II.
| swarm | nibbling | exclaimed | mattress |
| troop | neighing | cranberries | bursting |
| eaten | nonsense | disturbed | pillows |
Buzz, buzz, buzz! "What comes to the window now?" In flew a swarm of bees.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz! Where is our wax?" said the queen bee.
"Hum, hum, hum! Who stole our wax?" said all the bees.
"There is no wax here," said Fannie.
The bees flew about, crying, "Buzz, buzz, buzz! Hum, hum, hum!" They seemed to be very angry about something.
"Oh, dear," exclaimed Fannie; "they have all lighted on my doll and are nibbling away her pretty face. Oh, my beautiful wax doll! What shall I do? What shall I do?"
At that moment there was a great noise in the hall. "I wonder what will come next," said Fannie. In trotted a troop of horses, neighing loudly, "Who stole our flowing manes? Who carried off our long, waving tails?"
"Here they are," said a great, white horse, and he began pulling the mattress into pieces.
"I shall have no bed to sleep on," thought Fannie, as the horses went galloping out of the room, with their mouths full of horsehair.
But what can be coming through the hall now, making so much noise?
"Fannie! Fannie! Why don't you come down to tea?" shouted Frank, bursting into the room.
"Oh, Frank," said she, "did you meet the horses running downstairs?"
"Horses running downstairs! What are you talking about, Fannie?"
"Why, some geese flew in through the window, and took the feathers from my pillows. A whole troop of horses came into my room and tore the mattress to pieces. A flock of sheep carried off the carpet, and a swarm of bees has eaten up my doll's head."
"Your doll is lying in her cradle, with cheeks as red as cranberries," said Frank. "The carpet looks as pretty as ever; and your bed has not been disturbed. Sister dear, I think you have been dreaming a great deal of nonsense for one afternoon."
—From "Rainbows for Children."