WHEN Curdie fell asleep he began at once to dream. He thought he
was
ascending the mountain-side from the mouth of the mine, whistling
and
singing "_Ring, dod, bang!_" when he came upon a woman and child
who
were lost; and from that point he went on dreaming all that had
happened
since he met the princess and Lootie; how he had watched the goblins,
and been taken by them, how he had been rescued by the princess;
everything indeed, until he was wounded, and imprisoned by the
men-at-arms. And now he thought he was lying wide awake where they
had
laid him, when suddenly he heard a great thundering sound.
"The cobs are coming!" he said. "They didn't believe a word I told
them!
The cobs'll be carrying off the princess from under their stupid noses!
But they sha'n't! that they sha'n't!"
He jumped up, as he thought, and began to dress, but, to his dismay,
found that he was still lying in bed.
"Now then I will!" he said. "Here goes! I _am_ up now!"
Madhuri Noah
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