a shoemaker's bench, for he knew how to make shoes--and good ones, too.
Being a Wizard he knew that if he showed people he could do one thing
well, they would be the more ready to listen to his words. A fine,
comfortable shoe is a wonderful argument, so the Wizard set to work. The
dewy dawns found him at his bench, and when the air at evening was full
of heliotrope mists and homeward flying birds his little candle burned
yellow to light his labors.

Soon all the inhabitants had comfortable foot-wear, which put them all in
fine humor. Then the Wizard began to proclaim a great war and the coming
of King Theophile. He stood on the green, near the town-pump, and at
first only the geese listened to him, stretching out their long necks and
opening their red bills. But this did not discourage the Wizard, for he
knew that after geese come men.

[Illustration: THE WIZARD'S FIRST AUDIENCE]

"What's this! What's this!" cried the tailor who was the first to get the
message, "A war? I must run right home and polish up my old gun."

"Nay," said the Wizard. "But go home and kiss your wife--for you haven't
kissed her in five years."

"If she would comb her hair and look attractive I might kiss her,"
growled the tailor.

"If you'd buy her a ribbon occasionally," advised the Wizard, "she might
have the desire to make herself look pretty."

"What has all this to do with war?" inquired the tailor.