w sad she felt! But it
was too late, and pretty soon the little squirrel ran away, and poor
Mary Louise was left alone in the big Wishing Stone chair.

"Oh dear me," she sighed again, "now what shall I do?" But nobody
answered, not even the little yellow bird, so she jumped down and
started off through the wood, and by and by, after a mile, but never a
smile, she heard somebody laughing. And, oh my, it was a great big,
tremendous hearty laugh. Why, it made all the leaves tremble and the
dry twigs fall to the ground. And then, all of a sudden, a giant
walked by, carrying on his big finger the prettiest yellow bird you
ever saw.

"Why bless my big leather belt," he exclaimed, "it's little Mary
Louise."

"Oh, Mr. Giant," said Mary Louise, "I've disobeyed the Fairy Queen and
lost my pony Dapple Gray."

"Bless my big hob-nailed club," said Mr. Merry Laugh, for this was the
giant's name, "how did you come to do that?"

So Mary Louise told him how the Fairy Queen had directed her to the
Wishing Stone, but that she had forgotten to say when making her wish,

"Rose red, rose white,
I will try to do what's right."

"Well, I'll give you another chance," said the big kind giant. "Now
let me see," and he took off his big leather cap and scratched his
head, and then he whispered something to the little yellow bird, but
his whisper was so loud that of course Mary Louise heard it, for when a
giant whispers it sounds like a man shouting, so I've been told.

"Come with me," said the giant after the little yellow bird had nodded
her head, and pretty soon, not so very long, they came to his castle,
where the giant made Mary Louise very comfortable in a little chair
which had once belonged to his son.

"Now you rest here while I go and get out my big Gold Book," said Mr.
Merry Laugh.

"Mr. Merry Laugh, the Giant,
Has a big Gold Book,
Bound with leather hinges
And a big brass hook,"

sang the little yellow bird.

"Now let me see," said the good, kind giant, opening the book and
turning over the pages with his great immense thumb. "Ah, here it is,"
but before he began to read he took off his spectacles which were as
big as automobile lamps and wiped them carefully on his red silk
handkerchief which was bigger than a sail.

"Whoever disobeys the queen
Can for his guilt atone
By making a little whistle
Out of a turkey's bone."

"Ha, ha, ha!" roared the giant till the crystal chandelier t