Back Aa

Puss in Boots, Jr., and the Good Gray Horse

Close

<hr style="width: 65%;" />[29] <h2>HUMPTY-BUMPTY</h2> <div class='cap'>HUMPTY-BUMPTY, bump! went the wagon, as the Good Gray Horse trotted along. "Very poor springs on this wagon," cried Puss, his teeth knocking together as they crossed a rough bit of road.</div> "You are not used to farm wagons, my good Sir Cat," the little old man replied. "You are right," said Puss. "Did you ever hear the conundrum in rhyme about <div class='poem'> "'Thirty white horses upon a red hill, Now they tramp, now they champ, Now they all stand still'?" </div> <div class='unindent'>asked the little old man.</div> "No," replied Puss. "But who ever saw a red hill?" "Ha, ha!" laughed the little old man, showing how very few teeth he had to chatter. "Why, the thirty white horses are your teeth, and the red hill is your gums. Ha, ha!"[30] "He, he!" laughed Puss. "Gid-ap, my Good Gray Horse. Let us rattle the thirty white horses upon a red hill, let them tramp and champ, but never stand still!" And away went the wagon clattering after the Gray Horse, bumpty-bumpty, bump! "Hold on!" cried the little old man. "If I have but few teeth, I have old bones! Do you wish to shake me to bits?" "Whoa!" cried Puss, but the Good Gray Horse evidently thought it great fun, for on he went at a still faster clip. The boards in the bottom of the wagon flew up and down and the wooden seat swayed back and forth. Up and down, bumpty-bumpty, bump! went the little old man. "Pull him in!" he cried. "Pull on the lines! Don't let your horse run away!" Puss tugged at the reins, but the Good Gray Horse had the bit between his teeth. He stuck out his head and tail and let his feet fly. Over the stones bumped the wagon, up on one side and then down on the other. Poor Puss had all he could do to keep from falling out, and the little old man clung to the side boards and cried, "Pull on the lines!" "I am," panted Puss, "but it doesn't do any good." "Pull harder!" yelled the little old man. "Can't," replied Puss, now breathless from the[31] bumping of the wagon. "Can't pull one little bit harder." "Turn him in yonder lane!" screamed the little old man. "That's my lane! It leads into the barnyard." Well, it was mighty lucky that Puss managed to turn up the lane, and in another moment they were racing into the yard, but before Puss could stop him the Good Gray Horse went head first into the haymow and headlong over the dashboard went Puss and the little old man. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

1 of 2

2 of 2