Him Richard followed; but the moment
he reached the middle of the suspended geese, from every side arose the
most frightful hisses, and their necks grew longer and longer, till
there were nearly thirty broad bills close to his head, blowing in his
face, in his ears, and at the back of his neck. But the turkey, looking
round and seeing what was going on, turned and walked back. When he
reached the place, he looked up at the first and gobbled at him in the
wildest manner. That goose grew silent and dropped from the tree. Then
he went to the next, and the next, and so on, till he had gobbled them
all off the trees, one after another. But when Richard expected to see
them go after the turkey, there was nothing there but a flock of huge
mushrooms and puff-balls.
"I have had enough of this," thought Richard. "I will go home again."
"Go home, Richard," said a voice close to him.
Looking down, he saw, instead of the turkey, the most comical-looking
little man he had ever seen.
"Go home, Master Richard," repeated he, grinning.
"Not for your bidding," answered Richard.
"Come on, then, Master Richard."
"Nor that either, without a good reason."
"I will give you _such_ an umbrella for your mother."
"I don't take presents from strangers."
"Bless you, I'm no stranger here! Oh, no! not at all." And he set off
in the manner usual with him, rolling every way at once.
Richard could not help laughing and following.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25