The RED Fairy Book - online children's book

Illustrated classic fairy tales for children by Andrew Lang

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DRAKESTAIL
203
' Good-morning, my duckling,' says the lady friend, ' whither away so bold ? '
' 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 wooden legs you will soon be tired. Make yourself quite small, get into my throat—go into my gizzard and I will carry you.'
' Happy thought!' says my friend Ladder, and nimble, bag and baggage, goes to keep company with friend Fox.
And ' Quack, quack, quack.' Drakestail is off again, singing and spruce as before. A little farther he meets his sweetheart, my friend River, wandering quietly in the sunshine.
' Thou, my cherub,' says she, ' whither so lonesome, with arch­ing tail, on this muddy road ? '
11 am going to the King, you know, for what he owes me.'
' Oh ! take me with thee ! '
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 Kiver.
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.
And left file ! he takes the same road to join the others with all his party. There was not much more room, but by closing up a bit they managed. . . . And Drakestail is off again singing.
He arrived thus at the capital, and threaded his way straight up the High Street, still running and singing ' Quack, quack, quack,
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