A Strange Island
by
One day I lay rocking in my boat, reading a very famous book, which all children know and love; and the name of which I’ll tell you by and by. So busily was I reading, that I never minded the tide; and presently discovered that I was floating out to sea, with neither sail nor oar. At first I was very much frightened; for there was no one in sight on land or sea, and I didn’t know where I might drift to. But the water was calm, the sky clear, and the wind blew balmily; so I waited for what should happen.
Presently I saw a speck on the sea, and eagerly watched it; for it drew rapidly near, and seemed to be going my way. When it came closer, I was much amazed; for, of all the queer boats I ever saw, this was the queerest. It was a great wooden bowl, very cracked and old; and in it sat three gray-headed little gentlemen with spectacles, all reading busily, and letting the boat go where it pleased. Now, right in their way was a rock; and I called out, “Sir, sir, take care.”
But my call came too late: crash went the bowl, out came the bottom, and down plumped all the little gentlemen into the sea. I tried not to laugh, as the books, wigs, and spectacles flew about; and, urging my boat nearer, I managed to fish them up, dripping and sneezing, and looking like drowned kittens. When the flurry was over, and they had got their breath, I asked who they were, and where they were going.
“We are from Gotham, ma’am,” said the fattest one, wiping a very wet face on a very wet handkerchief. “We were going to that island yonder. We have often tried, but never got there: it’s always so, and I begin to think the thing can’t be done.”
I looked where he pointed; and, sure enough, there was an island where I had never seen one before. I rubbed my eyes, and looked again. Yes: there it was,–a little island, with trees and people on it; for I saw smoke coming out of the chimney of a queerly-shaped house on the shore.
“What is the name of it?” I asked.
The little old gentleman put his finger on his lips, and said, with a mysterious nod:
“I couldn’t tell you, ma’am. It’s a secret; but, if you manage to land there, you will soon know.”
The other old men nodded at the same time; and then all went to reading again, with the water still dropping off the ends of their noses. This made me very curious; and, as the tide drifted us nearer and nearer, I looked well about me, and saw several things that filled me with a strong desire to land on the island. The odd house, I found, was built like a high-heeled shoe; and at every window I saw children’s heads. Some were eating broth; some were crying; and some had nightcaps on. I caught sight of a distracted old lady flying about, with a ladle in one hand, and a rod in the other; but the house was so full of children (even up to the skylight,–out of which they popped their heads, and nodded at me) that I couldn’t see much of the mamma of this large family: one seldom can, you know.
I had hardly got over my surprise at this queer sight, when I saw a cow fly up through the air, over the new moon that hung there, and come down and disappear in the woods. I really didn’t know what to make of this, but had no time to ask the old men what it meant; for a cat, playing a fiddle, was seen on the shore. A little dog stood by, listening and laughing; while a dish and a spoon ran away over the beach with all their might. If the boat had not floated up to the land, I think I should have swam there,–I was so anxious to see what was going on; for there was a great racket on the island, and such a remarkable collection of creatures, it was impossible to help staring.