What about them? she said; that’s it!

She didn’t approve the idea a bit.

Those other two she could never forget,—

Just think of them out in the cold and wet!

Just think of their terrible, terrible woe!

She wanted to marry, and yet, and yet,

She’d never be happy, no never,

No never, no never, no, no!”

“Silence, fools,” said Babadag, laughing. “We are about to listen to a tale,—a tale from Bald-er-Dash the peddler. Will you proceed now, excellent peddler?”

“Willingly,” said I.