THE MAGIC BALLOON
Ned leaves the Magic Soap Bubble.
THE MAGIC BALLOON
GREAT was the grief of the little bluebird as she skimmed over thewaters of the moat, realizing how impossible it was for her to regainthe lost ring.
She had not the heart for the moment to return to the castle to informNed of his loss; so she perched herself disconsolately on a bush whichgrew close to the margin of the moon-lit water, wondering what was bestto do.
Suddenly the speckled trout rose to the surface, and, seeing howdespondent was the pretty bluebird, inquired the cause of her grief.
"Ah, me!" she sighed in answer. "I have lost a magic gold ring, and Iknow not what to do, nor how to recover it."
At this the speckled trout flapped his silvery tail gleefully, andanswered: "Worry no more, pretty bluebird, for I have it safely tuckedaway inside of me."
"If that be the case, Sir Trout," joyously chirped the happy bird, "swimat your greatest speed and deliver the ring to her majesty, theWaterfall Fairy, Queen of the Lake. Tell her that Ned, her little mortalfriend, is in dire peril and that he needs her aid."
"That will I gladly do," answered the speckled trout, and without moredelay he darted off down the moat toward the dam at the farther side,over which the water ran in a clear stream into the purling brook,which finally led to the lake, where lived Ned's friend, the FairyQueen. Down the silvery cascade he glided and whirled away through therunning water, frightening the minnows and miller's thumbs lying amongthe stones in the shallow places, and startling the crawfishes andlittle fresh water lobsters hidden under the hollow banks.
Faster and faster he swam, like a courier with important dispatches,down the clear stream running over its pebbly bed, with the lusciousmeadow sweet and the large blue geranium blooming all about its banks,and the wild rose on its bushes.
Nor did he pause until with a loud splash he dived over the waterfallsafely into the lake and rose to the surface close to the palace of theQueen of the Lake.
A big black spider was busily at work mending the suspension bridgewhich spanned the water at this narrow point, for the heavy drops ofdew had broken the slender strands in several places.
He stopped his work to look at the speckled trout, who at once addressedhim.
"I am the bearer of a most important dispatch for her highness," hebegan.
"Well, and I am engaged in the most important duty of repairing herhighness' bridge," replied the spider.
"So, I see," answered the trout, "but----" At this very moment the Queenherself, hearing voices at so early an hour outside her window, peepedout. Catching sight of her the trout called out boldly:
"Listen to me, I beg of you, most gracious Queen. I have brought you thegold ring from Ned, who sorely needs thy aid!"
"HERE IS THE RING," SAID THE TROUT.]
At this the Queen quickly withdrew her head, and in a short timeemerged from the doorway of her castle.
Hastily running to the water's edge, she leaned over, grasping hold of astalk to keep her from falling.
"Here is the ring," said the trout, holding it in his teeth and swimmingas close to the bank as he was able.
The Queen reached out and took it safely from him.
"I will make you king of my fishes, noble Sir Trout," she cried, "forwhat you have this day accomplished. Remain here in my lake henceforth,and now, to the rescue!"
In an incredibly short time she was mounted on her swiftest robin andwith her three ladies in waiting flew away toward the castle, where Nedand the beautiful princess, her brave brother and the giant were heldprisoners by the magic of the wicked king.
Now, the little bluebird, as she saw her friend, the trout, swim away,suddenly thought of her former master, the King of the Gnomes, anddecided to seek aid from him. So, whirling around in a circle to get herbearings, she darted off swiftly through the air toward the cave in theforest.
She made rapid progress until she reached the thick foliage of thewoods, and here, in her eagerness, she nearly lost her way.
Indeed, in the uncertain light that struggled through the thick boughs,it was not easy to make out certain familiar landmarks which would guideher to her destination.
At length, just at dawn, she found herself at the foot of the hillwherein was the cave of the King of the Gnomes.
Worn out with her arduous journey, she fluttered down to the edge ofthe bubbling fountain and drank of its refreshing waters.
Then, picking up a pebble, she dropped it into the little gravellybasin, hopped painfully over to the great flat stone, and tapped upon itthree times with her beak.
No one replied, but the rock opened in the middle, and there stood theKing of the Gnomes himself.
On seeing the little bluebird, he stretched out a kindly hand for her torest upon, and carried her into the inner room.
It was his breakfast hour, for gnomes are early risers. Seating himselfat the table, he ordered that the little bird be served with breakfastat once, for well he knew that a hungry bird's first wish must be forfood.
The King had scarce given this order before several nimble little men ofthe forest placed seeds and grains of wheat and a goblet of goldenfruit juice before the bluebird.
Soon she was sufficiently revived to address the gnomes, and it took herbut a few moments to tell him all.
"Come, let us hasten," he said, as she finished, and, slipping into hispocket his magic pipe and little pieces of soap, he left the cave andwalked rapidly toward a small clearing.
Leaning over a little pool in the hollow of the grassy earth, he filledhis pipe, rubbed the soap about the rim, and in a moment more blew alarge soap bubble.
Taking the little bluebird in his hand, he opened a small door andentered the magic balloon. Up and up it went, until it was well abovethe tops of the trees.
Then it took a course toward the east, where the rising sun was gildingthe sky with its golden fingers.
Faster and faster it sailed, overtaking in a short time the Fairy Queenand her three ladies-in-waiting, mounted on their friendly robins.
In the distance could be seen the turrets of the castle, gleaming in themorning sun like bayonets thrust up from the earth in monster guns.
"Now, little bluebird," said the Gnome, opening the little door andthrusting her out upon his hand, as the big Soap Bubble hovered abovethe castle, "fly down and tell Ned that deliverance is near at hand. Soalso inform the beautiful Princess, who, I see, is still sitting at herwindow, but asleep!"
Off flew the bluebird on her happy errand.
"Your Majesty," cried the Gnome, addressing the Fairy Queen, as she drewrein at the doorway of the soap bubble, "I would suggest that you touchwith the Magic Ring only the cage wherein is confined our friend Ned,instructing him, while still in the form of a cockatoo, to fly up to thetopmost branch of the pine tree. Also for the Princess' brother, whilehe is still a gamecock, to do likewise. After I have brought the bubbleclose to the window ledge, so that the beautiful Princess may stepeasily inside, I will cause it to rise to the treetop, from whichadvantageous position Ned and the Princess' brother can step within. Butwhat to do with the Pine Tree Giant," said the Gnome, scratching hisbeard reflectively, "gets me! However, one thing at a time, as my oldgrandfather used to say when I was a boy, 'one thing at a time!'"
As the bluebird whispered in the ear of the beautiful Princess, theMagic Soap Bubble approached the window ledge.
Rubbing her eyes, but making no outcry, although she was very muchstartled, she obeyed the bluebird's command to "step softly," andentered the Bubble. It then ascended till it was on a line with thetopmost branch, where it swayed in the gentle morning breeze, like abarnyard weather cock, the game rooster on one side and the cockatoo onthe other!
The Fairy Queen touched them with the ring as they hopped into thebubble, and they regained immediately their natural shape.
The Princess threw her arms around her dear brother and hugged Ned, sogreat was her delight.
Ned ran over to his little friend, the Gnome, and thanked him again andagain for his aid, and was about to lean out of the doorway to alsothank the Fairy Queen when the Gnome restrained him.
"Not so fast, Ned, my boy! All is not yet over."
"No, indeed," answered Ned, "we must rescue the giant."
"Aye, there's the rub," replied the Gnome. "How are we ever to get himin the bubble, either as a tree or as a giant?"
At this point the Fairy Queen joined in the conversation, kissing Ned atthe same time as he attempted to thank her.
"Let me first change him into his natural form," she said. "Then he canwalk across the courtyard and out upon the drawbridge. From there he caneasily step off into the bubble, which your majesty can lower to theright height above the water of the moat."
"Good!" said the Gnome. "Go and do your part and I will attend to thebubble."
Just as the bubble cleared it the pine tree became once more thefriendly giant, who immediately strode across the courtyard.
Quickly lowering the drawbridge he hastened out upon it.
The creaking of the chains, however, had aroused the wicked King, wholooked out of his window to see what was the cause of the noise. Inanother moment he was rushing toward the gates at the head of the castleguard.
"Quick!" shouted the Gnome to the giant. "Get in!"
But, alas! The doorway was too small. In vain the giant wiggled andsquirmed. In vain Ned and the princess' brother pulled his arms. Hisgreat shoulders could not be forced through the doorway. Finally, with atremendous shove he managed to go half way in, but no further, for atthis point his head was against the opposite side of the bubble.
On came the wicked King and his castle attendants, who, seeing thepredicament of the giant, fitted arrows to their strong bows, preparingto shoot the hapless fellow.
"Blow the bubble larger!" shouted Ned. "Put the pipe in his mouth andtell him to blow like thunder."
The Gnome placed the pipestem between the lips of the giant andcommanded him to blow for his life, and before an arrow left a bow thebubble widened sufficiently to enable the giant to crawl inside.Slamming the door shut the Gnome cried out exultingly: "We are safe!"
Away sailed the Magic Soap Bubble, with the Fairy Queen and her littlerobin perched securely on the top, and her three ladies in waitingstanding close by on their own little feathered steeds.
Back to the beautiful Waterfall Lake, where the Fairy Queen bade Nedgoodby; back to the friendly Gnome's cave in the woods, where he saidfarewell to Ned; back to Big Man's Land, where lived the Giant with hiskind old mother; back to the castle where lived the beautiful Princessand her brother before the wicked King had kidnapped them, and back atlast to Ned's own home, where it left him in the old easy chair by thewindow, from which he had started out to visit Gnomeland.
Well, well, little reader, here we are, you and I, at the end of thebook. What shall we do, for we have grown to be such good friends whileyou have been reading this story of mine.
Listen, I will tell you another story, it's called "The IcebergExpress"--it is one of The Little Journeys to Happyland books. So comewith me on the Iceberg Express.
Yours for a story, DAVID CORY.