Show I C ADVENTURES r By BETTT nETY BROWNS Copyright Ruth Meets Snappy-Dragon Snappy TT IT T HAD llAD been the most wonderful birthday party Every one of ot Ruths Ruth's friends had come and they had brought the nicest presents An Ivory fan a 0 toy with Jeweled eyes a slender silver needle case and many maDY other things all her very own were spread out upon the library table It made Rut Ruths Ruth's 8 heart feel warm wann and happy happy hap hap- py to look at them But she sho was very very tl tired d and her new dancing pumps hurt her feet teet She sat down In a big rocker slipped Blipped her feet out of ot the pumps pumps then leaned leuned back with a happy little sigh of con con- I On the walls walla about her were books Some were bound In red covers some black some green Above her head was an nn open space In one row where a lx book ok was missing Ruth looked up Standing right on the edge of ot the bookshelf In this open space was her friend the kindly old Under Under Under Un Un- der each arm he carried a big book Come on he called to Ruth And she went In no longer time than It takes to draw three full breaths they were In Crockey Town and In one breath more they were In the Crockey- Crockey i Joy library It was a big place In fact tact It watt was the biggest tallest room Ruth had ever beheld It reached up to the sky and east enst and west and north nn and south as far as ns ever she could see Some Somo of ot the books In front of ot Ruth were the same as ns those In her library at home only they were more than a thousand times as ns big The backs of ot these books as ns they stood on the shelves were all nil made with hinges at atthe atthe atthe the sides and with locks They looked Just like big doors Which book shall I open for tor you 7 asked the kindly old You Youcan Youcan Youcan can see Into any one you choose But Dut let me tell you that you really cant can't CO go much by bv how the hacks backs look The bright shiny ones ot often are not really good Inside Its It's safest to pick one that's quite well worn Not far from where Ruth stood was wasa a dingy tattered-looking tattered book which was so old that Ruth could not even make out the name of ot It Ill see If it the Is right she whispered whispered whispered whis whis- to herself herselt Then she pointed to the book The waved his arm and up came a n talking cat with eyes which shone like Jewels and at nt his side was wasa a bunch of at keys which Jingled and Jangled as ns he strode along He lie handed a key to the who opened the book Then Ruth and the Crock Crock- stepped Inside Ruth grabbed the armand arm armand and d held fast to him She was fright fright- ened It was vas a n new world that she saw Men In armor on gray dapple-gray steeds went galloping thunderously across the rocky plan Fairies and gnomes danced upon the mountaintops Wolves howled In the great groat black block forest forest forest for for- est where a n dwarf was chopping r p I tit i t 1 a J 1 0 L I r I I il I I wood Then Ihen from around the corner of ot a n big hill hili a n great grent green dragon with white snow-white teeth red blood-red nostrils nostrils nostrils nos nos- and glittering gUttering scales on his back came crawling Rita Rath was so scared that she couldn't move at nt all On came the dragon Closer Closer Closer-closer closer D Dont nt fear him said the Crockey Crockey- joy to her as he tie felt that sh she was trembling Hes lies a n good enough fellow fellow fellow fel fel- low after all and never harms anyone anyone anyone any any- one except the people In books Well We'll leave the book before he can get us They turned The door opened Ruth could feel the dragons dragon's hot breath and hear his teeth snap together together together to to- gether as they stepped out And here she was back In the li library hi- hi at ut home It wasn't the Crock Crock- at all who vho had hod hold of ot her hand It was her big brother Bob Dob Oh Ruth here Is a new book of ot fairy stories for you Oll I hope you like them he said Ruth felt sure she sho would because now she understood d what fairy stories really meant |