VALLI E SAND) RHE ERB E DE EDIE E.

Turtle, and the Grasshopper waltzing with the Field-mouse, and they seemed to
be having such a gay time that he thought he would dance, too.

The Bull-frog hopped and leaped about so fast that Willie had hard work to
keep up with him.

“The one who dances the longest wins the prize,” shouted the Mud Turtle.

First the Mud Turtle got tired out and stopped, then the Field-mouse and
the Rabbit, then the Robin and then the Blue Butterfly, and all the others, one
by one, till only the Grasshopper and the Treedeedle were left.

They danced and danced, and hopped and twirled, till the room fairly seemed
to Willie to whirl, too.

Then the Treedeedle threw off his boxing-gloves, and unbuttoned his coat,
and danced faster all the time, till at last the Grasshopper fell down in a faint,
and they had to bring him
to by rubbing him down with
a clothes-brush.

By that time everybody
was shouting: “ Hurrah for
the Treedeedle!” ‘ Three
cheers for the Treedeedle ! ”
«The Treedeedle has won
the prize!”

The Owl and the Black
Pussy Cat hoisted him on to
a board, and carried him
round the room.

Then the Mud Turtle “‘ THREE CHEERS FOR THE TREEDEEDLE.”’
brought in the prize, which
was a hand-organ, and then they all cheered again, and the Treedeedle played
them a tune on his organ.

“‘ Now for the refreshments,” cried the Mud Turtle; and they brought in a
great wash-boiler full of molasses candy, and each one took a big spoon and
dipped it into the boiler and began to eat.

Presently Willie noticed the Blue Butterfly sitting on the fence, eating his
lunch all by himself out of a little tin dinner-pail.

“ Why don’t you come and eat with us?” asked Willie.

‘T don’t like molasses candy, so I always bring my own lunch,” said the
Blue Butterfly.

Willie looked to see what the Butterfly had for lunch, and saw that he had
brought five sausages all on a string.

After they had finished the molasses candy, and scraped the boiler nice and
clean, the Treedeedle said it was time to go home; so they all shook hands with
the Mud Turtle and told him what a good time they had had.