“And show the gentles thy valiant heart.’
“With that Robin opened the door again and another figure came in, dressed like a woman in a dark purple gown bordered with light brownish yellow. A large apple was fastened on top of her head, and she wore bunches of raisins at her ears instead of ear-rings; while her necklace was of large pieces of citron strung together, and her bracelets of cloves and allspice and cinnamon. In her hand she carried a large wooden sword.”
“What was that for?” said Carl, who had listened with the most intense interest.
“Why to fight off the people that wanted to make her up into real mince pie, I suppose,” said the stocking. “She came into the room singing,—
“Room, room, you gallant souls, give me room to rhyme,
“I will show you some festivity this Christmas time.
“Bring me the man that bids me stand,
“Who says he’ll cut me down with an audacious hand;
“I’ll cut him and hew him as small as a fly,
“And see what he’ll do then to make his mince pye.