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houghtful study and studious thought. What he didn't know about wizardry was hardly worthknowing, for he possessed all the books and recipes of all the wizards who had lived before him;and, moreover, he had invented several wizardments himself.This admirable person would have been completely happy but for the numerous interruptions tohis studies caused by folk who came to consult him about their troubles (in which he was notinterested), and by the loud knocks of the iceman, the milkman, the baker's boy, the laundryman andthe peanut woman. He never dealt with any of these people; but they rapped at his door every day tosee him about this or that or to try to sell him their wares. Just when he was most deeply interestedin his books or engaged in watching the bubbling of a cauldron there would come a knock at hisdoor. And after sending the intruder away he always found he had lost his train of thought or ruinedhis compound.At length these interruptions aroused his anger, and he decided he must have a dog to keeppeople away from his door. He didn't know where to find a dog, but in the next room lived a poorglass-blower with whom he had a slight acquaintance; so he went into the man's apartment andasked: "Where can I find a dog?""What sort of a dog?" inquired the glass-blower."A good dog. One that will bark at people and drive them away. One that will be no trouble tokeep and won't expect to be fed. One that has no fleas and is neat in his habits. One that will obeyme when I speak to him. In short, a good dog," said the wizard."Such a dog is hard to find," returned the glass-blower, who was busy making a blue glass flowerpot with a pink glass rosebush in it, having green glass leaves and yellow glass roses.