The Enchanted Shoelace
The Enchanted Shoelace
There was a once a little pixie called Skippy who went shopping in his village. As he trotted along
'Brother!' said Skippy, stopping. 'Now I must buy another shoelace.'
But he didn't need to buy one- for as he went merrily along he saw one lying in the road. His shoes were red, and the lace was green, but that didn't matter. It would lace up his shoe, what-ever color it was!
He slipped the lace into his shoe and tied it. That was fine. Now he was quite all right. Off he went again, skipping along, as happy as a bumble-bee.
Soon he came to a sweet shop and he looked in very longingly. He hadn't any money for sweets - but how delicious those big papper-mints did look, to be sure!
'I just wish I had a pocketful of those!' sighed Skippy, and no he went. In a short while he felt something heavy in his pocket, and he put in his hand to feel what it was.
Peppermints! Peppermints by the dozen! Ooh, what a surprise! But however did they come there?
'my wish came true!' marveled little Skippy. 'Oh, what a wonderful thing!'
He didn't know that he had a magic shoelace in his shoe _ a lace that had once belonged to a witch and was enchanted! It came undone and nearly tripped him up.
Brother!' said Skippy, doing it up. But he couldn't be cross for long with a pocketful of peppermints. He saw a little white kitten play-ing with its tail in the sunshine. Skippy was very fond of animals and he stood and watch it.
'I do wish I had a little white kitten just like that!' he said.
'Miaow! Something rubbed against his legs, and Skippy lookes down. He saw another little white kitten, looking up at him and mewing.
'Bless me!' said Skippy, in astonishment. 'If that isn't another wish come true! Well, well, well!'
He packed up the kitten and cuddled it. It nestled happily under his coat, glad to belong to a nice little pixie like Skippy. He bent down and did up his shoelace which had again come undone.
'This is really very strange,' thought the pixie, tickling the kitten under the chin. 'This must be my lucky day, or something. I wonder if another which will come true.'
He blinked his eyes and thought hard. 'I wish my suit was made of gold!' he said.
In a flash Skippy's red suit changed to a gleaming yellow. He was dressed in gold!
'Ooh!' said Skippy, amazed. 'Look at me all dressed up in gold! I'm a prince! I'm as grand as can be!'
His shoelace came undone again, and trailed on the ground. 'Brother!' said Skippy. 'It will trip me up as sure as eggs are eggs!'
He did it up, feeling most excites. He must tell somebody about his great good fortune. He would go to his friend Tickler the gnome and tell him. How surprised Tickler would be! Aha, he would wish all kinds of things for tickler the gnome!
Off he went, skipping down the road as gaily as could be. What a day! What an adventure!
He banged at Tickler's door and the gnome opened it in surprise, staring at Skippy and the kitten.
'Why do you knock so hard?' he asked. 'Oh, Skippy - how beautiful you look! Where did you get that fine suit made of gold?'
'Would you like one?' asked Skippy, beaming.
'All right! I wish you had a suit like mine, Tickler!'
Hey presto! At once the gnome shone brightly in a suit as fine as Skippy's. He stared down at himself in amazement.
'Oh, Skippy!' he said. 'Skippy! What's happened? Do your wishes all come true?'
'Yes,' said Skippy, happily, and he stepped forward to go into Tickler's house. But his shoelace was undone again and nearly tripped him up. 'Brother, brother, brother!' he said, and did it up. Then he went into Tickler's neat little house.
'I can't tell you why my wishes come true,' he said to Tickler. 'They just suddenly did.'
'But there must be some reason why,' said Tickler, puzzled. 'Have you anything new on you, Skippy?'
'No, nothing,' said Skippy, quite forgetting about the shoelace. 'The magic just suddenly came.'
'Wish something else,' said Tickler. 'Wish for a jolly good dinner!'
'I wish we could have a fine dinner to eat this very minute!' said Skippy at once - and lo and behold, in front of them, on Tickler's round table, appeared a most delicious dinner! A roast chicken sent its tasty smell into the air, and a meat pie stood ready to be served. A large treacle pudding appeared and a plate of big jam tarts.
'Ooh my!' said Tickler, half frightened.
'Let's eat,' said Skippy. So they began to eat, and didn't they enjoy their dinner!
'I'm just going to get some water to drink,' said Skippy, and he hopped off his seat to go to the tap. His shoelace had come undone again, and he fell down on the floor!
'Brother!' he said. 'That shoelace is always tripping me up!'
He did it up and got his water, which he immediately wished into lemonade. Really, it was marvelous!
'Now I shall wish myself a little white pony to ride,' said Skippy. 'And I'll wish you one too, Tickler.'
'I'd rather have a pink pony,' said Tickler.
'A pink one wouldn't be nice,' said Skip, frowning. 'It would look silly. I'll get you a nice white one.'
'I'd rather have a pink one,' said Tickler.
'But I shouldn't like a pink pony,' said Skippy.
'Well, it's not you who is to have it, it's me,' Said Talker. 'Wish me a pink one, Skippy.'
'I wish for two nice white ponies,' said Skippy firmly.
At once two little ponies appeared outside in the garden, as white as snow. Skippy got up to run out and nearly tripped over again. His lace was undone.
'Oh, there's that stupid lace undone again!' he cried. He did not up and went outside. 'Come on, Tickler,' he called, 'here's your pony waiting for you. Come and have a ride.'
'I wanted a pink pony,' said Tickler sulkily. 'I don't want a white one.'
'You horrid, ungrateful thing!' cried Skippy. 'Here I've got you a golden suit and a fine meal, and a lovely pony too, and all you can do is to frown at me and look sulky.'
'Well, I wanted a pink pony,' Said Tickler. 'A pink pony is uncommon. You were too selfish to let me have what I wanted.'
'I'm not selfish!' cried Skippy, in a rage. 'Aren't I sharing all my wishes with you, now? What more do you want?'
'I just want a pink pony,' said Tickler, in an obstinate voice.
'Oh well, have a hundred pink ponies then!' shouted Skippy in a temper _and hey presto, the little garden was at once full to overflowing with small, bright pink ponies!
'Oh they're treading on my flowers and on my lovely new peas!' shrieked Tickler in dismay. 'Oh, take your horrid ponies away, Skippy!'
"They're not mine, they're yours! Said Skippy dancing about in glee. 'You wanted pink and you've got pink!'
He suddenly tripped headlong over his shoe-lace, which had come undone once more. Down he went, with his nose in the dust.
'Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho!' laughed Tickler. 'That's what comes of being too proud, Skippy. Pride goes before a fall! That shoelace of yours punished you nicely!'
Skippy sat up and looked angrily at his shoe. Yes, that horrid, stupid shoelace was undone again!
'I wish to goodness I'd never put you into my shoe!' said Skippy, crossly, putting out his hand to take the lace to tie again. But it wriggled out of his fingers like a green snake and vanished down the garden path!
And at the same moment all the ponies vanished too! The little white kitten, which had been wandering happily about, suddenly shot up into the air and disappeared like a white cloud.
'Where have all the ponies gone?' said Tickler in wonder. 'And oh, where has your gold suit gone? You've got your old one on again.'
'So have you!' cried Skippy. 'Did you see my shoelace slide off like a snack, Tickler? Wasn't that stranger?'
'Where did you get it from?' asked Tickler, suddenly.
'I picked it up in the road,' said Skippy. 'Ooh, Tickler! That's what brought the magic! Of course! When I wished a wish the shoelace always came undone. I remember now _ and oh, oh, what a terrible pity, I've wished it away! I've wished my wonderful good luck away!'
'If we hadn't quarreled it wouldn't have happened,' said Tickler, tears coming into his eyes. 'Oh, Skippy, how foolish we've been. To think we had riches, happiness, everything just for the wishing and we quarreled about a pink pony!'
'It shows we weren't big enough to have such a wonderful power,' said Skippy. 'Oh my, oh my, if ever I get a magic shoelace again, won't I just be careful with it!'
But the pity of it was that he never did find one again. Do be careful if you find one, won't you!
