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

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<hr style="width: 65%;" />[117] <h2>TOM, THE PIPER'S SON</h2> <div class='poem'><div class='cap'> "TOM was a piper's son, He learned to play when he was young; But all the tune that he could play Was 'Over the hills and far away.'" </div> </div> "Well, it's a pretty fine tune," said Puss, Junior, to himself, as the strains from Tom's pipe came clear and sweet across the meadow. "I wish I could play as well." Again the music came down the breeze, clear and sweet, and pretty soon Tom came capering toward him, followed by a crowd of boys and girls. "Heigh-ho!" laughed Puss. "Here they come, dancing away, as if they had nothing to do but play all the day long." "Over the hills and far away!" piped Tom. "Good morning!" cried Puss. "Come and dance," said the piper's son, taking the pipe from his mouth; "come and have a merry dance. Make those red-topped booties prance." "Then play a merry jig," answered Puss, catching up a small pig and waltzing him around at a giddy rate. "Hold on!" cried the pig. "I'm getting dizzy."[118] "I won't let you fall," replied Puss, with a grin. "Let go!" squeaked the pig. "I tell you I'm getting dizzy!" "Well, why didn't you say 'let go' at first," laughed Puss. "You said, 'hold on.'" By this time the poor pig was so out of breath that he rolled over on his side and lay quite still until a small boy said: "Your tail is all twisted from dancing around and around." "Nonsense!" replied the pig, sitting up. "Pigs' tails are always twisted. Dancing makes your head go around, but it doesn't curl your tail." Then all of a sudden Tom commenced to play again. "Oh, please don't!" cried the breathless pig. "I don't want to dance any more." <div class='poem'> Tom with his pipe did play with such skill That those who heard him could never stand still; Whenever they heard him they began to dance— Even pigs on their hind legs would after him prance. </div> And, goodness me! it was such wonderful music that even Puss couldn't keep still, but must needs dance with a little girl in a blue dress until Tom was out of breath and too tired to play any longer. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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