V.

Sky-High’s wonder-tale.

“My Lady of the Beautiful Morning” believed in the education of story-telling; and she did not limit her stories wholly to tales with “morals,” but told those that awakened the imagination.  This she did for Lucy’s sake and Charlie’s, believing that all little people should pass through fairyland once in their lives.

She used, like Queen Scheherazade of the Arabian Nights, to gather up stories that pictured places, habits, and manners of the people, to relate; and this year, when the garden began to flower, she had many such to tell under the trees.  Sky-High was always a listener.  He was always permitted to be with the family in the evening.  He loved wonder-tales.  They carried him off as on an “enchanted carpet.”

One evening Mrs. Van Buren said, “I have a new idea.  Sky-High might tell us some stories.  He speaks English well when he chooses.  Sky-High, tell us some tale of your own country.  You have wonder-tales in China.”

“In the stories of my country animals talk,” said Sky-High.

“Tell us some of your stories in which animals talk,” said Lucy, clapping her hands.

“Animals always talk, everywhere,” said Sky-High.  “In China we interpret what they say.”

The word “interpret” was rather a big one for Lucy.  But as Sky-High was given to using unexpected words, the little girl was herself beginning to indulge in a larger vocabulary.

So Sky-High began to relate an old Chinese household story.

THE SELF-RESPECTING DONKEY.

There was once a Donkey who had great respect for himself, as many people do.  Such wear good clothes.  You may know what a man thinks of himself by the clothes he wears.  We Chinese moralize in our stories as we go along.  We tell think-tales.

One day the Self-respecting Donkey went out into some green meadows near a wood, and was eating grass when a Tiger appeared on the verge of the meadow.  The Self-respecting Donkey was very much surprised, but did not lose his dignity.  So he uttered a deep bray.

  “Br-a-a-a!”

  The Tiger, in his turn, was very much surprised—­for the Donkey’s voice
  seemed to penetrate the earth.  But as soon as he collected his wits he
  crouched as if to spring upon the Donkey and make a meal of him.

  The Self-respecting Donkey did not run.  He moved with a slow, firm, and
  kingly step toward the Tiger.  Then he dropped his head again, in such a
  way that his ears looked like great proclamations of wisdom and power.

  “Br-a-a-a!”

  His voice was truly terrible.  The Tiger again quailed.

  “Oh, Beast of the Voice of the Thunder-winds,” said he, “thou canst
  dispute with me and the Lion the kingship among animals!”