The Dust Brothers were a very large and cheerful family, and they took tremendous pride in their way of life.
They had moved into a particular little house that suited them very well — some to the window sills, some behind the picture frames, some onto the mirrors (where they made it pleasantly difficult to see clearly, which the Dust Brothers found extremely satisfying). They were, as families go, quite content.
Their best friend, when they wanted to be noticed, was the sun. When he shone through the windows, all the floating, dancing members of the family became suddenly visible, and the lady of the house would see them and scold, and out came the brooms and dusters — and off the Dust Brothers would scatter, only to drift back again before long.
When they wanted to sleep undisturbed, their friends were the dark clouds and the rain, when the house went dim enough that nobody noticed them at all.
One bright morning, while the Dust Brothers were having a fine frolic, a group of gnomes came to call, with Peter Gnome at the front.
“I’ve never understood it,” said Peter Gnome. “Why do you choose homes where you know you’ll be swept out? Why not find somewhere permanent?”
The Dust Brothers were shocked into a near-silence.
“Oh, Peter,” they whispered. “You don’t understand us at all.”
They gathered themselves, and then explained very patiently.
“If we settle in one place and are never driven out, the whole family comes to join us — and then we’re packed like a hotel. Dreadful! We prefer many small homes to one enormous one. And as for the adventure of being chased — dear me, we wouldn’t give it up for anything. We get to tease the grown-ups with their brooms all day long. It’s a marvellous life.”
Then they turned to the sun. “Shine as hard as you can, so they’ll see us and try to sweep us away. Then we’ll be off for a scamper!”
The sun obliged. And as the gnomes left to visit their old friend Mr. Giant, they could still hear the Dust Brothers, small and gleeful, calling after them:
They drive us away, but we always come back —
We say Hurrah! while they say Alack!
