"How do you do?" politely asked the Lion. "We are glad you have come to
live here, Mr. Nodding Donkey. But where is the Noah's Ark that you
belong in? It must be very large."
"I did not come out of a Noah's Ark," the Donkey answered, with a
friendly nod of his head. "I came first from the workshop of Santa
Claus, at the North Pole, and just now I came from a toy store."
"Yes, we, too, were in each of those places, years ago," said the Tiger.
"But we have belonged to the little lame boy for a long while. He is
very good to us, and you will like it here."
"I heard the boy's mother speak of a Bold Tin Soldier and a Calico
Clown," said the Donkey. "Do they belong here?"
"No; they are toys that belong to boys who sometimes come to play with
Joe," answered the Elephant. "Then we have jolly times! You ought to
see that Calico Clown! He is so funny! And you ought to hear him tell
about the time in the toy store when his trousers caught fire!"
"That never happened in the toy store where I was--not in Mr. Mugg's
store," said the Donkey.
"No, that was another store," said the Elephant. "You'll like the Calico
Clown, I know you will, and the Bold Tin Soldier, too. Arnold and Sidney
will bring them over some day.
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