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diff --git a/25545-h/25545-h.htm b/25545-h/25545-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..af5286e --- /dev/null +++ b/25545-h/25545-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,67082 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Children's Literature, by Charles Madison Curry and Erle Elsworth Clippinger. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + img {border: 0;} + .tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + .tnote2 {border: solid 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; text-align: justify;} + ins {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: justify;} + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + .story1 {font-size: 50%; margin-top: .75em; + text-align: center; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em;} +.story2 {font-size: 60%; margin-top: .75em; + text-align: center; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em;} +.story3 {font-size: 70%; margin-top: .75em; + text-align: center; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em;} +.story4 {font-size: 80%; margin-top: .75em; + text-align: center; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em;} + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .unindent {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + .right {text-align: right;} + .poem {margin-left: 30%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: left;} + .poem2 {margin-left: 10%; text-align: left;} + .sig {margin-right: 10%; text-align: right;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align:baseline; + position: relative; + bottom: 0.33em; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + .hang1 {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: -3em; + margin-left: 3em; + margin-bottom: .75em;} + .hang2 {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: -3em; + margin-left: 7em; + margin-bottom: .75em;} + .hang3 { text-align: justify; + text-indent: -3em; + margin-left: 3em;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Children's Literature, by +Charles Madison Curry and Erle Elsworth Clippinger + +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: Children's Literature + A Textbook of Sources for Teachers and Teacher-Training Classes + +Author: Charles Madison Curry + Erle Elsworth Clippinger + +Release Date: May 20, 2008 [EBook #25545] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHILDREN'S LITERATURE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class='tnote2'><span class='smcap'>Special Note</span>: This e-text utilizes external linking to other Gutenberg +projects. These links may be found within each Bibliography. If Gutenberg has +the book, then clicking on the title will take the reader to the page for that book. +At times, collections of books were mentioned and, for these instances, the link +will take the reader to the list of the author instead of an individual project +page. There are additional editions of many of the titles.</div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></p> + +<div class='blockquot'><br /><br /> +<p>When all the novelists and spinners of elaborate fictions have +been read and judged, we shall find that the peasant and the nurse +are still unsurpassed as mere narrators. They are the guardians of +that treasury of legend which comes to us from the very childhood +of nations; they and their tales are the abstract and brief chronicles, +not of an age merely, but of the whole race of man. It is theirs to +keep alive the great art of telling stories as a thing wholly apart +from and independent of the art of writing stories, and to pass on +their art to children and to children's children. They abide in a +realm of their own, in blessed isolation from that world of professional +authors and their milk-and-water books "for children."</p></div> + +<div class='sig'> +—<span class="smcap">C. B. Tinker</span>, "In Praise of Nursery Lore," <i>The Unpopular<br /> +Review</i>, October-December, 1916.<br /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> + +<h1>CHILDREN'S<br /> +LITERATURE</h1> + +<h3>A TEXTBOOK OF SOURCES FOR TEACHERS AND TEACHER-TRAINING +CLASSES<br /> +<br /> +EDITED, WITH INTRODUCTIONS,<br /> +NOTES, AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES<br /> +<br /><br /> +<i><span class="smcap">by</span></i><br /></h3> +<h2>CHARLES MADISON CURRY<br /></h2> +<h3><i><span class="smcap">and</span></i><br /></h3> +<h3>ERLE ELSWORTH CLIPPINGER<br /></h3> +<div class='center'><i>Professors of Literature in the Indiana State Normal School</i><br /> +<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 90px;"> +<img src="images/emblem.jpg" width="90" height="91" alt="Emblem" title="Emblem" /> +</div> + +<div class='center'><br /><br /><br /> +RAND M<sup>c</sup>NALLY & COMPANY<br /> +CHICAGO NEW YORK<br /></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span></p> +<div class='center'> +<i><small>Copyright, 1920, by</small></i><br /> +<span class="smcap"><small>Rand M<sup>c</sup>Nally & Company</small></span><br /> +<br /> +<i><small>Copyright, 1921, by</small></i><br /> +<span class="smcap"><small>Rand M<sup>c</sup>Nally & Company</small></span><br /> +<small>All rights reserved</small><br /> +<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 70px;"> +<img src="images/print_emblem.png" width="70" height="62" alt="Printer's Emblem" title="Printer's Emblem" /> +</div> + +<div class='center'> +<small>Made in U. S. A.</small><br /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE CONTENTS</h2> + + + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="contents"> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>SECTION I</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>PREFACE AND GENERAL INTRODUCTION</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>General Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_2">2</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>The Preface</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>General Introduction</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>1.</td><td align='left'>Literature for Children</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>2.</td><td align='left'>Literature in the Grades</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>3.</td><td align='left'>Story-Telling and Dramatization</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_10">10</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>4.</td><td align='left'>Courses of Study</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION II</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>MOTHER GOOSE JINGLES AND NURSERY RHYMES</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Mother Goose</span> (Shorter rhymes):</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>1.</td><td align='left'>A cat came fiddling out of a barn</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>2.</td><td align='left'>A diller, a dollar</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>3.</td><td align='left'>As I was going to St. Ives</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>4.</td><td align='left'>As I was going up Pippen Hill</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>5.</td><td align='left'>As I went to Bonner</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>6.</td><td align='left'>As Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>7.</td><td align='left'>A swarm of bees in May</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>8.</td><td align='left'>Baa, baa, black sheep</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>9.</td><td align='left'>Barber, barber, shave a pig</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>10.</td><td align='left'>Birds of a feather flock together</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>11.</td><td align='left'>Bless you, bless you, burnie bee</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>12.</td><td align='left'>Bobby Shafto's gone to sea</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>13.</td><td align='left'>Bow, wow, wow</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>14.</td><td align='left'>Bye, baby bunting</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>15.</td><td align='left'>Come when you're called</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>16.</td><td align='left'>Cross patch</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>17.</td><td align='left'>Curly locks, curly locks</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>18.</td><td align='left'>Dance, little baby</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>19.</td><td align='left'>Diddle, diddle, dumpling</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>20.</td><td align='left'>Ding, dong, bell</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>21.</td><td align='left'>Doctor Foster</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>22.</td><td align='left'>Eggs, butter, cheese, bread</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>23.</td><td align='left'>For every evil under the sun</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>24.</td><td align='left'>Four-and-twenty tailors</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>25.</td><td align='left'>Great A, little a</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>26.</td><td align='left'>Hark, hark</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>27.</td><td align='left'>Here sits the Lord Mayor</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>28.</td><td align='left'>Here we go up, up, up</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>29.</td><td align='left'>Hey! diddle, diddle</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>30.</td><td align='left'>Hickery, dickery, 6 and 7</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>31.</td><td align='left'>Higgledy, Piggledy</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>32.</td><td align='left'>Hickory, dickory, dock</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>33.</td><td align='left'>Hogs in the garden</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>34.</td><td align='left'>Hot-cross buns</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>35.</td><td align='left'>Hub a dub dub</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>36.</td><td align='left'>Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>37.</td><td align='left'>If all the sea were one sea</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>38.</td><td align='left'>If all the world was apple-pie</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>39.</td><td align='left'>If I'd as much money as I could spend</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>40.</td><td align='left'>If "ifs" and "ands"</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>41.</td><td align='left'>If wishes were horses</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>42.</td><td align='left'>I had a little pony</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>43.</td><td align='left'>I had a little hobby horse</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>44.</td><td align='left'>I have a little sister</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>45.</td><td align='left'>I'll tell you a story</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>46.</td><td align='left'>In marble walls as white as milk</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>47.</td><td align='left'>I went up one pair of stairs</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>48.</td><td align='left'>Jack and Jill went up the hill</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>49.</td><td align='left'>Jack be nimble</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>50.</td><td align='left'>Jack Sprat could eat no fat</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>51.</td><td align='left'>Knock at the door</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>52.</td><td align='left'>Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>53.</td><td align='left'>Little boy blue, come blow your horn</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>54.</td><td align='left'>Little girl, little girl, where have you been</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>55.</td><td align='left'>Little Jack Horner</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>56.</td><td align='left'>Little Jack Jingle</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>57.</td><td align='left'>Little Johnny Pringle</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>58.</td><td align='left'>Little Miss Muffet</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>59.</td><td align='left'>Little Nancy Etticoat</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>60.</td><td align='left'>Little Robin Redbreast</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>61.</td><td align='left'>Little Tommy Tucker</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>62.</td><td align='left'>Long legs, crooked thighs</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>63.</td><td align='left'>Lucy Locket lost her pocket</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>64.</td><td align='left'>Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>65.</td><td align='left'>Mistress Mary, quite contrary</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>66.</td><td align='left'>Multiplication is vexation</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>67.</td><td align='left'>Needles and pins</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>68.</td><td align='left'>Old King Cole</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span>69.</td><td align='left'>Once I saw a little bird</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>70.</td><td align='left'>One for the money</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>71.</td><td align='left'>One misty, moisty morning</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>72.</td><td align='left'>1, 2, 3, 4, 5</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>73.</td><td align='left'>One, two</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>74.</td><td align='left'>Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>75.</td><td align='left'>Pease-porridge hot</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>76.</td><td align='left'>Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>77.</td><td align='left'>Peter Piper picked a peck</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>78.</td><td align='left'>Poor old Robinson Crusoe</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>79.</td><td align='left'>Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, where have you been</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>80.</td><td align='left'>Pussy sits beside the fire</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>81.</td><td align='left'>Ride a cock-horse to Banbury-cross</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>82.</td><td align='left'>Ride, baby, ride</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>83.</td><td align='left'><ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Rocky-a-bye'">Rock-a-bye</ins>, baby</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>84.</td><td align='left'>Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>85.</td><td align='left'>See a pin and pick it up</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>86.</td><td align='left'>See, saw, sacradown</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>87.</td><td align='left'>Shoe the little horse</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>88.</td><td align='left'>Sing a song of sixpence</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>89.</td><td align='left'>Star light, star bright</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>90.</td><td align='left'>The King of France went up the hill</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>91.</td><td align='left'>The lion and the unicorn</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>92.</td><td align='left'>The man in the moon</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>93.</td><td align='left'>The north wind doth blow</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>94.</td><td align='left'>The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>95.</td><td align='left'>There was a crooked man</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>96.</td><td align='left'>There was a little boy went into a barn</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>97.</td><td align='left'>There was a man and he had naught</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>98.</td><td align='left'>There was a man in our town</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>99.</td><td align='left'>There was an old man</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>100.</td><td align='left'>There was an old woman, and what do you think</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>101.</td><td align='left'>There was an old woman lived under a hill</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>102.</td><td align='left'>There was an old woman of Leeds</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>103.</td><td align='left'>There was an old woman of Norwich</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>104.</td><td align='left'>There was an old woman tossed up in a basket</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>105.</td><td align='left'>There was an old woman who lived in a shoe</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>106.</td><td align='left'>There was an owl lived in an oak</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>107.</td><td align='left'>This is the way the ladies ride</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>108.</td><td align='left'>This little pig went to market</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>109.</td><td align='left'>Three blind mice</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>110.</td><td align='left'>Three wise men of Gotham</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>111.</td><td align='left'>To market, to market, to buy a fat pig</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>112.</td><td align='left'>Tom, Tom, the piper's son</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>113.</td><td align='left'>Two-legs sat upon three-legs</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>114.</td><td align='left'>When a twister a-twisting</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>115.</td><td align='left'>"Willy boy, Willy boy, where are you going?"</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Wilhelmina Seegmiller</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>116.</td><td align='left'>Milkweed Seeds</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>117.</td><td align='left'>An Anniversary</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>118.</td><td align='left'>Twink! twink!</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Mother Goose</span> (Longer rhymes)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>119.</td><td align='left'>A Was an Apple-Pie</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>120.</td><td align='left'>Tom Thumb's Alphabet</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>121.</td><td align='left'>Where Are You Going</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>122.</td><td align='left'>Molly and I</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>123.</td><td align='left'>London Bridge</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>124.</td><td align='left'>I Saw a Ship</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>125.</td><td align='left'>There Was an Old Woman</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>126.</td><td align='left'>Little Bo-Peep</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>127.</td><td align='left'>Cock a Doodle Doo</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>128.</td><td align='left'>Three Jovial Huntsmen</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>129.</td><td align='left'>There Was a Little Man</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>130.</td><td align='left'>Taffy</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>131.</td><td align='left'>Simple Simon</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>132.</td><td align='left'>A Farmer Went Trotting</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>133.</td><td align='left'>Tom the Piper's Son</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>134.</td><td align='left'>When I Was a Little Boy</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>135.</td><td align='left'>The Babes in the Wood</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>136.</td><td align='left'>The Fox and His Wife</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>137.</td><td align='left'>For Want of a Nail</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>138.</td><td align='left'>A Man of Words</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>139.</td><td align='left'>Jemima</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>140.</td><td align='left'>Mother Hubbard and Her Dog</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>141.</td><td align='left'>The Courtship, Merry Marriage, and Picnic Dinner of Cock Robin and Jenny Wren</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>142.</td><td align='left'>The Burial of Poor Cock Robin</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>143.</td><td align='left'>Dame Wiggins of Lee, and Her Seven Wonderful Cats</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>144.</td><td align='left'>This Is the House That Jack Built</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_47">47</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>145.</td><td align='left'>The Egg in the Nest</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>146.</td><td align='left'>Change About</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION III</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>FAIRY STORIES—TRADITIONAL TALES</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">English</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span>147.</td><td align='left'>The Old Woman and Her Pig</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>148.</td><td align='left'>Henny-Penny</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>149.</td><td align='left'>Teeny-Tiny</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>150.</td><td align='left'>The Cat and the Mouse</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>151.</td><td align='left'>The Story of the Three Little Pigs</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>152.</td><td align='left'>Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>153.</td><td align='left'>The Story of the Three Bears</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_64">64</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>154.</td><td align='left'>The Three Sillies</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>155.</td><td align='left'>Lazy Jack</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>156.</td><td align='left'>The Story of Mr. Vinegar</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>157.</td><td align='left'>Jack and the Beanstalk</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>158.</td><td align='left'>Tom Thumb</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>159.</td><td align='left'>Whittington and His Cat</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>160.</td><td align='left'>Tom Tit Tot</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">French</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>161.</td><td align='left'>Little Red Riding Hood</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_92">92</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>162.</td><td align='left'>True History of Little Golden Hood</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>163.</td><td align='left'>Puss in Boots</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_97">97</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>164.</td><td align='left'>Toads and Diamonds</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>165.</td><td align='left'>Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_102">102</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>166.</td><td align='left'>Drakestail</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_106">106</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>167.</td><td align='left'>Beauty and the Beast</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_110">110</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Norwegian</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>168.</td><td align='left'>Why the Bear Is Stumpy-Tailed</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_122">122</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>169.</td><td align='left'>The Three Billy-Goats Gruff</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>170.</td><td align='left'>The Husband Who Was to Mind the House</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_124">124</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>171.</td><td align='left'>Boots and His Brothers</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_125">125</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>172.</td><td align='left'>The Quern at the Bottom of the Sea</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_128">128</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">German</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>173.</td><td align='left'>The Traveling Musicians</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>174.</td><td align='left'>The Blue Light</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_134">134</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>175.</td><td align='left'>The Elves and the Shoemaker</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_136">136</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>176.</td><td align='left'>The Fisherman and His Wife</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_138">138</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>177.</td><td align='left'>Rose-Bud</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>178.</td><td align='left'>Rumpelstiltskin</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_144">144</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>179.</td><td align='left'>Snow-White and Rose-Red</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_146">146</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Indian</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>180.</td><td align='left'>The Lambikin</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>181.</td><td align='left'>Tit for Tat</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_151">151</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>182.</td><td align='left'>The Tiger, the Brahman, and the Jackal</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_152">152</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>183.</td><td align='left'>Pride Goeth before a Fall</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_154">154</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Japanese</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>184.</td><td align='left'>The Mirror of Matsuyama</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_156">156</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>185.</td><td align='left'>The Tongue-Cut Sparrow</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_158">158</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Slavic</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>186.</td><td align='left'>The Straw Ox</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Irish</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>187.</td><td align='left'>Connla and the Fairy Maiden</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_162">162</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>188.</td><td align='left'>The Horned Women</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_164">164</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>189.</td><td align='left'>King O'Toole and His Goose</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION IV</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>FAIRY STORIES—MODERN FANTASTIC TALES</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_170">170</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Abram S. Isaacs</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>190.</td><td align='left'>A Four-Leaved Clover</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_174">174</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>I.</td><td align='left'>The Rabbi and the Diadem</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_174">174</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>II.</td><td align='left'>Friendship</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>III.</td><td align='left'>True Charity</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IV.</td><td align='left'>An Eastern Garden</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_176">176</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Samuel Taylor Coleridge</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>191.</td><td align='left'>The Lord Helpeth Man and Beast</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_177">177</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Hans Christian Andersen</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>192.</td><td align='left'>The Real Princess</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>193.</td><td align='left'>The Emperor's New Clothes</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_180">180</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>194.</td><td align='left'>The Nightingale</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_183">183</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>195.</td><td align='left'>The Fir Tree</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>196.</td><td align='left'>The Tinder Box</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_195">195</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>197.</td><td align='left'>The Hardy Tin Soldier</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_200">200</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>198.</td><td align='left'>The Ugly Duckling</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_203">203</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Frances Browne</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>199.</td><td align='left'>The Story of Fairyfoot</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_209">209</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Oscar Wilde</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>200.</td><td align='left'>The Happy Prince</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_217">217</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Raymond MacDonald Alden</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>201.</td><td align='left'>The Knights of the Silver Shield</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_223">223</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Jean Ingelow</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>202.</td><td align='left'>The Prince's Dream</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_227">227</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Frank R. Stockton</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>203.</td><td align='left'>Old Pipes and the Dryad</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_233">233</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">John Ruskin</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>204.</td><td align='left'>The King of the Golden River</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_245">245</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION V</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>FABLES AND SYMBOLIC STORIES</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_262">262</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_263">263</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Æsop</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a></span>205.</td><td align='left'>The Shepherd's Boy</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_266">266</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>206.</td><td align='left'>The Lion and the Mouse</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_266">266</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>207.</td><td align='left'>The Crow and the Pitcher</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_266">266</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>208.</td><td align='left'>The Frog and the Ox</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_267">267</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>209.</td><td align='left'>The Frogs Desiring a King</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_267">267</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>210.</td><td align='left'>The Field Mouse and the Town Mouse</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_268">268</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Christina G. Rossetti</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>211.</td><td align='left'>The City Mouse and the Garden Mouse</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_268">268</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Horace</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>212.</td><td align='left'>The Country Mouse and the Town Mouse</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_268">268</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Æsop</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>213.</td><td align='left'>Androcles</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_269">269</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Thomas Day</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>214.</td><td align='left'>Androcles and the Lion</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_270">270</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Æsop</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>215.</td><td align='left'>The Wind and the Sun</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_272">272</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>216.</td><td align='left'>The Goose with the Golden Eggs</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_272">272</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">La Fontaine</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>217.</td><td align='left'>The Hen with the Golden Eggs</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_272">272</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Æsop</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>218.</td><td align='left'>The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_273">273</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>219.</td><td align='left'>The Hare and the Tortoise</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_273">273</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>220.</td><td align='left'>The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_274">274</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>221.</td><td align='left'>The Travelers and the Bear</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_274">274</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>222.</td><td align='left'>The Lark and Her Young Ones</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_275">275</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>223.</td><td align='left'>The Old Man and His Sons</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_275">275</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>224.</td><td align='left'>The Fox and the Grapes</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>225.</td><td align='left'>The Widow and the Hen</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>226.</td><td align='left'>The Kid and the Wolf</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>227.</td><td align='left'>The Man and the Satyr</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>228.</td><td align='left'>The Dog and the Shadow</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>229.</td><td align='left'>The Swallow and the Raven</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>230.</td><td align='left'>Mercury and the Woodman</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_276">276</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>231.</td><td align='left'>The Mice in Council</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_277">277</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>232.</td><td align='left'>The Mountebank and Countryman</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_277">277</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>233.</td><td align='left'>The Milkmaid and Her Pail</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_278">278</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">La Fontaine</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>234.</td><td align='left'>The Dairywoman and the Pot of Milk</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_278">278</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>From "<span class="smcap">The Arabian Nights</span>"</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>235.</td><td align='left'>The Story of Alnaschar</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_279">279</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Bidpai</span> (Indian Fables)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>236.</td><td align='left'>The Camel and the Pig</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_280">280</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>237.</td><td align='left'>The Ass in the Lion's Skin</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_281">281</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>238.</td><td align='left'>The Talkative Tortoise</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_282">282</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>239.</td><td align='left'>A Lion Tricked by a Rabbit</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_283">283</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Marie de France</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>240.</td><td align='left'>The Cock and the Fox</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_284">284</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">La Fontaine</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>241.</td><td align='left'>The Grasshopper and the Ant</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_284">284</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>242.</td><td align='left'>The Cock, the Cat, and the Young Mouse</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_285">285</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">John Gay</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>243.</td><td align='left'>The Hare with Many Friends</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_286">286</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Tomas Yriarte</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>244.</td><td align='left'>The Musical Ass</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_287">287</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Ivan Krylov</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>245.</td><td align='left'>The Swan, the Pike, and the Crab</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_287">287</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>From the <span class="smcap">Bible</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>246.</td><td align='left'>The Bramble Is Made King</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_288">288</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>247.</td><td align='left'>The Good Samaritan</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_289">289</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>248.</td><td align='left'>The Prodigal Son</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_289">289</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Henry Ward Beecher</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>249.</td><td align='left'>The Anxious Leaf</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_290">290</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Benjamin Franklin</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>250.</td><td align='left'>The Whistle</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_291">291</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>251.</td><td align='left'>The Ephemera</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_292">292</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Joseph Addison</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>252.</td><td align='left'>The Vision of Mirzah</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_294">294</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Jane Taylor</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>253.</td><td align='left'>The Discontented Pendulum</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_297">297</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Leo Tolstoi</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>254.</td><td align='left'>Croesus and Solon</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_299">299</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION VI</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>MYTHS</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_302">302</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_303">303</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Greek and Roman</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Grace H. Kupfer</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>255.</td><td align='left'>A Story of the Springtime</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_306">306</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Nathaniel Hawthorne</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>256.</td><td align='left'>The Paradise of Children</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_309">309</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>257.</td><td align='left'>The Miraculous Pitcher</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_319">319</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">R. E. Francillon</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>258.</td><td align='left'>The Narcissus</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_330">330</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>259.</td><td align='left'>The Apple of Discord</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_332">332</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Josephine P. Peabody</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>260.</td><td align='left'>Icarus and Daedalus</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_335">335</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>261.</td><td align='left'>Admetus and the Shepherd</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_337">337</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Thomas Bulfinch</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span>262.</td><td align='left'>Midas</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_338">338</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Charles Mills Gayley</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>263.</td><td align='left'>Phaëthon</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_340">340</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Norse</span>:</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Thomas Bulfinch</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>264.</td><td align='left'>Thor's Visit to Jötunheim</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_343">343</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Hamilton Wright Mabie</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>265.</td><td align='left'>Odin's Search for Wisdom</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_348">348</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Ethel M. Wilmot-Buxton</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>266.</td><td align='left'>How the Fenris Wolf was Chained</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_351">351</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Anna and Eliza Keary</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>267.</td><td align='left'>Frey</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_354">354</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Hamilton Wright Mabie</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>268.</td><td align='left'>The Death of Balder</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_360">360</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION VII</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>POETRY</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_368">368</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_369">369</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Eliza Lee Follen</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>269.</td><td align='left'>The Three Little Kittens</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_371">371</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>270.</td><td align='left'>The Moon</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_371">371</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>271.</td><td align='left'>Runaway Brook</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_372">372</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>272.</td><td align='left'>Ding Dong! Ding Dong!</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_372">372</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Elizabeth Prentiss</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>273.</td><td align='left'>The Little Kitty</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_372">372</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Sara J. Hale</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>274.</td><td align='left'>Mary Had a Little Lamb</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_372">372</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Theodore Tilton</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>275.</td><td align='left'>Baby Bye</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_373">373</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Lucy Larcom</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>276.</td><td align='left'>The Brown Thrush</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_374">374</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Lydia Maria Child</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>277.</td><td align='left'>Thanksgiving Day</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_375">375</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>278.</td><td align='left'>Who Stole the Bird's Nest</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_375">375</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>"<span class="smcap">Susan Coolidge</span>"</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>279.</td><td align='left'>How the Leaves Came Down</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_377">377</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Phoebe Cary</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>280.</td><td align='left'>They Didn't Think</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_377">377</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>281.</td><td align='left'>The Leak in the Dike</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_378">378</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Robert Louis Stevenson</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>282.</td><td align='left'>Whole Duty of Children</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_381">381</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>283.</td><td align='left'>The Cow</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_381">381</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>284.</td><td align='left'>Time to Rise</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_381">381</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>285.</td><td align='left'>Rain</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_381">381</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>286.</td><td align='left'>A Good Play</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_382">382</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>287.</td><td align='left'>The Lamplighter</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_382">382</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>288.</td><td align='left'>The Land of Nod</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_382">382</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>289.</td><td align='left'>The Land of Story-Books</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_382">382</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>290.</td><td align='left'>My Bed Is a Boat</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_383">383</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>291.</td><td align='left'>My Shadow</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_383">383</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>292.</td><td align='left'>The Swing</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_383">383</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>293.</td><td align='left'>Where Go the Boats</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_384">384</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>294.</td><td align='left'>The Wind</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_384">384</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>295.</td><td align='left'>Windy Nights</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_384">384</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Frank Dempster Sherman</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>296.</td><td align='left'>Spinning Top</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_384">384</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>297.</td><td align='left'>Flying Kite</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_385">385</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>298.</td><td align='left'>King Bell</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_385">385</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>299.</td><td align='left'>Daisies</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_385">385</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Eugene Field</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>300.</td><td align='left'>Wynken, Blynken, and Nod</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_385">385</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>301.</td><td align='left'>The Sugar-Plum Tree</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_386">386</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>302.</td><td align='left'>The Duel</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_387">387</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">James Whitcomb Riley</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>303.</td><td align='left'>The Treasures of the Wise Man</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_387">387</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>304.</td><td align='left'>The Circus-Day Parade</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_388">388</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>305.</td><td align='left'>The Raggedy Man</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_389">389</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">James Hogg</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>306.</td><td align='left'>A Boy's Song</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_389">389</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Mary Howitt</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>307.</td><td align='left'>The Spider and the Fly</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_390">390</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Howitt</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>308.</td><td align='left'>The Wind in a Frolic</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_391">391</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Ann Taylor</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>309.</td><td align='left'>The Cow</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_392">392</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>310.</td><td align='left'>Meddlesome Matty</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_392">392</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Jane Taylor</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>311.</td><td align='left'>"I Like Little Pussy"</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_393">393</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>312.</td><td align='left'>The Star</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_394">394</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Christina G. Rossetti</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>313.</td><td align='left'>Seldom or Never</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_394">394</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>314.</td><td align='left'>An Emerald Is as Green as Grass</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_394">394</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>315.</td><td align='left'>Boats Sail on the Rivers</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_394">394</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>316.</td><td align='left'>A Diamond or a Coal?</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_395">395</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>317.</td><td align='left'>The Swallow</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_395">395</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>318.</td><td align='left'>Who Has Seen the Wind?</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_395">395</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>319.</td><td align='left'>Milking Time</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_395">395</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Brighty Rands</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>320.</td><td align='left'>The Peddler's Caravan</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_395">395</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>321.</td><td align='left'>The Wonderful World</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_396">396</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Richard Monckton Milnes</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>322.</td><td align='left'>Good-Night and Good-Morning</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_396">396</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Roscoe</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>323.</td><td align='left'>The Butterfly's Ball</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_397">397</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Author Unknown</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>324.</td><td align='left'>Can You?</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_398">398</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Robert Browning</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>325.</td><td align='left'>Pippa's Song</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_399">399</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Charles Mackay</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[x]</a></span>326.</td><td align='left'>Little and Great</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_399">399</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Felicia Dorothea Hemans</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>327.</td><td align='left'>Casabianca</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_399">399</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Blake</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>328.</td><td align='left'>Three Things to Remember</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_400">400</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>329.</td><td align='left'>The Lamb</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_401">401</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>330.</td><td align='left'>The Shepherd</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_401">401</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>331.</td><td align='left'>The Tiger</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_401">401</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>332.</td><td align='left'>The Piper</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_401">401</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Eliza Cook</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>333.</td><td align='left'>Try Again</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_402">402</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Edward Lear</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>334.</td><td align='left'>The Owl and the Pussy-Cat</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_403">403</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>335.</td><td align='left'>The Table and the Chair</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_404">404</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>336.</td><td align='left'>The Pobble Who Has No Toes</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_404">404</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>"<span class="smcap">Lewis Carroll</span>"</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>337.</td><td align='left'>The Walrus and the Carpenter</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_405">405</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>338.</td><td align='left'>A Strange Wild Song</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_406">406</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Isaac Watts</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>339.</td><td align='left'>Against Idleness and Mischief</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_407">407</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>340.</td><td align='left'>Famous Passages from Dr. Watts</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_408">408</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Henry Wadsworth Longfellow</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>341.</td><td align='left'>The Skeleton in Armor</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_408">408</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>342.</td><td align='left'>The Day Is Done</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_410">410</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>343.</td><td align='left'>A Psalm of Life</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_411">411</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Charles Kingsley</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>344.</td><td align='left'>The Three Fishers</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_412">412</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>345.</td><td align='left'>The Sands of Dee</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_412">412</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Alfred Tennyson</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>346.</td><td align='left'>"What Does Little Birdie Say?"</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_413">413</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>347.</td><td align='left'>Sweet and Low</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_413">413</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>348.</td><td align='left'>The Poet's Song</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_413">413</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>349.</td><td align='left'>Crossing the Bar</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_414">414</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Leigh Hunt</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>350.</td><td align='left'>Abou Ben Adhem</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_414">414</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Joaquin Miller</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>351.</td><td align='left'>For Those Who Fail</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_415">415</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Edgar Allan Poe</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>352.</td><td align='left'>Eldorado</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_415">415</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">George Gordon, Lord Byron</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>353.</td><td align='left'>The Destruction of Sennacherib</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_416">416</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Cullen Bryant</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>354.</td><td align='left'>To a Waterfowl</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_416">416</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>355.</td><td align='left'>The Planting of the Apple-Tree</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_417">417</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Thomas Edward Brown</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>356.</td><td align='left'>My Garden</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_418">418</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Wordsworth</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>357.</td><td align='left'>Daffodils</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_419">419</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>358.</td><td align='left'>The Solitary Reaper</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_419">419</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Caroline Elizabeth Norton</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>359.</td><td align='left'>The Arab to His Favorite Steed</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_420">420</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Robert Southey</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>360.</td><td align='left'>The Inchcape Rock</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_421">421</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Shakespeare</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>361.</td><td align='left'>Over Hill, Over Dale</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_423">423</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>362.</td><td align='left'>A Fairy Scene in a Wood</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_423">423</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Ralph Waldo Emerson</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>363.</td><td align='left'>Fable</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_424">424</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>364.</td><td align='left'>Concord Hymn</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_424">424</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Sir Walter Scott</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>365.</td><td align='left'>Breathes There <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'a'">the</ins> Man</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_424">424</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Oliver Wendell Holmes</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>366.</td><td align='left'>Old Ironsides</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_425">425</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Collins</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>367.</td><td align='left'>How Sleep the Brave</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_425">425</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Author Unknown</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>368.</td><td align='left'>The Ballad of Nathan Hale</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_425">425</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Sir Francis Hastings Doyle</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>369.</td><td align='left'>The Red Thread of Honor</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_427">427</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Rudyard Kipling</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>370.</td><td align='left'>Recessional</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_428">428</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Ernest Henley</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>371.</td><td align='left'>Invictus</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_429">429</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">James Russell Lowell</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>372.</td><td align='left'>The Falcon</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_429">429</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>373.</td><td align='left'>The Shepherd of King Admetus</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_430">430</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Sir William Schenck Gilbert</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>374.</td><td align='left'>The Yarn of the Nancy Bell</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_430">430</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">John Townsend Trowbridge</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>375.</td><td align='left'>Darius Green and His Flying Machine</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_432">432</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">William Robert Spencer</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>376.</td><td align='left'>Beth <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Gelert'">Gêlert</ins></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_436">436</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Author Unknown</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>377.</td><td align='left'>King John and the Abbot of Canterbury</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_437">437</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION VIII</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>REALISTIC STORIES</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_442">442</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_443">443</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Oliver Goldsmith</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>378.</td><td align='left'>The Renowned History of Little Goody Two-Shoes</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_445">445</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Dr. John Aikin and Mrs. Letitia Barbauld</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>379.</td><td align='left'>Eyes, and No Eyes</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_451">451</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Thomas Day</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span>380.</td><td align='left'>The Good-Natured Little Boy</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_456">456</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Maria Edgeworth</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>381.</td><td align='left'>Waste Not, Want Not</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_458">458</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Juliana Horatia Ewing</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>382.</td><td align='left'>Jackanapes</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_478">478</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Henry Seidel Canby</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>383.</td><td align='left'>Betty's Ride</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_496">496</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Charles Major</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>384.</td><td align='left'>The Big Bear</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_500">500</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>"<span class="smcap">O. Henry</span>"</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>385.</td><td align='left'>The Gift of the Magi</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_505">505</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION IX</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>NATURE LITERATURE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_510">510</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_511">511</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Beatrix Potter</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>386.</td><td align='left'>The Tale of Peter Rabbit</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_513">513</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Thornton Waldo Burgess</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>387.</td><td align='left'>Johnny Chuck Finds the Best Thing in the World</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_514">514</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Albert Bigelow Paine</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>388.</td><td align='left'>Mr. 'Possum's Sick Spell</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_516">516</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Dallas Lore Sharp</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>389.</td><td align='left'>Wild Life in the Farm-Yard</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_520">520</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Vernon L. Kellogg</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>390.</td><td align='left'>The Vendetta</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_524">524</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Sewell Ford</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>391.</td><td align='left'>Pasha, the Son of Selim</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_527">527</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>"<span class="smcap">Ouida</span>" (<span class="smcap">Louisa de la Ramée</span>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>392.</td><td align='left'>Moufflou</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_534">534</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Olive Thorne Miller</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>393.</td><td align='left'>Bird Habits: I. Where He Sleeps II. His Travels</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_548">548</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Ernest Thompson Seton</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>394.</td><td align='left'>The Poacher and the Silver Fox</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_551">551</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">David Starr Jordan</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>395.</td><td align='left'>The Story of a Salmon</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_556">556</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Rudyard Kipling</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>396.</td><td align='left'>Moti Guj—Mutineer</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_562">562</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Charles G. D. Roberts</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>397.</td><td align='left'>Last Bull</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_566">566</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION X</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>ROMANCE CYCLES AND LEGEND</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_576">576</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_577">577</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>From <span class="smcap">Arabian Nights</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>398.</td><td align='left'>Ali Baba, and the Forty Thieves</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_579">579</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>"<span class="smcap">Felix Summerley</span>"</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>Reynard the Fox</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>399.</td><td align='left'>How Bruin the Bear Sped with Reynard the Fox</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_586">586</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>400.</td><td align='left'>The Battle Between the Fox and the Wolf</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_591">591</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Sir Thomas Malory</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>King Arthur and His Round Table</td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>401.</td><td align='left'>How Arthur Became King</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_594">594</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>402.</td><td align='left'>A Tourney with the French</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_597">597</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>403.</td><td align='left'>Adventures of Arthur</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_598">598</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Maude Radford Warren</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>404.</td><td align='left'>Arthur and Sir Accalon</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_603">603</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Cervantes-Saavedra, Miguel de</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>405-411.</td><td align='left'>Stories from <i>Don Quixote</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>I.</td><td align='left'>Dreams and Shadows</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_606">606</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>II.</td><td align='left'>Preparing for the Quest</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_608">608</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>III.</td><td align='left'>The Quest Begins</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_610">610</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IV.</td><td align='left'>The Knightly Vigil</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_613">613</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>V.</td><td align='left'>On Honor's Field</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_615">615</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VI.</td><td align='left'>The Return Home</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_617">617</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VII.</td><td align='left'>The Battle with the Windmills</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_618">618</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Horace E. Scudder</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>412.</td><td align='left'>The Proud King</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_620">620</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Eva March Tappan</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>413.</td><td align='left'>Robin and the Merry Little Old Woman</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_623">623</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Author Unknown</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>414.</td><td align='left'>Allen-a-Dale</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_628">628</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[xii]</a></span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION XI</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>BIOGRAPHY AND HERO STORIES</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Bibliography</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_632">632</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><i>Introductory</i></td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_633">633</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Elbridge S. Brooks</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>415.</td><td align='left'>How Columbus Got His Ships</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_635">635</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Horace E. Scudder</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>416.</td><td align='left'>The Boyhood of Washington</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_642">642</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Benjamin Franklin</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>417.</td><td align='left'>The Autobiography</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_645">645</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Helen Nicolay</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>418.</td><td align='left'>Lincoln's Early Days</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_655">655</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Anna Howard Shaw</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>419.</td><td align='left'>In the Western Wilderness</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_662">662</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Charlotte M. Yonge</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>420.</td><td align='left'>The Pass of Thermopylae</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_671">671</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'><br />SECTION XII</td></tr> +<tr><td align='center' colspan='3'>HOME READING LIST AND GENERAL INDEX</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>Home Reading Lists by Grades</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_679">679</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>General Index</td><td align='right' valign='bottom'><a href="#Page_687">687</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION I</h2> + +<h3>PREFACE AND GENERAL INTRODUCTION</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Bibliography1" id="Bibliography1"></a>SELECTED GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + + +<h3><br />I. GENERAL COLLECTIONS OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Tappan, Eva March, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/t#a5176"><i>The Children's Hour</i></a>. 10 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Neilson, William Patten, and others, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/n#a1119"><i>The Junior Classics</i></a>. 10 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Sylvester, Charles H., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/s#a1875"><i>Journeys through Bookland</i></a>. 10 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Aldrich, Thomas Bailey, and others, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/a#a311"><i>The Young Folks' Library</i></a>. 30 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Mabie, Hamilton Wright, <i>After School Library</i>. 12 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Scudder, Horace E., <i>The Children's Book</i>. [Best single-volume collection for early grades.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Barnes, Walter, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6588"><i>Types of Children's Literature</i></a>.</div> + + +<h3><br />II. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Darton, F. J. Harvey, "Children's Books," in <i>Cambridge History of English Literature</i>, Vol. XI, +chap. xvi. [Best brief account of development in England. Elaborate bibliography.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Tassin, Algernon, "Books for Children," in <i>Cambridge History of American Literature</i>, Vol. II, +chap. vii. [Best account of American development. Extended bibliography.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Field, Mrs. E. M., <i>The Child and His Book</i>. The history and progress of children's literature +in England. [Stops with 1826.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Moses, Montrose J., <i>Children's Books and Reading</i>. [Deals with both English and American +side. Book-lists and bibliographies.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Ashton, John, <i>Chapbooks of the Eighteenth Century</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Halsey, Rosalie V., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17857"><i>Forgotten Books of the American Nursery</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Welsh, Charles, <i>A Bookseller of the Last Century</i>. [John Newbery.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>"Godfrey, Elizabeth," <i>English Children in the Olden Time</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Earle, Florence Morse, <i>Child Life in Colonial Days</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />III. GUIDES IN TEACHING</h3> + + +<h4><br />1. SPECIFIC PEDAGOGY</h4> + +<div class='hang1'>Barnes, Walter, <i>English in the Country School</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Carpenter, G. R., Baker, F. T., and Scott, F. N., <i>The Teaching of English</i>. [Pp. 155-187, +"Literature in the Elementary Schools," by Professor Baker.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Chubb, Percival, <i>The Teaching of English</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Cox, John Harrington, <i>Literature in the Common School</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Barron, Julia S., Bacon, Corinne, and Dana, J. C., <i>Course of Study for Normal School Pupils +on Literature for Children</i>. [A syllabus.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Hosic, James Fleming, <i>The Elementary Course in English</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>MacClintock, Porter Lander, <i>Literature in the Elementary School</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>McMurry, Charles A., <i>Special Method in Reading in the Grades</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Welch, John S., <i>Literature in the School: Aims, Methods, and Interpretations</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />2. MORE GENERAL AND INSPIRATIONAL</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Bates, Arlo, <i>Talks on the Teaching of Literature</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Bennett, Arnold, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13852"><i><ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Literatary'">Literary</ins> Taste and How to Form It</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Colby, J. Rose, <i>Literature and Life in School</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Kerfoot, J. B., <i>How to Read</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lee, Gerald Stanley, <i>The Child and the Book</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Quiller-Couch, Sir Arthur,<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/16579"> <i>On the Art of Reading</i></a>. [Children's Literature.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Scudder, Horace E., <i>Literature in the Schools</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Smith, C. Alphonso, <i>What Can Literature Do for Me?</i></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Woodberry, George E., <i>The Appreciation of Literature</i>. <i>The Heart of Man</i>.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></div> + + +<h3><br />3. GUIDES TO BOOKS FOR CHILDREN</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Arnold, Gertrude W., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19157"><i>A Mother's List of Books for Children</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Field, Walter Taylor, <i>Fingerposts to Children's Reading</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Hunt, Clara W., <i>What Shall We Read to the Children?</i></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lowe, Orton, <i>Literature for Children</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Macy, John, <i>A Child's Guide to Reading</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Moore, Annie Carroll, <i>Roads to Childhood</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Olcott, Frances Jenkins, <i>The Children's Reading</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'><i>One Thousand Good Books for Children.</i> [Classified and graded list prepared by National +Congress of Mothers' Literature Committee, Alice M. Jordan, Chairman. Issued by +U. S. Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C., as Home Education Circular No. 1.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Stevens, David Harrison, <i>The Home Guide to Good Reading</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />IV. BOOKS ON STORY-TELLING</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Allison, S. B., and Perdue, H. A., <i>The Story in Primary Education</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Bailey, Carolyn Sherman, <i>For the Story-Teller</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Bryant, Sarah Cone, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/474"><i>How to Tell Stories to Children</i></a>. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/16693"><i>Stories to Tell to Children.</i></a> [Introduction.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Cather, Katherine D., <i>Educating by Story-Telling</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Cowles, Julia D., <i>The Art of Story-Telling</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Cross, Allen, and Statler, Nellie M., <i>Story-Telling for Upper Grades</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Forbush, William B., <i>Manual of Stories</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Horne, H. H., <i>Story-Telling, Questioning, and Studying</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Keyes, Angela M., <i>Stories and Story-Telling</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Kready, Laura F., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13666"><i>A Study of Fairy Tales</i></a>. [Chap. iii, "The Telling of Fairy Tales."]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lindsay, Maud, <i>The Story-Teller for Little Children</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lyman, Edna, <i>Story Telling: What to Tell and How to Tell It</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>McMurry, Charles A., <i>Special Method in Reading in the Grades</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Moore, Annie C., Article "Story-Telling," <i>Cyclopedia of Education</i>. [Ed. Monroe.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Partridge, Emelyn N., and George E., <i>Story-Telling in the School and Home</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Shedlock, Marie L., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5957"><i>The Art of the Story-Teller</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>St. John, Edward Porter, <i>Stories and Story-Telling in Moral and Religious Education</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Wiltse, Sara E., <i>The Place of the Story in Early Education</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Wyche, Richard Thomas, <i>Some Great Stories and How to Tell Them</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />V. ON DRAMATIZATION</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Briggs, T. H., and Coffman, L. D., <i>Reading in Public Schools</i>. [Chap. x, "Dramatic Reading," +and chap. xxiii, "Dramatics."]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Curtis, Elnora W., <i>The Dramatic Instinct in Education</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Finlay-Johnson, Harriet, <i>The Dramatic Method of Teaching</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Gesell, Arnold L., and Beatrice C., <i>The Normal Child and Primary Education</i>. [Chapter on +"Dramatic Expression."]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Herts, Alice M., <i>The Children's Educational Theatre</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Nixon, Lillian E., <i>Fairy Tales a Child Can Read and Act</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />VI. THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Moulton, Richard Green, <i>A Short Introduction to the Literature of the Bible</i>.</div> + +<div class="hang1">The simplest and best discussion for teachers of the Bible as literature. The books that follow +are good sources for story material from the Bible.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Baldwin, James, <i>Old Stories from the East</i>.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Hodges, George, <i>The Garden of Eden</i>. <i>The Castle of Zion.</i> <i>When the King Came.</i></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Houghton, Louise Seymour, <i>Telling Bible Stories</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Moulton, Richard Green, <i>Bible Stories: Old Testament</i>. <i>Bible Stories: New Testament.</i> [Two +volumes of <i>The Modern Reader's Bible for Children</i>. The only variations from the text +are by omissions.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Olcott, Frances Jenkins, <i>Bible Stories to Read and Tell</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Smith, Nora Archibald, <i>Old, Old Tales from the Old, Old Book</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Stewart, Mary, "<i>Tell Me a True Story</i>."</div> + + +<h3><br />VII. SOME INTERPRETATIONS OF CHILDHOOD</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Aldrich, Thomas Bailey, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1948"><i>The Story of a Bad Boy</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Du Bois, Patterson, <i>Beckonings from Little Hands</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Gilson, Roy Rolfe, <i>In the Morning Glow</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Grahame, Kenneth, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1288">Dream Days</a>. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/291">The Golden Age</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Howells, William Dean, <i>A Boy's Town</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Kelly, Myra, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6662"><i>Little Citizens</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Larcom, Lucy, <i>A New England Girlhood</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Loti, Pierre, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6664"><i>The Story of a Child</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Martin, George Madden, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24347"><i>Emmy Lou, Her Book and Heart</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Masters, Edgar Lee, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/21910"><i>Mitch Miller</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Pater, Walter, <i>The Child in the House</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Shute, Henry A., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5111"><i>The Real Diary of a Real Boy</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Smith, William Hawley, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13398"><i>The Evolution of Dodd</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Stuart, Ruth McEnery, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11084"><i>Sonny</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Walpole, Hugh, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3474"><i>Jeremy</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Warner, Charles Dudley, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3127"><i>On Being a Boy</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>White, William Allen, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12377"><i>The Court of Boyville</i></a>.</div> + + +<h3><br />VIII. SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Addams, Jane, <i>Youth and Our City Streets</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Adler, Felix, <i>The Moral Instruction of Children</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Antin, Mary, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20885"><i>The Promised Land</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Cabot, Ella Lyman, <i>The Seven Ages of Childhood</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Dawson, George E., <i>The Child and His Religion</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Engleman, J. O., <i>Moral Education</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Griggs, Edward Howard, <i>Moral Education</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Hall, G. Stanley, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9173"><i>Youth</i></a>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Henderson, C. Hanford, <i>Education and the Larger Life</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Hoyt, Franklin Chase, <i>Quicksands of Youth</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Oppenheim, Nathan, <i>The Development of the Child</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Puffer, J. Adams, <i>The Boy and His Gang</i>.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHILDREN'S LITERATURE</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>SECTION I. PREFACE AND GENERAL INTRODUCTION</h2> + +<h3>THE PREFACE</h3> + +<p>This book is primarily a handbook for teachers in the grades and for students +preparing to teach in the grades. Although it does not ignore problems of grading +and presentation, the chief purpose is to acquaint teachers and prospective teachers +with standard literature of the various kinds suitable for use in the classroom and +to give them information regarding books and authors to aid them in directing the +selection of books by and for children.</p> + +<p>In discussing the early training of children in literature with large classes of young +people preparing for teaching in the grades, the compilers found themselves face to +face with two difficulties. In the first place, only a limited number of these prospective +teachers were in any real sense acquainted with what may be called the basic +traditional material. Rhymes, fables, myths, stories were so vaguely and indistinctly +held in mind that they were practically of no great value. It was therefore not +possible to assume much real acquaintance with the material needed for use with +children, and the securing of such an acquaintance seemed the first essential. After +all is said, a discussion of ways and means must follow such a mastery of basic material.</p> + +<p>In the second place, there was the difficulty of finding in any compact form a +body of material sufficient in extent and wide enough in its range to serve as a satisfactory +basis for such a course. No doubt the ideal way would be to send the student +to the many authoritative volumes covering the various fields dealt with in this +collection. But with large classes and a limited amount of time such a plan was +hardly practicable. The young teacher cannot be much of a specialist in any of the +various fields of knowledge with the elements of which he is expected to acquaint +children. The principles of economy demand that the brief courses which specifically +prepare for teaching should be such as will make the work in the schoolroom most +helpful and least wasteful from the very beginning. Hence this attempt to collect +in one volume what may somewhat roughly be spoken of as material for a minimum +basic course in Children's Literature.</p> + +<p>The important thing about this book, then, is the actual literary material included +in it. The notes and suggestions scattered throughout are aimed to direct attention +to this material either in the way of pointing out the sources of it, or helping in the +understanding and appreciation of it, or suggesting some ways of presenting it most +effectively to children.</p> + +<p>In the case of folk material, an effort has been made to present reliable versions +of the stories used. Many of the folk stories, for instance, appear in dozens of collections +and in dozens of forms, according to the artistic or pedagogic biases of the +various compilers. As a rule the most accessible stories are found in versions written<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +down to the supposed needs of children, and intended to be read by the children +themselves. Even if we grant the teacher the right to make extensive modifications, +it is still reasonable to insist that some correct traditional form be used as the starting +point. Such a plan insures a mastery of one's material. The sources of the +versions used in this text are pointed out in order that teachers who wish to do so +may extend their acquaintance to other folk material by referring to the various +collections mentioned.</p> + +<p>Such a book as this must necessarily be selective. No doubt omissions will be +noted of poems or stories that many teachers deem indispensable. Others will find +selections included that to their minds are questionable. The editors can only plead +in extenuation that they have included what they have found by experience to offer +a sound basis for discussing with training classes the nature of this basic material +and the form in which it should be presented to children. To accomplish these ends +it has sometimes seemed well to give parallel versions, and occasionally to give a +version that will necessitate the discussion of such subjects as the use of dialect, the +inclusion of items of terror or horror, and the soundness of the ethical appeal. These +various problems are indicated in the notes accompanying individual selections.</p> + +<p>The editorial apparatus does not constitute a treatise on literary criticism, or +a manual of mythology or folklore, or a "pedagogy" of children's literature as such, +or anything like an exhaustive bibliography of the fields of study touched upon. It +aims at the very modest purpose of immediate and practical utility. It hopes to +fill a place as a sort of first aid for the inexperienced teacher, and as soon as the teacher +gets some real grasp of the elements of the problem this book must yield to the more +elaborate and well-knit discussions of specialists in the various subjects treated. +The bibliographical references throughout are intended to offer help in this forward +step. These bibliographies are, in all cases, frankly selective. As a rule most of +the books mentioned are books now in print. In the bibliographies connected with +the sections of traditional material some of the more important works in the field +of scholarship are named in each case for the benefit of those who may be working +where such books are available in institutional or public libraries. Titles of books +are printed in italics, while titles of poems, separate stories, and selections are printed +in roman type inclosed in quotation marks.</p> + +<p>The grouping of material is in no sense a hard and fast one. Those who work +in literary fields understand the pitfalls that beset one who attempts such a classification. +Only a general grouping under headings used in the ordinary popular +sense has been made. Fine distinctions are beside the mark in such a book as this. +Popular literature was not made for classification, but for higher purposes, and anything +that draws attention from the pleasure-giving and spirit-invigorating qualities +of the literature itself should be avoided. Hence, the classifications adopted are as +simple and unobtrusive as possible.</p> + +<p>Finally, the editors make no pretense to original scholarship. They have not +attempted to extend the limits of human knowledge, but to point out pleasant paths +leading to the limitless domains of literature. They have tried to reflect accurately +the best practices and theories, or to point out how teachers may get at the best.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +Their obligations to others are too extended to be noted in a preface, but will +be apparent on every page of the text. Their most important lessons have come +from the reactions secured from hundreds of teachers who have been under their +tuition.</p> + +<p>Copyright obligations are indicated in connection with the selections used.</p> + + +<h2>GENERAL INTRODUCTION</h2> + + +<h3><br />1. LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN</h3> + +<p><i>The beginnings.</i> During the eighteenth century the peoples of Europe and +America turned their attention in a remarkable way to a consideration of the worth +and rights of the individual. In America this so-called democratic movement +culminated in the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The most dramatic manifestation +of the movement in Europe was the French Revolution of 1789, but every +country of Europe was thrilled and changed by the new thought. Every important +democratic movement leads to an awakened interest in the welfare of children, for +they are among the weak and helpless. This great movement of the eighteenth +century brought such a remarkable change of thought regarding children as to mark +the beginning of a new kind of literature, known as literature for children.</p> + +<p>Today we think of Andersen, Stevenson, Mrs. Ewing, and scores of others as +writers of literature for children. Such writers did not exist before the democratic +movement of the eighteenth century. It is true that a few short books and articles +had been written for children as early as the fifteenth century, but they were written +to teach children to be obedient and respectful to parents and masters or to instruct +them in the customs of the church—they were not written primarily to entertain +children and give them pleasure. Within the last century and a half, too, many +authors have collected and retold for children innumerable traditional stories from +all parts of the earth—traditional fairy stories, romantic stories of the Middle +Ages, legends, and myths.</p> + +<p><i>The child's inheritance.</i> As has been indicated, children's literature is of two +kinds: first, the traditional kind that grew up among the folk of long ago in the forms +of rhyme, myth, fairy tale, fable, legend, and romantic hero story; and, second, the +kind that has been produced in modern times by individual authors. The first, the +traditional kind, was produced by early civilization and by the childlike peasantry of +long ago. The best of the stories produced by the childhood of the race have been +bequeathed to the children of today, and to deprive children of the pleasure they +would get from this inheritance of folklore seems as unjust as to deprive them of +traditional games, which also help to make the first years of a person's life, the period +of childhood, the period of imaginative play. The second kind of children's literature, +that produced in modern times by individual authors, has likewise been bequeathed +to children. Some of it is so new that its worth has not been determined, but some +of it has passed the test of the classics. The best of both kinds is as priceless as is +the classical literature for adults. The world would not sell Shakespeare; yet one +may well doubt that Shakespeare is worth as much to humanity as is Mother Goose. +To evaluate truly the worth of such classics is impossible; but we may be assured<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +that the child who has learned to appreciate the pleasures and the beauties of Mother +Goose is the one most likely to appreciate the pleasures and the beauties of Shakespeare +when the proper time comes.</p> + +<p>The true purpose of education is to bring the child into his inheritance. For +many years educators have talked about the use of literature <i>in</i> the grades as one +means of accomplishing this purpose. The results of attempts to teach literature +in the grades have sometimes been disappointing because often the literature used +has not been <i>for</i> the grades; that is, it has not been children's literature. In other +cases the attempts have failed because the literature has not been presented as +literature—it has, for example, been presented as reading lessons or composition +assignments. Students preparing to teach in the grades have been studying textbooks +from which literature for children has been excluded, regardless of its artistic +worth. Consequently many teachers have not been prepared to teach literature in +the grades. Often they have assumed that the reading lesson would develop in the +pupil an appreciation of good literature, not realizing that the reading lesson may +cause pupils to dislike literature, especially poetry, unless it is supplemented by +appropriate work in children's literature. If the student reads thoughtfully the +literary selections in the following sections of this book, he probably will realize +that children's literature is also literature for adults, and that it is not only the child's +inheritance, but also the inheritance of humanity.</p> + +<p>The fact that literature for children is likely to have a strong interest for adults +is strikingly suggested in a few sentences in John Macy's <i>A Child's Guide to Reading:</i></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>When "juveniles" are really good, parents read them after children have gone to bed. +I do not know whether <i>Tom Brown at Rugby</i> is catalogued by the careful librarian as a book +for boys, but I am sure it is a book for men. I dare say that a good many pairs of eyes that +have passed over the pages of Mr. John T. Trowbridge and Elijah Kellogg and Louisa M. +Alcott have been old enough to wear spectacles. And if Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin ever +thought that in <i>Timothy's Quest</i> and <i>Rebecca</i> she was writing books especially for the young, +adult readers have long since claimed her for their own. I have enjoyed Mr. A. S. Pier's tales +of the boys at St. Timothy's, though he planned them for younger readers. We are told on +good authority that <i>St. Nicholas</i> and <i>The Youth's Companion</i> appear in households where +there are no children, and they give a considerable portion of their space to serial stories written +for young people. Between good "juveniles" and good books for grown persons there is +not much essential difference.</p></div> + + +<h3><br />2. LITERATURE IN THE GRADES</h3> + +<p><i>Reading and literature distinguished.</i> A country school-teacher once abruptly +stopped the routine of daily work and, standing beside her desk, told the story of +the maid who counted her chickens before they were hatched. One of her pupils, +who is now a man, remembers vividly how the incident impressed him. Although +he was in the second grade, that was the first time he had known a teacher to stop +regular school work to tell a story. Immediately the teacher was transformed. +She had been merely a teacher, one of those respected, awe-inspiring creatures whose +business it is to make the school mill go; but the magic of her story established the +relation of friendship between teacher and pupil. She was no longer merely a teacher.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +If the story had been read as a part of the reading lesson, it would not have impressed +the pupil greatly. It was impressive because it was presented as literature.</p> + +<p>A clear distinction should be made between reading and literature, especially +in the primary grades. In the work of the reading course the pupil should take the +lead, being guided by the teacher. If the pupil is to progress, he must master the +mechanics of reading—he must learn to pronounce printed words and to get the +meaning of printed sentences and paragraphs. The course in reading requires +patient work on the part of the pupil, just as the course in arithmetic does, and the +chief pleasure that the primary pupil can derive from the work is a consciousness of +enlarged power and of success in accomplishing what is undertaken.</p> + +<p>In the work with literature, however, the teacher should take the lead. She +should open to the pupils the magic treasure house of the world's best story and +song. The literature period of the day should be the pupil's imaginative play +period, bringing relief from the tension of tired nerves. The teacher who makes +the study of literature a mechanical grind instead of a joyous exercise of imagination +misses at least two of her greatest opportunities as a teacher. First, by failing to +cultivate in her pupils an appreciation of good literature, she misses an opportunity +to make the lives of her pupils brighter and happier. Second, by failing to realize +that the person with a story and a song is everybody's friend, she misses an opportunity +to win the friendship, admiration, and love of her pupils. The inexperienced +teacher who is well-nigh distracted in her efforts to guide forty restless, disorderly +pupils through the program of a day's work might charm half her troubles away +by the magic of a simple story or by the music and imagery of a juvenile poem. Her +story or poem would do more than remove the cause of disorder by giving the pupils +relaxation from nerve-straining work: it would help to establish that first essential +to all true success in teaching—a relation of friendship between pupils and teacher.</p> + +<p><i>Culture through literature.</i> He was a wise educator who said, "The boy who has +access to good books and who has learned to make them his close friends is beyond +the power of evil." Literature in the grades, in addition to furnishing intellectual +recreation, should so cultivate in the pupil the power of literary appreciation that +he will make good books his close friends. The child who has heard good music +from infancy is not likely to be attracted by popular ragtime. The boy who has +been trained in habits of courtesy, industry, and pure thinking in his home life, and +school life is not likely to find pleasure in the rudeness, idleness, and vulgarity of the +village poolroom. The pupil who is taught to appreciate the beautiful, the true, +and the good in standard literature is not likely to find pleasure in reading the melodramatic +and sentimental trash that now has prominence of place and space in many +book stores and in some public libraries. It is the duty of the teacher, and it should +be her pleasure, to cultivate in her pupils such a taste for good literature as will lead +them to choose the good and reject the bad, a taste that will insure for them the +culture that good literature gives.</p> + +<p><i>Selection of material.</i> In choosing selections of literary worth to present to her +pupils, the teacher should keep in mind the pupil's stage of mental development +and she should not forget that the study of literature should give pleasure. Often<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +pupils do not like what moral writers think they should like, and usually the pupils +are right. Good literature is sincere and is true in its appeal to the fundamental +emotions of humanity, and an obvious attempt to teach a moral theory at the expense +of truth is no more to be tolerated in literature for children than in literature for +adults. The childhood of the race has produced much literature with a true appeal +to the human heart, in the form of fable, fairy story, myth, and hero story. Most +of this literature appeals strongly to the child of today. For several hundred years +the nursery rhymes of "Mother Goose" have delighted children with their melody, +humor, and imagery. As literature for the kindergarten and first grade, they have +not often been excelled by modern writers. The task of selecting suitable material +from the many poems, stories, and books written for children in recent years is +difficult, but if the teacher has a keen appreciation of good literature and is guided +by the likes and dislikes of her pupils, she probably will not go far astray.</p> + +<p><i>Supplemental reading.</i> If the teacher examines the juvenile books offered for +sale by the book dealers of her town or city, she probably will discover that most +of them are trash not fit to be read by anyone, and she will realize the importance +of directing parents in the selection of gift books for children. A good way to get +better books into the book stores and into the hands of children is to give the pupils +a list of good books, with the suggestion that they ask their parents to buy one of +them the next time a book is to be bought as a present. Such lists of books also +will improve the standard of books in the town library, for librarians will be quick +to realize the importance of supplying standard literature if there is a demand for it.</p> + + +<h3><br />3. STORY-TELLING AND DRAMATIZATION</h3> + +<p><i>Story-telling.</i> Most stories are much more effective when well told than they +are when read, just as most lectures and sermons are most effective when delivered +without manuscript. To explain just why the story well told is superior to the +story read might not be easy, but much of the superiority probably comes from the +freedom of the "talk style" and the more appropriate use of inflection and emphasis. +Then, too, the story-teller can look at her audience and is free to add a descriptive +word or phrase occasionally to produce vividness of impression. Some stories, of +course, are so constructed that they must follow closely the diction of the original +form. "Henny-Penny" and Kipling's <i>Just-So Stories</i> are of this type. Such stories +should be read. Most stories, however, are most effective when well told. The +teacher, especially the teacher of one of the primary grades, should not consider +herself prepared to teach literature until she has gained something of the art of +story-telling.</p> + +<p><i>Selection of stories.</i> Never attempt to tell a story that you do not like. You +are not prepared to interest pupils in a story, however appropriate it otherwise may +be, if you are not interested in it yourself. Try to choose stories adapted in structure +and content to the age and experience of the children of your grade. For the first +or second grade, choose a few simple fables, a few short, simple fairy tales, and a few +short, simple nature stories, such as "Peter Rabbit," "How Johnny Chuck Finds +the Best Thing in the World," and "Mr. 'Possum's Sick Spell." Remember that a +story for the first or second grade should be short.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>Two principles.</i> Learn to apply readily the following principles of method: +First, use the past tense in telling a story except in direct quotation. The rules of +grammar require this, and it is an aid to clearness and effectiveness. For example, +do not say, "So he goes" or "Then he says"; but say, "So he went" or "Then he +said" (or, for variety, <i>replied</i>, <i>growled</i>, <i>mumbled</i>, etc.). Second, use direct discourse +(the exact words of the characters) rather than indirect discourse. For example, +do not say, "The Troll asked who was tripping over his bridge"; but say, "'WHO'S +THAT tripping over my bridge?' roared the Troll." Direct discourse always gives +life and vividness to a story.</p> + +<p><i>Preparation and presentation.</i> When you have selected a suitable story, read +it carefully several times to learn the essential details and the order in which they +should come. Keep in mind the fact that you are to use the past tense and direct +discourse. If the story is a fable, you probably will see that you should add much +conversation and description not in the text. A little description of the witch, giant, +fairy, or castle may give vividness to your story. If the story is a long fairy tale, you +may see that many details may be omitted. If the story is as concise and dramatic as +is the version of "The Three Billy-Goats Gruff" in this book, it may be suitable for +presentation without any changes. When you have the story clearly in mind as you +wish to present it, tell it to the pupils several times, and then have some of them tell it.</p> + +<p>Your story, of course, should not be told in a lifeless monotone. Some parts +should be told slowly, and others rapidly. In some parts the voice should be low +and soft, while in other parts it should be loud and gruff or harsh. The words of +the princess should not sound like those of the old witch or the soldier. The daintiness +and grace of elves and fairies should be indicated in the delivery.</p> + +<p><i>Corroborative opinion.</i> The many books on the art of story-telling by skilled +practitioners and the emphasis placed upon the great practical value of story-telling +by all those charged with the oversight of the education of children show conclusively +that the story method in teaching is having its grand renascence. The English +education minister, Mr. H. A. L. Fisher, speaking recently on the subject of "History +Teaching," set forth admirably the general principles back of this revival:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>There is no difficulty about interesting children. The real difficulty is to bore them. +Almost any tale will interest a child. It need not be well constructed or thrilling; it may be +filled with the most unexciting and trivial incidents, but so long as it carries the mind along +at all, it will interest a child. The hunger which intelligent children have for stories is almost +inexhaustible. They like to have their stories repeated, and insist that the characters should +reappear over and over again, for they have an appetite for reality and a desire to fix these +passing figments into the landscape of the real life with which they are surrounded.</p> + +<p>One of the great qualities in childhood which makes it apt for receiving historical impressions +is just this capacity for giving body to the phantoms of the mind. The limits between +the real and the legendary or miraculous which are drawn by the critical intelligence do not +exist for the childish mind. . . . It would then be a great educational disaster if this valuable +faculty in childhood were allowed to run to waste. There are certain years in the development +of every normal intelligent child when the mind is full of image-making power and eager +to make a friend or enemy of any god, hero, nymph, fairy, or servant maid who may come +along. Then is the time when it is right and fitting to affect some introductions to the great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +characters of mythology and history; that is the age at which children will eagerly absorb +what they can learn of Achilles and Orpheus, of King Arthur and his Knights, of Alexander +and Christopher Columbus and the Duke of Wellington. I do not think it is necessary to +obtrude any moralizing commentary when these great and vague images are first brought +into the landscape of the child's intellectual experience. A little description, a few stories, +a picture or two, will be enough to fix them in the memory and to give them body and shape +together with the fairies and witches and pirate kings and buccaneering captains with whom +we have all at one time been on such familiar terms. Let us then begin by teaching the past +to small children by way of stories and pictures.</p></div> + +<p><i>Dramatization.</i> The play spirit that leads children to play lady, doctor, church, +and school will also lead them to enjoy dramatizing stories, or "playing the stories," +as they call it. Some stories, of course, are so lacking in action as to be not well +suited for dramatization, and others have details of action, character, or situation +that may not well be represented in the schoolroom. The teacher may be surprised, +however, to see how ingenious her pupils are in overcoming difficulties after they +have had a little assistance in playing two or three stories. Unconsciously the pupil +will get from the dramatization a training in oral English, reading, and literary +appreciation that can hardly be gained in any other way.</p> + +<p>When the pupils have learned a story thoroughly, they are ready to make plans +for playing it. The stage setting may be considered first, and here the child's imagination +can work wonders in arranging details. The opening under the teacher's +desk may become a dungeon, a cave, a cellar, or a well. If a two-story house is +needed, it may be outlined on the floor in the front part of the schoolroom, with +a chalk-mark stairway, up which Goldilocks can walk to lie down on three coats—the +three beds in the bed-chamber of the three bears.</p> + +<p>The pupils can probably soon decide what characters are necessary, but more +time may be required to assign the parts. To play the part of a spider, bear, wolf, +fairy, sheep, or butterfly does not seem difficult to a child who has entered into the +spirit of the play.</p> + +<p>The most difficult part of dramatization may be the plan for conversation, +especially if the text version of the story contains little or no direct discourse. The +pupils should know the general nature of the conversation and action before they +begin to play the story, although they need not memorize the parts. Suppose that +the fable "The Shepherd's Boy" is to be dramatized. The first part of the dramatization +might be described about as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The shepherd boy, tending his flock of pupil-sheep in the pasture land at one +side of the teacher's-desk-mountain, looked toward the pupil-desk-village at +one side of the room and said quietly, "It certainly is lonely here. I believe +I'll make those villagers think a wolf has come to eat the sheep. Then perhaps +they'll come down here, and I'll have a little company and some excitement." +Then he jumped around frantically, waving his yardstick-shepherd's crook, +and shouted to the villagers, "Wolf! Wolf!"</p> + +<p>The villagers came rushing down to the pasture land, asking excitedly, +"Where's the wolf? Has he killed many of the sheep?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, oh, oh," laughed the boy, "there wasn't any wolf. I certainly did +fool you that time."</p> + +<p>"I don't think that's very funny," said one of the villagers.</p> + +<p>"Well, we might as well go back to our work," said another. Then they +went back to the village.</p> + +<p>After they had gone, the boy said, "I guess I'll try that joke again."</p></div> + +<p>If the teacher puts much direct discourse in a story of this kind when she tells +it to the pupils, the task of dramatizing will naturally be made easier.</p> + +<p>Some stories lend themselves in the most natural manner to dramatization. +An interesting example of such a story may be found among the tales dealing with +the Wise Men of Gotham. These Wise Men are referred to in one of the best known +of the Mother Goose rhymes. It would seem that the inhabitants of Gotham, in +the reign of King John, had some reason of their own for pretending to be mad, and +out of this event the legends took their rise. The number of fishermen may be +changed to seven or some other number to suit the number in the acting group. Here +is the story:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>On a certain time there were twelve men of Gotham that went to fish, and some stood on +dry land. And in going home, one said to the other "We have ventured wonderfully in wading. +I pray God that none of us come home to be drowned." "Nay, marry," said the other, +"let us see that, for there did twelve of us come out." Then they counted themselves, and +every one counted eleven. Said the one to the other, "There is one of us drowned." They +went back to the brook where they had been fishing and sought up and down for him that +was drowned, making great lamentation.</p> + +<p>A stranger coming by asked what it was they sought for, and why they were sorrowful. +"Oh!" said they, "this day we went to fish in the brook; twelve of us came together, and one +is drowned." Said the stranger, "Tell how many there be of you." One of them, counting, +said, "Eleven," and again he did not count himself. "Well," said the stranger, "what will +you give me if I find the twelfth man?" "Sir," said they, "all the money we have got." +"Give me the money," said the stranger, and began with the first, and gave him a stroke +over the shoulders with his whip, which made him groan, saying, "Here is one," and so he served +them all, and they all groaned at the matter. When he came to the last he paid him well, +saying, "Here is the twelfth man." "God's blessing on thy heart," said they, "for thus finding +our dear brother."</p></div> + + +<h3><br />4. COURSES OF STUDY</h3> + +<p>As an aid to inexperienced teachers, it seems well to suggest in a summary +how a selection of material suitable for each grade might be made from the material +of this book. The summary, however, should be regarded as suggestive in a general +way only. No detailed outline of a course of study in literature for the grades can +be ideal for all schools because the pupils of a given grade in one school may be much +more advanced in the knowledge of literature and the ability to understand and +appreciate it than are the pupils of the same grade in another school. Many literary +selections, too, might appropriately be taught in almost any grade if the method of +presentation in each case were suited to the understanding of the pupils. <i>Robinson +Crusoe</i>, for example, may appropriately be told to second-grade pupils, or it may be +read by fourth- or fifth-grade pupils, or it may be studied as fiction by eighth-grade<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +pupils or university students. All poems of remarkable excellence that are suitable +for primary pupils are also suitable for pupils in the higher grades and for adults, and +the same is true of many prose selections.</p> + +<p>The summary that follows, then, is to be regarded as "first aid" to the untrained, +inexperienced teacher. The teacher's own personal likes and dislikes and her success +in presenting various literary selections should eventually lead her to modify any +prescribed course of study. If a teacher of the sixth grade discovers that her pupils +should rank only second grade in knowledge and appreciation of literature, she may +very properly begin with traditional fairy tales. Another outlined course of study +is given in <a href="#Page_677">Section XII</a> of this book.</p> + +<p><i>First, second, and third grades.</i> Since pupils in the primary grades read with +difficulty if at all, the teacher should tell or read all selections presented as literature +in these grades.</p> + +<p>No kind of prose is better suited for use in the primary grades than traditional +fairy tales. About half a dozen might well be presented in each of the three grades. +For the first grade, the simplest should be chosen, such as "The Old Woman and Her +Pig," "Teeny-Tiny," "The Cat and the Mouse," "The Three Pigs," "The Three +Bears," and "The Elves and the Shoemaker." As suitable stories for the second +grade, we might choose "The Three Sillies," "Little Red Riding-Hood," "Cinderella," +"The Three Billy-Goats Gruff," "The Straw Ox," and "The Horned Women." +For the third grade, somewhat longer and more complex stories might be chosen.</p> + +<p>About half a dozen fables might also be used appropriately in each of the primary +grades. Simple Aesopic fables in prose seem best for the first two grades. More +complex forms might be chosen for the third grade, for example, "The Story of +Alnaschar," "The Good Samaritan," "The Discontented Pendulum," "The Musical +Ass," "The Swan, the Pike, and the Crab," and "The Hen with the Golden Eggs."</p> + +<p>Much of the nature literature of the primary grades may be in the form of verse, +but some simple nature prose may be used successfully. From the selections in this +book, "Peter Rabbit" should be chosen for the first grade, while "Johnny Chuck," +and "Mr. 'Possum's Sick Spell" are appropriate for the second and third grades.</p> + +<p>The simplest of Andersen's <i>Fairy Tales</i> may be used in the third grade, and perhaps +in the second. Some suitable stories are "The Real Princess," "The Fir Tree," +"The Tinder Box," "The Hardy Tin Soldier," and "The Ugly Duckling."</p> + +<p>The ideal verse for the first grade is nursery rhymes, which may be chosen +from the first 135 selections of this book. These may be supplemented by such +simple verse as "The Three Kittens," "The Moon," "Ding Dong," "The Little +Kitty," "Baby Bye," "Time to Rise," "Rain," "I Like Little Pussy," and "The +Star." In the second and third grades, traditional verses from those following +Number 135 in <a href="#Page_17">Section II</a> may be used. The poems by Stevenson are ideal for these +grades, and those by Field, Sherman, and Christina Rossetti are good. In addition +the teacher might select such poems as "The Brown Thrush," and "Who Stole +the Bird's Nest."</p> + +<p><i>Fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.</i> Although pupils in these intermediate grades +may be expected to read some library books, the teacher should read and tell stories<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +frequently, for this is the surest way to develop in the pupil a taste for good literature. +The teacher should remember, too, that the story she recommends to the pupils as +suitable reading should be about two grades easier than those told or read by the +teacher. Probably every poem presented as literature in these grades should be read +or recited by the teacher because pupils are not likely to get the charm of rhythm, +melody, and rhyme if they do the reading. Pupils who dislike poetry are pupils +who have not heard good poetry well read.</p> + +<p>Myths are appropriate for each of the intermediate grades. Most teachers +prefer for the fourth grade the simpler classical myths, such as "A Story of Springtime," +"The Miraculous Pitcher," "The Narcissus," and "The Apple of Discord." +In the fifth grade, the teacher may use the more difficult classical myths, reserving +the Norse myths for the sixth grade.</p> + +<p>Modern fairy and fantastic stories are also appropriate for each of these grades. +Suitable stories for the fourth grade are "The Four-Leaved Clover," "The Emperor's +New Clothes," "The Nightingale," and "The Story of Fairyfoot." Stories appropriate +for the fifth grade are "The Happy Prince," "The Knights of the Silver Shield," +and "The Prince's Dream." In the sixth grade, the teacher might use "Old Pipes +and the Dryad" and "The King of the Golden River."</p> + +<p>Two or three symbolic stories or fables in verse from the last part of <a href="#Page_261">Section V</a> +should be used in each of these grades.</p> + +<p>Nature prose should appeal more and more to children as they advance from +the fourth to the eighth grade. Many pupils in the fourth grade will enjoy reading +for themselves books by Burgess and Paine, while fifth- and sixth-grade pupils will +get much pleasure from the simpler books by Sharp, Seton, Long, Miller, and Roberts. +In the intermediate grades, the teacher may read such stories as "Wild Life in the +Farm Yard," "The Vendetta," "Pasha," "Moufflou," and "Bird Habits."</p> + +<p>Stories of various other kinds may be read by the teacher in the intermediate +grades. "Goody Two-Shoes" and "Waste Not, Want Not," are suitable for the +fourth grade. The biographies "How Columbus Got His Ships" and "Boyhood of +Washington" are excellent in the fifth or sixth grade as an introduction to history +study, and the romance "Robin Hood and the Merry Little Old Woman" may be used +appropriately in any of these grades, especially if it is made to supplement a discussion +of the Norman conquest.</p> + +<p>Most of the poems up to about No. <a href="#Note_342">342</a>, and a few beyond that, are within the +range of the work for these grades.</p> + +<p><i>Seventh and eighth grades.</i> Although pupils in the seventh and eighth grades +may be expected to read simple narrative readily, the teacher should read to the +pupils frequently. It cannot be too much emphasized that reading aloud to children +is the surest way of developing an appreciation of the best in literature. In poetry +especially this is a somewhat critical time, as the pupil is passing from the simpler +and more concrete verse to that which has a more prominent thought content. The +persuasion of the reading voice smooths over many obstacles here. Outside the +field of poetry, the teacher's work in these grades is mainly one of guidance and +direction in getting the children and the right books in contact. Children at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +this period are likely to be omnivorous readers, ready for any book that comes their +way, and the job of keeping them supplied with titles of enough available good books +for their needs is indeed one to tax all a teacher's knowledge and experience.</p> + +<p>The demand for highly sensational stories on the part of pupils in the upper +grades is so insistent that it constitutes a special problem for the teacher. It is a +perfectly natural demand, and no wise teacher will attempt to stifle it. Such an +attempt would almost certainly result in a more or less surreptitious reading of a mass +of unwholesome books which have come to be known as "dime novels." Instead of +trying to thwart this desire for the thrilling story the teacher should be ready to +recommend books which have all the attractive adventure features of the "dime +novel," and which have in addition sound artistic and ethical qualities. While many +such books are mentioned in the bibliographies in the latter part of this text, it has +seemed well to bring together here a short list of those which librarians over the +country have found particularly fitted to serve as substitutes for the dime novel.</p> + +<div class='unindent'> +Alden, W. L., <i>The Moral Pirate</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Altsheler, Joseph A., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19477">The Young Trailers</a></i>. <i>Horsemen of the Plains.</i><br /> +<br /> +Barbour, Ralph H., <i>The Crimson Sweater</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Bennett, John, <i>The Treasure of Peyre Gaillard</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Burton, Charles P., <i>The Boys of Bob's Hill</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Carruth, Hayden, <i>Track's End</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Cody, William F., <i>Adventures of Buffalo Bill</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Drysdale, William, <i>The Fast Mail</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Grinnell, George Bird, <i>Jack among the Indians</i>. <i>Jack, the Young Ranchman.</i><br /> +<br /> +Hunting, Henry G., <i>The Cave of the Bottomless Pool</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Janvier, Thomas A., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/21618">The Aztec Treasure House</a></i>.<br /> +<br /> +Kaler, James Otis, <i>Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus</i>.<br /> +<br /> +London, Jack, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/215">The Call of the Wild</a></i>.<br /> +<br /> +Malone, Captain P. B., <i>Winning His Way to West Point</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Masefield, John, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7369">Jim Davis</a></i>.<br /> +<br /> +Mason, Alfred B., <i>Tom Strong, Washington's Scout</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Matthews, Brander, <i>Tom Paulding</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Moffett, Cleveland, <i>Careers of Danger and Daring</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Munroe, Kirk, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22497">Cab and Caboose</a></i>. <i>Derrick Sterling.</i><br /> +<br /> +O'Higgins, Harvey J., <i>The Smoke Eaters</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Quirk, Leslie W., <i>The Boy Scouts of the Black Eagle Patrol</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Sabin, Edwin L., <i>Bar B Boys</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Schultz, James Willard, <i>With the Indians in the Rockies</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Stevenson, Burton E., <i>The Young Train Despatcher</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Stevenson, Robert Louis, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/120">Treasure Island</a></i>.<br /> +<br /> +Stoddard, William O., <i>Two Arrows</i>. <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/21913">Talking Leaves</a>.</i><br /> +<br /> +Trowbridge, John T., <i>Cudjo's Cave</i>. <i>The Young Surveyor.</i><br /> +<br /> +Verne, Jules, <i>20,000 Leagues under the Sea</i>.<br /> +<br /> +Wallace, Dillon, <i>Wilderness Castaways</i>.<br /> +<br /> +White, Stewart Edward, <i>The Magic Forest</i>.<br /></div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION II</h2> + +<h3>MOTHER GOOSE JINGLES AND NURSERY RHYMES</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span></p> +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + + +<h3><br />I. IMPORTANT IN TRACING THE MOTHER GOOSE CANON</h3> + +<div class="hang1">c. 1760. <i>Mother Goose's Melody.</i> [Published by John Newbery, London.]</div> + +<div class="hang2">No copy of this issue known to be in existence.</div> + +<div class="hang1">c. 1783. Ritson, Joseph, <i>Gammer Gurton's Garland, or the Nursery Parnassus</i>. [1810, +enlarged.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>c. 1785. <i>Mother Goose's Melody.</i> [Reprint of Newbery, by Isaiah Thomas, Worcester, Mass.]</div> + +<div class="hang2">[1889. Whitmore, W. H., <i>The Original Mother Goose's Melody</i>, as first issued by John +Newbery, of London, about <span class="smcap">a.d.</span> 1760. Reproduced in <i>facsimile</i> from the edition as +reprinted by Isaiah Thomas, of Worcester, Mass., about <span class="smcap">a.d.</span> 1785. With introduction +and notes.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>1824 ff. <i>Mother Goose's Quarto, or Melodies Complete.</i> [Various issues by Munroe and +Francis, Boston.]</div> + +<div class="hang2">[Hale, Edward Everett, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4901">The Only True Mother Goose Melodies</a></i>. Exact reproduction of the +text and illustrations of the original edition (<i>Mother Goose's Melodies: The Only Pure +Edition</i>) printed in Boston in 1834 by Monroe and Francis. With an introduction.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>1826. Chambers, Robert, <i>Popular Rhymes of Scotland</i>. [1870, enlarged.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>1834. Ker, John Bellenden, <i>An Essay on the Archaeology of Popular English Phrases and +Nursery Rhymes</i>. [Supplemented 1840 and 1842.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>1842. Halliwell (Phillips), J. O., <i>The Nursery Rhymes of England</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>1849. Halliwell (Phillips), J. O., <i>Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>1864. Rimbault, Edward F., <i>Old Nursery Rhymes with Tunes</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />II. IMPORTANT MODERN COLLECTIONS</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Baring-Gould, Sabine, <i>A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Headland, I. T., <i>Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Jerrold, Walter, <i>The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lang, Andrew, <i>The Nursery Rhyme Book</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Newell, W. W., <i>Games and Songs of American Children</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Saintsbury, G. E. B., <i>National Rhymes of the Nursery</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Welsh, Charles, <i>A Book of Nursery Rhymes</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Wheeler, William A., <i>Mother Goose's Melodies</i>.<br /></div> + + +<h3><br />III. NURSERY RHYMES WITH MUSIC</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Crane, Walter, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/25432">The Baby's Bouquet, a Fresh Bunch of Old Rhymes and Tunes</a></i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Homer, Sidney, <i>Songs from Mother Goose</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Le Mair, H. Willebeck, <i>Our Old Nursery Rhymes</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Le Mair, H. Willebeck, <i>Little Songs of Long Ago</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Perkins, Raymond, <i>Thirty Old-Time Nursery Songs</i>.<br /></div> + + +<h3><br />IV. STUDIES</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Bolton, H. C., <i>Counting-out Rhymes of Children, Their Antiquity, Origin, and Wide Distribution</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Earle, Alice Morse, <i>Child Life in Colonial Days</i>. [Especially chap. xiv.]<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Eckenstein, Lina, <i>Comparative Studies in Nursery Rhymes</i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Godfrey, Elizabeth, <i>English Children in the Olden Time</i>. [Especially chap. ii.]<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Gomme, A. B., <i>The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland</i>. 2 vols.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Green, P. B., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24065">The History of Nursery Rhymes</a></i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Halsey, Rosalie V., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17857">Forgotten Books of the American Nursery</a></i>.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Field, W. T., <i>Fingerposts to Children's Reading</i>, pp. 193 ff.<br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Moses, M. J., <i>Children's Books and Reading</i>, pp. 40 ff.<br /></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION II. MOTHER GOOSE JINGLES AND NURSERY RHYMES</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + + +<p><i>A flawless literature.</i> The one literature that is supremely adapted to its purpose +is the collection of rhymes associated with Mother Goose. To every child it +comes with an irresistible appeal. It has a power so natural and fundamental that +it defies explanation. The child takes it for granted just as he does his parents. It +has a perfection of rhythm and structure not attainable by modern imitators. It +has been perfected through the generations by the surest of all tests, that of constant +popular use. Much of it is common to many different nations. It is an international +literature of childhood. While much of it is known to children long before they enter +school, these jingles, like all folk literature, never lose their charm through repetition. +The schools have long since learned the value of the familiar in teaching. The +process of learning to read is usually based on some of the better known rhymes. +Teachers of literature in more advanced classes think they can generally detect the +students who have been especially "learned" in "Mother Goose her ways" by their +quick responsiveness to the facts of verbal rhythm and rhythmical structure in +more sophisticated products. "If we have no love for poetry to-day, it may not +impossibly be due to the fact that we have ceased to prize the old, old tales which have +been the delight of the child and the child-man since the foundations of the world. +If you want your child to love Homer, do not <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'withold'">withhold</ins> Mother Goose."</p> + +<p><i>Who was Mother Goose?</i> The answer to this, as to other questions suggested +below, may be of no direct or special interest to the children themselves. But teachers +should know some of the main conclusions arrived at by folklorists and others in their +investigations of the traditional materials used for basic work in literature. All the +evidence shows that Mother Goose as the name of the familiar old lady of the nursery +came to us from France. Andrew Lang discovered a reference to her in a French +poem of 1650, where she figures as a teller of stories. In 1697 Perrault's famous fairy +tales were published with a frontispiece representing an old woman spinning, and +telling tales to a man, a girl, a little boy, and a cat. On this frontispiece was the +legend, <i>Tales of Our Mother Goose</i>. (See note to No. <a href="#Note_161">161</a>.)</p> + +<p>As a teller of prose tales, Mother Goose came to England with the translation +of Perrault about 1730. We do not find her name connected with verse until after +the middle of the eighteenth century. About the year 1760 a little book called +<i>Mother Goose's Melody</i> was issued by John Newbery, a London publisher and a +most important figure in the history of the production of books for children. It is +a pleasant and not improbable theory that this first collection of nursery rhymes, +upon which later ones were built, was the work of Oliver Goldsmith, who was for +some years in Newbery's employ. However that may be, it is certain that from +this date the name of Mother Goose has been almost exclusively associated with +nursery rhymes.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> + +<p>Newbery's <i>Mother Goose's Melody</i> was soon reprinted by Isaiah Thomas, of +Worcester, Massachusetts, and thus came into the hands of American children early +in our national life. A long-since exploded theory was advanced about 1870 that +Mother Goose was a real woman of Boston in the early eighteenth century, whose +rhymes were published by her son-in-law, Thomas Fleet, in 1719. But no one has +identified any such publication and there is no evidence whatever that this old lady +in cap and spectacles is other than purely mythical.</p> + +<p><i>Whence came the jingles themselves?</i> It is certain that many nursery rhymes are +both widespread geographically in distribution and of great antiquity. Halliwell +and others have found references to some of them in old books which prove that +many of the English rhymes go back several centuries. They are of popular origin; +that is, they took root anonymously among the folk and were passed on by word of +mouth. When a rhyme can be traced to any known authority we generally find +that the folk have extracted what pleased, have forgotten or modified any original +historical or other application the rhymes may have possessed, and in general have +shaped the rhyme to popular taste. "Thus our old nursery rhymes," says Andrew +Lang, "are smooth stones from the book of time, worn round by constant friction +of tongues long silent. We cannot hope to make new nursery rhymes, any more +than we can write new fairy tales."</p> + +<p>Here are a few illustrations of what scholars have been able to tell us of the +sources of the rhymes: "Jack and Jill" preserves the Icelandic myth of two children +caught up into the moon, where they can still be seen carrying a bucket on a pole +between them. "Three Blind Mice" is traced to an old book called <i>Deuteromalia</i> +(1609). "Little Jack Horner" is all that is left of an extended chapbook story, +<i>The Pleasant History of Jack Horner, Containing His Witty Tricks</i>, etc. "Poor Old +Robinson Crusoe" is a fragment from a song by the character Jerry Sneak in Foote's +<i>Mayor of Garratt</i> (1763). "Simple Simon" gives all that the nursery has preserved +of a long chapbook verse story. "A Swarm of Bees in May" was found by Halliwell +quoted in Miege's <i>Great French Dictionary</i> (1687). These and numerous like facts +serve only to impress us with the long and honorable history of the nursery rhyme.</p> + +<p><i>Can nursery rhymes be helpfully classified?</i> This question seems of more consequence +to the teacher than the previous ones because it deals with the practical +organization of his material. The most superficial observer can see that Nos. <a href="#Note_3">3</a>, <a href="#Note_36">36</a>, +<a href="#Note_46">46</a>, <a href="#Note_59">59</a>, <a href="#Note_62">62</a>, and <a href="#Note_113">113</a>, on the following pages, are riddles; that Nos. <a href="#Note_22">22</a> and <a href="#Note_30">30</a> are +counting-out rhymes; that Nos. <a href="#Note_37">37</a>, <a href="#Note_38">38</a>, <a href="#Note_39">39</a>, <a href="#Note_40">40</a>, and <a href="#Note_41">41</a> are replies that might be +made to one who indulged unduly in suppositions; that No. <a href="#Note_27">27</a> is a face game, No. +<a href="#Note_75">75</a> a hand game, and No. <a href="#Note_108">108</a> a toe game; that Nos. <a href="#Note_42">42</a>, <a href="#Note_81">81</a>, <a href="#Note_82">82</a>, <a href="#Note_107">107</a>, and <a href="#Note_111">111</a> are +riding songs; that Nos. <a href="#Note_7">7</a>, <a href="#Note_10">10</a>, <a href="#Note_23">23</a>, <a href="#Note_67">67</a>, and <a href="#Note_137">137</a> are proverbial sayings; that Nos. <a href="#Note_64">64</a> +and <a href="#Note_89">89</a> are charms; and so one might continue with groupings based on the immediate +use made of the rhyme, not forgetting the great number that lend themselves to the +purposes of the crooned lullaby or soothing song.</p> + +<p>Halliwell made the first attempt at any complete classification in his <i>Nursery +Rhymes of England</i> (1842), using eighteen headings: (1) Historical, (2) Literal, (3) +Tales, (4) Proverbs, (5) Scholastic, (6) Songs, (7) Riddles, (8) Charms, (9) Gaffers +and Gammers, (10) Games, (11) Paradoxes, (12) Lullabies, (13) Jingles, (14) Love<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +and Matrimony, (15) Natural History, (16) Accumulative Stories, (17) Local, (18) +Relics. Andrew Lang follows Halliwell, but reduces the classes to fourteen by combining +(2) and (5), (7) and (11), (8) and (12), and by omitting (17). These classifications +are made from the standpoint of the folklore scholar, and are based on the +sources from which the rhymes originally sprang. Professor Saintsbury scouts the +value of any such arrangement, since all belong equally in the one class, "jingles," +and he also rightly points out that "all genuine nursery rhymes . . . have never +become nursery rhymes until the historical fact has been practically forgotten by +those who used them, and nothing but the metrical and musical attraction remains."</p> + +<p>Without denying the great significance of popular rhymes to the student of folklore, +we must look elsewhere for any practical suggestion for the teacher in the matter +of arrangement. Such a suggestion will be found in the late Charles Welsh's <i>Book of +Nursery Rhymes</i>, a little volume that every teacher interested in children's literature +must make use of. The rhymes are grouped into three main divisions: (1) Mother +Play, (2) Mother Stories, and (3) Child Play, with subordinate groupings under each. +About 250 rhymes are included in Welsh's collection, and the arrangement suggests +the best order for using them practically, without dropping into any ironclad system.</p> + +<p>It may be argued that any attempt at classification of material so freely and +variously used as the Mother Goose rhymes is sure to stiffen the work of the class +and render it less enjoyable. Spontaneity is more vital here than at any other stage +of one's literary education.</p> + +<p><i>What is the secret of the nursery rhyme's appeal to children?</i> Here at least we are +face to face with what may be called a final fact, that these jingles do make an appeal +so universal and remarkable that any attempt to explain it seems always to fall far +short of completeness. Perhaps the best start may be made with Mr. Welsh's suggestion +that this appeal is threefold: first, that which comes from the rhyming jingle, as +in "Higgledy, piggledy, my fat hen"; second, that which comes from the nonsense +surprises, as in "Hey diddle diddle," "Three wise men of Gotham," and "I'll +tell you a story"; third, that which comes from the dramatic action, as in "Little +Miss Muffet," and "Little Jack Horner." This summary does not differ much from +Mr. Walter Taylor Field's conclusions: "The child takes little thought as to what +<i>any</i> of these verses mean. There are perhaps four elements in them that appeal to +him,—first, the jingle, and with it that peculiar cadence which modern writers of +children's poetry strive in vain to imitate; second, the nonsense,—with just enough +of sense in it to connect the nonsense with the child's thinkable world; third, the +action,—for the stories are quite dramatic in their way; and fourth, the quaintness." +Mr. Field also emphasizes the probable charm of mystery in the face of the unknown +facts beyond the child's horizon, which appear in many of the rhymes.</p> + +<p>Other commentators do little beyond expanding some of these suggestions. +All of them agree in stressing the appeal made by rhythm, the jingle, the emphatic +meter. This seems a fundamental thing in all literature, though readers are mainly +conscious of it in poetry. Just how fundamental it is in human life has not been +better hinted than in a sentence by Mrs. MacClintock: "One who is trying to write +a sober treatise in a matter-of-fact way dares not, lest he be set down as the veriest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +mystic, say all the things that might be said about the function of rhythm, especially +in its more pronounced form of meter, among a community of children, no matter +what the size of the group—how rhythmic motion, or the flow of measured and +beautiful sounds, harmonizes their differences, tunes them up to their tasks, disciplines +their conduct, comforts their hurts, quiets their nerves; all this apart from +the facts more or less important from the point of view of literature, that it cultivates +their ear, improves their taste, and provides them a genuinely artistic pleasure."</p> + +<p>Professor Saintsbury, as usual, adds a fascinating turn to the discussion when, +after agreeing that we may see in the rhymes, "to a great extent, the poetical appeal +of sound as opposed to that of meaning in its simplest and most unmistakable terms," +he continues: "And we shall find something else, which I venture to call the attraction +of the inarticulate. . . . In moments of more intense and genuine feeling . . . +[man] does not as a rule use or at least confine himself to articulate speech. . . . +All children . . . fall naturally, long after they are able to express themselves +as it is called rationally, into a sort of pleasant gibberish when they are alone and +pleased or even displeased. . . . It must be a not infrequent experience of most +people that one frequently falls into pure jingle and nonsense verse of the nursery +kind. . . . I should myself, though I may not carry many people with me, go +farther than this and say that this 'attraction of the inarticulate,' this allurement of +mere sound and sequence, has a great deal more to do than is generally thought with +the charm of the very highest poetry. . . . In the best nursery rhymes, as in the +simpler and more genuine ballads which have so close a connection with them, we +find this attraction of the inarticulate—this charm of pure sound, this utilizing of +alliteration and rhyme and assonance." Those who have noticed the tendency of +children to find vocal pleasure even of a physical or muscular sort in nonsense combinations +of sounds, and who also realize their own tendency in this direction, will +feel that Professor Saintsbury has hit upon a suggestive term in his claim for "the +attraction of the inarticulate" as a partial explanation of the Mother Goose appeal.</p> + +<p>Through song, game, memorization, and dramatization, traditional or original, the +rhymes may be made to contribute to the child's satisfaction in all of the directions +pointed out.</p> + + +<h3><br />SUGGESTIONS FOR READING</h3> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>(Books referred to by authors' names are listed in preceding bibliography.)</p> + +<p>For orientation read Chauncey B. Tinker, "In Praise of Nursery Lore," <i>Unpopular Review</i>, +Vol. VI, p. 338 (Oct.-Dec., 1916). For a most satisfactory presentation of the whole subject read +chap. x, "Mother Goose," in Field. For the origin of Mother Goose as a character consult Lang's +introduction to his edition of <i>Perrault's Popular Tales</i>. For the theory of her American nativity +see Wheeler and Whitmore. For the origins of the rhymes themselves the authorities are Halliwell +and Eckenstein. For pedagogical suggestions see Welsh, also his article "Nursery Rhymes," <i>Cyclopedia +of Education</i> (ed. Monroe). For many interesting facts and suggestions on rhythm in nursery +rhymes consult Charles H. Sears, "Studies in Rhythm," <i>Pedagogical Seminary</i>, Vol. VIII, p. 3. +For the whole subject of folk songs look into Martinengo-Cesaresco, <i>The Study of Folk Songs</i>. Books +and periodicals dealing with primary education often contain brief discussions of value on the use +of rhymes. Many Mother Goose records have been prepared by the educational departments of +the various talking-machine companies, and may be used to advantage in the work in rhythm.</p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> + +<p>The shorter rhymes (Nos. <a href="#Note_1">1</a>-<a href="#Note_115">115</a>) are arranged +in alphabetical order. There are many +slight variations in the form of the text as +found in printed versions and in the oral +versions used by children in different communities. +While Halliwell has been used +as the basis for rhymes given in his collection, +the following versions try to reproduce +the forms of expression that seem generally +most pleasing to children.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_1" id="Note_1">1</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +A cat came fiddling out of a barn,<br /> +With a pair of bagpipes under her arm;<br /> +She could sing nothing but fiddle-de-dee,<br /> +The mouse has married the bumble-bee;<br /> +Pipe, cat—dance, mouse—<br /> +We'll have a wedding at our good house.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_2" id="Note_2">2</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">A diller, a dollar,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">A ten o'clock scholar,</span><br /> +What makes you come so soon?<br /> +You used to come at ten o'clock,<br /> +And now you come at noon.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_3" id="Note_3">3</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">As I was going to St. Ives,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">I met a man with seven wives;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Every wife had seven sacks,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Every sack had seven cats,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Every cat had seven kits:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,</span><br /> +How many were there going to St. Ives?<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(<i>One.</i>)<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_4" id="Note_4">4</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +As I was going up Pippen Hill,—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pippen Hill was dirty,—</span><br /> +There I met a pretty miss,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And she dropped me a curtsy.</span><br /> +<br /> +Little miss, pretty miss,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Blessings light upon you;</span><br /> +If I had half-a-crown a day,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'd spend it all upon you.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_5" id="Note_5">5</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +As I went to Bonner,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I met a pig</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Without a wig,</span><br /> +Upon my word of honor.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_6" id="Note_6">6</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +As Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Were walking out one Sunday,</span><br /> +Says Tommy Snooks to Bessie Brooks,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"To-morrow will be Monday."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_7" id="Note_7">7</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +A swarm of bees in May<br /> +Is worth a load of hay;<br /> +A swarm of bees in June<br /> +Is worth a silver spoon;<br /> +A swarm of bees in July<br /> +Is not worth a fly.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_8" id="Note_8">8</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Baa, baa, black sheep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Have you any wool?</span><br /> +Yes, marry, have I,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Three bags full;</span><br /> +One for my master,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And one for my dame,</span><br /> +And one for the little boy<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Who lives in the lane.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_9" id="Note_9">9</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Barber, barber, shave a pig,<br /> +How many hairs will make a wig?<br /> +"Four and twenty, that's enough."<br /> +Give the barber a pinch of snuff.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_10" id="Note_10">10</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Birds of a feather flock together,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And so will pigs and swine;</span><br /> +Rats and mice will have their choice,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And so will I have mine.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_11" id="Note_11">11</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Bless you, bless you, burnie bee;<br /> +Say, when will your wedding be?<br /> +If it be to-morrow day,<br /> +Take your wings and fly away.<br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_12" id="Note_12">12</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Bobby Shafto's gone to sea,<br /> +With silver buckles at his knee;<br /> +He'll come back and marry me,—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pretty Bobby Shafto!</span><br /> +<br /> +Bobby Shafto's fat and fair,<br /> +Combing out his yellow hair,<br /> +He's my love for evermore,—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pretty Bobby Shafto!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_13" id="Note_13">13</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Bow, wow, wow,<br /> +Whose dog art thou?<br /> +Little Tom Tinker's dog,<br /> +Bow, wow, wow.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_14" id="Note_14">14</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Bye, baby bunting,<br /> +Daddy's gone a-hunting,<br /> +To get a little rabbit skin<br /> +To wrap the baby bunting in.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_15" id="Note_15">15</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Come when you're called,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Do what you're bid,</span><br /> +Shut the door after you,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Never be chid.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_16" id="Note_16">16</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Cross patch,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Draw the latch,</span><br /> +And sit by the fire and spin;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Take a cup,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And drink it up,</span><br /> +Then call your neighbors in.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_17" id="Note_17">17</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Curly locks! curly locks! wilt thou be mine?<br /> +Thou shalt not wash the dishes, nor yet feed the swine.<br /> +But sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam,<br /> +And feed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_18" id="Note_18">18</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Dance, little baby, dance up high,<br /> +Never mind, baby, mother is by;<br /> +Crow and caper, caper and crow,<br /> +There, little baby, there you go;<br /> +<br /> +Up to the ceiling, down to the ground,<br /> +Backward and forward, round and round;<br /> +Dance, little baby, and mother will sing,<br /> +With the merry coral, ding, ding, ding!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_19" id="Note_19">19</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John,<br /> +He went to bed with his stockings on;<br /> +One shoe off, the other shoe on,<br /> +Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_20" id="Note_20">20</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Ding, dong, bell!<br /> +Pussy's in the well.<br /> +Who put her in?<br /> +Little Tommy Green.<br /> +Who pulled her out?<br /> +Little Johnny Stout.<br /> +What a naughty boy was that,<br /> +To drown the poor, poor pussy-cat,<br /> +Who never did him any harm,<br /> +But killed the mice in his father's barn.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_21" id="Note_21">21</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Doctor Foster</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Went to Glo'ster,</span><br /> +In a shower of rain;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He stepped in a puddle,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Up to his middle,</span><br /> +And never went there again.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_22" id="Note_22">22</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Eggs, butter, cheese, bread,<br /> +Stick, stock, stone dead,<br /> +Stick him up, stick him down,<br /> +Stick him in the old man's crown.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_23" id="Note_23">23</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +For every evil under the sun,<br /> +There is a remedy, or there is none.<br /> +If there be one, try to find it,<br /> +If there be none, never mind it.<br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_24" id="Note_24">24</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Four-and-twenty tailors went to kill a snail,<br /> +The bravest man among them dursn't touch her tail;<br /> +The snail put out her horns, like a little Kyloe cow,<br /> +Run, tailors, run, or she'll kill you all e'en now.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_25" id="Note_25">25</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Great A, little a,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bouncing B!</span><br /> +The cat's in the cupboard,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And she can't see.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_26" id="Note_26">26</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hark, hark,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The dogs do bark,</span><br /> +The beggars are coming to town:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Some in tags,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Some in rags,</span><br /> +And some in velvet gowns.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_27" id="Note_27">27</a></h3> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Here sits the Lord Mayor"> +<tr><td align='left'>Here sits the Lord Mayor,</td><td align='left'>(<i>touching forehead</i>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Here sit his two men,</span></td><td align='left'> (<i>eyes</i>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Here sits the cock,</td><td align='left'>(<i>right cheek</i>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Here sits the hen,</span></td><td align='left'>(<i>left cheek</i>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Here sit the little chickens,</td><td align='left'>(<i>tip of nose</i>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Here they all run in;</span></td><td align='left'> (<i>mouth</i>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'>Chinchopper, chinchopper,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Chinchopper chin! </span></td><td align='left'> (<i>chuck the chin</i>)</td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_28" id="Note_28">28</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Here we go up, up, up,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And here we go down, down, down;</span><br /> +And here we go backwards and forwards,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And here we go round, round, round.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_29" id="Note_29">29</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Given as usually known to children. In some +older versions the word "craft" was used +instead of "sport," thus making a rhyme. +There is an old story of an overly serious +parent who was greatly disturbed by the +evident exaggerations in this jingle. After +calling the attention of his children to the +offensive improbabilities, the good man suggested +the following "revised version."</div> + +<div class='poem'> +Hey diddle diddle,<br /> +The cat and the fiddle,<br /> +The cow jumped <i>under</i> the moon;<br /> +The little dog <i>barked</i>,<br /> +To see the sport,<br /> +And the <i>cat</i> ran after the spoon!<br /> +</div> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hey! diddle, diddle,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The cat and the fiddle,</span><br /> +The cow jumped over the moon;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The little dog laughed</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To see such sport,</span><br /> +And the dish ran away with the spoon.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_30" id="Note_30">30</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Hickery, dickery, 6 and 7,<br /> +Alabone Crackabone, 10 and 11,<br /> +Spin, span, muskidan;<br /> +Twiddle 'um, twaddle 'um, 21.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_31" id="Note_31">31</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Higgledy, Piggledy,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">My black hen,</span><br /> +She lays eggs<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For gentlemen;</span><br /> +Sometimes nine,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And sometimes ten,</span><br /> +Higgledy, Piggledy,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">My black hen!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_32" id="Note_32">32</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Hickory, dickory, dock,<br /> +The mouse ran up the clock,<br /> +The clock struck one,<br /> +The mouse ran down;<br /> +Hickory, dickory, dock.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_33" id="Note_33">33</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Hogs in the garden, catch 'em, Towser.<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span>Cows in the cornfield, run, boys, run;<br /> +Cats in the cream-pot, run, girls, run, girls;<br /> +Fire on the mountains, run, boys, run.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_34" id="Note_34">34</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hot-cross buns!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hot-cross buns!</span><br /> +One a penny, two a penny,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hot-cross buns!</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hot-cross buns!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hot-cross buns!</span><br /> +If you have no daughters,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Give them to your sons.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_35" id="Note_35">35</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Hub a dub dub,<br /> +Three men in a tub;<br /> +The butcher, the baker,<br /> +The candlestick-maker,<br /> +They all fell out of a rotten potato.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_36" id="Note_36">36</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,<br /> +Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;<br /> +Threescore men and threescore more<br /> +Cannot place Humpty Dumpty as he was before.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(<i>An egg.</i>)<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_37" id="Note_37">37</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +If all the sea were one sea,<br /> +What a <i>great</i> sea that would be!<br /> +And if all the trees were one tree,<br /> +What a <i>great</i> tree that would be!<br /> +And if all the axes were one axe,<br /> +What a <i>great</i> axe that would be!<br /> +And if all the men were one man,<br /> +What a <i>great</i> man he would be!<br /> +And if the <i>great</i> man took the <i>great</i> axe,<br /> +And cut down the <i>great</i> tree,<br /> +And let it fall into the <i>great</i> sea,<br /> +What a splish splash <i>that</i> would be!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_38" id="Note_38">38</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +If all the world was apple-pie,<br /> +And all the sea was ink,<br /> +And all the trees were bread and cheese,<br /> +What should we have for drink?<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_39" id="Note_39">39</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +If I'd as much money as I could spend,<br /> +I never would cry, "Old chairs to mend!<br /> +Old chairs to mend! Old chairs to mend!"<br /> +I never would cry, "Old chairs to mend!"<br /> +If I'd as much money as I could tell,<br /> +I never would cry, "Old clothes to sell!<br /> +Old clothes to sell! Old clothes to sell!"<br /> +I never would cry, "Old clothes to sell!"<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_40" id="Note_40">40</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">If "ifs" and "ands"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Were pots and pans,</span><br /> +There would be no need for tinkers!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_41" id="Note_41">41</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +If wishes were horses,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Beggars might ride;</span><br /> +If turnips were watches,<br /> +I'd wear one by my side.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_42" id="Note_42">42</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +I had a little pony,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His name was Dapple-gray,</span><br /> +I lent him to a lady,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To ride a mile away;</span><br /> +She whipped him, she slashed him,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She rode him through the mire;</span><br /> +I would not lend my pony now<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For all that lady's hire.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_43" id="Note_43">43</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +I had a little hobby horse,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His name was Tommy Gray,</span><br /> +His head was made of pease straw,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His body made of hay;</span><br /> +I saddled him and bridled him,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And rode him up to town,</span><br /> +There came a little puff of wind<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And blew him up and down.</span><br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_44" id="Note_44">44</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +I have a little sister, they call her peep, peep;<br /> +She wades the waters deep, deep, deep;<br /> +She climbs the mountains high, high, high;<br /> +Poor little creature, she has but one eye.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(<i>A star.</i>)<br /></div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_45" id="Note_45">45</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'll tell you a story</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of Jack-a-Nory,</span><br /> +And now my story's begun.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'll tell you another</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">About Jack's brother,</span><br /> +And now my story is done.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_46" id="Note_46">46</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +In marble walls as white as milk,<br /> +Lined with a skin as soft as silk;<br /> +Within a fountain crystal clear,<br /> +A golden apple doth appear.<br /> +No doors there are to this stronghold,<br /> +Yet thieves break in and steal the gold.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(<i>An egg.</i>)<br /></div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_47" id="Note_47">47</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +1. I went up one pair of stairs.<br /> +2. Just like me.<br /> +1. I went up two pair of stairs.<br /> +2. Just like me.<br /> +1. I went into a room.<br /> +2. Just like me.<br /> +1. I looked out of a window.<br /> +2. Just like me.<br /> +1. And there I saw a monkey.<br /> +2. Just like me.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_48" id="Note_48">48</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Jack and Jill went up the hill,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To fetch a pail of water;</span><br /> +Jack fell down, and broke his crown,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And Jill came tumbling after.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_49" id="Note_49">49</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Jack be nimble,<br /> +Jack be quick,<br /> +Jack jump over the candlestick.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_50" id="Note_50">50</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Jack Sprat could eat no fat,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His wife could eat no lean;</span><br /> +And so between them both, you see,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They licked the platter clean.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_51" id="Note_51">51</a></h3> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Knock at the door"> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Knock at the door,</span></td><td align='left'>(<i>forehead</i>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 2em;">And peep in,</span></td><td align='left'>(<i>lift eyelids</i>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Open the door,</span></td><td align='left'>(<i>mouth</i>)</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 2em;">And walk in.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Chinchopper, chinchopper, </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Chinchopper chin!</span></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_52" id="Note_52">52</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">These lines, common in similar form to many +countries, are said by children when they +throw the beautiful little insect into the air +to make it take flight.</div> + +<div class='poem'> +Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home,<br /> +Your house is on fire, your children all gone;<br /> +All but one, and her name is Ann,<br /> +And she crept under the pudding-pan.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_53" id="Note_53">53</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Little boy blue, come blow your horn,<br /> +The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn;<br /> +Where is the boy that looks after the sheep?<br /> +He's under the haycock fast asleep.<br /> +Will you wake him? No, not I;<br /> +For if I do, he'll be sure to cry.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_54" id="Note_54">54</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Little girl, little girl, where have you been?<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span>Gathering roses to give to the queen.<br /> +Little girl, little girl, what gave she you?<br /> +She gave me a diamond as big as my shoe.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_55" id="Note_55">55</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Little Jack Horner</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Sat in a corner,</span><br /> +Eating his Christmas pie.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">He put in his thumb,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And he pulled out a plum,</span><br /> +And said, "What a good boy am I!"<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_56" id="Note_56">56</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Little Jack Jingle,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">He used to live single,</span><br /> +But when he got tired of this kind of life,<br /> +He left off being single and lived with his wife.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_57" id="Note_57">57</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Little Johnny Pringle had a little pig;<br /> +It was very little, so was not very big.<br /> +As it was playing beneath the shed,<br /> +In half a minute poor Piggie was dead.<br /> +So Johnny Pringle he sat down and cried,<br /> +And Betty Pringle she lay down and died.<br /> +This is the history of one, two, and three,<br /> +Johnny Pringle he,<br /> +Betty Pringle she,<br /> +And the Piggie-Wiggie.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_58" id="Note_58">58</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little Miss Muffet</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sat on a tuffet,</span><br /> +Eating of curds and whey;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">There came a great spider,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And sat down beside her,</span><br /> +And frightened Miss Muffet away.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_59" id="Note_59">59</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Little Nancy Etticoat,<br /> +In a white petticoat,<br /> +And a red nose;<br /> +The longer she stands,<br /> +The shorter she grows.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(<i>A candle.</i>)<br /></div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_60" id="Note_60">60</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Little Robin Redbreast<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sat upon a rail;</span><br /> +Niddle naddle went his head,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wiggle waggle went his tail.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_61" id="Note_61">61</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Little Tommy Tucker<br /> +Sings for his supper;<br /> +What shall he eat?<br /> +White bread and butter.<br /> +How shall he cut it<br /> +Without e'er a knife?<br /> +How will he be married<br /> +Without e'er a wife?<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_62" id="Note_62">62</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Long legs, crooked thighs,<br /> +Little head and no eyes.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(<i>The tongs.</i>)<br /></div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_63" id="Note_63">63</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Lucy Locket lost her pocket,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kitty Fisher found it:</span><br /> +Nothing in it, nothing in it,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the binding round it.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_64" id="Note_64">64</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John<br /> +Guard the bed that I lie on!<br /> +Four corners to my bed,<br /> +Four angels round my head;<br /> +One to watch, one to pray,<br /> +And two to bear my soul away.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_65" id="Note_65">65</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Mistress Mary, quite contrary,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How does your garden grow?</span><br /> +With cockle-shells, and silver bells,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And pretty maids all in a row.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_66" id="Note_66">66</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Multiplication is vexation,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Division is as bad;</span><br /> +The Rule of Three perplexes me,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And Practice drives me mad.</span><br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_67" id="Note_67">67</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Needles and pins, needles and pins,<br /> +When a man marries his trouble begins.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_68" id="Note_68">68</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Old King Cole<br /> +Was a merry old soul,<br /> +And a merry old soul was he;<br /> +He called for his pipe,<br /> +And he called for his bowl,<br /> +And he called for his fiddlers three.<br /> +Every fiddler, he had a fine fiddle,<br /> +And a very fine fiddle had he;<br /> +Twee tweedle dee, tweedle dee, went the fiddlers.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Oh, there's one so rare,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">As can compare</span><br /> +With old King Cole and his fiddlers three!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_69" id="Note_69">69</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Once I saw a little bird<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come hop, hop, hop;</span><br /> +So I cried, "Little bird,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Will you stop, stop, stop?"</span><br /> +And was going to the window<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To say, "How do you do?"</span><br /> +But he shook his little tail,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And far away he flew.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_70" id="Note_70">70</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +One for the money,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And two for the show;</span><br /> +Three to make ready,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And four to go.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_71" id="Note_71">71</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +One misty, moisty morning,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When cloudy was the weather,</span><br /> +I chanced to meet an old man<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Clothed all in leather,</span><br /> +He began to compliment,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I began to grin,—</span><br /> +"How do you do," and "How do you do,"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And "How do you do" again!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_72" id="Note_72">72</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +1, 2, 3, 4, 5!<br /> +I caught a hare alive;<br /> +6, 7, 8, 9, 10!<br /> +I let her go again.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_73" id="Note_73">73</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +One, two,<br /> +Buckle my shoe;<br /> +Three, four,<br /> +Shut the door;<br /> +Five, six,<br /> +Pick up sticks;<br /> +Seven, eight,<br /> +Lay them straight;<br /> +Nine, ten,<br /> +A good fat hen;<br /> +Eleven, twelve,<br /> +Who will delve?<br /> +Thirteen, fourteen,<br /> +Maids a-courting;<br /> +Fifteen, sixteen,<br /> +Maids a-kissing;<br /> +Seventeen, eighteen,<br /> +Maids a-waiting;<br /> +Nineteen, twenty,<br /> +My stomach's empty.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_74" id="Note_74">74</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man!<br /> +So I will, master, as fast as I can:<br /> +Pat it, and prick it, and mark it with T,<br /> +Put it in the oven for Tommy and me.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_75" id="Note_75">75</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Pease-porridge hot,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pease-porridge cold,</span><br /> +Pease-porridge in the pot,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nine days old;</span><br /> +Some like it hot,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Some like it cold,</span><br /> +Some like it in the pot,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nine days old.</span><br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_76" id="Note_76">76</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater,<br /> +Had a wife and couldn't keep her;<br /> +He put her in a pumpkin-shell,<br /> +And there he kept her very well.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_77" id="Note_77">77</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Halliwell suggests that "off a pewter plate" is +sometimes added at the end of each line. +This rhyme is famous as a "tongue twister," +or enunciation exercise.</div> + +<div class='poem'> +Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;<br /> +A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;<br /> +If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,<br /> +Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_78" id="Note_78">78</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Poor old Robinson Crusoe!<br /> +Poor old Robinson Crusoe!<br /> +They made him a coat,<br /> +Of an old nanny goat,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I wonder how they could do so!</span><br /> +With a ring a ting tang,<br /> +And a ring a ting tang,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Poor old Robinson Crusoe!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_79" id="Note_79">79</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, where have you been?<br /> +I've been to London to see the Queen.<br /> +Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, what did you there?<br /> +I frightened a little mouse under the chair.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_80" id="Note_80">80</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Pussy sits beside the fire;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How can she be fair?</span><br /> +In comes the little dog,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Pussy, are you there?</span><br /> +So, so, dear Mistress Pussy,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pray tell me how do you do?"</span><br /> +"Thank you, thank you, little dog,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'm very well just now."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_81" id="Note_81">81</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Ride a cock-horse to Banbury-cross,<br /> +To see an old lady upon a white horse,<br /> +Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,<br /> +And so she makes music wherever she goes.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_82" id="Note_82">82</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ride, baby, ride!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pretty baby shall ride,</span><br /> +And have a little puppy-dog tied to her side;<br /> +And one little pussy-cat tied to the other,<br /> +And away she shall ride to see her grandmother,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To see her grandmother,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To see her grandmother.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_83" id="Note_83">83</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Rock-a-bye, baby,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">On the tree top,</span><br /> +When the wind blows<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The cradle will rock;</span><br /> +When the bough breaks<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The cradle will fall,</span><br /> +Down will come baby,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bough, cradle, and all.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_84" id="Note_84">84</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green;<br /> +Father's a nobleman, mother's a queen;<br /> +And Betty's a lady, and wears a gold ring;<br /> +And Johnny's a drummer, and drums for the king.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_85" id="Note_85">85</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +See a pin and pick it up,<br /> +All the day you'll have good luck;<br /> +See a pin and let it lay,<br /> +Bad luck you'll have all the day!<br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_86" id="Note_86">86</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +See, saw, sacradown,<br /> +Which is the way to London town?<br /> +One foot up, the other foot down,<br /> +And that is the way to London town.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_87" id="Note_87">87</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Shoe the little horse,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And shoe the little mare,</span><br /> +And let the little colt<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Run bare, bare, bare.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_88" id="Note_88">88</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Sing a song of sixpence,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A pocket full of rye;</span><br /> +Four and twenty blackbirds<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Baked in a pie;</span><br /> +When the pie was opened,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The birds began to sing;</span><br /> +Was not that a dainty dish<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To set before the king?</span><br /> +<br /> +The king was in his counting-house<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Counting out his money;</span><br /> +The queen was in the parlor<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Eating bread and honey;</span><br /> +<br /> +The maid was in the garden<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hanging out the clothes,</span><br /> +When along came a blackbird,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And pecked off her nose.</span><br /> +<br /> +Jenny was so mad,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She didn't know what to do;</span><br /> +She put her finger in her ear,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And cracked it right in two.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_89" id="Note_89">89</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Star light, star bright,<br /> +First star I see to-night;<br /> +I wish I may, I wish I might,<br /> +Have the wish I wish to-night.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_90" id="Note_90">90</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +The King of France went up the hill,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With twenty thousand men;</span><br /> +The King of France came down the hill,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And ne'er went up again.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_91" id="Note_91">91</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +The lion and the unicorn<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Were fighting for the crown;</span><br /> +The lion beat the unicorn<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All round about the town.</span><br /> +Some gave them white bread,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And some gave them brown,</span><br /> +Some gave them plumcake,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And sent them out of town.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_92" id="Note_92">92</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The man in the moon</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Came tumbling down,</span><br /> +And asked the way to Norwich;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He went by the south</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And burned his mouth</span><br /> +With supping cold pease porridge.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_93" id="Note_93">93</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +The north wind doth blow,<br /> +And we shall have snow,<br /> +And what will the robin do then?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 11em;">Poor thing!</span><br /> +<br /> +He will sit in a barn,<br /> +And to keep himself warm,<br /> +Will hide his head under his wing,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 11em;">Poor thing!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_94" id="Note_94">94</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All on a summer's day.</span><br /> +The Knave of Hearts he stole those tarts,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And hid them clean away.</span><br /> +The King of Hearts he missed those tarts,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And beat the Knave right sore,</span><br /> +The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And vowed he'd steal no more.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_95" id="Note_95">95</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was a crooked man, and he went a crooked mile,<br /> +And found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile:<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span>He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,<br /> +And they all lived together in a little crooked house.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_96" id="Note_96">96</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was a little boy went into a barn,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And lay down on some hay;</span><br /> +An owl came out and flew about,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the little boy ran away.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_97" id="Note_97">97</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was a man and he had naught,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And robbers came to rob him;</span><br /> +He crept up to the chimney top,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And then they thought they had him;</span><br /> +But he got down on t'other side,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And then they could not find him:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He ran fourteen miles in fifteen days,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And never looked behind him.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_98" id="Note_98">98</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was a man in our town,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And he was wondrous wise;</span><br /> +He jumped into a briar bush,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And scratched out both his eyes:</span><br /> +And when he saw his eyes were out,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With all his might and main</span><br /> +He jumped into another bush,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And scratched 'em in again.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_99" id="Note_99">99</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an old man,<br /> +And he had a calf,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And that's half;</span><br /> +He took him out of the stall,<br /> +And put him on the wall;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And that's all.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_100" id="Note_100">100</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an old woman, and what do you think?<br /> +She lived upon nothing but victuals and drink:<br /> +Victuals and drink were the chief of her diet;<br /> +Yet this little old woman could never keep quiet.<br /> +<br /> +She went to the baker, to buy her some bread,<br /> +And when she came home, her old husband was dead;<br /> +She went to the clerk to toll the bell,<br /> +And when she came back her old husband was well.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_101" id="Note_101">101</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an old woman lived under a hill,<br /> +And if she's not gone, she lives there still.<br /> +She put a mouse in a bag and sent it to mill;<br /> +The miller he swore by the point of his knife,<br /> +He never took toll of a mouse in his life.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_102" id="Note_102">102</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an old woman of Leeds,<br /> +Who spent all her time in good deeds;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She worked for the poor,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Till her fingers were sore,</span><br /> +This pious old woman of Leeds!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_103" id="Note_103">103</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an old woman of Norwich,<br /> +Who lived upon nothing but porridge!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Parading the town,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She turned cloak into gown!</span><br /> +This thrifty old woman of Norwich.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_104" id="Note_104">104</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an old woman tossed up in a basket<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nineteen times as high as the moon;</span><br /> +Where she was going I couldn't but ask it,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">For in her hand she carried a broom.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Old woman, old woman, old woman," quoth I,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"O whither, O whither, O whither, so high?"</span><br /> +"To brush the cobwebs off the sky!"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Shall I go with thee?" "Aye, by and by."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_105" id="Note_105">105</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,<br /> +She had so many children, she didn't know what to do.<br /> +She gave them some broth without any bread,<br /> +Then whipped them all soundly, and put them to bed.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_106" id="Note_106">106</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an owl lived in an oak,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wisky, wasky, weedle;</span><br /> +And every word he ever spoke,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Was fiddle, faddle, feedle.</span><br /> +<br /> +A gunner chanced to come that way,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wisky, wasky, weedle;</span><br /> +Says he, "I'll shoot you, silly bird,"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fiddle, faddle, feedle.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_107" id="Note_107">107</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +This is the way the ladies ride;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tri, tre, tre, tree, tri, tre, tre, tree!</span><br /> +This is the way the ladies ride,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tri, tre, tre, tree, tri, tre, tre, tree!</span><br /> +<br /> +This is the way the gentlemen ride;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Gallop-a-trot, gallop-a-trot!</span><br /> +This is the way the gentlemen ride,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Gallop-a-trot-a-trot!</span><br /> +<br /> +This is the way the farmers ride;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hobbledy-hoy, hobbledy-hoy!</span><br /> +This is the way the farmers ride,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hobbledy-hobbledy-hoy!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_108" id="Note_108">108</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +1. This little pig went to market;<br /> +2. This little pig stayed at home;<br /> +3. This little pig had roast beef;<br /> +4. And this little pig had none;<br /> +5. This little pig said, "Wee, wee, wee!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">I can't find my way home."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_109" id="Note_109">109</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Three blind mice! see, how they run!<br /> +They all ran after the farmer's wife,<br /> +Who cut off their tails with the carving knife!<br /> +Did you ever see such a thing in your life?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Three blind mice!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_110" id="Note_110">110</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Three wise men of Gotham<br /> +Went to sea in a bowl;<br /> +If the bowl had been stronger,<br /> +My song would have been longer.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_111" id="Note_111">111</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,<br /> +Home again, home again, dancing a jig;<br /> +To market, to market, to buy a fat hog,<br /> +Home again, home again, jiggety-jog;<br /> +To market, to market, to buy a plum bun.<br /> +Home again, home again, market is done.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_112" id="Note_112">112</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Tom, Tom, the piper's son,<br /> +Stole a pig and away he run!<br /> +The pig was eat, and Tom was beat,<br /> +And Tom went roaring down the street!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_113" id="Note_113">113</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +Two-legs sat upon three-legs,<br /> +With one-leg in his lap;<br /> +In comes four-legs<br /> +And runs away with one-leg;<br /> +Up jumps two-legs,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span>Catches up three-legs,<br /> +Throws it after four-legs,<br /> +And makes him bring one-leg back.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(<i>One-leg is a leg of mutton;<br /> +two-legs, a man; three-legs,<br /> +a stool; four-legs, a dog.</i>)<br /></div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_114" id="Note_114">114</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following is another good "tongue +twister" (see No. <a href="#Note_77">77</a>). It is recommended +for the little lisper, and in former days it +was recommended as a sure cure for the +hiccoughs.</div> + +<div class='poem'> +When a twister a-twisting would twist him a twist,<br /> +For twisting a twist three twists he will twist;<br /> +But if one of the twists untwists from the twist,<br /> +The twist untwisting untwists the twist.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_115" id="Note_115">115</a></h3> + +<div class='poem'> +"Willy boy, Willy boy, where are you going?<br /> +I will go with you, if I may."<br /> +<br /> +"I am going to the meadow to see them a-mowing,<br /> +I am going to see them make the hay."<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_116" id="Note_116">116</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">No. <a href="#Note_116">116</a> and the two rhymes following are by +Miss Wilhelmina Seegmiller. (By permission +of the publishers, Rand McNally +& Co., Chicago.) Their presence will +allow teachers to compare some widely and +successfully used modern efforts with the +traditional jingles in the midst of which +they are placed.</div> + + +<h4><br />MILKWEED SEEDS</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +As white as milk,<br /> +As soft as silk,<br /> +And hundreds close together:<br /> +They sail away,<br /> +On an autumn day,<br /> +When windy is the weather.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_117" id="Note_117">117</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />AN ANNIVERSARY</h4> +<div class='poem'> +Pop! fizz! bang! whizz!<br /> +Don't you know what day this is?<br /> +<br /> +Fizz! bang! whizz! pop!<br /> +Hurrah for the Fourth! and hippity-hop!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_118" id="Note_118">118</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />TWINK! TWINK!</h4> +<div class='poem'> +Twink, twink, twink, twink,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Twinkety, twinkety, twink!</span><br /> +The fireflies light their lanterns,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then put them out in a wink.</span><br /> +<br /> +Twink, twink, twink, twink,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They light their light once more,</span><br /> +Then twinkety, twinkety, twink, twink,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They put them out as before.</span><br /> +<br /><br /></div> + + +<div class="hang1">Nos. <a href="#Note_119">119</a>-<a href="#Note_146">146</a> are in the main the longer nursery +favorites and may somewhat loosely +be called the novels and epics of the nursery +as the former group may be called the +lyrics and short stories. All of them are +marked by dramatic power, a necessary +element in all true classics for children +whether in verse or prose. Nos. <a href="#Note_119">119</a> and +<a href="#Note_120">120</a> are two of the favorite jingles used in +teaching the alphabet. Each letter suggests +a distinct image. In No. <a href="#Note_119">119</a> the +images are all of actions, and connected by +the direction of these actions upon a single +object. In No. <a href="#Note_120">120</a> the images are each +complete and independent. Here it may be +noticed that some of the elements of the +pictures are determined by the exigencies +of rhyme, as, for instance, what the archer +shot at, and what the lady had. The +originator doubtless expected the child to +see the relation of cause and consequence +between Y and Z.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_119" id="Note_119">119</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />A WAS AN APPLE-PIE</h4> +<div class='poem'> +A was an apple-pie;<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span>B bit it;<br /> +C cut it;<br /> +D dealt it;<br /> +E eat it;<br /> +F fought for it;<br /> +G got it;<br /> +H had it;<br /> +J joined it:<br /> +K kept it;<br /> +L longed for it;<br /> +M mourned for it;<br /> +N nodded at it;<br /> +O opened it;<br /> +P peeped in it;<br /> +Q quartered it;<br /> +R ran for it;<br /> +S stole it;<br /> +T took it;<br /> +V viewed it;<br /> +W wanted it;<br /> +X, Y, Z, and Ampersand (&)<br /> +All wished for a piece in hand.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_120" id="Note_120">120</a></h3> + +<h4><br />TOM THUMB'S ALPHABET</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +A was an archer, and shot at a frog;<br /> +B was a butcher, and kept a bull-dog.<br /> +<br /> +C was a captain, all covered with lace;<br /> +D was a drunkard, and had a red face.<br /> +<br /> +E was an esquire, with insolent brow;<br /> +F was a farmer, and followed the plough.<br /> +<br /> +G was a gamester, who had but ill luck;<br /> +H was a hunter, and hunted a buck.<br /> +<br /> +I was an innkeeper, who loved to carouse;<br /> +J was a joiner, and built up a house.<br /> +<br /> +K was a king, so mighty and grand;<br /> +L was a lady, who had a white hand.<br /> +<br /> +M was a miser, and hoarded up gold;<br /> +N was a nobleman, gallant and bold.<br /> +<br /> +O was an oyster girl, and went about town;<br /> +P was a parson, and wore a black gown.<br /> +<br /> +Q was a queen, who sailed in a ship;<br /> +R was a robber, and wanted a whip.<br /> +<br /> +S was a sailor, and spent all he got;<br /> +T was a tinker, and mended a pot.<br /> +<br /> +U was an usurer, a miserable elf;<br /> +V was a vintner, who drank all himself.<br /> +<br /> +W was a watchman, and guarded the door;<br /> +X was expensive, and so became poor.<br /> +<br /> +Y was a youth, that did not love school;<br /> +Z was a zany, a poor harmless fool.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_121" id="Note_121">121</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />WHERE ARE YOU GOING</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Where are you going, my pretty maid?<br /> +"I'm going a-milking, sir," she said.<br /> +May I go with you, my pretty maid?<br /> +"You're kindly welcome, sir," she said.<br /> +What is your father, my pretty maid?<br /> +"My father's a farmer, sir," she said.<br /> +What is your fortune, my pretty maid?<br /> +"My face is my fortune, sir," she said.<br /> +Then I can't marry you, my pretty maid.<br /> +"Nobody asked you, sir," she said.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_122" id="Note_122">122</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />MOLLY AND I</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Molly, my sister, and I fell out,<br /> +And what do you think it was about?<br /> +She loved coffee, and I loved tea,<br /> +And that was the reason we couldn't agree.<br /> +But Molly, my sister, and I made up,<br /> +And now together we can sup,<br /> +For Molly drinks coffee, and I drink tea,<br /> +And we both are happy as happy can be.<br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_123" id="Note_123">123</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />LONDON BRIDGE</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +London bridge is broken down,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dance o'er my lady Lee;</span><br /> +London bridge is broken down,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a gay lady.</span><br /> +<br /> +How shall we build it up again?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dance o'er my lady Lee;</span><br /> +How shall we build it up again?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a gay lady.</span><br /> +<br /> +Build it up with silver and gold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dance o'er my lady Lee;</span><br /> +Build it up with silver and gold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a gay lady.</span><br /> +<br /> +Silver and gold will be stole away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dance o'er my lady Lee;</span><br /> +Silver and gold will be stole away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a gay lady.</span><br /> +<br /> +Build it again with iron and steel,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dance o'er my lady Lee;</span><br /> +Build it up with iron and steel,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a gay lady.</span><br /> +<br /> +Iron and steel will bend and bow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dance o'er my lady Lee;</span><br /> +Iron and steel will bend and bow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a gay lady.</span><br /> +<br /> +Build it up with wood and clay,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dance o'er my lady Lee;</span><br /> +Build it up with wood and clay,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a gay lady.</span><br /> +<br /> +Wood and clay will wash away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dance o'er my lady Lee;</span><br /> +Wood and clay will wash away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a gay lady.</span><br /> +<br /> +Build it up with stone so strong,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dance o'er my lady Lee;</span><br /> +Huzza! 'twill last for ages long,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a gay lady.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_124" id="Note_124">124</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />I SAW A SHIP</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +I saw a ship a-sailing,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A-sailing on the sea;</span><br /> +And oh, it was all laden<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With pretty things for thee!</span><br /> +<br /> +There were comfits in the cabin,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And apples in the hold;</span><br /> +The sails were made of silk,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the masts were made of gold!</span><br /> +<br /> +The four and twenty sailors,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That stood between the decks,</span><br /> +Were four and twenty white mice,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With chains about their necks.</span><br /> +<br /> +The captain was a duck,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a packet on his back;</span><br /> +And when the ship began to move,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The captain said, "Quack! Quack!"</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_125" id="Note_125">125</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an old woman, as I've heard tell,<br /> +She went to market her eggs for to sell;<br /> +She went to market all on a market-day,<br /> +And she fell asleep on the king's highway.<br /> +<br /> +By came a pedlar whose name was Stout,<br /> +He cut her petticoats all round about;<br /> +He cut her petticoats up to her knees,<br /> +Which made the old woman to shiver and freeze.<br /> +<br /> +When this little woman first did wake,<br /> +She began to shiver and she began to shake,<br /> +She began to wonder, and she began to cry,<br /> +"Lauk a mercy on me, this is none of I!<br /> +<br /> +"But if it be I, as I do hope it be,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span>I've a little dog at home, and he'll know me;<br /> +If it be I, he'll wag his little tail,<br /> +And if it be not I, he'll loudly bark and wail."<br /> +<br /> +Home went the little woman all in the dark,<br /> +Up got the little dog, and he began to bark;<br /> +He began to bark, so she began to cry,<br /> +"Lauk a mercy on me, this is none of I!"<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_126" id="Note_126">126</a></h3> + +<h4><br />LITTLE BO-PEEP</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Little Bo-peep has lost her sheep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And can't tell where to find them;</span><br /> +Leave them alone, and they'll come home,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And bring their tails behind them.</span><br /> +<br /> +Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And dreamt she heard them bleating;</span><br /> +But when she awoke, she found it a joke,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For they were still all fleeting.</span><br /> +<br /> +Then up she took her little crook,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Determined for to find them;</span><br /> +She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For they'd left their tails behind them.</span><br /> +<br /> +It happened one day, as Bo-peep did stray,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Unto a meadow hard by:</span><br /> +There she espied their tails side by side,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All hung on a tree to dry.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_127" id="Note_127">127</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />COCK A DOODLE DOO</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Cock a doodle doo!<br /> +My dame has lost her shoe;<br /> +My master's lost his fiddling stick,<br /> +And don't know what to do.<br /> +<br /> +Cock a doodle doo!<br /> +What is my dame to do?<br /> +Till master finds his fiddling stick,<br /> +She'll dance without her shoe.<br /> +<br /> +Cock a doodle doo!<br /> +My dame has found her shoe,<br /> +And master's found his fiddling stick,<br /> +Sing doodle doodle doo!<br /> +<br /> +Cock a doodle doo!<br /> +My dame will dance with you,<br /> +While master fiddles his fiddling stick,<br /> +For dame and doodle doo.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_128" id="Note_128">128</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THREE JOVIAL HUNTSMEN</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +There were three jovial huntsmen,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As I have heard them say,</span><br /> +And they would go a-hunting<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All on a summer's day.</span><br /> +<br /> +All the day they hunted,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And nothing could they find</span><br /> +But a ship a-sailing,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A-sailing with the wind.</span><br /> +<br /> +One said it was a ship,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The other he said nay;</span><br /> +The third said it was a house<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With the chimney blown away.</span><br /> +<br /> +And all the night they hunted,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And nothing could they find,</span><br /> +But the moon a-gliding,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A-gliding with the wind.</span><br /> +<br /> +One said it was the moon,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The other he said nay;</span><br /> +The third said it was a cheese,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And half o't cut away.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_129" id="Note_129">129</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THERE WAS A LITTLE MAN</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">There was a little man,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And he had a little gun,</span><br /> +And his bullets were made of lead, lead, lead;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">He went to a brook,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And fired at a duck,</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span>And shot it through the head, head, head.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">He carried it home</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">To his old wife Joan,</span><br /> +And bade her a fire to make, make, make,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">To roast the little duck,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">He had shot in the brook,</span><br /> +And he'd go and fetch her the drake, drake, drake.<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The drake was a-swimming,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">With his curly tail;</span><br /> +The little man made it his mark, mark, mark!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">He let off his gun,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">But he fired too soon,</span><br /> +And the drake flew away with a quack, quack, quack.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_130" id="Note_130">130</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />TAFFY</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Taffy was a Welshman;<br /> +Taffy was a thief;<br /> +Taffy came to my house,<br /> +And stole a piece of beef.<br /> +I went to Taffy's house;<br /> +Taffy wasn't home;<br /> +Taffy came to my house,<br /> +And stole a marrow-bone.<br /> +I went to Taffy's house;<br /> +Taffy was in bed;<br /> +I took up the marrow-bone<br /> +And flung it at his head!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_131" id="Note_131">131</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />SIMPLE SIMON</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Simple Simon met a pieman<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Going to the fair:</span><br /> +Says Simple Simon to the pieman,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Let me taste your ware."</span><br /> +<br /> +Says the pieman to Simple Simon,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Show me first your penny."</span><br /> +Says Simple Simon to the pieman,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Indeed I haven't any."</span><br /> +<br /> +Simple Simon went a fishing<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Just to catch a whale:</span><br /> +All the water he had got<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Was in his mother's pail.</span><br /> +<br /> +Simple Simon went to look<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If plums grew on a thistle;</span><br /> +He pricked his fingers very much,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which made poor Simon whistle.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_132" id="Note_132">132</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />A FARMER WENT TROTTING</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +A farmer went trotting upon his gray mare,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">Bumpety, bumpety, bump!</span><br /> +With his daughter behind him so rosy and fair,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">Lumpety, lumpety, lump!</span><br /> +<br /> +A raven cried "Croak!" and they all tumbled down,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">Bumpety, bumpety, bump!</span><br /> +The mare broke her knees, and the farmer his crown,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">Lumpety, lumpety, lump!</span><br /> +<br /> +The mischievous raven flew laughing away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">Bumpety, bumpety, bump!</span><br /> +And vowed he would serve them the same the next day,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">Lumpety, lumpety, lump!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_133" id="Note_133">133</a></h3> + +<h4><br />TOM THE PIPER'S SON</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Tom he was a piper's son,<br /> +He learned to play when he was young,<br /> +But all the tunes that he could play,<br /> +Was "Over the hills and far away";<br /> +<i>Over the hills, and a great way off,</i><br /> +<i>And the wind will blow my top-knot off.</i><br /> +<br /> +Now Tom with his pipe made such a noise,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span>That he pleased both the girls and boys,<br /> +And they stopped to hear him play,<br /> +"Over the hills and far away."<br /> +<br /> +Tom with his pipe did play with such skill,<br /> +That those who heard him could never keep still;<br /> +Whenever they heard him they began to dance,<br /> +Even pigs on their hind legs would after him prance.<br /> +<br /> +As Dolly was milking her cow one day,<br /> +Tom took out his pipe and began to play;<br /> +So Doll and the cow danced "the Cheshire round,"<br /> +Till the pail was broke and the milk ran on the ground.<br /> +<br /> +He met old dame Trot with a basket of eggs,<br /> +He used his pipes and she used her legs;<br /> +She danced about till the eggs were all broke,<br /> +She began for to fret, but he laughed at the joke.<br /> +<br /> +He saw a cross fellow was beating an ass,<br /> +Heavy laden with pots, pans, dishes, and glass;<br /> +He took out his pipe and played them a tune,<br /> +And the jackass's load was lightened full soon.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_134" id="Note_134">134</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +When I was a little boy,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I lived by myself,</span><br /> +And all the bread and cheese I got,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I put upon my shelf.</span><br /> +<br /> +The rats and the mice,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They made such a strife,</span><br /> +I had to go to London<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy me a wife.</span><br /> +<br /> +The streets were so broad,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the lanes were so narrow,</span><br /> +I had to bring my wife home<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">On a wheelbarrow.</span><br /> +<br /> +The wheelbarrow broke,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And my wife had a fall;</span><br /> +Down tumbled wheelbarrow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little wife and all.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_135" id="Note_135">135</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE BABES IN THE WOOD</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +My dear, you must know that a long time ago,<br /> +Two poor little children whose names I don't know,<br /> +Were stolen away on a fine summer's day,<br /> +And left in a wood, as I've heard people say.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Poor babes in the wood, poor babes in the wood!</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>So hard was the fate of the babes in the wood.</i></span><br /> +<br /> +And when it was night, so sad was their plight,<br /> +The sun it went down, and the stars gave no light.<br /> +They sobbed and they sighed, and they bitterly cried,<br /> +And the poor little things they lay down and died.<br /> +<br /> +And when they were dead, the robins so red,<br /> +Brought strawberry leaves, and over them spread.<br /> +And all the day long, the branches among,<br /> +They sang to them softly, and this was their song:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Poor babes in the wood, poor babes in the wood!</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>So hard was the fate of the babes in the wood.</i></span><br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_136" id="Note_136">136</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE FOX AND HIS WIFE</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +The fox and his wife they had a great strife,<br /> +They never ate mustard in all their whole life;<br /> +They ate their meat without fork or knife,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And loved to be picking a bone, e-oh!</span><br /> +<br /> +The fox jumped up on a moonlight night;<br /> +The stars they were shining, and all things bright;<br /> +Oh, ho! said the fox, it's a very fine night<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For me to go through the town, e-oh!</span><br /> +<br /> +The fox when he came to yonder stile,<br /> +He lifted his ears and he listened awhile!<br /> +Oh, ho! said the fox, it's but a short mile<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">From this unto yonder wee town, e-oh!</span><br /> +<br /> +The fox when he came to the farmer's gate,<br /> +Who should he see but the farmer's drake;<br /> +I love you well for your master's sake,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And long to be picking your bone, e-oh!</span><br /> +<br /> +The gray goose she ran round the haystack,<br /> +Oh, ho! said the fox, you are very fat;<br /> +You'll grease my beard and ride on my back<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">From this into yonder wee town, e-oh!</span><br /> +<br /> +The farmer's wife she jumped out of bed,<br /> +And out of the window she popped her head:<br /> +Oh, husband! oh, husband! the geese are all dead,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For the fox has been through the town, e-oh!</span><br /> +<br /> +The farmer he loaded his pistol with lead,<br /> +And shot the old rogue of a fox through the head;<br /> +Ah, ha! said the farmer, I think you're quite dead;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And no more you'll trouble the town, e-oh!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_137" id="Note_137">137</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />FOR WANT OF A NAIL</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +For want of a nail, the shoe was lost;<br /> +For want of the shoe, the horse was lost;<br /> +For want of the horse, the rider was lost;<br /> +For want of the rider, the battle was lost;<br /> +For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost;<br /> +And all for the want of a horseshoe nail!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_138" id="Note_138">138</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />A MAN OF WORDS</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +A man of words and not of deeds<br /> +Is like a garden full of weeds;<br /> +And when the weeds begin to grow,<br /> +It's like a garden full of snow;<br /> +And when the snow begins to fall,<br /> +It's like a bird upon the wall;<br /> +And when the bird away does fly,<br /> +It's like an eagle in the sky;<br /> +And when the sky begins to roar,<br /> +It's like a lion at the door;<br /> +And when the door begins to crack,<br /> +It's like a stick across your back;<br /> +And when your back begins to smart,<br /> +It's like a penknife in your heart;<br /> +And when your heart begins to bleed,<br /> +You're dead, and dead, and dead, indeed.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_139" id="Note_139">139</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The first stanza of this jingle was long attributed +to Longfellow as an impromptu made +on one of his children. He took occasion +to deny this, as well as the authorship of the +almost equally famous "Mr. Finney had a +turnip." The last two stanzas bear evidence +of a more sophisticated origin than +that of real nursery rhymes. Mr. Lucas, +in his <i>Book of Verses for Children</i>, gives two +different versions of these stanzas.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> + + +<h4><br />JEMIMA</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +There was a little girl, and she had a little curl,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Right down the middle of her forehead,</span><br /> +When she was good, she was very, very good,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But when she was bad, she was horrid.</span><br /> +<br /> +One day she went upstairs, while her parents, unawares,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the kitchen down below were occupied with meals,</span><br /> +And she stood upon her head, on her little truckle-bed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And she then began hurraying with her heels.</span><br /> +<br /> +Her mother heard the noise, and thought it was the boys,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A playing at a combat in the attic,</span><br /> +But when she climbed the stair and saw Jemima there,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She took and she did whip her most emphatic!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_140" id="Note_140">140</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following was one of the favorite "toy-book" +texts of the eighteenth century. These +little books generally had a crude woodcut +and one stanza of text on a page. It can +be seen how easily this story lends itself to +illustration. Each stanza is a chapter, and +the story-teller could continue as long as +his inventiveness held out. In one edition +there are these additional lines:</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Old Mother Hubbard sat down in a chair,<br /> +And danced her dog to a delicate air;<br /> +She went to the garden to buy him a pippin,<br /> +When she came back the dog was a-skipping."<br /> +</div> + + +<h4><br />MOTHER HUBBARD AND +HER DOG</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Old Mother Hubbard<br /> +Went to the cupboard,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To get her poor dog a bone;</span><br /> +But when she came there,<br /> +The cupboard was bare,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And so the poor dog had none.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the baker's<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him some bread;</span><br /> +But when she came back,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The poor dog was dead.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the joiner's<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him a coffin;</span><br /> +But when she came back,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The poor dog was laughing.</span><br /> +<br /> +She took a clean dish,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To get him some tripe;</span><br /> +But when she came back<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was smoking his pipe.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the fishmonger's<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him some fish;</span><br /> +And when she came back<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was licking the dish.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the ale-house<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To get him some beer;</span><br /> +But when she came back<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The dog sat in a chair.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the tavern<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For white wine and red;</span><br /> +But when she came back<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The dog stood on his head.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the hatter's<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him a hat;</span><br /> +But when she came back<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was feeding the cat.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the barber's<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him a wig;</span><br /> +But when she came back<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was dancing a jig.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the fruiterer's<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him some fruit;</span><br /> +But when she came back,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was playing the flute.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the tailor's<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him a coat;</span><br /> +But when she came back,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was riding a goat.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the cobbler's<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him some shoes;</span><br /> +But when she came back,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was reading the news.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the seamstress<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him some linen;</span><br /> +But when she came back,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The dog was spinning.</span><br /> +<br /> +She went to the hosier's<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To buy him some hose;</span><br /> +But when she came back,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was dressed in his clothes.</span><br /> +<br /> +The dame made a curtsy,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The dog made a bow;</span><br /> +The dame said, "Your servant,"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The dog said, "Bow, wow."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_141" id="Note_141">141</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This story of a bird courtship and marriage +with its attendant feast and tragedy, all +followed by the long dirge of No. <a href="#Note_142">142</a>, constitutes +one of the longest nursery novels. +Its opportunities for the illustrator are very +marked, and a copy illustrated by the +children themselves would be an addition +to the joy of any schoolroom.</div> + +<h4><br />THE COURTSHIP, MERRY MARRIAGE,<br /> +AND PICNIC DINNER<br /> +OF COCK ROBIN AND<br /> +JENNY WREN;</h4> + +<div class='center'>TO WHICH IS ADDED</div> + +<h4>THE DOLEFUL DEATH OF COCK ROBIN</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +It was a merry time<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When Jenny Wren was young,</span><br /> +So neatly as she danced,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And so sweetly as she sung,</span><br /> +Robin Redbreast lost his heart:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was a gallant bird;</span><br /> +He doft his hat to Jenny,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And thus to her he said:—</span><br /> +<br /> +"My dearest Jenny Wren,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If you will but be mine,</span><br /> +You shall dine on cherry pie,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And drink nice currant wine.</span><br /> +I'll dress you like a Goldfinch,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or like a Peacock gay;</span><br /> +So if you'll have me, Jenny,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Let us appoint the day."</span><br /> +<br /> +Jenny blushed behind her fan,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And thus declared her mind:</span><br /> +"Then let it be to-morrow, Bob,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I take your offer kind—</span><br /> +Cherry pie is very good!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">So is currant wine!</span><br /> +But I will wear my brown gown,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And never dress too fine."</span><br /> +<br /> +Robin rose up early<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">At the break of day;</span><br /> +He flew to Jenny Wren's house,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To sing a roundelay.</span><br /> +He met the Cock and Hen,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And bid the Cock declare,</span><br /> +This was his wedding-day<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">With Jenny Wren, the fair.</span><br /> +<br /> +The Cock then blew his horn,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To let the neighbors know,</span><br /> +This was Robin's wedding-day,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And they might see the show.</span><br /> +And first came parson Rook,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With his spectacles and band,</span><br /> +And one of <i>Mother Hubbard's</i> books<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He held within his hand.</span><br /> +<br /> +Then followed him the Lark,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For he could sweetly sing,</span><br /> +And he was to be clerk<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">At Cock Robin's wedding.</span><br /> +He sang of Robin's love<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For little Jenny Wren;</span><br /> +And when he came unto the end,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then he began again.</span><br /> +<br /> +Then came the bride and bridegroom;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Quite plainly was she dressed,</span><br /> +And blushed so much, her cheeks were<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As red as Robin's breast.</span><br /> +But Robin cheered her up:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"My pretty Jen," said he,</span><br /> +"We're going to be married<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And happy we shall be."</span><br /> +<br /> +The Goldfinch came on next,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To give away the bride;</span><br /> +The Linnet, being bride's maid,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Walked by Jenny's side;</span><br /> +And, as she was a-walking,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She said, "Upon my word,</span><br /> +I think that your Cock Robin<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is a very pretty bird."</span><br /> +<br /> +The Bullfinch walked by Robin,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And thus to him did say,</span><br /> +"Pray, mark, friend Robin Redbreast,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That Goldfinch, dressed so gay;</span><br /> +What though her gay apparel<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Becomes her very well,</span><br /> +Yet Jenny's modest dress and look<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Must bear away the bell."</span><br /> +<br /> +The Blackbird and the Thrush,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And charming Nightingale,</span><br /> +Whose sweet jug sweetly echoes<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Through every grove and dale;</span><br /> +The Sparrow and Tom Tit,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And many more, were there:</span><br /> +All came to see the wedding<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of Jenny Wren, the fair.</span><br /> +<br /> +"O then," says parson Rook,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Who gives this maid away?"</span><br /> +"I do," says the Goldfinch,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"And her fortune I will pay:</span><br /> +Here's a bag of grain of many sorts,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And other things beside;</span><br /> +Now happy be the bridegroom,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And happy be the bride!"</span><br /> +<br /> +"And will you have her, Robin,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To be your wedded wife?"</span><br /> +"Yes, I will," says Robin,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"And love her all my life."</span><br /> +"And will you have him, Jenny,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Your husband now to be?"</span><br /> +"Yes, I will," says Jenny,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"And love him heartily."</span><br /> +<br /> +Then on her finger fair<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Cock Robin put the ring;</span><br /> +"You're married now," says parson Rook,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">While the Lark aloud did sing:</span><br /> +"Happy be the bridegroom,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And happy be the bride!</span><br /> +And may not man, nor bird, nor beast,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">This happy pair divide."</span><br /> +<br /> +The birds were asked to dine;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Not Jenny's friends alone,</span><br /> +But every pretty songster<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That had Cock Robin known.</span><br /> +They had a cherry pie,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Besides some currant wine,</span><br /> +And every guest brought something,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">That sumptuous they might dine.</span><br /> +<br /> +Now they all sat or stood<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To eat and to drink;</span><br /> +And every one said what<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He happened to think;</span><br /> +They each took a bumper,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And drank to the pair:</span><br /> +Cock Robin, the bridegroom,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And Jenny Wren, the fair.</span><br /> +<br /> +The dinner-things removed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They all began to sing;</span><br /> +And soon they made the place<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Near a mile round to ring.</span><br /> +The concert it was fine;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And every bird tried</span><br /> +Who best could sing for Robin<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And Jenny Wren, the bride.</span><br /> +<br /> +Then in came the Cuckoo,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And he made a great rout:</span><br /> +He caught hold of Jenny,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And pulled her about.</span><br /> +Cock Robin was angry,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And so was the Sparrow,</span><br /> +Who fetched in a hurry<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His bow and his arrow.</span><br /> +<br /> +His aim then he took,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But he took it not right;</span><br /> +His skill was not good,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or he shot in a fright;</span><br /> +For the Cuckoo he missed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But Cock Robin killed!—</span><br /> +And all the birds mourned<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That his blood was so spilled.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_142" id="Note_142">142</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE BURIAL OF POOR +COCK ROBIN</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Who killed Cock Robin?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Sparrow,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"With my bow and arrow;</span><br /> +And I killed Cock Robin."<br /> +<br /> +Who saw him die?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Fly,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"With my little eye;</span><br /> +And I saw him die."<br /> +<br /> +Who caught his blood?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Fish,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"With my little dish;</span><br /> +And I caught his blood."<br /> +<br /> +Who made his shroud?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Beetle,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"With my little needle;</span><br /> +And I made his shroud."<br /> +<br /> +Who will be the parson?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Rook;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"With my little book;</span><br /> +And I will be the parson."<br /> +<br /> +Who will dig his grave?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Owl,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"With my spade and shovel;</span><br /> +And I'll dig his grave."<br /> +<br /> +Who will be the clerk?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Lark,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"If 'tis not in the dark;</span><br /> +And I will be the clerk."<br /> +<br /> +Who'll carry him to the grave?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Kite,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"If 'tis not in the night;</span><br /> +And I'll carry him to the grave."<br /> +<br /> +Who will be the chief mourner?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Dove,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Because of my love;</span><br /> +And I will be chief mourner."<br /> +<br /> +Who will sing a psalm?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Thrush,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As she sat in a bush;</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span>"And I will sing a psalm."<br /> +<br /> +Who will bear the pall?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"We," said the Wren,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Both the Cock and the Hen;</span><br /> +"And we will bear the pall."<br /> +<br /> +Who will toll the bell?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I," said the Bull,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Because I can pull."</span><br /> +And so, Cock Robin, farewell.<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">All the birds of the air</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Fell to sighing and sobbing</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">When they heard the bell toll</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">For poor Cock Robin.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_143" id="Note_143">143</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following tale was edited (1885) for children +by John Ruskin from a version "written +principally by a lady of ninety (Mrs. +Sharp.)" Ruskin himself added the third, +fourth, eighth, and ninth stanzas, because +"in the old books no account is given of +what the cats learned when they went to +school, and I thought my younger readers +might be glad of some notice of such +particulars." But he thought his rhymes +did not ring like the real ones, of which he +said: "I aver these rhymes to possess the +primary value of rhyme—that is, to be +rhythmical in a pleasant and exemplary +degree." The book was illustrated with +quaint woodcuts for each stanza after the +edition of 1823, with additional drawings +for the four new stanzas by Kate Greenaway, +one of the most famous illustrators +of children's books. Ruskin commends the +result "to the indulgence of the Christmas +fireside, because it relates nothing that is +sad, and portrays nothing that is ugly."</div> + + +<h4><br />DAME WIGGINS OF LEE, AND +HER SEVEN WONDERFUL CATS</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Dame Wiggins of Lee<br /> +Was a worthy old soul,<br /> +As e'er threaded a nee-<br /> +dle, or wash'd in a bowl;<br /> +She held mice and rats<br /> +In such antipa-thy,<br /> +That seven fine cats<br /> +Kept Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +The rats and mice scared<br /> +By this fierce whisker'd crew,<br /> +The poor seven cats<br /> +Soon had nothing to do;<br /> +So, as any one idle<br /> +She ne'er loved to see,<br /> +She sent them to school,<br /> +Did Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +The Master soon wrote<br /> +That they all of them knew<br /> +How to read the word "milk"<br /> +And to spell the word "mew."<br /> +And they all washed their faces<br /> +Before they took tea:<br /> +"Were there ever such dears!"<br /> +Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +He had also thought well<br /> +To comply with their wish<br /> +To spend all their play-time<br /> +In learning to fish<br /> +For stitlings; they sent her<br /> +A present of three,<br /> +Which, fried, were a feast<br /> +For Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +But soon she grew tired<br /> +Of living alone;<br /> +So she sent for her cats<br /> +From school to come home.<br /> +Each rowing a wherry,<br /> +Returning you see:<br /> +The frolic made merry<br /> +Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +The Dame was quite pleas'd<br /> +And ran out to market;<br /> +When she came back<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span>They were mending the carpet.<br /> +The needle each handled<br /> +As brisk as a bee;<br /> +"Well done, my good cats,"<br /> +Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +To give them a treat,<br /> +She ran out for some rice;<br /> +When she came back,<br /> +They were skating on ice.<br /> +"I shall soon see one down,<br /> +Aye, perhaps, two or three,<br /> +I'll bet half-a-crown,"<br /> +Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +When spring-time came back<br /> +They had breakfast of curds;<br /> +And were greatly afraid<br /> +Of disturbing the birds.<br /> +"If you sit, like good cats,<br /> +All the seven in a tree,<br /> +They will teach you to sing!"<br /> +Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +So they sat in a tree,<br /> +And said "Beautiful! Hark!"<br /> +And they listened and looked<br /> +In the clouds for the lark.<br /> +Then sang, by the fireside,<br /> +Symphonious-ly<br /> +A song without words<br /> +To Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +They called the next day<br /> +On the tomtit and sparrow,<br /> +And wheeled a poor sick lamb<br /> +Home in a barrow.<br /> +"You shall all have some sprats<br /> +For your humani-ty,<br /> +My seven good cats,"<br /> +Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +While she ran to the field,<br /> +To look for its dam,<br /> +They were warming the bed<br /> +For the poor sick lamb:<br /> +They turn'd up the clothes<br /> +All as neat as could be;<br /> +"I shall ne'er want a nurse,"<br /> +Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +She wished them good night,<br /> +And went up to bed:<br /> +When, lo! in the morning,<br /> +The cats were all fled.<br /> +But soon—what a fuss!<br /> +"Where can they all be?<br /> +Here, pussy, puss, puss!"<br /> +Cried Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +The Dame's heart was nigh broke,<br /> +So she sat down to weep,<br /> +When she saw them come back<br /> +Each riding a sheep:<br /> +She fondled and patted<br /> +Each purring tom-my:<br /> +"Ah! welcome, my dears,"<br /> +Said Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +The Dame was unable<br /> +Her pleasure to smother,<br /> +To see the sick lamb<br /> +Jump up to its mother.<br /> +In spite of the gout,<br /> +And a pain in her knee,<br /> +She went dancing about:<br /> +Did Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +The Farmer soon heard<br /> +Where his sheep went astray,<br /> +And arrived at Dame's door<br /> +With his faithful dog Tray.<br /> +He knocked with his crook,<br /> +And the stranger to see,<br /> +Out the window did look<br /> +Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +For their kindness he had them<br /> +All drawn by his team;<br /> +And gave them some field-mice,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span>And raspberry-cream.<br /> +Said he, "All my stock<br /> +You shall presently see;<br /> +For I honor the cats<br /> +Of Dame Wiggins of Lee."<br /> +<br /> +He sent his maid out<br /> +For some muffins and crumpets;<br /> +And when he turn'd round<br /> +They were blowing of trumpets.<br /> +Said he, "I suppose<br /> +She's as deaf as can be,<br /> +Or this ne'er could be borne<br /> +By Dame Wiggins of Lee."<br /> +<br /> +To show them his poultry,<br /> +He turn'd them all loose,<br /> +When each nimbly leap'd<br /> +On the back of a goose,<br /> +Which frighten'd them so<br /> +That they ran to the sea,<br /> +And half-drown'd the poor cats<br /> +Of Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +<br /> +For the care of his lamb,<br /> +And their comical pranks,<br /> +He gave them a ham<br /> +And abundance of thanks.<br /> +"I wish you good-day,<br /> +My fine fellows," said he;<br /> +"My compliments, pray,<br /> +To Dame Wiggins of Lee."<br /> +<br /> +You see them arrived<br /> +At their Dame's welcome door;<br /> +They show her their presents,<br /> +And all their good store.<br /> +"Now come in to supper,<br /> +And sit down with me;<br /> +All welcome once more,"<br /> +Cried Dame Wiggins of Lee.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_144" id="Note_144">144</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This is the perfect pattern of all the accumulative +stories, perhaps the best known and +most loved of children among all nursery +jingles. Halliwell thought it descended +from the mystical Hebrew hymn, "A kid, a +kid," found in the Talmud. Most commentators +since have followed his example +in calling attention to the parallel, though +scholars have insisted that the hymn referred +to is a late interpolation. The hymn opens:</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"A kid, a kid, my father bought,<br /> +For two pieces of money:<br /> +A kid, a kid.<br /> +<br /> +"Then came the cat, and ate the kid,<br /> +That my father bought," etc.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Then came the dog and bit the cat, then the +staff and beat the dog, then the fire and +burned the staff, then water and quenched +the fire, then the ox and drank the water, +then the butcher and slew the ox, then the +angel of death and killed the butcher, and +the hymn concludes:</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Then came the Holy One, blessed be He!<br /> +And killed the angel of death,<br /> +That killed the butcher,<br /> +That slew the ox,<br /> +That drank the water,<br /> +That quenched the fire,<br /> +That burned the staff,<br /> +That beat the dog,<br /> +That bit the cat,<br /> +That ate the kid,<br /> +That my father bought<br /> +For two pieces of money:<br /> +A kid, a kid."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='hang1'>There is an elaborate interpretation of the +symbolism of this hymn, going back at least +as far as 1731, in which the kid denotes the +Hebrews, the father is Jehovah, the cat is +the Assyrians, the dog is the Babylonians, +the staff is the Persians, the fire is Greece +under Alexander, the water is the Roman +Empire, the ox is the Saracens, the butcher +is the crusaders, the angel of death is the +Turkish power, while the concluding accumulation +shows that God will take vengeance +on the enemies of the chosen people. +This is the interpretation in barest outline +only. Without the key no one would ever +guess its hidden meaning. Fortunately, +"The House That Jack Built" has no such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +hidden meaning. But the important point +is that such accumulative stories are almost +as old as human records, and, like so many +other possessions of the race, seem to have +come to us from the Far East.</div> + + +<h4><br />THIS IS THE HOUSE +THAT JACK BUILT</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +This is the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the rat,<br /> +That ate the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the cat,<br /> +That killed the rat,<br /> +That ate the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the dog,<br /> +That worried the cat,<br /> +That killed the rat,<br /> +That ate the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the cow with the crumpled horn,<br /> +That tossed the dog,<br /> +That worried the cat,<br /> +That killed the rat,<br /> +That ate the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the maiden all forlorn,<br /> +That milked the cow with the crumpled horn,<br /> +That tossed the dog,<br /> +That worried the cat,<br /> +That killed the rat,<br /> +That ate the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the man all tattered and torn,<br /> +That kissed the maiden all forlorn,<br /> +That milked the cow with the crumpled horn,<br /> +That tossed the dog,<br /> +That worried the cat,<br /> +That killed the rat,<br /> +That ate the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the priest all shaven and shorn,<br /> +That married the man all tattered and torn,<br /> +That kissed the maiden all forlorn,<br /> +That milked the cow with the crumpled horn,<br /> +That tossed the dog,<br /> +That worried the cat,<br /> +That killed the rat,<br /> +That ate the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the cock that crowed in the morn,<br /> +That waked the priest all shaven and shorn,<br /> +That married the man all tattered and torn,<br /> +That kissed the maiden all forlorn,<br /> +That milked the cow with the crumpled horn,<br /> +That tossed the dog,<br /> +That worried the cat,<br /> +That killed the rat,<br /> +That ate the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +<br /> +This is the farmer sowing his corn,<br /> +That kept the cock that crowed in the morn,<br /> +That waked the priest all shaven and shorn,<br /> +That married the man all tattered and torn,<br /> +That kissed the maiden all forlorn,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span>That milked the cow with the crumpled horn,<br /> +That tossed the dog,<br /> +That worried the cat,<br /> +That killed the rat,<br /> +That ate the malt<br /> +That lay in the house that Jack built.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_145" id="Note_145">145</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE EGG IN THE NEST</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +There was a tree stood in the ground,<br /> +The prettiest tree you ever did see;<br /> +The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground,<br /> +And the green grass growing all around.<br /> +<br /> +And on this tree there was a limb,<br /> +The prettiest limb you ever did see;<br /> +The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,<br /> +The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground,<br /> +And the green grass growing all around.<br /> +<br /> +And on this limb there was a bough,<br /> +The prettiest bough you ever did see;<br /> +The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree,<br /> +The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,<br /> +The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground,<br /> +And the green grass growing all around.<br /> +<br /> +Now on this bough there was a nest,<br /> +The prettiest nest you ever did see;<br /> +The nest on the bough, and the bough on the limb,<br /> +The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,<br /> +The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground,<br /> +And the green grass growing all around.<br /> +<br /> +And in the nest there were some eggs,<br /> +The prettiest eggs you ever did see;<br /> +Eggs in the nest, and the nest on the bough,<br /> +The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree,<br /> +The limb on the tree, and the tree in the wood,<br /> +The tree in the wood, and the wood in the ground,<br /> +And the green grass growing all around,<br /> +<i>And the green grass growing all around</i>.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_146" id="Note_146">146</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following story is the same as that of the +Norwegian tale "The Husband Who Was +to Mind the House" (No. <a href="#Note_170">170</a>). In the +Halliwell version the final lines read,</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"If his wife didn't do a day's work in her life,<br /> +She should ne'er be ruled by he."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='blockquot'>A later reading, now generally accepted, +avoids the bad grammar by changing to +direct discourse.</div> + + +<h4><br />CHANGE ABOUT</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +There was an old man, who lived in a wood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As you may plainly see;</span><br /> +He said he could do as much work in a day,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As his wife could do in three.</span><br /> +With all my heart, the old woman said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If that you will allow,</span><br /> +To-morrow you'll stay at home in my stead,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I'll go drive the plough:</span><br /> +<br /> +But you must milk the Tidy cow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For fear that she go dry;</span><br /> +And you must feed the little pigs<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That are within the sty;</span><br /> +And you must mind the speckled hen,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">For fear she lay away;</span><br /> +And you must reel the spool of yarn,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That I spun yesterday.</span><br /> +<br /> +The old woman took a staff in her hand,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And went to drive the plough:</span><br /> +The old man took a pail in his hand,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And went to milk the cow;</span><br /> +But Tidy hinched, and Tidy flinched,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And Tidy broke his nose,</span><br /> +And Tidy gave him such a blow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That the blood ran down to his toes.</span><br /> +<br /> +High! Tidy! ho! Tidy! high!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tidy! do stand still;</span><br /> +If ever I milk you, Tidy, again,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Twill be sore against my will!</span><br /> +<br /> +He went to feed the little pigs<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That were within the sty;</span><br /> +He hit his head against the beam,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And he made the blood to fly.</span><br /> +He went to mind the speckled hen,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For fear she'd lay astray,</span><br /> +And he forgot the spool of yarn<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His wife spun yesterday.</span><br /> +<br /> +So he swore by the sun, the moon, and the stars,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the green leaves on the tree,</span><br /> +"If my wife doesn't do a day's work in her life,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She shall ne'er be ruled by me."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION III</h2> + +<h3>FAIRY STORIES—TRADITIONAL TALES</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + +<h3>I. STANDARD GENERAL COLLECTIONS</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Jacobs, Joseph, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7439">English Fairy Tales</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14241">More English Fairy Tales</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7885">Celtic Fairy Tales</a></i>, <i>More Celtic +Fairy Tales</i>, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7128">Indian Fairy Tales</a></i>, <i>Europa's Fairy Tales</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lang, Andrew, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/503">The Blue Fairy Book</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/540">The Red Fairy Book</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7277">The Green Fairy Book</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/640">The Yellow +Fairy Book</a></i>.</div> + +<div class="hang2">The Perrault stories are included in the first. Many other volumes named by colors (<i>Violet</i>, +<i>Orange</i>, etc.) were made under Mr. Lang's direction, but these four include the cream.</div> + + +<h3><br />II. NATIONAL COLLECTIONS</h3> + +<div class="hang1"> <span class="smcap">English</span>: Campbell, J. F., <i>Popular Tales of the West Highlands</i>. 4 vols.<br /> +Halliwell, J. O., <i>Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales</i>.<br /> +Hartland, E. S., <i>English Fairy and Folk Tales</i>.<br /> +</div> +<div class="hang1"><span class="smcap">German</span>: Grimm, J. and W., <i>Kinder und Hausmärchen</i> (<i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5314">Household Tales</a></i>).<br /> +</div> + +<div class="hang1">Translated by Edgar Taylor as <i>Grimm's Popular Stories</i> (55 stories, 1823-1827), and illustrated by George Cruikshank. Best reprint is in one volume with introduction by John Ruskin.</div> + +<div class='hang2'>Translated complete by Margaret Hunt (2 vols., 1884), Introduction by Andrew Lang.</div> + +<div class='hang2'>Other excellent translations of selected stories by Mrs. Lucas and by Lucy Crane.</div> + +<div class='hang1'> +<span class="smcap">Indian</span>: Frere, Mary, <i>Old Deccan Days</i>.<br /> +Knowles, J. H., <i>Folk Tales of Kashmir</i>.<br /> +Steel, Flora Annie, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6145">Tales of the Punjab</a></i>. (Notes by Captain R. C. Temple.)<br /> +Stokes, Maive, <i>Indian Fairy Tales</i>.<br /></div> +<div class='hang1'> +<span class="smcap">Irish</span>: Curtin, J., <i>Hero Tales of Ireland</i>.<br /> +Graves, A. P., <i>The Irish Fairy Book</i>.<br /> +Hyde, Douglas, <i>Beside the Fire</i>.<br /> +Joyce, P. W., <i>Old Celtic Romances</i>.<br /> +Wilde, Lady Constance, <i>Ancient Irish Legends</i>.<br /> +Yeats, W. B., <i>Irish Fairy Tales</i>.<br /></div> +<div class='hang1'> +<span class="smcap">Italian</span>: Crane, T. F., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/23634">Italian Popular Tales</a></i>.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='hang1'><span class="smcap">Norse</span>: Asbjörnsen, P. C., and Moe, J., <i>Norske Folke-eventyr</i> (<i>Norwegian Folk Tales</i>, 1842-1844, +with subsequent additions).<br /></div> + +<div class="hang2">Translated by Sir George Webbe Dasent in <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8933">Popular Tales from the Norse</a></i> and <i>Tales of +the Fjeld;</i> by H. L. Braekstad in <i>Round the Yule Log</i> and <i>Fairy Tales from the North</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'><span class="smcap">Slavic</span>: Bain, R. Nesbit, <i>Cossack Fairy Tales</i>, <i>Russian Folk Tales</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />III. THE SCIENCE OF FOLKLORE</h3> + +<div class='unidnent'>Cox, Roalfe, <i>Cinderella</i>. (Introduction by Lang.)<br /> +Clouston, W. A., <i>Popular Tales and Fictions</i>. 2 vols.<br /> +Gomme, G. L., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/21852">Folklore as an Historical Science</a></i>.<br /> +Hartland, E. S., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24614">The Science of Fairy Tales</a></i>.<br /> +Keightly, Thomas, <i>Fairy Mythology</i>.<br /> +Lang, Andrew, <i>Perrault's Popular Tales</i>. (Introduction.)<br /> +MacCulloch, J. A., <i>The Childhood of Fiction</i>.<br /> +</div> + + +<h3><br />IV. PEDAGOGY</h3> + +<div class='unindent'> +Adler, Felix, <i>The Moral Instruction of Children</i>, pp. 63-79.<br /> +Kready, Laura F., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13666">The Study of Fairy Tales</a></i>. (Indispensable.)<br /> +MacClintock, P. L., <i>Literature in the Elementary School</i>, pp. 92-112.<br /> +McMurry, Charles, <i>Special Method in Reading</i>, pp. 47-69.<br /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION III: FAIRY STORIES—TRADITIONAL TALES</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + + +<p>The forty-three tales in this section have been chosen (1) in the light of what +experience shows children most enjoy, (2) to represent as fully as possible the great +variety of our traditional inheritance, (3) to afford an opportunity of calling attention +to additional riches in various collections, and (4) to suggest a fair minimum of the +amount of such material to be used with children. As in all such questions of judgment, +there must inevitably be differences of opinion. Many will doubtless find +stories missing that seem necessary even to so small a list, while others will find tales +included that may seem questionable. Such a selection can be, and is intended to +be, only tentative, a starting point from which there are many lines of departure.</p> + +<p><i>Folklore.</i> These tales are all from the traditional field. They are mainly of +anonymous and popular origin, handed down orally by peasants. The investigation +of their origin, distribution, and interrelations belongs to the science of folklore. A +good-sized library could be filled entirely with the books concerned with the studies +and disputations in this interesting field. While the folklorists have very much of +value to tell the teacher, their questions may be largely ignored until the latter is +quite fully acquainted with a large body of the acknowledged masterpieces among +folk stories, especially those which the schools have taken to themselves as useful +in elementary work. Teachers interested in pursuing the matter further—and it +is to be hoped there are many such—will find suggestions in the notes at the head of +each tale and in the preceding bibliography that may prove serviceable in directing +them some little way. Each book will point the student to many others; when he is +once started on the road of investigation, there will open up many unexpected and +fascinating vistas.</p> + +<p><i>Objections to fairy tales.</i> These objections seem to fall as a rule under two main +heads. First, there are those who object to any stimulation of the fanciful in children, +and who would have us confine ourselves to what they call realities. They would +eliminate as far as possible all the imaginings of children. The make-believe world +so dear to infancy has no place in their creed. Second, there are those who doubt +the moral tendency of all fairy tales. They observe that many of these tales come +to us from a cruder and coarser social state than our own, that they contain elements +of a superstitious and animistic past, that they often deal with cruelties and horrors, +trickeries and disloyalties, that they are full of romantic improbabilities and impossibilities. +It may as well be admitted at once that the folklore of the world contains +many stories to which these and other objections are valid.</p> + +<p><i>Is there a proper line of defense for fairy tales?</i> Dr. Felix Adler, who certainly +cannot be accused of being insensible to realities, puts the case thus, as between +defenders and objectors: "I venture to think that, as in many other cases, the cause +of the quarrel is what logicians call an <i>undistributed middle</i>—in other words, that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +the parties to the dispute have each a different kind of fairy tale in mind. This +species of literature can be divided broadly into two classes—one consisting of tales +which ought to be rejected because they are really harmful, and children ought to be +protected from their bad influence, the other of tales which have a most beautiful +and elevating effect, and which we cannot possibly afford to leave unutilized." Dr. +Adler proceeds to point out that the chief pedagogic values of the latter class are +(1) that they exercise and cultivate the imagination, and (2) that they stimulate the +idealizing tendency.</p> + +<p>John Ruskin, another teacher who constantly in his writings throws the emphasis +upon the necessity of a true ethical understanding, has this to say about the mischievous +habit of trying to remake the fairy story in the service of morals: "And the +effect of the endeavor to make stories moral upon the literary merit of the work +itself, is as harmful as the motive of the effort is false. For every fairy tale worth +recording at all is the remnant of a tradition possessing true historical value;—historical, +at least in so far as it has naturally arisen out of the mind of a people under +special circumstances, and arisen not without meaning, nor removed altogether from +their sphere of religious faith. It sustains afterwards natural changes from the +sincere action of the fear or fancy of successive generations; it takes new color from +their manner of life, and new form from their changing moral tempers. As long as +these changes are natural and effortless, accidental and inevitable, the story remains +essentially true, altering its form, indeed, like a flying cloud, but remaining a sign +of the sky; a shadowy image, as truly a part of the great firmament of the human +mind as the light of reason which it seems to interrupt. But the fair deceit and +innocent error of it cannot be interpreted nor restrained by a wilful purpose, and all +additions to it by art do but defile, as the shepherd disturbs the flakes of morning +mist with smoke from his fire of dead leaves." Instead of retouching stories "to +suit particular tastes, or inculcate favorite doctrines," Ruskin would have the child +"know his fairy tale accurately, and have perfect joy or awe in the conception of it +as if it were real; thus he will always be exercising his power of grasping realities: +but a confused, careless, and discrediting tenure of the fiction will lead to as confused +and careless reading of fact." Still further, Ruskin defends the vulgarity, or commonness +of language, found in many of the tales as "of a wholesome and harmless +kind. It is not, for instance, graceful English, to say that a thought 'popped into +Catherine's head'; but it nevertheless is far better, as an initiation into literary +style, that a child should be told this than that 'a subject attracted Catherine's +attention.'"</p> + +<p>Finally, we cannot forbear adding one more quotation, from the most delightful +of attacks upon the attackers of fairy tales, by Miss Repplier: "That which is vital +in literature or tradition, which has survived the obscurity and wreckage of the past, +whether as legend, or ballad, or mere nursery rhyme, has survived in right of some +intrinsic merit of its own, and will not be snuffed out of existence by any of our precautionary +or hygienic measures. . . . Puss in Boots is one long record of triumphant +effrontery and deception. An honest and self-respecting lad would have explained to +the king that he was not the Marquis of Carabas at all; that he had no desire to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +profit by his cat's ingenious falsehoods, and no weak ambition to connect himself +with the aristocracy. Such a hero would be a credit to our modern schoolrooms, +and lift a load of care from the shoulders of our modern critics. Only the children +would have none of him, but would turn wistfully back to those brave old tales which +are their inheritance from a splendid past, and of which no hand shall rob them." +And upon this ultimate fact that in literature the final decision rests with the audience +appealed to, the discussion may end.</p> + +<p><i>How to use fairy stories.</i> Briefly, the whole matter may be summed up thus: +<i>Know your story perfectly. Don't read it (unless you can't do better). Tell it—with all +the graces of voice and action you can command. Tell it naturally and simply, as the +folk-tellers did, not with studied and elaborate "elocutionary" effects. Tell it again and +again. If you do it well, the children will not soon tire of it—and they will indicate +what you should do next!</i></p> + + +<h3><br />SUGGESTIONS</h3> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>(Books referred to by authors' name are listed in bibliography.)</p> + +<p>The one important full-length discussion for teachers on the whole subject of the fairy tale +is Kready's <i>A Study of Fairy Tales</i>. It is enthusiastic rather than severely critical, and that adds +to its helpfulness. It has exhaustive bibliographies. The Ruskin quotations above are from his +introduction to Taylor's <i>Grimm;</i> it may be found also in his collected works, in <i>On the Old Road</i>. +Miss Repplier's "Battle of the Babies" in her <i>Essays in Miniature</i> should be read entire. A thoroughly +stimulating article is Brian Hooker's "Narrative and the Fairy Tale," <i>Bookman</i>, Vol. XXXIII, +pp. 389, 501; see also his "Types of Fairy Tales," <i>Forum</i>, Vol. XL, p. 375. For the scientific phase +start with Hartland's <i>Science of Fairy Tales</i>. For pedagogy see Adler, MacClintock, McMurry.</p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_147" id="Note_147">147</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Many English folk tales have doubtless been +lost because no one made a serious attempt +to collect them until railroads, newspapers, +and popular education had greatly changed +the life of the English folk and destroyed +many of the traditions. For the preservation +of many folk tales that we have, +English-speaking peoples are indebted to +the scholarly antiquarian James Orchard +Halliwell (afterwards Halliwell-Phillips, +1820-1889), who in the year 1842 edited a +collection of <i>The Nursery Rhymes of England</i> +for the Percy Society. He followed it a few +years later with <i>Popular Rhymes and Nursery +Tales</i>. They have long been regarded +as the basic books in their field. These +two collections were reprinted as <i>Nursery +Rhymes and Tales</i>. This one-volume edition +is the one referred to in the following +pages. Halliwell should be remembered as +the first person to collect in a scientific way +the folk literature of England. He gathered +these rhymes and tales from the mouths +of the folk, from chapbooks, and from many +other sources and endeavored to tell them +as they had been told by the folk.<br /> +<br /> +"The Old Woman and Her Pig" is perhaps +the most familiar of all nursery stories. It +belongs to the type of story known as the +"accumulative," of which "The House That +Jack Built" is the purest model. In such +a story there is a constant repetition of the +plot, with an addition or slight change at +each repetition, until at the end there is a +quick unwinding which carries us back to +the initial situation and solves the difficulty +with which the story started. Halliwell +gives two versions of this particular story. +It is so widespread that many slight variations +would be expected in successful +retellings of it. The traditional version +which follows seems to be the favorite with +primary teachers. It introduces at the +sixth stage the attractive rhyme "I see +by the moonlight, etc.," which originally +formed part of another nursery tale.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE OLD WOMAN AND +HER PIG</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time, an old woman was +sweeping her little house, when, to her +great joy, she found a silver sixpence.</p> + +<p>"What," said she, "shall I do with +this little sixpence? I think I will go +to market and buy a pig." So the next +day, she went to market, and bought a +nice little white pig. She tied a string +to one of the pig's legs, and began to +drive him home.</p> + +<p>On the way, the old woman and her +pig came to a stile, and she said,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Please, pig, get over the stile."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the pig would not.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>Just then a little dog came trotting up, +and the old woman said to him,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Dog, dog, bite pig;<br /> +Pig won't get over the stile,<br /> +And I sha'n't get home to-night."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the dog would not.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>So the old woman held up her stick, +and said,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Stick, stick, beat dog;<br /> +Dog won't bite pig;<br /> +Pig won't get over the stile,<br /> +And I sha'n't get home to-night."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the stick would not.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>So the old woman gathered some bits +of wood together to make a fire, and set +them on fire, and then threw her stick +into the fire, and said,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Fire, fire, burn stick;<br /> +Stick won't beat dog;<br /> +Dog won't bite pig;<br /> +Pig won't get over the stile,<br /> +And I sha'n't get home to-night."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the fire would not.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>So the old woman fetched a pail of +water that was standing near, and said,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span>—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Water, water, quench fire;<br /> +Fire won't burn stick;<br /> +Stick won't beat dog;<br /> +Dog won't bite pig;<br /> +Pig won't get over the stile,<br /> +And I sha'n't get home to-night."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the water would not.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>Then the old woman saw an ox coming; +so she said,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Ox, ox, drink water;<br /> +Water won't quench fire;<br /> +Fire won't burn stick;<br /> +Stick won't beat dog;<br /> +Dog won't bite pig;<br /> +Pig won't go.<br /> +I see by the moonlight,<br /> +It's long past midnight;<br /> +Time pig and I were home an hour and a half ago."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the ox would not.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>So the old woman turned round, and +saw a butcher, and she said,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Butcher, butcher, kill ox;<br /> +Ox won't drink water;<br /> +Water won't quench fire;<br /> +Fire won't burn stick;<br /> +Stick won't beat dog;<br /> +Dog won't bite pig;<br /> +Pig won't go.<br /> +I see by the moonlight,<br /> +It's long past midnight;<br /> +Time pig and I were home an hour and a half ago."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the butcher would not.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>So the old woman took a rope out of +her pocket, and said,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Rope, rope, hang butcher;<br /> +Butcher won't kill ox;<br /> +Ox won't drink water;<br /> +Water won't quench fire;<br /> +Fire won't burn stick;<br /> +Stick won't beat dog;<br /> +Dog won't bite pig;<br /> +Pig won't go.<br /> +I see by the moonlight,<br /> +It's long past midnight;<br /> +Time pig and I were home an hour and a half ago."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the rope would not.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>Just then a large brown mouse ran +across the meadow, and she said,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Mouse, mouse, gnaw rope;<br /> +Rope won't hang butcher;<br /> +Butcher won't kill ox;<br /> +Ox won't drink water;<br /> +Water won't quench fire;<br /> +Fire won't burn stick;<br /> +Stick won't beat dog;<br /> +Dog won't bite pig;<br /> +Pig won't go.<br /> +I see by the moonlight,<br /> +It's long past midnight;<br /> +Time pig and I were home an hour and a half ago."<br /> +"Yes," said the mouse, "I will if you<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">will give me some cheese."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>So the old woman put her hand in her +pocket, and found a nice piece of cheese; +and when the mouse had eaten it,</p> + +<div class='poem'> +The mouse began to gnaw the rope,<br /> +The rope began to hang the butcher,<br /> +The butcher began to kill the ox,<br /> +The ox began to drink the water,<br /> +The water began to quench the fire,<br /> +The fire began to burn the stick,<br /> +The stick began to beat the dog,<br /> +The dog began to bite the pig,<br /> +And the pig began to go.<br /> +</div> + +<p>But what time the old woman and her +pig got home, you, nor I, nor nobody +knows<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span>.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_148" id="Note_148">148</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Teachers and parents owe a greater debt of +gratitude to Joseph Jacobs than to any +other modern student of folklore. He was +born in Australia in 1854, spent most of +his life in scholarly pursuits in England, and +died in America in 1916. In his six volumes +of English, Celtic, Indian, and European +fairy tales he gave the world versions of its +best known and most representative folk +stories in a form suited to children while +remaining true in all essentials to the original +oral versions of the folk. This combination +of scientific accuracy and literary +workmanship is very rare. In the introductions +and notes to these various volumes +may be found a wealth of information +which the general reader can understand +without the necessity of special training +in the science of folklore. And best of all, +these volumes can be had at prices that are +comparatively cheap.<br /> +<br /> +The following story of "Henny-Penny" is +given in the fine version by Joseph Jacobs +in his <i>English Fairy Tales</i>. He heard it as +a child in Australia and he thinks "the fun +consists in the avoidance of all pronouns, +which results in jawbreaking sentences." +This story is also very familiar in the Halliwell +version called "Chicken-Licken," and +there are numerous European parallels.</div> + + +<h4><br />HENNY-PENNY</h4> + +<p>One day Henny-penny was picking up +corn in the cornyard when—whack!—something +hit her upon the head. "Goodness gracious me!" said Henny-penny; +"the sky's a-going to fall; I +must go and tell the king."</p> + +<p>So she went along, and she went along, +and she went along till she met Cocky-locky. +"Where are you going, Henny-penny?" +says Cocky-locky. "Oh! I'm +going to tell the king the sky's a-falling," +says Henny-penny. "May I come with +you?" says Cocky-locky. "Certainly," +says Henny-penny. So Henny-penny +and Cocky-locky went to tell the king +the sky was a-falling.</p> + +<p>They went along, and they went along, +and they went along, till they met Ducky-daddles. +"Where are you going to, +Henny-penny and Cocky-locky?" says +Ducky-daddles. "Oh! we're going to +tell the king the sky's a-falling," said +Henny-penny and Cocky-locky. "May +I come with you?" says Ducky-daddles. +"Certainly," said Henny-penny and +Cocky-locky. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, +and Ducky-daddles went to tell +the king the sky was a-falling.</p> + +<p>So they went along, and they went +along, and they went along, till they met +Goosey-poosey. "Where are you going +to, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and +Ducky-daddles?" said Goosey-poosey. +"Oh! we're going to tell the king the +sky's a-falling," said Henny-penny and +Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles. "May +I come with you?" said Goosey-poosey. +"Certainly," said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, +and Ducky-daddles. So Henny-penny, +Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and +Goosey-poosey went to tell the king the +sky was a-falling.</p> + +<p>So they went along, and they went +along, and they went along, till they +met Turkey-lurkey. "Where are you +going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, +and Goosey-poosey?" says +Turkey-lurkey. "Oh! we're going to tell +the king the sky's a-falling," said Henny-penny, +Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and +Goosey-poosey. "May I come with +you, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, +and Goosey-poosey?" said +Turkey-lurkey. "Oh, certainly, Turkey-lurkey," +said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, +Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey. So +Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span>daddles, +Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey +all went to tell the king the sky +was a-falling.</p> + +<p>So they went along, and they went +along, and they went along, till they +met Foxy-woxy, and Foxy-woxy said +to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, +Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: +"Where are you going, Henny-penny, +Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, +Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey?" +And Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, +Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey +said to Foxy-woxy: "We're going +to tell the king the sky's a-falling." "Oh! +but this is not the way to the king, Henny-penny, +Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, +Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey," says +Foxy-woxy; "I know the proper way; +shall I show it you?" "Oh, certainly, +Foxy-woxy," said Henny-Penny, Cocky-locky, +Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, +and Turkey-lurkey. So Henny-penny, +Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, +Turkey-lurkey, and Foxy-woxy +all went to tell the king the sky was +a-falling.</p> + +<p>So they went along, and they went +along, and they went along, till they +came to a narrow and dark hole. Now +this was the door of Foxy-woxy's cave. +But Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, +Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, +and Turkey-lurkey: "This is +the short way to the king's palace; +you'll soon get there if you follow me. +I will go first and you come after, +Henny-Penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, +Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey." +"Why of course, certainly, +without doubt, why not?" said Henny-penny, +Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, +Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.</p> + +<p>So Foxy-woxy went into his cave, +and he didn't go very far, but turned +round to wait for Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, +Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, +and Turkey-lurkey. So at last at first +Turkey-lurkey went through the dark +hole into the cave. He hadn't got far +when "Hrumph," Foxy-woxy snapped off +Turkey-lurkey's head and threw his +body over his left shoulder. Then +Goosey-poosey went in, and "Hrumph," +off went her head and Goosey-poosey was +thrown beside Turkey-lurkey. Then +Ducky-daddles waddled down, and +"Hrumph," snapped Foxy-woxy, and +Ducky-daddles' head was off and Ducky-daddles +was thrown alongside Turkey-lurkey +and Goosey-poosey. Then Cocky-locky +strutted down into the cave, and +he hadn't gone far when "Snap, +Hrumph!" went Foxy-woxy and Cocky-locky +was thrown alongside of Turkey-lurkey, +Goosey-poosey, and Ducky-daddles.</p> + +<p>But Foxy-woxy had made two bites +at Cocky-locky, and when the first snap +only hurt Cocky-locky, but didn't kill +him, he called out to Henny-penny. But +she turned tail and off she ran home, so +she never told the king the sky was +a-falling.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_149" id="Note_149">149</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The favorite story of "Teeny-Tiny" is taken +from Halliwell, who obtained it from oral +tradition, and by whom it was, apparently, +first put into print. "This simple tale," +he says, "seldom fails to rivet the attention +of children, especially if well told. The last +two words should be said loudly with a +start." Many modern story-tellers seem to +prefer modified forms of this story, presumably +owing to a feeling on their part that +the bone and the churchyard have gruesome +suggestions. Carolyn S. Bailey gives +one of the best of these modified forms in her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +<i>Firelight Stories</i>, where the woman goes +into a field instead of the churchyard, finds +a hen at the foot of a tree, thinks this is a +chance to have an egg for her breakfast, +puts the hen in her reticule, goes home, puts +the hen in her cupboard, and goes upstairs +to take a nap. Of course the "teeny-tiny" +goes in at every point. Substituting +"hen" for "bone," the story continues +substantially as given below.</div> + +<h4><br />TEENY-TINY</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a teeny-tiny +woman lived in a teeny-tiny house +in a teeny-tiny village. Now, one day +this teeny-tiny woman put on her teeny-tiny +bonnet, and went out of her teeny-tiny +house to take a teeny-tiny walk. +And when this teeny-tiny woman had +gone a teeny-tiny way, she came to a +teeny-tiny gate; so the teeny-tiny woman +opened the teeny-tiny gate, and went +into a teeny-tiny churchyard. And when +this teeny-tiny woman had got into the +teeny-tiny churchyard, she saw a teeny-tiny +bone on a teeny-tiny grave, and the +teeny-tiny woman said to her teeny-tiny +self, "This teeny-tiny bone will +make me some teeny-tiny soup for my +teeny-tiny supper." So the teeny-tiny +woman put the teeny-tiny bone into her +teeny-tiny pocket, and went home to +her teeny-tiny house.</p> + +<p>Now when the teeny-tiny woman got +home to her teeny-tiny house, she was +a teeny-tiny tired; so she went up her +teeny-tiny stairs to her teeny-tiny bed, +and put the teeny-tiny bone into a teeny-tiny +cupboard. And when this teeny-tiny +woman had been to sleep a teeny-tiny +time, she was awakened by a teeny-tiny +voice from the teeny-tiny cupboard, +which said:</p> + +<div class='story1'> +"GIVE ME MY BONE!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>And this teeny-tiny woman was a +teeny-tiny frightened, so she hid her +teeny-tiny head under the teeny-tiny +clothes and went to sleep again. And +when she had been to sleep again a +teeny-tiny time, the teeny-tiny voice +again cried out from the teeny-tiny +cupboard a teeny-tiny louder,</p> + +<div class='story2'> +"GIVE ME MY BONE!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>This made the teeny-tiny woman a +teeny-tiny more frightened, so she hid +her teeny-tiny head a teeny-tiny farther +under the teeny-tiny clothes. And when +the teeny-tiny woman had been to sleep +again a teeny-tiny time, the teeny-tiny +voice from the teeny-tiny cupboard said +again a teeny-tiny louder,</p> + +<div class='story3'> +"GIVE ME MY BONE!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>And this teeny-tiny woman was a +teeny-tiny bit more frightened, but she +put her teeny-tiny head out of the teeny-tiny +clothes, and said in her loudest +teeny-tiny voice,</p> + +<div class='story4'> +"TAKE IT!"<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_150" id="Note_150">150</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The very old story that follows is taken from +Halliwell, and is, according to Jacobs, +scarcely more than a variant of "The Old +Woman and Her Pig." Like that story, +"The Cat and the Mouse" appeals to small +people by its pronounced rhythmical structure, +accentuated by the rhyme which +marks the transition to each new section, +and by the "run" at the close.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE CAT AND THE MOUSE</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +The cat and the mouse<br /> +Played in the malt-house:<br /> +</div> + +<p>The cat bit the mouse's tail off. +"Pray, puss, give me my tail."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No," said the cat, "I'll not give you +your tail till you go to the cow and fetch +me some milk."</p> + +<div class='poem'> +First she leapt, and then she ran,<br /> +Till she came to the cow, and thus began:<br /> +</div> + +<p>"Pray, cow, give me milk, that I +may give cat milk, that cat may give +me my own tail again."</p> + +<p>"No," said the cow, "I will give you +no milk till you go to the farmer and +fetch me some hay."</p> + +<div class='poem'> +First she leapt, and then she ran,<br /> +Till she came to the farmer, and thus began:<br /> +</div> + +<p>"Pray, farmer, give me hay, that I +may give cow hay, that cow may give +me milk, that I may give cat milk, that +cat may give me my own tail again."</p> + +<p>"No," said the farmer, "I'll give you +no hay till you go to the butcher and +fetch me some meat."</p> + +<div class='poem'> +First she leapt, and then she ran,<br /> +Till she came to the butcher, and thus began:<br /> +</div> + +<p>"Pray, butcher, give me meat, that +I may give farmer meat, that farmer +may give me hay, that I may give cow +hay, that cow may give me milk, that I +may give cat milk, that cat may give +me my own tail again."</p> + +<p>"No," said the butcher, "I'll give +you no meat till you go to the baker +and fetch me some bread."</p> + +<div class='poem'> +First she leapt, and then she ran,<br /> +Till she came to the baker, and thus began:<br /> +</div> + +<p>"Pray, baker, give me bread, that I +may give butcher bread, that butcher +may give me meat, that I may give +farmer meat, that farmer may give me +hay, that I may give cow hay, that cow +may give me milk, that I may give cat +milk, that cat may give me my own tail +again."</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Yes," said the baker, "I'll give you some bread,<br /> +But if you eat my meal, I'll cut off your head."<br /> +</div> + +<p>Then the baker gave mouse bread, and +mouse gave butcher bread, and butcher +gave mouse meat, and mouse gave +farmer meat, and farmer gave mouse +hay, and mouse gave cow hay, and cow +gave mouse milk, and mouse gave cat +milk, and cat gave mouse her own tail +again.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_151" id="Note_151">151</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following story is in the most familiar +version of Halliwell's collection. Another +much-used form of the story may be found +in Lang's <i>Green Fairy Book</i>, in which the +pigs are distinctly characterized and given +the names of Browny, Whitey, and Blacky. +Jacobs uses the Halliwell version in his +<i>English Fairy Tales</i>, but prefixes to it an +opening formula which seems to have been +much in use by old story-tellers as a way of +beginning almost any oral story for children:</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Once upon a time when pigs spoke rhyme<br /> +And monkeys chewed tobacco,<br /> +And hens took snuff to make them tough,<br /> +And ducks went quack, quack, quack, O!"<br /> +</div> + + +<h4><br />THE STORY OF THE THREE +LITTLE PIGS</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time there was an old +sow with three little pigs, and as she +had not enough to keep them, she sent +them out to seek their fortune. The +first that went off met a man with a +bundle of straw, and said to him:</p> + +<p>"Please, man, give me that straw to +build me a house."</p> + +<p>Which the man did, and the little pig +built a house with it. Presently came +along a wolf, and knocked at the door, +and said:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Little pig, little pig, let me come in."</p> + +<p>To which the pig answered:</p> + +<p>"No, no, by the hair of my chinny chin +chin."</p> + +<p>The wolf then answered to that:</p> + +<p>"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll +blow your house in."</p> + +<p>So he huffed, and he puffed, and he +blew his house in, and ate up the little +pig.</p> + +<p>The second little pig met a man with a +bundle of furze and said:</p> + +<p>"Please, man, give me that furze to +build a house."</p> + +<p>Which the man did, and the pig built +his house. Then along came the wolf, +and said:</p> + +<p>"Little pig, little pig, let me come in."</p> + +<p>"No, no, by the hair of my chinny chin +chin."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll puff, and I'll huff, and I'll +blow your house in."</p> + +<p>So he huffed, and he puffed, and he +puffed, and he huffed, and at last he blew +the house down, and he ate up the little +pig.</p> + +<p>The third little pig met a man with a +load of bricks, and said:</p> + +<p>"Please, man, give me those bricks +to build a house with."</p> + +<p>So the man gave him the bricks, and +he built his house with them. So the +wolf came, as he did to the other little +pigs, and said:</p> + +<p>"Little pig, little pig, let me come in."</p> + +<p>"No, no, by the hair on my chinny chin +chin."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll +blow your house in."</p> + +<p>Well, he huffed, and he puffed, and he +huffed and he puffed, and he puffed and +huffed; but he could <i>not</i> get the house +down. When he found that he could +not, with all his huffing and puffing, blow +the house down, he said:</p> + +<p>"Little pig, I know where there is a +nice field of turnips."</p> + +<p>"Where?" said the little pig.</p> + +<p>"Oh, in Mr. Smith's Home-field, and +if you will be ready to-morrow morning I +will call for you, and we will go together +and get some for dinner."</p> + +<p>"Very well," said the little pig, "I will +be ready. What time do you mean to +go?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, at six o'clock."</p> + +<p>Well, the little pig got up at five and +got the turnips before the wolf came +(which he did about six), who said:</p> + +<p>"Little pig, are you ready?"</p> + +<p>The little pig said: "Ready! I have +been and come back again, and got a +nice potful for dinner."</p> + +<p>The wolf felt very angry at this, but +thought that he would be <i>up to</i> the little +pig somehow or other, so he said:</p> + +<p>"Little pig, I know where there is a +nice apple-tree."</p> + +<p>"Where?" said the pig.</p> + +<p>"Down at Merry-garden," replied the +wolf, "and if you will not deceive me I +will come for you at five o'clock tomorrow +and we will go together and get +some apples."</p> + +<p>Well, the little pig bustled up the next +morning at four o'clock, and went off for +the apples, hoping to get back before the +wolf came; but he had farther to go and +had to climb the tree, so that just as he +was coming down from it, he saw the +wolf coming, which, as you may suppose, +frightened him very much. When the +wolf came up he said:</p> + +<p>"Little pig, what! are you here before +me? Are they nice apples?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, very," said the little pig. "I +will throw you down one."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p> + +<p>And he threw it so far that, while the +wolf was gone to pick it up, the little pig +jumped down and ran home. The next +day the wolf came again and said to the +little pig:</p> + +<p>"Little pig, there is a fair at Shanklin +this afternoon. Will you go?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," said the pig, "I will go. +What time shall you be ready?"</p> + +<p>"At three," said the wolf. So the +little pig went off before the time as usual, +and got to the fair and bought a butter-churn, +which he was going home with, +when he saw the wolf coming. Then he +could not tell what to do. So he got into +the churn to hide, and by so doing +turned it round, and it rolled down the +hill with the pig in it, which frightened the +wolf so much that he ran home without +going to the fair. He went to the little +pig's house and told him how frightened +he had been by a great round thing which +came down the hill past him. Then the +little pig said:</p> + +<p>"Hah, I frightened you, then. I had +been to the fair and bought a butter-churn, +and when I saw you, I got into it +and rolled down the hill."</p> + +<p>Then the wolf was very angry indeed, +and declared he <i>would</i> eat up the little +pig and that he would get down the chimney +after him. When the little pig saw +what he was about, he hung on the pot +full of water and made up a blazing fire, +and, just as the wolf was coming down, +took off the cover, and in fell the wolf; so +the little pig put on the cover again in +an instant, boiled him up, and ate him +for supper, and lived happy ever afterwards.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_152" id="Note_152">152</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">How great calamities sometimes grow out +of small causes is illustrated in an old +proverbial saying of Poor Richard (see +No. <a href="#Note_137">137</a>). The favorite English folk-tale +version of this theme, taken from Halliwell, +is given below. It takes the form of an +accumulative droll, or comic story. The +overwhelming catastrophe at the end is so +complete and so unexpected that it has a +decidedly humorous effect.</div> + + +<h4><br />TITTY MOUSE AND TATTY MOUSE</h4> + +<div class='poem2'> +Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse both lived in a house,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Titty Mouse went a leasing and Tatty Mouse went a leasing,</span><br /> +So they both went a leasing.<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Titty Mouse leased an ear of corn, and</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Tatty Mouse leased an ear of corn,</span><br /> +So they both leased an ear of corn.<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Titty Mouse made a pudding, and</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Tatty Mouse made a pudding,</span><br /> +So they both made a pudding.<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And Tatty Mouse put her pudding into the pot to boil,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But when Titty went to put hers in, the pot tumbled over, and scalded her to death.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>Then Tatty sat down and wept; then +a three-legged stool said: "Tatty, why +do you weep?" "Titty's dead," said +Tatty, "and so I weep." "Then," said +the stool, "I'll hop," so the stool hopped.</p> + +<p>Then a broom in the corner of the room +said: "Stool, why do you hop?" "Oh!" +said the stool, "Titty's dead, and Tatty +weeps, and so I hop." "Then," said the +broom, "I'll sweep," so the broom began +to sweep.</p> + +<p>"Then," said the door, "Broom, why +do you sweep?" "Oh!" said the broom, +"Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, and the +stool hops, and so I sweep." "Then," +said the door, "I'll jar," so the door +jarred.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then," said the window, "Door, why +do you jar?" "Oh," said the door, +"Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the +stool hops, and the broom sweeps, and +so I jar."</p> + +<p>"Then," said the window, "I'll creak," +so the window creaked. Now there was +an old form outside the house, and when +the window creaked, the form said: +"Window, why do you creak?" "Oh!" +said the window, "Titty's dead, and +Tatty weeps, and the stool hops, and the +broom sweeps, the door jars, and so I +creak."</p> + +<p>"Then," said the old form, "I'll run +round the house"; then the old form ran +round the house. Now there was a fine +large walnut-tree growing by the cottage, +and the tree said to the form: "Form, +why do you run round the house?" +"Oh!" said the form, "Titty's dead, and +Tatty weeps, and the stool hops, and the +broom sweeps, the door jars, and the +window creaks, and so I run round the +house."</p> + +<p>"Then," said the walnut-tree, "I'll +shed my leaves," so the walnut-tree shed +all its beautiful green leaves. Now there +was a little bird perched on one of the +boughs of the tree, and when all the +leaves fell, it said: "Walnut-tree, why +do you shed your leaves?" "Oh!" said +the tree, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, +the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, +the door jars, and the window creaks, the +old form runs round the house, and so +I shed my leaves."</p> + +<p>"Then," said the little bird, "I'll +moult all my feathers," so he moulted +all his pretty feathers. Now there was +a little girl walking below, carrying a jug +of milk for her brothers' and sisters' supper, +and when she saw the poor little +bird moult all its feathers, she said: +"Little bird, why do you moult all your +feathers?" "Oh!" said the little bird, +"Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the +stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the +door jars, and the window creaks, the +old form runs round the house, the +walnut-tree sheds its leaves, and so I +moult all my feathers."</p> + +<p>"Then," said the little girl, "I'll spill +the milk," so she dropt the pitcher and +spilt the milk. Now there was an old +man just by on the top of a ladder +thatching a rick, and when he saw the +little girl spill the milk, he said: "Little +girl, what do you mean by spilling the +milk?—your little brothers and sisters +must go without their supper." Then +said the little girl: "Titty's dead, and +Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and the +broom sweeps, the door jars, and the +window creaks, the old form runs round +the house, the walnut-tree sheds all its +leaves, the little bird moults all its +feathers, and so I spill the milk."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the old man, "then I'll +tumble off the ladder and break my +neck," so he tumbled off the ladder and +broke his neck; and when the old man +broke his neck, the great walnut-tree +fell down with a crash and upset the old +form and house, and the house falling +knocked the window out, and the window +knocked the door down, and the door +upset the broom, and the broom upset +the stool, and poor little Tatty Mouse +was buried beneath the ruins.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_153" id="Note_153">153</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"The Story of the Three Bears" is perhaps +the only instance in which a piece of literature +by a known English author is found +among accepted folk tales. It appeared in +Robert Southey's rambling miscellany, +<i>The Doctor</i> (1837). He may have taken it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +from an old tale, but no amount of investigation +has located any certain source. In +the most familiar versions the naughty old +woman gives place to a little girl whose +name is Goldenhair, Goldilocks, Silverhair, +or Silverlocks. The point to the story is +lessened by the change, but the popularity +of these modifications seems to suggest that +children prefer to have the ill-mannered old +woman turned into an attractive little girl. +Southey apparently was delighted with +efforts to bring his story into any form more +pleasing to the folk, and we find his son-in-law +saying that he was especially pleased +with a versification "by G. N. and published +especially for the amusement of 'little +people' lest in the volumes of <i>The Doctor</i> +it should 'escape their sight.'" However, +it would appear that teachers at least should +know this masterpiece in the only form in +which its author put it. To that end this +version of "The Three Bears" follows +Southey with the change of a single word. +At the head of the story he placed these +lines from Gascoyne:</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"A tale which may content the minds<br /> +Of learned men and grave philosophers."<br /> +</div> + + +<h4><br />THE STORY OF THE THREE BEARS</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT SOUTHEY</div> + +<p>Once upon a time there were Three +Bears who lived together in a house of +their own in a wood. One of them was a +Little, Small, Wee Bear; and one was a +Middle-sized Bear, and the other was a +Great, Huge Bear. They had each a +pot for their porridge; a little pot for the +Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a middle-sized +pot for the Middle Bear; and a +great pot for the Great, Huge Bear. +And they had each a chair to sit in; a +little chair for the Little, Small, Wee +Bear; and a middle-sized chair for the +Middle Bear; and a great chair for the +Great, Huge Bear. And they had each +a bed to sleep in; a little bed for the +Little, Small, Wee Bear; and a middle-sized +bed for the Middle Bear; and a great +bed for the Great, Huge Bear.</p> + +<p>One day after they had made the porridge +for their breakfast and poured it +into their porridge-pots, they walked out +into the wood while the porridge was +cooling, that they might not burn their +mouths by beginning too soon to eat it. +And while they were walking, a little old +Woman came to the house. She could +not have been a good, honest old Woman; +for first she looked in at the window and +then she peeped in at the keyhole; and +seeing nobody in the house, she lifted the +latch. The door was not fastened, because +the Bears were good Bears, who did +nobody any harm and never suspected +that anybody would harm them. So the +little old Woman opened the door and +went in, and well pleased she was when +she saw the porridge on the table. If +she had been a good little old Woman, +she would have waited till the Bears +came home, and then perhaps they would +have asked her to breakfast, for they were +good Bears—a little rough or so, as the +manner of Bears is, but for all that very +good-natured and hospitable. But she +was an impudent, bad old Woman, and +set about helping herself.</p> + +<p>So first she tasted the porridge of the +Great, Huge Bear, and that was too hot +for her; and she said a bad word about +that. And then she tasted the porridge +of the Middle Bear, and that was too cold +for her; and she said a bad word about +that too. And then she went to the porridge +of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and +tasted that; and that was neither too hot +nor too cold, but just right; and she liked +it so well that she ate it all up. But the +naughty old Woman said a bad word<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +about the little porridge-pot because it +did not hold enough for her.</p> + +<p>Then the little old Woman sat down in +the chair of the Great, Huge Bear, and +that was too hard for her. And then she +sat down in the chair of the Middle +Bear, and that was too soft for her. +And then she sat down in the chair of +the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and that was +neither too hard nor too soft, but just +right. So she seated herself in it, and +there she sat till the bottom of the chair +came out, and down she came, plump +upon the ground. And the naughty old +Woman said a wicked word about that too.</p> + +<p>Then the little old Woman went upstairs +into the bed-chamber in which the +three Bears slept. And first she lay down +upon the bed of the Great, Huge Bear; +but that was too high at the head for her. +And next she lay down upon the bed of +the Middle Bear, and that was too high +at the foot for her. And then she lay +down upon the bed of the Little, Small, +Wee Bear, and that was neither too high +at the head nor at the foot, but just +right. So she covered herself up comfortably +and lay there till she fell fast +asleep.</p> + +<p>By this time the Three Bears thought +their porridge would be cool enough, so +they came home to breakfast. Now the +little old Woman had left the spoon of +the Great, Huge Bear standing in his +porridge.</p> + +<p>"<big>SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY +PORRIDGE!</big>" said the Great, Huge +Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice. +And when the Middle Bear looked at his, +he saw that the spoon was standing in it +too. They were wooden spoons; if they +had been silver ones, the naughty old +Woman would have put them in her +pocket.</p> + +<p>"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY +PORRIDGE!" said the Middle Bear, +in his middle voice.</p> + +<p>Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear +looked at his, and there was the spoon +in the porridge-pot, but the porridge was +all gone.</p> + +<p>"<small>SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE, AND +HAS EATEN IT ALL UP!</small>" said the Little, Small, +Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee voice.</p> + +<p>Upon this the Three Bears, seeing that +some one had entered their house and +eaten up the Little, Small, Wee Bear's +breakfast, began to look about them. +Now the little old Woman had not put +the hard cushion straight when she rose +from the chair of the Great, Huge Bear.</p> + +<p>"<big>SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING +IN MY CHAIR!</big>" said the +Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, +gruff voice.</p> + +<p>And the little old Woman had squatted +down the soft cushion of the Middle +Bear.</p> + +<p>"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN +MY CHAIR!" said the Middle Bear, in +his middle voice.</p> + +<p>And you know what the little old +Woman had done to the third chair.</p> + +<p>"<small>SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR +AND HAS SAT THE BOTTOM OUT OF IT!</small>" said +the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, +small, wee voice.</p> + +<p>Then the three Bears thought it necessary +that they should make further +search; so they went upstairs into their +bed-chamber. Now the little old Woman +had pulled the pillow of the Great, Huge +Bear out of its place.</p> + +<p>"<big>SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING +IN MY BED!</big>" said the Great, Huge +Bear, in his great, rough, gruff voice.</p> + +<p>And the little old Woman had pulled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +the bolster of the Middle Bear out of its +place.</p> + +<p>"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY +BED!" said the Middle Bear, in his +middle voice.</p> + +<p>And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear +came to look at his bed, there was the +bolster in its right place, and the pillow +in its place upon the bolster; and upon +the pillow was the little old Woman's +ugly, dirty head,—which was not in its +place, for she had no business there.</p> + +<p>"<small>SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED,—AND +HERE SHE IS!</small>" said the Little, +Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee +voice.</p> + +<p>The little old Woman had heard in her +sleep the great, rough, gruff voice of the +Great, Huge Bear; but she was so fast +asleep that it was no more to her than +the roaring of wind or the rumbling of +thunder. And she had heard the middle +voice of the Middle Bear, but it was only +as if she had heard some one speaking in +a dream. But when she heard the little, +small, wee voice of the Little, Small, +Wee Bear, it was so sharp and so shrill +that it awakened her at once. Up she +started; and when she saw the Three +Bears on one side of the bed, she tumbled +herself out at the other and ran to the +window. Now the window was open, +because the Bears, like good, tidy Bears +as they were, always opened their bed-chamber +window when they got up in +the morning. Out the little old Woman +jumped; and whether she broke her neck +in the fall, or ran into the wood and was +lost there, or found her way out of the +wood and was taken up by the constable +and sent to the House of Correction for a +vagrant, as she was, I cannot tell. But +the Three Bears never saw anything more +of her.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_154" id="Note_154">154</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">A noodle story is a droll, or comic story, that +follows the fortunes of very simple or stupid +characters. There are many noodle stories +among the favorites of the folk, and the +three immediately following are among +the best known. This version of "The +Three Sillies" was collected from oral +tradition in Suffolk, England. In the +original the dangerous tool was an ax, but +the collector informed Mr. Hartland, in +whose <i>English Fairy and Folk Tales</i> it is +reprinted, that she had found it was really +"a great big wooden mallet, as some one +had left sticking there when they'd been +<i>making-up</i> the beer." This change, following +the example of Jacobs, is made in the +text of the story. This particular droll is +widespread. Grimms' "Clever Elsie" is the +same story, and a French version, "The Six +Sillies," is in Lang's <i>Red Fairy Book</i>. A +very fine Italian version, called "Bastienelo," +is given in Crane's <i>Italian Popular +Tales</i>. The tendency of people to "borrow +trouble" is so universal that stories illustrating +its ludicrous consequences have +always had wide appeal. Some details of +these variants are due to local environments. +For instance, in the Italian story +wine takes the place of beer, and it has +been pointed out that there are "borrowing +trouble" stories found in New York and +Ohio in which the thing feared is the heavy +iron door closing the mouth of the oven +which in pioneer days was built in by the +side of the fireplace.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE THREE SILLIES</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a farmer +and his wife who had one daughter, and +she was courted by a gentleman. Every +evening he used to come and see her, +and stop to supper at the farmhouse, and +the daughter used to be sent down into +the cellar to draw the beer for supper. +So one evening she had gone down to +draw the beer, and she happened to look<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +up at the ceiling while she was drawing, +and she saw a mallet stuck in one of the +beams. It must have been there a long, +long time, but somehow or other she had +never noticed it before, and she began +a-thinking. And she thought it was very +dangerous to have that mallet there, for +she said to herself: "Suppose him and +me was to be married, and we was to +have a son, and he was to grow up to be +a man, and come down into the cellar +to draw the beer, like as I'm doing now, +and the mallet was to fall on his head +and kill him, what a dreadful thing it +would be!" And she put down the +candle and the jug, and sat herself down +and began a-crying.</p> + +<p>Well, they began to wonder upstairs +how it was that she was so long drawing +the beer, and her mother went down to +see after her, and she found her sitting +on the settle crying, and the beer running +over the floor. "Why, whatever is the +matter?" said her mother.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mother!" says she, "look at that +horrid mallet! Suppose we was to be +married, and was to have a son, and he +was to grow up, and was to come down +to the cellar to draw the beer, and the +mallet was to fall on his head and kill +him, what a dreadful thing it would be!"</p> + +<p>"Dear, dear! what a dreadful thing it +would be!" said the mother, and she sat +her down aside of the daughter and +started a-crying too.</p> + +<p>Then after a bit the father began to +wonder that they didn't come back, +and he went down into the cellar to look +after them himself, and there they two +sat a-crying, and the beer running all +over the floor.</p> + +<p>"Whatever is the matter?" says he.</p> + +<p>"Why," says the mother, "look at +that horrid mallet. Just suppose, if our +daughter and her sweetheart was to be +married, and was to have a son, and he +was to grow up, and was to come down +into the cellar to draw the beer, and the +mallet was to fall on his head and kill +him, what a dreadful thing it would be!"</p> + +<p>"Dear, dear, dear! so it would!" said +the father, and he sat himself down aside +of the other two, and started a-crying.</p> + +<p>Now the gentleman got tired of stopping +up in the kitchen by himself, and at +last he went down into the cellar too, to +see what they were after; and there they +three sat a-crying side by side, and the +beer running all over the floor. And he +ran straight and turned the tap. Then +he said: "Whatever are you three doing, +sitting there crying, and letting the beer +run all over the floor?"</p> + +<p>"Oh!" says the father, "look at that +horrid mallet! Suppose you and our +daughter was to be married, and was to +have a son, and he was to grow up, and +was to come down into the cellar to draw +the beer, and the mallet was to fall on +his head and kill him!" And then they +all started a-crying worse than before.</p> + +<p>But the gentleman burst out a-laughing, +and reached up and pulled out the +mallet, and then he said: "I've traveled +many miles, and I never met three +such big sillies as you three before; and +now I shall start out on my travels +again, and when I can find three bigger +sillies than you three, then I'll come back +and marry your daughter." So he +wished them good-bye, and started off +on his travels, and left them all crying +because the girl had lost her sweetheart.</p> + +<p>Well, he set out, and he traveled a long +way, and at last he came to a woman's +cottage that had some grass growing on +the roof. And the woman was trying +to get her cow to go up a ladder to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +grass, and the poor thing durst not go. +So the gentleman asked the woman what +she was doing. "Why, lookye," she +said, "look at all that beautiful grass. +I'm going to get the cow on to the roof +to eat it. She'll be quite safe, for I shall +tie a string round her neck, and pass it +down the chimney, and tie it to my wrist +as I go about the house, so she can't fall +off without my knowing it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you poor silly!" said the gentleman, +"you should cut the grass and +throw it down to the cow!" But the +woman thought it was easier to get the +cow up the ladder than to get the grass +down, so she pushed her and coaxed +her and got her up, and tied a string round +her neck, and passed it down the chimney, +and fastened it to her own wrist. +And the gentleman went on his way, but +he hadn't gone far when the cow tumbled +off the roof, and hung by the string tied +round her neck, and it strangled her. +And the weight of the cow tied to her +wrist pulled the woman up the chimney, +and she stuck fast half-way and was +smothered in the soot.</p> + +<p>Well, that was one big silly.</p> + +<p>And the gentleman went on and on, +and he went to an inn to stop the night, +and they were so full at the inn that they +had to put him in a double-bedded room, +and another traveller was to sleep in the +other bed. The other man was a very +pleasant fellow, and they got very friendly +together; but in the morning, when they +were both getting up, the gentleman +was surprised to see the other hang his +trousers on the knobs of the chest of +drawers and run across the room and try +to jump into them, and he tried over and +over again, and couldn't manage it; and +the gentleman wondered whatever he +was doing it for. At last he stopped and +wiped his face with his handkerchief. +"Oh, dear," he says, "I do think trousers +are the most awkwardest kind of clothes +that ever were. I can't think who could +have invented such things. It takes me +the best part of an hour to get into mine +every morning, and I get so hot! How +do you manage yours?" So the gentleman +burst out a-laughing, and showed +him how to put them on; and he was very +much obliged to him, and said he never +should have thought of doing it that way.</p> + +<p>So that was another big silly.</p> + +<p>Then the gentleman went on his +travels again; and he came to a village, +and outside the village there was a pond, +and round the pond was a crowd of +people. And they had got rakes, and +brooms, and pitchforks, reaching into +the pond; and the gentleman asked what +was the matter.</p> + +<p>"Why," they said, "matter enough! +Moon's tumbled into the pond, and we +can't rake her out anyhow!"</p> + +<p>So the gentleman burst out a-laughing, +and told them to look up into the sky, +and that it was only the shadow in the +water. But they wouldn't listen to him, +and abused him shamefully, and he got +away as quick as he could.</p> + +<p>So there was a whole lot of sillies bigger +than the three sillies at home. So the +gentleman turned back home again and +married the farmer's daughter, and if +they didn't live happy for ever after, +that's nothing to do with you or me.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_155" id="Note_155">155</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">There seemed to be a feeling common among +the folk that simple-minded persons were +in the special care of Providence. Hence, +sometimes the achievement of success +beyond the power of wiser and cleverer +individuals. "Lazy Jack" comes from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +Halliwell collection. "The humor lies in +the contrast between what Jack did and +what anybody 'with sense' knows he ought +to have done." A parallel story is the +Grimms' "Hans in Luck." A most striking +and popular Americanization of it is Sara +Cone Bryant's "The Story of Epaminondas +and His Auntie" in her <i>Stories to Tell to +Children</i>.</div> + + +<h4><br />LAZY JACK</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a boy +whose name was Jack, and he lived +with his mother on a dreary common. +They were very poor, and the old woman +got her living by spinning, but Jack was +so lazy that he would do nothing but bask +in the sun in the hot weather and sit by +the corner of the hearth in the winter +time. His mother could not persuade +him to do anything for her and was +obliged at last to tell him that if he did +not begin to work for his porridge she +would turn him out to get his living as +he could.</p> + +<p>This threat at length roused Jack, and +he went out and hired himself for the day +to a neighboring farmer for a penny; but +as he was coming home, never having +had any money in his possession before, +he lost it in passing over a brook. "You +stupid boy," said his mother, "you should +have put it in your pocket."</p> + +<p>"I'll do so another time," replied Jack.</p> + +<p>The next day Jack went out again and +hired himself to a cowkeeper, who gave +him a jar of milk for his day's work. +Jack took the jar and put it into the large +pocket of his jacket, spilling it all long +before he got home. "Dear me!" said +the old woman; "you should have carried +it on your head."</p> + +<p>"I'll do so another time," said Jack.</p> + +<p>The following day Jack hired himself +again to a farmer, who agreed to give +him a cream cheese for his services. In +the evening Jack took the cheese and +went home with it on his head. By the +time he got home the cheese was completely +spoilt, part of it being lost and +part matted with his hair. "You stupid +lout," said his mother, "you should +have carried it very carefully in your +hands."</p> + +<p>"I'll do so another time," replied Jack.</p> + +<p>The day after this Jack again went out +and hired himself to a baker, who would +give him nothing for his work but a large +tomcat. Jack took the cat and began +carrying it very carefully in his hands, +but in a short time pussy scratched him +so much that he was compelled to let it go. +When he got home, his mother said to +him: "You silly fellow, you should have +tied it with a string and dragged it along +after you."</p> + +<p>"I'll do so another time," said Jack.</p> + +<p>The next day Jack hired himself to a +butcher, who rewarded his labors by the +handsome present of a shoulder of mutton. +Jack took the mutton, tied it to a +string, and trailed it along after him in +the dirt, so that by the time he had got +home the meat was completely spoilt. +His mother was this time quite out of +patience with him, for the next day was +Sunday, and she was obliged to content +herself with cabbage for her dinner. +"You ninney-hammer," said she to her +son, "you should have carried it on your +shoulder."</p> + +<p>"I'll do so another time," replied Jack.</p> + +<p>On the Monday Jack went once more +and hired himself to a cattle-keeper, who +gave him a donkey for his trouble. Although +Jack was very strong, he found +some difficulty in hoisting the donkey on +his shoulders, but at last he accomplished<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +it and began walking slowly home with +his prize. Now it happened that in the +course of his journey there lived a rich +man with his only daughter, a beautiful +girl, but unfortunately deaf and dumb. +She had never laughed in her life, and the +doctors said she would never recover till +somebody made her laugh. This young +lady happened to be looking out of the +window when Jack was passing with the +donkey on his shoulders, the legs sticking +up in the air, and the sight was so comical +and strange that she burst out into a +great fit of laughter, and immediately +recovered her speech and hearing. Her +father was overjoyed, and fulfilled his +promise by marrying her to Jack, who was +thus made a rich gentleman. They lived +in a large house, and Jack's mother lived +with them in great happiness until she +died.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_156" id="Note_156">156</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following noodle story is from Halliwell +as obtained from oral tradition in the west +of England. It is a variant of the "Lazy +Jack" type.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE STORY OF MR. VINEGAR</h4> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Vinegar lived in a vinegar +bottle. Now, one day when Mr. +Vinegar was from home and Mrs. Vinegar, +who was a very good housewife, +was busily sweeping her house, an +unlucky thump of the broom brought +the whole house clitter-clatter about her +ears. In a paroxysm of grief she rushed +forth to meet her husband. On seeing +him she exclaimed, "Oh, Mr. Vinegar, +Mr. Vinegar, we are ruined, we are +ruined: I have knocked the house down, +and it is all to pieces!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Vinegar then said: "My dear, let +us see what can be done. Here is the +door; I will take it on my back, and we +will go forth to seek our fortune."</p> + +<p>They walked all that day and at nightfall +entered a thick forest. They were +both excessively tired, and Mr. Vinegar +said: "My love, I will climb up into a +tree, drag up the door, and you shall +follow." He accordingly did so, and +they both stretched their weary limbs +on the door, and fell fast asleep.</p> + +<p>In the middle of the night Mr. Vinegar +was disturbed by the sound of voices +beneath, and to his inexpressible dismay +perceived that a party of thieves were +met to divide their booty. "Here, +Jack," said one, "here's five pounds for +you; here, Bill, here's ten pounds for +you; here, Bob, here's three pounds for +you."</p> + +<p>Mr. Vinegar could listen no longer; +his terror was so intense that he trembled +most violently and shook down the door +on their heads. Away scampered the +thieves, but Mr. Vinegar dared not quit +his retreat till broad daylight. He then +scrambled out of the tree and went to +lift up the door. What did he behold +but a number of golden guineas! "Come +down, Mrs. Vinegar," he cried; "come +down, I say; our fortune's made! Come +down, I say."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Vinegar got down as fast as she +could and saw the money with equal +delight. "Now, my dear," said she, +"I'll tell you what you shall do. There +is a fair at the neighboring town; you +shall take these forty guineas and buy a +cow. I can make butter and cheese, +which you shall sell at market, and we +shall then be able to live very comfortably."</p> + +<p>Mr. Vinegar joyfully assents, takes the +money, and goes off to the fair. When +he arrived, he walked up and down, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +at length saw a beautiful red cow. It +was an excellent milker and perfect in +every respect. "Oh," thought Mr. Vinegar, +"if I had but that cow, I should be +the happiest man alive." So he offers +the forty guineas for the cow, and the +owner declaring that, as he was a friend, +he'd oblige him, the bargain was made. +Proud of his purchase, he drove the cow +backwards and forwards to show it. +By-and-by he saw a man playing the +bagpipes—<i>tweedle-dum, tweedle-dee</i>. The +children followed him about, and he +appeared to be pocketing money on all +sides. "Well," thought Mr. Vinegar, +"if I had but that beautiful instrument, +I should be the happiest man alive—my +fortune would be made." So he went +up to the man. "Friend," says he, +"what a beautiful instrument that is, +and what a deal of money you must +make."</p> + +<p>"Why, yes," said the man, "I make a +great deal of money, to be sure, and it +is a wonderful instrument."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Mr. Vinegar, "how I +should like to possess it!"</p> + +<p>"Well," said the man, "as you are a +friend, I don't much mind parting with +it; you shall have it for that red cow."</p> + +<p>"Done!" said the delighted Mr. Vinegar. +So the beautiful red cow was +given for the bagpipes. He walked up +and down with his purchase; but in vain +he attempted to play a tune, and instead +of pocketing pence, the boys followed +him hooting, laughing, and pelting.</p> + +<p>Poor Mr. Vinegar, his fingers grew very +cold, and heartily ashamed and mortified, +he was leaving the town, when he +met a man with a fine thick pair of +gloves. "Oh, my fingers are so very +cold," said Mr. Vinegar to himself. "If +I had but those beautiful gloves I should +be the happiest man alive." He went +up to the man, and said to him: "Friend, +you seem to have a capital pair of gloves +there."</p> + +<p>"Yes, truly," cried the man; "and my +hands are as warm as possible this cold +November day."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Mr. Vinegar, "I should +like to have them."</p> + +<p>"What will you give?" said the man; +"as you are a friend, I don't much mind +letting you have them for those bagpipes."</p> + +<p>"Done!" cried Mr. Vinegar. He put +on the gloves, and felt perfectly happy as +he trudged homewards.</p> + +<p>At last he grew very tired, when he +saw a man coming towards him with a +good stout stick in his hand. "Oh," +said Mr. Vinegar, "that I but had that +stick! I should then be the happiest +man alive." He accosted the man: +"Friend! what a rare good stick you have +got."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the man; "I have used it +for many a long mile, and a good friend +it has been; but if you have a fancy for +it, as you are a friend, I don't mind giving +it to you for that pair of gloves." Mr. +Vinegar's hands were so warm, and his +legs so tired, that he gladly exchanged.</p> + +<p>As he drew near to the wood where he +had left his wife, he heard a parrot on a +tree calling out his name: "Mr. Vinegar, +you foolish man, you blockhead, you +simpleton; you went to the fair and laid +out all your money in buying a cow. +Not content with that, you changed it +for bagpipes, on which you could not +play and which were not worth one-tenth +of the money. You fool, you—you had +no sooner got the bagpipes than you +changed them for the gloves, which were +not worth one-quarter of the money;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +and when you had got the gloves, you +changed them for a poor miserable stick; +and now for your forty guineas, cow, bagpipes, +and gloves, you have nothing to +show but that poor miserable stick, +which you might have cut in any hedge." +On this the bird laughed immoderately, +and Mr. Vinegar, falling into a violent +rage, threw the stick at its head. The +stick lodged in the tree, and he returned +to his wife without money, cow, bagpipes, +gloves, or stick, and she instantly +gave him such a sound cudgelling that +she almost broke every bone in his skin.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_157" id="Note_157">157</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">One of the greatest favorites among nursery +tales is the story of that Jack who showed +"an inquiring mind, a great courage and +enterprise," and who climbed the ladder of +fortune when he mounted his bean-stalk. +The traditional versions of this story are +nearly all crude and unsatisfactory, as are +those of many of the English tales. Joseph +Jacobs made a remarkably fine literary +version in his <i>English Fairy Tales</i> from +memories of his Australian childhood. He +materially shortens the story by omitting +the fairy lady, who, he suggests, was put +in "to prevent the tale becoming an encouragement +to theft." He also made Jack's +character more consistent by making him +more sympathetic and kind at the beginning +and less of a "ne'er-do-well," though +the noodle element in the selling of the cow +could not be eliminated. Andrew Lang, +in his <i>Green Fairy Book</i>, gives an excellent +version of the story in its most extended +form. Both the versions mentioned introduce, +when the giant comes in, the formula +generally associated with "Jack the Giant +Killer":</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Fee-fi-fo-fum,<br /> +I smell the blood of an Englishman,<br /> +Be he alive, or be he dead,<br /> +I'll grind his bones to make my bread."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='hang1'><br />The version chosen for use here contains +the elements of the story most familiar to +past generations and is probably as near +the commoner oral traditions as it is possible +to secure. It is taken from Miss Mulock's +<i>The Fairy Book</i>, a very fine selection of +tales, first published in 1863, and still +widely used. Miss Muloch (Dinah Maria +Craik, 1826-1887) is best known as the +author of the popular novel <i>John Halifax, +Gentleman</i>.</div> + + +<h4><br />JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK</h4> + +<p>In the days of King Alfred there lived +a poor woman, whose cottage was in a +remote country village, many miles from +London. She had been a widow some +years, and had an only child named Jack, +whom she indulged so much that he +never paid the least attention to anything +she said, but was indolent, careless, +and extravagant. His follies were not +owing to a bad disposition, but to his +mother's foolish partiality. By degrees +he spent all that she had—scarcely anything +remained but a cow.</p> + +<p>One day, for the first time in her life, +she reproached him: "Cruel, cruel boy! +you have at last brought me to beggary. +I have not money enough to purchase +even a bit of bread; nothing now remains +to sell but my poor cow! I am sorry +to part with her; it grieves me sadly, but +we cannot starve."</p> + +<p>For a few minutes Jack felt remorse, +but it was soon over, and he began asking +his mother to let him sell the cow at +the next village, teasing her so much +that she at last consented. As he was +going along he met a butcher, who +inquired why he was driving the cow +from home. Jack replied that he was +going to sell her. The butcher held some +curious beans in his hat; they were of +various colors, and attracted Jack's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +attention. This did not pass unnoticed +by the man, who, knowing Jack's easy +temper, thought now was the time to +take an advantage of it; and, determined +not to let slip so good an opportunity, +asked what was the price of the +cow, offering at the same time all the +beans in his hat for her. The silly boy +could not conceal the pleasure he felt +at what he supposed so great an offer. +The bargain was struck instantly, and +the cow exchanged for a few paltry +beans. Jack made the best of his way +home, calling aloud to his mother before +he reached the door, thinking to surprise +her.</p> + +<p>When she saw the beans, and heard +Jack's account, her patience quite forsook +her. She tossed the beans out of the +window, where they fell on the garden-bed +below. Then she threw her apron +over her head, and cried bitterly. Jack +attempted to console her, but in vain, +and, not having anything to eat, they +both went supperless to bed.</p> + +<p>Jack awoke early in the morning, and +seeing something uncommon darkening +the window of his bed-chamber, ran +down stairs into the garden, where he +found some of the beans had taken +root and sprung up surprisingly. The +stalks were of an immense thickness, and +had twined together until they formed a +ladder like a chain, and so high that the +top appeared to be lost in the clouds.</p> + +<p>Jack was an adventurous lad; he +determined to climb up to the top, and +ran to tell his mother, not doubting but +that she would be equally pleased with +himself. She declared he should not +go; said it would break her heart if +he did; entreated and threatened, but +all in vain. Jack set out, and after +climbing for some hours reached the top +of the bean-stalk, quite exhausted. Looking +around, he found himself in a strange +country. It appeared to be a barren +desert; not a tree, shrub, house, or living +creature was to be seen; here and there +were scattered fragments of stone, and +at unequal distances small heaps of earth +were loosely thrown together.</p> + +<p>Jack seated himself pensively upon a +block of stone and thought of his mother. +He reflected with sorrow upon his disobedience +in climbing the bean-stalk +against her will, and concluded that he +must die of hunger. However, he walked +on, hoping to see a house where he might +beg something to eat and drink. He +did not find it; but he saw at a distance +a beautiful lady walking all alone. She +was elegantly clad, and carried a white +wand, at the top of which sat a peacock +of pure gold.</p> + +<p>Jack, who was a gallant fellow, went +straight up to her, when, with a bewitching +smile, she asked him how he came +there. He told her all about the bean-stalk. +The lady answered him by a +question, "Do you remember your father, +young man?"</p> + +<p>"No, madam; but I am sure there is +some mystery about him, for when I +name him to my mother she always +begins to weep and will tell me nothing."</p> + +<p>"She dare not," replied the lady, "but +I can and will. For know, young man, +that I am a fairy, and was your father's +guardian. But fairies are bound by +laws as well as mortals; and by an error +of mine I lost my power for a term of +years, so that I was unable to succor +your father when he most needed it, +and he died." Here the fairy looked so +sorrowful that Jack's heart warmed to +her, and he begged her earnestly to tell +him more.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I will; only you must promise to +obey me in everything, or you will +perish yourself."</p> + +<p>Jack was brave, and, besides, his +fortunes were so bad they could not +well be worse,—so he promised.</p> + +<p>The fairy continued: "Your father, +Jack, was a most excellent, amiable, +generous man. He had a good wife, +faithful servants, plenty of money; but +he had one misfortune—a false friend. +This was a giant, whom he had succored +in misfortune, and who returned his +kindness by murdering him and seizing +on all his property; also making your +mother take a solemn oath that she +would never tell you anything about +your father, or he would murder both +her and you. Then he turned her off +with you in her arms, to wander about +the wide world as she might. I could +not help her, as my power only returned +on the day you went to sell your cow.</p> + +<p>"It was I," added the fairy, "who +impelled you to take the beans, who +made the bean-stalk grow, and inspired +you with the desire to climb up it to +this strange country; for it is here the +wicked giant lives who was your father's +destroyer. It is you who must avenge +him, and rid the world of a monster who +never will do anything but evil. I will +assist you. You may lawfully take +possession of his house and all his riches, +for everything he has belonged to your +father, and is therefore yours. Now, +farewell! Do not let your mother know +you are acquainted with your father's +history; this is my command, and if +you disobey me you will suffer for it. +Now go."</p> + +<p>Jack asked where he was to go.</p> + +<p>"Along the direct road, till you see +the house where the giant lives. You +must then act according to your own +just judgment, and I will guide you if +any difficulty arises. Farewell!"</p> + +<p>She bestowed on the youth a benignant +smile, and vanished.</p> + +<p>Jack pursued his journey. He walked +on till after sunset, when, to his great +joy, he espied a large mansion. A plain-looking +woman was at the door. He +accosted her, begging she would give +him a morsel of bread and a night's +lodging. She expressed the greatest surprise, +and said it was quite uncommon +to see a human being near their house; +for it was well known that her husband +was a powerful giant, who would never +eat anything but human flesh, if he could +possibly get it; that he would walk +fifty miles to procure it, usually being +out the whole day for that purpose.</p> + +<p>This account greatly terrified Jack, +but still he hoped to elude the giant, +and therefore he again entreated the +woman to take him in for one night +only, and hide him where she thought +proper. She at last suffered herself to +be persuaded, for she was of a compassionate +and generous disposition, and +took him into the house. First, they +entered a fine large hall, magnificently +furnished; they then passed through +several spacious rooms, in the same style +of grandeur; but all appeared forsaken +and desolate. A long gallery came next, +it was very dark, just light enough to +show that instead of a wall on one side, +there was a grating of iron which parted +off a dismal dungeon, from whence +issued the groans of those victims whom +the cruel giant reserved in confinement +for his own voracious appetite.</p> + +<p>Poor Jack was half dead with fear, and +would have given the world to have been +with his mother again, for he now began<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +to doubt if he should ever see her more; +he even mistrusted the good woman, and +thought she had let him into the house +for no other purpose than to lock him +up among the unfortunate people in the +dungeon. However, she bade Jack sit +down, and gave him plenty to eat and +drink; and he, not seeing anything to +make him uncomfortable, soon forgot +his fear, and was just beginning to enjoy +himself, when he was startled by a loud +knocking at the outer door, which made +the whole house shake.</p> + +<p>"Ah! that's the giant; and if he sees +you he will kill you and me too," cried +the poor woman, trembling all over. +"What shall I do?"</p> + +<p>"Hide me in the oven," cried Jack, +now as bold as a lion at the thought of +being face to face with his father's cruel +murderer. So he crept into the oven—for +there was no fire near it—and listened +to the giant's loud voice and heavy step +as he went up and down the kitchen +scolding his wife. At last he seated +himself at the table, and Jack, peeping +through a crevice in the oven, was +amazed to see what a quantity of food +he devoured. It seemed as if he never +would have done eating and drinking; +but he did at last, and, leaning back, +called to his wife in a voice like thunder:</p> + +<p>"Bring me my hen!"</p> + +<p>She obeyed, and placed upon the +table a very beautiful live hen.</p> + +<p>"Lay!" roared the giant, and the hen +laid immediately an egg of solid gold.</p> + +<p>"Lay another!" and every time the +giant said this the hen laid a larger egg +than before.</p> + +<p>He amused himself a long time with +his hen, and then sent his wife to bed, +while he fell asleep by the fireside, and +snored like the roaring of cannon.</p> + +<p>As soon as he was asleep Jack crept +out of the oven, seized the hen, and ran +off with her. He got safely out of the +house, and finding his way along the +road he had come, reached the top of +the bean-stalk, which he descended in +safety.</p> + +<p>His mother was overjoyed to see +him. She thought he had come to some +ill end.</p> + +<p>"Not a bit of it, mother. Look here!" +and he showed her the hen. "Now lay!" +and the hen obeyed him as readily as +the giant, and laid as many golden eggs +as he desired.</p> + +<p>These eggs being sold, Jack and his +mother got plenty of money, and for +some months lived very happily together; +till Jack got another great longing to +climb the bean-stalk and carry away +some more of the giant's riches. He +had told his mother of his adventure, +but had been very careful not to say +a word about his father. He thought +of his journey again and again, but still +he could not summon resolution enough +to break it to his mother, being well +assured that she would endeavor to +prevent his going. However, one day +he told her boldly that he must take +another journey up the bean-stalk. She +begged and prayed him not to think of +it, and tried all in her power to dissuade +him. She told him that the giant's wife +would certainly know him again, and +that the giant would desire nothing +better than to get him into his power, +that he might put him to a cruel death +in order to be revenged for the loss of +his hen. Jack, finding that all his arguments +were useless, ceased speaking, +though resolved to go at all events. He +had a dress prepared which would disguise +him, and something to color his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +skin. He thought it impossible for any +one to recollect him in this dress.</p> + +<p>A few mornings after, he rose very +early, and, unperceived by any one, +climbed the bean-stalk a second time. +He was greatly fatigued when he reached +the top, and very hungry. Having +rested some time on one of the stones, +he pursued his journey to the giant's +mansion, which he reached late in the +evening. The woman was at the door +as before. Jack addressed her, at the +same time telling her a pitiful tale, and +requesting that she would give him +some victuals and drink, and also a +night's lodging.</p> + +<p>She told him (what he knew before +very well) about her husband's being a +powerful and cruel giant, and also that +she had one night admitted a poor, +hungry, friendless boy; that the little +ungrateful fellow had stolen one of the +giant's treasures; and ever since that +her husband had been worse than before, +using her very cruelly, and continually +upbraiding her with being the cause of +his misfortune.</p> + +<p>Jack felt sorry for her, but confessed +nothing, and did his best to persuade +her to admit him, but found it a very +hard task. At last she consented, and +as she led the way, Jack observed that +everything was just as he had found it +before. She took him into the kitchen, +and after he had done eating and drinking, +she hid him in an old lumber-closet.</p> + +<p>The giant returned at the usual time, +and walked in so heavily that the house +was shaken to its foundation. He seated +himself by the fire, and soon after +exclaimed, "Wife, I smell fresh meat!"</p> + +<p>The wife replied it was the crows, +which had brought a piece of raw meat +and left it at the top of the house. While +supper was preparing, the giant was very +ill-tempered and impatient, frequently +lifting up his hand to strike his wife +for not being quick enough. He was +also continually upbraiding her with the +loss of his wonderful hen.</p> + +<p>At last, having ended his supper, he +cried, "Give me something to amuse +me—my harp or my money-bags."</p> + +<p>"Which will you have, my dear?" +said the wife humbly.</p> + +<p>"My money-bags, because they are +the heaviest to carry," thundered he.</p> + +<p>She brought them, staggering under +the weight; two bags—one filled with +new guineas, and the other with new +shillings. She emptied them out on the +table, and the giant began counting +them in great glee. "Now you may +go to bed, you old fool." So the wife +crept away.</p> + +<p>Jack from his hiding-place watched +the counting of the money, which he +knew was his poor father's, and wished +it was his own; it would give him much +less trouble than going about selling the +golden eggs. The giant, little thinking +he was so narrowly observed, reckoned +it all up, and then replaced it in the two +bags, which he tied up very carefully +and put beside his chair, with his little +dog to guard them. At last he fell +asleep as before, and snored so loud +that Jack compared his noise to the +roaring of the sea in a high wind when +the tide is coming in.</p> + +<p>At last Jack, concluding all secure, +stole out, in order to carry off the two +bags of money; but just as he laid his +hands upon one of them, the little dog, +which he had not seen before, started +from under the giant's chair and barked +most furiously. Instead of endeavoring +to escape, Jack stood still, though<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +expecting his enemy to awake every +instant. Contrary, however, to his +expectation, the giant continued in a +sound sleep, and Jack, seeing a piece of +meat, threw it to the dog, who at once +ceased barking and began to devour it. +So Jack carried off the bags, one on each +shoulder, but they were so heavy that +it took him two whole days to descend +the bean-stalk and get back to his +mother's door.</p> + +<p>When he came he found the cottage +deserted. He ran from one room to +another, without being able to find any +one. He then hastened into the village, +hoping to see some of the neighbors who +could inform him where he could find +his mother. An old woman at last +directed him to a neighboring house, +where she was ill of a fever. He was +greatly shocked at finding her apparently +dying, and blamed himself bitterly as the +cause of it all. However, at sight of her +dear son, the poor woman revived, and +slowly recovered health. Jack gave her +his two money-bags. They had the cottage +rebuilt and well furnished, and lived +happier than they had ever done before.</p> + +<p>For three years Jack heard no more of +the bean-stalk, but he could not forget +it, though he feared making his mother +unhappy. It was in vain endeavoring +to amuse himself; he became thoughtful, +and would arise at the first dawn of day, +and sit looking at the bean-stalk for +hours together.</p> + +<p>His mother saw that something preyed +upon his mind, and endeavored to discover +the cause; but Jack knew too well +what the consequence would be should +she succeed. He did his utmost, therefore, +to conquer the great desire he had +for another journey up the bean-stalk. +Finding, however, that his inclination +grew too powerful for him, he began to +make secret preparations for his journey. +He got ready a new disguise, better and +more complete than the former; and when +summer came, on the longest day he +woke as soon as it was light, and, without +telling his mother, ascended the bean-stalk. +He found, the road, journey, etc., +much as it was on the two former times. +He arrived at the giant's mansion in +the evening, and found the wife standing, +as usual, at the door. Jack had disguised +himself so completely that she did not +appear to have the least recollection of +him; however, when he pleaded hunger +and poverty in order to gain admittance, +he found it very difficult indeed to persuade +her. At last he prevailed, and was +concealed in the copper.</p> + +<p>When the giant returned, he said +furiously, "I smell fresh meat!" But +Jack felt quite composed, as he had +said so before and had been soon satisfied. +However, the giant started up suddenly, +and, notwithstanding all his wife could +say, he searched all round the room. +Whilst this was going forward, Jack was +exceedingly terrified, wishing himself at +home a thousand times; but when the +giant approached the copper, and put +his hand on the lid, Jack thought his +death was certain. However, nothing +happened; for the giant did not take +the trouble to lift up the lid, but sat +down shortly by the fireside and began +to eat his enormous supper. When he +had finished, he commanded his wife to +fetch down his harp.</p> + +<p>Jack peeped under the copper lid and +saw a most beautiful harp. The giant +placed it on the table, said, "Play!" +and it played of its own accord, without +anybody touching it, the most exquisite +music imaginable.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> + +<p>Jack, who was a very good musician, +was delighted, and more anxious to get +this than any other of his enemy's treasures. +But the giant not being particularly +fond of music, the harp had only +the effect of lulling him to sleep earlier +than usual. As for the wife, she had +gone to bed as soon as ever she could.</p> + +<p>As soon as he thought all was safe, +Jack got out of the copper, and, seizing +the harp, was eagerly running off with +it. But the harp was enchanted by a +fairy, and as soon as it found itself in +strange hands, it called out loudly, just +as if it had been alive, "Master! Master!"</p> + +<p>The giant awoke, started up, and saw +Jack scampering away as fast as his +legs could carry him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you villain! It is you who have +robbed me of my hen and my money-bags, +and now you are stealing my +harp also. Wait till I catch you, and +I'll eat you up alive!"</p> + +<p>"Very well; try!" shouted Jack, who +was not a bit afraid, for he saw the +giant was so tipsy he could hardly stand, +much less run; and he himself had +young legs and a clear conscience, which +carry a man a long way. So, after leading +the giant a considerable race, he +contrived to be first at the top of the +bean-stalk, and then scrambled down +it as fast as he could, the harp playing +all the while the most melancholy music, +till he said, "Stop"; and it stopped.</p> + +<p>Arrived at the bottom, he found his +mother sitting at her cottage door, +weeping silently.</p> + +<p>"Here, mother, don't cry; just give +me a hatchet; make haste." For he +knew there was not a moment to spare. +He saw the giant beginning to descend +the bean-stalk.</p> + +<p>However, it was too late—the monster's +ill deeds had come to an end. +Jack with his hatchet cut the bean-stalk +close off at the root; the giant +fell headlong into the garden, and was +killed on the spot.</p> + +<p>Instantly the fairy appeared and +explained everything to Jack's mother, +begging her to forgive Jack, who was +his father's own son for bravery and +generosity, and who would be sure to +make her happy for the rest of her days.</p> + +<p>So all ended well, and nothing was +ever more heard or seen of the wonderful +bean-stalk.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_158" id="Note_158">158</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Those wonder stories that concern themselves +with giants or with very little people have +always been favorites with children. Of +the little heroes Tom Thumb has always +held the center of the stage. His adventures +in one form or another are in the folk +tales of most European countries. He has +the honor of being the subject of a monograph +by the great French scholar Gaston +Paris. Hans Christian Andersen turned him +into a delightful little girl in his derivative +story of "Thumbelina." The English version +of "Tom Thumb" seems to have been +printed first in ballad form in the seventeenth +century, and later in many chapbook +versions in prose. Its plot takes the form +of a succession of marvelous accidents by +land and sea, limited only by the inventive +ingenuity of the story-teller. "According +to popular tradition Tom Thumb died at +Lincoln. . . . There was a little blue +flagstone in the pavement of the Minster +which was shown as Tom Thumb's monument, +and the country folks never failed +to marvel at it when they came to church +on the Assize Sunday; but during some of +the modern repairs which have been +inflicted on that venerable building, the flagstone +was displaced and lost, to the great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +discomfiture of the holiday visitants." +Thus wrote an ancient and learned scholar +in illustration of the tendency to give a +local habitation and a name to our favorite +fancies. The version of the story given by +Miss Mulock in her <i>Fairy Book</i> is the one +used here. It follows closely the rambling +events of the various chapbook and ballad +versions.</div> + + +<h4><br />TOM THUMB</h4> + +<p>In the days of King Arthur, Merlin, the +most learned enchanter of his time, was +on a journey; and being very weary, +stopped one day at the cottage of an +honest ploughman to ask for refreshment. +The ploughman's wife with great +civility immediately brought him some +milk in a wooden bowl and some brown +bread on a wooden platter.</p> + +<p>Merlin could not help observing that +although everything within the cottage +was particularly neat and clean and in +good order, the ploughman and his wife +had the most sorrowful air imaginable; +so he questioned them on the cause of +their melancholy and learned that they +were very miserable because they had +no children.</p> + +<p>The poor woman declared with tears +in her eyes that she should be the happiest +creature in the world if she had a +son, although he were no bigger than +his father's thumb.</p> + +<p>Merlin was much amused with the +notion of a boy no bigger than a man's +thumb, and as soon as he returned home +he sent for the queen of the fairies (with +whom he was very intimate) and related +to her the desire of the ploughman and +his wife to have a son the size of his +father's thumb. She liked the plan +exceedingly and declared their wish +should be speedily granted. Accordingly +the ploughman's wife had a son, +who in a few minutes grew as tall as his +father's thumb.</p> + +<p>The queen of the fairies came in at +the window as the mother was sitting +up in bed admiring the child. Her +majesty kissed the infant and, giving +it the name of Tom Thumb, immediately +summoned several fairies from +Fairyland to clothe her new little favorite.</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown;<br /> +His shirt it was by spiders spun;<br /> +With doublet wove of thistledown,<br /> +His trousers up with points were done;<br /> +His stockings, of apple-rind, they tie<br /> +With eye-lash plucked from his mother's eye,<br /> +His shoes were made of a mouse's skin,<br /> +Nicely tann'd with hair within."<br /> +</div> + +<p>Tom was never any bigger than his +father's thumb, which was not a large +thumb either; but as he grew older he +became very cunning, for which his +mother did not sufficiently correct him, +and by this ill quality he was often +brought into difficulties. For instance, +when he had learned to play with other +boys for cherry-stones and had lost all +his own, he used to creep into the boys' +bags, fill his pockets, and come out again +to play. But one day as he was getting +out of a bag of cherry-stones, the boy to +whom it belonged chanced to see him.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ha, my little Tom Thumb!" said +he, "have I caught you at your bad tricks +at last? Now I will reward you for +thieving." Then he drew the string +tight around Tom's neck and shook the +bag. The cherry-stones bruised Tom +Thumb's legs, thighs, and body sadly, +which made him beg to be let out and +promise never to be guilty of such things +any more.</p> + +<p>Shortly afterwards Tom's mother was +making a batter-pudding, and that he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +might see how she mixed it, he climbed on +the edge of the bowl; but his foot happening +to slip, he fell over head and ears into +the batter. His mother not observing +him, stirred him into the pudding and +popped him into the pot to boil. The +hot water made Tom kick and struggle; +and the mother, seeing the pudding jump +up and down in such a furious manner, +thought it was bewitched; and a tinker +coming by just at the time, she quickly +gave him the pudding. He put it into +his budget and walked on.</p> + +<p>As soon as Tom could get the batter +out of his mouth he began to cry aloud, +and so frightened the poor tinker that he +flung the pudding over the hedge and ran +away from it as fast as he could. The +pudding being broken to pieces by the +fall, Tom was released, and walked home +to his mother, who gave him a kiss and +put him to bed.</p> + +<p>Tom Thumb's mother once took him +with her when she went to milk the cow; +and it being a very windy day, she tied +him with a needleful of thread to a thistle, +that he might not be blown away. The +cow, liking his oak-leaf hat, took him +and the thistle up at one mouthful. +While the cow chewed the thistle, Tom, +terrified at her great teeth, which seemed +ready to crush him to pieces, roared, +"Mother, mother!" as loud as he could +bawl.</p> + +<p>"Where are you, Tommy, my dear +Tommy?" said the mother.</p> + +<p>"Here, mother, here in the red cow's +mouth."</p> + +<p>The mother began to cry and wring +her hands; but the cow, surprised at +such odd noises in her throat, opened +her mouth and let him drop out. His +mother clapped him into her apron and +ran home with him.</p> + +<p>Tom's father made him a whip of a +barley straw to drive the cattle with, and +one day when he was in the field he +slipped into a deep furrow. A raven +flying over picked him up with a grain +of corn and flew with him to the top +of a giant's castle by the seaside, where +he left him; and old Grumbo, the giant, +coming soon after to walk upon his +terrace, swallowed Tom like a pill, +clothes and all.</p> + +<p>Tom presently made the giant very +uncomfortable, and he threw him up +into the sea. A great fish then swallowed +him. The fish was soon after +caught, and sent as a present to King +Arthur. When it was cut open, everybody +was delighted with little Tom +Thumb. The king made him his dwarf; +he was the favorite of the whole court, +and by his merry pranks often amused +the queen and the knights of the Round +Table.</p> + +<p>The king, when he rode on horse-back, +frequently took Tom in his hand; and +if a shower of rain came on, he used to +creep into the king's waist-coat pocket +and sleep till the rain was over. The +king also sometimes questioned Tom concerning +his parents; and when Tom +informed his majesty they were very +poor people, the king led him into his +treasury and told him he should pay his +friends a visit and take with him as +much money as he could carry. Tom +procured a little purse, and putting a +threepenny piece into it, with much +labor and difficulty got it upon his back; +and, after travelling two days and nights, +arrived at his father's house.</p> + +<p>When his mother met him at the door, +he was almost tired to death, having in +forty-eight hours traveled almost half +a mile with a huge silver threepence<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +upon his back. Both his parents were +glad to see him, especially when he had +brought such an amazing sum of money +with him. They placed him in a walnut-shell +by the fireside and feasted him for +three days upon a hazel-nut, which made +him sick, for a whole nut usually served +him for a month.</p> + +<p>Tom got well, but could not travel +because it had rained; therefore his +mother took him in her hand, and with +one puff blew him into King Arthur's +court, where Tom entertained the king, +queen, and nobility at tilts and tournaments, +at which he exerted himself so +much that he brought on a fit of sickness, +and his life was despaired of.</p> + +<p>At this juncture the queen of the fairies +came in a chariot, drawn by flying mice, +placed Tom by her side, and drove +through the air without stopping till +they arrived at her palace. After restoring +him to health and permitting him +to enjoy all the gay diversions of Fairyland, +she commanded a fair wind, and, +placing Tom before it, blew him straight +to the court of King Arthur. But just +as Tom should have alighted in the +courtyard of the palace, the cook happened +to pass along with the king's +great bowl of furmenty (King Arthur +loved furmenty), and poor Tom Thumb +fell plump into the middle of it and +splashed the hot furmenty into the cook's +eyes. Down went the bowl.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried Tom.</p> + +<p>"Murder! murder!" bellowed the cook; +and away poured the king's nice furmenty +into the kennel.</p> + +<p>The cook was a red-faced, cross fellow, +and swore to the king that Tom had +done it out of mere mischief; so he was +taken up, tried, and sentenced to be +beheaded. Tom hearing this dreadful +sentence and seeing a miller stand by +with his mouth wide open, he took a +good spring and jumped down the miller's +throat, unperceived by all, even the +miller himself.</p> + +<p>Tom being lost, the court broke up, +and away went the miller to his mill. +But Tom did not leave him long at rest; +he began to roll and tumble about, so +that the miller thought himself bewitched +and sent for a doctor. When the doctor +came, Tom began to dance and sing. +The doctor was as much frightened as +the miller and sent in great haste for +five more doctors and twenty learned +men.</p> + +<p>While all these were debating upon +the affair, the miller (for they were very +tedious) happened to yawn, and Tom, +taking the opportunity, made another +jump and alighted on his feet in the +middle of the table. The miller, provoked +to be thus tormented by such a +little creature, fell into a great passion, +caught hold of Tom, and threw him out +of the window into the river. A large +salmon swimming by snapped him up in +a minute. The salmon was soon caught +and sold in the market to a steward of +a lord. The lord, thinking it an uncommonly +fine fish, made a present of it to +the king, who ordered it to be dressed +immediately. When the cook cut open +the salmon he found poor Tom and ran +with him directly to the king; but the +king, being busy with state affairs, desired +that he might be brought another day.</p> + +<p>The cook, resolving to keep him safely +this time, as he had so lately given him +the slip, clapped him into a mouse-trap +and left him to amuse himself by peeping +through the wires for a whole week. +When the king sent for him, he forgave +him for throwing down the furmenty,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +ordered him new clothes, and knighted +him.</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"His shirt was made of butterflies' wings;<br /> +His boots were made of chicken skins,<br /> +His coat and breeches were made with pride,<br /> +A tailor's needle hung by his side;<br /> +A mouse for a horse he used to ride."<br /> +</div> + +<p>Thus dressed and mounted, he rode +a-hunting with the king and nobility, +who all laughed heartily at Tom and his +prancing steed. As they rode by a farm-house +one day, a cat jumped from behind +the door, seized the mouse and little Tom, +and began to devour the mouse; however, +Tom boldly drew his sword and +attacked the cat, who then let him fall. +The king and his nobles, seeing Tom +falling, went to his assistance, and one +of the lords caught him in his hat; but +poor Tom was sadly scratched, and his +clothes were torn by the claws of the +cat. In this condition he was carried +home, and a bed of down was made for +him in a little ivory cabinet.</p> + +<p>The queen of the fairies came and +took him again to Fairyland, where she +kept him for some years; and then, +dressing him in bright green, sent him +flying once more through the air to the +earth, in the days of King Thunstone. +The people flocked far and near to look +at him; and the king, before whom he +was carried, asked him who he was, +whence he came, and where he lived? +Tom answered:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"My name is Tom Thumb;<br /> +From the fairies I come;<br /> +When King Arthur shone,<br /> +This court was my home;<br /> +In me he delighted;<br /> +By him I was knighted.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Did you ever hear of</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sir Thomas Thumb?"</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>The king was so charmed with this +address that he ordered a little chair to +be made, in order that Tom might sit +on his table, and also a palace of gold a +span high with a door an inch wide, for +little Tom to live in. He also gave him +a coach drawn by six small mice. This +made the queen angry, because she had +not a new coach too; therefore, resolving +to ruin Tom, she complained to the king +that he had behaved very insolently to +her. The king sent for him in a rage. +Tom, to escape his fury, crept into an +empty snail-shell and there lay till he +was almost starved; then, peeping out +of the hole, he saw a fine butterfly settle +on the ground. He then ventured out, +and getting astride, the butterfly took +wing and mounted into the air with little +Tom on his back. Away he flew from +field to field, from tree to tree, till at +last he flew to the king's court. The +king, queen, and nobles all strove to +catch the butterfly, but could not. At +length poor Tom, having neither bridle +nor saddle, slipped from his seat and +fell into a watering-pot, where he was +found almost drowned.</p> + +<p>The queen vowed he should be guillotined; +but while the guillotine was getting +ready, he was secured once more in a +mousetrap. The cat, seeing something +stir and supposing it to be a mouse, +patted the trap about till she broke it +and set Tom at liberty.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards a spider, taking him +for a fly, made at him. Tom drew his +sword and fought valiantly, but the +spider's poisonous breath overcame him:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"He fell dead on the ground where late he had stood,<br /> +And the spider suck'd up the last drop of his blood."<br /> +</div> + +<p>King Thunstone and his whole court +went into mourning for little Tom<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +Thumb. They buried him under a +rosebush and raised a nice white marble +monument over his grave, with the +following epitaph:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Here lies Tom Thumb, King Arthur's knight,<br /> +Who died by a spider's cruel bite.<br /> +He was well known in Arthur's court,<br /> +Where he afforded gallant sport;<br /> +He rode at tilt and tournament,<br /> +And on a mouse a-hunting went.<br /> +Alive he fill'd the court with mirth,<br /> +His death to sorrow soon gave birth.<br /> +Wipe, wipe your eyes, and shake your head,<br /> +And cry, 'Alas! Tom Thumb is dead.'"<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_159" id="Note_159">159</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This chapbook form of the famous "Whittington +and His Cat" is the one reprinted by +Hartland in his <i>English Fairy and Folk +Tales</i>. It goes back to the early eighteenth +century. Sir Richard Whittington, at +least, was a historical character and served +his first term as Lord Mayor of London in +1397. Like most popular stories, this one +of a fortune due to a cat is common to all +Europe. Mr. Clouston, in the second +volume of his <i>Popular Tales and Fictions</i>, +outlines a number of these stories, and even +points out a Persian parallel of an earlier +date than the birth of Sir Richard. Just +how this very prosperous business man of +London, who was never in reality a poor +boy, came to be adopted as the hero of the +English version of this romantic tale has +never been made clear. Probably it was +due to the common tendency of the folk in +all lands to attribute unusual success in any +field to other than ordinary causes. However +that may be, it is certainly true that +no story more completely satisfies the ideal +of complete success for children than this +"History of Sir Richard Whittington." +Mr. Jacobs calls attention to the interesting +fact that the chapbook places the introduction +of the potato into England rather far +back!</div> + + +<h4><br />WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT</h4> + +<p>In the reign of the famous King +Edward III, there was a little boy called +Dick Whittington, whose father and +mother died when he was very young, so +that he remembered nothing at all about +them and was left a ragged little fellow, +running about a country village. As +poor Dick was not old enough to work, +he was very badly off; he got but little +for his dinner and sometimes nothing at +all for his breakfast, for the people who +lived in the village were very poor indeed +and could not spare him much more than +the parings of potatoes and now and then +a hard crust of bread.</p> + +<p>For all this, Dick Whittington was a +very sharp boy and was always listening +to what everybody talked about. On +Sunday he was sure to get near the +farmers as they sat talking on the tombstones +in the churchyard before the parson +was come; and once a week you +might see little Dick leaning against the +sign post of the village alehouse, where +people stopped to drink as they came +from the next market town; and when +the barber's shop door was open, Dick +listened to all the news that his customers +told one another.</p> + +<p>In this manner Dick heard a great +many very strange things about the city +called London; for the foolish country +people at that time thought that folks +in London were all fine gentlemen and +ladies, and that there was singing and +music there all day long, and that the +streets were all paved with gold.</p> + +<p>One day a large wagon and eight horses, +all with bells at their heads, drove +through the village while Dick was standing +by the signpost. He thought that +this wagon must be going to the fine<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +town of London; so he took courage and +asked the wagoner to let him walk with +him by the side of the wagon. As soon +as the wagoner heard that poor Dick +had no father or mother and saw by his +ragged clothes that he could not be worse +off than he was, he told him he might go +if he would, so they set off together.</p> + +<p>I could never find out how little Dick +contrived to get meat and drink on the +road, nor how he could walk so far, for +it was a long way, nor what he did at +night for a place to lie down to sleep in. +Perhaps some good-natured people in the +towns that he passed through, when they +saw he was a poor little ragged boy, gave +him something to eat; and perhaps the +wagoner let him get into the wagon at +night and take a nap upon one of the +boxes or large parcels in the wagon.</p> + +<p>Dick, however, got safe to London and +was in such a hurry to see the fine streets +paved all over with gold that I am afraid +he did not even stay to thank the kind +wagoner, but ran off as fast as his legs +would carry him through many of the +streets, thinking every moment to come +to those that were paved with gold, for +Dick had seen a guinea three times in his +own little village and remembered what +a deal of money it brought in change; so +he thought he had nothing to do but to +take up some little bits of the pavement +and should then have as much money as +he could wish for.</p> + +<p>Poor Dick ran till he was tired and had +quite forgotten his friend the wagoner; +but at last, finding it grow dark and that +every way he turned he saw nothing but +dirt instead of gold, he sat down in a dark +corner and cried himself to sleep.</p> + +<p>Little Dick was all night in the streets; +and next morning, being very hungry, he +got up and walked about and asked everybody +he met to give him a halfpenny to +keep him from starving. But nobody +stayed to answer him, and only two or +three gave him a halfpenny; so that the +poor boy was soon quite weak and faint +for the want of victuals.</p> + +<p>At last a good-natured looking gentleman +saw how hungry he looked. "Why +don't you go to work, my lad?" said he +to Dick.</p> + +<p>"That I would, but I do not know how +to get any," answered Dick.</p> + +<p>"If you are willing, come along with +me," said the gentleman, and took him +to a hay-field, where Dick worked briskly +and lived merrily till the hay was made.</p> + +<p>After this he found himself as badly off +as before; and being almost starved again, +he laid himself down at the door of Mr. +Fitzwarren, a rich merchant. Here he +was soon seen by the cook-maid, who was +an ill-tempered creature and happened +just then to be very busy dressing dinner +for her master and mistress; so she called +out to poor Dick: "What business +have you there, you lazy rogue? There is +nothing else but beggars. If you do not +take yourself away, we will see how you +will like a sousing of some dish water; I +have some here hot enough to make you +jump."</p> + +<p>Just at that time Mr. Fitzwarren himself +came home to dinner; and when he +saw a dirty ragged boy lying at the door, +he said to him: "Why do you lie there, +my boy? You seem old enough to work. +I am afraid you are inclined to be lazy."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed, sir," said Dick to him, +"that is not the case, for I would work +with all my heart, but I do not know +anybody, and I believe I am very sick +for the want of food."</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow, get up; let me see what +ails you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> + +<p>Dick then tried to rise, but was obliged +to lie down again, being too weak to +stand, for he had not eaten any food for +three days and was no longer able to +run about and beg a halfpenny of people +in the street. So the kind merchant +ordered him to be taken into the house, +and have a good dinner given him, and +be kept to do what dirty work he was +able for the cook.</p> + +<p>Little Dick would have lived very +happy in this good family if it had not +been for the ill-natured cook, who was +finding fault and scolding him from +morning to night, and besides she was so +fond of basting that when she had no +meat to baste she would baste poor +Dick's head and shoulders with a broom +or anything else that happened to fall in +her way. At last her ill-usage of him +was told to Alice, Mr. Fitzwarren's +daughter, who told the cook she should +be turned away if she did not treat him +kinder.</p> + +<p>The ill-humor of the cook was now a +little amended; but besides this Dick had +another hardship to get over. His bed +stood in a garret where there were so +many holes in the floor and the walls +that every night he was tormented with +rats and mice. A gentleman having +given Dick a penny for cleaning his shoes, +he thought he would buy a cat with it. +The next day he saw a girl with a cat +and asked her if she would let him have +it for a penny. The girl said she would +and at the same time told him the cat +was an excellent mouser.</p> + +<p>Dick hid his cat in the garret and +always took care to carry a part of his +dinner to her, and in a short time he had +no more trouble with the rats and mice, +but slept quite sound every night.</p> + +<p>Soon after this his master had a ship +ready to sail; and as he thought it right +that all his servants should have some +chance for good fortune as well as himself, +he called them all into the parlor +and asked them what they would send out.</p> + +<p>They all had something that they were +willing to venture except poor Dick, who +had neither money nor goods, and therefore +could send nothing.</p> + +<p>For this reason he did not come into +the parlor with the rest; but Miss Alice +guessed what was the matter and ordered +him to be called in. She then said she +would lay down some money for him +from her own purse; but the father told +her this would not do, for it must be something +of his own.</p> + +<p>When poor Dick heard this, he said he +had nothing but a cat which he bought +for a penny some time since of a little +girl.</p> + +<p>"Fetch your cat then, my good boy," +said Mr. Fitzwarren, "and let her go."</p> + +<p>Dick went up stairs and brought down +poor puss, with tears in his eyes, and +gave her to the captain, for he said he +should now be kept awake again all night +by the rats and mice.</p> + +<p>All the company laughed at Dick's odd +venture; and Miss Alice, who felt pity for +the poor boy, gave him some money to +buy another cat.</p> + +<p>This and many other marks of kindness +shown him by Miss Alice made the ill-tempered +cook jealous of poor Dick, and +she began to use him more cruelly than +ever and always made game of him for +sending his cat to sea. She asked him +if he thought his cat would sell for as +much money as would buy a stick to beat +him.</p> + +<p>At last poor Dick could not bear this +usage any longer, and he thought he +would run away from his place; so he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +packed up his few things and started very +early in the morning on All-hallows Day, +which is the first of November. He +walked as far as Holloway, and there sat +down on a stone, which to this day is +called Whittington's stone, and began +to think to himself which road he should +take as he proceeded.</p> + +<p>While he was thinking what he should +do, the Bells of Bow Church, which at +that time had only six, began to ring, +and he fancied their sound seemed to say +to him:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Turn again, Whittington,<br /> +Lord Mayor of London."<br /> +</div> + +<p>"Lord Mayor of London!" said he to +himself. "Why, to be sure, I would put +up with almost anything now to be Lord +Mayor of London and ride in a fine +coach when I grow to be a man! Well, +I will go back and think nothing of the +cuffing and scolding of the old cook if I +am to be Lord Mayor of London at last."</p> + +<p>Dick went back and was lucky enough +to get into the house and set about his +work before the old cook came downstairs.</p> + +<p>The ship, with the cat on board, was a +long time at sea, and was at last driven +by the winds on a part of the coast of +Barbary where the only people were the +Moors, whom the English had never +known before.</p> + +<p>The people then came in great numbers +to see the sailors, who were of different +color from themselves, and treated them +very civilly, and when they became better +acquainted were very eager to buy the +fine things that the ship was loaded +with.</p> + +<p>When the captain saw this, he sent +patterns of the best things he had to the +king of the country, who was so much +pleased with them that he sent for the +captain to the palace. Here they were +placed, as it is the custom of the country, +on rich carpets marked with gold and +silver flowers. The king and queen +were seated at the upper end of the room, +and a number of dishes were brought in +for dinner. When they had sat but a +short time, a vast number of rats and +mice rushed in, helping themselves from +almost every dish. The captain wondered +at this and asked if these vermin +were not very unpleasant.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," said they, "very offensive; +and the king would give half his treasure +to be freed of them, for they not only +destroy his dinner, as you see, but they +assault him in his chamber and even in +bed, so that he is obliged to be watched +while he is sleeping for fear of them."</p> + +<p>The captain jumped for joy; he remembered +poor Whittington and his cat and +told the king he had a creature on board +the ship that would dispatch all these +vermin immediately. The king's heart +heaved so high at the joy which this news +gave him that his turban dropped off his +head. "Bring this creature to me," +says he; "vermin are dreadful in a court, +and if she will perform what you say, I +will load your ship with gold and jewels +in exchange for her."</p> + +<p>The captain, who knew his business, +took this opportunity to set forth the +merits of Mrs. Puss. He told his majesty +that it would be inconvenient to part +with her, as, when she was gone, the rats +and mice might destroy the goods in the +ship—but to oblige his majesty he +would fetch her. "Run, run!" said the +queen; "I am impatient to see the dear +creature."</p> + +<p>Away went the captain to the ship, +while another dinner was got ready. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +put puss under his arm and arrived at +the palace soon enough to see the table +full of rats.</p> + +<p>When the cat saw them, she did not +wait for bidding, but jumped out of the +captain's arms and in a few minutes laid +almost all the rats and mice dead at her +feet. The rest of them in their fright +scampered away to their holes.</p> + +<p>The king and queen were quite charmed +to get so easily rid of such plagues and +desired that the creature who had done +them so great a kindness might be +brought to them for inspection. The +captain called, "Pussy, pussy, pussy!" +and she came to him. He then presented +her to the queen, who started back and +was afraid to touch a creature who had +made such a havoc among the rats and +mice. However, when the captain stroked +the cat and called, "Pussy, pussy," the +queen also touched her and cried, "Putty, +putty," for she had not learned English. +He then put her down on the queen's lap; +where she, purring, played with her majesty's +hand and then sang herself to sleep.</p> + +<p>The king, having seen the exploits of +Mrs. Puss and being informed that she +was with young and would stock the whole +country, bargained with the captain for +the whole ship's cargo and then gave +him ten times as much for the cat as +all the rest amounted to.</p> + +<p>The captain then took leave of the +royal party and set sail with a fair wind +for England, and after a happy voyage +arrived safe in London.</p> + +<p>One morning when Mr. Fitzwarren had +just come to his counting-house and +seated himself at the desk, somebody +came tap, tap, at the door. "Who's +there?" says Mr. Fitzwarren.</p> + +<p>"A friend," answered the other; "I +come to bring you good news of your +ship <i>Unicorn</i>." The merchant, bustling +up instantly, opened the door, and who +should be seen waiting but the captain +with a cabinet of jewels and a bill of +lading, for which the merchant lifted up +his eyes and thanked heaven for sending +him such a prosperous voyage.</p> + +<p>They then told the story of the cat +and showed the rich present that the +king and queen had sent for her to poor +Dick. As soon as the merchant heard +this, he called out to his servants:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Go fetch him—we will tell him of the same;<br /> +Pray call him Mr. Whittington by name."<br /> +</div> + +<p>Mr. Fitzwarren now showed himself +to be a good man; for when some of +his servants said so great a treasure was +too much for him, he answered, "God +forbid I should deprive him of the value +of a single penny."</p> + +<p>He then sent for Dick, who at that +time was scouring pots for the cook and +was quite dirty.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fitzwarren ordered a chair to be +set for him, and so he began to think +they were making game of him, at the +same time begging them not to play +tricks with a poor simple boy, but to +let him go down again, if they pleased, +to his work.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, Mr. Whittington," said the +merchant, "we are all quite in earnest +with you, and I most heartily rejoice in +the news these gentlemen have brought +you, for the captain has sold your cat +to the King of Barbary and brought you +in return for her more riches than I +possess in the whole world; and I wish +you may long enjoy them!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Fitzwarren then told the men to +open the great treasure they had brought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +with them, and said, "Mr. Whittington +has nothing to do but to put it in some +place of safety."</p> + +<p>Poor Dick hardly knew how to behave +himself for joy. He begged his master +to take what part of it he pleased, since +he owed it all to his kindness. "No, no," +answered Mr. Fitzwarren, "this is all +your own, and I have no doubt but you +will use it well."</p> + +<p>Dick next asked his mistress, and then +Miss Alice, to accept a part of his good +fortune; but they would not, and at the +same time told him they felt great joy +at his good success. But this poor fellow +was too kind-hearted to keep it all +to himself; so he made a present to the +captain, the mate, and the rest of Mr. +Fitzwarren's servants, and even to the +ill-natured old cook.</p> + +<p>After this Mr. Fitzwarren advised him +to send for a proper tradesman and get +himself dressed like a gentleman, and +told him he was welcome to live in his +house till he could provide himself with +a better.</p> + +<p>When Whittington's face was washed, +his hair curled, and his hat cocked, and +he was dressed in a nice suit of clothes, +he was as handsome and genteel as any +young man who visited at Mr. Fitzwarren's; +so that Miss Alice, who had +once been so kind to him and thought +of him with pity, now looked upon him +as fit to be her sweetheart; and the +more so, no doubt, because Whittington +was now always thinking what he could +do to oblige her and making her the +prettiest presents that could be.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fitzwarren soon saw their love +for each other and proposed to join them +in marriage, and to this they both readily +agreed. A day for the wedding was soon +fixed; and they were attended to church +by the Lord Mayor, the court of aldermen, +the sheriffs, and a great number of +the richest merchants in London, whom +they afterwards treated with a very rich +feast.</p> + +<p>History tells us that Mr. Whittington +and his lady lived in great splendor and +were very happy. They had several +children. He was Sheriff of London, +also Mayor, and received the honor of +knighthood by Henry V.</p> + +<p>The figure of Sir Richard Whittington +with his cat in his arms, carved in stone, +was to be seen till the year 1780 over +the archway of the old prison of Newgate +that stood across Newgate Street.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_160" id="Note_160">160</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The next story came from Suffolk, England, +and the original is in the pronounced dialect +of that county. Mr. Jacobs thinks it one +of the best folk tales ever collected. The +version given follows Jacobs in reducing the +dialect. There is enough left, however, +to raise the question of the use of dialect +in stories for children. Some modern versions +eliminate the dialect altogether. It +is certain that the retention of some of the +qualities of the folk-telling makes it more +dramatically effective and appropriate. +The original form of the story may be seen +in Hartland's <i>English Fairy and Folk Tales</i>. +Teachers should feel free to use their judgment +as to the best form in which to tell +a story to children. Name-guessing stories +are very common, and may be "a 'survival' +of the superstition that to know a +man's name gives you power over him, +for which reason savages object to tell their +names." The Grimm story of "Rumpelstiltskin" +is the best known of many variants +(No. <a href="#Note_178">178</a>). "Tom Tit Tot" has a +rude vigor and dramatic force not in the +continental versions, and it will be interesting +to compare it with the Grimm tale.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +Jacobs suggests that "it may be necessary +to explain to the little ones that Tom Tit +can be referred to only as 'that,' because +his name is not known until the end."</div> + + +<h4><br />TOM TIT TOT</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a woman, +and she baked five pies. And when they +came out of the oven, they were that over-baked +the crusts were too hard to eat. +So she says to her daughter: "Darter," +says she, "put you them there pies on +the shelf, and leave 'em there a little, +and they'll come again."—She meant, +you know, the crust would get soft.</p> + +<p>But the girl, she says to herself, "Well, +if they'll come again, I'll eat 'em now." +And she set to work and ate 'em all, +first and last.</p> + +<p>Well, come supper-time the woman +said, "Go you and get one o' them there +pies. I dare say they've come again +now."</p> + +<p>The girl went and she looked, and there +was nothing but the dishes. So back +she came and says she, "Noo, they ain't +come again."</p> + +<p>"Not one of 'em?" says the mother.</p> + +<p>"Not one of 'em," says she.</p> + +<p>"Well, come again or not come again," +said the woman, "I'll have one for +supper."</p> + +<p>"But you can't if they ain't come," +said the girl.</p> + +<p>"But I can," says she. "Go you and +bring the best of 'em."</p> + +<p>"Best or worst," says the girl, "I've +ate 'em all, and you can't have one till +that's come again."</p> + +<p>Well, the woman she was done, and +she took her spinning to the door to +spin, and as she span she sang:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"My darter ha' ate five, five pies to-day.<br /> +My darter ha' ate five, five pies to-day."<br /> +</div> + +<p>The king was coming down the street, +and he heard her sing, but what she sang +he couldn't hear, so he stopped and said, +"What was that you were singing, my +good woman?"</p> + +<p>The woman was ashamed to let him +hear what her daughter had been doing, +so she sang, instead of that:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"My darter ha' spun five, five skeins to-day.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">My darter ha' spun five, five skeins to-day."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>"Stars o' mine!" said the king, "I +never heard tell of any one that could +do that."</p> + +<p>Then he said, "Look you here, I want +a wife, and I'll marry your daughter. +But look you here," says he, "eleven +months out of the year she shall have +all she likes to eat, and all the gowns she +likes to get, and all the company she +likes to keep; but the last month of +the year she'll have to spin five skeins +every day, and if she don't I shall kill +her."</p> + +<p>"All right," says the woman; for she +thought what a grand marriage that was. +And as for the five skeins, when the time +came, there'd be plenty of ways of getting +out of it, and likeliest, he'd have +forgotten all about it.</p> + +<p>Well, so they were married. And for +eleven months the girl had all she liked +to eat and all the gowns she liked to get +and all the company she liked to keep.</p> + +<p>But when the time was getting over, +she began to think about the skeins and +to wonder if he had 'em in mind. But +not one word did he say about 'em, and +she thought he'd wholly forgotten 'em.</p> + +<p>However, the first day of the last month +he takes her to a room she'd never set +eyes on before. There was nothing in +it but a spinning-wheel and a stool. +And says he, "Now, my dear, here you'll +be shut in to-morrow with some victuals<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +and some flax, and if you haven't spun +five skeins by the night, your head'll +go off." And away he went about his +business.</p> + +<p>Well, she was that frightened, she'd +always been such a gatless girl, that she +didn't so much as know how to spin, +and what was she to do to-morrow with +no one to come nigh her to help her? +She sat down on a stool in the kitchen, +and law! how she did cry!</p> + +<p>However, all of a sudden she heard a +sort of a knocking low down on the door. +She upped and oped it, and what should +she see but a small little black thing with +a long tail. That looked up at her right +curious, and that said, "What are you +a-crying for?"</p> + +<p>"What's that to you?" says she.</p> + +<p>"Never you mind," that said, "but +tell me what you're a-crying for."</p> + +<p>"That won't do me no good if I do," +says she.</p> + +<p>"You don't know that," that said, and +twirled that's tail round.</p> + +<p>"Well," says she, "that won't do no +harm, if that don't do no good," and she +upped and told about the pies and the +skeins and everything.</p> + +<p>"This is what I'll do," says the little +black thing, "I'll come to your window +every morning and take the flax and bring +it spun at night."</p> + +<p>"What's your pay?" says she.</p> + +<p>That looked out of the corner of that's +eyes, and that said, "I'll give you three +guesses every night to guess my name, +and if you haven't guessed it before the +month's up you shalt be mine."</p> + +<p>Well, she thought she'd be sure to guess +that's name before the month was up. +"All right," says she, "I agree."</p> + +<p>"All right," that says, and law! how +that twirled that's tail.</p> + +<p>Well, the next day her husband took +her into the room, and there was the +flax and the day's food.</p> + +<p>"Now, there's the flax," says he, "and +if that ain't spun up this night, off goes +your head." And then he went out and +locked the door.</p> + +<p>He'd hardly gone when there was +a knocking against the window. She +upped and she oped it, and there sure +enough was the little old thing sitting +on the ledge.</p> + +<p>"Where's the flax?" says he.</p> + +<p>"Here it be," says she. And she gave +it to him.</p> + +<p>Well, come the evening a knocking came +again to the window. She upped and she +oped it, and there was the little old thing +with five skeins of flax on his arm.</p> + +<p>"Here it be," says he, and he gave it +to her. "Now, what's my name?" says +he. "What, is that Bill?" says she. +"Noo, that ain't," says he, and he +twirled his tail. "Is that Ned?" says +she. "Noo, that ain't," says he, and he +twirled his tail. "Well, is that Mark?" +says she. "Noo, that ain't," says he, +and he twirled his tail harder, and away +he flew.</p> + +<p>Well, when her husband came in, there +were the five skeins ready for him. "I +see I shan't have to kill you to-night, +my dear," says he; "you'll have your +food and your flax in the morning," says +he, and away he goes.</p> + +<p>Well, every day the flax and the food +were brought, and every day that there +little black impet used to come mornings +and evenings. And all the day the girl +sat trying to think of names to say to it +when it came at night. But she never +hit on the right one. And as it got +towards the end of the month, the impet +began to look so maliceful, and that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +twirled that's tail faster and faster each +time she gave a guess.</p> + +<p>At last it came to the last day but one. +The impet came at night along with the +five skeins, and that said, "What, ain't +you got my name yet?" "Is that Nicodemus?" +says she. "Noo, 't ain't," +that says. "Is that Sammle?" says she. +"Noo, 't ain't," that says. "A-well, is +that Methusalem?" says she. "Noo, +'t ain't that neither," that says.</p> + +<p>Then that looks at her with that's +eyes like a coal o' fire, and that says, +"Woman, there's only to-morrow night, +and then you'll be mine!" And away +it flew.</p> + +<p>Well, she felt that horrid. However +she heard the king coming along the +passage. In he came, and when he sees +the five skeins, says he, "Well, my dear, +I don't see but what you'll have your +skeins ready to-morrow night as well +and as I reckon I shan't have to kill you, +I'll have supper in here to-night." So +they brought supper and another stool +for him, and down the two sat.</p> + +<p>Well, he hadn't eaten but a mouthful +or so, when he stops and begins to laugh.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" says she.</p> + +<p>"A-why," says he, "I was out a-hunting +to-day, and I got away to a place +in the wood I'd never seen before. And +there was an old chalk-pit. And I heard +a kind of a sort of humming. So I got +off my hobby, and I went right quiet to +the pit, and I looked down. Well, what +should there be but the funniest little +black thing you ever set eyes on. And +what was that doing, but that had a +little spinning-wheel, and that was spinning +wonderful fast, and twirling that's +tail. And as that span that sang:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Nimmy nimmy not<br /> +My name's Tom Tit Tot."<br /> +</div> + +<p>Well, when the girl heard this, she +felt as if she could have jumped out of +her skin for joy, but she didn't say a +word.</p> + +<p>Next day that there little thing looked +so maliceful when he came for the flax. +And when night came she heard that +knocking against the window panes. +She oped the window, and that come +right in on the ledge. That was grinning +from ear to ear, and Oo! that's tail was +twirling round so fast.</p> + +<p>"What's my name?" that says, as +that gave her the skeins. "Is that +Solomon?" she says, pretending to be +afeard. "Noo, 't ain't," that says, and +that came further into the room. "Well, +is that Zebedee?" says she again. "Noo, +'t ain't," says the impet. And then that +laughed and twirled that's tail till you +couldn't hardly see it.</p> + +<p>"Take time, woman," that says; +"next guess, and you're mine." And +that stretched out that's black hands at +her.</p> + +<p>Well, she backed a step or two, and she +looked at it, and then she laughed out +and says she, pointing her finger at it:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Nimmy nimmy not<br /> +Your name's Tom Tit Tot."<br /> +</div> + +<p>Well, when that heard her, that gave +an awful shriek and away that flew into +the dark, and she never saw it any more.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_161" id="Note_161">161</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">In 1697 the French author Charles Perrault +(1628-1703) published a little collection of +eight tales in prose familiarly known as +<i>The Tales of Mother Goose</i> (<i>Contes de Ma +Mère l'Oye</i>). These tales were "The +Fairies" ("Toads and Diamonds"), "The +Sleeping Beauty in the Wood," "Bluebeard," +"Little Red Riding Hood," "Puss-in-Boots," +"Cinderella," "Rique with the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +Tuft," and "Little Thumb." Perrault was +prominent as a scholar and may have felt +it beneath his dignity to write nursery +tales. At any rate he declared the stories +were copied from tellings by his eleven-year-old +son. But Perrault's fairies have +not only saved him from oblivion: in countless +editions and translations they have +won him immortality. The charming literary +form of his versions, "Englished by +R. S., Gent," about 1730, soon established +them in place of the more somber English +popular versions. It is practically certain +that the name Mother Goose, as that of the +genial old lady who presides over the light +literature of the nursery, was established +by the work of Perrault.<br /> +<br /> +"Little Red Riding Hood," a likely candidate +for first place in the affections of childish +story-lovers, is here given in its "correct" +form. Many versions are so constructed +as to have happy endings, either by having +the woodmen appear in the nick of time to +kill the wolf before any damage is done, or +by having the grandmother and Little Red +Riding Hood restored to life after recovering +them from the "innards" of the wolf. +Andrew Lang thinks that the tale as it +stands is merely meant to waken a child's +terror and pity, after the fashion of the old +Greek tragedies, and that the narrator +properly ends it by making a pounce, in +the character of wolf, at the little listener. +That this was the correct "business" in +Scotch nurseries is borne out by a sentence +in Chambers' <i>Popular Rhymes of Scotland:</i> +"The old nurse's imitation of the <i>gnash, +gnash</i>, which she played off upon the youngest +urchin lying in her lap, was electric."</div> + + +<h4><br />LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time there lived in a certain +village a little country girl, the +prettiest creature that was ever seen. +Her mother was excessively fond of her; +and her grandmother doted on her still +more. This good woman got made for +her a little red riding-hood, which became +the girl so extremely well that everybody +called her Little Red Riding-Hood.</p> + +<p>One day her mother, having made +some custards, said to her, "Go, my +dear, and see how thy grandmamma +does, for I hear that she has been very +ill; carry her a custard and this little +pot of butter."</p> + +<p>Little Red Riding-Hood set out immediately +to go to her grandmother, who +lived in another village.</p> + +<p>As she was going through the wood, +she met with Gaffer Wolf, who had a +very great mind to eat her up, but he +durst not because of some fagot-makers +hard by in the forest. He asked her +whither she was going. The poor child, +who did not know that it was dangerous +to stay and hear a wolf talk, said to him, +"I am going to see my grandmamma and +carry her a custard and a little pot of +butter from my mamma."</p> + +<p>"Does she live far off?" said the wolf.</p> + +<p>"Oh! aye," answered Little Red +Riding-Hood, "it is beyond the mill +you see there at the first house in the +village."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the wolf, "and I'll go +and see her too. I'll go this way and +you go that, and we shall see who will be +there soonest."</p> + +<p>The wolf began to run as fast as he +could, taking the nearest way, and the +little girl went by that farthest about, +diverting herself by gathering nuts, running +after butterflies, and making nosegays +of such little flowers as she met with. +The wolf was not long before he got to +the old woman's house. He knocked at +the door—tap, tap.</p> + +<p>"Who's there?"</p> + +<p>"Your grandchild, Little Red Riding-Hood," +replied the wolf, counterfeiting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +her voice, "who has brought you a +custard and a pot of butter sent you +by mamma."</p> + +<p>The good grandmother, who was in +bed because she was somewhat ill, cried +out, "Pull the bobbin and the latch will +go up."</p> + +<p>The wolf pulled the bobbin and the +door opened, and then presently he fell +upon the good woman and ate her up +in a moment, for it was above three days +that he had not touched a bit. He then +shut the door and went into the grandmother's +bed, expecting Little Red Riding-Hood, +who came some time afterward +and knocked at the door—tap, tap.</p> + +<p>"Who's there?"</p> + +<p>Little Red Riding-Hood, hearing the +big voice of the wolf, was at first afraid, +but believing her grandmother had got +a cold and was hoarse, answered, "'Tis +your grandchild, Little Red Riding-Hood, +who has brought you a custard and a +little pot of butter mamma sends you."</p> + +<p>The wolf cried out to her, softening +his voice as much as he could, "Pull the +bobbin and the latch will go up."</p> + +<p>Little Red Riding-Hood pulled the +bobbin and the door opened.</p> + +<p>The wolf, seeing her come in, said to +her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, +"Put the custard and the little pot of +butter upon the stool and come and lie +down with me."</p> + +<p>Little Red Riding-Hood undressed herself +and went into bed, where, being +greatly amazed to see how her grandmother +looked in her night-clothes, she +said to her, "Grandmamma, what great +arms you have got!"</p> + +<p>"That is the better to hug thee, my +dear."</p> + +<p>"Grandmamma, what great legs you +have got!"</p> + +<p>"That is to run the better, my child."</p> + +<p>"Grandmamma, what great ears you +have got!"</p> + +<p>"That is to hear the better, my child."</p> + +<p>"Grandmamma, what great eyes you +have got!"</p> + +<p>"It is to see the better, my child."</p> + +<p>"Grandmamma, what great teeth you +have got!"</p> + +<p>"That is to eat thee up."</p> + +<p>And saying these words, this wicked +wolf fell upon Little Red Riding-Hood +and ate her all up.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_162" id="Note_162">162</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Because many modern teachers are distressed +at the tragedy of the real story of "Little +Red Riding Hood" as just given, they prefer +some softened form of the tale. The +Grimm version, "Little Red Cap," is generally +used by those who insist on a happy +ending. There Little Red Riding Hood and +her grandmother are both recovered and +the wicked wolf destroyed. The story that +follows is from a modern French author, +Charles Marelles, and is given in the translation +found in Lang's <i>Red Fairy Book</i>. +In it the events are dramatically imagined +in detail, even if the writer does turn it +all into a sunflower myth at the close.</div> + + +<h4><br />TRUE HISTORY OF LITTLE +GOLDEN HOOD</h4> + +<p>You know the tale of poor Little Red +Riding-Hood, that the wolf deceived and +devoured, with her cake, her little butter +can, and her grandmother. Well, the +true story happened quite differently, as +we know now. And first of all, the +little girl was called and is still called +Little Golden Hood; secondly, it was +not she, nor the good granddame, but +the wicked wolf who was, in the end, +caught and devoured.</p> + +<p>Only listen.</p> + +<p>The story begins something like the tale.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> + +<p>There was once a little peasant girl, +pretty and nice as a star in its season. +Her real name was Blanchette, but she +was more often called Little Golden +Hood, on account of a wonderful little +cloak with a hood, gold and fire colored, +which she always had on. This little +hood was given her by her grandmother, +who was so old that she did not know +her age; it ought to bring her good +luck, for it was made of a ray of sunshine, +she said. And as the good old woman +was considered something of a witch, +every one thought the little hood rather +bewitched too.</p> + +<p>And so it was, as you will see.</p> + +<p>One day the mother said to the child: +"Let us see, my little Golden Hood, if +you know now how to find your way by +yourself. You shall take this good piece +of cake to your grandmother for a Sunday +treat to-morrow. You will ask her +how she is, and come back at once, +without stopping to chatter on the way +with people you don't know. Do you +quite understand?"</p> + +<p>"I quite understand," replied Blanchette +gayly. And off she went with the +cake, quite proud of her errand.</p> + +<p>But the grandmother lived in another +village, and there was a big wood to +cross before getting there. At a turn +of the road under the trees suddenly, +"Who goes there?"</p> + +<p>"Friend Wolf."</p> + +<p>He had seen the child start alone, and +the villain was waiting to devour her, +when at the same moment he perceived +some wood-cutters who might observe +him, and he changed his mind. Instead +of falling upon Blanchette he came frisking +up to her like a good dog.</p> + +<p>"'Tis you! my nice Little Golden +Hood," said he. So the little girl stops +to talk with the wolf, whom, for all that, +she did not know in the least.</p> + +<p>"You know me, then!" said she. +"What is your name?"</p> + +<p>"My name is friend Wolf. And where +are you going thus, my pretty one, with +your little basket on your arm?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to my grandmother to +take her a good piece of cake for her +Sunday treat to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"And where does she live, your grandmother?"</p> + +<p>"She lives at the other side of the wood +in the first house in the village, near the +windmill, you know."</p> + +<p>"Ah! yes! I know now," said the +wolf. "Well, that's just where I'm +going. I shall get there before you, no +doubt, with your little bits of legs, and +I'll tell her you're coming to see her; +then she'll wait for you."</p> + +<p>Thereupon the wolf cuts across the +wood, and in five minutes arrives at the +grandmother's house.</p> + +<p>He knocks at the door: toc, toc.</p> + +<p>No answer.</p> + +<p>He knocks louder.</p> + +<p>Nobody.</p> + +<p>Then he stands up on end, puts his +two fore paws on the latch, and the door +opens.</p> + +<p>Not a soul in the house.</p> + +<p>The old woman had risen early to sell +herbs in the town, and had gone off in such +haste that she had left her bed unmade, +with her great night-cap on the pillow.</p> + +<p>"Good!" said the wolf to himself, "I +know what I'll do."</p> + +<p>He shuts the door, pulls on the grandmother's +night-cap down to his eyes; +then he lies down all his length in the +bed and draws the curtains.</p> + +<p>In the meantime the good Blanchette +went quietly on her way, as little girls<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +do, amusing herself here and there by +picking Easter daisies, watching the +little birds making their nests, and running +after the butterflies which fluttered +in the sunshine.</p> + +<p>At last she arrives at the door.</p> + +<p>Knock, knock.</p> + +<p>"Who is there?" says the wolf, softening +his rough voice as best he can.</p> + +<p>"It's me, granny, your Little Golden +Hood. I'm bringing you a big piece of +cake for your Sunday treat to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Press your finger on the latch; then +push and the door opens."</p> + +<p>"Why, you've got a cold, granny," +said she, coming in.</p> + +<p>"Ahem! a little, my dear, a little," +replies the wolf, pretending to cough. +"Shut the door well, my little lamb. +Put your basket on the table, and then +take off your frock and come and lie +down by me; you shall rest a little."</p> + +<p>The good child undresses, but observe +this:—she kept her little hood upon her +head. When she saw what a figure her +granny cut in bed, the poor little thing +was much surprised.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cries she, "how like you are to +friend Wolf, grandmother!"</p> + +<p>"That's on account of my night-cap, +child," replies the wolf.</p> + +<p>"Oh! what hairy arms you've got, +grandmother!"</p> + +<p>"All the better to hug you, my child."</p> + +<p>"Oh! what a big tongue you've got, +grandmother!"</p> + +<p>"All the better for answering, child."</p> + +<p>"Oh! what a mouthful of great white +teeth you have, grandmother!"</p> + +<p>"That's for crunching little children +with!" And the wolf opened his jaws +wide to swallow Blanchette.</p> + +<p>But she put down her head, crying, +"Mamma! mamma!" and the wolf only +caught her little hood.</p> + +<p>Thereupon, oh, dear! oh, dear! he +draws back, crying and shaking his jaw +as if he had swallowed red-hot coals.</p> + +<p>It was the little fire-colored hood that +had burnt his tongue right down his +throat.</p> + +<p>The little hood, you see, was one of +those magic caps that they used to have +in former times, in the stories, for making +one's self invisible or invulnerable.</p> + +<p>So there was the wolf with his throat +burned, jumping off the bed and trying +to find the door, howling and howling as +if all the dogs in the country were at his +heels.</p> + +<p>Just at this moment the grandmother +arrives, returning from the town with +her long sack empty on her shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Ah, brigand!" she cries, "wait a bit!" +Quickly she opens her sack wide across +the door, and the maddened wolf springs +in head downward.</p> + +<p>It is he now that is caught, swallowed +like a letter in the post. For the brave +old dame shuts her sack, so; and she +runs and empties it in the well, where +the vagabond, still howling, tumbles in +and is drowned.</p> + +<p>"Ah, scoundrel! you thought you +would crunch my little grandchild! Well, +to-morrow we will make her a muff of +your skin, and you yourself shall be +crunched, for we will give your carcass +to the dogs."</p> + +<p>Thereupon the grandmother hastened +to dress poor Blanchette, who was still +trembling with fear in the bed.</p> + +<p>"Well," she said to her, "without my +little hood where would you be now, darling?" +And, to restore heart and legs to +the child, she made her eat a good piece<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +of her cake, and drink a good draught +of wine, after which she took her by +the hand and led her back to the house.</p> + +<p>And then, who was it who scolded her +when she knew all that had happened?</p> + +<p>It was the mother.</p> + +<p>But Blanchette promised over and +over again that she would never more +stop to listen to a wolf, so that at last +the mother forgave her.</p> + +<p>And Blanchette, the Little Golden +Hood, kept her word. And in fine +weather she may still be seen in the +fields with her pretty little hood, the +color of the sun.</p> + +<p>But to see her you must rise early.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_163" id="Note_163">163</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The next Perrault story is given in the traditional +English form made by "R. S., Gent." +Perrault met the popular taste of his time +for "morals" by adding more or less playful +ones in verse to his stories. Here is a +prose rendering of a portion of the <i>Moralité</i> +attached to "Puss-in-Boots": "However +great may be the advantage of enjoying a +rich inheritance coming down from father +to son, industry and ingenuity are worth +more to young people as a usual thing than +goods acquired without personal effort." +In relation to this moral, Ralston says, +"the conclusion at which an ordinary +reader would arrive, if he were not dazzled +by fairy-land glamor, would probably be +that far better than either tact and industry +on a master's part is the loyalty of an +unscrupulous retainer of an imaginative +turn of mind. The impropriety of this +teaching is not balanced by any other form +of instruction. What the story openly +inculcates is not edifying, and it does not +secretly convey any improving doctrine." +But on the other hand it may be argued +that the "moral" passes over the child's +head. Miss Kready, in her <i>Study of Fairy +Tales</i> (p. 275), makes a very elaborate and +proper defense of "Puss-in-Boots" as a +story for children. There is delight in its +strong sense of adventure, it has a hero +clever and quick, there is loyalty, love, and +sacrifice in Puss's devotion to his master, +the tricks are true to "cat-nature," there +are touches of nature beauty, a simple and +pleasing plot, while we should not forget +the delightful Ogre and his transformations +into Lion and Mouse. The story is found +in many forms among many different +peoples. Perhaps the great stroke of genius +which endears Perrault's version is in the +splendid boots with which his tale provides +the hero so that briers may not interfere +with his doings. (Extended studies of this +tale and its many parallels may be found in +Lang's <i>Perrault's Popular Tales;</i> in McCulloch's +<i>Childhood of Fiction</i>, chap. viii; in +an article by Ralston in the <i>Nineteenth +Century</i>, January, 1883, reprinted in <i>Living +Age</i>, Vol. CLVI, p. 362.)</div> + + +<h4><br />PUSS-IN-BOOTS</h4> + +<p>There was once a miller who left no +more estate to the three sons he had than +his mill, his ass, and his cat. The partition +was soon made. Neither the clerk +nor the attorney was sent for. They +would soon have eaten up all the poor +patrimony. The eldest had the mill, +the second the ass, and the youngest +nothing but the cat.</p> + +<p>The poor young fellow was quite comfortless +at having so poor a lot. "My +brothers," said he, "may get their living +handsomely enough by joining their +stocks together; but for my part, when +I have eaten up my cat and made me a +muff of his skin, I must die with hunger."</p> + +<p>The cat, who heard all this, but made +as if he did not, said to him with a grave +and serious air; "Do not thus afflict +yourself, my good master; you have +nothing else to do but to give me a bag<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +and get a pair of boots made for me, that +I may scamper through the dirt and the +brambles, and you shall see that you have +not so bad a portion of me as you imagine."</p> + +<p>Though the cat's master did not build +very much upon what he said, he had, +however, often seen him play a great +many cunning tricks to catch rats and +mice; as when he used to hang by the +heels, or hide himself in the meal and +make as if he were dead; so he did not +altogether despair of his affording him +some help in his miserable condition.</p> + +<p>When the cat had what he asked for, +he booted himself very gallantly; and +putting his bag about his neck, he held +the strings of it in his two fore paws and +went into a warren where was a great +abundance of rabbits. He put bran and +sow-thistles into his bag, and, stretching +himself out at length as if he had been +dead, he waited for some young rabbits, +not yet acquainted with the deceits of +the world, to come and rummage his +bag for what he had just put into it.</p> + +<p>Scarce was he lain down but he had +what he wanted. A rash and foolish +young rabbit jumped into his bag, and +master Puss, immediately drawing close +the strings, took and killed him without +pity. Proud of his prey, he went with it +to the palace and asked to speak with +his majesty. He was shown upstairs +into the king's apartment, and, making +a low reverence, said to him: "I have +brought you, sir, a rabbit of the warren +which my noble lord, the Marquis of +Carabas" (for that was the title which +Puss was pleased to give his master), "has +commanded me to present to your +majesty from him."</p> + +<p>"Tell thy master," said the king, +"that I thank him and that he gives me +a great deal of pleasure."</p> + +<p>Another time he went and hid himself +among some standing corn, holding still +his bag open; and when a brace of partridges +ran into it, he drew the strings and +so caught them both. He went and made +a present of these to the king, as he had +done before of the rabbit which he took +in the warren. The king in like manner +received the partridges with great pleasure +and ordered him some money.</p> + +<p>The cat continued for two or three +months thus to carry his majesty, from +time to time, game of his master's taking. +One day in particular, when he knew for +certain that he was to take the air along +the riverside with his daughter, the most +beautiful princess in the world, he said +to his master: "If you will follow my +advice, your fortune is made. You have +nothing else to do but go and wash yourself +in the river, in that part I shall show +you, and leave the rest to me." The +Marquis of Carabas did what the cat +advised him to, without knowing why or +wherefore.</p> + +<p>While he was washing, the king passed +by, and the cat began to cry out as loud +as he could, "Help, help! my lord Marquis +of Carabas is going to be drowned." At +this noise the king put his head out of +his coach-window, and, finding it was the +cat who had so often brought him such +good game, he commanded his guards +to run immediately to the assistance of +his lordship, the Marquis of Carabas.</p> + +<p>While they were drawing the poor marquis +out of the river, the cat came up to +the coach and told the king that while +his master was washing there came by +some rogues, who went off with his clothes +though he had cried out, "Thieves, +thieves," as loud as he could. This +cunning cat had hidden them under a +great stone. The king immediately<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +commanded the officers of his wardrobe +to run and fetch one of his best suits for +the lord Marquis of Carabas.</p> + +<p>The king caressed him after a very +extraordinary manner; and as the fine +clothes he had given him extremely set +off his good mien (for he was well made +and very handsome in his person), the +king's daughter took a secret inclination +to him, and the Marquis of Carabas had +no sooner cast two or three respectful +and somewhat tender glances, but she +fell in love with him to distraction. The +king would needs have him come into his +coach and take part of the airing. The +cat, quite overjoyed to see his project +begin to succeed, marched on before, and +meeting with some countrymen who were +mowing a meadow, he said to them, +"Good people, you who are mowing, if +you do not tell the king, who will soon +pass this way, that the meadow you +mow belongs to my lord Marquis of +Carabas, you shall be chopped as small +as herbs for the pot."</p> + +<p>The king did not fail asking of the +mowers to whom the meadow they were +mowing belonged: "To my lord Marquis +of Carabas," answered they, all +together, for the cat's threats had made +them terribly afraid.</p> + +<p>"You see, sir," said the marquis, "this +is a meadow which never fails to yield a +plentiful harvest every year."</p> + +<p>The master-cat, who went still on +before, met with some reapers, and said +to them, "Good people, you who are +reaping, if you do not tell the king, who +will presently go by, that all this corn +belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you +shall be chopped as small as herbs for the +pot."</p> + +<p>The king, who passed by a moment +after, would needs know to whom all +that corn, which he then saw, did belong. +"To my lord Marquis of Carabas," +replied the reapers; and the king was +very well pleased with it, as well as the +marquis, whom he congratulated thereupon. +The master-cat, who went always +before, said the same words to all he +met; and the king was astonished at +the vast estates of my lord Marquis of +Carabas.</p> + +<p>Master Puss came at last to a stately +castle, the owner of which was an ogre, +the richest that had ever been known, +for all the lands which the king had then +gone over belonged to this castle. The +cat, who had taken care to inform himself +who the ogre was and what he could +do, asked to speak with him, saying he +could not pass so near his castle without +having the honor of paying his respects +to him.</p> + +<p>The ogre received him as civilly as an +ogre could do and made him sit down. +"I have been assured," said the cat, +"that you have the gift of being able to +change yourself into all sorts of creatures +you have a mind to. You can, for example, +transform yourself into a lion, or +elephant, and the like."</p> + +<p>"This is true," answered the ogre very +briskly, "and to convince you, you shall +see me now become a lion."</p> + +<p>Puss was so sadly terrified at the sight +of a lion so near him that he immediately +got into the gutter, not without abundance +of trouble and danger, because of +his boots, which were of no use at all to +him in walking upon the tiles. A little +while after, when Puss saw that the ogre +had resumed his natural form, he came +down and owned he had been very much +frightened.</p> + +<p>"I have been, moreover, informed," +said the cat, "but I know not how to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +believe it, that you have also the power +to take on you the shape of the smallest +animals; for example, to change yourself +into a rat or a mouse; but I must own to +you, I take this to be impossible."</p> + +<p>"Impossible!" cried the ogre, "you +shall see that presently," and at the same +time changed himself into a mouse, and +began to run about the floor. Puss no +sooner perceived this but he fell upon +him and ate him up.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the king, who saw, as he +passed, this fine castle of the ogre's, had +a mind to go into it. Puss, who heard +the noise of his majesty's coach running +over the drawbridge, ran out and said to +the king, "Your Majesty is welcome to +this castle of my lord Marquis of Carabas."</p> + +<p>"What! my lord Marquis!" cried the +king, "and does this castle also belong +to you? There can be nothing finer +than this court and all the stately buildings +which surround it; let us go into +it, if you please." They passed into a +spacious hall, where they found a magnificent +collation which the ogre had +prepared for his friends, who were that +very day to visit him, but dared not to +enter, knowing the king was there. His +majesty was perfectly charmed with the +good qualities of my lord Marquis of +Carabas, as was his daughter, who had +fallen in love with him; and seeing the +vast estate he possessed, said to him +while they sat at the feast, "It will be +owing to yourself only, my lord Marquis, +if you are not my son-in-law." The +marquis, making several low bows, +accepted the honor which his majesty +conferred upon him, and forthwith, that +very same day, married the princess.</p> + +<p>Puss became a great lord, and never +ran after mice any more, but only for +his diversion.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_164" id="Note_164">164</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Perrault attached to the next story this moral: +"Diamonds and dollars influence minds, +and yet gentle words have more effect and +are more to be esteemed. . . . It is a +lot of trouble to be upright and it requires +some effort, but sooner or later it finds its +reward, and generally when one is least +expecting it." English versions are usually +given the title "Toads and Diamonds," +though Perrault's title was simply "The +Fairies" ("Les Fées"). Lang calls attention +to the fact that the origin of the story is +"manifestly moral." He thinks "it is an +obvious criticism that the elder girl should +have met the fairy first; she was not likely +to behave so rudely when she knew that +politeness would be rewarded." It would +be interesting for a story-teller to test the +effect of relating the incidents in the order +suggested by Lang.</div> + + +<h4><br />TOADS AND DIAMONDS</h4> + +<p>There was once upon a time a widow +who had two daughters. The oldest was +so much like her in face and humor that +whoever looked upon the daughter saw +the mother. They were both so disagreeable +and so proud that there was +no living with them. The youngest, who +was the very picture of her father for +courtesy and sweetness of temper, was +withal one of the most beautiful girls +that was ever seen. As people naturally +love their own likenesses, this mother +ever doted on her eldest daughter and +at the same time had a sad aversion for +the youngest. She made her eat in the +kitchen and work continually.</p> + +<p>Among other things, this poor child +was forced twice a day to draw water +above a mile and a half from the house, +and bring home a pitcher full of it. One +day as she was at this fountain there +came to her a poor woman, who begged<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +of her to let her drink. "Oh, yes, with all +my heart, Goody," said this pretty little +girl; and rinsing the pitcher, she took +up some water from the clearest place of +the fountain and gave it to her, holding +up the pitcher all the while that she might +drink the easier.</p> + +<p>The good woman having drunk, said +to her, "You are so very pretty, my dear, +so good and so mannerly, that I cannot +help giving you a gift"—for this was a +fairy, who had taken the form of a poor +country woman to see how far the civility +and good manners of this pretty girl +would go. "I will give you for gift," +continued the fairy, "that at every word +you speak, there shall come out of your +mouth either a flower or a jewel."</p> + +<p>When this pretty girl came home, her +mother scolded at her for staying so long +at the fountain. "I beg your pardon, +mamma," said the poor girl, "for not making +more haste"; and, in speaking these +words, there came out of her mouth two +roses, two pearls, and two large diamonds.</p> + +<p>"What is it I see there?" said her +mother quite astonished. "I think I see +pearls and diamonds come out of the +girl's mouth! How happens this, my +child?"—This was the first time she +ever called her her child.</p> + +<p>The poor creature told her frankly all +the matter, not without dropping out +infinite numbers of diamonds. "In good +faith," cried the mother, "I must send +my child thither. Come hither, Fanny. +Look what comes out of your sister's +mouth when she speaks! Would you not +be glad, my dear, to have the same gift +given to you? You have nothing else +to do but go draw water out of the fountain, +and when a certain poor woman +asks you to let her drink, to give it her +very civilly."</p> + +<p>"It would be a very fine sight, indeed," +said this ill-bred minx, "to see me go +draw water!"</p> + +<p>"You shall go, hussy," said the mother, +"and this minute." So away she went, +but grumbling all the way and taking +with her the best silver tankard in the +house.</p> + +<p>She was no sooner at the fountain than +she saw coming out of the wood a lady +most gloriously dressed, who came up +to her and asked to drink. This was, +you must know, the very fairy who +appeared to her sister, but who had now +taken the air and dress of a princess to +see how far this girl's rudeness would go. +"Am I come hither," said the proud, +saucy maid, "to serve you with water, +pray? I suppose the silver tankard was +brought purely for your ladyship, was +it? However, you may drink out of it, +if you have a fancy."</p> + +<p>"You are not over and above mannerly," +answered the fairy, without putting +herself in a passion. "Well, then, +since you have so little breeding and are +so disobliging, I give you for gift, that at +every word you speak there shall come +out of your mouth a snake or a toad."</p> + +<p>So soon as her mother saw her coming, +she cried out, "Well, daughter."</p> + +<p>"Well, mother," answered the pert +hussy, throwing out of her mouth two +vipers and two toads.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mercy!" cried the mother, "what +is it I see? Oh, it is that wretch, her sister, +who has occasioned all this; but she +shall pay for it"; and immediately she +ran to beat her. The poor child fled +away from her and went to hide herself +in the forest, not far from thence.</p> + +<p>The king's son, then on his return from +hunting, met her, and seeing her so very +pretty, asked her what she did there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +alone, and why she cried. "Alas, sir! +my mamma has turned me out of doors." +The king's son, who saw five or six pearls, +and as many diamonds, come out of her +mouth, desired her to tell him how that +happened. She thereupon told him the +whole story; and so the king's son fell +in love with her; and, considering with +himself that such a gift was worth more +than any marriage-portion whatsoever +in another, he conducted her to the +palace of the king his father and there +married her.</p> + +<p>As for her sister, she made herself so +much hated that her own mother turned +her off; and the miserable girl, having +wandered about a good while without +finding anybody to take her in, went to +a corner in the wood and there died.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_165" id="Note_165">165</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"Cinderella" is one of the world's greatest +romantic stories. Its theme is a favorite +in all folk literature. Young and old alike +have never tired of hearing of the victories +won by the deserving in the face of all sorts +of obstacles. Perrault in his verse moral +observes that "while beauty is a rare +treasure for a woman, yet a winning manner, +or personality, is worth even more." +Still further, as if conscious of the part +influence plays in the world, he says that +"while it is doubtless a great advantage to +have wit and courage, breeding and good +sense, and other such natural endowments, +still they will be of no earthly use for our +advancement unless we have, to bring them +into play, either godfathers or godmothers." +One should not, however, take too seriously +any moralizing over a fairy story +whether by Perrault or another.<br /> +<br /> +In one of the most thorough studies of a single +folk tale, Miss Roalfe Cox's <i>Cinderella</i>, +with an introduction by Andrew Lang, +some three hundred and fifty variants of +the story have been analyzed. The thing +that marks a Cinderella story is the presence +in it of the "slipper test." The finest versions +are those by Perrault and the Grimms, +and they are almost equally favorites with +children. The Perrault form as found in +the old English translation is given here +for reasons stated by Ralston in his study +of the Cinderella type: "But Perrault's +rendering of the tale naturalised it in the +polite world, gave it for cultured circles an +attraction which it is never likely to lose. . . . +It is with human more than with +mythological interest that the story is +replete, and therefore it appeals to human +hearts with a force which no lapse of time +can diminish. Such supernatural machinery +as is introduced, moreover, has a charm +for children which older versions of the +tale do not possess. The pumpkin carriage, +the rat coachman, the lizard lacqueys, and +all the other properties of the transformation +scene, appeal at once to the imagination +and the sense of humor of every +beholder." (<i>Nineteenth Century</i>, November, +1879.)</div> + + +<h4><br />CINDERELLA, OR THE LITTLE +GLASS SLIPPER</h4> + +<p>Once there was a gentleman who married, +for his second wife, the proudest and +most haughty woman that was ever seen. +She had, by a former husband, two daughters +of her own humor, who were indeed +exactly like her in all things. He had +likewise, by another wife, a young daughter, +but of unparalleled goodness and +sweetness of temper, which she took from +her mother, who was the best creature in +the world.</p> + +<p>No sooner were the ceremonies of the +wedding over but the step-mother began +to show herself in her colors. She could +not bear the good qualities of this pretty +girl; and the less because they made her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +own daughters appear the more odious. +She employed her in the meanest work +of the house; she scoured the dishes and +tables, and cleaned madam's room and +the rooms of misses, her daughters; she +lay up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched +straw-bed, while her sisters lay in fine +rooms, with floors all inlaid, upon beds +of the very newest fashion, and where +they had looking-glasses so large that +they might see themselves at their full +length, from head to foot.</p> + +<p>The poor girl bore all patiently, and +dared not tell her father, who would have +rattled her off, for his wife governed him +entirely. When she had done her work, +she used to go into the chimney corner +and sit down among cinders and ashes, +which made her commonly called Cinder-wench; +but the youngest, who was not +so rude and uncivil as the eldest, called +her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, +notwithstanding her mean apparel, was +a hundred times handsomer than her +sisters, though they were always dressed +very richly.</p> + +<p>It happened that the king's son gave a +ball, and invited all persons of fashion to +it. Our young misses were also invited, +for they cut a very grand figure among +the quality. They were mightily delighted +at this invitation, and wonderfully +busy in choosing out such gowns, +petticoats, and head-clothes as might +best become them. This was a new +trouble to Cinderella, for it was she who +ironed her sisters' linen and plaited their +ruffles. They talked all day long of +nothing but how they should be dressed. +"For my part," said the eldest, "I will +wear my red velvet suit with French +trimmings."</p> + +<p>"And I," said the youngest, "shall +only have my usual petticoat; but then, +to make amends for that, I will put on +my gold flowered manteau and my diamond +stomacher, which is far from being +the most ordinary one in the world." +They sent for the best tire-woman they +could get to make up their head-dresses, +and they had their patches from the very +best maker.</p> + +<p>Cinderella was likewise called up to +them to be consulted in all these matters, +for she had excellent notions and advised +them always for the best; nay, and +offered her service to dress their heads, +which they were very willing she should +do. As she was doing this, they said to +her, "Cinderella, would you not be glad +to go to the ball?"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said she, "you only jeer at me; +it is not for such as I am to go thither."</p> + +<p>"Thou art in the right of it," replied +they; "it would make the people laugh +to see a cinder-wench at a ball."</p> + +<p>Any one but Cinderella would have +dressed their heads awry, but she was +very good, and dressed them perfectly +well. They were almost two days without +eating, so much they were transported +with joy. They broke above a +dozen of laces in trying to be laced up +close, that they might have a fine slender +shape, and they were continually at their +looking-glass. At last the happy day +came. They went to court, and Cinderella +followed them with her eyes as long +as she could, and when she had lost +sight of them, she fell a-crying.</p> + +<p>Her godmother, who saw her all in +tears, asked her what was the matter. +"I wish I could—I wish I could—"; she +was not able to speak the rest, being +interrupted by her tears and sobbing.</p> + +<p>This godmother of hers, who was a +fairy, said to her, "Thou wishest thou +couldest go to the ball. Is it not so?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Y—es," cried Cinderella with a +great sigh.</p> + +<p>"Well," said her godmother, "be but +a good girl, and I will contrive that thou +shalt go."</p> + +<p>Then she took her into her chamber +and said to her, "Run into the garden +and bring me a pumpkin." Cinderella +went immediately to gather the finest +she could get, and brought it to her godmother, +not being able to imagine how +this pumpkin could make her go to the +ball. Her godmother scooped out all +the inside of it, having left nothing but +the rind; which done, she struck it with +her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly +turned into a fine coach, gilded all over +with gold.</p> + +<p>She then went to look into her mouse-trap, +where she found six mice, all alive, +and ordered Cinderella to lift up a little +the trap-door. Then she gave each +mouse, as it went out, a little tap with +her wand, and the mouse was that +moment turned into a fair horse. All +together the mice made a very fine set of +six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored +dapple-gray. Being at a loss for a +coachman, "I will go and see," said +Cinderella, "if there be never a rat in +the rat-trap, that we may make a coachman +of him."</p> + +<p>"Thou art in the right," replied her +godmother; "go and look."</p> + +<p>Cinderella brought the trap to her, and +in it there were three huge rats. The +fairy made choice of one of the three, +which had the largest beard, and, having +touched him with her wand, he was +turned into a fat, jolly coachman, who +had the smartest whiskers that eyes ever +beheld.</p> + +<p>After that her godmother said to her, +"Go again into the garden and you +will find six lizards behind the watering +pot; bring them to me." She had no +sooner done so, than the fairy turned +them into six footmen, who skipped up +immediately behind the coach, with their +liveries all bedecked with gold and silver, +and clung as close behind each other as if +they had done nothing else their whole +lives. The fairy then said to Cinderella, +"Well, you see here an equipage fit to +go to the ball with. Are you not pleased +with it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," cried she, "but must I go +thither as I am, in these filthy rags?" +Her godmother only just touched her +with her wand, and at the same instant +her clothes were turned into cloth of +gold and silver, all beset with jewels. +This done, she gave her a pair of glass +slippers, the prettiest in the whole world.</p> + +<p>Being thus decked out, she got up into +her coach; but her godmother, above all +things, commanded her not to stay till +after midnight, telling her that if she +stayed at the ball one moment longer, +her coach would be a pumpkin again, +her horses mice, her coachman a rat, +her footmen lizards, and her clothes just +as they were before.</p> + +<p>She promised her godmother she would +not fail of leaving the ball before midnight; +and then away she drives, scarce +able to contain herself for joy. The +king's son, who was told that a great +princess, whom nobody knew, was come, +ran out to receive her. He gave her his +hand as she alighted from the coach, +and led her into the hall among all the +company. There was immediately a +profound silence. They left off dancing, +and the violins ceased to play, so attentive +was every one to contemplate the singular +beauties of this unknown new-comer. +Nothing was then heard but a confused<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +noise of, "Ha! how handsome she is! +Ha! how handsome she is!" The king +himself, old as he was, could not help +ogling her and telling the queen softly +that it was a long time since he had seen +so beautiful and lovely a creature. All +the ladies were busied in considering her +clothes and head-dress, that they might +have some made next day after the same +pattern, provided they could meet with +such fine materials and as able hands to +make them.</p> + +<p>The king's son conducted her to the +most honorable seat and afterwards took +her out to dance with him. She danced +so very gracefully that they all more and +more admired her. A fine collation was +served up, whereof the young prince ate +not a morsel, so intently was he busied +in gazing on her. She went and sat down +by her sisters, showing them a thousand +civilities, giving them part of the oranges +and citrons which the prince had presented +her with; which very much surprised +them, for they did not know +her. While Cinderella was thus amusing +her sisters, she heard the clock strike +eleven and three quarters, whereupon +she immediately made a courtesy to the +company and hasted away as fast as she +could.</p> + +<p>Being got home, she ran to seek out +her godmother; and having thanked her, +she said she could not but heartily wish +she might go next day to the ball, because +the king's son had desired her. +As she was eagerly telling her godmother +whatever had passed at the ball, her two +sisters knocked at the door, which Cinderella +ran and opened. "How long you +have stayed!" cried she, gaping, rubbing +her eyes, and stretching herself as if she +had been just awakened out of her sleep; +she had not, however, any manner of +inclination to sleep since they went from +home.</p> + +<p>"If thou hadst been at the ball," said +one of her sisters, "thou wouldest not +have been tired with it. There came +thither the finest princess, the most +beautiful ever seen with mortal eyes. +She showed us a thousand civilities and +gave us oranges and citrons." Cinderella +seemed very indifferent in the matter; +indeed, she asked them the name of the +princess, but they told her they did not +know it and that the king's son was very +uneasy on her account and would give +all the world to know who she was.</p> + +<p>At this Cinderella, smiling, replied, +"She must then be very beautiful indeed! +How happy have you been! Could not +I see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do +lend me your yellow suit of clothes, +which you wear every day."</p> + +<p>"Ay, to be sure," cried Miss Charlotte, +"lend my clothes to such a dirty +cinder-wench as thou art! Who's the +fool then?" Cinderella indeed expected +some such answer and was very glad of +the refusal, for she would have been sadly +put to it if her sister had lent her what +she asked for jestingly.</p> + +<p>The next day the two sisters were at +the ball, and so was Cinderella, but +dressed more magnificently than before. +The king's son was always by her side +and never ceased his compliments and +amorous speeches to her; to whom all +this was so far from being tiresome that +she quite forgot what her godmother had +recommended to her, so that she at last +counted the clock striking twelve when +she took it to be no more than eleven. +She then rose up and fled as nimble as a +deer. The prince followed, but could +not overtake her. She left behind one +of her glass slippers, which the prince<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +took up most carefully. She got home, +but quite out of breath, without coach +or footmen, and in her old cinder clothes, +having nothing left of all her finery but +one of the little slippers, fellow to that +she dropped. The guards at the palace +gate were asked if they had not seen a +princess go out. They said they had +seen nobody go out but a young girl +very meanly dressed, who had more the +air of a poor country wench than a +gentlewoman.</p> + +<p>When the two sisters returned from +the ball, Cinderella asked them if they +had been well diverted and if the fine +lady had been there. They told her yes, +but that she hurried away immediately +when it struck twelve and with so much +haste that she dropped one of her little +glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, +which the king's son had taken up; that +he had done nothing but look at her all +the time of the ball, and that most certainly +he was very much in love with +the beautiful person who owned the +little glass slipper.</p> + +<p>What they said was very true, for a +few days after, the king's son caused to +be proclaimed by sound of trumpets that +he would marry her whose foot this +slipper would just fit. They whom he +employed began to try it on upon the +princesses, then the duchesses, and all the +court, but in vain. It was brought to the +two sisters, who did all they possibly +could to thrust their foot into the slipper, +but they could not effect it. Cinderella, +who saw all this and knew her slipper, +said to them, laughing, "Let me see if +it will not fit me!"</p> + +<p>Her sisters burst out laughing and +began to banter her. The gentleman +who was sent to try the slipper looked +earnestly at Cinderella, and finding her +very handsome, said it was but just that +she should try, and that he had orders +to let every one make trial. He obliged +Cinderella to sit down, and putting the +slipper to her foot, he found it went in +very easily and fitted her as if it had +been made of wax. The astonishment +her two sisters were in was excessively +great, but still abundantly greater when +Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the +other slipper and put it on her foot. +Thereupon in came her godmother, who +having touched, with her wand, Cinderella's +clothes, made them richer and more +magnificent than any of those she had +before.</p> + +<p>And now her two sisters found her to +be that fine beautiful lady whom they +had seen at the ball. They threw themselves +at her feet to beg pardon for all +the ill treatment they had made her +undergo. Cinderella took them up, and +as she embraced them, cried that she +forgave them with all her heart and +desired them always to love her. She +was conducted to the young prince, +dressed as she was. He thought her +more charming than ever, and a few +days after, married her. Cinderella, who +was no less good than beautiful, gave her +two sisters lodgings in the palace, and +that very same day matched them with +two great lords of the court.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_166" id="Note_166">166</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The hero of the next story is often known as +Drakesbill, which easily becomes Bill +Drake. The version that follows is a translation +from the French of Charles Marelles +as given by Lang in his <i>Red Fairy Book</i>. It +has a raciness not in those softened versions +in which one friend gets into a pocket, +another under a wing, and so on. The +persistent energy of the little hero, his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +resourcefulness in difficulty, his loyal +friends, the unexpected honor that comes +as recognition of his success, the humor +that pervades every character and incident, +make this one of the most delightful of +children's stories.</div> + + +<h4><br />DRAKESTAIL</h4> + +<p>Drakestail was very little, that is why +he was called Drakestail; but tiny as +he was he had brains, and he knew what +he was about, for having begun with +nothing he ended by amassing a hundred +crowns. Now the king of the country, +who was very extravagant and never +kept any money, having heard that +Drakestail had some, went one day in +his own person to borrow his hoard, +and, my word, in those days Drakestail +was not a little proud of having lent +money to the king. But after the first +and second year, seeing that he never +even dreamed of paying the interest, he +became uneasy, so much so that at last +he resolved to go and see his majesty +himself, and get repaid. So one fine +morning Drakestail, very spruce and +fresh, takes the road, singing: "Quack, +quack, quack, when shall I get my money +back?"</p> + +<p>He had not gone far when he met friend +Fox, on his rounds that way.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, neighbor," says the +friend; "where are you off to so early?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to the king for what he +owes me."</p> + +<p>"Oh! take me with thee!"</p> + +<p>Drakestail said to himself: "One can't +have too many friends." Aloud says he, +"I will, but going on all fours you will +soon be tired. Make yourself quite +small, get into my throat—go into my +gizzard, and I will carry you."</p> + +<p>"Happy thought!" says friend Fox.</p> + +<p>He takes bag and baggage, and, presto! +is gone like a letter into the post.</p> + +<p>And Drakestail is off again, all spruce +and fresh, still singing: "Quack, quack, +quack, when shall I have my money +back?"</p> + +<p>He had not gone far when he met his +lady friend, Ladder, leaning on her wall.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, my duckling," says +the lady friend, "whither away so bold?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to the king for what he +owes me."</p> + +<p>"Oh! take me with thee!"</p> + +<p>Drakestail said to himself: "One can't +have too many friends." Aloud says he: +"I will, but then with your wooden legs +you will soon be tired. Make yourself +quite small, get into my throat—go +into my gizzard, and I will carry you."</p> + +<p>"Happy thought!" says my friend +Ladder, and nimble, bag and baggage, +goes to keep company with friend Fox.</p> + +<p>And "Quack, quack, quack," Drakestail +is off again, singing and spruce as +before. A little further he meets his +sweetheart, my friend River, wandering +quietly in the sunshine.</p> + +<p>"Thou, my cherub," says she, "whither +so lonesome, with arching tail, on this +muddy road?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to the king, you know, +for what he owes me."</p> + +<p>"Oh! take me with thee!"</p> + +<p>Drakestail said to himself: "One can't +have too many friends." Aloud says he: +"I will, but you who sleep while you walk +will soon get tired. Make yourself quite +small, get into my throat—go into my +gizzard, and I will carry you."</p> + +<p>"Ah! happy thought!" says my friend +River.</p> + +<p>She takes bag and baggage, and glou, +glou, glou she takes her place between +friend Fox and my friend Ladder.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> + +<p>And "Quack, quack, quack," Drakestail +is off again singing.</p> + +<p>A little further on he meets comrade +Wasp's-nest, maneuvering his wasps.</p> + +<p>"Well, good-morning, friend Drakestail," +said comrade Wasp's-nest, "where +are we bound for, so spruce and fresh?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to the king for what he +owes me."</p> + +<p>"Oh! take me with thee!"</p> + +<p>Drakestail said to himself, "One can't +have too many friends." Aloud says he: +"I will, but then with your battalion to +drag along, you will soon be tired. Make +yourself quite small, go into my throat—get +into my gizzard, and I will carry +you."</p> + +<p>"By Jove! that's a good idea!" says +comrade Wasp's-nest.</p> + +<p>And left file! he takes the same road +to join the others with all his party. +There was not much room, but by closing +up a bit they managed. And Drakestail +is off again singing.</p> + +<p>He arrived thus at the capital, and +threaded his way straight up the High +Street, still running and singing, "Quack, +quack, quack, when shall I get my money +back?" to the great astonishment of the +good folks, till he came to the king's +palace.</p> + +<p>He strikes with the knocker: "Toc! +toc!"</p> + +<p>"Who is there?" asks the porter, +putting his head out of the wicket.</p> + +<p>"'Tis I, Drakestail. I wish to speak +to the king."</p> + +<p>"Speak to the king! That's easily +said. The king is dining, and will not +be disturbed."</p> + +<p>"Tell him that it is I, and I have come +he well knows why."</p> + +<p>The porter shuts his wicket and goes +up to say it to the king, who was just +sitting down to dinner with a napkin +round his neck, and all his ministers.</p> + +<p>"Good, good!" said the king, laughing. +"I know what it is! Make him come in, +and put him with the turkeys and +chickens."</p> + +<p>The porter descends.</p> + +<p>"Have the goodness to enter."</p> + +<p>"Good!" says Drakestail to himself, +"I shall now see how they eat at court."</p> + +<p>"This way, this way," says the porter. +"One step further. There, there you +are."</p> + +<p>"How? what? in the poultry-yard?"</p> + +<p>Fancy how vexed Drakestail was!</p> + +<p>"Ah! so that's it," says he. "Wait! +I will compel you to receive me. Quack, +quack, quack, when shall I get my money +back?" But turkeys and chickens are +creatures who don't like people that are +not as themselves. When they saw the +new-comer and how he was made, and +when they heard him crying too, they +began to look black at him.</p> + +<p>"What is it? What does he want?"</p> + +<p>Finally they rushed at him all together, +to overwhelm him with pecks.</p> + +<p>"I am lost!" said Drakestail to himself, +when by good luck he remembers +his comrade friend Fox, and he cries:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Reynard, Reynard, come out of your earth,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Or Drakestail's life is of little worth."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>Then friend Fox, who was only waiting +for these words, hastens out, throws +himself on the wicked fowls, and quick! +quack! he tears them to pieces; so much +so that at the end of five minutes there +was not one left alive. And Drakestail, +quite content, began to sing again, +"Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get +my money back?"</p> + +<p>When the king, who was still at table, +heard this refrain, and the poultry-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span>woman +came to tell him what had been +going on in the yard, he was terribly +annoyed.</p> + +<p>He ordered them to throw this tail of +a drake into the well, to make an end of +him.</p> + +<p>And it was done as he commanded. +Drakestail was in despair of getting himself +out of such a deep hole, when he +remembered his lady friend Ladder.</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Ladder, Ladder, come out of thy hold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Or Drakestail's days will soon be told."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>My friend Ladder, who was only waiting +for these words, hastens out, leans +her two arms on the edge of the well; +then Drakestail climbs nimbly on her +back, and hop! he is in the yard, where +he begins to sing louder than ever.</p> + +<p>When the king, who was still at table +and laughing at the good trick he had +played his creditor, heard him again +reclaiming his money, he became livid +with rage.</p> + +<p>He commanded that the furnace should +be heated, and this tail of a drake thrown +into it, because he must be a sorcerer.</p> + +<p>The furnace was soon hot, but this +time Drakestail was not so afraid; he +counted on his sweetheart, my friend +River.</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"River, River, outward flow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Or to death Drakestail must go."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>My friend River hastens out, and errouf! +throws herself into the furnace, +which she floods, with all the people who +had lighted it; after which she flowed +growling into the hall of the palace to +the height of more than four feet.</p> + +<p>And Drakestail, quite content, begins +to swim, singing deafeningly, "Quack, +quack, quack, when shall I get my money +back?"</p> + +<p>The king was still at table, and thought +himself quite sure of his game; but when +he heard Drakestail singing again, and +when they told him all that had passed, +he became furious and got up from the +table brandishing his fists.</p> + +<p>"Bring him here, and I'll cut his +throat! Bring him here quick!" cried he.</p> + +<p>And quickly two footmen ran to fetch +Drakestail.</p> + +<p>"At last," said the poor chap, going up +the great stairs, "they have decided to +receive me."</p> + +<p>Imagine his terror when on entering +he sees the king as red as a turkey cock, +and all his ministers attending him standing +sword in hand. He thought this +time it was all up with him. Happily he +remembered that there was still one +remaining friend, and he cried with dying +accents:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Wasp's nest, Wasp's nest, make a sally,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Or Drakestail nevermore may rally."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>Hereupon the scene changes.</p> + +<p>"Bs, bs, bayonet them!" The brave +Wasp's-nest rushes out with all his +wasps. They threw themselves on the +infuriated king and his ministers, and +stung them so fiercely in the face that +they lost their heads, and not knowing +where to hide themselves they all jumped +pell-mell from the window and broke their +necks on the pavement.</p> + +<p>Behold Drakestail much astonished, +all alone in the big saloon and master of +the field. He could not get over it.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, he remembered shortly +what he had come for to the palace, and +improving the occasion, he set to work to +hunt for his dear money. But in vain +he rummaged in all the drawers; he found +nothing; all had been spent.</p> + +<p>And ferreting thus from room to room +he came at last to the one with the throne<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +in it, and feeling fatigued, he sat himself +down on it to think over his adventure. +In the meanwhile the people had found +their king and his ministers with their +feet in the air on the pavement, and they +had gone into the palace to know how it +had occurred. On entering the throne-room, +when the crowd saw that there was +already someone on the royal seat, they +broke out in cries of surprise and joy:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"The King is dead, long live the King!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Heaven has sent us down this thing."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>Drakestail, who was no longer surprised +at anything, received the acclamations +of the people as if he had never done +anything else all his life.</p> + +<p>A few of them certainly murmured +that a Drakestail would make a fine +king; those who knew him replied that a +knowing Drakestail was a more worthy +king than a spendthrift like him who was +lying on the pavement. In short, they +ran and took the crown off the head of the +deceased, and placed it on that of Drakestail, +whom it fitted like wax.</p> + +<p>Thus he became king.</p> + +<p>"And now," said he after the ceremony, +"ladies and gentlemen, let's go to +supper. I am so hungry!"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_167" id="Note_167">167</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The story of "Beauty and the Beast," while +very old in its ruder forms, is known to us in +a fine version which comes from the middle +of the eighteenth century. Madame de +Villeneuve, a French writer of some note +and a follower of Perrault in the field of the +fairy tale, published in 1740 a collection of +stories (<i>Contes Marins</i>) supposed to be +told by an old woman during a voyage to +St. Domingo. Among these was "Beauty +and the Beast" in a long-winded style +extending to more than 250 pages. In 1757, +a greatly abridged form of this version +was published by Madame de Beaumont, +who was then living in England and +who wrote many spirited tales designed for +children. Her stories are full of the didactic +element, and "Beauty and the Beast" +is no exception to the rule. These "edifying +commonplaces," however, are so sound +and fit into the story so naturally that the +reader does not suffer from their presence. +The artificial character of the story is easily +felt in contrast to the natural qualities of +a folk version. The plot has all the perfection +of a finished piece of literary art, +and for this quality especially Madame de +Beaumont's abridgement has always been +heartily and rightly admired.</div> + + +<h4><br />BEAUTY AND THE BEAST</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time, in a far-off country, +there lived a merchant who had been so +fortunate in all his undertakings that he +was enormously rich. As he had, however, +six sons and six daughters, he found +that his money was not too much to let +them have everything they fancied, as +they were accustomed to do.</p> + +<p>But one day a most unexpected misfortune +befell them. Their house caught +fire and was speedily burned to the +ground, with all the splendid furniture, +the books, pictures, gold, silver, and +precious goods it contained; and this was +only the beginning of their troubles. +Their father, who had until this moment +prospered in all ways, suddenly lost every +ship he had upon the sea, either by dint +of pirates, shipwreck, or fire. Then he +heard that his clerks in distant countries, +whom he had trusted entirely, had proved +unfaithful, and at last from great wealth +he fell into direst poverty.</p> + +<p>All that he had left was a little house in +a desolate place at least a hundred leagues +from the town in which he had lived, and +to this he was forced to retreat with his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +children, who were in despair at the idea +of leading such a different life. Indeed, +the daughters at first hoped that their +friends, who had been so numerous while +they were rich, would insist on their +staying in their houses now they no longer +possessed one. But they soon found that +they were left alone, and that their +former friends even attributed their misfortunes +to their own extravagance, and +showed no intention of offering them any +help. So nothing was left for them but +to take their departure to the cottage, +which stood in the midst of a dark forest, +and seemed to be the most dismal place +upon the face of the earth.</p> + +<p>As they were too poor to have any servants, +the girls had to work hard, like +peasants, and the sons, for their part, +cultivated the fields to earn their living. +Roughly clothed, and living in the simplest +way, the girls regretted unceasingly +the luxuries and amusements of their +former life; only the youngest tried to be +brave and cheerful. She had been as sad +as anyone when the misfortune first overtook +her father, but, soon recovering her +natural gayety, she set to work to make +the best of things, to amuse her father +and brothers as well as she could, and to +try to persuade her sisters to join her in +dancing and singing. But they would +do nothing of the sort, and because she +was not as doleful as themselves they +declared that this miserable life was all +she was fit for. But she was really far +prettier and cleverer than they were; +indeed, she was so lovely that she was +always called Beauty. After two years, +when they were all beginning to get used +to their new life, something happened to +disturb their tranquillity. Their father +received the news that one of his ships, +which he had believed to be lost, had +come safely into port with a rich cargo.</p> + +<p>All the sons and daughters at once +thought that their poverty was at an end +and wanted to set out directly for the +town, but their father, who was more +prudent, begged them to wait a little, +and though it was harvest-time and he +could ill be spared, determined to go himself +first to make inquiries. Only the +youngest daughter had any doubt but +that they would soon be as rich as they +were before, or at least rich enough to +live comfortably in some town where +they would find amusement and gay companions +once more. So they all loaded +their father with commissions for jewels +and dresses which it would have taken a +fortune to buy; only Beauty, feeling sure +that it was of no use, did not ask for anything. +Her father, noticing her silence, +said: "And what shall I bring for you, +Beauty?"</p> + +<p>"The only thing I wish for is to see +you come home safely," she answered.</p> + +<p>But this reply vexed her sisters, who +fancied she was blaming them for having +asked for such costly things. Her +father was pleased, but as he thought +that at her age she certainly ought to +like pretty presents, he told her to choose +something.</p> + +<p>"Well, dear father," said she, "as you +insist upon it, I beg that you will bring +me a rose. I have not seen one since +we came here, and I love them so much."</p> + +<p>So the merchant set out and reached +the town as quickly as possible, but only +to find that his former companions, +believing him to be dead, had divided +between them the goods which the ship +had brought; and after six months of +trouble and expense he found himself as +poor as when he started, having been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +able to recover only just enough to pay +the cost of the journey. To make matters +worse, he was obliged to leave the +town in terrible weather, so that by the +time he was within a few leagues of his +home he was almost exhausted with cold +and fatigue. Though he knew it would +take some hours to get through the forest, +he was so anxious to be at his journey's +end that he resolved to go on; but night +overtook him, and the deep snow and +bitter frost made it impossible for his +horse to carry him any further. Not a +house was to be seen. The only shelter +he could get was the hollow trunk of a +great tree, and there he crouched all the +night, which seemed to him the longest +he had ever known. In spite of his +weariness the howling of the wolves +kept him awake, and even when at last +the day broke he was not much better +off, for the falling snow had covered up +every path and he did not know which +way to turn.</p> + +<p>At length he made out some sort of +track, and though at the beginning it +was so rough and slippery that he fell +down more than once, it presently +became easier and led him into an avenue +of trees which ended in a splendid castle. +It seemed to the merchant very strange +that no snow had fallen in the avenue, +which was entirely composed of orange-trees, +covered with flowers and fruit. +When he reached the first court of the +castle he saw before him a flight of agate +steps, and went up them and passed +through several splendidly furnished +rooms. The pleasant warmth of the air +revived him and he felt very hungry; +but there seemed to be nobody in all +this vast and splendid palace whom he +could ask to give him something to eat. +Deep silence reigned everywhere, and at +last, tired of roaming through empty +rooms and galleries, he stopped in a room +smaller than the rest, where a clear fire +was burning and a couch was drawn up +cozily, close to it. Thinking that this +must be prepared for some one who was +expected, he sat down to wait till he +should come and very soon fell into a +sweet sleep.</p> + +<p>When his extreme hunger wakened +him after several hours he was still alone, +but a little table, upon which was a +good dinner, had been drawn up close +to him, and as he had eaten nothing for +twenty-four hours he lost no time in +beginning his meal, hoping that he might +soon have an opportunity of thanking +his considerate entertainer, whoever it +might be. But no one appeared, and +even after another long sleep, from which +he awoke completely refreshed, there was +no sign of anybody, though a fresh meal +of dainty cakes and fruit was prepared +upon a little table at his elbow. Being +naturally timid, the silence began to +terrify him, and he resolved to search +once more through all the rooms; but +it was of no use. Not even a servant +was to be seen; there was no sign of +life in the palace! He began to wonder +what he should do, and to amuse himself +by pretending that all the treasures +he saw were his own, and considering +how he would divide them among his +children. Then he went down into the +garden, and though it was winter everywhere +else, here the sun shone, and the +birds sang, and the flowers bloomed, and +the air was soft and sweet. The merchant, +in ecstasies with all he saw and +heard, said to himself:</p> + +<p>"All this must be meant for me. I +will go this minute and bring my children +to share all these delights."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span></p> + +<p>In spite of being so cold and weary +when he reached the castle, he had taken +his horse to the stable and fed it. Now +he thought he would saddle it for his +homeward journey, and he turned down +the path which led to the stable. This +path had a hedge of roses on each side +of it, and the merchant thought he had +never seen or smelled such exquisite +flowers. They reminded him of his promise +to Beauty, and he stopped and had +just gathered one to take to her when +he was startled by a strange noise behind +him. Turning round he saw a frightful +beast, which seemed to be very angry +and said in a terrible voice: "Who told +you that you might gather my roses? +Was it not enough that I allowed you +to be in my palace and was kind to you? +This is the way you show your gratitude, +by stealing my flowers! But your insolence +shall not go unpunished."</p> + +<p>The merchant, terrified by these furious +words, dropped the fatal rose, and +throwing himself on his knees cried: +"Pardon me, noble sir. I am truly +grateful to you for your hospitality, +which was so magnificent that I could +not imagine that you would be offended +by my taking such a little thing as a +rose." But the beast's anger was not +lessened by this speech.</p> + +<p>"You are very ready with excuses and +flattery," he cried; "but that will not +save you from the death you deserve."</p> + +<p>"Alas!" thought the merchant, "if my +daughter Beauty could only know what +danger her rose has brought me into!"</p> + +<p>And in despair be began to tell the +beast all his misfortunes and the reason +of his journey, not forgetting to mention +Beauty's request.</p> + +<p>"A king's ransom would hardly have +procured all that my other daughters +asked," he said, "but I thought that I +might at least take Beauty her rose. +I beg you to forgive me, for you see +I meant no harm."</p> + +<p>The beast considered for a moment, +and then he said in a less furious tone:</p> + +<p>"I will forgive you on one condition—that +is, that you will give me one of your +daughters."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" cried the merchant, "if I were +cruel enough to buy my own life at the +expense of one of my children's, what +excuse could I invent to bring her here?"</p> + +<p>"No excuse would be necessary," +answered the beast. "If she comes at +all she must come willingly. On no +other condition will I have her. See +if any one of them is courageous enough +and loves you well enough to come and +save your life. You seem to be an +honest man, so I will trust you to go +home. I give you a month to see if +either of your daughters will come back +with you and stay here, to let you go +free. If neither of them is willing you +must come alone, after bidding them +good-by forever, for then you will +belong to me. And do not imagine that +you can hide from me, for if you fail +to keep your word I will come and +fetch you!" added the beast grimly.</p> + +<p>The merchant accepted this proposal, +though he did not really think any of +his daughters would be persuaded to +come. He promised to return at the +time appointed, and then, anxious to +escape from the presence of the beast, +he asked permission to set off at once. +But the beast answered that he could +not go until the next day.</p> + +<p>"Then you will find a horse ready for +you," he said. "Now go and eat your +supper and await my orders."</p> + +<p>The poor merchant, more dead than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +alive, went back to his room, where the +most delicious supper was already served +on the little table which was drawn up +before a blazing fire. But he was too +terrified to eat, and only tasted a few of +the dishes, for fear the beast should be +angry if he did not obey his orders. +When he had finished he heard a great +noise in the next room, which he knew +meant that the beast was coming. As +he could do nothing to escape his visit, +the only thing that remained was to seem +as little afraid as possible; so when the +beast appeared and asked roughly if he +had supped well, the merchant answered +humbly that he had, thanks to his host's +kindness. Then the beast warned him +to remember their agreement and to +prepare his daughter exactly for what she +had to expect.</p> + +<p>"Do not get up to-morrow," he added, +"until you see the sun and hear a golden +bell ring. Then you will find your +breakfast waiting for you here, and the +horse you are to ride will be ready in +the court-yard. He will also bring you +back again when you come with your +daughter a month hence. Farewell. +Take a rose to Beauty, and remember +your promise."</p> + +<p>The merchant was only too glad when +the beast went away, and though he +could not sleep for sadness, he lay down +until the sun rose. Then, after a hasty +breakfast, he went to gather Beauty's +rose and mounted his horse, which carried +him off so swiftly that in an instant +he had lost sight of the palace, and he +was still wrapped in gloomy thoughts +when it stopped before the door of the +cottage.</p> + +<p>His sons and daughters, who had been +very uneasy at his long absence, rushed +to meet him, eager to know the result +of his journey, which, seeing him mounted +upon a splendid horse and wrapped in a +rich mantle, they supposed to be favorable. +But he hid the truth from them at +first, only saying sadly to Beauty as he +gave her the rose:</p> + +<p>"Here is what you asked me to bring +you. You little know what it has cost."</p> + +<p>But this excited their curiosity so +greatly that presently he told them his +adventures from beginning to end, and +then they were all very unhappy. The +girls lamented loudly over their lost +hopes, and the sons declared that their +father should not return to this terrible +castle, and began to make plans for killing +the beast if it should come to fetch him. +But he reminded them that he had promised +to go back. Then the girls were very +angry with Beauty and said it was all +her fault, and that if she had asked for +something sensible this would never have +happened, and complained bitterly that +they should have to suffer for her folly.</p> + +<p>Poor Beauty, much distressed, said to +them:</p> + +<p>"I have indeed caused this misfortune, +but I assure you I did it innocently. +Who could have guessed that to ask for +a rose in the middle of summer would +cause so much misery? But as I did the +mischief it is only just that I should +suffer for it. I will therefore go back +with my father to keep his promise."</p> + +<p>At first nobody would hear of this +arrangement, and her father and brothers, +who loved her dearly, declared that +nothing should make them let her go; +but Beauty was firm. As the time drew +near she divided all her little possessions +between her sisters and said good-by to +everything she loved, and when the fatal +day came she encouraged and cheered +her father as they mounted together the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +horse which had brought him back. It +seemed to fly rather than gallop, but so +smoothly that Beauty was not frightened; +indeed, she would have enjoyed the +journey if she had not feared what might +happen to her at the end of it. Her +father still tried to persuade her to go +back, but in vain. While they were +talking the night fell, and then, to their +surprise, wonderful colored lights began +to shine in all directions, and splendid +fireworks blazed out before them. All +the forest was illuminated by them, and +even felt pleasantly warm, though it had +been bitterly cold before. This lasted +until they reached the avenue of orange-trees, +where were statues holding flaming +torches, and when they got nearer to the +palace they saw that it was illuminated +from the roof to the ground, and music +sounded softly from the court-yard. "The +beast must be very hungry," said Beauty, +trying to laugh, "if he makes all this rejoicing +over the arrival of his prey."</p> + +<p>But in spite of her anxiety she could +not help admiring all the wonderful +things she saw.</p> + +<p>The horse stopped at the foot of the +flight of steps leading to the terrace, and +when they had dismounted her father +led her to the little room he had been +in before, where they found a splendid +fire burning and the table daintily spread +with a delicious supper.</p> + +<p>The merchant knew that this was +meant for them, and Beauty, who was +rather less frightened now that she had +passed through so many rooms and seen +nothing of the beast, was quite willing +to begin, for her long ride had made her +very hungry. But they had hardly finished +their meal when the noise of the +beast's footsteps was heard approaching, +and Beauty clung to her father in terror, +which became all the greater when she +saw how frightened he was. But when +the beast really appeared, though she +trembled at the sight of him, she made a +great effort to hide her horror and saluted +him respectfully.</p> + +<p>This evidently pleased the beast. +After looking at her he said, in a tone +that might have struck terror into the +boldest heart, though he did not seem +to be angry:</p> + +<p>"Good-evening, old man. Good-evening, +Beauty."</p> + +<p>The merchant was too terrified to +reply, but Beauty answered sweetly:</p> + +<p>"Good-evening, beast."</p> + +<p>"Have you come willingly?" asked the +beast. "Will you be content to stay +here when your father goes away?"</p> + +<p>Beauty answered bravely that she was +quite prepared to stay.</p> + +<p>"I am pleased with you," said the +beast. "As you have come of your own +accord, you may stay. As for you, old +man," he added, turning to the merchant, +"at sunrise to-morrow you will take your +departure. When the bell rings get up +quickly and eat your breakfast, and you +will find the same horse waiting to take +you home; but remember that you must +never expect to see my palace again."</p> + +<p>Then turning to Beauty he said:</p> + +<p>"Take your father into the next room +and help him to choose everything you +think your brothers and sisters would +like to have. You will find two traveling-trunks +there; fill them as full as you can. +It is only just that you should send them +something very precious as a remembrance +of yourself."</p> + +<p>Then he went away after saying, +"Good-by, Beauty; good-by, old man"; +and though Beauty was beginning to +think with great dismay of her father's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +departure, she was afraid to disobey the +beast's orders, and they went into the +next room, which had shelves and cupboards +all round it. They were greatly +surprised at the riches it contained. +There were splendid dresses fit for a +queen, with all the ornaments that were +to be worn with them; and when Beauty +opened the cupboards she was quite +dazzled by the gorgeous jewels that lay +in heaps upon every shelf. After choosing +a vast quantity, which she divided +between her sisters—for she made a heap +of the wonderful dresses for each of them—she +opened the last chest, which was +full of gold.</p> + +<p>"I think, father," she said, "that as +the gold will be more useful to you we +had better take out the other things again +and fill the trunks with it." So they did +this; but the more they put in the more +room there seemed to be, and at last they +put back all the jewels and dresses they +had taken out, and Beauty even added as +many more of the jewels as she could +carry at once; and then the trunks were +not too full, but they were so heavy that +an elephant could not have carried them!</p> + +<p>"The beast was mocking us," cried the +merchant. "He must have pretended to +give us all these things, knowing that I +could not carry them away."</p> + +<p>"Let us wait and see," answered Beauty. +"I cannot believe that he meant to deceive +us. All we can do is to fasten them up and +leave them ready."</p> + +<p>So they did this and returned to the +little room, where, to their astonishment, +they found breakfast ready. The merchant +ate his with a good appetite, as the +beast's generosity made him believe that +he might perhaps venture to come back +soon and see Beauty. But she felt sure +that her father was leaving her forever, +so she was very sad when the bell rang +sharply for the second time and warned +them that the time had come for them to +part. They went down into the court-yard, +where two horses were waiting, one +loaded with the two trunks, the other for +him to ride. They were pawing the +ground in their impatience to start, and, +the merchant was forced to bid Beauty +a hasty farewell; and as soon as he was +mounted he went off at such a pace that +she lost sight of him in an instant.</p> + +<p>Then Beauty began to cry and wandered +back to her own room. But she +soon found that she was very sleepy, and +as she had nothing better to do she lay +down and instantly fell asleep. And +then she dreamed that she was walking +by a brook bordered with trees and +lamenting her sad fate, when a young +prince, handsomer than anyone she had +ever seen, and with a voice that went +straight to her heart, came and said to +her: "Ah, Beauty! you are not so unfortunate +as you suppose. Here you will +be rewarded for all you have suffered +elsewhere. Your every wish shall be +gratified. Only try to find me out, no +matter how I may be disguised, as I love +you dearly, and in making me happy you +will find your own happiness. Be as +true-hearted as you are beautiful, and +we shall have nothing left to wish for."</p> + +<p>"What can I do, prince, to make you +happy?" said Beauty.</p> + +<p>"Only be grateful," he answered, "and +do not trust too much to your eyes. And +above all, do not desert me until you have +saved me from my cruel misery."</p> + +<p>After this she thought she found herself +in a room with a stately and beautiful +lady, who said to her:</p> + +<p>"Dear Beauty, try not to regret all +you have left behind you, for you are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +destined to a better fate. Only do not +let yourself be deceived by appearances."</p> + +<p>Beauty found her dreams so interesting +that she was in no hurry to awake, but +presently the clock roused her by calling +her name softly twelve times, and then +she got up and found her dressing-table +set out with everything she could possibly +want; and when her toilet was finished she +found dinner was waiting in the room next +to hers. But dinner does not take very +long when you are all by yourself, and +very soon she sat down cozily in the +corner of a sofa and began to think +about the charming prince she had seen +in her dream.</p> + +<p>"He said I could make him happy," +said Beauty to herself. "It seems, then, +that this horrible beast keeps him a +prisoner. How can I set him free? I +wonder why they both told me not to +trust to appearances. I don't understand +it. But after all it is only a dream, +so why should I trouble myself about it? +I had better go and find something to +do to amuse myself."</p> + +<p>So she got up and began to explore +some of the many rooms of the palace.</p> + +<p>The first she entered was lined with +mirrors, and Beauty saw herself reflected +on every side, and thought she had never +seen such a charming room. Then a +bracelet which was hanging from a +chandelier caught her eye, and on taking +it down she was greatly surprised to find +that it held a portrait of her unknown +admirer, just as she had seen him in her +dream. With great delight she slipped +the bracelet on her arm and went on into +a gallery of pictures, where she soon +found a portrait of the same handsome +prince, as large as life and so well painted +that as she studied it he seemed to smile +kindly at her.</p> + +<p>Tearing herself away from the portrait +at last, she passed through into a +room which contained every musical instrument +under the sun, and here she +amused herself for a long while in trying +some of them and singing until she was +tired. The next room was a library, +and she saw everything she had ever +wanted to read, as well as everything she +had read, and it seemed to her that a +whole lifetime would not be enough even +to read the names of the books, there +were so many. By this time it was growing +dusk, and wax candles in diamond +and ruby candlesticks were beginning to +light themselves in every room.</p> + +<p>Beauty found her supper served just +at the time she preferred to have it, but +she did not see anyone or hear a sound, +and though her father had warned her +that she would be alone, she began to find +it rather dull.</p> + +<p>But presently she heard the beast +coming, and wondered tremblingly if he +meant to eat her up now.</p> + +<p>However, as he did not seem at all +ferocious, and only said gruffly, "Good-evening, +Beauty," she answered cheerfully +and managed to conceal her terror. +Then the beast asked her how she had +been amusing herself, and she told him +all the rooms she had seen.</p> + +<p>Then he asked if she thought she could +be happy in his palace, and Beauty +answered that everything was so beautiful +that she would be very hard to please +if she could not be happy. And after +about an hour's talk Beauty began to +think that the beast was not nearly so +terrible as she had supposed at first. +Then he got up to leave her and said in +his gruff voice:</p> + +<p>"Do you love me, Beauty? Will you +marry me?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh! what shall I say?" cried Beauty, +for she was afraid to make the beast +angry by refusing.</p> + +<p>"Say 'yes' or 'no' without fear," he +replied.</p> + +<p>"Oh! no, beast," said Beauty hastily.</p> + +<p>"Since you will not, good-night, +Beauty," he said. And she answered, +"Good-night, beast," very glad to find +that her refusal had not provoked him. +And after he was gone she was very soon +in bed and asleep and dreaming of her +unknown prince. She thought he came +and said to her:</p> + +<p>"Ah, Beauty! why are you so unkind +to me? I fear I am fated to be unhappy +for many a long day still."</p> + +<p>And then her dreams changed, but the +charming prince figured in them all; and +when morning came her first thought +was to look at the portrait and see if it +was really like him, and she found that +it certainly was.</p> + +<p>This morning she decided to amuse +herself in the garden, for the sun shone +and all the fountains were playing; but +she was astonished to find that every +place was familiar to her, and presently +she came to the brook where the myrtle +trees were growing where she had first +met the prince in her dream, and that +made her think more than ever that he +must be kept a prisoner by the beast. +When she was tired she went back to +the palace, and found a new room full +of materials for every kind of work—ribbons +to make into bows and silks to +work into flowers. Then there was an +aviary full of rare birds, which were so +tame that they flew to Beauty as soon as +they saw her and perched upon her +shoulders and her head.</p> + +<p>"Pretty little creatures," she said, +"how I wish that your cage was nearer +to my room, that I might often hear you +sing!"</p> + +<p>So saying she opened a door and found +to her delight that it led into her own +room, though she had thought it was +quite the other side of the palace.</p> + +<p>There were more birds in a room further +on, parrots and cockatoos that could +talk, and they greeted Beauty by name. +Indeed, she found them so entertaining +that she took one or two back to her +room, and they talked to her while she +was at supper; after which the beast +paid her his usual visit and asked the +same questions as before, and then with a +gruff "good-night" he took his departure, +and Beauty went to bed to dream +of her mysterious prince. The days +passed swiftly in different amusements, +and after a while Beauty found out +another strange thing in the palace, +which often pleased her when she was +tired of being alone. There was one +room which she had not noticed particularly. +It was empty, except that under +each of the windows stood a very comfortable +chair, and the first time she had +looked out of the window it had seemed +to her that a black curtain prevented her +from seeing anything outside. But the +second time she went into the room, +happening to be tired, she sat down in +one of the chairs, and instantly the curtain +was rolled aside and a most amusing +pantomime was acted before her. There +were dances, and colored lights, and +music, and pretty dresses, and it was all +so gay that Beauty was in ecstasies. +After that she tried the other seven windows +in turn, and there was some new +and surprising entertainment to be seen +from each of them, so that Beauty never +could feel lonely any more. Every evening +after supper the beast came to see<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +her, and always before saying good-night +asked her in his terrible voice:</p> + +<p>"Beauty, will you marry me?"</p> + +<p>And it seemed to Beauty, now she +understood him better, that when she +said, "No, beast," he went away quite +sad. But her happy dreams of the handsome +young prince soon made her forget +the poor beast, and the only thing that +at all disturbed her was to be constantly +told to distrust appearances, to let her +heart guide her, and not her eyes, and +many other equally perplexing things, +which, consider as she would, she could +not understand.</p> + +<p>So everything went on for a long time, +until at last, happy as she was, Beauty +began to long for the sight of her father +and her brothers and sisters; and one +night, seeing her look very sad, the beast +asked her what was the matter. Beauty +had quite ceased to be afraid of him now +she knew that he was really gentle in +spite of his ferocious looks and his dreadful +voice. So she answered that she was +longing to see her home once more. +Upon hearing this the beast seemed sadly +distressed and cried miserably:</p> + +<p>"Ah! Beauty, have you the heart to +desert an unhappy beast like this? What +more do you want to make you happy? +Is it because you hate me that you want +to escape?"</p> + +<p>"No, dear beast," answered Beauty +softly, "I do not hate you, and I should +be very sorry never to see you any more, +but I long to see my father again. Only +let me go for two months, and I promise +to come back to you and stay for the +rest of my life."</p> + +<p>The beast, who had been sighing dolefully +while she spoke, now replied:</p> + +<p>"I cannot refuse you anything you +ask, even though it should cost me my +life. Take the four boxes you will find +in the room next to your own and fill +them with everything you wish to take +with you. But remember your promise +and come back when the two months +are over, or you may have cause to +repent it, for if you do not come in +good time you will find your faithful +beast dead. You will not need any +chariot to bring you back. Only say +good-by to all your brothers and sisters +the night before you come away, and +when you have gone to bed turn this +ring round upon your finger and say +firmly: 'I wish to go back to my palace +and see my beast again.' Good-night, +Beauty. Fear nothing, sleep peacefully, +and before long you shall see your father +once more."</p> + +<p>As soon as Beauty was alone she +hastened to fill the boxes with all the +rare and precious things she saw about +her, and only when she was tired of +heaping things into them did they seem +to be full.</p> + +<p>Then she went to bed, but could hardly +sleep for joy. And when at last she did +begin to dream of her beloved prince +she was grieved to see him stretched upon +a grassy bank, sad and weary and hardly +like himself.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" she cried.</p> + +<p>But he looked at her reproachfully +and said:</p> + +<p>"How can you ask me, cruel one? +Are you not leaving me to my death +perhaps?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, don't be so sorrowful!" cried +Beauty. "I am only going to assure +my father that I am safe and happy. +I have promised the beast faithfully +that I will come back, and he would +die of grief if I did not keep my word!"</p> + +<p>"What would that matter to you?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +said the prince. "Surely you would not +care?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed I should be ungrateful if I +did not care for such a kind beast," cried +Beauty indignantly. "I would die to +save him from pain. I assure you it is +not his fault that he is so ugly."</p> + +<p>Just then a strange sound woke her—someone +was speaking not very far away; +and opening her eyes she found herself +in a room she had never seen before, +which was certainly not nearly so splendid +as those she was used to in the +beast's palace. Where could she be? +She got up and dressed hastily, and +then saw that the boxes she had packed +the night before were all in the room. +While she was wondering by what magic +the beast had transported them and +herself to this strange place she suddenly +heard her father's voice, and rushed out +and greeted him joyfully. Her brothers +and sisters were all astonished at her +appearance, as they had never expected +to see her again, and there was no end +to the questions they asked her. She +had also much to hear about what had +happened to them while she was away and +of her father's journey home. But when +they heard that she had only come to +be with them for a short time, and then +must go back to the beast's palace +forever, they lamented loudly. Then +Beauty asked her father what he thought +could be the meaning of her strange +dreams, and why the prince constantly +begged her not to trust to appearances. +After much consideration he answered:</p> + +<p>"You tell me yourself that the beast, +frightful as he is, loves you dearly and +deserves your love and gratitude for +his gentleness and kindness. I think +the prince must mean you to understand +that you ought to reward him by doing +as he wishes you to, in spite of his +ugliness."</p> + +<p>Beauty could not help seeing that this +seemed very probable. Still, when she +thought of her dear prince who was so +handsome, she did not feel at all inclined +to marry the beast. At any rate, for +two months she need not decide, but +could enjoy herself with her sisters. But +though they were rich now and lived in +a town again and had plenty of acquaintances, +Beauty found that nothing amused +her very much; and she often thought of +the palace where she was so happy, +especially as at home she never once +dreamed of her dear prince, and she felt +quite sad without him.</p> + +<p>Then her sisters seemed to have got +used to being without her, and even +found her rather in the way, so she +would not have been sorry when the +two months were over but for her father +and brothers, who begged her to stay +and seemed so grieved at the thought of +her departure that she had not the +courage to say good-by to them. Every +day when she got up she meant to say +it at night, and when night came she +put it off again, until at last she had a +dismal dream which helped her to make +up her mind. She thought she was +wandering in a lonely path in the palace +gardens, when she heard groans which +seemed to come from some bushes hiding +the entrance of a cave, and running +quickly to see what could be the matter, +she found the beast stretched out upon +his side, apparently dying. He reproached +her faintly with being the +cause of his distress, and at the same +moment a stately lady appeared and +said very gravely:</p> + +<p>"Ah, Beauty! you are only just in +time to save his life. See what happens<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +when people do not keep their promises! +If you had delayed one day more you +would have found him dead."</p> + +<p>Beauty was so terrified by this dream +that the next morning she announced +her intention of going back at once, and +that very night she said good-by to her +father and all her brothers and sisters, +and as soon as she was in bed she turned +her ring round upon her finger and said +firmly, "I wish to go back to my palace +and see my beast again," as she had been +told to do.</p> + +<p>Then she fell asleep instantly, and +only woke up to hear the clock saying +"Beauty, Beauty," twelve times in its +musical voice, which told her at once +that she was really in the palace once +more. Everything was just as before, +and her birds were so glad to see her; +but Beauty thought she had never known +such a long day, for she was so anxious +to see the beast again that she felt as +if supper time would never come.</p> + +<p>But when it did come and no beast +appeared she was really frightened; so +after listening and waiting for a long +time she ran down into the garden to +search for him. Up and down the paths +and avenues ran poor Beauty, calling +him in vain, for no one answered and +not a trace of him could she find, until +at last, quite tired, she stopped for a +minute's rest and saw that she was +standing opposite the shady path she +had seen in her dream. She rushed +down it, and, sure enough, there was +the cave, and in it lay the beast—asleep, +as Beauty thought. Quite glad to have +found him, she ran up and stroked his +head, but, to her horror, he did not +move or open his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Oh! he is dead, and it is all my +fault," said Beauty, crying bitterly.</p> + +<p>But then, looking at him again, she +fancied he still breathed, and hastily +fetching some water from the nearest fountain, +she sprinkled it over his face, and +to her great delight he began to revive.</p> + +<p>"Oh, beast! how you frightened me!" +she cried. "I never knew how much I +loved you until just now, when I feared +I was too late to save your life."</p> + +<p>"Can you really love such an ugly +creature as I am?" said the beast faintly. +"Ah, Beauty! you only came just in +time. I was dying because I thought +you had forgotten your promise. But +go back now and rest. I shall see you +again by and by."</p> + +<p>Beauty, who had half expected that +he would be angry with her, was reassured +by his gentle voice and went +back to the palace, where supper was +awaiting her; and afterward the beast +came in as usual and talked about the +time she had spent with her father, asking +if she had enjoyed herself and if they +had all been very glad to see her.</p> + +<p>Beauty answered politely, and quite +enjoyed telling him all that had happened +to her. And when at last the +time came for him to go, and he asked, +as he had so often asked before, "Beauty, +will you marry me?" she answered softly: +"Yes, dear beast."</p> + +<p>As she spoke a blaze of light sprang +up before the windows of the palace; +fireworks crackled and guns banged, +and across the avenue of orange trees, +in letters all made of fireflies, was written: +"Long live the prince and his bride."</p> + +<p>Turning to ask the beast what it could +all mean, Beauty found that he had disappeared, +and in his place stood her +long-loved prince! At the same moment +the wheels of a chariot were heard upon +the terrace and two ladies entered the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +room. One of them Beauty recognized +as the stately lady she had seen in her +dreams; the other was also so grand and +queenly that Beauty hardly knew which +to greet first.</p> + +<p>But the one she already knew said to +her companion:</p> + +<p>"Well, queen, this is Beauty, who has +had the courage to rescue your son from +the terrible enchantment. They love +one another, and only your consent to +their marriage is wanting to make them +perfectly happy."</p> + +<p>"I consent with all my heart," cried the +queen. "How can I ever thank you +enough, charming girl, for having restored +my dear son to his natural form?"</p> + +<p>And then she tenderly embraced +Beauty and the prince, who had meanwhile +been greeting the fairy and receiving +her congratulations.</p> + +<p>"Now," said the fairy to Beauty, "I +suppose you would like me to send for +all your brothers and sisters to dance +at your wedding?"</p> + +<p>And so she did, and the marriage was +celebrated the very next day with the +utmost splendor, and Beauty and the +prince lived happily ever after.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_168" id="Note_168">168</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Peter Asbjörnsen (1812-1885) and Jorgen +Moe (1813-1882) were the first scientific +collectors of the folk tales of Norway. +Their joint interest in folk tales began when +they were schoolboys wandering on foot +through the country and listening to peasant +stories. This interest continued after +Moe had become a theologian and Asbjörnsen +a noted scientist. The latter served +the government as an expert connected +with the survey and development of his +country's natural resources. This resulted +in taking him to all parts of the land, and +he never lost an opportunity to hear and +copy down any folk tale that he found +surviving in the more isolated districts. +In 1842-1844 appeared <i>Norwegian Folk Tales</i> +by Moe and Asbjörnsen; in 1845, <i>Norwegian +Fairy Tales and Folk Legends;</i> and +there were subsequent additions. The five +tales following are from these Norse collections. +They were first made accessible in +English in Dasent's <i>Popular Tales from the +Norse</i> (1858). This book with its long +introductory essay on the origin and diffusion +of popular tales constitutes a landmark +in the study of folklore. It and Dasent's +later volume, <i>Tales from the Fjeld</i>, are still, +perhaps, the best sources for versions of +the Norse popular tales. "Why the Bear +Is Stumpy-tailed" belongs to the class of +stories which explain how things happened +to be as they are. It is of great antiquity +and is found over most of the world. The +greatest of all modern nature fairy tales, +Kipling's <i>Just So Stories</i>, are of a similar +type, though told at greater length and, of +course, with infinitely greater art.</div> + + +<h4><br />WHY THE BEAR IS STUMPY-TAILED</h4> + +<p>One day the Bear met the Fox, who +came slinking along with a string of fish +he had stolen.</p> + +<p>"Whence did you get those?" asked +the Bear.</p> + +<p>"Oh! my Lord Bruin, I've been out +fishing and caught them," said the Fox.</p> + +<p>So the Bear had a mind to learn to +fish too, and bade the Fox tell him how +he was to set about it.</p> + +<p>"Oh! it's an easy craft for you," +answered the Fox, "and soon learnt. +You've only got to go upon the ice, and +cut a hole and stick your tail down into +it; and so you must go on holding it +there as long as you can. You're not +to mind if your tail smarts a little; that's +when the fish bite. The longer you hold +it there the more fish you'll get; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +then all at once out with it, with a cross +pull sideways, and with a strong pull +too."</p> + +<p>Yes; the Bear did as the Fox had said, +and held his tail a long, long time down +in the hole, till it was fast frozen in. +Then he pulled it out with a cross pull, +and it snapped short off. That's why +Bruin goes about with a stumpy tail +this very day.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_169" id="Note_169">169</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following is from Dasent's <i>Popular Tales +from the Norse</i> and has long been a favorite +with the younger children by reason of its +remarkable compactness and its strong +accumulative force. The Troll of northern +stories is the Ogre of those farther south. +The story has a closing formula which may +often have been used for other stories as +well. (For an opening verse formula see +the note on "The Story of the Three Little +Pigs," No. <a href="#Note_151">151</a>.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE THREE BILLY-GOATS +GRUFF</h4> + +<p>Once on a time there were three Billy-goats +who were to go up to the hillside +to make themselves fat, and the +name of all the three was "Gruff."</p> + +<p>On the way up was a bridge over a +burn they had to cross; and under the +bridge lived a great ugly Troll, with eyes +as big as saucers and a nose as long as +a poker.</p> + +<p>So first of all came the youngest billy-goat +Gruff to cross the bridge.</p> + +<p>"Trip, trap; trip, trap!" went the +bridge.</p> + +<p>"WHO'S THAT tripping over my +bridge?" roared the Troll.</p> + +<p>"Oh! it is only I, the tiniest billy-goat +Gruff; and I'm going up to the +hill-side to make myself fat," said the +billy-goat, with such a small voice.</p> + +<p>"Now, I'm coming to gobble you up," +said the Troll.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no! pray don't take me. I'm +too little, that I am," said the billy-goat. +"Wait a bit till the second billy-goat +Gruff comes; he's much bigger."</p> + +<p>"Well! be off with you," said the +Troll.</p> + +<p>A little while after came the second +billy-goat Gruff to cross the bridge.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">"trip, trap! trip, trap! trip, trap!"</span> +went the bridge.</p> + +<p>"WHO'S THAT tripping over my +bridge?" roared the Troll.</p> + +<p>"Oh! it's the second billy-goat Gruff, +and I'm going up to the hill-side to make +myself fat," said the billy-goat, who +hadn't such a small voice.</p> + +<p>"Now, I'm coming to gobble you up," +said the Troll.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no! don't take me. Wait a little +till the big billy-goat Gruff comes; he's +much bigger."</p> + +<p>"Very well! be off with you," said the +Troll.</p> + +<p>But just then up came the big billy-goat +Gruff.</p> + +<p>"TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, +TRAP!" went the bridge, for the billy-goat +was so heavy that the bridge creaked +and groaned under him.</p> + +<p>"WHO'S THAT tramping over my +bridge?" roared the Troll.</p> + +<p>"It's I! THE BIG BILLY-GOAT +GRUFF," said the billy-goat, who had +an ugly hoarse voice of his own.</p> + +<p>"Now, I'm coming to gobble you up," +roared the Troll.</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Well, come along! I've got two spears,<br /> +And I'll poke your eyeballs out at your ears;<br /> +I've got besides two curling-stones,<br /> +And I'll crush you to bits, body and bones."<br /> +</div> + +<p>That was what the big billy-goat said; +and so he flew at the Troll and poked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +his eyes out with his horns, and crushed +him to bits, body and bones, and tossed +him out into the burn, and after that +he went up to the hill-side. There the +billy-goats got so fat they were scarce +able to walk home again; and if the fat +hasn't fallen off them, why they're still +fat; and so,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Snip, snap, snout,<br /> +This tale's told out."<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_170" id="Note_170">170</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following droll seems to indicate that the +folk had a strain of satirical humor which +they could use with fine effect. The translation +is that of Dasent's <i>Popular Tales +from the Norse</i>. (An old English verse form +of the same story will be found in No. <a href="#Note_146">146</a>.) +The old proverb about the shoemaker sticking +to his last is sure to come to mind as +one reads, but it seems to lose force when +we notice that the "goody" has no trouble +with the mowing, while the good "man" +has much with the housework!</div> + + +<h4><br />THE HUSBAND WHO WAS TO +MIND THE HOUSE</h4> + +<p>Once on a time there was a man so +surly and cross he never thought his +wife did anything right in the house. +So one evening in hay-making time he +came home scolding and swearing and +showing his teeth and making a dust.</p> + +<p>"Dear love, don't be so angry; there's +a good man," said his goody; "to-morrow +let's change our work. I'll go out with +the mowers and mow, and you shall mind +the house at home."</p> + +<p>Yes! the husband thought that would do +very well. He was quite willing, he said.</p> + +<p>So, early next morning, his goody took +a scythe over her neck and went out +into the hay-field with the mowers and +began to mow; but the man was to +mind the house, and do the work at home.</p> + +<p>First of all, he wanted to churn the +butter; but when he had churned a +while, he got thirsty, and went down to +the cellar to tap a barrel of ale. So, +just when he had knocked in the bung, +and was putting the tap into the cask, +he heard overhead the pig come into +the kitchen. Then off he ran up the +cellar steps, with the tap in his hand, as +fast as he could, to look after the pig +lest it should upset the churn; but when +he got up, and saw the pig had already +knocked the churn over, and stood there, +rooting and grunting amongst the cream +which was running all over the floor, he +got so wild with rage that he quite forgot +the ale-barrel, and ran at the pig +as hard as he could. He caught it, too, +just as it ran out of doors, and gave it +such a kick that piggy lay for dead on +the spot. Then all at once he remembered +he had the tap in his hand; but +when he got down to the cellar, every +drop of ale had run out of the cask.</p> + +<p>Then he went into the dairy and found +enough cream left to fill the churn again, +and so he began to churn, for butter +they must have at dinner. When he +had churned a bit, he remembered that +their milking cow was still shut up in +the byre, and hadn't had a bit to eat +or a drop to drink all the morning, +though the sun was high. Then all at +once he thought 'twas too far to take +her down to the meadow, so he'd just +get her up on the house-top—for the +house, you must know, was thatched +with sods, and a fine crop of grass was +growing there. Now their house lay close +up against a steep down, and he thought +if he laid a plank across to the thatch at +the back he'd easily get the cow up.</p> + +<p>But still he couldn't leave the churn, +for there was his little babe crawling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +about on the floor, and "if I leave it," +he thought, "the child is safe to upset +it." So he took the churn on his back, +and went out with it; but then he +thought he'd better first water the cow +before he turned her out on the thatch; +so he took up a bucket to draw water +out of the well; but, as he stooped down +at the well's brink, all the cream ran +out of the churn over his shoulders, and +so down into the well.</p> + +<p>Now it was near dinner-time, and he +hadn't even got the butter yet; so he +thought he'd best boil the porridge, and +filled the pot with water and hung it +over the fire. When he had done that, +he thought the cow might perhaps fall +off the thatch and break her legs or her +neck. So he got up on the house to +tie her up. One end of the rope he made +fast to the cow's neck, and the other he +slipped down the chimney and tied +round his own thigh; and he had to +make haste, for the water now began to +boil in the pot, and he had still to grind +the oatmeal.</p> + +<p>So he began to grind away; but while +he was hard at it, down fell the cow off +the house-top after all, and as she fell, +she dragged the man up the chimney by +the rope. There he stuck fast; and as +for the cow, she hung half way down the +wall, swinging between heaven and earth, +for she could neither get down nor up.</p> + +<p>And now the goody had waited seven +lengths and seven breadths for her husband +to come and call them home to +dinner; but never a call they had. At +last she thought she'd waited long +enough, and went home. But when she +got there and saw the cow hanging in +such an ugly place, she ran up and cut +the rope in two with her scythe. But +as she did this, down came her husband +out of the chimney; and so when his +old dame came inside the kitchen, there +she found him standing on his head in +the porridge pot.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_171" id="Note_171">171</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The artistic qualities of "Boots and His +Brothers," from Dasent's <i>Popular Tales +from the Norse</i>, will impress every reader or +listener. It belongs to that very numerous +group of stories dealing with the success +of the youngest child in the face of opposition, +mistreatment, or lack of sympathy +from others of his family. "John was +Boots, of course, because he was the +youngest"; which means that it was the +rule to give the most menial tasks about the +house to the youngest. But John had the +saving trait of always "wondering" about +things, which led him to find out what +would always be hidden from his more +stupid and less imaginative brothers.</div> + + +<h4><br />BOOTS AND HIS BROTHERS</h4> + +<p>Once on a time there was a man who +had three sons, Peter, Paul, and John. +John was Boots, of course, because he +was the youngest. I can't say the man +had anything more than these three sons, +for he hadn't one penny to rub against +another; and so he told his sons over +and over again they must go out into +the world and try to earn their bread, +for there at home there was nothing +to be looked for but starving to death.</p> + +<p>Now, a bit off the man's cottage was +the King's palace, and you must know, +just against the King's windows a great +oak had sprung up, which was so stout +and big that it took away all the light +from the King's palace. The King had +said he would give many, many dollars +to the man who could fell the oak, but +no one was man enough for that, for as +soon as ever one chip of the oak's trunk<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +flew off, two grew in its stead. A well, +too, the King would have dug, which was +to hold water for the whole year; for all +his neighbors had wells, but he hadn't +any, and that he thought a shame. So +the King said he would give any one +who could dig him such a well as would +hold water for a whole year round, both +money and goods; but no one could do +it, for the King's palace lay high, high +up on a hill, and they hadn't dug a few +inches before they came upon the living +rock.</p> + +<p>But as the King had set his heart on +having these two things done, he had +it given out far and wide, in all the +churches of his kingdom, that he who +could fell the big oak in the king's +court-yard, and get him a well that would +hold water the whole year round, should +have the Princess and half the kingdom. +Well! you may easily know there was +many a man who came to try his luck; +but for all their hacking and hewing, and +all their digging and delving, it was no +good. The oak got bigger and stouter +at every stroke, and the rock didn't get +softer either. So one day those three +brothers thought they'd set off and try +too, and their father hadn't a word +against it; for even if they didn't get +the Princess and half the kingdom, it +might happen they might get a place +somewhere with a good master; and +that was all he wanted. So when the +brothers said they thought of going to +the palace, their father said "yes" at +once. So Peter, Paul, and Jack went +off from their home.</p> + +<p>Well! they hadn't gone far before +they came to a fir wood, and up along +one side of it rose a steep hillside, and +as they went, they heard something +hewing and hacking away up on the hill +among the trees.</p> + +<p>"I wonder now what it is that is +hewing away up yonder?" said Jack.</p> + +<p>"You're always so clever with your +wonderings," said Peter and Paul both +at once. "What wonder is it, pray, +that a woodcutter should stand and +hack up on a hillside?"</p> + +<p>"Still, I'd like to see what it is, after +all," said Jack; and up he went.</p> + +<p>"Oh, if you're such a child, 'twill do +you good to go and take a lesson," +bawled out his brothers after him.</p> + +<p>But Jack didn't care for what they +said; he climbed the steep hillside +towards where the noise came, and when +he reached the place, what do you think +he saw? Why, an axe that stood there +hacking and hewing, all of itself, at the +trunk of a fir.</p> + +<p>"Good day!" said Jack. "So you +stand here all alone and hew, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; here I've stood and hewed and +hacked a long, long time, waiting for +you," said the Axe.</p> + +<p>"Well, here I am at last," said Jack, +as he took the axe, pulled it off its haft, +and stuffed both head and haft into his +wallet.</p> + +<p>So when he got down again to his +brothers, they began to jeer and laugh +at him.</p> + +<p>"And now, what funny thing was it +you saw up yonder on the hillside?" +they said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it was only an axe we heard," +said Jack.</p> + +<p>So when they had gone a bit farther, +they came under a steep spur of rock, +and up there they heard something digging +and shoveling.</p> + +<p>"I wonder now," said Jack, "what it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +is digging and shoveling up yonder at +the top of the rock!"</p> + +<p>"Ah, you're always so clever with +your wonderings," said Peter and Paul +again, "as if you'd never heard a woodpecker +hacking and pecking at a hollow +tree."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," said Jack, "I think it +would be a piece of fun just to see what +it really is."</p> + +<p>And so off he set to climb the rock, +while the others laughed and made game +of him. But he didn't care a bit for +that; up he climbed, and when he got +near the top, what do you think he saw? +Why, a spade that stood there digging +and delving.</p> + +<p>"Good day!" said Jack. "So you +stand here all alone, and dig and delve!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's what I do," said the +Spade, "and that's what I've done this +many a long day, waiting for you."</p> + +<p>"Well, here I am," said Jack again, +as he took the spade and knocked it +off its handle, and put it into his wallet, +and then down again to his brothers.</p> + +<p>"Well, what was it, so rare and +strange," said Peter and Paul, "that +you saw up there at the top of the +rock?"</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Jack, "nothing more than +a spade; that was what we heard."</p> + +<p>So they went on again a good bit, till +they came to a brook. They were +thirsty, all three, after their long walk, +and so they lay down beside the brook +to have a drink.</p> + +<p>"I wonder now," said Jack, "where all +this water comes from!"</p> + +<p>"I wonder if you're right in your +head," said Peter and Paul, in one +breath. "If you're not mad already, +you'll go mad very soon, with your +wonderings. Where the brook comes +from, indeed! Have you never heard +how water rises from a spring in the +earth?"</p> + +<p>"Yes! but still I've a great fancy to +see where this brook comes from," said +Jack.</p> + +<p>So up alongside the brook he went, +in spite of all that his brothers bawled +after him. Nothing could stop him. +On he went. So, as he went up and up, +the brook got smaller and smaller, and +at last, a little way farther on, what do +you think he saw? Why, a great walnut, +and out of that the water trickled.</p> + +<p>"Good day!" said Jack again. "So +you lie here, and trickle and run down +all alone?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do," said the Walnut, "and +here have I trickled and run this many +a long day, waiting for you."</p> + +<p>"Well, here I am," said Jack, as he +took up a lump of moss, and plugged +up the hole, that the water mightn't +run out. Then he put the walnut into +his wallet, and ran down to his brothers.</p> + +<p>"Well, now," said Peter and Paul, "have +you found out where the water comes +from? A rare sight it must have been!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, after all, it was only a hole it +ran out of," said Jack; and so the others +laughed and made game of him again, +but Jack didn't mind that a bit.</p> + +<p>"After all, I had the fun of seeing it," +said he.</p> + +<p>So when they had gone a bit farther, +they came to the King's palace; but +as every one in the kingdom had heard +how they might win the Princess and +half the realm, if they could only fell +the big oak and dig the King's well, so +many had come to try their luck that +the oak was now twice as stout and big +as it had been at first, for two chips +grew for every one they hewed out with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +their axes, as I dare say you all bear in +mind. So the King had now laid it +down as a punishment, that if any one +tried and couldn't fell the oak, he should +be put on a barren island, and both his +ears were to be clipped off. But the +two brothers didn't let themselves be +scared by that; they were quite sure +they could fell the oak, and Peter, as +he was eldest, was to try his hand first; +but it went with him as with all the rest +who had hewn at the oak; for every +chip he cut out, two grew in its place. +So the King's men seized him, and +clipped off both his ears, and put him +out on the island.</p> + +<p>Now Paul, he was to try his luck, but +he fared just the same; when he had +hewn two or three strokes, they began +to see the oak grow, and so the King's +men seized him too, and clipped his ears, +and put him out on the island; and his +ears they clipped closer, because they +said he ought to have taken a lesson from +his brother.</p> + +<p>So now Jack was to try.</p> + +<p>"If you <i>will</i> look like a marked sheep, +we're quite ready to clip your ears at +once, and then you'll save yourself some +bother," said the King, for he was +angry with him for his brothers' sake.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'd like just to try first," said +Jack, and so he got leave. Then he +took his axe out of his wallet and fitted +it to its haft.</p> + +<p>"Hew away!" said he to his axe; and +away it hewed, making the chips fly +again, so that it wasn't long before +down came the oak.</p> + +<p>When that was done, Jack pulled out +his spade, and fitted it to its handle.</p> + +<p>"Dig away!" said he to the spade; +and so the spade began to dig and delve +till the earth and rock flew out in splinters, +and so he had the well soon dug +out, you may think.</p> + +<p>And when he had got it as big and +deep as he chose, Jack took out his +walnut and laid it in one corner of +the well, and pulled the plug of moss +out.</p> + +<p>"Trickle and run," said Jack; and so +the nut trickled and ran, till the water +gushed out of the hole in a stream, and +in a short time the well was brimful.</p> + +<p>Then Jack had felled the oak which +shaded the King's palace, and dug a well +in the palace-yard, and so he got the +Princess and half the kingdom, as the +King had said; but it was lucky for +Peter and Paul that they had lost their +ears, else they had heard each hour and +day how every one said, "Well, after +all, Jack wasn't so much out of his +mind when he took to wondering."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_172" id="Note_172">172</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">For the next story from the Norse group the +translation by H. L. Braekstad is used. +It is better known under the more familiar +title of the Dasent version, "Why the Sea +Is Salt." Braekstad's translation of the +Asbjörnsen and Moe stories, illustrated by +Norwegian artists, appeared in two volumes +called <i>Round the Yule Log</i> and <i>Fairy Tales +from the North</i>. The story of the magic +hand-mill is the story of how an evil brother +violated the Christmas spirit and how his +curse was turned into good fortune for his +better-disposed relative. The naïve idea +of the common folk as to the devil's home +is especially interesting, as is the acceptance +of the fact that a Christmas celebration +includes a fine open fire of wood, even in a +place of unusual warmth. But perhaps we +should remember that in Norse mythology +the evil place would be associated with +intense cold. Of more importance, however, +is the fact that the magic quern brings<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +not good but disaster to those who try to +use it in the service of greed.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE QUERN AT THE BOTTOM +OF THE SEA</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time in the old, old days +there were two brothers, one of whom +was rich and the other poor. When +Christmas Eve came the poor brother +had not a morsel in the house, neither +of meat nor bread; and so he went to +his rich brother and asked for a trifle +for Christmas, in heaven's name. It +was not the first time the brother had +helped him, but he was always very +close-fisted, and was not particularly +glad to see him this time.</p> + +<p>"If you'll do what I tell you, you +shall have a whole ham," he said. The +poor brother promised he would, and +was very grateful into the bargain.</p> + +<p>"There it is, and now go to the devil!" +said the rich brother, and threw the +ham across to him.</p> + +<p>"Well, what I have promised I must +keep," said the other one. He took the +ham, and set out. He walked and +walked the whole day, and as it was +getting dark he came to a place where +the lights were shining brightly. "This +is most likely the place," thought the +man with the ham.</p> + +<p>In the woodshed stood an old man +with a long white beard, cutting fire-wood +for Christmas.</p> + +<p>"Good evening," said he with the ham.</p> + +<p>"Good evening to you," said the man. +"Where are you going so late?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to the devil—that is to +say, if I am on the right way," answered +the poor man.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you are quite right; this is his +place," said the old man. "When you +get in, they will all want to buy your +ham, for ham is scarce food here; but +you must not sell it unless you get the +hand-quern, which stands just behind +the door. When you come out again, +I'll teach you how to use it. You will +find it useful in many ways."</p> + +<p>The man with the ham thanked him +for all the information, and knocked at +the door.</p> + +<p>When he got in, it happened just as the +old man had said. All the imps, both +big and small, flocked around him like +ants in a field, and the one outbid the +other for the ham.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the man, "my good +woman and I were to have it for Christmas +Eve, but since you want it so badly +I will let you have it. But if I am going +to part with it, I want that hand-quern +which stands behind the door."</p> + +<p>The devil did not like to part with it, +and higgled and haggled with the man, but +he stuck to what he had said, and in the +end the devil had to part with the quern.</p> + +<p>When the man came out, he asked the +old wood-cutter how he was to use the +quern, and when he had learned this, he +thanked the old man and set out homewards +as quickly as he could; but after +all he did not get home till the clock +struck twelve on Christmas Eve.</p> + +<p>"Where in all the world have you +been?" said his wife. "Here have I +been sitting, hour after hour, waiting +and watching for you, and have not had +as much as two chips to lay under the +porridge pot."</p> + +<p>"Well, I couldn't get back before," +said the man. "I have had a good +many things to look after, and I've had +a long way to walk as well; but now +I'll show you something," said he, and +put the quern on the table. He asked +it first to grind candles, then a cloth,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +and then food and beer, and everything +else that was good for Christmas cheer; +and as he spoke the quern brought them +forth. The woman crossed herself time +after time and wanted to know where +her husband had got the quern from; +but this he would not tell her.</p> + +<p>"It does not matter where I got it +from; you see the quern is good and the +mill stream is not likely to freeze," said +the man. So he ground food and drink +and all good things during Christmas; +and the third day he invited his friends, +as he wanted to give them a feast. +When the rich brother saw all that was +in the house, he became both angry +and furious, for he begrudged his brother +everything.</p> + +<p>"On Christmas Eve he was so needy +that he came to me and asked for a +trifle in heaven's name; and now he +gives a feast, as if he were both a count +and a king," said the brother. "Where +did you get all your riches from?" he +said to his brother.</p> + +<p>"From just behind the door," he +answered, for he did not care to tell +his brother much about it. But later +in the evening, when he had drunk a +little freely, he could no longer resist, +but brought out the quern.</p> + +<p>"There you see that which has brought +me all my riches," he said, and so he +let the quern grind first one thing and +then another.</p> + +<p>When the brother saw this, he was +determined to have the quern at all cost, +and at last it was settled he should have +it, but three hundred dollars was to be +the price of it. The brother was, however, +to keep it till the harvest began; +"for if I keep it so long, I can grind out +food for many years to come," he thought.</p> + +<p>During that time you may be sure +the quern did not rust, and when the +harvest began the rich brother got it; +but the other had taken great care not +to show him how to use it.</p> + +<p>It was evening when the rich brother +got the quern home, and in the morning +he asked his wife to go out and help the +haymakers; he would get the breakfast +ready himself to-day, he said.</p> + +<p>When it was near breakfast time he +put the quern on the breakfast table.</p> + +<p>"Grind herrings and broth, and do it +quickly and well," said the man, and +the quern began to bring forth herrings +and broth, and filled first all the dishes +and tubs, and afterwards began flooding +the whole kitchen.</p> + +<p>The man fiddled and fumbled and tried +to stop the quern, but however much he +twisted and fingered it, the quern went +on grinding, and in a little while the +broth reached so high that the man was +very near drowning. He then pulled +open the parlor door, but it was not +long before the quern had filled the +parlor also, and it was just in the very +nick of time that the man put his hand +down into the broth and got hold of the +latch, and when he had got the door +open, he was soon out of the parlor, +you may be sure. He rushed out, and +the herrings and the broth came pouring +out after him, like a stream, down +the fields and meadows.</p> + +<p>The wife, who was out haymaking, +now thought it took too long a time to +get the breakfast ready.</p> + +<p>"If my husband doesn't call us soon, +we must go home whether or no: I +don't suppose he knows much about making +broth, so I must go and help +him," said the wife to the haymakers.</p> + +<p>They began walking homewards, but +when they had got a bit up the hill they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +met the stream of broth with the herrings +tossing about in it and the man +himself running in front of it all.</p> + +<p>"I wish all of you had a hundred +stomachs each!" shouted the man; "but +take care you don't get drowned." And +he rushed past them as if the Evil One +was at his heels, down to where his +brother lived. He asked him for heaven's +sake to take back the quern, and +that at once. "If it goes on grinding +another hour the whole parish will perish +in broth and herrings," he said. But +the brother would not take it back on +any account before his brother had paid +him three hundred dollars more, and +this he had to do. The poor brother +now had plenty of money, and before +long he bought a farm much grander +than the one on which his rich brother +lived, and with the quern he ground so +much gold that he covered the farmstead +with gold plates and, as it lay +close to the shore, it glittered and shone +far out at sea. All those who sailed +past wanted to call and visit the rich +man in the golden house, and everybody +wanted to see the wonderful quern, +for its fame had spread both far and +wide, and there was no one who had +not heard it spoken of.</p> + +<p>After a long while there came a skipper +who wanted to see the quern; he +asked if it could grind salt. Yes, that +it could, said he who owned it; and +when the skipper heard this he wanted +the quern by hook or by crook, cost +what it might, for if he had it he thought +he need not sail far away across dangerous +seas for cargoes of salt.</p> + +<p>At first the man did not want to part +with it, but the skipper both begged and +prayed, and at last he sold it and got +many, many thousand dollars for it.</p> + +<p>As soon as the skipper had got the +quern on his back he did not stop long, +for he was afraid the man would change +his mind, and as for asking how to use +it, he had no time to do that; he made +for his ship as quickly as he could, and +when he had got out to sea a bit he had +the quern brought up on deck.</p> + +<p>"Grind salt, and that both quickly +and well," said the skipper, and the +quern began to grind out salt so that it +spurted to all sides.</p> + +<p>When the skipper had got the ship +filled he wanted to stop the quern, but +however much he tried and whatever +he did the quern went on grinding, and +the mound of salt grew higher and +higher, and at last the ship sank.</p> + +<p>There at the bottom of the sea stands +the quern grinding till this very day, and +that is the reason why the sea is salt.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_173" id="Note_173">173</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The next seven stories are from the best +known of all collections of folk tales, the +<i>Kinder und Hausmärchen</i> (1812-1815) of +the brothers Jacob Grimm (1785-1863) +and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859). They +worked together as scholarly investigators +in the field of philology. The world is +indebted to them for the creation of the +science of folklore. Other writers, such as +Perrault, had published collections of folklore, +but these two brothers were the first +to collect, classify, and publish folk tales in +a scientific way. With the trained judgment +of scholars they excluded from the +stories all details that seemed new or foreign, +and put them as nearly as possible +into the form in which they had been told +by the folk. These <i>Household Tales</i> were +first made accessible in English in the +translation of Edgar Taylor, published in +two volumes in 1823 and 1826, and revised +in 1837. There have been later translations, +notably the complete one by Margaret<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +Hunt in 1884, but the Taylor version has +been the main source of the popular +retellings for nearly a hundred years. It +included only about fifty of the two hundred +tales, and was illustrated by the +famous artist George Cruikshank. An +edition including all the Taylor translations +and the original etchings was issued in +1868 with an introduction by John Ruskin. +It is still reprinted under the title, <i>Grimm's +Popular Stories</i>.<br /> +<br /> +"The Traveling Musicians" is from the Taylor +translation. It is sometimes called +"The Bremen Town Musicians," or simply +"The Town Musicians." The story +is widespread, showing its great popularity. +Jacobs finds "the fullest and most dramatic +form" in the Irish "Jack and His +Comrades," which he includes in his <i>Celtic +Fairy Tales</i>. Jacobs also gives an English +version by way of America, "How Jack +Sought His Fortune," in his <i>English +Fairy Tales</i>. The successful outcome for +these distressed and deserving poor adventurers +appeals as a fine stroke of poetic +justice.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE TRAVELING MUSICIANS</h4> + +<p>An honest farmer had once an ass that +had been a faithful servant to him a +great many years, but was now growing +old and every day more and more unfit +for work. His master therefore was tired +of keeping him and began to think of +putting an end to him; but the ass, who +saw that some mischief was in the wind, +took himself slyly off and began his journey +towards the great city, "for there," +thought he, "I may turn musician."</p> + +<p>After he had traveled a little way, he +spied a dog lying by the road-side and +panting as if he were very tired. "What +makes you pant so, my friend?" said the +ass.</p> + +<p>"Alas!" said the dog, "my master was +going to knock me on the head because I +am old and weak and can no longer make +myself useful to him in hunting; so I ran +away: but what can I do to earn my livelihood?"</p> + +<p>"Hark ye!" said the ass, "I am going +to the great city to turn musician: suppose +you go with me and try what you +can do in the same way?" The dog said +he was willing, and they jogged on +together.</p> + +<p>Before they had gone far, they saw a +cat sitting in the middle of the road and +making a most rueful face. "Pray, my +good lady," said the ass, "what's the +matter with you? You look quite out of +spirits!"</p> + +<p>"Ah, me!" said the cat, "how can one +be in good spirits when one's life is in +danger? Because I am beginning to +grow old and had rather lie at my ease +by the fire than run about the house after +the mice, my mistress laid hold of me +and was going to drown me; and though +I have been lucky enough to get away +from her, I do not know what I am to +live upon."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the ass, "by all means go +with us to the great city. You are a good +night-singer and may make your fortune +as a musician." The cat was pleased +with the thought and joined the party.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards, as they were passing +by a farmyard, they saw a cock perched +upon a gate, screaming out with all his +might and main. "Bravo!" said the +ass; "upon my word you make a famous +noise; pray what is all this about?"</p> + +<p>"Why," said the cock, "I was just now +saying that we should have fine weather +for our washing-day, and yet my mistress +and the cook don't thank me for my +pains, but threaten to cut off my head +tomorrow and make broth of me for the +guests that are coming on Sunday."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Heaven forbid!" said the ass; "come +with us, Master Chanticleer; it will be +better, at any rate, than staying here to +have your head cut off! Besides, who +knows? If we take care to sing in tune, +we may get up some kind of a concert: +so come along with us."</p> + +<p>"With all my heart," said the cock: so +they all four went on jollily together.</p> + +<p>They could not, however, reach the +great city the first day: so when night +came on they went into a wood to sleep. +The ass and the dog laid themselves down +under a great tree, and the cat climbed +up into the branches; while the cock, +thinking that the higher he sat the safer +he should be, flew up to the very top of +the tree, and then, according to his custom, +before he went to sleep, looked out +on all sides of him to see that everything +was well. In doing this, he saw afar +off something bright and shining; and +calling to his companions said, "There +must be a house no great way off, for I +see a light."</p> + +<p>"If that be the case," said the ass, "we +had better change our quarters, for our +lodging is not the best in the world!"</p> + +<p>"Besides," added the dog, "I should +not be the worse for a bone or two, or a +bit of meat." So they walked off together +towards the spot where Chanticleer +had seen the light; and as they +drew near, it became larger and brighter, +till they at last came close to a house in +which a gang of robbers lived.</p> + +<p>The ass, being the tallest of the company, +marched up to the window and +peeped in. "Well, Donkey," said Chanticleer, +"what do you see?"</p> + +<p>"What do I see?" replied the ass, +"why I see a table spread with all kinds +of good things, and robbers sitting round +it making merry."</p> + +<p>"That would be a noble lodging for +us," said the cock.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the ass, "if we could only +get in": so they consulted together how +they should contrive to get the robbers +out; and at last they hit upon a plan. +The ass placed himself upright on +his hind-legs, with his fore-feet resting +against the window; the dog got upon his +back; the cat scrambled up to the dog's +shoulders, and the cock flew up and sat +upon the cat's head. When all was +ready, a signal was given, and they began +their music. The ass brayed, the dog +barked, the cat mewed, and the cock +screamed; and then they all broke +through the window at once and came +tumbling into the room, amongst the +broken glass, with a most hideous clatter! +The robbers, who had been not a little +frightened by the opening concert, had +now no doubt that some frightful hobgoblin +had broken in upon them, and +scampered away as fast as they could.</p> + +<p>The coast once clear, our travelers +soon sat down and dispatched what the +robbers had left, with as much eagerness +as if they had not expected to eat again +for a month. As soon as they had satisfied +themselves, they put out the lights +and each once more sought out a resting-place +to his own liking. The donkey laid +himself down upon a heap of straw in the +yard; the dog stretched himself upon a mat +behind the door; the cat rolled herself up +on the hearth before the warm ashes; and +the cock perched upon a beam on the top of +the house; and, as they were all rather tired +with their journey, they soon fell asleep.</p> + +<p>But about midnight, when the robbers +saw from afar that the lights were out +and that all seemed quiet, they began to +think that they had been in too great a +hurry to run away; and one of them, who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +was bolder than the rest, went to see what +was going on. Finding everything still, +he marched into the kitchen and groped +about till he found a match in order to +light a candle; and then, espying the +glittering fiery eyes of the cat, he mistook +them for live coals and held the match +to them to light it. But the cat, not +understanding this joke, sprung at his +face, and spit, and scratched at him. +This frightened him dreadfully, and away +he ran to the back door; but there the +dog jumped up and bit him in the leg; +and as he was crossing over the yard the +ass kicked him; and the cock, who had +been awakened by the noise, crowed with +all his might. At this the robber ran +back as fast as he could to his comrades +and told the captain "how a horrid witch +had got into the house, and had spit at +him and scratched his face with her long +bony fingers; how a man with a knife in +his hand had hidden himself behind the +door and stabbed him in the leg; how a +black monster stood in the yard and +struck him with a club, and how the +devil sat upon the top of the house and +cried out, 'Throw the rascal up here!'"</p> + +<p>After this the robbers never dared to go +back to the house; but the musicians +were so pleased with their quarters that +they took up their abode there; and there +they are, I dare say, at this very day.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_174" id="Note_174">174</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The Taylor translation of Grimm is used for +"The Blue Light." This tale contains +several of the elements most popular in +children's stories. There is merit in distress, +an old witch, the magic blue light, +the little black dwarf, and the exceeding +great reward at the end. From this very +story or some variant of it Hans Christian +Andersen must have drawn the inspiration +for "The Tinder Box" (No. <a href="#Note_196">196</a>).</div> + + +<h4><br />THE BLUE LIGHT</h4> + +<p>A soldier had served a king his master +many years, till at last he was turned off +without pay or reward. How he should +get his living he did not know; so he set +out and journeyed homeward all day in a +very downcast mood, until in the evening +he came to the edge of a deep wood. +The road leading that way, he pushed +forward; but before he had gone far, he +saw a light glimmering through the trees, +towards which he bent his weary steps; +and soon he came to a hut where no one +lived but an old witch. The poor fellow +begged for a night's lodging and something +to eat and drink; but she would +listen to nothing. However, he was not +easily got rid of; and at last she said, "I +think I will take pity on you this once; +but if I do, you must dig over all my garden +for me in the morning." The soldier +agreed very willingly to anything she +asked, and he became her guest.</p> + +<p>The next day he kept his word and dug +the garden very neatly. The job lasted +all day; and in the evening, when his mistress +would have sent him away, he said, +"I am so tired with my work that I must +beg you to let me stay over the night."</p> + +<p>The old lady vowed at first she would +not do any such thing; but after a great +deal of talk he carried his point, agreeing +to chop up a whole cart-load of wood for +her the next day.</p> + +<p>This task too was duly ended; but not +till towards night, and then he found himself +so tired that he begged a third night's +rest; and this too was given, but only on +his pledging his word that he next day +would fetch the witch the blue light that +burnt at the bottom of the well.</p> + +<p>When morning came she led him to the +well's mouth, tied him to a long rope, and +let him down. At the bottom sure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +enough he found the blue light as the +witch had said, and at once made the +signal for her to draw him up again. +But when she had pulled him up so near +to the top that she could reach him with +her hands, she said, "Give me the light: +I will take care of it,"—meaning to play +him a trick by taking it for herself and +letting him fall again to the bottom of +the well.</p> + +<p>But the soldier saw through her wicked +thoughts, and said, "No, I shall not give +you the light till I find myself safe and +sound out of the well."</p> + +<p>At this she became very angry and +dashed him, with the light she had longed +for many a year, down to the bottom. +And there lay the poor soldier for a while +in despair, on the damp mud below, and +feared that his end was nigh. But his +pipe happened to be in his pocket still +half full, and he thought to himself, "I +may as well make an end of smoking you +out; it is the last pleasure I shall have in +this world." So he lit it at the blue +light and began to smoke.</p> + +<p>Up rose a cloud of smoke, and on a +sudden a little black dwarf was seen +making his way through the midst of it. +"What do you want with me, soldier?" +said he.</p> + +<p>"I have no business with you," +answered he.</p> + +<p>But the dwarf said, "I am bound to +serve you in every thing, as lord and +master of the blue light."</p> + +<p>"Then first of all, be so good as to help +me out of this well." No sooner said +than done: the dwarf took him by the +hand and drew him up, and the blue light +of course with him. "Now do me +another piece of kindness," said the soldier: +"pray let that old lady take my +place in the well."</p> + +<p>When the dwarf had done this, and +lodged the witch safely at the bottom, +they began to ransack her treasures; and +the soldier made bold to carry off as +much of her gold and silver as he well +could. Then the dwarf said, "If you +should chance at any time to want me, +you have nothing to do but to light your +pipe at the blue light, and I will soon be +with you."</p> + +<p>The soldier was not a little pleased at +his good luck, and went to the best inn +in the first town he came to and ordered +some fine clothes to be made and a handsome +room to be got ready for him. +When all was ready, he called his little +man to him and said, "The king sent me +away penniless and left me to hunger and +want. I have a mind to show him that +it is my turn to be master now; so bring +me his daughter here this evening, that +she may wait upon me and do what I bid +her."</p> + +<p>"That is rather a dangerous task," said +the dwarf. But away he went, took +the princess out of her bed, fast asleep +as she was, and brought her to the +soldier.</p> + +<p>Very early in the morning he carried +her back; and as soon as she saw her +father, she said, "I had a strange dream +last night. I thought I was carried away +through the air to a soldier's house, and +there I waited upon him as his servant." +Then the king wondered greatly at such +a story; but told her to make a hole in +her pocket and fill it with peas, so that +if it were really as she said, and the whole +was not a dream, the peas might fall out +in the streets as she passed through, and +leave a clue to tell whither she had been +taken. She did so; but the dwarf had +heard the king's plot; and when evening +came, and the soldier said he must bring<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +him the princess again, he strewed peas +over several of the streets, so that the +few that fell from her pocket were not +known from the others; and the people +amused themselves all the next day picking +up peas and wondering where so +many came from.</p> + +<p>When the princess told her father what +had happened to her the second time, he +said, "Take one of your shoes with you +and hide it in the room you are taken to."</p> + +<p>The dwarf heard this also; and when +the soldier told him to bring the king's +daughter again, he said, "I cannot save +you this time; it will be an unlucky thing +for you if you are found out—as I think +you will." But the soldier would have +his own way. "Then you must take +care and make the best of your way out +of the city gate very early in the morning," +said the dwarf.</p> + +<p>The princess kept one shoe on as her +father bid her, and hid it in the soldier's +room; and when she got back to her +father, he ordered it to be sought for all +over the town; and at last it was found +where she had hid it. The soldier had +run away, it is true; but he had been too +slow and was soon caught and thrown +into a strong prison and loaded with +chains. What was worse, in the hurry of +his flight, he had left behind him his great +treasure, the blue light, and all his gold, +and had nothing left in his pocket but +one poor ducat.</p> + +<p>As he was standing very sorrowful at +the prison grating, he saw one of his comrades, +and calling out to him said, "If +you will bring me a little bundle I left +in the inn, I will give you a ducat."</p> + +<p>His comrade thought this very good +pay for such a job; so he went away and +soon came back bringing the blue light +and the gold. Then the prisoner soon +lit his pipe. Up rose the smoke, and with +it came his old friend, the little dwarf. +"Do not fear, master," said he: "keep +up your heart at your trial and leave +everything to take its course;—only +mind to take the blue light with you."</p> + +<p>The trial soon came on; the matter +was sifted to the bottom; the prisoner +found guilty, and his doom passed:—he +was ordered to be hanged forthwith on the +gallows-tree.</p> + +<p>But as he was led out, he said he had +one favor to beg of the king. "What is +it?" said his majesty.</p> + +<p>"That you will deign to let me smoke +one pipe on the road."</p> + +<p>"Two, if you like," said the king.</p> + +<p>Then he lit his pipe at the blue light, +and the black dwarf was before him in a +moment. "Be so good as to kill, slay, +or put to flight all these people," said the +soldier: "and as for the king, you may +cut him into three pieces."</p> + +<p>Then the dwarf began to lay about +him, and soon got rid of the crowd +around: but the king begged hard for +mercy; and, to save his life, agreed to let +the soldier have the princess for his wife +and to leave the kingdom to him when he +died.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_175" id="Note_175">175</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following tale is from Taylor's translation +of Grimm. The cheerful industry and the +kindly gratitude of the shoemaker and his +wife, together with the gayety of the little +elves, make the story altogether charming. +No doubt its popularity was helped by +Cruikshank's famous accompanying etching, +showing the scene at the close, in which +the two elves "are drawn with a point +at once so precise and vivacious, so full of +keen fun and inimitably happy invention, +that I have not found their equal in comic +etching anywhere. . . . The picturesque<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +details of the room are etched with the same +felicitous intelligence; but the marvel of +the work is in the expression of the strange +little faces, and the energy of the comical +wee limbs." (Hamerton, <i>Etching and +Etchers</i>.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER</h4> + +<p>There was once a shoemaker who +worked very hard and was very honest; +but still he could not earn enough to +live upon, and at last all he had in the +world was gone, except just leather +enough to make one pair of shoes. Then +he cut them all ready to make up the +next day, meaning to get up early in +the morning to work. His conscience +was clear and his heart light amidst all +his troubles; so he went peaceably to +bed, left all his cares to heaven, and fell +asleep. In the morning, after he had +said his prayers, he set himself down to +his work, but to his great wonder, there +stood the shoes, all ready made, upon +the table. The good man knew not +what to say or think of this strange +event. He looked at the workmanship: +there was not one false stitch in the whole +job, and all was so neat and true that +it was a complete masterpiece.</p> + +<p>That same day a customer came in, +and the shoes pleased him so well that +he willingly paid a price higher than +usual for them; and the poor shoemaker +with the money bought leather enough +to make two pairs more. In the evening +he cut out the work and went to +bed early that he might get up and begin +betimes next day: but he was saved all +the trouble, for when he got up in the +morning the work was finished ready to +his hand. Presently in came buyers, +who paid him handsomely for his goods, +so that he bought leather enough for +four pairs more. He cut out the work +again over night, and found it finished +in the morning as before; and so it went +on for some time: what was got ready in +the evening was always done by daybreak, +and the good man soon became +thriving and prosperous again.</p> + +<p>One evening about Christmas time, as +he and his wife were sitting over the +fire chatting together, he said to her, +"I should like to sit up and watch +to-night, that we may see who it is that +comes and does my work for me." The +wife liked the thought; so they left a +light burning and hid themselves in the +corner of the room behind a curtain that +was hung up there, and watched what +should happen.</p> + +<p>As soon as it was midnight, there came +two little naked dwarfs; and they sat +themselves upon the shoemaker's bench, +took up all the work that was cut out, +and began to ply with their little fingers, +stitching and rapping and tapping away +at such a rate that the shoemaker was +all amazement and could not take his +eyes off for a moment. And on they +went till the job was quite finished, and +the shoes stood ready for use upon the +table. This was long before daybreak; +and then they bustled away as quick as +lightning.</p> + +<p>The next day the wife said to the +shoemaker, "These little wights have +made us rich, and we ought to be thankful +to them and do them a good office +in return. I am quite vexed to see them +run about as they do; they have nothing +upon their backs to keep off the cold. +I'll tell you what, I will make each of +them a shirt, and a coat and waistcoat, +and a pair of pantaloons into the bargain; +do you make each of them a little pair +of shoes."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span></p> + +<p>The thought pleased the good shoemaker +very much; and one evening, +when all the things were ready, they +laid them on the table instead of the +work that they used to cut out, and +then went and hid themselves to watch +what the little elves would do. About +midnight they came in and were going +to sit down to their work as usual; but +when they saw the clothes lying for +them, they laughed and were greatly +delighted. Then they dressed themselves +in the twinkling of an eye, and +danced and capered and sprang about +as merry as could be, till at last they +danced out at the door and over the +green; and the shoemaker saw them no +more; but everything went well with +him from that time forward, as long as +he lived.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_176" id="Note_176">176</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">In a note regarding "The Fisherman and His +Wife," Taylor calls attention to the interesting +fact that this tale became a great +favorite after the battle of Waterloo "during +the fervor of popular feeling on the +downfall of the late Emperor of France." +The catastrophe attendant upon Napoleon's +ambitious efforts seemed to the popular +mind to be paralleled by the penalty +following the final wish of the wife "to be +like unto God." But observe that Taylor, +unlike more recent translators, felt under +the necessity of softening "the boldness of +the lady's ambition." The versions of the +verse charm used in summoning the fish +differ strikingly in the various translations. +That of Taylor's first edition, used here, +seems to fit the story better than any other, +though tellers of the story may, properly +enough, not agree. Taylor's revised version +of 1837 reads:</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"O man of the sea!<br /> +Hearken to me!<br /> +My wife Ilsabill<br /> +Will have her own will,<br /> +And hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>Mrs. Hunt's version runs:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Flounder, flounder in the sea,<br /> +Come, I pray thee, come to me;<br /> +For my wife, good Ilsabil,<br /> +Wills not as I'd have her will."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='hang1'><br />The moral of the story is plain for those +who need it: Greed overreaches itself. +Who grasps too much loses all. Don't +ride a free horse to death.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE FISHERMAN AND HIS +WIFE</h4> + +<p>There was once a fisherman who lived +with his wife in a ditch, close by the +sea-side. The fisherman used to go out +all day long a-fishing; and one day, as +he sat on the shore with his rod, looking +at the shining water and watching his +line, all on a sudden his float was dragged +away deep under the sea: and in drawing +it up he pulled a great fish out of the +water. The fish said to him, "Pray let +me live: I am not a real fish; I am an +enchanted prince. Put me in the water +again, and let me go."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the man, "you need not +make so many words about the matter. +I wish to have nothing to do with a fish +that can talk; so swim away as soon as +you please." Then he put him back +into the water, and the fish darted +straight down to the bottom and left a +long streak of blood behind him.</p> + +<p>When the fisherman went home to his +wife in the ditch, he told her how he had +caught a great fish, and how it had told +him it was an enchanted prince, and that +on hearing it speak he had let it go again.</p> + +<p>"Did you not ask it for anything?" +said the wife.</p> + +<p>"No," said the man, "what should I +ask for?"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the wife, "we live very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +wretchedly here in this nasty stinking +ditch. Do go back, and tell the fish we +want a little cottage."</p> + +<p>The fisherman did not much like the +business; however he went to the sea, +and when he came there the water looked +all yellow and green. And he stood at +the water's edge, and said,</p> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"O man of the sea!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come listen to me,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For Alice my wife,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The plague of my life,</span><br /> +Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>Then the fish came swimming to him, +and said, "Well, what does she want?"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" answered the fisherman, "my +wife says that when I had caught you, I +ought to have asked you for something +before I let you go again. She does not +like living any longer in the ditch, and +wants a little cottage."</p> + +<p>"Go home, then," said the fish. "She +is in the cottage already."</p> + +<p>So the man went home and saw his +wife standing at the door of a cottage. +"Come in, come in," said she; "is not +this much better than the ditch?" And +there was a parlor, and a bed-chamber, +and a kitchen; and behind the cottage +there was a little garden with all sorts +of flowers and fruits, and a court-yard +full of ducks and chickens.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the fisherman, "how happily +we shall live!"</p> + +<p>"We will try to do so at least," said +his wife.</p> + +<p>Everything went right for a week or +two, and then Dame Alice said, "Husband, +there is not room enough in this +cottage; the court-yard and garden are +a great deal too small. I should like to +have a large stone castle to live in; so +go to the fish again, and tell him to give +us a castle."</p> + +<p>"Wife," said the fisherman, "I don't +like to go to him again, for perhaps he +will be angry. We ought to be content +with the cottage."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" said the wife; "he will +do it very willingly. Go along, and try."</p> + +<p>The fisherman went; but his heart +was very heavy: and when he came to +the sea, it looked blue and gloomy, +though it was quite calm, and he went +close to it and said,</p> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"O man of the sea!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come listen to me,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For Alice my wife,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The plague of my life,</span><br /> +Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>"Well, what does she want now?" +said the fish.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the man very sorrowfully, +"my wife wants to live in a stone castle."</p> + +<p>"Go home then," said the fish. "She +is standing at the door of it already." +So away went the fisherman and found +his wife standing before a great castle.</p> + +<p>"See," said she, "is not this grand?" +With that they went into the castle +together and found a great many servants +there and the rooms all richly furnished +and full of golden chairs and tables; and +behind the castle was a garden, and a +wood half a mile long, full of sheep, and +goats, and hares, and deer; and in the +court-yard were stables and cow-houses.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the man, "now will we +live contented and happy in this beautiful +castle for the rest of our lives."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps we may," said the wife; +"but let us consider and sleep upon it +before we make up our minds": so they +went to bed.</p> + +<p>The next morning when Dame Alice +awoke, it was broad daylight, and she +jogged the fisherman with her elbow and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +said, "Get up, husband, and bestir yourself, +for we must be king of all the land."</p> + +<p>"Wife, wife," said the man, "why +should we wish to be king? I will not +be king."</p> + +<p>"Then I will," said Alice.</p> + +<p>"But, wife," answered the fisherman, +"how can you be king? The fish cannot +make you a king."</p> + +<p>"Husband," said she, "say no more +about it, but go and try. I will be king!"</p> + +<p>So the man went away, quite sorrowful +to think that his wife should want +to be king. The sea looked a dark grey +color, and was covered with foam as he +cried out,</p> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"O man of the sea!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come listen to me,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For Alice my wife,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The plague of my life,</span><br /> +Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>"Well, what would she have now?" +said the fish.</p> + +<p>"Alas!" said the man, "my wife wants +to be king."</p> + +<p>"Go home," said the fish. "She is +king already."</p> + +<p>Then the fisherman went home; and +as he came close to the palace, he saw +a troop of soldiers and heard the sound +of drums and trumpets; and when he +entered in, he saw his wife sitting on a +high throne of gold and diamonds, with +a golden crown upon her head; and on +each side of her stood six beautiful +maidens, each a head taller than the +other. "Well, wife," said the fisherman, +"are you king?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said she, "I am king."</p> + +<p>And when he had looked at her for a +long time, he said, "Ah, wife! what a fine +thing it is to be king! Now we shall +never have anything more to wish for."</p> + +<p>"I don't know how that may be," said +she; "never is a long time. I am king, +'tis true, but I begin to be tired of it, +and I think I should like to be emperor."</p> + +<p>"Alas, wife! why should you wish to +be emperor?" said the fisherman.</p> + +<p>"Husband," said she, "go to the fish; +I say I will be emperor."</p> + +<p>"Ah, wife!" replied the fisherman, +"the fish cannot make an emperor, and +I should not like to ask for such a thing."</p> + +<p>"I am king," said Alice, "and you +are my slave, so go directly!"</p> + +<p>So the fisherman was obliged to go; +and he muttered as he went along, "This +will come to no good. It is too much to +ask. The fish will be tired at last, and +then we shall repent of what we have +done." He soon arrived at the sea, and +the water was quite black and muddy, +and a mighty whirlwind blew over it; +but he went to the shore, and said,</p> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"O man of the sea!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come listen to me,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For Alice my wife,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The plague of my life,</span><br /> +Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>"What would she have now!" said the +fish.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the fisherman, "she wants +to be emperor."</p> + +<p>"Go home," said the fish. "She is +emperor already."</p> + +<p>So he went home again; and as he +came near he saw his wife sitting on a +very lofty throne made of solid gold, +with a great crown on her head full two +yards high, and on each side of her stood +her guards and attendants in a row, each +one smaller than the other, from the +tallest giant down to a little dwarf no +bigger than my finger. And before her +stood princes, and dukes, and earls: and +the fisherman went up to her and said, +"Wife, are you emperor?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes," said she, "I am emperor."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the man as he gazed upon +her, "what a fine thing it is to be +emperor!"</p> + +<p>"Husband," said she, "why should we +stay at being emperor; I will be pope +next."</p> + +<p>"O wife, wife!" said he, "how can +you be pope? There is but one pope +at a time in Christendom."</p> + +<p>"Husband," said she, "I will be pope +this very day."</p> + +<p>"But," replied the husband, "the fish +cannot make you pope."</p> + +<p>"What nonsense!" said she, "if he can +make an emperor, he can make a pope. +Go and try him."</p> + +<p>So the fisherman went. But when he +came to the shore the wind was raging, +and the sea was tossed up and down like +boiling water, and the ships were in the +greatest distress and danced upon the +waves most fearfully. In the middle of +the sky there was a little blue, but toward +the south it was all red as if a dreadful +storm were rising. At this the fisherman +was terribly frightened, and trembled, so +that his knees knocked together: but +he went to the shore and said,</p> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"O man of the sea!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come listen to me,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For Alice my wife,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The plague of my life,</span><br /> +Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>"What does she want now?" said the +fish.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the fisherman, "my wife +wants to be pope."</p> + +<p>"Go home," said the fish. "She is +pope already."</p> + +<p>Then the fisherman went home and +found his wife sitting on a throne that +was two miles high; and she had three +great crowns on her head, and around +stood all the pomp and power of the +Church; and on each side were two rows +of burning lights of all sizes, the greatest +as large as the highest and biggest tower +in the world, and the least no larger +than a small rushlight. "Wife," said +the fisherman as he looked at all this +grandeur, "are you pope?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said she, "I am pope."</p> + +<p>"Well, wife," replied he, "it is a grand +thing to be pope; and now you must be +content, for you can be nothing greater."</p> + +<p>"I will consider of that," said the wife. +Then they went to bed: but Dame Alice +could not sleep all night for thinking +what she should be next. At last morning +came, and the sun rose. "Ha!" +thought she as she looked at it through +the window, "cannot I prevent the sun +rising?" At this she was very angry, +and she wakened her husband and said, +"Husband, go to the fish and tell him I +want to be lord of the sun and moon." +The fisherman was half asleep, but +the thought frightened him so much +that he started and fell out of bed. +"Alas, wife!" said he, "cannot you be +content to be pope?"</p> + +<p>"No," said she, "I am very uneasy, +and cannot bear to see the sun and +moon rise without my leave. Go to +the fish directly."</p> + +<p>Then the man went trembling for fear; +and as he was going down to the shore +a dreadful storm arose, so that the trees +and the rocks shook; and the heavens +became black, and the lightning played, +and the thunder rolled; and you might +have seen in the sea great black waves +like mountains with a white crown of +foam upon them; and the fisherman +said,</p> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"O man of the sea!</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come listen to me,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For Alice my wife,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The plague of my life,</span><br /> +Hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>"What does she want now?" said +the fish.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said he, "she wants to be lord +of the sun and moon." "Go home," +said the fish, "to your ditch again!" +And there they live to this very day.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_177" id="Note_177">177</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The Grimm version of "The Sleeping Beauty" +is, by all odds, the finest one. Its perfect +economy in the use of story materials has +always been admired. Perrault's version +drags in an unnecessary ogre and spoils +a good story by not knowing when to stop. +The Grimm title is "Dornröschen," and the +more literal translation, "Brier Rose," is +the one generally used as the English title, +rather than the one given by Taylor, +whose translation follows. Tennyson has +a very beautiful poetic rendering of this +story in his "Day-Dream."</div> + +<h4><br />ROSE-BUD</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time there lived a king +and queen who had no children; and this +they lamented very much. But one day +as the queen was walking by the side of +the river, a little fish lifted its head out +of the water and said, "Your wish shall +be fulfilled, and you shall soon have a +daughter."</p> + +<p>What the little fish had foretold soon +came to pass; and the queen had a little +girl that was so very beautiful that the +king could not cease looking on it for +joy, and determined to hold a great feast. +So he invited not only his relations, +friends, and neighbors, but also all the +fairies, that they might be kind and good +to his little daughter.</p> + +<p>Now there were thirteen fairies in his +kingdom, and he had only twelve golden +dishes for them to eat out of, so he was +obliged to leave one of the fairies without +an invitation. The rest came, and after +the feast was over they gave all their best +gifts to the little princess: one gave her +virtue, another beauty, another riches, +and so on till she had all that was excellent +in the world. When eleven had done +blessing her, the thirteenth, who had not +been invited and was very angry on that +account, came in and determined to take +her revenge. So she cried out, "The +king's daughter shall in her fifteenth year +be wounded by a spindle, and fall down +dead."</p> + +<p>Then the twelfth, who had not yet +given her gift, came forward and said +that the bad wish must be fulfilled, but +that she could soften it, and that the +king's daughter should not die, but fall +asleep for a hundred years.</p> + +<p>But the king hoped to save his dear +child from the threatened evil and ordered +that all the spindles in the kingdom +should be bought up and destroyed. All +the fairies' gifts were in the meantime +fulfilled, for the princess was so beautiful, +and well-behaved, and amiable, and wise +that every one who knew her loved her. +Now it happened that on the very day +she was fifteen years old the king and +queen were not at home, and she was left +alone in the palace. So she roved about +by herself and looked at all the rooms +and chambers till at last she came to an +old tower, to which there was a narrow +staircase ending with a little door. In +the door there was a golden key, and when +she turned it the door sprang open, and +there sat an old lady spinning away very +busily. "Why, how now, good mother," +said the princess, "what are you doing +there?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Spinning," said the old lady, and +nodded her head.</p> + +<p>"How prettily that little thing turns +round!" said the princess, and took the +spindle and began to spin. But scarcely +had she touched it before the prophecy +was fulfilled, and she fell down lifeless on +the ground.</p> + +<p>However, she was not dead, but had +only fallen into a deep sleep; and the king +and the queen, who just then came home, +and all their court, fell asleep too; and the +horses slept in the stables, and the dogs +in the court, the pigeons on the house-top +and the flies on the walls. Even the +fire on the hearth left off blazing and +went to sleep; and the meat that was +roasting stood still; and the cook, who +was at that moment pulling the kitchen-boy +by the hair to give him a box on the +ear for something he had done amiss, +let him go, and both fell asleep; and so +everything stood still, and slept soundly.</p> + +<p>A large hedge of thorns soon grew +round the palace, and every year it +became higher and thicker till at last the +whole palace was surrounded and hid, +so that not even the roof or the chimneys +could be seen. But there went a report +through all the land of the beautiful +sleeping Rose-Bud (for so was the king's +daughter called); so that from time to +time several kings' sons came and tried +to break through the thicket into the +palace. This they could never do, for +the thorns and bushes laid hold of them +as it were with hands, and there they +stuck fast and died miserably.</p> + +<p>After many many years there came a +king's son into that land, and an old man +told him the story of the thicket of +thorns, and how a beautiful palace stood +behind it, in which was a wondrous princess, +called Rose-Bud, asleep with all her +court. He told, too, how he had heard +from his grandfather that many many +princes had come, and had tried to break +through the thicket, but had stuck fast +and died. Then the young prince said, +"All this shall not frighten me. I will +go and see Rose-Bud." The old man +tried to dissuade him, but he persisted +in going.</p> + +<p>Now that very day were the hundred +years completed; and as the prince came +to the thicket, he saw nothing but beautiful +flowering shrubs, through which he +passed with ease, and they closed after +him as firm as ever. Then he came at +last to the palace, and there in the court +lay the dogs asleep, and the horses in the +stables, and on the roof sat the pigeons +fast asleep with their heads under their +wings; and when he came into the palace, +the flies slept on the walls, and the cook +in the kitchen was still holding up her +hand as if she would beat the boy, and the +maid sat with a black fowl in her hand +ready to be plucked.</p> + +<p>Then he went on still further, and all +was so still that he could hear every +breath he drew; till at last he came to the +old tower and opened the door of the little +room in which Rose-Bud was, and there +she lay fast asleep, and looked so beautiful +that he could not take his eyes off, and +he stooped down and gave her a kiss. +But the moment he kissed her she opened +her eyes and awoke and smiled upon him. +Then they went out together, and presently +the king and queen also awoke, and +all the court, and they gazed on one +another with great wonder. And the +horses got up and shook themselves, and +the dogs jumped about and barked; the +pigeons took their heads from under their +wings and looked about and flew into the +fields; the flies on the walls buzzed away;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +the fire in the kitchen blazed up and +cooked the dinner, and the roast meat +turned round again; the cook gave the +boy the box on his ear so that he cried +out, and the maid went on plucking the +fowl. And then was the wedding of the +prince and Rose-Bud celebrated, and they +lived happily together all their lives long.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_178" id="Note_178">178</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The story of "Rumpelstiltskin" is taken from +Margaret Hunt's translation of Grimm. +It is the same story as "Tom Tit Tot" +(No. <a href="#Note_160">160</a>), and is given in order that the +teacher may compare the two. Grimm's +is the most familiar of the many versions +of this tale and is probably the best for use +with children, although the "little man" +lacks some of the fascinating power of +"that" with its twirling tail.</div> + + +<h4><br />RUMPELSTILTSKIN</h4> + +<p>Once there was a miller who was poor, +but who had a beautiful daughter. Now +it happened that he had to go and speak +to the King, and in order to make himself +appear important he said to him, +"I have a daughter who can spin straw +into gold."</p> + +<p>The King said to the miller, "That +is an art which pleases me well. If +your daughter is as clever as you say, +bring her tomorrow to my palace, and +I will try what she can do."</p> + +<p>And when the girl was brought to +him he took her into a room which +was quite full of straw, gave her a spinning-wheel +and a reel, and said, "Now +set to work, and if by tomorrow morning +early you have not spun this straw into +gold during the night, you must die." +Thereupon he himself locked up the +room, and left her in it alone. So there +sat the poor miller's daughter, and for +her life could not tell what to do. She +had no idea how straw could be spun +into gold, and she grew more and more +miserable, until at last she began to +weep.</p> + +<p>But all at once the door opened, and +in came a little man, and said, "Good +evening, Mistress Miller; why are you +crying so?"</p> + +<p>"Alas!" answered the girl, "I have to +spin straw into gold, and I do not know +how to do it."</p> + +<p>"What will you give me," said the +manikin, "if I do it for you?"</p> + +<p>"My necklace," said the girl. The +little man took the necklace, seated himself +in front of the wheel, and "whir, +whir, whir," three turns, and the reel +was full; then he put another on, and +"whir, whir, whir," three times round, +and the second was full, too. And so +it went on until the morning, when all +the straw was spun, and all the reels +were full of gold. By daybreak the +King was already there, and when he +saw the gold he was astonished and +delighted, but his heart became only +more greedy. He had the miller's daughter +taken into another room full of straw, +which was much larger, and commanded +her to spin that also in one night if she +valued her life. The girl knew not how +to help herself, and was crying, when +the door again opened, and the little +man appeared, and said, "What will +you give me if I spin the straw into gold +for you?"</p> + +<p>"The ring on my finger," answered +the girl.</p> + +<p>The little man took the ring, again +began to turn the wheel, and by morning +had spun all the straw into glittering +gold.</p> + +<p>The King rejoiced beyond measure +at the sight, but still he had not gold<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +enough; and he had the miller's daughter +taken into a still larger room full of straw, +and said, "You must spin this, too, in +the course of this night; but if you +succeed, you shall be my wife." "Even +if she be a miller's daughter," thought +he, "I could not find a richer wife in the +whole world."</p> + +<p>When the girl was alone the manikin +came again for the third time, and said, +"What will you give me if I spin the +straw for you this time also?"</p> + +<p>"I have nothing left that I could +give," answered the girl.</p> + +<p>"Then promise me, if you should +become Queen, your first child."</p> + +<p>"Who knows whether that will ever +happen?" thought the miller's daughter; +and, not knowing how else to help herself +in this strait, she promised the +manikin what he wanted, and for that +he once more spun the straw into gold.</p> + +<p>And when the King came in the morning, +and found all as he had wished, he +took her in marriage, and the pretty +miller's daughter became a Queen.</p> + +<p>A year after, she had a beautiful +child, and she never gave a thought to +the manikin. But suddenly he came +into her room, and said, "Now give me +what you promised."</p> + +<p>The Queen was horror-struck, and +offered the manikin all the riches of +the kingdom if he would leave her the +child. But the manikin said, "No, +something that is living is dearer to me +than all the treasures in the world."</p> + +<p>Then the Queen began to weep and +cry, so that the manikin pitied her. "I +will give you three days' time," said he; +"if by that time you find out my name, +then shall you keep your child."</p> + +<p>So the Queen thought the whole night +of all the names that she had ever +heard, and she sent a messenger over +the country to inquire, far and wide, +for any other names that there might +be. When the manikin came the next +day, she began with Caspar, Melchior, +Balthazar, and said all the names she +knew, one after another; but to every +one the little man said, "That is not +my name." On the second day she had +inquiries made in the neighborhood as +to the names of the people there, and +she repeated to the manikin the most +uncommon and curious. "Perhaps your +name is Shortribs, or Sheepshanks, or +Laceleg?" but he always answered, +"That is not my name."</p> + +<p>On the third day the messenger came +back again, and said, "I have not been +able to find a single new name, but as I +came to a high mountain at the end of +the forest, where the fox and the hare +bid each other good-night, there I saw +a little house, and before the house a +fire was burning, and round about the +fire quite a ridiculous little man was +jumping; he hopped upon one leg, and +shouted:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"To-day I bake, to-morrow brew,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The next I'll have the young Queen's child.</span><br /> +Ha! glad am I that no one knew<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That Rumpelstiltskin I am styled.'"</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>You may think how glad the Queen +was when she heard the name! And +when soon afterwards the little man +came in, and asked, "Now, Mistress +Queen, what is my name?"</p> + +<p>At first she said, "Is your name +Conrad?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Is your name Harry?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps your name is Rumpelstiltskin?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> + +<p>"The devil has told you that! the devil +has told you that!" cried the little man, +and in his anger he plunged his right +foot so deep into the earth that his whole +leg went in; and then in rage he pulled +at his left leg so hard with both hands +that he tore himself in two.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_179" id="Note_179">179</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Margaret Hunt's translation of Grimm's +"Snow-White and Rose-Red" follows. It +has long been recognized as one of the most +beautiful and appealing of folk tales. The +scenic effects, the domestic life with its +maternal and filial affection, the kindness +to animals and helpfulness to each other +and to those in distress, the adventures with +dwarf and bear, the magic enchantment +of goodness through the power of evil, and +the happy conclusion following the removal +of this enchantment—all these are blended +into a perfect union that never fails to +delight the listener of any age.</div> + +<h4><br />SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED</h4> + +<p>There was once a poor widow who +lived in a lonely cottage. In front of +the cottage was a garden wherein stood +two rose-trees, one of which bore white +and the other red roses. She had two +children who were like the two rose-trees, +and one was called Snow-white, +and the other Rose-red. They were as +good and happy, as busy and cheerful +as ever two children in the world were, +only Snow-white was more quiet and +gentle than Rose-red. Rose-red liked +better to run about in the meadows and +fields seeking flowers and catching butterflies; +but Snow-white sat at home with +her mother, and helped her with her +housework, or read to her when there +was nothing to do.</p> + +<p>The two children were so fond of each +other that they always held each other +by the hand when they went out together, +and when Snow-white said, "We will +not leave each other," Rose-red answered, +"Never so long as we live," and their +mother would add, "What one has she +must share with the other."</p> + +<p>They often ran about the forest alone +and gathered red berries, and no beasts +did them any harm, but came close to +them trustfully. The little hare would +eat a cabbage-leaf out of their hands, +the roe grazed by their side, the stag +leaped merrily by them, and the birds +sat still upon the boughs and sang +whatever they knew.</p> + +<p>No mishap overtook them; if they +had stayed too late in the forest, and +night came on, they laid themselves down +near each other upon the moss and +slept until morning came, and their +mother knew this and had no distress +on their account.</p> + +<p>Once when they had spent the night +in the wood and the dawn had roused +them, they saw a beautiful child in a +shining white dress sitting near their +bed. He got up and looked quite kindly +at them, but said nothing and went +away into the forest. And when they +looked round they found that they had +been sleeping quite close to a precipice, +and would certainly have fallen into +it in the darkness if they had gone +only a few paces farther. And their +mother told them that it must have +been the angel who watches over good +children.</p> + +<p>Snow-white and Rose-red kept their +mother's little cottage so neat that it +was a pleasure to look inside it. In +the summer Rose-red took care of the +house, and every morning laid a wreath +of flowers by her mother's bed before +she awoke, in which was a rose from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +each tree. In the winter Snow-white +lit the fire and hung the kettle on the +crane. The kettle was of copper and +shone like gold, so brightly was it +polished. In the evening, when the +snowflakes fell, the mother said, "Go, +Snow-white, and bolt the door," and +then they sat round the hearth, and the +mother took her spectacles and read +aloud out of a large book, and the two +girls listened as they sat and spun. +And close by them lay a lamb upon the +floor, and behind them upon a perch +sat a white dove with its head hidden +beneath its wings.</p> + +<p>One evening, as they were thus sitting +comfortably together, some one knocked +at the door as if he wished to be let in. +The mother said, "Quick, Rose-red, +open the door, it must be a traveler +who is seeking shelter." Rose-red went +and pushed back the bolt, thinking that +it was a poor man, but it was not; it +was a bear that stretched his broad, +black head within the door.</p> + +<p>Rose-red screamed and sprang back, +the lamb bleated, the dove fluttered, +and Snow-white hid herself behind her +mother's bed. But the bear began to +speak and said, "Do not be afraid, I +will do you no harm! I am half-frozen, +and only want to warm myself a little +beside you."</p> + +<p>"Poor bear," said the mother, "lie +down by the fire, only take care that +you do not burn your coat." Then she +cried, "Snow-white, Rose-red, come out; +the bear will do you no harm; he means +well." So they both came out, and +by-and-by the lamb and dove came +nearer, and were not afraid of him.</p> + +<p>The bear said, "Here, children, knock +the snow out of my coat a little"; so +they brought the broom and swept the +bear's hide clean; and he stretched himself +by the fire and growled contentedly +and comfortably. It was not long before +they grew quite at home and played +tricks with their clumsy guest. They +tugged his hair with their hands, put +their feet upon his back and rolled him +about, or they took a hazel-switch and +beat him, and when he growled they +laughed. But the bear took it all in +good part, only when they were too +rough he called out, "Leave me alive, +children—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Snowy-white, Rosy-red,<br /> +Will you beat your lover dead?"<br /> +</div> + +<p>When it was bed-time, and the others +went to bed, the mother said to the bear, +"You can lie there by the hearth, and +then you will be safe from the cold and +the bad weather." As soon as day +dawned the two children let him out, +and he trotted across the snow into +the forest.</p> + +<p>Henceforth the bear came every evening +at the same time, laid himself down +by the hearth, and let the children amuse +themselves with him as much as they +liked; and they got so used to him that +the doors were never fastened until +their black friend had arrived.</p> + +<p>When spring had come and all outside +was green, the bear said one morning +to Snow-white, "Now I must go away, +and cannot come back for the whole +summer."</p> + +<p>"Where are you going, then, dear +bear?" asked Snow-white.</p> + +<p>"I must go into the forest and guard +my treasures from the wicked dwarfs. +In the winter, when the earth is frozen +hard, they are obliged to stay below and +cannot work their way through; but +now, when the sun has thawed and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +warmed the earth, they break through +it, and come out to pry and steal; and +what once gets into their hands, and in +their caves, does not easily see daylight +again."</p> + +<p>Snow-white was quite sorry for his +going away, and as she unbolted the +door for him, and the bear was hurrying +out, he caught against the bolt and a +piece of his hairy coat was torn off, and +it seemed to Snow-white as if she had +seen gold shining through it, but she +was not sure about it. The bear ran +away quickly, and was soon out of sight +behind the trees.</p> + +<p>A short time afterwards the mother +sent her children into the forest to get +fire-wood. There they found a big tree +which lay felled on the ground, and close +by the trunk something was jumping +backwards and forwards in the grass, +but they could not make out what it +was. When they came nearer they saw +a dwarf with an old withered face and a +snow-white beard a yard long. The end +of the beard was caught in a crevice of +the tree, and the little fellow was jumping +backwards and forwards like a dog +tied to a rope, and did not know what +to do.</p> + +<p>He glared at the girls with his fiery +red eyes and cried, "Why do you stand +there? Can you not come here and help +me?"</p> + +<p>"What are you about there, little +man?" asked Rose-red.</p> + +<p>"You stupid, prying goose!" answered +the dwarf; "I was going to split the +tree to get a little wood for cooking. +The little bit of food that one of us +wants gets burnt up directly with thick +logs; we do not swallow so much as +you coarse, greedy folk. I had just +driven the wedge safely in, and everything +was going as I wished; but the +wretched wood was too smooth and +suddenly sprang asunder, and the tree +closed so quickly that I could not pull +out my beautiful white beard; so now +it is tight in and I cannot get away, +and you silly, sleek, milk-faced things +laugh! Ugh! how odious you are!"</p> + +<p>The children tried very hard, but they +could not pull the beard out, it was +caught too fast. "I will run and fetch +some one," said Rose-red.</p> + +<p>"You senseless goose!" snarled the +dwarf; "why should you fetch some +one? You are already two too many +for me; can you not think of something +better?"</p> + +<p>"Don't be impatient," said Snow-white, +"I will help you," and she pulled +her scissors out of her pocket, and cut +off the end of the beard.</p> + +<p>As soon as the dwarf felt himself free +he laid hold of a bag which lay amongst +the roots of the tree, and which was +full of gold, and lifted it up, grumbling +to himself, "Uncouth people, to cut off +a piece of my fine beard. Bad luck to +you!" and then he swung the bag upon +his back, and went off without even +once looking at the children.</p> + +<p>Some time after that Snow-white and +Rose-red went to catch a dish of fish. +As they came near the brook they saw +something like a large grasshopper jumping +towards the water, as if it were +going to leap in. They ran to it and +found it was the dwarf. "Where are +you going?" said Rose-red; "you surely +don't want to go into the water?"</p> + +<p>"I am not such a fool!" cried the +dwarf; "don't you see that the accursed +fish wants to pull me in?"</p> + +<p>The little man had been sitting there +fishing, and unluckily the wind had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +twisted his beard with the fishing line; +just then a big fish bit, and the feeble +creature had not strength to pull it out; +the fish kept the upper hand and pulled +the dwarf towards him. He held on to +all the reeds and rushes, but it was +of little good, he was forced to follow +the movements of the fish, and was in +urgent danger of being dragged into the +water.</p> + +<p>The girls came just in time; they +held him fast and tried to free his +beard from the line, but all in vain, +beard and line were entangled fast +together. Nothing was left but to bring +out the scissors and cut the beard, +whereby a small part of it was lost. +When the dwarf saw that he screamed +out, "Is that civil, you toadstool, to +disfigure one's face? Was it not enough +to clip off the end of my beard? Now +you have cut off the best part of it. +I cannot let myself be seen by my +people. I wish you had been made to +run the soles off your shoes!" Then +he took out a sack of pearls which lay +in the rushes, and without saying a +word more he dragged it away and +disappeared behind a stone.</p> + +<p>It happened that soon afterwards the +mother sent the two children to the +town to buy needles and thread, and +laces and ribbons. The road led them +across a heath upon which huge pieces +of rock lay strewn here and there. Now +they noticed a large bird hovering in +the air, flying slowly round and round +above them; it sank lower and lower, +and at last settled near a rock not far +off. Directly afterwards they heard a +loud, piteous cry. They ran up and +saw with horror that the eagle had +seized their old acquaintance the dwarf, +and was going to carry him off.</p> + +<p>The children, full of pity, at once +took tight hold of the little man, and +pulled against the eagle so long that at +last he let his booty go. As soon as +the dwarf had recovered from his first +fright he cried with his shrill voice, +"Could you not have done it more +carefully? You dragged at my brown +coat so that it is all torn and full of +holes, you helpless, clumsy creatures!" +Then he took up a sack full of precious +stones, and slipped away again under +the rock into his hole. The girls, who +by this time were used to his thanklessness, +went on their way and did their +business in the town.</p> + +<p>As they crossed the heath again on +their way home they surprised the +dwarf, who had emptied out his bag +of precious stones in a clean spot, and +had not thought that any one would +come there so late. The evening sun +shone upon the brilliant stones; they +glittered and sparkled with all colors so +beautifully that the children stood still +and looked at them. "Why do you +stand gaping there?" cried the dwarf, +and his ashen-gray face became copper-red +with rage. He was going on with +his bad words when a loud growling was +heard, and a black bear came trotting +towards them out of the forest. The +dwarf sprang up in a fright, but he +could not get to his cave, for the bear +was already close. Then in the dread +of his heart he cried, "Dear Mr. Bear, +spare me, I will give you all my treasures; +look, the beautiful jewels lying there! +Grant me my life; what do you want +with such a slender little fellow as I? +You would not feel me between your +teeth. Come, take these two wicked +girls, they are tender morsels for you, +fat as young quails; for mercy's sake<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +eat them!" The bear took no heed of +his words, but gave the wicked creature +a single blow with his paw, and he did +not move again.</p> + +<p>The girls had run away, but the bear +called to them, "Snow-white and Rose-red, +do not be afraid; wait, I will come +with you." Then they knew his voice +and waited, and when he came up to +them suddenly his bearskin fell off, and +he stood there a handsome man, clothed +all in gold. "I am a King's son," he +said, "and I was bewitched by that +wicked dwarf, who had stolen my treasures. +I have had to run about the +forest as a savage bear until I was freed +by his death. Now he has got his +well-deserved punishment."</p> + +<p>Snow-white was married to him, and +Rose-red to his brother, and they divided +between them the great treasures which +the dwarf had gathered together in his +cave. The old mother lived peacefully +and happily with her children for many +years. She took the two rose-trees with +her, and they stood before her window, +and every year bore the most beautiful +roses, white and red.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_180" id="Note_180">180</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Whether it is possible to trace all folk tales to +India, as some scholars have contended, is a +matter yet open to debate. But there can +be no doubt that some of the most instructing +and valuable of folk tales for use with +children are found in the various collections +of Indian stories made since the pioneer +work of Mary Frere in her <i>Old Deccan +Days</i> (1868). A voluminous literature of +collections and comment has grown up and +is constantly increasing. Four stories that +have won great favor with children are +given immediately following as the ones +probably best fitted for an introductory +course. "The Lambikin" is one of the +most popular of all. It is an accumulative +droll in character and should be told early +along with, say, "The Story of the Three +Little Pigs." The children will be sure to +notice that Lambikin trundling along in +his drumikin has some similarity to the wise +pig who traveled so fast down hill in his +new churn. The story is taken from <i>Tales +from the Punjab</i>, collected by Flora Annie +Steel, with very valuable notes and analyses +by Captain R. C. Temple.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE LAMBIKIN</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a wee wee +Lambikin, who frolicked about on his +little tottery legs, and enjoyed himself +amazingly. Now one day he set off to visit +his Granny, and was jumping with joy +to think of all the good things he should +get from her, when whom should he meet +but a Jackal, who looked at the tender +young morsel and said: "Lambikin! +Lambikin! I'll <span class="smcap">eat</span> YOU!"</p> + +<p>But Lambikin only gave a little frisk +and said:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"To Granny's house I go,<br /> +Where I shall fatter grow,<br /> +Then you can eat me so."<br /> +</div> + +<p>The Jackal thought this reasonable, +and let Lambikin pass.</p> + +<p>By and by he met a Vulture, and the +Vulture, looking hungrily at the tender +morsel before him, said: "Lambikin! +Lambikin! I'll <span class="smcap">eat</span> YOU!"</p> + +<p>But Lambikin only gave a little frisk, +and said:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"To Granny's house I go,<br /> +Where I shall fatter grow,<br /> +Then you can eat me so."<br /> +</div> + +<p>The Vulture thought this reasonable, +and let Lambikin pass.</p> + +<p>And by and by he met a Tiger, and then +a Wolf, and a Dog, and an Eagle, and +all these, when they saw the tender little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +morsel, said: "Lambikin! Lambikin! +I'll <span class="smcap">eat</span> YOU!"</p> + +<p>But to all of them Lambikin replied, +with a little frisk:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"To Granny's house I go,<br /> +Where I shall fatter grow,<br /> +Then you can eat me so."<br /> +</div> + +<p>At last he reached his Granny's house, +and said, all in a great hurry, "Granny, +dear, I've promised to get very fat; so, +as people ought to keep their promises, +please put me into the corn-bin <i>at once</i>."</p> + +<p>So his Granny said he was a good boy, +and put him into the corn-bin, and there +the greedy little Lambikin stayed for +seven days, and ate, and ate, and ate, +until he could scarcely waddle, and his +Granny said he was fat enough for anything, +and must go home. But cunning +little Lambikin said that would never do, +for some animal would be sure to eat him +on the way back, he was so plump and +tender.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what you must do," +said Master Lambikin, "you must make +a little drumikin out of the skin of my +little brother who died, and then I can +sit inside and trundle along nicely, for +I'm as tight as a drum myself."</p> + +<p>So his Granny made a nice little drumikin +out of his brother's skin, with the +wool inside, and Lambikin curled himself +up snug and warm in the middle, +and trundled away gayly. Soon he met +with the Eagle, who called out:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Drumikin! Drumikin!<br /> +Have you seen Lambikin?"<br /> +</div> + +<p>And Mr. Lambikin, curled up in his +soft warm nest, replied:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Lost in the forest, and so are you,<br /> +On, little Drumikin! Tum-pa, tum-too!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>"How very annoying!" sighed the +Eagle, thinking regretfully of the tender +morsel he had let slip.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Lambikin trundled along, +laughing to himself, and singing:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Tum-pa, tum-too;<br /> +Tum-pa, tum-too!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>Every animal and bird he met asked +him the same question:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Drumikin! Drumikin!<br /> +Have you seen Lambikin?"<br /> +</div> + +<p>And to each of them the little sly-boots +replied:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Lost in the forest, and so are you,<br /> +On, little Drumikin! Tum-pa, tum-too;<br /> +Tum-pa, tum-too; tum-pa, tum-too!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>Then they all sighed to think of the +tender little morsel they had let slip.</p> + +<p>At last the Jackal came limping along, +for all his sorry looks as sharp as a needle, +and he too called out:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Drumikin! Drumikin!<br /> +Have you seen Lambikin?"<br /> +</div> + +<p>And Lambikin, curled up in his snug +little nest, replied gayly:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Lost in the forest, and so are you,<br /> +On, little Drumikin! Tum-pa—"<br /> +</div> + +<p>But he never got any further, for the +Jackal recognized his voice at once, and +cried: "Hullo! you've turned yourself +inside out, have you? Just you come +out of that!"</p> + +<p>Whereupon he tore open Drumikin +and gobbled up Lambikin.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_181" id="Note_181">181</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The next story, dealing with the idea of +"measure for measure," is from Mary +Frere's <i>Old Deccan Days</i>. Miss Frere spent +many years in India, where her father was +a government official. She took down the +tales as told by her <i>ayah</i>, or lady's maid, +who in turn had heard them from her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +hundred-year-old grandmother. It may +be said of this story that while retaliation +is certainly not the highest law of conduct, +yet the ungracious, inconsiderate action +of the jackal makes it impossible to feel +the least sympathy for him.</div> + + +<h4><br />TIT FOR TAT</h4> + +<p>There once lived a Camel and a Jackal +who were great friends. One day the +Jackal said to the Camel, "I know that +there is a fine field of sugar cane on the +other side of the river. If you will take +me across, I'll show you the place. This +plan will suit me as well as you. You +will enjoy eating the sugar cane, and I +am sure to find many crabs, bones, and +bits of fish by the river side, on which to +make a good dinner."</p> + +<p>The Camel consented, and swam across +the river, taking the Jackal, who could +not swim, on his back. When they +reached the other side, the Camel went +to eat the sugar cane, and the Jackal ran +up and down the river bank, devouring +all the crabs, bits of fish, and bones he +could find.</p> + +<p>But being so much smaller an animal, +he had made an excellent meal before the +Camel had eaten more than two or three +mouthfuls; and no sooner had he finished +his dinner than he ran round and round +the sugar-cane field, yelping and howling +with all his might.</p> + +<p>The villagers heard him, and thought, +"There is a Jackal among the sugar canes; +he will be scratching holes in the ground +and spoiling the roots of the plants." +And they went down to the place to drive +him away. But when they got there they +found to their surprise not only a Jackal, +but a Camel who was eating the sugar +canes! This made them very angry, and +they caught the poor Camel and drove +him from the field and beat him until he +was nearly dead.</p> + +<p>When the villagers had gone, the +Jackal said to the Camel, "We had better +go home." And the Camel, said, "Very +well; then jump upon my back, as you +did before."</p> + +<p>So the Jackal jumped upon the Camel's +back, and the Camel began to recross the +river. When they had got well into the +water, the Camel said, "This is a pretty +way in which you have treated me, +friend Jackal. No sooner had you finished +your own dinner than you must +go yelping about the place loud enough to +arouse the whole village, and bring all +the villagers down to beat me black and +blue, and turn me out of the field before +I had eaten two mouthfuls! What in the +world did you make such a noise for?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," said the Jackal. "It +is a custom I have. I always like to sing +a little after dinner."</p> + +<p>The Camel waded on through the river. +The water reached up to his knees—then +above them—up, up, up, higher and +higher, until at last he was obliged to +swim.</p> + +<p>Then turning to the Jackal, he said, +"I feel very anxious to roll."</p> + +<p>"Oh, pray don't; why do you wish to +do so?" asked the Jackal.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," answered the Camel. +"It is a custom I have. I always like to +have a little roll after dinner."</p> + +<p>So saying, he rolled over in the water, +shaking the Jackal off as he did so. And +the Jackal was drowned, but the Camel +swam safely ashore.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_182" id="Note_182">182</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The fine story following is from Steel's <i>Tales +of the Punjab</i>. Scholars have pointed out +a hundred or more variants. Such trickery<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +as that used by the jackal in trapping the +tiger is the common thing to find in folk +tales where oppressed weakness is matched +against ruthless and tyrannic power. The +tiger's ingratitude precludes any desire to +"take his part." The attitude of the three +judges is determined in each case by the +fact that the experience of each has hardened +him and rendered him completely +hopeless and unsympathetic. "The work of +the buffalo in the oil-press," says Captain +Temple, "is the synonym all India over—and +with good reason—for hard and thankless +toil for another's benefit."</div> + +<h4><br />THE TIGER, THE BRAHMAN, +AND THE JACKAL</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time a tiger was caught in +a trap. He tried in vain to get out +through the bars, and rolled and bit with +rage and grief when he failed.</p> + +<p>By chance a poor Brahman came by. +"Let me out of this cage, O pious one!" +cried the tiger.</p> + +<p>"Nay, my friend," replied the Brahman +mildly; "you would probably eat +me if I did."</p> + +<p>"Not at all!" swore the tiger with +many oaths; "on the contrary, I should +be forever grateful, and serve you as a +slave."</p> + +<p>Now, when the tiger sobbed and sighed +and wept and swore, the pious Brahman's +heart softened, and at last he consented +to open the door of the cage. Out +popped the tiger, and, seizing the poor +man, cried, "What a fool you are! What +is to prevent my eating you now, for after +being cooped up so long I am just terribly +hungry?"</p> + +<p>In vain the Brahman pleaded for his +life; the most he could gain was a promise +to abide by the decision of the first three +things he chose to question as to the +justice of the tiger's action.</p> + +<p>So the Brahman first asked a <i>pipal</i> +tree what it thought of the matter, but +the <i>pipal</i> tree replied coldly, "What have +you to complain about? Don't I give +shade and shelter to every one who passes +by, and don't they in return tear down +my branches to feed their cattle? Don't +whimper—be a man!"</p> + +<p>Then the Brahman, sad at heart, went +further afield till he saw a buffalo turning +a well-wheel; but he fared no better from +it, for it answered: "You are a fool to +expect gratitude! Look at me! While I +gave milk they fed me on cotton-seed and +oil-cake, but now I am dry they yoke +me here, and give me refuse as fodder!"</p> + +<p>The Brahman, still more sad, asked +the road to give him its opinion.</p> + +<p>"My dear sir," said the road, "how +foolish you are to expect anything else! +Here am I, useful to everybody, yet all, +rich and poor, great and small, trample +on me as they go past, giving me nothing +but the ashes of their pipes and the husks +of their grain!"</p> + +<p>On this the Brahman turned back +sorrowfully, and on the way he met a +jackal, who called out, "Why, what's the +matter, Mr. Brahman? You look as +miserable as a fish out of water!"</p> + +<p>The Brahman told him all that had +occurred. "How very confusing!" said +the jackal, when the recital was ended; +"would you mind telling me over again, +for everything seems so mixed up?"</p> + +<p>The Brahman told it all over again, +but the jackal shook his head in a distracted +sort of way, and still could not +understand.</p> + +<p>"It's very odd," said he sadly, "but it +all seems to go in at one ear and out at +the other! I will go to the place where it +all happened, and then, perhaps, I shall +be able to give a judgment."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p> + +<p>So they returned to the cage, by +which the tiger was waiting for the +Brahman, and sharpening his teeth and +claws.</p> + +<p>"You've been away a long time!" +growled the savage beast, "but now let +us begin our dinner."</p> + +<p>"<i>Our</i> dinner!" thought the wretched +Brahman, as his knees knocked together +with fright; "what a remarkably delicate +way of putting it!"</p> + +<p>"Give me five minutes, my lord!" he +pleaded, "in order that I may explain +matters to the jackal here, who is somewhat +slow in his wits."</p> + +<p>The tiger consented, and the Brahman +began the whole story over again, not +missing a single detail, and spinning as +long a yarn as possible.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my poor brain! oh, my poor +brain!" cried the jackal, wringing its +paws. "Let me see! how did it all begin? +You were in the cage, and the tiger came +walking by—"</p> + +<p>"Pooh!" interrupted the tiger, "what +a fool you are! <i>I</i> was in the cage."</p> + +<p>"Of course!" cried the jackal, pretending +to tremble with fright; "yes! I +was in the cage—no, I wasn't—dear! +dear! where are my wits? Let me see—the +tiger was in the Brahman, and the +cage came walking by—no, that's not it, +either! Well, don't mind me, but begin +your dinner, for I shall never understand!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you shall!" returned the tiger, +in a rage at the jackal's stupidity; "I'll +<i>make</i> you understand! Look here—I +am the tiger—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord!"</p> + +<p>"And that is the Brahman—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord!"</p> + +<p>"And that is the cage—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord!"</p> + +<p>"And I was in the cage—do you understand?"</p> + +<p>"Yes—no——Please, my lord—"</p> + +<p>"Well?" cried the tiger impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Please, my lord! How did you get +in?"</p> + +<p>"How? Why in the usual way, of +course!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear me! my head is beginning +to whirl again! Please don't be angry, +my lord, but what is the usual way?"</p> + +<p>At this the tiger lost patience, and +jumping into the cage, cried, "This way! +Now do you understand how it was?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly!" grinned the jackal, as he +dexterously shut the door, "and if you +will permit me to say so, I think matters +will remain as they were!"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_183" id="Note_183">183</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The story that follows is from Mrs. Kingscote's +<i>Tales of the Sun</i>, as reprinted in +Joseph Jacobs' <i>Indian Fairy Tales</i>. Mr. +Jacobs explains that he "changed the +Indian mercantile numerals into those of +English 'back-slang,' which make a very +good parallel." As in other cases, the +value of Jacobs' collection must be emphasized. +If the teacher is limited to a +single book for story material from the +Hindoos, that book must be the one made +by Joseph Jacobs. With well-chosen tales, +with the slight changes here and there +necessary for use with children, with just +enough scholarship packed out of the way +in the introduction and notes, the book has +no rival.</div> + + +<h4><br />PRIDE GOETH BEFORE +A FALL</h4> + +<p>In a certain village there lived ten +cloth merchants, who always went about +together. Once upon a time they had +traveled far afield, and were returning +home with a great deal of money which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +they had obtained by selling their wares. +Now there happened to be a dense forest +near their village, and this they reached +early one morning. In it there lived +three notorious robbers, of whose existence +the traders had never heard, and +while they were still in the middle of it +the robbers stood before them, with +swords and cudgels in their hands, and +ordered them to lay down all they had. +The traders had no weapons with them, +and so, though they were many more in +number, they had to submit themselves +to the robbers, who took away everything +from them, even the very clothes they +wore, and gave to each only a small +loin-cloth a span in breadth and a cubit +in length.</p> + +<p>The idea that they had conquered ten +men and plundered all their property +now took possession of the robbers' +minds. They seated themselves like +three monarchs before the men they had +plundered, and ordered them to dance to +them before returning home. The merchants +now mourned their fate. They +had lost all they had, except their loin-cloth, +and still the robbers were not +satisfied, but ordered them to dance.</p> + +<p>There was among the ten merchants +one who was very clever. He pondered +over the calamity that had come upon +him and his friends, the dance they would +have to perform, and the magnificent +manner in which the three robbers had +seated themselves on the grass. At the +same time he observed that these last +had placed their weapons on the ground, +in the assurance of having thoroughly +cowed the traders, who were now commencing +to dance; and, as a song is always +sung by the leader on such occasions, to +which the rest keep time with hands and +feet, he thus began to sing:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"We are enty men,<br /> +They are erith men:<br /> +If each erith man,<br /> +Surround eno men<br /> +Eno man remains.<br /> +<br /> +<i><ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Ta, tai tom'">Tâ, tai tôm</ins>, tadingana.</i>"<br /> +</div> + +<p>The robbers were all uneducated, and +thought that the leader was merely singing +a song as usual. So it was in one +sense; for the leader commenced from a +distance, and had sung the song over +twice before he and his companions +commenced to approach the robbers. +They had understood his meaning, because +they had been trained in trade.</p> + +<p>When two traders discuss the price of +an article in the presence of a purchaser, +they use a riddling sort of language.</p> + +<p>"What is the price of this cloth?" one +trader will ask.</p> + +<p>"Enty rupees," another will reply, +meaning "ten rupees."</p> + +<p>Thus there is no possibility of the purchaser +knowing what is meant unless he +be acquainted with trade language. By +the rules of this secret language erith +means "three," enty means "ten," and +eno means "one." So the leader by his +song meant to hint to his fellow-traders +that they were ten men, the robbers only +three, that if three pounced upon each of +the robbers, nine of them could hold +them down, while the remaining one +bound the robbers' hands and feet.</p> + +<p>The three thieves, glorying in their +victory, and little understanding the +meaning of the song and the intentions +of the dancers, were proudly seated +chewing betel and tobacco. Meanwhile +the song was sung a third time. <i>Tâ tai +tôm</i> had left the lips of the singer; and, +before <i>tadingana</i> was out of them, the +traders separated into parties of three, +and each party pounced upon a thief.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +The remaining one—the leader himself—tore +up into long narrow strips a large +piece of cloth, six cubits long, and tied +the hands and feet of the robbers. These +were entirely humbled now, and rolled +on the ground like three bags of rice!</p> + +<p>The ten traders now took back all +their property, and armed themselves +with the swords and cudgels of their +enemies; and when they reached their +village they often amused their friends +and relatives by relating their adventure.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_184" id="Note_184">184</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">In recent years several Japanese stories have +made their way into the list of those frequently +used in the lower grades. Some +of these are of unusual beauty and suggestiveness. +The oriental point of view is so +different from that of western children +that these stories often cannot be used in +their fully original form, although it would +be a distinct loss if the available elements +were therefore discarded. So, in this +instance departing from the plan of giving +only authentic copies of the tales here reprinted, +the excellent retold versions of two +Japanese stories are given as made by +Teresa Peirce Williston in her <i>Japanese +Fairy Tales</i>. (Copyrighted. Used by permission +of the publishers, Rand McNally +& Co.) In these simple versions the point +to the story is made clear in natural fashion +without undue moralizing.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE MIRROR OF MATSUYAMA</h4> + +<div class='center'>VERSION BY TERESA PEIRCE WILLISTON</div> + +<p>In Matsuyama there lived a man, +his wife, and their little daughter. They +loved each other very much, and were +very happy together. One day the man +came home very sad. He had received +a message from the Emperor, which +said that he must take a journey to +far-off Tokio.</p> + +<p>They had no horses and in those days +there were no railroads in Japan. The +man knew that he must walk the whole +distance. It was not the long walk that +he minded, however. It was because it +would take him many days from home.</p> + +<p>Still he must obey his Emperor, so +he made ready to start. His wife was +very sorry that he must go, and yet a +little proud, too, for no one else in the +village had ever taken so long a journey.</p> + +<p>She and the baby walked with him +down to the turn in the road. There +they stood and watched him through +their tears, as he followed the path up +through the pines on the mountain side. +At last, no larger than a speck, he disappeared +behind the hills. Then they +went home to await his return.</p> + +<p>For three long weeks they waited. +Each day they spoke of him, and counted +the days until they should see his dear +face again. At last the time came. +They walked down to the turn in the +road to wait for his coming. Up on +the mountain side some one was walking +toward them. As he came nearer they +could see that it was the one for whom +they waited.</p> + +<p>The good wife could scarcely believe +that her husband was indeed safe home +again. The baby girl laughed and +clapped her hands to see the toys he +brought her.</p> + +<p>There was a tiny image of Uzume, the +laughter-loving goddess. Next came a +little red monkey of cotton, with a +blue head. When she pressed the spring +he ran to the top of the rod. Oh, how +wonderful was the third gift! It was +a <i>tombo</i>, or dragon fly. When she first +looked at it she saw only a piece of wood +shaped like a T. The cross piece was +painted with different bright colors.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +But the queer thing, when her father +twirled it between his fingers, would +rise in the air, dipping and hovering +like a real dragon fly.</p> + +<p>Last, of course, there was a <i>ninghio</i>, +or doll, with a sweet face, slanting eyes, +and such wonderful hair. Her name +was O-Hina-San.</p> + +<p>He told of the Feast of the Dead +which he had seen in Tokio. He told +of the beautiful lanterns, the Lanterns of +the Dead; and the pine torches burning +before each house. He told of the tiny +boats made of barley straw and filled +with food that are set floating away on +the river, bearing two tiny lanterns to +guide them to the Land of the Dead.</p> + +<p>At last her husband handed the wife +a small white box. "Tell me what you +see inside," he said. She opened it and +took out something round and bright.</p> + +<p>On one side were buds and flowers +of frosted silver. The other side at first +looked as clear and bright as a pool of +water. When she moved it a little she +saw in it a most beautiful woman.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a beautiful picture!" she +cried. "It is of a woman and she seems +to be smiling and talking just as I am. +She has on a blue dress just like mine, +too! How strange!"</p> + +<p>Then her husband laughed and said: +"That is a mirror. It is yourself you +see reflected in it. All the women in +Tokio have them."</p> + +<p>The wife was delighted with her +present, and looked at it very often. +She liked to see the smiling red lips, the +laughing eyes, and beautiful dark hair.</p> + +<p>After a while she said to herself: +"How foolish this is of me to sit and +gaze at myself in this mirror! I am not +more beautiful than other women. How +much better for me to enjoy others' +beauty, and forget my own face. I +shall only remember that it must always +be happy and smiling or it will make +no one else happy. I do not wish any +cross or angry look of mine to make +any one sad."</p> + +<p>She put the mirror carefully away in +its box. Only twice in a year she looked +at it. Then it was to see if her face +was still such as would make others +happy.</p> + +<p>The years passed by in their sweet +and simple life until the baby had +grown to be a big girl. Her <i>ninghio</i>, +her <i>tombo</i>, the image of Uzume, even +the cotton monkey, were put carefully +away for her own children.</p> + +<p>This girl was the very image of her +mother. She was just as sweet and +loving, just as kind and helpful.</p> + +<p>One day her mother became very ill. +Although the girl and her father did all +they could for her, she grew worse and +worse.</p> + +<p>At last she knew that she must die, +so she called her daughter to her and +said: "My child, I know that I must +soon leave you, but I wish to leave +something with you in my place. Open +this box and see what you find in it."</p> + +<p>The girl opened the box and looked +for the first time in a mirror. "Oh, +mother dear!" she cried. "I see you +here. Not thin and pale as you are now, +but happy and smiling, as you have +always been."</p> + +<p>Then her mother said: "When I am +gone, will you look in this every morning +and every night? If anything troubles +you, tell me about it. Always try to +do right, so that you will see only happiness +here."</p> + +<p>Every morning when the sun rose and +the birds began to twitter and sing, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +girl rose and looked in her mirror. There +she saw the bright, happy face that she +remembered as her mother's.</p> + +<p>Every evening when the shadows fell +and the birds were asleep, she looked +again. She told it all that had happened +during the day. When it had been a +happy day the face smiled back at her. +When she was sad the face looked sad, +too. She was very careful not to do +anything unkind, for she knew how sad +the face would be then.</p> + +<p>So each day she grew more kind and +loving, and more like the mother whose +face she saw each day and loved.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_185" id="Note_185">185</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This favorite story of "The Tongue-Cut +Sparrow" is from Mrs. Williston's <i>Japanese +Fairy Tales</i>. (Copyrighted. Used by permission.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW</h4> + +<div class='center'>VERSION BY TERESA PEIRCE WILLISTON</div> + +<p>In a little old house in a little old +village in Japan lived a little old man +and his little old wife.</p> + +<p>One morning when the old woman slid +open the screens which form the sides +of all Japanese houses, she saw, on the +doorstep, a poor little sparrow. She +took him up gently and fed him. Then +she held him in the bright morning +sunshine until the cold dew was dried +from his wings. Afterward she let him +go, so that he might fly home to his +nest, but he stayed to thank her with +his songs.</p> + +<p>Each morning, when the pink on the +mountain tops told that the sun was +near, the sparrow perched on the roof +of the house and sang out his joy.</p> + +<p>The old man and woman thanked the +sparrow for this, for they liked to be +up early and at work. But near them +there lived a cross old woman who did +not like to be awakened so early. At +last she became so angry that she caught +the sparrow and cut his tongue. Then +the poor little sparrow flew away to his +home, but he could never sing again.</p> + +<p>When the kind woman knew what had +happened to her pet she was very sad. +She said to her husband, "Let us go and +find our poor little sparrow." So they +started together, and asked of each bird +by the wayside: "Do you know where +the Tongue-Cut Sparrow lives? Do you +know where the Tongue-Cut Sparrow +went?"</p> + +<p>In this way they followed until they +came to a bridge. They did not know +which way to turn, and at first could +see no one to ask.</p> + +<p>At last they saw a Bat hanging head +downward, taking his daytime nap. +"Oh, friend Bat, do you know where +the Tongue-Cut Sparrow went?" they +asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes. Over the bridge and up the +mountain," said the Bat. Then he +blinked his sleepy eyes and was fast +asleep again.</p> + +<p>They went over the bridge and up the +mountain, but again they found two +roads and did not know which one to +take. A little Field Mouse peeped +through the leaves and grass, so they +asked him, "Do you know where the +Tongue-Cut Sparrow went?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Down the mountain and +through the woods," said the Field +Mouse.</p> + +<p>Down the mountain and through the +woods they went, and at last came to +the home of their little friend.</p> + +<p>When he saw them coming the poor +little sparrow was very happy indeed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +He and his wife and children all came +and bowed their heads down to the +ground to show their respect. Then +the Sparrow rose and led the old +man and the old woman into his house, +while his wife and children hastened to +bring them boiled rice, fish, cress, and +saké.</p> + +<p>After they had feasted, the Sparrow +wished to please them still more, so he +danced for them what is called the +"sparrow-dance."</p> + +<p>When the sun began to sink, the old +man and woman started for home. The +Sparrow brought out two baskets. "I +would like to give you one of these," +he said. "Which will you take?" One +basket was large and looked very full, +while the other one seemed very small +and light. The old people thought they +would not take the large basket, for +that might have all the Sparrow's treasure +in it, so they said, "The way is long +and we are very old, so please let us +take the smaller one."</p> + +<p>They took it and walked home over +the mountain and across the bridge, +happy and contented.</p> + +<p>When they reached their own home +they decided to open the basket and see +what the Sparrow had given them. +Within the basket they found many +rolls of silk and piles of gold, enough +to make them rich, so they were more +grateful than ever to the Sparrow.</p> + +<p>The cross old woman who had cut the +Sparrow's tongue was peering in through +the screen when they opened their +basket. She saw the rolls of silk and +the piles of gold, and planned how she +might get some for herself.</p> + +<p>The next morning she went to the +kind woman and said: "I am so sorry +that I cut the tongue of your Sparrow. +Please tell me the way to his home so +that I may go to him and tell him I +am sorry."</p> + +<p>The kind woman told her the way +and she set out. She went across the +bridge, over the mountain, and through +the woods. At last she came to the +home of the little Sparrow.</p> + +<p>He was not so glad to see this old +woman, yet he was very kind to her +and did everything to make her feel +welcome. They made a feast for her, +and when she started home the Sparrow +brought out two baskets as before. Of +course the woman chose the large basket, +for she thought that would have even +more wealth than the other one.</p> + +<p>It was very heavy, and caught on +the trees as she was going through the +wood. She could hardly pull it up the +mountain with her, and she was all out +of breath when she reached the top. +She did not get to the bridge until it +was dark. Then she was so afraid of +dropping the basket into the river that +she scarcely dared to step.</p> + +<p>When at last she reached home she +was so tired that she was half dead, but +she pulled the screens close shut, so that +no one could look in, and opened her +treasure.</p> + +<p>Treasure indeed! A whole swarm of +horrible creatures burst from the basket +the moment she opened it. They stung +her and bit her, they pushed her and +pulled her, they scratched her and +laughed at her screams.</p> + +<p>At last she crawled to the edge of the +room and slid aside the screen to get +away from the pests. The moment the +door was opened they swooped down +upon her, picked her up, and flew away +with her. Since then nothing has ever +been heard of the old woman<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span>.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_186" id="Note_186">186</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The tale of "The Straw Ox" as given in +<i>Cossack Fairy Tales</i>, by R. Nesbit Bain, is +one of the masterpieces among folk stories. +It is of the accumulative type, winding up +rapidly to the point where the old couple +have secured, through the straw ox, all +the raw material needed for comfortable +clothing. Then comes the surprising release +of the captured animals under promise +to make contributions, each in his own +way, to the welfare of the poverty-stricken +couple. And then, the greatest surprise of +all, the quick unwinding of the plot with +the return of the grateful animals according +to promise. "And the old man was glad, +and the old woman was glad," and we are +glad for their sake, and also for the sake +of the bear and the wolf and the fox and +the hare.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE STRAW OX</h4> + +<p>There was once upon a time an old +man and an old woman. The old man +worked in the fields as a pitch-burner, +while the old woman sat at home and +spun flax. They were so poor that +they could save nothing at all; all their +earnings went in bare food, and when +that was gone there was nothing left. +At last the old woman had a good idea: +"Look now, husband," cried she, "make +me a straw ox, and smear it all over +with tar."</p> + +<p>"Why, you foolish woman!" said he, +"what's the good of an ox of that sort?"</p> + +<p>"Never mind," said she, "you just +make it. I know what I am about."</p> + +<p>What was the poor man to do? He +set to work and made the ox of straw, +and smeared it all over with tar.</p> + +<p>The night passed away, and at early +dawn the old woman took her distaff, and +drove the straw ox out into the steppe +to graze, and she herself sat down +behind a hillock, and began spinning +her flax, and cried: "Graze away, little +ox, while I spin my flax. Graze away, +little ox, while I spin my flax!"</p> + +<p>And while she spun, her head drooped +down and she began to doze, and while +she was dozing, from behind the dark +wood and from the back of the huge +pines a bear came rushing out upon the +ox and said: "Who are you? Speak, +and tell me!"</p> + +<p>And the ox said: "A three-year-old +heifer am I, made of straw and smeared +with tar."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the bear, "stuffed with +straw and trimmed with tar, are you? +Then give me your straw and tar, that +I may patch up my ragged fur again!"</p> + +<p>"Take some," said the ox, and the +bear fell upon him and began to tear +away at the tar.</p> + +<p>He tore and tore, and buried his +teeth in it till he found he couldn't +let go again. He tugged and he tugged +but it was no good, and the ox dragged +him gradually off, goodness knows where.</p> + +<p>Then the old woman awoke, and there +was no ox to be seen. "Alas! old fool +that I am!" cried she, "perchance it +has gone home." Then she quickly +caught up her distaff and spinning board, +threw them over her shoulders, and +hastened off home, and she saw that +the ox had dragged the bear up to the +fence, and in she went to her old man.</p> + +<p>"Dad, dad," she cried, "look, look! +The ox has brought us a bear. Come +out and kill it!" Then the old man +jumped up, tore off the bear, tied him +up, and threw him in the cellar.</p> + +<p>Next morning, between dark and dawn, +the old woman took her distaff and +drove the ox into the steppe to graze. +She herself sat down by a mound, began +spinning, and said: "Graze, graze away,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +little ox, while I spin my flax! Graze, +graze away, little ox, while I spin my +flax!"</p> + +<p>And while she spun, her head drooped +down and she dozed. And lo! from +behind the dark wood, from the back +of the huge pines, a gray wolf came +rushing out upon the ox and said: "Who +are you? Come, tell me!"</p> + +<p>"I am a three-year-old heifer, stuffed +with straw and trimmed with tar," said +the ox.</p> + +<p>"Oh! trimmed with tar, are you? +Then give me of your tar to tar my +sides, that the dogs and the sons of +dogs tear me not!"</p> + +<p>"Take some," said the ox. And with +that the wolf fell upon him and tried +to tear the tar off. He tugged and +tugged, and tore with his teeth, but +could get none off. Then he tried to +let go, and couldn't; tug and worry as +he might, it was no good.</p> + +<p>When the old woman woke, there was +no heifer in sight. "Maybe my heifer +has gone home!" she cried. "I'll go +home and see." When she got there she +was astonished for by the paling stood +the ox with the wolf still tugging at it. +She ran and told her old man, and her +old man came and threw the wolf into +the cellar also.</p> + +<p>On the third day the old woman +again drove her ox into the pastures +to graze, and sat down by a mound and +dozed off. Then a fox came running up. +"Who are you?" it asked the ox.</p> + +<p>"I'm a three-year-old heifer, stuffed +with straw and daubed with tar."</p> + +<p>"Then give me some of your tar to +smear my sides with, when those dogs +and sons of dogs tear my hide!"</p> + +<p>"Take some," said the ox. Then the +fox fastened her teeth in him and couldn't +draw them out again. The old woman +told her old man, and he took and cast +the fox into the cellar in the same way. +And after that they caught Pussy Swiftfoot +likewise.</p> + +<p>So when he had got them all safely +the old man sat down on a bench before +the cellar and began sharpening a knife. +And the bear said to him: "Tell me, +daddy, what are you sharpening your +knife for?"</p> + +<p>"To flay your skin off, that I may +make a leather jacket for myself and a +pelisse for my old woman."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Don't flay me, daddy dear! +Rather let me go, and I'll bring you a +lot of honey."</p> + +<p>"Very well, see you do it," and he +unbound and let the bear go.</p> + +<p>Then he sat down on the bench and +again began sharpening his knife. And +the wolf asked him: "Daddy, what are +you sharpening your knife for?"</p> + +<p>"To flay off your skin, that I may +make me a warm cap against the winter."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Don't flay me, daddy dear, +and I'll bring you a whole herd of little +sheep."</p> + +<p>"Well, see that you do it," and he +let the wolf go.</p> + +<p>Then he sat down, and began sharpening +his knife again. The fox put out +her little snout, and asked him: "Be +so kind, dear daddy, and tell me why +you are sharpening your knife!"</p> + +<p>"Little foxes," said the old man, +"have nice skins that do capitally for +collars and trimmings, and I want to +skin you!"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Don't take my skin away, +daddy dear, and I will bring you hens +and geese."</p> + +<p>"Very well, see that you do it," and +he let the fox go.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span></p> + +<p>The hare now alone remained, and +the old man began sharpening his knife +on the hare's account.</p> + +<p>"Why do you do that?" asked Puss. +He replied: "Little hares have nice +little, soft, warm skins, which will make +me nice gloves and mittens against the +winter!"</p> + +<p>"Oh! daddy dear! Don't flay me, +and I'll bring you kale and good cauliflower, +if only you let me go!"</p> + +<p>Then he let the hare go also.</p> + +<p>Then they went to bed; but very +early in the morning, when it was +neither dusk nor dawn, there was a +noise in the doorway like "Durrrrrr!"</p> + +<p>"Daddy!" cried the old woman, +"there's some one scratching at the +door; go and see who it is!"</p> + +<p>The old man went out, and there +was the bear carrying a whole hive full +of honey. The old man took the honey +from the bear; but no sooner did he lie +down again than there was another +"Durrrrr!" at the door. The old man +looked out and saw the wolf driving a +whole flock of sheep into the court-yard. +Close on his heels came the fox, +driving before him the geese and hens, +and all manner of fowls; and last of all +came the hare, bringing cabbage and +kale, and all manner of good food.</p> + +<p>And the old man was glad, and the +old woman was glad. And the old man +sold the sheep and oxen, and got so rich +that he needed nothing more.</p> + +<p>As for the straw-stuffed ox, it stood +in the sun till it fell to pieces.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_187" id="Note_187">187</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"The Adventures of Connla the Comely" is +one of the romances in <i>The Book of the +Dun Cow</i>, the oldest manuscript of miscellaneous +Gaelic literature in existence. +It was made about 1100 <span class="smcap">a.d.</span> and is now +preserved in the Royal Irish Academy at +Dublin. The contents were transcribed +from older books, some of the stories being +older by many centuries. The story of +Connla is "one of the many tales that illustrate +the ancient and widespread superstition +that fairies sometimes take away mortals +to their palaces in the fairy forts and +pleasant green hills." This conception is +often referred to as the Earthly Paradise +or the Isle of Youth. It is represented in +the King Arthur stories by the Vale of +Avalon to which the weeping queens carried +the king after his mortal wound in +"that last weird battle in the west." Conn +the Hundred-fighter reigned in the second +century of the Christian era (123-157 <span class="smcap">a.d.</span>), +and this story of his son must have sprung +up soon after. According to Jacobs, it is +the oldest fairy tale of modern Europe.<br /> +<br /> +The following version of the tale is from +Joseph Jacobs' <i>Celtic Fairy Tales</i>, which +with its companion volume, <i>More Celtic +Fairy Tales</i>, forms a standard source book +for the usable stories in that field. Mr. +Jacobs, as always, keeps to the authoritative +versions while reducing them to forms +at once available for educational purposes.</div> + + +<h4><br />CONNLA AND THE FAIRY +MAIDEN</h4> + +<p>Connla of the Fiery Hair was son of +Conn of the Hundred Fights. One day +as he stood by the side of his father on +the height of Usna, he saw a maiden clad +in strange attire towards him coming.</p> + +<p>"Whence comest thou, maiden?" said +Connla.</p> + +<p>"I come from the Plains of the Ever +Living," she said, "there where is neither +death nor sin. There we keep holiday +alway, nor need we help from any in our +joy. And in all our pleasure we have no +strife. And because we have our homes +in the round green hills, men call us the +Hill Folk."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span></p> + +<p>The king and all with him wondered +much to hear a voice when they saw no +one. For save Connla alone, none saw +the Fairy Maiden.</p> + +<p>"To whom art thou talking, my son?" +said Conn the king.</p> + +<p>Then the maiden answered, "Connla +speaks to a young, fair maid, whom +neither death nor old age awaits. I love +Connla, and now I call him away to the +Plain of Pleasure, Moy Mell, where +Boadag is king for aye, nor has there +been sorrow or complaint in that land +since he held the kingship. Oh, come +with me, Connla of the Fiery Hair, ruddy +as the dawn, with thy tawny skin. A +fairy crown awaits thee to grace thy +comely face and royal form. Come, and +never shall thy comeliness fade, nor thy +youth, till the last awful day of judgment."</p> + +<p>The king in fear at what the maiden +said, which he heard though he could not +see her, called aloud to his Druid, Coran +by name. "O Coran of the many +spells," he said, "and of the cunning +magic, I call upon thy aid. A task is +upon me too great for all my skill and +wit, greater than any laid upon me since +I seized the kingship. A maiden unseen +has met us, and by her power would +take from me my dear, my comely son. +If thou help not, he will be taken from thy +king by woman's wiles and witchery."</p> + +<p>Then Coran the Druid stood forth and +chanted his spells towards the spot where +the maiden's voice had been heard. And +none heard her voice again, nor could +Connla see her longer. Only as she vanished +before the Druid's mighty spell, she +threw an apple to Connla.</p> + +<p>For a whole month from that day +Connla would take nothing, either to eat +or to drink, save only from that apple.</p> + +<p>But as he ate, it grew again and always +kept whole. And all the while there +grew within him a mighty yearning and +longing after the maiden he had seen.</p> + +<p>But when the last day of the month of +waiting came, Connla stood by the side +of the king his father on the Plain of +Arcomin, and again he saw the maiden +come towards him, and again she spoke +to him. "'Tis a glorious place, forsooth, +that Connla holds among shortlived +mortals awaiting the day of death. But +now the folk of life, the ever-living ones, +beg and bid thee come to Moy Mell, the +Plain of Pleasure, for they have learnt to +know thee, seeing thee in thy home +among thy dear ones."</p> + +<p>When Conn the king heard the +maiden's voice he called to his men +aloud and said: "Summon swift my +Druid Coran, for I see she has again this +day the power of speech."</p> + +<p>Then the maiden said: "O mighty +Conn, Fighter of a Hundred Fights, the +Druid's power is little loved; it has little +honor in the mighty land, peopled with +so many of the upright. When the Law +comes, it will do away with the Druid's +magic spells that issue from the lips of the +false black demon."</p> + +<p>Then Conn the king observed that since +the coming of the maiden Connla his son +spoke to none that spake to him. So +Conn of the Hundred Fights said to him, +"Is it to thy mind what the woman says, +my son?"</p> + +<p>"'Tis hard upon me," said Connla; +"I love my own folk above all things; but +yet a longing seizes me for the maiden."</p> + +<p>When the maiden heard this, she +answered and said: "The ocean is not +so strong as the waves of thy longing. +Come with me in my curragh, the gleaming, +straight-gliding crystal canoe. Soon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +can we reach Boadag's realm. I see the +bright sun sink, yet far as it is, we can +reach it before dark. There is, too, +another land worthy of thy journey, a +land joyous to all that seek it. Only +wives and maidens dwell there. If thou +wilt, we can seek it and live there alone +together in joy."</p> + +<p>When the maiden ceased to speak, +Connla of the Fiery Hair rushed away +from his kinsmen and sprang into the +curragh, the gleaming, straight-gliding +crystal canoe. And then they all, king +and court, saw it glide away over the +bright sea towards the setting sun, away +and away, till eye could see it no longer. +So Connla and the Fairy Maiden went +forth on the sea, and were no more seen, +nor did any know whither they went.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_188" id="Note_188">188</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">One of the best of the volumes of Irish tales +is Lady Wilde's <i>Ancient Legends of Ireland</i>, +and one of the best stories in that volume +is her version of the witch story of "The +Horned Women." The story is compact +and restrained in the telling, and carries +effectively to the listener the "creepy" +spell of the witches. The way in which +the house was prepared against the enchantments +of the returning witches furnishes +a good illustration of some of the deep-seated +superstitions of the folk.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE HORNED WOMEN</h4> + +<p>A rich woman sat up late one night +carding and preparing wool, while all +the family and servants were asleep. +Suddenly a knock was given at the door, +and a voice called, "Open! Open!"</p> + +<p>"Who is there?" said the woman of +the house.</p> + +<p>"I am the Witch of the one Horn," +was answered.</p> + +<p>The mistress, supposing that one of +her neighbors had called and required +assistance, opened the door, and a woman +entered, having in her hand a pair of +wool carders, and bearing a horn on her +forehead, as if growing there. She sat +down by the fire in silence, and began +to card the wool with violent haste. +Suddenly she paused, and said aloud: +"Where are the women; they delay +too long."</p> + +<p>Then a second knock came to the +door, and a voice called as before, +"Open! Open!"</p> + +<p>The mistress felt herself constrained +to rise and open to the call, and immediately +a second witch entered, having +two horns on her forehead, and in her +hand a wheel for spinning wool.</p> + +<p>"Give me place," she said, "I am the +Witch of the two Horns"; and she +began to spin as quick as lightning.</p> + +<p>And so the knocks went on, and the +call was heard, and the witches entered, +until at last, twelve women sat round +the fire—the first with one horn, the +last with twelve horns.</p> + +<p>And they carded the thread, and turned +their spinning wheels, and wound and +wove.</p> + +<p>All were singing together an ancient +rhyme, but no word did they speak to +the mistress of the house. Strange to +hear and frightful to look upon were +these twelve women, with their horns +and their wheels; and the mistress felt +near to death, and she tried to rise that +she might call for help, but she could +not move, nor could she utter a word or +a cry, for the spell of the witches was +upon her.</p> + +<p>Then one of them called to her in +Irish, and said, "Rise, woman, and make +us a cake." Then the mistress searched +for a vessel to bring water from the well<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +that she might mix the meal and make +the cake, but she could find none.</p> + +<p>And they said to her, "Take a sieve, +and bring water in it." And she took +the sieve and went to the well; but the +water poured from it, and she could +fetch none for the cake, and she sat +down by the well and wept.</p> + +<p>Then came a voice by her, and said, +"Take yellow clay and moss and bind +them together, and plaster the sieve so +that it will hold."</p> + +<p>This she did, and the sieve held the +water for the cake; and the voice said +again: "Return, and when thou comest +to the north angle of the house cry +aloud three times, and say, 'The mountain +of the Fenian women and the sky +over it is all on fire.'"</p> + +<p>And she did so.</p> + +<p>When the witches inside heard the call, +a great and terrible cry broke from their +lips, and they rushed forth with wild +lamentations and shrieks, and fled away +to Slievenamon, where was their chief +abode. But the Spirit of the Well bade +the mistress of the house to enter and +prepare her home against the enchantments +of the witches, if they returned +again.</p> + +<p>And first, to break their spells, she +sprinkled the water in which she had +washed her child's feet (the feet-water) +outside the door on the threshold; +secondly, she took the cake which the +witches had made in her absence, of +meal mixed with the blood drawn from +the sleeping family, and she broke the +cake in bits, and placed a bit in the +mouth of each sleeper, and they were +restored; and she took the cloth they +had woven, and placed it half in and +half out of the chest with the padlock; +and, lastly, she secured the door with a +great crossbeam fastened in the jambs, +so that they could not enter, and having +done these things she waited.</p> + +<p>Not long were the witches in coming, +and they raged and called for vengeance.</p> + +<p>"Open! Open!" they screamed. +"Open, feet-water!"</p> + +<p>"I cannot," said the feet-water; "I +am scattered on the ground, and my +path is down to the Lough."</p> + +<p>"Open, open, wood and trees and +beam!" they cried to the door.</p> + +<p>"I cannot," said the door, "for the +beam is fixed in the jambs, and I have +no power to move."</p> + +<p>"Open, open, cake that we have made +and mingled with blood!" they cried +again.</p> + +<p>"I cannot," said the cake, "for I am +broken and bruised, and my blood is +on the lips of the sleeping children."</p> + +<p>Then the witches rushed through the +air with great cries, and fled back to +Slievenamon, uttering strange curses on +the Spirit of the Well, who had wished +their ruin. But the woman and the +house were left in peace, and a mantle +dropped by one of the witches was kept +hung up by the mistress as a sign of the +night's awful contest; and this mantle +was in possession of the same family +from generation to generation for five +hundred years after.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_189" id="Note_189">189</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The story of "King O'Toole and His Goose" +is from Samuel Lover's <i>Stories and Legends +of the Irish Peasantry</i>, as reprinted in +slightly abridged form in William Butler +Yeats's <i>Irish Fairy Tales</i>. The extreme +form of the dialect is kept as in the original, +since the humor is largely dependent on +the language of the peasant who tells the +story. It will serve as a good illustration<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +for practice work for the amateur story-teller. +Probably most teachers would find +it necessary to "reduce" this dialect or to +eliminate it altogether. Mr. Jacobs, who +includes this story in his <i>Celtic Fairy Tales</i>, +reduces the dialect very materially, keeping +just enough to remind one that it is Irish. +He also says the final word as to the moral +of the story: "This is a moral apologue +on the benefits of keeping your word. Yet +it is told with such humor and vigor, that +the moral glides insensibly into the +heart."</div> + + +<h4><br />KING O'TOOLE AND HIS GOOSE</h4> + +<p>"By Gor, I thought all the world, far +and near, heerd o' King O'Toole—well, +well, but the darkness of mankind is +ontellible! Well, sir, you must know, +as you didn't hear it afore, that there +was a king, called King O'Toole, who +was a fine ould king in the ould ancient +times, long ago; and it was him that +owned the churches in the early days. +The king, you see, was the right sort; +he was the rale boy, and loved sport as +he loved his life, and huntin' in partic'lar; +and from the risin' o' the sun, up he +got, and away he wint over the mountains +beyant afther the deer; and the +fine times them wor.</p> + +<p>"Well, it was all mighty good, as +long as the king had his health; but, +you see, in coorse of time the king grew +ould, by raison he was stiff in his limbs, +and when he got sthriken in years, his +heart failed him, and he was lost intirely +for want o' divarshin, bekase he couldn't +go a huntin' no longer; and, by dad, +the poor king was obleeged at last for +to get a goose to divart him. Oh, you +may laugh, if you like, but it's truth +I'm tellin' you; and the way the goose +divarted him was this-a-way: You see, +the goose used for to swim across the +lake, and go divin' for throut, and cotch +fish on a Friday for the king, and flew +every other day round about the lake, +divartin' the poor king. All went on +mighty well, antil, by dad, the goose +got sthriken in years like her master, +and couldn't divart him no longer, and +then it was that the poor king was lost +complate. The king was walkin' one +mornin' by the edge of the lake, lamentin' +his cruel fate, and thinkin' o' drownin' +himself, that could get no divarshun in +life, when all of a suddint, turnin' round +the corner beyant, who should he meet +but a mighty dacent young man comin' +up to him.</p> + +<p>"'God save you,' says the king to +the young man.</p> + +<p>"'God save you kindly, King O'Toole,' +says the young man. 'Thrue for you,' +says the king. 'I am King O'Toole,' +says he, 'prince and plennypennytinchery +o' these parts,' says he; 'but how kem +ye to know that?' says he. 'Oh, never +mind,' says Saint Kavin.</p> + +<p>"You see it was Saint Kavin, sure +enough—the saint himself in disguise, +and nobody else. 'Oh, never mind,' +says he, 'I know more than that. May +I make bowld to ax how is your goose, +King O'Toole?' says he. 'Bluran-agers, +how kem ye to know about my goose?' +says the king. 'Oh, no matther; I was +given to understand it,' says Saint Kavin. +After some more talk the king says, +'What are you?' 'I'm an honest man,' +says Saint Kavin. 'Well, honest man,' +says the king, 'and how is it you make +your money so aisy?' 'By makin' ould +things as good as new,' says Saint Kavin. +'Is it a tinker you are?' says the king. +'No,' says the saint; 'I'm no tinker by +thrade, King O'Toole; I've a betther +thrade than a tinker,' says he—'what<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +would you say,' says he, 'if I made your +ould goose as good as new?'</p> + +<p>"My dear, at the word o' makin' his +goose as good as new, you'd think the +poor ould king's eyes was ready to +jump out iv his head. With that the +king whistled, and down kem the poor +goose, all as one as a hound, waddlin' +up to the poor cripple, her masther, and +as like him as two pays. The minute +the saint clapt his eyes on the goose, +'I'll do the job for you,' says he, 'King +O'Toole.' 'By <i>Jaminee!</i>' says King +O'Toole, 'if you do, but I'll say you're +the cleverest fellow in the sivin parishes.' +'Oh, by dad,' says Saint Kavin, 'you must +say more nor that—my horn's not so +soft all out,' says he, 'as to repair your +ould goose for nothin'; what'll you gi' +me if I do the job for you?—that's the +chat,' says Saint Kavin. 'I'll give you +whatever you ax,' says the king; 'isn't +that fair?' 'Divil a fairer,' says the +saint; 'that's the way to do business. +Now,' says he, 'this is the bargain I'll +make with you, King O'Toole: will +you gi' me all the ground the goose +flies over, the first offer, afther I make +her as good as new?' 'I will,' says the +king, 'You won't go back o' your +word?' says Saint Kavin. 'Honor bright!' +says King O'Toole, howldin' out his +fist. 'Honor bright!' says Saint Kavin, +back agin, 'it's a bargain. Come here!' +says he to the poor ould goose—'come +here, you unfort'nate ould cripple, and +it's I that'll make you the sportin' bird.' +With that, my dear, he took up the goose +by the two wings—'Criss o' my crass +and you,' says he, markin' her to grace +with the blessed sign at the same minute—and +throwin' her up in the air, 'whew,' +says he, jist givin' her a blast to help +her; and with that, my jewel, she tuk +to her heels, flyin' like one o' the aigles +themselves and cuttin' as many capers +as a swallow before a shower of rain.</p> + +<p>"Well, my dear, it was a beautiful +sight to see the king standin' with his +mouth open, lookin' at his poor ould +goose flyin' as light as a lark, and betther +nor ever she was: and when she lit at +his fut, patter her an the head, and, +'<i>Ma vourneen</i>,' says he, 'but you are +the <i>darlint</i> o' the world.' 'And what +do you say to me,' says Saint Kavin, +'for makin' her the like?' 'By gor,' +says the king, 'I say nothin' bates the +art o' man, barrin' the bees.' 'And do +you say no more nor that?' says Saint +Kavin. 'And that I'm behoulden to +you,' says the king. 'But will you give +me all the ground the goose flew over?' +says Saint Kavin. 'I will,' says King +O'Toole, 'and you're welkim to it,' says +he, 'though it's the last acre I have to +give.' 'But you'll keep your word +thrue?' says the saint. 'As thrue as +the sun,' says the king. 'It's well for +you, King O'Toole, that you said that +word,' says he; 'for if you didn't say +that word, <i>the devil receave the bit o' your +goose id ever fly agin</i>.'</p> + +<p>"Whin the king was as good as his +word, Saint Kavin was <i>plazed</i> with him, +and thin it was that he made himself +known to the king. 'And,' says he, +'King O'Toole, you're a dacent man, +for I only kem here to <i>thry you</i>. You +don't know me,' says he, 'bekase I'm +disguised.' 'Musha! thin,' says the king, +'who are you?' 'I'm Saint Kavin,' +said the Saint, blessin' himself. 'Oh, +queen iv heaven!' says the king makin' +the sign o' the crass betune his eyes, +and fallin' down on his knees before the +saint; 'is it the great Saint Kavin,' +says he, 'that I've been discoorsin' all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +this time without knowin' it,' says he, +'all as one as if he was a lump iv a <i>gosson?</i>—and +so you're a saint?' says the king. +'I am,' says Saint Kavin. 'By gor, I +thought I was only talking to a dacent +boy,' says the king. 'Well, you know +the differ now,' says the saint. 'I'm +Saint Kavin,' says he, 'the greatest of +all the saints.'</p> + +<p>"And so the king had his goose as +good as new, to divart him as long as +he lived: and the saint supported him +afther he kem into his property, as I +tould you, until the day iv his death—and +that was soon afther; for the poor +goose thought he was ketchin' a throut +one Friday; but, my jewel, it was a +mistake he made—and instead of a +throut, it was a thievin' horse-eel; and +by gor, instead iv the goose killin' a +throut for the king's supper,—by dad, +the eel killed the king's goose—and +small blame to him; but he didn't +ate her, bekase he darn't ate what +Saint Kavin had laid his blessed hands +on."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION IV</h2> + + +<h3>FAIRY STORIES—MODERN FANTASTIC TALES</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span></p> +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + + +<div class='hang1'>Alden, Raymond Macdonald, <i>Why the Chimes Rang, and Other Stories</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Andersen, Hans Christian, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1597">Fairy Tales</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Barrie, Sir James Matthew, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1376">The Little White Bird</a></i>. [Peter Pan.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Baum, L. Frank, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/55">The Wizard of Oz</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Benson, A. C., <i>David Blaize and the Blue Door</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Beston, H. B., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19207">The Firelight Fairy Book</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Brown, Abbie Farwell, <i>The Lonesomest Doll</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Browne, Frances, <i>Granny's Wonderful Chair</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Carryl, Charles E., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/25031">Davy and the Goblin</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>"Carroll, Lewis," <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19033">Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>"Carroll, Lewis," <i>Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Chamisso, Adelbert von, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/21943">The Wonderful History of Peter Schlemihl</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>"Collodi, C.," <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/500">The Adventures of Pinocchio</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Cox, Palmer, <i>The Brownies: Their Book</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Craik, Dinah Mulock, <i>Adventures of a Brownie</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Craik, Dinah Mulock, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/496">The Little Lame Prince and His Traveling-Cloak</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Crothers, Samuel McChord, <i>Miss Muffet's Christmas Party</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Dickens, Charles, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/46">A Christmas Carol</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Ewald, Carl, <i>Two-Legs, and Other Stories</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Grahame, Kenneth, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/289">The Wind in the Willows</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Harris, Joel Chandler, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24430">Nights with Uncle Remus</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Hawthorne, Nathaniel, "<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/513">The Snow Image</a>," "<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9244">Little Daffydowndilly</a>," "<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9203">A Rill from the Town +Pump</a>."</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Ingelow, Jean, <i>Mopsa the Fairy</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Ingelow, Jean, <i>Stories Told to a Child</i>. 2 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Jordan, David Starr, <i>The Book of Knight and Barbara</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lagerlof, Selma, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10935">The Wonderful Adventures of Nils</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>La Motte-Fouqué, F. de, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3714">Undine</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lang, Andrew, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/21935">Prince Prigio</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Kingsley, Charles, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1018">The Water Babies</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Maeterlinck, Maurice, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8606">The Blue Bird</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Macdonald, George, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/708">The Princess and the Goblin</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Macdonald, George, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18614">At the Back of the North Wind</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Pyle, Katherine, <i>In the Green Forest</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Raspe, Rudolph Erich, <i>Baron Munchausen's Narrative</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Richards, Laura E., <i>The Story of Toto</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Richards, Laura E., <i>The Pig Brother</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Ruskin, John, <i>The King of the Golden River</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Stockton, Frank R., <i>Fanciful Tales</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Swift, Jonathan, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/829">Gulliver's Travels</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Thackeray, William Makepeace, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/897">The Rose and the Ring</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Wilde, Oscar, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/902">The Happy Prince, and Other Stories</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Wilkins, Mary E., <i>The Pot of Gold</i>.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION IV: FAIRY STORIES—MODERN FANTASTIC TALES</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + +<p>The difficulties of classification are very apparent here, and once more it must +be noted that illustrative and practical purposes rather than logical ones are served +by the arrangement adopted. The modern fanciful story is here placed next to the +real folk story instead of after all the groups of folk products. The Hebrew stories +at the beginning belong quite as well, perhaps even better, in <a href="#Page_261">Section V</a>, while the +stories at the end of <a href="#Page_301">Section VI</a> shade off into the more modern types of short tales. +Then the fact that other groups of modern stories are to follow later, illustrating +more realistic studies of life and the very recent and remarkably numerous writings +centering around animal life, limits the list here. Many of the animal stories might, +with equal propriety, be placed under the head of the fantastic.</p> + +<p><i>The child's natural literature.</i> The world has lost certain secrets as the price +of an advancing civilization. It is a commonplace of observation that no one can +duplicate the success of Mother Goose, whether she be thought of as the maker of +jingles or the teller of tales. The conditions of modern life preclude the generally +naïve attitude that produced the folk rhymes, ballads, tales, proverbs, fables, and +myths. The folk saw things simply and directly. The complex, analytic, questioning +mind is not yet, either in or out of stories. The motives from which people act +are to them plain and not mixed. Characters are good or bad. They feel no need +of elaborately explaining their joys and sorrows. Such experiences come with the +day's work. "To-morrow to fresh woods, and pastures new." The zest of life with +them is emphatic. Their humor is fresh, unbounded, sincere; there is no trace of +cynicism. In folk literature we do not feel the presence of a "writer" who is mightily +concerned about maintaining his reputation for wisdom, originality, or style. Hence +the freedom from any note of straining after effect, of artificiality. In the midst of a +life limited to fundamental needs, their literature deals with fundamentals. On the +whole, it was a literature for entertainment. A more learned upper class may have +concerned itself then about "problems" and "purposes," as the whole world does +now, but the literature of the folk had no such interests.</p> + +<p>Without discussing the limits of the culture-epoch theory of human development +as a complete guide in education, it is clear that the young child passes through a +period when his mind looks out upon the world in a manner analogous to that of the +folk as expressed in their literature. Quarrel with the fact as we may, it still remains +a fact that his nature craves these old stories and will not be satisfied with something +"just as good."</p> + +<p><i>The modern fairy story.</i> The advance of civilization has been accompanied by +a wistful longing for the simplicities left by the way. In some periods this interest +in the past has been more marked than in others. When the machinery of life has +weighed too heavily on the human spirit, men have turned for relief to a contemplation +of the "good old times" and have preached crusades of a "return to nature."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +Many modern writers have tried to recapture some of the power of the folk tale by +imitating its method. In many cases they have had a fair degree of success: in one +case, that of Hans Christian Andersen, the success is admittedly very complete. As +a rule, however, the sharpness of the sense of wonder has been blunted, and many +imitators of the old fairy tale succeed in keeping only the shell. Another class of +modern fantastic tale is that of the <i>pourquoi</i> story, which has the explanation of something +as its object. Such tales grow out of the attempt to use the charm of old stories +as a means of conveying instruction, somewhat after the method of those parents +who covered up our bitter medicine with some of our favorite jam. Even "Little +Red Riding Hood," as we saw, has been turned into a flower myth. So compelling +is this pedagogical motive that so-called nature myths have been invented or made +from existing stories in great numbers. The practical results please many teachers, +but it may be questioned whether the gain is sufficient to compensate children for +the distorting results upon masterpieces.</p> + +<p><i>Wide range of the modern fairy tale.</i> The bibliography will suggest something +of the treasures in the field of the modern fanciful story. From the delightful nonsense +of <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> and the "travelers' tales" of <i>Baron Munchausen</i> to the +profound seriousness of <i>The King of the Golden River</i> and <i>Why the Chimes Rang</i> is a +far cry. There are the rich fancies of Barrie and Maeterlinck, at the same time +delicate as the promises of spring and brilliant as the fruitions of summer. One may +be blown away to the land of Oz, he may lose his shadow with Peter Schlemihl, he +may outdo the magic carpet with his Traveling-Cloak, he may visit the courts of +kings with his Wonderful Chair; Miss Muffet will invite us to her Christmas party, +Lemuel Gulliver will lead us to lands not marked in the school atlas; on every side +is a world of wonder.</p> + +<p><i>Some qualities of these modern tales.</i> Every age produces after its own fashion, +and we must expect to find the modern user of the fairy-story method expressing +through it the qualities of his own outlook upon the world. Interest in the picturesque +aspects of landscape will be emphasized, as in the early portions of "The +Story of Fairyfoot" and, with especial magnificence of style, throughout <i>The King +of the Golden River</i>. There will appear the saddened mood of the modern in the +face of the human miseries that make happiness a mockery, as in "The Happy +Prince." The destructive effects of the possessive instinct upon all that is finest +in human nature is reflected in "The Prince's Dream." That the most valuable +efforts are often those performed with least spectacular settings may be discerned +in "The Knights of the Silver Shield," while the lesson of kindly helpfulness is the +burden of "Old Pipes and the Dryad." In many modern stories the reader is too +much aware of the conscious efforts of style and structure. The thoughtful child +will sometimes be too much distressed by the more somber modern story, and should +not hear too many of the gloomy type.</p> + +<p><i>Andersen the consummate master.</i> Hans Christian Andersen is the acknowledged +master of the modern story for children. What are the sources of his success? Genius +is always unexplainable except in terms of itself, but some things are clear. To +begin, he makes a mark—drives down a peg: "There came a soldier marching along<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +the high road—<i>one, two! one, two!</i>" and you are off. No backing and filling, no +jockeying for position, no elaborate setting of the stage. The story's the thing! +Next, the language is the language of common oral speech, free and unrestrained. +The rigid forms of the grammar are eschewed. There is no beating around the bush. +Seeing through the eyes of the child, he uses the language that is natural to such sight: +"Aha! there sat the dog with eyes as big as mill-wheels." In quick dramatic fashion +the story unrolls before your vision: "So the soldier cut the witch's head off. There +she lay!" No agonizing over the cruelty of it, the lack of sympathy. It is a joke +after the child's own heart, and with a hearty laugh at this end to an impostor, the +listener is on with the story. The logic is the logic of childhood: "And everyone +could see she was a real princess, for she was so lovely." When Andersen deals with +some of the deeper truths of existence, as in "The Nightingale" or "The Ugly Duckling," +he still manages to throw it all into the form that is natural and convincing +and simple to the child. He never mounts a pedestal and becomes a grown-up philosopher. +Perhaps Andersen's secret lay in the fact that some fairy godmother invested +him at birth with a power to see things so completely as a child sees them that he +never questioned the dignity of the method. In few of his stories is there any evidence +of a constraint due to a conscious attempt to write down to the understandings of +children.</p> + + +<h3><br />SUGGESTIONS FOR READING</h3> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The most valuable discussion of the difficulties to be mastered in writing the literary fairy +tale, and the story of the only very complete mastery yet made, will be found in the account of Hans +Christian Andersen in <i>Eminent Authors of the Nineteenth Century</i>, by Georg Brandes. Now and +then hints of importance on such stories and their value for children may be found in biographies +of the more prominent writers represented in the section and mentioned in the bibliography, and +in magazine articles and reviews. These latter may be located by use of the periodical indexes +found in most libraries. For the proper attitude which the schools should have toward fiction and +fanciful writing in general, nothing could be better than two lectures on "Children's Reading," in +<i>On the Art of Reading</i>, by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch.</p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_190" id="Note_190">190</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The rabbis of old were good story-tellers. +They were essentially teachers and they +understood that the best sermon is a +story. "They were fond of the parable, +the anecdote, the apt illustration, and their +legends that have been transmitted to us, +all aglow with the light and life of the +Orient, possess perennial charm." It is +possible to find in rabbinical sources a +large number of brief stories that have the +power of entertaining as well as of emphasizing +some qualities of character that are +important in all ages. The plan of this +book does not include the wonderful stories +of the Old Testament, which are easy of +access to any teacher and may be used as +experience directs. The Hebrew stories +following correspond very nearly to the +folk anecdote and are placed in this section +because of their literary form.</div> +<div class="hang1"> +Dr. Abram S. Isaacs (1851—) is a professor +in New York University and is also a rabbi. +The selection that follows is from his +<i>Stories from the Rabbis</i>. (Copyrighted. +Used by special permission of The Bloch +Publishing Company, New York.) Taking +advantage of the popular superstition that +a four-leaved clover is a sign of good luck, +Dr. Isaacs has grouped together four +parable-like stories, each of which deals +with wealth as a subject. The editors are +responsible for the special titles given. +The messages of these stories might be +summarized as follows: If you would be +lucky, (1) be honest because it is right to +be honest, (2) value good friends more +highly than gold, (3) let love accompany +each gift of charity, and (4) use common +sense in your business ventures.</div> + + +<h4><br />A FOUR-LEAVED CLOVER</h4> + +<div class='center'>ABRAM S. ISAACS<br /> +<br /> +1. <span class="smcap">The Rabbi and The Diadem</span></div> + +<p>Great was the alarm in the palace of +Rome, which soon spread throughout +the entire city. The Empress had lost +her costly diadem, and it could not be +found. They searched in every direction, +but it was all in vain. Half distracted, +for the mishap boded no good to +her or her house, the Empress redoubled +her exertions to regain her precious +possession, but without result. As a +last resource it was proclaimed in the +public streets:</p> + +<p>"The Empress has lost a priceless +diadem. Whoever restores it within +thirty days shall receive a princely +reward. But he who delays, and brings +it after thirty days, shall lose his head."</p> + +<p>In those times all nationalities flocked +toward Rome; all classes and creeds +could be met in its stately halls and +crowded thoroughfares. Among the rest +was a rabbi, a learnèd sage from the +East, who loved goodness and lived a +righteous life, in the stir and turmoil +of the Western world. It chanced one +night as he was strolling up and down, +in busy meditation, beneath the clear, +moonlit sky, he saw the diadem sparkling +at his feet. He seized it quickly, +brought it to his dwelling, where he +guarded it carefully until the thirty +days had expired, when he resolved to +return it to the owner.</p> + +<p>He proceeded to the palace, and, +undismayed at sight of long lines of +soldiery and officials, asked for an audience +with the Empress.</p> + +<p>"What dost thou mean by this?" +she inquired, when he told her his story +and gave her the diadem. "Why didst +thou delay until this hour? Dost thou +know the penalty? Thy head must be +forfeited."</p> + +<p>"I delayed until now," the rabbi +answered calmly, "so that thou mightst +know that I return thy diadem, not for +the sake of the reward, still less out of +fear of punishment; but solely to comply<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +with the Divine command not to withhold +from another the property which +belongs to him."</p> + +<p>"Blessed be thy God!" the Empress +answered, and dismissed the rabbi without +further reproof; for had he not +done right for right's sake?</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />2. <span class="smcap">Friendship</span></div> + +<p>A certain father was doubly blessed—he +had reached a good old age, and had +ten sons. One day he called them to +his side, and after repeated expressions +of affection, told them that he had +acquired a fortune by industry and +economy, and would give them one +hundred gold pieces each before his +death, so that they might begin business +for themselves, and not be obliged to +wait until he had passed away. It +happened, however, that, soon after, he +lost a portion of his property, much to +his regret, and had only nine hundred +and fifty gold pieces left. So he gave +one hundred to each of his nine sons. +When his youngest son, whom he loved +most of all, asked naturally what was +to be his share, the father replied:</p> + +<p>"My son, I promised to give each of +thy brothers one hundred gold pieces. +I shall keep my word to them. I have +fifty left. Thirty I shall reserve for my +funeral expenses, and twenty will be +thy portion. But understand this—I +possess, in addition, ten friends, whom I +give over to thee as compensation for +the loss of the eighty gold pieces. Believe +me, they are worth more than all the gold +and silver."</p> + +<p>The youth tenderly embraced his +parent, and assured him that he was +content, such was his confidence and +affection. In a few days the father +died, and the nine sons took their +money, and without a thought of their +youngest brother and the small amount +he had received, followed each his own +fancy. But the youngest son, although +his portion was the least, resolved to +heed his father's words, and hold fast +to the ten friends. When a short time +had elapsed he prepared a simple feast, +went to the ten friends of his father, +and said to them: "My father, almost +in his last words, asked me to keep +you, his friends, in honor. Before I +leave this place to seek my fortune elsewhere, +will you not share with me a +farewell meal, and aid me thus to comply +with his dying request?"</p> + +<p>The ten friends, stirred by his earnestness +and cordiality, accepted his invitation +with pleasure, and enjoyed the +repast, although they were used to +richer fare. When the moment for +parting arrived, however, one of them +rose and spoke: "My friends, it seems +to me that of all the sons of our dear +friend that has gone, the youngest alone +is mindful of his father's friendship for +us, and reverences his memory. Let +us, then, be true friends to him, for his +own sake as well, and provide for him +a generous sum, that he may begin +business here, and not be forced to live +among strangers."</p> + +<p>The proposal, so unexpected and yet +so merited, was received with applause. +The youth, proud of their friendship, +soon became a prosperous merchant, +who never forgot that faithful friends +were more valuable than gold or +silver, and left an honored name to his +descendants.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />3. <span class="smcap">True Charity</span></div> + +<p>There lived once a very wealthy man, +who cared little for money, except as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +a means for helping others. He used +to adopt a peculiar plan in his method +of charitable relief. He had three boxes +made for the three different classes of +people whom he desired to assist. In +one box he put gold pieces, which he +distributed among artists and scholars, +for he honored knowledge and learning +as the highest possession. In the second +box he placed silver pieces for widows +and orphans, for whom his sympathies +were readily awakened. In the third +were copper coins for the general poor +and beggars—no one was turned away +from his dwelling without some gift, +however small.</p> + +<p>That the man was beloved by all, +need hardly be said. He rejoiced that +he was enabled to do so much good, +retained his modest bearing, and continued +to regard his wealth as only an +incentive to promote the happiness of +mankind, without distinction of creed +or nationality. Unhappily, his wife was +just the opposite. She rarely gave food +or raiment to the poor, and felt angry +at her husband's liberality, which she +considered shameless extravagance.</p> + +<p>The day came when in the pressure +of various duties he had to leave his +house, and could not return until the +morrow. Unaware of his sudden departure, +the poor knocked at the door as +usual for his kind gifts; but when they +found him absent, they were about to +go away or remain in the street, being +terrified at the thought of asking his +wife for alms. Vexed at their conduct, +she exclaimed impetuously: "I will give +to the poor according to my husband's +method."</p> + +<p>She seized the keys of the boxes, and +first opened the box of gold. But how +great was her terror when she gazed at +its contents—frogs jumping here and +there. Then she went to the silver +box, and it was full of ants. With +troubled heart, she opened the copper +box, and it was crowded with creeping +bugs. Loud then were her complaints, +and bitter her tears, at the deception, +and she kept her room until her husband +returned.</p> + +<p>No sooner did the man enter the room, +annoyed that so many poor people were +kept waiting outside, than she asked +him: "Why did you give me keys to +boxes of frogs, ants, and bugs, instead +of gold, silver, and copper? Was it +right thus to deceive your wife, and +disappoint the poor?"</p> + +<p>"Not so," rejoined her husband. +"The mistake must be yours, not mine. +I have given you the right keys. I do +not know what you have done with them. +Come, let me have them. I am guiltless +of any deception." He took the +keys, quickly opened the boxes, and +found the coins as he had left them. +"Ah, dear wife," said he, when she had +regained her composure, "your heart, I +fear, was not in the gift, when you wished +to give to the poor. It is the feeling that +prompts us to aid, not the mere money, +which is the chief thing after all."</p> + +<p>And ever after, her heart was changed. +Her gifts blessed the poor of the land, +and aroused their love and reverence.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />4. <span class="smcap">An Eastern Garden</span></div> + +<p>In an Eastern city a lovely garden +flourished, whose beauty and luxuriance +awakened much admiration. It was +the owner's greatest pleasure to watch +its growth, as leaf, flower, and tree +seemed daily to unfold to brighter +bloom. One morning, while taking his +usual stroll through the well-kept paths,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +he was surprised to find that some +blossoms were picked to pieces. The +next day he noticed more signs of mischief, +and rendered thus more observant +he gave himself no rest until he had +discovered the culprit. It was a little +trembling bird, whom he managed to +capture, and was about to kill in his +anger, when it exclaimed: "Do not +kill me, I beg you, kind sir. I am only +a wee, tiny bird. My flesh is too little +to satisfy you. I would not furnish +one-hundredth of a meal to a man of +your size. Let me free without any +hesitation, and I shall teach you something +that will be of much use to you +and your friends."</p> + +<p>"I would dearly like to put an end to +you," replied the man, "for you were +rapidly putting an end to my garden. +It is a good thing to rid the world of +such annoyances. But as I am not +revengeful, and am always glad to learn +something useful, I shall set you free +this time." And he opened his hand +to give the bird more air.</p> + +<p>"Attention!" cried the bird. "Here +are three rules which should guide you +through life, and if you observe them +you will find your path made easier: +Do not cry over spilt milk; do not desire +what is unattainable, and do not believe +what is impossible."</p> + +<p>The man was satisfied with the advice, +and let the bird escape; but it had +scarcely regained its liberty, when, from +a high tree opposite, it exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"What a silly man! The idea of letting +me escape! If you only knew what +you have lost! But it is too late now."</p> + +<p>"What have I lost?" the man asked, +angrily.</p> + +<p>"Why, if you had killed me, as you +intended, you would have found inside +of me a huge pearl, as large as a goose's +egg, and you would have been a wealthy +man forever."</p> + +<p>"Dear little bird," the man said in +his blandest tones; "sweet little bird, I +will not harm you. Only come down to +me, and I will treat you as if you were +my own child, and give you fruit and +flowers all day. I assure you of this +most sacredly."</p> + +<p>But the bird shook its head sagely, +and replied: "What a silly man, to +forget so soon the advice which was +given him in all seriousness. I told you +not to cry over spilt milk, and here you +are, worrying over what has happened. +I urged you not to desire the unattainable, +and now you wish to capture me +again. And, finally, I asked you not +to believe what is impossible, and you +are rashly imagining that I have a huge +pearl inside of me, when a goose's egg +is larger than my whole body. You +ought to learn your lessons better in +the future, if you would become wise," +added the bird, as with another twist of +its head it flew away, and was lost in +the distance.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_191" id="Note_191">191</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">A classic collection of short stories from the +ancient Hebrew sages is the little book, +<i>Hebrew Tales</i>, published in London in 1826 +by the noted Jewish scholar Hyman Hurwitz +(1770-1844). A modern handy edition +of this book (about sixty tales) is published +as Vol. II of the Library of Jewish Classics. +Of special interest is the fact that it contained +three stories by the poet Samuel +Taylor Coleridge, who had published them +first in his periodical, <i>The Friend</i>. Coleridge +was much interested in Hebrew +literature, and especially fond of speaking +in parables, as those who know "The +Ancient Mariner" will readily recall. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +following is one of the three stories referred +to, and it had prefixed to it the significant +text, "The Lord helpeth man and beast." +(Psalm XXXVI, 6.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE LORD HELPETH MAN +AND BEAST</h4> + +<div class='center'>SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE</div> + +<p>During his march to conquer the world, +Alexander, the Macedonian, came to a +people in Africa who dwelt in a remote +and secluded corner, in peaceful huts, +and knew neither war nor conqueror. +They led him to the hut of their chief, +who received him hospitably, and placed +before him golden dates, golden figs, and +bread of gold.</p> + +<p>"Do you eat gold in this country?" +said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I take it for granted," replied the +chief, "that thou wert able to find +eatable food in thine own country. +For what reason, then, art thou come +amongst us?"</p> + +<p>"Your gold has not tempted me +hither," said Alexander, "but I would +become acquainted with your manners +and customs."</p> + +<p>"So be it," rejoined the other: +"sojourn among us as long as it pleaseth +thee."</p> + +<p>At the close of this conversation, two +citizens entered, as into their court of +justice. The plaintiff said, "I bought +of this man a piece of land, and as I +was making a deep drain through it, +I found a treasure. This is not mine, +for I only bargained for the land, and +not for any treasure that might be concealed +beneath it; and yet the former +owner of the land will not receive it." +The defendant answered, "I hope I have +a conscience, as well as my fellow citizen. +I sold him the land with all its contingent, +as well as existing advantages, and +consequently, the treasure inclusively."</p> + +<p>The chief, who was at the same time +their supreme judge, recapitulated their +words, in order that the parties might +see whether or not he understood them +aright. Then, after some reflection, said: +"Thou hast a son, friend, I believe?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And thou," addressing the other, "a +daughter?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, let thy son marry <i>thy</i> +daughter, and bestow the treasure on +the young couple for a marriage portion." +Alexander seemed surprised and perplexed. +"Think you my sentence +unjust?" the chief asked him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no!" replied Alexander; "but it +astonishes me."</p> + +<p>"And how, then," rejoined the chief, +"would the case have been decided in +your country?"</p> + +<p>"To confess the truth," said Alexander, +"we should have taken both parties into +custody, and have seized the treasure +for the king's use."</p> + +<p>"For the king's use!" exclaimed the +chief; "does the sun shine on that +country?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes!"</p> + +<p>"Does it rain there?"</p> + +<p>"Assuredly."</p> + +<p>"Wonderful! But are there tame +animals in the country, that live on the +grass and green herbs?"</p> + +<p>"Very many, and of many kinds."</p> + +<p>"Ay, that must, then, be the cause," +said the chief: "for the sake of those +innocent animals the All-gracious Being +continues to let the sun shine, and the +rain drop down on your country; since +its inhabitants are unworthy of such +blessings.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span>"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_192" id="Note_192">192</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">By almost common consent Hans Christian +Andersen (1805-1875), the Danish author, +is the acknowledged master of all modern +writers of fairy tales. He was born in +poverty, the son of a poor shoemaker. +With a naturally keen dramatic sense, his +imagination was stirred by stories from +the <i>Arabian Nights</i> and La Fontaine's +<i>Fables</i>, by French and Spanish soldiers +marching through his native city, and by +listening to the wonderful folk tales of his +country. On a toy stage and with toy +actors, these vivid impressions took actual +form. The world continued a dramatic +spectacle to him throughout his existence. +His consuming ambition was for the stage, +but he had none of the personal graces so +necessary for success. He was ungainly +and awkward, like his "ugly duckling." +But when at last he began to write, he had +the power to transfer to the page the vivid +dramas in his mind, and this power culminated +in the creation of fairy stories for +children which he began to publish in 1835. +It is usual to say that Andersen, like Peter +Pan, "never grew up," and it is certain +that he never lost the power of seeing +things as children see them. Like many +great writers whose fame now rests on the +suffrages of child readers, Andersen seems +at first to have felt that the <i>Tales</i> were +slight and beneath his dignity. They are +not all of the same high quality. Occasionally +one of them becomes "too sentimental +and sickly sweet," but the best of +them have a sturdiness that is thoroughly +refreshing.</div> +<div class="hang1"> +The most acute analysis of the elements of +Andersen's greatness as the ideal writer +for children is that made by his fellow-countryman +Georg Brandes in <i>Eminent +Authors of the Nineteenth Century</i>. A +briefer account on similar lines will be +found in H. J. Boyesen's <i>Scandinavian +Literature</i>. A still briefer account, +eminently satisfactory for an introduction to +Andersen, by Benjamin W. Wells, is in +Warner's <i>Library of the World's Best +Literature</i>. The interested student cannot, +of course, afford to neglect Andersen's +own <i>The Story of My Life</i>. Among the +more elaborate biographies the <i>Life of +Hans Christian Andersen</i> by R. Nisbet Bain +is probably the best. The first translation +of the <i>Tales</i> into English was made by +Mary Howitt in 1846 and, as far as it goes, +is still regarded as one of the finest. However, +Andersen has been very fortunate in +his many translators. The version by +H. W. Dulcken has been published in many +cheap forms and perhaps more widely read +than any other. In addition to the stories +in the following pages, some of those most +suitable for use are "The Little Match +Girl," "The Silver Shilling," "Five Peas +in the Pod," "Hans Clodhopper," and +"The Snow Queen." The latter is one +of the longest and an undoubted masterpiece.</div> + +<div class="hang1">The first two stories following are taken from +Mrs. Henderson's <i>Andersen's Best Fairy +Tales</i>. (Copyright. Rand McNally & Co.) +This little book contains thirteen stories +in a very simple translation and also an +excellent story of Andersen's life in a form +most attractive to children. "The Princess +and the Pea" is a story for the story's +sake. The humor, perhaps slightly satirical, +is based upon the notion so common +in the old folk tales that royal personages +are decidedly more delicate than the person +of low degree. However, the tendency to +think oneself of more consequence than +another is not confined to any one class.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE REAL PRINCESS</h4> + +<div class='center'>HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN<br /> +<br /> +(Version by Alice Corbin Henderson)</div> + +<p>There was once a Prince who wanted +to marry a Princess. But it was only +a <i>real</i> Princess that he wanted to marry.</p> + +<p>He traveled all over the world to find +a real one. But, although there were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +plenty of princesses, whether they were +<i>real</i> princesses he could never discover. +There was always something that did +not seem quite right about them.</p> + +<p>At last he had to come home again. +But he was very sad, because he wanted +to marry a <i>real</i> Princess.</p> + +<p>One night there was a terrible storm. +It thundered and lightened and the rain +poured down in torrents. In the middle +of the storm there came a knocking, +knocking, knocking at the castle gate. +The kind old King himself went down +to open the castle gate.</p> + +<p>It was a young Princess that stood +outside the gate. The wind and the +rain had almost blown her to pieces. +Water streamed out of her hair and out +of her clothes. Water ran in at the +points of her shoes and out again at the +heels. Yet she said that she was a <i>real</i> +Princess.</p> + +<p>"Well, we will soon find out about +that!" thought the Queen.</p> + +<p>She said nothing, but went into the +bedroom, took off all the bedding, and +put a small dried pea on the bottom of +the bedstead. Then she piled twenty +mattresses on top of the pea, and on +top of these she put twenty feather beds. +This was where the Princess had to sleep +that night.</p> + +<p>In the morning they asked her how +she had slept through the night.</p> + +<p>"Oh, miserably!" said the Princess. +"I hardly closed my eyes the whole +night long! Goodness only knows what +was in my bed! I slept upon something +so hard that I am black and blue +all over. It was dreadful!"</p> + +<p>So then they knew that she was a +<i>real</i> Princess. For, through the twenty +mattresses and the twenty feather beds, +she had still felt the pea. No one but +a <i>real</i> Princess could have had such a +tender skin.</p> + +<p>So the Prince took her for his wife. +He knew now that he had a <i>real</i> Princess.</p> + +<p>As for the pea, it was put in a museum +where it may still be seen if no one has +carried it away.</p> + +<p>Now this is a true story!</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_193" id="Note_193">193</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">With some dozen exceptions, all of Andersen's +<i>Tales</i> are based upon older stories, either +upon some old folk tale or upon something +that he ran across in his reading. Dr. +Brandes, in his <i>Eminent Authors</i>, shows in +detail how "The <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Emporer's'">Emperor's</ins> New Clothes" +came into being. "One day in turning +over the leaves of Don Manuel's <i>Count +Lucanor</i>, Andersen became charmed by +the homely wisdom of the old Spanish +story, with the delicate flavor of the Middle +Ages pervading it, and he lingered over +chapter vii, which treats of how a king +was served by three rogues." But Andersen's +story is a very different one in many +ways from his Spanish original. For one +thing, the meaning is so universal that no +one can miss it. Most of us have, in all +likelihood, at some time pretended to know +what we do not know or to be what we are +not in order to save our face, to avoid the +censure or ridicule of others. "There is +much concerning which people dare not +speak the truth, through cowardice, through +fear of acting otherwise than 'all the world,' +through anxiety lest they should appear +stupid. And the story is eternally new and +it never ends. It has its grave side, but +just because of its endlessness it has also +its humorous side." When the absurd +bubble of the grand procession is punctured +by the child, whose mental honesty +has not yet been spoiled by the pressure +of convention, the Emperor "held himself +stiffer than ever, and the chamberlains +carried the invisible train." For it would +never do to hold up the procession!</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> + + +<h4><br />THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES</h4> + +<div class='center'>HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN<br /> +<br /> +(Version by Alice Corbin Henderson)</div> + + +<p>Many years ago there lived an Emperor +who thought so much of new clothes +that he spent all his money on them. He +did not care for his soldiers; he did not +care to go to the theater. He liked to +drive out in the park only that he might +show off his new clothes. He had a coat +for every hour of the day. They usually +say of a king, "He is in the council chamber." +But of the Emperor they said, +"He is in the clothes closet!"</p> + +<p>It was a gay city in which the Emperor +lived. And many strangers came to +visit it every day. Among these, one +day, there came two rogues who set themselves +up as weavers. They said they +knew how to weave the most beautiful +cloths imaginable. And not only were +the colors and patterns used remarkably +beautiful, but clothes made from this +cloth could not be seen by any one who +was unfit for the office he held or was too +stupid for any use.</p> + +<p>"Those would be fine clothes!" thought +the Emperor. "If I wore those I could +find out what men in my empire were not +fit for the places they held. I could tell +the clever men from the dunces! I must +have some clothes woven for me at once!"</p> + +<p>So he gave the two rogues a great deal +of money that they might begin their +work at once.</p> + +<p>The rogues immediately put up two +looms and pretended to be working. +But there was nothing at all on their +looms. They called for the finest silks +and the brightest gold, but this they put +into their pockets. At the empty looms +they worked steadily until late into the +night.</p> + +<p>"I should like to know how the weavers +are getting on with my clothes," thought +the Emperor.</p> + +<p>But he felt a little uneasy when he +thought that any one who was stupid or +was not fit for his office would be unable +to see the cloth. Of course he had no +fears for himself; but still he thought he +would send some one else first, just to +see how matters stood.</p> + +<p>"I will send my faithful old Minister +to the weavers," thought the Emperor. +"He can see how the stuff looks, for he is +a clever man, and no one is so careful in +fulfilling duties as he is!"</p> + +<p>So the good old Minister went into the +room where the two rogues sat working +at the empty looms.</p> + +<p>"Mercy on us!" thought the old Minister, +opening his eyes wide, "I can't see +a thing!" But he didn't care to say so.</p> + +<p>Both the rascals begged him to be good +enough to step a little nearer. They +pointed to the empty looms and asked +him if he did not think the pattern and +the coloring wonderful. The poor old +Minister stared and stared as hard as he +could, but he could not see anything, for, +of course, there was nothing to see!</p> + +<p>"Mercy!" he said to himself. "Is it +possible that I am a dunce? I never +thought so! Certainly no one must +know it. Am I unfit for office? It will +never do to say that I cannot see the +stuff!"</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, why do you say nothing of +it?" asked the rogue who was pretending +to weave.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is beautiful—charming!" said +the old Minister, peering through his +spectacles. "What a fine pattern, and +what wonderful colors! I shall tell the +Emperor that I am very much pleased +with it."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, we are glad to hear you say so," +answered the two swindlers.</p> + +<p>Then they named all the colors of the +invisible cloth upon the looms, and +described the peculiar pattern. The old +Minister listened intently, so that he +could repeat all that was said of it to the +Emperor.</p> + +<p>The rogues now began to demand more +money, more silk, and more gold thread +in order to proceed with the weaving. +All of this, of course, went into their +pockets. Not a single strand was ever +put on the empty looms at which they +went on working.</p> + +<p>The Emperor soon sent another faithful +friend to see how soon the new clothes +would be ready. But he fared no better +than the Minister. He looked and looked +and looked, but still saw nothing but the +empty looms.</p> + +<p>"Isn't that a pretty piece of stuff?" +asked both rogues, showing and explaining +the handsome pattern which was not +there at all.</p> + +<p>"I am not stupid!" thought the man. +"It must be that I am not worthy of my +good position. That is, indeed, strange. +But I must not let it be known!"</p> + +<p>So he praised the cloth he did not see, +and expressed his approval of the color +and the design that were not there. To +the Emperor he said, "It is charming!"</p> + +<p>Soon everybody in town was talking +about the wonderful cloth that the two +rogues were weaving.</p> + +<p>The Emperor began to think now that +he himself would like to see the wonderful +cloth while it was still on the looms. +Accompanied by a number of his friends, +among whom were the two faithful +officers who had already beheld the +imaginary stuff, he went to visit the two +men who were weaving, might and +main, without any fiber and without any +thread.</p> + +<p>"Isn't it splendid!" cried the two +statesmen who had already been there, +and who thought the others would see +something upon the empty looms. "Look, +your Majesty! What colors! And what +a design!"</p> + +<p>"What's this?" thought the Emperor. +"I see nothing at all! Am I a dunce? +Am I not fit to be Emperor? That +would be the worst thing that could +happen to me, if it were true."</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is very pretty!" said the +Emperor aloud. "It has my highest +approval!"</p> + +<p>He nodded his head happily, and stared +at the empty looms. Never would he +say that he could see nothing!</p> + +<p>His friends, too, gazed and gazed, but +saw no more than had the others. Yet +they all cried out, "It is beautiful!" and +advised the Emperor to wear a suit made +of this cloth in a great procession that was +soon to take place.</p> + +<p>"It is magnificent, gorgeous!" was the +cry that went from mouth to mouth. +The Emperor gave each of the rogues a +royal ribbon to wear in his buttonhole, +and called them the Imperial Court +Weavers.</p> + +<p>The rogues were up the whole night +before the morning of the procession. +They kept more than sixteen candles +burning. The people could see them +hard at work, completing the new clothes +of the Emperor. They took yards of +stuff down from the empty looms; they +made cuts in the air with big scissors; +they sewed with needles without thread; +and, at last, they said, "The clothes are +ready!"</p> + +<p>The Emperor himself, with his grandest +courtiers, went to put on his new suit.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> + +<p>"See!" said the rogues, lifting their +arms as if holding something. "Here are +the trousers! Here is the coat! Here +is the cape!" and so on. "It is as light +as a spider's web. One might think one +had nothing on. But that is just the +beauty of it!"</p> + +<p>"Very nice," said the courtiers. But +they could see nothing; for there <i>was</i> +nothing!</p> + +<p>"Will your Imperial Majesty be graciously +pleased to take off your clothes," +asked the rogues, "so that we may put +on the new ones before this long mirror?"</p> + +<p>The Emperor took off all his own +clothes, and the two rogues pretended +to put on each new garment as it was +ready. They wrapped him about, and +they tied and they buttoned. The Emperor +turned round and round before the +mirror.</p> + +<p>"How well his Majesty looks in his +new clothes!" said the people. "How +becoming they are! What a pattern! +What colors! It is a beautiful dress!"</p> + +<p>"They are waiting outside with the +canopy which is to be carried over your +Majesty in the procession," said the +master of ceremonies.</p> + +<p>"I am ready," said the Emperor. +"Don't the clothes fit well?" he asked, +giving a last glance into the mirror as +though he were looking at all his new +finery.</p> + +<p>The men who were to carry the train +of the Emperor's cloak stooped down to +the floor as if picking up the train, and +then held it high in the air. They did +not dare let it be known that they could +see nothing.</p> + +<p>So the Emperor marched along under +the bright canopy. Everybody in the +streets and at the windows cried out: +"How beautiful the Emperor's new +clothes are! What a fine train! And +they fit to perfection!"</p> + +<p>No one would let it be known that he +could see nothing, for that would have +proved that he was unfit for office or +that he was very, very stupid. None of +the Emperor's clothes had ever been as +successful as these.</p> + +<p>"But he has nothing on!" said a little +child.</p> + +<p>"Just listen to the innocent!" said its +father.</p> + +<p>But one person whispered to another +what the child had said. "He has nothing +on! A child says he has nothing on!"</p> + +<p>"But he has nothing on!" at last cried +all the people.</p> + +<p>The Emperor writhed, for he knew that +this was true. But he realized that it +would never do to stop the procession. +So he held himself stiffer than ever, and +the chamberlains carried the invisible +train.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_194" id="Note_194">194</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">In his story "The Nightingale," Andersen +suggests that the so-called upper class of +society may become so conventionalized +as to be unable to appreciate true beauty. +Poor fishermen and the little kitchen girl +in the story recognize the beauty of the +exquisite song of the nightingale, and +Andersen shows his regard for royalty by +having the emperor appreciate it twice. +The last part of the story is especially +impressive. When Death approached the +emperor and took from him the symbols +that had made him rank above his fellows, +the emperor saw the realities of life and +again perceived the beauty of the nightingale's +song. This contact with real life +made Death shrink away. Then the +emperor learned Andersen's message to +artificial society: If you would behold +true beauty, you must have it in your +own heart.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span></p> + + +<h4><br />THE NIGHTINGALE</h4> + +<div class='center'>HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN</div> + +<p>In China, you must know, the Emperor +is a Chinaman, and all whom he has +about him are Chinamen too. It happened +a good many years ago, but that's +just why it's worth while to hear the story +before it is forgotten. The Emperor's +palace was the most splendid in the +world; it was made entirely of porcelain, +very costly, but so delicate and brittle +that one had to take care how one +touched it. In the garden were to be +seen the most wonderful flowers, and to +the costliest of them silver bells were +tied, which sounded, so that nobody +should pass by without noticing the +flowers. Yes, everything in the Emperor's +garden was admirably arranged. +And it extended so far that the gardener +himself did not know where the end was. +If a man went on and on, he came into +a glorious forest with high trees and deep +lakes. The wood extended straight down +to the sea, which was blue and deep; +great ships could sail, too, beneath the +branches of the trees; and in the trees +lived a Nightingale, which sang so +splendidly that even the poor fisherman, +who had many other things to do, +stopped still and listened, when he had +gone out at night to throw out his nets, +and heard the Nightingale.</p> + +<p>"How beautiful that is!" he said; but +he was obliged to attend to his property, +and thus forgot the bird. But when the +next night the bird sang again, and the +fisherman heard it, he exclaimed again, +"How beautiful that is!"</p> + +<p>From all the countries of the world +travelers came to the city of the Emperor, +and admired it, and the palace and +the garden, but when they heard the +Nightingale, they said, "That is the +best of all!"</p> + +<p>And the travelers told of it when they +came home; and the learnèd men wrote +many books about the town, the palace, +and the garden. But they did not forget +the Nightingale; that was placed highest +of all; and those who were poets wrote +most magnificent poems about the Nightingale +in the wood by the deep lake.</p> + +<p>The books went through all the world, +and a few of them once came to the +Emperor. He sat in his golden chair, +and read, and read: every moment he +nodded his head, for it pleased him to +peruse the masterly descriptions of the +city, the palace, and the garden. "But +the Nightingale is the best of all," it +stood written there.</p> + +<p>"What's that?" exclaimed the Emperor. +"I don't know the Nightingale +at all! Is there such a bird in my empire, +and even in my garden? I've never heard +of that. To think that I should have to +learn such a thing for the first time +from books!"</p> + +<p>And hereupon he called his cavalier. +This cavalier was so grand that if anyone +lower in rank than himself dared to +speak to him, or to ask him any question, +he answered nothing but "P!"—and +that meant nothing.</p> + +<p>"There is said to be a wonderful bird +here called a Nightingale," said the +Emperor. "They say it is the best +thing in all my great empire. Why have +I never heard anything about it?"</p> + +<p>"I have never heard him named," +replied the cavalier. "He has never +been introduced at Court."</p> + +<p>"I command that he shall appear this +evening, and sing before me," said the +Emperor. "All the world knows what +I possess, and I do not know it myself!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I have never heard him mentioned," +said the cavalier. "I will seek for him. +I will find him."</p> + +<p>But where was he to be found? The +cavalier ran up and down all the staircases, +through halls and passages, but no +one among all those whom he met had +heard talk of the Nightingale. And the +cavalier ran back to the Emperor, and +said that it must be a fable invented by +the writers of books.</p> + +<p>"Your Imperial Majesty cannot believe +how much is written that is fiction, +besides something that they call the +black art."</p> + +<p>"But the book in which I read this," +said the Emperor, "was sent to me by +the high and mighty Emperor of Japan +and therefore it cannot be a falsehood. +I <i>will</i> hear the Nightingale! It must be +here this evening! It has my imperial +favor; and if it does not come, all the +Court shall be trampled upon after the +Court has supped!"</p> + +<p>"Tsing-pe!" said the cavalier; and +again he ran up and down all the staircases, +and through all the halls and corridors; +and half the Court ran with +him, for the courtiers did not like being +trampled upon.</p> + +<p>Then there was a great inquiry after +the wonderful Nightingale, which all the +world knew excepting the people at +Court.</p> + +<p>At last they met with a poor little girl +in the kitchen, who said:</p> + +<p>"The Nightingale? I know it well; +yes, it can sing gloriously. Every evening +I get leave to carry my poor sick +mother the scraps from the table. She +lives down by the strand; and when I +get back and am tired, and rest in the +wood, then I hear the Nightingale sing. +And then the water comes into my +eyes, and it is just as if my mother +kissed me."</p> + +<p>"Little kitchen girl," said the cavalier, +"I will get you a place in the Court +kitchen, with permission to see the +Emperor dine, if you will but lead us +to the Nightingale, for it is announced +for this evening."</p> + +<p>So they all went out into the wood +where the Nightingale was accustomed to +sing; half the Court went forth. When +they were in the midst of their journey +a cow began to low.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried the Court pages, "now +we have it! That shows a wonderful +power in so small a creature! I have +certainly heard it before."</p> + +<p>"No, those are cows lowing," said the +little kitchen girl. "We are a long way +from the place yet."</p> + +<p>Now the frogs began to croak in the +marsh.</p> + +<p>"Glorious!" said the Chinese Court +preacher. "Now I hear it—it sounds +just like little church bells."</p> + +<p>"No, those are frogs," said the little +kitchen maid. "But now I think we +shall soon hear it."</p> + +<p>And then the Nightingale began to sing.</p> + +<p>"That is it!" exclaimed the little girl. +"Listen, listen! and yonder it sits."</p> + +<p>And she pointed to a little gray bird +up in the boughs.</p> + +<p>"Is it possible?" cried the cavalier. +"I should never have thought it looked +like that! How simple it looks! It must +certainly have lost its color at seeing such +grand people around."</p> + +<p>"Little Nightingale!" called the little +kitchen maid, quite loudly, "our gracious +Emperor wishes you to sing before him."</p> + +<p>"With the greatest pleasure!" replied +the Nightingale, and began to sing most +delightfully.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It sounds just like glass bells!" said +the cavalier. "And look at its little +throat, how it's working! It's wonderful +that we should never have heard it before. +That bird will be a great success at +Court."</p> + +<p>"Shall I sing once more before the +Emperor?" inquired the Nightingale, for +it thought the Emperor was present.</p> + +<p>"My excellent little Nightingale," said +the cavalier, "I have great pleasure in +inviting you to a Court festival this +evening, when you shall charm his +Imperial Majesty with your beautiful +singing."</p> + +<p>"My song sounds best in the green +wood," replied the Nightingale; still it +came willingly when it heard what the +Emperor wished.</p> + +<p>The palace was festively adorned. +The walls and the flooring, which were +of porcelain, gleamed in the rays of +thousands of golden lamps. The most +glorious flowers, which could ring clearly, +had been placed in the passages. There +was a running to and fro, and a thorough +draught, and all the bells rang so loudly +that one could not hear one's self speak.</p> + +<p>In the midst of the great hall, where +the Emperor sat, a golden perch had +been placed, on which the Nightingale +was to sit. The whole Court was there, +and the little cook-maid had got leave to +stand behind the door, as she had now +received the title of a real Court cook. +All were in full dress, and all looked at +the little gray bird, to which the Emperor +nodded.</p> + +<p>And the Nightingale sang so gloriously +that the tears came into the Emperor's +eyes, and the tears ran down over his +cheeks; then the Nightingale sang still +more sweetly, that went straight to the +heart. The Emperor was so much +pleased that he said the Nightingale +should have his golden slipper to wear +round its neck. But the Nightingale +declined this with thanks, saying it had +already received a sufficient reward.</p> + +<p>"I have seen tears in the Emperor's +eyes—that is the real treasure to me. +An Emperor's tears have a peculiar +power. I am rewarded enough!" And +then it sang again with a sweet, glorious +voice.</p> + +<p>"That's the most amiable coquetry I +ever saw!" said the ladies who stood +round about, and then they took water in +their mouths to gurgle when anyone +spoke to them. They thought they +should be nightingales too. And the +lackeys and chambermaids reported that +they were satisfied also; and that was +saying a good deal, for they are the most +difficult to please. In short, the Nightingale +achieved a real success.</p> + +<p>It was now to remain at Court, to +have its own cage, with liberty to go +out twice every day and once at night. +Twelve servants were appointed when +the Nightingale went out, each of whom +had a silken string fastened to the bird's +legs, which they held very tight. There +was really no pleasure in an excursion of +that kind.</p> + +<p>The whole city spoke of the wonderful +bird, and whenever two people met, one +said nothing but "Nightin," and the +other said "gale"; and then they both +sighed, and understood one another. +Eleven pedlars' children were named +after the bird, but not one of them could +sing a note.</p> + +<p>One day the Emperor received a large +parcel, on which was written, "The +Nightingale."</p> + +<p>"There we have a new book about this +celebrated bird," said the Emperor.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span></p> + +<p>But it was not a book, but a little work +of art, contained in a box—an artificial +nightingale, which was to sing like a +natural one, and was brilliantly ornamented +with diamonds, sapphires, and +rubies. So soon as the artificial bird +was wound up, he could sing one of the +pieces that he really sang, and then his +tail moved up and down, and shone with +silver and gold. Round his neck hung +a little ribbon, and on that was written, +"The Emperor of China's nightingale is +poor compared to that of the Emperor +of Japan."</p> + +<p>"That is capital!" said they all, and +he who had brought the artificial bird +immediately received the title, Imperial +Head-Nightingale-Bringer.</p> + +<p>"Now they must sing together; what +a duet that will be!" cried the courtiers.</p> + +<p>And so they had to sing together; but +it did not sound very well, for the real +Nightingale sang its own way, and the +artificial bird sang waltzes.</p> + +<p>"That's not his fault," said the playmaster; +"he's quite perfect, and very +much in my style."</p> + +<p>Now the artificial bird was to sing +alone. It had just as much success as +the real one, and then it was much handsomer +to look at—it shone like bracelets +and breastpins.</p> + +<p>Three and thirty times over did it +sing the same piece, and yet was not +tired. The people would gladly have +heard it again, but the Emperor said that +the living Nightingale ought to sing +something now. But where was it? No +one had noticed that it had flown away +out of the open window, back to the +green wood.</p> + +<p>"But what has become of that?" +asked the Emperor.</p> + +<p>And all the courtiers abused the Nightingale, +and declared that it was a very +ungrateful creature.</p> + +<p>"We have the best bird after all," +said they.</p> + +<p>And so the artificial bird had to sing +again, and that was the thirty-fourth +time that they listened to the same piece. +For all that they did not know it quite +by heart, for it was so very difficult. +And the playmaster praised the bird +particularly; yes, he declared that it was +better than a nightingale, not only with +regard to its plumage and the many +beautiful diamonds, but inside as well.</p> + +<p>"For you see, ladies and gentlemen, +and above all, your Imperial Majesty, +with a real nightingale one can never +calculate what is coming, but in this +artificial bird, everything is settled. +One can explain it; one can open it and +make people understand where the +waltzes come from, how they go, and +how one follows up another."</p> + +<p>"Those are quite our own ideas," +they all said.</p> + +<p>And the speaker received permission to +show the bird to the people on the next +Sunday. The people were to hear it +sing too, the Emperor commanded: and +they did hear it, and were as much +pleased as if they had all got tipsy upon +tea, for that's quite the Chinese fashion, +and they all said, "Oh!" and held up +their forefingers and nodded. But the +poor fisherman, who had heard the real +Nightingale, said:</p> + +<p>"It sounds pretty enough, and the +melodies resemble each other, but there's +something wanting, though I know not +what!"</p> + +<p>The real Nightingale was banished +from the country and empire. The +artificial bird had its place on a silken<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +cushion close to the Emperor's bed; all +the presents it had received, gold and +precious stones, were ranged about it; +in title it had advanced to be the High +Imperial After-Dinner-Singer, and in +rank to Number One on the left hand; +for the Emperor considered that side the +most important on which the heart is +placed, and even in an Emperor the heart +is on the left side; and the playmaster +wrote a work of five and twenty volumes +about the artificial bird; it was very +learnèd and very long, full of the most +difficult Chinese words; but yet all the +people declared that they had read it +and understood it, for fear of being considered +stupid, and having their bodies +trampled on.</p> + +<p>So a whole year went by. The Emperor, +the Court, and all the other +Chinese knew every little twitter in the +artificial bird's song by heart. But just +for that reason it pleased them best—they +could sing with it themselves, and +they did so. The street boys sang, +"Tsi-tsi-tsi-glug-glug!" and the Emperor +himself sang it too. Yes, that was +certainly famous.</p> + +<p>But one evening, when the artificial +bird was singing its best, and the Emperor +lay in bed listening to it, something +inside the bird said, "Whizz!" Something +cracked. "Whir-r-r!" All the +wheels ran round, and then the music +stopped.</p> + +<p>The Emperor immediately sprang out +of bed, and caused his body physician to +be called; but what could <i>he</i> do? Then +they sent for a watchmaker, and after a +good deal of talking and investigation, +the bird was put into something like +order, but the watchmaker said that +the bird must be carefully treated, for +the barrels were worn, and it would be +impossible to put new ones in in such a +manner that the music would go. There +was a great lamentation; only once in +the year was it permitted to let the bird +sing, and that was almost too much. +But then the playmaster made a little +speech full of heavy words, and said this +was just as good as before—and so of +course it was as good as before.</p> + +<p>Now five years had gone by, and a +real grief came upon the whole nation. +The Chinese were really fond of their +Emperor, and now he was ill, and could +not, it was said, live much longer. +Already a new Emperor had been chosen, +and the people stood out in the street and +asked the cavalier how the Emperor did.</p> + +<p>"P!" said he, and shook his head.</p> + +<p>Cold and pale lay the Emperor in his +great, gorgeous bed; the whole Court +thought him dead, and each one ran to +pay homage to the new ruler. The +chamberlains ran out to talk it over, +and the ladies' maids had a great coffee +party. All about, in all the halls and +passages, cloth had been laid down so +that no footstep could be heard, and +therefore it was quiet there, quite quiet. +But the Emperor was not dead yet; stiff +and pale he lay on the gorgeous bed, with +the long velvet curtains and the heavy +gold tassels; high up, a window stood +open, and the moon shone in upon the +Emperor and the artificial bird.</p> + +<p>The poor Emperor could scarcely +breathe; it was just as if something lay +upon his chest; he opened his eyes, and +then he saw that it was Death who sat +upon his chest, and had put on his golden +crown, and held in one hand the Emperor's +sword, in the other his beautiful +banner. And all around, from among +the folds of the splendid velvet curtains, +strange heads peered forth; a few very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +ugly, the rest quite lovely and mild. +These were all the Emperor's bad and +good deeds, that stood before him now +that Death sat upon his heart.</p> + +<p>"Do you remember this?" whispered +one to the other. "Do you remember +that?" and then they told him so much +that the perspiration ran from his forehead.</p> + +<p>"I did not know that!" said the Emperor. +"Music! music! the great Chinese +drum!" he cried, "so that I need not hear +all they say!"</p> + +<p>And they continued speaking, and +Death nodded like a Chinaman to all +they said.</p> + +<p>"Music! music!" cried the Emperor. +"You little precious golden bird, sing, +sing! I have given you gold and costly +presents; I have even hung my golden +slipper around your neck—sing now, +sing!"</p> + +<p>But the bird stood still; no one was +there to wind him up, and he could not +sing without that; but Death continued to +stare at the Emperor with his great, hollow +eyes, and it was quiet, fearfully quiet.</p> + +<p>Then there sounded from the window, +suddenly, the most lovely song. It was +the little live Nightingale, that sat outside +on a spray. It had heard of the +Emperor's sad plight, and had come to +sing to him of comfort and hope. As it +sang the specters grew paler and paler; +the blood ran quicker and more quickly +through the Emperor's weak limbs; and +even Death listened, and said:</p> + +<p>"Go on, little Nightingale, go on!"</p> + +<p>"But will you give me that splendid +golden sword? Will you give me that +rich banner? Will you give me the +Emperor's crown?"</p> + +<p>And Death gave up each of these +treasures for a song. And the Nightingale +sang on and on; and it sang of the +quiet churchyard where the white roses +grow, where the elder blossoms smell +sweet, and where the fresh grass is +moistened by the tears of survivors. +Then Death felt a longing to see his garden, +and floated out at the window in the +form of a cold white mist.</p> + +<p>"Thanks! thanks!" said the Emperor. +"You heavenly little bird; I know you +well. I banished you from my country +and empire, and yet you have charmed +away the evil faces from my couch, and +banished Death from my heart! How +can I reward you?"</p> + +<p>"You have rewarded me!" replied the +Nightingale. "I have drawn tears from +your eyes, when I sang the first time—I +shall never forget that. Those are the +jewels that rejoice a singer's heart. But +now sleep, and grow fresh and strong +again. I will sing you something."</p> + +<p>And it sang, and the Emperor fell into +a sweet slumber. Ah! how mild and +refreshing that sleep was! The sun shone +upon him through the windows when he +awoke refreshed and restored: not one of +his servants had yet returned, for they +all thought he was dead; only the Nightingale +still sat beside him and sang.</p> + +<p>"You must always stay with me," +said the Emperor. "You shall sing as +you please; and I'll break the artificial +bird into a thousand pieces."</p> + +<p>"Not so," replied the Nightingale. +"It did well as long as it could; keep it +as you have done till now. I cannot +build my nest in the palace to dwell in it, +but let me come when I feel the wish; +then I will sit in the evening on the spray +yonder by the window, and sing you +something, so that you may be glad and +thoughtful at once. I will sing of those +who are happy and of those who suffer.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +I will sing of good and of evil that remains +hidden round about you. The little +singing bird flies far around, to the poor +fisherman, to the peasant's roof, to +everyone who dwells far away from you +and from your Court. I love your heart +more than your crown, and yet the crown +has an air of sanctity about it. I will +come and sing to you—but one thing +you must promise me."</p> + +<p>"Every thing!" said the Emperor; and +he stood there in his imperial robes, +which he had put on himself, and pressed +the sword which was heavy with gold +to his heart.</p> + +<p>"One thing I beg of you: tell no one +that you have a little bird who tells you +everything. Then it will go all the +better."</p> + +<p>And the Nightingale flew away.</p> + +<p>The servants came in to look at their +dead Emperor, and—yes, there he stood, +and the Emperor said, "Good-morning!"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_195" id="Note_195">195</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This story is a favorite for the Christmas +season. It is loosely constructed, and +rambles along for some time after it might +have been expected to finish. Such rambling +is often very attractive to childish +listeners, as it allows the introduction of +unexpected incidents. Miss Kready has +some interesting suggestions about dramatizing +this story in her <i>Study of Fairy Tales</i>, +pp. 151-153. The translation is Dulcken's.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE FIR TREE</h4> + +<div class='center'>HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN</div> + +<p>Out in the forest stood a pretty little +Fir Tree. It had a good place; it could +have sunlight, air there was in plenty, +and all around grew many larger comrades—pines +as well as firs. But the +little Fir Tree wished ardently to become +greater. It did not care for the warm +sun and the fresh air; it took no notice +of the peasant children, who went about +talking together, when they had come +out to look for strawberries and raspberries. +Often they came with a whole +pot-full, or had strung berries on a straw; +then they would sit down by the little +Fir Tree and say, "How pretty and +small that one is!" and the Fir Tree +did not like to hear that at all.</p> + +<p>Next year he had grown a great joint, +and the following year he was longer +still, for in fir trees one can always tell +by the number of rings they have how +many years they have been growing.</p> + +<p>"Oh, if I were only as great a tree as +the other!" sighed the little Fir, "then +I would spread my branches far around, +and look out from my crown into the +wide world. The birds would then build +nests in my boughs, and when the wind +blew I could nod just as grandly as the +others yonder."</p> + +<p>It took no pleasure in the sunshine, in +the birds, and in the red clouds that +went sailing over him morning and +evening.</p> + +<p>When it was winter, and the snow lay +all around, white and sparkling, a hare +would often come jumping along, and +spring right over the little Fir Tree. +Oh! this made him so angry. But two +winters went by, and when the third +came the little Tree had grown so tall +that the hare was obliged to run round it.</p> + +<p>"Oh! to grow, to grow, and become old; +that's the only fine thing in the world," +thought the Tree.</p> + +<p>In the autumn woodcutters always +came and felled a few of the largest +trees; that was done this year too, and +the little Fir Tree, that was now quite +well grown, shuddered with fear, for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +great stately trees fell to the ground +with a crash, and their branches were +cut off, so that the trees looked quite +naked, long, and slender—they could +hardly be recognized. But then they +were laid upon wagons, and horses +dragged them away out of the wood. +Where were they going? What destiny +awaited them?</p> + +<p>In the spring, when the Swallows and +the Stork came, the Tree asked them, +"Do you know where they were taken? +Did you not meet them?"</p> + +<p>The Swallows knew nothing about it, +but the Stork looked thoughtful, nodded +his head, and said:</p> + +<p>"Yes, I think so. I met many new +ships when I flew out of Egypt; on the +ships were stately masts; I fancy these +were the trees. They smelt like fir. I +can assure you they're stately—very +stately."</p> + +<p>"Oh that I were only big enough to +go over the sea! What kind of thing +is this sea, and how does it look?"</p> + +<p>"It would take too long to explain all +that," said the Stork, and he went away.</p> + +<p>"Rejoice in thy youth," said the Sunbeams; +"rejoice in thy fresh growth, and +in the young life that is within thee."</p> + +<p>And the wind kissed the Tree, and the +dew wept tears upon it; but the Fir +Tree did not understand that.</p> + +<p>When Christmas-time approached, +quite young trees were felled, sometimes +trees which were neither so old nor so +large as this Fir Tree, that never rested, +but always wanted to go away. These +young trees, which were always the most +beautiful, kept all their branches; they +were put upon wagons, and horses +dragged them away out of the wood.</p> + +<p>"Where are they all going?" asked the +Fir Tree. "They are not greater than +I—indeed, one of them was much +smaller. Why do they keep all their +branches? Whither are they taken?"</p> + +<p>"We know that! We know that!" +chirped the Sparrows. "Yonder in the +town we looked in at the windows. We +know where they go. Oh! they are +dressed up in the greatest pomp and +splendor that can be imagined. We +have looked in at the windows, and have +perceived that they are planted in the +middle of a warm room, and adorned +with the most beautiful things—gilt +apples, honey-cakes, playthings, and +many hundred candles."</p> + +<p>"And then?" asked the Fir Tree, and +trembled through all its branches. "And +then? What happens then?"</p> + +<p>"Why, we have not seen anything +more. But it was incomparable."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I may be destined to tread +this glorious path one day!" cried the +Fir Tree, rejoicingly. "That is even +better than traveling across the sea. +How painfully I long for it! If it were +only Christmas now! Now I am great +and grown up, like the rest who were +led away last year. Oh, if I were only +on the carriage! If I were only in the +warm room, among all the pomp and +splendor! And then? Yes, then something +even better will come, something +far more charming, or else why should +they adorn me so? There must be something +grander, something greater still +to come; but what? Oh! I'm suffering, +I'm longing! I don't know myself what +is the matter with me!"</p> + +<p>"Rejoice in us," said Air and Sunshine. +"Rejoice in thy fresh youth here in the +woodland."</p> + +<p>But the Fir Tree did not rejoice at all, +but it grew and grew; winter and summer +it stood there, green, dark green. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +people who saw it said, "That's a handsome +tree!" and at Christmas time it +was felled before any one of the others. +The ax cut deep into its marrow, and +the tree fell to the ground with a sigh; it +felt a pain, a sensation of faintness, and +could not think at all of happiness, for +it was sad at parting from its home, +from the place where it had grown up; +it knew that it should never again see +the dear old companions, the little bushes +and flowers all around—perhaps not +even the birds. The parting was not at +all agreeable.</p> + +<p>The Tree only came to itself when it +was unloaded in a yard, with other trees, +and heard a man say:</p> + +<p>"This one is famous; we want only +this one!"</p> + +<p>Now two servants came in gay liveries, +and carried the Fir Tree into a large, +beautiful saloon. All around the walls +hung pictures, and by the great stove +stood large Chinese vases with lions on +the covers; there were rocking-chairs, +silken sofas, great tables covered with +picture books, and toys worth a hundred +times a hundred dollars, at least the +children said so. And the Fir Tree was +put into a great tub filled with sand; but +no one could see that it was a tub, +for it was hung round with green cloth, +and stood on a large, many-colored +carpet. Oh, how the Tree trembled! +What was to happen now? The servants, +and the young ladies also, decked it out. +On one branch they hung little nets, cut +out of colored paper; every net was +filled with sweetmeats; golden apples +and walnuts hung down, as if they grew +there, and more than a hundred little +candles, red, white, and blue, were +fastened to the different boughs. Dolls +that looked exactly like real people—the +tree had never seen such before—swung +among the foliage, and high on the summit +of the Tree was fixed a tinsel star. +It was splendid, particularly splendid.</p> + +<p>"This evening," said all, "this evening +it will shine."</p> + +<p>"Oh," thought the Tree, "that it were +evening already! Oh, that the lights +may be soon lit up! When may that be +done? I wonder if trees will come out +of the forest to look at me? Will the +sparrows fly against the panes? Shall I +grow fast here, and stand adorned in +summer and winter?"</p> + +<p>Yes, he did not guess badly. But he +had a complete backache from mere +longing, and the backache is just as +bad for a Tree as the headache for a +person.</p> + +<p>At last the candles were lighted. +What a brilliance, what splendor! The +Tree trembled so in all its branches that +one of the candles set fire to a green +twig, and it was scorched.</p> + +<p>"Heaven preserve us!" cried the young +ladies; and they hastily put the fire out.</p> + +<p>Now the Tree might not even tremble. +Oh, that was terrible! It was so afraid +of setting fire to some of its ornaments, +and it was quite bewildered with all the +brilliance. And now the folding doors +were thrown open, and a number of +children rushed in as if they would have +overturned the whole Tree; the older +people followed more deliberately. The +little ones stood quite silent, but only +for a minute; then they shouted till the +room rang: they danced gleefully round +the Tree, and one present after another +was plucked from it.</p> + +<p>"What are they about?" thought the +Tree. "What's going to be done?"</p> + +<p>And the candles burned down to the +twigs, and as they burned down they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +were extinguished, and then the children +received permission to plunder the Tree. +Oh! they rushed in upon it, so that +every branch cracked again: if it had not +been fastened by the top and by the +golden star to the ceiling, it would have +fallen down.</p> + +<p>The children danced about with their +pretty toys. No one looked at the Tree +except one old man, who came up and +peeped among the branches, but only to +see if a fig or an apple had not been +forgotten.</p> + +<p>"A story! A story!" shouted the +children; and they drew a little fat man +toward the tree; and he sat down just +beneath it—"for then we shall be in +the green wood," said he, "and the tree +may have the advantage of listening to +my tale. But I can only tell one. Will +you hear the story of Ivede-Avede, or +of Klumpey-Dumpey, who fell downstairs, +and still was raised up to honor +and married the Princess?"</p> + +<p>"Ivede-Avede!" cried some, "Klumpey-Dumpey!" +cried others, and there +was a great crying and shouting. Only +the Fir Tree was quite silent, and +thought, "Shall I not be in it? Shall +I have nothing to do in it?" But he +had been in the evening's amusement, +and had done what was required of +him.</p> + +<p>And the fat man told about Klumpey-Dumpey +who fell downstairs, and yet +was raised to honor and married the +Princess. And the children clapped their +hands, and cried, "Tell another! tell +another!" for they wanted to hear about +Ivede-Avede; but they only got the +story of Klumpey-Dumpey. The Fir +Tree stood quite silent and thoughtful; +never had the birds in the wood told +such a story as that. Klumpey-Dumpey +fell downstairs, and yet came to honor +and married the Princess!</p> + +<p>"Yes, so it happens in the world!" +thought the Fir Tree, and believed it +must be true, because that was such a +nice man who told it. "Well, who can +know? Perhaps I shall fall downstairs, +too, and marry a Princess!" And it +looked forward with pleasure to being +adorned again, the next evening, with +candles and toys, gold and fruit. "To-morrow +I shall not tremble," it thought.</p> + +<p>"I will rejoice in all my splendor. +To-morrow I shall hear the story of +Klumpey-Dumpey again, and perhaps +that of Ivede-Avede, too."</p> + +<p>And the Tree stood all night quiet +and thoughtful.</p> + +<p>In the morning the servants and the +chambermaid came in.</p> + +<p>"Now my splendor will begin afresh," +thought the Tree. But they dragged +him out of the room, and upstairs to the +garret, and here they put him in a dark +corner where no daylight shone.</p> + +<p>"What's the meaning of this?" thought +the Tree. "What am I to do here? +What is to happen?"</p> + +<p>And he leaned against the wall, and +thought, and thought. And he had +time enough, for days and nights went +by, and nobody came up; and when at +length someone came, it was only to +put some great boxes in a corner. Now +the Tree stood quite hidden away, and +the supposition is that it was quite +forgotten.</p> + +<p>"Now it's winter outside," thought +the Tree. "The earth is hard and +covered with snow, and people cannot +plant me; therefore I suppose I'm to +be sheltered here until spring comes. +How considerate that is! How good +people are! If it were only not so dark<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +here, and so terribly solitary!—not even +a little hare? That was pretty out there +in the wood, when the snow lay thick +and the hare sprang past; yes, even +when he jumped over me; but then I +did not like it. It is terribly lonely up +here!"</p> + +<p>"Piep! piep!" said a little Mouse, and +crept forward, and then came another +little one. They smelt at the Fir Tree, +and then slipped among the branches.</p> + +<p>"It's horribly cold," said the two little +Mice, "or else it would be comfortable +here. Don't you think so, you old Fir +Tree?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not old at all," said the Fir +Tree. "There are many much older +than I."</p> + +<p>"Where do you come from?" asked +the Mice. "And what do you know?" +They were dreadfully inquisitive. "Tell +us about the most beautiful spot on earth. +Have you been there? Have you been in +the store room, where cheeses lie on the +shelves, and hams hang from the ceiling, +where one dances on tallow candles, and +goes in thin and comes out fat?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know that," replied the +Tree; "but I know the wood, where +the sun shines and the birds sing."</p> + +<p>And then it told all about its youth.</p> + +<p>And the little Mice had never heard +anything of the kind; and they listened +and said:</p> + +<p>"What a number of things you have +seen! How happy you must have been!"</p> + +<p>"I?" replied the Fir Tree; and it +thought about what it had told. "Yes, +those were really quite happy times." +But then he told of the Christmas Eve, +when he had been hung with sweetmeats +and candles.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the little Mice, "how +happy you have been, you old Fir Tree!"</p> + +<p>"I'm not old at all," said the Tree. +"I only came out of the wood this winter. +I'm only rather backward in my growth."</p> + +<p>"What splendid stories you can tell!" +said the little Mice.</p> + +<p>And next night they came with four +other little Mice, to hear what the Tree +had to relate; and the more it said, +the more clearly did it remember everything, +and thought, "Those were quite +merry days! But they may come again. +Klumpey-Dumpey fell downstairs, and +yet he married the Princess. Perhaps +I may marry a Princess too!" And +the Fir Tree thought of a pretty little +Birch Tree that grew out in the forest; +for the Fir Tree, that Birch was a real +Princess.</p> + +<p>"Who's Klumpey-Dumpey?" asked +the little Mice.</p> + +<p>And then the Fir Tree told the whole +story. It could remember every single +word; and the little Mice were ready to +leap to the very top of the tree with +pleasure. Next night a great many more +Mice came, and on Sunday two Rats +even appeared; but these thought the +story was not pretty, and the little Mice +were sorry for that, for now they also +did not like it so much as before.</p> + +<p>"Do you only know one story?" +asked the Rats.</p> + +<p>"Only that one," replied the Tree. +"I heard that on the happiest evening +of my life; I did not think then how +happy I was."</p> + +<p>"That's a very miserable story. Don't +you know any about bacon and tallow +candles—a store-room story?"</p> + +<p>"No," said the Tree.</p> + +<p>"Then we'd rather not hear you," +said the Rats.</p> + +<p>And they went back to their own +people. The little Mice at last stayed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +away also; and then the Tree sighed +and said:</p> + +<p>"It was very nice when they sat +round me, the merry little Mice, and +listened when I spoke to them. Now +that's past too. But I shall remember +to be pleased when they take me out."</p> + +<p>But when did that happen? Why, it +was one morning that people came and +rummaged in the garret: the boxes were +put away, and the Tree brought out; +they certainly threw him rather roughly +on the floor, but a servant dragged him +away at once to the stairs, where the +daylight shone.</p> + +<p>"Now life is beginning again!" thought +the Tree.</p> + +<p>It felt the fresh air and the first sunbeams, +and now it was out in the courtyard. +Everything passed so quickly that +the Tree quite forgot to look at itself, +there was so much to look at all round. +The courtyard was close to a garden, +and here everything was blooming; the +roses hung fresh and fragrant over the +little paling, the linden trees were in +blossom, and the swallows cried, "Quinze-wit! +quinze-wit! my husband's come!" +But it was not the Fir Tree that they +meant.</p> + +<p>"Now I shall live!" said the Tree, +rejoicingly, and spread its branches far +out; but, alas! they were all withered +and yellow; and it lay in the corner +among nettles and weeds. The tinsel +star was still upon it, and shone in the +bright sunshine.</p> + +<p>In the courtyard a couple of the merry +children were playing who had danced +round the tree at Christmas time, and +had rejoiced over it. One of the youngest +ran up and tore off the golden star.</p> + +<p>"Look what is sticking to the ugly +old fir tree!" said the child, and he +trod upon the branches till they cracked +again under his boots.</p> + +<p>And the Tree looked at all the blooming +flowers and the splendor of the garden, +and then looked at itself, and wished it +had remained in the dark corner of the +garret; it thought of its fresh youth in +the wood, of the merry Christmas Eve, +and of the little Mice which had listened +so pleasantly to the story of Klumpey-Dumpey.</p> + +<p>"Past! past!" said the old Tree. +"Had I but rejoiced when I could have +done so! Past! past!"</p> + +<p>And the servant came and chopped +the Tree into little pieces; a whole +bundle lay there; it blazed brightly +under the great brewing copper, and it +sighed deeply, and each sigh was like +a little shot; and the children who were +at play there ran up and seated themselves +at the fire, looked into it, and +cried "Puff! puff!" But at each explosion, +which was a deep sigh, the Tree +thought of a summer day in the woods, +or of a winter night there, when the +stars beamed; he thought of Christmas +Eve and of Klumpey-Dumpey, the only +story he had ever heard or knew how to +tell; and then the Tree was burned.</p> + +<p>The boys played in the garden, and +the youngest had on his breast a golden +star, which the Tree had worn on its +happiest evening. Now that was past, +and the Tree's life was past, and the +story is past too: past! past!—and +that's the way with all stories.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_196" id="Note_196">196</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The tale that follows was one of the author's +earliest stories, published in 1835. It is +clearly based upon an old folk tale, one +variant of which is "The Blue Light" from +the Grimm collection (No. <a href="#Note_174">174</a>). "It was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +a lucky stroke," says Brandes, "that made +Andersen the poet of children. After long +fumbling, after unsuccessful efforts, which +must necessarily throw a false and ironic +light on the self-consciousness of a poet +whose pride based its justification mainly +on the expectancy of a future which he +felt slumbering within his soul, after +wandering about for long years, Andersen +. . . one evening found himself in front +of a little insignificant yet mysterious door, +the door of the nursery story. He touched +it, it yielded, and he saw, burning in the +obscurity within, the little 'Tinder-Box' +that became his Aladdin's lamp. He struck +fire with it, and the spirits of the lamp—the +dogs with eyes as large as tea-cups, as +mill-wheels, as the round tower in Copenhagen—stood +before him and brought him +the three giant chests, containing all the +copper, silver, and gold treasure stories of +the nursery story. The first story had +sprung into existence, and the 'Tinder-Box' +drew all the others onward in its train. +Happy is he who has found his 'tinder-box.'" +The translation is by H. W. +Dulcken.</div> + +<h4><br />THE TINDER-BOX</h4> + +<div class='center'>HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN</div> + +<p>There came a soldier marching along +the high road—<i>one, two! one, two!</i> He +had his knapsack on his back and a saber +by his side, for he had been in the wars, +and now he wanted to go home. And on +the way he met with an old witch; she +was very hideous, and her under lip hung +down upon her breast. She said, "Good +evening, soldier. What a fine sword you +have, and what a big knapsack! You're +a proper soldier! Now you shall have +as much money as you like to have."</p> + +<p>"I thank you, you old witch!" said +the soldier.</p> + +<p>"Do you see that great tree?" quoth +the witch; and she pointed to a tree +which stood beside them. "It's quite +hollow inside. You must climb to the +top, and then you'll see a hole, through +which you can let yourself down and +get deep into the tree. I'll tie a rope +round your body, so that I can pull you +up again when you call me."</p> + +<p>"What am I to do down in the tree?" +asked the soldier.</p> + +<p>"Get money," replied the witch. +"Listen to me. When you come down +to the earth under the tree, you will +find yourself in a great hall: it is quite +light, for above three hundred lamps are +burning there. Then you will see three +doors; those you can open, for the keys +are hanging there. If you go into the +first chamber, you'll see a great chest +in the middle of the floor; on this chest +sits a dog, and he's got a pair of eyes +as big as two tea-cups. But you need +not care for that. I'll give you my +blue-checked apron, and you can spread +it out upon the floor; then go up quickly +and take the dog, and set him on my +apron; then open the chest, and take +as many shillings as you like. They are +of copper: if you prefer silver, you must +go into the second chamber. But there +sits a dog with a pair of eyes as big as +mill-wheels. But do not you care for +that. Set him upon my apron, and take +some of the money. And if you want +gold, you can have that too—in fact, +as much as you can carry—if you go +into the third chamber. But the dog +that sits on the money-chest there has +two eyes as big as round towers. He is +a fierce dog, you may be sure; but you +needn't be afraid, for all that. Only +set him on my apron, and he won't +hurt you; and take out of the chest as +much gold as you like."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span></p> + +<p>"That's not so bad," said the soldier. +"But what am I to give you, old witch? +for you will not do it for nothing, I fancy."</p> + +<p>"No," replied the witch, "not a single +shilling will I have. You shall only +bring me an old tinder-box which my +grandmother forgot when she was down +there last."</p> + +<p>"Then tie the rope round my body," +cried the soldier.</p> + +<p>"Here it is," said the witch, "and +here's my blue-checked apron."</p> + +<p>Then the soldier climbed up into the +tree, let himself slip down into the hole, +and stood, as the witch had said, in the +great hall where the three hundred lamps +were burning.</p> + +<p>Now he opened the first door. Ugh! +there sat the dog with eyes as big as +tea-cups, staring at him. "You're a +nice fellow!" exclaimed the soldier; and +he set him on the witch's apron, and +took as many copper shillings as his +pockets would hold, and then locked +the chest, set the dog on it again, and +went into the second chamber. Aha! +there sat the dog with eyes as big as +mill-wheels.</p> + +<p>"You should not stare so hard at +me," said the soldier; "you might strain +your eyes." And he set the dog upon +the witch's apron. And when he saw +the silver money in the chest, he threw +away all the copper money he had, and +filled his pocket and his knapsack with +silver only. Then he went into the +third chamber. Oh, but that was horrid! +The dog there really had eyes as big as +towers, and they turned round and +round in his head like wheels.</p> + +<p>"Good evening!" said the soldier; and +he touched his cap, for he had never +seen such a dog as that before. When +he had looked at him a little more closely, +he thought, "That will do," and lifted +him down to the floor, and opened the +chest. Mercy! what a quantity of gold +was there! He could buy with it the +whole town, and the sugar sucking-pigs +of the cake woman, and all the tin +soldiers, whips, and rocking-horses in the +whole world. Yes, that was a quantity +of money! Now the soldier threw away +all the silver coin with which he had +filled his pockets and his knapsack, and +took gold instead: yes, all his pockets, his +knapsack, his boots, and his cap were +filled, so that he could scarcely walk. +Now indeed he had plenty of money. +He put the dog on the chest, shut the +door, and then called up through the +tree, "Now pull me up, you old witch."</p> + +<p>"Have you the tinder-box?" asked +the witch.</p> + +<p>"Plague on it!" exclaimed the soldier, +"I had clean forgotten that." And he +went and brought it.</p> + +<p>The witch drew him up, and he stood +on the high road again, with pockets, +boots, knapsack, and cap full of gold.</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do with the +tinder-box?" asked the soldier.</p> + +<p>"That's nothing to you," retorted +the witch. "You've had your money—just +give me the tinder-box."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" said the soldier. "Tell +me directly what you're going to do +with it, or I'll draw my sword and cut +off your head."</p> + +<p>"No!" cried the witch.</p> + +<p>So the soldier cut off her head. There +she lay! But he tied up all his money +in her apron, took it on his back like a +bundle, put the tinder-box in his pocket, +and went straight off toward the town.</p> + +<p>That was a splendid town! And he +put up at the very best inn and asked +for the finest rooms, and ordered his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +favorite dishes, for now he was rich, as +he had so much money. The servant +who had to clean his boots certainly +thought them a remarkably old pair for +such a rich gentleman; but he had not +bought any new ones yet. The next +day he procured proper boots and handsome +clothes. Now our soldier had +become a fine gentleman; and the people +told him of all the splendid things which +were in their city, and about the King, +and what a pretty Princess the King's +daughter was.</p> + +<p>"Where can one get to see her?" +asked the soldier.</p> + +<p>"She is not to be seen at all," said +they, all together; "she lives in a great +copper castle, with a great many walls +and towers round about it; no one but +the King may go in and out there, for +it has been prophesied that she shall +marry a common soldier, and the King +can't bear that."</p> + +<p>"I should like to see her," thought the +soldier; but he could not get leave to +do so. Now he lived merrily, went to +the theater, drove in the King's garden, +and gave much money to the poor; and +this was very kind of him, for he knew +from old times how hard it is when one +has not a shilling. Now he was rich, +had fine clothes, and gained many +friends, who all said he was a rare one, +a true cavalier; and that pleased the +soldier well. But as he spent money +every day and never earned any, he +had at last only two shillings left; and +he was obliged to turn out of the fine +rooms in which he had dwelt, and had +to live in a little garret under the roof, +and clean his boots for himself, and mend +them with a darning-needle. None of +his friends came to see him, for there +were too many stairs to climb.</p> + +<p>It was quite dark one evening, and +he could not even buy himself a candle, +when it occurred to him that there was a +candle-end in the tinder-box which he +had taken out of the hollow tree into +which the witch had helped him. He +brought out the tinder-box and the +candle-end; but as soon as he struck +fire and the sparks rose up from the +flint, the door flew open, and the dog +who had eyes as big as a couple of tea-cups, +and whom he had seen in the tree, +stood before him, and said:</p> + +<p>"What are my lord's commands?"</p> + +<p>"What is this?" said the soldier. +"That's a famous tinder-box, if I can +get everything with it that I want! +Bring me some money," said he to the +dog: and <i>whisk!</i> the dog was gone, and +<i>whisk!</i> he was back again, with a great +bag full of shillings in his mouth.</p> + +<p>Now the soldier knew what a capital +tinder-box this was. If he struck it +once, the dog came who sat upon the +chest of copper money; if he struck it +twice, the dog came who had the silver; +and if he struck it three times, then +appeared the dog who had the gold. +Now the soldier moved back into the fine +rooms, and appeared again in handsome +clothes; and all his friends knew him again, +and cared very much for him indeed.</p> + +<p>Once he thought to himself, "It is a +very strange thing that one cannot get +to see the Princess. They all say she is +very beautiful; but what is the use of +that, if she has always to sit in the great +copper castle with the many towers? +Can I not get to see her at all? Where +is my tinder-box?" And so he struck +a light, and <i>whisk!</i> came the dog with +eyes as big as tea-cups.</p> + +<p>"It is midnight, certainly," said the +soldier, "but I should very much like<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +to see the Princess, only for one little +moment."</p> + +<p>And the dog was outside the door +directly, and, before the soldier thought +it, came back with the Princess. She +sat upon the dog's back and slept; and +everyone could see she was a real Princess, +for she was so lovely. The soldier +could not refrain from kissing her, for +he was a thorough soldier. Then the +dog ran back again with the Princess. +But when morning came, and the King +and Queen were drinking tea, the Princess +said she had had a strange dream, +the night before, about a dog and a +soldier—that she had ridden upon the +dog, and the soldier had kissed her.</p> + +<p>"That would be a fine history!" said +the Queen.</p> + +<p>So one of the old Court ladies had to +watch the next night by the Princess's +bed, to see if this was really a dream, or +what it might be.</p> + +<p>The soldier had a great longing to see +the lovely Princess again; so the dog +came in the night, took her away, and +ran as fast as he could. But the old +lady put on water-boots, and ran just +as fast after him. When she saw that +they both entered a great house, she +thought, "Now I know where it is"; +and with a bit of chalk she drew a great +cross on the door. Then she went home +and lay down, and the dog came up +with the Princess; but when he saw that +there was a cross drawn on the door +where the soldier lived, he took a piece +of chalk too, and drew crosses on all +the doors in the town. And that was +cleverly done, for now the lady could not +find the right door, because all the doors +had crosses upon them.</p> + +<p>In the morning early came the King +and the Queen, the old Court lady and +all the officers, to see where it was the +Princess had been. "Here it is!" said +the King, when he saw the first door +with a cross upon it. "No, my dear +husband, it is there!" said the Queen, +who descried another door which also +showed a cross. "But there is one, and +there is one!" said all, for wherever they +looked there were crosses on the doors. +So they saw that it would avail them +nothing if they searched on.</p> + +<p>But the Queen was an exceedingly +clever woman, who could do more than +ride in a coach. She took her great +gold scissors, cut a piece of silk into +pieces, and made a neat little bag: this +bag she filled with fine wheat flour, and +tied it on the Princess's back; and when +that was done, she cut a little hole in +the bag, so that the flour would be +scattered along all the way which the +Princess should take.</p> + +<p>In the night the dog came again, took +the Princess on his back, and ran with +her to the soldier, who loved her very +much, and would gladly have been a +prince, so that he might have her for +his wife. The dog did not notice at all +how the flour ran out in a stream from +the castle to the windows of the soldier's +house, where he ran up the wall with +the Princess. In the morning the King +and Queen saw well enough where their +daughter had been, and they took the +soldier and put him in prison.</p> + +<p>There he sat. Oh, but it was dark +and disagreeable there! And they said +to him, "To-morrow you shall be hanged." +That was not amusing to hear, and he +had left his tinder-box at the inn. In +the morning he could see, through the +iron grating of the little window, how +the people were hurrying out of the +town to see him hanged. He heard the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +drums beat and saw the soldiers marching. +All the people were running out, +and among them was a shoemaker's boy +with leather apron and slippers, and he +galloped so fast that one of his slippers +flew off, and came right against the wall +where the soldier sat looking through +the iron grating.</p> + +<p>"Halloo, you shoemaker's boy! you +needn't be in such a hurry," cried the +soldier to him: "it will not begin till I +come. But if you will run to where I +lived, and bring me my tinder-box, you +shall have four shillings; but you must +put your best leg foremost."</p> + +<p>The shoemaker's boy wanted to get +the four shillings, so he went and +brought the tinder-box, and—well, we +shall hear now what happened.</p> + +<p>Outside the town a great gallows had +been built, and around it stood the +soldiers and many hundred thousand +people. The King and Queen sat on +a splendid throne, opposite to the +Judges and the whole Council. The +soldier already stood upon the ladder; +but as they were about to put the rope +round his neck, he said that before a +poor criminal suffered his punishment +an innocent request was always granted +to him. He wanted very much to smoke +a pipe of tobacco, as it would be the last +pipe he should smoke in this world. +The King would not say "No" to this; +so the soldier took his tinder-box and +struck fire. One—two—three—! and +there suddenly stood all the dogs—the +one with eyes as big as tea-cups, the one +with eyes as large as mill-wheels, and +the one whose eyes were as big as round +towers.</p> + +<p>"Help me now, so that I may not +be hanged," said the soldier. And the +dogs fell upon the Judge and all the +Council, seized one by the leg and another +by the nose, and tossed them all many +feet into the air, so that they fell down +and were all broken to pieces.</p> + +<p>"I won't!" cried the King; but the +biggest dog took him and the Queen and +threw them after the others. Then the +soldiers were afraid, and the people cried, +"Little soldier, you shall be our King, +and marry the beautiful Princess!"</p> + +<p>So they put the soldier into the King's +coach, and all the three dogs darted on +in front and cried "Hurrah!" and the +boys whistled through their fingers, and +the soldiers presented arms. The Princess +came out of the copper castle, and +became Queen, and she liked that well +enough. The wedding lasted a week, +and the three dogs sat at the table too, +and opened their eyes wider than ever +at all they saw.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_197" id="Note_197">197</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following is one of Andersen's early +stories, published in 1838. It has always +been a great favorite. Whimsically odd +couples, in this case so constant in their +devotion to each other, seemed to appeal +to Andersen. The romance of the Whip +Top and the Ball in the little story "The +Lovers" deals with another odd couple. +"Constant" or "steadfast" are terms sometimes +used in the different versions instead +of "hardy," and, if they seem better to +carry the meaning intended, teachers +should feel free to substitute one of them +in telling or reading the story. The translation +is by H. W. Dulcken.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE HARDY TIN SOLDIER</h4> + +<div class='center'>HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN</div> + +<p>There were once five-and-twenty tin +soldiers; they were all brothers, for they +had all been born of one old tin spoon.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +They shouldered their muskets, and +looked straight before them; their uniform +was red and blue, and very splendid. +The first thing they had heard in the +world, when the lid was taken off their +box, had been the words, "Tin soldiers!" +These words were uttered by a little boy, +clapping his hands: the soldiers had been +given to him, for it was his birthday; +and now he put them upon the table. +Each soldier was exactly like the rest; +but one of them had been cast last of +all, and there had not been enough tin +to finish him; but he stood as firmly +upon his one leg as the others on their +two; and it was just this Soldier who +became remarkable.</p> + +<p>On the table on which they had been +placed stood many other playthings, but +the toy that attracted most attention +was a neat castle of cardboard. Through +the little windows one could see straight +into the hall. Before the castle some +little trees were placed round a little +looking-glass, which was to represent +a clear lake. Waxen swans swam on +this lake, and were mirrored in it. This +was all very pretty; but the prettiest +of all was a little lady, who stood at +the open door of the castle; she was +also cut out in paper, but she had a +dress of the clearest gauze, and a little +narrow blue ribbon over her shoulders, +that looked like a scarf; and in the +middle of this ribbon was a shining +tinsel rose as big as her whole face. +The little lady stretched out both her +arms, for she was a dancer; and then she +lifted one leg so high that the Tin +Soldier could not see it at all, and +thought that, like himself, she had but +one leg.</p> + +<p>"That would be the wife for me," +thought he; "but she is very grand. +She lives in a castle, and I have only a +box, and there are five-and-twenty of us +in that. It is no place for her. But I +must try to make acquaintance with her."</p> + +<p>And then he lay down at full length +behind a snuff-box which was on the +table; there he could easily watch the +little dainty lady, who continued to +stand upon one leg without losing her +balance.</p> + +<p>When the evening came all the other +tin soldiers were put into their box, and +the people in the house went to bed. +Now the toys began to play at "visiting," +and at "war," and "giving balls." The +tin soldiers rattled in their box, for they +wanted to join, but could not lift the +lid. The nutcracker threw somersaults, +and the pencil amused itself on the table; +there was so much noise that the canary +woke up, and began to speak too, and +even in verse. The only two who did +not stir from their places were the Tin +Soldier and the Dancing Lady: she +stood straight up on the point of one of +her toes, and stretched out both her +arms; and he was just as enduring on +his one leg; and he never turned his +eyes away from her.</p> + +<p>Now the clock struck twelve—and, +bounce! the lid flew off the snuff-box; +but there was no snuff in it, but a little +black Goblin: you see, it was a trick.</p> + +<p>"Tin Soldier!" said the Goblin, "don't +stare at things that don't concern you."</p> + +<p>But the Tin Soldier pretended not to +hear him.</p> + +<p>"Just you wait till to-morrow!" said +the Goblin.</p> + +<p>But when the morning came, and the +children got up, the Tin Soldier was +placed in the window; and whether it +was the Goblin or the draught that did +it, all at once the window flew open,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +and the Soldier fell head over heels out +of the third story. That was a terrible +passage! He put his leg straight up, +and stuck with helmet downward and +his bayonet between the paving-stones.</p> + +<p>The servant-maid and the little boy +came down directly to look for him, but +though they almost trod upon him, they +could not see him. If the Soldier had +cried out "Here I am!" they would have +found him; but he did not think it +fitting to call out loudly, because he +was in uniform.</p> + +<p>Now it began to rain; the drops soon +fell thicker, and at last it came down into +a complete stream. When the rain was +past, two street boys came by.</p> + +<p>"Just look!" said one of them, "there +lies a Tin Soldier. He must come out +and ride in the boat."</p> + +<p>And they made a boat out of a newspaper, +and put the Tin Soldier in the +middle of it, and so he sailed down the +gutter, and the two boys ran beside him +and clapped their hands. Goodness preserve +us! how the waves rose in that +gutter, and how fast the stream ran! +But then it had been a heavy rain. The +paper boat rocked up and down, and +sometimes turned round so rapidly that +the Tin Soldier trembled; but he +remained firm, and never changed countenance, +and looked straight before him, +and shouldered his musket.</p> + +<p>All at once the boat went into a long +drain, and it became as dark as if he had +been in his box.</p> + +<p>"Where am I going now?" he thought. +"Yes, yes, that's the Goblin's fault. +Ah! if the little lady only sat here with +me in the boat, it might be twice as dark +for what I should care."</p> + +<p>Suddenly there came a great Water +Rat, which lived under the drain.</p> + +<p>"Have you a passport?" said the Rat. +"Give me your passport."</p> + +<p>But the Tin Soldier kept silence, and +held his musket tighter than ever.</p> + +<p>The boat went on, but the Rat came +after it. Hu! how he gnashed his teeth, +and called out to the bits of straw and +wood:</p> + +<p>"Hold him! hold him! He hasn't +paid toll—he hasn't shown his passport!"</p> + +<p>But the stream became stronger and +stronger. The Tin Soldier could see the +bright daylight where the arch ended; +but he heard a roaring noise which +might well frighten a bolder man. Only +think—just where the tunnel ended, the +drain ran into a great canal; and for +him that would have been as dangerous +as for us to be carried down a great +waterfall.</p> + +<p>Now he was already so near it that +he could not stop. The boat was carried +out, the poor Tin Soldier stiffening himself +as much as he could, and no one +could say that he moved an eyelid. The +boat whirled round three or four times, +and was full of water to the very edge—it +must sink. The Tin Soldier stood up +to his neck in water, and the boat sank +deeper and deeper, and the paper was +loosened more and more; and now the +water closed over the soldier's head. +Then he thought of the pretty little +Dancer, and how he should never see +her again; and it sounded in the soldier's +ears:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +Farewell, farewell, thou <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'warrier'">warrior</ins> brave,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For this day thou must die!</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>And now the paper parted, and the +Tin Soldier fell out; but at that moment +he was snapped up by a great fish.</p> + +<p>Oh, how dark it was in that fish's +body! It was darker yet than in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +drain tunnel; and then it was very narrow +too. But the Tin Soldier remained +unmoved, and lay at full length shouldering +his musket.</p> + +<p>The fish swam to and fro; he made the +most wonderful movements, and then +became quite still. At last something +flashed through him like lightning. The +daylight shone quite clear, and a voice +said aloud, "The Tin Soldier!" The +fish had been caught, carried to market, +bought, and taken into the kitchen, +where the cook cut him open with a +large knife. She seized the Soldier +round the body with both her hands +and carried him into the room, where +all were anxious to see the remarkable +man who had traveled about in the +inside of a fish; but the Tin Soldier was +not at all proud. They placed him on +the table, and there—no! What curious +things may happen in the world. The +Tin Soldier was in the very room in +which he had been before! He saw the +same children, and the same toys stood +on the table; and there was the pretty +castle with the graceful little Dancer. +She was still balancing herself on one +leg, and held the other extended in the +air. She was hardy too. That moved +the Tin Soldier; he was very nearly +weeping tin tears, but that would not +have been proper. He looked at her, +but they said nothing to each other.</p> + +<p>Then one of the little boys took the +Tin Soldier and flung him into the stove. +He gave no reason for doing this. It +must have been the fault of the Goblin +in the snuff-box.</p> + +<p>The Tin Soldier stood there quite +illuminated, and felt a heat that was +terrible; but whether this heat proceeded +from the real fire or from love he did not +know. The colors had quite gone off +from him; but whether that had happened +on the journey, or had been +caused by grief, no one could say. He +looked at the little lady, she looked at +him, and he felt that he was melting; +but he still stood firm, shouldering his +musket. Then suddenly the door flew +open, and the draught of air caught the +Dancer, and she flew like a sylph just +into the stove to the Tin Soldier, and +flashed up in a flame, and she was gone. +Then the Tin Soldier melted down into a +lump; and when the servant-maid took +the ashes out next day, she found him +in the shape of a little tin heart. But +of the Dancer nothing remained but the +tinsel rose, and that was burned as +black as a coal.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_198" id="Note_198">198</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"The Ugly Duckling" has always been +regarded as one of Andersen's most exquisite +stories. No one can fail to notice the +parallel that suggests itself between the +successive stages in the duckling's history +and those in Andersen's own life. In this +story, remarks Dr. Brandes, "there is the +quintessence of the author's entire life +(melancholy, humor, martyrdom, triumph) +and of his whole nature: the gift of observation +and the sparkling intellect which +he used to avenge himself upon folly and +wickedness, the varied faculties which constitute +his genius." The standards of +judgment used by the ducks, the turkey, +the hen, and the cat are all delightfully +and humorously satirical of human stupidity +and shortsightedness. The translation +used is by H. W. Dulcken.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE UGLY DUCKLING</h4> + +<div class='center'>HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN</div> + +<p>It was glorious out in the country. It +was summer, and the cornfields were +yellow, and the oats were green; the hay<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +had been put up in stacks in the green +meadows, and the stork went about on +his long red legs, and chattered Egyptian, +for this was the language he had learned +from his good mother. All around the +fields and meadows were great forests, +and in the midst of these forests lay deep +lakes. Yes, it was really glorious out +in the country. In the midst of the sunshine +there lay an old farm, surrounded +by deep canals, and from the wall down +to the water grew great burdocks, so high +that little children could stand upright +under the loftiest of them. It was just +as wild there as in the deepest wood. +Here sat a Duck upon her nest, for she +had to hatch her young ones; but she was +almost tired out before the little ones came; +and then she so seldom had visitors. The +other ducks liked better to swim about +in the canals than to run up to sit down +under a burdock and cackle with her.</p> + +<p>At last one eggshell after another burst +open. "Piep! piep!" it cried, and in all +the eggs there were little creatures that +stuck out their heads.</p> + +<p>"Rap! rap!" they said; and they all +came rapping out as fast as they could, +looking all round them under the green +leaves; and the mother let them look as +much as they chose, for green is good for +the eyes.</p> + +<p>"How wide the world is!" said the +young ones, for they certainly had much +more room now than when they were in +the eggs.</p> + +<p>"Do you think this is all the world!" +asked the mother. "That extends far +across the other side of the garden, quite +into the parson's field, but I have never +been there yet. I hope you are all together," +she continued, and stood up. +"No, I have not all. The largest egg +still lies there. How long is that to last? +I am really tired of it." And she sat +down again.</p> + +<p>"Well, how goes it?" asked an old +Duck who had come to pay her a visit.</p> + +<p>"It lasts a long time with that one +egg," said the Duck who sat there. "It +will not burst. Now, only look at the +others; are they not the prettiest ducks +one could possibly see? They are all +like their father; the bad fellow never +comes to see me."</p> + +<p>"Let me see the egg which will not +burst," said the old visitor. "Believe +me, it is a turkey's egg. I was once +cheated in that way, and had much +anxiety and trouble with the young ones, +for they are afraid of the water. I could +not get them to venture in. I quacked +and clucked, but it was of no use. Let +me see the egg. Yes, that's a turkey's +egg! Let it lie there, and you teach the +other children to swim."</p> + +<p>"I think I will sit on it a little longer," +said the Duck. "I've sat so long now +that I can sit a few days more."</p> + +<p>"Just as you please," said the old Duck; +and she went away.</p> + +<p>At last the great egg burst. "Piep! +piep!" said the little one, and crept forth. +It was very large and very ugly. The +Duck looked at it.</p> + +<p>"It's a very large duckling," said she; +"none of the others look like that; can +it really be a turkey chick? Now we +shall soon find out. It must go into +the water, even if I have to thrust it +in myself."</p> + +<p>The next day the weather was splendidly +bright, and the sun shone on all the +green trees. The Mother-Duck went +down to the water with all her little ones. +Splash! she jumped into the water. +"Quack! quack!" she said, and then one +duckling after another plunged in. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +water closed over their heads, but they +came up in an instant, and swam capitally; +their legs went of themselves, and +there they were, all in the water. The +ugly gray Duckling swam with them.</p> + +<p>"No, it's not a turkey," said she; +"look how well it can use its legs, and +how upright it holds itself. It is my own +child! On the whole it's quite pretty, +if one looks at it rightly. Quack! quack! +come with me, and I'll lead you out into +the great world, and present you in the +poultry-yard; but keep close to me, so +that no one may tread on you; and take +care of the cats!"</p> + +<p>And so they came into the poultry-yard. +There was a terrible riot going on +in there, for two families were quarreling +about an eel's head, and the cat got it +after all.</p> + +<p>"See, that's how it goes in the world!" +said the Mother-Duck; and she whetted +her beak, for she, too, wanted the eel's +head. "Only use your legs," she said. +"See that you bustle about, and bow your +heads before the old Duck yonder. +She's the grandest of all here; she's of +Spanish blood—that's why she's so fat; +and do you see, she has a red rag round +her leg; that's something particularly +fine, and the greatest distinction a duck +can enjoy; it signifies that one does not +want to lose her, and that she's to be +recognized by man and beast. Shake +yourselves—don't turn in your toes; a +well-brought-up Duck turns its toes +quite out, just like father and mother, so! +Now bend your necks and say 'Rap!'"</p> + +<p>And they did so; but the other Ducks +round about looked at them, and said +quite boldly:</p> + +<p>"Look there! now we're to have these +hanging on, as if there were not enough +of us already! And—fie—! how that +Duckling yonder looks; we won't stand +that!" And one duck flew up immediately, +and bit it in the neck.</p> + +<p>"Let it alone," said the mother; "it +does no harm to anyone."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but it's too large and peculiar," +said the Duck who had bitten it; "and +therefore it must be buffeted."</p> + +<p>"Those are pretty children that the +mother has there," said the old Duck +with the rag round her leg. "They're +all pretty but that one; that was a failure. +I wish she could alter it."</p> + +<p>"That cannot be done, my lady," +replied the Mother-Duck. "It is not +pretty, but it has a really good disposition, +and swims as well as any other; I +may even say it swims better. I think +it will grow up pretty, and become +smaller in time; it has lain too long in +the egg, and therefore is not properly +shaped." And then she pinched it in +the neck, and smoothed its feathers. +"Moreover, it is a drake," she said, "and +therefore it is not of so much consequence. +I think he will be very strong; he makes +his way already."</p> + +<p>"The other ducklings are graceful +enough," said the old Duck. "Make +yourself at home; and if you find an eel's +head, you may bring it me."</p> + +<p>And now they were at home. But +the poor Duckling which had crept last +out of the egg, and looked so ugly, was +bitten and pushed and jeered, as much by +the ducks as by the chickens.</p> + +<p>"It is too big!" they all said. And +the turkey-cock, who had been born +with spurs, and therefore thought himself +an Emperor, blew himself up like a ship +in full sail, and bore straight down upon +it; then he gobbled, and grew quite red +in the face. The poor Duckling did not +know where it should stand or walk;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +it was quite melancholy, because it looked +ugly and was scoffed at by the whole yard.</p> + +<p>So it went on the first day; and afterward +it became worse and worse. The +poor Duckling was hunted about by +every one; even its brothers and sisters +were quite angry with it, and said, "If +the cat would only catch you, you ugly +creature!" And the mother said, "If you +were only far away!" And the ducks bit +it, and the chickens beat it, and the girl +who had to feed the poultry kicked at it +with her foot.</p> + +<p>Then it ran and flew over the fence, +and the little birds in the bushes flew up +in fear.</p> + +<p>"That is because I am so ugly!" +thought the Duckling; and it shut its +eyes, but flew no farther; thus it came +out into the great moor, where the Wild +Ducks lived. Here it lay the whole night +long; and it was weary and downcast.</p> + +<p>Toward morning the Wild Ducks flew +up, and looked at their new companion.</p> + +<p>"What sort of a one are you?" they +asked; and the Duckling turned in every +direction, and bowed as well as it could. +"You are remarkably ugly!" said the +Wild Ducks. "But that is very indifferent +to us, so long as you do not marry +into our family."</p> + +<p>Poor thing! It certainly did not think +of marrying, and only hoped to obtain +leave to lie among the reeds and drink +some of the swamp-water.</p> + +<p>Thus it lay two whole days; then came +thither two Wild Geese, or, properly +speaking, two wild ganders. It was not +long since each had crept out of an egg, +and that's why they were so saucy.</p> + +<p>"Listen, comrade," said one of them. +"You're so ugly that I like you. Will +you go with us, and become a bird of +passage? Near here, in another moor, +there are a few sweet lovely wild geese, +all unmarried, and all able to say, 'Rap!' +You've a chance of making your fortune, +ugly as you are!"</p> + +<p>"Piff! paff!" resounded through the +air; and the two ganders fell down dead +in the swamp, and the water became +blood-red. "Piff! paff!" it sounded +again, and whole flocks of wild geese rose +up from the reeds. And then there was +another report. A great hunt was going +on. The hunters were lying in wait all +round the moor, and some were even +sitting up in the branches of the trees, +which spread far over the reeds. The +blue smoke rose up like clouds among the +dark trees, and was wafted far away +across the water; and the hunting dogs +came—splash, splash!—into the swamp, +and the rushes and the reeds bent down +on every side. That was a fright for the +poor Duckling! It turned its head, and +put it under its wing; but at that moment +a frightful great dog stood close by the +Duckling. His tongue hung far out of +his mouth and his eyes gleamed horrible +and ugly; he thrust out his nose close +against the Duckling, showed his sharp +teeth, and—splash, splash!—on he went +without seizing it.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Heaven be thanked!" sighed the +Duckling. "I am so ugly that even the +dog does not like to bite me!"</p> + +<p>And so it lay quite quiet, while the +shots rattled through the reeds and gun +after gun was fired. At last, late in the +day, silence was restored; but the poor +Duckling did not dare to rise up; it waited +several hours before it looked round, and +then hastened away out of the moor as +fast as it could. It ran on over field and +meadow; there was such a storm raging +that it was difficult to get from one place +to another.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toward evening the Duck came to a +little miserable peasant's hut. This hut +was so dilapidated that it did not know +on which side it should fall; and that's +why it remained standing. The storm +whistled round the Duckling in such a +way that the poor creature was obliged +to sit down, to stand against it; and the +tempest grew worse and worse. Then +the Duckling noticed that one of the +hinges of the door had given way, and +the door hung so slanting that the Duckling +could slip through the crack into the +room; and it did so.</p> + +<p>Here lived a woman with her Tom Cat +and her Hen. And the Tom Cat, whom +she called Sonnie, could arch his back and +purr. He could even give out sparks; but +for that one had to stroke his fur the +wrong way. The Hen had quite little +short legs, and therefore she was called +Chickabiddy-shortshanks; she laid good +eggs, and the woman loved her as her +own child.</p> + +<p>In the morning the strange Duckling +was at once noticed, and the Tom Cat +began to purr, and the Hen to cluck.</p> + +<p>"What's this?" said the woman, and +looked all round; but she could not see +well, and therefore she thought the Duckling +was a fat duck that had strayed. +"This is a rare prize," she said. "Now +I shall have duck's eggs. I hope it is +not a drake. We must try that."</p> + +<p>And so the Duckling was admitted on +trial for three weeks; but no eggs came. +And the Tom Cat was master of the +house, and the Hen was the lady, and +they always said, "We and the world!" +for they thought they were half the world, +and by far the better half. The Duckling +thought one might have a different +opinion, but the Hen would not allow it.</p> + +<p>"Can you lay eggs?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Then you'll have the goodness to +hold your tongue."</p> + +<p>And the Tom Cat said, "Can you curve +your back, and purr, and give out +sparks?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Then you cannot have any opinion +of your own when sensible people are +speaking."</p> + +<p>And the Duckling sat in a corner and +was melancholy; then the fresh air and +the sunshine streamed in; and it was +seized with such a strange longing to swim +on the water that it could not help telling +the Hen of it.</p> + +<p>"What are you thinking of?" cried the +Hen. "You have nothing to do; that's +why you have these fancies. Purr or +lay eggs, and they will pass over."</p> + +<p>"But it is so charming to swim on the +water!" said the Duckling, "so refreshing +to let it close above one's head, and to +dive down to the bottom."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that must be a mighty pleasure, +truly," quoth the Hen. "I fancy you +must have gone crazy. Ask the Cat +about it—he's the cleverest animal I +know—ask him if he likes to swim on +the water, or to dive down: I won't +speak about myself. Ask our mistress, +the old woman; no one in the world is +cleverer than she. Do you think she +has any desire to swim, and to let the +water close above her head?"</p> + +<p>"You don't understand me," said the +Duckling.</p> + +<p>"We don't understand you? Then +pray who is to understand you? You +surely don't pretend to be cleverer than +the Tom Cat and the old woman—I +won't say anything of myself. Don't be +conceited, child, and be grateful for all +the kindness you have received. Did<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +you not get into a warm room, and have +you not fallen into company from which +you may learn something? But you are +a chatterer, and it is not pleasant to associate +with you. You may believe me, I +speak for your good. I tell you disagreeable +things, and by that one may always +know one's true friends. Only take care +that you learn to lay eggs, or to purr and +give out sparks!"</p> + +<p>"I think I will go out into the wide +world," said the Duckling.</p> + +<p>"Yes, do go," replied the Hen.</p> + +<p>And the Duckling went away. It +swam on the water, and dived, but it was +slighted by every creature because of its +ugliness.</p> + +<p>Now came the autumn. The leaves +in the forest turned yellow and brown; +the wind caught them so that they danced +about, and up in the air it was very cold. +The clouds hung low, heavy with hail +and snow-flakes, and on the fence stood +the raven, crying, "Croak! croak!" for +mere cold; yes, it was enough to make +one feel cold to think of this. The poor +little Duckling certainly had not a good +time. One evening—the sun was just +setting in his beauty—there came a +whole flock of great handsome birds out +of the bushes; they were dazzlingly white, +with long flexible necks; they were swans. +They uttered a very peculiar cry, spread +forth their glorious great wings, and +flew away from that cold region to warmer +lands, to fair open lakes. They mounted +so high, so high! and the ugly little Duckling +felt quite strange as it watched +them. It turned round and round in the +water like a wheel, stretched out its neck +toward them, and uttered such a strange +loud cry as frightened itself. Oh! it +could not forget those beautiful, happy +birds; and so soon as it could see them no +longer, it dived down to the very bottom, +and when it came up again, it was quite +beside itself. It knew not the name of +those birds, and knew not whither they +were flying; but it loved them more than +it had ever loved anyone. It was not +at all envious of them. How could it +think of wishing to possess such loveliness +as they had? It would have been glad +if only the ducks would have endured its +company—the poor ugly creature!</p> + +<p>And the winter grew cold, very cold! +The Duckling was forced to swim about +in the water, to prevent the surface from +freezing entirely; but every night the +hole in which it swam about became +smaller and smaller. It froze so hard +that the icy covering crackled again; and +the Duckling was obliged to use its legs +continually to prevent the hole from +freezing up. At last it became exhausted, +and lay quite still, and thus froze fast +into the ice.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning a peasant came +by, and when he saw what had happened, +he took his wooden shoe, broke the ice-crust +to pieces, and carried the Duckling +home to his wife. Then it came to itself +again. The children wanted to play with +it; but the Duckling thought they would +do it an injury, and in its terror fluttered +up into the milk-pan, so that the milk +spurted down into the room. The +woman clapped her hands, at which the +Duckling flew down into the butter-tub, +and then into the meal-barrel and out +again. How it looked then! The woman +screamed, and struck at it with the +fire-tongs; the children tumbled over one +another in their efforts to catch the +Duckling; and they laughed and screamed +finely. Happily the door stood open, +and the poor creature was able to slip +out between the shrubs into the newly-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span>fallen +snow; and there it lay quite +exhausted.</p> + +<p>But it would be too melancholy if I +were to tell all the misery and care which +the Duckling had to endure in the hard +winter. It lay out on the moor among +the reeds when the sun began to shine +again and the larks to sing; it was a +beautiful spring.</p> + +<p>Then all at once the Duckling could +flap its wings; they beat the air more +strongly than before, and bore it strongly +away; and before it well knew how all +this had happened, it found itself in a +great garden, where the elder trees smelt +sweet, and bent their long green branches +down to the canal that wound through +the region. Oh, here it was so beautiful, +such a gladness of spring! and from the +thicket came three glorious white swans; +they rustled their wings, and swam lightly +on the water. The Duckling knew the +splendid creatures, and felt oppressed by +a peculiar sadness.</p> + +<p>"I will fly away to them, to the royal +birds! and they will kill me, because I, +that am so ugly, dare to approach them. +But it is of no consequence! Better to +be killed by <i>them</i> than to be pursued by +ducks, and beaten by fowls, and pushed +about by the girl who takes care of the +poultry-yard, and to suffer hunger in +winter!" And it flew out into the +water, and swam toward the beautiful +swans: these looked at it, and came sailing +down upon it with outspread wings. +"Kill me!" said the poor creature, and +bent its head down upon the water, +expecting nothing but death. But what +was this that it saw in the clear water? +It beheld its own image—and, lo! it was +no longer a clumsy dark-gray bird, ugly +and hateful to look at, but—a swan.</p> + +<p>It matters nothing if one was born in +a duck-yard, if one has only lain in a +swan's egg.</p> + +<p>It felt quite glad at all the need and +misfortune it had suffered, now it realized +its happiness in all the splendor that surrounded +it. And the great swans swam +round it, and stroked it with their beaks.</p> + +<p>Into the garden came little children, +who threw bread and corn into the water; +the youngest cried, "There is a new one!" +and the other children shouted joyously, +"Yes, a new one has arrived!" And +they clapped their hands and danced +about, and ran to their father and mother; +and bread and cake were thrown into the +water; and they all said, "The new one is +the most beautiful of all! so young and +handsome!" and the old swans bowed +their heads before him.</p> + +<p>Then he felt quite ashamed, and hid +his head under his wing, for he did not +know what to do; he was so happy, and +yet not at all proud. He thought how +he had been persecuted and despised; and +now he heard them saying that he was +the most beautiful of all the birds. Even +the elder tree bent its branches straight +down into the water before him, and the +sun shone warm and mild. Then his +wings rustled, he lifted his slender neck, +and cried rejoicingly from the depths of +his heart:</p> + +<p>"I never dreamed of so much happiness +when I was still the Ugly Duckling!"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_199" id="Note_199">199</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">One of the really successful modern attempts +at telling new fairy stories was <i>Granny's +Wonderful Chair</i> (1857) by the blind +poet Frances Browne (1816-1887). In +spite of the obstacles due to blindness, +poverty, and ill-health, she succeeded in +educating herself, and after achieving some +fame as a poet left her mountain village<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +in county Donegal, Ireland, to make a +literary career in Edinburgh and London. +She published many volumes of poems, +novels, and children's books. Only one +of these is now much read or remembered, +but it has taken a firm place in the affections +of children. In <i>Granny's Wonderful Chair</i> +there are seven stories, set in an +interesting framework which tells of the +adventures of the little girl Snowflower and +her chair at the court of King Winwealth. +This chair had magic power to transport +Snowflower wherever she wished to go, like +the magic carpet in the <i>Arabian Nights</i>. +When she laid down her head and said, +"Chair of my grandmother, tell me a story," +a clear voice from under the cushion would +at once begin to speak. Besides the story +that follows, two of the most satisfactory +in the collection are "The Greedy Shepherd" +and "The Story of Merrymind." Perhaps +one of the secrets of their charm is in the +power of visualization which the author +possessed. The pictures are all clear and +definite, yet touched with the glamor of +fairyland.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE STORY OF FAIRYFOOT</h4> + +<div class='center'>FRANCES BROWNE</div> + +<p>Once upon a time there stood far away +in the west country a town called Stumpinghame. +It contained seven windmills, +a royal palace, a market place, and a +prison, with every other convenience +befitting the capital of a kingdom. A +capital city was Stumpinghame, and its +inhabitants thought it the only one in +the world. It stood in the midst of a +great plain, which for three leagues round +its walls was covered with corn, flax, and +orchards. Beyond that lay a great +circle of pasture land, seven leagues in +breadth, and it was bounded on all sides +by a forest so thick and old that no man +in Stumpinghame knew its extent; and +the opinion of the learned was that it +reached to the end of the world.</p> + +<p>There were strong reasons for this +opinion. First, that forest was known +to be inhabited time out of mind by the +fairies, and no hunter cared to go beyond +its border—so all the west country +believed it to be solidly full of old trees +to the heart. Secondly, the people of +Stumpinghame were no travelers—man, +woman, and child had feet so large and +heavy that it was by no means convenient +to carry them far. Whether it +was the nature of the place or the people, +I cannot tell, but great feet had been the +fashion there time immemorial, and the +higher the family the larger were they. +It was, therefore, the aim of everybody +above the degree of shepherds, and such-like +rustics, to swell out and enlarge +their feet by way of gentility; and so +successful were they in these undertakings +that, on a pinch, respectable people's +slippers would have served for panniers.</p> + +<p>Stumpinghame had a king of its own, +and his name was Stiffstep; his family +was very ancient and large-footed. His +subjects called him Lord of the World, +and he made a speech to them every +year concerning the grandeur of his +mighty empire. His queen, Hammerheel, +was the greatest beauty in Stumpinghame. +Her majesty's shoe was not +much less than a fishing-boat; their six +children promised to be quite as handsome, +and all went well with them till the +birth of their seventh son.</p> + +<p>For a long time nobody about the +palace could understand what was the +matter—the ladies-in-waiting looked so +astonished, and the king so vexed; but +at last it was whispered through the city +that the queen's seventh child had been +born with such miserably small feet that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +they resembled nothing ever seen or heard +of in Stumpinghame, except the feet of +the fairies.</p> + +<p>The chronicles furnished no example of +such an affliction ever before happening +in the royal family. The common people +thought it portended some great calamity +to the city; the learnèd men began to +write books about it; and all the relations +of the king and queen assembled at the +palace to mourn with them over their +singular misfortune. The whole court +and most of the citizens helped in this +mourning, but when it had lasted seven +days they all found out it was of no use. +So the relations went to their homes, and +the people took to their work. If the +learnèd men's books were written, nobody +ever read them; and to cheer up the +queen's spirits, the young prince was sent +privately out to the pasture lands, to be +nursed among the shepherds.</p> + +<p>The chief man there was called +Fleecefold, and his wife's name was +Rough Ruddy. They lived in a snug +cottage with their son Blackthorn and +their daughter Brownberry, and were +thought great people, because they kept +the king's sheep. Moreover, Fleecefold's +family were known to be ancient; and +Rough Ruddy boasted that she had the +largest feet in all the pastures. The +shepherds held them in high respect, and +it grew still higher when the news spread +that the king's seventh son had been sent +to their cottage. People came from all +quarters to see the young prince, and +great were the lamentations over his +misfortune in having such small feet.</p> + +<p>The king and queen had given him +fourteen names, beginning with Augustus—such +being the fashion in that +royal family; but the honest country +people could not remember so many; +besides, his feet were the most remarkable +thing about the child, so with one +accord they called him Fairyfoot. At +first it was feared this might be high +treason, but when no notice was taken +by the king or his ministers, the shepherds +concluded it was no harm, and the +boy never had another name throughout +the pastures. At court it was not +thought polite to speak of him at all. +They did not keep his birthday, and +he was never sent for at Christmas, +because the queen and her ladies could +not bear the sight. Once a year the +undermost scullion was sent to see how +he did, with a bundle of his next brother's +cast-off clothes; and, as the king grew +old and cross, it was said he had thoughts +of disowning him.</p> + +<p>So Fairyfoot grew in Fleecefold's cottage. +Perhaps the country air made +him fair and rosy—for all agreed that +he would have been a handsome boy +but for his small feet, with which nevertheless +he learned to walk, and in time +to run and to jump, thereby amazing +everybody, for such doings were not +known among the children of Stumpinghame. +The news of court, however, +traveled to the shepherds, and Fairyfoot +was despised among them. The +old people thought him unlucky; the +children refused to play with him. +Fleecefold was ashamed to have him in +his cottage, but he durst not disobey +the king's orders. Moreover, Blackthorn +wore most of the clothes brought by the +scullion. At last, Rough Ruddy found +out that the sight of such horrid jumping +would make her children vulgar; and, +as soon as he was old enough, she sent +Fairyfoot every day to watch some sickly +sheep that grazed on a wild, weedy +pasture, hard by the forest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span></p> + +<p>Poor Fairyfoot was often lonely and +sorrowful; many a time he wished his +feet would grow larger, or that people +wouldn't notice them so much; and all +the comfort he had was running and +jumping by himself in the wild pasture, +and thinking that none of the shepherds' +children could do the like, for all their +pride of their great feet.</p> + +<p>Tired of this sport, he was lying in +the shadow of a mossy rock one warm +summer's noon, with the sheep feeding +around, when a robin, pursued by a +great hawk, flew into the old velvet +cap which lay on the ground beside him. +Fairyfoot covered it up, and the hawk, +frightened by his shout, flew away.</p> + +<p>"Now you may go, poor robin!" he +said, opening the cap: but instead of +the bird, out sprang a little man dressed +in russet-brown, and looking as if he +were an hundred years old. Fairyfoot +could not speak for astonishment, but +the little man said—</p> + +<p>"Thank you for your shelter, and be +sure I will do as much for you. Call on +me if you are ever in trouble; my name +is Robin Goodfellow"; and darting off, +he was out of sight in an instant. For +days the boy wondered who that little +man could be, but he told nobody, for +the little man's feet were as small as +his own, and it was clear he would be +no favorite in Stumpinghame. Fairyfoot +kept the story to himself, and at +last midsummer came. That evening +was a feast among the shepherds. There +were bonfires on the hills, and fun in +the villages. But Fairyfoot sat alone +beside his sheepfold, for the children of +his village had refused to let him dance +with them about the bonfire, and he had +gone there to bewail the size of his feet, +which came between him and so many +good things. Fairyfoot had never felt so +lonely in all his life, and remembering the +little man, he plucked up spirit, and cried—</p> + +<p>"Ho! Robin Goodfellow!"</p> + +<p>"Here I am," said a shrill voice at his +elbow; and there stood the little man +himself.</p> + +<p>"I am very lonely, and no one will +play with me, because my feet are not +large enough," said Fairyfoot.</p> + +<p>"Come then and play with us," said +the little man. "We lead the merriest +lives in the world, and care for nobody's +feet; but all companies have their own +manners, and there are two things you +must mind among us: first, do as you +see the rest doing; and secondly, never +speak of anything you may hear or see, +for we and the people of this country +have had no friendship ever since large +feet came in fashion."</p> + +<p>"I will do that, and anything more +you like," said Fairyfoot; and the little +man, taking his hand, led him over the +pasture into the forest and along a +mossy path among old trees wreathed +with ivy (he never knew how far), till +they heard the sound of music and came +upon a meadow where the moon shone +as bright as day, and all the flowers of +the year—snowdrops, violets, primroses, +and cowslips—bloomed together in the +thick grass. There were a crowd of +little men and women, some clad in +russet color, but far more in green, dancing +round a little well as clear as crystal. +And under great rose-trees which grew +here and there in the meadow, companies +were sitting round low tables +covered with cups of milk, dishes of +honey, and carved wooden flagons filled +with clear red wine. The little man led +Fairyfoot up to the nearest table, handed +him one of the flagons, and said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span>—</p> + +<p>"Drink to the good company."</p> + +<p>Wine was not very common among +the shepherds of Stumpinghame, and the +boy had never tasted such drink as that +before; for scarcely had it gone down +when he forgot all his troubles—how +Blackthorn and Brownberry wore his +clothes, how Rough Ruddy sent him to +keep the sickly sheep, and the children +would not dance with him: in short, he +forgot the whole misfortune of his feet, +and it seemed to his mind that he was a +king's son, and all was well with him. +All the little people about the well cried—"Welcome! +welcome!" and every one +said—"Come and dance with me!" So +Fairyfoot was as happy as a prince, and +drank milk and ate honey till the moon +was low in the sky, and then the little +man took him by the hand, and never +stopped nor stayed till he was at his +own bed of straw in the cottage corner.</p> + +<p>Next morning Fairyfoot was not tired +for all his dancing. Nobody in the cottage +had missed him, and he went out +with the sheep as usual; but every night +all that summer, when the shepherds were +safe in bed, the little man came and took +him away to dance in the forest. Now he +did not care to play with the shepherds' +children, nor grieve that his father and +mother had forgotten him, but watched +the sheep all day, singing to himself or +plaiting rushes; and when the sun went +down, Fairyfoot's heart rejoiced at the +thought of meeting that merry company.</p> + +<p>The wonder was that he was never +tired nor sleepy, as people are apt to +be who dance all night; but before the +summer was ended Fairyfoot found out +the reason. One night, when the moon +was full, and the last of the ripe corn +rustling in the fields, Robin Goodfellow +came for him as usual, and away they +went to the flowery green. The fun +there was high, and Robin was in haste. +So he only pointed to the carved cup +from which Fairyfoot every night drank +the clear red wine.</p> + +<p>"I am not thirsty, and there is no use +losing time," thought the boy to himself, +and he joined the dance; but never in +all his life did Fairyfoot find such hard +work as to keep pace with the company. +Their feet seemed to move like lightning, +the swallows did not fly so fast or turn +so quickly. Fairyfoot did his best, for +he never gave in easily, but at length, +his breath and strength being spent, +the boy was glad to steal away and sit +down behind a mossy oak, where his +eyes closed for very weariness. When +he awoke the dance was nearly over, but +two little ladies clad in green talked close +beside him.</p> + +<p>"What a beautiful boy!" said one of +them. "He is worthy to be a king's son. +Only see what handsome feet he has!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the other, with a laugh, +that sounded spiteful; "they are just +like the feet Princess Maybloom had +before she washed them in the Growing +Well. Her father has sent far and wide +throughout the whole country searching +for a doctor to make them small again, +but nothing in this world can do it +except the water of the Fair Fountain, +and none but I and the nightingales +know where it is."</p> + +<p>"One would not care to let the like be +known," said the first little lady: "there +would come such crowds of these great +coarse creatures of mankind, nobody +would have peace for leagues round. +But you will surely send word to the +sweet princess!—she was so kind to +our birds and butterflies, and danced so +like one of ourselves!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Not I, indeed!" said the spiteful +fairy. "Her old skinflint of a father +cut down the cedar which I loved best +in the whole forest, and made a chest +of it to hold his money in; besides, I +never liked the princess—everybody +praised her so. But come, we shall be +too late for the last dance."</p> + +<p>When they were gone, Fairyfoot could +sleep no more with astonishment. He +did not wonder at the fairies admiring +his feet, because their own were much +the same; but it amazed him that +Princess Maybloom's father should be +troubled at hers growing large. Moreover, +he wished to see that same princess +and her country, since there were +really other places in the world than +Stumpinghame.</p> + +<p>When Robin Goodfellow came to take +him home as usual he durst not let him +know that he had overheard anything; +but never was the boy so unwilling to +get up as on that morning, and all day +he was so weary that in the afternoon +Fairyfoot fell asleep, with his head on +a clump of rushes. It was seldom that +any one thought of looking after him +and the sickly sheep; but it so happened +that towards evening the old shepherd, +Fleecefold, thought he would see how +things went on in the pastures. The +shepherd had a bad temper and a thick +staff, and no sooner did he catch sight +of Fairyfoot sleeping, and his flock +straying away, than shouting all the +ill names he could remember, in a voice +which woke up the boy, he ran after +him as fast as his great feet would allow; +while Fairyfoot, seeing no other shelter +from his fury, fled into the forest, and +never stopped nor stayed till he reached +the banks of a little stream.</p> + +<p>Thinking it might lead him to the +fairies' dancing-ground, he followed that +stream for many an hour, but it wound +away into the heart of the forest, flowing +through dells, falling over mossy rocks, +and at last leading Fairyfoot, when he +was tired and the night had fallen, to a +grove of great rose-trees, with the moon +shining on it as bright as day, and +thousands of nightingales singing in the +branches. In the midst of that grove +was a clear spring, bordered with banks +of lilies, and Fairyfoot sat down by it to +rest himself and listen. The singing was +so sweet he could have listened for ever, +but as he sat the nightingales left off their +songs, and began to talk together in the +silence of the night.</p> + +<p>"What boy is that," said one on a +branch above him, "who sits so lonely +by the Fair Fountain? He cannot have +come from Stumpinghame with such +small and handsome feet."</p> + +<p>"No, I'll warrant you," said another, +"he has come from the west country. +How in the world did he find the way?"</p> + +<p>"How simple you are!" said a third +nightingale. "What had he to do but +follow the ground-ivy which grows over +height and hollow, bank and bush, from +the lowest gate of the king's kitchen +garden to the root of this rose-tree? He +looks a wise boy, and I hope he will +keep the secret, or we shall have all the +west country here, dabbling in our +fountain, and leaving us no rest to either +talk or sing."</p> + +<p>Fairyfoot sat in great astonishment at +this discourse, but by and by, when the +talk ceased and the songs began, he +thought it might be as well for him to +follow the ground-ivy, and see the +Princess Maybloom, not to speak of +getting rid of Rough Ruddy, the sickly +sheep, and the crusty old shepherd. It<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +was a long journey; but he went on, +eating wild berries by day, sleeping in the +hollows of old trees by night, and never +losing sight of the ground-ivy, which led +him over height and hollow, bank and +bush, out of the forest, and along a noble +high road, with fields and villages on +every side, to a great city, and a low old-fashioned +gate of the king's kitchen-garden, +which was thought too mean for +the scullions, and had not been opened +for seven years.</p> + +<p>There was no use knocking—the gate +was overgrown with tall weeds and moss; +so, being an active boy, he climbed over, +and walked through the garden, till a +white fawn came frisking by, and he +heard a soft voice saying sorrowfully—</p> + +<p>"Come back, come back, my fawn! +I cannot run and play with you now, my +feet have grown so heavy"; and looking +round he saw the loveliest young princess +in the world, dressed in snow-white, and +wearing a wreath of roses on her golden +hair; but walking slowly, as the great +people did in Stumpinghame, for her feet +were as large as the best of them.</p> + +<p>After her came six young ladies, dressed +in white and walking slowly, for they +could not go before the princess; but +Fairyfoot was amazed to see that their +feet were as small as his own. At once +he guessed that this must be the Princess +Maybloom, and made her an humble +bow, saying—</p> + +<p>"Royal princess, I have heard of your +trouble because your feet have grown +large; in my country that's all the +fashion. For seven years past I have +been wondering what would make mine +grow, to no purpose; but I know of a +certain fountain that will make yours +smaller and finer than ever they were, +if the king, your father, gives you leave +to come with me, accompanied by two of +your maids that are the least given to +talking, and the most prudent officer in +all his household; for it would grievously +offend the fairies and the nightingales to +make that fountain known."</p> + +<p>When the princess heard that, she +danced for joy in spite of her large feet, +and she and her six maids brought +Fairyfoot before the king and queen, +where they sat in their palace hall, with +all the courtiers paying their morning +compliments. The lords were very much +astonished to see a ragged, bare-footed +boy brought in among them, and the +ladies thought Princess Maybloom must +have gone mad; but Fairyfoot, making an +humble reverence, told his message to +the king and queen, and offered to set +out with the princess that very day. At +first the king would not believe that +there could be any use in his offer, because +so many great physicians had +failed to give any relief. The courtiers +laughed Fairyfoot to scorn, the pages +wanted to turn him out for an impudent +impostor, and the prime minister said +he ought to be put to death for high +treason.</p> + +<p>Fairyfoot wished himself safe in the +forest again, or even keeping the sickly +sheep; but the queen, being a prudent +woman, said—</p> + +<p>"I pray your majesty to notice what +fine feet this boy has. There may be +some truth in his story. For the sake +of our only daughter, I will choose two +maids who talk the least of all our train, +and my chamberlain, who is the most +discreet officer in our household. Let +them go with the princess; who knows +but our sorrow may be lessened?"</p> + +<p>After some persuasion the king consented, +though all his councillors advised<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +the contrary. So the two silent maids, +the discreet chamberlain, and her fawn, +which would not stay behind, were sent +with Princess Maybloom, and they all +set out after dinner. Fairyfoot had hard +work guiding them along the track of +the ground-ivy. The maids and the +chamberlain did not like the brambles +and rough roots of the forest—they +thought it hard to eat berries and sleep +in hollow trees; but the princess went on +with good courage, and at last they +reached the grove of rose-trees, and the +spring bordered with lilies.</p> + +<p>The chamberlain washed—and though +his hair had been grey, and his face +wrinkled, the young courtiers envied his +beauty for years after. The maids +washed—and from that day they were +esteemed the fairest in all the palace. +Lastly, the princess washed also—it +could make her no fairer, but the moment +her feet touched the water they grew +less, and when she had washed and dried +them three times, they were as small and +finely-shaped as Fairyfoot's own. There +was great joy among them, but the boy +said sorrowfully—</p> + +<p>"Oh! if there had been a well in the +world to make my feet large, my father +and mother would not have cast me off, +nor sent me to live among the shepherds."</p> + +<p>"Cheer up your heart," said the +Princess Maybloom; "if you want large +feet, there is a well in this forest that will +do it. Last summer time I came with +my father and his foresters to see a great +cedar cut down, of which he meant to +make a money chest. While they were +busy with the cedar, I saw a bramble +branch covered with berries. Some were +ripe and some were green, but it was the +longest bramble that ever grew; for the +sake of the berries, I went on and on to +its root, which grew hard by a muddy-looking +well, with banks of dark green +moss, in the deepest part of the forest. +The day was warm and dry and my feet +were sore with the rough ground, so I +took off my scarlet shoes and washed my +feet in the well; but as I washed they +grew larger every minute, and nothing +could ever make them less again. I +have seen the bramble this day; it is not +far off, and as you have shown me the +Fair Fountain, I will show you the Growing +Well."</p> + +<p>Up rose Fairyfoot and Princess Maybloom, +and went together till they found +the bramble, and came to where its root +grew, hard by the muddy-looking well, +with banks of dark green moss in the +deepest dell of the forest. Fairyfoot sat +down to wash, but at that minute he +heard a sound of music, and knew it +was the fairies going to their dancing +ground.</p> + +<p>"If my feet grow large," said the boy +to himself, "how shall I dance with +them?" So, rising quickly, he took the +Princess Maybloom by the hand. The +fawn followed them; the maids and the +chamberlain followed it, and all followed +the music through the forest. At last +they came to the flowery green. Robin +Goodfellow welcomed the company for +Fairyfoot's sake, and gave every one a +drink of the fairies' wine. So they danced +there from sunset till the grey morning, +and nobody was tired; but before the lark +sang, Robin Goodfellow took them all +safe home, as he used to take Fairyfoot.</p> + +<p>There was great joy that day in the +palace because Princess Maybloom's feet +were made small again. The king gave +Fairyfoot all manner of fine clothes and +rich jewels; and when they heard his +wonderful story, he and the queen asked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +him to live with them and be their son. +In process of time Fairyfoot and Princess +Maybloom were married, and still live +happily. When they go to visit at +Stumpinghame, they always wash their +feet in the Growing Well, lest the royal +family might think them a disgrace, but +when they come back, they make haste +to the Fair Fountain; and the fairies and +the nightingales are great friends to +them, as well as the maids and the +chamberlain, because they have told +nobody about it, and there is peace and +quiet yet in the grove of rose-trees.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_200" id="Note_200">200</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The ill-fated Oscar Wilde (1856-1900) was +born in Ireland, was educated at Oxford, +came into great notoriety as the reputed +leader of the "aesthetic movement," was +prominent in the London literary world +from 1885 to 1895, fell under the obloquy +of most of his countrymen, and died in +distressing circumstances in Paris. In +addition to some remarkable plays, poems, +and prose books, he wrote a number of +unusual stories especially fascinating to +children, which were collected under the +title <i>The Happy Prince, and Other Tales</i>. +These stories were at once recognized as +classic in quality. While they contain +much implied criticism of certain features +of modern civilization, the whole tone is +so idealistic and the workmanship so fine +that they convey no strong note of bitterness +to the child. "The Happy Prince" +suggests that Wilde saw on the one hand +"the white faces of starving children looking +out listlessly at the black streets"; +while on the other hand he saw the Pyramids, +marble angels sculptured on the +cathedral tower, and the gold-covered +statue of the Prince of the Palace of the +Care-Free. Wilde also suggests a remedy +for the starvation and wretchedness that +exist, especially among children, in most +cities where great wealth is displayed. The +important thing in presenting this story +to children is to get the full sympathetic +response due to the sacrifice made by the +Happy Prince and the little swallow. So +much of the effect depends upon the wonderful +beauty of the language that teachers will, +as a rule, get better results from reading or +reciting than from any kind of oral paraphrase. +Another story in this same volume +widely and successfully used by teachers +is the one called "The Selfish Giant."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE HAPPY PRINCE</h4> + +<div class='center'>OSCAR WILDE</div> + +<p>High above the city, on a tall column, +stood the statue of the Happy Prince. +He was gilded all over with thin leaves +of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright +sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on +his sword-hilt.</p> + +<p>He was very much admired indeed. +"He is as beautiful as a weathercock," +remarked one of the Town Councillors +who wished to gain a reputation for having +artistic tastes; "only not quite so +useful," he added, fearing lest people +should think him unpractical, which he +really was not.</p> + +<p>"Why can't you be like the Happy +Prince?" asked a sensible mother of her +little boy who was crying for the moon. +"The Happy Prince never dreams of +crying for anything."</p> + +<p>"I am glad there is some one in the +world who is quite happy," muttered a +disappointed man as he gazed at the +wonderful statue.</p> + +<p>"He looks just like an angel," said the +Charity Children as they came out of the +cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks +and their clean white pinafores.</p> + +<p>"How do you know?" said the Mathematical +Master; "you have never seen +one."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Ah! but we have, in our dreams," +answered the children; and the Mathematical +Master frowned and looked very +severe, for he did not approve of children +dreaming.</p> + +<p>One night there flew over the city a +Little Swallow. His friends had gone +away to Egypt six weeks before, but he +had stayed behind, for he was in love with +the most beautiful Reed. He had met +her early in the spring as he was flying +down the river after a big yellow moth, +and had been so attracted by her slender +waist that he had stopped to talk to her.</p> + +<p>"Shall I love you?" said the Swallow, +who liked to come to the point at once, +and the Reed made him a low bow. So +he flew round and round her, touching +the water with his wings, and making +silver ripples. This was his courtship, +and it lasted all through the summer.</p> + +<p>"It is a ridiculous attachment," twittered +the other Swallows; "she has no +money, and far too many relations"; and +indeed the river was quite full of Reeds. +Then when the autumn came they all +flew away.</p> + +<p>After they had gone he felt lonely, and +began to tire of his lady-love. "She has +no conversation," he said, "and I am +afraid that she is a coquette, for she is +always flirting with the wind." And +certainly, whenever the wind blew, the +Reed made the most graceful curtseys. +"I admit that she is domestic," he continued, +"but I love traveling, and my +wife, consequently, should love traveling +also."</p> + +<p>"Will you come away with me?" he +said finally to her; but the Reed shook her +head, she was so attached to her home.</p> + +<p>"You have been trifling with me," he +cried. "I am off to the Pyramids. +Good-bye!" and he flew away.</p> + +<p>All day long he flew, and at night-time +he arrived at the city. "Where shall I +put up?" he said; "I hope the town has +made preparations."</p> + +<p>Then he saw the statue on the tall +column.</p> + +<p>"I will put up there," he cried; "it is a +fine position, with plenty of fresh air." +So he alighted just between the feet of +the Happy Prince.</p> + +<p>"I have a golden bedroom," he said +softly to himself as he looked round, and +he prepared to go to sleep; but just as he +was putting his head under his wing a +large drop of water fell on him. "What +a curious thing!" he cried; "there is not +a single cloud in the sky, the stars are +quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining. +The climate in the north of Europe +is really dreadful. The Reed used to like +the rain, but that was merely her selfishness."</p> + +<p>Then another drop fell.</p> + +<p>"What is the use of a statue if it cannot +keep the rain off?" he said; "I must +look for a good chimney-pot," and he +determined to fly away.</p> + +<p>But before he had opened his wings, a +third drop fell, and he looked up, and +saw—Ah! what did he see?</p> + +<p>The eyes of the Happy Prince were +filled with tears, and tears were running +down his golden cheeks. His face was +so beautiful in the moonlight that the +little Swallow was filled with pity.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" he said.</p> + +<p>"I am the Happy Prince."</p> + +<p>"Why are you weeping then?" asked the +Swallow; "you have quite drenched me."</p> + +<p>"When I was alive and had a human +heart," answered the statue, "I did not +know what tears were, for I lived in the +Palace of Sans-Souci, where sorrow is not +allowed to enter. In the daytime I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +played with my companions in the garden, +and in the evening I led the dance +in the Great Hall. Round the garden +ran a very lofty wall, but I never cared +to ask what lay beyond it, everything +about me was so beautiful. My courtiers +called me the Happy Prince, and +happy indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness. +So I lived, and so I died. And +now that I am dead they have set me up +here so high that I can see all the ugliness +and all the misery of my city, and though +my heart is made of lead yet I cannot +choose but weep."</p> + +<p>"What! is he not solid gold?" said the +Swallow to himself. He was too polite +to make any personal remarks out loud.</p> + +<p>"Far away," continued the statue in a +low musical voice, "far away in a little +street there is a poor house. One of the +windows is open, and through it I can +see a woman seated at a table. Her face +is thin and worn, and she has coarse, red +hands, all pricked by the needle, for she +is a seamstress. She is embroidering +passion-flowers on a satin gown for the +loveliest of the Queen's maids-of-honor to +wear at the next Court-ball. In a bed +in the corner of the room her little boy +is lying ill. He has a fever, and is asking +for oranges. His mother has nothing to +give him but river water, so he is crying. +Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, +will you not take her the ruby out of +my sword-hilt? My feet are fastened to +this pedestal and I cannot move."</p> + +<p>"I am waited for in Egypt," said the +Swallow. "My friends are flying up and +down the Nile, and talking to the large +lotus-flowers. Soon they will go to sleep +in the tomb of the great King. The King +is there himself in his painted coffin. He +is wrapped in yellow linen, and embalmed +with spices. Round his neck is a chain +of pale green jade, and his hands are like +withered leaves."</p> + +<p>"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," +said the Prince, "will you not stay with +me for one night, and be my messenger? +The boy is so thirsty, and the mother so +sad."</p> + +<p>"I don't think I like boys," answered +the Swallow. "Last summer, when I +was staying on the river, there were two +rude boys, the miller's sons, who were +always throwing stones at me. They +never hit me, of course; we swallows fly +far too well for that, and besides, I come +of a family famous for its agility; but still, +it was a mark of disrespect."</p> + +<p>But the Happy Prince looked so sad +that the little Swallow was sorry. "It is +very cold here," he said; "but I will stay +with you for one night, and be your +messenger."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, little Swallow," said the +Prince.</p> + +<p>So the Swallow picked out the great +ruby from the Prince's sword, and flew +away with it in his beak over the roofs of +the town.</p> + +<p>He passed by the cathedral tower, +where the white marble angels were sculptured. +He passed by the palace and +heard the sound of dancing. A beautiful +girl came out on the balcony with her +lover. "How wonderful the stars are," +he said to her, "and how wonderful is +the power of love!"</p> + +<p>"I hope my dress will be ready in time +for the State-ball," she answered; "I +have ordered passion-flowers to be embroidered +on it; but the seamstresses are +so lazy."</p> + +<p>He passed over the river, and saw the +lanterns hanging to the masts of the +ships. He passed over the Ghetto, and +saw the old Jews bargaining with each<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +other, and weighing out money in copper +scales. At last he came to the poor +house and looked in. The boy was tossing +feverishly on his bed, and the mother +had fallen asleep, she was so tired. In +he hopped, and laid the great ruby on the +table beside the woman's thimble. Then +he flew gently round the bed, fanning the +boy's forehead with his wings. "How +cool I feel," said the boy. "I must be +getting better"; and he sank into a +delicious slumber.</p> + +<p>Then the Swallow flew back to the +Happy Prince, and told him what he had +done. "It is curious," he remarked, +"but I feel quite warm now, although it +is so cold."</p> + +<p>"That is because you have done a +good action," said the Prince. And the +little Swallow began to think, and then +he fell asleep. Thinking always made +him sleepy.</p> + +<p>When day broke he flew down to the +river and had a bath. "What a remarkable +phenomenon," said the Professor of +Ornithology as he was passing over the +bridge. "A swallow in winter!" And +he wrote a long letter about it to the +local newspaper. Every one quoted it, +it was full of so many words that they +could not understand.</p> + +<p>"To-night I go to Egypt," said the +Swallow, and he was in high spirits at +the prospect. He visited all the public +monuments, and sat a long time on top of +the church steeple. Wherever he went +the Sparrows chirruped, and said to each +other, "What a distinguished stranger!" +so he enjoyed himself very much.</p> + +<p>When the moon rose he flew back to +the Happy Prince. "Have you any commissions +for Egypt?" he cried; "I am +just starting."</p> + +<p>"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," +said the Prince, "will you not stay with +me one night longer?"</p> + +<p>"I am waited for in Egypt," answered +the Swallow. "To-morrow my friends +will fly up to the Second Cataract. The +river-horse couches there among the bulrushes, +and on a great granite throne sits +the God Memnon. All night long he +watches the stars, and when the morning +star shines he utters one cry of joy, and +then he is silent. At noon the yellow +lions come down to the water's edge to +drink. They have eyes like green beryls, +and their roar is louder than the roar of +the cataract."</p> + +<p>"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," +said the Prince, "far away across the city +I see a young man in a garret. He is +leaning over a desk covered with papers, +and in a tumbler by his side there is a +bunch of withered violets. His hair is +brown and crisp, and his lips are red as +a pomegranate, and he has large and +dreamy eyes. He is trying to finish a +play for the Director of the Theatre, but +he is too cold to write any more. There +is no fire in the grate, and hunger has +made him faint."</p> + +<p>"I will wait with you one night longer," +said the Swallow, who really had a good +heart. "Shall I take him another ruby?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! I have no ruby now," said the +Prince; "my eyes are all that I have left. +They are made of rare sapphires, which +were brought out of India a thousand +years ago. Pluck out one of them and +take it to him. He will sell it to the +jeweller, and buy food and firewood, and +finish his play."</p> + +<p>"Dear Prince," said the Swallow, "I +cannot do that"; and he began to weep.</p> + +<p>"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," +said the Prince, "do as I command you."</p> + +<p>So the Swallow plucked out the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +Prince's eye, and flew away to the student's +garret. It was easy enough to get +in, as there was a hole in the roof. +Through this he darted, and came into +the room. The young man had his head +buried in his hands, so he did not hear +the flutter of the bird's wings, and when +he looked up he found the beautiful sapphire +lying on the withered violets.</p> + +<p>"I am beginning to be appreciated," +he cried; "this is from some great admirer. +Now I can finish my play," and he looked +quite happy.</p> + +<p>The next day the Swallow flew down +to the harbor. He sat on the mast of +a large vessel and watched the sailors +hauling big chests out of the hold with +ropes. "Heave a-hoy!" they shouted as +each chest came up. "I am going to +Egypt!" cried the Swallow, but nobody +minded, and when the moon rose he flew +back to the Happy Prince.</p> + +<p>"I am come to bid you good-bye," he +cried.</p> + +<p>"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," +said the Prince, "will you not stay with +me one night longer?"</p> + +<p>"It is winter," answered the Swallow, +"and the chill snow will soon be here. +In Egypt the sun is warm on the green +palm-trees, and the crocodiles lie in the +mud and look lazily about them. My +companions are building a nest in the +Temple of Baalbec, and the pink and +white doves are watching them, and +cooing to each other. Dear Prince, I +must leave you, but I will never forget +you, and next spring I will bring you back +two beautiful jewels in place of those you +have given away. The ruby shall be +redder than a red rose, and the sapphire +shall be as blue as the great sea."</p> + +<p>"In the square below," said the Happy +Prince, "there stands a little match-girl. +She has let her matches fall in the gutter, +and they are all spoiled. Her father will +beat her if she does not bring home some +money, and she is crying. She has no +shoes or stockings, and her little head is +bare. Pluck out my other eye, and give it +to her, and her father will not beat her."</p> + +<p>"I will stay with you one night longer," +said the Swallow, "but I cannot pluck +out your eye. You would be quite blind +then."</p> + +<p>"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," +said the Prince, "do as I command you."</p> + +<p>So he plucked out the Prince's other +eye, and darted down with it. He +swooped past the match-girl, and slipped +the jewel into the palm of her hand. +"What a lovely bit of glass," cried the +little girl; and she ran home, laughing.</p> + +<p>Then the Swallow came back to the +Prince. "You are blind now," he said, +"so I will stay with you always."</p> + +<p>"No, little Swallow," said the poor +Prince, "you must go away to Egypt."</p> + +<p>"I will stay with you always," said +the Swallow, and he slept at the Prince's +feet.</p> + +<p>All the next day he sat on the Prince's +shoulder, and told him stories of what he +had seen in strange lands. He told him +of the red ibises, who stand in long rows +on the banks of the Nile, and catch goldfish +in their beaks; of the Sphinx, who is +as old as the world itself, and lives in the +desert, and knows everything; of the +merchants, who walk slowly by the +side of their camels, and carry amber +beads in their hands; of the King of the +Mountains of the Moon, who is as black as +ebony, and worships a large crystal; of +the great green snake that sleeps in a +palm-tree, and has twenty priests to feed +it with honey-cakes; and of the pygmies +who sail over a big lake on large flat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +leaves, and are always at war with the +butterflies.</p> + +<p>"Dear little Swallow," said the Prince, +"you tell me of marvelous things, but +more marvelous than anything is the +suffering of men and of women. There +is no Mystery so great as Misery. Fly +over my city, little Swallow, and tell me +what you see there."</p> + +<p>So the Swallow flew over the great +city, and saw the rich making merry in +their beautiful houses, while the beggars +were sitting at the gates. He flew into +dark lanes, and saw the white faces of +starving children looking out listlessly at +the black streets. Under the archway of +a bridge two little boys were lying in one +another's arms to try to keep themselves +warm. "How hungry we are!" +they said. "You must not lie here," +shouted the Watchman, and they wandered +out into the rain.</p> + +<p>Then he flew back and told the Prince +what he had seen.</p> + +<p>"I am covered with fine gold," said +the Prince; "you must take it off, leaf +by leaf, and give it to my poor; the living +always think that gold can make them +happy."</p> + +<p>Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow +picked off, till the Happy Prince +looked quite dull and grey. Leaf after +leaf of the fine gold he brought to the +poor, and the children's faces grew rosier, +and they laughed and played games in the +street. "We have bread now!" they cried.</p> + +<p>Then the snow came, and after the +snow came the frost. The streets looked +as if they were made of silver, they were +so bright and glistening; long icicles like +crystal daggers hung down from the +eaves of the houses, everybody went +about in furs, and the little boys wore +scarlet caps and skated on the ice.</p> + +<p>The poor little Swallow grew colder and +colder, but he would not leave the Prince; +he loved him too well. He picked up +crumbs outside the baker's door when the +baker was not looking, and tried to keep +himself warm by flapping his wings.</p> + +<p>But at last he knew that he was going +to die. He had just strength to fly up +to the Prince's shoulder once more. +"Good-bye, dear Prince!" he murmured, +"will you let me kiss your hand?"</p> + +<p>"I am glad that you are going to Egypt +at last, little Swallow," said the Prince. +"You have stayed too long here; but you +must kiss me on the lips, for I love you."</p> + +<p>"It is not to Egypt that I am going," +said the Swallow. "I am going to the +House of Death. Death is the brother of +Sleep, is he not?"</p> + +<p>And he kissed the Happy Prince on the +lips, and fell down dead at his feet.</p> + +<p>At that moment a curious crack +sounded inside the statue, as if something +had suddenly broken. The fact is +that the leaden heart had snapped right +in two. It certainly was a dreadfully +hard frost.</p> + +<p>Early the next morning the Mayor +was walking in the square below in company +with the Town Councillors. As +they passed the column he looked up at +the statue: "Dear me! how shabby the +Happy Prince looks!" he said.</p> + +<p>"How shabby indeed!" cried the Town +Councillors, who always agreed with the +Mayor; and they went up to look at it.</p> + +<p>"The ruby has fallen out of his sword, +his eyes are gone, and he is golden no +longer," said the Mayor; "in fact, he is +little better than a beggar!"</p> + +<p>"Little better than a beggar," said the +Town Councillors.</p> + +<p>"And here is actually a dead bird at +his feet!" continued the Mayor. "We<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +must really issue a proclamation that +birds are not to be allowed to die here." +And the Town Clerk made a note of the +suggestion.</p> + +<p>So they pulled down the statue of the +Happy Prince. "As he is no longer +beautiful he is no longer useful," said the +Art Professor at the University.</p> + +<p>Then they melted the statue in a furnace, +and the Mayor held a meeting of +the Corporation to decide what was to be +done with the metal. "We must have +another statue, of course," he said, "and +it shall be a statue of myself."</p> + +<p>"Of myself," said each of the Town +Councillors, and they quarrelled. When +I last heard of them they were quarreling +still.</p> + +<p>"What a strange thing!" said the overseer +of the workmen at the foundry. +"This broken lead heart will not melt in +the furnace. We must throw it away." +So they threw it on a dustheap where the +dead Swallow was also lying.</p> + +<p>"Bring me the two most precious +things in the city," said God to one of +His Angels; and the Angel brought Him +the leaden heart and the dead bird.</p> + +<p>"You have rightly chosen," said God, +"for in my garden of Paradise this little +bird shall sing for evermore, and in my +city of gold the Happy Prince shall +praise me."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_201" id="Note_201">201</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Two stories of unusual interest and charm +for children are found in the collection of +eleven by Raymond M. Alden (1873—), +<i>Why the Chimes Rang</i>. One is the title +story of the volume; the other is "The +Knights of the Silver Shield." The latter +follows by permission of the publishers, +The Bobbs-Merrill Co., Indianapolis. +(Copyright, 1906, 1908.) It is of striking +dramatic interest and emphasizes a much-needed +quality of character, the importance +of a loyal performance of the lowlier duties +of life. The salvation of a nation may +depend upon the humble guardian of the +gate quite as much as upon those who are +engaged in the more spectacular struggle +with giants. Mr. Alden is a scholarly +professor of literature in Leland Stanford +Jr. University, and it may interest the +reader to know that he is the son of the +author of the <i>Pansy Books</i>, a type of religious +or Sunday-school fiction widely read +throughout the country by a generation +or two of young people.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE KNIGHTS OF THE +SILVER SHIELD</h4> + +<div class='center'>RAYMOND MACDONALD ALDEN</div> + +<p>There was once a splendid castle in a +forest, with great stone walls and a high +gateway, and turrets that rose away +above the tallest trees. The forest was +dark and dangerous, and many cruel +giants lived in it; but in the castle was a +company of knights, who were kept there +by the king of the country, to help travelers +who might be in the forest and to +fight with the giants whenever they could.</p> + +<p>Each of these knights wore a beautiful +suit of armor and carried a long spear, +while over his helmet there floated a great +red plume that could be seen a long way +off by any one in distress. But the most +wonderful thing about the knights' +armor was their shields. They were not +like those of other knights, but had been +made by a great magician who had lived +in the castle many years before. They +were made of silver, and sometimes shone +in the sunlight with dazzling brightness; +but at other times the surface of the +shields would be clouded as though by a +mist, and one could not see his face<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +reflected there as he could when they +shone brightly.</p> + +<p>Now, when each young knight received +his spurs and his armor, a new shield was +also given him from among those that the +magician had made; and when the shield +was new its surface was always cloudy +and dull. But as the knight began to do +service against the giants, or went on +expeditions to help poor travelers in the +forest, his shield grew brighter and +brighter, so that he could see his face +clearly reflected in it. But if he proved +to be a lazy or cowardly knight, and let +the giants get the better of him, or did +not care what became of the travelers, +then the shield grew more and more +cloudy, until the knight became ashamed +to carry it.</p> + +<p>But this was not all. When any one +of the knights fought a particularly hard +battle, and won the victory, or when he +went on some hard errand for the lord +of the castle, and was successful, not only +did his silver shield grow brighter, but +when one looked into the center of it he +could see something like a golden star +shining in its very heart. This was the +greatest honor that a knight could +achieve, and the other knights always +spoke of such a one as having "won his +star." It was usually not till he was +pretty old and tried as a soldier that he +could win it. At the time when this +story begins, the lord of the castle himself +was the only one of the knights whose +shield bore the golden star.</p> + +<p>There came a time when the worst of +the giants in the forest gathered themselves +together to have a battle against +the knights. They made a camp in a +dark hollow not far from the castle, and +gathered all their best warriors together, +and all the knights made ready to fight +them. The windows of the castle were +closed and barred; the air was full of the +noise of armor being made ready for use; +and the knights were so excited that they +could scarcely rest or eat.</p> + +<p>Now there was a young knight in the +castle, named Sir Roland, who was +among those most eager for the battle. +He was a splendid warrior, with eyes that +shone like stars whenever there was anything +to do in the way of knightly deeds. +And although he was still quite young, +his shield had begun to shine enough to +show plainly that he had done bravely +in some of his errands through the forest. +This battle, he thought, would be the +great opportunity of his life. And on the +morning of the day when they were to go +forth to it, and all the knights assembled +in the great hall of the castle to receive +the commands of their leaders, Sir Roland +hoped that he would be put in the most +dangerous place of all, so that he could +show what knightly stuff he was made of.</p> + +<p>But when the lord of the castle came +to him, as he went about in full armor +giving his commands, he said: "One +brave knight must stay behind and guard +the gateway of the castle, and it is you, +Sir Roland, being one of the youngest, +whom I have chosen for this."</p> + +<p>At these words Sir Roland was so disappointed +that he bit his lip and closed +his helmet over his face so that the other +knights might not see it. For a moment +he felt as if he must reply angrily to the +commander and tell him that it was not +right to leave so sturdy a knight behind +when he was eager to fight. But he +struggled against this feeling and went +quietly to look after his duties at the gate. +The gateway was high and narrow, and +was reached from outside by a high, narrow +bridge that crossed the moat, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +surrounded the castle on every side. +When an enemy approached, the knight +on guard rang a great bell just inside the +gate, and the bridge was drawn up against +the castle wall, so that no one could come +across the moat. So the giants had long +ago given up trying to attack the castle +itself.</p> + +<p>To-day the battle was to be in the dark +hollow in the forest, and it was not likely +that there would be anything to do at the +castle gate, except to watch it like a common +doorkeeper. It was not strange +that Sir Roland thought some one else +might have done this.</p> + +<p>Presently all the other knights marched +out in their flashing armor, their red +plumes waving over their heads, and their +spears in their hands. The lord of the +castle stopped only to tell Sir Roland to +keep guard over the gate until they had +all returned and to let no one enter. +Then they went into the shadows of the +forest and were soon lost to sight.</p> + +<p>Sir Roland stood looking after them +long after they had gone, thinking how +happy he would be if he were on the way +to battle like them. But after a little he +put this out of his mind and tried to +think of pleasanter things. It was a long +time before anything happened, or any +word came from the battle.</p> + +<p>At last Sir Roland saw one of the +knights come limping down the path to +the castle, and he went out on the bridge +to meet him. Now this knight was not +a brave one, and he had been frightened +away as soon as he was wounded.</p> + +<p>"I have been hurt," he said, "so that +I can not fight any more. But I could +watch the gate for you, if you would like +to go back in my place."</p> + +<p>At first Sir Roland's heart leaped with +joy at this, but then he remembered what +the commander had told him on going +away, and he said:</p> + +<p>"I should like to go, but a knight +belongs where his commander has put +him. My place is here at the gate, and I +can not open it even for you. Your place +is at the battle."</p> + +<p>The knight was ashamed when he heard +this, and he presently turned about and +went into the forest again.</p> + +<p>So Sir Roland kept guard silently for +another hour. Then there came an old +beggar woman down the path to the +castle and asked Sir Roland if she might +come in and have some food. He told +her that no one could enter the castle that +day, but that he would send a servant +out to her with food, and that she might +sit and rest as long as she would.</p> + +<p>"I have been past the hollow in the +forest where the battle is going on," said +the old woman, while she was waiting for +her food.</p> + +<p>"And how do you think it is going?" +asked Sir Roland.</p> + +<p>"Badly for the knights, I am afraid," +said the old woman. "The giants are +fighting as they have never fought before. +I should think you had better go and help +your friends."</p> + +<p>"I should like to, indeed," said Sir +Roland. "But I am set to guard the gateway +of the castle and can not leave."</p> + +<p>"One fresh knight would make a great +difference when they are all weary with +fighting," said the old woman. "I +should think that, while there are no +enemies about, you would be much more +useful there."</p> + +<p>"You may well think so," said Sir +Roland, "and so may I; but it is neither +you nor I that is commander here."</p> + +<p>"I suppose," said the old woman +then, "that you are one of the kind of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +knights who like to keep out of fighting. +You are lucky to have so good an excuse +for staying at home." And she laughed +a thin and taunting laugh.</p> + +<p>Then Sir Roland was very angry, and +thought that if it were only a man instead +of a woman, he would show him +whether he liked fighting or no. But as +it was a woman, he shut his lips and set +his teeth hard together, and as the servant +came just then with the food he had sent +for, he gave it to the old woman quickly +and shut the gate that she might not talk +to him any more.</p> + +<p>It was not very long before he heard +some one calling outside. Sir Roland +opened the gate and saw standing at the +other end of the drawbridge a little old +man in a long black cloak. "Why are +you knocking here?" he said. "The +castle is closed to-day."</p> + +<p>"Are you Sir Roland?" said the little +old man.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Sir Roland.</p> + +<p>"Then you ought not to be staying +here when your commander and his +knights are having so hard a struggle +with the giants, and when you have the +chance to make of yourself the greatest +knight in this kingdom. Listen to me! +I have brought you a magic sword."</p> + +<p>As he said this, the old man drew from +under his coat a wonderful sword that +flashed in the sunlight as if it were covered +with diamonds. "This is the sword +of all swords," he said, "and it is for you, +if you will leave your idling here by the +castle gate and carry it to the battle. +Nothing can stand before it. When you +lift it the giants will fall back, your master +will be saved, and you will be crowned +the victorious knight—the one who will +soon take his commander's place as lord +of the castle."</p> + +<p>Now Sir Roland believed that it was +a magician who was speaking to him, +for it certainly appeared to be a magic +sword. It seemed so wonderful that the +sword should be brought to him, that he +reached out his hand as though he would +take it, and the little old man came forward, +as though he would cross the drawbridge +into the castle. But as he did so, +it came to Sir Roland's mind again that +that bridge and the gateway had been intrusted +to him, and he called out "No!" +to the old man, so that he stopped where +he was standing. But he waved the shining +sword in the air again, and said: "It +is for you! Take it, and win the victory!"</p> + +<p>Sir Roland was really afraid that if he +looked any longer at the sword or listened +to any more words of the old man, he +would not be able to hold himself within +the castle. For this reason he struck the +great bell at the gateway, which was the +signal for the servants inside to pull in the +chains of the drawbridge, and instantly +they began to pull, and the drawbridge +came up, so that the old man could not +cross it to enter the castle, nor Sir Roland +to go out.</p> + +<p>Then, as he looked across the moat, +Sir Roland saw a wonderful thing. The +little old man threw off his black cloak, +and as he did so he began to grow bigger +and bigger, until in a minute more he was +a giant as tall as any in the forest. At +first Sir Roland could scarcely believe +his eyes. Then he realized that this +must be one of their giant enemies, who +had changed himself to a little old man +through some magic power, that he might +make his way into the castle while all the +knights were away. Sir Roland shuddered +to think what might have happened +if he had taken the sword and left the +gate unguarded. The giant shook his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> +fist across the moat that lay between +them, and then, knowing that he could +do nothing more, he went angrily back +into the forest.</p> + +<p>Sir Roland now resolved not to open +the gate again, and to pay no attention +to any other visitor. But it was not long +before he heard a sound that made him +spring forward in joy. It was the bugle +of the lord of the castle, and there came +sounding after it the bugles of many of +the knights that were with him, pealing +so joyfully that Sir Roland was sure they +were safe and happy. As they came +nearer, he could hear their shouts of victory. +So he gave the signal to let down +the drawbridge again, and went out to +meet them. They were dusty and bloodstained +and weary, but they had won the +battle with the giants; and it had been +such a great victory that there had never +been a happier home-coming.</p> + +<p>Sir Roland greeted them all as they +passed in over the bridge, and then, +when he had closed the gate and fastened +it, he followed them into the great hall +of the castle. The lord of the castle took +his place on the highest seat, with the +other knights about him, and Sir Roland +came forward with the key of the gate, +to give his account of what he had done +in the place to which the commander +had appointed him. The lord of the +castle bowed to him as a sign for him to +begin, but just as he opened his mouth +to speak, one of the knights cried out:</p> + +<p>"The shield! the shield! Sir Roland's +shield!"</p> + +<p>Every one turned and looked at the +shield which Sir Roland carried on his +left arm. He himself could see only the +top of it and did not know what they +could mean. But what they saw was +the golden star of knighthood, shining +brightly from the center of Sir Roland's +shield. There had never been such +amazement in the castle before.</p> + +<p>Sir Roland knelt before the lord of the +castle to receive his commands. He +still did not know why every one was +looking at him so excitedly, and wondered +if he had in some way done wrong.</p> + +<p>"Speak, Sir Knight," said the commander, +as soon as he could find his +voice after his surprise, "and tell us all +that has happened to-day at the castle. +Have you been attacked? Have any +giants come hither? Did you fight them +alone?"</p> + +<p>"No, my Lord," said Sir Roland. +"Only one giant has been here, and he +went away silently when he found he +could not enter."</p> + +<p>Then he told all that had happened +through the day.</p> + +<p>When he had finished, the knights all +looked at one another, but no one spoke +a word. Then they looked again at Sir +Roland's shield, to make sure that their +eyes had not deceived them, and there +the golden star was still shining.</p> + +<p>After a little silence the lord of the +castle spoke.</p> + +<p>"Men make mistakes," he said, "but +our silver shields are never mistaken. +Sir Roland has fought and won the hardest +battle of all to-day."</p> + +<p>Then the others all rose and saluted +Sir Roland, who was the youngest knight +that ever carried the golden star.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_202" id="Note_202">202</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Jean Ingelow (1820-1897) was an English +poet, novelist, and writer of stories for +children, who lived in the fen district of +Lincolnshire. Her most noted poem deals +with a terrible catastrophe that happened +there more than three centuries ago. It<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> +is called "The High Tide on the Coast of +Lincolnshire." Many reading books for +the third or fourth grade contain her dainty +and melodious "Seven Times One," in +which a little girl expresses the joy and +sense of power felt on reaching a seventh +birthday. Of her children's books, the +favorite is <i>Mopsa the Fairy</i>, which some +one has called a "delightful succession of +breezy impossibilities." Her shorter stories +for children are collected under the title +<i>Stories Told to a Child</i> (two series), from +which "The Prince's Dream" is taken. +It is somewhat old fashioned in method +and style, reminding one of the stories of +the days of Addison and Steele. Its +seriousness is in striking contrast with the +more flippant note in much modern writing +for children, and it is sure to suggest +some questions on the dangers and advantages +of great possessions in their effects +on labor, liberty, and human happiness in +general. However, the moral will take +care of itself, and the attention should rest +on the means used by the old man to teach +the young prince the things he is shut out +from learning by experience. The children +will easily see that it is an anticipation of +the moving-picture method. Some other +good stories in the collection mentioned +are "I Have a Right," "The Fairy Who +Judged Her Neighbors," and "Anselmo."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE PRINCE'S DREAM</h4> + +<div class='center'>JEAN INGELOW</div> + +<p>If we may credit the fable, there is a +tower in the midst of a great Asiatic +plain, wherein is confined a prince who +was placed there in his earliest infancy, +with many slaves and attendants, and +all the luxuries that are compatible with +imprisonment.</p> + +<p>Whether he was brought there from +some motive of state, whether to conceal +him from enemies, or to deprive him of +rights, has not transpired; but it is certain +that up to the date of this little history he +had never set his foot outside the walls +of that high tower, and that of the vast +world without he knew only the green +plains which surrounded it; the flocks and +the birds of that region were all his +experience of living creatures, and all the +men he saw outside were shepherds.</p> + +<p>And yet he was not utterly deprived of +change, for sometimes one of his attendants +would be ordered away, and his place +would be supplied by a new one. This +fresh companion the prince would never +weary of questioning, and letting him +talk of cities, of ships, of forests, of merchandise, +of kings; but though in turns +they all tried to satisfy his curiosity, they +could not succeed in conveying very +distinct notions to his mind; partly because +there was nothing in the tower to +which they could compare the external +world, partly because, having chiefly +lived lives of seclusion and indolence in +Eastern palaces, they knew it only by +hearsay themselves.</p> + +<p>At length, one day, a venerable man of +a noble presence was brought to the +tower, with soldiers to guard him and +slaves to attend him. The prince was +glad of his presence, though at first he +seldom opened his lips, and it was manifest +that confinement made him miserable. +With restless feet he would wander +from window to window of the stone +tower, and mount from story to story; +but mount as high as he would there was +still nothing to be seen but the vast +unvarying plain, clothed with scanty +grass, and flooded with the glaring sunshine; +flocks and herds, and shepherds, +moved across it sometimes, but nothing +else, not even a shadow, for there was no +cloud in the sky to cast one.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span></p> + +<p>The old man, however, always treated +the prince with respect, and answered his +questions with a great deal of patience, +till at length he found a pleasure in satisfying +his curiosity, which so much pleased +the young prisoner, that, as a great condescension, +he invited him to come out +on the roof of the tower and drink sherbet +with him in the cool of the evening, +and tell him of the country beyond the +desert, and what seas are like, and mountains, +and towns.</p> + +<p>"I have learnt much from my attendants, +and know this world pretty well by +hearsay," said the prince, as they reclined +on the rich carpet which was spread on +the roof.</p> + +<p>The old man smiled, but did not +answer; perhaps because he did not care to +undeceive his young companion, perhaps +because so many slaves were present, some +of whom were serving them with fruit, +and others burning rich odors on a little +chafing-dish that stood between them.</p> + +<p>"But there are some words to which +I never could attach any particular +meaning," proceeded the prince, as the +slaves began to retire, "and three in particular +that my attendants cannot satisfy +me upon, or are reluctant to do so."</p> + +<p>"What words are those, my prince?" +asked the old man. The prince turned on +his elbow to be sure that the last slave had +descended the tower stairs, then replied—</p> + +<p>"O man of much knowledge, the words +are these—Labor, and Liberty, and +Gold."</p> + +<p>"Prince," said the old man, "I do not +wonder that it has been hard to make +thee understand the first, the nature of it, +and the cause why most men are born to +it; as for the second, it would be treason +for thee and me to do more than whisper +it here, and sigh for it when none are +listening; but the third need hardly +puzzle thee, thy hookah is bright with it; +all thy jewels are set in it; gold is inlaid +in the ivory of thy bath; thy cup and thy +dish are of gold, and golden threads are +wrought into thy raiment."</p> + +<p>"That is true," replied the prince, +"and if I had not seen and handled this +gold, perhaps I might not find its merits +so hard to understand; but I possess it in +abundance, and it does not feed me, nor +make music for me, nor fan me when the +sun is hot, nor cause me to sleep when I +am weary; therefore when my slaves have +told me how merchants go out and brave +the perilous wind and sea, and live in the +unstable ships, and run risks from shipwreck +and pirates, and when, having +asked them why they have done this, +they have answered, 'For gold,' I have +found it hard to believe them; and when +they have told me how men have lied, +and robbed, and deceived; how they have +murdered one another, and leagued together +to depose kings, to oppress provinces, +and all for gold; then I have said +to myself, either my slaves have combined +to make me believe that which is +not, or this gold must be very different +from the yellow stuff that this coin is +made of, this coin which is of no use +but to have a hole pierced through it and +hang to my girdle, that it may tinkle +when I walk."</p> + +<p>"Notwithstanding," said the old man, +"nothing can be done without gold; for +look you, prince, it is better than bread, +and fruit, and music, for it can buy them +all, since men love it, and have agreed to +exchange it for whatever they may need."</p> + +<p>"How so?" asked the prince.</p> + +<p>"If a man has many loaves he cannot +eat them all," answered the old man; +"therefore he goes to his neighbor and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +says, 'I have bread and thou hast a coin +of gold—let us change'; so he receives +the gold and goes to another man, saying, +'Thou hast two houses and I have none; +lend me one of thy houses to live in, and +I will give thee my gold'; thus again they +change, and he that has the gold says, 'I +have food enough and goods enough, but +I want a wife, I will go to the merchant +and get a marriage gift for her father, and +for it I will give him this gold.'"</p> + +<p>"It is well," said the prince; "but in +time of drought, if there is no bread in a +city, can they make it of gold?"</p> + +<p>"Not so," answered the old man, "but +they must send their gold to a city where +there is food, and bring that back instead +of it."</p> + +<p>"But if there was a famine all over the +world," asked the prince, "what would +they do then?"</p> + +<p>"Why then, and only then," said the +old man, "they must starve, and the gold +would be nought, for it can only be +changed for that which <i>is;</i> it cannot +make that which is not."</p> + +<p>"And where do they get gold?" asked +the prince; "is it the precious fruit of some +rare tree, or have they whereby they can +draw it down from the sky at sunset?"</p> + +<p>"Some of it," said the old man, "they +dig out of the ground."</p> + +<p>Then he told the prince of ancient +rivers running through terrible deserts, +whose sands glitter, with golden grains +and are yellow in the fierce heat of the +sun, and of dreary mines where the Indian +slaves work in gangs tied together, never +seeing the light of day; and lastly (for he +was a man of much knowledge, and had +traveled far), he told him of the valley of +the Sacramento in the New World, and +of those mountains where the people of +Europe send their criminals, and where +now their free men pour forth to gather +gold, and dig for it as hard as if for life; +sitting up by it at night lest any should +take it from them, giving up houses and +country, and wife and children, for the +sake of a few feet of mud, whence they +dig clay that glitters as they wash it; and +how they sift it and rock it as patiently +as if it were their own children in the +cradle, and afterwards carry it in their +bosoms, and forego on account of it +safety and rest.</p> + +<p>"But, prince," he proceeded, observing +that the young man was absorbed in his +narrative, "if you would pass your word +to me never to betray me, I would procure +for you a sight of the external +world, and in a trance you should see +those places where gold is dug, and traverse +those regions forbidden to your +mortal footsteps."</p> + +<p>Upon this, the prince threw himself at +the old man's feet, and promised heartily +to observe the secrecy required, and +entreated that, for however short time, +he might be suffered to see this wonderful +world.</p> + +<p>Then, if we may credit the story, the +old man drew nearer to the chafing-dish +which stood between them, and having +fanned the dying embers in it, cast upon +them a certain powder and some herbs, +from whence as they burnt a peculiar +smoke arose. As their vapors spread, he +desired the prince to draw near and inhale +them, and then (says the fable) when he +should sleep he should find himself, in +his dream, at whatever place he might +desire, with this strange advantage, that +he should see things in their truth and +reality as well as in their outward +shows.</p> + +<p>So the prince, not without some fear, +prepared to obey; but first he drank his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +sherbet, and handed over the golden cup +to the old man by way of recompense; +then he reclined beside the chafing-dish +and inhaled the heavy perfume till he +became overpowered with sleep, and sank +down upon the carpet in a dream.</p> + +<p>The prince knew not where he was, but +a green country was floating before him, +and he found himself standing in a marshy +valley, where a few wretched cottages +were scattered here and there with no +means of communication. There was a +river, but it had overflowed its banks and +made the central land impassable, the +fences had been broken down by it, and +the fields of corn laid low; a few wretched +peasants were wandering about there; +they looked half clad and half starved. +"A miserable valley indeed!" exclaimed +the prince; but as he said it a man came +down from the hills with a great bag of +gold in his hand.</p> + +<p>"This valley is mine," said he to the +people; "I have bought it for gold. +Now make banks that the river may not +overflow, and I will give you gold; also +make fences and plant fields, and cover +in the roofs of your houses, and buy yourselves +richer clothing." So the people +did so, and as the gold got lower in the +bag the valley grew fairer and greener, +till the prince exclaimed, "O gold, I see +your value now! O wonderful, beneficent +gold!"</p> + +<p>But presently the valley melted away +like a mist, and the prince saw an army +besieging a city; he heard a general +haranguing his soldiers to urge them on, +and the soldiers shouting and battering +the walls; but shortly, when the city was +well-nigh taken, he saw some men +secretly throwing gold among the soldiers, +so much of it that they threw down +their arms to pick it up, and said that the +walls were so strong that they could not +throw them down. "O powerful gold!" +thought the prince; "thou art stronger +than the city walls!"</p> + +<p>After that it seemed to himself that he +was walking about in a desert country, +and in his dream he thought, "Now I +know what labor is, for I have seen it, +and its benefits; and I know what liberty +is, for I have tasted it; I can wander +where I will, and no man questions me; +but gold is more strange to me than ever, +for I have seen it buy both liberty and +labor." Shortly after this he saw a great +crowd digging upon a barren hill, and +when he drew near he understood that +he had reached the summit of his wishes, +and that he was to see the place where +the gold came from.</p> + +<p>He came up and stood a long time +watching the people as they toiled ready +to faint in the sun, so great was the labor +of digging the gold.</p> + +<p>He saw who had much and could not +trust any one to help them to carry it, +binding it in bundles over their shoulders, +and bending and groaning under its +weight; he saw others hide it in the +ground, and watch the place clothed in +rags, that none might suspect that they +were rich; but some, on the contrary, who +had dug up an unusual quantity, he saw +dancing and singing, and vaunting their +success, till robbers waylaid them when +they slept, and rifled their bundles and +carried their golden sand away.</p> + +<p>"All these men are mad," thought the +prince, "and this pernicious gold has +made them so."</p> + +<p>After this, as he wandered here and +there, he saw groups of people smelting +the gold under the shadow of the trees, +and he observed that a dancing, quivering +vapor rose up from it, which dazzled their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> +eyes, and distorted everything that they +looked at; arraying it also in different +colors from the true one. He observed +that this vapor from the gold caused all +things to rock and reel before the eyes of +those who looked through it, and also, +by some strange affinity, it drew their +hearts towards those that carried much +gold on their persons, so that they called +them good and beautiful; it also caused +them to see darkness and dullness in the +faces of those who carried none. "This," +thought the prince, "is very strange"; +but not being able to explain it, he went +still further, and there he saw more people. +Each of these had adorned himself with a +broad golden girdle, and was sitting in the +shade, while other men waited on them.</p> + +<p>"What ails these people?" he inquired +of one who was looking on, for he observed +a peculiar air of weariness and dullness +in their faces. He was answered that +the girdles were very tight and heavy, +and being bound over the regions of the +heart, were supposed to impede its action, +and prevent it from beating high, and also +to chill the wearer, as being of opaque +material, the warm sunshine of the earth +could not get through to warm him.</p> + +<p>"Why, then, do they not break them +asunder," exclaimed the prince, "and +fling them away?"</p> + +<p>"Break them asunder!" cried the +man; "why what a madman you must be; +they are made of the purest gold!"</p> + +<p>"Forgive my ignorance," replied the +prince; "I am a stranger."</p> + +<p>So he walked on, for feelings of delicacy +prevented him from gazing any +longer at the men with the golden girdles; +but as he went he pondered on the misery +he had seen, and thought to himself that +this golden sand did more mischief than +all the poisons of the apothecary; for it +dazzled the eyes of some, it strained the +hearts of others, it bowed down the heads +of many to the earth with its weight; it +was a sore labor to gather it, and when +it was gathered, the robber might carry +it away; it would be a good thing, he +thought, if there were none of it.</p> + +<p>After this he came to a place where +were sitting some aged widows and some +orphan children of the gold-diggers, who +were helpless and destitute; they were +weeping and bemoaning themselves, but +stopped at the approach of a man, whose +appearance attracted the prince, for he had +a very great bundle of gold on his back, +and yet it did not bow him down at all; +his apparel was rich but he had no girdle +on, and his face was anything but sad.</p> + +<p>"Sir," said the prince to him, "you +have a great burden; you are fortunate to +be able to stand under it."</p> + +<p>"I could not do so," he replied, "only +that as I go on I keep lightening it"; and +as he passed each of the widows, he threw +gold to her, and stooping down, hid pieces +of it in the bosoms of the children.</p> + +<p>"You have no girdle," said the prince.</p> + +<p>"I once had one," answered the gold +gatherer; "but it was so tight over my +breast that my very heart grew cold +under it, and almost ceased to beat. +Having a great quantity of gold on my +back, I felt almost at the last gasp; so I +threw off my girdle and being on the bank +of a river, which I knew not how to cross, +I was about to fling it in, I was so vexed! +'But no,' thought I, 'there are many +people waiting here to cross besides myself. +I will make my girdle into a bridge, +and we will cross over on it.'"</p> + +<p>"Turn your girdle into a bridge!" +exclaimed the prince doubtfully, for he +did not quite understand.</p> + +<p>The man explained himself.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And then, sir, after that," he continued, +"I turned one half of my burden +into bread, and gave it to these poor +people. Since then I have not been +oppressed by its weight, however heavy +it may have been; for few men have a +heavier one. In fact, I gather more from +day to day."</p> + +<p>As the man kept speaking, he scattered +his gold right and left with a cheerful +countenance, and the prince was about +to reply, when suddenly a great trembling +under his feet made him fall to the ground. +The refining fires of the gold gatherers +sprang up into flames, and then went out; +night fell over everything on the earth, +and nothing was visible in the sky but +the stars of the southern cross, which +were glittering above him.</p> + +<p>"It is past midnight," thought the +prince, "for the stars of the cross begin +to bend."</p> + +<p>He raised himself upon his elbow, and +tried to pierce the darkness, but could +not. At length a slender blue flame +darted out, as from ashes in a chafing-dish, +and by the light of it he saw the +strange pattern of his carpet and the +cushions lying about. He did not recognise +them at first, but presently he knew +that he was lying in his usual place, at +the top of his tower.</p> + +<p>"Wake up, prince," said the old man.</p> + +<p>The prince sat up and sighed, and the +old man inquired what he had seen.</p> + +<p>"O man of much learning!" answered +the prince, "I have seen that this is a +wonderful world; I have seen the value +of labor, and I know the uses of it; I have +tasted the sweetness of liberty, and am +grateful, though it was but in a dream; +but as for that other word that was so +great a mystery to me, I only know this, +that it must remain a mystery forever, +since I am fain to believe that all men are +bent on getting it; though, once gotten, +it causeth them endless disquietude, only +second to their discomfort that are without +it. I am fain to believe that they can +procure with it whatever they most +desire, and yet that it cankers their +hearts and dazzles their eyes; that it is +their nature and their duty to gather it; +and yet that, when once gathered, the +best thing they can do is to scatter it!"</p> + +<p>Alas! the prince visited this wonderful +world no more; for the next morning, +when he awoke, the old man was gone. +He had taken with him the golden cup +which the prince had given him. And +the sentinel was also gone, none knew +whither. Perhaps the old man had +turned his golden cup into a golden key.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_203" id="Note_203">203</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Few modern writers have given their readers +more genuine delight than Frank R. +Stockton (1834-1902). The most absurd +and illogical situations and characters are +presented with an air of such quiet sincerity +that one refuses to question the reality of +it all. <i>Rudder Grange</i> established his reputation +in 1879, and was followed by a long +list of stories of delightfully impossible +events. For several years Stockton was +one of the editors of <i>St. Nicholas</i>, and some +of his stories for children, of first quality +in both form and content, deserve to be +better known than they are. Five of the +best of them for school use have been +brought together in a little volume called +<i>Fanciful Tales</i>. One of these, "Old Pipes +and the Dryad," is given here by permission +of the publishers, Charles Scribner's Sons, +New York. (Copyright, 1894.) This +story is based upon the old mythical belief +that the trees are inhabited by guardian +deities known as dryads, or hamadryads. +To injure a tree meant to injure its guardian +spirit and was almost certain to insure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> +disaster for the guilty person. On the other +hand, to protect a tree would bring some +token of appreciation from the dryad. A +good introduction to the story would be +the telling of one or two of these tree myths +as found in Gayley's <i>Classic Myths</i> or +Bulfinch's <i>Age of Fable</i>. A fine literary +version of one of them is in Lowell's +"Rhoecus." But the beautiful and kindly +helpfulness of Old Pipes will carry its own +message whether one knows any mythology +or not.</div> + + +<h4><br />OLD PIPES AND THE DRYAD</h4> + +<div class='center'>FRANK R. STOCKTON</div> + +<p>A Mountain brook ran through a little +village. Over the brook there was a +narrow bridge, and from the bridge a +foot-path led out from the village and +up the hill-side, to the cottage of Old +Pipes and his mother.</p> + +<p>For many, many years Old Pipes had +been employed by the villagers to pipe +the cattle down from the hills. Every +afternoon, an hour before sunset, he +would sit on a rock in front of his cottage +and play on his pipes. Then all the +flocks and herds that were grazing on the +mountains would hear him, wherever +they might happen to be, and would +come down to the village—the cows by +the easiest paths, the sheep by those +not quite so easy, and the goats by the +steep and rocky ways that were hardest +of all.</p> + +<p>But now, for a year or more, Old Pipes +had not piped the cattle home. It is +true that every afternoon he sat upon +the rock and played upon his pipes; but +the cattle did not hear him. He had +grown old, and his breath was feeble. +The echoes of his cheerful notes, which +used to come from the rocky hill on the +other side of the valley, were heard no +more; and twenty yards from Old Pipes +one could scarcely tell what tune he was +playing. He had become somewhat deaf, +and did not know that the sound of his +pipes was so thin and weak, and that the +cattle did not hear him. The cows, the +sheep, and the goats came down every +afternoon as before; but this was because +two boys and a girl were sent up after +them. The villagers did not wish the +good old man to know that his piping +was no longer of any use; so they paid +him his little salary every month, and +said nothing about the two boys and the +girl.</p> + +<p>Old Pipes's mother was, of course, a +great deal older than he was, and was +as deaf as a gate—post, latch, hinges, +and all—and she never knew that the +sound of her son's pipe did not spread +over all the mountain-side and echo +back strong and clear from the opposite +hills. She was very fond of Old Pipes, +and proud of his piping; and as he was +so much younger than she was, she +never thought of him as being very old. +She cooked for him, and made his bed, +and mended his clothes; and they lived +very comfortably on his little salary.</p> + +<p>One afternoon, at the end of the month, +when Old Pipes had finished his piping, +he took his stout staff and went down +the hill to the village to receive the +money for his month's work. The path +seemed a great deal steeper and more +difficult than it used to be; and Old +Pipes thought that it must have been +washed by the rains and greatly damaged. +He remembered it as a path that +was quite easy to traverse either up or +down. But Old Pipes had been a very +active man, and as his mother was so +much older than he was, he never thought +of himself as aged and infirm.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the Chief Villager had paid +him, and he had talked a little with +some of his friends, Old Pipes started to +go home. But when he had crossed the +bridge over the brook, and gone a short +distance up the hill-side, he became very +tired, and sat down upon a stone. He +had not been sitting there half a minute, +when along came two boys and a girl.</p> + +<p>"Children," said Old Pipes, "I'm +very tired to-night, and I don't believe I +can climb up this steep path to my home. +I think I shall have to ask you to help +me."</p> + +<p>"We will do that," said the boys and +the girl, quite cheerfully; and one boy +took him by the right hand and the other +by the left, while the girl pushed him in +the back. In this way he went up the +hill quite easily, and soon reached his +cottage door. Old Pipes gave each of +the three children a copper coin, and then +they sat down for a few minutes' rest +before starting back to the village.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry that I tired you so much," +said Old Pipes.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that would not have tired us," +said one of the boys, "if we had not +been so far to-day after the cows, the +sheep, and the goats. They rambled +high up on the mountain, and we never +before had such a time in finding them."</p> + +<p>"Had to go after the cows, the sheep, +and the goats!" exclaimed Old Pipes. +"What do you mean by that?"</p> + +<p>The girl, who stood behind the old +man, shook her head, put her hand on +her mouth, and made all sorts of signs +to the boy to stop talking on this subject; +but he did not notice her, and +promptly answered Old Pipes.</p> + +<p>"Why, you see, good sir," said he, +"that as the cattle can't hear your +pipes now, somebody has to go after +them every evening to drive them down +from the mountain, and the Chief +Villager has hired us three to do it. +Generally it is not very hard work, but +to-night the cattle had wandered far."</p> + +<p>"How long have you been doing +this?" asked the old man.</p> + +<p>The girl shook her head and clapped +her hand on her mouth as before, but +the boy went on.</p> + +<p>"I think it is about a year now," he +said, "since the people first felt sure +that the cattle could not hear your +pipes; and from that time we've been +driving them down. But we are rested +now, and will go home. Good-night, +sir."</p> + +<p>The three children then went down +the hill, the girl scolding the boy all the +way home. Old Pipes stood silent a few +moments, and then he went into his +cottage.</p> + +<p>"Mother," he shouted, "did you hear +what those children said?"</p> + +<p>"Children!" exclaimed the old woman; +"I did not hear them. I did not know +there were any children here."</p> + +<p>Then Old Pipes told his mother—shouting +very loudly to make her hear—how +the two boys and the girl had helped +him up the hill, and what he had heard +about his piping and the cattle.</p> + +<p>"They can't hear you?" cried his +mother. "Why, what's the matter with +the cattle?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, me!" said Old Pipes; "I don't +believe there's anything the matter with +the cattle. It must be with me and +my pipes that there is something the +matter. But one thing is certain: if I +do not earn the wages the Chief Villager +pays me, I shall not take them. I shall +go straight down to the village and give +back the money I received to-day."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" cried his mother. "I'm +sure you've piped as well as you could, +and no more can be expected. And +what are we to do without the money?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," said Old Pipes; "but +I'm going down to the village to pay +it back."</p> + +<p>The sun had now set; but the moon +was shining very brightly on the hill-side, +and Old Pipes could see his way +very well. He did not take the same +path by which he had gone before, but +followed another, which led among the +trees upon the hill-side, and, though +longer, was not so steep.</p> + +<p>When he had gone about half-way, the +old man sat down to rest, leaning his +back against a great oak tree. As he +did so, he heard a sound like knocking +inside the tree, and then a voice said:</p> + +<p>"Let me out! let me out!"</p> + +<p>Old Pipes instantly forgot that he was +tired, and sprang to his feet. "This +must be a Dryad tree!" he exclaimed. +"If it is, I'll let her out."</p> + +<p>Old Pipes had never, to his knowledge, +seen a Dryad tree, but he knew there +were such trees on the hill-sides and the +mountains, and that Dryads lived in +them. He knew, too, that in the summer +time, on those days when the moon rose +before the sun went down, a Dryad +could come out of her tree if any one +could find the key which locked her in, +and turn it. Old Pipes closely examined +the trunk of the tree, which stood in +the full moonlight. "If I see that key," +he said, "I shall surely turn it." Before +long he found a piece of bark standing +out from the tree, which looked to him +very much like the handle of a key. He +took hold of it, and found he could turn +it quite around. As he did so, a large +part of the side of the tree was pushed +open, and a beautiful <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Dyrad'">Dryad</ins> stepped +quickly out.</p> + +<p>For a moment she stood motionless, +gazing on the scene before her—the +tranquil valley, the hills, the forest, and +the mountain-side, all lying in the soft +clear light of the moon. "Oh, lovely! +lovely!" she exclaimed. "How long it +is since I have seen anything like this!" +And then, turning to Old Pipes, she +said: "How good of you to let me out! +I am so happy, and so thankful, that I +must kiss you, you dear old man!" +And she threw her arms around the +neck of Old Pipes, and kissed him on +both cheeks.</p> + +<p>"You don't know," she then went on +to say, "how doleful it is to be shut up +so long in a tree. I don't mind it in +the winter, for then I am glad to be +sheltered, but in summer it is a rueful +thing not to be able to see all the beauties +of the world. And it's ever so long since +I've been let out. People so seldom +come this way; and when they do come +at the right time, they either don't +hear me or they are frightened and run +away. But you, you dear old man, you +were not frightened, and you looked and +looked for the key, and you let me out; +and now I shall not have to go back +till winter has come, and the air grows +cold. Oh, it is glorious! What can I +do for you, to show you how grateful +I am?"</p> + +<p>"I am very glad," said Old Pipes, "that +I let you out, since I see that it makes you +so happy; but I must admit that I tried +to find the key because I had a great +desire to see a Dryad. But, if you wish +to do something for me, you can, if you +happen to be going down toward the +village."</p> + +<p>"To the village!" exclaimed the Dryad.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +"I will go anywhere for you, my kind +old benefactor."</p> + +<p>"Well, then," said Old Pipes, "I wish +you would take this little bag of money +to the Chief Villager and tell him that +Old Pipes cannot receive pay for the services +which he does not perform. It is +now more than a year that I have not +been able to make the cattle hear me, +when I piped to call them home. I did +not know this until to-night; but now +that I know it, I cannot keep the money, +and so I send it back." And, handing the +little bag to the Dryad, he bade her good-night, +and turned toward his cottage.</p> + +<p>"Good-night," said the Dryad. "And +I thank you over, and over, and over +again, you good old man!"</p> + +<p>Old Pipes walked toward his home, +very glad to be saved the fatigue of going +all the way down to the village and back +again. "To be sure," he said to himself, +"this path does not seem at all steep, and +I can walk along it very easily; but it +would have tired me dreadfully to come +up all the way from the village, especially +as I could not have expected those children +to help me again." When he +reached home his mother was surprised +to see him returning so soon.</p> + +<p>"What!" she exclaimed; "have you +already come back? What did the Chief +Villager say? Did he take the money?"</p> + +<p>Old Pipes was just about to tell her +that he had sent the money to the village +by a Dryad, when he suddenly reflected +that his mother would be sure to disapprove +such a proceeding, and so he merely +said he had sent it by a person whom he +had met.</p> + +<p>"And how do you know that the person +will ever take it to the Chief Villager?" +cried his mother. "You will lose it, and +the villagers will never get it. Oh, +Pipes! Pipes! when will you be old +enough to have ordinary common-sense?"</p> + +<p>Old Pipes considered that, as he was +already seventy years of age, he could +scarcely expect to grow any wiser; but he +made no remark on this subject, and, +saying that he doubted not that the +money would go safely to its destination, +he sat down to his supper. His mother +scolded him roundly, but he did not +mind it; and after supper he went out +and sat on a rustic chair in front of the +cottage to look at the moonlit village, and +to wonder whether or not the Chief +Villager really received the money. While +he was doing these two things, he went +fast asleep.</p> + +<p>When Old Pipes left the Dryad, she +did not go down to the village with the +little bag of money. She held it in her +hand, and thought about what she had +heard. "This is a good and honest old +man," she said; "and it is a shame that +he should lose this money. He looked +as if he needed it, and I don't believe the +people in the village will take it from one +who has served them so long. Often, +when in my tree, have I heard the sweet +notes of his pipes. I am going to take +the money back to him." She did not +start immediately, because there were +so many beautiful things to look at; but +after awhile she went up to the cottage, +and, finding Old Pipes asleep in his chair, +she slipped the little bag into his coat-pocket, +and silently sped away.</p> + +<p>The next day Old Pipes told his mother +that he would go up the mountain and +cut some wood. He had a right to get +wood from the mountain, but for a long +time he had been content to pick up the +dead branches which lay about his cottage. +To-day, however, he felt so strong +and vigorous that he thought he would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +go and cut some fuel that would be better +than this. He worked all the morning, +and when he came back he did not feel +at all tired, and he had a very good appetite +for his dinner.</p> + +<p>Now, Old Pipes knew a good deal about +Dryads; but there was one thing which, +although he had heard, he had forgotten. +This was, that a kiss from a Dryad made +a person ten years younger.</p> + +<p>The people of the village knew this, +and they were very careful not to let any +child of ten years or younger go into the +woods where the Dryads were supposed +to be; for, if they should chance to be +kissed by one of these tree-nymphs, they +would be set back so far that they would +cease to exist.</p> + +<p>A story was told in the village that a +very bad boy of eleven once ran away +into the woods, and had an adventure of +this kind; and when his mother found +him he was a little baby of one year old. +Taking advantage of her opportunity, +she brought him up more carefully than +she had done before, and he grew to be a +very good boy indeed.</p> + +<p>Now Old Pipes had been kissed twice +by the Dryad, once on each cheek, and +he therefore felt as vigorous and active +as when he was a hale man of fifty. +His mother noticed how much work he +was doing, and told him that he need not +try in that way to make up for the loss of +his piping wages; for he would only tire +himself out, and get sick. But her son +answered that he had not felt so well for +years, and that he was quite able to work.</p> + +<p>In the course of the afternoon, Old +Pipes, for the first time that day, put his +hand in his coat-pocket, and there, to +his amazement, he found the little bag +of money. "Well, well!" he exclaimed, +"I am stupid, indeed! I really thought +that I had seen a Dryad; but when I sat +down by that big oak tree I must have +gone to sleep and dreamed it all; and +then I came home, thinking I had given +the money to a Dryad, when it was in +my pocket all the time. But the Chief +Villager shall have the money. I shall +not take it to him to-day, but to-morrow +I wish to go to the village to see some of +my old friends; and then I shall give up +the money."</p> + +<p>Toward the close of the afternoon, +Old Pipes, as had been his custom for +so many years, took his pipes from the +shelf on which they lay, and went out +to the rock in front of the cottage.</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do?" cried +his mother. "If you will not consent +to be paid, why do you pipe?"</p> + +<p>"I am going to pipe for my own +pleasure," said her son. "I am used +to it, and I do not wish to give it up. +It does not matter now whether the +cattle hear me or not, and I am sure +that my piping will injure no one."</p> + +<p>When the good man began to play +upon his favorite instrument he was +astonished at the sound that came from +it. The beautiful notes of the pipes +sounded clear and strong down into the +valley, and spread over the hills, and +up the sides of the mountain beyond, +while, after a little interval, an echo +came back from the rocky hill on the +other side of the valley.</p> + +<p>"Ha! ha!" he cried, "what has happened +to my pipes? They must have +been stopped up of late, but now they +are as clear and good as ever."</p> + +<p>Again the merry notes went sounding +far and wide. The cattle on the mountain +heard them, and those that were +old enough remembered how these notes +had called them from their pastures<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> +every evening, and so they started down +the mountain-side, the others following.</p> + +<p>The merry notes were heard in the +village below, and the people were much +astonished thereby. "Why, who can be +blowing the pipes of Old Pipes?" they +said. But, as they were all very busy, +no one went up to see. One thing, however, +was plain enough: the cattle were +coming down the mountain. And so the +two boys and the girl did not have to +go after them, and had an hour for play, +for which they were very glad.</p> + +<p>The next morning Old Pipes started +down to the village with his money, and +on the way he met the Dryad. "Oh, +ho!" he cried, "is that you? Why, I +thought my letting you out of the tree +was nothing but a dream."</p> + +<p>"A dream!" cried the Dryad; "if +you only knew how happy you have +made me, you would not think it merely +a dream. And has it not benefited you? +Do you not feel happier? Yesterday I +heard you playing beautifully on your +pipes."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," cried he. "I did not +understand it before, but I see it all +now. I have really grown younger. I +thank you, I thank you, good Dryad, +from the bottom of my heart. It was +the finding of the money in my pocket +that made me think it was a dream."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I put it in when you were +asleep," she said, laughing, "because I +thought you ought to keep it. Good-by, +kind, honest man. May you live long, +and be as happy as I am now."</p> + +<p>Old Pipes was greatly delighted when +he understood that he was really a +younger man; but that made no difference +about the money, and he kept on +his way to the village. As soon as he +reached it, he was eagerly questioned as +to who had been playing his pipes the +evening before, and when the people +heard that it was himself they were very +much surprised. Thereupon Old Pipes +told what had happened to him, and +then there was greater wonder, with +hearty congratulations and hand-shakes; +for Old Pipes was liked by everyone. +The Chief Villager refused to take his +money; and although Old Pipes said +that he had not earned it, everyone +present insisted that, as he would now +play on his pipes as before, he should +lose nothing because, for a time, he was +unable to perform his duty.</p> + +<p>So Old Pipes was obliged to keep his +money, and after an hour or two spent +in conversation with his friends he +returned to his cottage.</p> + +<p>There was one person, however, who +was not pleased with what had happened +to Old Pipes. This was an Echo-dwarf +who lived on the hills across the valley. +It was his work to echo back the notes +of the pipes whenever they could be +heard.</p> + +<p>A great many other Echo-dwarfs lived +on these hills. They all worked, but in +different ways. Some echoed back the +songs of maidens, some the shouts of +children, and others the music that was +often heard in the village. But there +was only one who could send back the +strong notes of the pipes of Old Pipes, +and this had been his sole duty for many +years. But when the old man grew +feeble, and the notes of his pipes could +not be heard on the opposite hills, this +Echo-dwarf had nothing to do, and he +spent his time in delightful idleness; +and he slept so much and grew so fat +that it made his companions laugh to +see him walk.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span></p> + +<p>On the afternoon on which, after so +long an interval, the sound of the pipes +was heard on the echo hills, this dwarf +was fast asleep behind a rock. As soon +as the first notes reached them, some of +his companions ran to wake him up. +Rolling to his feet, he echoed back the +merry tune of Old Pipes.</p> + +<p>Naturally, he was very angry at being +thus obliged to give up his life of comfort, +and he hoped very much that this +pipe-playing would not occur again. +The next afternoon he was awake and +listening, and, sure enough, at the usual +hour, along came the notes of the pipes +as clear and strong as they ever had +been; and he was obliged to work as +long as Old Pipes played. The Echo-dwarf +was very angry. He had supposed, +of course, that the pipe-playing +had ceased forever, and he felt that he +had a right to be indignant at being +thus deceived. He was so much disturbed +that he made up his mind to +go and try to find out how long this was +to last. He had plenty of time, as the +pipes were played but once a day, and +he set off early in the morning for the +hill on which Old Pipes lived. It was +hard work for the fat little fellow, and +when he had crossed the valley and had +gone some distance into the woods on +the hill-side, he stopped to rest, and in +a few minutes the Dryad came tripping +along.</p> + +<p>"Ho, ho!" exclaimed the dwarf; +"what are you doing here? and how did +you get out of your tree?"</p> + +<p>"Doing!" cried the Dryad; "I am +being happy; that's what I am doing. +And I was let out of my tree by the good +old man who plays the pipes to call the +cattle down from the mountain. And +it makes me happier to think that I +have been of service to him. I gave him +two kisses of gratitude, and now he is +young enough to play his pipes as well +as ever."</p> + +<p>The Echo-dwarf stepped forward, his +face pale with passion. "Am I to believe," +he said, "that you are the cause of this +great evil that has come upon me? and +that you are the wicked creature who has +again started this old man upon his career +of pipe-playing? What have I ever done +to you that you should have condemned +me for years and years to echo back the +notes of those wretched pipes?"</p> + +<p>At this the Dryad laughed loudly.</p> + +<p>"What a funny little fellow you are!" +she said. "Anyone would think you +had been condemned to toil from morning +till night; while what you really +have to do is merely to imitate for half +an hour every day the merry notes of +Old Pipes's piping. Fie upon you, +Echo-dwarf! You are lazy and selfish; +and that is what is the matter with +you. Instead of grumbling at being +obliged to do a little wholesome work, +which is less, I am sure, than that of +any other echo-dwarf upon the rocky +hill-side, you should rejoice at the good +fortune of the old man who has regained +so much of his strength and vigor. Go +home and learn to be just and generous; +and then, perhaps, you may be happy. +Good-by."</p> + +<p>"Insolent creature!" shouted the +dwarf, as he shook his fat little fist +at her. "I'll make you suffer for this. +You shall find out what it is to heap +injury and insult upon one like me, +and to snatch from him the repose +that he has earned by long years of +toil." And, shaking his head savagely, +he hurried back to the rocky hill-side.</p> + +<p>Every afternoon the merry notes of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> +the pipes of Old Pipes sounded down +into the valley and over the hills and +up the mountain-side; and every afternoon +when he had echoed them back, +the little dwarf grew more and more +angry with the Dryad. Each day, from +early morning till it was time for him +to go back to his duties upon the rocky +hill-side, he searched the woods for her. +He intended, if he met her, to pretend +to be very sorry for what he had said, +and he thought he might be able to play +a trick upon her which would avenge +him well.</p> + +<p>One day, while thus wandering among +the trees, he met Old Pipes. The Echo-dwarf +did not generally care to see or +speak to ordinary people; but now he was +so anxious to find the object of his search, +that he stopped and asked Old Pipes if +he had seen the Dryad. The piper had +not noticed the little fellow, and he +looked down on him with some surprise.</p> + +<p>"No," he said; "I have not seen her, +and I have been looking everywhere for +her."</p> + +<p>"You!" cried the dwarf, "what do +you wish with her?"</p> + +<p>Old Pipes then sat down on a stone, +so that he should be nearer the ear of +his small companion, and he told what +the Dryad had done for him.</p> + +<p>When the Echo-dwarf heard that this +was the man whose pipes he was obliged +to echo back every day, he would have +slain him on the spot, had he been able; +but, as he was not able, he merely ground +his teeth and listened to the rest of the +story.</p> + +<p>"I am looking for the Dryad now," +Old Pipes continued, "on account of my +aged mother. When I was old myself, +I did not notice how very old my mother +was; but now it shocks me to see how +feeble her years have caused her to become; +and I am looking for the Dryad +to ask her to make my mother younger, +as she made me."</p> + +<p>The eyes of the Echo-dwarf glistened. +Here was a man who might help him in +his plans.</p> + +<p>"Your idea is a good one," he said to +Old Pipes, "and it does you honor. +But you should know that a Dryad can +make no person younger but one who lets +her out of her tree. However, you can +manage the affair very easily. All you +need do is to find the Dryad, tell her +what you want, and request her to step +into her tree and be shut up for a short +time. Then you will go and bring your +mother to the tree; she will open it, and +everything will be as you wish. Is not +this a good plan?"</p> + +<p>"Excellent!" cried Old Pipes; "and I +will go instantly and search more diligently +for the Dryad."</p> + +<p>"Take me with you," said the Echo-dwarf. +"You can easily carry me on +your strong shoulders; and I shall be +glad to help you in any way that I can."</p> + +<p>"Now then," said the little fellow to +himself, as Old Pipes carried him rapidly +along, "if he persuades the Dryad to get +into a tree,—and she is quite foolish +enough to do it,—and then goes away to +bring his mother, I shall take a stone or +a club and I will break off the key of that +tree, so that nobody can ever turn it +again. Then Mistress Dryad will see +what she has brought upon herself by her +behavior to me."</p> + +<p>Before long they came to the great oak +tree in which the Dryad had lived, and +at a distance they saw that beautiful +creature herself coming toward them.</p> + +<p>"How excellently well everything happens!" +said the dwarf. "Put me down,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +and I will go. Your business with the +Dryad is more important than mine; and +you need not say anything about my having +suggested your plan to you. I am +willing that you should have all the credit +of it yourself."</p> + +<p>Old Pipes put the Echo-dwarf upon the +ground, but the little rogue did not go +away. He hid himself between some +low, mossy rocks, and he was so much +like them in color that you would not +have noticed him if you had been looking +straight at him.</p> + +<p>When the Dryad came up, Old Pipes +lost no time in telling her about his +mother, and what he wished her to do. +At first, the Dryad answered nothing, +but stood looking very sadly at Old Pipes.</p> + +<p>"Do you really wish me to go into my +tree again?" she said. "I should dreadfully +dislike to do it, for I don't know +what might happen. It is not at all +necessary, for I could make your mother +younger at any time if she would give me +the opportunity. I had already thought +of making you still happier in this way, +and several times I have waited about +your cottage, hoping to meet your aged +mother, but she never comes outside, and +you know a Dryad cannot enter a house. +I cannot imagine what put this idea into +your head. Did you think of it yourself?"</p> + +<p>"No, I cannot say that I did," answered +Old Pipes. "A little dwarf whom +I met in the woods proposed it to me."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried the Dryad; "now I see +through it all. It is the scheme of that +vile Echo-dwarf—your enemy and mine. +Where is he? I should like to see him."</p> + +<p>"I think he has gone away," said Old +Pipes.</p> + +<p>"No, he has not," said the Dryad, +whose quick eyes perceived the Echo-dwarf +among the rocks, "there he is. +Seize him and drag him out, I beg of you."</p> + +<p>Old Pipes saw the dwarf as soon as he +was pointed out to him; and running to +the rocks, he caught the little fellow by +the arm and pulled him out.</p> + +<p>"Now, then," cried the Dryad, who +had opened the door of the great oak, +"just stick him in there, and we will +shut him up. Then I shall be safe +from his mischief for the rest of the time +I am free."</p> + +<p>Old Pipes thrust the Echo-dwarf into +the tree; the Dryad pushed the door +shut; there was a clicking sound of +bark and wood, and no one would have +noticed that the big oak had ever had +an opening in it.</p> + +<p>"There," said the Dryad; "now we +need not be afraid of him. And I +assure you, my good piper, that I shall +be very glad to make your mother +younger as soon as I can. Will you not +ask her to come out and meet me?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I will," cried Old Pipes; +"and I will do it without delay."</p> + +<p>And then, the Dryad by his side, he +hurried to his cottage. But when he +mentioned the matter to his mother, +the old woman became very angry +indeed. She did not believe in Dryads; +and, if they really did exist, she knew +they must be witches and sorceresses, +and she would have nothing to do with +them. If her son had ever allowed +himself to be kissed by one of them, he +ought to be ashamed of himself. As to +its doing him the least bit of good, she +did not believe a word of it. He felt +better than he used to feel, but that was +very common. She had sometimes felt +that way herself, and she forbade him +ever to mention a Dryad to her again.</p> + +<p>That afternoon, Old Pipes, feeling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +very sad that his plan in regard to his +mother had failed, sat down upon the +rock and played upon his pipes. The +pleasant sounds went down the valley +and up the hills and mountain, but, to +the great surprise of some persons who +happened to notice the fact, the notes +were not echoed back from the rocky +hill-side, but from the woods on the +side of the valley on which Old Pipes +lived. The next day many of the villagers +stopped in their work to listen +to the echo of the pipes coming from +the woods. The sound was not as clear +and strong as it used to be when it was +sent back from the rocky hill-side, but +it certainly came from among the trees. +Such a thing as an echo changing its +place in this way had never been heard +of before, and nobody was able to +explain how it could have happened. +Old Pipes, however, knew very well +that the sound came from the Echo-dwarf +shut up in the great oak tree. +The sides of the tree were thin, and the +sound of the pipes could be heard through +them, and the dwarf was obliged by the +laws of his being to echo back those +notes whenever they came to him. But +Old Pipes thought he might get the +Dryad in trouble if he let anyone know +that the Echo-dwarf was shut up in the +tree, and so he wisely said nothing +about it.</p> + +<p>One day the two boys and the girl +who had helped Old Pipes up the hill were +playing in the woods. Stopping near +the great oak tree, they heard a sound +of knocking within it, and then a voice +plainly said:</p> + +<p>"Let me out! let me out!"</p> + +<p>For a moment the children stood still +in astonishment, and then one of the +boys exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is a Dryad, like the one Old +Pipes found! Let's let her out!"</p> + +<p>"What are you thinking of?" cried +the girl. "I am the oldest of all, and +I am only thirteen. Do you wish to +be turned into crawling babies? Run! +run! run!"</p> + +<p>And the two boys and the girl dashed +down into the valley as fast as their +legs could carry them. There was no +desire in their youthful hearts to be +made younger than they were, and for +fear that their parents might think it +well that they should commence their +careers anew, they never said a word +about finding the Dryad tree.</p> + +<p>As the summer days went on, Old +Pipes's mother grew feebler and feebler. +One day when her son was away, for +he now frequently went into the woods +to hunt or fish, or down into the valley +to work, she arose from her knitting to +prepare the simple dinner. But she +felt so weak and tired that she was not +able to do the work to which she had +been so long accustomed. "Alas! alas!" +she said, "the time has come when I +am too old to work. My son will have +to hire some one to come here and cook +his meals, make his bed, and mend his +clothes. Alas! alas! I had hoped that +as long as I lived I should be able to do +these things. But it is not so. I have +grown utterly worthless, and some one +else must prepare the dinner for my son. +I wonder where he is." And tottering +to the door, she went outside to look for +him. She did not feel able to stand, and +reaching the rustic chair, she sank into +it, quite exhausted, and soon fell asleep.</p> + +<p>The Dryad, who had often come to +the cottage to see if she could find an +opportunity of carrying out Old Pipes's +affectionate design, now happened by;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +and seeing that the much-desired occasion +had come, she stepped up quietly +behind the old woman and gently kissed +her on each cheek, and then as quietly +disappeared.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes the mother of Old +Pipes awoke, and looking up at the sun, +she exclaimed: "Why, it is almost dinner-time! +My son will be here directly, and +I am not ready for him." And rising to +her feet, she hurried into the house, made +the fire, set the meat and vegetables to +cook, laid the cloth, and by the time her +son arrived the meal was on the table.</p> + +<p>"How a little sleep does refresh one," +she said to herself, as she was bustling +about. She was a woman of very vigorous +constitution, and at seventy had +been a great deal stronger and more +active than her son was at that age. +The moment Old Pipes saw his mother, +he knew that the Dryad had been there; +but, while he felt as happy as a king, he +was too wise to say anything about her.</p> + +<p>"It is astonishing how well I feel +to-day," said his mother; "and either +my hearing has improved or you speak +much more plainly than you have done +of late."</p> + +<p>The summer days went on and passed +away, the leaves were falling from the +trees, and the air was becoming cold.</p> + +<p>"Nature has ceased to be lovely," +said the Dryad, "and the night winds +chill me. It is time for me to go back +into my comfortable quarters in the +great oak. But first I must pay another +visit to the cottage of Old Pipes."</p> + +<p>She found the piper and his mother +sitting side by side on the rock in front +of the door. The cattle were not to +go to the mountain any more that +season, and he was piping them down +for the last time. Loud and merrily +sounded the pipes of Old Pipes, and down +the mountain-side came the cattle, the +cows by the easiest paths, the sheep by +those not quite so easy, and the goats +by the most difficult ones among the +rocks; while from the great oak tree were +heard the echoes of the cheerful music.</p> + +<p>"How happy they look, sitting there +together," said the Dryad; "and I +don't believe it will do them a bit of +harm to be still younger." And moving +quietly up behind them, she first kissed +Old Pipes on his cheek and then kissed +his mother.</p> + +<p>Old Pipes, who had stopped playing, +knew what it was, but he did not move, +and said nothing. His mother, thinking +that her son had kissed her, turned +to him with a smile and kissed him in +return. And then she arose and went +into the cottage, a vigorous woman of +sixty, followed by her son, erect and +happy, and twenty years younger than +herself.</p> + +<p>The Dryad sped away to the woods, +shrugging her shoulders as she felt the +cool evening wind.</p> + +<p>When she reached the great oak, she +turned the key and opened the door. +"Come out," said she to the Echo-dwarf, +who sat blinking within. "Winter is +coming on, and I want the comfortable +shelter of my tree for myself. The +cattle have come down from the mountain +for the last time this year, the +pipes will no longer sound, and you +can go to your rocks and have a holiday +until next spring."</p> + +<p>Upon hearing these words the dwarf +skipped quickly out, and the Dryad +entered the tree and pulled the door +shut after her. "Now, then," she said +to herself, "he can break off the key if +he likes. It does not matter to me.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> +Another will grow out next spring. +And although the good piper made me +no promise, I know that when the +warm days arrive next year, he will +come and let me out again."</p> + +<p>The Echo-dwarf did not stop to break +the key of the tree. He was too happy +to be released to think of anything else, +and he hastened as fast as he could to +his home on the rocky hill-side.</p> + +<p>The Dryad was not mistaken when she +trusted in the piper. When the warm +days came again he went to the oak +tree to let her out. But, to his sorrow +and surprise, he found the great tree +lying upon the ground. A winter storm +had blown it down, and it lay with its +trunk shattered and split. And what +became of the Dryad no one ever knew.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_204" id="Note_204">204</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">John Ruskin (1819-1900), the most eloquent +of English prose writers, was much interested +in the question of literature for both +grown-ups and children. He edited a reissue +of Taylor's translation of Grimms' <i>Popular +Stories</i>, issued "Dame Wiggins of Lee and +Her Seven Wonderful Cats" (see No. <a href="#Note_143">143</a>), +and wrote that masterpiece among modern +stories for children, <i>The King of the Golden +River</i>. Its fine idealism, splendidly imagined +structure, wonderful word-paintings, +and perfect English all combine to justify +the high place assigned to it. Ruskin wrote +the story in 1841, at a "couple of sittings," +though it was not published until ten years +later. Speaking of it later in life, he said +that it "was written to amuse a little girl; +and being a fairly good imitation of Grimm +and Dickens, mixed with a little true +Alpine feeling of my own, it has been rightly +pleasing to nice children, and good for them. +But it is totally valueless, for all that. I +can no more write a story than compose +a picture." The final statement may be +taken for what it is worth, written as it +was at a time of disillusionment. The +first part of Ruskin's analysis is certainly +true and has been thus expanded by his +biographer, Sir E. T. Cook: "The grotesque +and the German setting of the tale were +taken from Grimm; from Dickens it took +its tone of pervading kindliness and geniality. +The Alpine ecstasy and the eager +pressing of the moral were Ruskin's own; +and so also is the style, delicately poised +between poetry and comedy."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE KING OF THE GOLDEN RIVER<br /> +OR<br /> +THE BLACK BROTHERS</h4> + + +<div class='center'>JOHN RUSKIN<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +CHAPTER I<br /> +<br /> +HOW THE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM OF THE BLACK +BROTHERS WAS INTERFERED WITH BY +SOUTH-WEST WIND, ESQUIRE</div> + +<p>In a secluded and mountainous part +of Stiria there was, in old time, a valley +of the most surprising and luxuriant +fertility. It was surrounded, on all +sides, by steep and rocky mountains, +rising into peaks, which were always +covered with snow, and from which a +number of torrents descended in constant +cataracts. One of these fell westward, +over the face of a crag so high, +that, when the sun had set to everything +else, and all below was darkness, his +beams still shone full upon this waterfall, +so that it looked like a shower of +gold. It was, therefore, called by the +people of the neighborhood, the Golden +River. It was strange that none of +these streams fell into the valley itself. +They all descended on the other side of +the mountains, and wound away through +broad plains and by populous cities. +But the clouds were drawn so constantly +to the snowy hills, and rested so softly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> +in the circular hollow, that in time of +drought and heat, when all the country +round was burnt up, there was still rain +in the little valley; and its crops were +so heavy, and its hay so high, and its +apples so red, and its grapes so blue, and +its wine so rich, and its honey so sweet, +that it was a marvel to every one who +beheld it, and was commonly called the +Treasure Valley.</p> + +<p>The whole of this little valley belonged +to three brothers, called Schwartz, Hans, +and Gluck. Schwartz and Hans, the +two elder brothers, were very ugly men, +with overhanging eyebrows and small +dull eyes, which were always half shut, +so that you couldn't see into <i>them</i>, and +always fancied they saw very far into +<i>you</i>. They lived by farming the Treasure +Valley, and very good farmers they +were. They killed everything that did +not pay for its eating. They shot the +blackbirds because they pecked the fruit; +and killed the hedgehogs, lest they +should suck the cows; they poisoned +the crickets for eating the crumbs in +the kitchen; and smothered the cicadas, +which used to sing all summer in the +lime trees. They worked their servants +without any wages, till they would not +work any more, and then quarreled with +them, and turned them out of doors +without paying them. It would have +been very odd if, with such a farm, and +such a system of farming, they hadn't +got very rich; and very rich they <i>did</i> +get. They generally contrived to keep +their corn by them till it was very dear, +and then sell it for twice its value; they +had heaps of gold lying about on their +floors, yet it was never known that they +had given so much as a penny or a crust +in charity; they never went to mass; +grumbled perpetually at paying tithes; +and were, in a word, of so cruel and grinding +a temper as to receive from all those +with whom they had any dealings the +nickname of the "Black Brothers."</p> + +<p>The youngest brother, Gluck, was as +completely opposed, in both appearance +and character, to his seniors as could +possibly be imagined or desired. He +was not above twelve years old, fair, +blue-eyed, and kind in temper to every +living thing. He did not, of course, +agree particularly well with his brothers, +or rather, they did not agree with <i>him</i>. +He was usually appointed to the honorable +office of turnspit, when there was +anything to roast, which was not often; +for, to do the brothers justice, they were +hardly less sparing upon themselves +than upon other people. At other times +he used to clean the shoes, floors, and +sometimes the plates, occasionally getting +what was left on them, by way of +encouragement, and a wholesome quantity +of dry blows, by way of education.</p> + +<p>Things went on in this manner for a +long time. At last came a very wet +summer, and everything went wrong in +the country around. The hay had hardly +been got in, when the haystacks were +floated bodily down to the sea by an +inundation; the vines were cut to pieces +with the hail; the corn was all killed by +a black blight; only in the Treasure +Valley, as usual, all was safe. As it had +rain when there was rain nowhere else, +so it had sun when there was sun nowhere +else. Everybody came to buy corn at +the farm, and went away pouring maledictions +on the Black Brothers. They +asked what they liked, and got it, except +from the poor people, who could only +beg, and several of whom were starved +at their very door, without the slightest +regard or notice.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was drawing towards winter, and +very cold weather, when one day the +two elder brothers had gone out, with +their usual warning to little Gluck, who +was left to mind the roast, that he was +to let nobody in, and give nothing out. +Gluck sat down quite close to the fire, +for it was raining very hard, and the +kitchen walls were by no means dry or +comfortable looking. He turned and +turned, and the roast got nice and brown. +"What a pity," thought Gluck, "my +brothers never ask anybody to dinner. +I'm sure, when they've got such a nice +piece of mutton as this, and nobody else +has got so much as a piece of dry bread, +it would do their hearts good to have +somebody to eat it with them."</p> + +<p>Just as he spoke, there came a double +knock at the house door, yet heavy and +dull, as though the knocker had been tied +up—more like a puff than a knock.</p> + +<p>"It must be the wind," said Gluck; +"nobody else would venture to knock +double knocks at our door."</p> + +<p>No; it wasn't the wind; there it came +again very hard, and what was particularly +astounding, the knocker seemed to +be in a hurry, and not to be in the least +afraid of the consequences. Gluck went +to the window, opened it, and put his +head out to see who it was.</p> + +<p>It was the most extraordinary looking +little gentleman he had ever seen in his +life. He had a very large nose, slightly +brass-colored; his cheeks were very +round, and very red, and might have +warranted a supposition that he had +been blowing a refractory fire for the +last eight-and-forty hours; his eyes +twinkled merrily through long silky eyelashes, +his mustaches curled twice round +like a corkscrew on each side of his +mouth, and his hair, of a curious mixed +pepper-and-salt color, descended far over +his shoulders. He was about four-feet-six +in height, and wore a conical pointed +cap of nearly the same altitude, decorated +with a black feather some three feet long. +His doublet was prolonged behind into +something resembling a violent exaggeration +of what is now termed a "swallowtail," +but was much obscured by the +swelling folds of an enormous black, +glossy-looking cloak, which must have +been very much too long in calm weather, +as the wind, whistling round the old +house, carried it clear out from the wearer's +shoulders to about four times his +own length.</p> + +<p>Gluck was so perfectly paralyzed by +the singular appearance of his visitor, +that he remained fixed without uttering +a word, until the old gentleman, +having performed another, and a more +energetic concerto on the knocker, turned +round to look after his fly-away cloak. +In so doing he caught sight of Gluck's +little yellow head jammed in the window, +with its mouth and eyes very wide open +indeed.</p> + +<p>"Hollo!" said the little gentleman, +"that's not the way to answer the door: +I'm wet; let me in!"</p> + +<p>To do the little gentleman justice, +he <i>was</i> wet. His feather hung down +between his legs like a beaten puppy's +tail, dripping like an umbrella; and from +the ends of his mustaches the water +was running into his waistcoat pockets, +and out again like a mill stream.</p> + +<p>"I beg pardon, sir," said Gluck, +"I'm very sorry, but I really can't."</p> + +<p>"Can't what?" said the old gentleman.</p> + +<p>"I can't let you in, sir,—I can't +indeed; my brothers would beat me to +death, sir, if I thought of such a thing. +What do you want, sir?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Want?" said the old gentleman, +petulantly. "I want fire, and shelter; +and there's your great fire there blazing, +crackling, and dancing on the walls, with +nobody to feel it. Let me in, I say; I +only want to warm myself."</p> + +<p>Gluck had had his head, by this time, so +long out of the window, that he began to +feel it was really unpleasantly cold, and +when he turned, and saw the beautiful +fire rustling and roaring, and throwing +long bright tongues up the chimney, +as if it were licking its chops at the +savory smell of the leg of mutton, his +heart melted within him that it should +be burning away for nothing. "He does +look <i>very</i> wet," said little Gluck; "I'll +just let him in for a quarter of an hour." +Round he went to the door, and opened +it; and as the little gentleman walked in, +there came a gust of wind through the +house that made the old chimneys totter.</p> + +<p>"That's a good boy," said the little +gentleman. "Never mind your brothers. +I'll talk to them."</p> + +<p>"Pray, sir, don't do any such thing," +said Gluck. "I can't let you stay till +they come; they'd be the death of me."</p> + +<p>"Dear me," said the old gentleman, +"I'm very sorry to hear that. How +long may I stay?"</p> + +<p>"Only till the mutton's done, sir," +replied Gluck, "and it's very brown."</p> + +<p>Then the old gentleman walked into +the kitchen, and sat himself down on +the hob, with the top of his cap accommodated +up the chimney, for it was a +great deal too high for the roof.</p> + +<p>"You'll soon dry there, sir," said +Gluck, and sat down again to turn the +mutton. But the old gentleman did <i>not</i> +dry there, but went on drip, drip, dripping +among the cinders, and the fire +fizzed and sputtered, and began to look +very black and uncomfortable; never +was such a cloak; every fold in it ran +like a gutter.</p> + +<p>"I beg pardon, sir," said Gluck at +length, after watching the water spreading +in long, quicksilver-like streams over +the floor for a quarter of an hour; "mayn't +I take your cloak?"</p> + +<p>"No thank you," said the old gentleman.</p> + +<p>"Your cap, sir?"</p> + +<p>"I am all right, thank you," said the +old gentleman rather gruffly.</p> + +<p>"But—sir—I'm very sorry," said +Gluck hesitatingly; "but—really, sir—you're—putting +the fire out."</p> + +<p>"It'll take longer to do the mutton, +then," replied his visitor dryly.</p> + +<p>Gluck was very much puzzled by the +behavior of his guest; it was such a +strange mixture of coolness and humility. +He turned away at the string meditatively +for another five minutes.</p> + +<p>"That mutton looks very nice," said +the old gentleman at length. "Can't +you give me a little bit?"</p> + +<p>"Impossible, sir," said Gluck.</p> + +<p>"I'm very hungry," continued the old +gentleman; "I've had nothing to eat +yesterday nor to-day. They surely +couldn't miss a bit from the knuckle!"</p> + +<p>He spoke in so very melancholy a +tone that it quite melted Gluck's heart. +"They promised me one slice to-day, +sir," said he; "I can give you that, but +not a bit more."</p> + +<p>"That's a good boy," said the old +gentleman again.</p> + +<p>Then Gluck warmed a plate, and +sharpened a knife. "I don't care if I +do get beaten for it," thought he. Just +as he had cut a large slice out of the +mutton, there came a tremendous rap +at the door. The old gentleman jumped<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> +off the hob, as if it had suddenly become +inconveniently warm. Gluck fitted the +slice into the mutton again, with desperate +efforts at exactitude, and ran to open +the door.</p> + +<p>"What did you keep us waiting in +the rain for?" said Schwartz, as he +walked in, throwing his umbrella in +Gluck's face. "Ay! what for, indeed, +you little vagabond?" said Hans, administering +an educational box on the ear, +as he followed his brother into the +kitchen.</p> + +<p>"Bless my soul!" said Schwartz when +he opened the door.</p> + +<p>"Amen," said the little gentleman, +who had taken his cap off and was +standing in the middle of the kitchen, +bowing with the utmost possible velocity.</p> + +<p>"Who's that?" said Schwartz, catching +up a rolling-pin, and turning to +Gluck with a fierce frown.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, indeed, brother," said +Gluck in great terror.</p> + +<p>"How did he get in?" roared Schwartz.</p> + +<p>"My dear brother," said Gluck, deprecatingly, +"he was so <i>very</i> wet!"</p> + +<p>The rolling-pin was descending on +Gluck's head; but, at the instant, the +old gentleman interposed his conical +cap, on which it crashed with a shock +that shook the water out of it all over the +room. What was very odd, the rolling +pin no sooner touched the cap, than it +flew out of Schwartz's hand, spinning +like a straw in a high wind, and fell into +the corner at the farther end of the room.</p> + +<p>"Who are you, sir?" demanded +Schwartz, turning upon him.</p> + +<p>"What's your business?" snarled Hans.</p> + +<p>"I'm a poor old man, sir," the little +gentleman began very modestly, "and +I saw your fire through the window, and +begged shelter for a quarter of an hour."</p> + +<p>"Have the goodness to walk out again, +then," said Schwartz. "We've quite +enough water in our kitchen, without +making it a drying house."</p> + +<p>"It is a cold day to turn an old man +out in, sir; look at my gray hairs." +They hung down to his shoulders, as I +told you before.</p> + +<p>"Ay!" said Hans, "there are enough +of them to keep you warm. Walk!"</p> + +<p>"I'm very, very hungry, sir; couldn't +you spare me a bit of bread before I go?"</p> + +<p>"Bread, indeed!" said Schwartz; "do +you suppose we've nothing to do with +our bread but to give it to such red-nosed +fellows as you?"</p> + +<p>"Why don't you sell your feather?" +said Hans, sneeringly. "Out with you!"</p> + +<p>"A little bit," said the old gentleman.</p> + +<p>"Be off!" said Schwartz.</p> + +<p>"Pray, gentlemen—"</p> + +<p>"Off, and be hanged!" cried Hans, +seizing him by the collar. But he had +no sooner touched the old gentleman's +collar, than away he went after the +rolling-pin, spinning round and round, +till he fell into the corner on the top of +it. Then Schwartz was very angry, and +ran at the old gentleman to turn him +out; but he also had hardly touched +him, when away he went after Hans +and the rolling-pin, and hit his head +against the wall as he tumbled into the +corner. And so there they lay, all three.</p> + +<p>Then the old gentleman spun himself +round with velocity in the opposite +direction; continued to spin until his +long cloak was all wound neatly about +him, clapped his cap on his head, very +much on one side (for it could not stand +upright without going through the ceiling), +gave an additional twist to his +corkscrew mustaches, and replied with +perfect coolness: "Gentlemen, I wish you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> +a very good morning. At twelve o'clock +to-night I'll call again; after such a +refusal of hospitality as I have just experienced, +you will not be surprised if +that visit is the last I ever pay you."</p> + +<p>"If ever I catch you here again," +muttered Schwartz, coming, half frightened, +out of the corner—but, before he +could finish his sentence, the old gentleman +had shut the house door behind +him with a great bang: and there drove +past the window, at the same instant, a +wreath of ragged cloud that whirled +and rolled away down the valley in all +manner of shapes; turning over and +over in the air, and melting away at +last in a gush of rain.</p> + +<p>"A very pretty business, indeed, Mr. +Gluck!" said Schwartz. "Dish the mutton, +sir. If ever I catch you at such a +trick again—bless me, why the mutton's +been cut!"</p> + +<p>"You promised me one slice, brother, +you know," said Gluck.</p> + +<p>"Oh! and you were cutting it hot, I +suppose, and going to catch all the gravy. +It'll be long before I promise you such +a thing again. Leave the room, sir; +and have the kindness to wait in the +coal-cellar till I call you."</p> + +<p>Gluck left the room melancholy enough. +The brothers ate as much mutton as +they could, locked the rest in the cupboard, +and proceeded to get very drunk +after dinner.</p> + +<p>Such a night as it was! Howling wind +and rushing rain, without intermission! +The brothers had just sense enough +left to put up all the shutters, and +double bar the door, before they went +to bed. They usually slept in the same +room. As the clock struck twelve, +they were both awakened by a tremendous +crash. Their door burst open with +a violence that shook the house from +top to bottom.</p> + +<p>"What's that?" cried Schwartz, starting +up in his bed.</p> + +<p>"Only I," said the little gentleman.</p> + +<p>The two brothers sat up on their +bolster and stared into the darkness. +The room was full of water, and by a +misty moonbeam, which found its way +through a hole in the shutter, they could +see in the midst of it an enormous foam +globe, spinning round, and bobbing up and +down like a cork, on which, as on a most +luxurious cushion, reclined the little old +gentleman, cap and all. There was plenty +of room for it now, for the roof was off.</p> + +<p>"Sorry to incommode you," said their +visitor, ironically. "I'm afraid your +beds are dampish; perhaps you had better +go to your brother's room; I've left the +ceiling on, there."</p> + +<p>They required no second admonition, +but rushed into Gluck's room, wet +through, and in an agony of terror.</p> + +<p>"You'll find my card on the kitchen +table," the old gentleman called after +them. "Remember, the <i>last</i> visit."</p> + +<p>"Pray Heaven it may!" said Schwartz, +shuddering. And the foam globe disappeared.</p> + +<p>Dawn came at last, and the two +brothers looked out of Gluck's little +window in the morning. The Treasure +Valley was one mass of ruin and desolation. +The inundation had swept away +trees, crops, and cattle, and left in their +stead a waste of red sand and gray mud. +The two brothers crept shivering and +horror-struck into the kitchen. The +water had gutted the whole first floor; +corn, money, almost every movable +thing had been swept away, and there +was left only a small white card on the +kitchen table. On it, in large, breezy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span> +long-legged letters, were engraved the +words:—</p> + +<div class='center'><span class="smcap">South-West Wind, Esquire</span>.</div> + + +<div class='center'>CHAPTER II<br /> +<br /> +OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE THREE BROTHERS +AFTER THE VISIT OF SOUTH-WEST WIND, +ESQUIRE; AND HOW LITTLE GLUCK HAD +AN INTERVIEW WITH THE KING +OF THE GOLDEN RIVER</div> + +<p>South-West Wind, Esquire, was as +good as his word. After the momentous +visit above related, he entered the +Treasure Valley no more; and, what was +worse, he had so much influence with his +relations, the West Winds in general, and +used it so effectually, that they all +adopted a similar line of conduct. So +no rain fell in the valley from one year's +end to another. Though everything +remained green and flourishing in the +plains below, the inheritance of the Three +Brothers was a desert. What had once +been the richest soil in the kingdom, became +a shifting heap of red sand; and the +brothers, unable longer to contend with +the adverse skies, abandoned their valueless +patrimony in despair, to seek some +means of gaining a livelihood among the +cities and people of the plains. All their +money was gone, and they had nothing +left but some curious, old-fashioned +pieces of gold plates, the last remnants +of their ill-gotten wealth.</p> + +<p>"Suppose we turn goldsmiths?" said +Schwartz to Hans, as they entered the +large city. "It is a good knave's trade; +we can put a great deal of copper into +the gold, without any one's finding it +out."</p> + +<p>The thought was agreed to be a +very good one; they hired a furnace, +and turned goldsmiths. But two slight +circumstances affected their trade; the +first, that people did not approve of the +coppered gold; the second, that the two +elder brothers, whenever they had sold +anything, used to leave little Gluck to +mind the furnace, and go and drink out +the money in the ale-house next door. +So they melted all their gold, without +making money enough to buy more, and +were at last reduced to one large drinking +mug, which an uncle of his had given +to little Gluck, and which he was very +fond of, and would not have parted with +for the world; though he never drank +anything out of it but milk and water. +The mug was a very odd mug to look at. +The handle was formed of two wreaths +of flowing golden hair, so finely spun that +it looked more like silk than metal, and +these wreaths descended into, and mixed +with, a beard and whiskers of the same +exquisite workmanship, which surrounded +and decorated a very fierce little face, of +the reddest gold imaginable, right in the +front of the mug, with a pair of eyes in +it which seemed to command its whole +circumference. It was impossible to +drink out of the mug without being subjected +to an intense gaze out of the side +of these eyes; and Schwartz positively +averred that once, after emptying it, +full of Rhenish, seventeen times, he had +seen them wink! When it came to the +mug's turn to be made into spoons, it +half broke poor little Gluck's heart; but +the brothers only laughed at him, tossed +the mug into the melting-pot, and staggered +out to the ale-house; leaving him, +as usual, to pour the gold into bars, +when it was all ready.</p> + +<p>When they were gone, Gluck took a +farewell look at his old friend in the +melting-pot. The flowing hair was all +gone; nothing remained but the red nose,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +and the sparkling eyes, which looked +more malicious than ever. "And no +wonder," thought Gluck, "after being +treated in that way." He sauntered +disconsolately to the window, and sat +himself down to catch the fresh evening +air, and escape the hot breath of the +furnace. Now this window commanded +a direct view of the range of mountains, +which, as I told you before, overhung the +Treasure Valley, and more especially of +the peak from which fell the Golden +River. It was just at the close of the +day, and when Gluck sat down at the +window, he saw the rocks of the mountain +tops, all crimson and purple with the +sunset; and there were bright tongues of +fiery cloud burning and quivering about +them; and the river, brighter than all, +fell, in a waving column of pure gold, +from precipice to precipice, with the +double arch of a broad purple rainbow +stretched across it, flushing and fading +alternately in the wreaths of spray.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Gluck aloud, after he had +looked at it for a while, "if that river +were really all gold, what a nice thing it +would be."</p> + +<p>"No, it wouldn't, Gluck," said a +clear metallic voice, close at his ear.</p> + +<p>"Bless me! what's that?" exclaimed +Gluck, jumping up. There was nobody +there. He looked round the room, and +under the table, and a great many times +behind him, but there was certainly nobody +there, and he sat down again at +the window. This time he didn't speak, +but he couldn't help thinking again that +it would be very convenient if the river +were really all gold.</p> + +<p>"Not at all, my boy," said the same +voice, louder than before.</p> + +<p>"Bless me!" said Gluck again; "what +<i>is</i> that?" He looked again into all the +corners, and cupboards, and then began +turning round, and round, as fast as he +could in the middle of the room, thinking +there was somebody behind him, when +the same voice struck again on his ear. +It was singing now very merrily, "Lala-lira-la"; +no words, only a soft running +effervescent melody, something like that +of a kettle on the boil. Gluck looked +out of the window. No, it was certainly +in the house. Upstairs, and downstairs. +No, it was certainly in that very +room, coming in quicker time, and clearer +notes, every moment. "Lala-lira-la." +All at once it struck Gluck that it sounded +louder near the furnace. He ran to the +opening, and looked in; yes, he saw right, +it seemed to be coming, not only out of +the furnace, but out of the pot. He +uncovered it, and ran back in a great +fright, for the pot was certainly singing! +He stood in the farthest corner of the +room, with his hands up, and his mouth +open, for a minute or two, when the singing +stopped, and the voice became clear, +and pronunciative.</p> + +<p>"Hollo!" said the voice.</p> + +<p>Gluck made no answer.</p> + +<p>"Hollo! Gluck, my boy," said the pot +again.</p> + +<p>Gluck summoned all his energies, +walked straight up to the crucible, drew +it out of the furnace, and looked in. The +gold was all melted, and its surface as +smooth and polished as a river; but instead +of reflecting little Gluck's head, as +he looked in, he saw, meeting his glance +from beneath the gold, the red nose and +sharp eyes of his old friend of the mug, +a thousand times redder and sharper than +ever he had seen them in his life.</p> + +<p>"Come, Gluck, my boy," said the +voice out of the pot again, "I'm all right; +pour me out."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span></p> + +<p>But Gluck was too much astonished to +do anything of the kind.</p> + +<p>"Pour me out, I say," said the voice +rather gruffly.</p> + +<p>Still Gluck couldn't move.</p> + +<p>"<i>Will</i> you pour me out?" said the +voice passionately. "I'm too hot."</p> + +<p>By a violent effort, Gluck recovered +the use of his limbs, took hold of the +crucible, and sloped it so as to pour out +the gold. But instead of a liquid stream, +there came out, first, a pair of pretty little +yellow legs, then some coat tails, then a +pair of arms stuck a-kimbo, and, finally, +the well-known head of his friend the +mug; all which articles, uniting as they +rolled out, stood up energetically on the +floor, in the shape of a little golden +dwarf, about a foot and a half high.</p> + +<p>"That's right!" said the dwarf, stretching +out first his legs and then his arms, +and then shaking his head up and down, +and as far round as it would go, for five +minutes, without stopping; apparently +with the view of ascertaining if he were +quite correctly put together, while Gluck +stood contemplating him in speechless +amazement. He was dressed in a slashed +doublet of spun gold, so fine in its texture +that the prismatic colors gleamed over +it, as if on a surface of mother of pearl; +and, over this brilliant doublet, his hair +and beard fell full halfway to the ground +in waving curls so exquisitely delicate +that Gluck could hardly tell where they +ended; they seemed to melt into air. +The features of the face, however, were +by no means finished with the same +delicacy; they were rather coarse, slightly +inclining to coppery in complexion, and +indicative, in expression, of a very pertinacious +and intractable disposition in +their small proprietor. When the dwarf +had finished his self-examination, he +turned his small sharp eyes full on Gluck +and stared at him deliberately for a +minute or two. "No, it wouldn't, Gluck, +my boy," said the little man.</p> + +<p>This was certainly rather an abrupt +and unconnected mode of commencing +conversation. It might indeed be supposed +to refer to the course of Gluck's +thoughts, which had first produced the +dwarf's observations out of the pot; but +whatever it referred to, Gluck had no +inclination to dispute the dictum.</p> + +<p>"Wouldn't it, sir?" said Gluck, very +mildly and submissively indeed.</p> + +<p>"No," said the dwarf, conclusively. +"No, it wouldn't." And with that, the +dwarf pulled his cap hard over his brows, +and took two turns, of three feet long, +up and down the room, lifting his legs +up very high, and setting them down very +hard. This pause gave time for Gluck +to collect his thoughts a little, and, seeing +no great reason to view his diminutive +visitor with dread, and feeling his curiosity +overcome his amazement, he ventured +on a question of peculiar delicacy.</p> + +<p>"Pray, sir," said Gluck rather hesitatingly, +"were you my mug?"</p> + +<p>On which the little man turned sharp +round, walked straight up to Gluck, and +drew himself up to his full height. "I," +said the little man, "am the King of the +Golden River." Whereupon he turned +about again, and took two more turns, +some six feet long, in order to allow time +for the consternation which this announcement +produced in his auditor to +evaporate. After which, he again walked +up to Gluck and stood still, as if expecting +some comment on his communication.</p> + +<p>Gluck determined to say something +at all events. "I hope your Majesty is +very well," said Gluck.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Listen!" said the little man, deigning +no reply to this polite inquiry. "I +am the King of what you mortals call the +Golden River. The shape you saw me +in, was owing to the malice of a stronger +king, from whose enchantments you +have this instant freed me. What I +have seen of you, and your conduct to +your wicked brothers, renders me willing +to serve you; therefore, attend to what +I tell you. Whoever shall climb to the +top of that mountain from which you see +the Golden River issue, and shall cast +into the stream at its source three drops +of holy water, for him, and for him only, +the river shall turn to gold. But no one +failing in his first, can succeed in a second +attempt; and if any one shall cast unholy +water into the river, it will overwhelm +him, and he will become a black stone." +So saying, the King of the Golden River +turned away and deliberately walked into +the center of the hottest flame of the furnace. +His figure became red, white, transparent, +dazzling—a blaze of intense light—rose, +trembled, and disappeared. The +King of the Golden River had evaporated.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried poor Gluck, running to +look up the chimney after him; "Oh, +dear, dear, dear me! My mug! my +mug! my mug!"</p> + + +<div class='center'>CHAPTER III<br /> +<br /> +HOW MR. HANS SET OFF ON AN EXPEDITION +TO THE GOLDEN RIVER, AND HOW HE +PROSPERED THEREIN</div> + +<p>The King of the Golden River had +hardly made the extraordinary exit, related +in the last chapter, before Hans +and Schwartz came roaring into the +house, very savagely drunk. The discovery +of the total loss of their last piece +of plate had the effect of sobering them +just enough to enable them to stand over +Gluck, beating him very steadily for a +quarter of an hour; at the expiration of +which period they dropped into a couple +of chairs, and requested to know what +he had got to say for himself. Gluck +told them his story, of which, of course, +they did not believe a word. They beat +him again, till their arms were tired, and +staggered to bed. In the morning, however, +the steadiness with which he adhered +to his story obtained him some +degree of credence; the immediate consequence +of which was, that the two +brothers, after wrangling a long time on +the knotty question, which of them should +try his fortune first, drew their swords +and began fighting. The noise of the +fray alarmed the neighbors, who, finding +they could not pacify the combatants, +sent for the constable.</p> + +<p>Hans, on hearing this, contrived to +escape, and hid himself; but Schwartz +was taken before the magistrate, fined for +breaking the peace, and, having drunk +out his last penny the evening before, +was thrown into prison till he should pay.</p> + +<p>When Hans heard this, he was much +delighted, and determined to set out immediately +for the Golden River. How +to get the holy water was the question. +He went to the priest, but the priest +could not give any holy water to so +abandoned a character. So Hans went +to vespers in the evening for the first +time in his life, and, under pretense of +crossing himself, stole a cupful, and returned +home in triumph.</p> + +<p>Next morning he got up before the +sun rose, put the holy water into a strong +flask, and two bottles of wine and some +meat in a basket, slung them over his +back, took his alpine staff in his hand, +and set off for the mountains.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span></p> + +<p>On his way out of the town he had to +pass the prison, and as he looked in at +the windows, whom should he see but +Schwartz himself peeping out of the bars, +and looking very disconsolate.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, brother," said Hans; +"have you any message for the King of +the Golden River?"</p> + +<p>Schwartz gnashed his teeth with rage, +and shook the bars with all his strength; +but Hans only laughed at him, and advising +him to make himself comfortable +till he came back again, shouldered his +basket, shook the bottle of holy water +in Schwartz's face till it frothed again, +and marched off in the highest spirits in +the world.</p> + +<p>It was, indeed, a morning that might +have made any one happy, even with no +Golden River to seek for. Level lines +of dewy mist lay stretched along the +valley, out of which rose the massy +mountains—their lower cliffs in pale +gray shadow, hardly distinguishable from +the floating vapor, but gradually ascending +till they caught the sunlight, which +ran in sharp touches of ruddy color along +the angular crags, and pierced, in long +level rays, through their fringes of spear-like +pine. Far above, shot up red +splintered masses of castellated rock, +jagged and shivered into myriads of fantastic +forms, with here and there a streak +of sunlit snow, traced down their chasms +like a line of forked lightning; and, far +beyond, and far above all these, fainter +than the morning cloud, but purer and +changeless, slept, in the blue sky, the +utmost peaks of the eternal snow.</p> + +<p>The Golden River, which sprang from +one of the lower and snowless elevations, +was now nearly in shadow; all but the +uppermost jets of spray, which rose like +slow smoke above the undulating line of +the cataract, and floated away in feeble +wreaths upon the morning wind.</p> + +<p>On this object, and on this alone, +Hans's eyes and thoughts were fixed; +forgetting the distance he had to traverse, +he set off at an imprudent rate of walking, +which greatly exhausted him before he +had scaled the first range of the green +and low hills. He was, moreover, surprised, +on surmounting them, to find +that a large glacier, of whose existence, +notwithstanding his previous knowledge +of the mountains, he had been absolutely +ignorant, lay between him and the source +of the Golden River. He entered on it +with the boldness of a practised mountaineer; +yet he thought he had never +traversed so strange or so dangerous a +glacier in his life. The ice was excessively +slippery, and out of all its +chasms came wild sounds of gushing +water; not monotonous or low, but +changeful and loud, rising occasionally +into drifting passages of wild melody; +then breaking off into short melancholy +tones, or sudden shrieks, resembling +those of human voices in distress or pain. +The ice was broken into thousands of +confused shapes, but none, Hans thought, +like the ordinary forms of splintered ice. +There seemed a curious <i>expression</i> about +all their outlines—a perpetual resemblance +to living features, distorted and +scornful. Myriads of deceitful shadows, +and lurid lights, played and floated about +and through the pale blue pinnacles, +dazzling and confusing the sight of the +traveler; while his ears grew dull and his +head giddy with the constant gush and +roar of the concealed waters. These +painful circumstances increased upon +him as he advanced; the ice crashed and +yawned into fresh chasms at his feet, +tottering spires nodded around him, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> +fell thundering across his path; and +though he had repeatedly faced these +dangers on the most terrific glaciers, and +in the wildest weather, it was with a new +and oppressive feeling of panic terror +that he leaped the last chasm, and flung +himself, exhausted and shuddering, on +the firm turf of the mountain.</p> + +<p>He had been compelled to abandon his +basket of food, which became a perilous +encumbrance on the glacier, and had now +no means of refreshing himself but by +breaking off and eating some of the pieces +of ice. This, however, relieved his thirst; +an hour's repose recruited his hardy +frame, and with the indomitable spirit of +avarice, he resumed his laborious journey.</p> + +<p>His way now lay straight up a ridge +of bare red rocks, without a blade of +grass to ease the foot, or a projecting +angle to afford an inch of shade from the +south sun. It was past noon, and the +rays beat intensely upon the steep path, +while the whole atmosphere was motionless +and penetrated with heat. Intense +thirst was soon added to the bodily +fatigue with which Hans was now +afflicted; glance after glance he cast on +the flask of water which hung at his belt. +"Three drops are enough," at last thought +he; "I may, at least, cool my lips with it."</p> + +<p>He opened the flask, and was raising it +to his lips, when his eye fell on an object +lying on the rock beside him; he thought +it moved. It was a small dog, apparently +in the last agony of death from thirst. +Its tongue was out, its jaws dry, its limbs +extended lifelessly, and a swarm of black +ants were crawling about its lips and +throat. Its eye moved to the bottle +which Hans held in his hand. He raised +it, drank, spurned the animal with his +foot, and passed on. And he did not +know how it was, but he thought that +a strange shadow had suddenly come +across the blue sky.</p> + +<p>The path became steeper and more +rugged every moment; and the high hill +air, instead of refreshing him, seemed to +throw his blood into a fever. The noise +of the hill cataracts sounded like mockery +in his ears; they were all distant, and his +thirst increased every moment. Another +hour passed, and he again looked down +to the flask at his side; it was half empty, +but there was much more than three +drops in it. He stopped to open it; and +again, as he did so, something moved in +the path above him. It was a fair child, +stretched nearly lifeless on the rock, its +breast heaving with thirst, its eyes closed, +and its lips parched and burning. Hans +eyed it deliberately, drank, and passed on. +And a dark gray cloud came over the sun, +and long, snake-like shadows crept up +along the mountain sides. Hans struggled +on. The sun was sinking, but its descent +seemed to bring no coolness; the +leaden weight of the dead air pressed +upon his brow and heart, but the goal +was near. He saw the cataract of the +Golden River springing from the hillside, +scarcely five hundred feet above him. +He paused for a moment to breathe, and +sprang on to complete his task.</p> + +<p>At this instant a faint cry fell on his +ear. He turned, and saw a gray-haired +old man extended on the rocks. His +eyes were sunk, his features deadly pale, +and gathered into an expression of +despair. "Water!" he stretched his +arms to Hans, and cried feebly, "Water! +I am dying."</p> + +<p>"I have none," replied Hans; "thou +hast had thy share of life." He strode +over the prostrate body, and darted on. +And a flash of blue lightning rose out of +the East, shaped like a sword; it shook<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> +thrice over the whole heaven, and left +it dark with one heavy, impenetrable +shade. The sun was setting; it plunged +toward the horizon like a red-hot ball.</p> + +<p>The roar of the Golden River rose on +Hans's ear. He stood at the brink of +the chasm through which it ran. Its +waves were filled with the red glory of +the sunset; they shook their crests like +tongues of fire, and flashes of bloody +light gleamed along their foam. Their +sound came mightier and mightier on his +senses; his brain grew giddy with the +prolonged thunder. Shuddering he drew +the flask from his girdle, and hurled it +into the center of the torrent. As he did +so, an icy chill shot through his limbs; +he staggered, shrieked, and fell. The +waters closed over his cry. And the +moaning of the river rose wildly into the +night, as it gushed over</p> + +<div class='center'><span class="smcap">The Black Stone</span>.</div> + + +<div class='center'><br />CHAPTER IV<br /> +<br /> +HOW MR. SCHWARTZ SET OFF ON AN EXPEDITION +TO THE GOLDEN RIVER, AND HOW HE +PROSPERED THEREIN</div> + +<p>Poor little Gluck waited very anxiously +alone in the house for Hans's return. +Finding he did not come back, he was +terribly frightened and went and told +Schwartz in the prison, all that had +happened. Then Schwartz was very +much pleased, and said that Hans must +certainly have been turned into a black +stone, and he should have all the gold to +himself. But Gluck was very sorry, and +cried all night. When he got up in the +morning there was no bread in the house, +nor any money; so Gluck went and hired +himself to another goldsmith, and he +worked so hard, and so neatly, and so +long every day, that he soon got money +enough together to pay his brother's +fine, and he went and gave it all to +Schwartz, and Schwartz got out of prison. +Then Schwartz was quite pleased, and +said he should have some of the gold of the +river. But Gluck only begged he would +go and see what had become of Hans.</p> + +<p>Now when Schwartz had heard that +Hans had stolen the holy water, he +thought to himself that such a proceeding +might not be considered altogether +correct by the King of the Golden +River, and determined to manage matters +better. So he took some more of Gluck's +money, and went to a bad priest, who +gave him some holy water very readily +for it. Then Schwartz was sure it was +all quite right. So Schwartz got up early +in the morning before the sun rose, and +took some bread and wine, in a basket, +and put his holy water in a flask, and set +off for the mountains. Like his brother, +he was much surprised at the sight of +the glacier, and had great difficulty in +crossing it, even after leaving his basket +behind him. The day was cloudless, but +not bright; there was a heavy purple +haze hanging over the sky, and the hills +looked lowering and gloomy. And as +Schwartz climbed the steep rock path, +the thirst came upon him, as it had upon +his brother, until he lifted his flask to +his lips to drink. Then he saw the fair +child lying near him on the rocks, and +it cried to him, and moaned for water.</p> + +<p>"Water, indeed," said Schwartz; "I +haven't half enough for myself," and +passed on. And as he went he thought +the sunbeams grew more dim, and he +saw a low bank of black cloud rising out +of the West; and, when he had climbed +for another hour the thirst overcame +him again, and he would have drunk.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> +Then he saw the old man lying before +him on the path, and heard him cry +out for water. "Water, indeed," said +Schwartz, "I haven't enough for myself," +and on he went.</p> + +<p>Then again the light seemed to fade +before his eyes, and he looked up, and, +behold, a mist, of the color of blood, had +come over the sun; and the bank of black +cloud had risen very high, and its edges +were tossing and tumbling like the waves +of the angry sea. And they cast long shadows, +which flickered over Schwartz's path.</p> + +<p>Then Schwartz climbed for another +hour, and again his thirst returned; and +as he lifted his flask to his lips, he thought +he saw his brother Hans lying exhausted +on the path before him, and, as he gazed, +the figure stretched its arms to him, and +cried for water. "Ha, ha," laughed +Schwartz, "are you there? Remember the +prison bars, my boy. Water, indeed! do +you suppose I carried it all the way up +here for <i>you?</i>" And he strode over the +figure; yet, as he passed, he thought he +saw a strange expression of mockery +about its lips. And, when he had gone +a few yards farther, he looked back; but +the figure was not there.</p> + +<p>And a sudden horror came over +Schwartz, he knew not why; but the +thirst for gold prevailed over his fear, +and he rushed on. And the bank of +black cloud rose to the zenith, and out +of it came bursts of spiry lightning, and +waves of darkness seemed to heave and +float between their flashes over the whole +heavens. And the sky where the sun +was setting was all level, and like a lake +of blood; and a strong wind came out of +that sky, tearing its crimson cloud into +fragments, and scattering them far into +the darkness. And when Schwartz stood +by the brink of the Golden River, its +waves were black, like thunder clouds, +but their foam was like fire; and the +roar of the waters below, and the thunder +above, met, as he cast the flask into the +stream. And, as he did so, the lightning +glared into his eyes, and the earth gave +way beneath him, and the waters closed +over his cry. And the moaning of the +river rose wildly into the night, as it +gushed over the</p> + +<div class='center'><span class="smcap">Two Black Stones</span>.</div> + + +<div class='center'><br />CHAPTER V<br /> +<br /> +HOW LITTLE GLUCK SET OFF ON AN EXPEDITION +TO THE GOLDEN RIVER, AND HOW HE +PROSPERED THEREIN; WITH OTHER +MATTERS OF INTEREST</div> + +<p>When Gluck found that Schwartz did +not come back he was very sorry, and +did not know what to do. He had no +money, and was obliged to go and hire +himself again to the goldsmith, who +worked him very hard, and gave him very +little money. So, after a month or two, +Gluck grew tired, and made up his mind +to go and try his fortune with the Golden +River. "The little King looked very +kind," thought he. "I don't think he +will turn me into a black stone." So he +went to the priest, and the priest gave +him some holy water as soon as he asked +for it. Then Gluck took some bread in +his basket, and the bottle of water, and +set off very early for the mountains.</p> + +<p>If the glacier had occasioned a great +deal of fatigue to his brothers, it was +twenty times worse for him, who was +neither so strong nor so practised on the +mountains. He had several bad falls, +lost his basket and bread, and was very +much frightened at the strange noises +under the ice. He lay a long time to +rest on the grass, after he had got over,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> +and began to climb the hill just in the +hottest part of the day. When he had +climbed for an hour, he got dreadfully +thirsty, and was going to drink like his +brothers, when he saw an old man coming +down the path above him, looking very +feeble, and leaning on a staff. "My son," +said the old man, "I am faint with thirst. +Give me some of that water." Then +Gluck looked at him, and when he saw +that he was pale and weary, he gave him +the water; "Only pray don't drink it all," +said Gluck. But the old man drank a +great deal, and gave him back the bottle +two-thirds empty. Then he bade him +good speed, and Gluck went on again +merrily. And the path became easier +to his feet, and two or three blades of +grass appeared upon it, and some grasshoppers +began singing on the bank beside +it; and Gluck thought he had never +heard such merry singing.</p> + +<p>Then he went on for another hour, and +the thirst increased on him so that he +thought he should be forced to drink. +But, as he raised the flask, he saw a +little child lying panting by the road-side, +and it cried out piteously for water. +Then Gluck struggled with himself, and +determined to bear the thirst a little +longer; and he put the bottle to the child's +lips, and it drank it all but a few drops. +Then it smiled on him, and got up and +ran down the hill; and Gluck looked +after it, till it became as small as a little +star, and then turned and began climbing +again. And then there were all kinds of +sweet flowers growing on the rocks, bright +green moss with pale pink starry flowers, +and soft belled gentians, more blue than +the sky at its deepest, and pure white +transparent lilies. And crimson and +purple butterflies darted hither and +thither, and the sky sent down such pure +light that Gluck had never felt so happy +in his life.</p> + +<p>Yet, when he had climbed for another +hour, his thirst became intolerable again; +and, when he looked at his bottle, he +saw that there were only five or six drops +left in it, and he could not venture to +drink. And, as he was hanging the flask +to his belt again, he saw a little dog lying +on the rocks, gasping for breath—just +as Hans had seen it on the day of his +ascent. And Gluck stopped and looked +at it, and then at the Golden River, not +five hundred yards above him; and he +thought of the dwarf's words, "that no +one could succeed, except in his first +attempt"; and he tried to pass the dog, +but it whined piteously, and Gluck +stopped again. "Poor beastie," said +Gluck, "it'll be dead when I come down +again, if I don't help it." Then he +looked closer and closer at it, and its +eye turned on him so mournfully that +he could not stand it. "Confound the +King and his gold, too," said Gluck; and +he opened the flask, and poured all the +water into the dog's mouth.</p> + +<p>The dog sprang up and stood on its +hind legs. Its tail disappeared, its ears +became long, longer, silky, golden; its nose +became very red, its eyes became very +twinkling; in three seconds the dog was +gone, and before Gluck stood his old acquaintance, +the King of the Golden River.</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said the monarch; "but +don't be frightened, it's all right"; for +Gluck showed manifest symptoms of +consternation at this unlooked-for reply +to his last observation. "Why didn't +you come before," continued the dwarf, +"instead of sending me those rascally +brothers of yours, for me to have the +trouble of turning into stones? Very +hard stones they make, too."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, dear me!" said Gluck, "have you +really been so cruel?"</p> + +<p>"Cruel!" said the dwarf: "they poured +unholy water into my stream; do you +suppose I'm going to allow that?"</p> + +<p>"Why," said Gluck, "I am sure, sir—your +Majesty, I mean,—they got the +water out of the church font."</p> + +<p>"Very probably," replied the dwarf; +"but," and his countenance grew stern as +he spoke, "the water which has been +refused to the cry of the weary and dying +is unholy, though it had been blessed by +every saint in heaven; and the water +which is found in the vessel of mercy is +holy, though it had been defiled with +corpses."</p> + +<p>So saying, the dwarf stooped and +plucked a lily that grew at his feet. On +its white leaves there hung three drops +of clear dew. And the dwarf shook +them into the flask which Gluck held in +his hand. "Cast these into the river," +he said, "and descend on the other side +of the mountains into the Treasure +Valley, and so good speed."</p> + +<p>As he spoke, the figure of the dwarf +became indistinct. The playing colors +of his robe formed themselves into a +prismatic mist of dewy light: he stood +for an instant veiled with them as with +the belt of a broad rainbow. The colors +grew faint, the mist rose into the air; +the monarch had evaporated.</p> + +<p>And Gluck climbed to the brink of +the Golden River and its waves were +as clear as crystal, and as brilliant as +the sun. And, when he cast the three +drops of dew into the stream, there +opened where they fell, a small circular +whirlpool, into which the waters descended +with a musical noise.</p> + +<p>Gluck stood watching it for some time, +very much disappointed, because not +only the river was not turned into gold +but its waters seemed much diminished +in quantity. Yet he obeyed his friend +the dwarf, and descended the other side +of the mountains, towards the Treasure +Valley; and, as he went, he thought he +heard the noise of water working its way +under the ground. And when he came in +sight of the Treasure Valley, behold, a +river, like the Golden River, was springing +from a new cleft of the rocks above it, +and was flowing in innumerable streams +among the dry heaps of red sand.</p> + +<p>And, as Gluck gazed, fresh grass +sprang beside the new streams, and +creeping plants grew, and climbed among +the moistening soil. Young flowers +opened suddenly along the river sides, +as stars leap out when twilight is deepening, +and thickets of myrtle, and tendrils +of vine, cast lengthening shadows over +the valley as they grew. And thus the +Treasure Valley became a garden again, +and the inheritance, which had been +lost by cruelty, was regained by love.</p> + +<p>And Gluck went and dwelt in the valley, +and the poor were never driven from +his door; so that his barns became full of +corn, and his house of treasure. And +for him, the river had, according to the +dwarf's promise, become a River of Gold.</p> + +<p>And, to this day, the inhabitants of +the valley point out the place where the +three drops of holy dew were cast into +the stream, and trace the course of the +Golden River under the ground, until +it emerges in the Treasure Valley. And +at the top of the cataract of the Golden +River are still to be seen <span class="smcap">two black +stones</span>, round which the waters howl +mournfully every day at sunset; and +these stones are still called by the people +of the valley</p> + +<div class='center'> +<span class="smcap">The Black Brothers</span>.<br /></div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION V</h2> + +<h3>FABLES AND SYMBOLIC STORIES</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span></p> +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + + +<div class='hang1'>Jacobs, Joseph, <i>History of the Aesopic Fable</i>.</div> + +<div class="hang2">The only elaborate and scholarly study in English. Vol. I of a reprint of <i>Caxton's Aesop</i>. +[Bibliothèque de Carabas Series.] Published in 1889 in a limited edition and not easily +accessible.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Jacobs, Joseph, <i>The Fables of Aesop</i>. [Illustrated by Richard Heighway.]</div> + +<div class="hang2">Eighty-two selected fables. The Introduction is a summary of all the essential conclusions +reached in the study above.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Wiggin, Kate D., and Smith, Nora A., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13815">The Talking Beasts</a></i>.</div> + +<div class="hang2">The best general collection from all fields, including both the folk fable and the modern literary +fable.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Babbitt, Ellen C., <i>Jataka Tales Retold</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Dutton, Maude Barrows, <i>The Tortoise and the Geese, and Other Fables of Bidpai</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Ramaswami Raju, P. V., <i>Indian Folk Stories and Fables</i>.</div> + +<div class="hang2">These three books are excellent for simplified versions of the eastern group. Those desiring +to get closer to the sources may refer to Cowell [ed.], <i>The Jataka, or Stories of the Buddha's +Former Births;</i> Rhys-Davids, <i>Buddhist Birth Stories;</i> Keith-Falconer, <i>Bidpai's Fables</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />SUGGESTIONS FOR READING</h3> +<div class='blockquot'> +<p>It is possible to piece out a very satisfactory account of the nature and history of the traditional +fable by looking up in any good encyclopedia the brief articles under the following heads: +Folklore, Fable, Parable, Apologue, Æsop, Demetrius of Phalerum, Babrias, Phaedrus, Avian, +Romulus, Maximus Planudes, Jataka, Bidpai, Panchatantra, Hitopadesa.</p> + +<p>For a popular account of the whole philosophy of the apologue consult Newbigging, <i>Fables and +Fabulists: Ancient and Modern</i>.</p> + +<p>For distinctions between various kinds of symbolic tales see Canby, <i>The Short Story in English</i> +(pp. 23 ff.); Trench, <i>Notes on the Parables</i> (Introduction); Smith, "The Fable and Kindred Forms," +<i>Journal of English and Germanic Philology</i>, Vol. XIV, p. 519.</p> + +<p>For origins and parallels read Müller, "On the Migration of Fables," <i>Selected Essays</i>, Vol. I +(reprinted in large part in Warner, <i>Library of the World's Best Literature</i>, Vol. XVIII); Clouston, +<i>Popular Tales and Fictions</i>, Vol. I, p. 266, and Vol. II, p. 432. The more general treatises on folklore +all touch on these problems.</p> + +<p>For suggestions on the use of fables with children see MacClintock, <i>Literature in the Elementary +School</i> (chap. xi); Adler, <i>Moral Instruction of Children</i> (chaps. vii and viii); McMurry, <i>Special +Method in Reading in the Grades</i> (p. 70).</p> + +<p>For a clear and helpful account of the French writers of fables, the most important modern +group, read Collins, <i>La Fontaine and Other French Fabulists</i>. Representative examples are given +in most excellent translation. The best complete translation of La Fontaine is by Elizur Wright; +of Krylov, in verse by I. H. Harrison, in prose by W. R. S. Ralston; of Yriarte, by R. Rockliffe. +Gay's complete collection may be found in any edition of his poems.</p> + +<p>Satisfactory collections of proverbial sayings useful in finding expressions for the wisdom found +in fables are Christy, <i>Proverbs, Maxims, and Phrases of All Ages;</i> Hazlitt, <i>English Proverbs and Proverbial +Phrases;</i> Trench, <i>Proverbs and Their Lessons</i>.</p> + +<p>A book of great suggestive value covering the whole field of the prose story is Fansler, <i>Types +of Prose Narratives</i>. It contains elaborate classifications, discussions and examples of each type, +and an extended bibliography. Pp. 83-127 deal with fables, parables, and allegories.</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION V: FABLES AND SYMBOLIC STORIES</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + +<p><i>The character and value of fables.</i> Some one has pointed out that there are two +kinds of ideals by which we are guided in life and that these ideals may be compared +to lighthouses and lanterns. By means of the lighthouse, remote and lofty, we are +able to lay a course and to know at any time whether we are headed in the right +direction. But while we are moving along a difficult road we need more immediate +illumination to avoid the mudholes and stumbling-places close at hand. We need +the humble lantern to show us where we may safely step.</p> + +<p>Fables are lanterns by which our feet are guided. They embody the practical +rules for everyday uses, rules of prudence that have been tested and approved by untold +generations of travelers along the arduous road of life. They chart only minor dangers +and difficult places as a rule, but these are the ones with which we are always in +direct contact. Being honest because it is the "best policy" is not the highest +reason for honesty, but it is what a practical world has found to be best in practice. +Fables simply give us the "rules of the road," and these rules contribute greatly to +our convenience and safety. Such rules are the result of the common sense of man +working upon his everyday problems. To violate one of these practical rules is to +be a blunderer, and blundering is a subject for jest rather than bitter denouncement. +Hence the humorous and satirical note in fables.</p> + +<p>The practical, self-made men of the world, who have done things and inspired +others to do them, have always placed great emphasis upon common-sense ideals. +Benjamin Franklin, by his <i>Poor Richard's Almanac</i>, kept the incentives to industry and +thrift before a people who needed to practice these everyday rules if they were to +conquer an unwilling wilderness. So well did he do his work that after nearly two +hundred years we are still quoting his pithy sayings. It may be that his proverbs +were all borrowed, but the rules of the road are not matters for constant experiment. +Again, no account of Abraham Lincoln can omit his use of Æsop or of Æsop-like stories +to enforce his ideas. His homely stories were so "pat" that there was nothing left +for the opposition to say. Only one who grasps the heart of a problem can use concrete +illustrations with such effect.</p> + +<p>No one really questions the truths enforced by the more familiar fables. But +since these teachings are so commonplace and obvious, they cannot be impressed +upon us by mere repetition of the teachings as such. To secure the emphasis needed +the world gradually evolved a body of striking stories and proverbs by which the +standing rules of everyday life are displayed in terms that cling like burrs. "The +peculiar value of the fable," says Dr. Adler, "is that they are instantaneous photographs, +which reproduce, as it were, in a single flash of light, some one aspect of human +nature, and which, excluding everything else, permit the entire attention to be fixed +on that one."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span></p> + +<p><i>Æsop and Bidpai.</i> The type of fable in mind in the above account is that +known as the Æsopic, a brief beast-story in which the characters are, as a rule, conventionalized +animals, and which points out some practical moral. The fox may +represent crafty people, the ass may represent stupid people, the wind may represent +boisterous people, the tortoise may represent plodding people who "keep everlastingly +at it." When human beings are introduced, such as the Shepherd Boy, or +Androcles, or the Travelers, or the Milkmaid, they are as wholly conventionalized +as the animals and there is never any doubt as to their motives. Æsop, if he ever +existed at all, is said to have been a Greek slave of the sixth century <span class="smcap">b.c.</span>, very +ugly and clever, who used fables orally for political purposes and succeeded in gaining +his freedom and a high position. Later writers, among them Demetrius of +Phalerum about 300 <span class="smcap">b.c.</span> and Phaedrus about 30 <span class="smcap">a.d.</span>, made versions of fables +ascribed to Æsop. Many writers in the Middle Ages brought together increasing +numbers of fables under Æsop's name and enlarged upon the few traditional facts +in Herodotus about Æsop himself until several hundred fables and an elaborate +biography of the supposed author were in existence. Joseph Jacobs said he had +counted as many as 700 different fables going under Æsop's name. The number +included in a present-day book of Æsop usually varies from 200 to 350. Another +name associated with the making of fables is that of Bidpai (or Pilpay), said to have +been a philosopher attached to the court of some oriental king. Bidpai, a name +which means "head scholar," is a more shadowy figure even than Æsop. What we +can be sure of is that there were two centers, Greece and India, from which fables +were diffused. Whether they all came originally from a single source, and, if so, +what that source was, are questions still debated by scholars.</p> + +<p><i>Modern fabulists.</i> Modern fables are no more possible than a new Mother +Goose or a new fairy story. For modern times the method of the fable is "at once +too simple and too roundabout. Too roundabout; for the truths we have to tell +we prefer to speak out directly and not by way of allegory. And the truths the +fable has to teach are too simple to correspond to the facts in our complex civilization." +No modern fabulist has duplicated in his field the success of Hans Christian Andersen +in the field of the nursery story. A few fables from La Fontaine, a few from Krylov, +one or two each from Gay, Cowper, Yriarte, and Lessing may be used to good advantage +with children. The general broadening of literary variety has, of course, given +us in recent times many valuable stories of the symbolistic kind. Suggestive parable-like +or allegorical stories, such as a few of Hawthorne's in <i>Twice Told Tales</i> and <i>Mosses +from an Old Manse</i>, or a few of Tolstoy's short tales, are simple enough for children.</p> + +<p><i>The use of fables in school.</i> Not all fables are good for educational purposes. +There is, however, plenty of room for choice, and those that present points of view no +longer accepted by the modern world should be eliminated from the list. Objections +based on the unreality of the fables, their "unnatural natural history," are hardly +valid. Rousseau's elimination of fables from his scheme of education in <i>Emile</i> is +based on this objection and on the further point that the child will often sympathize +with the wrong character in the story, thus going astray in the moral lesson. Other +objectors down to the present day simply echo Rousseau. Such a view does little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> +justice to the child's natural sense of values. He is certain to see that the Frog +is foolish in competing with the Ox in size, and certain to recognize the common sense +of the Country Mouse. He will no more be deceived by a fable than he will by the +painted clown in a circus.</p> + +<p>The oral method of presentation is the ideal one. Tell the story in as vivid a +form as possible. In the earlier grades the interest in the story may be a sufficient +end, but almost from the beginning children will see the lesson intended. They will +catch the phrases that have come from fables into our everyday speech. Thus, +"sour grapes," "dog in the manger," "to blow hot and cold," "to kill the goose that +lays the golden eggs," "to cry 'Wolf!'" will take on more significant meanings. If +some familiar proverb goes hand in hand with the story, it will help the point to take +fast hold in the mind. Applications of the fable to real events should be encouraged. +That is what fables were made for and that is where their chief value for us is still +manifest. Only a short time need be spent on any one fable, but every opportunity +should be taken to call up and apply the fables already learned. For they are not +merely for passing amusement, nor is their value confined to childhood. Listen to +John Locke, one of the "hardest-headed" of philosophers: "As soon as a child has +learned to read, it is desirable to place in his hands pleasant books, suited to his +capacity, wherein the entertainment that he finds might draw him on, and reward +his pains in reading; and yet not such as should fill his head with perfectly useless +trumpery, or lay the principles of vice and folly. To this purpose I think <i>Æsop's +Fables</i> the best, which being stories apt to delight and entertain a child, may yet +afford useful reflections to a grown man, and if his memory retain them all his life +after, he will not repent to find them there, amongst his manly thoughts and serious +business."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span><br /><br /></p> + +<div class="hang1">The best Æsop collection for teachers and +pupils alike is <i>The Fables of Æsop</i>, edited +by Joseph Jacobs. It contains eighty-two +selected fables, including those that are +most familiar and most valuable for children. +The versions are standards of what +such retellings should be, and may well +serve as models for teachers in their presentation +of other short symbolic stories. +The introduction, "A Short History of the +Æsopic Fable," and the notes at the end +of the book contain, in concise form, all +the practical information needed. The +text of the Jacobs versions was the one +selected for reproduction in Dr. Eliot's +<i>Harvard Classics</i>. Nos. <a href="#Note_205">205</a>, <a href="#Note_206">206</a>, <a href="#Note_207">207</a>, <a href="#Note_208">208</a>, +<a href="#Note_209">209</a>, <a href="#Note_213">213</a>, and <a href="#Note_233">233</a> in the following group +are by Mr. Jacobs. The other Æsopic +fables given are from various collections of +the traditional versions. Almost any of the +many reprints called Æsop are satisfactory +for fables not found in Jacobs. Perhaps +the one most common in recent times is +that made by Thomas James in 1848, +which had the good fortune to be illustrated +by Tenniel. The versions are brief +and not overloaded with editorial "filling."</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_205" id="Note_205">205</a></h3> + +<h4><br />THE SHEPHERD'S BOY</h4> + +<p>There was once a young Shepherd Boy +who tended his sheep at the foot of a +mountain near a dark forest. It was +rather lonely for him all day, so he +thought upon a plan by which he could +get a little company and some excitement. +He rushed down towards the village calling +out "Wolf! Wolf!" and the villagers +came out to meet him, and some of them +stopped with him for a considerable +time. This pleased the boy so much +that a few days afterwards he tried the +same trick, and again the villagers came +to his help. But shortly after this a +Wolf actually did come out from the +forest, and began to worry the sheep, +and the boy of course cried out "Wolf! +Wolf!" still louder than before. But +this time the villagers, who had been +fooled twice before, thought the boy was +again deceiving them, and nobody stirred +to come to his help. So the Wolf made +a good meal off the boy's flock, and when +the boy complained, the wise man of the +village said:</p> + +<p>"<i>A liar will not be believed, even when he +speaks the truth.</i>"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_206" id="Note_206">206</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE LION AND THE MOUSE</h4> + +<p>Once when a Lion was asleep a little +Mouse began running up and down upon +him; this soon wakened the Lion, who +placed his huge paw upon him and +opened his big jaws to swallow him. +"Pardon, O King," cried the little +Mouse; "forgive me this time; I shall +never forget it. Who knows but what I +may be able to do you a good turn some +of these days?" The Lion was so tickled +at the idea of the Mouse being able to +help him, that he lifted up his paw and +let him go. Some time after the Lion +was caught in a trap, and the hunters, +who desired to carry him alive to the +King, tied him to a tree while they went +in search of a wagon to carry him on. +Just then the little Mouse happened to +pass by, and seeing the sad plight in +which the Lion was, went up to him +and soon gnawed away the ropes that +bound the King of the Beasts. "Was +I not right?" said the little Mouse.</p> + +<p><i>Little friends may prove great friends.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_207" id="Note_207">207</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE CROW AND THE +PITCHER</h4> + +<p>A Crow, half-dead with thirst, came +upon a Pitcher which had once been full<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> +of water; but when the Crow put its +beak into the mouth of the Pitcher he +found that only very little water was +left in it, and that he could not reach +far enough down to get at it. He tried +and he tried, but at last had to give up +in despair. Then a thought came to +him, and he took a pebble and dropped +it into the Pitcher. Then he took +another pebble and dropped it into the +Pitcher. Then he took another pebble +and dropped that into the Pitcher. +Then he took another pebble and dropped +that into the Pitcher. Then he took +another pebble and dropped that into +the Pitcher. Then he took another +pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. +At last, at last, he saw the water mount +up near him; and after casting in a few +more pebbles he was able to quench his +thirst and save his life.</p> + +<p><i>Little by little does the trick.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_208" id="Note_208">208</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE FROG AND THE OX</h4> + +<p>"Oh, Father," said a little Frog to the +big one sitting by the side of a pool, +"I have seen such a terrible monster! +It was as big as a mountain, with horns +on its head, and a long tail, and it had +hoofs divided in two."</p> + +<p>"Tush, child, tush," said the old +Frog, "that was only Farmer White's +Ox. It isn't so big either; he may be +a little bit taller than I, but I could +easily make myself quite as broad; just +you see." So he blew himself out, and +blew himself out, and blew himself out. +"Was he as big as that?" asked he.</p> + +<p>"Oh, much bigger than that," said +the young Frog.</p> + +<p>Again the old one blew himself out, +and asked the young one if the Ox was +as big as that.</p> + +<p>"Bigger, Father, bigger," was the reply.</p> + +<p>So the Frog took a deep breath, and +blew and blew and blew, and swelled +and swelled and swelled. And then he +said: "I'm sure the Ox is not as big +as—" But at this moment he burst.</p> + +<p><i>Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_209" id="Note_209">209</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE FROGS DESIRING +A KING</h4> + +<p>Frogs were living as happy as could +be in a marshy swamp that just suited +them; they went splashing about, caring +for nobody and nobody troubling with +them. But some of them thought that +this was not right, that they should have +a king and a proper constitution, so +they determined to send up a petition +to Jove to give them what they wanted. +"Mighty Jove," they cried, "send unto +us a king that will rule over us and keep +us in order." Jove laughed at their +croaking, and threw down into the +swamp a huge Log, which came down—kersplash—into +the water. The Frogs +were frightened out of their lives by the +commotion made in their midst, and all +rushed to the bank to look at the horrible +monster; but after a time, seeing +that it did not move, one or two of the +boldest of them ventured out towards +the Log, and even dared to touch it; +still it did not move. Then the greatest +hero of the Frogs jumped upon the Log +and commenced dancing up and down +upon it; thereupon all the Frogs came +and did the same; and for some time +the Frogs went about their business every +day without taking the slightest notice +of their new King Log lying in their +midst. But this did not suit them, so +they sent another petition to Jove, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> +said to him: "We want a real king; one +that will really rule over us." Now this +made Jove angry, so he sent among them +a big Stork that soon set to work gobbling +them all up. Then the Frogs repented +when too late.</p> + +<p><i>Better no rule than cruel rule.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_210" id="Note_210">210</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following fable is found in the folklore +of many countries. Its lesson of consolation +for those who are not blessed with +abundance of worldly goods may account +for its widespread popularity. Independence +and freedom from fear have advantages +that make up for poorer fare.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE FIELD MOUSE AND +THE TOWN MOUSE</h4> + +<p>A Field Mouse had a friend who lived +in a house in town. Now the Town +Mouse was asked by the Field Mouse +to dine with him, and out he went and +sat down to a meal of corn and wheat.</p> + +<p>"Do you know, my friend," said he, +"that you live a mere ant's life out here? +Why, I have all kinds of things at home. +Come, and enjoy them."</p> + +<p>So the two set off for town, and there +the Town Mouse showed his beans and +meal, his dates, too, and his cheese and +fruit and honey. And as the Field Mouse +ate, drank, and was merry, he thought +how rich his friend was, and how poor +he was.</p> + +<p>But as they ate, a man all at once +opened the door, and the Mice were in +such a fear that they ran into a crack.</p> + +<p>Then, when they would eat some nice +figs, in came a maid to get a pot of honey +or a bit of cheese; and when they saw +her, they hid in a hole.</p> + +<p>Then the Field Mouse would eat no +more, but said to the Town Mouse, +"Do as you like, my good friend; eat +all you want and have your fill of good +things, but you will be always in fear of +your life. As for me, poor Mouse, who +have only corn and wheat, I will live +on at home in no fear of any one."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_211" id="Note_211">211</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This simple poem is based upon the old fable +preceding. It does not follow out the idea +of the fable, but limits itself to awakening +our sympathy for the garden mouse.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE CITY MOUSE AND THE +GARDEN MOUSE</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The city mouse lives in a house;—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The garden mouse lives in a bower;</span><br /> +He's friendly with the frogs and toads,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And sees the pretty plants in flower.</span><br /> +<br /> +The city mouse eats bread and cheese;—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The garden mouse eats what he can;</span><br /> +We will not grudge him seeds and stocks,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Poor little timid furry man.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_212" id="Note_212">212</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The most famous use of this fable in literature +is found in the <i>Satires</i> of the great Roman +poet, Horace (<span class="smcap">b.c.</span> 65-8). He is regarded +as one of the most polished of writers, +and the ancient world's most truthful +painter of social life and manners. Horace +had a country seat among the Sabine hills +to which he could retire from the worries +and distractions of the world. His delight +in his Sabine farm is shown clearly in his +handling of the story. The passage is a +part of Book II, Satire 6, and is in Conington's +translation. Some well-known +appearances of this same fable in English +poetry may be found in Prior and Montagu's +<i>City Mouse and Country Mouse</i> and in +Pope's <i>Imitations of Horace</i>.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span></p> + + +<h4><br />THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND +THE TOWN MOUSE</h4> + +<div class='center'>HORACE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +One day a country mouse in his poor home<br /> +Received an ancient friend, a mouse from Rome.<br /> +The host, though close and careful, to a guest<br /> +Could open still; so now he did his best.<br /> +He spares not oats or vetches; in his chaps<br /> +Raisins he brings, and nibbled bacon-scraps,<br /> +Hoping by varied dainties to entice<br /> +His town-bred guest, so delicate and nice.<br /> +Who condescended graciously to touch<br /> +Thing after thing, but never would take much,<br /> +While he, the owner of the mansion, sate<br /> +On threshed-out straw, and spelt and darnels ate.<br /> +At length the town mouse cries, "I wonder how<br /> +You can live here, friend, on this hill's rough brow!<br /> +Take my advice, and leave these ups and downs,<br /> +This hill and dale, for humankind and towns.<br /> +Come, now, go home with me; remember, all<br /> +Who live on earth are mortal, great and small.<br /> +Then take, good sir, your pleasure while you may;<br /> +With life so short, 'twere wrong to lose a day."<br /> +This reasoning made the rustic's head turn round;<br /> +Forth from his hole he issues with a bound,<br /> +And they two make together for their mark,<br /> +In hopes to reach the city during dark.<br /> +The midnight sky was bending over all,<br /> +When they set foot within a stately hall,<br /> +Where couches of wrought ivory had been spread<br /> +With gorgeous coverlets of Tyrian red,<br /> +And viands piled up high in baskets lay,<br /> +The relics of a feast of yesterday.<br /> +The town mouse does the honors, lays his guest<br /> +At ease upon a couch with crimson dressed,<br /> +Then nimbly moves in character of host,<br /> +And offers in succession boiled and roast;<br /> +Nay, like a well-trained slave, each wish prevents,<br /> +And tastes before the titbits he presents.<br /> +The guest, rejoicing in his altered fare,<br /> +Assumes in turn a genial diner's air,<br /> +When, hark, a sudden banging of the door!<br /> +Each from his couch is tumbled on the floor.<br /> +Half dead, they scurry round the room, poor things,<br /> +While the whole house with barking mastiffs rings.<br /> +Then says the rustic, "It may do for you,<br /> +This life, but I don't like it; so, adieu.<br /> +Give me my hole, secure from all alarms;<br /> +I'll prove that tares and vetches still have charms."<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_213" id="Note_213">213</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following is the Androcles story as retold +by Jacobs. Scholars think this fable is +clearly oriental in its origin, constituting +as it does a sort of appeal to tyrannical +rulers for leniency toward their subjects.</div> + + +<h4><br />ANDROCLES</h4> + +<p>A Slave named Androcles once escaped +from his master and fled to the forest. +As he was wandering about there he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> +came upon a Lion lying down moaning +and groaning. At first he turned to flee, +but finding that the Lion did not pursue +him, he turned back and went up to +him. As he came near, the Lion put +out his paw, which was all swollen and +bleeding, and Androcles found that a +huge thorn had got into it, and was +causing all the pain. He pulled out the +thorn and bound up the paw of the Lion, +who was soon able to rise and lick the +hand of Androcles like a dog. Then the +Lion took Androcles to his cave, and +every day used to bring him meat from +which to live. But shortly afterwards +both Androcles and the Lion were captured, +and the slave was sentenced to +be thrown to the Lion, after the latter +had been kept without food for several +days. The Emperor and all his Court +came to see the spectacle, and Androcles +was led out into the middle of the arena. +Soon the Lion was let loose from his den, +and rushed bounding and roaring towards +his victim. But as soon as he came near +to Androcles he recognized his friend, and +fawned upon him, and licked his hands +like a friendly dog. The Emperor, surprised +at this, summoned Androcles to +him, who told him the whole story. +Whereupon the slave was pardoned and +freed, and the Lion let loose to his +native forest.</p> + +<p><i>Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_214" id="Note_214">214</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The preceding fable is here given in the form +used in Thomas Day's very famous, but +probably little read, <i>History of Sandford +and Merton</i>. (See No. <a href="#Note_380">380</a>.) Day's use +of the story is probably responsible for its +modern popularity. Jacobs points out +that it dropped out of Æsop, although it +was in some of the medieval fable books. +A very similar tale, "Of the Remembrance +of Benefits," is in the <i>Gesta Romanorum</i> +(Tale 104). The most striking use of the +fable in modern literature is in George +Bernard Shaw's play <i>Androcles</i>. It will +be instructive to compare the force of +Day's rather heavy and slow telling of +the story with that of the concise, unelaborated +version by Jacobs.</div> + + +<h4><br />ANDROCLES AND THE LION</h4> + +<div class='center'>THOMAS DAY</div> + +<p>There was a certain slave named +Androcles, who was so ill-treated by his +master that his life became insupportable. +Finding no remedy for what he suffered, +he at length said to himself, "It is +better to die than to continue to live +in such hardships and misery as I am +obliged to suffer. I am determined therefore +to run away from my master. If I +am taken again, I know that I shall be +punished with a cruel death; but it is +better to die at once than to live in +misery. If I escape, I must betake myself +to deserts and woods, inhabited only +by wild beasts; but they cannot use me +more cruelly than I have been used by +my fellow-creatures. Therefore I will +rather trust myself with them than continue +to be a miserable slave."</p> + +<p>Having formed this resolution, he took +an opportunity of leaving his master's +house, and hid himself in a thick forest, +which was at some miles' distance from +the city. But here the unhappy man +found that he had only escaped from one +kind of misery to experience another. +He wandered about all day through a +vast and trackless wood, where his flesh +was continually torn by thorns and +brambles. He grew hungry, but could +find no food in this dreary solitude. +At length he was ready to die with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> +fatigue, and lay down in despair in a large +cavern which he found by accident.</p> + +<p>This unfortunate man had not lain +long quiet in the cavern, before he heard +a dreadful noise, which seemed to be the +roar of some wild beast, and terrified +him very much. He started up with a +design to escape and had already reached +the mouth of the cave when he saw +coming towards him a lion of prodigious +size, who prevented any possibility +of retreat. The unfortunate man then +believed his destruction to be inevitable; +but, to his great astonishment, the beast +advanced towards him with a gentle pace, +without any mark of enmity or rage, and +uttered a kind of mournful voice, as if +he demanded the assistance of the man.</p> + +<p>Androcles, who was naturally of a +resolute disposition, acquired courage +from this circumstance, to examine his +monstrous guest, who gave him sufficient +leisure for that purpose. He saw, as the +lion approached him, that he seemed to +limp upon one of his legs and that the +foot was extremely swelled as if it had +been wounded. Acquiring still more fortitude +from the gentle demeanor of the +beast, he advanced up to him and took +hold of the wounded paw, as a surgeon +would examine a patient. He then perceived +that a thorn of uncommon size +had penetrated the ball of the foot and +was the occasion of the swelling and +lameness he had observed. Androcles +found that the beast, far from resenting +this familiarity, received it with the +greatest gentleness and seemed to invite +him by his blandishments to proceed. +He therefore extracted the thorn, and, +pressing the swelling, discharged a considerable +quantity of matter, which had +been the cause of so much pain and +uneasiness.</p> + +<p>As soon as the beast felt himself thus +relieved, he began to testify his joy and +gratitude by every expression within his +power. He jumped about like a wanton +spaniel, wagged his enormous tail, and +licked the feet and hands of his physician. +Nor was he contented with these demonstrations +of kindness; from this moment +Androcles became his guest; nor did the +lion ever sally forth in quest of prey without +bringing home the produce of his +chase and sharing it with his friend. In +this savage state of hospitality did the +man continue to live during the space of +several months. At length, wandering +unguardedly through the woods, he met +with a company of soldiers sent out to +apprehend him, and was by them taken +prisoner and conducted back to his master. +The laws of that country being very +severe against slaves, he was tried and +found guilty of having fled from his master, +and, as a punishment for his pretended +crime, he was sentenced to be +torn in pieces by a furious lion, kept +many days without food to inspire him +with additional rage.</p> + +<p>When the destined moment arrived, +the unhappy man was exposed, unarmed, +in the midst of a spacious area, enclosed +on every side, round which many thousand +people were assembled to view the +mournful spectacle.</p> + +<p>Presently a dreadful yell was heard, +which struck the spectators with horror; +and a monstrous lion rushed out of a den, +which was purposely set open, and darted +forward with erected mane, and flaming +eyes, and jaws that gaped like an open +sepulchre.—A mournful silence instantly +prevailed! All eyes were turned upon +the destined victim, whose destruction +now appeared inevitable. But the pity +of the multitude was soon converted into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> +astonishment, when they beheld the lion, +instead of destroying his defenceless prey, +crouch submissively at his feet; fawn +upon him as a faithful dog would do +upon his master, and rejoice over him +as a mother that unexpectedly recovers +her offspring. The governor of the town, +who was present, then called out with a +loud voice and ordered Androcles to +explain to them this unintelligible mystery, +and how a savage beast of the +fiercest and most unpitying nature should +thus in a moment have forgotten his +innate disposition, and be converted into +a harmless and inoffensive animal.</p> + +<p>Androcles then related to the assembly +every circumstance of his adventures in +the woods, and concluded by saying that +the very lion which now stood before them +had been his friend and entertainer in +the woods. All the persons present were +astonished and delighted with the story, +to find that even the fiercest beasts are +capable of being softened by gratitude and +moved by humanity; and they unanimously +joined to entreat for the pardon of +the unhappy man from the governor of +the place. This was immediately granted +to him, and he was also presented with +the lion, who had in this manner twice +saved the life of Androcles.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_215" id="Note_215">215</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE WIND AND THE SUN</h4> + +<p>A dispute once arose between the North +Wind and the Sun as to which was the +stronger of the two. Seeing a Traveler +on his way, they agreed to try which +could the sooner get his cloak off him. +The North Wind began, and sent a +furious blast, which, at the onset, +nearly tore the cloak from its fastenings; +but the Traveler, seizing the +garment with a firm grip, held it round +his body so tightly that Boreas spent +his remaining force in vain.</p> + +<p>The Sun, dispelling the clouds that had +gathered, then darted his genial beams +on the Traveler's head. Growing faint +with the heat, the Man flung off his coat +and ran for protection to the nearest +shade.</p> + +<p><i>Mildness governs more than anger.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_216" id="Note_216">216</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following brief fable has given us one +of the best known expressions in common +speech, "killing the goose that lays the +golden eggs." People who never heard of +Æsop know what that expression means. +It is easy to connect the fable with our +"get rich quick" craze. (Compare with +No. <a href="#Note_254">254</a>.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE GOOSE WITH THE +GOLDEN EGGS</h4> + +<p>A certain Man had a Goose that laid +him a golden egg every day. Being of +a covetous turn, he thought if he killed +his Goose he should come at once to the +source of his treasure. So he killed her +and cut her open, but great was his dismay +to find that her inside was in no +way different from that of any other +goose.</p> + +<p><i>Greediness overreaches itself.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_217" id="Note_217">217</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The most successful of modern literary fabulists +was the French poet Jean de la Fontaine +(1621-1695). A famous critic has +said that his fables delight the child with +their freshness and vividness, the student +of literature with their consummate art, and +the experienced man with their subtle reflections +on life and character. He drew +most of his stories from Æsop and other +sources. While he dressed the old fables in +the brilliant style of his own day, he still<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> +succeeded in being essentially simple and +direct. A few of his 240 fables may be +used to good effect with children, though +they have their main charm for the more +sophisticated older reader. (See Nos. <a href="#Note_234">234</a>, +<a href="#Note_234">234</a>, and <a href="#Note_241">241</a>.) The best complete translation +is that made in 1841 by Elizur +Wright, an American scholar. The following +version is from his translation. Notice +that La Fontaine has changed the goose +to a hen.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE HEN WITH THE +GOLDEN EGGS</h4> + +<div class='center'>LA FONTAINE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +How avarice loseth all,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">By striving all to gain,</span><br /> +I need no witness call<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But him whose thrifty hen,</span><br /> +As by the fable we are told,<br /> +Laid every day an egg of gold.<br /> +"She hath a treasure in her body,"<br /> +Bethinks the avaricious noddy.<br /> +He kills and opens—vexed to find<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All things like hens of common kind.</span><br /> +Thus spoil'd the source of all his riches,<br /> +To misers he a lesson teaches.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In these last changes of the moon,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">How often doth one see</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Men made as poor as he</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">By force of getting rich too soon!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_218" id="Note_218">218</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S +CLOTHING</h4> + +<p>A Wolf wrapped himself in the skin of +a Sheep and by that means got admission +into a sheep-fold, where he devoured +several of the young Lambs. The Shepherd, +however, soon found him out and +hung him up to a tree, still in his disguise.</p> + +<p>Some other Shepherds, passing that +way, thought it was a Sheep hanging, +and cried to their friend, "What, brother! +is that the way you serve Sheep in this +part of the country?"</p> + +<p>"No, friends," cried he, turning the +hanging body around so that they might +see what it was; "but it is the way to +serve Wolves, even though they be +dressed in Sheep's clothing."</p> + +<p><i>The credit got by a lie lasts only till the truth +comes out.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_219" id="Note_219">219</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE HARE AND THE +TORTOISE</h4> + +<p>The Hare one day laughed at the Tortoise +for his short feet, slowness, and +awkwardness.</p> + +<p>"Though you may be swift as the +wind," replied the Tortoise good-naturedly, +"I can beat you in a +race."</p> + +<p>The Hare looked on the challenge as a +great joke, but consented to a trial of +speed, and the Fox was selected to act +as umpire and hold the stakes.</p> + +<p>The rivals started, and the Hare, of +course, soon left the Tortoise far behind. +Having reached midway to the goal, +she began to play about, nibble the young +herbage, and amuse herself in many ways. +The day being warm, she even thought +she would take a little nap in a shady +spot, for she thought that if the Tortoise +should pass her while she slept, she could +easily overtake him again before he +reached the end.</p> + +<p>The Tortoise meanwhile plodded on, +unwavering and unresting, straight +towards the goal.</p> + +<p>The Hare, having overslept herself, +started up from her nap and was surprised +to find that the Tortoise was +nowhere in sight. Off she went at full +speed, but on reaching the winning-post, +found that the Tortoise was already there, +waiting for her arrival.</p> + +<p><i>Slow and steady wins the race.</i></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span></p> + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_220" id="Note_220">220</a></h3> + +<h4><br />THE MILLER, HIS SON, +AND THEIR ASS</h4> + +<p>A Miller and his Son were driving their +Ass to a neighboring fair to sell him. +They had not gone far when they met +with a troop of women collected round a +well, talking and laughing.</p> + +<p>"Look there," cried one of them, "did +you ever see such fellows, to be trudging +along the road on foot when they might +ride?"</p> + +<p>The Miller, hearing this, quickly made +his Son mount the Ass, and continued to +walk along merrily by his side. Presently +they came up to a group of old men +in earnest debate.</p> + +<p>"There," said one of them, "it proves +what I was saying. What respect is +shown to old age in these days? Do you +see that idle lad riding while his old father +has to walk? Get down, you young +scapegrace, and let the old man rest his +weary limbs."</p> + +<p>Upon this, the Miller made his Son +dismount, and got up himself. In this +manner they had not proceeded far when +they met a company of women and +children.</p> + +<p>"Why, you lazy old fellow," cried several +tongues at once, "how can you ride +upon the beast while that poor little lad +there can hardly keep pace by the side of +you?"</p> + +<p>The good-natured Miller immediately +took up his Son behind him. They had +now almost reached the town.</p> + +<p>"Pray, honest friend," said a citizen, +"is that Ass your own?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the old man.</p> + +<p>"Oh, one would not have thought so," +said the other, "by the way you load +him. Why, you two fellows are better +able to carry the poor beast than he +you."</p> + +<p>"Anything to please you," said the +Miller; "we can but try."</p> + +<p>So, alighting with his Son, they tied +the legs of the Ass together, and by the +help of a pole endeavored to carry him +on their shoulders over a bridge near the +entrance of the town. This entertaining +sight brought the people in crowds to +laugh at it, till the Ass, not liking the +noise nor the strange handling that he +was subject to, broke the cords that +bound him and, tumbling off the pole, +fell into the river. Upon this, the old +man, vexed and ashamed, made the best of +his way home again, convinced that by +trying to please everybody he had pleased +nobody, and lost his Ass into the bargain.</p> + +<p><i>He who tries to please everybody pleases +nobody.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_221" id="Note_221">221</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE TRAVELERS AND +THE BEAR</h4> + +<p>Two Men, about to journey through a +forest, agreed to stand by each other in +any dangers that might befall. They +had not gone far before a savage Bear +rushed out from a thicket and stood in +their path. One of the Travelers, a +light, nimble fellow, got up into a tree. +The other, seeing that there was no +chance to defend himself single-handed, +fell flat on his face and held his breath. +The Bear came up and smelled at him, +and taking him for dead, went off again +into the wood. The Man in the tree +came down and, rejoining his companion, +asked him, with a sly smile, what was the +wonderful secret which he had seen the +Bear whisper into his ear.</p> + +<p>"Why," replied the other, "he told +me to take care for the future and not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> +to put any confidence in such cowardly +rascals as you are."</p> + +<p><i>Trust not fine promises.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_222" id="Note_222">222</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE LARK AND HER +YOUNG ONES</h4> + +<p>A Lark, who had Young Ones in a field +of grain which was almost ripe, was +afraid that the reapers would come +before her young brood were fledged. +So every day when she flew off to look +for food, she charged them to take note +of what they heard in her absence and +to tell her of it when she came home.</p> + +<p>One day when she was gone, they +heard the owner of the field say to his +son that the grain seemed ripe enough to +be cut, and tell him to go early the next +day and ask their friends and neighbors +to come and help reap it.</p> + +<p>When the old Lark came home, the +Little Ones quivered and chirped round +her and told her what had happened, +begging her to take them away as fast +as she could. The mother bade them +be easy; "for," said she, "if he depends +on his friends and his neighbors, I am +sure the grain will not be reaped tomorrow."</p> + +<p>Next day she went out again and left +the same orders as before. The owner +came, and waited. The sun grew hot, +but nothing was done, for not a soul +came. "You see," said the owner to his +son, "these friends of ours are not to be +depended upon; so run off at once to your +uncles and cousins, and say I wish them +to come early to-morrow morning and +help us reap."</p> + +<p>This the Young Ones, in a great fright, +told also to their mother. "Do not +fear, children," said she. "Kindred and +relations are not always very forward +in helping one another; but keep your +ears open and let me know what you hear +to-morrow."</p> + +<p>The owner came the next day, and, +finding his relations as backward as his +neighbors, said to his son, "Now listen +to me. Get two good sickles ready for +to-morrow morning, for it seems we must +reap the grain by ourselves."</p> + +<p>The Young Ones told this to their +mother.</p> + +<p>"Then, my dears," said she, "it is time +for us to go; for when a man undertakes +to do his work himself, it is not so likely +that he will be disappointed." She took +away her Young Ones at once, and the +grain was reaped the next day by the old +man and his son.</p> + +<p><i>Depend upon yourself alone.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_223" id="Note_223">223</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE OLD MAN AND +HIS SONS</h4> + +<p>An Old Man had several Sons, who +were always falling out with one another. +He had often, but to no purpose, exhorted +them to live together in harmony. One +day he called them around him and, producing +a bundle of sticks, bade them +try each in turn to break it across. Each +put forth all his strength, but the bundle +resisted their efforts. Then, cutting the +cord which bound the sticks together, +he told his Sons to break them separately. +This was done with the greatest +ease.</p> + +<p>"See, my Sons," exclaimed he, "the +power of unity! Bound together by +brotherly love, you may defy almost +every mortal ill; divided, you will fall a +prey to your enemies."</p> + +<p><i>A house divided against itself cannot stand.</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_224" id="Note_224">224</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE FOX AND THE +GRAPES</h4> + +<p>A Fox, just at the time of the vintage, +stole into a vineyard where the ripe sunny +Grapes were trellised up on high in most +tempting show. He made many a spring +and a jump after the luscious prize; but, +failing in all his attempts, he muttered as +he retreated, "Well! what does it matter! +The Grapes are sour!"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_225" id="Note_225">225</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE WIDOW AND THE HEN</h4> + +<p>A Widow woman kept a Hen that laid +an egg every morning. Thought the +woman to herself, "If I double my +Hen's allowance of barley, she will lay +twice a day." So she tried her plan, +and the Hen became so fat and sleek that +she left off laying at all.</p> + +<p><i>Figures are not always facts.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_226" id="Note_226">226</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE KID AND THE WOLF</h4> + +<p>A Kid being mounted on the roof of a +lofty house and seeing a Wolf pass below, +began to revile him. The Wolf merely +stopped to reply, "Coward! It is not you +who revile me, but the place on which +you are standing."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_227" id="Note_227">227</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE MAN AND THE SATYR</h4> + +<p>A Man and a Satyr having struck up +an acquaintance, sat down together to +eat. The day being wintry and cold, +the Man put his fingers to his mouth and +blew upon them.</p> + +<p>"What's that for, my friend?" asked +the Satyr.</p> + +<p>"My hands are so cold," said the Man, +"I do it to warm them."</p> + +<p>In a little while some hot food was +placed before them, and the Man, raising +the dish to his mouth, again blew upon +it. "And what's the meaning of that, +now?" said the Satyr.</p> + +<p>"Oh," replied the Man, "my porridge +is so hot I do it to cool it."</p> + +<p>"Nay, then," said the Satyr, "from +this moment I renounce your friendship, +for I will have nothing to do with one who +blows hot and cold with the same mouth."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_228" id="Note_228">228</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE DOG AND THE SHADOW</h4> + +<p>A Dog had stolen a piece of meat out of +a butcher's shop, and was crossing a river +on his way home, when he saw his own +shadow reflected in the stream below. +Thinking that it was another dog with +another piece of meat, he resolved to +make himself master of that also; but in +snapping at the supposed treasure, he +dropped the bit he was carrying, and so +lost all.</p> + +<p><i>Grasp at the shadow and lose the substance—the +common fate of those who hazard a real +blessing for some visionary good.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_229" id="Note_229">229</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE SWALLOW AND THE +RAVEN</h4> + +<p>The Swallow and the Raven contended +which was the finer bird. The Raven +ended by saying, "Your beauty is but +for the summer, but mine will stand many +winters."</p> + +<p><i>Durability is better than show.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_230" id="Note_230">230</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />MERCURY AND THE +WOODMAN</h4> + +<p>A Woodman was felling a tree on the +bank of a river, and by chance let slip<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> +his axe into the water, when it immediately +sank to the bottom. Being thereupon +in great distress, he sat down by the +side of the stream and lamented his loss +bitterly. But Mercury, whose river it +was, taking compassion on him, appeared +at the instant before him; and hearing +from him the cause of his sorrow, dived +to the bottom of the river, and bringing +up a golden axe, asked the Woodman if +that were his. Upon the Man's denying +it, Mercury dived a second time, and +brought up one of silver. Again the +Man denied that it was his. So diving +a third time, he produced the identical +axe which the Man had lost. "That is +mine!" said the Woodman, delighted to +have recovered his own; and so pleased +was Mercury with the fellow's truth and +honesty that he at once made him a +present of the other two.</p> + +<p>The Man goes to his companions, and +giving them an account of what had happened +to him, one of them determined +to try whether he might not have the +like good fortune. So repairing to the +same place, as if for the purpose of cutting +wood, he let slip his axe on purpose into +the river and then sat down on the bank +and made a great show of weeping. +Mercury appeared as before, and hearing +from him that his tears were +caused by the loss of his axe, dived once +more into the stream; and bringing up a +golden axe, asked him if that was the axe +he had lost.</p> + +<p>"Aye, surely," said the Man, eagerly; +and he was about to grasp the treasure, +when Mercury, to punish his impudence +and lying, not only refused to give him +that, but would not so much as restore +him his own axe again.</p> + +<p><i>Honesty is the best policy.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_231" id="Note_231">231</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE MICE IN COUNCIL</h4> + +<p>Once upon a time the Mice being sadly +distressed by the persecution of the Cat, +resolved to call a meeting to decide upon +the best means of getting rid of this continual +annoyance. Many plans were +discussed and rejected.</p> + +<p>At last a young Mouse got up and proposed +that a Bell should be hung round +the Cat's neck, that they might for the +future always have notice of her coming +and so be able to escape. This proposition +was hailed with the greatest applause, +and was agreed to at once unanimously. +Upon this, an old Mouse, who +had sat silent all the while, got up and +said that he considered the contrivance +most ingenious, and that it would, no +doubt, be quite successful; but he had +only one short question to put; namely, +which of them it was who would Bell the +Cat?</p> + +<p><i>It is one thing to propose, another to execute.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_232" id="Note_232">232</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE MOUNTEBANK AND +THE COUNTRYMAN</h4> + +<p>A certain wealthy patrician, intending +to treat the Roman people with some +theatrical entertainment, publicly offered +a reward to any one who would produce +a novel spectacle. Incited by emulation, +artists arrived from all parts to contest +the prize, among whom a well-known +witty Mountebank gave out that he had +a new kind of entertainment that had +never yet been produced on any stage. +This report, being spread abroad, brought +the whole city together. The theater +could hardly contain the number of spectators. +And when the artist appeared +alone upon the stage, without any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> +apparatus or any assistants, curiosity and +suspense kept the spectators in profound +silence. On a sudden he thrust down +his head into his bosom, and mimicked +the squeaking of a young pig so naturally +that the audience insisted upon it that +he had one under his cloak and ordered +him to be searched, which, being done +and nothing appearing, they loaded him +with the most extravagant applause.</p> + +<p>A Countryman among the audience +observed what passed. "Oh!" says he, +"I can do better than this"; and immediately +gave out that he would perform the +next day. Accordingly on the morrow +a yet greater crowd was collected. Prepossessed, +however, in favor of the +Mountebank, they came rather to laugh +at the Countryman than to pass a fair +judgment on him. They both came out +upon the stage. The Mountebank grunts +away at first, and calls forth the greatest +clapping and applause. Then the Countryman, +pretending that he concealed a +little pig under his garments (and he had, +in fact, really got one) pinched its ear +till he made it squeak. The people cried +out that the Mountebank had imitated +the pig much more naturally, and hooted +to the Countryman to quit the stage; but +he, to convict them to their face, produced +the real pig from his bosom. "And +now, gentlemen, you may see," said he, +"what a pretty sort of judges you are!"</p> + +<p><i>It is easier to convict a man against his +senses than against his will.</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_233" id="Note_233">233</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Stories dealing with the disastrous effects of +"day-dreaming" are very common in the +world's literature. The three selections +that follow are given as very familiar +samples for comparison. The first is a +simple version by Jacobs.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE MILKMAID AND HER PAIL</h4> + +<p>Patty, the Milkmaid, was going to +market, carrying her milk in a Pail on her +head. As she went along she began +calculating what she could do with the +money she would get for the milk. "I'll +buy some fowls from Farmer Brown," +said she, "and they will lay eggs each +morning, which I will sell to the parson's +wife. With the money that I get from +the sale of these eggs I'll buy myself a +new dimity frock and a chip hat; and +when I go to market, won't all the young +men come up and speak to me! Polly +Shaw will be that jealous; but I don't +care. I shall just look at her and toss +my head like this." As she spoke, she +tossed her head back, the Pail fell off it +and all the milk was spilt. So she had +to go home and tell her mother what had +occurred.</p> + +<p>"Ah, my child," said her mother,</p> + +<p>"<i>Do not count your chickens before they are +hatched.</i>"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_234" id="Note_234">234</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The next is Wright's translation of La Fontaine's +famous fable on the day-dreaming +theme. Notice how much more complicated +its application becomes in contrast +with the obvious truth of the proverb in +the preceding version. La Fontaine is +responsible for the story's popularity in +modern times. The most fascinating study +on the way fables have come down to us +is Max Müller's "On the Migration of +Fables," in which he follows this story from +India through all its many changes until +it reaches us in La Fontaine.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE DAIRYWOMAN AND +THE POT OF MILK</h4> + +<div class='center'>LA FONTAINE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A pot of milk upon her cushioned crown,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span>Good Peggy hastened to the market town,<br /> +Short clad and light, with speed she went,<br /> +Not fearing any accident;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Indeed, to be the nimble tripper,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Her dress that day,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The truth to say,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Was simple petticoat and slipper.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And thus bedight,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Good Peggy, light,—</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Her gains already counted,—</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Laid out the cash</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">At single dash,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which to a hundred eggs amounted.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Three nests she made,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Which, by the aid</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of diligence and care, were hatched.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"To raise the chicks,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">I'll easy fix,"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Said she, "beside our cottage thatched.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The fox must get</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">More cunning yet,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or leave enough to buy a pig.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">With little care</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And any fare,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He'll grow quite fat and big;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And then the price</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Will be so nice,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For which the pork will sell!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Twill go quite hard</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">But in our yard</span><br /> +I'll bring a cow and calf to dwell—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A calf to frisk among the flock!"</span><br /> +The thought made Peggy do the same;<br /> +And down at once the milk-pot came,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And perished with the shock.</span><br /> +Calf, cow, and pig, and chicks, adieu!<br /> +Your mistress' face is sad to view;<br /> +She gives a tear to fortune spilt;<br /> +Then with the downcast look of guilt<br /> +Home to her husband empty goes,<br /> +Somewhat in danger of his blows.<br /> +Who buildeth not, sometimes, in air<br /> +His cots, or seats, or castles fair?<br /> +From kings to dairywomen,—all,—<br /> +The wise, the foolish, great and small,—<br /> +Each thinks his waking dream the best.<br /> +Some flattering error fills the breast:<br /> +The world with all its wealth is ours,<br /> +Its honors, dames, and loveliest bowers.<br /> +Instinct with valor, when alone,<br /> +I hurl the monarch from his throne;<br /> +The people, glad to see him dead,<br /> +Elect me monarch in his stead,<br /> +And diadems rain on my head.<br /> +Some accident then calls me back,<br /> +And I'm no more than simple Jack.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_235" id="Note_235">235</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The day-dreaming idea is next presented in +the form found in the story of the barber's +fifth brother in the <i>Arabian Nights</i>. Would +this story be any more effective if it had a +paragraph at the end stating and emphasizing +the moral?</div> + + +<h4><br />THE STORY OF ALNASCHAR</h4> + +<p>Alnaschar, my fifth brother, was very +lazy, and of course wretchedly poor. On +the death of our father we divided his +property, and each of us received a hundred +drachms of silver for his share. +Alnaschar, who hated labor, laid out his +money in fine glasses, and having displayed +his stock to the best advantage in +a large basket, he took his stand in the +market-place, with his back against the +wall, waiting for customers. In this +posture he indulged in a reverie, talking +aloud to himself as follows:</p> + +<p>"This glass cost me a hundred drachms +of silver, which is all I have in the world. +I shall make two hundred by retailing +it, and of these very shortly four hundred. +It will not be long before these produce +four thousand. Money, they say, begets +money. I shall soon therefore be possessed +of eight thousand, and when these +become ten thousand I will no longer be +a glass-seller. I will trade in pearls and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> +diamonds; and as I shall become rich +apace, I will have a splendid palace, a +great estate, slaves, and horses; I will not, +however, leave traffic till I have acquired +a hundred thousand drachms. Then I +shall be as great as a prince, and will +assume manners accordingly.</p> + +<p>"I will demand the daughter of the +grand vizier in marriage, who, no doubt, +will be glad of an alliance with a man of +my consequence. The marriage ceremony +shall be performed with the utmost +splendor and magnificence. I will have +my horse clothed with the richest housings, +ornamented with diamonds and +pearls, and will be attended by a number +of slaves, all richly dressed, when I go +to the vizier's palace to conduct my wife +thence to my own. The vizier shall +receive me with great pomp, and shall +give me the right hand and place me +above himself, to do me the more honor. +On my return I will appoint two of my +handsomest slaves to throw money among +the populace, that every one may speak +well of my generosity.</p> + +<p>"When we arrive at my own palace, +I will take great state upon me, and +hardly speak to my wife. She shall +dress herself in all her ornaments, and +stand before me as beautiful as the full +moon, but I will not look at her. Her +slaves shall draw near and entreat me +to cast my eyes upon her; which, after +much supplication, I will deign to do, +though with great indifference. I will +not suffer her to come out of her apartment +without my leave; and when I have +a mind to visit her there, it shall be in a +manner that will make her respect +me. Thus will I begin early to teach +her what she is to expect the rest of +her life.</p> + +<p>"When her mother comes to visit her +she will intercede with me for her. 'Sir,' +she will say (for she will not dare to call +me son, for fear of offending me by so +much familiarity), 'do not, I beseech, +treat my daughter with scorn; she is as +beautiful as an Houri, and entirely devoted +to you.' But my mother-in-law +may as well hold her peace, for I will take +no notice of what she says. She will then +pour out some wine into a goblet, and +give it to my wife, saying, 'Present it to +your lord and husband; he will not surely +be so cruel as to refuse it from so fair a +hand.' My wife will then come with the +glass, and stand trembling before me; +and when she finds that I do not look on +her, but continue to disdain her, she will +kneel and entreat me to accept it; but +I will continue inflexible. At last, redoubling +her tears, she will rise and put +the goblet to my lips, when, tired with +her importunities, I will dart a terrible +look at her and give her such a push with +my foot as will spurn her from me." +Alnaschar was so interested in this +imaginary grandeur that he thrust forth +his foot to kick the lady, and by that +means overturned his glasses and broke +them into a thousand pieces.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_236" id="Note_236">236</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"The Camel and the Pig" is from P. V. +Ramaswami Raju's <i>Indian Folk Stories +and Fables</i>, an excellent book of adaptations +for young readers. The idea that +every situation in life has its advantages +as well as its disadvantages is one of those +common but often overlooked truths which +serve so well as the themes of fable. Emerson's +"Fable," the story of the quarrel +between the mountain and the squirrel, is +a most excellent presentation of the same +idea (see No. <a href="#Note_363">363</a>). "The Little Elf," +by John Kendrick Bangs, makes the same +point for smaller folks.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span></p> + + +<h4><br />THE CAMEL AND THE PIG</h4> + +<div class='center'>ADAPTED BY P. V. RAMASWAMI RAJU</div> + +<p>A camel said, "Nothing like being tall! +See how tall I am!"</p> + +<p>A Pig who heard these words said, +"Nothing like being short; see how short +I am!"</p> + +<p>The Camel said, "Well, if I fail to +prove the truth of what I said, I will give +up my hump."</p> + +<p>The Pig said, "If I fail to prove the +truth of what I have said, I will give up +my snout."</p> + +<p>"Agreed!" said the Camel.</p> + +<p>"Just so!" said the Pig.</p> + +<p>They came to a garden inclosed by a +low wall without any opening. The +Camel stood on this side the wall, and, +reaching the plants within by means of +his long neck, made a breakfast on them. +Then he turned jeeringly to the Pig, who +had been standing at the bottom of the +wall, without even having a look at the +good things in the garden, and said, +"Now, would you be tall or short?"</p> + +<p>Next they came to a garden inclosed +by a high wall, with a wicket gate at one +end. The Pig entered by the gate and, +after having eaten his fill of the vegetables +within, came out, laughing at the poor +Camel, who had to stay outside, because +he was too tall to enter the garden by the +gate, and said, "Now, would you be tall +or short?"</p> + +<p>Then they thought the matter over, +and came to the conclusion that the +Camel should keep his hump and the Pig +his snout, observing,—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Tall is good, where tall would do;<br /> +Of short, again, 'tis also true!"<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_237" id="Note_237">237</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Many scholars have believed that all fables +originated in India. The great Indian +collection of symbolic stories known as +Jataka Tales, or Buddhist Birth Stories, +has been called "the oldest, most complete, +and most important collection of folklore +extant." They are called Birth Stories +because each one gives an account of something +that happened in connection with the +teaching of Buddha in some previous +"birth" or incarnation. There are about +550 of these Jatakas, including some 2000 +stories. They have now been made accessible +in a translation by a group of English +scholars and published in six volumes under +the general editorship of Professor Cowell. +Many of them have long been familiar in +eastern collections and have been adapted +in recent times for use in schools. Each +Jataka is made up of three parts. There +is a "story of the present" giving an account +of an incident in Buddha's life which calls +to his mind a "story of the past" in which +he had played a part during a former +incarnation. Then, there is a conclusion +marking the results. Nos. <a href="#Note_237">237</a> and <a href="#Note_238">238</a> are +literal translations of Jatakas by T. W. +Rhys-Davids in his <i>Buddhist Birth Stories</i>. +In adapting for children, the stories of the +present may be omitted. In fact, everything +except the direct story should be +eliminated. The "gathas," or verses, were +very important in connection with the +original purpose of religious teaching, but +are only incumbrances in telling the story +either for its own sake or for its moral.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN</h4> + +<p>At the same time when Brahma-datta +was reigning in Benares, the future +Buddha was born one of a peasant family; +and when he grew up he gained his living +by tilling the ground.</p> + +<p>At that time a hawker used to go from +place to place, trafficking in goods carried +by an ass. Now at each place he came +to, when he took the pack down from the +ass's back, he used to clothe him in a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> +lion's skin and turn him loose in the rice +and barley fields. And when the watchmen +in the fields saw the ass they dared +not go near him, taking him for a lion.</p> + +<p>So one day the hawker stopped in a +village; and while he was getting his own +breakfast cooked, he dressed the ass in a +lion's skin and turned him loose in a +barley field. The watchmen in the field +dared not go up to him; but going home, +they published the news. Then all the +villagers came out with weapons in their +hands; and blowing chanks, and beating +drums, they went near the field and +shouted. Terrified with the fear of +death, the ass uttered a cry—the bray of +an ass!</p> + +<p>And when he knew him then to be an +ass, the future Buddha pronounced the +first verse:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"This is not a lion's roaring,<br /> +Nor a tiger's nor a panther's;<br /> +Dressed in a lion's skin,<br /> +'Tis a wretched ass that roars!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>But when the villagers knew the +creature to be an ass, they beat him till +his bones broke; and, carrying off the +lion's skin, went away. Then the hawker +came; and seeing the ass fallen into so +bad a plight, pronounced the second +verse:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Long might the ass,<br /> +Clad in a lion's skin,<br /> +Have fed on the barley green;<br /> +But he brayed<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And that moment he came to ruin."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>And even while he was yet speaking +the ass died on the spot.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_238" id="Note_238">238</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE TALKATIVE TORTOISE</h4> + +<p>The future Buddha was once born in +a minister's family, when Brahma-datta +was reigning in Benares; and when he +grew up he became the king's adviser in +things temporal and spiritual.</p> + +<p>Now this king was very talkative; +while he was speaking others had no +opportunity for a word. And the future +Buddha, wanting to cure this talkativeness +of his, was constantly seeking for +some means of doing so.</p> + +<p>At that time there was living, in a +pond in the Himalaya mountains, a +tortoise. Two young hamsas, or wild +ducks, who came to feed there, made +friends with him, and one day, when +they had become very intimate with him, +they said to the tortoise:</p> + +<p>"Friend tortoise! the place where we +live, at the Golden Cave on Mount Beautiful +in the Himalaya country, is a +delightful spot. Will you come there +with us?"</p> + +<p>"But how can I get there?"</p> + +<p>"We can take you if you can only hold +your tongue, and will say nothing to +anybody."</p> + +<p>"Oh! that I can do. Take me with +you."</p> + +<p>"That's right," said they. And making +the tortoise bite hold of a stick, they +themselves took the two ends in their +teeth, and flew up into the air.</p> + +<p>Seeing him thus carried by the hamsas, +some villagers called out, "Two wild +ducks are carrying a tortoise along on a +stick!" Whereupon the tortoise wanted +to say, "If my friends choose to carry +me, what is that to you, you wretched +slaves!" So just as the swift flight of +the wild ducks had brought him over +the king's palace in the city of Benares, +he let go of the stick he was biting, and +falling in the open courtyard, split in +two! And there arose a universal cry, +"A tortoise has fallen in the open courtyard, +and has split in two!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span></p> + +<p>The king, taking the future Buddha, +went to the place, surrounded by his +courtiers; and looking at the tortoise, +he asked the Bodisat, "Teacher! how +comes he to be fallen here?"</p> + +<p>The future Buddha thought to himself, +"Long expecting, wishing to admonish +the king, have I sought for some +means of doing so. This tortoise must +have made friends with the wild ducks; +and they must have made him bite hold +of the stick, and have flown up into the +air to take him to the hills. But he, +being unable to hold his tongue when he +hears any one else talk, must have +wanted to say something, and let go the +stick; and so must have fallen down +from the sky, and thus lost his life." +And saying, "Truly, O king! those who +are called chatter-boxes—people whose +words have no end—come to grief like +this," he uttered these verses:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Verily the tortoise killed himself<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">While uttering his voice;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Though he was holding tight the stick,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">By a word himself he slew.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Behold him then, O excellent by strength!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And speak wise words, not out of season.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">You see how, by his talking overmuch,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The tortoise fell into this wretched plight!"</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>The king saw that he was himself +referred to, and said, "O Teacher! are +you speaking of us?"</p> + +<p>And the Bodisat spake openly, and +said, "O great king! be it thou, or be it +any other, whoever talks beyond measure +meets with some mishap like this."</p> + +<p>And the king henceforth refrained himself, +and became a man of few words.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_239" id="Note_239">239</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following is, also, an oriental story. It +is taken from the <i>Hitopadesa</i> (Book of +Good Counsel), a collection of Sanskrit +fables. This collection was compiled from +older sources, probably in the main from +the <i>Panchatantra</i> (Five Books), which +belonged to about the fifth century. +Observe the emphasis placed upon the +teaching of the fable by putting the statement +of it at the beginning and recurring +to it at the close.</div> + + +<h4><br />A LION TRICKED BY A RABBIT</h4> + +<p><i>He who hath sense hath strength. Where hath +he strength who wanteth judgment? See how a +lion, when intoxicated with anger, was overcome +by a rabbit.</i></p> + +<p>Upon the mountain Mandara there +lived a lion, whose name was Durganta +(hard to go near), who was very exact +in complying with the ordinance for +animal sacrifices. So at length all the +different species assembled, and in a +body represented that, as by his present +mode of proceeding the forest would be +cleared all at once, if it pleased his +Highness, they would each of them in +his turn provide him an animal for his +daily food. And the lion gave his consent +accordingly. Thus every beast +delivered his stipulated provision, till +at length, it coming to the rabbit's turn, +he began to meditate in this manner: +"Policy should be practiced by him who +would save his life; and I myself shall +lose mine if I do not take care. Suppose +I lead him after another lion? Who +knows how that may turn out for me? +I will approach him slowly, as if fatigued."</p> + +<p>The lion by this time began to be very +hungry; so, seeing the rabbit coming +toward him, he called out in a great +passion, "What is the reason thou comest +so late?"</p> + +<p>"Please your Highness," said the rabbit, +"as I was coming along I was +forcibly detained by another of your<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> +species; but having given him my word +that I would return immediately, I came +here to represent it to your Highness."</p> + +<p>"Go quickly," said the lion in a rage, +"and show me where this vile wretch +may be found!"</p> + +<p>Accordingly, the rabbit conducted the +lion to the brink of a deep well, where +being arrived, "There," said the rabbit, +"look down and behold him." At the +same time he pointed to the reflected +image of the lion in the water, who, +swelling with pride and resentment, +leaped into the well, as he thought, upon +his adversary; and thus put an end to +his life.</p> + +<p>I repeat, therefore:</p> + +<p><i>He who hath sense hath strength. Where hath +he strength who wanteth judgment?</i></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_240" id="Note_240">240</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Marie de France lived probably in the latter +part of the twelfth century and was one +of the most striking figures in Middle +English literature. She seems to have been +born in France, lived much in England, +translated from the Anglo-Norman dialect +into French, and is spoken of as the first +French poet. One of her three works, and +the most extensive, is a collection of 103 +fables, which she says she translated from +the English of King Alfred. Her original, +whatever it may have been, is lost. One +of her fables, in a translation by Professor +W. W. Skeat, is given below. It contains +the germ of Chaucer's "Nun's Priest's +Tale," in <i>The Canterbury Tales</i>.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE COCK AND THE FOX</h4> + +<div class='center'>MARIE DE FRANCE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A Cock our story tells of, who<br /> +High on a trash hill stood and crew.<br /> +A Fox, attracted, straight drew nigh,<br /> +And spake soft words of flattery.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Dear Sir!" said he, "your look's divine;</span><br /> +I never saw a bird so fine!<br /> +I never heard a voice so clear<br /> +Except your father's—ah! poor dear!<br /> +His voice rang clearly, loudly—but<br /> +Most clearly when his eyes were shut!"<br /> +"The same with me!" the Cock replies,<br /> +And flaps his wings, and shuts his eyes.<br /> +Each note rings clearer than the last—<br /> +The Fox starts up and holds him fast;<br /> +Toward the wood he hies apace.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But as he crossed an open space,</span><br /> +The shepherds spy him; off they fly;<br /> +The dogs give chase with hue and cry.<br /> +The Fox still holds the Cock, though fear<br /> +Suggests his case is growing queer.<br /> +"Tush!" cries the Cock, "cry out, to grieve 'em,<br /> +'The cock is mine! I'll never leave him!'"<br /> +The Fox attempts, in scorn, to shout,<br /> +And opes his mouth; the Cock slips out,<br /> +And in a trice has gained a tree.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Too late the Fox begins to see</span><br /> +How well the Cock his game has played;<br /> +For once his tricks have been repaid.<br /> +In angry language, uncontrolled,<br /> +He 'gins to curse the mouth that's bold<br /> +To speak, when it should silent be.<br /> +"Well," says the Cock, "the same with me;<br /> +I curse the eyes that go to sleep<br /> +Just when they ought sharp watch to keep<br /> +Lest evil to their lord befall."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thus fools contrariously do all;</span><br /> +They chatter when they should be dumb,<br /> +And, when they <i>ought</i> to speak, are mum.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_241" id="Note_241">241</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following is Wright's translation of the +first fable in La Fontaine's collection. +Rousseau, objecting to fables in general, +singled out this particular one as an example +of their bad effects on children, and echoes +of his voice are still in evidence. It would, +he said, give children a lesson in inhumanity.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> +"You believe you are making an example +of the grasshopper, but they will choose +the ant . . . they will take the more +pleasant part, which is a very natural +thing." Another observer said: "As for +me, I love neither grasshopper nor ant, +neither avarice nor prodigality, neither the +miserly people who lend nor the spendthrifts +who borrow." These statements +represent complex, analytic points of view +which are probably outside the range of +most children. They will see the grasshopper +simply as a type of thorough +shiftlessness and the ant as a type of +forethought, although La Fontaine does +suggest that the ant might on general +principles be a little less "tight-fisted." +The lesson that idleness is the mother of +want, the necessity of looking ahead, of +providing for the future, of laying up for +a rainy day—these are certainly common-sense +conclusions and the only ones the +story itself will suggest to the child.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE GRASSHOPPER AND +THE ANT</h4> + +<div class='center'>LA FONTAINE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A grasshopper gay<br /> +Sang the summer away,<br /> +And found herself poor<br /> +By the winter's first roar.<br /> +Of meat or of bread,<br /> +Not a morsel she had!<br /> +So a begging she went,<br /> +To her neighbor the ant,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For the loan of some wheat,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which would serve her to eat,</span><br /> +Till the season came round.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I will pay you," she saith,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"On an animal's faith,</span><br /> +Double weight in the pound<br /> +Ere the harvest be bound."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The ant is a friend</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(And here she might mend)</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little given to lend.</span><br /> +"How spent you the summer?"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Quoth she, looking shame</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">At the borrowing dame.</span><br /> +"Night and day to each comer<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I sang, if you please."</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"You sang! I'm at ease;</span><br /> +For 'tis plain at a glance,<br /> +Now, ma'am, you must dance."<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_242" id="Note_242">242</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The translation of the following fable is that +of W. Lucas Collins, in his <i>La Fontaine +and Other French Fabulists</i>. This fable +has always been a great favorite among +the French, and the translator has caught +much of the sprightly tone of his original.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE COCK, THE CAT, AND +THE YOUNG MOUSE</h4> + +<div class='center'>LA FONTAINE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A pert young Mouse, to whom the world was new,<br /> +Had once a near escape, if all be true.<br /> +He told his mother, as I now tell you:<br /> +"I crossed the mountains that beyond us rise,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And, journeying onwards, bore me</span><br /> +As one who had a great career before me,<br /> +When lo! two creatures met my wondering eyes,—<br /> +The one of gracious mien, benign and mild;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The other fierce and wild,</span><br /> +With high-pitched voice that filled me with alarm;<br /> +A lump of sanguine flesh grew on his head,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And with a kind of arm</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He raised himself in air,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As if to hover there;</span><br /> +His tail was like a horseman's plume outspread."<br /> +(It was a farmyard Cock, you understand,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span>That our young friend described in terms so grand,<br /> +As 'twere some marvel come from foreign land.)<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"With arms raised high</span><br /> +He beat his sides, and made such hideous cry,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That even I,</span><br /> +Brave as I am, thank heaven! had well-nigh fainted:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Straightway I took to flight,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And cursed him left and right.</span><br /> +Ah! but for him, I might have got acquainted<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With that sweet creature,</span><br /> +Who bore attractiveness in every feature:<br /> +A velvet skin he had, like yours and mine,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A tail so long and fine,</span><br /> +A sweet, meek countenance, a modest air—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Yet, what an eye was there!</span><br /> +I feel that, on the whole,<br /> +He must have strong affinities of soul<br /> +With our great race—our ears are shaped the same.<br /> +I should have made my bow, and asked his name,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But at the fearful cry</span><br /> +Raised by that monster, I was forced to fly."<br /> +"My child," replied his mother, "you have seen<br /> +That demure hypocrite we call a Cat:<br /> +Under that sleek and inoffensive mien<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He bears a deadly hate of Mouse and Rat.</span><br /> +The other, whom you feared, is harmless—quite;<br /> +Nay, perhaps may serve us for a meal some night.<br /> +As for your friend, for all his innocent air,<br /> +We form the staple of his bill of fare."<br /> +<br /> +<i>Take, while you live, this warning as your guide—</i><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;"><i>Don't judge by the outside.</i></span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_243" id="Note_243">243</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">John Gay (1685-1732) was an English poet +and dramatist. His work as a whole has +been pretty well forgotten, but he has been +recently brought back to the mind of the +public by the revival of his satirical <i>Beggar's +Opera</i>, the ancestor of the modern comic +opera. Gay published a collection of fables +in verse in 1727, "prepared for the edification +of the young Duke of Cumberland." +A second group, making sixty-six in all, was +published after his death. Since these +fables are probably the best of their kind +in English, a few of them are frequently +met with in collections. "The Hare with +Many Friends" has been the favorite, and +rightly so, as it has something of the humor +and point that belong to the real fable. +Perhaps the fact that it has a personal +application enabled Gay to write with +more vigor and sincerity than elsewhere.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE HARE WITH MANY +FRIENDS</h4> + +<div class='center'>JOHN GAY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Friendship, like love, is but a name,<br /> +Unless to one you stint the flame.<br /> +The child whom many fathers share,<br /> +Hath seldom known a father's care.<br /> +'Tis thus in friendship; who depend<br /> +On many rarely find a friend.<br /> +A Hare, who, in a civil way,<br /> +Complied with everything, like Gay,<br /> +Was known by all the bestial train<br /> +Who haunt the wood, or graze the plain.<br /> +Her care was, never to offend,<br /> +And every creature was her friend.<br /> +As forth she went at early dawn,<br /> +To taste the dew-besprinkled lawn,<br /> +Behind she hears the hunter's cries,<br /> +And from the deep-mouthed thunder flies.<br /> +She starts, she stops, she pants for breath;<br /> +She hears the near advance of death;<br /> +She doubles, to mislead the hound,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span>And measures back her mazy round:<br /> +Till, fainting in the public way,<br /> +Half dead with fear she gasping lay.<br /> +What transport in her bosom grew,<br /> +When first the Horse appeared in view!<br /> +"Let me," says she, "your back ascend,<br /> +And owe my safety to a friend.<br /> +You know my feet betray my flight;<br /> +To friendship every burden's light."<br /> +The Horse replied: "Poor honest Puss,<br /> +It grieves my heart to see thee thus;<br /> +Be comforted; relief is near,<br /> +For all your friends are in the rear."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She next the stately Bull implored;</span><br /> +And thus replied the mighty lord,<br /> +"Since every beast alive can tell<br /> +That I sincerely wish you well,<br /> +I may, without offence, pretend,<br /> +To take the freedom of a friend;<br /> +Love calls me hence; a favorite cow<br /> +Expects me near yon barley-mow;<br /> +And when a lady's in the case,<br /> +You know, all other things give place.<br /> +To leave you thus might seem unkind;<br /> +But see, the Goat is just behind."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Goat remarked her pulse was high,</span><br /> +Her languid head, her heavy eye;<br /> +"My back," says he, "may do you harm;<br /> +The Sheep's at hand, and wool is warm."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Sheep was feeble, and complained</span><br /> +His sides a load of wool sustained:<br /> +Said he was slow, confessed his fears,<br /> +For hounds eat sheep as well as hares.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She now the trotting Calf addressed,</span><br /> +To save from death a friend distressed.<br /> +"Shall I," says he, "of tender age,<br /> +In this important care, engage?<br /> +Older and abler passed you by;<br /> +How strong are those, how weak am I!<br /> +Should I presume to bear you hence,<br /> +Those friends of mine may take offence.<br /> +Excuse me, then. You know my heart.<br /> +But dearest friends, alas, must part!<br /> +How shall we all lament! Adieu!<br /> +For see, the hounds are just in view."<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_244" id="Note_244">244</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Tomas de Yriarte (1750-1791) was a Spanish +poet of some note, remembered now mainly +as the author of <i>Literary Fables</i>, the first +attempt at literary fable-writing in Spanish. +As the name is meant to imply, they concern +themselves with the follies and weaknesses +of authors. There are about eighty +fables in the complete collection, and they +are full of ingenuity and cleverness. One +of the simplest and best of these is given +here in the translation by R. Rockliffe, +which first appeared in <i>Blackwood's Magazine</i> +in 1839. It laughs at the lucky chance +by which even stupidity sometimes "makes +a hit" and then stupidly proceeds to pat +itself on the back.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE MUSICAL ASS</h4> + +<div class='center'>TOMAS YRIARTE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The fable which I now present<br /> +Occurred to me by accident;<br /> +And whether bad or excellent,<br /> +Is merely so by accident.<br /> +A stupid ass one morning went<br /> +Into a field by accident<br /> +And cropp'd his food and was content,<br /> +Until he spied by accident<br /> +A flute, which some oblivious gent<br /> +Had left behind by accident;<br /> +When, sniffing it with eager scent,<br /> +He breathed on it by accident,<br /> +And made the hollow instrument<br /> +Emit a sound by accident.<br /> +"Hurrah! hurrah!" exclaimed the brute,<br /> +"How cleverly I play the flute!"<br /> +<br /> +<i>A fool, in spite of nature's bent.</i><br /> +<i>May shine for once—by accident.</i><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_245" id="Note_245">245</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Ivan Andreevitch Krylov (1768-1844) was +a Russian author whose fame rests almost +entirely upon his popular verse fables +(200 in number) which have been used +extensively as textbooks in Russian schools.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> +They have "joyousness, simplicity, wit, +and good humor." The following specimen +is from I. H. Harrison's translation +of Krylov's <i>Original Fables</i>. It gives a +good illustration of the necessity of "teamwork."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE SWAN, THE PIKE, +AND THE CRAB</h4> + +<div class='center'>IVAN KRYLOV<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem2'> +When partners with each other don't agree,<br /> +Each project must a failure be,<br /> +And out of it no profit come, but sheer vexation.<br /> +<br /> +A Swan, a Pike, and Crab once took their station<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In harness, and would drag a loaded cart;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But, when the moment came for them to start,</span><br /> +<br /> +They sweat, they strain, and yet the cart stands still; what's lacking?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The load must, as it seemed, have been but light;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Swan, though, to the clouds takes flight,</span><br /> +The Pike into the water pulls, the Crab keeps backing.<br /> +<br /> +Now which of them was right, which wrong, concerns us not;<br /> +The cart is still upon the selfsame spot.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_246" id="Note_246">246</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This fable from the Old Testament is one of +the very oldest on record in which a story +is practically applied to a human problem. +The causes of political corruption apparently +have not changed much in three +thousand years. American citizens gather +together at certain times to choose mayors +and other officers to rule over them, and +when they say to the fruitful olive tree, or +fig tree, or vine, "Come thou and reign +over us," he replies, "Should I forsake my +productive factory, or mine, or profession, +to be mayor?" But when they say to the +bramble, "Come thou and reign over us," +he replies, "Put your trust in me, and let +those suffer who object to my management +of public affairs." Jotham's lesson of +political duty is one greatly needed in the +present-day attempt to raise our standard +of citizenship.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE BRAMBLE IS MADE +KING</h4> + +<div class='center'><i>Judges ix: 6-16</i></div> + +<p>And all the men of Shechem gathered +together, and all the house of Millo, and +went, and made Abimelech king, by the +plain of the pillar that was in Shechem. +And when they told it to Jotham, he +went and stood in the top of Mount +Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, +and said unto them:—</p> + +<p>"Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, +that God may hearken unto you. The +trees went forth on a time to anoint a +king over them; and they said unto the +olive tree, 'Reign thou over us.' But +the olive tree said unto them, 'Should I +leave my fatness, wherewith by me they +honor God and man, and go to be promoted +over the trees?'</p> + +<p>"And the trees said to the fig tree, +'Come thou and reign over us.' But +the fig tree said unto them, 'Should I +forsake my sweetness and my good fruit, +and go to be promoted over the trees?'</p> + +<p>"Then said the trees unto the vine, +'Come thou and reign over us.' And the +vine said unto them, 'Should I leave my +wine, which cheereth God and man, and +go to be promoted over the trees?'</p> + +<p>"Then said all the trees unto the bramble, +'Come thou and reign over us.' And<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> +the bramble said unto the trees, 'If in +truth ye anoint me king over you, then +come and put your trust in my shadow: +and if not, let fire come out of the bramble +and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_247" id="Note_247">247</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The concrete illustrations by means of which +Jesus constantly taught are called parables. +"Without a parable spake he not unto +them." The parable differs from the fable +proper in dealing with more fundamental +or ideal truth. The fable moves on the +plane of the prudential virtues, the parable +on the plane of the higher self-forgetting +virtues. Because of that difference there +is in the parable "no jesting nor raillery +at the weakness, the follies, or the crimes +of men." All is deeply earnest, befitting +its high spiritual point of view. As a rule +the parables use for illustration stories of +what might actually happen. Two of the +most familiar of the parables follow. What +true neighborliness means is the message +of "The Good Samaritan."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE GOOD SAMARITAN</h4> + +<div class='center'><i>Luke x:25-37</i></div> + +<p>And behold, a certain lawyer stood up +and tempted him, saying, "Master, what +shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He +said unto him, "What is written in the +law? how readest thou?" And he +answering said, "Thou shalt love the +Lord thy God with all thy heart, and +with all thy soul, and with all thy +strength, and with all thy mind; and thy +neighbor as thyself." And He said unto +him, "Thou hast answered right; this do, +and thou shalt live." But he, willing to +justify himself, said unto Jesus, "And +who is my neighbor?"</p> + +<p>And Jesus answering said, "A certain +man went down from Jerusalem to +Jericho, and fell among thieves, which +stripped him of his raiment, and wounded +him, and departed, leaving him half +dead. And by chance there came down +a certain priest that way; and when +he saw him, he passed by on the other +side. And likewise a Levite, when he +was at the place, came and looked on +him, and passed by on the other side. +But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, +came where he was; and when he saw +him, he had compassion on him, and +went to him, and bound up his wounds, +pouring in oil and wine, and set him on +his own beast, and brought him to an +inn, and took care of him. And on the +morrow, when he departed, he took out +two pence and gave them to the host +and said unto him, 'Take care of him: and +whatsoever thou spendest more, when I +come again I will repay thee.'</p> + +<p>"Which now of these three, thinkest +thou, was neighbor unto him that fell +among the thieves?"</p> + +<p>And he said, "He that showed mercy +on him."</p> + +<p>Then said Jesus unto him, "Go and +do thou likewise."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_248" id="Note_248">248</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE PRODIGAL SON</h4> + +<div class='center'><i>Luke xv:10-32</i></div> + +<p>"Likewise I say unto you, there is joy +in the presence of the angels of God over +one sinner that repenteth."</p> + +<p>And he said, "A certain man had two +sons; and the younger of them said to +his father, 'Father, give me the portion +of goods that falleth to me.' And he +divided unto them his living.</p> + +<p>"And not many days after, the younger +son gathered all together, and took his +journey into a far country, and there +wasted his substance with riotous living. +And when he had spent all, there arose +a mighty famine in that land; and he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> +began to be in want. And he went and +joined himself to a citizen of that country; +and he sent him into his fields to +feed swine. And he would fain have +filled his belly with the husks that the +swine did eat; and no man gave unto +him.</p> + +<p>"And when he came to himself, he +said, 'How many hired servants of my +father's have bread enough and to spare, +and I perish with hunger! I will arise +and go to my father, and will say unto him, +"Father, I have sinned against heaven +and before thee, and am no more worthy +to be called thy son; make me as one +of thy hired servants."'</p> + +<p>"And he arose and came to his father. +But when he was yet a great way off, his +father saw him, and had compassion, and +ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. +And the son said unto him, 'Father, I +have sinned against heaven and in thy +sight, and am no more worthy to be +called thy son.' But the father said to +his servants, 'Bring forth the best robe +and put it on him; and put a ring on his +hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring +hither the fatted calf and kill it; and let +us eat and be merry; for this my son was +dead and is alive again; he was lost and +is found.' And they began to be merry.</p> + +<p>"Now his elder son was in the field; and +as he came and drew nigh to the house, +he heard music and dancing. And he +called one of the servants and asked what +these things meant. And he said unto +him, 'Thy brother is come; and thy +father hath killed the fatted calf, because +he hath received him safe and sound.' +And he was angry and would not go +in; therefore came his father out and +entreated him. And he answering, said +to his father, 'Lo, these many years do +I serve thee, neither transgressed I at +any time thy commandment; and yet +thou never gavest me a kid that I might +make merry with my friends. But as +soon as this thy son was come, which +hath devoured thy living with harlots, +thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.' +And he said unto him, 'Son, thou art +ever with me; and all that I have is +thine. It was meet that we should make +merry, and be glad; for this thy brother +was dead, and is alive again; and was +lost, and is found.'"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_249" id="Note_249">249</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This little apologue is taken from <i>Norwood</i> +(1867), a novel written by Henry Ward +Beecher for the New York <i>Ledger</i> in the +days when that periodical, under the +direction of Robert Bonner, was the great +family weekly of America. In the course +of the fiction Mr. Beecher emphasizes the +value of stories for children. "Story-hunger +in children," he says, "is even more +urgent than bread-hunger." And after +the story has been told: "How charming +it is to narrate fables for children. . . . +Children are unconscious philosophers. +They refuse to pull to pieces their enjoyments +to see what they are made of. Rose +knew as well as her father that leaves never +talked. Yet, Rose never saw a leaf without +feeling that there was life and meaning +in it."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE ANXIOUS LEAF</h4> + +<div class='center'>HENRY WARD BEECHER</div> + +<p>Once upon a time a little leaf was heard +to sigh and cry, as leaves often do when +a gentle wind is about.</p> + +<p>And the twig said, "What is the matter, +little leaf?"</p> + +<p>And the leaf said, "The wind just told +me that one day it would pull me off and +throw me down to die on the ground!"</p> + +<p>The twig told it to the branch on which +it grew, and the branch told it to the tree.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> +And when the tree heard it, it rustled all +over, and sent back word to the leaf, +"Do not be afraid; hold on tightly, and +you shall not go till you want to." And +so the leaf stopped sighing, but went on +nestling and singing.</p> + +<p>Every time the tree shook itself and +stirred up all its leaves, the branches +shook themselves, and the little twig +shook itself, and the little leaf danced up +and down merrily, as if nothing could +ever pull it off.</p> + +<p>And so it grew all summer long till +October. And when the bright days of +autumn came, the little leaf saw all the +leaves around becoming very beautiful. +Some were yellow, and some scarlet, and +some striped with both colors.</p> + +<p>Then it asked the tree what it meant. +And the tree said, "All these leaves are +getting ready to fly away, and they have +put on these beautiful colors, because of +joy."</p> + +<p>Then the little leaf began to want to +go, and grew very beautiful in thinking +of it, and when it was very gay in color, +it saw that the branches of the tree had +no color in them, and so the leaf said, +"Oh, branches! why are you lead color +and we golden?"</p> + +<p>"We must keep on our work clothes, +for our life is not done; but your clothes +are for holiday, because your tasks are +over."</p> + +<p>Just then, a little puff of wind came, +and the leaf let go without thinking of it, +and the wind took it up, and turned it +over and over, and whirled it like a spark +of fire in the air and then it fell gently +down under the edge of the fence among +hundreds of leaves, and fell into a dream +and never waked up to tell what it +dreamed about!</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_250" id="Note_250">250</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), more than +any other American, has emphasized for +us the value of proverbial sayings and the +significance of the symbolic story. This +account of how one may pay too much for +a whistle was written in 1779 while Franklin +was representing the colonies at Paris, and +addressed to his friend Madame Brillon. +The making of apologues seemed to be a +favorite sort of game in the circle in which +Franklin moved, and his plain common +sense is always uppermost in whatever he +produces. The lesson of the whistle is +always needed; we are prone to put aside +the essential thing for the temporary and +showy. More than a century ago Noah +Webster put this story in his school-reader, +and most school-readers since have contained +it. The selection is here reprinted +complete. Teachers usually omit some of +the opening and closing paragraphs.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE WHISTLE</h4> + +<div class='center'>BENJAMIN FRANKLIN</div> + +<p>I am charmed with your description of +Paradise, and with your plan of living +there; and I approve much of your conclusion, +that, in the mean time, we +should draw all the good we can from this +world. In my opinion, we might all +draw more good than we do, and suffer +less evil, if we would take care not to give +too much for <i>whistles</i>. For to me it +seems that most of the unhappy people +we meet with are become so by neglect +of that caution.</p> + +<p>You ask what I mean? You love +stories, and will excuse my telling one of +myself.</p> + +<p>When I was a child of seven years old, +my friends, on a holiday, filled my pockets +with coppers. I went directly to a +shop where they sold toys for children; +and being charmed with the sound of a +<i>whistle</i>, that I met by the way in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> +hands of another boy, I voluntarily +offered and gave all my money for one. +I then came home, and went whistling +all over the house, much pleased with my +<i>whistle</i>, but disturbing all the family. +My brothers, and sisters, and cousins, +understanding the bargain I had made, +told me I had given four times as much +for it as it was worth; put me in mind +what good things I might have bought +with the rest of the money; and laughed +at me so much for my folly, that I cried +with vexation; and the reflection gave +me more chagrin than the <i>whistle</i> gave +me pleasure.</p> + +<p>This, however, was afterward of use +to me, the impression continuing on my +mind; so that often, when I was tempted +to buy some unnecessary thing, I said +to myself, <i>Don't give too much for the +whistle;</i> and I saved my money.</p> + +<p>As I grew up I thought I met with +many, very many, who <i>gave too much for +the whistle</i>.</p> + +<p>When I saw one too ambitious of court +favor, sacrificing his time, his repose, his +liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his +friends, to attain it, I have said to myself, +<i>This man gives too much for his +whistle.</i></p> + +<p>When I saw another fond of popularity, +constantly employing himself in political +bustles, neglecting his own affairs, and +ruining them by that neglect, <i>He pays, +indeed</i>, said I, <i>too much for his whistle.</i></p> + +<p>If I knew a miser, who gave up every +kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure +of doing good to others, all the esteem +of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of +benevolent friendship, for the sake of +accumulating wealth, <i>Poor man</i>, said I, +<i>you pay too much for your whistle.</i></p> + +<p>When I met with a man of pleasure, +sacrificing every laudable improvement +of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere +corporal sensations, and ruining his +health in their pursuit, <i>Mistaken man</i>, +said I, <i>you are providing pain for yourself, +instead of pleasure; you give too much +for your whistle.</i></p> + +<p>If I see one fond of appearance, or fine +clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine +equipages, all above his fortune, for which +he contracts debts, and ends his career +in a prison, <i>Alas!</i> say I, <i>he has paid dear, +very dear, for his whistle.</i></p> + +<p>When I see a beautiful, sweet-tempered +girl married to an ill-natured brute +of a husband, <i>What a pity</i>, say I, <i>that she +should pay so much for a whistle!</i></p> + +<p>In short, I conceive that great part of +the miseries of mankind are brought upon +them by the false estimates they have +made of the value of things, and by their +<i>giving too much for their whistles</i>.</p> + +<p>Yet I ought to have charity for these +unhappy people, when I consider that, +with all this wisdom of which I am +boasting, there are certain things in the +world so tempting, for example, the +apples of King John, which happily are +not to be bought; for if they were put to +sale by auction, I might very easily +be led to ruin myself in the purchase, and +find that I had once more given too much +for the <i>whistle</i>.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_251" id="Note_251">251</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"The Ephemera" was also addressed to +Madame Brillon, the "amiable Brillante" +of the final sentence. It is an allegorical +story emphasizing the relative shortness of +human life. Franklin's "Alas! art is long +and life is short!" anticipates Longfellow's +"Art is long and time is fleeting." But +hundreds of writers had preceded both of +them in calling attention to this at the same +time commonplace and significant fact. +At the end, Franklin's quiet acceptance<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> +of the rather gloomy outlook suggested +by the ephemeral nature of life is noteworthy, +and is characteristic of his general +temper.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE EPHEMERA</h4> + +<div class='center'><i>An Emblem of Human Life</i><br /> +<br /> +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN</div> + +<p>You may remember, my dear friend, +that when we lately spent that happy +day in the delightful garden and sweet +society of the Moulin Joly, I stopped a +little in one of our walks, and stayed +some time behind the company. We +had been shown numberless skeletons of +a kind of little fly, called an ephemera, +whose successive generations, we were +told, were bred and expired within the +day. I happened to see a living company +of them on a leaf, who appeared to be +engaged in conversation. You know +I understand all the inferior animal +tongues. My too great application to +the study of them is the best excuse I +can give for the little progress I have +made in your charming language. I +listened through curiosity to the discourse +of these little creatures; but as +they, in their national vivacity, spoke +three or four together, I could make but +little of their conversation. I found, +however, by some broken expressions +that I heard now and then, they were +disputing warmly on the merit of two +foreign musicians, one a <i>cousin</i>, the +other a <i>moscheto;</i> in which dispute they +spent their time, seemingly as regardless +of the shortness of life as if they had been +sure of living a month. Happy people! +thought I; you live certainly under a +wise, just, and mild government, since +you have no public grievances to complain +of, nor any subject of contention +but the perfections and imperfections of +foreign music. I turned my head from +them to an old grey-headed one, who was +single on another leaf, and talking to +himself. Being amused with his soliloquy, +I put it down in writing, in hopes +it will likewise amuse her to whom I +am so much indebted for the most pleasing +of all amusements, her delicious company +and heavenly harmony.</p> + +<p>"It was," said he, "the opinion of learnèd +philosophers of our race, who lived and +flourished long before my time, that this +vast world, the Moulin Joly, could not +itself subsist more than eighteen hours; +and I think there was some foundation +for that opinion, since, by the apparent +motion of the great luminary that gives +life to all nature, and which in my time +has evidently declined considerably towards +the ocean at the end of our earth, +it must then finish its course, be extinguished +in the waters that surround us, +and leave the world in cold and darkness, +necessarily producing universal death and +destruction. I have lived seven of those +hours, a great age, being no less than +four hundred and twenty minutes of +time. How very few of us continue so +long! I have seen generations born, +flourish, and expire. My present friends +are the children and grandchildren of the +friends of my youth, who are now, also, +no more! And I must soon follow them; +for, by the course of nature, though still +in health, I cannot expect to live above +seven or eight minutes longer. What +now avails all my toil and labor in amassing +honey-dew on this leaf, which I cannot +live to enjoy! What the political +struggles I have been engaged in, for +the good of my compatriot inhabitants +of this bush, or my philosophical studies +for the benefit of our race in general! for, +in politics, what can laws do without +morals? Our present race of ephemerae<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> +will in a course of minutes become +corrupt, like those of other and older +bushes, and consequently as wretched. +And in philosophy how small is our +progress! Alas! art is long, and life is +short! My friends would comfort me +with the idea of a name, they say, I +shall leave behind me; and they tell me +I have lived long enough to nature and +to glory. But what will fame be to an +ephemera who no longer exists? And +what will become of all history in the +eighteenth hour, when the world itself, +even the whole Moulin Joly, shall come +to its end, and be buried in universal +ruin?"</p> + +<p>To me, after all my eager pursuits, no +solid pleasures now remain, but the reflection +of a long life spent in meaning well, +the sensible conversation of a few good +lady ephemerae, and now and then a +kind smile and a tune from the ever +amiable <i>Brillante</i>.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_252" id="Note_252">252</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The brief allegory that follows is very generally +regarded as the finest and noblest +specimen of its type. It is here reprinted +approximately in the form of its first +appearance, now more than two hundred +years ago, as more in keeping with its +spirit than a modern dress would be. The +world of recent times is not so much given +to this kind of writing as the eighteenth +century was. Like Franklin's "Ephemera," +Addison's vision grows out of "profound +contemplation on the vanity of human +life." The key to the symbolism is found +in the "threescore and ten arches" of the +bridge, representing the scriptural limit of +physical existence, with some broken arches +for any excess of that limit. The fact that +"the bridge consisted at first of a thousand +arches" is a reference to the great number +of years assigned to some of the patriarchs. +The splendid concluding vision in which +Mirzah sees the compensations for the ills +of this life suggests a very different type +of mind from that of the "this-worldly" +closing paragraph in Franklin's apologue. +"The Vision of Mirzah" is No. <a href="#Note_159">159</a> of the +<i>Spectator</i> (September 1, 1711).</div> + + +<h4><br />THE VISION OF MIRZAH</h4> + +<div class='center'>JOSEPH ADDISON</div> + +<p>When I was at Grand Cairo I picked +up several oriental manuscripts, which I +have still by me. Among others I met +with one entitled The Visions of Mirzah, +which I have read over with great pleasure. +I intend to give it to the public +when I have no other entertainment for +them; and I shall begin with the first +vision, which I have translated word for +word as follows:</p> + +<p>On the fifth day of the moon, which +according to the custom of my forefathers +I always kept holy, after having +washed myself, and offered up my morning +devotions, I ascended the high hills +of Bagdat, in order to pass the rest of +the day in meditation and prayer. As +I was here airing myself on the tops of +the mountains, I fell into profound contemplation +on the vanity of human life; +and passing from one thought to another, +surely, said I, man is but a shadow and +life a dream. Whilst I was thus musing, +I cast my eyes towards the summit of +a rock that was not far from me, where I +discovered one in the habit of a shepherd, +with a musical instrument in his hand. +As I looked upon him he applied it to his +lips, and began to play upon it. The +sound of it was exceeding sweet, and +wrought into a variety of tunes that +were inexpressibly melodious, and altogether +different from anything I had ever +heard. They put me in mind of those +heavenly airs that are played to the +departed souls of good men upon their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> +first arrival in paradise to wear out the +impressions of their last agonies, and +qualify them for the pleasures of that +happy place. My heart melted away in +secret raptures.</p> + +<p>I had been often told that the rock +before me was the haunt of a genius; and +that several had been entertained with +music who had passed by it, but never +heard that the musician had before made +himself visible. When he had raised my +thoughts by those transporting airs +which he played, to taste the pleasure of +his conversation, as I looked upon him +like one astonished, he beckoned to me, +and by the waving of his hand directed +me to approach the place where he sat. +I drew near with that reverence which is +due to a superior nature: and as my heart +was entirely subdued by the captivating +strains I had heard, I fell down at his +feet and wept. The genius smiled upon +me with a look of compassion and affability +that familiarized him to my imagination, +and at once dispelled all the fears +and apprehensions with which I approached +him. He lifted me from the +ground, and taking me by the hand, +Mirzah, said he, I have heard thee in thy +soliloquies: follow me.</p> + +<p>He then led me to the highest pinnacle +of the rock, and placed me on the top of +it. Cast thy eyes eastward, said he, and +tell me what thou seest. I see, said I, a +huge valley and a prodigious tide of +water rolling through it. The valley that +thou seest, said he, is the vale of misery, +and the tide of water that thou seest is +part of the great tide of eternity. What +is the reason, said I, that the tide I see +rises out of a thick mist at one end, and +again loses itself in a thick mist at the +other? What thou seest, says he, is +that portion of eternity which is called +time, measured out by the sun, and +reaching from the beginning of the world +to its consummation. Examine now, +said he, this sea that is thus bounded with +darkness at both ends, and tell me what +thou discoverest in it. I see a bridge, +said I, standing in the midst of the tide. +The bridge thou seest, said he, is human +life; consider it attentively. Upon a +more leisurely survey of it, I found that +it consisted of threescore and ten entire +arches, with several broken arches, which +added to those that were entire, made up +the number about an hundred. As I was +counting the arches the genius told me +that the bridge consisted at first of a +thousand arches; but that a great flood +swept away the rest, and left the bridge +in the ruinous condition I now beheld it. +But tell me further, said he, what thou +discoverest on it. I see multitudes of +people passing over it, said I, and a +black cloud hanging on each end of it. +As I looked more attentively, I saw several +of the passengers dropping through +the bridge, into the great tide that +flowed underneath it; and upon further +examination, perceived there were innumerable +trap-doors that lay concealed in +the bridge which the passengers no +sooner trod upon, but they fell through +them into the tide and immediately +disappeared. These hidden pit-falls were +set very thick at the entrance of the +bridge, so that the throngs of people no +sooner broke through the cloud, but many +of them fell into them. They grew thinner +towards the middle, but multiplied +and lay closer together towards the end +of the arches that were entire.</p> + +<p>There were indeed some persons, but +their number was very small, that +continued a kind of hobbling march +on the broken arches, but fell through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> +one after another, being quite tired and +spent with so long a walk.</p> + +<p>I passed some time in the contemplation +of this wonderful structure, and the +great variety of objects which it presented. +My heart was filled with a deep +melancholy to see several dropping unexpectedly +in the midst of mirth and jollity, +and catching at everything that stood +by them to save themselves. Some were +looking up towards the heavens in a +thoughtful posture, and in the midst of a +speculation stumbled and fell out of +sight. Multitudes were very busy in the +pursuit of baubles that glittered in their +eyes and danced before them, but often +when they thought themselves within the +reach of them, their footing failed and +down they sank. In this confusion of +objects, I observed some with scimetars in +their hands, who ran to and fro upon the +bridge, thrusting several persons upon trap-doors +which did not seem to lie in their +way, and which they might have escaped, +had they not been thus forced upon them.</p> + +<p>The genius seeing me indulge myself +in this melancholy prospect, told me I +had dwelt long enough upon it: take +thine eyes off the bridge, said he, and tell +me if thou seest anything thou dost not +comprehend. Upon looking up, what +mean, said I, those great flights of birds +that are perpetually hovering about the +bridge, and settling upon it from time to +time? I see vultures, harpies, ravens, +cormorants, and among many other +feathered creatures several little wingèd +boys, that perch in great numbers upon +the middle arches. These, said the +genius, are envy, avarice, superstition, +despair, love, with the like cares and passions +that infect human life.</p> + +<p>I here fetched a deep sigh; alas, said +I, man was made in vain! How is he +given away to misery and mortality! +tortured in life, and swallowed up in +death! The genius, being moved with +compassion towards me, bid me quit +so uncomfortable a prospect. Look no +more, said he, on a man in the first stage +of his existence, in his setting out for +eternity; but cast thine eye on that +thick mist into which the tide bears the +several generations of mortals that fall +into it. I directed my sight as was +ordered, and (whether or no the good +genius strengthened it with any supernatural +force, or dissipated part of the +mist that was before too thick for the +eye to penetrate) I saw the valley opening +at the farther end, and spreading +forth into an immense ocean that had a +huge rock of adamant running through +the midst of it, and dividing it into two +equal parts. The clouds still rested on +one-half of it, insomuch that I could discover +nothing in it; but the other appeared +to me a vast ocean planted with +innumerable islands, that were covered +with fruits and flowers, and interwoven +with a thousand little shining seas that +ran among them. I could see persons +dressed in glorious habits with garlands +upon their heads, passing among the +trees, lying down by the sides of the +fountains, or resting on beds of flowers; +and could hear a confused harmony of +singing birds, falling waters, human +voices, and musical instruments. Gladness +grew in me upon the discovery of +so delightful a scene. I wished for the +wings of an eagle, that I might fly away +to those happy seats; but the genius told +me there was no passage to them except +through the gates of death that I saw +opening every moment upon the bridge. +The islands, said he, that lie so fresh +and green before thee, and with which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> +the whole face of the ocean appears +spotted as far as thou canst see, are more +in number than the sands of the sea-shore; +there are myriads of islands +behind those which thou here discoverest, +reaching farther than thy eyes, or even +than thine imagination, can extend itself. +These are the mansions of good men +after death, who, according to the degree +and kinds of virtue in which they excelled, +are distributed among these +several islands, which abound with pleasures +of different kinds and degrees, suitable +to the relishes and perfections of +those who are settled in them; every +island is a paradise, accommodated to its +respective inhabitants. Are not these, +O Mirzah, habitations worth contending +for? Does life appear miserable that +gives the opportunities of earning such a +reward? Is death to be feared that will +convey thee to so happy an existence? +Think not a man was made in vain who +has such an eternity reserved for him. +I gazed with inexpressible pleasure on +these happy islands. At length, said I, +Show me now, I beseech thee, the secrets +that lie hid under those dark clouds which +cover the ocean on the other side of the +rock of adamant. The genius making +me no answer, I turned about to address +myself to him a second time, but I found +that he had left me. I then turned +again to the vision which I had been so +long contemplating, but, instead of the +rolling tide, the arched bridge, and the +happy islands, I saw nothing but the long +hollow valley of Bagdat, with oxen, sheep, +and camels grazing upon the sides of it.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_253" id="Note_253">253</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"The Discontented Pendulum" was one of +seventy-nine brief prose selections by Jane +Taylor (1783-1824) which appeared first +in a paper for young people and were, +after the author's death, gathered together +and published as <i>Contributions of Q. Q.</i> +(1826). This one selection only from that +volume still lives, is reprinted often in +school-readers, and by virtue of its cleverness +and point deserves its happy fate. +The author attached to it a "Moral" +almost as long as the story itself, and that +has long since fallen by the wayside. +Perhaps that is because the story is too +clear to need the "Moral." Here are a +few sentences from it: "The <i>present</i> is +all we have to manage: the past is irrecoverable; +the future is uncertain; nor +is it fair to burden one moment with the +weight of the next. Sufficient unto the +<i>moment</i> is the trouble thereof. . . . One +moment comes laden with its own <i>little</i> +burden, then flies, and is succeeded by +another no heavier than the last; if <i>one</i> +could be sustained, so can another, and +another. . . . Let any one resolve to do +right <i>now</i>, leaving <i>then</i> to do as it can, and +if he were to live to the age of Methuselah, +he would never err. . . . Let us then, +'whatever our hands find to do, do it with +all our might, recollecting that <i>now</i> is the +proper and the accepted time.'"</div> + + +<h4><br />THE DISCONTENTED PENDULUM</h4> + +<div class='center'>JANE TAYLOR</div> + +<p>An old clock that had stood for fifty +years in a farmer's kitchen without giving +its owner any cause of complaint, +early one summer's morning, before the +family was stirring, suddenly stopped.</p> + +<p>Upon this, the dial-plate (if we may +credit the fable) changed countenance +with alarm: the hands made an ineffectual +effort to continue their course; the +wheels remained motionless with surprise; +the weights hung speechless; each +member felt disposed to lay the blame +on the others. At length the dial instituted +a formal inquiry as to the cause of +the stagnation; when hands, wheels,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> +weights, with one voice, protested their +innocence. But now a faint tick was +heard below, from the pendulum, who +thus spoke:</p> + +<p>"I confess myself to be the sole cause +of the present stoppage; and am willing, +for the general satisfaction, to assign my +reasons. The truth is that I am tired +of ticking." Upon hearing this, the old +clock became so enraged that it was on +the point of <i>striking</i>.</p> + +<p>"Lazy wire!" exclaimed the dial-plate, +holding up its hands.</p> + +<p>"Very good!" replied the pendulum, +"it is vastly easy for you, Mistress Dial, +who have always, as everybody knows, +set yourself up above me—it is vastly +easy for you, I say, to accuse other +people of laziness! You, who have had +nothing to do all the days of your life +but to stare people in the face, and to +amuse yourself with watching all that +goes on in the kitchen! Think, I beseech +you, how you would like to be shut up for +life in this dark closet, and wag backwards +and forwards, year after year, as I do."</p> + +<p>"As to that," said the dial, "is there +not a window in your house on purpose +for you to look through?"</p> + +<p>"For all that," resumed the pendulum, +"it is very dark here; and although there +is a window, I dare not stop, even for an +instant, to look out. Besides, I am really +weary of my way of life; and if you +please, I'll tell you how I took this disgust +at my employment. This morning +I happened to be calculating how many +times I should have to tick in the course +only of the next twenty-four hours: perhaps +some of you, above there, can give +me the exact sum."</p> + +<p>The minute hand, being <i>quick at figures</i>, +instantly replied, "Eighty-six thousand +four hundred times."</p> + +<p>"Exactly so," replied the pendulum: +"well, I appeal to you all, if the thought +of this was not enough to fatigue one? +And when I began to multiply the stroke +of one day by those of months and years, +really it is no wonder if I felt discouraged +at the prospect; so after a great deal of +reasoning and hesitation, thinks I to +myself—I'll stop."</p> + +<p>The dial could scarcely keep its countenance +during this harangue; but, resuming +its gravity, thus replied:</p> + +<p>"Dear Mr. Pendulum, I am really +astonished that such a useful, industrious +person as yourself should have +been overcome by this sudden suggestion. +It is true you have done a great deal of +work in your time. So we have all, and are +likely to do; and although this may fatigue +us to <i>think</i> of, the question is, whether it +it will fatigue us to <i>do:</i> would you now do +me the favor to give about half a dozen +strokes to illustrate my argument?"</p> + +<p>The pendulum complied, and ticked +six times at its usual pace. "Now," +resumed the dial, "may I be allowed to +inquire if that exertion was at all fatiguing +or disagreeable to you?"</p> + +<p>"Not in the least," replied the +pendulum;—"It is not of six strokes that I +complain, nor of sixty, but of <i>millions</i>."</p> + +<p>"Very good," replied the dial, "but +recollect that although you may <i>think</i> of +a million strokes in an instant, you are +required to <i>execute</i> but one; and that +however often you may hereafter have +to swing, a moment will always be given +you to swing in."</p> + +<p>"That consideration staggers me, I +confess," said the pendulum.</p> + +<p>"Then I hope," resumed the dial-plate, +"we shall all immediately return +to our duty; for the maids will lie in bed +till noon if we stand idling thus."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span></p> + +<p>Upon this, the weights, who had never +been accused of <i>light</i> conduct, used all +their influence in urging him to proceed; +when, as with one consent, the wheels +began to turn, the hands began to move, +the pendulum began to wag, and, to its +credit, ticked as loud as ever; while a +beam of the rising sun that streamed +through a hole in the kitchen shutter, +shining full upon the dial-plate, it brightened +up as if nothing had been the matter.</p> + +<p>When the farmer came down to breakfast +that morning, upon looking at the +clock he declared that his watch had +gained half an hour in the night.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_254" id="Note_254">254</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was a Russian +novelist, poet, and social reformer; author, +among other important works, of <i>War and +Peace</i> and <i>Anna Karenina</i>. He wrote many +short stories and sketches, a number of +which are markedly symbolic in character. +The one that follows is a good illustration +of a type of such tales pleasing to modern +minds. We no longer produce the formal +fable or allegory. In Tolstoy's story are +two historical characters of so pronounced +individuality that their names always +suggest definite ideas—Croesus, riches and +<ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'wordly'">worldly</ins> greatness; Solon, wisdom and +worldly poverty and lowliness. These +ideas are brought into conflict, and the outcome +allows us to see which is the basic +one in Tolstoy's theory of life. Who is the +happy warrior? One would merely have to +quote some words from the story to have +an answer. And if the reader feels the +force of the answer, as Tolstoy evidently +hoped he would, it means a new or at +least a more distinctly held ideal of living.</div> + + +<h4><br />CROESUS AND SOLON</h4> + +<div class='center'>LEO TOLSTOY</div> + +<p>In olden times—long, long before the +coming of Christ—there reigned over a +certain country a great king called +Croesus. He had much gold and silver, +and many precious stones, as well as +numberless soldiers and slaves. Indeed, +he thought that in all the world there +could be no happier man than himself.</p> + +<p>But one day there chanced to visit the +country which Croesus ruled a Greek +philosopher named Solon. Far and wide +was Solon famed as a wise man and a +just; and, inasmuch as his fame had +reached Croesus also, the king commanded +that he should be conducted to +his presence.</p> + +<p>Seated upon his throne, and robed in +his most gorgeous apparel, Croesus asked +of Solon: "Have you ever seen aught +more splendid than this?"</p> + +<p>"Of a surety have I," replied Solon. +"Peacocks, cocks, and pheasants glitter +with colors so diverse and so brilliant +that no art can compare with them."</p> + +<p>Croesus was silent as he thought to +himself: "Since this is not enough, I +must show him something more, to surprise +him."</p> + +<p>So he exhibited the whole of his riches +before Solon's eyes, as well as boasted of +the number of foes he had slain, and the +number of territories he had conquered. +Then he said to the philosopher:</p> + +<p>"You have lived long in the world, and +have visited many countries. Tell me +whom you consider to be the happiest +man living?"</p> + +<p>"The happiest man living I consider +to be a certain poor man who lives in +Athens," replied Solon.</p> + +<p>The king was surprised at this answer, +for he had made certain that Solon would +name him himself; yet, for all that, the +philosopher had named a perfectly obscure +individual!</p> + +<p>"Why do you say that?" asked Croesus.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Because," replied Solon, "the man of +whom I speak has worked hard all his +life, has been content with little, has +reared fine children, has served his city +honorably, and has achieved a noble +reputation."</p> + +<p>When Croesus heard this he exclaimed:</p> + +<p>"And do you reckon my happiness as +nothing, and consider that I am not fit +to be compared with the man of whom +you speak?"</p> + +<p>To this Solon replied:</p> + +<p>"Often it befalls that a poor man is +happier than a rich man. Call no man +happy until he is dead."</p> + +<p>The king dismissed Solon, for he was +not pleased at his words, and had no +belief in him.</p> + +<p>"A fig for melancholy!" he thought. +"While a man lives he should live for +pleasure."</p> + +<p>So he forgot about Solon entirely.</p> + +<p>Not long afterwards the king's son +went hunting, but wounded himself by a +mischance, and died of the wound. Next, +it was told to Croesus that the powerful +Emperor Cyrus was coming to make war +upon him.</p> + +<p>So Croesus went out against Cyrus +with a great army, but the enemy proved +the stronger, and, having won the battle +and shattered Croesus' forces, penetrated +to the capital.</p> + +<p>Then the foreign soldiers began to pillage +all King Croesus' riches, and to slay +the inhabitants, and to sack and fire the +city. One soldier seized Croesus himself, +and was just about to stab him, when the +king's son darted forward to defend his +father, and cried aloud:</p> + +<p>"Do not touch him! That is Croesus, +the king!"</p> + +<p>So the soldiers bound Croesus, and +carried him away to the Emperor; but +Cyrus was celebrating his victory at a +banquet, and could not speak with the +captive, so orders were sent out for +Croesus to be executed.</p> + +<p>In the middle of the city square the +soldiers built a great burning-pile, and +upon the top of it they placed King +Croesus, bound him to a stake, and set +fire to the pile.</p> + +<p>Croesus gazed around him, upon his +city and upon his palace. Then he +remembered the words of the Greek +philosopher, and, bursting into tears, +could only say:</p> + +<p>"Ah, Solon, Solon!"</p> + +<p>The soldiers were closing in about the +pile when the Emperor Cyrus arrived in +person to view the execution. As he did +so he caught these words uttered by +Croesus, but could not understand them.</p> + +<p>So he commanded Croesus to be taken +from the pile, and inquired of him what +he had just said. Croesus answered:</p> + +<p>"I was but naming the name of a wise +man—of one who told me a great truth—a +truth that is of greater worth than +all earthly riches, than all our kingly +glory."</p> + +<p>And Croesus related to Cyrus his conversation +with Solon. The story touched +the heart of the Emperor, for he bethought +him that he too was but a man, +that he too knew not what Fate might +have in store for him. So in the end he +had mercy upon Croesus, and became his +friend.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION VI</h2> + +<h3>MYTHS</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span></p> +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + + +<h3><br />I. GENERAL HANDBOOKS</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Bulfinch, Thomas, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3327">Mythology: The Age of Fable</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Gayley, Charles Mills, <i>Classic Myths in English Literature and in Art</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />II. GREEK AND ROMAN</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Baker, Emilie Kip, <i>Stories of Old Greece and Rome</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Baldwin, James, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11582">Old Greek Stories</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Francillon, R. E., <i>Gods and Heroes, or the Kingdom of Jupiter</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Guerber, H. A., <i>Myths of Greece and Rome</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Hawthorne, Nathaniel, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/h#a28">A Wonder-Book for Boys and Girls</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Hawthorne, Nathaniel, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/976">Tanglewood Tales: A Second Wonder-Book</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Kingsley, Charles, <i>Greek Heroes</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Kupfer, Grace H., <i>Stories of Long Ago</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Peabody, Josephine P., <i>Old Greek Folk Stories</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />III. NORTHERN MYTHS</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Anderson, R. B., <i>Norse Mythology, or The Religion of Our Forefathers</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Baker, Emilie Kip, <i>Stories of Northern Myths</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Boult, Katherine F., <i>Heroes of the Northland</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Brown, Abbie Farwell, <i>In the Days of the Giants</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'><ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Column'">Colum</ins>, Padraic, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24737">The Children of Odin</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Guerber, H. A., <i>Myths of Northern Lands</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Keary, Anna and Eliza, <i>The Heroes of Asgard</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Mabie, Hamilton Wright, <i>Norse Stories</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Wilmot-Buxton, E. M., <i>Stories of Norse Heroes</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />IV. NATURE MYTHS ("POURQUOI" STORIES)</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Cook, Flora J., <i>Nature Myths</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Holbrook, Florence, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22420">The Book of Nature Myths</a></i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />V. CRITICAL WORKS</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Cox, Sir G. W., <i>Mythology of the Aryan Nations</i>. 2 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Fiske, John, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1061">Myths and Myth-Makers</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Frazer, J. G., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3623">The Golden Bough</a></i>. 12 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Hartland, E. S., <i>The Legend of Perseus</i>. 3 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lang, Andrew, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2832">Myth, Ritual, and Religion</a></i>. 2 vols.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Müller, Max, <i>Contributions to the Science of Mythology</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Ruskin, John, <i>Athena, Queen of the Air</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Spencer, Herbert, <i>Principles of Sociology</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Tylor, E. B., <i>Primitive Culture</i>. 2 vols.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION VI. MYTHS</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + + +<p><i>What myths are.</i> It seems that every race of people in the period of barbarism +and early civilization has created fanciful, childlike stories to explain such things +as the origin of earth, sun, stars, clouds, life, death, fire, man, lower animals, and +plants, and the characteristics of particular plants and animals. In most cases, if +not all, they have accounted for the origin of such things by the theory that they +were created by gods and super-human heroes. Among such peoples as the Greek +and Norse folk, many stories also grew up regarding the gods and super-human +heroes and their relations with one another and with men. All of these old stories +about the creation of things and about the gods and super-human heroes are called +myths. As time went on and the peoples became civilized, the original myths were +regarded merely as fanciful tales, and were used to furnish characters and plots +for many stories told chiefly for entertainment. Often, as in the story of Ulysses, +legends of national heroes were combined with them. Even in our time such writers +as Hawthorne and Kingsley and Lowell have used these old characters and plots +as the basis of stories, many of which differ greatly from the original myths.</p> + +<p><i>Myths and other folk stories.</i> Myths were pretty largely matters of faith to +begin with. They were the basis of old-time religious beliefs, explaining to the mind +of primitive man how things came to be as they are. This tendency to adopt what +are to educated minds fanciful explanations of all that is beyond their understanding +is easily observable in the way children explain the unknown. It seems fairly clear, +on the other hand, that fairy stories were told by the folk as matter of entertainment. +They did not believe that pigs actually talked, that a princess could sleep a hundred +years, that a bean-stalk could grow as fast and as far as Jack's did, or that toads +and diamonds could actually come out of one's mouth. It may be, as some theorists +insist, that remains of myth survive in some of these fairy stories. On the whole, +however, the folk believed these tales only in the sense in which we believe in a fine +story such as "The Vision of Sir Launfal" or "Enoch Arden." They express the +pleasing imaginings and longings of the human spirit, its ideals of character and +conduct, its sense of the wonder and mystery of the universe. The fairy tale, in +general, is nearer the surface of life; the myth was concerned with the most fundamental +problems of the <i>whence</i> and the <i>why</i> of things.</p> + +<p>Such distinctions, however, belong to the realm of scientific scholarship. The +teacher is concerned with myths simply as splendid stories that have come down to +us from a time when human beings seemed to feel themselves bound into a unity +with nature and all mysterious powers around them; stories that through constant +repetition were rounded and perfected, and finally, through use by the poets, have +reached us in a fairly systematic form. The so-called "poetic mythology" is the one +of special value for our purposes. It comes to us through Ovid in the South, and does<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span> +not distinguish between the gods of Greece and Rome. It comes through the Eddas +of the North. It is this poetic mythology that furnishes the basis of allusion in literature +and in art, and which is retold for us in the various versions for modern +readers. If we hold fast to this correct idea that as teachers in elementary schools +our interest in myths is exactly like our interest in other folk products, an interest +in them as stories tested by the ages, an interest in them as presenting familiar and +suggestive types of character and conduct, an interest in them as stimulating our +sense of wonder and mystery, we shall not be disturbed by the violent discussions +that sometimes rage over the advisability of using myths with children.</p> + +<p><i>Values of myth.</i> To make the above proposition as clear as possible, let us +first tabulate briefly the values of myth, borrowing a suggestion from Jeremiah +Curtin:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1. A wonderful story told in most effective fashion. To realize this value, +one needs to recall only the efforts of Prometheus in bringing down fire for man +and his heroic endurance of vengeful tyranny as a result. The work of Hercules +in slaying the many-headed serpent or in cleansing the Augean stables, the +adventures of Theseus culminating in the labyrinth of the horrible Minotaur, the +beautiful hospitality of Baucis and Philemon, the equally beautiful sadness of +the death of Balder—all these simply hint the riches of the myth as story. +This story interest is the one that appeals to all human beings as human beings +and is therefore fundamental.</p> + +<p>2. Myth preserves much material of social and antiquarian interest. It +helps us understand the institutions and customs of primitive stages in human +development, and as such has great value for scientific students of human society.</p> + +<p>3. Myth preserves evidences of how the mind of man looked out upon his +surroundings and what it did in the way of interpreting them. It makes most +valuable contributions, therefore, to the history of the human mind, and must +be taken into account in the science of anthropology.</p></div> + +<p>It must be evident that the second and third values are only in the slightest +degree within the range of the child in his early years of school work.</p> + +<p><i>Objections to myth.</i> The objections to the use of myths in school may also be +brought under three heads:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1. They come from a plane of ethics much lower than our own. This is the +one strong argument against all folk material, and it has a validity that must +be frankly recognized. There are the miscellaneous love affairs of Jupiter, and +certain stories that have elements of horror and brutality. Such stories we +cannot use, "though an error on that side is better than effeminancy." Occasional +defects cannot outweigh the great positive ethical worth of myth. We +must simply make intelligent choice. The situation is not different from what +it is in choosing from modern poetry and story. It would be poor evidence of +our sanity if we ruled out all poetry because some of it is not fit. Let us, however, +omit entirely those myths that are not suitable rather than attempt making +them over to suit modern conceptions. We may properly allow liberties +to a literary artist like Hawthorne that a mere artisan should not take.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span></p> + +<p>2. Myth deals with the worn-out and obsolete ideas of the past, and will +give children false religious and scientific notions. But one does not rule out +<i>Paradise Lost</i> because Milton's cosmogony is so purely fanciful, nor Dante +because of his equally fantastic structure of the Inferno. Neither children nor +older readers are ever led astray by these purely incidental backgrounds against +which and by means of which the human interest is powerfully projected.</p> + +<p>3. Myth is too deeply symbolical. But readers of different ages and abilities +find results up to their stature. We do not demand that the children shall be +able to understand all that is back of <i>Gulliver's Travels</i>, or <i>Pilgrim's Progress</i>, +before we give them those books. What is worth while in literature has an +increasing message as the powers of the reader increase.</p></div> + +<p><i>How to use myths.</i> We may sum up the conclusions thus: Select those myths +that tell stories of dramatic force and that have sound ethical worth. So far as possible +let these be the ones most familiar in literary allusion and in common speech. +Present the myth as you would any other folk story. Since myth naturally comes +along a little later than fairy stories, probably beginning not earlier than the third +grade, the discussion of its meanings may take a wider range. Keep the poetic +elements of the story prominent, as in most of the examples following.</p> + + +<h3><br />SUGGESTIONS</h3> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>For the soundest and most illuminating discussion of the values and proper use of myths in +education see Edward Howard Griggs, <i>Moral Education</i>, chap, xxi, "The Ethical Value of Mythology +and Folk-Lore." For some good suggestions and lists consult Ezra Allen, "The Pedagogy +of Myth in the Grades," <i>Pedagogical Seminary</i>, Vol. VIII, p. 258. A very interesting plan for the use +of myths may be found in two articles by O. O. Norris, "Myths and the Teaching of Myths," <i>The +American Schoolmaster</i>, Vol. IX, p. 96 and p. 145. Consult also MacClintock, <i>Literature in the +Elementary School</i>, chap, vii, and McMurry, <i>Special Method in Reading</i>, pp. 92-105.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span></p><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<div class='hang1'>The first nine myths in this section came +originally from Greek mythology. The +Romans adopted the mythology of the +Greeks, but changed the names of the gods. +English-speaking peoples have usually used +these Latin versions. Hence in the following +Greek myths the Roman names of the +gods are used. In this note the Greek +name is usually given in parenthesis after +the Roman.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>According to mythology, Saturn once ruled +the universe. After a great war he was +overthrown and the universe was divided +into three kingdoms, each governed by one +of his sons. Jupiter (Zeus) ruled the +heavens and the earth; Neptune (Poseidon) +ruled the sea; and Pluto (Dis) ruled Hades, +or Tartarus, the gloomy region of the dead +in a cavern far under the surface of the +earth. The home of Jupiter and the many +other gods of heaven was represented as +being the top of Mount Olympus, in Thessaly. +Here each of the gods of heaven had +a separate dwelling, but all assembled at +times in the palace of Jupiter. Sometimes +these gods went to earth, through a gate of +clouds kept by goddesses called the Seasons.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>The relations between these divinities were +much like those between people on earth. +Some had greater power than others, and +rivalries and quarrels frequently arose. +Jupiter, the supreme ruler, governed by +wisdom as well as by the power of his +thunderbolt. He had three sisters: Juno, +Vesta, and Ceres. Juno (Hera) was the +wife of Jupiter and the noblest of the +goddesses. Vesta (Hestia), the goddess +of health, was not married. Ceres (Demeter), +the goddess of agriculture, was the +mother of Proserpine, who became wife of +Pluto and queen of Hades. Minerva +(Athena), goddess of wisdom and Jupiter's +favorite daughter, had no mother, as she +sprang fully armed from Jupiter's head. +Venus (Aphrodite) was goddess of beauty +and mother of Cupid, god of love. Two +other goddesses were Diana (Artemis), +modest virgin goddess of the moon, who +protects brute creation, and Hebe, cup-bearer +to the gods. Among the greatest of +the gods were three sons of Jupiter: Apollo, +Mars, and Vulcan. Apollo, or Phoebus, +was god of the sun and patron of music, +archery, and prophecy. Mars (Ares) was +god of war, and Vulcan (Hephaestus), the +lame god of fire, was the blacksmith of +the gods.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_255" id="Note_255">255</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This version of the myth of Ceres and Proserpine +is taken by permission of the author +and the publishers from <i>Stories of Long +Ago</i>, by Grace H. Kupfer. (Copyright. +D. C. Heath & Co., Boston.) "Of all the +beautiful fictions of Greek mythology," +said Aubrey DeVere, "there are few more +exquisite than the story of Proserpine, and +none deeper in symbolical meaning." That +portion of its meaning fitted to the understanding +of children is indicated in the final +paragraphs of Miss Kupfer's version. +Teachers should realize that "the fable +has, however, its moral significance also, +being connected with that great mystery +of Joy and Grief, of Life and of Death, which +pressed so heavily on the mind of Pagan +Greece, and imparts to the whole of her +mythology a profound interest, spiritual as +well as philosophical. It was the restoration +of Man, not of flowers, the victory over +Death, not over Winter, with which that +high Intelligence felt itself to be really +concerned." Hawthorne's version of this +story appears in <i>Tanglewood Tales</i> as "The +Pomegranate Seeds."</div> + + +<h4><br />A STORY OF THE SPRINGTIME</h4> + +<div class='center'>GRACE H. KUPFER</div> + + +<div class='center'><br />PART I</div> + +<p>In the blue Mediterranean Sea, which +washes the southern shore of Europe, lies +the beautiful island of Sicily. Long, long +ago, there lived on this island a goddess +named Ceres. She had power to make +the earth yield plentiful crops of grain, +or to leave it barren; and on her depended<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span> +the food, and therefore the life of all the +people on the great, wide earth.</p> + +<p>Ceres had one fair young daughter, +whom she loved very dearly. And no +wonder, for Proserpine was the sunniest, +happiest girl you could imagine.</p> + +<p>Her face was all white and pink, like +apple blossoms in spring, and there was +just enough blue in her eyes to give you a +glimpse of an April morning sky. Her +long, golden curls reminded you of +the bright sunlight. In fact there was +something so young and fair and tender +about the maiden that if you could imagine +anything so strange as the whole +springtime, with all its loveliness, changed +into a human being, you would have +looked but an instant at Proserpine and +said, "She is the Spring."</p> + +<p>Proserpine spent the long, happy days +in the fields, helping her mother, or dancing +and singing among the flowers, with +her young companions.</p> + +<p>Way down under the earth, in the land +of the dead, lived dark King Pluto; and +the days were very lonely for him with +only shadows to talk to. Often and +often, he had tried to urge some goddess +to come and share his gloomy throne; but +not the richest jewels or wealth could +tempt any one of them to leave the bright +sunlight above and dwell in the land of +shades.</p> + +<p>One day Pluto came up to earth and +was driving along in his swift chariot, +when, behind some bushes, he heard such +merry voices and musical laughter that +he drew rein, and stepping down, parted +the bushes to see who was on the other +side. There he saw Proserpine standing +in the center of a ring of laughing young +girls who were pelting her with flowers.</p> + +<p>The stern old king felt his heart beat +quicker at sight of all these lovely +maidens, and he singled out Proserpine, +and said to himself, "She shall be my +queen. That fair face can make even +dark Hades light and beautiful." But he +knew it would be useless to ask the girl +for her consent; so, with a bold stride, he +stepped into the midst of the happy +circle.</p> + +<p>The young girls, frightened at his dark, +stern face, fled to right and left. But +Pluto grasped Proserpine by the arm +and carried her to his chariot, and then +the horses flew along the ground, leaving +Proserpine's startled companions far +behind.</p> + +<p>King Pluto knew that he must hasten +away with his prize, lest Ceres should discover +her loss; and to keep out of her +path, he drove his chariot a roundabout +way. He came to a river; but as he +neared its banks, it suddenly began to +bubble and swell and rage, so that Pluto +did not dare to drive through its waters. +To go back another way would mean +great loss of time; so with his scepter he +struck the ground thrice. It opened, +and, in an instant, horses, chariot, and +all, plunged into the darkness below.</p> + +<p>But Proserpine knew that the nymph +of the stream had recognized her, and +had tried to save her by making the +waters of the stream rise. So, just as the +ground was closing over her, the girl +seized her girdle and threw it far out into +the river. She hoped that in some way +the girdle might reach Ceres and help +her to find her lost daughter.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />PART II</div> + +<p>In the evening Ceres returned to her +home; but her daughter, who usually +came running to meet her, was nowhere +to be seen. Ceres searched for her in +all the rooms, but they were empty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span> +Then she lighted a great torch from the +fires of a volcano, and went wandering +among the fields, looking for her child. +When morning broke, and she had +found no trace of Proserpine, her grief +was terrible to see.</p> + +<p>On that sad day, Ceres began a long, +long wandering. Over land and sea she +journeyed, bearing in her right hand the +torch which had been kindled in the +fiery volcano.</p> + +<p>All her duties were neglected, and +everywhere the crops failed, and the +ground was barren and dry. Want and +famine took the place of wealth and +plenty throughout the world. It seemed +as though the great earth grieved with +the mother for the loss of beautiful +Proserpine.</p> + +<p>When the starving people came to +Ceres and begged her to resume her +duties and to be their friend again, +Ceres lifted her great eyes, wearied with +endless seeking, and answered that until +Proserpine was found, she could think +only of her child, and could not care +for the neglected earth. So all the +people cried aloud to Jupiter that he +should bring Proserpine back to her +mother, for they were sadly in need of +great Ceres' help.</p> + +<p>At last, after wandering over all the +earth in her fruitless search, Ceres +returned to Sicily. One day, as she was +passing a river, suddenly a little swell +of water carried something to her feet. +Stooping to see what it was, she picked +up the girdle which Proserpine had long +ago thrown to the water nymph.</p> + +<p>While she was looking at it, with +tears in her eyes, she heard a fountain +near her bubbling louder and louder, +until at last it seemed to speak. And +this is what it said:</p> + +<p>"I am the nymph of the fountain, +and I come from the inmost parts of +the earth, O Ceres, great mother! There +I saw your daughter seated on a throne +at the dark king's side. But in spite +of her splendor, her cheeks were pale +and her eyes were heavy with weeping. +I can stay no longer now, O Ceres, for +I must leap into the sunshine. The +bright sky calls me, and I must hasten +away."</p> + +<p>Then Ceres arose and went to Jupiter +and said, "I have found the place where +my daughter is hidden. Give her back +to me, and the earth shall once more be +fruitful, and the people shall have food."</p> + +<p>Jupiter was moved, both by the +mother's sorrow and by the prayers of +the people on earth; and he said that +Proserpine might return to her home if +she had tasted no food while in Pluto's +kingdom.</p> + +<p>So the happy mother hastened down +into Hades. But alas! that very day +Proserpine had eaten six pomegranate +seeds; and for every one of those seeds +she was doomed each year to spend a +month underground.</p> + +<p>For six months of the year Ceres is +happy with her daughter. At Proserpine's +coming, flowers bloom and birds +sing and the earth everywhere smiles +its welcome to its young queen.</p> + +<p>Some people say that Proserpine really +is the springtime, and that while she is +with us all the earth seems fair and +beautiful. But when the time comes +for Proserpine to rejoin King Pluto in +his dark home underground, Ceres hides +herself and grieves through all the weary +months until her daughter's return.</p> + +<p>Then the earth, too, is somber and +sad. The leaves fall to the ground, as +though the trees were weeping for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span> +loss of the fair, young queen; and the +flowers hide underground, until the eager +step of the maiden, returning to earth, +awakens all nature from its winter +sleep.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_256" id="Note_256">256</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Because of his beautiful idealism and the +artistic nature of his work, Hawthorne +(1804-1864) is one of America's most loved +story-tellers. His stories are never idle +tales, for each one reveals secret motives +and impulses that determine human action. +This characteristic makes his works wholesome +and inspiring for both children and +adults. Four volumes of his short stories, +intended primarily for children, are classics +for the upper grades. <i>Grandfather's Chair</i> +is a group of stories about life in New England +in early times. <i>True Stories from +History and Biography</i> makes the child +acquainted with such historical characters +as Franklin and Newton. <i>A Wonder-Book +for Girls and Boys</i> and <i>Tanglewood Tales</i> are +Hawthorne's versions of old Greek myths.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>In his two volumes of Greek myths, Hawthorne +does not hold to the plot or style of +the original stories; but here, as in all his +work, he shows how incidents in life determine +human character. The following +quotation from the Preface to <i>A Wonder-Book +for Girls and Boys</i> explains in Hawthorne's +own words the nature of his version +of the myths: "He [the author] does not +plead guilty to a sacrilege in having sometimes +shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, +the forms that have been hallowed by an +antiquity of two or three thousand years. +No epoch of time can claim a copyright in +these immortal fables. They seem never +to have been made; and certainly, so long +as man exists, they can never perish; but, +by their indestructibility itself, they are +legitimate subjects for every age to clothe +with its own garniture of manners and +sentiment, and to imbue with its own +morality."</div> + +<div class='hang1'>The story "The Paradise of Children," taken +from <i>A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys</i>, +is Hawthorne's version of the Greek myth +of Pandora's Box, which is an attempt to +explain how pain and suffering came to +humanity. According to the Greek myth, +Jupiter was angry when he learned that +Prometheus, one of the Titans, had given +men fire stolen from heaven. That men +might not have this blessing without an +affliction to compensate, the gods filled a +box with ills, but put Hope also in the box. +Then, fearing that neither Prometheus nor +his brother Epimetheus would open the +box, they created Pandora. Mercury, the +messenger of Jupiter, carried Pandora and +the box as a gift to Epimetheus, and the +curiosity of Pandora led her to open the +box.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE PARADISE OF +CHILDREN</h4> + +<div class='center'>NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE</div> + +<p>Long, long ago, when this old world +was in its tender infancy, there was a +child named Epimetheus, who never had +either father or mother; and, that he +might not be lonely, another child, fatherless +and motherless like himself, was sent +from a far country to live with him and +be his playfellow and helpmate. Her +name was Pandora.</p> + +<p>The first thing that Pandora saw, +when she entered the cottage where +Epimetheus dwelt, was a great box. +And almost the first question which she +put to him, after crossing the threshold, +was this,—</p> + +<p>"Epimetheus, what have you in that +box?"</p> + +<p>"My dear little Pandora," answered +Epimetheus, "that is a secret, and you +must be kind enough not to ask any +questions about it. The box was left +here to be kept safely, and I do not +myself know what it contains."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But who gave it to you?" asked +Pandora. "And where did it come from?"</p> + +<p>"That is a secret, too," replied Epimetheus.</p> + +<p>"How provoking!" exclaimed Pandora, +pouting her lip. "I wish the great, +ugly box were out of the way!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, come, don't think of it any more," +cried Epimetheus. "Let us run out of +doors, and have some nice play with +the other children."</p> + +<p>It is thousands of years since Epimetheus +and Pandora were alive; and the +world, nowadays, is a very different sort +of thing from what it was in their time. +Then, everybody was a child. There +needed no fathers and mothers to take +care of the children; because there was +no danger, nor trouble of any kind, and +no clothes to be mended, and there was +always plenty to eat and drink. Whenever +a child wanted his dinner, he found +it growing on a tree; and, if he looked +at the tree in the morning, he could see +the expanding blossom of that night's +supper; or, at eventide, he saw the +tender bud of to-morrow's breakfast. +It was a very pleasant life, indeed. No +labor to be done, no tasks to be studied; +nothing but sports and dances, and sweet +voices of children talking, or caroling +like birds, or gushing out in merry +laughter, throughout the livelong day.</p> + +<p>What was most wonderful of all, the +children never quarreled among themselves; +neither had they any crying fits; +nor, since time first began, had a single +one of these little mortals ever gone +apart into a corner, and sulked. Oh, what +a good time was that to be alive in! +The truth is, those ugly little winged +monsters, called Troubles, which are now +almost as numerous as mosquitoes, had +never yet been seen on the earth. It is +probable that the very greatest disquietude +which a child had ever experienced +was Pandora's vexation at not +being able to discover the secret of the +mysterious box.</p> + +<p>This was at first only the faint shadow +of a Trouble; but, every day, it grew +more and more substantial, until, before +a great while, the cottage of Epimetheus +and Pandora was less sunshiny than +those of the other children.</p> + +<p>"Whence can the box have come?" +Pandora continually kept saying to herself +and to Epimetheus. "And what in +the world can be inside of it!"</p> + +<p>"Always talking about this box!" +said Epimetheus, at last; for he had +grown extremely tired of the subject. +"I wish, dear Pandora, you would try +to talk of something else. Come, let +us go and gather some ripe figs, and +eat them under the trees, for our supper. +And I know a vine that has the +sweetest and juiciest grapes you ever +tasted."</p> + +<p>"Always talking about grapes and +figs!" cried Pandora, pettishly.</p> + +<p>"Well, then," said Epimetheus, who +was a very good-tempered child, like a +multitude of children in those days, "let +us run out and have a merry time with +our playmates."</p> + +<p>"I am tired of merry times, and don't +care if I never have any more!" answered +our pettish little Pandora. "And, besides, +I never do have any. This ugly +box! I am so taken up with thinking +about it all the time. I insist upon +your telling me what is inside of it."</p> + +<p>"As I have already said, fifty times +over, I do not know!" replied Epimetheus, +getting a little vexed. "How, +then, can I tell you what is inside?"</p> + +<p>"You might open it," said Pandora,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span> +looking sideways at Epimetheus, "and +then we could see for ourselves."</p> + +<p>"Pandora, what are you thinking of?" +exclaimed Epimetheus.</p> + +<p>And his face expressed so much horror +at the idea of looking into a box which +had been confided to him on the condition +of his never opening it, that Pandora +thought it best not to suggest it +any more. Still, however, she could +not help thinking and talking about +the box.</p> + +<p>"At least," said she, "you can tell +me how it came here."</p> + +<p>"It was left at the door," replied +Epimetheus, "just before you came, by +a person who looked very smiling and +intelligent, and who could hardly forbear +laughing as he put it down. He +was dressed in an odd kind of a cloak, +and had on a cap that seemed to be +made partly of feathers, so that it looked +almost as if it had wings."</p> + +<p>"What sort of a staff had he?" asked +Pandora.</p> + +<p>"Oh, the most curious staff you ever +saw!" cried Epimetheus. "It was like +two serpents twisting around a stick, +and was carved so naturally that I, at +first, thought the serpents were alive."</p> + +<p>"I know him," said Pandora, thoughtfully. +"Nobody else has such a staff. +It was Quicksilver; and he brought me +hither, as well as the box. No doubt +he intended it for me; and, most probably, +it contains pretty dresses for me +to wear, or toys for you and me to play +with, or something very nice for us both +to eat!"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so," answered Epimetheus, +turning away. "But until Quicksilver +comes back and tells us so, we have +neither of us any right to lift the lid +of the box."</p> + +<p>"What a dull boy he is!" muttered +Pandora, as Epimetheus left the cottage. +"I do wish he had a little more +enterprise!"</p> + +<p>For the first time since her arrival, +Epimetheus had gone out without asking +Pandora to accompany him. He +went to gather figs and grapes by himself, +or to seek whatever amusement +he could find, in other society than his +little playfellow's. He was tired to +death of hearing about the box, and +heartily wished that Quicksilver, or +whatever was the messenger's name, had +left it at some other child's door, where +Pandora would never have set eyes on +it. So perseveringly as she did babble +about this one thing! The box, the +box, and nothing but the box! It +seemed as if the box were bewitched, +and as if the cottage were not big enough +to hold it, without Pandora's continually +stumbling over it, and making +Epimetheus stumble over it likewise, +and bruising all four of their shins.</p> + +<p>Well, it was really hard that poor +Epimetheus should have a box in his +ears from morning till night; especially +as the little people of the earth were so +unaccustomed to vexations, in those +happy days, that they knew not how +to deal with them. Thus, a small vexation +made as much disturbance, then, +as a far bigger one would in our own +times.</p> + +<p>After Epimetheus was gone, Pandora +stood gazing at the box. She had called +it ugly, above a hundred times; but, in +spite of all that she had said against it, +it was positively a very handsome article +of furniture, and would have been quite +an ornament to any room in which it +should be placed. It was made of a +beautiful kind of wood, with dark and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> +rich veins spreading over its surface, +which was so highly polished that little +Pandora could see her face in it. As +the child had no other looking-glass, it +is odd that she did not value the box, +merely on this account.</p> + +<p>The edges and corners of the box +were carved with most wonderful skill. +Around the margin there were figures +of graceful men and women, and the +prettiest children ever seen, reclining or +sporting amid a profusion of flowers and +foliage; and these various objects were +so exquisitely represented, and were +wrought together in such harmony, that +flowers, foliage, and human beings seemed +to combine into a wreath of mingled +beauty. But here and there, peeping +forth from behind the carved foliage, +Pandora once or twice fancied that she +saw a face not so lovely, or something +or other that was disagreeable, and which +stole the beauty out of all the rest. +Nevertheless, on looking more closely, +and touching the spot with her finger, +she could discover nothing of the kind. +Some face, that was really beautiful, had +been made to look ugly by her catching +a sideway glimpse at it.</p> + +<p>The most beautiful face of all was +done in what is called high relief, in +the center of the lid. There was nothing +else, save the dark, smooth richness of +the polished wood, and this one face in +the center, with a garland of flowers +about its brow. Pandora had looked +at this face a great many times, and +imagined that the mouth could smile if +it liked, or be grave when it chose, the +same as any living mouth. The features, +indeed, all wore a very lively and rather +mischievous expression, which looked +almost as if it needs must burst out of +the carved lips, and utter itself in words.</p> + +<p>Had the mouth spoken, it would +probably have been something like this:</p> + +<p>"Do not be afraid, Pandora! What +harm can there be in opening the box? +Never mind that poor, simple Epimetheus! +You are wiser than he, and have +ten times as much spirit. Open the +box, and see if you do not find something +very pretty!"</p> + +<p>The box, I had almost forgotten to +say, was fastened; not by a lock, nor +by any other such contrivance, but by +a very intricate knot of gold cord. +There appeared to be no end to this +knot, and no beginning. Never was a +knot so cunningly twisted, nor with so +many ins and outs, which roguishly +defied the skilfullest fingers to disentangle +them. And yet, by the very difficulty +that there was in it, Pandora was the +more tempted to examine the knot, and +just see how it was made. Two or +three times, already, she had stooped +over the box, and taken the knot between +her thumb and forefinger, but without +positively trying to undo it.</p> + +<p>"I really believe," said she to herself, +"that I begin to see how it was done. +Nay, perhaps I could tie it up again, +after undoing it. There would be no +harm in that, surely. Even Epimetheus +would not blame me for that. I need +not open the box, and should not, of +course, without the foolish boy's consent, +even if the knot were untied."</p> + +<p>It might have been better for Pandora +if she had had a little work to do, or +anything to employ her mind upon, so +as not to be so constantly thinking of +this one subject. But children led so +easy a life, before any Troubles came +into the world, that they had really a +great deal too much leisure. They +could not be forever playing at hide-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span>and-seek +among the flower-shrubs, or +at blind-man's-buff with garlands over +their eyes, or at whatever other games +had been found out while Mother Earth +was in her babyhood. When life is all +sport, toil is the real play. There was +absolutely nothing to do. A little sweeping +and dusting about the cottage, I +suppose, and the gathering of fresh +flowers (which were only too abundant +everywhere), and arranging them in +vases,—and poor little Pandora's day's +work was over. And then, for the rest +of the day, there was the box!</p> + +<p>After all, I am not quite sure that the +box was not a blessing to her in its way. +It supplied her with such a variety of +ideas to think of, and to talk about, +whenever she had anybody to listen! +When she was in good humor, she could +admire the bright polish of its sides, and +the rich border of beautiful faces and +foliage that ran all around it. Or, if she +chanced to be ill-tempered, she could +give it a push, or kick it with her naughty +little foot. And many a kick did the +box—(but it was a mischievous box, as +we shall see, and deserved all it got)—many +a kick did it receive. But, certain +it is, if it had not been for the box, +our active-minded little Pandora would +not have known half so well how to +spend her time as she now did.</p> + +<p>For it was really an endless employment +to guess what was inside. What +could it be, indeed? Just imagine, my +little hearers, how busy your wits would +be, if there were a great box in the house, +which, as you might have reason to +suppose, contained something new and +pretty for your Christmas or New-Year's +gifts. Do you think that you should be +less curious than Pandora? If you were +alone with the box, might you not feel +a little tempted to lift the lid? But you +would not do it. Oh, fie! No, no! +Only, if you thought there were toys +in it, it would be so very hard to let +slip an opportunity of taking just one +peep! I know not whether Pandora +expected any toys; for none had yet +begun to be made, probably, in those +days, when the world itself was one +great plaything for the children that +dwelt upon it. But Pandora was convinced +that there was something very +beautiful and valuable in the box; and +therefore she felt just as anxious to take +a peep as any of these girls, here around +me, would have felt. And, possibly, a +little more so; but of that I am not +quite so certain.</p> + +<p>On this particular day, however, which +we have so long been talking about, her +curiosity grew so much greater than it +usually was, that, at last, she approached +the box. She was more than half determined +to open it, if she could. Ah, +naughty Pandora!</p> + +<p>First, however, she tried to lift it. +It was heavy; quite too heavy for the +slender strength of a child, like Pandora. +She raised one end of the box a few +inches from the floor, and let it fall +again, with a pretty loud thump. A +moment afterwards, she almost fancied +that she heard something stir, inside of +the box. She applied her ear as closely as +possible, and listened. Positively, there +did seem to be a kind of stifled murmur, +within! Or was it merely the singing in +Pandora's ears? Or could it be the beating +of her heart? The child could not +quite satisfy herself whether she had +heard anything or no. But, at all events, +her curiosity was stronger than ever.</p> + +<p>As she drew back her head, her eyes +fell upon the knot of gold cord.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It must have been a very ingenious +person who tied this knot," said Pandora +to herself. "But I think I could untie +it, nevertheless. I am resolved, at least, +to find the two ends of the cord."</p> + +<p>So she took the golden knot in her +fingers, and pried into its intricacies as +sharply as she could. Almost without +intending it, or quite knowing what she +was about, she was soon busily engaged +in attempting to undo it. Meanwhile, +the bright sunshine came through the +open window; as did likewise the merry +voices of the children, playing at a distance, +and perhaps the voice of Epimetheus +among them. Pandora stopped +to listen. What a beautiful day it was! +Would it not be wiser if she were to let +the troublesome knot alone, and think +no more about the box, but run and +join her little playfellows, and be happy?</p> + +<p>All this time, however, her fingers +were half unconsciously busy with the +knot; and, happening to glance at the +flower-wreathed face on the lid of the +enchanted box, she seemed to perceive +it slyly grinning at her.</p> + +<p>"That face looks very mischievous," +thought Pandora. "I wonder whether +it smiles because I am doing wrong! I +have the greatest mind in the world to +run away!"</p> + +<p>But just then, by the merest accident, +she gave the knot a kind of a twist, +which produced a wonderful result. +The gold cord untwined itself, as if +by magic, and left the box without a +fastening.</p> + +<p>"This is the strangest thing I ever +knew!" said Pandora. "What will Epimetheus +say? And how can I possibly +tie it up again?"</p> + +<p>She made one or two attempts to +restore the knot, but soon found it quite +beyond her skill. It had disentangled +itself so suddenly that she could not in +the least remember how the strings had +been doubled into one another; and when +she tried to recollect the shape and +appearance of the knot, it seemed to +have gone entirely out of her mind. +Nothing was to be done, therefore, but +let the box remain as it was, until +Epimetheus should come in.</p> + +<p>"But," said Pandora, "when he finds +the knot untied, he will know that I +have done it. How shall I make him +believe that I have not looked into the +box?"</p> + +<p>And then the thought came into her +naughty little heart, that, since she would +be suspected of having looked into the +box, she might just as well do so, at once. +Oh, very naughty and very foolish Pandora! +You should have thought only +of doing what was right, and of leaving +undone what was wrong, and not of +what your playfellow Epimetheus would +have said or believed. And so perhaps +she might, if the enchanted face on the +lid of the box had not looked so bewitchingly +persuasive at her, and if she had +not seemed to hear, more distinctly than +before, the murmur of small voices +within. She could not tell whether it +was fancy or no; but there was quite a +little tumult of whispers in her ear,—or +else it was her curiosity that whispered:</p> + +<p>"Let us out, dear Pandora,—pray let +us out! We will be such nice pretty +playfellows for you! Only let us out!"</p> + +<p>"What can it be?" thought Pandora. +"Is there something alive in the box? +Well!—yes!—I am resolved to take just +one peep! Only one peep; and then the +lid shall be shut down as safely as ever! +There cannot possibly be any harm in +just one little peep!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span></p> + +<p>But it is now time for us to see what +Epimetheus was doing.</p> + +<p>This was the first time, since his little +playmate had come to dwell with him, +that he had attempted to enjoy any +pleasure in which she did not partake. +But nothing went right; nor was he +nearly so happy as on other days. He +could not find a sweet grape or a ripe +fig (if Epimetheus had a fault, it was a +little too much fondness for figs); or, if +ripe at all, they were over-ripe, and so +sweet as to be cloying. There was no +mirth in his heart, such as usually made +his voice gush out, of its own accord, and +swell the merriment of his companions. +In short, he grew so uneasy and discontented, +that the other children could not +imagine what was the matter with Epimetheus. +Neither did he himself know +what ailed him, any better than they +did. For you must recollect that at +the time we are speaking of, it was +everybody's nature, and constant habit, +to be happy. The world had not yet +learned to be otherwise. Not a single +soul or body, since these children were +first sent to enjoy themselves on the +beautiful earth, had ever been sick, or +out of sorts.</p> + +<p>At length, discovering that, somehow +or other, he put a stop to all the play, +Epimetheus judged it best to go back +to Pandora, who was in a humor better +suited to his own. But, with a hope of +giving her pleasure, he gathered some +flowers, and made them into a wreath, +which he meant to put upon her head. +The flowers were very lovely,—roses, +and lilies, and orange-blossoms, and a +great many more, which left a trail of +fragrance behind, as Epimetheus carried +them along; and the wreath was put +together with as much skill as could +reasonably be expected of a boy. The +fingers of little girls, it has always +appeared to me, are the fittest to twine +flower-wreaths; but boys could do it, +in those days, rather better than they +can now.</p> + +<p>And here I must mention that a great +black cloud had been gathering in the +sky, for some time past, although it +had not yet overspread the sun. But, +just as Epimetheus reached the cottage +door, this cloud began to intercept the +sunshine, and thus to make a sudden +and sad obscurity.</p> + +<p>He entered softly; for he meant, if +possible, to steal behind Pandora, and +fling the wreath of flowers over her +head, before she should be aware of +his approach. But, as it happened, +there was no need of his treading so very +lightly. He might have trod as heavily +as he pleased,—as heavily as a grown +man,—as heavily, I was going to say, as +an elephant,—without much probability +of Pandora's hearing his footsteps. +She was too intent upon her purpose. +At the moment of his entering the +cottage, the naughty child had put her +hand to the lid, and was on the point of +opening the mysterious box. Epimetheus +beheld her. If he had cried out, +Pandora would probably have withdrawn +her hand, and the fatal mystery +of the box might never have been known.</p> + +<p>But Epimetheus himself, although he +said very little about it, had his own +share of curiosity to know what was +inside. Perceiving that Pandora was +resolved to find out the secret, he determined +that his playfellow should not +be the only wise person in the cottage. +And if there were anything pretty or +valuable in the box, he meant to take +half of it to himself. Thus, after all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span> +his sage speeches to Pandora about +restraining her curiosity, Epimetheus +turned out to be quite as foolish, and +nearly as much in fault, as she. So, +whenever we blame Pandora for what +happened, we must not forget to shake +our heads at Epimetheus likewise.</p> + +<p>As Pandora raised the lid, the cottage +grew very dark and dismal; for +the black cloud had now swept quite +over the sun, and seemed to have buried +it alive. There had, for a little while +past, been a low growling and muttering, +which all at once broke into a heavy +peal of thunder. But Pandora, heeding +nothing of all this, lifted the lid nearly +upright, and looked inside. It seemed +as if a sudden swarm of winged creatures +brushed past her, taking flight out of +the box, while, at the same instant, she +heard the voice of Epimetheus, with a +lamentable tone, as if he were in pain.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I am stung!" cried he. "I am +stung! Naughty Pandora; why have +you opened this wicked box?"</p> + +<p>Pandora let fall the lid, and, starting +up, looked about her, to see what had +befallen Epimetheus. The thunder-cloud +had so darkened the room that she could +not very clearly discern what was in it. +But she heard a disagreeable buzzing, as +if a great many huge flies, or gigantic +mosquitoes, or those insects which we +call dor-bugs and pinching-dogs, were +darting about. And, as her eyes grew +more accustomed to the imperfect light, +she saw a crowd of ugly little shapes, +with bats' wings, looking abominably +spiteful, and armed with terribly long +stings in their tails. It was one of these +that had stung Epimetheus. Nor was +it a great while before Pandora herself +began to scream, in no less pain and +affright than her playfellow, and making +a vast deal more hubbub about it. An +odious little monster had settled on her +forehead, and would have stung her I +know not how deeply, if Epimetheus had +not run and brushed it away.</p> + +<p>Now, if you wish to know what these +ugly things might be, which had made +their escape out of the box, I must tell +you that they were the whole family +of earthly Troubles. There were evil +Passions; there were a great many +species of Cares; there were more than +a hundred and fifty Sorrows; there were +Diseases, in a vast number of miserable +and painful shapes; there were more +kinds of Naughtiness than it would be +of any use to talk about. In short, +everything that has since afflicted the +souls and bodies of mankind had been +shut up in the mysterious box, and given +to Epimetheus and Pandora to be kept +safely, in order that the happy children +of the world might never be molested +by them. Had they been faithful to +their trust, all would have gone well. +No grown person would ever have been +sad, nor any child have had cause to +shed a single tear, from that hour until +this moment.</p> + +<p>But—and you may see by this how a +wrong act of any one mortal is a calamity +to the whole world—by Pandora's lifting +the lid of that miserable box, and +by the fault of Epimetheus, too, in not +preventing her, these Troubles have +obtained a foothold among us, and do +not seem very likely to be driven away +in a hurry. For it was impossible, as +you will easily guess, that the two +children should keep the ugly swarm +in their own little cottage. On the +contrary, the first thing that they did +was to fling open the doors and windows, +in hopes of getting rid of them; and, sure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span> +enough, away flew the winged Troubles +all abroad, and so pestered and tormented +the small people, everywhere +about, that none of them so much as +smiled for many days afterwards. And +what was very singular, all the flowers +and dewy blossoms on earth, not one +of which had hitherto faded, now began +to droop and shed their leaves, after a +day or two. The children, moreover, +who before seemed immortal in their childhood, +now grew older, day by day, and +came soon to be youths and maidens, and +men and women by and by, and aged people, +before they dreamed of such a thing.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the naughty Pandora, +and hardly less naughty Epimetheus, +remained in their cottage. Both of +them had been grievously stung, and +were in a good deal of pain, which +seemed the more intolerable to them +because it was the very first pain that +had ever been felt since the world +began. Of course, they were entirely +unaccustomed to it, and could have no +idea what it meant. Besides all this, +they were in exceedingly bad humor, +both with themselves and with one +another. In order to indulge it to the +utmost, Epimetheus sat down sullenly +in a corner with his back towards Pandora; +while Pandora flung herself upon +the floor and rested her head on the +fatal and abominable box. She was +crying bitterly, and sobbing as if her +heart would break.</p> + +<p>Suddenly there was a gentle little tap +on the inside of the lid.</p> + +<p>"What can that be?" cried Pandora, +lifting her head.</p> + +<p>But either Epimetheus had not heard +the tap, or was too much out of humor +to notice it. At any rate, he made no +answer.</p> + +<p>"You are very unkind," said Pandora, +sobbing anew, "not to speak to me!"</p> + +<p>Again the tap! It sounded like the +tiny knuckles of a fairy's hand, knocking +lightly and playfully on the inside of the +box.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" asked Pandora, with +a little of her former curiosity. "Who +are you, inside of this naughty box?"</p> + +<p>A sweet little voice spoke from within,</p> + +<p>"Only lift the lid, and you shall see."</p> + +<p>"No, no," answered Pandora, again +beginning to sob. "I have had enough +of lifting the lid! You are inside of +the box, naughty creature, and there +you shall stay! There are plenty of +your ugly brothers and sisters already +flying about the world. You need never +think that I shall be so foolish as to let +you out!"</p> + +<p>She looked towards Epimetheus, as +she spoke, perhaps expecting that he +would commend her for her wisdom. +But the sullen boy only muttered that +she was wise a little too late.</p> + +<p>"Ah," said the sweet little voice again, +"you had much better let me out. I +am not like those naughty creatures +that have stings in their tails. They +are no brothers and sisters of mine, as +you would see at once, if you were only +to get a glimpse of me. Come, come, +my pretty Pandora! I am sure you +will let me out!"</p> + +<p>And, indeed, there was a kind of +cheerful witchery in the tone that made +it almost impossible to refuse anything +which this little voice asked. Pandora's +heart had insensibly grown lighter at +every word that came from within the +box. Epimetheus, too, though still in +the corner, had turned half round, and +seemed to be in rather better spirits +than before.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span></p> + +<p>"My dear Epimetheus," cried Pandora, +"have you heard this little voice?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, to be sure I have," answered +he, but in no very good humor as yet. +"And what of it?"</p> + +<p>"Shall I lift the lid again?" asked +Pandora.</p> + +<p>"Just as you please," said Epimetheus. +"You have done so much mischief +already that perhaps you may as well +do a little more. One other Trouble, +in such a swarm as you have let adrift +about the world, can make no very +great difference."</p> + +<p>"You might speak a little more +kindly!" murmured Pandora, wiping her +eyes.</p> + +<p>"Ah, naughty boy!" cried the little +voice within the box, in an arch and +laughing tone. "He knows he is longing +to see me. Come, my dear Pandora, +lift up the lid. I am in a great hurry +to comfort you. Only let me have some +fresh air, and you shall soon see that +matters are not quite so dismal as you +think them."</p> + +<p>"Epimetheus," exclaimed Pandora, +"come what may, I am resolved to +open the box."</p> + +<p>"And, as the lid seems very heavy," +cried Epimetheus, running across the +room, "I will help you!"</p> + +<p>So, with one consent, the two children +again lifted the lid. Out flew a sunny +and smiling little personage, and hovered +about the room, throwing a light wherever +she went. Have you never made +the sunshine dance into the dark corners +by reflecting it from a bit of looking-glass? +Well, so looked the winged cheerfulness +of this fairy-like stranger amid +the gloom of the cottage. She flew to +Epimetheus, and laid the least touch +of her finger on the inflamed spot where +the Trouble had stung him, and immediately +the anguish of it was gone. Then +she kissed Pandora on the forehead, and +her hurt was cured likewise.</p> + +<p>After performing these good offices, +the bright stranger fluttered sportively +over the children's heads, and looked +so sweetly at them, that they both +began to think it not so very much +amiss to have opened the box, since, +otherwise, their cheery guest must have +been kept a prisoner among those +naughty imps with stings in their tails.</p> + +<p>"Pray, who are you, beautiful creature?" +inquired Pandora.</p> + +<p>"I am to be called Hope!" answered +the sunshiny figure. "And because I +am such a cheery little body, I was +packed into the box to make amends +to the human race for that swarm +of ugly Troubles which was destined +to be let loose among them. Never +fear! we shall do pretty well, in spite of +them all."</p> + +<p>"Your wings are colored like the rainbow!" +exclaimed Pandora. "How very +beautiful!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, they are like the rainbow," said +Hope, "because, glad as my nature is, +I am partly made of tears as well as +smiles."</p> + +<p>"And will you stay with us," asked +Epimetheus, "forever and ever?"</p> + +<p>"As long as you need me," said Hope, +with her pleasant smile,—"and that +will be as long as you live in the world,—I +promise never to desert you. There +may come times and seasons, now and +then, when you will think that I have +utterly vanished. But again, and again, +and again, when perhaps you least +dream of it, you shall see the glimmer +of my wings on the ceiling of your +cottage. Yes, my dear children, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span> +I know something very good and +beautiful that is to be given you hereafter!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, tell us," they exclaimed—"tell us +what it is!"</p> + +<p>"Do not ask me," replied Hope, putting +her finger on her rosy mouth. "But +do not despair, even if it should never +happen while you live on this earth. +Trust in my promise, for it is true."</p> + +<p>"We do trust you!" cried Epimetheus +and Pandora, both in one breath.</p> + +<p>And so they did; and not only they, +but so has everybody trusted Hope, that +has since been alive. And, to tell you +the truth, I cannot help being glad—(though, +to be sure, it was an uncommonly +naughty thing for her to do)—but +I cannot help being glad that our +foolish Pandora peeped into the box. +No doubt—no doubt—the Troubles are +still flying about the world, and have +increased in multitude, rather than lessened, +and are a very ugly set of imps, +and carry most venomous stings in their +tails. I have felt them already, and +expect to feel them more as I grow +older. But then that lovely and lightsome +little figure of Hope! What in +the world could we do without her? +Hope spiritualizes the earth; Hope +makes it always new; and, even in the +earth's best and brightest aspect, Hope +shows it to be only the shadow of an +infinite bliss hereafter!</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_257" id="Note_257">257</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"The Miraculous Pitcher," taken from <i>A +Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys</i>, is Hawthorne's +version of the Greek myth of Baucis +and Philemon. The two mysterious visitors +are Jupiter and Mercury, who, according +to the Greek myth, visited earth in +disguise and were entertained by Baucis +and Philemon.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE MIRACULOUS PITCHER</h4> + +<div class='center'>NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE</div> + +<p>One evening, in times long ago, old +Philemon and his old wife Baucis sat at +their cottage door, enjoying the calm +and beautiful sunset. They had already +eaten their frugal supper, and intended +now to spend a quiet hour or two before +bedtime. So they talked together about +their garden and their cow, and their +bees, and their grape-vine, which clambered +over the cottage-wall, and on which +the grapes were beginning to turn purple. +But the rude shouts of children and the +fierce barking of dogs, in the village near +at hand, grew louder and louder, until, +at last, it was hardly possible for Baucis +and Philemon to hear each other speak.</p> + +<p>"Ah, wife," cried Philemon, "I fear +some poor traveler is seeking hospitality +among our neighbors yonder, and, instead +of giving him food and lodging, they +have set their dogs at him, as their custom +is!"</p> + +<p>"Well-a-day!" answered old Baucis, +"I do wish our neighbors felt a little +more kindness for their fellow-creatures. +And only think of bringing up their +children in this naughty way, and patting +them on the head when they fling stones +at strangers!"</p> + +<p>"Those children will never come to +any good," said Philemon, shaking his +white head. "To tell you the truth, +wife, I should not wonder if some terrible +thing were to happen to all the people +in the village, unless they mend their +manners. But, as for you and me, so +long as Providence affords us a crust of +bread, let us be ready to give half to any +poor, homeless stranger that may come +along and need it."</p> + +<p>"That's right, husband!" said Baucis. +"So we will!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span></p> + +<p>These old folks, you must know, were +quite poor, and had to work pretty hard +for a living. Old Philemon toiled diligently +in his garden, while Baucis was +always busy with her distaff, or making +a little butter and cheese with their cow's +milk, or doing one thing and another +about the cottage. Their food was seldom +anything but bread, milk, and vegetables, +with sometimes a portion of honey +from their beehive, and now and then a +bunch of grapes, that had ripened against +the cottage wall. But they were two of +the kindest old people in the world, and +would cheerfully have gone without their +dinners, any day, rather than refuse a +slice of their brown loaf, a cup of nice +milk, and a spoonful of honey, to the +weary traveler who might pause before +their door. They felt as if such guests +had a sort of holiness, and that they +ought, therefore, to treat them better and +more bountifully than their own selves.</p> + +<p>Their cottage stood on a rising ground, +at some short distance from a village, +which lay in a hollow valley, that was +about half a mile in breadth. This +valley, in past ages, when the world was +new, had probably been the bed of a lake. +There, fishes had glided to and fro in +the depths, and water-weeds had grown +along the margin, and trees and hills had +seen their reflected images in the broad +and peaceful mirror. But, as the waters +subsided, men had cultivated the soil, +and built houses on it, so that it was now +a fertile spot, and bore no traces of the +ancient lake, except a very small brook, +which meandered through the midst of +the village, and supplied the inhabitants +with water. The valley had been dry +land so long that oaks had sprung up, +and grown great and high, and perished +with old age, and been succeeded by +others, as tall and stately as the first. +Never was there a prettier or more fruitful +valley. The very sight of the plenty +around them should have made the inhabitants +kind and gentle and ready to show +their gratitude to Providence by doing +good to their fellow-creatures.</p> + +<p>But, we are sorry to say, the people of +this lovely village were not worthy to +dwell in a spot on which Heaven had +smiled so beneficently. They were a +very selfish and hard-hearted people, and +had no pity for the poor, nor sympathy +with the homeless. They would only +have laughed had anybody told them +that human beings owe a debt of love to +one another, because there is no other +method of paying the debt of love and +care which all of us owe to Providence. +You will hardly believe what I am going +to tell you. These naughty people taught +their children to be no better than themselves, +and used to clap their hands, by +way of encouragement, when they saw +the little boys and girls run after some +poor stranger, shouting at his heels, and +pelting him with stones. They kept +large and fierce dogs, and whenever a +traveler ventured to show himself in the +village street, this pack of disagreeable +curs scampered to meet him, barking, +snarling, and showing their teeth. Then +they would seize him by his leg, or by his +clothes, just as it happened; and if he +were ragged when he came, he was generally +a pitiable object before he had time +to run away. This was a very terrible +thing to poor travelers, as you may suppose, +especially when they chanced to be +sick, or feeble, or lame, or old. Such +persons (if they once knew how badly +these unkind people, and their unkind +children and curs, were in the habit of +behaving) would go miles and miles out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span> +of their way rather than try to pass +through the village again.</p> + +<p>What made the matter seem worse, if +possible, was that when rich persons came +in their chariots, or riding on beautiful +horses, with their servants in rich liveries +attending on them, nobody could be +more civil and obsequious than the +inhabitants of the village. They would +take off their hats, and make the humblest +bows you ever saw. If the children were +rude, they were pretty certain to get their +ears boxed; and as for the dogs, if a single +cur in the pack presumed to yelp, his +master instantly beat him with a club, +and tied him up without any supper. +This would have been all very well, only +it proved that the villagers cared much +about the money that a stranger had in +his pocket, and nothing whatever for +the human soul, which lives equally in +the beggar and the prince.</p> + +<p>So now you can understand why old +Philemon spoke so sorrowfully when he +heard the shouts of the children and the +barking of the dogs at the further extremity +of the village street. There was a +confused din, which lasted a good while, +and seemed to pass quite through the +breadth of the valley.</p> + +<p>"I never heard the dogs so loud!" observed +the good old man.</p> + +<p>"Nor the children so rude!" answered +his good old wife.</p> + +<p>They sat shaking their heads, one to +another, while the noise came nearer +and nearer; until, at the foot of the little +eminence on which their cottage stood, +they saw two travelers approaching on +foot. Close behind them came the fierce +dogs, snarling at their very heels. A +little farther off, ran a crowd of children, +who sent up shrill cries, and flung stones +at the two strangers, with all their might. +Once or twice, the younger of the two +men (he was a slender and very active +figure) turned about, and drove back the +dogs with a staff which he carried in his +hand. His companion, who was a very +tall person, walked calmly along, as if +disdaining to notice either the naughty +children or the pack of curs, whose manners +the children seemed to imitate.</p> + +<p>Both of the travelers were very humbly +clad, and looked as if they might not +have money enough in their pockets to +pay for a night's lodging. And this, I +am afraid, was the reason why the villagers +had allowed their children and dogs +to treat them so rudely.</p> + +<p>"Come, wife," said Philemon to Baucis, +"let us go and meet these poor people. +No doubt they feel almost too heavy-hearted +to climb the hill."</p> + +<p>"Go you and meet them," answered +Baucis, "while I make haste within doors +and see whether we can get them anything +for supper. A comfortable bowl +of bread and milk would do wonders +towards raising their spirits."</p> + +<p>Accordingly, she hastened into the cottage. +Philemon, on his part, went forward +and extended his hand with so +hospitable an aspect that there was no +need of saying, what nevertheless he did +say, in the heartiest tone imaginable,—</p> + +<p>"Welcome, strangers! welcome!"</p> + +<p>"Thank you!" replied the younger of +the two, in a lively kind of way, notwithstanding +his weariness and trouble. +"This is quite another greeting than we +have met with yonder, in the village. +Pray, why do you live in such a bad +neighborhood?"</p> + +<p>"Ah," observed old Philemon, with a +quiet and benign smile, "Providence put +me here, I hope, among other reasons, +in order that I may make you what<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span> +amends I can for the inhospitality of my +neighbors."</p> + +<p>"Well said, old father!" said the traveler, +laughing; "and, if the truth must be +told, my companion and myself need +some amends. Those children (the little +rascals!) have bespattered us finely with +their mud-balls; and one of the curs has +torn my cloak, which was ragged enough +already. But I took him across the +muzzle with my staff; and I think you +may have heard him yelp, even thus far +off."</p> + +<p>Philemon was glad to see him in such +good spirits; nor, indeed, would you have +fancied, by the traveler's look and manner, +that he was weary with a long day's +journey, besides being disheartened by +rough treatment at the end of it. He +was dressed in rather an odd way, with a +sort of cap on his head, the brim of which +stuck out over both ears. Though it was +a summer evening, he wore a cloak, +which he kept wrapt closely about him, +perhaps because his under garments were +shabby. Philemon perceived, too, that +he had on a singular pair of shoes; but, as +it was now growing dusk, and as the old +man's eyesight was none the sharpest, he +could not precisely tell in what the +strangeness consisted. One thing, certainly, +seemed queer. The traveler was +so wonderfully light and active, that it +appeared as if his feet sometimes rose +from the ground of their own accord, or +could only be kept down by an effort.</p> + +<p>"I used to be light-footed, in my +youth," said Philemon to the traveler. +"But I always found my feet grow heavier +towards nightfall."</p> + +<p>"There is nothing like a good staff to +help one along," answered the stranger; +"and I happen to have an excellent one, +as you see."</p> + +<p>This staff, in fact, was the oddest-looking +staff that Philemon had ever +beheld. It was made of olive-wood, and +had something like a little pair of wings +near the top. Two snakes, carved in the +wood, were represented as twining themselves +about the staff, and were so very +skillfully executed that old Philemon +(whose eyes, you know, were getting +rather dim) almost thought them alive, +and that he could see them wriggling and +twisting.</p> + +<p>"A curious piece of work, sure enough!" +said he. "A staff with wings! It would +be an excellent kind of stick for a little +boy to ride astride of!"</p> + +<p>By this time, Philemon and his two +guests had reached the cottage door.</p> + +<p>"Friends," said the old man, "sit down +and rest yourselves here on this bench. +My good wife Baucis has gone to see +what you can have for supper. We are +poor folks; but you shall be welcome to +whatever we have in the cupboard."</p> + +<p>The younger stranger threw himself +carelessly on the bench, letting his staff +fall as he did so. And here happened +something rather marvelous, though +trifling enough, too. The staff seemed to +get up from the ground of its own accord, +and, spreading its little pair of wings, it +half hopped, half flew, and leaned itself +against the wall of the cottage. There +it stood quite still, except that the snakes +continued to wriggle. But, in my private +opinion, old Philemon's eyesight had been +playing him tricks again.</p> + +<p>Before he could ask any questions, the +elder stranger drew his attention from +the wonderful staff by speaking to him.</p> + +<p>"Was there not," asked the stranger, +in a remarkably deep tone of voice, "a +lake, in very ancient times, covering the +spot where now stands yonder village?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Not in my day, friend," answered +Philemon; "and yet I am an old man, as +you see. There were always the fields +and meadows, just as they are now, and +the old trees, and the little stream murmuring +through the midst of the valley. +My father, nor his father before him, ever +saw it otherwise, so far as I know; and +doubtless it will still be the same when +old Philemon shall be gone and forgotten!"</p> + +<p>"That is more than can be safely foretold," +observed the stranger; and there +was something very stern in his deep +voice. He shook his head, too, so that +his dark and heavy curls were shaken +with the movement. "Since the inhabitants +of yonder village have forgotten the +affections and sympathies of their nature, +it were better that the lake should be +rippling over their dwellings again!"</p> + +<p>The traveler looked so stern that +Philemon was really almost frightened; +the more so, that, at his frown, the twilight +seemed suddenly to grow darker, +and that, when he shook his head, there +was a roll as of thunder in the air.</p> + +<p>But, in a moment afterwards, the +stranger's face became so kindly and mild +that the old man quite forgot his terror. +Nevertheless, he could not help feeling +that this elder traveler must be no ordinary +personage, although he happened +now to be attired so humbly, and to be +journeying on foot. Not that Philemon +fancied him a prince in disguise, or any +character of that sort; but rather some +exceedingly wise man, who went about +the world in this poor garb, despising +wealth and all worldly objects, and seeking +everywhere to add a mite to his wisdom. +This idea appeared the more +probable, because, when Philemon raised +his eyes to the stranger's face, he seemed +to see more thought there, in one look, +than he could have studied out in a lifetime.</p> + +<p>While Baucis was getting the supper, +the travelers both began to talk very +sociably with Philemon. The younger, +indeed, was extremely loquacious, and +made such shrewd and witty remarks, +that the good old man continually burst +out a-laughing, and pronounced him the +merriest fellow whom he had seen for +many a day.</p> + +<p>"Pray, my young friend," said he, as +they grew familiar together, "what may +I call your name?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I am very nimble, as you see," +answered the traveler. "So, if you call +me Quicksilver, the name will fit tolerably +well."</p> + +<p>"Quicksilver? Quicksilver!" repeated +Philemon, looking in the traveler's face, +to see if he were making fun of him. +"It is a very odd name! And your companion +there? Has he as strange a one?"</p> + +<p>"You must ask the thunder to tell you +it!" replied Quicksilver, putting on a +mysterious look. "No other voice is +loud enough."</p> + +<p>This remark, whether it were serious +or in jest, might have caused Philemon to +conceive a very great awe of the elder +stranger, if, on venturing to gaze at him, +he had not beheld so much beneficence in +his visage. But, undoubtedly, here was +the grandest figure that ever sat so humbly +beside a cottage door. When the +stranger conversed, it was with gravity, +and in such a way that Philemon felt +irresistibly moved to tell him everything +which he had most at heart. This is +always the feeling that people have, when +they meet with any one wise enough to +comprehend all their good and evil, and +to despise not a tittle of it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span></p> + +<p>But Philemon, simple and kind-hearted +old man that he was, had not many +secrets to disclose. He talked, however, +quite garrulously, about the events of +his past life, in the whole course of which +he had never been a score of miles from +this very spot. His wife Baucis and +himself had dwelt in the cottage from +their youth upward, earning their bread +by honest labor, always poor, but still +contented. He told what excellent butter +and cheese Baucis made and how nice +were the vegetables which he raised in his +garden. He said, too, that, because they +loved one another so very much, it was +the wish of both that death might not +separate them, but that they should die, +as they had lived, together.</p> + +<p>As the stranger listened, a smile beamed +over his countenance, and made its +expression as sweet as it was grand.</p> + +<p>"You are a good old man," said he to +Philemon, "and you have a good old +wife to be your helpmeet. It is fit that +your wish be granted."</p> + +<p>And it seemed to Philemon, just then, +as if the sunset clouds threw up a bright +flash from the west, and kindled a sudden +light in the sky.</p> + +<p>Baucis had now got supper ready, and +coming to the door, began to make apologies +for the poor fare which she was +forced to set before her guests.</p> + +<p>"Had we known you were coming," +said she, "my good man and myself +would have gone without a morsel, +rather than you should lack a better supper. +But I took the most part of to-day's +milk to make cheese; and our last loaf is +already half eaten. Ah me! I never feel +the sorrow of being poor, save when a +poor traveler knocks at our door."</p> + +<p>"All will be very well; do not trouble +yourself, my good dame," replied the +elder stranger, kindly. "An honest +hearty welcome to a guest works miracles +with the fare, and is capable of turning +the coarsest food to nectar and +ambrosia."</p> + +<p>"A welcome you shall have," cried +Baucis, "and likewise a little honey that +we happen to have left, and a bunch of +purple grapes besides."</p> + +<p>"Why, Mother Baucis, it is a feast!" +exclaimed Quicksilver, laughing, "an +absolute feast! And you shall see how +bravely I will play my part at it! I +think I never felt hungrier in my life."</p> + +<p>"Mercy on us!" whispered Baucis to +her husband. "If the young man has +such a terrible appetite, I am afraid there +will not be half enough supper!"</p> + +<p>They all went into the cottage.</p> + +<p>And now, my little auditors, shall I +tell you something that will make you +open your eyes very wide? It is really +one of the oddest circumstances in the +whole story. Quicksilver's staff, you +recollect, had set itself up against the wall +of the cottage. Well, when its master +entered the door, leaving this wonderful +staff behind, what should it do but immediately +spread its little wings, and go +hopping and fluttering up the doorsteps! +Tap, tap, went the staff, on the kitchen +floor; nor did it rest until it had stood +itself on end, with the greatest gravity +and decorum, beside Quicksilver's chair. +Old Philemon, however, as well as his +wife, was so taken up in attending to +their guests, that no notice was given to +what the staff had been about.</p> + +<p>As Baucis had said, there was but a +scanty supper for two hungry travelers. +In the middle of the table was the remnant +of a brown loaf, with a piece of +cheese on one side of it, and a dish of +honeycomb on the other. There was a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span> +pretty good bunch of grapes for each of +the guests. A moderately sized earthen +pitcher, nearly full of milk, stood at a +corner of the board; and when Baucis +had filled two bowls, and set them before +the strangers, only a little milk remained +in the bottom of the pitcher. Alas! it is +a very sad business, when a bountiful +heart finds itself pinched and squeezed +among narrow circumstances. Poor +Baucis kept wishing that she might starve +for a week to come, if it were possible, by +so doing, to provide these hungry folks +a more plentiful supper.</p> + +<p>And, since the supper was so exceedingly +small, she could not help wishing +that their appetites had not been quite +so large. Why, at their very first sitting +down, the travelers both drank off all the +milk in their two bowls, at a draught.</p> + +<p>"A little more milk, kind Mother +Baucis, if you please," said Quicksilver. +"The day has been hot, and I am very +much athirst."</p> + +<p>"Now, my dear people," answered +Baucis, in great confusion, "I am so sorry +and ashamed! But the truth is, there is +hardly a drop more milk in the pitcher. +O husband! husband! why didn't we go +without our supper?"</p> + +<p>"Why, it appears to me," cried Quicksilver, +starting up from the table and +taking the pitcher by the handle, "it +really appears to me that matters are +not quite so bad as you represent them. +Here is certainly more milk in the +pitcher."</p> + +<p>So saying, and to the vast astonishment +of Baucis, he proceeded to fill, not +only his own bowl, but his companion's +likewise, from the pitcher, that was supposed +to be almost empty. The good +woman could scarcely believe her eyes. +She had certainly poured out nearly all +the milk, and had peeped in afterwards, +and seen the bottom of the pitcher, as +she set it down upon the table.</p> + +<p>"But I am old," thought Baucis to +herself, "and apt to be forgetful. I suppose +I must have made a mistake. At +all events, the pitcher cannot help being +empty now, after filling the bowls twice +over."</p> + +<p>"What excellent milk!" observed +Quicksilver, after quaffing the contents +of the second bowl. "Excuse me, my +kind hostess, but I must really ask you +for a little more."</p> + +<p>Now Baucis had seen, as plainly as she +could see anything, that Quicksilver had +turned the pitcher upside down, and consequently +had poured out every drop of +milk, in filling the last bowl. Of course, +there could not possibly be any left. +However, in order to let him know precisely +how the case was, she lifted the +pitcher, and made a gesture as if pouring +milk into Quicksilver's bowl, but without +the remotest idea that any milk would +stream forth. What was her surprise, +therefore, when such an abundant cascade +fell bubbling into the bowl, that it +was immediately filled to the brim, and +overflowed upon the table! The two +snakes that were twisted about Quicksilver's +staff (but neither Baucis nor +Philemon happened to observe this circumstance) +stretched out their heads, +and began to lap up the spilt milk.</p> + +<p>And then what a delicious fragrance +the milk had! It seemed as if Philemon's +only cow must have pastured, that day, +on the richest herbage that could be +found anywhere in the world. I only +wish that each of you, my beloved little +souls, could have a bowl of such nice +milk at supper-time!</p> + +<p>"And now a slice of your brown loaf,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span> +Mother Baucis," said Quicksilver, "and +a little of that honey!"</p> + +<p>Baucis cut him a slice, accordingly; +and though the loaf, when she and her +husband ate of it, had been rather too +dry and crusty to be palatable, it was +now as light and moist as if but a few +hours out of the oven. Tasting a crumb, +which had fallen on the table, she found +it more delicious than bread ever was +before, and could hardly believe that it +was a loaf of her own kneading and baking. +Yet, what other loaf could it possibly +be?</p> + +<p>But, oh, the honey! I may just as +well let it alone, without trying to describe +how exquisitely it smelt and looked. +Its color was that of the purest and most +transparent gold; and it had the odor of +a thousand flowers; but of such flowers +as never grew in an earthly garden, and +to seek which the bees must have flown +high above the clouds. The wonder is, +that, after alighting on a flower-bed of so +delicious fragrance and immortal bloom, +they should have been content to fly +down again to their hive in Philemon's +garden. Never was such honey tasted, +seen, or smelt. The perfume floated +around the kitchen, and made it so delightful, +that, had you closed your eyes, +you would instantly have forgotten the +low ceiling and smoky walls, and have +fancied yourself in an arbor, with celestial +honeysuckles creeping over it.</p> + +<p>Although good Mother Baucis was a +simple old dame, she could not but think +that there was something rather out of +the common way in all that had been +going on. So, after helping the guests +to bread and honey, and laying a bunch +of grapes by each of their plates, she sat +down by Philemon, and told him what +she had seen, in a whisper.</p> + +<p>"Did you ever hear the like?" asked +she.</p> + +<p>"No, I never did," answered Philemon, +with a smile. "And I rather think, my +dear old wife, you have been walking +about in a sort of a dream. If I +had poured out the milk, I should have +seen through the business at once. +There happened to be a little more in +the pitcher than you thought,—that +is all."</p> + +<p>"Ah, husband," said Baucis, "say what +you will, these are very uncommon +people."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," replied Philemon, still +smiling, "perhaps they are. They certainly +do look as if they had seen better +days; and I am heartily glad to see them +making so comfortable a supper."</p> + +<p>Each of the guests had now taken his +bunch of grapes upon his plate. Baucis +(who rubbed her eyes, in order to see the +more clearly) was of opinion that the +clusters had grown larger and richer, and +that each separate grape seemed to be +on the point of bursting with ripe juice. +It was entirely a mystery to her how such +grapes could ever have been produced +from the old stunted vine that climbed +against the cottage wall.</p> + +<p>"Very admirable grapes, these!" observed +Quicksilver, as he swallowed one +after another, without apparently diminishing +his cluster. "Pray, my good host, +whence did you gather them?"</p> + +<p>"From my own vine," answered Philemon. +"You may see one of its branches +twisting across the window, yonder. +But wife and I never thought the grapes +very fine ones."</p> + +<p>"I never tasted better," said the guest. +"Another cup of this delicious milk, if +you please, and I shall then have supped +better than a prince."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span></p> + +<p>This time, old Philemon bestirred himself, +and took up the pitcher; for he was +curious to discover whether there was +any reality in the marvels which Baucis +had whispered to him. He knew that +his good old wife was incapable of falsehood, +and that she was seldom mistaken +in what she supposed to be true; but this +was so very singular a case that he +wanted to see into it with his own eyes. +On taking up the pitcher, therefore, he +slyly peeped into it, and was fully satisfied +that it contained not so much as a +single drop. All at once, however, he +beheld a little white fountain, which +gushed up from the bottom of the pitcher, +and speedily filled it to the brim +with foaming and deliciously fragrant +milk. It was lucky that Philemon, in +his surprise, did not drop the miraculous +pitcher from his hand.</p> + +<p>"Who are ye, wonder-working strangers?" +cried he, even more bewildered +than his wife had been.</p> + +<p>"Your guests, my good Philemon, and +your friends," replied the elder traveler, +in his mild, deep voice, that had something +at once sweet and awe-inspiring in +it. "Give me likewise a cup of the milk; +and may your pitcher never be empty +for kind Baucis and yourself, any more +than for the needy wayfarer!"</p> + +<p>The supper being now over, the strangers +requested to be shown to their place +of repose. The old people would gladly +have talked with them a little longer, +and have expressed the wonder which +they felt, and their delight at finding the +poor and meager supper prove so much +better and more abundant than they +hoped. But the elder traveler had inspired +them with such reverence that +they dared not ask him any questions. +And when Philemon drew Quicksilver +aside, and inquired how under the sun +a fountain of milk could have got into +an old earthen pitcher, this latter personage +pointed to his staff.</p> + +<p>"There is the whole mystery of the +affair," quoth Quicksilver; "and if you +can make it out, I'll thank you to let +me know. I can't tell what to make of +my staff. It is always playing such odd +tricks as this; sometimes getting me a +supper, and quite as often stealing it +away. If I had any faith in such nonsense, +I should say the stick was bewitched!"</p> + +<p>He said no more, but looked so slyly +in their faces, that they rather fancied +he was laughing at them. The magic +staff went hopping at his heels, as Quicksilver +quitted the room. When left +alone, the good old couple spent some +little time in conversation about the +events of the evening, and then lay down +on the floor, and fell fast asleep. They +had given up their sleeping-room to the +guests, and had no other bed for themselves, +save these planks, which I wish +had been as soft as their own hearts.</p> + +<p>The old man and his wife were stirring, +betimes, in the morning, and the strangers +likewise arose with the sun, and made +their preparations to depart. Philemon +hospitably entreated them to remain a +little longer, until Baucis could milk the +cow, and bake a cake upon the hearth, +and, perhaps, find them a few fresh eggs, +for breakfast. The guests, however, +seemed to think it better to accomplish +a good part of their journey before the +heat of the day should come on. They, +therefore, persisted in setting out immediately, +but asked Philemon and Baucis +to walk forth with them a short distance, +and show them the road which they were +to take.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span></p> + +<p>So they all four issued from the cottage, +chatting together like old friends. +It was very remarkable, indeed, how +familiar the old couple insensibly grew +with the elder traveler, and how their +good and simple spirits melted into his, +even as two drops of water would melt +into the illimitable ocean. And as for +Quicksilver, with his keen, quick, laughing +wits, he appeared to discover every +little thought that but peeped into their +minds, before they suspected it themselves. +They sometimes wished, it is +true, that he had not been quite so quick-witted, +and also that he would fling away +his staff, which looked so mysteriously +mischievous, with the snakes always +writhing about it. But then, again, +Quicksilver showed himself so very good-humored, +that they would have been +rejoiced to keep him in their cottage, +staff, snakes, and all, every day, and the +whole day long.</p> + +<p>"Ah, me! Well-a-day!" exclaimed +Philemon, when they had walked a little +way from their door. "If our neighbors +only knew what a blessed thing it is to +show hospitality to strangers, they would +tie up all their dogs, and never allow +their children to fling another stone."</p> + +<p>"It is a sin and shame for them to +behave so,—that it is!" cried good old +Baucis, vehemently. "And I mean to +go this very day and tell some of them +what naughty people they are!"</p> + +<p>"I fear," remarked Quicksilver, slyly +smiling, "that you will find none of them +at home."</p> + +<p>The elder traveler's brow, just then, +assumed such a grave, stern, and awful +grandeur, yet serene withal, that neither +Baucis nor Philemon dared to speak a +word. They gazed reverently into his +face, as if they had been gazing at the sky.</p> + +<p>"When men do not feel towards +the humblest stranger as if he were a +brother," said the traveler, in tones so +deep they sounded like those of an organ, +"they are unworthy to exist on earth, +which was created as the abode of a great +human brotherhood!"</p> + +<p>"And, by the by, my dear old people," +cried Quicksilver, with the liveliest look +of fun and mischief in his eyes, "where +is this same village that you talk about? +On which side of us does it lie? Methinks +I do not see it hereabouts."</p> + +<p>Philemon and his wife turned towards +the valley, where, at sunset, only the day +before, they had seen the meadows, the +houses, the gardens, the clumps of trees, +the wide, green-margined street, with +children playing in it, and all the tokens +of business, enjoyment, and prosperity. +But what was their astonishment! There +was no longer any appearance of a village! +Even the fertile vale, in the hollow of +which it lay, had ceased to have existence. +In its stead, they beheld the broad, blue +surface of a lake, which filled the great +basin of the valley from brim to brim, +and reflected the surrounding hills in its +bosom, with as tranquil an image as if +it had been there ever since the creation +of the world. For an instant, the lake +remained perfectly smooth. Then, a +little breeze sprang up, and caused the +water to dance, glitter, and sparkle in +the early sunbeams, and to dash, with a +pleasant rippling murmur, against the +hither shore.</p> + +<p>The lake seemed so strangely familiar, +that the old couple were greatly perplexed, +and felt as if they could only have +been dreaming about a village having +lain there. But, the next moment, they +remembered the vanished dwellings, +and the faces and characters of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span> +inhabitants, far too distinctly for a +dream. The village had been there +yesterday, and now was gone!</p> + +<p>"Alas!" cried these kind-hearted old +people, "what has become of our poor +neighbors!"</p> + +<p>"They exist no longer as men and +women," said the elder traveler, in his +grand and deep voice, while a roll of +thunder seemed to echo it at a distance. +"There was neither use nor beauty in +such a life as theirs; for they never softened +or sweetened the hard lot of mortality +by the exercise of kindly affections +between man and man. They retained +no image of the better life in their bosoms: +therefore, the lake, that was of old, +has spread itself forth again, to reflect +the sky!"</p> + +<p>"And as for those foolish people," said +Quicksilver, with his mischievous smile, +"they are all transformed to fishes. +There needed but little change, for they +were already a scaly set of rascals, and +the coldest-blooded beings in existence. +So, kind Mother Baucis, whenever you +or your husband have an appetite for a +dish of broiled trout, he can throw in a +line, and pull out half a dozen of your +old neighbors!"</p> + +<p>"Ah," cried Baucis, shuddering, "I +would not, for the world, put one of them +on the gridiron!"</p> + +<p>"No," added Philemon, making a wry +face, "we could never relish them!"</p> + +<p>"As for you, good Philemon," continued +the elder traveler,—"and you, +kind Baucis,—you, with your scanty +means, have mingled so much heartfelt +hospitality with your entertainment of +the homeless stranger, that the milk +became an inexhaustible fount of nectar, +and the brown loaf and the honey were +ambrosia. Thus, the divinities have +feasted, at your board, off the same viands +that supply their banquets on Olympus. +You have done well, my dear old friends. +Wherefore, request whatever favor you +have most at heart, and it is granted."</p> + +<p>Philemon and Baucis looked at one +another, and then,—I know not which of +the two it was who spoke, but that one +uttered the desire of both their hearts.</p> + +<p>"Let us live together, while we live, +and leave the world at the same instant, +when we die! For we have always loved +one another!"</p> + +<p>"Be it so!" replied the stranger, with +majestic kindness. "Now, look towards +your cottage!"</p> + +<p>They did so. But what was their surprise +on beholding a tall edifice of white +marble, with a wide-open portal, occupying +the spot where their humble residence +had so lately stood!</p> + +<p>"There is your home," said the +stranger, beneficently smiling on them +both. "Exercise your hospitality in yonder +palace as freely as in the poor hovel +to which you welcomed us last evening."</p> + +<p>The old folks fell on their knees to +thank him; but, behold! neither he nor +Quicksilver was there.</p> + +<p>So Philemon and Baucis took up their +residence in the marble palace, and spent +their time, with vast satisfaction to themselves, +in making everybody jolly and comfortable +who happened to pass that way. +The milk-pitcher, I must not forget to say, +retained its marvelous quality of being +never empty, when it was desirable to +have it full. Whenever an honest, good-humored, +and free-hearted guest took a +draught from this pitcher, he invariably +found it the sweetest and most invigorating +fluid that ever ran down his throat. +But, if a cross and disagreeable curmudgeon +happened to sip, he was pretty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span> +certain to twist his visage into a hard knot, +and pronounce it a pitcher of sour milk!</p> + +<p>Thus the old couple lived in their +palace a great, great while, and grew older +and older, and very old indeed. At +length, however, there came a summer +morning when Philemon and Baucis +failed to make their appearance, as on +other mornings, with one hospitable smile +overspreading both their pleasant faces, +to invite the guests of over-night to breakfast. +The guests searched everywhere, +from top to bottom of the spacious +palace, and all to no purpose. But, after +a great deal of perplexity, they espied, in +front of the portal, two venerable trees, +which nobody could remember to have seen +there the day before. Yet there they +stood, with their roots fastened deep into +the soil, and a huge breadth of foliage overshadowing +the whole front of the edifice. +One was an oak, and the other a linden-tree. +Their boughs—it was strange +and beautiful to see—were intertwined +together, and embraced one another, +so that each tree seemed to live in the +other's bosom, much more than in its own.</p> + +<p>While the guests were marveling how +these trees, that must have required at +least a century to grow, could have come +to be so tall and venerable in a single +night, a breeze sprang up, and set their +intermingled boughs astir. And then +there was a deep, broad murmur in the +air, as if the two mysterious trees were +speaking.</p> + +<p>"I am old Philemon!" murmured the +oak.</p> + +<p>"I am old Baucis!" murmured the +linden-tree.</p> + +<p>But, as the breeze grew stronger, the +trees both spoke at once,—"Philemon! +Baucis! Baucis! Philemon!"—as if one +were both and both were one, and talking +together in the depths of their mutual +heart. It was plain enough to perceive +that the good old couple had renewed +their age, and were now to spend a quiet +and delightful hundred years or so, +Philemon as an oak, and Baucis as a +linden-tree. And oh, what a hospitable +shade did they fling around them! Whenever +a wayfarer paused beneath it, he +heard a pleasant whisper of the leaves +above his head, and wondered how the +sound should so much resemble words +like these:—</p> + +<p>"Welcome, welcome, dear traveler, +welcome!"</p> + +<p>And some kind soul, that knew what +would have pleased old Baucis and old +Philemon best, built a circular seat +around both their trunks, where, for a +great while afterwards, the weary, and +the hungry, and the thirsty used to repose +themselves, and quaff milk abundantly +out of the miraculous pitcher.</p> + +<p>And I wish, for all our sakes, that we +had the pitcher here now!</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_258" id="Note_258">258</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">One of the very satisfactory attempts to +retell the classic myths for young readers +is to be found in <i>Gods and Heroes</i> by R. E. +Francillon. The stories are brought together +into a "single <i>saga</i>, free from inconsistencies +and contradictions." This gives +the book all the charm of a single story +made of many dramatic episodes. Francillon's +version of the familiar tale of +Narcissus and Echo follows by permission +of the publishers. (Copyright. Ginn & Co., +Boston.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE NARCISSUS</h4> + +<div class='center'>R. E. FRANCILLON</div> + +<p>There was a very beautiful nymph +named Echo, who had never, in all her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span> +life, seen anybody handsomer than the +god Pan. You have read that Pan was +the chief of all the Satyrs, and what +hideous monsters the Satyrs were. So, +when Pan made love to her, she very +naturally kept him at a distance: and, +as she supposed him to be no worse-looking +than the rest of the world, she +made up her mind to have nothing to +do with love or lovemaking, and was +quite content to ramble about the woods +all alone.</p> + +<p>But one day, to her surprise, she +happened to meet with a young man +who was as different from Pan as any +creature could be. Instead of having a +goat's legs and long hairy arms, he +was as graceful as Apollo himself: no +horns grew out of his forehead, and his +ears were not long, pointed, and covered +with hair, but just like Echo's own. +And he was just as beautiful in face as +he was graceful in form. I doubt if +Echo would have thought even Apollo +himself so beautiful.</p> + +<p>The nymphs were rather shy, and +Echo was the very shyest of them all. +But she admired him so much she could +not leave the spot, and at last she even +plucked up courage enough to ask him, +"What is the name of the most beautiful +being in the whole world?"</p> + +<p>"Whom do you mean?" asked he. +"Yourself? If you want to know your +own name, you can tell it better than +I can."</p> + +<p>"No," said Echo, "I don't mean myself. +I mean <i>you</i>. What is <i>your</i> name?"</p> + +<p>"My name is Narcissus," said he. +"But as for my being beautiful—that +is absurd."</p> + +<p>"Narcissus!" repeated Echo to herself. +"It is a beautiful name. Which +of the nymphs have you come to meet +here in these woods all alone? She is +lucky—whoever she may be."</p> + +<p>"I have come to meet nobody," said +Narcissus. "But—am I really so beautiful? +I have often been told so by +other girls, of course; but really it is +more than I can quite believe."</p> + +<p>"And you don't care for any of those +girls?"</p> + +<p>"Why, you see," said Narcissus, "when +all the girls one knows call one beautiful, +there's no reason why I should care for +one more than another. They all seem +alike when they are all always saying +just the same thing. Ah! I do wish I +could see myself, so that I could tell +if it was really true. I would marry +the girl who could give me the wish of +my heart—to see myself as other people +see me. But as nobody can make me +do that, why, I suppose I shall get on +very well without marrying anybody +at all."</p> + +<p>Looking-glasses had not been invented +in those days, so that Narcissus had +really never seen even so much of himself +as his chin.</p> + +<p>"What!" cried Echo, full of hope and +joy; "if I make you see your own face, +you will marry <i>me?</i>"</p> + +<p>"I said so," said he. "And of course +what I say I'll do, I'll do."</p> + +<p>"Then—come with me!"</p> + +<p>Echo took him by the hand and led +him to the edge of a little lake in the +middle of the wood, full of clear water.</p> + +<p>"Kneel down, Narcissus," said she, +"and bend your eyes over the waterside. +That lake is the mirror where +Diana comes every morning to dress +her hair, and in which, every night, +the moon and the stars behold themselves. +Look into that water, and see +what manner of man you are!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span></p> + +<p>Narcissus kneeled down and looked +into the lake. And, better than in +any common looking-glass, he saw the +reflected image of his own face—and +he looked, and looked, and could not +take his eyes away.</p> + +<p>But Echo at last grew tired of waiting. +"Have you forgotten what you promised +me?" asked she. "Are you content +now? Do you see now that what I +told you is true?"</p> + +<p>He lifted his eyes at last. "Oh, +beautiful creature that I am!" said he. +"I am indeed the most divine creature +in the whole wide world. I love myself +madly. Go away. I want to be with +my beautiful image, with myself, all alone. +I can't marry you. I shall never love +anybody but myself for the rest of my +days." And he kneeled down and gazed +at himself once more, while poor Echo +had to go weeping away.</p> + +<p>Narcissus had spoken truly. He loved +himself and his own face so much that +he could think of nothing else: he spent +all his days and nights by the lake, and +never took his eyes away. But unluckily +his image, which was only a shadow in +the water, could not love him back +again. And so he pined away until he +died. And when his friends came to +look for his body, they found nothing +but a flower, into which his soul had +turned. So they called it the Narcissus, +and we call it so still. And yet I don't +know that it is a particularly conceited +or selfish flower.</p> + +<p>As for poor Echo, she pined away +too. She faded and faded until nothing +was left of her but her voice. There +are many places where she can even +now be heard. And she still has the +same trick of saying to vain and foolish +people whatever they say to themselves, +or whatever they would like best to hear +said to them. If you go where Echo +is, and call out loudly, "I am beautiful!"—she +will echo your very words.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_259" id="Note_259">259</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"The Apple of Discord" is also taken, by +permission of the publishers, from Francillon's +<i>Gods and Heroes</i>. It is the story of +how the world's first great war was brought +about. Teachers who wish to use some of +the stories from Homer's <i>Iliad</i> might well +follow this story with some selected episodes +from that work. The prose translation of +the <i>Iliad</i> by Lang, Leaf, and Myers is the +most satisfactory. Of versions adapted +for children, Church's <i>Story of the Iliad</i> +has long been a favorite.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE APPLE OF DISCORD</h4> + +<div class='center'>R. E. FRANCILLON</div> + +<p>Never was such a wedding-feast known +as that of Peleus and Thetis. And no +wonder; for Peleus was King of Thessaly, +and Thetis was a goddess—the goddess +who keeps the gates of the West, and +throws them open for the chariot of the +Sun to pass through when its day's +journey is done.</p> + +<p>Not only all the neighboring kings +and queens came to the feast, but the +gods and goddesses besides, bringing +splendid presents to the bride and +bridegroom. Only one goddess was not +there, because she had not been invited; +and she had not been invited for the +best of all reasons. Her name was Ate, +which means Mischief; and wherever +she went she caused quarreling and confusion. +Jupiter had turned her out of +heaven for setting even the gods by the +ears; and ever since then she had been +wandering about the earth, making mischief, +for they would not have her even +in Hades.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span></p> + +<p>"So they won't have <i>Me</i> at their +feast!" she said to herself, when she +heard the sound of the merriment to +which she had not been bidden. "Very +well; they shall be sorry. I see a way +to make a bigger piece of mischief than +ever was known."</p> + +<p>So she took a golden apple, wrote +some words upon it, and, keeping herself +out of sight, threw it into the very +middle of the feasters, just when they +were most merry.</p> + +<p>Nobody saw where the apple came +from; but of course they supposed it +had been thrown among them for frolic; +and one of the guests, taking it up, read +aloud the words written on it. The +words were:</p> + +<div class='center'> +"FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL!"<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>—nothing more.</div> + +<p>"What a handsome present somebody +has sent me!" said Juno, holding out +her hand for the apple.</p> + +<p>"Sent <i>you?</i>" asked Diana. "What +an odd mistake, to be sure! Don't you +see it is for the most beautiful? I will +thank you to hand me what is so clearly +intended for <i>Me</i>."</p> + +<p>"You seem to forget <i>I</i> am present!" +said Vesta, making a snatch at the +apple.</p> + +<p>"Not at all!" said Ceres; "only I +happen to be here, too. And who +doubts that where I am there is the +most beautiful?"</p> + +<p>"Except where <i>I</i> am," said Proserpine.</p> + +<p>"What folly is all this!" said Minerva, +the wise. "Wisdom is the only true +beauty; and everybody knows that I am +the wisest of you all."</p> + +<p>"But it's for the <i>most</i> beautiful!" said +Venus. "The idea of its being for anybody +but <i>Me!</i>"</p> + +<p>Then every nymph and goddess present, +and even every woman, put in her +claim, until from claiming and disputing +it grew to arguing and wrangling and +downright quarreling: insults flew about, +until the merriment grew into an angry +din, the like of which had never been +heard. But as it became clear that it +was impossible for everybody to be the +most beautiful, the claimants gradually +settled down into three parties—some +taking the side of Venus, others of Juno, +others of Minerva.</p> + +<p>"We shall never settle it among ourselves," +said one, when all were fairly +out of breath with quarreling. "Let the +gods decide."</p> + +<p>For the gods had been silent all the +while; and now they looked at one +another in dismay at such an appeal. +Jupiter, in his heart, thought Venus the +most beautiful; but how could he dare +decide against either his wife Juno or his +daughter Minerva? Neptune hated +Minerva on account of their old quarrel; +but it was awkward to choose between his +daughter Venus and his sister Juno, of +whose temper he, as well as Jupiter, +stood in awe. Mars was ready enough +to vote for Venus; but then he was afraid +of a scandal. And so with all the gods—not +one was bold enough to decide on +such a terrible question as the beauty of +three rival goddesses who were ready to +tear out each other's eyes. For Juno +was looking like a thundercloud, and +Minerva like lightning, and Venus like a +smiling but treacherous sea.</p> + +<p>"I have it," said Jupiter at last. +"Men are better judges of beauty than +the gods are, who never see anything but +its perfection. King Priam of Troy has +a son named Paris, whose judgment as a +critic I would take even before my own.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span> +I propose that you, Juno, and you, +Minerva, and you, Venus, shall go +together before Paris and submit yourselves +to his decision, whatever it +may be."</p> + +<p>And so it was settled, for each of the +three goddesses was equally sure that, +whoever the judge might be, the golden +apple was safe to be hers. The quarrel +came to an end, and the feast ended +pleasantly; but Ate, who had been watching +and listening, laughed in her sleeve.</p> + +<p>Troy, where King Priam reigned, was a +great and ancient city on the shore of +Asia: it was a sacred city, whose walls +had been built by Neptune, and it possessed +the Palladium, the image of +Minerva, which kept it from all harm. +Priam—who had been the friend of Hercules—and +his wife Hecuba had many +sons and daughters, all brave and noble +princes and beautiful princesses; and of +his sons, while the bravest and noblest +was his first-born, Hector, the handsomest +and most amiable was Paris, +whom Jupiter had appointed to be the +judge of beauty.</p> + +<p>Paris, unlike his brothers, cared nothing +for affairs of State, but lived as a +shepherd upon Mount Ida with his wife +Oenone, a nymph of that mountain, in +perfect happiness and peace, loved and +honored by the whole country round, +which had given him the name of "Alexander," +which means "The Helper." +One would think that if anybody was safe +from the mischief of Ate, it was he.</p> + +<p>But one day, while he was watching +his flocks and thinking of Oenone, there +came to him what he took for three +beautiful women—the most beautiful he +had ever seen. Yet something told him +they were more than mere women, or +even than Oreads, before the tallest said—</p> + +<p>"There is debate in Olympus which +is the most beautiful of us three, and +Jupiter has appointed you to be the +judge between us. I am Juno, the +queen of gods and men, and if you +decide for me, I will make you king +of the whole world."</p> + +<p>"And I," said the second, "am +Minerva, and you shall know everything +in the whole universe if you decide +for me."</p> + +<p>"But I," said the third, "am Venus, +who can give neither wisdom nor power; +but if you decide for me, I will give you +the love of the most beautiful woman +that ever was or ever will be born."</p> + +<p>Paris looked from one to the other, +wondering to which he should award the +golden apple, the prize of beauty. He +did not care for power; he would be +quite content to rule his sheep, and even +that was not always easy. Nor did he +care for wisdom or knowledge: he had +enough for all his needs. Nor ought he +to have desired any love but Oenone's. +But then Venus was really the most +beautiful of all the goddesses—the very +goddess of beauty; no mortal could +refuse anything she asked him, so great +was her charm. So he took the apple +and placed it in the hands of Venus +without a word, while Juno and Minerva +departed in a state of wrath with Paris, +Venus, and each other, which made Ate +laugh to herself more than ever.</p> + +<p>Now the most beautiful woman in the +whole world was Helen, step-daughter +of King Tyndarus of Sparta, and sister +of Castor and Pollux: neither before her +nor after her has there been any to +compare with her for beauty. Thirty-one +of the noblest princes in Greece +came to her father's Court at the same +time to seek her in marriage, so that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span> +Tyndarus knew not what to do, seeing +that, whomsoever he chose for his son-in-law, +he would make thirty powerful +enemies. The most famous among them +were Ulysses, King of the island of Ithaca; +Diomed, King of Aetolia; Ajax, King of +Salamis, the bravest and strongest man +in Greece; his brother Teucer; Philoctetes, +the friend of Hercules; and +Menelaus, King of Sparta. At last, as +there was no other way of deciding among +them, an entirely new idea occurred to +Ulysses—namely, that Helen should be +allowed to choose her own husband +herself, and that, before she chose, all +the rival suitors should make a great +and solemn oath to approve her choice, +and to defend her and her husband +against all enemies thenceforth and +forever. This oath they all took loyally +and with one accord, and Helen chose +Menelaus, King of Sparta, who married +her with great rejoicing, and took her +away to his kingdom.</p> + +<p>And all would have gone well but for +that wretched apple. For Venus was +faithful to her promise that the most +beautiful of all women should be the +wife of Paris: and so Menelaus, returning +from a journey, found that a Trojan +prince had visited his Court during his +absence, and had gone away, taking +Helen with him to Troy. This Trojan +prince was Paris, who, seeing Helen, had +forgotten Oenone, and could think of +nothing but her whom Venus had +given him.</p> + +<p>Then, through all Greece and all the +islands, went forth the summons of +King Menelaus, reminding the thirty +princes of their great oath: and each +and all of them, and many more, came +to the gathering-place with all their +ships and all their men, to help Menelaus +and to bring back Helen. Such a host +as gathered together at Aulis had never +been seen since the world began; there +were nearly twelve hundred ships and +more than a hundred thousand men: +it was the first time that all the Greeks +joined together in one cause. There, +besides those who had come for their +oath's sake, were Nestor, the old King +of Pylos—so old that he remembered +Jason and the Golden Fleece, but, at +ninety years old, as ready for battle as +the youngest there; and Achilles, the +son of Peleus and Thetis, scarcely more +than a boy, but fated to outdo the deeds +of the bravest of them all. The kings +and princes elected Agamemnon, King +of Mycenae and Argos, and brother of +Menelaus, to be their general-in-chief; +and he forthwith sent a herald to Troy +to demand the surrender of Helen.</p> + +<p>But King Priam was indignant that +these chiefs of petty kingdoms should +dare to threaten the sacred city of +Troy: and he replied to the demand by +a scornful challenge, and by sending +out his summons also to his friends and +allies. And it was as well answered as +that of Menelaus had been. There came +to his standard Rhesus, with a great army +from Thrace; and Sarpedon, the greatest +king in all Asia; and Memnon, king of +Aethiopia, with twenty thousand men—the +hundred thousand Greeks were not +so many as the army of Priam. Then +Agamemnon gave the order to sail for +Troy: and Ate laughed aloud, for her +apple had brought upon mankind the +First Great War.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_260" id="Note_260">260</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The little book of <i>Old Greek Folk Stories</i>, by +Josephine P. Peabody, is especially valuable, +not only for its fine versions of many of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span> +the more interesting myths, but because it +supplements the dozen retold by Hawthorne +in his <i>Wonder-Book</i> and <i>Tanglewood Tales</i>. +The two stories that follow are taken from +that book and are used by permission of +and by special arrangement with the publishers. +(Copyright: Houghton Mifflin +Co., Boston.) It is worth noticing that +the idea of being able to fly through the +air successfully is found in a very remote +past, and that Daedalus discarded his +invention because of the tragedy related +below. Only a few years since, most people +looked upon one who tried to work out +practically the problem of flying as somewhat +"short" mentally. Hence the use +of such efforts for comic effect as in "Darius +Green and His Flying Machine" (No. <a href="#Note_375">375</a>).</div> + + +<h4><br />ICARUS AND DAEDALUS</h4> + +<div class='center'>JOSEPHINE PRESTON PEABODY</div> + +<p>Among all those mortals who grew +so wise that they learned the secrets of +the gods, none was more cunning than +Daedalus.</p> + +<p>He once built, for King Minos of Crete, +a wonderful Labyrinth of winding ways +so cunningly tangled up and twisted +around that, once inside, you could +never find your way out again without +a magic clue. But the king's favor +veered with the wind, and one day he +had his master architect imprisoned in +a tower. Daedalus managed to escape +from his cell; but it seemed impossible +to leave the island, since every ship that +came or went was well guarded by order +of the king.</p> + +<p>At length, watching the sea gulls in +the air,—the only creatures that were +sure of liberty,—he thought of a plan +for himself and his young son Icarus, +who was captive with him.</p> + +<p>Little by little, he gathered a store of +feathers great and small. He fastened +these together with thread, moulded +them in with wax, and so fashioned two +great wings like those of a bird. When +they were done, Daedalus fitted them +to his own shoulders, and after one or +two efforts, he found that by waving +his arms he could winnow the air and +cleave it, as a swimmer does the sea. +He held himself aloft, wavered this way +and that with the wind, and at last, +like a great fledgling, he learned to fly.</p> + +<p>Without delay, he fell to work on a +pair of wings for the boy Icarus, and +taught him carefully how to use them, +bidding him beware of rash adventures +among the stars. "Remember," said +the father, "never to fly very low or +very high, for the fogs about the earth +would weigh you down, but the blaze +of the sun will surely melt your feathers +apart if you go too near."</p> + +<p>For Icarus, these cautions went in at +one ear and out by the other. Who +could remember to be careful when he +was to fly for the first time? Are birds +careful? Not they! And not an idea +remained in the boy's head but the one +joy of escape.</p> + +<p>The day came, and the fair wind that +was to set them free. The father bird +put on his wings, and, while the light +urged them to be gone, he waited to see +that all was well with Icarus, for the two +could not fly hand in hand. Up they +rose, the boy after his father. The +hateful ground of Crete sank beneath +them; and the country folk, who caught +a glimpse of them when they were high +above the tree-tops, took it for a vision +of the gods,—Apollo, perhaps, with +Cupid after him.</p> + +<p>At first there was a terror in the joy. +The wide vacancy of the air dazed them,—a +glance downward made their brains<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span> +reel. But when a great wind filled their +wings, and Icarus felt himself sustained, +like a halcyon-bird in the hollow of a +wave, like a child uplifted by his mother, +he forgot everything in the world but +joy. He forgot Crete and the other +islands that he had passed over: he saw +but vaguely that winged thing in the +distance before him that was his father +Daedalus. He longed for one draught +of flight to quench the thirst of his +captivity: he stretched out his arms +to the sky and made towards the highest +heavens.</p> + +<p>Alas for him! Warmer and warmer +grew the air. Those arms, that had +seemed to uphold him, relaxed. His +wings wavered, drooped. He fluttered +his young hands vainly,—he was falling,—and +in that terror he remembered. +The heat of the sun had melted the wax +from his wings; the feathers were falling, +one by one, like snowflakes; and there +was none to help.</p> + +<p>He fell like a leaf tossed down the +wind, down, down, with one cry that +overtook Daedalus far away. When he +returned, and sought high and low for +the poor boy, he saw nothing but the +bird-like feathers afloat on the water, +and he knew that Icarus was drowned.</p> + +<p>The nearest island he named Icaria, +in memory of the child; but he, in heavy +grief, went to the temple of Apollo in +Sicily, and there hung up his wings as +an offering. Never again did he attempt +to fly.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_261" id="Note_261">261</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This story of how Apollo, god of music and +poetry, was sent to earth for a space to +serve a mortal is also from <i>Old Greek Folk +Stories</i>, by arrangement with the publishers. +(Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.) +James Russell Lowell wrote a very fine +poetic treatment of this same story +in "The Shepherd of King Admetus" +(No. <a href="#Note_373">373</a>).</div> + + +<h4><br />ADMETUS AND THE SHEPHERD</h4> + +<div class='center'>JOSEPHINE PRESTON PEABODY</div> + +<p>Apollo did not live always free of care, +though he was the most glorious of the +gods. One day, in anger with the +Cyclopes who work at the forges of Vulcan, +he sent his arrows after them, to +the wrath of all the gods, but especially +of Zeus. (For the Cyclopes always +make his thunderbolts, and make them +well.) Even the divine archer could +not go unpunished, and as a penalty he +was sent to serve some mortal for a +year. Some say one year and some say +nine, but in those days time passed +quickly; and as for the gods, they took +no heed of it.</p> + +<p>Now there was a certain king in +Thessaly, Admetus by name, and there +came to him one day a stranger, who +asked leave to serve about the palace. +None knew his name, but he was very +comely, and moreover, when they questioned +him he said that he had come +from a position of high trust. So without +further delay they made him chief +shepherd of the royal flocks.</p> + +<p>Every day thereafter, he drove his +sheep to the banks of the river Amphrysus, +and there he sat to watch them +browse. The country folk that passed +drew near to wonder at him, without +daring to ask questions. He seemed to +have a knowledge of leech-craft, and +knew how to cure the ills of any wayfarer +with any weed that grew near +by; and he would pipe for hours in the +sun. A simple-spoken man he was, yet +he seemed to know much more than he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span> +would say, and he smiled with a kindly +mirth when the people wished him +sunny weather.</p> + +<p>Indeed, as days went by, it seemed as +if summer had come to stay, and, like +the shepherd, found the place friendly. +Nowhere else were the flocks so white +and fair to see, like clouds loitering along +a bright sky; and sometimes, when he +chose, their keeper sang to them. Then +the grasshoppers drew near and the +swans sailed close to the river banks, +and the countrymen gathered about to +hear wonderful tales of the slaying of the +monster Python, and of a king with ass's +ears, and of a lovely maiden, Daphne, +who grew into a laurel-tree. In time +the rumor of these things drew the king +himself to listen; and Admetus, who had +been to see the world in the ship Argo, +knew at once that this was no earthly +shepherd, but a god. From that day, +like a true king, he treated his guest +with reverence and friendliness, asking +no questions; and the god was well +pleased.</p> + +<p>Now it came to pass that Admetus +fell in love with a beautiful maiden, +Alcestis, and, because of the strange +condition that her father Pelias had +laid upon all suitors, he was heavy-hearted. +Only that man who should +come to woo her in a chariot drawn by +a wild boar and a lion might ever marry +Alcestis; and this task was enough to +puzzle even a king.</p> + +<p>As for the shepherd, when he heard +of it he rose, one fine morning, and left +the sheep and went his way,—no one +knew whither. If the sun had gone out, +the people could not have been more +dismayed. The king himself went, late +in the day, to walk by the river Amphrysus, +and wonder if his gracious keeper +of the flocks had deserted him in a time +of need. But at that very moment, +whom should he see returning from the +woods but the shepherd, glorious as +sunset, and leading side by side a lion +and a boar, as gentle as two sheep! +The very next morning, with joy and +gratitude, Admetus set out in his chariot +for the kingdom of Pelias, and there he +wooed and won Alcestis, the most loving +wife that was ever heard of.</p> + +<p>It was well for Admetus that he came +home with such a comrade, for the year +was at an end, and he was to lose his +shepherd. The strange man came to +take leave of the king and queen whom +he had befriended.</p> + +<p>"Blessed be your flocks, Admetus," +he said, smiling. "They shall prosper +even though I leave them. And, because +you can discern the gods that come to +you in the guise of wayfarers, happiness +shall never go far from your home, but +ever return to be your guest. No man +may live on earth forever, but this one +gift have I obtained for you. When +your last hour draws near, if any one +shall be willing to meet it in your stead, +he shall die, and you shall live on, more +than the mortal length of days. Such +kings deserve long life."</p> + +<p>So ended the happy year when Apollo +tended sheep.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_262" id="Note_262">262</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This version of the Midas story is taken from +Bulfinch's <i>Age of Fable</i>, which is still one +of the most valuable and interesting handbooks +in its field. One who wishes simply +good versions of the old myths without any +of the apparatus of scholarship will find +Bulfinch excellent. It serves well for +younger or general readers who would be +worried by references or interpretations.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span> +Hawthorne's version of this favorite myth +may be found in his <i>Wonder-Book</i> as "The +Golden Touch."</div> + + +<h4><br />MIDAS</h4> + +<p>Bacchus, on a certain occasion, found +his old schoolmaster and foster-father, +Silenus, missing. The old man had been +drinking, and in that state had wandered +away, and was found by some peasants, +who carried him to their king, Midas. +Midas recognized him and treated him +hospitably, entertaining him for ten +days and nights with an unceasing +round of jollity. On the eleventh day +he brought Silenus back, and restored +him in safety to his pupil. Whereupon +Bacchus offered Midas his choice of +whatever reward he might wish. He +asked that whatever he might touch +should be changed into <i>gold</i>. Bacchus +consented, though sorry that he had not +made a better choice.</p> + +<p>Midas went his way, rejoicing in his +newly acquired power, which he hastened +to put to the test. He could scarce +believe his eyes when he found that a +twig of an oak, which he plucked from +the branch, became gold in his hand. +He took up a stone—it changed to gold. +He touched a sod—it did the same. He +took an apple from the tree—you would +have thought he had robbed the garden +of the Hesperides. His joy knew no +bounds, and as soon as he got home, he +ordered the servants to set a splendid +repast on the table. Then he found to +his dismay that whether he touched +bread, it hardened in his hand; or put +a morsel to his lips, it defied his teeth. +He took a glass of wine, but it flowed +down his throat like melted gold.</p> + +<p>In consternation at the unprecedented +affliction, he strove to divest himself of +his power; he hated the gift he had +lately coveted. But all in vain; starvation +seemed to await him. He raised +his arms, all shining with gold, in prayer +to Bacchus, begging to be delivered from +his glittering destruction. Bacchus, +merciful deity, heard and consented. +"Go," said he, "to the River Pactolus, +trace the stream to its fountain-head, +there plunge in your head and body and +wash away your fault and its punishment." +He did so, and scarce had he +touched the waters before the gold-creating +power passed into them, and +the river sands became changed into +<i>gold</i>, as they remain to this day.</p> + +<p>Thenceforth Midas, hating wealth and +splendor, dwelt in the country and +became a worshipper of Pan, the god +of the fields. On a certain occasion +Pan had the temerity to compare his +music with that of Apollo, and to challenge +the god of the lyre to a trial of +skill. The challenge was accepted; and +Tmolus, the mountain-god, was chosen +umpire. Tmolus took his seat and +cleared away the trees from his ears to +listen. At a given signal Pan blew on +his pipes, and with his rustic melody +gave great satisfaction to himself and his +faithful follower Midas, who happened +to be present. Then Tmolus turned +his head toward the sun-god, and all +his trees turned with him. Apollo rose, +his brow wreathed with Parnassian +laurel, while his robe of Tyrian purple +swept the ground. In his left hand he +held the lyre, and with his right hand +struck the strings. Ravished with the +harmony, Tmolus at once awarded the +victory to the god of the lyre, and all +but Midas acquiesced in the judgment. +He dissented, and questioned the justice +of the award. Apollo would not suffer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span> +such a depraved pair of ears any longer +to wear the human form, but caused +them to increase in length, grow hairy +within and without, and to become movable +on their roots; in short, to be on +the perfect pattern of those of an ass.</p> + +<p>Mortified enough was King Midas at +this mishap; but he consoled himself +with the thought that it was possible to +hide his misfortune, which he attempted +to do by means of an ample turban +or headdress. But his hairdresser of +course knew the secret. He was charged +not to mention it, and threatened with +dire punishment if he presumed to disobey. +But he found it too much for +his discretion to keep such a secret; so +he went out into the meadow, dug a +hole in the ground, and stooping down, +whispered the story, and covered it up. +Before long a thick bed of reeds sprang +up in the meadow, and as soon as it +had gained its growth, began whispering +the story, and has continued to do +so, from that day to this, with every +breeze which passes over the place.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_263" id="Note_263">263</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The story of Phaëthon is taken by permission +from Gayley's <i>Classic Myths in English +Literature and Art</i>. (Copyright. Ginn & +Co., Boston.) Gayley is by all odds the +one handbook for the whole field of mythology +that teachers should always have +access to. Based upon the older Bulfinch, +it brings the whole subject up to date and +reflects all the results of later scholarship +on the matters of origins and interpretations. +Its bibliographies and extended commentaries +make it invaluable. The story of +Phaëthon is usually thought of as a warning +against presumption, conceit, whim, self-will. +It was probably invented in the first +place to account for the extremely hot +weather of the summer months.</div> + + +<h4><br />PHAËTHON</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHARLES MILLS GAYLEY</div> + +<p>Phaëthon was the son of Apollo and +the nymph Clymene. One day Epaphus, +the son of Jupiter and Io, scoffed at the +idea of Phaëthon's being the son of a +god. Phaëthon complained of the insult +to his mother Clymene. She sent him +to Phoebus to ask for himself whether +he had not been truly informed concerning +his parentage. Gladly Phaëthon +traveled toward the regions of sunrise +and gained at last the palace of the sun. +He approached his father's presence, but +stopped at a distance, for the light was +more than he could bear.</p> + +<p>Phoebus Apollo, arrayed in purple, +sat on a throne that glittered with +diamonds. Beside him stood the Day, +the Month, the Year, the Hours, +and the Seasons. Surrounded by these +attendants, the Sun beheld the youth +dazzled with the novelty and splendor +of the scene, and inquired the purpose +of his errand. The youth replied, "Oh, +light of the boundless world, Phoebus, +my father—if thou dost yield me that +name—give me some proof, I beseech +thee, by which I may be known as +thine!"</p> + +<p>He ceased. His father, laying aside +the beams that shone around his head, +bade him approach, embraced him, +owned him for his son, and swore by +the river Styx that whatever proof he +might ask should be granted. Phaëthon +immediately asked to be permitted for +one day to drive the chariot of the sun. +The father repented of his promise and +tried to dissuade the boy by telling him +the perils of the undertaking. "None +but myself," he said, "may drive the +flaming car of day. Not even Jupiter,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a></span> +whose terrible right arm hurls the +thunderbolts. The first part of the way +is steep and such as the horses when +fresh in the morning can hardly climb; +the middle is high up in the heavens, +whence I myself can scarcely, without +alarm, look down and behold the earth +and sea stretched beneath me. The +last part of the road descends rapidly and +requires most careful driving. Tethys, +who is waiting to receive me, often +trembles for me lest I should fall headlong. +Add to this that the heaven is +all the time turning round and carrying +the stars with it. Couldst thou keep +thy course while the sphere revolved +beneath thee? The road, also, is through +the midst of frightful monsters. Thou +must pass by the horns of the Bull, in +front of the Archer, and near the Lion's +jaws, and where the Scorpion stretches +its arms in one direction and the Crab +in another. Nor wilt thou find it easy +to guide those horses, with their breasts +full of fire that they breathe forth from +their mouths and nostrils. Beware, my +son, lest I be the donor of a fatal gift; +recall the request while yet thou canst." +He ended; but the youth rejected +admonition and held to his demand. +So, having resisted as long as he might, +Phoebus at last led the way to where +stood the lofty chariot.</p> + +<p>It was of gold, the gift of Vulcan,—the +axle of gold, the pole and wheels of +gold, the spokes of silver. Along the +seat were rows of chrysolites and diamonds, +reflecting the brightness of the +sun. While the daring youth gazed in +admiration, the early Dawn threw open +the purple doors of the east and showed +the pathway strewn with roses. The +stars withdrew, marshaled by the Daystar, +which last of all retired also. The +father, when he saw the earth beginning +to glow and the Moon preparing to +retire, ordered the Hours to harness up +the horses. They led forth from the +lofty stalls the steeds full fed with +ambrosia, and attached the reins. Then +the father, smearing the face of his son +with a powerful unguent, made him +capable of enduring the brightness of +the flame. He set the rays on the lad's +head, and, with a foreboding sigh, told +him to spare the whip and hold tight +the reins; not to take the straight road +between the five circles, but to turn off +to the left; to keep within the limit of +the middle zone and avoid the northern +and the southern alike; finally, to keep +in the well-worn ruts and to drive neither +too high nor too low, for the middle +course was safest and best.</p> + +<p>Forthwith the agile youth sprang into +the chariot, stood erect, and grasped the +reins with delight, pouring out thanks +to his reluctant parent. But the steeds +soon perceived that the load they drew +was lighter than usual; and as a ship +without its accustomed weight, was +dashed about as if empty. The horses +rushed headlong and left the traveled +road. Then, for the first time, the Great +and Little Bears were scorched with +heat, and would fain, if it were possible, +have plunged into the water; and the +Serpent which lies coiled round the north +pole, torpid and harmless, grew warm, +and with warmth felt its rage revive. +Boötes, they say, fled away, though +encumbered with his plow and unused +to rapid motion.</p> + +<p>When hapless Phaëthon looked down +upon the earth, now spreading in vast +extent beneath him, he grew pale, and +his knees shook with terror. He lost +his self-command and knew not whether<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span> +to draw tight the reins or throw them +loose; he forgot the names of the horses. +But when he beheld the monstrous forms +scattered over the surface of heaven,—the +Scorpion extending two great arms, +his tail, and his crooked claws over the +space of two signs of the zodiac,—when +the boy beheld him, reeking with poison +and menacing with fangs, his courage +failed, and the reins fell from his hands. +The horses, unrestrained, went off into +unknown regions of the sky in among +the stars, hurling the chariot over pathless +places, now up in high heaven, now +down almost to the earth. The moon +saw with astonishment her brother's +chariot running beneath her own. The +clouds began to smoke. The forest-clad +mountains burned,—Athos and +Taurus and Tmolus and Oete; Ida, once +celebrated for fountains; the Muses' +mountain Helicon, and Haemus; Aetna, +with fires within and without, and +Parnassus, with his two peaks, and +Rhodope, forced at last to part with +his snowy crown. Her cold climate was +no protection to Scythia; Caucasus +burned, and Ossa and Pindus, and, +greater than both, Olympus,—the Alps +high in air, and the Apennines crowned +with clouds.</p> + +<p>Phaëthon beheld the world on fire +and felt the heat intolerable. Then, too, +it is said, the people of Aethiopia became +black because the blood was called by +the heat so suddenly to the surface; +and the Libyan desert was dried up to +the condition in which it remains to +this day. The Nymphs of the fountains, +with disheveled hair, mourned their +waters, nor were the rivers safe beneath +their banks; Tanaïs smoked, and Caïcus, +Xanthus, and Maeander; Babylonian +Euphrates and Ganges, Tagus, with +golden sands, and Caÿster, where the +swans resort. Nile fled away and hid +his head in the desert, and there it +still remains concealed. Where he used +to discharge his waters through seven +mouths into the sea, seven dry channels +alone remained. The earth cracked open +and through the chinks light broke into +Tartarus and frightened the king of +shadows and his queen. The sea shrank +up. Even Nereus and his wife Doris +with the Nereïds, their daughters, sought +the deepest caves for refuge. Thrice +Neptune essayed to raise his head above +the surface and thrice was driven back +by the heat. Earth, surrounded as she +was by waters, yet with head and shoulders +bare, screening her face with her +hand, looked up to heaven, and with +husky voice prayed Jupiter, if it were +his will that she should perish by fire, to +end her agony at once by his thunderbolts, +or else to consider his own Heaven, +how both the poles were smoking that +sustained his palace, and that all must +fall if they were destroyed.</p> + +<p>Earth, overcome with heat and thirst, +could say no more. Then Jupiter, calling +the gods to witness that all was lost +unless some speedy remedy were applied, +thundered, brandished a lightning bolt +in his right hand, launched it against +the charioteer, and struck him at the +same moment from his seat and from +existence. Phaëthon, with his hair on +fire, fell headlong, like a shooting star +which marks the heavens with its brightness +as it falls, and Eridanus, the great +river, received him and cooled his burning +frame. His sisters, the Heliades, as +they lamented his fate, were turned into +poplar trees on the banks of the river; +and their tears, which continued to flow, +became amber as they dropped into the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span> +stream. The Italian Naiads reared a +tomb for him and inscribed these words +upon the stone:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +Driver of Phoebus' chariot, Phaëthon,<br /> +Struck by Jove's thunder, rests beneath this stone.<br /> +He could not rule his father's car of fire,<br /> +Yet was it much so nobly to aspire.<br /> +</div> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The Norse myths originated among peoples +who lived in the country which is now Norway, +Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland. In +these lands of the North, winter is long and +dark, and the intense cold is not easily +endured; but summer brings sunshine, +warmth, and happiness. It is not strange, +therefore, that the evil spirits of Norse +mythology should be represented as huge +frost giants and mountain giants. These +giants, or Jotuns, were first formed from the +mist that came from fields of ice. They +lived in a dreary country called Jötunheim, +and were enemies of the gods, who lived in +the bright, beautiful city of Asgard.</p> + +<p>To live the life of the old Norse folk required +strength and courage, for the little boats +in which they went to fish were too small +for storm-tossed Arctic seas, and the weapons +with which they hunted in the cold, +lonely forests were primitive. It is but +natural, therefore, that they should have +idealized strength and courage and that +they should have represented the gods of +Asgard as being large, strong, and courageous. +Although Thor, the eldest son of +Odin, was small in comparison with the +giants, we are told in one of the myths that +he was a mile in height; also he had great +strength and a wonderful hammer, called +Mjolmer, with which he always defeated +the giants and kept them from Asgard. +Thunder was caused by the stroke of Thor's +hammer; hence Thor was called the Thunderer.</p> + +<p>The spiritual ideals in Norse mythology are +more important than the physical ideals. +The long, cold winter nights kept the Norse +folk at home; hence they had a love for +home and family relations and a respect for +women that may not be found revealed in +the mythology of Greece. Wisdom and +judgment, too, were more essential than +craft and fraud in encountering the hardships +of their life; therefore they represented +Odin, the supreme god of Asgard, as being +the god of wisdom. The gods of Greek +mythology often used craft and fraud to +accomplish their purposes, but only Loke +among the inhabitants of Asgard relied +upon deception. Loke was descended from +the giants, but was also related to the gods; +so he was permitted to live in Asgard. It +is significant of the spirit of the Norse folk +that the gods did not trust Loke and came +to regard him as their enemy; and it was he +who finally brought misfortune to the gods.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_264" id="Note_264">264</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This story of Thor's visit to the land of the +giants is taken from Bulfinch. It deals +with one of the favorite sections of Norse +mythology, satisfying, as it does, the +listeners' demand for courageous struggle +against great and mysterious forces. The +use of illusion by the giant forces of evil +as a method of defeating the open-minded +forces of truth is strikingly exemplified in +the various contests staged at Jötunheim.</div> + + +<h4><br />THOR'S VISIT TO JÖTUNHEIM</h4> + +<p>One day the god Thor, with his servant +Thialfi, and accompanied by Loki, set +out on a journey to the giants' country. +Thialfi was of all men the swiftest of +foot. He bore Thor's wallet, containing +their provisions. When night came +on they found themselves in an immense +forest, and searched on all sides for a +place where they might pass the night, +and at last came to a very large hall, +with an entrance that took the whole +breadth of one end of the building. Here +they lay down to sleep, but towards<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[344]</a></span> +midnight were alarmed by an earthquake +which shook the whole edifice. Thor, +rising up, called on his companions to +seek with him a place of safety. On the +right they found an adjoining chamber, +into which the others entered, but Thor +remained at the doorway with his mallet +in his hand, prepared to defend himself, +whatever might happen. A terrible +groaning was heard during the night, +and at dawn of day Thor went out and +found lying near him a huge giant, who +slept and snored in the way that had +alarmed them so. It is said that for +once Thor was afraid to use his mallet, +and as the giant soon waked up, Thor +contented himself with simply asking +his name.</p> + +<p>"My name is Skrymir," said the giant, +"but I need not ask thy name, for I +know that thou art the god Thor. But +what has become of my glove?" Thor +then perceived that what they had +taken overnight for a hall was the +giant's glove, and the chamber where +his two companions had sought refuge +was the thumb. Skrymir then proposed +that they should travel in company, and +Thor consenting, they sat down to eat +their breakfast, and when they had done, +Skrymir packed all the provisions into +one wallet, threw it over his shoulder, +and strode on before them, taking such +tremendous strides that they were hard +put to it to keep up with him. So they +traveled the whole day, and at dusk +Skrymir chose a place for them to pass +the night in under a large oak tree. +Skrymir then told them he would lie +down to sleep. "But take ye the wallet," +he added, "and prepare your supper."</p> + +<p>Skrymir soon fell asleep and began to +snore strongly; but when Thor tried to +open the wallet, he found the giant had +tied it up so tight he could not untie +a single knot. At last Thor became +wroth, and grasping his mallet with +both hands he struck a furious blow +on the giant's head. Skrymir, awakening, +merely asked whether a leaf had +not fallen on his head, and whether +they had supped and were ready to go +to sleep. Thor answered that they were +just going to sleep, and so saying went +and laid himself down under another +tree. But sleep came not that night to +Thor, and when Skrymir snored again +so loud that the forest reëchoed with +the noise, he arose, and grasping his +mallet launched it with such force at +the giant's skull that it made a deep +dint in it. Skrymir, awakening, cried +out, "What's the matter? Are there +any birds perched on this tree? I felt +some moss from the branches fall on +my head. How fares it with thee +Thor?" But Thor went away hastily, +saying that he had just then awoke, +and that as it was only midnight, there +was still time for sleep. He, however, +resolved that if he had an opportunity +of striking a third blow, it should settle +all matters between them.</p> + +<p>A little before daybreak he perceived +that Skrymir was again fast asleep, and +again grasping his mallet, he dashed it +with such violence that it forced its way +into the giant's skull up to the handle. +But Skrymir sat up, and stroking his +cheek said, "An acorn fell on my +head. What! Art thou awake, Thor? +Methinks it is time for us to get up and +dress ourselves; but you have not now +a long way before you to the city called +Utgard. I have heard you whispering +to one another that I am not a man of +small dimensions; but if you come to +Utgard you will see there many men<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[345]</a></span> +much taller than I. Wherefore, I advise +you, when you come there, not to make +too much of yourselves, for the followers +of Utgard-Loki will not brook the boasting +of such little fellows as you are. +You must take the road that leads +eastward, mine lies northward, so we +must part here."</p> + +<p>Hereupon he threw his wallet over +his shoulders and turned away from +them into the forest, and Thor had no +wish to stop him or to ask for any more +of his company.</p> + +<p>Thor and his companions proceeded +on their way, and towards noon descried +a city standing in the middle of a plain. +It was so lofty that they were obliged +to bend their necks quite back on their +shoulders in order to see to the top of +it. On arriving they entered the city, +and seeing a large palace before them with +the door wide open, they went in, and +found a number of men of prodigious +stature, sitting on benches in the hall. +Going further, they came before the +king, Utgard-Loki, whom they saluted +with great respect. The king, regarding +them with a scornful smile, said, "If I +do not mistake me, that stripling yonder +must be the god Thor." Then addressing +himself to Thor, he said, "Perhaps +thou mayst be more than thou appearest +to be. What are the feats that thou +and thy fellows deem yourselves skilled +in, for no one is permitted to remain +here who does not, in some feat or +other, excel all other men?"</p> + +<p>"The feat that I know," said Loki, +"is to eat quicker than any one else, +and in this I am ready to give a proof +against any one here who may choose +to compete with me."</p> + +<p>"That will indeed be a feat," said +Utgard-Loki, "if thou performest what +thou promisest, and it shall be tried +forthwith."</p> + +<p>He then ordered one of his men who +was sitting at the farther end of the +bench, and whose name was Logi, to +come forward and try his skill with +Loki. A trough filled with meat having +been set on the hall floor, Loki placed +himself at one end, and Logi at the other, +and each of them began to eat as fast +as he could, until they met in the middle +of the trough. But it was found that +Loki had only eaten the flesh, while his +adversary had devoured both flesh and +bone, and the trough to boot. All the +company therefore adjudged that Loki +was vanquished.</p> + +<p>Utgard-Loki then asked what feat +the young man who accompanied Thor +could perform. Thialfi answered that +he would run a race with any one who +might be matched against him. The +king observed that skill in running was +something to boast of, but if the youth +would win the match he must display +great agility. He then arose and went +with all who were present to a plain where +there was good ground for running on, +and calling a young man named Hugi, +bade him run a match with Thialfi. In +the first course Hugi so much outstripped +his competitor that he turned back and +met him not far from the starting place. +Then they ran a second and a third +time, but Thialfi met with no better +success.</p> + +<p>Utgard-Loki then asked Thor in what +feats he would choose to give proofs of +that prowess for which he was so famous. +Thor answered that he would try a +drinking-match with any one. Utgard-Loki +bade his cup-bearer bring the large +horn which his followers were obliged +to empty when they had trespassed in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[346]</a></span> +any way against the law of the feast. +The cup-bearer having presented it to +Thor, Utgard-Loki said, "Whoever is a +good drinker will empty that horn at +a single draught, though most men make +two of it, but the most puny drinker can +do it in three."</p> + +<p>Thor looked at the horn, which seemed +of no extraordinary size though somewhat +long; however, as he was very thirsty, +he set it to his lips, and without drawing +breath, pulled as long and as deeply +as he could, that he might not be obliged +to make a second draught of it; but +when he set the horn down and looked +in, he could scarcely perceive that the +liquor was diminished.</p> + +<p>After taking breath, Thor went to it +again with all his might, but when he +took the horn from his mouth, it seemed +to him that he had drunk rather less +than before, although the horn could +now be carried without spilling.</p> + +<p>"How now, Thor?" said Utgard-Loki; +"thou must not spare thyself. If thou +meanest to drain the horn at the third +draught thou must pull deeply; and I +must needs say that thou wilt not be +called so mighty a man here as thou art +at home if thou showest no greater +prowess in other feats than methinks +will be shown in this."</p> + +<p>Thor, full of wrath, again set the horn +to his lips and did his best to empty it; +but on looking in found the liquor was +only a little lower, so he resolved to make +no further attempt, but gave back the +horn to the cup-bearer.</p> + +<p>"I now see plainly," said Utgard-Loki, +"that thou art not quite so stout +as we thought thee; but wilt thou try +any other feat, though methinks thou +art not likely to bear any prize away +with thee hence?"</p> + +<p>"What new trial hast thou to propose?" +said Thor.</p> + +<p>"We have a very trifling game here," +answered Utgard-Loki, "in which we +exercise none but children. It consists +in merely lifting my cat from the ground; +nor should I have dared to mention such +a feat to the great Thor if I had not +already observed that thou art by no +means what we took thee for."</p> + +<p>As he finished speaking, a large gray +cat sprang on the hall floor. Thor put +his hand under the cat's belly and did +his utmost to raise him from the floor, +but the cat, bending his back, had, +notwithstanding all Thor's efforts, only +one of his feet lifted up, seeing which +Thor made no further attempt.</p> + +<p>"This trial has turned out," said +Utgard-Loki, "just as I imagined it +would. The cat is large, but Thor is +little in comparison to our men."</p> + +<p>"Little as ye call me," answered Thor, +"let me see who among you will come +hither now I am in wrath and wrestle +with me."</p> + +<p>"I see no one here," said Utgard-Loki, +looking at the men sitting on the benches, +"who would not think it beneath him +to wrestle with thee; let somebody, however, +call hither that old crone, my +nurse Elli, and let Thor wrestle with her +if he will. She has thrown to the ground +many a man not less strong than this +Thor is."</p> + +<p>A toothless old woman then entered +the hall, and was told by Utgard-Loki +to take hold of Thor. The tale is shortly +told. The more Thor tightened his +hold on the crone the firmer she stood. +At length after a very violent struggle +Thor began to lose his footing, and was +finally brought down upon one knee. +Utgard-Loki then told them to desist,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[347]</a></span> +adding that Thor had now no occasion +to ask any one else in the hall to wrestle +with him, and it was also getting late; +so he showed Thor and his companions +to their seats, and they passed the night +there in good cheer.</p> + +<p>The next morning, at break of day, +Thor and his companions dressed themselves +and prepared for their departure. +Utgard-Loki ordered a table to be set +for them, on which there was no lack +of victuals or drink. After the repast +Utgard-Loki led them to the gate of +the city, and on parting asked Thor how +he thought his journey had turned out, +and whether he had met with any men +stronger than himself. Thor told him +that he could not deny but that he had +brought great shame on himself. "And +what grieves me most," he added, "is +that ye will call me a person of little +worth."</p> + +<p>"Nay," said Utgard-Loki, "it behooves +me to tell thee the truth, now thou art +out of the city, which so long as I live +and have my way thou shalt never enter +again. And, by my troth, had I known +beforehand that thou hadst so much +strength in thee, and wouldst have +brought me so near to a great mishap, I +would not have suffered thee to enter +this time. Know then that I have all +along deceived thee by my illusions; +first in the forest, where I tied up the +wallet with iron wire so that thou +couldst not untie it. After this thou +gavest me three blows with thy mallet; +the first, though the least, would have +ended my days had it fallen on me, but +I slipped aside and thy blows fell on the +mountain, where thou wilt find three +glens, one of them remarkably deep. +These are the dints made by thy mallet. +I have made use of similar illusions in +the contests you have had with my +followers. In the first, Loki, like hunger +itself, devoured all that was set before +him, but Logi was in reality nothing +else than Fire, and therefore consumed +not only the meat, but the trough which +held it. Hugi, with whom Thialfi contended +in running, was Thought, and it +was impossible for Thialfi to keep pace +with that. When thou in thy turn +didst attempt to empty the horn, thou +didst perform, by my troth, a deed so +marvelous that had I not seen it myself +I should never have believed it. For +one end of that horn reached the sea, +which thou wast not aware of, but when +thou comest to the shore thou wilt +perceive how much the sea has sunk +by thy draughts. Thou didst perform +a feat no less wonderful by lifting up +the cat, and to tell thee the truth, when +we saw that one of his paws was off +the floor, we were all of us terror-stricken, +for what thou tookest for a cat was in +reality the Midgard serpent that encompasseth +the earth, and he was so stretched +by thee that he was barely long enough +to enclose it between his head and tail. +Thy wrestling with Elli was also a most +astonishing feat, for there was never +yet a man, nor ever will be, whom Old +Age, for such in fact was Elli, will not +sooner or later lay low. But now, as +we are going to part, let me tell thee +that it will be better for both of us if +thou never come near me again, for +shouldst thou do so, I shall again defend +myself by other illusions, so that thou +wilt only lose thy labor and get no fame +from the contest with me."</p> + +<p>On hearing these words Thor in a rage +laid hold of his mallet and would have +launched it at him, but Utgard-Loki had +disappeared, and when Thor would have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[348]</a></span> +returned to the city to destroy it, he +found nothing around him but a verdant +plain.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_265" id="Note_265">265</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">One of the very best sources for the stories of +Norse mythology is the little book called +<i>Norse Stories</i>, by Hamilton Wright Mabie +(1846-1916). (Edited by Katherine Lee +Bates, and published by Rand McNally & +Co., Chicago. Copyright, and used here +by permission.) It reads well as a connected +story and the versions follow closely +the originals as found in the ancient Eddas. +In his introduction Mr. Mabie comments +upon those who made these stories, in language +that suggests something of the value +of the stories to us: "They thought of life +as a tremendous fight, and they wanted to +acquit themselves like men; enduring hardship +without repining, doing hard work +honestly and with a whole heart, and dying +with their faces toward their foes. Their +heaven was a place for heroes, and their +gods were men of heroic size and spirit." +Of the subject of the following myth it has +been said, "Odin had no less than two hundred +names, as, Father of the Ages, Father +of Hosts, Father of Victory, the High One, +the Swift One, the Wanderer, Long-Beard, +Burning-Eye, Slouchy-Hat. Odin is a one-eyed +god, because the sky has but one sun. +His raiment is sometimes blue and sometimes +gray, as the weather is fair or cloudy."</div> + + +<h4><br />ODIN'S SEARCH FOR WISDOM</h4> + +<div class='center'>HAMILTON WRIGHT MABIE</div> + +<p>The wonderful ash-tree, Ygdrasil, made +a far-spreading shade against the fierce +heat of the sun in summer, and a stronghold +against the piercing winds of winter. +No man could remember when it had +been young. Little children played under +its branches, grew to be strong men +and women, lived to be old and weary +and feeble, and died; and yet the ash-tree +gave no signs of decay. Forever +preserving its freshness and beauty, it +was to live as long as there were men to +look upon it, animals to feed under it, +birds to flutter among its branches.</p> + +<p>This mighty ash-tree touched and +bound all the worlds together in its +wonderful circle of life. One root it +sent deep down into the sightless depths +of Hel, where the dead lived; another +it fastened firmly in Jötunheim, the +dreary home of the giants; and with +the third it grasped Midgard, the dwelling +place of men. Serpents and all +kinds of worms gnawed continually at +its roots, but were never able to destroy +them. Its branches spread out over +the whole earth, and the topmost boughs +swayed in the clear air of Asgard itself, +rustling against the Valhal, the home of +the heroes who had done great deeds +or died manfully in battle. At the foot +of the tree sat the three Norns, wonderful +spinners of fate, who weave the +thread of every man's life, making it +what they will; and a strange weaving +it often was, cut off when the pattern +was just beginning to show itself. And +every day these Norns sprinkled the +tree with the water of life from the +Urdar fountain, and so kept it forever +green. In the topmost branches sat an +eagle singing a strange song about the +birth of the world, its decay and death. +Under its branches browsed all manner +of animals; among its leaves every kind +of bird made its nest; by day the rainbow +hung under it; at night the pale +northern light flashed over it, and as +the winds swept through its rustling +branches, the multitudinous murmur of +the leaves told strange stories of the +past and of the future.</p> + +<p>The giants were older than the gods,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[349]</a></span> +and knew so much more of the past +that the gods had to go to them for +wisdom. After a time, however, the +gods became wiser than the giants, or +they would have ceased to be gods, and +been destroyed by the giants, instead +of destroying them. When the world +was still young, and there were still many +things which even the gods had to learn, +Odin was so anxious to become wise +that he went to a deep well whose waters +touched the roots of Ygdrasil itself. +The keeper of the well was a very old +and very wise giant, named Mimer, or +Memory, and he gave no draughts out +of the well until he was well paid; for +the well contained the water of wisdom, +and whoever drank of it became straightway +wonderfully wise.</p> + +<p>"Give me a draught of this clear +water, O Mimer," said Odin, when he +had reached the well, and was looking +down into its clear, fathomless depths.</p> + +<p>Mimer, the keeper, was so old that +he could remember everything that had +ever happened. His eyes were clear and +calm as the stars, his face was noble and +restful, and his long white beard flowed +down to his waist.</p> + +<p>"This water is only to be had at a +great price," he said in a wonderfully +sweet, majestic tone. "I cannot give +to all who ask, but only to those who +are able and willing to give greatly in +return," he continued.</p> + +<p>If Odin had been less of a god he +would have thought longer and bargained +sharper, but he was so godlike +that he cared more to be wise and great +than for anything else.</p> + +<p>"I will give you whatever you ask," +he answered.</p> + +<p>Mimer thought a moment. "You +must leave an eye," he said at last.</p> + +<p>Then he drew up a great draught of +the sparkling water, and Odin quenched +his divine thirst and went away rejoicing, +although he had left an eye behind. +Even the gods could not be wise without +struggle and toil and sacrifice.</p> + +<p>So Odin became the wisest in all the +worlds, and there was no god or giant +that could contend with him. There +was one giant, however, who was called +all-wise in Jötunheim, with whom many +had contended in knowledge, with curious +and difficult questions, and had always +been silenced and killed, for then, as +now, a man's life often depended on his +wisdom. Of this giant, Vafthrudner, and +his wisdom many wonderful stories were +told, and even among the gods his fame +was great. One day as Odin sat thinking +of many strange things in the worlds, +and many mysterious things in the future, +he thought of Vafthrudner. "I will go to +Jötunheim and measure wisdom with Vafthrudner, +the wisest of the giants," said +he to Frigg, his wife, who was sitting by.</p> + +<p>Then Frigg remembered those who had +gone to contend with the all-wise giant +and had never come back, and a fear +came over her that the same fate might +befall Odin.</p> + +<p>"You are wisest in all the worlds, +All-Father," she said; "why should +you seek a treacherous giant who knows +not half so much as you?"</p> + +<p>But Odin, who feared nothing, could +not be persuaded to stay, and Frigg +sadly said good-by as he passed out of +Asgard on his journey to Jötunheim. +His blue mantle set with stars and his +golden helmet he left behind him, and +as he journeyed swiftly those who met +him saw nothing godlike in him; nor did +Vafthrudner when at last he stood at +the giant's door.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[350]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I am a simple traveler, Gangraad +by name," he said, as Vafthrudner came +gruffly toward him. "I ask your hospitality +and a chance to strive with you +in wisdom." The giant laughed scornfully +at the thought of a man coming +to contend with him for mastery in +knowledge.</p> + +<p>"You shall have all you want of +both," he growled, "and if you cannot +answer my questions you shall never +go hence alive."</p> + +<p>He did not even ask Odin to sit down, +but let him stand in the hall, despising +him too much to show him any courtesy. +After a time he began to ask questions.</p> + +<p>"Tell me, if you can, O wise Gangraad, +the name of the river which +divides Asgard from Jötunheim."</p> + +<p>"The river Ifing, which never freezes +over," answered Odin quickly, as if it +were the easiest question in the world; +and indeed it was to him, although no +man could have answered it. Vafthrudner +looked up in great surprise +when he heard the reply.</p> + +<p>"Good," he said, "you have answered +rightly. Tell me, now, the names of +the horses that carry day and night +across the sky."</p> + +<p>Before the words were fairly spoken +Odin replied, "Skinfaxe and Hrimfaxe." +The giant could not conceal his surprise +that a man should know these things.</p> + +<p>"Once more," he said quickly, as if +he were risking everything on one question; +"tell me the name of the plain +where the Last Battle will be fought."</p> + +<p>This was a terrible question, for the +Last Battle was still far off in the future, +and only the gods and the greatest of +the giants knew where and when it +would come. Odin bowed his head +when he heard the words, for to be ready +for that battle was the divine work of +his life, and then said, slowly and +solemnly, "On the plain of Vigrid, which +is one hundred miles on each side."</p> + +<p>Vafthrudner rose trembling from his +seat. He knew now that Gangraad was +some great one in disguise, and that his +own life hung on the answers he himself +would soon be forced to make.</p> + +<p>"Sit here beside me," he said, "for +whoever you are, worthier antagonist +has never entered these walls."</p> + +<p>Then they sat down together in the +rude stone hall, the mightiest of the +gods and the wisest of the giants, and +the great contest in wisdom, with a life +hanging in either scale, went on between +them. Wonderful secrets of the time +when no man was and the time when +no man will be, those silent walls listened +to as Vafthrudner asked Odin one deep +question after another, the answer coming +swiftly and surely.</p> + +<p>After a time the giant could ask no +more, for he had exhausted his wisdom.</p> + +<p>"It is my turn now," said Odin, and +one after another he drew out from +Vafthrudner the events of the past and +then the wonderful things of the race +of giants, and finally he began to question +him of that dim, mysterious future +whose secrets only the gods know; and +as he touched these wonderful things +Odin's eyes began to flash, and his form +to grow larger and nobler until he seemed +no longer the humble Gangraad, but the +mighty god he was, and Vafthrudner +trembled as he felt the coming doom +nearing him with every question.</p> + +<p>So hours went by, until at last Odin +paused in his swift questioning, stooped +down, and asked the giant, "What did +Odin whisper in the ear of Balder as he +ascended the funeral pile?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[351]</a></span></p> + +<p>Only Odin himself could answer this +question, and Vafthrudner replied +humbly and with awe, "Who but thyself, +All-Father, knoweth the words thou +didst say to thy son in the days of old? +I have brought my doom upon myself, +for in my ignorance I have contended +with wisdom itself. Thou art ever the +wisest of all."</p> + +<p>So Odin conquered, and Wisdom was +victorious, as she always has been even +when she has contended with giants.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_266" id="Note_266">266</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The story of the splendid courage of Tyr at +the time of the chaining up of the terrible +Fenris wolf has always been one of the +favorite Norse tales. The three repulsive +giant monsters in whom the forces of evil +are embodied are well imagined to suggest +to us powers that may finally be stronger +than the gods themselves. The failures to +find a chain strong enough, and the final +success with the magic bond made in +Dwarfland, form a series of powerfully +dramatic steps in the story. The elements +of which the slender rope is made never +fail to fascinate hearers, young or old, with +a sense of the most profound mystery. +"Why the dwarfs should be able to make a +chain strong enough to bind him, which +the gods had failed to do, is a puzzle. May +it mean that subtlety can compass ends +which force has to relinquish, or possibly +a better thing than subtlety, gentleness?" +And the final need of a hero willing to take +extreme risks for some good greater than +himself is amply and admirably satisfied +in the brave Tyr. The version of the story +used here is from Miss E. M. Wilmot-Buxton's +<i>Stories of Norse Heroes</i>.</div> + + +<h4><br />HOW THE FENRIS WOLF WAS +CHAINED</h4> + +<div class='center'>E. M. WILMOT-BUXTON</div> + +<p>Fair as were the meads of Asgard, we +have seen that the Asa folk were fond of +wandering far afield in other regions. +Most restless of all was Red Loki, that +cunning fellow who was always bringing +trouble upon himself or upon his +kindred. And because he loved evil, +he would often betake himself to the +gloomy halls of Giantland and mingle +with the wicked folk of that region.</p> + +<p>Now one day he met a hideous giantess +named Angur-Boda. This creature had +a heart of ice, and because he loved +ugliness and evil she had a great attraction +for him, and in the end he married +her, and they lived together in a horrible +cave in Giantland.</p> + +<p>Three children were born to Loki and +Angur-Boda in this dread abode, and +they were even more terrible in appearance +than their mother. The first was +an immense wolf called Fenris, with a +huge mouth filled with long white teeth, +which he was constantly gnashing +together. The second was a wicked-looking +serpent with a fiery-red tongue +lolling from its mouth. The third was +a hideous giantess, partly blue and partly +flesh color, whose name was Hela.</p> + +<p>No sooner were these three terrible +children born than all the wise men of +the earth began to foretell the misery +they would bring upon the Asa folk.</p> + +<p>In vain did Loki try to keep them +hidden within the cave wherein their +mother dwelt. They soon grew so +immense in size that no dwelling would +contain them, and all the world began +to talk of their frightful appearance.</p> + +<p>It was not long, of course, before +All-Father Odin, from his high seat in +Asgard, heard of the children of Loki. +So he sent for some of the Asas, and said: +"Much evil will come upon us, O my +children, from this giant brood, if we +defend not ourselves against them. For<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[352]</a></span> +their mother will teach them wickedness, +and still more quickly will they +learn the cunning wiles of their father. +Fetch me them here, therefore, that I +may deal with them forthwith."</p> + +<p>So, after somewhat of a struggle, the +Asas captured the three giant-children +and brought them before Odin's judgment +seat.</p> + +<p>Then Odin looked first at Hela, and +when he saw her gloomy eyes, full of +misery and despair, he was sorry, and +dealt kindly with her, saying: "Thou +art the bringer of Pain to man, and +Asgard is no place for such as thou. +But I will make thee ruler of the Mist +Home, and there shalt thou rule over that +unlighted world, the Region of the Dead."</p> + +<p>Forthwith he sent her away over +rough roads to the cold, dark region of +the North called the Mist Home. And +there did Hela rule over a grim crew, +for all those who had done wickedness +in the world above were imprisoned by +her in those gloomy regions. To her +came also all those who had died, not on +the battlefield, but of old age or disease. +And though these were treated kindly +enough, theirs was a joyless life in comparison +with that of the dead warriors +who were feasting and fighting in the +halls of Valhalla, under the kindly rule +of All-Father Odin.</p> + +<p>Having thus disposed of Hela, Odin +next turned his attention to the serpent. +And when he saw his evil tongue and +cunning, wicked eyes, he said: "Thou +art he who bringest Sin into the world +of men; therefore the ocean shall be +thy home forever."</p> + +<p>Then he threw that horrid serpent +into the deep sea which surrounds all +lands, and there the creature grew so +fast that when he stretched himself one +day he encircled all the earth, and held +his own tail fast in his mouth. And +sometimes he grew angry to think that +he, the son of a god, had thus been +cast out; and at those times he would +writhe with his huge body and lash his +tail till the sea spouted up to the sky. +And when that happened the men of the +North said that a great tempest was +raging. But it was only the serpent-son +of Loki writhing in his wrath.</p> + +<p>Then Odin turned to the third child. +And behold! the Fenris Wolf was so +appalling to look upon that Odin feared +to cast him forth, and he decided to +endeavor to tame him by kindness so +that he should not wish them ill.</p> + +<p>But when he bade them carry food +to the Fenris Wolf, not one of the Asas +would do so, for they feared a snap +from his great jaws. Only the brave +Tyr had courage enough to feed him, +and the wolf ate so much and so fast +that the business took him all his time. +Meantime, too, the Fenris grew so +rapidly, and became so fierce, that the +gods were compelled to take counsel +and consider how they should get rid +of him. They remembered that it would +make their peaceful halls unholy if they +were to slay him, and so they resolved +instead to bind him fast, that he should +be unable to do them harm.</p> + +<p>So those of the Asa folk who were +clever smiths set to work and made a +very strong, thick chain; and when it +was finished they carried it out to the +yard where the wolf dwelt, and said to +him, as though in jest: "Here is a fine +proof of thy boasted strength, O Fenris. +Let us bind this about thee, that we may +see if thou canst break it asunder."</p> + +<p>Then the wolf gave a great grin with +his wide jaws, and came and stood still<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[353]</a></span> +that they might bind the chain about +him; for he knew what he could do. +And it came to pass that directly they +had fastened the chain, and had slipped +aside from him, the great beast gave +himself a shake, and the chain fell about +him in little bits. At this the Asas +were much annoyed, but they tried not +to show it, and praised him for his +strength.</p> + +<p>Then they set to work again upon a +chain much stronger than the last, and +brought it to the Fenris Wolf, saying: +"Great will be thy renown, O Fenris, if +thou canst break this chain as thou didst +the last."</p> + +<p>But the wolf looked at them askance, +for the chain they brought was very +much thicker than the one he had already +broken. He reflected, however, that +since that time he himself had grown +stronger and bigger, and moreover, that +one must risk something in order to +win renown.</p> + +<p>So he let them put the chain upon +him, and when the Asas said that all +was ready, he gave a good shake and +stretched himself a few times, and again +the fetters lay in fragments on the ground.</p> + +<p>Then the gods began to fear that they +would never hold the wolf in bonds; +and it was All-Father Odin who persuaded +them to make one more attempt. So they +sent a messenger to Dwarfland bidding +him ask the Little Men to make a chain +which nothing could possibly destroy.</p> + +<p>Setting at once to work, the clever +little smiths soon fashioned a slender +silken rope, and gave it to the messenger, +saying that no strength could break it, +and that the more it was strained the +stronger it would become.</p> + +<p>It was made of the most mysterious +things—the sound of a cat's footsteps, +the roots of a mountain, the sinews of +a bear, the breath of fishes, and other +such strange materials, which only the +dwarfs knew how to use. With this +chain the messenger hastened back over +the Rainbow Bridge to Asgard.</p> + +<p>By this time the Fenris Wolf had grown +too big for his yard, so he lived on a +rocky island in the middle of the lake +that lies in the midst of Asgard. And +here the Asas now betook themselves +with their chain, and began to play their +part with wily words.</p> + +<p>"See," they cried, "O Fenris! Here is +a cord so soft and thin that none would +think of it binding such strength as +thine." And they laughed great laughs, +and handed it to one another, and tried +its strength by pulling at it with all +their might, but it did not break.</p> + +<p>Then they came nearer and used more +wiles, saying: "<i>We</i> cannot break the +cord, though 'tis stronger than it looks, +but thou, O mighty one, will be able +to snap it in a moment."</p> + +<p>But the wolf tossed his head in scorn, +and said: "Small renown would there +be to me, O Asa folk, if I were to break +yon slender string. Save, therefore, your +breath, and leave me now alone."</p> + +<p>"Aha!" cried the Asas, "thou fearest +the might of the silken cord, thou false +one, and that is why thou wilt not let +us bind thee!"</p> + +<p>"Not I," said the Fenris Wolf, growing +rather suspicious, "but if it is made +with craft and guile it shall never come +near my feet."</p> + +<p>"But," said the Asas, "thou wilt +surely be able to break this silken cord +with ease, since thou hast already broken +the great iron fetters."</p> + +<p>To this the wolf made no answer, +pretending not to hear.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[354]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Come!" said the Asas again, "why +shouldst thou fear? For even if thou +couldst not break the cord we would +immediately let thee free again. To +refuse is a coward's piece of work."</p> + +<p>Then the wolf gnashed his teeth at +them in anger, and said: "Well I know +you Asas! For if you bind me so fast +that I cannot get loose you will skulk +away, and it will be long before I get +any help from you; and therefore am +I loth to let this band be laid upon me."</p> + +<p>But still the Asas continued to persuade +him and to twit him with cowardice +until at length the Fenris Wolf said, +with a sullen growl: "Have it your own +way then. But, as a pledge that this +is done without deceit, let one of you +lay his hand in my mouth while you are +binding me, and afterwards while I try +to break the bonds."</p> + +<p>Then the Asa folk looked at one +another in dismay, for they knew very +well what this would mean. And while +they consulted together the wolf stood +gnashing his teeth at them with a horrid +grin.</p> + +<p>At length Tyr the Brave hesitated no +longer. Boldly he stalked up to the +wolf and thrust his arm into his enormous +mouth, bidding the Asas bind fast the +beast. Scarce had they done so when +the wolf began to strain and pull, but +the more he did so the tighter and +stiffer the rope became.</p> + +<p>The gods shouted and laughed with +glee when they saw how all his efforts +were in vain. But Tyr did not join in +their mirth, for the wolf in his rage +snapped his great teeth together and +bit off his hand at the wrist.</p> + +<p>Now when the Asas discovered that +the animal was fast bound, they took the +chain which was fixed to the rope and +drew it through a huge rock, and fastened +this rock deep down in the earth, so +that it could never be moved. And this +they fastened to another great rock which +was driven still deeper into the ground.</p> + +<p>When the Fenris Wolf found that he +had been thus secured he opened his +mouth terribly wide, and twisted himself +right and left, and tried his best to +bite the Asa folk. He uttered, moreover, +such terrible howls that at length +the gods could bear it no longer. So +they took a sword and thrust it into his +mouth, so that the hilt rested on his +lower, and the point against his upper, +jaw. And there he was doomed to +remain until the end of All Things shall +come, when he</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Freed from the Chain<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Shall range the Earth."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_267" id="Note_267">267</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The story of Frey in the Norse mythology +corresponds to that of Persephone (Proserpine) +in classic mythology. (See No. <a href="#Note_255">255</a>.) +Frey is "the god of the earth's fruitfulness, +presiding over rain, sunshine, and all the +fruits of the earth, and dispensing wealth +among men." Skirnir is the sun-warmed +air, and Gerda is the seed. The version of +the story used below is from <i>The Heroes of +Asgard</i> by Annie and Eliza Keary. This +book was first published in 1854, and while +a little old-fashioned in style is still one of +the most pleasing attempts to tell the Norse +myths for young people.</div> + + +<h4><br />FREY</h4> + +<div class='center'>A. AND E. KEARY</div> + + +<div class='center'><br />PART I</div> + +<div class='center'>ON TIPTOE IN AIR THRONE</div> + +<p>Wherever Frey came there was summer +and sunshine. Flowers sprang up +under his footsteps, and bright-winged +insects, like flying flowers, hovered round<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[355]</a></span> +his head. His warm breath ripened the +fruit on the trees, and gave a bright +yellow color to the corn, and purple +bloom to the grapes, as he passed through +fields and vineyards.</p> + +<p>When he rode along in his car, drawn +by the stately boar, Golden Bristles, +soft winds blew before him, filling the +air with fragrance and spreading abroad +the news, "Van Frey is coming!" and +every half-closed flower burst into perfect +beauty, and forest, and field, and +hill flushed their richest colors to greet +his presence.</p> + +<p>Under Frey's care and instruction the +pretty little light elves forgot their idle +ways and learned all the pleasant tasks +he had promised to teach them. It +was the prettiest possible sight to see +them in the evening filling their tiny +buckets, and running about among the +woods and meadows to hang the dew-drops +deftly on the slender tips of the +grass-blades, or to drop them into the +half-closed cups of the sleepy flowers. +When this last of their day's tasks was +over they used to cluster round their +summer-king, like bees about the queen, +while he told them stories about the +wars between the Aesir and the giants, +or of the old time when he lived alone +with his father Niörd, in Noatun, and +listened to the waves singing songs of +far distant lands. So pleasantly did +they spend their time in Alfheim.</p> + +<p>But in the midst of all this work and +play Frey had a wish in his mind, of +which he could not help often talking to +his clear-minded messenger and friend +Skirnir. "I have seen many things," +he used to say, "and traveled through +many lands; but to see all the world at +once, as Asa Odin does from Air Throne, +<i>that</i> must be a splendid sight."</p> + +<p>"Only Father Odin may sit on Air +Throne," Skirnir would say; and it +seemed to Frey that this answer was not +so much to the purpose as his friend's +sayings generally were.</p> + +<p>At length, one very clear summer +evening, when Odin was feasting with +the other Aesir in Valhalla, Frey could +restrain his curiosity no longer. He left +Alfheim, where all the little elves were +fast asleep, and, without asking any +one's advice, climbed into Air Throne, +and stood on tiptoe in Odin's very seat. +It was a clear evening, and I had, +perhaps, better not even try to tell you +what Frey saw.</p> + +<p>He looked first all round him over +Manheim, where the rosy light of the +set sun still lingered, and where men, +and birds, and flowers were gathering +themselves up for their night's repose; +then he glanced towards the heavenly +hills where Bifröst rested, and then +towards the shadowy land which deepened +down into Niflheim. At length he +turned his eyes northward to the misty +land of Jötunheim. There the shades +of evening had already fallen; but from +his high place Frey could still see distinct +shapes moving about through the gloom. +Strange and monstrous shapes they were, +and Frey stood a little higher, on tiptoe, +that he might look further after them. +In this position he could just descry a +tall house standing on a hill in the very +middle of Jötunheim. While he looked +at it a maiden came and lifted up her +arms to undo the latch of the door. It +was dusk in Jötunheim; but when this +maiden lifted up her white arms, such +a dazzling reflection came from them, +that Jötunheim, and the sky, and all +the sea were flooded with clear light. +For a moment everything could be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[356]</a></span> +distinctly seen; but Frey saw nothing but +the face of the maiden with the uplifted +arms; and when she had entered the +house and shut the door after her, and +darkness fell again on earth, and sky, +and sea,—darkness fell, too, upon Frey's +heart.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />PART II</div> + +<div class='center'>THE GIFT</div> + +<p>The next morning, when the little elves +awoke up with the dawn, and came +thronging round their king to receive his +commands, they were surprised to see +that he had changed since they last +saw him.</p> + +<p>"He has grown up in the night," +they whispered one to another sorrowfully. +And in truth he was no longer +so fit a teacher and playfellow for the +merry little people as he had been a few +hours before.</p> + +<p>It was to no purpose that the sweet +winds blew, and the flowers opened, +when Frey came forth from his chamber. +A bright white light still danced +before him, and nothing now seemed +to him worth looking at. That evening +when the sun had set, and work +was over, there were no stories for the +light elves.</p> + +<p>"Be still," Frey said, when they pressed +round. "If you will be still and listen, +there are stories enough to be heard +better than mine."</p> + +<p>I do not know whether the elves heard +anything; but to Frey it seemed that +flowers, and birds, and winds, and the +whispering rivers, united that day in +singing one song, which he never wearied +of hearing. "We are fair," they said; +"but there is nothing in the whole world +so fair as Gerda, the giant-maiden whom +you saw last night in Jötunheim."</p> + +<p>"Frey has dew-drops in his eyes," the +little elves said to each other in whispers +as they sat round looking up at him, and +they felt very much surprised; for only +to men and the Aesir is it permitted to +be sorrowful and weep. Soon, however, +wiser people noticed the change that had +come over the summer-king, and his +good-natured father, Niörd, sent Skirnir +one day into Alfheim to inquire into the +cause of Frey's sorrow.</p> + +<p>He found him walking alone in a shady +place, and Frey was glad enough to tell +his trouble to his wise friend.</p> + +<p>When he had related the whole story, +he said, "And now you will see that +there is no use in asking me to be merry +as I used to be; for how can I ever be +happy in Alfheim, and enjoy the summer +and sunshine, while my dear Gerda, whom +I love, is living in a dark, cold land, +among cruel giants?"</p> + +<p>"If she be really as beautiful and +beloved as you say," answered Skirnir, +"she must be sadly out of place in +Jötunheim. Why do not you ask her +to be your wife, and live with you in +Alfheim?"</p> + +<p>"That would I only too gladly do," +answered Frey; "but if I were to leave +Alfheim only for a few hours, the cruel +giant Ryme,—the Frost Giant—would +rush in to take my place; all the labors +of the year would be undone in a night, +and the poor, toiling men, who are +watching for the harvest, would wake +some morning to find their corn fields +and orchards buried in snow."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Skirnir, thoughtfully, "I +am neither so strong nor so beautiful +as you, Frey; but, if you will give me +the sword that hangs by your side, I will +undertake the journey to Jötunheim; +and I will speak in such a way of you,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[357]</a></span> +and of Alfheim, to the lovely Gerda, +that she will gladly leave her land and +the house of her giant-father to come to +you."</p> + +<p>Now, Frey's sword was a gift, and he +knew well enough that he ought not to +part with it, or trust it in any hands +but his own; and yet how could he +expect Skirnir to risk all the dangers +of Jötunheim for any less recompense +than an enchanted sword? And what +other hope had he of ever seeing his dear +Gerda again?</p> + +<p>He did not allow himself a moment +to think of the choice he was making. +He unbuckled his sword from his side +and put it into Skirnir's hands; and +then he turned rather pettishly away, +and threw himself down on a mossy +bank under a tree.</p> + +<p>"You will be many days in traveling +to Jötunheim," he said, "and all that +time I shall be miserable."</p> + +<p>Skirnir was too sensible to think this +speech worth answering. He took a +hasty farewell of Frey, and prepared to +set off on his journey; but, before he +left the hill, he chanced to see the reflection +of Frey's face in a little pool of +water that lay near. In spite of its +sorrowful expression, it was as beautiful +as the woods are in full summer, and a +clever thought came into Skirnir's mind. +He stooped down, without Frey's seeing +him, and, with cunning touch, stole the +picture out of the water; then he fastened +it up carefully in his silver drinking-horn, +and, hiding it in his mantle, he +mounted his horse and rode towards +Jötunheim, secure of succeeding in +his mission, since he carried a matchless +sword to conquer the giant, +and a matchless picture to win the +maiden.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />PART III</div> + +<div class='center'>FAIREST GERDA</div> + +<p>The house of Gymir, Gerda's father, +stood in the middle of Jötunheim, so it +will not be difficult for you to imagine +what a toilsome and wondrous journey +Skirnir had. He was a brave hero, and +he rode a brave horse; but, when they +came to the barrier of murky flame that +surrounds Jötunheim, a shudder came +over both.</p> + +<p>"Dark it is without," said Skirnir to +his horse, "and you and I must leap +through flame, and go over hoar mountains +among Giant Folk. The giants +will take us both, or we shall return +victorious together." Then he patted +his horse's neck, and touched him with +his armed heel, and with one bound he +cleared the barrier, and his hoofs rang +on the frozen land.</p> + +<p>Their first day's journey was through +the land of the Frost Giants, whose +prickly touch kills, and whose breath is +sharper than swords. Then they passed +through the dwellings of the horse-headed +and vulture-headed giants—monsters +terrible to see. Skirnir hid +his face, and the horse flew along swifter +than the wind.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the third day they +reached Gymir's house. Skirnir rode +round it nine times; but though there +were twenty doors, he could find no +entrance; for fierce three-headed dogs +guarded every doorway.</p> + +<p>At length he saw a herdsman pass +near, and he rode up and asked him +how it was possible for a stranger to +enter Gymir's house, or get a sight of +his fair daughter Gerda.</p> + +<p>"Are you doomed to death, or are +you already a dead man," answered the +herdsman, "that you talk of seeing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[358]</a></span> +Gymir's fair daughter, or entering a +house from which no one ever returns?"</p> + +<p>"My death is fixed for one day," +said Skirnir, in answer, and his voice, +the voice of an Asa, sounded loud and +clear through the misty air of Jötunheim. +It reached the ears of the fair Gerda as +she sat in her chamber with her maidens.</p> + +<p>"What is that noise of noises," she +said, "that I hear? The earth shakes +with it, and all Gymir's halls tremble."</p> + +<p>Then one of the maidens got up, and +peeped out of the window. "I see a +man," she said; "he has dismounted +from his horse, and he is fearlessly letting +it graze before the door."</p> + +<p>"Go out and bring him in stealthily, +then," said Gerda; "I must again hear +him speak; for his voice is sweeter than +the ringing of bells."</p> + +<p>So the maiden rose, and opened the +house-door softly, lest the grim giant, +Gymir, who was drinking mead in the +banquet-hall with seven other giants, +should hear and come forth.</p> + +<p>Skirnir heard the door open, and understanding +the maiden's sign, he entered +with stealthy steps, and followed her to +Gerda's chamber. As soon as he entered +the doorway the light from her face shone +upon him, and he no longer wondered +that Frey had given up his sword.</p> + +<p>"Are you the son of an Asa, or an Alf, +or of a wise Van?" asked Gerda; "and +why have you come through flame and +snow to visit our halls?"</p> + +<p>Then Skirnir came forward and knelt +at Gerda's feet, and gave his message, +and spoke as he had promised to speak +of Van Frey and of Alfheim.</p> + +<p>Gerda listened; and it was pleasant +enough to talk to her, looking into her +bright face; but she did not seem to +understand much of what he said.</p> + +<p>He promised to give her eleven golden +apples from Iduna's grove if she would +go with him, and that she should have +the magic ring Draupnir from which +every day a still fairer jewel fell. But +he found there was no use in talking +of beautiful things to one who had never +in all her life seen anything beautiful. +Gerda smiled at him as a child smiles +at a fairy tale.</p> + +<p>At length he grew angry. "If you +are so childish, maiden," he said, "that +you can believe only what you have +seen, and have no thought of Aesirland +or the Aesir, then sorrow and utter +darkness shall fall upon you; you shall +live alone on the Eagle Mount turned +towards Hel. Terrors shall beset you; +weeping shall be your lot. Men and +Aesir will hate you, and you shall be +doomed to live for ever with the Frost +Giant, Ryme, in whose cold arms you +will wither away like a thistle on a +house-top."</p> + +<p>"Gently," said Gerda, turning away +her bright head, and sighing. "How +am I to blame? You make such a talk +of your Aesir and your Aesir; but how +can I know about it, when all my life +long I have lived with giants?"</p> + +<p>At these words, Skirnir rose as if he +would have departed, but Gerda called +him back. "You must drink a cup of +mead," she said, "in return for your +sweet-sounding words."</p> + +<p>Skirnir heard this gladly, for now he +knew what he would do. He took the +cup from her hand, drank off the mead, +and, before he returned it, he contrived +cleverly to pour in the water from his +drinking-horn, on which Frey's image +was painted; then he put the cup into +Gerda's hand, and bade her look.</p> + +<p>She smiled as she looked; and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[359]</a></span> +longer she looked, the sweeter grew her +smile; for she looked for the first time +on a face that loved her, and many +things became clear to her that she had +never understood before. Skirnir's words +were no longer like fairy tales. She +could now believe in Aesirland, and in +all beautiful things.</p> + +<p>"Go back to your master," she said, +at last, "and tell him that in nine days +I will meet him in the warm wood +Barri."</p> + +<p>After hearing these joyful words, +Skirnir made haste to take leave, for +every moment that he lingered in the +giant's house he was in danger. One +of Gerda's maidens conducted him to +the door, and he mounted his horse +again, and rode from Jötunheim with +a glad heart.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />PART IV</div> + +<div class='center'>THE WOOD BARRI</div> + +<p>When Skirnir got back to Alfheim, +and told Gerda's answer to Frey, he was +disappointed to find that his master did +not immediately look as bright and happy +as he expected.</p> + +<p>"Nine days!" he said; "but how can +I wait nine days? One day is long, +and three days are very long, but 'nine +days' might as well be a whole year."</p> + +<p>I have heard children say such things +when one tells them to wait for a new toy.</p> + +<p>Skirnir and old Niörd only laughed +at it; but Freyja and all the ladies of +Asgard made a journey to Alfheim, when +they heard the story, to comfort Frey, +and hear all the news about the wedding.</p> + +<p>"Dear Frey," they said, "it will +never do to lie still here, sighing under +a tree. You are quite mistaken about +the time being long; it is hardly long +enough to prepare the marriage presents, +and talk over the wedding. You have +no idea how busy we are going to be; +everything in Alfheim will have to be +altered a little."</p> + +<p>At these words Frey really did lift +up his head, and wake up from his musings. +He looked, in truth, a little frightened +at the thought; but, when all the +Asgard ladies were ready to work for +his wedding, how could he make any +objection? He was not allowed to have +much share in the business himself; but +he had little time, during the nine days, +to indulge in private thought, for never +before was there such a commotion in +Alfheim. The ladies found so many +things that wanted overlooking, and the +little light elves were not of the slightest +use to any one. They forgot all their +usual tasks, and went running about +through groves and fields, and by the +sedgy banks of rivers, peering into earth-holes, +and creeping down into flower-cups +and empty snail-shells, every one hoping +to find a gift for Gerda.</p> + +<p>Some stole the light from glowworms' +tails, and wove it into a necklace, and +others pulled the ruby spots from cowslip +leaves, to set with jewels the acorn +cups that Gerda was to drink from; +while the swiftest runners chased the +butterflies, and pulled feathers from +their wings to make fans and bonnet-plumes.</p> + +<p>All the work was scarcely finished when +the ninth day came, and Frey set out +from Alfheim with all his elves, to the +warm wood Barri.</p> + +<p>The Aesir joined him on the way, and +they made, together, something like a +wedding procession. First came Frey +in his chariot, drawn by Golden Bristles, +and carrying in his hand the wedding ring, +which was none other than Draupnir,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[360]</a></span> +the magic ring of which so many stories +are told.</p> + +<p>Odin and Frigga followed with their +wedding gift, the Ship Skidbladnir, in +which all the Aesir could sit and sail, +though it could afterwards be folded up +so small that you might carry it in your +hand.</p> + +<p>Then came Iduna, with eleven golden +apples in a basket on her fair head, and +then two and two all the heroes and +ladies with their gifts.</p> + +<p>All round them flocked the elves, toiling +under the weight of their offerings. +It took twenty little people to carry one +gift, and yet there was not one so large +as a baby's finger. Laughing, and singing, +and dancing, they entered the warm +wood, and every summer flower sent a +sweet breath after them. Everything +on earth smiled on the wedding-day of +Frey and Gerda, only—when it was all +over, and every one had gone home, and +the moon shone cold into the wood—it +seemed as if the Vanir spoke to one +another.</p> + +<p>"Odin," said one voice, "gave his eye +for wisdom, and we have seen that it +was well done."</p> + +<p>"Frey," answered the other, "has +given his sword for happiness. It may +be well to be unarmed while the sun +shines and bright days last; but when +Ragnarök has come, and the sons of +Muspell ride down to the last fight, will +not Frey regret his sword?"</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_268" id="Note_268">268</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Balder represented sunlight. He was a son +of Odin. If we try to imagine how welcome +the sunlight of spring must have been to +the Norse folk after the long Arctic night of +winter, we may understand why everything +in the world, except the evil Loke, was +willing to weep in order to bring Balder +back from Helheim. Some knowledge of +the geography of Norse mythology will aid +the reader in understanding the myth of +Balder. Far below Asgard, the home of +the gods, was Niflheim, the region of cold +and darkness. Here in a deep cavern was +Helheim, the city of the dead, over which +Hel ruled. Midway between Asgard and +Niflheim was Midgard, the earth. The +whole universe was supported by Ygdrasil, +a wonderful ash-tree, one root of which +extended into Midgard, one into Jötunheim, +and one into Niflheim.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>"Balder is another figure of that radiant type +to which belong all bright and genial heroes, +righters of wrong, blazing to consume evil, +gentle and strong to uplift weakness: Apollo, +Hercules, Perseus, Achilles, Sigard, St. +George, and many another." Balder has +been a favorite subject for poetic treatment, +perhaps to best effect in Matthew Arnold's +dignified "Balder Dead."</div> + + +<h4>THE DEATH OF BALDER</h4> + +<div class='center'>HAMILTON WRIGHT MABIE</div> + +<p>There was one shadow which always +fell over Asgard. Sometimes in the long +years the gods almost forgot it, it lay so +far off, like a dim cloud in a clear sky; +but Odin saw it deepen and widen as he +looked out into the universe, and he +knew that the last great battle would +surely come, when the gods themselves +would be destroyed and a long twilight +would rest on all the worlds; and now the +day was close at hand. Misfortunes +never come singly to men, and they did +not to the gods. Idun, the beautiful +goddess of youth, whose apples were the +joy of all Asgard, made a resting place +for herself among the massive branches +of Ygdrasil, and there every evening came +Brage, and sang so sweetly that the birds +stopped to listen, and even the Norns, +those implacable sisters at the foot of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[361]</a></span> +the tree, were softened by the melody. +But poetry cannot change the purposes +of fate, and one evening no song was +heard of Brage or birds, the leaves of the +world-tree hung withered and lifeless on +the branches, and the fountain from +which they had daily been sprinkled was +dry at last. Idun had fallen into the +dark valley of death, and when Brage, +Heimdal, and Loke went to question her +about the future she could answer them +only with tears. Brage would not leave +his beautiful wife alone amid the dim +shades that crowded the dreary valley, +and so youth and genius vanished out of +Asgard forever.</p> + +<p>Balder was the most god-like of all +the gods, because he was the purest and +the best. Wherever he went his coming +was like the coming of sunshine, and all +the beauty of summer was but the +shining of his face. When men's hearts +were white like the light, and their lives +clear as the day, it was because Balder +was looking down upon them with those +soft, clear eyes that were open windows +to the soul of God. He had always lived +in such a glow of brightness that no +darkness had ever touched him; but one +morning, after Idun and Brage had gone, +Balder's face was sad and troubled. He +walked slowly from room to room in his +palace Breidablik, stainless as the sky +when April showers have swept across it +because no impure thing had ever crossed +the threshold, and his eyes were heavy +with sorrow. In the night terrible +dreams had broken his sleep, and made it +a long torture. The air seemed to be full +of awful changes for him, and for all the +gods. He knew in his soul that the +shadow of the last great day was sweeping +on; as he looked out and saw the +worlds lying in light and beauty, the +fields yellow with waving grain, the deep +fiords flashing back the sunbeams from +their clear depths, the verdure clothing +the loftiest mountains, and knew that +over all this darkness and desolation +would come, with silence of reapers +and birds, with fading of leaf and +flower, a great sorrow fell on his heart.</p> + +<p>Balder could bear the burden no +longer. He went out, called all the gods +together, and told them the terrible +dreams of the night. Every face was +heavy with care. The death of Balder +would be like the going out of the sun, +and after a long, sad council the gods +resolved to protect him from harm by +pledging all things to stand between him +and any hurt. So Frigg, his mother, +went forth and made everything promise, +on a solemn oath, not to injure her son. +Fire, iron, all kinds of metal, every sort +of stone, trees, earth, diseases, birds, +beasts, snakes, as the anxious mother +went to them, solemnly pledged themselves +that no harm should come near +Balder. Everything promised, and Frigg +thought she had driven away the cloud; +but fate was stronger than her love, and +one little shrub had not sworn.</p> + +<p>Odin was not satisfied even with these +precautions, for whichever way he looked +the shadow of a great sorrow spread over +the worlds. He began to feel as if he +were no longer the greatest of the gods, +and he could almost hear the rough +shouts of the frost-giants crowding the +rainbow bridge on their way into Asgard. +When trouble comes to men it is hard +to bear, but to a god who had so many +worlds to guide and rule it was a new +and terrible thing. Odin thought and +thought until he was weary, but no gleam +of light could he find anywhere; it was +thick darkness everywhere.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[362]</a></span></p> + +<p>At last he could bear the suspense no +longer, and saddling his horse he rode +sadly out of Asgard to Niflheim, the +home of Hel, whose face was as the face +of death itself. As he drew near the +gates, a monstrous dog came out and +barked furiously, but Odin rode a little +eastward of the shadowy gates to the +grave of a wonderful prophetess. It was +a cold, gloomy place, and the soul of +the great god was pierced with a feeling +of hopeless sorrow as he dismounted +from Sleipner, and bending over the +grave began to chant weird songs, and +weave magical charms over it. When +he had spoken those wonderful words +which could waken the dead from their +sleep, there was an awful silence for a +moment, and then a faint ghost-like +voice came from the grave.</p> + +<p>"Who art thou?" it said. "Who +breaketh the silence of death, and calleth +the sleeper out of her long slumbers? +Ages ago I was laid at rest here, snow +and rain have fallen upon me through +myriad years; why dost thou disturb +me?"</p> + +<p>"I am Vegtam," answered Odin, +"and I come to ask why the couches of +Hel are hung with gold and the benches +strewn with shining rings?"</p> + +<p>"It is done for Balder," answered the +awful voice; "ask me no more."</p> + +<p>Odin's heart sank when he heard these +words; but he was determined to know +the worst.</p> + +<p>"I will ask thee until I know all. +Who shall strike the fatal blow?"</p> + +<p>"If I must, I must," moaned the +prophetess. "Hoder shall smite his +brother Balder and send him down to +the dark home of Hel. The mead is +already brewed for Balder, and the +despair draweth near."</p> + +<p>Then Odin, looking into the future +across the open grave, saw all the days +to come.</p> + +<p>"Who is this," he said, seeing that +which no mortal could have seen,—"who +is this that will not weep for Balder?"</p> + +<p>Then the prophetess knew that it was +none other than the greatest of the gods +who had called her up.</p> + +<p>"Thou are not Vegtam," she exclaimed, +"thou art Odin himself, the +king of men."</p> + +<p>"And thou," answered Odin angrily, +"art no prophetess, but the mother of +three giants."</p> + +<p>"Ride home, then, and exult in what +thou hast discovered," said the dead +woman. "Never shall my slumbers be +broken again until Loke shall burst his +chains and the great battle come."</p> + +<p>And Odin rode sadly homeward knowing +that already Niflheim was making +itself beautiful against the coming of +Balder.</p> + +<p>The other gods meanwhile had become +merry again; for had not everything +promised to protect their beloved Balder? +They even made sport of that which +troubled them, for when they found that +nothing could hurt Balder, and that all +things glanced aside from his shining +form, they persuaded him to stand as a +target for their weapons; hurling darts, +spears, swords, and battle-axes at him, +all of which went singing through the +air and fell harmless at his feet. But +Loke, when he saw these sports, was +jealous of Balder, and went about thinking +how he could destroy him.</p> + +<p>It happened that as Frigg sat spinning +in her house Fensal, the soft wind +blowing in at the windows and bringing +the merry shouts of the gods at play, an +old woman entered and approached her.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[363]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Do you know," asked the newcomer, +"what they are doing in Asgard? They +are throwing all manner of dangerous +weapons at Balder. He stands there like +the sun for brightness, and against his +glory, spears and battle-axes fall powerless +to the ground. Nothing can harm him."</p> + +<p>"No," answered Frigg, joyfully; +"nothing can bring him any hurt, for +I have made everything in heaven and +earth swear to protect him."</p> + +<p>"What!" said the old woman, "has +everything sworn to guard Balder?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Frigg, "everything has +sworn except one little shrub which is +called Mistletoe, and grows on the eastern +side of Valhal. I did not take an +oath from that because I thought it +too young and weak."</p> + +<p>When the old woman heard this a +strange light came into her eyes; she +walked off much faster than she had +come in, and no sooner had she passed +beyond Frigg's sight than this same +feeble old woman grew suddenly erect, +shook off her woman's garments, and +there stood Loke himself. In a moment +he had reached the slope east of Valhal, +had plucked a twig of the unsworn Mistletoe, +and was back in the circle of the +gods, who were still at their favorite +pastime with Balder. Hoder was standing +silent and alone outside the noisy throng, +for he was blind. Loke touched him.</p> + +<p>"Why do you not throw something +at Balder?"</p> + +<p>"Because I cannot see where Balder +stands, and have nothing to throw if I +could," replied Hoder.</p> + +<p>"If that is all," said Loke, "come +with me. I will give you something to +throw, and direct your aim."</p> + +<p>Hoder, thinking no evil, went with +Loke and did as he was told.</p> + +<p>The little sprig of Mistletoe shot +through the air, pierced the heart of +Balder, and in a moment the beautiful +god lay dead upon the field. A shadow +rose out of the deep beyond the worlds +and spread itself over heaven and +earth, for the light of the universe had +gone out.</p> + +<p>The gods could not speak for horror. +They stood like statues for a moment, +and then a hopeless wail burst from their +lips. Tears fell like rain from eyes that +had never wept before, for Balder, the +joy of Asgard, had gone to Niflheim and +left them desolate. But Odin was saddest +of all, because he knew the future, +and he knew that peace and light had +fled from Asgard forever, and that the +last day and the long night were hurrying +on.</p> + +<p>Frigg could not give up her beautiful +son, and when her grief had spent itself +a little, she asked who would go to Hel +and offer her a rich ransom if she would +permit Balder to return to Asgard.</p> + +<p>"I will go," said Hermod; swift at +the word of Odin, Sleipner was led forth, +and in an instant Hermod was galloping +furiously away.</p> + +<p>Then the gods began with sorrowful +hearts to make ready for Balder's funeral. +When the once beautiful form had been +arrayed in grave-clothes they carried it +reverently down to the deep sea, which +lay, calm as a summer afternoon, waiting +for its precious burden. Close to the +water's edge lay Balder's Ringhorn, the +greatest of all the ships that sailed the +seas, but when the gods tried to launch +it they could not move it an inch. The +great vessel creaked and groaned, but no +one could push it down to the water. +Odin walked about it with a sad face, +and the gentle ripple of the little waves<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[364]</a></span> +chasing each other over the rocks seemed +a mocking laugh to him.</p> + +<p>"Send to Jötunheim for Hyrroken," +he said at last; and a messenger was +soon flying for that mighty giantess.</p> + +<p>In a little time, Hyrroken came riding +swiftly on a wolf so large and fierce that +he made the gods think of Fenris. When +the giantess had alighted, Odin ordered +four Berserkers of mighty strength to +hold the wolf, but he struggled so angrily +that they had to throw him on the +ground before they could control him. +Then Hyrroken went to the prow of the +ship and with one mighty effort sent it +far into the sea, the rollers underneath +bursting into flame, and the whole earth +trembling with the shock. Thor was so +angry at the uproar that he would have +killed the giantess on the spot if he had +not been held back by the other gods. +The great ship floated on the sea as she +had often done before, when Balder, full +of life and beauty, set all her sails and +was borne joyfully across the tossing seas. +Slowly and solemnly the dead god was +carried on board, and as Nanna, his +faithful wife, saw her husband borne for +the last time from the earth which he +had made dear to her and beautiful to +all men, her heart broke with sorrow, +and they laid her beside Balder on the +funeral pyre.</p> + +<p>Since the world began no one had +seen such a funeral. No bell tolled, +no long procession of mourners moved +across the hills, but all the worlds lay +under a deep shadow, and from every +quarter came those who had loved or +feared Balder. There at the very water's +edge stood Odin himself, the ravens flying +about his head, and on his majestic +face a gloom that no sun would ever +lighten again; and there was Frigg, the +desolate mother, whose son had already +gone so far that he would never come +back to her; there was Frey standing +sad and stern in his chariot; there was +Freyja, the goddess of love, from whose +eyes fell a shining rain of tears; there, +too, was Heimdal on his horse Goldtop; +and around all these glorious ones from +Asgard crowded the children of Jötunheim, +grim mountain-giants seamed with +scars from Thor's hammer, and frost-giants +who saw in the death of Balder +the coming of that long winter in which +they should reign through all the +worlds.</p> + +<p>A deep hush fell on all created things, +and every eye was fixed on the great +ship riding near the shore, and on the +funeral pyre rising from the deck crowned +with the forms of Balder and Nanna. +Suddenly a gleam of light flashed over +the water; the pile had been kindled, +and the flames, creeping slowly at first, +climbed faster and faster until they met +over the dead and rose skyward. A lurid +light filled the heavens and shone on the +sea, and in the brightness of it the gods +looked pale and sad, and the circle of +giants grew darker and more portentous. +Thor struck the fast burning pyre with +his consecrating hammer, and Odin cast +into it the wonderful ring Draupner. +Higher and higher leaped the flames, +more and more desolate grew the scene; +at last they began to sink, the funeral +pyre was consumed. Balder had vanished +forever, the summer was ended, +and winter waited at the doors.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Hermod was riding hard +and fast on his gloomy errand. Nine +days and nights he rode through valleys +so deep and dark that he could not see +his horse. Stillness and blackness and +solitude were his only companions until<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[365]</a></span> +he came to the golden bridge which +crosses the river Gjol. The good horse +Sleipner, who had carried Odin on so +many strange journeys, had never traveled +such a road before, and his hoofs +rang drearily as he stopped short at the +bridge, for in front of him stood its +porter, the gigantic Modgud.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" she asked, fixing her +piercing eyes on Hermod. "What is +your name and parentage? Yesterday +five bands of dead men rode across the +bridge, and beneath them all it did not +shake as under your single tread. There +is no color of death in your face. Why +ride you hither, the living among the +dead?"</p> + +<p>"I come," said Hermod, "to seek for +Balder. Have you seen him pass this +way?"</p> + +<p>"He has already crossed the bridge +and taken his journey northward to Hel."</p> + +<p>Then Hermod rode slowly across the +bridge that spans the abyss between life +and death, and found his way at last to +the barred gates of Hel's dreadful home. +There he sprang to the ground, tightened +the girths, remounted, drove the spurs +deep into the horse, and Sleipner, with +a mighty leap, cleared the wall. Hermod +rode straight to the gloomy palace, dismounted, +entered, and in a moment was +face to face with the terrible queen of +the kingdom of the dead. Beside her, +on a beautiful throne, sat Balder, pale +and wan, crowned with a withered wreath +of flowers, and close at hand was Nanna, +pallid as her husband, for whom she had +died. And all night long, while ghostly +forms wandered restless and sleepless +through Helheim, Hermod talked with +Balder and Nanna. There is no record +of what they said, but the talk was sad +enough, doubtless, and ran like a still +stream among the happy days in Asgard +when Balder's smile was morning over +the earth and the sight of his face the +summer of the world.</p> + +<p>When the morning came, faint and +dim, through the dusky palace, Hermod +sought Hel, who received him as cold +and stern as fate.</p> + +<p>"Your kingdom is full, O Hel!" he +said, "and without Balder, Asgard is +empty. Send him back to us once +more, for there is sadness in every heart +and tears are in every eye. Through +heaven and earth all things weep for +him."</p> + +<p>"If that is true," was the slow, icy +answer, "if every created thing weeps +for Balder, he shall return to Asgard; +but if one eye is dry he remains henceforth +in Helheim."</p> + +<p>Then Hermod rode swiftly away, and +the decree of Hel was soon told in +Asgard. Through all the worlds the +gods sent messengers to say that all +who loved Balder should weep for his +return, and everywhere tears fell like +rain. There was weeping in Asgard, and +in all the earth there was nothing that +did not weep. Men and women and +little children, missing the light that had +once fallen into their hearts and homes, +sobbed with bitter grief; the birds of +the air, who had sung carols of joy at +the gates of the morning since time began, +were full of sorrow; the beasts of the +fields crouched and moaned in their +desolation; the great trees, that had put +on their robes of green at Balder's command, +sighed as the wind wailed through +them; and the sweet flowers, that waited +for Balder's footstep and sprang up in +all the fields to greet him, hung their +frail blossoms and wept bitterly for the +love and the warmth and the light that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[366]</a></span> +had gone out. Throughout the whole +earth there was nothing but weeping, +and the sound of it was like the wailing +of those storms in autumn that weep +for the dead summer as its withered +leaves drop one by one from the trees.</p> + +<p>The messengers of the gods went gladly +back to Asgard, for everything had wept +for Balder; but as they journeyed they +came upon a giantess, called Thok, and +her eyes were dry.</p> + +<p>"Weep for Balder," they said.</p> + +<p>"With dry eyes only will I weep for +Balder," she answered. "Dead or alive, +he never gave me gladness. Let him +stay in Helheim."</p> + +<p>When she had spoken these words a +terrible laugh broke from her lips, and +the messengers looked at each other with +pallid faces, for they knew it was the +voice of Loke.</p> + +<p>Balder never came back to Asgard, +and the shadows deepened over all things, +for the night of death was fast coming on.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[367]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION VII</h2> + +<h3>POETRY</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[368]</a></span></p> +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + + +<h3><br />I. SOME IMPORTANT GENERAL COLLECTIONS</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Bryant, William Cullen, <i>Library of Poetry and Song</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Child, Francis J., <i>English and Scottish Popular Ballads</i>. [Ed. by Sargent and Kittredge.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Quiller-Couch, Sir Arthur, <i>Oxford Book of English Verse</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Stedman, Edmund Clarence, <i>An American Anthology</i>. <i>A Victorian Anthology.</i></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Stevenson, Burton E., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/s#a980">The Home Book of Verse</a></i>.</div> + +<div class="hang2">The finest single-volume general collection yet made. It runs to nearly 4,000 pages, but is +printed on thin paper so that the volume is not unwieldy.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Stevenson, Burton E., <i>Poems of American History</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />II. COLLECTIONS FOR CHILDREN</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Chisholm, L., <i>The Golden Staircase</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Grahame, Kenneth, <i>The Cambridge Book of Poetry for Children</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Henley, William Ernest, <i>Lyra Heroica</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Ingpen, Roger, <i>One Thousand Poems for Children</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lang, Andrew, <i>The Blue Poetry Book</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lucas, Edward Verrall, <i>A Book of Verses for Children</i>. <i>Another Book of Verses for Children.</i></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Olcott, Frances J., <i>Story Telling Ballads</i>. <i>Story Telling Poems for Children.</i></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Palgrave, Francis T., <i>The Children's Treasury of Poetry and Song</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Repplier, Agnes, <i>A Book of Famous Verse</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Smith, J. C., <i>A Book of Verse for Boys and Girls</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Stevenson, Burton E., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/s#a980">The Home Book of Verse for Young Folks</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Thacher, Lucy W., <i>The Listening Child</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Whittier, John Greenleaf, <i>Child Life in Poetry</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Wiggin, K. D., and Smith, N. A., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22922">The Posy Ring</a></i>. <i>Golden Numbers.</i></div> + + +<h3><br />III. INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Blake, William, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1934">Songs of Innocence</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Cary, Alice and Phoebe, <i>Poems for Children</i>. [In <i>Complete Works.</i>]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Dodge, Mary Mapes, <i>Rhymes and Jingles</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Field, Eugene, <i>Songs of Childhood</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Greenaway, Kate, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19541">Marigold Garden</a></i>. <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22888">Under the Window</a>.</i></div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lamb, Charles and Mary, <i>Poetry for Children</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Lear, Edward, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13647">Nonsense Songs</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, <i>Complete Poetical Works</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Richards, Laura E., <i>In My Nursery</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Riley, James Whitcomb, <i>Rhymes of Childhood</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Sherman, Frank Dempster, <i>Little-Folk Lyrics</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Stevenson, Robert Louis, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19722">A Child's Garden of Verses</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Rands, William Brighty, <i>Lilliput Lyrics</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Rossetti, Christina G., <i>Sing-Song.</i> <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/16950">Goblin Market</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Seegmiller, Wilhelmina, <i>Little Rhymes for Little Readers</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Tabb, John B., <i>Poems</i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Taylor, Ann and Jane, <i>"Original Poems" and Others</i>. [Ed. by E. V. Lucas.]</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Watts, Isaac, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13439">Divine and Moral Songs</a></i>.</div> + +<div class='hang1'>Wells, Carolyn, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24560">The Jingle Book</a></i>.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[369]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION VII. POETRY</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + + +<p>Many teachers have more difficulty in interesting their pupils in poetry than +in any other form of literature. This difficulty may be due to any one of a number +of causes. It may be due to a lack of poetic appreciation on the part of the teacher, +leading to poor judgment in selecting and presenting poetry. It may be due to the +feeling that there is something occult and mysterious about poetry that puts it outside +the range of common interests, or to the idea that the technique of verse must +in some way be emphasized. The first step in using poetry successfully with children +is to brush away all these and other extraneous matters and to realize that poetry is +in essence a simple and natural mode of expression, and that all attempts to explain +how poetry does its work may be left for later stages of study. It is not necessary +even for the teacher to be able to recognize and name all the varieties of rhythm to +be able to present poetry enthusiastically and understandingly. Least of all is it +necessary to have a prescribed list of the hundred "best poems." Some of the best +poems for children would not belong in any such list.</p> + +<p>The selections in this section cover a wide variety. They are not all equally +great, but no teacher can fail to find here something suitable and interesting for +any grade. The few suggestions which it is possible to make in this brief introduction +may best, perhaps, and without any intention of being exhaustive, be thrown +into the form of dogmatic statements:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1. If in doubt about what to use beyond the material in the following pages, +depend upon some of the fine collections mentioned in the bibliography. Every +teacher should have access to Stevenson's <i>Home Book of Verse for Young Folks</i>, +which contains many poems from recent writers as well as the older favorites. +If possible, have the advantage of the fine taste and judgment of the collections +made by Andrew Lang, Miss Repplier, E. V. Lucas, and as many of the others +as are available.</p> + +<p>2. Remember that in poetry, more than elsewhere, one can present only +what one is really interested in and, as a consequence, enthusiastic about. Even +poems about whose fitness all judges agree should be omitted rather than run +the risk of deadening them for children by a dead and formal handling.</p> + +<p>3. Mainly, poetry should be presented orally. The appeal is first to the ear +just as in music. The teacher should read or, better, recite the poem in order +to get the best results. There should be no effort at "elocution" in its worst +sense, but a simple, sincere rendering of the language of the poem. The more +informal the process is, the better. There should be much repetition of favorite +poems, so that the rich details and pictures may sink into the mind.</p> + +<p>4. There should be great variety in choice that richness and breadth of impression +may thus be gained. It is a mistake to confine the work in poetry entirely +to lyrics or entirely to ballads. Wordsworth's "Daffodils" and Gilbert's "Yarn<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[370]</a></span> +of the Nancy Bell" are far apart, but there is a place for each. Teachers +should always be on the lookout for poetry old or new, in the magazines or elsewhere, +which they can bring into the schoolroom. Such "finds" are often fresh +with some timely suggestion and may prove just what is needed to start some +hesitating pupil to reading poetry.</p> + +<p>5. The earliest poetry should be that in which the music is very prominent +and the idea absent or not prominent. The perfection of the Mother Goose +jingles for little folks is in their fulfillment of this principle. Use and encourage +strongly emphasized rhythm in reading poetry, especially in the early work. +Gradually the meaning in poetry takes on more prominence as the work proceeds.</p> + +<p>6. Children should be encouraged to commit much poetry to memory. They +do this very easily after hearing it repeated a time or two. Such memorizing +should not be done usually as a task. Children are, however, very obliging +about liking what a teacher is enthusiastic about, and what they like they can +hold in mind with surprising ease. The game of giving quotations that no +one else in the class has given is always a delight. Don't be misled by the fun +poked at the "memory gem method" of studying poetry. The error is not in +memorizing complete poems and fine poetic passages, but in doing this in a +mechanical fashion.</p> + +<p>7. It is a mistake to use too much poetry at one time. Children, as well +as grown people, tire of it more quickly than they do of prose. The mind seems +soon to reach the saturation point where it is unable to take in any more. Frequent +returns to a poem rather than long periods of study give the best results.</p> + +<p>8. Encourage children to read poetry aloud. By example and suggestion +help them keep their minds on the ideas, the pictures, the characters. Only +by doing this can they really read so as to interpret a poem. No one can read +with a lazy mind, or merely by imitation. Encourage them to croon or recite +the lines when alone.</p> + +<p>9. It is not necessary that children should understand everything in a poem. +If it is worth while they will get enough of its meaning to justify its use and +they will gradually see more and more in it as time passes. In fact it is this +constantly growing content of a poem that makes its possession in memory +such a treasure. Neither should the presence of difficult words be allowed to +rule out a poem that possesses some large element of accessible value. Many +words are understood by the ear that are not recognized by sight.</p></div> + + +<h3><br />SUGGESTIONS FOR READING</h3> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Books such as Woodberry's <i>Heart of Man</i> and <i>Appreciation of Literature</i> are of especial value +for getting the right attitude toward poetry. The most illuminating practical help would come from +consulting the published lectures of Lafcadio Hearn, explaining poetry to Japanese students. His +problem was not unlike that faced by the teacher of poetry in the grades. These lectures have +been edited by John Erskine as <i>Interpretations of Literature</i> (2 vols.), <i>Appreciations of Poetry</i>, and +<i>Life and Literature</i>. The whole philosophy of poetry is treated compactly in Professor Gayley's +"The Principles of Poetry," which forms the introduction to Gayley and Young's <i>Principles and +Progress of English Poetry</i>.</p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[371]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_269" id="Note_269">269</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Mrs. Follen (1787-1860) was a rather voluminous +writer and adapter of juvenile +material. Her verses are old-fashioned, +simple, and child-like, and have pleased +several generations of children. While they +have no such air of distinction as belongs +to Stevenson's poems for children, they +are full of the fancies that children enjoy, +and deserve their continued popularity.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE THREE LITTLE KITTENS</h4> + +<div class='center'>ELIZA LEE FOLLEN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Three little kittens lost their mittens;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And they began to cry,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Oh, mother dear,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">We very much fear</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That we have lost our mittens."</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Lost your mittens!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">You naughty kittens!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then you shall have no pie!"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">"Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow."</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"No, you shall have no pie."</span><br /> +<br /> +The three little kittens found their mittens;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And they began to cry,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Oh, mother dear,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">See here, see here!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">See, we have found our mittens!"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Put on your mittens,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">You silly kittens,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And you may have some pie."</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">"Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Oh, let us have the pie!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r."</span><br /> +<br /> +The three little kittens put on their mittens,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And soon ate up the pie;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Oh, mother dear,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">We greatly fear</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That we have soiled our mittens!"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Soiled your mittens!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">You naughty kittens!"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then they began to sigh,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">"Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow."</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then they began to sigh,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">"Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow."</span><br /> +<br /> +The three little kittens washed their mittens,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And hung them out to dry;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Oh, mother dear,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Do not you hear</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That we have washed our mittens?"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Washed your mittens!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Oh, you're good kittens!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But I smell a rat close by;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Hush, hush! Mee-ow, mee-ow."</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"We smell a rat close by,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_270" id="Note_270">270</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE MOON</h4> + +<div class='center'>ELIZA LEE FOLLEN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +O look at the moon!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She is shining up there;</span><br /> +O mother, she looks<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Like a lamp in the air.</span><br /> +<br /> +Last week she was smaller,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And shaped like a bow;</span><br /> +But now she's grown bigger,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And round as an O.</span><br /> +<br /> +Pretty moon, pretty moon,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How you shine on the door,</span><br /> +And make it all bright<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">On my nursery floor!</span><br /> +<br /> +You shine on my playthings,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And show me their place,</span><br /> +And I love to look up<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">At your pretty bright face.</span><br /> +<br /> +And there is a star<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Close by you, and maybe</span><br /> +That small twinkling star<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is your little baby.</span><br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[372]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_271" id="Note_271">271</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />RUNAWAY BROOK</h4> + +<div class='center'>ELIZA LEE FOLLEN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Stop, stop, pretty water!"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Said Mary one day,</span><br /> +To a frolicsome brook<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That was running away.</span><br /> +<br /> +"You run on so fast!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I wish you would stay;</span><br /> +My boat and my flowers<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">You will carry away.</span><br /> +<br /> +"But I will run after:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mother says that I may;</span><br /> +For I would know where<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">You are running away."</span><br /> +<br /> +So Mary ran on;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But I have heard say,</span><br /> +That she never could find<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where the brook ran away.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_272" id="Note_272">272</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />DING DONG! DING DONG!</h4> + +<div class='center'>ELIZA LEE FOLLEN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ding dong! ding dong!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'll sing you a song;</span><br /> +'Tis about a little bird;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He sat upon a tree,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And he sang to me,</span><br /> +And I never spoke a word.<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ding dong! ding dong!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'll sing you a song;</span><br /> +'Tis about a little mouse;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He looked very cunning,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As I saw him running</span><br /> +About my father's house.<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ding dong! ding dong!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'll sing you a song</span><br /> +About my little kitty;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She's speckled all over,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I know you'll love her,</span><br /> +For she is very pretty.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_273" id="Note_273">273</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Mrs. Prentiss (1818-1878) was the author of +<i>The Susy Books</i>, published from 1853 to +1856, forerunners of many series of such +juvenile publications. The following poem +has retained its hold on the affections of +children.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE LITTLE KITTY</h4> + +<div class='center'>ELIZABETH PRENTISS<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Once there was a little kitty<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whiter than snow;</span><br /> +In a barn she used to frolic,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Long time ago.</span><br /> +<br /> +In the barn a little mousie<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ran to and fro;</span><br /> +For she heard the kitty coming,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Long time ago.</span><br /> +<br /> +Two eyes had little kitty<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Black as a sloe;</span><br /> +And they spied the little mousie,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Long time ago.</span><br /> +<br /> +Four paws had little kitty,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Paws soft as dough;</span><br /> +And they caught the little mousie,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Long time ago.</span><br /> +<br /> +Nine teeth had little kitty,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All in a row;</span><br /> +And they bit the little mousie,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Long time ago.</span><br /> +<br /> +When the teeth bit little mousie,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little mouse cried, "Oh!"</span><br /> +But she got away from kitty,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Long time ago.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_274" id="Note_274">274</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Mrs. Hale (1788-1879), left a widow with +five children to support, devoted herself +to a literary career. She wrote fiction, +edited the <i>Ladies' Magazine</i> of Boston, +afterward the <i>Ladies' Book</i> of Philadelphia, +compiled a book of poetical quotations, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[373]</a></span> +biographies of celebrated women. Most +of her work was ephemeral in character, +and she lives for us in the one poem that +follows. It is usually printed without the +last stanza which is here restored. Younger +children, as a rule, do not object to such +moralizing.</div> + + +<h4><br />MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB</h4> + +<div class='center'>SARA J. HALE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Mary had a little lamb,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Its fleece was white as snow,</span><br /> +And everywhere that Mary went,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The lamb was sure to go.</span><br /> +<br /> +He followed her to school one day,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That was against the rule;</span><br /> +It made the children laugh and play,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To see a lamb at school.</span><br /> +<br /> +And so the Teacher turned him out,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But still he lingered near,</span><br /> +And waited patiently about,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Till Mary did appear:</span><br /> +<br /> +And then he ran to her, and laid<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His head upon her arm,</span><br /> +As if he said, "I'm not afraid,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">You'll save me from all harm."</span><br /> +<br /> +"What makes the lamb love Mary so?"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The eager children cry—</span><br /> +"Oh, Mary loves the lamb, you know,"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Teacher did reply.</span><br /> +<br /> +And you each gentle animal<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In confidence may bind,</span><br /> +And make them follow at your will,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If you are only kind.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_275" id="Note_275">275</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Theodore Tilton (1835-1907) was a very +brilliant New York orator, poet, and +journalist. His poetry, published in a +complete volume in 1897, contains some +really distinguished verse. He is largely +known to the new generation, however, by +some stanzas from the following poem, +which are usually found in readers and +poetic compilations for children. The +entire poem is given here. Does our +"Swat the fly" campaign of recent years +negate the kindly attitude emphasized in +the poem?</div> + + +<h4><br />BABY BYE</h4> + +<div class='center'>THEODORE TILTON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Baby bye,<br /> +Here's a fly;<br /> +Let us watch him, you and I.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">How he crawls</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Up the walls,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Yet he never falls!</span><br /> +I believe with six such legs<br /> +You and I could walk on eggs.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">There he goes</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">On his toes,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Tickling baby's nose.</span><br /> +<br /> +Spots of red<br /> +Dot his head;<br /> +Rainbows on his back are spread;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">That small speck</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Is his neck;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">See him nod and beck.</span><br /> +I can show you, if you choose,<br /> +Where to look to find his shoes,—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Three small pairs,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Made of hairs;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">These he always wears.</span><br /> +<br /> +Black and brown<br /> +Is his gown;<br /> +He can wear it upside down;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">It is laced</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Round his waist;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">I admire his taste.</span><br /> +Yet though tight his clothes are made<br /> +He will lose them, I'm afraid,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">If to-night</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">He gets sight</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[374]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Of the candle-light.</span><br /> +<br /> +In the sun<br /> +Webs are spun;<br /> +What if he gets into one?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">When it rains</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">He complains</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">On the window-panes.</span><br /> +Tongue to talk have you and I;<br /> +God has given the little fly<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">No such things,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">So he sings</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">With his buzzing wings.</span><br /> +<br /> +He can eat<br /> +Bread and meat;<br /> +There's his mouth between his feet.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">On his back</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Is a pack</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Like a pedler's sack.</span><br /> +Does the baby understand?<br /> +Then the fly shall kiss her hand;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Put a crumb</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">On her thumb,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Maybe he will come.</span><br /> +<br /> +Catch him? No,<br /> +Let him go,<br /> +Never hurt an insect so;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">But no doubt</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">He flies out</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Just to gad about.</span><br /> +Now you see his wings of silk<br /> +Drabbled in the baby's milk;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Fie, oh fie,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Foolish fly!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">How will he get dry?</span><br /> +<br /> +All wet flies<br /> +Twist their thighs,<br /> +Thus they wipe their head and eyes;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Cats, you know,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Wash just so,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Then their whiskers grow.</span><br /> +Flies have hair too short to comb,<br /> +So they fly bareheaded home;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">But the gnat</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Wears a hat,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Do you believe that?</span><br /> +<br /> +Flies can see<br /> +More than we.<br /> +So how bright their eyes must be!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Little fly,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Ope your eye;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Spiders are near by.</span><br /> +For a secret I can tell,—<br /> +Spiders never use flies well.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Then away!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Do not stay.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Little fly, good-day!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_276" id="Note_276">276</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Prominent among American writers who have +contributed to the happiness of children is +Lucy Larcom (1826-1893). One of a +numerous family, she worked as a child +in the Lowell mills, later taught school in +Illinois, was one of the editors of <i>Our +Young Folks</i>, and wrote a most fascinating +autobiography called <i>A New England +Girlhood</i>. Several of her poems are still +used in schools. The one that follows is, +perhaps, the most popular of these. It is +semi-dramatic, and the three voices of the +poem can be easily discovered. Miss +Larcom's finest poem is the one entitled +"Hannah Binding Shoes."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE BROWN THRUSH</h4> + +<div class='center'>LUCY LARCOM<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +There's a merry brown thrush sitting up in the tree,<br /> +He's singing to me! He's singing to me!<br /> +And what does he say, little girl, little boy?<br /> +"Oh, the world's running over with joy!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Don't you hear? Don't you see?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Hush! Look! In my tree</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[375]</a></span>I'm as happy as happy can be!"<br /> +<br /> +And the brown thrush keeps singing, "A nest do you see,<br /> +And five eggs hid by me in the juniper tree?<br /> +Don't meddle! Don't touch! little girl, little boy,<br /> +Or the world will lose some of its joy!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Now I'm glad! Now I'm free!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I always shall be,</span><br /> +If you never bring sorrow to me."<br /> +<br /> +So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree,<br /> +To you and to me, to you and to me.<br /> +And he sings all the day, little girl, little boy,<br /> +"Oh, the world's running over with joy!"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But long it won't be,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Don't you know? don't you see?</span><br /> +Unless we are as good as can be.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_277" id="Note_277">277</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Mrs. Child (1802-1880) was the editor of +the first monthly for children in the United +States, the <i>Juvenile Miscellany</i>. She wrote +and compiled several works for children, +and her optimistic outlook has led someone +to speak of her as the "Apostle of Cheer." +She wrote a novel, <i>Hobomak</i> (1821), which +is still spoken of with respect, and she was +a prominent figure in the anti-slavery +agitation. The two poems following have +held their own with children for reasons +easily recognized.</div> + + +<h4><br />THANKSGIVING DAY</h4> + +<div class='center'>LYDIA MARIA CHILD<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Over the river and through the wood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To grandfather's house we go;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The horse knows the way</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">To carry the sleigh</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Through the white and drifted snow.</span><br /> +<br /> +Over the river and through the wood—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Oh, how the wind does blow!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">It stings the toes</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And bites the nose,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As over the ground we go.</span><br /> +<br /> +Over the river and through the wood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To have a first-rate play.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hear the bells ring,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Ting-a-ling-ding!"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!</span><br /> +<br /> +Over the river and through the wood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Trot fast, my dapple-gray!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Spring over the ground,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Like a hunting-hound!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For this is Thanksgiving Day.</span><br /> +<br /> +Over the river and through the wood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And straight through the barnyard gate.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">We seem to go</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Extremely slow,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">It is so hard to wait!</span><br /> +<br /> +Over the river and through the wood—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Now grandmother's cap I spy!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hurrah for the fun!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Is the pudding done?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hurrah for pumpkin-pie!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_278" id="Note_278">278</a></h3> + + +<h3><br />WHO STOLE THE BIRD'S +NEST?</h3> + +<div class='center'>LYDIA MARIA CHILD<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!<br /> +Will you listen to me?<br /> +Who stole four eggs I laid,<br /> +And the nice nest I made?"<br /> +<br /> +"Not I," said the cow, "Moo-oo!<br /> +Such a thing I'd never do.<br /> +I gave you a wisp of hay,<br /> +But didn't take your nest away.<br /> +Not I," said the cow, "Moo-oo!<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[376]</a></span>Such a thing I'd never do."<br /> +<br /> +"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!<br /> +Will you listen to me?<br /> +Who stole four eggs I laid,<br /> +And the nice nest I made?"<br /> +<br /> +"Bob-o'-link! Bob-o'-link!<br /> +Now what do you think?<br /> +Who stole a nest away<br /> +From the plum-tree, to-day?"<br /> +<br /> +"Not I," said the dog, "Bow-wow!<br /> +I wouldn't be so mean, anyhow!<br /> +I gave the hairs the nest to make,<br /> +But the nest I did not take.<br /> +Not I," said the dog, "Bow-wow!<br /> +I'm not so mean, anyhow."<br /> +<br /> +"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!<br /> +Will you listen to me?<br /> +Who stole four eggs I laid,<br /> +And the nice nest I made?"<br /> +<br /> +"Bob-o'-link! Bob-o'-link!<br /> +Now what do you think?<br /> +Who stole a nest away<br /> +From the plum-tree, to-day?"<br /> +<br /> +"Coo-coo! Coo-coo! Coo-coo!<br /> +Let me speak a word, too!<br /> +Who stole that pretty nest<br /> +From little yellow-breast?"<br /> +<br /> +"Not I," said the sheep; "oh, no!<br /> +I wouldn't treat a poor bird so.<br /> +I gave wool the nest to line,<br /> +But the nest was none of mine.<br /> +Baa! Baa!" said the sheep; "oh, no,<br /> +I wouldn't treat a poor bird so."<br /> +<br /> +"To-whit! to-whit! to-whee!<br /> +Will you listen to me?<br /> +Who stole four eggs I laid,<br /> +And the nice nest I made?"<br /> +<br /> +"Bob-o'-link! Bob-o'-link!<br /> +Now what do you think?<br /> +Who stole a nest away<br /> +From the plum-tree, to-day?"<br /> +<br /> +"Coo-coo! Coo-coo! Coo-coo!<br /> +Let me speak a word, too!<br /> +Who stole that pretty nest<br /> +From little yellow-breast?"<br /> +<br /> +"Caw! Caw!" cried the crow;<br /> +"I should like to know<br /> +What thief took away<br /> +A bird's nest to-day?"<br /> +<br /> +"Cluck! Cluck!" said the hen;<br /> +"Don't ask me again,<br /> +Why, I haven't a chick<br /> +Would do such a trick.<br /> +We all gave her a feather,<br /> +And she wove them together.<br /> +I'd scorn to intrude<br /> +On her and her brood.<br /> +Cluck! Cluck!" said the hen,<br /> +"Don't ask me again."<br /> +<br /> +"Chirr-a-whirr! Chirr-a-whirr!<br /> +All the birds make a stir!<br /> +Let us find out his name,<br /> +And all cry 'For shame!'"<br /> +<br /> +"I would not rob a bird,"<br /> +Said little Mary Green;<br /> +"I think I never heard<br /> +Of anything so mean."<br /> +<br /> +"It is very cruel, too,"<br /> +Said little Alice Neal;<br /> +"I wonder if he knew<br /> +How sad the bird would feel?"<br /> +<br /> +A little boy hung down his head,<br /> +And went and hid behind the bed,<br /> +For he stole that pretty nest<br /> +From poor little yellow-breast;<br /> +And he felt so full of shame,<br /> +He didn't like to tell his name.<br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[377]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_279" id="Note_279">279</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"Susan Coolidge" was the pseudonym used +by Sarah C. Woolsey (1845-1905). She +wrote numerous tales and verses for young +people, and her series of <i>Katy Books</i> was +widely known and enjoyed. The poem +that follows is a very familiar one, and its +treatment of its theme may be compared +with that in Henry Ward Beecher's little +prose apologue (No. <a href="#Note_249">249</a>).</div> + + +<h4><br />HOW THE LEAVES CAME +DOWN</h4> + +<div class='center'>"SUSAN COOLIDGE"</div> + +<div class='poem'> +I'll tell you how the leaves came down:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The great Tree to his children said,</span><br /> +"You're getting sleepy, Yellow and Brown,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Yes, very sleepy, little Red;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">It is quite time to go to bed."</span><br /> +<br /> +"Ah!" begged each silly, pouting leaf,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Let us a little longer stay;</span><br /> +Dear Father Tree, behold our grief!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Tis such a very pleasant day,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">We do not want to go away."</span><br /> +<br /> +So, just for one more merry day<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To the great Tree the leaflets clung,</span><br /> +Frolicked and danced and had their way<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Upon the autumn breezes swung,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whispering all their sports among,</span><br /> +<br /> +"Perhaps the great Tree will forget<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And let us stay until the spring,</span><br /> +If we all beg and coax and fret."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the great Tree did no such thing;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He smiled to hear their whispering.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Come, children all, to bed," he cried;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And ere the leaves could urge their prayer,</span><br /> +He shook his head, and far and wide,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fluttering and rustling everywhere,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Down sped the leaflets through the air.</span><br /> +<br /> +I saw them; on the ground they lay,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Golden and red, a huddled swarm,</span><br /> +Waiting till one from far away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">White bedclothes heaped up on her arm,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Should come to wrap them safe and warm.</span><br /> +<br /> +The great bare Tree looked down and smiled.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Good-night, dear little leaves," he said;</span><br /> +And from below each sleepy child<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Replied, "Good-night," and murmurèd,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"It is <i>so</i> nice to go to bed."</span><br /> +<br /><br /><br /></div> + + +<div class="hang1">The poems for young readers produced by +the sisters Alice Cary (1820-1871) and +Phoebe Cary (1824-1871) constitute the +most successful body of juvenile verse yet +produced in this country. One of Alice +Cary's poems, "An Order for a Picture," +is of a very distinguished quality, but as +its appeal is largely to mature readers, two +of Phoebe Cary's poems of simpler quality +are chosen for use here. The first of these +marks, by means of three illustrations +within the range of children's observation, +a very common defect of child nature and +is, by the force of these illustrations, a +good lesson in practical ethics. The appeal +of the second is to that inherent ideal of +disinterested heroism which is so strong in +children. The setting of the story amidst +the ever-present threat of the sea affords a +good chance for the teacher to do effective +work in emphasizing the geographical background. +This should be done, however, +not as geography merely, but with the +attention on the human elements involved.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_280" id="Note_280">280</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THEY DIDN'T THINK</h4> + +<div class='center'>PHOEBE CARY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Once a trap was baited<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[378]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a piece of cheese;</span><br /> +Which tickled so a little mouse<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">It almost made him sneeze;</span><br /> +An old rat said, "There's danger,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Be careful where you go!"</span><br /> +"Nonsense!" said the other,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I don't think you know!"</span><br /> +So he walked in boldly—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nobody in sight;</span><br /> +First he took a nibble,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then he took a bite;</span><br /> +Close the trap together<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Snapped as quick as wink,</span><br /> +Catching mousey fast there,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Cause he didn't think.</span><br /> +<br /> +Once a little turkey,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fond of her own way,</span><br /> +Wouldn't ask the old ones<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where to go or stay;</span><br /> +She said, "I'm not a baby,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Here I am half-grown;</span><br /> +Surely, I am big enough<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To run about alone!"</span><br /> +Off she went, but somebody<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hiding saw her pass;</span><br /> +Soon like snow her feathers<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Covered all the grass.</span><br /> +So she made a supper<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For a sly young mink,</span><br /> +'Cause she was so headstrong<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That she wouldn't think.</span><br /> +<br /> +Once there was a robin<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lived outside the door,</span><br /> +Who wanted to go inside<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And hop upon the floor.</span><br /> +"Ho, no," said the mother,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"You must stay with me;</span><br /> +Little birds are safest<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sitting in a tree."</span><br /> +"I don't care," said Robin,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And gave his tail a fling,</span><br /> +"I don't think the old folks<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Know quite everything."</span><br /> +Down he flew, and Kitty seized him.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Before he'd time to blink.</span><br /> +"Oh," he cried, "I'm sorry,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But I didn't think."</span><br /> +<br /> +Now my little children,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">You who read this song,</span><br /> +Don't you see what trouble<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Comes of thinking wrong?</span><br /> +And can't you take a warning<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">From their dreadful fate</span><br /> +Who began their thinking<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When it was too late?</span><br /> +Don't think there's always safety<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where no danger shows,</span><br /> +Don't suppose you know more<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Than anybody knows;</span><br /> +But when you're warned of ruin,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pause upon the brink,</span><br /> +And don't go under headlong,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Cause you didn't think.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_281" id="Note_281">281</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE LEAK IN THE DIKE</h4> + +<div class='center'>A Story of Holland<br /> +<br /> +PHOEBE CARY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The good dame looked from her cottage<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">At the close of the pleasant day,</span><br /> +And cheerily called to her little son<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Outside the door at play:</span><br /> +"Come, Peter, come! I want you to go,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">While there is light to see,</span><br /> +To the hut of the blind old man who lives<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Across the dike, for me;</span><br /> +And take these cakes I made for him—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They are hot and smoking yet;</span><br /> +You have time enough to go and come<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Before the sun is set."</span><br /> +<br /> +Then the good-wife turned to her labor,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Humming a simple song,</span><br /> +And thought of her husband, working hard<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[379]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">At the sluices all day long;</span><br /> +And set the turf a-blazing,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And brought the coarse black bread;</span><br /> +That he might find a fire at night,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And find the table spread.</span><br /> +<br /> +And Peter left the brother,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With whom all day he had played,</span><br /> +And the sister who had watched their sports<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the willow's tender shade;</span><br /> +And told them they'd see him back before<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They saw a star in sight,</span><br /> +Though he wouldn't be afraid to go<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the very darkest night!</span><br /> +<br /> +For he was a brave, bright fellow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With eye and conscience clear;</span><br /> +He could do whatever a boy might do,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And he had not learned to fear.</span><br /> +Why, he wouldn't have robbed a bird's nest,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nor brought a stork to harm,</span><br /> +Though never a law in Holland<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Had stood to stay his arm!</span><br /> +<br /> +And now, with his face all glowing,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And eyes as bright as the day</span><br /> +With the thoughts of his pleasant errand,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He trudged along the way;</span><br /> +And soon his joyous prattle<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Made glad a lonesome place—</span><br /> +Alas! if only the blind old man<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Could have seen that happy face!</span><br /> +Yet he somehow caught the brightness<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which his voice and presence lent;</span><br /> +And he felt the sunshine come and go<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As Peter came and went.</span><br /> +<br /> +And now, as the day was sinking,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the winds began to rise,</span><br /> +The mother looked from her door again,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Shading her anxious eyes;</span><br /> +And saw the shadows deepen<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And birds to their homes come back,</span><br /> +But never a sign of Peter<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Along the level track.</span><br /> +But she said: "He will come at morning,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">So I need not fret or grieve—</span><br /> +Though it isn't like my boy at all<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To stay without my leave."</span><br /> +<br /> +But where was the child delaying?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">On the homeward way was he,</span><br /> +And across the dike while the sun was up<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">An hour above the sea.</span><br /> +He was stopping now to gather flowers,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Now listening to the sound,</span><br /> +As the angry waters dashed themselves<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Against their narrow bound.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Ah! well for us," said Peter,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"That the gates are good and strong,</span><br /> +And my father tends them carefully,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or they would not hold you long!</span><br /> +You're a wicked sea," said Peter;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I know why you fret and chafe;</span><br /> +You would like to spoil our lands and homes;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But our sluices keep you safe!"</span><br /> +<br /> +But hark! Through the noise of waters<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Comes a low, clear, trickling sound;</span><br /> +And the child's face pales with terror,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And his blossoms drop to the ground.</span><br /> +He is up the bank in a moment,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And stealing through the sand,</span><br /> +He sees a stream not yet so large<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As his slender, childish hand.</span><br /> +<br /> +'<i>Tis a leak in the dike!</i> He is but a boy,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Unused to fearful scenes;</span><br /> +But, young as he is, he has learned to know<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The dreadful thing that means.</span><br /> +<i>A leak in the dike!</i> The stoutest heart<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Grows faint that cry to hear,</span><br /> +And the bravest man in all the land<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">[380]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Turns white with mortal fear.</span><br /> +For he knows the smallest leak may grow<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To a flood in a single night;</span><br /> +And he knows the strength of the cruel sea<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When loosed in its angry might.</span><br /> +<br /> +And the boy! He has seen the danger,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And, shouting a wild alarm,</span><br /> +He forces back the weight of the sea<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With the strength of his single arm!</span><br /> +He listens for the joyful sound<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of a footstep passing nigh;</span><br /> +And lays his ear to the ground, to catch<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The answer to his cry.</span><br /> +And he hears the rough winds blowing,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the waters rise and fall,</span><br /> +But never an answer comes to him,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Save the echo of his call.</span><br /> +He sees no hope, no succor,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His feeble voice is lost;</span><br /> +Yet what shall he do but watch and wait,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Though he perish at his post!</span><br /> +<br /> +So, faintly calling and crying<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Till the sun is under the sea;</span><br /> +Crying and moaning till the stars<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come out for company;</span><br /> +He thinks of his brother and sister,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Asleep in their safe warm bed;</span><br /> +He thinks of his father and mother,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of himself as dying—and dead;</span><br /> +And of how, when the night is over,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They must come and find him at last:</span><br /> +But he never thinks he can leave the place<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where duty holds him fast.</span><br /> +<br /> +The good dame in the cottage<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is up and astir with the light,</span><br /> +For the thought of her little Peter<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Has been with her all night.</span><br /> +And now she watches the pathway,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As yester eve she had done;</span><br /> +But what does she see so strange and black<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Against the rising sun?</span><br /> +Her neighbors are bearing between them<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Something straight to her door;</span><br /> +Her child is coming home, but not<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As he ever came before!</span><br /> +<br /> +"He is dead!" she cries; "my darling!"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the startled father hears,</span><br /> +And comes and looks the way she looks,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And fears the thing she fears:</span><br /> +Till a glad shout from the bearers<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thrills the stricken man and wife—</span><br /> +"Give thanks, for your son has saved our land,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And God has saved his life!"</span><br /> +So, there in the morning sunshine<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They knelt about the boy;</span><br /> +And every head was bared and bent<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In tearful, reverent joy.</span><br /> +<br /> +'Tis many a year since then; but still,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When the sea roars like a flood,</span><br /> +Their boys are taught what a boy can do<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Who is brave and true and good.</span><br /> +For every man in that country<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Takes his son by the hand,</span><br /> +And tells him of little Peter,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whose courage saved the land.</span><br /> +<br /> +They have many a valiant hero,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Remembered through the years:</span><br /> +But never one whose name so oft<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is named with loving tears.</span><br /> +And his deed shall be sung by the cradle,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And told to the child on the knee,</span><br /> +So long as the dikes of Holland<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Divide the land from the sea!</span><br /> +<br /><br /><br /></div> + +<div class="hang1">The world's greatest writer of verse for +children, Robert Louis Stevenson, was +born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1850. +After he was twenty-five years old he spent +much of the rest of his short life traveling in +search of health. From 1889 to the time +of his death in 1894 he resided in Samoa. +The verses given here (Nos. <a href="#Note_282">282</a>-<a href="#Note_295">295</a>) are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">[381]</a></span> +taken from his famous book, <i>A Child's +Garden of Verses</i>, which, says Professor +Saintsbury, "is, perhaps, the most perfectly +natural book of the kind. It was +supplemented later by other poems for +children; and some of his work outside +this, culminating in the widely known epitaph</div> + +<div class='poem'> +Home is the sailor, home from sea,<br /> +And the hunter home from the hill,<br /> +</div> + +<div class='hang1'><br />has the rarely combined merits of simplicity, +sincerity, music, and strength." +One of the best of Stevenson's poems for +children outside the <i>Child's Garden of +Verses</i> is the powerfully dramatic story +called <i>Heather Ale</i>. In attempting to +solve the secret of Stevenson's supremacy, +Edmund Gosse calls attention to the +"curiously candid and confidential attitude +of mind" in these poems, to the +"extraordinary clearness and precision +with which the immature fancies of eager +childhood" are reproduced, and particularly, +to the fact that they give us "a +transcript of that child-mind which we +have all possessed and enjoyed, but of +which no one, except Mr. Stevenson, seems +to have carried away a photograph." It +is this ability to hand on a photographic +transcript of the child's way of seeing things +that, according to Mr. Gosse, puts Stevenson +in a class which contains only two other +members, Hans Christian Andersen in +nursery stories, and Juliana Horatia Ewing +in the more realistic prose tale. Children +find expressed in these poems their own +active fancies. It has been objected to +them that the child pictured there is a +lonely child, but every child, like every +mature person, has an inner world of dreams +and experiences in which he delights now +and then to dwell. The presence of the +qualities mentioned put at least two of +Stevenson's prose romances among the +most splendid adventure stories for young +people, <i>Treasure Island</i> and <i>Kidnapped</i>. +Perhaps no book is more popular among +pupils of the seventh and eighth grades +than the former. It has been called a +"sublimated dime novel," that is, it has +all the decidedly attractive features of +the "dime novel" plus the fine art of story-telling +which is always lacking in that +sensational type of story.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_282" id="Note_282">282</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />WHOLE DUTY OF CHILDREN</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A child should always say what's true,<br /> +And speak when he is spoken to,<br /> +And behave mannerly at table;<br /> +At least as far as he is able.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_283" id="Note_283">283</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE COW</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The friendly cow all red and white,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I love with all my heart:</span><br /> +She gives me cream with all her might,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To eat with apple-tart.</span><br /> +<br /> +She wanders lowing here and there,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And yet she cannot stray,</span><br /> +All in the pleasant open air,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The pleasant light of day;</span><br /> +<br /> +And blown by all the winds that pass<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And wet with all the showers,</span><br /> +She walks among the meadow grass<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And eats the meadow flowers.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_284" id="Note_284">284</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />TIME TO RISE</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A birdie with a yellow bill<br /> +Hopped upon the window-sill,<br /> +Cocked his shining eye and said:<br /> +"Ain't you 'shamed, you sleepy-head?"<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_285" id="Note_285">285</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />RAIN</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The rain is raining all around,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">It falls on field and tree,</span><br /> +It rains on the umbrellas here,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And on the ships at sea.</span><br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">[382]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_286" id="Note_286">286</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />A GOOD PLAY</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +We built a ship upon the stairs<br /> +All made of the back-bedroom chairs,<br /> +And filled it full of sofa pillows<br /> +To go a-sailing on the billows.<br /> +<br /> +We took a saw and several nails,<br /> +And water in the nursery pails;<br /> +And Tom said, "Let us also take<br /> +An apple and a slice of cake;"—<br /> +Which was enough for Tom and me<br /> +To go a-sailing on, till tea.<br /> +<br /> +We sailed along for days and days,<br /> +And had the very best of plays;<br /> +But Tom fell out and hurt his knee,<br /> +So there was no one left but me.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_287" id="Note_287">287</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE LAMPLIGHTER</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky;<br /> +It's time to take the window to see Leerie going by;<br /> +For every night at tea-time and before you take your seat,<br /> +With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street.<br /> +<br /> +Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to sea,<br /> +And my papa's a banker and as rich as he can be;<br /> +But I, when I am stronger and can choose what I'm to do,<br /> +O Leerie, I'll go round at night and light the lamps with you!<br /> +<br /> +For we are very lucky, with a lamp before the door,<br /> +And Leerie stops to light it as he lights so many more;<br /> +And O! before you hurry by with ladder and with light,<br /> +O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him to-night!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_288" id="Note_288">288</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE LAND OF NOD</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +From breakfast on through all the day<br /> +At home among my friends I stay,<br /> +But every night I go abroad<br /> +Afar into the land of Nod.<br /> +<br /> +All by myself I have to go,<br /> +With none to tell me what to do—<br /> +All alone beside the streams<br /> +And up the mountain sides of dreams.<br /> +<br /> +The strangest things are there for me,<br /> +Both things to eat and things to see,<br /> +And many frightening sights abroad,<br /> +Till morning in the land of Nod.<br /> +<br /> +Try as I like to find the way,<br /> +I never can get back by day,<br /> +Nor can remember plain and clear<br /> +The curious music that I hear.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_289" id="Note_289">289</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE LAND OF STORY-BOOKS</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +At evening when the lamp is lit,<br /> +Around the fire my parents sit;<br /> +They sit at home and talk and sing,<br /> +And do not play at anything.<br /> +<br /> +Now, with my little gun, I crawl<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">[383]</a></span>All in the dark along the wall,<br /> +And follow round the forest track<br /> +Away behind the sofa back.<br /> +<br /> +There, in the night, where none can spy,<br /> +All in my hunter's camp I lie,<br /> +And play at books that I have read<br /> +Till it is time to go to bed.<br /> +<br /> +These are the hills, these are the woods,<br /> +These are my starry solitudes;<br /> +And there the river by whose brink<br /> +The roaring lion comes to drink.<br /> +<br /> +I see the others far away<br /> +As if in firelit camp they lay,<br /> +And I, like to an Indian scout,<br /> +Around their party prowled about.<br /> +<br /> +So when my nurse comes in for me,<br /> +Home I return across the sea,<br /> +And go to bed with backward looks<br /> +At my dear Land of Story-books.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_290" id="Note_290">290</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />MY BED IS A BOAT</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +My bed is like a little boat;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nurse helps me in when I embark:</span><br /> +She girds me in my sailor's coat<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And starts me in the dark.</span><br /> +<br /> +At night, I go on board and say<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Good-night to all my friends on shore;</span><br /> +I shut my eyes and sail away<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And see and hear no more.</span><br /> +<br /> +And sometimes things to bed I take,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As prudent sailors have to do;</span><br /> +Perhaps a slice of wedding-cake,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Perhaps a toy or two.</span><br /> +<br /> +All night across the dark we steer;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But when the day returns at last,</span><br /> +Safe in my room, beside the pier,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I find my vessel fast.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_291" id="Note_291">291</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />MY SHADOW</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,<br /> +And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.<br /> +He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;<br /> +And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.<br /> +<br /> +The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—<br /> +Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;<br /> +For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,<br /> +And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.<br /> +<br /> +He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,<br /> +And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.<br /> +He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;<br /> +I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!<br /> +<br /> +One morning, very early, before the sun was up,<br /> +I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;<br /> +But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,<br /> +Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_292" id="Note_292">292</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE SWING</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +How do you like to go up in a swing,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">[384]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Up in the air so blue?</span><br /> +Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ever a child can do!</span><br /> +<br /> +Up in the air and over the wall,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Till I can see so wide,</span><br /> +Rivers and trees and cattle and all<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Over the countryside—</span><br /> +<br /> +Till I look down on the garden green,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Down on the roof so brown—</span><br /> +Up in the air I go flying again,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Up in the air and down!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_293" id="Note_293">293</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />WHERE GO THE BOATS?</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Dark brown is the river,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Golden is the sand.</span><br /> +It flows along forever<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With trees on either hand.</span><br /> +<br /> +Green leaves a-floating,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Castles of the foam,</span><br /> +Boats of mine a-boating—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where will all come home?</span><br /> +<br /> +On goes the river<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And out past the mill,</span><br /> +Away down the valley,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Away down the hill.</span><br /> +<br /> +Away down the river,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A hundred miles or more,</span><br /> +Other little children<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Shall bring my boats ashore.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_294" id="Note_294">294</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE WIND</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +I saw you toss the kites on high<br /> +And blow the birds about the sky;<br /> +And all around I heard you pass,<br /> +Like ladies' skirts across the grass—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">O wind, a-blowing all day long,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">O wind, that sings so loud a song!</span><br /> +<br /> +I saw the different things you did,<br /> +But always you yourself you hid.<br /> +I felt you push, I heard you call,<br /> +I could not see yourself at all—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">O wind, a-blowing all day long,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">O wind, that sings so loud a song!</span><br /> +<br /> +O you that are so strong and cold,<br /> +O blower, are you young or old?<br /> +Are you a beast of field and tree,<br /> +Or just a stronger child than me?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">O wind, a-blowing all day long,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">O wind, that sings so loud a song!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_295" id="Note_295">295</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />WINDY NIGHTS</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Whenever the moon and stars are set,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whenever the wind is high,</span><br /> +All night long in the dark and wet<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A man goes riding by.</span><br /> +Late in the night when the fires are out,<br /> +Why does he gallop and gallop about?<br /> +<br /> +Whenever the trees are crying aloud,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And ships are tossed at sea,</span><br /> +By, on the highway, low and loud,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">By at the gallop goes he.</span><br /> +By at the gallop he goes, and then<br /> +By he comes back at the gallop again.<br /><br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="hang1">The four poems that follow are from <i>Little-Folk +Lyrics</i>, by Frank Dempster Sherman +(1860—), and are used here by permission +of and special arrangement with +the publishers, Houghton Mifflin Co., +Boston. Many of Sherman's poems have +been found pleasing to children, particularly +those dealing with nature themes and with +outdoor activities.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_296" id="Note_296">296</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />SPINNING TOP</h4> + +<div class='center'>FRANK DEMPSTER SHERMAN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +When I spin round without a stop<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">[385]</a></span>And keep my balance like the top,<br /> +I find that soon the floor will swim<br /> +Before my eyes; and then, like him,<br /> +I lie all dizzy on the floor<br /> +Until I feel like spinning more.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_297" id="Note_297">297</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />FLYING KITE</h4> + +<div class='center'>FRANK DEMPSTER SHERMAN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +I often sit and wish that I<br /> +Could be a kite up in the sky,<br /> +And ride upon the breeze, and go<br /> +Whatever way it chanced to blow.<br /> +Then I could look beyond the town,<br /> +And see the river winding down,<br /> +And follow all the ships that sail<br /> +Like me before the merry gale,<br /> +Until at last with them I came<br /> +To some place with a foreign name.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_298" id="Note_298">298</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />KING BELL</h4> + +<div class='center'>FRANK DEMPSTER SHERMAN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Long ago there lived a King<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A mighty man and bold,</span><br /> +Who had two sons, named Dong and Ding,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of whom this tale is told.</span><br /> +<br /> +Prince Ding was clear of voice, and tall,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Prince in every line;</span><br /> +Prince Dong, his voice was very small,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And he but four feet nine.</span><br /> +<br /> +Now both these sons were very dear<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To Bell, the mighty King.</span><br /> +They always hastened to appear<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When he for them would ring.</span><br /> +<br /> +Ding never failed the first to be,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But Dong, he followed well,</span><br /> +And at the second summons he<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Responded to King Bell.</span><br /> +<br /> +This promptness of each royal Prince<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is all of them we know,</span><br /> +Except that all their kindred since<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Have done exactly so.</span><br /> +<br /> +And if you chance to know a King<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Like this one of the dong,</span><br /> +Just listen once—and there is Ding;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Again—and there is Dong.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_299" id="Note_299">299</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />DAISIES</h4> + +<div class='center'>FRANK DEMPSTER SHERMAN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +At evening when I go to bed<br /> +I see the stars shine overhead;<br /> +They are the little daisies white<br /> +That dot the meadows of the Night.<br /> +<br /> +And often while I'm dreaming so,<br /> +Across the sky the Moon will go;<br /> +It is a lady, sweet and fair,<br /> +Who comes to gather daisies there.<br /> +<br /> +For, when at morning I arise,<br /> +There's not a star left in the skies;<br /> +She's picked them all and dropped them down<br /> +Into the meadows of the town.<br /><br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="hang1">The three poems by Eugene Field (Nos. <a href="#Note_300">300</a>-<a href="#Note_302">302</a>) +are used by special permission of the +publishers, Charles Scribner's Sons, New +York City. Field was born at St. Louis in +1850, and died at Chicago in 1895. The +quaint fantastical conceptions in these +poems have made them supreme favorites +with children. No. <a href="#Note_300">300</a> belongs to the list +of the world's great lullabies.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_300" id="Note_300">300</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />WYNKEN, BLYNKEN, AND NOD</h4> + +<div class='center'>EUGENE FIELD<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sailed off in a wooden shoe,—</span><br /> +Sailed on a river of crystal light<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Into a sea of dew.</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">[386]</a></span>"Where are you going, and what do you wish?"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The old moon asked the three.</span><br /> +"We have come to fish for the herring fish<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That live in this beautiful sea;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nets of silver and gold have we!"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Said Wynken,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Blynken,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And Nod.</span><br /> +<br /> +The old moon laughed and sang a song,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As they rocked in the wooden shoe;</span><br /> +And the wind that sped them all night long<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ruffled the waves of dew.</span><br /> +The little stars were the herring fish<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That lived in that beautiful sea—</span><br /> +"Now cast your nets wherever you wish,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Never afeard are we!"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">So cried the stars to the fishermen three,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Wynken,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Blynken,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And Nod.</span><br /> +<br /> +All night long their nets they threw<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To the stars in the twinkling foam,—</span><br /> +Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bringing the fishermen home:</span><br /> +'Twas all so pretty a sail, it seemed<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As if it could not be;</span><br /> +And some folk thought 'twas a dream they'd dreamed<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of sailing that beautiful sea;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But I shall name you the fishermen three:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Wynken,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Blynken,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And Nod.</span><br /> +<br /> +Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And Nod is a little head,</span><br /> +And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is a wee one's trundle-bed;</span><br /> +So shut your eyes while Mother sings<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of wonderful sights that be,</span><br /> +And you shall see the beautiful things<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As you rock in the misty sea</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:—</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">Wynken,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">Blynken,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">And Nod.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_301" id="Note_301">301</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE SUGAR-PLUM TREE</h4> + +<div class='center'>EUGENE FIELD<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Have you ever heard of the Sugar-Plum Tree?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Tis a marvel of great renown!</span><br /> +It blooms on the shore of the Lollypop sea<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the garden of Shut-Eye Town;</span><br /> +The fruit that it bears is so wondrously sweet<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(As those who have tasted it say)</span><br /> +That good little children have only to eat<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of that fruit to be happy next day.</span><br /> +<br /> +When you've got to the tree, you would have a hard time<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To capture the fruit which I sing;</span><br /> +The tree is so tall that no person could climb<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To the boughs where the sugar-plums swing!</span><br /> +But up in that tree sits a chocolate cat,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And a gingerbread dog prowls below—</span><br /> +And this is the way you contrive to get at<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Those sugar-plums tempting you so:</span><br /> +<br /> +You say but the word to that gingerbread dog<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And he barks with such terrible zest</span><br /> +That the chocolate cat is at once all agog,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As her swelling proportions attest.</span><br /> +And the chocolate cat goes cavorting around<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">[387]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">From this leafy limb unto that,</span><br /> +And the sugar-plums tumble, of course, to the ground—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hurrah for that chocolate cat!</span><br /> +<br /> +There are marshmallows, gumdrops, and peppermint canes<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With stripings of scarlet or gold,</span><br /> +And you carry away of the treasure that rains,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As much as your apron can hold!</span><br /> +So come, little child, cuddle closer to me<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In your dainty white nightcap and gown,</span><br /> +And I'll rock you away to that Sugar-Plum Tree<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the garden of Shut-Eye Town.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_302" id="Note_302">302</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE DUEL</h4> + +<div class='center'>EUGENE FIELD<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The gingham dog and the calico cat<br /> +Side by side on the table sat;<br /> +'Twas half past twelve, and (what do you think!)<br /> +Nor one nor t'other had slept a wink!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Appeared to know as sure as fate</span><br /> +There was going to be a terrible spat.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>I wasn't there; I simply state</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>What was told to me by the Chinese plate!</i>)</span><br /> +<br /> +The gingham dog went "Bow-wow-wow!"<br /> +And the calico cat replied "Mee-ow!"<br /> +The air was littered, an hour or so,<br /> +With bits of gingham and calico,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">While the old Dutch clock in the chimney place</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Up with its hands before its face,</span><br /> +For it always dreaded a family row!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>Now mind: I'm only telling you</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>What the old Dutch clock declares is true!</i>)</span><br /> +<br /> +The Chinese plate looked very blue,<br /> +And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"<br /> +But the gingham dog and the calico cat<br /> +Wallowed this way and tumbled that,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Employing every tooth and claw</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the awfullest way you ever saw—</span><br /> +And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>Don't fancy I exaggerate—</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>I got my news from the Chinese plate!</i>)</span><br /> +<br /> +Next morning, where the two had sat<br /> +They found no trace of dog or cat:<br /> +And some folks think unto this day<br /> +That burglars stole that pair away!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But the truth about the cat and pup</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is this: they ate each other up!</span><br /> +Now what do you really think of that!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>The old Dutch clock it told me so,</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>And that is how I came to know.</i>)</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_303" id="Note_303">303</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">James Whitcomb Riley was born in Greenfield, +Indiana, in 1849, and died at Indianapolis +in 1916. His success was largely +due to his ability to present homely +phases of life in the Hoosier dialect. "The +Raggedy Man" is a good illustration of this +skill. In his prime Mr. Riley was an +excellent oral interpreter of his own work, +and his personifications of the Hoosier +types in his poems in recitals all over the +country had much to do with giving him +an understanding body of readers. He +had much of the power in which Stevenson +was so supreme—that power of remembering +accurately and giving full expression to +the points of view of childhood. The +perennial fascination of the circus as in +"The Circus Day Parade" illustrates this +particularly well. "The Treasures of the +Wise Man" represents another class of +Mr. Riley's poems in which he moralizes +in a fashion that makes people willing to be +preached at. It may be said very truly +that most of his poems have their chief +attraction in enabling older readers to +recall the almost vanished thrilling delights<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">[388]</a></span> +of youth, but poems that do that are +generally found to interest children also.</div> + + +<h3><br />THE TREASURES OF THE +WISE MAN[1]</h3> + +<div class='center'>JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +O the night was dark and the night was late,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the robbers came to rob him;</span><br /> +And they picked the locks of his palace gate,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The robbers that came to rob him—</span><br /> +They picked the locks of his palace gate,<br /> +Seized his jewels and gems of state,<br /> +His coffers of gold and his priceless plate—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The robbers that came to rob him.</span><br /> +<br /> +But loud laughed he in the morning red!—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For of what had the robbers robbed him?—</span><br /> +Ho! hidden safe, as he slept in bed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When the robbers came to rob him,—</span><br /> +They robbed him not of a golden shred<br /> +Of the childish dreams in his wise old head—<br /> +"And they're welcome to all things else," he said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When the robbers came to rob him.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_304" id="Note_304">304</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE CIRCUS-DAY PARADE<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h4> + +<div class='center'>JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem2'> +Oh, the Circus-Day parade! How the bugles played and played!<br /> +And how the glossy horses tossed their flossy manes, and neighed,<br /> +As the rattle and the rhyme of the tenor-drummer's time<br /> +Filled all the hungry hearts of us with melody sublime!<br /> +<br /> +How the grand band-wagon shone with a splendor all its own,<br /> +And glittered with a glory that our dreams had never known!<br /> +And how the boys behind, high and low of every kind,<br /> +Marched in unconscious capture, with a rapture undefined!<br /> +<br /> +How the horsemen, two and two, with their plumes of white and blue,<br /> +And crimson, gold and purple, nodding by at me and you,<br /> +Waved the banners that they bore, as the Knights in days of yore,<br /> +Till our glad eyes gleamed and glistened like the spangles that they wore!<br /> +<br /> +How the graceless-graceful stride of the elephant was eyed,<br /> +And the capers of the little horse that cantered at his side!<br /> +How the shambling camels, tame to the plaudits of their fame,<br /> +With listless eyes came silent, masticating as they came.<br /> +<br /> +How the cages jolted past, with each wagon battened fast,<br /> +And the mystery within it only hinted of at last<br /> +From the little grated square in the rear, and nosing there<br /> +The snout of some strange animal that sniffed the outer air!<br /> +<br /> +And, last of all, The Clown, making mirth for all the town,<br /> +With his lips curved ever upward and his eyebrows ever down,<br /> +And his chief attention paid to the little mule that played<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">[389]</a></span>A tattoo on the dashboard with his heels, in the parade.<br /> +<br /> +Oh! the Circus-Day parade! How the bugles played and played!<br /> +And how the glossy horses tossed their flossy manes and neighed,<br /> +As the rattle and the rhyme of the tenor-drummer's time<br /> +Filled all the hungry hearts of us with melody sublime!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_305" id="Note_305">305</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE RAGGEDY MAN<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></h4> + +<div class='center'>JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +O The Raggedy Man! He works fer Pa;<br /> +An' he's the goodest man ever you saw!<br /> +He comes to our house every day,<br /> +An' waters the horses, an' feeds 'em hay;<br /> +An' he opens the shed—an' we all ist laugh<br /> +When he drives out our little old wobblely calf;<br /> +An' nen—ef our hired girl says he can—<br /> +He milks the cow fer 'Lizabuth Ann.—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Aint he a' awful good Raggedy Man?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!</span><br /> +<br /> +W'y, The Raggedy Man—he's ist so good<br /> +He splits the kindlin' an' chops the wood;<br /> +An' nen he spades in our garden, too,<br /> +An' does most things 'at <i>boys</i> can't do!—<br /> +He clumbed clean up in our big tree<br /> +An' shooked a' apple down fer me—<br /> +An' nother'n', too, fer 'Lizabuth Ann—<br /> +An' nother'n', too, fer The Raggedy Man—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Aint he a' awful kind Raggedy Man?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!</span><br /> +<br /> +An' The Raggedy Man, he knows most rhymes<br /> +An' tells 'em, ef I be good, sometimes:<br /> +Knows 'bout Giunts, an' Griffuns, an' Elves,<br /> +An' the Squidgicum-Squees 'at swallers therselves!<br /> +An', wite by the pump in our pasture-lot,<br /> +He showed me the hole 'at the Wunks is got,<br /> +'At lives 'way deep in the ground, an' can<br /> +Turn into me, er 'Lizabuth Ann!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Aint he a funny old Raggedy Man?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!</span><br /> +<br /> +The Raggedy Man—one time when he<br /> +Wuz makin' a little bow-'n'-orry fer me,<br /> +Says "When <i>you're</i> big like your Pa is,<br /> +Air you go' to keep a fine store like his—<br /> +An' be a rich merchunt—an' wear fine clothes?—<br /> +Er what <i>air</i> you go' to be, goodness knows!"<br /> +An' nen he laughed at 'Lizabuth Ann,<br /> +An' I says "'M go' to be a Raggedy Man!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'm ist go' to be a nice Raggedy Man!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Raggedy! Raggedy! Raggedy Man!"</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_306" id="Note_306">306</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">James Hogg (1770-1835) was a poet of Scotland +and a contemporary of Sir Walter +Scott. He was known as the Ettrick +Shepherd, from the place of his birth and +from the fact that as a boy he tended the +sheep. He had little schooling and was a +thoroughly self-made man. The strongly +marked and energetic swing of the rhythm, +fitting in so well with the vigorous out-of-door +experiences suggested, has made "A +Boy's Song" a great favorite. Other poems +of his that are still read are "The Skylark" +and the verse fairy tale called "Kilmeny."</div> + + +<h4><br />A BOY'S SONG</h4> + +<div class='center'>JAMES HOGG<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Where the pools are bright and deep,<br /> +Where the gray trout lies asleep,<br /> +Up the river and o'er the lea,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">[390]</a></span>That's the way for Billy and me.<br /> +<br /> +Where the blackbird sings the latest,<br /> +Where the hawthorn blooms the sweetest,<br /> +Where the nestlings chirp and flee,<br /> +That's the way for Billy and me.<br /> +<br /> +Where the mowers mow the cleanest,<br /> +Where the hay lies thick and greenest,<br /> +There to track the homeward bee,<br /> +That's the way for Billy and me.<br /> +<br /> +Where the hazel bank is steepest,<br /> +Where the shadow falls the deepest,<br /> +Where the clustering nuts fall free,<br /> +That's the way for Billy and me.<br /> +<br /> +Why the boys should drive away<br /> +Little sweet maidens from the play,<br /> +Or love to banter and fight so well,<br /> +That's the thing I never could tell.<br /> +<br /> +But this I know, I love to play,<br /> +Through the meadow, among the hay;<br /> +Up the river and o'er the lea,<br /> +That's the way for Billy and me.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_307" id="Note_307">307</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Mary Howitt (1799-1888), an English author +and translator, was the first to put Hans +Christian Andersen's tales into English. +She wrote on a great variety of subjects, +and much of her work was useful and pleasing +to a multitude of readers old and young. +Besides the following poem, she is known +well to young readers by her "The Fairies +of Caldon-Low."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE SPIDER AND THE FLY</h4> + +<div class='center'>MARY HOWITT<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Will you walk into my parlor?"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Said the Spider to the Fly;</span><br /> +"'Tis the prettiest little parlor<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That ever you did spy.</span><br /> +<br /> +"The way into my parlor<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is up a winding stair,</span><br /> +And I have many curious things<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To show when you are there."</span><br /> +<br /> +"Oh, no, no," said the little Fly,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"To ask me is in vain;</span><br /> +For who goes up your winding stair<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Can ne'er come down again."</span><br /> +<br /> +"I'm sure you must be weary, dear,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With soaring up so high;</span><br /> +Will you rest upon my little bed?"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Said the Spider to the Fly.</span><br /> +<br /> +"There are pretty curtains drawn around;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The sheets are fine and thin,</span><br /> +And if you like to rest awhile,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'll snugly tuck you in!"</span><br /> +<br /> +"Oh, no, no," said the little Fly,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"For I've often heard it said,</span><br /> +They never, never wake again,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Who sleep upon your bed."</span><br /> +<br /> +Said the cunning Spider to the Fly:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Dear friend, what can I do</span><br /> +To prove the warm affection<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I've always felt for you?</span><br /> +<br /> +"I have within my pantry<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Good store of all that's nice:</span><br /> +I'm sure you're very welcome—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Will you please to take a slice?"</span><br /> +<br /> +"Oh, no, no," said the little Fly,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Kind sir, that cannot be;</span><br /> +I've heard what's in your pantry,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I do not wish to see."</span><br /> +<br /> +"Sweet creature!" said the Spider,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"You're witty and you're wise;</span><br /> +How handsome are your gauzy wings<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How brilliant are your eyes!</span><br /> +<br /> +"I have a little looking-glass<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Upon my parlor shelf;</span><br /> +If you'll step in one moment, dear,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">[391]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">You shall behold yourself."</span><br /> +<br /> +"I thank you, gentle sir," she said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"For what you're pleased to say,</span><br /> +And, bidding you good-morning now,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I'll call another day."</span><br /> +<br /> +The Spider turned him round about.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And went into his den,</span><br /> +For well he knew the silly Fly<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Would soon come back again:</span><br /> +<br /> +So he wove a subtle web<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a little corner sly,</span><br /> +And set his table ready<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To dine upon the Fly.</span><br /> +<br /> +Then came out to his door again,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And merrily did sing:</span><br /> +"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With the pearl and silver wing;</span><br /> +<br /> +"Your robes are green and purple—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">There's a crest upon your head;</span><br /> +Your eyes are like the diamond bright,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But mine are dull as lead!"</span><br /> +<br /> +Alas, alas! how very soon<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">This silly little Fly,</span><br /> +Hearing his wily, flattering words,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Came slowly flitting by;</span><br /> +<br /> +With buzzing wings she hung aloft,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then near and nearer drew,</span><br /> +Thinking only of her brilliant eyes,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And green and purple hue—</span><br /> +<br /> +Thinking only of her crested head—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Poor, foolish thing! At last,</span><br /> +Up jumped the cunning Spider,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And fiercely held her fast.</span><br /> +<br /> +He dragged her up his winding stair,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Into his dismal den,</span><br /> +Within his little parlor—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But she ne'er came out again.</span><br /> +<br /> +And now, dear little children,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Who may this story read,</span><br /> +To idle, silly, flattering words,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I pray you ne'er give heed.</span><br /> +<br /> +Unto an evil counsellor<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Close heart and ear and eye,</span><br /> +And take a lesson from this tale<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of the Spider and the Fly.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_308" id="Note_308">308</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">William Howitt (1792-1879) and his wife, +author of the preceding poem, worked +together on many literary projects. One of +William Howitt's poems, "The Wind in a +Frolic," has long found a place in collections +for children. It presents the wind in a +sprightly, mischievous, and boisterous mood.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE WIND IN A FROLIC</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM HOWITT<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem2'> +The wind one morning sprang up from sleep,<br /> +Saying, "Now for a frolic! now for a leap!<br /> +Now for a madcap galloping chase!<br /> +I'll make a commotion in every place!"<br /> +<br /> +So it swept with a bustle right through a great town,<br /> +Cracking the signs and scattering down<br /> +Shutters; and whisking, with merciless squalls,<br /> +Old women's bonnets and gingerbread stalls,<br /> +There never was heard a much lustier shout,<br /> +As the apples and oranges trundled about;<br /> +And the urchins that stand with their thievish eyes<br /> +For ever on watch, ran off each with a prize.<br /> +<br /> +Then away to the field it went, blustering and humming,<br /> +And the cattle all wondered whatever was coming;<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">[392]</a></span>It plucked by the tails the grave matronly cows,<br /> +And tossed the colts' manes all over their brows;<br /> +Till, offended at such an unusual salute,<br /> +They all turned their backs, and stood sulky and mute.<br /> +<br /> +So on it went capering and playing its pranks,<br /> +Whistling with reeds on the broad river's banks,<br /> +Puffing the birds as they sat on the spray,<br /> +Or the traveller grave on the king's highway.<br /> +It was not too nice to hustle the bags<br /> +Of the beggar, and flutter his dirty rags;<br /> +<br /> +'Twas so bold that it feared not to play its joke<br /> +With the doctor's wig or the gentleman's cloak.<br /> +Through the forest it roared, and cried gaily, "Now,<br /> +You sturdy old oaks, I'll make you bow!"<br /> +And it made them bow without more ado,<br /> +Or it cracked their great branches through and through.<br /> +<br /> +Then it rushed like a monster on cottage and farm,<br /> +Striking their dwellers with sudden alarm;<br /> +And they ran out like bees in a midsummer swarm;—<br /> +<br /> +There were dames with their kerchiefs tied over their caps,<br /> +To see if their poultry were free from mishaps;<br /> +The turkeys they gobbled, the geese screamed aloud,<br /> +And the hens crept to roost in a terrified crowd;<br /> +There was rearing of ladders, and logs laying on,<br /> +Where the thatch from the roof threatened soon to be gone.<br /> +<br /> +But the wind had swept on, and had met in a lane<br /> +With a schoolboy, who panted and struggled in vain;<br /> +For it tossed him and twirled him, then passed, and he stood<br /> +With his hat in a pool and his shoes in the mud.<br /> +<br /> +Then away went the wind in its holiday glee,<br /> +And now it was far on the billowy sea,<br /> +And the lordly ships felt its staggering blow,<br /> +And the little boats darted to and fro.<br /> +<br /> +But lo! it was night, and it sank to rest<br /> +On the sea-bird's rock in the gleaming West,<br /> +Laughing to think, in its fearful fun,<br /> +How little of mischief it really had done.<br /><br /><br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="hang1">Ann Taylor (1782-1866) and Jane Taylor +(1783-1824), English writers of verse and +prose for children, have earned a permanent +place in the history of juvenile literature on +account of the real worth of their work and +because they were among the first authors to +write poetry especially for children. They +published jointly three volumes of verse for +children: <i>Original Poems for Infant Minds</i>, +<i>Rhymes for the Nursery</i>, and <i>Hymns for +Infant Minds</i>. Many of their poems seem +a little too didactic, but they were genuine +in their ethical earnestness and largely +succeeded in putting things in terms of +the child's own comprehension. The four +poems given here represent them at their +best, which was good enough to win the +admiration of Sir Walter Scott.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_309" id="Note_309">309</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE COW</h4> + +<div class='center'>ANN TAYLOR</div> + + +<div class='poem'> +Thank you, pretty cow, that made<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">[393]</a></span>Pleasant milk to soak my bread,<br /> +Every day and every night,<br /> +Warm, and fresh, and sweet, and white.<br /> +<br /> +Do not chew the hemlock rank,<br /> +Growing on the weedy bank;<br /> +But the yellow cowslips eat,<br /> +That will make it very sweet.<br /> +<br /> +Where the purple violet grows,<br /> +Where the bubbling water flows,<br /> +Where the grass is fresh and fine,<br /> +Pretty cow, go there and dine.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_310" id="Note_310">310</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />MEDDLESOME MATTY</h4> + +<div class='center'>ANN TAYLOR<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +One ugly trick has often spoiled<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The sweetest and the best;</span><br /> +Matilda, though a pleasant child,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">One ugly trick possessed,</span><br /> +Which, like a cloud before the skies,<br /> +Hid all her better qualities.<br /> +<br /> +Sometimes she'd lift the tea-pot lid,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To peep at what was in it;</span><br /> +Or tilt the kettle, if you did<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But turn your back a minute.</span><br /> +In vain you told her not to touch,<br /> +Her trick of meddling grew so much.<br /> +<br /> +Her grandmamma went out one day<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And by mistake she laid</span><br /> +Her spectacles and snuff-box gay<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Too near the little maid;</span><br /> +"Ah! well," thought she, "I'll try them on,<br /> +As soon as grandmamma is gone."<br /> +<br /> +Forthwith she placed upon her nose<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The glasses large and wide;</span><br /> +And looking round, as I suppose,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The snuff-box too she spied:</span><br /> +"Oh! what a pretty box is that;<br /> +I'll open it," said little Matt.<br /> +<br /> +"I know that grandmamma would say,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Don't meddle with it, dear,'</span><br /> +But then, she's far enough away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And no one else is near:</span><br /> +Besides, what can there be amiss<br /> +In opening such a box as this?"<br /> +<br /> +So thumb and finger went to work<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To move the stubborn lid,</span><br /> +And presently a mighty jerk<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The mighty mischief did;</span><br /> +For all at once, ah! woeful case,<br /> +The snuff came puffing in her face.<br /> +<br /> +Poor eyes, and nose, and mouth beside<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A dismal sight presented;</span><br /> +In vain, as bitterly she cried,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Her folly she repented.</span><br /> +In vain she ran about for ease;<br /> +She could do nothing else but sneeze.<br /> +<br /> +She dashed the spectacles away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To wipe her tingling eyes,</span><br /> +And as in twenty bits they lay,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Her grandmamma she spies.</span><br /> +"Heyday! and what's the matter now?"<br /> +Says grandmamma with lifted brow.<br /> +<br /> +Matilda, smarting with the pain,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And tingling still, and sore,</span><br /> +Made many a promise to refrain<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">From meddling evermore.</span><br /> +And 'tis a fact, as I have heard,<br /> +She ever since has kept her word.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_311" id="Note_311">311</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />"I LIKE LITTLE PUSSY"</h4> + +<div class='center'>JANE TAYLOR<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +I like little Pussy,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Her coat is so warm;</span><br /> +And if I don't hurt her<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">She'll do me no harm.</span><br /> +So I'll not pull her tail,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nor drive her away,</span><br /> +But Pussy and I<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">[394]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Very gently will play;</span><br /> +She shall sit by my side,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I'll give her some food;</span><br /> +And she'll love me because<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I am gentle and good.</span><br /> +<br /> +I'll pat little Pussy,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And then she will purr,</span><br /> +And thus show her thanks<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For my kindness to her;</span><br /> +I'll not pinch her ears,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nor tread on her paw,</span><br /> +Lest I should provoke her<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To use her sharp claw;</span><br /> +I never will vex her,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nor make her displeased,</span><br /> +For Pussy can't bear<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To be worried or teased.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_312" id="Note_312">312</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE STAR</h4> + +<div class='center'>JANE TAYLOR<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Twinkle, twinkle, little star,<br /> +How I wonder what you are.<br /> +Up above the world so high,<br /> +Like a diamond in the sky.<br /> +<br /> +When the blazing sun is gone,<br /> +When he nothing shines upon,<br /> +Then you show your little light,<br /> +Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.<br /> +<br /> +Then the traveler in the dark<br /> +Thanks you for your tiny spark;<br /> +He could not see which way to go,<br /> +If you did not twinkle so.<br /> +<br /> +In the dark blue sky you keep,<br /> +And often through my curtains peep,<br /> +For you never shut your eye<br /> +Till the sun is in the sky.<br /> +<br /> +As your bright and tiny spark<br /> +Lights the traveler in the dark,<br /> +Though I know not what you are,<br /> +Twinkle, twinkle, little star.<br /><br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="hang1">Although Christina G. Rossetti (1830-1894) +is not known primarily as a writer for +children, her <i>Sing-Song</i>, from which the +next seven poems are taken, is a juvenile +classic. She ranks very high among the +women poets of the nineteenth century, +her only equal being Mrs. Browning. +Besides the brief poems in <i>Sing-Song</i>, Miss +Rossetti's "Goblin Market" and "Uphill" +please young people of a contemplative +mood. While there is an undercurrent of +sadness in much of her work, it is a natural +accompaniment of her themes and is not +unduly emphasized.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_313" id="Note_313">313</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />SELDOM OR NEVER</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Seldom "can't,"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Seldom "don't";</span><br /> +Never "shan't,"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Never "won't."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_314" id="Note_314">314</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />AN EMERALD IS AS +GREEN AS GRASS</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +An emerald is as green as grass;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A ruby, red as blood;</span><br /> +A sapphire shines as blue as heaven;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A flint lies in the mud.</span><br /> +<br /> +A diamond is a brilliant stone<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To catch the world's desire;</span><br /> +An opal holds a fiery spark;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But a flint holds fire.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_315" id="Note_315">315</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />BOATS SAIL ON THE RIVERS</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Boats sail on the rivers,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And ships sail on the seas;</span><br /> +But clouds that sail across the sky<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">[395]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Are prettier far than these.</span><br /> +There are bridges on the rivers,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As pretty as you please;</span><br /> +But the bow that bridges heaven,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And overtops the trees,</span><br /> +And builds a road from earth to sky,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is prettier far than these.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_316" id="Note_316">316</a></h3> + +<h4><br />A DIAMOND OR A COAL?</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A diamond or a coal?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A diamond, if you please;</span><br /> +Who cares about a clumsy coal<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Beneath the summer trees?</span><br /> +<br /> +A diamond or a coal?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A coal, sir, if you please;</span><br /> +One comes to care about the coal<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">At times when waters freeze.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_317" id="Note_317">317</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE SWALLOW</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Fly away, fly away over the sea,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sun-loving swallow, for summer is done;</span><br /> +Come again, come again, come back to me,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bringing the summer and bringing the sun.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_318" id="Note_318">318</a></h3> + +<h4><br />WHO HAS SEEN THE WIND?</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Who has seen the wind?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Neither I nor you:</span><br /> +But when the leaves hang trembling,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The wind is passing thro'.</span><br /> +<br /> +Who has seen the wind?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Neither you nor I:</span><br /> +But when the trees bow down their heads,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The wind is passing by.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_319" id="Note_319">319</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />MILKING TIME</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +When the cows come home the milk is coming;<br /> +Honey's made while the bees are humming;<br /> +Duck and drake on the rushy lake,<br /> +And the deer live safe in the breezy brake;<br /> +And timid, funny, pert little bunny<br /> +Winks his nose, and sits all sunny.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_320" id="Note_320">320</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">William Brighty Rands (1823-1882), an +English author writing under the name +of "Matthew Browne," produced in his +<i>Lilliput Lyrics</i> a juvenile masterpiece containing +much verse worthy to live. The +two poems that follow are decidedly successful +in catching that elusive something +called the child's point of view.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE PEDDLER'S CARAVAN</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM BRIGHTY RANDS<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +I wish I lived in a caravan<br /> +With a horse to drive, like a peddler-man!<br /> +Where he comes from nobody knows,<br /> +Or where he goes to, but on he goes!<br /> +<br /> +His caravan has windows two,<br /> +And a chimney of tin, that the smoke comes through;<br /> +He has a wife, with a baby brown,<br /> +And they go riding from town to town.<br /> +<br /> +Chairs to mend, and delf to sell!<br /> +He clashes the basins like a bell;<br /> +Tea-trays, baskets ranged in order,<br /> +Plates, with alphabets round the border!<br /> +<br /> +The roads are brown, and the sea is green,<br /> +But his house is like a bathing-machine;<br /> +The world is round, and he can ride,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">[396]</a></span>Rumble and slash, to the other side!<br /> +<br /> +With the peddler-man I should like to roam,<br /> +And write a book when I came home;<br /> +All the people would read my book,<br /> +Just like the Travels of Captain Cook!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_321" id="Note_321">321</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE WONDERFUL WORLD</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM BRIGHTY RANDS<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful World,<br /> +With the wonderful water round you curled,<br /> +And the wonderful grass upon your breast—<br /> +World, you are beautifully dressed!<br /> +<br /> +The wonderful air is over me,<br /> +And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree—<br /> +It walks on the water, and whirls the mills,<br /> +And talks to itself on the top of the hills.<br /> +<br /> +You friendly Earth, how far do you go,<br /> +With the wheat-fields that nod and the rivers that flow,<br /> +With cities and gardens and cliffs and isles,<br /> +And the people upon you for thousands of miles?<br /> +<br /> +Ah! you are so great, and I am so small,<br /> +I hardly can think of you, World, at all;<br /> +And yet, when I said my prayers to-day,<br /> +My mother kissed me, and said, quite gay,<br /> +<br /> +"If the wonderful World is great to you,<br /> +And great to father and mother, too,<br /> +You are more than the Earth, though you are such a dot!<br /> +You can love and think, and the Earth cannot!"<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_322" id="Note_322">322</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Richard Monckton Milnes (Lord Houghton, +1809-1885), an English poet, wrote one +poem that has held its own in children's +collections. Its quiet mood of industry at +one with the gentler influences of nature is +especially appealing.</div> + + +<h4><br />GOOD-NIGHT AND GOOD-MORNING</h4> + +<div class='center'>RICHARD MONCKTON MILNES<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A fair little girl sat under a tree,<br /> +Sewing as long as her eyes could see;<br /> +Then smoothed her work and folded it right<br /> +And said, "Dear work, good-night, good-night!"<br /> +<br /> +Such a number of rooks came over her head,<br /> +Crying "Caw! Caw!" on their way to bed,<br /> +She said, as she watched their curious flight,<br /> +"Little black things, good-night, good-night!"<br /> +<br /> +The horses neighed, and the oxen lowed,<br /> +The sheep's "Bleat! Bleat!" came over the road;<br /> +All seeming to say, with a quiet delight,<br /> +"Good little girl, good-night, good-night!"<br /> +<br /> +She did not say to the sun, "Good-night!"<br /> +Though she saw him there like a ball of light;<br /> +For she knew he had God's time to keep<br /> +All over the world and never could sleep.<br /> +<br /> +The tall pink foxglove bowed his head;<br /> +The violets curtsied, and went to bed;<br /> +And good little Lucy tied up her hair,<br /> +And said, on her knees, her favorite prayer.<br /> +<br /> +And while on her pillow she softly lay,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">[397]</a></span>She knew nothing more till again it was day;<br /> +And all things said to the beautiful sun,<br /> +"Good-morning, good-morning! our work is begun."<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_323" id="Note_323">323</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">It is quite impossible for us to realize why the +English reading public should have been +so excited over the following poem in the +years immediately following its first appearance +in 1806. It attracted the attention of +royalty, was set to music, had a host of +imitators, and established itself as a nursery +classic. It was written by William +Roscoe (1753-1831), historian, banker, +and poet, for his son Robert, and was +merely an entertaining skit upon an actual +banquet. Probably the fact that the +characters at the butterfly's ball were +drawn with human faces in the original +illustrations to represent the prominent +guests at the actual banquet had much to +do with the initial success. The impulse +which it received a hundred years ago, +coupled with its own undoubted power of +fancy, has projected it thus far, and children +seem inclined to approve and still +further insure its already long life.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM ROSCOE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Come, take up your hats, and away let us haste<br /> +To the Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast,<br /> +The Trumpeter, Gadfly, has summon'd the crew,<br /> +And the Revels are now only waiting for you."<br /> +So said little Robert, and pacing along,<br /> +His merry Companions came forth in a throng,<br /> +And on the smooth Grass by the side of a Wood,<br /> +Beneath a broad oak that for ages had stood,<br /> +Saw the Children of Earth and the Tenants of Air<br /> +For an Evening's Amusement together repair.<br /> +<br /> +And there came the Beetle, so blind and so black,<br /> +Who carried the Emmet, his friend, on his back,<br /> +And there was the Gnat and the Dragonfly too,<br /> +With all their Relations, green, orange and blue.<br /> +And there came the Moth, with his plumage of down,<br /> +And the Hornet in jacket of yellow and brown;<br /> +Who with him the Wasp, his companion, did bring,<br /> +But they promised that evening to lay by their sting.<br /> +And the sly little Dormouse crept out of his hole,<br /> +And brought to the Feast his blind Brother, the Mole;<br /> +And the Snail, with his horns peeping out of his shell,<br /> +Came from a great distance, the length of an ell.<br /> +<br /> +A Mushroom, their Table, and on it was laid<br /> +A water-dock leaf, which a table-cloth made.<br /> +The Viands were various, to each of their taste,<br /> +And the Bee brought her honey to crown the Repast.<br /> +Then close on his haunches, so solemn and wise,<br /> +The Frog from a corner look'd up to the skies;<br /> +And the Squirrel, well pleased such diversion to see,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">[398]</a></span>Mounted high overhead and look'd down from a tree.<br /> +Then out came the Spider, with finger so fine,<br /> +To show his dexterity on the tight-line,<br /> +From one branch to another his cobwebs he slung,<br /> +Then quick as an arrow he darted along,<br /> +But just in the middle—oh! shocking to tell,<br /> +From his rope, in an instant, poor Harlequin fell.<br /> +Yet he touch'd not the ground, but with talons outspread,<br /> +Hung suspended in air, at the end of a thread.<br /> +<br /> +Then the Grasshopper came with a jerk and a spring,<br /> +Very long was his Leg, though but short was his Wing;<br /> +He took but three leaps, and was soon out of sight,<br /> +Then chirp'd his own praises the rest of the night.<br /> +With step so majestic the Snail did advance,<br /> +And promised the Gazers a Minuet to dance;<br /> +But they all laughed so loud that he pulled in his head,<br /> +And went in his own little chamber to bed.<br /> +Then as Evening gave way to the shadows of Night,<br /> +Their Watchman, the Glowworm, came out with a light.<br /> +"Then Home let us hasten while yet we can see,<br /> +For no Watchman is waiting for you and for me."<br /> +So said little Robert, and pacing along,<br /> +His merry Companions return'd in a throng.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_324" id="Note_324">324</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />CAN YOU?</h4> + +<div class='center'>AUTHOR UNKNOWN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Can you put the spider's web back in place<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That once has been swept away?</span><br /> +Can you put the apple again on the bough<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which fell at our feet to-day?</span><br /> +Can you put the lily-cup back on the stem<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And cause it to live and grow?</span><br /> +Can you mend the butterfly's broken wing<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That you crush with a hasty blow?</span><br /> +Can you put the bloom again on the grape<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the grape again on the vine?</span><br /> +Can you put the dewdrops back on the flowers<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And make them sparkle and shine?</span><br /> +Can you put the petals back on the rose?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If you could, would it smell as sweet?</span><br /> +Can you put the flour again in the husk,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And show me the ripened wheat?</span><br /> +Can you put the kernel again in the nut,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or the broken egg in the shell?</span><br /> +Can you put the honey back in the comb,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And cover with wax each cell?</span><br /> +Can you put the perfume back in the vase<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When once it has sped away?</span><br /> +Can you put the corn-silk back on the corn,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or down on the catkins, say?</span><br /> +You think my questions are trifling, lad,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Let me ask you another one:</span><br /> +Can a hasty word be ever unsaid,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or a deed unkind, undone?</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_325" id="Note_325">325</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">In 1841 Robert Browning (1812-1889) published +a drama in verse entitled <i>Pippa +Passes</i>. Pippa was a little girl who worked +in the silkmills of an Italian city. When +her one holiday of the year came, she +arose early and went singing out of town +to the hills to enjoy the day. Various<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">[399]</a></span> +people who were planning to do evil heard +her songs as she passed and did not do the +wicked things they had intended to do. +The next day Pippa returned to her usual +work and never knew that her songs had +changed the lives of many people. The +following is the first of Pippa's songs.</div> + + +<h4><br />PIPPA'S SONG</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT BROWNING<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The year's at the spring,<br /> +And day's at the morn;<br /> +Morning's at seven;<br /> +The hill-side's dew-pearled;<br /> +The lark's on the wing;<br /> +The snail's on the thorn;<br /> +God's in His Heaven—<br /> +All's right with the world!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_326" id="Note_326">326</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Charles Mackay (1814-1889) was an English +journalist, poet, and miscellaneous writer. +He was especially popular as a writer of +songs, composing both words and music. +Other well-known poems of his are "The +Miller of Dee" and "Tubal Cain." "Little +and Great" presents a familiar idea through +a series of illustrations—the idea that great +and lasting results may spring from unstudied +deeds of helpfulness and love.</div> + + +<h4><br />LITTLE AND GREAT</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHARLES MACKAY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A traveler on a dusty road<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Strewed acorns on the lea;</span><br /> +And one took root and sprouted up,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And grew into a tree.</span><br /> +Love sought its shade at evening-time,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To breathe its early vows;</span><br /> +And Age was pleased, in heats of noon,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To bask beneath its boughs.</span><br /> +The dormouse loved its dangling twigs,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The birds sweet music bore—</span><br /> +It stood a glory in its place,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A blessing evermore.</span><br /> +<br /> +A little spring had lost its way<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Amid the grass and fern;</span><br /> +A passing stranger scooped a well<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where weary men might turn;</span><br /> +He walled it in, and hung with care<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A ladle at the brink;</span><br /> +He thought not of the deed he did,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But judged that Toil might drink.</span><br /> +He passed again; and lo! the well,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">By summer never dried,</span><br /> +Had cooled ten thousand parchèd tongues,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And saved a life beside.</span><br /> +<br /> +A dreamer dropped a random thought;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Twas old, and yet 'twas new;</span><br /> +A simple fancy of the brain,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But strong in being true.</span><br /> +It shone upon a genial mind,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And, lo! its light became</span><br /> +A lamp of life, a beacon ray,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A monitory flame.</span><br /> +The thought was small; its issue great;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A watch-fire on the hill,</span><br /> +It sheds its radiance far adown,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And cheers the valley still.</span><br /> +<br /> +A nameless man, amid the crowd<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That thronged the daily mart,</span><br /> +Let fall a word of hope and love,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Unstudied from the heart,—</span><br /> +A whisper on the tumult thrown,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A transitory breath,—</span><br /> +It raised a brother from the dust,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">It saved a soul from death.</span><br /> +O germ! O fount! O word of love!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">O thought at random cast!</span><br /> +Ye were but little at the first,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But mighty at the last.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_327" id="Note_327">327</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The following poem by Mrs. Hemans (1793-1835), +an English poet, is remembered for +its historic interest. Louis Casabianca, a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">[400]</a></span> +Frenchman, served on a war ship that +helped convey French troops to America, to +aid the colonists during the Revolution. +Later, when Napoleon attempted to conquer +Egypt, he was captain of the admiral's flagship +during the battle of the Nile. When the +admiral was killed, he took command of the +fleet at the moment of defeat. He blew up +his ship, after the crew had been saved, rather +than surrender it. His ten-year-old son +refused to leave and perished with his father.</div> + + +<h4><br />CASABIANCA</h4> + +<div class='center'>FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The boy stood on the burning deck,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whence all but him had fled;</span><br /> +The flame that lit the battle's wreck<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Shone round him o'er the dead.</span><br /> +<br /> +Yet beautiful and bright he stood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As born to rule the storm;</span><br /> +A creature of heroic blood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A proud, though child-like form.</span><br /> +<br /> +The flames rolled on; he would not go<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Without his father's word;</span><br /> +That father, faint in death below,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His voice no longer heard.</span><br /> +<br /> +He called aloud, "Say, father, say,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If yet my task be done!"</span><br /> +He knew not that the chieftain lay<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Unconscious of his son.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Speak, father!" once again he cried,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"If I may yet be gone!"</span><br /> +And but the booming shots replied,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And fast the flames rolled on.</span><br /> +<br /> +Upon his brow he felt their breath,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And in his waving hair,</span><br /> +And looked from that lone post of death<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In still, yet brave despair.</span><br /> +<br /> +And shouted but once more aloud,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"My father! must I stay?"</span><br /> +While o'er him, fast, through sail and shroud,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The wreathing fires made way.</span><br /> +<br /> +They wrapt the ship in splendor wild,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They caught the flag on high,</span><br /> +And streamed above the gallant child,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Like banners in the sky.</span><br /> +<br /> +There came a burst of thunder sound:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The boy,—oh! where was he?</span><br /> +Ask of the winds, that far around<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With fragments strewed the sea,—</span><br /> +<br /> +With mast, and helm, and pennon fair,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That well had borne their part,—</span><br /> +But the noblest thing that perished there,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Was that young, faithful heart.</span><br /><br /><br /> +</div> + +<div class="hang1">The five numbers that follow are from the +works of the great English poet and mystic +William Blake (1757-1827). All except the +first are given in their entirety. No. <a href="#Note_328">328</a> +is made up of three couplets taken from the +loosely strung together <i>Auguries of Innocence</i>. +Nos. <a href="#Note_329">329</a>, <a href="#Note_330">330</a>, and <a href="#Note_332">332</a> are from +<i>Songs of Innocence</i> (1789), where the last +was printed as an introduction without any +other title. No. <a href="#Note_331">331</a> is from <i>Songs of Experience</i> +(1794). Blake labored in obscurity +and poverty, though he has now come to +be regarded as one of England's most +important poets. It is not necessary that +children should understand fully all that +Blake says, but it is important for teachers +to realize that most children are natural +mystics and that Blake's poetry, more than +any other, is the natural food for them.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_328" id="Note_328">328</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THREE THINGS TO REMEMBER</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM BLAKE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A Robin Redbreast in a cage,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">[401]</a></span>Puts all heaven in a rage.<br /> +<br /> +A skylark wounded on the wing<br /> +Doth make a cherub cease to sing.<br /> +<br /> +He who shall hurt the little wren<br /> +Shall never be beloved by men.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_329" id="Note_329">329</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE LAMB</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM BLAKE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little lamb, who made thee?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dost thou know who made thee,</span><br /> +Gave thee life, and bade thee feed<br /> +By the stream and o'er the mead;<br /> +Gave thee clothing of delight,<br /> +Softest clothing, woolly, bright;<br /> +Gave thee such a tender voice,<br /> +Making all the vales rejoice?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little lamb, who made thee?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dost thou know who made thee?</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little lamb, I'll tell thee,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little lamb, I'll tell thee.</span><br /> +He is called by thy name,<br /> +For He calls himself a Lamb:<br /> +He is meek and he is mild,<br /> +He became a little child.<br /> +I a child and thou a lamb,<br /> +We are called by His name.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little lamb, God bless thee,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Little lamb, God bless thee.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_330" id="Note_330">330</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE SHEPHERD</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM BLAKE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +How sweet is the shepherd's sweet lot;<br /> +From the morn to the evening he strays;<br /> +He shall follow his sheep all the day,<br /> +And his tongue shall be filled with praise.<br /> +<br /> +For he hears the lambs' innocent call,<br /> +And he hears the ewes' tender reply;<br /> +He is watchful while they are in peace,<br /> +For they know when their shepherd is nigh.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_331" id="Note_331">331</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE TIGER</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM BLAKE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Tiger, tiger, burning bright<br /> +In the forests of the night,<br /> +What immortal hand or eye<br /> +Could frame thy fearful symmetry?<br /> +<br /> +In what distant deeps or skies<br /> +Burnt the fire of thine eyes?<br /> +On what wings dare he aspire?<br /> +What the hand dare seize thy fire?<br /> +<br /> +And what shoulder and what art<br /> +Could twist the sinews of thy heart?<br /> +And when thy heart began to beat,<br /> +What dread hand formed thy dread feet?<br /> +<br /> +What the hammer? what the chain?<br /> +In what furnace was thy brain?<br /> +What the anvil? what dread grasp<br /> +Dare its deadly terrors clasp?<br /> +<br /> +When the stars threw down their spears,<br /> +And water'd heaven with their tears,<br /> +Did He smile His work to see?<br /> +Did He who made the lamb make thee?<br /> +<br /> +Tiger, tiger, burning bright<br /> +In the forests of the night,<br /> +What immortal hand or eye<br /> +Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_332" id="Note_332">332</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE PIPER</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM BLAKE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Piping down the valleys wild,<br /> +Piping songs of pleasant glee,<br /> +On a cloud I saw a child,<br /> +And he laughing said to me:—<br /> +<br /> +"Pipe a song about a lamb":<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">[402]</a></span>So I piped with merry cheer.<br /> +"Piper, pipe that song again":<br /> +So I piped; he wept to hear.<br /> +<br /> +"Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe,<br /> +Sing thy songs of happy cheer":<br /> +So I sung the same again,<br /> +While he wept with joy to hear.<br /> +<br /> +"Piper, sit thee down and write<br /> +In a book that all may read."<br /> +So he vanish'd from my sight;<br /> +And I pluck'd a hollow reed,<br /> +<br /> +And I made a rural pen,<br /> +And I stain'd the water clear,<br /> +And I wrote my happy songs<br /> +Every child may joy to hear.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_333" id="Note_333">333</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Eliza Cook (1818-1889) was an English poet +who had quite a vogue in her day, and +whose poem "Try Again" deals with one of +those incidents held in affectionate remembrance +by youth. Bruce and the spider +may be less historically true, but it seems +destined to eternal life alongside Leonidas +and his Spartans. Older readers may +remember Miss Cook's "My Old Arm +Chair," which is usually given the place +of honor as her most popular poem.</div> + + +<h4><br />TRY AGAIN</h4> + +<div class='center'>ELIZA COOK<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +King Bruce of Scotland flung himself down<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a lonely mood to think:</span><br /> +'Tis true he was monarch, and wore a crown,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But his heart was beginning to sink.</span><br /> +<br /> +For he had been trying to do a great deed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To make his people glad;</span><br /> +He had tried and tried, but couldn't succeed;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And so he became quite sad.</span><br /> +<br /> +He flung himself down in low despair,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As grieved as man could be;</span><br /> +And after a while as he pondered there,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I'll give it all up," said he.</span><br /> +<br /> +Now, just at the moment, a spider dropped,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With its silken, filmy clue;</span><br /> +And the King, in the midst of his thinking, stopped<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To see what the spider would do.</span><br /> +<br /> +'Twas a long way up to the ceiling dome,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And it hung by a rope so fine,</span><br /> +That how it would get to its cobweb home<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">King Bruce could not divine.</span><br /> +<br /> +It soon began to cling and crawl<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Straight up, with strong endeavor;</span><br /> +But down it came with a slippery sprawl,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As near to the ground as ever.</span><br /> +<br /> +Up, up it ran, not a second to stay,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To utter the least complaint,</span><br /> +Till it fell still lower, and there it lay,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A little dizzy and faint.</span><br /> +<br /> +Its head grew steady—again it went,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And traveled a half yard higher;</span><br /> +'Twas a delicate thread it had to tread,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And a road where its feet would tire.</span><br /> +<br /> +Again it fell and swung below,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But again it quickly mounted;</span><br /> +Till up and down, now fast, now slow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nine brave attempts were counted.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Sure," cried the King, "that foolish thing<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Will strive no more to climb;</span><br /> +When it toils so hard to reach and cling,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And tumbles every time."</span><br /> +<br /> +But up the insect went once more;<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">[403]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ah me! 'tis an anxious minute;</span><br /> +He's only a foot from his cobweb door.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Oh, say, will he lose or win it?</span><br /> +<br /> +Steadily, steadily, inch by inch,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Higher and higher he got;</span><br /> +And a bold little run at the very last pinch<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Put him into his native cot.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Bravo, bravo!" the King cried out;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"All honor to those who <i>try;</i></span><br /> +The spider up there, defied despair;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He conquered, and why shouldn't I?"</span><br /> +<br /> +And Bruce of Scotland braced his mind,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And gossips tell the tale,</span><br /> +That he tried once more as he tried before,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And that time did not fail.</span><br /> +<br /> +Pay goodly heed, all ye who read,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And beware of saying, "I <i>can't</i>";</span><br /> +'Tis a cowardly word, and apt to lead<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To idleness, folly, and want.</span><br /> +<br /> +Whenever you find your heart despair<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of doing some goodly thing,</span><br /> +Con over this strain, try bravely again,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And remember the spider and King!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_334" id="Note_334">334</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Nonsense verse seems to have its special +place in the economy of life as a sort of +balance to the over-serious tendency. One +of the two great masters of verse of this +sort was the English author Edward Lear +(1812-1888). He was also a famous illustrator +of books and magazines. Among +his juvenile books, illustrated by himself, +were <i>Nonsense Songs</i> and <i>More Nonsense +Songs</i>. All his verse is now generally +published under the first title. Good +nonsense verse precludes explanation, the +mind of the hearer being too busy with the +delightfully odd combinations to figure on +how they happened.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE OWL AND THE +PUSSY-CAT</h4> + +<div class='center'>EDWARD LEAR<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a beautiful pea-green boat:</span><br /> +They took some honey, and plenty of money<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wrapped up in a five-pound note.</span><br /> +The Owl looked up to the stars above,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And sang to a small guitar,</span><br /> +"O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">What a beautiful Pussy you are,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">You are,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">You are!</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">What a beautiful Pussy you are!"</span><br /> +<br /> +Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How charmingly sweet you sing!</span><br /> +Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But what shall we do for a ring?"</span><br /> +They sailed away, for a year and a day,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To the land where the bong-tree grows;</span><br /> +And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a ring at the end of his nose,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">His nose,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">His nose,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a ring at the end of his nose.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."</span><br /> +So they took it away, and were married next day<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">By the Turkey who lives on the hill.</span><br /> +They dined on mince, and slices of quince,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which they ate with a runcible spoon;</span><br /> +And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They danced by the light of the moon,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">The moon,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">The moon,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They danced by the light of the moon.</span><br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">[404]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_335" id="Note_335">335</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR</h4> + +<div class='center'>EDWARD LEAR<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Said the Table to the Chair,<br /> +"You can hardly be aware<br /> +How I suffer from the heat<br /> +And from chilblains on my feet.<br /> +If we took a little walk,<br /> +We might have a little talk;<br /> +Pray let us take the air,"<br /> +Said the Table to the Chair.<br /> +<br /> +Said the Chair unto the Table,<br /> +"Now, you <i>know</i> we are not able:<br /> +How foolishly you talk,<br /> +When you know we <i>cannot</i> walk!"<br /> +Said the Table with a sigh,<br /> +"It can do no harm to try.<br /> +I've as many legs as you:<br /> +Why can't we walk on two?"<br /> +<br /> +So they both went slowly down,<br /> +And walked about the town<br /> +With a cheerful bumpy sound<br /> +As they toddled round and round;<br /> +And everybody cried,<br /> +As they hastened to their side,<br /> +"See! the Table and the Chair<br /> +Have come out to take the air!"<br /> +<br /> +But in going down an alley,<br /> +To a castle in a valley,<br /> +They completely lost their way,<br /> +And wandered all the day;<br /> +Till, to see them safely back,<br /> +They paid a Ducky-quack,<br /> +And a Beetle, and a Mouse,<br /> +Who took them to their house.<br /> +<br /> +Then they whispered to each other,<br /> +"O delightful little brother,<br /> +What a lovely walk we've taken!<br /> +Let us dine on beans and bacon."<br /> +So the Ducky and the leetle<br /> +Browny-mousy and the Beetle<br /> +Dined, and danced upon their heads<br /> +Till they toddled to their beds.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_336" id="Note_336">336</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE POBBLE WHO HAS +NO TOES</h4> + +<div class='center'>EDWARD LEAR<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The Pobble who has no toes<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Had once as many as we;</span><br /> +When they said, "Some day you may lose them all";<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He replied—"Fish fiddle-de-dee!"</span><br /> +And his Aunt Jobiska made him drink<br /> +Lavender water tinged with pink,<br /> +For she said, "The world in general knows<br /> +There's nothing so good for a Pobble's toes!"<br /> +<br /> +The Pobble who has no toes<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Swam across the Bristol Channel;</span><br /> +But before he set out he wrapped his nose<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a piece of scarlet flannel.</span><br /> +For his Aunt Jobiska said, "No harm<br /> +Can come to his toes if his nose is warm;<br /> +And it's perfectly known that a Pobble's toes<br /> +Are safe—provided he minds his nose."<br /> +<br /> +The Pobble swam fast and well,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And when boats or ships came near him</span><br /> +He tinkledy-binkledy-winkled a bell,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">So that all the world could hear him.</span><br /> +And all the Sailors and Admirals cried,<br /> +When they saw him nearing the farther side,—<br /> +"He has gone to fish for his Aunt Jobiska's<br /> +Runcible Cat with crimson whiskers!"<br /> +<br /> +But before he touched the shore,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">[405]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The shore of the Bristol Channel,</span><br /> +A sea-green Porpoise carried away<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His wrapper of scarlet flannel.</span><br /> +And when he came to observe his feet,<br /> +Formerly garnished with toes so neat,<br /> +His face at once became forlorn<br /> +On perceiving that all his toes were gone!<br /> +<br /> +And nobody ever knew,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">From that dark day to the present,</span><br /> +Whoso had taken the Pobble's toes,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a manner so far from pleasant.</span><br /> +Whether the shrimps or crawfish gray,<br /> +Or crafty Mermaids stole them away—<br /> +Nobody knew; and nobody knows<br /> +How the Pobble was robbed of his twice five toes!<br /> +<br /> +The Pobble who has no toes<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Was placed in a friendly Bark,</span><br /> +And they rowed him back, and carried him up<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To his Aunt Jobiska's Park.</span><br /> +And she made him a feast at his earnest wish<br /> +Of eggs and buttercups fried with fish;—<br /> +And she said,—"It's a fact the whole world knows,<br /> +That Pobbles are happier without their toes."<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_337" id="Note_337">337</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The two great classics among modern nonsense +books are Lewis Carroll's <i>Alice in +Wonderland</i> and <i>Through the Looking Glass</i>. +They are in prose with poems interspersed. +"The Walrus and the Carpenter," is from +<i>Through the Looking Glass</i>, while "A Strange +Wild Song," is from <i>Sylvie and Bruno</i>. +This latter book never achieved the success +of its forerunners, though it has some +delightful passages, as in the case of the +poem given. Lewis Carroll was the pseudonym +of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-1898), +an English mathematician at Oxford +University.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE WALRUS AND THE +CARPENTER</h4> + +<div class='center'>"LEWIS CARROLL"<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The sun was shining on the sea,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Shining with all his might:</span><br /> +He did his very best to make<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The billows smooth and bright—</span><br /> +And this was odd, because it was<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The middle of the night.</span><br /> +<br /> +The moon was shining sulkily,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Because she thought the sun</span><br /> +Had got no business to be there<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">After the day was done—</span><br /> +"It's very rude of him," she said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"To come and spoil the fun!"</span><br /> +<br /> +The sea was wet as wet could be.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The sands were dry as dry.</span><br /> +You could not see a cloud, because<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">No cloud was in the sky;</span><br /> +No birds were flying overhead—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">There were no birds to fly.</span><br /> +<br /> +The Walrus and the Carpenter<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Were walking close at hand;</span><br /> +They wept like anything to see<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Such quantities of sand:</span><br /> +"If this were only cleared away,"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They said, "it would be grand!"</span><br /> +<br /> +"If seven maids with seven mops<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Swept it for half a year,</span><br /> +Do you suppose," the Walrus said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"That they could get it clear?"</span><br /> +"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And shed a bitter tear.</span><br /> +<br /> +"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Walrus did beseech.</span><br /> +"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Along the briny beach:</span><br /> +We cannot do with more than four,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">[406]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">To give a hand to each."</span><br /> +<br /> +The eldest Oyster looked at him,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But never a word he said:</span><br /> +The eldest Oyster winked his eye,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And shook his heavy head—</span><br /> +Meaning to say he did not choose<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To leave the oyster-bed.</span><br /> +<br /> +But four young Oysters hurried up,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All eager for the treat:</span><br /> +Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Their shoes were clean and neat—</span><br /> +And this was odd, because, you know,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They hadn't any feet.</span><br /> +<br /> +Four other Oysters followed them,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And yet another four;</span><br /> +And thick and fast they came at last,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And more, and more, and more—</span><br /> +All hopping through the frothy waves,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And scrambling to the shore.</span><br /> +<br /> +The Walrus and the Carpenter<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Walked on a mile or so,</span><br /> +And then they rested on a rock<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Conveniently low:</span><br /> +And all the little Oysters stood<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And waited in a row.</span><br /> +<br /> +"The time has come," the Walrus said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"To talk of many things:</span><br /> +Of shoes—and ships—and sealing wax<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of cabbages—and kings—</span><br /> +And why the sea is boiling hot—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And whether pigs have wings."</span><br /> +<br /> +"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Before we have our chat;</span><br /> +For some of us are out of breath,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And all of us are fat!"</span><br /> +"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They thanked him much for that.</span><br /> +<br /> +"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Is what we chiefly need:</span><br /> +Pepper and vinegar besides<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Are very good indeed—</span><br /> +Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">We can begin to feed."</span><br /> +<br /> +"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Turning a little blue.</span><br /> +"After such kindness, that would be<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A dismal thing to do!"</span><br /> +"The night is fine," the Walrus said.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Do you admire the view?</span><br /> +<br /> +"It was so kind of you to come!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And you are very nice!"</span><br /> +The Carpenter said nothing but<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Cut me another slice:</span><br /> +I wish you were not quite so deaf—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I've had to ask you twice!"</span><br /> +<br /> +"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"To play them such a trick,</span><br /> +After we've brought them out so far,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And made them trot so quick!"</span><br /> +The Carpenter said nothing but<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"The butter's spread too thick!"</span><br /> +<br /> +"I weep for you," the Walrus said:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I deeply sympathize."</span><br /> +With sobs and tears he sorted out<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Those of the largest size,</span><br /> +Holding his pocket handkerchief<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Before his streaming eyes.</span><br /> +<br /> +"O Oysters," cried the Carpenter,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"You've had a pleasant run!</span><br /> +Shall we be trotting home again?"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But answer came there none—</span><br /> +And this was scarcely odd, because<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They'd eaten every one.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_338" id="Note_338">338</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />A STRANGE WILD SONG</h4> + +<div class='center'>"LEWIS CARROLL"<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +He thought he saw a Buffalo<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">[407]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Upon the chimney-piece:</span><br /> +He looked again, and found it was<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His Sister's Husband's Niece.</span><br /> +"Unless you leave this house," he said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I'll send for the Police."</span><br /> +<br /> +He thought he saw a Rattlesnake<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That questioned him in Greek:</span><br /> +He looked again, and found it was<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Middle of Next Week.</span><br /> +"The one thing I regret," he said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Is that it cannot speak!"</span><br /> +<br /> +He thought he saw a Banker's Clerk<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Descending from the 'bus:</span><br /> +He looked again, and found it was<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Hippopotamus.</span><br /> +"If this should stay to dine," he said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"There won't be much for us!"</span><br /> +<br /> +He thought he saw a Kangaroo<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That worked a coffee-mill;</span><br /> +He looked again, and found it was<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Vegetable-Pill.</span><br /> +"Were I to swallow this," he said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I should be very ill."</span><br /> +<br /> +He thought he saw a Coach and Four<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That stood beside his bed:</span><br /> +He looked again, and found it was<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Bear without a Head.</span><br /> +"Poor thing," he said, "poor silly thing!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">It's waiting to be fed!"</span><br /> +<br /> +He thought he saw an Albatross<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That fluttered round the Lamp:</span><br /> +He looked again, and found it was<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Penny Postage-Stamp.</span><br /> +"You'd best be getting home," he said:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"The nights are very damp!"</span><br /> +<br /> +He thought he saw a Garden Door<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That opened with a key:</span><br /> +He looked again, and found it was<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Double-Rule-of-Three:</span><br /> +"And all its mystery," he said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Is clear as day to me!"</span><br /> +<br /> +He thought he saw an Argument<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That proved he was the Pope:</span><br /> +He looked again, and found it was<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Bar of Mottled Soap.</span><br /> +"A fact so dread," he faintly said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Extinguishes all hope!"</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_339" id="Note_339">339</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was an English +minister and the writer of many hymns +still included in our hymn books. He had +a notion that verse might be used as a +means of religious and ethical instruction +for children, and wrote some poems as +illustrations of his theory so that they +might suggest to better poets how to carry +out the idea. But Watts did this work +so well that two or three of his poems and +several of his stanzas have become common +possessions. They are dominated, of course, +by the heavy didactic moralizing, but are +all so genuine and true that young readers +feel their force and enjoy them.</div> + + +<h4><br />AGAINST IDLENESS AND +MISCHIEF</h4> + +<div class='center'>ISAAC WATTS<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +How doth the little busy bee<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Improve each shining hour,</span><br /> +And gather honey all the day<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">From every opening flower!</span><br /> +<br /> +How skilfully she builds her cell,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How neat she spreads the wax!</span><br /> +And labors hard to store it well<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With the sweet food she makes.</span><br /> +<br /> +In works of labor or of skill,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I would be busy too;</span><br /> +For Satan finds some mischief still<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For idle hands to do.</span><br /> +<br /> +In books, or work, or healthful play,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">[408]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Let my first years be past,</span><br /> +That I may give for every day<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Some good account at last.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_340" id="Note_340">340</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />FAMOUS PASSAGES FROM +DOCTOR WATTS</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +O 'tis a lovely thing for youth<br /> +To walk betimes in wisdom's way;<br /> +To fear a lie, to speak the truth,<br /> +That we may trust to all they say.<br /> +<br /> +But liars we can never trust,<br /> +Though they should speak the thing that's true;<br /> +And he that does one fault at first,<br /> +And lies to hide it, makes it two.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(From "Against Lying")<br /><br /><br /></div> + + +<div class='poem'> +Whatever brawls disturb the street,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">There should be peace at home;</span><br /> +Where sisters dwell and brothers meet,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Quarrels should never come.</span><br /> +<br /> +Birds in their little nests agree:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And 'tis a shameful sight,</span><br /> +When children of one family<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fall out, and chide, and fight.</span><br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(From "Love between Brothers and Sisters")<br /><br /><br /></div> + + +<div class='poem'> +How proud we are! how fond to show<br /> +Our clothes, and call them rich and new!<br /> +When the poor sheep and silk-worm wore<br /> +That very clothing long before.<br /> +<br /> +The tulip and the butterfly<br /> +Appear in gayer coats than I;<br /> +Let me be dressed fine as I will,<br /> +Flies, worms, and flowers exceed me still.<br /> +<br /> +Then will I set my heart to find<br /> +Inward adornings of the mind;<br /> +Knowledge and virtue, truth and grace,<br /> +These are the robes of richest dress.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(From "Against Pride in Clothes")<br /><br /><br /></div> + + +<div class='poem'> +Let dogs delight to bark and bite,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For God hath made them so;</span><br /> +Let bears and lions growl and fight,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For 'tis their nature to.</span><br /> +<br /> +But, children, you should never let<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Such angry passions rise;</span><br /> +Your little hands were never made<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To tear each other's eyes.</span><br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +(From "Against Quarreling and Fighting")<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + + + +<div class="hang1">Most of the work of Henry Wadsworth +Longfellow (1807-1882) is within the range +of children's interests and comprehension. +Three poems are given here, "The Skeleton +in Armor," as representative of Longfellow's +large group of narrative poems, "The Day +Is Done," as an expression of the value of +poetry in everyday life, and "The Psalm +of Life," as the finest and most popular +example of his hortatory poems.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_341" id="Note_341">341</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">"The Skeleton in Armor" is one of Longfellow's +first and best American art ballads. +In Newport, Rhode Island, is an old stone +tower known as the "Round Tower," +which some people think was built by the +Northmen, though it probably was not. +In 1836 workmen unearthed a strange skeleton +at Fall River, Massachusetts. It was +wrapped in bark and coarse cloth. On +the breast was a plate of brass, and around +the waist was a belt of brass tubes. Apparently +it was not the skeleton of an Indian, +and people supposed it might have been that +of one of the old Norsemen. Longfellow +used these two historic facts as a basis for +the plot of his poem, which he wrote in 1840.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE SKELETON IN ARMOR</h4> + +<div class='center'>HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Speak! speak! thou fearful guest!<br /> +Who, with thy hollow breast<br /> +Still in rude armor drest,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">[409]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Comest to daunt me!</span><br /> +Wrapt not in Eastern balms,<br /> +But with thy fleshless palms<br /> +Stretched, as if asking alms,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Why dost thou haunt me?"</span><br /> +<br /> +Then, from those cavernous eyes<br /> +Pale flashes seemed to rise,<br /> +As when the Northern skies<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Gleam in December;</span><br /> +And, like the water's flow<br /> +Under December's snow,<br /> +Came a dull voice of woe<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">From the heart's chamber.</span><br /> +<br /> +"I was a Viking old!<br /> +My deeds, though manifold,<br /> +No Skald in song has told,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">No Saga taught thee!</span><br /> +Take heed, that in thy verse<br /> +Thou dost the tale rehearse,<br /> +Else dread a dead man's curse!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">For this I sought thee.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Far in the Northern Land,<br /> +By the wild Baltic's strand,<br /> +I, with my childish hand,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Tamed the ger-falcon;</span><br /> +And, with my skates fast-bound.<br /> +Skimmed the half-frozen Sound,<br /> +That the poor whimpering hound<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Trembled to walk on.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Oft to his frozen lair<br /> +Tracked I the grisly bear,<br /> +While from my path the hare<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Fled like a shadow;</span><br /> +Oft through the forest dark<br /> +Followed the were-wolf's bark,<br /> +Until the soaring lark<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Sang from the meadow.</span><br /> +<br /> +"But when I older grew,<br /> +Joining a corsair's crew,<br /> +O'er the dark sea I flew<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">With the marauders.</span><br /> +Wild was the life we led;<br /> +Many the souls that sped,<br /> +Many the hearts that bled,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">By our stern orders.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Many a wassail-bout<br /> +Wore the long Winter out;<br /> +Often our midnight shout<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Set the cocks crowing,</span><br /> +As we the Berserk's tale<br /> +Measured in cups of ale,<br /> +Draining the oaken pail,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Filled to o'erflowing.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Once, as I told in glee<br /> +Tales of the stormy sea,<br /> +Soft eyes did gaze on me,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Burning, yet tender;</span><br /> +And as the white stars shine<br /> +On the dark Norway pine,<br /> +On that dark heart of mine<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Fell their soft splendor.</span><br /> +<br /> +"I wooed the blue-eyed maid,<br /> +Yielding, yet half afraid,<br /> +And in the forest's shade<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Our vows were plighted.</span><br /> +Under its loosened vest<br /> +Fluttered her little breast,<br /> +Like birds within their nest<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">By the hawk frighted.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Bright in her father's hall<br /> +Shields gleamed upon the wall,<br /> +Loud sang the minstrels all,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Chanting his glory:</span><br /> +When of old Hildebrand<br /> +I asked his daughter's hand,<br /> +Mute did the minstrel stand<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">To hear my story.</span><br /> +<br /> +"While the brown ale he quaffed,<br /> +Loud then the champion laughed,<br /> +And as the wind-gusts waft<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The sea-foam brightly,</span><br /> +So the loud laugh of scorn,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">[410]</a></span>Out of those lips unshorn,<br /> +From the deep drinking-horn<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Blew the foam lightly.</span><br /> +<br /> +"She was a Prince's child,<br /> +I but a Viking wild,<br /> +And though she blushed and smiled,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">I was discarded!</span><br /> +Should not the dove so white<br /> +Follow the sea-new's flight,<br /> +Why did they leave that night<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Her nest unguarded?</span><br /> +<br /> +"Scarce had I put to sea,<br /> +Bearing the maid with me,—<br /> +Fairest of all was she<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Among the Norsemen!—</span><br /> +When on the white-sea strand,<br /> +Waving his armèd hand,<br /> +Saw we old Hildebrand,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">With twenty horsemen.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Then launched they to the blast,<br /> +Bent like a reed each mast,<br /> +Yet we were gaining fast,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">When the wind failed us;</span><br /> +And with a sudden flaw<br /> +Came round the gusty Skaw,<br /> +So that our foe we saw<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Laugh as he hailed us.</span><br /> +<br /> +"And as to catch the gale<br /> +Round veered the flapping sail,<br /> +'Death!' was the helmsman's hail,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Death without quarter!</span><br /> +Mid-ships with iron-keel<br /> +Struck we her ribs of steel;<br /> +Down her black hulk did reel<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Through the black water.</span><br /> +<br /> +"As with his wings aslant,<br /> +Sails the fierce cormorant,<br /> +Seeking some rocky haunt,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">With his prey laden;</span><br /> +So toward the open main,<br /> +Beating the sea again,<br /> +Through the wild hurricane,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Bore I the maiden.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Three weeks we westward bore,<br /> +And when the storm was o'er,<br /> +Cloud-like we saw the shore<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Stretching to leeward;</span><br /> +There for my lady's bower<br /> +Built I the lofty tower,<br /> +Which, to this very hour,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Stands looking seaward.</span><br /> +<br /> +"There lived we many years;<br /> +Time dried the maiden's tears;<br /> +She had forgot her fears,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">She was a mother;</span><br /> +Death closed her mild blue eyes,<br /> +Under that tower she lies;<br /> +Ne'er shall the sun arise<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">On such another!</span><br /> +<br /> +"Still grew my bosom then,<br /> +Still as a stagnant fen!<br /> +Hateful to me were men,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The sunlight hateful!</span><br /> +In the vast forest here,<br /> +Clad in my warlike gear,<br /> +Fell I upon my spear,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Oh, death was grateful!</span><br /> +<br /> +"Thus, seamed with many scars,<br /> +Bursting these prison bars,<br /> +Up to its native stars<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">My soul ascended!</span><br /> +There from the flowing bowl<br /> +Deep drinks the warrior's soul,<br /> +<i>Skoal!</i> to the Northland! <i>Skoal!</i>"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">—Thus the tale ended.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_342" id="Note_342">342</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE DAY IS DONE</h4> + +<div class='center'>HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The day is done, and the darkness<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">[411]</a></span>Falls from the wings of Night.<br /> +As a feather is wafted downward<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">From an eagle in its flight.</span><br /> +<br /> +I see the lights of the village<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Gleam through the rain and the mist,</span><br /> +And a feeling of sadness comes o'er me<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That my soul cannot resist:</span><br /> +<br /> +A feeling of sadness and longing,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That is not akin to pain,</span><br /> +And resembles sorrow only<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As the mist resembles the rain.</span><br /> +<br /> +Come, read to me some poem,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Some simple and heartfelt lay,</span><br /> +That shall soothe this restless feeling,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And banish the thoughts of day.</span><br /> +<br /> +Not from the grand old masters,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Not from the bards sublime,</span><br /> +Whose distant footsteps echo<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Through the corridors of Time.</span><br /> +<br /> +For, like strains of martial music,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Their mighty thoughts suggest</span><br /> +Life's endless toil and endeavor;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And to-night I long for rest.</span><br /> +<br /> +Read from some humbler poet,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whose songs gushed from his heart,</span><br /> +As showers from the clouds of summer,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or tears from the eyelids start;</span><br /> +<br /> +Who, through long days of labor,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And nights devoid of ease,</span><br /> +Still heard in his soul the music<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of wonderful melodies.</span><br /> +<br /> +Such songs have power to quiet<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The restless pulse of care,</span><br /> +And come like the benediction<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That follows after prayer.</span><br /> +<br /> +Then read from the treasured volume<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The poem of thy choice,</span><br /> +And lend to the rhyme of the poet<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The beauty of thy voice.</span><br /> +<br /> +And the night shall be filled with music,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the cares that infest the day,</span><br /> +Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And as silently steal away.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_343" id="Note_343">343</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />A PSALM OF LIFE</h4> + +<div class='center'>HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Tell me not, in mournful numbers,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Life is but an empty dream!—</span><br /> +For the soul is dead that slumbers,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And things are not what they seem.</span><br /> +<br /> +Life is real! Life is earnest!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the grave is not its goal;</span><br /> +Dust thou art, to dust returnest,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Was not spoken of the soul.</span><br /> +<br /> +Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is our destined end or way;</span><br /> +But to act, that each tomorrow<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Find us farther than today.</span><br /> +<br /> +Art is long, and Time is fleeting,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And our hearts, though stout and brave,</span><br /> +Still, like muffled drums, are beating<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Funeral marches to the grave.</span><br /> +<br /> +In the world's broad field of battle,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the bivouac of Life,</span><br /> +Be not like dumb, driven cattle!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Be a hero in the strife.</span><br /> +<br /> +Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Let the dead Past bury its dead!</span><br /> +Act,—act in the living Present!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Heart within, and God o'erhead!</span><br /> +<br /> +Lives of great men all remind us<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">We can make our lives sublime,</span><br /> +And, departing, leave behind us<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Footprints on the sands of time;</span><br /> +<br /> +Footprints, that perhaps another,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">[412]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sailing o'er life's solemn main,</span><br /> +A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Seeing, shall take heart again.</span><br /> +<br /> +Let us, then, be up and doing,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With a heart for any fate;</span><br /> +Still achieving, still pursuing,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Learn to labor and to wait.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_344" id="Note_344">344</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Historians usually mention Charles Kingsley +(1819-1875) only as an English novelist, +but it seems probable that eventually he +will be remembered chiefly for his work in +juvenile literature. His <i>Water Babies</i> is +popular with children of the fourth and +fifth grade, while his book of Greek myths +entitled <i>The Heroes</i> is a classic for older +children. The next two poems are popular +with both adults and children. Kingsley +was a minister and his church was located +in Devon so that the tragedies of the sea +among the fisher folk were often brought +to his attention. Both these poems deal +with such tragedies.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE THREE FISHERS</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHARLES KINGSLEY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Three fishers went sailing out into the west,—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Out into the west as the sun went down;</span><br /> +Each thought of the woman who loved him the best,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the children stood watching them out of the town;</span><br /> +For men must work, and women must weep;<br /> +And there's little to earn, and many to keep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Though the harbor bar be moaning.</span><br /> +<br /> +Three wives sat up in the light-house tower,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And trimmed the lamps as the sun went down;</span><br /> +And they looked at the squall, and they looked at the shower,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the rack it came rolling up, ragged and brown;</span><br /> +But men must work, and women must weep,<br /> +Though storms be sudden, and waters deep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the harbor bar be moaning.</span><br /> +<br /> +Three corpses lay out on the shining sands<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the morning gleam as the tide went down,</span><br /> +And the women are watching and wringing their hands,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For those who will never come back to the town;</span><br /> +For men must work, and women must weep,—<br /> +And the sooner it's over, the sooner to sleep,—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And good-by to the bar and its moaning.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_345" id="Note_345">345</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE SANDS OF DEE</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHARLES KINGSLEY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +"O Mary, go and call the cattle home,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And call the cattle home,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And call the cattle home</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Across the sands of Dee!"</span><br /> +The western wind was wild and dank with foam,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And all alone went she.</span><br /> +<br /> +The western tide crept up along the sand,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And o'er and o'er the sand,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">And round and round the sand,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">As far as eye could see.</span><br /> +The rolling mist came down and hid the land:<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">[413]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And never home came she.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Oh! is it weed, or fish, or floating hair—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">A tress of golden hair,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">A drownèd maiden's hair</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Above the nets at sea?</span><br /> +Was never salmon yet that shone so fair<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Among the stakes on Dee."</span><br /> +<br /> +They rowed her in across the sailing foam,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The cruel crawling foam,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">The cruel hungry foam,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">To her grave beside the sea:</span><br /> +But still the boatmen hear her call the cattle home<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Across the sands of Dee!</span><br /><br /><br /> +</div> + + +<div class="hang1">The next two poems, by Alfred Tennyson +(1809-1892), are very well-known songs. +"What Does Little Birdie Say" is the +mother's song in "Sea Dreams." "Sweet +and Low" is one of the best of the lyrics +in "The Princess," and a favorite among +the greatest lullabies.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_346" id="Note_346">346</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />"WHAT DOES LITTLE +BIRDIE SAY?"</h4> + +<div class='center'>ALFRED TENNYSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +What does little birdie say,<br /> +In her nest at peep of day?<br /> +"Let me fly," says little birdie,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Mother, let me fly away."</span><br /> +"Birdie, rest a little longer,<br /> +Till the little wings are stronger."<br /> +So she rests a little longer,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Then she flies away.</span><br /> +<br /> +What does little baby say,<br /> +In her bed at peep of day?<br /> +Baby says, like little birdie,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Let me rise and fly away."</span><br /> +"Baby, sleep a little longer,<br /> +Till the little limbs are stronger."<br /> +If she sleeps a little longer,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Baby too shall fly away.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_347" id="Note_347">347</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />SWEET AND LOW</h4> + +<div class='center'>ALFRED TENNYSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Sweet and low, sweet and low,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wind of the western sea,</span><br /> +Low, low, breathe and blow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wind of the western sea!</span><br /> +Over the rolling waters go,<br /> +Come from the dying moon, and blow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Blow him again to me;</span><br /> +While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.<br /> +<br /> +Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Father will come to thee soon;</span><br /> +Rest, rest on mother's breast,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Father will come to thee soon;</span><br /> +Father will come to his babe in the nest,<br /> +Silver sails all out of the west<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Under the silver moon:</span><br /> +Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_348" id="Note_348">348</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This poem is a great poet's expression of +what a poet's ideal of his mission should be. +It is summed up in the last two lines. An +interesting comparison could be made of +the purpose of poetry as reflected here with +that suggested by Longfellow in No. <a href="#Note_342">342</a>.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE POET'S SONG</h4> + +<div class='center'>ALFRED TENNYSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The rain had fallen, the Poet arose,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He pass'd by the town and out of the street,</span><br /> +A light wind blew from the gates of the sun,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And waves of shadow went over the wheat,</span><br /> +And he sat him down in a lonely place,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And chanted a melody loud and sweet,</span><br /> +That made the wild-swan pause in her cloud,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">[414]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the lark drop down at his feet.</span><br /> +<br /> +The swallow stopt as he hunted the bee,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The snake slipt under a spray,</span><br /> +The wild hawk stood with the down on his beak,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And stared, with his foot on the prey,</span><br /> +And the nightingale thought, "I have sung many songs,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But never a one so gay,</span><br /> +For he sings of what the world will be<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When the years have died away."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_349" id="Note_349">349</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Those who live near the sea know that outside +a harbor a bar is formed of earth +washed down from the land. At low tide +this may be so near the surface as to be +dangerous to ships passing in and out, and +the waves may beat against it with a moaning +sound. In his eighty-first year Tennyson +wrote "Crossing the Bar" to express +his thought about death. He represents +the soul as having come from the boundless +deep of eternity into this world-harbor of +Time and Place, and he represents death +as the departure from the harbor. He +would have no lingering illness to bar the +departure. He would have the end of +life's day to be peaceful and without sadness +of farewell, for he trusts that his +journey into the sea of eternity will be +guided by "my Pilot." This poem may +be somewhat beyond the comprehension of +eighth-grade pupils, but they can perceive +the beauty of the imagery and music, and +later in life it will be a source of hope and +comfort.</div> + + +<h4><br />CROSSING THE BAR</h4> + +<div class='center'>ALFRED TENNYSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Sunset and evening star,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And one clear call for me!</span><br /> +And may there be no moaning of the bar<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When I put out to sea,</span><br /> +<br /> +But such a tide as moving seems asleep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Too full for sound and foam,</span><br /> +When that which drew from out the boundless deep<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Turns again home.</span><br /> +<br /> +Twilight and evening bell,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And after that the dark!</span><br /> +And may there be no sadness of farewell,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When I embark;</span><br /> +<br /> +For though from out our bourne of Time and Place<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The flood may bear me far,</span><br /> +I hope to see my Pilot face to face<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When I have crossed the bar.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_350" id="Note_350">350</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Leigh Hunt (1784-1859) was an English +essayist, journalist, and poet. His one +universally known poem is "Abou Ben +Adhem." The secret of its appeal is no +doubt the emphasis placed on the idea +that a person's attitude toward his fellows +is more important than mere professions. +The line "Write me as one that loves his +fellow men" is on Hunt's tomb in Kensal +Green Cemetery, London.</div> + + +<h4><br />ABOU BEN ADHEM</h4> + +<div class='center'>LEIGH HUNT<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)<br /> +Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,<br /> +And saw, within the moonlight in his room,<br /> +Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,<br /> +An angel writing in a book of gold:<br /> +Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,<br /> +And to the presence in the room he said,<br /> +"What writest thou?"—the vision rais'd its head,<br /> +And with a look made all of sweet accord,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">[415]</a></span>Answer'd, "The names of those that love the Lord."<br /> +"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"<br /> +Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,<br /> +But cheerly still; and said, "I pray thee, then,<br /> +Write me as one that loves his fellow men."<br /> +The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night<br /> +It came again with a great wakening light,<br /> +And show'd the names whom love of God had blest,<br /> +And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_351" id="Note_351">351</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Cincinnatus Heine Miller, generally known +as Joaquin Miller (1841-1912), revealed +in his verse much of the restless energy of +Western America, where most of his life +was passed. "Columbus" is probably his +best known poem. "For Those Who Fail" +suggests the important truth that he who +wins popular applause is not usually the +one who most deserves to be honored.</div> + + +<h4><br />FOR THOSE WHO FAIL</h4> + +<div class='center'>JOAQUIN MILLER<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +"All honor to him who shall win the prize,"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The world has cried for a thousand years;</span><br /> +But to him who tries and who fails and dies,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I give great honor and glory and tears.</span><br /> +<br /> +O great is the hero who wins a name,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But greater many and many a time,</span><br /> +Some pale-faced fellow who dies in shame,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And lets God finish the thought sublime.</span><br /> +<br /> +And great is the man with a sword undrawn,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And good is the man who refrains from wine;</span><br /> +But the man who fails and yet fights on,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Lo! he is the twin-born brother of mine!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_352" id="Note_352">352</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Numerous poems have been written about +the futility of searching on earth for a +place of perfect happiness. The next +poem, by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), +seems to deal with this subject. Some +lines from Longfellow are good to suggest +its special message:</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"No endeavor is in vain,<br /> +Its reward is in the doing,<br /> +And the rapture of pursuing<br /> +Is the prize the vanquished gain."<br /> +</div> + + +<h4><br />ELDORADO</h4> + +<div class='center'>EDGAR ALLAN POE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Gaily bedight,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">A gallant knight,</span><br /> +In sunshine and in shadow<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Had journeyed long,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Singing a song,</span><br /> +In search of Eldorado.<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">But he grew old—</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">This knight so bold—</span><br /> +And o'er his heart a shadow<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Fell as he found</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">No spot of ground</span><br /> +That looked like Eldorado.<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">And, as his strength</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Failed him at length,</span><br /> +He met a pilgrim shadow—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Shadow," said he,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Where can it be—</span><br /> +This land of Eldorado?"<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"Over the mountains</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Of the Moon,</span><br /> +Down the Valley of the Shadow<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Ride, boldly ride,"</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">The Shade replied,</span><br /> +"If you seek for Eldorado!"<br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">[416]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_353" id="Note_353">353</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Lord Byron (1788-1824) was the most popular +of English poets in his day. His fame +has since declined, although his fiery, +impetuous nature, expressing itself in +rapid verse of great rhetorical and satiric +power, still reaches kindred spirits. His +"Prisoner of Chillon" is often studied in +the upper grades. It is full of the passion +for freedom which was the dominating +idea in Byron's work as it was in his life. +He gave his life for this idea, striving to +help the Greeks gain their independence. +The poem which follows is from an early +work called <i>Hebrew Melodies</i>. We learn +from II Chronicles 32:21 that Sennacherib, +King of Assyria, having invaded +Judah, Hezekiah cried unto heaven, "And +the Lord sent an angel, which cut off the +mighty men of valor, and the leaders and +captains in the camp of the King of Assyria. +So he returned with shame of face to his +own land." Byron's title seems to indicate +that Sennacherib was himself destroyed. +The fine swinging measure of the lines, and +the vivid picture of the destroyed hosts in +contrast to the brilliant glory of their +triumphant invasion, are two of the chief +elements in its appeal.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE DESTRUCTION OF +SENNACHERIB</h4> + +<div class='center'>LORD BYRON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold,<br /> +And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;<br /> +And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,<br /> +When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.<br /> +<br /> +Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green,<br /> +That host with their banners at sunset were seen:<br /> +Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown,<br /> +The host on the morrow lay wither'd and strown.<br /> +<br /> +For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,<br /> +And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;<br /> +And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,<br /> +And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!<br /> +<br /> +And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,<br /> +But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride:<br /> +And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,<br /> +And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.<br /> +<br /> +And there lay the rider distorted and pale,<br /> +With the dew on his brow and the rust on his mail;<br /> +And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,<br /> +The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.<br /> +<br /> +And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,<br /> +And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;<br /> +And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,<br /> +Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_354" id="Note_354">354</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The next two poems may represent the +youth and the maturity of America's first +great nature poet, William Cullen Bryant +(1794-1878), although neither is in the +style that characterizes his nature verse.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">[417]</a></span> +He wrote "To a Waterfowl" in 1815. +When he had completed his study of law, +he set out on foot to find a village where +he might begin work as a lawyer. He was +poor and without friends. At the end of +a day's journey, when he began to feel +discouraged, he saw a wild duck flying +alone high in the sky. Then the thought +came to him that he would be guided +aright, just as the bird was, and he wrote +"To a Waterfowl," the most artistic of +all his poems. The poem is suitable for +the seventh or eighth grade.</div> + + +<h4><br />TO A WATERFOWL</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whither, midst falling dew,</span><br /> +While glow the heavens with the last steps of day,<br /> +Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thy solitary way?</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Vainly the fowler's eye</span><br /> +Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong,<br /> +As, darkly painted on the crimson sky,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thy figure floats along.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Seek'st thou the plashy brink</span><br /> +Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide,<br /> +Or where the rocking billows rise and sink<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">On the chafed ocean-side?</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">There is a Power whose care</span><br /> +Teaches thy way along that pathless coast—<br /> +The desert and illimitable air—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lone wandering, but not lost.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All day thy wings have fanned</span><br /> +At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere,<br /> +Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Though the dark night is near.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And soon that toil shall end;</span><br /> +Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest,<br /> +And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Soon, o'er thy sheltered nest.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven</span><br /> +Hath swallowed up thy form; yet, on my heart<br /> +Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And shall not soon depart.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He who, from zone to zone,</span><br /> +Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight,<br /> +In the long way that I must tread alone,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Will lead my steps aright.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_355" id="Note_355">355</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Bryant wrote this poem in 1849 after he had +been planting fruit trees on his country +place on Long Island.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE PLANTING OF THE +APPLE-TREE</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come, let us plant the apple-tree.</span><br /> +Cleave the tough greensward with the spade:<br /> +Wide let its hollow bed be made;<br /> +There gently lay the roots, and there<br /> +Sift the dark mould with kindly care,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And press it o'er them tenderly,</span><br /> +As, round the sleeping infant's feet,<br /> +We softly fold the cradle-sheet;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">So plant we the apple-tree.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">What plant we in this apple-tree?</span><br /> +Buds, which the breath of summer days<br /> +Shall lengthen into leafy sprays;<br /> +Boughs where the thrush, with crimson breast,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">[418]</a></span>Shall haunt, and sing, and hide her nest;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">We plant, upon the sunny lea,</span><br /> +A shadow for the noontide hour,<br /> +A shelter from the summer shower,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When we plant the apple-tree.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">What plant we in this apple-tree?</span><br /> +Sweets for a hundred flowery springs<br /> +To load the May-wind's restless wings,<br /> +When, from the orchard row, he pours<br /> +Its fragrance through our open doors;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A world of blossoms for the bee,</span><br /> +Flowers for the sick girl's silent room,<br /> +For the glad infant sprigs of bloom,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">We plant with the apple-tree.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">What plant we in this apple-tree?</span><br /> +Fruits that shall swell in sunny June,<br /> +And redden in the August noon,<br /> +And drop, when gentle airs come by,<br /> +That fan the blue September sky,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">While children come, with cries of glee,</span><br /> +And seek them where the fragrant grass<br /> +Betrays their bed to those who pass,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">At the foot of the apple-tree.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And when, above this apple-tree,</span><br /> +The winter stars are quivering bright,<br /> +And winds go howling through the night,<br /> +Girls, whose young eyes o'erflow with mirth,<br /> +Shall peel its fruit by cottage-hearth,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And guests in prouder homes shall see,</span><br /> +Heaped with the grape of Cintra's vine<br /> +And golden orange of the line,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The fruit of the apple-tree.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The fruitage of this apple-tree</span><br /> +Winds and our flag of stripe and star<br /> +Shall bear to coasts that lie afar,<br /> +Where men shall wonder at the view,<br /> +And ask in what fair groves they grew;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And sojourners beyond the sea</span><br /> +Shall think of childhood's careless day,<br /> +And long, long hours of summer play,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the shade of the apple-tree.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Each year shall give this apple-tree</span><br /> +A broader flush of roseate bloom,<br /> +A deeper maze of verdurous gloom,<br /> +And loosen, when the frost-clouds lower,<br /> +The crisp brown leaves in thicker shower.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The years shall come and pass, but we</span><br /> +Shall hear no longer, where we lie,<br /> +The summer's songs, the autumn's sigh,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the boughs of the apple-tree.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And time shall waste this apple-tree.</span><br /> +Oh, when its agèd branches throw<br /> +Thin shadows on the ground below,<br /> +Shall fraud and force and iron will<br /> +Oppress the weak and helpless still?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">What shall the tasks of mercy be,</span><br /> +Amid the toils, the strifes, the tears<br /> +Of those who live when length of years<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is wasting this apple-tree?</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Who planted this old apple-tree?"</span><br /> +The children of that distant day<br /> +Thus to some agèd man shall say;<br /> +And, gazing on its mossy stem,<br /> +The gray-haired man shall answer them:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"A poet of the land was he,</span><br /> +Born in the rude but good old times;<br /> +'T is said he made some quaint old rhymes,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">On planting the apple-tree."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_356" id="Note_356">356</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The next poem, by the English poet Thomas +Edward Brown (1830-1897), deserves to +be classed with the most beautiful and +artistic verse in our language. Students +will notice the allusion to the biblical +tradition that God walked in the Garden +of Eden in the cool of the evening.</div> + + +<h4><br />MY GARDEN</h4> + +<div class='center'>THOMAS EDWARD BROWN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot!<br /> +Rose plot,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">[419]</a></span>Fringed pool,<br /> +Ferned grot—<br /> +The veriest school<br /> +Of peace; and yet the fool<br /> +Contends that God is not—<br /> +Not God! in gardens! when the eve is cool?<br /> +Nay, but I have a sign;<br /> +'T is very sure God walks in mine.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_357" id="Note_357">357</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">William Wordsworth (1770-1850) ranks very +high among English poets. He endeavored +to bring poetry close to actual life and to +get rid of the stilted language of conventional +verse. The struggle was long +and difficult, but Wordsworth lived long +enough to know that the world had realized +his greatness. Many of his poems are +suitable for use with children. Their +simplicity, their directness, and their utter +sincerity made many of them, while not +written especially for the young, seem as +if directly addressed to the childlike mind. +"We are Seven," "Lucy Gray," and +"Michael" belong to this number, as do +the two masterpieces among short poems +which are quoted here. "How many +people," exclaims Dr. Oliver Wendell +Holmes, "have been waked to a quicker +consciousness of life by Wordsworth's simple +lines about the daffodils, and what he says +of the thoughts suggested to him by 'the +meanest flower that blows'!" In both +poems the imagery is of the utmost importance. +Through it the reader is able to +put himself with the poet and see things +as the poet saw them. In "The Daffodils" +the flowers, jocund in the breeze, drive away +the melancholy mood with which the poet +had approached them and enable him to +carry away a picture in his memory that +can be drawn upon for help on future +occasions of gloom. In "The Solitary +Reaper" the weird and haunting notes of +the song coming to his ear in an unknown +tongue suggest possible ideas back of the +strong feeling which he recognizes in the +singer. Here also, the poet's memory +carries something away,</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"The music in my heart I bore,<br /> +Long after it was heard no more."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='hang1'><br />One of the purposes in teaching poetry +should be to store the mind, not with words +only, but with impressions that may later +be recalled to beautify and strengthen life.</div> + + +<h4><br />DAFFODILS</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM WORDSWORTH<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +I wander'd lonely as a cloud<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That floats on high o'er vales and hills,</span><br /> +When all at once I saw a crowd,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A host, of golden daffodils;</span><br /> +Beside the lake, beneath the trees,<br /> +Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.<br /> +<br /> +Continuous as the stars that shine<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And twinkle on the Milky Way,</span><br /> +They stretch'd in never-ending line<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Along the margin of a bay:</span><br /> +Ten thousand saw I at a glance,<br /> +Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.<br /> +<br /> +The waves beside them danced, but they<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Outdid the sparkling waves in glee:</span><br /> +A poet could not but be gay,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In such a jocund company:</span><br /> +I gazed—and gazed—but little thought<br /> +What wealth the show to me had brought:<br /> +<br /> +For oft, when on my couch I lie<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In vacant or in pensive mood,</span><br /> +They flash upon that inward eye<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which is the bliss of solitude;</span><br /> +And then my heart with pleasure fills,<br /> +And dances with the daffodils.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_358" id="Note_358">358</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE SOLITARY REAPER</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM WORDSWORTH<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Behold her, single in the field,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">[420]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Yon solitary highland lass!</span><br /> +Reaping and singing by herself;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Stop here, or gently pass!</span><br /> +Alone she cuts and binds the grain,<br /> +And sings a melancholy strain;<br /> +Oh, listen! for the vale profound<br /> +Is overflowing with the sound.<br /> +<br /> +No nightingale did ever chant<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">More welcome notes to weary bands</span><br /> +Of travelers in some shady haunt,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Among Arabian sands:</span><br /> +A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard<br /> +In spring-time from the cuckoo-bird,<br /> +Breaking the silence of the seas<br /> +Among the farthest Hebrides.<br /> +<br /> +Will no one tell me what she sings?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow</span><br /> +For old, unhappy, far-off things,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And battles long ago!</span><br /> +Or is it some more humble lay,<br /> +Familiar matter of to-day?<br /> +Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,<br /> +That has been, and may be again?<br /> +<br /> +Whate'er the theme, the maiden sang<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As if her song could have no ending:</span><br /> +I saw her singing at her work,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And o'er the sickle bending;—</span><br /> +I listen'd, motionless and still;<br /> +And, as I mounted up the hill,<br /> +The music in my heart I bore,<br /> +Long after it was heard no more.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_359" id="Note_359">359</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Lady Norton (1808-1877) does not belong +among the great poets, but she wrote +several poems that were immense favorites +with a generation now passing away. +Among them are "Bingen on the Rhine," +"The King of Denmark's Ride" and the +one given below. It will no doubt show +that her work still has power to stir +readers of the present day, although we are +likely to think of her poems as being too +emotional or sentimental. She wrote the +words of the very popular song "Juanita."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE ARAB TO HIS +FAVORITE STEED</h4> + +<div class='center'>CAROLINE E. NORTON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem2'> +My beautiful! my beautiful! that standest meekly by,<br /> +With thy proudly arched and glossy neck, and dark and fiery eye,<br /> +Fret not to roam the desert now, with all thy wingèd speed;<br /> +I may not mount on thee again,—thou'rt sold, my Arab steed!<br /> +Fret not with that impatient hoof,—snuff not the breezy wind,—<br /> +The farther that thou fliest now, so far am I behind;<br /> +The stranger hath thy bridle-rein,—thy master hath his gold,—<br /> +Fleet-limbed and beautiful, farewell; thou'rt sold, my steed, thou'rt sold.<br /> +<br /> +Farewell! those free untired limbs full many a mile must roam,<br /> +To reach the chill and wintry sky which clouds the stranger's home;<br /> +Some other hand, less fond, must now thy corn and bed prepare,<br /> +Thy silky mane, I braided once, must be another's care!<br /> +The morning sun shall dawn again, but never more with thee<br /> +Shall I gallop through the desert paths, where we were wont to be;<br /> +Evening shall darken on the earth, and o'er the sandy plain<br /> +Some other steed, with slower step, shall bear me home again.<br /> +<br /> +Yes, thou must go! the wild, free breeze, the brilliant sun and sky,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">[421]</a></span>Thy master's house,—from all of these my exiled one must fly;<br /> +Thy proud dark eye will grow less proud, thy step become less fleet,<br /> +And vainly shalt thou arch thy neck, thy master's hand to meet.<br /> +Only in sleep shall I behold that dark eye, glancing bright;—<br /> +Only in sleep shall hear again that step so firm and light;<br /> +And when I raise my dreaming arm to check or cheer thy speed,<br /> +Then must I, starting, wake to feel,—thou'rt sold, my Arab steed.<br /> +<br /> +Ah! rudely then, unseen by me, some cruel hand may chide,<br /> +Till foam-wreaths lie, like crested waves, along thy panting side:<br /> +And the rich blood that's in thee swells, in thy indignant pain,<br /> +Till careless eyes, which rest on thee, may count each starting vein.<br /> +Will they ill-use thee? If I thought—but no, it cannot be,—<br /> +Thou art so swift, yet easy curbed; so gentle, yet so free:<br /> +And yet, if haply, when thou'rt gone, my lonely heart should yearn,<br /> +Can the hand which casts thee from it now command thee to return?<br /> +<br /> +Return! alas! my Arab steed! what shall thy master do,<br /> +When thou, who wast his all of joy, hast vanished from his view?<br /> +When the dim distance cheats mine eye, and through the gathering tears<br /> +Thy bright form, for a moment, like the false mirage appears;<br /> +Slow and unmounted shall I roam, with weary step alone,<br /> +Where, with fleet step and joyous bound, thou oft hast borne me on;<br /> +And sitting down by that green well, I'll pause and sadly think,<br /> +"It was here he bowed his glossy neck when last I saw him drink!"<br /> +<br /> +When last I saw thee drink!—Away! the fevered dream is o'er,—<br /> +I could not live a day, and know that we should meet no more!<br /> +They tempted me, my beautiful! for hunger's power is strong,—<br /> +They tempted me, my beautiful! but I have loved too long.<br /> +Who said that I had given thee up? who said that thou wast sold?<br /> +'T is false!—'t is false, my Arab steed! I fling them back their gold!<br /> +Thus, thus, I leap upon thy back, and scour the distant plains;<br /> +Away! who overtakes us now shall claim thee for his pains!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_360" id="Note_360">360</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Robert Southey (1774-1843) was poet laureate +of England, and a most prolific writer of +poetry and miscellaneous prose. His great +prominence in his own day has been succeeded +by an obscurity so complete that +only a few items of his work are now remembered. +Among these are "The Battle +of Blenheim," a very brief and effective +satire against war, "The Well of St. Keyne," +a humorous poem based on an old superstition, +and "The Inchcape Rock," a stirring +narrative of how evil deeds return +upon the evil doer. (See also No. <a href="#Note_153">153</a>.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE INCHCAPE ROCK</h4> + +<div class='center'>ROBERT SOUTHEY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,<br /> +The ship was as still as she could be;<br /> +Her sails from Heaven received no motion,<br /> +Her keel was steady in the ocean.<br /> +<br /> +Without either sign or sound of their shock,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">[422]</a></span>The waves flowed over the Inchcape Rock;<br /> +So little they rose, so little they fell,<br /> +They did not move the Inchcape Bell.<br /> +<br /> +The holy Abbot of Aberbrothok<br /> +Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;<br /> +On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung,<br /> +And over the waves its warning rung.<br /> +<br /> +When the rock was hid by the surges' swell,<br /> +The mariners heard the warning bell;<br /> +And then they knew the perilous Rock,<br /> +And blessed the Abbot of Aberbrothok.<br /> +<br /> +The Sun in heaven was shining gay,<br /> +All things were joyful on that day;<br /> +The sea-birds screamed as they wheeled around,<br /> +And there was joyance in their sound.<br /> +<br /> +The buoy of the Inchcape Rock was seen,<br /> +A darker speck on the ocean green;<br /> +Sir Ralph, the Rover, walked his deck,<br /> +And he fixed his eye on the darker speck.<br /> +<br /> +He felt the cheering power of spring,<br /> +It made him whistle, it made him sing;<br /> +His heart was mirthful to excess;<br /> +But the Rover's mirth was wickedness.<br /> +<br /> +His eye was on the Inchcape float;<br /> +Quoth he, "My men, put out the boat;<br /> +And row me to the Inchcape Rock,<br /> +And I'll plague the Abbot of Aberbrothok."<br /> +<br /> +The boat is lowered, the boatmen row,<br /> +And to the Inchcape Rock they go;<br /> +Sir Ralph bent over from the boat,<br /> +And cut the Bell from the Inchcape float.<br /> +<br /> +Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound;<br /> +The bubbles rose, and burst around.<br /> +Quoth Sir Ralph, "The next who comes to the Rock<br /> +Will not bless the Abbot of Aberbrothok."<br /> +<br /> +Sir Ralph, the Rover, sailed away,<br /> +He scoured the seas for many a day;<br /> +And now, grown rich with plundered store,<br /> +He steers his course for Scotland's shore.<br /> +<br /> +So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky<br /> +They cannot see the Sun on high;<br /> +The wind hath blown a gale all day;<br /> +At evening it hath died away.<br /> +<br /> +On the deck the Rover takes his stand;<br /> +So dark it is they see no land.<br /> +Quoth Sir Ralph, "It will be lighter soon,<br /> +For there is the dawn of the rising Moon."<br /> +<br /> +"Canst hear," said one, "the breakers roar?<br /> +For yonder, methinks, should be the shore.<br /> +Now where we are I cannot tell,<br /> +But I wish we could hear the Inchcape Bell."<br /> +<br /> +They hear no sound; the swell is strong;<br /> +Though the wind hath fallen, they drift along,<br /> +Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,—<br /> +"O Christ! it is the Inchcape Rock."<br /> +<br /> +Sir Ralph, the Rover, tore his hair;<br /> +He cursed himself in his despair.<br /> +The waves rush in on every side;<br /> +The ship is sinking beneath the tide.<br /> +<br /> +But even in his dying fear,<br /> +One dreadful sound he seemed to hear,—<br /> +A sound as if, with the Inchcape Bell,<br /> +The Devil below was ringing his knell.<br /><br /><br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">[423]</a></span></p> + + +<div class="hang1">The Shakespeare passages which follow are +from the fairy play "A Midsummer Night's +Dream." A teacher well acquainted with +that play would find it possible to delight +children with it. The fairy and rustic +scenes could be given almost in their +entirety, the other scenes could be summarized.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_361" id="Note_361">361</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />OVER HILL, OVER DALE</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Over hill, over dale,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thorough bush, thorough brier,</span><br /> +Over park, over pale,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thorough flood, thorough fire,</span><br /> +I do wander everywhere,<br /> +Swifter than the moon's sphere;<br /> +And I serve the fairy queen,<br /> +To dew her orbs upon the green.<br /> +The cowslips tall her pensioners be:<br /> +In their gold coats spots you see;<br /> +Those be rubies, fairy favours,<br /> +In those freckles live their savours:<br /> +I must go seek some dewdrops here,<br /> +And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_362" id="Note_362">362</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />A FAIRY SCENE IN A WOOD</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Fairy Queen Titania</span> (<i>calls to her</i> <span class="smcap">Fairies</span> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;"><i>following her</i>)</span></div> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come, now a roundel and a fairy song;</span><br /> +Then, for the third part of a minute, hence;<br /> +Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds,<br /> +Some war with rere-mice for their leathern wings,<br /> +To make my small elves coats, and some keep back<br /> +The clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders<br /> +At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep;<br /> +Then to your offices and let me rest.<br /> +</div> + +<p><i>She lies down to sleep, and the</i> <span class="smcap">Fairies</span> <i>sing as +follows:</i></p> + +<div class='poem'> +You spotted snakes with double tongue,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;</span><br /> +Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come not near our fairy queen.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Philomel, with melody</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Sing in our sweet lullaby;</span><br /> +Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Never harm,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Nor spell nor charm,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come our lovely lady nigh:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">So good-night, with lullaby.</span><br /> +<br /> +Weaving spiders, come not here;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hence, you long-legged spinners, hence.</span><br /> +Beetles black, approach not near;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Worm nor snail, do no offence.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Philomel, with melody</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Sing in our sweet lullaby;</span><br /> +Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby:<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Never harm,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Nor spell nor charm,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come our lovely lady nigh;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">So, good-night, with lullaby.</span><br /> +</div> + +<div class='center'><span class="smcap">A Fairy</span></div> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Hence, away! now all is well:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">One aloof stand sentinel.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_363" id="Note_363">363</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) is America's +greatest spiritual teacher. His essays, +such as "Self-Reliance" and "The American +Scholar," are his chief claim to fame. +The two brief poems given here are well +known. "Fable" should be studied along +with No. <a href="#Note_236">236</a>, since they emphasize the +same lesson that size is after all a purely +relative matter. "Concord Hymn" is a +splendidly dignified expression of the debt +of gratitude we owe to the memory of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">[424]</a></span> +those who made our country possible. +Of course no reader will fail to notice the +famous last two lines of the first stanza.</div> + + +<h4><br />FABLE</h4> + +<div class='center'>RALPH WALDO EMERSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The mountain and the squirrel<br /> +Had a quarrel,<br /> +And the former called the latter "Little Prig";<br /> +Bun replied,<br /> +"You are doubtless very big;<br /> +But all sorts of things and weather<br /> +Must be taken in together<br /> +To make up a year<br /> +And a sphere.<br /> +And I think it no disgrace<br /> +To occupy my place.<br /> +If I'm not so large as you,<br /> +You are not so small as I,<br /> +And not half so spry.<br /> +I'll not deny you make<br /> +A very pretty squirrel track;<br /> +Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;<br /> +If I cannot carry forests on my back,<br /> +Neither can you crack a nut!"<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_364" id="Note_364">364</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />CONCORD HYMN</h4> + +<div class='center'>RALPH WALDO EMERSON<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +By the rude bridge that arched the flood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,</span><br /> +Here once the embattled farmers stood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And fired the shot heard round the world.</span><br /> +<br /> +The foe long since in silence slept;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;</span><br /> +And Time the ruined bridge has swept<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.</span><br /> +<br /> +On this green bank, by this soft stream,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">We set to-day a votive stone;</span><br /> +That memory may their deed redeem,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When, like our sires, our sons are gone.</span><br /> +<br /> +Spirit, that made those heroes dare<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To die, and leave their children free,</span><br /> +Bid Time and Nature gently spare<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The shaft we raise to them and thee.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_365" id="Note_365">365</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Almost any of the works of Sir Walter Scott +(1771-1832), whether in prose or verse, is +within the range of children in the grades. +Especially the fine ballads, such as "Lochinvar" +and "Allen-a-Dale," are sure to +interest them. Children should be encouraged +to read one of the long story-poems, +"The Lady of the Lake" or "The Lay of +the Last Minstrel." The famous expression +of patriotism quoted below is from the +latter poem.</div> + + +<h4><br />BREATHES THERE THE MAN</h4> + +<div class='center'>SIR WALTER SCOTT<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,<br /> +Who never to himself hath said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">This is my own, my native land!</span><br /> +Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned,<br /> +As home his footsteps he hath turned<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">From wandering on a foreign strand!</span><br /> +If such there be, go, mark him well;<br /> +For him no minstrel raptures swell;<br /> +High though his titles, proud his name,<br /> +Boundless his wealth as wish can claim;<br /> +Despite those titles, power, and pelf,<br /> +The wretch, concentered all in self,<br /> +Living, shall forfeit fair renown,<br /> +And doubly dying, shall go down<br /> +To the vile dust, from whence he sprung,<br /> +Unwept, unhonored, and unsung.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_366" id="Note_366">366</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">When Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) +was twenty-one years old, he read that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">[425]</a></span> +the Navy Department had decided to +destroy the old, unseaworthy frigate "Constitution," +which had become famous in the +War of 1812. In one evening he wrote the +poem "Old Ironsides." This not only +made Holmes immediately famous as a +poet, but so aroused the American people +that the Navy Department changed its +plans and rebuilt the ship.</div> + + +<h4><br />OLD IRONSIDES</h4> + +<div class='center'>OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Long has it waved on high,</span><br /> +And many an eye has danced to see<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That banner in the sky;</span><br /> +Beneath it rung the battle shout,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And burst the cannon's roar:—</span><br /> +The meteor of the ocean air<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Shall sweep the clouds no more.</span><br /> +<br /> +Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where knelt the vanquished foe,</span><br /> +When winds were hurrying o'er the flood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And waves were white below,</span><br /> +No more shall feel the victor's tread,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or know the conquered knee;—</span><br /> +The harpies of the shore shall pluck<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The eagle of the sea!</span><br /> +<br /> +Oh, better that her shattered hulk<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Should sink beneath the wave;</span><br /> +Her thunders shook the mighty deep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And there should be her grave;</span><br /> +Nail to the mast her holy flag,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Set every threadbare sail,</span><br /> +And give her to the god of storms,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The lightning and the gale!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_367" id="Note_367">367</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">William Collins (1721-1759), English poet, +wrote only a few poems, but among them +is this short dirge which keeps his name +alive in popular memory. It was probably +in honor of his countrymen who fell at +Fontenoy in 1745, the year before its +composition. Its austere brevity, its well-known +personifications, its freedom from +fulsome expressions, place it very high +among patriotic utterances.</div> + + +<h4><br />HOW SLEEP THE BRAVE</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM COLLINS<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +How sleep the brave, who sink to rest<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">By all their country's wishes blest!</span><br /> +When Spring, with dewy fingers cold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Returns to deck their hallowed mould,</span><br /> +She there shall dress a sweeter sod<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Than Fancy's feet have ever trod.</span><br /> +<br /> +By fairy hands their knell is rung;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">By forms unseen their dirge is sung;</span><br /> +There Honor comes, a pilgrim gray,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To bless the turf that wraps their clay;</span><br /> +And Freedom shall awhile repair,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To dwell a weeping hermit there!</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_368" id="Note_368">368</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The anonymous ballad dealing with the familiar +story of Nathan Hale, of Revolutionary +times, is the nearest approach to the old +folk ballad in our history. Its repetitions +help it in catching something of the breathless +suspense accompanying his daring +effort, betrayal, and execution. The pathos +of the closing incidents of Hale's career has +attracted the tributes of poets and dramatists. +Francis Miles Finch, author of +"The Blue and the Gray," wrote a well-known +poetic account of Hale, while Clyde +Fitch's drama of <i>Nathan Hale</i> had a great +popular success.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE BALLAD OF +NATHAN HALE</h4> + +<div class='poem2'> +The breezes went steadily through the tall pines,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A-saying "Oh! hu-ush!" a-saying "Oh! hu-ush!"</span><br /> +As stilly stole by a bold legion of horse,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">[426]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">For Hale in the bush; for Hale in the bush.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Keep still!" said the thrush as she nestled her young,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a nest by the road; in a nest by the road.</span><br /> +"For the tyrants are near, and with them appear<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">What bodes us no good; what bodes us no good."</span><br /> +<br /> +The brave captain heard it, and thought of his home<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a cot by the brook; in a cot by the brook;</span><br /> +With mother and sister and memories dear,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He so gayly forsook; he so gayly forsook.</span><br /> +<br /> +Cooling shades of the night were coming apace,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The tattoo had beat; the tattoo had beat.</span><br /> +The noble one sprang from his dark lurking-place,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To make his retreat; to make his retreat.</span><br /> +<br /> +He warily trod on the dry rustling leaves,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As he passed through the wood; as he passed through the wood;</span><br /> +And silently gained his rude launch on the shore,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As she played with the flood; as she played with the flood.</span><br /> +<br /> +The guards of the camp, on that dark, dreary night,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Had a murderous will; had a murderous will.</span><br /> +They took him and bore him afar from the shore,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To a hut on the hill; to a hut on the hill.</span><br /> +<br /> +No mother was there, nor a friend who could cheer,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In that little stone cell; in that little stone cell.</span><br /> +But he trusted in love, from his Father above.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In his heart, all was well; in his heart, all was well.</span><br /> +<br /> +An ominous owl, with his solemn bass voice,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sat moaning hard by; sat moaning hard by;</span><br /> +"The tyrant's proud minions most gladly rejoice,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For he must soon die; for he must soon die."</span><br /> +<br /> +The brave fellow told them, no thing he restrained,—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The cruel general! the cruel general!—</span><br /> +His errand from camp, of the ends to be gained,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And said that was all; and said that was all.</span><br /> +<br /> +They took him and bound him and bore him away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Down the hill's grassy side; down the hill's grassy side.</span><br /> +'Twas there the base hirelings, in royal array,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His cause did deride; his cause did deride.</span><br /> +<br /> +Five minutes were given, short moments, no more,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For him to repent; for him to repent.</span><br /> +He prayed for his mother, he asked not another,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To Heaven he went; to Heaven he went.</span><br /> +<br /> +The faith of a martyr the tragedy showed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As he trod the last stage; as he trod the last stage.</span><br /> +And Britons will shudder at gallant Hale's blood,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">[427]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">As his words do presage; as his words do presage:</span><br /> +<br /> +"Thou pale King of terrors, thou life's gloomy foe,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Go frighten the slave; go frighten the slave;</span><br /> +Tell tyrants, to you their allegiance they owe.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">No fears for the brave; no fears for the brave."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_369" id="Note_369">369</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">That men of great courage are certain to +recognize and pay tribute to courage in +others, even if those others are their enemies, +is the theme of "The Red Thread of +Honor." Sir Francis Hastings Doyle (1810-1888) +wrote two other stirring poems of +action, "The Loss of the Birkenhead" and +"The Private of the Buffs."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE RED THREAD OF +HONOR</h4> + +<div class='center'>FRANCIS HASTINGS DOYLE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Eleven men of England<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A breastwork charged in vain;</span><br /> +Eleven men of England<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lie stripp'd, and gash'd, and slain.</span><br /> +Slain; but of foes that guarded<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Their rock-built fortress well,</span><br /> +Some twenty had been mastered,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When the last soldier fell.</span><br /> +<br /> +The robber-chief mused deeply,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Above those daring dead;</span><br /> +"Bring here," at length he shouted,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Bring quick, the battle thread.</span><br /> +Let Eblis blast forever<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Their souls, if Allah will:</span><br /> +But we must keep unbroken<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The old rules of the Hill.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Before the Ghiznee tiger<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Leapt forth to burn and slay;</span><br /> +Before the holy Prophet<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Taught our grim tribes to pray;</span><br /> +Before Secunder's lances<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pierced through each Indian glen;</span><br /> +The mountain laws of honor<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Were framed for fearless men.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Still, when a chief dies bravely,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">We bind with green one wrist—</span><br /> +Green for the brave, for heroes<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">One crimson thread we twist.</span><br /> +Say ye, oh gallant Hillmen,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For these, whose life has fled,</span><br /> +Which is the fitting color,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The green one, or the red?"</span><br /> +<br /> +"Our brethren, laid in honor'd graves, may wear<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Their green reward," each noble savage said;</span><br /> +"To these, whom hawks and hungry wolves shall tear,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Who dares deny the red?"</span><br /> +<br /> +Thus conquering hate, and steadfast to the right,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fresh from the heart that haughty verdict came;</span><br /> +Beneath a waning moon, each spectral height<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rolled back its loud acclaim.</span><br /> +<br /> +Once more the chief gazed keenly<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Down on those daring dead;</span><br /> +From his good sword their heart's blood<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Crept to that crimson thread.</span><br /> +Once more he cried, "The judgment,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Good friends, is wise and true,</span><br /> +But though the red be given,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Have we not more to do?</span><br /> +<br /> +"These were not stirred by anger,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nor yet by lust made bold;</span><br /> +Renown they thought above them,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Nor did they look for gold.</span><br /> +To them their leader's signal<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Was as the voice of God:</span><br /> +Unmoved, and uncomplaining,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">[428]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The path it showed they trod.</span><br /> +<br /> +"As, without sound or struggle,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The stars unhurrying march,</span><br /> +Where Allah's finger guides them,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Through yonder purple arch,</span><br /> +These Franks, sublimely silent,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Without a quickened breath,</span><br /> +Went, in the strength of duty,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Straight to their goal of death.</span><br /> +<br /> +"If I were now to ask you,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To name our bravest man,</span><br /> +Ye all at once would answer,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They call'd him Mehrab Khan.</span><br /> +He sleeps among his fathers,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dear to our native land,</span><br /> +With the bright mark he bled for<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Firm round his faithful hand.</span><br /> +<br /> +"The songs they sing of Roostum<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fill all the past with light;</span><br /> +If truth be in their music,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He was a noble knight.</span><br /> +But were those heroes living,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And strong for battle still,</span><br /> +Would Mehrab Khan or Roostum<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Have climbed, like these, the Hill?"</span><br /> +<br /> +And they replied, "Though Mehrab Khan was brave,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As chief, he chose himself what risks to run;</span><br /> +Prince Roostum lied, his forfeit life to save,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which these had never done."</span><br /> +<br /> +"Enough!" he shouted fiercely;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Doomed though they be to hell,</span><br /> +Bind fast the crimson trophy<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Round <span class="smcap">both</span> wrists—bind it well.</span><br /> +Who knows but that great Allah<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">May grudge such matchless men,</span><br /> +With none so decked in heaven,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To the fiend's flaming den?"</span><br /> +<br /> +Then all those gallant robbers<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Shouted a stern "Amen!"</span><br /> +They raised the slaughter'd sergeant,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">They raised his mangled ten.</span><br /> +And when we found their bodies<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Left bleaching in the wind,</span><br /> +Around <span class="smcap">both</span> wrists in glory<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That crimson thread was twined.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_370" id="Note_370">370</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">In the year 1897 a great diamond jubilee +was held in England in honor of the completion +of sixty years of rule by Queen +Victoria. Many poems were written for +the occasion, most of which praised the +greatness of Britain, the extent of her +dominion, the strength of her army and +navy, and the abundance of her wealth. +The "Recessional" was written for the +occasion by Rudyard Kipling (1865—). It +is in the form of a prayer, but its purpose +was to tell the British that they were forgetting +the "God of our fathers" and putting +their trust in wealth and navies and +the "reeking tube and iron shard" of the +cannon. The poem rang through England +like a bugle call and stirred the British +people more deeply than any other poem +of recent times.</div> + + +<h4><br />RECESSIONAL</h4> + +<div class='center'>RUDYARD KIPLING<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +God of our fathers, known of old—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lord of our far flung battle-line—</span><br /> +Beneath whose awful hand we hold<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Dominion over palm and pine—</span><br /> +Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,<br /> +Lest we forget—lest we forget!<br /> +<br /> +The tumult and the shouting dies—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The captains and the kings depart—</span><br /> +Still stands Thine ancient Sacrifice,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A humble and a contrite heart.</span><br /> +Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,<br /> +Lest we forget—lest we forget!<br /> +<br /> +Far-called our navies sink away—<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">[429]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">On dune and headland sinks the fire</span><br /> +Lo, all our pomp of yesterday<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!</span><br /> +Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,<br /> +Lest we forget—lest we forget!<br /> +<br /> +If, drunk with sight of power, we loose<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe—</span><br /> +Such boasting as the Gentiles use<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or lesser breeds without the law—</span><br /> +Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,<br /> +Lest we forget—lest we forget!<br /> +<br /> +For heathen heart that puts her trust<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In reeking tube and iron shard—</span><br /> +All valiant dust that builds on dust,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And guarding calls not Thee to guard—</span><br /> +For frantic boast and foolish word,<br /> +Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_371" id="Note_371">371</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">William Ernest Henley (1849-1903) was an +English critic and journalist of great force +and a poet whose verse is full of manliness +and tenderness. His life was a constant +and courageous struggle against disease. +The spirit in which he faced conditions +that would have conquered a weaker man +breathes through the famous poem quoted +below. Such a spirit is not confined to +any particular stage of maturity as represented +by years, and many young people +will find themselves buoyed up in the face +of difficulties by coming into touch with +the unconquered and unconquerable voice +in this poem. The last two lines in particular +are often quoted.</div> + + +<h4><br />INVICTUS</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM E. HENLEY<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Out of the night that covers me,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Black as the pit from pole to pole,</span><br /> +I thank whatever gods may be<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For my unconquerable soul.</span><br /> +<br /> +In the fell clutch of circumstance<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I have not winced nor cried aloud:</span><br /> +Under the bludgeonings of chance<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">My head is bloody, but unbowed.</span><br /> +<br /> +Beyond this place of wrath and tears<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Looms but the horror of the shade,</span><br /> +And yet the menace of the years<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Finds and shall find me unafraid.</span><br /> +<br /> +It matters not how strait the gate,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How charged with punishments the scroll,</span><br /> +I am the master of my fate;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I am the captain of my soul.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_372" id="Note_372">372</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">James Russell Lowell (1819-1891) is a poet +of such high idealisms that many of his +poems seem to form the natural heritage +of youth. Among such are "The Vision +of Sir Launfal," "The Present Crisis," +"The Fatherland," and "Aladdin." "The +Falcon" is not so well known as any of +these, but its fine image for the seeker +after truth should appeal to most children +of upper grades. "The Shepherd of King +Admetus" is a very attractive poetizing of +an old myth (see No. <a href="#Note_261">261</a>) and lets us see +something of how the public looks upon +its poets and other artistic folk.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE FALCON</h4> + +<div class='center'>JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +I know a falcon swift and peerless<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As e'er was cradled in the pine;</span><br /> +No bird had ever eye so fearless,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or wing so strong as this of mine.</span><br /> +<br /> +The winds not better love to pilot<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A cloud with molten gold o'errun,</span><br /> +Than him, a little burning islet,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A star above the coming sun.</span><br /> +<br /> +For with a lark's heart he doth tower,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">By a glorious upward instinct drawn;</span><br /> +No bee nestles deeper in the flower<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">[430]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Than he in the bursting rose of dawn.</span><br /> +<br /> +No harmless dove, no bird that singeth,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Shudders to see him overhead;</span><br /> +The rush of his fierce swooping bringeth<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To innocent hearts no thrill of dread.</span><br /> +<br /> +Let fraud and wrong and baseness shiver,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For still between them and the sky</span><br /> +The falcon Truth hangs poised forever<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And marks them with his vengeful eye.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_373" id="Note_373">373</a></h3> + + +<h4><br />THE SHEPHERD OF KING +ADMETUS</h4> + +<div class='center'>JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +There came a youth upon the earth,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Some thousand years ago,</span><br /> +Whose slender hands were nothing worth,<br /> +Whether to plough, or reap, or sow.<br /> +<br /> +Upon an empty tortoise-shell<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He stretched some chords, and drew</span><br /> +Music that made men's bosoms swell<br /> +Fearless, or brimmed their eyes with dew.<br /> +<br /> +Then King Admetus, one who had<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Pure taste by right divine,</span><br /> +Decreed his singing not too bad<br /> +To hear between the cups of wine:<br /> +<br /> +And so, well pleased with being soothed<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Into a sweet half-sleep,</span><br /> +Three times his kingly beard he smoothed,<br /> +And made him viceroy o'er his sheep.<br /> +<br /> +His words were simple words enough,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And yet he used them so,</span><br /> +That what in other mouths was rough<br /> +In his seemed musical and low.<br /> +<br /> +Men called him but a shiftless youth,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In whom no good they saw;</span><br /> +And yet, unwittingly, in truth,<br /> +They made his careless words their law.<br /> +<br /> +They knew not how he learned at all,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For idly, hour by hour,</span><br /> +He sat and watched the dead leaves fall,<br /> +Or mused upon a common flower.<br /> +<br /> +It seemed the loveliness of things<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Did teach him all their use,</span><br /> +For, in mere weeds, and stones, and springs,<br /> +He found a healing power profuse.<br /> +<br /> +Men granted that his speech was wise,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But, when a glance they caught</span><br /> +Of his slim grace and woman's eyes,<br /> +They laughed, and called him good-for-naught.<br /> +<br /> +Yet after he was dead and gone,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And e'en his memory dim,</span><br /> +Earth seemed more sweet to live upon,<br /> +More full of love, because of him.<br /> +<br /> +And day by day more holy grew<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Each spot where he had trod,</span><br /> +Till after-poets only knew<br /> +Their first-born brother as a god.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_374" id="Note_374">374</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Sir William S. Gilbert (1837-1911), an English +dramatist, is known to us as the librettist +of the popular Gilbert and Sullivan +operas, <i>The Mikado</i>, <i>Pinafore</i>, etc. In his +earlier days he wrote a book of humorous +poetry called <i>The Bab Ballads</i>. Many of +these still please readers who like a little +nonsense now and then of a supremely ridiculous +type. "The Yarn of the Nancy Bell" +is a splendid take-off on "travelers' tales," +and is not likely to deceive anyone. However, +Gilbert said that when he sent the poem +to <i>Punch</i>, the editor made objection to its +extremely cannibalistic nature!</div> + + +<h4><br />THE YARN OF THE +NANCY BELL</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM S. GILBERT<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +'Twas on the shores that round our coast<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">[431]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">From Deal to Ramsgate span,</span><br /> +That I found alone on a piece of stone<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">An elderly naval man.</span><br /> +<br /> +His hair was weedy, his beard was long,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And weedy and long was he,</span><br /> +And I heard this wight on the shore recite,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In a singular minor key:</span><br /> +<br /> +"Oh, I am a cook and a captain bold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the mate of the Nancy brig,</span><br /> +And a bo'sun tight, and a midshipmite,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the crew of the captain's gig."</span><br /> +<br /> +And he shook his fists and he tore his hair,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Till I really felt afraid,</span><br /> +For I couldn't help thinking the man had been drinking,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And so I simply said:</span><br /> +<br /> +"Oh, elderly man, it's little I know<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Of the duties of men of the sea,</span><br /> +And I'll eat my hand if I understand<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">However you can be</span><br /> +<br /> +"At once a cook, and a captain bold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the mate of the Nancy brig,</span><br /> +And a bo'sun tight, and a midshipmite,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the crew of the captain's gig."</span><br /> +<br /> +Then he gave a hitch to his trousers, which<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Is a trick all seamen larn,</span><br /> +And having got rid of a thumping quid,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He spun this painful yarn:</span><br /> +<br /> +"'Twas in the good ship Nancy Bell<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That we sailed to the Indian Sea,</span><br /> +And there on a reef we come to grief,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which has often occurred to me.</span><br /> +<br /> +"And pretty nigh all the crew was drowned<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(There was seventy-seven o' soul),</span><br /> +And only ten of the Nancy's men<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Said 'Here!' to the muster-roll.</span><br /> +<br /> +"There was me and the cook and the captain bold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the mate of the Nancy brig,</span><br /> +And the bo'sun tight, and a midshipmite,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the crew of the captain's gig.</span><br /> +<br /> +"For a month we'd neither wittles nor drink,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Till a-hungry we did feel,</span><br /> +So we drawed a lot, and accordin' shot<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The captain for our meal.</span><br /> +<br /> +"The next lot fell to the Nancy's mate,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And a delicate dish he made;</span><br /> +Then our appetite with the midshipmite<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">We seven survivors stayed.</span><br /> +<br /> +"And then we murdered the bo'sun tight,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And he much resembled pig;</span><br /> +Then we wittled free, did the cook and me,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">On the crew of the captain's gig.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Then only the cook and me was left,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the delicate question, 'Which</span><br /> +Of us two goes to the kettle?' arose,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And we argued it out as sich.</span><br /> +<br /> +"For I loved that cook as a brother, I did,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the cook he worshipped me;</span><br /> +But we'd both be blowed if we'd either be stowed<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the other chap's hold, you see.</span><br /> +<br /> +"'I'll be eat if you dines off me,' says Tom;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">'Yes, that,' says I, 'you'll be,'—</span><br /> +'I'm boiled if I die, my friend,' quoth I;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And 'Exactly so,' quoth he.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Says he, 'Dear James, to murder me<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Were a foolish thing to do;</span><br /> +For don't you see that you can't cook me,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">While I can—and will—cook <i>you!</i>'</span><br /> +<br /> +"So he boils the water, and takes the salt<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">[432]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the pepper in portions true</span><br /> +(Which he never forgot), and some chopped shalot,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And some sage and parsley, too.</span><br /> +<br /> +"'Come here,' says he, with a proper pride,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which his smiling features tell,</span><br /> +''T will soothing be if I let you see<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">How extremely nice you'll smell.'</span><br /> +<br /> +"And he stirred it round and round and round<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And he sniffed at the foaming froth;</span><br /> +When I ups with his heels and smothers his squeals<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In the scum of the boiling broth.</span><br /> +<br /> +"And I eat that cook in a week or less,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And—as I eating be</span><br /> +The last of his chops, why, I almost drops,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For a wessel in sight I see!</span><br /> +<br /> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /><br /> +<br /> +"'And I never larf, and never smile,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And I never lark nor play,</span><br /> +But sit and croak, and a single joke<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">I have—which is to say:</span><br /> +<br /> +"'Oh, I am a cook and a captain bold,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the mate of the Nancy brig,</span><br /> +And a bo'sun tight, and a midshipmite,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And the crew of the captain's gig!'"</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_375" id="Note_375">375</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">John T. Trowbridge (1827-1916) is one of +the important figures in modern literature +for young folks. He wrote a popular series +of books for them beginning with <i>Cudjo's +Cave</i>, and many poems, the most famous +of which are "The Vagabonds" and the +one given below. Trowbridge's autobiography +will interest children with its story +of a literary life devoted to the problems +of their entertainment. "Darius Green +and His Flying Machine" first appeared in +<i>Our Young Folks</i> in 1867. It is to be read +for its fun—fun of dialect, fun of character, +and fun of incident. If it has any lesson, +it must be that dreamers may come to grief +unless they have some plain practical common +sense to balance their enthusiasm!</div> + + +<h4><br />DARIUS GREEN AND HIS +FLYING MACHINE</h4> + +<div class='center'>JOHN TOWNSEND TROWBRIDGE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +If ever there lived a Yankee lad,<br /> +Wise or otherwise, good or bad,<br /> +Who, seeing the birds fly, didn't jump<br /> +With flapping arms from stake or stump,<br /> +Or, spreading the tail of his coat for a sail,<br /> +Take a soaring leap from post or rail,<br /> +And wonder why he couldn't fly,<br /> +And flap and flutter and wish and try,—<br /> +If ever you knew a country dunce<br /> +Who didn't try that as often as once,<br /> +All I can say is, that's a sign<br /> +He never would do for a hero of mine.<br /> +<br /> +An aspiring genius was D. Green;<br /> +The son of a farmer,—age fourteen;<br /> +His body was long and lank and lean,—<br /> +Just right for flying, as will be seen;<br /> +He had two eyes as bright as a bean,<br /> +And a freckled nose that grew between,<br /> +A little awry;—for I must mention<br /> +That he had riveted his attention<br /> +Upon his wonderful invention,<br /> +Twisting his tongue as he twisted the strings,<br /> +And working his face as he worked the wings,<br /> +And with every turn of gimlet and screw<br /> +Turning and screwing his mouth round too,<br /> +Till his nose seemed bent to catch the scent,<br /> +Around some corner, of new-baked pies,<br /> +And his wrinkled cheek and his squinting eyes<br /> +Grew puckered into a queer grimace,<br /> +That made him look very droll in the face,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">[433]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 3em;">And also very wise.</span><br /> +And wise he must have been, to do more<br /> +Than ever a genius did before,<br /> +Excepting Daedalus of yore<br /> +And his son Icarus, who wore<br /> +Upon their backs those wings of wax<br /> +He had read of in the old almanacs.<br /> +Darius was clearly of the opinion,<br /> +That the air was also man's dominion,<br /> +And that with paddle or fin or pinion,<br /> +We soon or late should navigate<br /> +The azure as now we sail the sea.<br /> +The thing looks simple enough to me;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And, if you doubt it,</span><br /> +Hear how Darius reasoned about it:<br /> +"The birds can fly, an' why can't I?<br /> +Must we give in," says he with a grin,<br /> +"'T the bluebird an' phoebe are smarter'n we be?<br /> +Jest fold our hands, an' see the swaller<br /> +An' blackbird an' catbird beat us holler?<br /> +Does the leetle chatterin', sassy wren,<br /> +No bigger'n my thumb, know more than men?<br /> +Jest show me that! er prove 't bat<br /> +Hez got more brains than's in my hat,<br /> +An' I'll back down, an' not till then!"<br /> +He argued further: "Ner I can't see<br /> +What's the use o' wings to a bumble-bee,<br /> +Fer to git a livin' with, more'n to me;—<br /> +Ain't my business importanter'n his'n is?<br /> +That Icarus was a silly cuss,—<br /> +Him an' his daddy Daedalus;<br /> +They might 'a' knowed wings made o' wax<br /> +Wouldn't stan' sun-heat an' hard whacks:<br /> +I'll make mine o' luther, er suthin' er other."<br /> +<br /> +And he said to himself, as he tinkered and planned:<br /> +"But I ain't goin' to show my hand<br /> +To nummies that never can understand<br /> +The fust idee that's big an' grand.<br /> +They'd 'a' laft an' made fun<br /> +O' Creation itself afore it was done!"<br /> +So he kept his secret from all the rest,<br /> +Safely buttoned within his vest;<br /> +And in the loft above the shed<br /> +Himself he locks, with thimble and thread<br /> +And wax and hammer and buckles and screws,<br /> +And all such things as geniuses use;—<br /> +Two bats for patterns, curious fellows!<br /> +A charcoal-pot and a pair of bellows;<br /> +An old hoop-skirt or two, as well as<br /> +Some wire, and several old umbrellas;<br /> +A carriage-cover, for tail and wings;<br /> +A piece of harness; and straps and strings;<br /> +And a big strong box, in which he locks<br /> +These and a hundred other things.<br /> +<br /> +His grinning brothers, Reuben and Burke<br /> +And Nathan and Jotham and Solomon, lurk<br /> +Around the corner to see him work,—<br /> +Sitting cross-leggèd, like a Turk,<br /> +Drawing the waxed-end through with a jerk,<br /> +And boring the holes with a comical quirk<br /> +Of his wise old head, and a knowing smirk.<br /> +But vainly they mounted each other's backs,<br /> +And poked through knot-holes and pried through cracks;<br /> +With wood from the pile and straw from the stacks<br /> +He plugged the knot-holes and calked the cracks;<br /> +And a bucket of water, which one would think<br /> +He had brought up into the loft to drink<br /> +When he chanced to be dry,<br /> +Stood always nigh, for Darius was sly!<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">[434]</a></span>And, whenever at work he happened to spy,<br /> +At chink or crevice a blinking eye,<br /> +He let a dipper of water fly:<br /> +"Take that! an', ef ever ye git a peep,<br /> +Guess ye'll ketch a weasel asleep!"<br /> +And he sings as he locks his big strong box;<br /> +"The weasel's head is small an' trim,<br /> +An' he is leetle an' long an' slim,<br /> +An' quick of motion an' nimble of limb,<br /> +An', ef yeou'll be advised by me,<br /> +Keep wide awake when ye're ketching him!"<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">So day after day</span><br /> +He stitched and tinkered and hammered away,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Till at last 'twas done,—</span><br /> +The greatest invention under the sun.<br /> +"An' now," says Darius, "hooray fer some fun!"<br /> +<br /> +'Twas the Fourth of July, and the weather was dry,<br /> +And not a cloud was on all the sky,<br /> +Save a few light fleeces, which here and there,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Half mist, half air,</span><br /> +Like foam on the ocean went floating by,<br /> +Just as lovely a morning as ever was seen<br /> +For a nice little trip in a flying-machine.<br /> +<br /> +Thought cunning Darius, "Now I shan't go<br /> +Along 'ith the fellers to see the show:<br /> +I'll say I've got sich a terrible cough!<br /> +An' then, when the folks have all gone off,<br /> +I'll hev full swing fer to try the thing,<br /> +An' practyse a little on the wing."<br /> +<br /> +"Ain't goin' to see the celebration?"<br /> +Says brother Nate. "No; botheration!<br /> +I've got sich a cold—a toothache—I—<br /> +My gracious! feel's though I should fly!"<br /> +<br /> +Said Jotham, "Sho! guess ye better go."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">But Darius said, "No!</span><br /> +Shouldn't wonder 'f yeou might see me, though,<br /> +'Long 'bout noon, ef I git red<br /> +O' this jumpin', thumpin' pain in my head."<br /> +For all the while to himself he said,—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"I tell ye what!</span><br /> +I'll fly a few times around the lot,<br /> +To see how 't seems; then soon's I've got<br /> +The hang o' the thing, ez likely's not,<br /> +I'll astonish the nation, an' all creation,<br /> +By flying over the celebration!<br /> +Over their heads I'll sail like an eagle;<br /> +I'll balance myself on my wings like a sea-gull;<br /> +I'll dance on the chimbleys; I'll stan' on the steeple;<br /> +I'll flop up to winders an' scare the people!<br /> +I'll light on the libbe'ty-pole, an' crow;<br /> +An' I'll say to the gawpin' fools below,<br /> +'What world's this here that I've come near?'<br /> +Fer I'll make 'em b'lieve I'm a chap f'm the moon;<br /> +An' I'll try a race 'ith their ol' balloon!"<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">He crept from his bed;</span><br /> +And, seeing the others were gone, he said,<br /> +"I'm a-gittin' over the cold 'n my head."<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And away he sped,</span><br /> +To open the wonderful box in the shed.<br /> +<br /> +His brothers had walked but a little way,<br /> +When Jotham to Nathan chanced to say,<br /> +"What on airth is he up to, hey?"<br /> +"Don'o',—the's suthin' er other to pay,<br /> +Er he wouldn't 'a' stayed to hum to-day."<br /> +Says Burke, "His toothache's all'n his eye!<br /> +He never'd miss a Fo'th-o'-July,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">[435]</a></span>Ef he hadn't got some machine to try."<br /> +Then Sol, the little one, spoke: "By darn!<br /> +Le's hurry back, an' hide'n the barn,<br /> +An' pay him fer tellin' us that yarn!"<br /> +<br /> +"Agreed!" Through the orchard they creep back,<br /> +Along by the fences, behind the stack,<br /> +And one by one, through a hole in the wall,<br /> +In under the dusty barn they crawl,<br /> +Dressed in their Sunday garments all;<br /> +And a very astonishing sight was that,<br /> +When each in his cobwebbed coat and hat<br /> +Came up through the floor like an ancient rat.<br /> +And there they hid; and Reuben slid<br /> +The fastenings back, and the door undid.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"Keep dark," said he,</span><br /> +"While I squint an' see what the' is to see."<br /> +<br /> +As knights of old put on their mail,—<br /> +From head to foot in an iron suit,<br /> +Iron jacket and iron boot,<br /> +Iron breeches, and on the head<br /> +No hat, but an iron pot instead,<br /> +And under the chin the bail,—<br /> +(I believe they call the thing a helm,—)<br /> +And, thus accoutred, they took the field,<br /> +Sallying forth to overwhelm<br /> +The dragons and pagans that plagued the realm;<br /> +So this modern knight prepared for flight,<br /> +Put on his wings and strapped them tight—<br /> +Jointed and jaunty, strong and light,—<br /> +Buckled them fast to shoulder and hip,—<br /> +Ten feet they measured from tip to tip!<br /> +And a helm he had, but that he wore,<br /> +Not on his head, like those of yore,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">But more like the helm of a ship.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Hush!" Reuben said, "he's up in the shed!<br /> +He's opened the winder,—I see his head!<br /> +He stretches it out, an' pokes it about<br /> +Lookin' to see 'f the coast is clear,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">An' nobody near;—</span><br /> +Guess he don'o' who's hid in here!<br /> +He's riggin' a spring-board over the sill!<br /> +Stop laffin', Solomon! Burke, keep still!<br /> +He's climbin' out now—Of all the things!<br /> +What's he got on? I vum, it's wings!<br /> +An' that t'other thing? I vum, it's a tail!<br /> +And there he sets like a hawk on a rail!<br /> +Steppin' careful, he travels the length<br /> +Of his spring-board, and teeters to try its strength,<br /> +Now he stretches his wings, like a monstrous bat;<br /> +Peeks over his shoulder, this way an' that,<br /> +Fer to see 'f the's anyone passin' by;<br /> +But the's o'ny a ca'f an' a goslin' nigh.<br /> +They turn up at him a wonderin' eye,<br /> +To see—The dragon! he's goin' to fly!<br /> +Away he goes! Jimminy! what a jump!<br /> +Flop—flop—an' plump to the ground with a thump!<br /> +Flutt'rin' an' flound'rin', all'n a lump!"<br /> +<br /> +As a demon is hurled by an angel's spear,<br /> +Heels over head, to his proper sphere,—<br /> +Heels over head, and head over heels,<br /> +Dizzily down the abyss he wheels,—<br /> +So fell Darius. Upon his crown,<br /> +In the midst of the barnyard, he came down,<br /> +In a wonderful whirl of tangled strings,<br /> +Broken braces and broken springs,<br /> +Broken tail and broken wings,<br /> +Shooting stars, and various things,—<br /> +Barnyard litter of straw and chaff,<br /> +And much that wasn't so sweet by half.<br /> +Away with a bellow flew the calf,<br /> +And what was that? Did the gosling laugh?<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_436" id="Page_436">[436]</a></span>'Tis a merry roar from the old barn-door,<br /> +And he hears the voice of Jotham crying;<br /> +"Say, D'rius! how de yeou like flyin'?"<br /> +<br /> +Slowly, ruefully, where he lay,<br /> +Darius just turned and looked that way,<br /> +As he stanched his sorrowful nose with his cuff,<br /> +"Wal, I like flyin' well enough,"<br /> +He said, "but the' ain't sich a thunderin' sight<br /> +O' fun in't when ye come to light."<br /> +<br /> +I just have room for the MORAL here:<br /> +And this is the moral,—Stick to your sphere;<br /> +Or, if you insist, as you have the right,<br /> +On spreading your wings for a loftier flight,<br /> +The moral is,—Take care how you light.<br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_376" id="Note_376">376</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The poem of "Beth Gêlert" (Grave of Gêlert) +is really a verse version of an old folk story +that has localized itself in many places +over the world. In Wales they can show +you where Gêlert is buried, which illustrates +how such a favorite story takes hold +of the popular mind. The poem by William +Robert Spencer (1769-1834) has so much +of the spirit of the old ballads which it +imitates that it was believed at first to be +a genuine example of one.</div> + + +<h4><br />BETH GÊLERT</h4> + +<div class='center'>WILLIAM ROBERT SPENCER<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +The spearmen heard the bugle sound,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And cheerly smiled the morn;</span><br /> +And many a brach, and many a hound,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Obeyed Llewellyn's horn.</span><br /> +<br /> +And still he blew a louder blast,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And gave a lustier cheer,</span><br /> +"Come, Gêlert, come, wert never last<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Llewellyn's horn to hear.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Oh, where does faithful Gêlert roam.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The flow'r of all his race,</span><br /> +So true, so brave,—a lamb at home,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">A lion in the chase?"</span><br /> +<br /> +'Twas only at Llewellyn's board<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The faithful Gêlert fed;</span><br /> +He watched, he served, he cheered his lord,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And sentineled his bed.</span><br /> +<br /> +In sooth he was a peerless hound,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The gift of royal John;</span><br /> +But now no Gêlert could be found,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And all the chase rode on.</span><br /> +<br /> +And now, as o'er the rocks and dells<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The gallant chidings rise,</span><br /> +All Snowdon's craggy chaos yells<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The many-mingled cries!</span><br /> +<br /> +That day Llewellyn little loved<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The chase of hart and hare;</span><br /> +And scant and small the booty proved,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For Gêlert was not there.</span><br /> +<br /> +Unpleased Llewellyn homeward hied,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When, near the portal seat,</span><br /> +His truant Gêlert he espied,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bounding his lord to greet.</span><br /> +<br /> +But, when he gained his castle door,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Aghast the chieftain stood;</span><br /> +The hound all o'er was smeared with gore;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His lips, his fangs, ran blood.</span><br /> +<br /> +Llewellyn gazed with fierce surprise;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Unused such looks to meet,</span><br /> +His favorite checked his joyful guise,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And crouched, and licked his feet.</span><br /> +<br /> +Onward, in haste, Llewellyn passed,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And on went Gêlert too;</span><br /> +And still, where'er his eyes he cast,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_437" id="Page_437">[437]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fresh blood-gouts shocked his view.</span><br /> +<br /> +O'erturned his infant's bed he found,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The blood-stained covert rent;</span><br /> +And all around the walls and ground<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With recent blood besprent.</span><br /> +<br /> +He called his child,—no voice replied—<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He searched with terror wild;</span><br /> +Blood, blood he found on every side,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But nowhere found his child.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Hell-hound! my child's by thee devoured,"<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The frantic father cried;</span><br /> +And to the hilt his vengeful sword<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He plunged in Gêlert's side.</span><br /> +<br /> +His suppliant looks, as prone he fell,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">No pity could impart;</span><br /> +But still his Gêlert's dying yell<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Passed heavy o'er his heart.</span><br /> +<br /> +Aroused by Gêlert's dying yell,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Some slumberer wakened nigh:</span><br /> +What words the parent's joy could tell,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To hear his infant's cry!</span><br /> +<br /> +Concealed beneath a tumbled heap<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His hurried search had missed,</span><br /> +All glowing from his rosy sleep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">His cherub boy he kissed.</span><br /> +<br /> +Nor scathe had he, nor harm, nor dread,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But, the same couch beneath,</span><br /> +Lay a gaunt wolf, all torn and dead,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Tremendous still in death.</span><br /> +<br /> +Ah! what was then Llewellyn's pain!<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For now the truth was clear;</span><br /> +His gallant hound the wolf had slain<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To save Llewellyn's heir:</span><br /> +<br /> +Vain, vain was all Llewellyn's woe;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Best of thy kind, adieu!</span><br /> +The frantic blow which laid thee low<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">This heart shall ever rue."</span><br /> +<br /> +And now a gallant tomb they raise,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">With costly sculpture decked;</span><br /> +And marbles storied with his praise<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Poor Gêlert's bones protect.</span><br /> +<br /> +There, never could the spearman pass,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or forester, unmoved;</span><br /> +There, oft the tear-besprinkled grass<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Lleweylln's'">Llewellyn's</ins> sorrow proved.</span><br /> +<br /> +And there he hung his horn and spear,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And there, as evening fell,</span><br /> +In fancy's ear he oft would hear<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Poor Gêlert's dying yell.</span><br /> +<br /> +And, till great Snowdon's rocks grow old,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And cease the storm to brave,</span><br /> +The consecrated spot shall hold<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The name of "Gêlert's Grave."</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_377" id="Note_377">377</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">This old ballad is one of the best of the +humorous type. Many old stories turn +upon some such riddling series of questions, +generally three in number, to which unexpected +answers come from an unexpected +quarter. Of course the questions are +intended to be unanswerable. As a matter +of fact they are, but a clever person may +discover a riddling answer to a riddling +question. King John bows, not to a master +in knowledge, but to a master in cleverness.</div> + + +<h4><br />KING JOHN AND THE +ABBOT OF CANTERBURY</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +An ancient story I'll tell you anon<br /> +Of a notable prince, that was called King John;<br /> +And he ruled England with maine and with might,<br /> +For he did great wrong and maintein'd little right.<br /> +<br /> +And I'll tell you a story, a story so merrye,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_438" id="Page_438">[438]</a></span>Concerning the Abbot of Canterburye;<br /> +How for his house-keeping and high renowne,<br /> +They rode poste for him to fair London towne.<br /> +<br /> +An hundred men, the king did heare say,<br /> +The abbot kept in his house every day;<br /> +And fifty golde chaynes, without any doubt,<br /> +In velvet coates waited the abbot about.<br /> +<br /> +"How now, father abbot, I heare it of thee,<br /> +Thou keepest a farre better house than mee,<br /> +And for thy house-keeping and high renowne,<br /> +I fear thou work'st treason against my crown."<br /> +<br /> +"My liege," quo' the abbot, "I would it were knowne,<br /> +I never spend nothing but what is my owne;<br /> +And I trust your grace will do me no deere<br /> +For spending of my owne true-gotten geere."<br /> +<br /> +"Yes, yes, father abbot, thy fault it is highe,<br /> +And now for the same thou needest must dye;<br /> +For except thou canst answer me questions three,<br /> +Thy head shall be smitten from thy bodie.<br /> +<br /> +"And first," quo' the king, "when I'm in this stead,<br /> +With my crown of golde so faire on my head,<br /> +Among all my liege-men so noble of birthe,<br /> +Thou must tell me to one penny what I am worthe.<br /> +<br /> +"Secondlye tell me, without any doubt,<br /> +How soone I may ride the whole worlde about.<br /> +And at the third question thou must not shrinke,<br /> +But tell me here truly what I do thinke."<br /> +<br /> +"O, these are hard questions for my shallow witt,<br /> +Nor I cannot answer your grace as yet;<br /> +But if you will give me but three weekes space,<br /> +I'll do my endeavour to answer your grace."<br /> +<br /> +"Now three weekes space to thee will I give,<br /> +And that is the longest thou hast to live;<br /> +For if thou dost not answer my questions three,<br /> +Thy lands and thy living are forfeit to mee."<br /> +<br /> +Away rode the abbot all sad at that word,<br /> +And he rode to Cambridge, and Oxenford;<br /> +But never a doctor there was so wise,<br /> +That could with his learning an answer devise.<br /> +<br /> +Then home rode the abbot of comfort so cold,<br /> +And he mett his shephard a-going to fold:<br /> +"How now, my lord abbot, you are welcome home;<br /> +What newes do you bring us from good King John?"<br /> +<br /> +"Sad newes, sad newes, shephard, I must give;<br /> +That I have but three days more to live:<br /> +For if I do not answer him questions three,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_439" id="Page_439">[439]</a></span>My head will be smitten from my bodie.<br /> +<br /> +"The first is to tell him there in that stead,<br /> +With his crowne of golde so faire on his head,<br /> +Among all his liege-men so noble of birthe,<br /> +To within one penny of what he is worthe.<br /> +<br /> +"The seconde, to tell him without any doubt,<br /> +How soone he may ride this whole worlde about:<br /> +And at the third question I must not shrinke,<br /> +But tell him there truly what he does thinke."<br /> +<br /> +"Now cheare up, sire abbot, did you never hear yet<br /> +That a fool he may learn a wise man witt?<br /> +Lend me horse, and serving-men, and your apparel,<br /> +And I'll ride to London to answere your quarrel.<br /> +<br /> +"Nay, frowne not, if it hath bin told unto mee,<br /> +I am like your lordship, as ever may bee;<br /> +And if you will but lend me your gowne,<br /> +There is none shall knowe us at fair London towne."<br /> +<br /> +"Now horses and serving-men thou shalt have,<br /> +With sumptuous array most gallant and brave;<br /> +With crozier, and miter, and rochet, and cope,<br /> +Fit to appeare 'fore our fader the pope."<br /> +<br /> +"Now welcome, sire abbot," the king he did say,<br /> +"'Tis well thou'rt come back to keepe thy day:<br /> +For and if thou canst answer my questions three,<br /> +Thy life and thy living both saved shall bee.<br /> +<br /> +"And, first, when thou see'st me here in this stead,<br /> +With my crown of golde so fair on my head,<br /> +Among all my liege-men so noble of birthe,<br /> +Tell me to one penny what I am worthe."<br /> +<br /> +"For thirty pence our Saviour was sold<br /> +Among the false Jewes, as I have bin told:<br /> +And twenty-nine is the worth of thee,<br /> +For I thinke, thou art one penny worser than Hee."<br /> +<br /> +The king he laugh'd, and swore by St. Bittel,<br /> +"I did not think I had been worth so littel!<br /> +—Now secondly, tell me, without any doubt,<br /> +How soone I may ride this whole world about."<br /> +<br /> +"You must rise with the sun, and ride with the same,<br /> +Until the next morning he riseth againe;<br /> +And then your grace need not make any doubt,<br /> +But in twenty-four hours you'll ride it about."<br /> +<br /> +The king he laugh'd, and swore by St. Jone,<br /> +"I did not think it could be done so soone!<br /> +—Now from the third question you must not shrinke,<br /> +But tell me here truly what I do thinke."<br /> +<br /> +"Yes, that shall I do and make your grace merry:<br /> +You thinke I'm the Abbot of Canterburye;<br /> +But I'm his poor shephard, as plain you may see,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_440" id="Page_440">[440]</a></span>That am come to beg pardon for him and for mee."<br /> +<br /> +The king he laughed, and swore by the masse,<br /> +"I'll make thee lord abbot this day in his place!"<br /> +"Now nay, my liege, be not in such speede,<br /> +For alacke I can neither write, ne reade."<br /> +<br /> +"Four nobles a weeke, then, I will give thee,<br /> +For this merry jest thou hast showne unto me;<br /> +And tell the old abbot, when thou comest home,<br /> +Thou hast brought him a pardon from good King John."<br /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_441" id="Page_441">[441]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION VIII</h2> + +<h3>REALISTIC STORIES</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_442" id="Page_442">[442]</a></span></p> +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + + +<h3>ARRANGED CHRONOLOGICALLY AS A BASIS FOR TRACING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REALISTIC STORY +FOR YOUNG PEOPLE</h3> + +<p>Most of the authors in the following list wrote other books of a realistic nature, in some +cases greater books than the one mentioned. The book named is usually the first important one +in this field by its author and has, therefore, unusual historical value.</p> + +<div class='unindent'> +1765. Goldsmith, Oliver, <i>The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes</i>.<br /> +1783-1789. Day, Thomas, <i>The History of Sandford and Merton</i>.<br /> +1792-1796. Aikin, Dr. John, and Barbauld, Mrs. L. E., <i>Evenings at Home</i>.<br /> +[?]-1795. More, Hannah, <i>The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain</i>.<br /> +1796-1800. Edgeworth, Maria, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3655">The Parent's Assistant, or Stories for Children</a></i>.<br /> +1808. Lamb, Mary and Charles, <i>Mrs. Leicester's School</i>.<br /> +1818. Sherwood, Mrs. M. M., <i>The History of the Fairchild Family</i>.<br /> +1840. Dana, Richard Henry, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4277">Two Years Before the Mast</a></i>.<br /> +1841. Martineau, Harriet, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/23265">The Crofton Boys</a></i>.<br /> +1856. Yonge, Charlotte M., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3610">The Daisy Chain</a></i>.<br /> +1857. Hughes, Thomas, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1480">Tom Brown's School Days</a></i>.<br /> +1863. Whitney, Mrs. A. D. T., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18896">Faith Gartney's Girlhood</a></i>.<br /> +1864. Trowbridge, J. T., <i>Cudjo's Cave</i>.<br /> +1865. Dodge, Mary Mapes, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/764">Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates</a></i>.<br /> +1867. Kaler, James Otis, <i>Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus</i>.<br /> +1868. Alcott, Louisa May, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/514">Little Women</a></i>.<br /> +1868. Hale, Edward Everett, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/16493">The Man without a Country</a></i>.<br /> +1871. Eggleston, Edward, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15099">The Hoosier Schoolmaster</a></i>.<br /> +1876. Twain, Mark, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/74">Adventures of Tom Sawyer</a></i>.<br /> +1878. Jackson, Helen Hunt, <i>Nelly's Silver Mine</i>.<br /> +1879. Ewing, Juliana Horatia, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20351">Jackanapes</a></i>.<br /> +1882. Hale, Lucretia P., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3028">Peterkin Papers</a></i>.<br /> +1883. Stevenson, Robert Louis, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/120">Treasure Island</a></i>.<br /> +1887. Wiggin, Kate Douglas, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24286">The Birds' Christmas Carol</a></i>.<br /> +1890. Jewett, Sarah Orne, <i>Betty Leicester</i>.<br /> +1895. Bennett, John, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11574">Master Skylark</a></i>.<br /> +1897. Kipling, Rudyard, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2225">Captains Courageous</a></i>.<br /> +1899. Garland, Hamlin, <i>Boy Life on the Prairie</i>.<br /> +1906. Stein, Evaleen, <i>Gabriel and the Hour-Book</i>.<br /> +1908. Montgomery, L. M., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/45">Anne of Green Gables</a></i>.<br /> +1912. Masefield, John, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7369">Jim Davis</a></i>.<br /> +1917. Crownfield, Gertrude, <i>The Little Taylor of the Winding Way</i>.<br /> +1920. Latham, Harold S., <i>Jimmy Quigg, Office Boy</i>.<br /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_443" id="Page_443">[443]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION VIII. REALISTIC STORIES</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + + +<p><i>Origin.</i> The history of realistic stories for children may well begin with the +interest in juvenile education awakened by the great French teacher and author +Rousseau (1712-1778). He taught that formal methods should be discarded in +juvenile education and that children should be taught to know the things about +them. The new method of education is illustrated, probably unintentionally, in +<i>The Renowned History of Little Goody Two-Shoes</i>, the first selection in this section. +Rousseau directly influenced the thought of such writers as Thomas Day, Maria +Edgeworth, Dr. Aiken, and Mrs. Barbauld. The stories produced by these authors +in the last quarter of the eighteenth century are among the first written primarily +for the purpose of entertaining children. To these writers we are indebted for the +creation of types of children's literature that modern authors have developed into +the fascinating stories of child life, the thrilling stories of adventure, and the interesting +accounts of nature that now abound in libraries and book stores.</p> + +<p><i>The didactic period.</i> When we read these first stories written for the entertainment +of children, we can hardly fail to observe that each one presents a lesson, either +moral or practical. The didactic purpose is so prominent that the term "Didactic +Period" may be applied to the period from 1765 (the publication of <i>Goody Two-Shoes</i>) +to 1825, or even later. The small amount of writing for children before this +period was practically all for the purpose of moral or religious instruction; hence it +was but natural for these first writers of juvenile entertainment stories to feel it +their duty to present moral and practical lessons. It would be a mistake, however, +to assume that these quaint old stories would not be interesting to children today, +for they deal with fundamental truths, which are new and interesting to children +of all ages.</p> + +<p>In addition to the writers already mentioned, and represented by selections +in the following pages, there were several others whose books are yet accessible and +now and then read for their historical interest if not for any intrinsic literary value +they may possess. One of these was Mrs. Sarah K. Trimmer (1741-1810), who, +associated with the early days of the Sunday-school movement, wrote many books +full of the overwrought piety which was supposed to be necessary for children of +that earlier time. One of her books, <i>The History of the Robins</i>, stands out from the +mass for its strong appeal of simple incident, and is still widely popular with very +young readers. Hannah More (1745-1833) occupied a prominent place in the +thought of her day as a teacher of religious and social ideas among the poorer classes. +Her <i>Repository Tracts</i>, many of them in the form of stories, were devoted to making +the poor contented with their lot through the consolations of a pious life. "The +Shepherd of Salisbury Plain" was the most famous of these story-tracts, and there +are still many people living whose childhood was fed upon this and like stories.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_444" id="Page_444">[444]</a></span> +Mrs. Sherwood's <i>History of the Fairchild Family</i> has never been out of print since +the date of its first publication (1818), and in recent years has had two or three +sumptuous revivals at the hands of editors and publishers. The almost innumerable +books of Jacob Abbott and S. G. Goodrich ("Peter Parley") in America belong to +this didactic movement. They were, however, more devoted to the process of instilling +a knowledge of all the wonders of this great world round about us, and were considerably +less pietistic than their English neighbors. <i>The Rollo Books</i> (24 vols.) +are typical of this school.</p> + +<p><i>The modern period.</i> Charles Lamb apparently was one of the first to get the +modern thought that literature for children should be just as artistic, just as dignified +in its presentation of truth, and just as worthy of literary recognition, as literature +for adults. In the hundred years since Lamb advanced his theory, students have +gradually come to recognize the fact that good literature for children is also good +literature for adults because art is art, whatever its form. In this connection, Lamb's +feeling about the necessity for making children's books more vital found expression +in a famous and much-quoted passage in a letter to Coleridge:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<i>Goody Two-Shoes</i> is almost out of print. Mrs. Barbauld's stuff has banished all the +old classics of the nursery; and the shopman at Newbery's hardly deigned to reach them off +an old exploded corner of a shelf, when Mary asked for them. Mrs. B.'s and Mrs. Trimmer's +nonsense lay in piles about. Knowledge insignificant and vapid as Mrs. Barbauld's +books convey, it seems must come to a child in the <i>shape of knowledge</i>, and his empty noodle +must be turned with conceit of his own powers when he has learnt that a horse is an animal, +and Billy is better than a horse, and such like; instead of that beautiful interest in wild tales, +which made the child a man, while all the while he suspected himself to be no bigger than a +child. Science has succeeded to poetry no less in the little walks of children than with men. +Is there no possibility of averting this sore evil? Think what you would have been now, +if, instead of being fed with tales and old wives' fables in childhood, you had been crammed +with geography and natural history!"</p></div> + +<p>The danger Lamb saw was averted. The bibliography on a preceding page +indicates that about the middle of the nineteenth century many writers of first-rate +literary ability began to write for young people. Among the number were +Harriet Martineau, Captain Marryat, Charlotte M. Yonge, Thomas Hughes, and +others. As we pass toward the end of that century and the beginning of the twentieth, +the great names associated with juvenile classics are very noticeable, and with +Miss Alcott, Mrs. Ewing, "Mark Twain," Stevenson, Kipling, Masefield, and a +kindred host, childhood has come into its own.</p> + + +<h3><br />SUGGESTIONS FOR READING</h3> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>For tracing the stages in the development of writing for children consult the books named +in the General Bibliography (<a href="#Page_17">p. 17</a>, II, "Historical Development.")</p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_445" id="Page_445">[445]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_378" id="Note_378">378</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Among those authors of the past whom the +present still regards affectionately, Oliver +Goldsmith (1728-1774) holds a high place. +At least five of his works—a novel, a poem, +a play, a book of essays, a nursery story—rank +as classics. He had many faults; he +was vain, improvident almost beyond belief, +certainly dissipated throughout a part of +his life. But with all these faults he had +the saving grace of humor, a kind heart +that led him to share even his last penny +with one in need, a genius for friendships +that united him with such men as Burke +and Johnson and Reynolds. Always "hard +up," he wrote much as a publisher's "hack" +in order merely to live. It was in this +capacity that he probably wrote the famous +story that follows—a story that stands +at the beginning of the long and constantly +broadening current of modern literature for +children. While it has generally been +attributed to Goldsmith, no positive evidence +of his authorship has been discovered. +It was published at a time when he was in +the employ of John Newbery, the London +publisher, who issued many books for +children. We know that Goldsmith helped +with the <i>Mother Goose's Melody</i> and other +projects of Newbery, and there are many +reasons for supposing that the general +attribution of <i>Goody Two-Shoes</i> to him may +be correct. Charles Welsh, who edited the +best recent edition for schools, says it "will +always deserve a place among the classics +of childhood for its literary merit, the purity +and loftiness of its tone, and its sound +sense, while the whimsical, confidential, +affectionate style which the author employs, +makes it attractive even to children who +have long since passed the spelling-book +stage." The version that follows has been +shortened by the omission of passages that +have less importance for the modern child +than they may have had for that of the +eighteenth century. The story is thus +rendered more compact, and contains +nothing to draw attention away from the +fine qualities mentioned above. The quaint +phrasing of the title, in itself one of the +proofs of Goldsmith's authorship, furnishes +a good comment on the meaning of the +story: "The history of little Goody Two-Shoes/otherwise +called Mrs. Margery Two-Shoes/the +means by which she acquired +her learning and wisdom, and in consequence +thereof her estate; set forth at +large for the benefit of those/</div> + +<div class='poem'> +Who from a state of Rags and Care,<br /> +And having Shoes but half a Pair;<br /> +Their Fortune and their fame would fix,<br /> +And gallop in a Coach and Six."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='hang1'><br />[For the benefit of those who may overlook +the point, it may be explained that "Mrs." +was formerly used as a term of dignified +courtesy applied to both married and +unmarried women.]</div> + + +<h4><br />THE RENOWNED HISTORY OF +LITTLE GOODY TWO-SHOES</h4> + +<div class='center'>ASCRIBED TO OLIVER GOLDSMITH</div> + +<p>All the world must allow that Two-Shoes +was not her real name. No; her +father's name was Meanwell, and he +was for many years a considerable +farmer in the parish where Margery +was born; but by the misfortunes which +he met with in business, and the wicked +persecutions of Sir Timothy Gripe, and +an overgrown farmer called Graspall, +he was effectually ruined. These men +turned the farmer, his wife, Little Margery, +and her brother out of doors, +without any of the necessaries of life +to support them.</p> + +<p>Care and discontent shortened the +days of Little Margery's father. He +was seized with a violent fever, and +died miserably. Margery's poor mother +survived the loss of her husband but a +few days, and died of a broken heart, +leaving Margery and her little brother +to the wide world. It would have +excited your pity and done your heart<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_446" id="Page_446">[446]</a></span> +good to have seen how fond these two +little ones were of each other, and how, +hand in hand, they trotted about.</p> + +<p>They were both very ragged, and +Tommy had no shoes, and Margery had +but one. They had nothing, poor things, +to support them but what they picked +from the hedges or got from the poor +people, and they lay every night in a +barn. Their relatives took no notice of +them; no, they were rich, and ashamed +to own such a poor little ragged girl as +Margery and such a dirty little curl-pated +boy as Tommy. But such wicked +folks, who love nothing but money and +are proud and despise the poor, never +come to any good in the end, as we +shall see by and by.</p> + +<p>Mr. Smith was a very worthy clergyman +who lived in the parish where Little +Margery and Tommy were born; and +having a relative come to see him, he +sent for these children. The gentleman +ordered Little Margery a new pair of +shoes, gave Mr. Smith some money +to buy her clothes, and said he would +take Tommy and make him a little +sailor.</p> + +<p>The parting between these two little +children was very affecting. Tommy +cried, and Margery cried, and they +kissed each other an hundred times. +At last Tommy wiped off her tears +with the end of his jacket, and bid her +cry no more, for he would come to her +again when he returned from sea.</p> + +<p>As soon as Little Margery got up the +next morning, which was very early, +she ran all round the village, crying for +her brother; and after some time returned +greatly distressed. However, at this +instant, the shoemaker came in with +the new shoes, for which she had been +measured by the gentleman's order.</p> + +<p>Nothing could have supported Little +Margery under the affliction she was +in for the loss of her brother but the +pleasure she took in her two shoes. +She ran out to Mrs. Smith as soon as +they were put on, and, stroking down +her ragged apron, cried out, "Two +shoes, mamma, see, two shoes!"</p> + +<p>And she so behaved to all the people +she met, and by that means obtained +the name of Goody Two-Shoes, though +her playmates called her Old Goody +Two-Shoes.</p> + +<p>Little Margery was very happy in +being with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who were +very charitable and good to her, and had +agreed to breed her up with their family. +But at last they were obliged to send her +away, for the people who had ruined her +father commanded them to do this, and +could at any time have ruined them.</p> + +<p>Little Margery saw how good and +how wise Mr. Smith was, and concluded +that this was owing to his great learning; +therefore she wanted, of all things, +to learn to read. For this purpose she +used to meet the little boys and girls +as they came from school, borrow their +books, and sit down and read till they +returned. By this means she soon got +more learning than any of her playmates, +and laid the following scheme for instructing +those who were more ignorant than +herself. She found that only the following +letters were required to spell all the +words in the world; but as some of these +letters are large and some small, she +with her knife cut out of several pieces +of wood ten sets of each of these:</p> + +<div class='center'> +a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>And six sets of these:</div> + +<div class='center'> +A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z<br /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_447" id="Page_447">[447]</a></span></p> + +<div class='unindent'>And having got an old spelling-book, she +made her companions set up all the +words they wanted to spell, and after +that she taught them to compose sentences. +You know what a sentence is, +my dear. <i>I will be good</i>, is a sentence; +and is made up, as you see, of several +words.</div> + +<p>Every morning she used to go round +to teach the children, with these rattletraps +in a basket. I once went her +rounds with her. It was about seven +o'clock in the morning when we set out +on this important business, and the first +house we came to was Farmer Wilson's. +Here Margery stopped, and ran up to +the door, tap, tap, tap.</p> + +<p>"Who's there?"</p> + +<p>"Only little Goody Two-Shoes," answered +Margery, "come to teach Billy."</p> + +<p>"Oh! little Goody," said Mrs. Wilson, +with pleasure in her face, "I am glad +to see you. Billy wants you sadly, for +he has learned all his lesson."</p> + +<p>Then out came the little boy. "How +do, Doody Two-Shoes," said he, not able +to speak plain. Yet this little boy had +learned all his letters; for she threw +down this alphabet mixed together thus:</p> + +<div class='center'> +b d f h k m o q s u w y z a c e g i l n p r t v x j<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>and he picked them up, called them by +their right names, and put them all in +order thus:</div> + +<div class='center'> +a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.<br /> +</div> + +<p>The next place we came to was Farmer +Simpson's. "Bow, bow, bow," said the +dog at the door.</p> + +<p>"Sirrah," said his mistress, "why do +you bark at Little Two-Shoes? Come +in, Madge; here, Sally wants you sadly; +she has learned all her lesson."</p> + +<p>Then out came the little one.</p> + +<p>"So, Madge!" says she.</p> + +<p>"So, Sally!" answered the other. +"Have you learned your lesson?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's what I have," replied +the little one in the country manner; +and immediately taking the letters she +set up these syllables:</p> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="syllables"> +<tr><td align='left'>ba be bi bo bu, </td><td align='left'>ca ce ci co cu,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>da de di do du,</td><td align='left'>fa fe fi fo fu,</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<div class='unindent'>and gave them their exact sounds as she +composed them.</div> + +<p>After this, Little Two-Shoes taught +her to spell words of one syllable, and +she soon set up pear, plum, top, ball, +pin, puss, dog, hog, fawn, buck, doe, +lamb, sheep, ram, cow, bull, cock, hen, +and many more.</p> + +<p>The next place we came to was Gaffer +Cook's cottage. Here a number of poor +children were met to learn. They all +came round Little Margery at once; +and, having pulled out her letters, she +asked the little boy next her what he +had for dinner. He answered, "Bread." +(The poor children in many places live +very hard.) "Well, then," said she, +"set the first letter."</p> + +<p>He put up the letter <i>B</i>, to which +the next added <i>r</i>, and the next <i>e</i>, the +next <i>a</i>, the next <i>d</i> and it stood thus, +"<i>Bread</i>".</p> + +<p>"And what had you, Polly Comb, for +your dinner?" "Apple-pie," answered +the little girl: upon which the next in +turn set up a great <i>A</i>, the two next a <i>p</i> +each, and so on until the two words +<i>Apple</i> and <i>pie</i> were united and stood +thus, "<i>Apple-pie</i>."</p> + +<p>The next had Potatoes, the next Beef +and Turnips, which were spelt, with +many others, until the game of spelling +was finished. She then set them another +task, and we went on.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_448" id="Page_448">[448]</a></span></p> + +<p>The next place we came to was Farmer +Thompson's, where there were a great +many little ones waiting for her.</p> + +<p>"So, little Mrs. Goody Two-Shoes," +said one of them. "Where have you +been so long?"</p> + +<p>"I have been teaching," says she, +"longer than I intended, and am afraid +I am come too soon for you now."</p> + +<p>"No, but indeed you are not," replied +the other, "for I have got my lesson, +and so has Sally Dawson, and so has +Harry Wilson, and so have we all"; and +they capered about as if they were overjoyed +to see her.</p> + +<p>"Why, then," says she, "you are all +very good, and God Almighty will love +you; so let us begin our lesson."</p> + +<p>They all huddled round her, and +though at the other place they were +employed about words and syllables, here +we had people of much greater understanding, +who dealt only in sentences.</p> + +<p><i>The Lord have mercy upon me, and grant +I may always be good, and say my prayers, and +love the Lord my God with all my heart, and +with all my soul, and with all my strength; +and honor government and all good men in +authority.</i></p> + +<p>Little Margery then set them to +compose the following:</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />LESSON FOR THE CONDUCT OF LIFE<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +He that will thrive<br /> +Must rise by five.<br /> +<br /> +He that hath thriv'n<br /> +May lie till seven.<br /> +<br /> +Truth may be blamed,<br /> +But cannot be shamed.<br /> +<br /> +Tell me with whom you go,<br /> +And I'll tell what you do.<br /> +<br /> +A friend in your need<br /> +Is a friend indeed.<br /> +<br /> +They ne'er can be wise<br /> +Who good counsel despise.<br /> +</div> + +<p>As we were returning home, we saw +a gentleman, who was very ill, sitting +under a shady tree at the corner of his +rookery. Though ill, <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'be'">he</ins> began to joke +with Little Margery, and said laughing, +"So, Goody Two-Shoes! They tell me +you are a cunning little baggage; pray, +can you tell me what I shall do to get +well?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said she, "go to bed when +your rooks do and get up with them in +the morning; earn, as they do, every +day what you eat, and eat and drink +no more than you earn, and you will +get health and keep it."</p> + +<p>The gentleman, laughing, gave Margery +sixpence, and told her she was a +sensible hussy.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Williams, who kept a college +for instructing little gentlemen and +ladies in the science of A, B, C, was at +this time very old and infirm, and wanted +to decline that important trust. This +being told to Sir William Dove, who +lived in the parish, he sent for Mrs. +Williams, and desired she would examine +Little Two-Shoes and see whether she +was qualified for the office.</p> + +<p>This was done, and Mrs. Williams +made the following report in her favor; +namely, that Little Margery was the +best scholar, and had the best head and +the best heart of any one she had examined. +All the country had a great +opinion of Mrs. Williams, and her words +gave them also a great opinion of Mrs. +Margery, for so we must now call her.</p> + +<p>No sooner was Mrs. Margery settled +in this office than she laid every possible +scheme to promote the welfare and happiness +of all her neighbors, and especially +of the little ones, in whom she took<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_449" id="Page_449">[449]</a></span> +great delight; and all those whose +parents could not afford to pay for their +education, she taught for nothing but +the pleasure she had in their company; +for you are to observe that they were +very good, or were soon made so by her +good management.</p> + +<p>The school where she taught was that +which was before kept by Mrs. Williams. +The room was large, and as she knew +that nature intended children should be +always in action, she placed her different +letters, or alphabets, all round the +school, so that every one was obliged +to get up to fetch a letter or spell a +word when it came to his turn; which +not only kept them in health but fixed +the letters and points firmly in their +minds.</p> + +<p>She had the following assistants to +help her, and I will tell you how she +came by them. One day as she was +going through the next village she met +with some wicked boys who had got a +young raven, which they were going to +throw at; she wanted to get the poor +creature out of their cruel hands, and +therefore gave them a penny for him, +and brought him home. She called his +name Ralph, and a fine bird he was.</p> + +<p>Some days after she had met with +the raven, as she was walking in the +fields she saw some naughty boys who +had taken a pigeon and tied a string +to its leg, in order to let it fly and draw +it back again when they pleased; and +by this means they tortured the poor +animal with the hopes of liberty and +repeated disappointment. This pigeon +she also bought. He was a very pretty +fellow, and she called him Tom.</p> + +<p>Some time after this a poor lamb had +lost its dam, and the farmer being about +to kill it, she bought it of him and +brought it home with her to play with +the children and teach them when to +go to bed: for it was a rule with the +wise men of that age (and a very good +one, let me tell you) to</p> + +<p><i>Rise with the lark and lie down with the +lamb.</i></p> + +<p>This lamb she called Will, and a pretty +fellow he was.</p> + +<p>Soon after this a present was made to +Mrs. Margery of a little dog, Jumper, and +a pretty dog he was. Jumper, Jumper, +Jumper! He was always in good humor +and playing and jumping about, and +therefore he was called Jumper. The +place assigned for Jumper was that of +keeping the door, so that he may be +called the porter of the college, for he +would let nobody go out or any one +come in without the leave of his mistress.</p> + +<p>But one day a dreadful accident happened +in the school. It was on a Thursday +morning, I very well remember, +when the children having learned their +lessons soon, she had given them leave +to play, and they were all running about +the school and diverting themselves with +the birds and the lamb. At this time +the dog, all of a sudden, laid hold of his +mistress's apron and endeavored to pull +her out of the school. She was at first +surprised; however, she followed him to +see what he intended.</p> + +<p>No sooner had he led her into the +garden than he ran back and pulled +out one of the children in the same +manner; upon which she ordered them +all to leave the school immediately; and +they had not been out five minutes before +the top of the house fell in. What a +miraculous deliverance was here! How +gracious! How good was God Almighty, +to save all these children from destruction, +and to make use of such an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_450" id="Page_450">[450]</a></span> +instrument as a little sagacious animal +to accomplish His divine will! I should +have observed that as soon as they were +all in the garden, the dog came leaping +round them to express his joy, and when +the house had fallen, laid himself down +quietly by his mistress.</p> + +<p>Some of the neighbors, who saw the +school fall and who were in great pain +for Margery and the little ones, soon +spread the news through the village, and +all the parents, terrified for their children, +came crowding in abundance; they +had, however, the satisfaction to find +them all safe, and upon their knees, with +their mistress, giving God thanks for +their happy deliverance.</p> + +<p>You are not to wonder, my dear +reader, that this little dog should have +more sense than you, or your father, or +your grandfather.</p> + +<p>Though God Almighty has made man +the lord of creation, and endowed him +with reason, yet in many respects He +has been altogether as bountiful to other +creatures of His forming. Some of the +senses of other animals are more acute +than ours, as we find by daily experience.</p> + +<p>The downfall of the school was a great +misfortune to Mrs. Margery; for she +not only lost all her books, but was +destitute of a place to teach in. Sir +William Dove, being informed of this, +ordered the house to be built at his own +expense, and till that could be done, +Farmer Grove was so kind as to let her +have his large hall to teach in.</p> + +<p>While at Mr. Grove's, which was in +the heart of the village, she not only +taught the children in the daytime, but +the farmer's servants, and all the neighbors, +to read and write in the evening. +This gave not only Mr. Grove but all +the neighbors a high opinion of her good +sense and prudent behavior; and she +was so much esteemed that most of the +differences in the parish were left to her +decision.</p> + +<p>One gentleman in particular, I mean +Sir Charles Jones, had conceived such a +high opinion of her that he offered her a +considerable sum to take care of his +family and the education of his daughter, +which, however, she refused. But this +gentleman, sending for her afterwards +when he had a dangerous fit of illness, +she went and behaved so prudently in +the family and so tenderly to him and +his daughter that he would not permit +her to leave his house, but soon after +made her proposals of marriage. She was +truly sensible of the honor he intended +her, but, though poor, she would not +consent to be made a lady until he had +effectually provided for his daughter.</p> + +<p>All things being settled and the day +fixed, the neighbors came in crowds to +see the wedding; for they were all glad +that one who had been such a good little +girl, and was become such a virtuous +and good woman, was going to be made +a lady. But just as the clergyman had +opened his book, a gentleman richly +dressed, ran into the church, and cried, +"Stop! stop!"</p> + +<p>This greatly alarmed the congregation, +particularly the intended bride and +bridegroom, whom he first accosted and +desired to speak with them apart. After +they had been talking some little time, +the people were greatly surprised to see +Sir Charles stand motionless and his +bride cry and faint away in the stranger's +arms. This seeming grief, however, was +only a prelude to a flood of joy which +immediately succeeded; for you must +know, gentle reader, that this gentleman, +so richly dressed and bedizened<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_451" id="Page_451">[451]</a></span> +with lace, was that identical little boy +whom you before saw in the sailor's +habit; in short, it was little Tom Two-Shoes, +Mrs. Margery's brother, who had +just come from beyond sea, where he +had made a large fortune. Hearing, as +soon as he landed, of his sister's intended +wedding, he had ridden in haste to see +that a proper settlement was made on +her; which he thought she was now +entitled to, as he himself was both able +and willing to give her an ample fortune. +They soon returned to their places and +were married in tears, but they were +tears of joy.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_379" id="Note_379">379</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1"><i>Evenings at Home</i>, one of the important books +in the history of the development of literature +for children, was published in six +small volumes, from 1792 to 1796. It was +a result of a newly awakened interest in +the real world round about us and represented +the profound reaction against the +"fantastic visions" and "sweetmeats" of +popular literature. The main purpose was +to give instruction by showing things as +they really are. The plan of the book is +very simple. The Fairbornes, with a large +"progeny of children, boys and girls," kept +a sort of open house for friends and relatives. +Many of these visitors, accustomed +to writing, would frequently produce a +fable, a story, or a dialogue, adapted to the +age and understanding of the young people. +These papers were dropped into a box until +the children should all be assembled at +holidays. Then one of the youngest was +sent to "rummage the budget," which +meant to reach into the box and take the +paper that he happened to touch. It was +brought in and read and considered; then +the process was repeated. "Eyes, and No +Eyes" was drawn out on the twentieth +evening. <i>Evenings at Home</i> was written by +Dr. John Aikin (1747-1822) and his sister +Mrs. Anna Letitia Barbauld (1743-1825). +Dr. Aikin seems to have written the +larger number of the hundred papers +composing the book. Mrs. Barbauld's +share is placed at fifteen papers by authority +of the <i>Dictionary of National Biography</i>. +Some of the children in these stories may +perceive more closely than normal children +do, but this defect may add a charm if the +reader keeps in mind that this is one of the +earliest nature books for children. Stories +of this kind require the presence of some +omniscient or "encyclopedic" character to +whom all the things requiring an answer +may be referred. Mr. Andrews in "Eyes, +and No Eyes," Mr. Barlow in Day's <i>Sandford +and Merton</i>, and Mr. Gresham in Miss +Edgeworth's "Waste Not, Want Not" are +good illustrations of this type.</div> + + +<h4><br /> +EYES, AND NO EYES<br /> +OR<br /> +THE ART OF SEEING<br /> +</h4> + +<div class='center'>DR. AIKIN AND MRS. BARBAULD</div> + +<p>"Well, Robert, whither have you been +walking this afternoon?" said Mr. Andrews +to one of his pupils at the close of +a holiday.</p> + +<p>R. I have been, sir, to Broom-heath, +and so round by the windmill upon +Camp-mount, and home through the +meadows by the river side.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Well, that's a pleasant round.</p> + +<p>R. I thought it very dull, sir; I +scarcely met with a single person. I had +rather by half have gone along the turnpike-road.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Why, if seeing men and +horses were your object, you would, +indeed, have been better entertained on +the high-road. But did you see William?</p> + +<p>R. We set out together, but he lagged +behind in the lane, so I walked on and +left him.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. That was a pity. He would +have been company for you.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_452" id="Page_452">[452]</a></span></p> + +<p>R. Oh, he is so tedious, always stopping +to look at this thing and that! I had +rather walk alone. I dare say he has not +got home yet.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Here he comes. Well, William, +where have you been?</p> + +<p>W. Oh, sir, the pleasantest walk! I +went all over Broom-heath, and so up to +the mill at the top of the hill, and then +down among the green meadows, by the +side of the river.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Why, that is just the round +Robert has been taking, and he complains +of its dullness, and prefers the +high-road.</p> + +<p>W. I wonder at that. I am sure I +hardly took a step that did not delight +me, and I have brought home my handkerchief +full of curiosities.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Suppose, then, you give us +some account of what amused you so +much. I fancy it will be as new to Robert +as to me.</p> + +<p>W. I will, sir. The lane leading to the +heath, you know, is close and sandy; so I +did not mind it much, but made the best +of my way. However, I spied a curious +thing enough in the hedge. It was an +old crab-tree, out of which grew a great +bunch of something green, quite different +from the tree itself. Here is a branch of it.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Ah! this is mistletoe, a plant +of great fame for the use made of it by +the Druids of old in their religious rites +and incantations. It bears a very slimy +white berry, of which birdlime may be +made, whence its Latin name of Viscus. +It is one of those plants which do not +grow in the ground by a root of their own, +but fix themselves upon other plants; +whence they have been humorously +styled <i>parasitical</i>, as being hangers-on, or +dependents. It was the mistletoe of the +oak that the Druids particularly honored.</p> + +<p>W. A little further on, I saw a green +woodpecker fly to a tree, and run up the +trunk like a cat.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. That was to seek for insects +in the bark, on which they live. They +bore holes with their strong bills for that +purpose, and do much damage to the +trees by it.</p> + +<p>W. What beautiful birds they are!</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Yes; the woodpecker has been +called, from its color and size, the English +parrot.</p> + +<p>W. When I got upon the open heath, +how charming it was! The air seemed +so fresh, and the prospect on every side +so free and unbounded! Then it was all +covered with gay flowers, many of which +I had never observed before. There +were, at least, three kinds of heath (I have +got them in my handkerchief here), and +gorse, and broom, and bell-flower, and +many others of all colors that I will beg +you presently to tell me the names of.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. That I will, readily.</p> + +<p>W. I saw, too, several birds that were +new to me. There was a pretty greyish +one, of the size of a lark, that was hopping +about some great stones; and when he +flew, he showed a great deal of white +about his tail.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. That was a wheat-ear. They +are reckoned very delicious birds to +eat, and frequent the open downs in +Sussex, and some other counties, in great +numbers.</p> + +<p>W. There was a flock of lapwings +upon a marshy part of the heath, that +amused me much. As I came near them, +some of them kept flying round and +round, just over my head, and crying +<i>pewet</i>, so distinctly, one might almost +fancy they spoke. I thought I should +have caught one of them, for he flew as +though one of his wings was broken, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_453" id="Page_453">[453]</a></span> +often tumbled close to the ground; but as +I came near, he always made a shift to +get away.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Ha, ha! you were finely taken +in then! This was all an artifice of the +bird's, to entice you away from its nest; +for they build upon the bare ground, and +their nests would easily be observed, did +they not draw off the attention of intruders +by their loud cries and counterfeit +lameness.</p> + +<p>W. I wish I had known that, for he +led me a long chase, often over-shoes in +water. However, it was the cause of my +falling in with an old man and a boy +who were cutting and piling up turf for +fuel, and I had a good deal of talk with +them about the manner of preparing the +turf, and the price it sells at. They +gave me, too, a creature I never saw before—a +young viper, which they had just +killed, together with its dam. I have +seen several common snakes, but this is +thicker in proportion, and of a darker +color than they are.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. True. Vipers frequent those +turfy, boggy grounds pretty much; and I +have known several turf-cutters bitten +by them.</p> + +<p>W. They are very venomous, are they +not?</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Enough so to make their +wounds painful and dangerous, though +they seldom prove fatal.</p> + +<p>W. Well—I then took my course +up to the windmill, on the mount. I +climbed up the steps of the mill, in order +to get a better view of the country +around. What an extensive prospect! +I counted fifteen church-steeples; and I +saw several gentlemen's houses peeping +out from the midst of green woods and +plantations; and I could trace the windings +of the river all along the low grounds, +till it was lost behind a ridge of hills. +But I'll tell you what I mean to do, sir, +if you will give me leave.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. What is that?</p> + +<p>W. I will go again, and take with me +the county map, by which I shall probably +be able to make out most of the +places.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. You shall have it, and I will +go with you, and take my pocket spying-glass.</p> + +<p>W. I shall be very glad of that. +Well—a thought struck me, that as the +hill is called Camp-mount, there might +probably be some remains of ditches and +mounds, with which I have read that +camps were surrounded. And I really +believe I discovered something of that +sort running round one side of the +mound.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Very likely you might. I +know antiquaries have described such +remains as existing there, which some +suppose to be Roman, others Danish. +We will examine them further, when we +go.</p> + +<p>W. From the hill, I went straight +down to the meadows below, and walked +on the side of a brook that runs into the +river. It was all bordered with reeds +and flags, and tall flowering plants, quite +different from those I had seen on the +heath. As I was getting down the bank, +to reach one of them, I heard something +plunge into the water near me. It was a +large water-rat, and I saw it swim over +to the other side, and go into its hole. +There were a great many large dragonflies +all about the stream. I caught one +of the finest, and have got him here in a +leaf. But how I longed to catch a bird +that I saw hovering over the water, and +that every now and then darted down +into it! It was all over a mixture of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_454" id="Page_454">[454]</a></span> +most beautiful green and blue, with some +orange-color. It was somewhat less +than a thrush, and had a large head and +bill, and a short tail.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. I can tell you what that bird +was—a kingfisher, the celebrated halcyon +of the ancients, about which so many +tales are told. It lives on fish, which it +catches in the manner you saw. It +builds in holes in the banks, and is a shy, +retired bird, never to be seen far from the +stream which it inhabits.</p> + +<p>W. I must try to get another sight of +him, for I never saw a bird that pleased +me so much. Well—I followed this little +brook till it entered the river, and then +took the path that runs along the bank. +On the opposite side, I observed several +little birds running along the shore, and +making a piping noise. They were brown +and white, and about as big as a snipe.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. I suppose they were sandpipers, +one of the numerous family of +birds that get their living by wading +among the shallows, and picking up +worms and insects.</p> + +<p>W. There were a great many swallows, +too, sporting upon the surface of +the water, that entertained me with their +motions. Sometimes they dashed into +the stream; sometimes they pursued one +another so quickly that the eye could +scarcely follow them. In one place, +where a high, steep sand-bank rose directly +above the river, I observed many +of them go in and out of holes, with which +the bank was bored full.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Those were sand-martins, the +smallest of our species of swallows. +They are of a mouse-color above, and +white beneath. They make their nests +and bring up their young in these holes, +which run a great depth, and by their +situation are secure from all plunderers.</p> + +<p>W. A little further, I saw a man in a +boat, who was catching eels in an odd +way. He had a long pole with broad +iron prongs at the end, just like Neptune's +trident, only there were five, +instead of three. This he pushed +straight down among the mud, in the +deepest parts of the river, and fetched +up the eels sticking between the prongs.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. I have seen this method. It +is called spearing of eels.</p> + +<p>W. While I was looking at him, a +heron came flying over my head, with +his large, flagging wings. He alighted +at the next turn of the river, and I crept +softly behind the bank to watch his +motions. He had waded into the water +as far as his long legs would carry him, +and was standing with his neck drawn +in, looking intently on the stream. +Presently, he darted his long bill, as quick +as lightning, into the water, and drew +out a fish, which he swallowed. I saw +him catch another in the same manner. +He then took alarm at some noise I +made, and flew away slowly to a wood at +some distance, where he settled.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Probably his nest was there, +for herons build upon the loftiest trees +they can find, and sometimes in society +together, like rooks. Formerly, when +these birds were valued for the amusement +of hawking, many gentlemen had +their <i>heronries</i>, and a few are still remaining.</p> + +<p>W. I think they are the largest wild +birds we have.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. They are of great length and +spread of wing, but their bodies are comparatively +small.</p> + +<p>W. I then turned homeward, across +the meadows, where I stopped awhile +to look at a large flock of starlings, which +kept flying about at no great distance.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_455" id="Page_455">[455]</a></span> +I could not tell at first what to make +of them; for they arose all together from +the ground as thick as a swarm of bees, +and formed themselves into a sort of +black cloud, hovering over the field. +After taking a short round, they settled +again, and presently arose again in the +same manner. I dare say there were +hundreds of them.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Perhaps so; for in the fenny +countries their flocks are so numerous as +to break down whole acres of reeds by +settling on them. This disposition of +starlings to fly in close swarms was +remarked even by Homer, who compares +the foe flying from one of his heroes, +to a <i>cloud</i> of <i>stares</i> retiring dismayed at +the approach of the hawk.</p> + +<p>W. After I had left the meadows, I +crossed the corn-fields in the way to our +house, and passed close by a deep marlpit. +Looking into it, I saw in one of the +sides a cluster of what I took to be shells; +and, upon going down, I picked up a +clod of marl, which was quite full of +them; but how sea-shells could get there, +I cannot imagine.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. I do not wonder at your surprise, +since many philosophers have +been much perplexed to account for the +same appearance. It is not uncommon +to find great quantities of shells and +relics of marine animals even in the bowels +of high mountains, very remote from the +sea. They are certainly proofs that the +earth was once in a very different state +from what it is at present; but in what +manner, and how long ago these changes +took place, can only be guessed at.</p> + +<p>W. I got to the high field next +our house just as the sun was setting, +and I stood looking at it till it was +quite lost. What a glorious sight! The +clouds were tinged purple and crimson +and yellow of all shades and hues, and +the clear sky varied from blue to a fine +green at the horizon. But how large the +sun appears just as it sets! I think it +seems twice as big as when it is overhead.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. It does so; and you may +probably have observed the same apparent +enlargement of the moon at its +rising?</p> + +<p>W. I have; but, pray, what is the +reason of this?</p> + +<p>Mr. A. It is an optical deception, +depending upon principles which I cannot +well explain to you till you know +more of that branch of science. But +what a number of new ideas this afternoon's +walk has afforded you! I do +not wonder that you found it amusing; +it has been very instructive, too. Did +<i>you</i> see nothing of all these sights, +Robert?</p> + +<p>R. I saw some of them, but I did +not take particular notice of them.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. Why not?</p> + +<p>R. I don't know. I did not care +about them, and I made the best of my +way home.</p> + +<p>Mr. A. That would have been right +if you had been sent with a message; +but as you walked only for amusement, +it would have been wiser to have sought +out as many sources of it as possible. +But so it is—one man walks through +the world with his eyes open, and another +with them shut; and upon this difference +depends all the superiority of knowledge +the one acquires above the other. +I have known sailors who had been in +all the quarters of the world, and could +tell you nothing but the signs of the +tippling-houses they frequented in different +ports, and the price and quality +of the liquor. On the other hand, a +Franklin could not cross the Channel<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_456" id="Page_456">[456]</a></span> +without making some observations useful +to mankind. While many a vacant, +thoughtless youth is whirled throughout +Europe without gaining a single idea +worth crossing a street for, the observing +eye and inquiring mind find matter +of improvement and delight in every +ramble in town or country. Do <i>you</i>, +then, William, continue to make use of +your eyes; and <i>you</i>, Robert, learn that +eyes were given you to use.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_380" id="Note_380">380</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Thomas Day's <i>History of Sandford and +Merton</i> was published in three volumes, +1783-1789. Day died in the latter year +at the early age of forty-one. He was a +"benevolent eccentric." Since he was +well to do he could devote himself to the +attempt to carry out the schemes of social +reform which he had at heart. Influenced +by Rousseau and the doctrines of the +French Revolution, he believed human +nature could be made over by an educational +scheme. <i>Sandford and Merton</i> is +an elaborate setting forth of the concrete +workings of this process. The inculcation +of greater sympathy for the lower classes +and for animals, and a return to the natural, +commonplace virtues as opposed to the +artificial organization of society formed +the main burden of the book. Tommy +Merton, six-year-old spoiled darling of an +over-indulgent gentleman of great fortune, +and Harry Sandford, wonderfully perfect +son of a "plain, honest farmer," are placed +under the tuition of a minister-philosopher, +named Barlow. This philosopher is evidently +Mr. Day's fictitious portrayal of +himself. The story given below is one of +a number by means of which the "encyclopedic" +Barlow educates Tommy and +Harry. Another story from this group, +"Androcles and the Lion," may be found +in the fables (No. <a href="#Note_214">214</a>). <i>Sandford and +Merton</i> is still, according to Sir Leslie +Stephen, "among the best children's books +in the language, in spite of its quaint +didacticism, because it succeeds in forcibly +expressing his [Day's] high sense of manliness, +independence, and sterling qualities +of character."</div> + + +<h4><br />THE GOOD-NATURED +LITTLE BOY</h4> + +<div class='center'>THOMAS DAY</div> + +<p>A little Boy went out, one morning, +to walk to a village about five miles +from the place where he lived, and +carried with him, in a basket, the provision +that was to serve him the whole +day. As he was walking along, a poor +little half-starved dog came up to him, +wagging his tail, and seeming to entreat +him to take compassion on him. The +little Boy at first took no notice of him, +but at length, remarking how lean and +famished the creature seemed to be, he +said, "This animal is certainly in very +great necessity: if I give him part of +my provision, I shall be obliged to go +home hungry myself; however, as he +seems to want it more than I do, he +shall partake with me." Saying this, +he gave the dog part of what he had in +the basket, who ate as if he had not +tasted victuals for a fortnight.</p> + +<p>The little Boy then went on a little +farther, his dog still following him, and +fawning upon him with the greatest +gratitude and affection; when he saw a +poor old horse lying upon the ground, +and groaning as if he was very ill, he went +up to him, and saw that he was almost +starved, and so weak that he was unable +to rise. "I am very much afraid," said +the little Boy, "if I stay to assist this +horse, that it will be dark before I can +return; and I have heard that there are +several thieves in the neighborhood; +however, I will try; it is doing a good<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_457" id="Page_457">[457]</a></span> +action to attempt to relieve him; and +God Almighty will take care of me." +He then went and gathered some grass, +which he brought to the horse's mouth, +who immediately began to eat with as +much relish as if his chief disease was +hunger. He then fetched some water +in his hat, which the animal drank up, +and seemed immediately to be so much +refreshed, that, after a few trials, he +got up, and began grazing.</p> + +<p>The little Boy then went on a little +farther, and saw a man wading about in +a pond of water, without being able to +get out of it, in spite of all his endeavors. +"What is the matter, good man," +said the little Boy to him; "can't you +find your way out of this pond?" "No, +God bless you, my worthy master, or +miss," said the man; "for such I take +you to be by your voice: I have fallen +into this pond, and know not how to +get out again, as I am quite blind, and +I am almost afraid to move for fear of +being drowned." "Well," said the little +Boy, "though I shall be wetted to the +skin, if you will throw me your stick, I +will try to help you out of it." The +blind man then threw the stick to that +side on which he heard the voice; the +little Boy caught it, and went into the +water, feeling very carefully before him, +lest he should unguardedly go beyond +his depth; at length he reached the blind +man, took him very carefully by the +hand, and led him out. The blind man +then gave him a thousand blessings, +and told him he could grope out his +way home; and the little Boy ran on +as hard as he could, to prevent being +benighted.</p> + +<p>But he had not proceeded far, before +he saw a poor Sailor who had lost both +his legs in an engagement by sea, hopping +along upon crutches. "God bless +you, my little master!" said the Sailor; +"I have fought many a battle with the +French, to defend poor old England: but +now I am crippled, as you see, and have +neither victuals nor money, although I +am almost famished." The little Boy +could not resist his inclination to relieve +him; so he gave him all his remaining +victuals, and said, "God help you, poor +man! This is all I have, otherwise you +should have more." He then ran along, +and presently arrived at the town he +was going to, did his business, and +returned towards his own home with +all the expedition he was able.</p> + +<p>But he had not gone much more than +half way, before the night shut in +extremely dark, without either moon +or stars to light him. The poor little +Boy used his utmost endeavors to find +his way, but unfortunately missed it in +turning down a lane which brought him +into a wood, where he wandered about +a great while without being able to find +any path to lead him out. Tired out +at last, and hungry, he felt himself so +feeble that he could go no farther, but +set himself down upon the ground, crying +most bitterly. In this situation he +remained for some time, till at last the +little dog, who had never forsaken him, +came up to him, wagging his tail, and +holding something in his mouth. The +little Boy took it from him, and saw +it was a handkerchief nicely pinned +together, which somebody had dropped +and the dog had picked up; and on opening +it, he found several slices of bread +and meat, which the little Boy ate with +great satisfaction, and, felt himself +extremely refreshed with his meal. "So," +said the little Boy, "I see that if I have +given you a breakfast, you have given<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_458" id="Page_458">[458]</a></span> +me a supper; and a good turn is never +lost, done even to a dog."</p> + +<p>He then once more attempted to +escape from the wood; but it was to no +purpose; he only scratched his legs with +briars, and slipped down in the dirt, +without being able to find his way out. +He was just going to give up all farther +attempts in despair, when he happened +to see a horse feeding before him, and, +going up to him, saw by the light of +the moon, which just then began to +shine a little, that it was the very same +he had fed in the morning. "Perhaps," +said the little Boy, "this creature, as I +have been so good to him, will let me +get upon his back, and he may bring +me out of the wood, as he is accustomed +to feed in this neighborhood." The +little Boy then went up to the horse, +speaking to him and stroking him, and +the horse let him mount his back without +opposition; and then proceeded +slowly through the wood, grazing as he +went, till he brought him to an opening +which led to the high road. The little +Boy was much rejoiced at this, and said, +"If I had not saved this creature's life +in the morning, I should have been +obliged to have staid here all night; I +see by this that a good turn is never +lost."</p> + +<p>But the poor little Boy had yet a +greater danger to undergo; for, as he +was going along a solitary lane, two men +rushed out upon him, laid hold of him, +and were going to strip him of his clothes; +but, just as they were beginning to do it, +the little dog bit the leg of one of the +men with so much violence that he +left the little Boy and pursued the dog, +that ran howling and barking away. In +this instant a voice was heard that cried +out, "There the rascals are; let us +knock them down!" which frightened the +remaining man so much that he ran +away, and his companion followed him. +The little Boy then looked up, and saw +that it was the Sailor, whom he had +relieved in the morning, carried upon +the shoulders of the blind man whom +he had helped out of the pond. "There, +my little dear," said the Sailor, "God +be thanked! We have come in time to +do you a service, in return for what you +did us in the morning. As I lay under +a hedge I heard these villains talk of +robbing a little Boy, who, from the +description, I concluded must be you: +but I was so lame that I should not +have been able to come time enough +to help you, if I had not met this honest +blind man, who took me upon his back +while I showed him the way."</p> + +<p>The little Boy thanked him very +sincerely for thus defending him; and +they went all together to his father's +house, which was not far off; where +they were all kindly entertained with a +supper and a bed. The little Boy took +care of his faithful dog as long as he +lived, and never forgot the importance +and necessity of doing good to others, +if we wish them to do the same to us.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_381" id="Note_381">381</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">It has been no unusual thing for critics and +others following in their wake to sneer at +Maria Edgeworth (1767-1849) and her +school as hopelessly utilitarian. But to +find fault with her on that score is to blame +her for having achieved the very end she +set out to reach. Sir Walter Scott, who +certainly knew what good story-telling +was, had the highest opinion of her abilities, +and it is difficult to see how any reader +with a fair amount of catholicity in his +nature can fail to be impressed with her +power to build up a story in skillful dramatic<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_459" id="Page_459">[459]</a></span> +fashion, to portray various types of character +in most convincing manner, and to +emphasize in unforgettable ways the old +and basic verities of life. Of course fashions +change in outward matters, and we must +not quarrel with a taste that prefers the +newest in literature any more than with +one that prefers the newest in dress. Miss +Edgeworth helped her eccentric father +present in <i>Practical Education</i> an extended +discussion for the layman of the whole +question of the ways and means of educating +people. That was one of the very first +modern treatments of that much-discussed +subject, and its ideas are not all obsolete +yet by any means. <i>Castle Rackrent</i> belongs +in the list of classic fiction. However, her +chief interest for this collection rests in the +most important of her books for children, +<i>The Parent's Assistant or, Stories for +Children</i> (1796-1800). The forbidding +primary title was something the publisher +was mainly responsible for, and has been +relegated to second place in modern reprints. +In these stories, according to the +preface, "only such situations are described +as children can easily imagine, and which +may consequently interest their feelings. +Such examples of virtue are painted as are +not above their conceptions of excellence, +and their powers of sympathy and emulation." +Miss Edgeworth knew children +thoroughly. She was surrounded by a +crowd of brothers and sisters for whom she +had to invent means of entertainment as +well as instruction. They really collaborated +in the making of the stories. As +the stories were written out on a slate, the +sections were read to eager listeners, and +the author had the advantage of their honest +expressions of approval or dissent. "Waste +Not, Want Not" first appeared in the final +form given to <i>The Parent's Assistant</i>, the +third edition published in six volumes in +1800. It is perhaps the best to represent +Miss Edgeworth's work, though "Simple +Susan," "Lazy Lawrence," and others have +their admirers. In judging her work the +student should keep in mind (1) that she +wrote at a time when, unlike the present, +the best authors thought it beneath their +dignity to write for children, (2) that the +too repressive and dogmatic attitude +towards children which one now and then +feels in her stories was due to a conscious +effort to offset the undisciplined enthusiasms +and sentimentalisms of her day, and +(3) that she has been a living influence in +the lives of countless men and women for +over a century. She was a real pioneer.</div> + + +<h4><br /> +WASTE NOT, WANT NOT<br /> +OR<br /> +TWO STRINGS TO YOUR BOW<br /> +</h4> + +<div class='center'>MARIA EDGEWORTH</div> + +<p>Mr. Gresham, a Bristol merchant, +who had by honorable industry and +economy accumulated a considerable +fortune, retired from business to a new +house which he had built upon the +Downs, near Clifton. Mr. Gresham, +however, did not imagine that a new +house alone could make him happy: he +did not purpose to live in idleness and +extravagance, for such a life would have +been equally incompatible with his habits +and his principles. He was fond of +children, and as he had no sons, he determined +to adopt one of his relations. He +had two nephews, and he invited both +of them to his house, that he might +have an opportunity of judging of their +dispositions, and of the habits which +they had acquired.</p> + +<p>Hal and Benjamin, Mr. Gresham's +nephews, were about ten years old; +they had been educated very differently. +Hal was the son of the elder branch +of the family; his father was a gentleman, +who spent rather more than he +could afford; and Hal, from the example +of the servants in his father's family, +with whom he had passed the first years<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_460" id="Page_460">[460]</a></span> +of his childhood, learned to waste more +of everything than he used. He had +been told that "gentlemen should be +above being careful and saving"; and +he had unfortunately imbibed a notion +that extravagance is the sign of a generous, +and economy of an avaricious +disposition.</p> + +<p>Benjamin, on the contrary, had been +taught habits of care and foresight: his +father had but a very small fortune, and +was anxious that his son should early +learn that economy insures independence, +and sometimes puts it in the power +of those who are not very rich, to be +very generous.</p> + +<p>The morning after these two boys +arrived at their uncle's, they were +eager to see all the rooms in the house. +Mr. Gresham accompanied them, and +attended to their remarks, and exclamations.</p> + +<p>"Oh! what an excellent motto!" exclaimed +Ben, when he read the following +words which were written in large +characters over the chimneypiece, in +his uncle's spacious kitchen:</p> + +<div class='center'> +WASTE NOT, WANT NOT<br /> +</div> + +<p>"Waste not, want not!" repeated his +cousin Hal, in rather a contemptuous +tone; "I think it looks stingy to servants; +and no gentleman's servants, +cooks especially, would like to have +such a mean motto always staring them +in the face."</p> + +<p>Ben, who was not so conversant as +his cousin in the ways of cooks and +gentleman's servants, made no reply to +these observations.</p> + +<p>Mr. Gresham was called away while +his nephews were looking at the other +rooms in the house. Some time afterwards, +he heard their voices in the hall.</p> + +<p>"Boys," said he, "what are you doing +there?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, Sir," said Hal; "you were +called away from us, and we did not +know which way to go."</p> + +<p>"And have you nothing to do?" said +Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>"No, Sir, nothing," answered Hal, in a +careless tone, like one who was well content +with the state of habitual idleness.</p> + +<p>"No, Sir, nothing!" replied Ben, in a +voice of lamentation.</p> + +<p>"Come," said Mr. Gresham, "if you +have nothing to do, lads, will you +unpack these two parcels for me?"</p> + +<p>The two parcels were exactly alike, +both of them well tied up with good +whipcord. Ben took his parcel to a +table, and, after breaking off the sealing +wax, began carefully to examine the +knot, and then to untie it. Hal stood +still exactly in the spot where the parcel +was put into his hands, and tried first +at one corner, and then at another, to +pull the string off by force: "I wish these +people wouldn't tie up their parcels so +tight, as if they were never to be undone," +cried he, as he tugged at the cord; and +he pulled the knot closer instead of +loosening it.</p> + +<p>"Ben! why how did you get yours +undone, man? What's in your parcel? +I wonder what is in mine! I wish I +could get this string off—I must cut it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," said Ben, who now had undone +the last knot of his parcel, and who drew +out the length of string with exultation, +"don't cut it, Hal—look what a nice +cord this is, and yours is the same; it's +a pity to cut it; '<i>Waste not, want not!</i>' +you know."</p> + +<p>"Pooh!" said Hal, "what signifies a +bit of pack-thread?"</p> + +<p>"It is whipcord," said Ben.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_461" id="Page_461">[461]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, whipcord! What signifies a +bit of whipcord! You can get a bit of +whipcord twice as long as that for twopence; +and who cares for twopence! +Not I, for one! So here it goes," cried +Hal, drawing out his knife; and he cut +the cord, precipitately, in sundry places.</p> + +<p>"Lads! Have you undone the parcels +for me?" said Mr. Gresham, opening +the parlor door as he spoke.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Sir," cried Hal; and he dragged +off his half-cut, half-entangled string—"here's +the parcel."</p> + +<p>"And here's my parcel, Uncle; and +here's the string," said Ben.</p> + +<p>"You may keep the string for your +pains," said Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Sir," said Ben: "what +an excellent whipcord it is!"</p> + +<p>"And you, Hal," continued Mr. +Gresham, "you may keep your string +too, if it will be of any use to you."</p> + +<p>"It will be of no use to me, thank you, +Sir," said Hal.</p> + +<p>"No, I am afraid not, if this be it," +said his uncle taking up the jagged, +knotted remains of Hal's cord.</p> + +<p>A few days after this, Mr. Gresham +gave to each of his nephews a new top.</p> + +<p>"But how's this?" said Hal; "these +tops have no strings; what shall we do +for strings?"</p> + +<p>"I have a string that will do very well +for mine," said Ben; and he pulled out +of his pocket the fine long smooth string +which had tied up the parcel. With this +he soon set up his top, which spun +admirably well.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how I wish that I had but a +string!" said Hal: "what shall I do for +a string? I'll tell you what: I can use +the string that goes round my hat."</p> + +<p>"But then," said Ben, "what will you +do for a hatband?"</p> + +<p>"I'll manage to do without one," +said Hal and he took the string off +his hat for his top. It soon was worn +through; and he split his top by driving +the peg too tightly into it. His +cousin Ben let him set up his the next +day; but Hal was not more fortunate +or more careful when he meddled with +other people's things than when he +managed his own. He had scarcely +played half an hour before he split it, +by driving in the peg too violently.</p> + +<p>Ben bore this misfortune with good +humor. "Come," said he, "it can't be +helped! But give me the string, because +<i>that</i> may still be of use for something +else."</p> + +<p>It happened some time afterwards, +that a lady who had been intimately +acquainted with Hal's mother at Bath, +that is to say, who had frequently +met her at the card table during the +winter, now arrived at Clifton. She +was informed by his mother that Hal +was at Mr. Gresham's: and her sons, +who were <i>friends</i> of his, came to see +him, and invited him to spend the next +day with them.</p> + +<p>Hal joyfully accepted the invitation. +He was always glad to go out to dine, +because it gave him something to do, +something to think of, or, at least, +something to say. Besides this, he had +been educated to think it was a fine +thing to visit fine people; and Lady +Diana Sweepstakes (for that was the +name of his mother's acquaintance) was +a very fine lady; and her two sons +intended to be very <i>great</i> gentlemen.</p> + +<p>He was in a prodigious hurry when +these young gentlemen knocked at his +uncle's door the next day; but just as +he got to the hall door, little Patty called +to him from the top of the stairs, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_462" id="Page_462">[462]</a></span> +told him that he had dropped his pocket-handkerchief.</p> + +<p>"Pick it up, then, and bring it to me, +quick, can't you, child," cried Hal, +"for Lady Di.'s sons are waiting for me?"</p> + +<p>Little Patty did not know anything +about Lady Di.'s sons; but as she was +very good-natured, and saw that her +cousin Hal was, for some reason or +other, in a desperate hurry, she ran down +stairs as fast as she possibly could towards +the landing-place, where the handkerchief +lay:—but alas! Before she reached +the handkerchief she fell, rolling down +a whole flight of stairs; and, when her +fall was at last stopped by the landing-place, +she did not cry, but she writhed +as if she was in great pain.</p> + +<p>"Where are you hurt, my love?" said +Mr. Gresham, who came instantly, on +hearing the noise of some one falling +down stairs.</p> + +<p>"Where are you hurt, my dear?"</p> + +<p>"Here, Papa," said the little girl, +touching her ankle, which she had +decently covered with her gown: "I +believe I am hurt here, but not much," +added she, trying to rise; "only it hurts +me when I move."</p> + +<p>"I'll carry you, don't move then," +said her father; and he took her up in +his arms.</p> + +<p>"My shoe, I've lost one of my shoes," +said she. Ben looked for it upon the +stairs, and he found it sticking in a loop +of whipcord, which was entangled round +one of the balusters. When this cord +was drawn forth, it appeared that it +was the very same jagged, entangled +piece which Hal had pulled off his parcel. +He had diverted himself with running +up and down stairs, whipping the balusters +with it, as he thought he could +convert it to no better use; and with his +usual carelessness, he at last left it hanging +just where he happened to throw it, +when the dinner-bell rang. Poor little +Patty's ankle was terribly sprained, and +Hal reproached himself for his folly, and +would have reproached himself longer, +perhaps, if Lady Di. Sweepstakes' sons +had not hurried him away.</p> + +<p>In the evening, Patty could not run +about as she used to do; but she sat +upon the sofa, and she said that "she +did not feel the pain of her ankle so +<i>much</i> whilst Ben was so good as to play +at <i>jack-straws</i> with her."</p> + +<p>"That's right, Ben; never be ashamed +of being good-natured to those who are +younger and weaker than yourself," said +his uncle, smiling at seeing him produce +his whipcord, to indulge his little cousin +with a game at her favorite cat's-cradle. +"I shall not think you one bit less manly, +because I see you playing at cat's-cradle +with a child six years old."</p> + +<p>Hal, however, was not precisely of his +uncle's opinion; for when he returned in +the evening and saw Ben playing with +his little cousin, he could not help smiling +contemptuously, and asked if he +had been playing at cat's-cradle all +night. In a heedless manner he made +some inquiries after Patty's sprained +ankle, and then he ran on to tell all the +news he had heard at Lady Diana +Sweepstakes'—news which he thought +would make him appear a person of vast +importance.</p> + +<p>"Do you know, Uncle—Do you know, +Ben," said he—"there's to be the most +<i>famous</i> doings that ever were heard of, +upon the Downs here, the first day of +next month, which will be in a fortnight, +thank my stars! I wish the fortnight +were over; I shall think of nothing else +I know, till that happy day comes."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_463" id="Page_463">[463]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Gresham inquired why the first +of September was to be so much happier +than any other day in the year.</p> + +<p>"Why," replied Hal, "Lady Diana +Sweepstakes, you know, is a <i>famous</i> rider, +and archer, and <i>all that</i>—"</p> + +<p>"Very likely," said Mr. Gresham, +soberly—"but what then?"</p> + +<p>"Dear Uncle!" cried Hal, "but you +shall hear. There's to be a race upon +the Downs the first of September, and, +after the race, there's to be an archery +meeting for the ladies, and Lady Diana +Sweepstakes is to be one of <i>them</i>. And +after the ladies have done shooting—now, +Ben, comes the best part of it! we +boys are to have our turn, and Lady Di. +is to give a prize to the best marksman +amongst us, of a very handsome bow and +arrow! Do you know I've been practising +already, and I'll show you tomorrow, +as soon as it comes home, the +<i>famous</i> bow and arrow that Lady Diana +has given me: but, perhaps," added he, +with a scornful laugh, "you like a cat's-cradle +better than a bow and arrow."</p> + +<p>Ben made no reply to this taunt at the +moment; but the next day, when Hal's +new bow and arrow came home, he convinced +him that he knew how to use it +very well.</p> + +<p>"Ben," said his uncle, "you seem to +be a good marksman, though you have +not boasted of yourself. I'll give you a +bow and arrow; and perhaps, if you +practise, you may make yourself an +archer before the first of September; and, +in the meantime, you will not wish the +fortnight to be over, for you will have +something to do."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Sir," interrupted Hal, "but if you +mean that Ben should put in for the prize, +he must have a uniform."</p> + +<p>"Why <i>must</i> he?" said Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>"Why, Sir, because everybody has—I +mean everybody that's anybody;—and +Lady Diana was talking about the +uniform all dinner-time, and it's settled +all about it except the buttons; the +young Sweepstakes are to get theirs +made first for patterns; they are to be +white, faced with green; and they'll look +very handsome, I'm sure; and I shall +write to Mamma to-night, as Lady Diana +bid me, about mine; and I shall tell her +to be sure to answer my letter, without +fail, by return of the post; and then, if +Mamma makes no objection, which I +know she won't, because she never thinks +much about expense, and <i>all that</i>—then +I shall bespeak my uniform, and get it +made by the same tailor that makes for +Lady Diana and the young Sweepstakes."</p> + +<p>"Mercy upon us!" said Mr. Gresham, +who was almost stunned by the rapid +vociferation with which this long speech +about a uniform was pronounced.</p> + +<p>"I don't pretend to understand these +things," added he, with an air of simplicity, +"but we will inquire, Ben, into +the necessity of the case, and if it is +necessary—or if you think it necessary—that +you should have a uniform, why—I'll +give you one."</p> + +<p>"<i>You</i>, Uncle!—Will you, <i>indeed?</i>" +exclaimed Hal, with amazement painted +in his countenance. "Well, that's the +last thing in the world I should have +expected!—You are not at all the sort +of person I should have thought would +care about a uniform; and I should have +supposed you'd have thought it extravagant +to have a coat on purpose only for +one day; and I'm sure Lady Diana Sweepstakes +thought as I do: for when I told +her that motto over your kitchen chimney, +WASTE NOT, WANT NOT, she +laughed, and said that I had better not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_464" id="Page_464">[464]</a></span> +talk to you about uniforms, and that +my mother was the proper person to +write to about my uniform; but I'll tell +Lady Diana, Uncle, how good you are, +and how much she was mistaken."</p> + +<p>"Take care how you do that," said +Mr. Gresham; "for, perhaps, the lady +was not mistaken."</p> + +<p>"Nay, did not you say, just now, you +would give poor Ben a uniform?"</p> + +<p>"I said I would, if he thought it necessary +to have one."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll answer for it, he'll think it +necessary," said Hal, laughing, "because +it is necessary."</p> + +<p>"Allow him, at least, to judge for +himself," said Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>"My dear Uncle, but I assure you," +said Hal, earnestly, "there's no judging +about the matter, because really, upon +my word, Lady Diana said distinctly +that her sons were to have uniforms, +white faced with green, and a green and +white cockade in their hats."</p> + +<p>"May be so," said Mr. Gresham, still +with the same look of calm simplicity; +"put on your hats, boys, and come with +me. I know a gentleman whose sons +are to be at this archery meeting, and we +will inquire into all the particulars from +him. Then, after we have seen him (it +is not eleven o'clock yet), we shall have +time enough to walk on to Bristol and +choose the cloth for Ben's uniform, if +it be necessary."</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell what to make of all he +says," whispered Hal, as he reached down +his hat; "do you think, Ben, he means to +give you this uniform, or not?"</p> + +<p>"I think," said Ben, "that he means +to give me one, if it be necessary; or, as +he said, if I think it is necessary."</p> + +<p>"And that, to be sure, you will; won't +you? or else you'll be a great fool, I +know, after all I've told you. How can +any one in the world know so much +about the matter as I, who have dined +with Lady Diana Sweepstakes but yesterday; +and heard all about it, from +beginning to end? And as for this gentleman +that we are going to, I'm sure, if +he knows anything about the matter, +he'll say exactly the same as I do."</p> + +<p>"We shall hear," said Ben, with a +degree of composure, which Hal could +by no means comprehend, when a uniform +was in question.</p> + +<p>The gentleman upon whom Mr. Gresham +called had three sons, who were all +to be at this archery meeting, and they +unanimously assured him, in the presence +of Hal and Ben, that they had never +thought of buying uniforms for this +grand occasion; and that amongst the +number of their acquaintance, they knew +of but three boys whose friends intended +to be at such <i>an unnecessary</i> expense. +Hal stood amazed—"Such are the +varieties of opinion upon all the grand +affairs of life," said Mr. Gresham, looking +at his nephews—"what amongst +one set of people you hear asserted to be +absolutely necessary, you will hear from +another set of people is quite unnecessary. +All that can be done, my dear boys, in +these difficult cases, is to judge for yourselves, +which opinions, and which people, +are the most reasonable."</p> + +<p>Hal, who had been more accustomed to +think of what was fashionable than of +what was reasonable, without at all considering +the good sense of what his uncle +said to him, replied with childish petulance, +"Indeed, sir, I don't know what +other people think; I only know what +Lady Diana Sweepstakes said."</p> + +<p>The name of Lady Diana Sweepstakes, +Hal thought, must impress all present<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_465" id="Page_465">[465]</a></span> +with respect: he was highly astonished, +when, as he looked round, he saw a smile +of contempt upon every one's countenance; +and he was yet further bewildered +when he heard her spoken of as a very +silly, extravagant, ridiculous woman, +whose opinion no prudent person would +ask upon any subject, and whose example +was to be shunned, instead of being +imitated.</p> + +<p>"Ay, my dear Hal," said his uncle, +smiling at his look of amazement, "these +are some of the things that young people +must learn from experience. All the +world do not agree in opinion about +characters: you will hear the same person +admired in one company, and blamed in +another; so that we must still come round +to the same point, <i>Judge for yourself</i>."</p> + +<p>Hal's thoughts were, however, at +present, too full of the uniform to allow +his judgment to act with perfect impartiality. +As soon as their visit was over, +and all the time they walked down +the hill from Prince's-buildings, towards +Bristol, he continued to repeat nearly +the same arguments which he had +formerly used; respecting necessity, the +uniform, and Lady Diana Sweepstakes.</p> + +<p>To all this Mr. Gresham made no reply; +and longer had the young gentleman +expatiated upon the subject, which had +so strongly seized upon his imagination, +had not his senses been forcibly assailed +at this instant by the delicious odors +and tempting sight of certain cakes and +jellies in a pastry-cook's shop.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Uncle," said he, as his uncle was +going to turn the corner to pursue the +road to Bristol, "look at those jellies!" +pointing to a confectioner's shop; "I +must buy some of those good things; +for I have got some half-pence in my +pocket."</p> + +<p>"Your having half-pence in your pocket +is an excellent reason for eating," said +Mr. Gresham, smiling.</p> + +<p>"But I really am hungry," said Hal; +"you know, Uncle, it is a good while +since breakfast."</p> + +<p>His uncle, who was desirous to see his +nephews act without restraint, that he +might judge of their characters, bid +them do as they pleased.</p> + +<p>"Come, then, Ben, if you've any half-pence +in your pocket."</p> + +<p>"I'm not hungry," said Ben.</p> + +<p>"I suppose <i>that</i> means that you've no +half-pence," said Hal, laughing, with the +look of superiority which he had been +taught to think <i>the rich</i> might assume +towards those who were convicted either +of poverty or economy.</p> + +<p>"Waste not, want not," said Ben to +himself. Contrary to his cousin's surmise, +he happened to have two pennyworth +of half-pence actually in his pocket.</p> + +<p>At the very moment Hal stepped into +the pastry-cook's shop, a poor industrious +man, with a wooden leg, who usually +sweeps the dirty corner of the walk which +turns at this spot to the Wells, held his hat +to Ben, who, after glancing his eye at the +petitioner's well-worn broom, instantly +produced his two-pence. "I wish I had +more half-pence for you, my good man," +said he; "but I've only two-pence."</p> + +<p>Hal came out of Mr. Millar's, the +confectioner's shop, with a hatful of cakes +in his hand.</p> + +<p>Mr. Millar's dog was sitting on the +flags before the door; and he looked up, +with a wistful, begging eye, at Hal, who +was eating a queen-cake.</p> + +<p>Hal, who was wasteful even in his +good nature, threw a whole queen-cake +to the dog, who swallowed it for a single +mouthful.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_466" id="Page_466">[466]</a></span></p> + +<p>"There go two-pence in the form of a +queen-cake," said Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>Hal next offered some of his cakes to +his uncle and cousin; but they thanked +him, and refused to eat any, because, +they said, they were not hungry; so he +ate and ate, as he walked along, till at +last he stopped, and said, "This bun +tastes so bad after the queen-cakes, I +can't bear it!" and he was going to fling +it from him into the river.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is a pity to waste that good +bun; we may be glad of it yet," said Ben; +"give it to me, rather than throw it +away."</p> + +<p>"Why, I thought you said you were +not hungry," said Hal.</p> + +<p>"True, I am not hungry now; but +that is no reason why I should never be +hungry again."</p> + +<p>"Well, there is the cake for you; take +it, for it has made me sick; and I don't +care what becomes of it."</p> + +<p>Ben folded the refuse bit of his cousin's +bun in a piece of paper, and put it into +his pocket.</p> + +<p>"I'm beginning to be exceedingly +tired, or sick, or something," said Hal, +"and as there is a stand of coaches somewhere +hereabouts, had we not better +take a coach, instead of walking all the +way to Bristol?"</p> + +<p>"For a stout archer," said Mr. Gresham, +"you are more easily tired than one +might have expected. However, with +all my heart; let us take a coach; for +Ben asked me to show him the cathedral +yesterday, and I believe I should find it +rather too much for me to walk so far, +though I am not sick with eating good +things."</p> + +<p>"<i>The cathedral!</i>" said Hal, after he +had been seated in the coach about a +quarter of an hour, and had somewhat +recovered from his sickness. "The cathedral! +Why, are we only going to Bristol +to see the cathedral? I thought we +came out to see about a uniform."</p> + +<p>There was a dullness and melancholy +kind of stupidity in Hal's countenance, +as he pronounced these words, like one +wakening from a dream, which made both +his uncle and cousin burst out a laughing.</p> + +<p>"Why," said Hal, who was now piqued, +"I'm sure you <i>did</i> say, Uncle, you would +go to Mr. ——'s, to choose the cloth +for the uniform."</p> + +<p>"Very true: and so I will," said Mr. +Gresham; "but we need not make a +whole morning's work, need we, of looking +at a piece of cloth? Cannot we see +a uniform and a cathedral both in one +morning?"</p> + +<p>They went first to the cathedral. +Hal's head was too full of the uniform +to take any notice of the painted window, +which immediately caught Ben's unembarrassed +attention. He looked at the +large stained figures on the Gothic +window; and he observed their colored +shadows on the floor and walls.</p> + +<p>Mr. Gresham, who perceived that he +was eager on all subjects to gain information, +took this opportunity of telling +him several things about the lost art of +painting on glass, Gothic arches, etc., +which Hal thought extremely tiresome.</p> + +<p>"Come! come! we shall be late, +indeed," said Hal; "surely you've looked +long enough, Ben, at this blue and red +window."</p> + +<p>"I'm only thinking about these colored +shadows," said Ben.</p> + +<p>"I can show you, when we go home, +Ben," said his uncle, "an entertaining +paper on such shadows."</p> + +<p>"Hark!" cried Ben, "did you hear +that noise?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_467" id="Page_467">[467]</a></span></p> + +<p>They all listened, and heard a bird +singing in the cathedral.</p> + +<p>"It's our old robin, sir," said the lad +who had opened the cathedral door for +them.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mr. Gresham, "there he +is, boys—look—perched upon the organ; +he often sits there, and sings whilst the +organ is playing." "And," continued +the lad who showed the cathedral, "he +has lived here this many winters; they +say he is fifteen years old; and he is so +tame, poor fellow, that if I had a bit of +bread he'd come down and feed in my +hand."</p> + +<p>"I've a bit of bun here," cried Ben, +joyfully, producing the remains of the +bun which Hal, but an hour before, +would have thrown away. "Pray let us +see the poor robin eat out of your hand."</p> + +<p>The lad crumbled the bun, and called +to the robin, who fluttered and chirped, +and seemed rejoiced at the sight of the +bread; but yet he did not come down +from his pinnacle on the organ.</p> + +<p>"He is afraid of <i>us</i>," said Ben; "he +is not used to eat before strangers, I +suppose."</p> + +<p>"Ah, no, Sir," said the young man, +with a deep sigh, "that is not the thing: +he is used enough to eat afore company; +time was, he'd have come down for me, +before ever so many fine folks, and have +ate his crumbs out of my hand, at my +first call; but, poor fellow, it's not his +fault now; he does not know me now, +Sir, since my accident, because of this +great black patch."</p> + +<p>The young man put his hand to his +right eye, which was covered with a +huge black patch.</p> + +<p>Ben asked what <i>accident</i> he meant; +and the lad told him that, a few weeks +ago, he had lost the sight of his eye by +the stroke of a stone, which reached +him as he was passing under the rocks +of Clifton, unluckily, when the workmen +were blasting.</p> + +<p>"I don't mind so much for myself, +Sir," said the lad; "but I can't work +so well now, as I used to do before my +accident, for my old mother, who has +had a stroke of the palsy; and I've a +many little brothers and sisters, not well +able yet to get their own livelihood, +though they be as willing, as willing can +be."</p> + +<p>"Where does your mother live?" said +Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>"Hard by, Sir, just close to the church +here: it was <i>her</i> that always had the +showing of it to strangers, till she lost +the use of her poor limbs."</p> + +<p>"Shall we, may we, go that way?—This +is the house: is it not?" said Ben, +when they went out of the cathedral.</p> + +<p>They went into the house: it was +rather a hovel than a house; but, poor +as it was, it was as neat as misery could +make it.</p> + +<p>The old woman was sitting up in her +wretched bed, winding worsted; four +meager, ill-clothed, pale children were +all busy, some of them sticking pins in +paper for the pin-maker, and others +sorting rags for the paper-maker.</p> + +<p>"What a horrid place it is!" said Hal, +sighing; "I did not know there were +such shocking places in the world. I've +often seen terrible-looking, tumble-down +places, as we drove through the town in +Mamma's carriage; but then I did not +know who lived in them; and I never +saw the inside of any of them. It is +very dreadful, indeed, to think that +people are forced to live in this way. I +wish Mamma would send me some more +pocket-money, that I might do something<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_468" id="Page_468">[468]</a></span> +for them. I had half-a-crown; but," +continued he, feeling in his pockets, +"I'm afraid I spent the last shilling of +it this morning, upon those cakes that +made me sick. I wish I had my shilling +now, I'd give it to <i>these poor people</i>."</p> + +<p>Ben, though he was all this time +silent, was as sorry as his talkative +cousin, for all these poor people. But +there was some difference between the +sorrow of these two boys.</p> + +<p>Hal, after he was again seated in the +hackney-coach, and had rattled through +the busy streets of Bristol for a few +minutes, quite forgot the spectacle of +misery which he had seen; and the gay +shops in Wine-street, and the idea of +his green and white uniform, wholly +occupied his imagination.</p> + +<p>"Now for our uniforms!" cried he, as +he jumped eagerly out of the coach, +when his uncle stopped at the woolen-draper's +door.</p> + +<p>"Uncle," said Ben, stopping Mr. +Gresham before he got out of the carriage, +"I don't think a uniform is at +all necessary for me. I'm very much +obliged to you, but I would rather +not have one. I have a very good +coat—and I think it would be waste."</p> + +<p>"Well, let me out of the carriage and +we will see about it," said Mr. Gresham +"perhaps the sight of the beautiful +green and white cloth, and the epaulettes +(have you ever considered the epaulettes?) +may tempt you to change your +mind."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," said Ben, laughing; "I shall +not change my mind."</p> + +<p>The green cloth, and the white cloth, +and the epaulettes, were produced, to +Hal's infinite satisfaction. His uncle +took up a pen, and calculated for a few +minutes; then, showing the back of the +letter, upon which he was writing, to his +nephews, "Cast up these sums, boys," +said he, "and tell me whether I am right."</p> + +<p>"Ben, do you do it," said Hal, a +little embarrassed; "I am not quick at +figures."</p> + +<p>Ben <i>was</i>, and he went over his uncle's +calculation very expeditiously.</p> + +<p>"It is right, is it?" said Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Sir, quite right."</p> + +<p>"Then by this calculation, I find I +could for less than half the money your +uniforms would cost, purchase for each +of you boys a warm great-coat, which +you will want, I have a notion, this +winter upon the Downs."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Sir," said Hal, with an alarmed +look; "but it is not winter <i>yet;</i> it is +not cold weather yet. We sha'n't want +great-coats <i>yet</i>."</p> + +<p>"Don't you remember how cold we +were, Hal, the day before yesterday, in +that sharp wind, when we were flying +our kite upon the Downs?—and +winter will come, though it is not come +yet; I am sure, I should like to have +a good warm great-coat very much," +said Ben.</p> + +<p>Mr. Gresham took six guineas out +of his purse; and he placed three of them +before Hal, and three before Ben.</p> + +<p>"Young gentlemen," said he, "I +believe your uniforms would come to +about three guineas apiece. Now I +will lay out this money for you just +as you please: Hal, what say you?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Sir," said Hal, "a great-coat +is a good thing, to be sure; and then, +after the great-coat, as you said it would +only cost half as much as the uniform, +there would be some money to spare, +would not there?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my dear, about five-and-twenty +shillings."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_469" id="Page_469">[469]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Five-and-twenty shillings! I could +buy and do a great many things, to be +sure, with five-and-twenty shillings; but +then, <i>the thing is</i>, I must go without the +uniform, if I have the great-coat."</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said his uncle.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Hal, sighing as he looked +at the epaulettes, "Uncle, if you would +not be displeased if I choose the uniform—"</p> + +<p>"I shall not be displeased at your +choosing whatever you like best," said +Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, thank you, Sir, I think I +had better have the uniform, because +if I have not the uniform now directly +it will be of no use to me, as the archery +meeting is the week after next, you +know; and as to the great-coat, perhaps, +between this time and the <i>very</i> cold +weather, which, perhaps, won't be till +Christmas, Papa will buy a great-coat +for me; and I'll ask Mamma to give +me some pocket-money to give away, +and she will perhaps."</p> + +<p>To all this conclusive conditional reasoning, +which depended upon <i>perhaps</i>, +three times repeated, Mr. Gresham made +no reply; but he immediately bought the +uniform for Hal, and desired that it should +be sent to Lady Diana Sweepstakes' +sons' tailor, to be made up. The measure +of Hal's happiness was now complete.</p> + +<p>"And how am I to lay out the three +guineas for you, Ben?" said Mr. Gresham. +"Speak, what do you wish for first?"</p> + +<p>"A great-coat, Uncle, if you please."</p> + +<p>Mr. Gresham bought the coat; and +after it was paid for, five-and-twenty +shillings of Ben's three guineas remained.</p> + +<p>"What's next, my boy?" said his +uncle.</p> + +<p>"Arrows, Uncle, if you please: three +arrows."</p> + +<p>"My dear, I promised you a bow and +arrows."</p> + +<p>"No, Uncle, you only said a bow."</p> + +<p>"Well, I meant a bow and arrows. +I'm glad you are so exact, however. +It is better to claim less than more than +what is promised. The three arrows +you shall have. But go on: how shall +I dispose of these five-and-twenty shillings +for you?"</p> + +<p>"In clothes, if you will be so good, +Uncle, for that poor boy, who has the +great black patch on his eye."</p> + +<p>"I always believed," said Mr. Gresham, +shaking hands with Ben, "that economy +and generosity were the best friends, +instead of being enemies, as some +silly, extravagant people would have +us think them. Choose the poor blind +boy's coat, my dear nephew, and +pay for it. There's no occasion for my +praising you about the matter; your +best reward is in your own mind, child; +and you want no other, or I'm mistaken. +Now jump into the coach, boys, +and let's be off. We shall be late, I'm +afraid," continued he, as the coach drove +on; "but I must let you stop, Ben, with +your goods, at the poor boy's door."</p> + +<p>When they came to the house, Mr. +Gresham opened the coach door, and +Ben jumped out with his parcel under +his arm.</p> + +<p>"Stay, stay! you must take me with +you," said his pleased uncle; "I like to +see people made happy as well as you +do."</p> + +<p>"And so do I too!" said Hal; "let +me come with you. I almost wish my +uniform was not gone to the tailor's, +so I do."</p> + +<p>And when he saw the look of delight +and gratitude with which the poor boy +received the clothes which Ben gave<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_470" id="Page_470">[470]</a></span> +him; and when he heard the mother +and children thank him, Hal sighed, and +said, "Well, I hope Mamma will give +me some more pocket-money soon."</p> + +<p>Upon his return home, however, the +sight of the <i>famous</i> bow and arrow +which Lady Diana Sweepstakes had sent +him, recalled to his imagination all the +joys of his green and white uniform; and +he no longer wished that it had not been +sent to the tailor's.</p> + +<p>"But I don't understand, cousin Hal," +said little Patty, "why you call this bow +a <i>famous</i> bow; you say <i>famous</i> very +often; and I don't know exactly what +it means—a <i>famous</i> uniform—<i>famous</i> +doings—I remember you said there are +to be <i>famous</i> doings the first of September +upon the Downs—What does <i>famous</i> +mean?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, why <i>famous</i> means—Now don't +you know what <i>famous</i> means? It +means—it is a word that people say—It +is the fashion to say it. It means—it +means <i>famous</i>."</p> + +<p>Patty laughed, and said, "<i>This</i> does +not explain it to me."</p> + +<p>"No," said Hal, "nor can it be +explained: if you don't understand it, +that's not my fault: everybody but +little children, I suppose, understands +it; but there's no explaining <i>those sorts</i> +of words, if you don't <i>take them</i> at once. +There's to be <i>famous</i> doings upon the +Downs the first of September; that is, +grand, fine. In short, what does it +signify talking any longer, Patty, about +the matter? Give me my bow; for I +must go upon the Downs, and practise."</p> + +<p>Ben accompanied him with the bow +and the three arrows which his uncle +had now given to him; and every day +these two boys went out upon the Downs, +and practised shooting with indefatigable +perseverance. Where equal pains are +taken, success is usually found to be +pretty nearly equal. Our two archers, +by constant practice, became expert +marksmen; and before the day of trial +they were so exactly matched in point +of dexterity, that it was scarcely possible +to decide which was superior.</p> + +<p>The long-expected first of September +at length arrived.</p> + +<p>"What sort of a day is it?" was +the first question that was asked by +Hal and Ben, the moment that they +awakened.</p> + +<p>The sun shone bright; but there was +a sharp and high wind.</p> + +<p>"Ha!" said Ben, "I shall be glad of +my good great-coat to-day; for I've a +notion it will be rather cold upon the +Downs, especially when we are standing +still, as we must, while all the people +are shooting."</p> + +<p>"Oh, never mind! I don't think I +shall feel it cold at all," said Hal, as he +dressed himself in his new white and +green uniform: and he viewed himself +with much complacency.</p> + +<p>"Good morning to you, Uncle; how +do you do?" said he, in a voice of exultation, +when he entered the breakfast-room.</p> + +<p>How do you do? seemed rather to +mean, How do you like me in my uniform?</p> + +<p>And his uncle's cool, "Very well, I +thank you, Hal," disappointed him, as +it seemed only to say, "Your uniform +makes no difference in my opinion of +you."</p> + +<p>Even little Patty went on eating her +breakfast much as usual, and talked of +the pleasure of walking with her father +to the Downs, and of all the little things +which interested her; so that Hal's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_471" id="Page_471">[471]</a></span> +epaulettes were not the principal object +in any one's imagination but his own.</p> + +<p>"Papa," said Patty, "as we go up +the hill where there is so much red mud, +I must take care to pick my way nicely; +and I must hold up my frock, as you +desired me; and perhaps you will be so +good, if I am not troublesome, to lift +me over the very bad place where there +are no stepping-stones. My ankle is +entirely well, and I'm glad of that, or +else I should not be able to walk so far +as the Downs. How good you were to +me, Ben, when I was in pain, the day I +sprained my ankle! You played at jack-straws, +and at cat's-cradle with me. Oh, +that puts me in mind—Here are your +gloves, which I asked you that night to +let me mend. I've been a great while +about them, but are not they very +neatly mended, Papa? Look at the +sewing."</p> + +<p>"I am not a very good judge of sewing, +my dear little girl," said Mr. +Gresham, examining the work with a +close and scrupulous eye; "but in my +opinion, here is one stitch that is rather too +long; the white teeth are not quite even."</p> + +<p>"O Papa, I'll take out that long tooth +in a minute," said Patty laughing; "I +did not think that you would have +observed it so soon."</p> + +<p>"I would not have you trust to my +blindness," said her father, stroking her +head fondly: "I observe everything. +I observe, for instance, that you are a +grateful little girl, and that you are +glad to be of use to those who have been +kind to you; and for this I forgive you +the long stitch."</p> + +<p>"But it's out, it's out, Papa," said +Patty; "and the next time your gloves +want mending, Ben, I'll mend them +better."</p> + +<p>"They are very nice, I think," said +Ben, drawing them on; "and I am much +obliged to you. I was just wishing I +had a pair of gloves to keep my fingers +warm to-day, for I never can shoot +well when my hands are numbed. Look, +Hal—you know how ragged these gloves +were; you said they were good for nothing +but to throw away; now look, there's +not a hole in them," said he, spreading +his fingers.</p> + +<p>"Now, is it not very extraordinary," +said Hal to himself, "that they should +go on so long talking about an old pair +of gloves, without scarcely saying a word +about my new uniform? Well, the +young Sweepstakes and Lady Diana +will talk enough about it; that's one +comfort."</p> + +<p>"Is not it time to think of setting out, +Sir?" said Hal to his uncle; "the company, +you know, are to meet at the +Ostrich at twelve, and the race to begin at +one, and Lady Diana's horses, I know, +were ordered to be at the door at ten."</p> + +<p>Mr. Stephen, the butler, here interrupted +the hurrying young gentleman +in his calculations. "There's a poor +lad, Sir, below, with a great black patch +on his right eye, who is come from +Bristol, and wants to speak a word with +the young gentlemen, if you please. I +told him they were just going out with +you, but he says he won't detain them +above half a minute."</p> + +<p>"Show him up, show him up," said +Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>"But I suppose," said Hal, with a +sigh, "that Stephen mistook, when he +said the young <i>gentlemen;</i> he only +wants to see Ben, I dare say; I'm sure +he has no reason to want to see me."</p> + +<p>"Here he comes—O Ben, he is dressed +in the new coat you gave him," whispered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_472" id="Page_472">[472]</a></span> +Hal, who was really a good-natured boy, +though extravagant. "How much better +he looks than he did in the ragged +coat! Ah! he looked at you first, Ben; +and well he may!"</p> + +<p>The boy bowed without any cringing +servility, but with an open, decent +freedom in his manner, which expressed +that he had been obliged, but that he +knew his young benefactor was not +thinking of the obligation. He made as +little distinction as possible between his +bows to the two cousins.</p> + +<p>"As I was sent with a message, by +the clerk of our parish, to Redland +Chapel, out on the Downs, to-day, Sir," +said he to Mr. Gresham, "knowing your +house lay in my way, my mother, Sir, +bid me call, and make bold to offer the +young gentlemen two little worsted balls +that she had worked for them," continued +the lad, pulling out of his pocket +two worsted balls worked in green and +orange colored stripes: "they are but +poor things, Sir, she bid me say, to look +at; but considering she had but one hand +to work with, and <i>that</i> her left hand, +you'll not despise 'em, we hopes."</p> + +<p>He held the balls to Ben and Hal. +"They are both alike, gentlemen," said +he; "if you'll be pleased to take 'em, +they are better than they look, for they +bound higher than your head; I cut +the cork round for the inside myself, +which was all I could do."</p> + +<p>"They are nice balls, indeed; we are +much obliged to you," said the boys, +as they received them, and they proved +them immediately. The balls struck +the floor with a delightful sound, and +rebounded higher than Mr. Gresham's +head. Little Patty clapped her hands +joyfully; but now a thundering double +rap at the door was heard.</p> + +<p>"The Master Sweepstakes, Sir," said +Stephen, "are come for Master Hal; +they say that all the young gentlemen +who have archery uniforms are to walk +together in a body, I think they say, +Sir; and they are to parade along the +Well-Walk, they desired me to say, Sir, +with a drum and fife, and so up the hill, +by Prince's Place, and all to go upon the +Downs together, to the place of meeting. +I am not sure I'm right, Sir, for both +the young gentlemen spoke at once, and +the wind is very high at the street door, +so that I could not well make out all +they said; but I believe this is the sense +of it."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said Hal, eagerly, "it's +all right; I know that is just what was +settled the day I dined at Lady Diana's; +and Lady Diana and a great party of +gentlemen are to ride—"</p> + +<p>"Well, that is nothing to the purpose," +interrupted Mr. Gresham. "Don't keep +the Master Sweepstakes waiting; decide—do +you choose to go with them, or +with us?"</p> + +<p>"Sir—Uncle—Sir, you know, since +all the <i>uniforms</i> agreed to go together—"</p> + +<p>"Off with you then, Mr. Uniform, if +you mean to go," said Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>Hal ran downstairs in such a hurry +that he forgot his bow and arrows. +Ben discovered this when he went to +fetch his own; and the lad from Bristol, +who had been ordered by Mr. Gresham +to eat his breakfast before he proceeded +to Redland Chapel, heard Ben talking +about his cousin's bow and arrows.</p> + +<p>"I know," said Ben, "he will be sorry +not to have his bow with him, because +here are the green knots tied to it, to +match his cockade; and he said that +the boys were all to carry their bows as +part of the show."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_473" id="Page_473">[473]</a></span></p> + +<p>"If you'll give me leave, sir," said the +poor Bristol lad, "I shall have plenty +of time; and I'll run down to the Well-Walk +after the young gentleman, and +take him his bow and arrows."</p> + +<p>"Will you? I shall be much obliged +to you," said Ben; and away went the +boy with the bow that was ornamented +with green ribands.</p> + +<p>The public walk leading to the Wells +was full of company. The windows of +all the houses in St. Vincent's parade +were crowded with well-dressed ladies, +who were looking out in expectation of +the archery procession. Parties of gentlemen +and ladies, and a motley crowd of +spectators, were seen moving backwards +and forwards under the rocks, on the +opposite side of the water. A barge, +with colored streamers flying, was waiting +to take up a party, who were going +upon the water. The bargemen rested +upon their oars, and gazed with broad +faces of curiosity on the busy scene that +appeared upon the public walk.</p> + +<p>The archers and archeresses were now +drawn up on the flags under the semi-circular +piazza just before Mrs. Yearsley's +library. A little band of children, who +had been mustered by Lady Diana +Sweepstakes' <i>spirited exertions</i>, closed +the procession. They were now all in +readiness. The drummer only waited +for her ladyship's signal; and the +archers' corps only waited for her ladyship's +word of command to march.</p> + +<p>"Where are your bow and arrows, my +little man?" said her ladyship to Hal, +as she reviewed her Lilliputian regiment. +"You can't march, man, without your +arms!"</p> + +<p>Hal had dispatched a messenger for +his forgotten bow, but the messenger +returned not; he looked from side to +side in great distress. "Oh, there's my +bow coming, I declare!" cried he; "look, +I see the bow and the ribands; look now, +between the trees, Charles Sweepstakes, +on the Hot-well Walk; it is coming."</p> + +<p>"But you've kept us all waiting a +confounded time," said his impatient +friend.</p> + +<p>"It is that good-natured poor fellow +from Bristol, I protest, that has brought +it to me; I'm sure I don't deserve it +from him," said Hal to himself, when he +saw the lad with the black patch on his +eye running quite out of breath towards +him with his bow and arrows.</p> + +<p>"Fall back, my good friend, fall back," +said the military lady, as soon as he had +delivered the bow to Hal: "I mean stand +out of the way, for your great patch cuts no +figure amongst us. Don't follow so close, +now, as if you belonged to us, pray."</p> + +<p>The poor boy had no ambition to +partake the triumph; he <i>fell back</i> as +soon as he understood the meaning of +the lady's words. The drum beat, +the fife played, the archers marched, +the spectators admired. Hal stepped +proudly, and felt as if the eyes of the +whole universe were upon his epaulettes, +or upon the facings of his uniform; +whilst all the time he was considered +only as part of a show. The walk +appeared much shorter than usual; and +he was extremely sorry that Lady Diana, +when they were half way up the hill +leading to Prince's Place, mounted her +horse, because the road was dirty, and +all the gentlemen and ladies who accompanied +her, followed her example. "We +can leave the children to walk, you +know," said she to the gentleman who +helped her to mount her horse. "I +must call to some of them, though, and +leave orders where they are to <i>join</i>."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_474" id="Page_474">[474]</a></span></p> + +<p>She beckoned: and Hal, who was foremost, +and proud to show his alacrity, +ran on to receive her ladyship's orders. +Now, as we have before observed, it was +a sharp and windy day; and though +Lady Diana Sweepstakes was actually +speaking to him, and looking at him, +he could not prevent his nose from wanting +to be blown; he pulled out his +handkerchief, and out rolled the new +ball, which had been given to him just +before he left home, and which, according +to his usual careless habits, he had +stuffed into his pocket in a hurry. "Oh, +my new ball!" cried he, as he ran after +it. As he stooped to pick it up, he let go +his hat, which he had hitherto held on +with anxious care; for the hat, though +it had a fine green and white cockade, +had no band or string round it. The +string, as we may recollect, our wasteful +hero had used in spinning his top. The +hat was too large for his head without +this band; a sudden gust of wind blew +it off—Lady Diana's horse started and +reared. She was a <i>famous</i> horse-woman, +and sat him to the admiration of all +beholders; but there was a puddle of +red clay and water in this spot, and her +ladyship's uniform-habit was a sufferer +by the accident.</p> + +<p>"Careless brat!" said she. "Why +can't he keep his hat upon his head?"</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the wind blew the +hat down the hill, and Hal ran after it, +amidst the laughter of his kind friends, +the young Sweepstakes, and the rest of +the little regiment. The hat was lodged +at length, upon a bank. Hal pursued +it: he thought this bank was hard. But, +alas! the moment he set his foot upon it, +the foot sank. He tried to draw it +back, his other foot slipped, and he +fell prostrate, in his green and white +uniform, into the treacherous bed of red +mud. His companions, who had halted +upon the top of the hill, stood laughing +spectators of his misfortune.</p> + +<p>It happened that the poor boy with +the black patch upon his eye, who had +been ordered by Lady Diana to "<i>fall +back</i>" and to "<i>keep at a distance</i>," was +now coming up the hill; and the moment +he saw our fallen hero, he hastened to +his assistance. He dragged poor Hal, +who was a deplorable spectacle, out of +the red mud; the obliging mistress of a +lodging-house, as soon as she understood +that the young gentleman was nephew to +Mr. Gresham, to whom she had formerly +let her house, received Hal, covered as +he was with dirt.</p> + +<p>The poor Bristol lad hastened to Mr. +Gresham's for clean stockings and shoes +for Hal. He was unwilling to give up +his uniform; it was rubbed and rubbed, +and a spot here and there was washed +out; and he kept continually repeating, +"When it's dry it will all brush off; +when it's dry it will all brush off, won't +it?" But soon the fear of being too +late at the archery meeting began to +balance the dread of appearing in his +stained habiliments; and he now as +anxiously repeated, while the woman +held the wet coat to the fire, "Oh, I shall +be too late; indeed I shall be too late; +make haste; it will never dry: hold it +nearer—nearer to the fire. I shall lose +my turn to shoot. Oh, give me the coat; I +don't mind how it is, if I can but get it on."</p> + +<p>Holding it nearer and nearer to the +fire dried it quickly, to be sure, but it +shrank it also, so that it was no easy +matter to get the coat on again.</p> + +<p>However, Hal, who did not see the +red splashes, which, in spite of all the +operations, were too visible upon his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_475" id="Page_475">[475]</a></span> +shoulders and upon the skirts of his +white coat behind, was pretty well satisfied +to observe that there was not one +spot upon the facings. "Nobody," said +he, "will take notice of my coat behind, +I dare say. I think it looks as smart +almost as ever!" and under this persuasion +our young archer resumed his +bow—his bow with green ribands now +no more! And he pursued his way to +the Downs.</p> + +<p>All his companions were far out of +sight. "I suppose," said he to his +friend with the black patch, "I suppose +my uncle and Ben had left home before +you went for the shoes and stockings +for me?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, Sir; the butler said they had +been gone to the Downs a matter of a +good half hour or more."</p> + +<p>Hal trudged on as fast as he possibly +could. When he got on the Downs, he +saw numbers of carriages, and crowds +of people, all going towards the place +of meeting, at the Ostrich. He pressed +forwards; he was at first so much +afraid of being late, that he did not take +notice of the mirth his motley appearance +excited in all beholders. At length +he reached the appointed spot. There +was a great crowd of people. In the +midst, he heard Lady Diana's loud voice +betting upon some one who was just +going to shoot at the mark.</p> + +<p>"So then, the shooting is begun, is it?" +said Hal. "Oh, let me in; pray let me +into the circle! I'm one of the archers—I +am, indeed; don't you see my green +and white uniform?"</p> + +<p>"Your red and white uniform, you +mean," said the man to whom he addressed +himself: and the people, as they +opened a passage for him, could not +refrain from laughing at the mixture +of dirt and finery which it exhibited. +In vain, when he got into the midst of +the formidable circle, he looked to his +friends, the young Sweepstakes, for their +countenance and support: they were +amongst the most unmerciful of the +laughers. Lady Diana also seemed more +to enjoy than to pity his confusion.</p> + +<p>"Why could you not keep your hat +upon your head, man?" said she, in her +masculine tone. "You have been almost +the ruin of my poor uniform-habit; but +I've escaped rather better than you +have. Don't stand there in the middle +of the circle, or you'll have an arrow +in your eye presently, I've a notion."</p> + +<p>Hal looked round in search of better +friends. "Oh, where's my uncle?—where's +Ben," said he. He was in such +confusion, that, amongst the number of +faces, he could scarcely distinguish one +from another; but he felt somebody at +this moment pull his elbow, and, to his +great relief, he heard the friendly voice, +and saw the good-natured face, of his +cousin Ben.</p> + +<p>"Come back; come behind these +people," said Ben, "and put on my +great-coat; here it is for you."</p> + +<p>Right glad was Hal to cover his disgraced +uniform with the rough great-coat, +which he had formerly despised. +He pulled the stained, drooping cockade +out of his unfortunate hat; and he was +now sufficiently recovered from his vexation +to give an intelligible account of +his accident to his uncle and Patty, who +anxiously inquired what had detained +him so long, and what had been the +matter. In the midst of the history of +his disaster, he was just proving to +Patty that his taking the hat-band to +spin his top had nothing to do with his +misfortune; and he was at the same<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_476" id="Page_476">[476]</a></span> +time endeavoring to refute his uncle's +opinion, that the waste of the whipcord +that tied the parcel, was the original cause +of all his evils, when he was summoned to +try his skill with his <i>famous</i> bow.</p> + +<p>"My hands are numbed; I can scarcely +feel," said he, rubbing them, and blowing +upon the ends of his fingers.</p> + +<p>"Come, come," cried young Sweepstakes, +"I'm within one inch of the mark; +who'll go nearer, I should like to see. +Shoot away, Hal; but first, understand +our laws: we settled them before you +came on the green. You are to have +three shots, with your own bow and +your own arrows; and nobody's to +borrow or lend under pretence of other +bows being better or worse, or under +any pretence. Do you hear, Hal?"</p> + +<p>This young gentleman had good reasons +for being so strict in these laws, as +he had observed that none of his companions +had such an excellent bow as +he had provided for himself. Some of +the boys had forgotten to bring more +than one arrow with them, and by his +cunning regulation, that each person +should shoot with his own arrows, many +had lost one or two of their shots.</p> + +<p>"You are a lucky fellow; you have +your three arrows," said young Sweepstakes. +"Come, we can't wait whilst +you rub your fingers, man—shoot away."</p> + +<p>Hal was rather surprised at the +asperity with which his friend spoke. +He little knew how easily acquaintances, +who call themselves friends, can change, +when their interest comes, in the slightest +degree, in competition with their +friendship. Hurried by his impatient +rival, and with his hand so much benumbed +that he could scarcely feel how +to fix the arrow in the string, he drew +the bow. The arrow was within a +quarter of an inch of Master Sweepstakes' +mark, which was the nearest that +had yet been hit. Hal seized his second +arrow. "If I have any luck," said he +but just as he pronounced the word <i>luck</i> +and as he bent his bow, the string broke +in two, and the bow fell from his hands.</p> + +<p>"There, it's all over with you," cried +Master Sweepstakes, with a triumphant +laugh.</p> + +<p>"Here's my bow for him and welcome," +said Ben.</p> + +<p>"No, no, Sir; that is not fair; that's +against the regulation. You may shoot +with your own bow, if you choose it, or +you may not, just as you think proper +but you must not lend it, Sir."</p> + +<p>It was now Ben's turn to make his +trial. His first arrow was not successful. +His second was exactly as near as Hal's first.</p> + +<p>"You have but one more," said Master +Sweepstakes: "now for it!"</p> + +<p>Ben, before he ventured his last arrow +prudently examined the string of his +bow; and as he pulled it to try its +strength, it cracked.</p> + +<p>Master Sweepstakes clapped his hands +with loud exultations, and insulting +laughter. But his laughter ceased when +our provident hero calmly drew from his +pocket an excellent piece of whipcord.</p> + +<p>"The everlasting whipcord, I declare!" +exclaimed Hal, when he saw that it was +the very same that had tied up the parcel.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Ben, as he fastened it to +his bow, "I put it into my pocket to-day, +on purpose, because I thought I might +happen to want it."</p> + +<p>He drew his bow the third and last time.</p> + +<p>"O Papa," cried little Patty, as his +arrow hit the mark, "it's the nearest, +is not it the nearest?"</p> + +<p>Master Sweepstakes, with anxiety, +examined the hit. There could be no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_477" id="Page_477">[477]</a></span> +doubt. Ben was victorious! The bow, +the prize bow, was now delivered to +him; and Hal, as he looked at the +whipcord, exclaimed, "How <i>lucky</i> this +whipcord has been to you, Ben!"</p> + +<p>"It is <i>lucky</i> perhaps you mean, that +he took care of it," said Mr. Gresham.</p> + +<p>"Ay," said Hal, "very true; he might +well say, 'Waste not, want not'; it is a +good thing to have two strings to one's +bow."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_382" id="Note_382">382</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Only a few of those who have written immediately +for children have produced work +distinguished by the same high artistic +qualities found in the work of writers for +readers of mature minds. Of these few +one is Mrs. Juliana Horatia Ewing (1841-1885). +Edmund Gosse has said that of the +numerous English authors who have written +successfully on or for children only two +"have shown a clear recollection of the +mind of healthy childhood itself. . . . +Mrs. Ewing in prose and Mr. Stevenson in +verse have sat down with them without +disturbing their fancies, and have looked +into the world of 'make-believe' with the +children's own eyes." They might lead, +he thinks, "a long romp in the attic when +nurse was out shopping, and not a child +in the house should know that a grown-up +person had been there." This is very high +praise indeed and it suggests the reason for +the immense popularity of "Jackanapes," +"The Story of a Short Life," "Daddy +Darwin's Dovecot," "Lob-Lie-by-the-Fire," +"Mrs. Overtheway's Remembrances," and +many another of the stories that delighted +young readers when they first appeared in +the pages of <i>Aunt Judy's Magazine</i>. The +preëminence of "Jackanapes" among these +many splendid stories may at least partly +be accounted for by the fact that it grew +out of the heat of a great conviction about +life. Early in 1879 the news reached +England of the death of the Prince Imperial +of France, who fell while serving with the +English forces in South Africa during the +war with the Zulus. Perhaps the present-day +reader needs to be reminded that the +Prince Imperial was the only son of the +ex-Empress Eugenie, who, with her husband +Napoleon III had taken refuge in +England after the loss of the French throne +at the close of the Franco-Prussian War +in 1871. Napoleon's death shortly after +made the young prince a central figure in +all considerations of the possible recouping +of the fortunes of the Napoleonic dynasty. +Full of the spirit of adventure and courage, +he had joined the English forces to learn +something of the soldier's profession. +Unexpectedly ambushed, the prince was +killed while the young officer who had +been assigned to look after him escaped +unhurt. There immediately ensued a wide +discussion of the action of this young +officer in saving himself and, apparently, +leaving the Prince to his fate. Now, Mrs. +Ewing was a soldier's wife and believed in +the standard of honor which would naturally +be reflected in military circles on such an +incident. But hearing the rule of "each +man for himself" so often emphasized in +other circles, she was moved to write the +protest against such a view which forms +the central motive in "Jackanapes." There +is no argument, however, no undue moralizing. +With the finest art she embodies +that central doctrine in a great faith that +the saving of a man's life lies in his readiness +to lose it. It was Satan who said, "Skin +for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he +give for his life." The pathos in the story +is naturally inherent in the situation and +is never emphasized for its own sake. +Mrs. Ewing was always a thoroughly +conscientious artist. She believed that +the laws of artistic composition laid down +by Ruskin in his <i>Elements of Drawing</i> +applied with equal force to literature. +"For example," says her brother in an +article on her methods, "in the story of +'Jackanapes' the law of Principality is very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_478" id="Page_478">[478]</a></span> +clearly demonstrated. Jackanapes is the +one important figure. The doting aunt, +the weak-kneed but faithful Tony Johnson, +the irascible general, the punctilious postman, +the loyal boy-trumpeter, the silent +major, and the ever-dear, faithful, loving +Lollo,—all and each of them conspire with +one consent to reflect forth the glory and +beauty of the noble, generous, recklessly +brave, and gently tender spirit of the hero +'Jackanapes.'" As to the laws of repetition +and contrast: "Again and again is +the village green introduced to the imagination. +It is a picture of eternal peace and +quietness, amid the tragedies of our ever-changing +life which are enacted around it."</div> + + +<h4><br />JACKANAPES</h4> + +<div class='center'>JULIANA HORATIA EWING</div> + + +<div class='center'><br />CHAPTER I<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +Last noon beheld them full of lusty life,<br /> +Last eve in Beauty's circle proudly gay,<br /> +The midnight brought the signal sound of strife,<br /> +The morn the marshaling in arms—the day<br /> +Battle's magnificently stern array!<br /> +The thunder-clouds close o'er it, which when rent<br /> +The earth is covered thick with other clay,<br /> +Which her own clay shall cover, heaped and pent,<br /> +Rider and horse,—friend, foe,—in one red burial blent.<br /> +<br /> +Their praise is hymn'd by loftier harps than mine:<br /> +Yet one would I select from that proud throng.<br /> +</div> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">To thee, to thousands, of whom each</span><br /> +And one and all a ghastly gap did make<br /> +In his own kind and kindred, whom to teach<br /> +Forgetfulness were mercy for their sake;<br /> +The Archangel's trump, not glory's, must awake<br /> +Those whom they thirst for.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +—<span class="smcap">Byron</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>Two Donkeys and the Geese lived on +the Green, and all other residents of any +social standing lived in houses round it. +The houses had no names. Everybody's +address was "The Green," but the Postman +and the people of the place knew +where each family lived. As to the rest +of the world, what has one to do with the +rest of the world when he is safe at home +on his own Goose Green? Moreover, if a +stranger did come on any lawful business, +he might ask his way at the shop. Most +of the inhabitants were long-lived, early +deaths (like that of the little Miss Jessamine) +being exceptional; and most of the +old people were proud of their age, +especially the sexton, who would be +ninety-nine come Martinmas, and whose +father remembered a man who had carried +arrows, as a boy, for the battle of +Flodden Field. The Gray Goose and the +big Miss Jessamine were the only elderly +persons who kept their ages secret. Indeed, +Miss Jessamine never mentioned +any one's age, or recalled the exact year +in which anything had happened. She +said that she had been taught that it +was bad manners to do so "in a mixed +assembly." The Gray Goose also +avoided dates; but this was partly +because her brain, though intelligent, was +not mathematical, and computation was +beyond her. She never got farther than +"last Michaelmas," "the Michaelmas before +that," and "the Michaelmas before +the Michaelmas before that." After this +her head, which was small, became confused, +and she said, "Ga, ga!" and +changed the subject.</p> + +<p>But she remembered the little Miss +Jessamine, the Miss Jessamine with the +"conspicuous hair." Her aunt, the big +Miss Jessamine, said it was her only +fault. The hair was clean, was abundant, +was glossy; but do what you would +with it, it never looked quite like other +people's. And at church, after Saturday +night's wash, it shone like the best brass +fender after a spring cleaning. In short, +it was conspicuous, which does not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_479" id="Page_479">[479]</a></span> +become a young woman, especially in +church.</p> + +<p>Those were worrying times altogether, +and the Green was used for strange purposes. +A political meeting was held on +it with the village Cobbler in the chair, +and a speaker who came by stage-coach +from the town, where they had wrecked +the bakers' shops, and discussed the price +of bread. He came a second time by +stage; but the people had heard something +about him in the meanwhile, and +they did not keep him on the Green. +They took him to the pond and tried to +make him swim, which he could not do, +and the whole affair was very disturbing +to all quiet and peaceable fowls. After +which another man came, and preached +sermons on the Green, and a great many +people went to hear him; for those were +"trying times," and folk ran hither and +thither for comfort. And then what +did they do but drill the ploughboys on +the Green, to get them ready to fight +the French, and teach them the goose-step! +However, that came to an end at +last; for Bony was sent to St. Helena, +and the ploughboys were sent back to +the plough.</p> + +<p>Everybody lived in fear of Bony in +those days, especially the naughty children, +who were kept in order during the +day by threats of "Bony shall have you," +and who had nightmares about him in +the dark. They thought he was an Ogre +in a cocked hat. The Gray Goose +thought he was a Fox, and that all the +men of England were going out in red +coats to hunt him. It was no use to +argue the point; for she had a very small +head, and when one idea got into it there +was no room for another.</p> + +<p>Besides, the Gray Goose never saw +Bony, nor did the children, which rather +spoilt the terror of him, so that the Black +Captain became more effective as a Bogy +with hardened offenders. The Gray +Goose remembered <i>his</i> coming to the +place perfectly. What he came for she +did not pretend to know. It was all part +and parcel of the war and bad times. +He was called the Black Captain, partly +because of himself and partly because +of his wonderful black mare. Strange +stories were afloat of how far and how fast +that mare could go when her master's +hand was on her mane and he whispered +in her ear. Indeed, some people thought +we might reckon ourselves very lucky if +we were not out of the frying-pan into +the fire, and had not got a certain well-known +Gentleman of the Road to protect +us against the French. But that, of +course, made him none the less useful to +the Johnsons' Nurse when the little Miss +Johnsons were naughty.</p> + +<p>"You leave off crying this minnit, +Miss Jane, or I'll give you right away to +that horrid wicked officer. Jemima! just +look out o' the windy, if you please, and +see if the Black Cap'n's a-coming with +his horse to carry away Miss Jane."</p> + +<p>And there, sure enough, the Black +Captain strode by, with his sword clattering +as if it did not know whose head to +cut off first. But he did not call for Miss +Jane that time. He went on to the Green, +where he came so suddenly upon the +eldest Master Johnson, sitting in a puddle +on purpose, in his new nankeen skeleton +suit, that the young gentleman thought +judgment had overtaken him at last, +and abandoned himself to the howlings +of despair. His howls were redoubled +when he was clutched from behind and +swung over the Black Captain's shoulder; +but in five minutes his tears were +stanched, and he was playing with the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_480" id="Page_480">[480]</a></span> +officer's accoutrements. All of which +the Gray Goose saw with her own eyes, +and heard afterwards that that bad boy +had been whining to go back to the Black +Captain ever since, which showed how +hardened he was, and that nobody but +Bonaparte himself could be expected to +do him any good.</p> + +<p>But those were "trying times." It +was bad enough when the pickle of a +large and respectable family cried for the +Black Captain; when it came to the little +Miss Jessamine crying for him, one felt +that the sooner the French landed and +had done with it, the better.</p> + +<p>The big Miss Jessamine's objection to +him was that he was a soldier; and this +prejudice was shared by all the Green. +"A soldier," as the speaker from the +town had observed, "is a bloodthirsty, +unsettled sort of a rascal, that the peaceable, +home-loving, bread-winning citizen +can never conscientiously look on as a +brother till he has beaten his sword into +a ploughshare and his spear into a +pruning-hook."</p> + +<p>On the other hand, there was some +truth in what the Postman (an old soldier) +said in reply,—that the sword has +to cut a way for us out of many a scrape +into which our bread-winners get us when +they drive their ploughshares into fallows +that don't belong to them. Indeed, +whilst our most peaceful citizens were +prosperous chiefly by means of cotton, +of sugar, and of the rise and fall of the +money-market (not to speak of such +salable matters as opium, firearms, and +"black ivory"), disturbances were apt to +arise in India, Africa, and other outlandish +parts, where the fathers of our domestic +race were making fortunes for their +families. And for that matter, even on +the Green, we did not wish the military to +leave us in the lurch, so long as there was +any fear that the French were coming.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></p> + +<p>To let the Black Captain have little +Miss Jessamine, however, was another +matter. Her aunt would not hear of it; +and then, to crown all, it appeared that +the Captain's father did not think the +young lady good enough for his son. +Never was any affair more clearly brought +to a conclusion.</p> + +<p>But those were "trying times"; and +one moonlight night, when the Gray +Goose was sound asleep upon one leg, +the Green was rudely shaken under her +by the thud of a horse's feet. "Ga, +ga!" said she, putting down the other +leg and running away.</p> + +<p>By the time she returned to her place +not a thing was to be seen or heard. +The horse had passed like a shot. But +next day there was hurrying and scurrying +and cackling at a very early hour, all +about the white house with the black +beams, where Miss Jessamine lived. +And when the sun was so low and the +shadows so long on the grass that the +Gray Goose felt ready to run away at the +sight of her own neck, little Miss Jane +Johnson and her "particular friend" +Clarinda sat under the big oak tree on +the Green, and Jane pinched Clarinda's +little finger till she found that she could +keep a secret, and then she told her in +confidence that she had heard from Nurse +and Jemima that Miss Jessamine's niece +had been a very naughty girl, and that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_481" id="Page_481">[481]</a></span> +that horrid wicked officer had come for +her on his black horse and carried her +right away.</p> + +<p>"Will she never come back?" asked +Clarinda.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no!" said Jane, decidedly. +"Bony never brings people back."</p> + +<p>"Not never no more?" sobbed Clarinda, +for she was weak-minded, and +could not bear to think that Bony never, +never let naughty people go home again.</p> + +<p>Next day Jane had heard more.</p> + +<p>"He has taken her to a Green."</p> + +<p>"A Goose Green?" asked Clarinda.</p> + +<p>"No. A Gretna Green. Don't ask so +many questions, child," said Jane, who, +having no more to tell, gave herself airs.</p> + +<p>Jane was wrong on one point. Miss +Jessamine's niece did come back, and +she and her husband were forgiven. The +Gray Goose remembered it well; it was +Michaelmas-tide, the Michaelmas before +the Michaelmas before the Michaelmas—but, +ga, ga! What does the date matter? +It was autumn, harvest-time, and +everybody was so busy prophesying and +praying about the crops, that the young +couple wandered through the lanes, and +got blackberries for Miss Jessamine's +celebrated crab and blackberry jam, and +made guys of themselves with bryony +wreaths, and not a soul troubled his head +about them, except the children and +the Postman. The children dogged the +Black Captain's footsteps (his bubble +reputation as an Ogre having burst) +clamoring for a ride on the black mare. +And the Postman would go somewhat +out of his postal way to catch the Captain's +dark eye, and show that he had not +forgotten how to salute an officer.</p> + +<p>But they were "trying times." One +afternoon the black mare was stepping +gently up and down the grass, with her +head at her master's shoulder, and as +many children crowded on to her silky +back as if she had been an elephant in a +menagerie; and the next afternoon she +carried him away, sword and <i>sabre-tache</i> +clattering war music at her side, and the +old Postman waiting for them, rigid with +salutation, at the four cross-roads.</p> + +<p>War and bad times! It was a hard +winter; and the big Miss Jessamine and +the little Miss Jessamine (but she was +Mrs. Black-Captain now) lived very +economically, that they might help their +poorer neighbors. They neither entertained +nor went into company; but the +young lady always went up the village as +far as the <i>George and Dragon</i>, for air and +exercise when the London Mail<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> came in.</p> + +<p>One day (it was a day in the following +June) it came in earlier than usual, and +the young lady was not there to meet it.</p> + +<p>But a crowd soon gathered round the +<i>George and Dragon</i>, gaping to see the +Mail Coach dressed with flowers and oak-leaves, +and the guard wearing a laurel +wreath over and above his royal livery. +The ribbons that decked the horses were +stained and flecked with the warmth +and foam of the pace at which they had +come, for they had pressed on with the +news of Victory.</p> + +<p>Miss Jessamine was sitting with her +niece under the oak tree on the Green, +when the Postman put a newspaper +silently into her hand. Her niece turned +quickly,—</p> + +<p>"Is there news?"</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_482" id="Page_482">[482]</a></span></p> +<p>"Don't agitate yourself, my dear," +said her aunt. "I will read it aloud, +and then we can enjoy it together; a far +more comfortable method, my love, than +when you go up the village, and come +home out of breath, having snatched half +the news as you run."</p> + +<p>"I am all attention, dear aunt," said +the little lady, clasping her hands tightly +on her lap.</p> + +<p>Then Miss Jessamine read aloud,—she +was proud of her reading,—and the old +soldier stood at attention behind her, +with such a blending of pride and pity on +his face as it was strange to see:—</p> + +<div class='right'> +<span style="margin-right: 4em;">"Downing Street<br /></span> +<i>June</i> 22, 1815, 1 <span class="smcap">a. m.</span>"<br /> +</div> + +<p>"That's one in the morning," gasped +the Postman; "beg your pardon, mum."</p> + +<p>But though he apologized, he could +not refrain from echoing here and there +a weighty word: "Glorious victory,"—"Two +hundred pieces of artillery,"—"Immense +quantity of ammunition,"—and +so forth.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The loss of the British Army upon this +occasion has unfortunately been most severe. +It had not been possible to make out a +return of the killed and wounded when +Major Percy left headquarters. The names +of the officers killed and wounded, as far as +they can be collected, are annexed.</p> + +<div class='sig'> +I have the honor—"<br /></div></div> + +<p>"The list, aunt! Read the list!"</p> + +<p>"My love—my darling—let us go in +and—"</p> + +<p>"No. Now! now!"</p> + +<p>To one thing the supremely afflicted +are entitled in their sorrow,—to be +obeyed; and yet it is the last kindness +that people commonly will do them. +But Miss Jessamine did. Steadying her +voice, as best she might, she read on; +and the old soldier stood bareheaded to +hear that first Roll of the Dead at Waterloo, +which began with the Duke of Brunswick +and ended with Ensign Brown.<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> +Five-and-thirty British Captains fell +asleep that day on the Bed of Honor, and +the Black Captain slept among them.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>There are killed and wounded by war of +whom no returns reach Downing Street.</p> + +<p>Three days later, the Captain's wife +had joined him, and Miss Jessamine was +kneeling by the cradle of their orphan +son, a purple-red morsel of humanity +with conspicuously golden hair.</p> + +<p>"Will he live, Doctor?"</p> + +<p>"Live? God bless my soul, ma'am. +Look at him! The young Jackanapes!"</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />CHAPTER II<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +And he wandered away and away<br /> +With Nature, the dear old Nurse.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +—<span class="smcap">Longfellow</span><br /></div> + +<p>The Gray Goose remembered quite +well the year that Jackanapes began to +walk, for it was the year that the speckled +hen for the first time in all her motherly +life got out of patience when she was +sitting. She had been rather proud of +the eggs,—they were unusually large,—but +she never felt quite comfortable on +them, and whether it was because she +used to get cramp and go off the nest, or +because the season was bad, or what, she +never could tell; but every egg was addled +but one, and the one that did hatch gave +her more trouble than any chick she had +ever reared.</p> + +<p>It was a fine, downy, bright yellow +little thing, but it had a monstrous big +nose and feet, and such an ungainly walk<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_483" id="Page_483">[483]</a></span> +as she knew no other instance of in +her well-bred and high-stepping family. +And as to behavior, it was not that it was +either quarrelsome or moping, but simply +unlike the rest. When the other chicks +hopped and cheeped on the Green about +their mother's feet, this solitary yellow +brat went waddling off on its own responsibility, +and do or cluck what the speckled +hen would, it went to play in the pond.</p> + +<p>It was off one day as usual, and the +hen was fussing and fuming after it, +when the Postman, going to deliver a +letter at Miss Jessamine's door, was +nearly knocked over by the good lady +herself, who, bursting out of the house +with her cap just off and her bonnet just +not on, fell into his arms, crying,—</p> + +<p>"Baby! Baby! Jackanapes! Jackanapes!"</p> + +<p>If the Postman loved anything on +earth, he loved the Captain's yellow-haired +child; so, propping Miss Jessamine +against her own door-post, he followed the +direction of her trembling fingers and +made for the Green.</p> + +<p>Jackanapes had had the start of the +Postman by nearly ten minutes. The +world—the round green world with an +oak tree on it—was just becoming very +interesting to him. He had tried, vigorously +but ineffectually, to mount a passing +pig the last time he was taken out +walking; but then he was encumbered +with a nurse. Now he was his own master, +and might, by courage and energy, +become the master of that delightful +downy, dumpy, yellow thing that was +bobbing along over the green grass in +front of him. Forward! Charge! He +aimed well, and grabbed it, but only to +feel the delicious downiness and dumpiness +slipping through his fingers as he +fell upon his face. "Quawk!" said the +yellow thing, and wabbled off sideways. +It was this oblique movement that +enabled Jackanapes to come up with it, +for it was bound for the Pond, and therefore +obliged to come back into line. He +failed again from top-heaviness, and his +prey escaped sideways as before, and, as +before, lost ground in getting back to the +direct road to the Pond.</p> + +<p>And at the Pond the Postman found +them both,—one yellow thing rocking +safely on the ripples that lie beyond duckweed, +and the other washing his draggled +frock with tears because he too had tried +to sit upon the Pond and it wouldn't +hold him.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />CHAPTER III<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">If studious, copie fair what time hath blurred,</span><br /> +Redeem truth from his jawes: if souldier,<br /> +Chase brave employments with a naked sword<br /> +Throughout the world. Fool not; for all may have,<br /> +If they dare try, a glorious life, or grave.<br /> +</div> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +<div class='poem'> +In brief, acquit thee bravely; play the man.<br /> +Look not on pleasures as they come, but go.<br /> +Defer not the least vertue: life's poore span<br /> +Make not an ell, by trifling in thy woe.<br /> +If thou do ill, the joy fades, not the pains.<br /> +If well: the pain doth fade, the joy remains.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +—<span class="smcap">George Herbert</span><br /></div> + +<p>Young Mrs. Johnson, who was a +mother of many, hardly knew which to +pity more,—Miss Jessamine for having +her little ways and her antimacassars +rumpled by a young Jackanapes, or the +boy himself for being brought up by an +old maid.</p> + +<p>Oddly enough, she would probably +have pitied neither, had Jackanapes been +a girl. (One is so apt to think that what +works smoothest, works to the highest +ends, having no patience for the results +of friction.) That father in God who +bade the young men to be pure and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_484" id="Page_484">[484]</a></span> +maidens brave, greatly disturbed a member +of his congregation, who thought +that the great preacher had made a slip +of the tongue.</p> + +<p>"That the girls should have purity, +and the boys courage, is what you would +say, good father?"</p> + +<p>"Nature has done that," was the reply; +"I meant what I said."</p> + +<p>In good sooth, a young maid is all the +better for learning some robuster virtues +than maidenliness and not to move the +antimacassars; and the robuster virtues +require some fresh air and freedom. As, +on the other hand, Jackanapes (who had +a boy's full share of the little beast and +the young monkey in his natural composition) +was none the worse, at his tender +years, for learning some maidenliness,—so +far as maidenliness means decency, +pity, unselfishness, and pretty behavior.</p> + +<p>And it is due to him to say that he was an +obedient boy, and a boy whose word could +be depended on, long before his grandfather +the General came to live at the Green.</p> + +<p>He was obedient; that is, he did what +his great-aunt told him. But—oh, dear! +oh, dear!—the pranks he played, which it +had never entered into her head to forbid!</p> + +<p>It was when he had just been put into +skeletons (frocks never suited him) that +he became very friendly with Master +Tony Johnson, a younger brother of the +young gentleman who sat in the puddle +on purpose. Tony was not enterprising, +and Jackanapes led him by the nose. +One summer's evening they were out +late, and Miss Jessamine was becoming +anxious, when Jackanapes presented himself +with a ghastly face all besmirched +with tears. He was unusually subdued.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid," he sobbed,—"if you +please, I'm very much afraid that Tony +Johnson's dying in the churchyard."</p> + +<p>Miss Jessamine was just beginning to +be distracted, when she smelt Jackanapes.</p> + +<p>"You naughty, naughty boys! Do +you mean to tell me that you've been +smoking?"</p> + +<p>"Not pipes," urged Jackanapes; "upon +my honor, aunty, not pipes. Only cigars +like Mr. Johnson's! and only made of +brown paper with a very, very little +tobacco from the shop inside them."</p> + +<p>Whereupon Miss Jessamine sent a +servant to the churchyard, who found +Tony Johnson lying on a tombstone, very +sick, and having ceased to entertain any +hopes of his own recovery.</p> + +<p>If it could be possible that any "unpleasantness" +could arise between two +such amiable neighbors as Miss Jessamine +and Mrs. Johnson, and if the still more +incredible paradox can be that ladies +may differ over a point on which they +are agreed, that point was the admitted +fact that Tony Johnson was "delicate"; +and the difference lay chiefly in this: +Mrs. Johnson said that Tony was delicate,—meaning +that he was more finely +strung, more sensitive, a properer subject +for pampering and petting, than Jackanapes, +and that, consequently, Jackanapes +was to blame for leading Tony into +scrapes which resulted in his being chilled, +frightened, or (most frequently) sick. +But when Miss Jessamine said that Tony +Johnson was delicate, she meant that he +was more puling, less manly, and less +healthily brought up than Jackanapes, +who, when they got into mischief together, +was certainly not to blame because his +friend could not get wet, sit a kicking +donkey, ride in the giddy-go-round, bear +the noise of a cracker, or smoke brown +paper with impunity, as he could.</p> + +<p>Not that there was ever the slightest +quarrel between the ladies. It never even<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_485" id="Page_485">[485]</a></span> +came near it, except the day after Tony had +been so very sick with riding Bucephalus +on the giddy-go-round. Mrs. Johnson had +explained to Miss Jessamine that the reason +Tony was so easily upset was the unusual +sensitiveness (as a doctor had explained +it to her) of the nervous centers in her +family—"Fiddlestick!" So Mrs. Johnson +understood Miss Jessamine to say; but it +appeared that she only said "Treaclestick!" +which is quite another thing, and of which +Tony was undoubtedly fond.</p> + +<p>It was at the Fair that Tony was made +ill by riding on Bucephalus. Once a year +the Goose Green became the scene of a +carnival. First of all, carts and caravans +were rumbling up all along, day and +night. Jackanapes could hear them as +he lay in bed, and could hardly sleep for +speculating what booths and whirligigs +he should find fairly established when he +and his dog Spitfire went out after breakfast. +As a matter of fact, he seldom had +to wait so long for news of the Fair. +The Postman knew the window out of +which Jackanapes's yellow head would +come, and was ready with his report.</p> + +<p>"Royal Theayter, Master Jackanapes, +in the old place, but be careful o' them +seats, sir; they're rickettier than ever. +Two sweets and a ginger beer under the +Oak tree, and the Flying Boats is just +a-coming along the road."</p> + +<p>No doubt it was partly because he had +already suffered severely in the Flying +Boats that Tony collapsed so quickly in +the giddy-go-round. He only mounted +Bucephalus (who was spotted, and had +no tail) because Jackanapes urged him, +and held out the ingenious hope that the +round-and-round feeling would very +likely cure the up-and-down sensation. +It did not, however, and Tony tumbled +off during the first revolution.</p> + +<p>Jackanapes was not absolutely free +from qualms; but having once mounted +the Black Prince, he stuck to him as a +horseman should. During the first +round he waved his hat, and observed +with some concern that the Black Prince +had lost an ear since last Fair; at the +second, he looked a little pale, but sat +upright, though somewhat unnecessarily +rigid; at the third round he shut his eyes. +During the fourth his hat fell off, and he +clasped his horse's neck. By the fifth +he had laid his yellow head against the +Black Prince's mane, and so clung anyhow +till the hobby-horses stopped, when +the proprietor assisted him to alight, and +he sat down rather suddenly and said he +had enjoyed it very much.</p> + +<p>The Gray Goose always ran away at +the first approach of the caravans, and +never came back to the Green till there +was nothing left of the Fair but footmarks +and oyster-shells. Running away +was her pet principle; the only system, +she maintained, by which you can live +long and easily and lose nothing. If +you run away when you see danger, you +can come back when all is safe. Run +quickly, return slowly, hold your head +high, and gabble as loud as you can, and +you'll preserve the respect of the Goose +Green to a peaceful old age. Why +should you struggle and get hurt, if you +can lower your head and swerve, and not +lose a feather?! Why in the world should +any one spoil the pleasure of life, or risk +his skin, if he can help it?</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"'What's the use?'<br /> +Said the Goose."<br /> +</div> + +<p>Before answering which one might have +to consider what world, which life, and +whether his skin were a goose-skin; but +the Gray Goose's head would never have +held all that.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_486" id="Page_486">[486]</a></span></p> + +<p>Grass soon grows over footprints, and +the village children took the oyster-shells +to trim their gardens with; but the year +after Tony rode Bucephalus there lingered +another relic of Fair-time in which +Jackanapes was deeply interested. "The +Green" proper was originally only part +of a straggling common, which in its +turn merged into some wilder waste land +where gypsies sometimes squatted if the +authorities would allow them, especially +after the annual Fair. And it was after +the Fair that Jackanapes, out rambling +by himself, was knocked over by the +Gypsy's son riding the Gypsy's red-haired +pony at breakneck pace across the +common.</p> + +<p>Jackanapes got up and shook himself, +none the worse except for being heels over +head in love with the red-haired pony. +What a rate he went at! How he spurned +the ground with his nimble feet! How +his red coat shone in the sunshine! And +what bright eyes peeped out of his dark +forelock as it was blown by the wind!</p> + +<p>The Gypsy boy had had a fright, and +he was willing enough to reward Jackanapes +for not having been hurt, by consenting +to let him have a ride.</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to kill the little fine +gentleman, and swing us all on the gibbet, +you rascal?" screamed the Gypsy +mother, who came up just as Jackanapes +and the pony set off.</p> + +<p>"He would get on," replied her son. +"It'll not kill him. He'll fall on his yellow +head, and it's as tough as a cocoanut."</p> + +<p>But Jackanapes did not fall. He +stuck to the red-haired pony as he had +stuck to the hobby-horse; but, oh, how +different the delight of this wild gallop +with flesh and blood! Just as his legs +were beginning to feel as if he did not +feel them, the Gypsy boy cried, "Lollo!" +Round went the pony so unceremoniously +that with as little ceremony Jackanapes +clung to his neck; and he did not +properly recover himself before Lollo +stopped with a jerk at the place where +they had started.</p> + +<p>"Is his name Lollo?" asked Jackanapes, +his hand lingering in the wiry +mane.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"What does Lollo mean?"</p> + +<p>"Red."</p> + +<p>"Is Lollo your pony?"</p> + +<p>"No. My father's." And the Gypsy +boy led Lollo away.</p> + +<p>At the first opportunity Jackanapes +stole away again to the common. This +time he saw the Gypsy father, smoking +a dirty pipe.</p> + +<p>"Lollo is your pony, isn't he?" said +Jackanapes.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"He's a very nice one."</p> + +<p>"He's a racer."</p> + +<p>"You don't want to sell him, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Fifteen pounds," said the Gypsy +father; and Jackanapes sighed and went +home again. That very afternoon he +and Tony rode the two donkeys; and +Tony managed to get thrown, and even +Jackanapes's donkey kicked. But it was +jolting, clumsy work after the elastic +swiftness and the dainty mischief of the +red-haired pony.</p> + +<p>A few days later, Miss Jessamine spoke +very seriously to Jackanapes. She was +a good deal agitated as she told him that +his grandfather the General was coming +to the Green, and that he must be on his +very best behavior during the visit. If +it had been feasible to leave off calling +him Jackanapes and to get used to his +baptismal name of Theodore before the +day after to-morrow (when the General<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_487" id="Page_487">[487]</a></span> +was due), it would have been satisfactory. +But Miss Jessamine feared it +would be impossible in practice, and she +had scruples about it on principle. It +would not seem quite truthful, although +she had always most fully intended that +he should be called Theodore when he +had outgrown the ridiculous appropriateness +of his nickname. The fact was +that he had not outgrown it, but he must +take care to remember who was meant +when his grandfather said Theodore.</p> + +<p>Indeed, for that matter, he must take +care all along.</p> + +<p>"You are apt to be giddy, Jackanapes," +said Miss Jessamine.</p> + +<p>"Yes, aunt," said Jackanapes, thinking +of the hobby-horses.</p> + +<p>"You are a good boy, Jackanapes. +Thank God, I can tell your grandfather +that. An obedient boy, an honorable +boy, and a kind-hearted boy. But you +are—in short, you <i>are</i> a Boy, Jackanapes. +And I hope," added Miss Jessamine, +desperate with the results of experience, +"that the General knows that Boys will +be Boys."</p> + +<p>What mischief could be foreseen, +Jackanapes promised to guard against. +He was to keep his clothes and his hands +clean, to look over his catechism, not to +put sticky things in his pockets, to keep +that hair of his smooth ("It's the wind +that blows it, aunty," said Jackanapes—"I'll +send by the coach for some bear's-grease," +said Miss Jessamine, tying a knot +in her pocket-handkerchief), not to burst +in at the parlor door, not to talk at the +top of his voice, not to crumple his Sunday +frill, and to sit quite quiet during the +sermon, to be sure to say "sir" to the +General, to be careful about rubbing his +shoes on the door-mat, and to bring his +lesson-books to his aunt at once that she +might iron down the dogs'-ears. The +General arrived; and for the first day all +went well, except that Jackanapes's hair +was as wild as usual, for the hair-<ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'dresser'">dresser</ins> +had no bear's-grease left. He began to +feel more at ease with his grandfather, +and disposed to talk confidentially with +him, as he did with the Postman. All +that the General felt, it would take too +long to tell; but the result was the same. +He was disposed to talk confidentially +with Jackanapes.</p> + +<p>"Mons'ous pretty place this," he said, +looking out of the lattice on to the +Green, where the grass was vivid with +sunset and the shadows were long and +peaceful.</p> + +<p>"You should see it in Fair-week, sir," +said Jackanapes, shaking his yellow mop, +and leaning back in his one of the two +Chippendale arm-chairs in which they sat.</p> + +<p>"A fine time that, eh?" said the General, +with a twinkle in his left eye (the +other was glass).</p> + +<p>Jackanapes shook his hair once more. +"I enjoyed this last one the best of all," +he said. "I'd so much money."</p> + +<p>"By George, it's not a common complaint +in these bad times. How much +had ye?"</p> + +<p>"I'd two shillings. A new shilling +aunty gave me, and elevenpence I had +saved up, and a penny from the Postman,—<i>sir!</i>" +added Jackanapes with a +jerk, having forgotten it.</p> + +<p>"And how did ye spend it,—<i>sir?</i>" +inquired the General.</p> + +<p>Jackanapes spread his ten fingers on +the arms of his chair, and shut his eyes +that he might count the more conscientiously.</p> + +<p>"Watch-stand for aunty, threepence. +Trumpet for myself, twopence; that's +fivepence. Gingernuts for Tony, two<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_488" id="Page_488">[488]</a></span>pence, +and a mug with a Grenadier on for +the Postman, fourpence; that's elevenpence. +Shooting-gallery a penny; that's +a shilling. Giddy-go-round, a penny; +that's one and a penny. Treating Tony, +one and twopence. Flying Boats (Tony +paid for himself), a penny, one and threepence. +Shooting-gallery again, one and +fourpence; Fat Woman a penny, one and +fivepence. Giddy-go-round again, one +and sixpence. Shooting-gallery, one and +sevenpence. Treating Tony, and then +he wouldn't shoot, so I did, one and +eightpence. Living Skeleton, a penny—no, +Tony treated me, the Living Skeleton +doesn't count. Skittles, a penny, one +and ninepence. Mermaid (but when +we got inside she was dead), a penny, +one and tenpence. Theater, a penny +(Priscilla Partington, or the Green Lane +Murder. A beautiful young lady, sir, +with pink cheeks and a real pistol); that's +one and elevenpence. Ginger beer, a +penny (I <i>was</i> so thirsty!), two shillings. +And then the Shooting-gallery man gave +me a turn for nothing, because, he said, +I was a real gentleman, and spent my +money like a man."</p> + +<p>"So you do, sir, so you do!" cried the +General. "Egad, sir, you spent it like +a prince. And now I suppose you've not +got a penny in your pocket?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have," said Jackanapes. "Two +pennies. They are saving up." And +Jackanapes jingled them with his hand.</p> + +<p>"You don't want money except at +Fair-times, I suppose?" said the General.</p> + +<p>Jackanapes shook his mop.</p> + +<p>"If I could have as much as I want, I +should know what to buy," said he.</p> + +<p>"And how much do you want, if you +could get it?"</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute, sir, till I think what +twopence from fifteen pounds leaves. +Two from nothing you can't, but borrow +twelve. Two from twelve, ten, and +carry one. Please remember ten, sir, +when I ask you. One from nothing you +can't, borrow twenty. One from twenty, +nineteen, and carry one. One from fifteen, +fourteen. Fourteen pounds nineteen +and—what did I tell you to remember?"</p> + +<p>"Ten," said the General.</p> + +<p>"Fourteen pounds nineteen shillings +and tenpence, then, is what I want," +said Jackanapes.</p> + +<p>"God bless my soul! what for?"</p> + +<p>"To buy Lollo with. Lollo means +red, sir. The Gypsy's red-haired pony, +sir. Oh, he <i>is</i> beautiful! You should +see his coat in the sunshine! You should +see his mane! You should see his tail! +Such little feet, sir, and they go like +lightning! Such a dear face, too, and +eyes like a mouse! But he's a racer, and +the Gypsy wants fifteen pounds for him."</p> + +<p>"If he's a racer you couldn't ride him. +Could you?"</p> + +<p>"No—o, sir, but I can stick to him. I +did the other day."</p> + +<p>"The dooce you did! Well, I'm fond +of riding myself; and if the beast is as +good as you say, he might suit me."</p> + +<p>"You're too tall for Lollo, I think," +said Jackanapes, measuring his grandfather +with his eye.</p> + +<p>"I can double up my legs, I suppose. +We'll have a look at him to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Don't you weigh a good deal?" asked +Jackanapes.</p> + +<p>"Chiefly waistcoats," said the General, +slapping the breast of his military frock-coat. +"We'll have the little racer on the +Green the first thing in the morning. +Glad you mentioned it, grandson; glad +you mentioned it."</p> + +<p>The General was as good as his word. +Next morning the Gypsy and Lollo, Miss<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_489" id="Page_489">[489]</a></span> +Jessamine, Jackanapes and his grandfather +and his dog Spitfire, were all gathered +at one end of the Green in a group, +which so aroused the innocent curiosity +of Mrs. Johnson, as she saw it from one +of her upper windows, that she and the +children took their early promenade +rather earlier than usual. The General +talked to the Gypsy, and Jackanapes +fondled Lollo's mane, and did not know +whether he should be more glad or +miserable if his grandfather bought him.</p> + +<p>"Jackanapes!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir!"</p> + +<p>"I've bought Lollo, but I believe you +were right. He hardly stands high enough +for me. If you can ride him to the other +end of the Green, I'll give him to you."</p> + +<p>How Jackanapes tumbled on to Lollo's +back he never knew. He had just gathered +up the reins when the Gypsy father +took him by the arm.</p> + +<p>"If you want to make Lollo go fast, +my little gentleman—"</p> + +<p>"<i>I</i> can make him go!" said Jackanapes; +and drawing from his pocket the +trumpet he had bought in the Fair, he +blew a blast both loud and shrill.</p> + +<p>Away went Lollo, and away went +Jackanapes's hat. His golden hair flew +out, an aureole from which his cheeks +shone red and distended with trumpeting. +Away went Spitfire, mad with the rapture +of the race and the wind in his silky ears. +Away went the geese, the cocks, the hens, +and the whole family of Johnson. Lucy +clung to her mamma, Jane saved Emily +by the gathers of her gown, and Tony +saved himself by a somersault.</p> + +<p>The Gray Goose was just returning +when Jackanapes and Lollo rode back, +Spitfire panting behind.</p> + +<p>"Good, my little gentleman, good!" +said the Gypsy. "You were born to the +saddle. You've the flat thigh, the +strong knee, the wiry back, and the light +caressing hand; all you want is to learn +the whisper. Come here!"</p> + +<p>"What was that dirty fellow talking +about, grandson?" asked the General.</p> + +<p>"I can't tell you, sir. It's a secret."</p> + +<p>They were sitting in the window again, +in the two Chippendale arm-chairs, the +General devouring every line of his +grandson's face, with strange spasms +crossing his own.</p> + +<p>"You must love your aunt very much, +Jackanapes?"</p> + +<p>"I do, sir," said Jackanapes, warmly.</p> + +<p>"And whom do you love next best to +your aunt?"</p> + +<p>The ties of blood were pressing very +strongly on the General himself, and perhaps +he thought of Lollo. But love is +not bought in a day, even with fourteen +pounds nineteen shillings and tenpence. +Jackanapes answered quite readily, "The +Postman."</p> + +<p>"Why the Postman?"</p> + +<p>"He knew my father," said Jackanapes, +"and he tells me about him and +about his black mare. My father was a +soldier, a brave soldier. He died at +Waterloo. When I grow up I want to be +a soldier too."</p> + +<p>"So you shall, my boy; so you shall."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, grandfather. Aunty +doesn't want me to be a soldier, for fear +of being killed."</p> + +<p>"Bless my life! Would she have you +get into a feather-bed and stay there? +Why, you might be killed by a thunderbolt +if you were a butter-merchant!"</p> + +<p>"So I might. I shall tell her so. +What a funny fellow you are, sir! I say, +do you think my father knew the Gypsy's +secret? The Postman says he used to +whisper to his black mare."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_490" id="Page_490">[490]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Your father was taught to ride, as a +child, by one of those horsemen of the East +who swoop and dart and wheel about a +plain like swallows in autumn. Grandson! +love me a little too. I can tell you more +about your father than the Postman can."</p> + +<p>"I do love you," said Jackanapes. +"Before you came I was frightened. I'd +no notion you were so nice."</p> + +<p>"Love me always, boy, whatever I do +or leave undone. And—God help me!—whatever +you do or leave undone, I'll +love you. There shall never be a cloud +between us for a day; no, sir, not for an +hour. We're imperfect enough, all of us—we +needn't be so bitter; and life is +uncertain enough at its safest—we +needn't waste its opportunities. God +bless my soul! Here sit I, after a dozen +battles and some of the worst climates +in the world, and by yonder lych gate lies +your mother, who didn't move five miles, +I suppose, from your aunt's apron-strings,—dead +in her teens; my golden-haired +daughter, whom I never saw!"</p> + +<p>Jackanapes was terribly troubled.</p> + +<p>"Don't cry, grandfather," he pleaded, +his own blue eyes round with tears. "I +will love you very much, and I will try +to be very good. But I should like to +be a soldier."</p> + +<p>"You shall, my boy; you shall. +You've more claims for a commission +than you know of. Cavalry, I suppose; +eh, ye young Jackanapes? Well, well; if +you live to be an honor to your country, +this old heart shall grow young again +with pride for you; and if you die in the +service of your country—egad, sir, it +can but break for ye!"</p> + +<p>And beating the region which he said +was all waistcoats, as if they stifled him, +the old man got up and strode out on +to the Green.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />CHAPTER IV</div> + +<div class='blockquot'><i>Greater love hath no man than this, that a man +lay down his life for his friends.</i>—John 15:13.</div> + +<p>Twenty and odd years later the Gray +Goose was still alive, and in full possession +of her faculties, such as they were. She +lived slowly and carefully, and she lived +long. So did Miss Jessamine; but the +General was dead.</p> + +<p>He had lived on the Green for many +years, during which he and the Postman +saluted each other with a punctiliousness +that it almost drilled one to witness. He +would have completely spoiled Jackanapes +if Miss Jessamine's conscience +would have let him; otherwise he somewhat +dragooned his neighbors, and was +as positive about parish matters as a +rate-payer about the army. A stormy-tempered, +tender-hearted soldier, irritable +with the suffering of wounds of which he +never spoke, whom all the village followed +to his grave with tears.</p> + +<p>The General's death was a great +shock to Miss Jessamine, and her nephew +stayed with her for some little time after +the funeral. Then he was obliged to +join his regiment, which was ordered +abroad.</p> + +<p>One effect of the conquest which the +General had gained over the affections +of the village was a considerable abatement +of the popular prejudice against +"the military." Indeed, the village was +now somewhat importantly represented +in the army. There was the General +himself, and the Postman, and the Black +Captain's tablet in the church, and +Jackanapes, and Tony Johnson, and a +Trumpeter.</p> + +<p>Tony Johnson had no more natural +taste for fighting than for riding, but he +was as devoted as ever to Jackanapes. +And that was how it came about that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_491" id="Page_491">[491]</a></span> +Mr. Johnson bought him a commission +in the same cavalry regiment that the +General's grandson (whose commission +had been given him by the Iron Duke) +was in; and that he was quite content to +be the butt of the mess where Jackanapes +was the hero; and that when Jackanapes +wrote home to Miss Jessamine, Tony +wrote with the same purpose to his +mother,—namely, to demand her congratulations +that they were on active +service at last, and were ordered to the +front. And he added a postscript, to +the effect that she could have no idea how +popular Jackanapes was, nor how splendidly +he rode the wonderful red charger +which he had named after his old friend +Lollo.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"Sound Retire!"</p> + +<p>A Boy Trumpeter, grave with the weight +of responsibilities and accoutrements +beyond his years, and stained so that his +own mother would not have known him, +with the sweat and dust of battle, did as +he was bid; and then, pushing his trumpet +pettishly aside, adjusted his weary legs +for the hundredth time to the horse which +was a world too big for him, and muttering, +"'Tain't a pretty tune," tried to see +something of this his first engagement +before it came to an end.</p> + +<p>Being literally in the thick of it, he +could hardly have seen less or known less +of what happened in that particular skirmish +if he had been at home in England. +For many good reasons,—including dust +and smoke, and that what attention he +dared distract from his commanding +officer was pretty well absorbed by keeping +his hard-mouthed troop-horse in +hand, under pain of execration by his +neighbors in the mélée. By and by, when +the newspapers came out, if he could get +a look at one before it was thumbed to +bits, he would learn that the enemy had +appeared from ambush in overwhelming +numbers, and that orders had been given +to fall back, which was done slowly and +in good order, the men fighting as they +retired.</p> + +<p>Born and bred on the Goose Green, +the youngest of Mr. Johnson's gardener's +numerous offspring, the boy had given +his family no "peace" till they let him +"go for a soldier" with Master Tony and +Master Jackanapes. They consented at +last, with more tears than they shed +when an elder son was sent to jail for +poaching; and the boy was perfectly +happy in his life, and full of <i>esprit de +corps</i>. It was this which had been +wounded by having to sound retreat for +"the young gentlemen's regiment," the +first time he served with it before the +enemy; and he was also harassed by +having completely lost sight of Master +Tony. There had been some hard fighting +before the backward movement began, +and he had caught sight of him once, but +not since. On the other hand, all the +pulses of his village pride had been +stirred by one or two visions of Master +Jackanapes whirling about on his wonderful +horse. He had been easy to distinguish, +since an eccentric blow had +bared his head without hurting it; for +his close golden mop of hair gleamed in +the hot sunshine as brightly as the steel +of the sword flashing round it.</p> + +<p>Of the missiles that fell pretty thickly, +the Boy Trumpeter did not take much +notice. First, one can't attend to everything, +and his hands were full; secondly, +one gets used to anything; thirdly, experience +soon teaches one, in spite of proverbs, +how very few bullets find their +billet. Far more unnerving is the mere<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_492" id="Page_492">[492]</a></span> +suspicion of fear or even of anxiety in the +human mass around you. The Boy was +beginning to wonder if there were any +dark reason for the increasing pressure, +and whether they would be allowed to +move back more quickly, when the smoke +in front lifted for a moment, and he could +see the plain, and the enemy's line some +two hundred yards away. And across the +the plain between them, he saw Master +Jackanapes galloping alone at the top of +Lollo's speed, their faces to the enemy, +his golden head at Lollo's ear.</p> + +<p>But at this moment noise and smoke +seemed to burst out on every side; the +officer shouted to him to sound Retire! +and between trumpeting and bumping +about on his horse, he saw and heard no +more of the incidents of his first battle.</p> + +<p>Tony Johnson was always unlucky +with horses, from the days of the giddy-go-round +onwards. On this day—of all +days in the year—his own horse was on +the sick list, and he had to ride an inferior, +ill-conditioned beast, and fell off that, at +the very moment when it was matter of +life or death to be able to ride away. +The horse fell on him, but struggled up +again, and Tony managed to keep hold +of it. It was in trying to remount that +he discovered, by helplessness and anguish, +that one of his legs was crushed and +broken, and that no feat of which he was +master would get him into the saddle. +Not able even to stand alone, awkwardly, +agonizingly, unable to mount his restive +horse, his life was yet so strong within +him! And on one side of him rolled the +dust and smoke-cloud of his advancing +foes, and on the other, that which covered +his retreating friends.</p> + +<p>He turned one piteous gaze after them, +with a bitter twinge, not of reproach, but +of loneliness; and then, dragging himself +up by the side of his horse, he turned the +other way and drew out his pistol, and +waited for the end. Whether he waited +seconds or minutes he never knew, before +some one gripped him by the arm.</p> + +<p>"<i>Jackanapes! God bless you!</i> It's my +left leg. If you <i>could</i> get me on—"</p> + +<p>It was like Tony's luck that his pistol +went off at his horse's tail, and made it +plunge; but Jackanapes threw him across +the saddle.</p> + +<p>"Hold on anyhow, and stick your +spur in. I'll lead him. Keep your head +down; they're firing high."</p> + +<p>And Jackanapes laid his head down—to +Lollo's ear.</p> + +<p>It was when they were fairly off, that +a sudden upspringing of the enemy in all +directions had made it necessary to +change the gradual retirement of our +force into as rapid a retreat as possible. +And when Jackanapes became aware of +this, and felt the lagging and swerving +of Tony's horse, he began to wish he had +thrown his friend across his own saddle +and left their lives to Lollo.</p> + +<p>When Tony became aware of it, several +things came into his head: 1. That the +dangers of their ride for life were now +more than doubled; 2. That if Jackanapes +and Lollo were not burdened with +him they would undoubtedly escape; +3. That Jackanapes's life was infinitely +valuable, and his—Tony's—was not; +4. That this, if he could seize it, was the +supremest of all the moments in which +he had tried to assume the virtues which +Jackanapes had by nature; and that if +he could be courageous and unselfish +now—</p> + +<p>He caught at his own reins and spoke +very loud,—</p> + +<p>"Jackanapes! It won't do. You and +Lollo must go on. Tell the fellows I gave<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_493" id="Page_493">[493]</a></span> +you back to them with all my heart. +Jackanapes, if you love me, leave me!"</p> + +<p>There was a daffodil light over the +evening sky in front of them, and it +shone strangely on Jackanapes's hair and +face. He turned with an odd look in his +eyes that a vainer man than Tony Johnson +might have taken for brotherly pride. +Then he shook his mop, and laughed at +him,</p> + +<p>"<i>Leave you?</i> To save my skin? No, +Tony, not to save my soul!"</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />CHAPTER V</div> +<div class='blockquot'> +<p><span class="smcap">Mr. Valiant</span> <i>summoned. His Will. His last +Words.</i></p> + +<p>Then said he, "I am going to my Father's. . . . +My Sword I give to him that shall +succeed me in my Pilgrimage, and my Courage +and Skill to him that can get it." . . . And +as he went down deeper, he said, "Grave, where +is thy Victory?"</p> + +<p>So he passed over, and all the Trumpets +sounded for him on the other side.</p> + +<div class='sig'> +<span class="smcap">Bunyan</span>, <i>Pilgrim's Progress</i><br /></div></div> + +<p>Coming out of a hospital tent, at headquarters, +the surgeon cannoned against, +and rebounded from, another officer,—a +sallow man, not young, with a face worn +more by ungentle experiences than by +age, with weary eyes that kept their own +counsel, iron-gray hair, and a moustache +that was as if a raven had laid its wing +across his lips and sealed them.</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>"Beg pardon, Major. Didn't see you. +Oh, compound fracture and bruises. +But it's all right; he'll pull through."</p> + +<p>"Thank God."</p> + +<p>It was probably an involuntary expression; +for prayer and praise were not much +in the Major's line, as a jerk of the surgeon's +head would have betrayed to an +observer. He was a bright little man, +with his feelings showing all over him, +but with gallantry and contempt of death +enough for both sides of his profession; +who took a cool head, a white handkerchief, +and a case of instruments, where +other men went hot blooded with weapons, +and who was the biggest gossip, male +or female, of the regiment. Not even +the major's taciturnity daunted him.</p> + +<p>"Didn't think he'd as much pluck +about him as he has. He'll do all right +if he doesn't fret himself into a fever +about poor Jackanapes."</p> + +<p>"Whom are you talking about?" asked +the Major, hoarsely.</p> + +<p>"Young Johnson. He—"</p> + +<p>"What about Jackanapes?"</p> + +<p>"Don't you know? Sad business. +Rode back for Johnson, and brought him +in; but, monstrous ill-luck, hit as they +rode. Left lung—"</p> + +<p>"Will he recover?"</p> + +<p>"No. Sad business. What a frame—what +limbs—what health—and what +good looks! Finest young fellow—"</p> + +<p>"Where is he?"</p> + +<p>"In his own tent," said the surgeon, +sadly.</p> + +<p>The Major wheeled and left him.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"Can I do anything else for you?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, thank you. Except—Major! +I wish I could get you to appreciate +Johnson."</p> + +<p>"This is not an easy moment, Jackanapes."</p> + +<p>"Let me tell you, sir—<i>he</i> never will—that +if he could have driven me from him, +he would be lying yonder at this moment, +and I should be safe and sound."</p> + +<p>The Major laid his hand over his +mouth, as if to keep back a wish he +would have been ashamed to utter.</p> + +<p>"I've known old Tony from a child. +He's a fool on impulse, a good man and +a gentleman in principle. And he acts<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_494" id="Page_494">[494]</a></span> +on principle, which it's not every—Some +water, please! Thank you, sir. +It's very hot, and yet one's feet get uncommonly +cold. Oh, thank you, thank +you. He's no fire-eater, but he has a +trained conscience and a tender heart, +and he'll do his duty when a braver and +more selfish man might fail you. But +he wants encouragement; and when I'm +gone—"</p> + +<p>"He shall have encouragement. You +have my word for it. Can I do nothing +else?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Major. A favor."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Jackanapes."</p> + +<p>"Be Lollo's master, and love him as +well as you can. He's used to it."</p> + +<p>"Wouldn't you rather Johnson had him?"</p> + +<p>The blue eyes twinkled in spite of mortal +pain.</p> + +<p>"Tony <i>rides</i> on principle, Major. His +legs are bolsters, and will be to the end +of the chapter. I couldn't insult dear +Lollo; but if you don't care—"</p> + +<p>"While I live—which will be longer +than I desire or deserve—Lollo shall +want nothing but—you. I have too little +tenderness for—My dear boy, you're +faint. Can you spare me for a moment?"</p> + +<p>"No, stay—Major!"</p> + +<p>"What? What?"</p> + +<p>"My head drifts so—if you wouldn't +mind."</p> + +<p>"Yes! Yes!"</p> + +<p>"Say a prayer by me. Out loud, +please; I am getting deaf."</p> + +<p>"My dearest Jackanapes—my dear +boy—"</p> + +<p>"One of the Church Prayers—Parade +Service, you know."</p> + +<p>"I see. But the fact is—God forgive +me, Jackanapes!—I'm a very different +sort of fellow to some of you youngsters. +Look here, let me fetch—"</p> + +<p>But Jackanapes's hand was in his, and +it would not let go.</p> + +<p>There was a brief and bitter silence.</p> + +<p>"'Pon my soul I can only remember +the little one at the end."</p> + +<p>"Please," whispered Jackanapes.</p> + +<p>Pressed by the conviction that what +little he could do it was his duty to do, +the Major, kneeling, bared his head, and +spoke loudly, clearly, and very reverently,—</p> + +<p>"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ—"</p> + +<p>Jackanapes moved his left hand to his +right one, which still held the Major's.</p> + +<p>"The love of God—"</p> + +<p>And with that—Jackanapes died.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />CHAPTER VI</div> + +<div class="blockquot">Und so ist der blaue Himmel grösser als jedes +Gewölk darin, und dauerhafter dazu.<br /> + +<div class='sig'> +—<span class="smcap">Jean Paul Richter</span><br /></div></div> + +<p>Jackanapes's death was sad news for +the Goose Green, a sorrow just qualified +by honorable pride in his gallantry and +devotion. Only the Cobbler dissented; +but that was his way. He said he saw +nothing in it but foolhardiness and vainglory. +They might both have been +killed, as easy as not; and then where +would ye have been? A man's life was +a man's life, and one life was as good as +another. No one would catch him +throwing his away. And, for that matter, +Mrs. Johnson could spare a child a +great deal better than Miss Jessamine.</p> + +<p>But the parson preached Jackanapes's +funeral sermon on the text, "Whosoever +will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever +will lose his life for my sake shall find +it"; and all the village went and wept to +hear him.</p> + +<p>Nor did Miss Jessamine see her loss +from the Cobbler's point of view. On the +contrary, Mrs. Johnson said she never<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_495" id="Page_495">[495]</a></span> +to her dying day should forget how, when +she went to condole with her, the old lady +came forward, with gentlewomanly self-control, +and kissed her, and thanked God +that her dear nephew's effort had been +blessed with success, and that this sad +war had made no gap in her friend's +large and happy home-circle.</p> + +<p>"But she's a noble, unselfish woman," +sobbed Mrs. Johnson, "and she taught +Jackanapes to be the same; and that's +how it is that my Tony has been spared +to me. And it must be sheer goodness +in Miss Jessamine, for what can she know +of a mother's feelings? And I'm sure +most people seem to think that if you've +a large family you don't know one from +another any more than they do, and that +a lot of children are like a lot of store +apples,—if one's taken it won't be +missed."</p> + +<p>Lollo—the first Lollo, the Gypsy's +Lollo—very aged, draws Miss Jessamine's +bath-chair slowly up and down +the Goose Green in the sunshine.</p> + +<p>The Ex-postman walks beside him, +which Lollo tolerates to the level of his +shoulder. If the Postman advances any +nearer to his head, Lollo quickens his +pace; and were the Postman to persist +in the injudicious attempt, there is, as +Miss Jessamine says, no knowing what +might happen.</p> + +<p>In the opinion of the Goose Green, +Miss Jessamine has borne her troubles +"wonderfully." Indeed, to-day, some +of the less delicate and less intimate of +those who see everything from the upper +windows say (well, behind her back) +that "the old lady seems quite lively with +her military beaux again."</p> + +<p>The meaning of this is, that Captain +Johnson is leaning over one side of her +chair, while by the other bends a brother +officer who is staying with him, and who +has manifested an extraordinary interest +in Lollo. He bends lower and lower, +and Miss Jessamine calls to the Postman +to request Lollo to be kind enough to +stop, while she is fumbling for something +which always hangs by her side, and has +got entangled with her spectacles.</p> + +<p>It is a twopenny trumpet, bought +years ago in the village fair; and over it +she and Captain Johnson tell, as best +they can, between them, the story of +Jackanapes's ride across the Goose Green; +and how he won Lollo—the Gypsy's +Lollo—the racer Lollo—dear Lollo—faithful +Lollo—Lollo the never vanquished—Lollo +the tender servant of his +old mistress. And Lollo's ears twitch +at every mention of his name.</p> + +<p>Their hearer does not speak, but he +never moves his eyes from the trumpet; +and when the tale is told, he lifts Miss +Jessamine's hand and presses his heavy +black moustache in silence to her trembling +fingers.</p> + +<p>The sun, setting gently to his rest, +embroiders the somber foliage of the oak +tree with threads of gold. The Gray +Goose is sensible of an atmosphere of +repose, and puts up one leg for the night. +The grass glows with a more vivid green, +and, in answer to a ringing call from +Tony, his sisters fluttering over the +daisies in pale-hued muslins, come out +of their ever-open door, like pretty +pigeons from a dovecote.</p> + +<p>And if the good gossips' eyes do not +deceive them, all the Miss Johnsons and +both the officers go wandering off into +the lanes, where bryony wreaths still +twine about the brambles.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A sorrowful story, and ending badly?</p> + +<p>Nay, Jackanapes, for the End is not yet.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_496" id="Page_496">[496]</a></span></p> + +<p>A life wasted that might have been +useful?</p> + +<p>Men who have died for men, in all +ages, forgive the thought!</p> + +<p>There is a heritage of heroic example +and noble obligation, not reckoned in +the Wealth of Nations, but essential to +a nation's life; the contempt of which, in +any people, may, not slowly, mean even +its commercial fall.</p> + +<p>Very sweet are the uses of prosperity, +the harvests of peace and progress, the +fostering sunshine of health and happiness, +and length of days in the land.</p> + +<p>But there be things—oh, sons of what +has deserved the name of Great Britain, +forget it not!—"the good of" which and +"the use of" which are beyond all calculation +of worldly goods and earthly +uses: things such as Love, and Honor, +and the Soul of Man, which cannot be +bought with a price, and which do not +die with death. And they who would +fain live happily ever after should not +leave these things out of the lessons of +their lives.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_383" id="Note_383">383</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The story that follows was first published in +<i>Harper's Round Table</i>, June 25, 1895, as +the winner of first place in a short story +contest conducted by that periodical. The +author at that time was seventeen years +of age. It seems quite fitting that a writer +beginning his career in such fashion should +finally write the most scholarly historical +and critical account of the development of +the short story, <i>The Short Story in English</i> +(1909). Mr. Canby was for several years +assistant professor of English in the Sheffield +Scientific School, Yale University, and +is now the editor of <i>The Literary Review</i>, +the literary section of the New York +<i>Evening Post</i>. ("Betty's Ride" is used here +by special arrangement with the author.)</div> + + +<h4><br />BETTY'S RIDE: A TALE OF +THE REVOLUTION</h4> + +<div class='center'>HENRY S. CANBY</div> + +<p>The sun was just rising and showering +his first rays on the gambrel-roof and +solid stone walls of a house surrounded +by a magnificent grove of walnuts, and +overlooking one of the beautiful valleys +so common in southeastern Pennsylvania. +Close by the house, and shaded by the +same great trees, stood a low building of +the most severe type, whose time-stained +bricks and timbers green with moss told +its age without the aid of the half-obliterated +inscription over the door, +which read, "Built A. D. 1720." One +familiar with the country would have pronounced +it without hesitation a Quaker +meeting-house, dating back almost to +the time of William Penn.</p> + +<p>When Ezra Dale had become the +leader of the little band of Quakers +which gathered here every First Day, +he had built the house under the walnut-trees, +and had taken his wife Ann and +his little daughter Betty to live there. +That was in 1770, seven years earlier, +and before war had wrought sorrow and +desolation throughout the country.</p> + +<p>The sun rose higher, and just as his +beams touched the broad stone step in +front of the house the door opened, and +Ann Dale, a sweet-faced woman in the +plain Quaker garb, came out, followed +by Betty, a little blue-eyed Quakeress +of twelve years, with a gleam of spirit +in her face which ill became her plain +dress.</p> + +<p>"Betty," said her mother, as they +walked out towards the great horse-block +by the road-side, "thee must keep +house to-day. Friend Robert has just +sent thy father word that the redcoats<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_497" id="Page_497">[497]</a></span> +have not crossed the Brandywine since +Third Day last, and thy father and I +will ride to Chester to-day, that there +may be other than corn-cakes and bacon +for the friends who come to us after +monthly meeting. Mind thee keeps near +the house and finishes thy sampler."</p> + +<p>"Yes, mother," said Betty; "but will +thee not come home early? I shall miss +thee sadly."</p> + +<p>Just then Ezra appeared, wearing his +collarless Quaker coat, and leading a +horse saddled with a great pillion, into +which Ann laboriously climbed after her +husband, and with a final warning and +"farewell" to Betty, clasped him tightly +around the waist lest she should be jolted +off as they jogged down the rough and +winding lane into the broad Chester +highway.</p> + +<p>Friend Ann had many reasons for +fearing to leave Betty alone for a whole +day, and she looked back anxiously at her +waving "farewell" with her little bonnet.</p> + +<p>It was a troublous time.</p> + +<p>The Revolution was at its height, and +the British, who had a short time before +disembarked their army near Elkton, +Maryland, were now encamped near +White Clay Creek, while Washington +occupied the country bordering on the +Brandywine. His force, however, was +small compared to the extent of the +country to be guarded, and bands of the +British sometimes crossed the Brandywine +and foraged in the fertile counties +of Delaware and Chester. As Betty's +father, although a Quaker and a non-combatant, +was known to be a patriot, +he had to suffer the fortunes of war +with his neighbors.</p> + +<p>Thus it was with many forebodings +that Betty's mother watched the slight +figure under the spreading branches of +a great chestnut, which seemed to rustle +its innumerable leaves as if to promise +protection to the little maid. However, +the sun shone brightly, the swallows +chirped as they circled overhead, and +nothing seemed farther off than battle +and bloodshed.</p> + +<p>Betty skipped merrily into the house, +and snatching up some broken corn-cake +left from the morning meal, ran +lightly out to the paddock where Daisy +was kept, her own horse, which she had +helped to raise from a colt.</p> + +<p>"Come thee here, Daisy," she said, +as she seated herself on the top rail of +the mossy snake fence. "Come thee +here, and thee shall have some of thy +mistress's corn-cake. Ah! I thought thee +would like it. Now go and eat all thee +can of this good grass, for if the wicked +redcoats come again, thee will not have +another chance, I can tell thee."</p> + +<p>Daisy whinnied and trotted off, while +Betty, feeding the few chickens (sadly +reduced in numbers by numerous raids), +returned to the house, and getting her +sampler, sat down under a walnut-tree +to sew on the stint which her mother had +given her.</p> + +<p>All was quiet save the chattering of +the squirrels overhead and the drowsy +hum of the bees, when from around the +curve in the road she heard a shot; then +another nearer, and then a voice shouting +commands, and the thud of hoof-beats +farther down the valley. She jumped +up with a startled cry: "The redcoats! +The redcoats! Oh, what shall I do!"</p> + +<p>Just then the foremost of a scattered +band of soldiers, their buff and blue +uniforms and ill-assorted arms showing +them to be Americans, appeared in full +flight around the curve in the road, +and springing over the fence, dashed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_498" id="Page_498">[498]</a></span> +across the pasture straight for the +meeting-house. Through the broad gateway +they poured, and forcing open the +door of the meeting-house, rushed within +and began to barricade the windows.</p> + +<p>Their leader paused while his men +passed in, and seeing Betty, came quickly +towards her.</p> + +<p>"What do you here, child?" he said, +<ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'hurridly'">hurriedly</ins>. "Go quickly, before the British +reach us, and tell your father that, +Quaker or no Quaker, he shall ride to +Washington, on the Brandywine, and +tell him that we, but one hundred men, +are besieged by three hundred British +cavalry in Chichester Meeting-house, +with but little powder left. Tell him +to make all haste to us."</p> + +<p>Turning, he hastened into the meeting-house, +now converted into a fort, and +as the doors closed behind him Betty +saw a black muzzle protruding from +every window.</p> + +<p>With trembling fingers the little maid +picked up her sampler, and as the thud +of horses' hoofs grew louder and louder, +she ran fearfully into the house, locked +and bolted the massive door, and then +flying up the broad stairs, she seated +herself in a little window overlooking +the meeting-house yard. She had gone +into the house none too soon. Up the +road, with their red coats gleaming and +their harness jangling, was sweeping a +detachment of British cavalry, never +stopping until they reached the meeting-house—and +then it was too late.</p> + +<p>A sheet of flame shot out from the +wall before them, and half a dozen +troopers fell lifeless to the ground, and +half a dozen riderless horses galloped +wildly down the road. The leader +shouted a sharp command, and the +whole troop retreated in confusion.</p> + +<p>Betty drew back shuddering, and +when she brought herself to look again +the troopers had dismounted, had surrounded +the meeting-house, and were +pouring volley after volley at its doors +and windows. Then for the first time +Betty thought of the officer's message, +and remembered that the safety of the +Americans depended upon her alone, +for her father was away, no neighbor +within reach, and without powder she +knew they could not resist long.</p> + +<p>Could she save them? All her stern +Quaker blood rose at the thought, and +stealing softly to the paddock behind +the barn, she saddled Daisy and led her +through the bars into the wood road, +which opened into the highway just +around the bend. Could she but pass +the pickets without discovery there would +be little danger of pursuit; then there +would be only the long ride of eight +miles ahead of her.</p> + +<p>Just before the narrow wood road +joined the broader highway Betty +mounted Daisy by means of a convenient +stump, and starting off at a gallop, had +just turned the corner when a voice +shouted "Halt!" and a shot whistled +past her head. Betty screamed with +terror, and bending over, brought down +her riding-whip with all her strength +upon Daisy, then, turning for a moment, +saw three troopers hurriedly mounting.</p> + +<p>Her heart sank within her, but, +beginning to feel the excitement of the +chase, she leaned over and patting +Daisy on the neck, encouraged her to +do her best. Onward they sped. Betty, +her curly hair streaming in the wind, the +color now mounting to, now retreating +from her cheeks, led by five hundred yards.</p> + +<p>But Daisy had not been used for weeks, +and already felt the unusual strain.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_499" id="Page_499">[499]</a></span> +Now they thundered over Naaman's +Creek, now over Concord, with the +nearest pursuer only four hundred yards +behind; and now they raced beside the +clear waters of Beaver Brook, and as +Betty dashed through its shallow ford, +the thud of horse's hoofs seemed just +over her shoulder.</p> + +<p>Betty, at first sure of success, now +knew that unless in some way she could +throw her pursuers off her track she +was surely lost. Just then she saw +ahead of her a fork in the road, the +lower branch leading to the Brandywine, +the upper to the Birmingham +Meeting-house. Could she but get the +troopers on the upper road while she +took the lower, she would be safe; and, +as if in answer to her wish, there flashed +across her mind the remembrance of the +old cross-road which, long disused, and +with its entrance hidden by drooping +boughs, led from a point in the upper road +just out of sight of the fork down across +the lower, and through the valley of the +Brandywine. Could she gain this road +unseen she still might reach Washington.</p> + +<p>Urging Daisy forward, she broke just +in time through the dense growth which +hid the entrance, and sat trembling, +hidden behind a dense growth of tangled +vines, while she heard the troopers +thunder by. Then, riding through the +rustling woods, she came at last into +the open, and saw spread out beneath +her the beautiful valley of the Brandywine, +dotted with the white tents of the +Continental army.</p> + +<p>Starting off at a gallop, she dashed +around a bend in the road into the +midst of a group of officers riding slowly +up from the valley.</p> + +<p>"Stop, little maiden, before you run +us down," said one, who seemed to be +in command. "Where are you going +in such hot haste?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, sir," said Betty, reining in Daisy, +"can thee tell me where I can find +General Washington?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, little Quakeress," said the officer +who had first spoken to her; "I am he. +What do you wish?"</p> + +<p>Betty, too exhausted to be surprised, +poured forth her story in a few broken +sentences, and (hearing as if in a dream +the hasty commands for the rescue of +the soldiers in Chichester Meeting-house) +fell forward in her saddle, and, for the +first time in her life, fainted, worn out +by her noble ride.</p> + +<p>A few days later, when recovering +from the shock of her long and eventful +ride, Betty, awaking from a deep sleep, +found her mother kneeling beside her +little bed, while her father talked with +General Washington himself beside the +fireplace; and it was the proudest and +happiest moment of her life when +Washington, coming forward and taking +her by the hand, said, "You are the +bravest little maid in America, and an +honor to your country."</p> + +<p>Still the peaceful meeting-house and the +gambrel-roofed home stand unchanged, +save that their time-beaten timbers and +crumbling bricks have taken on a more +sombre tinge, and under the broad walnut-tree +another little Betty sits and sews.</p> + +<p>If you ask it, she will take down the +great key from its nail, and swinging +back the new doors of the meeting-house, +will show you the old worm-eaten ones +inside, which, pierced through and +through with bullet-holes, once served +as a rampart against the enemy. And +she will tell you, in the quaint Friend's +language, how her great-great-grandmother +carried, over a hundred years<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_500" id="Page_500">[500]</a></span> +ago, the news of the danger of her countrymen +to Washington, on the Brandywine, +and at the risk of her own life +saved theirs.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_384" id="Note_384">384</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Some two decades ago thousands were reading +about the highly romantic career of +Charles Brandon in <i>When Knighthood Was +in Flower</i> (1898), and other thousands were +applauding Julia Marlowe's impersonation +of the beautiful and fascinating Princess +Mary in the dramatic version of that book. +The author was Charles Major (1856-1913), +an Indiana lawyer turned novelist, who +wrote, also, the equally romantic story of +<i>Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall</i> (1902). +Between these two pieces of delightful +romance, he wrote a series of sketches of +pioneer life in Indiana under the title of +<i>The Bears of Blue River</i> (1901). It is an +account of boy life in the early days, full +of dramatic interest, simply written, and +entirely worthy of the high place which it +has already taken among stories of its +type. The first adventure in that book +follows by special arrangement with the +publishers. (Copyright. The Macmillan +Company, New York.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE BIG BEAR</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHARLES MAJOR</div> + +<p>Away back in the "twenties," when +Indiana was a baby state, and great +forests of tall trees and tangled underbrush +darkened what are now her bright +plains and sunny hills, there stood upon +the east bank of Big Blue River, a mile or +two north of the point where that stream +crosses the Michigan road, a cozy log cabin +of two rooms—one front and one back.</p> + +<p>The house faced the west, and stretching +off toward the river for a distance +equal to twice the width of an ordinary +street, was a blue-grass lawn, upon which +stood a dozen or more elm and sycamore +trees, with a few honey-locusts scattered +here and there. Immediately at the +water's edge was a steep slope of ten or +twelve feet. Back of the house, mile +upon mile, stretched the deep dark +forest, inhabited by deer and bears, +wolves and wildcats, squirrels and birds, +without number.</p> + +<p>In the river the fish were so numerous +that they seemed to entreat the boys to +catch them, and to take them out of +their crowded quarters. There were +bass and black suckers, sunfish and catfish, +to say nothing of the sweetest of +all, the big-mouthed redeye.</p> + +<p>South of the house stood a log barn, +with room in it for three horses and two +cows; and enclosing this barn, together +with a piece of ground, five or six acres +in extent, was a palisade fence, eight or +ten feet high, made by driving poles +into the ground close together. In this +enclosure the farmer kept his stock, consisting +of a few sheep and cattle, and +here also the chickens, geese, and ducks +were driven at nightfall to save them +from "varmints," as all prowling animals +were called by the settlers.</p> + +<p>The man who had built this log hut, +and who lived in it and owned the +adjoining land at the time of which I +write, bore the name of Balser Brent. +"Balser" is probably a corruption of +Baltzer, but, however that may be, +Balser was his name, and Balser was the +hero of the bear stories which I am +about to tell you.</p> + +<p>Mr. Brent and his young wife had +moved to the Blue River settlement +from North Carolina, when young Balser +was a little boy five or six years of age. +They had purchased the "eighty" upon +which they lived, from the United States, +at a sale of public land held in the town<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_501" id="Page_501">[501]</a></span> +of Brookville on Whitewater, and had +paid for it what was then considered a +good round sum—one dollar per acre. +They had received a deed for their +"eighty" from no less a person than +James Monroe, then President of the +United States. This deed, which is +called a patent, was written on sheepskin, +signed by the President's own hand, +and is still preserved by the descendants +of Mr. Brent as one of the title-deeds to +the land it conveyed. The house, as I +have told you, consisted of two large +rooms, or buildings, separated by a +passageway six or eight feet broad which +was roofed over, but open at both ends—on +the north and south. The back room +was the kitchen, and the front room was +parlor, bedroom, sitting room and library +all in one.</p> + +<p>At the time when my story opens +Little Balser, as he was called to distinguish +him from his father, was thirteen +or fourteen years of age, and was the +happy possessor of a younger brother, +Jim, aged nine, and a little sister one year +old, of whom he was very proud indeed.</p> + +<p>On the south side of the front room +was a large fireplace. The chimney was +built of sticks, thickly covered with clay. +The fireplace was almost as large as a +small room in one of our cramped modern +houses, and was broad and deep enough +to take in backlogs which were so large +and heavy that they could not be lifted, +but were drawn in at the door and rolled +over the floor to the fireplace.</p> + +<p>The prudent father usually kept two +extra backlogs, one on each side of the fireplace, +ready to be rolled in as the blaze +died down; and on these logs the children +would sit at night, with a rough slate made +from a flat stone, and do their "ciphering," +as the study of arithmetic was then +called. The fire usually furnished all the +light they had, for candles and "dips," +being expensive luxuries, were used only +when company was present.</p> + +<p>The fire, however, gave sufficient light, +and its blaze upon a cold night extended +halfway up the chimney, sending a ruddy, +cozy glow to every nook and corner of +the room.</p> + +<p>The back room was the storehouse +and kitchen; and from the beams and +along the walls hung rich hams and +juicy sidemeat, jerked venison, dried +apples, onions, and other provisions for +the winter. There was a glorious fireplace +in this room also, and a crane upon +which to hang pots and cooking utensils.</p> + +<p>The floor of the front room was made +of logs split in halves with the flat, hewn +side up; but the floor of the kitchen +was of clay, packed hard and smooth.</p> + +<p>The settlers had no stoves, but did +their cooking in round pots called Dutch +ovens. They roasted their meats on a +spit or steel bar like the ramrod of a +gun. The spit was kept turning before +the fire, presenting first one side of the +meat and then the other, until it was +thoroughly cooked. Turning the spit +was the children's work.</p> + +<p>South of the palisade enclosing the +barn was the clearing—a tract of twenty +or thirty acres of land, from which Mr. +Brent had cut and burned the trees. +On this clearing the stumps stood thick +as the hair on an angry dog's back; +but the hard-working farmer ploughed +between and around them, and each +year raised upon the fertile soil enough +wheat and corn to supply the wants of +his family and his stock, and still had a +little grain left to take to Brookville, +sixty miles away, where he had bought +his land, there to exchange for such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_502" id="Page_502">[502]</a></span> +necessities of life as could not be grown +upon the farm or found in the forests.</p> + +<p>The daily food of the family all came +from the farm, the forest, or the creek. +Their sugar was obtained from the sap +of the sugar-trees; their meat was supplied +in the greatest abundance by a +few hogs, and by the inexhaustible game +of which the forests were full. In the +woods were found deer just for the +shooting; and squirrels, rabbits, wild +turkeys, pheasants, and quails, so +numerous that a few hours' hunting +would supply the table for days. The +fish in the river, as I told you, fairly +longed to be caught.</p> + +<p>One day Mrs. Brent took down the +dinner horn and blew upon it two strong +blasts. This was a signal that Little +Balser, who was helping his father down +in the clearing, should come to the +house. Balser was glad enough to drop +his hoe and to run home. When he +reached the house his mother said:</p> + +<p>"Balser, go up to the drift and catch +a mess of fish for dinner. Your father +is tired of deer meat three times a day, +and I know he would like a nice dish of +fried redeyes at noon."</p> + +<p>"All right, mother," said Balser. And +he immediately took down his fishing-pole +and line, and got the spade to dig bait. +When he had collected a small gourdful +of angle-worms, his mother called to him:</p> + +<p>"You had better take a gun. You +may meet a bear; your father loaded +the gun this morning, and you must be +careful in handling it."</p> + +<p>Balser took the gun, which was a +heavy rifle considerably longer than himself, +and started up the river toward the +drift, about a quarter of a mile away.</p> + +<p>There had been rain during the night +and the ground near the drift was soft.</p> + +<p>Here, Little Balser noticed fresh bear +tracks, and his breath began to come +quickly. You may be sure he peered +closely into every dark thicket, and +looked behind all the large trees and +logs, and had his eyes wide open lest +perchance "Mr. Bear" should step out +and surprise him with an affectionate +hug, and thereby put an end to Little +Balser forever.</p> + +<p>So he walked on cautiously, and, if +the truth must be told, somewhat +tremblingly, until he reached the drift.</p> + +<p>Balser was but a little fellow, yet the +stern necessities of a settler's life had +compelled his father to teach him the use +of a gun; and although Balser had never +killed a bear, he had shot several deer, +and upon one occasion had killed a wildcat, +"almost as big as a cow," he said.</p> + +<p>I have no doubt the wildcat seemed +"almost as big as a cow" to Balser when +he killed it, for it must have frightened +him greatly, as wildcats were sometimes +dangerous animals for children to +encounter. Although Balser had never +met a bear face to face and alone, yet he +felt, and many a time had said, that there +wasn't a bear in the world big enough +to frighten him, if he but had his gun.</p> + +<p>He had often imagined and minutely +detailed to his parents and little brother +just what he would do if he should meet +a bear. He would wait calmly and +quietly until his bearship should come +within a few yards of him, and then +he would slowly lift his gun. Bang! +and Mr. Bear would be dead with a +bullet in his heart.</p> + +<p>But when he saw the fresh bear tracks, +and began to realize that he would +probably have an opportunity to put +his theories about bear killing into +practice, he began to wonder if, after<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_503" id="Page_503">[503]</a></span> +all, he would become frightened and +miss his aim. Then he thought of how +the bear, in that case, would be calm +and deliberate, and would put <i>his</i> +theories into practice by walking very +politely up to him, and making a very +satisfactory dinner of a certain boy whom +he could name. But as he walked on +and no bear appeared, his courage grew +stronger as the prospect of meeting the +enemy grew less, and he again began +saying to himself that no bear could +frighten him, because he had his gun +and he could and would kill it.</p> + +<p>So Balser reached the drift; and having +looked carefully about him, leaned +his gun against a tree, unwound his +fishing-line from the pole, and walked +out to the end of a log which extended +into the river some twenty or thirty feet.</p> + +<p>Here he threw in his line, and soon was +so busily engaged drawing out sunfish +and redeyes, and now and then a bass, +which was hungry enough to bite at a +worm, that all thought of the bear went +out of his mind.</p> + +<p>After he had caught enough fish for +a sumptuous dinner he bethought him +of going home, and as he turned toward +the shore, imagine, if you can, his consternation +when he saw upon the bank, +quietly watching him, a huge black bear.</p> + +<p>If the wildcat had seemed as large as +a cow to Balser, of what size do you +suppose that bear appeared? A cow! +An elephant, surely, was small compared +with the huge black fellow standing upon +the bank.</p> + +<p>It is true Balser had never seen an +elephant, but his father had, and so +had his friend Tom Fox, who lived +down the river; and they all agreed that +an elephant was "purt nigh as big as +all outdoors."</p> + +<p>The bear had a peculiar, determined +expression about him that seemed to say:</p> + +<p>"That boy can't get away; he's out +on the log where the water is deep, and +if he jumps into the river I can easily +jump in after him and catch him before +he can swim a dozen strokes. He'll +<i>have</i> to come off the log in a short time, +and then I'll proceed to devour him."</p> + +<p>About the same train of thought had +also been rapidly passing through Balser's +mind. His gun was on the bank where +he had left it, and in order to reach it +he would have to pass the bear. He +dared not jump into the water, for any +attempt to escape on his part would +bring the bear upon him instantly. He +was very much frightened, but, after all, +was a cool-headed little fellow for his +age; so he concluded that he would not +press matters, as the bear did not seem +inclined to do so, but so long as the bear +remained watching him on the bank +would stay upon the log where he was, +and allow the enemy to eye him to his +heart's content.</p> + +<p>There they stood, the boy and the +bear, each eyeing the other as though +they were the best of friends, and would +like to eat each other, which, in fact, +was literally true.</p> + +<p>Time sped very slowly for one of them, +you may be sure; and it seemed to +Balser that he had been standing almost +an age in the middle of Blue River on +that wretched shaking log, when he heard +his mother's dinner horn, reminding him +that it was time to go home.</p> + +<p>Balser quite agreed with his mother +and gladly would he have gone, I need +not tell you; but there stood the bear, +patient, determined, and fierce; and +Little Balser soon was convinced in his +mind that his time had come to die.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_504" id="Page_504">[504]</a></span></p> + +<p>He hoped that when his father should +go home to dinner and find him still +absent, he would come up the river in +search of him, and frighten away the +bear. Hardly had this hope sprung up +in his mind, when it seemed that the +same thought had also occurred to the +bear, for he began to move down toward +the shore end of the log upon which +Balser was standing.</p> + +<p>Slowly came the bear until he reached +the end of the log, which for a moment +he examined suspiciously, and then, to +Balser's great alarm, cautiously stepped +out upon it and began to walk toward +him.</p> + +<p>Balser thought of the folks at home, +and, above all, of his baby sister; and +when he felt that he should never see +them again, and that they would in all +probability never know of his fate, he +began to grow heavy-hearted and was +almost paralyzed with fear.</p> + +<p>On came the bear, putting one great +paw in front of the other, and watching +Balser intently with his little black eyes. +His tongue hung out, and his great red +mouth was open to its widest, showing +the sharp, long, glittering teeth that +would soon be feasting on a first-class +boy dinner.</p> + +<p>When the bear got within a few feet +of Balser—so close he could almost feel +the animal's hot breath as it slowly +approached—the boy grew desperate with +fear, and struck at the bear with the +only weapon he had—his string of fish.</p> + +<p>Now, bears love fish and blackberries +above all other food; so when Balser's +string of fish struck the bear in the mouth, +he grabbed at them, and in doing so +lost his foothold on the slippery log and +fell into the water with a great splash +and plunge.</p> + +<p>This was Balser's chance for life, so +he flung the fish to the bear, and ran +for the bank with a speed worthy of +the cause.</p> + +<p>When he reached the bank his self-confidence +returned, and he remembered +all the things he had said he would do +if he should meet a bear.</p> + +<p>The bear had caught the fish, and +again had climbed upon the log, where +he was deliberately devouring them.</p> + +<p>This was Little Balser's chance for +death—to the bear. Quickly snatching +up the gun, he rested it in the fork of a +small tree near by, took deliberate aim +at the bear, which was not five yards +away, and shot him through the heart. +The bear dropped into the water dead, +and floated downstream a little way, +where he lodged at a ripple a short +distance below.</p> + +<p>Balser, after he had killed the bear, +became more frightened than he had +been at any time during the adventure, +and ran home screaming. That afternoon +his father went to the scene of battle +and took the bear out of the water. It +was very fat and large, and weighed, so +Mr. Brent said, over six hundred pounds.</p> + +<p>Balser was firmly of the opinion that +he himself was also very fat and large, +and weighed at least as much as the bear. +He was certainly entitled to feel "big"; +for he had got himself out of an ugly +scrape in a brave, manly, and cool-headed +manner, and had achieved a victory +of which a man might have been +proud.</p> + +<p>The news of Balser's adventure soon +spread among the neighbors and he +became quite a hero; for the bear he +had killed was one of the largest that +had ever been seen in that neighborhood, +and, besides the gallons of rich<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_505" id="Page_505">[505]</a></span> +bear oil it yielded, there were three or +four hundred pounds of bear meat; and +no other food is more strengthening for +winter diet.</p> + +<p>There was also the soft, furry skin, +which Balser's mother tanned, and with +it made a coverlid for Balser's bed, under +which he and his little brother lay many +a cold night, cozy and "snug as a bug +in a rug."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_385" id="Note_385">385</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The selection that follows may serve as an +example of an effective Christmas story in +the latest fashion. It was not written +especially for young people, but neither +were many of the books that now stand +on the shelf that holds their favorites. It +is not only one of the great short stories, +but one of the shortest of great-stories. It +is quite worthy of use in company with +Dickens' <i>Christmas Carol</i>, Henry van +Dyke's <i>The Other Wise Man</i>, and Thomas +Nelson Page's <i>Santa Claus's Partner</i>, at +the Christmas season, and it has the advantages +of extreme brevity, a fresh breeziness +of style, surprise in the plot, and romantic +interest. The magi brought various gifts +to the Child in the manger—gold, frankincense, +myrrh—but only one gift, that of +love. O. Henry does not often moralize, +but no reader ever finds fault with his +concluding paragraph. The author's real +name was William Sidney Porter. He was +born in Greensboro, N. C., in 1862, and +died in New York City, in 1910, the most +widely read of short-story writers. "The +Gift of the Magi" is taken from the volume +called <i>The Four Million</i> by special arrangement +with the publishers. (Copyright, +Doubleday, Page & Co. New York.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE GIFT OF THE MAGI</h4> + +<div class='center'>O. HENRY</div> + +<p>One dollar and eighty-seven cents. +That was all. And sixty cents of it +was in pennies. Pennies saved one and +two at a time by bulldozing the grocer +and the vegetable man and the butcher +until one's cheeks burned with the silent +imputation of parsimony that such close +dealing implied. Three times Della +counted it. One dollar and eighty-seven +cents. And the next day would +be Christmas.</p> + +<p>There was clearly nothing to do but +flop down on the shabby little couch +and howl. So Della did it. Which +instigates the moral reflection that life +is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, +with sniffles predominating.</p> + +<p>While the mistress of the home is +gradually subsiding from the first stage +to the second, take a look at the home. +A furnished flat at $8.00 per week. It +did not exactly beggar description, but +it certainly had that word on the lookout +for the mendicancy squad.</p> + +<p>In the vestibule below was a letter-box +into which no letter would go, and an +electric button from which no mortal +finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining +thereunto was a card bearing the +name "Mr. James Dillingham Young."</p> + +<p>The "Dillingham" had been flung to +the breeze during a former period of +prosperity when its possessor was being +paid $30 per week. Now, when the +income was shrunk to $20, the letters +of "Dillingham" looked blurred, as +though they were thinking seriously of +contracting to a modest and unassuming +D. But whenever Mr. James Dillingham +Young came home and reached his +flat above he was called "Jim" and +greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham +Young, already introduced to you +as Della. Which is all very good.</p> + +<p>Della finished her cry and attended +to her cheeks with the powder rag. She<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_506" id="Page_506">[506]</a></span> +stood by the window and looked out +dully at a grey cat walking a grey fence +in a grey backyard. Tomorrow would +be Christmas Day, and she had only +$1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. +She had been saving every penny she +could for months, with this result. +Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far. +Expenses had been greater than she had +calculated. They always are. Only +$1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her +Jim. Many a happy hour she had +spent planning for something nice for +him. Something fine and rare and +sterling—something just a little bit +near to being worthy of the honor of +being owned by Jim.</p> + +<p>There was a pier-glass between the +windows of the room. Perhaps you +have seen a pier-glass in an $8.00 flat. +A very thin and very agile person may, +by observing his reflection in a rapid +sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain +a fairly accurate conception of his looks. +Della, being slender, had mastered the art.</p> + +<p>Suddenly she whirled from the window +and stood before the glass. Her eyes +were shining brilliantly, but her face +had lost its color within twenty seconds. +Rapidly she pulled down her hair and +let it fall to its full length.</p> + +<p>Now, there were two possessions of +the James Dillingham Youngs in which +they both took a mighty pride. One +was Jim's gold watch that had been +his father's and his grandfather's. The +other was Della's hair. Had the Queen +of Sheba lived in the flat across the +airshaft, Della would have let her hair +hang out the window some day to dry +just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels +and gifts. Had King Solomon been +the janitor, with all his treasures piled +up in the basement, Jim would have +pulled out his watch every time he passed, +just to see him pluck at his beard from +envy.</p> + +<p>So now Della's beautiful hair fell +about her, rippling and shining like a +cascade of brown waters. It reached +below her knee and made itself almost +a garment for her. And then she did +it up again nervously and quickly. Once +she faltered for a minute and stood still +while a tear or two splashed on the +worn red carpet.</p> + +<p>On went her old brown jacket; on +went her old brown hat. With a whirl +of skirts and with the brilliant sparkle +still in her eyes, she fluttered out the +door and down the stairs to the street.</p> + +<p>Where she stopped the sign read: +"Mme. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All +Kinds." One flight up Della ran, and +collected herself, panting. Madame, +large, too white, chilly, hardly looked +the "Sofronie."</p> + +<p>"Will you buy my hair?" asked Della.</p> + +<p>"I buy hair," said Madame. "Take +yer hat off and let's have a sight at the +looks of it."</p> + +<p>Down rippled the brown cascade.</p> + +<p>"Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting +the mass with a practised hand.</p> + +<p>"Give it to me quick," said Della.</p> + +<p>Oh, and the next two hours tripped by +on rosy wings. Forget the hashed metaphor. +She was ransacking the stores +for Jim's present.</p> + +<p>She found it at last. It surely had +been made for Jim and no one else. +There was no other like it in any of the +stores, and she had turned all of them +inside out. It was a platinum fob chain +simple and chaste in design, properly +proclaiming its value by substance alone +and not by meretricious ornamentation—as +all good things should do. It was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_507" id="Page_507">[507]</a></span> +even worthy of The Watch. As soon +as she saw it she knew that it must be +Jim's. It was like him. Quietness and +value—the description applied to both. +Twenty-one dollars they took from her +for it, and she hurried home with the +87 cents. With that chain on his watch +Jim might be properly anxious about the +time in any company. Grand as the +watch was, he sometimes looked at it +on the sly on account of the old leather +strap that he used in place of a chain.</p> + +<p>When Della reached home her intoxication +gave way a little to prudence and +reason. She got out her curling irons and +lighted the gas and went to work repairing +the ravages made by generosity added +to love. Which is always a tremendous +task, dear friends—a mammoth task.</p> + +<p>Within forty minutes her head was +covered with tiny, close-lying curls that +made her look wonderfully like a truant +schoolboy. She looked at her reflection +in the mirror long, carefully, and critically.</p> + +<p>"If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to +herself, "before he takes a second look +at me, he'll say I look like a Coney +Island chorus girl. But what could I +do—oh! what could I do with a dollar +and eighty-seven cents?"</p> + +<p>At 7 o'clock the coffee was made and +the frying pan was on the back of the +stove hot and ready to cook the chops.</p> + +<p>Jim was never late. Della doubled +the fob chain in her hand and sat on the +corner of the table near the door that +he always entered. Then she heard his +step on the stair away down on the first +flight, and she turned white for just a +moment. She had a habit of saying +little silent prayers about the simplest +everyday things, and now she whispered; +"Please God, make him think I am still +pretty."</p> + +<p>The door opened and Jim stepped +in and closed it. He looked thin and +very serious. Poor fellow, he was only +twenty-two—and to be burdened with +a family! He needed a new overcoat +and he was without gloves.</p> + +<p>Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable +as a setter at the scent of quail. +His eyes were fixed upon Della, and +there was an expression in them that +she could not read, and it terrified her. +It was not anger, nor surprise, nor +disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the +sentiments that she had been prepared +for. He simply stared at her fixedly +with that peculiar expression on his face.</p> + +<p>Della wriggled off the table and went +for him.</p> + +<p>"Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look +at me that way. I had my hair cut off +and sold it because I couldn't have +lived through Christmas without giving +you a present. It'll grow out again— +you won't mind, will you? I just had +to do it. My hair grows awfully fast. +Say 'Merry Christmas!' Jim, and let's +be happy. You don't know what a nice—what +a beautiful, nice gift I've got +for you."</p> + +<p>"You've cut off your hair?" asked +Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived +at that patent fact yet even after the +hardest mental labor.</p> + +<p>"Cut it off and sold it," said Della. +"Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? +I'm me without my hair, ain't I?"</p> + +<p>Jim looked about the room curiously.</p> + +<p>"You say your hair is gone?" he said, +with an air almost of idiocy.</p> + +<p>"You needn't look for it," said Della. +"It's sold, I tell you—sold and gone, +too. It's Christmas Eve, boy. Be good +to me, for it went for you. Maybe the +hairs of my head were numbered," she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_508" id="Page_508">[508]</a></span> +went on with a sudden serious sweetness, +"but nobody could ever count my +love for you. Shall I put the chops on, +Jim?"</p> + +<p>Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly +to wake. He enfolded his Della. For +ten seconds let us regard with discreet +scrutiny some inconsequential object in +the other direction. Eight dollars a +week or a million a year—what is the +difference? A mathematician or a wit +would give you the wrong answer. The +magi brought valuable gifts, but that +was not among them. This dark assertion +will be illuminated later on.</p> + +<p>Jim drew a package from his overcoat +pocket and threw it upon the table.</p> + +<p>"Don't make any mistake, Dell," he +said, "about me. I don't think there's +anything in the way of a haircut or a +shave or a shampoo that could make +me like my girl any less. But if you'll +unwrap that package you may see why +you had me going a while at first."</p> + +<p>White fingers and nimble tore at the +string and paper. And then an ecstatic +scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick +feminine change to hysterical tears and +wails, necessitating the immediate employment +of all the comforting powers of the +lord of the flat.</p> + +<p>For-there lay The Combs—the set +of combs, side and back, that Della +had worshipped for long in a Broadway +window. Beautiful combs, pure tortoise +shell, with jewelled rims—just +the shade to wear in the beautiful +vanished hair. They were expensive +combs, she knew, and her heart had +simply craved and yearned over them +without the least hope of possession. +And now, they were hers, but the +tresses that should have adorned the +coveted adornments were gone.</p> + +<p>But she hugged them to her bosom, +and at length she was able to look up +with dim eyes and a smile and say: "My +hair grows so fast, Jim!"</p> + +<p>And then Della leaped up like a little +singed cat and cried, "Oh, oh!"</p> + +<p>Jim had not yet seen his beautiful +present. She held it out to him +eagerly upon her open palm. The dull +precious metal seemed to flash with +a reflection of her bright and ardent +spirit.</p> + +<p>"Isn't it a dandy, Jim? I hunted +all over town to find it. You'll have to +look at the time a hundred times a day +now. Give me your watch. I want to +see how it looks on it."</p> + +<p>Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down +on the couch and put his hands under +the back of his head and smiled.</p> + +<p>"Dell," said he, "let's put our Christmas +presents away and keep 'em a while. +They're too nice to use just at present. +I sold the watch to get the money to +buy your combs. And now suppose +you put the chops on."</p> + +<p>The magi, as you know, were wise +men—wonderfully wise men—who +brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. +They invented the art of giving Christmas +presents. Being wise, their gifts +were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing +the privilege of exchange in case of +duplication. And here I have lamely +related to you the uneventful chronicle +of two foolish children in a flat who most +unwisely sacrificed for each other the +greatest treasures of their house. But +in a last word to the wise of these days +let it be said that of all who give gifts +these two were the wisest. Of all who +give and receive gifts, such as they are +wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. +They are the magi.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_509" id="Page_509">[509]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION IX</h2> + +<h3>NATURE LITERATURE</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_510" id="Page_510">[510]</a></span></p> + +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + +<div class='hang1'> +Andrews, Jane, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5792">The Stories Mother Nature Told Her Children</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Atkinson, Eleanor S., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2693">Greyfriars Bobby</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Bertelli, Luigi, <i>The Prince and His Ants</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brown, Dr. John, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5420">Rab and His Friends</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Bullen, Frank, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1356">The Cruise of the Cachelot</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Burgess, <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Thorton'">Thornton</ins> W., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2557">Old Mother West Wind Stories</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Burroughs, John, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24388">Squirrels and Other Fur Bearers</a></i>. <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4203">Wake Robin</a>.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Chapman, William G., <i>Green-Timber Trails: Wild Animal Stories of the Upper Fur Country</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Ford, Sewell, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19824">Horses Nine</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hawkes, Clarence, <i>Shaggycoat</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hudson, W. H., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10101">A Little Boy Lost</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Jordan, David Starr, <i>Science Sketches</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Kellogg, Vernon L., <i>Insect Stories</i>. <i>Nuova, the New Bee.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Kingsley, Charles, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1697">Madame How and Lady Why</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Kipling, Rudyard, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2781">Just-So Stories</a></i>. <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/236">The Jungle Book</a></i> (Two Series).</div> +<div class='hang1'>London, Jack, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/215">The Call of the Wild</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Long, William J., <i>Wood-Folk Comedies</i>. <i>A Little Brother to the Bear.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Miller, Joaquin, <i>True Bear Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Miller, Olive Thorne, <i>The Children's Book of Birds</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Mills, Enos A., <i>Scotch</i>. <i>The Thousand Year Old Pine.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Muir, John, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11673">Stickeen</a></i>. <i>Our National Parks.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Ollivant, Alfred, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2795">Bob, Son of Battle</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>"Ouida" (Louisa de la Ramée), <i>Moufflou</i>. <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7766">The Dog of Flanders</a>.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Paine, Albert Bigelow, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24410">Hollow-Tree Nights and Days</a></i>. <i>Arkansaw Bear.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Potter, Beatrix, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14838">Peter Rabbit</a></i>. <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14407">Benjamin Bunny</a>.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Roberts, Charles G. D., <i>Kings in Exile</i>. <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/16077">Children of the Wild</a>.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Saunders, Marshall, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10226">Beautiful Joe</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Sègur, Sophie, Comtesse de, <i>The Story of a Donkey</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Seton, Ernest Thompson, <i>Wild Animals at Home</i>. <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9330">The Biography of a Grizzly</a>.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Sewell, Anna, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/271">Black Beauty</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Sharp, Dallas Lore, <i>Beyond the Pasture Bars</i>. <i>A Watcher in the Woods.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Terhune, Albert Payson, <i>Lad: A Dog</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Thoreau, Henry David, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4232">A Week on the Concord and Merrimac Rivers</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Walton, Izaak, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/683">The Compleat Angler</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>White, Gilbert, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1408">The Natural History of Selborne</a></i>.</div> + +<div class="blockquot">The three books that stand at the end of this brief list are probably not ones that any teacher +would recommend indiscriminately to pupils of the grades. They are the greatest of the classic +books in nature literature and, in a way, constitute the goal of nature lovers.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_511" id="Page_511">[511]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION IX. NATURE LITERATURE</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + + +<p><i>What it is.</i> In recent years teachers have heard much talk about "nature +study" in the grades. The demand for this study has led publishers to print many +so-called "nature books" that have neither scientific fact nor literary worth to justify +their existence. Confusion may be avoided and time may be saved if teachers will +remember that nature literature, as here defined, is a form of <i>literature</i>, and that its +purpose therefore is primarily to present truth (not necessarily facts) in an entertaining +way.</p> + +<p>The selections in this section are not intended to furnish material for a scientific +study of nature. They are nature literature. Some of them present scientific facts +that add to the literary worth by making the stories more entertaining, but the +selections are given because they illustrate various types of nature literature and +the work of famous writers of nature literature, not because they present scientific +facts.</p> + +<p><i>Some types of nature literature.</i> One of the oldest forms of nature literature is +the beast tale in which animals are represented as talking and acting like human +beings. Stories of this type entertain while they reveal the general nature of various +kinds of animals. Fables should not be called nature literature, because their chief +purpose is to criticize the follies of human beings. Some of the Negro folk tales that +Joel Chandler Harris collected are nature literature of this type. Beast tales, however, +are not all old. Stories by such modern authors as Thornton W. Burgess and +Albert Bigelow Paine, who are represented in this section, may be called beast tales. +They are popular in the primary grades.</p> + +<p>Another type of nature literature, quite different from that just discussed, has +been produced during the last century by students of nature who endeavor to hold +strictly to facts in their writing. This may be called realistic nature literature. +Henry Thoreau, John Burroughs, Olive Thorne Miller, and Dallas Lore Sharp may +be mentioned as writers of this kind of literature. As we read their books, we usually +feel that they are endeavoring to relate incidents as they actually occurred. +Also we recognize that they are great students of nature, for they perceive details +that we might not notice and they draw or suggest conclusions that we may accept +as true, although we might never think of drawing the conclusions. Nature literature +of this kind may be no less entertaining than fairy tales, for it may, in a pleasing +way, reveal wonders in nature. The selections by Dallas Lore Sharp and Olive +Thorne Miller in this section are of this kind. Most of the writings of Henry Thoreau +and John Burroughs are in a style too difficult for pupils in the grades.</p> + +<p>A third type may be called nature romance. Its purpose is both to entertain +and to awaken sympathy and love for animals. Stories of this kind, like +other romances, idealize the characters and may have a strong appeal to the emotions<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_512" id="Page_512">[512]</a></span>. +Of the stories in this section, we may classify as nature romance Beatrix Potter's +"Peter Rabbit," Sewell Ford's "Pasha, the Son of Selim," Ouida's "Moufflou," +and Rudyard Kipling's "Moti Guj—Mutineer."</p> + +<p>A fourth kind of nature literature, sometimes called nature fiction, has been +developed within the last quarter of a century and is already recognized as excellent. +The plot is created by the author, although it may be based on fact, and usually is +simple and rambling. One purpose of these stories is to show truly how animals +live and act, just as one purpose of a novel or typical short story is to show truly how +people live and act. If the author is a skillful story-teller and a good student of nature, +the story may make the reader feel that he has become acquainted with a particular +kind of animal and even with an individual animal. For example, the story "Last +Bull," by Charles G. D. Roberts, has an effect on the reader not entirely unlike that +of one of Cooper's <i>Leatherstocking Tales</i>. Prominent among the authors of this +very interesting and instructive form of literature may be mentioned Charles G. D. +Roberts, Ernest Thompson Seton, William J. Long, and Dallas Lore Sharp.</p> + +<p><i>Its place in the grades.</i> Nature literature seems to have a place of increasing +importance in schools, especially in grades above the third. Many excellent books +of what we have called the fiction type and the realistic type have a charming spirit +of outdoor life and adventure that makes them pleasing substitutes for the objectionable +dime novel. One should not assume that these nature stories would be of +less interest and value to the country child than to the city child. Too often country +children have not been taught to think of animals as "little brothers of the field and +the air." These nature stories, without any spirit of preaching or moralizing, show +children how to enjoy nature, whether it be in the country or the city. They teach +the child to form habits of observation that encourage healthful recreation. A boy +who has understood the spirit of Roberts, Seton, and Sharp is not likely to find the +village poolroom attractive. Nature literature, however, need not be taught merely +for moral and practical purposes, for it has come to be literature of artistic worth, +and as such it has earned a place among other kinds of literature for children.</p> + +<h3>SUGGESTIONS FOR READING</h3> +<div class='blockquot'><p>A good summary article is "The Rise of the Nature Writers," by F. W. Halsey, in <i>Review +of Reviews</i>, Vol. XXVI, p. 567 (November, 1902). The most valuable critical article is "The Literary +Treatment of Nature" in John Burroughs, <i>Ways of Nature</i> (also in <i>Atlantic Monthly</i>, Vol. XCIV, +p. 38 [July, 1904]). In the violent controversy about "nature-faking" which raged some years ago, +two articles will give clearly the positions of the contending parties: first, the attack by John Burroughs +in "Real and Sham Natural History," <i>Atlantic Monthly</i>, Vol. XCI, p. 298 (March, 1903), +and, second, the reply to Burroughs by William J. Long in "The School of Nature Study and Its +Critics," <i>North American Review</i>, Vol. CLXXVI, p. 688 (May, 1903).</p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_513" id="Page_513">[513]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_386" id="Note_386">386</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">One of the most popular series for very +young children is that known as the <i>Peter +Rabbit Books</i> after the favorite hero of +the early tales. The author is Beatrix +Potter, an Englishwoman. In plan these +little books resemble the "toy-books" of +the eighteenth century in having a bit of +text on the left-hand page face a picture +on the right. The entire text of "The +Tale of Peter Rabbit" is given, but of +course text and pictures are so completely +one that much is lost by separating them. +Children should meet Peter Rabbit before +their school days begin.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT</h4> + +<div class='center'>BEATRIX POTTER</div> + +<p>Once upon a time there were four +little Rabbits, and their names were +Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.</p> + +<p>They lived with their mother in a +sand bank, underneath the root of a +very big fir tree.</p> + +<p>"Now, my dears," said old Mrs. Rabbit +one morning, "you may go into the +fields or down the lane, but don't go +into Mr. McGregor's garden. Your +father had an accident there; he was +put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor. Now +run along, and don't get into mischief. +I am going out."</p> + +<p>Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket +and her umbrella, and went through +the wood to the baker's. She bought a +loaf of brown bread and five currant +buns.</p> + +<p>Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who +were good little bunnies, went down the +lane to gather blackberries; but Peter, +who was very naughty, ran straight to +Mr. McGregor's garden, and squeezed +under the gate.</p> + +<p>First he ate some lettuces and some +French beans; and then he ate some +radishes; and then, feeling rather sick, +he went to look for some parsley.</p> + +<p>But round the end of a cucumber +frame, whom should he meet but Mr. +McGregor!</p> + +<p>Mr. McGregor was on his hands and +knees planting out young cabbages, but +he jumped up and ran after Peter, waving +a rake and calling out, "Stop thief!"</p> + +<p>Peter was most dreadfully frightened; +he rushed all over the garden, for he +had forgotten the way back to the gate.</p> + +<p>He lost one of his shoes amongst the +cabbages, and the other shoe amongst +the potatoes.</p> + +<p>After losing them, he ran on four legs +and went faster, so that I think he might +have got away altogether if he had not +unfortunately run into a gooseberry net, +and got caught by the large buttons on +his jacket. It was a blue jacket with +brass buttons, quite new.</p> + +<p>Peter gave himself up for lost, and shed +big tears; but his sobs were overheard +by some friendly sparrows, who flew to +him in great excitement, and implored +him to exert himself.</p> + +<p>Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve, +which he intended to pop upon the top +of Peter; but Peter wriggled out just +in time, leaving his jacket behind him, +and rushed into the tool-shed, and +jumped into a can. It would have been +a beautiful thing to hide in, if it had +not had so much water in it.</p> + +<p>Mr. McGregor was quite sure that +Peter was somewhere in the tool-shed, +perhaps hidden underneath a flower-pot. +He began to turn them over carefully, +looking under each.</p> + +<p>Presently Peter sneezed—"Kerty-schoo!" +Mr. McGregor was after him +in no time, and tried to put his foot +upon Peter, who jumped out of a window,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_514" id="Page_514">[514]</a></span> +upsetting three plants. The window was +too small for Mr. McGregor, and he +was tired of running after Peter. He +went back to his work.</p> + +<p>Peter sat down to rest; he was out +of breath and trembling with fright, +and he had not the least idea which way +to go. Also he was very damp with +sitting in that can.</p> + +<p>After a time he began to wander about, +going lippity—lippity—not very fast, +and looking all around.</p> + +<p>He found a door in a wall; but it was +locked, and there was no room for a +fat little rabbit to squeeze underneath.</p> + +<p>An old mouse was running in and out +over the stone doorstep, carrying peas +and beans to her family in the wood. +Peter asked her the way to the gate, +but she had such a large pea in her +mouth that she could not answer. She +only shook her head at him. Peter +began to cry.</p> + +<p>Then he tried to find his way straight +across the garden, but he became more +and more puzzled. Presently, he came +to a pond where Mr. McGregor filled +his water-cans. A white cat was staring +at some goldfish; she sat very, very +still, but now and then the tip of her +tail twitched as if it were alive. Peter +thought it best to go away without +speaking to her; he had heard about +cats from his cousin, little Benjamin +Bunny.</p> + +<p>He went back towards the tool-shed, +but suddenly, quite close to him, he +heard the noise of a hoe,—scr-r-ritch +scratch, scratch, scritch. Peter scuttered +underneath the bushes. But presently, +as nothing happened, he came +out, and climbed upon a wheelbarrow +and peeped over. The first thing he +saw was Mr. McGregor hoeing onions. +His back was turned towards Peter, and +beyond him was the gate!</p> + +<p>Peter got down very quietly off the +wheelbarrow, and started running as +fast as he could go, along a straight walk +behind some black currant-bushes.</p> + +<p>Mr. McGregor caught sight of him +at the corner, but Peter did not care. +He slipped underneath the gate, and +was safe at last in the wood outside the +garden.</p> + +<p>Mr. McGregor hung up the little jacket +and the shoes for a scare-crow to frighten +the blackbirds.</p> + +<p>Peter never stopped running or looked +behind him till he got home to the big +fir-tree.</p> + +<p>He was so tired that he flopped down +upon the nice soft sand on the floor of +the rabbit-hole, and shut his eyes. His +mother was busy cooking; she wondered +what he had done with his clothes. It +was the second little jacket and a pair +of shoes that Peter had lost in a fortnight!</p> + +<p>I am sorry to say that Peter was not +very well during the evening.</p> + +<p>His mother put him to bed, and made +some camomile tea; and she gave a doze +of it to Peter!</p> + +<p>"One table-spoonful to be taken at +bed-time."</p> + +<p>But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail +had bread and milk and blackberries +for supper.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_387" id="Note_387">387</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The next selection illustrates well the kind +of stories in the <i>Bedtime Story</i> series of +twenty volumes by Thornton Waldo +Burgess (1874—). The books of this +series are entitled <i>Adventures of Johnny +Chuck</i>, <i>Adventures of Buster Bear</i>, <i>Adventures +of Ol' Mistah Buzzard</i>, etc. These +books and the <i>Old Mother West Wind</i> series<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_515" id="Page_515">[515]</a></span> +of eight volumes by the same author are +enjoyed by children in the second and third +grades. Mr. Burgess is an American +author who has been editor of several +American magazines. (The following selection +is from <i>Old Mother West Wind</i>, by permission +of the publishers, Little, Brown & +Co., Boston.)</div> + + +<h4><br />JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS THE +BEST THING IN THE WORLD</h4> + +<div class='center'>THORNTON W. BURGESS</div> + +<p>Old Mother West Wind had stopped +to talk with the Slender Fir Tree.</p> + +<p>"I've just come across the Green +Meadows," said Old Mother West Wind, +"and there I saw the Best Thing in the +World."</p> + +<p>Striped Chipmunk was sitting under +the Slender Fir Tree and he couldn't +help hearing what Old Mother West +Wind said. "The Best Thing in the +World—now what can that be?" thought +Striped Chipmunk. "Why, it must be +heaps and heaps of nuts and acorns! +I'll go and find it."</p> + +<p>So Striped Chipmunk started down the +Lone Little Path through the wood as +fast as he could run. Pretty soon he +met Peter Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going in such a hurry, +Striped Chipmunk?" asked Peter Rabbit.</p> + +<p>"Down in the Green Meadows to +find the Best Thing in the World," +replied Striped Chipmunk, and ran +faster.</p> + +<p>"The Best Thing in the World," said +Peter Rabbit, "why, that must be a +great pile of carrots and cabbage! I +think I'll go and find it."</p> + +<p>So Peter Rabbit started down the +Lone Little Path through the wood as +fast as he could go after Striped Chipmunk.</p> + +<p>As they passed the great hollow tree +Bobby Coon put his head out. "Where +are you going in such a hurry?" asked +Bobby Coon.</p> + +<p>"Down in the Green Meadows to +find the Best Thing in the World!" +shouted Striped Chipmunk and Peter +Rabbit, and both began to run faster.</p> + +<p>"The Best Thing in the World," said +Bobby Coon to himself, "why, that must +be a whole field of sweet milky corn! I +think I'll go and find it."</p> + +<p>So Bobby Coon climbed down out of +the great hollow tree and started down +the Lone Little Path through the wood +as fast as he could go after Striped +Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit, for there +is nothing that Bobby Coon likes to +eat so well as sweet milky corn.</p> + +<p>At the edge of the wood they met +Jimmy Skunk.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going in such a +hurry?" asked Jimmy Skunk.</p> + +<p>"Down in the Green Meadows to find +the Best Thing in the World!" shouted +Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit and +Bobby Coon. Then they all tried to +run faster.</p> + +<p>"The Best Thing in the World," said +Jimmy Skunk. "Why, that must be +packs and packs of beetles!" And for +once in his life Jimmy Skunk began to +hurry down the Lone Little Path after +Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit +and Bobby Coon.</p> + +<p>They were all running so fast that +they didn't see Reddy Fox until he +jumped out of the long grass and asked:</p> + +<p>"Where are you going in such a hurry?"</p> + +<p>"To find the Best Thing in the World!" +shouted Striped Chipmunk and Peter +Rabbit and Bobby Coon and Jimmy +Skunk, and each did his best to run +faster.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_516" id="Page_516">[516]</a></span></p> + +<p>"The Best Thing in the World," said +Reddy Fox to himself. "Why, that must +be a whole pen full of tender young +chickens, and I must have them."</p> + +<p>So away went Reddy Fox as fast as +he could run down the Lone Little Path +after Striped Chipmunk, Peter Rabbit, +Bobby Coon and Jimmy Skunk.</p> + +<p>By and by they all came to the house +of Johnny Chuck.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going in such a +hurry?" asked Johnny Chuck.</p> + +<p>"To find the Best Thing in the +World," shouted Striped Chipmunk and +Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon and +Jimmy Skunk and Reddy Fox.</p> + +<p>"The Best Thing in the World," said +Johnny Chuck. "Why I don't know +of anything better than my own little +home and the warm sunshine and the +beautiful blue sky."</p> + +<p>So Johnny Chuck stayed at home +and played all day among the flowers +with the Merry Little Breezes of Old +Mother West Wind and was as happy as +could be.</p> + +<p>But all day long Striped Chipmunk +and Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon and +Jimmy Skunk and Reddy Fox ran this +way and ran that way over the Green +Meadows trying to find the Best Thing +in the World. The sun was very, very +warm and they ran so far and they ran +so fast that they were very, very hot +and tired, and still they hadn't found +the Best Thing in the World.</p> + +<p>When the long day was over they +started up the Lone Little Path past +Johnny Chuck's house to their own +homes. They didn't hurry now for +they were so very, very tired! And +they were cross—oh so cross! Striped +Chipmunk hadn't found a single nut. +Peter Rabbit hadn't found so much as +the leaf of a cabbage. Bobby Coon +hadn't found the tiniest bit of sweet +milky corn. Jimmy Skunk hadn't seen +a single beetle. Reddy Fox hadn't +heard so much as the peep of a chicken. +And all were as hungry as hungry +could be.</p> + +<p>Half way up the Lone Little Path +they met Old Mother West Wind going +to her home behind the hill. "Did you +find the Best Thing in the World?" +asked Old Mother West Wind.</p> + +<p>"No!" shouted Striped Chipmunk +and Peter Rabbit and Bobby Coon and +Jimmy Skunk and Reddy Fox all +together.</p> + +<p>"Johnny Chuck has it," said Old +Mother West Wind. "It is being happy +with the things you have and not wanting +things which some one else has. And it +is called Con-tent-ment."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_388" id="Note_388">388</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Albert Bigelow Paine (1861—), an American +author at one time connected with +the editorial department of <i>St. Nicholas +Magazine</i>, has for more than twenty years +been known as the biographer of Mark +Twain. He is a popular writer of stories for +children. Pupils in the fifth grade like +his story <i>The Arkansaw Bear</i>. Some of +his books suitable for the third and fourth +grades are <i>Hollow-Tree Nights and Days</i>, +<i>The Hollow Tree</i>, and <i>The Deep Woods</i>. +("Mr. 'Possum's Sick Spell" is from <i>Hollow-Tree +Nights and Days</i>, and is used by +permission of the publishers, Harper & +Brothers, New York.)</div> + + +<h4><br />MR. 'POSSUM'S SICK SPELL</h4> + +<div class='center'>ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE</div> + +<p>Once upon a time, said the Story Teller, +something very sad nearly happened in +the Hollow Tree. It was Mr. 'Possum's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_517" id="Page_517">[517]</a></span> +turn, one night, to go out and borrow a +chicken from Mr. Man's roost, and coming +home he fell into an old well and lost +his chicken. He nearly lost himself, too, +for the water was icy cold and Mr. +'Possum thought he would freeze to +death before he could climb out, because +the rocks were slippery and he fell back +several times.</p> + +<p>As it was, he got home almost dead, +and next morning was sicker than he +had ever been before in his life. He had +pains in his chest and other places, and +was all stuffed up in his throat and very +scared. The 'Coon and the Crow who +lived in the Hollow Tree with him were +scared, too. They put him to bed in +the big room down-stairs, and said they +thought they ought to send for somebody, +and Mr. Crow said that Mr. Owl +was a good hand with sick folks, because +he looked so wise and didn't say much, +which always made the patient think +he knew something.</p> + +<p>So Mr. Crow hurried over and brought +Mr. Owl, who put on his glasses and +looked at Mr. 'Possum's tongue, and +felt of his pulse, and listened to his +breathing, and said that the cold water +seemed to have struck in and that the +only thing to do was for Mr. 'Possum +to stay in bed and drink hot herb tea +and not eat anything, which was a very +bad prescription for Mr. 'Possum, because +he hated herb tea and was very partial +to eating. He groaned when he heard +it and said he didn't suppose he'd ever +live to enjoy himself again, and that he +might just as well have stayed in the +well with the chicken, which was a great +loss and doing no good to anybody. +Then Mr. Owl went away, and told the +Crow outside that Mr. 'Possum was a +very sick man, and that at his time of +life and in his state of flesh his trouble +might go hard with him.</p> + +<p>So Mr. Crow went back into the +kitchen and made up a lot of herb tea +and kept it hot on the stove, and Mr. +'Coon sat by Mr. 'Possum's bed and +made him drink it almost constantly, +which Mr. 'Possum said might cure him +if he didn't die of it before the curing +commenced.</p> + +<p>He said if he just had that chicken, +made up with a good platter of dumplings, +he believed it would do him more good +than anything, and he begged the 'Coon +to go and fish it out, or to catch another +one, and try it on him, and then if he did +die he would at least have fewer regrets.</p> + +<p>But the Crow and the 'Coon said they +must do as Mr. Owl ordered, unless +Mr. 'Possum wanted to change doctors, +which was not a good plan until the +case became hopeless, and that would +probably not be before some time in the +night. Mr. 'Coon said, though, there +was no reason why that nice chicken +should be wasted, and as it would still +be fresh, he would rig up a hook and +line and see if he couldn't save it. So +he got out his fishing things and made +a grab hook and left Mr. Crow to sit by +Mr. 'Possum until he came back. He +could follow Mr. 'Possum's track to the +place, and in a little while he had the +fine, fat chicken, and came home with it +and showed it to the patient, who had +a sinking spell when he looked at it, +and turned his face to the wall and said +he seemed to have lived in vain.</p> + +<p>Mr. Crow, who always did the cooking, +said he'd better put the chicken on right +away, under the circumstances, and then +he remembered a bottle of medicine he +had once seen sitting on Mr. Man's +window-sill outside, and he said while<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_518" id="Page_518">[518]</a></span> +the chicken was cooking he'd just step +over and get it, as it might do the patient +good, and it didn't seem as if anything +now could do him any harm.</p> + +<p>So the Crow dressed the nice chicken +and put it in the pot with the dumplings, +and while Mr. 'Coon dosed Mr. 'Possum +with the hot herb tea Mr. Crow slipped +over to Mr. Man's house and watched a +good chance when the folks were at +dinner, and got the bottle and came back +with it and found Mr. 'Possum taking a +nap and the 'Coon setting the table; for +the dinner was about done and there +was a delicious smell of dumplings and +chicken, which made Mr. 'Possum begin +talking in his sleep about starving to +death in the midst of plenty. Then he +woke up and seemed to suffer a good deal, +and the Crow gave him a dose of Mr. +Man's medicine, and said that if Mr. +'Possum was still with them next morning +they'd send for another doctor.</p> + +<p>Mr. 'Possum took the medicine and +choked on it, and when he could speak +said he wouldn't be with them. He +could tell by his feelings, he said, that +he would never get through this day +of torture, and he wanted to say some +last words. Then he said that he wanted +the 'Coon to have his Sunday suit, which +was getting a little tight for him and +would just about fit Mr. 'Coon, and that +he wanted the Crow to have his pipe +and toilet articles, to remember him by. +He said he had tried to do well by them +since they had all lived together in the +Hollow Tree, and he supposed it would +be hard for them to get along without +him, but that they would have to do +the best they could. Then he guessed +he'd try to sleep a little, and closed his +eyes. Mr. 'Coon looked at Mr. Crow +and shook his head, and they didn't +feel like sitting down to dinner right +away, and pretty soon when they thought +Mr. 'Possum was asleep they slipped +softly up to his room to see how sad +it would seem without him.</p> + +<p>Well, they had only been gone a +minute when Mr. 'Possum woke up, for +the smell of that chicken and dumpling +coming in from Mr. Crow's kitchen was +too much for him. When he opened +his eyes and found that Mr. 'Coon and +Mr. Crow were not there, and that he +felt a little better—perhaps because of +Mr. Man's medicine—he thought he +might as well step out and take one last +look at chicken and dumpling, anyway.</p> + +<p>It was quite warm, but, being all in a +sweat, he put the bed-sheet around him +to protect him from the draughts and +went out to the stove and looked into +the pot, and when he saw how good it +looked he thought he might as well +taste of it to see if it was done. So he +did, and it tasted so good and seemed so +done that he got out a little piece of +dumpling on a fork, and blew on it to +cool it, and ate it, and then another piece +and then the whole dumpling, which he +sopped around in the gravy after each +bite. Then when the dumpling was gone +he fished up a chicken leg and ate that +and then a wing, and then the gizzard +and felt better all the time, and pretty +soon poured out a cup of coffee and drank +that, all before he remembered that he +was sick abed and not expected to +recover. Then he happened to think +and started back to bed, but on the way +there he heard Mr. 'Coon and Mr. Crow +talking softly in his room and he forgot +again that he was so sick and went up +to see about it.</p> + +<p>Mr. 'Coon and Mr. Crow had been +quite busy up in Mr. 'Possum's room.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_519" id="Page_519">[519]</a></span> +They had looked at all the things, and +Mr. Crow remarked that there seemed +to be a good many which Mr. 'Possum +had not mentioned, and which they could +divide afterward. Then he picked up +Mr. 'Possum's pipe and tried it to see +if it would draw well, as he had noticed, +he said, that Mr. 'Possum sometimes had +trouble with it, and the 'Coon went over +to the closet and looked at Mr. 'Possum's +Sunday suit, and pretty soon got it out +and tried on the coat, which wouldn't +need a thing done to it to make it fit +exactly. He said he hoped Mr. 'Possum +was resting well, after the medicine, +which he supposed was something to +make him sleep, as he had seemed drowsy +so soon after taking it. He said it would +be sad, of course, though it might seem +almost a blessing, if Mr. 'Possum should +pass away in his sleep, without knowing +it, and he hoped Mr. 'Possum would +rest in peace and not come back to distress +people, as one of Mr. 'Coon's own +ancestors had done, a good while ago. +Mr. 'Coon said his mother used to tell +them about it when she wanted to keep +them at home nights, though he didn't +really believe in such things much, any +more, and he didn't think Mr. 'Possum +would be apt to do it, anyway, because +he was always quite a hand to rest well. +Of course, <i>any one</i> was likely to <i>think</i> of +such things, he said, and get a little +nervous, especially at a time like this—and +just then Mr. 'Coon looked toward +the door that led down to the big room, +and Mr. Crow he looked toward that +door, too, and Mr. 'Coon gave a great +jump, and said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, my goodness!" and fell back +over Mr. 'Possum's trunk.</p> + +<p>And Mr. Crow he gave a great jump, +too, and said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, my gracious!" and fell back over +Mr. 'Possum's chair.</p> + +<p>For there in the door stood a figure +shrouded all in white, all except the +head, which was Mr. 'Possum's, though +very solemn, its eyes looking straight at +Mr. 'Coon, who still had on Mr. 'Possum's +coat, though he was doing his best +to get it off, and at Mr. Crow, who still +had Mr. 'Possum's pipe, though he was +trying every way to hide it, and both of +them were scrabbling around on the floor +and saying, "Oh, Mr. 'Possum, go away—please +go away, Mr. 'Possum—we +always loved you, Mr. 'Possum—we can +prove it."</p> + +<p>But Mr. 'Possum looked straight at +Mr. 'Coon, and said in a deep voice:</p> + +<p>"What were you doing with my Sunday +coat on?"</p> + +<p>And Mr. 'Coon tried to say something, +but only made a few weak noises.</p> + +<p>And Mr. 'Possum looked at Mr. Crow +and said:</p> + +<p>"What were you doing with my pipe?"</p> + +<p>And a little sweat broke out on Mr. +Crow's bill, and he opened his mouth +as if he were going to say something, +but couldn't make a sound.</p> + +<p>Then Mr. 'Possum said, in a slow voice, +so deep that it seemed to come from +down in the ground:</p> + +<p>"<i>Give me my things!</i>"</p> + +<p>And Mr. 'Coon and Mr. Crow said, +very shaky:</p> + +<p>"Oh y-yes, Mr. 'Possum, w-we meant +to, a-all the t-time."</p> + +<p>And they tried to get up, but were +so scared and weak they couldn't, and +all at once Mr. 'Possum gave a great +big laugh and threw off his sheet and +sat down on a stool, and rocked and +laughed, and Mr. 'Coon and Mr. Crow +realized then that it was Mr. 'Possum<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_520" id="Page_520">[520]</a></span> +himself, and not just his appearance, as +they had thought. Then they sat up, +and pretty soon began to laugh, too, +though not very gaily at first, but feeling +more cheerful every minute, because +Mr. 'Possum himself seemed to enjoy +it so much.</p> + +<p>Then Mr. 'Possum told them about +everything, and how Mr. Man's medicine +must have made him well, for all his +pains and sorrows had left him, and he +invited them down to help finish up the +chicken which had cost him so much +suffering.</p> + +<p>So then they all went down to the big +room and the Crow brought in the big +platter of dumplings, and a pan of +biscuits and some molasses, and a pot +of coffee, and they all sat down and +celebrated Mr. 'Possum's recovery. And +when they were through, and everything +was put away, they smoked, and Mr. +'Possum said he was glad he was there +to use his property a little more, and +that probably his coat would fit him +again now, as his sickness had caused him +to lose flesh. He said that Mr. Man's +medicine was certainly wonderful, but +just then Mr. Rabbit dropped in, and +when they told him about it, he said +of course the medicine might have had +some effect, but that the dumplings and +chicken caused the real cure. He said +there was an old adage to prove that—one +that his thirty-fifth great-grandfather +had made for just such a case of +this kind. This, Mr. Rabbit said, was +the adage:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"If you want to live forever<br /> +Stuff a cold and starve a fever."<br /> +</div> + +<p>Mr. 'Possum's trouble had come from +catching cold, he said, so the dumplings +were probably just what he needed. +Then Mr. Owl dropped in to see how his +patient was, and when he saw him +sitting up, and smoking, and well, he +said it was wonderful how his treatment +had worked, and the Hollow Tree people +didn't tell him any different, for they +didn't like to hurt Mr. Owl's feelings.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_389" id="Note_389">389</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Prominent among writers of the new realistic +nature literature is Dallas Lore Sharp +(1870—), professor of English in Boston +University. Mr. Sharp's stories and +descriptive sketches of nature reveal +charming details in out-of-door life that +the ordinary observer overlooks, and +they encourage the reader to seek entertainment +in fields and woods. Most of +his nature writings are suitable for pupils +in grades from the fifth to the eighth. +Some of his books are <i>Beyond the Pasture +Bars</i>, <i>A Watcher in the Woods</i>, <i>Roof and +Meadow</i>, and <i>Where Rolls the Oregon</i>. +("Wild Life in the Farm Yard," from +<i>Beyond the Pasture Bars</i>, is used by permission +of The Century Co., New York +City.)</div> + + +<h4><br />WILD LIFE IN THE FARM-YARD</h4> + +<div class='center'>DALLAS LORE SHARP</div> + +<p>I want you to visit a farm where there +are turkeys and geese and guineas. If +you live in New York City or in Chicago +you may not be able to do so for some +time. Then take a trip to the market +or to the zoölogical gardens. But most +of you live close enough to the country, +so that you could easily find a farmer +who would invite you out to see his +prize gobbler and his great hissing +gander.</p> + +<p>However, I shall not wait to <i>send</i> you +for I am going to <i>take</i> you—now—out +to an old farm that I loved as a boy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_521" id="Page_521">[521]</a></span> +where there are turkeys and geese and +guineas and pigs and pigeons, cows and +horses and mules, cats and dogs, chickens +and bees and sheep, and a hornets' nest +and a nest of flying squirrels in the same +old grindstone apple-tree, and a pair of +barn owls in the old wagon house, and—I +don't know what else; for there was +everything on the old farm when I was +a boy, and I suppose we shall find everything +there yet.</p> + +<p>I want you to see the turkeys. I want +you to follow an old hen turkey to her +stolen nest. I want you to watch the +old gobbler turkey take his family to +bed—to roost, I mean. For unless you +are a boy, and are living in the wild +portions of Georgia and the southeastern +states, you may never see a wild turkey. +For that reason I want you to watch +this tame turkey, because he is almost +as wild as a wild turkey in everything +except his fear of you. He has been +tamed, we know, since the year 1526, +yet not one of his wild habits has been +changed.</p> + +<p>So it is with the house cat. We have +tamed the house cat, but we have not +changed the wild, night-prowling hunter +in him. You have to smooth a cat the +right way, or the <i>wild</i> cat in him will +scratch and bite you. Have you never +seen his tail twitch, his eyes blaze, his +claws work as he has crouched watching +at a rat's hole, or crawled stealthily upon +a bird in the meadow grass?</p> + +<p>So, if you will watch, you shall see <ins title="Transcriber's Note: This word was originally between 'old' and 'gobbler'">a</ins> +real wild turkey in the tamest old +gobbler on the farm.</p> + +<p>Watch him go to roost. Watch him +get <i>ready</i> to go to roost, I should say, +for a turkey seems to begin to think of +roosting about noon-time, especially in +the winter; and it takes him from about +noon till night to make up his mind that +he really must go to roost.</p> + +<p>He comes along under the apple-tree +of a December afternoon and looks up +at the leafless limbs where he has been +roosting since summer. He stretches +his long neck, lays his little brainless +head over on one side, then over on the +other. He takes a good <i>long</i> look at +the limb. Then bobs his head—one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-<i>ten</i> +times, or perhaps twenty-two or -three +times, and takes a still <i>longer</i> look at +the limb, saying to himself—<i>quint, quint, +quint, quint!</i> which means: "I think +I'll go to roost! I think <i>I'll</i> go to roost! +I think I'll go to <i>roost!</i> I think I'll <i>go</i> +to roost! I think I'll go <i>to</i> roost! I +<i>think</i> I'll go to roost!" He <i>thinks</i> he +will, but he hasn't made up his mind +quite.</p> + +<p>Then he stretches his long neck again, +lays his little witless head on the side +again, bobs and bobs, looks and looks +and looks, says <i>quint, quint, quint, quint</i>—"I +<i>think</i> I'll go to roost," but is just as +undecided as ever.</p> + +<p>He does the performance over and +over again and would never go to roost +if the darkness did not come and compel +him. He would stand under that tree +stretching, turning, looking, bobbing, +"squinting," <i>thinking</i>, until he thought +his head off, saying all the while—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +One for the money; two for the show;<br /> +Three to get ready; and four to—<i>get ready to go!</i><br /> +</div> + +<p>But after a while, along toward dusk +(and awfully suddenly!)—<i>flop! gobble! +splutter! whoop!</i>—and there he is, up on +the limb, safe! Really safe! But it was +an exceedingly close call.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_522" id="Page_522">[522]</a></span></p> + +<p>And this is the very way the wild +turkey acts. The naturalists who had +a chance to study the great flocks of +wild turkeys years ago describe these +same absurd actions. This lack of snap +and decision is not something the tame +turkey has learned in the farm-yard. +The fact is he does not seem to have +learned anything during his 350 years +in the barn-yard, nor does he seem to +have forgotten anything that he knew +as a wild turkey in the woods, except +his fear of man.</p> + +<p>Late in October the wild turkeys of +a given neighborhood would get together +in flocks of from ten to a hundred and +travel on foot through the rich bottom +lands in search of food. In these +journeys the males would go ahead, +apart from the females, and lead the +way. The hens, each conducting her +family in a more or less separate group, +came straggling leisurely along in the rear. +As they advanced, they would meet other +flocks, thus swelling their numbers.</p> + +<p>After a time they were sure to come +to a river—a dreadful thing, for, like +the river of the old song, it was a river +<i>to cross</i>. Up and down the banks would +stalk the gobblers, stretching their necks +out over the water and making believe +to start, as they do when going to roost +in the apple-trees.</p> + +<p>All day long, all the next day, all the +third day, if the river was wide, they +would strut and cluck along the shore, +making up their minds.</p> + +<p>The ridiculous creatures have wings; +they can fly; but they are afraid! After +all these days, however, the whole flock +has mounted the tallest trees along the +bank. One of the gobblers has come +forward as leader in the emergency. +Suddenly, from his perch, he utters a +single cluck—the signal for the start,—and +every turkey sails into the air. +There is a great flapping—and the +terrible river is crossed.</p> + +<p>A few weak members fall on the way +over, but not to drown. Drawing their +wings close in against their sides, and +spreading their round fan-like tails to +the breeze, they strike out as if born to +swim, and come quickly to land.</p> + +<p>The tame turkey-hen is notorious for +stealing her nest. The wild hen steals +hers—not to plague her owner, of course, +as is the common belief about the +domestic turkey, but to get away from +the gobbler, who, in order to prolong +the honeymoon, will break the eggs as +fast as they are laid. He has just +enough brains to be sentimental, jealous, +and boundlessly fond of himself. His +wives, too, are foolish enough to worship +him, until—there is an egg in the nest. +That event makes them wise. They +understand this strutting coxcomb, and +quietly turning their backs on him, leave +him to parade alone.</p> + +<p>There are crows, also, and buzzards +from whom the wild turkey hen must +hide the eggs. Nor dare she forget her +own danger while sitting, for there are +foxes, owls, and prowling lynxes ready +enough to pounce upon her. On the +farm there are still many of these enemies +besides the worst of them all, the farmer +himself.</p> + +<p>For a nest the wild hen, like the tame +turkey of the pasture, scratches a slight +depression in the ground, usually under +a thick bush, sometimes in a hollow +log, and there lays from twelve to twenty +eggs, which are somewhat smaller and +more elongated than the tame turkey's, +but of the same color: dull cream, +sprinkled with reddish dots.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_523" id="Page_523">[523]</a></span></p> + +<p>I have often hunted for stolen turkey +nests, and hunted in vain, because the +cautious mother had covered her eggs +when leaving them. This is one of the +wild habits that has persisted. The wild +hen, as the hatching approaches, will +not trust even this precaution, however, +but remains without food and drink +upon the nest until the chicks can be +led off. She can scarcely be driven +from the nest, often allowing herself +to be captured first.</p> + +<p>Mother-love burns fierce in her. Such +helpless things are her chicks! She +hears them peeping in the shell and +breaks it to help them out. She preens +and dries them and keeps them close +under her for days.</p> + +<p>Not for a week after they are hatched +does she allow them out in a rain. If, +after that, they get a cold wetting, the +wild mother, it is said, will feed the buds +of the spice-bush to her brood, as our +grandmothers used to administer mint +tea to us.</p> + +<p>The tame hen does seem to have lost +something of this wild-mother skill, +doubtless because for many generations +she has been entirely freed of the larger +part of the responsibility.</p> + +<p>I never knew a tame mother turkey +to doctor her infants for vermin. But +the wild hen will. The woods are full +of ticks and detestable vermin as deadly +as cold rains. When her brood begins +to lag and pine, the wild mother knows, +and leading them to some old ant-hill, +she gives them a sousing dust-bath. +The vermin hate the odor of the ant-scented +dust, and after a series of these +baths disappear.</p> + +<p>This is wise; and if this report be +true, then the wild turkey is as wise +and far-seeing a mother as the woods +contain. One observer even tells of +three hens that stole off together and +fixed up a nest between themselves. +Each put in her eggs—forty-two in all— +and each took turns guarding, so that +the nest was never left alone.</p> + +<p>What special enemy caused this unique +partnership the naturalist does not say. +The three mothers built together, brooded +together, and together guarded the nest. +But how did those three mothers divide +the babies?</p> + +<p>I said I wanted you to visit a farm +where there are turkeys. And you will +have to if you would see the turkey at +home. For, though I have traveled +through the South, and been in the +swamps and river "bottoms" there all +along the Savannah, with wild turkeys +around me, I have never seen a live +one.</p> + +<p>I was in a small steamboat on the +Savannah River one night. We were +tied up till morning along the river bank +under the trees of the deep swamp. +Twilight and the swamp silence had +settled about us. The moon came up. +A banjo had been twanging, but the +breakdown was done, the shuffling feet +quiet. The little cottonboat had become +a part of the moonlit silence and the +river swamp.</p> + +<p>Two or three roustabouts were lounging +upon some rosin-barrels near by, +under the spell of the round autumnal +moon. There was frost in the air, and +fragrant odors, but not a sound, not a +cry or call of beast or bird, until, suddenly, +breaking through the silence with +a jarring eery echo, was heard the hoot +of the great horned owl.</p> + +<p>One of the roustabouts dropped quickly +to the deck and held up his hand for +silence. We all listened. And again<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_524" id="Page_524">[524]</a></span> +came the uncanny <i>Whoo-hoo-hoo-whoo-you-oh-oh!</i></p> + +<p>"Dat ol' King Owl," whispered the +darky. "Him's lookin' fer turkey. Ol' +gobbler done gone hid, I reckon. Listen! +Ol' King Owl gwine make ol' gobbler +talk back."</p> + +<p>We listened, but there was no frightened +"gobble" from the tree-tops. There +were wild turkeys all around me in the +swamp; but, though I sat up until the +big southern moon rode high overhead, +I heard no answer, no challenge to the +echoing hoot of the great owl. The +next day a colored boy brought aboard +the boat a wild turkey which he had +shot in the swamp; but I am still waiting +to see and hear the great bronze +bird alive in its native haunts.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_390" id="Note_390">390</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Vernon L. Kellogg (1867—) is a professor +in Leland Stanford Junior University +whose writings have been chiefly scientific. +His <i>Insect Stories</i>, from which the next +selection is taken, is an interesting and +instructive group of stories suitable for +pupils in the third, fourth, or fifth grade. +A later book is called <i>Nuova, the New Bee</i>. +("The Vendetta" is used by permission of +the publishers, Henry Holt & Co., New +York City.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE VENDETTA</h4> + +<div class='center'>VERNON L. KELLOGG</div> + +<p>This is the story of a fight. In the +first story of this book, I said that Mary +and I had seen a remarkable fight one +evening at sundown on the slopes of +the bare brown foothills west of the +campus. It was not a battle of armies— +we have seen that, too, in the little world +we watch,—but a combat of gladiators, +a struggle between two champions born +and bred for fighting, and particularly +for fighting each other. One champion +was Eurypelma, the great, black, hairy, +eight-legged, strong-fanged tarantula of +California, and the other was Pepsis, a +mighty wasp in dull-blue mail, with +rusty-red wings and a poisonous javelin +of a sting that might well frighten either +you or me. Do you have any wasp in +your neighborhood of the ferocity and +strength and size of Pepsis? If not, +you can hardly realize what a terrible +creature she is. With her strong hard-cased +body an inch and a half long, +borne on powerful wings that expand +fully three inches, and her long and +strong needle-pointed sting that darts +in and out like a flash and is always full +of virulent poison, Pepsis is certainly +queen of all the wasp amazons. But if +that is so, no less is Eurypelma greatest, +most dreadful, and fiercest, and hence +king, of all the spiders in this country. +In South America and perhaps elsewhere +in the tropics, live the fierce bird-spiders +with thick legs extending three +inches or more on each side of their ugly +hairy bodies. Eurypelma, the California +tarantula, is not quite so large as that, +nor does he stalk, pounce on and kill +little birds as his South American cousin +is said to do, but he is nevertheless a +tremendous and fear-inspiring creature +among the small beasties of field and +meadow.</p> + +<p>But not all Eurypelmas are so ferocious; +or at least are not ferocious all +the time. There are individual differences +among them. Perhaps it is a +matter of age or health. Anyway, I +had a pet tarantula which I kept in an +open jar in my room for several weeks, +and I could handle him with impunity. +He would sit gently on my hand, or walk +deliberately up my arm, with his eight,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_525" id="Page_525">[525]</a></span> +fixed, shining, little reddish eyes staring +hard at me, and his long seven-jointed +hairy legs swinging gently and rhythmically +along, without a sign of hesitation +or excitement. His hair was almost +gray and perhaps this hoariness and +general sedateness betokened a ripe old +age. But his great fangs were unblunted, +his supply of poison undiminished, and +his skill in striking and killing his prey +still perfect, as often proved at his feeding +times. He is quite the largest +Eurypelma I have ever seen. He measures—for +I still have his body, carefully +stuffed, and fastened on a block with +legs all spread out—five inches from +tip to tip of opposite legs.</p> + +<p>At the same time that I had this +hoary old tarantula, I had another +smaller, coal-black fellow who went into +a perfect ecstasy of anger and ferocity +every time any one came near him. He +would stand on his hind legs and paw +wildly with fore legs and palpi, and lunge +forward fiercely at my inquisitive pencil. +I found him originally in the middle +of an entry into a classroom, holding at +bay an entire excited class of art students +armed with mahl-sticks and paint-brushes. +The students were mostly women, and +I was hailed as deliverer and greatest +<i>dompteur</i> of beasts when I scooped +Eurypelma up in a bottle and walked +off with him.</p> + +<p>But this is not telling of the sundown +fight that Mary and I saw together. +We had been over to the sand-cut by +the golf links, after mining-bees, and +were coming home with a fine lot of +their holes and some of the bees themselves, +when Mary suddenly called to +me to "see the nice tarantula."</p> + +<p>Perhaps nice isn't the best word for +him, but he certainly was an unusually +imposing and fluffy-haired and fierce-looking +brute of a tarantula. He had +rather an owly way about him, as if +he had come out from his hole too +early and was dazed and half-blinded +by the light. Tarantulas are night +prowlers; they do all their hunting after +dark, dig their holes and, indeed, carry +on all the various businesses of their +life in the night-time. The occasional +one found walking about in daytime +has made a mistake, someway, and he +blunders around quite like an owl in +the sunshine.</p> + +<p>All of a sudden, while Mary and I +were smiling at this too early bird of a +tarantula, he went up on his hind legs in +fighting attitude, and at the same instant +down darted a great tarantula hawk, +that is, a Pepsis wasp. Her armored +body glinted cool and metallic in the +red sunset light, and her great wings had +a suggestive shining of dull fire about +them. She checked her swoop just +before reaching Eurypelma, and made a +quick dart over him, and then a quick +turn back, intending to catch the tarantula +in the rear. But lethargic and +owly as Eurypelma had been a moment +before, he was now all alertness +and agility. He had to be. He was +defending his life. One full fair stab +of the poisoned javelin, sheathed but +ready at the tip of the flexible, blue-black +body hovering over him, and it +would be over with Eurypelma. And he +knew it. Or perhaps he didn't. But +he acted as if he did. He was going +to do his best not to be stabbed; that +was sure. And Pepsis was going to do +her best to stab; that also was quickly +certain.</p> + +<p>At the same time Pepsis knew—or +anyway acted as if she did—that to be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_526" id="Page_526">[526]</a></span> +struck by one or both of those terrible +vertical, poison-filled fangs was sure +death. It would be like a blow from a +battle-axe, with the added horror of +mortal poison poured into the wound.</p> + +<p>So Eurypelma about-faced like a +flash, and Pepsis was foiled in her +strategy. She flew up and a yard away, +then returned to the attack. She flew +about in swift circles over his head, +preparatory to darting in again. But +Eurypelma was ready. As she swooped +viciously down, he lunged up and forward +with a half-leap, half-forward fall, +and came within an ace of striking the +trailing blue-black abdomen with his +reaching fangs. Indeed it seemed to +Mary and me as if they really grazed +the metallic body. But evidently they +had not pierced the smooth armor. Nor +had Pepsis in that breathless moment of +close quarters been able to plant her +lance. She whirled, up high this time +but immediately back, although a little +more wary evidently, for she checked +her downward plunge three or four +inches from the dancing champion on +the ground. And so for wild minute +after minute it went on; Eurypelma +always up and tip-toeing on those strong +hind legs, with open, armed mouth +always toward the point of attack, and +Pepsis ever darting down, up, over, +across, and in and out in dizzy dashes, +but never quite closing.</p> + +<p>Were Mary and I excited? Not a +word could we utter; only now and +then a swift intake of breath; a stifled +"O" or "Ah" or "See." And then of +a sudden came the end. Pepsis saw +her chance. A lightning swoop carried +her right on to the hairy champion. +The quivering lance shot home. The +poison coursed into the great soft body. +But at the same moment the terrible +fangs struck fair on the blue armor and +crashed through it. Two awful wounds, +and the wings of dull fire beat violently +only to strike up a little cloud of dust +and whirl the mangled body around +and around. Fortunately Death was +merciful, and the brave amazon made +a quick end.</p> + +<p>But what of Eurypelma, the killer? +Was it well with him? The sting-made +wound itself was of little moment; it +closed as soon as the lancet withdrew. +But not before the delicate poison sac +at its base inside the wasp-body had +contracted and squirted down the slender +hollow of the sting a drop of liquid +fire. And so it was not well with Eurypelma +in his insides. Victor he seemed +to be, but if he could think, he must +have had grave doubts about the joys +of victory.</p> + +<p>For a curious drowsiness was coming +over him. Perhaps, disquieting thought, +it was the approaching stupor of the +poison's working. His strong long legs +became limp, they would not work +regularly, they could not hold his heavy +hairy body up from the ground. He +would get into his hole and rest. But +it was too late. And after a few uneven +steps, victor Eurypelma settled heavily +down beside his amazon victim, inert +and forevermore beyond fighting. He +was paralyzed.</p> + +<p>And so Mary and I brought him home +in our collecting box, together with the +torn body of Pepsis with her wings of +slow fire dulled by the dust of her last +struggles. And though it is a whole +month now since Eurypelma received +his stab from the poisoned javelin of +Pepsis, he has not recovered; nor will +he ever. When you touch him, he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_527" id="Page_527">[527]</a></span> +draws up slowly one leg after another, +or moves a palpus feebly. But it is +living death; a hopeless paralytic is +the king.</p> + +<p>Dear reader, you are of course as +bright as Mary, and so you have noticed, +as she did right away, the close parallel +between what happened to Eurypelma +and what happened to the measuring-worms +brought by Ammophila to her +nest burrow as described in the first +story in this book. And so, like Mary, +you realize that the vendetta or life +feud between the tarantula family and +the family of Pepsis, the tarantula hawk, +is based on reasons of domestic economy +rather than on those of sentiment, which +determine vendettas in Corsica and +feuds in Kentucky.</p> + +<p>To be quite plain, Pepsis fights Eurypelma +to get his huge, juicy body for +food for her young; and Eurypelma +fights Pepsis to keep from becoming +paralyzed provender. If Pepsis had +escaped unhurt in the combat at which +Mary and I "assisted," as the French +say, as enthralled spectators, we should +have seen her drag by mighty effort the +limp, paralyzed, spider giant to her +nest hole not far distant—a great hole +twelve inches deep and with a side chamber +at the bottom. There she would have +thrust him down the throat of the burrow, +and then crawled in and laid an egg on +the helpless beast, from which in time +would have hatched the carnivorous +wasp grub. Pepsis has many close +allies among the wasps, all black or +steely blue with smoky or dull-bronze +wings, and they all use spiders, stung and +paralyzed, to store their nest holes with.</p> + +<p>"Do the little black and blue wasps +hunt the little spiders and the larger +ones the big spiders?" asked Mary.</p> + +<p>"Exactly," I respond, "and the giant +wasp of them all, Pepsis, the queen of +the wasp amazons, hunts only the biggest +spider of them all, Eurypelma, the +tarantula king, and we have seen her +do it."</p> + +<p>"Well," says Mary, "even if she wants +him for her children to eat, it's a real +vendetta, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed it is," I answer, "it's more +real, and fiercer, and more relentless, and +more persistent than any human vendetta +that ever was. For every Pepsis +mother in the world is always hunting +for Eurypelmas to fight. And not <i>all</i> +Corsicans have a vendetta on hand, nor +all Kentuckians a feud."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_391" id="Note_391">391</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Sewell Ford (1868-) is noted for his fine +stories about horses, especially those in +<i>Horses Nine</i>, from which the following +story of "Pasha" is taken. (By permission +of the publishers, Charles Scribner's Sons, +New York.) Pasha plays a most important +part in a human romance with war +as a background, and the combination is +very effective. Mr. Ford's <i>Torchy</i> stories +are also very popular with young people.</div> + + +<h4><br />PASHA, THE SON OF SELIM</h4> + +<div class='center'>SEWELL FORD</div> + +<p>Long, far too long, has the story of +Pasha, son of Selim, remained untold.</p> + +<p>The great Selim, you know, was +brought from far across the seas, where +he had been sold for a heavy purse by +a venerable sheik, who tore his beard +during the bargain and swore by Allah +that without Selim there would be for +him no joy in life. Also he had wept +quite convincingly on Selim's neck—but +he finished by taking the heavy purse. +That was how Selim, the great Selim,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_528" id="Page_528">[528]</a></span> +came to end his days in Fayette County, +Kentucky. Of his many sons, Pasha +was one.</p> + +<p>In almost idyllic manner were spent +the years of Pasha's coltdom. They +were years of pasture roaming and blue +grass cropping. When the time was +ripe, began the hunting lessons. Pasha +came to know the feel of the saddle and +the voice of the hounds. He was taught +the long, easy lope. He learned how +to gather himself for a sail through the +air over a hurdle or a water-jump. Then +when he could take five bars clean, when +he could clear an eight-foot ditch, when +his wind was so sound that he could +lead the chase from dawn until high +noon, he was sent to the stables of a +Virginia tobacco-planter who had need +of a new hunter and who could afford +Arab blood.</p> + +<p>In the stalls at Gray Oaks stables +were many good hunters, but none +better than Pasha. Cream-white he +was, from the tip of his splendid, yard-long +tail to his pink-lipped muzzle. His +coat was as silk plush, his neck as supple +as a swan's, and out of his big, bright +eyes there looked such intelligence that +one half expected him to speak. His +lines were all long, graceful curves, and +when he danced daintily on his slender +legs one could see the muscles flex under +the delicate skin.</p> + +<p>Miss Lou claimed Pasha for her very +own at first sight. As no one at Gray +Oaks denied Miss Lou anything at all, +to her he belonged from that instant. +Of Miss Lou, Pasha approved thoroughly. +She knew that bridle-reins were for +gentle guidance, not for sawing or jerking, +and that a riding-crop was of no +use whatever save to unlatch a gate or +to cut at an unruly hound. She knew +how to rise on the stirrup when Pasha +lifted himself in his stride, and how to +settle close to the pig-skin when his +hoofs hit the ground. In other words, +she had a good seat, which means as +much to the horse as it does to the rider.</p> + +<p>Besides all this, it was Miss Lou who +insisted that Pasha should have the best +of grooming, and she never forgot to +bring the dainties which Pasha loved, +an apple or a carrot or a sugarplum. +It is something, too, to have your nose +patted by a soft gloved hand and to +have such a person as Miss Lou put her +arm around your neck and whisper in +your ear. From no other than Miss +Lou would Pasha permit such intimacy.</p> + +<p>No paragon, however, was Pasha. He +had a temper, and his whims were as +many as those of a school-girl. He was +particular as to who put on his bridle. +He had notions concerning the manner +in which a currycomb should be used. +A red ribbon or a bandanna handkerchief +put him in a rage, while green, the holy +color of the Mohammedan, soothed his +nerves. A lively pair of heels he had, +and he knew how to use his teeth. The +black stable-boys found that out, and so +did the stern-faced man who was known +as "Mars" Clayton. This "Mars" Clayton +had ridden Pasha once, had ridden +him as he rode his big, ugly, hard-bitted +roan hunter, and Pasha had not enjoyed +the ride. Still, Miss Lou and Pasha +often rode out with "Mars" Clayton +and the parrot-nosed roan. That is, +they did until the coming of Mr. Dave.</p> + +<p>In Mr. Dave, Pasha found a new friend. +From a far Northern State was Mr. +Dave. He had come in a ship to buy +tobacco, but after he had bought his +cargo he still stayed at Gray Oaks, "to +complete Pasha's education," so he said.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_529" id="Page_529">[529]</a></span></p> + +<p>Many ways had Mr. Dave which +Pasha liked. He had a gentle manner +of talking to you, of smoothing your +flanks and rubbing your ears, which +gained your confidence and made you +sure that he understood. He was firm +and sure in giving command, yet so +patient in teaching one tricks, that it +was a pleasure to learn.</p> + +<p>So, almost before Pasha knew it, he +could stand on his hind legs, could step +around in a circle in time to a tune +which Mr. Dave whistled, and could do +other things which few horses ever learn +to do. His chief accomplishment, however, +was to kneel on his forelegs in the +attitude of prayer. A long time it took +Pasha to learn this, but Mr. Dave told +him over and over again, by word and +sign, until at last the son of the great +Selim could strike a pose such as would +have done credit to a Mecca pilgrim.</p> + +<p>"It's simply wonderful!" declared +Miss Lou.</p> + +<p>But it was nothing of the sort. Mr. +Dave had been teaching tricks to horses +ever since he was a small boy, and never +had he found such an apt pupil as Pasha.</p> + +<p>Many a glorious gallop did Pasha and +Miss Lou have while Mr. Dave stayed +at Gray Oaks, Dave riding the big bay +gelding that Miss Lou, with all her daring, +had never ventured to mount. It +was not all galloping though, for Pasha +and the big bay often walked for miles +through the wood lanes, side by side +and very close together, while Miss +Lou and Mr. Dave talked, talked, +talked. How they could ever find +so much to say to each other Pasha +wondered.</p> + +<p>But at last Mr. Dave went away, +and with his going ended good times +for Pasha, at least for many months. +There followed strange doings. There +was much excitement among the stable-boys, +much riding about, day and night, +by the men of Gray Oaks, and no hunting +at all. One day the stables were +cleared of all horses save Pasha.</p> + +<p>"Some time, if he is needed badly, +you may have Pasha, but not now." +Miss Lou had said. And then she had +hidden her face in his cream-white mane +and sobbed. Just what the trouble was +Pasha did not understand, but he was +certain "Mars" Clayton was at the +bottom of it.</p> + +<p>No longer did Miss Lou ride about +the country. Occasionally she galloped +up and down the highway, to the Pointdexters +and back, just to let Pasha +stretch his legs. Queer sights Pasha +saw on these trips. Sometimes he would +pass many men on horses riding close +together in a pack, as the hounds run +when they have the scent. They wore +strange clothing, did these men, and they +carried, instead of riding-crops, big +shiny knives that swung at their sides. +The sight of them set Pasha's nerves +tingling. He would sniff curiously after +them and then prick forward his ears +and dance nervously.</p> + +<p>Of course Pasha knew that something +unusual was going on, but what it was +he could not guess. There came a time, +however, when he found out all about +it. Months had passed when, late one +night, a hard-breathing, foam-splotched, +mud-covered horse was ridden into the +yard and taken into the almost deserted +stable. Pasha heard the harsh voice +of "Mars" Clayton swearing at the +stable-boy. Pasha heard his own name +spoken, and guessed that it was he who +was wanted. Next came Miss Lou to +the stable.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_530" id="Page_530">[530]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I'm very sorry," he heard "Mars" +Clayton say, "but I've got to get out +of this. The Yanks are not more than +five miles behind."</p> + +<p>"But you'll take good care of him, +won't you?" he heard Miss Lou ask +eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; of course," replied "Mars" +Clayton, carelessly.</p> + +<p>A heavy saddle was thrown on Pasha's +back, the girths pulled cruelly tight, and +in a moment "Mars" Clayton was on +his back. They were barely clear of +Gray Oaks driveway before Pasha felt +something he had never known before. +It was as if someone had jabbed a lot +of little knives into his ribs. Roused +by pain and fright, Pasha reared in a +wild attempt to unseat this hateful +rider. But "Mars" Clayton's knees +seemed glued to Pasha's shoulders. Next +Pasha tried to shake him off by sudden +leaps, sidebolts, and stiff-legged jumps. +These manœuvres brought vicious jerks +on the wicked chain-bit that was cutting +Pasha's tender mouth sorrily and more +jabs from the little knives. In this way +did Pasha fight until his sides ran with +blood and his breast was plastered thick +with reddened foam.</p> + +<p>In the meantime he had covered miles +of road, and at last, along in the cold +gray of the morning, he was ridden into +a field where were many tents and horses. +Pasha was unsaddled and picketed to a +stake. This latter indignity he was too +much exhausted to resent. All he could +do was to stand, shivering with cold, +trembling from nervous excitement, and +wait for what was to happen next.</p> + +<p>It seemed ages before anything did +happen. The beginning was a tripping +bugle-blast. This was answered by the +voice of other bugles blown here and +there about the field. In a moment +men began to tumble out of the white +tents. They came by twos and threes +and dozens, until the field was full of +them. Fires were built on the ground, +and soon Pasha could scent coffee boiling +and bacon frying. Black boys began +moving about among the horses with +hay and oats and water. One of them +rubbed Pasha hurriedly with a wisp of +straw. It was little like the currying +and rubbing with brush and comb and +flannel to which he was accustomed and +which he needed just then, oh, how +sadly. His strained muscles had stiffened +so much that every movement gave him +pain. So matted was his coat with +sweat and foam and mud that it seemed +as if half the pores of his skin were +choked.</p> + +<p>He had cooled his parched throat +with a long draught of somewhat muddy +water, but he had eaten only half of +the armful of hay when again the bugles +sounded and "Mars" Clayton appeared. +Tightening the girths, until they almost +cut into Pasha's tender skin, he jumped +into the saddle and rode off to where a +lot of big black horses were being reined +into line. In front of this line Pasha +was wheeled. He heard the bugles +sound once more, heard his rider shout +something to the men behind, felt the +wicked little knives in his sides, and +then, in spite of aching legs, was forced +into a sharp gallop. Although he knew +it not, Pasha had joined the Black +Horse Cavalry.</p> + +<p>The months that followed were to +Pasha one long, ugly dream. Not that +he minded the hard riding by day and +night. In time he became used to all +that. He could even endure the irregular +feeding, the sleeping in the open<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_531" id="Page_531">[531]</a></span> +during all kinds of weather, and the +lack of proper grooming. But the vicious +jerks on the torture-provoking cavalry +bit, the flat sabre blows on the flank +which he not infrequently got from his +ill-tempered master, and, above all, the +cruel digs of the spur-wheels—these +things he could not understand. Such +treatment he was sure he did not merit. +"Mars" Clayton he came to hate more +and more. Some day, Pasha told himself, +he would take vengeance with +teeth and heels, even if he died for it.</p> + +<p>In the meantime he had learned the +cavalry drill. He came to know the +meaning of each varying bugle-call, +from reveille, when one began to paw +and stamp for breakfast, to mournful +taps, when lights went out, and the tents +became dark and silent. Also, one +learned to slow from a gallop into a +walk; when to wheel to the right or +to the left, and when to start on the +jump as the first notes of a charge were +sounded. It was better to learn the +bugle-calls, he found, than to wait for +a jerk on the bits or a prod from the +spurs.</p> + +<p>No more was he terror-stricken, as he +had been on his first day in the cavalry, +at hearing behind him the thunder of +many hoofs. Having once become used +to the noise, he was even thrilled by the +swinging metre of it. A kind of wild +harmony was in it, something which +made one forget everything else. At +such times Pasha longed to break into +his long, wind-splitting lope, but he +learned that he must leave the others +no more than a pace or two behind, +although he could have easily outdistanced +them all.</p> + +<p>Also, Pasha learned to stand under +fire. No more did he dance at the +crack of carbines or the zipp-zipp of +bullets. He could even hold his ground +when shells went screaming over him, +although this was hardest of all to bear. +One could not see them, but their sound, +like that of great birds in flight, was +something to try one's nerves. Pasha +strained his ears to catch the note of +each shell that came whizzing overhead, +and, as it passed, looked inquiringly over +his shoulder as if to ask, "Now what on +earth was that?"</p> + +<p>But all this experience could not prepare +him for the happenings of that +never-to-be-forgotten day in June. There +had been a period full of hard riding and +ending with a long halt. For several +days hay and oats were brought with +some regularity. Pasha was even provided +with an apology for a stall. It +was made by leaning two rails against +a fence. Some hay was thrown between +the rails. This was a sorry substitute +for the roomy box-stall, filled with clean +straw, which Pasha always had at Gray +Oaks, but it was as good as any provided +for the Black Horse Cavalry.</p> + +<p>And how many, many horses there +were! As far as Pasha could see in +either direction the line extended. Never +before had he seen so many horses at +one time. And men! The fields and +woods were full of them; some in brown +butternut, some in homespun gray, and +many in clothes having no uniformity +of color at all. "Mars" Clayton was +dressed better than most, for on his +butternut coat were shiny shoulder-straps, +and it was closed with shiny +buttons. Pasha took little pride in this. +He knew his master for a cruel and +heartless rider, and for nothing more.</p> + +<p>One day there was a great parade, +when Pasha was carefully groomed for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_532" id="Page_532">[532]</a></span> +the first time in months. There were +bands playing and flags flying. Pasha, +forgetful of his ill-treatment and prancing +proudly at the head of a squadron +of coal-black horses, passed in review +before a big, bearded man wearing a +slouch hat fantastically decorated with +long plumes and sitting a great black +horse in the midst of a little knot of +officers.</p> + +<p>Early the next morning Pasha was +awakened by the distant growl of heavy +guns. By daylight he was on the move, +thousands of other horses with him. +Nearer and nearer they rode to the +place where the guns were growling. +Sometimes they were on roads, sometimes +they crossed fields, and again they +plunged into the woods where the low +branches struck one's eyes and scratched +one's flanks. At last they broke clear +of the trees to come suddenly upon such +a scene as Pasha had never before +witnessed.</p> + +<p>Far across the open field he could see +troop on troop of horses coming toward +him. They seemed to be pouring over +the crest of a low hill, as if driven onward +by some unseen force behind. Instantly +Pasha heard, rising from the throats of +thousands of riders, on either side and +behind him, that fierce, wild yell which +he had come to know meant the approach +of trouble. High and shrill and menacing +it rang as it was taken up and repeated +by those in the rear. Next the bugles +began to sound, and in quick obedience +the horses formed in line just on the +edge of the woods, a line which stretched +on either flank until one could hardly see +where it ended.</p> + +<p>From the distant line came no answering +cry, but Pasha could hear the bugles +blowing and he could see the fronts +massing. Then came the order to charge +at a gallop. This set Pasha to tugging +eagerly at the bit, but for what reason +he did not know. He knew only that +he was part of a great and solid line of +men and horses sweeping furiously across +a field toward that other line which he +had seen pouring over the hill crest.</p> + +<p>He could scarcely see at all now. The +thousands of hoofs had raised a cloud +of dust that not only enveloped the +onrushing line, but rolled before it. +Nor could Pasha hear anything save the +thunderous thud of many feet. Even +the shrieking of the shells was drowned. +But for the restraining bit Pasha would +have leaped forward and cleared the +line. Never had he been so stirred. +The inherited memory of countless desert +raids, made by his Arab ancestors, was +doing its work. For what seemed a +long time this continued, and then, in +the midst of the blind and frenzied race, +there loomed out of the thick air, as if +it had appeared by magic, the opposing +line.</p> + +<p>Pasha caught a glimpse of something +which seemed like a heaving wall of +tossing heads and of foam-whitened necks +and shoulders. Here and there gleamed +red, distended nostrils and straining eyes. +Bending above was another wall, a wall +of dusty blue coats, of grim faces, and +of dust-powdered hats. Bristling above +all was a threatening crest of waving +blades.</p> + +<p>What would happen when the lines +met? Almost before the query was +thought there came the answer. With +an earth-jarring crash they came together. +The lines wavered back from the shock +of impact and then the whole struggle +appeared to Pasha to centre about him. +Of course this was not so. But it was a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_533" id="Page_533">[533]</a></span> +fact that the most conspicuous figure in +either line had been that of the cream-white +charger in the very centre of the +Black Horse regiment.</p> + +<p>For one confused moment Pasha heard +about his ears the whistle and clash of +sabres, the spiteful crackle of small arms, +the snorting of horses, and the cries of +men. For an instant he was wedged +tightly in the frenzied mass, and then, +by one desperate leap, such as he had +learned on the hunting field, he shook +himself clear.</p> + +<p>Not until some minutes later did +Pasha notice that the stirrups were +dangling empty and that the bridle-rein +hung loose on his neck. Then he knew +that at last he was free from "Mars" +Clayton. At the same time he felt himself +seized by an overpowering dread. +While conscious of a guiding hand on the +reins Pasha had abandoned himself to +the fierce joy of the charge. But now, +finding himself riderless in the midst of +a horrid din, he knew not what to do, +nor which way to turn. His only impulse +was to escape. But where? Lifting +high his fine head and snorting with +terror he rushed about, first this way +and then that, frantically seeking a way +out of this fog-filled field of dreadful +pandemonium. Now he swerved in his +course to avoid a charging squad, now +he was turned aside by prone objects at +sight of which he snorted fearfully. +Although the blades still rang and the +carbines still spoke, there were no more +to be seen either lines or order. Here +and there in the dust-clouds scurried +horses, some with riders and some +without, by twos, by fours, or in +squads of twenty or more. The sound +of shooting and slashing and shouting +filled the air.</p> + +<p>To Pasha it seemed an eternity that +he had been tearing about the field when +he shied at the figure of a man sitting +on the ground. Pasha was about to +wheel and dash away when the man +called to him. Surely the tones were +familiar. With wide-open, sniffing nostrils +and trembling knees, Pasha, stopped and +looked hard at the man on the ground.</p> + +<p>"Pasha! Pasha!" the man called +weakly. The voice sounded like that +of Mr. Dave.</p> + +<p>"Come, boy! Come, boy!" said the +man in a coaxing tone, which recalled to +Pasha the lessons he had learned at +Gray Oaks years before. Still Pasha +sniffed and hesitated.</p> + +<p>"Come here, Pasha, old fellow. For +God's sake, come here!"</p> + +<p>There was no resisting this appeal. +Step by step Pasha went nearer. He +continued to tremble, for this man on +the ground, although his voice was that +of Mr. Dave, looked much different from +the one who had taught him tricks. +Besides, there was about him the scent +of fresh blood. Pasha could see the +stain of it on his blue trousers.</p> + +<p>"Come, boy. Come, Pasha," insisted +the man on the ground, holding out an +encouraging hand. Slowly Pasha obeyed +until he could sniff the man's fingers. +Another step and the man was smoothing +his nose, still speaking gently and coaxingly +in a faint voice. In the end Pasha +was assured that the man was really +the Mr. Dave of old, and glad enough +Pasha was to know it.</p> + +<p>"Now, Pasha," said Mr. Dave, "we'll +see if you've forgotten your tricks, and +may the good Lord grant you haven't. +Down, sir! Kneel, Pasha, kneel!"</p> + +<p>It had been a long time since Pasha +had been asked to do this, a very long<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_534" id="Page_534">[534]</a></span> +time; but here was Mr. Dave asking +him, in just the same tone as of old, and +in just the same way. So Pasha, forgetting +his terror under the soothing +spell of Mr. Dave's voice, forgetting the +fearful sights and sounds about him, +remembering only that here was the +Mr. Dave whom he loved, asking him +to do his old trick—well, Pasha knelt.</p> + +<p>"Easy now, boy; steady!" Pasha +heard him say. Mr. Dave was dragging +himself along the ground to Pasha's +side. "Steady now, Pasha; steady, +boy!" He felt Mr. Dave's hand on +the pommel. "So-o-o, boy; so-o-o-o!" +Slowly, oh, so slowly, he felt Mr. Dave +crawling into the saddle, and although +Pasha's knees ached from the unfamiliar +strain, he stirred not a muscle until he +got the command, "Up, Pasha, up!"</p> + +<p>Then, with a trusted hand on the +bridle-rein, Pasha joyfully bounded away +through the fog, until the battle-field +was left behind. Of the long ride that +ensued only Pasha knows, for Mr. Dave +kept his seat in the saddle more by +force of muscular habit than anything +else. A man who has learned to sleep +on horseback does not easily fall off, +even though he has not the full command +of his senses. Only for the first hour +or so did Pasha's rider do much toward +guiding their course. In hunting-horses, +however, the sense of direction is strong. +Pasha had it—especially for one point +of the compass. This point was south. +So, unknowing of the possible peril into +which he might be taking his rider, +south he went. How Pasha ever did +it, as I have said, only Pasha knows; +but in the end he struck the Richmond +Pike.</p> + +<p>It was a pleading whinny which aroused +Miss Lou at early daybreak. Under her +window she saw Pasha, and on his back +a limp figure in a blue, dust-covered, +dark-stained uniform. And that was +how Pasha's cavalry career came to an +end. That one fierce charge was his +last.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>In the Washington home of a certain +Maine Congressman you may see, hung +in a place of honor and lavishly framed, +the picture of a horse. It is very creditably +done in oils, is this picture. It is +of a cream-white horse, with an arched +neck, clean, slim legs, and a splendid +flowing tail.</p> + +<p>Should you have any favors of state +to ask of this Maine Congressman it +would be the wise thing, before stating +your request, to say something nice +about the horse in the picture. Then +the Congressman will probably say, +looking fondly at the picture: "I must +tell Lou—er—my wife, you know, +what you have said. Yes, that was +Pasha. He saved my neck at Brandy +Station. He was one-half Arab, Pasha +was, and the other half, sir, was +human."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_392" id="Note_392">392</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Louisa de la Ramée (1839-1908), an English +novelist, is generally known by her pseudonym +"Ouida," which was the result of a +child's attempt to pronounce her first +name. Her novels had strong popular +qualities: intensely dramatic, with sentiment +rather high-pitched and always +verging on the sensational. The intense +human interest is constantly present in +her work and accounts for her great vogue. +Two of her stories, "The Dog of Flanders" +and "Moufflou," have gained a permanent +place in juvenile literature. They are +popular among sixth, seventh, and eighth +grade pupils.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_535" id="Page_535">[535]</a></span></p> + + +<h4><br />MOUFFLOU</h4> + +<div class='center'>"OUIDA"</div> + +<p>Moufflou's masters were some boys +and girls. They were very poor, but +they were very merry. They lived in +an old, dark, tumble-down place, and +their father had been dead five years; +their mother's care was all they knew; +and Tasso was the eldest of them all, +a lad of nearly twenty, and he was so +kind, so good, so laborious, so cheerful, +so gentle, that the children all younger +than he adored him. Tasso was a +gardener. Tasso, however, though the +eldest and mainly the bread-winner, was +not so much Moufflou's master as was +little Romolo, who was only ten, and a +cripple. Romolo, called generally Lolo, +had taught Moufflou all he knew; and +that all was a very great deal, for nothing +cleverer than was Moufflou had ever +walked upon four legs.</p> + +<p>Why Moufflou?</p> + +<p>Well, when the poodle had been given +to them by a soldier who was going back +to his home in Piedmont, he had been a +white woolly creature a year old, and +the children's mother, who was a Corsican +by birth, had said that he was just like +a <i>moufflon</i>, as they call sheep in Corsica. +White and woolly this dog remained, +and he became the handsomest and biggest +poodle in all the city, and the corruption +of Moufflou from Moufflon +remained the name by which he was +known; it was silly, perhaps, but it +suited him and the children, and Moufflou +he was.</p> + +<p>They lived in an old quarter of Florence, +in that picturesque zigzag which +goes round the grand church of Or San +Michele, and which is almost more +Venetian than Tuscan in its mingling +of color, charm, stateliness, popular +confusion, and architectural majesty. +The tall old houses are weather-beaten +into the most delicious hues; the pavement +is enchantingly encumbered with +peddlers and stalls and all kinds of +trades going on in the open air, in that +bright, merry, beautiful Italian custom +which, alas, alas! is being driven away +by new-fangled laws which deem it +better for the people to be stuffed up +in close, stewing rooms without air, and +would fain do away with all the good-tempered +politics and the sensible philosophies +and the wholesome chatter +which the open-street trades and street +gossipry encourage, for it is good for the +populace to <i>sfogare</i> and in no other way +can it do so one-half so innocently. +Drive it back into musty shops, and +it is driven at once to mutter sedition. . . . +But you want to hear about +Moufflou.</p> + +<p>Well, Moufflou lived here in that +high house with the sign of the lamb in +wrought iron, which shows it was once a +warehouse of the old guild of the Arte +della Lana. They are all old houses +here, drawn round about that grand +church which I called once, and will +call again, like a mighty casket of +oxidized silver. A mighty casket indeed, +holding the Holy Spirit within it; and +with the vermilion and the blue and the +orange glowing in its niches and its +lunettes like enamels, and its statues +of the apostles strong and noble, like +the times in which they were created,—St. +Peter with his keys, and St. Mark +with his open book, and St. George +leaning on his sword, and others also, +solemn and austere as they, austere +though benign, for do they not guard +the White Tabernacle of Oreagna within?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_536" id="Page_536">[536]</a></span></p> + +<p>The church stands firm as a rock, +square as a fortress of stone, and the +winds and the waters of the skies may +beat about it as they will, they have no +power to disturb its sublime repose. +Sometimes I think of all the noble things +in all our Italy Or San Michele is the +noblest, standing there in its stern +magnificence, amidst people's hurrying +feet and noisy laughter, a memory of +God.</p> + +<p>The little masters of Moufflou lived +right in its shadow, where the bridge +of stone spans the space between the +houses and the church high in mid-air; +and little Lolo loved the church with +a great love. He loved it in the morning-time, +when the sunbeams turned it into +dusky gold and jasper; he loved it in +the evening-time, when the lights of +its altars glimmered in the dark, and +the scent of its incense came out into +the street; he loved it in the great feasts, +when the huge clusters of lilies were +borne inside it; he loved it in the solemn +nights of winter; the flickering gleam +of the dull lamps shone on the robes of +an apostle, or the sculpture of a shield, +or the glow of a casement-moulding in +majolica. He loved it always, and, +without knowing why, he called it <i>la mia +chiesa</i>.</p> + +<p>Lolo, being lame and of delicate health, +was not enabled to go to school or to +work, though he wove the straw covering +of wine-flasks and plaited the cane matting +with busy fingers. But for the +most part he did as he liked, and spent +most of his time sitting on the parapet +of Or San Michele, watching the venders +of earthenware at their trucks, or trotting +with his crutch (and he could trot a good +many miles when he chose) out with +Moufflou down a bit of the Stocking-makers' +Street, along under the arcades +of the Uffizi, and so over the Jewellers' +Bridge, and out of byways that he knew +into the fields on the hill-side upon the +other bank of Arno. Moufflou and he +would spend half the day—all the day—out +there in daffodil-time; and Lolo +would come home with great bundles +and sheaves of golden flowers, and he +and Moufflou were happy.</p> + +<p>His mother never liked to say a harsh +word to Lolo, for he was lame through +her fault; she had let him fall in his +babyhood, and the mischief had been +done to his hip never again to be undone. +So she never raised her voice to him, +though she did often to the others,—to +curly-pated Cecco, and pretty black-eyed +Dina, and saucy Bice, and sturdy +Beppo, and even to the good, manly, +hard-working Tasso. Tasso was the +mainstay of the whole, though he was +but a gardener's lad, working in the green +Cascine at small wages. But all he +earned he brought home to his mother; +and he alone kept in order the lazy, high-tempered +Sandro, and he alone kept in +check Bice's love of finery, and he alone +could with shrewdness and care make +both ends meet and put <i>minestra</i> always +in the pot and bread always in the +cupboard.</p> + +<p>When his mother thought, as she +thought indeed almost ceaselessly, that +with a few months he would be of the +age to draw his number, and might draw +a high one and be taken from her for +three years, the poor soul believed her +very heart would burst and break; and +many a day at twilight she would start +out unperceived and creep into the +great church and pour her soul forth in +supplication before the White Tabernacle.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_537" id="Page_537">[537]</a></span></p> + +<p>Yet, pray as she would, no miracle +could happen to make Tasso free of +military service: if he drew a fatal number, +go he must, even though he take +all the lives of them to their ruin with +him.</p> + +<p>One morning Lolo sat as usual on the +parapet of the church, Moufflou beside +him. It was a brilliant morning in +September. The men at the hand-barrows +and at the stall were selling the +crockery, the silk handkerchiefs, and the +straw hats which form the staple of the +commerce that goes on round about Or +San Michele,—very blithe, good-natured, +gay commerce, for the most part, not got +through, however, of course, without +bawling and screaming, and shouting +and gesticulating, as if the sale of a +penny pipkin or a twopenny pie-pan +were the occasion for the exchange of +many thousands of pounds sterling and +cause for the whole world's commotion. +It was about eleven o'clock; the poor +petitioners were going in for alms to the +house of the fraternity of San Giovanni +Battista; the barber at the corner was +shaving a big man with a cloth tucked +about his chin, and his chair set well +out on the pavement; the sellers of the +pipkins and pie-pans were screaming till +they were hoarse, "<i>Un soldo l'uno, due +soldi tre!</i>" big bronze bells were booming +till they seemed to clang right up to +the deep-blue sky; some brethren of +the Misericordia went by bearing a +black bier; a large sheaf of glowing +flowers—dahlias, zinnias, asters, and +daturas—was borne through the huge +arched door of the church near St. +Mark and his open book. Lolo looked +on at it all, and so did Moufflou, and +a stranger looked at them as he left +the church.</p> + +<p>"You have a handsome poodle there, +my little man," he said to Lolo, in a +foreigner's too distinct and careful Italian.</p> + +<p>"Moufflou is beautiful," said Lolo, +with pride. "You should see him when +he is just washed; but we can only wash +him on Sundays, because then Tasso +is at home."</p> + +<p>"How old is your dog?"</p> + +<p>"Three years old."</p> + +<p>"Does he do any tricks?"</p> + +<p>"Does he!" said Lolo, with a very +derisive laugh: "why, Moufflou can do +anything! He can walk on two legs +ever so long; make ready, present, and +fire; die; waltz; beg, of course; shut +a door; make a wheelbarrow of himself; +there is nothing he will not do. Would +you like to see him do something?"</p> + +<p>"Very much," said the foreigner.</p> + +<p>To Moufflou and to Lolo the street +was the same thing as home; this cheery +<i>piazzetta</i> by the church, so utterly empty +sometimes, and sometimes so noisy and +crowded, was but the wider threshold of +their home to both the poodle and the child.</p> + +<p>So there, under the lofty and stately +walls of the old church, Lolo put Moufflou +through his exercises. They were second +nature to Moufflou, as to most poodles. +He had inherited his address at them +from clever parents, and, as he had never +been frightened or coerced, all his lessons +and acquirements were but play to him. +He acquitted himself admirably, and the +crockery-venders came and looked on, +and a sacristan came out of the church +and smiled, and the barber left his +customer's chin all in a lather while +he laughed, for the good folk of the +quarter were all proud of Moufflou and +never tired of him, and the pleasant, +easy-going, good-humored disposition of +the Tuscan populace is so far removed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_538" id="Page_538">[538]</a></span> +from the stupid buckram and whale-bone +in which the new-fangled democracy +wants to imprison it.</p> + +<p>The stranger also was much diverted +by Moufflou's talents, and said, half +aloud, "How this clever dog would +amuse poor Victor! Would you bring +your poodle to please a sick child I +have at home!" he said, quite aloud, to +Lolo, who smiled and answered that he +would. Where was the sick child?</p> + +<p>"At the Gran Bretagna; not far off," +said the gentleman. "Come this afternoon, +and ask for me by this name."</p> + +<p>He dropped his card and a couple of +francs into Lolo's hand, and went his +way. Lolo, with Moufflou scampering +after him, dashed into his own house, +and stumped up the stairs, his crutch +making a terrible noise on the stone.</p> + +<p>"Mother, mother! see what I have +got because Moufflou did his tricks," +he shouted. "And now you can buy +those shoes you want so much, and the +coffee that you miss so of a morning, +and the new linen for Tasso, and the +shirts for Sandro."</p> + +<p>For to the mind of Lolo two francs +was as two millions,—source unfathomable +of riches inexhaustible!</p> + +<p>With the afternoon he and Moufflou +trotted down the arcades of the Uffizi +and down the Lung' Arno to the hotel +of the stranger, and, showing the stranger's +card, which Lolo could not read, +they were shown at once into a great +chamber, all gilding and fresco and +velvet furniture.</p> + +<p>But Lolo, being a little Florentine, +was never troubled by externals, or +daunted by mere sofas and chairs: he +stood and looked around him with +perfect composure; and Moufflou, whose +attitude, when he was not romping, was +always one of magisterial gravity, sat +on his haunches and did the same.</p> + +<p>Soon the foreigner he had seen in the +forenoon entered and spoke to him, and +led him into another chamber, where +stretched on a couch was a little wan-faced +boy about seven years old; a +pretty boy, but so pallid, so wasted, so +helpless. This poor little boy was heir +to a great name and a great fortune, +but all the science in the world could +not make him strong enough to run +about among the daisies, or able to draw +a single breath without pain. A feeble +smile lit up his face as he saw Moufflou +and Lolo; then a shadow chased it +away.</p> + +<p>"Little boy is lame like me," he said, +in a tongue Lolo did not understand.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but he is a strong little boy, +and can move about, as perhaps the +suns of his country will make you do," +said the gentleman, who was the poor +little boy's father. "He has brought you +his poodle to amuse you. What a handsome +dog! is it not?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, <i>buffins!</i>" said the poor little +fellow, stretching out his wasted hands +to Moufflou, who submitted his leonine +crest to the caress.</p> + +<p>Then Lolo went through the performance, +and Moufflou acquitted himself +ably as ever; and the little invalid +laughed and shouted with his tiny thin +voice, and enjoyed it all immensely, and +rained cakes and biscuits on both the +poodle and its master. Lolo crumped +the pastries with willing white teeth, +and Moufflou did no less. Then they +got up to go, and the sick child on the +couch burst into fretful lamentations and +outcries.</p> + +<p>"I want the dog! I will have the dog!" +was all he kept repeating.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_539" id="Page_539">[539]</a></span></p> + +<p>But Lolo did not know what he +said, and was only sorry to see him so +unhappy.</p> + +<p>"You shall have the dog to-morrow," +said the gentleman, to pacify his little +son; and he hurried Lolo and Moufflou +out of the room, and consigned them to +a servant, having given Lolo five francs +this time.</p> + +<p>"Why, Moufflou," said Lolo, with a +chuckle of delight, "if we could find a +foreigner every day, we could eat meat +at supper, Moufflou, and go to the +theatre every evening?"</p> + +<p>And he and his crutch clattered home +with great eagerness and excitement, +and Moufflou trotted on his four frilled +feet, the blue bow with which Bice had +tied up his curls on the top of his head, +fluttering in the wind. But, alas! even +his five francs could bring no comfort +at home. He found his whole family +wailing and mourning in utterly inconsolable +distress.</p> + +<p>Tasso had drawn his number that +morning, and the number was seven, +and he must go and be a conscript for +three years.</p> + +<p>The poor young man stood in the +midst of his weeping brothers and sisters, +with his mother leaning against his +shoulder, and down his own brown +cheeks the tears were falling. He must +go, and lose his place in the public gardens, +and leave his people to starve as +they might, and be put in a tomfool's +jacket, and drafted off among cursing +and swearing and strange faces, friendless, +homeless, miserable! And the +mother,—what would become of the +mother?</p> + +<p>Tasso was the best of lads and the +mildest. He was quite happy sweeping +up the leaves in the long alleys of the +Cascine, or mowing the green lawns +under the ilex avenues, and coming +home at supper-time, among the merry +little people and the good woman that +he loved. He was quite contented; he +wanted nothing, only to be let alone; and +they would not let him alone. They +would haul him away to put a heavy +musket in his hand and a heavy knapsack +on his back, and drill him, and +curse him, and make him into a human +target, a live popinjay.</p> + +<p>No one had any heed for Lolo and +his five francs, and Moufflou, understanding +that some great sorrow had +fallen on his friends, sat down and lifted +up his voice and howled.</p> + +<p>Tasso must go away!—that was all +they understood. For three long years +they must go without the sight of his +face, the aid of his strength, the pleasure +of his smile: Tasso must go! When +Lolo understood the calamity that had +befallen them, he gathered Moufflou up +against his breast, and sat down too on +the floor beside him and cried as if he +would never stop crying.</p> + +<p>There was no help for it; it was one +of those misfortunes which are, as we +say in Italian, like a tile tumbled on +the head. The tile drops from a height, +and the poor head bows under the unseen +blow. That is all.</p> + +<p>"What is the use of that?" said the +mother, passionately, when Lolo showed +her his five francs. "It will not buy +Tasso's discharge."</p> + +<p>Lolo felt that his mother was cruel +and unjust, and crept to bed with +Moufflou. Moufflou always slept on +Lolo's feet.</p> + +<p>The next morning Lolo got up before +sunrise, and he and Moufflou accompanied +Tasso to his work in the Cascine.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_540" id="Page_540">[540]</a></span></p> + +<p>Lolo loved his brother, and clung to every +moment whilst they could still be together.</p> + +<p>"Can nothing keep you, Tasso?" he +said, despairingly, as they went down +the leafy aisles, whilst the Arno water +was growing golden as the sun rose.</p> + +<p>Tasso sighed.</p> + +<p>"Nothing, dear. Unless Gesu would +send me a thousand francs to buy a +substitute."</p> + +<p>And he knew he might as well have +said, "If one could coin gold ducats +out of the sunbeams on Arno water."</p> + +<p>Lolo was very sorrowful as he lay on +the grass in the meadow where Tasso +was at work, and the poodle lay stretched +beside him.</p> + +<p>When Lolo went home to dinner (Tasso +took his wrapped in a handkerchief) he +found his mother very agitated and +excited. She was laughing one moment, +crying the next. She was passionate +and peevish, tender and jocose by turns; +there was something forced and feverish +about her which the children felt but +did not comprehend. She was a woman +of not very much intelligence, and she +had a secret, and she carried it ill, and +knew not what to do with it; but they +could not tell that. They only felt a +vague sense of disturbance and timidity +at her unwonted manner.</p> + +<p>The meal over (it was only bean-soup, +and that is soon eaten), the mother said +sharply to Lolo, "Your aunt Anita wants +you this afternoon. She has to go out, +and you are needed to stay with the +children: be off with you."</p> + +<p>Lolo was an obedient child; he took +his hat and jumped up as quickly as +his halting hip would let him. He +called Moufflou, who was asleep.</p> + +<p>"Leave the dog," said his mother, +sharply. "'Nita will not have him +messing and carrying mud about her +nice clean rooms. She told me so. +Leave him. I say."</p> + +<p>"Leave Moufflou!" echoed Lolo, for +never in all Moufflou's life had Lolo +parted from him. Leave Moufflou! He +stared open-eyed and open-mouthed at +his mother. What could have come to +her?</p> + +<p>"Leave him, I say," she repeated, +more sharply than ever. "Must I speak +twice to my own children? Be off with +you, and leave the dog, I say."</p> + +<p>And she clutched Moufflou by his +long silky mane and dragged him backwards, +whilst with the other hand +she thrust out of the door Lolo and +Bice.</p> + +<p>Lolo began to hammer with his crutch +at the door thus closed on him; but +Bice coaxed and entreated him.</p> + +<p>"Poor mother has been so worried +about Tasso," she pleaded. "And what +harm can come to Moufflou? And I do +think he was tired, Lolo; the Cascine +is a long way; and it is quite true that +Aunt 'Nita never liked him."</p> + +<p>So by one means and another she +coaxed her brother away; and they +went almost in silence to where their +Aunt Anita dwelt, which was across the +river, near the dark-red bell-shaped dome +of Santa Spirito.</p> + +<p>It was true that her aunt had wanted +them to mind her room and her babies +whilst she was away carrying home some +lace to a villa outside the Roman gate, +for she was a lace-washer and clear-starcher +by trade. There they had to +stay in the little dark room with the +two babies, with nothing to amuse the +time except the clang of the bells of the +church of the Holy Spirit, and the voices +of the lemonade-sellers shouting in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_541" id="Page_541">[541]</a></span> +street below. Aunt Anita did not get +back till it was more than dusk, and +the two children trotted homeward hand +in hand, Lolo's leg dragging itself painfully +along, for without Moufflou's white +figure dancing on before him he felt +very tired indeed. It was pitch dark +when they got to Or San Michele, and +the lamps burned dully.</p> + +<p>Lolo stumped up the stairs wearily, +with a vague, dull fear at his small +heart.</p> + +<p>"Moufflou, Moufflou!" he called. +Where was Moufflou? Always at the +first sound of his crutch the poodle came +flying towards him. "Moufflou, Moufflou!" +he called all the way up the long, +dark twisting stone stair. He pushed +open the door, and he called again, +"Moufflou, Moufflou!"</p> + +<p>But no dog answered to his call.</p> + +<p>"Mother, where is Moufflou?" he +asked, staring with blinking, dazzled +eyes into the oil-lit room where his mother +sat knitting. Tasso was not then home +from work. His mother went on with +her knitting; there was an uneasy look +on her face.</p> + +<p>"Mother, what have you done with +Moufflou, <i>my</i> Moufflou?" said Lolo, with +a look that was almost stern on his +ten-year-old face.</p> + +<p>Then his mother, without looking up +and moving her knitting-needles very +rapidly, said,—</p> + +<p>"Moufflou is sold!"</p> + +<p>And little Dina, who was a quick, pert +child, cried, with a shrill voice,—</p> + +<p>"Mother has sold him for a thousand +francs to the foreign gentleman."</p> + +<p>"Sold him!"</p> + +<p>Lolo grew white and grew cold as ice; +he stammered, threw up his hands over +his head, gasped a little for breath, then +fell down in a dead swoon, his poor +useless limb doubled under him.</p> + +<p>When Tasso came home that sad night +and found his little brother shivering, +moaning, and half delirious, and when +he heard what had been done, he was +sorely grieved.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mother, how could you do it?" +he cried. "Poor, poor Moufflou! and +Lolo loves him so!"</p> + +<p>"I have got the money," said his +mother, feverishly, "and you will not +need to go for a soldier: we can buy +your substitute. What is a poodle, that +you mourn about it? We can get +another poodle for Lolo."</p> + +<p>"Another will not be Moufflou," +said Tasso, and yet was seized with +such a frantic happiness himself at the +knowledge that he would not need go +to the army, that he too felt as if he were +drunk on new wine, and had not the +heart to rebuke his mother.</p> + +<p>"A thousand francs!" he muttered; +"a thousand francs! <i>Dio mio!</i> Who +could ever have fancied anybody would +have given such a price for a common +white poodle? One would think the +gentleman had bought the church and +the tabernacle!"</p> + +<p>"Fools and their money are soon +parted," said his mother, with cross +contempt.</p> + +<p>It was true: she had sold Moufflou.</p> + +<p>The English gentleman had called on +her while Lolo and the dog had been in +the Cascine, and had said that he was +desirous of buying the poodle, which had +so diverted his sick child that the little +invalid would not be comforted unless +he possessed it. Now, at any other time +the good woman would have sturdily +refused any idea of selling Moufflou; but +that morning the thousand francs which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_542" id="Page_542">[542]</a></span> +would buy Tasso's substitute were forever +in her mind and before her eyes. +When she heard the foreigner her heart +gave a great leap, and her head swam +giddily, and she thought, in a spasm +of longing—if she could get those +thousand francs! But though she was +so dizzy and so upset she retained her +grip on her native Florentine shrewdness. +She said nothing of her need of +the money; not a syllable of her sore +distress. On the contrary, she was coy +and wary, affected great reluctance to +part with her pet, invented a great offer +made for him by a director of a circus, +and finally let fall a hint that less than +a thousand francs she could never take +for poor Moufflou.</p> + +<p>The gentleman assented with so much +willingness to the price that she instantly +regretted not having asked double. He +told her that if she would take the poodle +that afternoon to his hotel the money +should be paid to her; so she despatched +her children after their noonday meal in +various directions, and herself took +Moufflou to his doom. She could not +believe her senses when ten hundred-franc +notes were put into her hand. +She scrawled her signature, Rosina Calabucci, +to a formal receipt, and went +away, leaving Moufflou in his new +owner's rooms, and hearing his howls +and moans pursue her all the way down +the staircase and out into the air.</p> + +<p>She was not easy at what she had +done.</p> + +<p>"It seemed," she said to herself, "like +selling a Christian."</p> + +<p>But then to keep her eldest son at +home,—what a joy that was! On the +whole, she cried so and laughed so as +she went down the Lung' Arno that +once or twice people looked at her, +thinking her out of her senses, and a +guard spoke to her angrily.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Lolo was sick and delirious +with grief. Twenty times he got out +of his bed and screamed to be allowed +to go with Moufflou, and twenty times +his mother and his brothers put him +back again and held him down and tried +in vain to quiet him.</p> + +<p>The child was beside himself with +misery. "Moufflou! Moufflou!" he +sobbed at every moment; and by night +he was in a raging fever, and when his +mother, frightened, ran in and called in +the doctor of the quarter, that worthy +shook his head and said something as +to a shock of the nervous system, and +muttered a long word,—"meningitis."</p> + +<p>Lolo took a hatred to the sight of +Tasso, and thrust him away, and his +mother too.</p> + +<p>"It is for you Moufflou is sold," he +said, with his little teeth and hands tight +clinched.</p> + +<p>After a day or two Tasso felt as if he +could not bear his life, and went down to +the hotel to see if the foreign gentleman +would allow him to have Moufflou back +for half an hour to quiet his little brother +by a sight of him. But at the hotel he +was told that the <i>Milord Inglese</i> who +had bought the dog of Rosina Calabucci +had gone that same night of the purchase +to Rome, to Naples, to Palermo, +<i>chi sa?</i></p> + +<p>"And Moufflou with him?" asked +Tasso.</p> + +<p>"The <i>barbone</i> he had bought went +with him," said the porter of the hotel. +"Such a beast! Howling, shrieking, +raging all the day, and all the paint +scratched off the <i>salon</i> door."</p> + +<p>Poor Moufflou! Tasso's heart was +heavy as he heard of that sad helpless<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_543" id="Page_543">[543]</a></span> +misery of their bartered favorite and +friend.</p> + +<p>"What matter?" said his mother, +fiercely, when he told her. "A dog is +a dog. They will feed him better than +we could. In a week he will have forgotten—<i>che!</i>"</p> + +<p>But Tasso feared that Moufflou would +not forget. Lolo certainly would not. +The doctor came to the bedside twice a +day, and ice and water were kept on +the aching hot little head that had got +the malady with the long name, and for +the chief part of the time Lolo lay quiet, +dull, and stupid, breathing heavily, and +then at intervals cried and sobbed and +shrieked hysterically for Moufflou.</p> + +<p>"Can you not get what he calls for +to quiet him with a sight of it?" said +the doctor. But that was not possible, +and poor Rosina covered her head with +her apron and felt a guilty creature.</p> + +<p>"Still, you will not go to the army," +she said to Tasso. Clinging to that +immense joy for her consolation. "Only +think! we can pay Guido Squarcione to +go for you. He always said he would +go if anybody would pay him. Oh, my +Tasso, surely to keep you is worth a +dog's life!"</p> + +<p>"And Lolo's?" said Tasso, gloomily. +"Nay, mother, it works ill to meddle too +much with fate. I drew my number; I +was bound to go. Heaven would have +made it up to you somehow."</p> + +<p>"Heaven sent me the foreigner; the +Madonna's own self sent him to ease a +mother's pain," said Rosina, rapidly +and angrily. "There are the thousand +francs safe to hand in the <i>cassone</i>, and +what, pray, is it we miss? Only a dog +like a sheep, that brought gallons of +mud in with him every time it rained, +and ate as much as any one of you."</p> + +<p>"But Lolo?" said Tasso, under his +breath.</p> + +<p>His mother was so irritated and so +tormented by her own conscience that +she upset all the cabbage broth into the +burning charcoal.</p> + +<p>"Lolo was always a little fool, thinking +of nothing but the church and the +dog and nasty field-flowers," she said, +angrily. "I humored him ever too +much because of the hurt to his hip, +and so—and so—"</p> + +<p>Then the poor soul made matters +worse by dropping her tears into the +saucepan, and fanning the charcoal so +furiously that the flame caught her fan +of cane-leaves, and would have burned +her arm had not Tasso been there.</p> + +<p>"You are my prop and safety always. +Who would not have done what I did? +Not Santa Felicita herself," she said, +with a great sob.</p> + +<p>But all this did not cure poor Lolo.</p> + +<p>The days and the weeks of the golden +autumn weather passed away, and he +was always in danger, and the small +close room where he slept with Sandro +and Beppo and Tasso was not one to +cure such an illness as had now beset +him. Tasso went to his work with a +sick heart in the Cascine, where the colchicum +was all lilac among the meadow +grass, and the ashes and elms were +taking their first flush of the coming +autumnal change. He did not think +Lolo would ever get well, and the good +lad felt as if he had been the murderer +of his little brother.</p> + +<p>True, he had had no hand or voice +in the sale of Moufflou, but Moufflou +had been sold for his sake. It made him +feel half guilty, very unhappy, quite +unworthy of all the sacrifice that had +been made for him. "Nobody should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_544" id="Page_544">[544]</a></span> +meddle with fate," thought Tasso, who +knew his grandfather had died in San +Bonifazio because he had driven himself +mad over the dream-book trying to get +lucky numbers for the lottery and become +a rich man at a stroke.</p> + +<p>It was rapture, indeed, to know that +he was free of the army for a time at +least, that he might go on undisturbed +at his healthful labor, and get a rise in +wages as time went on, and dwell in +peace with his family, and perhaps—perhaps +in time earn enough to marry +pretty flaxen-haired Biondina, the daughter +of the barber in the piazzetta. It was +rapture indeed; but then poor Moufflou!—and +poor, poor Lolo! Tasso felt as if +he had bought his own exemption by +seeing his little brother and the good dog +torn in pieces and buried alive for his +service.</p> + +<p>And where was poor Moufflou?</p> + +<p>Gone far away somewhere south in +the hurrying, screeching, vomiting, braying +train it made Tasso giddy only to +look at as it rushed by the green meadows +beyond the Cascine on its way to the sea.</p> + +<p>"If he could see the dog he cries so +for, it might save him," said the doctor, +who stood with grave face watching +Lolo.</p> + +<p>But that was beyond any one's power. +No one could tell where Moufflou was. +He might be carried away to England, +to France, to Russia, to America,—who +could say? They did not know where +his purchaser had gone. Moufflou even +might be dead.</p> + +<p>The poor mother, when the doctor said +that, went and looked at the ten hundred-franc +notes that were once like angels' +faces to her, and said to them,—</p> + +<p>"Oh, you children of Satan, why did +you tempt me? I sold the poor, innocent, +trustful beast to get you, and now my +child is dying!"</p> + +<p>Her eldest son would stay at home, +indeed; but if this little lame one died! +Rosina Calabucci would have given up +the notes and consented never to own +five francs in her life if only she could +have gone back over the time and kept +Moufflou, and seen his little master +running out with him into the sunshine.</p> + +<p>More than a month went by, and Lolo +lay in the same state, his yellow hair +shorn, his eyes dilated and yet stupid, +life kept in him by a spoonful of milk, a +lump of ice, a drink of lemon-water; +always muttering, when he spoke at all, +"Moufflou, Moufflou, <i>dov' e</i> Moufflou?" +and lying for days together in somnolence +and unconsciousness, with the fire eating +at his brain and the weight lying on it +like a stone.</p> + +<p>The neighbors were kind, and brought +fruit and the like, and sat up with him, +and chattered so all at once in one continuous +brawl that they were enough in +themselves to kill him, for such is ever +the Italian fashion of sympathy in all +illness.</p> + +<p>But Lolo did not get well, did not +even seem to see the light at all, or to +distinguish any sounds around him; and +the doctor in plain words told Rosina +Calabucci that her little boy must die. +Die, and the church so near! She could +not believe it. Could St. Mark, and +St. George, and the rest that he had +loved so do nothing for him? No, said +the doctor, they could do nothing; the +dog might do something, since the brain +had so fastened on that one idea; but +then they had sold the dog.</p> + +<p>"Yes; I sold him!" said the poor +mother, breaking into floods of remorseful +tears.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_545" id="Page_545">[545]</a></span></p> + +<p>So at last the end drew so nigh that +one twilight time the priest came out +of the great arched door that is next +it. Mark, with the Host uplifted, and a +little acolyte ringing the bell before it, +and passed across the piazzetta, and +went up the dark staircase of Rosina's +dwelling, and passed through the weeping, +terrified children, and went to the +bedside of Lolo.</p> + +<p>Lolo was unconscious, but the holy +man touched his little body and limbs +with the sacred oil, and prayed over +him, and then stood sorrowful with +bowed head.</p> + +<p>Lolo had had his first communion in +the summer, and in his preparation for +it had shown an intelligence and devoutness +that had won the priest's gentle +heart.</p> + +<p>Standing there, the holy man commended +the innocent soul to God. It +was the last service to be rendered to +him save that very last of all when the +funeral office should be read above his +little grave among the millions of nameless +dead at the sepulchres of the poor +at Trebbiano.</p> + +<p>All was still as the priest's voice +ceased; only the sobs of the mother +and of the children broke the stillness +as they kneeled; the hand of Biondina +had stolen into Tasso's.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, there was a loud scuffling +noise; hurrying feet came patter, patter, +patter up the stairs, a ball of mud and +dust flew over the heads of the kneeling +figures, fleet as the wind Moufflou +dashed through the room and leaped +upon the bed.</p> + +<p>Lolo opened his heavy eyes, and a +sudden light of consciousness gleamed +in them like a sunbeam. "Moufflou!" +he murmured, in his little thin faint +voice. The dog pressed close to his +breast and kissed his wasted face.</p> + +<p>Moufflou was come home!</p> + +<p>And Lolo came home too, for death +let go its hold upon him. Little by little, +very faintly and flickeringly and very +uncertainly at the first, life returned to +the poor little body, and reason to the +tormented, heated little brain. Moufflou +was his physician; Moufflou, who, +himself a skeleton under his matted +curls, would not stir from his side and +looked at him all day long with two beaming +brown eyes full of unutterable love.</p> + +<p>Lolo was happy; he asked no questions,—was +too weak, indeed, even to +wonder. He had Moufflou; that was +enough.</p> + +<p>Alas! though they dared not say so +in his hearing, it was not enough for his +elders. His mother and Tasso knew +that the poodle had been sold and paid +for; that they could lay no claim to +keep him; and that almost certainly +his purchaser would seek him out and +assert his indisputable right to him. +And then how would Lolo ever bear +that second parting?—Lolo, so weak +that he weighed no more than if he had +been a little bird.</p> + +<p>Moufflou had, no doubt, traveled a +long distance and suffered much. He +was but skin and bone; he bore the +marks of blows and kicks; his once +silken hair was all discolored and matted; +he had, no doubt, traveled far. But +then his purchaser would be sure to ask +for him, soon or late, at his old home; +and then? Well, then if they did not +give him up themselves, the law would +make them.</p> + +<p>Rosina Calabucci and Tasso, though +they dared say nothing before any of +the children, felt their hearts in their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_546" id="Page_546">[546]</a></span> +mouths at every step on the stair, and +the first interrogation of Tasso every +evening when he came from his work +was, "Has any one come for Moufflou?" +For ten days no one came, and their +first terrors lulled a little.</p> + +<p>On the eleventh morning, a feast-day, +on which Tasso was not going to his +labors in the Cascine, there came a +person, with a foreign look, who said the +words they so much dreaded to hear: +"Has the poodle that you sold to an +English gentleman come back to you?"</p> + +<p>Yes: his English master claimed him!</p> + +<p>The servant said that they had missed +the dog in Rome a few days after buying +him and taking him there; that he had +been searched for in vain, and that his +master had thought it possible the animal +might have found his way back to his +old home: there had been stories of such +wonderful sagacity in dogs: anyhow, he +had sent for him on the chance; he was +himself back on the Lung' Arno. The +servant pulled from his pocket a chain, +and said his orders were to take the poodle +away at once: the little sick gentleman +had fretted very much about his loss.</p> + +<p>Tasso heard in a very agony of despair. +To take Moufflou away now would be +to kill Lolo,—Lolo so feeble still, so +unable to understand, so passionately +alive to every sight and sound of Moufflou, +lying for hours together motionless +with his hand buried in the poodle's +curls, saying nothing, only smiling now +and then, and murmuring a word or two +in Moufflou's ear.</p> + +<p>"The dog did come home," said Tasso, +at length, in a low voice; "angels must +have shown him the road, poor beast! +From Rome! Only to think of it, from +Rome! And he a dumb thing! I tell +you he is here, honestly: so will you not +trust me just so far as this? Will you +let me go with you and speak to the +English lord before you take the dog +away? I have a little brother sorely +ill—"</p> + +<p>He could not speak more, for tears +that choked his voice.</p> + +<p>At last the messenger agreed so far +as this: Tasso might go first and see +the master, but he would stay here and +have a care they did not spirit the dog +away,—"for a thousand francs were +paid for him," added the man, "and a +dog that can come all the way from +Rome by itself must be an uncanny +creature."</p> + +<p>Tasso thanked him, went up-stairs, +was thankful that his mother was at +mass and could not dispute with him, +took the ten hundred-franc notes from +the old oak <i>cassone</i>, and with them in +his breast-pocket walked out into the +air. He was but a poor working lad, +but he had made up his mind to do an +heroic act. He went straightway to the +hotel where the English <i>milord</i> was, +and when he had got there remembered +that still he did not know the name of +Moufflou's owner; but the people of +the hotel knew him as Rosina Calabucci's +son, and guessed what he wanted, and +said the gentleman who had lost the +poodle was within, up-stairs, and they +would tell him.</p> + +<p>Tasso waited some half-hour with his +heart beating sorely against the packet +of hundred-franc notes. At last he was +beckoned up-stairs, and there he saw a +foreigner with a mild fair face, and a +very lovely lady, and a delicate child +who was lying on a couch. "Moufflou! +Where is Moufflou?" cried the little +child, impatiently, as he saw the youth +enter.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_547" id="Page_547">[547]</a></span></p> + +<p>Tasso took his hat off, and stood in +the door-way an embrowned, healthy, +not ungraceful figure, in his working-clothes +of rough blue stuff.</p> + +<p>"If you please, most illustrious," he +stammered, "poor Moufflou has come +home."</p> + +<p>The child gave a cry of delight; the +gentleman and lady one of wonder. +Come home! All the way from Rome!</p> + +<p>"Yes, he has, most illustrious," said +Tasso, gaining courage and eloquence; +"and now I want to beg something of +you. We are poor, and I drew a bad +number, and it was for that my mother +sold Moufflou. For myself, I did not +know anything of it; but she thought +she would buy my substitute, and of +course she could; but Moufflou is come +home, and my little brother Lolo, the +little boy your most illustrious first saw +playing with the poodle, fell ill of the +grief of losing Moufflou, and for a month +has lain saying nothing sensible, but +only calling for the dog, and my old +grandfather died of worrying himself mad +over the lottery numbers, and Lolo was +so near dying that the Blessed Host had +been brought, and the holy oil had been +put on him, when all at once there rushes +in Moufflou, skin and bone, and covered +with mud, and at the sight of him Lolo +comes back to his senses, and that is +now ten days ago, and though Lolo is +still as weak as a new-born thing, he +is always sensible, and takes what we +give him to eat, and lies always looking +at Moufflou, and smiling, and saying, +'Moufflou! Moufflou!' and, most illustrious, +I know well you have bought +the dog, and the law is with you, and +by the law you claim it, but I thought +perhaps, as Lolo loves him so, you would +let us keep the dog, and would take back +the thousand francs, and myself I will +go and be a soldier, and heaven will +take care of them all somehow."</p> + +<p>Then Tasso, having said all this in +one breathless, monotonous recitative, +took the thousand francs out of his +breast-pocket and held them out timidly +towards the foreign gentleman, who +motioned them aside and stood silent.</p> + +<p>"Did you understand, Victor?" he +said, at last, to his little son.</p> + +<p>The child hid his face in his cushions.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I did understand something: +let Lolo keep him; Moufflou was not +happy with me."</p> + +<p>But he burst out crying as he said it.</p> + +<p>Moufflou had run away from him.</p> + +<p>Moufflou had never loved him, for +all his sweet cakes and fond caresses +and platefuls of delicate savory meats. +Moufflou had run away and found his +own road over two hundred miles and +more to go back to some little hungry +children, who never had enough to eat +themselves and so, certainly, could never +give enough to eat to the dog. Poor +little boy! He was so rich and so pampered +and so powerful, and yet he could +never make Moufflou love him!</p> + +<p>Tasso, who understood nothing that +was said, laid the ten hundred-franc +notes down on a table near him.</p> + +<p>"If you would take them, most illustrious, +and give me back what my +mother wrote when she sold Moufflou," +he said, timidly, "I would pray for you +night and day, and Lolo would too; +and as for the dog, we will get a puppy +and train him for your little <i>signorino;</i> +they can all do tricks, more or less, it +comes by nature; and as for me, I will +go to the army willingly; it is not right +to interfere with fate; my old grandfather +died mad because he would try<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_548" id="Page_548">[548]</a></span> +to be a rich man, by dreaming about it +and pulling destiny by the ears, as if +she were a kicking mule; only, I do +pray of you, do not take away Moufflou. +And to think he trotted all those miles +and miles, and you carried him by train +too, and he never could have seen the +road, and he had no power of speech +to ask—"</p> + +<p>Tasso broke down again in his eloquence, +and drew the back of his hand +across his wet eyelashes.</p> + +<p>The English gentleman was not altogether +unmoved.</p> + +<p>"Poor faithful dog!" he said, with a +sigh. "I am afraid we were very cruel +to him, meaning to be kind. No; we +will not claim him, and I do not think +you should go for a soldier; you seem +so good a lad, and your mother must +need you. Keep the money, my boy, +and in payment you shall train up the +puppy you talk of, and bring him to +my little boy. I will come and see your +mother and Lolo to-morrow. All the way +from Rome! What wonderful sagacity! +what matchless fidelity!"</p> + +<p>You can imagine, without any telling +of mine, the joy that reigned in Moufflou's +home when Tasso returned thither +with the money and the good tidings +both. His substitute was bought without +a day's delay, and Lolo rapidly +recovered. As for Moufflou, he could +never tell them his troubles, his wanderings, +his difficulties, his perils; he could +never tell them by what miraculous +knowledge he had found his way across +Italy, from the gates of Rome to the +gates of Florence. But he soon grew +plump again, and merry, and his love +for Lolo was yet greater than before.</p> + +<p>By the winter all the family went to +live on an estate near Spezia that the +English gentleman had purchased, and +there Moufflou was happier than ever. +The little English boy is gaining strength +in the soft air, and he and Lolo are +great friends, and play with Moufflou +and the poodle puppy half the day +upon the sunny terraces and under the +green orange boughs. Tasso is one of +the gardeners there; he will have to +serve as a soldier probably in some +category or another, but he is safe for +the time, and is happy. Lolo, whose +lameness will always exempt him from +military service, when he grows to be +a man means to be a florist, and a great +one. He has learned to read, as the +first step on the road of his ambition.</p> + +<p>"But oh, Moufflou, how <i>did</i> you find +your way home?" he asks the dog a +hundred times a week.</p> + +<p>How indeed!</p> + +<p>No one ever knew how Moufflou had +made that long journey on foot, so many +weary miles; but beyond a doubt he +had done it alone and unaided, for if +any one had helped him they would +have come home with him to claim the +reward.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_393" id="Note_393">393</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Olive Thorne Miller (1831-1918) is remembered +in the history of American juvenile +literature as a writer on birds. Her purpose +was to show truly the characteristics +and habits of the "little brothers of the +air." The following selection illustrates +the style of much of her work. Some of +her books that may appropriately be used +as literature in the third, fourth, or fifth +grade are <i>The Children's Book of Birds</i>, +<i>Little Brothers of the Air</i>, <i>Little Folks in +Feathers and Fur</i>, and <i>Four Handed Folk</i>. +(The selection that follows is from the first-named +book, and is used by permission of +and by special arrangement with the publishers, +The Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.)</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_549" id="Page_549">[549]</a></span></p> + + +<h4><br />BIRD HABITS</h4> + +<div class='center'>OLIVE THORNE MILLER</div> + + +<div class='center'><br />I. WHERE HE SLEEPS</div> + +<p>Most birds sleep on their feet.</p> + +<p>You know how a canary goes to sleep, +all puffed out like a ball, with his head +buried in the feathers of his shoulder. +He may stick his bill over behind the +top of the wing, but he never "puts his +head under his wing," as you have heard.</p> + +<p>Sometimes he stands straight up on +one leg, with the other drawn up out of +sight in his feathers, but more often he +sits down on the perch, still resting on +his feet. Most wild birds of the perching +kind sleep in the same way.</p> + +<p>It is only lately that we have begun +to find out where birds sleep, because +it is dark when they go to bed, and they +get up before it is light enough for us +to see them.</p> + +<p>The only way to catch them in bed +is to go out in the evening, and start +them up after they have gone to sleep. +And this is not very kind to the poor +little birds. Some men who are trying +to learn about the habits of birds have +tried this way, and so have found out +some of their sleeping-places.</p> + +<p>One thing they have learned is that +the nest is not often used for a bed, +except for the mother while she is sitting +and keeping her little ones warm.</p> + +<p>Robins and orioles, and others, creep +into the thick branches of an evergreen +tree, close up to the trunk. Some crawl +under the edge of a haystack, others +into thick vines or thorny bushes. All +these are meant for hiding-places, so +that beasts that prowl about at night, +and like to eat birds, will not find them.</p> + +<p>Tree sparrows like to sleep in holes +in the ground like little caves. The +men who found these cosy little bedrooms +think they are places dug out by +field mice, and other small animals, for +their own use. And when they are left, +the birds are glad to take them.</p> + +<p>When the weather is cold, some birds +sleep under the snow. You may think +that would not be very warm, and it is +not so warm as a bed in the house with +plenty of blankets. But it is much +warmer than a perch in a tree, with +nothing but leaves to keep off the +wind.</p> + +<p>While the snow is falling, some birds +find it as good as blankets for their +use. Grouse, who live on the ground, +dive into a snow-bank and snuggle down +quietly, while the snow falls and covers +them all over and keeps the cold wind +off. Air comes through the snow, so +they do not smother.</p> + +<p>Some birds creep into a pile of brush +that is covered with snow, and find +under the twigs little places like tents, +where the snow has been kept out by +the twigs, and they sleep there, away +from the wind and storm outside.</p> + +<p>Water birds find the best sleeping-places +on the water, where they float +all night like tiny boats. Some of them +leave one foot hanging down and paddling +a little, while they sleep, to keep from +being washed to the shore.</p> + +<p>Bob-white and his family sleep in a +close circle on the ground, all with their +heads turned outward, so that they can +see or hear an enemy, whichever way +he comes.</p> + +<p>Hawks and eagles are said to sleep +standing, never sitting on the feet like +a canary. Some ducks and geese do +even more: they sleep standing on one +foot. Woodpeckers and chimney swifts +hang themselves up by their claws, using<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_550" id="Page_550">[550]</a></span> +their stiff tail for a brace, as if it were a +third leg.</p> + +<p>Some birds, like the crows, sleep in +great flocks. They agree upon a piece +of woods, and all the crows for miles +around come there every night. Sometimes +thousands of them sleep in this +one bedroom, called a crow roost. +Robins do the same, after the young +are big enough to fly so far.</p> + +<p>Audubon, who has told us so much +about birds, once found a hollow tree +which was the sleeping-room of chimney +swifts. The noise they made going out +in the morning was like the roar of a +great mill-wheel.</p> + +<p>He wanted to see the birds asleep. +So in the daytime, when they were +away, he had a piece cut out at the foot +of the tree, big enough to let him in, +and then put back, so the birds would +not notice anything unusual.</p> + +<p>At night, after the swifts were abed, +he took a dark lantern and went in. +He turned the light upon them little by +little, so as not to startle them. Then +he saw the whole inside of the tree full +of birds. They were hanging by their +claws, side by side, as thick as they +could hang. He thought there were as +many as twelve thousand in that one +bedroom.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />II. HIS TRAVELS</div> + +<p>Most of our birds take two long +journeys every year, one in the fall to +the south, and the other in the spring +back to the north. These journeys are +called "migrations."</p> + +<p>The birds do not go all at once, but in +many cases those of a kind who live +near each other collect in a flock and +travel together. Each species or kind +has its own time to go.</p> + +<p>It might be thought that it is because +of the cold that so many birds move to +a warmer climate. But it is not so; +they are very well dressed to endure +cold. Their feather suits are so warm +that some of our smallest and weakest +birds are able to stay with us, like the +chickadee and the golden-crowned kinglet. +It is simply because they cannot +get food in winter, that they have +to go.</p> + +<p>The fall travel begins soon after the +first of July. The bobolink is one of +the first to leave us, though he does not +start at once on his long journey. By +that time his little folk are full grown, +and can take care of themselves, and he +is getting on his winter suit, or moulting.</p> + +<p>Then some morning all the bobolinks +in the country are turned out of their +homes in the meadows, by men and +horses and mowing machines, for at +that time the long grass is ready to cut.</p> + +<p>Then he begins to think about the +wild rice that is getting just right to +eat. Besides, he likes to take his long +journey to South America in an easy +way, stopping here and there as he +goes. So some morning we miss his +cheerful call, and if we go to the meadow +we shall not be able to see a single +bobolink.</p> + +<p>There, too, are the swallows, who eat +only small flying insects. As the weather +grows cooler, these tiny flies are no +longer to be found. So the swallows +begin to flock, as it is called. For a +few days they will be seen on fences and +telegraph wires, chattering and making +a great noise, and then some morning +they will all be gone.</p> + +<p>They spend some time in marshes and +lonely places before they at last set +out for the south.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_551" id="Page_551">[551]</a></span></p> + +<p>As the days grow shorter and cooler, +the warblers go. These are the bright-colored +little fellows, who live mostly +in the tops of trees. Then the orioles +and the thrushes and the cuckoos leave +us, and most birds who live on insects.</p> + +<p>By the time that November comes +in, few of them will be left. Birds who +can live on seeds and winter berries, +such as cedar-berries and partridge-berries, +and others, often stay with +us,—bluebirds, finches, and sometimes +robins.</p> + +<p>Many birds take their journey by +night. Think of it! Tiny creatures, +that all summer go to bed at dark, start +off some night, when it seems as if they +ought to be asleep, and fly all night in +the dark.</p> + +<p>When it grows light, they stop in +some place where they can feed and rest. +And the next night, or two or three +nights later, they go on again. So they +do until they reach their winter home, +hundreds or thousands of miles away.</p> + +<p>These night flyers are the timid birds, +and those who live in the woods and do +not like to be seen,—thrushes, wrens, +vireos, and others. Birds with strong +wings, who are used to flying hours +every day, and bolder birds, who do +not mind being seen, take their journey +by daylight.</p> + +<p>Most of them stop now and then, a +day or two at a time, to feed and rest. +They fly very high, and faster than our +railroad trains can go.</p> + +<p>In the spring the birds take their +second long journey, back to their last +year's home.</p> + +<p>How they knew their way on these +journeys, men have been for many years +trying to find out. They have found +that birds travel on regular roads, or +routes, that follow the rivers and the +shore of the ocean. They can see much +better than we can, and even in the +night they can see water.</p> + +<p>One such road, or highway, is over +the harbor of New York. When the +statue of Liberty was set up on an island +in the harbor a few years ago, it was +put in the birds' path.</p> + +<p>Usually they fly too high to mind +it; but when there is a rain or fog they +come much lower, and, sad to say, many +of them fly against it and are killed.</p> + +<p>We often see strange birds in our +city streets and parks, while they are +passing through on their migration, +for they sometimes spend several days +with us.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_394" id="Note_394">394</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Ernest Thompson Seton (1860—) was born +in England, but has lived most of his life +in America. He began his career as an +artist. He made more than 1,000 drawings +of birds and animals for the <i>Century Dictionary</i>. +Later he began to write about +animals and has achieved unusual success +in that field. His <i>Wild Animals at Home</i>, +<i>Wild Animal Ways</i>, <i>The Biography of a +Grizzly</i>, and <i>Wild Animals I Have Known</i> +are all greatly enjoyed by young people. +("The Poacher and the Silver Fox" is +taken from the first-mentioned book, by +permission of the publishers, Doubleday, +Page & Co., Garden City, New York.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE POACHER AND THE +SILVER FOX</h4> + +<div class='center'>ERNEST THOMPSON SETON</div> + +<p>How is it that all mankind has a +sneaking sympathy with a poacher? A +burglar or a pickpocket has our unmitigated +contempt; he clearly is a criminal; +but you will notice that the poacher in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_552" id="Page_552">[552]</a></span> +the story is generally a reckless daredevil +with a large and compensatory +amount of good-fellow in his make-up—yes, +I almost said, of good citizenship. +I suppose, because in addition to the +breezy, romantic character of his calling, +seasoned with physical danger as well +as moral risk, there is away down in +human nature a strong feeling that, in +spite of man-made laws, the ancient +ruling holds that "wild game belongs +to no man till some one makes it his +property by capture." It may be wrong, +it may be right, but I have heard this +doctrine voiced by red men and white, +as primitive law, once or twice; and have +seen it lived up to a thousand times.</p> + +<p>Well, Josh Cree was a poacher. This +does not mean that every night in every +month he went forth with nefarious tricks +and tools, to steal the flesh and fur that +legally were not his. Far from it. Josh +never poached but once. But that's +enough; he had crossed the line, and +this is how it came about:</p> + +<p>As you roll up the Yellowstone from +Livingston to Gardiner you may note +a little ranch-house on the west of the +track with its log stables, its corral, its +irrigation ditch, and its alfalfa patch of +morbid green. It is a small affair, for +it was founded by the handiwork of one +honest man, who with his wife and small +boy left Pennsylvania, braved every +danger of the plains, and secured this +claim in the late '80's. Old man Cree—he +was only forty, but every married +man is "Old Man" in the West—was +ready to work at any honest calling +from logging or sluicing to grading and +muling. He was strong and steady, his +wife was steady and strong. They saved +their money, and little by little they got +the small ranch-house built and equipped; +little by little they added to their stock +on the range with the cattle of a neighbour, +until there came the happy day +when they went to live on their own +ranch—father, mother, and fourteen-year-old +Josh, with every prospect of +making it pay. The spreading of that +white tablecloth for the first time was +a real religious ceremony, and the hard +workers gave thanks to the All-father +for His blessing on their every effort.</p> + +<p>One year afterward a new event +brought joy: there entered happily +into their happy house a little girl, and +all the prairie smiled about them. +Surely their boat was well beyond the +breakers.</p> + +<p>But right in the sunshine of their +joy the trouble cloud arose to block +the sky. Old man Cree was missing +one day. His son rode long and far +on the range for two hard days before +he sighted a grazing pony, and down a +rocky hollow near, found his father, +battered and weak, near death, with a +broken leg and a gash in his head.</p> + +<p>He could only gasp "Water" as Josh +hurried up, and the boy rushed off to +fill his hat at the nearest stream.</p> + +<p>They had no talk, for the father +swooned after drinking, and Josh had +to face the situation; but he was Western +trained. He stripped himself of all +spare clothing, and his father's horse +of its saddle blanket; then, straightening +out the sick man, he wrapped him in +the clothes and blanket, and rode like +mad for the nearest ranch-house. The +neighbour, a young man, came at once, +with a pot to make tea, an axe, and a +rope. They found the older Cree conscious +but despairing. A fire was made, +and hot tea revived him. Then Josh +cut two long poles from the nearest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_553" id="Page_553">[553]</a></span> +timber and made a stretcher, or travois, +Indian fashion, the upper ends fast to +the saddle of a horse, while the other +ends trailed on the ground. Thus by +a long, slow journey the wounded man +got back. All he had prayed for was +to get home. Every invalid is sure that +if only he can get home all will soon be +well. Mother was not yet strong, the +baby needed much care, but Josh was +a good boy, and the loving best of all +was done for the sick one. His leg, set +by the army surgeon of Fort Yellowstone, +was knit again after a month, but had +no power. He had no force; the shock +of those two dire days was on him. The +second month went by, and still he +lay in bed. Poor Josh was the man of +the place now, and between duties, +indoors and out, he was worn body +and soul.</p> + +<p>Then it was clear they must have +help. So Jack S—— was engaged at +the regular wages of $40 a month for +outside work, and a year of struggle +went by, only to see John Cree in his +grave, his cattle nearly all gone, his +widow and boy living in a house on which +was still $500 of the original mortgage. +Josh was a brave boy and growing +strong, but unboyishly grave with the +weight of care. He sold off the few +cattle that were left, and set about +keeping the roof over his mother and +baby sister by working a truck farm +for the market supplied by the summer +hotels of the Park, and managed to come +out even. He would in time have done +well, but he could not get far enough +ahead to meet that 10 per cent mortgage +already overdue.</p> + +<p>The banker was not a hard man, but +he was in the business for the business. +He extended the time, and waited for +interest again and again, but it only +made the principal larger, and it seemed +that the last ditch was reached, that it +would be best to let the money-man +foreclose, though that must mean a +wipe-out and would leave the fatherless +family homeless.</p> + +<p>Winter was coming on, work was +scarce, and Josh went to Gardiner to +see what he could get in the way of +house or wage. He learned of a chance +to 'substitute' for the Park mail-carrier, +who had sprained his foot. It was an +easy drive to Fort Yellowstone, and +there he readily agreed, when they asked +him, to take the letters and packages +and go on farther to the Canyon Hotel. +Thus it was that on the 20th day of +November 189-, Josh Cree, sixteen years +old, tall and ruddy, rode through the +snow to the kitchen door of the Canyon +Hotel and was welcomed as though he +were old Santa Claus himself.</p> + +<p>Two Magpies on a tree were among +the onlookers. The Park Bears were +denned up, but there were other fur-bearers +about. High on the wood-pile +sat a Yellow Red Fox in a magnificent +coat. Another was in front of the house, +and the keeper said that as many as a +dozen came some days. And sometimes, +he said, there also came a wonderful +Silver Fox, a size bigger than the rest, +black as coal, with eyes like yellow diamonds, +and a silver frosting like little +stars on his midnight fur.</p> + +<p>"My! but he's a beauty. That skin +would buy the best team of mules on +the Yellowstone." That was interesting +and furnished talk for a while. In +the morning when they were rising for +their candlelight breakfast, the hotel +man glancing from the window exclaimed, +"Here he is now!" and Josh peered forth<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_554" id="Page_554">[554]</a></span> +to see in the light of sunrise something +he had often heard of, but never before +seen, a coal-black Fox, a giant among +his kind. How slick and elegant his +glossy fur, how slim his legs, and what a +monstrous bushy tail; and the other +Foxes moved aside as the patrician rushed +in impatient haste to seize the food +thrown out by the cook.</p> + +<p>"Ain't he a beauty?" said the hotel +man. "I'll bet that pelt would fetch +five hundred."</p> + +<p>Oh, why did he say "five hundred," +the exact sum, for then it was that the +tempter entered into Josh Cree's heart. +Five hundred dollars! just the amount +of the mortgage. "Who owns wild +beasts? The man that kills them," +said the tempter, and the thought was +a live one in his breast as Josh rode back +to Fort Yellowstone.</p> + +<p>At Gardiner he received his pay, $6.00, +for three days' work and, turning it into +groceries, set out for the poor home that +soon would be lost to him, and as he +rode he did some hard and gloomy +thinking. On his wrist there hung a +wonderful Indian quirt of plaited rawhide +and horsehair with beads on the +shaft, and a band of Elk teeth on the +butt. It was a pet of his, and "good +medicine," for a flat piece of elkhorn +let in the middle was perforated with a +hole, through which the distant landscape +was seen much clearer—a well-known +law, an ancient trick, but it made +the quirt prized as a thing of rare virtue, +and Josh had refused good offers for it. +Then a figure afoot was seen, and coming +nearer, it turned out to be a friend, Jack +Day, out a-gunning with a .22 rifle. +But game was scarce and Jack was +returning to Gardiner empty-handed +and disgusted. They stopped for a +moment's greeting when Day said: +"Huntin's played out now. How'll you +swap that quirt for my rifle?" A +month before Josh would have scorned +the offer. A ten-dollar quirt for a five-dollar +rifle, but now he said briefly: +"For rifle with cover, tools and ammunition +complete, I'll go ye." So the +deal was made and in an hour Josh was +home. He stabled Grizzle, the last of +their saddle stock, and entered.</p> + +<p>Love and sorrow dwelt in the widow's +home, but the return of Josh brought +its measure of joy. Mother prepared +the regular meal of tea, potatoes, and +salt pork; there was a time when they +had soared as high as canned goods, but +those prosperous days were gone. Josh +was dandling baby sister on his lap as +he told of his trip, and he learned of +two things of interest: First, the bank +must have its money by February; +second, the stable at Gardiner wanted +a driver for the Cook City stage. Then +the little events moved quickly. His +half-formed plan of getting back to the +Canyon was now frustrated by the new +opening, and, besides this, hope had +been dampened by the casual word of +one who reported that "that Silver Fox +had not been seen since at the Canyon."</p> + +<p>Then began long days of dreary driving +through the snow, with a noon halt +at Yancey's and then three days later +the return, in the cold, the biting cold. +It was freezing work, but coldest of all +was the chill thought at his heart that +February 1st would see him homeless.</p> + +<p>Small bands of Mountain Sheep he +saw at times on the slope of Evarts, and +a few Blacktail, and later, when the +winter deepened, huge bull Elk were +seen along the trail. Sometimes they +moved not more than a few paces to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_555" id="Page_555">[555]</a></span> +let him pass. These were everyday +things to him, but in the second week +of his winter work he got a sudden thrill. +He was coming down the long hill back +of Yancey's when what should he see +there, sitting on its tail, shiny black with +yellow eyes like a huge black cat unusually +long and sharp in the nose, but a +wonderful Silver Fox! Possibly the same +as the one he saw at the Canyon, for +that one he knew had disappeared and +there were not likely to be two in the +Park. Yes, it might be the same, and +Josh's bosom surged with mingled feelings. +Why did he not carry that little +gun? Why did he not realize? were +the thoughts that came—$500! A noble +chance! broad daylight only twenty-five +yards! and gone!</p> + +<p>The Fox was still there when Josh +drove on. On the next trip he brought +the little rifle. He had sawed off the +stock so he could hide it easily in his +overcoat if need be. No man knew +that he carried arms, but the Foxes +seemed to know. The Red ones kept +afar and the Black one came no more. +Day after day he drove and hoped but +the Black Fox has cunning measured to +his value. He came not, or if he came, +was wisely hidden, and so the month +went by, till late in the cold Moon of +Snow he heard old Yancey say, "There's +a Silver Fox bin a-hanging around the +stable this last week. Leastwise Dave +says he seen him." There were soldiers +sitting around that stove, game guardians +of the Park, and still more dangerous, a +scout, the soldiers' guide, a mountaineer. +Josh turned not an inch, he made no +sound in response, but his heart gave a +jump. Half an hour later he went out +to bed his horses for the night, and +peering around the stable he saw a +couple of shadowy forms that silently +shifted until swallowed by the gloom.</p> + +<p>Then the soldiers came to bed their +horses, and Josh went back to the stove. +His big driving coat hung with the little +sawed-off rifle in the long pocket. He +waited till the soldiers one by one went +up the ladder to the general bunk-room. +He rose again, got the lantern, lighted +it, carried it out behind the lonely stable. +The horses were grinding their hay, the +stars were faintly lighting the snow. +There was no one about as he hung the +lantern under the eaves outside so that +it could be seen from the open valley, +but not from the house.</p> + +<p>A faint Yap-yah of a Fox was heard +on the piney hillside, as he lay down on +the hay in the loft, but there were no +signs of life on the snow. He had come +to wait all night if need be, and waited. +The lantern might allure, it might scare, +but it was needed in this gloom, and it +tinged the snow with faint yellow light +below him. An hour went by, then a +big-tailed form came near and made a +little bark at the lantern. It looked +very dark, but it had a paler patch on +the throat. This waiting was freezing +work; Josh's teeth were chattering in +spite of his overcoat. Another gray +form came, then a much larger black +one shaped itself on the white. It +dashed at the first, which fled, and the +second one followed but a little and then +sat down on the snow, gazing at that +bright light. When you are sure, you +are so sure—Josh knew him now, he +was facing the Silver Fox. But the +light was dim. Josh's hand trembled +as he bared it to lay the back on his lips +and suck so as to make a mousey squeak. +The effect on the Fox was instant. He +glided forward intent as a hunting cat.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_556" id="Page_556">[556]</a></span> +Again he stood in, oh! such a wonderful +pose, still as a statue, frozen like a hiding +Partridge, unbudging as a lone kid +Antelope in May. And Josh raised—yes, +he had come for that—he raised +that fatal gun. The lantern blazed in +the Fox's face at twenty yards; the +light was flung back doubled by its +shining eyes; it looked perfectly clear. +Josh lined the gun, but, strange to tell, +the sights so plain were lost at once, and +the gun was shaking like a sorghum +stalk while the Gopher gnaws its root. +He laid the weapon down with a groan, +cursed his own poor trembling hand, +and in an instant the wonder Fox was +gone.</p> + +<p>Poor Josh! He wasn't bad-tongued, +but now he used all the evil words he +had ever heard, and he was Western +bred. Then he reacted on himself. +"The Fox might come back!" Suddenly +he remembered something. He got out +a common sulphur match. He wet it +on his lips and rubbed it on the muzzle +sight: Then on each side of the notch +on the breech sight. He lined it for a +tree. Yes! surely! What had been a +blur of blackness had now a visible +form.</p> + +<p>A faint bark on a far hillside might +mean a coming or a going Fox. Josh +waited five minutes, then again he +squeaked on his bare hand. The effect +was a surprise when from the shelter +of the stable wall ten feet below there +leaped the great dark Fox. At fifteen +feet it paused. Those yellow orbs were +fiery in the light and the rifle sights with +the specks of fire were lined. There +was a sharp report and the black-robed +fur was still and limp in the snow.</p> + +<p>Who can tell the crack of a small +rifle among the louder cracks of green +logs splitting with the fierce frost of a +Yellowstone winter's night? Why should +travel-worn travelers wake at each +slight, usual sound? Who knows? Who +cares?</p> + +<p>And afar in Livingston what did the +fur dealer care? It was a great prize. +Or the banker? he got his five hundred, +and mother found it easy to accept the +Indians' creed: "Who owns wild beasts? +The man who kills them."</p> + +<p>"I did not know how it would come," +she said; "I only knew it would come, +for I prayed and believed."</p> + +<p>We know that it came when it meant +the most. The house was saved. It +was the turn in their fortune's tide, and +the crucial moment of the change was +when those three bright sulphur spots +were lined with the living lamps in the +head of the Silver Fox. Yes! Josh was +a poacher. Just once.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_395" id="Note_395">395</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">David Starr Jordan (1851—) was for many +years president, now president emeritus, +of Leland Stanford Junior University, +and is known internationally for his books +on science and on the prevention of war; +he also is author of several books for +children. The story that follows is taken +from his <i>Science Sketches</i>, by permission +of the publishers, A. C. McClurg & Co., +Chicago. It may stand as a perfect +illustration of the modern informational +story based on recognized scientific facts. +"The Story of a Stone," from the same +book, is equally good. These stories +may be taught in the seventh or eighth +grade.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE STORY OF A SALMON</h4> + +<div class='center'>DAVID STARR JORDAN</div> + +<p>In the realm of the Northwest Wind, +on the boundary-line between the dark<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_557" id="Page_557">[557]</a></span> +fir-forests and the sunny plains, there +stands a mountain,—a great white cone +two miles and a half in perpendicular +height. On its lower mile the dense fir-woods +cover it with never-changing +green; on its next half-mile a lighter +green of grass and bushes gives place in +winter to white; and on its uppermost +mile the snows of the great ice age +still linger in unspotted purity. The +people of Washington Territory say that +their mountain is the great "King-pin +of the Universe," which shows that even +in its own country Mount Tacoma is not +without honor.</p> + +<p>Flowing down from the southwest +slope of Mount Tacoma is a cold, clear +river, fed by the melting snows of the +mountain. Madly it hastens down over +white cascades and beds of shining sands, +through birch-woods and belts of dark +firs, to mingle its waters at last with +those of the great Columbia. This river +is the Cowlitz; and on its bottom, not +many years ago, there lay half buried +in the sand a number of little orange-colored +globules, each about as large as +a pea. These were not much in themselves, +but great in their possibilities. +In the waters above them little suckers +and chubs and prickly sculpins strained +their mouths to draw these globules from +the sand, and vicious-looking crawfishes +picked them up with their blundering +hands and examined them with their telescopic +eyes. But one, at least, of the +globules escaped their curiosity, else this +story would not be worth telling. The +sun shone down on it through the clear +water, and the ripples of the Cowlitz +said over it their incantations, and in it +at last awoke a living being. It was a +fish,—a curious little fellow, not half an +inch long, with great, staring eyes, which +made almost half his length, and with a +body so transparent that he could not +cast a shadow. He was a little salmon, +a very little salmon; but the water was +good, and there were flies and worms +and little living creatures in abundance +for him to eat, and he soon became a +larger salmon. Then there were many +more little salmon with him, some larger +and some smaller, and they all had a +merry time. Those who had been born +soonest and had grown largest used to +chase the others around and bite off +their tails, or, still better, take them by +the heads and swallow them whole; for, +said they, "Even young salmon are good +eating." "Heads I win, tails you lose," +was their motto. Thus, what was once +two small salmon became united into a +single larger one, and the process of "addition, +division, and silence" still went +on. By-and-by, when all the salmon +were too large to be swallowed, they +began to grow restless. They saw that +the water rushing by seemed to be in a +great hurry to get somewhere, and it +was somehow suggested that its hurry +was caused by something good to eat at +the other end of its course. Then they +all started down the stream, salmon-fashion,—which +fashion is to get into +the current, head up-stream; and thus to +drift backward as the river sweeps along.</p> + +<p>Down the Cowlitz River the salmon +went for a day and a night, finding +much to interest them which we need +not know. At last they began to grow +hungry; and coming near the shore, +they saw an angle-worm of rare size +and beauty floating in an eddy of the +stream. Quick as thought one of them +opened his mouth, which was well filled +with teeth of different sizes, and put it +around the angle-worm. Quicker still<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_558" id="Page_558">[558]</a></span> +he felt a sharp pain in his gills, followed +by a smothering sensation, and in an +instant his comrades saw him rise straight +into the air. This was nothing new to +them; for they often leaped out of the +water in their games of hide-and-seek, +but only to come down again with a +loud splash not far from where they +went out. But this one never came +back, and the others went on their +course wondering.</p> + +<p>At last they came to where the Cowlitz +and the Columbia join, and they were +almost lost for a time; for they could +find no shores, and the bottom and the +top of the water were so far apart. +Here they saw other and far larger +salmon in the deepest part of the current, +turning neither to the right nor to the +left, but swimming right on up-stream, +just as rapidly as they could. And these +great salmon would not stop for them, +and would not lie and float with the +current. They had no time to talk, +even in the simple sign language by +which fishes express their ideas, and no +time to eat. They had important work +before them, and the time was short. +So they went on up the river, keeping +their great purposes to themselves; and +our little salmon and his friends from +the Cowlitz drifted down the stream.</p> + +<p>By-and-by the water began to change. +It grew denser, and no longer flowed +rapidly along; and twice a day it used +to turn about and flow the other way. +Then the shores disappeared, and the +water began to have a different and +peculiar flavor,—a flavor which seemed +to the salmon much richer and more +inspiring than the glacier-water of their +native Cowlitz. There were many curious +things to see,—crabs with hard +shells and savage faces, but so good +when crushed and swallowed! Then +there were luscious squid swimming +about; and, to a salmon, squid are like +ripe peaches and cream. There were +great companies of delicate sardines and +herring, green and silvery, and it was +such fun to chase and capture them! +Those who eat sardines packed in oil +by greasy fingers, and herrings dried in +the smoke, can have little idea how +satisfying it is to have a meal of them, +plump and sleek and silvery, fresh from +the sea.</p> + +<p>Thus the salmon chased the herrings +about, and had a merry time. Then +they were chased about in turn by great +sea-lions,—swimming monsters with +huge half-human faces, long thin whiskers, +and blundering ways. The sea-lions +liked to bite out the throat of a salmon, +with its precious stomach full of luscious +sardines, and then to leave the rest of +the fish to shift for itself. And the seals +and the herrings scattered the salmon +about, till at last the hero of our story +found himself quite alone, with none of +his own kind near him. But that did +not trouble him much, and he went on +his own way, getting his dinner when +he was hungry, which was all the time, +and then eating a little between meals +for his stomach's sake.</p> + +<p>So it went on for three long years; +and at the end of this time our little fish +had grown to be a great, fine salmon of +twenty-two pounds' weight, shining like +a new tin pan, and with rows of the +loveliest round black spots on his head +and back and tail. One day, as he was +swimming about, idly chasing a big +sculpin with head so thorny that he +never was swallowed by anybody, all of +a sudden the salmon noticed a change in +the water around him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_559" id="Page_559">[559]</a></span></p> + +<p>Spring had come again, and south-lying +snow-drifts on the Cascade Mountains +once more felt that the "earth was +wheeling sunwards." The cold snow +waters ran down from the mountains +and into the Columbia River, and made +a freshet on the river. The high water +went far out into the sea, and out in the +sea our salmon felt it on his gills. He +remembered how the cold water used to +feel in the Cowlitz when he was a little +fish. In a blundering, fishy fashion he +thought about it; he wondered whether +the little eddy looked as it used to look, +and whether caddis-worms and young +mosquitoes were really as sweet and +tender as he used to think they were. +Then he thought some other things; but +as the salmon's mind is located in the +optic lobes of his brain, and ours is in a +different place, we cannot be quite certain +what his thoughts really were.</p> + +<p>What our salmon did, we know. He +did what every grown salmon in the +ocean does when he feels the glacier-water +once more upon his gills. He +became a changed being. He spurned +the blandishment of soft-shelled crabs. +The pleasures of the table and of the +chase, heretofore his only delights, lost +their charms for him. He turned his +course straight toward the direction +whence the cold water came, and for +the rest of his life never tasted a mouthful +of food. He moved on toward the river-mouth, +at first playfully, as though he +were not really certain whether he +meant anything after all. Afterward, +when he struck the full current of the +Columbia, he plunged straight forward +with an unflinching determination that +had in it something of the heroic. When +he had passed the rough water at the bar, +he was not alone. His old neighbors of +the Cowlitz, and many more from the +Clackamas and the Spokane and Des +Chûtes and Kootenay,—a great army of +salmon,—were with him. In front +were thousands pressing on, and behind +them were thousands more, all moved +by a common impulse which urged them +up the Columbia.</p> + +<p>They were all swimming bravely along +where the current was deepest, when +suddenly the foremost felt something +tickling like a cobweb about their noses +and under their chins. They changed +their course a little to brush it off, and +it touched their fins as well. Then they +tried to slip down with the current, and +thus leave it behind. But, no! the thing, +whatever it was, although its touch was +soft, refused to let go, and held them like +a fetter. The more they struggled, the +tighter became its grasp, and the whole +foremost rank of the salmon felt it +together; for it was a great gill-net, a +quarter of a mile long, stretched squarely +across the mouth of the river.</p> + +<p>By-and-by men came in boats, and +hauled up the gill-net and the helpless +salmon that had become entangled in it. +They threw the fishes into a pile in the +bottom of the boat, and the others saw +them no more. We that live outside +the water know better what befalls them, +and we can tell the story which the +salmon could not.</p> + +<p>All along the banks of the Columbia +River, from its mouth to nearly thirty +miles away, there is a succession of large +buildings, looking like great barns or +warehouses, built on piles in the river, +high enough to be out of the reach of +floods. There are thirty of these buildings, +and they are called canneries. +Each cannery has about forty boats, +and with each boat are two men and a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_560" id="Page_560">[560]</a></span> +long gill-net. These nets fill the whole +river as with a nest of cobwebs from +April to July, and to each cannery nearly +a thousand great salmon are brought +every day. These salmon are thrown in +a pile on the floor; and Wing Hop, the +big Chinaman, takes them one after +another on the table, and with a great +knife dexterously cuts off the head, the +tail, and the fins; then with a sudden +thrust he removes the intestines and the +eggs. The body goes into a tank of +water; and the head is dropped into a +box on a flat-boat, and goes down the +river to be made into salmon oil. Next, +the body is brought to another table; +and Quong Sang, with a machine like +a feed-cutter, cuts it into pieces each +just as long as a one-pound can. Then +Ah Sam, with a butcher-knife, cuts +these pieces into strips just as wide as +the can. Next Wan Lee, the "China +boy," brings down a hundred cans from +the loft where the tinners are making +them, and into each puts a spoonful of +salt. It takes just six salmon to fill a +hundred cans. Then twenty Chinamen +put the pieces of meat into the cans, fitting +in little strips to make them exactly +full. Ten more solder up the cans, and +ten more put the cans into boiling water +till the meat is thoroughly cooked, and +five more punch a little hole in the +head of each can to let out the air. Then +they solder them up again, and little +girls paste on them bright-colored labels +showing merry little cupids riding the +happy salmon up to the cannery door, +with Mount Tacoma and Cape Disappointment +in the background; and a +legend underneath says that this is +"Booth's," or "Badollet's Best," or +"Hume's," or "Clark's," or "Kinney's +Superfine Salt Water Salmon." Then +the cans are placed in cases, forty-eight +in a case, and five hundred thousand +cases are put up every year. Great +ships come to Astoria, and are loaded +with them; and they carry them away +to London and San Francisco and Liverpool +and New York and Sidney and +Valparaiso; and the man at the corner +grocery sells them at twenty cents a +can.</p> + +<p>All this time our salmon is going up +the river, eluding one net as by a miracle, +and soon having need of more miracles +to escape the rest; passing by Astoria +on a fortunate day,—which was Sunday, +the day on which no man may fish if he +expects to sell what he catches,—till +finally he came to where nets were few, +and, at last, to where they ceased altogether. +But there he found that scarcely +any of his many companies were with +him; for the nets cease when there are +no more salmon to be caught in them. +So he went on, day and night, where the +water was deepest, stopping not to feed +or loiter on the way, till at last he came +to a wild gorge, where the great river +became an angry torrent, rushing wildly +over a huge staircase of rocks. But +our hero did not falter; and summoning +all his forces, he plunged into the Cascades. +The current caught him and +dashed him against the rocks. A whole +row of silvery scales came off and glistened +in the water like sparks of fire, and +a place on his side became black-and-red, +which, for a salmon, is the same as +being black-and-blue for other people. +His comrades tried to go up with him; +and one lost his eye, one his tail, and one +had his lower jaw pushed back into his +head like the joint of a telescope. Again +he tried to surmount the Cascades; and +at last he succeeded, and an Indian on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_561" id="Page_561">[561]</a></span> +the rocks above was waiting to receive +him. But the Indian with his spear was +less skillful than he was wont to be, and +our hero escaped, losing only a part of +one of his fins; and with him came one +other, and henceforth these two pursued +their journey together.</p> + +<p>Now a gradual change took place in +the looks of our salmon. In the sea he +was plump and round and silvery, with +delicate teeth in a symmetrical mouth. +Now his silvery color disappeared, his +skin grew slimy, and the scales sank +into it; his back grew black, and his +sides turned red,—not a healthy red, +but a sort of hectic flush. He grew +poor, and his back, formerly as straight +as need be, now developed an unpleasant +hump at the shoulders. His eyes—like +those of all enthusiasts who forsake eating +and sleeping for some loftier aim—became +dark and sunken. His symmetrical +jaws grew longer and longer, and +meeting each other, as the nose of an +old man meets his chin, each had to +turn aside to let the other pass. His +beautiful teeth grew longer and longer, +and projected from his mouth, giving +him a savage and wolfish appearance, +quite at variance with his real disposition. +For all the desires and ambitions +of his nature had become centered into +one. We may not know what this one +was, but we know that it was a strong +one; for it had led him on and on,—past +the nets and horrors of Astoria; +past the dangerous Cascades; past the +spears of Indians; through the terrible +flume of the Dalles, where the mighty +river is compressed between huge rocks +into a channel narrower than a village +street; on past the meadows of Umatilla +and the wheat-fields of Walla Walla; on +to where the great Snake River and the +Columbia join; on up the Snake River +and its eastern branch, till at last he +reached the foot of the Bitter Root +mountains in the Territory of Idaho, +nearly a thousand miles from the ocean +which he had left in April. With him +still was the other salmon which had +come with him through the Cascades, +handsomer and smaller than he, and, +like him, growing poor and ragged and +tired.</p> + +<p>At last, one October afternoon, our +finny travelers came together to a little +clear brook, with a bottom of fine gravel, +over which the water was but a few +inches deep. Our fish painfully worked +his way to it; for his tail was all frayed +out, his muscles were sore, and his skin +covered with unsightly blotches. But +his sunken eyes saw a ripple in the stream, +and under it a bed of little pebbles and +sand. So there in the sand he scooped +out with his tail a smooth round place, +and his companion came and filled it +with orange-colored eggs. Then our +salmon came back again; and softly +covering the eggs, the work of their lives +was done, and, in the old salmon fashion, +they drifted tail foremost down the +stream.</p> + +<p>They drifted on together for a night +and a day, but they never came to the +sea. For the salmon has but one life +to live, and it ascends the river but once. +The rest lies with its children. And +when the April sunshine fell on the globules +in the gravel, these were wakened +into life. With the early autumn rains, +the little fishes were large enough to +begin their wanderings. They dropped +down the current in the old salmon +fashion. And thus they came into the +great river and drifted away to the +sea<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_562" id="Page_562">[562]</a></span>.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_396" id="Note_396">396</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Probably no short-story writer now living +is better known than Rudyard Kipling, an +English author born in Bombay, India, in +1865. Among his many stories are some +that may be classed as juvenile romantic +nature literature. <i>Just-So Stories</i> is a +collection of humorous stories of this type, +excellent for the fifth and sixth grades. +<i>The Jungle Book</i> and <i>The Second Jungle +Book</i>, of a more serious nature, may be +used in the seventh and eighth grades. +The story that follows, taken from one of +his earlier volumes, illustrates well Mr. +Kipling's style of writing. It is suitable +for the seventh or eighth grade.</div> + + +<h4><br />MOTI GUJ—MUTINEER</h4> + +<div class='center'>RUDYARD KIPLING</div> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a coffee-planter +in India who wished to clear some +forest land for coffee-planting. When +he had cut down all the trees and burned +the underwood, the stumps still remained. +Dynamite is expensive and slow fire +slow. The happy medium for stump-clearing +is the lord of all beasts, who is +the elephant. He will either push the +stump out of the ground with his tusks, +if he has any, or drag it out with ropes. +The planter, therefore, hired elephants +by ones and twos and threes, and fell +to work. The very best of all the elephants +belonged to the very worst of +all the drivers or mahouts; and this +superior beast's name was Moti Guj. +He was the absolute property of his +mahout, which would never have been +the case under native rule: for Moti +Guj was a creature to be desired by kings, +and his name, being translated, meant +the Pearl Elephant. Because the British +government was in the land, Deesa, the +mahout, enjoyed his property undisturbed. +He was dissipated. When he +had made much money through the +strength of his elephant, he would get +extremely drunk and give Moti Guj a +beating with a tent-peg over the tender +nails of the forefeet. Moti Guj never +trampled the life out of Deesa on these +occasions, for he knew that after the +beating was over, Deesa would embrace +his trunk and weep and call him his love +and his life and the liver of his soul, and +give him some liquor. Moti Guj was +very fond of liquor—arrack for choice, +though he would drink palm-tree toddy +if nothing better offered. Then Deesa +would go to sleep between Moti Guj's +forefeet, and as Deesa generally chose +the middle of the public road, and as +Moti Guj mounted guard over him, and +would not permit horse, foot, or cart to +pass by, traffic was congested till Deesa +saw fit to wake up.</p> + +<p>There was no sleeping in the daytime +on the planter's clearing: the wages +were too high to risk. Deesa sat on +Moti Guj's neck and gave him orders, +while Moti Guj rooted up the stumps—for +he owned a magnificent pair of tusks; +or pulled at the end of a rope—for he +had a magnificent pair of shoulders—while +Deesa kicked him behind the ears +and said he was the king of elephants. +At evening time Moti Guj would wash +down his three hundred pounds' weight +of green food with a quart of arrack, +and Deesa would take a share, and +sing songs between Moti Guj's legs till +it was time to go to bed. Once a week +Deesa led Moti Guj down to the river, +and Moti Guj lay on his side luxuriously +in the shallows, while Deesa went over +him with a coir-swab and a brick. Moti +Guj never mistook the pounding blow +of the latter for the smack of the former<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_563" id="Page_563">[563]</a></span> +that warned him to get up and turn +over on the other side. Then Deesa +would look at his feet and examine his +eyes, and turn up the fringes of his +mighty ears in case of sores or budding +ophthalmia. After inspection the two +would "come up with a song from the +sea," Moti Guj, all black and shining, +waving a torn tree branch twelve feet +long in his trunk, and Deesa knotting +up his own long wet hair.</p> + +<p>It was a peaceful, well-paid life till +Deesa felt the return of the desire to +drink deep. He wished for an orgy. +The little draughts that led nowhere were +taking the manhood out of him.</p> + +<p>He went to the planter, and "My +mother's dead," he said, weeping.</p> + +<p>"She died on the last plantation two +months ago, and she died once before +that when you were working for me +last year," said the planter, who knew +something of the ways of nativedom.</p> + +<p>"Then it's my aunt, and she was just +the same as a mother to me," said Deesa, +weeping more than ever. "She has left +eighteen small children entirely without +bread, and it is I who must fill their +little stomachs," said Deesa, beating +his head on the floor.</p> + +<p>"Who brought you the news?" said +the planter.</p> + +<p>"The post," said Deesa.</p> + +<p>"There hasn't been a post here for the +past week. Get back to your lines!"</p> + +<p>"A devastating sickness has fallen on +my village, and all my wives are dying," +yelled Deesa, really in tears this time.</p> + +<p>"Call Chihun, who comes from Deesa's +village," said the planter. "Chihun, has +this man got a wife?"</p> + +<p>"He?" said Chihun. "No. Not a +woman of our village would look at him. +They'd sooner marry the elephant."</p> + +<p>Chihun snorted. Deesa wept and +bellowed.</p> + +<p>"You will get into a difficulty in a +minute," said the planter. "Go back +to your work!"</p> + +<p>"Now I will speak Heaven's truth," +gulped Deesa, with an inspiration. "I +haven't been drunk for two months. +I desire to depart in order to get properly +drunk afar off and distant from this +heavenly plantation. Thus I shall cause +no trouble."</p> + +<p>A flickering smile crossed the planter's +face. "Deesa," said he, "you've spoken +the truth, and I'd give you leave on the +spot if anything could be done with +Moti Guj while you're away. You +know that he will only obey your orders."</p> + +<p>"May the light of the heavens live +forty thousand years. I shall be absent +but ten little days. After that, <i>upon</i> my +faith and honor and soul, I return. As +to the inconsiderable interval, have I +the gracious permission of the heaven-born +to call up Moti Guj?"</p> + +<p>Permission was granted, and in answer +to Deesa's shrill yell, the mighty tusker +swung out of the shade of a clump +of trees where he had been squirting +dust over himself till his master should +return.</p> + +<p>"Light of my heart, protector of +the drunken, mountain of might, give +ear!" said Deesa, standing in front of +him.</p> + +<p>Moti Guj gave ear, and saluted with +his trunk. "I am going away!" said +Deesa.</p> + +<p>Moti Guj's eyes twinkled. He liked +jaunts as well as his master. One could +snatch all manner of nice things from +the road-side then.</p> + +<p>"But you, you fussy old pig, must +stay behind and work."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_564" id="Page_564">[564]</a></span></p> + +<p>The twinkle died out as Moti Guj +tried to look delighted. He hated stump-hauling +on the plantation. It hurt his +teeth.</p> + +<p>"I shall be gone for ten days, oh +delectable one! Hold up your near forefoot +and I'll impress the fact upon it, +warty toad of a dried mud-puddle." +Deesa took a tent-peg and banged Moti +Guj ten times on the nails. Moti Guj +grunted and shuffled from foot to foot.</p> + +<p>"Ten days," said Deesa, "you will +work and haul and root the trees as +Chihun here shall order you. Take up +Chihun and set him on your neck!" +Moti Guj curled the tip of his trunk, +Chihun put his foot there, and was +swung on to the neck. Deesa handed +Chihun the heavy <i>ankus</i>—the iron +elephant goad.</p> + +<p>Chihun thumped Moti Guj's bald +head as a paver thumps a curbstone.</p> + +<p>Moti Guj trumpeted.</p> + +<p>"Be still, hog of the backwoods! +Chihun's your mahout for ten days. +And now bid me good-by, beast after +mine own heart. Oh, my lord, my king! +Jewel of all created elephants, lily of the +herd, preserve your honored health; be +virtuous. Adieu!"</p> + +<p>Moti Guj lapped his trunk round Deesa +and swung him into the air twice. That +was his way of bidding him good-by.</p> + +<p>"He'll work now," said Deesa to the +planter. "Have I leave to go?"</p> + +<p>The planter nodded, and Deesa dived +into the woods. Moti Guj went back +to haul stumps.</p> + +<p>Chihun was very kind to him, but he +felt unhappy and forlorn for all that. +Chihun gave him a ball of spices, and +tickled him under the chin, and Chihun's +little baby cooed to him after work was +over, and Chihun's wife called him a +darling; but Moti Guj was a bachelor +by instinct, as Deesa was. He did not +understand the domestic emotions. He +wanted the light of his universe back +again—the drink and the drunken slumber, +the savage beatings and the savage +caresses.</p> + +<p>None the less he worked well, and the +planter wondered. Deesa had wandered +along the roads till he met a marriage +procession of his own caste, and, drinking, +dancing, and tippling, had drifted with +it past all knowledge of the lapse of time.</p> + +<p>The morning of the eleventh day +dawned, and there returned no Deesa. +Moti Guj was loosed from his ropes for +the daily stint. He swung clear, looked +round, shrugged his shoulders, and began +to walk away, as one having business +elsewhere.</p> + +<p>"Hi! ho! Come back you!" shouted +Chihun. "Come back and put me on +your neck, misborn mountain! Return, +splendor of the hill-sides! Adornment +of all India, heave to, or I'll bang every +toe off your fat forefoot!"</p> + +<p>Moti Guj gurgled gently, but did not +obey. Chihun ran after him with a +rope and caught him up. Moti Guj +put his ears forward, and Chihun knew +what that meant, though he tried to +carry it off with high words.</p> + +<p>"None of your nonsense with me," +said he. "To your pickets, devil-son!"</p> + +<p>"Hrrump!" said Moti Guj, and that +was all—that and the forebent ears.</p> + +<p>Moti Guj put his hands in his pockets, +chewed a branch for a toothpick, and +strolled about the clearing, making fun +of the other elephants who had just set +to work.</p> + +<p>Chihun reported the state of affairs +to the planter, who came out with a dog-whip +and cracked it furiously. Moti<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_565" id="Page_565">[565]</a></span> +Guj paid the white man the compliment +of charging him nearly a quarter of a +mile across the clearing and "Hrrumphing" +him into his veranda. Then he +stood outside the house, chuckling to +himself and shaking all over with the +fun of it as an elephant will.</p> + +<p>"We'll thrash him," said the planter. +"He shall have the finest thrashing ever +elephant received. Give Kala Nag and +Nazim twelve foot of chain apiece, and +tell them to lay on twenty."</p> + +<p>Kala Nag—which means Black Snake—and +Nazim were two of the biggest +elephants in the lines, and one of their +duties was to administer the graver +punishment, since no man can beat +an elephant properly.</p> + +<p>They took the whipping-chains and +rattled them in their trunks as they +sidled up to Moti Guj, meaning to hustle +him between them. Moti Guj had +never, in all his life of thirty-nine years, +been whipped, and he did not intend to +begin a new experience. So he waited, +waving his head from right to left, and +measuring the precise spot in Kala Nag's +fat side where a blunt tusk could sink +deepest. Kala Nag had no tusks; the +chain was the badge of his authority; +but for all that, he swung wide of Moti +Guj at the last minute, and tried to +appear as if he had brought the chain out +for amusement. Nazim turned round +and went home early. He did not feel +fighting fit that morning and so Moti +Guj was left, standing alone with his +ears cocked.</p> + +<p>That decided the planter to argue no +more, and Moti Guj rolled back to his +amateur inspection of the clearing. An +elephant who will not work and is not +tied up is about as manageable as an +eighty-one-ton gun loose in a heavy +seaway. He slapped old friends on the +back and asked them if the stumps were +coming away easily; he talked nonsense +concerning labor and the inalienable +rights of elephants to a long "nooning"; +and, wandering to and fro, he thoroughly +demoralized the garden till sundown, +when he returned to his picket for food.</p> + +<p>"If you won't work, you shan't eat," +said Chihun, angrily. "You're a wild +elephant, and no educated animal at +all. Go back to your jungle."</p> + +<p>Chihun's little brown baby was rolling +on the floor of the hut, and stretching +out its fat arms to the huge shadow in +the doorway. Moti Guj knew well that +it was the dearest thing on earth to +Chihun. He swung out his trunk with +a fascinating crook at the end, and the +brown baby threw itself, shouting upon +it. Moti Guj made fast and pulled up till +the brown baby was crowing in the air +twelve feet above his father's head.</p> + +<p>"Great Lord!" said Chihun. "Flour +cakes of the best, twelve in number, two +feet across and soaked in rum, shall be +yours on the instant, and two hundred +pounds weight of fresh-cut young sugar-cane +therewith. Deign only to put down +safely that insignificant brat who is my +heart and my life to me!"</p> + +<p>Moti Guj tucked the brown baby +comfortably between his forefeet, that +could have knocked into toothpicks all +Chihun's hut, and waited for his food. +He ate it, and the brown baby crawled +away. Moti Guj dozed and thought of +Deesa. One of many mysteries connected +with the elephant is that his huge +body needs less sleep than anything else +that lives. Four or five hours in the +night suffice—two just before midnight, +lying down on one side; two just after +one o'clock, lying down on the other.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_566" id="Page_566">[566]</a></span> +The rest of the silent hours are filled +with eating and fidgeting, and long +grumbling soliloquies.</p> + +<p>At midnight, therefore, Moti Guj +strode out of his pickets, for a thought +had come to him that Deesa might be +lying drunk somewhere in the dark +forest with none to look after him. So +all that night he chased through the +undergrowth, blowing and trumpeting +and shaking his ears. He went down +to the river and blared across the shallows +where Deesa used to wash him, +but there was no answer. He could not +find Deesa, but he disturbed all the other +elephants in the lines, and nearly frightened +to death some gypsies in the woods.</p> + +<p>At dawn Deesa returned to the plantation. +He had been very drunk indeed, +and he expected to get into trouble for +outstaying his leave. He drew a long +breath when he saw that the bungalow +and the plantation were still uninjured, +for he knew something of Moti Guj's +temper, and reported himself with many +lies and salaams. Moti Guj had gone +to his pickets for breakfast. The night +exercises had made him hungry.</p> + +<p>"Call up your beast," said the planter; +and Deesa shouted in the mysterious +elephant language that some mahouts +believe came from China at the birth +of the world, when elephants and not +men were masters. Moti Guj heard and +came. Elephants do not gallop. They +move from places at varying rates of +speed. If an elephant wished to catch +an express train he could not gallop, but +he could catch the train. So Moti Guj +was at the planter's door almost before +Chihun noticed that he had left his +pickets. He fell into Deesa's arms, +trumpeting with joy, and the man and +beast wept and slobbered over each +other, and handled each other from +head to heel to see that no harm had +befallen.</p> + +<p>"Now we will get to work," said Deesa. +"Lift me up, my son and my joy!"</p> + +<p>Moti Guj swung him up, and the two +went to the coffee-clearing to look for +difficult stumps.</p> + +<p>The planter was too astonished to be +very angry.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_397" id="Note_397">397</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Among the writers of nature fiction, probably +no one deserves higher rank than Charles +G. D. Roberts (1860—), a Canadian. Mr. +Roberts does not tell of his own adventures. +His stories are truly nature fiction because +the characters are animals and the purpose +is to reveal the nature of these characters +by showing how they would act when placed +in various imaginary situations. <i>Kings in +Exile</i>, from which the following selection is +taken, is a book of splendid stories of large +animals. Other excellent books by Mr. +Roberts, suitable for the seventh and eighth +grades, are <i>Hoof and Claw</i>, <i>Children of the +Wild</i>, <i>Secret Trails</i>, and <i>Watchers of the +Trails</i>, ("Last Bull" is used by permission +of the publishers, The Macmillan Co., +New York.)</div> + + +<h4><br />LAST BULL</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHARLES G. D. ROBERTS</div> + +<p>That was what two grim old sachems +of the Dacotahs had dubbed him; and +though his official title, on the lists of +the Zoological Park, was "Kaiser," the +new and more significant name had +promptly supplanted it. The Park +authorities—people of imagination and +of sentiment, as must all be who would +deal successfully with wild animals—had +felt at once that the name aptly embodied +the tragedies and the romantic memories<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_567" id="Page_567">[567]</a></span> +of his all-but-vanished race. They had +felt, too, that the two old braves who had +been brought East to adorn a city +pageant, and who had stood gazing +stoically for hours at the great bull +buffalo through the barrier of the steel-wire +fence, were fitted, before all others, +to give him a name. Between him and +them there was surely a tragic bond, as +they stood there islanded among the +swelling tides of civilization which had +already engulfed their kindreds. "Last +Bull" they had called him, as he answered +their gaze with little, sullen, melancholy +eyes from under his ponderous and +shaggy front. "Last Bull"—and the +passing of his race was in the name.</p> + +<p>Here, in his fenced, protected range, +with a space of grassy meadow, half a +dozen clumps of sheltering trees, two +hundred yards of the run of a clear, +unfailing brook, and a warm shed for +refuge against the winter storms, the +giant buffalo ruled his little herd of three +tawny cows, two yearlings, and one +blundering, butting calf of the season. +He was a magnificent specimen of his +race—surpassing, it was said, the finest +bull in the Yellowstone preserves or in +the guarded Canadian herd of the North. +Little short of twelve feet in length, a +good five foot ten in height at the tip of +his humped and huge fore-shoulders, he +seemed to justify the most extravagant +tales of pioneer and huntsman. His +hind-quarters were trim and fine-lined, +built apparently for speed, smooth-haired, +and of a grayish lion-color. But +his fore-shoulders, mounting to an enormous +hump, were of an elephantine +massiveness, and clothed in a dense, +curling, golden-brown growth of matted +hair. His mighty head was carried low, +almost to the level of his knees, on a neck +of colossal strength, which was draped, +together with the forelegs down to the +knees, in a flowing brown mane tipped +with black. His head, too, to the very +muzzle, wore the same luxuriant and +sombre drapery, out of which curved +viciously the keen-tipped crescent of his +horns. Dark, huge, and ominous, he +looked curiously out of place in the secure +and familiar tranquillity of his green +pasture.</p> + +<p>For a distance of perhaps fifty yards, +at the back of the pasture, the range of +the buffalo herd adjoined that of the +moose, divided from it by that same +fence of heavy steel-wire mesh, supported +by iron posts, which surrounded the whole +range. One sunny and tingling day in +late October—such a day as makes the +blood race full red through all healthy +veins—a magnificent stranger was +brought to the Park, and turned into +the moose-range.</p> + +<p>The newcomer was a New Brunswick +bull moose, captured on the Tobique +during the previous spring when the +snow was deep and soft, and purchased +for the Park by one of the big Eastern +lumber-merchants. The moose-herd had +consisted, hitherto, of four lonely cows, +and the splendid bull was a prize which +the Park had long been coveting. He +took lordly possession, forthwith, of the +submissive little herd, and led them off +at once from the curious crowds about +the gate to explore the wild-looking +thickets at the back of the pasture. +But no sooner had he fairly entered +these thickets than he found his further +progress barred by the steel-meshed fence. +This was a bitter disappointment, for he +had expected to go striding through +miles of alder swamp and dark spruce +woods, fleeing the hated world of men<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_568" id="Page_568">[568]</a></span> +and bondage, before setting himself to +get acquainted with his new followers. +His high-strung temper was badly jarred. +He drew off, shaking his vast antlers, and +went shambling with spacious stride +down along the barrier towards the +brook. The four cows, in single file, +hurried after him anxiously, afraid he +might be snatched away from them.</p> + +<p>Last Bull, standing solitary and morose +on a little knoll in his pasture, caught +sight of the strange, dark figure of the +running moose. A spark leapt into his +heavy eyes. He wheeled, pawed the +sod, put his muzzle to the ground, and +bellowed a sonorous challenge. The +moose stopped short and stared about +him, the stiff hair lifting angrily along +the ridge of his massive neck. Last +Bull lowered his head and tore up the +sod with his horns.</p> + +<p>This vehement action caught the +eyes of the moose. At first he stared +in amazement, for he had never seen +any creature that looked like Last Bull. +The two were only about fifty or sixty +yards apart, across the little valley of +the bushy swamp. As he stared, his +irritation speedily overcame his amazement. +The curious-looking creature over +there on the knoll was defying him, was +challenging him. At this time of year +his blood was hot and quick for any +challenge. He gave vent to a short, +harsh, explosive cry, more like a grumbling +bleat than a bellow, and as unlike +the buffalo's challenge as could well be +imagined. Then he fell to thrashing the +nearest bushes violently with his antlers. +This, for some reason unknown to the +mere human chronicler, seemed to be +taken by Last Bull as a crowning insolence. +His long, tasselled tail went +stiffly up into the air, and he charged +wrathfully down the knoll. The moose, +with his heavy-muzzled head stuck +straight out scornfully before him, and +his antlers laid flat along his back, +strode down to the encounter with a +certain deadly deliberation. He was +going to fight. There was no doubt +whatever on that score. But he had +not quite made up his wary mind as to +how he would deal with this unknown +and novel adversary.</p> + +<p>They looked not so unequally matched, +these two, the monarch of the Western +plains, and the monarch of the Northeastern +forests. Both had something +of the monstrous, the uncouth, about +them, as if they belonged not to this +modern day, but to some prehistoric +epoch when Earth moulded her children +on more lavish and less graceful lines. +The moose was like the buffalo in having +his hind-quarters relatively slight and +low, and his back sloping upwards to a +hump over the immensely developed +fore-shoulders. But he had much less +length of body, and much less bulk, +though perhaps eight or ten inches more +of height at the tip of the shoulder. His +hair was short, and darker than that of +his shaggy rival, being almost black +except on legs and belly. Instead of +carrying his head low, like the buffalo, +for feeding on the level prairies, he bore +it high, being in the main a tree-feeder. +But the greatest difference between the +two champions was in their heads and +horns. The antlers of the moose formed +a huge, fantastic, flatly palmated or +leaflike structure, separating into sharp +prongs along the edges, and spreading +more than four feet from tip to tip. To +compare them with the short, polished +crescent of the horns of Last Bull was +like comparing a two-handed broadsword<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_569" id="Page_569">[569]</a></span> +to a bowie-knife. And his head, instead +of being short, broad, ponderous, +and shaggy, like Last Bull's, was long, +close-haired, and massively horse-faced, +with a projecting upper lip heavy and +grim.</p> + +<p>Had there been no impregnable steel +barrier between them, it is hard to say +which would have triumphed in the end, +the ponderous weight and fury of Last +Bull, or the ripping prongs and swift +wrath of the moose. The buffalo charged +down the knoll at a thundering gallop; +but just before reaching the fence he +checked himself violently. More than +once or twice before had those elastic +but impenetrable meshes given him his +lesson, hurling him back with humiliating +harshness when he dashed his bulk +against them. He had too lively a +memory of past discomfitures to risk a +fresh one now in the face of this insolent +foe. His matted front came against +the wire with a force so cunningly moderated +that he was not thrown back by +the recoil. And the keen points of his +horns went through the meshes with a +vehemence which might indeed have +done its work effectively had they come +in contact with the adversary. As it +was, however, they but prodded empty +air.</p> + +<p>The moose, meanwhile, had been in +doubt whether to attack with his antlers, +as was his manner when encountering +foes of his own kind, or with his knife-edged +fore-hoofs, which were the weapons +he used against bears, wolves, or other +alien adversaries. Finally he seemed to +make up his mind that Last Bull, having +horns and a most redoubtable stature, +must be some kind of moose. In that +case, of course, it became a question of +antlers. Moreover, in his meetings with +rival bulls it had never been his wont +to depend upon a blind, irresistible +charge,—thereby leaving it open to an +alert opponent to slip aside and rip him +along the flank,—but rather to fence +warily for an advantage in the locking +of antlers, and then bear down his foe +by the fury and speed of his pushing. +It so happened, therefore, that he, too, +came not too violently against the +barrier. Loudly his vast spread of +antlers clashed upon the steel meshes; +and one short prong, jutting low over +his brow, pierced through and furrowed +deeply the matted forehead of the +buffalo.</p> + +<p>As the blood streamed down over his +nostrils, obscuring one eye, Last Bull +quite lost his head with rage. Drawing +off, he hurled himself blindly upon the +barrier—only to be hurled back again +with a vigor that brought him to his +knees. But at the same time the moose, +on the other side of the fence, got a huge +surprise. Having his antlers against the +barrier when Last Bull charged, he was +forced back irresistibly upon his haunches +with a rudeness quite unlike anything +that he had ever before experienced. +His massive neck felt as if a pine tree +had fallen upon it, and he came back +to the charge quite beside himself with +bewilderment and rage.</p> + +<p>By this time, however, the keepers +and Park attendants were arriving on +the scene, armed with pitchforks and +other unpleasant executors of authority. +Snorting, and bellowing, and grunting, +the monstrous duellists were forced apart; +and Last Bull, who had been taught +something of man's dominance, was +driven off to his stable and imprisoned. +He was not let out again for two whole +days. And by that time another fence,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_570" id="Page_570">[570]</a></span> +parallel with the first and some five or +six feet distant from it, had been run up +between his range and that of the moose. +Over this impassable zone of neutrality, +for a few days, the two rivals flung insult +and futile defiance, till suddenly, becoming +tired of it all, they seemed to agree +to ignore each other's existence.</p> + +<p>After this, Last Bull's sullenness of +temper appeared to grow upon him. He +was fond of drawing apart from the little +herd, and taking up his solitary post on +the knoll, where he would stand for an +hour at a time motionless except for the +switching of his long tail, and staring +steadily westward as if he knew where +the great past of his race had lain. In +that direction a dense grove of chestnuts, +maples, and oaks bounded the range, +cutting off the view of the city roofs, the +roar of the city traffic. Beyond the city +were mountains and wide waters which +he could not see; but beyond the waters +and the mountains stretched the green, +illimitable plains—which perhaps (who +knows?) in some faint vision inherited +from the ancestors whose myriads had +possessed them, his sombre eyes, in some +strange way, <i>could</i> see. Among the +keepers and attendants generally it was +said, with anxious regret, that perhaps +Last Bull was "going bad." But the +headkeeper, Payne, himself a son of +the plains, repudiated the idea. <i>He</i> +declared sympathetically that the great +bull was merely homesick, pining for +the wind-swept levels of the open country +(God's country, Payne called it!) +which his imprisoned hoofs had never +trodden.</p> + +<p>Be this as it may, the fact could not +be gainsaid that Last Bull was growing +more and more morose. The spectators, +strolling along the wide walk which +skirted the front of his range, seemed +to irritate him, and sometimes, when a +group had gathered to admire him, he +would turn his low-hung head and answer +their staring eyes with a kind of heavy +fury, as if he burned to break forth upon +them and seek vengeance for incalculable +wrongs. This smouldering indignation +against humanity extended +equally, if not more violently, to all +creatures who appeared to him as servants +or allies of humanity. The dogs +whom he sometimes saw passing, held +in leash by their masters or mistresses, +made him paw the earth scornfully if +he happened to be near the fence. The +patient horses who pulled the road-roller +or the noisy lawn-mower made his +eyes redden savagely. And he hated +with peculiar zest the roguish little trick +elephant, Bong, who would sometimes, +his inquisitive trunk swinging from side +to side, go lurching lazily by with a load +of squealing children on his back.</p> + +<p>Bong, who was a favored character, +amiable and trustworthy, was allowed +the freedom of the Park in the early +morning, before visitors began to arrive +who might be alarmed at seeing an +elephant at large. He was addicted to +minding his own business, and never +paid the slightest attention to any +occupants of cage or enclosure. He +was quite unaware of the hostility which +he had aroused in the perverse and brooding +heart of Last Bull.</p> + +<p>One crisp morning in late November, +when all the grass in the Park had been +blackened by frost, and the pools were +edged with silver rims of ice, and mists +were white and saffron about the scarce-risen +sun, and that autumn thrill was in +the air which gives one such an appetite, +Bong chanced to be strolling past the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_571" id="Page_571">[571]</a></span> +front of Last Bull's range. He did not +see Last Bull, who was nothing to him. +But, being just as hungry as he ought +to be on so stimulating a morning, he +did see, and note with interest, some +bundles of fresh hay on the other side +of the fence.</p> + +<p>Now, Bong was no thief. But hay +had always seemed to him a free largess, +like grass and water, and this looked +like very good hay. So clear a conscience +had he on the subject that he +never thought of glancing around to see +if any of the attendants were looking. +Innocently he lurched up to the fence, +reached his lithe trunk through, gathered +a neat wisp of the hay, and stuffed it +happily into his curious, narrow, pointed +mouth. Yes, he had not been mistaken. +It was good hay. With great +satisfaction he reached in for another +mouthful.</p> + +<p>Last Bull, as it happened, was standing +close by, but a little to one side. He +had been ignoring, so far, his morning +ration. He was not hungry. And, moreover, +he rather disapproved of the hay +because it had the hostile man-smell +strong upon it. Nevertheless, he recognized +it very clearly as his property, to +be eaten when he should feel inclined to +eat it. His wrath, then, was only +equalled by his amazement when he saw +the little elephant's presumptuous gray +trunk reach in and coolly help itself. +For a moment he forgot to do anything +whatever about it. But when, a few +seconds later, that long, curling trunk of +Bong's insinuated itself again and appropriated +another bundle of the now +precious hay, the outraged owner +bestirred himself. With a curt roar, +that was more of a cough or a grunt +than a bellow, he lunged forward and +strove to pin the intruding trunk to +the ground.</p> + +<p>With startled alacrity Bong withdrew +his trunk, but just in time to save it +from being mangled. For an instant +he stood with the member held high in +air, bewildered by what seemed to him +such a gratuitous attack. Then his +twinkling little eyes began to blaze, and +he trumpeted shrilly with anger. The +next moment, reaching over the fence, +he brought down the trunk on Last +Bull's hump with such a terrible flail-like +blow that the great buffalo stumbled +forward upon his knees.</p> + +<p>He was up again in an instant and +hurling himself madly against the inexorable +steel which separated him from +his foe. Bong hesitated for a second, +then, reaching over the fence once more, +clutched Last Bull maliciously around +the base of his horns and tried to twist +his neck. This enterprise, however, was +too much even for the elephant's titanic +powers, for Last Bull's greatest strength +lay in the muscles of his ponderous and +corded neck. Raving and bellowing, he +plunged this way and that, striving in +vain to wrench himself free from that +incomprehensible, snake-like thing which +had fastened upon him. Bong, trumpeting +savagely, braced himself with widespread +pillars of legs, and between them +it seemed that the steel fence must go +down under such cataclysmic shocks as +it was suffering. But the noisy violence +of the battle presently brought its own +ending. An amused but angry squad of +attendants came up and stopped it, and +Bong, who seemed plainly the aggressor, +was hustled off to his stall in deep +disgrace.</p> + +<p>Last Bull was humiliated. In this +encounter things had happened which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_572" id="Page_572">[572]</a></span> +he could in no way comprehend; and +though, beyond an aching in neck and +shoulders, he felt none the worse physically, +he had nevertheless a sense of +having been worsted, of having been +treated with ignominy, in spite of the fact +that it was his foe, and not he, who had +retired from the field. For several days +he wore a subdued air and kept about +meekly with his docile cows. Then his +old, bitter moodiness reasserted itself, +and he resumed his solitary broodings +on the crest of the knoll.</p> + +<p>When the winter storms came on, it +had been Last Bull's custom to let +himself be housed luxuriously at nightfall, +with the rest of the herd, in the +warm and ample buffalo-shed. But this +winter he made such difficulty about +going in that at last Payne decreed that +he should have his own way and stay +out. "It will do him no harm, and may +cool his peppery blood some!" had been +the keeper's decision. So the door was +left open, and Last Bull entered or +refrained, according to his whim. It +was noticed, however,—and this struck +a chord of answering sympathy in the +plainsman's imaginative temperament,—that, +though on ordinary nights he might +come in and stay with the herd under +shelter, on nights of driving storm, if +the tempest blew from the west or northwest, +Last Bull was sure to be out on +the naked knoll to face it. When the +fine sleet or stinging rain drove past him, +filling his nostrils with their cold, drenching +his matted mane, and lashing his +narrowed eyes, what visions swept +through his troubled, half-comprehending +brain, no one may know. But Payne, +with understanding born of sympathy +and a common native soil, catching sight +of his dark bulk under the dark of the +low sky, was wont to declare that <i>he</i> +knew. He would say that Last Bull's +eyes discerned, black under the hurricane, +but lit strangely with the flash +of keen horns and rolling eyes and frothed +nostrils, the endless and innumerable +droves of the buffalo, with the plains +wolf skulking on their flanks, passing, +passing, southward into the final dark. +In the roar of the wind, declared Payne, +Last Bull, out there in the night, listened +to the trampling of all those vanished +droves. And though the other keepers +insisted to each other, quite privately, +that their chief talked a lot of nonsense +about "that there mean-tempered old +buffalo," they nevertheless came gradually +to look upon Last Bull with a kind +of awe, and to regard his surly whims +as privileged.</p> + +<p>It chanced that winter that men were +driving a railway tunnel beneath a corner +of the Park. The tunnel ran for a short +distance under the front of Last Bull's +range, and passed close by the picturesque +cottage occupied by Payne and two of +his assistants. At this point the level +of the Park was low, and the shell of +earth was thin above the tunnel roof.</p> + +<p>There came a Sunday afternoon, after +days of rain and penetrating January +thaw, when sun and air combined to +cheat the earth with an illusion of spring. +The buds and the mould breathed of +April, and gay crowds flocked to the +Park, to make the most of winter's +temporary repulse. Just when things +were at their gayest, with children's +voices clamoring everywhere like starlings, +and Bong, the little elephant, +swinging good-naturedly up the broad +white track with all the load he had +room for on his back, there came an +ominous jar and rumble, like the first<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_573" id="Page_573">[573]</a></span> +of an earthquake, which ran along the +front of Last Bull's range.</p> + +<p>With sure instinct, Bong turned tail +and fled with his young charges away +across the grassland. The crowds, hardly +knowing what they fled from, with +screams and cries and blanched faces, +followed the elephant's example. A +moment later and, with a muffled crash, +all along the front of the range, the +earth sank into the tunnel, carrying +with it half a dozen panels of Last +Bull's hated fence.</p> + +<p>Almost in a moment the panic of the +crowd subsided. Every one realized +just what had happened. Moreover, +thanks to Bong's timely alarm, every +one had got out of the way in good +season. All fear of earthquake being +removed, the crowd flocked back eagerly +to stare down into the wrecked tunnel, +which formed now a sort of gaping, +chaotic ditch, with sides at some points +precipitous and at others brokenly sloping. +The throng was noisy with excited +interest and with relief at having escaped +so cleanly. The break had run just +beneath one corner of the keepers' cottage, +tearing away a portion of the +foundation and wrenching the structure +slightly aside without overthrowing it. +Payne, who had been in the midst of +his Sunday toilet, came out upon his +twisted porch, half undressed and with +a shaving-brush covered with lather in +his hand. He gave one look at the damage +which had been wrought, then +plunged indoors again to throw his +clothes on, at the same time sounding +the hurry call for the attendants in +other quarters of the Park.</p> + +<p>Last Bull, who had been standing on +his knoll, with his back to the throngs, +had wheeled in astonishment at the +heavy sound of the cave-in. For a few +minutes he had stared sullenly, not +grasping the situation. Then very slowly +it dawned on him that his prison walls +had fallen. Yes, surely, there at last +lay his way to freedom, his path to the +great open spaces for which he dumbly +and vaguely hungered. With stately +deliberation he marched down from his +knoll to investigate.</p> + +<p>But presently another idea came into +his slow mind. He saw the clamorous +crowds flocking back and ranging themselves +along the edge of the chasm. +These were his enemies. They were +coming to balk him. A terrible madness +surged through all his veins. He bellowed +savage warning and came thundering +down the field, nose to earth, dark, +mountainous, irresistible.</p> + +<p>The crowd yelled and shrank back. +"He can't get across!" shouted some. +But others cried: "He can! He's +coming! Save yourselves!" And with +shrieks they scattered wildly across the +open, making for the kiosks, the pavilions, +the trees, anything that seemed to +promise hiding or shelter from that +on-rushing doom.</p> + +<p>At the edge of the chasm—at this +point forming not an actual drop, but +a broken slide—Last Bull hardly paused. +He plunged down, rolled over in the +débris, struggled to his feet again +instantly, and went ploughing and snorting +up the opposite steep. As his colossal +front, matted with mud, loomed up over +the brink, his little eyes rolling and +flaming, and the froth flying from his +red nostrils, he formed a very nightmare +of horror to those fugitives who dared +to look behind them.</p> + +<p>Surmounting the brink, he paused. +There were so many enemies, he knew<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_574" id="Page_574">[574]</a></span> +not which to pursue first. But straight +ahead, in the very middle of the open, +and far from any shelter, he saw a huddled +group of children and nurses fleeing +impotently and aimlessly. Shrill cries +came from the cluster, which danced +with colors, scarlet and yellow and blue +and vivid pink. To the mad buffalo, +these were the most conspicuous and the +loudest of his foes, and therefore the +most dangerous. With a bellow he +flung his tail straight in the air, and +charged after them.</p> + +<p>An appalling hush fell, for a few heartbeats, +all over the field. Then from +different quarters appeared uniformed +attendants, racing and shouting frantically +to divert the bull's attention. +From fleeing groups black-coated men +leapt forth, armed only with their +walking-sticks, and rushed desperately +to defend the flock of children, who now, +in the extremity of their terror, were +tumbling as they ran. Some of the nurses +were fleeing far in front, while others, the +faithful ones, with eyes starting from +their heads, grabbed up their little charges +and struggled on under the burden.</p> + +<p>Already Last Bull was halfway across +the space which divided him from his +foes. The ground shook under his ponderous +gallop. At this moment Payne +reappeared on the broken porch.</p> + +<p>One glance showed him that no one +was near enough to intervene. With a +face stern and sorrowful he lifted the +deadly .405 Winchester which he had +brought out with him. The spot he +covered was just behind Last Bull's +mighty shoulder.</p> + +<p>The smokeless powder spoke with a +small, venomous report, unlike the black +powder's noisy reverberation. Last Bull +stumbled. But recovering himself instantly, +he rushed on. He was hurt, +and he felt it was those fleeing foes who +had done it. A shade of perplexity +darkened Payne's face. He fired again. +This time his aim was true. The heavy +expanding bullet tore straight through +bone and muscle and heart, and Last +Bull lurched forward upon his head, +ploughing up the turf for yards. As +his mad eyes softened and filmed, he +saw once more, perhaps,—or so the +heavy-hearted keeper who had slain him +would have us believe,—the shadowy +plains unrolling under the wild sky, and +the hosts of his vanished kindred drifting +past into the dark.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_575" id="Page_575">[575]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION X</h2> + +<h3>ROMANCE CYCLES AND LEGEND</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_576" id="Page_576">[576]</a></span></p> + +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + +<div class='hang1'> +Baldwin, James, <i>The Story of Roland</i>. <i>The Story of Siegfried.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Baring-Gould, Sabine, <i>Curious Myths of the Middle Ages</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Becquer, G. A., <i>Romantic Legends of Spain</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Canton, W. V., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22112">Child's Book of Saints</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Cervantes-Saavedra, Miguel de, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/996">Don Quixote</a></i>. [In translation, or as retold by Havell or Parry.]</div> +<div class='hang1'>Church, Alfred J., <i>Stories from the Iliad</i>. <i>Stories from the Odyssey.</i> <i>Heroes of Chivalry and Romance.</i> <i>Stories of Charlemagne and the Twelve Peers of France.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Colum, Padraic, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/16867">The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Crommelin, Emeline G., <i>Famous Legends</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Darton, F. J. H., <i>Wonder Book of Old Romance</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Farrington, Margaret V., <i>Tales of King Arthur</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Finnemore, John, <i>The Story of Robin Hood and His Merry Men</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Guerber, H. A., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12455">Legends of the Middle Ages</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Guest, Lady Charlotte, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5160">The Mabinogion</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Herbertson, Agnes G., <i>Heroic Legends</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Homer, <i>Iliad</i>. [<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3059">Prose translation by Lang, Leaf, and Myers</a>; poetic by Bryant.]</div> +<div class='hang1'>Homer, <i>Odyssey</i>. [Prose translation by George H. Palmer; poetic by Bryant.]</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hull, Eleanor, <i>The Boys' Cuchulain: Heroic Legends of Ireland</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lamb, Charles, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7768">The Adventures of Ulysses</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lane, E. W., <i>Arabian Nights' Entertainments</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lang, Andrew, <i>A Book of Romance</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lanier, Sidney, <i>The Boy's King Arthur.</i> <i>The Boy's Mabinogion</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>MacLeod, Mary, <i>King Arthur and His Noble Knights</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Marshall, H. E., <i>The Story of William Tell</i>. <i>The Story of Roland.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Marvin, Frank S. (and others), <i>Adventures of Odysseus</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Morris, William, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13486">Sigurd, the Volsung</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Newbolt, Henry, <i>Stories from Froissart</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pyle, Howard, <i>Stories of King Arthur and His Knights</i>. <i>Some Merry Adventures of Robin Hood.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Plummer, Mary W., <i>Stories from the Chronicle of the Cid</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Ragozin, Z. A., <i>Frithjof and Roland</i>. <i>Siegfried and Beowulf.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Rolleston, T. W., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14749">High Deeds of Finn</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Scudder, Horace E., <i>The Book of Legends</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Tappan, Eva March, <i>Robin Hood: His Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Tennyson, Alfred, <i>The Idylls of the King</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Warren, Maude Radford, <i>King Arthur and His Knights</i>. <i>Robin Hood and His Merry Men.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Wilson, C. D., <i>Story of the Cid for Young People</i>.</div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_577" id="Page_577">[577]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION X. ROMANCE CYCLES AND LEGEND</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + + +<p><i>The material included.</i> The heading adopted for this section is used somewhat +loosely to include those many and varied collections of stories which have with the +passage of time been gradually brought together into so-called cycles, unified around +some central figure, or by means of some kind of framework. It would thus bring +into its scope the series of stories which make up the Greek <i>Odyssey</i>, the Anglo-Saxon +<i>Beowulf</i>, the Finnish <i>Kalevala</i>, and other national epics. It would include the stories +centering around King Arthur, Siegfried, Roland, the Cid, Alexander, Charlemagne, +Robin Hood, and Reynard the Fox. Besides all these cycles and others like them, +there is a great body of separate legends of persons and places, exemplified by "The +Proud King," that seem almost to constitute a work by themselves. The extended +body of eastern stories known as <i>The Arabian Nights</i> are also placed here, as is Cervantes' +<i>Don Quixote</i>. The last inclusion may seem to violate even the wide range of +the heading, as <i>Don Quixote</i> is distinctly one of the world's great modern masterpieces, +and is by a known author. But that book is after all a cycle of adventures +with a central figure not unlike the romance cycles, and, since it is popularly supposed +to have had its origin in the purpose of humorously satirizing the romances of +chivalry, it may be allowed to stand in connection with them.</p> + +<p><i>The place for such stories.</i> The developing child soon passes out of the period +where the old fairy stories and their modern analogues satisfy his needs. He comes +into a period of hero-worship where he demands not only courage and prowess of +magnificent proportions, but also a sinking of self in as equally magnificent and +disinterested service of great causes. To the child's mind there is nothing fantastical +about the chivalric ideas of courtesy, and friendship, and all high personal ideals. +It is the natural food of his mind. He will allow nothing mean or unclean. It +seems, roughly speaking, that the time of greatest appeal for such stories is about +the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. By the end of that period he is already well +along toward an interest in the real men and women of history, toward a more realistic +and practical conception of the problems of human life.</p> + +<p><i>The problems of choice and adaptation.</i> The wealth of material available is so +great as to be bewildering. As yet there is no common agreement as to just which +stories are best for our purpose, nor is there any as to where particular stories should +be used. The adapters and story-tellers differ much in their views on these questions. +Young teachers, it is clear, cannot be expected to know this vast field in any detail. +The saving fact is that teachers can hardly make a mistake by using any story that +has awakened their own interest and enthusiasm, and which, for that reason, they +will be able to present in a simple and striking form. Having in mind, then, the +beginning teacher, we make the following specific suggestions:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1. <i>Beowulf.</i> The inexperienced teacher will find a splendid version, "The +Story of Beowulf," ready-made in Wyche's <i>Some Great Stories and How to Tell<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_578" id="Page_578">[578]</a></span> +Them</i>. To work from the complete epic, use any of the translations by Child, +Tinker, Gummere, or Hall. "Perhaps it is not too much to assert . . . that +<ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'it'">in</ins> its lofty spirit, its vigor, and its sincerity, . . . it reflects traits which are +distinctive of English-speaking people throughout the world."</p> + +<p>2. <i>King Arthur.</i> The final source must be Sir Thomas Malory's <i>Le Morte +D'Arthur</i>, represented in the following pages by Nos. <a href="#Note_401">401</a>, <a href="#Note_402">402</a>, and <a href="#Note_403">403</a>. Some +passages from Malory should be read to the class. For suggestions as to method +in handling the stories, see Wyche as above, where there is a fine brief version. +In <i>King Arthur and His Knights</i>, by Mrs. Warren (Maude Radford), may be found +a good working version of the whole cycle. ". . . In delicacy of feeling, in +reverence for women, in courtesy to friend and foe, the Arthurian story foreshadowed +much that is gentlest and best in modern civilization."</p> + +<p>3. <i>Robin Hood.</i> Go at once to one of the simple prose versions of the story. +Satisfactory ones are those by Miss Tappan, by Mrs. Warren, or by Howard +Pyle (the shorter version). As time and opportunity offer read the simple old +ballads which are the source of the story of "merry" Sherwood. "If ever verse +lashed abuse with a smile, it is this. The sun shines brightly overhead; it is +a good world to be alive in, its wrongs are being righted, and its very misfortunes +are ultimately to bring happier times."</p> + +<p>4. A few stories about Roland, Siegfried, the Cid, Charlemagne, and others +may be used by teachers who have had opportunity to get acquainted with those +great figures, or who have access to some of the authorities listed in the bibliography. +This material is more difficult to handle satisfactorily than that already +discussed, and may well be sparingly used, if not omitted altogether. For a +general collection of legends, the ideal as to choice and method of presentation +is Scudder's <i>The Book of Legends</i> (No. <a href="#Note_412">412</a>). From <i>The Arabian Nights</i> use +"Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" (No. <a href="#Note_398">398</a>), "Aladdin and the Wonderful +Lamp," and "The Stories of Sindbad the Sailor." Almost any of the accessible +versions will be satisfactory. For <i>Reynard the Fox</i>, the one adaptation that +presents the story in a fairly good form for children is that made by Sir Henry +Cole, available as edited by Joseph Jacobs (Nos. <a href="#Note_399">399</a> and <a href="#Note_400">400</a>). Perhaps as +much of <i>Don Quixote</i> is given in this text (Nos. <a href="#Note_405">405</a>-<a href="#Note_411">411</a>) as teachers can use. A +full translation is a satisfactory source for this story, although the shortened +forms by Havell or Parry are admirable.</p></div> + + +<h3>SUGGESTIONS FOR READING</h3> + +<div class='blockquot'> +<p>Most of the books on story-telling have discussions of the best ways of dealing with the romance +material. Especially valuable in this connection are Wyche, <i>Great Stories and How to Tell Them</i>, +and Lyman, <i>Story Telling</i>. For scholarly and yet not too difficult books giving a perspective of the +entire field see W. W. Lawrence, <i>Medieval Story and the Beginnings of the Social Ideals of English-speaking +People</i>, or W. P. Ker, <i>Epic and Romance</i>. Consult MacClintock, "Hero-Tales and +Romances," <i>Literature in the Elementary School</i>, chap. viii.</p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_579" id="Page_579">[579]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_398" id="Note_398">398</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1"><i>The Arabian Nights' Entertainment</i> or <i>Thousand +and One Nights</i> is a collection of +about four hundred old oriental stories, +chiefly from Persia, India, and Arabia. +They were brought together probably in +the thirteenth century and told orally +as stories told to entertain King Shahriyar; +but scholars think the collection +was not written until some time between +the years 1350 and 1550. Some of +the stories probably were told as early +as the ninth century. The stories are of +various kinds—fables, anecdotes, legends, +hero stories, wonder stories, and romances. +"The Story of Alnaschar" (No. <a href="#Note_235">235</a> +in this book) is one of the fables. The +collection became known to European +readers in 1704, when it was translated +from the Arabic by a French scholar named +Galland. Since that time the fables have +been translated extensively. The translation +into English by Lane is the most valuable +one for a teacher who wishes to have all +of the book that is fit for public use. Like +many of the world's great compilations +of this sort, it is made up of a mixture of +good and bad. The oriental play of +imagination in these stories and the background +of old Eastern scenery and customs +have made them a source of entertainment +and instruction for all civilized nations. +The story that follows has always been +one of the favorites among oriental wonder +stories, and is given in a familiar traditional +version.</div> + + +<h4><br />ALI BABA, AND THE +FORTY THIEVES</h4> + +<p>In a town in Persia there lived two +brothers, the sons of a poor man; the +one was named Cassim, and the other +Ali Baba. Cassim, the elder, married a +wife with a considerable fortune, and +lived at his ease in a handsome house, +with plenty of servants; but the wife of +Ali Baba was as poor as himself; they +dwelt in a mean cottage in the suburbs +of the city, and he maintained his +family by cutting wood in a neighboring +forest.</p> + +<p>One day when Ali Baba was in the +forest and preparing to load his three +asses with the wood he had cut, he saw +a troop of horsemen coming towards him. +He had often heard of robbers who infested +that forest, and, in a great fright, +he hastily climbed a large thick tree, +which stood near the foot of a rock, and +hid himself among the branches.</p> + +<p>The horsemen soon galloped up to +the rock, where they all dismounted. +Ali Baba counted forty of them, and he +could not doubt but they were thieves, +by their ill-looking countenances. They +each took a loaded portmanteau from +his horse; and he who seemed to be their +captain, turning to the rock, said, "Open +Sesame," and immediately a door opened +in the rock, and all the robbers passed in, +when the door shut itself. In a short +time the door opened again, and the +forty robbers came out, followed by +their captain, who said, "Shut Sesame." +The door instantly closed; and the troop, +mounting their horses, were presently +out of sight.</p> + +<p>Ali Baba remained in the tree a long +time, and seeing that the robbers did +not return, he ventured down, and, +approaching close to the rock, said, +"Open Sesame." Immediately the door +flew open, and Ali Baba beheld a spacious +cavern, very light, and filled with all +sorts of possessions,—merchandise, rich +stuffs, and heaps of gold and silver coin, +which these robbers had taken from +merchants and travelers.</p> + +<p>Ali Baba then went in search of his +asses, and having brought them to the +rock, took as many bags of gold coin as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_580" id="Page_580">[580]</a></span> +they could carry, and put them on their +backs, covering them with some loose +fagots of wood. Afterwards (not forgetting +to say "Shut Sesame") he drove +the asses back to the city; and having +unloaded them in the stable belonging +to his cottage, carried the bags into the +house and spread the gold coin out upon +the floor before his wife.</p> + +<p>His wife, delighted with so much +money, wanted to count it; but finding +it would take up too much time, she was +resolved to measure it, and running to +the house of Ali Baba's brother, she +entreated them to lend her a small measure. +Cassim's wife was very proud and +envious. "I wonder," she said to herself, +"what sort of grain such poor people +can have to measure; but I am determined +I will find out what they are +doing." So before she gave the measure, +she artfully rubbed the bottom with +some suet.</p> + +<p>Away ran Ali Baba's wife, measured +her money, and helped her husband to +bury it in the yard. Then she carried +back the measure to her brother-in-law's +house, without perceiving that a piece +of gold was left sticking to the bottom of +it. "Fine doings, indeed!" cried Cassim's +wife to her husband, after examining +the measure. "Your brother there, +who pretends to be so poor, is richer +than you are, for he does not count his +money, but measures it."</p> + +<p>Cassim, hearing these words and seeing +the piece of gold, grew as envious as +his wife; and hastening to his brother, +threatened to inform the Cadi of his +wealth if he did not confess to him how +he came by it. Ali Baba without hesitation +told him the history of the robbers +and the secret of the cave, and offered +him half his treasure; but the envious +Cassim disdained so poor a sum, resolving +to have fifty times more than that +out of the robbers' cave. Accordingly +he rose early the next morning and set +out with ten mules loaded with great +chests. He found the rock easily enough +by Ali Baba's description; and having +said "Open Sesame," he gained admission +into the cave, where he found more +treasure than he had expected to behold +even from his brother's account of it.</p> + +<p>He immediately began to gather bags +of gold and pieces of rich brocade, all +which he piled close to the door; but +when he had got together as much as +his ten mules could possibly carry, or +even more, and wanted to get out to +load them, the thoughts of his wonderful +riches had made him entirely forget the +word which caused the door to open. +In vain he tried "Bame," "Fame," +"Lame," "Tetame," and a thousand +others. The door remained as immovable +as the rock itself, notwithstanding +Cassim kicked and screamed till he was +ready to drop with fatigue and vexation.</p> + +<p>Presently he heard the sound of horses' +feet, which he rightly concluded to be +the robbers, and he trembled lest he +should now fall a victim to his thirst for +riches. He resolved, however, to make +an effort to escape; and when he heard +the "Sesame" pronounced, and saw the +door open, he sprang out, but was +instantly put to death by the swords +of the robbers.</p> + +<p>The thieves now held a council, but +not one of them could possibly guess by +what means Cassim had got into the +cave. They saw the heaps of treasure +he had piled ready to take away, but +they did not miss what Ali Baba had +secured before. At length they agreed +to cut Cassim's body into four quarters<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_581" id="Page_581">[581]</a></span> +and hang the pieces within the cave, +that it might terrify any one from further +attempts; and also determined not to +return themselves for some time to the +cave for fear of being watched and discovered.</p> + +<p>When Cassim's wife saw night come +on, and her husband not returned, she +became greatly terrified; she watched at +her window till daybreak and then went +to tell Ali Baba of her fears. Cassim had +not informed him of his design of going +to the cave; but Ali Baba, now hearing +of his journey thither, went immediately +in search of him. He drove his asses to +the forest without delay. He was +alarmed to see blood near the rock; and +on entering the cave, he found the body +of his unfortunate brother cut to pieces +and hung up within the door. It was +now too late to save him; but he took +down the quarters and put them upon +one of his asses, covering them with +fagots of wood; and, weeping for the +miserable end of his brother, he regained +the city. The door of his brother's +house was opened by Morgiana, an intelligent, +faithful female slave, who, Ali +Baba knew, was worthy to be trusted +with the secret.</p> + +<p>He therefore delivered the body to +Morgiana, and went himself to impart +the sad tidings to the wife of Cassim. +The poor woman was deeply afflicted, +and reproached herself with her foolish +envy and curiosity, as being the cause of +her husband's death; but Ali Baba having +convinced her of the necessity of being +very discreet, she checked her lamentations +and resolved to leave everything +to the management of Morgiana.</p> + +<p>Morgiana, having washed the body, +hastened to an apothecary's and asked +for some particular medicine, saying that +it was for her master Cassim, who was +dangerously ill. She took care to spread +the report of Cassim's illness throughout +the neighborhood; and as they saw Ali +Baba and his wife going daily to the house +of their brother, in great affliction, they +were not surprised to hear shortly that +Cassim had died of his disorder.</p> + +<p>The next difficulty was to bury him +without discovery; but Morgiana was +ready to contrive a plan for that also. +She put on her veil and went to a distant +part of the city very early in the morning, +where she found a poor cobbler just +opening his stall. She put a piece of gold +into his hand, and told him he should +have another, if he would suffer himself +to be blindfolded and go with her, +carrying his tools with him. Mustapha, +the cobbler, hesitated at first, but the +gold tempted him and he consented; when +Morgiana, carefully covering his eyes, so +that he could not see a step of the way, +led him to Cassim's house; and taking +him into the room where the body was +lying, removed the bandage from his +eyes, and bade him sew the mangled +limbs together. Mustapha obeyed her +order; and having received two pieces of +gold, was led blindfold the same way +back to his own stall.</p> + +<p>Morgiana then covered the body with +a winding-sheet and sent for the undertaker +to make preparations for the +funeral. Cassim was buried with all due +solemnity the same day. Ali Baba now +removed his few goods, and all the gold +coin that he had brought home from the +cavern, to the house of his deceased +brother, of which he took possession; +and Cassim's widow received every kind +attention from both Ali Baba and his wife.</p> + +<p>After an interval of some months, the +troop of robbers again visited their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_582" id="Page_582">[582]</a></span> +retreat in the forest, and were completely +astonished to find the body taken +away from the cave, and everything else +remaining in its usual order. "We are +discovered," said the captain, "and shall +certainly be undone, if you do not adopt +speedy measures to prevent our ruin. +Which of you, my brave comrades, will +undertake to search out the villain who +is in possession of our secret?"</p> + +<p>One of the boldest of the troop advanced, +and offered himself; and was +accepted on the following conditions: +namely, that if he succeeded in his enterprise, +he was to be made second in command +of the troop; but that if he brought +false intelligence, he was immediately to +be put to death. The bold robber readily +agreed to the conditions; and having disguised +himself, he proceeded to the city.</p> + +<p>He arrived there about daybreak, and +found the cobbler Mustapha in his stall, +which was always open before any other +shop in the town. "Good morrow, +friend," said the robber, as he passed +the stall, "you rise betimes; I should +think old as you are, you could scarcely +see to work by this light."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, sir," replied the cobbler, +"old as I am, I do not want for good +eyesight; as you must needs believe, when +I tell you I sewed a dead body together +the other day, where I had not so good +a light as I have now."</p> + +<p>"A dead body!" exclaimed the robber; +"you mean, I suppose, that you sewed +up the winding-sheet for a dead body."</p> + +<p>"I mean no such thing," replied +Mustapha; "I tell you that I sewed the +four quarters of a man together."</p> + +<p>This was enough to convince the robber +he had luckily met with the very man who +could give him the information he was +in search of. However he did not wish +to appear eager to learn the particulars, +lest he should alarm the cobbler. "Ha! +ha!" said he, "I find, good Mr. Cobbler, +that you perceive I am a stranger here, +and you wish to make me believe that +the people of your city do impossible +things."</p> + +<p>"I tell you," said Mustapha in a loud +and angry tone, "I sewed a dead body +together with my own hands."—"Then +I suppose you can tell me also where you +performed this wonderful business." +Upon this, Mustapha related every particular +of his being led blindfold to the +house, etc.</p> + +<p>"Well, my friend," said the robber, "it +is a fine story, I confess, but not very +easy to believe; however, if you will convince +me by showing me the house you +talk of, I will give you four pieces of +gold to make amends for my unbelief."</p> + +<p>"I think," said the cobbler, after considering +awhile, "that if you were to +blindfold me, I should remember every +turning we made; but with my eyes +open I am sure I should never find it." +Accordingly the robber covered Mustapha's +eyes with his handkerchief; and the +cobbler led him through most of the principal +streets, and stopping by Cassim's +door, said, "Here it is; I went no further +than this house."</p> + +<p>The robber immediately marked the +door with a piece of chalk; and, giving +Mustapha his four pieces of gold, dismissed +him. Shortly after the thief and +Mustapha had quitted the door, Morgiana, +coming home from market, perceived +the little mark of white chalk on +the door. Suspecting something was +wrong, she directly marked four doors +on one side and five on the other of her +master's, in exactly the same manner, +without saying a word to any one.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_583" id="Page_583">[583]</a></span></p> + +<p>The robber meantime rejoined his +troop and boasted greatly of his success. +His captain and comrades praised his +diligence; and being well armed, they +proceeded to the town in different disguises, +and in separate parties of three +and four together.</p> + +<p>It was agreed among them that they +were to meet in the market-place at the +dusk of evening, and that the captain +and the robber who had discovered the +house were to go there first, to find out +to whom it belonged. When they arrived +in the street, having a lantern with them, +they began to examine the doors, and +found to their confusion and astonishment +that ten doors were marked +exactly alike. The robber, who was the +captain's guide, could not say a word in +explanation of this mystery; and when +the disappointed troop got back to the +forest, his enraged companions ordered +him to be put to death.</p> + +<p>Another now offered himself upon the +same conditions as the former; and +having bribed Mustapha, and discovered +the house, he made a mark with the dark +red chalk upon the door, in a part that +was not in the least conspicuous; and +carefully examined the surrounding doors, +to be certain that no such marks were +upon them. But nothing could escape +the prying eyes of Morgiana; scarcely +had the robber departed, when she discovered +the red mark; and getting some +red chalk, she marked seven doors on +each side, precisely in the same place and +in the same manner. The robber, valuing +himself highly upon the precautions +he had taken, triumphantly conducted +his captain to the spot; but great indeed +was his confusion and dismay when he +found it impossible to say which, among +fifteen houses marked exactly alike, was +the right one. The captain, furious with +his disappointment, returned again with +the troop to the forest; and the second +robber was also condemned to death.</p> + +<p>The captain having lost two of his +troop, judged that their hands were more +active than their heads in such services; +and he resolved to employ no other of +them, but to go himself upon the business. +Accordingly he repaired to the +city and addressed himself to the cobbler +Mustapha, who, for six pieces of gold, +readily performed the services for him he +had done for the other two strangers. +The captain, much wiser than his men, +did not amuse himself with setting a +mark upon the door, but attentively +considered the house, counted the number +of windows, and passed by it very +often, to be certain that he should know +it again.</p> + +<p>He then returned to the forest, and +ordered his troop to go into the town, +and buy nineteen mules and thirty-eight +large jars, one full of oil and the rest +empty. In two or three days the jars +were bought, and all things in readiness; +and the captain having put a man into +each jar, properly armed, the jars being +rubbed on the outside with oil, and the +covers having holes bored in them for +the men to breathe through, loaded his +mules, and in the habit of an oil-merchant +entered the town in the dusk of the evening. +He proceeded to the street where +Ali Baba dwelt, and found him sitting +in the porch of his house. "Sir," said +he to Ali Baba, "I have brought this oil +a great way to sell, and am too late for +this day's market. As I am quite a +stranger in this town, will you do me the +favor to let me put my mules into your +court-yard, and direct me where I may +lodge to-night?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_584" id="Page_584">[584]</a></span></p> + +<p>Ali Baba, who was a very good-natured +man, welcomed the pretended oil-merchant +very kindly, and offered him a bed +in his own house; and having ordered the +mules to be unloaded in the yard, and +properly fed, he invited his guest in to +supper. The captain, having seen the jars +placed ready in the yard, followed Ali Baba +into the house, and after supper was shown +to the chamber where he was to sleep.</p> + +<p>It happened that Morgiana was +obliged to sit up later that night than +usual, to get ready her master's bathing +linen for the following morning; and +while she was busy about the fire, her +lamp went out, and there was no more +oil in the house. After considering what +she could possibly do for a light, she +recollected the thirty-eight oil jars in the +yard and determined to take a little oil +out of one of them for her lamp. She +took her oil pot in her hand and approached +the first jar; the robber within +said, "Is it time, captain?"</p> + +<p>Any other slave, on hearing a man in +an oil jar, would have screamed out; but +the prudent Morgiana instantly recollected +herself, and replied softly, "No, +not yet; lie still till I call you." She +passed on to every jar, receiving the +same question and making the same +answer, till she came to the last, which +was really filled with oil.</p> + +<p>Morgiana was now convinced that this +was a plot of the robbers to murder her +master, Ali Baba; so she ran back to +the kitchen and brought out a large +kettle, which she filled with oil, and set +it on a great wood fire; and as soon as it +boiled she went and poured into the jars +sufficient of the boiling oil to kill every +man within them. Having done this she +put out her fire and her lamp, and crept +softly to her chamber.</p> + +<p>The captain of the robbers, finding +everything quiet in the house, and perceiving +no light anywhere, arose and +went down into the yard to assemble +his men. Coming to the first jar, he +felt the steam of the boiled oil; he ran +hastily to the rest and found every one +of his troop put to death in the same +manner. Full of rage and despair at +having failed in his design, he forced the +lock of a door that led into the garden +and made his escape over the walls.</p> + +<p>On the following morning Morgiana +related to her master, Ali Baba, his +wonderful deliverance from the pretended +oil-merchant and his gang of robbers. +Ali Baba at first could scarcely credit +her tale; but when he saw the robbers +dead in the jars, he could not sufficiently +praise her courage and sagacity; and +without letting any one else into the +secret, he and Morgiana the next night +buried the thirty-seven thieves in a deep +trench at the bottom of the garden. The +jars and mules, as he had no use for +them, were sent from time to time to the +different markets and sold.</p> + +<p>While Ali Baba took these measures +to prevent his and Cassim's adventures +in the forest from being known, the captain +returned to his cave, and for some +time abandoned himself to grief and +despair. At length, however, he determined +to adopt a new scheme for the +destruction of Ali Baba. He removed +by degrees all the valuable merchandise +from the cave to the city and took a +shop exactly opposite to Ali Baba's +house. He furnished this shop with +everything that was rare and costly, and +went by the name of the merchant Cogia +Hassan. Many persons made acquaintance +with the stranger; among others, +Ali Baba's son went every day to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_585" id="Page_585">[585]</a></span> +shop. The pretended Cogia Hassan soon +appeared to be very fond of Ali Baba's +son, offered him many presents, and +often detained him at dinner, on which +occasions he treated him in the handsomest +manner.</p> + +<p>Ali Baba's son thought it was necessary +to make some return to these civilities, +and pressed his father to invite Cogia +Hassan to supper. Ali Baba made no +objection, and the invitation was accordingly +given. The artful Cogia Hassan +would not too hastily accept this invitation, +but pretended he was not fond of +going into company, and that he had +business which demanded his presence +at home. These excuses only made Ali +Baba's son the more eager to take him +to his father's house; and after repeated +solicitations, the merchant consented to +sup at Ali Baba's house the next evening.</p> + +<p>A most excellent supper was provided, +which Morgiana cooked in the best manner, +and as was her usual custom, she +carried in the first dish herself. The +moment she looked at Cogia Hassan, +she knew it was the pretended oil-merchant. +The prudent Morgiana did +not say a word to any one of this discovery, +but sent the other slaves into +the kitchen and waited at table herself; +and while Cogia Hassan was drinking, +she perceived he had a dagger hid under +his coat.</p> + +<p>When supper was ended, and the +dessert and wine on the table, Morgiana +went away and dressed herself in the +habit of a dancing-girl; she next called +Abdalla, a fellow slave, to play on his +tabor while she danced. As soon as she +appeared at the parlor door, her master, +who was very fond of seeing her dance, +ordered her to come in to entertain his +guest with some of her best dancing. +Cogia Hassan was not very well satisfied +with this entertainment, yet was compelled, +for fear of discovering himself, to +seem pleased with the dancing, while, in +fact, he wished Morgiana a great way off, +and was quite alarmed lest he should +lose his opportunity of murdering Ali +Baba and his son.</p> + +<p>Morgiana danced several dances with +the utmost grace and agility; and then +drawing a poniard from her girdle, she +performed many surprising things with +it, sometimes presenting the point to +one and sometimes to another, and then +seemed to strike it into her own bosom. +Suddenly she paused, and holding the +poniard in the right hand, presented her +left to her master as if begging some +money; upon which Ali Baba and his +son each gave her a small piece of money. +She then turned to the pretended Cogia +Hassan, and while he was putting his +hand into his purse, she plunged the +poniard into his heart.</p> + +<p>"Wretch!" cried Ali Baba, "thou hast +ruined me and my family."</p> + +<p>"No, sir," replied Morgiana, "I have +preserved, and not ruined you and your +son. Look well at this traitor, and you +will find him to be the pretended oil-merchant +who came once before to rob +and murder you."</p> + +<p>Ali Baba pulled off the turban and the +cloak which the false Cogia Hassan wore +and discovered that he was not only the +pretended oil-merchant, but the captain +of the forty robbers who had slain his +brother Cassim; nor could he doubt that +his perfidious aim had been to destroy +him, and probably his son, with the concealed +dagger. Ali Baba, who felt the new +obligation he owed to Morgiana for thus +saving his life a second time, embraced +her and said, "My dear Morgiana, I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_586" id="Page_586">[586]</a></span> +give you your liberty; but my gratitude +must not stop there: I will also +marry you to my son, who can esteem +and admire you no less than does his +father." Then turning to his son, he +added, "You, my son, will not refuse the +wife I offer; for, in marrying Morgiana, +you take to wife the preserver and benefactor +of yourself and family." The son, +far from showing any dislike, readily and +joyfully accepted his proposed bride, having +long entertained an affection for the +good slave Morgiana.</p> + +<p>Having rejoiced in their deliverance, +they buried the captain that night with +great privacy, in the trench along with +his troop of robbers; and a few days afterwards, +Ali Baba celebrated the marriage +of his son and Morgiana with a sumptuous +entertainment. Every one who knew +Morgiana said she was worthy of her +good fortune, and highly commended +her master's generosity toward her.</p> + +<p>During a twelvemonth Ali Baba forbore +to go near the forest, but at length +his curiosity incited him to make another +journey.</p> + +<p>When he came to the cave he saw no +footsteps of either men or horses; and +having said, "Open Sesame," he went +in, and judged by the state of things +deposited in the cavern that no one +had been there since the pretended Cogia +Hassan had removed the merchandise +to his shop in the city. Ali Baba took +as much gold home as his horse could +carry.</p> + +<p>Afterwards he carried his son to the +cave and taught him the secret. This +secret they handed down to their posterity; +and using their good fortune with +moderation, they lived in honor and +splendor, and served with dignity some +of the chief offices in the city.<br /><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<div class="hang1">A quaint and interesting cycle of animal +stories was formed in the Middle Ages with +the fox, called Reynard, as the hero or central +character. Their origin was not different +from that of the cycles that grew up +concerning such popular heroes as King +Arthur, Robin Hood, Charlemagne, and +Siegfried; but one difference at least may +be observed—Reynard is always represented +as evil, though clever and successful. +These stories of Reynard have furnished +material for many workers in the field of +literature and they have generally served +as a vehicle for satire. Indeed, there was +much satire in the original versions of the +folk. Perhaps the greatest of these modern +recensions is that of the German poet +Goethe. The best version for use with +children is that made by Sir Henry Cole +("Felix Summerley") and edited more +recently by Joseph Jacobs in his usual +masterly fashion. The introduction to this +edition gives just the facts that the reader +needs for understanding the significance of +the Reynard cycle.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_399" id="Note_399">399</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">It may be noted that King Lion, after hearing +many complaints about Reynard's evil +ways, decides to bring him to court for +trial. The first special constable sent to +summon Reynard was Bruin the Bear, and +now we are to learn—</div> + + +<h4><br />HOW BRUIN THE BEAR SPED +WITH REYNARD THE FOX</h4> + +<p>The next morning away went <i>Bruin</i> +the bear in quest of the fox, armed against +all plots of deceit whatsoever. And as +he came through a dark forest, in which +<i>Reynard</i> had a bypath, which he used +when he was hunted, he saw a high +mountain, over which he must pass to +go to <i>Malepardus</i>. For though <i>Reynard</i> +has many houses, yet <i>Malepardus</i> is +his chiefest and most ancient castle, and +in it he lay both for defense and ease.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_587" id="Page_587">[587]</a></span> +Now at last when <i>Bruin</i> was come to +<i>Malepardus</i>, he found the gates close +shut, at which after he had knocked, +sitting on his tail, he called aloud, "Sir +<i>Reynard</i>, are you at home? I am <i>Bruin</i> +your kinsman, whom the King hath sent +to summon you to the court, to answer +many foul accusations exhibited against +you, and hath taken a great vow, that +if you fail to appear to this summons, +your life shall answer your contempt, and +your goods and honors shall lie confiscate +at his highness's mercy. Therefore, fair +kinsman, be advised of your friend, and +go with me to the court to shun the +danger that else will fall upon you."</p> + +<p><i>Reynard</i>, lying close by the gate, as +his custom was for the warm sun's sake, +hearing those words, departed into one +of his holes, for <i>Malepardus</i> is full of +many intricate and curious rooms, which +labyrinth-wise he could pass through, +when either his danger or the benefit of +any prey required the same. There he +meditated awhile with himself how he +might counterplot and bring the bear +to disgrace (who he knew loved him +not) and himself to honor; at last he +came forth, and said, "Dear uncle <i>Bruin</i>, +you are exceeding welcome. Pardon my +slowness in coming, for at your first +speech I was saying my even song, and +devotion must not be neglected. Believe +me, he hath done you no good service, +nor do I thank him which hath sent you +this weary and long journey, in which +your much sweat and toil far exceeds +the worth of the labor. Certainly had +you not come, I had to-morrow been at +the court of my own accord, yet at this +time my sorrow is much lessened, inasmuch +as your counsel at this present +may return me double benefit. Alas, +cousin, could his Majesty find no meaner +a messenger than your noble self to +employ in these trivial affairs? Truly +it appears strange to me, especially +since, next his royal self, you are of +greatest renown both in blood and riches. +For my part, I would we were both at +court, for I fear our journey will be +exceeding troublesome. To speak truth, +since I made mine abstinence from flesh, +I have eaten such strange new meats, +that my body is very much distempered, +and swelleth as if it would break."</p> + +<p>"Alas, dear cousin," said the bear, +"what meat is that which maketh you +so ill?"</p> + +<p>"Uncle," answered he, "what will it +profit you to know? The meat was +simple and mean. We poor men are +no lords, you know, but eat that for +necessity which others eat for wantonness; +yet not to delay you, that which +I ate was honeycombs, great, full, and +most pleasant, which, compelled by hunger, +I ate too unmeasurably and am +thereby infinitely distempered."</p> + +<p>"Ha," quoth <i>Bruin</i>, "honeycombs? +Do you make such slight respect of +them, nephew? Why it is meat for the +greatest emperor in the world. Fair +nephew, help me but to some of that +honey, and command me whilst I live; +for one little part thereof I will be your +servant everlastingly."</p> + +<p>"Sure," said the fox, "uncle, you but +jest with me."</p> + +<p>"But jest with you?" replied <i>Bruin</i>, +"beshrew my heart then, for I am in +that serious earnest, that for one lick +thereat you shall make me the faithfullest +of all your kindred."</p> + +<p>"Nay," said the fox, "if you be in +earnest, then know I will bring you +where so much is, that ten of you shall +not be able to devour it at a meal, only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_588" id="Page_588">[588]</a></span> +for your love's sake, which above all +things I desire, uncle."</p> + +<p>"Not ten of us?" said the bear, "it is +impossible; for had I all the honey +betwixt <i>Hybla</i> and <i>Portugal</i>, yet I could +in a short space eat it all myself."</p> + +<p>"Then know, uncle," quoth the fox, +"that near at hand here dwelleth a husbandman +named <i>Lanfert</i>, who is master +of so much honey that you cannot consume +it in seven years, which for your +love and friendship's sake I will put +into your safe possession."</p> + +<p><i>Bruin</i>, mad upon the honey, swore, +that to have one good meal thereof he +would not only be his faithful friend, but +also stop the mouths of all his adversaries.</p> + +<p><i>Reynard</i>, smiling at his easy belief, +said, "If you will have seven ton, uncle, +you shall have it."</p> + +<p>These words pleased the bear so well, +and made him so pleasant, that he could +not stand for laughing.</p> + +<p>Well, thought the fox, this is good +fortune. Sure I will lead him where he +shall laugh more measurably; and then +said, "Uncle, we must delay no time, and +I will spare no pains for your sake, which +for none of my kin I would perform."</p> + +<p>The bear gave him many thanks, and +so away they went, the fox promising +him as much honey as he could bear, +but meant as many strokes as he could +undergo. In the end they came to +<i>Lanfert's</i> house, the sight whereof made +the bear rejoice. This <i>Lanfert</i> was a +stout and lusty carpenter, who the other +day had brought into his yard a great +oak, which, as their manner is, he began +to cleave, and had struck into it two +wedges in such wise that the cleft stood +a great way open, at which the fox +rejoiced much, for it was answerable to +his wish. So with a laughing countenance +he said to the bear, "Behold now, +dear uncle, and be careful of yourself, for +within this tree is so much honey that +it is unmeasurable. Try if you can get +into it; yet, good uncle, eat moderately, +for albeit the combs are sweet and good, +yet a surfeit is dangerous, and may be +troublesome to your body, which I +would not for a world, since no harm can +come to you but must be my dishonor."</p> + +<p>"Sorrow not for me, nephew <i>Reynard</i>," +said the bear, "nor think me such a fool +that I cannot temper mine appetite."</p> + +<p>"It is true, my best uncle, I was too +bold. I pray you enter in at the end, +and you shall find your desire."</p> + +<p>The bear with all haste entered the +tree, with his two feet forward, and +thrust his head into the cleft, quite +over the ears, which when the fox perceived, +he instantly ran and pulled the +wedges out of the tree, so that he locked +the bear fast therein, and then neither +flattery nor anger availed the bear. For +the nephew had by his deceit brought +the uncle into so false a prison that it +was impossible by any art to free himself +of the same. Alas, what profited +now his great strength and valor? Why, +they were both causes of more vexation; +and finding himself destitute of all relief, +he began to howl and bray, and with +scratching and tumbling to make such +a noise that <i>Lanfert</i>, amazed, came hastily +out of his house, having in his hand +a sharp hook, whilst the bear lay wallowing +and roaring within the tree.</p> + +<p>The fox from afar off said to the bear +in scorn and mocking, "Is the honey +good, uncle, which you eat? How do +you? Eat not too much, I beseech you. +Pleasant things are apt to surfeit, and +you may hinder your journey to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_589" id="Page_589">[589]</a></span> +court. When <i>Lanfert</i> cometh (if your +belly be full) he will give you drink to +digest it, and wash it down your throat."</p> + +<p>And having thus said, he went towards +his castle. But by this time, <i>Lanfert</i>, +finding the bear fast taken in the tree, +he ran to his neighbors and desired +them to come into his yard, for there +was a bear fast taken there. This was +noised through all the town, so that there +was neither man, nor woman, nor child +but ran thither, some with one weapon, +and some with another—as goads, rakes, +broom-staves, or what they could gather +up. The priest had the handle of the +cross, the clerk the holy water sprinkler, +and the priest's wife, Dame <i>Jullock</i>, with +her distaff, for she was then spinning; +nay, the old beldames came that had +ne'er a tooth in their heads. This army +put <i>Bruin</i> into a great fear, being none +but himself to withstand them, and +hearing the clamor of the noise which +came thundering upon him, he wrestled +and pulled so extremely that he got out +his head, but he left behind him all the +skin, and his ears also; insomuch that +never creature beheld a fouler or more +deformed beast. For the blood covering +all his face, and his hands leaving the +claws and skin behind them, nothing +remained but ugliness. It was an ill +market the bear came to, for he lost +both motion and sight—that is, feet +and eyes. But notwithstanding this +torment, <i>Lanfert</i>, the priest, and the +whole parish came upon him, and so +becudgeled him about his body part, +that it might well be a warning to all +his misery, to know that ever the weakest +shall still go most to the wall. This +the bear found by experience, for every +one exercised the height of their fury +upon him. Even <i>Houghlin</i> with the +crooked leg, and <i>Ludolf</i> with the long +broad nose, the one with a leaden mall, +and the other with an iron whip, all +belashed poor sir <i>Bruin;</i> not so much +but sir <i>Bertolf</i> with the long fingers, +<i>Lanfert</i> and <i>Ortam</i> did him more annoyance +than all the rest, the one having a +sharp Welsh hook, the other a crooked +staff well leaded at the end, which he +used to play at stab ball withal. There +was <i>Birkin</i> and <i>Armes Ablequack</i>, <i>Bane</i> +the priest with his staff, and Dame <i>Jullock</i> +his wife; all these so belabored the +bear, that his life was in great danger. +The poor bear in this massacre sat and +sighed extremely, groaning under the +burden of their strokes, of which <i>Lanfert's</i> +were the greatest and thundered +most dreadfully; for Dame <i>Podge</i> of +<i>Casport</i> was his mother, and his father +was <i>Marob</i> the steeple-maker, a passing +stout man when he was alone. <i>Bruin</i> +received of him many showers of stones +till <i>Lanfert's</i> brother, rushing before the +rest with a staff, struck the bear in the +head such a blow that he could neither +hear nor see, so that awaking from his +astonishment the bear leaped into the +river adjoining, through a cluster of +wives there standing together, of which +he threw divers into the water, which +was large and deep, amongst whom the +parson's wife was one; which the parson +seeing how she floated like a sea-mew, he +left striking the bear, and cried to the +rest of the company, "Help! oh, help! +Dame <i>Jullock</i> is in the water; help, +both men and women, for whosoever +saves her, I give free pardon of all their +sins and transgressions, and remit all penance +imposed whatsoever." This heard, +every one left the bear to help Dame +<i>Jullock</i>, which as soon as the bear saw, +he cut the stream and swam away as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_590" id="Page_590">[590]</a></span> +fast as he could, but the priest with a +great noise pursued him, crying in his +rage, "Turn, villain, that I may be +revenged of thee"; but the bear swam +in the strength of the stream and suspected +not his calling, for he was proud +that he was so escaped from them. Only +he bitterly cursed the honey tree and +the fox, which had not only betrayed +him, but had made him lose his hood +from his face, and his gloves from his +fingers. In this sort he swam some +three miles down the water, in which +time he grew so weary that he went +on land to get ease, where blood trickled +down his face; he groaned, sighed, and +drew his breath so short, as if his last +hour had been expiring.</p> + +<p>Now whilst these things were in doing, +the fox in his way home stole a fat hen, +and threw her into his mail, and running +through a bypath that no man might +perceive him, he came towards the river +with infinite joy; for he suspected that +the bear was certainly slain: therefore +he said to himself, "My fortune is as I +wished it, for the greatest enemy I had +in the court is now dead, nor can any +man suspect me guilty thereof." But as +he spake these words, looking towards +the river, he espied where <i>Bruin</i> the +bear lay and rested, which struck his +heart with grief, and he railed against +<i>Lanfert</i> the carpenter, saying, "Silly +fool that thou art, what madman would +have lost such good venison, especially +being so fat and wholesome, and for +which he took no pains, for he was taken +to his hand; any man would have been +proud of the fortune which thou neglectest." +Thus fretting and chiding, he +came to the river, where he found the +bear all wounded and bloody, of which +<i>Reynard</i> was only guilty; yet in scorn +he said to the bear, "<i>Monsieur, Dieu +vous garde</i>."</p> + +<p>"O thou foul red villain," said the +bear to himself, "what impudence is like +to this?"</p> + +<p>But the fox went on with his speech, +and said, "What, uncle? Have you +forgot anything at <i>Lanfert's</i>, or have +you paid him for the honeycombs you +stole? If you have not, it will redound +much to your disgrace, which before +you shall undergo, I will pay him for +them myself. Sure the honey was excellent +good, and I know much more of +the same price. Good uncle, tell me +before I go, into what order do you +mean to enter, that you wear this new-fashioned +hood? Will you be a monk, +an abbot, or a friar? Surely he that +shaved your crown hath cropped your +ears; also your foretop is lost, and your +gloves are gone; fie, sloven, go not bare-handed; +they say you can sing <i>peccavi</i> +rarely."</p> + +<p>These taunts made <i>Bruin</i> mad with +rage, but because he could not take +revenge, he was content to let him talk +his pleasure. Then after a small rest +he plunged again into the river, and +swam down the stream, and landed on +the other side, where he began with +much grief to meditate how he might +get to the court, for he had lost his +ears, his talons, and all the skin off his +feet, so that had a thousand deaths +followed him, he could not go. Yet of +necessity he must move, that in the end +compelled by extremity, he set his tail +on the ground, and tumbled his body +over and over; so by degrees, tumbling +now half a mile, and then half a +mile, in the end he tumbled to the +court, where divers beholding his strange +manner of approach, they thought some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_591" id="Page_591">[591]</a></span> +prodigy had come towards them; but in +the end the King knew him, and grew +angry, saying, "It is sir <i>Bruin</i>, my +servant; what villains have wounded +him thus, or where hath he been that +he brings his death thus along with +him?"</p> + +<p>"O my dread Sovereign Lord the +King," cried out the bear, "I complain +me grievously unto you; behold how +I am massacred, which I humbly beseech +you revenge on that false <i>Reynard</i>, who, +for doing your royal pleasure, hath +brought me to this disgrace and +slaughter."</p> + +<p>Then said the King, "How durst he +do this? Now by my crown I swear +I will take the revenge which shall make +the traitors tremble!"</p> + +<p>Whereupon the King sent for all his +council, and consulted how and in what +sort to persecute against the fox, where +it was generally concluded that he should +be again summoned to appear and +answer his trespasses; and the party +to summon him they appointed to be +<i>Tibert</i> the cat, as well for his gravity +as wisdom; all which pleased the King +well.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_400" id="Note_400">400</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">After many ups and downs in fortune Reynard +is finally on good terms with the king when +Isegrim the Wolf appears with another +accusation. Reynard's denial of the +charges led the Wolf to challenge him to +mortal combat, a well known medieval way +of settling the truth of conflicting evidence. +The result appears in the following:</div> + + +<h4><br />THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE +FOX AND THE WOLF</h4> + +<p>The fox answered not a word, but bowing +himself down humbly to the earth, +both before the King and the Queen's +Majesties, went forth into the field; and +at the same time the wolf was also ready, +and stood boasting, and giving out many +proud and vainglorious speeches. The +marshals and rulers of the lists were the +leopard and the loss. These brought +forth a book, on which the wolf swore and +maintained his assertion that the fox +was a traitor and a murderer, which he +would prove on his body, or else be +counted a recreant. Then <i>Reynard</i> took +the book, and swore he lied as a false +traitor and a thief, which he would prove +on his body, or be accounted a recreant.</p> + +<p>When these ceremonies were done, the +marshals of the field bade them do their +devoir. And then every creature avoided +the lists, save Dame <i>Rukenaw</i>, who stood +by the fox, and bade him remember the +words and instructions she had given +him, and call to mind how, when he was +scarce seven years old, he had then wisdom +enough to pass the darkest night +without lantern or candle-light, or the +help of the moon, when any occasion +required him; and that his experience +was much greater, and his reputation of +wisdom more frequent with his companions; +and therefore to work so as he +might win the day, which would be an +eternal monument to him and his family +for ever.</p> + +<p>To this the fox answered, "My best +aunt, assure yourself I will do my best, +and not forget a tittle of your counsel. +I doubt not but my friends shall +reap honor and my foes shame by my +actions." To this the ape said amen, +and so departed.</p> + +<p>When none but the combatants were +in the lists, the wolf went toward the fox +with infinite rage and fury, and thinking +to take the fox in his forefeet, the fox<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_592" id="Page_592">[592]</a></span> +leaped nimbly from him and the wolf +pursued him, so that there began a tedious +chase between them, on which their +friends gazed. The wolf taking larger +strides than the fox often overtook him, +and lifting up his feet to strike him, the +fox avoided the blow and smote him on +the face with his tail, so that the wolf was +stricken almost blind, and he was forced +to rest while he cleared his eyes; which +advantage when <i>Reynard</i> saw, he +scratched up the dust with his feet, and +threw it in the eyes of the wolf.</p> + +<p>This grieved him worse than the +former, so that he durst follow him no +longer, for the dust and sand sticking in +his eyes smarted so sore, that of force he +must rub and wash it away, which <i>Reynard</i> +seeing, with all the fury he had he +ran upon him, and with his teeth gave +him three sore wounds on his head, and +scoffing said, "Have I hit you, Mr. +Wolf? I will yet hit you better; you have +killed many a lamb and many an innocent +beast, and would impose the fault upon +me, but you shall find the price of your +knavery. I am marked to punish thy +sins, and I will give thee thy absolution +bravely. It is good for thee that thou +use patience, for thy evil life is at my +mercy. Yet, notwithstanding, if thou +wilt kneel down and ask my forgiveness, +and confess thyself vanquished, though +thou be the worst thing living, yet I will +spare thy life, for my pity makes me loath +to kill thee."</p> + +<p>These words made <i>Isegrim</i> both mad +and desperate, so that he knew not how +to express his fury; his wounds bled, his +eyes smarted, and his whole body was +oppressed. So that in the height of his +fury he lifted up his foot and struck the +fox so great a blow that he felled him to +the ground. But <i>Reynard</i>, being nimble, +quickly rose up again and encountered +the wolf, that between them began a +dreadful and doubtful combat.</p> + +<p>The wolf was exceeding furious, and +ten times he leaped to catch <i>Reynard</i> +fast, but his skin was so slippery and oily +he could not hold him. Nay, so wondrous +nimble was he in the fight, that +when the wolf thought to have him +surest, he would shift himself between +his legs and under his belly, and every +time gave the wolf a bite with his teeth, +or a slap on the face with his tail, that +the poor wolf found nothing but despair +in the conflict, albeit his strength was +much the greater.</p> + +<p>Thus many wounds and bitings passing +on either side, the one expressing cunning, +and the other strength; the one fury, the +other temperance. In the end the wolf +being enraged that the battle had continued +so long, for had his feet been sound +it had been much shorter, he said to himself, +"I will make an end of this combat, +for I know my very weight is able to +crush him to pieces; and I lose much of +my reputation, to suffer him thus long +to contend against me."</p> + +<p>And this said, he struck the fox again +so sore a blow on the head with his foot, +that he fell down to the ground, and ere +he could recover himself and arise, he +caught him in his feet and threw him +under him, lying upon him in such wise, +as if he would have pressed him to +death.</p> + +<p>Now began the fox to be grievously +afraid, and all his friends also, and all +<i>Isegrim's</i> friends began to shout for joy; +but the fox defended himself as well as +he could with his claws, lying along, and +the wolf could not hurt him with his +claws, his feet were so sore; only with his +teeth he snatched at him to bite him,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_593" id="Page_593">[593]</a></span> +which, when the fox saw, he smote the +wolf on the head with his fore-claws, so +that he tore the skin between his brows +and his ears, and one of his eyes hung out +of his head, which put the wolf to infinite +torment, and he howled out extremely. +Then <i>Isegrim</i> wiping his face, the fox +took advantage thereof, and with his +struggling got upon his feet.</p> + +<p>At which the wolf was angry, and striking +after him, caught the fox in his arms, +and held him fast; never was <i>Reynard</i> in +so great a strait as then, for at that time +great was their contention; but anger now +made the wolf forget his smart, and gripping +the fox altogether under him, as +<i>Reynard</i> was defending himself his hand +lighted into <i>Isegrim's</i> mouth, so that he +was in danger of losing it. Then said +the wolf to the fox, "Now either yield +thyself as vanquished, or else certainly I +will kill thee; neither thy dust, thy mocks, +nor any subtle invention shall now save +thee; thou art now left utterly desperate, +and my wounds must have their satisfaction."</p> + +<p>When the fox heard this he thought it +was a hard election, for both brought his +ruin; and suddenly concluding, he said, +"Dear uncle, since fortune commands +me, I yield to be your servant, and at +your commandments will travel for you +to the Holy Land, or any other pilgrimage, +or do any service which shall be +beneficial to your soul or the souls of your +forefathers. I will do for the King or for +our holy father the Pope, I will hold of +you my lands and revenues, and as I, +so shall all the rest of my kindred; so that +you shall be a lord of many lords, and +none shall dare to move against you.</p> + +<p>"Besides, whatsoever I get of pullets, +geese, partridges, or clover, flesh or fish, +you, your wife, and children shall have +the first choice, ere any are eaten by me. +I will ever stand by your side, and wheresoever +you go, no danger shall come near +you; you are strong, and I am subtle; +we two joined together, what force can +prevail against us? Again, we are so +near in blood that nature forbids there +should be any enmity between us; I +would not have fought against you had +I been sure of victory, but that you first +appealed me, and then you know of +necessity I must do my uttermost. I +have also in this battle been courteous to +you, and not shown my worst violence, +as I would on a stranger, for I know it is +the duty of a nephew to spare his uncle; +and this you might well perceive by my +running from you. I tell you, it was an +action much contrary to my nature, for +I might often have hurt you when I +refused, nor are you worse for me by +anything more than the blemish of your +eye, for which I am sorry, and wished it +had not happened; yet thereby know that +you shall reap rather benefit than loss +thereby, for when other beasts in their +sleep shut two windows, you shall shut +but one.</p> + +<p>"As for my wife, children, and lineage, +they shall fall down at your feet before +you in any presence; therefore, I humbly +desire you, that you will suffer poor <i>Reynard</i> +to live. I know you will kill me, +but what will that avail you, when you +shall never live in safety for fear of +revengement of my kindred? Therefore, +temperance in any man's wrath is excellent, +whereas rashness is ever the mother +of repentance. But, uncle, I know you +to be valiant, wise, and discreet, and you +rather seek honor, peace, and good fame +than blood and revenge."</p> + +<p><i>Isegrim</i> the wolf said, "Infinite dissembler, +how fain wouldst thou be freed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_594" id="Page_594">[594]</a></span> +of my servitude? Too well I understand +thee, and know that if thou wert safe on +thy feet thou wouldst forswear this submission; +but know all the wealth in the +world shall not buy out thy ransom, for +thee and thy friends I esteem them not, +nor believe anything thou hast uttered. +Too well I know thee, and am no bird for +thy lime bush; chaff cannot deceive me. +Oh, how wouldst thou triumph if I should +believe thee, and say I wanted wit to +understand thee; but thou shalt know I +can look both on this side and beyond +thee. Thy many deceits used upon me +have now armed me against thee. Thou +sayest thou hast spared me in the battle; +but look upon me, and my wounds will +show how falsely thou liest; thou never +gavest me a time to breathe in, nor will +I now give thee a minute to repent in."</p> + +<p>Now whilst <i>Isegrim</i> was thus talking, +the fox bethought himself how he might +best get free, and thrusting his other hand +down he caught the wolf fast by the +neck, and he wrung him so extremely +hard thereby, that he made him shriek +and howl out with the anguish; then the +fox drew his other hand out of his mouth, +for the wolf was in such wondrous torment +that he had much ado to contain +himself from swooning; for this torment +exceeded above the pain of his eye, and +in the end he fell over and over in a swoon; +then presently <i>Reynard</i> leaped upon him, +and drew him about the lists and dragged +him by the legs, and struck, wounded, +and bit him in many places, so that all +the whole field might take notice thereof.</p> + +<p>At this, all <i>Isegrim's</i> friends were full +of sorrow, and with great weeping and +lamentation went to the King and prayed +him to be pleased to appease the combat +and take it into his own hands; which +suit the King granted, and then the +leopard and the loss, being marshals, +entered the lists and told the fox and the +wolf that the King would speak with +them, and that the battle should there +end, for he would take it into his own +hands and determine thereof; as for +themselves they had done sufficiently, +neither would the King lose either of +them. And to the fox they said the whole +field gave him the victory.<br /><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<div class="hang1">The greatest and most inspiring cycle of +medieval romances is that concerned with +the adventures of King Arthur and his +Knights of the Round Table. Developing +largely as separate stories, these romances +were brought together into an organic +collection by Sir Thomas Malory in the +third quarter of the fifteenth century. +This work, called <i>Le Morte D'Arthur</i>, has +remained the standard Arthuriad and is +the source of most modern versions. It +is one of the great monuments of English +prose, and, while at first the strangeness of +its style may repel, the wonderful dignity +of the story and the sonorous quality of +the language make a strong appeal to children +as well as to older readers. Teachers +should at least be acquainted with a portion +of Malory, and the three selections +following are taken from his text. No. <a href="#Note_404">404</a> +is added as a suggestion as to how this +material may be worked up to tell to +children.</div> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_401" id="Note_401">401</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">According to a tradition in <i>Le Morte D'Arthur</i>, +Uther Pendragon, the father of Arthur, was +a powerful king in England. To fulfill a +promise made to Merlin, Uther Pendragon +allowed Merlin to take Arthur on the day +of his birth, that the child might not be +known as the son of the king. Merlin +took the child to Sir Ector, and the wife of +Sir Ector reared Arthur as one of her own +children. The following story is an account +of how Arthur learned of his parentage.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_595" id="Page_595">[595]</a></span></p> + + +<h4><br />HOW ARTHUR BECAME KING</h4> + +<div class='center'>SIR THOMAS MALORY</div> + +<p>After the death of Uther Pendragon, +stood the realm in great jeopardy long +while, for every lord that was mighty of +men made him strong, and many weened +to have been king. Then Merlin went +to the Archbishop of Canterbury and +counselled him to send for all the lords +of the realm and all the gentlemen of +arms, that they should to London come +by Christmas.</p> + +<p>So the Archbishop, by the advice of +Merlin, sent for all the lords and gentlemen +of arms that they should come by +Christmas even unto London. So in +the greatest church of London, whether +it were Paul's or not the French book +maketh no mention, all the estates were +long or day in the church for to pray. +And when matins and the first mass were +done, there was seen in the churchyard, +against the high altar, a great stone +four square, like unto a marble stone, +and in midst thereof was like an anvil +of steel a foot on high, and therein stuck +a fair sword, and letters there were +written in gold about the sword that +said thus:</p> + +<div class="center">"Whoso pulleth out this sword of<br /> +this stone and anvil, is rightwise<br /> +king born of all England."</div> + +<p>Then the people marveled and told +it to the Archbishop. "I command," +said the Archbishop, "that you keep +you within your church, and pray unto +God still; that no man touch the sword +till the high mass be all done."</p> + +<p>So when all masses were done, all the +lords went to behold the stone and the +sword. And when they saw the scripture, +some assayed; such as would have +been king. But none might stir the +sword nor move it. "He is not here," +said the Archbishop, "that shall achieve +the sword, but doubt not God will make +him known. But this is my counsel," +said the Archbishop, "that we provide +ten knights, men of good fame, and they +to keep this sword."</p> + +<p>So it was ordained, and there was made +a cry, that every man should essay that +would, for to win the sword. And upon +New Year's Day the barons let make a +jousts and a tournament, that all knights +that would joust or tourney there might +play, and all this was ordained for to +keep the lords and the commons together, +for the Archbishop trusted that God +would make him known that should win +the sword. So upon New Year's Day, +when the service was done, the barons +rode unto the field, some to joust and +some to tourney, and so it happened that +Sir Ector rode unto the jousts, and with +him rode Sir Kay his son, and young +Arthur that was his nourished brother; +and Sir Kay had been made knight at +All Hallowmass afore.</p> + +<p>So as they rode to the joustsward, +Sir Kay had lost his sword, for he had +left it at his father's lodging, and so he +prayed young Arthur for to ride for his +sword. "I will well," said Arthur, and +rode fast after the sword, and when he +came home, the lady and all were out +to see the jousting. Then was Arthur +wroth, and said to himself, "I will ride +to the churchyard and take the sword +with me that sticketh in the stone, for +my brother Sir Kay shall not be without +a sword this day." So when he came to +the churchyard, Sir Arthur alit and tied +his horse to the stile, and so he went to +the tent and found no knights there, for +they were at jousting; and so he handled +the sword by the handles, and lightly +and fiercely pulled it out of the stone,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_596" id="Page_596">[596]</a></span> +and took his horse and rode his way +until he came to his brother Sir Kay, +and delivered him the sword.</p> + +<p>As soon as Sir Kay saw the sword, he +wist well it was the sword of the stone, +and so he rode to his father, Sir Ector, +and said, "Sir, lo here is the sword of +the stone, wherefore I must be king of +this land."</p> + +<p>When Sir Ector beheld the sword, he +returned again and came to the church, +and there they alit, all three, and went into +the church. And anon he made Sir Kay +to swear upon a book how he came to +that sword. "Sir," said Sir Kay, "by my +brother Arthur, for he brought it to me."</p> + +<p>"How gat ye this sword?" said Sir +Ector to Arthur.</p> + +<p>"Sir, I will tell you. When I came +home for my brother's sword, I found +nobody at home to deliver me his sword, +and so I thought my brother Sir Kay +should not be swordless, and so I came +hither eagerly and pulled it out of the +stone without any pain."</p> + +<p>"Found ye any knights about this +sword?" said Sir Ector.</p> + +<p>"Nay," said Arthur.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Sir Ector to Arthur, "I +understand ye must be king of this land."</p> + +<p>"Wherefore I," said Arthur, "and for +what cause?"</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Ector, "for God will have +it so, for there should never man have +drawn out this sword, but he that shall +be rightways king of this land. Now let +me see whether ye can put the sword +there as it was and pull it out again."</p> + +<p>"That is no mastery," said Arthur, +and so he put it in the stone; therewithal +Sir Ector essayed to pull out the +sword and failed.</p> + +<p>"Now essay," said Sir Ector unto +Sir Kay. And anon he pulled at the +sword with all his might, but it would +not be.</p> + +<p>"Now shall ye essay," said Ector to +Arthur.</p> + +<p>"I will well," said Arthur, and pulled +it out easily. And therewithal Sir Ector +knelt down to the earth, and Sir Kay. +"Alas," said Arthur, "my own dear +father and brother, why kneel ye to me?"</p> + +<p>"Nay, nay, my lord Arthur, it is not +so. I was never your father nor of your +blood, but I wot well ye are of an higher +blood than I weened ye were." And +then Sir Ector told him all, how he had +taken him for to nourish him, and by +whose commandment, and by Merlin's +deliverance. Then Arthur made great +doole when he understood that Sir +Ector was not his father.</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Ector unto Arthur, "will +ye be my good and gracious lord when +ye are king?"</p> + +<p>"Else were I to blame," said Arthur, +"for ye are the man in the world that I +am most beholden to, and my good lady +and mother your wife, that as well as +her own hath fostered me and kept. +And if ever it be God's will that I be +king as ye say, God forbid that I should +fail you."</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Sir Ector, "I will ask no +more of you but that ye will make my +son, your foster brother, Sir Kay, +seneschal of all your lands."</p> + +<p>"That shall be done," said Arthur, +"and more, by the faith of my body, +that never man shall have that office +but he, while he and I live."</p> + +<p>Therewithal they went unto the Archbishop +and told him how the sword was +achieved, and by whom; and on the +Twelfth-day all the barons came thither, +and to essay to take the sword, who that +would essay. But there afore them all,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_597" id="Page_597">[597]</a></span> +there might none take it out but Arthur; +wherefore there were many lords wroth, +and said it was great shame unto them +all and the realm to be over-governed +with a boy of no high blood born, and so +they fell out at that time that it was put +off until Candlemas, and then all the +barons should meet there again; but +always the ten knights were ordained +to watch the sword day and night, and +so they set a pavilion over the stone +and the sword, and five always watched. +So at Candlemas many more great lords +came thither for to have won the sword, +but there might none prevail. And +right as Arthur did at Christmas, he +did at Candlemas, and pulled out the +sword easily, whereof the barons were +sore agrieved and put it off in delay till +the high feast of Easter, yet there were +some of the great lords had indignation +that Arthur should be king, and put it +off in a delay till the feast of Pentecost. +And at the feast of Pentecost all manner +of men essayed to pull at the sword that +would essay, but none might prevail +but Arthur, and he pulled it out afore +all the lords and commons that were +there, wherefore all the commons cried +at once, "We will have Arthur unto our +king. We will put him no more in delay, +for we all see that it is God's will that +he shall be our king, and who that +holdeth against it, we will slay him." +And therewith they all kneeled at once, +both rich and poor, and cried Arthur +mercy because they had delayed him so +long, and Arthur forgave them, and took +the sword between both his hands, and +offered it upon the altar where the +Archbishop was, and so was he made +knight of the best man that was there. +And so anon was the coronation made. +And there was he sworn unto his lords +and the commons for to be a true king +and to stand with true justice from +thenceforth the days of his life.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_402" id="Note_402">402</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">After Arthur was made king, he spent several +years in war with his lawless barons before +he finally established a stable government +in England. Malory's accounts of these +wars are interspersed with stories of +miraculous incidents, accounts of the +adventures of knights, and descriptions of +feasts, tournaments, and jousts. The following +is a description of the jousting +between the knights of King Arthur and +those of two French kings, Ban and Bors, +who had come to aid Arthur in his wars.</div> + + +<h4><br />A TOURNEY WITH THE FRENCH</h4> + +<div class='center'>SIR THOMAS MALORY</div> + +<p>Then the king let purvey for a great +feast, and let cry a great jousts. And +by All Hallowmass the two kings were +come over the sea with three hundred +knights well arrayed both for peace and +for war. And King Arthur met with +them ten miles out of London, and there +was great joy as could be thought or +made. And on All Hallowmass at the +great feast, sat in the hall the three +kings, and Sir Kay seneschal served in +the hall, and Sir Lucas the butler, and +Sir Griflet. These three knights had +the rule of all the service that served the +kings. And anon, as they had washed +and risen, all knights that would joust +made them ready. By when they were +ready on horseback there were seven +hundred knights. And Arthur, Ban, and +Bors, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, +and Sir Ector, Kay's father, they +were in a place covered with cloth of +gold like an hall, with ladies and gentlewomen, +for to behold who did the best, +and thereon to give judgment.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_598" id="Page_598">[598]</a></span></p> + +<p>And King Arthur and the two kings +let depart the seven hundred knights +into two parties. And there were three +hundred knights of the realm of Benwick +and of Gaul turned on the other side. +Then they dressed their shields, and +began to couch their spears many good +knights. So Griflet was the first that +met with a knight, one Ladinas, and +they met so eagerly that all men had +wonder; and they so fought that their +shields fell to pieces, and horse and man +fell to the earth; and both French knight +and English knight lay so long that all +men weened they had been dead. When +Lucas the butler saw Griflet so lie, he +horsed him again anon, and they two +did marvelous deeds of arms with many +bachelors. Also Sir Kay came out of +an enbushment with five knights with +him, and they six smote other six down. +But Sir Kay did that day marvelous +deeds of arms that there was none did +so well as he that day. Then there +come Ladinas and Gracian, two knights +of France, and did passing well, that all +men praised them. Then come there +Sir Placidas, a good knight, and met +with Sir Kay, and smote him down horse +and man, wherefore Sir Griflet was wroth, +and met with Sir Placidas so hard that +horse and man fell to the earth. But +when the five knights wist that Sir Kay +had a fall, they were wroth out of wit, +and therewith each of them five bare +down a knight. When King Arthur and +the two kings saw them begin to wax +wroth on both parties, they leaped on +small hackneys and let cry that all +men should depart unto their lodging. +And so they went home and unarmed +them, and so to evensong and supper. +And after, the three kings went into +a garden and gave the prize unto Sir +Kay, and to Lucas the butler, and unto +Sir Griflet.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_403" id="Note_403">403</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">One part of <i>Le Morte D'Arthur</i> will illustrate +almost as well as another the nature of +the adventure stories that grew up in +the Middle Ages regarding the traditional +heroes of chivalry. The following +selection is taken from the first part of +the book.</div> + + +<h4><br />ADVENTURES OF ARTHUR</h4> + +<div class='center'>SIR THOMAS MALORY</div> + +<p>Then on a day there came in the court +a squire on horseback, leading a knight +before him wounded to the death. He +said, "There is a knight in the forest +who hath reared up a pavilion by a well, +and hath slain my master, a good knight +whose name was Miles; wherefore I +beseech you that my master may be +buried, and that some knight may +revenge my master's death."</p> + +<p>Then the noise was great of that +knight's death in the court, and every +man said his advice. Then came Griflet +that was but a squire, and he was but +young, of the age of King Arthur; so +he besought the king for all his service +that he had done him to give him the +order of knighthood.</p> + +<p>"Thou art full young and tender of +age," said Arthur, "for to take so high +an order on thee."</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Griflet, "I beseech you +make me knight."</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Merlin, "it were great pity +to lose Griflet, for he will be a passing +good man when he is of age, abiding with +you the term of his life. And if he +adventure his body with yonder knight +at the fountain, it is in great peril if ever +he come again, for he is one of the best<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_599" id="Page_599">[599]</a></span> +knights in the world, and the strongest +man of arms."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Arthur. So at the desire +of Griflet the king made him knight. +"Now," said Arthur unto Sir Griflet, +"sith I have made you knight thou must +give me a gift."</p> + +<p>"What ye will," said Griflet.</p> + +<p>"Thou shalt promise me by the faith +of thy body, when thou hast jousted +with the knight at the fountain, whether +it fall ye to be on foot or on horseback, +that right so ye shall come again unto +me without making any more debate."</p> + +<p>"I will promise you," said Griflet, +"as you desire."</p> + +<p>Then took Griflet his horse in great +haste, and dressed his shield and took a +spear in his hand, and so he rode at a +great wallop till he came to the fountain, +and thereby he saw a rich pavilion, and +thereby under a cloth stood a fair horse +well saddled and bridled, and on a tree a +shield of divers colors and a great spear. +Then Griflet smote on the shield with the +butt of his spear, that the shield fell down +to the ground. With that the knight +came out of the pavilion and said, "Fair +knight, why smote ye down my shield?"</p> + +<p>"For I will joust with you," said +Griflet.</p> + +<p>"It is better ye do not," said the +knight, "for ye are but young, and late +made knight, and your might is nothing +to mine."</p> + +<p>"As for that," said Griflet, "I will +joust with you."</p> + +<p>"That is me loath," said the knight, +"but sith I must needs, I will dress me +thereto. Of whence be ye?" said the +knight.</p> + +<p>"Sir, I am of Arthur's court."</p> + +<p>So the two knights ran together that +Griflet's spear all to-shivered; and therewithal +he smote Griflet through the +shield and the left side, and brake the +spear that the truncheon stuck in his +body, that horse and knight fell down.</p> + +<p>When the knight saw him lie so on +the ground, he alit, and was passing +heavy, for he weened he had slain him, +and then he unlaced his helm and gat +him wind, and so with the truncheon +he set him on his horse and gat him +wind, and so betook him to God, and +said he had a mighty heart, and if he +might live he would prove a passing good +knight. And so Sir Griflet rode to the +court, where great dole was made for him. +But through good leeches he was healed +and saved.</p> + +<p>Right so came into the court twelve +knights, who were aged men, and they +came from the Emperor of Rome, and +they asked of Arthur truage for this +realm, other-else the emperor would +destroy him and his land.</p> + +<p>"Well," said King Arthur, "ye are +messengers, therefore ye may say what +ye will, other-else ye should die therefore. +But this is mine answer: I owe +the emperor no truage, nor none will I +hold him, but on a fair field I shall give +him my truage that shall be with a sharp +spear, or else with a sharp sword, and +that shall not be long."</p> + +<p>And therewith the messengers departed +passingly wroth, and King Arthur as +wroth, for in evil time came they then; +for the king was passingly wroth for the +hurt of Sir Griflet. And so he commanded +a privy man of his chamber +that or it be day his best horse and +armor with all that longeth unto his +person, be without the city or to-morrow +day. Right so or to-morrow day he +met with his man and his horse, and so +mounted up and dressed his shield and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_600" id="Page_600">[600]</a></span> +took his spear, and bade his chamberlain +tarry there till he came again. And +so Arthur rode a soft pace till it was +day, and then was he ware of three +churls chasing Merlin, and would have +slain him. Then the king rode unto +them and bade them, "Flee, churls!" +Then were they afeard when they saw a +knight, and fled.</p> + +<p>"O Merlin," said Arthur, "here hadst +thou been slain for all thy crafts had I +not been."</p> + +<p>"Nay," said Merlin, "not so, for I +could save myself an I would; and +thou art more near thy death than I +am, for thou goest to the deathward, +an God be not thy friend."</p> + +<p>So as they went thus talking they +came to the fountain and the rich pavilion +there by it. Then King Arthur was +ware where sat a knight armed in a +chair. "Sir knight," said Arthur, "for +what cause abidest thou here, that there +may no knight ride this way but he +joust with thee? I rede thee leave that +custom," said Arthur.</p> + +<p>"This custom," said the knight, "have +I used and will use maugre who saith +nay, and who is grieved with my custom +let him amend it that will."</p> + +<p>"I will amend it," said Arthur.</p> + +<p>"I shall defend thee," said the knight.</p> + +<p>Anon he took his horse and dressed +his shield and took a spear, and they met +so hard either on other's shield, that all +to-shivered their spears. Therewith anon +Arthur pulled out his sword. "Nay, +not so," said the knight; "it is fairer +that we twain run more together with +sharp spears."</p> + +<p>"I will well," said Arthur, "an I had +any more spears."</p> + +<p>"I have enow," said the knight, so +there came a squire and brought two +good spears, and Arthur chose one and +he another; so they spurred their horses +and came together with all their mights, +that either brake their spears to their +hands. Then Arthur set hand on his +sword. "Nay," said the knight, "ye +shall do better. Ye are a passing good +jouster as ever I met withal, and once +more for the love of the high order of +knighthood let us joust once again."</p> + +<p>"I assent me," said Arthur.</p> + +<p>Anon there were brought two great +spears, and every knight gat a spear, +and therewith they ran together that +Arthur's spear all to-shivered. But the +other knight hit him so hard in midst +of the shield that horse and man fell to +the earth, and therewith Arthur was +eager, and pulled out his sword and said, +"I will assay thee, sir knight, on foot, +for I have lost the honor on horseback."</p> + +<p>"I will be on horseback," said the +knight.</p> + +<p>Then was Arthur wroth, and dressed +his shield toward him with his sword +drawn. When the knight saw that, he +alit, for him thought no worship to have +a knight at such avail, he to be on +horseback and he on foot, and so he +alit and dressed his shield unto Arthur. +And there began a strong battle with +many great strokes, and so hewed with +their swords that the cantels flew in the +fields, and much blood they bled both, +that all the place there as they fought +was overbled with blood, and thus they +fought long and rested them, and then +they went to battle again, and so hurtled +together like two rams that either fell +to the earth. So at the last they smote +together that both their swords met +even together. But the sword of the +knight smote King Arthur's sword in +two pieces, wherefore he was heavy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_601" id="Page_601">[601]</a></span> +Then said the knight unto Arthur, "Thou +art in my daunger whether me list to +save thee or slay thee, and but thou +yield thee as overcome and recreant, +thou shalt die."</p> + +<p>"As for death," said King Arthur, +"welcome be it when it cometh, but to +yield me unto thee as recreant I had +liefer die than be so shamed."</p> + +<p>And therewithal the king leaped unto +Pellinore, and took him by the middle +and threw him down, and raised off +his helm. When the knight felt that, +he was adread, for he was a passing big +man of might, and anon he brought +Arthur under him, and raised off his +helm and would have smitten off his +head.</p> + +<p>Therewithal came Merlin and said, +"Knight, hold thy hand, for an thou +slay that knight thou puttest this realm +in the greatest damage that ever was +realm; for this knight is a man of more +worship that thou wotest of."</p> + +<p>"Why, who is he?" said the knight.</p> + +<p>"It is King Arthur."</p> + +<p>Then would he have slain him for +dread of his wrath, and heaved up his +sword, and therewith Merlin cast an +enchantment to the knight, that he fell +to the earth in a great sleep. Then +Merlin took up King Arthur, and rode +forth on the knight's horse.</p> + +<p>"Alas!" said Arthur, "what hast thou +done, Merlin? Hast thou slain this +good knight by thy crafts? There liveth +not so worshipful a knight as he was; I +had liefer than the stint of my land a +year that he were alive."</p> + +<p>"Care ye not," said Merlin, "for he +is wholer than ye; for he is but asleep, +and will awake within three hours. I +told you," said Merlin, "what a knight +he was; here had ye been slain had I +not been. Also there liveth not a bigger +knight than he is one, and he shall hereafter +do you right good service; and his +name is Pellinore, and he shall have +two sons that shall be passing good men; +save one they shall have no fellow of +prowess and of good living, and their +names shall be Percivale of Wales and +Lamerake of Wales."</p> + +<p>Right so the king and he departed +and went unto an hermit that was a +good man and a great leech. So the +hermit searched all his wounds and gave +him good salves; so the king was there +three days, and then were his wounds +well amended that he might ride and +go, and so departed.</p> + +<p>And as they rode, Arthur said, "I +have no sword."</p> + +<p>"No force," said Merlin, "hereby is +a sword that shall be yours, an I may."</p> + +<p>So they rode till they came to a lake, +the which was a fair water and broad, +and in the midst of the lake Arthur was +ware of an arm clothed in white samite, +that held a fair sword in that hand.</p> + +<p>"Lo!" said Merlin, "yonder is that +sword that I spake of."</p> + +<p>With that they saw a damosel going +upon the lake. "What damosel is that?" +said Arthur.</p> + +<p>"That is the Lady of the Lake," said +Merlin; "and within that lake is a rock, +and therein is as fair a place as any on +earth, and richly beseen; and this +damosel will come to you anon, and +then speak ye fair to her that she will +give you that sword."</p> + +<p>Anon withal came the damosel unto +Arthur and saluted him, and he her +again. "Damosel," said Arthur, "what +sword is that, that yonder the arm +holdeth above the water? I would it +were mine, for I have no sword."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_602" id="Page_602">[602]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Sir Arthur, king," said the damosel, +"that sword is mine, and if ye will give +me a gift when I ask it you, ye shall +have it."</p> + +<p>"By my faith," said Arthur, "I will +give you what gift ye will ask."</p> + +<p>"Well!" said the damosel. "Go ye +into yonder barge, and row yourself to +the sword, and take it and the scabbard +with you, and I will ask my gift when +I see my time."</p> + +<p>So Sir Arthur and Merlin alit and tied +their horses to two trees, and so they +went into the ship, and when they came +to the sword that the hand held, Sir +Arthur took it up by the handles, and +took it with him, and the arm and the +hand went under the water. And so +they came unto the land and rode forth, +and then Sir Arthur saw a rich pavilion.</p> + +<p>"What signifieth yonder pavilion?"</p> + +<p>"It is the knight's pavilion," said +Merlin, "that ye fought with last, Sir +Pellinore; but he is out; he is not there. +He hath ado with a knight of yours +that hight Egglame, and they have +foughten together, but at the last Egglame +fled, and else he had been dead, +and he hath chased him even to Carlion, +and we shall meet with him anon in the +highway."</p> + +<p>"That is well said," said Arthur, +"now have I a sword; now will I wage +battle with him, and be avenged on +him."</p> + +<p>"Sir, you shall not so," said Merlin, +"for the knight is weary of fighting and +chasing, so that ye shall have no worship +to have ado with him; also he will not +be lightly matched of one knight living, +and therefore it is my counsel, let him +pass, for he shall do you good service +in short time, and his sons after his +days. Also ye shall see that day in +short space, you shall be right glad to +give him your sister to wed."</p> + +<p>"When I see him, I will do as ye +advise me," said Arthur. Then Sir +Arthur looked on the sword, and liked +it passing well.</p> + +<p>"Whether liketh you the better," said +Merlin, "the sword or the scabbard?"</p> + +<p>"Me liketh better the sword," said +Arthur.</p> + +<p>"Ye are more unwise," said Merlin, +"for the scabbard is worth ten of the +swords, for whiles ye have the scabbard +upon you, ye shall never lose no blood +be ye never so sore wounded, therefore +keep well the scabbard always with you."</p> + +<p>So they rode unto Carlion, and by the +way they met with Sir Pellinore; but +Merlin had done such a craft, that +Pellinore saw not Arthur, and he passed +by without any words.</p> + +<p>"I marvel," said Arthur, "that the +knight would not speak."</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Merlin, "he saw you not, +for an he had seen you, ye had not +lightly departed."</p> + +<p>So they came unto Carlion, whereof +his knights were passing glad. And +when they heard of his adventures, they +marveled that he would jeopard his +person so, alone. But all men of worship +said it was merry to be under such +a chieftain, that would put his person +in adventure as other poor knights did.</p> + +<p>This meanwhile came a messenger +from King Rience of North Wales, and +king he was of all Ireland, and of many +isles. And this was his message, greeting +well King Arthur in this manner wise, +saying that King Rience had discomfited +and overcome eleven kings, and every +each of them did him homage, and that +was this, they gave him their beards +clean flayed off, as much as there was;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_603" id="Page_603">[603]</a></span> +wherefore the messenger came for King +Arthur's beard. For King Rience had +purfled a mantle with king's beards, +and there lacked one place of the mantle; +wherefore he sent for his beard, or else +he would enter his lands, and burn and +slay, and never leave till he have the +head and the beard.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Arthur, "thou hast said +thy message, the which is the most +villainous and lewdest message that ever +man heard sent unto a king; also thou +mayest see my beard is full young yet +to make a purfle of it. But tell thou +thy king this: I owe him none homage, +nor none of mine elders, but or it be +long to, he shall do me homage on both +his knees, or else he shall lose his head, +by the faith of my body, for this is the +most shamefulest message that ever I +heard speak of. I have espied thy king +met never yet with worshipful man, but +tell him I will have his head without he +do me homage." Then the messenger +departed.</p> + +<p>"Now is there any here," said Arthur, +"that knoweth King Rience?"</p> + +<p>Then answered a knight that hight +Naram, "Sir, I know the king well. He +is a passing good man of his body, as +few be living, and a passing proud man, +and Sir, doubt ye not he will make war +on you with a mighty puissance."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Arthur, "I shall ordain +for him in short time."</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_404" id="Note_404">404</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The story of "Arthur and Sir Accalon" is +taken from Maude Radford Warren's <i>King +Arthur and His Knights</i>. (By permission +of the publishers, Rand McNally & Co., +Chicago.) The stories in Malory are +retold in a simple and direct style that can +be read easily by children in the fifth grade. +Most teachers will probably find themselves +obliged to use some such book for any of +these great cycles which they desire to +teach, owing to the amount of time and +energy required for working it up from +the original source.</div> + + +<h4><br />ARTHUR AND SIR ACCALON</h4> + +<div class='center'>MAUDE RADFORD WARREN</div> + +<p>There was a woman in Arthur's Court +named Morgan le Fay, who had learned +a great deal about magic. She was a +wicked woman, and hated the king +because he was more powerful than she, +and because he was so good.</p> + +<p>However, she pretended to be a true +friend to him, and the king believed in +her. One day when they were talking +together, she asked him if he would not +let her take charge of his wonderful +sword Excalibur, and its scabbard. She +said that she would guard them so carefully +that they would never be stolen. +As she was very eager, Arthur granted +her request.</p> + +<p>One day in time of peace, King Arthur +went out hunting with a certain knight +named Sir Accalon, who was the lover of +Morgan le Fay. They rode for a long +time, and when they were tired, stopped +to rest beside a great lake. As they +looked over its shining waters, they saw +a beautiful little ship, which sailed +straight towards them, and ran up to +the sands at their feet. It was all covered +with golden silks, which waved in the +gentle wind. King Arthur and Sir +Accalon climbed into it and examined +it thoroughly, but they found no one +on board.</p> + +<p>They rested on two couches which +were on the deck, until it grew dark. +Then they were about to return home, +when all at once, a hundred torches set +on the sides of the ship were lighted, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_604" id="Page_604">[604]</a></span> +suddenly there appeared twelve beautiful +damsels who told the two that they were +welcome, and that they should be served +with a banquet.</p> + +<p>Presently the maidens led the king +and the knight into a room which had a +table covered with a white cloth embroidered +in purple. It bore many golden +dishes, and each dish had a beautiful +design carved upon it. Some dishes had +vine-leaves, others ivy-leaves; some had +angels with long robes sweeping back in +graceful lines; and all these dishes held +choice food. The king and Sir Accalon +ate to their hearts' content.</p> + +<p>Then the damsels led them into two +separate chambers. King Arthur was +tired and so sleepy that he gave but one +glance at his bedroom. He saw that it +was hung in red silk embroidered with +gold dragons and griffins. Then he threw +himself on his bed and slept very soundly.</p> + +<p>When he awoke, he found himself not +in the pretty bed-chamber, but in a dark +place. He could see nothing, but all +about him he heard the sound of complaining +and weeping. He was much +bewildered, but in a moment he cried:</p> + +<p>"What is this? Where am I?"</p> + +<p>Then a voice answered:</p> + +<p>"You are in prison, as we are."</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" asked Arthur.</p> + +<p>The voice replied:</p> + +<p>"We are twenty knights, prisoners, +and some of us have been here as long as +seven years. We are in the dungeons of +a wicked lord named Sir Damas. He has +a younger brother, and the two brothers +are enemies, quarreling about their inheritance. +Now the younger brother, Sir +Ontzlake, is very strong, but Sir Damas is +not strong, and moreover, he is a coward. +So he tries to find a knight who will fight +for him against Sir Ontzlake.</p> + +<p>"But Sir Damas is so much hated that +no one will fight for him. So he goes +about the country with a body of rough +men, and whenever he sees a knight, he +captures him. Then he asks him to fight +with Sir Ontzlake. So far, all the knights +have refused, and have been thrown into +prison. We do not have food enough, but +we would rather die here than fight for +Sir Damas, who is so wicked."</p> + +<p>At that moment a damsel entered the +prison with a torch, which faintly lighted +the dismal place, and advanced to the +king.</p> + +<p>"Sir," she said, "will you fight for my +lord, Sir Damas? If you will, you shall +be taken from this prison. If you will +not, you shall die here."</p> + +<p>Arthur considered for some time, and +then said:</p> + +<p>"I would rather fight than die in prison. +If I fight, will you deliver also all these +prisoners?"</p> + +<p>The damsel promised, and Arthur consented +to fight. While she went to tell +Sir Damas, Arthur said to the other +prisoners:</p> + +<p>"My friends, I do not know Sir Damas, +and I do not know Sir Ontzlake. I do +not know whether they are bad or good. +But I will fight, and then, when I have +conquered, I shall judge between them, +and do justice to both."</p> + +<p>"That is a good plan," said the knights, +"but why are you so sure that you will +conquer?"</p> + +<p>"I am Arthur, the King," he replied.</p> + +<p>At that the knights set up a great cry +of joy, and the king continued:</p> + +<p>"I shall send for my good sword Excalibur +and the scabbard, and with these I +shall surely win."</p> + +<p>So when Arthur and the knights were +let out of prison, the king sent the damsel<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_605" id="Page_605">[605]</a></span> +who had visited them to Morgan le Fay +for his sword and scabbard.</p> + +<p>Meantime, the knight who had accompanied +Arthur on the little ship, Sir Accalon, +also awoke. He found himself in +the palace of Morgan le Fay, and he wondered +very much where Arthur was. He +went to the lady, who said to him:</p> + +<p>"My dear lord, the day has come when +you can have great power if you want it. +Should you like to be king of this land, +instead of Arthur?"</p> + +<p>Now Sir Accalon was a traitor at heart. +He wanted very much to be king, even if +the good Arthur was to be killed; so he +said:</p> + +<p>"Yes, truly."</p> + +<p>Then she said:</p> + +<p>"You shall be king, and I shall be your +queen. All you need to do is to fight a +great battle, which you shall win. I have +been using my magic. It was I who sent +the ship of silk to you and Arthur. I +had him put into prison, and I had you +brought here."</p> + +<p>Sir Accalon wondered very much. +Then she told him of the fight King +Arthur was to make against Sir Ontzlake.</p> + +<p>"But I have caused Sir Ontzlake to +fall sick," she said, "and he cannot fight. +I shall go with you to his castle and you +can offer to fight for him."</p> + +<p>"I to fight with the king!" cried Sir +Accalon. "He would surely overthrow +me."</p> + +<p>"He cannot," said Morgan le Fay, +"because you are to fight with his sword. +A little while ago he sent to me for +Excalibur and the scabbard, but I +returned him a false sword which looks +like Excalibur, and a false scabbard. +You shall take the true ones, and then +you will surely overcome him and rule +this land."</p> + +<p>Then Sir Accalon was glad, and he +hastened with the lady to the castle of +Sir Ontzlake. They found him groaning +because he was ill and because Sir Damas +had sent him a challenge to fight with a +knight, and he could not accept it. He +was much relieved when Morgan le Fay +told him that Sir Accalon would fight in +his place.</p> + +<p>Early in the afternoon, King Arthur +and Sir Accalon rode into the field where +the combat was to be held. Arthur did +not know who Sir Accalon was, nor did +any one else, except Morgan le Fay. +Two sides of the field were full of people, +who came to watch, half of whom were +friends of Sir Damas, and the other half +were friends of Sir Ontzlake.</p> + +<p>Arthur and Sir Accalon rode at each +other so furiously that at the shock of the +meeting both fell off their horses. Then +they began to fight fiercely with their +swords. The king could make no headway +with his false steel, but whenever Sir +Accalon struck at Arthur he drew blood.</p> + +<p>The king was much amazed. He grew +weaker and weaker, but still he kept on +his feet. Those who watched him were +sorry for him; they thought they had +never seen a man fight so bravely. At +last Arthur's sword broke, and fell in +two pieces on the ground. When Sir +Accalon saw this, he cried:</p> + +<p>"Now, yield to me."</p> + +<p>"I will never yield," said the king, +"and if you do not get me another sword, +you will be shamed before all men, for it +is an unknightly thing to fight with a +defenseless man."</p> + +<p>"I do not care," said Sir Accalon. "If +you will not yield, defend yourself with +your shield as best you can."</p> + +<p>He rushed at the king. Arthur was so +weak that he could hardly stand, but he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_606" id="Page_606">[606]</a></span> +guarded himself as well as he could with +his shield. Soon he could do no more, +and fell to the ground.</p> + +<p>At this moment the Lady of the Lake, +who had given Arthur his sword, came +upon the field. She was invisible, but +anyone who had listened intently could +have heard a sound like a ripple of water +as she walked. She caused Excalibur +to fall out of the hand of Sir Accalon and +drop near Arthur.</p> + +<p>When it fell, Arthur saw that it was +his own Excalibur. He grasped its +handle and some of his strength came +back. He struggled to his feet, and rushing +up to Sir Accalon, seized the scabbard +of Excalibur and threw it far over the +field.</p> + +<p>"Now," he said, "send for a second +sword and fight with me."</p> + +<p>Then Sir Accalon was afraid. Yet he +thought that Arthur was so weak that he +could still be overcome. So he sent for +a second sword, and they began to fight +again. Arthur's strength, however, had +largely returned, and in a short time he +gave Sir Accalon a mortal stroke.</p> + +<p>Sir Accalon fell to the ground, and the +king, leaning over him, cried:</p> + +<p>"Tell me who you are."</p> + +<p>Then Sir Accalon was filled with +remorse, and he said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, my King, I have been a traitor +to you, but now I am dying, and I am +sorry for what I have done. I deserve +my death."</p> + +<p>He told the king his name, and all +about his treachery, and that of Morgan +le Fay.</p> + +<p>King Arthur was sad.</p> + +<p>"It is very hard to be deceived in a +friend," he said, "but I forgive you +freely. I will try to cure your wound, +and sometime I shall trust you again."</p> + +<p>"You cannot cure me," said Sir Accalon. +"I am dying. Let them carry me +off the field."</p> + +<p>So he was taken to a neighboring +abbey, while the people crowded about +the king to congratulate him, but Arthur +said:</p> + +<p>"I am sad at heart. My victory is no +comfort to me, for to-day I have lost a +friend whom I believed true."</p> + +<p>Then he called the two brothers, Sir +Damas and Sir Ontzlake, and judged their +cause. He decided that their property +must be divided equally between them, +and that they must be friends. They +promised never to quarrel again. Arthur +told them that they must be kind to other +knights and to all people. He said that +if he heard that they were not, he could +come and punish them.</p> + +<p>After this, Sir Damas gave back to the +twenty knights all their money, and they +went on their way rejoicing. King +Arthur mounted his horse and rode over +to the abbey, where he sat by the bed of +Sir Accalon till the poor knight died. +Then the king went back alone to his +Court at Camelot.</p> + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_405" id="Note_405"></a>405-411<a name="Note_411" id="Note_411"></a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Miguel de Cervantes, the greatest literary +genius of Spain, was born in 1547 in a small +town near Madrid, and he died in 1616, the +year of the death of Shakespeare. He +received a fair education, and by reading +he gained a thorough knowledge of the +romantic poetry of Spain and Italy and of +the romances of chivalry. At the age of +twenty-one he went to Italy. For several +years he was a soldier in the Spanish army. +When he was twenty-eight years old, he +was captured by pirates of Algiers and was +held a prisoner for five years. When he +returned to Spain, he attempted to make a +living by writing dramas and romances,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_607" id="Page_607">[607]</a></span> +and later he secured an unimportant governmental +position as commissary and tax-collector +in Seville. In 1606 he published +the first part of <i>Don Quixote</i>. This book +immediately became very popular, but it +did not bring him much money nor did it +win for him the recognition of literary men. +All his life he was poor, and sometimes +apparently he was actually in want of food. +In 1615, one year before his death, he published +the second part of <i>Don Quixote</i>, the +greatest national book of Spain.</div> + +<div class="hang1"><i>Don Quixote</i> is a humorous satire upon the +romances of chivalry, which at the time +were so popular in Spain as to corrupt the +national life by their loose morals and false +ideals. So complete was the success of +Cervantes that the whole nation began to +laugh at the absurdities of the romances of +chivalry, and it is said that not one new +edition of any book of chivalry appeared in +Spain after the publication of <i>Don Quixote</i>.</div> + +<div class="hang1">Although the world no longer takes serious +consideration of the ideals of the romances +of chivalry, <i>Don Quixote</i> will always be +remembered as a great book, for it abounds +in good-humored satire of human follies +that are found in all ages and countries. +Sancho Panza represents the type of person +who does not have imagination or spiritual +ideals. Not much less ridiculous, though +much more deserving of sympathy, is Don +Quixote, who represents the type of person +who is controlled by imagination and +fanciful ideals, unbalanced by practical +judgment. The life of a person of either +type must be filled with absurdities.</div> + +<div class="hang1">The following selections are taken from <i>Stories +of Don Quixote</i> retold by H. L. Havell.</div> + + +<h4><br />STORIES FROM DON QUIXOTE</h4> + + +<div class='center'><br />I. DREAMS AND SHADOWS</div> + +<p>The scene is laid in a village of La +Mancha, a high and arid district of +Central Spain; and the time is towards +the close of the sixteenth century. On +the outskirts of the village there stood +at the time mentioned a house of modest +size, adjoining a little farm, the property +of a retired gentleman whose real +name was Quisada or Quijada, but who +is now known to all mankind by the +immortal title of Don Quixote. How +he came to alter his name we shall see +presently.</p> + +<p>On a hot summer afternoon this worthy +gentleman was sitting in a small upper +room, which served him as a study, +absorbed in the contents of a huge folio +volume, which lay open on the table +before him. Other volumes, of like bulky +proportions, were piled up on chairs or +strewn on the floor around him. The +reader was a man some fifty years of age, +tall and spare of figure, and with high, +stern features of the severest Spanish +type. In his eyes, when from time to +time he paused in his reading and gazed +absently before him, there was a look of +wild abstraction, as of one who lives in +a world of dreams and shadows. One +hand, with bony, nervous fingers, rested +on the open page; with the other he +grasped his sword, which lay sheathed +on his lap.</p> + +<p>No sound disturbs the sultry stillness +of the chamber, save only the droning of +an imprisoned bee and the rustling of +paper when the eager student turned a +leaf. Deeper and deeper grew his absorption; +his eyes seemed to devour the +lines, and he clutched his hair with both +hands, as if he would tear it out by the +roots. At last, overpowered by a frenzied +impulse, he leaped from his seat, and +plucking his sword from the scabbard, +began cutting and thrusting at some invisible +object, shouting in a voice of +thunder: "Unhand the maiden, foul +caitiff! Give place, I say, and let the +princess go! What, wilt thou face me,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_608" id="Page_608">[608]</a></span> +vile robber? Have at thee, then, and +take the wages of thy villainy." As he +uttered the last words he aimed a tremendous +thrust at his visionary opponent +and narrowly escaped transfixing the +comely person of a young lady who at +this very moment entered the room, with +signs of haste and alarm. Behind her, +in the dimly-lighted passage, appeared +the portly figure of an elderly dame, who +was proclaimed, by the bunch of keys +which hung at her girdle, to be the +gentleman's housekeeper.</p> + +<p>"Dear uncle, what ails thee?" said the +young lady, gazing with pity and wonder +at the poor distracted man, who stood +arrested in his last attitude, with rolling +eyes and hair in wild disorder, while great +beads of sweat poured down his face. +But he, whose mind was still soaring in +the regions of high romance, at once converted +his niece into a rescued princess, +saved from violence by his prowess; and, +lowering his blade and dropping gracefully +on one knee, he raised her hand to +his lips and said: "Fear nothing, gentle +lady! There lies thine enemy in his +gore"; and he pointed to a table which +had been overset in one of his wild rushes, +carrying with it an inkstand, the contents +of which were now trickling in a +black stream across the uncarpeted +boards.</p> + +<p>His niece was accustomed to the +strange fits of her eccentric relative, and, +humoring his fancy, she answered: +"Thou hast done well, and I thank thee. +But sit down now and rest awhile after +thy toils; and I will bring thee something +to drink." With that she led him to a +couch and left the room, taking the housekeeper +with her. In a few moments she +returned, bearing a great pitcher of cold +water.</p> + +<p>"'Tis a most rare elixir," said he, after +taking a deep draught, "prepared by the +great enchanter Alquife, and of a magic +potency." Then, being exhausted by +his violent exertions of body and mind +he stretched himself on the couch and +soon sank into a quiet sleep.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />II. PREPARING FOR THE QUEST</div> + +<p>The extraordinary scene which has +just been described was only one among +many which had occurred during several +months, down to the time when our +story begins; and we must now go back +a little and give some account of our +hero's habits and studies, which ended +by bringing him to so desperate a state. +At that time by far the most popular +form of light literature was the Romances +of Chivalry,—huge interminable fictions, +filled with the most extravagant visions +that ever visited the slumbers of a mad +poet. Merely to unravel the story of +one of these gigantic romances is a task +which would tax the strongest brain. +They dealt with the adventures of +Knights-Errant, who wandered about +the earth redressing grievances and +succoring the oppressed. Those who +venture into these vast jungles of romance +are occasionally rewarded by +passages of great sweetness, nobility, and +charm; but the modern reader soon +grows weary of enchanted forests, haunted +by giants, dragons, and other impossible +monsters, of deserts where despairing +lovers roam haggard and forlorn, of +dwarfs, goblins, wizards, and all the wild +and grotesque creations of the mediæval +fancy.</p> + +<p>But in the times of which we are +writing the passion for Books of Chivalry +rose to such a height that it became a +serious public evil. In Spain it reached<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_609" id="Page_609">[609]</a></span> +its climax; and our humble gentleman of +La Mancha is only an extreme example +of the effect which such studies produced +on the national mind. Being bitten by +the craze for chivalrous fiction, he gradually +forsook all the healthy pursuits of +a country life and gave himself up entirely +to reading such books as Amadis +of Gaul, Palmerin of England, and Belianis +of Greece; and his infatuation +reached such a point that he sold several +acres of good arable land to provide himself +with funds for the purchase of those +ponderous folios with which we saw him +surrounded when he was first introduced +to our notice. From dawn till eve he +pored over his darling books, and sometimes +passed whole nights in the same +pursuit, until at last, having crammed +his brain with this perilous stuff, he +began to imagine that these wild inventions +were sober reality. From this +delusion there was but one step to the +belief that he himself was a principal +actor in the adventures of which he +read; and when the fit was on him, he +would take his sword and engage in +single combat with the creatures of his +brain, stamping his feet and alarming +the household with his cries.</p> + +<p>At first his frenzy was intermittent, +and each attack was followed by a lucid +interval; but finally he lost his wits +altogether and came to the insane resolution +of turning knight-errant and going +out into the world as the redresser of +wrongs and the champion of the innocent. +His intention once formed, he at +once took steps to carry it into effect. +From a dark corner of the house he +brought out an old suit of armor, which +had been lying neglected for generations +and was now covered with mould and +eaten with rust. He cleaned the pieces +and repaired them as well as he could; +and observing that the helmet was a +simple morion, wanting a protection for +the face, he made a vizor of pasteboard +to supply the defect. Then, wishing to +prove the strength of his vizor, he drew +his sword and with one stroke destroyed +what had cost him the labor of a week. +He was considerably shocked by the +ease with which he had demolished his +handiwork; but having made a second +vizor and strengthened it with bars of +iron, he did not choose to try any further +experiments, but accepted the helmet, +thus fortified, as the finest headpiece in +the world.</p> + +<p>Then he paid a visit to his old horse, +and though the poor beast was a mere +living skeleton, broken-winded and with +his feet full of sandcracks, to his master's +eyes he seemed a nobler steed than +Bucephalus, or Bavieca, the famous +charger of the Cid. It was evident that +such a noble steed, who was to carry a +warrior so famous, must have a name by +which all the world might know him; and +accordingly, after deliberating for four +days and passing in review a multitude +of titles, he determined to call the beast +Rozinante.</p> + +<p>Having settled this weighty question, +he next began to consider what name he +should assume himself, being by no +means satisfied with that which he had +received from his father. Eight days +were passed in debating a matter so +important to himself and to posterity, +and at the end of that time he resolved +to call himself Don Quixote. But, +remembering that Amadis, not contented +with his simple name, had taken the +additional title of Amadis of Gaul, he +determined, in imitation of that illustrious +hero, his model and teacher in all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_610" id="Page_610">[610]</a></span> +things, to style himself Don Quixote de +La Mancha, and thereby confer immortal +honor on the land of his birth.</p> + +<p>Nothing now remained but to choose +a lady to be the mistress of his affections +and the load-star of his life; for, as he +wisely reflected, a knight-errant without +a lady-love was like a tree without fruit +or a body without a soul. "If," he said +to himself, "I should encounter some +giant, as commonly happens to knights-errant, +and cut him in twain or otherwise +vanquish him and make him my prisoner, +will it not be well to have some lady to +whom I may send him as a gift, so that +he may enter the presence of my sweet +mistress and bow the knee before her, +saying in a humble and submissive +voice: 'Lady, <i>I am the giant Caraculiambro, +vanquished in single combat by the +knight Don Quixote de La Mancha, whose +praise no tongue can tell, and I have been +commanded by him to present myself to +your grace, that you may dispose of me as +your Highness pleases</i>.'"</p> + +<p>Our good knight was highly pleased +with his own eloquence, and still more +so when he had made choice of his lady. +In a neighboring village there was a +young girl, employed on a farm, with +whom he had at one time been in love, +though he had never brought himself to +declare his passion. Her name was +Aldonza Lorenzo, and her he resolved to +constitute the queen of his heart, having +conferred on her the sounding title of +Dulcinea del Toboso, or "The Sweet +Lady of Toboso," the village where she +was born.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />III. THE QUEST BEGINS</div> + +<p>"The world is waiting for me," murmured +our enthusiast, leaping from his +bed at the first peep of dawn and arming +himself from head to foot. Then treading +softly, so as not to alarm the household, +he went to the stable, saddled +Rozinante, and leading him out through +a back gate of the yard, mounted and +rode forth into the plain, hugely delighted +to find himself fairly started on his great +enterprise.</p> + +<p>But hardly had he reached the open +country when the terrible thought occurred +to him that he had not been +dubbed a knight and by the laws of +chivalry was not entitled to engage in +combat with any one who bore that +rank, and further, even if he were already +a knight, he was obliged as a novice to +wear plain armor, without device of any +kind. So much was he perturbed by +these reflections that he was within an +ace of giving up his whole design, and +would have done so but for a happy +inspiration, which saved mankind from +so dire a calamity. Many of the heroes +of his books of chivalry had got themselves +dubbed knight by the first person +whom they met, and remembering this, +he resolved to follow their example. +And as to his armor, he would rub +and polish it until it was whiter than +ermine.</p> + +<p>His scruples thus removed, he continued +his journey, leaving his good steed +to choose what direction he pleased, as +was the fashion with knights-errant when +they set out on their adventures. Thus +pacing along and dreaming of mighty +deeds, he gave vent to his feelings in the +following rhapsody: "What a theme for +the eloquence of some great master of +style—the feats of high emprise wrought +by the valiant arm of Don Quixote de +La Mancha! Happy the pen which shall +describe them, happy the age which shall +read the wondrous tale! And thou,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_611" id="Page_611">[611]</a></span> +brave steed, shalt have thy part in the +honor which is done to thy master, when +poet and sculptor and painter shall vie +with one another in raising an eternal +monument to his fame."</p> + +<p>Then recalling his part as an afflicted +lover, he began to mourn his hard lot in +soft and plaintive tones: "O lady Dulcinea, +queen of this captive heart! Why +hast thou withdrawn from me the light +of thy countenance and banished thy +faithful servant from thy presence? +Shorten, I implore thee, the term of my +penance and leave me not to wither in +solitude and despair."</p> + +<p>Lost in these sublime and melancholy +thoughts he rode slowly on from hour to +hour, until the sun became so hot that +it was enough to melt his brains, if he +had possessed any. All that day he +continued his journey without meeting +with any adventure, which vexed him +sorely, for he was eager to encounter +some foeman worthy of his steel. Evening +came on, and both he and his horse +were ready to drop with hunger and +fatigue, when, looking about him in search +of some castle—or some hovel—where +he might find shelter and refreshment, +he saw not far from the roadside a small +inn, and, setting spurs to Rozinante, +rode up to the door at a hobbling canter +just as night was falling.</p> + +<p>The inn was of the poorest and meanest +description, frequented by muleteers and +other rude wayfarers; but to his perverted +fancy it seemed a turreted castle, with +battlements of silver, drawbridge, and +moat, and all that belonged to a feudal +fortress. Before the door were standing +two women, vagabonds of the lowest +class, who were traveling in the company +of certain mule-drivers; but for him they +were instantly transformed into a pair +of high-born maidens taking the air +before the castle gate.</p> + +<p>To complete his illusion, just at this +moment a swineherd, who was collecting +his drove from a neighboring stubble +field, sounded a few notes on his horn. +This Don Quixote took for a signal which +had been given by some dwarf from the +ramparts, to inform the inmates of the +castle of his approach; and so, with huge +satisfaction, he lifted his pasteboard +vizor, and uncovering his haggard and +dusty features, thus addressed the women +who were eyeing him with looks of no +small alarm, and evidently preparing to +retreat: "Fly not, gracious ladies, +neither wrong me by dreaming that ye +have aught to fear from me, for the order +of chivalry which I profess suffers not +that I should do harm to any, least of +all to maidens of lofty lineage, such as I +perceive you to be."</p> + +<p>Hearing themselves accosted by that +extraordinary figure in language to which +they were so little used, the women +could not restrain their mirth, but +laughed so long and loud that Don +Quixote began to be vexed and said in a +tone of grave rebuke, "Beauty and discourtesy +are ill-matched together, and +unseemly is the laugh which folly breeds +in a vacant mind. Take not my words +amiss, for I mean no offence, but am +ready to serve you with heart and +hand."</p> + +<p>At this dignified reproof, the damsels +only laughed louder than before, and +there is no saying what might have come +of it if the innkeeper, who appeared at +this moment, had not undertaken the +office of peacemaker, for which he was +well fitted, being a fat, good-humored +fellow, who loved a quiet life. At first, +when he saw that fantastic warrior on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_612" id="Page_612">[612]</a></span> +his spectral steed, he was much inclined +to join the girls in their noisy merriment. +But finding some ground for alarm in so +many engines of war, he contrived to +swallow his laughter, and going up to +Don Quixote, said to him civilly enough: +"If your honor is in search of quarters +for the night, you will find in this inn all +that you require excepting a bed, which +is not to be had here."</p> + +<p>Finding the governor of the fortress—that +is to say, the landlord of the inn—so +obsequious, Don Quixote replied cheerfully: +"Sir Castellan, you will not find +me hard to please, for</p> + +<div class='poem'> +Arms are all my rich array,<br /> +My repose to fight alway."<br /> +</div> + +<p>"If that be your case, then," answered +the innkeeper, humoring his strange +guest, "'tis plain that</p> + +<div class='poem'> +Your couch is the field, your pillow a shield,<br /> +Your slumber a vigil from dusk until day:<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>and therefore you may dismount in the +full assurance of finding under my humble +roof divers good reasons for keeping +awake for a twelvemonth, should such +be your desire."</div> + +<p>As he said this, he went and held the +stirrup for Don Quixote, who was so +weak from his long fast that it cost him +much pain and effort to dismount. "I +commend to thy especial care this my +good steed," said he, as soon as he had +found his feet: "he is the rarest piece of +horseflesh that ever lived by bread."</p> + +<p>The innkeeper bestowed but one glance +on poor Rozinante, and finding little to +admire in him, he thrust him hastily into +the stable and came back to attend to +the wants of his guest. Meanwhile Don +Quixote submitted to be disarmed by +the young women, who had now made +their peace. Having removed his body +armor, they tried to relieve him of his +helmet, which was attached to his neck +by green ribbons. Being unable to loose +the knots, they proposed to cut the ribbons, +but as he would not allow them to +do this, he was obliged to keep his helmet +on all that night, which made him the +strangest and most diverting object that +could be imagined.</p> + +<p>While the ladies were thus employed, +our brave adventurer entertained them +with a strain of high-flown gallantry, +seasoned with scraps from the old ballads +and romances which he had read. Not +understanding a word of what he said, +they simply asked him, when they had +finished, if he wanted anything to eat. +"A slight refection would not be ill-timed," +answered Don Quixote, and +learning that there was nothing to be +had but a "little trout," he bade them +bring it with all speed. "Many little +trouts," he added jestingly, "will serve +my turn as well as one big one. Only +let it be brought at once, for I begin to +be conscious of a wondrous void within +the compass of my sword-belt."</p> + +<p>The "little trout" proved to be neither +more nor less than a dish of stockfish, +Poor John, or in plain English, salted +cod, and that of the rankest. An odor +the reverse of savory heralded its approach, +and Don Quixote sat down at +the table, which had been set, for coolness, +before the door, and applied himself +to his lenten fare. But being much +incommoded by his helmet, he could not +find the way to his mouth, and remained +staring in dismay at the reeking mess +and the filthy black bread which accompanied +it, until one of the damsels, perceiving +his distress, came to his relief<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_613" id="Page_613">[613]</a></span> +and fed him with small morsels, which +she deftly conveyed to their proper +destination through the opening of his +helmet. To give him drink was a +harder matter, but this problem was +solved with great ingenuity by the landlord, +who brought a hollow cane, and +placing one end in his mouth, poured +the wine in at the other.</p> + +<p>And so in solemn silence, broken now +and then by the stifled laughter of the +onlookers, the strange meal proceeded; +and when it was nearly at an end, a +clownish fellow passed by, blowing on +a rustic pipe. But for Don Quixote, +who had transformed the inn into a +castle, the fat publican into a powerful +governor, and the vagabond damsels +into high-born ladies, it was an easy +matter to find in those rude notes a +strain of rare music, provided for his +delectation while he sat at table; and he +concluded his repast in a state of high +satisfaction with his first day's adventures.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />IV. THE KNIGHTLY VIGIL</div> + +<p>But one uncomfortable thought chilled +the heat of his enthusiasm—he had not +yet been dubbed a knight and was therefore +still unqualified to engage in any +chivalrous adventure. Accordingly, as +soon as he had finished his scanty and +sordid meal, he took the landlord aside, +and shutting himself up with him in the +stable and falling on his knees before him, +said: "I will never rise from this posture, +valiant knight, until thou hast granted +me of thy courtesy the favor which I +desire, and which shall redound to thine +honor and to the benefit of the human +race."</p> + +<p>Dumbfoundered at the strange attitude +and still stranger language of his guest, +the landlord stared at him, not knowing +what to do or say. He begged him to +rise, but Don Quixote steadily refused, +so that at last he was obliged to give +the promise required.</p> + +<p>"I expected no less from your High +Mightiness," answered Don Quixote. +"And now hear what I desire: to-morrow +at dawn you shall dub me knight, and +to that end I will this night keep the +vigil of arms in the chapel of your castle, +so that I may be ready to receive +the order of chivalry in the morning +and forthwith set out on the path of +toil and glory which awaits those who +follow the perilous profession of knight-errant."</p> + +<p>By this time the landlord began to +perceive that Don Quixote was not +right in his wits, and being somewhat +of a wag he resolved to make matter for +mirth by humoring his whim; and so he +replied that such ambition was most +laudable, and just what he would have +looked for in a gentleman of his gallant +presence. He had himself, he said, been +a cavalier of fortune in his youth—which +in a certain sense was true, for he had +been a notorious thief and rogue, known +to every magistrate in Spain—and now, +in his declining years, he was living in +the retirement of his castle, where his +chief pleasure was to entertain wandering +knights; which, being interpreted, +meant that he was a rascally landlord +and grew fat by cheating the unfortunate +travelers who stayed at his inn.</p> + +<p>Then he went on to say that, with +regard to the vigil of arms, it could be +held in the courtyard of the castle, as +the chapel had been pulled down to make +place for a new one. "And to-morrow," +he concluded, "you shall be dubbed a +knight—a full knight, and a perfect<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_614" id="Page_614">[614]</a></span> +knight, so that none shall be more so +in all the world."</p> + +<p>Having thanked the landlord for his +kindness, and promised to obey him, as +his adoptive father, in all things, Don +Quixote at once prepared to perform the +vigil of arms. Collecting his armor, he +laid the several pieces in a horse-trough +which stood in the center of the inn-yard, +and then, taking his shield on his arm +and grasping his lance, he began to pace +up and down with high-bred dignity +before the trough.</p> + +<p>The landlord had lost no time in informing +those who were staying at the +inn of the mad freaks of his guest, and +a little crowd was gathered to watch his +proceedings from a distance, which they +were the better able to do as the moon +was shining with unusual brightness. +Sometimes they saw him stalking to +and fro, with serene composure, and +sometimes he would pause in his march +and stand for a good while leaning on +his lance and scanning his armor with a +fixed and earnest gaze.</p> + +<p>While this was going on, one of the +mule-drivers took it into his head to +water his team, and approaching the +horse-trough prepared to remove Don +Quixote's armor, which was in his way. +Perceiving his intentions, Don Quixote +cried to him in a loud voice, saying: +"O thou, whoever thou art, audacious +knight who drawest near to touch the +armor of the bravest champion that +ever girt on sword, look what thou +doest, and touch it not, if thou wouldst +not pay for thy rashness with thy life!"</p> + +<p>The valiant defiance was thrown away +on the muleteer, whose thick head needed +other arguments, and taking the armor +by the straps, he flung it a good way +from him. Which when Don Quixote +saw, he raised his eyes to heaven, and +fixing his thoughts (as may be supposed) +on his lady Dulcinea, he exclaimed: +"Shine on me, light of my life, now, +when the first insult is offered to my +devoted heart! Let not thy countenance +and favor desert me in this, my first +adventure."</p> + +<p>As he put up this pious appeal he let +go his shield, and lifting his lance in both +hands, brought it down with such force +on the muleteer's head that he fell senseless +to the ground; and if the blow had +been followed by another, he would have +needed no physician to cure him. Having +done this, Don Quixote collected his +armor, and began pacing up and down +again, with the same tranquility as +before.</p> + +<p>Presently another muleteer, knowing +nothing of what had happened, came up +to the trough with the same intention +as the first and was about to lay hands +on the armor when Don Quixote, without +uttering a word or asking favor of any +one, once more lifted his lance and dealt +the fellow two smart strokes, which made +two cross gashes on his crown.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the alarm had been raised +in the house, and the whole troop of +muleteers now came running to avenge +their comrades. Seeing himself threatened +by a general assault, Don Quixote +drew his sword, and thrusting his arm +into his shield cried: "Queen of Beauty, +who givest power and might to this +feeble heart, now let thine eyes be +turned upon thy slave, who stands on +the threshold of so great a peril."</p> + +<p>His words were answered by the +muleteers with a shower of stones, which +he kept off as well as he could with his +shield. At the noise of the fray the innkeeper +came puffing up, and called upon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_615" id="Page_615">[615]</a></span> +the muleteers to desist. "The man is +mad," said he, "as I told you before, +and the law cannot touch him, though +he should kill you all."</p> + +<p>"Ha! art thou there, base and recreant +knight?" shouted Don Quixote in a +voice of thunder. "Is this thy hospitality +to knights-errant? 'Tis well for thee +that I have not yet received the order of +knighthood, or I would have paid thee +home for this outrage. As to you, base +and sordid pack, I care not for you a +straw. Come one, come all, and take +the wages of your folly and presumption."</p> + +<p>His tones were so threatening, and his +aspect was so formidable, that he struck +terror into the hearts of his assailants, +who drew back and left off throwing +stones; and, after some further parley, +he allowed them to carry off the wounded, +and returned with unruffled dignity to +the vigil of arms.</p> + +<p>The landlord was now thoroughly tired +of his guest's wild antics, and, resolving +to make an end of the business, lest +worse should come of it, he went up to +Don Quixote and asked pardon for the +violence of that low-born rabble, who +had acted, he said, without his knowledge, +and had been properly chastised for their +temerity. He added that the ceremony +of conferring knighthood might be performed +in any place, and that two hours +sufficed for the vigil of arms, so that +Don Quixote had fulfilled this part of +his duty twice over, as he had now been +watching for double that time.</p> + +<p>All this was firmly believed by Don +Quixote, and he requested that he might +be made a knight without further delay; +for if, he said, he were attacked again, +after receiving the order of chivalry, he +was determined not to leave a soul alive +in the castle, excepting those to whom +he might show mercy at the governor's +desire.</p> + +<p>The landlord, whose anxiety was increased +by this alarming threat, went +and fetched a book in which he kept +his accounts, and came back, attended +by a boy who carried a stump of candle, +and by the two damsels aforesaid. Then, +bidding Don Quixote to kneel before him, +he began to murmur words from his +book, in the tone of one who was saying +his prayers, and in the midst of his reading +he raised his hand and gave Don +Quixote a smart blow on the neck, and +then taking the sword laid it gently on +his shoulder, muttering all the time +between his teeth with the same air of +devotion. Then he directed one of the +ladies to gird on his sword, which she did +with equal liveliness and discretion—and +she had much need of the latter +quality to prevent an explosion of +laughter—; however, the specimen which +the new knight had just given of his +prowess kept their merriment in check.</p> + +<p>When his spurs had been buckled on +by the other damsel, the ceremony was +completed, and after some further compliments +Don Quixote saddled Rozinante +and rode forth, a new-made knight, +ready to astonish the world with feats +of arms and chivalry. The innkeeper, +who was glad to see the last of him, let +him go without making any charge for +what he had consumed.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />V. ON HONOR'S FIELD</div> + +<p>On leaving the inn Don Quixote turned +his horse's steps homewards, being resolved +to obtain a supply of money, and, +above all, to provide himself with a +squire before seeking more distant scenes +of adventure. Presently he came to a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_616" id="Page_616">[616]</a></span> +cross-road, and after hesitating a moment, +he resolved to imitate his favorite +heroes by leaving the direction to his +steed, who immediately took the nearest +way to his stable. After advancing +about two leagues, our knight came in +view of a great troop of people, who, as +it afterwards turned out, were merchants +of Toledo, on their way to Murcia +to buy silk. There were six of them +jogging comfortably along under their +umbrellas, with four servants on horseback, +and three mule-drivers walking +and leading their beasts.</p> + +<p>Here was a new opportunity, as Don +Quixote thought, of displaying his knightly +valor, so he settled himself firmly in +his stirrups, grasped his lance, covered +his breast with his shield, and stood +waiting for the arrival of those knights-errant,—for +such he judged them to be; +and when they were come within hearing, +he raised his voice and cried with an air +of proud defiance: "Halt, every mother's +son of you, and confess that in all the +world there is no damsel more beautiful +than the empress of La Mancha, the +peerless Dulcinea del Toboso!"</p> + +<p>Hearing the strange words and seeing +the extravagant figure of him who +uttered them, the merchants drew up, +and one of them, who was of a waggish +disposition, answered for the whole +company and said: "Sir Knight, we do +not know the good lady of whom you +speak; let us see her, and if she is of +such beauty as you describe, we will +most gladly make the confession which +you require."</p> + +<p>"If you were to see her," replied Don +Quixote, "you must needs be convinced +that what I say is true, and that would +be a poor triumph for me. No, on the +faith of my word alone, you must believe +it, confess it, assert it, swear to it, and +maintain it! If not, I defy you to +battle, ye sons of lawlessness and arrogance! +Here I stand ready to receive +you, whether ye come singly, as the +rule of knighthood demands, or all +together, as is the custom with churls +like you."</p> + +<p>"Sir Knight," answered the merchant, +"I entreat you in the name of all this +noble company, that you constrain us +not to lay perjury to our souls by swearing +to a thing which we have neither +seen nor heard. Show us, at least, some +portrait of this lady, though it be no +bigger than a grain of wheat, that our +scruples may be satisfied. For so strongly +are we disposed in favor of the fair +dame, that even if the picture should +exhibit her squinting with one eye, and +dropping brimstone and vermilion from +the other, for all that we will vow and +profess that she is as lovely as you say."</p> + +<p>"There drops not from her," shouted +Don Quixote, aflame with fury, "there +drops not, I say, that which thou namest, +but only sweet perfumes and pearly dew. +Neither is she cross-eyed nor hunch-backed, +but straight and slender as a +peak of Guadarrama. But ye shall pay +for the monstrous blasphemy which ye +have spoken against the angelic beauty +of my lady and queen."</p> + +<p>With these words he leveled his lance +and hurled himself upon the speaker with +such vigor and frenzy that if Rozinante +had not chanced to stumble and fall in +mid career, the rash merchant would +have paid dear for his jest. Down went +Rozinante, and his master rolled over and +over for some distance across the plain. +Being brought up at last by a projecting +rock, he made frantic efforts to rise, but +was kept down by the weight of his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_617" id="Page_617">[617]</a></span> +armor and lay plunging and kicking on +his back, but ceased not for a moment to +hurl threats and defiances at his laughing +foes. "Fly not, ye cowards, ye dastards! +Wait awhile! Tis not by my +fault, but by the fault of my horse that +I lie prostrate here."</p> + +<p>One of the mule-drivers, who was +somewhat hot-tempered, was so provoked +by the haughty language of the poor +fallen knight, that he resolved to give him +the answer on his ribs, and running up +he snatched the lance from Don Quixote's +hands, broke it in pieces, and taking one +of them began to beat him with such +good-will that in spite of the armor he +bruised him like wheat in a mill-hopper. +And he found the exercise so much to +his liking that he continued it until he +had shivered every fragment of the +broken lance into splinters. Nevertheless +he could not stop the mouth of our +valiant knight, who during all that +tempest of blows went on defying heaven +and earth and shouting menaces against +those bandits, as he now supposed them +to be.</p> + +<p>At length the mule-driver grew weary, +and the whole party rode off, leaving the +battered champion on the ground. When +they were gone he made another attempt +to rise. But if he failed when he was +sound and whole, how much less could +he do it now that he was almost hammered +to pieces! Notwithstanding, his +heart was light and gay, for in his own +fancy he was a hero of romance, lying +covered with wounds on honor's field.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />VI. THE RETURN HOME</div> + +<p>Two days had passed since Don +Quixote left his home, and his niece and +his housekeeper were growing very anxious +about him. More than once they +had heard him declare his intention to +turn knight-errant, and they began to +fear that he had carried out his mad +design. On the evening of the second +day, a few hours after he had been so +roughly handled by the muleteer, they +heard a loud voice calling outside the +street door: "Open to Sir Baldwin and the +Lord Marquis of Mantua, who is brought +to your gates grievously wounded." +They made haste to unbar the door, and +when it was opened they saw a strange +sight: mounted on an ass, whose head +was held by a laboring man of the village, +sat Don Quixote, huddled together in a +most uncavalier-like posture, his armor +all battered and his face begrimed with +dirt. Hard by stood Rozinante, a woeful +object, crooking his knees and drooping +his head; and tied in a bundle on his +back were the splintered fragments of +Don Quixote's lance.</p> + +<p>When they saw who it was, they +gathered round him with eager questions +and cries of welcome; but he checked them +with a gesture and said: "Control yourselves, +all of you! I am grievously hurt, +and if it be possible let some one go and +fetch Urganda the wise woman, that she +may examine and heal my wounds."</p> + +<p>"Alack-a-day!" cried the housekeeper, +lifting up her hands. "Did I not tell +you, gentlemen, that I knew on which +foot my master halted? Come, dear sir, +and we will cure you, without the help +of Urganda or anyone else." And with +many maledictions against the books of +chivalry which had done the kind gentleman +so ill a turn, she assisted him to dismount, +and amongst them they carried +him to his room, took off his armor, and +laid him on his bed. Then they inquired +where he was hurt, and Don Quixote +exclaimed that he was bruised from head<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_618" id="Page_618">[618]</a></span> +to foot, having been thrown from his +horse in an encounter with ten giants, +the most outrageous and ferocious in the +world.</p> + + +<div class='center'><br />VII. THE BATTLE WITH THE WINDMILLS</div> + +<p>For two weeks Don Quixote remained +peacefully at home, and many were the +pleasant discussions which passed between +him and his old friends, the priest +and barber, on his favorite theme—the +pressing need of reviving the profession +of knight-errantry, and his own peculiar +fitness for rendering this great service to +the world. All this time he was secretly +negotiating with a certain peasant, a +neighbor of his, whose name was Sancho +Panza, an honest, poor man, not much +better furnished with wits than the +knight himself. This simple fellow lent a +ready ear to his grand tales of glory and +conquest, and at last consented to follow +him as his squire, being especially tempted +by certain mysterious hints which Don +Quixote let fall concerning an "Isle," of +which his new master promised to make +him governor at the first opportunity.</p> + +<p>This matter being arranged Don +Quixote patched up his armor, obtained +a new lance, and having provided himself +with a sum of money, gave notice to +his squire of the day on which he proposed +to start. Sancho, who was short +and fat and little used to traveling on +foot, asked leave to bring his ass, remarking +that it was a very good one. This +proposal gave the knight pause, for, try +as he would, he could remember no +authority for a squire on a long-eared +charger; but finally he gave the required +permission, resolving to furnish him with +a worthier steed as soon as possible, by +taking the horse of the first discourteous +knight whom he met.</p> + +<p>When all was ready they set off together +one night, without taking leave of +their families, and rode steadily on, so +that by daybreak they were beyond the +reach of pursuit. Sancho Panza sat his +ass like a patriarch, carrying with him +his saddle-bags and leather bottle; and +all his thoughts were of the Isle which +his master had promised him. Don +Quixote was lost in loftier meditations +until he was roused from his reverie by +the voice of his squire, who said: "I hope +your Grace has not forgotten the Isle +which I was to have, for I shall know +well how to govern it, however big it +may be."</p> + +<p>"As to that," replied Don Quixote +"thou needest have no fear; I shall only +be complying with an ancient and honorable +custom of knights-errant, and, indeed, +I purpose to improve on their +practice, for, instead of waiting, as they +often did, until thou art worn out in my +service, I shall seek the first occasion to +bestow on thee this gift; and it may be +that before a week has passed thou wilt +be crowned king of that Isle."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Sancho, "if this miracle +should come to pass, my good wife Joan +will be a queen and my sons young +princes."</p> + +<p>"Who doubts it?" answered Don +Quixote.</p> + +<p>"I do," rejoined Sancho. "My Joan +a queen! Nay, if it rained crowns, I +don't believe that one would ever settle +on my dame's head. Believe me, your +honor, she's not worth three farthings +as a queen; she might manage as a +countess, though that would be hard +enough."</p> + +<p>"Think not so meanly of thyself, +Sancho," said Don Quixote, gravely. +"Marquis is the very least title which I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_619" id="Page_619">[619]</a></span> +intend for thee, if thou wilt be content +with that."</p> + +<p>"That I will, and heaven bless your +honor," said Sancho heartily. "I will +take what you give and be thankful, +knowing that you will not make the +burden too heavy for my back."</p> + +<p>Chatting thus, they reached the top +of rising ground and saw before them +thirty or forty windmills in the plain +below; and as soon as Don Quixote set +eyes on them he said to his squire: +"Friend Sancho, we are in luck to-day! +See, there stands a troop of monstrous +giants, thirty or more, and with them I +will forthwith do battle and slay them +every one. With their spoils we will lay +the foundation of our fortune, as is the +victor's right; moreover it is doing heaven +good service to sweep this generation of +vipers from off the face of the earth."</p> + +<p>"What giants do you mean?" asked +Sancho Panza.</p> + +<p>"Those whom thou seest yonder," +answered his master, "with the long +arms, which in such creatures are sometimes +two leagues in length."</p> + +<p>"What is your honor thinking of?" +cried Sancho. "Those are not giants, +but windmills, and their arms, as you call +them, are the sails, which, being driven +by the wind, set the millstones going."</p> + +<p>"'Tis plain," said Don Quixote, "that +thou hast still much to learn in our school +of adventures. I tell thee they are +giants, and if thou art afraid, keep out +of the way and pass the time in prayer +while I am engaged with them in fierce +and unequal battle."</p> + +<p>Saying this, he set spurs to Rozinante, +and turning a deaf ear to the cries of +Sancho, who kept repeating that the +supposed giants were nothing but windmills, +he thundered across the plain, +shouting at the top of his voice: "Fly +not, ye cowardly loons, for it is only a +single knight who is coming to attack +you!"</p> + +<p>Just at this moment there came a puff +of wind, which set the sails in motion; +seeing which, Don Quixote cried: "Ay, +swing your arms! If ye had more of them +than Briareos himself, I would make you +pay for it." Then, with a heartfelt +appeal to his lady Dulcinea, he charged +full gallop at the nearest mill, and pierced +the descending sail with his lance. The +weapon was shivered to pieces, and horse +and rider, caught by the sweep of the +sail, were sent rolling with great violence +across the plain.</p> + +<p>"Heaven preserve us!" cried Sancho, +who had followed as fast as his ass could +trot, and found his master lying very +still by the side of his steed. "Did I not +warn your honor that those things were +windmills and not giants at all? Surely +none could fail to see it, unless he had +such another whirligig in his own pate!"</p> + +<p>"Be silent, good Sancho!" replied Don +Quixote, "and know that the things of +war, beyond all others, are subject to +continual mutation. Moreover, in the +present case I think, nay, I am sure, +that an alien power has been at work, +even that wicked enchanter Friston; he +it is who has changed those giants into +windmills to rob me of the honor of their +defeat. But in the end all his evil devices +shall be baffled by my good sword."</p> + +<p>"Heaven grant that it may be so!" +said Sancho, assisting him to rise; and +the knight then remounted Rozinante, +whose shoulders were almost splayed by +his fall, and turned his face towards the +Puerto Lapice, a rugged mountain pass +through which ran the main road from +Madrid to Andalusia; for such a place,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_620" id="Page_620">[620]</a></span> +he thought, could not fail to afford rich +and varied matter for adventures.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_412" id="Note_412">412</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">One of the best of Mr. Scudder's many fine +compilations for children is his <i>Book of +Legends</i> from which the following story is +taken. It is the same story that Longfellow +tells in his <i>Tales of a Wayside Inn</i> +under the title of "King Robert of Sicily." +("The Proud King" is used here by permission +of and special arrangement with +the publishers, The Houghton Mifflin Co., +Boston.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE PROUD KING</h4> + +<div class='center'>HORACE E. SCUDDER</div> + +<p>There was once a king who ruled over +many lands; he went to war, and added +one country after another to his kingdom. +At last he came to be emperor, and that +is as much as any man can be. One +night, after he was crowned emperor, +he lay awake and thought about himself.</p> + +<p>"Surely," he said, "no one can be +greater than I am, on earth or in heaven."</p> + +<p>The proud king fell asleep with these +thoughts. When he awoke, the day was +fair, and he looked out on the pleasant +world.</p> + +<p>"Come," he said to the men about +him; "to-day we will go a-hunting."</p> + +<p>The horses were brought, the dogs +came leaping, the horns sounded, and +the proud king with his courtiers rode +off to the sport. They had hunted all +the morning, and were now in a deep +wood. In the fields the sun had beat +upon their heads, and they were glad +of the shade of the trees; but the proud +king wished for something more. He +saw a lake not far off, and he said to +his men:</p> + +<p>"Bide ye here, while I bathe in the +lake and cool myself."</p> + +<p>Then he rode apart till he came to the +shore of the lake. There he got down +from his horse, laid aside his clothes, +and plunged into the cool water. He +swam about, and sometimes dived +beneath the surface, and so was once +more cool and fresh.</p> + +<p>Now while the proud king was swimming +away from the shore and diving +to the bottom, there came one who had +the same face and form as the king. +He drew near the shore, dressed himself +in the king's clothes, mounted the king's +horse and rode away. So when the +proud king was once more cool and fresh, +and came to the place where he had left +his clothes and his horse, there were no +clothes to be seen, and no horse.</p> + +<p>The proud king looked about, but saw +no man. He called, but no one heard +him. The air was mild, but the wood +was dark, and no sunshine came through +to warm him after his cool bath. He +walked by the shore of the lake and cast +about in his mind what he should do.</p> + +<p>"I have it," he cried at last. "Not +far from here lives a knight. It was but +a few days ago that I made him a knight +and gave him a castle. I will go to him, +and he will be glad enough to clothe +his king."</p> + +<p>The proud king wove some reeds into +a mat and bound the mat about him, +and then he walked to the castle of the +knight. He beat loudly at the gate of +the castle and called for the porter. The +porter came and stood behind the gate. +He did not draw the bolt at once, but +asked:—</p> + +<p>"Who is there?"</p> + +<p>"Open the gate," said the proud king, +"and you will see who I am."</p> + +<p>The porter opened the gate, and was +amazed at what he saw.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_621" id="Page_621">[621]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Who are you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Wretch!" said the proud king; "I +am the emperor. Go to your master. +Bid him come to me with clothes. I +have lost both clothes and horse."</p> + +<p>"A pretty emperor!" the porter +laughed. "The great emperor was here +not an hour ago. He came with his +court from a hunt. My master was +with him and sat at meat with him. +But stay you here. I will call my master. +Oh, yes! I will show him the emperor," +and the porter wagged his beard and +laughed, and went within.</p> + +<p>He came forth again with the knight +and pointed at the proud king.</p> + +<p>"There is the emperor!" he said. +"Look at him! look at the great emperor!"</p> + +<p>"Draw near," said the proud king to +the knight, "and kneel to me. I gave +thee this castle. I made thee knight. +I give thee now a greater gift. I give +thee the chance to clothe thy emperor +with clothes of thine own."</p> + +<p>"You dog!" cried the knight. "You +fool! I have just ridden with the +emperor, and have come back to my +castle. Here!" he shouted to his servants, +"beat this fellow and drive him +away from the gate."</p> + +<p>The porter looked on and laughed.</p> + +<p>"Lay on well," he said to the other +servants. "It is not every day that +you can flog an emperor."</p> + +<p>Then they beat the proud king, and +drove him from the gate of the castle.</p> + +<p>"Base knight!" said the proud king. +"I gave him all he has, and this is how +he repays me. I will punish him when +I sit on my throne again. I will go +to the duke who lives not far away. +Him I have known all my days. He +will know me. He will know his +emperor."</p> + +<p>So he came to the gate of the duke's +great hall, and knocked three times. +At the third knock the porter opened the +gate, and saw before him a man clad +only in a mat of reeds, and stained and +bleeding.</p> + +<p>"Go, I pray you, to the duke," said +the proud king, "and bid him come to +me. Say to him that the emperor +stands at the gate. He has been robbed +of his clothes and of his horse. Go +quickly to your master."</p> + +<p>The porter closed the gate between +them, and went within to the duke.</p> + +<p>"Your Grace," said he, "there is a +madman at the gate. He is unclad and +wild. He bade me come to you and +tell you that he was the emperor."</p> + +<p>"Here is a strange thing indeed," said +the duke; "I will see it for myself."</p> + +<p>So he went to the gate, followed by +his servants, and when the porter opened +it there stood the proud king. The +proud king knew the duke, but the duke +saw only a bruised and beaten madman.</p> + +<p>"Do you not know me?" cried the +proud king. "I am your emperor. Only +this morning you were on the hunt with +me. I left you that I might bathe in +the lake. While I was in the water, +some wretch took both my clothes and +my horse, and I—I have been beaten +by a base knight."</p> + +<p>"Put him in chains," said the duke to +his servants. "It is not safe to have +such a man free. Give him some straw +to lie on, and some bread and water."</p> + +<p>The duke turned away and went back +to his hall, where his friends sat at table.</p> + +<p>"That was a strange thing," he said. +"There was a madman at the gate. He +must have been in the wood this morning, +for he told me that I was on the hunt +with the emperor, and so I was; and he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_622" id="Page_622">[622]</a></span> +told me that the emperor went apart to +bathe in the lake, and so he did. But +he said that some one stole the clothes +and the horse of the emperor, yet the +emperor rode back to us cool and fresh, +and clothed and on his horse. And he +said"—And the duke looked around on +his guests.</p> + +<p>"What did he say?"</p> + +<p>"He said that he was the emperor."</p> + +<p>Then the guests fell to talking and +laughing, and soon forgot the strange +thing. But the proud king lay in a dark +prison, far even from the servants of +the duke. He lay on straw, and chains +bound his feet.</p> + +<p>"What is this that has come upon me?" +he said. "Am I brought so low? Am I +so changed that even the duke does not +know me? At least there is one who +will know me, let me wear what I may."</p> + +<p>Then, by much labor, he loosed the +chains that bound him, and fled in the +night from the duke's prison. When the +morning came, he stood at the door of +his own palace. He stood there awhile; +perhaps some one would open the door +and let him in. But no one came, and +the proud king lifted his hand and +knocked; he knocked at the door of his +own palace. The porter came at last and +looked at him.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" he asked, "and what +do you want?"</p> + +<p>"Do you not know me?" cried the +proud king. "I am your master. I +am the king. I am the emperor. Let +me pass"; and he would have thrust +him aside. But the porter was a strong +man; he stood in the doorway, and would +not let the proud king enter.</p> + +<p>"You my master! you the emperor! +poor fool, look here!" and he held the +proud king by the arm while he pointed +to a hall beyond. There sat the emperor +on his throne, and by his side was the +queen.</p> + +<p>"Let me go to her! she will know +me," cried the proud king, and he tried +to break away from the porter. The +noise without was heard in the hall. +The nobles came out, and last of all +came the emperor and the queen. When +the proud king saw these two, he could +not speak. He was choked with rage +and fear, and he knew not what.</p> + +<p>"You know me!" at last he cried. +"I am your lord and husband."</p> + +<p>The queen shrank back.</p> + +<p>"Friends," said the man who stood +by her, "what shall be done to this +wretch?"</p> + +<p>"Kill him," said one.</p> + +<p>"Put out his eyes," said another.</p> + +<p>"Beat him," said a third.</p> + +<p>Then they all hustled the proud king +out of the palace court. Each one gave +him a blow, and so he was thrust out, +and the door was shut behind him.</p> + +<p>The proud king fled, he knew not +whither. He wished he were dead. +By and by he came to the lake where +he had bathed. He sat down on the +shore. It was like a dream, but he knew +he was awake, for he was cold and +hungry and faint. Then he knelt on +the ground and beat his breast, and said:</p> + +<p>"I am no emperor. I am no king. +I am a poor, sinful man. Once I thought +there was no one greater than I, on earth +or in heaven. Now I know that I am +nothing, and there is no one so poor and +so mean. God forgive me for my pride."</p> + +<p>As he said this, tears stood in his +eyes. He wiped them away and rose +to his feet. Close by him he saw the +clothes which he had once laid aside. +Near at hand was his horse, eating the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_623" id="Page_623">[623]</a></span> +soft grass. The king put on his clothes; +he mounted his horse and rode to his +palace. As he drew near, the door +opened and servants came forth. One +held his horse; another helped him +dismount. The porter bowed low.</p> + +<p>"I marvel I did not see thee pass +out, my lord," he said.</p> + +<p>The king entered, and again saw the +nobles in the great hall. There stood +the queen also, and by her side was the +man who called himself emperor. But +the queen and the nobles did not look +at him; they looked at the king, and +came forward to meet him.</p> + +<p>This man also came forward, but he +was clad in shining white, and not in +the robes of the emperor. The king +bowed his head before him.</p> + +<p>"I am thy angel," said the man. +"Thou wert proud, and made thyself +to be set on high. Therefore thou hast +been brought low. I have watched over +thy kingdom. Now I give it back to +thee, for thou art once again humble, +and the humble only are fit to rule."</p> + +<p>Then the angel disappeared. No one +else heard his voice, and the nobles +thought the king had bowed to them. +So the king once more sat on the throne, +and ruled wisely and humbly ever after.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_413" id="Note_413">413</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Eva March Tappan (1854—) has compiled +many books for children, including the +popular collection in ten volumes called +<i>The Children's Hour</i>. Among her most +delightful books is <i>Robin Hood: His Book</i>, +from which the following story is taken, +(by permission of the publishers, Little, +Brown & Co., Boston). Some few moralists +have been distressed about giving +stories of an outlaw to children, but Robin +Hood was really the champion of the people +against tyrannous oppression and injustice. +This is the fact that children never miss, +and the thing that endears Robin and his +followers in Lincoln green. There is, of +course, the further interesting fact that +these stories take place out in the open and +have the charm that comes from adventures +and wanderings through the secrecies of +ancient Sherwood Forest. Against this +outdoor background are displayed the good +old "virtues of courage, forbearance, gentleness, +courtesy, justice, and championship."</div> + + +<h4><br />ROBIN AND THE MERRY LITTLE +OLD WOMAN</h4> + +<div class='center'>EVA MARCH TAPPAN<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Monday I wash and Tuesday I iron,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wednesday I cook and I mend;</span><br /> +Thursday I brew and Friday I sweep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And baking day brings the end."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>So sang the merry little old woman as +she sat at her wheel and spun; but +when she came to the last line she really +could not help pushing back the flax-wheel +and springing to her feet. Then +she held out her skirt and danced a gay +little jig as she sang,—</p> + +<div class='center'> +"Hey down, down, an a down!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>She curtseyed to one side of the room +and then to another, and before she knew +it she was curtseying to a man who stood +in the open door.</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh, oh!" cried the merry little +old woman. "Whatever shall I do? +An old woman ought to sit and spin +and not be dancing like a young girl. +Oh, but it's Master Robin! Glad am +I to set eyes on you, Master Robin. +Come in, and I'll throw my best cloak +over the little stool for a cushion. Don't +be long standing on the threshold, +Master Robin."</p> + +<p>"It'll mayhap come to pass that I'll +wish I had something to stand on," +said Robin, grimly, "for the proud<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_624" id="Page_624">[624]</a></span> +bishop is in the forest, and he's after +me with all his men. It's night and +day that he's been following me, and +now he's caught me surely. You've +no meal chest, have you, and you've +no press, and you've no feather-bed +that'll hide me? There's but the one +wee bit room, and there's not even a +mousehole."</p> + +<p>The little woman's heart beat fast. +What could she do?</p> + +<p>"I mind me well of a Saturday night," +said she, "when I'd but little firewood +and it was bitter cold, that you and your +men brought me such fine logs as the +great folks at the hall don't have; and +then you came in yourself and gave me +a pair of shoon and some brand-new +hosen, all soft and fine and woolly—I +don't believe the king himself has such +a pair—oh, Master Robin, I've thought +of something. Give me your mantle +of green and your fine gray tunic, and +do you put on my kirtle and jacket and +gown, and tie my red and blue kerchief +over your head—you gave it to me +yourself, you did; it was on Easter Day +in the morning—and do you sit down +at the wheel and spin. See, you put +your foot on the treadle <i>so</i>, to turn the +wheel, and you twist the flax with your +fingers <i>so</i>. Don't you get up, but just +turn the wheel and grumble and mumble +to yourself."</p> + +<p>It was not long before the bishop and +all his men came riding up to the little +old woman's house. The bishop thrust +open the door and called:—</p> + +<p>"Old woman, what have you done with +Robin Hood?" but Robin sat grumbling +and mumbling at the wheel and answered +never a word to the proud bishop.</p> + +<p>"She's mayhap daft," said one of the +bishop's men. "We'll soon find him"; +and in a minute he had looked up the +chimney and behind the dresser and +under the wooden bedstead. Then he +turned to the corner cupboard.</p> + +<p>"You're daft yourself," said the bishop, +"to look in that little place for a strong +man like Robin." And all the time the +spinner at the wheel sat grumbling and +mumbling. It was a queer thread that +was wound on the spool, but no one +thought of that. It was Robin that +they wanted, and they cared little what +kind of thread an old woman in a cottage +was a-spinning.</p> + +<p>"He's here, your Reverence," called +a man who had opened the lower door +of the corner cupboard.</p> + +<p>"Bring him out and set him on the +horse," ordered the bishop, "and see to +it that you treat him like a wax candle +in the church. The king's bidden that +the thief and outlaw be brought to him, +and I well know he'll hang the rogue +on a gallows so high that it will show +over the whole kingdom; but he has +given orders that no one shall have the +reward if the rascal has but a bruise on +his finger, save that it came in a fair +fight."</p> + +<p>So the merry little old woman in +Robin's tunic and Robin's green cloak +was set gently on a milk-white steed. +The bishop himself mounted a dapple-gray, +and down the road they went.</p> + +<p>It was the cheeriest party that one +can imagine. The bishop went laughing +all the way for pure delight that he had +caught Robin Hood. He told more +stories than one could make up in an +age of leap-years, and they were all +about where he went and what he did +in the days before he became bishop. +The men were so happy at the thought +of having the great reward the king had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_625" id="Page_625">[625]</a></span> +offered that they laughed at the bishop's +stories louder than any one had ever +laughed at them before. And as for the +merry little old woman, she had the +gayest time of all, though she had to +keep her face muffled in her hood, and +couldn't laugh aloud the least bit, and +couldn't jump down from the great +white horse and dance the gay little +jig that her feet were fairly aching to try.</p> + +<p>While the merry little old woman was +riding off with the bishop and his men, +Robin sat at the flax-wheel and spun +and spun till he could no longer hear +the beat of the horses' hoofs on the hard +ground. No time had he to take off the +kirtle and the jacket and the kerchief of +red and blue, for no one knew when +the proud bishop might find out that +he had the wrong prisoner, and would +come galloping back to the cottage on +the border of the forest.</p> + +<p>"If I can only get to my good men and +true!" thought Robin; and he sprang +up from the little flax-wheel with the +distaff in his hand, and ran out of the +open door.</p> + +<p>All the long day had Robin been away +from his bowmen, and as the twilight +time drew near, they were more and +more fearful of what might have befallen +him. They went to the edge of the +forest, and there they sat with troubled +faces.</p> + +<p>"I've heard that the sheriff was seen +but two days ago on the eastern side of +the wood," said Much the miller's son.</p> + +<p>"And the proud bishop's not in his +palace," muttered Will Scarlet. "Where +he's gone I know not, but may the saints +keep Master Robin from meeting him. +He hates us men of the greenwood worse +than the sheriff does, and he'd hang any +one of us to the nearest oak."</p> + +<p>"He'd not hang Master Robin," +declared Much the miller's son, "for +the bishop likes good red gold, and the +king's offered a great reward for him +alive and unhurt." The others laughed, +but in a moment they were grave again, +and peered anxiously through the trees +in one way and then in another, while +nearer came the twilight.</p> + +<p>"There are folks who say the forest +is haunted," said Little John. "I never +saw anything, but one night when +I was close to the little black pond +that lies to the westward, I heard a cry +that wasn't from bird or beast; I know +that."</p> + +<p>"And didn't you see anything?" +asked Much the miller's son.</p> + +<p>"No," answered Little John, "but +where there's a cry, there's something +to make the cry, and it wasn't bird or +beast; I'm as sure of that as I am that +my name is Little John."</p> + +<p>"But it isn't," declared Friar Tuck. +"You were christened John Little." No +one smiled, for they were too much +troubled about Robin.</p> + +<p>"When I was a youngster," said +William Scarlet, "I had an old nurse, +and she told me that a first cousin of +hers knew a woman whose husband was +going through the forest by night, and +he saw a witch carry a round bundle +under her arm. It was wrapped up in +a brown kerchief; and while he looked, +the wind blew the kerchief away, and +he saw that the round bundle was a +man's head. The mouth of it opened +and called, 'Help! help!' He shot an +arrow through the old witch, and then +he said to the head, 'Where do you want +to go? Whose head are you?' The +head answered, 'I'm your head, and I +want to go on your shoulders.' Then he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_626" id="Page_626">[626]</a></span> +put up his hand, and, sure enough, his +own head was gone, and there it lay on +the ground beside the dead witch with +the arrow sticking through her. He +took up the head and set it on his +shoulders. This was the story that he +told when he came back in the morning, +but no one knew whether really to believe +it all or not. After that night he always +carried his head a bit on one side, and +some said it was because he hadn't set +it back quite straight: but there are some +folks that won't believe anything unless +they see it themselves, and they said he +had had a drink or two more than he +should and that he took cold in his +neck from sleeping with his head on +the wet moss."</p> + +<p>"Everybody knows there are witches," +said Will Scarlet, "and folks say that +wherever they may be through the day, +they run to the forest when the sun +begins to sink, and while they're running +they can't say any magic words to hurt +a man if he shoots them."</p> + +<p>"What's that?" whispered Much the +miller's son softly, and he fitted an arrow +to the string.</p> + +<p>"Wait; make a cross on it first," +said Little John.</p> + +<p>Something was flitting over the little +moor. The soft gray mist hid the lower +part of it, but the men could see what +looked like the upper part of a woman's +body, scurrying along through the fog +in some mysterious fashion. Its arms +were tossing wildly about, and it seemed +to be beckoning. The head was covered +with what might have been a kerchief, +but it was too dusky to see clearly.</p> + +<p>"Don't shoot till it's nearer," whispered +William Scarlet. "They say if +you hurt a witch and don't kill her +outright, you'll go mad forever after."</p> + +<p>Nearer came the witch, but still Much +the miller's son waited with his bow +bent and the arrow aimed. The witch +ran under the low bough of a tree, the +kerchief was caught on a broken limb, +and—</p> + +<p>"Why, it's Master Robin!" shouted +Much the miller's son. "It's Master +Robin himself"; and so it was. No +time had he taken to throw off the gray +kirtle and the black jacket and the blue +and red kerchief about his head; for +as soon as ever he could no longer hear +the tramp of the horses's hoofs, he had +run with the distaff still in his hand to +the shelter of the good greenwood and +the help of his own faithful men and +true.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the bishop was still telling +stories of what he did before he was a +bishop, and the men were laughing at +them, and the merry little old woman +was having the gayest time of all, even +though she dared not laugh out loud.</p> + +<p>Now that the bishop had caught +Robin Hood he had no fear of the greenwood +rangers; and as the forest road +was much nearer than the highway, +down the forest road the happy company +went. The merry little old woman had +sometimes sat on a pillion and ridden a +farm beast from the plough; but to be +on a great horse like this, one that held +his head so high and stepped so carefully +where it was rough, and galloped so +lightly and easily where it was smooth—why, +she had never even dreamed of such +a magnificent ride. Not a word did she +speak, not even when the bishop began +to tell her that no gallows would be high +enough to hang such a wicked outlaw. +"You've stolen gold from the knights," +said he, "you've stolen from the sheriff +of Nottingham, and you've even stolen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_627" id="Page_627">[627]</a></span> +from me. Glad am I to see Robin +Hood—but what's that?" the bishop +cried. "Who are those men, and who +is their leader? And who are you?" +he demanded of the merry little old +woman.</p> + +<p>Now the little woman had been taught +to order herself lowly and reverently to +all her betters, so before she answered +the bishop she slipped down from the +tall white horse and made a deep curtsey +to the great man.</p> + +<p>"If you please, sir," said she, "I +think it's Robin Hood and his men."</p> + +<p>"And who are you?" he demanded +again.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm nobody but a little old +woman that lives in a cottage alone +and spins," and then she sang in a +lightsome little chirrup of a voice:—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Monday I wash and Tuesday I iron,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Wednesday I cook and I mend;</span><br /> +Thursday I brew and Friday I sweep,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And baking day brings the end."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>I fear that the bishop did not hear +the little song, for the arrows were flying +thick and fast. The little old woman +slipped behind a big tree, and there she +danced her</p> + +<div class='center'> +"Hey down, down, an a down!"<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>to her heart's content, while the fighting +went on.</div> + +<p>It was not long before the great bishop +was Robin's prisoner, and ere he could +go free, he had to open his strong leather +wallet and count out more gold than the +moon had shone on in the forest for +many and many a night. He laid down +the goldpieces one by one, and at every +piece he gave a groan that seemed to +come from the very bottom of his boots.</p> + +<p>"That's for all the world like the cry +I heard from the little black pond to +the westward," said Little John. "It +wasn't like bird and it wasn't like +beast, and now I know what it was; +it was the soul of a stingy man, and he +had to count over and over the money +that he ought to have given away when +he was alive."</p> + +<p>As for the merry little old woman, +she was a prisoner too, and such a time +as she had! First there was a bigger +feast than she had ever dreamed of before, +and every man of Robin's followers was +bound that she should eat the bit that +he thought was nicest. They made her +a little throne of soft green moss, and on +it they laid their hunting cloaks. They +built a shelter of fresh boughs over her +head, and then they sang songs to her. +They set up great torches all round +about the glade. They wrestled and +they vaulted and they climbed. They +played every game that could be played +by torchlight, and it was all to please the +kind little woman who had saved the +life of their master.</p> + +<p>The merry little woman sat and +clapped her hands at all their feats, and +she laughed until she cried. Then she +wiped her eyes and sang them her one +little song.</p> + +<p>The men shouted and cheered, and +cheered and shouted, and the woods +echoed so long and so loud that one would +have thought they, too, were trying to +shout.</p> + +<p>By and by the company all set out +together to carry the little old woman +to her cottage. She was put upon their +very best and safest horse, and Robin +Hood would have none lead it but himself. +After the horse came a long line +of good bowmen and true. One carried +a new cloak of the finest wool. Another +bore a whole armful of silken kerchiefs +to make up for the one that Robin had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_628" id="Page_628">[628]</a></span> +worn away. There were "shoon and +hosen," and there was cloth of scarlet +and of blue, and there were soft, warm +blankets for her bed. There were so +many things that when they were all +piled up in the little cottage, there was +no chance for one tenth of the men to +get into the room. Those that were +outside pushed up to the window and +stretched their heads in at the door: and +they tried their best to pile up the great +heap of things so she could have room +to go to bed that night and to cook her +breakfast in the morning.</p> + +<p>"And to-morrow's sweeping day," +cried Robin. "'Thursday I brew and +Friday I sweep,' and how'll she sweep +if she has no floor?"</p> + +<p>"We'll have to make her a floor," +declared Friar Tuck.</p> + +<p>"So we will," said Robin. "There's +a good man not far away who can work +in wood, and he shall come in the morning +and build her another room."</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" cried the merry little old +woman with delight, "I never thought +I should have a house with two rooms; +but I'll always care for this room the +most, for there's just where Master +Robin stood when he came in at the door, +and there's where he sat when he was +spinning the flax. But, Master Robin, +Master Robin, did any one ever see +such a thread as you've left on the spool!"</p> + +<p>It was so funny that the merry little +old woman really couldn't help jumping +up and dancing.</p> + +<div class='center'> +"Hey down, down, an a down!"<br /> +</div> + +<p>And then the brave men and true all +said good-night and went back to the +forest.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_414" id="Note_414">414</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">All attempts to prove the historical existence +of Robin Hood have been unsuccessful. +His story has come down to us in a group +of old folk ballads, about forty in number, +dating from about the beginning of the +fifteenth century. One of these old ballads +is given below. They were sung to a +recurrent melody, which was as much a +part of them as the words of the story. +Other ballads in the group that are likely +to be very interesting to children are +"Robin Hood and Little John," "Robin +Hood and Maid Marian," "Robin Hood +Rescuing the Three Squires," "Robin +Hood's Death and Burial." The best +source for these ballads is Child's <i>English +and Scottish Popular Ballads</i> (ed. Sargent +and Kittredge). Tennyson dramatized the +Robin Hood story in <i>The Foresters</i>, as did +Alfred Noyes in <i>Sherwood</i>. Reginald De +Koven made a very successful comic opera +out of it, while Thomas Love Peacock's +<i>Maid Marian</i> is an interesting novelization +of the theme.</div> + + +<h4><br />ALLEN-A-DALE</h4> + +<div class='poem'> +Come listen to me, you gallants so free,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All you that love mirth for to hear,</span><br /> +And I will tell you of a bold outlaw,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">That lived in Nottinghamshire.</span><br /> +<br /> +As Robin Hood in the forest stood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">All under the greenwood tree,</span><br /> +There was he ware of a brave young man,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As fine as fine might be.</span><br /> +<br /> +The youngster was clothed in scarlet red,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">In scarlet fine and gay,</span><br /> +And he did frisk it over the plain,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And chanted a roundelay.</span><br /> +<br /> +As Robin Hood next morning stood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Amongst the leaves so gay,</span><br /> +There did he spy the same young man<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come drooping along the way.</span><br /> +<br /> +The scarlet he wore the day before,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">It was clean cast away;</span><br /> +And every step he fetched a sigh,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_629" id="Page_629">[629]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Alack! and well-a-day!"</span><br /> +<br /> +Then stepped forth brave Little John.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And Nick, the miller's son,</span><br /> +Which made the young man bend his bow,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">When as he saw them come.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Stand off! stand off!" the young man said;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"What is your will with me?"</span><br /> +"You must come before our master straight,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Under yon greenwood tree."</span><br /> +<br /> +And when he came bold Robin before,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Robin asked him courteously,</span><br /> +"O hast thou any money to spare<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">For my merry men and me?"</span><br /> +<br /> +"I have no money," the young man said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"But five shillings and a ring;</span><br /> +And that I have kept this seven long years,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">To have it at my wedding.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Yesterday I should have married a maid,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">But she is now from me ta'en,</span><br /> +And chosen to be an old knight's delight,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Whereby my poor heart is slain."</span><br /> +<br /> +"What is thy name?" then said Robin Hood;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Come tell me without any fail."</span><br /> +"By the faith of my body," then said the young man,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"My name it is Allen-a-Dale."</span><br /> +<br /> +"What wilt thou give me," said Robin Hood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"In ready gold or fee,</span><br /> +To help thee to thy truelove again,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And deliver her unto thee?"</span><br /> +<br /> +"I have no money," then quoth the young man,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"No ready gold nor fee,</span><br /> +But I will swear upon a book<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Thy true servant for to be."</span><br /> +<br /> +"How many miles is it to thy truelove?<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Come tell me without any guile:"</span><br /> +"By the faith of my body," then said the young man,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"It is but five little mile."</span><br /> +<br /> +Then Robin he hasted over the plain,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">He did neither stint nor lin,</span><br /> +Until he came unto the church<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Where Allen should keep his wedding.</span><br /> +<br /> +"What dost thou here?" the bishop he said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"I prithee now tell to me"</span><br /> +"I am a bold harper," quoth Robin Hood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"And the best in the north country."</span><br /> +<br /> +"O welcome, O welcome," the bishop he said.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"That music best pleaseth me."</span><br /> +"You shall have no music," quoth Robin Hood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Till the bride and bridegroom I see."</span><br /> +<br /> +With that came in a wealthy knight,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Which was both grave and old,</span><br /> +And after him a finikin lass,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Did shine like glistering gold.</span><br /> +<br /> +"This is no fit match," quoth bold Robin Hood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"That you do seem to make here;</span><br /> +For since we are come unto the church,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The bride she shall choose her own dear."</span><br /> +<br /> +Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And blew blasts two or three;</span><br /> +When four and twenty bowmen bold<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Came leaping over the lea.</span><br /> +<br /> +And when they came into the churchyard,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Marching all in a row,</span><br /> +The first man was Allen-a-Dale,<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_630" id="Page_630">[630]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">To give bold Robin his bow.</span><br /> +<br /> +"This is thy truelove," Robin he said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Young Allen, as I hear say;</span><br /> +And you shall be married at this same time,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Before we depart away."</span><br /> +<br /> +"That shall not be," the bishop he said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"For thy word shall not stand;</span><br /> +They shall be three times asked in the church,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">As the law is of our land."</span><br /> +<br /> +Robin Hood pulled off the bishop's coat,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">And put it upon Little John;</span><br /> +"By the faith of my body," then Robin said,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"This cloth doth make thee a man."</span><br /> +<br /> +When Little John went into the choir,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The people began for to laugh;</span><br /> +He asked them seven times in the church,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Lest three times should not be enough.</span><br /> +<br /> +"Who gives me this maid?" then said Little John;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Quoth Robin, "That do I,</span><br /> +And he that doth take her from Allen-a-Dale<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Full dearly he shall her buy."</span><br /> +<br /> +And thus having ended this merry wedding,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">The bride looked as fresh as a queen,</span><br /> +And so they returned to the merry greenwood,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Amongst the leaves so green.</span><br /> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_631" id="Page_631">[631]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION XI</h2> + +<h3>BIOGRAPHY AND HERO STORIES</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_632" id="Page_632">[632]</a></span></p> + +<h2>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + +<div class='unindent'> +Abbott, J. S. C., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14243">Christopher Carson</a></i>. <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4355">David Crockett</a>.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Antin, Mary, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20885">The Promised Land</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Baldwin, James, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11174">Four Great Americans</a></i>. [Washington, Franklin, Webster, Lincoln.] <i>An +American Book of Golden Deeds.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Bolton, Sarah K., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12081">Lives of Girls Who Became Famous</a></i>. <i>Lives of Poor Boys Who Became Famous.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Boutet de Monvel, Louis Maurice, <i>Joan of Arc</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brooks, Elbridge S., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1488">True Story of Christopher Columbus</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Cody, Col. W. F., <i>Adventures of Buffalo Bill</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Franklin, Benjamin, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20203">Autobiography</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Golding, V., <i>Story of David Livingston</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Gould, F. J., <i>The Children's Plutarch</i>. [2 vols., one of Greeks, the other of Romans.]</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hathaway, Esse V., <i>Napoleon, the Little Corsican</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hughes, Thomas, <i>Alfred the Great</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Jefferson, Joseph, <i>Autobiography</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Jenks, Tudor, <i>Captain John Smith</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Keller, Helen, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2397">The Story of My Life</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Larcom, Lucy, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2293">A New England Girlhood</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Mabie, Hamilton W., <i>Heroines Every Child Should Know</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Moores, Charles W., <i>Life of Abraham Lincoln for Boys and Girls</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Muir, John, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18359">Story of My Boyhood and Youth</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Nicolay, Helen, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1815">Boy's Life of Abraham Lincoln</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Page, Thomas Nelson, <i>Robert E. Lee: Man and Soldier</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Paine, Albert Bigelow, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3463">Boy's Life of Mark Twain</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Quiller-Couch, Sir Arthur, <i>Roll Call of Honor</i>. [Bolivar, John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, +Garibaldi, David Livingston, Florence Nightingale, Pasteur, Gordon, Father Damien.]</div> +<div class='hang1'>Richards, Laura E., <i>Florence Nightingale</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Riis, Jacob, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6125">Making of an American</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Roosevelt, Theodore, and Lodge, Henry Cabot, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1864">Hero Tales from American History</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Scudder, Horace E., <i>George Washington</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Shaw, Anna Howard, <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/354">The Story of a Pioneer</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Tarbell, Ida M., <i>Life of Abraham Lincoln</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Thwaites, Reuben G., <i>Daniel Boone</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Washington, Booker T., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2376">Up from Slavery</a></i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>White, John S., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2484">Boys' and Girls' Plutarch</a></i>. [Preserves parallel arrangement.]</div> +<div class='hang1'>Yonge, Charlotte M., <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6489">A Book of Golden Deeds</a></i>. +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_633" id="Page_633">[633]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION XI. BIOGRAPHY AND HERO STORIES</h2> + +<h3>INTRODUCTORY</h3> + + +<p><i>Biography and its value.</i> The great charm of biography for both young and old +is in its perfect concreteness. Nothing fascinates like the story of a real person at +grips with realities. Nothing inspires like the story of a hard-won victory over difficulties. +Here are instances of men and women, our own kindred, facing great crises +in the physical or moral realm with the calm courage and the clear mind of which +we have dreamed. Here are others who have fought the brave fight in opposition +to the stupidities and long-entrenched prejudices of their fellows. Here are still +others who have wrested from nature her innermost secrets, who have won for us +immunity against lurking diseases and dangers, who have labored successfully against +great odds to make life more safe, more comfortable, or more beautiful. All these +records of real accomplishment appeal to the youthful spirit of emulation, and there +can be no stronger inspiration in facing the unsolved problems of the future. "What +men have done men can still do."</p> + +<p><i>The material and its presentation.</i> Most teachers will find the biographical or +historical story easier to handle than the imaginative story, because there is a definite +outline of fact from which to work. Only those life stories with which the teacher +is in sympathy can be handled satisfactorily. For that reason no definite list of +suitable material is worth much, except as illustrating the wide range of choice. +Keeping these limitations in mind, we may venture a few practical hints:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1. There is a large list of heroic figures hovering on the border line between +reality and legend of whose stories children never tire. In such a list are the +names of Leonidas, who held the pass at Thermopylae, William Tell and Arnold +von Winkelried, favorite heroes of Switzerland, Robert Bruce of Scotland, and +that pair of immortally faithful friends, Damon and Pythias.</p> + +<p>2. With Marco Polo we may visit the wonderlands of the East, we may go +with Captain Cook through the islands of the southern seas, with Stanley through +darkest Africa, with the brave Scott in his tragic dash for the South Pole. Best +of all, perhaps, we may, with Columbus, discover another America.</p> + +<p>3. How Elihu Burritt became the "learned blacksmith," how Hugh Miller +brought himself to be an authority on the old red sandstone, are always inspiring +stories to the ambitious student. And in any list of achievements by those +bound in by untoward circumstance must be placed that of Booker T. Washington +as told by himself in <i>Up from Slavery</i>.</p> + +<p>4. From our earlier history we may draw upon such lives as those of Franklin, +Washington, and Patrick Henry. There are numberless stirring episodes from +the careers of Francis Marion, Israel Putnam, Nathan Hale, and others that +will occur to any reader of our history. Lincoln's life history offers an almost +inexhaustible treasure. Grant, grimly silent and persevering, and Lee, kindly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_634" id="Page_634">[634]</a></span> +gentleman and military genius, belong in any course that stresses our national +achievements.</p> + +<p>5. Stories of men who have mastered the secrets of the forces of nature never +fail of interest. Stephenson and the locomotive engine, Sir Humphry Davy +and the safety lamp, Whitney and the cotton gin, Marconi and the wonders +of wireless communication, the Wright brothers and the airplane, Edison and +the incandescant light and the motion picture, Luther Burbank and his marvelous +work with plants—these are only a few to place near the head of any list.</p> + +<p>6. Especially interesting for work in the grades are the stories of the pioneer +and plainsman days, of Kit Carson, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, and Buffalo Bill.</p> + +<p>7. We must not neglect stories of achievement by those who have been handicapped +by great physical disability, such as are found in the careers of Henry +Fawcett, the blind statesman of England, and of our own Helen Keller, whose +<i>Story of My Life</i> has become a classic source of material.</p> + +<p>8. The life of Joan of Arc has long been a supreme favorite for biographical +story. Its simple directness, its fiery patriotism, its pathetic and tragic close, +give it all the force of some great consciously designed masterpiece. The events +of such a life can be arranged in a series or cycle of stories. Of very different +type, but of almost equally strong appeal, is the story of the work of Florence +Nightingale, whose efforts among the British soldiers in the terrible scenes of +the Crimean War set in motion those humanitarian enterprises so splendidly +exemplified in the work of the Red Cross organizations.</p> + +<p>9. Finally, no teacher should fail to make use of many modern careers that +impress upon children the devotion of lives spent in bettering the conditions +under which people live. Among some of these may be mentioned Colonel +George E. Waring, the sanitary engineer who really cleaned the streets of New +York; General W. C. Gorgas, who led in the conquest of the great yellow fever +plague; Dr. Wilfred Grenfell, still spending his life for the natives of bleak +Labrador; and the famous French scientist, Louis Pasteur, who found out for +us how to preserve milk and how to escape the dread hydrophobia. Such careers +devoted to ameliorating the evils incident to civilization are of great value in +stirring into active existence the latent spirit of service in every pupil.</p> + +<p>10. Wide-awake teachers will constantly find in the periodicals of the day +many episodes of achievement by men and women working in various fields of +helpfulness. Such present-day accomplishments should be emphasized. We +live in the present, and the duties and opportunities of the present are to furnish +the inspirations and indicate the fields of possible achievement for us.</p></div> + + +<h3><br />SUGGESTIONS FOR READING</h3> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>For a very practical discussion of biographical stories see Lyman, <i>Story Telling</i>, chap. v. The +great classic sources of inspiration on the subject are Carlyle, <i>Heroes and Hero Worship</i>, and Emerson, +<i>Representative Men</i>. Of special value is the opening chapter in the latter book, "Uses of Great +Men."</p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_635" id="Page_635">[635]</a></span></p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_415" id="Note_415">415</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Elbridge S. Brooks (1846-1902) was a well-known +American writer of juvenile books +on history, government, and biography. +His <i>True Story of Christopher Columbus</i>, +from which the following selection was +taken, is a well-written book that pupils +in the fifth and sixth grades read with +pleasure. <i>The Century Book for Young +Americans</i> is a story of our government. +Other books by the same author are <i>The +True Story of George Washington</i>, <i>The True +Story of Lafayette</i>, and <i>The True Story of +U. S. Grant</i>. ("How Columbus Got His +Ships" is used here by permission of the +publishers, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., +Boston.)</div> + + +<h4><br />HOW COLUMBUS GOT HIS SHIPS</h4> + +<div class='center'>ELBRIDGE S. BROOKS</div> + +<p>When Columbus was at school he had +studied about a certain man named +Pythagoras, who had lived in Greece +thousands of years before he was born, +and who had said that the earth was +round "like a ball or an orange." As +Columbus grew older and made maps +and studied the sea, and read books +and listened to what other people said, +he began to believe that this man named +Pythagoras might be right, and that +the earth was round, though everybody +declared it was flat. "If it is round," +he said to himself, "what is the use of +trying to sail around Africa to get to +Cathay? Why not just sail west from +Italy or Spain and keep going right +around the world until you strike Cathay? +I believe it could be done," said Columbus.</p> + +<p>By this time Columbus was a man. +He was thirty years old and was a great +sailor. He had been captain of a number +of vessels; he had sailed north and south +and east; he knew all about a ship and +all about the sea. But, though he was +a good sailor, when he said that he +believed the earth was round, everybody +laughed at him and said that he +was crazy. "Why, how can the earth +be round?" they cried. "The water +would all spill out if it were, and the +men who live on the other side would all +be standing on their heads with their +feet waving in the air." And then they +laughed all the harder.</p> + +<p>But Columbus did not think it was +anything to laugh at. He believed it +so strongly and felt so sure that he was +right, that he set to work to find some +king or prince or great lord to let him +have ships and sailors and money enough +to try to find a way to Cathay by sailing +out into the West and across the Atlantic +Ocean.</p> + +<p>Now this Atlantic Ocean, the western +waves of which break upon our rocks +and beaches, was thought in Columbus's +day to be a dreadful place. People called +it the Sea of Darkness, because they did +not know what was on the other side of +it, or what dangers lay beyond that +distant blue rim where the sky and +water seem to meet, and which we call +the horizon. They thought the ocean +stretched to the end of a flat world, +straight away to a sort of "jumping-off +place," and that in this jumping-off +place were giants and goblins and dragons +and monsters and all sorts of terrible +things that would catch the ships and +destroy them and the sailors.</p> + +<p>So when Columbus said that he wanted +to sail away toward this dreadful jumping-off +place, the people said that he was +worse than crazy. They said he was a +wicked man and ought to be punished.</p> + +<p>But they could not frighten Columbus. +He kept on trying. He went from place +to place trying to get the ships and sailors<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_636" id="Page_636">[636]</a></span> +he wanted and was bound to have. As +you will see later, he tried to get help +wherever he thought it could be had. +He asked the people of his own home, +the city of Genoa, where he had lived +and played when a boy; he asked the +people of the beautiful city that is built +in the sea—Venice; he tried the king +of Portugal, the king of England, the +king of France, the king and queen of +Spain. But for a long time nobody +cared to listen to such a wild and foolish +and dangerous plan—to go to Cathay +by the way of the Sea of Darkness and +the jumping-off place. "You would +never get there alive," they said.</p> + +<p>And so Columbus waited. And his +hair grew white while he waited, though +he was not yet an old man. He had +thought and worked and hoped so much +that he began to look like an old man +when he was forty years old. But still +he would never say that perhaps he was +wrong, after all. He said he knew he +was right, and that some day he should +find the Indies and sail to Cathay.</p> + +<p>I do not wish you to think that +Columbus was the first man to say +that the earth was round, or the first +to sail to the West over the Atlantic +Ocean. He was not. Other men had +said that they believed the earth was +round; other men had sailed out into +the Atlantic Ocean. But no sailor who +believed the earth was round had ever +tried to prove that it was by crossing +the Atlantic. So, you see, Columbus +was really the first man to say, I believe +the earth is round and I will show you +that it is by sailing to the lands that +are on the other side of the earth.</p> + +<p>He even figured out how far it was +around the world. Your geography, you +know, tells you now that what is called +the circumference of the earth—that is, +a straight line drawn right around it—is +nearly twenty-five thousand miles. +Columbus had figured it up pretty carefully +and he thought it was about twenty +thousand miles. "If I could start from +Genoa," he said, "and walk straight +ahead until I got back to Genoa again, I +should walk about twenty thousand +miles." Cathay, he thought, would take +up so much land on the other side of +the world that, if he went west instead +of east, he would only need to sail about +twenty-five hundred or three thousand +miles.</p> + +<p>If you have studied your geography +carefully you will see what a mistake +he made.</p> + +<p>It is really about twelve thousand miles +from Spain to China (or Cathay as he +called it). But America is just about +three thousand miles from Spain, and +if you read all this story you will see how +Columbus's mistake really helped him +to discover America.</p> + +<p>I have told you that Columbus had a +longing to do something great from the +time when, as a little boy, he had hung +around the wharves in Genoa and looked +at the ships sailing east and west and +talked with the sailors and wished that +he could go to sea. Perhaps what he +had learned at school—how some men +said that the earth was round—and +what he had learned on the wharves +about the wonders of Cathay set him +to thinking and dreaming that it might +be possible for a ship to sail around the +world without falling off. At any rate, +he kept on thinking and dreaming and +longing until, at last, he began doing.</p> + +<p>Some of the sailors sent out by Prince +Henry of Portugal, of whom I have +told you, in their trying to sail around<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_637" id="Page_637">[637]</a></span> +Africa discovered two groups of islands +out in the Atlantic that they called the +Azores, or Isles of Hawks, and the Canaries, +or Isles of Dogs. When Columbus +was in Portugal in 1470 he became +acquainted with a young woman whose +name was Philippa Perestrelo. In 1473 +he married her.</p> + +<p>Now Philippa's father, before his +death, had been governor of Porto +Santo, one of the Azores, and Columbus +and his wife went off there to live. In +the governor's house Columbus found a +lot of charts and maps that told him +about parts of the ocean that he had +never before seen, and made him feel +certain that he was right in saying that +if he sailed away to the West he should +find Cathay.</p> + +<p>At that time there was an old man who +lived in Florence, a city of Italy. His +name was Toscanelli. He was a great +scholar and studied the stars and made +maps, and was a very wise man. Columbus +knew what a wise old scholar Toscanelli +was, for Florence is not very far +from Genoa. So while he was living +in the Azores he wrote to this old scholar +asking him what he thought about his +idea that a man could sail around the +world until he reached the land called +the Indies and at last found Cathay.</p> + +<p>Toscanelli wrote to Columbus saying +that he believed his idea was the right +one, and he said it would be a grand +thing to do, if Columbus dared to try +it. "Perhaps," he said, "you can find +all those splendid things that I know +are in Cathay—the great cities with +marble bridges, the houses of marble +covered with gold, the jewels and the +spices and the precious stones, and all +the other wonderful and magnificent +things. I do not wonder you wish to +try," he said, "for if you find Cathay +it will be a wonderful thing for you and +for Portugal."</p> + +<p>That settled it with Columbus. If +this wise old scholar said he was right, +he must be right. So he left his home +in the Azores and went to Portugal. +This was in 1475, and from that time +on, for seventeen long years he was trying +to get some king or prince to help +him sail to the West to find Cathay.</p> + +<p>But not one of the people who could +have helped him, if they had really +wished to, believed in Columbus. As +I told you, they said that he was crazy. +The king of Portugal, whose name was +John, did a very unkind thing—I am +sure you would call it a mean trick. +Columbus had gone to him with his +story and asked for ships and sailors. +The king and his chief men refused to +help him; but King John said to himself, +"Perhaps there is something in this +worth looking after and, if so, perhaps +I can have my own people find Cathay +and save the money that Columbus will +want to keep for himself as his share +of what he finds." So one day he copied +off the sailing directions that Columbus +had left with him, and gave them to +one of his own captains without letting +Columbus know anything about it. The +Portuguese captain sailed away to the +West in the direction Columbus had +marked down, but a great storm came +up and so frightened the sailors that they +turned around in a hurry. Then they +hunted up Columbus and began to abuse +him for getting them into such a scrape. +"You might as well expect to find land +in the sky," they said, "as in those +terrible waters."</p> + +<p>And when, in this way, Columbus +found out that King John had tried to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_638" id="Page_638">[638]</a></span> +use his ideas without letting him know +anything about it, he was very angry. +His wife had died in the midst of this +mean trick of the Portuguese king, and +so, taking with him his little five-year-old +son, Diego, he left Portugal secretly +and went over into Spain.</p> + +<p>Near the little town of Palos, in western +Spain, is a green hill looking out +toward the Atlantic. Upon this hill +stands an old building that, four hundred +years ago, was used as a convent or home +for priests. It was called the Convent +of Rabida, and the priest at the head +of it was named the Friar Juan Perez. +One autumn day, in the year 1484, Friar +Juan Perez saw a dusty traveler with a +little boy talking with the gate-keeper +of the convent. The stranger was so +tall and fine-looking, and seemed such +an interesting man, that Friar Juan +went out and began to talk with him. +This man was Columbus.</p> + +<p>As they talked, the priest grew more +and more interested in what Columbus +said. He invited him into the convent +to stay for a few days, and he asked some +other people—the doctors of Palos and +some of the sea captains and sailors of +the town—to come and talk with this +stranger who had such a singular idea +about sailing across the Atlantic.</p> + +<p>It ended in Columbus's staying some +months in Palos, waiting for a chance to +go and see the king and queen. At last, +in 1485, he set out for the Spanish court +with a letter to a priest who was a friend +of Friar Juan's, and who could help him +to see the king and queen.</p> + +<p>At that time the king and queen of +Spain were fighting to drive out of Spain +the people called the Moors. These +people came from Africa, but they had +lived in Spain for many years and had +once been a very rich and powerful +nation. They were not Spaniards; they +were not Christians. So all Spaniards +and all Christians hated them and tried +to drive them out of Europe.</p> + +<p>The king and queen of Spain who were +fighting the Moors were named Ferdinand +and Isabella. They were pretty good +people as kings and queens went in +those days, but they did a great many +very cruel and very mean things, just +as the kings and queens of those days +were apt to do. I am afraid we should +not think they were very nice people +nowadays. We certainly should not wish +our American boys and girls to look up +to them as good and true and noble.</p> + +<p>When Columbus first came to them, +they were with the army in the camp +near the city of Cordova. The king and +queen had no time to listen to what they +thought were crazy plans, and poor +Columbus could get no one to talk with +him who could be of any help. So he +was obliged to go back to drawing maps +and selling books to make enough money +to support himself and his little Diego.</p> + +<p>But at last, through the friend of good +Friar Juan Perez of Rabida, who was a +priest at the court, and named Talavera, +and to whom he had a letter of introduction, +Columbus found a chance to talk +over his plans with a number of priests +and scholars in the city of Salamanca +where there was a famous college and +many learned men.</p> + +<p>Columbus told his story. He said +what he wished to do, and asked these +learned men to say a good word for him +to Ferdinand and Isabella so that he +could have the ships and sailors to sail +to Cathay. But it was of no use.</p> + +<p>"What! sail away around the world?" +those wise men cried in horror. "Why,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_639" id="Page_639">[639]</a></span> +you are crazy! The world is not round; +it is flat. Your ships would tumble off +the edge of the world and all the king's +money and all the king's men would be +lost. No, no; go away; you must not +trouble the queen or even mention such +a ridiculous thing again."</p> + +<p>So the most of them said. But one +or two thought it might be worth trying. +Cathay was a very rich country, and if +this foolish fellow were willing to run +the risk and did succeed, it would be a +good thing for Spain, as the king and +queen would need a great deal of money +after the war with the Moors was over. +At any rate, it was a chance worth +thinking about.</p> + +<p>And so, although Columbus was dreadfully +disappointed, he thought that if +he had only a few friends at Court who +were ready to say a good word for him +he must not give up, but must try, try +again. And so he stayed in Spain.</p> + +<p>When you wish very much to do a +certain thing, it is dreadfully hard to +be patient: it is harder still to have to +wait. Columbus had to do both. The +wars against the Moors were of much +greater interest to the king and queen +of Spain than was the finding of a +new and very uncertain way to get to +Cathay. If it had not been for the +patience and what we call the persistence +of Columbus, America would never have +been discovered—at least not in his +time.</p> + +<p>He stayed in Spain. He grew poorer +and poorer. He was almost friendless. +It seemed as if his great enterprise must +be given up. But he never lost hope. +He never stopped trying. Even when +he failed, he kept on hoping and kept +on trying. He felt certain that sometime +he should succeed.</p> + +<p>As we have seen, he tried to interest +the rulers of different countries, but +without success. He tried to get help +from his old home-town of Genoa and +failed; he tried Portugal and failed; he +tried the Republic of Venice and failed; +he tried the king and queen of Spain +and failed; he tried some of the richest +and most powerful of the nobles of +Spain and failed; he tried the king of +England (whom he got his brother, +Bartholomew Columbus, to see) and +failed. There was still left the king +of France. He would make one last +attempt to win the king and queen of +Spain to his side and if he failed with +them he would try the last of the rulers +of Western Europe, the king of France.</p> + +<p>He followed the king and queen of +Spain as they went from place to place +fighting the Moors. He hoped that some +day, when they wished to think of something +besides fighting, they might think +of him and the gold and jewels and spices +of Cathay.</p> + +<p>The days grew into months, the months +into years, and still the war against the +Moors kept on; and still Columbus +waited for the chance that did not come. +People grew to know him as "the crazy +explorer" as they met him in the streets +or on the church steps of Seville or Cordova, +and even ragged little boys of the +town, sharp-eyed and shrill-voiced as +such ragged little urchins are, would run +after this big man with the streaming +white hair and the tattered cloak, calling +him names or tapping their brown +little foreheads with their dirty fingers +to show that even they knew that he +was "as crazy as a loon."</p> + +<p>At last he decided to make one more +attempt before giving it up in Spain. +His money was gone; his friends were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_640" id="Page_640">[640]</a></span> +few; but he remembered his acquaintances +at Palos and so he journeyed back +to see once more his good friend Friar +Juan Perez at the Convent of Rabida +on the hill that looked out upon the +Atlantic he was so anxious to cross.</p> + +<p>It was in the month of November, +1491, that he went back to the Convent +of Rabida. If he could not get any +encouragement there, he was determined +to stay in Spain no longer but to go away +and try the king of France.</p> + +<p>Once more he talked over the finding +of Cathay with the priests and the +sailors of Palos. They saw how patient +he was; how persistent he was; how he +would never give up his ideas until he +had tried them. They were moved +by his determination. They began to +believe in him more and more. They +resolved to help him. One of the principal +sea captains of Palos was named +Martin Alonso Pinzon. He became so +interested that he offered to lend Columbus +money enough to make one last +appeal to the king and queen of Spain, +and if Columbus should succeed with +them, this Captain Pinzon said he would +go into partnership with Columbus and +help him out when it came to getting +ready to sail to Cathay.</p> + +<p>This was a move in the right direction. +At once a messenger was sent to the +splendid Spanish camp before the city +of Granada, the last unconquered city +of the Moors of Spain. The king and +queen of Spain had been so long trying +to capture Granada that this camp was +really a city, with gates and walls and +houses. It was called Santa Fé. Queen +Isabella, who was in Santa Fé, after +some delay, agreed to hear more about +the crazy scheme of this persistent +Genoese sailor, and the Friar Juan +Perez was sent for. He talked so well +in behalf of his friend Columbus that +the queen became still more interested. +She ordered Columbus to come and see +her, and sent him sixty-five dollars to +pay for a mule, a new suit of clothes, +and the journey to court.</p> + +<p>About Christmas time, in the year +1491, Columbus, mounted upon his +mule, rode into the Spanish camp before +the city of Granada. But even now, +when he had been told to come, he had +to wait. Granada was almost captured; +the Moors were almost conquered. At +last the end came. On the second of +January, 1492, the Moorish king gave +up the keys of his beloved city, and the +great Spanish banner was hoisted on +the highest tower of the Alhambra—the +handsomest building in Granada and +one of the most beautiful in the world. +The Moors were driven out of Spain +and Columbus's chance had come.</p> + +<p>So he appeared before Queen Isabella +and her chief men and told them again +of all his plans and desires. The queen +and her advisers sat in a great room in +that splendid Alhambra I have told +you of. King Ferdinand was not there. +He did not believe in Columbus and did +not wish to let him have money, ships, +or sailors to lose in such a foolish way. +But as Columbus stood before her and +talked so earnestly about how he expected +to find the Indies and Cathay and what +he hoped to bring away from there, +Queen Isabella listened and thought the +plan worth trying.</p> + +<p>Then a singular thing happened. You +would think if you wished for something +very much that you would be willing to +give up a good deal for the sake of +getting it. Columbus had worked and +waited for seventeen years. He had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_641" id="Page_641">[641]</a></span> +never got what he wanted. He was +always being disappointed. And yet, +as he talked to the queen and told her +what he wished to do, he said he must +have so much as a reward for doing it +that the queen and her chief men were +simply amazed at his—well, what the +boys to-day call "cheek"—that they +would have nothing to do with him. +This man really is crazy, they said. This +poor Genoese sailor comes here without +a thing except his very odd ideas and +almost "wants the earth" as a reward. +This is not exactly what they said, but +it is what they meant.</p> + +<p>His few friends begged him to be more +modest. "Do not ask so much," they +said, "or you will get nothing." But +Columbus was determined. "I have +worked and waited all these years," he +replied. "I know just what I can do +and just how much I can do for the king +and queen of Spain. They must pay +me what I ask and promise what I say, +or I will go somewhere else." "Go, +then!" said the queen and her advisers. +And Columbus turned his back on what +seemed almost his last hope, mounted +his mule, and rode away.</p> + +<p>Then something else happened. As +Columbus rode off to find the French +king, sick and tired of all his long and +useless labor at the Spanish court, his +few firm friends there saw that, unless +they did something right away, all the +glory and all the gain of this enterprise +Columbus had taught them to believe in +would be lost to Spain. So two of them, +whose names were Santangel and Quintanilla, +rushed into the queen's room +and begged her, if she wished to become +the greatest queen in Christendom, to +call back this wandering sailor, agree to +his terms, and profit by his labors.</p> + +<p>What if he does ask a great deal? +they said. He has spent his life thinking +his plan out; no wonder he feels that +he ought to have a good share of what +he finds. What he asks is really small +compared with what Spain will gain. +The war with the Moors has cost you +ever so much; your money chests are +empty; Columbus will fill them up. +The people of Cathay are heathen; +Columbus will help you make them +Christian men. The Indies and Cathay +are full of gold and jewels; Columbus +will bring you home shiploads of treasures. +Spain has conquered the Moors; +Columbus will help you conquer Cathay.</p> + +<p>In fact, they talked to Queen Isabella +so strongly and so earnestly, that she, +too, became excited over this chance +for glory and riches that she had almost +lost. "Quick! send for Columbus. Call +him back!" said she. "I agree to his +terms. If King Ferdinand cannot or will +not take the risk, I, the queen, will do it +all. Quick! do not let the man get into +France. After him. Bring him back!"</p> + +<p>And without delay a royal messenger, +mounted on a swift horse, was sent at +full gallop to bring Columbus back.</p> + +<p>All this time poor Columbus felt bad +enough. Everything had gone wrong. +Now he must go away into a new land +and do it all over again. Kings and +queens, he felt, were not to be depended +upon, and he remembered a place in +the Bible where it said: "Put not your +trust in princes." Sad, solitary, and +heavy-hearted, he jogged slowly along +toward the mountains, wondering what +the king of France would say to him, +and whether it was really worth trying.</p> + +<p>Just as he was riding across the little +bridge called the Bridge of Pinos, some +six miles from Granada, he heard the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_642" id="Page_642">[642]</a></span> +quick hoof-beats of a horse behind him. +It was a great spot for robbers, and +Columbus felt of the little money he +had in his traveling pouch, and wondered +whether he must lose it all. The hoof-beats +came nearer. Then a voice hailed +him. "Turn back, turn back!" the +messenger cried out. "The queen bids +you return to Granada. She grants +you all you ask."</p> + +<p>Columbus hesitated. Ought he to +trust this promise, he wondered. Put +not your trust in princes, the verse in +the Bible had said. If I go back I may +only be put off and worried as I have +been before. And yet, perhaps she +means what she says. At any rate, I +will go back and try once more.</p> + +<p>So, on the little Bridge of Pinos, he +turned his mule around and rode back +to Granada. And, sure enough, when +he saw Queen Isabella she agreed to all +that he asked. If he found Cathay, +Columbus was to be made admiral for +life of all the new seas and oceans into +which he might sail; he was to be chief +ruler of all the lands he might find; he +was to keep one tenth part of all the gold +and jewels and treasures he should bring +away, and was to have his "say" in all +questions about the new lands. For +his part (and this was because of the +offer of his friend at Palos, Captain +Pinzon) he agreed to pay one eighth of +all the expenses of this expedition and +of all new enterprises, and was to have +one eighth of all the profits from them.</p> + +<p>So Columbus had his wish at last. +The queen's men figured up how much +money they could let him have; they +called him "Don Christopher Columbus," +"Your Excellency," and "Admiral," and +at once he set about getting ready for +his voyage.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_416" id="Note_416">416</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Most children who read public library books +know something about the work of +Horace E. Scudder (1838-1902). For eight +years he was editor of the <i>Atlantic Monthly</i>, +but he is more widely known as a writer +and compiler of books for children. The +entertaining and informing <i>Bodley Books</i> +were widely read by a former generation +and are still decidedly worth reading. +Perhaps his most popular work is <i>The +Children's Book</i>, a collection of literature +suitable for the first four grades. Pupils +in the third, fourth, and fifth grades read +with pleasure <i>The Book of Fables</i>, <i>The Book +of Folk Stories</i>, <i>Fables and Folk Stories</i>, and +<i>The Book of Legends</i>. Mr. Scudder was +the leading advocate of introducing literature +into the schools at a time when such +advocacy was uphill work, and he edited +a great number of literary classics for +school use. He wrote a number of historical +and biographical works of value. <i>George +Washington</i>, from which the next selection +is taken, is considered by many to be +the best biography of Washington that +has been written for children. (The chapter +below is used by permission of and +special arrangement with The Houghton +Mifflin Co., Boston.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE BOYHOOD OF WASHINGTON</h4> + +<div class='center'>HORACE E. SCUDDER</div> + +<p>It was near the shore of the Potomac +River, between Pope's Creek and +Bridge's Creek, that Augustine Washington +lived when his son George was +born. The land had been in the family +ever since Augustine's grandfather, John +Washington, had bought it, when he +came over from England in 1657. John +Washington was a soldier and a public-spirited +man, and so the parish in which +he lived—for Virginia was divided into +parishes as some other colonies into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_643" id="Page_643">[643]</a></span> +townships—was named Washington. It +is a quiet neighborhood; not a sign +remains of the old house, and the only +mark of the place is a stone slab, broken +and overgrown with weeds and brambles, +which lies on a bed of bricks taken from +the remnants of the old chimney of the +house. It bears the inscription:—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +<span style="margin-left: 8em;">Here</span><br /> +The 11th of February, 1732 (old style)<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4.5em;">George Washington</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 7em;">was born</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>The English had lately agreed to use +the calendar of Pope Gregory, which +added eleven days to the reckoning, but +people still used the old style as well +as the new. By the new style, the birthday +was February 22, and that is the +day which is now observed. The family +into which the child was born consisted +of the father and mother, Augustine and +Mary Washington, and two boys, Lawrence +and Augustine. These were sons +of Augustine Washington by a former +wife who had died four years before. +George Washington was the eldest of +the children of Augustine and Mary +Washington; he had afterward three +brothers and two sisters, but one of the +sisters died in infancy.</p> + +<p>It was not long after George Washington's +birth that the house in which +he was born was burned, and as his +father was at the time especially interested +in some iron-works at a distance, +it was determined not to rebuild upon +the lonely place. Accordingly Augustine +Washington removed his family +to a place which he owned in Stafford +County, on the banks of the Rappahannock +River opposite Fredericksburg. The +house is not now standing, but a picture +was made of it before it was destroyed. +It was, like many Virginia houses of the +day, divided into four rooms on a floor, +and had great outside chimneys at either +end.</p> + +<p>Here George Washington spent his +childhood. He learned to read, write, +and cipher at a small school kept by +Hobby, the sexton of the parish church. +Among his playmates was Richard Henry +Lee, who was afterward a famous Virginian. +When the boys grew up, they +wrote to each other of grave matters of +war and state, but here is the beginning +of their correspondence, written when +they were nine years old:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot">"Richard Henry Lee to George Washington:<br /> + +<p>"Pa brought me two pretty books full +of pictures he got them in Alexandria +they have pictures of dogs and cats and +tigers and elefants and ever so many +pretty things cousin bids me send you +one of them it has a picture of an elefant +and a little Indian boy on his back like +uncle jo's sam pa says if I learn my tasks +good he will let uncle jo bring me to see +you will you ask your ma to let you come +to see me.</p> + +<div class='sig'> +"Richard henry Lee."<br /> +</div></div> + +<div class="blockquot">"George Washington to Richard Henry +Lee:<br /> + +<p>"Dear Dickey I thank you very much +for the pretty picturebook you gave me. +Sam asked me to show him the pictures +and I showed him all the pictures in it; +and I read to him how the tame elephant +took care of the master's little boy, and +put him on his back and would not let +anybody touch his master's little son. +I can read three or four pages sometimes +without missing a word. Ma says I may +go to see you, and stay all day with you +next week if it be not rainy. She says<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_644" id="Page_644">[644]</a></span> +I may ride my pony Hero if Uncle Ben +will go with me and lead Hero. I have a +little piece of poetry about the picture +book you gave me, but I mustn't tell +you who wrote the poetry.</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"G. W.'s compliments to R. H. L.,<br /> +And likes his book full well,<br /> +Henceforth will count him his friend,<br /> +And hopes many happy days he may spend.<br /> +</div> + +<div class='sig'> +<span style="margin-right: 2em;">"Your good friend,</span><br /> +"George Washington.<br /></div> + +<p>"I am going to get a whip top soon, +and you may see it and whip it."</p></div> + +<p>It looks very much as if Richard Henry +sent his letter off just as it was written. +I suspect that his correspondent's letter +was looked over, corrected, and copied +before it was sent. Very possibly Augustine +Washington was absent at the time +on one of his journeys; but at any rate +the boy owed most of his training to his +mother, for only two years after this his +father died, and he was left to his mother's +care.</p> + +<p>She was a woman born to command, +and since she was left alone with a family +and an estate to care for, she took the +reins into her own hands, and never +gave them up to any one else. She used +to drive about in an old-fashioned open +chaise, visiting the various parts of her +farm, just as a planter would do on horseback. +The story is told that she had +given an agent directions how to do a +piece of work, and he had seen fit to do +it differently, because he thought his +way a better one. He showed her the +improvement.</p> + +<p>"And pray," said the lady, "who gave +you any exercise of judgment in the +matter? I command you, sir; there is +nothing left for you but to obey."</p> + +<p>In those days, more than now, a boy +used very formal language when addressing +his mother. He might love her +warmly, but he was expected to treat +her with a great show of respect. When +Washington wrote to his mother, even +after he was of age, he began his letter, +"Honored Madam," and signed it, +"Your dutiful son." This was a part +of the manners of the time. It was like +the stiff dress which men wore when +they paid their respects to others; it +was put on for the occasion, and one +would have been thought very unmannerly +who did not make a marked difference +between his every-day dress and +that which he wore when he went into +the presence of his betters. So Washington, +when he wrote to his mother, +would not be so rude as to say, "Dear +Mother."</p> + +<p>Such habits as this go deeper than +mere forms of speech. I do not suppose +that the sons of this lady feared her, +but they stood in awe of her, which is +quite a different thing.</p> + +<p>"We were all as mute as mice, when +in her presence," says one of Washington's +companions; and common report +makes her to have been very much such +a woman as her son afterward was a +man.</p> + +<p>I think that George Washington owed +two strong traits to his mother—a +governing spirit and a spirit of order +and method. She taught him many +lessons and gave him many rules; but, +after all, it was her character shaping +his which was most powerful. She +taught him to be truthful, but her lessons +were not half so forcible as her own +truthfulness.</p> + +<p>There is a story told of George Washington's +boyhood—unfortunately there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_645" id="Page_645">[645]</a></span> +are not many stories—which is to the +point. His father had taken a great +deal of pride in his blooded horses, and +his mother afterward took pains to keep +the stock pure. She had several young +horses that had not yet been broken, +and one of them in particular, a sorrel, +was extremely spirited. No one had +been able to do anything with it, and it +was pronounced thoroughly vicious, as +people are apt to pronounce horses which +they have not learned to master. George +was determined to ride this colt, and +told his companions that if they would +help him catch it, he would ride and +tame it.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning they set out for +the pasture, where the boys managed to +surround the sorrel and then to put a +bit into its mouth. Washington sprang +upon its back, the boys dropped the +bridle, and away flew the angry animal. +Its rider at once began to command; +the horse resisted, backing about the +field, rearing and plunging. The boys +became thoroughly alarmed, but Washington +kept his seat, never once losing +his self-control or his mastery of the +colt. The struggle was a sharp one; +when suddenly, as if determined to rid +itself of its rider, the creature leaped +into the air with a tremendous bound. +It was its last. The violence burst a +blood-vessel, and the noble horse fell +dead.</p> + +<p>Before the boys could sufficiently +recover to consider how they should +extricate themselves from the scrape, +they were called to breakfast; and the +mistress of the house, knowing that they +had been in the fields, began to ask +after her stock.</p> + +<p>"Pray, young gentlemen," said she, +"have you seen my blooded colts in +your rambles? I hope they are well +taken care of. My favorite, I am told, +is as large as his sire."</p> + +<p>The boys looked at one another, and +no one liked to speak. Of course the +mother repeated her question.</p> + +<p>"The sorrel is dead, madam," said +her son. "I killed him!"</p> + +<p>And then he told the whole story. +They say that his mother flushed with +anger, as her son often used to, and then, +like him, controlled herself, and presently +said, quietly:—</p> + +<p>"It is well; but while I regret the +loss of my favorite, I rejoice in my son +who always speaks the truth."</p> + +<p>The story of Washington's killing the +blooded colt is of a piece with other +stories less particular, which show that +he was a very athletic fellow. Of course, +when a boy becomes famous, every one +likes to remember the wonderful things +he did before he was famous; and +Washington's playmates, when they grew +up, used to show the spot by the Rappahannock, +near Fredericksburg, where he +stood and threw a stone to the opposite +bank; and at the celebrated Natural +Bridge, the arch of which is two hundred +feet above the ground, they always tell +the visitor that George Washington threw +a stone in the air the whole height. He +undoubtedly took part in all the sports +which were the favorites of his country +at that time—he pitched heavy bars, +tossed quoits, ran, leaped, and wrestled; +for he was a powerful, large-limbed young +fellow, and he had a very large and strong +hand.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_417" id="Note_417">417</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">The <i>Autobiography</i> by Benjamin Franklin +(1706-1790) has become a classic in +American literature. Its simple style,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_646" id="Page_646">[646]</a></span> +practical doctrine of industry and economy, +and pleasing revelation of the character of +one of America's greatest statesmen make +it appropriate for use in the seventh and +eighth grades. (See also note to No. <a href="#Note_250">250</a>.)</div> + + +<h4><br />THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN</h4> + +<p>At ten years old I was taken home to +assist my father in his business, which +was that of a tallow-chandler and soap-boiler, +a business he was not bred to, +but had assumed on his arrival in New +England, and on finding his dyeing trade +would not maintain his family, being +in little request. Accordingly, I was +employed in cutting wick for the candles, +filling the dipping mold and the molds +for cast candles, attending the shop, +going of errands, etc.</p> + +<p>I continued thus employed in my +father's business for two years, that is, +till I was twelve years old; and my +brother John, who was bred to that +business, having left my father, married, +and set up for himself at Rhode Island, +there was all appearance that I was +destined to supply his place, and become +a tallow-chandler. But my dislike to +the trade continuing, my father was +under apprehensions that if he did not +find one for me more agreeable, I should +break away and get to sea, as his son +Josiah had done, to his great vexation. +He therefore sometimes took me to walk +with him, and see joiners, bricklayers, +turners, braziers, etc., at their work, that +he might observe my inclination, and +endeavor to fix it on some trade or other +on land. It has ever since been a pleasure +to me to see good workmen handle +their tools; and it has been useful to +me, having learned so much by it as +to be able to do little jobs myself in +my house when a workman could not +readily be got, and to construct little +machines for my experiments, while the +intention of making the experiment was +fresh and warm in my mind. My +father at last fixed upon the cutler's +trade, and my uncle Benjamin's son +Samuel, who was bred to that business +in London, being about that time +established in Boston, I was sent to be +with him some time on liking. But his +expectations of a fee with me displeasing +my father, I was taken home again.</p> + +<p>From a child I was fond of reading, +and all the little money that came into +my hands was ever laid out in books. +Pleased with the <i>Pilgrim's Progress</i>, my +first collection was of John Bunyan's +works in separate little volumes. I +afterward sold them to enable me to +buy R. Burton's <i>Historical Collections</i>. +They were small chapmen's books, and +cheap, 40 or 50 in all. My father's +little library consisted chiefly of books +in polemic divinity, most of which I +read, and have since often regretted that, +at a time when I had such a thirst for +knowledge, more proper books had not +fallen in my way, since it was now +resolved I should not be a clergyman. +Plutarch's <i>Lives</i> there was in which I +read abundantly, and I still think that +time spent to great advantage. There +was also a book of De Foe's, called an +<i>Essay on Projects</i>, and another of Dr. +Mather's, called <i>Essays to do Good</i>, which +perhaps gave me a turn of thinking that +had an influence on some of the principal +future events of my life.</p> + +<p>This bookish inclination at length +determined my father to make me a +printer, though he had already one son +(James) of that profession. In 1717 +my brother James returned from England<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_647" id="Page_647">[647]</a></span> +with a press and letters to set up his +business in Boston. I liked it much +better than that of my father, but still +had a hankering for the sea. To prevent +the apprehended effect of such an +inclination, my father was impatient to +have me bound to my brother. I stood +out some time, but at last was persuaded, +and signed the indentures when I was +yet but twelve years old. I was to +serve as an apprentice till I was twenty-one +years of age, only I was to be allowed +journeyman's wages during the last +year. In a little time I made great +proficiency in the business, and became +a useful hand to my brother. I now had +access to better books. An acquaintance +with the apprentices of booksellers +enabled me sometimes to borrow a small +one, which I was careful to return soon +and clean. Often I sat up in my room +reading the greatest part of the night, +when the book was borrowed in the +evening and to be returned early in the +morning, lest it should be missed or +wanted.</p> + +<p>And after some time an ingenious +tradesman, Mr. Matthew Adams, who +had a pretty collection of books, and +who frequented our printing-house, took +notice of me, invited me to his library, +and very kindly lent me such books +as I chose to read. I now took a fancy +to poetry, and made some little pieces; +my brother, thinking it might turn to +account, encouraged me, and put me +on composing occasional ballads. One +was called <i>The Lighthouse Tragedy</i>, and +contained an account of the drowning +of Captain Worthilake, with his two +daughters: the other was a sailor's song, +on the taking of <i>Teach</i> (or Blackbeard) +the pirate. They were wretched stuff, +in the Grub-street-ballad style; and +when they were printed he sent me +about the town to sell them. The first +sold wonderfully, the event being recent, +having made a great noise. This flattered +my vanity; but my father discouraged +me by ridiculing my performances, +and telling me verse-makers were +generally beggars. So I escaped being +a poet, most probably a very bad one; +but as prose writing has been of great +use to me in the course of my life, and +was a principal means of my advancement, +I shall tell you how, in such a +situation, I acquired what little ability +I have in that way.</p> + +<p>There was another bookish lad in the +town, John Collins by name, with whom +I was intimately acquainted. We sometimes +disputed, and very fond we were +of argument, and very desirous of confuting +one another, which disputatious +turn, by the way, is apt to become a +very bad habit, making people often +extremely disagreeable in company by +the contradiction that is necessary to +bring it into practice; and thence, besides +souring and spoiling the conversation, +is productive of disgusts and, perhaps, +enmities where you may have occasion +for friendship. I had caught it by reading +my father's books of dispute about +religion. Persons of good sense, I have +since observed, seldom fall into it, except +lawyers, university men, and men of all +sorts that have been bred at Edinburgh.</p> + +<p>A question was once, somehow or +other, started between Collins and me, +of the propriety of educating the female +sex in learning, and their abilities for +study. He was of opinion that it was +improper, and that they were naturally +unequal to it. I took the contrary side, +perhaps a little for dispute's sake. He +was naturally more eloquent, had a ready<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_648" id="Page_648">[648]</a></span> +plenty of words; and sometimes, as I +thought, bore me down more by his +fluency than by the strength of his +reasons. As we parted without settling +the point, and were not to see one +another again for some time, I sat down +to put my arguments in writing, which +I copied fair and sent to him. He +answered, and I replied. Three or four +letters of a side had passed, when my +father happened to find my papers and +read them. Without entering into the +discussion, he took occasion to talk to +me about the manner of my writing; +observed that, though I had the advantage +of my antagonist in correct spelling +and pointing (which I owed to the +printing-house), I fell far short in elegance +of expression, in method and in +perspicuity, of which he convinced me +by several instances. I saw the justice +of his remarks, and thence grew more +attentive to the manner in writing, and +determined to endeavor at improvement.</p> + +<p>About this time I met with an odd +volume of the <i>Spectator</i>. It was the +third. I had never before seen any of +them. I bought it, read it over and +over, and was much delighted with it. +I thought the writing excellent, and +wished, if possible, to imitate it. With +this view I took some of the papers, and, +making short hints of the sentiment in +each sentence, laid them by a few days, +and then, without looking at the book, +tried to complete the papers again, by +expressing each hinted sentiment at +length, and as fully as it had been +expressed before, in any suitable words +that should come to hand. Then I compared +my <i>Spectator</i> with the original, discovered +some of my faults, and corrected +them. But I found I wanted a stock +of words, or a readiness in recollecting +and using them, which I thought I +should have acquired before that time +if I had gone on making verses; since +the continual occasion for words of the +same import, but of different length, to +suit the measure, or of different sound +for the rhyme, would have laid me under +a constant necessity of searching for +variety, and also have tended to fix that +variety in my mind, and make me master +of it. Therefore I took some of the +tales and turned them into verse; and, +after a time, when I had pretty well +forgotten the prose, turned them back +again. I also sometimes jumbled my +collections of hints into confusion, and +after some weeks endeavored to reduce +them into the best order, before I began +to form the full sentences and complete +the paper. This was to teach me method +in the arrangement of thoughts. By +comparing my work afterwards with the +original, I discovered many faults and +amended them; but I sometimes had +the pleasure of fancying that, in certain +particulars of small import, I had been +lucky enough to improve the method or +the language, and this encouraged me to +think I might possibly in time come to +be a tolerable English writer, of which +I was extremely ambitious. My time +for these exercises and for reading was +at night, after work or before it began +in the morning, or on Sundays, when I +contrived to be in the printing-house +alone, avoiding as much as I could the +common attendance on public worship +which my father used to exact of me +when I was under his care, and which +indeed I still thought a duty, though I +could not, as it seemed to me, afford time +to practice it.</p> + +<p>When about 16 years of age I happened +to meet with a book, written by one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_649" id="Page_649">[649]</a></span> +Tryon, recommending a vegetable diet. +I determined to go into it. My brother, +being yet unmarried, did not keep house, +but boarded himself and his apprentices +in another family. My refusing to eat +flesh occasioned an inconveniency, and +I was frequently chid for my singularity. +I made myself acquainted with Tryon's +manner of preparing some of his dishes, +such as boiling potatoes or rice, making +hasty pudding, and a few others, and then +proposed to my brother, that if he would +give me, weekly, half the money he paid +for my board, I would board myself. +He instantly agreed to it, and I presently +found that I could save half what he +paid me. This was an additional fund +for buying books. But I had another +advantage in it. My brother and the +rest going from the printing-house to +their meals, I remained there alone, and, +dispatching presently my light repast, +which often was no more than a biscuit +or a slice of bread, a handful of raisins +or a tart from the pastry-cook's, and a +glass of water, had the rest of the time +till their return for study, in which I +made the greater progress, from that +greater clearness of head and quicker +apprehension which usually attend temperance +in eating and drinking.</p> + +<p>And now it was that, being on some +occasion made ashamed of my ignorance +in figures, which I had twice failed in +learning when at school, I took Cocker's +book of arithmetic, and went through +the whole by myself with great ease. I +also read Seller's and Shermy's books of +navigation, and became acquainted with +the little geometry they contain; but +never proceeded far in that science. And +I read about this time Locke <i>On Human +Understanding</i>, and the <i>Art of Thinking</i>, +by Messrs. du Port Royal.</p> + +<p>While I was intent on improving my +language, I met with an English grammar +(I think it was Greenwood's), at the end +of which there were two little sketches +of the arts of rhetoric and logic, the +latter finishing with a specimen of a +dispute in the Socratic method; and +soon after I procured Xenophon's <i>Memorable +Things of Socrates</i>, wherein there +are many instances of the same method. +I was charmed with it, adopted it, +dropped my abrupt contradiction and +positive argumentation, and put on the +humble inquirer and doubter. And being +then, from reading Shaftesbury and +Collins, become a real doubter in many +points of our religious doctrine, I found +this method safest for myself and very +embarrassing to those against whom I +used it; therefore I took a delight in +it, practiced it continually, and grew +very artful and expert in drawing people, +even of superior knowledge, into concessions, +the consequences of which they +did not foresee, entangling them in +difficulties out of which they could not +extricate themselves, and so obtaining +victories that neither myself nor my +cause always deserved. I continued this +method some few years, but gradually +left it, retaining only the habit of expressing +myself in terms of modest diffidence; +never using, when I advanced any thing +that may possibly be disputed, the words +<i>certainly</i>, <i>undoubtedly</i>, or any others that +give the air of positiveness to an opinion; +but rather say, I conceive or apprehend a +thing to be so and so; it appears to me, +or <i>I should think it so or so</i>, for such and +such reasons; or <i>I imagine it to be so;</i> +or <i>it is so, if I am not mistaken</i>. This +habit, I believe, has been of great advantage +to me when I have had occasion +to inculcate my opinion, and persuade<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_650" id="Page_650">[650]</a></span> +men into measures that I have been +from time to time engaged in promoting; +and, as the chief ends of conversation +are to <i>inform</i> or to be <i>informed</i>, +to <i>please</i> or to <i>persuade</i>, I wish well-meaning, +sensible men would not lessen +their power of doing good by a positive, +assuming manner, that seldom fails to +disgust, tends to create opposition, and +to defeat every one of those purposes +for which speech was given to us, to +wit, giving or receiving information or +pleasure. For, if you would inform, +a positive and dogmatical manner in +advancing your sentiments may provoke +contradiction and prevent a candid +attention. If you wish information and +improvement from the knowledge of +others, and yet at the same time express +yourself as firmly fixed in your present +opinions, modest, sensible men, who do +not love disputation, will probably leave +you undisturbed in the possession of +your error. And by such a manner, you +can seldom hope to recommend yourself +in <i>pleasing</i> your hearers, or to persuade +those whose concurrence you desire. +Pope says, judiciously:</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Men should be taught as if you taught them not,<br /> +And things unknown propos'd as things forgot";<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>farther recommending to us</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"To speak, tho' sure, with seeming diffidence."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>And he might have coupled with this +line that which he has coupled with +another, I think, less properly:</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"For want of modesty is want of sense."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>If you ask, Why less properly? I must +repeat the lines:</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Immodest words admit of no defense,<br /> +For want of modesty is want of sense."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>Now, is not <i>want of sense</i> (where a man +is so unfortunate as to want it) some +apology for his <i>want of modesty?</i> and +would not the lines stand more justly +thus?</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Immodest words admit <i>but</i> this defense,<br /> +That want of modesty is want of sense."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>This, however, I should submit to better +judgments.</div> + +<p>My brother had, in 1720 or 1721, +begun to print a newspaper. It was the +second that appeared in America, and +was called the <i>New England Courant</i>. +The only one before it was the <i>Boston +News-Letter</i>. I remember his being dissuaded +by some of his friends from the +undertaking, as not likely to succeed, +one newspaper being, in their judgment, +enough for America. At this time (1771) +there are not less than five-and-twenty. +He went on, however, with the undertaking, +and after having worked in composing +the types and printing off the +sheets, I was employed to carry the papers +through the streets to the customers.</p> + +<p>He had some ingenious men among +his friends, who amused themselves by +writing little pieces for this paper, which +gained it credit and made it more in +demand, and these gentlemen often +visited us. Hearing their conversations, +and their accounts of the approbation +their papers were received with, I was +excited to try my hand among them; but, +being still a boy, and suspecting that +my brother would object to printing +any thing of mine in his paper if he +knew it to be mine, I contrived to disguise +my hand, and, writing an anonymous +paper, I put it in at night under +the door of the printing-house. It was +found in the morning, and communicated +to his writing friends when they called<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_651" id="Page_651">[651]</a></span> +in as usual. They read it, commented +on it in my hearing, and I had the exquisite +pleasure of finding it met with their +approbation, and that, in their different +guesses at the author, none were named +but men of some character among us +for learning and ingenuity. I suppose +now that I was rather lucky in my +judges and that perhaps they were not +really so very good ones as I then +esteemed them.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>I then thought of going to New York, +as the nearest place where there was a +printer; and I was rather inclined to +leave Boston when I reflected that I +had already made myself a little obnoxious +to the governing party, and, from +the arbitrary proceedings of the Assembly +in my brother's case, it was likely I +might, if I stayed, soon bring myself +into scrapes; and farther, that my indiscrete +disputations about religion began +to make me pointed at with horror by +good people as an infidel or atheist. I +determined on the point, but my father +now siding with my brother, I was +sensible that, if I attempted to go openly, +means would be used to prevent me. +My friend Collins, therefore, undertook +to manage a little for me. He agreed +with the captain of a New York sloop +for my passage, under the notion of my +being a young acquaintance of his, that +had got into trouble, and therefore could +not appear or come away publicly. So +I sold some of my books to raise a little +money, was taken on board privately, +and as we had a fair wind, in three days +I found myself in New York, near 300 +miles from home, a boy of but 17, without +the least recommendation to, or +knowledge of any person in the place, +and with very little money in my pocket.</p> + +<p>My inclinations for the sea were by +this time worn out, or I might now have +gratified them. But, having a trade, +and supposing myself a pretty good +workman, I offered my service to the +printer in the place, old Mr. William +Bradford, who had been the first printer +in Pennsylvania, but removed from +thence upon the quarrel of George Keith. +He could give me no employment, having +little to do, and help enough already; +but says he, "My son at Philadelphia +has lately lost his principal hand, Aquila +Rose, by death; if you go thither, I +believe he may employ you." Philadelphia +was a hundred miles further; +I set out, however, in a boat for Amboy, +leaving my chest and things to follow +me round by sea.</p> + +<p>In crossing the bay, we met with a +squall that tore our rotten sails to pieces, +prevented our getting into the Kill, and +drove us upon Long Island. On our +way, a drunken Dutchman, who was a +passenger too, fell overboard; when he +was sinking, I reached through the water +to his shock pate, and drew him up, so +that we got him in again. His ducking +sobered him a little, and he went to +sleep, taking first out of his pocket a +book, which he desired I would dry for +him. It proved to be my old favorite +author, Bunyan's <i>Pilgrim's Progress</i>, in +Dutch, finely printed on good paper, +with copper cuts, a dress better than I +had ever seen it wear in its own language. +I have since found that it has been +translated into most of the languages of +Europe, and suppose it has been more +generally read than any other book, +except perhaps the Bible. Honest John +was the first that I know of who mixed +narration and dialogue; a method of +writing very engaging to the reader, who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_652" id="Page_652">[652]</a></span> +in the most interesting parts finds himself, +as it were, brought into the company +and present at the discourse. De Foe +in his <i>Crusoe</i>, his <i>Moll Flanders</i>, <i>Religious +Courtship</i>, <i>Family Instructor</i>, and +other pieces, has imitated it with success; +and Richardson has done the same in +his <i>Pamela</i>, etc.</p> + +<p>When we drew near the island, we +found it was at a place where there could +be no landing, there being a great surf +on the stony beach. So we dropped +anchor, and swung around towards the +shore. Some people came down to the +water edge and hallooed to us, as we +did to them; but the wind was so high, +and the surf so loud, that we could not +hear so as to understand each other. +There were canoes on the shore, and we +made signs, and hallooed that they +should fetch us; but they either did not +understand us, or thought it impracticable, +so they went away, and night +coming on, we had no remedy but to +wait till the wind should abate; and, in +the meantime, the boatman and I concluded +to sleep, if we could; and so +crowded into the scuttle, with the Dutchman, +who was still wet, and the spray +beating over the head of our boat, leaked +through to us, so that we were soon almost +as wet as he. In this manner we lay all +night, with very little rest; but, the wind +abating the next day, we made a shift +to reach Amboy before night, having +been thirty hours on the water, without +victuals, or any drink but a bottle of +filthy rum, the water we sailed on being +salt.</p> + +<p>In the evening I found myself very +feverish, and went in to bed; but, having +read somewhere that cold water drunk +plentifully was good for a fever, I followed +the prescription, sweat plentifully most +of the night, my fever left me, and in +the morning, crossing the ferry, I proceeded +on my journey on foot, having +fifty miles to Burlington, where I was +told I should find boats that would carry +me the rest of the way to Philadelphia.</p> + +<p>It rained very hard all the day; I +was thoroughly soaked, and by noon a +good deal tired; so I stopped at a poor +inn, where I stayed all night, beginning +now to wish that I had never left home. +I cut so miserable a figure, too, that I +found, by the questions asked me, I was +suspected to be some runaway servant, +and in danger of being taken up on that +suspicion. However, I proceeded the +next day, and got in the evening to an +inn, within eight or ten miles of Burlington, +kept by one Dr. Brown. He entered +into conversation with me while I took +some refreshment, and, finding I had +read a little, became very sociable and +friendly. Our acquaintance continued +as long as he lived. He had been, I +imagine, an itinerant doctor, for there +was no town in England, or country in +Europe, of which he could not give a very +particular account. He had some letters, +and was ingenious, but much of an +unbeliever, and wickedly undertook, some +years after, to travesty the Bible in +doggerel verse, as Cotton had done +Virgil. By this means he set many of +the facts in a very ridiculous light, and +might have hurt weak minds if his +work had been published; but it never +was.</p> + +<p>At his house I lay that night, and the +next morning reached Burlington, but +had the mortification to find that the +regular boats were gone a little before +my coming, and no other expected to go +before Tuesday, this being Saturday; +wherefore I returned to an old woman<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_653" id="Page_653">[653]</a></span> +in the town, of whom I had bought +gingerbread to eat on the water, and +asked her advice. She invited me to +lodge at her house till a passage by water +should offer; and being tired with my +foot traveling, I accepted the invitation. +She understanding I was a printer, would +have had me stay at that town and +follow my business, being ignorant of +the stock necessary to begin with. She +was very hospitable, gave me a dinner +of ox-cheek with great good will, accepting +only of a pot of ale in return; and I +thought myself fixed till Tuesday should +come. However, walking in the evening +by the side of the river, a boat came by, +which I found was going towards Philadelphia, +with several people in her. They +took me in, and, as there was no wind, +we rowed all the way; and about midnight, +not having yet seen the city, some +of the company were confident we must +have passed it, and would row no farther; +the others knew not where we were; so +we put toward the shore, got into a +creek, landed near an old fence, with +the rails of which we made a fire, the +night being cold, in October, and there +we remained till daylight. Then one of +the company knew the place to be +Cooper's Creek, a little above Philadelphia, +which we saw as soon as we got +out of the creek, and arrived there about +eight or nine o'clock on the Sunday +morning, and landed at the Market +Street wharf.</p> + +<p>I have been the more particular in +this description of my journey, and shall +be so of my first entry into that city, +that you may in your mind compare +such unlikely beginnings with the figure +I have since made there. I was in my +working dress, my best clothes being to +come round by sea. I was dirty from +my journey; my pockets were stuffed +out with shirts and stockings, and I +knew no soul nor where to look for +lodging. I was fatigued with traveling, +rowing, and want of rest; I was very +hungry; and my whole stock of cash +consisted of a Dutch dollar and about a +shilling in copper. The latter I gave the +people of the boat for my passage, who +at first refused it, on account of my +rowing; but I insisted on their taking it. +A man being sometimes more generous +when he has but a little money than +when he has plenty, perhaps through +fear of being thought to have but little.</p> + +<p>Then I walked up the street, gazing +about till near the market-house I met +a boy with bread. I had made many a +meal on bread, and, inquiring where he +got it, I went immediately to the baker's +he directed me to, in Second Street, and +asked for biscuit, intending such as we +had in Boston; but they, it seems, were +not made in Philadelphia. Then I asked +for a three-penny loaf, and was told they +had none such. So not considering or +knowing the difference of money, and +the greater cheapness nor the names of +his bread, I bade him give me three-penny +worth of any sort. He gave me, +accordingly, three great puffy rolls. I +was surprised at the quantity, but took +it, and, having no room in my pockets, +walked off with a roll under each arm, +and eating the other. Thus I went up +Market Street as far as Fourth Street, +passing by the door of Mr. Read, my +future wife's father; when she, standing +at the door, saw me, and thought I made, +as I certainly did, a most awkward, +ridiculous appearance. Then I turned +and went down Chestnut Street and +part of Walnut Street, eating my roll +all the way, and, coming round, found<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_654" id="Page_654">[654]</a></span> +myself again at Market Street wharf, +near the boat I came in, to which I went +for a draught of the river water; and, +being filled with one of my rolls, gave +the other two to a woman and her child +that came down the river in the boat +with us, and were waiting to go farther.</p> + +<p>Thus refreshed, I walked again up +the street, which by this time had many +clean-dressed people in it, who were all +walking the same way. I joined them, +and thereby was led into the great +meeting-house of the Quakers near the +market. I sat down among them, and, +after looking round awhile and hearing +nothing said, being very drowsy through +labor and want of rest the preceding +night, I fell fast asleep, and continued +so till the meeting broke up, when one +was kind enough to rouse me. This +was, therefore, the first house I was in, +or slept in, in Philadelphia.</p> + +<p>Walking down again toward the river, +and, looking in the faces of people, I +met a young Quaker man, whose countenance +I liked, and, accosting him, +requested he would tell me where a +stranger could get lodging. We were +then near the sign of the Three Mariners. +"Here," says he, "is one place that +entertains strangers, but it is not a +reputable house; if thee wilt walk with +me I'll show thee a better." He brought +me to the Crooked Billet, in Water +Street. Here I got a dinner; and, while +I was eating it, several sly questions were +asked me, as it seemed to be suspected +from my youth and appearance that I +might be some runaway.</p> + +<p>After dinner my sleepiness returned, +and being shown to a bed, I lay down +without undressing, and slept till six +in the evening, was called to supper, +went to bed again very early, and slept +soundly till next morning. Then I made +myself as tidy as I could, and went to +Andrew Bradford the printer's. I found +in the shop the old man his father, whom +I had seen at New York, and who, +traveling on horseback, had got to +Philadelphia before me. He introduced +me to his son, who received me civilly, +gave me a breakfast, but told me he +did not at present want a hand, being +lately supplied with one; but there was +another printer in town, lately set up, +one Keimer, who, perhaps, might employ +me; if not, I should be welcome to lodge +at his house, and he would give me a +little work to do now and then till fuller +business should offer.</p> + +<p>The old gentleman said he would go +with me to the new printer; and when +we found him, "Neighbor," says Bradford, +"I have brought to see you a young +man of your business; perhaps you may +want such a one." He asked me a few +questions, put a composing stick in my +hand to see how I worked, and then said +he would employ me soon, though he +had just then nothing for me to do; and, +taking old Bradford, whom he had never +seen before, to be one of the townspeople +that had a good will for him, entered +into a conversation on his present undertaking +and prospects; while Bradford, +not discovering that he was the other +printer's father, on Keimer's saying he +expected soon to get the greatest part +of the business into his own hands, drew +him on by artful questions, and starting +little doubts, to explain all his views, +what interest he relied on, and in what +manner he intended to proceed. I, who +stood by and heard all, saw immediately +that one of them was a crafty old sophister, +and the other a mere novice. +Bradford left me with Keimer, who was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_655" id="Page_655">[655]</a></span> +greatly surprised when I told him who +the old man was.</p> + +<p>Keimer's printing-house, I found, consisted +of an old shattered press and one +small, worn-out font of English, which +he was then using himself, composing +an Elegy on Aquila Rose, before mentioned, +an ingenious young man, of +excellent character, much respected in +the town, clerk of the Assembly, and a +pretty poet. Keimer made verses too, +but very indifferently. He could not be +said to write them, for his manner was +to compose them in the types directly +out of his head. So there being no +copy, but one pair of cases, and the +Elegy likely to require all the letters, no +one could help him. I endeavored to +put his press (which he had not yet used +and of which he understood nothing) +into order fit to be worked with; and, +promising to come and print off his +Elegy as soon as he should have got it +ready, I returned to Bradford's, who +gave me a little job to do for the present, +and there I lodged and dieted. A few +days after, Keimer sent for me to print +off the Elegy. And now he had got +another pair of cases, and a pamphlet +to reprint, on which he set me to work.</p> + +<p>These two printers I found poorly +qualified for their business. Bradford +had not been bred to it, and was very +illiterate; and Keimer, though something +of a scholar, was a mere compositor, +knowing nothing of presswork. He had +been one of the French prophets, and +could act their enthusiastic agitations. +At this time he did not profess any +particular religion, but something of all +on occasion; was very ignorant of the +world, and had, as I afterward found, a +good deal of the knave in his composition. +He did not like my lodging at Bradford's +while I worked with him. He had a +house, indeed, but without furniture, so +he could not lodge me; but he got me +a lodging at Mr. Read's, before mentioned, +who was the owner of his house; +and, my chest and clothes being come by +this time, I made rather a more respectable +appearance in the eyes of Miss +Read than I had done when she first +happened to see me eating my roll in +the street.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_418" id="Note_418">418</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Of the numerous biographies of Abraham +Lincoln, none seems better suited for use +in the grades than <i>The Boy's Life of Abraham +Lincoln</i>, by Helen Nicolay (1866—), +from which the next selection was taken. +John George Nicolay, father of Helen +Nicolay, was private secretary to Abraham +Lincoln from 1860 to 1865, and later he +wrote an excellent biography of Lincoln. +(The following selection is used by permission +of the Century Company, New +York.)</div> + + +<h4><br />LINCOLN'S EARLY DAYS</h4> + +<div class='center'>HELEN NICOLAY</div> + +<p>The story of this wonderful man +begins and ends with a tragedy, for his +grandfather, also named Abraham, was +killed by a shot from an Indian's rifle +while peaceably at work with his three +sons on the edge of their frontier clearing. +Eighty-one years later the President +himself met death by an assassin's bullet. +The murderer of one was a savage of the +forest; the murderer of the other that far +more cruel thing, a savage of civilization.</p> + +<p>When the Indian's shot laid the pioneer +farmer low, his second son, Josiah, ran +to a neighboring fort for help, and +Mordecai, the eldest, hurried to the +cabin for his rifle. Thomas, a child of +six years, was left alone beside the dead<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_656" id="Page_656">[656]</a></span> +body of his father; and as Mordecai +snatched the gun from its resting-place +over the door of the cabin, he saw, to +his horror, an Indian in his war-paint, +just stooping to seize the child. Taking +quick aim at a medal on the breast of +the savage, he fired, and the Indian fell +dead. The little boy, thus released, +ran to the house, where Mordecai, firing +through the loopholes, kept the Indians +at bay until help arrived from the fort.</p> + +<p>It was this child Thomas who grew up +to be the father of President Abraham +Lincoln. After the murder of his father +the fortunes of the little family grew +rapidly worse, and doubtless because of +poverty, as well as by reason of the +marriage of his older brothers and sisters, +their home was broken up, and Thomas +found himself, long before he was grown, +a wandering laboring boy. He lived for +a time with an uncle as his hired servant, +and later he learned the trade of carpenter. +He grew to manhood entirely without +education, and when he was twenty-eight +years old could neither read nor +write. At that time he married Nancy +Hanks, a good-looking young woman of +twenty-three, as poor as himself, but so +much better off as to learning that she +was able to teach her husband to sign +his own name. Neither of them had +any money, but living cost little on the +frontier in those days, and they felt +that his trade would suffice to earn all +that they should need. Thomas took +his bride to a tiny house in Elizabethtown, +Kentucky, where they lived for +about a year, and where a daughter was +born to them.</p> + +<p>Then they moved to a small farm +thirteen miles from Elizabethtown, which +they bought on credit, the country being +yet so new that there were places to be +had for mere promises to pay. Farms +obtained on such terms were usually of +very poor quality, and this one of Thomas +Lincoln's was no exception to the rule. +A cabin ready to be occupied stood on +it, however; and not far away, hidden +in a pretty clump of trees and bushes, +was a fine spring of water, because of +which the place was known as Rock +Spring Farm. In the cabin on this farm +the future President of the United States +was born on February 12, 1809, and here +the first four years of his life were spent. +Then the Lincolns moved to a much +bigger and better farm on Knob Creek, +six miles from Hodgensville, which +Thomas Lincoln bought, again on credit, +selling the larger part of it soon afterward +to another purchaser. Here they +remained until Abraham was seven +years old.</p> + +<p>About this early part of his childhood +almost nothing is known. He +never talked of these days, even to his +most intimate friends. To the pioneer +child a farm offered much that a town +lot could not give him—space; woods +to roam in; Knob Creek with its running +water and its deep, quiet pools for a +playfellow; berries to be hunted for in +summer and nuts in autumn; while all +the year round birds and small animals +pattered across his path to people the +solitude in place of human companions. +The boy had few comrades. He wandered +about playing his lonesome little +games, and, when these were finished, +returned to the small and cheerless +cabin. Once, when asked what he +remembered about the War of 1812 +with Great Britain, he replied: "Only +this: I had been fishing one day and +had caught a little fish, which I was +taking home. I met a soldier in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_657" id="Page_657">[657]</a></span> +road, and having always been told at +home that we must be good to soldiers, +I gave him my fish." It is only a glimpse +into his life, but it shows the solitary, +generous child, and the patriotic household.</p> + +<p>It was while living on this farm that +Abraham and his sister Sarah first began +going to A-B-C schools. Their earliest +teacher was Zachariah Riney, who taught +near the Lincoln cabin; the next was +Caleb Hazel, four miles away.</p> + +<p>In spite of the tragedy that darkened +his childhood, Thomas Lincoln seems to +have been a cheery, indolent, good-natured +man. By means of a little farming +and occasional jobs at his trade, he +managed to supply his family with the +absolutely necessary food and shelter, +but he never got on in the world. He +found it much easier to gossip with his +friends, or to dream about rich new +lands in the West, than to make a thrifty +living in the place where he happened +to be. The blood of the pioneer was in +his veins too—the desire to move westward; +and hearing glowing accounts of +the new territory of Indiana, he resolved +to go and see it for himself. His skill as +a carpenter made this not only possible +but reasonably cheap, and in the fall of +1816 he built himself a little flatboat, +launched it half a mile from his cabin, +at the mouth of Knob Creek on the +waters of the Rolling Fork, and floated +on it down that stream to Salt River, +down Salt River to the Ohio, and down +the Ohio to a landing called Thompson's +Ferry on the Indiana shore.</p> + +<p>Sixteen miles out from the river, near +a small stream known as Pigeon Creek, +he found a spot in the forest that suited +him; and as his boat could not be made +to float upstream, he sold it, stored his +goods with an obliging settler, and +trudged back to Kentucky, all the way +on foot, to fetch his wife and children—Sarah, +who was now nine years old, and +Abraham, seven. This time the journey +to Indiana was made with two horses, +used by the mother and children for +riding, and to carry their little camping +outfit for the night. The distance from +their old home was, in a straight line, +little more than fifty miles, but they had +to go double that distance because of +the very few roads it was possible to +follow.</p> + +<p>Reaching the Ohio River and crossing +to the Indiana shore, Thomas Lincoln +hired a wagon which carried his family +and their belongings the remaining sixteen +miles through the forest to the spot +he had chosen—a piece of heavily wooded +land, one and a half miles east of what +has since become the village of Gentryville +in Spencer County. The lateness +of the autumn made it necessary to put +up a shelter as quickly as possible, and +he built what was known on the frontier +as a half-faced camp, about fourteen feet +square. This differed from a cabin in +that it was closed on only three sides, +being quite open to the weather on the +fourth. A fire was usually made in +front of the open side, and thus the +necessity for having a chimney was done +away with. Thomas Lincoln doubtless +intended this only for a temporary +shelter, and as such it would have done +well enough in pleasant summer weather; +but it was a rude provision against the +storms and winds of an Indiana winter. +It shows his want of energy that the +family remained housed in this poor +camp for nearly a whole year; but, after +all, he must not be too hastily blamed. +He was far from idle. A cabin was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_658" id="Page_658">[658]</a></span> +doubtless begun, and there was the very +heavy work of clearing away the timber—cutting +down large trees, chopping +them into suitable lengths, and rolling +them together into great heaps to be +burned, or of splitting them into rails to +fence the small field upon which he managed +to raise a patch of corn and other +things during the following summer.</p> + +<p>Though only seven years old, Abraham +was unusually large and strong for his +age, and he helped his father in all this +heavy labor of clearing the farm. In +after years, Mr. Lincoln said that an ax +"was put into his hands at once, and +from that till within his twenty-third +year he was almost constantly handling +that most useful instrument—less, of +course, in ploughing and harvesting +seasons." At first the Lincolns and +their seven or eight neighbors lived in +the unbroken forest. They had only +the tools and household goods they +brought with them, or such things as +they could fashion with their own +hands. There was no sawmill to saw +lumber. The village of Gentryville was +not even begun. Breadstuff could be +had only by sending young Abraham +seven miles on horseback with a bag of +corn to be ground in a hand grist-mill.</p> + +<p>About the time the new cabin was +ready relatives and friends followed +from Kentucky, and some of these in +turn occupied the half-faced camp. During +the autumn a severe and mysterious +sickness broke out in their little settlement, +and a number of people died, +among them the mother of young Abraham. +There was no help to be had +beyond what the neighbors could give +each other. The nearest doctor lived +fully thirty miles away. There was not +even a minister to conduct the funerals. +Thomas Lincoln made the coffins for the +dead out of green lumber cut from the +forest trees with a whip-saw, and they +were laid to rest in a clearing in the woods. +Months afterward, largely through the +efforts of the sorrowing boy, a preacher +who chanced to come that way was +induced to hold a service and preach a +sermon over the grave of Mrs. Lincoln.</p> + +<p>Her death was indeed a serious blow +to her husband and children. Abraham's +sister, Sarah, was only eleven years old, +and the tasks and cares of the little +household were altogether too heavy for +her years and experience. Nevertheless +they struggled bravely through the +winter and following summer; then in +the autumn of 1819 Thomas Lincoln +went back to Kentucky and married +Sarah Bush Johnston, whom he had +known, and it is said courted, when she +was only Sally Bush. She had married +about the time Lincoln married Nancy +Hanks, and her husband had died, leaving +her with three children. She came +of a better station in life than Thomas, +and was a woman with an excellent mind +as well as a warm and generous heart. +The household goods that she brought +with her to the Lincoln home filled a +four-horse wagon, and not only were +her own children well clothed and cared +for, but she was able at once to provide +little Abraham and Sarah with comforts +to which they had been strangers during +the whole of their young lives. Under +her wise management all jealousy was +avoided between the two sets of children; +urged on by her stirring example, Thomas +Lincoln supplied the yet unfinished cabin +with floor, door, and windows, and life +became more comfortable for all its +inmates, contentment if not happiness +reigning in the little home.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_659" id="Page_659">[659]</a></span></p> + +<p>The new stepmother quickly became +very fond of Abraham, and encouraged +him in every way in her power to study +and improve himself. The chances for +this were few enough. Mr. Lincoln has +left us a vivid picture of the situation. +"It was," he once wrote, "a wild region, +with many bears and other wild animals +still in the woods. There I grew up. +There were some schools, so-called, but +no qualification was ever required of a +teacher beyond readin', writin', and +cipherin' to the Rule of Three. If a +straggler supposed to understand Latin +happened to sojourn in the neighborhood, +he was looked upon as a wizard."</p> + +<p>The school-house was a low cabin of +round logs, with split logs or "puncheons" +for a floor, split logs roughly leveled with +an ax and set up on legs for benches, +and holes cut out in the logs and the space +filled in with squares of greased paper +for window-panes. The main light came +in through the open door. Very often +Webster's "Elementary Spelling-book" +was the only text-book. This was the +kind of school most common in the +Middle West during Mr. Lincoln's boyhood, +though already in some places +there were schools of a more pretentious +character. Indeed, back in Kentucky, +at the very time that Abraham, a child +of six, was learning his letters from +Zachariah Riney, a boy only a year +older was attending a Catholic seminary +in the very next county. It is doubtful +if they ever met, but the destinies of the +two were strangely interwoven, for the +older boy was Jefferson Davis, who +became head of the Confederate government +shortly after Lincoln was elected +President of the United States.</p> + +<p>As Abraham was only seven years +old when he left Kentucky, the little +beginnings he learned in the schools +kept by Riney and Hazel in that state +must have been very slight, probably +only his alphabet, or at most only three +or four pages of Webster's "Elementary +Spelling-book." The multiplication-table +was still a mystery to him, and +he could read or write only the words +he spelled. His first two years in +Indiana seem to have passed without +schooling of any sort, and the school +he attended shortly after coming under +the care of his stepmother was of the +simplest kind, for the Pigeon Creek +settlement numbered only eight or ten +poor families, and they lived deep in +the forest, where, even if they had had +the money for such luxuries, it would +have been impossible to buy books, +slates, pens, ink, or paper. It is worthy +of note, however, that in our western +country, even under such difficulties, a +school-house was one of the first buildings +to rise in every frontier settlement. +Abraham's second school in Indiana was +held when he was fourteen years old, +and the third in his seventeenth year. +By that time he had more books and +better teachers, but he had to walk four +or five miles to reach them. We know +that he learned to write, and was provided +with pen, ink, and a copy-book, and +a very small supply of writing paper, for +copies have been printed of several +scraps on which he carefully wrote down +tables of long measure, land measure, +and dry measure, as well as examples in +multiplication and compound division, +from his arithmetic. He was never able +to go to school again after this time, and +though the instruction he received from +his five teachers—two in Kentucky and +three in Indiana—extended over a period +of nine years, it must be remembered that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_660" id="Page_660">[660]</a></span> +it made up in all less than one twelvemonth; +"that the aggregate of all his +schooling did not amount to one year."</p> + +<p>The fact that he received this instruction, +as he himself said, "by littles," +was doubtless an advantage. A lazy +or indifferent boy would of course have +forgotten what was taught him at one +time before he had opportunity at +another; but Abraham was neither +indifferent nor lazy, and these widely +separated fragments of instruction were +precious steps to self-help. He pursued +his studies with very unusual purpose +and determination not only to understand +them at the moment, but to fix +them firmly in his mind. His early +companions all agree that he employed +every spare moment in keeping on with +some one of his studies. His stepmother +tells us that "When he came across a +passage that struck him, he would write +it down on boards if he had no paper, +and keep it there until he did get paper. +Then he would rewrite it, look at it, +repeat it. He had a copy-book, a kind +of scrap-book, in which he put down +all things, and thus preserved them." +He spent long evenings doing sums on +the fire-shovel. Iron fire-shovels were +a rarity among pioneers. Instead they +used a broad, thin clapboard with one +end narrowed to a handle, arranging +with this the piles of coals upon the +hearth, over which they set their "skillet" +and "oven" to do their cooking. It +was on such a wooden shovel that +Abraham worked his sums by the +flickering firelight, making his figures +with a piece of charcoal, and, when the +shovel was all covered, taking a drawing-knife +and shaving it off clean again.</p> + +<p>The hours that he was able to devote +to his penmanship, his reading, and his +arithmetic were by no means many; for, +save for the short time that he was actually +in school, he was, during all these +years, laboring hard on his father's +farm, or hiring his youthful strength +to neighbors who had need of help in +the work of field or forest. In pursuit +of his knowledge he was on an up-hill +path; yet in spite of all obstacles he +worked his way to so much of an education +as placed him far ahead of his schoolmates +and quickly abreast of his various +teachers. He borrowed every book in +the neighborhood. The list is a short +one: "Robinson Crusoe," "Aesop's +Fables," Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," +Weems's "Life of Washington," and a +"History of the United States." When +everything else had been read, he resolutely +began on the "Revised Statutes +of Indiana," which Dave Turnham, the +constable, had in daily use, but permitted +him to come to his house and read.</p> + +<p>Though so fond of his books, it must +not be supposed that he cared only for +work and serious study. He was a +social, sunny-tempered lad, as fond of +jokes and fun as he was kindly and +industrious. His stepmother said of +him: "I can say, what scarcely one +mother in a thousand can say, Abe +never gave me a cross word or look, and +never refused . . . to do anything I +asked him . . . I must say . . . +that Abe was the best boy I ever saw or +expect to see."</p> + +<p>He and John Johnston, his stepmother's +son, and John Hanks, a relative +of his own mother's, worked barefoot +together in the fields, grubbing, plowing, +hoeing, gathering and shucking corn, and +taking part, when occasion offered, in +the practical jokes and athletic exercises +that enlivened the hard work of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_661" id="Page_661">[661]</a></span> +pioneers. For both work and play +Abraham had one great advantage. He +was not only a tall, strong country boy; +he soon grew to be a tall, strong, sinewy +man. He early reached the unusual +height of six feet four inches, and his +long arms gave him a degree of power +as an axman that few were able to rival. +He therefore usually led his fellows in +efforts of muscle as well as of mind. +That he could outrun, outlift, outwrestle +his boyish companions, that he +could chop faster, split more rails in a +day, carry a heavier log at a "raising," +or excel the neighborhood champion in +any feat of frontier athletics, was doubtless +a matter of pride with him; but +stronger than all else was his eager +craving for knowledge. He felt instinctively +that the power of using the mind +rather than the muscles was the key to +success. He wished not only to wrestle +with the best of them, but to be able to +talk like the preacher, spell and cipher +like the school-master, argue like the +lawyer, and write like the editor. Yet +he was as far as possible from being +a prig. He was helpful, sympathetic, +cheerful. In all the neighborhood gatherings, +when settlers of various ages came +together at corn-huskings or house-raisings, +or when mere chance brought +half a dozen of them at the same time +to the post-office or the country store, +he was able, according to his years, to +add his full share to the gaiety of the +company. By reason of his reading +and his excellent memory, he soon became +the best story-teller among his companions; +and even the slight training gained +from his studies greatly broadened and +strengthened the strong reasoning faculty +with which he had been gifted by nature. +His wit might be mischievous, but it +was never malicious, and his nonsense +was never intended to wound or to hurt +the feelings. It is told of him that he +added to his fund of jokes and stories +humorous imitations of the sermons of +eccentric preachers.</p> + +<p>Very likely too much is made of all +these boyish pranks. He grew up very +like his fellows. In only one particular +did he differ greatly from the frontier +boys around him. He never took any +pleasure in hunting. Almost every youth +of the backwoods early became an +excellent shot and a confirmed sportsman. +The woods still swarmed with +game, and every cabin depended largely +upon this for its supply of food. But +to his strength was added a gentleness +which made him shrink from killing or +inflicting pain, and the time the other +boys gave to lying in ambush, he preferred +to spend in reading or in efforts at +improving his mind.</p> + +<p>Only twice during his life in Indiana +was the routine of his employment +changed. When he was about sixteen +years old he worked for a time for a +man who lived at the mouth of Anderson's +Creek, and here part of his duty +was to manage a ferry-boat which +carried passengers across the Ohio River. +It was very likely this experience which, +three years later, brought him another. +Mr. Gentry, the chief man of the village +of Gentryville that had grown up a mile +or so from his father's cabin, loaded a +flatboat on the Ohio River with the +produce his store had collected—corn, +flour, pork, bacon, and other miscellaneous +provisions—and putting it in +charge of his son Allen Gentry and of +Abraham Lincoln, sent them with it +down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, to +sell its cargo at the plantations of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_662" id="Page_662">[662]</a></span> +lower <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Misisssippi'">Mississippi</ins>, where sugar and cotton +were the principal crops, and where +other food supplies were needed to feed +the slaves. No better proof is needed +of the reputation for strength, skill, +honesty, and intelligence that this tall +country boy had already won for himself, +than that he was chosen to navigate +the flatboat a thousand miles to the +"sugar-coast" of the Mississippi River, +sell its load, and bring back the money. +Allen Gentry was supposed to be in +command, but from the record of his +after life we may be sure that Abraham +did his full share both of work and management. +The elder Gentry paid Lincoln +eight dollars a month and his passage +home on a steamboat for this service. +The voyage was made successfully, +although not without adventure; for +one night, after the boat was tied up +to the shore, the boys were attacked by +seven negroes, who came aboard intending +to kill and rob him. There was a +lively scrimmage, in which, though +slightly hurt, they managed to beat off +their assailants, and then, hastily cutting +their boat adrift, swung out on the +stream. The marauding band little +dreamed that they were attacking the +man who in after years was to give their +race its freedom; and though the future +was equally hidden from Abraham, it +is hard to estimate the vistas of hope +and ambition that this long journey +opened to him. It was his first look +into the wide, wide world.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_419" id="Note_419">419</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Anna Howard Shaw (1847-1919) was national +lecturer for the National American Woman +Suffrage Association from 1886 to 1904, +and was president of that association from +1904 to 1915. She was known as a lecturer +rather than as an author, but her autobiography, +entitled <i>The Story of a Pioneer</i>, +is a charming book that will help us realize +some of the tragedy and humor of pioneer +days and some of the difficulties that had +to be overcome by a woman who was +determined to follow a career practically +closed to women. (The selection below +is from the early part of <i>The Story of a +Pioneer</i>, and is used here by permission of +the publishers, Harper & Brothers, New +York.)</div> + + +<h4><br />IN THE WESTERN WILDERNESS</h4> + +<div class='center'>ANNA HOWARD SHAW</div> + +<p>My father was one of a number of +Englishmen who took up tracts in the +northern forests of Michigan, with the +old dream of establishing a colony there. +None of these men had the least practical +knowledge of farming. They were city +men or followers of trades which had no +connection with farm life. They went +straight into the thick timber-land, +instead of going to the rich and waiting +prairies, and they crowned this initial +mistake by cutting down the splendid +timber instead of letting it stand. Thus +bird's-eye maple and other beautiful +woods were used as fire-wood and in +the construction of rude cabins, and the +greatest asset of the pioneer was ignored.</p> + +<p>Father preceded us to the Michigan +woods, and there, with his oldest son, +James, took up a claim. They cleared +a space in the wilderness just large +enough for a log cabin, and put up the +bare walls of the cabin itself. Then +father returned to Lawrence and his +work, leaving James behind. A few +months later (this was in 1859), my +mother, my two sisters, Eleanor and +Mary, my youngest brother, Henry, +eight years of age, and I, then twelve,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_663" id="Page_663">[663]</a></span> +went to Michigan to work on and hold +down the claim while father, for eighteen +months longer, stayed on in Lawrence, +sending us such remittances as he could. +His second and third sons, John and +Thomas, remained in the East with +him.</p> + +<p>Every detail of our journey through +the wilderness is clear in my mind. +At that time the railroad terminated +at Grand Rapids, Michigan, and we +covered the remaining distance—about +one hundred miles—by wagon, riding +through a dense and often trackless +forest. My brother James met us at +Grand Rapids with what, in those days, +was called a lumber-wagon, but which +had a horrible resemblance to a vehicle +from the health department. My sisters +and I gave it one cold look and +turned from it; we were so pained by +its appearance that we refused to ride +in it through the town. Instead, we +started off on foot, trying to look as if +we had no association with it, and we +climbed into the <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'unwildy'">unwieldy</ins> vehicle only +when the city streets were far behind +us. Every available inch of space in +the wagon was filled with bedding and +provisions. As yet we had no furniture; +we were to make that for ourselves when +we reached our cabin; and there was so +little room for us to ride that we children +walked by turns, while James, from the +beginning of the journey to its end, seven +days later, led our weary horses.</p> + +<p>To my mother, who was never strong, +the whole experience must have been a +nightmare of suffering and stoical endurance. +For us children there were compensations. +The expedition took on +the character of a high adventure, in +which we sometimes had shelter and +sometimes failed to find it, sometimes +were fed, but often went hungry. We +forded innumerable streams, the wheels +of the heavy wagon sinking so deeply +into the stream-beds that we often had +to empty our load before we could get +them out again. Fallen trees lay across +our paths, rivers caused long detours, +while again and again we lost our way +or were turned aside by impenetrable +forest tangles.</p> + +<p>Our first day's journey covered less +than eight miles, and that night we +stopped at a farm-house which was the +last bit of civilization we saw. Early +the next morning we were off again, +making the slow progress due to the rough +roads and our heavy load. At night we +stopped at a place called Thomas's Inn, +only to be told by the woman who kept +it that there was nothing in the house +to eat. Her husband, she said, had gone +"outside" (to Grand Rapids) to get some +flour, and had not returned—but she +added that we could spend the night, +if we chose, and enjoy shelter, if not +food. We had provisions in our wagon, +so we wearily entered, after my brother +had got out some of our pork and opened +a barrel of flour. With this help the +woman made some biscuits, which were +so green that my poor mother could not +eat them. She had admitted to us that +the one thing she had in the house was +saleratus, and she had used this ingredient +with an unsparing hand. When the +meal was eaten she broke the further +news that there were no beds.</p> + +<p>"The old woman can sleep with me," +she suggested, "and the girls can sleep +on the floor. The boys will have to go +to the barn."</p> + +<p>She and her bed were not especially +attractive, and mother decided to lie on +the floor with us. We had taken our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_664" id="Page_664">[664]</a></span> +bedding from the wagon, and we slept +very well; but though she was usually +superior to small annoyances, I think my +mother resented being called an "old +woman." She must have felt like one +that night, but she was only about +forty-eight years of age.</p> + +<p>At dawn the next morning we resumed +our journey, and every day after that +we were able to cover the distance +demanded by the schedule arranged +before we started. This meant that +some sort of shelter usually awaited us +at night. But one day we knew there +would be no houses between the place +we left in the morning and that where +we were to sleep. The distance was +about twenty miles, and when twilight +fell we had not made it. In the back +of the wagon my mother had a box of +little pigs, and during the afternoon +these had broken loose and escaped +into the woods. We had lost much +time in finding them, and we were so +exhausted that when we came to a hut +made of twigs and boughs we decided +to camp in it for the night, though we +knew nothing about it. My brother had +unharnessed the horses, and my mother +and sister were cooking dough-god—a +mixture of flour, water, and soda, fried +in a pan—when two men rode up on +horseback and called my brother to one +side. Immediately after the talk which +followed James harnessed his horses +again and forced us to go on, though by +that time darkness had fallen. He told +mother, but did not tell us children until +long afterward, that a man had been +murdered in the hut only the night +before. The murderer was still at large +in the woods, and the new-comers were +members of a posse who were searching +for him. My brother needed no urging +to put as many miles as he could between +us and the sinister spot.</p> + +<p>In that fashion we made our way to +our new home. The last day, like the +first, we traveled only eight miles, but +we spent the night in a house I shall +never forget. It was beautifully clean, +and for our evening meal its mistress +brought out loaves of bread which were +the largest we had ever seen. She cut +great slices of this bread for us and +spread maple sugar on them, and it +seemed to us that never before had +anything tasted so good.</p> + +<p>The next morning we made the last +stage of our journey, our hearts filled +with the joy of nearing our new home. +We all had an idea that we were going +to a farm, and we expected some resemblance +at least to the prosperous farms +we had seen in New England. My +mother's mental picture was, naturally, +of an English farm. Possibly she had +visions of red barns and deep meadows, +sunny skies and daisies. What we found +awaiting us were the four walls and the +roof of a good-sized log-house, standing +in a small cleared strip of the wilderness, +its doors and windows represented by +square holes, its floor also a thing of the +future, its whole effect achingly forlorn +and desolate. It was late in the afternoon +when we drove up to the opening +that was its front entrance, and I shall +never forget the look my mother turned +upon the place. Without a word she +crossed its threshold, and, standing very +still, looked slowly around her. Then +something within her seemed to give +way, and she sank upon the ground. +She could not realize even then, I think, +that this was really the place father had +prepared for us, that here he expected +us to live. When she finally took it in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_665" id="Page_665">[665]</a></span> +she buried her face in her hands, and in +that way she sat for hours without moving +or speaking. For the first time in +her life she had forgotten us; and we, for +our part, dared not speak to her. We +stood around her in a frightened group, +talking to one another in whispers. Our +little world had crumbled under our feet. +Never before had we seen our mother +give way to despair.</p> + +<p>Night began to fall. The woods +became alive with night creatures, and +the most harmless made the most noise. +The owls began to hoot, and soon we +heard the wildcat, whose cry—a screech +like that of a lost and panic-stricken +child—is one of the most appalling +sounds of the forest. Later the wolves +added their howls to the uproar, but +though darkness came and we children +whimpered around her, our mother still +sat in her strange lethargy.</p> + +<p>At last my brother brought the horses +close to the cabin and built fires to protect +them and us. He was only twenty, +but he showed himself a man during +those early pioneer days. While he was +picketing the horses and building his +protecting fires my mother came to herself, +but her face when she raised it was +worse than her silence had been. She +seemed to have died and to have returned +to us from the grave, and I am sure she +felt that she had done so. From that +moment she took up again the burden +of her life, a burden she did not lay down +until she passed away; but her face never +lost the deep lines those first hours of +her pioneer life had cut upon it.</p> + +<p>That night we slept on boughs spread +on the earth inside the cabin walls, and +we put blankets before the holes which +represented our doors and windows, and +kept our watch-fires burning. Soon the +other children fell asleep, but there was +no sleep for me. I was only twelve +years old, but my mind was full of +fancies. Behind our blankets, swaying +in the night wind, I thought I saw the +heads and pushing shoulders of animals +and heard their padded footfalls.</p> + +<p>We faced our situation with clear and +unalarmed eyes the morning after our +arrival. The problem of food, we knew, +was at least temporarily solved. We +had brought with us enough coffee, pork, +and flour to last for several weeks; and +the one necessity father had put inside +the cabin walls was a great fireplace, +made of mud and stones, in which our +food could be cooked. The problem of +our water-supply was less simple, but +my brother James solved it for the time +by showing us a creek a long distance +from the house, and for months we +carried from this creek, in pails, every +drop of water we used, save that which +we caught in troughs when the rain fell.</p> + +<p>We held a family council after breakfast, +and in this, though I was only +twelve, I took an eager and determined +part. I loved work—it has always +been my favorite form of recreation—and +my spirit rose to the opportunities +of it which smiled on us from every side. +Obviously the first thing to do was to +put doors and windows into the yawning +holes father had left for them, and to lay +a board flooring over the earth inside +our cabin walls, and these duties we +accomplished before we had occupied +our new home a fortnight. There was +a small saw-mill nine miles from our +cabin, on the spot that is now Big +Rapids, and there we bought our lumber. +The labor we supplied ourselves, and +though we put our hearts into it and the +results at the time seemed beautiful to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_666" id="Page_666">[666]</a></span> +our partial eyes, I am forced to admit, +in looking back upon them, that they +halted this side of perfection. We began +by making three windows and two doors; +then, inspired by these achievements, +we ambitiously constructed an attic and +divided the ground floor with partitions, +which gave us four rooms.</p> + +<p>The general effect was temperamental +and sketchy. The boards which formed +the floor were never even nailed down; +they were fine, wide planks without a +knot in them, and they looked so well +that we merely fitted them together as +closely as we could and light-heartedly +let them go at that. Neither did we +properly chink the house. Nothing is +more comfortable than a log cabin which +has been carefully built and finished; but +for some reason—probably because there +seemed always a more urgent duty calling +to us around the corner—we never +plastered our house at all. The result +was that on many future winter mornings +we awoke to find ourselves chastely +blanketed by snow, while the only warm +spot in our living-room was that directly +in front of the fireplace, where great logs +burned all day. Even there our faces +scorched while our spines slowly congealed, +until we learned to revolve before +the fire like a bird upon a spit. No +doubt we would have worked more +thoroughly if my brother James, who +was twenty years old and our tower +of strength, had remained with us; but +when we had been in our new home only +a few months he fell ill and was forced to +go East for an operation. He was never +able to return to us, and thus my mother, +we three young girls, and my youngest +brother—Harry, who was only eight years +old—made our fight alone until father +came to us, more than a year later.</p> + +<p>Mother was practically an invalid. +She had a nervous affection which made +it impossible for her to stand without +the support of a chair. But she sewed +with unusual skill, and it was due to her +that our clothes, notwithstanding the +strain to which we subjected them, were +always in good condition. She sewed +for hours every day, and she was able +to move about the house, after a fashion, +by pushing herself around on a stool +which James made for her as soon as +we arrived. He also built for her a +more comfortable chair with a high +back.</p> + +<p>The division of labor planned at the +first council was that mother should do +our sewing, and my older sisters, Eleanor +and Mary, the housework, which was +far from taxing, for of course we lived +in the simplest manner. My brothers +and I were to do the work out of doors, +an arrangement that suited me very well, +though at first, owing to our lack of +experience, our activities were somewhat +curtailed. It was too late in the season +for plowing or planting, even if we had +possessed anything with which to plow, +and, moreover, our so-called "cleared" +land was thick with sturdy tree-stumps. +Even during the second summer plowing +was impossible; we could only plant +potatoes and corn, and follow the most +primitive method in doing even this. +We took an ax, chopped up the sod, put +the seed under it, and let the seed grow. +The seed did grow, too—in the most +gratifying and encouraging manner. Our +green corn and potatoes were the best I +have ever eaten. But for the present +we lacked these luxuries.</p> + +<p>We had, however, in their place, large +quantities of wild fruit—gooseberries, +raspberries, and plums—which Harry<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_667" id="Page_667">[667]</a></span> +and I gathered on the banks of our +creek. Harry also became an expert +fisherman. We had no hooks or lines, +but he took wires from our hoop-skirts +and made snares at the ends of poles. +My part of this work was to stand on a +log and frighten the fish out of their +holes by making horrible sounds, which +I did with impassioned earnestness. +When the fish hurried to the surface +of the water to investigate the appalling +noises they had heard, they were easily +snared by our small boy, who was very +proud of his ability to contribute in this +way to the family table.</p> + +<p>During our first winter we lived largely +on cornmeal, making a little journey of +twenty miles to the nearest mill to buy +it; but even at that we were better off +than our neighbors, for I remember one +family in our region who for an entire +winter lived solely on coarse-grained +yellow turnips, gratefully changing their +diet to leeks when these came in the +spring.</p> + +<p>Such furniture as we had we made +ourselves. In addition to my mother's +two chairs and the bunks which took +the place of beds, James made a settle +for the living-room, as well as a table +and several stools. At first we had our +tree-cutting done for us, but we soon +became expert in this gentle art, and I +developed such skill that in later years, +after father came, I used to stand with +him and "heart" a log.</p> + +<p>On every side, and at every hour of +the day, we came up against the relentless +limitations of pioneer life. There +was not a team of horses in our entire +region. The team with which my brother +had driven us through the wilderness had +been hired at Grand Rapids for that +occasion, and, of course, immediately +returned. Our lumber was delivered by +ox-teams, and the absolutely essential +purchases we made "outside" (at the +nearest shops, forty miles away) were +carried through the forest on the backs +of men. Our mail was delivered once a +month by a carrier who made the journey +in alternate stages of horseback +riding and canoeing. But we had health, +youth, enthusiasm, good appetites, and +the wherewithal to satisfy them, and at +night in our primitive bunks we sank +into abysses of dreamless slumber such +as I have never known since. Indeed, +looking back upon them, those first +months seem to have been a long-drawn-out +and glorious picnic, interrupted only +by occasional hours of pain or panic, +when we were hurt or frightened.</p> + +<p>Naturally, our two greatest menaces +were wild animals and Indians, but as +the days passed the first of these lost +the early terrors with which we had +associated them. We grew indifferent +to the sounds that had made our first +night a horror to us all—there was even +a certain homeliness in them—while we +regarded with accustomed, almost blase +eyes the various furred creatures of which +we caught distant glimpses as they slunk +through the forest. Their experience +with other settlers had taught them +caution; it soon became clear that they +were as eager to avoid us as we were +to shun them, and by common consent +we gave each other ample elbow-room. +But the Indians were all around us, and +every settler had a collection of hair-raising +tales to tell of them. It was +generally agreed that they were dangerous +only when they were drunk; but as +they were drunk whenever they could get +whisky, and as whisky was constantly +given them in exchange for pelts and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_668" id="Page_668">[668]</a></span> +game, there was a harrowing doubt in +our minds whenever they approached us.</p> + +<p>In my first encounter with them I +was alone in the woods at sunset with +my small brother Harry. We were hunting +a cow James had bought, and our +young eyes were peering eagerly among +the trees, on the alert for any moving +object. Suddenly, at a little distance, +coming directly toward us, we saw a +party of Indians. There were five of +them, all men, walking in single file, as +noiselessly as ghosts, their moccasined +feet causing not even a rustle among the +dry leaves that carpeted the woods. +All the horrible stories we had heard of +Indian cruelty flashed into our minds, +and for a moment we were dumb with +terror. Then I remembered having been +told that the one thing one must not do +before them is to show fear. Harry was +carrying a rope with which we had +expected to lead home our reluctant +cow, and I seized one end of it and whispered +to him that we would "play +horse," pretending he was driving me. +We pranced toward the Indians on feet +that felt like lead, and with eyes so glazed +by terror that we could see nothing save +a line of moving figures; but as we +passed them they did not give to our +little impersonation of care-free children +even the tribute of a side-glance. They +were, we realized, headed straight for +our home; and after a few moments we +doubled on our tracks and, keeping at +a safe distance from them among the +trees, ran back to warn our mother that +they were coming.</p> + +<p>As it happened, James was away, and +mother had to meet her unwelcome guests +supported only by her young children. +She at once prepared a meal, however, +and when they arrived she welcomed +them calmly and gave them the best +she had. After they had eaten they +began to point at and demand objects +they fancied in the room—my brother's +pipe, some tobacco, a bowl, and such +trifles—and my mother, who was afraid +to annoy them by refusal, gave them +what they asked. They were quite +sober, and though they left without +expressing any appreciation of her hospitality, +they made her a second visit a +few months later, bringing a large quantity +of venison and a bag of cranberries as +a graceful return. These Indians were +Ottawas; and later we became very +friendly with them and their tribe, even +to the degree of attending one of their +dances, which I shall describe later.</p> + +<p>Our second encounter with Indians +was a less agreeable experience. There +were seven "Marquette warriors" in +the next group of callers, and they +were all intoxicated. Moreover, they +had brought with them several jugs +of bad whisky—the raw and craze-provoking +product supplied them by +the fur-dealers—and it was clear that +our cabin was to be the scene of an +orgy. Fortunately, my brother James +was at home on this occasion, and as +the evening grew old and the Indians, +grouped together around the fire, became +more and more irresponsible, he devised +a plan for our safety. Our attic was +finished, and its sole entrance was by a +ladder through a trap-door. At James's +whispered command my sister Eleanor +slipped up into the attic, and from the +back window let down a rope, to which +he tied all the weapons we had—his gun +and several axes. These Eleanor drew +up and concealed in one of the bunks. +My brother then directed that as quietly +as possible, and at long intervals, one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_669" id="Page_669">[669]</a></span> +member of the family after another +was to slip up the ladder and into +the attic, going quite casually, that +the Indians might not realize what we +were doing. Once there, with the ladder +drawn up after us and the trap-door +closed, we would be reasonably safe, +unless our guests decided to burn the +cabin.</p> + +<p>The evening seemed endless, and was +certainly nerve-racking. The Indians +ate everything in the house, and from +my seat in a dim corner I watched them +while my sisters waited on them. I +can still see the tableau they made in +the firelit room and hear the unfamiliar +accents of their speech as they talked +together. Occasionally one of them +would pull a hair from his head, seize +his scalping-knife, and cut the hair +with it—a most unpleasant sight! When +either of my sisters approached them +some of the Indians would make gestures, +as if capturing and scalping her. Through +it all, however, the whisky held their +close attention, and it was due to this +that we succeeded in reaching the attic +unobserved, James coming last of all +and drawing the ladder after him. +Mother and the children were then put +to bed; but through that interminable +night James and Eleanor lay flat upon +the floor, watching through the cracks +between the boards the revels of the +drunken Indians, which grew wilder with +every hour that crawled toward sunrise. +There was no knowing when they would +miss us or how soon their mood might +change. At any moment they might +make an attack upon us or set fire to the +cabin. By dawn, however, their whisky +was all gone, and they were in so deep a +stupor that, one after the other, the +seven fell from their chairs to the floor, +where they sprawled unconscious. When +they awoke they left quietly and without +trouble of any kind. They seemed a +strangely subdued and chastened band; +probably they were wretchedly ill after +their debauch on the adulterated whisky +the traders had given them.</p> + +<p>That autumn the Ottawa tribe had a +great corn celebration, to which we and +the other settlers were invited. James +and my older sisters attended it, and I +went with them, by my own urgent +invitation. It seemed to me that as I +was sharing the work and the perils of +our new environment, I might as well +share its joys; and I finally succeeded in +making my family see the logic of this +position. The central feature of the +festivity was a huge kettle, many feet +in circumference, into which the Indians +dropped the most extraordinary variety +of food we had ever seen combined. +Deer heads went into it whole, as well +as every kind of meat and vegetable +the members of the tribe could procure. +We all ate some of this agreeable mixture, +and later, with one another, and +even with the Indians, we danced gaily +to the music of a tom-tom and a drum. +The affair was extremely interesting until +the whisky entered and did its unpleasant +work. When our hosts began to fall +over in the dance and slumber where +they lay, and when the squaws began to +show the same ill effects of their refreshments, +we unostentatiously slipped away.</p> + +<p>During the winter, life offered us +few diversions and many hardships. +Our creek froze over, and the water +problem became a serious one, which +we met with increasing difficulty as the +temperature steadily fell. We melted +snow and ice, and existed through the +frozen months, but with an amount of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_670" id="Page_670">[670]</a></span> +discomfort which made us unwilling to +repeat at least that special phase of +our experience. In the spring, therefore, +I made a well. Long before this, +James had gone, and Harry and I were +now the only out-door members of our +working-force. Harry was still too small +to help with the well; but a young man, +who had formed the neighborly habit of +riding eighteen miles to call on us, gave +me much friendly aid. We located the +well with a switch, and when we had +dug as far as we could reach with our +spades, my assistant descended into the +hole and threw the earth up to the edge, +from which I in turn removed it. As +the well grew deeper we made a halfway +shelf, on which I stood, he throwing +the earth on the shelf, and I shoveling +it up from that point. Later, as he +descended still farther into the hole we +were making, he shoveled the earth into +buckets and passed them up to me, I +passing them on to my sister, who was +now pressed into service. When the +excavation was deep enough we made the +wall of slabs of wood, roughly joined +together. I recall that well with calm +content. It was not a thing of beauty, +but it was a thoroughly practical well, +and it remained the only one we had +during the twelve years the family +occupied the cabin.</p> + +<p>The second spring after our arrival +Harry and I extended our operations by +tapping the sugar-bushes, collecting all +the sap, and carrying it home in pails +slung from our yoke-laden shoulders. +Together we made one hundred and +fifty pounds of sugar and a barrel of +syrup, but here again, as always, we +worked in primitive ways. To get the +sap we chopped a gash in the tree and +drove in a spile. Then we dug out a +trough to catch the sap. It was no +light task to lift these troughs full of +sap and empty the sap into buckets, +but we did it successfully, and afterward +built fires and boiled it down. By this +time we had also cleared some of our +ground, and during the spring we were +able to plow, dividing the work in a way +that seemed fair to us both. These were +strenuous occupations for a boy of nine +and a girl of thirteen, but, though we +were not inordinately good children, we +never complained; we found them very +satisfactory substitutes for more normal +bucolic joys. Inevitably, we had our +little tragedies. Our cow died, and for +an entire winter we went without milk. +Our coffee soon gave out, and as a substitute +we made and used a mixture of +browned peas and burnt rye. In the +winter we were always cold, and the +water problem, until we had built our +well, was ever with us.</p> + +<p>When I was fifteen years old I was +offered a situation as school-teacher. +By this time the community was growing +around us with the rapidity characteristic +of these Western settlements, and +we had nearer neighbors whose children +needed instruction. I passed an examination +before a school-board consisting +of three nervous and self-conscious men +whose certificate I still hold, and I at +once began my professional career on +the modest salary of two dollars a week +and my board. The school was four +miles from my home, so I "boarded +round" with the families of my pupils, +staying two weeks in each place, and +often walking from three to six miles a +day to and from my little log school-house +in every kind of weather. During +the first year I had about fourteen pupils, +of varying ages, sizes, and temperaments,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_671" id="Page_671">[671]</a></span> +and there was hardly a book in the schoolroom +except those I owned. One little +girl, I remembered, read from an almanac, +while a second used a hymn-book.</p> + +<p>In winter the school-house was heated +by a wood-stove to which the teacher +had to give close personal attention. I +could not depend on my pupils to make +the fires or carry in the fuel; and it was +often necessary to fetch the wood myself, +sometimes for long distances through +the forest. Again and again, after miles +of walking through winter storms, I +reached the school-house with my clothing +wet through, and in these soaked +garments I taught during the day. In +"boarding round" I often found myself +in one-room cabins, with bunks at the +end and the sole partition a sheet or a +blanket, behind which I slept with one or +two of the children. It was the custom +on these occasions for the man of the +house to delicately retire to the barn +while we women got to bed, and to +disappear again in the morning while +we dressed. In some places the meals +were so badly cooked that I could not +eat them, and often the only food my +poor little pupils brought to school for +their noonday meal was a piece of bread +or a bit of raw pork.</p> + + + +<h3><br /><a name="Note_420" id="Note_420">420</a></h3> + +<div class="hang1">Hero stories have a special place in the literature +of childhood, and of all such stories +none has ever surpassed that of Leonidas +and his brave Spartans. The account of +that famous event is given from Miss +Yonge's <i>A Book of Golden Deeds</i> (1864), +which is yet one of the best storehouses of +hero stories. It is published in a variety +of editions by different publishers, and +teachers will find it an excellent source for +usable material.</div> + + +<h4><br />THE PASS OF THERMOPYLAE</h4> + +<div class='center'>CHARLOTTE M. YONGE<br /><br /> + +<i>B. C. 430</i></div> + +<p>There was trembling in Greece. "The +Great King," as the Greeks called the +chief potentate of the East, whose domains +stretched from the Indian Caucasus +to the Aegæus, from the Caspian +to the Red Sea, was marshaling his forces +against the little free states that nestled +amid the rocks and gulfs of the Eastern +Mediterranean. Already had his might +devoured the cherished colonies of the +Greeks on the eastern shore of the +Archipelago, and every traitor to home +institutions found a ready asylum at +that despotic court, and tried to revenge +his own wrongs by whispering incitements +to invasion. "All people, nations, +and languages," was the commencement +of the decrees of that monarch's +court; and it was scarcely a vain boast, +for his satraps ruled over subject kingdoms, +and among his tributary nations +he counted the Chaldean, with his learning +and old civilization, the wise and +steadfast Jew, the skillful Phœnician, +the learned Egyptian, the wild freebooting +Arab of the desert, the dark-skinned +Ethiopian, and over all these ruled the +keen witted, active native Persian race, +the conquerors of all the rest, and led +by a chosen band proudly called the +Immortal. His many capitals—Babylon +the great, Susa, Persepolis, and the +like—were names of dreamy splendor to +the Greeks, described now and then by +Ionians from Asia Minor who had carried +their tribute to the King's own feet, or +by courtier slaves who had escaped with +difficulty from being all too serviceable at +the tyrannic court. And the lord of this +enormous empire was about to launch<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_672" id="Page_672">[672]</a></span> +his countless host against the little cluster +of states, the whole of which together +would hardly equal one province of the +huge Asiatic realm! Moreover, it was a +war not only on the men but on their +gods. The Persians were zealous adorers +of the sun and of fire, they abhorred the +idol-worship of the Greeks, and defiled +and plundered every temple that fell in +their way. Death and desolation were +almost the best that could be looked for +at such hands—slavery and torture from +cruelly barbarous masters would only +too surely be the lot of numbers, should +their land fall a prey to the conquerors.</p> + +<p>True it was that ten years back the +former Great King had sent his best +troops to be signally defeated upon the +coast of Attica; but the losses at Marathon +had but stimulated the Persian lust +of conquest, and the new King Xerxes +was gathering together such myriads of +men as should crush down the Greeks and +overrun their country by mere force of +numbers.</p> + +<p>The muster place was at Sardis, and +there Greek spies had seen the multitudes +assembling and the state and magnificence +of the king's attendants. Envoys +had come from him to demand earth +and water from each state in Greece, as +emblems that land and sea were his, but +each state was resolved to be free, and +only Thessaly, that which lay first in his +path, consented to yield the token of subjugation. +A council was held at the +Isthmus of Corinth, and attended by +deputies from all the states of Greece to +consider of the best means of defense. +The ships of the enemy would coast +round the shores of the Aegean sea, the +land army would cross the Hellespont on +a bridge of boats lashed together, and +march southwards into Greece. The +only hope of averting the danger lay in +defending such passages as, from the +nature of the ground, were so narrow +that only a few persons could fight hand +to hand at once, so that courage would +be of more avail than numbers.</p> + +<p>The first of these passes was called +Tempe, and a body of troops was sent +to guard it; but they found that this was +useless and impossible, and came back +again. The next was at Thermopylae. +Look in your map of the Archipelago, or +Aegean Sea, as it was then called, for the +great island of Negropont, or by its old +name, Eubœa. It looks like a piece +broken off from the coast, and to the +north is shaped like the head of a bird, +with the beak running into a gulf, that +would fit over it, upon the main land, +and between the island and the coast is +an exceedingly narrow strait. The Persian +army would have to march round +the edge of the gulf. They could not cut +straight across the country, because the +ridge of mountains called Oeta rose up +and barred their way. Indeed, the +woods, rocks, and precipices came down +so near the sea-shore that in two places +there was only room for one single wheel +track between the steeps and the impassable +morass that formed the border of +the gulf on its south side. These two +very narrow places were called the gates +of the pass, and were about a mile apart. +There was a little more width left in the +intervening space; but in this there were +a number of springs of warm mineral +water, salt and sulphurous, which were +used for the sick to bathe in, and thus +the place was called Thermopylae, or the +Hot Gates. A wall had once been built +across the westernmost of these narrow +places, when the Thessalians and Phocians, +who lived on either side of it, had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_673" id="Page_673">[673]</a></span> +been at war with one another; but it +had been allowed to go to decay, since +the Phocians had found out that there +was a very steep narrow mountain path +along the bed of a torrent, by which it +was possible to cross from one territory +to the other without going round this +marshy coast road.</p> + +<p>This was, therefore, an excellent place +to defend. The Greek ships were all +drawn up on the further side of Eubœa +to prevent the Persian vessels from getting +into the strait and landing men +beyond the pass, and a division of the +army was sent off to guard the Hot +Gates. The council at the Isthmus did +not know of the mountain pathway, and +thought that all would be safe as long as the +Persians were kept out of the coast path.</p> + +<p>The troops sent for this purpose were +from different cities, and amounted to +about 4,000 who were to keep the pass +against two millions. The leader of +them was Leonidas, who had newly +become one of the two kings of Sparta, +the city that above all in Greece trained +its sons to be hardy soldiers, dreading +death infinitely less than shame. Leonidas +had already made up his mind that +the expedition would probably be his +death, perhaps because a prophecy had +been given at the Temple at Delphi that +Sparta should be saved by the death of +one of her kings of the race of Hercules. +He was allowed by law to take with him +300 men, and these he chose most carefully, +not merely for their strength and +courage, but selecting those who had +sons, so that no family might altogether +be destroyed. These Spartans, with +their helots or slaves, made up his own +share of the numbers, but all the army +was under his generalship. It is even +said that the 300 celebrated their own +funeral rites before they set out lest they +should be deprived of them by the enemy, +since, as we have already seen, it was the +Greek belief that the spirits of the dead +found no rest till their obsequies had +been performed. Such preparations did +not daunt the spirits of Leonidas and his +men, and his wife, Gorgo, was not a +woman to be faint-hearted or hold him +back. Long before, when she was a very +little girl, a word of hers had saved her +father from listening to a traitorous message +from the King of Persia; and every +Spartan lady was bred up to be able to +say to those she best loved that they +must come home from battle "with the +shield or on it"—either carrying it victoriously +or borne upon it as a corpse.</p> + +<p>When Leonidas came to Thermopylae, +the Phocians told him of the mountain +path through the chestnut woods of +Mount Oeta, and begged to have the +privilege of guarding it on a spot high +up on the mountain side, assuring him +that it was very hard to find at the other +end, and that there was every probability +that the enemy would never discover +it. He consented, and encamping +around the warm springs, caused the +broken wall to be repaired, and made +ready to meet the foe.</p> + +<p>The Persian army were seen covering +the whole country like locusts, and the +hearts of some of the southern Greeks in +the pass began to sink. Their homes in +the Peloponnesus were comparatively +secure—had they not better fall back +and reserve themselves to defend the +Isthmus of Corinth? But Leonidas, +though Sparta was safe below the Isthmus, +had no intention of abandoning +his northern allies, and kept the other +Peloponnesians to their posts, only sending +messengers for further help.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_674" id="Page_674">[674]</a></span></p> + +<p>Presently a Persian on horseback rode +up to reconnoiter the pass. He could +not see over the wall, but in front of it +and on the ramparts, he saw the Spartans, +some of them engaged in active +sports, and others in combing their long +hair. He rode back to the king, and +told him what he had seen. Now, +Xerxes had in his camp an exiled Spartan +Prince, named Demaratus, who had +become a traitor to his country, and was +serving as counselor to the enemy. +Xerxes sent for him, and asked whether +his countrymen were mad to be thus +employed instead of fleeing away; but +Demaratus made answer that a hard +fight was no doubt in preparation, and +that it was the custom of the Spartans +to array their hair with especial care +when they were about to enter upon any +great peril. Xerxes would, however, not +believe that so petty a force could intend +to resist him, and waited four days, +probably expecting his fleet to assist +him, but as it did not appear, the attack +was made.</p> + +<p>The Greeks, stronger men and more +heavily armed, were far better able to +fight to advantage than the Persians +with their short spears and wicker shields, +and beat them off with great ease. It is +said that Xerxes three times leapt off his +throne in despair at the sight of his +troops being driven backwards; and thus +for two days it seemed as easy to force +a way through the Spartans as through +the rocks themselves. Nay, how could +slavish troops, dragged from home to +spread the victories of an ambitious king, +fight like freemen who felt that their +strokes were to defend their homes and +children?</p> + +<p>But on that evening a wretched man, +named Ephialtes, crept into the Persian +camp, and offered, for a great sum of +money, to show the mountain path that +would enable the enemy to take the brave +defenders in the rear! A Persian general, +named Hydarnes, was sent off at +night-fall with a detachment to secure +this passage, and was guided through +the thick forests that clothed the hillside. +In the stillness of the air, at daybreak, +the Phocian guards of the path +were startled by the crackling of the +chestnut leaves under the tread of many +feet. They started up, but a shower of +arrows was discharged on them, and forgetting +all save the present alarm, they +fled to a higher part of the mountain, +and the enemy, without waiting to pursue +them, began to descend.</p> + +<p>As day dawned, morning light showed +the watchers of the Grecian camp below +a glittering and shimmering in the torrent +bed where the shaggy forests opened; but +it was not the sparkle of water, but the +shine of gilded helmets and the gleaming +of silvered spears. Moreover, a Cimmerian +crept over to the wall from the +Persian camp with tidings that the path +had been betrayed, that the enemy were +climbing it, and would come down beyond +the Eastern Gate. Still, the way +was rugged and circuitous, the Persians +would hardly descend before midday, +and there was ample time for the Greeks +to escape before they could thus be shut +in by the enemy.</p> + +<p>There was a short council held over the +morning sacrifice. Megistias, the seer, +on inspecting the entrails of the slain +victim, declared, as well he might, that +their appearance boded disaster. Him +Leonidas ordered to retire, but he refused, +though he sent home his only son. There +was no disgrace to an ordinary tone of +mind in leaving a post that could not be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_675" id="Page_675">[675]</a></span> +held, and Leonidas recommended all the +allied troops under his command to +march away while yet the way was open. +As to himself and his Spartans, they had +made up their minds to die at their post, +and there could be no doubt that the +example of such a resolution would do +more to save Greece than their best +efforts could ever do if they were careful +to reserve themselves for another occasion.</p> + +<p>All the allies consented to retreat, +except the eighty men who came from +Mycenae and the 700 Thespians, who +declared that they would not desert +Leonidas. There were also 400 Thebans +who remained; and thus the whole number +that stayed with Leonidas to confront +two million of enemies were 1400 warriors, +besides the helots or attendants on +the 300 Spartans, whose number is not +known, but there was probably at least +one to each. Leonidas had two kinsmen +in the camp, like himself, claiming the +blood of Hercules, and he tried to save +them by giving them letters and messages +to Sparta; but one answered that "he +had come to fight, not to carry letters"; +and the other, that "his deeds would tell +all that Sparta wished to know." Another +Spartan, named Dienices, when told that +the enemy's archers were so numerous +that their arrows darkened the sun, replied, +"So much the better, we shall fight +in the shade." Two of the 300 had been +sent to a neighboring village, suffering +severely from a complaint in the eyes. +One of them, called Eurytus, put on his +armor, and commanded his helot to lead +him to his place in the ranks; the other, +called Aristodemus, was so overpowered +with illness that he allowed himself to +be carried away with the retreating allies. +It was still early in the day when all were +gone, and Leonidas gave the word to his +men to take their last meal. "To-night," +he said, "we shall sup with +Pluto."</p> + +<p>Hitherto, he had stood on the defensive, +and had husbanded the lives of his +men; but he now desired to make as +great a slaughter as possible, so as to +inspire the enemy with dread of the Grecian +name. He therefore marched out +beyond the wall, without waiting to be +attacked, and the battle began. The +Persian captains went behind their +wretched troops and scourged them on +to the fight with whips! Poor wretches, +they were driven on to be slaughtered, +pierced with the Greek spears, hurled +into the sea, or trampled into the mud of +the morass; but their inexhaustible numbers +told at length. The spears of the +Greeks broke under hard service, and +their swords alone remained; they began +to fall, and Leonidas himself was among +the first of the slain. Hotter than ever +was the fight over his corpse, and two +Persian princes, brothers of Xerxes, were +there killed; but at length word was +brought that Hydarnes was over the +pass, and that the few remaining men +were thus enclosed on all sides. The +Spartans and Thespians made their way +to a little hillock within the wall, resolved +to let this be the place of their last stand; +but the hearts of the Thebans failed +them, and they came towards the Persians +holding out their hands in entreaty +for mercy. Quarter was given to them, +but they were all branded with the king's +mark as untrustworthy deserters. The +helots probably at this time escaped into +the mountains; while the small desperate +band stood side by side on the hill still +fighting to the last, some with swords, +others with daggers, others even with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_676" id="Page_676">[676]</a></span> +their hands and teeth, till not one living +man remained amongst them when the +sun went down. There was only a +mound of slain, bristled over with +arrows.</p> + +<p>Twenty thousand Persians had died +before that handful of men! Xerxes +asked Demaratus if there were many +more at Sparta like these, and was told +there were 8,000. It must have been +with a somewhat failing heart that he +invited his courtiers from the fleet to see +what he had done to the men who dared +to oppose him, and showed them the +head and arm of Leonidas set up upon a +cross; but he took care that all his own +slain, except 1,000, should first be put +out of sight. The body of the brave +king was buried where he fell, as were +those of the other dead. Much envied +were they by the unhappy Aristodemus, +who found himself called by no name but +the "Coward," and was shunned by all +his fellow-citizens. No one would give +him fire or water, and after a year of +misery, he redeemed his honor by perishing +in the forefront of the battle of +Platæa, which was the last blow that +drove the Persians ingloriously from +Greece.</p> + +<p>The Greeks then united in doing honor +to the brave warriors who, had they been +better supported, might have saved the +whole country from invasion. The poet +Simonides wrote the inscriptions that +were engraved upon the pillars that were +set up in the pass to commemorate this +great action. One was outside the wall, +where most of the fighting had been. +It seems to have been in honor of the +whole number who had for two days +resisted—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"Here did four thousand men from Pelops' land<br /> +Against three hundred myriads bravely stand."<br /> +</div> + +<div class='unindent'>In honor of the Spartans was another +column—</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Go, traveler, to Sparta tell<br /> +That here, obeying her, we fell."<br /> +</div> + +<p>On the little hillock of the last resistance +was placed the figure of a stone lion, +in memory of Leonidas, so fitly named +the lion-like; and Simonides, at his own +expense, erected a pillar to his friend, the +seer Megistias—</p> + +<div class='poem'> +"The great Megistias' tomb you here may view,<br /> +Who slew the Medes, fresh from Spercheius fords;<br /> +Well the wise seer the coming death foreknew,<br /> +Yet scorn'd he to forsake his Spartan lords."<br /> +</div> + +<p>The names of the 300 were likewise +engraven on a pillar at Sparta.</p> + +<p>Lion, pillars, and inscriptions have all +long since passed away, even the very +spot itself has changed; new soil has been +formed, and there are miles of solid +ground between Mount Oeta and the +gulf, so that the Hot Gates no longer +exist. But more enduring than stone +or brass—nay, than the very battle-field +itself—has been the name of Leonidas. +Two thousand three hundred years have +sped since he braced himself to perish +for his country's sake in that narrow, +marshy coast road, under the brow of the +wooded crags, with the sea by his side. +Since that time how many hearts have +glowed, how many arms have been +nerved at the remembrance of the Pass +of Thermopylae, and the defeat that was +worth so much more than a victory!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_677" id="Page_677">[677]</a></span></p> +<h2>SECTION XII</h2> + +<h3>HOME READING LIST AND GENERAL INDEX</h3> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_678" id="Page_678">[678]</a></span></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>". . . Forsooth he cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth +children from play, and old men from the chimney corner; and, pretending +no more, doth intend the winning of the mind from wickedness +to virtue even as the child is often brought to take most wholesome +things by hiding them in such others as have a pleasant taste. . . ."</p> +<div class='sig'> +—Sir Philip Sidney, <i>An Apologie for Poetrie</i>.<br /> +</div></div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_679" id="Page_679">[679]</a></span></p> + +<h2>SECTION XII. HOME READING LIST AND GENERAL INDEX</h2> + +<h3>A HOME READING LIST</h3> + + +<p>Children are such omnivorous readers that teachers and parents are constantly +at their wit's end, not only in naming enough books to supply their demands, but in +grouping these books according to the order of difficulty. Most public libraries can +furnish such lists based upon their experience with children. In fact no modern public +library can carry on its work successfully without an especially prepared librarian +in charge of the books for children. The arrangement of any list by grades must at +best be only approximate, but if done in the light of a wide experience may be of the +greatest practical help to the young teacher or to the parent. The following list is +one issued by the Chicago Public Library, and is used here through the great kindness +of Miss Adah F. Whitcomb, supervisor of the children's room and director of +the training class. Any well-selected collection for children will contain a large +proportion of these titles, and the list is extended enough and varied enough to +furnish attractive reading material for any young person. At need it may be supplemented +by the more elaborate lists found in some of the guides mentioned in the +General Bibliography (<a href="#Page_2">p. 2</a>).</p> + + +<h3><br />FIRST GRADE</h3> + +<div class='unindent'> +Banta, N. Moore, and Benson, Alpha B., <i>Brownie Primer</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Blaisdell, Mary Frances, <i>Mother Goose Children</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brooke, Leonard Leslie, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10469"><i>Johnny Crow's Garden</i>.</a></div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10557"><i>Johnny Crow's Party</i>.</a></div> +<div class='hang1'>Buffum, Katharine G., <i>Mother Goose in Silhouettes</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Craik, Georgiana Marion, <i>So-fat and Mew-mew</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Crane, Walter, <i>Beauty and the Beast Picture Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Bluebeard's Picture Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Cinderella's Picture Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Goody Two Shoes Picture Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Mother Hubbard, Her Picture Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Red Riding Hood's Picture Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Song of Sixpence</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>This Little Pig, His Picture Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Buckle My Shoe</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Fox, Florence Cornelia, <i>The Indian Primer</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Gaynor, Mrs. Jessie Love, and Riley, Alice C. D., <i>Songs of the Child-World</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Greenaway, Kate, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22888"><i>Under the Window</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Haaren, John Henry, <i>Rhymes and Fables</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Howard, Frederick Ward, <i>Banbury Cross Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lansing, Marion Florence, <i>The Child's World Garden</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Le Fèvre, Felicité, <i>The Cock, the Mouse, and the Little Red Hen</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lucas, Edward Verrall, <i>Four and Twenty Toilers</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_680" id="Page_680">[680]</a></span>Mother Goose, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10607"><i>The Real Mother Goose</i></a> (illus. by Blanche Fisher Wright).</div> +<div class='hang1'>Noyes, Marion, <i>The Sunshine Primer</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Saxby, Lewis, <i>Life of a Wooden Doll</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Seton, Ernest Thompson, <i>Wild Animal Play for Children</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Skinner, A. M., and Lawrence, L. N., <i>Little Dramas for Primary Grades</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Smith, Elmer Boyd, <i>Chicken World</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Varney, A. S., <i>The Robin Reader</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Welsh, Charles, (ed.), <i>Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wiltse, Sara E., <i>Folklore Stories and Proverbs</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />SECOND GRADE</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Adelborg, Ottilia, <i>Clean Peter and the Children of Grubbylea</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Æsopus, <i>Fables</i> (Dalkeith ed.).</div> +<div class='hang1'>Bannerman, Mrs. Helen, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1330"><i>Story of Little Black Sambo</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Bass, Florence, <i>Nature Stories for Young Readers: Animal Life</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Nature Stories for Young Readers: Plant Life</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Bryce, Catherine Turner, <i>Stevenson Reader</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Burgess, Gelett, <i>Goops, and How to Be Them</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13004"><i>More Goops, and How Not to Be Them</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Caldecott, Randolph, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18341"><i>Come Lasses Picture Book</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19177"><i>Hey Diddle Diddle Picture Book</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Coe, Ida, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6685"><i>Story Hour Readers</i></a>. Vols. 3, 4.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Cooke, Flora J., <i>Nature Myths and Stories for Little Children</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Craik, Georgiana Marion, <i>Bow-wow and Mew-mew</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Crane, Walter, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/25433"><i>Baby's Own Æsop</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Deming, Therese Osterheld, <i>Little Indian Folk</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Little Red People</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Dodge, Mary Mapes, <i>Rhymes and Jingles</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Greenaway, Kate, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19541"><i>Marigold Garden</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Haaren, John Henry, <i>Songs and Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hix, Melvin, <i>Once-upon-a-Time Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Ivimey, John William, <i>Three Blind Mice</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>McCullough, Annie Willis, <i>Little Stories for Little People</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Moore, Annie E., <i>Pennies and Plans</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Murray, Clara, <i>The Child at Play</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Poulsson, Emilie, <i>The Runaway Donkey and Other Rhymes</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Through the Farmyard Gate</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Smith, Elmer Boyd, <i>Farm Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Santa Claus Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Seashore Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Smith, Gertrude, <i>Lovable Tales of Janey and Josey and Joe</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Roggie and Reggie Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Tileston, Mary Wilder Foote, <i>Sugar and Spice and All That's Nice</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Tolman, Stella Webster Carroll, <i>Around the World</i>, Vol. 1.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Turpin, Edna Henry Lee, <i>Classic Fables</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Weatherly, F. E., <i>The Book of Gnomes</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />THIRD GRADE</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Aspinwall, Mrs. Alicia, <i>Short Stories for Short People</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_681" id="Page_681">[681]</a></span>Bailey, Carolyn Sherwin, <i>Boys and Girls of Colonial Days</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brocks, Dorothy, <i>Red Children</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brooke, Leonard Leslie, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15661"><i>Golden Goose Book</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brown, Abbie Farwell, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15709"><i>Christmas Angel</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Lonesomest Doll</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Browning, Robert, <i>Pied Piper of Hamelin</i> (illus. by Hope Dunlap).</div> +<div class='hang1'>Chisholm, Louey, <i>Nursery Rhymes</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Deming, Mrs. Therese Osterheld, <i>Children of the Wild</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Little Brothers of the West</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Dodge, Mrs. Mary Mapes, <i>New Baby World</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Field, Eugene, <i>Lullaby-land: Songs of Childhood</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Foulke, Elizabeth E., <i>Braided Straws</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Twilight Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Francis, Joseph Greene, <i>Book of Cheerful Cats and Other Animated Animals</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Gates, Mrs. Josephine Scribner, <i>Story of Live Dolls</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Gerson, Virginia, <i>Happy Heart Family</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Grimm, Jacob L. K., and Wilhelm, K., <i>Fairy Tales</i> (Lucas ed.).</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Fairy Tales</i> (Wiltse ed.).</div> +<div class='hang1'>Haaren, John Henry, <i>Fairy Life</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lang, Andrew, <i>Prince Darling, and Other Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lansing, Marion Florence, <i>Rhymes and Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>McMurry, Mrs. Lida Brown, <i>Classic Stories for the Little Ones</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Morley, Margaret Warner, <i>Seed-Babies</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Peary, Mrs. Josephine Diebitsch, <i>Snow Baby</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Perkins, Lucy Fitch, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4012"><i>Dutch Twins</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3496"><i>Japanese Twins</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pierson, Clara Dillingham, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19381"><i>Among the Farmyard People</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pyle, Katharine, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24167"><i>Careless Jane, and Other Tales</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Shute, Katherine H., <i>Land of Song</i>, Vol. 1.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Tappan, Eva March, <i>Dixie Kitten</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Golden Goose</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Thorne-Thomsen, Mrs. Gudrun, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8653"><i>East o' the Sun</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Trimmer, Mrs. Sarah K., <i>History of the Robins</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Valentine, Mrs. Laura Jewry, <i>Aunt Louisa's Book of Fairy Tales</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Woodward, Alice B., <i>Peter Pan Picture Book</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />FOURTH GRADE</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Alden, Raymond Macdonald, <i>Why the Chimes Rang</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Andersen, Hans Christian, <i>Fairy Tales</i> (Lucas ed.).</div> +<div class='hang1'>Barrie, James Matthew, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1332"><i>Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brown, Abbie Farwell, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13905"><i>John of the Woods</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brown, Helen Dawes, <i>Little Miss Phoebe Gay</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Browne, Frances, <i>Granny's Wonderful Chair, and Its Tales of Fairy Times</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Campbell, Helen LeRoy, <i>Story of Konrad, the Swiss Boy</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Carryl, Charles Edward, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/25031"><i>Davy and the Goblin</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Craik, Mrs. Dinah Maria, <i>Adventures of a Brownie</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Crichton, Mrs. F. E., <i>Peep-in-the-World</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Drummond, Henry, <i>Monkey That Would Not Kill</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Faulkner, Georgene, <i>Italian Fairy Tales</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_682" id="Page_682">[682]</a></span>----, <i>Russian Fairy Tales</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Grimm, Jacob L. K., and Wilhelm K., <i>Household Fairy Tales</i>, tr. by L. Crane.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hopkins, William John, <i>Sandman: His Farm Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Houghton, Mrs. Louise Seymour, <i>Russian Grandmother's Wonder Tales</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Ingelow, Jean, <i>Mopsa the Fairy</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lang, Andrew, <i>Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Nursery Rhyme Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Pretty Goldilocks</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Snow Man</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Snow Queen</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lindsay, Maud, and Poulsson, Emilie, <i>Joyous Travelers</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lorenzini, Carlo, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/500"><i>Adventures of Pinocchio</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lucas, Edward Verrall, <i>Book of Verses for Children</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Macdonald, George, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/708"><i>Princess and the Goblin</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Morley, Margaret Warner, <i>Donkey John of Toy Valley</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>O'Shea, Michael Vincent, <i>Old World Wonder Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Paine, Albert Bigelow, <i>How Mr. Dog Got Even</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>How Mr. Rabbit Lost His Tail</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Peck, Harry Thurston, <i>Adventures of Mabel</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pierson, Mrs. Clara Dillingham, <i>Three Little Millers</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pyle, Katharine, <i>As the Goose Flies</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Christmas Angel</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3230"><i>Counterpane Fairy</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Richards, Mrs. Laura E., <i>Joyous Story of Toto</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Toto's Merry Winter</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Schwartz, Julia Augusta, <i>Five Little Strangers</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Scudder, Horace E., <i>Book of Fables</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Book of Folk Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Children's Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'><ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Segur'">Sègur</ins>, Sophie R. de, <i>Story of a Donkey</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Thorne-Thomsen, Mrs. Gudrun, <i>Birch and the Star</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Walker, Margaret Coulson, <i>Lady Hollyhock and Her Friends</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Welsh, Charles, <i>Fairy Tales Children Love</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wette, A. H., <i>Hansel and Gretel</i> (illus. in colors).</div> +<div class='hang1'>White, Eliza Orne, <i>When Molly Was Six</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Williston, Teresa Peirce, <i>Japanese Fairy Tales</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Zwilgmeyer, Dikken, <i>Johnny Blossom</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />FIFTH GRADE</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Alden, William Livingston, <i>Cruise of the Canoe Club</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Cruise of the "Ghost."</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Moral Pirates</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Baldwin, James, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11582"><i>Old Greek Stories</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brown, Abbie Farwell, <i>In the Days of Giants</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Burnett, Frances Hodgson, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/479"><i>Little Lord Fauntleroy</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Caldwell, Frank, <i>Wolf, the Storm Leader</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Coburn, Claire Martha, <i>Our Little Swedish Cousin</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Colum, Padraic, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24493"><i>Boy Who Knew What the Birds Said</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_683" id="Page_683">[683]</a></span>Dodgson, Charles Lutwidge, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19033"><i>Alice in Wonderland</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Duncan, Norman, <i>Adventures of Billy Topsail</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>French, Allen, <i>Story of Rolf and the Viking's Bow</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Golding, Vautier, <i>Story of David Livingstone</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Gordy, Wilbur Fisk, <i>American Leaders and Heroes</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Grinnell, George Bird, <i>Jack among the Indians</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hall, Jennie, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24811"><i>Viking Tales</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Jacobs, Joseph, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7885"><i>Celtic Fairy Tales</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7439"><i>English Fairy Tales</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Jenks, Albert Ernest, <i>Childhood of Ji-shib, the Ojibway</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Kaler, James Otis, <i>Mr. Stubbs' Brother</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Toby Tyler</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Kipling, Rudyard, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2781"><i>Just-So Stories</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lucas, Edward Verrall, <i>Book of Verses for Children</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Mabie, Hamilton Wright, <i>Norse Stories</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Mighels, Philip Verrill, <i>Sunnyside Tad</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Olcott, Frances Jenkins, <i>Fairies and Elves</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Arabian Nights</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Paine, Albert Bigelow, <i>Arkansaw Bear</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pendleton, Louis B., <i>In the Camp of the Creeks</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pyle, Howard, <i>Garden behind the Moon</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Story of King Arthur and His Knights</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Wonder Clock</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pyle, Katharine, <i>Nancy Rutledge</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Richards, Laura E., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7790"><i>Captain January</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Schultz, James Willard, <i>With the Indians in the Rockies</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Seton, Ernest Thompson, <i>Lives of the Hunted</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Spyri, Mrs. Johanna, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/20781"><i>Heidi</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Stockton, Frank R., <i>Fanciful Tales</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Stoddard, William Osborn, <i>Little Smoke</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Tappan, Eva March, <i>Robin Hood: His Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Thackeray, William Makepeace, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/897"><i>Rose and the Ring</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wesselhoeft, Lily F., <i>Sparrow, the Tramp</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wiggin, Kate Douglas, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/24286"><i>Birds' Christmas Carol</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wiggin, Kate Douglas, and Smith, Nora A., <i>Fairy Ring</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wyss, Johann David, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11703"><i>Swiss Family Robinson</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Zollinger, Gulielma, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9329"><i>Widow O'Callaghan's Boys</i></a>.</div> + + +<h3><br />SIXTH GRADE</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Alcott, Louisa M., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2726"><i>Eight Cousins</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2786"><i>Jack and Jill</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Baldwin, James, <i>Story of the Golden Age</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Story of Roland</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6866"><i>Story of Siegfried</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Bennett, John, <i>Barnaby Lee</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Bond, Alexander Russell, <i>Pick, Shovel and Pluck</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Bostock, Frank Charles, <i>Training of Wild Animals</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Brooks, Elbridge Streeter, <i>Master of the Strong Hearts</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_684" id="Page_684">[684]</a></span>Brooks, Noah, <i>Boy Emigrants</i> (illus. ed.).</div> +<div class='hang1'>Browne, Belmore, <i>Quest of the Golden Valley</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Burnett, Mrs. Frances Hodgson, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/146"><i>Little Princess</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Crump, Irving, <i>Boys' Book of Firemen</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Daviess, Marie Thompson, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15093"><i>Phyllis</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Defoe, Daniel, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/521"><i>Robinson Crusoe</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Dix, Beulah Marie, <i>Merrylips</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Dodge, Mrs. Mary Mapes, <i>Hans Brinker</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>DuBois, Mary Constance, <i>Lass of the Silver Sword</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Eggleston, George Cary, <i>Last of the Flatboats</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Ford, Sewell. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19824"><i>Horses Nine</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>French, Allen, <i>Story of Greltir the Strong</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>----, <i>Junior Cup</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Greene, Frances N., and Kirk, Dolly W., <i>With Spurs of Gold</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Greene, Homer, <i>Blind Brother</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Gregor, Elmer Russell, <i>Red Arrow</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hamp, Sidford Frederick, <i>Treasure of Mushroom Rock</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hawkes, Clarence, <i>Shaggycoat: the Biography of a Beaver</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hudson, William Henry, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10101"><i>Little Boy Lost</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Inman, Henry, <i>Ranche on the Oxhide</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Irving, Washington, <i>Rip Van Winkle</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Jacobs, Joseph, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/7128"><i>Indian Fairy Tales</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Johnston, William Allen, <i>Deeds of Doing and Daring</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Kipling, Rudyard, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/236"><i>Jungle Book</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lang, Andrew, <i>Red True Story Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Little, Francis, <i>Camp Jolly</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Lothrop, Mrs. Harriet Mulford, <i>Five Little Peppers</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Munroe, Kirk, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15746"><i>Flamingo Feather</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Page, Thomas Nelson, <i>Two Little Confederates</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pyle, Katharine, <i>Theodora</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Rankin, Mrs. Carroll Watson, <i>Dandelion Cottage</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Roberts, Theodore, <i>Red Feathers</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Seaman, Augusta Huiell, <i>Boarded-up House</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Seawell, Molly Elliot, <i>Little Jarvis</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Seton, Ernest Thompson, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3031"><i>Wild Animals I Have Known</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Stockton, Frank R., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12067"><i>Bee-Man of Orn</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Stoddard, William Osborn, <i>Red Mustang</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Swift, Jonathan, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17157"><i>Gulliver's Travels</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wade, Mrs. Mary Hazelton B., <i>Wonder Workers</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wallace, Dillon, <i>Arctic Stowaways</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wesselhoeft, Mrs. Elizabeth Foster, <i>Jack, the Fire Dog</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />SEVENTH GRADE</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Adams, Joseph Henry, <i>Harper's Indoor Book for Boys</i>. <i>Harper's Outdoor Book for Boys.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Alcott, Louisa M., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3499"><i>Jo's Boys</i>.</a> <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2787"><i>Old-fashioned Girl.</i></a> <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3795"><i>Under the Lilacs.</i></a></div> +<div class='hang1'>Altsheler, Joseph Alexander, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14876"><i>Forest Runners</i></a>. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/15055"><i>Free Rangers.</i></a> <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19477"><i>Young Trailers.</i></a></div> +<div class='hang1'>Barnes, James, <i>Hero of Erie: Oliver Hazard Perry</i>. <i>Yankee Ships and Yankee Sailors.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Browne, Belmore, <i>White Blanket</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_685" id="Page_685">[685]</a></span>Bullen, Frank Thomas, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1356"><i>Cruise of the Cachalot</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Burton, Charles Pierce, <i>The Boys of Bob's Hill</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Canavan, Michael Joseph, <i>Ben Comee: a Tale of Roger's Rangers</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Day, Holman Francis, <i>Eagle Badge</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Deland, Ellen Douglas, <i>Oakleigh</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Dix, Beulah Marie, <i>Little Captive Lad</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Dodge, Mrs. Mary Mapes, <i>Donald and Dorothy</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Drysdale, William, <i>Beach Patrol</i>. <i>Cadet Standish of the "St. Louis."</i> <i>Fast Mail.</i> <i>Young Supercargo.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Foa, Eugénie, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9479"><i>Boy Life of Napoleon</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Garland, Hamlin, <i>Long Trail</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Greene, Homer, <i>Pickett's Gap</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Grey, Zane, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1882"><i>Young Forester</i></a>. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19246"><i>Young Pitcher.</i></a></div> +<div class='hang1'>Grinnell, George Bird, <i>Jack among the Indians</i>. <i>Jack in the Rockies.</i> <i>Jack, the Young Ranchman.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Hawthorne, Nathaniel, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1926"><i>Grandfather's Chair</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Henley, William Ernest, <i>Lyra Heroica: Book of Verse for Boys</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hill, T., <i>Fighting a Fire</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hough, Emerson, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/25494"><i>Young Alaskans</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hughes, Thomas, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1480"><i>Tom Brown's School Days</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Jackson, Mrs. Helen Hunt, <i>Nellie's Silver Mine</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Jacobs, Caroline Emilia, <i>Joan's Jolly Vacation</i>. <i>Joan of Juniper Inn.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Kieffer, Henry Martyn, <i>Recollections of a Drummer-Boy</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Munroe, Kirk, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19223"><i>At War with Pontiac</i>.</a> <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/22497"><i>Cab and Caboose.</i></a></div> +<div class='hang1'>Pyle, Howard, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2865"><i>Otto of the Silver Hand</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Quirk, Leslie W., <i>Baby Elton, Quarterback</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Roberts, Charles G. D., <i>Kindred of the Wild</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Seton, Ernest Thompson, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13499"><i>Two Little Savages</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Stockton, Frank R., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17188"><i>Buccaneers and Pirates of Our Coast</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Stoddard, William Osborn, <i>Red Patriot</i>. <i>White Cave.</i> <i>Lost Gold of the Montezumas.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Tolman, Albert Walter, <i>Jim Spurling, Fisherman</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Tomlinson, Everett Titsworth, <i>Search for Andrew Field.</i> <i>Three Colonial Boys.</i> <i>Red Chief. Marching against the Iroquois.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Wiggin, Kate Douglas, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/498"><i>Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Zollinger, Gulielma, <i>Maggie McLanehan</i>.</div> + + +<h3><br />EIGHTH GRADE</h3> + +<div class='hang1'>Adams, Andy, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/12791"><i>Wells Brothers: the Young Cattle Kings</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Ashmun, Margaret Eliza, <i>Isabel Carlton's Year</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Barbour, Ralph Henry, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13556"><i>Behind the Line</i></a>. <i>Crimson Sweater.</i></div> +<div class='hang1'>Beach, Edward Latimer, <i>Annapolis First Classman</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Bennett, John, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11574"><i>Master Skylark</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Catherwood, Mary Hartwell, <i>Story of Tonty</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Cervantes-Saavedra M. de, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/996"><i>Don Quixote</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Clemens, Samuel L., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1837"><i>Prince and the Pauper</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Coffin, Charles Carleton, <i>Boys of '76</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Cooper, James Fenimore, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3285"><i>Deerslayer</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Dana, Richard Henry, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4277"><i>Two Years before the Mast</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Doubleday, Russell, <i>Cattle-Ranch to College</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Driggs, Lawrence La Tourette, <i>Adventures of Arnold Adair, American Ace</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_686" id="Page_686">[686]</a></span>Duncan, Norman, <i>Adventures of Billy Topsail</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Eggleston, George Cary, <i>Bale Marked Circle X</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>French, Harry W., <i>The Lance of Kanana</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Gilbert, A., <i>More than Conquerors</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Gordon, Charles William, <i>Glengarry School Days</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Goss, Warren Lee, <i>Jed</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hamp, Sidford Frederick, <i>Dale and Fraser, Sheepmen</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hill, Frederick Trevor, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4098"><i>On the Trail of Grant and Lee</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Homer, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3160"><i>Adventures of Odysseus</i></a>. (Colum ed.).</div> +<div class='hang1'>Hughes, Rupert, <i>Lakerim Athletic Club</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Johnston, Charles Haven L., <i>Famous Scouts</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Kipling, Rudyard, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2225"><i>Captains Courageous</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>London, Jack, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/215"><i>Call of the Wild</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Macleod, Mary, <i>Shakespeare Story Book</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Malory, Sir Thomas, <i>Book of King Arthur and His Noble Knights</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Masefield, John, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1274"><i>Martin Hyde</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Meigs, Cornelia, <i>Master Simon's Garden</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Moffett, Cleveland, <i>Careers of Danger and Daring</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Montgomery, Lucy Maud, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/45"><i>Anne of Green Gables</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Nicolay, Helen, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1815"><i>Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Ollivant, Alfred, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2795"><i>Bob, Son of Battle</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Parkman, Mary, <i>Heroes of To-day</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pendleton, Louis B., <i>King Tom and the Runaways</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Pyle, Howard, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1557"><i>Men of Iron</i></a>. <i>Story of Jack Ballister's Fortunes</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Rice, Alice Caldwell H., <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4377"><i>Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Richards, Laura E., <i>Florence Nightingale</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Richmond, Grace L., <i>Round the Corner in Gay Street</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Roberts, Charles G. D., <i>Heart of the Ancient Wood</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Rolt-Wheeler, Francis William, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18874"><i>Boy with the U. S. Foresters</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Schultz, James William, <i>Quest of the Fish-Dog Skin</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Seaman, Augusta Huiell, <i>Girl Next Door</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Singmaster, Elsie, <i>Emmeline</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Tappan, Eva March, <i>In the Days of Queen Elizabeth</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Thompson, Arthur Ripley, <i>Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Thompson, James Maurice, <i>Alice of Old Vincennes</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Thurston, Ida Treadwell, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/8413"><i>Bishop's Shadow</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Trowbridge, John Townsend, <i>Cudjo's Cave</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Verne, Jules, <i>Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Verrill, Alpheus Hyatt, <i>Marooned in the Forest</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wallace, Dillon, <i>Wilderness Castaways</i>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Wallace, Lewis, <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2145"><i>Ben Hur</i></a>.</div> +<div class='hang1'>Waller, Mary Ella, <i>Daughter of the Rich</i>.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_687" id="Page_687">[687]</a></span></p> +<h2>INDEX</h2> + + +<p>(A number in blackface type refers to a page on which appears a literary selection under the title, by +the author, or from the book preceding the number. Book titles are in italics; selection titles and index +topics in roman type; names of authors in capitals and small capitals; and first lines of nursery rhymes +within quotation marks. See <a href="#Bibliography1">Bibliography</a> for authors and book titles not given in this Index.)</p> + +<div class='unindent'> +Abou Ben Adhem, <b><a href="#Page_414">414</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"A cat came fiddling out of a barn," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Accumulative story; <i>See</i> <a href="#stories">Stories</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Addison, J.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_294">294</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"A diller, a dollar," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Adler, F.</span>, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>, <a href="#Page_263">263</a><br /> +<br /> +Admetus and the Shepherd, <b><a href="#Page_337">337</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Adventures of Arthur, <b><a href="#Page_598">598</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Æsop</span>, <b><a href="#Page_266">266</a>-<a href="#Page_268">268</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_272">272</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_273">273</a>-<a href="#Page_278">278</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_264">264</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Against Idleness and Mischief, <b><a href="#Page_407">407</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Age of Fable, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_339">339</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_343">343</a></b>, <a href="#Page_338">338</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Aikin, J.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_451">451</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Alden, R. M.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_223">223</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Ali Baba, and the Forty Thieves, <b><a href="#Page_579">579</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Alice in Wonderland</i>, <a href="#Page_405">405</a><br /> +<br /> +Allegory, <b><a href="#Page_292">292</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_294">294</a></b>. <i>See also</i> <a href="#Fables">Fables</a><br /> +<br /> +Allen-a-Dale, <b><a href="#Page_628">628</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Alnaschar, <a href="#Page_279">279</a>, <a href="#Page_579">579</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Ancient Legends of Ireland</i>, <a href="#Page_164">164</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Andersen, H. C.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_179">179</a>-<a href="#Page_203">203</a></b>, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_134">134</a>, <a href="#Page_381">381</a>, <a href="#Page_390">390</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">appreciation of, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>-<a href="#Page_173">173</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <b><a href="#Page_179">179</a></b></span><br /> +<br /> +<i>Andersen's Best Fairy Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_179">179</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_181">181</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Androcles, <b><a href="#Page_269">269</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Androcles and the Lion, <b><a href="#Page_270">270</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Anniversary, An, <b><a href="#Page_34">34</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Anxious Leaf, The, <b><a href="#Page_290">290</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Apologue, <a href="#Page_290">290</a>, <b><a href="#Page_291">291</a></b>. <i>See also</i> <a href="#Fables">Fable</a><br /> +<br /> +Apple of Discord, The, <a href="#Page_332">332</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Arabian Nights' Entertainment, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_579">579</a></b>, <a href="#Page_235">235</a>, <a href="#Page_578">578</a>, <a href="#Page_579">579</a><br /> +<br /> +Arab to His Favorite Steed, The, <b><a href="#Page_420">420</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Arthur and Sir Accalon, <b><a href="#Page_603">603</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Arthur<a name="Arthur" id="Arthur"></a>, King, <b><a href="#Page_595">595</a>-<a href="#Page_603">603</a></b>, <a href="#Page_577">577</a>, <a href="#Page_578">578</a>, <a href="#Page_594">594</a><br /> +<br /> +<a name="Asbj" id="Asbj"></a><span class="smcap">Asbjörnsen, P.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_122">122</a>-<a href="#Page_128">128</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <a href="#Page_122">122</a></span><br /> +<br /> +"As I was going to St. Ives," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"As I was going up Pippen Hill," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"As I went to Bonner," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Ass in the Lion's Skin, The, <b><a href="#Page_281">281</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"As Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"A swarm of bees in May," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Autobiography; <i>See</i> <a href="#Biography">Biography</a><br /> +<br /> +Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, The, <b><a href="#Page_646">646</a></b><br /> +<br /> +A Was an Apple-Pie, <b><a href="#Page_34">34</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +"Baa, baa, black sheep," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Babes in the Wood, The, <b><a href="#Page_39">39</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Baby Bye, <b><a href="#Page_373">373</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Bailey, C. S.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_59">59</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Bain, R. N.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_160">160</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Ballad, <b><a href="#Page_425">425</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_436">436</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_628">628</a></b>, <a href="#Page_437">437</a>, <a href="#Page_628">628</a><br /> +<br /> +Ballad of Nathan Hale, The, <b><a href="#Page_425">425</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Barbauld, A. L.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_451">451</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Barber, barber, shave a pig," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Battle between the Fox and the Wolf, The, <b><a href="#Page_591">591</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Bears of Blue River, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_500">500</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Beaumont, Madame de</span>, <b><a href="#Page_110">110</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Beauty and the Beast, <b><a href="#Page_110">110</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Beecher, H. W.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_290">290</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Beowulf</i>, <a href="#Page_577">577</a><br /> +<br /> +Beth Gêlert, <b><a href="#Page_436">436</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Betty's Ride, A Tale of the Revolution, <b><a href="#Page_496">496</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Beyond the Pasture Bars</i>, <b><a href="#Page_520">520</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Bible, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_288">288</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_289">289</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Bibliography:<a name="Bibliography" id="Bibliography"></a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">(<i>a</i>). General; <a href="#Page_2">2</a>-<a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Bible as literature for children, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">collections of literature for children, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">dramatization, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">guides in teaching, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>-<a href="#Page_3">3</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">historical development, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">interpretations of childhood, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">social and psychological backgrounds, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">story-telling, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>b</i>). Special;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biography and hero stories, <a href="#Page_632">632</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">fables and symbolic stories, <a href="#Page_262">262</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">fairy stories, modern fantastic tales, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">fairy stories, traditional tales, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mother Goose and nursery rhymes, <a href="#Page_18">18</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">myths, <a href="#Page_302">302</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">nature literature, <a href="#Page_510">510</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">poetry, <a href="#Page_368">368</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">realistic stories, <a href="#Page_442">442</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">romance and legend, <a href="#Page_576">576</a>.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>c</i>). Special reading for teachers;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biography and hero stories, <a href="#Page_634">634</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">modern fairy stories, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">myths, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">nature literature, <a href="#Page_512">512</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">nursery rhymes, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">poetry, <a href="#Page_370">370</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">romance and legend, <a href="#Page_578">578</a>.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>d</i>). Graded lists for children, <a href="#Page_12">12</a>-<a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <b><a href="#Page_679">679</a>-<a href="#Page_686">686</a></b></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Bidpai</span>; history of, <a href="#Page_264">264</a><br /> +<br /> +Big Bear, The, <b><a href="#Page_500">500</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Biography <a name="Biography" id="Biography"></a>and hero stories, <b><a href="#Page_635">635</a>-<a href="#Page_676">676</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_633">633</a>-<a href="#Page_634">634</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">selection of, <a href="#Page_633">633</a>-<a href="#Page_634">634</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">value of, <a href="#Page_633">633</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Bird Habits, <b><a href="#Page_549">549</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Birds of a feather flock together," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Blake, W.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_400">400</a>-<a href="#Page_401">401</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Bless you, bless you, burnie bee," <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Blue Light, The, <b><a href="#Page_134">134</a></b>, <a href="#Page_195">195</a><br /> +<br /> +Boats Sail on the Rivers, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Bobby Shafto's gone to sea," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Book of Golden Deeds, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_671">671</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Book of Legends, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_620">620</a></b>, <a href="#Page_578">578</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Book of Nursery Rhymes</i> <b>21</b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Book of the Dun Cow</i>, <b><a href="#Page_162">162</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Books for children; <i>See</i> <a href="#Bibliography">Bibliography</a><br /> +<br /> +Boots and His Brothers, <b><a href="#Page_125">125</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Bow, wow, wow," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Boyhood of Washington, The, <b><a href="#Page_642">642</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Boy's Life of Abraham Lincoln, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_655">655</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Boy's Song, A, <b><a href="#Page_389">389</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Braekstad, H. L.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_128">128</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Bramble Is Made King, The, <b><a href="#Page_288">288</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Brandes, G.</span>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a>, <a href="#Page_180">180</a>, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>, <a href="#Page_203">203</a><br /> +<br /> +Breathes There the Man, <b><a href="#Page_424">424</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Brier Rose, <b><a href="#Page_142">142</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Brooks, E. S.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_635">635</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Brown, T. E.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_418">418</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_688" id="Page_688">[688]</a></span><span class="smcap">Browne, F.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_210">210</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_209">209</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Browning, R.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_399">399</a></b>, <a href="#Page_398">398</a><br /> +<br /> +Brown Thrush, The, <b><a href="#Page_374">374</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Bryant, S. C.</span>, <a href="#Page_70">70</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Bryant, W. C.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_417">417</a></b>, <a href="#Page_416">416</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Buddhist Birth Stories</i><a name="Buddhistic" id="Buddhistic"></a>, <b><a href="#Page_282">282</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_283">283</a></b>, <a href="#Page_281">281</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Bulfinch, T.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_339">339</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_343">343</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Burgess, T. W.</span> <b>515</b>, <a href="#Page_514">514</a><br /> +<br /> +Burial of Poor Cock Robin, The, <b><a href="#Page_44">44</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Butterfly's Ball, The, <b><a href="#Page_397">397</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Bye, baby bunting," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Byron, Lord</span>, <b><a href="#Page_416">416</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Camel and the Pig, The, <b><a href="#Page_281">281</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Canby, H. S.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_496">496</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Can You, <b><a href="#Page_398">398</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<a name="Carroll" id="Carroll"></a><span class="smcap">Carroll, L.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_405">405</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Cary, P.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_377">377</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_378">378</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Casabianca, <b><a href="#Page_400">400</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Cat and the Mouse, The, <b><a href="#Page_60">60</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Celtic Fairy Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_162">162</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Cervantes-Saavedra, M. de</span>, <b><a href="#Page_607">607</a></b>, <a href="#Page_606">606</a><br /> +<br /> +Change About, <b><a href="#Page_49">49</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Child, L. M.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_375">375</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Children's Book, The</i>, <a href="#Page_642">642</a><br /> +<br /> +Children's Literature; <i>See</i> <a href="#Literature">Literature</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Child's Guide to Reading, A</i>, <b><a href="#Page_8">8</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Christmas stories, <a href="#Page_505">505</a><br /> +<br /> +Cinderella, <b><a href="#Page_102">102</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Circus-Day Parade, The, <b><a href="#Page_388">388</a></b><br /> +<br /> +City Mouse and the Garden Mouse, The, <b><a href="#Page_268">268</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Classic Myths in English Literature and Art</i>, <a href="#Page_340">340</a><br /> +<br /> +Cock a Doodle Doo, <b><a href="#Page_37">37</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Cock and the Fox, The, <b><a href="#Page_284">284</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Cock Robin, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>, <a href="#Page_44">44</a><br /> +<br /> +Cock, the Cat, and the Young Mouse, The, <b><a href="#Page_285">285</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Cole, H.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_586">586</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_591">591</a></b>, <a href="#Page_578">578</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Coleridge, S. T.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_178">178</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Collins, Wm.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_425">425</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Collins, W. L.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_285">285</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Come when you're called," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Concord Hymn, <b><a href="#Page_424">424</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Connla and the Fairy Maiden, <b><a href="#Page_162">162</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Cook, E.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_402">402</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Coolidge, S.</span><a name="Coolidge" id="Coolidge"></a>, <b><a href="#Page_377">377</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Cossack Fairy Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_160">160</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Country Mouse and the Town Mouse, The, <b><a href="#Page_269">269</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Course of Study, <a name="Course" id="Course"></a><a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>-<a href="#Page_16">16</a>, <a href="#Page_512">512</a>, <a href="#Page_577">577</a>, <a href="#Page_633">633</a>-<a href="#Page_634">634</a><br /> +<br /> +Courtship of Cock Robin and Jenny Wren, <b><a href="#Page_42">42</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Cow, The, <b><a href="#Page_381">381</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Cow, The, <b><a href="#Page_392">392</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Cox, R.</span>, <a href="#Page_112">112</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Craik, D. M.</span>; <i>See</i> <a href="#Mulock"><span class="smcap">Mulock<ins title="Transcriber's Note: small capitals added to this word to conform to rest of text">Mulock</ins></span></a><br /> +<br /> +Croesus and Solon, <b><a href="#Page_299">299</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Crossing the Bar, <b><a href="#Page_414">414</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Cross patch," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Crow and the Pitcher, The, <b><a href="#Page_266">266</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Curly locks! curly locks!" <b>24</b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Daffodils, <b><a href="#Page_419">419</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Dairywoman and the Pot of Milk, The, <b><a href="#Page_278">278</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Daisies, <b><a href="#Page_385">385</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Dame Wiggins of Lee and Her Seven Wonderful Cats, <b><a href="#Page_45">45</a></b>, <a href="#Page_245">245</a><br /> +<br /> +"Dance, little baby, dance up high," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Darius Green and His Flying Machine, <b><a href="#Page_432">432</a></b>, <a href="#Page_336">336</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Dasent, G. W.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_122">122</a>-<a href="#Page_125">125</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Day Is Done, The, <b><a href="#Page_410">410</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Day, T.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_270">270</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_456">456</a></b>, <a href="#Page_270">270</a><br /> +<br /> +Death of Balder, The, <b><a href="#Page_360">360</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Destruction of Sennacherib, The, <b><a href="#Page_416">416</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Diamond, or a Coal, A, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Didactic period, <a href="#Page_443">443</a><br /> +<br /> +"Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Ding, dong, bell," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Ding Dong! Ding Dong! <b>372</b><br /> +<br /> +Discontented Pendulum, The, <b><a href="#Page_297">297</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Doctor Foster," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Doctor, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_64">64</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Dodgson, C. L.</span>; <i>See</i> <a href="#Carroll"><span class="smcap">Carroll, L.</span></a><br /> +<br /> +Dog and the Shadow, The, <b><a href="#Page_276">276</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Don Quixote</i>, <b><a href="#Page_607">607</a>-<a href="#Page_618">618</a></b>, <a href="#Page_577">577</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Doyle, F. H.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_427">427</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Drakestail, <b><a href="#Page_107">107</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Dramatization, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>-<a href="#Page_12">12</a>, <a href="#Page_190">190</a><br /> +<br /> +Droll,<a name="Droll" id="Droll"></a> or noodle story, <b><a href="#Page_63">63</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_71">71</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_150">150</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">defined, <a href="#Page_67">67</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Duel, The, <b><a href="#Page_387">387</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Dulcken, H. W.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_190">190</a>-<a href="#Page_203">203</a></b>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Edgeworth, M.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_459">459</a></b>, <a href="#Page_458">458</a><br /> +<br /> +Egg in the Nest, The, <b><a href="#Page_49">49</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Eggs, butter, cheese, bread," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Eldorado, <b><a href="#Page_415">415</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Elves and the Shoemaker, The, <b><a href="#Page_137">137</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Emerald Is as Green as Grass, An, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Emerson, R. W.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_424">424</a></b>, <a href="#Page_423">423</a><br /> +<br /> +Emperor's New Clothes, The, <b><a href="#Page_181">181</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>English Fairy and Folk Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_67">67</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_84">84</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>English Fairy Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_58">58</a></b>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Evenings at Home</i>, <b><a href="#Page_451">451</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Ewing, J. H.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_478">478</a></b>, <a href="#Page_381">381</a>, <a href="#Page_477">477</a><br /> +<br /> +Eyes, and No Eyes, <b><a href="#Page_451">451</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Fables, <a name="Fables" id="Fables"></a><b><a href="#Page_266">266</a>-<a href="#Page_289">289</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_263">263</a>-<a href="#Page_265">265</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">defined <b>264</b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">presentation of, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>-<a href="#Page_265">265</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">selection of, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">use in school, <b><a href="#Page_264">264</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">symbolistic and allegorical stories, <b><a href="#Page_290">290</a>-<a href="#Page_300">300</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Æsopic, <b><a href="#Page_266">266</a> ff.</b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Biblical, <b><a href="#Page_288">288</a> ff.</b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Buddhistic, <b><a href="#Page_281">281</a> ff.</b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">English, <b><a href="#Page_270">270</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_286">286</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">French, <b><a href="#Page_273">273</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_278">278</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_284">284</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_285">285</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Indian, <b><a href="#Page_281">281</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Roman, <b><a href="#Page_269">269</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Russian, <b><a href="#Page_287">287</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sanskrit, <b><a href="#Page_283">283</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Spanish, <b><a href="#Page_287">287</a></b></span><br /> +<br /> +<i>Fables of Æsop, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_266">266</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_267">267</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_269">269</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_278">278</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Fairy Book, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_73">73</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_80">80</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Fairy Scene in a Wood, A, <b><a href="#Page_423">423</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Fairy stories:<a name="Fairy" id="Fairy"></a> <br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>-<a href="#Page_173">173</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>a</i>) Modern fantastic tales, <b><a href="#Page_174">174</a>-<a href="#Page_260">260</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">some qualities of, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>b</i>) Traditional or folk tales, <b><a href="#Page_56">56</a>-<a href="#Page_168">168</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>-<a href="#Page_55">55</a>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">how to use, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">vs. myths, <b><a href="#Page_303">303</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">English, <b><a href="#Page_56">56</a>-<a href="#Page_92">92</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">French, <b><a href="#Page_92">92</a>-<a href="#Page_122">122</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Gaelic, <b><a href="#Page_162">162</a>-<a href="#Page_164">164</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">German, <b><a href="#Page_131">131</a>-<a href="#Page_150">150</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Indian, <b><a href="#Page_150">150</a>-<a href="#Page_156">156</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Irish, <b><a href="#Page_164">164</a>-<a href="#Page_168">168</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Japanese, <b><a href="#Page_156">156</a>-<a href="#Page_159">159</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Norse, <b><a href="#Page_122">122</a>-<a href="#Page_131">131</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Russian, <b><a href="#Page_160">160</a>-<a href="#Page_162">162</a></b></span><br /> +<br /> +Falcon, The, <b><a href="#Page_429">429</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Famous Passages from Dr. Watts, <b><a href="#Page_408">408</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Fanciful Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_234">234</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Farmer Went Trotting, A, <b><a href="#Page_38">38</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Field, E.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_385">385</a>-<a href="#Page_387">387</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Field, W. T.</span>, <a href="#Page_21">21</a><br /> +<br /> +Field Mouse and the Town Mouse, The, <b><a href="#Page_268">268</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Fir Tree, The, <b><a href="#Page_190">190</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Fisherman and His Wife, The, <b><a href="#Page_138">138</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_689" id="Page_689">[689]</a></span>Flying Kite, <b><a href="#Page_385">385</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<div class='hang3'>Folklore, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_131">131</a>, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a>, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>. <i>See also</i> <a href="#Fables">Fables</a>, <a href="#Fairy">Fairy Stories</a>, <a href="#Myths">Myths</a>, <a href="#Poetry">Poetry</a>, and <a href="#Romance">Romance</a></div><br /> + +Folk tales; <i>See</i> <a href="#Fairy">Fairy stories</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Follen, E. L.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_371">371</a>-<a href="#Page_372">372</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Ford, S.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_527">527</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"For every evil under the sun," <b><a href="#Page_24">24</a></b><br /> +<br /> +For Those Who Fail, <b><a href="#Page_415">415</a></b><br /> +<br /> +For Want of a Nail, <b><a href="#Page_40">40</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Four-and-twenty tailors," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Four Leaved Clover, A, <b><a href="#Page_174">174</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Four Million, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_505">505</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Fox and His Wife, The, <b><a href="#Page_40">40</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Fox and the Grapes, The, <b><a href="#Page_276">276</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">France, Marie de</span>, <b><a href="#Page_284">284</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Francillon, R. E.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_330">330</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_332">332</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Franklin, B.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_250">250</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_291">291</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_293">293</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_646">646</a></b>, <a href="#Page_263">263</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Frere, M.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_152">152</a></b>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a><br /> +<br /> +Frey, <b><a href="#Page_354">354</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Frog and the Ox, The, <b><a href="#Page_267">267</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Frogs Desiring a King, The, <b><a href="#Page_267">267</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Gay, J.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_286">286</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Gayley, C. M.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_340">340</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>George Washington</i>, <b><a href="#Page_642">642</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Gift of the Magi, The, <b><a href="#Page_505">505</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Gilbert, W. S.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_430">430</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Gods and Heroes</i>, <b><a href="#Page_330">330</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_332">332</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Goldsmith, O.</span>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <b><a href="#Page_445">445</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <a href="#Page_445">445</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Good-Natured Little Boy, The, <b><a href="#Page_456">456</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Good-Night and Good-Morning, <b><a href="#Page_396">396</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Good Play, A, <b><a href="#Page_382">382</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Good Samaritan, The, <b><a href="#Page_289">289</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Goody Two-Shoes, <b><a href="#Page_445">445</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Goose with the Golden Eggs, The, <b><a href="#Page_272">272</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Gosse, E.</span>, <a href="#Page_381">381</a>, <a href="#Page_477">477</a><br /> +<br /> +Grading; <i>See</i> <a href="#Course">Course of study</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Granny's Wonderful Chair</i>, <b><a href="#Page_209">209</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Grasshopper and the Ant, The, <b><a href="#Page_285">285</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Great A, little a," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Green Fairy Book</i>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Grimm, Jacob</span> and <span class="smcap">Wilhelm</span>, <b><a href="#Page_132">132</a>-<a href="#Page_146">146</a></b>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <a href="#Page_131">131</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<i>Grimm's Popular Stories</i>, <b><a href="#Page_132">132</a>-<a href="#Page_142">142</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Hale, S. J.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_373">373</a></b>, <a href="#Page_372">372</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Halliwell, J. O.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a> ff.</b>, <b><a href="#Page_60">60</a>-<a href="#Page_63">63</a></b>, <span class="smcap">70-<a href="#Page_71">71</a></span>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <a href="#Page_56">56</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Happy Prince, The, <b><a href="#Page_217">217</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Hardy Tin Soldier, The, <b><a href="#Page_200">200</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Hare and the Tortoise, The, <b><a href="#Page_273">273</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Hare with Many Friends, The, <b><a href="#Page_286">286</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Hark, hark," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Harris, J. C.</span>, <a href="#Page_511">511</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Harrison, I. H.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_288">288</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Hartland, E. S.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_67">67</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_84">84</a></b>, <a href="#Page_89">89</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Havell, H. L.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_607">607</a>-<a href="#Page_618">618</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Hawthorne, N.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_309">309</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_319">319</a></b>, <a href="#Page_336">336</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <a href="#Page_309">309</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<i>Hebrew Tales</i>, <a href="#Page_177">177</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Hemans, F. D.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_400">400</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Henderson, A. C.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_179">179</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Henley, W. E.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_429">429</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Henny-Penny, <b><a href="#Page_58">58</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Henry, O.</span><a name="Henry" id="Henry"></a>, <b><a href="#Page_505">505</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Hen with the Golden Eggs, The, <b><a href="#Page_273">273</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Here sits the Lord Mayor," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Here we go up, up, up," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Heroes of Asgard, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_354">354</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Hero stories; <i>See</i> <a href="#Romance">Romance</a><br /> +<br /> +"Hey! diddle, diddle," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Hickery, dickery, <a href="#Page_6">6</a> and <a href="#Page_7">7</a>," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Hickory, dickory, dock," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Higgledy, Piggledy," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>History of Sandford and Merton</i>, <b><a href="#Page_270">270</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_456">456</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Hitopadesa</i>, <b><a href="#Page_283">283</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Hogg, J.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_389">389</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Hogs in the garden, catch 'em Towser," <b><a href="#Page_25">25</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Hollow Tree Nights and Days</i>, <b><a href="#Page_516">516</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Holmes, O. W.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_425">425</a></b>, <a href="#Page_419">419</a>, <a href="#Page_424">424</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Horace</span>, <b><a href="#Page_269">269</a></b>, <a href="#Page_268">268</a><br /> +<br /> +Horned Women, The, <b><a href="#Page_164">164</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Horses Nine</i>, <b><a href="#Page_527">527</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Hot-cross buns," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Household Tales;</i> <i>See Kinder und Hausmärchen</i><br /> +<br /> +House that Jack Built, This is the, <b><a href="#Page_48">48</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">origin of, <a href="#Page_47">47</a></span><br /> +<br /> +How Arthur Became King, <b><a href="#Page_595">595</a></b><br /> +<br /> +How Bruin the Bear Sped with Reynard the Fox, <b><a href="#Page_586">586</a></b><br /> +<br /> +How Columbus Got His Ships, <b><a href="#Page_635">635</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Howitt, M.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_390">390</a></b>, <a href="#Page_179">179</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Howitt, W.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_391">391</a></b><br /> +<br /> +How Sleep the Brave, <b><a href="#Page_425">425</a></b><br /> +<br /> +How the Fenris Wolf Was Chained, <b><a href="#Page_351">351</a></b><br /> +<br /> +How the Leaves Came Down, <b><a href="#Page_377">377</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Hub a dub dub," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Hunt, L.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_414">414</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Hunt, M.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_144">144</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_146">146</a></b>, <a href="#Page_132">132</a>, <a href="#Page_138">138</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Hurwitz, H.</span>, <a href="#Page_177">177</a><br /> +<br /> +Husband Who Was To Mind the House, The, <b><a href="#Page_124">124</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Icarus and Daedalus, <b><a href="#Page_336">336</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"If all the sea were one sea," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"If all the world was apple-pie," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"If I'd as much money," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"If ifs and ands," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"If wishes were horses," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"I had a little hobby horse," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"I had a little pony," <b><a href="#Page_26">26</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"I have a little sister," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +I Like Little Pussy, <b><a href="#Page_393">393</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"I'll tell you a story," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Inchcape Rock, The, <b><a href="#Page_421">421</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Indian Fairy Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_154">154</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Indian Folk Stories and Fables</i>, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>, <a href="#Page_280">280</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Ingelow, J.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_227">227</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"In marble walls as white as milk," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Insect Stories</i>, <b><a href="#Page_524">524</a></b><br /> +<br /> +In the Western Wilderness, <b><a href="#Page_662">662</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Invictus, <b><a href="#Page_429">429</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Irish Fairy Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_166">166</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Isaacs, A. S.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_174">174</a></b><br /> +<br /> +I Saw a Ship, <b><a href="#Page_36">36</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"I went up one pair of stairs," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Jackanapes, <b><a href="#Page_478">478</a></b>, <a href="#Page_477">477</a><br /> +<br /> +"Jack and Jill went up the hill," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Jack and the Beanstalk, <b><a href="#Page_73">73</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Jack be nimble," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Jack Sprat could eat no fat," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Jacobs, J.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_89">89</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_154">154</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_162">162</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_266">266</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_267">267</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_269">269</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_278">278</a></b>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_586">586</a>;<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_690" id="Page_690">[690]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <a href="#Page_58">58</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<i>Japanese Fairy Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_156">156</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_158">158</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Jataka Tales;</i> <i>See <a href="#Buddhistic">Buddhistic Birth Stories</a></i><br /> +<br /> +Jemima, <b><a href="#Page_41">41</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Johnny Chuck Finds the Best Thing in the World, <b><a href="#Page_515">515</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Jordan, D. S.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_556">556</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Just-So Stories</i>, <a href="#Page_562">562</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Keary</span>, A. and E., <b><a href="#Page_354">354</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Kellogg</span>, V. L., <b><a href="#Page_524">524</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Kid and the Wolf, The, <b><a href="#Page_276">276</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Kinder und Hausmärchen, <b><a href="#Page_132">132</a>-<a href="#Page_146">146</a></b>, <a href="#Page_131">131</a><br /> +<br /> +King Arthur; <i>See</i> <a href="#Arthur">Arthur</a><br /> +<br /> +King Arthur and His Knights, <b><a href="#Page_603">603</a></b><br /> +<br /> +King Bell, <b><a href="#Page_385">385</a></b><br /> +<br /> +King John and the Bishop of Canterbury, <b><a href="#Page_437">437</a></b><br /> +<br /> +King of the Golden River, The, <b><a href="#Page_245">245</a></b><br /> +<br /> +King O'Toole and His Goose, <b><a href="#Page_166">166</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Kingscote, Mrs.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_154">154</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Kings in Exile</i>, <b><a href="#Page_566">566</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Kingsley</span>, C., <b><a href="#Page_412">412</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Kipling</span>, R., <b><a href="#Page_428">428</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_562">562</a></b>, <a href="#Page_122">122</a><br /> +<br /> +Knights of the Silver Shield, The, <b><a href="#Page_223">223</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Knock at the door," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Kready</span>, L. F., <a href="#Page_97">97</a>, <a href="#Page_190">190</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Krylov</span>, I. A., <b><a href="#Page_288">288</a></b>, <a href="#Page_287">287</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Kupfer</span>, G. H., <b><a href="#Page_306">306</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +"Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">La Fontaine, J. De</span>, <b><a href="#Page_273">273</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_278">278</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_284">284</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_285">285</a></b>, <a href="#Page_272">272</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>La Fontaine and Other French Fabulists</i>, <b><a href="#Page_285">285</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Lamb, The, <b><a href="#Page_401">401</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Lamb</span>, C., <a href="#Page_444">444</a><br /> +<br /> +Lambikin, The, <b><a href="#Page_150">150</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Lamplighter, The, <b><a href="#Page_382">382</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Land of Nod, The, <b><a href="#Page_382">382</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Land of Story-Books, The, <b><a href="#Page_382">382</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Lang</span>, A., <b><a href="#Page_94">94</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_106">106</a></b>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_93">93</a>, <a href="#Page_100">100</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Larcom</span>, L., <b><a href="#Page_374">374</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Lark and Her Young Ones, The, <b><a href="#Page_275">275</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Last Bull, <b><a href="#Page_566">566</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Lazy Jack, <b><a href="#Page_70">70</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Leak in the Dyke, The, <b><a href="#Page_378">378</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Lear</span>, E., <b><a href="#Page_403">403</a>-<a href="#Page_404">404</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Legend; <i>See</i> <a href="#Romance">Romance</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Le Morte D'Arthur</i>, <b><a href="#Page_595">595</a>-<a href="#Page_598">598</a></b>, <a href="#Page_594">594</a><br /> +<br /> +Library; improvement of, <b><a href="#Page_10">10</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Lincoln's Early Days, <b><a href="#Page_655">655</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Lion and the Mouse, The, <b><a href="#Page_266">266</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Lion Tricked by a Rabbit, A, <b><a href="#Page_283">283</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Literature for children;<a name="Literature" id="Literature"></a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">general discussion of, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>-<a href="#Page_16">16</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">artistic worth of, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_444">444</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">course of study in, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>-<a href="#Page_16">16</a>, <a href="#Page_633">633</a>-<a href="#Page_634">634</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">cultural value of, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>, <a href="#Page_577">577</a>, <a href="#Page_633">633</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">democratic origin of, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">didactic, <a href="#Page_443">443</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">kinds, traditional vs. modern, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>-<a href="#Page_172">172</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">presentation of, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a>, <a href="#Page_443">443</a>, <a href="#Page_511">511</a>, <a href="#Page_633">633</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">purpose of, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_443">443</a>, <a href="#Page_511">511</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">selection of, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a>, <a href="#Page_370">370</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">vs. reading, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>-<a href="#Page_9">9</a>.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>See also</i> <a href="#Poetry">Poetry</a>, <a href="#stories">Stories</a>, etc.</span><br /> +<br /> +Little and Great, <b><a href="#Page_399">399</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Little Bo-Peep, <b><a href="#Page_37">37</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Little boy blue," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Little girl, little girl," <b><a href="#Page_27">27</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Little Golden Hood, True History of, <b><a href="#Page_94">94</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Little Jack Horner," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Little Jack Jingle," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Little Johnny Pringle had a little pig," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Little Kitty, The, <b><a href="#Page_372">372</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Little Miss Muffet," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Little Nancy Etticoat," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Little Red Riding-Hood, <b><a href="#Page_93">93</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Little Robin Redbreast," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Little Tommy Tucker," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Locke</span>, J., <a href="#Page_265">265</a><br /> +<br /> +London Bridge, <b><a href="#Page_36">36</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Longfellow</span>, H. W., <b><a href="#Page_408">408</a>-<a href="#Page_411">411</a></b>, <a href="#Page_415">415</a>, <a href="#Page_620">620</a><br /> +<br /> +"Long legs, crooked thighs," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Lord Helpeth Man and Beast, The, <b><a href="#Page_178">178</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Lover</span>, S., <b><a href="#Page_165">165</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Lowell</span>, J. R., <b><a href="#Page_429">429</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_430">430</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Lucy Locket lost her pocket," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Mabie</span>, H. W., <b><a href="#Page_348">348</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_360">360</a></b>, <a href="#Page_348">348</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">MacClintock</span>, P. L., <a href="#Page_21">21</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Mackay</span>, C., <b><a href="#Page_399">399</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Macy</span>, J., <a href="#Page_8">8</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Major</span>, C., <b><a href="#Page_500">500</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Malory, Sir T.</span>, <b><a href="#Page_595">595</a>-<a href="#Page_598">598</a></b>, <a href="#Page_578">578</a>, <a href="#Page_594">594</a><br /> +<br /> +Man and the Satyr, The, <b><a href="#Page_276">276</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Man of Words, A, <b><a href="#Page_40">40</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Marelles</span>, C., <b><a href="#Page_94">94</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_106">106</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Mary Had a Little Lamb, <b><a href="#Page_373">373</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Meddlesome Mattie, <b><a href="#Page_393">393</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Mediaeval stories; <i>See</i> <a href="#Romance">Romance</a><br /> +<br /> +Memorizing, <a href="#Page_370">370</a><br /> +<br /> +Mercury and the Woodman, <b><a href="#Page_276">276</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Mice in Council, The, <b><a href="#Page_277">277</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Midas, <b><a href="#Page_339">339</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Milking Time, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Milkmaid and Her Pail, The, <b><a href="#Page_278">278</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Milkweed Seeds, <b><a href="#Page_34">34</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Miller, His Son, and the Ass, The, <b><a href="#Page_274">274</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Miller</span>, J., <b><a href="#Page_415">415</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Miller</span>, O. T., <b><a href="#Page_549">549</a></b>, <a href="#Page_548">548</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Milnes</span>, R. M., <b><a href="#Page_396">396</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Miraculous Pitcher, The, <b><a href="#Page_319">319</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Mirror of Matsuyama, The, <b><a href="#Page_156">156</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Mistress Mary, quite contrary," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Moe</span>, J.; <i><ins title="Transcriber's Note: Italics added to this word to conform to rest of text">See</ins></i> <a href="#Asbj"><span class="smcap">Asbjörnsen</span></a><br /> +<br /> +Molly and I, <b><a href="#Page_35">35</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Moon, The, <b><a href="#Page_371">371</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Mother Goose, <a name="Mother" id="Mother"></a><a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>-<a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_93">93</a>, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>, <a href="#Page_370">370</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">history of, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>-<a href="#Page_21">21</a>.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>See also</i> <a href="#Poetry">Poetry, traditional</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<i>Mother Goose's Melody</i>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_445">445</a><br /> +<br /> +Mother Hubbard and Her Dog, <b><a href="#Page_41">41</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Moti Guj—Mutineer, <b><a href="#Page_562">562</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Moufflou, <b><a href="#Page_535">535</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Mountain and the Squirrel, The, <b><a href="#Page_424">424</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Mountebank and the Countryman, The, <b><a href="#Page_277">277</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Mr. 'Possum's Sick Spell, <b><a href="#Page_516">516</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Mr. Vinegar, The Story of, <b><a href="#Page_71">71</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<a name="Mulock" id="Mulock"></a><span class="smcap">Mulock, Miss</span>, <b><a href="#Page_73">73</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_80">80</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Multiplication is vexation," <b><a href="#Page_28">28</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Musical Ass, The, <b><a href="#Page_287">287</a></b><br /> +<br /> +My Bed Is a Boat, <b><a href="#Page_383">383</a></b><br /> +<br /> +My Garden, <b><a href="#Page_418">418</a></b><br /> +<br /> +My Shadow, <b><a href="#Page_383">383</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Myths, <a name="Myths" id="Myths"></a><b><a href="#Page_306">306</a>-<a href="#Page_366">366</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_303">303</a>-<a href="#Page_305">305</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">definition of, <a href="#Page_303">303</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">objections to, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">use in school, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">value of, <a href="#Page_304">304</a>;</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_691" id="Page_691">[691]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Greek and Roman, <b><a href="#Page_306">306</a>-<a href="#Page_343">343</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">explanatory introduction to, <a href="#Page_306">306</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Norse, <b><a href="#Page_343">343</a>-<a href="#Page_366">366</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">explanatory introduction to, <a href="#Page_343">343</a>, <a href="#Page_348">348</a>, <a href="#Page_360">360</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Narcissus, The, <b><a href="#Page_330">330</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Nathan Hale, The Ballad of, <b><a href="#Page_425">425</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Nature literature, <b><a href="#Page_513">513</a>-<a href="#Page_574">574</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_511">511</a>-<a href="#Page_512">512</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">place in the grades, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_512">512</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">some types of, <a href="#Page_511">511</a>-<a href="#Page_512">512</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">what it is, <a href="#Page_511">511</a></span><br /> +<br /> +"Needles and pins, needles and pins," <b><a href="#Page_29">29</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Newbery</span>, J., <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_445">445</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Nicolay</span>, H., <b><a href="#Page_655">655</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Nightingale, The, <b><a href="#Page_184">184</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Noodle story; <i>See</i> <a href="#Droll">Droll</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Norse Stories</i>, <b><a href="#Page_348">348</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_360">360</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Norton</span>, C. E., <b><a href="#Page_420">420</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Nursery rhymes; <i>See</i> <a href="#Poetry">Poetry</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Nursery Rhymes and Tales</i>, <b><a href="#Page_59">59</a>-<a href="#Page_63">63</a></b>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_71">71</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Nursery Rhymes of England</i>, <a href="#Page_20">20</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<i>Odyssey, The</i>, <a href="#Page_577">577</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Old Deccan Days</i>, <b><a href="#Page_152">152</a></b>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>, <a href="#Page_151">151</a><br /> +<br /> +<i>Old Greek Folk Stories</i>, <b><a href="#Page_335">335</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_337">337</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Old Ironsides, <b><a href="#Page_425">425</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Old King Cole," <b><a href="#Page_29">29</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Old Man and His Sons, The, <b><a href="#Page_275">275</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Old Mother West Wind</i>, <b><a href="#Page_515">515</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Old Pipes and the Dryad, <b><a href="#Page_234">234</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Old Woman and Her Pig, The, <b><a href="#Page_56">56</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Once I saw a little bird," <b><a href="#Page_29">29</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"One for the money," <b><a href="#Page_29">29</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"One misty, moisty morning," <b><a href="#Page_29">29</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"1, 2, 3, 4, 5," <b><a href="#Page_29">29</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"One, two," <b><a href="#Page_29">29</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Ouida</span>, <a name="Ouida" id="Ouida"></a><ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 534, 535. Order changed to conform to rest of text"><b><a href="#Page_535">535</a></b>, <a href="#Page_534">534</a></ins><br /> +<br /> +Over Hill, Over Dale, <b><a href="#Page_423">423</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Owl and the Pussy-Cat, The, <b><a href="#Page_403">403</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Paine</span>, A. B., <b><a href="#Page_516">516</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Pandora's Box, <a href="#Page_309">309</a><br /> +<br /> +Parables, <b><a href="#Page_289">289</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">defined, <a href="#Page_289">289</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Paradise of Children, The, <b><a href="#Page_309">309</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Parent's Assistant, The</span>, <b><a href="#Page_459">459</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Pass of Thermopylae, The, <b><a href="#Page_671">671</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake," <b><a href="#Page_29">29</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Peabody</span>, J. P., <b><a href="#Page_336">336</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_337">337</a></b>, <a href="#Page_335">335</a><br /> +<br /> +"Pease-porridge hot," <b><a href="#Page_29">29</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Peddler's Caravan, The, <b><a href="#Page_395">395</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Perrault</span>, C. <b>93</b>, <b><a href="#Page_97">97</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_100">100</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_102">102</a></b>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <a href="#Page_92">92</a></span><br /> +<br /> +"Peter, Peter, pumpkin-eater," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Peter Rabbit Books</i>, <b><a href="#Page_513">513</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Phaëthon, <b><a href="#Page_340">340</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Piper, The, <b><a href="#Page_401">401</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Pippa's Song, <b><a href="#Page_399">399</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Planting of the Apple-Tree, The, <b><a href="#Page_417">417</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Poacher and the Silver Fox, The, <b><a href="#Page_551">551</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Pobble Who Has No Toes, The, <b><a href="#Page_404">404</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Poe</span>, E. A., <b><a href="#Page_415">415</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Poetry:<a name="Poetry" id="Poetry"></a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>a</i>) modern, <b><a href="#Page_371">371</a>-<a href="#Page_437">437</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_369">369</a>-<a href="#Page_370">370</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">reading of, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_370">370</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">selection of, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">teaching of, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(<i>b</i>) traditional, or nursery rhymes, <b><a href="#Page_23">23</a>-<a href="#Page_50">50</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>-<a href="#Page_22">22</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">appeal to children, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">history of, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>-<a href="#Page_22">22</a>.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>See also</i> <a href="#Mother">Mother Goose</a>, <a href="#Literature">Literature</a>, and <a href="#Course">Course of study</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Poet's Song, The, <b><a href="#Page_413">413</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Poor old Robinson Crusoe," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Popular Tales from the Norse</i>, <b><a href="#Page_123">123</a>-<a href="#Page_125">125</a></b>, <a href="#Page_122">122</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Porter</span>, W. S., <i>See</i> <a href="#Henry"><span class="smcap">Henry</span></a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Potter</span>, B., <b><a href="#Page_513">513</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Pourquoi story, <a href="#Page_172">172</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Prentiss</span>, E., <b><a href="#Page_372">372</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Pride Goeth before a Fall, <b><a href="#Page_154">154</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Prince's Dream, The, <b><a href="#Page_227">227</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Prodigal Son, The, <b><a href="#Page_289">289</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Proserpine, <a href="#Page_354">354</a>. <i>See also</i> <a href="#Springtime">Story of the Springtime</a><br /> +<br /> +Proud King, The, <b><a href="#Page_620">620</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Psalm of Life, The, <b><a href="#Page_411">411</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Puss-in-Boots, <b><a href="#Page_97">97</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Pussy-cat, pussy-cat," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Pussy sits beside the fire," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Quern at the Bottom of the Sea, The, <b><a href="#Page_129">129</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Raggedy Man, The, <b><a href="#Page_389">389</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Rain, <b><a href="#Page_381">381</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Ramaswami Raju</span>, P. V., <b><a href="#Page_281">281</a></b>, <a href="#Page_280">280</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Ramée, L. de la</span>; <ins title="Transcriber's Note: Italics added to this word to conform to rest of text"><i>See</i></ins> <a href="#Ouida"><span class="smcap">Ouida</span></a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Rands</span>, W. B., <b><a href="#Page_395">395</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_396">396</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Reading; distinguished from literature, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>-<a href="#Page_9">9</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">lists for various grades, (<i>See</i> <a href="#Course">Course of study</a>);</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of literature, <a href="#Page_14">14</a>, <a href="#Page_369">369</a>-<a href="#Page_370">370</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">supplemental, <a href="#Page_10">10</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Realistic Stories, <b><a href="#Page_445">445</a>-<a href="#Page_508">508</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_443">443</a>-<a href="#Page_444">444</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Christmas, <a href="#Page_505">505</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">didactic or 18th century, <b><a href="#Page_445">445</a>-<a href="#Page_459">459</a></b>, <a href="#Page_443">443</a>-<a href="#Page_444">444</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">modern, <b><a href="#Page_478">478</a>-<a href="#Page_508">508</a></b>, <a href="#Page_444">444</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sunday-school, <a href="#Page_443">443</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Real Princess, The, <b><a href="#Page_179">179</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Recessional, <b><a href="#Page_428">428</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Red Fairy Book</i>, <b><a href="#Page_94">94</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_106">106</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Red Thread of Honor, The, <b><a href="#Page_427">427</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Renowned History of Little Goody Two-Shoes, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_445">445</a></b>, <a href="#Page_443">443</a>, <a href="#Page_444">444</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Repplier</span>, A., <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +<br /> +Reynard the Fox, <b><a href="#Page_586">586</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_591">591</a></b>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>, <a href="#Page_577">577</a><br /> +<br /> +Rhymes; <i>See</i> Poetry<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Rhys-Davids</span>, T. W., <b><a href="#Page_281">281</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_282">282</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Ride a cock-horse," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Ride, baby, ride," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Riley</span>, J. W., <b><a href="#Page_388">388</a>-<a href="#Page_389">389</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Roberts</span>, C. G. D., <b><a href="#Page_566">566</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Robin and the Merry Little Old Woman, <b><a href="#Page_623">623</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Robin Hood, <b><a href="#Page_623">623</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_628">628</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Robin Hood: His Book</i>, <b><a href="#Page_623">623</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Rock-a-bye, baby," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Romance and Legend, <a name="Romance" id="Romance"></a><b><a href="#Page_579">579</a>-<a href="#Page_630">630</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_577">577</a>-<a href="#Page_578">578</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">stories and versions recommended, <a href="#Page_577">577</a>-<a href="#Page_578">578</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">use in school, <a href="#Page_577">577</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Roscoe</span>, W., <b><a href="#Page_397">397</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Rose-Bud, <b><a href="#Page_142">142</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Rossetti</span>, C. G., <b><a href="#Page_268">268</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Rousseau</span>, J. J., <a href="#Page_264">264</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>, <a href="#Page_443">443</a><br /> +<br /> +R. S., <span class="smcap">Gent</span>, <b><a href="#Page_97">97</a></b>, <a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<br /> +Rumpelstiltskin, <b><a href="#Page_144">144</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Runaway Brook, The, <b><a href="#Page_372">372</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Ruskin</span>, J., <b><a href="#Page_45">45</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_245">245</a></b>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <a href="#Page_245">245</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Saintsbury</span>, G. E. B., <b><a href="#Page_21">21</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_22">22</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Sands of Dee, The, <b><a href="#Page_412">412</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_692" id="Page_692">[692]</a></span><i>Science Sketches</i>, <b><a href="#Page_556">556</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Scott, Sir</span> W., <b><a href="#Page_424">424</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Scudder</span>, H. E., <b><a href="#Page_620">620</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_642">642</a></b>, <a href="#Page_578">578</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">work of, <a href="#Page_642">642</a></span><br /> +<br /> +"See a pin and pick it up," <b><a href="#Page_30">30</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Seegmiller</span>, W., <b><a href="#Page_34">34</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"See, saw, sacradown," <b><a href="#Page_31">31</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Seldom or Never, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Seton</span>,<a name="Seton" id="Seton"></a> E. T., <b><a href="#Page_551">551</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Shakespeare</span>, W., <b><a href="#Page_423">423</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Sharp</span>, D. L., <b><a href="#Page_520">520</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Shaw</span>, A. H., <b><a href="#Page_662">662</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Shepherd of King Admetus, The, <b><a href="#Page_430">430</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Shepherd's Boy, The, <b><a href="#Page_266">266</a></b>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>-<a href="#Page_12">12</a><br /> +<br /> +Shepherd, The, <b><a href="#Page_401">401</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Sherman</span>, F. D., <b><a href="#Page_384">384</a>-<a href="#Page_385">385</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Shoe the little horse," <b><a href="#Page_31">31</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Simple Simon, <b><a href="#Page_38">38</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Sing a song of sixpence," <b><a href="#Page_31">31</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Sing-Song</i>, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Skeat</span>, W. W., <b><a href="#Page_284">284</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Skeleton in Armor, The, <b><a href="#Page_408">408</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Snow-White and Rose-Red, <b><a href="#Page_146">146</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Solitary Reaper, The, <b><a href="#Page_419">419</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Songs of Innocence</i>, <b><a href="#Page_400">400</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Southey</span>, R., <b><a href="#Page_421">421</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<ins title="Transcriber's Note: Small capitals were added to conform to rest of text"><span class="smcap">Spencer, W. R.</span></ins>, <b><a href="#Page_436">436</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Spider and the Fly, The, <b><a href="#Page_390">390</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Spinning Top, <b><a href="#Page_384">384</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Star light, star bright," <b><a href="#Page_31">31</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Star, The, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Steel</span>, F. A., <b><a href="#Page_150">150</a></b>, <a href="#Page_153">153</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Stevenson</span>, R. L., <b><a href="#Page_381">381</a>-<a href="#Page_384">384</a></b>, <a href="#Page_380">380</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Stockton</span>, F. R., <b><a href="#Page_234">234</a></b>, <a href="#Page_233">233</a><br /> +<br /> +Stories; dramatization of,<a name="stories" id="stories"></a> <a href="#Page_11">11</a>-<a href="#Page_12">12</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">selection of, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>, <a href="#Page_284">284</a>-<a href="#Page_285">285</a>, <a href="#Page_305">305</a>, <a href="#Page_577">577</a>, <a href="#Page_633">633</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">accumulative, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>, <a href="#Page_150">150</a>, <a href="#Page_160">160</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">biographical, <b><a href="#Page_635">635</a>-<a href="#Page_676">676</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Christmas, <a href="#Page_505">505</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">didactic, <a href="#Page_443">443</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">fable, <b><a href="#Page_266">266</a>-<a href="#Page_289">289</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">fairy, <b><a href="#Page_56">56</a>-<a href="#Page_168">168</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_174">174</a>-<a href="#Page_260">260</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">hero, (<i>See</i> <a href="#Biography">biographical</a>);</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">legend, (<i>See</i> <a href="#Romance">romance</a>);</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">myth, <b><a href="#Page_306">306</a>-<a href="#Page_366">366</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">nature, <b><a href="#Page_513">513</a>-<a href="#Page_574">574</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">noodle, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">pourquoi, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">realistic, <b><a href="#Page_445">445</a>-<a href="#Page_508">508</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">romance, <b><a href="#Page_579">579</a>-<a href="#Page_630">630</a></b>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>See also</i> <a href="#telling">Story-telling</a>.</span><br /> +<br /> +<i>Stories and Legends of the Irish Peasantry</i>, <b><a href="#Page_165">165</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Stories from Don Quixote</i>, <b><a href="#Page_607">607</a>-<a href="#Page_618">618</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Stories from the Rabbis</i>, <b><a href="#Page_174">174</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Stories of Long Ago</i>, <b><a href="#Page_306">306</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Stories of Norse Heroes</i>, <b><a href="#Page_351">351</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Stories Told to a Child</i>, <b><a href="#Page_228">228</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Story of Alnaschar, The, <b><a href="#Page_279">279</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Story of a Pioneer, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_662">662</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Story of a Salmon, The, <b><a href="#Page_556">556</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Story of Fairyfoot, The, <b><a href="#Page_210">210</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Story of Mr. Vinegar, The, <b><a href="#Page_71">71</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Story of the Springtime, A, <a name="Springtime" id="Springtime"></a><b><a href="#Page_306">306</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Story-telling, <a name="telling" id="telling"></a><a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">discussion of, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>-<a href="#Page_11">11</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Andersen's method of, <a href="#Page_173">173</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">direct discourse in, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">effectiveness of, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">of fables, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">preparation for, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">selections for, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>;</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">tense in, <a href="#Page_10">10</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Strange Wild Song, A, <b><a href="#Page_406">406</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Straw Ox, The, <b><a href="#Page_160">160</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Sugar-Plum Tree, The, <b><a href="#Page_386">386</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Supplemental reading, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>See also</i> <a href="#Course">Course of study</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Swallow and the Raven, The, <b><a href="#Page_229">229</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Swallow, The, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Swan, the Pike, and the Crab, The, <b><a href="#Page_288">288</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Sweet and Low, <b><a href="#Page_413">413</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Swing, The, <b><a href="#Page_383">383</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Symbolic stories; <i>See</i> <a href="#Fables">Fables</a><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Table and the Chair, The, <b><a href="#Page_404">404</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Taffy, <b><a href="#Page_38">38</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Tale of Peter Rabbit, The, <b><a href="#Page_513">513</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Tales from the Punjab</i>, <b><a href="#Page_150">150</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_153">153</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Tales of Our Mother Goose, The</i>, <b><a href="#Page_93">93</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_97">97</a>-<a href="#Page_102">102</a></b>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>-<a href="#Page_93">93</a><br /> +<br /> +Tales of the Sun, <b><a href="#Page_154">154</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Talkative Tortoise, The, <b><a href="#Page_282">282</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Tappan</span>, E. M., <b><a href="#Page_623">623</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Taylor</span>, A., <b><a href="#Page_392">392</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_393">393</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Taylor</span>, E., <b><a href="#Page_132">132</a>-<a href="#Page_142">142</a></b>, <a href="#Page_131">131</a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Taylor</span>, J., <b><a href="#Page_297">297</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_393">393</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Teeny-Tiny, <b><a href="#Page_60">60</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Tennyson</span>, A., <b><a href="#Page_413">413</a>-<a href="#Page_414">414</a></b>, <a href="#Page_628">628</a><br /> +<br /> +Thanksgiving Day, <b><a href="#Page_375">375</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"The King of France went up the hill," <b><a href="#Page_31">31</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"The lion and the unicorn," <b><a href="#Page_31">31</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"The man in the moon," <b><a href="#Page_31">31</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"The north wind doth blow," <b><a href="#Page_31">31</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"The Queen of Hearts," <b><a href="#Page_31">31</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was a crooked man," 31<br /> +<br /> +"There was a little boy," <b><a href="#Page_32">32</a></b><br /> +<br /> +There Was a Little Man, <b><a href="#Page_37">37</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was a little man and he had naught," <b><a href="#Page_32">32</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was a man in our town," <b><a href="#Page_32">32</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was an old man," <b><a href="#Page_32">32</a></b><br /> +<br /> +There was an Old Woman, <b><a href="#Page_36">36</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was an old woman," <b><a href="#Page_32">32</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was an old woman lived under a hill," <b><a href="#Page_32">32</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was an old woman of Leeds," <b><a href="#Page_32">32</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was an old woman of Norwich," <b><a href="#Page_32">32</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was an old woman tossed up in a basket," <b><a href="#Page_32">32</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was an old woman who lived in a shoe," <b><a href="#Page_33">33</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"There was an owl lived in an oak," <b><a href="#Page_33">33</a></b><br /> +<br /> +They Didn't Think, <b><a href="#Page_377">377</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"This is the way the ladies ride," 33<br /> +<br /> +"This little pig went to market," <b><a href="#Page_33">33</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Thompson</span>, E. S., <i>See</i> <a href="#Seton"><span class="smcap">Seton</span></a><br /> +<br /> +Thor's Visit to Jötunheim, <b><a href="#Page_343">343</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Three Bears, Story of the, <b><a href="#Page_65">65</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Three Billy-Goats Gruff, The, <b><a href="#Page_123">123</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Three blind mice! see, how they run," <b><a href="#Page_33">33</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Three Fishers, The, <b><a href="#Page_412">412</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Three Jovial Huntsmen, <b><a href="#Page_37">37</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Three Little Kittens, The, <b><a href="#Page_371">371</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Three Little Pigs, Story of the, <b><a href="#Page_61">61</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Three Sillies, The, <b><a href="#Page_67">67</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Three Things to Remember, <b><a href="#Page_400">400</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Three wise men of Gotham," <b><a href="#Page_33">33</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Tiger, The, <b><a href="#Page_401">401</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Tiger, the Brahman, and the Jackal, The, <b><a href="#Page_153">153</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Tilton</span>, T., <b><a href="#Page_373">373</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Time to Rise, <b><a href="#Page_381">381</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Tit for Tat, <b><a href="#Page_152">152</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse, <b><a href="#Page_63">63</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Toads and Diamonds, <b><a href="#Page_100">100</a></b><br /> +<br /> +To a Waterfowl, <b><a href="#Page_417">417</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Tolstoi</span>, L., <b><a href="#Page_299">299</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"To market, to market," <b><a href="#Page_33">33</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Tom the Piper's Son, <b><a href="#Page_38">38</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_693" id="Page_693">[693]</a></span>Tom Thumb, <b><a href="#Page_80">80</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Tom Thumb's Alphabet, <b><a href="#Page_35">35</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Tom Tit Tot, <b><a href="#Page_90">90</a></b>, <a href="#Page_144">144</a><br /> +<br /> +"Tom, Tom, the piper's son," <b><a href="#Page_33">33</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Tongue-Cut Sparrow, The, <b><a href="#Page_158">158</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Toy-books, <b><a href="#Page_41">41</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Travelers and the Bear, The, <b><a href="#Page_274">274</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Traveling Musicians, The, <b><a href="#Page_132">132</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Treasure Island</i>, <a href="#Page_381">381</a><br /> +<br /> +Treasures of the Wise Man, The, <b><a href="#Page_388">388</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Trowbridge</span>, J. T., <b><a href="#Page_432">432</a></b><br /> +<br /> +True History of Little Golden Hood, <b><a href="#Page_94">94</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>True Story of Christopher Columbus</i>, <b><a href="#Page_635">635</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Try Again, <b><a href="#Page_402">402</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Twink! Twink! <b>34</b><br /> +<br /> +"Two-legs sat upon three-legs", <b><a href="#Page_33">33</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Ugly Duckling, The, <b><a href="#Page_203">203</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Vendetta, The, <b><a href="#Page_524">524</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Villeneuve, Madame de</span>, <b><a href="#Page_110">110</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Vision of Mirzah, The, <b><a href="#Page_294">294</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Walrus and the Carpenter, The, <b><a href="#Page_405">405</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Warren</span>, M. R., <b><a href="#Page_603">603</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Waste Not, Want Not, <b><a href="#Page_459">459</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Watts</span>, I., <b><a href="#Page_407">407</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_408">408</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Welsh</span>, C., <a href="#Page_21">21</a>, <a href="#Page_445">445</a><br /> +<br /> +What Does Little Birdie Say, <b><a href="#Page_413">413</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"When a twister a-twisting", <b><a href="#Page_34">34</a></b><br /> +<br /> +When I Was a Little Boy, <b><a href="#Page_38">38</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Where Are You Going, <b><a href="#Page_35">35</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Where Go the Boats, <b><a href="#Page_384">384</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Whistle, The, <b><a href="#Page_291">291</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Whittington and His Cat, <b><a href="#Page_84">84</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Who Has Seen the Wind, <b><a href="#Page_394">394</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Whole Duty of Children, <b><a href="#Page_381">381</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Who Stole the Bird's Nest, <b><a href="#Page_375">375</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Why the Bear Is Stumpy-Tailed, <b><a href="#Page_122">122</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Why the Chimes Rang</i>, <b><a href="#Page_223">223</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Why the Sea Is Salt, <a href="#Page_128">128</a><br /> +<br /> +Widow and the Hen, The, <b><a href="#Page_276">276</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Wild Animals at Home</i>, <b><a href="#Page_551">551</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Wilde, Lady</span>, <b><a href="#Page_164">164</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Wilde</span>, O., <b><a href="#Page_217">217</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Wild Life in the Farm-Yard, <b><a href="#Page_520">520</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Williston</span>, T. P., <b><a href="#Page_156">156</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_158">158</a></b><br /> +<br /> +"Willy boy, Willy boy," <b><a href="#Page_34">34</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Wilmot-Buxton</span>, E. M., <b><a href="#Page_351">351</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Wind and the Sun, The, <b><a href="#Page_272">272</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Wind in a Frolic, The, <b><a href="#Page_391">391</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Wind, The, <b><a href="#Page_384">384</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Windy Nights, <b><a href="#Page_384">384</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, The, <b><a href="#Page_273">273</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<i>Wonder Book for Girls and Boys, A</i>, <b><a href="#Page_309">309</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_319">319</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Wonderful World, The, <b><a href="#Page_396">396</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Woolsey</span>, S. C.; <i>See</i> <a href="#Coolidge"><span class="smcap">Coolidge</span></a><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Wordsworth</span>, W., <b><a href="#Page_419">419</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Wright</span>, E., <b><a href="#Page_273">273</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_278">278</a></b>, <b><a href="#Page_284">284</a></b><br /> +<br /> +Wyche, R. T., <a href="#Page_577">577</a><br /> +<br /> +Wynken, Blynken, and Nod, <b><a href="#Page_385">385</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +Yarn of the Nancy Bell, The, <b><a href="#Page_430">430</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Yeats</span>, W. B., <b><a href="#Page_166">166</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Yonge</span>, C. M., <b><a href="#Page_671">671</a></b><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Yriarte</span>, T. de, <b><a href="#Page_287">287</a></b><br /> +</div> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<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> From the Biographical Edition of the <i>Complete Works +of James Whitcomb Riley</i>. Copyright 1913. Used by +special permission of the publishers, The Bobbs-Merrill Co.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> From the Biographical Edition of the <i>Complete Works +of James Whitcomb Riley</i>. Copyright 1913. Used by +special permission of the publishers, The Bobbs-Merrill Co.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> "The political men declare war, and generally for commercial +interests; but when the nation is thus embroiled +with its neighbors, the soldier . . . draws the sword +at the command of his country. . . . One word as to +thy comparison of military and commercial persons. +What manner of men be they who have supplied the +Caffres with the firearms and ammunition to maintain their +savage and deplorable wars? Assuredly they are not +military. . . . Cease then, if thou wouldst be counted +among the just, to vilify soldiers" (W. Napier, <i>Lieutenant-General</i>, +November, 1851). [Author's Note.]</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> The Mail Coach it was that distributed over the face +of the land, like the opening of apocalyptic vials, the heart-shaking +news of Trafalgar, of Salamanca, of Vittoria, of +Waterloo. . . . The grandest chapter of our experience, +within the whole Mail-Coach service, was on those occasions +when we went down from London with the news +of Victory. Five years of life it was worth paying down +for the privilege of an outside place.—(De Quincey.) +<ins title="Transcriber's Note: this signature not present in original text">[Author's Note.]</ins></p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> "Brunswick's fated chieftain" fell at Quatre Bras the +day before Waterloo; but this first (very imperfect) list, +as it appeared in the newspapers of the day, did begin with +his name and end with that of an Ensign Brown. +[Author's Note.]</p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class='tnote'><h3>Transcriber's Notes:</h3> +<p>Obvious punctuation errors repaired.</p> + +<p>Both Mulock and Muloch were used for reference to the same person. An internet search shows +both usages as well so this was retained.</p> + +<p>Both Aesop and Ęsop were used in this text in various forms. This was retained.</p> + +<p>Amongst the varied stories, many words were hyphenated or not. For example, both "today" and "to-day" +appear in this book. This usage has been retained.</p> + +<p>The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text will <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'apprear'">appear</ins>.</p></div> +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Children's Literature, by +Charles Madison Curry and Erle Elsworth Clippinger + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHILDREN'S LITERATURE *** + +***** This file should be named 25545-h.htm or 25545-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/5/4/25545/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +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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