A large rose tree stood at the entrance to the garden. Although the roses growing on it were white, three Shy Guys, coloured white, red, and pink, were busily painting them red and singing:
"We're painting the roses red!
We're painting the roses red!
We dare not stop
Or waste a drop…
So let the paint be spread!
We're painting the roses red!
We're painting the roses red!
We're painting the roses red!
And many a tear we've shed,
Because we know
They'll cease to grow.
In fact, they'll soon be dead!
And yet we go ahead…
Just painting the roses red!
We're painting the roses red!
We're painting the roses red!"
Then Peach chimed in, singing her lovely soprano:
"Why, pardon me,
But Mister Three,
Why must you paint them red?"
"You see, Miss," said the Red Shy Guy, "this was supposed to be a red rose tree, and we planted a white one by mistake; so…
The Queen she likes them red.
If she saw white instead,
She'd raise a fuss,
And each of us
Would quickly lose his head!
Since this is the part we dread,
We're painting the roses red!"
And the three Shy Guys sang again in unison:
"We're painting the roses red!
We're painting the roses red!
Don't tell the Queen
What you have seen
Or say that's what we said.
We're painting the roses red,
Yes, painting the roses red!
Not pink, not green!"
"Not aquamarine!" said Peach, and together the three Shy Guys finished the song:
"We're painting the roses red!"
After this Peach heard a loud fanfare – "And to think it was the William Tell Overture," she thought – and the White Shy Guy shouted, "The Queen! The Queen!" and, as they closed their masks and fell on the ground, their backs facing up, Peach looked round, eager to see the Queen.
First came ten Shy Guys, like the three gardeners, but carrying clubs; next followed ten Snifits, ornamented with diamonds, and walking in pairs like the Shy Guys. After these came ten little Koopa Troopas adorned with hearts. Next came the guests, among them the White Rabbit; then followed the Knave of Koopas, carrying the King's crown on a crimson velvet cushion; and, last of all this grand procession, came THE KING AND QUEEN OF KOOPAS.
Peach was rather doubtful whether she ought not to lie down on her face like the three gardeners, but she could not remember ever having heard of such a rule at processions; "and besides, what would be the use of a procession," thought she, "if people had all to lie down upon their faces, so that they couldn't see it?" So she stood still where she was, and waited.
When the procession came opposite to Peach, they all stopped and looked at her, and the Queen asked, "What's your name, child?"
"My name is Peach, so please your Majesty," said Peach very politely.
"And who are these?" said the Queen, pointing to the three gardeners who were lying round the rose tree, for she could not tell whether they were gardeners or soldiers.
"How should I know?" said Peach, surprised at her own courage. "It's no business of mine."
The Queen turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her for a moment like a wild beast, screamed "Off with her head! Off–"
"Nonsense!" said Peach, very loudly and decidedly, and the Queen was silent.
The King laid his hand upon her arm, and timidly said "Consider, my dear; she is only a child!"
The Queen turned angrily away from him, and said to the Knave, "Turn them over!"
The Knave did so, very carefully, with one foot.
"Get up!" said the Queen, in a shrill, loud voice, and the three gardeners instantly jumped up. "What have you been doing here?"
"May it please your Majesty," said the Red Shy Guy, in a very humble tone, going down on one knee as he spoke, "we were trying–"
"I see!" said the Queen, who had meanwhile been examining the roses. "You've given the cook tulip-roots instead of turnips. Now you've painted my roses red. Off with their heads!" and the procession moved on, three of the soldiers remaining behind to execute the unfortunate gardeners and dragging them to their doom as the Queen Turned to Peach.
"Can you play croquet?" shouted the Queen.
"Yes!" shouted Peach.
"Come on, then!" roared the Queen, and Peach joined the procession, wondering very much what would happen next.
"It's – it's a very fine day!" said a timid voice at her side. She was walking by the White Rabbit, who was peeping anxiously into her face.
"Very," said Peach.
"Get to your places!" shouted the Queen in a voice of thunder. Peach thought she had never seen such a curious croquet-ground in her life; the balls were live Buzzy Beetles, the mallets live Albatosses, and the Koopas had to double themselves up and to stand on their hands and feet to make the arches.
Peach found problems in managing her Albatoss and hitting her Buzzy Beetle, and soon came to the conclusion that it was a very difficult game indeed. The Queen went stamping about, and shouting "Off with his head!" or "Off with her head!" about once in a minute.
Peach began to feel very uneasy; to be sure, she had not as yet had any dispute with the Queen, but she knew that it might happen any minute. "And then," thought she, "what would become of me?"
She was looking about for some way of escape, and wondering whether she could get away without being seen, when she noticed a curious appearance in the air. It puzzled her very much at first, but, after watching it a minute or two, she made it out to be a grin, and she said to herself "It's the Cheshire-Yoshi! Now I shall have somebody to talk to."
"How are you getting on?" said the Cheshire-Yoshi, as soon as there was enough of a mouth for it to speak with.
Peach waited till the eyes appeared, and then nodded. "It's no use speaking to it," she thought, "till its body has come, or at least some of it." In another minute the whole head appeared, and then Peach put down her Albatoss, and began an account of the game, feeling very glad she had someone to listen to her. The Cheshire-Yoshi seemed to think that there was enough of it now in sight, and no more of it appeared.
"I don't think they play at all fairly," Peach began, in rather a complaining tone, "and they don't seem to have any rules in particular; at least, if there are, nobody attends to them."
"How do you like the Queen?" said the Cheshire-Yoshi in a low voice.
"Not at all," said Peach. "She's so extremely likely to win that it's hardly worth while finishing the game."
"Who are you talking to?" said the King, going up to Peach, and looking at the Cheshire-Yoshi's head with great curiosity.
"It's a friend of mine, the Cheshire-Yoshi," said Peach.
"I don't like the look of it at all," said the King, "but it may kiss my hand if it likes."
"I'd rather not," the Cheshire-Yoshi remarked.
"Don't be impertinent," said the King, "and don't look at me like that!" He got behind Peach as he spoke.
When the Queen appeared, the Cheshire-Yoshi's head began fading away, and after a few seconds it had entirely disappeared, so the party went back to the game, when a cry of "The trial's beginning!" was heard in the distance.
"What trial is it?" Peach panted as she ran; but she was soon to find out.