obbling along, with a bundle on his
back, was the only funny thing in the procession, and made much talk
among bystanders on the road.

This is the order and the way they looked. First there went out, far
ahead, a plump, tall Mantis, with a great long baton of grass, which he
swung to and fro before him, from right to left, (like a drum-major),
crying out: "_Shitaniro_, down on your knees! Get down with you!" Whereat
all the ants, bugs and lizards at once bent their forelegs, and the
toads, which were already squatting, bobbed their noses in the dust. Even
the mud-turtles poked their heads out of the water to see what was going
on. All the worms and grubs who lived up in trees or tall bushes had to
come down to the ground. It was forbidden to any insect to remain on a
high stalk of grass, lest he might look down on His Highness. Even the
Inch-worm had to wind himself up and stop measuring his length, while the
line was passing. And in case of grubs or moths in the nest or cocoon,
too young to crawl out, the law compelled their parents to cover them
over with a leaf. It would be an insult to Lord Long-legs to look down on
him. Next followed two lantern-bearers, holding glow-worms for lanterns
in their fore-paws. These were wrapped in cases made of leaves, which
they took off at night. Behind were six fire-flies, well supplied with
self-acting lamps, which they kept hidden somewhere under their wings.
Next marched four abreast the band of little weevils, carrying the
umbrellas of state, which were morning-glories--some open, some shut.
Behind them strutted four green grasshoppers, who were spear-bearers,
carrying pink blossoms. Just before the palanquin were two tall dandies,
high lords themselves and of gigantic stature and imposing bellies, who,
with arms akimbo and feelers far up in the air, bore aloft high over all
the insignia of their Lord Long-legs. All these fellows strutted along on
their hind legs, their backs as stiff as a hemp stalk, their noses
pointing to the stars, and their legs striding like stilts. The priest in
his robes, a praying beetle, who was chaplain, walked on solemnly.

Meanwhile a great crowd of spectators lined the path; but all were on
their knees. Frogs and toads blinked out of the sides of their heads. The
pretty red lizards glided out, to see the splendid show; worms stopped
crawling; and all kinds of bugs ceased climbing, and came down from the
grass and flower-stalks, to bow humbly befor