|
|
"He sure was mad as the dickens!" whispered a dusky little girl as she shook her pigtails. "Yes, King Woggletoe was certainly very angry. Poor King Woggletoe was quite miserable with the ache on his big toe!" "Weaversock the elder weaver made a quick decision. Before the thought was in mind he was on the courtyard of the palace. He then looked straight to the balcony. He bowed before King Woggletoe. Words flowed from his mouth. "'I am Weaversock, the weaver, your majesty. I could weave for you nice stocking for your royal feet. A pair woven in wool that would fit snugly around your toes. "'Also I have a good friend who could make you comfortable shoes of soft leather. Taptap is his name. A finer cobbler that ever stitched a pair of shoes!' "'Humph, humph,' grumbled King Woggletoe. He stared at Weaversock with a sharp look as he spoke. 'All the weavers of the land have woven for me socks and stockings. They have weaved in wool and cotton, even silk. Yet none fitted comfortably my left foot with its long, long toe. Now, tell me how you could do better!' "Yes I could do better! I would be able to knit for you a snug and nice pair,' exclaimed Weaversock, 'but before I will weave the pair of stockings my dear king you must promise me one thing.' He paused in his talk and all the ladies stopped crying. And all, even the ministers and soldiers listened to his words. "King Woggletoe twirled the laces of his cloak. He pulled a face and said, 'What do I have to promise?' "Weaversock made him promise to rest his foot for three days. 'Place your left foot with the long, long toe on a stool. Do not walk about. Let your servants attend to you. After three days I will be back for the fitting.' "Reluctantly the king agreed. So for three whole days King Woggletoe rested his left foot on a royal footstool. Two soldiers stood guard around the foot with the long long toe. Attendants were ready to serve him at the snap of a finger. And the queen and her ladies offered happy words and tunes to cheer him. "At the fourth day early one bright morning Weaversock, the weaver arrived at the palace. Taptap the cobbler was with him. They were ushered into the king's presence. Both Weaversock and Taptap looked at the long long toe of the king. They saw it wasn't swollen or bruised. "Weaversock produced the woolen stockings he had woven. Taptap in turn produced the fawn leather boots he stitched. "'Why,' spoke the king, 'the stockings got black toes.' "It was quite true! The leg was woven in beautiful green extending to the top of the leg. The portion for the toes was in black. A long part was sticking out for the left foot for the long, long toe. "'Would your majesty like to try them on? The stocking have no seams and woven in top quality wool. The part for the royal toe is lined with lamb's wool.' "The
Queen and her ladies looked on and hoped for the best. The ministers
and the soldiers looked on expectantly. They expected a roar of
pain. But King Woggletoe's legs looked trim in the green stocking.
And the rest of the feet was snug in the stocking with the black
toes. |