Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-02
THE STORY OF PETER.

name was Peter. He was something like
bird, but he couldn't fly. He lived on the
small island ali the time,N for he didn't
like to get his feet wet, and the ocean
around the island was extremely wet.
You see, Peters condition was rather
delicate, and he had to be careful For
one thing, he was not allowed to eat any
thing but seaweed. The doctor had or
dered him never to touch anything else.
But as there was always plenty Of sea-
weed washed ashore on the island, Peter
did very well. He cooked 1t in an enor-
nous chatting dish. given rin by one of his
forty aunts, and you have no idea how de-
licious cooked seaweed is. He had fried
seaweed, and stewed seaweed, and baked
and boiled and fricasseed seaweed, and sea-
weed soup, and seaweed pie, and seaweed
jelly. and seaweed pudding And as there
are many kinds Of seaweed. and they all
| have different f1avors. Peters meals were
often very appetizing indeed.
Peter had one treasure, Of which he was
| very proud. 1t was an extremely long
| piece of pink satin ribbon, and 1t had been
| given him by another of his forty aunts.
had to tell you about 1t because 1t comes
| In later. Another thing I mustn't forget to
mention is the magnafolia tree. 1t stood
| in the very center of the island, and each
VI us ledNeS was as large as a Q1n1ng room
| table. 1t was magnificent plant!
| And now I must tell you about another
| animal, who sometimes came to see Peter.
| humble umble-that was his name-was a
and heavy and foppy. and very selfish. too.
| But Peter was so kind and gentle that he
| never quarreled, even with quarrelsome
! Mumbledumble.
| One day Mumbledumble came splashing
| clumsily to the island, and lay down in the
sun.
| "Ump." he said. 1--WE found something
| you can't have!"
| What is it?' asked the gentle Peter.
Something good! I'm going to have it
| for dinner" said MumbledumbIe. Peter
poured a seaweed batter into the chatting
| dish, and began gently stirring.
| Don't You want to know what it is?"
| snapped Mumbledumble
| No" said Peter. mot II you don't want
! TO tell me-"
| well. you've got to know. I will tell
you.' grumbled Mumbledumble. It's a
| little boy!''
"a little boy" exclaimed Peter. and he
| eat little boy?'
| ''Of course I am! I always thought you
were jealous, Peter. but this is really too
much"' and Mumbledumble grew more Gis-
| not at all indigestibIe. I don't have to live
on seaweed-"
little boy!' Peter grew quite rufled.
Link Oh Ills ieeiiHSS! LINK Ol HIS par
| ents. It's a shame to eat little boy"'
This little boy" said MumbledumbIe,
deserves to be eaten He's floating
| around on the ocean in a washtub. with
| sensible child would be so far from home.
You see that spot off there on the waves?
That's the boy. I'd eat him at once. but
I've just finished breakfast. However. he
| nap in the sun till II o'clock" And so
Mumbledumble went to sleep in the sun.
and poor Peter stood one leg and con-
| sidered.
what can I do?" he said to himself.
Il must get that little boy somehow, and
quickly, too. If could only fy!' But
| he couldn't, it wasn't any use to think
| of that. Then all at once he thought Of
the long piece of pink ribbon that his aunt
| had given him.
That" he said. '1s an idea. II I
could get that fastened to the tub I'd
pull it in to the island, with the little boy
think that 1 have another idea: My dear
| little friend Flipingole could take one end
! of the ribbon and tie it to the tub
Flipingole was beautiful little bird. all
waited and waited for Flipingole to come
1t grew later and later. and still he didn't
arrive. At last it was IL o'clock. and
Mumbledumble began to stir in HIS sleep.
"Um," he said, I'm getting hungry"
and then he woke up and stretched him
self Now I feel just like good bite
I see him. and he started to crawl Off
| Then Peter took the cover off the chat
ing dish, and the delicious fragrance of
| seaweed pancake stole on the air. Num-
/ bledumble looked around.
TRY one,' said Peter, they're made
from very fine recipe" Mumbledumble
grunted and turned back. Peter passed
him pancake, and he ate it in a jiffy.
| Then Peter began talking in very en-
| PERTAINING way. and all the while he kept
handing pancakes to Mumbledumble, who
| kept on eating without thinking of what
he was doing. Peter was telling a very
| interesting story about his forty aunts, and
| the pancakes were extremely good, so for
the moment Mumbledumble forgot about
the little boy. At the sixty-fourth pan
cake Mumbledumble stopped.
| II can't possibly eat another one. he
| said Il must have had at least ten"
Then he looked off on the ocean at the lit
| tie boy You'll have to watt he said
| Never mind, I'll have you for supper.
think I'll take another nap" For when
Mumbledumble was not eating he was usu-
! ally sleeping
Peter was delighted. He hoped on one
| dumble was comfortably asleep FIipingole
| came flying to the island.
| Peter whispered the whole story to Flip
ingole. who was a very good little bird, and
| agreed to help the little boy. He took one
| end Of the long pink ribbon in his beak
| and flew away over the green water. There
| was the tub and the little BOY, and the lit
| tie dog, just as Mumbledumble had said
and the little boy was doing his best not to
| cry. FlipingQle perched on the edge of the
| tub, and said in a chirpy little voice.
| whats the NATTER"
| And then the little boy began talking as
! fast as he could. oh" he said, I'm lost
Cheddy and + got into the washtub yester-
| day and Just padded around by the Shore
| and all at once a great big breeze came
| along and blew and blew and blew and
| went straight out to- sea, as fast as
steamboat. And then dreadful animal
! came up to me this morning and said he
| was going to eat me for dinner, and my
| names Teddy Tinker, and I'm hungry"
| Then Flipingole told his part Of the story
| as quickly as he could, and Teddy fastened
| the pink ribbon to the tub, and was glad
indeed that Peter was going to help him
Flipingole few back to the island In no
| time. and whispered to Peter, Its all
| right. Pul1!'
So Peter pulled and pulled, and the tub
came all the time nearer to the island.
Then MumbledumbIe stirred again and be-
gan to wake. but Flipingole sang gentle
little song SO sweetly that Mumbledumble
went to sleep again.
And as soon as they were safely on land
Peter put Teddy and Cheddy and the tub
right into the chafng dish, to hide them
from Mumbledumple He had hardly put
\ a.,