diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/14127.txt | 3344 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/14127.zip | bin | 0 -> 45779 bytes |
2 files changed, 3344 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/14127.txt b/old/14127.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5b9bfbc --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14127.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3344 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Kindergarten Story Book, by Jane L. Hoxie + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Kindergarten Story Book + +Author: Jane L. Hoxie + +Release Date: November 22, 2004 [EBook #14127] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A KINDERGARTEN STORY BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + +A KINDERGARTEN STORY BOOK + +By JANE L. HOXIE + + + + + +TENTH EDITION + + + + + +PUBLISHED BY + +MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY + +SPRINGFIELD, MASS. + +NEW YORK BOSTON PHILADELPHIA + +ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO + + +1916 + + + + +COPYRIGHT, 1966 + +BY MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY + +SPRINGFIELD, MASS. + + + + +TO MY FATHER + + whose evening story-hour + is the happiest memory of my childhood + this little volume + is affectionately inscribed + + + + +INTRODUCTORY NOTE. + +A number of the stories in this little book have been told to thousands +of children in the kindergartens of Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, +Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburg, and other cities. The delight with +which they have everywhere been listened to is an assurance of their +appeal to child thought and sympathy. I know no equally simple, +varied, and interesting collection of stories for children between the +ages of four and six; and I earnestly hope that A KINDERGARTEN STORY +BOOK may rapidly win the popularity it merits. + +SUSAN E. BLOW. + + + + +PREFACE. + +It is the author's aim in this collection to furnish stories for the +child that shall be short, simple in form and familiar in subject, that +shall contain much repetition, rhythm, dramatic possibility, +alliteration, and also onomatopoetical and imaginative qualities, all +of which the young child craves in the literature which is presented to +him. The writer has striven to avoid elaborate introductions, long and +intricate descriptions, and all those characteristics from which the +child instinctively turns. + +The matter here presented naturally falls under three heads: first, +original stories; secondly, favorite childhood stories rewritten; +thirdly, adaptations of popular tales. + +Nearly all of the purely original stories are based upon some of the +more vital motifs to be found in the best of our fairy lore. + +Of the favorite childhood stories, "Billy Bobtail" is evidently founded +upon "The Bremen Town-Musicians"; and, as it is given here, it is an +adaptation of a story heard frequently during the writer's childhood. +It will readily be seen that "Kid Would Not Go" is only another form of +"The Old Woman and Her Pig," and that "Fox Lox" is identical with the +tale of "Chicken Little." "The Wee, Wee Woman" is supposedly an +adaptation of the old English story of "Teeny Weeny." It is given here +in the form in which it was told to the author by a friend. "The +Little Long Tail" will be recognized by many as a prime favorite of +their early childhood. + +In the three stories from Grimm it has been the aim to simplify, to +shorten, and to eliminate all objectionable qualities; as, for +instance, the cruel step-mother element to be found in the original +Cinderella. + +The two stories from Mrs. Ewing and the adaptation of Saintine's +"Picciola" have proved fascinating to the childish audiences to which +they have been presented. + +Simplicity of form and language makes it possible for the teacher not +only to tell the stories contained in this collection, but also to read +them to the children, with good effect. Some of the tales, notably the +favorite childhood stories rewritten, may be placed in the hands of the +children themselves, to be used in the primary grades as supplementary +reading material. + +This little volume is the result of several years of practical +experience, and it is hoped that it will prove a valuable addition to +the story repertoire of kindergartners and primary teachers. + +J.L.H. + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. + +ORIGINAL STORIES. + + DUNNY + LUDWIG AND MARLEEN + FROGGY'S ADVENTURE + WHAT HAPPENED ON THE ROAD TO GRANDFATHER GOODFIELD'S + THE LOST COMB + THE TOPSY STORIES-- + I. The Coming of Topsy + II. How Topsy Kept Warm + III. How Topsy Mothered Her Neighbor's Kittens + IV. Topsy's Hiding Place + V. Topsy's Babies + ETHEL'S FRIENDS + + + +REWRITTEN STORIES + + BILLY BOBTAIL + KID WOULD NOT GO + FOX LOX + THE WEE, WEE WOMAN + THE LITTLE LONG TAIL + + + +ADAPTED STORIES + + THE BROWNIES + THE FAIRY SHOES + PICCIOLA + CINDERELLA + THE HUT IN THE FOREST + THE SLEEPING PRINCESS + + + + +DUNNY. + +Once there were three children, three brothers, who played together in +the sunshine about their father's door. Now the youngest of them all +was not as large and strong as his brothers; and for that reason they +often teased him, saying: "You are not as tall as we. You cannot run +as fast. See! we can jump farther and swing higher than you." If ever +they wrestled together, the youngest was the first to be thrown to the +ground; and no matter what he tried to do, the others always laughed, +and called out: "Oh! you are so stupid. That is not the way. Let me +show you how, you dunny!" So after a while they called him nothing but +Dunny. + +One day a traveler, with a wonderful pony, stopped at the door of the +cottage. His little animal not only could perform all manner of +curious tricks, but he was the most gentle little beast in the whole +world and, withal, as sleek and pretty a creature as one could wish to +see. + +The three brothers were wild with delight at the pony's antics, and +gave their father no peace until at last he consented to buy the little +animal. At first they were very happy with their new play-fellow, but +soon they quarreled. + +"He is my pony!" said the eldest. + +"He is not!" said Dunny. + +"Father bought him for me,", said the second brother, "and neither of +you shall play with him at all!" + +"It is not so! He is all mine!" said the first, as he caught the +little beast by the rein and tried to drag him away. + +But his brother snatched the bridle also. "You shall not have him!" he +cried. + +"Boys! boys! What does this mean?" said their father. "Why are you +quarreling? The pony belongs to all three." + +But the boys would not have it so; and, at last, the father said: "He +shall be given to the one of you who will bring this basket to me +filled full with the water of yonder pond." Now the basket was very +old and full of holes, but the three brothers eagerly consented to the +plan. + +"You shall be the first to try your luck," said the father, placing the +basket in the hands of his eldest son. As the boy walked quickly +toward the pond, a little bird hopped along the path in front of him, +and in a sweet voice sang:-- + + "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay,[*] + And carry a basketful away." + +[*]From an old folk tale. + +The boy did not know what the bird was saying. "Out of my path, you +stupid creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. But the little +bird flew away into the forest, where he was quite safe. When at last +the boy reached the pond, there sat a great green frog who croaked in a +great hoarse voice:-- + + "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, + And carry a basketful away." + +But the boy did not know what the frog was saying. "Out of my way, you +ugly creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. The great frog +jumped back into the water, where he was quite safe. The eldest boy +covered the bottom of the basket with sand, thinking that that would +keep the water from running out; then he filled it to the very brim. +But, though he ran all the way home, not a single drop of water was +left inside the basket when he reached his father. + +Then it was the second son's turn. As he walked quickly toward the +pond, the same little bird hopped along the path in front of him, and +in the same sweet voice sang:-- + + "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, + And carry a basketful away." + +The boy did not know what the bird was saying. "Out of my path, you +stupid creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. But the little +bird flew away into the forest, where he was quite safe. When at last +the boy reached the pond, there sat the same great green frog who +croaked in the same great hoarse voice:-- + + "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, + And carry a basketful away." + +But the boy did not know what the frog was saying. "Out of my way, you +ugly creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. The great frog +jumped back into the water, where he was quite safe. The second boy +covered the bottom of the basket with leaves, thinking that they would +keep the water from running out; then he filled it to the very brim. +But, though he too ran all the way home, not a single drop of water was +left inside the basket when he reached his father. + +Now, at last, it was Dunny's turn; but the two elder brothers teased +him, saying, "Of what use is it for such a stupid as you to try, when +we, who are so much more clever than you, have failed?" + +As Dunny walked quickly toward the pond, the same little bird hopped +along the path in front of him, and in the same sweet voice sang:-- + + "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, + And carry a basketful away." + +Now Dunny was very fond of all the wild creatures of the woods and +fields, and often spent long hours in their company; and he knew what +the little bird was saying. And he was never happier than when playing +with the frogs and fishes in the pond; so when the great green frog, in +his great hoarse voice, croaked:-- + + "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, + And carry a basketful away." + +Dunny knew what he was saying, and, gathering moss and clay from the +bank of the pond, he carefully stopped all the holes and cracks in the +basket. Then filling it with water to the very brim, he carried it +safely home to his father and did not lose even a single drop. So the +pony was given to him, and his brothers never called him Dunny again. + + + + +LUDWIG AND MARLEEN. + +"Help me out! Help me out, little Ludwig!" cried a great red fox, +caught fast in a trap in the woods. "Help me out, and it shall be well +with you!" Now Ludwig loved the wild creatures of the forest; he was +their friend and playmate, their sorrows were his own; so, stepping to +the trap, he pressed the spring, and the fox was free. When, however, +the poor beast tried to limp away, so great was the pain in his foot +that he was forced to lie down instead. Seeing this, Ludwig ran to a +spring near by and, dipping his handkerchief into the clear cool water, +tenderly bound up the bruised and swollen foot. + +"You have been very kind, my little friend," said the fox. "You have +saved my life. If you have a wish, tell me what it is and it shall be +granted." + +"Oh, as to that," said Ludwig, "I wish my little pail here were full of +berries, for my sister and I are very hungry." Hardly had he spoken +when his pail, which before had been quite empty, became full to the +very brim with great delicious strawberries. Ludwig ran swiftly home +to the little brown hut where he and his sister lived quite alone on +the edge of the forest. + +"See, sister dear," he called, "what a fine breakfast I have brought." + +"I am glad, brother," said Marleen, "for I am very hungry; but where +did you find so many berries in so short a time, and such delicious +ones, too?" + +Then Ludwig told his sister all about the fox, and how he had wished +for the berries. + +"Was I not wise, dear sister, to get such a good breakfast for us with +so little trouble?" + +But Marleen was not satisfied, and cried: + +"Foolish boy! It was no ordinary fox whose foot you pulled out of the +trap. If he could fill your pail with berries, just for the asking, he +could do far greater things. You should have wished for something +better. Go back into the forest, find the fox, and tell him that our +cupboard must be always full of food whenever we are hungry." + +"Be satisfied, dear sister," said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we +are. When we are again hungry I will go and find food in the forest as +I have always done before." + +"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as I +tell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again into +the forest. + +"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig coming +toward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?" + +"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the pail of berries," said +Ludwig. + +"What would she, little brother?" + +"That our cupboard should be always full whenever we are hungry." + +"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes," said the fox. + +Now, after this, whenever brother or sister were hungry, they found +plenty of food just to their liking in the cupboard; and, as Ludwig had +no longer to seek for nuts and berries in the forest, he could play all +day long with his sister, and they were very happy because they were +never separated. But after a time Marleen refused to play, and sat +moping on the doorstone. "Why are you so troubled, sister? Come, let +us play in the sunshine," said the boy. + +"Why should I be happy?" said Marleen. "Why should I play? We have no +toys, only ugly sticks and stones for playthings. If you will go to +the fox and get a beautiful doll, then I will play." + +"Be satisfied, dear sister," said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we +are." + +"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as I +tell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again into +the forest. + +"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig coming +toward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?" + +"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the food always in the cupboard." + +"What would she, little brother?" + +"She would have a beautiful doll all dressed in shining silk." + +"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes," said the fox. + +Now Marleen was quite happy for a few days; but soon she grew tired of +the doll and again refused to play. "I, too, must have a fine silk +dress to wear," said she. "Go to the fox, brother, and get it for me." + +"Be satisfied, dear sister," said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we +are. Your dress is warm and fine enough." + +"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as I +tell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again into +the forest. + +"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig coming +toward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?" + +"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the doll." + +"What would she, little brother?" + +"She would have for herself a dress of shining silk." + +"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes," said the fox. + +But only for a time was Marleen content with the beautiful dress. "I +will stay no longer in this smoky old hut," said she. "Go, brother, +and ask the fox for a fine house to live in. He can give us one if he +will." + +"Be satisfied, dear sister," said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we +are." + +"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen, "You must do as I tell +you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again into the +forest. + +"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig coming +toward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?" + +"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the dress," said Ludwig. + +"What would she, little brother?" + +"A fine house in place of our poor old hut." + +"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes," said the fox. + +Soon Marleen wearied also of the stately house in which they now lived. +"I am tired to death of this old doll and this empty house and this +poor dress," she said. "I must have something to amuse me. Go, +brother, to the fox and tell him that I must have one of every kind of +toy in the whole world, and quickly, too." + +"Be satisfied, dear sister," said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we +are." + +"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as I +tell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again into +the forest. + +"How now, little brother!" said the fox when he saw Ludwig coming +toward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?" + +"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the house." + +"What would she, little brother?" + +"One of every kind of toy in the whole world." + +"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes," said the fox. + +Now there were so many of the toys that they filled the whole house, +and it took days and days just to look at them. At last, however, +Marleen had seen and touched every one, and she cried: + +"These things are dull and stupid. I must have something to amuse me. +Go, brother, and tell the fox that these toys are all ugly and useless; +but that there is one thing that I would like above all else, one thing +that would make me quite happy. Tell him I must have the great silvery +ball that hangs at night above us in the sky," + +"Be satisfied, dear sister," said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we +are." + +"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as I +tell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again into +the forest. + +"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig coming +toward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?" + +"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the toys." + +"What would she, little brother?" + +"That the great silvery moon that hangs high in the heavens at night +should be her plaything." + +Very slowly the fox answered:-- + +"Go, little brother, it shall NOT be as she wishes." + +Now when Ludwig reached home once more, in place of the stately house, +there stood their little old hut again. Marleen sat weeping in the +doorway, her fine silk dress was gone, her beautiful doll was nowhere +to be seen, all the lovely toys had vanished. + +"Do not cry, dear sister," said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we are. +Come, let us have supper, for I am very hungry." But alas, when they +went to the cupboard it was quite empty; and ever afterwards, when they +were hungry, Ludwig and Marleen were forced to seek for nuts and +berries in the forest. The great silvery moon still looked down upon +their little hut at night; but though Ludwig sought through the whole +forest, far and wide, he never saw his friend the fox again. + + + + +FROGGY'S ADVENTURE. + +"Knee-deep! Knee-deep! Knee-deep!" came a shrill cry from the middle +of the pond. + +"Better-go-round! Better-go-round! Better-go-round!" croaked a hoarse +voice from the bank. + +Now all the little frogs, when they heard their mother call, turned +back, and, swimming far around the deep place, got safely to the shore. + +Did I say all? No, one little frog failed to hear his mother's voice +and, piping in his little shrill tone: "Who's afraid! Who's afraid! +Who's afraid!" he swam straight on. Suddenly one of his hind legs got +tangled among the weeds at the bottom of the pond; and, though he +pulled and jerked with all his little might, he could not free himself. +At last, after a long struggle, he gave it up and called loudly: +"Help-me-out! Help-me-out! Help-me-out!" + +The other frogs heard and came swimming all about,--little and big, +young and old; but when they saw poor Froggy caught fast, instead of +trying to free him, they began peeping and croaking and "kerchugging," +until such a noise went up from the pond as was never heard before. + +The little frogs all sat around in a little circle, crying in their +little shrill voices: "Oh-he'll-die! Oh-he'll-die! Oh-he'll-die!" + +And the great frogs all sat around in a great circle, croaking in their +great hoarse voices: "Oh-he'll-drown! Oh-he'll-drown! Oh-he'll-drown!" + +"Help! Help! Help!" shrieked the little frogs in their little shrill +voices. + +"Help! Help! Help!" croaked the great frogs in their great hoarse +voices. + +The little frogs sobbed and moaned, and wiped the tears from their +little bulgy eyes with their little, flat, green hands; the great frogs +sobbed and moaned, and wiped the tears from their great bulgy eyes with +their great, flat, green hands. Altogether they raised such a noise +and commotion that every creature in the pond poked his nose from his +house and came out to see what could be the matter. + +At last a great, friendly fish, who, with his wife and children, was +summering in a quiet corner of the pond, swam up to find what all the +noise was about. When he saw poor Froggy struggling to free himself +(feebly now, for his strength was nearly gone) with all his friends and +relations sitting by, sobbing and moaning and croaking, but not trying +to help him out at all, the fish flew into a terrible rage, and, +lashing the water all around into a white foam with his great tail, he +cried: + +"Pull him out! Pull him out!" + +But the little frogs only wiped the tears from their little bulgy eyes +with their little, flat, green hands and went on with their piping: +"Oh-he'll-die! Oh-he'll-die! Oh-he'll-die!" + +The great frogs only wiped the tears from their great bulgy eyes with +their great, flat, green hands and went on with their croaking: +"Oh-he'll-drown! Oh-he'll-drown! Oh-he'll-drown!" + +"You stupids!" cried the great fish; and, pushing the little frogs and +the big frogs all to the right and left with his huge body, he swam to +little drowning Froggy, seized the poor little fellow in his big mouth +and carried him safely to his home by the shore. There the great fish +left Froggy, to be cuddled by his silly brothers and to be crooned over +by his good but stupid mother. + + + + +WHAT HAPPENED ON THE ROAD TO GRANDFATHER GOODFIELD'S. + +"Oh, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder," said Alice, as she trudged along +the dusty road, a bright tin pail held tightly in her hand. "Why do +you wonder, little maid?" said a deep, deep voice. On looking up, +Alice saw close beside her a great tawny lion. At first she was +afraid, but the great beast looking kindly upon her, placed his great +paw softly on her arm and once more said, "why do you wonder, Alice?" + +"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mamma +has promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely to +Grandfather Goodfield, who lives under the hill by the great dark +forest yonder, but oh! it has grown so heavy, and my feet have grown so +tired. I must go quickly and I must not even peep inside. Just +listen! such a funny noise." Alice held the pail close to the great +lion's ear,--"Buzz z z z z z z" came a muffled sound. "Oh, I wonder +what can be inside!" she said. + +"Do not wonder, little maid," said the great lion, "but hurry thy +little feet as thy mother hath bidden thee, else the sun will be in his +bed ere thy journey be ended, and thy little bed will be empty and thy +mother's heart will be heavy with watching." + +So Alice hastened on. Soon again her little feet were lagging; and +once more her eyes turned curiously upon the pail she carried and again +she said, "Oh, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder." "Why do you wonder, +little maid?" said a deep, gruff voice. On looking up once more Alice +saw close beside her, not her friend the tawny lion, but a shaggy black +bear. At first she was afraid; but the great beast, looking kindly +upon her, placed his great paw softly on her arm and once more said, +"Why do you wonder, Alice?" + +"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mamma +has promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely to +Grandfather Goodfield, who lives under the hill by the great dark +forest yonder, but oh! it has grown so heavy, and my feet have grown so +tired. I must go quickly, and I must not even peep inside. Just +listen! such a funny noise." Alice held the pail close to the great +bear's ear,--"Buzz z z z z z z z" came a muffled sound. "Oh, I wonder +what can be inside!" she said. + +"Do not wonder, little maid," said the great bear, "but hurry thy +little feet as thy mother hath bidden thee, else the sun will be in his +bed ere thy journey be ended, and thy little bed will be empty and thy +mother's heart will be heavy with watching." + +So Alice hastened on. Soon again her feet were lagging and once more +her eyes turned curiously upon the pail she carried and again she said, +"Oh, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder." "Why do you wonder, little maid?" +said a harsh strong voice. On looking up, Alice saw close beside her, +not her friend the shaggy bear, but a gaunt gray wolf. At first she +was afraid, but the great beast, looking kindly upon her, placed his +great paw softly on her arm and once more said, "Why do you wonder, +Alice?" + +"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mamma +has promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely to +Grandfather Goodfield, who lives under the hill by the great dark +forest yonder, but oh! it has grown so heavy and my feet have grown so +tired. I must go quickly and I must not even peep inside. Just +listen! such a funny noise." Alice held the pail close to the great +wolf's ear,--"Buzz z z z z z z z" came a muffled sound. "Oh, I wonder +what can be inside!" she said. + +"Do not wonder, little maid," said the great wolf, "but hurry thy +little feet as thy mother hath bidden thee, else the sun will be in his +bed ere thy journey be ended, and thy little bed will be empty and thy +mother's heart will be heavy with watching." + +So Alice hastened on. Soon again her feet were lagging and once more +her eyes turned curiously upon the pail she carried and again she said, +"Oh, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder." "Why do you wonder, little maid?" +said a sweet soft voice. On looking up, Alice saw close beside her, +not her friend the gaunt gray wolf, but a little child like herself. +The boy placed his hand softly upon her arm; and with his great dark +eyes looking straight into her own he said, "Why do you wonder, Alice?" + +"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mamma +has promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely to +Grandfather Goodfield, who lives under the hill by the great dark +forest yonder, but oh! it has grown so heavy and my feet have grown so +tired. I must go quickly and I must not even peep inside. Just +listen! such a funny noise." Alice held the pail close to the boy's +ear,--"Buzz-z z z z z z z" came a muffled sound. "Oh, I wonder what +can be inside!" she said. + +"Do not wonder but let us look and see," said the boy. "No! no!" cried +Alice. "My mother has forbidden it." "She will never know," said the +boy. "Only one little peep. Surely it can do no harm. See, I will +raise the cover for you." "No! no!" said Alice and, tightly clasping +the pail, she started again upon her journey. + +"You are so tired," called the boy running after, "do but stop and rest +awhile. See, your feet are really bleeding from the sharp stones you +have traveled over. Look, what a soft green bank yonder under the +shade of that great tree. Do but sit down upon it for a moment. You +will be able to go on all the faster after a quiet rest, then I will go +with you." + +Now Alice was really very tired indeed; and the bank with its cool +shade looked so tempting that at last she seated herself upon it, +letting her feet sink deep into its mossy side. She clasped the +precious pail tightly in her hands, but the noise inside grew louder, +and now it had an angry sound. "Oh, I wonder what it can be!" said +Alice. + +"Do let me take the pail for a moment," said the boy drawing it gently +from her hand. "Now I will peep inside. What harm can it do? See, I +will lift the cover ever so gently." He put his eye to the crack, when +suddenly the cover slipped from his hand and rolled away upon the bank. +A great swarm of angry, buzzing creatures flew into his face. He +struck at them with his hands, but it was of no use. They stung and +stung him. "Alice! Alice!" he cried, "oh, I am stung! I am stung!" +The girl sprang quickly to help him but the angry bees flew at her also +and stung her tender hands and face until she cried out with the pain. +"Oh, what have we done! What have we done!" and, snatching the cover, +Alice tried to place it upon the pail again--but too late, for not a +single bee was left inside. For a little time the air was filled with +angry buzzing, but soon the bees flew far away into the wood and Alice +and her friend were left alone. + +Smarting with pain the girl turned toward her home. Her little feet +moved wearily, and the empty pail hung loosely on her arm. That night +she cried herself to sleep in mother's arms, but the pretty red sash +was never worn by Alice, except sometimes in her dreams. + + + + +THE LOST COMB. + +One day while Lesa was picking flowers in the wood the beautiful golden +comb that she always wore fell out of her hair and was lost. She +searched and she searched, but she could not find it. At last she +began to cry, and she cried and she cried. + +Just then along came Rollicking Robin. + +"Oh, do help me, Rollicking Robin!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost my comb, +my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my father will +scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely come to me +if I do not find it." + +"Cheer up, cheer up, cheer up! I'll go seek it." sang Rollicking +Robin, "I will find your golden comb, have no fear." + +So he looked and he looked and he looked, but no comb could he find. + +Just then along came Busy Bee. + +"Oh, do help me, Busy Bee!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost my comb, my +golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my father will +scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely come to me +if I do not find it." + +"Buzz, buzz, buzz! I'll go seek it," hummed Busy Bee. "I will find +your golden comb, have no fear." + +So she looked and she looked and she looked, but no comb could she find. + +Just then along came Fleet-footed Field Mouse. + +"Oh, do help me, Fleet-footed Field Mouse!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost +my comb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my +father will scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely +come to me if I do not find it." + +"Eep, eep, eep! I'll go seek it," squeaked Fleet-footed Field Mouse. +"I will find your golden comb, have no fear." + +So he looked and he looked and he looked, but no comb could he find. + +Just then along came Chirping Cricket. + +"Oh, do help me, Chirping Cricket!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost my comb, +my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my father will +scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely come to me +if I do not find it." + +"Chirp, chirp, chirp! I'll go seek it," piped Chirping Cricket. "I +will find your golden comb, have no fear." + +So he looked and he looked and he looked, but no comb could he find. + +Just then along came Gliding Brown Snake. + +"Oh, do help me, Gliding Brown Snake!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost my +comb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my father +will scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely come +to me if I do not find it." + +"Sssssssss! I'll go seek it," hissed Gliding Brown Snake. "I will +find your golden comb, have no fear." + +So he looked and he looked and he looked, but no comb could he find. + +Just then along came Cunning Black Ant. + +"Oh, do help me, Cunning Black Ant!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost my +comb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my father +will scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely come +to me if I do not find it." + +"I'll go seek it," said Cunning Black Ant. "I will find your golden +comb, have no fear." + +So she looked and she looked and she looked, but no comb could she find. + +Just then along came Flitting Butterfly. + +"Oh, do help me, Flitting Butterfly!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost my +comb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my father +will scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely come +to me if I do not find it." + +"I'll go seek it," said Flitting Butterfly. "I will find your golden +comb, have no fear." + +So she looked and she looked and she looked, but no comb could she find. + +Just then along came Wrinkled Brown Toad. + +"Oo-o-o-o! You ugly thing! Out of my sight!" cried Lesa. "I have +trouble enough without you! I have lost my comb, my golden comb! No +one can find it! Oh, what shall I do?" + +"I'll go seek it," croaked Wrinkled Brown Toad. "I will find your +golden comb, have no fear." + +"You find my comb!" cried Lesa. "If Rollicking Robin and Busy Bee and +Fleet-footed Field Mouse and Chirping Cricket and Gliding Brown Snake +and Cunning Black Ant and Flitting Butterfly cannot help me, how can +such a stupid, ugly, hobbling thing as you find my golden comb? Be +off! Get out of my sight!" + +Poor Wrinkled Brown Toad hopped away and Lesa was left alone. "Oh, +what shall I do? What shall I do?" she cried. "Oh, my comb, my golden +comb! Some harm will surely come to me if I do not find it!" And, +throwing herself upon the ground, Lesa sobbed as if her heart would +break. + +For a long time this forlorn little girl lay with her face buried in +the moss and leaves. Suddenly she heard a strange noise behind her. +She sprang to her feet and, turning, saw coming toward her with great +flying leaps--whom do you suppose? Yes, it was Wrinkled Brown Toad +again. And what do you suppose he held in his ugly jaws? Yes, it was +Lesa's golden comb. + +"Oh, there it is! There it is! Oh, I'm so glad, so glad!" cried Lesa. +"Oh, thank you! Thank you! Where did you find it? I'm sorry I was +cross! I'm sorry I called you stupid and ugly and hobbling! You have +bright eyes. I did not notice them before. Yes, they are really +beautiful, all golden like my comb." + +And Lesa bent and stroked Wrinkled Brown Toad on his ugly head; and, +ever after that, they were friends. + + + + +BILLY BOBTAIL. + +Once upon a time a little boy named Billy Bobtail went to seek his +fortune; and on the road he met a bull. + +"Moo, moo, moo!" said the bull. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?" + +"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. + +"May I go, too?" said the bull. + +"No," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Yes, I will," said the bull. + +"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail. + +So the bull followed on after Billy Bobtail. + +They went along a little way farther, and met a goat. + +"Baa, baa, baa!" said the goat. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?" + +"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. + +"May I go, too?" said the goat. + +"No," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Yes, I will," said the goat. + +"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail. + +So the goat followed on after Billy Bobtail. + +They went along a little way farther and met a sheep. + +"Maa, maa, maa!" said the sheep. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?" + +"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. + +"May I go, too?" said the sheep. + +"No," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Yes, I will," said the sheep. + +"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail. + +So the sheep followed on after Billy Bobtail. + +They went along a little way farther and met a pig. + +"Wee, wee, wee!" said the pig. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?" + +"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. + +"May I go, too?" said the pig. + +"No," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Yes, I will," said the pig. + +"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail. + +So the pig followed on after Billy Bobtail. + +They went along a little way farther and met a dog. + +"Bow, wow, wow!" said the dog. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?" + +"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. + +"May I go, too?" said the dog. + +"No," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Yes, I will," said the dog. + +"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail. + +So the dog followed on after Billy Bobtail. + +They went along a little way farther and met a cat. + +"Meow, meow, meow!" said the cat. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?" + +"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. + +"May I go, too?" said the cat. + +"No," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Yes, I will," said the cat. + +"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail. + +So the cat followed on after Billy Bobtail. + +They went along a little way farther and met a turkey. + +"Gobble, gobble, gobble!" said the turkey. "Where are you going, Billy +Bobtail?" + +"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. + +"May I go, too?" said the turkey. + +"No," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Yes, I will," said the turkey. + +"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail. + +So the turkey followed on after Billy Bobtail. + +They went along a little way farther and met a rooster. + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" said the rooster. "Where are you going, Billy +Bobtail?" + +"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. + +"May I go, too?" said the rooster. + +"No," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Yes, I will," said the rooster. + +"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail. + +So the rooster followed on after Billy Bobtail. + +They went along a little way farther and met a hen. + +"Cut-cut-cut-cut-ka-dat-cut!" said the hen. "Where are you going, +Billy Bobtail?" + +"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. + +"May I go, too?" said the hen. + +"No," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Yes, I will," said the hen. + +"Well, then, come along," said Billy Bobtail. + +So the hen followed on after Billy Bobtail. And there they +were,--first Billy Bobtail and then the bull and then the goat and then +the sheep and then the pig and then the dog and then the cat and then +the turkey and then the rooster and then the hen,--all following on +after Billy Bobtail. On and on they walked. All day long they +traveled; and, just as it began to grow dark, they came to a deep, deep +wood. It looked so dark that Billy Bobtail almost felt afraid. "Never +mind!" said he, "if anything tries to hurt us, I can whistle and throw +stones." + +"And I can bellow and hook," said the bull. + +"And I can butt and bleat," said the goat. + +"And I can butt and bleat," said the sheep. + +"And I can squeal and bite," said the pig. + +"And I can bark and bite," said the dog. + +"And I can mew and scratch," said the cat. + +"And I can gobble," said the turkey. + +"And I can crow," said the rooster. + +"And I can cackle," said the hen. + +"Very well," said Billy Bobtail; "I think we shall be quite safe." + +So on they went through the wood; but suddenly they heard a crashing +and trampling in the underbrush and then a savage growl, as of some +great wild creature about to rush upon them. + +Billy Bobtail began to whistle and throw stones. + +The bull began to bellow. + +The goat began to bleat. + +The sheep began to bleat. + +The pig began to squeal. + +The dog began to bark. + +The cat began to mew. + +The turkey began to gobble. + +The rooster began to crow. + +The hen began to cackle. + +And they all made such a noise that the creature, whoever he was, was +so frightened that he ran away as fast as his legs could carry him, +never even once stopping to look back. + +Soon Billy Bobtail and his friends came to a clearing--a place in the +wood where the trees had all been cut away. Right in the middle of +this clearing stood a little house. + +"What a fine place for us to stay in all night," said Billy Bobtail, +for it was now almost dark. + +"But suppose the people are not friendly?" said the bull, thinking of +the savage creature that they had just frightened away. + +"I will go and peep in at the window and find out," said the cat. "I +can walk softly on my four cushions, and with my green eyes I can see +in the dark." + +So the cat crept to the window of the little house, and peeped in. +Soon she came back and said, "There is no one at home, and it does not +look as if anyone had lived here for a long, long time." + +When Billy Bobtail and his friends went inside the little house they +found it very comfortable. + +"Hurrah! I shall sleep in the bed," said Billy Bobtail. + +"Bow, wow, wow! I shall sleep under the bed," said the dog, "and guard +my master." + +"Wee, wee!" said the pig, "I shall sleep in the oven where it is nice +and warm." + +"Gobble, gobble, gobble!" "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" +"Cut-cut-cut-cut-ka-dat-cut!" cried the turkey, the rooster, and the +hen all together, "we shall roost high up on the mantelshelf." + +"Baa!" said the goat, "I shall sleep on the front doorstone and keep +guard." + +"Maa, maa! I shall sleep just inside the front door and help to keep +guard," said the sheep. + +"Moo, moo, moo!" called the bull, "the wood shed is the place for me." + +"Meow, meow, meow!" cried the cat, "I do not care about sleeping in the +night. I shall keep watch that no harm comes nigh." + +They had a good night's rest. When morning came and Billy Bobtail saw +what a cozy house it was and that there was a fine garden too, he said, +"This is my fortune. I'm not going any farther to seek it!" + +So Billy Bobtail and his friends lived safely in the little house in +the clearing for many years, and were very, very happy. + + + + +KID WOULD NOT GO. + +One day as I was going across London Bridge I found a penny and bought +a kid. Kid would not go. + + "See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +I went along a little farther and met a staff. + + "Staff, staff, beat kid! + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +But the staff would not. + +I went along a little way farther and met a hatchet. + + "Hatchet, hatchet, hack staff! + Staff will not beat kid. + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +But the hatchet would not. + +I went along a little way farther and met some fire. + + "Fire, fire, burn hatchet! + Hatchet will not hack staff. + Staff will not beat kid. + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +But the fire would not. + +I went along a little way farther and met some water. + + "Water, water, quench fire! + Fire will not burn hatchet. + Hatchet will not hack staff. + Staff will not beat kid. + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +But the water would not. + +I went along a little way farther and met an ox. + + "Ox, ox, drink water! + Water will not quench fire. + Fire will not burn hatchet. + Hatchet will not hack staff. + Staff will not beat kid. + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +But the ox would not. + +I went along a little way farther and met a rope. + + "Rope, rope, hang ox! + Ox will not drink water. + Water will not quench fire. + Fire will not burn hatchet. + Hatchet will not hack staff. + Staff will not beat kid. + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +But the rope would not. + +I went along a little way farther and met some grease. + + "Grease, grease, grease rope! + Rope will not hang ox. + Ox will not drink water. + Water will not quench fire. + Fire will not burn hatchet. + Hatchet will not hack staff. + Staff will not beat kid. + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight, + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +But the grease would not. + +I went along a little way farther and met a rat. + + "Rat, rat, gnaw grease! + Grease will not grease rope. + Rope will not hang ox. + Ox will not drink water. + Water will not quench fire. + Fire will not burn hatchet. + Hatchet will not hack staff. + Staff will not beat kid. + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +But the rat would not. + +I went along a little way farther and met a cat. + + "Cat, cat, catch rat! + Rat will not gnaw grease. + Grease will not grease rope. + Rope will not hang ox. + Ox will not drink water. + Water will not quench fire. + Fire will not burn hatchet. + Hatchet will not hack staff. + Staff will not beat kid. + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + +But the cat would not. + +I went along a little way farther and met a dog. + + "Dog, dog, bite cat! + Cat will not catch rat. + Rat will not gnaw grease. + Grease will not grease rope. + Rope will not hang ox. + Ox will not drink water. + Water will not quench fire. + Fire will not burn hatchet. + Hatchet will not hack staff. + Staff will not beat kid. + Kid will not go. + See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago." + + The dog began to bite the cat. + The cat began to catch the rat. + The rat began to gnaw the grease. + The grease began to grease the rope. + The rope began to hang the ox. + The ox began to drink the water. + The water began to quench the fire. + The fire began to burn the hatchet. + The hatchet began to hack the staff. + The staff began to beat the kid. + The kid began to go. + "See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. + Kid and I got home an hour and a half ago." + + + + +FOX LOX. + +Once upon a time hungry Fox Lox was prowling about under a great tree +on the hillside, when a chestnut burr fell thump upon his head. "Ah!" +said cunning Fox Lox, "by this I will get a fine dinner." Just then +along came Chicker Ricker. + +"Oh, run down hill with me where you will be quite safe, Chicker +Ricker," cried Fox Lox, "for the sky is surely tumbling down!" + +"Who told you, Fox Lox?" + +"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown!" + +"Then I will run down hill with you," cried Chicker Ricker. + +So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Hen Ren. + +"The sky is tumbling down, Hen Ren!" cried Chicker Ricker. + +"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?" + +"Oh, Fox Lox!" + +"Who told you, Fox Lox?" + +"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Run +down hill with me where you will be quite safe," said Fox Lox. + +"That I will!" cried Hen Ren. + +So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Cock Lock. + +"The sky is tumbling down, Cock Lock!" cried Hen Ren. + +"Who told you, Hen Ren?" + +"Oh, Chicker Ricker!" + +"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?" + +"Oh, Fox Lox!" + +"Who told you, Fox Lox?" + +"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Run +down hill with me where you will be quite safe," said Fox Lox. + +"That I will!" cried Cock Lock. + +So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Duck Luck. + +"The sky is tumbling down, Duck Luck!" cried Cock Lock. + +"Who told you, Cock Lock?" + +"Oh, Hen Ren!" + +"Who told you, Hen Ren?" + +"Oh, Chicker Ricker!" + +"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?" + +"Oh, Fox Lox!" + +"Who told you, Fox Lox?" + +"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Run +down hill with me where you will be quite safe," said Fox Lox. + +"That I will!" cried Duck Luck. + +So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Drake Lake. + +"The sky is tumbling down, Drake Lake!" cried Duck Luck. + +"Who told you, Duck Luck?" + +"Oh, Cock Lock!" + +"Who told you, Cock Lock?" + +"Oh, Hen Ren!" + +"Who told you, Hen Ren?" + +"Oh, Chicker Ricker!" + +"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?" + +"Oh, Fox Lox!" + +"Who told you, Fox Lox?" + +"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Run +down hill with me where you will be quite safe," said Fox Lox. + +"That I will!" cried Drake Lake. + +So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Goose Loose. + +"The sky is tumbling down, Goose Loose!" cried Drake Lake. + +"Who told you, Drake Lake?" + +"Oh, Duck Luck!" + +"Who told you, Duck Luck?" + +"Oh, Cock Lock!" + +"Who told you, Cock Lock?" + +"Oh, Hen Ren!" + +"Who told you, Hen Ren?" + +"Oh, Chicker Ricker!" + +"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?" + +"Oh, Fox Lox!" + +"Who told you, Fox Lox?" + +"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Run +down hill with me where you will be quite safe," said Fox Lox. + +"That I will!" cried Goose Loose. + +So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Gander Lander. + +"The sky is tumbling down, Gander Lander!" cried Goose Loose. + +"Who told you, Goose Loose?" + +"Oh, Drake Lake!" + +"Who told you, Drake Lake?" + +"Oh, Duck Luck!" + +"Who told you, Duck Luck?" + +"Oh, Cock Lock!" + +"Who told you, Cock Lock?" + +"Oh, Hen Ren!" + +"Who told you, Hen Ren?" + +"Oh, Chicker Ricker!" + +"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?" + +"Oh, Fox Lox!" + +"Who told you, Fox Lox?" + +"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Run +down hill with me where you will be quite safe," said Fox Lox. + +"That I will!" cried Gander Lander. + +So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Turk Lurk. + +"The sky is tumbling down, Turk Lurk!" cried Gander Lander. + +"Who told you, Gander Lander?" + +"Oh, Goose Loose!" + +"Who told you, Goose Loose?" + +"Oh, Drake Lake!" + +"Who told you, Drake Lake?" + +"Oh, Duck Luck!" + +"Who told you, Duck Luck?" + +"Oh, Cock Lock!" + +"Who told you, Cock Lock?" + +"Oh, Hen Ren!" + +"Who told you, Hen Ren?" + +"Oh, Chicker Ricker!" + +"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?" + +"Oh, Fox Lox!" + +"Who told you, Fox Lox?" + +"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Run +down hill with me where you will be quite safe," said Fox Lox. + +"That I will!" cried Turk Lurk. + +So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Dove Love. + +"The sky is tumbling down, Dove Love!" cried Turk Lurk. + +"Who told you, Turk Lurk?" + +"Oh, Gander Lander!" + +"Who told you, Gander Lander?" + +"Oh, Goose Loose!" + +"Who told you, Goose Loose?" + +"Oh, Drake Lake!" + +"Who told you, Drake Lake?" + +"Oh, Duck Luck!" + +"Who told you, Duck Luck?" + +"Oh, Cock Lock!" + +"Who told you, Cock Lock?" + +"Oh, Hen Ren!" + +"Who told you, Hen Ren?" + +"Oh, Chicker Ricker!" + +"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?" + +"Oh, Fox Lox!" + +"Who told you, Fox Lox?" + +"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Run +down hill with me where you will be quite safe," said Fox Lox. + +"That I will!" cried Dove Love. + +So they ran and they ran and they ran; and when Chicker Ricker and Hen +Ren and Cock Lock and Duck Luck and Drake Lake and Goose Loose and +Gander Lander and Turk Lurk and Dove Love reached the bottom of the +hill, they were going so fast that they could not stop and they ran +straight into Fox Lox's hole. + +"Now I have you! Now I have you!" cried Fox Lox. And he gobbled them +all up. + + + + +THE WEE, WEE WOMAN. + +Once upon a time there was a wee, wee woman who lived all alone in a +wee, wee house. + +One night this wee, wee woman lighted her wee, wee candle, crept softly +up her wee, wee stairs, got into her wee, wee bed, and fell fast +asleep. Soon this wee, wee woman was awakened by a noise. She jumped +out of her wee, wee bed, lighted her wee, wee candle and looked behind +her wee, wee door, but there was nothing there. Then she looked under +her wee, wee bed, but there was nothing there. + +So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, +crept softly down her wee, wee stairs and, when she reached the room +below, she looked under her wee, wee chair, but there was nothing +there. Then she looked into her wee, wee cupboard, but there was +nothing there. Then she looked behind her wee, wee stove, but there +was nothing there. Then she looked under her wee, wee table, but there +was nothing there. + +So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, +crept softly up her wee, wee stairs, got into her wee, wee bed and fell +fast asleep. Soon this wee, wee woman was awakened by a noise. She +jumped out of her wee, wee bed, lighted her wee, wee candle and looked +behind, her wee, wee door, but there was nothing there. Then she +looked under her wee, wee bed, but there was nothing there. + +So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, +crept softly down her wee, wee stairs, and, when she reached the room +below, she looked under her wee, wee chair, but there was nothing +there. Then she looked into her wee, wee cupboard, but there was +nothing there. Then she looked behind her wee, wee stove, but there +was nothing there. Then she looked under her wee, wee table, but there +was nothing there. + +So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, +crept softly up her wee, wee stairs, got into her wee, wee bed and fell +fast asleep. Soon this wee, wee woman was awakened by a noise. She +jumped out of her wee, wee bed, lighted her wee, wee candle and looked +behind her wee, wee door, but there was nothing there. Then she looked +under her wee, wee bed, but there was nothing there. + +So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, +crept softly down her wee, wee stairs, and, when she reached the room +below, she looked under her wee, wee chair, but there was nothing +there. Then she looked into her wee, wee cupboard, but there was +nothing there. Then she looked behind her wee, wee stove, but there +was nothing there. Then she looked under her wee, wee table and out +jumped--BOO!!! + + + + +THE LITTLE LONG TAIL. + + As a cat and a mouse ran over a rail + The cat bit off the mouse's tail. + +The little mouse cried, "Cat, Cat, give back my little long tail again!" + +"That I will if you'll give me milk!" said Cat. + +The little mouse ran to Cow and cried, "Cow, Cow, give me milk, that I +may give Cat milk, that Cat may give back my little long tail again!" + +"That I will if you'll give me hay!" said Cow. + +The little mouse ran to Barn and cried, "Barn, Barn, give me hay, that +I may give Cow hay, that Cow may give me milk, that I may give Cat +milk, that Cat may give back my little long tail again!" + +"That I will if you'll give me key!" said Barn. + +The little mouse ran to Smith and cried, "Smith, Smith, give me key, +that I may give Barn key, that Barn may give me hay, that I may give +Cow hay, that Cow may give me milk, that I may give Cat milk, that Cat +may give back my little long tail again!" + +"That I will if you'll give me coal!" said Smith. + +The little mouse ran to Miner and cried, "Miner, Miner, give me coal, +that I may give Smith coal, that Smith may give me key, that I may give +Barn key, that Barn may give me hay, that I may give Cow hay, that Cow +may give me milk, that I may give Cat milk, that Cat may give back my +little long tail again!" + +"That I will!" cried Miner, and he gave the mouse coal. The mouse gave +Smith coal and Smith gave him key. The mouse gave Barn key and Barn +gave him hay. The mouse gave Cow hay and Cow gave him milk. The mouse +gave Cat milk and Cat gave back his little long tail again. + + + + +THE BROWNIES. + +ADAPTED FROM MRS. EWING. + +Such wonderful stories as grandmother told Johnnie and Tommy! Stories +of ghosts and hob-goblins, of dwarfs and fairies; and once she told +them about a brownie that was said to have lived in their own family, +long ago,--a brownie who did all manner of wonderful and useful things. +He was a little fellow no larger than Tommy, she said, but very active +and very shy. He slept by the kitchen fire, and no one ever saw him; +but, early in the morning, when all the family were in their beds, this +brownie would get up, sweep the room, build the fire, spread the table, +milk the cow, churn the cream, bring the water, scrub and dust, until +there was not a speck of dirt anywhere to be seen. + +The children liked this story very much, and oh! how they did wish such +a brownie would come to live in their house now! Over and over again +they said: "Was there really and truly a brownie, grandmother, and did +he really help all the people as you say? How we wish he would come +back again! Why, he could mind the baby and tidy the room and bring in +the wood and wait on you, grandmother! Can't we do something to get +him back again?" + +"I don't know, my dears," said the grandmother; "but they used to say, +in my young days, that if one set a bowl of bread and milk or even a +pan of clear water for him over night he would be sure to come, and +would do all the work just for that." + +"Oh! let us try it!" said both the boys; and one ran to get a pan, and +the other to fetch fresh water from the well, for they knew, poor +hungry lads, that there was no bread or milk in the house. Their +father, who was a poor tailor, could scarcely earn money enough to buy +food for them all. His wife had died when the baby was born and he +could not make as many coats as before, for he must now do all the work +of the house. Johnnie and Tommy were idle and lazy and too thoughtless +to help their father, although they were fine grown lads of five and +seven. + +One night Tommy had a wonderful dream. He thought he went down in the +meadow by the old mill pond, and there he saw an owl who shook her +feathers, rolled her great eyes, and called: "Tuwhit, tuwhoo! Tuwhoo, +whoo-o-o-o! Tommy, what are you doing way down here this time of +night?" + +"Please, I came to find the brownies," said Tommy; "can you tell me +where they live, ma'am?" + +"Tuwhoo, tuwhoo!" screamed the old owl; "so it's the brownies you are +after, is it? Tuwhoo, tuwhoo! Go look in the mill pond. Tuwhoo, +tuwhoo! Go look in the water at midnight, and you'll see one. By the +light of the moon a brownie you'll see, to be sure, but such a lazy +one! Tuwhoo, tuwhoo!" screamed the old owl; and, flapping her wings, +she went sailing away in the moonlight. + +"The mill pond, at midnight, by moonlight," thought Tommy. What could +the old owl mean? It was midnight then, and moonlight, too; and there +he was right down by the water. "Silly old thing," said Tommy, +"brownies don't live in the water." But for all that Tommy went to the +bank and peeped in. The moon was shining as bright as day; and what do +you suppose he saw? Why, just a picture of himself in the water, and +that was all. "Humph! I'm no brownie," said he to himself; but the +longer he looked the harder he thought. At last he said: + +"Am I a brownie? Perhaps I am one, after all. Grandmother said they +are about as large as I, and the old owl said that I would see a very +lazy one if I looked in the water. Am I lazy? That must be what she +meant. I am the brownie myself." The longer he thought about it the +surer he was that he must be a brownie. "Why," he said, "if I am one, +Johnnie must be another; then there are two of us. I'll go home and +tell Johnnie all about it." + +Off he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, and just as he was +calling, "Johnnie, Johnnie! We are brownies! The old owl told me!" he +found himself wide awake, sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes, while +Johnnie lay fast asleep by his side. The first faint rays of morning +light were just creeping in at their chamber window. "Johnnie, +Johnnie, wake up! I have something to tell you!" + +After telling his brother all about his strange dream, Tommy said: "Let +us play we really are brownies, John, even if we are not; it will be +such fun for once to surprise father and grandmother. We will keep out +of sight and tell about it afterwards. Oh, do come! It will be such +fun!" + +So these two brownies put on their clothes in a great hurry and crept +softly down to the kitchen, where at first there seemed enough work for +a dozen brownies to do. Tommy built up a blazing fire, and, while the +kettle was boiling, swept the untidy floor, while Johnnie dusted, +placed his grandmother's chair, got the cradle ready for the baby and +spread the table. Just as everything was in order they heard their +father's footstep on the stairs. "Run!" whispered Tommy, "or he will +see us." So the boys scampered away to their bed in the loft and +pretended to be fast asleep when their father called them to breakfast. + +The poor tailor was fairly beside himself with delight and +astonishment, and believed that the brownie he had heard so much about +in his childhood had really come back again. The old grandmother was +delighted, too, and said: "What did I tell you, son Thomas? I always +knew there were real brownies." + +Although being brownies was fun for the boys, it was hard work, too, +and they sometimes thought they would leave off; but then they would +think of their hard-working father and would grow quite ashamed. +Things were so much better at home than they used to be. The tailor +never scolded now, the grandmother was more cheerful than of old, the +baby was less fretful, the house was always tidy; and because the +tailor had more time for his work, now that the brownies helped, he +could make more coats and could get more money, and the boys did not go +hungry to bed as they used to do; but there was always bread and milk +enough, and a great bowlful to spare that they set each night for the +brownie. + +At last the tailor said, "I am going to do something for that brownie. +He has done so much for us all." So he cut and stitched the neatest +little coat you ever saw; for he said: "I have always heard that a +brownie's clothes are ragged, so our brownie will need this, I know." +When the coat was done it just fitted Tommy and was very fine to see, +all stitched with gold thread and covered with brave brass buttons. + +That night the little coat was placed by the bowl of milk set for the +brownie and, when the early morning came, the tailor was awakened by +the sound of laughter and scuffling in the kitchen. "It's the +brownie," thought he; and getting out of bed he crept softly down the +stairs. + +But when he reached the kitchen, instead of the brownie, he saw Johnnie +and Tommy sweeping and making the fire and dusting and setting the +table. Tommy had put on the coat that the tailor had made for the +brownie, and was skipping about in it laughing and calling to Johnnie +to see how fine he looked, but saying: "I wish he had made it to fit +you, John." + +"Boys, what does all this mean?" cried the tailor. "Tommy, why have +you put on that coat?" + +When the boys saw their father they ran to him and tried to tell him +all about it. "There is no brownie, father," they cried, "but we have +done the work. And O father! we are sorry that we were lazy and idle +so long; but we mean to be brownies now, real brownies, and help you +till we grow to be big men." The poor tailor was so happy that he knew +not what to say, and there were tears in his eyes as he kissed each +little son. + +Tommy and Johnnie kept their promise and continued being brownies until +they went away to homes of their own. But their little sister grew to +be the best brownie of all; and she kept her father's house so bright +and clean with mop and brush and broom and dustpan that not a speck of +dirt was anywhere to be seen. + + + + +THE FAIRY SHOES. + +ADAPTED FROM MRS. EWING. + +Once upon a time a baby boy was born in a little brown house, far away +in a country village, and everybody was invited to his christening and +everybody was glad to come. + +Now the baby's mother had a fairy godmother of whom she was very fond. +This fairy was rich and all the people said, "Surely she will bring a +present to the baby on his christening-day, that is worth a great deal +of money." But, at last when the time came, what do you suppose she +really brought?--a pair of stout little leather shoes with copper toes. + +In spite of the disappointment at the fairy's present the festivities +went merrily on and, when the party was over and the fairy bade her +god-daughter good-bye, she said: "My little present is not quite as +shabby as it looks. Those shoes will never wear out and, besides, the +little feet that have them on can never go wrong. When your baby has +grown large enough to wear those shoes, if you send him on an errand, +and tell him to come back quickly, and he forgets and stops to play, +those little shoes will help him to remember by pinching his feet and +pulling and twitching at his ankles until he will be glad to go on +again. They will remind him to go straight to school and to come +straight home again as you have bidden him. Indeed, wherever he is +sent he will be quite sure to go, and he will come back again at just +the right moment and, by the time his feet have grown too large to wear +the little shoes, he will no longer need their help." + +Days passed by, months passed by. The boy was no longer a baby, but +had grown large enough to wear the fairy's shoes and, just as she had +said, they always helped him to go the right way. + +Months sped and years sped and another baby boy came to stay in the +little brown house, and then another and another and another, until the +mother had nine boys. Each one in turn wore the little shoes and, just +as the fairy had said, they never wore out. At last they descended to +the ninth and youngest boy and became Timothy's shoes. + +Now the eighth little boy had rather small feet and had worn the shoes +longer than the others, besides Timothy was the baby and, for one +reason and another like these, his mother hated to put the rough little +shoes upon him. For a long time Timothy had gone his own way, which +was rarely the right way. At last he played truant from school so +often and was late to dinner so many times, that his mother said she +could bear it no longer, he must wear the fairy shoes. So she had them +freshly blackened and the copper tips newly polished and, one morning, +she brought them out and told Timothy to put them on. + +"Now, Tim dear," she said, "go straight to school this morning. If you +don't these little shoes will pinch your feet terribly." + +But Timothy did not mind. It was a bright, sunny morning in May and, +if he had loitered on the way when the cold March winds blew up his +jacket sleeves and made him shiver, and when the snow lay in great +drifts by the roadside, how could he help wishing to linger now when +every bush held a bird and every bank a flower? + +Once or twice Timothy stopped to pick spring flowers, but the shoes +pinched his feet and he ran on again. At last he reached the bank +overlooking the swamp and, gazing down, he saw great clumps of +cowslips, with their dark green leaves and crowns of beautiful yellow +flowers. + +Then Timothy forgot all about school, forgot what his mother had said, +forgot the shoes and their pinches and thought only of the cowslips. +Oh, he must have some! + +In a moment away went his satchel on the grass and away went the +flowers he had picked and he began scrambling down the bank toward the +swamp as fast as he could go. But the little shoes, they meant to go +another way. They meant to go to school and they pinched Timothy's +feet and pulled and twitched at his ankles, trying to make him turn +about and go in the right way, until he thought his feet would be +wrenched off. Timothy was very determined, the harder the little shoes +pinched the more he was bound to have the bright yellow flowers; so, in +spite of the pain, he kept on going down toward the swamp. + +When at last this little boy reached the foot of the bank and came to +the edge of the swamp he found that the cowslips were all out of reach. +Still he would have them. Round and round the swamp he went, the shoes +pinching and pulling harder at every step, till at last he grew quite +desperate and, giving a big jump, he landed right out in the swamp in +the very middle of a large clump of the flowers. Then something +strange happened, his feet sank down, down into the mud and water until +the little shoes were soaked right off. Poor, wayward Timothy's best +friends were gone, but he did not know that. He just waded around in +the swamp and picked cowslips to his heart's content. + +At last, however, Timothy grew very tired. He hurt his foot on a sharp +stick. A great green frog jumped into his face and startled him. He +had more flowers than he could carry. Suddenly he remembered school +and his lost shoes and thought of what his mother had told him. Oh! +how he did wish now that he had done just as she asked him to do. + +"What shall I say to the teacher?" he thought. "Oh, what shall I do? +How I wish I had gone straight to school as the little shoes tried to +have me go!" + +Weary and sad Timothy climbed the bank. Wiping the mud from his +clothes with his handkerchief and taking his satchel, he started slowly +for school again, all the time wondering what he should say to the +teacher about being late. At last he reached the door and prepared to +tiptoe quietly in, but he had no sooner put his head inside and +commenced to make an excuse than all the children began to laugh. +Timothy was very much ashamed. He looked to find, what they were +laughing at and saw--What do you suppose he saw? Standing in the +middle of the floor, in the place in the class where he himself should +have stood, were his little shoes, very muddy indeed and with a cowslip +in each one of them. + +"You have been in the swamp, Timothy," said the teacher. "Put on your +shoes." + +When his lessons and his punishment were over, Timothy was very glad to +let the little shoes take him quickly home. And always after that he +tried to do what his mother and the little shoes wished him to do. + + + + +PICCIOLA. + +ADAPTED FROM "SAINTINE." + +Long, long ago a good man was thrown into prison by a great king. The +prison was dark and cold and still; for the gray stone walls and the +stone roof and floor shut out the sunlight and all the beautiful sights +and sounds of the world. There was no one for the man to talk to, and +there was no work for him to do. There was one little window to let in +the air, but it was so high up beyond his reach that he could not even +get a glimpse of the blue sky. Here he was kept for weeks and months +and years, and was not allowed to know anything about his family, +friends or home. At last a door was opened into another part of the +prison. The walls of this part were high and strong, and the floor was +paved with the same great, gray stones, but there was no roof overhead. +Here the wind could come in and the rain and the sunlight. He was +allowed to walk here just for one short hour each day, and then he had +to go back to his dark cell and the door was shut upon him. + +Once while walking here the prisoner saw a little mound of earth rising +between two of the great stones of the floor. At first he thought that +some tiny worm or insect was trying to build a house for itself. +Looking closer he saw that it was only the home of a little plant. The +stray seed had been brought by the wind, and it was now sending its +roots down into the crevice between the stones. "Poor little plant!" +said the prisoner, "what a sad home you have found! Shall I not crush +you? No! Perhaps you have come to comfort me in this terrible place." +Hurrying to his cell, he brought his cup of precious water. "Drink! +little one," he cried, as he poured the water out around it. "Drink! +and lift up your head." + +The next day he watched it again and watered it, and the next day, and +the next. How bravely it seemed to struggle to push its head up and +its roots down, to open its leaves and to catch, the dull light. At +last the little plant became a dear friend and companion to the man. +He would bend over it the whole hour each day and talk softly to it. +He called it Picciola,--his Picciola,--his little one, and as the plant +grew and put on new beauty he forgot his wrongs and his heart was +filled with love and gentleness. + +Once there was a storm, and great hailstones beat down upon Picciola. +"Ah, my poor little one will be killed!" cried the prisoner. And he +bent over her and sheltered her and the cruel hail fell upon his own +head until the storm was past. Fearing that other storms might come +when he was shut away from her, he built a little house around her with +the wood that was given him to keep him warm, and made a roof over her +with a mat which he wove from the straw of his own bed. This made him +happy; for, though he could be with his Picciola for but one short hour +each day, he felt that she was safe. So the little plant grew and +grew, and opened her flowers and sent out her perfume to make glad the +heart of her lonely friend. + +But, alas! the day came when Picciola began to droop and wither. She +seemed about to die. The poor prisoner was frantic with grief and +cried, "Is my little one, my joy, my hope, the only thing for which I +live, to be taken from me?" Searching, he found that as Picciola had +grown taller her stem had had grown larger, and now there was not room +enough for it in the crevice between the stones. Her sap,--her life +blood,--was running away, as the rough edges of the stones cut into her +delicate stem. Nothing could save her but to lift those cruel stones. +The prisoner tore at them with his weak hands. Weeping, he begged the +jailer to raise them, but the jailer could do nothing. No one but the +king could cause them to be lifted. But how could the prisoner ask the +king? The king was far away. The prisoner must send a letter to him, +but he had no pen, ink or paper; so he wrote on his handkerchief with a +bit of charred wood and begged, not for his own life, but for the life +of Picciola,--that the king would cause the stones that were killing +her to be raised. + +When the king read the prisoner's letter he said, "No man who is really +wicked could care so much for a little, simple flower. I will not only +have the stones raised that are killing his Picciola, but I will pardon +him. He shall be free because of the love he bears his plant." + +So the prisoner left his lonely cell carrying with him his +Picciola,--his little one whom he had saved and who in turn had set him +free. + + + + +CINDERELLA. + +The room was dark, the fire was out and a little girl sat crying all +alone in the ashes. "I want to go to the party too!" she sobbed. "I +want to dance and wear a pretty dress, but my dress is ragged. My +sisters have gone and left me. Nobody wants me. It's so dark here I'm +afraid. Oh! I'm so cold." The tears ran down the face of this forlorn +little girl and fell in the ashes at her feet. Poor child! Poor +little maid! She had to wash and scrub and dust, while her sisters did +nothing but wear pretty clothes and go to all the parties. They never +thought of taking her with them. She was only fit to blacken their +boots and to mend their dresses. Because her hands and her hair were +sometimes gray and dusty from tending the fire and sweeping the hearth, +they called her Cinderella. She had helped her sisters to dress that +very night, smiling all the time, but now that they were gone, +Cinderella could keep back the tears no longer. She was sobbing as if +her heart would break, when suddenly she heard a noise, the room was +filled with light and, right in front of her stood a curious little old +woman, with a long stick in her hand. She had pointed shoes on her +feet and a tassel in her cap. + +"You shall go to the party!" said the queer little creature, stamping +her foot on the floor. "You have always been a good child. You have +as much right to go as your sisters. You shall go! and you shall wear +a pretty dress and ride in a fine carriage too, so dry your eyes, my +dear, and bring me the biggest yellow pumpkin you can find in the +garden," said the fairy; for this little old woman was really a fairy. + +The pumpkin was so large that Cinderella could hardly lift it. With a +nod of her pointed cap, the old woman touched it with her curious stick +and a carriage, a wonderful carriage, stood in its place. The +cushion's were soft velvet ones, the windows were hung with curtains of +silk and there were silver handles on both the doors. + +"Now quickly," said the fairy, "bring me the traps from the cellar!" +There were six little shivering mice in one trap and two plump gray +rats in the other. "Open the doors!" said the old woman. As the six +mice crept slowly out she touched them, one at a time, with her long +stick, which was really a fairy wand, and in a minute each little mouse +was turned into a prancing gray horse that sprang to his place in front +of the carriage. Tap! Tap! went the wand, and the rats were nowhere +to be seen. In their place stood two big, tall men with shiny boots on +their feet and high hats on their heads. They jumped upon the box and +one of them caught the reins in his hands. + +"Now one thing more, my dear," said the fairy to Cinderella; "run into +the garden again and bring the six lizards you will find under a big +stone by the wall." When the lizards were brought, the fairy touched +them too and, in a twinkling, they jumped up from the ground and stood +beside the carriage doors, three on one side and three on the +other,--six little footmen, with six little green coats on their backs +and six little red hats in their hands, all ready to help Cinderella +into her wonderful carriage. + +Another touch of the old woman's wand and Cinderella herself stood +dressed in a gown as blue as the blue sky above and all covered from +top to toe with shining silver stars. She was just going to step into +the carriage and drive away when, looking down, she saw that her feet +were quite bare, she had no shoes on. The fairy saw too. She smiled +and took a pair of little slippers from her pocket. They were all made +of glass and they were such tiny, tiny slippers that, when Cinderella +had put them on, she looked the most beautiful maiden in the whole wide +world. "Take good care of them, my dear," said the old woman. "If you +want to be happy be careful how you use those little shoes. Now go, +child, but there is one thing you must remember,--when the clock +strikes twelve you must be at home again in this very room. If you are +not, all your beautiful things will vanish and you will be left alone +just a poor little, ragged cinder-maid." + +Cinderella promised to remember. She thanked the fairy and drove +quickly away. At last she reached the big house where the Prince was +giving the party. There was music and dancing in the great hall, but +when Cinderella walked in, everybody stopped dancing and looked at her. +They said, "What a pretty girl! Who is she? Where did she come from? +She must be a princess to wear such wonderful clothes! She has on such +a fine dress, she must surely be a princess!" When the Prince saw her, +he asked her to dance with him and, after that, he would dance with no +one else. But Cinderella remembered what the fairy had told her and, +just before midnight, she slipped away and was safe in the kitchen at +home when the clock struck twelve. No one had seen her leave the great +hall. No one had seen her drive away, but the Prince missed her the +moment she was gone and had the great house searched from top to +bottom, but not a trace of the pretty maiden could be found. + +On the second night of the great party all happened as on the first. +Cinderella was made ready by the fairy and, when she reached the big +house on the hill, the Prince ran to welcome her. He would dance with +no one else as before and, when Cinderella vanished just before the +clock struck twelve, he was so unhappy that no one could comfort him. + +Now the third and last night of the party had come. The Prince could +think of nothing but the pretty maid. "I must know who she is and +where she comes from, or I shall never be happy again. I will keep +fast hold of her hand to-night. She shall not slip away this time as +she has always done before," said the Prince. + +Never had Cinderella been as happy as on that evening, never had she +danced as well, never had the lights shone brighter or the music +sounded sweeter, never had the Prince been half as gay. Cinderella +danced on and on. She forgot the fairy, she forgot her promise, she +forgot the hour. The great clock in the hall ticked off the minutes. +It was nearly twelve, still Cinderella danced on without a thought. +The six gray horses pawed restlessly at the door. Louder and louder +grew the music, faster and faster flew the dancers, and the gayest of +them all was Cinderella as she whirled by on the arm of the happy +Prince. But, hark! What's that? Above the noise of the dancing, +above the music and laughter, a sound is heard. It is the great clock +striking the hour of midnight. + +Cinderella heard at last, at last she remembered. She snatched her +hand from the hand of the Prince. She rushed to the doorway, but she +tripped upon the mat and one of her little glass slippers fell off. +The Prince ran after her, but he stopped to pick up her slipper, and +when he reached the gateway the beautiful lady was nowhere to be seen. +All was dark and still, only a ragged beggar-maid, sobbing as if her +heart would break, went quickly away into the night. Poor, poor +Cinderella! Her wonderful carriage had vanished, her beautiful dress +was gone, nothing was left her but one tiny glass slipper. She stooped +and taking it from her foot she put it carefully into the pocket of her +ragged dress, and walked barefoot all the way home alone in the +darkness. + +Time passed, the poor Prince could not sleep by night and could not +rest by day for he had lost his beautiful lady. He had her little +slipper and that was his only comfort. At last he said, "Whoever can +wear this slipper shall be my queen and queen of all my people." + +He took the precious slipper and he traveled far and near through all +the land. He stopped at every cottage and he stopped at every castle +and he begged every maiden whom he met to try it on. But, alas! he +found no one with foot small enough to wear it. At last, one day, he +stopped before the only house that, in all his kingdom, he had not +visited. Cinderella's sisters hurried to meet him for it was at their +door he stood. They tried and tried to crowd their great feet into the +tiny slipper, but it was of no use. The Prince was turning sadly away +thinking, "I shall never see my beautiful lady again," when he caught +sight of a face at the kitchen window. "Who is that?" he cried. "Oh, +it is only Cinderella! a poor kitchen maid," said the sisters. "Let +her be brought! She too shall try the slipper!" said the Prince. "No! +no! She is too ragged and dirty to be seen. Do you think that a +cinder-maid can wear your shoe when we cannot get it on?" But the +Prince would have his way. + +When Cinderella was brought, her dainty little foot slid into the glass +shoe as easily as though she had worn it all her life. She smiled and +took its mate from the pocket of her ragged dress. The Prince smiled +too and, looking into Cinderella's face, he saw his long lost lady of +the party. With a cry of joy he lifted her, all ragged as she was, +upon his horse and the Prince and his chosen princess rode away. + + + + +THE HUT IN THE FOREST. + +"Indra! Indra! Indra! Oh, Indra! Where are you?" called Carla and +Alween. "Come, Indra, we are going home. Come, it will soon be dark. +Hurry, or we shall lose our way." But Indra did not answer. In her +eagerness to find the biggest berries she had strayed away from her +sisters. Now it was quite dark, and she could not find the path. She +called and called but heard nothing save the sound of her own voice. +At last, just as she was thinking, "I will have to pass the night here +all alone in the wood," she saw a light shining through the darkness. +Following this light, Indra soon stood in front of a small house at the +door of which she knocked. "Come in!" called a harsh voice. Stepping +inside, the girl saw before her an old man whose beard was long, whose +hair was white and whose back was bent almost double; while lying near +him in front of the fire, were a cock, a hen and a brindled cow. + +"I have lost my way in the forest," said Indra. "It is dark, I have +nowhere to sleep and I am so hungry. Will you not give me something to +eat and a bed to lie on?" + +The old man looked at her for a long time with his sharp, gray eyes +then, turning to the animals by the fire, he said,-- + + "My cock, my hen, + My brindled cow, + What say you now? + What say you now?" + +The cock, the hen, and the brindled cow all opened their mouths and +called out together,-- + + "Oh, let her stay! + We'll not say nay." + +"Go into the kitchen and cook us some supper," said the old man turning +again to Indra. The girl did as she was bidden. Soon a good meal was +ready which she placed upon the table, but she gave nothing to the +animals and without speaking to them, or even so much as looking at +them, she sat down at the old man's side and ate heartily. + +"Now I am satisfied," said Indra. "Show me where to sleep." The +animals said nothing. "Go into the room above and make ready the two +beds you will find there, then I will come and lie down and sleep also, +for I am weary," said the old man. + +Indra spread the two beds with fresh linen. Then without giving one +thought to the hungry animals below, she laid herself down in one of +the beds and fell fast asleep. + +When at last the old man climbed to the loft and saw Indra lying in a +deep slumber, he looked sorrowfully at her for a long time. Then +shaking his head sadly and slowly, he opened a curious door beneath the +bed on which the girl lay and let her down into the dark, underground +cellar of the hut. + +That night there was trouble and sorrow for good Mother Grougans and +for Carla and Alween. As soon as daylight came they went forth to +search for Sister Indra; but, though they scoured the forest far and +wide, not a trace of her could be found, and at last they were forced +to give their dear one up as lost. + +Now as the two sisters Carla and Alween gathered berries in the forest +one day not long after, Carla, in her eagerness to fill her pail with +the biggest berries, strayed away just as her sister Indra had done. +Alween was forced to return home alone, and it happened with Carla just +as it had with her elder sister. She followed the light that shone +from the cottage window, knocked at the door, entered, and saw the old +man sitting and the animals lying by the fire. She too begged for food +and a bed in which to sleep. + +Turning to the animals the old man said,-- + + "My cock, my hen, + My brindled cow, + What say you now? + What say you now?" + +The cock, the hen, and the brindled cow all opened their mouths and +called out together,-- + + "Oh, let her stay! + We'll not say nay." + +Then the old man sent Carla to prepare supper. Just as her sister had +done, she cooked and ate and gave not so much as a glance or a thought +to the hungry animals. "Now I am satisfied," said Carla at last. +"Show me where to sleep." The animals said nothing, but the old man +told her to prepare the two beds in the loft. After spreading them +with fresh linen the girl laid herself down upon one of the beds and +fell fast asleep. + +When the old man climbed to the loft and saw Carla lying in a sound +slumber, he opened the curious door again and let her also down into +the cellar. + +Now when Carla failed to return home. Mother Grougans was lost in +grief and she forbade her youngest daughter, Alween, to go into the +wood on any account whatsoever. And she said, "Shall I lose my +youngest and my dearest also?" But soon mother and daughter were both +so hungry that Alween was forced to go into the forbidden forest in +search of food. In her eagerness to get the largest and the sweetest +berries for her mother, she too strayed away from the path, and all +happened with her as it had with her sisters. + +When Alween entered the hut and begged for food and shelter, the old +man turned to his animals and said,-- + + "My cock, my hen, + My brindled cow, + What say you now? + What say you now?" + +The cock, the hen, and the brindled cow all opened their mouths and +called out together,-- + + "Oh, let her stay! + We'll not say nay." + +Then Alween thanked the animals for their kindness and, going close to +them, she stroked the smooth feathers of the cock and the hen and +patted the brindled cow on the white star in her forehead. She made +ready the supper and set it before the old man; but, before satisfying +her own hunger, she said, "The good animals are hungry too. I must +first get food for them." So she placed a bundle of hay in front of +the brindled cow and scattered wheat and barley for the cock and the +hen and brought a fresh drink of water for all. Then she herself ate +and was satisfied. + +That night Alween slept soundly in the loft of the little hut, but not +before she had seen the old man tucked snugly into his bed and fast +asleep. When she wakened, with the first rays of morning light, she +thought, "I must dress quickly and get breakfast for the poor old man +and feed the little cock and the little hen and the pretty brindled +cow." But when she opened her eyes she seemed to be no longer in the +loft of the little old hut in the wood. Instead of its dingy walls she +saw before her a vast hall hung with cloth of gold and rich +embroideries, and light and sunshine and flowers were everywhere. "I +am surely dreaming," said Alween. Pushing aside the rich silken +curtain of her bed, which also seemed a part of her dream, she thought +to dress herself; but the poor ragged clothes she had put off the night +before were nowhere to be found. In their place lay costly garments of +satin and velvet. + +"Oh, this is a dream, a dream!" thought the girl. She rubbed her eyes +again and again as she gazed at the rich curtains and the costly +garments and the splendid walls with their gay embroideries. She +called aloud. She ran to the old man's bed to see if he were still +asleep,--there in his place lay a stranger, young and handsome. + +"Oh, where is the little old hut in the forest and where is the poor +old man? Oh, where is the little cock and the little hen and the +pretty brindled cow and where, oh, where am I?" she cried. At this the +stranger wakened and, sitting up in bed, he called softly: "Do not run +away. Alween! Alween! Come back! Come back! Do not be frightened. +We are all here. I was the old man with the long white beard and my +servants yonder were the cock, the hen and the brindled cow. You have +saved our lives. You have set us free. You have delivered us from +worse than death. I am a king's son, but I was bewitched by a wicked +old fairy and forced, in the form of an old, old man, to live here in a +hut in the forest all alone, except for my three servants, who were +made to take the form of a cock, of a hen, and of a brindled cow. Here +we were obliged to stay until some one came to us who showed love and +kindness toward my animals as well as toward myself. You have saved +us. You have set us free and this great palace and all within it is +yours." + +And Alween married the king's son and they were very happy together for +many, many years; but her sisters were forced to live lives of hardship +and poverty until their hearts had grown more kindly toward all living +creatures. + + + + +THE SLEEPING PRINCESS. + +Once, a long, long time ago, there lived a brave king and a beautiful +queen. They ruled the land wisely; they loved each other dearly, and +they would have been happy but for one thing--they had no children. + +At last there came a day of joy--a day that brought a little princess +to the palace. The baby girl grew strong and rosy and the time for her +christening drew near. Then came twelve good fairy godmothers to eat +from the king's twelve golden plates, to drink from his twelve golden +goblets and to bring twelve good wishes to his little daughter. + +Now thirteen fairies lived in the kingdom; but, as the king had only +twelve golden plates and twelve golden goblets, the thirteenth fairy +was not invited. This made her very angry and she cried, "I will go to +the christening! I will see the king's daughter and the king shall rue +the day on which he dared to slight me!" + +They named the little princess Briar Rose. The first fairy godmother +gave her beauty. The second gave happiness. "Wisdom is my gift," said +number three. "Grace shall be hers," cried four. "I give her wit," +said five. The sixth godmother gave sympathy. The seventh gave +wealth. The eighth said, "The princess shall have courage and shall be +strong and brave." Number nine cried, "Health is hers as long as ever +she may live." The tenth gave youth. "The Briar Rose shall love her +people and she shall rule gently and where she goes joy shall go too," +said number eleven. The twelfth fairy opened her lips to wish long +life, when, just at that moment, the thirteenth fairy, who had not been +invited, burst into the room. She pushed the good fairy aside and, +before anyone could stop her, she cried out in a loud angry voice, "The +princess shall prick her finger with a spindle, on her fifteenth +birthday, and shall die!" In a moment all was excitement. The jealous +old fairy rushed from the palace, but the people dashed after her. +"Drive the wicked witch from the kingdom! Burn every spindle in the +land!" they cried. + +The twelfth fairy could not take away the bad wish, she could only +soften it. "The princess shall not die," she said, "but she shall fall +into a deep sleep that shall last for a hundred years." + +The jealous old fairy was driven far, far away. The king ordered that +every spindle in the whole land be burned. Then every one was happy +once more, for now all thought that no harm could come near the little +Briar Rose. + +Day by day the princess grew more gentle and more beautiful and all who +saw her loved her. Years flew by, the bad wish of the jealous old +fairy was forgotten. All the people thought that some day the little +princess would be their queen. She was a big girl now, almost a woman. +At last her fifteenth birthday came and, to amuse herself upon that +very morning, she went wandering about the old palace all alone. She +peeped into unused rooms; she took curious old treasures into her +hands; she walked through long halls; she ran up and down dark +corridors. + +At last the princess reached the topmost tower of the great palace. +Here a flight of wooden steps led up to a little door that she had +never before seen. The door was close shut, but a rusty key stood in +the lock. She sprang upon the stairs. She turned the rusty key. The +door swung slowly open and the princess saw that, in a far corner of a +dimly lighted room, sat a little, bent old woman. She was spinning. +It was really the jealous old fairy, who had uttered the bad wish so +many years ago, but the princess did not know this. + +"Good morrow, good mother," she said. But the old woman kept on +spinning. + +"Who are you and where did you come from?" cried the princess. But the +old woman kept on spinning. + +"Why do you sit by yourself in this dark room? Have you no home? Have +you no friends? Have you no fire to warm you, or light to cheer you?" +But the old woman kept on spinning. + +At last, getting no answer to her questions, the little Briar Rose +stepped across the threshold. She stood beside the old woman's chair, +and, bending over it, called out in her sweet tones, "What is that I +see in your hand, good mother, which whirls about so merrily?" But the +old woman only kept on spinning. + +"Let me take that curious thing," said the princess, reaching out her +hand for the spindle. + +Then for the first time the old woman lifted her ugly face. She rose +quickly from her chair. She thrust the spindle into the girl's hand. +She opened her wicked old lips. "Take it," she croaked, "and may death +go with it!" + +Scarcely had the spindle touched the hand of the poor princess when a +tiny stream of blood flowed from her little finger and she fell into a +deep, deep sleep. + +At that moment every one in the great palace fell fast asleep also. +The king slept upon his golden throne; the queen slept in her royal +parlor; the judges slept on the council benches. Fast asleep fell +lords and ladies of the court. Even the flies slept on the walls, and +the fires died down upon the palace hearths. The dogs slept in their +kennels, and the horses in their stalls. Outside the birds slept on +the branches, and the drowsy bees slept in the drooping flowers. Not +even a leaf stirred upon a single tree within the castle yard, but all +was quiet and as still as death. A hedge of thorn trees shot up around +the palace and, in a single night, the hedge grew so thick that not a +chink of light shone through it, and so tall that not even the tallest +palace spire could be seen above it. + +Years went by and Briar Rose was forgotten. No one living knew what +was hidden behind the great hedge. Old tales were sometimes told of a +beautiful princess who lay there asleep and, every now and then, a bold +young prince would try to force his way through the hedge; but the +thorns were so sharp that no one had ever caught so much as a glimpse +even of the old castle, in which this beautiful princess slept. + +At last there came a handsome prince, bolder than all the others, who +cried, "I will break down this hedge! I will set this princess free!" +Now it happened that that very day ended the long sleep of the Briar +Rose. All the hundred summers had just passed by. The wish had come +true and it was now time for the beautiful princess to awake, but the +bold prince did not know this. He drew his sword. He rushed upon the +hedge, when, lo! the sharp thorns turned aside; the branches opened and +there before him stood the sleeping palace. + +He burst the gates. Not even a leaf stirred upon a single tree within +the castle yard. Not a dog bayed in the kennels. Not a horse whinnied +in the stalls. Not a bird sang in the branches. Not a bee droned in +the flowers. All was as still as death. He burst the palace doors. +There slept the king upon his golden throne. There slept the queen +within her royal parlor. There slept the judges on the council +benches. There slept the lords and ladies of the court; but the +princess, the beautiful princess, where was she? He looked in all the +splendid rooms. He searched the halls and corridors but no princess +could he find. He climbed the winding stairway,--higher and higher up +he went, higher and yet higher still. At last he reached the little +chamber. Would he find her here? He turned the rusty key. The low +door opened. He entered. There before him lay--could it be she, the +sleeping beauty? Her eyes were closed, but her cheeks were pink like +the wild roses at the gate. Her lips were red like the scarlet ribbon +that she wore. Her black hair had grown to her very feet and lay about +her like a splendid dress. "Would she waken?" thought the prince. He +stooped! He caught his breath! He kissed her! The charm was broken! +Her eyes flew open and the princess smiled upon her prince. + +Just at that moment the king rose from his golden throne. The queen +swept from her royal parlor. The judges yawned on the council benches. +Awake came lords and ladies of the court. Again the fires leaped up +upon the palace hearths. Again the flies buzzed on the window panes. +A wind blew through the castle yard. Again the birds sang in the +branches and the bees droned in the flowers. Again the dogs barked in +the kennels and the horses whinnied in the stalls. + +The hundred years were past and all was life and joy once more. Out of +the palace gates rode the bold prince, and beside him rode the happy +princess, whom his kiss had waked. + + + + +TOPSY STORIES. + +I. THE COMING OF TOPSY. + +One night, when Alice was a very little girl, her papa came home early +from the office. He carried a small basket in his hand, but when he +saw Alice he put the basket behind his back; his eyes twinkled as he +did so. + +"Guess what I have brought you, little daughter," he said. "Something +to play with." + +Alice ran and caught fast hold of her papa's knees with her two chubby +arms, and her eyes grew big and bright as she peeped around at the +basket. + +"Oh, what is it, papa? Do let me see." + +"You must guess first," said her papa; "such a fine plaything." + +"I know; it's a dolly!" cried Alice. + +Papa laughed. "No, it's ever so much better than a dolly, for it's +alive," he said. + +"Oh, then it's a bird," cried the little girl. + +But her papa only shook his head. + +"Maybe it's a bunny, then," said Alice. + +"No, no, you will never guess right," laughed papa, "so I will have to +tell you. Just listen a moment," he said, as he held the basket close +to Alice's ear. + +The little girl stood on her tiptoes and fairly held her breath. Soon +she heard a faint sound: "Meow! meow! meow!" + +"It's a kitty! It's a kitty! Do open the basket quickly, papa," cried +Alice, dancing up and down and clapping her hands. Then she tried to +push her fingers under the cover. + +Sure enough, when the basket was opened there lay a tiny kitten. + +"Oh, isn't she black!" cried the little girl. + +"Yes, indeed, she is," said Alice's papa. "I should call her Topsy. +There isn't a white hair in her whole glossy coat, from the tip of her +little pink nose to the end of her little black tail." + +"What big yellow eyes! And oh, look! look! what funny feet she has! +Why are they so large, papa?" asked Alice. + +"That's because she is a seven-toed kitten, little daughter. I expect +that she will catch a great many mice with those big feet of hers, when +she grows to be a cat." + +Alice turned one of the funny front paws over. "One, two, three, four, +five, six, seven," she counted. "Yes, there are just seven toes here, +but look, papa, there are not so many on her hind feet. I wonder if +she is hungry. May I feed her, mamma?" + +Mamma brought some milk, and soon Topsy seemed to feel quite at home. +She lapped the milk with her little red tongue, until there was not a +drop of it left in the saucer. Then she began to purr and to rub her +face against the hand of her new mistress. Finally she curled up in +Alice's lap until she looked like a shiny black ball, and began +blinking at the fire with sleepy eyes. + +Alice was sleepy, too. She curled up in papa's lap, just as kitty had +done in hers, and soon Topsy and she were both fast asleep. + + + + +TOPSY STORIES. + +II. HOW TOPSY KEPT WARM. + +"Is that Topsy crying?" said Alice's mamma, one morning. "Listen a +moment." + +Alice stopped playing with her doll and kept very quiet. Yes, she +could hear a faint meow. She ran to the outside door and opened it, +but kitty was not there. She listened again, and again she heard the +same sound: "Meow! meow! meow!" + +"Perhaps kitty is at the other door," said Alice's mamma. + +Alice turned the knob and pulled the door wide open; but only a rush of +cold air and a few snowflakes came in. + +"Where can she be, mamma? Oh, I know now! She is down cellar," said +Alice. But no kitty was there. "Maybe she is in the wood shed. I'll +run and see! No, mamma, she isn't there, either. I don't think she is +happy, wherever she is. She doesn't sound so. Just hear her cry!" + +Both listened again to the half-smothered meow. + +"No, she doesn't sound very happy, pet," said mamma. "She is shut up +somewhere and can't get out. We must find her." + +So the mother and the little girl began to search for Topsy. Upstairs +and downstairs they went, looking everywhere. They opened all the +closet doors, they looked into all the trunks and boxes. They even +peeped into the baby's hamper and lifted the lid of grandmother's big +workbasket; but no kitty did they find. Still they could hear her +crying "Meow! meow! meow!" all the time. + +Back to the kitchen they went. "She must be in this room," said mamma; +"the meowing sounds louder here than it does anywhere else." + +Round and round the room went Alice, peeping everywhere. Her mother +looked in all the places, too. No kitty in the cupboard, no kitty in +the china closet, no kitty in the washtubs, no kitty in the wood box! + +At last Alice stood still, quite close to the big stove, wondering +where she could look next. + +"Meow! meow! meow!" + +"Oh, mamma. It sounds loudest right here!" + +Alice's mother bent her head and listened. "So it does," she said. +Then she put her hand on the door of the big warming oven. She pulled +it open, and--out walked Topsy, very warm indeed, but not hurt at all. + +Alice caught kitty up in her arms and gave her a good hug. The poor +cat's fur was quite hot. + +"It's a good thing for pussy that we found her as soon as we did," said +mamma. + +Alice gave Topsy a saucer of milk, and soon her pet was curled up in +the doll's cradle fast asleep and none the worse for her warming. + + + + +TOPSY STORIES. + +III. HOW TOPSY MOTHERED HER NEIGHBOR'S KITTENS. + +Topsy had no babies of her own. Tarlequin, her next door neighbor, had +two soft, little, cuddley ones. Topsy was lonely. Her tail grew big +and bushy, and her eyes grew dark and bright as she trotted off toward +the wood shed where, in a barrel of nice smelling shavings, her +neighbor had set up housekeeping. + +Tarlequin was not at home that morning. Topsy did not stop to knock, +but gave a big spring and landed right in the middle of the babies' +bed. Then she took one of the babies right in her mouth by the loose +skin at the back of its neck, jumped out of the barrel, and ran home as +fast as she could. She laid the stolen kitten softly down on her own +bed, and began to wash it all over with her funny rough tongue. + +Soon the kitten began to cry, for it was hungry and missed its own +mother. + +Alice heard the strange sound and ran to find out what it could be. + +When Topsy saw her little mistress, she curled herself up all around +the stolen baby and began to growl and hiss, something she had never +done to Alice before. + +"Oh, mamma, do come and see what Topsy has found!" + +"Well, well!" said mamma. "It is one of Tarlequin's babies. Where did +she get it?" + +"Why are Topsy's eyes so shiny, and why does she growl at me, mamma? I +am afraid to touch her," said Alice. + +"She thinks that you are going to take the kitten away, little +daughter; but it will never do to let her keep it. Tarlequin will miss +it and, besides, we have no way of feeding it." + +Alice's mother began to talk softly to Topsy. After a while she put +her hand down and gently stroked the cat's face. Very soon Topsy +allowed mamma to take both herself and the little kitten up in her +arms. Then mamma carried them back to Tarlequin's barrel in the +neighbor's wood shed. + +Tarlequin was at home this time. She seemed very glad to see her lost +baby back again and called, "Meow! meow! meow!" + +Mamma stroked Tarlequin, saying, "Nice kitty! nice kitty!" Then she +put Topsy right down in the nest beside Tarlequin and stroked her. +Soon the two cats were purring softly and licking each other and the +two kittens by turns. + +That was the last time that Topsy was ever lonely, for she lived in +Tarlequin's barrel after that, and helped bring up Tarlequin's babies; +and she took just as good care of them as their own mother did, too. + +She cuddled close to them when they were asleep so that they would not +feel cold. Every day she licked their coats until they were smooth and +shiny. When the kittens were big enough, Topsy brought them all the +plump mice they could eat, and she let them tumble and scramble all +over her, nip at her ears and play with her tail as much as ever they +liked. + +"Isn't Tarlequin real good, mamma," said Alice one day, as she saw her +pet frolicking with the two kittens, "to let poor Topsy help bring up +her babies?" + +"Yes, indeed," said mamma; "and I wonder if there was ever a family of +kits before that had two mothers at the same time!" + + + + +TOPSY STORIES. + +IV. TOPSY'S HIDING PLACE. + +All around the kitchen they went, playing hide and seek. Topsy hid +under the stove, Alice hid in the cupboard; Topsy hid behind the wood +box, Alice hid under the table; Topsy hid in the corner back of the +coal hod, Alice hid in the folds of mamma's big apron hanging behind +the kitchen door; but they never failed to find each other and always +had a great frolic after each one's hiding place was discovered. + +At last the play was over and Topsy went fast asleep, lying on her back +in the doll's cradle. She looked very funny, with her paws sticking +straight up in the air. + +Soon Alice wanted to put dolly to bed; so Topsy found another nice +resting place, stretched out in mamma's workbasket, with her front paws +lying on the pincushion; but when mamma came for thimble and thread +kitty was forced to move again. + +"Meow! meow!" she said. "I will get out of every one's way, and go +where I can sleep as long as I please without being disturbed!" So +Topsy sprang upon the table, then upon a tall folded screen near by, +and, with a big jump, landed at last on the very tiptop of the china +closet. No one saw her. She crept far back against the wall and was +soon fast asleep, lying in a nice warm corner, just under the ceiling. + +After a time Alice grew tired of playing with her doll and looked about +for kitty, but kitty was nowhere to be seen. The little girl went to +the door and called, "Kitty! kitty! kitty!" but no kitty came. She +called again, but no shrill meow answered her. She called again and +again, but still no Topsy was to be heard or seen. + +"Oh, mamma, where can kitty be?" said Alice, with tears in her eyes. +"I am afraid she is lost. I haven't seen her for ever so long." + +"Have you looked in all the hiding places? Perhaps she has gone fast +asleep somewhere and doesn't hear you call," said mamma. + +So Alice began to search for her pet, but though she looked everywhere +no kitty did she find. She called and called again, but all in vain; +no Topsy answered her. + +"Never mind, little daughter," said mamma, "kitty has probably gone off +hunting and will surprise you by and by with a big fat mouse." + +So Alice was comforted; and though she felt very lonely with no furry +ball snuggled in her lap and no bright-eyed playmate scampering at her +heels, she tried to be happy playing with her dolly and looking at her +new picture book. + +At last the long day was over and night came. It brought no Topsy, but +it did bring papa from his work. When Alice saw him coming, she ran +out to meet him and, throwing herself into his arms, poured out all her +trouble: "Oh, papa, Topsy is lost! We can't find her anywhere! She +has been gone all day long! I have looked and looked, and called and +called, but she doesn't come!" + +Papa comforted his little daughter as papas know how to do. "Cheer up! +little girl. We will find her after supper," he said. + +When the pleasant evening meal was over and all the family sat around +the cozy fire, papa said: "I think I know how to make Topsy come, if +she is in the house." + +"Oh, how?" cried Alice. + +Papa said nothing but he puckered up his lips and began to whistle in +loud, shrill tones. At the first note something stirred on top of the +china closet. Then there was a short, protesting meow. Papa kept on +whistling. Kitty stood up and began to stretch. As the shrill music +continued, Topsy walked to the edge of the cupboard and looked down. + +"Oh, there she is! there she is!" cried Alice. "Oh, my own dear kitty! +But what a funny place to hide in!" + +Louder and shriller grew papa's whistling. Kitty jumped upon the +screen and then leaped to the table. Still papa whistled on. Topsy +sprang to the floor and, jumping into papa's lap, began to rub her face +against his breast. "Meow! meow!" she said. Still the shrill noise +did not atop. Pussy put her front paws high up on papa's chest and +rubbed her face against his chin, at the same time nipping it gently +with her teeth and calling, "Meow! meow!" which meant, "Stop! stop! +Please, master, I am here. What do you want? Oh, do stop that +dreadful noise!" + +So papa stopped whistling and Alice and Topsy had a fine frolic before +bedtime. + +This was the first and only time that Topsy was ever lost; but to this +day, she will sometimes steal away and sleep for hours on her lofty +perch, heedless of coaxing or scolding, and only dislodged at night by +papa's shrill whistle. + + + + +TOPSY STORIES. + +V. TOPSY'S BABIES. + +"I must teach the kittens some tricks," said Alice one day. "They are +getting so big and plump. Don't you think they are old enough to learn +to do things, mamma?" + +"Well, little daughter, suppose you try teaching them," said mamma. + +So Alice went to the door and called: "Kittens! kittens! kittens! +Come, Tip! Come, Trot! Come, kittens!" Now their real names were +Tipkins and Trotkins, but Alice always called them Tip and Trot for +short. + +When the kittens heard their little mistress call, they came running as +fast as their fat little bodies and their short little legs would let +them come; for "Kittens, kittens, kittens!" almost always meant: "Here +is some nice warm milk to drink." + +Alice gathered the funny little things up in her arms. They looked +just exactly alike, for Tipkins had a black spot on the end of his +tail, and Trotkins had a black spot on the end of his tail, too; +Tipkins' eyes were blue, so were Trotkins'; Tipkins' nose was black, +and Trotkins' nose was black, too. Alice often wondered how their +mother, Topsy, ever told them apart. + +"Now," said the little girl, "you have grown to be such big pussies +that it is time you learned to work. You must earn your dinner. What +do you say to that?" + +"Meow! meow!" said Tipkins. "Meow! meow!" said Trotkins. "Meow! +meow!" said Tipkins and Trotkins together. Which seemed to mean, "That +we will, little mistress; only show us how." + +Alice took a tiny bit of meat in her fingers and let one of the kittens +smell of it; then she said very slowly, "Now, pussy, roll over." The +kitten liked the smell of the meat very much, so he said, "Meow! meow!" +but he did not know in the least what "roll over" meant, so he did +nothing. "Roll over, kitty," said his little mistress again, but he +only said, "Meow! meow! meow!" once more. Then Alice made pussy lie +down, and she gently rolled him over with her hand, saying very slowly +as she did so, "Roll over." After this she gave him the bit of meat. + +Then it was the other kitten's turn. He had no more idea than his +brother what "roll over" meant; but after Alice had said the words two +or three times, she gently rolled his plump little body over, too, and +then gave him the nice bit of meat also. Then she set a big saucer of +milk down in front of her pets, and so ended the first lesson of +Tipkins and Trotkins. + +This was only the first of many lessons, however. Alice worked +patiently with the kittens every day for a whole month and, at the end +of that time, both Tipkins and Trotkins knew just what she meant and +would roll over every time she told them to, even though they got not a +scrap of anything good to eat in return. + +Tipkins seemed to think it was great fun, and he would sometimes roll +over five or six times without stopping, just as Alice herself often +rolled on the grass when at play. But Trotkins never seemed to like +doing it, and would turn round and round until he was fairly dizzy +before finally lying down. Then, as he rolled over, he would give a +funny meow, as much as to say, "I don't like to; but, if I must, I +will." + +Tipkins learned to ring a small bell by striking it with one of his +front paws. Trotkins could never be coaxed to touch this bell; but he +would sit by while his brother rang it and cry, "Meow! meow! meow!" +Alice thought that this was very funny, and she said that Trot sang +while Tip did the playing. + +Both the kittens learned to jump over a stick when their mistress held +one out in her hand, about a foot from the floor; and Alice taught +Tipkins to jump through a small wooden hoop; but she could never +persuade Trotkins even once to try to jump through the hoop. + +As Tipkins and Trotkins grew older, their mother, Topsy, taught them to +hunt for mice in the big, dark barn, and to catch moles and +grasshoppers in the field. They had less and less time, as the days +went by, to play with their little mistress; and Alice found them so +sleepy, when they did have time, that at last she gave up trying to +teach them any new antics. + +As the months passed by they grew sleek and fat. They were kittens no +longer, but had grown as large and could hunt as well as Mother Topsy; +and although they learned no new tricks now, the old ones, taught them +by their little mistress, were never forgotten by Tipkins and Trotkins. + + + + +ETHEL'S FRIENDS. + +Ethel was a little girl who lived in the great city of New York, but +she loved the country very much and often wished that she could play in +the big, green fields or pick wild flowers in the wood. She remembered +one summer, when she was a very little girl, staying in the country for +ever so many days, almost a whole month, and having such a happy time +lying on the grass, listening to the birds, and watching the cows and +horses and sheep, the cunning little lambs, and the old white hen with +her brood of downy chicks. Oh, how she did wish that she could see +them all again! But the country was far, far away, and Ethel's papa +and mamma were too busy to take their little daughter there. + +There was a place in the big city called Central Park that seemed to +Ethel like the country. She loved to go there, and had a happy time +watching the sparrows as they scratched for seeds and looked about for +crumbs, and trying to get the gray squirrels to come nearer and take +nuts from her hand. Here, some days, O happiest times of all! she +could lie with her rosy face buried in the short, green grass, and +press it close, oh! so close to the "great brown house," the home of +the flowers. + +One sunshiny day in June Ethel had been playing in the park for a long +time. Though she had coaxed and coaxed the squirrels, they would not +come near; and though she had listened for a long time to the hoarse +croak of a frog, and watched and waited, and looked about with big +bright eyes, she could not get even so much as a peep at him. At last +she grew very tired and sat down upon a bench near by to rest before +going home. Scarcely was she seated when she heard some one call her +name. "Ethel! Ethel!" a sweet voice said. She looked all about but +could see no one. "Ethel! Ethel!" it called again, this time very +near. She looked around, saying, "Here I am; who is calling?" "It is +I. Don't you see me? I am close beside you," said the same sweet +voice. + +Looking down Ethel saw at her feet a tiny creature all dressed in +dainty green. "Oh!" thought she, "this must really and truly be a +fairy. Why, I supposed fairies were only make-believe people!" and +Ethel was so surprised that she forgot to answer the little creature. + +Soon the fairy said: "Ethel, because you love the birds and the flowers +and the trees and all the animals, I have come to take you out into the +country to visit your friends." + +Ethel clapped her hands and said: "Oh, I should love to go to the +country! but I haven't any friends there." + +"Yes, you have," said the fairy, "come and see." + +So away they went, and Ethel all the time wondered whom the fairy could +possibly mean by her friends; but they went so fast that, before she +had time to do much thinking, Ethel found herself in a great, green +meadow, bright and fresh and cool. Soon they came to a tree with +spreading branches; and there, lying under it and resting in its shade, +was a gentle looking creature with soft eyes, long smooth horns, and a +hairy dress of red and white. + +"Here," said the fairy, "is one of your friends, and a very good friend +she is too." "Oh," said Ethel, "now I know whom you mean by my +friends!" + +I wonder who can tell me why the fairy called the cow Ethel's friend. +Yes, because without this friend Ethel would miss her cup of milk at +breakfast and the golden butter for her bread. + +Ethel gave the white star on the cow's forehead a gentle pat and, +looking into her great dark eyes, she said, "Surely you are my friend, +Bossy." But the fairy said, "Come on, little girl, there are many more +friends to see." So Ethel visited all the friendly animals,--the sheep +with their woolly coats, the pigs in their sty, the chickens, the ducks +and the geese in the barnyard, the pigeons in their home on the roof, +the great clever collie in his kennel; and she found that she owed +something to every one of them. + +Just as she was giving Rover a farewell pat, old Dobbin, harnessed to +the farm wagon, came clattering up to the barn. "Here comes the best +friend of all!" cried Ethel. "What should we do without Dobbin to +carry the milk and the butter and the eggs to the city, to draw the +wood and the coal that keep us warm, to help the farmer plow and harrow +the ground in the springtime, to draw in the hay and the grain in the +autumn, and to trot cheerfully along the country road when the children +take a ride? Oh! I hope the farmer gives him a good, dry bed to sleep +upon, a manger of hay and a measure of oats when he is hungry. I hope +he combs and smooths Dobbin's black coat well, and puts a blanket on +his back when the weather is cold. I'm sure the farmer wouldn't cut +off Dobbin's shiny black tail for the world, for how could Dobbin drive +away the flies that trouble him, without his tail? I know that there +is always plenty of fresh water for Dobbin to drink whenever he is +thirsty, and that, sometimes, the children give him a lump of sugar to +eat. The farmer never lets Dobbin lose a shoe, I'm sure, for fear he +might go lame, but always takes him to the blacksmith if only a nail is +loose." + +Buzz z z z! buzz z z z! sounded close to Ethel's ear. She opened her +eyes and looked about. There she sat upon a bench in the park. The +sun had gone down behind the tall buildings, and it was almost dark. +The pretty elfin in green had vanished. Her country friends were +nowhere to be seen. A bee's gauzy wings and yellow legs were +disappearing in the distance. "There goes another of my friends," said +Ethel, "I think he must have come to tell me that it is time to go +home." + +So Ethel ran home and told her mother all about the fairy and her +friends. "Oh, mamma! do you suppose the fairy really and truly took me +to the country?" said Ethel. + +"No," said mamma, "I think my little girl was asleep and dreaming; but, +for all that, the animals on the farm are really among our very best +friends." + +"Yes, I know that," said Ethel, "how I wish I could see them!" And for +many days after her wonderful dream Ethel never went to the park +without thinking of how the little fairy in green took her to visit all +her friends in the country. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Kindergarten Story Book, by Jane L. Hoxie + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A KINDERGARTEN STORY BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 14127.txt or 14127.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/4/1/2/14127/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/14127.zip b/old/14127.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..70c4032 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14127.zip |
