Dowanto

It was a cloudy day when Mr. Jack called on Ethel, and, as they feared it might rain, they did not go out to walk, as they had intended, but stayed in the library. Mr. Jack is showing Ethel a card trick, and she is trying to find out how it is done. When it began to sprinkle, the Goops came into the house and began to watch Mr. Jack.

Askalotte, with her bell, is sitting by Ethel, but today she is behaving very well and is quite still. Infinga has his bottle, as usual, and you can see how dirty his fingers are, but Ethel is so much interested in Mr. Jack that she does not notice how untidy that little Goop is, as he always behaves so nicely.

When Dowanto came in, Ethel asked him to put his kite away in the closet, and he scowled and said, "I don't want to!" When she told him to sit on a chair and watch Mr. Jack quietly, he said, "I don't want to!" When she said he must go to the nursery, he cried and screamed, "I don't want to!"

Dowanto has just found a card on the floor; Ethel is asking him to give it to Mr. Jack, and Dowanto is saying, "I don't want to!" Mr. Jack is very tired of hearing this ill-bred speech, but as he is very fond of Ethel, he does not say a word.

It ended by Ethel's having to stop and send all the Goops upstairs. Askalotte and Inkfinga went laughing, but Dowanto stamped his foot on the floor and cried, "I don't want to go!"
"Oh Dowanto!" Ethel said,

"Are you a Goop?"

Dowanto, so his Parents said,

Just simply Loved to Go to Bed;

He was as Quiet as could Be

Whenever there was Company;

But Still, he often had a Way

Of Grumbling when he should Obey.


(This Goop is called Dowanto because when his parents ask him to do anything, he says, "I don't want to!")