Frisky Spekkum’s Dream.
“She woke up sorrowful. She was sorrowful long. She would not eat, she would not run, she would not catch, she would not play with the two Charcoals and the other Spekkums. Their mother spoke to their uncle Thomas about it, and their uncle Thomas said he thought that dream would do Frisky Spekkum good.”
“And that is the end of the story, your majesty,” said the lovely Pussyanita.
“End?” exclaimed the King. “It has no end. It leaves off short. Why does it leave off short? Why does it not come to a proper end, namely, by the way a cat’s tail does?”
“Because, your majesty, it is not a common sense story,” replied the lovely Pussyanita. “I told your majesty at the beginning your majesty would not like a story that’s not a common sense story.”
“I say I do like stories that are not common sense stories!” cried King Grimalkum. “Common sense makes my head ache. Tell me another. Tell the one you skipped; that about the Janjan’s.”
“Your majesty means The Janjibo,” said Pussyanita. “That is the silliest story that ever was.”
“I have always wanted to hear the silliest story that ever was,” said the King. “Tell it. And let it have an end, or you’ll be sorry.”
The lovely Pussyanita bowed and began the Story of the Janjibo, and of the Frog and the Rat.