Produced by Al Haines

JOHN-OF-THE-WOODS

BY

ABBIE FARWELL BROWN

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

E. BOYD SMITH

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY

BOSTON AND NEW YORK

THE RIVERSIDE PRESS CAMBRIDGE

COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY ABBIE FARWELL BROWN

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Published October 1909

To J.D. and K.D.

Kindest of neighbors and best of friends

to all the world and its

Animal Kingdom

I. THE TUMBLERS II. THE FALL III. THE RUNAWAY IV. THE OX-CART V. THE HUNCHBACK VI. THE SILVER PIECE VIX. THE WANDERER VIII. THE RESCUE IX. THE ANIMAL KINGDOM X. THE HERMIT XI. THE PUPIL XII. THE BEAU XIII. A FOREST RAMBLE XIV. THE WOLF-BROTHER XV. THE GREEN STRANGER XVI. THE HUNT XVII. THE MESSENGER XVIII. THE CARRIER PIGEON XIX. THE JOURNEY XX. THE ARRIVAL XXI. THE PALACE XXII. THE PRINCE'S CHAMBER XXIII. THE CURE XXIV. THE KING XXV. THE FETE XXVI. THE TALISMAN CONCLUSION

ILLUSTRATIONS

THE THREE TUMBLERS GIGI RUNS AWAY HAVE YOU GOT MY BOY? A QUAINT PAIR OF WANDERERS THE CIRCLE OF ANIMALS WATCHED HIM JOHN TALKED WITH THEM YOU SHALL NOT KILL MY FRIEND THE BEAR THE KING SENDS FOR YOU A STRANGE COMPANY JOHN WAS PROTECTED BY POWERFUL FRIENDS HE STROKED THE SOFT BALL OF FUR I WISH I COULD DO IT MYSELF JOHN URGED THE CLUMSY FELLOW TO DANCE TO ME, MY BROTHERS! THE KING AND PRINCESS CAME TO VISIT HIM

JOHN OF THE WOODS

I

THE TUMBLERS

It was late of a beautiful afternoon in May. In the hedges outside thevillage roses were blossoming, yellow and white. Overhead the larkswere singing their happiest songs, because the sky was so blue. Butnearer the village the birds were silent, marveling at the strangenoises which echoed up and down the narrow, crooked streets.

"Tom-tom; tom-tom; tom-tom"; the hollow thud of a little drum soundedfrom the market-place. Boys and girls began to run thither, crying toone another:—

"The Tumblers! The Tumblers have come. Hurry, oh, hurry!"

Three little brothers, Beppo, Giovanni, and Paolo, who had been pokingabout the market at their mother's heels, pricked up their ears andscurried eagerly after the other children.

Jostling one another good-naturedly, the crowd surged up to themarket-place, which stood upon a little hill. In the middle was astone fountain, whence the whole village was wont to draw all the waterit needed. In those long-ago days folk were more sparing in the use ofwater than they are to-day, especially for washing. Perhaps we shouldnot be so clean, if we had to bring every bucket of water that we usedfrom the City Square!

"Tom-tom; tom-tom; tom-tom"; the little drum sounded louder and louderas the crowd increased. Men and women craned their necks to see whowas beating it. The children squirmed their way through the crowd.

On the highest step of the fountain stood a man dressed in red andyellow, with little bells hung from every point of his clothing, whichtinkled with each movement he made. In his left hand he held a smalldrum, from which hung

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