Part 9 (2/2)
”I should say so,” exclaimed Puck, and made an airy leap out into the sunshi+ne ”The flies are the boldest race in creation
We never run away unless it is better to run away, and then ays co?”
”No,” said Maya, looking at the fly distrustfully out of the corner of her eye She still didn't know quite what to s”
”Ah, dear child, that's because you don't knohat it is If ever you had seen the fun I have with the reen with envy I'll tell you-- In my room there lives an elderly man who cherishes the color of his nose by means of a peculiar drink, which he keeps hidden in the corner cupboard
It has a sweet, intoxicating srow slass, and he looks up to the ceiling while he drinks, to see if I am there
I nod down to him, and he passes his hand over his forehead, nose and mouth to shohere I am to sit later on Then he blinks, and opens his mouth as wide as he can, and pulls down the shade to keep the afternoon sun fro called a sofa, and in a short while begins tosounds I suppose he thinks the sounds are beautiful We'll talk about the ForI do is to take lass, which he left forabout a drop like that I understand hus Then I fly over and takeman The forehead lies between the nose and the hair and serves for thinking You can tell it does froht to left Theyworth while is to result fros are annoyed
But then the folds run up and down, and a round cavity forin to run to and fro in the furrows, the man makes a snatch in the air with his hands He thinks I' on his think-furrows, and he can't work out so quickly where I really am At last he does He mutters and jabs at me Now then, Miss Maya, or whatever your naot to have your wits about you I see the hand co, but I wait until the last moment, then I fly nimbly to one side, sit down, and watch hiame up often for a full half hour You have no idea what a lot of endurance theof words which sho ungrateful he is
Well, what of it? A noble soul seeks no reward I'rateful outburst”
”I can't say I particularly like it,” observed Maya ”Isn't it rather useless?”
”Do you expect me to erect a honeycomb on his nose?” exclaiirl What do _you_ do that's useful?”
Little Maya went red all over, but quickly collected herself to hide her e,” she flashed, ”when I shall do soood and useful too But first I want to see what is going on in the world Deep down in ”
As Maya spoke she felt a hot tide of hope and enthusias
Puck seemed not to realize how serious she was, and how deeply stirred He zigzagged about in his flurried way for a while, then asked:
”You don't happen to have any honey with you, do you, ladly let you have some, especially after you've entertained ot any with me-- May I ask you one more question?”
”Shoot,” said Puck ”I'll answer, I'll always answer”
”I'd like to kno I could get into a huaciously
”But hoithout running into danger?”
”Wait until ais opened But be sure to find the way out again Once you're inside, if you can't find the , the best thing to do is to fly toward the light You'll always find plenty of s in every house You need only notice where the sun shi+nes through Are you going already?”
”Yes,” replied Maya, holding out her hand ”I have sos to attend to Good-by I hope you quite recover froe”
And with her fine confident buzz that yet sounded slightly anxious, little Maya raised her gleas and flew out into the sunshi+ne across to the flowery meadows to cull a little nourishment
Puck looked after her, and carefully htfully:
”Well, now Well, well-- Why not?”
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