All the buildings were exactly alike, and stood about as high as a tall man. In shape they were square, with a flat roof, but around each roof was a stout railing. There were no windows at all, and each house had but one door, which was placed in the center, halfway between the floor and the roof. Even this was more a doorway than a door, being nothing but a square hole, with a broad shelf projecting outside and inside the bottom of the opening.
The entire group of buildings was painted a pure white, but underneath each hole, or doorway, was a big, black number. The house nearest the river on the left side was number 1, and the one on the right side was number 47; yet the houses were not laid out into streets, but stood here and there upon the smooth lawn, without any attempt at order or regularity.
”Well, how do you like this Valley?” asked the Queen, with a laugh as she saw Dot and Tot looking at the queer place with sober faces.
”The houses seem very odd--if they are houses,” replied Dot. Then she enquired: ”Who lives in them?”
”King Felis lives in number 1,” said the Queen. ”At least, he did several years ago when I last visited him. I will now call him, that I may introduce you to his Majesty.”
Thereupon she gave a shrill whistle, and a moment later a great Maltese p.u.s.s.ycat sprang upon the shelf of the doorway at number 1 and sat there for an instant crouched, with its ears pointing into the air and its big yellow eyes gazing steadily at the visitors. Then the p.u.s.s.y leaped lightly to the ground, and standing upon its rear legs before the Queen, he bobbed his head solemnly up and down and said, ”Welcome, Queen of Merryland, to the Valley of p.u.s.s.ycats!”
”I thank you, King Felis,” responded the Wax Doll sweetly. ”But permit me to introduce to you my adopted children, Princess Dot and Prince Tot of Merryland.”
The big p.u.s.s.y looked at the children with surprise, but nodded his head politely.
”The Prince and Princess seem like people from the big, outside world,” he said, with a wise look; and then he turned to Dot and asked:
”Do you pull the tails of p.u.s.s.ycats?”
”Oh, no!” exclaimed the girl, who was just then admiring the beauty of the cat King as well as his ability to speak.
”Or pinch their ears?” he continued.
”Never!” declared Dot.
”I did--once,” remarked Tot, composedly. ”An' it yelled.”
The big kitty looked at the boy gravely and said:
”Should you do such a thing in this Valley I would ask the Queen to send you away at once. It is really a wicked amus.e.m.e.nt, for it hurts a p.u.s.s.y as much as if someone should pinch your own ears.”
”All right,” remarked Tot. ”I'll be good.”
”You will find my adopted children both kind and gentle,” said the Queen; ”so pray do not fear them, King Felis.”
”Your Majesty rules all Merryland,” he replied; ”and your children shall be as welcome in our Valley as yourself. But I must call my people, that they may pay their respects to your Majesty.”
”Where are they?” asked Tot, who had been looking around and could see no other living thing than the big Maltese.
”At this time of day they are asleep, as all good p.u.s.s.ycats should be,” was the King's answer. ”The sun is warm and pleasant just now, and my people are enjoying their mid-day naps.”
He then lifted his voice and uttered a loud, wailing cry.
Scarcely had it died away when the p.u.s.s.ys began to appear. They leaped from the roofs of the houses, from the doorways, and even from among the shady clumps of long gra.s.s. Every house added six or seven to the number, and soon hundreds of p.u.s.s.ycats were standing before the Queen, bowing gracefully and crying, ”Welcome, your Majesty!” in all sorts of voices.