Quizzy the Goblin
Quizzy the Goblin
Quizzy was a small green goblin who was always poking his long nose into everything. He really was a perfect nuisance. He wanted to know this and he wanted to know that. He always longed to know every secret there was, and if people wouldn't tell him he flew into a rage and blew green flames out of his mouth.
So nobody liked him very so much, and most people were afraid of him. He lived in a hole in the middle of an apple tree that tapped against a nursery window. He often ran up the tree and, if the window was open, hopped into the nursery.
Then the toys would sigh and say: 'Oh brother! Here's Quizzy again. Now we shan't have any peace at all!'
Quizzy wanted to know everything. He wanted to know how to wind up the clockwork engine, and how to set the clockwork mouse going. As soon as he knew he set the engine and mouse going, and they bumped straight into one another. The mouse hurt his nose, and the engine had a pump on its front. They were very cross.
But Quizzy lanughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. That was the sort of thing he thought was really funny
Then another time he wanted to know how the musical box worked, and he wound the handle round so often that it became worn out and broke. The toys were very angry about that, for they loved the tinkling music that came out of the musical box. The clockwork clown scolded the goblin for breaking it, and he flew into a rage at once.
Green flames shot out of his mouth and burnt a hole in the nursery carpet. The toys were frightened and rushed to the toy-cupboard. They climbed in and shut the door-but that wicked little goblin blew a green flame through the key-hole and burnt a hole in the big doll's dress. She screamed, and the goblin laughed loudly.
'That will teach you to interfere with me!' he cried. 'I shall do exactly as I like in your nursery, so there!,
With that he jumped out of the window and disappeared down the apple tree. The toys were so glad to see him go.
'If only we could give him a real fright so that he would never come back again!' sighed the big doll, trying to mend the hole in her pretty blue dress.
'But we can't!' said the clockwork clown. 'Because, for one thing, he would never go near anything he was afraid of-and for another thing I don't believe there is anything he is frightened of!'
Now the very next day what should come to the nursery but a large red box in which was hidden a jack-in-the-box with a very long spring to make him jump right out as soon as the lid was opened.
The toys all knew what a jack-in-the-box was, for there had been plenty in the toyshops where they came from – but they wondered if the goblin knew. Perhaps he didn't! If he didn't, what a fright he would get if only they could make him open the box! But how could they make him? If they told him to would certainly think there was some trick about it, and wouldn't go near it!
'I know!' said the clockwork clown, who was always the one to get good ideas. 'I know! Let's pretend to hide the box away' and beg the goblin not to touch it. Then he is sure to wonder what it is, and he is such a one for poking his nose everywhere that he is certain to lift up the lid sooner or later – then whooooosh! The jack-in-the-box will jump out, and what a fright he'll get!'
The big doll wrote out a notice and put it against the box. The notice said: 'Do not touch!'
'That will make the goblin want to touch it as soon as he sees it!' said the doll, with a laugh.
The next time the goblin came in at the window the toys caught hold of the box and pretended that they were trying to hide it away from Quizzy. He saw them at once and ran up.
'What's that you're trying to hide away?' he cried. 'Is it a secret?'
'Yes, it is, and you're not to find out our secret!' cried the teddy-bear.
'What's in the box?' shouted Quizzy, excitedly.
'Never you mind!' said the clockwork clown.
'Is it gold?' asked Quizzy. 'Or something nice to eat? Or fine new clothes?'
'It doesn't matter what it is, you're not to look and see!' said all the toys together.
Well, of course, that made Quizzy more determined than ever that he would peep inside that box and see what there was in it. How dare the toys have a secret he didn't know.
He didn't quite like to make the toys show him the inside of the box, when they were all so determined not to, so he made up his mind to come back just before cock-crow, when the toys would have climbed into the toy-cupboard to sleep. Then he would open the box and find out the great secret! And if it was gold he would take it for himself. If it was something nice to eat, he would eat it-and if it was fine clothes he would wear them. Ha ha! That would teach the toys to keep their secrets from Quizzy the goblin!
He jumped out of the window. The toys smiled at one another. They knew quite well he would come back at cock-crow!
They were all in the toy-cupboard, peeping, when Quizzy did come back. He tiptoed across the nursery floor to where the box stood with its notice leaning against it: 'Do not touch!'
The goblin tore the notice in half. Then he looked at the lid of the box. How was it opened? Ah! There was a little catch. If he slipped that back he could open the lid.
He pressed it back. The lid flew off with a bang, and whooooooosh! Out leapt the jack-in-the-box, squeaking with all his might, his red face shining, his black hair standing up on end! He knocked the goblin flat on his face, and then over him, wobbling about on his long spring, a really fearsome sight!
The goblin got up and gave one look at him.
Then he yelled with fright and tore to the window as fast as he could run.
'A witch, a witch!' he cried, and jumped right out of the window. Down the apple tree he slid and landed bump on the ground. Then he began to run. He ran, and ran, and ran-and, so the toys say, he is still running! Anyway, he has never come back, and you should see the jack-in-the-box laugh when he tells the tale of how he frightened Quizzy the goblin. You'd love to watch him!
