Excerpt
"Come with me for a visitTo Fairyland, dear Ned.I'll show you many won'drous things,"The tiny Gnomeman said. "I've lost a magic golden ring,"The pretty Bluebird sighed."Don't worry," laughed the kind old fish,"I have it safe inside." "I'll hurry, Mother," Jimmy cried,As down the road he ran,When in a jiffy up there jumpedA little Rabbitman. "Come, Mr. Elephant," cried Shem,"Don't fear the dreadful Shark.The Circus Folk are calling usTo leave the big Noah's Ark."
THE MAGIC SOAP BUBBLE by DAVID CORY
LITTLE JOURNEYS TOHAPPYLAND The Cruise of the Noah's Ark The Magic Soap-Bubble The Iceberg Express The Wind Wagon The Magic Umbrella BYDAVID CORYAuthor ofLittle Jack Rabbit Series(Trademark Registered) NED ATE THE MAGIC CAKEThe Magic Soap Bubble Frontispiece
LITTLE JOURNEYS TO HAPPY LAND(Trademark Registered)——————————— THE MAGICSOAP BUBBLE BY DAVID CORY AUTHOR OFThe Little Jack Rabbit Books PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATEDBY E.I. Jones and P.H. Webb GROSSET & DUNLAPPUBLISHERS NEW YORK——————————— Made in the United States of America
Copyright, 1922, byGROSSET & DUNLAP.
CONTENTS PAGE The Magic Soap Pipe The Magic Cake The Magic Nectar The Magic Axe The Magic Spring Magic Food Magic Ears The Magic Basket The Magic Ring The Magic Balloon
THE MAGIC SOAP PIPE The King of the Gnomes prepares the Magic Pipe for making the Magic Soap Bubble. THE MAGIC SOAP PIPE Ned had been reading a very interesting book about fairies and goblins, and how these real queer little folk inhabit dense forests and lofty mountain caves and lead a wonderful life apart from the homes and cities of men.
The book was very large and heavy, and the afternoon was very warm, and the big armchair in which he was curled up was so comfortable that by and by he let the book slip to one side.
He had just closed his eyes for a moment to rest them, when he was startled by a little squeaky voice at his elbow.
He opened his eyes with a start and saw a Gnome standing on the window-sill just in front of him. Yes, there was no mistake about it, it was a Gnome. For had not Ned a moment before seen his picture in the big book he had been reading? Indeed, it almost seemed as if the picture itself had stepped out of the page from between the covers, so exactly a duplicate did the little man appear.
"Hello, Ned!" said the little squeaky voice again. "I say, hello! You ought to know me well enough by this time to answer, since you've been reading about me for the last hour."
"Hello, yourself!" replied Ned, laughing in spite of himself, and rubbing his eyes again to make sure that it was not a picture from the book.
"Can't you see a fellow is sleepy after reading so long a time? I didn't think you were coming out of the book to speak to me, you know."
"Neither did I," retorted the Gnome, with a funny wink. "I came from the forest to invite you to take a little journey with me through Gnomeland....