Raggedy Ann Stories
Page 7
RAGGEDY ANN'S TRIP ON THE RIVER
When Marcella had a tea party out in the orchard, of course all of thedolls were invited. Raggedy Ann, the tin soldier, the Indian doll andall the others--even the four little penny dolls in the spool box. Aftera lovely tea party with ginger cookies and milk, of course the dollswere very sleepy, at least Marcella thought so, so she took all exceptRaggedy Ann into the house and put them to bed for the afternoon nap.Then Marcella told Raggedy Ann to stay there and watch the things.
As there was nothing else to do, Raggedy Ann waited for Marcella toreturn. And as she watched the little ants eating cookie crumbs Marcellahad thrown to them, she heard all of a sudden the patter of puppy feetbehind her. It was Fido.
The puppy dog ran up to Raggedy Ann and twisted his head about as helooked at her. Then he put his front feet out and barked in RaggedyAnn's face. Raggedy Ann tried to look very stern, but she could not hidethe broad smile painted on her face.
"Oh, you want to play, do you?" the puppy dog barked, as he jumped atRaggedy Ann and then jumped back again.
The more Raggedy Ann smiled, the livelier Fido's antics became, untilfinally he caught the end of her dress and dragged her about.
This was great fun for the puppy dog, but Raggedy Ann did not enjoy it.She kicked and twisted as much as she could, but the puppy dog thoughtRaggedy was playing.
He ran out the garden gate and down the path across the meadow, everyonce in a while stopping and pretending he was very angry. When hepretended this, Fido would give Raggedy Ann a great shaking, making heryarn head hit the ground "ratty-tat-tat." Then he would give his head atoss and send Raggedy Ann high in the air where she would turn over twoor three times before she reached the ground.
By this time, she had lost her apron and now some of her yarn hair wascoming loose.
As Fido neared the brook, another puppy dog came running across thefoot-bridge to meet him. "What have you there, Fido?" said the new puppydog as he bounced up to Raggedy Ann.
"This is Raggedy Ann," answered Fido. "She and I are having a lovelytime playing."
You see, Fido really thought Raggedy enjoyed being tossed around andwhirled high up in the air. But of course she didn't. However, the gamedidn't last much longer. As Raggedy Ann hit the ground the new puppy dogcaught her dress and ran with her across the bridge, Fido barking closebehind him.
In the center of the bridge, Fido caught up with the new puppy dog andthey had a lively tug-of-war with Raggedy Ann stretched between then. Asthey pulled and tugged and flopped Raggedy Ann about, somehow she fellover the side of the bridge into the water.
The puppy dogs were surprised, and Fido was very sorry indeed, for heremembered how good Raggedy Ann had been to him and how she had rescuedhim from the dog-pound. But the current carried Raggedy Ann right alongand all Fido could do was to run along the bank and bark.
Now, you would have thought Raggedy Ann would sink, but no, she floatednicely, for she was stuffed with clean white cotton and the water didn'tsoak through very quickly.
After a while, the strange puppy and Fido grew tired of running alongthe bank and the strange puppy scampered home over the meadow, with histail carried gaily over his back as if he had nothing to be ashamed of.But Fido walked home very sorry indeed. His little heart was broken tothink that he had caused Raggedy Ann to be drowned.
But Raggedy Ann didn't drown--not a bit of it. In fact, she even went tosleep on the brook, for the motion of the current was very soothing asit carried her along--just like being rocked by Marcella.
So, sleeping peacefully, Raggedy Ann drifted along with the currentuntil she came to a pool where she lodged against a large stone.
Raggedy Ann tried to climb upon the stone, but by this time the waterhad thoroughly soaked through Raggedy Ann's nice, clean, white cottonstuffing and she was so heavy she could not climb.
So there she had to stay until Marcella and Daddy came along and foundher.
You see, they had been looking for her. They had found pieces of herapron all along the path and across the meadow where Fido and thestrange puppy dog had shaken them from Raggedy Ann. So they followed thebrook until they found her.
When Daddy fished Raggedy Ann from the water, Marcella hugged her sotightly to her breast the water ran from Raggedy Ann and dripped allover Marcella's apron. But Marcella was so glad to find Raggedy Annagain she didn't mind it a bit. She just hurried home and took off allof Raggedy Ann's wet clothes and placed her on a little red chair infront of the oven door, and then brought all of the other dolls in andread a fairy tale to them while Raggedy Ann steamed and dried.
When Raggedy Ann was thoroughly dry, Mamma said she thought the cakemust be finished and she took from the oven a lovely chocolate cake andgave Marcella a large piece to have another tea party with.
That night when all the house was asleep, Raggedy Ann raised up in bedand said to the dolls who were still awake, "I am so happy I do not feela bit sleepy. Do you know, I believe the water soaked me so thoroughlymy candy heart must have melted and filled my whole body, and I do notfeel the least bit angry with Fido for playing with me so roughly!"
So all the other dolls were happy, too, for happiness is very easy tocatch when we love one another and are sweet all through.