“I’ll have that large one,” said Dorothy, pointing to one, and Ray started to get it. But imagine their surprise when a round face appeared on the pan that grinned at them, and all at once the pan jumped down from its place and began to waltz around the floor. It looked so funny with its round body and short legs that the children laughed aloud. All of a sudden it gave a jump on to the table, where it remained quiet, like any sensible pudding pan.
“Now for the flour,” said Dorothy; and no sooner did she say the words than a barrel of flour came dancing into the kitchen on long spindle legs with the funniest face you ever saw, and with its hands folded on its great stomach. The children laughed so heartily at this droll sight that the tears rolled down their cheeks; and when the funny barrel made a low bow in the middle of the floor, Dorothy was laughing so hard that she could not speak, but Ray went to the barrel and took out a quart of flour. Then the barrel made another bow and walked with a swagger out of the kitchen.
“Eggs next,” said Dorothy, “and here they are.”
Four eggs appeared walking on stilts into the kitchen. All at once they jumped off the stilts and began to chase each other. The children gave peals of laughter as they watched the activity of the four eggs: at last Ray cried out, “Let’s catch them.” The children began to run after the eggs. Dorothy caught one and broke it in the pan, and then the three other eggs scrambled in as fast as they could. “This is the funniest pudding I ever heard of,” said Dorothy. “I wonder what comes next.” Just then a voice sang—
“Listen, children, while I tell
How to make a pudding well:
Sift your flour fine and white,
And a quart will be all right;
Sugar, just a cup—no more;
Eggs, well beaten—put in four;