Drakestail said to himself: ‘We can’t be too many friends.’... ‘I will,’ says he, ‘but you who sleep while you walk will soon be tired. Make yourself quite small, get into my throat—go into my gizzard and I will carry you.’
‘Ah! happy thought!’ says my friend River.
She takes bag and baggage, and glou, glou, glou, she takes her place between friend Fox and my friend Ladder.
And ‘Quack, quack, quack.’ Drakestail is off again singing.
A little farther on he meets comrade Wasp’s-nest, manoeuvring his wasps.
‘Well, good-morning, friend Drakestail,’ said comrade Wasp’s-nest, ‘where are we bound for so spruce and fresh?’
‘I am going to the King for what he owes me.’
‘Oh! take me with thee!’
Drakestail said to himself, ‘One can’t have too many friends.’... ‘I will,’ says he, ‘but with your battalion to drag along, you will soon be tired. Make yourself quite small, go into my throat—get into my gizzard and I will carry you.’
‘By Jove! that’s a good idea!’ says comrade Wasp’s-nest.