 The fifteenth night of Seven O'Clock Stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Patty Cunningham. Seven O'Clock Stories by Robert Gordon Anderson. The fifteenth night. Jack Frost and the Man in the Moon. Once, twice, thrice knotted Marmaduke's head. The red flames of the fire kept dancing, dancing all the time. Very bright looked the little sleigh at the foot of the bed. Very brave, the tiny reindeer. But look! Something moved. Just a little. The nigh little reindeer was stamping his foot and tossing his antlers. And the other little reindeer tossed his horns and stamped his foot, too. On their backs the sleigh bells jingled merrily like fairy bells. The red and blue sleigh moved a little. Just a little. It began to slide slowly over the comforter. Marmaduke was worried. He didn't want the pretty sleigh and the reindeer to run away. He might never see them again. Wait! he shouted. Whoa! you villains! It was a strange little voice that ordered the reindeer. The red and blue sleigh stopped short. Marmaduke rubbed his eyes. The strange little voice spoke again. Jump in, it said. And there in the front seat of the toy sleigh sat a funny little chap about as big as the toy man's thumb. No bigger. He wore a pointed cap that shone like tinsel on a Christmas tree. He wore a white coat that sparkled, too. Who are you, asked the little sick boy? That's my sleigh. You shan't run off with it. The funny little voice under the white cap answered, Jump in, then, and take a ride. Tell me who you are first, Marmaduke insisted. My name's Jack. Jack what? Jack Frost. You ought to know that. Tinkle, tinkle, went the bells. The reindeer lifted their hooves higher and pawed at the comforter. They shook their antlers impatiently. The little driver jumped up and down in the seat as if he were sitting on pins and needles. More worried than ever was Marmaduke. How can I get in that sleigh, he asked the imp of a stranger? I'm too big. The little chap only chuckled. It was a mischievous chuckle. Then he said, Take a good look at yourself. Marmaduke did. My, how he had shrunk. He was no bigger than a brownie. No bigger himself than the toy man's thumb. How did that happen, he said? Oh, the dream fairy did that, said Jack. She likes to play tricks on people. It's lots of fun. But shake a leg, shake a leg. With that he took the reins himself and the bells jingled again and the reindeer grew more eager every second, snorting impatiently. Once more Marmaduke looked down at himself. No, his eyes had made no mistake. He was small enough now to sit on that little red seat with the tiny driver. So he popped out from the covers. The folds of the blanket looked as big as mountains. The lumps of the comforter as high as the hills. Over them he scrambled and he sprawled till he reached the little red and blue slay. Then he jumped in. The driver could be very imprudent, but he took good care of Marmaduke just the same, for the boy had been very sick and might catch cold. So Jack pulled the white robe over his passenger's knees and tucked him in all snug and warm. Gee-up, gee-up! he called to the tiny reindeer. Marmaduke was frightened. What a horrible crash there would be when they slid from the high bed to the floor. But nothing like that happened at all. Away off the bed, over the bright rag carpet and past the red fire safely and swiftly they trotted. Below the window they paused. Pretty silver ferns and trees covered the panes and sparkled in the fire-light. The window was closed, but that did not matter at all. Up with you yelled Jack Frost. Slowly, as if by magic, up went the window-sash. Over the sill galloped the reindeer, and after them ran the toy slay with Jack Frost and Marmaduke on the red seat. Over the porch too they went. Then something did happen. Now look at yourself, said Jack Frost, cracking his whip. Marmaduke did not hear him at first. He was admiring that whip. It was only a long icicle, and all Jack had to do was to touch the reindeer with its point to make them run faster and faster. Look at yourself, he repeated. Marmaduke obeyed. Why, I'm as big as I used to be. Jack laughed and replied, The Dream Fairy does love to play tricks on folks. Yes, the slay had grown as large as his father's slay. The reindeer, as big as Teddy, the buckskin horse. The tossing horns were as high as the reindeers in the zoo, and Jack Frost was as big as Jehoshaphat now. I'm sorry that Jehoshaphat and Hepsabaya are not along, said Marmaduke to himself. They're going to miss some fun. He looked ahead through the trees, up over the hill the snow path stretched, up to the dark blue sky and the stars. Millions of them there were, and they were all twinkle-winking at him. And the old man in the moon, just over the hill, kept winking at him too. Jack Frost turned to Marmaduke. Where would you like to go most? Marmaduke didn't need to think. He had his answer already. I'd like to visit the old man in the moon. It's a bit of a drive, replied Jack. But old yellow horns and prancing hoof are fast goers. Gee-up, gee-up! He shouted at them, touching their flanks with the icicle whip. So fast they went they scarcely seemed to touch the snow, and on up the hill they rode towards the laughing man in the moon. Then suddenly there came such a barking, a yelping, a naing, a mooing, a clucking, a gobbling, a squealing, a squalling, as you never heard before. A round jerk Marmaduke's head, there behind the sleigh, running and leaping, and paddling and waddling, and frisking and scampering, came a strange procession. There were Rover and Brownie and Little Wienerwurst, Teddy and Methuselah, and all the horses, Primrose, Daisy, Buttercup, Black-eyed Susan, and all the cows. He could see their tongues hanging out, it was so hard to keep up with the dogs and the horses. Moo! Moo! Slow! Slow! called the poor cows. And behind them, ambled the sheep and the curly-tailed pigs, waddled the ducks and the geese, Miss Crossbatch, the guinea-hen and Mr. Stuck-up, the turkey, and, at the very end, all of the white Wyandotes, the fathers and the mothers, and the little yellow children, and their grandfathers and grandmothers, and all their uncles and aunts, and their cousins, first, second, and third, every last one of them. My, what a fuss and a clatter they made! There was a long line of them stretching down the hill and down the white road over the snow. Marmaduke laughed, and exclaimed to Jack Frost, why they looked just like the procession of the animals when they came out of the ark. Yes, I remember them, replied Jack, and old Noah, too. I used to pinch their ears and pull their tails at nights. Marmaduke looked surprised. You? Why? That was hundreds of years ago. You can't be as old as all that. But Jack only smiled a superior smile. Sure I am. Why, I'm as old as the world. Old as that man in the moon, continued Marmaduke, and the odd little fellow replied, just as old. Marmaduke looked up at the moon sailing far above them, and the old man sitting there on the moon-mountain nodded as much as to say that Jack was quite right. Now the sleigh reached the top of the hill just where it touches the sky. Surely there they would stop, but no. This sleigh can run on air just as well as on snow, the odd little driver explained. Another touch of the icicle whip, a jingle of bells, a snort from the reindeer, and they were off, off through the air towards the sailing moon. Marmaduke was so interested in looking up that he didn't see little wieners run ahead of all the animals. That doggie beat them all to the top of the hill, and when he came to the top he just jumped out in the air and landed safe on the runner of the sleigh, and curled up there, and hid, and didn't make any noise. It was very clear high up in the air, and Marmaduke looked down. The houses had shriveled all up, as small as wieners own little house they seemed, and the trees were as small as plants in the garden. He looked down again. The earth was far below them. By the white steeple of the church they flew. In the steeple was a little window. The bell-rope hung out. Jack jerked it as they went past. Ding dong, some things wrong. So spoke the deep voice of the old bell. He was a hundred years old, and such strange things had never happened in his life before. And the minister threw up his window and stuck his head out. And the minister's wife stuck her head, in her nightcap, out of the window too. And the sexton ran out in the snow in a shirt-tail to see what was the matter. And all the other people in the farmhouses and in the townhouses threw up their windows or ran out of doors to see where the fire was. Then after looking all around the houses and barns and the haystacks, they looked up at the sky and saw Marmaduke slay racing towards the moon. They were very funny, like little toy people, all looking up and pointing at the sky and all shouting at once. But Marmaduke didn't care. He was having the time of his life. Then a still stranger and funnier sight he saw. All the animals on the top of the hill, the horses, the dogs, the cows, the sheep, the pigs, the ducks, the geese, the turkeys, and the white lion-dotes, all sitting on their haunches and barking or naing or howling or squawking had Marmaduke as on, up and up he went, a sailing through the sky. But he missed his little pet doggy. Where could he be? He was worried about that until all of a sudden he heard a little bark and looked behind. And there on the red runner, hanging on for dear life, was little Wienerwurst. Marmaduke reached down and picked him up by the scruff of his neck and set him on his lap under the robe so that he wouldn't catch cold. So Wienerwurst too had the time of his life and his little pink tongue hung out into light as they raced toward the moon. They hadn't gone more than a hundred miles or so when something strange floated past them, a cloud all puffy and soft and white like the floating islands in the pudding's mother makes. The reindeer nearly ran into it. That would have been too bad for the sleigh would have torn it in two. And as they passed, Marmaduke saw little baby angels lying there curled up in the cloud fast asleep with their wings folded. A whole fleet of the clouds passed by and there was only clear air ahead of them, they thought. But no! Bang! They had bunked into something high up in the sky. Very careless said Jack Frost as he pulled on the reins. It was very bright and Marmaduke blinked hard. Ahead of them lay another island, this one was round and flat and shiny like a gold shield, with a little hill in the center, and thereupon the hill set a jolly old man round and fat with a pipe in his mouth and a sack on his back. Hello, old top! said Jack Frost. Good evening, you mischief-maker! replied the man in the moon. What are you up to now? Oh, I've brought one of the little earth-children to see you. This is Marmaduke Green. He's been sick, so I thought I'd give him a ride. Oh-ho! That's it! You do do someone a good turn now and then after all. Then the old man turned to Marmaduke. Howdy, he said. I hope you'll get better very soon. Thank you, replied Marmaduke politely. He was so well brought up that he didn't forget his manners, even up high in the sky. Well, here's something to play with when you get back to earth, said the old man in the moon, and he reached his hand inside the sack on his back and pulled out a fistful of bright gold pennies. Oh, such a lot of them! Marmaduke reached for them. But alas! He was in too much of a hurry, and they spilled out of his hand and rolled right over the edge of the moon. Down, down, down, through the sky they dropped, past the stars and the clouds, down, down, down to earth. There were all the animals still on top of the hill, looking up at the moon, and one of the bright pennies landed on Black-eyed Susan's nose. She was a timid old cow, and she was startled, and she was still more frightened at the howling, the barking, the squawking, which the animals set up one and all. So frightened was she that she jumped. So hard did she jump that she leaped way over the hill and over the clouds and the stars. There's that critter again, complained the man in the moon. On, with her tail spread out behind her, and her legs sprawling in the sky, came old Black-eyed Susan straight towards them. Jack Frost and Marmaduke jumped back. The old man in the moon moved a little too. They were afraid she would land on their toes. But she didn't. She's still pretty chipper, observed the old man. That's a great jump. Most beats the record. So it did, for she sailed right over them, coming down on the other side of the moon, hitting one poor little star on the way with her hoof, and putting out its light entirely. And down, down, old Susan fell till she hit the earth and lay there, sitting and moving so loud that the people on earth thought it was thunder, and shut their windows tight for fear of the rain. Well, said the old man in the moon, blowing clouds of smoke from his pipe. That's over. Now, here's some more pennies. Be careful this time, he warned him. And from his sack he drew forth another great handful of gold pennies. How they did shine! But as Marmaduke reached for them, Jack Frost jiggled his elbow with his icicle whip, and again they rolled over the edge of the moon. And again Marmaduke was too eager. He ran after them, and Wienerwurst ran too, and when they reached the edge, they couldn't stop themselves at all. They were falling down, down through the sky, a hundred somersaults they turned. Marmaduke tried to hold on to a cloud, but his hands went right through it. He tried to hold on to the stars, but he missed every one. Then suddenly, bang, when his head against the church steeple, and all the stars danced. Then he woke, he looked around, while he was sitting up in the bed, his very own bed, by the red fire. It was just a trick of the dream fairies after all. But it was all right, for at the foot of the bed rested the little red and blue sleigh and the tiny reindeer, just as still as still could be. And at the side of the bed stood father and mother, and the Toyman. They seemed very happy. End of the fifteenth night Recording by Patty Cunningham The sixteenth night of Seven O'Clock Stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Patty Cunningham. Seven O'Clock Stories by Robert Gordon Anderson. The sixteenth night. Slotchen. Of course Marmaduke grew well again, and back from Uncle Rogers came Jehoshaphat and Hepsabaya. They came back in the old creaking buckboard, with Methuselah the old, old white horse, and the Toyman. No sooner had they jumped to the ground than Marmaduke asked very proudly, Where do you think I've been? You've been sick. Marmaduke shook his head. That's not what I mean, he said. I've been to see the old man in the moon. Now you're telling stories, jeered Jehoshaphat. You've just been in bed all the time. I'm not telling any stories, said his brother stoutly. I tell you, I have been to visit the old man in the moon. But Jehoshaphat wouldn't believe him. That's a whopper, said he. Marmaduke turned to his friend the Toyman. I have been there, haven't I? Where, said the Toyman, to see the old man in the moon? Of course you have, his good old chum replied. And a heap of wonderful things you saw. The Toyman never laughed at the wonderful things they had done, nor at the marvellous things they had seen. No, never. For he understood little children. Now Jehoshaphat had to believe him. He asked lots of questions while Hepsabaya listened. Her eyes growing as round as big peppermint drops. So Marmaduke showed them the little red and blue sleigh, and told them all about the little driver Jack Frost. And he didn't forget about old black-eyed Susan's great jump, nor the gold pennies, either. Jehoshaphat felt just a little jealous. Perhaps that is why he was naughty that day. And this is how it all happened. It was in the afternoon. Jehoshaphat was coming home from the school-house, which was up the road about a mile, a long way from the White House with the green blinds, where the three happy children live. With him walked four of his friends, Sophie Soapstone and Sammy Soapstone, who lived on the farm by the old canal, Lizzie Fizzletree, who lived on the turnpike, and Fatty Ham, who lived by the river road. Sammy Soapstone had blue eyes and toe hair which stood up straight on his head. It was as stiff as the curry comb with which the Toyman brushed the horses. Sophie Soapstone had blue eyes, too, and two neat little pigtails down her back. But Lizzie Fizzletree had black eyes and hair that stuck out in all directions. She had more safety pins on her dress than a neat little girl should ever have, and her stockings were forever coming down. Fatty Ham was so round and so plump that he looked as if he had pillows under his clothes. And though he was only twelve, he had two chins. Every once in a while he would eat so much that a button would pop off. He was eating apples now. One, two, three, four, five he ate. He did not offer one to his friends, not even the core. Another apple he took, that made six. Popped when a button, and splash! It landed in a puddle of brown water. For three days it had rained, washing the white snow away. The ruts in the road were full of these puddles, nice and brown and inviting. Sammy's eyes and Jehoshaphat's eyes followed the button as it landed in the water, making little rings which grew larger all the time. Let's slosh! said Sammy. Let's! cried Lizzie Fizzletree. It's lots of fun, sloshing. Into a big puddle marched Sammy Soapstone, and after him marched Lizzie and Sophie, and at the end of the procession waddled Fatty. Slop, slosh, slop, slosh! They went through puddle after puddle. Glorious fun it was. Showers of spray flew all over the road. But Jehoshaphat walked on ahead in the middle of the road. Hadn't his mother told him particularly not to get his feet wet? Come on in, it's fine they all shouted at Jehoshaphat. Ah, come on! Sammy Soapstone repeated, and Fatty called. Frayed cat! At that Jehoshaphat turned around. He just couldn't stand being called Frayed Cat. So slosh, slosh! Into the biggest brown puddle he could find he went. Slosh, slop, slop, slosh! Over his rubber tops went the water. Fine and cool it felt. Splash went the water over the road, and he kicked it over Fatty till the round fat legs were drenched, too. Then all the boys bent over the puddle and scooped up great handfuls of water and threw them over each other. It was a great battle, and when it was finished and they were soaked to the skin, they splashed up the road shouting and singing. I guess they went into every last puddle between the schoolhouse and the White House with the green blinds by the side of the road. They had reached it now. All of a sudden Jehoshaphat felt very funny near the pit of his stomach. Something was sure to happen now. In front of the house marched Mr. Stuck-up the turkey. His chest was stuck out and his tail feathers were spread out, too, like a great big fan. He was having a lovely parade all by himself. Rubber, rubber, rubber, he gobbled. Jehoshaphat looked down at his feet. He felt guilty, but he thought it was very mean of Mr. Stuck-up to call attention to his wet rubbers that way. Keep quiet, Jehoshaphat shouted. You don't need to tell on me. Rubber, rubber, rubber, gobbled Mr. Stuck-up just the same. Jehoshaphat kicked at him with his wet feet and tried to grab the fat red nose that hung down over the turkey's beak. At that, old Mr. Stuck-up's feathers ruffled in anger and he hurried off, still gobbling, rubber, rubber, rubber, as loud as he could. Around the house sneaked Jehoshaphat, trying hard not to be seen. Halfway to the back door, who should he meet, but a procession of the foolish white geese. By this time, Jehoshaphat was not only wet clear through, he was angry clear through too, so he kicked at them. They stretched out their long white necks and called hiss, hiss, hiss. They might be very foolish, these white geese, but they were sensible enough to know that Jehoshaphat ought to have been ashamed of himself that afternoon. To make matters worse, the sun was shining now. He sparkled so brightly on the gold rooster on the top of the barn, the father Wyandote flapped his wings and cried to all the world, Look, look, look, look! You're going to get it, hurroo! And all the white Wyandotes took up the cry, Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut! You'll get it! Jehoshaphat wished he were as small as hop of my thumb, so that he could creep through the keyhole and never be seen at all, but he had one friend left, Little Wienerwurst, who frisked up to him just then wagging his tail. He didn't scold Jehoshaphat at all, partly because he was so often up to mischief himself, and then Little Wienerwurst always stuck by his friends, anyway. For a while nothing more happened, and Jehoshaphat tiptoed in at the back door. Mother was nowhere to be seen, so over the floor he sneaked. At every step the water oozed out and slop, splosh, slop, splosh still went his shoes. But he reached his room safely, then quickly he rummaged in the drawers of the bureau. Quiet as a mouse he took off his wet clothes and put them in the darkest corner of the big closet. Quiet as a mouse he drew on the clean dry ones. But someone was calling. Jehoshaphat! Jehoshaphat! No answer made he. Jehoshaphat! Jehoshaphat! No longer could he hide, so making his face look as bold and as innocent as possible, he walked into the dining-room. But somehow, though he tried to look innocent, I guess he really looked guilty. Jehoshaphat! Green! What have you been doing? asked Mother. Her eyes were almost always kind, but they were a little stern just then. Jehoshaphat tried another look on his face, for you can try different looks on your face just as you try different hats on your head. This time he tried the one that folks call unconcern. Look as if he had no troubles at all, as if he had nothing to hide. Ah, just playin', he answered his mother. Then his mother asked a very strange question. Where's the party? Jehoshaphat was surprised. Party sounded fine. What party mother? he asked. I don't know, his mother replied. I just thought you were dressed up for one. And he looked down at his clean suit and his Sunday best shoes. And from out the corner of his eye he saw wet places on the floor and muddy tracks about as big as his feet. No answer now, had Jehoshaphat. He guessed he would go into the parlor. So he sat down at the marble-top table and looked at the picture-book which Uncle Roger had given him. It was full of great white ships sailing the Blue Sea. For a moment he almost forgot all his troubles, so interested was he in looking at those great ships and their sails and all the wonderful fish. Then suddenly he remembered. He looked out through the door into the dining-room. Mother wasn't saying anything. She was just busy, that was all. But had she forgotten, somehow Jehoshaphat did not like the sad look on her face. He went and shut the door. He thought he would feel more comfortable if he couldn't see Mother's eyes. Then he sat down to look at the picture-book again. But he felt more miserable than ever. Bang! He shut the book too. It was very strange. The things that usually made him so happy weren't any fun at all just then. Then he looked up at the mantle. Above it hung a great picture. There was a man in a cocked hat. He had on a fine uniform and he rode a tall white horse. Jehoshaphat knew very well who that was. It would be his birthday to-morrow. George Washington's birthday. The teacher had told them all about it that very afternoon. She had told them a story, too, about a hatchet and a cherry-tree. And a lie. The man on the horse looked down from the picture. The eyes were very stern. A lie! Yes, that was just what he had told to Mother. He had told a lie and acted a lie. Though there was no one else in the room but the great man in the big picture, Jehoshaphat's cheeks grew very red. A lump came into his throat. Now he could never be president, nor have a sword, and ride a big white horse and call forward march to the whole army. No, never. To the window he went and pressed his nose against the pane. The clouds were gray. Very dark and not at all cheerful as the world ought to be. Once more he looked up at the picture. And as he looked at the eyes of the man in the picture, they told him to do something. He decided to do it. And as soon as he decided, he felt better. Not all better, but better. And out into the dining-room he marched. He had to close his fists tight for it is very hard sometimes to tell people you've done wrong to them, especially if they are people you love. Mother, he said, not very loud, she looked up. Yes, mother, I... He stopped. Mother looked up. She saw his lip tremble a little and wanted to take him in her arms. But she didn't just then. He must tell what he had to tell first. Mother, I told a lie. I got my feet wet sloshing and I said I was playing when I changed my clothes and I'm sorry, Anne, Anne, I'll never do it again. Then mother did take him in her arms and she kissed him and hugged him too. Well, I love my little boy all the more for this. It was very wrong to disobey, worse still to tell a lie. But it was hard to tell me your own self about it and you were brave. So she kissed him and her eyes weren't sad anymore. End of the sixteenth night. Recording by Patty Cunningham The seventeenth night of Seven O'Clock Stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Patty Cunningham Seven O'Clock Stories by Robert Gordon Anderson The seventeenth night. The circus comes to town. Mother and father Green were fast asleep in the White House with the Green Blinds. The Toyman was fast asleep too. Rover and Brownie and Wienerwurst they curled up in their kennels with their eyes tight shut. On their poles in their house all the white Wyandots perched like feathery balls. Their heads sunk low on their breasts. On the roof cuddled the pretty pigeons, all pink and gray and white. In the barn, Teddy and Hal and Methuselah, and black-eyed Susan and all the four-footed friends of the three happy children, rested from the cares of the day. Hepsabaya never stirred in her crib, and Jehoshaphat laid dreaming of something very pleasant. But the crickets and the katydids, the scampering mice and the big-eyed owls, and the little stars snapping their tiny fingers of light up in the sky, and Marmaduke, they were awake. He had played very hard that day, and he had leg ache. Mother had rubbed it till it felt better and he fell asleep. But now it began to hurt again and he woke up. The little clock with a wise face on the mantel struck, not seven times, but four. It was long past midnight. It was four o'clock in the morning. But Marmaduke didn't call his mother. He thought that it would be too bad to wake her up from that nice sleep. So he just tried to rub his leg himself. It was then that he heard that far-off noise like a rumble of thunder. But it wasn't thunder. It was something rolling over the bridge down the road. Marmaduke sat up in bed and looked out of the window into the dark shadows of the trees. There was another rumble, and another, and another. There must be, oh, so many wagons rolling by in the night. Then he heard the sound of horses hooves on the road, the clank of rings, and iron-trace chains. He rubbed his eyes this time and looked hard out into the darkness. Yes, he could see the tops of the big wagons moving slowly past under the trees and over the road. It was a strange procession, and he just had to jump out of bed forgetting all about his leg ache. He ran to the window, pressing his little turned-up nose against the panes. Though it was dark, still it must have been near morning. The moon was just going down behind the church with the long white finger, that finger which always kept pointing at the sky. The old man in the moon looked very tired and peaked after sitting up so late. There were so many of the wagons and so many horses, they must stretch way back to the school-house and miles and miles beyond that Marmaduke thought. The horses seemed very tired for they plotted along slowly in the dark, and the drivers almost fell asleep knotting on their seats. They looked just like black shadows. Under the axles of the wagons were lanterns, swinging a little and throwing circles of light on the road. Now and then one of the drivers spoke roughly to the horses, and sometimes Marmaduke heard strange noises like the sleepy growls of wild animals. Perhaps they were in those wagons. Then Marmaduke laughed. He knew what it was. They were circus wagons. The circus was coming to town. The Toyman had told him all about it that very day. Once one of the animals roared and the others answered back. Their noise was louder than the rumble of wagon wheels on the bridge. Marmaduke was frightened. But the roaring stopped and all he could hear was the noise of all those wheels on their way up the road by the river. Then the last wagon passed and Marmaduke went back to bed and fell asleep. But the long procession rolled on and on till it reached the church. There was a large field nearby. Into it the wagons turned and all the horses were unhitched. Then the cooks started fires and the stoves on the cook wagons and all the strange men and women had coffee. And then, just as the sun was coming up and the night was all gone, they went to work. Up in the center of the field they raised three tall poles. They were almost as high as the long white finger of the church. They drove many stakes into the ground and around the tall poles they stretched almost as many ropes as there are on a ship. Then they unrolled the white canvas. And when the sun was just a little way up in the sky and the morning was all nice and shiny and bright, the great white tents were ready for the circus. Back in the White House with the green blinds, Marmaduke was eating his oatmeal. He asked a question that he very often asked. What do you think I saw? Another dream, said Jehoshaphat. No, it was real, replied Marmaduke. I saw a lot of wagons, hundreds and thousands, in a big line miles long. And there were wild animals in the wagons. I'll bet that it was a dream, his big brother insisted. But the Toyman said, No, it wasn't a dream. It was the circus coming to town. Then father spoke up, That's so, I most forgot. He looked at the Toyman. Frank, he said, I've got to go over to the Miller farm to buy some yearling steers. You'll have to take the youngsters to that circus. The Toyman didn't seem worried about that. He looked just tickled, like a boy himself, mother said. So after dinner, Old Methuselah was hitched up and away they drove. The Toyman, Jehoshaphat, Hepsabaya and Marmaduke, with little wienerwurst as usual, in back. He was very happy, marking at all the carriages hurrying up the road to the circus. They came to the field with the big white tents, and were just going to turn in when they heard music way off in the streets of the town. Why, I most forgot, said the Toyman to Jehoshaphat. There's the circus parade over on Main Street. In the big city, they have the parade in the circus all in one big building. But in the country towns, there's the first in the street, and the performance after in the tents. Tlock, tlock, he called to Methuselah, and jog, jog, jog, the old horse trotted into town. And Uncle Rogers barned the Toyman and hitched him, and gave him some hay, and some oats, too, for it was a grand holiday. Then hand in hand, the Toyman and the three happy children hurried over to Main Street. So many people were crowded on the sidewalk, and the children could hardly see. But Jehoshaphat ducked under the stomachs of two big fat men, and sat on the curb-stone. And the Toyman held Marmaduke on one shoulder, and Hepsabaya on the other. He was very strong. From their high perch they could look right over the heads of all the people at that great circus parade. Hark! They were coming! First the band. They were dressed in gay uniforms of red and blue, and tassels, too, and bright brass buttons. Ahead of them marched the leader of the band, the tall drum major. He had on a high fur cap, twice as big as his head. In his hand he swung a long black cane called a baton. It had a gold knob on it, bigger than a duck's egg. He raised the cane, and the music began. Trat! Trat! Trat! Trat! Trat! With the little drums. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! With the big bass drum. Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum! Sounded the shiny horns. Tulu! Tulu! Tulu! Tulu! Tulu! Tulu! Gaily whistled the little fives. Then they all sounded together in a great crash of music that made all the people happy and excited. And they almost danced on the sidewalk. And all the time the tall drum major kept twirling that baton with the gold knob on it till Jehoshaphat's eyes most popped out of his head. My! How he could twirl it! But other wonderful things were coming now, marching by very swiftly. Ladies on horses that pranced and danced. Cowboys on horses that were livelier still. A giant as tall as the big barber's pole. And a dwarf no higher than that tall giant's knee. And great gray elephants all tied together by their trunks and their tails. And zebras like little horses painted with stripes. And cages on wagons full of funny monkeys making faces at all the people. And lions and tigers walking up and down and showing their sharp teeth. Then something happened. One of the circus men must have been sleepy that morning for he hadn't fixed the lock on that cage just tight. And the big tiger felt very mean that day. He snarled and he snarled and he jumped at the bars of his cage. Open came the door. Outleap that wicked tiger right on the street and the people ran pel-mel in all directions. The two fat men were so frightened that they fell flat on their stomachs. The barber shinnied up his pole and hung on for dear life to the top. The baker man tumbled into the watering trough and all the rest rushed higgledy-piggledy into the houses and stores. The toy men picked up Hepsabaya, Marmaduke, and Jehoshaphat, hurried them into the candy store and shut the door tight. It was full of beautiful candies. Chocolate creams and peppermint drops. Snowy white coconut cakes. Black and white licorice sticks and cherry red lollipops. But the three children never noticed those lovely candies at all. They just looked out of the glass door at that tiger walking up and down the street showing his teeth and a swishing his tail. The tiger looked at all the people behind the windows and doors. They were all shivering in their boots and he didn't know which one to choose. Then he looked up at that man on the barber pole and he was shivering, too. Then all of a sudden the tiger stopped. Grrrrr. He saw the butcher shop. The door was open. The red pieces of beef hung on the hooks. He licked his chops and ran into the shop and jumped up at the first piece of beef and ate it all up. He never saw the stout butcher who was hiding under the chopping block. The butcher's face was usually as red as the beef, but now it was as white as his apron and his feet were shaking as fast as leaves in the wind. But just as the tiger was gobbling the last morsel up down the street galloped a cowboy on a swift horse. He stopped right in front of the butcher's shop. Out went his hand and it was a rope all coiled up. Around his head he twirled it in great flying loops. Then he let it fly. And it fell around that wicked tiger's head and neck just as he was finishing his dinner. Then the circus men came with big steel forks and they ran at that tiger and they tied him all up in that rope very tight and put him back in the cage on the wagon while he growled and growled and growled. So the parade started again and all of the people came out of their hiding places. All but the fat men who hurried off home as soon as they found their breath and the old ladies who said they guessed they'd go to the missionary meeting after all. A circus parade was too heathenish. Soon it was all over and the rest of the people hurried off to the field with the big white tents. And what they saw there we will tell you tomorrow night. End of the 17th night Recording by Patty Cunningham The 18th night of 7 O'Clock Stories This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Patty Cunningham 7 O'Clock Stories by Robert Gordon Anderson The 18th night The Jolly Clown Marmaduke was lost. There was such a crowd around those tents he wriggled between lots of pairs of legs but nowhere could he find the Toymans. Near the door of the tent stood a man with a big black moustache and a silk hat on his head. He was selling tickets. The Toyman went up to him. Howdy said the Toyman. Howdy, partner! replied he. I'd like four tickets, here is the money. One whole ticket and three half tickets, too. The man counted the money and gave him the tickets. Then the Toyman asked, Did you see a little boy about this high with a little yellow dog? The man with a big black moustache and the tall silk hat shook his head. Sorry I can't oblige, your partner. I've seen lots of kitties but nary a one with a yellow dog. Well, then said the Toyman. Will you kindly show these youngsters to their seats while I look for that little lost boy and his dog? Certainly, be most pleased was the answer for all circus men are very polite on circus day. So the man with a black moustache and the tall silk hat called a man in a red cap. Jehoshaphat took Hepsabaya by the hand and the man in the red cap led them into the big tent. He showed them their seats and they sat down in the very front row. Outside the Toyman kept looking, looking everywhere. There was no sign of Marmaduke's toe head nor of little yellow wienerwurst. They were on the other side of the tent, outside, too, mixed up with men and women they didn't know and hundreds of boys and girls. They could see other men, too, with striped shirts and loud voices, standing in small houses. And the small houses looked just like little stores and on the counters were good things to eat. Popcorn, peanuts, crackerjack and something cool in glasses, like lemonade but colored like strawberries. Loud did the men shout, trying to sell those good things to everybody who came near. But Marmaduke couldn't buy even one peanut. He didn't have any money. How was he ever going to get into that circus? Oh, where was the Toyman? But he didn't cry. You know he didn't. He just shut his teeth hard and winked and winked. At last Wienerwurst gave a little bark. He saw a little hole and Wienerwurst always liked little holes. It was under the tent in just his size. Right into it he crawled. All Marmaduke could see of his doggy now was his little tail, like a sausage. The rest of him was under the tent. Thump, thump, thump, went the tail and Marmaduke knew it must be pretty nice inside. Then the tail, too, disappeared. So down on his stomach went the little boy and crawled right in after his doggy. The tent had several big rooms and he was in one of them. On every side were big cages with iron bars. Grrr, went something in one of the cages. That wicked Runaway Tiger. Marmaduke ran past all the cages very fast until he came to another room. In it were lots of queer funny people. He heard another voice, not like the Runaway Tigers, but one just happy and pleasant, though very deep. Well, look who's here, it said. That was a funny thing to say Marmaduke thought and he looked up. He had to look up ever so high. There was the tall giant sitting on a great big chair. Big were his feet and his legs and his hands and big were his chin and his nose and his hat. Still he didn't look cross like the giants in the story books, just nice and kind. Marmaduke stared up at him and he smiled down at Marmaduke. It was very hot and the big giant took off his hat to wipe his forehead. He set his hat down. He didn't look where he put it and it went over Marmaduke's head and nearly covered him up. He couldn't see any sunlight. It was all dark inside that hat. Let me out, he shouted and he heard someone say, What's in your hat? There was a little boy around here. The giant replied, Maybe I've covered him up. The giant leaned down and picked up his hat and took it off the little boy. Very glad was Marmaduke to see the light once more. The giant bowed low to apologize and the great chair creaked. Very careless of me, he said. A thousand pardon, sir. Marmaduke felt very happy. It was fine to be called, sir, by a great big giant like that. Then he felt himself being lifted up and there he sat on the giant's knee. The giant told him a story and gave him a big ring from his finger. It was so large that Marmaduke could put his whole arm through it. Then another voice spoke. It was a little tiny voice this time. No bigger than a mouse's squeak or a cricket's good night. Marmaduke looked down from the giant's knee. Hello, little fellow! Squeaked the funny little voice. No, it was not Jack Frost. It was a dwarf all dressed in a crimson velvet gown with a gold crown on her head. The top of the crown wasn't even as high as the giant's knee. My, but she was little. Marmaduke was just going to say, Little, huh! I'm as big as you are. I didn't. That wouldn't have been quite right when all these circus people were so very polite to him. So all he said was, Good afternoon! And the little tiny lady in the crimson gown gave him something, too. A silver button from her dress. Then the giant handed him over to a lady who sat next. A very funny lady was she for she had a woman's voice and a woman's dress too, but on her chin was a long, long beard just like a man's. The bearded lady kissed Marmaduke. He didn't like that she tickled so. He didn't go very near the one who sat next, yet she was a very pretty lady with blue eyes and golden hair. But around her arms and neck, instead of necklaces, were curled up snakes. They won't bite, little boy, she said, smiling. Not for the snakes in the grass, but don't mind these. They can't hurt you at all. With that she handed him some candy. Marmaduke's hands were so full now with the candy and the big ring and the silver button that he didn't know what to do. Just ahead of him was little Wienerwurst's tail. The very thing! So he put that big ring over that little tail. That felt so funny that Wienerwurst tried to reach his tail and that round shiny thing on it. Around and around he went in a circle, trying to bite it off. He looked as if his head and tail were tied together. Like a little yellow merry-go-round whirling so swiftly after itself was he. All the strange circus people laughed and cheered, and the giant clapped his huge hands till they sounded like thunder. All of a sudden the ring whirled off Wienerwurst's tail and Marmaduke went scrambling after it. It rolled right near the lady and all those snakes. Marmaduke didn't like that. He was glad when he heard another voice call out very cheerily. Here it is, sunny! This was a very jolly voice. Jollier than any he had ever heard in the world except the Toymans. The man who owned that voice stood before him. Such a funny man in a baggy white suit with red spots like big red tiddly-winks all over it. He had a pointed cap all red and white, too, and his face was all painted white with long black eyebrows and a wide, wide red mouth. This was the way Marmaduke met Toadie the clown. They had a long talk together and he seemed to understand little boys just like the Toyman. It must be fine to always live in a circus, said Marmaduke. I wish I did. Well, sunny, when you grow up, maybe you can, replied Toadie the clown. Marmaduke looked at the wide mouth with its funny smile. You're always happy, aren't you? Toadie nodded and answered, Sure. Anyway, almost always. Don't you ever feel cross or have any troubles? Toadie threw back his head at that and laughed way out loud. Sure I do, said he, a heap of troubles, but I just think of all the little girls and boys like you that I've got to make happy. Then I try hard to make him laugh and... and what? Why, all my troubles fly away quick as a wink, left Toadie. Yes, just as quick as I do this. And quicker than a wink he turned to somersault. He turned a whole lot of somersaults and then he took Marmaduke on his shoulder and galloped around the tent and they had a glorious time. But the music was sounding out in the big tent just next to them. Drums and horns and bugles and pipes. The circus would start in a minute now and all the fun would be over. Where's your ticket, Sonny? asked Toadie. I haven't any, Marmaduke replied. I've lost the toyman and he's got my ticket in and I can't go in. Don't you worry about that. You'll have the best seat in the whole circus and Toadie turned another somersault just to make him laugh. Then he looked down at little Wienerwurst. But they won't let any doggies in there. We'll just tie him to this pole. Marmaduke shook his head and tried hard to keep the tears back. Just one little wind rolled down his right cheek. But that was on the other side of Toadie. But that was on the other side of Toadie. Maybe Toadie saw it anyway for when Marmaduke said to him then I can't go in either my little pet doggy would feel so badly. The jolly clown answered. Well, we'll just have to fix it up some way. Can you keep him quiet? Quiet is a mouse, answered Marmaduke. Quiet is Mother Robin when she sits on her nest. And Wienerwurst barked out loud to show how quiet he could be. Toadie spoke to another man. This one had on a bright red vest. Red is Father Robin's. He looked at the boy and the dog. His voice wasn't as pleasant as Toadie's nor the giant's. But what he said was all right. It was just sure. And Marmaduke and Wienerwurst slipped inside the big tent right near the front where they could see all the wonderful things that went on. Wienerwurst sat pretty quiet on his lap. And together they watched the elephants stand on their heads. And the men way up in the air turned somersaults on little swings. And the ladies in bright spangles gallop round and round the ring. And the monkeys and the clowns do tricks. And everything. Toadie was the funniest and happiest of all. And he made all the children laugh and shout and clap their hands. Look at the lame boy who had come a long way to see the circus smiled. Marmaduke and Wienerwurst were so excited that they forgot all about Jehoshaphat and Hepsabaya and the Toyman. After a while Toadie turned to somersault a cartwheel and a flip-flop and landed right near their seat. How would you like to ride on an elephant? He whispered in Marmaduke's ear. Of course Marmaduke answered better than anything I ever did. So Toadie took him by the hand and led him into the little tent and put a little pointed cap on his head just like Toadie's own. Then he lifted Marmaduke into a big seat on top of Jumbo, the big elephant. And out they marched under the tent and round and round the ring. Marmaduke could look down on all the rows of people. He was up quite high and their faces looked small. But he could tell Jehoshaphat Hepsabaya and Sammy Soapstone and Sophie, Lizzy Fizzletree and Fatty Ham, too. And there was the Toyman walking around looking everywhere for him. "'Low, Toyman!' he shouted. And the Toyman looked up and saw Marmaduke in his little pointed cap way up on the back of the big elephant. The Toyman waved his hand and smiled. I guess he was very glad to find that Marmaduke wasn't lost after all. But Jehoshaphat was wishing that he had been lost so that he could have had that fine chance to be part of the circus. Suddenly there was a chorus of barks. Marmaduke had forgotten all about Wienerwurst. He turned around to look for him and leaned back so far that he almost fell flop off the elephant's back. Toadie caught him just in time or there would have been trouble. The trick-dogs were coming into the circus now. Some of them were walking on their hind legs. Marmaduke listened. There were so many different barks just as many as there were dogs. Deep or squeaky, smoother creaky, rough or happy, gruff or snappy, and one that Marmaduke knew the very minute he heard it. "'Run! Run! Run! Run!' Yes, he knew that little voice. He could tell little Wienerwurst bark anywhere. Somehow it was different from any doggies in the world. There he was, frisking and scampering, and biting at the other dog's tails just in fun. "'Run! Run! Run!' And that is just what they did, right into the circus ring where the man in the red cap held out big hoops of paper above the dog's heads. The first dog jumped through one hoop and the dog jumped through another. Then the man in the red cap held up a third hoop bigger than all the rest. Another dog, a long tall greyhound, got ready to take his turn. But I guess Wienerwurst decided all of a sudden that he wasn't going to be left out. He just gave the tail of that big dog a little nip, and when the big dog turned around to see what was the matter, why Wienerwurst jumped through the hoop all by himself. So pleased was he and round the ring, looking up at the people in their seats with his little pink tongue hanging out in delight. A great doggie was Wienerwurst. But soon it was all over and the people left their seats and walked out of the tent to their homes and their suppers. Toady the clown just wouldn't let Marmaduke and little Wienerwurst go. He invited them and his brother and sister and the Toyman too to have supper in the tent. At a long table they sat with Toady and the big giant and the little teeny dwarf and the lady with the long, long beard and the lady with the necklace of snakes. But she put the snakes away and Marmaduke wasn't afraid at all. Toady the clown sat by his side and kept his plate full and his cup full too. He didn't forget little Wienerwurst either. He had a nice big bone all for himself. But the time came to say goodbye which they did to one and all of the kind circus people. Toady the clown didn't kiss Marmaduke. He just shook hands. Marmaduke was glad of that. He felt like a real man now for hadn't he been part of a circus and ridden on an elephant? I guess so. All Toady said to him was Goodbye, partner. You just keep smiling and make people happy and you'll be a circus man too one of these days. They reached up Old Methuselah and the three happy children rode home together, falling asleep in the buggy before ever they reached the White House with the green blinds by the side of the road. When you visit that place ask Marmaduke to show you the silver button and the big giant's ring. He keeps them still in his little bureau. But the candy was gone oh, long ago. Patti Cunningham The 19th Night of Seven O'Clock Stories This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Patti Cunningham Seven O'Clock Stories by Robert Gordon Anderson The 19th Night Wienerwurst's Brave Battle Mr. Sun must have known that it was Jehoshaphat's birthday. He made it so bright, not too sunny, nor yet too cool. The three children, mother, father, and the toy man were all crowding about something which stood in front of the barn. The three tails of the three doggies wagged as if they thought it was fine. Mr. Stuck-Up came to take a look. So did Miss Crosspatch and the pigeons flew down from their house on the roof and perched on its seat. It was something for Jehoshaphat, of course. It was his birthday. And he had tried hard to be good ever since he had had that talk with the tall man on the white horse in the picture. It was something he had always wanted. A little cart with a real-life pony in the shafts. And the pony was all dressed in new harness, pick and span, and shiny. Not very tall was the little pony, his ears twitched just on a level with Jehoshaphat's head. Jehoshaphat put his arm around his neck and padded his black coat, which was almost as shiny as the harness itself. He looked at the tail. It was nearly a yard long and very thick. That pony was certainly handsome. And father had given him cart harness and all to Jehoshaphat for his birthday, for his very own to keep just as long as the pony lived. And that was the finest present any boy could have ever. The name was a very important matter. The boys each had a dozen they could think of. But mother and father and the toy man couldn't think of any. At least they wouldn't give any suggestions. They thought it was Jehoshaphat's right to name his own pony. It was settled at last Little Guy up. The Jehoshaphat got that name nobody knew. I really believe he read a story once about a horse called that. Or perhaps he remembered one of the circus ponies with the same name. Anyway, that was the one he chose. So it can't be changed now any more than Jehoshaphat's own. Or Marmadukes or Hebsabayas. A moment more they looked at Little Guy up all over from the black mane on his neck down his sleek back to his plain full tail. A moment more they looked at the little cart. Its bright red body with the blue lines around it. The wheels and spokes which were bright yellow. And the shafts and the wiffle trees which were yellow too. Then they got in. Little Hebsabayas sat on the seat with Jehoshaphat. He proudly held the reins. Marmadukes sat behind his legs hanging over the tailboard with wiener-worse wriggling on his lap. Tlock-tock! Called Jehoshaphat. Little Guy up obeyed. The yellow wheels turned and down the driveway they went. Father and the Toyman hurrying alongside. Rover and Brownie barking behind. There were lots of fine carriages out that day. But never so fine a turnout as that little red cart with the yellow wheels and the black pony in the shafts. Jehoshaphat didn't have to learn how to drive Little Guy up. Father had often let him drive Old Methuselow when they went to town. And the little black pony was quite safe. At last Father and the Toyman stopped and waved goodbye. So off the children drove up the road by the river. Where shall we go, Jehoshaphat? Now Marmadukes was thinking over something Totie the Clown had told him about making other folks happy. Let's take Johnny Cricket for a ride, he suggested. The driver agreed so they turned from the road by the river and drove up a lane. At the end was a house. It was a very small house and a poor one too. Here lived Johnny Cricket, the lame little fellow who never could run or play like the three happy children. There wasn't much furniture in his home nor much money either. Hardly enough to buy him new crutches to say nothing of toys that little boys like. Whoa! called Jehoshaphat in front of the gate. Then he got out and knocked at the door. It opened. Johnny's mother was there. Jehoshaphat took off his hat. Good morning, Mrs. Cricket. Can we take Johnny for a ride in my new cart? Of course, replied she. My, won't Johnny be glad to go for a ride in that pretty cart? He's been very lonesome. So out hobbled Johnny all smiles. Crunch, crunch, crunch when his crutch down the gravel walk. Hepsibiah, you'll have to sit in the back with Marmaduke, commanded the owner of the little cart. So the little girl climbed over the back of the seat and sat with Marmaduke and Wienerwurst. And they helped Johnny in carefully and off they drove up the lane enjoying the woods and the nice warm sun. Johnny enjoyed it ever so much, but not more than they. I guess the three children were quite as happy for to make others happy brings the best sort of happiness. At last they turned round and drove back. They were just trotting past the miller farm when they heard a great growl. Over the fields with great leaps a big dog was running. Now Jake Miller's dog, Prowler, was the worst dog in the neighborhood. Often the three children had heard father say, he ought to be shot. And there he was, running straight towards them. And little Wienerwurst had jumped over the tailboard and out of the wagon and was trotting alongside. Errr... growled Prowler. He had almost reached the gate. He was long and big and really looked more like a savage animal than a dog. pieces of chain hung from his neck and dragged alongside in the earth as he ran. He must have broken away from his kennel. Through the gate he bounded, then stopped still and growled in suspicion. "'Out, out, out!' he seemed to be saying. He thought they had no right in front of his home, not even when they were driving on the road which was free to all. The three happy children and little Guy up didn't like the looks of things very much. "'Here, Wiener Wurst, come here!' called Marmaduke. He wanted his little dog to jump back in the wagon and be safe. But Wiener Wurst was no coward. Besides, he was a friendly little fellow and liked to be polite to everybody—dogs and people, too, even if sometimes he did chase the pretty pink pigeons in the white Wyandotes. But that was just in fun, of course. So he just stood still and looked at the big bad dog and wagged his tail in a friendly way and smiled. But that big bad dog, Prowler, didn't appreciate that at all. He opened his big jaws and showed his teeth and gave a deep growl. "'Out, out, out!' he repeated. And then Wiener Wurst gave his tail a wag and advanced a step or two. Quick as lightning, Prowler jumped at him. Wiener Wurst didn't run, yet he was so little and the other dog was so big. And his ear hurt, too, where the other dog bit him. The big dog was jumping at him again and again and biting him, too. But I guess Wiener Wurst must have heard father and the Toyman tell the boys once, never to start a fight, but always to stand up for one's rights, and never to be a coward or run away. That Prowler had no right at all to tell him to get off the road, or to bite him. And so, though he was only a yellow dog and small and weak, Wiener Wurst barked bravely and tried his best to fight off the big dog. It wasn't a very happy chorus of growls and barks and squeals. It sounded something like this. Geh, geh, ho, ho, geh, geh, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Jehosephat pulled on the reins. We must stop that, said he. Hepsabaya, you sit here. Out he jumped, but his brother was ahead of him, for Marmaduke loved Wiener Wurst even more than they did. At the big dog's collar they pulled, and they grabbed tight hold of his chain trying to drag him away so that he wouldn't hurt little Wiener Wurst. But he was very strong, that wicked bad dog. They couldn't budge him at all. But just then they heard the sound of wheels. They were glad. Help was coming at last. A wagon drove up. It was the country postman, who delivered the mail to the farms in a wagon. Woe! the postman shouted, and out he jumped with his whip. He ran straight for the big dog. And out of the gate ran Jake Miller, too. I guess he felt ashamed of himself for keeping such a dog as prowler. The two men grabbed the chain, and whipped the big bad dog till he let go of Wiener Wurst and ran back to his kennel. Tenderly the two boys lifted their little friend into the cart, and drove home as fast as they could. They forgot all about the pony and the fine new cart, just thinking of their poor hurt doggy. Mother and the Toyman brought water in a basin, and the Toyman poured something from a bottle which colored the water all dark. With a little clean rag he washed out the cuts on Wiener Wurst's face and the back of his neck. Then out to the workshop he went and brought back a little can. He unscrewed the top and took out some of the sav inside. It was colored just like peanut butter, and was soft and healing. On each cut he put a little of the sav, then wound the little doggy all up in nice soft bandages, too. And Wiener Wurst licked the Toyman's hand to show how thankful he was. They made him a little bed, but he didn't stay in that long. The Toyman was such a good doctor that Wiener Wurst felt better already. Still he didn't play very much that day. Mother sent the Toyman over to the cricket farm to ask Johnny's mother to let her boy stay for the night. He did for three whole days, and great fun they had with little Giep and the red dog cart and the little lame boy giving Wiener Wurst rides to make him all well. And father and the Toyman made Jake Miller chain up the wicked dog, very tight this time, with a chain that would never break. And soon that bad dog died, which was a good thing, too. Nobody wasted many tears on him. But little Wiener Wurst got well and strong, and chased the pretty pink pigeons, in fun, of course, just as fast as he ever did. End of Chapter 19. Recording by Patty Cunningham. The Twentieth Night of Seven O'Clock Stories. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Patty Cunningham. Seven O'Clock Stories by Robert Gordon Anderson. The Twentieth Night. The Lions of the North Wind. By the fire sat the Toyman. He must have been seeing things in the flames, for he kept looking, looking, all the time. He was all alone, for father and mother Green had gone to town to see a fine wedding. It was not often that they stayed out so late, but this was a grand event, and they knew the happy children would be safe in the Toyman's care. They were all in the next room. Jehoshaphat and Hepsabaya were sound asleep, but not Marmaduke. He was sitting up, a little bit of a fellow, in a big bed. Outside, old, giant North Wind roared and roared. Now he seemed to be running around and around the house, faster than any train. Now he stopped to knock at the door, and bang at the window-panes. Now he trampled on the roof, knocking off pieces of slate and a brick from the chimney, which fell crash through the glass cover of the little greenhouse. Marmaduke did not like the sounds cruel, giant North Wind made, and it was very dark in the room to tell the truth. He was just a little bit frightened, but he didn't say anything at all, for the Toyman had told him always to be game. That was a funny word, but Marmaduke knew what it meant. A brave little boy must not cry, even if he is afraid. Still the giant North Wind kept running round and round the house with great leaps, and the windows creaked, and the trees thumped the house with their branches. Suppose the giant should break in and carry him way, way off. The door of the next room was open. Through it he could see the bright fire. Higher and higher leaped the flames, as if they wanted to jump up the chimney and join the North Wind in his mad race. Very comfy and bright looked the fire. Very funny were the shadows on the wall, dancing and bowing to each other, and jumping up and down like jacks in the box. One shadow was like a man's, as tall as the ceiling. Had giant North Wind gotten in the house at last? Marmaduke shivered and crept out of bed, and hurried into the next room. He kept as far away from that giant shadow as he could. But he never cried out. He was very brave. On and on against the wall he tiptoed towards the chair by the fire, where the Toyman sat, thinking his strange thoughts. The Toyman felt a tug at his sleeve. He looked around. He stood Marmaduke pointing at the shadow. That shadow was so big, and Marmaduke was so small. Don't let him get me, the little boy cried. The Toyman reached down, and in a second Marmaduke was safe in his arms. There's nobody here but me, said the Toyman. Loud the giant North Wind howled and roared, while the flames leaped up the chimney. Look there, cried Marmaduke. There he is! And again he pointed to the shadow on the wall. The giant North Wind has got in our house. But the Toyman only laughed, hugging him tighter. That's not old North Wind. That's only my shadow, he explained. Then Marmaduke laughed too. Tell me a story, Toyman, he asked, about that old giant North Wind. It might scare you, the Toyman answered. Marmaduke only shook his head. Nothing makes me scared when I'm here, he said. He wasn't afraid of giants or ogres or wild animals or anything when he was safe in the Toyman's arms. For a while he looked up into his face. The Toyman's hair stood up, all funny and rough. He was always running his fingers through it. His face had wrinkles, like hard seams, and it was as brown as saddle leather from working outdoors. But Marmaduke thought that nowhere in the world was there so kind a face, except his mother's. The Toyman put down his corn cob pipe and began. Once upon a time, a long time ago, before your mother was born, or your grandmother, or your great-grandmother either, there was a king. He was king of all the winds, and he lived in a great big cave up in a high mountain. Was the mountain as high as the church steeple, asked Marmaduke? Oh, higher than that. As high as a lot of church steeples stuck one on top of another, the Toyman explained. Sometimes the king of the winds took a little snooze in his cave, and then everything was quiet. But when he woke up, he would go out of his cave, raise in ructions all over the world. There was a lot of work for him to do, east and west, north and south. He tossed the branches of the trees and made them crack, and he made the waves in the ocean turn somersaults, and blew the wooden ships across the sea, and chased the cloud ships across the sky. And he had a lot of little chores, too, like drying the clothes on Mondays, and waving the flags on Fourth of July, and sailing little boys' kites high in the air. When the king of the winds was a young fellow, it was all great fun. But after a while the trees grew bigger and bigger, and the ships taller and taller, and there were so many clouds that he got very tired. He was getting pretty old, and he ached in all of his bones. So he said to himself, said he, I'll let the kitties do the work, and rest for a spell in my cave on the mountains. There were four of them, two boys and two girls, and each had a name, of course. Southwind and Westwind were the girls. Eastwind and Northwind were the boys, two strapping big fellows. So he called his children together, and sat in the door of his cave. First he took a big pinch of snuff. That was a very bad habit folks had in those days. Coochoo! he sneezed, and blew two big clouds out of the sky. Coochoo! he sneezed again, and turned upside down a whole fleet of ships in the ocean. Coochoo! he sneezed a third time, and blew off the roofs from all of the houses in the city a hundred miles away. When he was all through his sneezing, he said to his children, Get ye out to the four corners of the earth and take up my business. Now for a cane the old king used a tree with the branches pulled off. He picked it up and pointed to the south. Southwind, you go there. She was a pretty little thing, with blue eyes and roses in her hair, and she answered him sweet as you please. All right, Daddy, and out she danced. Then with the big tree cane the old king pointed to the west. Westwind, there is your place, he said. A very pretty girl, too, was Westwind, with kind eyes and a soft smile. Her voice was soft and low, and she answered in a whisper, Goodbye, Daddy dear. She kissed him on the forehead and floated away to her new home in the west. Then the two boys came before the old king. The big tree cane pointed east. Get to work over there, Eastwind, commanded the old king. Now Eastwind was a strong fellow, but he was surly in cross, and he didn't obey very quickly, so his father the king picked up his tree cane in a rage and whacked him across the shins. And out Eastwind ran crying and yelling till the trees of the forest sobbed, too, and he cried so hard that rivers of tears ran from his eyes and over the earth. Once more the old king picked up his big tree cane and said to the eldest of his sons, Northwind, your home is right here in the north. Bigger even than his brother was Northwind, strong were his muscles, and his whiskers and hair were covered with icicles. When he breathed, millions of snowflakes danced from his mouth. Burr! How one shivered when he was around! Then the old king's hand trembled, and the big cane dropped to the floor. He laid him down in the cavern and breathed his last. He had been a great king, but he was deader than a doornail now. So his four children took up his work. Up and down the south country wandered Southwind, with her rosebud mouth and golden hair. And wherever she went she scattered posies and violets upon the earth. Back and forth over her country floated Westwind, with her soft smile and gentle voice. She whispered lullabies to little children and laid cool hands on sick people's foreheads. She blew little boy's kites up ever so high above the church-steeple and tried never to break them. And she blew the white ships gently across the ocean. Folks liked to travel the waters whenever she was about, but they didn't like Eastwind very much. Sometimes he was all right, but usually he was bent on mischief making trouble for every man-jack. The seas he would tumble about, turn over the ships and drown the poor sailors. He would call his gray clouds together and they would weep till the rivers were full. Then he would blow the rivers over the banks and spoil the gardens and break the bridges and drown the poor sheep and all the rest of the animals, too. But the most cruel of all was giant Northwind, where his heart ought to be was a chunk of ice. Sometimes he was pleasant enough, but most often he was hard and unkind. He would breathe on people and freeze their noses and toes and leave many a poor fellow stiff in the snow. Northwind grew and grew till he was the biggest giant on earth. Most as tall as a mountain himself was he, and when he raised his arm he could nearly touch the sky. He kept walking up and down the earth, roaring and hollering, fit to blow his lungs out, and how he could travel. He could go clear around the world in about a week. One fine day he went out for a walk and he saw Mr. Sun riding up high in the sky. Mr. Sun was a strange sort of chap, all dressed up in gold armor. The gold armor shown so bright you could never see his eyes or his nose or his mouth when he walked in the sky. Giant Northwind grew very jealous of Mr. Sun. He wanted that fine suit of gold armor, but all he had himself was his long whiskers and his fur coat of snow. At Mr. Sun he shook his fist. Mr. Sun only laughed at him. Ho-ho! he said. Ho-ho! And again. Ho-ho! Ho-ho! you say! Mimic Northwind, very angry. Soon you will laugh on the other side of your mouth. I will blow you out and people can't see your fine suit of gold armor any more. Ho-ho! Mr. Sun laughed back. Just try it and see. Might as well save your breath. That made Northwind very mad. So he took a deep breath until his chest puffed way out like a big balloon. Then he let go. All the hills in the North Country shook at that roar. And the clouds came hurrying out of the mountains and covered the sky so you couldn't see the sun and his fine suit at all. Ho-ho! laughed the Northwind. Now you will laugh out of the other side of your mouth, Mr. Sun. Then he sat him down in his cave to enjoy himself. But what was that? There was a little hole in the clouds. Through the chink he saw gold shining. Then more and more gold. In a few moments Mr. Sun was riding up in the sky as big as life. Ho-ho! said Mr. Sun. Who laughs last laughs best. Then old giant Northwind grew madder and madder. Madder than Hornet. Yes, just as mad as Mother Wyandote when Wiener Wurst chased her into the brook. He took a deep breath, did giant Northwind. So deep that he almost burst his lungs. He blew and he puffed, and he puffed and he blew till the whole sky was filled with grey clouds. And you couldn't see Mr. Sun in his fine suit of gold armor at all. Then down he would sit in his cave to enjoy himself for a spell. But by and by, sure as shooting, Mr. Sun would come back again. So for a hundred years Northwind tried to blow out the sun. But at last he gave it up as a bad job. When he was still a middling young fellow, only about a thousand years old or so, he went walking up and down the earth one night just after dark. He came to a great forest. Again it he saw something bright like a little piece of the sun. Now he was taller than the tallest tree in the forest, so he got down on his knees to peek between the trunks and see better. People were sitting around the bright little piece of the sun and warming their hands and cooking their supper. Of course it was only a merry fire, but giant Northwind was sure it was a piece of the sun that had fallen on the earth. He had been so busy trying to blow him out of the sky that he hadn't noticed these little fires much before. But he had grown very cross as he knelt there, looking through the trees, and he said to himself, said he, Ho-ho! That's one of the sun's children. I'll blow that out anyway. And he took a deep breath and puffed his cheeks out. Hoo! He breathed on that little piece of the sun. But the little fire just left and left higher and higher. He took a real deep breath this time, till he filled all his chest, and it stuck way out like the strongmans in the circus. Hoo! He roared. But the little flames just danced in the air as bright and merry as could be. The more he blew the bigger grew the fire and the sooner the people had their suppers. Then for years and years the old giant stamped up and down the earth trying to put out those little pieces of the sun. And he couldn't do it at all. Like their father the sun the little fires just laughed at him. At last Northwind said to himself, said he, I know what I'll do. I'll get me some big grey wolves to put out those fires. So a hunting he went up into the biggest forests of the world, so dark that people called them the forests of the night. And they were full of fierce grey wolves. With his strong hands he caught a hundred wolves and drove them back to his cave. Then one dark night when the people were sitting around their fires so cozy and nice he untied the wolves and roared out. Wolves, put out those fires! And the fierce grey wolves ran out of the cavern and snapped and snarled at the little fires. But they couldn't put them out so back they came to the cave with their tongues hanging out in their tails between their legs. Good for nothings, roared the Northwind. I'll get me some tigers. Again he went stalking over the earth till he reached the great deserts which the people called the deserts without end. Here he caught a thousand fierce tigers and drove them back to his cave. The next night while the people were talking and singing around the little fires he let the tigers loose. Tigers, roared he, put out those fires. They ran out of the cave making a terrible noise and they raced up and down the earth with their sharp teeth gleaming and their tails lashing. At the fires they snarled and growled and roared and tried to beat out the flames with their paws but they were only burned for their trouble and so the tigers too slunk back to the cave with their heads hanging down and their tails between their legs. Once more the Northwind stalked forth and hunted through the highest mountains he could find so high that people called them the roof of the world. Ten thousand lions he caught the fiercest in all the earth. He tied them together by their tails ten at a time and drove them back to his cave and he sent them out too. Lions put out those fires. Such a terrible roar those lions roared that the whole earth shook. Through the forest they raced leaping through the wild treetops lashing their tails lashing their shaggy mains and they leapt at the fires but they couldn't do any better. Those big lions just couldn't put the little fires out. Beside himself with rage was old Northwind now so he sent them all out wolves and tigers and lions wild and he rushed on at their head but never never can they put the little fires out so you needn't worry at all. The Toymen stopped Hark! Yes there were the grey wolves now howling down the chimney. There were the wild tigers snarling at the windowpains and leaping at the door. Hark! how the knobs rattled! And there were the wild lions rushing and roaring through the treetops and round and round and round the house raced old giant Northwind himself but all the while in the fireplace the little red flames never afraid at all. Marmaduke jumped something was whining and scratching at the door. Was it a wolf? The voice he heard was too small and weak he knew who that was Toyman he shouted that's my little pet doggy out in the cold those bad wolves and tigers and lions will eat him up so they ran to the door the Toymen and little Marmaduke and he wasn't afraid at all and they let little Wienerwurst in and saved him from the grey wolves and the wild tigers and the fierce lions of the Northwind Little Wienerwurst barked happily and curled himself up by their feet in front of the warm fire After that Marmaduke spoke only once before he fell asleep You never had any little boys did you Toymen? On the Toymen's face was a funny look as he answered No little feller I never had any little boys Marmaduke reached up his hand and patted the Toymen's rough kind face Don't worry Toymen he said I'll be your little boy Little Wienerwurst was sound asleep so Marmaduke just had to fall asleep too happy and safe in the Toymen's arms by the little red fire that the wind could never put out The end End of Seven O'Clock Stories Recording by Patty Cunningham