Raggedy Ann Stories Page 10

  RAGGEDY ANN AND THE FAIRIES' GIFT

  All the dolls were tucked snugly in their little doll-beds for the nightand the large house was very still.

  Every once in a while Fido would raise one ear and partly open one eye,for his keen dog sense seemed to tell him that something was about tohappen.

  Finally he opened both eyes, sniffed into the air and, getting out ofhis basket and shaking himself, he trotted across the nursery to RaggedyAnn's bed.

  Fido put his cold nose in Raggedy Ann's neck. She raised her head fromthe little pillow.

  "Oh! It's you, Fido!" said Raggedy Ann. "I dreamed the tin soldier putan icicle down my neck!"

  "I can't sleep," Fido told Raggedy Ann. "I feel that something is aboutto happen!"

  "You have been eating too many bones lately, Fido, and they keep youawake," Raggedy replied.

  "No, it isn't that. I haven't had any bones since the folks had beeflast Sunday. It isn't that. Listen, Raggedy!"

  Raggedy Ann listened.

  There was a murmur as if someone were singing, far away.

  "What is it?" asked Fido.

  "Sh!" cautioned Raggedy Ann, "It's music."

  It was indeed music, the most beautiful music Raggedy Ann had everheard.

  It grew louder, but still seemed to be _far_ away.

  Raggedy Ann and Fido could hear it distinctly and it sounded as ifhundreds of voices were singing in unison.

  "Please don't howl, Fido," Raggedy Ann said as she put her two rag armsaround the dog's nose. Fido usually "sang" when he heard music.

  But Fido did not sing this time; he was filled with wonder. It seemed asif something very nice was going to happen.

  Raggedy Ann sat upright in bed. The room was flooded with a strange,beautiful light and the music came floating in through the nurserywindow.

  Raggedy Ann hopped from her bed and ran across the floor, trailing thebed clothes behind her. Fido followed close behind and together theylooked out the window across the flower garden.

  There among the flowers were hundreds of tiny beings, some playing ontiny reed instruments and flower horns, while others sang. This was thestrange, wonderful music Raggedy and Fido had heard.

  "It's the Fairies!" said Raggedy Ann. "To your basket quick, Fido! Theyare coming this way!" And Raggedy Ann ran back to her bed, with the bedclothes trailing behind her.

  Fido gave three jumps and he was in his basket, pretending he was soundasleep, but one little black eye was peeping through a chink in theside.

  Raggedy jumped into her bed and pulled the covers to her chin, but layso that her shoe-button eyes could see towards the window.

  Little Fairy forms radiant as silver came flitting into the nursery,singing in far away voices. They carried a little bundle. A beautifullight came from this bundle, and to Raggedy Ann and Fido it seemed likesunshine and moonshine mixed. It was a soft mellow light, just thesort of light you would expect to accompany Fairy Folk.

  As Raggedy watched, her candy heart went pitty-pat against her cottonstuffing, for she saw a tiny pink foot sticking out of the bundle oflight.

  The Fairy troop sailed across the nursery and through the door withtheir bundle and Raggedy Ann and Fido listened to their far away musicas they went down the hall.

  Presently the Fairies returned without the bundle and disappearedthrough the nursery window.

  Raggedy Ann and Fido again ran to the window and saw the Fairy troopdancing among the flowers.

  The light from the bundle still hung about the nursery and a strangelovely perfume floated about.

  When the Fairies' music ceased and they had flown away, Raggedy Ann andFido returned to Raggedy's bed to think it all out.

  When old Mister Sun peeped over the garden wall and into the nursery,and the other dolls awakened, Raggedy Ann and Fido were still puzzled.

  "What is it, Raggedy Ann?" asked the tin soldier and Uncle Clem, in onevoice.

  Before Raggedy Ann could answer, Marcella came running into the nursery,gathered up all the dolls in her arms, and ran down the hall, Fidojumping beside her and barking shrilly.

  "Be quiet!" Marcella said to Fido, "It's asleep and you might awakenit!"

  Mamma helped Marcella arrange all the dolls in a circle around the bedso that they could all see what was in the bundle.

  Mamma gently pulled back the soft covering and the dolls saw a tinylittle fist as pink as coral, a soft little face with a cunning tinypink nose, and a little head as bald as the French dolly's when her haircame off.

  My, how the dollies all chattered when they were once again left alonein the nursery!

  "A dear cuddly baby brother for Mistress!" said Uncle Clem.

  "A beautiful bundle of love and Fairy Sunshine for everybody in thehouse!" said Raggedy Ann, as she went to the toy piano and joyouslyplayed "Peter-Peter-Pumpkin-Eater" with one rag hand.