PEASE PUDDING HOT

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22135, 3 July 1937, Page 3 (Supplement)

PEASE PUDDING HOT

It all began when the King of Bubbledom opened his newspaper one morning at breakfast. Usually he Just glanced at it, but that morning something seemed to catch his eye, for he held it up so high that nothing could be seen of him but the little gold knob on the top of his crown.

"What is it, my love?" enquired the Queen anxiously. "Listen to this," said the King, "Pease pudding is once more becoming the fashionable food. No royal breakfast table should be without it, for it is unequalled for producing brain, brawn, and kingly bearing." "It sounds delightful," murmured the Queen. "Shall we try it?"

"Yes, do let's," said the little Princess, who was getting tired cf loast and marmalade.

'"Very well," said the King. "Tell the royal cook that in future we will have pease pudding for breakfast every morning." t So the message was sent down to the palace kitchen, and the cook set to work to find out how pease pudding should be made. All the morning she searched through the royal cookery books, until at last she found an old recipe, which said:

"Pease pudding may be served either hot or cold, and is sometimes better for having been kept in the pot for several days."

"I wonder," said the cook to herself, "whether it would be better to serve it hot or cold. His Majesty did not say." '"Hot, of course, in winter time," said Mixem,, the kitchen boy. "Who asked you?" snapped the cook, irritably, giving him a box on the eara. But all the same she took his advice, and the next morning on the royal breakfast table, there stood « pot of steaming pease pudding.

"Just look!" exclaimed the Queen, as she lifted the lid. Pease pudding hot! Whoever heard of such a thing? It ought to have been cold!"

"Nonsense," said the King, "Nobody wants a cold breakfast in winter time."

But the Queen would not be persuaded, and, ringing the bell, she gave orders that the pease pudding Was to be removed.

So away went the pudding, and the following morning it appeared on the royal breakfast table quite cold. This time it was the King who lifted the lid. "Hullo, what's this?" he shouted. "Whoever heard of pease pudding cold? It's quite absurd." "But, my dear," began the Queen, "it is far better than what we had yesterday." But the King would not be persuaded, and tugging the bell, he

ordered that the pease pudding should be taken away. But this time the cook was in despair. She sent it up hot and cold, alternately, but nothing could ple&se the royal family. Day after day the pudding was sent down, until at last, after a week, she could bear it no longer. "What am I to do?" she cried, bursting into tears. "I know I shall be disgraced."

"Leave it to me," said Mixem, with a grin. "I'll take it up tomorrow."

So when breakfast was served on the ninth morning, Mixem himself waited at table, and as the royal family took their places, he came forward carrying a tray on which stood three separate bowls. "Pease pudding hot," he said to the King, offering him v a bowl steaming hot from the oven. "Pease pudding cold," he added turning to the Queen with a smaller bowl of cold pudding. "And pease pudding in the pot. Nine days old," he finished, putting down the smallest bowl of all in front of the little Princess, which was neither hot nor cold, but just between the two. "Some like it hot," beamed tne King, nearly burning his mouth.

"Some like it cold," smiled the Queen, taking up her golden spoon. "And some like it in the pot, Nine days old," piped the little Princess, who had almost finished her pudding already. Mixem grinned when he heard this, for he knew that he had done his work well. Then, seeing that the royal family were really contented, he crept quietly .out of the breakfast room and hurried down to the kitchen to tell the cook what had happened. And when the cook heard the story, she was so delighted that she gave Mixem a golden coin all to himself.

So frcm that day onwards' there was peace in the palace, and as for Mixem's little rhyme, it soon became so famous that it has never been forgotten since.

ALL SMILING

Everyone was smiling And smiling all were they. And there was great rejoicing And singing on that day.

Two candles bright were shining On the birthday cake, It Vlad taken Lady Gay Two full hours to make.

Drawing by Adrienne Mounsey. Smith, A.8.H., Rangiora, Verses by Alleen Tomlinson, L.8.H., Brookslde.