Hashem, looking through a tiny crack in the door, almost burst with pride as his gorgeous pink masterpiece was set down before the Prince.
"Many happy returns of your eighteenth birthday!" cried the Courtiers jumping to their feet and waving their napkins enthusiastically.
"Thank you! Thank you!" chuckled Pompadore, bowing low. "I feel that this is but one of many more to come!" Which may sound strange, but Pumperdink being in Oz, one may have as many eighteenth birthdays as one cares to have. This was Pompa's tenth and while the courtiers drank his health the Prince made ready to blow out the birthday candles.
"That's right, blow 'em all out at once!" cried the King. So Pompa puffed out his cheeks and blew with all his might. But not a candle flickered. Then he tried again. Indeed, he puffed and blew until he was a regular royal purple, but nary a candle flame so much as wavered.
"Stubbornest candles I ever saw!" blustered King Pompus. Then he puffed out his cheeks and blew like a porpoise; so did Queen Pozy and the Prime Pumper; so did everybody. They blew until every dish upon the table skipped and they all sank back exhausted in their chairs, but the candles burned as merrily as ever.
24
