THE BALD-HEADED KINGDOM
Chapter I.
HERE was once a King who had no hair; in fact, he was bald! But that was not all; he was bad tempered besides! With his high crown set atop his bald-headedness he sat upon his high throne in a most high dudgeon and made his poor subjects skip, I can tell you! They were continually dodging and ducking.
Just about the time of our story the Court Poet, with his hand pressed to his eye, was scribbling furiously with a gold pen. The Queen and her Ladies were whispering together in scared voices, while the Gentlemen, with one anxious eye upon the King and one foot well to the fore, were making ready to dodge at the slightest warning. "Well!" thundered the bad-tempered King at last, "is it finished?" "No, your Majesty—I mean, Yes, your Royal Highness!" stuttered the Poet, upsetting the inkwell in his furry. "Well, read it then!" growled the King, leaning back and closing his eyes.
"Our Sovereign's head is like the sun,
Its brightness dims the eye."
read the Poet, then stopped, 'cause that was all he had written.
"Go on! Go on!" said the King, opening his eyes with a pleased expression, "Uh—uh—uh," floundered the Poet, trying to think of a word to rhyme with sun. "'Tis round and shiny like a bun!" he brought out triumphantly, "a play-
