"Well, the truth is," said the Candy Man, "I ate it."
"How awfully sad!" exclaimed Lulu.
"Not in the least, my dear," the Candy Man said. "Such events are not unusual in this country. If you think I am badly off, you ought to see my brother. Did you never hear the story about when he was a boy? Ask the Banjo."
So the Banjo told them the story.
THE CANDY BOY
Oh, list to the tale of the Candy Boy—
The boy that turned to candy.
He was his mamma's pride and joy,
And sweet things were too handy.
He ate and ate and ate and ate
Mint sticks and peanut brittles—
Just candy, it is sad to state,
Made all of this boy's victuals.
One day he noticed that his hair
In taffy drips was streaming,
And that upon his fingers there
Were bright red stripes a-gleaming.
He bit his finger, and he found
That it was flavored sweetly
From having candy all around
He'd turned to it completely!
Oh, dear! Oh, dear! This tearful tale
I really should not finish.
He ate his arms without a wail
At seeing them diminish.
From eating so much candy, see
How things resulted direly:
That boy is no more here, for he
Ate up himself entirely!
"Is there anything more that you would like?" asked the Fairy Queen after this entertaining story.
"No," said Lulu, sighing and hugging tight her new-old doll. "I am so happy and contented that I can not think of anything else to wish for myself; but I was just thinking how badly the poor King must be feeling all this time without his shadow, while here are we, to whom he gave these Fairy Wishing Wands, having so good a time. I wish he could be happy and contented, too."