“Won’t you please tell us some more?” asked Helen and Tommy. “Is it very far away, Mr. Poodle? Can we really and truly go there?”
“Yes,” said Mr. Poodle, “we can really and truly go there. Toyville is only a little way beyond the Hills of Troubleland; it lies in the Vale of Joy, which, by some people is called the Valley of Happiness. Once upon a time, so long ago, indeed, that nobody living now can remember exactly how long, there wasn’t any Toyville. Then, one day, some of the Toy people made the perilous trip through the Hills of Troubleland, and upon coming into the Vale of Joy, found the land so beautiful that they at once set about the building of a little city. By and by, other Toy people came that way, and the city grew and grew until it covered all the valley.”
“Will Captain Pinkle, Captain Poddle and Rolie Polie go there to live some time?” asked Tommy.
“And will my dolly go there, too, Mr. Poodle?” asked Helen.
“Yes,” said Mr. Poodle, “all the Toy people go there sometime unless they get lost by the way, somewhere in the Hills of Troubleland. You see, first of all, the Toy people came into this world to live with little boys and girls to play with them and make them happy. Some of the Toy people go to one city, some to another, and some even go to live in the country. The Toy people never care to what house they go if there is only a boy or girl living there, but houses that are without children are much too lonesome. {17}
“Sometimes boys and girls get tired of playing with the Toy people, or they grow up and get so big feeling they think the games the Toy people play are silly. And sometimes boys and girls are rough with the Toy people, tossing them about until their joints get loose or even broken, and their heads battered. Then, the Toy people, knowing there is no longer a welcome for them, in those houses, feel sad and go off to hide in a drawer somewhere, and by and by, even get up in the attic hidden away behind boxes or trunks. They wait patiently for perhaps almost a year, hoping every day to hear the children call for them; but the children have forgotten all about their old playmates. Then, one day, when it is raining and nobody can go out of doors, somebody thinks about the Toy people and goes to search, first, in the drawer, then in the attic. Alas, it is too late! the Toy people have gone, gone for ever. Gone through the Hills of Troubleland into the Valley of Happiness, where they are now living peacefully in their beautiful city of Toyville.”
“Do the Toy people play and have fun in Toyville, Mr. Poodle?” asked Tommy.
“Fun!” How Mr. Poodle did laugh when he repeated that word. “Yes, indeed, they have fun,” he said. “Of course, the older people have work to do; like flower gardens to plant; and orchards and such things to tend; but the little Toy people have more fun than I can ever find words to tell about. Why, everybody can sing and laugh and have ever and ever so much sport. Nobody in Toyville cares one single mite how much noise is made. They all think it the finest kind of fun to see the little Toy people have a good time. If the little Toy people want to, {18} they can get down on their knees and play, and never wear out their stockings. If the little Toy people want to dig in the dirt and make mud pies, or build forts, or play grocery store, their clothes or their hands and faces never get at all soiled, because the dirt there is not one bit dirty. Yes indeed, Toyville is certainly a fine place in which to have fun.”
Mr. Poodle now looked at the clock. “O me, O my,” said he; “it is almost supper time, and here I am talking away as if we never had to bother about eating. Run along now, but come back early to-morrow and I will have everything ready for our journey to Toyville.”
That night when Helen’s mamma was tucking her up cosily in bed so she would have happy dreams, Helen said: “Mamma, to-morrow Mr. Poodle is going to take Tommy and me for a visit to Toyville.”