STORY XVIII

THE FAIRY PRINCE DOES A MAGIC TRICK

One day, after they had been out roller skating, Lulu and Alice and Jimmie Wibblewobble suddenly remembered that it was time they went back to the woods to meet the fairy prince, who was to tell them why he didn’t turn that fisher-boy into a lion or an elephant.  So they took off their skates and hurried to the place, and by and by, after awhile, not so very long, they got there.  Then they stopped and looked around.

“Hu!” exclaimed Jimmie.  “He isn’t here.  I thought he was fooling us.”

“Hush!” begged Alice.  “He may be only hiding to test us, to see if we really believe in him.  He may appear any moment in a big balloon or on the back of a great bird.”

“Somebody’s coming now,” said Lulu, suddenly, for she heard a rustling in the bushes.  They all turned around, and whom do you think they saw coming right out of the woods?  Why, Uncle Wiggily Longears!  The old gentleman rabbit was limping along, making his nose go up and down and sideways at the same time, the way you have seen all the bunnies do, you know.

“Ha!  Ha!” he exclaimed.  “What have we here?  Why, I do declare!  If it isn’t Jimmie Wibblewobble and his sisters!  What are you doing here, little ones?”

“We came here to meet the fairy prince,” replied Jimmie.  “He was going to tell us about why he didn’t change a boy into an elephant.  But he isn’t here.”

“Who—­the fairy prince, the boy or the elephant?” asked Uncle Wiggily, gently rubbing a horse chestnut on his left hind leg, that had the worst rheumatism in it.

“Neither one,” said Alice, “but the fairy prince is sure to come.”

“Stuff and nonsense.  Nonsense and stuff, also snuff and red pepper!” cried Uncle Wiggily.  “Fairy prince indeed!  There’s no such thing!”

“Oh, yes, there is!” said Alice.  “Pray do not speak so loudly.  He might hear you.”

“Thank you, my dear, for trusting in me!” exclaimed a voice suddenly, and honestly, you may not believe me, but if there wasn’t that mud turtle!  Yes, sir, as true as I’m telling you, he appeared right from behind a bush!

“Thank you, my dear, for believing me,” said the fairy prince to Alice again.  “As for this—­ahem!—­this person!” and the mud turtle looked very severely at Uncle Wiggily, very severely indeed, “as for this person, I will soon show him!  Oh, my, yes! and a tortoiseshell comb in addition,” he said; and then the turtle stuck out its long neck, straight at the old rabbit, until Uncle Wiggily thought it was a snake.

“Fairy prince, we salute thee!” exclaimed Alice, making a low bow.

“Good, very good,” remarked the mud turtle.  “I believe I promised you I would tell you why I did not change the boy, who caught me, into something strange, say an elephant or a lion.”

“Yes,” replied Jimmie, “you did promise us.  Go ahead, please.”