saidthemother;andshekissedtheshininglocks,anditsoundedlikemusicandsongintheroomofthedrummer;andtherewasjoy,andlife,anddrummerbeataroll-arollofjoy.andthedrumsaid-thefire-drum,thatwasbeatenwhentherewasafireinthetown:
"redhair!thelittlefellowhasredhair!believethedrum,andnotwhatyourmothersays!rub-adub,rub-adub!"
andthetownrepeatedwhatthefire-drumhadsaid.
theboywastakentochurch,theboywaschristened.therewasnothingmuchtobesaidabouthisname;hewascalledpeter.thewholetown,andthedrumtoo,calledhimpeterthedrummer'sboywiththeredhair;buthismotherkissedhisredhair,andcalledhimhergoldentreasure.
inthehollowwayintheclayeybank,manyhadscratchedtheirnamesasaremembrance.
"celebrityisalwayssomething!"saidthedrummer;andsohescratchedhisownnamethere,andhislittleson'snamelikewise.
andtheswallowscame.theyhad,ontheirlongjourney,seenmoredurablecharactersengravenonrocks,andonthewallsofthetemplesinhindostan,mightydeedsofgreatkings,immortalnames,sooldthatnoonenowcouldreadorspeakthem.remarkablecelebrity!
intheclayeybankthemartensbuilttheirnest.theyboredholesinthedeepdeclivity,andthesplashingrainandthethinmistcameandcrumbledandwashedthenamesaway,andthedrummer'snamealso,andthatofhislittleson.
"peter'snamewilllastafullyearandahalflonger!"saidthefather.
"fool!"thoughtthefire-drum;butitonlysaid,"dub,dub,dub,rub-a-dub!"
hewasaboyfulloflifeandgladness,thisdrummer'ssonwiththeredhair.hehadalovelyvoice.hecouldsing,andhesanglikeabirdinthewoodland.therewasmelody,andyetnomelody.
"hemustbecomeachoristerboy,"saidhismother."heshallsinginthechurch,andstandamongthebeautifulgildedangelswhoarelikehim!"
"fierycat!"saidsomeofthewittyonesofthetown.
thedrumheardthatfromtheneighbors'wives.
"don'tgohome,peter,"criedthestreetboys."ifyousleepinthegarret,there'llbeafireinthehouse,andthefire-drumwillhavetobebeaten."
"lookoutforthedrumsticks,"repliedpeter;and,smallashewas,heranupboldly,andgavetheforemostsuchapunchinthebodywithhisfist,thatthefellowlosthislegsandtumbledover,andtheotherstooktheirlegsoffwiththemselvesveryrapidly.
thetownmusicianwasverygenteelandfine.hewasthesonoftheroyalplate-washer.hewasveryfondofpeter,andwouldsometimestakehimtohishome;andhegavehimaviolin,andtaughthimtoplayit.itseemedasifthewholeartlayintheboy'sfingers;andhewantedtobemorethanadrummer-hewantedtobecomemusiciantothetown.
"i'llbeasoldier,"saidpeter;forhewasstillquitealittlelad,anditseemedtohimthefinestthingintheworldtocarryagun,andtobeabletomarchone,two-one,two,andtowearauniformandasword.
"ah,youlearntolongforthedrum-skin,drum,dum,dum!"saidthedrum.
"yes,ifhecouldonlymarchhiswayuptobeageneral!"observedhisfather;"butbeforehecandothat,theremustbewar."
"heavenforbid!"saidhismother.
"wehavenothingtolose,"remarkedthefather.
"yes,wehavemyboy,"sheretorted.
"butsupposehecamebackageneral!"saidthefather.
"withoutarmsandlegs!"criedthemother."no,iwouldratherkeepmygoldentreasurewithme."
"drum,dum,dum!"