Strange Yarns

The Doll and The Pig Nosed Girl

The Doll and The Pig Nosed Girl

Through the glass panes of Mulligan and Rides Toys and Other Fancies, the doll's button eyes watched with wonder at the outside world's comings and goings. Passing horse-drawn carriages, old crones, beggars, children, lovers, and businessmen smoking cigars. The doll was pleased with her view of the street; after all, she could be in the position of the doll behind her with nothing to look at but the stitched brown strings of hair on the back of her head.

The doll often wondered who would buy her, for it could be anyone. She hoped it would be a little girl who would play tea and throw wonderful parties with all of her other toys. She dared not even imagine a doll collector who would encase her for eternity in some showcase. No, the doll wanted to be swung around, dressed up, played with and loved. Maybe I won't be bought at all. This unhappy thought went in and out of her cotton stuffed head as she felt hands grasp her and lift her from the window.

The doll spent the rest of the afternoon wrapped in tissue paper, being jostled about on her way to her new home. The doll wished she could fix her dress and primp her hair so that she might look as smart as possible for her new owner, but of course, as she was a doll, she knew such things were impossible.

 As the red tissue paper was ripped open, lamplight fell onto the doll's button eyes. The torn tissue paper revealed a chubby face with a missing front tooth, rosy fat cheeks, and bright blond hair that curled like big ol' twisters that descended from a pink bow like octopus tentacles.

 "Papa!" The fat little girl squealed as she dropped her new present to the ground. The doll's face hit the wooden planks of the floor. She heard her chubby new friend cheer, "Oh Papa, thank you, I love it, Papa."

 The doll was lifted from the floor and squeezed in a tight embrace, then twirled around and finally thrown onto a mountain of other toys on a plush sofa.

 The doll saw that she was in a great room with many people gathered around. The fat little girl in the puffy white dress attacked another present. For She's a Jolly Good Lady was sung, cake was devoured, and finally, the satisfied and stuffed guests (Children filled with treats and adults marinated with brandy) had all left.

 "Can I sleep with my presents tonight Papa?" She pleaded, getting down on all chubby fours "Oh, please." She oinked. Her father told her that she could choose one toy, the rest she could play with in the morning.

 The girl paced back and forth like a drill sergeant about to pick a private to assume the worst detail. She lurched forward and grabbed the little stringy-haired button-eyed doll by the arm and headed up the grand staircase, hitting the doll's head on every step. The doll didn't mind though, she was chosen, she felt loved.

That night the round little girl hugged the doll tightly in her warm embrace under the duvet and whispered that her name was to be Lillian and that she would be loved forever. The doll believed her and that night considered herself the luckiest toy that ever was. That warm embrace was heaven. This was the way it would be for always.

 The next morning the fat little girl sat Lillian beside her on the kitchen table as Hector, the head of the house, prepared breakfast. When eggs and bacon weren't delivered to the doll, the fat little girl scolded Hector for being a terrible butler. Her father and mother laughed, and Hector spread politeness over his contempt and said, "Very good Miss Emily." The doll sat proudly beside her friend and wondered what the day held for her.

 That glorious day did not let the doll down, not one bit. There was a tea party with the other dolls as she had always hoped. During the affair, she felt as though she was favored above the other toys. This filled the doll with joy, but she also felt pity for the others who would spend the night in a chest and not in the luxurious bed gripped tightly by Emily. Later in the afternoon Emily went down to the river and splashed her sausage legs in the mud while the doll watched from her button eyes on a grassy patch. Later, Emily sat with her doll on the staircase and watched Hector clean the muddy footprints from the floor on hands and knees. Finally, the doll joined the wonderful family for dinner, followed by a story by the fire from Father, then off to bed.