opped at some crossway 22
Mrs. Mouse was embroidering a beautiful
smoking cap for her husband 24
Adolphus playing cards at the Jockey Club 25
The Guards silently formed up ready to fire 28
Ferocious mice .. armed to the teeth 29
The Order of the Golden Fleece 32
The King and Perez knelt down too 33
The dreadful Don Pedro 36
Elvira recited 40

[Illustration: King Bubi the First]

PEREZ THE MOUSE

Once upon a time there lived a king called Bubi the First, who
was very kind to poor children and mice. For the children he
built a factory for making dolls and cardboard horses, for the
benefit of the mice he made wise laws to stop cats catching
them, and absolutely forbade the use of mouse-traps. Bubi began
to reign when he was only six years old, under the care of his
mother, who was very good and clever, and who watched over him
and guided his steps, as good children are guided by their
Guardian Angel.

[Illustration: The oldest of the Court Doctors]

Bubi was a darling little boy, and when on great days they put
on his gold crown and his embroidered robes, the gold of his
crown was not brighter than his hair nor the ermine of his robes
softer than his cheeks and hands. He was just like a little
Dresden china figure which had been put to sit on a throne
instead of standing on the chimney piece.

One day while the King was eating his bread and milk, one of
his teeth began to wobble. There was a great fuss and the Court
doctors arrived in a hurry. * They were all agreed that His
Majesty had begun to change his teeth, and at length they
settled to pull out the loose one. They wanted the King to have
laughing gas, as he did when his hair was cut, as he always
fidgeted so, but Bubi was a brave little boy and made up his
mind to have it out with nothing. The oldest of the Court
doctors tied a bit of red silk round the tooth, and then gave a
tweak, and he pulled so cleverly that, while the King was making
a face, out came the tooth as round and white as a little pearl.

Then there was another fuss as to what was to be done with it,
but Bubi's mother, who, as we have said was a very wise Queen
and very loyal to old customs, settled that the King should
write a very polite letter and put it with the tooth in an
envelope under his pillow that nig