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The Dancing Cow
"Seventy-two,yourMajesty,"hesaid,bowinglowandtakingcarenottotripoverhisquillpen,whichwasaverylargeone.
"H’m.Notbadforanhour’swork,"saidtheKing,lookingverypleasedwithhimself."That’senoughfortoday."Hestoodupandarrangedhiserminecloakverytastefully.
"Ordermycoach.ImustgototheBarber’s,"hesaidmagnificently.
ItwasthenthathenoticedtheRedCowapproaching.Hesatdownagainandtookuphissceptre.
"Whathavewehere,ho?"hedemanded,astheRedCowdancedtothefootofthesteps.
"ACow,yourMajesty!"sheansweredsimply.
"Whathavewehere,ho?"
"Icanseethat,"saidtheKing."Istillhavemyeyesight.Butwhatdoyouwant?Bequick,becauseIhaveanappointmentwiththeBarberatten.Hewon’twaitformelongerthanthatandImusthavemyhaircut.Andforgoodness’sakestopjiggingandjaggingaboutlikethat!"headdedirritably."Itmakesmequitegiddy."
"Quitegiddy!"echoedalltheCourtiers,staring.
"That’sjustmytrouble,yourMajesty.Ican’tstop!"saidtheRedCowpiteously.
"Can’tstop?Nonsense!"saidtheKingfuriously."StopatonceI,theKing,commandyou!"
"Stopatonce!TheKingcommandsyou!"criedalltheCourtiers.
TheRedCowmadeagreateffort.Shetriedsohardtostopdancingthateverymuscleandeveryribstoodoutlikemountainrangesalloverher.Butitwasnogood.ShejustwentondancingatthefootoftheKing’ssteps.
"Ihavetried,yourMajesty.AndIcan’t.I’vebeendancingnowforsevendaysrunning.AndI’vehadnosleep.Andverylittletoeat.
