The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-04

welcome to the Isle Of Phreex. Kneel thou
at my feet
John knelt an commanded, and the king
let at once dealt him q sharp blow upon
the Blunderer's helmet with the heavy
end OF the royal sceptre. II denied In
the steel plate, and would have crushed
the gingerbread mans head had It not
been SO well protected by the helmet.
Il dub you knight OF Phreex.' said his
Majesty. Rise, Sir John Dough. villain
no longer, but noble and favored among
my subjects"
John stood up and bowed. although he
was slightly dazed by Inc blow.
Long live the gentle Kinglet OF Phreex.'
he managed to say.
And Chick clapped two chubby hands
with glee, and whispered:
well done. my friend
"You please me, Sir JOHN remarked
the little kinglet. swelling out his chest
oomplacently. Il wish all the people Of
Phreex were so polite n discerning
Then he looked around and inquired:
Where's Sir Austed Affirm. the Poet Laure-
ate?" ..}.
Immediately a drapery parted, and .
man with a pale, thin face n long black
hair entered and saluted his Majesty with
profound respect. The poet had a bandage
over one eye ana hobbled as II anne in one
leg. He was clothed all In black, and his
long frock coat had grease spots down
the front Of it.
Have you made me q sonnet to-day7'
demanded the little kinglet.
Yes, my royal master" answered the
poet; and pompously unrolling a scroll
he read in a loud fslsetto voice these
lines:
There is a wise Kinslet OF PhreeI.
Whose wit Is 30 great that IL leaks:
His brain isn't big.
But who cares a fig
While wisdom from him fairly reeksr
Now, that's not 50 bad. : said his Majesty
re1ectively. But can't you make Il a
little stronger, Sir Poet7'
IN try" replied Austed Affirm; and
after pencilling some words on his tablets
he read as follows:
The Goddess Of Wisdom felt sad:
And when asked why she whimpered so bad
Said; There's one. it Is true,
Who knows more than / do
And the Kinglet OF Phreex Is the lad:-
Now that said his Majesty, strikes
me as being real poetry. How does it
strike you, Sir John Dough-
IT'S fairly good" replied the ginger
bread man. but hardly does you Justice
The Poet doesn't are do his Majesty
justice" said the Disagreeable Failing.
IF he did, there would soon be no Poet"
There's something in that, too said
the kinglet. -But nov Sir AuEted, write
ma n annnaR On ~ pou a,thfaCt Or INhn
Dough"
The Poet sighed and began writing on
his tablets and presently he read this:
The Kinglet Of Phreex. il is said.
Has a Knigh made Of stale gingerbread:
We could eat him; but yet
The dyspepsia we'd get
Would soon make us wish We we're dead.
That" said John, Indignantly, lis rank
libel. and if your Majesty will lend me
YOU" -"eptre I'll make Of end of this Poet
in seven seconds by the clock"
"You rave my permission TO make mince-
meat OF him " replied the kinglet, cheerfully.
Mercy! mercy. my lord!" screamed
the Poet, falling upon his knees before
John and hastily wiping the verse of his
tablets. Give me one more chance, I beg
of you."
Very well, +" said the gingerbread knight.
-Rut if it's no better than the last you shall
be discharged. Is it not 20. your Majesty"
quite So" laughed the kinglet.
The Poet nervously scrubbed another
set Of lines which he read in a voice that
trembled with fear.
The Gingerbread man is 50 sweet.
To eat him would be a rare treat;
He's crisp and well spiced.
And You'd find, were h sliced,
That the eggs in him cannot be beat!
that's BETTER" said John, "but I'm not
sure about the eggs, as I did not pay much
attention when / was mixed. However,
this sincere tribute to my excellence will
save you from my displeasure and you
may go free"
The Poet did not wait an instant, but ran
from the hall az fast as his legs would carry
him.
The kinglet now dismissed the Failings,
who left the royal presence quarrelling and
threatening one another and making so
much noise and uproar that the ginger
bread man was glad to see them 20.
Aren't they nice7" asked the kinglet,
looking after them. I'D like to drown them
all in the castle moat, like kittens; but every
king. they say, has his Failings, so I sup
pose I must keep mine
He sighed and continued.
Blu what did the Poets sonnet say about
your being crisp and we'll spiced and rather
good eating we're you sl.cedH'
Don't pay any attention to that, your
Majesty said John, hastily.
But why not?' persisted the kinglet.