The Box of Smiles: And Other Stories by Laura Rountree Smith - HTML preview

DOROTHY ANN AND THE WEE LITTLE MAN
 (A THANKSGIVING STORY)

“Little Dorothy Marjorie Ann,
Do be thankful if you can,”

called a wee little voice one wintry November evening.

Then a wee little red boot was seen coming down the chimney, and another little red boot, and one of the Wee People soon was skipping merrily on the hearth.

He danced himself nearly out of breath singing,

“I’m a wee little man from far away,
I’ll help you keep Thanksgiving Day.”

At this, Dorothy Marjorie Ann scowled and said,

“I’ve nothing to be thankful for,
I think I mentioned that before.”

Then the most surprising thing happened.

The Wee Little Man blew a whistle, and the Wee People came tumbling down the chimney, one after another, and the most remarkable thing of all was, not one had a speck of soot on his clothing.

All the fairies were scolding.

The Wee Bed-Time Fairy sang,

“I’m thankful when you go to bed,
For I am such a sleepy-head.”

The Mirror Fairy said,

“I’d be thankful you understand,
If you liked to wash face and hands.”

The Rubber Fairy in the hall began:

“You know we often spoke before,
We’re thankful when we’re off the floor.”

The Toy Fairy called,

“We may be thankful once again,
But spent last night, out in the rain.”

The School Bell Fairy sang,

“I’d be thankful as a rule,
If you liked to go to school.”

The Waste-Basket Fairy said,

“I’d be thankful since you ask it
If you would notice me—the basket.”

The Good-Mannered Fairy sang,

“We will be thankful when Dorothy’s able
To keep her elbows off the table.”

At that, Dorothy Marjorie Ann danced and capered about for she had no idea before, that she had anything to do with making the Wee People thankful, and every hour it grew nearer, and nearer Thanksgiving Day.

Soon all the Fairies were dancing and shouting,

“We’re thankful that Dorothy Marjorie Ann,
Will try to be happy whenever she can.”

Then the Wee Little Man who first came down the chimney joined hands with her, and they danced up the chimney, off and away, over hill and dale, and all the Wee Fairy People followed them.

Soon they came to a little Wee House.

The table was set for Thanksgiving dinner. Dorothy Marjorie Ann said,

“If I were a maiden like Fairies Wee,
Oh my! how thankful then I’d be.”

She did not notice that the Little Wee Man had put his wishing cap on her head, and as they ran on, she began to grow smaller, and smaller, and smaller.

They ran all round the house, and the Fairies crowded round her and said,

“Dorothy Marjorie Ann we see,
Has grown so little, she’s wee, wee.”

The Fairies snatched off the wishing cap just in time or there would have been no Dorothy Marjorie Ann left at all!

They all trooped in to dinner, and every hour it grew nearer and nearer Thanksgiving Day.

They sat at a table and Dorothy Marjorie Ann clapped her hands as down sailed some sliced turkey on her plate.

At this very minute the Wee People set up a cry,

“Take it away, take it away,
She does not like Thanksgiving Day.”

Away sailed the turkey, plate and all.

Down sailed a fine piece of pumpkin pie on her plate.

Just as she put her fork into it the Wee People clapped their hands and sang,

“We’ll do this to Dorothy Marjorie Ann,
We’ll put her in the baking pan,
She looks rosy, nice and sweet,
And almost good enough to eat,
We think we’ll take her far away,
And have a fine Thanksgiving Day.”

“Take it away, take it away,
She makes no one thankful here to-day.”

The plate sailed away as before.

Down came a plate with cranberry sauce and cookies, but she had not even taken a bite when the Wee People called,

“Take it away, take it away,
She’s never thankful we heard her say.”

Away sailed the plate, and Dorothy Marjorie Ann was so disappointed, that she ran to the door and put on her wishing cap and said,

“That dinner was a great surprise,
I want to be the proper size.”

She grew just as big as she was before, and the Little People crowded around her and tugged at her dress singing.

At this very minute Uncle Phil came to the rescue, singing,

“My little girl you took a nap,
In Uncle’s funny smoking cap.”

Dorothy Marjorie Ann winked and blinked her eyes; sure enough she did have a funny cap on, and she cried,

“I am more thankful than I can say,
That I came home for Thanksgiving Day.”

“Where have you been?” asked Father as they sat down to eat turkey and pie and cranberry sauce.

“Where have you been?” asked Mother.

Dorothy Marjorie Ann said,

“I am thankful as can be,
I don’t live with people Wee.”

Uncle Phil knew a few things himself about the Wee People so he said,

“She went over the bridge I understand,
And met the Wee People in Fairyland.”

After that Dorothy Marjorie Ann found 101 things to be thankful for and made all the Wee People thankful.

“I am Dorothy Marjorie Ann,
I’ll do all the good every day I can,
When I work or play, I’ll always say
I am thankful for Thanksgiving Day.”