laughter. As soon as he got free, he began to roll over and over, in every possible manner, rotatory and cylindrical, all at once, until he reached the wood. The courtiers followed, holding their sides, so that the Queen was left sitting upon her throne in solitary state.
When they reached the wood, the goblin, whose name was Toadstool, was nowhere to be seen. While they were looking for him, out popped his head from the mole-heap again, with the words—
“So, your majesty.”
“You have taken your own time to answer,” said the Queen, laughing.
“And my own way too, eh! your majesty?” rejoined Toadstool, grinning.
“No doubt. Well, you may try.”
And the goblin, making as much of a bow as he could with only half his neck above ground, disappeared under it.