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diff --git a/15170.txt b/15170.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..872a911 --- /dev/null +++ b/15170.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6650 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Child's World +by Hetty Browne, Sarah Withers, W.K. Tate + +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: The Child's World + Third Reader + +Author: Hetty Browne, Sarah Withers, W.K. Tate + +Release Date: February 25, 2005 [EBook #15170] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHILD'S WORLD *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, David King, and the PG Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + + + + +THE CHILD'S WORLD + +THIRD READER + +BY + +HETTY S. BROWNE +Extension worker in rural school practice +Winthrop Normal and Industrial College +Rock Hill, S.C. + +SARAH WITHERS +Principal Elementary Grades and Critic Teacher +Winthrop Normal and Industrial College + +AND + +W.K. TATE +Professor of Rural Education +George Peabody College for Teachers +Nashville, Tenn. + +JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY +Richmond, Virginia + +TEACHERS' AIDS + +Success with the Child's World Readers is in no wise dependent on the +use of the chart, manual, or cards. + +Modern teachers of reading, however, recognize the saving of time and +effort to be accomplished for both their pupils and themselves by the +use of cards, chart, and manual, and look to the publisher to provide +these accessories in convenient form and at moderate cost. + +The following aids are therefore offered in the belief that they will +make the work of the teacher, trained or untrained, more effective. + +Child's World Reader Charts......................$6.00 + (10 beautiful charts in colors 27x37--20 lessons) + +Child's World Manual.............................75c + (Suggestions and outlines for first 5 grades) + +Child's World Word Cards........................$1.00 + (129 cards--258 words in Primer vocabulary) + +Child's World Phrase Cards........................75c + (48 cards--96 phrases) + +Child's World Phonic Cards...................80c + (80 cards printed both sides) + +JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY + +Richmond, Virginia. + + + +ACKNOWLEDGMENTS + +For permission to use copyrighted material the authors and publishers +express their indebtedness to _The Independent_ for "Who Loves the Trees +Best?" by Alice M. Douglas; to Oliver Herford and the Century Company +for "The Elf and the Dormouse"; to the American Folklore Society for +"How Brother Rabbit Fooled the Whale and the Elephant," by Alcee +Fortier; to the _Outlook_ for "Making the Best of It," by Frances M. +Fox, and "Winter Nights," by Mary F. Butts; to Harper Brothers for "The +Animals and the Mirror," from _Told by the Sand Man_; to Rand McNally & +Company for "Little Hope's Doll," from _Stories of the Pilgrims_, by +Margaret Pumphrey; to Daughady & Company for "Squeaky and the Scare +Box," from _Christmas Stories_, by Georgene Faulkner; to D.C. Heath & +Company for "The Little Cook's Reward," from _Stories of the Old North +State_, by Mrs. L.A. McCorkle; to Charles Scribner's Sons for "A Good +Play" and "Block City," by Robert Louis Stevenson, "The Glad New Year," +from _Rhymes and Jingles_, by Mary Mapes Dodge, "A Christmas Wish" and +"Rock-a-by-Lady," by Eugene Field; to Houghton Mifflin Company for +permission to adapt selections from _Hiawatha_; to Doubleday, Page & +Company for "The Sand Man," by Margaret Vandergrift, from _The Posy +Ring_--Wiggin and Smith; to James A. Honey for "The Monkey's Fiddle," +from _South African Tales_; to Maud Barnard for "Donal and Conal"; to +Maud Barnard and Emilie Yonker for their versions of Epaminondas. + + +Supplementary Historical Reading + +Life of General Robert E. Lee +_For Third and Fourth Grades_ + +Life of General Thomas J. Jackson +_For Third and Fourth Grades_ + +Life of Washington +_For Fourth and Fifth Grades_ + +Life of General N.B. Forrest +_For Fifth Grade_ + +Life of General J.E.B. Stuart +_For Fifth and Sixth Grades_ + +Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia +_For Fifth Grade_ + +Tennessee History Stories +_For Third and Fourth Grades_ + +North Carolina History Stories +_For Fourth and Fifth Grades_ + +Texas History Stories +_For Fifth and Sixth Grades_ + +Half-Hours in Southern History +_For Sixth and Seventh Grades_ + +The Yemassee (_Complete Edition_) +_For Seventh and Eighth Grades_ + +(Ask for catalog containing list of other supplementary reading) + +JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY +RICHMOND, VA. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +PHILEMON AND BAUCIS, _Flora J. Cooke_, 9 + +THE POPLAR TREE, _Flora J. Cooke_, 15 + +WHO LOVES THE TREES BEST?, _Alice May Douglas_, 18 + +LEAVES IN AUTUMN, 19 + +A STORY OF BIRD LIFE, _Henry Ward Beecher_, 20 + +BOB WHITE, _George Cooper_, 25 + +HOW MARY GOT A NEW DRESS, 26 + +THE PLAID DRESS, 30 + +THE GODDESS OF THE SILKWORM, 34 + +THE FLAX, _Hans Christian Andersen_, 37 + +THE WONDERFUL WORLD, _William Brighty Rands_, 41 + +THE HILLMAN AND THE HOUSEWIFE, _Juliana H. Ewing_, 42 + +THE ELF AND THE DORMOUSE, _Oliver Herford_, 46 + +THE BELL OF ATRI, _Italian Tale_, 48 + +A DUMB WITNESS, _Arabian Tale_, 53 + +GIVING THANKS, 56 + +THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG, _Grimm_, 58 + +EPAMINONDAS, _Southern Tale_, 67 + +HOW BROTHER RABBIT FOOLED THE WHALE AND THE ELEPHANT, _Southern Folk +Tale_, 73 + +A CHRISTMAS WISH, _Eugene Field_, 79 + +THE CHRISTMAS BELLS, _Old Tale Retold_, 82 + +GOD BLESS THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE, _Old English Rime_, 89 + +SQUEAKY AND THE SCARE BOX, _Georgene Faulkner_, 90 + +THE GLAD NEW YEAR, _Mary Mapes Dodge_, 99 + +MAKING THE BEST OF IT, _Frances M. Fox_, 100 + +THE ANIMALS AND THE MIRROR, _F.A. Walker_, 106 + +THE BARBER OF BAGDAD, _Eastern Tale_, 115 + +WINTER NIGHTS, _Mary F. Butts_, 122 + +LITTLE HOPE'S DOLL, _Margaret Pumphrey_, 123 + +NAHUM PRINCE, 130 + +THE LITTLE COOK'S REWARD, _Mrs. L.A. McCorkle_, 134 + +ROCK-A-BY, HUSH-A-BY, LITTLE PAPOOSE, _Charles Myall_, 139 + +THE TAR WOLF, _The Indian Tar-Baby Story_, 140 + +THE RABBIT AND THE WOLF, _Southern Indian Tale_, 149 + +BLOCK CITY, _Robert Louis Stevenson_, 154 + +A GOOD PLAY, _Robert Louis Stevenson_, 155 + +THE MONKEY'S FIDDLE, _African Tale_, 156 + +THE THREE TASKS, _Grimm_, 163 + +THE WORLD'S MUSIC, _Gabriel Setoun_, 170 + +THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, _Grimm_, 172 + +THE UGLY DUCKLING, _Hans Christian Andersen_, 181 + +THE WHITE BLACKBIRD, _Adapted from Alfred de Musset_, 192 + +THE BROWN THRUSH, _Lucy Larcom_, 199 + +THE KING AND THE GOOSEHERD, _Old Tale_, 200 + +DONAL AND CONAL, _Irish Tale_, 206 + +WHO TOLD THE NEWS?, 212 + +THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH, _Adapted from Longfellow_, 213 + +THE TRAILING ARBUTUS, _Indian Legend_, 218 + +HIDDEN TREASURE, _Grimm_, 223 + +THE LITTLE BROWN BROTHER, _Emily Nesbit_, 228 + +HOW THE FLOWERS GROW, _Gabriel Setoun_, 229 + +WISE MEN OF GOTHAM, _Old English Story_, 230 + +THE MILLER'S GUEST, _English Ballad (adapted)_, 233 + +SADDLE TO RAGS, _English Ballad (adapted)_, 239 + +THE ROCK-A-BY LADY, _Eugene Field_, 244 + +THE SAND MAN, _Margaret Vandergrift_, 246 + +A DICTIONARY, 249 + +SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS, 253 + + + + +[Illustration: Girl reading a book] + + Oh, for a nook and a story-book, + With tales both new and old; + For a jolly good book whereon to look + Is better to me than gold. + +--OLD ENGLISH SONG. + + + + +[Illustration: Country house] + +PHILEMON AND BAUCIS + +I + + +Long ago, on a high hill in Greece, Philemon and Baucis lived. + +They were poor, but they were never unhappy. They had many hives of bees +from which they got honey, and many vines from which they gathered +grapes. One old cow gave them all the milk that they could use, and they +had a little field in which grain was raised. + +The old couple had as much as they needed, and were always ready to +share whatever they had with any one in want. No stranger was ever +turned from their door. + +At the foot of the hill lay a beautiful village, with pleasant roads and +rich pasture lands all around. But it was full of wicked, selfish, +people, who had no love in their hearts and thought only of themselves. + +At the time of this story, the people in the village were very busy. +Zeus, who they believed ruled the world, had sent word that he was about +to visit them. They were preparing a great feast and making everything +beautiful for his coming. + +One evening, just at dark, two beggars came into the valley. They +stopped at every house and asked for food and a place to sleep; but the +people were too busy or too tired to attend to their needs. They were +thinking only of the coming of Zeus. + +Footsore and weary, the two beggars at last climbed the hill to the hut +of Philemon and Baucis. These good people had eaten very little, for +they were saving their best food for Zeus. + +When they saw the beggars, Philemon said, "Surely these men need food +more than Zeus. They look almost starved." + +"Indeed, they do!" said Baucis, and she ran quickly to prepare supper +for the strangers. + +She spread her best white cloth upon the table, and brought out bacon, +herbs, honey, grapes, bread, and milk. She set these upon the table in +all the best dishes she had and called the strangers in. + +Then what do you suppose happened? The dishes that the strangers touched +turned to gold. The pitcher was never empty, although they drank glass +after glass of milk. The loaf of bread stayed always the same size, +although the strangers cut slice after slice. + +"These are strange travelers," whispered the old couple to each other. +"They do wonderful things." + + +II + + +That night Philemon and Baucis slept upon the floor that the strangers +might have their one bed. In the morning they went with the travelers to +the foot of the hill to see them safely started on their way. + +"Now, good people," said one of the strangers, "we thank you, and +whatever you wish shall be yours." + +As he said this, his face became like that of the sun. Then Philemon and +Baucis knew that Zeus had spoken to them. + +"Grant, O Zeus, that one of us may not outlive the other," they cried in +one voice. + +"Your wish is granted," said Zeus; "yes, and more. Return to your home +and be happy." + +[Illustration: Philemon and Baucis walking home] + +Philemon and Baucis turned homeward, and, lo! their hut was changed to a +beautiful castle. + +The old people turned around to thank their guests, but they had +disappeared. + +In this castle Philemon and Baucis lived many years. They still did all +they could for others, and were always so happy that they never thought +of wishing anything for themselves. + +As the years passed, the couple grew very old and feeble. One day Baucis +said to Philemon, "I wish we might never die, but could always live +together." + +"Ah, that is my wish, too!" sighed old Philemon. + +The next morning the marble palace was gone; Baucis and Philemon were +gone; but there on the hilltop stood two beautiful trees, an oak and a +linden. + +No one knew what became of the good people. After many years, however, a +traveler lying under the trees heard them whispering to each other. + +"Baucis," whispered the oak. + +"Philemon," replied the linden. + +There the trees stood through sun and rain, always ready to spread their +leafy shade over every tired stranger who passed that way. + +--FLORA J. COOKE. + + + + +THE POPLAR TREE + + +Long ago the poplar used to hold out its branches like other trees. It +tried to see how far it could spread them. + +Once at sunset an old man came through the forest where the poplar trees +lived. The trees were going to sleep, and it was growing dark. + +The man held something under his cloak. It was a pot of gold--the very +pot of gold that lies at the foot of the rainbow. He had stolen it and +was looking for some place to hide it. A poplar tree stood by the path. + +"This is the very place to hide my treasure," the man said. "The +branches spread out straight, and the leaves are large and thick. How +lucky that the trees are all asleep!" + +He placed the pot of gold in the thick branches, and then ran quickly +away. + +The gold belonged to Iris, the beautiful maiden who had a rainbow bridge +to the earth. The next morning she missed her precious pot. It always +lay at the foot of the rainbow, but it was not there now. + +Iris hurried away to tell her father, the great Zeus, of her loss. He +said that he would find the pot of gold for her. + +He called a messenger, the swift-footed Mercury, and said, "Go quickly, +and do not return until you have found the treasure." + +Mercury went as fast as the wind down to the earth. He soon came to the +forest and awakened the trees. + +"Iris has lost her precious pot of gold that lies at the foot of the +rainbow. Have any of you seen it?" he asked. + +The trees were very sleepy, but all shook their heads. + +"We have not seen it," they said. + +"Hold up your branches," said Mercury. "I must see that the pot of gold +is not hidden among them." + +All of the trees held up their branches. The poplar that stood by the +path was the first to hold up his. He was an honest tree and knew he had +nothing to hide. + +[Illustration: Mercury among the trees] + +Down fell the pot of gold. How surprised the poplar tree was! He dropped +his branches in shame. Then he held them high in the air. + +"Forgive me," he said. "I do not know how it came to be there; but, +hereafter, I shall always hold my branches up. Then every one can see +that I have nothing hidden." + +Since then the branches have always grown straight up; and every one +knows that the poplar is an honest and upright tree. + +--FLORA J. COOKE. + + + + +WHO LOVES THE TREES BEST? + + + Who loves the trees best? + "I," said the Spring; + "Their leaves so beautiful + To them I bring." + + Who loves the trees best? + "I," Summer said; + "I give them blossoms, + White, yellow, red." + + Who loves the trees best? + "I," said the Fall; + "I give luscious fruits, + Bright tints to all." + + Who loves the trees best? + "I love them best," + Harsh Winter answered; + "I give them rest." + +--ALICE MAY DOUGLAS. + + + + +LEAVES IN AUTUMN + + + Red and gold, and gold and red, + Autumn leaves burned overhead; + Hues so splendid + Softly blended, + Oh, the glory that they shed! + Red and gold, and gold and red. + + Gold and brown, and brown and gold, + Of such fun the west wind told + That they listened, + And they glistened, + As they wrestled in the cold; + Gold and brown, and brown and gold. + + Brown and gold, and red and brown, + How they hurried, scurried down + For a frolic, + For a rolic, + Through the country and the town, + Brown and gold, and red and brown. + + + + +[Illustration: A bird in a tree] + +A STORY OF BIRD LIFE + +I + + +Once there came to our fields a pair of birds. They had never built a +nest nor seen a winter. + +Oh, how beautiful was everything! The fields were full of flowers, the +grass was growing tall, and the bees were humming everywhere. + +One of the birds fell to singing, and the other bird said, "Who told you +to sing?" + +He answered, "The flowers and the bees told me. The blue sky told me, +and you told me." + +"When did I tell you to sing?" asked his mate. + +"Every time you brought in tender grass for the nest," he replied. +"Every time your soft wings fluttered off again for hair and feathers to +line it." + +Then his mate asked, "What are you singing about?" + +"I am singing about everything," he answered. "I sing because I am +happy." + +By and by five little speckled eggs were in the nest, and the mother +bird asked, "Is there anything in all the world as pretty as my eggs?" + +A week or two afterward, the mother said, "Oh, what do you think has +happened? One of my eggs has been peeping and moving." + +Soon another egg moved, then another, and another, till five eggs were +hatched. + +The little birds were so hungry that it kept the parents busy feeding +them. Away they both flew. The moment the little birds heard them coming +back, five yellow mouths flew open wide. + +"Can anybody be happier?" said the father bird to the mother bird. "We +will live in this tree always. It is a tree that bears joy." + + +II + + +The very next day one of the birds dropped out of the nest, and in a +moment a cat ate it up. Only four remained, and the parent birds were +very sad. There was no song all that day, nor the next. + +Soon the little birds were big enough to fly. The first bird that tried +his wings flew from one branch to another. His parents praised him, and +the other baby birds wondered how he had done it. + +The little one was so proud of it that he tried again. He flew and flew +and couldn't stop flying. At last he fell plump! down by the kitchen +door. A little boy caught him and carried him into the house. + +Now only three birds were left. The sun no longer seemed bright to the +birds, and they did not sing so often. + +In a little time the other birds learned to use their wings, and they +flew away and away. They found their own food and made their own nests. + +Then the old birds sat silent and looked at each other a long while. At +last the mother bird asked, "Why don't you sing?" + +"I can't sing," the father bird answered. "I only think and think!" + +"What are you thinking of?" + +"I am thinking how everything changes. The leaves are falling, and soon +there will be no roof over our heads. The flowers are all gone. Last +night there was a frost. Almost all the birds have flown away, and I am +restless. Something calls me, and I feel that I must fly away, too." + +[Illustration: Two birds flying over a field] + +"Let us fly away together!" the mother bird said. + +Then they rose silently up in the air. They looked to the north; far +away they saw the snow coming. They looked to the south; there they saw +green leaves. + +All day they flew. All night they flew and flew, till they found a land +where there was no winter. There it was summer all the time; flowers +always blossomed and birds always sang. + +--HENRY WARD BEECHER + + + + +BOB WHITE + + + There's a plump little chap in a speckled coat, + And he sits on the zigzag rails remote, + Where he whistles at breezy, bracing morn, + When the buckwheat is ripe, and stacked is the corn: + "Bob White! Bob White! Bob White!" + + Is he hailing some comrade as blithe as he? + Now I wonder where Robert White can be! + O'er the billows of gold and amber grain + There is no one in sight--but, hark again: + "Bob White! Bob White! Bob White!" + + Ah! I see why he calls; in the stubble there + Hide his plump little wife and babies fair! + So contented is he, and so proud of the same, + That he wants all the world to know his name: + "Bob White! Bob White! Bob White!" + +--GEORGE COOPER. + + + + +HOW MARY GOT A NEW DRESS + + +Mary lived a long time ago. She was a little girl when your +great-great-grandmother was a little girl. + +In those days all cloth had to be made at home. Aunt Dinah, Aunt Chloe, +and Aunt Dilsey were kept busy spinning and weaving to make clothes for +the whole plantation. + +One day Mary's mother said, "Aunt Dilsey, Mary needs a new dress, and I +want you to weave some cloth at once. Can you weave some very fine +cloth?" + +"Yes, ma'am," said Aunt Dilsey. "I have some cotton I've been saving to +make her a dress." + +Aunt Dilsey got out the cards and carded the cotton smooth and fine. +Then she fastened a roll of this cotton to the spindle and sent the +wheel whirling around with a "Zum-m-m-m--Zum-m-m-m!" + +Mary stood and watched the old woman. + +[Illustration: Mary watching Aunt Dilsey at spinning wheel] + +"Aunt Dilsey," she said, "the spinning wheel sings a song, and I know +what it says. Grandmother told me. It says, + + 'A hum and a whirl, + A twist and a twirl, + This is for the girl + With the golden curl! + Zum-m-m-m-m-m! + Zum-m-m-m-m-m!'" + +"And that means you, honey," said Aunt Dilsey. + +When the yarn was ready, Aunt Dilsey fastened it in the loom and began +to weave. The threads went over and under, over and under. As Aunt +Dilsey wove, she hummed. Mary stood by and sang this song, + + "Over and under and over we go, + Weaving the cotton as white as the snow, + Weaving the cloth for a dress, oh, ho! + As over and under and over we go." + +After the cloth had been woven, Aunt Dilsey took it out of the loom. +Then she bleached it until it was as white as snow. Now it was ready to +be made into a dress. + +"Mother, do tell me how you are going to make the dress," said Mary. +"Will it have ruffles on it like Sue's? Will it have trimming on it? And +how many buttons will you put on it? Sue's dress has twelve; I know, for +I counted them." + +Mother did not answer all these questions; she just smiled as the +scissors went snip, snip into the cloth. But she did cut out ruffles, +and Aunt Maria began to hem them. + +[Illustration: Mary with her mother and grandmother] + +By and by grandmother came into the room. + +"Mary," she said, "here is some lace I got in England. Mother may put it +on your dress." + +How happy Mary was! She danced for joy. + +Mother put on the lace, and grandmother worked the buttonholes. How many +do you suppose she worked? Why, she worked twelve! + +When the dress was finished, it was just like Sue's. Only it was a great +deal finer, for Mary's dress had three ruffles and Sue's had only two! +And, then, there was the lace from England! + + + + +THE PLAID DRESS + + +"I want a warm plaid dress," said a little girl. "The days are colder, +and the frost will soon be here. But how can I get it? Mother says that +she cannot buy one for me." + +The old white sheep in the meadow heard her, and he bleated to the +shepherd, "The little girl wants a warm plaid dress. I will give my +wool. Who else will help?" + +The kind shepherd said, "I will." Then he led the old white sheep to the +brook and washed its wool. When it was clean and white, he said, "The +little girl wants a warm plaid dress. The sheep has given his wool, and +I have washed it clean and white. Who else will help?" + +"We will," said the shearers. "We will bring our shears and cut off the +wool." + +The shearers cut the soft wool from the old sheep, and then they called, +"The little girl wants a new dress. The sheep has given his wool. The +shepherd has washed it; and we have sheared it. Who else will help?" + +[Illustration: Shearer shearing the sheep] + +"We will," cried the carders. "We will comb it out straight and smooth." + +Soon they held up the wool, carded straight and smooth, and they cried, +"The little girl wants a new dress. The sheep has given his wool. The +shepherd has washed the wool. The shearers have cut it, and we have +carded it. Who else will help?" + +"We will," said the spinners. "We will spin it into thread." + +"Whirr, whirr!" How fast the spinning wheels turned, singing all the +time. + +Soon the spinners said, "The little girl wants a new dress. The sheep +has given his wool. The shepherd has washed the wool. The shearers have +cut it. The carders have carded it, and we have spun it into thread. Who +else will help?" + +"We will," said the dyers. "We will dye it with beautiful colors." + +Then they dipped the woven threads into bright dye, red and blue and +green and brown. + +As they spread the wool out to dry, the dyers called: "The little girl +wants a new dress. The sheep has given his wool. The shepherd has washed +the wool. The shearers have cut it. The carders have carded it. The +spinners have spun it, and we have dyed it with bright beautiful colors. +Who else will help?" + +"We will," said the weavers. "We will make it into cloth." + +[Illustration: Weaver at loom] + +"Clickety-clack! clickety-clack!" went the loom, as the colored thread +was woven over and under over and under. Before long it was made into +beautiful plaid cloth. + +Then the little girl's mother cut and made the dress. It was a beautiful +plaid dress, and the little girl loved to wear it. Every time she put it +on, she thought of her friends who had helped her,--the sheep, the +shearers, the carders, the spinners, the dyers, the weavers, and her own +dear mother. + + + + +THE GODDESS OF THE SILKWORM + + +Hoangti was the emperor of China. He had a beautiful wife whose name was +Si-ling. The emperor and his wife loved their people and always thought +of their happiness. + +In those days the Chinese people wore clothes made of skins. By and by +animals grew scarce, and the people did not know what they should wear. +The emperor and empress tried in vain to find some other way of clothing +them. + +One morning Hoangti and his wife were in the beautiful palace garden. +They walked up and down, up and down, talking of their people. + +Suddenly the emperor said, "Look at those worms on the mulberry trees, +Si-ling. They seem to be spinning." + +Si-ling looked, and sure enough, the worms were spinning. A long thread +was coming from the mouth of each, and each little worm was winding this +thread around its body. + +Si-ling and the emperor stood still and watched the worms. "How +wonderful!" said Si-ling. + +The next morning Hoangti and the empress walked under the trees again. +They found some worms still winding thread. Others had already spun +their cocoons and were fast asleep. In a few days all of the worms had +spun cocoons. + +"This is indeed a wonderful, wonderful thing!" said Si-ling. "Why, each +worm has a thread on its body long enough to make a house for itself!" + +Si-ling thought of this day after day. One morning as she and the +emperor walked under the trees, she said, "I believe I could find a way +to weave those long threads into cloth." + +"But how could you unwind the threads?" asked the emperor. + +[Illustration: Hoangti and Si-ling walking among the trees] + +"I'll find a way," Si-ling said. And she did; but she had to try many, +many times. + +She put the cocoons in a hot place, and the little sleepers soon died. +Then the cocoons were thrown into boiling water to make the threads +soft. After that the long threads could be easily unwound. + +Now Si-ling had to think of something else; she had to find a way to +weave the threads into cloth. After many trials, she made a loom--the +first that was ever made. She taught others to weave, and soon hundreds +of people were making cloth from the threads of the silkworm. + +The people ever afterward called Si-ling "The Goddess of the Silkworm." +And whenever the emperor walked with her in the garden, they liked to +watch the silkworms spinning threads for the good of their people. + + + + +THE FLAX + +I + + +It was spring. The flax was in full bloom, and it had dainty little blue +flowers that nodded in the breeze. + +"People say that I look very well," said the flax. "They say that I am +fine and long and that I shall make a beautiful piece of linen. How +happy I am! No one in the world can be happier." + +"Oh, yes," said the fence post, "you may grow and be happy, and you may +sing, but you do not know the world as I do. Why, I have knots in me." +And it creaked; + + "Snip, snap, snurre, + Basse, lurre, + The song is ended." + +"No, it is not ended," said the flax. "The sun will shine, and the rain +will fall, and I shall grow and grow. No, no, the song is not ended." + +One day some men came with sharp reap hooks. They took the flax by the +head and cut it off at the roots. This was very painful, you may be +sure. + +Then the flax was laid in water and was nearly drowned. After that it +was put on a fire and nearly roasted. All this was frightful. But the +flax only said, "One cannot be happy always. By having bad times as well +as good, we become wise." + +After the flax had been cut and steeped and roasted, it was put on a +spinning wheel. "Whir-r-r, whir-rr-r," went the spinning wheel; it went +so fast that the flax could hardly think. + +"I have been very happy in the sunshine and the rain," it said. "If I am +in pain now, I must be contented." + +At last the flax was put in the loom. Soon it became a beautiful piece +of white linen. + +"This is very wonderful," said the flax. "How foolish the fence post was +with its song of-- + + 'Snip, snap, snurre, + Basse, lurre, + The song is ended.' + +The song is not ended, I am sure. It has only just begun. + +"After all that I have suffered, I am at last made into beautiful linen. +How strong and fine I am, and how long and white! This is even better +than being a plant bearing flowers. I have never been happier than I am +now." + +After some time the linen was cut into pieces and sewed with needles. +That was not pleasant; but at last there were twelve pretty white +aprons. + +"See," said the flax, "I have been made into something. Now I shall be +of some use in the world. That is the only way to be happy." + + +II + + +Years passed by, and the linen was so worn that it could hardly hold +together. + +"The end must come soon," said the flax. + +At last the linen did fall into rags and tatters; it was torn into +shreds and boiled in water. The flax thought the end had come. + +But no, the end was not yet. After being made into pulp and dried, the +flax became beautiful white paper. + +"This is a surprise, a glorious surprise," it said. "I am finer than +ever, and I shall have fine things written on me. How happy I am!" + +And sure enough, the most beautiful stories and verses were written upon +it. People read the stories and verses, and they were made wiser and +better. Their children and their children's children read them, too, and +so the song was not ended. + +--HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. + +[Illustration: Girl reading a book] + + + + +THE WONDERFUL WORLD + + + Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful World, + With the wonderful water round you curled, + And the wonderful grass upon your breast, + World, you are beautifully drest. + + The wonderful air is over me, + And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree-- + It walks on the water, and whirls the mills, + And talks to itself on the top of the hills. + + You friendly Earth, how far do you go, + With the wheat-fields that nod and the rivers that flow, + With cities and gardens, and cliffs and isles, + And people upon you for thousands of miles? + + Ah! you are so great, and I am so small, + I hardly can think of you, World, at all; + And yet, when I said my prayers to-day, + A whisper within me seemed to say, + "You are more than the Earth, though you are such a dot! + You can love and think, and the Earth cannot!" + +--William Brighty Rands. + + + + +[Illustration: The Hillman at the housewife's door] + +THE HILLMAN AND THE HOUSEWIFE + + +As every one knows, fairies are always just. They are kind to others, +and in return they expect others to be kind to them. In some countries +across the sea there are fairies called Hillmen. + +Now, there once lived a certain housewife who liked to make bargains. +She gave away only those things for which she had no use, and then +expected always to get something in return. + +One day a Hillman knocked at her door. + +"Can you lend us a saucepan?" he asked. "There's a wedding on the hill, +and all the pots are in use." + +"Is he to have one?" whispered the servant who opened the door. + +"Aye, to be sure," answered the housewife; "one must be neighborly. Get +the saucepan for him, lass." + +The maid turned to take a good saucepan from the shelf, but the +housewife stopped her. + +"Not that, not that," she whispered. "Get the old one out of the +cupboard. It leaks, but that doesn't matter. The Hillmen are so neat and +are such nimble workers that they are sure to mend it before they send +it home. I can oblige the fairies and save sixpence in tinkering, too." + +The maid brought the old saucepan that had been laid by until the +tinker's next visit, and gave it to the Hillman. He thanked her and went +away. + +When the saucepan was returned, it had been neatly mended, just as the +housewife thought it would be. + +At night the maid filled the pan with milk and set it on the fire to +heat for the children's supper. In a few moments the milk was so smoked +and burnt that no one would touch it. Even the pigs refused to drink it. + +"Ah, you good-for-nothing!" cried the housewife. "There's a quart of +milk wasted at once." + +"And that's twopence," cried a queer little voice that seemed to come +from the chimney. + +The housewife filled the saucepan again and set it over the fire. It had +not been there more than two minutes before it boiled over and was burnt +and smoked as before. + +"The pan must be dirty," muttered the woman, who was very much vexed. +"Two full quarts of milk have been wasted." + +"And that's fourpence!" added the queer little voice from the chimney. + +The saucepan was scoured; then it was filled with milk the third time +and set over the fire. Again the milk boiled over and was spoiled. + +Now the housewife was quite vexed. "I have never had anything like this +to happen since I first kept house," she exclaimed. "Three quarts of +milk wasted!" + +"And that's sixpence," cried the queer little voice from the chimney. +"You didn't save the tinkering after all, mother!" + +With that the Hillman himself came tumbling from the chimney and ran off +laughing. But from that time, the saucepan was as good as any other. + +--JULIANA H. EWING. + +[Illustration: The Hillman running off from the fire] + + + + +[Illustration: The Elf and the Dormouse under the toadstool] + +THE ELF AND THE DORMOUSE + + + Under a toad stool + Crept a wee Elf, + Out of the rain + To shelter himself. + + Under the toad stool + Sound asleep, + Sat a big Dormouse + All in a heap. + + Trembled the wee Elf + Frightened, and yet + Fearing to fly away + Lest he get wet. + + To the next shelter-- + Maybe a mile! + Sudden the wee Elf + Smiled a wee smile; + + Tugged till the toad stool + Toppled in two; + Holding it over him, + Gayly he flew. + + Soon he was safe home, + Dry as could be. + Soon woke the Dormouse-- + "Good gracious me! + + "Where is my toad stool?" + Loud he lamented. + And that's how umbrellas + First were invented. + +--OLIVER HERFORD. + +[Illustration: The elf flying away with the toadstool as the Dormouse +watches] + + + + +THE BELL OF ATRI + +I + + +Good King John of Atri loved his people very much and wished to see them +happy. He knew, however, that some were not; he knew that many suffered +wrongs which were not righted. This made him sad. + +One day the king thought of a way to help his people. He had a great +bell hung in a tower in the market place. He had the rope made so long +that a child could reach it. + +Then the king sent heralds through the streets to tell the people why he +had put the bell in the market place. The heralds blew their trumpets +long and loud, and the people came from their homes to hear the message. + +"Know ye," cried a herald, "that whenever a wrong is done to any man, he +has but to ring the great bell in the square. A judge will go to the +tower to hear the complaint, and he will see that justice is done." + +"Long live our good king!" shouted the people. "Now our wrongs shall be +righted." + +And so it was. Whenever anyone was wronged, he rang the bell in the +tower. The judge put on his rich robes and went there. He listened to +the complaint, and the guilty were punished. + +The people in Atri were now very happy, and the days went swiftly by. +The bell hung in its place year after year, and it was rung many times. +By and by the rope became so worn that one could scarcely reach it. + +The king said, "Why, a child could not reach the rope now, and a wrong +might not be righted. I must put in a new one." + +So he ordered a rope from a distant town. In those days it took a long +time to travel from one town to another. What should they do if somebody +wished to ring the bell before the new rope came? + +"We must mend the rope in some way," said a man. + +"Here," said another; "take this piece of grapevine and fasten it to the +rope. Then it will be long enough for any one to reach." + +This was done, and for some time the bell was rung in that way. + + +II + + +One hot summer noon everything was very still. All the people were +indoors taking their noonday rest. + +Suddenly they were awakened by the arousing bell: + + Some one--hath done--a wrong, + Hath done--a wrong! + Hath done--a wrong! + +The judge started from a deep sleep, turned on his couch, and listened. +Could it be the bell of justice? + +Again the sound came: + + Some one--hath done--a wrong! + Hath done--a wrong! + Hath done--a wrong! + +It was the bell of justice. The judge put on his rich robes and, +panting, hurried to the market place. + +There he saw a strange sight: a poor steed, starved and thin, tugging at +the vines which were fastened to the bell. A great crowd had gathered +around. + +"Whose horse is this?" the judge asked. + +"It is the horse of the rich soldier who lives in the castle," said a +man. "He has served his master long and well, and has saved his life +many times. Now that the horse is too old to work, the master turns him +out. He wanders through the lanes and fields, picking up such food as +can be found." + +"His call for justice shall be heard," said the judge. "Bring the +soldier to me." + +The soldier tried to treat the matter as a jest. Then he grew angry and +said in an undertone, "One can surely do what he pleases with his own." + +[Illustration: The judge sees the horse in the market place] + +"For shame!" cried the judge. "Has the horse not served you for many +years? And has he not saved your life? You must build a good shelter for +him, and give him the best grain and the best pasture. Take the horse +home and be as true to him as he has been to you." + +The soldier hung his head in shame and led the horse away. The people +shouted and applauded. + +"Great is King John," they cried, "and great the bell of Atri!" + +--ITALIAN TALE. + + + + +A DUMB WITNESS + + +One day at noontime a poor man was riding along a road. He was tired and +hungry, and wished to stop and rest. Finding a tree with low branches, +he tied his horse to one of them. Then he sat down to eat his dinner. + +Soon a rich man came along and started to tie his horse to the same +tree. + +"Do not fasten your horse to that tree," cried the poor man. "My horse +is savage and he may kill yours. Fasten him to another tree." + +"I shall tie my horse where I wish," the rich man replied; and he tied +his horse to the same tree. Then he, too, sat down to eat. + +Very soon the men heard a great noise. They looked up and saw that their +horses were kicking and fighting. Both men rushed to stop them, but it +was too late; the rich man's horse was dead. + +"See what your horse has done!" cried the rich man in an angry voice. +"But you shall pay for it! You shall pay for it!" + +Then he dragged the man before a judge. + +"Oh, wise judge," he cried, "I have come to you for justice. I had a +beautiful, kind, gentle horse which has been killed by this man's savage +horse. Make the man pay for the horse or send him to prison." + +"Not so fast, my friend," the judge said. "There are two sides to every +case." + +He turned to the poor man. "Did your horse kill this man's horse?" he +asked. + +The poor man made no reply. + +The judge asked in surprise, "Are you dumb? Can you not talk?" + +But no word came from the poor man's lips. + +Then the judge turned to the rich man. + +"What more can I do?" he asked. "You see for yourself this poor man +cannot speak." + +"Oh, but he can," cried the rich man. "He spoke to me." + +"Indeed!" said the judge. "When?" + +"He spoke to me when I tied my horse to the tree." + +"What did he say?" asked the judge. + +"He said, 'Do not fasten your horse to that tree. My horse is savage and +may kill yours.'" + +"0 ho!" said the judge. "This poor man warned you that his horse was +savage, and you tied your horse near his after the warning. This puts a +new light on the matter. You are to blame, not he." + +The judge turned to the poor man and said, "My man, why did you not +answer my questions?" + +"Oh, wise judge," said the poor man, "if I had told you that I warned +him not to tie his horse near mine, he would have denied it. Then how +could you have told which one of us to believe? I let him tell his own +story, and you have learned the truth." + +This speech pleased the judge. He praised the poor man for his wisdom, +and sent the rich man away without a penny. + +--ARABIAN TALE. + + + + +[Illustration: Workers leaving a reaped field] + +GIVING THANKS + + + For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped, + For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped, + For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb, + For the rose and the song, and the harvest brought home-- + Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! + +[Illustration: A house] + + For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land, + For the cunning and strength of the working-man's hand, + For the good that our artists and poets have taught, + For the friendship that hope and affection have brought-- + Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! + + For the homes that with purest affection are blest, + For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest, + For our country extending from sea to sea, + The land that is known as "The Land of the Free"-- + Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! + + + + +THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG + +I + + +PLACE: A farmer's cabbage field. + +TIME: A fine morning in spring. + +(The hedgehog is standing by his door looking at the cabbage field which +he thinks is his own.) + +HEDGEHOG: Wife, have you dressed the children yet? + +WIFE: Just through, my dear. + +HEDGEHOG: Well, come out here and let us look at our cabbage patch. + +(Wife comes out.) + +HEDGEHOG: Fine crop, isn't it? We should be happy. + +WIFE: The cabbage is fine enough, but I can't see why we should be so +happy. + +[Illustration: The hare and the hedgehog with a cabbage] + +HEDGEHOG: Why, my dear, there are tears in your voice. What is the +matter? + +WIFE: I suppose I ought not to mind it, but those dreadful hares nearly +worry the life out of me. + +HEDGEHOG: What are they doing now? + +WIFE: Doing? What are they not doing? Why, yesterday I brought my pretty +babies out here to get some cabbage leaves. We were eating as +well-behaved hedgehogs always eat, and those horrid hares almost made us +cry. + +HEDGEHOG: What did they do? + +WIFE: They came to our cabbage patch and they giggled and said, "Oh, see +the little duck-legged things! Aren't they funny?" Then one jumped over +a cabbage just to hurt our feelings. + +HEDGEHOG: Well, they are mean, I know, but we won't notice them. I'll +get even with them one of these days. Ah, there comes one of them now. + +WIFE: Yes, and he laughed at me yesterday. He said, "Good-morning, Madam +Shortlegs." I won't speak to him. I'll hide till he goes by. + +(Wife hides behind a cabbage.) + +HEDGEHOG: Good-morning, sir. + +HARE: Are you speaking to me? + +HEDGEHOG: Certainly; do you see any one else around? + +HARE: How dare you speak to me? + +HEDGEHOG: Oh, just to be neighborly. + +HARE: I shall ask you not to speak to me hereafter. I think myself too +good to notice hedgehogs. + +HEDGEHOG: Now, that is strange. + +HARE: What is strange? + +HEDGEHOG: Why, I have just said to my wife that we wouldn't notice you. + +HARE: Wouldn't notice me, indeed, you silly, short-legged, duck-legged +thing! + +HEDGEHOG: Well, my legs are quite as good as yours, sir. + +HARE: As good as mine! Who ever heard of such a thing? Why, you can do +little more than crawl. + +HEDGEHOG: That may be as you say, but I'll run a race with you any day. + +HARE: Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho! A race with a hedgehog! Well, well, well! + +HEDGEHOG: Are you afraid to run with me? + +HARE: Of course not. It will be no race at all, but I'll run just to +show you how silly you are. + +HEDGEHOG: Good! You run in that furrow; I will run in this. We shall see +who gets to the fence first. Let's start from the far end of the furrow. + +HARE: I will run to the brook and back while you are getting there. Go +ahead. + +HEDGEHOG: I wouldn't stay too long if I were you. + +HARE: Oh, I'll be back before you reach the end of the furrow. + +(The hare runs off to the brook.) + + +II + + +HEDGEHOG: Wife, wife, did you hear what I said to the hare? + +WIFE: Did I hear? I should say I did. What are you thinking of? Have you +lost your senses? + +HEDGEHOG: You shouldn't speak that way to me. What do you know about a +man's business? Come here and let me whisper something to you. + +(He whispers and then walks to far end of the furrow. His wife laughs.) + +WIFE: Ha, ha! I see. I see. Nothing wrong with your brains. + + "Short legs, long wit, + Long legs, not a bit," + +as my grandmother used to say. The hare will find that out today. + +(She stoops down in the near end of the furrow. The hare returns and +takes his place.) + +HARE: Well, are you ready? + +HEDGEHOG: Of course I am,--ready and waiting. + + HARE: One for the money, + Two for the show, + Three to make ready, + And here we go! + +(The hare runs as swiftly as the wind. The hedgehog starts with him, but +stops and stoops low in the furrow. When the hare reaches the other end, +the hedgehog's wife puts up her head.) + +WIFE: Well, here I am. + +HARE: What does this mean? + +WIFE: It means what it means. + +HARE: We'll try again. Are you ready? + +WIFE: Of course I am. + + HARE: One for the money, + Two for the show, + Three to make ready, + And here we go! + +(The hare runs swiftly back again. Wife starts, but stops and stoops +low. The hare reaches the other end. The hedgehog puts up his head.) + +HEDGEHOG: Here I am. + +HARE: I can't understand this. + +HEDGEHOG: It is very clear to me. + +HARE: Well, we'll try again. Are you ready? + +HEDGEHOG: I'm always ready. + + HARE: One for the money, + Two for the show, + Three to make ready, + And here we go! + +(Again the wife puts up her head and the hare is bewildered.) + +[Illustration: The hare racing as the hedhog looks on] + +WIFE: You see I am here. + +HARE: I just can't believe it. + +WIFE: A perfectly simple thing. + +HARE: We'll try once more. You can't beat me another time. + +WIFE: Don't boast. You had better save your breath for the race; you +will need it. + + HARE: One for the money, + Two for the show, + Three to make ready, + And here we go! + +(When the hare reaches the other end of the field, the hedgehog puts up +his head.) + +HARE: This is very strange. + +HEDGEHOG: Shall we run again? You seem a little tired, but I am +perfectly fresh. + +HARE (_panting_): No, no! The race is yours. + +HEDGEHOG: Will you call my wife and children names any more? + +HARE: No, no! I'll never do that again. + +HEDGEHOG: Very well. And if you wish a race at any time, friend hare, +just call by for me. + +HARE (_walking off shaking his head_): It's very strange. I hope none of +the other hares will hear of this race. + +WIFE (_as she meets the hedgehog_): I thought I should hurt myself +laughing. As my grandmother used to say, + + "Short legs, long wit, + Long legs, not a bit." + +--GRIMM. + + + + +EPAMINONDAS + + +Epaminondas had a good kind granny, who cooked at "the big house." +Epaminondas liked to go to see her, for she always gave him something to +take home with him. + +One day when Epaminondas went to see granny, she was baking a cake, and +she gave Epaminondas a piece to eat. As he was leaving, granny said, +"Epaminondas, you may take a slice home to your mammy." + +Epaminondas took it in his little hands and squeezing it just as tight +as he could, ran all the way home. When his mammy saw him, she said, +"What's that, Epaminondas?" + +"Cake, mammy. Granny sent it to you." + +"Cake!" cried his mammy. "Epaminondas, don't you know that's no way to +carry cake? When your granny gives you cake, put it in your hat; then +put your hat on your head and come home. You hear me, Epaminondas?" + +"Yes, mammy." + +The next time Epaminondas went to see his granny, she was churning, and +she gave him a pat of fresh butter to carry to his mammy. + +Epaminondas said to himself, "What was it mammy said? Oh, yes! I know. +She said, 'Put it in your hat and put the hat on your head and come +home.' I'll do just what she told me." + +Epaminondas put the pat of butter in his hat, put his hat on his head, +and went home. + +It was a hot day, and soon the butter began to melt. Drip, drip, drip, +it went into his ears. Drip, drip, drip, it went into his eyes. Drip, +drip, drip, it went down his back. When Epaminondas reached home, he had +no butter in his hat. It was all on him. + +Looking at him hard, his mammy said, "Epaminondas, what in the world is +that dripping from your hat?" + +"Butter, mammy. Granny sent it to you." + +"Butter!" cried his mammy. "Oh, Epaminondas! Don't you know how to carry +butter? You must wrap it in a cabbage leaf, and take it to the spring. +Then you must cool it in the water, and cool it in the water, and cool +it in the water. When you have done this, take the butter in your hands +and come home. You hear me, Epaminondas?" + +"Yes, mammy." + +The next time Epaminondas went to see his granny, she wasn't baking cake +and she wasn't churning. She was sitting in a chair knitting. + +She said, "Epaminondas, look in the woodshed, and you'll see something +you like." + +Epaminondas looked in the woodshed, and there he found four little +puppies. He played with them all the afternoon, and when he started +home, his granny gave him one. + +Epaminondas remembered what his mammy had told him. He wrapped the puppy +in a big cabbage leaf, and took it to the spring. He cooled it in the +water, and cooled it in the water, and cooled it in the water. Then he +took it in his hands, and went home. + +When his mammy saw him, she said, "Epaminondas, what is that in your +hands?" + +"A puppy dog, mammy." + +"A puppy dog!" cried his mammy. "Oh, Epaminondas! What makes you act so +foolish? That's no way to carry a puppy. The way to carry a puppy is to +tie a string around his neck and put him on the ground. Then you take +the other end of the string in your hand and come along home. You hear +me, Epaminondas?" + +"Yes, mammy." + +Epaminondas was going to be right the next time; he got a piece of +string and put it in his pocket to have it ready. + +The next day company came to see Epaminondas's mammy, and she had no +bread for dinner. She called Epaminondas and said, "Run to 'the big +house' and ask your granny to send me a loaf of bread for dinner." + +"Yes, mammy," said Epaminondas. And off he ran. + +Granny gave him a loaf just from the oven--a nice, brown, crusty loaf. +This time Epaminondas was certainly going to do what mammy had told him. + +He proudly got out his string and tied it to the loaf. Then he put the +loaf on the ground, and taking the other end of the string in his hand, +he went along home. + +When he reached home, his mammy gave one look at the thing tied to the +end of the string. + +"What have you brought, Epaminondas?" she cried. + +"Bread, mammy. Granny sent it to you." + +"Oh, Epaminondas! Epaminondas! How could you be so foolish?" cried his +mammy. "Now I have no bread for dinner. I'll have to go and get some +myself." + +She went into the house and got her bonnet. When she came out, she said, +"Epaminondas, do you see those three mince pies I've put on the doorstep +to cool. Well, now, you hear me, Epaminondas. You be careful how you +step on those pies!" + +"Yes, mammy." + +His mammy went off down the road; Epaminondas went to the door and +looked out. "Mammy told me to be careful how I step on those mince +pies," he said, "so I must be careful how I do it. I'll step right in +the middle of every one." + +And he did! + +When his mammy came home, there were no pies for dinner. + +Now she was angry all over, and something happened. I don't know, and +you don't know, but we can guess. + +Poor Epaminondas!--SOUTHERN TALE. + +[Illustration: Epaminondas stepping in the pies] + + + + +HOW BROTHER RABBIT FOOLED THE WHALE AND THE ELEPHANT + +I + + +One day Brother Rabbit was running along on the sand, lippety, lippety, +lippety. He was going to a fine cabbage field. On the way he saw the +whale and the elephant talking together. + +Brother Rabbit said, "I'd like to know what they are talking about." So +he crouched down behind some bushes and listened. + +This is what Brother Rabbit heard the whale say: + +"You are the biggest thing on the land, Brother Elephant, and I am the +biggest thing in the sea. If we work together, we can rule all the +animals in the world. We can have our own way about everything." + +"Very good, very good," trumpeted the elephant. "That suits me. You keep +the sea, and I will keep the land." + +[Illustration: Brother Rabbit listening] + +"That's a bargain," said the whale, as he swam away. + +Brother Rabbit laughed to himself. "They won't rule me," he said, as he +ran off. + +Brother Rabbit soon came back with a very long and a very strong rope +and his big drum. He hid the drum in some bushes. Then taking one end of +the rope, he walked up to the elephant. + +"Oh, dear Mr. Elephant," he said, "you are big and strong; will you have +the kindness to do me a favor?" + +The elephant was pleased, and he trumpeted, "Certainly, certainly. What +is it?" + +"My cow is stuck in the mud on the shore, and I can't pull her out," +said Brother Rabbit. "If you will help me, you will do me a great +service. You are so strong, I am sure you can get her out." + +"Certainly, certainly," trumpeted the elephant. + +"Thank you," said the rabbit. "Take this rope in your trunk, and I will +tie the other end to my cow. Then I will beat my drum to let you know +when to pull. You must pull as hard as you can, for the cow is very +heavy." + +"Huh!" trumpeted the elephant, "I'll pull her out, or break the rope." + +Brother Rabbit tied the rope to the elephant's trunk and ran off, +lippety, lippety. + + +II + + +He ran till he came to the shore where the whale was. Making a bow, +Brother Rabbit said, "0, mighty and wonderful Whale, will you do me a +favor?" + +"What is it?" asked the whale. + +"My cow is stuck in the mud on the shore," said Brother Rabbit, "and I +cannot pull her out. Of course you can do it. If you will be so kind as +to help me, I shall be very much obliged." + +"Certainly," said the whale, "certainly." + +"Thank you," said Brother Rabbit, "take hold of this rope, and I will +tie the other end to my cow. Then I will beat my big drum to let you +know when to pull. You must pull as hard as you can, for my cow is very +heavy." + +"Never fear," said the whale, "I could pull a dozen cows out of the +mud." + +"I am sure you could," said the rabbit politely. "Only be sure to begin +gently. Then pull harder and harder till you get her out." + +The rabbit ran away into the bushes where he had hidden the drum and +began to beat it. Then the whale began to pull and the elephant began to +pull. In a minute the rope tightened till it was stretched as hard as a +bar of iron. + +"This is a very heavy cow," said the elephant, "but I'll pull her out." +Bracing his fore feet in the earth, he gave a tremendous pull. + +But the whale had no way to brace himself. + +"Dear me," he said. "That cow must surely be stuck tight." Lashing his +tail in the water, he gave a marvelous pull. + +He pulled harder; the elephant pulled harder. Soon the whale found +himself sliding toward the land. He was so provoked with the cow that he +went head first, down to the bottom of the sea. + +That was a pull! The elephant was jerked off his feet, and came slipping +and sliding toward the sea. He was very angry. + +"That cow must be very strong to drag me in this way," he said. "I will +brace myself." + +Kneeling down on the ground, he twisted the rope around his trunk. Then +he began to pull his very best, and soon the whale came up out of the +water. + +Then each saw that the other had hold of the rope. + +"How is this?" cried the whale. "I thought I was pulling Brother +Rabbit's cow." + +"That is what I thought," said the elephant. "Brother Rabbit is making +fun of us. He must pay for this. I forbid him to eat a blade of grass on +land, because he played a trick on us." + +"And I will not allow him to drink a drop of water in the sea," said the +whale. + +But Little Rabbit sat in the bushes and laughed, and laughed, and +laughed. + +"Much do I care," he said. "I can get all the green things I want, and I +don't like salt water." + +--SOUTHERN FOLK TALE. + + + + +[Illustration: A mother with children in winter] + +A CHRISTMAS WISH + + + I'd like a stocking made for a giant, + And a meeting house full of toys; + Then I'd go out on a happy hunt + For the poor little girls and boys; + Up the street and down the street, + And across and over the town, + I'd search and find them every one, + Before the sun went down. + + One would want a new jack-knife + Sharp enough to cut; + One would long for a doll with hair, + And eyes that open and shut; + One would ask for a china set + With dishes all to her mind; + One would wish a Noah's ark + With beasts of every kind. + + Some would like a doll cook-stove + And a little toy wash tub; + Some would prefer a little drum, + For a noisy rub-a-dub; + Some would wish for a story book, + And some for a set of blocks; + Some would be wild with happiness + Over a new tool-box. + + And some would rather have little shoes, + And other things warm to wear, + For many children are very poor, + And the winter is hard to bear; + I'd buy soft flannels for little frocks, + And a thousand stockings or so, + And the jolliest little coats and cloaks, + To keep out the frost and snow. + +[Illustration: Christmas toys] + + I'd load a wagon with caramels + And candy of every kind, + And buy all the almond and pecan nuts + And taffy that I could find; + And barrels and barrels of oranges + I'd scatter right in the way, + So the children would find them the very first thing, + When they wake on Christmas day. + +--EUGENE FIELD. + + + + +[Illustration: The church tower] + +THE CHRISTMAS BELLS + +I + + +Long, long ago, in a far away city, there was a large church. The tower +of this church was so high that it seamed to touch the clouds, and in +the high tower there were three wonderful bells. When they rang, they +made sweet music. + +There was something strange about these bells. They were never heard to +ring except on Christmas eve, and no one knew who rang them. Some people +thought it was the wind blowing through the tower. Others thought the +angels rang them when a gift pleased the Christ Child. + +Although the people did not know what rang the bells, they loved to hear +them. They would come from miles around to listen to the wonderful +music. When they had heard the bells, they would go out of the church, +silent but happy. Then all would go back to their homes feeling that +Christmas had come, indeed. + +One Christmas eve the people in the church waited and waited, but the +bells did not ring. Silently and sadly they went home. Christmas after +Christmas came and went. Nearly one hundred years passed by, and in all +that time the bells did not ring. + +People sometimes asked one another, "Do you suppose the bells ever did +ring?" + +"Yes," said one very old man. "I have often heard my father tell how +beautifully they rang on Christmas eve. There was more love in the world +then." + +Every Christmas eve the church was filled with people who waited and +listened. They hoped that the bells would ring again as they had rung +long ago. Though many gifts were laid on the altar, still the bells did +not ring. + + +II + + +Christmas was near at hand again, and every one was happy. + +Not far from the city two little brothers lived on a farm--Pedro and +Little Brother. + +Their father was poor and had no gift to lay on the altar. But Pedro had +saved all his earnings, and he had one shining silver piece. His father +had promised the little boys that they might go to the church on +Christmas eve and take the gift. + +It was quite dark when the lads started on their way to the city. The +snow was falling fast, but they buttoned their little jackets close +about them and walked along briskly. They were not far from the church +when they heard a low whine of distress. Little Brother, clinging to +Pedro in fear, cried, "What is it, Pedro, what is it?" + +Pedro ran across the street, and there under a small heap of snow, what +do you think he found? A little black and white dog, shivering with +cold, and nearly starved. Pedro opened his jacket, and put the dog +inside to keep it warm. + +"You will have to go to the church alone, Little Brother," Pedro said. +"I must take this little dog back to the farm, and give it food, else it +will die." + +"But I don't want to go alone, Pedro," said Little Brother. + +"Won't you please go and put my gift on the altar, Little Brother? I +wish so much to have it there to-night." + +"Yes, Pedro, I will," said Little Brother. + +He took the gift and started toward the church. Pedro turned and went +home. + +When Little Brother came to the great stone church and looked up at the +high tower, he felt that he could not go in alone. He stood outside a +long time watching the people as they passed in. At last he entered +quietly and took a seat in a corner. + + +III + + +When Little Brother went into the church, all the people were seated. +They sat quietly hoping that at last the bells would ring again as in +the days of old. + +The organ pealed out a Christmas hymn. The choir and the people arose, +and all sang the grand old anthem. Then a solemn voice said, "Bring now +your gifts to the altar." + +The king arose and went forward with stately tread. Bowing before the +altar, he laid upon it his golden crown. Then he walked proudly back to +his seat. All the people listened, but the bells did not ring. + +Then the queen arose and with haughty step walked to the front. She took +from her neck and wrists her beautiful jewels and laid them upon the +altar. All the people listened, but the bells did not ring. + +Then the soldiers came marching proudly forward. They took their jeweled +swords from their belts and laid them upon the altar. All the people +listened, but the bells did not ring. + +Then the rich men came hurrying forward. They counted great sums of gold +and laid them in a businesslike way upon the altar. All the people +listened, but the bells did not ring. + +"Can I go all alone to the front of the church and lay this small gift +on the altar?" said Little Brother. "Oh, how can I? how can I?" + +Then he said, "But I told Pedro I would, and I must." + +So he slipped slowly around by the outer aisle. He crept quietly up to +the altar and softly laid the silver piece upon the very edge. + +And listen! What do you think was heard? The bells, the bells! + +Oh, how happy the people were! And how happy Little Brother was! He ran +out of the church and down the road toward the farm. + +Pedro had warmed the dog and fed it, and was now on the way to the city. +He hoped that he might see the people come out of the church. + +Down the road Little Brother came running. Throwing himself into Pedro's +arms, he cried, "Oh, Pedro, Pedro! The bells, the bells! I wish you +could have heard them; and they rang when I laid your gift on the +altar." + +"I did hear them, Little Brother," said Pedro. "Their sound came to me +over the snow,--the sweetest music I ever heard." + +Long years after, when Pedro grew to be a man, he was a great musician. +Many, many people came to hear him play. + +Some one said to him one day, "How can you play so sweetly? I never +heard such music before." + +"Ah," said Pedro, "but you never heard the Christmas bells as I heard +them that Christmas night years and years ago." + +--OLD TALE RETOLD. + + + + +[Illustration: Family at prayer at the table] + +GOD BLESS THE MASTER OF THIS HOUSE + + + God bless the master of this house, + The mistress, also, + And all the little children + That round the table go: + And all your kin and kinsfolk, + That dwell both far and near; + I wish you a merry Christmas + And a happy new year. + +--OLD ENGLISH RIME. + + + + +SQUEAKY AND THE SCARE BOX + +I + + +Once upon a time a family of mice lived in the pantry wall. There was a +father mouse, there was a mother mouse, and there were three little baby +mice. + +One little mouse had sharp bright eyes and could see everything, even in +the darkest holes. He was called Sharpeyes. His brother could sniff and +smell anything, wherever it might be hidden, and he was called Sniffy. +The baby mouse had such a squeaky little voice that he was called +Squeaky. He was always singing, "Ee-ee-ee!" + +Mother mouse was very wise, and she had taught her babies to run and +hide when they saw the old cat coming. She had also taught them not to +go near a trap. The little mice obeyed their mother, and they were happy +in their home in the pantry wall. + +They had many good times together. I could not tell you about all of +these, but I am going to tell you about their Christmas party and what +happened to Squeaky. + +It was the night before Christmas. The stockings hung by the chimney, +and the tall tree was standing in the parlor. The children were asleep, +and the father and mother had gone upstairs to bed. + +In the pantry wall, the little mice were all wide-awake. + +"Ee-ee-ee!" squeaked Squeaky; "why can't we creep into the big room and +see the tall Christmas tree? The children have talked about it for days, +and we have never seen one. Mother, please let us go and see it." + +"Yes," said Sniffy, "do let us go. Everything smells so good. The +children and the cook made long strings of pop corn to-day. I found a +little on the pantry floor, and I want some more." + +"I peeped out of our hole," said Sharpeyes, "and I saw cake and candy +all ready for the children. Oh, I do want a bite of those good things! +Please let us have a Christmas party." + +"Well," said mother mouse, "I will ask your father. If he says it is +safe, we will go." + +When mother mouse asked father mouse, he said, "I will go out first and +look all about. If it is safe, I will come back for you." + +So father mouse crept softly through the pantry, down the long hall, and +into the parlor. The cat was nowhere to be seen. Father mouse ran back +to the pantry and cried, "The cat is not near; come and see the tree." + + +II + + +Then all the mice came scampering from the hole in the wall. They crept +through the pantry, down the long hall, and into the parlor. When they +saw the tall Christmas tree, they squeaked again and again in their joy. +Then they ran around and around the tree to see what was on it. + +[Illustration: The mice look at the Christmas tree] + +On the floor they saw a wonderful doll's house. "How fine it would be to +live there!" they squeaked. + +They ran up and down the stairs, sat on the chairs, and lay down in the +beds. Oh, they had a merry time! + +Then Sniffy said, "I smell that good pop corn again. Let's climb up into +the Christmas tree and get some." + +They climbed up into the tree. They nibbled the pop corn; they nibbled +the candy; they nibbled the nuts; and they nibbled the cakes. + +Soon Sharpeyes cried out, "Come here, I see a mouse! I see a mouse! But +he doesn't look like our family at all." + +"I should say not," sniffed Sniffy; "and how good he smells!" + +"Why, he is good to eat!" squeaked Squeaky; and they all began to eat +the chocolate mouse. + +Then they found another candy mouse--a pretty pink one. They were so +busy eating it that they forgot to watch and listen; then--bang! The +door was opened, and the lights were turned on. + +With a squeak, the mice scampered down from the tree; then they ran +along the hall, through the pantry, and back to their home. There was +the father mouse, and the mother mouse, and Sharpeyes, and Sniffy. But +where was Squeaky? + + +III + + +Now, as Squeaky tried to run down the tree, he fell heels over head. +Down, down, down, he fell until he was caught in a funny box. An ugly +man with black hair and black whiskers seemed to be hopping out of the +box. + +When Squeaky saw the lights turned on, he hid under the dress of this +queer man. He lay very, very still, for he had been taught to be still +when danger was near. He heard voices. The father and mother had come +back. + +"Yes," the father was saying; "it would have been a shame to forget this +train. I would like it to come right out from under the tree. Help me +put the track down, mother." + +When the train was just where it should be, the mother turned to the +beautiful tree. + +"Why, look at that Jack-in-the-box," she said. "The man is hanging out. +That will never do. I will shut the box. Teddy must see the man jump +out." + +The mother pushed the man with the black hair down, down, into the box +and shut the lid. Poor Squeaky felt the springs close down on him and +squeaked, "Ee-ee-" + +"That was a fine squeak," said the father. "The toys are wonderful these +days." + +"Yes," said the mother, as she turned off the light. "When I was a +child, we did not have such toys." + +"I am in a trap," said poor Squeaky, "but there isn't even a bit of +cheese in it. I wonder what kind of trap it is; nothing seems to hurt +me. Well, I am safe for a while, and I hope I shall soon get out." + +Squeaky lay in the box all night, and wondered what Sniffy and Sharpeyes +were doing. The next morning, he heard children calling, "Merry +Christmas! Merry Christmas!" And soon the toys were taken down, one by +one. Then such a noise was heard--drums beating, horns tooting, children +shouting. You should have heard it. + +[Illustration: The mother is surprised as Squeaky escapes] + +"See our new doll's house!" cried one child. + +"See my new train! How fast it goes!" cried another. + +"And see my beautiful dolly!" cried another. "She can open and shut her +eyes." + +By and by the mother took the box from the tree. "Come here, Teddy," she +said. "Here is a scare box. We will have some fun. Watch me open the +lid." + +Teddy stood by his mother and watched closely. + +"Are you ready?" asked his mother. "Well, let us count. One, two, +three!" + +The lid flew open, and out jumped the man with the black hair and black +whiskers. And with a squeak of joy, out jumped the mouse. + +"Ee-ee-ee!" he cried, as he ran away. + +"Ee!" said the Jack-in-the-box. + +"Whee-ee-ee!" cried the boy with delight. + +"Oh,--a mouse! a mouse!" cried the mother. Then she threw the box on the +floor and jumped up on her chair. + +"Where? where?" cried all the children. + +But they saw only the tip of Squeaky's tail as he ran across the hall to +the pantry. Another moment and he was safe in the hole in the pantry +wall. + +The children's father laughed as he helped their mother climb down from +the chair. + +"Well," he said, "how did _you_ enjoy Teddy's scare box?" + +--GEORGENE FAULKNER. + + + + +THE GLAD NEW YEAR + + + It's coming, boys, + It's almost here. + It's coming, girls, + The grand New Year. + + A year to be glad in, + Not to be sad in; + A year to live in, + To gain and give in. + + A year for trying, + And not for sighing; + A year for striving + And healthy thriving. + + It's coming, boys, + It's almost here. + It's coming, girls, + The grand New Year. + +--MARY MAPES DODGE. + + + + +[Illustration: The goose and the hen] + +MAKING THE BEST OF IT + + +"What a dreary day it is!" grumbled the old gray goose to the brown hen. +They were standing at the henhouse window watching the falling snow +which covered every nook and corner of the farmyard. + +"Yes, indeed," said the brown hen. "I should almost be willing to be +made into a chicken pie on such a day." + +She had scarcely stopped talking when Pekin duck said fretfully, "I am +so hungry that I am almost starved." + +A little flock of chickens all huddled together wailed in sad tones, +"And we are so thirsty!" + +In fact, all the feathered folk in the henhouse seemed cross and +fretful. It is no wonder they felt that way, for they had had nothing to +eat or drink since early in the morning. The cold wind howled around +their house. Hour after hour went by, but no one came near the henhouse. + +The handsome white rooster, however, seemed as happy as usual. That is +saying a great deal, for a jollier old fellow than he never lived in a +farmyard. Sunshine, rain, or snow were all the same to him, and he +crowed quite as merrily in stormy weather as in fair. + +"Well," he said, laughing, as he looked about the henhouse, "you all +seem to be having a fit of dumps." + +Nobody answered the white rooster, but a faint cluck or two came from +some of the hens. They immediately put their heads back under their +wings, however, as if ashamed of having spoken at all. + +This was too much for the white rooster. He stood first on one yellow +foot and then on the other. Turning his head from side to side, he said, +"What's the use of looking so sad? Any one would think that you expected +to be eaten by a band of hungry foxes." + +Just then a brave little white bantam rooster hopped down from his +perch. He strutted over to the big rooster and caused quite a flutter in +the henhouse by saying: + +"We're lively enough when our crops are full, but when we are starving, +it is a wonder that we can hold our heads up at all. If I ever see that +farmer's boy again, I'll--I'll--I'll peck his foot!" + +"You won't see him until he feeds us," said the white rooster, "and then +I guess you will peck his corn." + +"Oh, oh!" moaned the brown hen. "Don't speak of a peck of corn." + +"Madam," said the white rooster, bowing very low, "your trouble is my +own,--that is, I'm hungry, too. But we might be worse off. We might be +in a box on our way to market. It is true that we haven't had anything +to eat to-day, but we at least have room enough to stretch our wings." + +"Why, that is a fact," clucked the brown hen. And all the feathered +family--even the smallest chickens--stretched their wings, and looked a +little more cheerful. + +"Now, then," went on the rooster, "suppose we have a little music to +cheer us and help pass the hours until roosting time. Let us all crow. +There, I beg your pardon, ladies; I am sorry you can't crow. Let us sing +a happy song. Will you be kind enough to start a merry tune, Mrs. Brown +Hen?" + +The brown hen shook herself proudly, tossed her head back and +began,--"Ca-ca-ca-ca-ca-ca!" In less than two minutes every one in the +henhouse had joined her. The white rooster was the loudest of all, and +the little bantam rooster stretched his neck and did the best he could. + +Now, the horses, cows, and sheep were not far away. They heard the happy +voices, and they, too, joined in the grand chorus. The pigs did their +best to sing louder than all the rest. + +Higher and higher, stronger and stronger, rose the chorus. Louder and +louder quacked the ducks. Shriller and shriller squealed the pigs. + +They were all so happy that they quite forgot their hunger until the +door of the henhouse burst open, and in came three chubby children. Each +was carrying a dish of hot chicken food. + +"Don't stop your music, Mr. Rooster," said the little girl, who was +bundled up until you could scarcely see her dear little face. + +[Illustration: The children arrive with food] + +"You see, we were so lonesome that we didn't know what to do. We heard +you folk singing out here, and we laughed and laughed until we almost +cried. Then we went to tell Jack about you. He was lonesome, too, for +he's sick with a sore throat, you know. He said, 'Why, those poor hens! +They haven't been fed since morning! Go and feed them.' And so we came." + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" said the white rooster. "This comes of making the +best of things. Cock-a-doodle-doo!" And nobody asked him to stop +crowing. + +--FRANCES M. FOX. + + + + +THE ANIMALS AND THE MIRROR + +I + + +Aunt Susan sent an old-fashioned looking-glass to the barn to be stored +in the loft, with other old furniture. The farm boy stood it on the +floor of the barn until he should have time to put it away. The mirror +was broad and long, and it was set in a dark wooden frame. + +An old duck wandered into the barn and caught sight of herself in the +mirror. "There is another duck," she said. "I wonder who she is." + +And she walked toward the reflection. "She is rather friendly," the duck +went on. "She is walking toward me. What large feet she has, but her +feathers are very handsome." + +Just then she bumped into the mirror. "Goodness!" she cried; "if that +duck isn't in a glass case! Why are you in there?" + +"Well, you needn't answer if you don't want to," she said, walking away. +"A glass case is a good place for you." + +Just then a pig came along, and nosing around, he came in front of the +mirror. + +"What are you doing here?" he asked, thinking he saw another pig. His +nose hit the glass, and he stepped back. + +"So you are in a glass pen," he said. "You are not very handsome, and +your nose is not so long as mine; I cannot see why you should have a +glass pen." + +And away he trotted to tell the other pigs about the very plain-looking +pig. + +Kitty came along next and walked in front of the mirror, turning her +head and swinging her tail. She had seen a mirror before and knew what +it was. The cat wished to look in the mirror, but she saw the dog coming +in the door, and she did not want him to think her vain. + +The dog walked over to the mirror and gazed in it. Then he looked +foolish, although he had seen a mirror before, too, but not so often as +puss. + +"Thought it was another dog, didn't you?" she laughed. "Here comes the +donkey. Let us hide behind those barrels and see what he does." + + +II + + +The donkey went up to the mirror. + +"If they haven't another donkey!" he said. "I suppose I should speak +first, as I have lived here so long. Why, he is coming to meet me. That +is friendly, indeed." + +Bump! his nose hit the glass. + +"Well, I had better give up!" he said. "You are in a glass case, but I +don't know why you should be. You are a homely creature, and your ears +are not so long as mine." And he walked off with a disgusted air. + +The cat rolled over and over, and the dog buried his head in his paws. +"Did you ever see anything so funny?" he said to puss. + +"Hush!" she replied, "Here is the rooster." + +[Illustration: The rooster and the mirror] + +The rooster stopped quite still when he saw himself in the mirror. + +"Well, where did you come from?" he asked, ruffling up his feathers. He +walked straight to the mirror and flew at the other rooster. Bang! He +went against the glass. + +"In a glass case, are you?" he said. He stretched out his neck and +looked very fierce. "You should be; you are a sight--your feathers are +ruffled, and you are not half so handsome as I am." + +And off he walked, satisfied that he was handsomer than the other +rooster. + +"Oh, dear!" laughed the cat. "I certainly shall scream. They all think +they are handsomer than their reflections. Here comes the turkey +gobbler. Let us see what he does." + +The gobbler walked slowly over to the mirror and looked at his +reflection. + +"Now," he asked, "where in the world did they get you? You are an old, +bald-headed creature, and your feathers need oiling. You look like a +last year's turkey." And off he strutted. + +The cat and the dog leaned against the barrels and laughed until the +tears ran down their faces. + +"Keep still," said the dog. "Here comes speckled hen and her chickens." + +Speckled hen walked around, picking up bits of corn. Suddenly she looked +up and saw the mirror. + +"There is a hen with a brood of chicks, but they are not so handsome as +mine," she said, walking toward the looking-glass. "Where do you live? I +know you do not belong here." And she looked closer at the other hen. + +Click! Her bill hit the glass. + +"Well, if she isn't in a glass coop!" the hen said, stepping back. "If +master has bought her and those chicks, there will be trouble. Mercy! +One of the chicks is bow-legged, and they are a skinny looking lot." + +Then she clucked to her chicks and walked out of the barn. + +"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" laughed the dog; "they all think the same. They +certainly are a conceited lot. Here comes the goose." + + +III + + +The goose waddled over to the mirror. + +"Well, well! If there isn't a new goose!" she said, "and she is walking +toward me. I must be friendly." + +Snap! Her bill struck the mirror. + +"Oh, you are in a glass box!" she said. "Have you come to stay?" And she +stretched out her neck. + +"My, but you have a long neck!" she went on, "and your feathers are nice +and smooth. I suppose you cannot hear in that box." + +Then she walked away, nodding good-by. The other goose, of course, +nodded also, and goosey went away satisfied. + +"She is not so much of a goose as the others," the cat remarked. + +"The peacock is coming," said the dog. "Keep quiet." + +In walked the peacock. Seeing another bird, as he supposed, he spread +his beautiful tail to its full width. He walked about, but never a word +did he say. + +"Now, what do you make out of that?" asked the dog. "Did he know that he +was looking in a looking-glass, or wouldn't he speak to another bird?" + +"I do not know," said the cat, "but here comes the goat. Hide, quick!" + +Billy was clattering over the boards, when suddenly he saw the other +goat. He looked at him a minute. "I'll show him," he said, running at +the mirror with head down. + +[Illustration: The goat crashes into the mirror] + +Bang! Smash! Crash! and Billy jumped back, a very much astonished goat. + +"Now you have done it," said the horse, who had been watching all the +time from his stall. "All the animals will get out and run away." + +"What are you talking about?" said the dog, who was laughing so hard he +could scarcely talk. "There are no animals in there. That is a +looking-glass; you see yourself when you are in front of it." + +"Do you mean to tell me that those animals have all been looking at +themselves and finding fault with their own looks?" asked the horse, +with his eyes nearly popping out of his head. + +"Of course," said the cat. "Can't you see that Billy has smashed the +looking-glass?" + +"Well, that is the best I ever heard," said the horse, laughing, "but I +wish I had known that was a looking-glass before Billy broke it. I +should very much like to know how I look." + +"You might not have recognized yourself; the others didn't," said the +dog. + +--F.A. WALKER. + + + + +THE BARBER OF BAGDAD + +ACT I + + +PLACE: Ali's barber shop. + +TIME: Morning. + +WOODCUTTER: I have a load of wood which I have just brought in on my +donkey. Would you like to buy it, good barber? + +ALI: Well, let me see. Is it good wood? + +WOODCUTTER: The best in the country. + +ALI: I'll give you five shekels for all the wood upon the donkey. + +WOODCUTTER: Agreed. I'll put the wood here by your door. + +(Lays wood at door.) + +Now, good sir, give me the silver. + +ALI: Not so fast, my good friend. I must have your wooden pack saddle, +too. That was the bargain. I said, "All the wood upon your donkey." +Truly, the saddle is wood. + +[Illustration: Ali and the woodcutter with the donkey] + +WOODCUTTER: Who ever heard of such a bargain? Surely you cannot mean +what you say? You would not treat a poor woodcutter so. It is +impossible. + +ALI: Give me the saddle, or I'll have you put in prison. And take +that--and that--and that! + +(Ali strikes the woodcutter.) + +WOODCUTTER: Ah, me, what shall I do? What shall I do? I know. I'll go to +the caliph himself. + + +ACT II + + +PLACE: Caliph's Palace. + +TIME: Hour later. + +COURTIER: My lord, a good woodcutter is at the door and begs leave to +come into your presence. + +CALIPH: Bid him enter. There is none too poor to be received by me. + +(Courtier goes out and returns with woodcutter, who kneels and kisses +the ground. Then he stands with arms folded.) + +CALIPH: Tell me, good man, what brought you here? Has any one done you a +wrong? + +WOODCUTTER: Great wrong, my lord. The rich barber Ali did buy a load of +wood from me. He offered me five shekels for all the wood on my donkey. +When I had put down the load, I asked for my money, but he refused to +pay me until I had given him my pack saddle. He said the bargain was +"all the wood on the donkey," and that the saddle is wood. He said he +would put me in prison if I did not give up the saddle. Then he took it +and drove me away with blows. + +CALIPH: A strange story, truly. The barber has law on his side, and yet +you have right on yours. The law must be obeyed, but--come here and let +me whisper something to you. + +(The woodcutter listens smilingly and bowing low, leaves the room.) + + +ACT III + + +PLACE: The barber's shop. + +TIME: A few days later. + +ALI: Ah! here comes my stupid friend the woodcutter. I suppose he has +come to quarrel about the wood. No, he is smiling. + +WOODCUTTER: Good day to you, friend Ali. I have come to ask if you will +be so kind as to shave me and a companion from the country. + +ALI: Oh, yes, I suppose so. + +WOODCUTTER: How much will you charge? + +ALI: A shekel for the two. + +(To himself.) + +The poor fool cannot pay that sum. + +WOODCUTTER. Very good. Shave me first. + +(Ali shaves him.) + +ALI: Now you are shaved. Where is your companion? + +WOODCUTTER: He is standing outside. He will come in at once. + +(He goes out and returns leading his donkey.) + +This is my companion. Shave him. + +ALI (_in a rage_): Shave him! Shave a donkey, indeed! Is it not enough +that I should lower myself by touching you? And then you insult me by +asking me to shave your donkey! Away with you! + + +ACT IV + + +PLACE: Caliph's Palace. + +TIME: Half-hour later. + +CALIPH: Well, my friend, did you do as I told you? + +WOODCUTTER: Yes, and Ali refused to shave my donkey. + +CALIPH (_to Courtier_): Bid Ali come to me at once and bring his razors +with him. + +(Courtier leaves and returns with Ali.) + +CALIPH: Why did you refuse to shave this man's companion? Was not that +your agreement? + +ALI (_kissing the ground_): It is true, O caliph, such was the +agreement, but who ever made a companion of a donkey before? + +CALIPH: True enough, but who ever thought of saying that a pack saddle +is a part of a load of wood? No, no, it is the woodcutter's turn now. +Shave his donkey instantly. + +(Ali lathers the beast and shaves him in the presence of the whole +court, and then slips away amid the laughter of the bystanders.) + +CALIPH: Now, my honest woodcutter, here is a purse of gold for you. +Always remember that the caliph gladly listens to the complaints of his +people, poor and rich, and will right their wrongs if he can. + +WOODCUTTER: Long live the Caliph! + +COURTIERS: Long live the Caliph! + +--EASTERN TALE. + + + + +WINTER NIGHT + + + Blow, wind, blow! + Drift the flying snow! + Send it twirling, twirling overhead. + There's a bedroom in a tree + Where snug as snug can be, + The squirrel nests in his cozy bed. + + Shriek, wind, shriek! + Make the branches creak! + Battle with the boughs till break of day! + In a snow cave warm and tight + Through the icy winter night + The rabbit sleeps the peaceful hour away. + + Scold, wind, scold! + So bitter and so bold! + Shake the windows with your tap, tap, tap! + With half-shut, dreamy eyes + The drowsy baby lies + Cuddled closely in his mother's lap. + +--MARY F. BUTTS. + + + + +HOPE'S DOLL + + +It was Saturday morning. Elizabeth Brown sat by a window in the big +kitchen making a pink dress for little Hope's doll. + +On the chair beside her lay the doll, though you might not have thought +of calling it one. It did not have curly hair--nor eyes that open and +shut. In those days no child had toys like ours. Hope's doll was made of +a corncob; the face was painted on a piece of linen stretched over a +ball of wool on the end of the cob. + +Little Hope was taking her morning nap. When Elizabeth had sewed the +last neat stitches, she dressed the doll and laid it on the bed by the +little girl. How happy Hope was when she awoke and saw it! She thought +it the most beautiful doll in the world. + +"What will you call your doll, Hope?" asked Elizabeth. + +"I will name her for mother," said Hope. "I will call her Mary Ellen." + +[Illustration: Hope and her doll] + +Hope played all the afternoon with her doll and was very happy. When the +sunset gun sounded, she had to stop playing. With the Puritans, the +Sabbath began at sunset, and no child could play after the gun was +heard. + +The little maid kissed her baby and went into the bedroom to find a warm +place for it to stay until the next evening. There lay father's Sunday +coat; what warmer nest could she find for Mary Ellen than its big +pocket? + +After breakfast the next day, every one got ready to go to meeting. +Master Brown filled the little tin foot stove with hot coals from the +hearth; then he took his gun from its hook. In those days no man went +anywhere without his gun--not even to church, for the Indians were +likely to come at any time. + +Sometimes the firing of a gun was the call to worship. More often a big +drum, beaten on the steps of the meeting house, told the people it was +time to come together. + +At the sound of the drum, Master Brown and his wife, with Elizabeth and +Hope, started to church. From every house in the village came men, +women, and children. They were always ready when the drum began to beat, +for no one was ever late to meeting in those days. + +Master Brown led his family to their pew and opened a little door to let +them in. The pew was very much like a large box with seats around the +sides. + +The church was cold, for there was no fire. The children warmed their +fingers and toes by the queer little foot stove their father had brought +from home. + +When every one was seated, the minister climbed the steps to his high +pulpit. The sermon was always very long--three hours at least. The +children could not understand what it was all about, and it was very +hard for them to sit still and listen quietly. + +Elizabeth was four years older than Hope, so she felt quite like a +little woman. She sat up beside her mother and looked at the minister +almost all the time; but sometimes she had to wink hard to keep awake. +When she thought she could not let her feet hang down another minute, +she would slip down to the footstool to rest. + +Elizabeth was often ashamed of Hope, who could not sit still ten +minutes. She tried to listen to the sermon, but could not. When she +began to stir about a little, her mother shook her head at her. She sat +still for a few minutes, but was soon restless again. + +Presently she began to be sleepy and laid her head upon her father's arm +for a nap. Just then she felt something in his pocket. A happy smile +came over Hope's face; she was wide-awake now. Slipping her hand into +the wide pocket, she drew out Mary Ellen and smoothed her wrinkled gown. + +Master Brown's thoughts were all on the sermon, and even Mistress Brown +did not notice Hope for a little time. When she did, what do you suppose +she saw? Hope was standing on the seat showing her doll to the little +girl in the pew behind her. + +Oh, how ashamed her mother was! She pulled her little daughter down +quickly and whispered, "Do you want the tithingman to come? Well, sit +down and listen." Taking Mary Ellen, she slipped the doll into her muff. + +Little Hope did sit down and listen. She did not even turn around when +the kind lady behind them dropped a peppermint over the high-backed pew +for her. She was very much afraid of the tithingman, who sat on a high +seat. He had a long rod with a hard knob on one end and a squirrel's +tail on the other. + +[Illustration: The tithingman tickling the nodding lady] + +When he saw a lady nodding during the sermon, he stepped around to her +pew and tickled her face with the fur end of the rod. She would waken +with a start and be, oh! so ashamed. She would be very glad the pew had +such high sides to hide her blushing face. + +Perhaps you think the boys who sat on the other side of the church had a +good time. But there was the tithingman again. When he saw a boy +whispering or playing, he rapped him on the head with the knob end of +the rod. The whispering would stop at once, for the rod often brought +tears and left a headache. + +Besides keeping the boys from playing and the grown people from going to +sleep, the tithingman must turn the hourglass. In those days very few +people could afford clocks, but every one had an hourglass. It took the +fine sand just one hour to pour from the upper part of the glass into +the lower part. + +When the sand had all run through, the tithingman turned the glass over +and the sand began to tell another hour. The glass was always turned +three times before the minister closed the service. Then the men picked +up their muskets and foot stoves, the women wrapped their long capes +closely about them, and all went home. + +At sunset the Puritan Sabbath ended. The women brought out their +knitting and spinning, or prepared for Monday's washing, and the +children were free to play until bedtime. + +--MARGARET PUMPHREY. + + + + +NAHUM PRINCE + + +More than a hundred years ago, our country was at war with England. +George Washington was at the head of our army. As you know, he and his +men were fighting for our country's freedom. + +The English army was larger than our army, and General Washington needed +all the men he could get. The regular troops were with him. + +In one little town in Vermont all the strong, able-bodied men had gone +to the front. News came that the English and the Americans were about to +meet in battle. The Americans needed more men and called for volunteers. +Old men with white hair and long beards volunteered. Young boys with +smooth cheeks and unshaven lips volunteered. There wasn't a boy in the +village over thirteen years of age who didn't volunteer. + +Even lame Nahum Prince offered himself. He brought out his grandfather's +old gun and got in line with the others. He stood as straight and tall +as he could--as a soldier should stand. + +Soon the captain came along the line to inspect the volunteers. When he +saw Nahum, he said, "No, no, Nahum, you cannot go; you know you cannot. +Why, you could not walk a mile. Go home, my lad." + +Just then the good old minister came by. "Yes, Nahum," he said, "you +must stay at home. Who knows but that you will find a greater work to do +for your country right here?" + +And lame Nahum dropped out of the line. + +Then the volunteers marched off, every man and boy in the village except +Nahum Prince. Poor Nahum! His heart was heavy. + +"What can I do for my country in this small village?" he said to +himself. "Oh, I wish I could be a soldier!" + +He walked toward his home slowly and sadly. Just as he passed the +blacksmith shop, three horseman galloped up to the door. + +[Illustration: The horseman speaks to Nahum] + +"Where is the blacksmith?" asked one. + +"He and all the men and boys have gone to join the army," said Nahum. +"There isn't a man or a boy in town except me. I wouldn't be here if I +were not lame." + +"We cannot have this horse shod," said the rider to the others. "We +shall not reach there in time." + +"Why, I can set a shoe," said Nahum. + +"Then it is lucky you are left behind," said the man. "Light up the +forge and set the shoe." + +Nahum lighted the fire, blew the coals with the bellows, and soon put on +the shoe. + +"You have done a great deed to-day, my boy," said the rider as he +thanked Nahum and rode away. + +The next week the boys came home and told of a great battle. They told +how the Americans were about to lose the fight when Colonel Seth Warner, +leading a band of soldiers, rode up just in time to save the day. + +Nahum said nothing, but he knew that Colonel Warner would not have +arrived in time if he had not set that shoe. And it was really Nahum +Prince and Colonel Seth Warner who won the victory of Bennington. + + + + +THE LITTLE COOK'S REWARD + + +Betty lived a long, long time ago on a farm in North Carolina. She knew +how to clean up the house, to wash the dishes, to sew, and to cook. She +knew how to knit, and to spin and weave, too. + +One day Betty's father said, "Let us go to town to-morrow. President +Washington is passing through the South, and a man told me to-day that +he will be in Salisbury to-morrow." + +"Yes," said Betty's brother Robert, "and our company has been asked to +march in the parade. One of the boys is going to make a speech of +welcome." + +"I should like to go," said their mother, "but I can't leave home." + +"Oh, yes, you can, mother," said Betty. "I have stayed here by myself +many times, and I can stay to-morrow. You go with father, and I will +take care of things." + +The next morning every one on the place was up before the sun. Robert +was so impatient to start to town that he could scarcely eat any +breakfast. Mother was so excited that she forgot to put coffee in the +coffee pot. + +At last every one had left, and Betty was alone. "I wish I could see the +President," she said, "and I do wish I could see his great coach. Father +says that it is finer than the Governor's. Four men ride in front of it, +and four behind it. The servants are dressed in white and gold. How I +wish I could see it all!" + +While Betty was talking to herself, she was not idle. She washed the +dishes and she cleaned the house. Then, as it was not time to get +dinner, she sat down on the shady porch. + +"I wonder whether General Washington looks like his picture," she said. +"Oh, if I could only see him!" + +But what sound was that? Betty stood up, and shading her eyes with her +hands, looked down the road. Four horsemen came along at a gallop. Then +there followed a great white coach, trimmed with gold and drawn by four +white horses. There were four horsemen behind the coach, and last of all +came several black servants. + +[Illustration: Betty looking up at the great coach] + +All stopped at the gate. A tall handsome man stepped from the coach and +came up the walk. Betty felt as if she could neither move nor speak. She +remembered, however, all that her mother had taught her, and she made a +low curtsy as the gentleman reached the steps. + +"Good morning, my little maid," he said. "I know it is late, but would +you give an old man some breakfast?" + +Betty's cheeks grew as pink as the rose by the porch. She made another +curtsy and said, "Indeed, I will. I am the only one at home, for father, +mother, and Robert have gone to Salisbury to see the great Washington. +But I am sure I can give you some breakfast. Father says that I am a +good cook." + +"I know you are, and that you are as brisk as you are pretty. Just give +me a breakfast, and I promise you that you shall see Washington before +your father, mother, or brother Robert does." + +"I will do the best I can, sir," Betty said. + +The other men came in, and all sat on the porch and talked while Betty +worked. Getting her mother's whitest cloth and the silver that came from +England, she quickly set the table. She brought out a loaf of new bread +and a jar of fresh honey. Then she ran to the spring house and got +yellow butter and rich milk. She had some fresh eggs that had been laid +by her own hens. These she dropped into boiling water. Last of all she +cut thin slices of delicious ham. + +When everything was ready, Betty went to the porch and invited the +strangers in. Her cheeks were now the color of the red rose by the gate. + +The visitors ate heartily of all the good things Betty had prepared. As +the tall, handsome gentleman rose to go, he leaned over and kissed her. +"My pretty little cook," he said, "you may tell your brother Robert that +you saw Washington before he did, and that he kissed you, too." + +You may believe that Betty did tell it. She told it to her children, and +they told it to their children, and I am telling it to you to-day. + +--MRS. L.A. McCORKLE. + + + + +ROCK-A-BY, HUSH-A-BY, LITTLE PAPOOSE + + + Rock-a-by, hush-a-by, little papoose, + The stars come into the sky, + The whip-poor-will's crying, the daylight is dying, + The river runs murmuring by. + + The pine trees are slumbering, little papoose, + The squirrel has gone to his nest, + The robins are sleeping, the mother bird's keeping + The little ones warm with her breast. + + The roebuck is dreaming, my little papoose, + His mate lies asleep at his side, + The breezes are pining, the moonbeams are shining + All over the prairie wide. + + Then hush-a-by, rock-a-by, little papoose, + You sail on the river of dreams; + Dear Manitou loves you and watches above you + Till time when the morning light gleams. + +--CHARLES MYALL. + + + + +THE TAR WOLF + +I + + +Many hundreds of moons ago, there was a great drought. The streams and +lakes were drying up. Water was so scarce that the animals held a +council to decide what they should do. + +"I hope it will rain soon and fill the streams and lakes," Great Bear +said. "If it does not, all the animals will have to go to a land where +there is more water." + +"I know where there is plenty of water," said Wild Goose. + +"I do, too," said Wild Duck. + +Most of the animals did not wish to go away. "It is well enough for the +ducks and geese to go," said Wild Cat; "they like to move about. It is +well enough for Great Bear to go; he can sleep through the winter in one +hollow tree as soundly as in another. But we do not wish to leave our +hunting grounds." + +"If we go to a new country," said Gray Wolf, "we shall have to make new +trails." + +"And we shall have to clear new land," said Big Beaver, who had to cut +down the trees when land was cleared. + +All this time the Rabbit said nothing. "Brother Rabbit," Great Bear +asked, "what do you think about this matter?" + +Brother Rabbit did not answer. His eyes were shut, and he seemed too +sleepy to think about anything. + +Great Bear asked again, "What do you think about it, Brother Rabbit? +Shall we go to the place the ducks and geese have found, where there is +plenty of water?" + +"Oh," answered Brother Rabbit, "I do not mind the drought. I drink the +dew on the grass in the early morning; I do not need to go where there +is more water." + +And he shut his eyes again. + +"Well," said Red Deer, "if there is dew enough for Brother Rabbit every +morning, there is dew enough for us. We need not go to another country." + +"Those are wise words, my brother," said Brown Terrapin. + +All the others said, "Those are wise words, my brother," and the council +was over. The animals were happy because they thought they need not go +away from their homes. + +Days passed, and still it did not rain. The animals found that the dew +did not keep them from suffering from thirst. They were afraid that, +after all, they would have to go to another country. + +Still the Rabbit looked sleek and fat. He declared that he got all the +water he needed from the dew on the grass in the early morning. + +"You sleep too late," he said. "By the time you get up, the sun has +dried the dew." + + +II + + +After that, the animals came out earlier than before, but they could not +get water enough from the morning dew. They did not understand why the +Rabbit looked so well. + +One day Gray Wolf said to Wild Cat, "Let us watch the Rabbit and see +where he gets so much dew that he is never thirsty." + +That night they stayed in the woods near Rabbit's wigwam, so as to +follow him on the trail. They kept awake all night for fear that they +might sleep too late. + +Very early in the morning, Brother Rabbit came out of his wigwam and ran +swiftly down the hill. Wild Cat and Gray Wolf followed as fast and as +quietly as they could. + +The dew was on the grass and leaves, but Brother Rabbit did not stop to +get it. Instead, he ran down the hill and pushed away a heap of brush. +Wild Cat and Gray Wolf hid behind some bushes and watched him. + +Brother Rabbit drank from a little spring. Then he filled a jar with +clear, fresh water, piled the brush over the spring again, and went up +the hill to his wigwam. + +Ah! now Gray Wolf and Wild Cat knew why Brother Rabbit did not mind the +drought; and they made a plan to punish him for being so selfish. + +They got tar and resin from the pine trees, and out of these they made a +great wolf. After placing it close to the spring, they hid again in the +bushes, to see what would happen. + +Early the next morning, Brother Rabbit came running down the hill for +more water. He stopped when he saw the tar wolf by his spring. + +"What are you doing here, Gray Wolf?" he asked. Of course there was no +answer. + +"Has my brother no ears?" asked Brother Rabbit. + +As the wolf was still silent, Brother Rabbit became angry. "Answer me, +Gray Wolf," he cried. But there was no answer. + +Then Brother Rabbit slapped the tar wolf with his right front paw. It +stuck fast, and Brother Rabbit could not pull it away. + +[Illustration: Brother Rabbit and the wolf] + +"Let me go," he cried, "or I will slap you with the other paw." + +He slapped the tar wolf with the left front paw. That too, stuck fast. + +Now Brother Rabbit was very angry. "Let me go, Gray Wolf," he cried. +"Let me go, I say!" + +As Grey Wolf did not let him go, Brother Rabbit kicked the tar wolf, +first with one of his hind paws and then with the other. Both stuck +fast, and so he was held by all four paws. + +Just then Gray Wolf and Wild Cat came from their hiding place. + +"We have caught you, Brother Rabbit," they said. "Now we are going to +take you to the council and tell how you tried to keep all the water for +yourself." + + +III + + +They took Brother Rabbit to the council house, and sent for Great Bear +and all the other animals. Soon all came, and the council began. Gray +Wolf told that he had seen Brother Rabbit go to the spring, uncover it, +get water, and cover the spring up again. + +The animals said that Brother Rabbit must be punished, but how they +could not decide. + +"Burn him alive," said Gray Wolf. + +"I am quite willing," Brother Rabbit said, smiling. "Fire is my friend +and will not hurt me." + +"We might cut off his head," said Brown Terrapin. + +"Very well," said the Rabbit, quietly. "Try that. It will not hurt me, +for a better head will grow back." + +He said he was not afraid of each thing that was mentioned. + +"Is there nothing of which you are afraid?" asked Great Bear, at last. +"Is there nothing that can hurt you?" + +"Of only one thing am I afraid," answered Brother Rabbit, in a low +voice. "I am afraid you will turn me loose in the brier patch. Please do +not throw me in the brier patch." + +"Turn him loose in the brier patch!" cried all the animals. + +How frightened Brother Rabbit looked now! + +"Oh, Gray Wolf," he begged, "burn me; cut off my head. Do anything else +with me, but please don't throw me in the brier patch." + +The more he begged, the faster Gray Wolf hurried to the brier patch. The +other animals followed close behind. They were all talking about the +tricks Brother Rabbit had played on them and how they had never before +been able to get even with him. + +When they came to the edge of the brier patch, Brother Rabbit begged +harder than ever. + +"Good Wolf," he cried, "do anything else with me, but don't throw me in +the brier patch!" + +Gray Wolf laughed and threw Brother Rabbit far into the patch. + +Brother Rabbit landed on his feet, and off he ran through the briers. He +called back, "Thank you, good Wolf! You threw me right on my trail! I +was born and bred in the brier patch. I was born and bred in the brier +patch!" + +He was running so fast that by the time he said this, he was out of +sight. + +--THE INDIAN TAR-BABY STORY. + + + + +THE RABBIT AND THE WOLF + + +The rabbit liked to play tricks on the other animals. Best of all, he +liked to play tricks on the wolf. At last the wolf grew angry and said +that he was going to get even with the rabbit. + +One day he caught the rabbit coming through a field. + +"Now," said the wolf, "I am going to pay you for all the tricks you have +played on me. I will cut off your ears and use them for spoons to stir +my hominy pot. As soon as I sharpen this stone, off your ears go!" + +While the wolf sharpened the stone, he sang in his harsh voice a song +somewhat like this: + + "Watch me sharpen, + Watch me sharpen; + Soon I am going to cut off your ears. + Sicum, sicum, sicum, sicum, + Sicum, se mi su!" + +When he sang, + + "Sicum, sicum, sicum, sicum, + Sicum, se mi su!" + +the rabbit could almost feel the sharp stone cutting his ears. But he +was a brave little rabbit and said nothing. + +At last the wolf stopped singing for a moment. + +Then the rabbit said, "Brother Wolf, I know a new dance. Don't you wish +me to teach it to you?" + +"Yes, when I have cut off your ears," said the wolf. + +Then he went on singing, + + "Sicum, sicum, sicum, sicum, + Sicum, se mi su!" + +"After my ears are cut off," said the rabbit, "I can never dance any +more." + +Now the wolf knew that the rabbit could sing and dance better than any +other animal, and he wished very much to learn the new dance. He went on +sharpening the stone, but he did not sing while he worked. + +After a while he asked, "Is the new dance as pretty as the Snake Dance?" + +"Oh, a great deal prettier," answered the rabbit. + +"Is it as pretty as the Turkey Dance?" + +"Oh, a great deal prettier than the Turkey Dance." + +"Is it as pretty as the Eagle Dance?" + +"Oh, a great deal prettier than the Eagle Dance." + +The wolf asked if the new dance was as pretty as other dances he had +seen, and the rabbit said that it was much prettier. + +This pleased the wolf, as he wished to have a new dance for the green +corn festival. + +"You may teach me the dance now," he said. "I can cut off your ears +afterward." + +"Very well," said the rabbit; "pat your foot to keep time, and watch me +while I dance." + +[Illustration: The rabbit danced as the wolf shook the rattle] + +So the wolf stood in the middle of the field, patting his foot and +shaking a rattle while the rabbit danced around him and sang, + + "Watch me dance around the field, + Watch me dance around the field, + Hi, la, hi, la, hi!" + +Then the rabbit made a ring in the middle of the field. He said to the +wolf, "Now, you dance around this ring, and sing just as I do." + +He made a larger ring for himself and danced around just beyond the +wolf. The wolf thought that this was the finest dance he had ever seen. +He and the rabbit danced faster and faster, and sang louder and louder. + +As the rabbit danced, he moved nearer and nearer to the edge of the +field. The wolf was dancing so fast and singing so loud that he did not +notice this. + +The rabbit kept on singing, + + "Now I dance on the edge of the field, + Now I dance on the edge of the field, + Hi, la, hi, la, hi!" + +At last, Brother Rabbit reached the edge of the field; then he jumped +into the blackberry bushes and ran away. The wolf tried to give chase, +but he was so dizzy that he could not run. And the rabbit got away +without having his ears cut off. + +--SOUTHERN INDIAN TALE. + + + + +BLOCK CITY + + + What are you able to build with your blocks? + Castles and palaces, temples and docks. + Rain may keep raining, and others go roam, + But I can be happy and building at home. + + Let the sofa be mountains, the carpet be sea, + There I'll establish a city for me: + A kirk and a mill and a palace beside, + And a harbor as well where my vessels may ride. + + Great is the palace with pillar and wall, + A sort of a tower on the top of it all, + And steps coming down in an orderly way + To where my toy vessels lie safe in the bay. + + This one is sailing and that one is moored: + Hark to the song of the sailors on board! + And see on the steps of my palace, the kings + Coming and going with presents and things! + + Now I have done with it, down let it go. + All in a moment the town is laid low, + Block upon block lying scattered and free, + What is there left of my town by the sea? + +--ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON. + + + + +A GOOD PLAY + + + We built a ship upon the stairs + All made of the back-bedroom chairs, + And filled it full of sofa pillows + To go a-sailing on the billows. + + We took a saw and several nails, + And water in the nursery pails; + And Tom said, "Let us also take + An apple and a slice of cake;"-- + Which was enough for Tom and me + To go a-sailing on, till tea. + + We sailed along for days and days, + And had the very best of plays; + But Tom fell out and hurt his knee, + So there was no one left but me. + +--ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON. + + + + +THE MONKEY'S FIDDLE + +I + + +Once upon a time there was a great famine in the land, and Monkey could +find no food. There were no bulbs, no beans, no insects, nor anything +else to eat. + +At last Monkey said to himself, "Why should I perish here with hunger? +My uncle Orang-outang has enough and to spare; I shall go to him, and he +will give me food and shelter." + +So he set out and soon came to the place where Orang-outang lived. For a +long time Monkey was happy in his new home, but by and by he heard that +there was no longer a famine in his own land. Then he decided to go +back. + +Before he started, Orang-outang made him a present of a fiddle and of a +bow and arrow, + +"With this bow and arrow you can kill any animal," he said. "With this +fiddle you can make anything dance until you bid it stop." + +Thanking his uncle for the presents, Monkey set out on his homeward +journey. On the way he met Brother Wolf. + +"What news, Brother Wolf?" asked Monkey. + +When Wolf had told him the news, Monkey asked, "What have you been doing +to-day?" + +"Oh," said Wolf, "I have been following a deer all the morning, but I +have been unable to get near enough to kill him. Now I am faint with +hunger." + +"I can help you," said Monkey. "I have a magic bow and arrow. Show me +the deer, and I will bring him down." + +When Wolf showed him the deer, Monkey fitted an arrow to the bow and +took aim. Hardly had the arrow left the bow when the deer fell dead. + +Monkey and Wolf sat down and had a good feast. As Wolf ate, he thought +of the magic bow and arrow, and he planned to get them away from Monkey. + +"First I will ask for them," he said to himself. "If Monkey will not +give them to me, I will use force." + +[Illustration: Wolf demands the bow and arrow] + +When Wolf had finished eating, he said to Monkey, "Please give me the +bow and arrow." + +"I will not," said Monkey. "They were a present from my dear uncle; why +should I give them to you?" + +"Very well," said Wolf. "I am stronger than you, and I will take them by +force." + + +II + + +Wolf was just about to snatch the bow and arrow from Monkey when Jackal +came along. Then Wolf thought of a new plan. + +He called out to Jackal, "Help! help! Monkey has stolen my magic bow and +arrow." + +Jackal came running to them. Wolf told his side of the story, and Monkey +told his. + +"I cannot believe either of you," said Jackal. "Let us lay the question +before the court. There Lion, Tiger, and the other animals will hear you +both; perhaps they will be able to decide to whom the magic bow and +arrow belong. But to keep you two from quarreling, I had better take +care of the bow and arrow." + +Monkey gave them to Jackal, and all three started off to court. When +they arrived, there sat Lion on the throne. Seated around were the other +animals of the jungle. + +Monkey told his story first. Standing in front of the throne, he made a +low bow and said, "The great famine, my lord, drove me out of my +country, and I had to take refuge with my uncle. When I started back +home, he gave me this bow and arrow. Finding Wolf almost starving, I +shot a deer for him. Instead of being grateful for the food, he tried to +rob me of the bow and arrow. I am here to ask that you restore them to +me." + +"He does not tell the truth," cried Wolf. + +Then Jackal said, "I believe that the bow and arrow belong to Wolf; he +and Monkey were quarreling about them when I came along. They agreed to +leave the question to you, King Lion. I know you will see that justice +is done." + +Wolf looked very innocent and said nothing. + +King Lion rose and asked, "What say you? To whom do the bow and arrow +belong?" + +"To Wolf," they all cried. + +"Stealing is a crime that must be punished," said King Lion. "What shall +be done?" + +"Let Monkey be hanged," they all cried. + +Monkey still had his magic fiddle. Holding it in his hand, he made a +deep bow and said: "Give me leave to play a tune on my fiddle before I +hang, O King." + +Now, the beasts all loved a merry tune, and knowing that Monkey was a +master player they called out, "Let him play." + + +III + + +Monkey placed the fiddle under his chin, drew the bow across the +strings, and struck up "Cockcrow." This was a favorite tune with the +court. At the first notes all nodded their heads in time to the music. +As Monkey played on, the entire court began to dance. + +Round and round they went like a whirlwind. Over and over, quicker and +quicker sounded the tune of "Cockcrow." Faster and faster flew the +dancers, until one after another fell to the ground worn out. + +Monkey saw nothing of all this. With eyes closed and his head placed +lovingly against the fiddle, he played on and on, keeping time with his +foot. + +Wolf was the first one to cry out, "Please stop, Cousin Monkey. For +pity's sake, stop." + +But Monkey did not seem to hear him. Again and again sounded the magic +notes of "Cockcrow." + +King Lion had gone round and round with his young wife so many times +that both were ready to drop. At last, as he passed Monkey, he roared, +"Stop, ape! My whole kingdom is yours if you will only stop playing." + +"I do not want it," said Monkey. "Make Wolf confess that he tried to +steal my bow and arrow. Then I will stop playing." + +"I confess! I confess!" panted Wolf, who was ready to fall to the +ground. + +"Good," cried King Lion, as the music stopped. "Monkey is innocent. Let +him have his bow and arrow." + +"Punish Wolf!" cried the animals. + +So Wolf was soundly beaten and driven from the court. Then Monkey went +off rejoicing, carrying with him his magic gifts. + +--AFRICAN TALE. + + + + +THE THREE TASKS + +I + + +There were once two brothers who set out to seek their fortune. They +wasted their time and their money in all sorts of foolish ways, and +before long they were nearly penniless. + +After the two brothers had been gone some time, their younger brother, +who had always been thought the simpleton of the family, set out to seek +his fortune. + +One day as he was passing through a village far away from home, he found +his two brothers. + +"Where are you going?" they asked. + +"I am going to seek my fortune," he replied. + +"Ha, ha! how foolish you are!" they cried. "With all our wit and wisdom +we have been unable to make our fortune. It is silly of you even to +try." And they laughed and made fun of him. + +Nevertheless, the three brothers decided to travel on together. As they +journeyed on, they saw a large ant hill by the side of the road. The two +elder brothers were about to destroy it, when the simpleton said, "Leave +the poor ants alone. I will not let you disturb them." + +They went on their way until they came to a pond upon which two ducks +were swimming. The two older brothers were about to kill them, when the +simpleton said, "Leave them alone. I will not let you kill them." + +Soon the three came to a tree, in the trunk of which was a wild bee's +nest. The two older brothers wished to steal the honey. They started to +make a fire under the tree and smoke out the bees. The simpleton said, +"Leave the poor bees alone. I will not let you rob them." + + +II + + +At last the three brothers came to a castle where everything looked as +if it had been turned to stone. There was not a single human being to be +seen. They walked along the great wide hall, but still they saw no one. + +"The castle must be enchanted," the brothers said to one another. + +After passing through many rooms, they came to a door in which there +were three locks. In the middle of the door was a little grating through +which they could look into the room beyond. + +They saw a little man, dressed in gray, seated at a table. Twice they +called to him, but he did not answer. They called a third time. Then he +rose, opened the three locks, and came out. + +He said not a word, but led them to a table on which a feast was spread. +When they had eaten and drunk as much as they wished, the old man showed +each of them to a bedroom. There they rested well all night. + +The next morning the little gray man came to the eldest brother and +beckoned him to follow. He led him to a room in which there was a stone +table, and on the table there lay three stone tablets. + +[Illustration: The little gray man and the tablets] + +On the table near the tablets was written: + +"This castle is enchanted. Before the enchantment can be broken, there +are three tasks to be performed. The one who performs these three tasks +shall marry the youngest and dearest of the three princesses who now lie +asleep in the castle." + +When the eldest brother had read this, the old man gave him the first +tablet. On it was written: + +"In the forest, hidden beneath the thick moss, are the pearls which +belonged to the princesses. They are a thousand in number. These must be +collected by sunset. If one single pearl is missing, then he who has +sought them shall be turned to stone." + +The eldest brother searched the whole day long, but by sunset he had +found only a hundred pearls. So he was turned to stone. + +The following day the second brother tried his luck, but by sunset he +had found but two hundred pearls. So he, too, was turned to stone. + +Then it came the simpleton's turn. He searched all day amidst the moss, +but he fared little better than his brothers. At last he sat down upon a +stone and burst into tears. + +As he sat there, the king of the ants, whose life he had once saved, +came with five thousand ants. Before long the little creatures had found +every one of the pearls and piled them up in a heap. + +The little gray man then gave the simpleton the second tablet. Upon it +was written the second task: + +"The key that opens the chamber in which the princesses are sleeping +lies in the bottom of the lake. He who has performed the first task must +find the key." + +When the simpleton came to the lake, the ducks which he had saved were +swimming upon it. At once they dived down into the depths below and +brought up the key. + +The simpleton showed the key to the little gray man, who then gave him +the third tablet. On it was written the third task: + +"The one who has gathered the pearls and found the key to the chamber +may now marry the youngest and dearest princess. He must, however, first +tell which is she. The princesses are exactly alike, but there is one +difference. Before they went to sleep, the eldest ate sugar, the second +ate syrup, and the youngest ate honey." + +The simpleton laid down the tablet with a sigh. "How can I find out +which princess ate the honey?" he asked himself. + +However, he put the key he had found in the lock and opened the door. In +the chamber the three princesses were lying. Ah, which was the youngest? + +Just then the queen of the bees flew in through the window and tasted +the lips of all three. When she came to the lips that had sipped the +honey, she remained there. Then the young man knew that this was the +youngest and dearest princess. + +So the enchantment came to an end. The sleepers awoke, and those who had +been turned to stone became alive again. The simpleton married the +youngest and dearest princess, and was made king after her father's +death. His two brothers, who were now sorry for what they had done, +married the other two princesses, and lived happily ever after. + +--GRIMM. + + + + +[Illustration: A child dancing] + +THE WORLD'S MUSIC + + + The world's a very happy place, + Where every child should dance and sing, + And always have a smiling face, + And never sulk for anything. + + I waken when the morning's come, + And feel the air and light alive + With strange sweet music like the hum + Of bees about their busy hive. + + The linnets play among the leaves + At hide-and-seek, and chirp and sing; + While, flashing to and from the eaves, + The swallows twitter on the wing. + + From dawn to dark the old mill-wheel + Makes music, going round and round; + And dusty-white with flour and meal, + The miller whistles to its sound. + + The brook that flows beside the mill, + As happy as a brook can be, + Goes singing its old song until + It learns the singing of the sea. + + For every wave upon the sands + Sings songs you never tire to hear, + Of laden ships from sunny lands + Where it is summer all the year. + + The world is such a happy place + That children, whether big or small, + Should always have a smiling face + And never, never sulk at all. + +--GABRIEL SETOUN. + + + + +THE SLEEPING BEAUTY + +I + + +Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who were very unhappy +because they had no children. But at last a little daughter was born, +and their sorrow was turned to joy. All the bells in the land were rung +to tell the glad tidings. + +The king gave a christening feast so grand that the like of it had never +been known. He invited all the fairies he could find in the +kingdom--there were seven of them--to come to the christening as +godmothers. He hoped that each would give the princess a good gift. + +When the christening was over, the feast came. Before each of the +fairies was placed a plate with a spoon, a knife, and a fork--all pure +gold. But alas! as the fairies were about to seat themselves at the +table, there came into the hall a very old fairy who had not been +invited. She had left the kingdom fifty years before and had not been +seen or heard of until this day. + +The king at once ordered that a plate should be brought for her, but he +could not furnish a gold one such as the others had. This made the old +fairy angry, and she sat there muttering to herself. + +Her angry threats were overheard by a young fairy who sat near. This +good godmother, fearing the old fairy might give the child an unlucky +gift, hid herself behind a curtain. She did this because she wished to +speak last and perhaps be able to change the old fairy's gift. + +At the end of the feast, the youngest fairy stepped forward and said, +"The princess shall be the most beautiful woman in the world." + +The second said, + +"She shall have a temper as sweet as an angel." + +The third said, + +"She shall have a wonderful grace in all she does or says." + +[Illustration: The old fairy looks at the princess in her cradle] + +The fourth said, + +"She shall sing like a nightingale." + +The fifth said, + +"She shall dance like a flower in the wind." + +The sixth said, + +"She shall play such music as was never heard on earth." + +Then the old fairy's turn came. Shaking her head spitefully, she said, + +"When the princess is seventeen years old, she shall prick her finger +with a spindle, and--she--shall--die!" + +At this all the guests trembled, and many of them began to weep. The +king and queen wept loudest of all. + +Just then the wise young fairy came from behind the curtain and said: +"Do not grieve, O King and Queen. Your daughter shall not die. I cannot +undo what my elder sister has done; the princess shall indeed prick her +finger with the spindle, but she shall not die. She shall fall into +sleep that will last a hundred years. At the end of that time, a king's +son will find her and awaken her." + +Immediately all the fairies vanished. + + +II + + +The king, hoping to save his child even from this misfortune, commanded +that all spindles should be burned. This was done, but it was all in +vain. + +One day when the princess was seventeen years of age, the king and queen +left her alone in the castle. She wandered about the palace and at last +came to a little room in the top of a tower. There an old woman--so old +and deaf that she had never heard of the king's command--sat spinning. + +"What are you doing, good old woman?" asked the princess. + +"I am spinning, my pretty child." + +"Ah," said the princess. "How do you do it? Let me see if I can spin +also." + +She had just taken the spindle in her hand when, in some way, it pricked +her finger. The princess dropped down on the floor. The old woman called +for help, and people came from all sides, but nothing could be done. + +When the good young fairy heard the news, she came quickly to the +castle. She knew that the princess must sleep a hundred years and would +be frightened if she found herself alone when she awoke. So the fairy +touched with her magic wand all in the palace except the king and the +queen. Ladies, gentlemen, pages, waiting maids, footmen, grooms in the +stable, and even the horses--she touched them all. They all went to +sleep just where they were when the wand touched them. Some of the +gentlemen were bowing to the ladies, the ladies were embroidering, the +grooms stood currying their horses, and the cook was slapping the +kitchen boy. + +The king and queen departed from the castle, giving orders that no one +was to go near it. This command, however, was not needed. In a little +while there sprang around the castle a wood so thick that neither man +nor beast could pass through. + + +III + + +A great many changes take place in a hundred years. The king had no +other child, and when he died, his throne passed to another royal +family. Even the story of the sleeping princess was almost forgotten. + +One day the son of the king who was then reigning was out hunting, and +he saw towers rising above a thick wood. He asked what they were, but no +one could answer him. + +At last an old peasant was found who said, "Your highness, fifty years +ago my father told me that there is a castle in the woods where a +princess sleeps--the most beautiful princess that ever lived. It was +said that she must sleep there a hundred years, when she would be +awakened by a king's son." + +At this the young prince determined to find out the truth for himself. +He leaped from his horse and began to force his way through the wood. To +his astonishment, the stiff branches gave way, then closed again, +allowing none of his companions to follow. + +A beautiful palace rose before him. In the courtyard the prince saw +horses and men who looked as if they were dead. But he was not afraid +and boldly entered the palace. There were guards motionless as stone, +gentlemen and ladies, pages and footmen, some standing, some sitting, +but all like statues. + +[Illustration: The prince finds the princess] + +At last the prince came to a chamber of gold, where he saw upon a bed +the fairest sight one ever beheld--a princess of about seventeen years +who looked as if she had just fallen asleep. Trembling, the prince knelt +beside her, and awakened her with a kiss. And now the enchantment was +broken. + +The princess looked at him with wondering eyes and said: "Is it you, my +prince? I have waited for you long." + +So happy were the two that they talked hour after hour. In the meantime +all in the palace awaked and each began to do what he was doing when he +fell asleep. The gentlemen went on bowing to the ladies, the ladies went +on with their embroidery. The grooms went on currying their horses, the +cook went on slapping the kitchen boy, and the servants began to serve +the supper. Then the chief lady in waiting, who was ready to die of +hunger, told the princess aloud that supper was ready. + +The prince gave the princess his hand, and they all went into the great +hall for supper. That very evening the prince and princess were married. +The next day the prince took his bride to his father's palace, and there +they lived happily ever afterward. + +--GRIMM. + + + + +THE UGLY DUCKLING + +I + + +It was summer. The country was lovely just then. The cornfields were +waving yellow, the wheat was golden, the oats were still green, and the +hay was stacked in the meadows. Beyond the fields great forests and +ponds of water might be seen. + +In the sunniest spot of all stood an old farmhouse, with deep canals +around it. At the water's edge grew great burdocks. It was just as wild +there as in the deepest wood, and in this snug place sat a duck upon her +nest. She was waiting for her brood to hatch. + +At last one eggshell after another began to crack. From each little egg +came "Cheep! cheep!" and then a little duckling's head. + +"Quack! quack!" said the duck; and all the babies quacked too. Then they +looked all around. The mother let them look as much as they liked, for +green is good for the eyes. + +"How big the world is!" said all the little ducklings. + +"Do you think this is all the world?" asked the mother. "It stretches a +long way on the other side of the garden and on to the parson's field, +but I have never been so far as that. I hope you are all out. No, not +all; that large egg is still unbroken. I am really tired of sitting so +long." Then the duck sat down again. + +"Well, how goes it?" asked an old duck who had come to pay her a visit. + +"There is one large egg that is taking a long time to hatch," replied +the mother. "But you must look at the ducklings. They are the finest I +have ever seen; they are all just like their father." + +"Let me look at the egg which will not hatch," said the old duck. "You +may be sure that it is a turkey's egg. I was once cheated in that way. +Oh, you will have a great deal of trouble, for a turkey will not go into +the water. Yes, that's a turkey's egg. Leave it alone and teach the +other children to swim." + +"No, I will sit on it a little longer," said the mother duck. + +"Just as you please," said the old duck, and she went away. + +At last the large egg cracked. "Cheep! cheep!" said the young one, and +tumbled out. How large it was! How ugly it was! + +"I wonder if it can be a turkey chick," said the mother. "Well, we shall +see when we go to the pond. It must go into the water, even if I have to +push it in myself." + +Next day the mother duck and all her little ones went down to the water. +Splash! she jumped in, and all the ducklings went in, too. They swam +about very easily, and the ugly duckling swam with them. + +"No, it is not a turkey," said the mother duck. "See how well he can use +his legs. He is my own child! And he is not so very ugly either." + + +II + + +Then she took her family into the duck yard. As they went along, she +told the ducklings how to act. + +"Keep close to me, so that no one can step on you," she said. "Come; +now, don't turn your toes in. A well-brought-up duck turns its toes out, +just like father and mother. Bow your heads before that old duck yonder. +She is the grandest duck here. One can tell that by the red rag around +her leg. That's a great honor, the greatest honor a duck can have. It +shows that the mistress doesn't want to lose her. Now bend your necks +and say 'Quack!'" + +They did so, but the other ducks did not seem glad to see them. + +"Look!" they cried. "Here comes another brood, as if there were not +enough of us already. And oh, dear, how ugly that large one is! We won't +stand him." + +Then one of the ducks flew at the ugly duckling and bit him in the neck. + +[Illustration: The ugly duckling and the other ducks] + +"Let him alone," said the mother; "he is doing no harm." + +"Perhaps not," said the duck who had bitten the poor duckling, "but he +is too ugly to stay here. He must be driven out." + +"Those are pretty children that the mother has," said the old duck with +the rag around her leg. "They are all pretty but that one. What a pity!" + +"Yes," replied the mother duck, "he is not handsome, but he is +good-tempered, and he swims as well as any of the others. I think he +will grow to be pretty. Perhaps he stayed too long in the egg." + +"Well, make yourselves at home," said the old duck. "If you find an +eel's head, you may bring it to me." + +And they did make themselves at home--all but the poor ugly duckling. +His life was made quite miserable. The ducks bit him, and the hens +pecked him. So it went on the first day, and each day it grew worse. + +The poor duckling was very unhappy. At last he could stand it no longer, +and he ran away. As he flew over the fence, he frightened the little +birds on the bushes. + +"That is because I am so ugly," thought the duckling. + +He flew on until he came to a moor where some wild ducks lived. They +laughed at him and swam away from him. + +Some wild geese came by, and they laughed at the duckling, too. Just +then some guns went bang! bang! The hunters were all around. The hunting +dogs came splash! into the swamp, and one dashed close to the duckling. +The dog looked at him and went on. + +"Well, I can be thankful for that," sighed he. "I am so ugly that even +the dog will not bite me." + +When all was quiet, the duckling started out again. A storm was raging, +and he found shelter in a poor hut. Here lived an old woman with her cat +and her hen. The old woman could not see well, and she thought he was a +fat duck. She kept him three weeks, hoping that she would get some duck +eggs, but the duckling did not lay. + +After a while the fresh air and sunshine streamed in at the open door, +and the duckling longed to be out on the water. The cat and the hen +laughed when he told them of his wish. + +"You must be crazy," said the hen. "I do not wish to swim. The cat does +not; and I am sure our mistress does not." + +"You do not understand me," said the duckling. "I will go out into the +wide world." + +"Yes, do go," said the hen. + +And the duckling went away. He swam on the water and dived, but still +all the animals passed him by because he was so ugly; and the poor +duckling was lonesome. + + +III + + +Now the winter came, and soon it was very cold. Snow and sleet fell, and +the ugly duckling had a very unhappy time. + +One evening a whole flock of handsome white birds rose out of the +bushes. They were swans. They gave a strange cry, and spreading their +great wings, flew away to warmer lands and open lakes. + +The ugly duckling felt quite strange, and he gave such a loud cry that +he frightened himself. He could not forget those beautiful happy birds. +He knew not where they had gone, but he wished he could have gone with +them. + +The winter grew cold--very cold. The duckling swam about in the water to +keep from freezing, but every night the hole in which he swam became +smaller and smaller. At last he was frozen fast in the ice. + +Early the next morning a farmer found the duckling and took him to the +farmhouse. There in a warm room the duckling came to himself again. The +children wished to play with him, but he was afraid of them. + +In his terror he fluttered into the milk pan and splashed the milk about +the room. The woman clapped her hands at him, and that frightened him +still more. He flew into the butter tub and then into the meal barrel. + +How he did look then! The children laughed and screamed. The woman +chased him with the fire tongs. The door stood open, and the duckling +slipped out into the snow. + +It was a cruel, hard winter, and he nearly froze. At last the warm sun +began to shine, and the larks to sing. The duckling flapped his wings +and found that they were strong. Away he flew over the meadows and +fields. + +Soon he found himself in a beautiful garden where the apple trees were +in full bloom, and the long branches of the willow trees hung over the +shores of the lake. Just in front of him he saw three beautiful white +swans swimming lightly over the water. + +"I will fly to those beautiful birds," he said. "They will kill me +because I am so ugly; but it is all the same. It is better to be killed +by them than to be bitten by the ducks and pecked by the hens." + +So he flew into the water and swam towards the beautiful birds. They saw +the duckling and came sailing down toward him. He bowed his head saying, +"Kill me, oh, kill me." + +But what was this he saw in the clear water? It was his own image, and +lo! he was no longer a clumsy dark-gray bird, but a--swan, a beautiful +white swan. It matters not if one was born in a duck yard, if one has +only lain in a swan's egg. The other swans swam around him to welcome +him. + +[Illustration: The little children see the new swan] + +Some little children came into the garden with corn and other grains +which they threw into the water. The smallest one cried, "Oh, see! there +is a new swan, and it is more beautiful than any of the others." + +The ugly duckling was shy and at first hid his head under his wing. Then +he felt so happy that he raised his neck and said, "I never dreamed of +so much happiness when I was an ugly duckling." + +--HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. + + + + +THE WHITE BLACKBIRD + +I + + +I was born a blackbird in a bushy thicket near a meadow. My father took +good care of his family and would peck about all day for insects. These +he brought home to my mother, holding them by the tail so as not to mash +them. He had a sweet voice, too, and every evening sang beautiful songs. + +I should have been happy, but I was not. I ate little and was weak; and +from the first, I was different from my brothers and sisters. They had +glossy, black feathers, while mine were dirty gray. These made my father +angry whenever he looked at them. + +When I moulted for the first time, he watched me closely. While the +feathers were falling out and while I was naked, he was kind; but my new +feathers drove him wild with anger. I did not wonder. I was no longer +even gray; I had become snow white. I was a white blackbird! Did such a +thing ever happen in a blackbird family before? + +It made me very sad to see my father so vexed over me. But it is hard to +stay sad forever, and one sunshiny spring day I opened my bill and began +to sing. At the first note my father flew up into the air like a +sky-rocket. + +"What do I hear?" he cried. "Is that the way a blackbird whistles? Do I +whistle that way?" + +"I whistle the best I can," I replied. + +"That is not the way we whistle in my family," my father said. "We have +whistled for many, many years and know how to do it. It is not enough +for you to be white; you must make that horrible noise. The truth is you +are not a blackbird." + +"I will leave home," I answered with a sob. "I will go far away where I +can pick up a living on earthworms and spiders." + +"Do as you please," my father said. "You are not a blackbird." + + +II + + +I flew away early the next morning, and was lucky enough to find shelter +under an old gutter. It rained hard that night. I was just about to go +to bed, when a very wet bird came in and sat down beside me. His +feathers were grayish like mine, but he was much larger than myself. + +"Who are you?" he asked. + +"I don't know," I replied. "I pass for a blackbird but I am white." + +"I am the finest bird in the world," he said. "I am a carrier pigeon and +carry messages." + +Then I saw that a traveling bag hung from his neck. + +"Maybe I am a pigeon," I said, "since I am not a blackbird." + +"No," he answered, "a runt like you could not be a pigeon." + +The next morning the pigeon sprang from the gutter and flew away as fast +as the wind. As I was lonely, I followed him. He flew faster and faster, +but I kept up for a good while. At last my strength gave out and I fell +down into a meadow. + +I was stunned by the fall. When I came to my senses, two birds stood +near by looking at me. One was a dainty little magpie; the other a +soft-eyed turtle dove. The magpie kindly offered me some berries she had +gathered. + +"Who are you?" she asked. + +[Illustration: The three birds meet] + +"A blackbird or a pigeon," I said sadly. "I don't know which." + +"Are you joking?" she cried. "You are a magpie." + +"But magpies are not white," I said. + +"Russian magpies are," she answered; "perhaps you belong to that +family." + +My joy was great for a moment at finding out what I was. Still I was not +sure that I was a magpie and thought I might settle the matter by +singing. I burst into song and warbled and whistled, and whistled and +warbled. + +The magpie looked at me in surprise. Then her face grew sad and she +backed off from me. At last she flew away without another word. Whatever +I might be, I was not a magpie--not even a Russian magpie. + +I made up my mind not to rest until I found out what bird I was. So I +flew off to a place where birds of all kinds met to talk and enjoy +themselves. There were robins and sparrows and crows and wrens and +martins and every sort of bird. But I was not like any of them and +whenever I began to sing, they all laughed. + +"You are not one of us," they said; "you are a white blackbird. That is +what you are." + + +III + + +I had now seen all the birds, but none of them were as fine as the +blackbirds. I did not want to be like any of these birds; I longed to be +a blackbird, a real blackbird. That was not possible. So I made up my +mind to be content with my lot, as I had the heart of a blackbird even +if I were not black. + +A great flock of blackbirds lived on the edge of a cornfield. I went to +them and asked them to let me be their helper. + +"I am only a white blackbird," I said, "but I have the heart of a true +blackbird." + +They let me stay. I waited on them early and late, bringing straw to +make nests and tender little worms for the baby blackbirds. The old +birds were kind to me, and I began to be happy. + +Hard work did me good. I soon grew strong, and when the crows tried to +drive us away, I led the blackbirds to victory. My sight was keen, and I +was the first to find out that the scarecrow was not a man. I caught +more worms, too, than any of the blackbirds. + +By and by a strange thing happened. I saw one day that my white feathers +were speckled with brown dots. They grew larger and larger until the +dots covered me all over; I was no longer white but brown. And now, +little by little, my brown coat turned darker and darker until one +morning it was black--a rich, glossy black! I was a blackbird at last. + +Then the other blackbirds hopped around me with joy, crying, "He is the +largest and bravest of the blackbirds. Let him be king! Long live the +king of the blackbirds!" + +--ALFRED DE MUSSET (_Adapted_). + + + + +THE BROWN THRUSH + + + There's a merry brown thrush sitting up in + the tree, + He's singing to me! He's singing to me! + And what does he say, little girl, little boy? + "Oh, the world's running over with joy! + Don't you hear? don't you see? + Hush! look! in my tree, + I'm as happy as happy can be!" + + And the brown thrush keeps singing, "A nest + do you see, + And five eggs hid by me in the juniper tree? + Don't meddle! don't touch! little girl, little boy, + Or the world will lose some of its joy! + Now I'm glad! now I'm free! + And I always shall be, + If you never bring sorrow to me." + + So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree, + To you and to me, to you and to me. + +--LUCY LARCOM. + + + + +THE KING AND THE GOOSEHERD + +ACT I + + +(King in plain clothes had gone out for a walk in the park. He sat under +a tree to read a book and fell asleep. When he waked up he walked on, +forgetting his book. He sees a lad looking after a flock of geese and +calls him.) + +KING: Boy, I left a book lying under a tree in the park. Will you please +get it for me? If you do, I will give you a gold piece. + +BOY: Give me a gold piece to go to the park, indeed! You must have a +pocketful of gold pieces. Or you must think me more stupid than I am. + +KING: Stupid! Who thinks you stupid? + +BOY: Why, who would be so foolish as to give me a gold piece just for +running half a mile for a book? No, no, you are joking. You couldn't +make me believe that. + +KING: Well, you know "seeing is believing." Look! here is the gold piece +for you. + +BOY: But it is in _your_ hand. If I saw it in my own hand, that would be +a different matter. + +KING (_laughing_): You are certainly not stupid, my boy; but you may +have it in your own hand. Here it is. + +(Boy stands still, looking worried,) + +KING: Well, why don't you go? + +BOY: I only wish I could. But what would become of the geese while I am +away? If they strayed into the meadow over yonder, I should have to pay +trespass-money--more than the gold piece--and lose my place besides. + +KING: I'll tell you what we'll do. You go for the book, and I'll herd +the geese. + +BOY (_laughing_): You herd the geese--a pretty gooseherd you would make! +You are too fat and too old. + +KING (_to himself, shaking with laughter_): Well, Well, "fat and old." +What next, I wonder! + +BOY: Why, you couldn't mind the geese. Just look at the "court gander" +there--the one with the black head and wings. He is the ringleader +whenever there is any mischief. He would lead you a pretty dance. + +KING: Never mind the geese. I'll answer for them, and I promise to pay +all damages if they get away. + +BOY (_handing the king his whip_): Well, then, be careful. Watch the +"court gander." + +(Boy walks on a few feet, then hurries back.) + +KING: What's the matter now? + +BOY: Crack the whip! + +(King tries but fails.) + +BOY: Just as I thought. Here, this way! Can't you see? You are stupid! + +KING: Just let me try once more. + +(King tries.) + +BOY: Well, that did pretty well. + +(Moves off muttering.) + +He is as big a goose as any in the flock. + + +ACT II + + +KING (_lying on the ground and laughing so that the tears run down his +cheeks_): Oh, but this is fine! First I was fat and old. Now I am as big +a goose as any in the flock. What would my courtiers say? + +(Springing up suddenly.) + +Look at that "court gander"! There he goes with the whole flock. + +(He dashes wildly after the geese and tries to crack the whip, but +cannot.) + +Now they are in the meadow; what will the boy say? + +(Boy returns and sees the geese in the meadow; the king looks ashamed.) + +BOY: Just as I expected. I have found the book, but you have lost the +geese. What a time I shall have trying to find them! + +KING: Never mind; I will help you get them together again. + +[Illustration: The king and the boy look for the geese] + +BOY: Humph! Much help you'll be. But go there by that stump and don't +let the geese pass you. Wave your arms at them and shout at them. Surely +you can do that! + +KING: I'll try. + + +ACT III + + +Boy: Well, they are back again! Thanks to goodness, but none to you. +What can you do? + +KING: Pray excuse me for not doing any better, but you see, I am not +used to work. I am the king. + +BOY: I was a simpleton to trust you with the geese; but I am not such a +simpleton as to believe that you are the king. + +KING: Just as you will. You are a good lad. Here is another gold coin as +a peace offering. Good-day. + +BOY (_as king walks away_): He is a kind gentleman, whoever he may be; +but take my word for it, he will never make a gooseherd. + +--OLD TALE. + + + + +DONAL AND CONAL + +I + + +There was once in old Ireland a very fine lad by the name of Donal. He +was not only a very fine lad, but a very gay lad. He would go for miles +to a party or a wedding; and he was always welcome, for Donal knew where +to wear his smile. He wore it on his face instead of keeping it in his +pocket. + +The dearest wish of Donal's heart no one knew but himself. His soul was +full of music, and he longed to have a violin. + +One night Donal was going home through a dark forest when a storm came +up. He found an old hollow tree and got inside of it to keep dry. Soon +he fell asleep. + +After a while Donal was awakened by a strange noise. He peeped out, and +he saw a queer sight. The storm had passed, and the moon was shining. +Many elves were dancing to strange music played by an old, old elf. + +[Illustration: Donal sees the fairies dancing] + +Such queer dancing it was! Donal crept out of the tree and drew nearer +and nearer. Suddenly he laughed out loud and said, "Well, that's the +worst dancing I have ever seen!" + +The fairies were astonished and angry, and they all began to talk at the +same time. + +"We have a man among us!" cried one. + +"Let us hang him!" cried another. + +"Cut his head off!" cried a third. + +But the queen stepped out among them and said, "Leave him to me." + +Then she called Donal to her. Now Donal was a wee bit frightened, but he +knew where to wear his smile, you remember. So he went up to the queen, +smiling and bowing. + +"You say our dancing is the worst you have ever seen," she said. "Now, +show us that you can do better." + +Donal smiled again and bowed low. Then he began to dance. Such dancing +the elves had never seen! They clapped their hands and made him dance +again and again. Finally, Donal was exhausted, and after making a low +bow to the queen, sat down on the ground. + +The fairies crowded around him. + +"Give him our silver!" cried one. + +"Make it gold!" cried another. + +"Diamonds!" cried a third. + +But the queen said, "Leave it to me." + +She went up to the old, old elf who had been playing for the dance. +Taking his violin from him, she gave it to Donal. You see, the queen +knew the dearest wish of his heart. + +Then Donal was a happy lad, indeed! He thanked the queen and went home +playing on his new violin. + + +II + + +There lived near Donal's home a lad named Conal. He was not such a fine +lad as Donal, nor such a gay one. He was a greedy lad, and the dearest +wish of his heart was to be rich. And he did not know where to wear his +smile. If he had one, he kept it in his pocket. + +When Conal heard what had happened to Donal, he wished to know all about +it. So he went to him and said, "Donal, man, how did you get that +beautiful violin?" + +Donal told the story backward and forward, and forward and backward, +from beginning to end, until Conal knew it by heart. + +Then Conal said to himself, "I will go to the hollow tree and dance for +the elves; but I shall not be so foolish as Donal. I will take their +gold and silver, and their diamonds, too." + +That night Conal went to the hollow tree and waited until the elves +appeared. Then he crept out and watched them dance. And he said, just as +Donal had, "Well, that's the worst dancing I have ever seen!" + +The fairies were astonished and angry again, and again they all began to +talk at once. + +"Another man among us!" cried one. + +"Let us hang him!" cried another. + +"Cut off his head!" cried a third. + +But the queen said, "Leave it to me." + +Then she called Conal to her. Now Conal did not know where to wear his +smile, you remember; he always kept it in his pocket. So he went up to +the queen with a very sour face. + +The queen said to him, as she had to Donal, "You say our dancing is the +worst you have ever seen. Now, show us that you can do better." + +Conal began to dance, and he could dance well. The elves were delighted. +They clapped their hands and asked him to dance again, but he said +roughly, "No, that is enough. Do you expect me to dance all night?" + +The elves were silent then, and the queen's face was stern. But she was +a just queen, and she said, "You have danced well. Will you have some of +our silver?" + +"Yes," said Conal, without a word of thanks; and he filled his coat +pockets. + +"Will you have gold?" asked the queen. + +"Yes," said Conal greedily, as he filled the pockets in his trousers. + +"Will you have some of our diamonds?" the queen asked, and her face was +dark with anger. + +"Yes, yes," cried Conal. + +"You shall not have them, you greedy lad!" cried the queen; "you shall +have nothing." + +Just then a cloud passed across the moon, and the elves vanished. + +"Oh, well," said Conal, "I have the gold and silver." + +He plunged his hands into his pockets and lo! the gold and silver had +turned to stones. Then Conal went home a sadder and a wiser lad. + +--IRISH TALE. + + + + +[Illustration: A bird singing] + +WHO TOLD THE NEWS? + + + Oh, the sunshine told the bluebird, + And the bluebird told the brook, + That the dandelions were peeping + From the woodland's sheltered nook. + + Then the brook was blithe and happy, + And it babbled all the way, + As it ran to tell the river + Of the coming of the May. + + Soon the river told the meadow, + And the meadow told the bee, + That the tender buds were swelling + On the old horse-chestnut tree. + + And the bee shook off its torpor, + And it spread each gauzy wing, + As it flew to tell the flowers + Of the coming of the spring. + + + + +THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH + +I + + +It was spring. The apple trees and the cherry trees were pink and white +with blossoms. They filled the air with fragrance. The maples were red, +and on the oak and poplar the buds were swelling. The brooklets were +rushing and leaping on toward the sea. + +It was spring everywhere. The robin and the bluebird were piping sweetly +in the blossoming orchard. The sparrows were chirping, and hungry crows +were calling loudly for food. The farmers of Killingworth were plowing +the fields, and the broken clods, too, told of spring. + +A farmer heard the cawing of the crows and the song of the birds. + +He said, "Did one ever see so many birds? Why, when we plant our seeds, +these birds will take them all. When the fruit ripens, they will destroy +it. I, for one, wish there were no birds, and I say kill them all." + +Another farmer said, "Yes, let us call a meeting of the people of the +village and decide what is to be done with the pests." + +The meeting was called, and all came: the squire, the preacher, the +teacher, and the farmers from the country round about. + +Up rose the farmer who had said he wished there were no birds. + +"Friends," he said, "the crows are about to take my field of corn. I put +up scarecrows, but the birds fly by them and seem to laugh at them. The +robins are as saucy as they can be. Soon they will eat all the cherries +we have. I say kill all birds; they are a pest." + +"So say I," said another farmer. + +"And I," said another. + +"And I," "And I," came from voices in every part of the hall. + +The teacher arose and timidly said: + +"My friends, you know not what you do. You would put to death the birds +that make sweet music for us in our dark hours: the thrush, the oriole, +the noisy jay, the bluebird, the meadow lark. + +"You slay them all, and why? Because they scratch up a little handful of +wheat or corn, while searching for worms or weevils. + +"Do you never think who made them and who taught them their songs of +love? Think of your woods and orchards without birds! + +"And, friends, would you rather have insects in the hay? You call the +birds thieves, but they guard your farms. They drive the enemy from your +cornfields and from your harvests. + +"Even the blackest of them, the crow, does good. He crushes the beetle +and wages war on the slug and the snail. + +"And, what is more, how can I teach your children gentleness and mercy +when you contradict the very thing I teach?" + +But the farmers only shook their heads and laughed. "What does the +teacher know of such things?" they asked. And they passed a law to have +the birds killed. + +So the dreadful war on birds began. They fell down dead, with +bloodstains on their breasts. Some fluttered, wounded, away from the +sight of man, while the young died of starvation in the nests. + + +II + + +The summer came, and all the birds were dead. The days were like hot +coals. In the orchards hundreds of caterpillars fed. In the fields and +gardens hundreds of insects of every kind crawled, finding no foe to +check them. At last the whole land was like a desert. + +From the trees caterpillars dropped down upon the women's bonnets, and +they screamed and ran. At every door, the women gathered and talked. + +"What will become of us?" asked one. "The men were wrong,--something +must be done." + +"The teacher was right," said another. + +At last, the farmers grew ashamed of having killed the birds. They met +and did away with the wicked law, but it was too late. + +[Illustration: The wagon filled with branches and cages] + +Harvest time came, but there was no harvest. In many a home there was +want and sorrow. + +The next spring a strange sight was seen--a sight never seen before or +since. Through the streets there went a wagon filled with great branches +of trees. Upon them were hung cages of birds that were making sweet +music. + +From all the country round these birds had been brought by order of the +farmers. The cages were opened, and once more the woods and fields were +filled with the beautiful birds, who flew about singing their songs of +joy. And again the harvests grew in the fields and filled to overflowing +the farmers' barns. + +--_Adapted from_ LONGFELLOW. + + + + +THE TRAILING ARBUTUS + +I + + +Many, many moons ago, in a lodge in a forest, there lived an old man. +His hair was white as the snowdrift. All the world was winter; snow and +ice were everywhere, and the old man wore heavy furs. + +The winds went wildly through the forest searching every bush and tree +for birds to chill. The old man looked in vain in the deep snow for +pieces of wood to keep up the fire in his lodge. Then he sat down by his +dull and low fire. + +Shaking and trembling he sat there, hearing nothing but the tempest as +it roared through the forest, seeing nothing but the snowstorm as it +whirled and hissed and drifted. + +All the coals became white with ashes, and the fire was slowly dying. +Suddenly the wind blew aside the door of the lodge, and there came in a +most beautiful maiden. + +Her cheeks were like the wild rose, her eyes were soft and glowed like +the stars in springtime; and her hair was as brown as October's nuts. + +Her dress was of ferns and sweet grasses, her moccasins were of white +lilies, on her head was a wreath of wild flowers, and in her hands were +beautiful blossoms. When she breathed, the air became warm and fragrant. + +"Ah, my daughter," exclaimed the old man. "Happy are my eyes to see you. +Sit here on the mat beside me; sit here by the dying embers. Tell me of +your strange adventures, and I will tell you of my deeds of wonder." + +From his pouch he drew his peace pipe, very old and strangely fashioned. +He filled the pipe with bark of willow, and placed a burning coal upon +it. + +Then he said, "I am Manito, the Mighty. When I blow my breath about me, +the rivers become motionless and the waters hard as stone." + +The maiden smiling said, "When I blow my breath about me, flowers spring +up over all the meadows. And all the rivers rush onward, singing songs +of joy." + +"When I shake my hoary tresses," said the old man, darkly frowning, "all +the ground is covered with snow. All the leaves fade and wither." + +"When I shake my flowing ringlets," said the maiden, "the warm rains +fall over all the land." + +Then proudly the old man replied, "When I walk through the forest, +everything flees before me. The animals hide in their holes. The birds +rise from the lakes and the marshes, and fly to distant regions." + +Softly the maiden answered, "When I walk through the forest, all is +bright and joyous. The animals come from their holes. The birds return +to the lakes and marshes. The leaves come back to the trees. The plants +lift up their heads to kiss the breezes. And where-ever my footsteps +wander, all the meadows wave their blossoms, all the woodlands ring with +music." + + +II + + +While they talked, the night departed. From his shining lodge of silver +came the sun. The air was warm and pleasant; the streams began to +murmur; the birds began to sing. And a scent of growing grasses was +wafted through the lodge. + +The old man's face dropped upon his breast, and he slept. Then the +maiden saw more clearly the icy face before her--saw the icy face of +winter. + +Slowly she passed her hands above his head. Streams of water ran from +his eyes, and his body shrunk and dwindled till it faded into the +air--vanished into the earth--and his clothing turned to green leaves. + +The maiden took from her bosom the most precious flowers. Kneeling upon +the ground, she hid them all about among the leaves. + +[Illustration: The maiden hides the flowers among the leaves] + +"I give you my most precious flowers and my sweetest breath," she said, +"but all who would pluck you must do so upon bended knee." + +Then the maiden moved away--through the forest and over the waking +fields; and wherever she stepped, and nowhere else in all the land, +grows the trailing arbutus. + +--INDIAN LEGEND. + + + + +HIDDEN TREASURE + +I + + +Once upon a time there was an old farmer named John Jacobs. He had heard +that treasures were found in odd places. He thought and thought about +such treasures until he could think of nothing else; and he spent all +his time hunting for them. How he wished he could find a pot of gold! + +One morning he arose with a bright face and said to his wife, "At last, +Mary, I've found the treasure." + +"No, I cannot believe it," she said. + +"Yes," he answered; "at least it is as good as found. I am only waiting +until I have my breakfast. Then I will go out and bring it in." + +"Oh, how did you find it?" asked the wife. + +"I was told about it in a dream," said he. + +"Where is it?" + +"Under a tree in our orchard," said John. + +"Oh, John, let us hurry and get it." + +So they went out together into the orchard. + +"Which tree is it under?" asked the wife. + +John scratched his head and looked silly. + +"I really do not know," he said. + +"Oh, you foolish man," said the wife. "Why didn't you take the trouble +to notice?" + +"I did notice," said he. "I saw the exact tree in my dream, but there +are so many trees, here that I am confused. There is only one thing to +do now. I must begin with the first tree and keep on digging until I +come to the one with the treasure under it." + +This made the wife lose all hope. There were eighty apple trees and a +score of peach trees. + +She sighed and said, "I suppose if you must, you must, but be careful +not to cut any of the roots." + +By this time John was in a very bad humor. He went to work saying, "What +difference does it make if I cut all the roots? The whole orchard will +not bear one bushel of good apples or peaches. I don't know why, for in +father's time it bore wagonloads of choice fruit." + +"Well, John," said his wife, "you know father used to give the trees a +great deal of attention." + +But John grumbled to himself as he went on with his digging. He dug +three feet deep around the first tree, but no treasure was there. He +went to the next tree, but found nothing; then to the next and the next, +until he had dug around every tree in the orchard. He dug and dug, but +no pot of gold did he find. + + +II + + +The neighbors thought that John was acting queerly. They told other +people, who came to see what he was doing. + +They would sit on the fence and make sly jokes about digging for hidden +treasure. They called the orchard "Jacobs' folly." + +Soon John did not like to be seen in the orchard. He did not like to +meet his neighbors. They would laugh and say, "Well, John, how much +money did you get from the holes?" + +This made John angry. At last he said, "I will sell the place and move +away." + +"Oh, no," said the wife, "this has always been our home, and I cannot +think of leaving it. Go and fill the holes; then the neighbors will stop +laughing. Perhaps we shall have a little fruit this year, too. The heaps +of earth have stood in wind and frost for months, and that will help the +trees." + +John did as his wife told him. He filled the holes with earth and +smoothed it over as level as before. By and by everybody forgot "Jacobs' +folly." + +Soon the spring came. April was warm, and the trees burst into bloom. + +"Mary," said John one bright spring day, "don't you think the blossoms +are finer than usual this year?" + +"Yes, they look as they did when your father was alive," said his wife. + +[Illustration: John's trees full of fruit] + +By and by, the blooms fell, leaving a million little green apples and +peaches. Summer passed and autumn followed. The branches of the old +trees could hardly hold up all the fine fruit on them. + +Now the neighbors came, not to make fun, but to praise. "How did you do +it?" they asked. + +"The trees were old and needed attention," said John. "By turning the +soil and letting in the air, I gave them strength to bear fruit. I have +found the treasure after all, and I have learned a lesson. Tilling the +soil well is the way to get treasure from it." + +--GRIMM. + + + + +THE LITTLE BROWN BROTHER + + + Little brown brother, oh! little brown brother, + Are you awake in the dark? + Here we lie cozily, close to each other; + Hark to the song of the lark-- + + "Waken!" the lark says, "waken and dress you; + Put on your green coats and gay, + Blue sky will shine on you, sunshine caress you-- + Waken! 'tis morning--'tis May!" + + Little brown brother, oh! little brown brother, + What kind of flower will you be? + I'll be a poppy--all white, like my mother; + Do be a poppy like me. + + What! you're a sunflower? How I shall miss you + When you're grown golden and high! + But I shall send all the bees up to kiss you; + Little brown brother, good-by! + +--EMILY NESBIT. + + + + +HOW THE FLOWERS GROW + + + This is how the flowers grow; + I have watched them and I know: + + First, above the ground is seen + A tiny blade of purest green, + Reaching up and peeping forth + East and west, and south and north. + + Then the sunbeams find their way + To the sleeping bud and say, + "We are children of the sun + Sent to wake thee, little one." + + And the leaflet opening wide + Shows the tiny bud inside, + Peeping with half-opened eye + On the bright and sunny sky. + + Breezes from the west and south + Lay their kisses on its mouth; + Till the petals all are grown, + And the bud's a flower blown. + +--GABRIEL SETOUN. + + + + +WISE MEN OF GOTHAM + + +Once upon a time there were some wise men who lived in Gotham. Listen +and you will hear how wise they were. + +Twelve of these wise men went fishing one day. Some went into the stream +and some stayed on dry ground. They caught many fish and had a good +time. + +As they came home, one of the men said, "We have risked much wading in +that stream. I pray God no one of us is drowned." + +"Why, one of us might be! Who knows?" cried another. "Let's see about +it. Twelve of us went fishing this morning. We must count and see if +twelve are returning." + +So one man counted, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, +nine, ten, eleven." And he did not count himself! + +"Alas! One of us is drowned!" he cried. + +"Woe be unto us! Let me count," said another. And he did not count +himself. + +"Alas! alas!" he wailed; "truly one of us is drowned!" + +Then every man counted, and each one failed to count himself. + +"Alas! alas!" they all cried; "one of us is drowned! Which one is it?" + +They went back to the shore, and they looked up and down for him that +was drowned. All the time they were lamenting loudly. + +A courtier came riding by. "What are you seeking?" he asked, "and why +are you so sorrowful?" + +"Oh," said they, "this day we came to fish in the stream. There were +twelve of us, but one is drowned." + +"Why," said the courtier, "count yourselves and see how many there be." + +Again they counted, and again each man failed to count himself. + +"Well, this is sad," said the courtier, who saw how the mistake had been +made. "What will you give me if I find the twelfth man?" + +"Sir," cried all together, "you may have all the money we own." + +"Give me the money," said the courtier. + +Then he began to count. He gave the first man a whack over the shoulders +and said, "There is one." + +He gave the next a whack and said, "There is two." And so he counted +until he came to the last man. He gave this one a sounding blow, saying, +"And here is the twelfth." + +"God bless you!" cried all the company. "You have found our neighbor." + +--OLD ENGLISH STORY. + + + + +THE MILLER'S GUEST + +I + + +A hunter who had ridden ahead in the chase was lost. The sun went down, +and darkness fell upon the forest. The hunter blew his horn, but no +answer came. What should he do? + +At last he heard the sound of horse's hoofs. Some one was coming. Was it +friend or foe? The hunter stood still, and soon a miller rode out into +the moonlight. + +"Pray, good fellow, be so kind as to tell me the way to Nottingham," +said the hunter. + +"Nottingham? Why should you be going to Nottingham? The king and his +court are there. It is not a place for the like of you," replied the +miller. + +"Well, well, perhaps you are right, good miller," said the hunter. "And +yet who knows? I'll wager that the king is no better man than I am. +However, it is getting late, and lodging I must have. Will you give me +shelter for the night?" + +"Nay, nay, not so fast," said the miller. "Stand forth and let me see if +you are a true man. Many thieves wear fine clothes these days." + +The hunter stepped forward. "Well, and what do you think of me?" he +asked gayly. "Will you not give a stranger lodging?" + +"How do I know that you have one penny in your purse?" asked the miller. +"You may carry your all on your back, for aught I know. I've heard of +lords who are like that." + +"True, good miller, but I have gold. If it be forty pence, I will pay +it," said the hunter. + +"If you are a true man, and have the pence, then lodging you may have. +My good wife may not like it, but we'll see," said the miller. + +"Good!" cried the hunter. "And here's my hand on it." + +"Nay, nay, not so fast," replied the miller. "I must know you better +before I shake hands. None but an honest man's hand will I take." + +"Some day, my good miller," replied the hunter, "I hope to have you take +my hand in yours. Proud will I be when the day comes." + + +II + + +And so to the miller's house they went. The miller again looked at the +stranger and said, "I like his face well. He may stay with us, may he +not, good wife?" + +"Yes, he is a handsome youth, but it's best not to go too fast," said +the good wife. "He may be a runaway servant. Let him show his passport, +and all shall be well." + +The hunter bowed low, and said, "I have no passport, good dame, and I +never was any man's servant. I am but a poor courtier who has lost his +way. Pray give me lodging for the night. Your kindness I will surely +repay." + +Then the wife whispered to the miller, "The youth is of good manners and +to turn him out would be sin." + +"Yea, a well-mannered youth--and one who knows his betters when he sees +them," the miller replied. "Let the lad stay." + +"Well, young man," said the wife, "you are welcome here; and well lodged +you shall be, though I do say it myself. You shall have a fresh bed with +good brown sheets." + +"Aye," said the miller, "and you shall sleep with our own son Richard." + +Then they all sat down to supper--such a supper: pudding, apple pie, and +good things of all kinds. Then at a wink from the miller, the wife +brought out a venison pasty. + +"Eat!" said the miller. "This is dainty food." + +"Faith!" cried the hunter, "I never before ate such meat." + +"Pshaw!" said Richard. "We eat this every day." + +"Every day? Where do you buy it?" + +"Oh, never a penny pay we. In merry Sherwood Forest we find it. Now and +then, you see, we make bold with the king's deer." + +"Then I think that it is venison," said the hunter. + +"To be sure. Any fool would know that," replied Richard; "but say +nothing about it. We would not have the king hear of it." + +"I'll keep your secret," said the hunter. "Don't fear. The king shall +never know more than he knows now." + +And so the evening passed merrily. It was late when the guest sought his +bed, but right soundly did he sleep. + +The next morning the miller, the good wife, and Richard came out to see +the hunter on his way. Just then a party of nobles rode up. + +"There's the king!" cried one. + +"Pardon, your majesty!" cried another, and all fell upon their knees +before the hunter. + +The miller stood shaking and quaking, and for once his wife could not +speak. The king, with a grave face, drew his sword, but not a word did +he say. + +The terrified miller threw himself at his ruler's feet, crying out for +mercy. Again the sword was raised, and down it fell, but lightly, upon +the miller's shoulder, and the king said: + +[Illustration: The king knights the miller] + +"Your kind courtesy I will repay; so I here dub thee Knight. Rise, Sir +John of Mansfield." + +For many a day the miller and his wife told of the night the king spent +with them. And for many a day the king told of the time he was taken for +a thief and ate of his own deer in the miller's house. + +--ENGLISH BALLAD (Adapted). + + + + +SADDLE TO RAGS + +I + + + This story I'm going to sing, + I hope it will give you content, + Concerning a silly old man + That was going to pay his rent, + With a till-a-dill, till-a-dill-dill, + Till-a-dill, dill-a-dill, dee, + Sing fol-de-dill, dill-de-dill, dill, + Fol-de-dill, dill-de-dill, dee. + +A silly old man said to his wife one day, "Well, 'tis time I paid my +rent. The landlord has been away for a year and a day, but now he is +back, and I must pay for twelve months." + +"Yes, it's twice forty pounds that is due, and it should be paid," said +the good wife. "So much money in the house keeps me from sleeping at +night." + +"Well, I'll bridle old Tib, and away we shall go," said the old man. +"Right glad I'll be, too, to be rid of the gold." + +The silly old man bridled old Tib and saddled her too. And away they +started. As he was jogging along, a stranger came riding up on a fine +horse with fine saddle bags. + +"Good morning, old man," said the stranger. + +"Good morning," said the old man. + +"How far are you going?" + +"To tell the truth, kind sir, I am going just two miles," said the old +man. + +"And where are you going?" asked the stranger. + +"I am going to pay my rent, kind sir," said the old man. "I am but a +silly old man who farms a piece of ground. My rent for a half year is +forty pounds; but my landlord has been away for a year, and now I owe +him eighty pounds. Right glad I am to pay it." + +"Eighty pounds! That is indeed a large sum," cried the stranger, "and +you ought not to tell anybody you carry so much. There are many thieves +about, and you might be robbed." + +"Oh, never mind!" said the old man. "I do not fear thieves. My money is +safe in my saddle bags, on which I ride." + +So they rode along most pleasantly. + +When they came to a thick wood, the stranger pulled out a pistol and +said, "Stand still, and give me your money." + +"Nay," said the old man. "The money is for my landlord. I will not give +it to you." + +"Your money or your life!" + +"Well, if you will have it, you can go for it," cried the old man, as he +threw his old saddle bags over a hedge. + +The thief dismounted and said, "Stand here and hold my horse while I go +over the hedge. You are silly, but surely you can do that." + +The thief climbed through the hedge. When he was on the other side, the +old man got on the thief's horse, and away he galloped. + +"Stop, stop!" cried the thief. "And half of my share you shall have." + +"Nay," cried the man. "I think I'll go on. I'd rather have what's in +your bag." + +[Illustration: The old man gallops away] + +And away he galloped, riding as he never rode before. + + +II + + +The thief thought there must be something in the old man's bags; so with +his big rusty knife he chopped them into rags. But no money did he find, +for the silly old man was not so silly as he seemed. His money was in +his pocket. + +The old man rode on to his landlord's home and paid his rent. Then he +opened the thief's bag, which was glorious to behold. There were five +hundred pounds in gold and silver. + +"Where did you get the silver?" asked the landlord. "And where did you +get the gold?" + +"I met a proud fool on the way," said the old man with a laugh. "I +swapped horses with him, and he gave me this to boot." + +"Well, well! But you're too old to go about with so much money," said +the landlord. + +"Oh, I think no one would harm a silly old man like me," said the +farmer, as he rode away. + +The old man went home by a narrow lane, and there he spied Tib tied to a +tree. + +"The stranger did not like his trade, I fear," said he. "So I think I'll +take Tib home." + +The old man went home much richer than when he left. When she heard the +story, the wife danced and sang for glee. "'Tis hard to fool my old +man," said she. + +--ENGLISH BALLAD (_Adapted_). + + + + +[Illustration: The Rock-a-By Lady walking by] + +THE ROCK-A-BY LADY + + + The Rock-a-By Lady from Hushaby street + Comes stealing; comes creeping; + The poppies they hang from her head to her + feet, + And each hath a dream that is tiny and fleet-- + She bringeth her poppies to you, my sweet, + When she findeth you sleeping! + + There is one little dream of a beautiful drum-- + "Rub-a-dub!" it goeth; + There is one little dream of a big sugar-plum, + And lo! thick and fast the other dreams come + Of pop-guns that bang, and tin tops that hum, + And a trumpet that bloweth! + + And dollies peep out of those wee little dreams + With laughter and singing; + And boats go a-floating on silvery streams, + And the stars peek-a-boo with their own misty gleams, + And up, up, and up, where the Mother Moon beams, + The fairies go winging! + + Would you dream all these dreams that are tiny and fleet? + They'll come to you sleeping; + So shut the two eyes that are weary, my sweet, + For the Rock-a-By Lady from Hushaby street + With poppies that hang from her head to her feet, + Comes stealing; comes creeping. + +--EUGENE FIELD. + + + + +THE SANDMAN + + + The rosy clouds float overhead, + The sun is going down; + And now the sandman's gentle tread + Comes stealing through the town. + "White sand, white sand," he softly cries, + And as he shakes his hand, + Straightway there lies on babies' eyes + His gift of shining sand. + Blue eyes, gray eyes, black eyes, and brown, + As shuts the rose, they softly close, + When he goes through the town. + + From sunny beaches far away-- + Yes, in another land-- + He gathers up at break of day + His store of shining sand. + No tempests beat that shore remote, + No ships may sail that way; + His little boat alone may float + Within that lovely bay. + Blue eyes, gray eyes, black eyes, and brown, + As shuts the rose, they softly close, + When he goes through the town. + +[Illustration: The sandman] + + He smiles to see the eyelids close + Above the happy eyes; + And every child right well he knows, + Oh, he is very wise! + But, if as he goes through the land, + A naughty baby cries, + His other hand takes dull gray sand + To close the wakeful eyes. + Blue eyes, gray eyes, black eyes, and brown, + As shuts the rose, they softly close, + When he goes through the town. + + So when you hear the sandman's song + Sound through the twilight sweet, + Be sure you do not keep him long + A-waiting on the street. + Lie softly down, dear little head, + Rest quiet, busy hands, + Till, by your bed his good-night said, + He strews the shining sands. + Blue eyes, gray eyes, black eyes, and brown, + As shuts the rose, they softly close, + When he goes through the town. + +--MARGARET VANDERGRIFT. + + + + +A DICTIONARY + + +To the Children: Below you will find the words in the Third Reader that +you may not know the meaning of, or how to pronounce. Some words have +more than one meaning. In looking for the meaning of a word, choose the +meaning that best fits the sentence in which the word occurs. + +ad ven ture: a bold undertaking. +af fec tion: love. +a gree ment: a bargain. +al mond: a nut. +am ber: of the color of amber-yellow. +ap plaud ed: praised. +ar bu tus: a trailing plant with small pinkish-white blossoms. +A tri (Ah tree): a town in Italy. +aught: anything. + +Bau cis (Bor sis): a Greek woman. +bel lows (lus): an instrument for blowing a fire, used by blacksmiths. +bil low: a great wave. +blithe (bl=ithe): joyous, glad. +bred: brought up. +bur dock: a coarse plant with bur-like heads. +card: an instrument for combing cotton, wool, or flax. +chase: hunt; pursuit. +chris ten ing: naming a child at baptism. +cliff: a high, steep face of rock. +com rade (kom rad): a mate, a companion. +Con al (C~on' al): an Irish lad. +con ceit ed: proud, vain. +con fess: to own; to admit. +coun cil: a small body called together for a trial, or to decide a matter. +court ier (court' yer): an attendant at the court of a prince. +crime: a wicked act punishable by law. +crouch: to stoop low. + +dan ger: risk. +de li cious: pleasing to the taste. +de nied: disowned. +depths: deep part of sea. +de stroy: break up; kill. +dis tress: suffering of mind. +dock: a place between piers where vessels may anchor. +Don al (D~on' al): an Irish lad. +dor mouse (dor mous'): a small animal that looks like a squirrel. +drought (drout): want of water. +dub: call. +dumps: low spirits. + +eaves: overhanging lower edges of a roof. +em bers: smouldering ashes. +em per or: ruler of an empire. +em press: wife of an emperor; a female ruler. +en chant ed: bewitched. +en e my: foe. +es tab lish: to found. +ex act ly: completely. +ex haust ed: tired, worn out. +ex tend ing: reaching. + +fam ine: scarcity of food. +fes ti val: a time of feasting. +flax: a slender plant with blue flowers, used to make thread and cloth. +fol ly: foolishness. +foot man: a man servant. +forge: a place with its furnace where metal is heated and hammered into + different shapes. +fra grance: sweetness. +free dom: independence, liberty. + +gauz y: like gauze, thin. +Got ham (Got am): a village in Old England, commonly called G=o tham. +grate ful: thankful. +groom: a servant in charge of horses. +guard: one that guards; a watch. + +hail ing: calling. +har bor: a protected body of water where vessels may anchor safely. +haught y: proud. +her ald: a messenger. +Ho ang ti (H=o ~ang tee): an emperor of China. +hoar y: white. +horse-chest nut: a tree. +hu man: like men. +hu mor: mood, disposition. + +in no cent: guiltless. +in spect: examine. +in stant ly: at once. +in vent ed: made. + +jest: joke. +ju ni per: an evergreen, tree. +jus tice: right treatment. + +king dom: country belonging +to king or queen. +kirk: church. +knight: a mounted man-at-arms. + +lad en: loaded. +la ment ed: wailed, wept. +lin en: thread or cloth made of flax. +lodge: dwelling place; wigwam. +loom: a machine for weaving threads into cloth. +lus cious: delicious. + +Man i tou (too): a name given by the Indians to the "Great Spirit," or God. +marsh es: swamps. +mer cy: pity, kindness. +min is ter: a pastor, a clergyman. +mis for tune: bad fortune. +moc ca sin: Indian shoes. +moor: to secure in place, as a vessel: a great tract of waste land. +moult ed: shed feathers. + +no bles: lords. +nurs er y: play room for children. + +o blige: do a favor. +o rang ou tang: a kind of ape. +or der ly: regular; in order. + +page: a youth training for knighthood. +pas try (p=as): article of food made with crust of paste (or dough) as a + pie. +peas ant (p~es): a tiller of the soil. +pe can: a kind of nut. +Pe kin duck: a large, creamy white duck. +pest: a nuisance. +Phi le mon (F=i l=e' mon): a Greek peasant. +pil lar: a support. +pin ing: drooping; longing. +pound: a piece of English money, equal to about $5.00 in United States + money. +prai rie: an extensive tract of level or rolling land. + +rag ing: furious, violent. +rec og nized: known. +re flec tion: image. +ref uge: shelter. +re fused: declined to do. +reign ing (rain): ruling. +re mote: distant. +rest less: eager for change, discontented; unquiet. +re store: to return, to give back. +roe buck: male deer. +runt: an animal unusually small of its kind. + +sad dle bags: a pair of pouches attached to a saddle, used to carry + small articles. +Salis bur y (Sauls): a town in North Carolina. +sav age: wild, untamed. +scare crow: an object set up to scare crows and other birds away from + crops. +score: the number twenty. +serv ice: benefit, favor. +shek el: ancient coin. +shreds: strips, fragments. +Si ling (Se): a Chinese empress. +sim ple ton: a foolish person. +six pence: six pennies--about twelve cents in United States money. +squire: a justice of the peace. +state ly: dignified, majestic. +stat ues: likeness of a human being cut out of stone. +steeped: soaked. +striv ing: laboring, endeavoring. +stub ble: stumps of grain left in ground, as after reaping. + +tab lets: a flat piece on which to write. +tasks: work, undertaking. +tem pest: storm. +tem ple: a kind of church. +thriv ing: prospering, succeeding. +tid ings: news. +till ing: cultivating. +tim id ly: shyly. +tink er ing: mending. +tithing man (t=ith): officer who enforced good behavior. +tor por: numbness, dullness. +tread: step. +tri als: efforts, attempts. +troop: an armed force. + + +u su al: ordinary, common. + +vain: proud, conceited; to no purpose. +van ished: disappeared. +ven i son (ven' z'n): flesh of deer. +vic to ry: triumph. +vol un teer: one who offers himself for a service. + +wa ger (wa jer): bet. +wages: carries on. +wand: a small stick. +width: breadth. +wig wam: Indian tent. +wis dom: learning, knowledge. + +yarn: thread. + +Zeus (Z=us): a Greek god. + + + + +WORD LIST + + +This list contains the words in the Child's World Third Reader, except +those already used in the earlier books of this series, and a few that +present no difficulty in 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