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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15929-8.txt b/15929-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c9274a --- /dev/null +++ b/15929-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3480 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mother Stories, by Maud Lindsay + +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: Mother Stories + +Author: Maud Lindsay + +Illustrator: Sarah Noble-Ives + +Release Date: May 28, 2005 [EBook #15929] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Chuck Greif and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + + +MOTHER STORIES + +BY + +MAUD LINDSAY + +ILLUSTRATED _by_ SARAH NOBLE-IVES + + "_Mother, a story told at the right time + Is a looking-glass for the mind_." + FROEBEL. + +TWENTY-EIGHTH EDITION + +MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY +SPRINGFIELD MASS. 1928 + +=Bradley Quality Books= +PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + +DEDICATED _to_ MY MOTHER + + + + +PREFACE + + +I have endeavored to write, for mothers and dear little children, a few +simple stories, embodying some of the truths of Froebel's Mother Play. + +The Mother Play is such a vast treasure house of Truth, that each one +who seeks among its stores may bring to light some gem; and though, +perhaps, I have missed its diamonds and rubies, I trust my string of +pearls may find acceptance with some mother who is trying to live with +her children. + +I have written my own mottoes, with a few exceptions, that I might +emphasize the particular lesson which I endeavor to teach in the story; +for every motto in the Mother Play comprehends so much that it is +impossible to use the whole for a single subject. From "The Bridge" for +instance, which is replete with lessons, I have taken only one,--for the +story of the "Little Traveler." + +Most of these stories have been told and retold to little children, and +are surrounded, in my eyes, by a halo of listening faces. + +"Mrs. Tabby Gray" is founded on a true story of a favorite cat. "The +Journey" is a new version of the old Stage Coach game, much loved by our +grandmothers; and I am indebted to some old story, read in childhood, +for the suggestion of "Dust Under the Rug," which was a successful +experiment in a kindergarten to test the possibility of interesting +little children in a story after the order of Grimm, with the wicked +stepmother and her violent daughter eradicated. + +Elizabeth Peabody says we are all free to look out of each other's +windows; and so I place mine at the service of all who care to see what +its tiny panes command. + +MAUD LINDSAY. + + + + +LIST OF STORIES + + + +The Wind's Work + +Mrs. Tabby Gray + +Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice + +The Little Girl with the Light + +The Little Gray Pony + +How the Home Was Built + +The Little Traveler + +The Open Gate + +Inside the Garden Gate + +The Journey + +Giant Energy and Fairy Skill + +The Search for a Good Child + +The Closing Door + +The Minstrel's Song + +Dust Under the Rug + +The Story of Gretchen + +The King's Birthday + + + + +_THE WIND'S WORK_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Power invisible that God reveals, + The child within all nature feels, + Like the great wind that unseen goes, + Yet helps the world's work as it blows_. + +One morning Jan waked up very early, and the first thing he saw when he +opened his eyes was his great kite in the corner. His big brother had +made it for him; and it had a smiling face, and a long tail that reached +from the bed to the fireplace. It did not smile at Jan that morning +though, but looked very sorrowful and seemed to say "Why was I made? Not +to stand in a corner, I hope!" for it had been finished for two whole +days and not a breeze had blown to carry it up like a bird in the air. + +Jan jumped out of bed, dressed himself, and ran to the door to see if +the windmill on the hill was at work; for he hoped that the wind had +come in the night. But the mill was silent and its arms stood still. Not +even a leaf turned over in the yard. + +The windmill stood on a high hill where all the people could see it, and +when its long arms went whirling around every one knew that there was +no danger of being hungry, for then the Miller was busy from morn to +night grinding the grain that the farmers brought him. + +When Jan looked out, however, the Miller had nothing to do, and was +standing in his doorway, watching the clouds, and saying to himself +(though Jan could not hear him):-- + + "_Oh! how I wish the wind would blow + So that my windmill's sails might go, + To turn my heavy millstones round! + For corn and wheat must both be ground, + And how to grind I do not know + Unless the merry wind will blow_." + +He sighed as he spoke, for he looked down in the village, and saw the +Baker in neat cap and apron, standing idle too. + +The Baker's ovens were cold, and his trays were clean, and he, too, was +watching the sky, and saying:-- + + "_Oh! how I wish the wind would blow, + So that the Miller's mill might go, + And grind me flour so fine, to make + My good light bread and good sweet cake! + But how to bake I do not know + Without the flour as white as snow_." + +Jan heard every word that the Baker said, for he lived next door to him; +and he felt so sorry for his good neighbor that he wanted to tell him +so. But before he had time to speak, somebody else called out from +across the street:-- + + "_Well! I'm sure I wish the wind would blow, + For this is washing day, you know. + I've scrubbed and rubbed with all my might, + In tubs of foam from morning light, + And now I want the wind to blow + To dry my clothes as white as snow_." + +This was the Washerwoman who was hanging out her clothes. Jan could see +his own Sunday shirt, with ruffles, hanging limp on her line, and it was +as white as a snowflake, sure enough! + +"Come over, little neighbor," cried the Washerwoman, when she saw Jan. +"Come over, little neighbor, and help me work to-day!" So, as soon as +Jan had eaten his breakfast, he ran over to carry her basket for her. +The basket was heavy, but he did not care; and as he worked he heard +some one singing a song, with a voice almost as loud and as strong as +the wind. + + [1]"_Oh! if the merry wind would blow, + Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho! yeo ho! + My gallant ship would gaily go, + Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho! + In fresh'ning gales we'd loose our sails, + And o'er the sea, + Where blue waves dance, and sunbeams glance, + We'd sail in glee, + But winds must blow, before we go, + Across the sea, + Yeo ho! my lads, yeo ho!"_ + +[Footnote 1: Air _Nancy Lee_.] + +Jan and the Washerwoman and all the neighbors looked out to see who was +singing so cheerily, and it was the Sea-captain whose white ship Jan had +watched in the harbor. The ship was laden with linen and laces for fine +ladies, but it could not go till the wind blew. The Captain was +impatient to be off, and so he walked about town, singing his jolly song +to keep himself happy. + +Jan thought it was a beautiful song, and when he went home he tried to +sing it himself. He did not know all the words, but he put his hands in +his pockets and swelled out his little chest and sang in as big a voice +as he could: "Yeo ho! my lads, yeo ho!" + +While he sang, something kissed him on the cheek; and when he turned to +see what it was his hat spun off into the yard as if it were enchanted; +and when he ran to pick his hat up he heard a whispering all through the +town. He looked up, and he looked down, and on every side, but saw +nobody! At last the golden weather-vane on the church tower called +down:-- + +"Foolish child, it is the wind from out of the east." + +The trees had been the first to know of its coming, and they were bowing +and bending to welcome it; while the leaves danced off the branches and +down the hill, in a whirl of delight. + +The windmill's arms whirled round, oh! so fast, and the wheat was ground +into white flour for the Baker, who kindled his fires and beat his eggs +in the twinkling of an eye; and he was not quicker than the Sea-captain, +who loosed his sails in the fresh'ning gales, just as he had said he +would, and sailed away to foreign lands. + +Jan watched him go, and then ran in great haste to get his kite; for the +petticoats on the Washerwoman's clothesline were puffed up like +balloons, and all the world was astir. + +"Now I'm in my proper place," said the kite as it sailed over the roofs +of the houses, over the tree tops, over the golden weather vane, and +even over the windmill itself. Higher, higher, higher it flew, as if it +had wings; till it slipped away from the string, and Jan never saw it +again, and only the wind knew where it landed at last. + +[Illustration: "Now I am in my proper place," said the Kite.] + + + + +_MRS. TABBY GRAY_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + "_All mother love attracts the child, + Its world-wide tenderness he feels. + And ev'ry beast that loves her young, + His mother's love to him reveals_." + + + +Mrs. Tabby Gray, with her three little kittens, lived out in the barn +where the hay was stored. One of the kittens was white, one was black, +and one gray, just like her mother, who was called Tabby Gray from the +color of her coat. + +These three little kittens opened their eyes when they grew old enough, +and thought there was nothing so nice in all this wonderful world as +their own dear mother, although she told them of a great many nice +things, like milk and bread, which they should have when they could go +up to the big house where she had her breakfast, dinner, and supper. + +Every time Mother Tabby came from the big house she had something +pleasant to tell. "Bones for dinner to-day, my dears," she would say, or +"I had a fine romp with a ball and the baby," until the kittens longed +for the time when they could go too. + +One day, however, Mother Cat walked in with joyful news. + +"I have found an elegant new home for you," she said, "in a very large +trunk where some old clothes are kept; and I think I had better move at +once." + +Then she picked up the small black kitten, without any more words, and +walked right out of the barn with him. + +The black kitten was astonished, but he blinked his eyes at the bright +sunshine, and tried to see everything. + +Out in the barnyard there was a great noise, for the white hen had laid +an egg, and wanted everybody to know it; but Mother Cat hurried on, +without stopping to inquire about it, and soon dropped the kitten into +the large trunk. The clothes made such a soft, comfortable bed, and the +kitten was so tired after his exciting trip, that he fell asleep, and +Mrs. Tabby trotted off for another baby. + +While she was away, the lady who owned the trunk came out in the hall; +and when she saw that the trunk was open, she shut it, locked it, and +put the key in her pocket, for she did not dream that there was +anything so precious as a kitten inside. + +As soon as the lady had gone upstairs Mrs. Tabby Gray came back, with +the little white kitten; and when she found the trunk closed, she was +terribly frightened. She put the white kitten down and sprang on top of +the trunk and scratched with all her might, but scratching did no good. +Then she jumped down and reached up to the keyhole, but that was too +small for even a mouse to pass through, and the poor mother mewed +pitifully. + +What was she to do? She picked up the white kitten, and ran to the barn +with it. Then she made haste to the house again, and went upstairs to +the lady's room. The lady was playing with her baby and when Mother Cat +saw this she rubbed against her skirts, and cried: "Mee-ow, mee-ow! You +have your baby, and I want mine! Mee-ow, mee-ow!" + +By and by the lady said: "Poor Kitty! she must be hungry"; and she went +down to the kitchen and poured sweet milk in a saucer, but the cat did +not want milk. She wanted her baby kitten out of the big black trunk, +and she mewed as plainly as she could: "Give me my baby--give me my +baby, out of your big black trunk!" + +The kind lady decided that she must be thirsty: "Poor Kitty, I will give +you water"; but when she set the bowl of water down Mrs. Tabby Gray +mewed more sorrowfully than before. She wanted no water,--she only +wanted her dear baby kitten; and she ran to and fro, crying, until, at +last, the lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk. + +"What can be the matter with this cat?" said the lady; and she took the +trunk key out of her pocket, put it in the lock, unlocked the trunk, +raised the top--and in jumped Mother Cat with such a bound that the +little black kitten waked up with a start. + +[Illustration: The lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk.] + +"Purr, purr, my darling child," said Mrs. Tabby Gray, in great +excitement; "I have had a dreadful fright!" and before the black kitten +could ask one question she picked him up and started for the barn. + +The sun was bright in the barnyard and the hens were still chattering +there; but the black kitten was glad to get back to the barn. His mother +was glad, too; for, as she nestled down in the hay with her three little +kittens, she told them that a barn was the best place after all to raise +children. + +And she never afterwards changed her mind. + + + + +_FLEET WING AND SWEET VOICE_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Make the home-coming sweet! + The gladness of going, + The pleasure of knowing + Will not be complete + Unless, at the ending, + The home-coming's sweet. + + Make the home-coming sweet! + No fear of the straying, + Or dread of the staying + Of dear little feet, + If always you're making + The home-coming sweet_. + +Mother and Father Pigeon lived with their two young pigeons in their +home, built high on a post in the king's barnyard. Every bright morning +they would fly away through the beautiful sunshine wherever they +pleased, but, when evening came, they were sure to come to the +pigeon-house again. + +One evening, when they were talking together in their sweet, cooing way, +Mother Pigeon said:-- + +"We each have a story to tell, I know; so let each one take his turn, +and Father Pigeon begin." + +Then Father Pigeon said:-- + +"To-day I have been down to the shining little stream that runs through +the wood. The green ferns grow on either side of it, and the water is +cool, cool, cool! for I dipped my feet into it, and wished that you all +were there." + +"I know the stream," cooed Mother Pigeon. "It turns the wheels of the +mills as it hurries along, and is busy all day on its way to the river." + +"To-day I have talked with the birds in the garden," said Sweet Voice, +one of the young pigeons, "the thrush, the blackbird, and bluebird, and +all. They sang to me and I cooed to them, and together we made the world +gay. The bluebird sang of the sunshine, and the blackbird of the +harvest; but the thrush sang the sweetest song. It was about her nest in +the tree." + +"I heard you all," said Fleet Wing, the other young pigeon; "for I sat +and listened on the high church tower. I was so high up, there, that I +thought I was higher than anything else; but I saw the great sun shining +in the sky, and the little white clouds, like sky pigeons, sailing above +me. Then, looking down, I saw, far away, this white pigeon-house; and it +made me very glad, for nothing that I saw was so lovely as home." + +"I never fly far away from home," said Mother Pigeon, "and to-day I +visited in the chicken yard. The hens were all talking, and they greeted +me with 'Good morning! Good morning!' and the turkey gobbled 'Good +morning!' and the rooster said 'How do you do?' While I chatted with +them a little girl came out with a basket of yellow corn, and threw some +for us all. When I was eating my share, I longed for my dear ones. And +now good night," cooed Mother Pigeon, "it is sleepy time for us all." + +"Coo, coo! Good night!" answered the others; and all was still in the +pigeon-house. + +Now over in the palace, where the king, and queen, and their one little +daughter lived, there was the sound of music and laughter; but the +king's little daughter was sad, for early the next morning her father, +the king, was to start on a journey, and she loved him so dearly that +she could not bear to have him leave her. + +The king's little daughter could not go out in the sunshine like Sweet +Voice and Fleet Wing, but lay all day within the palace on her silken +cushions; for her fine little feet, in their satin slippers, were always +too tired to carry her about, and her thin, little face was as white as +a jasmine flower. + +The king loved her as dearly as she loved him; and when he saw that she +was sad, he tried to think of something to make her glad after he had +gone away. At last he called a prince, and whispered something to him. +The prince told it to a count, and the count to a gentleman-in-waiting. + +The gentleman-in-waiting told a footman, and the footman told somebody +else, and at last, the boy who waited on the cook heard it. + +Early next morning he went to the pigeon-house, where Mother and Father +Pigeon and their two young pigeons lived; and putting his hand through a +door, he took Sweet Voice and Fleet Wing out, and dropped them into a +basket. + +Poor Sweet Voice, and Fleet Wing! They were so frightened that they +could not coo! They sat very close to each other in the covered basket, +and wondered when they would see their mother and father and home +again. + +All the time, as they sat close together in the basket and wondered, +they were being taken away from home; for the king had started on his +journey, and one of his gentlemen was carrying the basket, very +carefully, with him on his horse. + +At last the horses stood still and the basket was taken to the king; and +when he opened it, the two little pigeons looked up and saw that the sun +was high in the sky, and that they were far from home. + +When they saw that they were far from home, they were more frightened +than before; but the king spoke so kindly and smoothed their feathers so +gently, that they knew he would take care of them. + +Then the king took two tiny letters tied with lovely blue ribbon out of +his pocket; and, while his gentlemen stood by to see, he fastened one +under a wing of each little pigeon. + +"Fly away, little pigeons!" he cried; and he tossed them up toward the +sky. "Fly away, and carry my love to my little daughter!" + +Fleet Wing, and Sweet Voice spread their wings joyfully, for they knew +that they were free! free! and they wanted to go home. + +Everywhere they saw green woods, instead of the red roofs and shining +windows of the town, and Sweet Voice was afraid; but Fleet Wing said:-- + +"I saw these woods from the tall church steeple. Home is not so far away +as we thought." + +Then they lost no time in talking, but turned their heads homeward; and +as they flew the little gray squirrels that ran about in the woods +called out to ask them to play, but the pigeons could not stay. + +The wood dove heard them, and called from her tree: "Little cousins, +come in!" But the pigeons thanked her and hurried on. + +"Home is not so far away," said Fleet Wing; but he began to fear that he +had missed the way, and Sweet Voice was so tired that she begged him to +fly on alone. + +[Illustration: The little pigeons were taken in to see the king's +daughter.] + +Fleet Wing would not listen to this; and, as they talked, they came to a +little stream of water with green ferns growing all about, and they knew +that it must be the very stream that Father Pigeon loved. Then they +cooled their tired feet in the fresh water, and cooed for joy; for they +knew that they were getting nearer, nearer, nearer home, all the time. + +Sweet Voice was not afraid then; and as they flew from the shelter of +the woods, they saw the tall church steeple with its golden weather +vane. + +The sun was in the west, and the windows were all shining in its light, +when Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice reached the town. The little children +saw them and called: "Stay with us, pretty pigeons." But Sweet Voice and +Fleet Wing did not rest until they reached the white pigeon house, where +Mother and Father Pigeon were waiting. + +The cook's boy was waiting, too, and the little pigeons were taken in to +see the king's little daughter. When she found the letters which they +carried under their wings, she laughed with delight; and Fleet Wing and +Sweet Voice were very proud to think that they had brought glad news to +their princess. + +They told it over and over again out in the pigeon-house, and Mother and +Father Pigeon were glad, too. + +In the morning, the birds in the garden were told of the wonderful +things that had happened to Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice; and even the +hens and chickens had something to say when they heard the news. + +The thrush said that it all made her think of her own sweet song; and +she sang it again to them:-- + + "_Wherever I fly from my own dear nest, + I always come back, for home is the best_." + + + + +_THE LITTLE GIRL WITH THE LIGHT_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _We can never dwell in shadows + If our souls are full of light. + Let the brightness of our being + Make the whole wide world as bright_ + "_Jesus bids us shine for all around. + Many kinds of darkness in this world are found. + There's sin and want and sorrow, so we must shine, + You in your small corner, I in mine." + + S.S. Hymn_. + +There once lived a little maiden to whom God had given a wonderful +light, which made her whole life bright. + +When she was a wee baby it shone on her face in a beautiful smile, and +her mother cried:-- + +"See! the angels have been kissing her!" And when she grew older it +lighted up her eyes like sunshine, and gleamed on her forehead like a +star. + +All lovely things that loved light, loved her. The soft-cooing pigeons +came at her call. The roses climbed up to her windows to peep at her, +and the birds of the air, and the butterflies, that looked like +enchanted sunbeams, would circle about her head. + +Her father was king of a country; and though she was not so tall as the +tall white lily in the garden, or the weeds that grew outside, she had +servants to wait on her, and grant her every wish, as if she were a +queen. + +She was dearer to her father and mother than all else that they +possessed; and there was no happier king or queen or little maiden in +any kingdom of the world, till one sad day when the king's enemies came +upon them like a whirlwind, and changed their joy to sorrow. + +Their palace was seized, the servants were scattered, and the king and +queen were carried away to a dark prison-house, where they sat and wept +for their little daughter, for they knew not where she was. + +No one knew but the old nurse, who had nursed the king himself. She had +carried the child away, unnoticed amid the noise and strife, and set her +in safety outside the palace walls. + +"Fly, precious one!" she cried, as she left her there. "Fly! for the +enemy is upon us!" And the little maiden started out in the world alone. + +She knew not where to go; so she wandered away through the fields and +waste places, where nobody lived and only the grasshoppers seemed glad. +But she was not afraid,--no! not even when she came to a great forest, +at evening;--for she carried her light with her. + +'T is true that once she thought she saw a threatening giant waiting by +the dusky path; but, when her light shone on it, it was only a pine +tree, stretching out its friendly arms; and she laughed so merrily that +all the woods laughed too. + +"Who are you? Who are you?" asked an owl, blinking his eyes at the +brightness of her face; and a little rabbit, startled by the sound, +sprang from its hiding place in the bushes and fell trembling at her +feet. + +"Alas!" it panted as she bent in pity to offer help, "Alas! the hunters +with their dogs and guns pursue me! But you flee, too! How can you help +me?" But the child took the tiny creature in her arms and held it close; +and when the dogs rushed through the tanglewood, they saw the light that +lighted up her eyes like sunshine and gleamed on her forehead like a +star, and came no further. + +Then deeper into the great forest she went, bearing the rabbit still; +and the wild beasts heard her footsteps, and waited for her coming. + +"Hush!" said the fox, "she is mine; for I will lead her from the path +into the tanglewood!" + +"Nay, she is mine!" howled the wolf; "for I will follow on her +footsteps!" + +"Mine! mine!" screamed the tiger; "for I will spring upon her in the +darkness, and she cannot escape me!" + +[Illustration: The child took the tiny creature in her arms and held it +close.] + +So they quarreled among themselves, for they were beasts and knew no +better; and as they snarled and growled and howled, the maiden walked in +among them; and when the light which made her lovely fell upon them, +they ran and hid themselves in the depths of the forest, and the +child passed on in safety. + +The rabbit still slept peacefully on her breast. At last she, too, grew +weary, and lay down to sleep on the leaves and moss; and the birds of +the forest watched her and sang to her, and nothing harmed her all the +night. + +In the morning a party of horsemen rode through the forest, looking +behind each bush and tree as if they sought something very precious. + +The forest glowed with splendor then, for the sun had come in all its +glory to scatter darkness and wake up the world. The darkest dells and +caves and lonely paths lost their horror in the morning light, and there +were violets blooming in the shadows of the pines. + +The leaves glistened, the flowers lifted their heads, and everything was +glad but the horsemen, whose faces were full of gloom because their +hearts were sad. + +They did not speak or smile as they rode on their search; and their +leader was the saddest of them all, though he wore a golden crown that +sparkled with many jewels. + +They followed each winding path through the forest, till at last they +reached the spot where the little maiden lay. + +The rabbit waked up at the sound of their coming, but the child slept +till a loud cry of gladness awakened her and she found herself in her +father's arms. + +In the night-time the king's brave soldiers had driven his enemies from +his land, and opened the doors of the prison-house in which he and the +queen lay, and the king had ridden with them in haste to find his +darling child, who was worth his crown and his kingdom. + +The sight of her face was the sunshine to lighten their hearts, and they +sent the glad news far and near, with blast of trumpet and shouts of +joy. + +But in all their great happiness the child did not forget the rabbit, +and she said to it, "Come with me and I will take care of you, for my +father the king is here." But the rabbit thanked her and wanted to go +home. + +"My babies are waiting," it said, "and I have my work to do in the +world. I pray you let me go." + +So the child kissed it and bade it go; and she, too, went to her own +dear home. There she grew lovelier every day, for the light grew with +her; and when, long years afterward, she was queen of the country, the +foxes and wolves and tigers dared not harm her people, for her good +knights drove evil from her land; but to loving gentle creatures she +gave love and protection, and she lived happily all the days of her +life. + + + + +_THE LITTLE GRAY PONY_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _The humblest workman has his place, + Which no one else can fill_. + +There was once a man who owned a little gray pony. + +Every morning when the dewdrops were still hanging on the pink clover in +the meadows, and the birds were singing their morning song, the man +would jump on his pony and ride away, clippety, clippety, clap! + +The pony's four small hoofs played the jolliest tune on the smooth pike +road, the pony's head was always high in the air, and the pony's two +little ears were always pricked up; for he was a merry gray pony, and +loved to go clippety, clippety, clap! + +The man rode to town and to country, to church and to market, up hill +and down hill; and one day he heard something fall with a clang on a +stone in the road. Looking back, he saw a horseshoe lying there. And +when he saw it, he cried out:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + If my little gray pony has lost a shoe_?" + +Then down he jumped, in a great hurry, and looked at one of the pony's +fore-feet; but nothing was wrong. He lifted the other forefoot, but the +shoe was still there. He examined one of the hindfeet, and began to +think that he was mistaken; but when he looked at the last foot, he +cried again:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!" + +Then he made haste to go to the blacksmith; and when he saw the smith, +he called out to him:-- + + "_Blacksmith! Blacksmith! I've come to you; + My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!" + +But the blacksmith answered and said:-- + + "_How can I shoe your pony's feet, + Without some coal the iron to heat_?" + +The man was downcast when he heard this; but he left his little gray +pony in the blacksmith's care, while he hurried here and there to buy +the coal. + +First of all he went to the store; and when he got there, he said:-- + + "_Storekeeper! Storekeeper! I've come to you; + My little gray pony has lost a shoe! + And I want some coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet_." + +But the storekeeper answered and said:-- + + "_Now, I have apples and candy to sell, + And more nice things than I can tell; + But I've no coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet_." + +Then the man went away sighing, and saying:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + My little gray pony has lost a shoe!"_ + +By and by he met a farmer coming to town with a wagon full of good +things; and he said:-- + + "_Farmer! Farmer! I've come to you; + My little gray pony has lost a shoe! + And I want some coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet_." + +Then the farmer answered the man and said:-- + + "_I've bushels of corn and hay and wheat + Something for you and your pony to eat; + But I've no coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet_." + +So the farmer drove away and left the man standing in the road, sighing +and saying:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!" + +In the farmer's wagon, full of good things, he saw corn, which made him +think of the mill; so he hastened there, and called to the dusty +miller:-- + + "_Miller! Miller! I've come to you; + My little gray pony has lost a shoe, + And I want some coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet_." + +The miller came to the door in surprise; and when he heard what was +needed, he said:-- + + "_I have wheels that go round and round, + And stones to turn till the grain is ground, + But I've no coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet_." + +[Illustration: When she came near the man she stopped to ask him his +trouble.] + +Then the man turned away sorrowfully and sat down on a rock near the +roadside, sighing and saying:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!" + +After a while a very old woman came down the road, driving a flock of +geese to market; and when she came near the man, she stopped to ask him +his trouble. He told her all about it; and when she had heard it all, +she laughed till her geese joined in with a cackle; and she said:-- + + "_If you would know where the coal is found, + You must go to the miner, who works in the ground_." + +Then the man sprang to his feet, and, thanking the old woman, he ran to +the miner. Now the miner had been working many a long day down in the +mine, under the ground, where it was so dark that he had to wear a lamp +on the front of his cap to light him at his work! He had plenty of black +coal ready and gave great lumps of it to the man, who took them in haste +to the blacksmith. + +The blacksmith lighted his great red fire, and hammered out four fine +new shoes, with a cling! and a clang! and fastened them on with a rap! +and a tap! Then away rode the man on his little gray pony,--clippety, +clippety, clap! + + + + +_HOW THE HOME WAS BUILT_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _The priceless blessing of a happy home can be + won only by struggle, endurance, and self-sacrifice_. + + FROEBEL. + + _Blow's Commentaries_. + +Once there was a very dear family,--Father, Mother, big Brother Tom, +little Sister Polly, and the baby, who had a very long name, Gustavus +Adolphus; and every one of the family wanted a home more than anything +else in the world. + +They lived in a house, of course, but that was rented; and they wanted a +home of their very own, with a sunny room for Mother and Father and +Baby, with a wee room close by for the little sister; a big, airy room +for Brother Tom; a cosy room for the cooking and eating; and, best of +all, a room that Grandmother might call her own when she came to see +them. + +A box which Tom had made always stood on Mother's mantel, and they +called it the "Home Bank," because every penny that could be spared was +dropped in there for the building of the home. + +This box had been full once, and was emptied to buy a little piece of +ground where the home could be built when the box was full again. + +The box filled very slowly, though; and Gustavus Adolphus was nearly +three years old when one day the father came in with a beaming face and +called the family to him. + +Mother left her baking, and Tom came in from his work; and after Polly +had brought the baby, the father asked them very solemnly: "Now, what do +we all want more than anything else in the world?" + +"A home!" said Mother and Brother Tom. + +"A home!" said little Sister Polly. + +"Home!" said the baby, Gustavus Adolphus, because his mother had said +it. + +"Well," said the father, "I think we shall have our home if each one of +us will help. I must go away to the great forest, where the trees grow +so tall and fine. All Winter long I must chop the trees down, and in the +Spring I shall be paid in lumber, which will help in the building of +the home. While I am away, Mother will have to fill my place and her own +too, for she will have to go to market, buy the coal, keep the pantry +full, and pay the bills, as well as cook and wash and sew, take care of +the children, and keep a brave heart till I come back again." + +The mother was willing to do all this and more, too, for the dear home; +and Brother Tom asked eagerly: "What can I do?--what can I do?" for he +wanted to begin work right then, without waiting a moment. + +"I have found you a place in the carpenter's shop where I work," +answered the father. "And you will work for him, and all the while be +learning to saw and hammer and plane, so that you will be ready in the +Spring to help build the home." + +Now, this pleased Tom so much that he threw his cap in the air and +hurrahed, which made the baby laugh; but little Polly did not laugh, +because she was afraid that she was too small to help. But after a +while the father said: "I shall be away in the great forest cutting down +the trees; Mother will be washing and sewing and baking; Tom will be at +work in the carpenter's shop; and who will take care of the baby?" + +"I will, I will!" cried Polly, running to kiss the baby. "And the baby +can be good and sweet!" + +So it was all arranged that they would have their dear little home, +which would belong to every one, because each one would help; and the +father made haste to prepare for the Winter. He stored away the firewood +and put up the stoves; and when the wood-choppers went to the great +forest, he was ready to go with them. + +Out in the forest the trees were waiting. Nobody knew how many years +they had waited there, growing every year stronger and more beautiful +for the work they had to do. Every one of them had grown from a baby +tree to a giant; and when the choppers came, there stood the giant +trees, so bare and still in the wintry weather that the sound of the +axes rang from one end of the woods to the other. From sunrise to sunset +the men worked steadily; and although it was lonely in the woods when +the snow lay white on the ground and the cold wind blew, the father kept +his heart cheery. At night, when the men sat about the fire in their +great log-house, he would tell them about the mother and children who +were working with him for a home. + +Nobody's ax was sharper than his or felled so many trees, and nobody was +gladder when Spring-time came and the logs were hauled down to the +river. + +The river had been waiting too, through all the Winter, under its shield +of ice, but now that Spring had come, and the snows were melting, and +all the little mountain streams were tumbling down to help, the river +grew very broad and strong, and dashed along, snatching the logs when +the men pushed them in and carrying them on with a rush and a roar. + +The men followed close along the bank of the river, to watch the logs +and keep them moving; but at last there came a time when the logs would +not move, but lay in a jam from shore to shore while the water foamed +about them. + +"Who will go out to break the jam?" said the men. They knew that only a +brave man and a nimble man could go, for there was danger that the logs +might crush him and the river sweep him away. + +They looked at each other. But the father was not afraid, and he was +surefooted and nimble; so he sprang out in a moment, with his ax, and +began to cut away at the logs. + +"Some of these logs may help to build a home," he said; and he found the +very log that was holding the others tight, and as soon as that was +loosened, the logs began to move. + +"Jump! Jump!" cried the men, as they ran for their lives; and, just as +the logs dashed on, with a rumble and a jumble and a jar that sent some +of the logs flying up in the air, the father reached the bank safely. + +[Illustration: So the House was built; a cozy room for the cooking and +eating.] + +The hard work was over now. After the logs had rested in the log "boom," +they went on their way to the saw mills, where they were sawed into +lumber to build houses; and then the father hurried home. + +When he came there, he found that the mother had baked and washed and +sewed and taken care of the children, as only such a precious mother +could have done. Brother Tom had worked so well in the carpenter's shop, +that he knew how to hammer and plane and saw, and had grown as tall and +as stout as a young pine tree. Sister Polly had taken such care of the +baby, that he looked as sweet and clean and happy as a rose in a garden; +and the baby had been so good, that he was a joy to the whole family. + +"I must get this dear family into their home," said the father; and he +and Brother Tom went to work with a will. And the home was built, with a +sunny room for Father and Mother and Baby, a wee little room close by +for good Sister Polly, a big airy room for big Brother Tom, a cosy room +for the cooking and eating, and best of all, a room for the dear +grandmother, who came then to live with them all the time. + + + + +_THE LITTLE TRAVELER_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Love is a bridge that links us heart to heart + Mother and child can never live apart_ + +Once upon a time there was a little boy who had a long journey to go. He +had a very dear mother, and she did not want her little son to leave +her; but she knew he must go, so she put her arms around him and said: +"Now, don't be afraid, for I shall be thinking of you, and God will take +care of you." + +Then the little boy kissed her goodbye and ran away, singing a merry +song. As long as he could see her he would turn and wave his hand to +her; but by and by she was out of sight. Just then he came to a stream +of water that ran across his path. + +"How can I get over?" thought the little boy; but a white swan swam up +to greet him, and said:-- + +"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!" + +So the little boy followed the swan till he came to a row of great +stepping stones, and he jumped from one to another, counting them as he +went. + +When he reached the seventh he was safe across, and he turned to thank +the white swan. And when he had thanked her, he called:-- + + "_White swan, white swan, swimming so gay! + Carry a message for me to-day: + My love to my mother, wherever she be; + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +Then the white swan swam back to carry the message, and the little boy +ran on his way. + +Oh! there were so many beautiful things to hear,--the birds singing and +the bees humming; and so many beautiful things to see,--the flowers and +butterflies and green grass! And after a while he came to a wood, where +every tree wore a green dress; and through the wood, under the shade of +the trees, flowed a babbling creek. + +"I wonder how I can get over?" said the little boy; and the wise wind +whispered: + +"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!" + +[Illustration: "There is always a way to get over the stream, Follow me! +Follow me!"] + +Then he followed the sound of the wise wind's voice, and the wind blew +against a tall pine tree, and the pine tree fell across the creek, and +lay there, a great round foot-log, where the little boy might step. He +made his way over, and thanked the wise wind; and he asked:-- + + "_Wise wind, wise wind, blowing so gay! + Carry a message for me to-day: + My love to my mother, wherever she be; + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +The wind blew back to carry the message, and the little boy made haste +on his journey. His way lead through a meadow, where the clover grew and +the white sheep and baby lambs were feeding together in the sunshine. + +On one side of this meadow flowed a silver shining river, and the child +wandered up and down the bank to find some way to cross, for he knew +that he must go on. + +As he walked there, a man called a carpenter found him, and said to +him:-- + +"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!" + +Then the little boy followed the carpenter, and the carpenter and his +men built a bridge of iron and wood that reached across from bank to +bank. And when the bridge was finished, the child ran over in safety; +and after he had thanked the carpenter, he said:-- + + "_Carpenter, carpenter, on your way! + Carry a message for me to-day: + My love to my mother, wherever she be, + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +The carpenter gladly consented; and after he had turned back to carry +the message, the little boy followed the path, which led up hill over +rocks and steep places, through brambles and briars, until his feet grew +weary; and when he came down into the valley again, he saw a river that +was very dark and very deep. + +There was no white swan or wise wind to help him. No tree in the forest +could bridge it over, and the carpenter and his men were far away. + +"I must get over. There is a way," said the little boy bravely; and, as +he sat down to rest, he heard a murmuring sound. Looking down, he spied +a tiny boat fastened to a willow tree. + + "_I am the boat with a helping oar, + To carry you over from shore to shore_," + +repeated the boat; and when the little boy had unfastened it, he sprang +in, and began to row himself over the dark water. + +As he rowed, he saw a tiny bird flying above him. The bird needed no +boat or bridge, for its wings were strong; and when the little boy saw +it, he cried:-- + + "_Little bird, little bird, flying so gay! + Carry a message for me to-day: + My love to my mother, wherever she be; + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +The little bird flew swiftly back to carry the message, and the boy +rowed on till he reached the opposite shore. After he had thanked the +boat with its helping oar, he tied it to a tree as he had found it, and +then hastened away, singing his happy song again. + +By and by he heard an answer to his song, and he knew that it was the +great sea, calling "Come! Come! Come!" And when he reached the shore +where the blue waves were dancing up to the yellow sands, he clapped his +hands with delight; for there, rocking on the billows, was a beautiful +ship with sails as white as a lady's hands. + +"I knew there would be a way!" said the little boy, as he sprang on deck +and went sailing over the deep blue sea,--sailing, sailing, sailing, day +after day, night after night, over the beautiful sea. + +At night the stars would look down, twinkling and blinking; and as the +little boy watched them, he would say:-- + + "_Little stars, little stars, shining so bright! + Carry a message for me to-night: + My love to my mother, wherever she be; + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +The little boy went on sailing, sailing, day and night, until he came to +a land beyond the sea,--a land so full of delight that the little boy +felt that his journey was ended, until one day when a great storm came. + +The wind blew, the thunder crashed, the lightning flashed, the rain came +pouring down, and the little boy wanted to go home. + +"I will find a way!" he cried at last; and, just as he spoke, the sun +came bursting out, the storm clouds rolled away, and there in the sky +was a rainbow bridge that seemed to touch both sky and earth. + +Then the little boy's heart leaped for joy, and he ran with feet as +light as feathers up the shining bow; and when he reached the highest +arch, he looked down on the other side and saw home and his mother at +the rainbow's end. + +"Mother! Mother!" he called, as he ran down into her arms. "Mother, I've +always been thinking of you, and God has taken care of me." + + + + +_THE OPEN GATE_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Early teach your child, through play, to guard + that which is dear to him from the danger of loss_. + + FROEBEL. + +One bright summer afternoon, Fleet, the good old shepherd dog that +helped to take care of the farmyard, decided that he would step into the +barn to see his friend Mrs. Muffet and her two little kittens, for he +had not been able to chat with them for some time. + +On his way, Fleet looked around to see that all was right. The weather +was warm and the hens were taking a dust bath under the apple tree, and +the brindle calf was asleep in the shadow of the barn. The ducks and +geese were at the pond, the horses were at work in a distant field, the +cows and sheep were in pasture, and only the brown colt kicked up his +heels in the farmyard; so Fleet barked with satisfaction, and walked +into the barn. + +Inside he found Mrs. Muffet washing her face, while her two little +kittens slept in the hay; and she gave Fleet a warm welcome. + +"Good evening, Mrs. Muffet," said he. + +"Good evening, Friend Fleet," answered she. + +"How are the children?" asked the good dog, "and do they grow?" + +"Grow?" said Mrs. Muffet. "You never saw anything like them! and such +tricks as they play! Tittleback is the merrier, and will play with his +own tail when he can find nothing else; but Toddlekins can climb in a +way that is astonishing. Why, he even talks of going to the top of the +barn, and no doubt he will, some day." + +"No doubt, no doubt," said Fleet. "Children are so remarkable now." + +"But what is the news with you, Friend Fleet?" inquired Mrs. Muffet. + +"Nothing at all," said Fleet. "The barnyard is as quiet"--but just as he +spoke there arose such a clatter outside the door that he sprang to his +feet to see what was the matter, and the two kittens waked up in alarm. +Outside, the yard was in a commotion. Everybody was talking at the same +time. The hens were cackling, the roosters crowing, the ducks quacking, +the calf crying, and the sound of flying hoofs could be heard far down +the road. + +"Pray, what is the matter?" said Fleet to three geese, that were +hurrying along, with their necks stretched out. + +"The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindle calf's going and +we are thinking about it; quawk! quawk!" said the three geese, Mrs. +Waddle, Mrs. Gabble, and Mrs. Dabble. + +"Where are you going?" asked Mrs. Muffet, putting her head out of the +barn door. + +"Out into the world," said the three geese together. + +"You'd better go back to your pond," barked Fleet, as he bounded off to +help the cook, who was waving her apron to keep back the brindle calf, +while the milkmaid shut the gate, and little Dick ran down the road +after the brown colt. + +The brown colt kicked up his heels, and did not care how fast Dick ran. +He had all the world to roam in, and the green grass was growing +everywhere; so he tossed his head and galloped away toward the blue +hills. + +After a while he looked to see whether Dick was still following him, but +nobody was in sight; so he lay down and rolled over among the daisies; +and this was such fun that he tried it again, and again, until he was +tired. + +Then he nibbled the grass awhile, but soon decided to take another run; +and he raised such a dust, as he scampered along, that the birds peeped +down from the trees to see what it was, and a little rabbit that ran +across the road was so astonished that it did not take breath again till +it reached its greenwood home. + +"Hurrah!" said the brown colt, not because he knew what it meant but +because he had heard Dick say it. "Hurrah! maybe I'll never go back!" + +Just then there came an awful screech out of a neighboring field, and, +although it was only the whistle of a threshing machine, the brown colt +was terribly frightened, and jumped over a fence into a cotton field. + +[Illustration: "The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindle +calf's going, and we are thinking about it, quawk! quawk!"] + +"Oh!" thought he, as he tore his glossy coat on the sharp barbs of the +wire fence and cut his feet as he leaped awkwardly over, "Oh! how I wish +I could see Dick now." + +But Dick was at home. He had run after the brown colt as fast as his +feet could carry him, and had called "Whoa! Whoa!" but the brown colt +would not listen; so Dick had gone home with his head hanging down, _for +he was the very one who had forgotten to shut the farmyard gate_. + +Mother was at home, and she felt very sorry when she heard about it, for +she knew how dear that colt was to her careless little boy; and when +father came in from the fields, too late to look for the runaway, he +said that big boys and little boys and everybody else must take care of +the things they wanted to keep; and Dick cried, but it did no good. + +The cows came home when father did, and the brindle calf was glad that +she had not gone away from the farmyard when she saw her mother come in +from the clover lot. The chickens went to roost, and the horses were +fed; but no brown colt came in sight, although Dick and Fleet went down +the lane to look, a dozen times. + +"He's sorry enough," said Friend Fleet to Mrs. Muffet, as they ate their +supper; and Mrs. Muffet told Tittleback and Toddlekins all about it, +when she went back to the barn. + +Poor little Dick! and poor brown colt! They thought about each other +very often that night; and early in the morning the man who owned the +cotton field, drove the brown colt out. + +"I'd like to know," said the man, as he hurried him along, "what +business you have in my cotton field!" But the brown colt hung his head, +as Dick had done, and limped away. + +The long pike road stretched out, hard and white, before him, and the +birds, chattering in the bushes, seemed to say:-- + +"Is this the same brown colt that raised such a dust yesterday?" + +Oh! how long and weary the way was, to his limping feet! But at last he +reached home, just at milking time; and when the milkmaid saw him +standing at the gate, she gave a scream that brought the household out. + +Dick and the cook and Fleet tumbled over each other in their surprise, +and the barnyard was in such an excitement that one hen lost her +chickens and did not find them all for fifteen minutes. + +"What did you see?" cried the brindle calf. + +"What made you come back?" asked the geese; but Dick and Friend Fleet +asked no questions, because they understood. + +That was a long time ago, and the brown colt is a strong horse now, and +Dick a tall boy; but neither of them will ever forget the day when Dick +was careless and did not shut the farmyard gate. + + + + +_INSIDE THE GARDEN GATE_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Wisdom comes with all we see, + God writes His lessons in each flower, + And ev'ry singing bird or bee + Can teach us something of His power_. + + +PART I. + +Grandmother's garden was a beautiful place,--more beautiful than all the +shop windows in the city; for there was a flower or grass for every +color in the rainbow, with great white lilies, standing up so straight +and tall, to remind you that a whole rainbow of light was needed to make +them so pure and white. + +There were pinks and marigolds and princes' feathers, with bachelor's +buttons and Johnny-jump-ups to keep them company. There were gay poppies +and gaudy tulips, and large important peonies and fine Duchess roses in +pink satin dresses. + +There were soft velvet pansies and tall blue flags, and broad +ribbon-grasses that the fairies might have used for sashes; and mint and +thyme and balm and rosemary everywhere, to make the garden sweet; so it +was no wonder that every year, the garden was full of visitors. + +Nobody noticed these visitors but Grandmother and Lindsay. + +Lindsay was a very small boy, and Grandmother was a very old lady; but +they loved the same things, and always watched for these little +visitors, who came in the early spring-time and stayed all summer with +Grandmother. + +Early, early in the spring, when the garden was bursting into bloom in +the warm southern sunshine, Grandmother and Lindsay would sit in the +arbor, where the vines crept over and over in a tangle of bloom, and +listen to a serenade. Music, music everywhere! Over their heads, behind +their backs, the little brown bees would fly, singing their song:-- + + "_Hum, hum, hum! + Off and away! + To get some + Sweet honey to-day!"_ + +while they found the golden honey cups, and filled their pockets with +honey to store away in their waxen boxes at home. + +One day, while Grandmother and Lindsay were watching, a little brown bee +flew away with his treasure, and lighting on a rose, met with a cousin, +a lovely yellow butterfly. + +"I think they must be talking to each other," said Grandmother, softly. +"They are cousins, because they belong to the great insect family, just +as your papa and Uncle Bob and Aunt Emma and Cousin Rachel all belong to +one family,--the Greys; and I think they must be talking about the honey +that they both love so well." + +"I wish I could talk to a butterfly," said Lindsay, longingly; and +Grandmother laughed. + +"Play that I am a butterfly," she proposed. "What color shall I be?--a +great yellow butterfly, with brown spots on my wings?" + +So Grandmother played that she was a great yellow butterfly with brown +spots on its wings, and she said to Lindsay:-- + +"Never in the world can you tell, little boy, what I used to be?" + +"A baby butterfly," guessed Lindsay. + +"Guess again," said the butterfly. + +"A flower, perhaps; for you are so lovely," declared Lindsay, gallantly. + +"No, indeed!" answered the butterfly; "I was a creeping, crawling +caterpillar." + +"Now, Grandmother, you're joking!" cried Lindsay, forgetting that +Grandmother was a butterfly. + +"Not I," said the butterfly. "I was a crawling, creeping caterpillar, +and I fed on leaves in your Grandmother's garden until I got ready to +spin my nest; and then I wrapped myself up so well that you would never +have known me for a caterpillar; and when I came out in the Spring I was +a lovely butterfly." + +"How beautiful!" said Lindsay. "Grandmother, let us count the +butterflies in your garden." But they never could do that, though they +saw brown and blue and red and white and yellow ones, and followed them +everywhere. + +[Illustration: So the Grandmother played that she was a great yellow +butterfly.] + + +PART II. + +It might have been the very next day that Grandmother took her knitting +to the summer house. At all events it was very soon; and while she and +Lindsay were wondering when the red rose bush would be in full bloom, +Lindsay saw, close up to the roof, a queer little house, like a roll of +crumpled paper, with a great many front doors; and, of course, he wanted +to know who lived there. + +"You must not knock at any of those front doors," advised Grandmother, +"because Mrs. Wasp lives there, and might not understand; although if +you let her alone she will not hurt you. Just let me tell you something +about her." + +So Lindsay listened while Grandmother told the story:-- + +Once there was a little elf, who lived in the heart of a bright red +rose, just like the roses we have been talking about. + +There were many other elves who lived in the garden. One, who lived in a +lily which made a lovely home; and a poppy elf, who was always sleepy; +but the rose elf liked her own sweet smelling room, with its crimson +curtains, best of all. + +Now the rose elf had a very dear friend, a little girl named Polly. She +could not speak to her, for fairies can only talk to people like you and +me in dreams and fancies, but she loved Polly very much, and would lie +in her beautiful rose room, and listen to Polly's singing, till her +heart was glad. + +One day as she listened she said to herself, "If I cannot speak to +Polly, I can write her a letter;" and this pleased her so much that she +called over to the lily elf to ask what she should write it on. "I +always write my letters on rose petals, and get the wind to take them," +said the rose elf. "But I am afraid Polly would not understand that." + +"I will tell you," answered the lily elf, "what I would do. I would go +right to Mrs. Wasp, and ask her to give me a piece of paper." + +"But Mrs. Wasp is very cross, I've heard," said the rose elf timidly. + +"Never believe the gossip that you hear. If Mrs. Wasp does seem to be a +little stingy, I'm sure she has a good heart," replied the lily elf. So +the rose elf took courage, and flew to Mrs. Wasp's house, where, by good +fortune, she found Mrs. Wasp at home. + +"Good morning Mrs. Wasp," called the little elf, "I've come to see if +you will kindly let me have a sheet of paper to-day." + +"Now," said the wasp, "I have just papered my house with the last bit of +paper I had, but if you can wait, I will make you a sheet." + +Then the rose elf knew that Mrs. Wasp had a kind heart; and she waited +and watched with a great deal of interest while Mrs. Wasp set to work. +Now, close by her house was an old bit of dry wood, and Mrs. Wasp sawed +it into fine bits, like thread, with her two sharp saws that she carries +about her. Then she wet these bits well with some glue from her mouth, +and rolled them into a round ball. + +"Oh, Mrs. Wasp!" cried the rose elf, "I'm afraid I am putting you to too +much trouble." + +"Don't fret about me," said the wasp; "I'm used to work." So she spread +out the ball, working with all her might, into a thin sheet of gray +paper; and when it was dry, she gave it to the rose elf. + +"Thank you, good Mrs. Wasp," said the elf; and she flew away to invite +the lily elf and the poppy elf to help her with the letter, for she +wanted it to be as sweet as all the flowers of spring. + +When it was finished they read it aloud. + + "_Dear Polly: + I'm a little elf + I live within a flow'r; + I live to hear your happy song, + It cheers my ev'ry hour. + That I love you, I'd like to say + To you, before I close, + And please sing sweetly ev'ry day + To + Your friend within a Rose_." + +The letter was sent by a bluebird; and the elf was sure that Polly +understood, for that very day she came and stood among the flowers to +sing the very sweetest song she knew. + + +PART III. + +Out in Grandmother's garden, just as the sun was up, a very cunning +spinner spun a lovely wheel of fine beautiful threads; and when +Grandmother and Lindsay came out, they spied it fastened up in a rose +bush. + +The small, cunning spinner was climbing a silken rope near by with her +eight nimble legs, and looking out at the world with her eight tiny +eyes, when Grandmother saw her and pointed her out to Lindsay; and +Lindsay said:-- + +"Oh, Mrs. Spider! come spin me some lace!" which made Grandmother think +of a little story which she had told Lindsay's papa and all of her +little children, when they were lads and lassies, and this garden of +hers had just begun to bloom. + +She sat down on the steps and told it to Lindsay. + +Once, long, long ago, when the silver moon was shining up in the sky, +and the small golden stars were twinkling, twinkling, a little fairy +with a bundle of dreams went hurrying home to fairyland. + +She looked up at the stars and moon to see what time it was, for the +fairy queen had bidden her come back before the day dawned. + +All out in the world it was sleepy time; and the night wind was singing +an old sweet lullaby, and the mocking bird was singing too, by himself, +in the wood. + +"I shall not be late," said the fairy, as she flew like thistle-down +through the air or tripped over the heads of the flowers; but in her +haste she flew into a spider's web, which held her so fast that, +although she struggled again and again, she could not get free. + +Her bundle of dreams fell out of her arms, and lay on the ground under +the rose-bush; and the poor little fairy burst into tears, for she knew +that daylight always spoiled dreams, and these were very lovely ones. + +Her shining wings were tangled in the web, her hands were chained, and +her feet were helpless; so she had to lie still and wait for the day +time which, after all, came too soon. + +As soon as the sun was up, Mrs. Spider came out of her den; and when she +saw the fairy she was very glad, for she thought she had caught a new +kind of fly. + +"If you please, Mrs. Spider," cried the fairy quickly, "I am only a +little fairy, and flew into your web last night on my way home to +fairyland." + +"A fairy!" said Mrs. Spider crossly, for she was disappointed; "I +suppose you are the one who helps the flies to get away from me. You see +well enough then!" + +"I help them because they are in trouble," answered the fairy gently. + +"So are you, now," snapped the spider, "But the flies won't help you." + +"But perhaps you will," pleaded the fairy. + +"Perhaps I won't," said the spider, going back into her house and +leaving the little fairy, who felt very sorrowful. + +Her tears fell like dew drops on the spider web, and the sun shone on +them, and made them as bright as the fairy queen's diamonds. + +The fairy began to think of the queen and the court, and the bundle of +dreams; and she wondered who would do the work if she never got free. +The fairy queen had always trusted her, and had sent her on many +errands. + +Once she had been sent to free a mocking-bird that had been shut in a +cage. She remembered how he sang in his cage, although he was longing +for his green tree tops. + +She smiled through her tears when she thought of this, and said to +herself:-- + +"I can be singing, too! It is better than crying." + +Then she began to sing one of her fairy songs:-- + + "_Oh! listen well, and I will tell, + Of the land where the fairies dwell; + The lily bells ring clear and sweet, + And grass grows green beneath your feet + In the land where the fairies dwell, + In the land where the fairies dwell_." + +Now though the fairy did not know it, Mrs. Spider was very fond of +music; and when she heard the sweet song, she came out to listen. The +little fairy did not see her, so she sang on:-- + + "_Grasshoppers gay, by night and day, + Keep ugly goblins far away + From the land where the fairies dwell, + From the land where the fairies dwell_." + +Mrs. Spider came a little farther out, while the fairy sang:-- + + "_There's love, sweet love, for one and all-- + For love is best for great and small-- + In the land where the fairies dwell, + In the land where the fairies dwell_." + +Just as the fairy finished the song she looked up, and there was Mrs. +Spider, who had come out in a hurry. + +"The flies are not going to help you," said she, "so I will;" and she +showed the fairy how to break the slender threads, until she was +untangled and could fly away through the sunshine. + +"What can I do for you, dear Mrs. Spider?" the fairy asked, as she +picked up her bundle of dreams. + +"Sing me a song sometimes," replied Mrs. Spider. But the fairy did more +than that; for soon after she reached fairyland, the fairy queen needed +some fine lace to wear on her dress at a grand ball. + +"Fly into the world," she said, "and find me a spinner; and tell her +that when she has spun the lace, she may come to the ball and sit at the +queen's table." + +As soon as the fairy heard this, she thought of the spider, and made +haste to find her and tell her the queen's message. + +"Will there be music?" asked the spider. + +"The sweetest ever heard" answered the fairy; and the spider began to +spin. + +The lace was so lovely when it was finished, that the fairy queen made +the spider court spinner; and then the spider heard the fairies sing +every day, and she too had love in her heart. + + +PART IV. + +A mocking bird sang in Grandmother's garden. He was king of the garden, +and the rose was queen. Every night when the garden was still, he +serenaded Grandmother; and she would lie awake and listen to him, for +she said he told her all the glad tidings of the day, and helped her +understand the flower folk and bird folk and insect folk that lived in +her garden. + +Lindsay always thought the mocking bird told Grandmother the wonderful +stories she knew, and he wanted to hear them, too, late in the night +time; but he never could keep awake. So he had to be contented with the +mocking bird in the morning, when he was so saucy. + +There were orioles and thrushes and bluebirds, big chattering jays, +sleek brown sparrows, and red-capped woodpeckers; but not a bird in the +garden was so gay and sweet and loving as the mocking bird, who could +sing everybody's song and his own song, too. + +Night after night he sang his own song in Grandmother's garden. But +there came a night when he did not sing; and though Grandmother and +Lindsay listened all next day, and looked in every tree for him, he +could not be found. + +"I'm afraid somebody has caught him and shut him up in a cage" said +Grandmother; and when Lindsay heard this he was very miserable; for he +knew that somewhere in the garden, there was a nest and a mother bird +waiting. + +He and Grandmother talked until bed-time about it, and early next +morning Lindsay asked Grandmother to let him go to look for the bird. + +"Please do, Grandmother," he begged. "If somebody has him in a cage I +shall be sure to find him; and I will take my own silver quarter to buy +him back." + +So after breakfast Grandmother kissed him and let him go, and he ran +down the path and out of the garden gate, and asked at every house on +the street:-- + +"Is there a mocking bird in a cage here?" + +This made people laugh, but Lindsay did not care. By and by, he came to +a little house with green blinds; and the little lady who came to the +door did not laugh at all when she answered his question:-- + +"No; there are no mocking birds here; but there are two sweet yellow +canaries. Won't you come in to see them?" + +"I will sometime, thank you, if Grandmother will let me," said Lindsay; +"but not to-day; for if that mocking bird is in a cage, I know he's in a +hurry to get out." + +Then he hurried on to the next house, and the next; but no mocking birds +were to be found. After he had walked a long way, he began to be afraid +that he should have to go home, when, right before him, in the window of +a little house, he saw a wooden box with slats across the side; and in +the box was a very miserable mocking bird! + +"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Lindsay, as he ran up the steps and knocked at +the door. A great big boy came to the window and put his head out to see +what was wanted. + +"Please, please," said Lindsay, dancing up and down on the doorstep, +"I've come to buy the mocking-bird; and I've a whole silver quarter to +give for it, because I think maybe he is the very one that sang in +Grandmother's garden." + +"I don't want to sell it," answered the boy, with a frown on his face. + +Lindsay had never thought of anything like this, and his face grew +grave; but he went bravely on:--- + +"Oh! but you will sell it, maybe. Won't you, please? Because I just know +it wants to get out. You wouldn't like to be in a cage yourself, you +know, if you had been living in a garden,--'specially my Grandmother's." + +"This bird ain't for sale," repeated the boy, crossly, frowning still +more over the bird-cage. + +"But God didn't make mocking-birds for cages," cried Lindsay, choking a +little. "So it really isn't yours." + +"I'd like to know why it isn't," said the boy. "You'd better get off my +doorstep and go home to your Granny, for I'm not going to sell my +mocking-bird,--not one bit of it;" and he drew his head back from the +window and left Lindsay out on the doorstep. + +Poor little Lindsay! He was not certain that it was _the_ bird, but he +_was_ sure that mocking-birds were not meant for cages; and he put the +quarter back in his pocket and took out his handkerchief to wipe away +the tears that would fall. + +All the way home he thought of it and sobbed to himself, and he walked +through the garden gate almost into Grandmother's arms before he saw +her, and burst into tears when she spoke to him. + +"Poor little boy!" said Grandmother, when she had heard all about it; +"and poor big boy, who didn't know how to be kind! Perhaps the +mocking-bird will help him, and, after all, it will be for the best." + +Grandmother was almost crying herself, when a click at the gate made +them both start and, then look at each other; for there, coming up the +walk, was a great big boy with a torn straw hat, and with a small +wooden box in his hand, which made Lindsay scream with delight, for in +that box was a very miserable-looking mocking-bird. + +"Guess it _is_ yours," said the boy, holding the box in front of him, +"for I trapped it out in the road back of here. I never thought of +mocking-birds being so much account, and I hated to make him cry." + +"There now," cried Lindsay, jumping up to get the silver quarter out of +his pocket. "He is just like Mrs. Wasp, isn't he, Grandmother?" But the +boy had gone down the walk and over the gate without waiting for +anything, although Lindsay ran after him and called. + +Lindsay and Grandmother were so excited that they did not know what to +do. They looked out of the gate after the boy, then at each other, and +then at the bird. + +Lindsay ran to get the hatchet, but he was so excited with joy that he +could not use it, so Grandmother had to pry up the slats, one by one; +and every time one was lifted, Lindsay would jump up and down and clap +his hands, and say, "Oh, Grandmother!" + +At last, the very last slat was raised; and then, in a moment, the +mocking bird flew up, up, up into the maple tree, and Lindsay and +Grandmother kissed each other for joy. + +Oh! everything was glad in the garden. The breezes played pranks, and +blew the syringa petals to the ground, and up in the tallest trees the +birds had a concert. Orioles, bluebirds, and thrushes, chattering jays, +sleek brown sparrows, and red-capped woodpeckers, were all of them +singing for Grandmother and Lindsay; but the sweetest singer was the +mocking bird who was singing everybody's sweet song, and then his own, +which was the sweetest of all. + +"I know he is glad," Lindsay said to Grandmother; "for it is, oh, so +beautiful to live inside your garden gate!" + + + + +_THE JOURNEY_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _The whirling wheels, that help us on our way, + A lesson to the children, too, will say: + "Go on! there's work awaiting you to-day; + The whole world moves apace, you must not stay_." + +A little boy, named Joseph, went with his papa, once upon a time, to +visit his Grandma. Grandma was an old, old lady, with hair as white as +drifted snow; and she petted Joseph's papa almost as much as she did +Joseph, for Papa had been her baby long, long before. + +It was a fine thing to go to see Grandma; and Joseph would have been +willing to stay a long time, if it had not been that Mamma and the baby +and big brother were at home. + +He knew they needed him there, too, for Mamma wrote it in a letter. + +"Dear Papa," she said, in the letter that the stage coach brought, "When +are you, and my precious Joseph coming home? The baby and Brother and I +are well but we want to see you. We need a little boy here who can hunt +hens' nests and feed chickens, and rock the baby's cradle. Please bring +one home with you." + +This made Joseph laugh for, of course, Mamma meant him; and though he +forgot some of her letter, he always remembered that; and when Papa +said; "Look here, Joseph, we must go home," he was just as glad to go, +as he had been to come to see Grandma. + +Now Joseph and his papa had to travel by stage coach, because there were +no trains in those days; and after they had told Grandma goodbye, on the +morning they left, they went down to the inn to wait for the stage. + +The inn was the place where travelers who were away from home might stop +and rest, and the landlady tried to be always pleasant and make +everybody feel at home; so she hurried out on the porch, with two chairs +for Joseph and his papa, as soon as she saw them. + +They were a little early for the stage, so Joseph sat and watched the +wagons and carriages, that passed the inn. All the carriages had ladies +and children inside, and Joseph thought they must be going to see their +grandmas. + +Most of the wagons that passed the inn were loaded down. Some of them +were full of hay; and Joseph knew in a minute, where they were going, +for he had heard his Grandma say that she was going to store her hay +away in a barn, that very day. + +Some of the wagons carried good things to sell; and the men who drove +them would ring their bells, and call out, now and then: "Apples to +sell! Apples to sell!" or "Potatoes and corn! Potatoes and corn!" which +made Joseph laugh. + +Then there was the milkman. His tin cans were so bright that you could +see yourself in them, and Joseph knew that they carried good sweet milk. + +This made him think of their own cows. He could shut his eyes and see +how each one looked. Clover was red, Teenie black, and Buttercup had +white spots on her back. + +Just then he heard the sound of a horn; and his father jumped up in a +hurry and collected their bundles. "For," said he, "that is the guard +blowing his horn, and the stage coach is coming!" + +Joseph was so pleased when he heard this that he jumped up and down; and +while he was jumping, the stage coach whirled around the corner. + +There were four horses hitched to it, two white, and two black; and they +were trotting along at a fine pace. The driver was a jolly good fellow, +who sat on the top of the coach and cracked his whip; and the guard sat +behind with the horn. + +The wheels were turning so fast that you could scarcely see them, but as +soon as the inn was reached, the horses stopped and the stage coach +stood still. The guard jumped down to open the door, and Joseph and his +papa made haste to get in. The guard blew his horn, the driver cracked +his whip, the horses dashed off, and away went Joseph and his papa. + +The stage coach had windows, and Joseph looked out. At first, all he +could see was smooth, level ground; but after a while, the horses walked +slowly and you could have counted the spokes in the wheels, for they +were going up hill and the driver was careful of his horses. + +[Illustration: As soon as the inn was reached the horses stopped.] + +The hill was so much higher than the rest of the country that when +Joseph looked out at the houses in the valley he felt very great, +although it was only the hill that was high, after all. + +Then they all came down on the other side, and the horses trotted +faster. It was early in the morning, and the sunshine was so bright and +the air so fresh that the horses tossed their heads, and their hoofs +rang out as they hurried over the hard road. + +The road ran through the wood, and Joseph could see the maples with +their wide-spreading branches, and the poplar with its arms held up to +the sky, and the birches with their white dresses, all nodding in the +wind, as though they said, "How do you do?" Once, too, he saw a little +squirrel running about, and once a queer rabbit. + +Then the stage-coach stopped with a jerk. + +"What's the matter?" called Joseph's papa, as the driver and the guard +got down. + +"The linch-pin has fallen out," answered the driver, "and we have just +missed losing a wheel." + +"Can we go on?" Joseph asked. And when his papa said "No," he felt +sorry. But the guard said that he would go after a wheelwright who lived +not far beyond; and Joseph and his papa walked about until the +wheelwright came running, with his tools in his hand. + +He set to work, and Joseph thought it was very funny that the great +wheel could not stay on without the linch-pin; but the wheelwright said +that the smallest screws counted. He put the wheel quickly in order, and +off the stage-coach went. + +The wheels whirled around all the more merrily because of the +wheelwright's work; and when the hoofs of the horses clattered on the +road, Joseph's papa said that the horse-shoes were saying:-- + +"It is the little shoes, the little shoes, that help the horse to go!" + +Then Joseph looked down at his own small shoes and thought of his +mother's letter, and the little boy that she needed to hunt eggs and +feed chickens and rock the baby's cradle; and he was anxious to get +home. + +Clip, clap! clip, clap! The horses stepped on a bridge, and Joseph +looked out to see the water. The bridge was strong and good, with great +wooden piers set out in the water and a stout wooden railing to make it +safe. + +The sun was high and shining very brightly on the water, and little +Joseph began to nod. He rested his head on papa's arm, and his eyelids +dropped down over his two sleepy eyes, and he went so fast asleep that +his papa was obliged to give him a little shake when he wanted to wake +him up. + +"Wake up, Joseph! wake up!" he cried, "and look out of the window!" + +Joseph rubbed his eyes and looked out of the window; and he saw a red +cow, a black cow, and a cow with spots on her back; and a little further +on, a big boy and a baby; and, what do you think?--yes, a mamma! Then +the stage-coach could not hold him or his papa another minute, because +they were at home! + + + + +_The GIANT ENERGY & The FAIRY SKILL_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Greatness is not always largeness. + Help your child to understand, + Strength and skill are happy comrades; + 'Tis the mind must guide the hand_. + +Long, long ago, when there were giants to be seen, as they might be seen +now if we only looked in the right place, there lived a young giant who +was very strong and very willing, but who found it hard to get work to +do. + +The name of the giant was Energy, and he was so great and clumsy that +people were afraid to trust their work to him. + +If he were asked to put a bell in the church steeple, he would knock the +steeple down, before he finished the work. If he were sent to reach a +broken weather vane, he would tear off part of the roof in his zeal. So, +at last, people would not employ him and he went away to the mountains +to sleep; but he could not rest, even though other giants were sleeping +as still as great rocks under the shade of the trees. + +Young Giant Energy could not sleep, for he was too anxious to help in +the world's work; and he went down into the valley, and begged so +piteously for something to do that a good woman gave him a basket of +china to carry home for her. + +"This is child's play for me," said the giant as he set the basket down +at the woman's house, but he set it down so hard that every bit of the +china was broken. + +"I wish a child had brought it for me," answered the woman, and the +young giant went away sorrowful. He climbed the mountain and lay down to +rest; but he could not stay there and do nothing, so he went back to the +valley to look for work. + +There he met the good woman. She had forgiven him for breaking her +china, and had made up her mind to trust him again; so she gave him a +pitcher of milk to carry home. + +"Be quick in bringing it," she said, "lest it sour on the way." + +The giant took the pitcher and made haste to run to the house; and he +ran so fast that the milk was spilled and not a drop was left when he +reached the good woman's house. + +The good woman was sorry to see this, although she did not scold; and +the giant went back to his mountain with a heavy heart. + +Soon, however, he was back again, asking at every house:-- + +"Isn't there something for me to do?" and again he met the good woman, +who was here, there and everywhere, carrying soup to the sick and food +to the hungry. + +When she met the young Giant Energy, her heart was full of love for him; +and she told him to make haste to her house and fill her tubs with +water, for the next day was wash day. + +Then the giant made haste with mighty strides towards the good woman's +house, where he found her great tubs; and, lifting them with ease, he +carried them to the cistern and began to pump. + +He pumped with such force and with so much delight, that the tubs were +soon filled so full that they ran over, and when the good woman came +home she found her yard as well as her tubs full of water. + +The young giant had such a downcast look, that the good woman could not +be angry with him; she only felt sorry for him. + +"Go to the Fairy Skill, and learn," said the good woman, as she sat on +the doorstep. "She will teach you, and you will be a help in the world +after all." + +"Oh! how can I go?" cried the giant, giving a jump that sent him up over +the tree tops, where he could see the little birds in their nests. + +"Don't go so fast," said the good woman. "Stand still and listen! Go +through the meadow, and count a hundred daffodils; then turn to your +right, and walk until you find a mullein stalk that is bent. Notice the +way it bends, and walk in that direction till you see a willow tree. +Behind this willow runs a little stream. Cross the water by the way of +the shining pebbles, and when you hear a strange bird singing you can +see the fairy palace and the workroom where the Fairy Skill teaches her +school. Go to her with my love and she will receive you." + +The young giant thanked the good woman, stepped over the meadow fence, +and counted the daffodils, "One, two, three," until he had counted a +hundred. Then he turned to the right, and walked through the long grass +to the bent mullein stalk, which pointed to the right; and after he had +found the brook and crossed by way of the shining pebbles, he heard a +strange bird singing, and saw among the trees the fairy palace. + +He never could tell how it looked; but he thought it was made of +sunshine, with the glimmer of green leaves reflected on it, and that it +had the blue sky for a roof. + +That was the palace; and at one side of it was the workshop, built of +strong pines and oaks; and the giant heard the hum of wheels, and the +noise of the fairy looms, where the fairies wove carpets of rainbow +threads. + +When the giant came to the door, the doorway stretched itself for him to +pass through. He found Fairy Skill standing in the midst of the +workers; and when he had given her the good woman's love, she received +him kindly. Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of tangled +threads that lay in a corner like a great bunch of bright-colored +flowers. + +This was hard work for the giant's clumsy fingers, but he was very +patient about it. The threads would break, and he got some of them into +knots; but when Fairy Skill saw his work, she said:-- + +"Very good for to-day;" and touching the threads with her wand, she +changed them into a tangled heap again. The next day the giant tried +again, and after that again, until every thread lay unbroken and +untangled. + +Then Fairy Skill said "Well done," and led him to a loom and showed him +how to weave. + +This was harder work than the other had been; but Giant Energy was +patient, although many times before his strip of carpet was woven the +fairy touched it with her wand, and he had to begin over. + +[Illustration: Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of +tangled threads.] + +At last it was finished, and the giant thought it was the most beautiful +carpet in the world. + +Fairy Skill took him next to the potter's wheel, where cups and saucers +were made out of clay; and the giant learned to be steady, to shape the +cup as the wheel whirled round, and to take heed of his thumb, lest it +slip. + +The cups and saucers that were broken before he could make beautiful +ones would have been enough to set the queen's tea table! + +Fairy Skill then took him to the gold-smith, and there he was taught to +make chains and bracelets and necklaces; and after he had learned all +these things, the fairy told him that she had three trials for him. +Three pieces of work he must do; and if he did them well, he could go +again into the world, for he would then be ready to be a helper there. + +"The first task is to make a carpet," said Fairy Skill, "a carpet fit +for a palace floor." + +Giant Energy sprang to his loom, and made his silver shuttle glance +under and over, under and over, weaving a most beautiful pattern. + +As he wove, he thought of the way by which he had come; and his carpet +became as green as the meadow grass, and lovely daffodils grew on it. +When it was finished, it was almost as beautiful as a meadow full of +flowers! + +Then the fairy said that he must turn a cup fine enough for a king to +use. And the giant made a cup in the shape of a flower; and when it was +finished, he painted birds upon it with wings of gold. When she saw it, +the fairy cried out with delight. + +"One more trial before you go," she said. "Make me a chain that a queen +might be glad to wear." + +So Giant Energy worked by day and by night and made a chain of golden +links; and in every link was a pearl as white as the shining pebbles in +the brook. A queen might well have been proud to wear this chain. + +After he had finished, Fairy Skill kissed him and blessed him, and sent +him away to be a helper in the world, and she made him take with him +the beautiful things which he had made, so that he might give them to +the one he loved best. + +The young giant crossed the brook, passed the willow, found the mullein +stalk, and counted the daffodils. + +When he had counted a hundred, he stepped over the meadow fence and came +to the good woman's house. + +The good woman was at home, so he went in at the door and spread the +carpet on the floor, and the floor looked like the floor of a palace. + +He set the cup on the table, and the table looked like the table of a +king; and he hung the chain around the good woman's neck, and she was +more beautiful than a queen. + +And this is the way that young Giant Energy learned to be a helper in +the world. + + + + +_THE SEARCH FOR A GOOD CHILD_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Teach your child that every one + Loves him when he's good and true, + But that though so dear to others, + He is doubly dear to you_. + + --_Miss Blow's Mottoes and Commentaries_. + +Long, long ago there lived, in a kingdom far away, five knights who were +so good and so wise that each one was known by a name that meant +something beautiful. + +The first knight was called Sir Brian the Brave. He had killed the great +lion that came out of the forest to frighten the women and children, had +slain a dragon, and had saved a princess from a burning castle; for he +was afraid of nothing under the sun. + +The second knight was Gerald the Glad, who was so happy himself that he +made everybody around him happy too; for his sweet smile and cheery +words were so comforting that none could be sad or cross or angry when +he was near. + +Sir Kenneth the Kind was the third knight, and he won his name by his +tender heart. Even the creatures of the wood knew and loved him, for he +never hurt anything that God had made. + +The fourth knight had a face as beautiful as his name, and he was called +Percival the Pure. He thought beautiful thoughts, said beautiful words, +and did beautiful deeds, for he kept his whole life as lovely as a +garden full of flowers without a single weed. + +Tristram the True was the last knight, and he was leader of them all. + +The king of the country trusted these five knights; and one morning in +the early spring-time he called them to him and said:-- + +"My trusty knights, I am growing old, and I long to see in my kingdom +many knights like you to take care of my people; and so I will send you +through all my kingdom to choose for me a little boy who may live at my +court and learn from you those things which a knight must know. Only a +good child can be chosen. A good child is worth more than a kingdom. And +when you have found him, bring him, if he will come willingly, to me, +and I shall be happy in my old age." + +Now the knights were well pleased with the words of the king, and at the +first peep of day they were ready for their journey, and rode down the +king's highway with waving plumes and shining shields. + +No sooner had they started on their journey than the news spread abroad +over the country, and many fathers and mothers who were anxious for the +favor of the king sent messengers to invite the knights to visit them. + +The parents' messages were so full of praises of their children that the +knights scarcely knew where to go. Some of the parents said that their +sons were beautiful; some said theirs were smart; but as the knights +cared nothing for a child who was not good, they did not hurry to see +these children. + +On the second day, however, as they rode along, they met a company of +men in very fine clothes, who bowed down before them; and while the +knights drew rein in astonishment, a little man stepped in front of the +others to speak to them. + +He was a fat little man, with a fat little voice; and he told the +knights that he had come to invite them to the castle of the Baron +Borribald, whose son Florimond was the most wonderful child in the +world. + +"Oh! there is nothing he cannot do," cried the fat little man whose name +was Puff. "You must hear him talk! You must see him walk!" + +So the knights followed him; and when they had reached the castle, +Florimond ran to meet them. He was a merry little fellow, with long fair +curls and rosy cheeks; and when he saw the fine horses he clapped his +hands with delight. The baron and baroness, too, were well pleased with +their visitors, and made a feast in their honor; but early the next +morning, the knights were startled by a most awful sound which seemed to +come from the hall below. + +"Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" It sounded something like the howling of a dog; but +as they listened, it grew louder and louder, until it sounded like the +roaring of a lion. + +The knights seized their swords and rushed down to see what was the +matter; and there, in the middle of the hall, stood Florimond, his +cheeks puffed up and his eyes swollen,--and right out of his open mouth +came that terrible noise: "Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" + +His mamma and papa were begging him to be quiet. The cook had run up +with a pie, and the nurse with a toy, but Florimond only opened his +mouth and screamed the louder, because the rain was coming down, when he +wanted to play out of doors! + +Then the knights saw that they were not wanted, and they hurried +upstairs to prepare for their journey. The baron and baroness and fat +little Puff all begged them to stay, and Florimond cried again when they +left him; but the knights did not care to stay with a child who was not +good. + +The knights began to think that their mission was a difficult one; but +they rode on, asking at every house: "Is there a good boy here?" only to +be disappointed many times. + +North, south, east, and west, they searched; and at last, one afternoon, +they halted under an oak tree, to talk, and they decided to part +company. + +"Let each take his own way," said Tristram the True, "and to-morrow we +will meet, under this same tree, and tell what we have seen; for the +time draws near when we must return to the king." + +Then they bade each other farewell, and each rode away, except Sir +Tristram, who lingered long under the oak tree; for he was the leader, +and had many things to think about. + +Just as the sun was red in the west, he saw a little boy coming towards +him, with a bundle of sticks on his back. + +"Greeting to you, little boy," said he. + +"Greeting to you, fair sir," said the boy, looking up with eager eyes at +the knight on his splendid horse, that stood so still when the knight +bade it. + +"What is your name?" asked the knight. + +"My name is little Gauvain," replied the child. + +"And can you prove a trusty guide, little Gauvain, and lead me to a +pleasant place where I may rest to-night?" asked the knight. + +"Ay, that I can," Gauvain answered gladly, his whole face lighting up +with pleasure; but he added quickly, "I can, if you will wait until I +carry my sticks to Granny Slowsteps, and bring her water from the +spring; for I promised to be there before the setting of the sun." + +Now little Gauvain wanted to help the good knight so much that he was +sorry to say this; but Sir Tristram told him to run, and promised to +wait patiently until his return; and before many moments Gauvain was +back, bounding like a fawn through the wood, to lead the way to his own +home. + +When they came there the little dog ran out to meet them, and the cat +rubbed up against Gauvain, and the mother called from the kitchen:-- + +"Is that my sunbeam coming home to roost?" which made Gauvain and the +knight both laugh. + +Then the mother came out in haste to welcome the stranger; and she +treated him with honor, giving him the best place at the table and the +hottest cakes. + +She and little Gauvain lived all alone, for the father had gone to the +wars when Gauvain was a baby, and had died fighting for the king. + +She had cows, horses, and pigs, hens, chickens, and a dog and a cat, and +one treasure greater than a kingdom, for she had a good child in her +house. + +Sir Tristram found this out very soon, for little Gauvain ran when he +was called, remembered the cat and dog when he had eaten his own supper, +and went to bed when he was told, without fretting, although the knight +was telling of lions and bears and battles, and everything that little +boys like to hear about. + +Sir Tristram was so glad of this that he could scarcely wait for the +time to come when he should meet his comrades under the oak tree. + +[Illustration: And the mother called from the kitchen--'Is that my +sunbeam coming home to roost?'] + +"I have found a child whom you must see," he said, as soon as they +came together. + +"And so have I," cried Gerald the Glad. + +"And I," exclaimed Kenneth the Kind. + +"And I," said Brian the Brave. + +"And I," said Percival the Pure; and they looked at each other in +astonishment. + +"I do not know the child's name," continued Gerald the Glad; "but as I +was riding in the forest I heard some one singing the merriest song! And +when I looked through the trees I saw a little boy bending under a heavy +burden. I hastened to help him, but when I reached the spot he was gone. +I should like to hear him sing again." + +"I rode by the highway," said Sir Brian the Brave, "and I came suddenly +upon a crowd of great, rough fellows who were trying to torment a small +black dog; and just as I saw them, a little boy ran up, as brave as a +knight, and took the dog in his arms, and covered it with his coat. The +rest ran away when I rode up; but the child stayed, and told me his +name--Gauvain." + +"Why!" exclaimed Kenneth the Kind, "he is the boy who brings wood and +water for Granny Slowsteps. I tarried all night at her cottage, and she +told me of his kindness." + +"I saw a lad at the spring near by," said Percival the Pure. "He hurried +to fill his bucket, and some rude clown muddied the water as the child +reached down; but he spoke no angry words, and waited patiently till the +water was clear again. I should like to find his home and see him +there." + +Now Sir Tristram had waited to hear them all; but when Sir Percival had +finished, he arose and cried:-- + +"Come, and I will carry you to the child!" And when the knights followed +him, he led them to the home where little Gauvain was working with his +mother, as happy as a lark and as gentle as a dove. + +It was noonday, and the sun was shining brightly on the shields of the +knights, and their plumes were waving in the breeze; and when they +reached the gate, Sir Tristram blew a loud blast on a silver trumpet. + +Then all the hens began to cackle, and the dog began to bark, and the +horse began to neigh, and the pigs began to grunt; for they knew that it +was a great day. And little Gauvain and his mother ran out to see what +the matter was. + +When the knights saw Gauvain they looked at each other, and every one +cried out: "He is the child!" And Tristram the True said to the +mother:-- + +"Greeting to you! The king, our wise ruler, has sent us here to see your +good child; for a good child is more precious than a kingdom. And the +king offers him his love and favor if you will let him ride with us to +live at the king's court and learn to be a knight." + +Little Gauvain and his mother were greatly astonished. They could +scarcely believe that such a thing had happened; for it seemed very +wonderful and beautiful that the king should send messengers to little +Gauvain. After the knights had repeated it, though, they understood; and +little Gauvain ran to his mother and put his arms around her; for he +knew that if he went with the knights he must leave her, and the mother +knew that if she let him go she must live without him. + +The rooster up on the fence crowed a very loud "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" to +let everybody know he belonged to Gauvain; and a little chick that had +lost its mother cried, "Peep! peep!" And when the mother heard this, she +answered the knights and said:-- + +"I cannot spare my good child from my home. The king's love is precious; +but I love my child more than the whole world, and he is dearer to me +than a thousand kingdoms." + +Little Gauvain was so glad when he heard her answer that he looked again +at the knights with a smiling face, and waved his hand to them as they +rode away. All day and all night they rode, and it was the peep of day +when they came to the king's highway. Then they rode slowly, for they +were sad because of their news; but the king rejoiced when he heard it, +for he said: "Such a child, with such a mother, will grow into a knight +at home." + +The king's words were true; for when the king was an old, old man, +Gauvain rode to his court and was knighted. + +Gauvain had a beautiful name of his own then, for he was called "Gauvain +the Good"; and he was brave, happy, kind, pure, and true. And he was +beloved by all the people in the world, but most of all by his mother. + + + + +_THE CLOSING DOOR_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Keep thou an open door between thy child's life + and thine own_. + +There was once a little girl (her best and sweetest name was Little +Daughter), who had a dear little room, all her own, which was full of +treasures, and was as lovely as love could make it. + +You never could imagine, no matter how you tried, a room more beautiful +than hers; for it was white and shining from the snowy floor to the +ceiling, which looked as if it might have been made of a fleecy cloud. +The curtains at the windows were like the petals of a lily, and the +little bed was like swan's down. + +There were white pansies, too, that bloomed in the windows, and a dove +whose voice was sweet as music; and among her treasures she had a string +of pearls which she was to wear about her neck when the king of the +country sent for her, as he had promised to do some day. + +This string of pearls grew longer and more beautiful as the little girl +grew older, for a new pearl was given her as soon as she waked up each +morning; and every one was a gift from this king, who bade her keep them +fair. + +Her mother helped her to take care of them and of all the other +beautiful things in her room. Every morning, after the new pearl was +slipped on the string, they would set the room in order; and every +evening they would look over the treasures and enjoy them together, +while they carefully wiped away any specks of dust that had gotten in +during the day and made the room less lovely. + +There were several doors and windows, which the little girl could open +and shut just as she pleased, in this room; but there was one door which +was always open, and that was the one which led into her mother's room. + +No matter what Little Daughter was doing she was happier if her mother +was near; and although she sometimes ran away into her own room and +played by herself, she always bounded out at her mother's first call, +and sprang into her mother's arms, gladder than ever to be with her +because she had been away. + +Now one day when the little girl was playing alone, she had a visitor +who came in without knocking and who seemed, at first, very much out of +place in the shining white room, for he was a goblin and as black as a +lump of coal. He had not been there more than a very few minutes, +however, before nearly everything in the room began to look more like +him and less like driven snow: and although the little girl thought that +he was very strange and ugly when she first saw him, she soon grew used +to him, and found him an entertaining playfellow. + +She wanted to call her mother to see him; but he said: "Oh! no; we are +having such a nice time together, and she's busy, you know." So the +little girl did not call; and the mother, who was making a dress of fine +lace for her darling, did not dream that a goblin was in the little +white room. + +The goblin did not make any noise, you know, for he tip-toed all the +time, as if he were afraid; and if he heard a sound he would jump. But +he was a merry goblin, and he amused the little girl so much that she +did not notice the change in her dear room. + +The curtains grew dingy, the floor dusty, and the ceiling looked as if +it might have been made of a rain cloud; but the child played on, and +got out all her treasures to show to her visitor. + +The pansies drooped and faded, the white dove hid its head beneath its +wing and moaned; and the last pearl on the precious string grew dark +when the goblin touched it with his smutty fingers. + +"Oh, dear me," said the little girl when she saw this, "I must call my +mother; for these are the pearls that I must wear to the king's court, +when he sends for me." + +"Never mind," said the goblin, "we can wash it, and if it isn't just as +white as before, what difference does it make about one pearl?" + +[Illustration: One day * * * she had a visitor who came in without +knocking.] + +"But mother says that they all must be as fair as the morning," insisted +the little girl, eady to cry. "And what will she say when she sees +this one?" + +"You shut the door, then," said the goblin, pointing to the door that +had never been closed, "and I'll wash the pearl." So the little girl ran +to close the door, and the goblin began to rub the pearl; but it only +seemed to grow darker. Now the door had been open so long that it was +hard to move, and it creaked on its hinges as the little girl tried to +close it. When the mother heard this she looked up to see what was the +matter. She had been thinking about the dress which she was making; but +when she saw the closing door, her heart stood still with fear; for she +knew that if it once closed tight she might never be able to open it +again. + +She dropped her fine laces and ran towards the door, calling, "Little +Daughter! Little Daughter! Where are you?" and she reached out her hands +to stop the door. But as soon as the little girl heard that loving voice +she answered:-- + +"Mother, oh! Mother! I need you so! my pearl is turning black and +everything is wrong!" and, flinging the door wide open, she ran into +her mother's arms. + +When the two went together into the little room, the goblin had gone. +The pansies now bloomed again, and the white dove cooed in peace; but +there was much work for the mother and daughter, and they rubbed and +scrubbed and washed and swept and dusted, till the room was so beautiful +that you would not have known that a goblin had been there--except for +the one pearl which was a little blue always, even when the king was +ready for Little Daughter to come to his court, although that was not +until she was a very old woman. + +As for the door, it was never closed again; for Little Daughter and her +mother put two golden hearts against it and nothing in this world could +have shut it then. + + + + +_THE MINSTREL'S SONG_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _The child must listen well if he would hear_. + + --_Blow's Commentaries_. + +Once, long, long ago, there lived in a country over the sea a king +called René, who married a lovely princess whose name was Imogen. + +Imogen came across the seas to the king's beautiful country, and all his +people welcomed her with great joy because the king loved her. + +"What can I do to please thee to-day?" the king asked her every morning; +and one day the queen answered that she would like to hear all the +minstrels in the king's country, for they were said to be the finest in +the world. + +As soon as the king heard this, he called his heralds and sent them +everywhere through his land to sound their trumpets and call aloud:-- + +"Hear, ye minstrels! King René, our gracious king, bids ye come to play +at his court on May-day, for love of the Queen Imogen." + +The minstrels were men who sang beautiful songs and played on harps; and +long ago they went about from place to place, from castle to castle, +from palace to cot, and were always sure of a welcome wherever they +roamed. + +They could sing of the brave deeds that the knights had done, and of +wars and battles, and could tell of the mighty hunters who hunted in the +great forests, and of fairies and goblins, better than a story book; and +because there were no story books in those days, everybody, from little +children to the king, was glad to see them come. + +So when the minstrels heard the king's message, they made haste to the +palace on May-day; and it so happened that some of them met on the way +and decided to travel together. + +One of these minstrels was a young man named Harmonius; and while the +others talked of the songs that they would sing, he gathered the wild +flowers that grew by the roadside. + +"I can sing of the drums and battles," said the oldest minstrel, whose +hair was white and whose step was slow. + +"I can sing of ladies and their fair faces," said the youngest minstrel; +but Harmonius whispered: "Listen! listen!" + +"Oh! we hear nothing but the wind in the tree-tops," said the others. +"We have no time to stop and listen." + +Then they hurried on and left Harmonius; and he stood under the trees +and listened, for he heard something very sweet. At last he knew that it +was the wind singing of its travels through the wide world; telling how +it raced over the blue sea, tossing the waves and rocking the white +ships, and hurried on to the hills, where the trees made harps of their +branches, and then how it blew down into the valleys, where all the +flowers danced gayly in time to the tune. + +Harmonius could understand every word:-- + + "_Nobody follows me where I go, + Over the mountains or valleys below; + Nobody sees where the wild winds blow, + Only the Father in Heaven can know_." + +That was the chorus of the wind's song. Harmonius listened until he knew +the whole song from beginning to end; and then he ran on and soon +reached his friends, who were still talking of the grand sights that +they were to see. + +"We shall see the king and speak to him," said the oldest minstrel. + +"And his golden crown and the queen's jewels," added the youngest; and +Harmonius had no chance to tell of the wind's song, although he thought +about it time and again. + +Now their path led them through the wood; and as they talked, Harmonius +said:-- + +"Hush! listen!" But the others answered:-- + +"Oh! that is only the sound of the brook trickling over the stones. Let +us make haste to the king's court." + +But Harmonius stayed to hear the song that the brook was singing, of +journeying through mosses and ferns and shady ways, and of tumbling over +the rocks in shining waterfalls on its way to the sea. + + "_Rippling and bubbling through shade and sun, + On to the beautiful sea I run; + Singing forever, though none be near, + For God in Heaven can always hear,"_ + +sang the little brook. Harmonius listened until he knew every word of +the song, and then he hurried on. + +When he reached the others, he found them still talking of the king and +queen, so he could not tell them of the brook. As they talked, he heard +something again that was wonderfully sweet, and he cried: "Listen! +listen!" + +"Oh! that is only a bird!" the others replied. "Let us make haste to the +king's court!" + +But Harmonius would not go, for the bird sang so joyfully that Harmonius +laughed aloud when he heard the song. + +It was singing a song of green trees, and in every tree a nest, and in +every nest eggs! Oh! the bird was so gay as it sang:-- + + "_Merrily, merrily, listen to me, + Flitting and flying from tree to tree. + Nothing fear I, by land or sea, + For God in Heaven is watching me"_ + +"Thank you, little bird," said Harmonius; "you have taught me a song." +And he made haste to join his comrades, for by this time they were near +the palace. + +When they had gone in, they received a hearty welcome, and were feasted +in the great hall before they came before the king. + +The king and queen sat on their throne together. The king thought of the +queen and the minstrels; but the queen thought of her old home, and of +the butterflies she had chased when she was a little child. + +One by one the minstrels played before them. + +The oldest minstrel sang of battles and drums, just as he had said he +would; and the youngest minstrel sang of ladies and their fair faces, +which pleased the court ladies very much. + +[Illustration: Harmonius * * * touched his harp and sang.] + +Then came Harmonius. And when he touched his harp and sang, the song +sounded like the wind blowing, the sea roaring, and the trees +creaking; then it grew very soft, and sounded like a trickling brook +dripping on stones and running over little pebbles; and while the king +and queen and all the court listened in surprise, Harmonius' song grew +sweeter, sweeter, sweeter. It was as if you heard all the birds in +Spring. And then the song was ended. + +The queen clapped her hands, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs, +and the king came down from his throne to ask Harmonius if he came from +fairyland with such a wonderful song. But Harmonius answered:-- + +"_Three singers sang along our way, And I learned the song from them +to-day_." + +Now, all the other minstrels looked up in surprise when Harmonius said +this; and the oldest minstrel said to the king: "Harmonius is dreaming! +We heard no music on our way to-day." + +And the youngest minstrel said: "Harmonius is surely mad! We met nobody +on our way to-day." + +But the queen said: "That is an old, old song. I heard it when I was a +little child; and I can name the singers three." And so she did. Can +you? + + + + +_DUST UNDER THE RUG_ + + Motto for the Mother + + _Well for the child, well for the man, to whom + throughout life the voice of conscience is the prophecy + and pledge of an abiding union with God_! + + FROEBEL. + +There was once a mother, who had two little daughters; and, as her +husband was dead and she was very poor, she worked diligently all the +time that they might be well fed and clothed. She was a skilled worker, +and found work to do away from home, but her two little girls were so +good and so helpful that they kept her house as neat and as bright as a +new pin. + +One of the little girls was lame, and could not run about the house; so +she sat still in her chair and sewed, while Minnie, the sister, washed +the dishes, swept the floor, and made the home beautiful. + +Their home was on the edge of a great forest; and after their tasks were +finished the little girls would sit at the window and watch the tall +trees as they bent in the wind, until it would seem as though the trees +were real persons, nodding and bending and bowing to each other. + +In the Spring there were the birds, in the Summer the wild flowers, in +Autumn the bright leaves, and in Winter the great drifts of white snow; +so that the whole year was a round of delight to the two happy children. +But one day the dear mother came home sick; and then they were very sad. +It was Winter, and there were many things to buy. Minnie and her little +sister sat by the fire and talked it over, and at last Minnie said:-- + +"Dear sister, I must go out to find work, before the food gives out." So +she kissed her mother, and, wrapping herself up, started from home. +There was a narrow path leading through the forest, and she determined +to follow it until she reached some place where she might find the work +she wanted. + +As she hurried on, the shadows grew deeper. The night was coming fast +when she saw before her a very small house, which was a welcome sight. +She made haste to reach it, and to knock at the door. + +Nobody came in answer to her knock. When she had tried again and again, +she thought that nobody lived there; and she opened the door and walked +in, thinking that she would stay all night. + +As soon as she stepped into the house, she started back in surprise; for +there before her she saw twelve little beds with the bed-clothes all +tumbled, twelve little dirty plates on a very dusty table, and the floor +of the room so dusty that I am sure you could have drawn a picture on +it. + +"Dear me!" said the little girl, "this will never do!" And as soon as +she had warmed her hands, she set to work to make the room tidy. + +She washed the plates, she made up the beds, she swept the floor, she +straightened the great rug in front of the fireplace, and set the twelve +little chairs in a half circle around the fire; and, just as she +finished, the door opened and in walked twelve of the queerest little +people she had ever seen. They were just about as tall as a carpenter's +rule, and all wore yellow clothes; and when Minnie saw this, she knew +that they must be the dwarfs who kept the gold in the heart of the +mountain. + +"Well!" said the dwarfs all together, for they always spoke together and +in rhyme, + + "_Now isn't this a sweet surprise? + We really can't believe our eyes_!" + +Then they spied Minnie, and cried in great astonishment:-- + + "_Who can this be, so fair and mild? + Our helper is a stranger child_." + +Now when Minnie saw the dwarfs, she came to meet them. "If you please," +she said, "I'm little Minnie Grey; and I'm looking for work because my +dear mother is sick. I came in here when the night drew near, and--" +here all the dwarfs laughed, and called out merrily:-- + + "_You found our room a sorry sight, + But you have made it clean and bright_." + +They were such dear funny little dwarfs! After they had thanked Minnie +for her trouble, they took white bread and honey from the closet and +asked her to sup with them. + +While they sat at supper, they told her that their fairy housekeeper had +taken a holiday, and their house was not well kept, because she was +away. + +They sighed when they said this; and after supper, when Minnie washed +the dishes and set them carefully away, they looked at her often and +talked among themselves. When the last plate was in its place they +called Minnie to them and said:-- + + "_Dear mortal maiden will you stay + All through our fairy's holiday? + And if you faithful prove, and good, + We will reward you as we should_." + +Now Minnie was much pleased, for she liked the kind dwarfs, and wanted +to help them, so she thanked them, and went to bed to dream happy +dreams. + +Next morning she was awake with the chickens, and cooked a nice +breakfast; and after the dwarfs left, she cleaned up the room and mended +the dwarfs' clothes. In the evening when the dwarfs came home, they +found a bright fire and a warm supper waiting for them; and every day +Minnie worked faithfully until the last day of the fairy housekeeper's +holiday. + +That morning, as Minnie looked out of the window to watch the dwarfs go +to their work, she saw on one of the window panes the most beautiful +picture she had ever seen. + +A picture of fairy palaces with towers of silver and frosted pinnacles, +so wonderful and beautiful that as she looked at it she forgot that +there was work to be done, until the cuckoo clock on the mantel struck +twelve. + +Then she ran in haste to make up the beds, and wash the dishes; but +because she was in a hurry she could not work quickly, and when she took +the broom to sweep the floor it was almost time for the dwarfs to come +home. + +"I believe," said Minnie aloud, "that I will not sweep under the rug +to-day. After all, it is nothing for dust to be where it can't be seen!" +So she hurried to her supper and left the rug unturned. + +Before long the dwarfs came home. As the rooms looked just as usual, +nothing was said; and Minnie thought no more of the dust until she went +to bed and the stars peeped through the window. + +[Illustration: All the little dwarfs came running out to see what was +the matter.] + +Then she thought of it, for it seemed to her that she could hear the +stars saying:-- + +"There is the little girl who is so faithful and good"; and Minnie +turned her face to the wall, for a little voice, right in her own heart, +said:-- + +"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" + +"There is the little girl," cried the stars, "who keeps home as bright +as star-shine." + +"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" said the little voice in +Minnie's heart. + +"We see her! we see her!" called all the stars joyfully. + +"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" said the little voice in +Minnie's heart, and she could bear it no longer. So she sprang out of +bed, and, taking her broom in her hand, she swept the dust away; and lo! +under the dust lay twelve shining gold pieces, as round and as bright as +the moon. + +"Oh! oh! oh!" cried Minnie, in great surprise; and all the little dwarfs +came running to see what was the matter. + +Minnie told them all about it; and when she had ended her story, the +dwarfs gathered lovingly around her and said:-- + + "_Dear child, the gold is all for you, + For faithful you have proved and true; + But had you left the rug unturned, + A groat was all you would have earned. + Our love goes with the gold we give, + And oh! forget not while you live, + That in the smallest duty done + Lies wealth of joy for every one_." + +Minnie thanked the dwarfs for their kindness to her; and early next +morning she hastened home with her golden treasure, which bought many +good things for the dear mother and little sister. + +She never saw the dwarfs again; but she never forgot their lesson, to do +her work faithfully; and she always swept under the rug. + + + + +_THE STORY OF GRETCHEN_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Oh! like a wreath, let Christmas mirth + To-day encircle all the earth, + And bind the nations with the love + That Jesus brought from heaven above_. + +It was almost Christmas time when one of the white ships that sail +across the sea brought a little German girl named Gretchen, with her +father and mother, to find a new home in our dear land. + +Gretchen knew all about Christmas. She had heard the story of the loving +Christ Child over and over, and in her home in Germany she had kept His +birthday and enjoyed it ever since she could remember. + +Every year, a little before Christmas, her shoes had been placed in the +garden for Rupert, who is one of Santa Claus's German helpers, to fill, +and every year she had found a Christmas tree lighted for her on +Christmas Day. She wondered a little, as she came across the ocean, how +she would keep Christmas in the new country; and she wondered still +more, when they reached a great city, and had their "boxes" carried up +so many stairs to a little room in a boarding-house. + +Gretchen's mother did not like boarding-houses--no, indeed!--and their +first thought was to find a place where they might feel at home; but the +very next morning after their long journey the dear father was too ill +to lift his head from the pillow, and Gretchen and her mother were very +sad for many days. Up so high in a boarding-house is not pleasant (even +if you do seem nearer the stars) when somebody you love is sick; and +then, too, Gretchen began to think that Santa Claus and Rupert had +forgotten her; for when she set her two little wooden shoes outside the +door, they were never filled with goodies, and people stumbled over them +and scolded. + +The tears would roll down Gretchen's fat, rosy cheeks, and fall into the +empty shoes, and she decided that the people in America did not keep +Christmas, and wished she was in her own Germany again. One day, +however, a good woman in the house felt sorry for the lonely little +German girl, who could speak no English, and she asked Gretchen's +mother if Gretchen might go with her to see the beautiful stores. She +was only a poor woman, and had no presents to give away; but she knew +how to be kind to Gretchen, and she took her hand and smiled at her very +often as they hurried along the crowded street. + +It was the day before Christmas, and throngs of people were moving here +and there, and Gretchen was soon bewildered, and she was jostled and +pushed until she was tired; but at last they stepped into a store which +made her blue eyes open wide, for it was a toy store, and the most +beautiful place she had ever seen. There were toys in that store that +had come across the sea like Gretchen; there were lovely dolls from +France, who were spending their first Christmas away from home; there +were woolly sheep, fine painted soldiers, and dainty furniture, and a +whole host of wonderful toys marked very carefully, "Made in Germany"; +and even the Japanese, from their island in the great ocean, had sent +their funny slant-eyed dolls to help us keep Christmas. + +Oh! it was splendid to be in the toyshop the day before Christmas! All +the tin soldiers stood up so straight and tall, looking as if they were +just ready to march when the big drums and the little drums, which hung +over their heads, should call them. + +The rocking horses, which are always saddled, were waiting to gallop +away. The tops were anxious to spin, and the balls really rolled about +sometimes, because it was so hard for them to keep still. + +The fine lady dolls were dressed in their best. One of them was a +princess, and wore a white satin dress, and had a crown on her head. She +sat on a throne in one of the windows, with all the other dolls around +her; and it was in this very window that Gretchen saw a baby doll, which +made her forget all the rest. It was a real baby doll, not nearly so +fine as most of the others, but with a look on its face as if it wanted +to be loved; and Gretchen's warm German heart went out to it, for +little mothers are the same all the world over. + +Such a dear baby doll! She must have been made for a Christmas gift, +Gretchen thought; and if the good giver came to this queer American +land, he surely would find her. How could she let him know where she +was? She thought about it all the way home, and all day long, till the +gas was lighted down in the great city and the stars were lighted up +above, and the time of his coming drew very near. + +The father was better; but the mother had said with tears in her eyes, +that there could be no Christmas tree for them that year. So Gretchen +did not worry them, but she wrapped herself up in a blanket and shawl, +and, taking her shoes in her hand, she crept down the stairs, through +the door, out to the wooden stoop. There had been a light fall of snow +that day, but it was a mild Christmas, and Gretchen set her shoes evenly +together, and then sat down beside them; for she had made up her mind to +watch them until Santa Claus came by. + +All over the city the bells were ringing,--calling "Merry Christmas" to +each other and to the world; and they sang so sweetly to little Gretchen +that they sang her to sleep that Christmas Eve. + +It was hundreds and hundreds of years since the Christ Child slept in +the manger; but this same night in the great city a little American girl +named Margaret had her heart so full of His love and joy that she wanted +to make everybody happy for the dear Christ's sake. + +She had waked up early the day before Christmas, and all day long she +had been doing loving deeds; and when evening came, and the bells began +to ring, she started with a basket of toys to a mission church, where +she was to help Santa Claus by giving gifts to the children of the poor. + +[Illustration: The dearest Christmas Gift that ever came to a homesick +little girl.] + +Her papa was with her, and they were so glad that they sang gay +Christmas carols, and kept time to them with their feet as they hurried +down the street, right by the wooden stoop, just as Gretchen fell asleep +by her empty shoes. The moon had seen those empty shoes, and was +filling them with moonbeams. The stars had seen them, and peeped into +them with pity; and when Margaret and her father saw them they cried out +to each other, for they had been in Germany, and they knew that the +little owner was waiting for the good Saint Nicholas. + +"What can we give her?" whispered Margaret's papa, as he looked down at +his bundles; but Margaret knew, for she took from her basket a baby +doll--one that looked as if it wanted to be loved--and laid it tenderly +across the wooden shoes. Then Margaret lifted a corner of the blanket +from Gretchen's rosy face and shouted "Merry Christmas!" with so much +heartiness that the little girl woke with a start to find, not Margaret +and her papa, for they had run away, but, oh! wonder of wonders! the +dearest Christmas gift that ever came to a homesick little girl, and +made her feel at home. + +Oh! all the bells were singing and ringing, and Margaret and her papa +answered them with their merry Christmas carol, as they sped on their +way. + + "_Carol, brothers, carol! + Carol merrily! + Carol the glad tidings, + Carol cheerily! + And pray a gladsome Christmas + To all our fellowmen, + Carol, brothers, carol! + Christmas Day again_." + + + + +_THE KING'S BIRTHDAY_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Let the child feel Christ is near him; + By your faith will grow his own; + Death nor danger will affright him + If he never feels alone_. + +Little Carl and his mother came from their home in the country one sweet +summer day, because it was the king's birthday, and all the city was to +be glad and gay, and the king would ride on his fine gray horse for the +people to see. + +Little Carl had gathered a very fine bunch of flowers to throw before +the king. He had marigolds and pinks and pansies, and they had all grown +in his mother's garden. + +This was a great day for little boy Carl, and before he started from +home he told everything goodbye,--the brindle calf and the mooley cow +and the sheep and little white lambs. + +"Good-bye!" he said; "I am going to see the king." + +The way was long, but Carl did not complain. He trudged bravely on by +his mother's side, holding the flowers tightly in his little hand, and +looking out of his great blue eyes for the king, in case the king should +ride out to meet them. + +Every now and then Carl wished for his father, who was obliged to work +in the fields all day, and who had been up and away before Carl was +awake. Carl thought of the fine sights his father was missing, +especially when they came to the city, where the flags were flying from +every steeple and housetop and window. + +There were as many people in the city as there were birds in the +country; and when the drums beat, the crowd rushed forward and everybody +called at once: "The king! the king! Long live the king!" + +Carl's mother lifted him up in her arms that he might see, The king rode +slowly along on his great gray horse, with all his fine ladies and +gentlemen behind him; and little Carl threw his flowers with the rest +and waved his cap in his hand. + +He felt sorry for his flowers after he had thrown them, because they +were trampled under the horses' feet and the king didn't care; and +after that he felt very tired, and his little hot hand slipped from his +mother's and he was carried away in the crowd. + +He thought that his mother would surely come. But there were only +strange faces about him, and he was such a little lad that nobody +noticed him; and at last he was left behind, all alone. + +He was very miserable, and the tears rolled down his cheeks; but he +remembered that it was the king's birthday, and that everybody must be +glad, so he wiped the tears away as he trudged along. + +There were wonderful houses along the street, with great gardens in +front; and Carl thought that they must belong to the king, but he did +not want to go in. They were all too fine for him. But at last he +reached one which stood off by itself and had a tall, tall steeple and +great doors, through which hundreds of people were coming. + +"Perhaps my mamma is there," thought little Carl. After he had watched +all the people come out, and had not seen her, he went up the white +marble steps and through the doors, and found himself all alone in a +very beautiful place. + +The roof of the house was held up by great strong pillars, and the floor +had as many patterns on it as his mother's patchwork; and on every side +he saw windows,--beautiful windows like picture books,--and when he had +seen one, he wanted to see another, as you do when you are looking at +picture books. + +Some of the windows had jewels and crowns upon them; some had sheaves of +lilies; and others had lovely faces and men with harps; and at last he +came to one great window which was different from the rest and lovelier +than any of them. + +The other windows were like picture books, but this one was like home; +for there were sheep in it and flowers, and a dear, gentle Man, with a +loving face, and He had a lamb in His arms. + +When little Carl looked at this window, he crept very close under it, +and, laying his head on his arm, sobbed himself to sleep. + +[Illustration: "Mother, mother, here am I!"] + +While he slept, the sunbeams came through the window and made bright +circles round his head; and the white doves that lived in the church +tower flew through an open window to look at him. + +"It is good to live in the church tower," cooed the white doves to each +other, "for the bells are up there; and then we can fly down here and +see the dear Christ's face. See! here is one of his little ones!" + +"Coo, coo," said the white doves softly; "we cannot speak so loudly as +the bells, nor make ourselves heard so far; but we can fly where we +please, and they must stay always up there." + +All this cooing did not wake little boy Carl, for he was dreaming a +beautiful dream about a king who had a face like the Good Man in the +window, and who was carrying Carl in His arms instead of a lamb, and was +taking him to his mother; and just as he dreamed that they had reached +her, Carl woke up, for he heard somebody talking in the church. + +He lay still and listened, for this seemed part of the dream. Somebody +was talking about him, and the words were very plain to Carl:-- + +"Dear Father in Heaven, I have lost my little boy. I am like Mary +seeking for the Christ Child. For His sake, give me my little child!" + +Carl knew that voice, and in an instant he ran out crying:-- + +"Mother! mother! here am I!" + +And in all the joy of the king's birth day, there was no joy so great as +theirs. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mother Stories, by Maud Lindsay + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 15929-8.txt or 15929-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/9/2/15929/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Chuck Greif and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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: Mother Stories + +Author: Maud Lindsay + +Illustrator: Sarah Noble-Ives + +Release Date: May 28, 2005 [EBook #15929] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Chuck Greif and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1>MOTHER STORIES</h1> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h1>MAUD LINDSAY</h1> +<hr /> +<h3>ILLUSTRATED <i>by</i> SARAH NOBLE-IVES</h3> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<table summary="poem"> +<tr><td align="left"> +"<i>Mother, a story told at the right time</i></td></tr> +<tr><td><i>Is a looking-glass for the mind</i>."</td></tr> +<tr> <td align="right" style="font-variant:small-caps">Froebel.</td></tr> +</table> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<h5>TWENTY-EIGHTH EDITION</h5> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr /> +<h3>MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY</h3> + +<h4>SPRINGFIELD MASS. 1928</h4> +<hr /> +<p> </p><p> </p> +<h4>Bradley Quality Books</h4> +<h5>PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</h5> +<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> +<h2>DEDICATED <i>to</i> MY MOTHER</h2> +<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/frontcover.jpg" + alt="Front Cover" title="Front Cover" /> +</div> +<h4>Front Cover</h4> +<hr /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<ul> +<li> <a href="#PREFACE"><b>PREFACE</b></a></li> +</ul><h2>LIST OF STORIES</h2> +<ul> +<li> <a href="#THE_WINDS_WORK"><b>The Wind's Work</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#MRS_TABBY_GRAY"><b>Mrs. Tabby Gray</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#FLEET_WING_AND_SWEET_VOICE"><b>Fleet Wind and Sweet Voice</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#THE_LITTLE_GIRL_WITH_THE_LIGHT"><b>The Little Girl with the Light</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#THE_LITTLE_GRAY_PONY"><b>The Little Gray Pony</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#HOW_THE_HOME_WAS_BUILT"><b>How the Home was Built</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#THE_LITTLE_TRAVELER"><b>The Little Traveler</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#THE_OPEN_GATE"><b>The Open Gate</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#INSIDE_THE_GARDEN_GATE"><b>Inside the Garden Gate</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#THE_JOURNEY"><b>The Journey</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#The_GIANT_ENERGY___The_FAIRY_SKILL"><b>The Giant Energy & The Fairy Skill</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#THE_SEARCH_FOR_A_GOOD_CHILD"><b>The Search for a Good Child</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#The_Closing_Door"><b>The Closing Door</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#THE_MINSTRELS_SONG"><b>The Minstrel's Song</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#DUST_UNDER_THE_RUG"><b>Dust Under the Rug</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#THE_STORY_OF_GRETCHEN"><b>The Story of Gretchen</b></a></li> +<li> <a href="#THE_KINGS_BIRTHDAY"><b>The King's Birthday</b></a></li> +</ul> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE</h2> + + +<p>I have endeavored to write, for mothers and dear little children, a few +simple stories, embodying some of the truths of Froebel's Mother Play.</p> + +<p>The Mother Play is such a vast treasure house of Truth, that each one +who seeks among its stores may bring to light some gem; and though, +perhaps, I have missed its diamonds and rubies, I trust my string of +pearls may find acceptance with some mother who is trying to live with +her children.</p> + +<p>I have written my own mottoes, with a few exceptions, that I might +emphasize the particular lesson which I endeavor to teach in the story; +for every motto in the Mother Play comprehends so much that it is +impossible to use the whole for a single subject. From "The Bridge" for +instance, which is replete with lessons, I have taken only one,—for the +story of the "Little Traveler."</p> + +<p>Most of these stories have been told and retold to little children, and +are surrounded, in my eyes, by a halo of listening faces.</p> + +<p>"Mrs. Tabby Gray" is founded on a true story of a favorite cat. "The +Journey" is a new version of the old Stage Coach game, much loved by our +grandmothers; and I am indebted to some old story, read in childhood, +for the suggestion of "Dust Under the Rug," which was a successful +experiment in a kindergarten to test the possibility of interesting +little children in a story after the order of Grimm, with the wicked +stepmother and her violent daughter eradicated.</p> + +<p>Elizabeth Peabody says we are all free to look out of each other's +windows; and so I place mine at the service of all who care to see what +its tiny panes command.</p> + +<p class="author">Maud Lindsay.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_WINDS_WORK" id="THE_WINDS_WORK"></a><i>THE WIND'S WORK</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Power invisible that God reveals,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>The child within all nature feels,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Like the great wind that unseen goes,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Yet helps the world's work as it blows</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>One morning Jan waked up very early, and the first thing he saw when he +opened his eyes was his great kite in the corner. His big brother had +made it for him; and it had a smiling face, and a long tail that reached +from the bed to the fireplace. It did not smile at Jan that morning +though, but looked very sorrowful and seemed to say "Why was I made? Not +to stand in a corner, I hope!" for it had been finished for two whole +days and not a breeze had blown to carry it up like a bird in the air.</p> + +<p>Jan jumped out of bed, dressed himself, and ran to the door to see if +the windmill on the hill was at work; for he hoped that the wind had +come in the night. But the mill was silent and its arms stood still. Not +even a leaf turned over in the yard.</p> + +<p>The windmill stood on a high hill where all the people could see it, and +when its long arms went whirling around every one knew that there was +no danger of being hungry, for then the Miller was busy from morn to +night grinding the grain that the farmers brought him.</p> + +<p>When Jan looked out, however, the Miller had nothing to do, and was +standing in his doorway, watching the clouds, and saying to himself +(though Jan could not hear him):—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Oh! how I wish the wind would blow</i><br /></span> +<span><i>So that my windmill's sails might go,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>To turn my heavy millstones round!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>For corn and wheat must both be ground,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And how to grind I do not know</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Unless the merry wind will blow</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>He sighed as he spoke, for he looked down in the village, and saw the +Baker in neat cap and apron, standing idle too.</p> + +<p>The Baker's ovens were cold, and his trays were clean, and he, too, was +watching the sky, and saying:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Oh! how I wish the wind would blow,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>So that the Miller's mill might go,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And grind me flour so fine, to make</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My good light bread and good sweet cake!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>But how to bake I do not know</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Without the flour as white as snow</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Jan heard every word that the Baker said, for he lived next door to him; +and he felt so sorry for his good neighbor that he wanted to tell him +so. But before he had time to speak, somebody else called out from +across the street:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Well! I'm sure I wish the wind would blow,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>For this is washing day, you know.</i><br /></span> +<span><i>I've scrubbed and rubbed with all my might,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>In tubs of foam from morning light,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And now I want the wind to blow</i><br /></span> +<span><i>To dry my clothes as white as snow</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>This was the Washerwoman who was hanging out her clothes. Jan could see +his own Sunday shirt, with ruffles, hanging limp on her line, and it was +as white as a snowflake, sure enough!</p> + +<p>"Come over, little neighbor," cried the Washerwoman, when she saw Jan. +"Come over, little neighbor, and help me work to-day!" So, as soon as +Jan had eaten his breakfast, he ran over to carry her basket for her. +The basket was heavy, but he did not care; and as he worked he heard +some one singing a song, with a voice almost as loud and as strong as +the wind.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span><a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>"<i>Oh! if the merry wind would blow,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho! yeo ho!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My gallant ship would gaily go,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>In fresh'ning gales we'd loose our sails,</i><br /></span> +<span class="i4"><i>And o'er the sea,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Where blue waves dance, and sunbeams glance,</i><br /></span> +<span class="i4"><i>We'd sail in glee,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>But winds must blow, before we go,</i><br /></span> +<span class="i4"><i>Across the sea,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Yeo ho! my lads, yeo ho!"</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<p>Jan and the Washerwoman and all the neighbors looked out to see who was +singing so cheerily, and it was the Sea-captain whose white ship Jan had +watched in the harbor. The ship was laden with linen and laces for fine +ladies, but it could not go till the wind blew. The Captain was +impatient to be off, and so he walked about town, singing his jolly song +to keep himself happy.</p> + +<p>Jan thought it was a beautiful song, and when he went home he tried to +sing it himself. He did not know all the words, but he put his hands in +his pockets and swelled out his little chest and sang in as big a voice +as he could: "Yeo ho! my lads, yeo ho!"</p> + +<p>While he sang, something kissed him on the cheek; and when he turned to +see what it was his hat spun off into the yard as if it were enchanted; +and when he ran to pick his hat up he heard a whispering all through the +town. He looked up, and he looked down, and on every side, but saw +nobody! At last the golden weather-vane on the church tower called +down:—</p> + +<p>"Foolish child, it is the wind from out of the east."</p> + +<p>The trees had been the first to know of its coming, and they were bowing +and bending to welcome it; while the leaves danced off the branches and +down the hill, in a whirl of delight.</p> + +<p>The windmill's arms whirled round, oh! so fast, and the wheat was ground +into white flour for the Baker, who kindled his fires and beat his eggs +in the twinkling of an eye; and he was not quicker than the Sea-captain, +who loosed his sails in the fresh'ning gales, just as he had said he +would, and sailed away to foreign lands.</p> + +<p>Jan watched him go, and then ran in great haste to get his kite; for the +petticoats on the Washerwoman's clothesline were puffed up like +balloons, and all the world was astir.</p> + +<p>"Now I'm in my proper place," said the kite as it sailed over the roofs +of the houses, over the tree tops, over the golden weather vane, and +even over the windmill itself. Higher, higher, higher it flew, as if it +had wings; till it slipped away from the string, and Jan never saw it +again, and only the wind knew where it landed at last.</p> + + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/17.jpg" + alt=""Now I am in my proper place," said the Kite." title=""Now I am in my proper place," said the Kite." /> +</div> +<h4>"Now I am in my proper place," said the Kite.</h4> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="MRS_TABBY_GRAY" id="MRS_TABBY_GRAY"></a><i>MRS. TABBY GRAY</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>All mother love attracts the child,</i><br /></span> +<span class="i2"><i>Its world-wide tenderness he feels.</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And ev'ry beast that loves her young,</i><br /></span> +<span class="i2"><i>His mother's love to him reveals</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<p>Mrs. Tabby Gray, with her three little kittens, lived out in the barn +where the hay was stored. One of the kittens was white, one was black, +and one gray, just like her mother, who was called Tabby Gray from the +color of her coat.</p> + +<p>These three little kittens opened their eyes when they grew old enough, +and thought there was nothing so nice in all this wonderful world as +their own dear mother, although she told them of a great many nice +things, like milk and bread, which they should have when they could go +up to the big house where she had her breakfast, dinner, and supper.</p> + +<p>Every time Mother Tabby came from the big house she had something +pleasant to tell. "Bones for dinner to-day, my dears," she would say, or +"I had a fine romp with a ball and the baby," until the kittens longed +for the time when they could go too.</p> + +<p>One day, however, Mother Cat walked in with joyful news.</p> + +<p>"I have found an elegant new home for you," she said, "in a very large +trunk where some old clothes are kept; and I think I had better move at +once."</p> + +<p>Then she picked up the small black kitten, without any more words, and +walked right out of the barn with him.</p> + +<p>The black kitten was astonished, but he blinked his eyes at the bright +sunshine, and tried to see everything.</p> + +<p>Out in the barnyard there was a great noise, for the white hen had laid +an egg, and wanted everybody to know it; but Mother Cat hurried on, +without stopping to inquire about it, and soon dropped the kitten into +the large trunk. The clothes made such a soft, comfortable bed, and the +kitten was so tired after his exciting trip, that he fell asleep, and +Mrs. Tabby trotted off for another baby.</p> + +<p>While she was away, the lady who owned the trunk came out in the hall; +and when she saw that the trunk was open, she shut it, locked it, and +put the key in her pocket, for she did not dream that there was +anything so precious as a kitten inside.</p> + +<p>As soon as the lady had gone upstairs Mrs. Tabby Gray came back, with +the little white kitten; and when she found the trunk closed, she was +terribly frightened. She put the white kitten down and sprang on top of +the trunk and scratched with all her might, but scratching did no good. +Then she jumped down and reached up to the keyhole, but that was too +small for even a mouse to pass through, and the poor mother mewed +pitifully.</p> + +<p>What was she to do? She picked up the white kitten, and ran to the barn +with it. Then she made haste to the house again, and went upstairs to +the lady's room. The lady was playing with her baby and when Mother Cat +saw this she rubbed against her skirts, and cried: "Mee-ow, mee-ow! You +have your baby, and I want mine! Mee-ow, mee-ow!"</p> + +<p>By and by the lady said: "Poor Kitty! she must be hungry"; and she went +down to the kitchen and poured sweet milk in a saucer, but the cat did +not want milk. She wanted her baby kitten out of the big black trunk, +and she mewed as plainly as she could: "Give me my baby—give me my +baby, out of your big black trunk!"</p> + +<p>The kind lady decided that she must be thirsty: "Poor Kitty, I will give +you water"; but when she set the bowl of water down Mrs. Tabby Gray +mewed more sorrowfully than before. She wanted no water,—she only +wanted her dear baby kitten; and she ran to and fro, crying, until, at +last, the lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk.</p> + +<p>"What can be the matter with this cat?" said the lady; and she took the +trunk key out of her pocket, put it in the lock, unlocked the trunk, +raised the top—and in jumped Mother Cat with such a bound that the +little black kitten waked up with a start.</p> + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/25.jpg" + alt="The lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk." title="The lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk" /> +</div> +<h4>The lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk.</h4> +<p>"Purr, purr, my darling child," said Mrs. Tabby Gray, in great +excitement; "I have had a dreadful fright!" and before the black kitten +could ask one question she picked him up and started for the barn.</p> + +<p>The sun was bright in the barnyard and the hens were still chattering +there; but the black kitten was glad to get back to the barn. His mother +was glad, too; for, as she nestled down in the hay with her three little +kittens, she told them that a barn was the best place after all to raise +children.</p> + +<p>And she never afterwards changed her mind.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="FLEET_WING_AND_SWEET_VOICE" id="FLEET_WING_AND_SWEET_VOICE"></a><i>FLEET WING AND SWEET VOICE</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Make the home-coming sweet!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>The gladness of going</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>The pleasure of knowin</i>g<br /></span> +<span><i>Will not be complete</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Unless, at the ending</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>The home-coming's sweet</i>.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Make the home-coming sweet</i>!<br /></span> +<span><i>No fear of the straying</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>Or dread of the staying</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Of dear little feet</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>If always you're making</i><br /></span> +<span><i>The home-coming sweet</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Mother and Father Pigeon lived with their two young pigeons in their +home, built high on a post in the king's barnyard. Every bright morning +they would fly away through the beautiful sunshine wherever they +pleased, but, when evening came, they were sure to come to the +pigeon-house again.</p> + +<p>One evening, when they were talking together in their sweet, cooing way, +Mother Pigeon said:—</p> + +<p>"We each have a story to tell, I know; so let each one take his turn, +and Father Pigeon begin."</p> + +<p>Then Father Pigeon said:—</p> + +<p>"To-day I have been down to the shining little stream that runs through +the wood. The green ferns grow on either side of it, and the water is +cool, cool, cool! for I dipped my feet into it, and wished that you all +were there."</p> + +<p>"I know the stream," cooed Mother Pigeon. "It turns the wheels of the +mills as it hurries along, and is busy all day on its way to the river."</p> + +<p>"To-day I have talked with the birds in the garden," said Sweet Voice, +one of the young pigeons, "the thrush, the blackbird, and bluebird, and +all. They sang to me and I cooed to them, and together we made the world +gay. The bluebird sang of the sunshine, and the blackbird of the +harvest; but the thrush sang the sweetest song. It was about her nest in +the tree."</p> + +<p>"I heard you all," said Fleet Wing, the other young pigeon; "for I sat +and listened on the high church tower. I was so high up, there, that I +thought I was higher than anything else; but I saw the great sun shining +in the sky, and the little white clouds, like sky pigeons, sailing above +me. Then, looking down, I saw, far away, this white pigeon-house; and it +made me very glad, for nothing that I saw was so lovely as home."</p> + +<p>"I never fly far away from home," said Mother Pigeon, "and to-day I +visited in the chicken yard. The hens were all talking, and they greeted +me with 'Good morning! Good morning!' and the turkey gobbled 'Good +morning!' and the rooster said 'How do you do?' While I chatted with +them a little girl came out with a basket of yellow corn, and threw some +for us all. When I was eating my share, I longed for my dear ones. And +now good night," cooed Mother Pigeon, "it is sleepy time for us all."</p> + +<p>"Coo, coo! Good night!" answered the others; and all was still in the +pigeon-house.</p> + +<p>Now over in the palace, where the king, and queen, and their one little +daughter lived, there was the sound of music and laughter; but the +king's little daughter was sad, for early the next morning her father, +the king, was to start on a journey, and she loved him so dearly that +she could not bear to have him leave her.</p> + +<p>The king's little daughter could not go out in the sunshine like Sweet +Voice and Fleet Wing, but lay all day within the palace on her silken +cushions; for her fine little feet, in their satin slippers, were always +too tired to carry her about, and her thin, little face was as white as +a jasmine flower.</p> + +<p>The king loved her as dearly as she loved him; and when he saw that she +was sad, he tried to think of something to make her glad after he had +gone away. At last he called a prince, and whispered something to him. +The prince told it to a count, and the count to a gentleman-in-waiting.</p> + +<p>The gentleman-in-waiting told a footman, and the footman told somebody +else, and at last, the boy who waited on the cook heard it.</p> + +<p>Early next morning he went to the pigeon-house, where Mother and Father +Pigeon and their two young pigeons lived; and putting his hand through a +door, he took Sweet Voice and Fleet Wing out, and dropped them into a +basket.</p> + +<p>Poor Sweet Voice, and Fleet Wing! They were so frightened that they +could not coo! They sat very close to each other in the covered basket, +and wondered when they would see their mother and father and home +again.</p> + +<p>All the time, as they sat close together in the basket and wondered, +they were being taken away from home; for the king had started on his +journey, and one of his gentlemen was carrying the basket, very +carefully, with him on his horse.</p> + +<p>At last the horses stood still and the basket was taken to the king; and +when he opened it, the two little pigeons looked up and saw that the sun +was high in the sky, and that they were far from home.</p> + +<p>When they saw that they were far from home, they were more frightened +than before; but the king spoke so kindly and smoothed their feathers so +gently, that they knew he would take care of them.</p> + +<p>Then the king took two tiny letters tied with lovely blue ribbon out of +his pocket; and, while his gentlemen stood by to see, he fastened one +under a wing of each little pigeon.</p> + +<p>"Fly away, little pigeons!" he cried; and he tossed them up toward the +sky. "Fly away, and carry my love to my little daughter!"</p> + +<p>Fleet Wing, and Sweet Voice spread their wings joyfully, for they knew +that they were free! free! and they wanted to go home.</p> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/37.jpg" + alt="The little pigeons were taken in to see the king's +daughter." title="The little pigeons were taken in to see the king's +daughter." /> +</div> +<h4>The little pigeons were taken in to see the king's +daughter.</h4> +<p>Everywhere they saw green woods, instead of the red roofs and shining +windows of the town, and Sweet Voice was afraid; but Fleet Wing said:—</p> + +<p>"I saw these woods from the tall church steeple. Home is not so far away +as we thought."</p> + +<p>Then they lost no time in talking, but turned their heads homeward; and +as they flew the little gray squirrels that ran about in the woods +called out to ask them to play, but the pigeons could not stay.</p> + +<p>The wood dove heard them, and called from her tree: "Little cousins, +come in!" But the pigeons thanked her and hurried on.</p> + +<p>"Home is not so far away," said Fleet Wing; but he began to fear that he +had missed the way, and Sweet Voice was so tired that she begged him to +fly on alone.</p> + + + +<p>Fleet Wing would not listen to this; and, as they talked, they came to a +little stream of water with green ferns growing all about, and they knew +that it must be the very stream that Father Pigeon loved. Then they +cooled their tired feet in the fresh water, and cooed for joy; for they +knew that they were getting nearer, nearer, nearer home, all the time.</p> + +<p>Sweet Voice was not afraid then; and as they flew from the shelter of +the woods, they saw the tall church steeple with its golden weather +vane.</p> + +<p>The sun was in the west, and the windows were all shining in its light, +when Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice reached the town. The little children +saw them and called: "Stay with us, pretty pigeons." But Sweet Voice and +Fleet Wing did not rest until they reached the white pigeon house, where +Mother and Father Pigeon were waiting.</p> + +<p>The cook's boy was waiting, too, and the little pigeons were taken in to +see the king's little daughter. When she found the letters which they +carried under their wings, she laughed with delight; and Fleet Wing and +Sweet Voice were very proud to think that they had brought glad news to +their princess.</p> + +<p>They told it over and over again out in the pigeon-house, and Mother and +Father Pigeon were glad, too.</p> + +<p>In the morning, the birds in the garden were told of the wonderful +things that had happened to Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice; and even the +hens and chickens had something to say when they heard the news.</p> + +<p>The thrush said that it all made her think of her own sweet song; and +she sang it again to them:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Wherever I fly from my own dear nest,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>I always come back, for home is the best</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_LITTLE_GIRL_WITH_THE_LIGHT" id="THE_LITTLE_GIRL_WITH_THE_LIGHT"></a><i>THE LITTLE GIRL WITH THE LIGHT</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>We can never dwell in shadows</i><br /></span> +<span><i>If our souls are full of light</i>.<br /></span> +<span><i>Let the brightness of our being</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Make the whole wide world as bright</i><br /></span> +<span><i>"Jesus bids us shine for all around.</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Many kinds of darkness in this world are found.</i><br /></span> +<span><i>There's sin and want and sorrow, so we must shine,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>You in your small corner, I in mine."</i><br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="author"><i>S.S. Hymn</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>There once lived a little maiden to whom God had given a wonderful +light, which made her whole life bright.</p> + +<p>When she was a wee baby it shone on her face in a beautiful smile, and +her mother cried:—</p> + +<p>"See! the angels have been kissing her!" And when she grew older it +lighted up her eyes like sunshine, and gleamed on her forehead like a +star.</p> + +<p>All lovely things that loved light, loved her. The soft-cooing pigeons +came at her call. The roses climbed up to her windows to peep at her, +and the birds of the air, and the butterflies, that looked like +enchanted sunbeams, would circle about her head.</p> + +<p>Her father was king of a country; and though she was not so tall as the +tall white lily in the garden, or the weeds that grew outside, she had +servants to wait on her, and grant her every wish, as if she were a +queen.</p> + +<p>She was dearer to her father and mother than all else that they +possessed; and there was no happier king or queen or little maiden in +any kingdom of the world, till one sad day when the king's enemies came +upon them like a whirlwind, and changed their joy to sorrow.</p> + +<p>Their palace was seized, the servants were scattered, and the king and +queen were carried away to a dark prison-house, where they sat and wept +for their little daughter, for they knew not where she was.</p> + +<p>No one knew but the old nurse, who had nursed the king himself. She had +carried the child away, unnoticed amid the noise and strife, and set her +in safety outside the palace walls.</p> + +<p>"Fly, precious one!" she cried, as she left her there. "Fly! for the +enemy is upon us!" And the little maiden started out in the world alone.</p> + +<p>She knew not where to go; so she wandered away through the fields and +waste places, where nobody lived and only the grasshoppers seemed glad. +But she was not afraid,—no! not even when she came to a great forest, +at evening;—for she carried her light with her.</p> + +<p>'T is true that once she thought she saw a threatening giant waiting by +the dusky path; but, when her light shone on it, it was only a pine +tree, stretching out its friendly arms; and she laughed so merrily that +all the woods laughed too.</p> + +<p>"Who are you? Who are you?" asked an owl, blinking his eyes at the +brightness of her face; and a little rabbit, startled by the sound, +sprang from its hiding place in the bushes and fell trembling at her +feet.</p> + +<p>"Alas!" it panted as she bent in pity to offer help, "Alas! the hunters +with their dogs and guns pursue me! But you flee, too! How can you help +me?" But the child took the tiny creature in her arms and held it close; +and when the dogs rushed through the tanglewood, they saw the light that +lighted up her eyes like sunshine and gleamed on her forehead like a +star, and came no further.</p> + +<p>Then deeper into the great forest she went, bearing the rabbit still; +and the wild beasts heard her footsteps, and waited for her coming.</p> + +<p>"Hush!" said the fox, "she is mine; for I will lead her from the path +into the tanglewood!"</p> + +<p>"Nay, she is mine!" howled the wolf; "for I will follow on her +footsteps!"</p> + +<p>"Mine! mine!" screamed the tiger; "for I will spring upon her in the +darkness, and she cannot escape me!"</p> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/47.jpg" + alt="The child took the tiny creature in her arms and held it +close." title="The child took the tiny creature in her arms and held it +close." /> +</div> +<h4>The child took the tiny creature in her arms and held it close.</h4> + +<p>So they quarreled among themselves, for they were beasts and knew no +better; and as they snarled and growled and howled, the maiden walked in +among them; and when the light which made her lovely fell upon them, +they ran and hid themselves in the depths of the forest, and the child passed +on in safety.</p> + +<p>The rabbit still slept peacefully on her breast. At last she, too, grew +weary, and lay down to sleep on the leaves and moss; and the birds of +the forest watched her and sang to her, and nothing harmed her all the +night.</p> + +<p>In the morning a party of horsemen rode through the forest, looking +behind each bush and tree as if they sought something very precious.</p> + +<p>The forest glowed with splendor then, for the sun had come in all its +glory to scatter darkness and wake up the world. The darkest dells and +caves and lonely paths lost their horror in the morning light, and there +were violets blooming in the shadows of the pines.</p> + +<p>The leaves glistened, the flowers lifted their heads, and everything was +glad but the horsemen, whose faces were full of gloom because their +hearts were sad.</p> + +<p>They did not speak or smile as they rode on their search; and their +leader was the saddest of them all, though he wore a golden crown that +sparkled with many jewels.</p> + +<p>They followed each winding path through the forest, till at last they +reached the spot where the little maiden lay.</p> + +<p>The rabbit waked up at the sound of their coming, but the child slept +till a loud cry of gladness awakened her and she found herself in her +father's arms.</p> + +<p>In the night-time the king's brave soldiers had driven his enemies from +his land, and opened the doors of the prison-house in which he and the +queen lay, and the king had ridden with them in haste to find his +darling child, who was worth his crown and his kingdom.</p> + +<p>The sight of her face was the sunshine to lighten their hearts, and they +sent the glad news far and near, with blast of trumpet and shouts of +joy.</p> + +<p>But in all their great happiness the child did not forget the rabbit, +and she said to it, "Come with me and I will take care of you, for my +father the king is here." But the rabbit thanked her and wanted to go +home.</p> + +<p>"My babies are waiting," it said, "and I have my work to do in the +world. I pray you let me go."</p> + +<p>So the child kissed it and bade it go; and she, too, went to her own +dear home. There she grew lovelier every day, for the light grew with +her; and when, long years afterward, she was queen of the country, the +foxes and wolves and tigers dared not harm her people, for her good +knights drove evil from her land; but to loving gentle creatures she +gave love and protection, and she lived happily all the days of her +life.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_LITTLE_GRAY_PONY" id="THE_LITTLE_GRAY_PONY"></a><i>THE LITTLE GRAY PONY</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>The humblest workman has his place,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Which no one else can fill</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>There was once a man who owned a little gray pony.</p> + +<p>Every morning when the dewdrops were still hanging on the pink clover in +the meadows, and the birds were singing their morning song, the man +would jump on his pony and ride away, clippety, clippety, clap!</p> + +<p>The pony's four small hoofs played the jolliest tune on the smooth pike +road, the pony's head was always high in the air, and the pony's two +little ears were always pricked up; for he was a merry gray pony, and +loved to go clippety, clippety, clap!</p> + +<p>The man rode to town and to country, to church and to market, up hill +and down hill; and one day he heard something fall with a clang on a +stone in the road. Looking back, he saw a horseshoe lying there. And +when he saw it, he cried out:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>What shall I do? What shall I do?</i><br /></span> +<span><i>If my little gray pony has lost a shoe?</i>"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then down he jumped, in a great hurry, and looked at one of the pony's +fore-feet; but nothing was wrong. He lifted the other forefoot, but the +shoe was still there. He examined one of the hindfeet, and began to +think that he was mistaken; but when he looked at the last foot, he +cried again:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>What shall I do? What shall I do?</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My little gray pony has lost a shoe!</i>"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then he made haste to go to the blacksmith; and when he saw the smith, +he called out to him:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Blacksmith! Blacksmith! I've come to you;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My little gray pony has lost a shoe!</i>"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>But the blacksmith answered and said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>How can I shoe your pony's feet,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Without some coal the iron to heat?</i>"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The man was downcast when he heard this; but he left his little gray +pony in the blacksmith's care, while he hurried here and there to buy +the coal.</p> + +<p>First of all he went to the store; and when he got there, he said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Storekeeper! Storekeeper! I've come to you;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My little gray pony has lost a shoe!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And I want some coal the iron to heat,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>But the storekeeper answered and said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Now, I have apples and candy to sell,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And more nice things than I can tell;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>But I've no coal the iron to heat,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then the man went away sighing, and saying:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>What shall I do? What shall I do?</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My little gray pony has lost a shoe!"</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>By and by he met a farmer coming to town with a wagon full of good +things; and he said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Farmer! Farmer! I've come to you;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My little gray pony has lost a shoe!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And I want some coal the iron to heat,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then the farmer answered the man and said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>I've bushels of corn and hay and wheat</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Something for you and your pony to eat;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>But I've no coal the iron to heat,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>So the farmer drove away and left the man standing in the road, sighing +and saying:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>What shall I do? What shall I do?</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My little gray pony has lost a shoe!</i>"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>In the farmer's wagon, full of good things, he saw corn, which made him +think of the mill; so he hastened there, and called to the dusty +miller:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Miller! Miller! I've come to you;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My little gray pony has lost a shoe,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And I want some coal the iron to heat,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The miller came to the door in surprise; and when he heard what was +needed, he said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>I have wheels that go round and round,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And stones to turn till the grain is ground,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>But I've no coal the iron to heat,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/59.jpg" + alt="When she came near the man she stopped to ask him his +trouble." title="When she came near the man she stopped to ask him his +trouble." /> +</div> +<h4>When she came near the man she stopped to ask him his +trouble.</h4> +<p>Then the man turned away sorrowfully and sat down on a rock near the +roadside, sighing and saying:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>What shall I do? What shall I do?</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My little gray pony has lost a shoe!</i>"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>After a while a very old woman came down the road, driving a flock of +geese to market; and when she came near the man, she stopped to ask him +his trouble. He told her all about it; and when she had heard it all, +she laughed till her geese joined in with a cackle; and she said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>If you would know where the coal is found,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>You must go to the miner, who works in the ground</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then the man sprang to his feet, and, thanking the old woman, he ran to +the miner. Now the miner had been working many a long day down in the +mine, under the ground, where it was so dark that he had to wear a lamp +on the front of his cap to light him at his work! He had plenty of black +coal ready and gave great lumps of it to the man, who took them in haste +to the blacksmith.</p> + +<p>The blacksmith lighted his great red fire, and hammered out four fine +new shoes, with a cling! and a clang! and fastened them on with a rap! +and a tap! Then away rode the man on his little gray pony,—clippety, +clippety, clap!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="HOW_THE_HOME_WAS_BUILT" id="HOW_THE_HOME_WAS_BUILT"></a><i>HOW THE HOME WAS BUILT</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>The priceless blessing of a happy home can be</i><br /></span> +<span><i>won only by struggle, endurance, and self-sacrifice</i>.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="author">Froebel.<br /></span> +<span><i>Blow's Commentaries</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Once there was a very dear family,—Father, Mother, big Brother Tom, +little Sister Polly, and the baby, who had a very long name, Gustavus +Adolphus; and every one of the family wanted a home more than anything +else in the world.</p> + +<p>They lived in a house, of course, but that was rented; and they wanted a +home of their very own, with a sunny room for Mother and Father and +Baby, with a wee room close by for the little sister; a big, airy room +for Brother Tom; a cosy room for the cooking and eating; and, best of +all, a room that Grandmother might call her own when she came to see +them.</p> + +<p>A box which Tom had made always stood on Mother's mantel, and they +called it the "Home Bank," because every penny that could be spared was +dropped in there for the building of the home.</p> + +<p>This box had been full once, and was emptied to buy a little piece of +ground where the home could be built when the box was full again.</p> + +<p>The box filled very slowly, though; and Gustavus Adolphus was nearly +three years old when one day the father came in with a beaming face and +called the family to him.</p> + +<p>Mother left her baking, and Tom came in from his work; and after Polly +had brought the baby, the father asked them very solemnly: "Now, what do +we all want more than anything else in the world?"</p> + +<p>"A home!" said Mother and Brother Tom.</p> + +<p>"A home!" said little Sister Polly.</p> + +<p>"Home!" said the baby, Gustavus Adolphus, because his mother had said +it.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the father, "I think we shall have our home if each one of +us will help. I must go away to the great forest, where the trees grow +so tall and fine. All Winter long I must chop the trees down, and in the +Spring I shall be paid in lumber, which will help in the building of +the home. While I am away, Mother will have to fill my place and her own +too, for she will have to go to market, buy the coal, keep the pantry +full, and pay the bills, as well as cook and wash and sew, take care of +the children, and keep a brave heart till I come back again."</p> + +<p>The mother was willing to do all this and more, too, for the dear home; +and Brother Tom asked eagerly: "What can I do?—what can I do?" for he +wanted to begin work right then, without waiting a moment.</p> + +<p>"I have found you a place in the carpenter's shop where I work," +answered the father. "And you will work for him, and all the while be +learning to saw and hammer and plane, so that you will be ready in the +Spring to help build the home."</p> + +<p>Now, this pleased Tom so much that he threw his cap in the air and +hurrahed, which made the baby laugh; but little Polly did not laugh, +because she was afraid that she was too small to help. But after a +while the father said: "I shall be away in the great forest cutting down +the trees; Mother will be washing and sewing and baking; Tom will be at +work in the carpenter's shop; and who will take care of the baby?"</p> + +<p>"I will, I will!" cried Polly, running to kiss the baby. "And the baby +can be good and sweet!"</p> + +<p>So it was all arranged that they would have their dear little home, +which would belong to every one, because each one would help; and the +father made haste to prepare for the Winter. He stored away the firewood +and put up the stoves; and when the wood-choppers went to the great +forest, he was ready to go with them.</p> + +<p>Out in the forest the trees were waiting. Nobody knew how many years +they had waited there, growing every year stronger and more beautiful +for the work they had to do. Every one of them had grown from a baby +tree to a giant; and when the choppers came, there stood the giant +trees, so bare and still in the wintry weather that the sound of the +axes rang from one end of the woods to the other. From sunrise to sunset +the men worked steadily; and although it was lonely in the woods when +the snow lay white on the ground and the cold wind blew, the father kept +his heart cheery. At night, when the men sat about the fire in their +great log-house, he would tell them about the mother and children who +were working with him for a home.</p> + +<p>Nobody's ax was sharper than his or felled so many trees, and nobody was +gladder when Spring-time came and the logs were hauled down to the +river.</p> + +<p>The river had been waiting too, through all the Winter, under its shield +of ice, but now that Spring had come, and the snows were melting, and +all the little mountain streams were tumbling down to help, the river +grew very broad and strong, and dashed along, snatching the logs when +the men pushed them in and carrying them on with a rush and a roar.</p> + +<p>The men followed close along the bank of the river, to watch the logs +and keep them moving; but at last there came a time when the logs would +not move, but lay in a jam from shore to shore while the water foamed +about them.</p> + +<p>"Who will go out to break the jam?" said the men. They knew that only a +brave man and a nimble man could go, for there was danger that the logs +might crush him and the river sweep him away.</p> + +<p>They looked at each other. But the father was not afraid, and he was +surefooted and nimble; so he sprang out in a moment, with his ax, and +began to cut away at the logs.</p> + +<p>"Some of these logs may help to build a home," he said; and he found the +very log that was holding the others tight, and as soon as that was +loosened, the logs began to move.</p> + +<p>"Jump! Jump!" cried the men, as they ran for their lives; and, just as +the logs dashed on, with a rumble and a jumble and a jar that sent some +of the logs flying up in the air, the father reached the bank safely.</p> + + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/71.jpg" + alt="So the House was built; a cozy room for the cooking and +eating." title="So the House was built; a cozy room for the cooking and +eating." /> +</div> +<h4>So the House was built; a cozy room for the cooking and +eating.</h4> +<p>The hard work was over now. After the logs had rested in the log "boom," +they went on their way to the saw mills, where they were sawed into +lumber to build houses; and then the father hurried home.</p> + +<p>When he came there, he found that the mother had baked and washed and +sewed and taken care of the children, as only such a precious mother +could have done. Brother Tom had worked so well in the carpenter's shop, +that he knew how to hammer and plane and saw, and had grown as tall and +as stout as a young pine tree. Sister Polly had taken such care of the +baby, that he looked as sweet and clean and happy as a rose in a garden; +and the baby had been so good, that he was a joy to the whole family.</p> + +<p>"I must get this dear family into their home," said the father; and he +and Brother Tom went to work with a will. And the home was built, with a +sunny room for Father and Mother and Baby, a wee little room close by +for good Sister Polly, a big airy room for big Brother Tom, a cosy room +for the cooking and eating, and best of all, a room for the dear +grandmother, who came then to live with them all the time.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_LITTLE_TRAVELER" id="THE_LITTLE_TRAVELER"></a><i>THE LITTLE TRAVELER</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Love is a bridge that links us heart to heart</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Mother and child can never live apart</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a little boy who had a long journey to go. He +had a very dear mother, and she did not want her little son to leave +her; but she knew he must go, so she put her arms around him and said: +"Now, don't be afraid, for I shall be thinking of you, and God will take +care of you."</p> + +<p>Then the little boy kissed her goodbye and ran away, singing a merry +song. As long as he could see her he would turn and wave his hand to +her; but by and by she was out of sight. Just then he came to a stream +of water that ran across his path.</p> + +<p>"How can I get over?" thought the little boy; but a white swan swam up +to greet him, and said:—</p> + +<p>"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!"</p> + +<p>So the little boy followed the swan till he came to a row of great +stepping stones, and he jumped from one to another, counting them as he +went.</p> + +<p>When he reached the seventh he was safe across, and he turned to thank +the white swan. And when he had thanked her, he called:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>White swan, white swan, swimming so gay!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Carry a message for me to-day:</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My love to my mother, wherever she be;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>I know she is always thinking of me</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then the white swan swam back to carry the message, and the little boy +ran on his way.</p> + +<p>Oh! there were so many beautiful things to hear,—the birds singing and +the bees humming; and so many beautiful things to see,—the flowers and +butterflies and green grass! And after a while he came to a wood, where +every tree wore a green dress; and through the wood, under the shade of +the trees, flowed a babbling creek.</p> + +<p>"I wonder how I can get over?" said the little boy; and the wise wind +whispered:</p> + +<p>"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!"</p> + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/79.jpg" + alt=" "There is always a way to get over the stream, Follow me! +Follow me!"" title=" "There is always a way to get over the stream, Follow me! +Follow me!"" /> +</div> +<h4> "There is always a way to get over the stream, Follow me! +Follow me!"</h4> +<p>Then he followed the sound of the wise wind's voice, and the wind blew +against a tall pine tree, and the pine tree fell across the creek, and +lay there, a great round foot-log, where the little boy might step. He +made his way over, and thanked the wise wind; and he asked:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Wise wind, wise wind, blowing so gay!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Carry a message for me to-day:</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My love to my mother, wherever she be;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>I know she is always thinking of me</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The wind blew back to carry the message, and the little boy made haste +on his journey. His way lead through a meadow, where the clover grew and +the white sheep and baby lambs were feeding together in the sunshine.</p> + +<p>On one side of this meadow flowed a silver shining river, and the child +wandered up and down the bank to find some way to cross, for he knew +that he must go on.</p> + +<p>As he walked there, a man called a carpenter found him, and said to +him:—</p> + +<p>"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!"</p> + +<p>Then the little boy followed the carpenter, and the carpenter and his +men built a bridge of iron and wood that reached across from bank to +bank. And when the bridge was finished, the child ran over in safety; +and after he had thanked the carpenter, he said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Carpenter, carpenter, on your way!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Carry a message for me to-day:</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My love to my mother, wherever she be,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>I know she is always thinking of me</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The carpenter gladly consented; and after he had turned back to carry +the message, the little boy followed the path, which led up hill over +rocks and steep places, through brambles and briars, until his feet grew +weary; and when he came down into the valley again, he saw a river that +was very dark and very deep.</p> + +<p>There was no white swan or wise wind to help him. No tree in the forest +could bridge it over, and the carpenter and his men were far away.</p> + +<p>"I must get over. There is a way," said the little boy bravely; and, as +he sat down to rest, he heard a murmuring sound. Looking down, he spied +a tiny boat fastened to a willow tree.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>I am the boat with a helping oar,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>To carry you over from shore to shore</i>,"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>repeated the boat; and when the little boy had unfastened it, he sprang +in, and began to row himself over the dark water.</p> + +<p>As he rowed, he saw a tiny bird flying above him. The bird needed no +boat or bridge, for its wings were strong; and when the little boy saw +it, he cried:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Little bird, little bird, flying so gay!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Carry a message for me to-day:</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My love to my mother, wherever she be;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>I know she is always thinking of me</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The little bird flew swiftly back to carry the message, and the boy +rowed on till he reached the opposite shore. After he had thanked the +boat with its helping oar, he tied it to a tree as he had found it, and +then hastened away, singing his happy song again.</p> + +<p>By and by he heard an answer to his song, and he knew that it was the +great sea, calling "Come! Come! Come!" And when he reached the shore +where the blue waves were dancing up to the yellow sands, he clapped his +hands with delight; for there, rocking on the billows, was a beautiful +ship with sails as white as a lady's hands.</p> + +<p>"I knew there would be a way!" said the little boy, as he sprang on deck +and went sailing over the deep blue sea,—sailing, sailing, sailing, day +after day, night after night, over the beautiful sea.</p> + +<p>At night the stars would look down, twinkling and blinking; and as the +little boy watched them, he would say:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Little stars, little stars, shining so bright!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Carry a message for me to-night:</i><br /></span> +<span><i>My love to my mother, wherever she be;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>I know she is always thinking of me</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The little boy went on sailing, sailing, day and night, until he came to +a land beyond the sea,—a land so full of delight that the little boy +felt that his journey was ended, until one day when a great storm came.</p> + +<p>The wind blew, the thunder crashed, the lightning flashed, the rain came +pouring down, and the little boy wanted to go home.</p> + +<p>"I will find a way!" he cried at last; and, just as he spoke, the sun +came bursting out, the storm clouds rolled away, and there in the sky +was a rainbow bridge that seemed to touch both sky and earth.</p> + +<p>Then the little boy's heart leaped for joy, and he ran with feet as +light as feathers up the shining bow; and when he reached the highest +arch, he looked down on the other side and saw home and his mother at +the rainbow's end.</p> + +<p>"Mother! Mother!" he called, as he ran down into her arms. "Mother, I've +always been thinking of you, and God has taken care of me."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_OPEN_GATE" id="THE_OPEN_GATE"></a><i>THE OPEN GATE</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Early teach your child, through play, to guard</i><br /></span> +<span><i>that which is dear to him from the danger of loss</i>.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="author">Froebel.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>One bright summer afternoon, Fleet, the good old shepherd dog that +helped to take care of the farmyard, decided that he would step into the +barn to see his friend Mrs. Muffet and her two little kittens, for he +had not been able to chat with them for some time.</p> + +<p>On his way, Fleet looked around to see that all was right. The weather +was warm and the hens were taking a dust bath under the apple tree, and +the brindle calf was asleep in the shadow of the barn. The ducks and +geese were at the pond, the horses were at work in a distant field, the +cows and sheep were in pasture, and only the brown colt kicked up his +heels in the farmyard; so Fleet barked with satisfaction, and walked +into the barn.</p> + +<p>Inside he found Mrs. Muffet washing her face, while her two little +kittens slept in the hay; and she gave Fleet a warm welcome.</p> + +<p>"Good evening, Mrs. Muffet," said he.</p> + +<p>"Good evening, Friend Fleet," answered she.</p> + +<p>"How are the children?" asked the good dog, "and do they grow?"</p> + +<p>"Grow?" said Mrs. Muffet. "You never saw anything like them! and such +tricks as they play! Tittleback is the merrier, and will play with his +own tail when he can find nothing else; but Toddlekins can climb in a +way that is astonishing. Why, he even talks of going to the top of the +barn, and no doubt he will, some day."</p> + +<p>"No doubt, no doubt," said Fleet. "Children are so remarkable now."</p> + +<p>"But what is the news with you, Friend Fleet?" inquired Mrs. Muffet.</p> + +<p>"Nothing at all," said Fleet. "The barnyard is as quiet"—but just as he +spoke there arose such a clatter outside the door that he sprang to his +feet to see what was the matter, and the two kittens waked up in alarm. +Outside, the yard was in a commotion. Everybody was talking at the same +time. The hens were cackling, the roosters crowing, the ducks quacking, +the calf crying, and the sound of flying hoofs could be heard far down +the road.</p> + +<p>"Pray, what is the matter?" said Fleet to three geese, that were +hurrying along, with their necks stretched out.</p> + +<p>"The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindle calf's going and +we are thinking about it; quawk! quawk!" said the three geese, Mrs. +Waddle, Mrs. Gabble, and Mrs. Dabble.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" asked Mrs. Muffet, putting her head out of the +barn door.</p> + +<p>"Out into the world," said the three geese together.</p> + +<p>"You'd better go back to your pond," barked Fleet, as he bounded off to +help the cook, who was waving her apron to keep back the brindle calf, +while the milkmaid shut the gate, and little Dick ran down the road +after the brown colt.</p> + +<p>The brown colt kicked up his heels, and did not care how fast Dick ran. +He had all the world to roam in, and the green grass was growing +everywhere; so he tossed his head and galloped away toward the blue +hills.</p> + +<p>After a while he looked to see whether Dick was still following him, but +nobody was in sight; so he lay down and rolled over among the daisies; +and this was such fun that he tried it again, and again, until he was +tired.</p> + +<p>Then he nibbled the grass awhile, but soon decided to take another run; +and he raised such a dust, as he scampered along, that the birds peeped +down from the trees to see what it was, and a little rabbit that ran +across the road was so astonished that it did not take breath again till +it reached its greenwood home.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" said the brown colt, not because he knew what it meant but +because he had heard Dick say it. "Hurrah! maybe I'll never go back!"</p> + +<p>Just then there came an awful screech out of a neighboring field, and, +although it was only the whistle of a threshing machine, the brown colt +was terribly frightened, and jumped over a fence into a cotton field.</p> + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/93.jpg" + alt=""The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindle +calf's going, and we are thinking about it, quawk! quawk!"" title=""The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindle +calf's going, and we are thinking about it, quawk! quawk!"" /> +</div> +<h4>"The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindle +calf's going, and we are thinking about it, quawk! quawk!"</h4> + +<p>"Oh!" thought he, as he tore his glossy coat on the sharp barbs of the +wire fence and cut his feet as he leaped awkwardly over, "Oh! how I wish +I could see Dick now."</p> + +<p>But Dick was at home. He had run after the brown colt as fast as his +feet could carry him, and had called "Whoa! Whoa!" but the brown colt +would not listen; so Dick had gone home with his head hanging down, <i>for +he was the very one who had forgotten to shut the farmyard gate</i>.</p> + +<p>Mother was at home, and she felt very sorry when she heard about it, for +she knew how dear that colt was to her careless little boy; and when +father came in from the fields, too late to look for the runaway, he +said that big boys and little boys and everybody else must take care of +the things they wanted to keep; and Dick cried, but it did no good.</p> + +<p>The cows came home when father did, and the brindle calf was glad that +she had not gone away from the farmyard when she saw her mother come in +from the clover lot. The chickens went to roost, and the horses were +fed; but no brown colt came in sight, although Dick and Fleet went down +the lane to look, a dozen times.</p> + +<p>"He's sorry enough," said Friend Fleet to Mrs. Muffet, as they ate their +supper; and Mrs. Muffet told Tittleback and Toddlekins all about it, +when she went back to the barn.</p> + +<p>Poor little Dick! and poor brown colt! They thought about each other +very often that night; and early in the morning the man who owned the +cotton field, drove the brown colt out.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to know," said the man, as he hurried him along, "what +business you have in my cotton field!" But the brown colt hung his head, +as Dick had done, and limped away.</p> + +<p>The long pike road stretched out, hard and white, before him, and the +birds, chattering in the bushes, seemed to say:—</p> + +<p>"Is this the same brown colt that raised such a dust yesterday?"</p> + +<p>Oh! how long and weary the way was, to his limping feet! But at last he +reached home, just at milking time; and when the milkmaid saw him +standing at the gate, she gave a scream that brought the household out.</p> + +<p>Dick and the cook and Fleet tumbled over each other in their surprise, +and the barnyard was in such an excitement that one hen lost her +chickens and did not find them all for fifteen minutes.</p> + +<p>"What did you see?" cried the brindle calf.</p> + +<p>"What made you come back?" asked the geese; but Dick and Friend Fleet +asked no questions, because they understood.</p> + +<p>That was a long time ago, and the brown colt is a strong horse now, and +Dick a tall boy; but neither of them will ever forget the day when Dick +was careless and did not shut the farmyard gate.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="INSIDE_THE_GARDEN_GATE" id="INSIDE_THE_GARDEN_GATE"></a><i>INSIDE THE GARDEN GATE</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Wisdom comes with all we see</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>God writes His lessons in each flower</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>And ev'ry singing bird or bee</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Can teach us something of His power</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr /> +<h3>PART I.</h3> + +<p>Grandmother's garden was a beautiful place,—more beautiful than all the +shop windows in the city; for there was a flower or grass for every +color in the rainbow, with great white lilies, standing up so straight +and tall, to remind you that a whole rainbow of light was needed to make +them so pure and white.</p> + +<p>There were pinks and marigolds and princes' feathers, with bachelor's +buttons and Johnny-jump-ups to keep them company. There were gay poppies +and gaudy tulips, and large important peonies and fine Duchess roses in +pink satin dresses.</p> + +<p>There were soft velvet pansies and tall blue flags, and broad +ribbon-grasses that the fairies might have used for sashes; and mint and +thyme and balm and rosemary everywhere, to make the garden sweet; so it +was no wonder that every year, the garden was full of visitors.</p> + +<p>Nobody noticed these visitors but Grandmother and Lindsay.</p> + +<p>Lindsay was a very small boy, and Grandmother was a very old lady; but +they loved the same things, and always watched for these little +visitors, who came in the early spring-time and stayed all summer with +Grandmother.</p> + +<p>Early, early in the spring, when the garden was bursting into bloom in +the warm southern sunshine, Grandmother and Lindsay would sit in the +arbor, where the vines crept over and over in a tangle of bloom, and +listen to a serenade. Music, music everywhere! Over their heads, behind +their backs, the little brown bees would fly, singing their song:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Hum, hum, hum!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Off and away!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>To get some</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Sweet honey to-day!"</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>while they found the golden honey cups, and filled their pockets with +honey to store away in their waxen boxes at home.</p> + +<p>One day, while Grandmother and Lindsay were watching, a little brown bee +flew away with his treasure, and lighting on a rose, met with a cousin, +a lovely yellow butterfly.</p> + +<p>"I think they must be talking to each other," said Grandmother, softly. +"They are cousins, because they belong to the great insect family, just +as your papa and Uncle Bob and Aunt Emma and Cousin Rachel all belong to +one family,—the Greys; and I think they must be talking about the honey +that they both love so well."</p> + +<p>"I wish I could talk to a butterfly," said Lindsay, longingly; and +Grandmother laughed.</p> + +<p>"Play that I am a butterfly," she proposed. "What color shall I be?—a +great yellow butterfly, with brown spots on my wings?"</p> + +<p>So Grandmother played that she was a great yellow butterfly with brown +spots on its wings, and she said to Lindsay:—</p> + +<p>"Never in the world can you tell, little boy, what I used to be?"</p> + +<p>"A baby butterfly," guessed Lindsay.</p> + +<p>"Guess again," said the butterfly.</p> + +<p>"A flower, perhaps; for you are so lovely," declared Lindsay, gallantly.</p> + +<p>"No, indeed!" answered the butterfly; "I was a creeping, crawling +caterpillar."</p> + +<p>"Now, Grandmother, you're joking!" cried Lindsay, forgetting that +Grandmother was a butterfly.</p> + +<p>"Not I," said the butterfly. "I was a crawling, creeping caterpillar, +and I fed on leaves in your Grandmother's garden until I got ready to +spin my nest; and then I wrapped myself up so well that you would never +have known me for a caterpillar; and when I came out in the Spring I was +a lovely butterfly."</p> + +<p>"How beautiful!" said Lindsay. "Grandmother, let us count the +butterflies in your garden." But they never could do that, though they +saw brown and blue and red and white and yellow ones, and followed them +everywhere.</p> + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/105.jpg" + alt="So the Grandmother played that she was a great yellow +butterfly." title="So the Grandmother played that she was a great yellow +butterfly." /> +</div> +<h4>So the Grandmother played that she was a great yellow +butterfly.</h4> +<hr /> +<h3>PART II.</h3> + +<p>It might have been the very next day that Grandmother took her knitting +to the summer house. At all events it was very soon; and while she and +Lindsay were wondering when the red rose bush would be in full bloom, +Lindsay saw, close up to the roof, a queer little house, like a roll of +crumpled paper, with a great many front doors; and, of course, he wanted +to know who lived there.</p> + +<p>"You must not knock at any of those front doors," advised Grandmother, +"because Mrs. Wasp lives there, and might not understand; although if +you let her alone she will not hurt you. Just let me tell you something +about her."</p> + +<p>So Lindsay listened while Grandmother told the story:—</p> + +<p>Once there was a little elf, who lived in the heart of a bright red +rose, just like the roses we have been talking about.</p> + +<p>There were many other elves who lived in the garden. One, who lived in a +lily which made a lovely home; and a poppy elf, who was always sleepy; +but the rose elf liked her own sweet smelling room, with its crimson +curtains, best of all.</p> + +<p>Now the rose elf had a very dear friend, a little girl named Polly. She +could not speak to her, for fairies can only talk to people like you and +me in dreams and fancies, but she loved Polly very much, and would lie +in her beautiful rose room, and listen to Polly's singing, till her +heart was glad.</p> + +<p>One day as she listened she said to herself, "If I cannot speak to +Polly, I can write her a letter;" and this pleased her so much that she +called over to the lily elf to ask what she should write it on. "I +always write my letters on rose petals, and get the wind to take them," +said the rose elf. "But I am afraid Polly would not understand that."</p> + +<p>"I will tell you," answered the lily elf, "what I would do. I would go +right to Mrs. Wasp, and ask her to give me a piece of paper."</p> + +<p>"But Mrs. Wasp is very cross, I've heard," said the rose elf timidly.</p> + +<p>"Never believe the gossip that you hear. If Mrs. Wasp does seem to be a +little stingy, I'm sure she has a good heart," replied the lily elf. So +the rose elf took courage, and flew to Mrs. Wasp's house, where, by good +fortune, she found Mrs. Wasp at home.</p> + +<p>"Good morning Mrs. Wasp," called the little elf, "I've come to see if +you will kindly let me have a sheet of paper to-day."</p> + +<p>"Now," said the wasp, "I have just papered my house with the last bit of +paper I had, but if you can wait, I will make you a sheet."</p> + +<p>Then the rose elf knew that Mrs. Wasp had a kind heart; and she waited +and watched with a great deal of interest while Mrs. Wasp set to work. +Now, close by her house was an old bit of dry wood, and Mrs. Wasp sawed +it into fine bits, like thread, with her two sharp saws that she carries +about her. Then she wet these bits well with some glue from her mouth, +and rolled them into a round ball.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mrs. Wasp!" cried the rose elf, "I'm afraid I am putting you to too +much trouble."</p> + +<p>"Don't fret about me," said the wasp; "I'm used to work." So she spread +out the ball, working with all her might, into a thin sheet of gray +paper; and when it was dry, she gave it to the rose elf.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, good Mrs. Wasp," said the elf; and she flew away to invite +the lily elf and the poppy elf to help her with the letter, for she +wanted it to be as sweet as all the flowers of spring.</p> + +<p>When it was finished they read it aloud.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Dear Polly:</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>I'm a little elf</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>I live within a flow'r;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>I live to hear your happy song,</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>It cheers my ev'ry hour.</i><br /></span> +<span><i>That I love you, I'd like to say</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>To you, before I close,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And please sing sweetly ev'ry day</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>To</i><br /></span> +<span class="i4"><i>Your friend within a Rose</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The letter was sent by a bluebird; and the elf was sure that Polly +understood, for that very day she came and stood among the flowers to +sing the very sweetest song she knew.</p> + +<hr /> +<h3>PART III.</h3> + +<p>Out in Grandmother's garden, just as the sun was up, a very cunning +spinner spun a lovely wheel of fine beautiful threads; and when +Grandmother and Lindsay came out, they spied it fastened up in a rose +bush.</p> + +<p>The small, cunning spinner was climbing a silken rope near by with her +eight nimble legs, and looking out at the world with her eight tiny +eyes, when Grandmother saw her and pointed her out to Lindsay; and +Lindsay said:—</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mrs. Spider! come spin me some lace!" which made Grandmother think +of a little story which she had told Lindsay's papa and all of her +little children, when they were lads and lassies, and this garden of +hers had just begun to bloom.</p> + +<p>She sat down on the steps and told it to Lindsay.</p> + +<p>Once, long, long ago, when the silver moon was shining up in the sky, +and the small golden stars were twinkling, twinkling, a little fairy +with a bundle of dreams went hurrying home to fairyland.</p> + +<p>She looked up at the stars and moon to see what time it was, for the +fairy queen had bidden her come back before the day dawned.</p> + +<p>All out in the world it was sleepy time; and the night wind was singing +an old sweet lullaby, and the mocking bird was singing too, by himself, +in the wood.</p> + +<p>"I shall not be late," said the fairy, as she flew like thistle-down +through the air or tripped over the heads of the flowers; but in her +haste she flew into a spider's web, which held her so fast that, +although she struggled again and again, she could not get free.</p> + +<p>Her bundle of dreams fell out of her arms, and lay on the ground under +the rose-bush; and the poor little fairy burst into tears, for she knew +that daylight always spoiled dreams, and these were very lovely ones.</p> + +<p>Her shining wings were tangled in the web, her hands were chained, and +her feet were helpless; so she had to lie still and wait for the day +time which, after all, came too soon.</p> + +<p>As soon as the sun was up, Mrs. Spider came out of her den; and when she +saw the fairy she was very glad, for she thought she had caught a new +kind of fly.</p> + +<p>"If you please, Mrs. Spider," cried the fairy quickly, "I am only a +little fairy, and flew into your web last night on my way home to +fairyland."</p> + +<p>"A fairy!" said Mrs. Spider crossly, for she was disappointed; "I +suppose you are the one who helps the flies to get away from me. You see +well enough then!"</p> + +<p>"I help them because they are in trouble," answered the fairy gently.</p> + +<p>"So are you, now," snapped the spider, "But the flies won't help you."</p> + +<p>"But perhaps you will," pleaded the fairy.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I won't," said the spider, going back into her house and +leaving the little fairy, who felt very sorrowful.</p> + +<p>Her tears fell like dew drops on the spider web, and the sun shone on +them, and made them as bright as the fairy queen's diamonds.</p> + +<p>The fairy began to think of the queen and the court, and the bundle of +dreams; and she wondered who would do the work if she never got free. +The fairy queen had always trusted her, and had sent her on many +errands.</p> + +<p>Once she had been sent to free a mocking-bird that had been shut in a +cage. She remembered how he sang in his cage, although he was longing +for his green tree tops.</p> + +<p>She smiled through her tears when she thought of this, and said to +herself:—</p> + +<p>"I can be singing, too! It is better than crying."</p> + +<p>Then she began to sing one of her fairy songs:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Oh! listen well, and I will tell,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Of the land where the fairies dwell;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>The lily bells ring clear and sweet,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And grass grows green beneath your feet</i><br /></span> +<span><i>In the land where the fairies dwell,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>In the land where the fairies dwell</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Now though the fairy did not know it, Mrs. Spider was very fond of +music; and when she heard the sweet song, she came out to listen. The +little fairy did not see her, so she sang on:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Grasshoppers gay, by night and day,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Keep ugly goblins far away</i><br /></span> +<span><i>From the land where the fairies dwell,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>From the land where the fairies dwell</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Mrs. Spider came a little farther out, while the fairy sang:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>There's love, sweet love, for one and all—</i><br /></span> +<span><i>For love is best for great and small—</i><br /></span> +<span><i>In the land where the fairies dwell,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>In the land where the fairies dwell</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Just as the fairy finished the song she looked up, and there was Mrs. +Spider, who had come out in a hurry.</p> + +<p>"The flies are not going to help you," said she, "so I will;" and she +showed the fairy how to break the slender threads, until she was +untangled and could fly away through the sunshine.</p> + +<p>"What can I do for you, dear Mrs. Spider?" the fairy asked, as she +picked up her bundle of dreams.</p> + +<p>"Sing me a song sometimes," replied Mrs. Spider. But the fairy did more +than that; for soon after she reached fairyland, the fairy queen needed +some fine lace to wear on her dress at a grand ball.</p> + +<p>"Fly into the world," she said, "and find me a spinner; and tell her +that when she has spun the lace, she may come to the ball and sit at the +queen's table."</p> + +<p>As soon as the fairy heard this, she thought of the spider, and made +haste to find her and tell her the queen's message.</p> + +<p>"Will there be music?" asked the spider.</p> + +<p>"The sweetest ever heard" answered the fairy; and the spider began to +spin.</p> + +<p>The lace was so lovely when it was finished, that the fairy queen made +the spider court spinner; and then the spider heard the fairies sing +every day, and she too had love in her heart.</p> + +<hr /> +<h3>PART IV.</h3> + +<p>A mocking bird sang in Grandmother's garden. He was king of the garden, +and the rose was queen. Every night when the garden was still, he +serenaded Grandmother; and she would lie awake and listen to him, for +she said he told her all the glad tidings of the day, and helped her +understand the flower folk and bird folk and insect folk that lived in +her garden.</p> + +<p>Lindsay always thought the mocking bird told Grandmother the wonderful +stories she knew, and he wanted to hear them, too, late in the night +time; but he never could keep awake. So he had to be contented with the +mocking bird in the morning, when he was so saucy.</p> + +<p>There were orioles and thrushes and bluebirds, big chattering jays, +sleek brown sparrows, and red-capped woodpeckers; but not a bird in the +garden was so gay and sweet and loving as the mocking bird, who could +sing everybody's song and his own song, too.</p> + +<p>Night after night he sang his own song in Grandmother's garden. But +there came a night when he did not sing; and though Grandmother and +Lindsay listened all next day, and looked in every tree for him, he +could not be found.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid somebody has caught him and shut him up in a cage" said +Grandmother; and when Lindsay heard this he was very miserable; for he +knew that somewhere in the garden, there was a nest and a mother bird +waiting.</p> + +<p>He and Grandmother talked until bed-time about it, and early next +morning Lindsay asked Grandmother to let him go to look for the bird.</p> + +<p>"Please do, Grandmother," he begged. "If somebody has him in a cage I +shall be sure to find him; and I will take my own silver quarter to buy +him back."</p> + +<p>So after breakfast Grandmother kissed him and let him go, and he ran +down the path and out of the garden gate, and asked at every house on +the street:—</p> + +<p>"Is there a mocking bird in a cage here?"</p> + +<p>This made people laugh, but Lindsay did not care. By and by, he came to +a little house with green blinds; and the little lady who came to the +door did not laugh at all when she answered his question:—</p> + +<p>"No; there are no mocking birds here; but there are two sweet yellow +canaries. Won't you come in to see them?"</p> + +<p>"I will sometime, thank you, if Grandmother will let me," said Lindsay; +"but not to-day; for if that mocking bird is in a cage, I know he's in a +hurry to get out."</p> + +<p>Then he hurried on to the next house, and the next; but no mocking birds +were to be found. After he had walked a long way, he began to be afraid +that he should have to go home, when, right before him, in the window of +a little house, he saw a wooden box with slats across the side; and in +the box was a very miserable mocking bird!</p> + +<p>"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Lindsay, as he ran up the steps and knocked at +the door. A great big boy came to the window and put his head out to see +what was wanted.</p> + +<p>"Please, please," said Lindsay, dancing up and down on the doorstep, +"I've come to buy the mocking-bird; and I've a whole silver quarter to +give for it, because I think maybe he is the very one that sang in +Grandmother's garden."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to sell it," answered the boy, with a frown on his face.</p> + +<p>Lindsay had never thought of anything like this, and his face grew +grave; but he went bravely on:—-</p> + +<p>"Oh! but you will sell it, maybe. Won't you, please? Because I just know +it wants to get out. You wouldn't like to be in a cage yourself, you +know, if you had been living in a garden,—'specially my Grandmother's."</p> + +<p>"This bird ain't for sale," repeated the boy, crossly, frowning still +more over the bird-cage.</p> + +<p>"But God didn't make mocking-birds for cages," cried Lindsay, choking a +little. "So it really isn't yours."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to know why it isn't," said the boy. "You'd better get off my +doorstep and go home to your Granny, for I'm not going to sell my +mocking-bird,—not one bit of it;" and he drew his head back from the +window and left Lindsay out on the doorstep.</p> + +<p>Poor little Lindsay! He was not certain that it was <i>the</i> bird, but he +<i>was</i> sure that mocking-birds were not meant for cages; and he put the +quarter back in his pocket and took out his handkerchief to wipe away +the tears that would fall.</p> + +<p>All the way home he thought of it and sobbed to himself, and he walked +through the garden gate almost into Grandmother's arms before he saw +her, and burst into tears when she spoke to him.</p> + +<p>"Poor little boy!" said Grandmother, when she had heard all about it; +"and poor big boy, who didn't know how to be kind! Perhaps the +mocking-bird will help him, and, after all, it will be for the best."</p> + +<p>Grandmother was almost crying herself, when a click at the gate made +them both start and, then look at each other; for there, coming up the +walk, was a great big boy with a torn straw hat, and with a small +wooden box in his hand, which made Lindsay scream with delight, for in +that box was a very miserable-looking mocking-bird.</p> + +<p>"Guess it <i>is</i> yours," said the boy, holding the box in front of him, +"for I trapped it out in the road back of here. I never thought of +mocking-birds being so much account, and I hated to make him cry."</p> + +<p>"There now," cried Lindsay, jumping up to get the silver quarter out of +his pocket. "He is just like Mrs. Wasp, isn't he, Grandmother?" But the +boy had gone down the walk and over the gate without waiting for +anything, although Lindsay ran after him and called.</p> + +<p>Lindsay and Grandmother were so excited that they did not know what to +do. They looked out of the gate after the boy, then at each other, and +then at the bird.</p> + +<p>Lindsay ran to get the hatchet, but he was so excited with joy that he +could not use it, so Grandmother had to pry up the slats, one by one; +and every time one was lifted, Lindsay would jump up and down and clap +his hands, and say, "Oh, Grandmother!"</p> + +<p>At last, the very last slat was raised; and then, in a moment, the +mocking bird flew up, up, up into the maple tree, and Lindsay and +Grandmother kissed each other for joy.</p> + +<p>Oh! everything was glad in the garden. The breezes played pranks, and +blew the syringa petals to the ground, and up in the tallest trees the +birds had a concert. Orioles, bluebirds, and thrushes, chattering jays, +sleek brown sparrows, and red-capped woodpeckers, were all of them +singing for Grandmother and Lindsay; but the sweetest singer was the +mocking bird who was singing everybody's sweet song, and then his own, +which was the sweetest of all.</p> + +<p>"I know he is glad," Lindsay said to Grandmother; "for it is, oh, so +beautiful to live inside your garden gate!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_JOURNEY" id="THE_JOURNEY"></a><i>THE JOURNEY</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>The whirling wheels, that help us on our way</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>A lesson to the children, too, will say</i>:<br /></span> +<span><i>"Go on! there's work awaiting you to-day</i>;<br /></span> +<span><i>The whole world moves apace, you must not stay</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>A little boy, named Joseph, went with his papa, once upon a time, to +visit his Grandma. Grandma was an old, old lady, with hair as white as +drifted snow; and she petted Joseph's papa almost as much as she did +Joseph, for Papa had been her baby long, long before.</p> + +<p>It was a fine thing to go to see Grandma; and Joseph would have been +willing to stay a long time, if it had not been that Mamma and the baby +and big brother were at home.</p> + +<p>He knew they needed him there, too, for Mamma wrote it in a letter.</p> + +<p>"Dear Papa," she said, in the letter that the stage coach brought, "When +are you, and my precious Joseph coming home? The baby and Brother and I +are well but we want to see you. We need a little boy here who can hunt +hens' nests and feed chickens, and rock the baby's cradle. Please bring +one home with you."</p> + +<p>This made Joseph laugh for, of course, Mamma meant him; and though he +forgot some of her letter, he always remembered that; and when Papa +said; "Look here, Joseph, we must go home," he was just as glad to go, +as he had been to come to see Grandma.</p> + +<p>Now Joseph and his papa had to travel by stage coach, because there were +no trains in those days; and after they had told Grandma goodbye, on the +morning they left, they went down to the inn to wait for the stage.</p> + +<p>The inn was the place where travelers who were away from home might stop +and rest, and the landlady tried to be always pleasant and make +everybody feel at home; so she hurried out on the porch, with two chairs +for Joseph and his papa, as soon as she saw them.</p> + +<p>They were a little early for the stage, so Joseph sat and watched the +wagons and carriages, that passed the inn. All the carriages had ladies +and children inside, and Joseph thought they must be going to see their +grandmas.</p> + +<p>Most of the wagons that passed the inn were loaded down. Some of them +were full of hay; and Joseph knew in a minute, where they were going, +for he had heard his Grandma say that she was going to store her hay +away in a barn, that very day.</p> + +<p>Some of the wagons carried good things to sell; and the men who drove +them would ring their bells, and call out, now and then: "Apples to +sell! Apples to sell!" or "Potatoes and corn! Potatoes and corn!" which +made Joseph laugh.</p> + +<p>Then there was the milkman. His tin cans were so bright that you could +see yourself in them, and Joseph knew that they carried good sweet milk.</p> + +<p>This made him think of their own cows. He could shut his eyes and see +how each one looked. Clover was red, Teenie black, and Buttercup had +white spots on her back.</p> + +<p>Just then he heard the sound of a horn; and his father jumped up in a +hurry and collected their bundles. "For," said he, "that is the guard +blowing his horn, and the stage coach is coming!"</p> + +<p>Joseph was so pleased when he heard this that he jumped up and down; and +while he was jumping, the stage coach whirled around the corner.</p> + +<p>There were four horses hitched to it, two white, and two black; and they +were trotting along at a fine pace. The driver was a jolly good fellow, +who sat on the top of the coach and cracked his whip; and the guard sat +behind with the horn.</p> + +<p>The wheels were turning so fast that you could scarcely see them, but as +soon as the inn was reached, the horses stopped and the stage coach +stood still. The guard jumped down to open the door, and Joseph and his +papa made haste to get in. The guard blew his horn, the driver cracked +his whip, the horses dashed off, and away went Joseph and his papa.</p> + +<p>The stage coach had windows, and Joseph looked out. At first, all he +could see was smooth, level ground; but after a while, the horses walked +slowly and you could have counted the spokes in the wheels, for they +were going up hill and the driver was careful of his horses.</p> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/131.jpg" + alt="As soon as the inn was reached the horses stopped." title="As soon as the inn was reached the horses stopped." /> +</div> +<h4>As soon as the inn was reached the horses stopped.</h4> + +<p>The hill was so much higher than therest of the country that when Joseph looked out at the houses in the +valley he felt very great, although it was only the hill that was high, +after all.</p> + +<p>Then they all came down on the other side, and the horses trotted +faster. It was early in the morning, and the sunshine was so bright and +the air so fresh that the horses tossed their heads, and their hoofs +rang out as they hurried over the hard road.</p> + +<p>The road ran through the wood, and Joseph could see the maples with +their wide-spreading branches, and the poplar with its arms held up to +the sky, and the birches with their white dresses, all nodding in the +wind, as though they said, "How do you do?" Once, too, he saw a little +squirrel running about, and once a queer rabbit.</p> + +<p>Then the stage-coach stopped with a jerk.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" called Joseph's papa, as the driver and the guard +got down.</p> + +<p>"The linch-pin has fallen out," answered the driver, "and we have just +missed losing a wheel."</p> + +<p>"Can we go on?" Joseph asked. And when his papa said "No," he felt +sorry. But the guard said that he would go after a wheelwright who lived +not far beyond; and Joseph and his papa walked about until the +wheelwright came running, with his tools in his hand.</p> + +<p>He set to work, and Joseph thought it was very funny that the great +wheel could not stay on without the linch-pin; but the wheelwright said +that the smallest screws counted. He put the wheel quickly in order, and +off the stage-coach went.</p> + +<p>The wheels whirled around all the more merrily because of the +wheelwright's work; and when the hoofs of the horses clattered on the +road, Joseph's papa said that the horse-shoes were saying:—</p> + +<p>"It is the little shoes, the little shoes, that help the horse to go!"</p> + +<p>Then Joseph looked down at his own small shoes and thought of his +mother's letter, and the little boy that she needed to hunt eggs and +feed chickens and rock the baby's cradle; and he was anxious to get +home.</p> + +<p>Clip, clap! clip, clap! The horses stepped on a bridge, and Joseph +looked out to see the water. The bridge was strong and good, with great +wooden piers set out in the water and a stout wooden railing to make it +safe.</p> + +<p>The sun was high and shining very brightly on the water, and little +Joseph began to nod. He rested his head on papa's arm, and his eyelids +dropped down over his two sleepy eyes, and he went so fast asleep that +his papa was obliged to give him a little shake when he wanted to wake +him up.</p> + +<p>"Wake up, Joseph! wake up!" he cried, "and look out of the window!"</p> + +<p>Joseph rubbed his eyes and looked out of the window; and he saw a red +cow, a black cow, and a cow with spots on her back; and a little further +on, a big boy and a baby; and, what do you think?—yes, a mamma! Then +the stage-coach could not hold him or his papa another minute, because +they were at home!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="The_GIANT_ENERGY___The_FAIRY_SKILL" id="The_GIANT_ENERGY___The_FAIRY_SKILL"></a><i>The GIANT ENERGY & The FAIRY SKILL</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Greatness is not always largeness</i>.<br /></span> +<span><i>Help your child to understand</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>Strength and skill are happy comrades</i>;<br /></span> +<span><i>'Tis the mind must guide the hand</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Long, long ago, when there were giants to be seen, as they might be seen +now if we only looked in the right place, there lived a young giant who +was very strong and very willing, but who found it hard to get work to +do.</p> + +<p>The name of the giant was Energy, and he was so great and clumsy that +people were afraid to trust their work to him.</p> + +<p>If he were asked to put a bell in the church steeple, he would knock the +steeple down, before he finished the work. If he were sent to reach a +broken weather vane, he would tear off part of the roof in his zeal. So, +at last, people would not employ him and he went away to the mountains +to sleep; but he could not rest, even though other giants were sleeping +as still as great rocks under the shade of the trees.</p> + +<p>Young Giant Energy could not sleep, for he was too anxious to help in +the world's work; and he went down into the valley, and begged so +piteously for something to do that a good woman gave him a basket of +china to carry home for her.</p> + +<p>"This is child's play for me," said the giant as he set the basket down +at the woman's house, but he set it down so hard that every bit of the +china was broken.</p> + +<p>"I wish a child had brought it for me," answered the woman, and the +young giant went away sorrowful. He climbed the mountain and lay down to +rest; but he could not stay there and do nothing, so he went back to the +valley to look for work.</p> + +<p>There he met the good woman. She had forgiven him for breaking her +china, and had made up her mind to trust him again; so she gave him a +pitcher of milk to carry home.</p> + +<p>"Be quick in bringing it," she said, "lest it sour on the way."</p> + +<p>The giant took the pitcher and made haste to run to the house; and he +ran so fast that the milk was spilled and not a drop was left when he +reached the good woman's house.</p> + +<p>The good woman was sorry to see this, although she did not scold; and +the giant went back to his mountain with a heavy heart.</p> + +<p>Soon, however, he was back again, asking at every house:—</p> + +<p>"Isn't there something for me to do?" and again he met the good woman, +who was here, there and everywhere, carrying soup to the sick and food +to the hungry.</p> + +<p>When she met the young Giant Energy, her heart was full of love for him; +and she told him to make haste to her house and fill her tubs with +water, for the next day was wash day.</p> + +<p>Then the giant made haste with mighty strides towards the good woman's +house, where he found her great tubs; and, lifting them with ease, he +carried them to the cistern and began to pump.</p> + +<p>He pumped with such force and with so much delight, that the tubs were +soon filled so full that they ran over, and when the good woman came +home she found her yard as well as her tubs full of water.</p> + +<p>The young giant had such a downcast look, that the good woman could not +be angry with him; she only felt sorry for him.</p> + +<p>"Go to the Fairy Skill, and learn," said the good woman, as she sat on +the doorstep. "She will teach you, and you will be a help in the world +after all."</p> + +<p>"Oh! how can I go?" cried the giant, giving a jump that sent him up over +the tree tops, where he could see the little birds in their nests.</p> + +<p>"Don't go so fast," said the good woman. "Stand still and listen! Go +through the meadow, and count a hundred daffodils; then turn to your +right, and walk until you find a mullein stalk that is bent. Notice the +way it bends, and walk in that direction till you see a willow tree. +Behind this willow runs a little stream. Cross the water by the way of +the shining pebbles, and when you hear a strange bird singing you can +see the fairy palace and the workroom where the Fairy Skill teaches her +school. Go to her with my love and she will receive you."</p> + +<p>The young giant thanked the good woman, stepped over the meadow fence, +and counted the daffodils, "One, two, three," until he had counted a +hundred. Then he turned to the right, and walked through the long grass +to the bent mullein stalk, which pointed to the right; and after he had +found the brook and crossed by way of the shining pebbles, he heard a +strange bird singing, and saw among the trees the fairy palace.</p> + +<p>He never could tell how it looked; but he thought it was made of +sunshine, with the glimmer of green leaves reflected on it, and that it +had the blue sky for a roof.</p> + +<p>That was the palace; and at one side of it was the workshop, built of +strong pines and oaks; and the giant heard the hum of wheels, and the +noise of the fairy looms, where the fairies wove carpets of rainbow +threads.</p> + +<p>When the giant came to the door, the doorway stretched itself for him to +pass through. He found Fairy Skill standing in the midst of the +workers; and when he had given her the good woman's love, she received +him kindly. Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of tangled +threads that lay in a corner like a great bunch of bright-colored +flowers.</p> + +<p>This was hard work for the giant's clumsy fingers, but he was very +patient about it. The threads would break, and he got some of them into +knots; but when Fairy Skill saw his work, she said:—</p> + +<p>"Very good for to-day;" and touching the threads with her wand, she +changed them into a tangled heap again. The next day the giant tried +again, and after that again, until every thread lay unbroken and +untangled.</p> + +<p>Then Fairy Skill said "Well done," and led him to a loom and showed him +how to weave.</p> + +<p>This was harder work than the other had been; but Giant Energy was +patient, although many times before his strip of carpet was woven the +fairy touched it with her wand, and he had to begin over.</p> + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/145.jpg" + alt="Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of +tangled threads." title="Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of +tangled threads." /> +</div> +<h4>Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of +tangled threads.</h4> +<p>At last it was finished, and the giant thought it was the most beautiful +carpet in the world.</p> + +<p>Fairy Skill took him next to the potter's wheel, where cups and saucers +were made out of clay; and the giant learned to be steady, to shape the +cup as the wheel whirled round, and to take heed of his thumb, lest it +slip.</p> + +<p>The cups and saucers that were broken before he could make beautiful +ones would have been enough to set the queen's tea table!</p> + +<p>Fairy Skill then took him to the gold-smith, and there he was taught to +make chains and bracelets and necklaces; and after he had learned all +these things, the fairy told him that she had three trials for him. +Three pieces of work he must do; and if he did them well, he could go +again into the world, for he would then be ready to be a helper there.</p> + +<p>"The first task is to make a carpet," said Fairy Skill, "a carpet fit +for a palace floor."</p> + +<p>Giant Energy sprang to his loom, and made his silver shuttle glance +under and over, under and over, weaving a most beautiful pattern.</p> + +<p>As he wove, he thought of the way by which he had come; and his carpet +became as green as the meadow grass, and lovely daffodils grew on it. +When it was finished, it was almost as beautiful as a meadow full of +flowers!</p> + +<p>Then the fairy said that he must turn a cup fine enough for a king to +use. And the giant made a cup in the shape of a flower; and when it was +finished, he painted birds upon it with wings of gold. When she saw it, +the fairy cried out with delight.</p> + +<p>"One more trial before you go," she said. "Make me a chain that a queen +might be glad to wear."</p> + +<p>So Giant Energy worked by day and by night and made a chain of golden +links; and in every link was a pearl as white as the shining pebbles in +the brook. A queen might well have been proud to wear this chain.</p> + +<p>After he had finished, Fairy Skill kissed him and blessed him, and sent +him away to be a helper in the world, and she made him take with him +the beautiful things which he had made, so that he might give them to +the one he loved best.</p> + +<p>The young giant crossed the brook, passed the willow, found the mullein +stalk, and counted the daffodils.</p> + +<p>When he had counted a hundred, he stepped over the meadow fence and came +to the good woman's house.</p> + +<p>The good woman was at home, so he went in at the door and spread the +carpet on the floor, and the floor looked like the floor of a palace.</p> + +<p>He set the cup on the table, and the table looked like the table of a +king; and he hung the chain around the good woman's neck, and she was +more beautiful than a queen.</p> + +<p>And this is the way that young Giant Energy learned to be a helper in +the world.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_SEARCH_FOR_A_GOOD_CHILD" id="THE_SEARCH_FOR_A_GOOD_CHILD"></a><i>THE SEARCH FOR A GOOD CHILD</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Teach your child that every one</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>Loves him when he's good and true</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>But that though so dear to others</i>,<br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>He is doubly dear to you</i>.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span>—<i>Miss Blow's Mottoes and Commentaries</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Long, long ago there lived, in a kingdom far away, five knights who were +so good and so wise that each one was known by a name that meant +something beautiful.</p> + +<p>The first knight was called Sir Brian the Brave. He had killed the great +lion that came out of the forest to frighten the women and children, had +slain a dragon, and had saved a princess from a burning castle; for he +was afraid of nothing under the sun.</p> + +<p>The second knight was Gerald the Glad, who was so happy himself that he +made everybody around him happy too; for his sweet smile and cheery +words were so comforting that none could be sad or cross or angry when +he was near.</p> + +<p>Sir Kenneth the Kind was the third knight, and he won his name by his +tender heart. Even the creatures of the wood knew and loved him, for he +never hurt anything that God had made.</p> + +<p>The fourth knight had a face as beautiful as his name, and he was called +Percival the Pure. He thought beautiful thoughts, said beautiful words, +and did beautiful deeds, for he kept his whole life as lovely as a +garden full of flowers without a single weed.</p> + +<p>Tristram the True was the last knight, and he was leader of them all.</p> + +<p>The king of the country trusted these five knights; and one morning in +the early spring-time he called them to him and said:—</p> + +<p>"My trusty knights, I am growing old, and I long to see in my kingdom +many knights like you to take care of my people; and so I will send you +through all my kingdom to choose for me a little boy who may live at my +court and learn from you those things which a knight must know. Only a +good child can be chosen. A good child is worth more than a kingdom. And +when you have found him, bring him, if he will come willingly, to me, +and I shall be happy in my old age."</p> + +<p>Now the knights were well pleased with the words of the king, and at the +first peep of day they were ready for their journey, and rode down the +king's highway with waving plumes and shining shields.</p> + +<p>No sooner had they started on their journey than the news spread abroad +over the country, and many fathers and mothers who were anxious for the +favor of the king sent messengers to invite the knights to visit them.</p> + +<p>The parents' messages were so full of praises of their children that the +knights scarcely knew where to go. Some of the parents said that their +sons were beautiful; some said theirs were smart; but as the knights +cared nothing for a child who was not good, they did not hurry to see +these children.</p> + +<p>On the second day, however, as they rode along, they met a company of +men in very fine clothes, who bowed down before them; and while the +knights drew rein in astonishment, a little man stepped in front of the +others to speak to them.</p> + +<p>He was a fat little man, with a fat little voice; and he told the +knights that he had come to invite them to the castle of the Baron +Borribald, whose son Florimond was the most wonderful child in the +world.</p> + +<p>"Oh! there is nothing he cannot do," cried the fat little man whose name +was Puff. "You must hear him talk! You must see him walk!"</p> + +<p>So the knights followed him; and when they had reached the castle, +Florimond ran to meet them. He was a merry little fellow, with long fair +curls and rosy cheeks; and when he saw the fine horses he clapped his +hands with delight. The baron and baroness, too, were well pleased with +their visitors, and made a feast in their honor; but early the next +morning, the knights were startled by a most awful sound which seemed to +come from the hall below.</p> + +<p>"Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" It sounded something like the howling of a dog; but +as they listened, it grew louder and louder, until it sounded like the +roaring of a lion.</p> + +<p>The knights seized their swords and rushed down to see what was the +matter; and there, in the middle of the hall, stood Florimond, his +cheeks puffed up and his eyes swollen,—and right out of his open mouth +came that terrible noise: "Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"</p> + +<p>His mamma and papa were begging him to be quiet. The cook had run up +with a pie, and the nurse with a toy, but Florimond only opened his +mouth and screamed the louder, because the rain was coming down, when he +wanted to play out of doors!</p> + +<p>Then the knights saw that they were not wanted, and they hurried +upstairs to prepare for their journey. The baron and baroness and fat +little Puff all begged them to stay, and Florimond cried again when they +left him; but the knights did not care to stay with a child who was not +good.</p> + +<p>The knights began to think that their mission was a difficult one; but +they rode on, asking at every house: "Is there a good boy here?" only to +be disappointed many times.</p> + +<p>North, south, east, and west, they searched; and at last, one afternoon, +they halted under an oak tree, to talk, and they decided to part +company.</p> + +<p>"Let each take his own way," said Tristram the True, "and to-morrow we +will meet, under this same tree, and tell what we have seen; for the +time draws near when we must return to the king."</p> + +<p>Then they bade each other farewell, and each rode away, except Sir +Tristram, who lingered long under the oak tree; for he was the leader, +and had many things to think about.</p> + +<p>Just as the sun was red in the west, he saw a little boy coming towards +him, with a bundle of sticks on his back.</p> + +<p>"Greeting to you, little boy," said he.</p> + +<p>"Greeting to you, fair sir," said the boy, looking up with eager eyes at +the knight on his splendid horse, that stood so still when the knight +bade it.</p> + +<p>"What is your name?" asked the knight.</p> + +<p>"My name is little Gauvain," replied the child.</p> + +<p>"And can you prove a trusty guide, little Gauvain, and lead me to a +pleasant place where I may rest to-night?" asked the knight.</p> + +<p>"Ay, that I can," Gauvain answered gladly, his whole face lighting up +with pleasure; but he added quickly, "I can, if you will wait until I +carry my sticks to Granny Slowsteps, and bring her water from the +spring; for I promised to be there before the setting of the sun."</p> + +<p>Now little Gauvain wanted to help the good knight so much that he was +sorry to say this; but Sir Tristram told him to run, and promised to +wait patiently until his return; and before many moments Gauvain was +back, bounding like a fawn through the wood, to lead the way to his own +home.</p> + +<p>When they came there the little dog ran out to meet them, and the cat +rubbed up against Gauvain, and the mother called from the kitchen:—</p> + +<p>"Is that my sunbeam coming home to roost?" which made Gauvain and the +knight both laugh.</p> + +<p>Then the mother came out in haste to welcome the stranger; and she +treated him with honor, giving him the best place at the table and the +hottest cakes.</p> + +<p>She and little Gauvain lived all alone, for the father had gone to the +wars when Gauvain was a baby, and had died fighting for the king.</p> + +<p>She had cows, horses, and pigs, hens, chickens, and a dog and a cat, and +one treasure greater than a kingdom, for she had a good child in her +house.</p> + +<p>Sir Tristram found this out very soon, for little Gauvain ran when he +was called, remembered the cat and dog when he had eaten his own supper, +and went to bed when he was told, without fretting, although the knight +was telling of lions and bears and battles, and everything that little +boys like to hear about.</p> + +<p>Sir Tristram was so glad of this that he could scarcely wait for the +time to come when he should meet his comrades under the oak tree.</p> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/161.jpg" + alt="And the mother called from the kitchen--'Is that my sunbeam coming home to roost?'" + title="And the mother called from the kitchen--'Is that my sunbeam coming home to roost?'" /> +</div> +<h4>And the mother called from the kitchen—'Is that my +sunbeam coming home to roost?'</h4> +<p>"I have found a child whom you must see," he said, as soon as they came together.</p> +<p>"And so have I," cried Gerald the Glad.</p> + +<p>"And I," exclaimed Kenneth the Kind.</p> + +<p>"And I," said Brian the Brave.</p> + +<p>"And I," said Percival the Pure; and they looked at each other in +astonishment.</p> + +<p>"I do not know the child's name," continued Gerald the Glad; "but as I +was riding in the forest I heard some one singing the merriest song! And +when I looked through the trees I saw a little boy bending under a heavy +burden. I hastened to help him, but when I reached the spot he was gone. +I should like to hear him sing again."</p> + +<p>"I rode by the highway," said Sir Brian the Brave, "and I came suddenly +upon a crowd of great, rough fellows who were trying to torment a small +black dog; and just as I saw them, a little boy ran up, as brave as a +knight, and took the dog in his arms, and covered it with his coat. The +rest ran away when I rode up; but the child stayed, and told me his +name—Gauvain."</p> + +<p>"Why!" exclaimed Kenneth the Kind, "he is the boy who brings wood and +water for Granny Slowsteps. I tarried all night at her cottage, and she +told me of his kindness."</p> + +<p>"I saw a lad at the spring near by," said Percival the Pure. "He hurried +to fill his bucket, and some rude clown muddied the water as the child +reached down; but he spoke no angry words, and waited patiently till the +water was clear again. I should like to find his home and see him +there."</p> + +<p>Now Sir Tristram had waited to hear them all; but when Sir Percival had +finished, he arose and cried:—</p> + +<p>"Come, and I will carry you to the child!" And when the knights followed +him, he led them to the home where little Gauvain was working with his +mother, as happy as a lark and as gentle as a dove.</p> + +<p>It was noonday, and the sun was shining brightly on the shields of the +knights, and their plumes were waving in the breeze; and when they +reached the gate, Sir Tristram blew a loud blast on a silver trumpet.</p> + +<p>Then all the hens began to cackle, and the dog began to bark, and the +horse began to neigh, and the pigs began to grunt; for they knew that it +was a great day. And little Gauvain and his mother ran out to see what +the matter was.</p> + +<p>When the knights saw Gauvain they looked at each other, and every one +cried out: "He is the child!" And Tristram the True said to the +mother:—</p> + +<p>"Greeting to you! The king, our wise ruler, has sent us here to see your +good child; for a good child is more precious than a kingdom. And the +king offers him his love and favor if you will let him ride with us to +live at the king's court and learn to be a knight."</p> + +<p>Little Gauvain and his mother were greatly astonished. They could +scarcely believe that such a thing had happened; for it seemed very +wonderful and beautiful that the king should send messengers to little +Gauvain. After the knights had repeated it, though, they understood; and +little Gauvain ran to his mother and put his arms around her; for he +knew that if he went with the knights he must leave her, and the mother +knew that if she let him go she must live without him.</p> + +<p>The rooster up on the fence crowed a very loud "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" to +let everybody know he belonged to Gauvain; and a little chick that had +lost its mother cried, "Peep! peep!" And when the mother heard this, she +answered the knights and said:—</p> + +<p>"I cannot spare my good child from my home. The king's love is precious; +but I love my child more than the whole world, and he is dearer to me +than a thousand kingdoms."</p> + +<p>Little Gauvain was so glad when he heard her answer that he looked again +at the knights with a smiling face, and waved his hand to them as they +rode away. All day and all night they rode, and it was the peep of day +when they came to the king's highway. Then they rode slowly, for they +were sad because of their news; but the king rejoiced when he heard it, +for he said: "Such a child, with such a mother, will grow into a knight +at home."</p> + +<p>The king's words were true; for when the king was an old, old man, +Gauvain rode to his court and was knighted.</p> + +<p>Gauvain had a beautiful name of his own then, for he was called "Gauvain +the Good"; and he was brave, happy, kind, pure, and true. And he was +beloved by all the people in the world, but most of all by his mother.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="The_Closing_Door" id="The_Closing_Door"></a><i>THE CLOSING DOOR</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Keep thou an open door between thy child's life</i><br /></span> +<span><i>and thine own</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>There was once a little girl (her best and sweetest name was Little +Daughter), who had a dear little room, all her own, which was full of +treasures, and was as lovely as love could make it.</p> + +<p>You never could imagine, no matter how you tried, a room more beautiful +than hers; for it was white and shining from the snowy floor to the +ceiling, which looked as if it might have been made of a fleecy cloud. +The curtains at the windows were like the petals of a lily, and the +little bed was like swan's down.</p> + +<p>There were white pansies, too, that bloomed in the windows, and a dove +whose voice was sweet as music; and among her treasures she had a string +of pearls which she was to wear about her neck when the king of the +country sent for her, as he had promised to do some day.</p> + +<p>This string of pearls grew longer and more beautiful as the little girl +grew older, for a new pearl was given her as soon as she waked up each +morning; and every one was a gift from this king, who bade her keep them +fair.</p> + +<p>Her mother helped her to take care of them and of all the other +beautiful things in her room. Every morning, after the new pearl was +slipped on the string, they would set the room in order; and every +evening they would look over the treasures and enjoy them together, +while they carefully wiped away any specks of dust that had gotten in +during the day and made the room less lovely.</p> + +<p>There were several doors and windows, which the little girl could open +and shut just as she pleased, in this room; but there was one door which +was always open, and that was the one which led into her mother's room.</p> + +<p>No matter what Little Daughter was doing she was happier if her mother +was near; and although she sometimes ran away into her own room and +played by herself, she always bounded out at her mother's first call, +and sprang into her mother's arms, gladder than ever to be with her +because she had been away.</p> + +<p>Now one day when the little girl was playing alone, she had a visitor +who came in without knocking and who seemed, at first, very much out of +place in the shining white room, for he was a goblin and as black as a +lump of coal. He had not been there more than a very few minutes, +however, before nearly everything in the room began to look more like +him and less like driven snow: and although the little girl thought that +he was very strange and ugly when she first saw him, she soon grew used +to him, and found him an entertaining playfellow.</p> + +<p>She wanted to call her mother to see him; but he said: "Oh! no; we are +having such a nice time together, and she's busy, you know." So the +little girl did not call; and the mother, who was making a dress of fine +lace for her darling, did not dream that a goblin was in the little +white room.</p> + +<p>The goblin did not make any noise, you know, for he tip-toed all the +time, as if he were afraid; and if he heard a sound he would jump. But +he was a merry goblin, and he amused the little girl so much that she +did not notice the change in her dear room.</p> + +<p>The curtains grew dingy, the floor dusty, and the ceiling looked as if +it might have been made of a rain cloud; but the child played on, and +got out all her treasures to show to her visitor.</p> + +<p>The pansies drooped and faded, the white dove hid its head beneath its +wing and moaned; and the last pearl on the precious string grew dark +when the goblin touched it with his smutty fingers.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear me," said the little girl when she saw this, "I must call my +mother; for these are the pearls that I must wear to the king's court, +when he sends for me."</p> + +<p>"Never mind," said the goblin, "we can wash it, and if it isn't just as +white as before, what difference does it make about one pearl?"</p> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/175.jpg" + alt="One day * * * she had a visitor who came in without +knocking." title="One day * * * she had a visitor who came in without +knocking." /> +</div> +<h4>One day * * * she had a visitor who came in without +knocking.</h4> + +<p>"But mother says that they all must be as fair as the morning," insisted +the little girl, ready to cry. "And what will she say when she sees this one?" +</p> +<p>"You shut the door, then," said the goblin, pointing to the door that +had never been closed, "and I'll wash the pearl." So the little girl ran +to close the door, and the goblin began to rub the pearl; but it only +seemed to grow darker. Now the door had been open so long that it was +hard to move, and it creaked on its hinges as the little girl tried to +close it. When the mother heard this she looked up to see what was the +matter. She had been thinking about the dress which she was making; but +when she saw the closing door, her heart stood still with fear; for she +knew that if it once closed tight she might never be able to open it +again.</p> + +<p>She dropped her fine laces and ran towards the door, calling, "Little +Daughter! Little Daughter! Where are you?" and she reached out her hands +to stop the door. But as soon as the little girl heard that loving voice +she answered:—</p> + +<p>"Mother, oh! Mother! I need you so! my pearl is turning black and +everything is wrong!" and, flinging the door wide open, she ran into +her mother's arms.</p> + +<p>When the two went together into the little room, the goblin had gone. +The pansies now bloomed again, and the white dove cooed in peace; but +there was much work for the mother and daughter, and they rubbed and +scrubbed and washed and swept and dusted, till the room was so beautiful +that you would not have known that a goblin had been there—except for +the one pearl which was a little blue always, even when the king was +ready for Little Daughter to come to his court, although that was not +until she was a very old woman.</p> + +<p>As for the door, it was never closed again; for Little Daughter and her +mother put two golden hearts against it and nothing in this world could +have shut it then.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_MINSTRELS_SONG" id="THE_MINSTRELS_SONG"></a><i>THE MINSTREL'S SONG</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>The child must listen well if he would hear</i>.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i6">—<i>Blow's Commentaries</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Once, long, long ago, there lived in a country over the sea a king +called René, who married a lovely princess whose name was Imogen.</p> + +<p>Imogen came across the seas to the king's beautiful country, and all his +people welcomed her with great joy because the king loved her.</p> + +<p>"What can I do to please thee to-day?" the king asked her every morning; +and one day the queen answered that she would like to hear all the +minstrels in the king's country, for they were said to be the finest in +the world.</p> + +<p>As soon as the king heard this, he called his heralds and sent them +everywhere through his land to sound their trumpets and call aloud:—</p> + +<p>"Hear, ye minstrels! King René, our gracious king, bids ye come to play +at his court on May-day, for love of the Queen Imogen."</p> + +<p>The minstrels were men who sang beautiful songs and played on harps; and +long ago they went about from place to place, from castle to castle, +from palace to cot, and were always sure of a welcome wherever they +roamed.</p> + +<p>They could sing of the brave deeds that the knights had done, and of +wars and battles, and could tell of the mighty hunters who hunted in the +great forests, and of fairies and goblins, better than a story book; and +because there were no story books in those days, everybody, from little +children to the king, was glad to see them come.</p> + +<p>So when the minstrels heard the king's message, they made haste to the +palace on May-day; and it so happened that some of them met on the way +and decided to travel together.</p> + +<p>One of these minstrels was a young man named Harmonius; and while the +others talked of the songs that they would sing, he gathered the wild +flowers that grew by the roadside.</p> + +<p>"I can sing of the drums and battles," said the oldest minstrel, whose +hair was white and whose step was slow.</p> + +<p>"I can sing of ladies and their fair faces," said the youngest minstrel; +but Harmonius whispered: "Listen! listen!"</p> + +<p>"Oh! we hear nothing but the wind in the tree-tops," said the others. +"We have no time to stop and listen."</p> + +<p>Then they hurried on and left Harmonius; and he stood under the trees +and listened, for he heard something very sweet. At last he knew that it +was the wind singing of its travels through the wide world; telling how +it raced over the blue sea, tossing the waves and rocking the white +ships, and hurried on to the hills, where the trees made harps of their +branches, and then how it blew down into the valleys, where all the +flowers danced gayly in time to the tune.</p> + +<p>Harmonius could understand every word:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Nobody follows me where I go,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Over the mountains or valleys below;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Nobody sees where the wild winds blow,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Only the Father in Heaven can know</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>That was the chorus of the wind's song. Harmonius listened until he knew +the whole song from beginning to end; and then he ran on and soon +reached his friends, who were still talking of the grand sights that +they were to see.</p> + +<p>"We shall see the king and speak to him," said the oldest minstrel.</p> + +<p>"And his golden crown and the queen's jewels," added the youngest; and +Harmonius had no chance to tell of the wind's song, although he thought +about it time and again.</p> + +<p>Now their path led them through the wood; and as they talked, Harmonius +said:—</p> + +<p>"Hush! listen!" But the others answered:—</p> + +<p>"Oh! that is only the sound of the brook trickling over the stones. Let +us make haste to the king's court."</p> + +<p>But Harmonius stayed to hear the song that the brook was singing, of +journeying through mosses and ferns and shady ways, and of tumbling over +the rocks in shining waterfalls on its way to the sea.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Rippling and bubbling through shade and sun,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>On to the beautiful sea I run;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Singing forever, though none be near,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>For God in Heaven can always hear,"</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>sang the little brook. Harmonius listened until he knew every word of +the song, and then he hurried on.</p> + +<p>When he reached the others, he found them still talking of the king and +queen, so he could not tell them of the brook. As they talked, he heard +something again that was wonderfully sweet, and he cried: "Listen! +listen!"</p> + +<p>"Oh! that is only a bird!" the others replied. "Let us make haste to the +king's court!"</p> + +<p>But Harmonius would not go, for the bird sang so joyfully that Harmonius +laughed aloud when he heard the song.</p> + +<p>It was singing a song of green trees, and in every tree a nest, and in +every nest eggs! Oh! the bird was so gay as it sang:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Merrily, merrily, listen to me,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Flitting and flying from tree to tree.</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Nothing fear I, by land or sea,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>For God in Heaven is watching me"</i><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"Thank you, little bird," said Harmonius; "you have taught me a song." +And he made haste to join his comrades, for by this time they were near +the palace.</p> + +<p>When they had gone in, they received a hearty welcome, and were feasted +in the great hall before they came before the king.</p> + +<p>The king and queen sat on their throne together. The king thought of the +queen and the minstrels; but the queen thought of her old home, and of +the butterflies she had chased when she was a little child.</p> + +<p>One by one the minstrels played before them.</p> + +<p>The oldest minstrel sang of battles and drums, just as he had said he +would; and the youngest minstrel sang of ladies and their fair faces, +which pleased the court ladies very much.</p> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/187.jpg" + alt="Harmonius * * * touched his harp and sang." title="Harmonius * * * touched his harp and sang." /> +</div> + +<h4>Harmonius * * * touched his harp and sang.</h4> + +<p>Then came Harmonius. And when he touched his harp and sang, the song +sounded like the wind blowing, the sea roaring, and the trees creaking; then +it grew very soft, and sounded like a trickling brook dripping on stones +and running over little pebbles; and while the king and queen and all +the court listened in surprise, Harmonius' song grew sweeter, sweeter, +sweeter. It was as if you heard all the birds in Spring. And then the +song was ended. +</p> + +<p>The queen clapped her hands, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs, +and the king came down from his throne to ask Harmonius if he came from +fairyland with such a wonderful song. But Harmonius answered:—</p> + +<p>"<i>Three singers sang along our way, And I learned the song from them +to-day</i>."</p> + +<p>Now, all the other minstrels looked up in surprise when Harmonius said +this; and the oldest minstrel said to the king: "Harmonius is dreaming! +We heard no music on our way to-day."</p> + +<p>And the youngest minstrel said: "Harmonius is surely mad! We met nobody +on our way to-day."</p> + +<p>But the queen said: "That is an old, old song. I heard it when I was a +little child; and I can name the singers three." And so she did. Can +you?</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="DUST_UNDER_THE_RUG" id="DUST_UNDER_THE_RUG"></a><i>DUST UNDER THE RUG</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Well for the child, well for the man, to whom</i><br /></span> +<span><i>throughout life the voice of conscience is the prophecy</i><br /></span> +<span><i>and pledge of an abiding union with God!</i><br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="author">Froebel.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>There was once a mother, who had two little daughters; and, as her +husband was dead and she was very poor, she worked diligently all the +time that they might be well fed and clothed. She was a skilled worker, +and found work to do away from home, but her two little girls were so +good and so helpful that they kept her house as neat and as bright as a +new pin.</p> + +<p>One of the little girls was lame, and could not run about the house; so +she sat still in her chair and sewed, while Minnie, the sister, washed +the dishes, swept the floor, and made the home beautiful.</p> + +<p>Their home was on the edge of a great forest; and after their tasks were +finished the little girls would sit at the window and watch the tall +trees as they bent in the wind, until it would seem as though the trees +were real persons, nodding and bending and bowing to each other.</p> + +<p>In the Spring there were the birds, in the Summer the wild flowers, in +Autumn the bright leaves, and in Winter the great drifts of white snow; +so that the whole year was a round of delight to the two happy children. +But one day the dear mother came home sick; and then they were very sad. +It was Winter, and there were many things to buy. Minnie and her little +sister sat by the fire and talked it over, and at last Minnie said:—</p> + +<p>"Dear sister, I must go out to find work, before the food gives out." So +she kissed her mother, and, wrapping herself up, started from home. +There was a narrow path leading through the forest, and she determined +to follow it until she reached some place where she might find the work +she wanted.</p> + +<p>As she hurried on, the shadows grew deeper. The night was coming fast +when she saw before her a very small house, which was a welcome sight. +She made haste to reach it, and to knock at the door.</p> + +<p>Nobody came in answer to her knock. When she had tried again and again, +she thought that nobody lived there; and she opened the door and walked +in, thinking that she would stay all night.</p> + +<p>As soon as she stepped into the house, she started back in surprise; for +there before her she saw twelve little beds with the bed-clothes all +tumbled, twelve little dirty plates on a very dusty table, and the floor +of the room so dusty that I am sure you could have drawn a picture on +it.</p> + +<p>"Dear me!" said the little girl, "this will never do!" And as soon as +she had warmed her hands, she set to work to make the room tidy.</p> + +<p>She washed the plates, she made up the beds, she swept the floor, she +straightened the great rug in front of the fireplace, and set the twelve +little chairs in a half circle around the fire; and, just as she +finished, the door opened and in walked twelve of the queerest little +people she had ever seen. They were just about as tall as a carpenter's +rule, and all wore yellow clothes; and when Minnie saw this, she knew +that they must be the dwarfs who kept the gold in the heart of the +mountain.</p> + +<p>"Well!" said the dwarfs all together, for they always spoke together and +in rhyme,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Now isn't this a sweet surprise?</i><br /></span> +<span><i>We really can't believe our eyes!</i>"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then they spied Minnie, and cried in great astonishment:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Who can this be, so fair and mild?</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Our helper is a stranger child</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Now when Minnie saw the dwarfs, she came to meet them. "If you please," +she said, "I'm little Minnie Grey; and I'm looking for work because my +dear mother is sick. I came in here when the night drew near, and—" +here all the dwarfs laughed, and called out merrily:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>You found our room a sorry sight,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>But you have made it clean and bright</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>They were such dear funny little dwarfs! After they had thanked Minnie +for her trouble, they took white bread and honey from the closet and +asked her to sup with them.</p> + +<p>While they sat at supper, they told her that their fairy housekeeper had +taken a holiday, and their house was not well kept, because she was +away.</p> + +<p>They sighed when they said this; and after supper, when Minnie washed +the dishes and set them carefully away, they looked at her often and +talked among themselves. When the last plate was in its place they +called Minnie to them and said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Dear mortal maiden will you stay</i><br /></span> +<span><i>All through our fairy's holiday?</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And if you faithful prove, and good,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>We will reward you as we should</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Now Minnie was much pleased, for she liked the kind dwarfs, and wanted +to help them, so she thanked them, and went to bed to dream happy +dreams.</p> + +<p>Next morning she was awake with the chickens, and cooked a nice +breakfast; and after the dwarfs left, she cleaned up the room and mended +the dwarfs' clothes. In the evening when the dwarfs came home, they +found a bright fire and a warm supper waiting for them; and every day +Minnie worked faithfully until the last day of the fairy housekeeper's +holiday.</p> + +<p>That morning, as Minnie looked out of the window to watch the dwarfs go +to their work, she saw on one of the window panes the most beautiful +picture she had ever seen.</p> + +<p>A picture of fairy palaces with towers of silver and frosted pinnacles, +so wonderful and beautiful that as she looked at it she forgot that +there was work to be done, until the cuckoo clock on the mantel struck +twelve.</p> + +<p>Then she ran in haste to make up the beds, and wash the dishes; but +because she was in a hurry she could not work quickly, and when she took +the broom to sweep the floor it was almost time for the dwarfs to come +home.</p> + +<p>"I believe," said Minnie aloud, "that I will not sweep under the rug +to-day. After all, it is nothing for dust to be where it can't be seen!" +So she hurried to her supper and left the rug unturned.</p> + +<p>Before long the dwarfs came home. As the rooms looked just as usual, +nothing was said; and Minnie thought no more of the dust until she went +to bed and the stars peeped through the window.</p> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/199.jpg" + alt="All the little dwarfs came running out to see what was +the matter." title="All the little dwarfs came running out to see what was +the matter." /> +</div> + +<h4>All the little dwarfs came running out to see what was +the matter.</h4> + +<p>Then she thought of it, for it seemed to her that she could hear the +stars saying:—</p> + +<p>"There is the little girl who is so faithful and good"; and Minnie +turned her face to the wall, for a little voice, right in her own heart, +said:—</p> + +<p>"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!"</p> + +<p>"There is the little girl," cried the stars, "who keeps home as bright +as star-shine."</p> + +<p>"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" said the little voice in +Minnie's heart.</p> + +<p>"We see her! we see her!" called all the stars joyfully.</p> + +<p>"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" said the little voice in +Minnie's heart, and she could bear it no longer. So she sprang out of +bed, and, taking her broom in her hand, she swept the dust away; and lo! +under the dust lay twelve shining gold pieces, as round and as bright as +the moon.</p> + +<p>"Oh! oh! oh!" cried Minnie, in great surprise; and all the little dwarfs +came running to see what was the matter.</p> + +<p>Minnie told them all about it; and when she had ended her story, the +dwarfs gathered lovingly around her and said:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Dear child, the gold is all for you,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>For faithful you have proved and true;</i><br /></span> +<span><i>But had you left the rug unturned,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>A groat was all you would have earned.</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Our love goes with the gold we give,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And oh! forget not while you live,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>That in the smallest duty done</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Lies wealth of joy for every one</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Minnie thanked the dwarfs for their kindness to her; and early next +morning she hastened home with her golden treasure, which bought many +good things for the dear mother and little sister.</p> + +<p>She never saw the dwarfs again; but she never forgot their lesson, to do +her work faithfully; and she always swept under the rug.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_STORY_OF_GRETCHEN" id="THE_STORY_OF_GRETCHEN"></a><i>THE STORY OF GRETCHEN</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Oh! like a wreath, let Christmas mirth</i><br /></span> +<span><i>To-day encircle all the earth</i>,<br /></span> +<span><i>And bind the nations with the love</i><br /></span> +<span><i>That Jesus brought from heaven above</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>It was almost Christmas time when one of the white ships that sail +across the sea brought a little German girl named Gretchen, with her +father and mother, to find a new home in our dear land.</p> + +<p>Gretchen knew all about Christmas. She had heard the story of the loving +Christ Child over and over, and in her home in Germany she had kept His +birthday and enjoyed it ever since she could remember.</p> + +<p>Every year, a little before Christmas, her shoes had been placed in the +garden for Rupert, who is one of Santa Claus's German helpers, to fill, +and every year she had found a Christmas tree lighted for her on +Christmas Day. She wondered a little, as she came across the ocean, how +she would keep Christmas in the new country; and she wondered still +more, when they reached a great city, and had their "boxes" carried up +so many stairs to a little room in a boarding-house.</p> + +<p>Gretchen's mother did not like boarding-houses—no, indeed!—and their +first thought was to find a place where they might feel at home; but the +very next morning after their long journey the dear father was too ill +to lift his head from the pillow, and Gretchen and her mother were very +sad for many days. Up so high in a boarding-house is not pleasant (even +if you do seem nearer the stars) when somebody you love is sick; and +then, too, Gretchen began to think that Santa Claus and Rupert had +forgotten her; for when she set her two little wooden shoes outside the +door, they were never filled with goodies, and people stumbled over them +and scolded.</p> + +<p>The tears would roll down Gretchen's fat, rosy cheeks, and fall into the +empty shoes, and she decided that the people in America did not keep +Christmas, and wished she was in her own Germany again. One day, +however, a good woman in the house felt sorry for the lonely little +German girl, who could speak no English, and she asked Gretchen's +mother if Gretchen might go with her to see the beautiful stores. She +was only a poor woman, and had no presents to give away; but she knew +how to be kind to Gretchen, and she took her hand and smiled at her very +often as they hurried along the crowded street.</p> + +<p>It was the day before Christmas, and throngs of people were moving here +and there, and Gretchen was soon bewildered, and she was jostled and +pushed until she was tired; but at last they stepped into a store which +made her blue eyes open wide, for it was a toy store, and the most +beautiful place she had ever seen. There were toys in that store that +had come across the sea like Gretchen; there were lovely dolls from +France, who were spending their first Christmas away from home; there +were woolly sheep, fine painted soldiers, and dainty furniture, and a +whole host of wonderful toys marked very carefully, "Made in Germany"; +and even the Japanese, from their island in the great ocean, had sent +their funny slant-eyed dolls to help us keep Christmas.</p> + +<p>Oh! it was splendid to be in the toyshop the day before Christmas! All +the tin soldiers stood up so straight and tall, looking as if they were +just ready to march when the big drums and the little drums, which hung +over their heads, should call them.</p> + +<p>The rocking horses, which are always saddled, were waiting to gallop +away. The tops were anxious to spin, and the balls really rolled about +sometimes, because it was so hard for them to keep still.</p> + +<p>The fine lady dolls were dressed in their best. One of them was a +princess, and wore a white satin dress, and had a crown on her head. She +sat on a throne in one of the windows, with all the other dolls around +her; and it was in this very window that Gretchen saw a baby doll, which +made her forget all the rest. It was a real baby doll, not nearly so +fine as most of the others, but with a look on its face as if it wanted +to be loved; and Gretchen's warm German heart went out to it, for +little mothers are the same all the world over.</p> + +<p>Such a dear baby doll! She must have been made for a Christmas gift, +Gretchen thought; and if the good giver came to this queer American +land, he surely would find her. How could she let him know where she +was? She thought about it all the way home, and all day long, till the +gas was lighted down in the great city and the stars were lighted up +above, and the time of his coming drew very near.</p> + +<p>The father was better; but the mother had said with tears in her eyes, +that there could be no Christmas tree for them that year. So Gretchen +did not worry them, but she wrapped herself up in a blanket and shawl, +and, taking her shoes in her hand, she crept down the stairs, through +the door, out to the wooden stoop. There had been a light fall of snow +that day, but it was a mild Christmas, and Gretchen set her shoes evenly +together, and then sat down beside them; for she had made up her mind to +watch them until Santa Claus came by.</p> + +<p>All over the city the bells were ringing,—calling "Merry Christmas" to +each other and to the world; and they sang so sweetly to little Gretchen +that they sang her to sleep that Christmas Eve.</p> + +<p>It was hundreds and hundreds of years since the Christ Child slept in +the manger; but this same night in the great city a little American girl +named Margaret had her heart so full of His love and joy that she wanted +to make everybody happy for the dear Christ's sake.</p> + +<p>She had waked up early the day before Christmas, and all day long she +had been doing loving deeds; and when evening came, and the bells began +to ring, she started with a basket of toys to a mission church, where +she was to help Santa Claus by giving gifts to the children of the poor.</p> +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/211.jpg" + alt="The dearest Christmas Gift that ever came to a homesick +little girl." title="The dearest Christmas Gift that ever came to a homesick +little girl." /> +</div> + +<h4>The dearest Christmas Gift that ever came to a homesick +little girl.</h4> + +<p>Her papa was with her, and they were so glad that they sang gay +Christmas carols, and kept time to them with their feet as they hurried +down the street, right by the wooden stoop, just as Gretchen fell asleep +by her empty shoes. The moon had seen those empty shoes, and was filling them with moonbeams. The stars had +seen them, and peeped into them with pity; and when Margaret and her +father saw them they cried out to each other, for they had been in +Germany, and they knew that the little owner was waiting for the good +Saint Nicholas.</p> + +<p>"What can we give her?" whispered Margaret's papa, as he looked down at +his bundles; but Margaret knew, for she took from her basket a baby +doll—one that looked as if it wanted to be loved—and laid it tenderly +across the wooden shoes. Then Margaret lifted a corner of the blanket +from Gretchen's rosy face and shouted "Merry Christmas!" with so much +heartiness that the little girl woke with a start to find, not Margaret +and her papa, for they had run away, but, oh! wonder of wonders! the +dearest Christmas gift that ever came to a homesick little girl, and +made her feel at home.</p> + +<p>Oh! all the bells were singing and ringing, and Margaret and her papa +answered them with their merry Christmas carol, as they sped on their +way.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>"<i>Carol, brothers, carol!</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>Carol merrily!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Carol the glad tidings,</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>Carol cheerily!</i><br /></span> +<span><i>And pray a gladsome Christmas</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>To all our fellowmen,</i><br /></span> +<span><i>Carol, brothers, carol!</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>Christmas Day again</i>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_KINGS_BIRTHDAY" id="THE_KINGS_BIRTHDAY"></a><i>THE KING'S BIRTHDAY</i></h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span><i>Let the child feel Christ is near him</i>;<br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>By your faith will grow his own</i>;<br /></span> +<span><i>Death nor danger will affright him</i><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><i>If he never feels alone</i>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Little Carl and his mother came from their home in the country one sweet +summer day, because it was the king's birthday, and all the city was to +be glad and gay, and the king would ride on his fine gray horse for the +people to see.</p> + +<p>Little Carl had gathered a very fine bunch of flowers to throw before +the king. He had marigolds and pinks and pansies, and they had all grown +in his mother's garden.</p> + +<p>This was a great day for little boy Carl, and before he started from +home he told everything goodbye,—the brindle calf and the mooley cow +and the sheep and little white lambs.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye!" he said; "I am going to see the king."</p> + +<p>The way was long, but Carl did not complain. He trudged bravely on by +his mother's side, holding the flowers tightly in his little hand, and +looking out of his great blue eyes for the king, in case the king should +ride out to meet them.</p> + +<p>Every now and then Carl wished for his father, who was obliged to work +in the fields all day, and who had been up and away before Carl was +awake. Carl thought of the fine sights his father was missing, +especially when they came to the city, where the flags were flying from +every steeple and housetop and window.</p> + +<p>There were as many people in the city as there were birds in the +country; and when the drums beat, the crowd rushed forward and everybody +called at once: "The king! the king! Long live the king!"</p> + +<p>Carl's mother lifted him up in her arms that he might see, The king rode +slowly along on his great gray horse, with all his fine ladies and +gentlemen behind him; and little Carl threw his flowers with the rest +and waved his cap in his hand.</p> + +<p>He felt sorry for his flowers after he had thrown them, because they +were trampled under the horses' feet and the king didn't care; and +after that he felt very tired, and his little hot hand slipped from his +mother's and he was carried away in the crowd.</p> + +<p>He thought that his mother would surely come. But there were only +strange faces about him, and he was such a little lad that nobody +noticed him; and at last he was left behind, all alone.</p> + +<p>He was very miserable, and the tears rolled down his cheeks; but he +remembered that it was the king's birthday, and that everybody must be +glad, so he wiped the tears away as he trudged along.</p> + +<p>There were wonderful houses along the street, with great gardens in +front; and Carl thought that they must belong to the king, but he did +not want to go in. They were all too fine for him. But at last he +reached one which stood off by itself and had a tall, tall steeple and +great doors, through which hundreds of people were coming.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps my mamma is there," thought little Carl. After he had watched +all the people come out, and had not seen her, he went up the white +marble steps and through the doors, and found himself all alone in a +very beautiful place.</p> + +<p>The roof of the house was held up by great strong pillars, and the floor +had as many patterns on it as his mother's patchwork; and on every side +he saw windows,—beautiful windows like picture books,—and when he had +seen one, he wanted to see another, as you do when you are looking at +picture books.</p> + +<p>Some of the windows had jewels and crowns upon them; some had sheaves of +lilies; and others had lovely faces and men with harps; and at last he +came to one great window which was different from the rest and lovelier +than any of them.</p> + +<p>The other windows were like picture books, but this one was like home; +for there were sheep in it and flowers, and a dear, gentle Man, with a +loving face, and He had a lamb in His arms.</p> + +<p>When little Carl looked at this window, he crept very close under it, +and, laying his head on his arm, sobbed himself to sleep.</p> + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/221.jpg" + alt=""Mother, mother, here am I!"" title=""Mother, mother, here am I!"" /> +</div> +<h4>"Mother, mother, here am I!"</h4> + +<p>While he slept, the sunbeams came through the window and made bright +circles round his head; and the white doves that lived in the church +tower flew through an open window to look at him.</p> + +<p>"It is good to live in the church tower," cooed the white doves to each +other, "for the bells are up there; and then we can fly down here and +see the dear Christ's face. See! here is one of his little ones!"</p> + +<p>"Coo, coo," said the white doves softly; "we cannot speak so loudly as +the bells, nor make ourselves heard so far; but we can fly where we +please, and they must stay always up there."</p> + +<p>All this cooing did not wake little boy Carl, for he was dreaming a +beautiful dream about a king who had a face like the Good Man in the +window, and who was carrying Carl in His arms instead of a lamb, and was +taking him to his mother; and just as he dreamed that they had reached +her, Carl woke up, for he heard somebody talking in the church.</p> + +<p>He lay still and listened, for this seemed part of the dream. Somebody +was talking about him, and the words were very plain to Carl:—</p> + +<p>"Dear Father in Heaven, I have lost my little boy. I am like Mary +seeking for the Christ Child. For His sake, give me my little child!"</p> + +<p>Carl knew that voice, and in an instant he ran out crying:—</p> + +<p>"Mother! mother! here am I!"</p> + +<p>And in all the joy of the king's birth day, there was no joy so great as +theirs.</p> +<hr /> +<p><b>Footnote</b></p> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Air <i>Nancy Lee</i>.</p></div> +<hr /> + +<div class="center"> + <img src="images/backcover.jpg" + alt="Back Cover" title="Back Cover" /> +</div> +<h4>Back Cover</h4> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mother Stories, by Maud Lindsay + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 15929-h.htm or 15929-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/9/2/15929/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Chuck Greif and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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: Mother Stories + +Author: Maud Lindsay + +Illustrator: Sarah Noble-Ives + +Release Date: May 28, 2005 [EBook #15929] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Chuck Greif and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + + +MOTHER STORIES + +BY + +MAUD LINDSAY + +ILLUSTRATED _by_ SARAH NOBLE-IVES + + "_Mother, a story told at the right time + Is a looking-glass for the mind_." + FROEBEL. + +TWENTY-EIGHTH EDITION + +MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY +SPRINGFIELD MASS. 1928 + +=Bradley Quality Books= +PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + +DEDICATED _to_ MY MOTHER + + + + +PREFACE + + +I have endeavored to write, for mothers and dear little children, a few +simple stories, embodying some of the truths of Froebel's Mother Play. + +The Mother Play is such a vast treasure house of Truth, that each one +who seeks among its stores may bring to light some gem; and though, +perhaps, I have missed its diamonds and rubies, I trust my string of +pearls may find acceptance with some mother who is trying to live with +her children. + +I have written my own mottoes, with a few exceptions, that I might +emphasize the particular lesson which I endeavor to teach in the story; +for every motto in the Mother Play comprehends so much that it is +impossible to use the whole for a single subject. From "The Bridge" for +instance, which is replete with lessons, I have taken only one,--for the +story of the "Little Traveler." + +Most of these stories have been told and retold to little children, and +are surrounded, in my eyes, by a halo of listening faces. + +"Mrs. Tabby Gray" is founded on a true story of a favorite cat. "The +Journey" is a new version of the old Stage Coach game, much loved by our +grandmothers; and I am indebted to some old story, read in childhood, +for the suggestion of "Dust Under the Rug," which was a successful +experiment in a kindergarten to test the possibility of interesting +little children in a story after the order of Grimm, with the wicked +stepmother and her violent daughter eradicated. + +Elizabeth Peabody says we are all free to look out of each other's +windows; and so I place mine at the service of all who care to see what +its tiny panes command. + +MAUD LINDSAY. + + + + +LIST OF STORIES + + + +The Wind's Work + +Mrs. Tabby Gray + +Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice + +The Little Girl with the Light + +The Little Gray Pony + +How the Home Was Built + +The Little Traveler + +The Open Gate + +Inside the Garden Gate + +The Journey + +Giant Energy and Fairy Skill + +The Search for a Good Child + +The Closing Door + +The Minstrel's Song + +Dust Under the Rug + +The Story of Gretchen + +The King's Birthday + + + + +_THE WIND'S WORK_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Power invisible that God reveals, + The child within all nature feels, + Like the great wind that unseen goes, + Yet helps the world's work as it blows_. + +One morning Jan waked up very early, and the first thing he saw when he +opened his eyes was his great kite in the corner. His big brother had +made it for him; and it had a smiling face, and a long tail that reached +from the bed to the fireplace. It did not smile at Jan that morning +though, but looked very sorrowful and seemed to say "Why was I made? Not +to stand in a corner, I hope!" for it had been finished for two whole +days and not a breeze had blown to carry it up like a bird in the air. + +Jan jumped out of bed, dressed himself, and ran to the door to see if +the windmill on the hill was at work; for he hoped that the wind had +come in the night. But the mill was silent and its arms stood still. Not +even a leaf turned over in the yard. + +The windmill stood on a high hill where all the people could see it, and +when its long arms went whirling around every one knew that there was +no danger of being hungry, for then the Miller was busy from morn to +night grinding the grain that the farmers brought him. + +When Jan looked out, however, the Miller had nothing to do, and was +standing in his doorway, watching the clouds, and saying to himself +(though Jan could not hear him):-- + + "_Oh! how I wish the wind would blow + So that my windmill's sails might go, + To turn my heavy millstones round! + For corn and wheat must both be ground, + And how to grind I do not know + Unless the merry wind will blow_." + +He sighed as he spoke, for he looked down in the village, and saw the +Baker in neat cap and apron, standing idle too. + +The Baker's ovens were cold, and his trays were clean, and he, too, was +watching the sky, and saying:-- + + "_Oh! how I wish the wind would blow, + So that the Miller's mill might go, + And grind me flour so fine, to make + My good light bread and good sweet cake! + But how to bake I do not know + Without the flour as white as snow_." + +Jan heard every word that the Baker said, for he lived next door to him; +and he felt so sorry for his good neighbor that he wanted to tell him +so. But before he had time to speak, somebody else called out from +across the street:-- + + "_Well! I'm sure I wish the wind would blow, + For this is washing day, you know. + I've scrubbed and rubbed with all my might, + In tubs of foam from morning light, + And now I want the wind to blow + To dry my clothes as white as snow_." + +This was the Washerwoman who was hanging out her clothes. Jan could see +his own Sunday shirt, with ruffles, hanging limp on her line, and it was +as white as a snowflake, sure enough! + +"Come over, little neighbor," cried the Washerwoman, when she saw Jan. +"Come over, little neighbor, and help me work to-day!" So, as soon as +Jan had eaten his breakfast, he ran over to carry her basket for her. +The basket was heavy, but he did not care; and as he worked he heard +some one singing a song, with a voice almost as loud and as strong as +the wind. + + [1]"_Oh! if the merry wind would blow, + Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho! yeo ho! + My gallant ship would gaily go, + Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho! + In fresh'ning gales we'd loose our sails, + And o'er the sea, + Where blue waves dance, and sunbeams glance, + We'd sail in glee, + But winds must blow, before we go, + Across the sea, + Yeo ho! my lads, yeo ho!"_ + +[Footnote 1: Air _Nancy Lee_.] + +Jan and the Washerwoman and all the neighbors looked out to see who was +singing so cheerily, and it was the Sea-captain whose white ship Jan had +watched in the harbor. The ship was laden with linen and laces for fine +ladies, but it could not go till the wind blew. The Captain was +impatient to be off, and so he walked about town, singing his jolly song +to keep himself happy. + +Jan thought it was a beautiful song, and when he went home he tried to +sing it himself. He did not know all the words, but he put his hands in +his pockets and swelled out his little chest and sang in as big a voice +as he could: "Yeo ho! my lads, yeo ho!" + +While he sang, something kissed him on the cheek; and when he turned to +see what it was his hat spun off into the yard as if it were enchanted; +and when he ran to pick his hat up he heard a whispering all through the +town. He looked up, and he looked down, and on every side, but saw +nobody! At last the golden weather-vane on the church tower called +down:-- + +"Foolish child, it is the wind from out of the east." + +The trees had been the first to know of its coming, and they were bowing +and bending to welcome it; while the leaves danced off the branches and +down the hill, in a whirl of delight. + +The windmill's arms whirled round, oh! so fast, and the wheat was ground +into white flour for the Baker, who kindled his fires and beat his eggs +in the twinkling of an eye; and he was not quicker than the Sea-captain, +who loosed his sails in the fresh'ning gales, just as he had said he +would, and sailed away to foreign lands. + +Jan watched him go, and then ran in great haste to get his kite; for the +petticoats on the Washerwoman's clothesline were puffed up like +balloons, and all the world was astir. + +"Now I'm in my proper place," said the kite as it sailed over the roofs +of the houses, over the tree tops, over the golden weather vane, and +even over the windmill itself. Higher, higher, higher it flew, as if it +had wings; till it slipped away from the string, and Jan never saw it +again, and only the wind knew where it landed at last. + +[Illustration: "Now I am in my proper place," said the Kite.] + + + + +_MRS. TABBY GRAY_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + "_All mother love attracts the child, + Its world-wide tenderness he feels. + And ev'ry beast that loves her young, + His mother's love to him reveals_." + + + +Mrs. Tabby Gray, with her three little kittens, lived out in the barn +where the hay was stored. One of the kittens was white, one was black, +and one gray, just like her mother, who was called Tabby Gray from the +color of her coat. + +These three little kittens opened their eyes when they grew old enough, +and thought there was nothing so nice in all this wonderful world as +their own dear mother, although she told them of a great many nice +things, like milk and bread, which they should have when they could go +up to the big house where she had her breakfast, dinner, and supper. + +Every time Mother Tabby came from the big house she had something +pleasant to tell. "Bones for dinner to-day, my dears," she would say, or +"I had a fine romp with a ball and the baby," until the kittens longed +for the time when they could go too. + +One day, however, Mother Cat walked in with joyful news. + +"I have found an elegant new home for you," she said, "in a very large +trunk where some old clothes are kept; and I think I had better move at +once." + +Then she picked up the small black kitten, without any more words, and +walked right out of the barn with him. + +The black kitten was astonished, but he blinked his eyes at the bright +sunshine, and tried to see everything. + +Out in the barnyard there was a great noise, for the white hen had laid +an egg, and wanted everybody to know it; but Mother Cat hurried on, +without stopping to inquire about it, and soon dropped the kitten into +the large trunk. The clothes made such a soft, comfortable bed, and the +kitten was so tired after his exciting trip, that he fell asleep, and +Mrs. Tabby trotted off for another baby. + +While she was away, the lady who owned the trunk came out in the hall; +and when she saw that the trunk was open, she shut it, locked it, and +put the key in her pocket, for she did not dream that there was +anything so precious as a kitten inside. + +As soon as the lady had gone upstairs Mrs. Tabby Gray came back, with +the little white kitten; and when she found the trunk closed, she was +terribly frightened. She put the white kitten down and sprang on top of +the trunk and scratched with all her might, but scratching did no good. +Then she jumped down and reached up to the keyhole, but that was too +small for even a mouse to pass through, and the poor mother mewed +pitifully. + +What was she to do? She picked up the white kitten, and ran to the barn +with it. Then she made haste to the house again, and went upstairs to +the lady's room. The lady was playing with her baby and when Mother Cat +saw this she rubbed against her skirts, and cried: "Mee-ow, mee-ow! You +have your baby, and I want mine! Mee-ow, mee-ow!" + +By and by the lady said: "Poor Kitty! she must be hungry"; and she went +down to the kitchen and poured sweet milk in a saucer, but the cat did +not want milk. She wanted her baby kitten out of the big black trunk, +and she mewed as plainly as she could: "Give me my baby--give me my +baby, out of your big black trunk!" + +The kind lady decided that she must be thirsty: "Poor Kitty, I will give +you water"; but when she set the bowl of water down Mrs. Tabby Gray +mewed more sorrowfully than before. She wanted no water,--she only +wanted her dear baby kitten; and she ran to and fro, crying, until, at +last, the lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk. + +"What can be the matter with this cat?" said the lady; and she took the +trunk key out of her pocket, put it in the lock, unlocked the trunk, +raised the top--and in jumped Mother Cat with such a bound that the +little black kitten waked up with a start. + +[Illustration: The lady followed her; and she led the way to the trunk.] + +"Purr, purr, my darling child," said Mrs. Tabby Gray, in great +excitement; "I have had a dreadful fright!" and before the black kitten +could ask one question she picked him up and started for the barn. + +The sun was bright in the barnyard and the hens were still chattering +there; but the black kitten was glad to get back to the barn. His mother +was glad, too; for, as she nestled down in the hay with her three little +kittens, she told them that a barn was the best place after all to raise +children. + +And she never afterwards changed her mind. + + + + +_FLEET WING AND SWEET VOICE_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Make the home-coming sweet! + The gladness of going, + The pleasure of knowing + Will not be complete + Unless, at the ending, + The home-coming's sweet. + + Make the home-coming sweet! + No fear of the straying, + Or dread of the staying + Of dear little feet, + If always you're making + The home-coming sweet_. + +Mother and Father Pigeon lived with their two young pigeons in their +home, built high on a post in the king's barnyard. Every bright morning +they would fly away through the beautiful sunshine wherever they +pleased, but, when evening came, they were sure to come to the +pigeon-house again. + +One evening, when they were talking together in their sweet, cooing way, +Mother Pigeon said:-- + +"We each have a story to tell, I know; so let each one take his turn, +and Father Pigeon begin." + +Then Father Pigeon said:-- + +"To-day I have been down to the shining little stream that runs through +the wood. The green ferns grow on either side of it, and the water is +cool, cool, cool! for I dipped my feet into it, and wished that you all +were there." + +"I know the stream," cooed Mother Pigeon. "It turns the wheels of the +mills as it hurries along, and is busy all day on its way to the river." + +"To-day I have talked with the birds in the garden," said Sweet Voice, +one of the young pigeons, "the thrush, the blackbird, and bluebird, and +all. They sang to me and I cooed to them, and together we made the world +gay. The bluebird sang of the sunshine, and the blackbird of the +harvest; but the thrush sang the sweetest song. It was about her nest in +the tree." + +"I heard you all," said Fleet Wing, the other young pigeon; "for I sat +and listened on the high church tower. I was so high up, there, that I +thought I was higher than anything else; but I saw the great sun shining +in the sky, and the little white clouds, like sky pigeons, sailing above +me. Then, looking down, I saw, far away, this white pigeon-house; and it +made me very glad, for nothing that I saw was so lovely as home." + +"I never fly far away from home," said Mother Pigeon, "and to-day I +visited in the chicken yard. The hens were all talking, and they greeted +me with 'Good morning! Good morning!' and the turkey gobbled 'Good +morning!' and the rooster said 'How do you do?' While I chatted with +them a little girl came out with a basket of yellow corn, and threw some +for us all. When I was eating my share, I longed for my dear ones. And +now good night," cooed Mother Pigeon, "it is sleepy time for us all." + +"Coo, coo! Good night!" answered the others; and all was still in the +pigeon-house. + +Now over in the palace, where the king, and queen, and their one little +daughter lived, there was the sound of music and laughter; but the +king's little daughter was sad, for early the next morning her father, +the king, was to start on a journey, and she loved him so dearly that +she could not bear to have him leave her. + +The king's little daughter could not go out in the sunshine like Sweet +Voice and Fleet Wing, but lay all day within the palace on her silken +cushions; for her fine little feet, in their satin slippers, were always +too tired to carry her about, and her thin, little face was as white as +a jasmine flower. + +The king loved her as dearly as she loved him; and when he saw that she +was sad, he tried to think of something to make her glad after he had +gone away. At last he called a prince, and whispered something to him. +The prince told it to a count, and the count to a gentleman-in-waiting. + +The gentleman-in-waiting told a footman, and the footman told somebody +else, and at last, the boy who waited on the cook heard it. + +Early next morning he went to the pigeon-house, where Mother and Father +Pigeon and their two young pigeons lived; and putting his hand through a +door, he took Sweet Voice and Fleet Wing out, and dropped them into a +basket. + +Poor Sweet Voice, and Fleet Wing! They were so frightened that they +could not coo! They sat very close to each other in the covered basket, +and wondered when they would see their mother and father and home +again. + +All the time, as they sat close together in the basket and wondered, +they were being taken away from home; for the king had started on his +journey, and one of his gentlemen was carrying the basket, very +carefully, with him on his horse. + +At last the horses stood still and the basket was taken to the king; and +when he opened it, the two little pigeons looked up and saw that the sun +was high in the sky, and that they were far from home. + +When they saw that they were far from home, they were more frightened +than before; but the king spoke so kindly and smoothed their feathers so +gently, that they knew he would take care of them. + +Then the king took two tiny letters tied with lovely blue ribbon out of +his pocket; and, while his gentlemen stood by to see, he fastened one +under a wing of each little pigeon. + +"Fly away, little pigeons!" he cried; and he tossed them up toward the +sky. "Fly away, and carry my love to my little daughter!" + +Fleet Wing, and Sweet Voice spread their wings joyfully, for they knew +that they were free! free! and they wanted to go home. + +Everywhere they saw green woods, instead of the red roofs and shining +windows of the town, and Sweet Voice was afraid; but Fleet Wing said:-- + +"I saw these woods from the tall church steeple. Home is not so far away +as we thought." + +Then they lost no time in talking, but turned their heads homeward; and +as they flew the little gray squirrels that ran about in the woods +called out to ask them to play, but the pigeons could not stay. + +The wood dove heard them, and called from her tree: "Little cousins, +come in!" But the pigeons thanked her and hurried on. + +"Home is not so far away," said Fleet Wing; but he began to fear that he +had missed the way, and Sweet Voice was so tired that she begged him to +fly on alone. + +[Illustration: The little pigeons were taken in to see the king's +daughter.] + +Fleet Wing would not listen to this; and, as they talked, they came to a +little stream of water with green ferns growing all about, and they knew +that it must be the very stream that Father Pigeon loved. Then they +cooled their tired feet in the fresh water, and cooed for joy; for they +knew that they were getting nearer, nearer, nearer home, all the time. + +Sweet Voice was not afraid then; and as they flew from the shelter of +the woods, they saw the tall church steeple with its golden weather +vane. + +The sun was in the west, and the windows were all shining in its light, +when Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice reached the town. The little children +saw them and called: "Stay with us, pretty pigeons." But Sweet Voice and +Fleet Wing did not rest until they reached the white pigeon house, where +Mother and Father Pigeon were waiting. + +The cook's boy was waiting, too, and the little pigeons were taken in to +see the king's little daughter. When she found the letters which they +carried under their wings, she laughed with delight; and Fleet Wing and +Sweet Voice were very proud to think that they had brought glad news to +their princess. + +They told it over and over again out in the pigeon-house, and Mother and +Father Pigeon were glad, too. + +In the morning, the birds in the garden were told of the wonderful +things that had happened to Fleet Wing and Sweet Voice; and even the +hens and chickens had something to say when they heard the news. + +The thrush said that it all made her think of her own sweet song; and +she sang it again to them:-- + + "_Wherever I fly from my own dear nest, + I always come back, for home is the best_." + + + + +_THE LITTLE GIRL WITH THE LIGHT_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _We can never dwell in shadows + If our souls are full of light. + Let the brightness of our being + Make the whole wide world as bright_ + "_Jesus bids us shine for all around. + Many kinds of darkness in this world are found. + There's sin and want and sorrow, so we must shine, + You in your small corner, I in mine." + + S.S. Hymn_. + +There once lived a little maiden to whom God had given a wonderful +light, which made her whole life bright. + +When she was a wee baby it shone on her face in a beautiful smile, and +her mother cried:-- + +"See! the angels have been kissing her!" And when she grew older it +lighted up her eyes like sunshine, and gleamed on her forehead like a +star. + +All lovely things that loved light, loved her. The soft-cooing pigeons +came at her call. The roses climbed up to her windows to peep at her, +and the birds of the air, and the butterflies, that looked like +enchanted sunbeams, would circle about her head. + +Her father was king of a country; and though she was not so tall as the +tall white lily in the garden, or the weeds that grew outside, she had +servants to wait on her, and grant her every wish, as if she were a +queen. + +She was dearer to her father and mother than all else that they +possessed; and there was no happier king or queen or little maiden in +any kingdom of the world, till one sad day when the king's enemies came +upon them like a whirlwind, and changed their joy to sorrow. + +Their palace was seized, the servants were scattered, and the king and +queen were carried away to a dark prison-house, where they sat and wept +for their little daughter, for they knew not where she was. + +No one knew but the old nurse, who had nursed the king himself. She had +carried the child away, unnoticed amid the noise and strife, and set her +in safety outside the palace walls. + +"Fly, precious one!" she cried, as she left her there. "Fly! for the +enemy is upon us!" And the little maiden started out in the world alone. + +She knew not where to go; so she wandered away through the fields and +waste places, where nobody lived and only the grasshoppers seemed glad. +But she was not afraid,--no! not even when she came to a great forest, +at evening;--for she carried her light with her. + +'T is true that once she thought she saw a threatening giant waiting by +the dusky path; but, when her light shone on it, it was only a pine +tree, stretching out its friendly arms; and she laughed so merrily that +all the woods laughed too. + +"Who are you? Who are you?" asked an owl, blinking his eyes at the +brightness of her face; and a little rabbit, startled by the sound, +sprang from its hiding place in the bushes and fell trembling at her +feet. + +"Alas!" it panted as she bent in pity to offer help, "Alas! the hunters +with their dogs and guns pursue me! But you flee, too! How can you help +me?" But the child took the tiny creature in her arms and held it close; +and when the dogs rushed through the tanglewood, they saw the light that +lighted up her eyes like sunshine and gleamed on her forehead like a +star, and came no further. + +Then deeper into the great forest she went, bearing the rabbit still; +and the wild beasts heard her footsteps, and waited for her coming. + +"Hush!" said the fox, "she is mine; for I will lead her from the path +into the tanglewood!" + +"Nay, she is mine!" howled the wolf; "for I will follow on her +footsteps!" + +"Mine! mine!" screamed the tiger; "for I will spring upon her in the +darkness, and she cannot escape me!" + +[Illustration: The child took the tiny creature in her arms and held it +close.] + +So they quarreled among themselves, for they were beasts and knew no +better; and as they snarled and growled and howled, the maiden walked in +among them; and when the light which made her lovely fell upon them, +they ran and hid themselves in the depths of the forest, and the +child passed on in safety. + +The rabbit still slept peacefully on her breast. At last she, too, grew +weary, and lay down to sleep on the leaves and moss; and the birds of +the forest watched her and sang to her, and nothing harmed her all the +night. + +In the morning a party of horsemen rode through the forest, looking +behind each bush and tree as if they sought something very precious. + +The forest glowed with splendor then, for the sun had come in all its +glory to scatter darkness and wake up the world. The darkest dells and +caves and lonely paths lost their horror in the morning light, and there +were violets blooming in the shadows of the pines. + +The leaves glistened, the flowers lifted their heads, and everything was +glad but the horsemen, whose faces were full of gloom because their +hearts were sad. + +They did not speak or smile as they rode on their search; and their +leader was the saddest of them all, though he wore a golden crown that +sparkled with many jewels. + +They followed each winding path through the forest, till at last they +reached the spot where the little maiden lay. + +The rabbit waked up at the sound of their coming, but the child slept +till a loud cry of gladness awakened her and she found herself in her +father's arms. + +In the night-time the king's brave soldiers had driven his enemies from +his land, and opened the doors of the prison-house in which he and the +queen lay, and the king had ridden with them in haste to find his +darling child, who was worth his crown and his kingdom. + +The sight of her face was the sunshine to lighten their hearts, and they +sent the glad news far and near, with blast of trumpet and shouts of +joy. + +But in all their great happiness the child did not forget the rabbit, +and she said to it, "Come with me and I will take care of you, for my +father the king is here." But the rabbit thanked her and wanted to go +home. + +"My babies are waiting," it said, "and I have my work to do in the +world. I pray you let me go." + +So the child kissed it and bade it go; and she, too, went to her own +dear home. There she grew lovelier every day, for the light grew with +her; and when, long years afterward, she was queen of the country, the +foxes and wolves and tigers dared not harm her people, for her good +knights drove evil from her land; but to loving gentle creatures she +gave love and protection, and she lived happily all the days of her +life. + + + + +_THE LITTLE GRAY PONY_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _The humblest workman has his place, + Which no one else can fill_. + +There was once a man who owned a little gray pony. + +Every morning when the dewdrops were still hanging on the pink clover in +the meadows, and the birds were singing their morning song, the man +would jump on his pony and ride away, clippety, clippety, clap! + +The pony's four small hoofs played the jolliest tune on the smooth pike +road, the pony's head was always high in the air, and the pony's two +little ears were always pricked up; for he was a merry gray pony, and +loved to go clippety, clippety, clap! + +The man rode to town and to country, to church and to market, up hill +and down hill; and one day he heard something fall with a clang on a +stone in the road. Looking back, he saw a horseshoe lying there. And +when he saw it, he cried out:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + If my little gray pony has lost a shoe_?" + +Then down he jumped, in a great hurry, and looked at one of the pony's +fore-feet; but nothing was wrong. He lifted the other forefoot, but the +shoe was still there. He examined one of the hindfeet, and began to +think that he was mistaken; but when he looked at the last foot, he +cried again:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!" + +Then he made haste to go to the blacksmith; and when he saw the smith, +he called out to him:-- + + "_Blacksmith! Blacksmith! I've come to you; + My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!" + +But the blacksmith answered and said:-- + + "_How can I shoe your pony's feet, + Without some coal the iron to heat_?" + +The man was downcast when he heard this; but he left his little gray +pony in the blacksmith's care, while he hurried here and there to buy +the coal. + +First of all he went to the store; and when he got there, he said:-- + + "_Storekeeper! Storekeeper! I've come to you; + My little gray pony has lost a shoe! + And I want some coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet_." + +But the storekeeper answered and said:-- + + "_Now, I have apples and candy to sell, + And more nice things than I can tell; + But I've no coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet_." + +Then the man went away sighing, and saying:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + My little gray pony has lost a shoe!"_ + +By and by he met a farmer coming to town with a wagon full of good +things; and he said:-- + + "_Farmer! Farmer! I've come to you; + My little gray pony has lost a shoe! + And I want some coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet_." + +Then the farmer answered the man and said:-- + + "_I've bushels of corn and hay and wheat + Something for you and your pony to eat; + But I've no coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet_." + +So the farmer drove away and left the man standing in the road, sighing +and saying:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!" + +In the farmer's wagon, full of good things, he saw corn, which made him +think of the mill; so he hastened there, and called to the dusty +miller:-- + + "_Miller! Miller! I've come to you; + My little gray pony has lost a shoe, + And I want some coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe my pony's feet_." + +The miller came to the door in surprise; and when he heard what was +needed, he said:-- + + "_I have wheels that go round and round, + And stones to turn till the grain is ground, + But I've no coal the iron to heat, + That the blacksmith may shoe your pony's feet_." + +[Illustration: When she came near the man she stopped to ask him his +trouble.] + +Then the man turned away sorrowfully and sat down on a rock near the +roadside, sighing and saying:-- + + "_What shall I do? What shall I do? + My little gray pony has lost a shoe_!" + +After a while a very old woman came down the road, driving a flock of +geese to market; and when she came near the man, she stopped to ask him +his trouble. He told her all about it; and when she had heard it all, +she laughed till her geese joined in with a cackle; and she said:-- + + "_If you would know where the coal is found, + You must go to the miner, who works in the ground_." + +Then the man sprang to his feet, and, thanking the old woman, he ran to +the miner. Now the miner had been working many a long day down in the +mine, under the ground, where it was so dark that he had to wear a lamp +on the front of his cap to light him at his work! He had plenty of black +coal ready and gave great lumps of it to the man, who took them in haste +to the blacksmith. + +The blacksmith lighted his great red fire, and hammered out four fine +new shoes, with a cling! and a clang! and fastened them on with a rap! +and a tap! Then away rode the man on his little gray pony,--clippety, +clippety, clap! + + + + +_HOW THE HOME WAS BUILT_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _The priceless blessing of a happy home can be + won only by struggle, endurance, and self-sacrifice_. + + FROEBEL. + + _Blow's Commentaries_. + +Once there was a very dear family,--Father, Mother, big Brother Tom, +little Sister Polly, and the baby, who had a very long name, Gustavus +Adolphus; and every one of the family wanted a home more than anything +else in the world. + +They lived in a house, of course, but that was rented; and they wanted a +home of their very own, with a sunny room for Mother and Father and +Baby, with a wee room close by for the little sister; a big, airy room +for Brother Tom; a cosy room for the cooking and eating; and, best of +all, a room that Grandmother might call her own when she came to see +them. + +A box which Tom had made always stood on Mother's mantel, and they +called it the "Home Bank," because every penny that could be spared was +dropped in there for the building of the home. + +This box had been full once, and was emptied to buy a little piece of +ground where the home could be built when the box was full again. + +The box filled very slowly, though; and Gustavus Adolphus was nearly +three years old when one day the father came in with a beaming face and +called the family to him. + +Mother left her baking, and Tom came in from his work; and after Polly +had brought the baby, the father asked them very solemnly: "Now, what do +we all want more than anything else in the world?" + +"A home!" said Mother and Brother Tom. + +"A home!" said little Sister Polly. + +"Home!" said the baby, Gustavus Adolphus, because his mother had said +it. + +"Well," said the father, "I think we shall have our home if each one of +us will help. I must go away to the great forest, where the trees grow +so tall and fine. All Winter long I must chop the trees down, and in the +Spring I shall be paid in lumber, which will help in the building of +the home. While I am away, Mother will have to fill my place and her own +too, for she will have to go to market, buy the coal, keep the pantry +full, and pay the bills, as well as cook and wash and sew, take care of +the children, and keep a brave heart till I come back again." + +The mother was willing to do all this and more, too, for the dear home; +and Brother Tom asked eagerly: "What can I do?--what can I do?" for he +wanted to begin work right then, without waiting a moment. + +"I have found you a place in the carpenter's shop where I work," +answered the father. "And you will work for him, and all the while be +learning to saw and hammer and plane, so that you will be ready in the +Spring to help build the home." + +Now, this pleased Tom so much that he threw his cap in the air and +hurrahed, which made the baby laugh; but little Polly did not laugh, +because she was afraid that she was too small to help. But after a +while the father said: "I shall be away in the great forest cutting down +the trees; Mother will be washing and sewing and baking; Tom will be at +work in the carpenter's shop; and who will take care of the baby?" + +"I will, I will!" cried Polly, running to kiss the baby. "And the baby +can be good and sweet!" + +So it was all arranged that they would have their dear little home, +which would belong to every one, because each one would help; and the +father made haste to prepare for the Winter. He stored away the firewood +and put up the stoves; and when the wood-choppers went to the great +forest, he was ready to go with them. + +Out in the forest the trees were waiting. Nobody knew how many years +they had waited there, growing every year stronger and more beautiful +for the work they had to do. Every one of them had grown from a baby +tree to a giant; and when the choppers came, there stood the giant +trees, so bare and still in the wintry weather that the sound of the +axes rang from one end of the woods to the other. From sunrise to sunset +the men worked steadily; and although it was lonely in the woods when +the snow lay white on the ground and the cold wind blew, the father kept +his heart cheery. At night, when the men sat about the fire in their +great log-house, he would tell them about the mother and children who +were working with him for a home. + +Nobody's ax was sharper than his or felled so many trees, and nobody was +gladder when Spring-time came and the logs were hauled down to the +river. + +The river had been waiting too, through all the Winter, under its shield +of ice, but now that Spring had come, and the snows were melting, and +all the little mountain streams were tumbling down to help, the river +grew very broad and strong, and dashed along, snatching the logs when +the men pushed them in and carrying them on with a rush and a roar. + +The men followed close along the bank of the river, to watch the logs +and keep them moving; but at last there came a time when the logs would +not move, but lay in a jam from shore to shore while the water foamed +about them. + +"Who will go out to break the jam?" said the men. They knew that only a +brave man and a nimble man could go, for there was danger that the logs +might crush him and the river sweep him away. + +They looked at each other. But the father was not afraid, and he was +surefooted and nimble; so he sprang out in a moment, with his ax, and +began to cut away at the logs. + +"Some of these logs may help to build a home," he said; and he found the +very log that was holding the others tight, and as soon as that was +loosened, the logs began to move. + +"Jump! Jump!" cried the men, as they ran for their lives; and, just as +the logs dashed on, with a rumble and a jumble and a jar that sent some +of the logs flying up in the air, the father reached the bank safely. + +[Illustration: So the House was built; a cozy room for the cooking and +eating.] + +The hard work was over now. After the logs had rested in the log "boom," +they went on their way to the saw mills, where they were sawed into +lumber to build houses; and then the father hurried home. + +When he came there, he found that the mother had baked and washed and +sewed and taken care of the children, as only such a precious mother +could have done. Brother Tom had worked so well in the carpenter's shop, +that he knew how to hammer and plane and saw, and had grown as tall and +as stout as a young pine tree. Sister Polly had taken such care of the +baby, that he looked as sweet and clean and happy as a rose in a garden; +and the baby had been so good, that he was a joy to the whole family. + +"I must get this dear family into their home," said the father; and he +and Brother Tom went to work with a will. And the home was built, with a +sunny room for Father and Mother and Baby, a wee little room close by +for good Sister Polly, a big airy room for big Brother Tom, a cosy room +for the cooking and eating, and best of all, a room for the dear +grandmother, who came then to live with them all the time. + + + + +_THE LITTLE TRAVELER_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Love is a bridge that links us heart to heart + Mother and child can never live apart_ + +Once upon a time there was a little boy who had a long journey to go. He +had a very dear mother, and she did not want her little son to leave +her; but she knew he must go, so she put her arms around him and said: +"Now, don't be afraid, for I shall be thinking of you, and God will take +care of you." + +Then the little boy kissed her goodbye and ran away, singing a merry +song. As long as he could see her he would turn and wave his hand to +her; but by and by she was out of sight. Just then he came to a stream +of water that ran across his path. + +"How can I get over?" thought the little boy; but a white swan swam up +to greet him, and said:-- + +"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!" + +So the little boy followed the swan till he came to a row of great +stepping stones, and he jumped from one to another, counting them as he +went. + +When he reached the seventh he was safe across, and he turned to thank +the white swan. And when he had thanked her, he called:-- + + "_White swan, white swan, swimming so gay! + Carry a message for me to-day: + My love to my mother, wherever she be; + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +Then the white swan swam back to carry the message, and the little boy +ran on his way. + +Oh! there were so many beautiful things to hear,--the birds singing and +the bees humming; and so many beautiful things to see,--the flowers and +butterflies and green grass! And after a while he came to a wood, where +every tree wore a green dress; and through the wood, under the shade of +the trees, flowed a babbling creek. + +"I wonder how I can get over?" said the little boy; and the wise wind +whispered: + +"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!" + +[Illustration: "There is always a way to get over the stream, Follow me! +Follow me!"] + +Then he followed the sound of the wise wind's voice, and the wind blew +against a tall pine tree, and the pine tree fell across the creek, and +lay there, a great round foot-log, where the little boy might step. He +made his way over, and thanked the wise wind; and he asked:-- + + "_Wise wind, wise wind, blowing so gay! + Carry a message for me to-day: + My love to my mother, wherever she be; + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +The wind blew back to carry the message, and the little boy made haste +on his journey. His way lead through a meadow, where the clover grew and +the white sheep and baby lambs were feeding together in the sunshine. + +On one side of this meadow flowed a silver shining river, and the child +wandered up and down the bank to find some way to cross, for he knew +that he must go on. + +As he walked there, a man called a carpenter found him, and said to +him:-- + +"There is always a way to get over the stream. Follow me! follow me!" + +Then the little boy followed the carpenter, and the carpenter and his +men built a bridge of iron and wood that reached across from bank to +bank. And when the bridge was finished, the child ran over in safety; +and after he had thanked the carpenter, he said:-- + + "_Carpenter, carpenter, on your way! + Carry a message for me to-day: + My love to my mother, wherever she be, + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +The carpenter gladly consented; and after he had turned back to carry +the message, the little boy followed the path, which led up hill over +rocks and steep places, through brambles and briars, until his feet grew +weary; and when he came down into the valley again, he saw a river that +was very dark and very deep. + +There was no white swan or wise wind to help him. No tree in the forest +could bridge it over, and the carpenter and his men were far away. + +"I must get over. There is a way," said the little boy bravely; and, as +he sat down to rest, he heard a murmuring sound. Looking down, he spied +a tiny boat fastened to a willow tree. + + "_I am the boat with a helping oar, + To carry you over from shore to shore_," + +repeated the boat; and when the little boy had unfastened it, he sprang +in, and began to row himself over the dark water. + +As he rowed, he saw a tiny bird flying above him. The bird needed no +boat or bridge, for its wings were strong; and when the little boy saw +it, he cried:-- + + "_Little bird, little bird, flying so gay! + Carry a message for me to-day: + My love to my mother, wherever she be; + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +The little bird flew swiftly back to carry the message, and the boy +rowed on till he reached the opposite shore. After he had thanked the +boat with its helping oar, he tied it to a tree as he had found it, and +then hastened away, singing his happy song again. + +By and by he heard an answer to his song, and he knew that it was the +great sea, calling "Come! Come! Come!" And when he reached the shore +where the blue waves were dancing up to the yellow sands, he clapped his +hands with delight; for there, rocking on the billows, was a beautiful +ship with sails as white as a lady's hands. + +"I knew there would be a way!" said the little boy, as he sprang on deck +and went sailing over the deep blue sea,--sailing, sailing, sailing, day +after day, night after night, over the beautiful sea. + +At night the stars would look down, twinkling and blinking; and as the +little boy watched them, he would say:-- + + "_Little stars, little stars, shining so bright! + Carry a message for me to-night: + My love to my mother, wherever she be; + I know she is always thinking of me_." + +The little boy went on sailing, sailing, day and night, until he came to +a land beyond the sea,--a land so full of delight that the little boy +felt that his journey was ended, until one day when a great storm came. + +The wind blew, the thunder crashed, the lightning flashed, the rain came +pouring down, and the little boy wanted to go home. + +"I will find a way!" he cried at last; and, just as he spoke, the sun +came bursting out, the storm clouds rolled away, and there in the sky +was a rainbow bridge that seemed to touch both sky and earth. + +Then the little boy's heart leaped for joy, and he ran with feet as +light as feathers up the shining bow; and when he reached the highest +arch, he looked down on the other side and saw home and his mother at +the rainbow's end. + +"Mother! Mother!" he called, as he ran down into her arms. "Mother, I've +always been thinking of you, and God has taken care of me." + + + + +_THE OPEN GATE_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Early teach your child, through play, to guard + that which is dear to him from the danger of loss_. + + FROEBEL. + +One bright summer afternoon, Fleet, the good old shepherd dog that +helped to take care of the farmyard, decided that he would step into the +barn to see his friend Mrs. Muffet and her two little kittens, for he +had not been able to chat with them for some time. + +On his way, Fleet looked around to see that all was right. The weather +was warm and the hens were taking a dust bath under the apple tree, and +the brindle calf was asleep in the shadow of the barn. The ducks and +geese were at the pond, the horses were at work in a distant field, the +cows and sheep were in pasture, and only the brown colt kicked up his +heels in the farmyard; so Fleet barked with satisfaction, and walked +into the barn. + +Inside he found Mrs. Muffet washing her face, while her two little +kittens slept in the hay; and she gave Fleet a warm welcome. + +"Good evening, Mrs. Muffet," said he. + +"Good evening, Friend Fleet," answered she. + +"How are the children?" asked the good dog, "and do they grow?" + +"Grow?" said Mrs. Muffet. "You never saw anything like them! and such +tricks as they play! Tittleback is the merrier, and will play with his +own tail when he can find nothing else; but Toddlekins can climb in a +way that is astonishing. Why, he even talks of going to the top of the +barn, and no doubt he will, some day." + +"No doubt, no doubt," said Fleet. "Children are so remarkable now." + +"But what is the news with you, Friend Fleet?" inquired Mrs. Muffet. + +"Nothing at all," said Fleet. "The barnyard is as quiet"--but just as he +spoke there arose such a clatter outside the door that he sprang to his +feet to see what was the matter, and the two kittens waked up in alarm. +Outside, the yard was in a commotion. Everybody was talking at the same +time. The hens were cackling, the roosters crowing, the ducks quacking, +the calf crying, and the sound of flying hoofs could be heard far down +the road. + +"Pray, what is the matter?" said Fleet to three geese, that were +hurrying along, with their necks stretched out. + +"The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindle calf's going and +we are thinking about it; quawk! quawk!" said the three geese, Mrs. +Waddle, Mrs. Gabble, and Mrs. Dabble. + +"Where are you going?" asked Mrs. Muffet, putting her head out of the +barn door. + +"Out into the world," said the three geese together. + +"You'd better go back to your pond," barked Fleet, as he bounded off to +help the cook, who was waving her apron to keep back the brindle calf, +while the milkmaid shut the gate, and little Dick ran down the road +after the brown colt. + +The brown colt kicked up his heels, and did not care how fast Dick ran. +He had all the world to roam in, and the green grass was growing +everywhere; so he tossed his head and galloped away toward the blue +hills. + +After a while he looked to see whether Dick was still following him, but +nobody was in sight; so he lay down and rolled over among the daisies; +and this was such fun that he tried it again, and again, until he was +tired. + +Then he nibbled the grass awhile, but soon decided to take another run; +and he raised such a dust, as he scampered along, that the birds peeped +down from the trees to see what it was, and a little rabbit that ran +across the road was so astonished that it did not take breath again till +it reached its greenwood home. + +"Hurrah!" said the brown colt, not because he knew what it meant but +because he had heard Dick say it. "Hurrah! maybe I'll never go back!" + +Just then there came an awful screech out of a neighboring field, and, +although it was only the whistle of a threshing machine, the brown colt +was terribly frightened, and jumped over a fence into a cotton field. + +[Illustration: "The gate is open, the brown colt's gone, the brindle +calf's going, and we are thinking about it, quawk! quawk!"] + +"Oh!" thought he, as he tore his glossy coat on the sharp barbs of the +wire fence and cut his feet as he leaped awkwardly over, "Oh! how I wish +I could see Dick now." + +But Dick was at home. He had run after the brown colt as fast as his +feet could carry him, and had called "Whoa! Whoa!" but the brown colt +would not listen; so Dick had gone home with his head hanging down, _for +he was the very one who had forgotten to shut the farmyard gate_. + +Mother was at home, and she felt very sorry when she heard about it, for +she knew how dear that colt was to her careless little boy; and when +father came in from the fields, too late to look for the runaway, he +said that big boys and little boys and everybody else must take care of +the things they wanted to keep; and Dick cried, but it did no good. + +The cows came home when father did, and the brindle calf was glad that +she had not gone away from the farmyard when she saw her mother come in +from the clover lot. The chickens went to roost, and the horses were +fed; but no brown colt came in sight, although Dick and Fleet went down +the lane to look, a dozen times. + +"He's sorry enough," said Friend Fleet to Mrs. Muffet, as they ate their +supper; and Mrs. Muffet told Tittleback and Toddlekins all about it, +when she went back to the barn. + +Poor little Dick! and poor brown colt! They thought about each other +very often that night; and early in the morning the man who owned the +cotton field, drove the brown colt out. + +"I'd like to know," said the man, as he hurried him along, "what +business you have in my cotton field!" But the brown colt hung his head, +as Dick had done, and limped away. + +The long pike road stretched out, hard and white, before him, and the +birds, chattering in the bushes, seemed to say:-- + +"Is this the same brown colt that raised such a dust yesterday?" + +Oh! how long and weary the way was, to his limping feet! But at last he +reached home, just at milking time; and when the milkmaid saw him +standing at the gate, she gave a scream that brought the household out. + +Dick and the cook and Fleet tumbled over each other in their surprise, +and the barnyard was in such an excitement that one hen lost her +chickens and did not find them all for fifteen minutes. + +"What did you see?" cried the brindle calf. + +"What made you come back?" asked the geese; but Dick and Friend Fleet +asked no questions, because they understood. + +That was a long time ago, and the brown colt is a strong horse now, and +Dick a tall boy; but neither of them will ever forget the day when Dick +was careless and did not shut the farmyard gate. + + + + +_INSIDE THE GARDEN GATE_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Wisdom comes with all we see, + God writes His lessons in each flower, + And ev'ry singing bird or bee + Can teach us something of His power_. + + +PART I. + +Grandmother's garden was a beautiful place,--more beautiful than all the +shop windows in the city; for there was a flower or grass for every +color in the rainbow, with great white lilies, standing up so straight +and tall, to remind you that a whole rainbow of light was needed to make +them so pure and white. + +There were pinks and marigolds and princes' feathers, with bachelor's +buttons and Johnny-jump-ups to keep them company. There were gay poppies +and gaudy tulips, and large important peonies and fine Duchess roses in +pink satin dresses. + +There were soft velvet pansies and tall blue flags, and broad +ribbon-grasses that the fairies might have used for sashes; and mint and +thyme and balm and rosemary everywhere, to make the garden sweet; so it +was no wonder that every year, the garden was full of visitors. + +Nobody noticed these visitors but Grandmother and Lindsay. + +Lindsay was a very small boy, and Grandmother was a very old lady; but +they loved the same things, and always watched for these little +visitors, who came in the early spring-time and stayed all summer with +Grandmother. + +Early, early in the spring, when the garden was bursting into bloom in +the warm southern sunshine, Grandmother and Lindsay would sit in the +arbor, where the vines crept over and over in a tangle of bloom, and +listen to a serenade. Music, music everywhere! Over their heads, behind +their backs, the little brown bees would fly, singing their song:-- + + "_Hum, hum, hum! + Off and away! + To get some + Sweet honey to-day!"_ + +while they found the golden honey cups, and filled their pockets with +honey to store away in their waxen boxes at home. + +One day, while Grandmother and Lindsay were watching, a little brown bee +flew away with his treasure, and lighting on a rose, met with a cousin, +a lovely yellow butterfly. + +"I think they must be talking to each other," said Grandmother, softly. +"They are cousins, because they belong to the great insect family, just +as your papa and Uncle Bob and Aunt Emma and Cousin Rachel all belong to +one family,--the Greys; and I think they must be talking about the honey +that they both love so well." + +"I wish I could talk to a butterfly," said Lindsay, longingly; and +Grandmother laughed. + +"Play that I am a butterfly," she proposed. "What color shall I be?--a +great yellow butterfly, with brown spots on my wings?" + +So Grandmother played that she was a great yellow butterfly with brown +spots on its wings, and she said to Lindsay:-- + +"Never in the world can you tell, little boy, what I used to be?" + +"A baby butterfly," guessed Lindsay. + +"Guess again," said the butterfly. + +"A flower, perhaps; for you are so lovely," declared Lindsay, gallantly. + +"No, indeed!" answered the butterfly; "I was a creeping, crawling +caterpillar." + +"Now, Grandmother, you're joking!" cried Lindsay, forgetting that +Grandmother was a butterfly. + +"Not I," said the butterfly. "I was a crawling, creeping caterpillar, +and I fed on leaves in your Grandmother's garden until I got ready to +spin my nest; and then I wrapped myself up so well that you would never +have known me for a caterpillar; and when I came out in the Spring I was +a lovely butterfly." + +"How beautiful!" said Lindsay. "Grandmother, let us count the +butterflies in your garden." But they never could do that, though they +saw brown and blue and red and white and yellow ones, and followed them +everywhere. + +[Illustration: So the Grandmother played that she was a great yellow +butterfly.] + + +PART II. + +It might have been the very next day that Grandmother took her knitting +to the summer house. At all events it was very soon; and while she and +Lindsay were wondering when the red rose bush would be in full bloom, +Lindsay saw, close up to the roof, a queer little house, like a roll of +crumpled paper, with a great many front doors; and, of course, he wanted +to know who lived there. + +"You must not knock at any of those front doors," advised Grandmother, +"because Mrs. Wasp lives there, and might not understand; although if +you let her alone she will not hurt you. Just let me tell you something +about her." + +So Lindsay listened while Grandmother told the story:-- + +Once there was a little elf, who lived in the heart of a bright red +rose, just like the roses we have been talking about. + +There were many other elves who lived in the garden. One, who lived in a +lily which made a lovely home; and a poppy elf, who was always sleepy; +but the rose elf liked her own sweet smelling room, with its crimson +curtains, best of all. + +Now the rose elf had a very dear friend, a little girl named Polly. She +could not speak to her, for fairies can only talk to people like you and +me in dreams and fancies, but she loved Polly very much, and would lie +in her beautiful rose room, and listen to Polly's singing, till her +heart was glad. + +One day as she listened she said to herself, "If I cannot speak to +Polly, I can write her a letter;" and this pleased her so much that she +called over to the lily elf to ask what she should write it on. "I +always write my letters on rose petals, and get the wind to take them," +said the rose elf. "But I am afraid Polly would not understand that." + +"I will tell you," answered the lily elf, "what I would do. I would go +right to Mrs. Wasp, and ask her to give me a piece of paper." + +"But Mrs. Wasp is very cross, I've heard," said the rose elf timidly. + +"Never believe the gossip that you hear. If Mrs. Wasp does seem to be a +little stingy, I'm sure she has a good heart," replied the lily elf. So +the rose elf took courage, and flew to Mrs. Wasp's house, where, by good +fortune, she found Mrs. Wasp at home. + +"Good morning Mrs. Wasp," called the little elf, "I've come to see if +you will kindly let me have a sheet of paper to-day." + +"Now," said the wasp, "I have just papered my house with the last bit of +paper I had, but if you can wait, I will make you a sheet." + +Then the rose elf knew that Mrs. Wasp had a kind heart; and she waited +and watched with a great deal of interest while Mrs. Wasp set to work. +Now, close by her house was an old bit of dry wood, and Mrs. Wasp sawed +it into fine bits, like thread, with her two sharp saws that she carries +about her. Then she wet these bits well with some glue from her mouth, +and rolled them into a round ball. + +"Oh, Mrs. Wasp!" cried the rose elf, "I'm afraid I am putting you to too +much trouble." + +"Don't fret about me," said the wasp; "I'm used to work." So she spread +out the ball, working with all her might, into a thin sheet of gray +paper; and when it was dry, she gave it to the rose elf. + +"Thank you, good Mrs. Wasp," said the elf; and she flew away to invite +the lily elf and the poppy elf to help her with the letter, for she +wanted it to be as sweet as all the flowers of spring. + +When it was finished they read it aloud. + + "_Dear Polly: + I'm a little elf + I live within a flow'r; + I live to hear your happy song, + It cheers my ev'ry hour. + That I love you, I'd like to say + To you, before I close, + And please sing sweetly ev'ry day + To + Your friend within a Rose_." + +The letter was sent by a bluebird; and the elf was sure that Polly +understood, for that very day she came and stood among the flowers to +sing the very sweetest song she knew. + + +PART III. + +Out in Grandmother's garden, just as the sun was up, a very cunning +spinner spun a lovely wheel of fine beautiful threads; and when +Grandmother and Lindsay came out, they spied it fastened up in a rose +bush. + +The small, cunning spinner was climbing a silken rope near by with her +eight nimble legs, and looking out at the world with her eight tiny +eyes, when Grandmother saw her and pointed her out to Lindsay; and +Lindsay said:-- + +"Oh, Mrs. Spider! come spin me some lace!" which made Grandmother think +of a little story which she had told Lindsay's papa and all of her +little children, when they were lads and lassies, and this garden of +hers had just begun to bloom. + +She sat down on the steps and told it to Lindsay. + +Once, long, long ago, when the silver moon was shining up in the sky, +and the small golden stars were twinkling, twinkling, a little fairy +with a bundle of dreams went hurrying home to fairyland. + +She looked up at the stars and moon to see what time it was, for the +fairy queen had bidden her come back before the day dawned. + +All out in the world it was sleepy time; and the night wind was singing +an old sweet lullaby, and the mocking bird was singing too, by himself, +in the wood. + +"I shall not be late," said the fairy, as she flew like thistle-down +through the air or tripped over the heads of the flowers; but in her +haste she flew into a spider's web, which held her so fast that, +although she struggled again and again, she could not get free. + +Her bundle of dreams fell out of her arms, and lay on the ground under +the rose-bush; and the poor little fairy burst into tears, for she knew +that daylight always spoiled dreams, and these were very lovely ones. + +Her shining wings were tangled in the web, her hands were chained, and +her feet were helpless; so she had to lie still and wait for the day +time which, after all, came too soon. + +As soon as the sun was up, Mrs. Spider came out of her den; and when she +saw the fairy she was very glad, for she thought she had caught a new +kind of fly. + +"If you please, Mrs. Spider," cried the fairy quickly, "I am only a +little fairy, and flew into your web last night on my way home to +fairyland." + +"A fairy!" said Mrs. Spider crossly, for she was disappointed; "I +suppose you are the one who helps the flies to get away from me. You see +well enough then!" + +"I help them because they are in trouble," answered the fairy gently. + +"So are you, now," snapped the spider, "But the flies won't help you." + +"But perhaps you will," pleaded the fairy. + +"Perhaps I won't," said the spider, going back into her house and +leaving the little fairy, who felt very sorrowful. + +Her tears fell like dew drops on the spider web, and the sun shone on +them, and made them as bright as the fairy queen's diamonds. + +The fairy began to think of the queen and the court, and the bundle of +dreams; and she wondered who would do the work if she never got free. +The fairy queen had always trusted her, and had sent her on many +errands. + +Once she had been sent to free a mocking-bird that had been shut in a +cage. She remembered how he sang in his cage, although he was longing +for his green tree tops. + +She smiled through her tears when she thought of this, and said to +herself:-- + +"I can be singing, too! It is better than crying." + +Then she began to sing one of her fairy songs:-- + + "_Oh! listen well, and I will tell, + Of the land where the fairies dwell; + The lily bells ring clear and sweet, + And grass grows green beneath your feet + In the land where the fairies dwell, + In the land where the fairies dwell_." + +Now though the fairy did not know it, Mrs. Spider was very fond of +music; and when she heard the sweet song, she came out to listen. The +little fairy did not see her, so she sang on:-- + + "_Grasshoppers gay, by night and day, + Keep ugly goblins far away + From the land where the fairies dwell, + From the land where the fairies dwell_." + +Mrs. Spider came a little farther out, while the fairy sang:-- + + "_There's love, sweet love, for one and all-- + For love is best for great and small-- + In the land where the fairies dwell, + In the land where the fairies dwell_." + +Just as the fairy finished the song she looked up, and there was Mrs. +Spider, who had come out in a hurry. + +"The flies are not going to help you," said she, "so I will;" and she +showed the fairy how to break the slender threads, until she was +untangled and could fly away through the sunshine. + +"What can I do for you, dear Mrs. Spider?" the fairy asked, as she +picked up her bundle of dreams. + +"Sing me a song sometimes," replied Mrs. Spider. But the fairy did more +than that; for soon after she reached fairyland, the fairy queen needed +some fine lace to wear on her dress at a grand ball. + +"Fly into the world," she said, "and find me a spinner; and tell her +that when she has spun the lace, she may come to the ball and sit at the +queen's table." + +As soon as the fairy heard this, she thought of the spider, and made +haste to find her and tell her the queen's message. + +"Will there be music?" asked the spider. + +"The sweetest ever heard" answered the fairy; and the spider began to +spin. + +The lace was so lovely when it was finished, that the fairy queen made +the spider court spinner; and then the spider heard the fairies sing +every day, and she too had love in her heart. + + +PART IV. + +A mocking bird sang in Grandmother's garden. He was king of the garden, +and the rose was queen. Every night when the garden was still, he +serenaded Grandmother; and she would lie awake and listen to him, for +she said he told her all the glad tidings of the day, and helped her +understand the flower folk and bird folk and insect folk that lived in +her garden. + +Lindsay always thought the mocking bird told Grandmother the wonderful +stories she knew, and he wanted to hear them, too, late in the night +time; but he never could keep awake. So he had to be contented with the +mocking bird in the morning, when he was so saucy. + +There were orioles and thrushes and bluebirds, big chattering jays, +sleek brown sparrows, and red-capped woodpeckers; but not a bird in the +garden was so gay and sweet and loving as the mocking bird, who could +sing everybody's song and his own song, too. + +Night after night he sang his own song in Grandmother's garden. But +there came a night when he did not sing; and though Grandmother and +Lindsay listened all next day, and looked in every tree for him, he +could not be found. + +"I'm afraid somebody has caught him and shut him up in a cage" said +Grandmother; and when Lindsay heard this he was very miserable; for he +knew that somewhere in the garden, there was a nest and a mother bird +waiting. + +He and Grandmother talked until bed-time about it, and early next +morning Lindsay asked Grandmother to let him go to look for the bird. + +"Please do, Grandmother," he begged. "If somebody has him in a cage I +shall be sure to find him; and I will take my own silver quarter to buy +him back." + +So after breakfast Grandmother kissed him and let him go, and he ran +down the path and out of the garden gate, and asked at every house on +the street:-- + +"Is there a mocking bird in a cage here?" + +This made people laugh, but Lindsay did not care. By and by, he came to +a little house with green blinds; and the little lady who came to the +door did not laugh at all when she answered his question:-- + +"No; there are no mocking birds here; but there are two sweet yellow +canaries. Won't you come in to see them?" + +"I will sometime, thank you, if Grandmother will let me," said Lindsay; +"but not to-day; for if that mocking bird is in a cage, I know he's in a +hurry to get out." + +Then he hurried on to the next house, and the next; but no mocking birds +were to be found. After he had walked a long way, he began to be afraid +that he should have to go home, when, right before him, in the window of +a little house, he saw a wooden box with slats across the side; and in +the box was a very miserable mocking bird! + +"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Lindsay, as he ran up the steps and knocked at +the door. A great big boy came to the window and put his head out to see +what was wanted. + +"Please, please," said Lindsay, dancing up and down on the doorstep, +"I've come to buy the mocking-bird; and I've a whole silver quarter to +give for it, because I think maybe he is the very one that sang in +Grandmother's garden." + +"I don't want to sell it," answered the boy, with a frown on his face. + +Lindsay had never thought of anything like this, and his face grew +grave; but he went bravely on:--- + +"Oh! but you will sell it, maybe. Won't you, please? Because I just know +it wants to get out. You wouldn't like to be in a cage yourself, you +know, if you had been living in a garden,--'specially my Grandmother's." + +"This bird ain't for sale," repeated the boy, crossly, frowning still +more over the bird-cage. + +"But God didn't make mocking-birds for cages," cried Lindsay, choking a +little. "So it really isn't yours." + +"I'd like to know why it isn't," said the boy. "You'd better get off my +doorstep and go home to your Granny, for I'm not going to sell my +mocking-bird,--not one bit of it;" and he drew his head back from the +window and left Lindsay out on the doorstep. + +Poor little Lindsay! He was not certain that it was _the_ bird, but he +_was_ sure that mocking-birds were not meant for cages; and he put the +quarter back in his pocket and took out his handkerchief to wipe away +the tears that would fall. + +All the way home he thought of it and sobbed to himself, and he walked +through the garden gate almost into Grandmother's arms before he saw +her, and burst into tears when she spoke to him. + +"Poor little boy!" said Grandmother, when she had heard all about it; +"and poor big boy, who didn't know how to be kind! Perhaps the +mocking-bird will help him, and, after all, it will be for the best." + +Grandmother was almost crying herself, when a click at the gate made +them both start and, then look at each other; for there, coming up the +walk, was a great big boy with a torn straw hat, and with a small +wooden box in his hand, which made Lindsay scream with delight, for in +that box was a very miserable-looking mocking-bird. + +"Guess it _is_ yours," said the boy, holding the box in front of him, +"for I trapped it out in the road back of here. I never thought of +mocking-birds being so much account, and I hated to make him cry." + +"There now," cried Lindsay, jumping up to get the silver quarter out of +his pocket. "He is just like Mrs. Wasp, isn't he, Grandmother?" But the +boy had gone down the walk and over the gate without waiting for +anything, although Lindsay ran after him and called. + +Lindsay and Grandmother were so excited that they did not know what to +do. They looked out of the gate after the boy, then at each other, and +then at the bird. + +Lindsay ran to get the hatchet, but he was so excited with joy that he +could not use it, so Grandmother had to pry up the slats, one by one; +and every time one was lifted, Lindsay would jump up and down and clap +his hands, and say, "Oh, Grandmother!" + +At last, the very last slat was raised; and then, in a moment, the +mocking bird flew up, up, up into the maple tree, and Lindsay and +Grandmother kissed each other for joy. + +Oh! everything was glad in the garden. The breezes played pranks, and +blew the syringa petals to the ground, and up in the tallest trees the +birds had a concert. Orioles, bluebirds, and thrushes, chattering jays, +sleek brown sparrows, and red-capped woodpeckers, were all of them +singing for Grandmother and Lindsay; but the sweetest singer was the +mocking bird who was singing everybody's sweet song, and then his own, +which was the sweetest of all. + +"I know he is glad," Lindsay said to Grandmother; "for it is, oh, so +beautiful to live inside your garden gate!" + + + + +_THE JOURNEY_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _The whirling wheels, that help us on our way, + A lesson to the children, too, will say: + "Go on! there's work awaiting you to-day; + The whole world moves apace, you must not stay_." + +A little boy, named Joseph, went with his papa, once upon a time, to +visit his Grandma. Grandma was an old, old lady, with hair as white as +drifted snow; and she petted Joseph's papa almost as much as she did +Joseph, for Papa had been her baby long, long before. + +It was a fine thing to go to see Grandma; and Joseph would have been +willing to stay a long time, if it had not been that Mamma and the baby +and big brother were at home. + +He knew they needed him there, too, for Mamma wrote it in a letter. + +"Dear Papa," she said, in the letter that the stage coach brought, "When +are you, and my precious Joseph coming home? The baby and Brother and I +are well but we want to see you. We need a little boy here who can hunt +hens' nests and feed chickens, and rock the baby's cradle. Please bring +one home with you." + +This made Joseph laugh for, of course, Mamma meant him; and though he +forgot some of her letter, he always remembered that; and when Papa +said; "Look here, Joseph, we must go home," he was just as glad to go, +as he had been to come to see Grandma. + +Now Joseph and his papa had to travel by stage coach, because there were +no trains in those days; and after they had told Grandma goodbye, on the +morning they left, they went down to the inn to wait for the stage. + +The inn was the place where travelers who were away from home might stop +and rest, and the landlady tried to be always pleasant and make +everybody feel at home; so she hurried out on the porch, with two chairs +for Joseph and his papa, as soon as she saw them. + +They were a little early for the stage, so Joseph sat and watched the +wagons and carriages, that passed the inn. All the carriages had ladies +and children inside, and Joseph thought they must be going to see their +grandmas. + +Most of the wagons that passed the inn were loaded down. Some of them +were full of hay; and Joseph knew in a minute, where they were going, +for he had heard his Grandma say that she was going to store her hay +away in a barn, that very day. + +Some of the wagons carried good things to sell; and the men who drove +them would ring their bells, and call out, now and then: "Apples to +sell! Apples to sell!" or "Potatoes and corn! Potatoes and corn!" which +made Joseph laugh. + +Then there was the milkman. His tin cans were so bright that you could +see yourself in them, and Joseph knew that they carried good sweet milk. + +This made him think of their own cows. He could shut his eyes and see +how each one looked. Clover was red, Teenie black, and Buttercup had +white spots on her back. + +Just then he heard the sound of a horn; and his father jumped up in a +hurry and collected their bundles. "For," said he, "that is the guard +blowing his horn, and the stage coach is coming!" + +Joseph was so pleased when he heard this that he jumped up and down; and +while he was jumping, the stage coach whirled around the corner. + +There were four horses hitched to it, two white, and two black; and they +were trotting along at a fine pace. The driver was a jolly good fellow, +who sat on the top of the coach and cracked his whip; and the guard sat +behind with the horn. + +The wheels were turning so fast that you could scarcely see them, but as +soon as the inn was reached, the horses stopped and the stage coach +stood still. The guard jumped down to open the door, and Joseph and his +papa made haste to get in. The guard blew his horn, the driver cracked +his whip, the horses dashed off, and away went Joseph and his papa. + +The stage coach had windows, and Joseph looked out. At first, all he +could see was smooth, level ground; but after a while, the horses walked +slowly and you could have counted the spokes in the wheels, for they +were going up hill and the driver was careful of his horses. + +[Illustration: As soon as the inn was reached the horses stopped.] + +The hill was so much higher than the rest of the country that when +Joseph looked out at the houses in the valley he felt very great, +although it was only the hill that was high, after all. + +Then they all came down on the other side, and the horses trotted +faster. It was early in the morning, and the sunshine was so bright and +the air so fresh that the horses tossed their heads, and their hoofs +rang out as they hurried over the hard road. + +The road ran through the wood, and Joseph could see the maples with +their wide-spreading branches, and the poplar with its arms held up to +the sky, and the birches with their white dresses, all nodding in the +wind, as though they said, "How do you do?" Once, too, he saw a little +squirrel running about, and once a queer rabbit. + +Then the stage-coach stopped with a jerk. + +"What's the matter?" called Joseph's papa, as the driver and the guard +got down. + +"The linch-pin has fallen out," answered the driver, "and we have just +missed losing a wheel." + +"Can we go on?" Joseph asked. And when his papa said "No," he felt +sorry. But the guard said that he would go after a wheelwright who lived +not far beyond; and Joseph and his papa walked about until the +wheelwright came running, with his tools in his hand. + +He set to work, and Joseph thought it was very funny that the great +wheel could not stay on without the linch-pin; but the wheelwright said +that the smallest screws counted. He put the wheel quickly in order, and +off the stage-coach went. + +The wheels whirled around all the more merrily because of the +wheelwright's work; and when the hoofs of the horses clattered on the +road, Joseph's papa said that the horse-shoes were saying:-- + +"It is the little shoes, the little shoes, that help the horse to go!" + +Then Joseph looked down at his own small shoes and thought of his +mother's letter, and the little boy that she needed to hunt eggs and +feed chickens and rock the baby's cradle; and he was anxious to get +home. + +Clip, clap! clip, clap! The horses stepped on a bridge, and Joseph +looked out to see the water. The bridge was strong and good, with great +wooden piers set out in the water and a stout wooden railing to make it +safe. + +The sun was high and shining very brightly on the water, and little +Joseph began to nod. He rested his head on papa's arm, and his eyelids +dropped down over his two sleepy eyes, and he went so fast asleep that +his papa was obliged to give him a little shake when he wanted to wake +him up. + +"Wake up, Joseph! wake up!" he cried, "and look out of the window!" + +Joseph rubbed his eyes and looked out of the window; and he saw a red +cow, a black cow, and a cow with spots on her back; and a little further +on, a big boy and a baby; and, what do you think?--yes, a mamma! Then +the stage-coach could not hold him or his papa another minute, because +they were at home! + + + + +_The GIANT ENERGY & The FAIRY SKILL_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Greatness is not always largeness. + Help your child to understand, + Strength and skill are happy comrades; + 'Tis the mind must guide the hand_. + +Long, long ago, when there were giants to be seen, as they might be seen +now if we only looked in the right place, there lived a young giant who +was very strong and very willing, but who found it hard to get work to +do. + +The name of the giant was Energy, and he was so great and clumsy that +people were afraid to trust their work to him. + +If he were asked to put a bell in the church steeple, he would knock the +steeple down, before he finished the work. If he were sent to reach a +broken weather vane, he would tear off part of the roof in his zeal. So, +at last, people would not employ him and he went away to the mountains +to sleep; but he could not rest, even though other giants were sleeping +as still as great rocks under the shade of the trees. + +Young Giant Energy could not sleep, for he was too anxious to help in +the world's work; and he went down into the valley, and begged so +piteously for something to do that a good woman gave him a basket of +china to carry home for her. + +"This is child's play for me," said the giant as he set the basket down +at the woman's house, but he set it down so hard that every bit of the +china was broken. + +"I wish a child had brought it for me," answered the woman, and the +young giant went away sorrowful. He climbed the mountain and lay down to +rest; but he could not stay there and do nothing, so he went back to the +valley to look for work. + +There he met the good woman. She had forgiven him for breaking her +china, and had made up her mind to trust him again; so she gave him a +pitcher of milk to carry home. + +"Be quick in bringing it," she said, "lest it sour on the way." + +The giant took the pitcher and made haste to run to the house; and he +ran so fast that the milk was spilled and not a drop was left when he +reached the good woman's house. + +The good woman was sorry to see this, although she did not scold; and +the giant went back to his mountain with a heavy heart. + +Soon, however, he was back again, asking at every house:-- + +"Isn't there something for me to do?" and again he met the good woman, +who was here, there and everywhere, carrying soup to the sick and food +to the hungry. + +When she met the young Giant Energy, her heart was full of love for him; +and she told him to make haste to her house and fill her tubs with +water, for the next day was wash day. + +Then the giant made haste with mighty strides towards the good woman's +house, where he found her great tubs; and, lifting them with ease, he +carried them to the cistern and began to pump. + +He pumped with such force and with so much delight, that the tubs were +soon filled so full that they ran over, and when the good woman came +home she found her yard as well as her tubs full of water. + +The young giant had such a downcast look, that the good woman could not +be angry with him; she only felt sorry for him. + +"Go to the Fairy Skill, and learn," said the good woman, as she sat on +the doorstep. "She will teach you, and you will be a help in the world +after all." + +"Oh! how can I go?" cried the giant, giving a jump that sent him up over +the tree tops, where he could see the little birds in their nests. + +"Don't go so fast," said the good woman. "Stand still and listen! Go +through the meadow, and count a hundred daffodils; then turn to your +right, and walk until you find a mullein stalk that is bent. Notice the +way it bends, and walk in that direction till you see a willow tree. +Behind this willow runs a little stream. Cross the water by the way of +the shining pebbles, and when you hear a strange bird singing you can +see the fairy palace and the workroom where the Fairy Skill teaches her +school. Go to her with my love and she will receive you." + +The young giant thanked the good woman, stepped over the meadow fence, +and counted the daffodils, "One, two, three," until he had counted a +hundred. Then he turned to the right, and walked through the long grass +to the bent mullein stalk, which pointed to the right; and after he had +found the brook and crossed by way of the shining pebbles, he heard a +strange bird singing, and saw among the trees the fairy palace. + +He never could tell how it looked; but he thought it was made of +sunshine, with the glimmer of green leaves reflected on it, and that it +had the blue sky for a roof. + +That was the palace; and at one side of it was the workshop, built of +strong pines and oaks; and the giant heard the hum of wheels, and the +noise of the fairy looms, where the fairies wove carpets of rainbow +threads. + +When the giant came to the door, the doorway stretched itself for him to +pass through. He found Fairy Skill standing in the midst of the +workers; and when he had given her the good woman's love, she received +him kindly. Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of tangled +threads that lay in a corner like a great bunch of bright-colored +flowers. + +This was hard work for the giant's clumsy fingers, but he was very +patient about it. The threads would break, and he got some of them into +knots; but when Fairy Skill saw his work, she said:-- + +"Very good for to-day;" and touching the threads with her wand, she +changed them into a tangled heap again. The next day the giant tried +again, and after that again, until every thread lay unbroken and +untangled. + +Then Fairy Skill said "Well done," and led him to a loom and showed him +how to weave. + +This was harder work than the other had been; but Giant Energy was +patient, although many times before his strip of carpet was woven the +fairy touched it with her wand, and he had to begin over. + +[Illustration: Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of +tangled threads.] + +At last it was finished, and the giant thought it was the most beautiful +carpet in the world. + +Fairy Skill took him next to the potter's wheel, where cups and saucers +were made out of clay; and the giant learned to be steady, to shape the +cup as the wheel whirled round, and to take heed of his thumb, lest it +slip. + +The cups and saucers that were broken before he could make beautiful +ones would have been enough to set the queen's tea table! + +Fairy Skill then took him to the gold-smith, and there he was taught to +make chains and bracelets and necklaces; and after he had learned all +these things, the fairy told him that she had three trials for him. +Three pieces of work he must do; and if he did them well, he could go +again into the world, for he would then be ready to be a helper there. + +"The first task is to make a carpet," said Fairy Skill, "a carpet fit +for a palace floor." + +Giant Energy sprang to his loom, and made his silver shuttle glance +under and over, under and over, weaving a most beautiful pattern. + +As he wove, he thought of the way by which he had come; and his carpet +became as green as the meadow grass, and lovely daffodils grew on it. +When it was finished, it was almost as beautiful as a meadow full of +flowers! + +Then the fairy said that he must turn a cup fine enough for a king to +use. And the giant made a cup in the shape of a flower; and when it was +finished, he painted birds upon it with wings of gold. When she saw it, +the fairy cried out with delight. + +"One more trial before you go," she said. "Make me a chain that a queen +might be glad to wear." + +So Giant Energy worked by day and by night and made a chain of golden +links; and in every link was a pearl as white as the shining pebbles in +the brook. A queen might well have been proud to wear this chain. + +After he had finished, Fairy Skill kissed him and blessed him, and sent +him away to be a helper in the world, and she made him take with him +the beautiful things which he had made, so that he might give them to +the one he loved best. + +The young giant crossed the brook, passed the willow, found the mullein +stalk, and counted the daffodils. + +When he had counted a hundred, he stepped over the meadow fence and came +to the good woman's house. + +The good woman was at home, so he went in at the door and spread the +carpet on the floor, and the floor looked like the floor of a palace. + +He set the cup on the table, and the table looked like the table of a +king; and he hung the chain around the good woman's neck, and she was +more beautiful than a queen. + +And this is the way that young Giant Energy learned to be a helper in +the world. + + + + +_THE SEARCH FOR A GOOD CHILD_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Teach your child that every one + Loves him when he's good and true, + But that though so dear to others, + He is doubly dear to you_. + + --_Miss Blow's Mottoes and Commentaries_. + +Long, long ago there lived, in a kingdom far away, five knights who were +so good and so wise that each one was known by a name that meant +something beautiful. + +The first knight was called Sir Brian the Brave. He had killed the great +lion that came out of the forest to frighten the women and children, had +slain a dragon, and had saved a princess from a burning castle; for he +was afraid of nothing under the sun. + +The second knight was Gerald the Glad, who was so happy himself that he +made everybody around him happy too; for his sweet smile and cheery +words were so comforting that none could be sad or cross or angry when +he was near. + +Sir Kenneth the Kind was the third knight, and he won his name by his +tender heart. Even the creatures of the wood knew and loved him, for he +never hurt anything that God had made. + +The fourth knight had a face as beautiful as his name, and he was called +Percival the Pure. He thought beautiful thoughts, said beautiful words, +and did beautiful deeds, for he kept his whole life as lovely as a +garden full of flowers without a single weed. + +Tristram the True was the last knight, and he was leader of them all. + +The king of the country trusted these five knights; and one morning in +the early spring-time he called them to him and said:-- + +"My trusty knights, I am growing old, and I long to see in my kingdom +many knights like you to take care of my people; and so I will send you +through all my kingdom to choose for me a little boy who may live at my +court and learn from you those things which a knight must know. Only a +good child can be chosen. A good child is worth more than a kingdom. And +when you have found him, bring him, if he will come willingly, to me, +and I shall be happy in my old age." + +Now the knights were well pleased with the words of the king, and at the +first peep of day they were ready for their journey, and rode down the +king's highway with waving plumes and shining shields. + +No sooner had they started on their journey than the news spread abroad +over the country, and many fathers and mothers who were anxious for the +favor of the king sent messengers to invite the knights to visit them. + +The parents' messages were so full of praises of their children that the +knights scarcely knew where to go. Some of the parents said that their +sons were beautiful; some said theirs were smart; but as the knights +cared nothing for a child who was not good, they did not hurry to see +these children. + +On the second day, however, as they rode along, they met a company of +men in very fine clothes, who bowed down before them; and while the +knights drew rein in astonishment, a little man stepped in front of the +others to speak to them. + +He was a fat little man, with a fat little voice; and he told the +knights that he had come to invite them to the castle of the Baron +Borribald, whose son Florimond was the most wonderful child in the +world. + +"Oh! there is nothing he cannot do," cried the fat little man whose name +was Puff. "You must hear him talk! You must see him walk!" + +So the knights followed him; and when they had reached the castle, +Florimond ran to meet them. He was a merry little fellow, with long fair +curls and rosy cheeks; and when he saw the fine horses he clapped his +hands with delight. The baron and baroness, too, were well pleased with +their visitors, and made a feast in their honor; but early the next +morning, the knights were startled by a most awful sound which seemed to +come from the hall below. + +"Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" It sounded something like the howling of a dog; but +as they listened, it grew louder and louder, until it sounded like the +roaring of a lion. + +The knights seized their swords and rushed down to see what was the +matter; and there, in the middle of the hall, stood Florimond, his +cheeks puffed up and his eyes swollen,--and right out of his open mouth +came that terrible noise: "Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" + +His mamma and papa were begging him to be quiet. The cook had run up +with a pie, and the nurse with a toy, but Florimond only opened his +mouth and screamed the louder, because the rain was coming down, when he +wanted to play out of doors! + +Then the knights saw that they were not wanted, and they hurried +upstairs to prepare for their journey. The baron and baroness and fat +little Puff all begged them to stay, and Florimond cried again when they +left him; but the knights did not care to stay with a child who was not +good. + +The knights began to think that their mission was a difficult one; but +they rode on, asking at every house: "Is there a good boy here?" only to +be disappointed many times. + +North, south, east, and west, they searched; and at last, one afternoon, +they halted under an oak tree, to talk, and they decided to part +company. + +"Let each take his own way," said Tristram the True, "and to-morrow we +will meet, under this same tree, and tell what we have seen; for the +time draws near when we must return to the king." + +Then they bade each other farewell, and each rode away, except Sir +Tristram, who lingered long under the oak tree; for he was the leader, +and had many things to think about. + +Just as the sun was red in the west, he saw a little boy coming towards +him, with a bundle of sticks on his back. + +"Greeting to you, little boy," said he. + +"Greeting to you, fair sir," said the boy, looking up with eager eyes at +the knight on his splendid horse, that stood so still when the knight +bade it. + +"What is your name?" asked the knight. + +"My name is little Gauvain," replied the child. + +"And can you prove a trusty guide, little Gauvain, and lead me to a +pleasant place where I may rest to-night?" asked the knight. + +"Ay, that I can," Gauvain answered gladly, his whole face lighting up +with pleasure; but he added quickly, "I can, if you will wait until I +carry my sticks to Granny Slowsteps, and bring her water from the +spring; for I promised to be there before the setting of the sun." + +Now little Gauvain wanted to help the good knight so much that he was +sorry to say this; but Sir Tristram told him to run, and promised to +wait patiently until his return; and before many moments Gauvain was +back, bounding like a fawn through the wood, to lead the way to his own +home. + +When they came there the little dog ran out to meet them, and the cat +rubbed up against Gauvain, and the mother called from the kitchen:-- + +"Is that my sunbeam coming home to roost?" which made Gauvain and the +knight both laugh. + +Then the mother came out in haste to welcome the stranger; and she +treated him with honor, giving him the best place at the table and the +hottest cakes. + +She and little Gauvain lived all alone, for the father had gone to the +wars when Gauvain was a baby, and had died fighting for the king. + +She had cows, horses, and pigs, hens, chickens, and a dog and a cat, and +one treasure greater than a kingdom, for she had a good child in her +house. + +Sir Tristram found this out very soon, for little Gauvain ran when he +was called, remembered the cat and dog when he had eaten his own supper, +and went to bed when he was told, without fretting, although the knight +was telling of lions and bears and battles, and everything that little +boys like to hear about. + +Sir Tristram was so glad of this that he could scarcely wait for the +time to come when he should meet his comrades under the oak tree. + +[Illustration: And the mother called from the kitchen--'Is that my +sunbeam coming home to roost?'] + +"I have found a child whom you must see," he said, as soon as they +came together. + +"And so have I," cried Gerald the Glad. + +"And I," exclaimed Kenneth the Kind. + +"And I," said Brian the Brave. + +"And I," said Percival the Pure; and they looked at each other in +astonishment. + +"I do not know the child's name," continued Gerald the Glad; "but as I +was riding in the forest I heard some one singing the merriest song! And +when I looked through the trees I saw a little boy bending under a heavy +burden. I hastened to help him, but when I reached the spot he was gone. +I should like to hear him sing again." + +"I rode by the highway," said Sir Brian the Brave, "and I came suddenly +upon a crowd of great, rough fellows who were trying to torment a small +black dog; and just as I saw them, a little boy ran up, as brave as a +knight, and took the dog in his arms, and covered it with his coat. The +rest ran away when I rode up; but the child stayed, and told me his +name--Gauvain." + +"Why!" exclaimed Kenneth the Kind, "he is the boy who brings wood and +water for Granny Slowsteps. I tarried all night at her cottage, and she +told me of his kindness." + +"I saw a lad at the spring near by," said Percival the Pure. "He hurried +to fill his bucket, and some rude clown muddied the water as the child +reached down; but he spoke no angry words, and waited patiently till the +water was clear again. I should like to find his home and see him +there." + +Now Sir Tristram had waited to hear them all; but when Sir Percival had +finished, he arose and cried:-- + +"Come, and I will carry you to the child!" And when the knights followed +him, he led them to the home where little Gauvain was working with his +mother, as happy as a lark and as gentle as a dove. + +It was noonday, and the sun was shining brightly on the shields of the +knights, and their plumes were waving in the breeze; and when they +reached the gate, Sir Tristram blew a loud blast on a silver trumpet. + +Then all the hens began to cackle, and the dog began to bark, and the +horse began to neigh, and the pigs began to grunt; for they knew that it +was a great day. And little Gauvain and his mother ran out to see what +the matter was. + +When the knights saw Gauvain they looked at each other, and every one +cried out: "He is the child!" And Tristram the True said to the +mother:-- + +"Greeting to you! The king, our wise ruler, has sent us here to see your +good child; for a good child is more precious than a kingdom. And the +king offers him his love and favor if you will let him ride with us to +live at the king's court and learn to be a knight." + +Little Gauvain and his mother were greatly astonished. They could +scarcely believe that such a thing had happened; for it seemed very +wonderful and beautiful that the king should send messengers to little +Gauvain. After the knights had repeated it, though, they understood; and +little Gauvain ran to his mother and put his arms around her; for he +knew that if he went with the knights he must leave her, and the mother +knew that if she let him go she must live without him. + +The rooster up on the fence crowed a very loud "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" to +let everybody know he belonged to Gauvain; and a little chick that had +lost its mother cried, "Peep! peep!" And when the mother heard this, she +answered the knights and said:-- + +"I cannot spare my good child from my home. The king's love is precious; +but I love my child more than the whole world, and he is dearer to me +than a thousand kingdoms." + +Little Gauvain was so glad when he heard her answer that he looked again +at the knights with a smiling face, and waved his hand to them as they +rode away. All day and all night they rode, and it was the peep of day +when they came to the king's highway. Then they rode slowly, for they +were sad because of their news; but the king rejoiced when he heard it, +for he said: "Such a child, with such a mother, will grow into a knight +at home." + +The king's words were true; for when the king was an old, old man, +Gauvain rode to his court and was knighted. + +Gauvain had a beautiful name of his own then, for he was called "Gauvain +the Good"; and he was brave, happy, kind, pure, and true. And he was +beloved by all the people in the world, but most of all by his mother. + + + + +_THE CLOSING DOOR_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Keep thou an open door between thy child's life + and thine own_. + +There was once a little girl (her best and sweetest name was Little +Daughter), who had a dear little room, all her own, which was full of +treasures, and was as lovely as love could make it. + +You never could imagine, no matter how you tried, a room more beautiful +than hers; for it was white and shining from the snowy floor to the +ceiling, which looked as if it might have been made of a fleecy cloud. +The curtains at the windows were like the petals of a lily, and the +little bed was like swan's down. + +There were white pansies, too, that bloomed in the windows, and a dove +whose voice was sweet as music; and among her treasures she had a string +of pearls which she was to wear about her neck when the king of the +country sent for her, as he had promised to do some day. + +This string of pearls grew longer and more beautiful as the little girl +grew older, for a new pearl was given her as soon as she waked up each +morning; and every one was a gift from this king, who bade her keep them +fair. + +Her mother helped her to take care of them and of all the other +beautiful things in her room. Every morning, after the new pearl was +slipped on the string, they would set the room in order; and every +evening they would look over the treasures and enjoy them together, +while they carefully wiped away any specks of dust that had gotten in +during the day and made the room less lovely. + +There were several doors and windows, which the little girl could open +and shut just as she pleased, in this room; but there was one door which +was always open, and that was the one which led into her mother's room. + +No matter what Little Daughter was doing she was happier if her mother +was near; and although she sometimes ran away into her own room and +played by herself, she always bounded out at her mother's first call, +and sprang into her mother's arms, gladder than ever to be with her +because she had been away. + +Now one day when the little girl was playing alone, she had a visitor +who came in without knocking and who seemed, at first, very much out of +place in the shining white room, for he was a goblin and as black as a +lump of coal. He had not been there more than a very few minutes, +however, before nearly everything in the room began to look more like +him and less like driven snow: and although the little girl thought that +he was very strange and ugly when she first saw him, she soon grew used +to him, and found him an entertaining playfellow. + +She wanted to call her mother to see him; but he said: "Oh! no; we are +having such a nice time together, and she's busy, you know." So the +little girl did not call; and the mother, who was making a dress of fine +lace for her darling, did not dream that a goblin was in the little +white room. + +The goblin did not make any noise, you know, for he tip-toed all the +time, as if he were afraid; and if he heard a sound he would jump. But +he was a merry goblin, and he amused the little girl so much that she +did not notice the change in her dear room. + +The curtains grew dingy, the floor dusty, and the ceiling looked as if +it might have been made of a rain cloud; but the child played on, and +got out all her treasures to show to her visitor. + +The pansies drooped and faded, the white dove hid its head beneath its +wing and moaned; and the last pearl on the precious string grew dark +when the goblin touched it with his smutty fingers. + +"Oh, dear me," said the little girl when she saw this, "I must call my +mother; for these are the pearls that I must wear to the king's court, +when he sends for me." + +"Never mind," said the goblin, "we can wash it, and if it isn't just as +white as before, what difference does it make about one pearl?" + +[Illustration: One day * * * she had a visitor who came in without +knocking.] + +"But mother says that they all must be as fair as the morning," insisted +the little girl, eady to cry. "And what will she say when she sees +this one?" + +"You shut the door, then," said the goblin, pointing to the door that +had never been closed, "and I'll wash the pearl." So the little girl ran +to close the door, and the goblin began to rub the pearl; but it only +seemed to grow darker. Now the door had been open so long that it was +hard to move, and it creaked on its hinges as the little girl tried to +close it. When the mother heard this she looked up to see what was the +matter. She had been thinking about the dress which she was making; but +when she saw the closing door, her heart stood still with fear; for she +knew that if it once closed tight she might never be able to open it +again. + +She dropped her fine laces and ran towards the door, calling, "Little +Daughter! Little Daughter! Where are you?" and she reached out her hands +to stop the door. But as soon as the little girl heard that loving voice +she answered:-- + +"Mother, oh! Mother! I need you so! my pearl is turning black and +everything is wrong!" and, flinging the door wide open, she ran into +her mother's arms. + +When the two went together into the little room, the goblin had gone. +The pansies now bloomed again, and the white dove cooed in peace; but +there was much work for the mother and daughter, and they rubbed and +scrubbed and washed and swept and dusted, till the room was so beautiful +that you would not have known that a goblin had been there--except for +the one pearl which was a little blue always, even when the king was +ready for Little Daughter to come to his court, although that was not +until she was a very old woman. + +As for the door, it was never closed again; for Little Daughter and her +mother put two golden hearts against it and nothing in this world could +have shut it then. + + + + +_THE MINSTREL'S SONG_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _The child must listen well if he would hear_. + + --_Blow's Commentaries_. + +Once, long, long ago, there lived in a country over the sea a king +called Rene, who married a lovely princess whose name was Imogen. + +Imogen came across the seas to the king's beautiful country, and all his +people welcomed her with great joy because the king loved her. + +"What can I do to please thee to-day?" the king asked her every morning; +and one day the queen answered that she would like to hear all the +minstrels in the king's country, for they were said to be the finest in +the world. + +As soon as the king heard this, he called his heralds and sent them +everywhere through his land to sound their trumpets and call aloud:-- + +"Hear, ye minstrels! King Rene, our gracious king, bids ye come to play +at his court on May-day, for love of the Queen Imogen." + +The minstrels were men who sang beautiful songs and played on harps; and +long ago they went about from place to place, from castle to castle, +from palace to cot, and were always sure of a welcome wherever they +roamed. + +They could sing of the brave deeds that the knights had done, and of +wars and battles, and could tell of the mighty hunters who hunted in the +great forests, and of fairies and goblins, better than a story book; and +because there were no story books in those days, everybody, from little +children to the king, was glad to see them come. + +So when the minstrels heard the king's message, they made haste to the +palace on May-day; and it so happened that some of them met on the way +and decided to travel together. + +One of these minstrels was a young man named Harmonius; and while the +others talked of the songs that they would sing, he gathered the wild +flowers that grew by the roadside. + +"I can sing of the drums and battles," said the oldest minstrel, whose +hair was white and whose step was slow. + +"I can sing of ladies and their fair faces," said the youngest minstrel; +but Harmonius whispered: "Listen! listen!" + +"Oh! we hear nothing but the wind in the tree-tops," said the others. +"We have no time to stop and listen." + +Then they hurried on and left Harmonius; and he stood under the trees +and listened, for he heard something very sweet. At last he knew that it +was the wind singing of its travels through the wide world; telling how +it raced over the blue sea, tossing the waves and rocking the white +ships, and hurried on to the hills, where the trees made harps of their +branches, and then how it blew down into the valleys, where all the +flowers danced gayly in time to the tune. + +Harmonius could understand every word:-- + + "_Nobody follows me where I go, + Over the mountains or valleys below; + Nobody sees where the wild winds blow, + Only the Father in Heaven can know_." + +That was the chorus of the wind's song. Harmonius listened until he knew +the whole song from beginning to end; and then he ran on and soon +reached his friends, who were still talking of the grand sights that +they were to see. + +"We shall see the king and speak to him," said the oldest minstrel. + +"And his golden crown and the queen's jewels," added the youngest; and +Harmonius had no chance to tell of the wind's song, although he thought +about it time and again. + +Now their path led them through the wood; and as they talked, Harmonius +said:-- + +"Hush! listen!" But the others answered:-- + +"Oh! that is only the sound of the brook trickling over the stones. Let +us make haste to the king's court." + +But Harmonius stayed to hear the song that the brook was singing, of +journeying through mosses and ferns and shady ways, and of tumbling over +the rocks in shining waterfalls on its way to the sea. + + "_Rippling and bubbling through shade and sun, + On to the beautiful sea I run; + Singing forever, though none be near, + For God in Heaven can always hear,"_ + +sang the little brook. Harmonius listened until he knew every word of +the song, and then he hurried on. + +When he reached the others, he found them still talking of the king and +queen, so he could not tell them of the brook. As they talked, he heard +something again that was wonderfully sweet, and he cried: "Listen! +listen!" + +"Oh! that is only a bird!" the others replied. "Let us make haste to the +king's court!" + +But Harmonius would not go, for the bird sang so joyfully that Harmonius +laughed aloud when he heard the song. + +It was singing a song of green trees, and in every tree a nest, and in +every nest eggs! Oh! the bird was so gay as it sang:-- + + "_Merrily, merrily, listen to me, + Flitting and flying from tree to tree. + Nothing fear I, by land or sea, + For God in Heaven is watching me"_ + +"Thank you, little bird," said Harmonius; "you have taught me a song." +And he made haste to join his comrades, for by this time they were near +the palace. + +When they had gone in, they received a hearty welcome, and were feasted +in the great hall before they came before the king. + +The king and queen sat on their throne together. The king thought of the +queen and the minstrels; but the queen thought of her old home, and of +the butterflies she had chased when she was a little child. + +One by one the minstrels played before them. + +The oldest minstrel sang of battles and drums, just as he had said he +would; and the youngest minstrel sang of ladies and their fair faces, +which pleased the court ladies very much. + +[Illustration: Harmonius * * * touched his harp and sang.] + +Then came Harmonius. And when he touched his harp and sang, the song +sounded like the wind blowing, the sea roaring, and the trees +creaking; then it grew very soft, and sounded like a trickling brook +dripping on stones and running over little pebbles; and while the king +and queen and all the court listened in surprise, Harmonius' song grew +sweeter, sweeter, sweeter. It was as if you heard all the birds in +Spring. And then the song was ended. + +The queen clapped her hands, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs, +and the king came down from his throne to ask Harmonius if he came from +fairyland with such a wonderful song. But Harmonius answered:-- + +"_Three singers sang along our way, And I learned the song from them +to-day_." + +Now, all the other minstrels looked up in surprise when Harmonius said +this; and the oldest minstrel said to the king: "Harmonius is dreaming! +We heard no music on our way to-day." + +And the youngest minstrel said: "Harmonius is surely mad! We met nobody +on our way to-day." + +But the queen said: "That is an old, old song. I heard it when I was a +little child; and I can name the singers three." And so she did. Can +you? + + + + +_DUST UNDER THE RUG_ + + Motto for the Mother + + _Well for the child, well for the man, to whom + throughout life the voice of conscience is the prophecy + and pledge of an abiding union with God_! + + FROEBEL. + +There was once a mother, who had two little daughters; and, as her +husband was dead and she was very poor, she worked diligently all the +time that they might be well fed and clothed. She was a skilled worker, +and found work to do away from home, but her two little girls were so +good and so helpful that they kept her house as neat and as bright as a +new pin. + +One of the little girls was lame, and could not run about the house; so +she sat still in her chair and sewed, while Minnie, the sister, washed +the dishes, swept the floor, and made the home beautiful. + +Their home was on the edge of a great forest; and after their tasks were +finished the little girls would sit at the window and watch the tall +trees as they bent in the wind, until it would seem as though the trees +were real persons, nodding and bending and bowing to each other. + +In the Spring there were the birds, in the Summer the wild flowers, in +Autumn the bright leaves, and in Winter the great drifts of white snow; +so that the whole year was a round of delight to the two happy children. +But one day the dear mother came home sick; and then they were very sad. +It was Winter, and there were many things to buy. Minnie and her little +sister sat by the fire and talked it over, and at last Minnie said:-- + +"Dear sister, I must go out to find work, before the food gives out." So +she kissed her mother, and, wrapping herself up, started from home. +There was a narrow path leading through the forest, and she determined +to follow it until she reached some place where she might find the work +she wanted. + +As she hurried on, the shadows grew deeper. The night was coming fast +when she saw before her a very small house, which was a welcome sight. +She made haste to reach it, and to knock at the door. + +Nobody came in answer to her knock. When she had tried again and again, +she thought that nobody lived there; and she opened the door and walked +in, thinking that she would stay all night. + +As soon as she stepped into the house, she started back in surprise; for +there before her she saw twelve little beds with the bed-clothes all +tumbled, twelve little dirty plates on a very dusty table, and the floor +of the room so dusty that I am sure you could have drawn a picture on +it. + +"Dear me!" said the little girl, "this will never do!" And as soon as +she had warmed her hands, she set to work to make the room tidy. + +She washed the plates, she made up the beds, she swept the floor, she +straightened the great rug in front of the fireplace, and set the twelve +little chairs in a half circle around the fire; and, just as she +finished, the door opened and in walked twelve of the queerest little +people she had ever seen. They were just about as tall as a carpenter's +rule, and all wore yellow clothes; and when Minnie saw this, she knew +that they must be the dwarfs who kept the gold in the heart of the +mountain. + +"Well!" said the dwarfs all together, for they always spoke together and +in rhyme, + + "_Now isn't this a sweet surprise? + We really can't believe our eyes_!" + +Then they spied Minnie, and cried in great astonishment:-- + + "_Who can this be, so fair and mild? + Our helper is a stranger child_." + +Now when Minnie saw the dwarfs, she came to meet them. "If you please," +she said, "I'm little Minnie Grey; and I'm looking for work because my +dear mother is sick. I came in here when the night drew near, and--" +here all the dwarfs laughed, and called out merrily:-- + + "_You found our room a sorry sight, + But you have made it clean and bright_." + +They were such dear funny little dwarfs! After they had thanked Minnie +for her trouble, they took white bread and honey from the closet and +asked her to sup with them. + +While they sat at supper, they told her that their fairy housekeeper had +taken a holiday, and their house was not well kept, because she was +away. + +They sighed when they said this; and after supper, when Minnie washed +the dishes and set them carefully away, they looked at her often and +talked among themselves. When the last plate was in its place they +called Minnie to them and said:-- + + "_Dear mortal maiden will you stay + All through our fairy's holiday? + And if you faithful prove, and good, + We will reward you as we should_." + +Now Minnie was much pleased, for she liked the kind dwarfs, and wanted +to help them, so she thanked them, and went to bed to dream happy +dreams. + +Next morning she was awake with the chickens, and cooked a nice +breakfast; and after the dwarfs left, she cleaned up the room and mended +the dwarfs' clothes. In the evening when the dwarfs came home, they +found a bright fire and a warm supper waiting for them; and every day +Minnie worked faithfully until the last day of the fairy housekeeper's +holiday. + +That morning, as Minnie looked out of the window to watch the dwarfs go +to their work, she saw on one of the window panes the most beautiful +picture she had ever seen. + +A picture of fairy palaces with towers of silver and frosted pinnacles, +so wonderful and beautiful that as she looked at it she forgot that +there was work to be done, until the cuckoo clock on the mantel struck +twelve. + +Then she ran in haste to make up the beds, and wash the dishes; but +because she was in a hurry she could not work quickly, and when she took +the broom to sweep the floor it was almost time for the dwarfs to come +home. + +"I believe," said Minnie aloud, "that I will not sweep under the rug +to-day. After all, it is nothing for dust to be where it can't be seen!" +So she hurried to her supper and left the rug unturned. + +Before long the dwarfs came home. As the rooms looked just as usual, +nothing was said; and Minnie thought no more of the dust until she went +to bed and the stars peeped through the window. + +[Illustration: All the little dwarfs came running out to see what was +the matter.] + +Then she thought of it, for it seemed to her that she could hear the +stars saying:-- + +"There is the little girl who is so faithful and good"; and Minnie +turned her face to the wall, for a little voice, right in her own heart, +said:-- + +"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" + +"There is the little girl," cried the stars, "who keeps home as bright +as star-shine." + +"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" said the little voice in +Minnie's heart. + +"We see her! we see her!" called all the stars joyfully. + +"Dust under the rug! dust under the rug!" said the little voice in +Minnie's heart, and she could bear it no longer. So she sprang out of +bed, and, taking her broom in her hand, she swept the dust away; and lo! +under the dust lay twelve shining gold pieces, as round and as bright as +the moon. + +"Oh! oh! oh!" cried Minnie, in great surprise; and all the little dwarfs +came running to see what was the matter. + +Minnie told them all about it; and when she had ended her story, the +dwarfs gathered lovingly around her and said:-- + + "_Dear child, the gold is all for you, + For faithful you have proved and true; + But had you left the rug unturned, + A groat was all you would have earned. + Our love goes with the gold we give, + And oh! forget not while you live, + That in the smallest duty done + Lies wealth of joy for every one_." + +Minnie thanked the dwarfs for their kindness to her; and early next +morning she hastened home with her golden treasure, which bought many +good things for the dear mother and little sister. + +She never saw the dwarfs again; but she never forgot their lesson, to do +her work faithfully; and she always swept under the rug. + + + + +_THE STORY OF GRETCHEN_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Oh! like a wreath, let Christmas mirth + To-day encircle all the earth, + And bind the nations with the love + That Jesus brought from heaven above_. + +It was almost Christmas time when one of the white ships that sail +across the sea brought a little German girl named Gretchen, with her +father and mother, to find a new home in our dear land. + +Gretchen knew all about Christmas. She had heard the story of the loving +Christ Child over and over, and in her home in Germany she had kept His +birthday and enjoyed it ever since she could remember. + +Every year, a little before Christmas, her shoes had been placed in the +garden for Rupert, who is one of Santa Claus's German helpers, to fill, +and every year she had found a Christmas tree lighted for her on +Christmas Day. She wondered a little, as she came across the ocean, how +she would keep Christmas in the new country; and she wondered still +more, when they reached a great city, and had their "boxes" carried up +so many stairs to a little room in a boarding-house. + +Gretchen's mother did not like boarding-houses--no, indeed!--and their +first thought was to find a place where they might feel at home; but the +very next morning after their long journey the dear father was too ill +to lift his head from the pillow, and Gretchen and her mother were very +sad for many days. Up so high in a boarding-house is not pleasant (even +if you do seem nearer the stars) when somebody you love is sick; and +then, too, Gretchen began to think that Santa Claus and Rupert had +forgotten her; for when she set her two little wooden shoes outside the +door, they were never filled with goodies, and people stumbled over them +and scolded. + +The tears would roll down Gretchen's fat, rosy cheeks, and fall into the +empty shoes, and she decided that the people in America did not keep +Christmas, and wished she was in her own Germany again. One day, +however, a good woman in the house felt sorry for the lonely little +German girl, who could speak no English, and she asked Gretchen's +mother if Gretchen might go with her to see the beautiful stores. She +was only a poor woman, and had no presents to give away; but she knew +how to be kind to Gretchen, and she took her hand and smiled at her very +often as they hurried along the crowded street. + +It was the day before Christmas, and throngs of people were moving here +and there, and Gretchen was soon bewildered, and she was jostled and +pushed until she was tired; but at last they stepped into a store which +made her blue eyes open wide, for it was a toy store, and the most +beautiful place she had ever seen. There were toys in that store that +had come across the sea like Gretchen; there were lovely dolls from +France, who were spending their first Christmas away from home; there +were woolly sheep, fine painted soldiers, and dainty furniture, and a +whole host of wonderful toys marked very carefully, "Made in Germany"; +and even the Japanese, from their island in the great ocean, had sent +their funny slant-eyed dolls to help us keep Christmas. + +Oh! it was splendid to be in the toyshop the day before Christmas! All +the tin soldiers stood up so straight and tall, looking as if they were +just ready to march when the big drums and the little drums, which hung +over their heads, should call them. + +The rocking horses, which are always saddled, were waiting to gallop +away. The tops were anxious to spin, and the balls really rolled about +sometimes, because it was so hard for them to keep still. + +The fine lady dolls were dressed in their best. One of them was a +princess, and wore a white satin dress, and had a crown on her head. She +sat on a throne in one of the windows, with all the other dolls around +her; and it was in this very window that Gretchen saw a baby doll, which +made her forget all the rest. It was a real baby doll, not nearly so +fine as most of the others, but with a look on its face as if it wanted +to be loved; and Gretchen's warm German heart went out to it, for +little mothers are the same all the world over. + +Such a dear baby doll! She must have been made for a Christmas gift, +Gretchen thought; and if the good giver came to this queer American +land, he surely would find her. How could she let him know where she +was? She thought about it all the way home, and all day long, till the +gas was lighted down in the great city and the stars were lighted up +above, and the time of his coming drew very near. + +The father was better; but the mother had said with tears in her eyes, +that there could be no Christmas tree for them that year. So Gretchen +did not worry them, but she wrapped herself up in a blanket and shawl, +and, taking her shoes in her hand, she crept down the stairs, through +the door, out to the wooden stoop. There had been a light fall of snow +that day, but it was a mild Christmas, and Gretchen set her shoes evenly +together, and then sat down beside them; for she had made up her mind to +watch them until Santa Claus came by. + +All over the city the bells were ringing,--calling "Merry Christmas" to +each other and to the world; and they sang so sweetly to little Gretchen +that they sang her to sleep that Christmas Eve. + +It was hundreds and hundreds of years since the Christ Child slept in +the manger; but this same night in the great city a little American girl +named Margaret had her heart so full of His love and joy that she wanted +to make everybody happy for the dear Christ's sake. + +She had waked up early the day before Christmas, and all day long she +had been doing loving deeds; and when evening came, and the bells began +to ring, she started with a basket of toys to a mission church, where +she was to help Santa Claus by giving gifts to the children of the poor. + +[Illustration: The dearest Christmas Gift that ever came to a homesick +little girl.] + +Her papa was with her, and they were so glad that they sang gay +Christmas carols, and kept time to them with their feet as they hurried +down the street, right by the wooden stoop, just as Gretchen fell asleep +by her empty shoes. The moon had seen those empty shoes, and was +filling them with moonbeams. The stars had seen them, and peeped into +them with pity; and when Margaret and her father saw them they cried out +to each other, for they had been in Germany, and they knew that the +little owner was waiting for the good Saint Nicholas. + +"What can we give her?" whispered Margaret's papa, as he looked down at +his bundles; but Margaret knew, for she took from her basket a baby +doll--one that looked as if it wanted to be loved--and laid it tenderly +across the wooden shoes. Then Margaret lifted a corner of the blanket +from Gretchen's rosy face and shouted "Merry Christmas!" with so much +heartiness that the little girl woke with a start to find, not Margaret +and her papa, for they had run away, but, oh! wonder of wonders! the +dearest Christmas gift that ever came to a homesick little girl, and +made her feel at home. + +Oh! all the bells were singing and ringing, and Margaret and her papa +answered them with their merry Christmas carol, as they sped on their +way. + + "_Carol, brothers, carol! + Carol merrily! + Carol the glad tidings, + Carol cheerily! + And pray a gladsome Christmas + To all our fellowmen, + Carol, brothers, carol! + Christmas Day again_." + + + + +_THE KING'S BIRTHDAY_ + + MOTTO FOR THE MOTHER + + _Let the child feel Christ is near him; + By your faith will grow his own; + Death nor danger will affright him + If he never feels alone_. + +Little Carl and his mother came from their home in the country one sweet +summer day, because it was the king's birthday, and all the city was to +be glad and gay, and the king would ride on his fine gray horse for the +people to see. + +Little Carl had gathered a very fine bunch of flowers to throw before +the king. He had marigolds and pinks and pansies, and they had all grown +in his mother's garden. + +This was a great day for little boy Carl, and before he started from +home he told everything goodbye,--the brindle calf and the mooley cow +and the sheep and little white lambs. + +"Good-bye!" he said; "I am going to see the king." + +The way was long, but Carl did not complain. He trudged bravely on by +his mother's side, holding the flowers tightly in his little hand, and +looking out of his great blue eyes for the king, in case the king should +ride out to meet them. + +Every now and then Carl wished for his father, who was obliged to work +in the fields all day, and who had been up and away before Carl was +awake. Carl thought of the fine sights his father was missing, +especially when they came to the city, where the flags were flying from +every steeple and housetop and window. + +There were as many people in the city as there were birds in the +country; and when the drums beat, the crowd rushed forward and everybody +called at once: "The king! the king! Long live the king!" + +Carl's mother lifted him up in her arms that he might see, The king rode +slowly along on his great gray horse, with all his fine ladies and +gentlemen behind him; and little Carl threw his flowers with the rest +and waved his cap in his hand. + +He felt sorry for his flowers after he had thrown them, because they +were trampled under the horses' feet and the king didn't care; and +after that he felt very tired, and his little hot hand slipped from his +mother's and he was carried away in the crowd. + +He thought that his mother would surely come. But there were only +strange faces about him, and he was such a little lad that nobody +noticed him; and at last he was left behind, all alone. + +He was very miserable, and the tears rolled down his cheeks; but he +remembered that it was the king's birthday, and that everybody must be +glad, so he wiped the tears away as he trudged along. + +There were wonderful houses along the street, with great gardens in +front; and Carl thought that they must belong to the king, but he did +not want to go in. They were all too fine for him. But at last he +reached one which stood off by itself and had a tall, tall steeple and +great doors, through which hundreds of people were coming. + +"Perhaps my mamma is there," thought little Carl. After he had watched +all the people come out, and had not seen her, he went up the white +marble steps and through the doors, and found himself all alone in a +very beautiful place. + +The roof of the house was held up by great strong pillars, and the floor +had as many patterns on it as his mother's patchwork; and on every side +he saw windows,--beautiful windows like picture books,--and when he had +seen one, he wanted to see another, as you do when you are looking at +picture books. + +Some of the windows had jewels and crowns upon them; some had sheaves of +lilies; and others had lovely faces and men with harps; and at last he +came to one great window which was different from the rest and lovelier +than any of them. + +The other windows were like picture books, but this one was like home; +for there were sheep in it and flowers, and a dear, gentle Man, with a +loving face, and He had a lamb in His arms. + +When little Carl looked at this window, he crept very close under it, +and, laying his head on his arm, sobbed himself to sleep. + +[Illustration: "Mother, mother, here am I!"] + +While he slept, the sunbeams came through the window and made bright +circles round his head; and the white doves that lived in the church +tower flew through an open window to look at him. + +"It is good to live in the church tower," cooed the white doves to each +other, "for the bells are up there; and then we can fly down here and +see the dear Christ's face. See! here is one of his little ones!" + +"Coo, coo," said the white doves softly; "we cannot speak so loudly as +the bells, nor make ourselves heard so far; but we can fly where we +please, and they must stay always up there." + +All this cooing did not wake little boy Carl, for he was dreaming a +beautiful dream about a king who had a face like the Good Man in the +window, and who was carrying Carl in His arms instead of a lamb, and was +taking him to his mother; and just as he dreamed that they had reached +her, Carl woke up, for he heard somebody talking in the church. + +He lay still and listened, for this seemed part of the dream. Somebody +was talking about him, and the words were very plain to Carl:-- + +"Dear Father in Heaven, I have lost my little boy. I am like Mary +seeking for the Christ Child. For His sake, give me my little child!" + +Carl knew that voice, and in an instant he ran out crying:-- + +"Mother! mother! here am I!" + +And in all the joy of the king's birth day, there was no joy so great as +theirs. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mother Stories, by Maud Lindsay + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 15929.txt or 15929.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/9/2/15929/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Chuck Greif and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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