John Dough and the Cherub
Page 19
King Dough and his Court
After the conversation with the soldier, Chick went back to the hall ofthe castle and told John Dough and Para Bruin what the man had said.
"They all expect a wise and just ruler, who is not made of flesh andblood," reported the little one; "so I guess it's up to you, John, torun this island."
"I'm surprised," said Para Bruin, "that they do not prefer a king whois made of pure rubber and can bounce. But if they want John Doughinstead of me I'm willing to yield in his favor."
"You shall be my Chief Counselor," replied John; "only I reserve theright to act as I please in case I do not like your counsels."
"That is entirely fair and reasonable," declared Para Bruin, "and Ithank you for the honor you have conferred upon me."
"I'm going to be Head Booleywag," said Chick, gravely.
"What's that?" asked John.
"It's the one that rules the ruler," said the smiling Cherub. "So justbehave yourselves--you and your Chief Counselor--and you'll both find Iknow my business."
Thereupon the child led John Dough to the King's attiring-room, andhunted in the closets until a fine ermine robe and a crown and scepterwere discovered. The crown was a little tarnished from lack of use,but the jewels in it still sparkled brightly; so the bear set it uponJohn's gingerbread head and put the scepter in his right hand. Chickfolded the ermine robe around him in such a way that his missing lefthand was not noticed, and then they led the gingerbread man to thegreat hall and placed him in the royal throne.
He might have looked more dignified had not his nose been badly chippedand his left glass eye so loose in its socket that it rolled everyway but the right way; however, the robe concealed the fact that hisshirt-front was soiled and cracked, and that several lozenge-buttonshad broken off during his recent adventures. But kingly robes and akingly crown cover many defects, and when Para Bruin and the Cherubstood back and took a critical look at their friend they felt quiteproud of his regal appearance.
When all had been made ready and John was seated in the throne, Chickwent to the west door of the castle hall and threw it open, and at thesame time Para Bruin opened wide the east door. Then, together, theycried out to the people:
KING DOUGH THE FIRST]
"The King has come! Enter his castle, all ye Hilanders and Lolanders,and greet the new ruler in a fitting manner!"
So the tall and slender people trooped in at one door and the shortand fat people trooped in at the other; and all gazed with awe andreverence at the strange form of the gingerbread king, who was surelynot flesh and blood, and might easily be a wise and just ruler.
There was no disputing the fulfillment of the prophecy; so all bowedhumbly before John, whom Chick introduced to his subjects in a shrill,childish voice as "King Dough the First, ruler of the Twin Kingdoms ofHiland and Loland."
Afterward there was feasting and rejoicing in both cities, and Johnmade a royal procession on both sides of the great wall, beingeverywhere received with shouts of enthusiastic joy.
The gingerbread man proved a very successful ruler; and as neither henor Para Bruin ate anything and Chick returned to a diet of oatmeal andcream, the King's expenses were very light, and he was not obliged totax his people to support his royal state.
One of the first laws he made was that no one in the two nations shouldeat gingerbread that was more than three days old, under pain of death;this prevented his ever being in danger when he traveled in either land.
Another thing he did was to engage a fat little woman of Loland to makeand bake him a new gingerbread hand, having five excellent fingers atthe end of it. Also she made gingerbread patches to fit his broken earand his crumbled nose and his damaged heel, as well as some lovely newcoattails; and when the hand and all these patches were placed wherethey belonged, John drank the cordial contained in the silver flaskthat the Beaver Fairy had given him, and at once the new gingerbreadbecame a part of his body, and he was as perfect as the day he had leftMonsieur Jules' bake-shop.
The woman also repaired his frosting and fastened some newlozenge-buttons to his waistcoat, after which John presented so neatand respectable an appearance that all his people were very proud ofhim.
Para Bruin also became a great favorite in the two cities, and thetall and short folks loved to watch him stand upon the high wall thatdivided the two nations, from which he would leap to the ground andimmediately bound back again to his station on the wall. He was alwaysgood-natured and cheerful, quite winning the hearts of the Hilanders bypoking fun at the Lolanders, and afterward delighting the Lolanders byjeering at the Hilanders.
So Para Bruin's life was a happy one, and for countless years heremained the close friend and companion of King Dough the First, thepopular and worthy ruler of Hiland and Loland.
The Records of the Kingdom say very little of Chick's later history,merely mentioning the fact that the King's most valuable assistant wasthe Head Booleywag, who grew up to be the especial favorite of all theinhabitants of the island. But, curiously enough, the Records fail tostate whether the Head Booleywag was a man or a woman.
THE END