It was the little Dream God. In his hand he carried a silver wand, in the handle of which was a little whistle which made a soft sound when he blew upon it.
"Did you have a good sleep?" he asked, and with a laugh, he took off his crown and sat down on the grass. And oh, what a sweet laugh it was. Just like the tinkle3 of a far-away bell or the ripple4 of a little brook5.
Well, after a little talk, the big Dream Bird came out of his wicker cage and said: "I'm going to take Mary Louise for a ride," and away he flew, while the little white sailor duck went back to his boat and sailed away, too, over the ocean big and blue.
"Where would you like to go?" asked the Dream Bird. "I'm the bird who brings dreams to people. Dreams of doing great big wonderful things, you know. Not sleepy dreams."
"Take me to some place that is different from anything I've ever seen," answered Mary Louise.
So the big Dream Bird scratched his head with his foot, but for a long time he couldn't tell where to go.
Well, anyway, by and by, not so very long, for the big Dream Bird kept flying on as he scratched his head with his foot, they came to Toy Land where all the toys of the world are made by little dwarfs7 and fairies.
"Now I'll leave you," said the big Dream Bird, and he flew away, leaving little Mary Louise in front of a pretty shop full of Little Jack8 Rabbits, and, would you believe it, there was a toy Puss in Boots, Junior, with red top boots and a hat with a gold feather and a sword. And the workman who made these toys was a funny little dwarf6 with a green suit and a red cap and a long white beard.
"This is the land of wonderful toys
That are made for good little girls and boys,
Talking dolls and horses that run,
Everything here is made for fun,
But only good little girls and boys
Can have our wonderful, beautiful toys."
"Heigh ho," said Mary Louise, "what next, I wonder," and she looked at a toy regiment9 of wooden soldiers marching down the street.
Just then an old hand organ began to play,
"Oh, where are the songs of yesterday,
And the songs we used to sing,
When you and I in the days gone by
Danced in the Fairy's Ring?"
And up ran a little monkey dressed in a red coat and cap. Mary Louise gave him a penny, to hand to the old man who had stopped to set another tune10 to the organ.
"Over the hills and far away,
I've tramped all my life till I am gray,
And now with my organ and monkey clown
I find myself in little Toy Town,"
sang the old organ grinder as he sat down to rest with the little monkey on his lap.
"Are you very tired?" asked Mary Louise.
"Pretty tired," answered the old man. "All these years I've tramped and played, and now I find myself in a town where they make toys for children. But I see no children. Only playthings which I have no use for," and the old man sighed and patted the monkey and then he closed his eyes and fell asleep. And I guess he was very, very tired.
Then Mary Louise slipped away, out of Toy Town where the dwarfs and the fairies made all the toys in little workshops, only they had the shades pulled down so that nobody could see them, for they are queer little people and don't like to be watched.
"Oh, dear," sighed Mary Louise, "I wish I were home. Mother will be dreadfully worried about me.
"Oh, if I had a Wishing Stone
I know what I would do
I'd wish for lots of lovely things,
And give a lot to you.
But, Oh, dear me. I've never known
Where is this wonder Wishing Stone."
"I know," cried a little voice, and then, of course, Mary Louise looked all around to see who had spoken, but she couldn't see anybody.
"Who are you?" she asked, halting Dapple Gray on the edge of a big forest.
"Here I am," cried the same little voice, and then, quick as a wink11, a tiny fairy jumped out from behind a bush.
"Don't frighten my pony13," said Mary Louise, as Dapple Gray stood up straight on his hind12 legs, "he isn't used to fairies."
"No, indeed," whinnied the pony, for that is the way a horse talks, you know. "I've met lots of people in dear Old Mother Goose Land, but never a fairy."
"If you come into this forest you will meet many little people like me," answered the fairy.
"Will they object if I travel through it?" asked little Mary Louise anxiously. "You see, I'm on my way home."
"You have my permission," answered the fairy. "I'm queen of the Forest Fays. But I thought you were looking for the Wishing Stone?"
"Maybe I was," answered Mary Louise. "You see, I thought if I could find it, I'd wish I was home with my dear mother."
"It is not very far from here," said the little fairy. "Follow this path through the trees and by and by you'll come to it. But let me give you some advice. Be sure before you make your wish to say,
"Rose red, rose white,
I will try to do what's right."
"Thank you, I'll remember," answered little Mary Louise, and she turned Dapple Gray down the path to the woody glen.
Well, by and by, after a while, she saw a big white stone. It looked very like a rude stone chair, only of course, it didn't have any nice soft cushion in it like the one my grandmother used.
With a cry of joy little Mary Louise jumped from the saddle. "Now I'll make my wish!" And she sat down in the big stone chair and closed her eyes.
But, oh dear me. She had been in such a hurry that she forgot to say the little fairy verse and when she opened her eyes, there she was in the very same spot.
And, oh, dear me! again. Instead of the Dapple Gray, a little gray squirrel stood in the very spot where the little pony had been.
"If you would have what you would wish
You must obey each rule,
No matter whether in your home
Or in your Grammar School,"
sang a little yellow bird, as Mary Louise stared in amazement14 at the little gray squirrel.
"Oh, dear me," she sighed, "where is Dapple Gray?"
"I was your little pony,
And my name was Dapple Gray.
But now I am a squirrel
Because you did not say;
'Rose red, rose white,
I will try to do what's right,'"
answered the little squirrel.
And then Mary Louise remembered what the little fairy had told her to say when she made the wish. Oh, dear me. How 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 hearty15
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