s, Junior, on his Good Gray Horse rode through
Mother Goose country he saw a spider sitting in her tiny lace house. She
kept very still, for the early dewdrops still clung to the delicate web.
And as the sun shone down they looked for all the world like diamonds on
a piece of lace. So little Puss, Junior, stretched out his paw and,
would you believe it, instead of a drop of water he picked off a real
diamond.
"Ha, ha!" cried the little black spider. "The witch's feather in your
hat has changed the dewdrop into a diamond. But I have no use for
precious stones, so you may have it. The flies that come to my net are
more to my liking." And then she tied the strings of her little black
bonnet and put on her black silk mitts and waited for a fly to make a
call.
Well, after putting the diamond in his pocket, Puss rode away, and by
and by, after a while he came to a steep hill. And, oh, dear me! it was
a dreadfully steep hill, for Puss had missed his way and there was no
path or road for him to follow. And while he waited, not knowing what to
do, he heard a little voice say:
"If I bring four wings to you
To fasten on your horse's shoe
Will you give me for my locket
The sparkling diamond in your pocket?"
"How do I know my Good Gray Horse can fly with these wings?" asked Puss.
"He may try them first," said the voice, and out from behind a stump
jumped a little dwarf, dressed in green, with a red turban on his head.
Quick as a wink he fastened a wing to each foot of the Good Gray Horse.
And then he clicked his tongue against his teeth and away went the Good
Gray Horse up in the air like a great bird.
"Hold on!" shouted the dwarf. "Don't forget to give me the diamond," and
he held out his little hat for Puss to drop it in as the Good Gray Horse
sailed away on his winged feet over the mountain.
Well, as soon as he crossed the top of the great high mountain he came
down to earth and, strange to say, as soon as he touched the ground the
wings on his feet changed into long, silky hairs, and, but for these, he
was just the same as he was before meeting the dwarf.
[Illustration]
"Come, little master, since I have lost my wings, to yonder inn. I am
hungry for oats." So Puss rode forward and, after leaving him in the
stable, sat down in the inn and waited for his dinner. Pretty soon a
little bird settled on the window sill and sang:
"From my snug little nest in the
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