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Miss Chaperon made growling noises to imitate King Woggletoe's complaint and the children copied her. Her raised right hand put a end to the moment of jollity. "Now, my children, please be quiet and I will continue." "King Woggletoe called in the royal messengers. He told them, "Go through the kingdom and call out for a good stocking weavers. Away they went from one end to the land to other. Weavers of all ages be they men or women, old or young, came with their knitted socks. Alas, none of their stockings fitted comfortably the king's left foot with the big toe." "Not even a itty bitty pair fitted the king," chirped a freckled faced boy of eight years. "Not even a simple pair of cotton socks!" "Now in a nearby lived an elderly weaver, named Weaversock, who hadn't heard of the troubles of King Woggletoe. It was only when Taptap the Cobbler passed by his humble cottage and told him the news. "'What it going with the king?' Weaversock asked. He talked as he busied himself with his weaving. "'Haven't you heard,' said Taptap the Cobbler. It is the King Woggletoe. He is such a rage. He stamps and storms about his palace. All because of his big toe. That none of the weavers of the land can not knit him comfortable stockings. He keeps bumping his big toe and getting madder and madder.' Miss Chaperon paused for a moment, now and again, to answer queries of the children to the meaning of certain words. Then, with a twinkle to her eyes, she continued. "Weaversock rubbed the white of his hair as he thought. 'Well, my dear Taptap, I will lift my aged bones and go to the palace.' So Weaversock made his way up a long winding hill to the palace. He managed to squeeze through the crowd and peer into the courtyard. A huge heap of socks and stockings, some of wool or cotton even silk was piled in the center. "On a large balcony the queen and her ladies were wringing their hands and sobbing loudly. A few ministers and soldiers were there; they stood in attention and in readiness as they lined the stone walls. And in the center was King Woggletoe. "The king was splendidly dressed in blue and silver with a white ermine cloak, a feathered hat and a gay yellow stocking on his right leg to the tip of his foot. But his left leg to the tip of his foot was bare; a large toe, reddened and bruised, was sticking out. "Weaversock could see that the long long toe was discolored and swollen. When he looked, King Woggletoe gave out a yelp of anguish as the toe caught on his long cloak. That, of course, caused more pain. "King
Woggletoe roared fiercely in his pain. 'Do something he cried.
I have to visit King Bootle in his kingdom past the hills. Two
weeks hence will be their Gooseberry Festival. I will be the honoured
guest at the celebration. I can't be seen without stocking in
my booted feet. 'Oww, oww'. He hopped on one foot and roared again.
All the ladies sobbed louder. The soldiers stood rigidly in attention
and the good ministers rubbed their hands in anguish. |