LITTLE SIR CAT

Little Sir Cat and Mary in the Garden

It was a lovely garden, full of flowers and shrubs, and in one corner was a little girl playing with pretty shells on a pile of sand.

"Come in and play with me," she said. So he jumped over the garden wall, but he didn't stay very long, for he wished to find his fortune, you know.

Well, after a while, as he journeyed on he came to a bridge, and, all of a sudden, whom should he meet but Sir Launcelot of the Lake, that noble knight whom you remember he had met a long time ago. And when Sir Launcelot had reined in his great charger he cried out in a loud voice:

LITTLE SIR CAT AND MARY IN THE GARDEN

"Come with me, Kitten!" So Little Sir Cat sprang up lightly behind the noble knight and together they rode across the bridge and out upon the King's Highway. And after they had gone for many miles, they came across Little Miss Muffet who sat on a tuffet. But this time she wasn't running away from the big cruel spider who had sat down beside her.

"Whither are you bound, little maid?" asked the knight. And then without waiting for an answer he leaned over and lifted her up into the saddle beside Little Sir Kitten. And wasn't she glad to see our little traveler again? Well, if you had only been there you would have laughed with joy, for she was so happy that she hugged him again and again.

After a while they came to an old mill where the rusty, dusty miller ground the corn for the farmers. "Please let me down here," said little Miss Muffet, "for mother asked me to bring home some meal." So the kind knight pulled in his great steed and Little Miss Muffet ran into the mill.

But Sir Launcelot didn't wait, for he wasn't going back, you see, so he and Little Sir Cat called out good-by and went upon their way. And the sun shone down and glittered on the bright armor of the noble knight and pussy cat felt very proud to be riding with him.

"You shall go with me to King Arthur's Court," said Sir Launcelot, "for little friend Tom Thumb is with my good king and he has told all the knights what a good comrade you are."

Towards evening, they came to the Court of King Arthur where all the knights were eating their evening meal at the great round table. But when they heard the hoof beats of Sir Launcelot's great horse, they ran outside to greet him. Little Sir Kitten was taken into the great dining hall and placed on the right hand of King Arthur and merry was the feast that followed, for they had all heard of brave Little Sir Cat and loved him and Mother Goose, although they had grown up to be great strong knights.

And pretty soon you will find another story—unless—