pudding in her hand. You think I ought to be helped next? All right;
we'll keep strictly to the rules, and I'll set this aside for myself,
while I help the others. She helps another plateful. This is for you
James, she says to Father, and passes it along. And Grandmother,
she says, this is for you. She hands a plateful of pudding to
Grandmother.

Grandfather, here is yours last of all, because you are the oldest of
us, MOTHER says, and starts the last plateful of pudding on its way
to Grandfather.

Suddenly FATHER, who has been eating some of his pudding,
exclaims, Here's something new. You never put nuts in the plum
pudding before, Mary.

Nuts? says MOTHER, very much surprised, There aren't any nuts in
the pudding.

But, indeed there are, FATHER insists, I've just eaten one.

And so have I, adds GRANDMOTHER.

And here is another one, declares GRANDFATHER, and he holds it up
in his spoon. It's a hazel nut, he says, and puts it into his
mouth.

Why, I don't understand it all, exclaims MOTHER. I didn't put any
hazel nuts in the plum pudding. Who ever heard of such a thing!
Children, have you found any in yours?