‘Think just as fast as you can,’ said Merrythought to the seven astonished children standing before him in a row. ‘Think just as fast as you can, and then tell me what toy you would like most of all for Christmas.’
Why, it didn’t take them two minutes to think. They began to answer before Merrythought had finished speaking to them.
‘A sled! A pair of skates!’ said Danny and Bill, holding tight to one another and giggling as they spoke.
‘A Jack-in-the-Box,’ said Tom, all freckles and smiles.
‘A doll, a sleepy doll,’ said Ann Mary, twitching her pigtails into place.
‘A Jumping Jack,’ said Matilda, taking her thumb out of her mouth and putting it back again.
Polly hid her face in Belinda’s skirt, so Belinda answered for her.
‘She wants a woolly lamb on wheels,’ said Belinda. ‘I know that is what she wants most of all.’
‘And what do you want?’ asked Merrythought. ‘Every one has told but you.’
Belinda’s eyes grew bright.