"I'll make it play," said the Queen, "for my dolls love to dance to the music."
Thereupon she touched a spring, and at once strains of delightful melody came from the big music box.
Dot hastened outside again and found the street filled with dolls, who were dancing joyously to the bewitching music. After watching them for a time in silence the Queen said:
"Now they have had enough fun for one day, so I will send them to sleep again."
She waved her wand once and the music stopped playing. The dolls stopped dancing and began to say good-night to one another. A second time the Queen waved her wand above her head, and then every doll hurried to its own home, and the doors and windows began to close again. But Dot and Tot could hear the dolls laughing and talking in the houses until the Queen waved her wand for the third and last time, when silence fell on the village, and her Majesty turned to the children and said:
"Now they are fast asleep again, and will remain so until I choose to awaken them."
"They are lovely dolls," said Dot, sighing to think the entertainment was ended, "and I should love to play with them all day long."
"Sometimes I have kept them awake all day myself," replied the Queen; "but that is when I am lonely and need amusement. No one can be dull while those laughing, romping, mischievous dolls are awake. But I must have a talk with my new Prince and Princess this evening, so I could devote but little time to my people, and only awakened them to satisfy your curiosity."
"Can't I have a doll to keep?" asked Tot, as they drove back to the palace.