“Here I am, dear Lady Moon.”
“But the Lady Moon replied, ‘Stop rolling, indeed! that is quite out of the question, I assure you. I have never done such a thing, and I am not going to begin at my time of life. No, no, Giant Crump; if you want me, you must catch me!’ and she went rolling on in the most heartless and unfeeling way.
“There was nothing for the poor giant to do but follow; so, tucking the silver body under his arm, he set off on his tall stilts, and walked after the Lady Moon. Round and round the world went she, and round and round went the giant after her; and as I have never heard of his catching up with her, he is very likely walking round and round still.”
“Is that all?” inquired the insatiable Toto. “What a very short story, Granny!”
“It is rather short,” said the grandmother; “but I don’t see how it could be made any longer. I will, however, if you wish, tell you another short story, and that will be equal to one long one. Listen, therefore, and you shall hear the story of Hokey Pokey.”
So they listened, and heard it.
“Hokey Pokey was the youngest of a large family of children. His elder brothers, as they grew up, all became either butchers or bakers or makers of candlesticks, for such was the custom of the family. But Hokey Pokey would be none of these things; so when he was grown to be a tall youth he went to his father and said, ‘Give me my fortune.’
“‘Will you be a butcher?’ asked his father.
“‘No,’ said Hokey Pokey.