Elmer and the Dragon (4 page)

"Now I understand about the ladder and the bucket and pine trees and the apple orchard," said Elmer.

"Yes," said Flute, "they are the work of the settlers. But to continue: Migrating birds often stop by here and King Can, being lonesome, told them to ask escaped canaries to live on his island. But even after many canaries had come, he was never well or happy. And when the other birds asked 'Why not?' King Can would answer, 'I'm dying of curiosity.' Pretty soon, the other canaries grew curious to know why he was so curious, but he told the reason only to his eldest son. And so they all grew sick with curiosity. Finally, when King Can I was a very old canary, he did die of curiosity and his eldest son became King Can II."

"Skunk cabbage! I smell skunk cabbage," interrupted the dragon right in the middle of the story, because by this time they had come out onto the meadow.

"It's right over there in the swamp," said Elmer, and the dragon lumbered off to eat and to drink cold water.

"King Can II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X all died of curiosity as very old canaries, and now King Can XI is sick with it. And the rest of us are sick, too. I tell you, it's an awful thing," continued Flute.

"I suppose so," said Elmer. "I wonder what they could have been so curious about."

"See, there you go getting curious! What a great day it will be when this island gets over the plague of curiosity!"

"Maybe I could help King Can XI," suggested Elmer. "If
he
weren't curious anymore, then nobody else would be curious to know
why
he's curious, and everybody would get well."

"That's right," said Flute. "Let's go see the King. He lives in the biggest tree in the forest."

Elmer yelled to the dragon that he'd be back soon, but all he could hear was loud munching and drinking noises in the bushes.

Chapter Six

KING CAN XI

Flute perched on Elmer's shoulder and together they went to the biggest tree in the forest. Flute flew up into the branches and Elmer heard him chirp, "Good morning, Queen Can. An old friend of mine has just arrived on the island, and I'd like to intro duce him to the King."

"Is that your friend down there?" asked the sleek tiny Queen suspiciously.

"Yes. He let me out of my cage back in Never- green City."

"The King isn't feeling well, you know."

"I know, that's why I want to introduce my friend. I think he can help the King, perhaps."

"Well, I'll go see if he's receiving visitors. You wait here."

Soon the Queen flew back all flustered. "The King will be down right away. I was really surprised. He's never before been so eager to see anyone!"

Elmer felt flattered, and quickly tucked in his shirt and straightened his cap.

Suddenly the King flew out of the branches and landed at Elmer's feet. Elmer was disappointed. The King looked just like a canary, only bigger and fluffier than the others.

"This is my dear friend Elmer Elevator," said Flute.

"Hello. Won't you sit down?" said King Can XI. "Thank you," said Elmer, squatting down on the pine needles.

"It's a great honor to have you on our island," said the King.

"It's a great honor to be here," said Elmer.

"The Queen said that Flute said that you might be able to help me. Is that right?" asked the King.

"Yes," said Elmer. "I thought perhaps I could help you to find out whatever you're so curious to know, and then all the other birds wouldn't be curious to know
why
you're curious, and everybody would get well."

"Hmm," said the King. "Did you have some special plan?"

"You'd have to help by telling me what's bothering you," said Elmer.

"That's what I was afraid of! Why, this has been a family secret ever since my great-great-great-great- great-great-great-great-grandfather was a young canary. No, I couldn't possibly tell you!" snorted King Can XI.

"Then I can't help you after all," said Elmer, getting up. "I'm sorry I bothered Your Majesty about it. Good-bye."

Elmer and Flute sadly started back through the pines.

"Ah, just a moment," called the King. "Maybe we could work out something. I'm awfully tired of being curious. Yes, by gosh, I believe I
will
tell you. But don't you dare tell anyone else!"

"I promise," said Elmer.

"Flute, go up and chatter with the Queen. Your friend and I wish to be alone."

The King whispered to Elmer, "You can't imagine how hard it is for me to tell you our family secret."

"I'm sure it's extremely difficult," said Elmer helpfully.

"Well, the secret is—the secret is—the secret is— oh, I can't tell you now. Could you come back at sundown? I just can't say it in the bright sunlight."

"I understand," said Elmer, "and I'll be glad to come back later." He called to Flute, who had been trying hard not to yawn in front of the Queen, and together they went to find the dragon.

"Well, did you see the King?" asked the dragon, who was resting comfortably beside the pool, his stomach bulging with skunk cabbages and ostrich ferns.

"Yes, but now I'm really curious. I'm to go back at sundown and then he's going to tell me the secret. It's a very old family secret."

"I just can't stand it! I can't stand it!" said Flute. "Oh, I'll be so glad to be rid of the curiosity plague."

"I'll do my best," said Elmer, taking a long drink of water and settling down beside the dragon to eat eight tangerines.

Elmer and the dragon fell fast asleep while Flute went all over the island spreading the news and waiting for sundown.

Chapter Seven

THE SECRET

"Wake up! Wake up! It's time to see the King!" chirped Flute as the red sun settled over the meadow. Elmer opened his eyes and forgot for a moment where he was. Then he jumped up and put on his knapsack. "I want to come, too," yawned the dragon. "You weren't invited," said Flute. "Neither were you, Flute, come to think of it," said Elmer.

"Let's all go and see what happens," suggested the dragon. So off they went to see the King. He was waiting for them at the foot of the very tall tree, nervously hopping from one foot to the other, pecking at imaginary mosquitoes.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing to the dragon.

"That's my good friend the baby dragon. I rescued him two days ago and now he's taking me home."

"I don't like him," said the King, feeling small and helpless.

"Oh, yes you do!" said Flute.

"Quiet, Flute! I guess I know what I like and what I don't!"

The dragon drooped his head and began to back away.

"Oh, well," said the King, "come on back. If I'm going to tell the secret to anyone, it'll never be a secret anymore, and I suppose you might as well know, too. I do wish it weren't such an old secret."

Flute, the dragon, and Elmer waited quietly while the King looked at the ground, then up at the tree, and then down at the ground.

"Treasure!" he whispered so suddenly that they all jumped into the air. "At least I think it's treasure, but I can't find out without your help."

"Where?" asked Elmer.

"It's —it's —it's not very far from here," said the King. Elmer, Flute, and the dragon looked every- which-way to see where the treasure could be.

"Oh gosh, I guess I'll have to tell you where, too," said poor old King Can XI. "It's buried—it's buried right under this tree—in a big iron chest."

"What sort of treasure?" asked Elmer.

"That's what I'm dying of curiosity to know," said the King.

"So that's it!" sighed Flute.

"And you're sure this is the right tree?" asked Elmer.

"Absolutely! You see, it's much bigger than the others, and that's because it was the only one here when the settlers came. They planted the other pines and the apple orchard so they'd have wood and food when they returned. But they never came back, and their chest is still buried right here."

Everybody waited for the King to continue, but he didn't, so Elmer said, "Let's dig it up!"

"Yes, let's!" echoed Flute.

"All right," said the King. "My secret's all spoiled now, anyway. You'll find the shovel under that rock."

"What shovel?" asked Elmer.

"The settlers left a shovel over there. It's rusty by now, but it's probably better than nothing."

Elmer went to get the shovel while the King danced around on the pine needles chirping, "I'm feeling better already." The Queen kept tittering and muttering to herself, "I never thought I'd live to see this day."

"Now, where should I begin digging?" asked Elmer.