HOW TO MAKE MOTHER PROMISE 55 
forget it. You must remind her of it from time to 
time (“ Remember, mother, you promised’’), and, 
especially, when you hear her talking about getting a 
new hat. And when you have made her promise 
about herself, then you must make her promise never 
to let you wear a hat of the sort (of course when you 
are grown-up and buy your own hats you never will), 
or your sisters either. And if you have a sister very 
much older than yourself who buys her own hats, 
then you can make /er promise too. Perhaps shat 
will be less easy, but she will do it in time if you tease 
‘her enough about it and want her to read the book. 
And then if you can get any other lady to promise, 
well, the more who do, the better chance there will be 
for the beautiful Great Bird of Paradise. Only you 
must make your mother promise first—that is the 
chief thing—and, to do it, you must tell her all about 
the wicked little demon, with his powders and his 
charm to send the Goddess of Pity to sleep. So now 
go to your mother, go at once, do not wait, or, if 
your mother is out anywhere, you must only wait till 
she comes home again. 
