  While the dragon was fidgeting about, arranging and re-arranging his tail—just like a young lady with her skirts—Margaret slipped behind him to look at the music. It was the queerest music she had ever seen, for it consisted of one big, black semi-breve, after which was written, "Ad lib."—the same as saying, "Go as you please." On top of the sheet was written: "Margaret's Tea Party. What a decomposed tune might be, Margaret did not know, though, as soon as the dragon began to sing, she saw what a simple matter it was; she felt sure she could decompose one herself. All you had to do, By this time Lobsterneck had arranged his tail to his liking, so Margaret ran back and took her place with the others in front of him, when the dragon, with a preliminary shake to loosen his scales, began to sing: "One day when Margaret went out To walk upon the hill, She saw a lovely purple duck Who had a yellow bill. Said Marg'ret to the purple duck, 'If you'll come home with me, I'll give you beans and buttered toast And sugar in your tea'." "Chorus!" shouted the dragon; when everybody, notwithstanding the fact that they had never heard the chorus before, pitched in and sang: "For, Oh! For, Oh! We're out for a regular spree, And you shall have anything else you like If only you'll come to tea." This chorus they sang after each pair of verses, the rest of which were as follows: "'I'll come,' the purple duck replied, And flapped one little wing, And wagged her tail, she was so glad, And tried her best to sing. But that was more than she could do, And so she merely said, 'Quack, quack!' and wagged her tail again, And jumped about instead. Then Marg'ret said, 'Suppose we go And see what we can find.' So up the hill she walked again, The purple duck behind. They looked behind the stones and trees, They looked behind the wall, And there they found a sky-blue crane, And he was very tall. Said Marg'ret to the sky-blue crane, 'If you'll come home with me, I'll give you macaroni soup And apples with your tea.' 'Ha, ha!' the sky-blue crane replied, And that was all he said, But on the wall he quickly jumped And stood upon his head. And next they saw a chicken house, And Marg'ret looked inside, And there she found a speckled hen And seven chicks beside. Said Marg'ret to the speckled hen, 'If you'll come home with me, I'll give you meat and marmalade And spinach with your tea.' 'Cluck, cluck!' the speckled hen replied. 'And if it won't be rude, I'll come to tea myself,' said she, 'And bring my hungry brood.' Said Marg'ret to the little chicks, 'If you'll come home with me, I'll give you cakes and cream of wheat And malted milk for tea.' 'Peep, peep!' the little chicks replied, 'Our throats are dry with thirst'. And see who gets there first.' So down they ran; the sky-blue crane, The purple duck, and then The seven little thirsty chicks Behind the speckled hen. The duck had beans and buttered toast And sugar in her tea; The crane had macaroni soup And apples, two or three. The speckled hen had spinach, too, And marmalade and meat; The chicks had cakes and malted milk, As well as cream of wheat. A splendid supper had they all, As much as they could wish; They emptied every single plate And cleared off every dish. And when they'd eaten all they could, They stood up in a row, And made a bow to Margaret, For it was time to go. 'We're very much obliged,' they said. 'We're very glad we came'. The duck, the crane, the hen, the chicks, They each one said the same. And when they all got home again Upon the hill so steep, They tucked their heads beneath their wings And quickly went to sleep. For, Oh! For, Oh! We're out for a regular spree, And you shall have anything else you like If only you'll come to tea." At the end of the song, while everybody was applauding and crying, "Encore," the dragon, with his tail hung over his arm, waltzed round and round in a solemn manner until he was out of breath, when he sat down with his back against the tower and fanned himself with the music. "Very good song," said the King. "Does you credit, Drum Major. Now, get your breath again and sing us another. Something about Frances this time." "Please do," begged Frances, coming forward with Periwinkle under her arm. "Something about "Not at all," replied Lobsterneck. "Simplest thing possible. Just a moment." So saying, he took his fountain pen from behind his ear, and spreading the music on the door-step of the tower, he scratched out "Margaret's Tea Party", and wrote instead, "Frances and the Spotted Pup." Having done so, he sat up straight once more, tucked his pen behind his ear, thumped his chest two or three times, just to see if his scales were in tune, and began again: "One summer day as Frances went A-walking up the street, She met a little spotted pup Who had a piece of meat. Said Frances to the spotted pup, 'If you eat all of that, I greatly fear, my little Dear, You'll grow a deal too fat'." Once more everybody joined in the chorus, though the words were almost entirely different: "For, Oh! For, Oh! There surely is no question, You'll have the indigestion." With his eye fixed on Periwinkle, as if to remind him that he was the subject of his song, the dragon went on: "The spotted pup, he shut one eye And gave a little squeak. He could not talk, because his mouth Was much too full to speak. And then that foolish spotted pup— I wonder he could do it— He swallowed that great piece of meat And never thought to chew it. At first it tasted very good, But pretty soon he cried: 'Oh, dear! Oh, dear! I greatly fear I have a pain inside. I quite forgot to chew my food— I won't forget again. Boo-hoo! Boo-hoo! What shall I do? I have a dreadful pain!' When Frances saw the tears run down— They made a little pool— And set him on a stool. 'Sit there', said she, 'I won't be long'. The puppy cried, 'Alack!' But Frances said, 'Be patient, now, I'll very soon be back.' Away she ran, and back she came, She wasn't gone a minute. She had a bottle in her hand, And there was something in it. 'Take this,' said she, 'and you will be Much better very soon.' And then she gave him pepsin in A large-sized table-spoon. And pretty soon, as Frances said, The pain had gone away. 'Bow-wow! Bow-wow! I'm better now,' The spotted pup did say. And then by every means he knew, By voice and attitude, The spotted puppy did his best To show his gratitude. So Frances patted him, and said: 'Now, don't forget again To chew your dinner, or you'll have Another dreadful pain.' 'I won't,' said he. 'Whate'er it be: Oatmeal or soup or suet, I never will forget again To chew and chew and chew it.' For, Oh! For, Oh! There surely is no question, That if you gobble your meals too fast You'll have the indigestion." |
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