askedjohnofhisfellow-traveller.

"oh,theywillmakecapitalbrooms,"saidhe;"andilikethembecauseihavestrangewhimssometimes."thentheywalkedontogetherforalongdistance.

"howdarktheskyisbecoming,"saidjohn;"andlookatthosethick,heavyclouds."

"thosearenotclouds,"repliedhisfellow-traveller;"theyaremountains-largeloftymountains-onthetopsofwhichweshouldbeabovetheclouds,inthepure,freeair.believeme,itisdelightfultoascendsohigh,tomorrowweshallbethere."butthemountainswerenotsonearastheyappeared;theyhadtotravelawholedaybeforetheyreachedthem,andpassthroughblackforestsandpilesofrockaslargeasatown.thejourneyhadbeensofatiguingthatjohnandhisfellow-travellerstoppedtorestataroadsideinn,sothattheymightgainstrengthfortheirjourneyonthethelargepublicroomoftheinnagreatmanypersonswereassembledtoseeacomedyperformedbydolls.theshowmanhadjusterectedhislittletheatre,andthepeopleweresittingroundtheroomtowitnesstheperformance.rightinfront,intheverybestplace,satastoutbutcher,withagreatbull-dogbyhissidewhoseemedverymuchinclinedtobite.hesatstaringwithallhiseyes,andsoindeeddideveryoneelseintheroom.andthentheplaybegan.itwasaprettypiece,withakingandaqueeninit,whosatonabeautifulthrone,andhadgoldcrownsontheirheads.thetrainstotheirdresseswereverylong,accordingtothefashion;whiletheprettiestofwoodendolls,withglasseyesandlargemustaches,stoodatthedoors,andopenedandshutthem,thatthefreshairmightcomeintotheroom.itwasaverypleasantplay,notatallmournful;butjustasthequeenstoodupandwalkedacrossthestage,thegreatbull-dog,whoshouldhavebeenheldbackbyhismaster,madeaspringforward,andcaughtthequeenintheteethbytheslenderwrist,sothatitsnappedintwo.thiswasaverydreadfuldisaster.thepoorman,whowasexhibitingthedolls,wasmuchannoyed,andquitesadabouthisqueen;shewastheprettiestdollhehad,andthebull-doghadbrokenherheadandshouldersoff.butafterallthepeopleweregoneaway,thestranger,whocamewithjohn,saidthathecouldsoonsethertorights.andthenhebroughtouthisboxandrubbedthedollwithsomeofthesalvewithwhichhehadcuredtheoldwomanwhenshebrokeherleg.assoonasthiswasdonethedoll'sbackbecamequiterightagain;herheadandshoulderswerefixedon,andshecouldevenmoveherlimbsherself:therewasnownooccasiontopullthewires,forthedollactedjustlikealivingcreature,exceptingthatshecouldnotspeak.themantowhomtheshowbelongedwasquitedelightedathavingadollwhocoulddanceofherselfwithoutbeingpulledbythewires;noneoftheotherdollscoulddothis.

duringthenight,whenallthepeopleattheinnweregonetobed,someonewasheardtosighsodeeplyandpainfully,andthesighingcontinuedforsolongatime,thateveryonegotuptoseewhatcouldbethematter.theshowmanwentatoncetohislittletheatreandfoundthatitproceededfromthedolls,whoalllayonthefloorsighingpiteously,andstaringwiththeirglasseyes;theyallwantedtoberubbedwiththeointment,sothat,likethequeen,theymightbeabletomoveofthemselves.thequeenthrewherselfonherknees,tookoffherbeautifulcrown,and,holdingitinherhand,cried,"takethisfromme,butdorubmyhusbandandhiscourtiers."

thepoormanwhoownedthetheatrecouldscarcelyrefrainfromweeping;hewassosorrythathecouldnothelpthem.thenheimmediatelyspoketojohn'scomrade,andpromisedhimallthemoneyhemightreceiveatthenextevening'sperformance,ifhewouldonlyrubtheointmentonfourorfiveofhisdolls.butthefellow-travellersaidhedidnotrequireanythinginreturn,exceptingtheswordwhichtheshowmanworebyhisside.assoonashereceivedtheswordheanointedsixofthedollswiththeointment,andtheywereableimmediatelytodancesogracefullythatallthelivinggirlsintheroomcouldnothelpjoininginthedance.thecoachmandancedwiththecook,andthewaiterswiththechambermaids,andallthestrangersjoined;eventhetongsandthefire-shovelmadeanattempt,buttheyfelldownafterthefirstjump.soafterallitwasaverymerrynight.thenextmorningjohnandhiscompanionlefttheinntocontinuetheirjourneythroughthegreatpine-forestsandoverthehighmountains.theyarrivedatlastatsuchagreatheightthattownsandvillageslaybeneaththem,andthechurchsteepleslookedlikelittlespecksbetweenthegreentrees.theycouldseeformilesround,farawaytoplacestheyhadnevervisited,andjohnsawmoreofthebeautifulworldthanhehadeverknownbefore.thesunshonebrightlyinthebluefirmamentabove,andthroughtheclearmountainaircamethesoundofthehuntsman'shorn,andthesoft,sweetnotesbroughttearsintohiseyes,andhecouldnothelpexclaiming,"howgoodandlovinggodistogiveusallthisbeautyandlovelinessintheworldtomakeushappy!"