“May I try again?” said the giant, who began to think himself very clever.
“Certainly,” said the Rainbow Cat. “What am I thinking of now?”
The giant tried to put on a very wise look and stared again at the Rainbow Cat with his stupid little eyes.
“Beefsteak and onions,” he said suddenly.
The Rainbow Cat fell back and pretended to be lost in admiration.
“Perfectly right,” he said. “How did you guess such a thing?”
“Oh, it just came into my mind,” said the giant modestly.
“You know,” said the cat seriously, “you ought to cultivate this gift. It’s most unusual.”
“How can I do it?” said the giant eagerly, for he thought it would be very delightful to be able to read people’s thoughts. Which shows how stupid he was.
“Go home,” said the cat, “and lie down for a couple of hours. Then take these three little pink comfits and lie down for another couple of hours. After that you may get up and have a cup of tea. But keep very quiet. Before going to bed eat this other little white comfit, and when you wake up in the morning you will be able to read people’s thoughts.”
The giant was all impatience to be gone, but he did not quite forget his manners.
“I am very much obliged to you,” he said. “Can’t I do anything for you in exchange, Professor Mewpus?”
“I should like a bit of lightning,” he said, “a nice jumpy bit.”
The giant put his hand in his pocket. “Here’s a bundle of it,” he said. “If you cut the string you can have quite a jolly little display at any moment.”
The Rainbow Cat thanked him, and they parted most amicably.
The giant went back to his castle and did as he had been told. Ever since that day he believes he knows what people are thinking. This makes him feel very superior and it really doesn’t do any one else any harm.
The Rainbow Cat returned to the party with the bundle of lightning stowed carefully away in his bag. Every one was most grateful for what he had done, and he was quite overwhelmed with attentions. He enjoyed himself very much in Cloud-land, and stayed for seven days. At the end of that time he packed up his little bag and set off once more on his travels, and you shall presently hear what next befell him.
There was once a little princess who could not cry.
That wouldn’t have mattered so very much, but the trouble was that she laughed at everything, often on the most unsuitable occasions, and this was an extremely vexing and awkward habit, especially for a princess.