The tale of Curly-Tail

Daddy Do-Little was not very fond of work.

He woke up one morning scolding,

This happened at breakfast, and the Fourteen Little Darling Dogs laid down their fourteen little spoons, and Curly-Tail and Tangle-Tail called in one breath, “We will plant your garden, we will wish for Magic seed.”

Then the funniest thing happened.

Daddy Do-Little turned up his cup, and there inside, lay a package of garden seed.

He took up his saucer, there lay another package of seed.

He looked in his oat-meal bowl, there lay another package of seeds.

He said,

Under everything he picked up was a package of garden seeds, a present from his little friends.

Suddenly he remembered that he did not like to work very well, so he said,

Then the Fourteen Little Darling Dogs slipped out of the house and took up their fourteen little rakes and hoes and spades, and began to make a garden.

Curly-Tail and Tangle-Tail dropped in the seeds.

Daddy Do-Little called,

“Cabbages and lettuce,” shouted Pedro, “and don’t forget my sunflowers, how I do like sunflower seeds!”

They worked all day with rake, and spade, and hoe, and wheelbarrow, and Daddy Do-Little and Pedro shouted directions from time to time.

The sun shone warm and bright, and then patter, patter, patter fell the rain in a sudden shower.

The Fourteen Little Darling Dogs took up their fourteen little rakes and went merrily homeward, shouting,

Daddy Do-Little waved his new red handkerchief in farewell, and shouted,

Tangle-Tail then made his best bow and said,

As he went off down the road Daddy Do-Little began to weep, but Curly-Tail cried,

Then Pedro said,

Then Daddy Do-Little felt cheered up you may be sure. He said to the Parrot,

Turning to Curly-Tail he said,

They all went merrily to bed.

When the moon came out Curly-Tail crept down stairs and went out into the garden, singing little songs like these,

Then the little seeds sent their roots down into the earth and they sent their green shoots up.

They grew very fast, for they were magic seeds of course.

Curly-Tail danced up to bed and fell asleep dreaming happy dreams.

In the morning Pedro got breakfast and Daddy Do-Little was so happy to have company that he just sat in the corner and forgot to look out at his garden all day.

When evening came, Curly-Tail said,

They went out together and Daddy Do-Little rubbed his eyes, for everything was coming up in even rows.

At that very minute Curly-Tail set up a shout, for the Fourteen Little Darling Dogs came trooping along, and they all had picnic baskets! They sang,

Sure enough, it was Curly-Tail’s birthday and the funny part of it was, nobody knew how old he was.

They had the picnic on the porch and Daddy Do-Little said,

Curly-Tail danced so hard round, and round, and round, after his little tightly curled up tail, that I think he danced right out of the book, if you really want to know what became of him,

FINIS