. The adventures of Peter Peterkin . Then, before he could help himself, Peterkin had adancing man, locked arms, on either side of him—andhe was stamping, running, tripping, jigging along withthem. Oh, heigh, stop! Let go of me—stop, stop! he com-manded, out of breath and red in the face. No, thats just what we cant do! sighed the fat oldchief. We must dance on and on and on. Our legs are shotwith pain, our lungs are like hot blasts, our feet are blisteredand sore—but we cannot stop! Peterkin stumbled and fell flat. His two guides yankedhim to his feet—then on and on in a breathless dance. Onc
. The adventures of Peter Peterkin . Then, before he could help himself, Peterkin had adancing man, locked arms, on either side of him—andhe was stamping, running, tripping, jigging along withthem. Oh, heigh, stop! Let go of me—stop, stop! he com-manded, out of breath and red in the face. No, thats just what we cant do! sighed the fat oldchief. We must dance on and on and on. Our legs are shotwith pain, our lungs are like hot blasts, our feet are blisteredand sore—but we cannot stop! Peterkin stumbled and fell flat. His two guides yankedhim to his feet—then on and on in a breathless dance. Once, went on the hoarse and puffing chief, we werethe happiest of all the Four Kingdoms. We were justplain, sensible, walk-along folk. We loved to rest and dozein the heat of the noon. We loved to lie about and let our 94 THE ADVENTURES OF PETERKIN fields grow of themselves with rich wheat and tasselled were content to take our ease. Then, one lazy noon, there came into our midst—I dontknow whence—a toothless What a villain this toothless enemy must be! thoughtPeterkin, remembering all that had gone before. He was a genial farmer, it seemed to us, continuedthe breathless chief, as they whirled along the road, uphill,downhill, in their ceaseless jig. He lay down with us in THE VALLEY OF DANCING LEGS 95 the shade of the trees and looked out across our fields andsucked his pipe through his toothless gums. Ah, this is rare comfort! he said in a cheery seem to be a happy valleyful here. *Oh, aye, I answered him, Ve love to take our ease. Do you love that better than all else? he asked meslowly. I stretched my arms in sleepy comfort and nodded backwith a smile. He looked at me slyly—ah, if I had onlyknown what villainy was behind that twinkle in his eye!He rose slowly to his feet. I shall show you all a pretty dance, he said, baring hisgums. Just lie there in comfort—it will amuse you—^yes,and give me great pleasure, too! Then slowly, gently, h
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