Her Mother said, "Yes," so the little girls ran together to O
Kiku San's house.
Other little girls came, too, to see O Kiku San's dolls. She had just as many dolls as Take. She had five shelves, too, and she had an Emperor and Empress doll. But she had no little house to play with.
"Come home with me and see my new house, all of you," Take said when the little girls had looked at O Kiku San's dolls.
So they marched in a gay procession to the little house in the garden. All the other girls' brothers had had a very lonesome day, but Taro had had fun all the afternoon with the little garden. He had made a little well, and a kura to put in the garden He made them out of boxes. The little girls looked at Take's dolls. They thought the doll-house the most beautiful toy they had ever seen, and when they saw the garden, you can't think how happy they were!
"We wish our brothers would make gardens like that for us," they said.
Taro felt proud and pleased to have them like it so much, but all he said was, "It is very polite of you to praise my poor work!"
Then the Mother brought out some sweet rice-cakes. The maids brought out tiny tables and set them around. Take brought a doll teapot and placed it with toy cups on her little table. Then she made real tea, and they had a party! For candy they had sugared beans and peas. They gave some of everything to the dolls. It was nearly time for supper when the little girls bowed to Take and her Mother, said "Sayonara" very politely, and went home.
Take sat up just as late as she wanted to that night. It was eight o'clock when she went to bed. She hugged each one of the thirty-five dolls when she said good night to them.
"Sayonara, Sayonara," she said to each one; "good-bye for a whole year, you darling dolls!"
Then she took her dear old Glory and went happily to bed.