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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/7868-h.zip b/7868-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9b76e90 --- /dev/null +++ b/7868-h.zip diff --git a/7868-h/7868-h.htm b/7868-h/7868-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..03e0938 --- /dev/null +++ b/7868-h/7868-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3218 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!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" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + A Child's Story Garden, by Various + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + .side { float: right; font-size: 75%; width: 25%; padding-left: 0.8em; + border-left: dashed thin; margin-left: 0.8em; text-align: left; + text-indent: 0; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; + font-weight: bold; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: solid 1px;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Child's Story Garden, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Child's Story Garden + +Author: Various + + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7868] +This file was first posted on May 28, 2003 +Last Updated: May 14, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHILD'S STORY GARDEN *** + + + + +Text file produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +HTML file produced by David Widger + + + + +</pre> + + <div style="height: 8em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h1> + A CHILD'S STORY GARDEN + </h1> + <h2> + By Various + </h2> + <h3> + Compiled by Elizabeth Heber + </h3> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h3> + TO THE LITTLE CHILDREN + </h3> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <p> + <b>NOTE</b> + </p> + <p> + These selected stories have been used by teachers of the kindergarten and + primary grades in the Indianapolis Schools. This little book has been + compiled for mothers and teachers with the purpose of meeting a demand for + children's literature that will not only add to the child's literary + culture, but will also suggest high ideals through the story form. For + material used we gratefully acknowledge our indebtedness to: Rev. Neil + McPherson, Sarah L. Kirlin, Leonore D. Eldridge, Martha A. Gill, Bessie + Brown Adkinson, Edith D. Wachstetter, Grace Erskine DeVere, Fords Hulburt + Publishing Co., for the selections, "The Anxious Leaf" and "Coming and + Going" from Henry Ward Beecher's, "Norwood." + </p> + <p> + ELIZABETH HEBER + </p> + <p> + Primary Teacher School No. 4 Indianapolis,—Indiana + </p> + <h6> + Illustrations by Grace Garfield (Illustrations not present in this file) + </h6> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <p> + <b>CONTENTS</b> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0001"> SIEGFRIED, THE KING'S SON </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> THE SONG OF THE PINE TREE </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> A CHRISTMAS STORY </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> THE MYTH OF ARACHNE </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0005"> THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0006"> THE MYTH OF PAN </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0007"> THE BELL OF ATRI </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0008"> THE ANXIOUS LEAF </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0009"> COMING AND GOING </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0010"> HOW THE DIMPLES CAME </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0011"> THE PROUD LITTLE APPLE BLOSSOM </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0012"> THE BRAVE KNIGHT </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0013"> KING ROBERT OF SICILY </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0014"> THE GREAT STONE FACE </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0015"> THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0016"> THE STORY OF ABRAHAM </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0017"> THE STORY OF MOSES </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0018"> THE STORY OF DAVID </a> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0019"> THE STORY OF JOSEPH </a> + </p> + <p class="toc2"> + <a href="#link2H_PART2"> PART II. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc2"> + <a href="#link2H_PART3"> PART III. </a> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0022"> THE COURTESY OF THE SPARTAN BOY </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0023"> TWENTY-THIRD PSALM. </a> + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0001" id="link2H_4_0001"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + SIEGFRIED, THE KING'S SON + </h2> + <p> + Siegfried was the son of the good King Siegmund. He lived in the great + palace with his father and the gentle queen, his mother. + </p> + <p> + Siegfried had everything his heart could desire. He was loved by every one + about the palace. He had many servants to wait upon him, and beautiful + clothes to wear at all times. More than this, the stables of the great + palace were full of horses, and Siegfried could ride or drive whenever he + wished to do so. + </p> + <p> + Now, the king was as wise as he was good, and he knew that if Siegfried + would grow to be a good king he must learn to work with his hands. The + king and queen talked of it, and, although they disliked to part with + their son, they decided to send Siegfried to Mimer, the wonderful + blacksmith. + </p> + <p> + Mimer was a queer little man. His back was bent and his hair was long and + white. He had a long white beard and two very sharp, black eyes. Mimer's + shop was out in the great, dark forest, and many boys came to learn of + this wonderful master, for Mimer, you must know, was the best blacksmith + in all the king's country. + </p> + <p> + To this shop Siegfried was sent. At first he was very lonely and unhappy. + There were no servants now to wait upon him. His soft, beautiful clothing + had been exchanged for a suit of the coarsest material and a huge leather + apron. There was no soft bed waiting for him at night, only a pile of + straw in the corner. But Siegfried was a brave boy, and lost no time + complaining. He worked patiently at his anvil, day after day, learning + from his master to make strong chains of iron, as well as dainty chains of + gold and silver, for the queen to wear. One day Mimer came into the shop + and sat down beside Siegfried's anvil. The boys could see that he was + troubled, and they left their anvils and came to the master, begging him + to tell them what troubled him. + </p> + <p> + Slowly he raised his head and looked at them all. Then he said: "A giant + has come into the country, who says he is the most wonderful smith of all. + He says he has made a coat of armor that no sword can pierce. I have + worked day and night, and cannot make a strong sword. Who is willing to + try for me?" + </p> + <p> + The boys all hung their heads, for they knew not how to help Mimer. Then + Siegfried stood before his master and said: "Let me try, oh, Mimer!" And + the master was willing. Siegfried went to work at once, and for seven long + days he did not leave his place at the anvil. + </p> + <p> + At the end of the time he brought to Mimer a sword that was strong and + bright. "We will try it," said Mimer, and called together all the boys, + and took them to a little stream near the shop. Mimer then took a single + thread of wool and threw it into the water. As it was carried along, Mimer + took the sword and held it before the thread. The water carried the thread + along until it reached the sword. Then one half of the thread passed to + the right of the sword and the other to the left, and the thread was not + moved from its course. "This is a good blade," said Mimer proudly. But + Siegfried was not satisfied. He took the sword and broke it in pieces and + put it into the fire again. For three long weeks Siegfried worked + patiently at the anvil. Then he brought to Mimer a sword that was sharper + and brighter and stronger than the first. + </p> + <p> + Again the boys were taken to the little stream, and this time a handful of + wool was thrown into the water. When it reached the edge of the sword half + of the wool passed to the right and half to the left of the sword, and not + one single thread was moved from its place. Siegfried, however, was not + satisfied, and again broke the sword into pieces and put it back into the + fire. + </p> + <p> + Patiently and faithfully he worked for seven long weeks. The sword that he + brought to Mimer now was stronger and brighter and more beautiful than + either of the others. The handle was wound with flowers, and the edge was + as bright as the lightning. + </p> + <p> + This time, when the boys gathered at the little stream, a pack of wool was + thrown into the water. When the wool reached the edge of the blade, half + passed to one side and half to the other, and not one thread was moved + from its place. + </p> + <p> + "We will give it another trial," said Siegfried. He ran quickly to the + shop and paused a moment before the great anvil. Then he swung the sword, + once, twice, thrice, about his head, and then brought it down onto the + iron. There was no noise, but the great anvil fell apart, and the sword + was as sharp and bright as ever. + </p> + <p> + "This is the best I can do," said Siegfried. "Good master, my sword is + done!" Then Mimer sent his swiftest messenger to the king to tell him that + he was ready to meet the giant. + </p> + <p> + The day of the contest came. Mimer's friends sat on one side of the road, + the giant's friends on the other. At the top of the hill the two masters + were to meet, the giant with his armor, Mimer with his sword. Soon a + mighty shout arose! The giant, wearing the wonderful coat of glittering + steel, came up the hill. He sat down on a huge rock at the top of the + hill. As the people waited, a queer little man was seen coming slowly up + the hill. His back was bent, and his white hair hung about his shoulders. + At his side he carried a sword so bright that the lightning seemed to play + about its edge, as he walked. + </p> + <p> + Slowly he went to the top of the hill and stood before the giant. It was + Mimer, the master. He loosed the sword from his side and raised it above + his head. "Are you ready?" he asked. "Yes; strike," said the giant, + laughing, for he was not afraid. One, two, three times the sword flashed + about Mimer's head. Then it fell again at his side. "I do not wish to hurt + you," he said, "but if you will take off your armor and place it on that + stone, I will show you what this wonderful blade can do." The giant only + laughed again—laughed so loud and so long that the very earth seemed + to tremble. Then he took off the armor and laid it on the rock. Mimer + stepped back, raised the sword again, swung it about his head until the + light seemed to blind the people. Then it came down. The people waited. + There was no clash of iron. All was still. + </p> + <p> + Then Mimer stepped up to the armor and touched it with his foot. It fell + apart, and the rock beneath it fell apart, too. Half the rock started to + roll down the hill. On, on it went, faster and faster, and fell with a + mighty splash into the river at the foot of the hill, and if you should go + to that far-away country you could see it lying there, far down below the + surface of the water. + </p> + <p> + Then a mighty shout arose! Mimer's friends, and the great king, too, + joined in the applause. The giant, no longer boastful, stooped down, + gathered up the two parts of the armor, and went with his friends into a + far country. Mimer took the wonderful sword and went back to his place in + the blacksmith shop, still the master of all the smiths. + </p> + <p> + Very few people, however, knew that it was the king's own son, Siegfried, + who had made the wonderful sword. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE SONG OF THE PINE TREE + </h2> + <p> + It was a wee pine tree in a very large forest. It could not see anything + around it, for the other pine trees about it were so very tall. They could + only tell the little pine tree what they saw. At night the little tree + would often gaze at the sky and the stars that peeped out. And sometimes + the big, round moon would pass over the sky. And all day long, all that + the little pine tree could see above it was the blue sky, and the + beautiful white clouds that went sailing by like so many ships on the sea. + The little pine tree wished to grow and be tall, like the rest of the + trees, for it wanted to see what was in the world outside of the forest. + The tall pine trees would sing songs as the wind whistled through their + branches, and the little pine tree waited day after day, so that it might + be tall and sing songs, too. When summer came the birds would rest on the + branches of this wee tree, but would not build nests, because it was too + low. When winter came little white snowflakes came fluttering down and + rested on the branches of the little pine tree. + </p> + <p> + Year after year the little tree waited, but it grew all this time, and + seemed to stretch higher and higher its beautiful green branches. + </p> + <p> + One day, when the little snowflakes had fluttered down and made all the + world white, and the wind was whistling a merry tune, the little pine tree + heard some strange noises. The tall pine trees nodded their heads, for + they knew who were coming. They were the woodmen. They had a sled with + them, drawn by horses. The sight was strange to the pine tree, for it had + never before seen woodmen, nor a sled, nor horses. But the old pine trees + knew what it all meant, for they had seen the woodmen many times. They + wondered which tree the woodmen would choose. Now, the little pine tree + had grown, and it was not a wee tree any longer, but was a straight, + strong, beautiful tree. The woodmen walked about with something very + bright and shining in their hands. When they came to this pine tree they + looked at it, shook it and sounded the ax against its trunk. + </p> + <p> + How queer the pine tree felt! It wondered what they were going to do with + it. Suddenly a sharp sound rang out in the air, and another, and still + another one. And the pine tree felt itself swaying and swaying, and down + it went, lower and lower, until its branches touched the soft white snow + on the ground. The woodmen lifted the pine tree very carefully, placed it + on the sled and drove the horses away. Pine Tree was happy now, for he was + going to see something of the great, wonderful world. + </p> + <p> + The woodmen drove the horses out of the forest into the beautiful white + world. On and on they went until at last they came to a little village by + the sea. They drove through the village and into a great shipyard, where + saws were buzzing, hammers were pounding, and busy men were hurrying + about. Pine Tree had never seen anything like this before. He was lifted + from the sled and his beautiful branches were taken from the trunk. Then + he lay with, many other logs for a long time, until one day the carpenters + took him away, and he found that he was helping to make a part of a ship. + Boards were nailed on, and the busy carpenters worked day after day. + </p> + <p> + At last the strong and stately ship was finished. It glided gracefully + into the water and sailed away. Pine Tree was very happy now, for he was + seeing new and strange things. The waves dashed carelessly against the + ship. They seemed to have a song, too. Pine Tree had not forgotten the + songs that the old pines used to sing. The waves did not always sing the + same song—sometimes they would rush and roll against the ship very + hard until they grew tired, and then they would roll on, and sing a quiet + song again. + </p> + <p> + Sometimes the ship would stop at strange countries, people would get off, + other people would get on, and then the ship would sail off out into the + sea again. Now, the pine tree had been a part of the ship for many years, + when one night while the ship was sailing the seas the waves grew so high + and strong that the parts of the ship could not stay together. So Pine + Tree was thrown out upon the angry waves and was rocked all night long—very + roughly at first, but gently afterwards. When the sunshine looked down + upon the sand the next morning it saw Pine Tree. Pine Tree lay there many + days. + </p> + <p> + How lonesome Pine Tree was! He seemed to hear the songs of the old pines, + and sometimes the songs of the waves. One day he heard another song. It + was a new song to the pine tree, for the song was sung by some little + children who were digging in the sand close by. They came here every day + to play, and once a man came with them. When he saw Pine Tree lying upon + the sand he said: "This is just what I have been looking for. I will use + this for the ridge-pole for my little cottage." So he took Pine Tree away + with him. After a time Pine Tree found himself a part of the man's + cottage, and, of course, he could not hear the songs of the forest, nor + the songs of the waves, but he heard new songs. They were rock-a-bye-baby + songs that the mother in this little cottage would sing to her children in + the evening, when it was time for them to go to sleep. + </p> + <p> + Years passed, and the children grew to be men and women, and after a while + all the songs Pine Tree heard were those of the grandmother, which were + soft and low. At last these, too, were heard no more—the little + cottage grew quiet and everything was still. Pine Tree wondered where + everybody was. The only company he had were the birds that came in through + the window and built nests in the attic. Now the cottage was no longer a + home, but was used as a barn, and the gentle cows, the woolly sheep and + the kind horses rested there at night. They, too, seemed to sing a song to + Pine Tree, but by and by even their song could not be heard—nothing + but the wind and the owls in the trees outside—because what had once + been the cottage, and then a barn, was now a forsaken little hut. + </p> + <p> + One day Pine Tree heard a man whistling. Oh! how he hoped he would come + in, for he had not seen anybody nor heard any of the songs he had loved + for so long. Pine Tree heard the whistle come nearer and nearer, and at + last the man stepped through the doorway. He looked about him and saw the + spider webs hanging in the corners and the birds flying in and out of the + windows, and he wondered how long it had been since people had lived + there. He looked up and saw the ridge-pole, which had once been Pine Tree. + "Oh!" he said, "I have found what I have long been looking for." So he + climbed up and loosened the boards and took Pine Tree out of his resting + place. Now Pine Tree was going once more out into the world. The man + carried him on and took him into a little shop. It was a queer shop, too, + for there were many bright, shining things lying on the work-bench. They + were tools, you know. The man had a kind face and he handled Pine Tree + very carefully. He sawed and smoothed Pine Tree many days, and as he + worked he whistled and sang, for he was happy. Sometimes he would whistle + some of the songs that Pine Tree had heard when he lived in the forest, + and then sometimes those he had heard on the ocean, and again he would + whistle the songs that Pine Tree had heard in the home of the children. + </p> + <p> + At last the man's work was finished. Pine Tree had been made into a + wonderful musical instrument—a violin. The man took a bow and drew + it across the strings, and as he did so he smiled and nodded his head, for + the music was very sweet. The violin, which had once been Pine Tree, and + then part of a ship, and the ridge-pole of the cottage and the barn, + seemed to sing to the man the songs of the forest, the songs of the ocean, + the songs of the home, and the songs of the lowly barn. + </p> + <p> + One day the man put the violin in a case and took it away on a long + journey. When the case was opened, the violin saw that they were in a + strange hall full of people, and many of them were talking of this man—the + violin-maker. + </p> + <p> + The man lifted the violin from the case and went out upon a large platform + before the people, and began playing for them. He seemed to say to the + violin, "Sing for me," and as he drew the bow across the strings the + violin sang. It sang to the people, first the very songs that the tall + pines sang in the forest. The song changed, and the lap of the waters, and + the dip of the oar could be heard as on a moonlight summer night; then the + angry wind and the dash of the waves could be heard as in a fierce storm. + Slowly this song died, and everything was quiet. Then, after a little + while, the faraway sound of children's voices—their laughter and + singing—was heard, and then came the sweet lullaby to the sleepy + babes. + </p> + <p> + These songs all died away, and the violin sang the songs of the birds in + the summer-time, and the lowing of cattle, and the bleating of sheep in + the cold winter-time. + </p> + <p> + At last the violin could sing no longer the songs it knew, but a new song + came forth which was also very beautiful, and which caused the people to + bend forward and listen with eager faces, for it was the song that came + from the heart of the old man who was master of the violin. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + A CHRISTMAS STORY + </h2> + <p> + It was so long ago that the whole world has forgotten the date and even + the name of the little town in which lived a little boy whose name was + Hans. + </p> + <p> + Little Hans lived with his aunt, who was quite an old lady. She was not + always kind to Hans, but this made no difference to him. He loved her just + the same, and forgot that she was ever cross and very unkind to him at + times. + </p> + <p> + Hans went to school with many other boys, but he was not clothed as they + were. He had to wear the same clothes both week days and Sundays; the same + even in the summer that he wore in the winter. + </p> + <p> + It was now midwinter, when everything was wrapped in snow and glazed with + ice, while the north winds sang loud and whistled down the chimneys, + played very roughly with the bare trees, and crept through every crack and + crevice of the house. The frost, too, was busy pinching the cheeks and + biting the toes of the boys, and making them run, jump and dance to keep + warm. + </p> + <p> + The children were wild with the excitement and the joy that was astir at + this time. For there were secrets in the air. Every one was busy making + gifts for some loved one. + </p> + <p> + It was the night before Christmas, the one great birthday on which the + whole world rejoiceth and when all endeavor to make their fellow men + happy. + </p> + <p> + The schoolmaster and all of his pupils started for the midnight worship + and prayer at the church. All of the boys were well clothed, with heavy + coats, fur caps, thick mittens, and very heavy and warm shoes. But little + Hans had only a poor, plain, ragged suit, with no overcoat, no mittens, + and his shoes were only wooden ones. It was a very cold night, and the + boys and the schoolmaster had to walk very fast to keep warm. But little + Hans did not mind the cold so much, because the stars smiled down upon him + and seemed like so many diamonds set in a deep blue canopy, each one + glittering and flashing in the darkness. The snow, too, was a sparkling + mass, and Hans wondered if the stars could see themselves reflected in the + tiny snow crystals which covered the earth. + </p> + <p> + At last they reached the church, whose windows were shedding forth a soft, + golden light on the stillness and darkness of the cold winter night. This + little group of worshipers quietly passed into the church and sank + noiselessly into their pews. It was a beautiful place to Hans. He loved it + dearly, and was always happy to come here. The candles were all lighted, + and they burned steadily brighter and brighter, filling the church with a + beautiful mellow light. The grand old organ softly and clearly sent forth + its tones, each one growing richer, deeper and sweeter, and gradually the + voices of the choir boys and the tones of the organ filled the old church + with such beautiful music that little Hans's heart seemed to bound within + him, and his whole soul was enraptured, while there shone from his face a + radiance that only a divine inspiration could bring forth. + </p> + <p> + At length, after the people had sung, each one knelt and offered + thanksgiving to the Heavenly Father, little Hans, too, knelt and offered + thanks for the blessings which he had received during that year, and for + the tender care of the Father of all. + </p> + <p> + The people then quietly passed out of the warm church into the cold of the + night. Hans was the last one out, and as he carefully made his way down + the icy steps he noticed a little boy no larger than himself sitting on + the steps, with his head resting against the church. He was fast asleep. + His face was beautiful, and seemed clothed in a golden light. Beside him, + tied in a cloth, were a square, a hammer, a saw and other tools of a + carpenter. He had neither shoes nor stockings on his feet, although his + clothing was spotless and of the purest white. It grieved Hans that the + child should have no shoes, not even one to place for the Christ-child to + fill with gifts. + </p> + <p> + Hans stooped and took from his right foot the wooden shoe and placed it in + front of the sleeping child, so that the Christ-child would not pass him + by. Hans then limped along on the ice and snow, not feeling how cold it + was, but only thinking of the poor child asleep out in the cold. + </p> + <p> + The other boys were talking of the good things awaiting them at home, of + the feasts, the plum pudding, the Christmas trees, and the many drums, + wagons and blocks the Christ-child would put in their shoes that night. + </p> + <p> + When Hans arrived home he found his aunt awaiting him, and when she saw + that he had only one shoe, and he had told her all about the other one, + she was very angry with him, and sent him to bed. Hans placed the wooden + shoe from his left foot at the fireside, hoping that the Christ-child + would remember him as he passed by. + </p> + <p> + The first sunbeam that crept into Hans's bedroom and kissed him the next + morning awoke him, and he bounded downstairs, and flew to the great open + fireplace to find his shoe. + </p> + <p> + Hans rubbed his eyes and caught his breath, for, to his great surprise, + there were both of his wooden shoes, filled with beautiful toys; by the + fireside he found warm clothing and many other things to make him + comfortable and happy. + </p> + <p> + Hearing loud voices, Hans went to the door. The people were standing in a + crowd about the priest, who was talking to them. He told Hans that where + he had seen the child asleep on the church steps there was now in the + window above a beautiful crown set with precious jewels. He said that the + child was the Christ-child, whom the Heavenly Father had again sent among + men on earth for that night, and that it was He with whom Hans had shared + his wooden shoes. + </p> + <p> + The people bowed themselves before that miracle that the good God had seen + fit to work, to reward the faith and charity of a child. + </p> + <p> + Francois Coppee, {Adapted} + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE MYTH OF ARACHNE + </h2> + <p> + A long time ago there lived a maiden whose name was Arachne. She could + weave the most beautiful fabrics that people had ever seen. She chose the + most exquisite colors. They were the colors that were found in the + flowers, the green of the trees and grass, and the varied, dainty tints + and shades from the blue sky and its gorgeous sunsets. + </p> + <p> + People had said that Arachne learned to weave from the birds, although + some of them thought that Arachne had been taught to weave by the goddess + Athena. When Arachne heard that the people thought that Athena had taught + her to weave she became very angry. She declared that Athena had not + taught her to weave; that no one had taught her. She said she would + compete with the goddess Athena in weaving. The goddess Athena was a noble + goddess. She was the Goddess of Wisdom, and of all the Arts and Crafts. + When she heard what Arachne had declared she said: "It is very wrong that + Arachne should be so proud and envious. I will go to see her." + </p> + <p> + The goddess Athena disguised herself in humble apparel and visited + Arachne. She talked with her about her weaving, and still Arachne boasted + of the wonderful weaving she could do; but the goddess told her that she + was foolish to be so boastful. + </p> + <p> + This made Arachne angry, and she said: "I am not afraid at all, not of any + one in the world." At this moment the goddess threw aside her plain + garments and revealed herself the goddess Athena. This did not frighten + Arachne. She looked calmly at Athena and told her that she would give up + anything, even her life, to prove to the people that she could weave even + better than the goddess. + </p> + <p> + They then set about to arrange their looms, to select their threads, and + to begin work. At last they began. Whirr! Whirr! went the shuttles. Spin! + Spin! they sang, faster and faster, in and out, over and under, flew the + shuttles. + </p> + <p> + Arachne had chosen the most delicate, lovely threads that she could find, + but while she wove these beautiful threads she was thinking of her revenge + and other evil and wicked thoughts, while her skillful and swift fingers + moved faster and faster. + </p> + <p> + At the same time Athena was sitting in the sunlight, busily and carefully + weaving over and under, and in and out, her dainty, beautiful silken + threads, which seemed to have come from the very sunbeams themselves. The + colors were most harmonious and exquisite. Even the rainbow was surpassed. + Athena was thinking of the fleecy clouds, which were to her as white ships + that sailed through the blue sea of the sky. She thought of the brown + earth, with its emerald decking of trees and meadows; of the buttercups + and daisies of gold, and the roses and lilies which dotted Mother Earth's + carpet. She thought of the butterflies that flitted about, and of the + birds, in coats of red, blue, glossy black, and dazzling gold. + </p> + <p> + When Arachne looked at Athena's work she shuddered with shame, for, + although her own work had been skillfully done, it was marred by the envy, + malice and evil thoughts she had woven into it. While Athena's work was no + more skillfully woven, it was by far the more beautiful. The azure sky, + with fluffy white clouds; the meadows, dotted with flowers, and fields, + with their shady green trees, filled with birds of gorgeous hues, all made + a wonderful picture. + </p> + <p> + Poor Arachne knew her fate. She hastened away and took with her the + threads that she had been using in weaving, and wrapped them about her + neck. She thought she would end her life by hanging to a tree. This made + the beautiful and kind Athena sad, and she said to Arachne: "You must live—live + on forever," and she touched Arachne and changed her form. Arachne + gradually grew smaller and smaller, until she was no larger than a + honeybee. She had many legs and wore a brown, fuzzy coat. Instead of + hanging by the threads she had used she now hung from a dainty silken + spider web, for Arachne was still a weaver, but not a weaver as of old. + </p> + <p> + Today, perchance, if you should see a busy little spider, it might be one + of Arachne's children, or perhaps Arachne herself. No one knows—neither + you nor I. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0005" id="link2H_4_0005"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH + </h2> + <p> + It was spring, and the little town of Killingworth told of the joy of + living again. Every little rivulet had broken from its frozen chain, which + had held it fast during the long winter, and was rushing on, rejoicing at + its freedom. The purple buds, holding wonderful secrets of things to come, + were bursting forth from every tree and bush, while from the topmost + boughs the birds called and sang to their mates: "Oh! be happy, be happy, + for spring has come!" + </p> + <p> + There were all the messengers of spring—the robin, the oriole, and + the bluebird—filling the orchard with their glad melody. The little + sparrow chirped in glee for the very joy of living, and the hungry crows, + in great crowds, called loudly the tidings of spring. But not long could + they stop to sing, for the homes must be made, and soon from every tree + and bush could be seen these dainty, downy nests, and in every nest the + eggs, and in every egg a wonderful secret about which all the happy birds + twittered and sang together. + </p> + <p> + The farmers, as they plowed their fields and made their gardens that + spring, heard these tree-top concerts, and saw the multitude playing and + working about them, and they shook their heads and said: "Never before + have we had so many birds in Killingworth. We must surely do something, or + they will eat up half of our crops, and take the grain and fruits that + should go to feed our own children." Then it was decided to have a + meeting. All in the town were free to come, and here they were to decide + what was to be done with the troublesome birds. The meeting was held in + the new town hall, and to it came all the great men of the town, and from + far and near the farmers gathered. The great hall was crowded. The doors + and windows were open, and through them came a beautiful flood of bird + music, but the sturdy farmers and great men shook their heads as they + heard it. And then they told how the birds were eating the grains and + spoiling the fruit, and every one said the birds must go. There seemed to + be not a single friend to the singers outside, until one man arose—the + teacher in the town, much loved by the children, and himself loving + everything that God had made. He looked sadly on the men around him, and + then he said: + </p> + <p> + "My friends, can you drive away these birds that God has made and sent to + us, for a few handfuls of grain and a little fruit? Will you lose all this + music that you hear outside? Think of the woods and orchard without the + birds, and of the empty nests you will see. You say the birds are robbing + you; but instead they are your greatest helpers. With their bright little + eyes they see the little bugs and worms which destroy the fruit. Think who + has made them. Who has taught them the songs and the secret of building + their nests. You will be sorry when they are gone and will wish them + back." + </p> + <p> + But still the farmers shook their heads and said: "The birds must go." So + the birds of Killingworth were driven away, until not a single note was + heard, and only empty nests were left. The little children of the town + were hoping each day to see their friends again, and a strange stillness + and loneliness seemed to fill the little town, for the music in the air + had ceased. + </p> + <p> + The summer came, and never before had it been so hot. The little insects + and worms which the little birds had always driven away covered every tree + and bush, eating the leaves until nothing was left but the bare twigs. The + streets were hot and shadeless. In the orchard the fruit dropped, scorched + and dried by the sun. When the grains were gathered one-half of the crop + had been destroyed by the insects. Now the old farmers said among + themselves: + </p> + <p> + "We have made a great mistake. We need the birds." + </p> + <p> + One day in the early spring a strange sight was seen in the little town of + Killingworth. A great wagon covered with green branches was driven down + the main street, and among the branches were huge cages, and the cages + were filled with birds. Oh! they were all there—the robin, the + bluebird, the lark and the oriole—birds of every color and kind. + When the great wagon reached the town hall it stopped. The cages were + taken down from the branches of green, and little children, with eager + hands and happy eyes, threw open the doors. Out came the birds and away + they flew to field and orchard and wood, singing again and again: + </p> + <p> + "Oh! we are glad to be here! We are glad to be here!" + </p> + <p> + The little children sang, too, and the gray-haired farmers said: "The + birds must always stay in Killingworth." + </p> + <p> + Henry Wadsworth Longfellow {Adapted} + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0006" id="link2H_4_0006"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE MYTH OF PAN + </h2> + <p> + In a very far-away country, a long time ago, there lived a man who loved + music and little children and the birds and flowers. And the little + children loved Pan—for that was his name—because he told them + such beautiful stories and played on a set of pipes which he had made from + the reeds which grew by the river. Every evening, when it was time for the + sun to go to sleep and all the little stars to wake up, Pan would take his + pipes, go down to the river side, and play all the songs he knew. + Everybody could hear Pan's music for miles and miles, but many of them did + not like his music, and wished that he would not play. Once some of these + people gathered together and planned how they could stop Pan from playing + his pipes, and while they were talking, some beetles near by heard their + plans. Now, one of these beetles had hurt his wing at one time and had + fallen down in the dust on the road, and could go no farther. It was a + very hot day, and the poor little beetle was almost dead from the heat. + Soon Pan came walking along and saw the beetle, and, picking it up very + carefully, he carried it on some green leaves to a shady place, where he + left it to rest and get well. The beetle had never forgotten Pan's + kindness, and when he heard the plans these bad people had made he said: + "Come, friends, and go with me, for we must hurry and tell Pan what the + wicked people have planned, so that he will not be there when they go to + push him into the river." + </p> + <p> + The beetles had only one day in which to reach Pan, for the evil people + were going to carry out their plans the next night, so they spread their + wings and flew as fast as they could fly. They could not travel far at a + time, because their wings grew very tired and their bodies were so heavy. + When they could fly no longer they would walk, and when they were tired + walking they would fly again. In this way they hurried on and on, for the + day was growing into night, and they could hear Pan playing his beautiful + songs way down by the river bank. They had almost reached him when they + heard what seemed to be a crowd of people running through the bushes and + among the trees, and it seemed that they were going toward the river. Next + there was a big splash and many voices talking loudly, and after that—silence. + When the beetles reached the place where Pan always sat they could not + find him; but there in the river were his pipes, which he loved so well. + </p> + <p> + The people had reached Pan before the beetles, and had pushed him into the + river, and his pipes fell in, too, but Pan did not wait to get them. He + climbed out and ran as fast as his feet would carry him. The people ran + after him, but he leaped and bounded over the bushes and flowers, and ran + on and on. Sometimes they were almost upon him, but he always out-ran + them. He wished to hide, but could find no place. He could not climb the + trees, for the people could climb trees, too, and he could not hide in the + grass or under the bushes, for they would be sure to find him there. + </p> + <p> + At last, along the river bank, he spied the little violets that had closed + their eyes, but were still gazing at the stars. One little violet seemed + to say to him, "I will hide you," and it folded its little petals around + him. Pan was safe now, and from his hiding place he could hear the people + searching for him. They looked for a long time, but they did not find him. + He was happy and thankful, and, as he was very tired and the soft petals + of the violets made a pleasant resting place, he was soon fast asleep. + </p> + <p> + Away back on the river bank, where Pan always sat, were the beetles. They + were very sorry that they had not reached him in time to tell him that the + people were coming, and that they could not get his pipes out of the + water, where they had fallen. And, though they never saw him again, they + always remembered him and the beautiful music he used to play. + </p> + <p> + One day some little children were picking violets by the river, and they + found one little violet that had eyes just like Pan's eyes. They took it + home and named it Pan's Eye, in memory of their old friend, but, as that + was rather a hard name for the little children to say, they called it + Pansy. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0007" id="link2H_4_0007"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE BELL OF ATRI + </h2> + <p> + In the little town of Atri, which was nestled on the side of a wooded + hill, there was a strange custom. + </p> + <p> + The king had one day brought to the town a great bell, which he hung in + the market place beneath a shed, protected from the sun and rain. Then he + went forth with all his knightly train through the streets of Atri and + proclaimed to all the people that whenever a wrong was done to any one, he + should go to the market place and ring the great bell, and immediately the + king would see that the wrong was righted. + </p> + <p> + Many years had gone by. Many times the great bell had rung in the little + town of Atri, and, as the king had said, the wrongs of which it told, were + always righted. + </p> + <p> + In time, however, the great rope by which the bell was rung, unraveled at + the end and was unwound, thread by thread. For a long time it remained + this way, while the great bell hung silent. But close by, a grape-vine + grew, and, reaching upward, finally entwined its tendrils around the + ragged end of the bell rope, making it strong and firm again as it grew + around it, up toward the great bell itself. + </p> + <p> + Now, in the town of Atri there lived a knight, who, in his younger days, + had loved to ride and hunt; but as he grew old he cared no more for these + things. He sold his lands, his horses and hounds, for he now loved only + the gold which the sale of them brought to him. This he hoarded and saved, + living poorly, that he might save the more. + </p> + <p> + Only one thing he kept—his favorite horse, who had served him + faithfully all his life. But even this faithful friend he kept in a poor + old stable, often allowing him to go cold and hungry. + </p> + <p> + Finally the old man said: "Why should I keep this beast now? He is old and + lazy, and no longer of any use to me. Besides, his food costs me much that + I might save for myself. I will turn him out and let him find food where + he can." + </p> + <p> + So the faithful old horse, who had served his master all his days, was + turned out without a home. He wandered through the streets of the town, + trying to find something to eat. Often the dogs barked at him, and the + cold winds made him shiver as he wandered about, hungry and homeless, with + no one to care for him. + </p> + <p> + One summer afternoon, when all the drowsy little town seemed sleeping, the + tones of the great bell rang out, loud and clear, waking the people from + their naps and calling them forth to see who was ringing the bell of + justice. + </p> + <p> + The judge, with a great crowd following, hurried to the market place, but + when they came near, they stopped in surprise. No man was near, who might + have rung the bell; no one but a thin old horse, who stood quietly + munching the vine which grew around the bell rope. He had spied the green + leaves growing there, and, being hungry, had reached for them, thus + ringing the great bell of Atri, and calling forth the judge and all the + people. + </p> + <p> + "'Tis the old knight's horse," the people cried. Then many told the tale + of how the old horse had been turned out to starve, while his master + hoarded and saved his gold. + </p> + <p> + "The horse has rung the bell for justice, and justice he shall have," said + the judge. "Go, bring the old knight to me." + </p> + <p> + The knight was hurried to the place, where, before all the people, the + judge censured him for his cruel treatment of his faithful old horse, and + asked him to give a reason for it. + </p> + <p> + "The old beast is useless," said his master. "He is mine, and I have a + right to do with him as I wish." + </p> + <p> + "Not so," said the judge. "He has served you faithfully all his life. He + can not speak to tell of his wrongs, so we must speak for him. Go, now; + take him home. Build a new stable and care for him well." + </p> + <p> + The old knight walked slowly home, while the horse was led behind by the + crowd. + </p> + <p> + So the Great Bell of Atri had righted one more wrong, for it was even as + the judge had commanded. The faithful old horse lived in comfort all the + rest of his life, for his master, in caring for him, learned to love him + again, and treated him as only a faithful friend should be treated. + </p> + <p> + When the king heard the story he said: + </p> + <p> + "Surely, never will the bell ring in a better cause than in speaking for a + suffering dumb creature who can not speak for himself." + </p> + <p> + Henry Wadsworth Longfellow {Adapted} + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0008" id="link2H_4_0008"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE ANXIOUS LEAF + </h2> + <p> + Once upon a time a little leaf was heard to sigh and cry, as leaves often + do when a gentle wind is about. And the twig said: "What is the matter, + little leaf?" 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. 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." + </p> + <p> + And so the leaf stopped sighing, but went on nestling and singing. 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. And so + it grew all summer long, till October. + </p> + <p> + 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. 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, too, 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 bright color in them, and so the leaf said: "O + 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," said the branches. + </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 dropped gently + down under the edge of the fence, among hundreds of leaves, and fell into + a dream, and it never waked up to tell what it dreamed about. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0009" id="link2H_4_0009"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + COMING AND GOING + </h2> + <p> + There came to our fields a pair of birds that had never built a nest nor + seen a winter. How beautiful was everything! The fields were full of + flowers and the grass was growing tall, and the bees were humming + everywhere. Then one of the birds began singing, and the other bird said: + "Who told you to sing?" And he answered: "The flowers told me, and the + bees told me, and the winds and leaves told me, and the blue sky told me, + and you told me to sing." Then his mate answered: "When did I tell you to + sing?" And he said: "Every time you brought in tender grass for the nest, + and every time your soft wings fluttered off again for hair and feathers + to line the nest." Then his mate said: "What are you singing about?" And + he answered: "I am singing about everything and nothing. It is because I + am so happy that I sing." + </p> + <p> + By and by five little speckled eggs were in the nest, and his mate said: + "Is there anything in all the world as pretty as my eggs?" Then they both + looked down on some people that were passing by and pitied them because + they were not birds. + </p> + <p> + In a week or two, one day, when the father bird came home, the mother bird + said: "Oh, what do you think has happened?" + </p> + <p> + "What?" + </p> + <p> + "One of my eggs has been peeping and moving!" Pretty soon another egg + moved under her feathers, and then another and another, till five little + birds were hatched! Now the father bird sang louder and louder than ever. + The mother bird, too, wanted to sing, but she had no time, and she turned + her song into work. So hungry were these little birds that it kept both + parents busy feeding them. Away each one flew. The moment the little birds + heard their wings fluttering among the leaves, five little yellow mouths + flew open wide, so that nothing could be seen but five yellow mouths! + </p> + <p> + "Can anybody be happier?" said the father bird to the mother bird. "We + will live in this tree always, for there is no sorrow here. It is a tree + that always bears joy." + </p> + <p> + Soon the little birds were big enough to fly, and great was their parents' + joy to see them leave the nest and sit crumpled up upon the branches. + There was then a great time, the two old birds talking and chatting to + make the young ones go alone! In a little time they had learned to use + their own wings, and they flew away and away, and found their own food, + and built their own nests, and sang their own songs with joy. + </p> + <p> + Then the old birds sat silent and looked at each other, until the mother + bird said: "Why don't you sing?" And he answered: "I can't sing—I + can only think and think." "What are you thinking of?" "I am thinking how + everything changes. The leaves are falling off from this tree, and soon + there will be no roof over our heads; the flowers are all going; last + night there was a frost; almost all the birds have flown away. Something + calls me, and I feel as if I would like to fly away." + </p> + <p> + "Let us fly away together!" + </p> + <p> + Then they arose silently, and, lifting themselves far up in the air, they + looked to the north. Far away they saw the snow coming. They looked to the + south. There they saw flowers and green leaves. All day they flew, and all + night they flew and flew, till they found a land where there was no winter—where + flowers always blossom, and birds always sing. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0010" id="link2H_4_0010"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + HOW THE DIMPLES CAME + </h2> + <p> + One bright, beautiful spring day, when the earth was fresh in its new + green dress decked with flowers, while the birds sang their sweetest + songs, and the brooks babbled merrily on their way to the rivers, two wee + dimples were sent by Mother Nature on a journey to find their work in the + world. + </p> + <p> + It was a delightful journey through the blue sky and past the fleecy white + clouds. + </p> + <p> + They played and danced with the sunbeams who led them on their way to the + earth. + </p> + <p> + The dimples could see nothing for them to do, so on they went, frolicking + and playing. + </p> + <p> + At last they found themselves among the trees and the bright flowers of + the earth. + </p> + <p> + They chased the sunbeams under the leaves, they rode on the butterflies' + wings, they sipped the honey with the bees from the flowers. Still, they + could find nothing to do. The sunbeams bade the dimples good-by and + silently crept home. "Oh," said the dimples, "what shall we do? We have no + place to rest tonight." "Here is a bird's nest; let us rest in this," said + one dimple. "No, that will never do," said the other dimple, "for there is + the mother bird, who rests in her nest all night." + </p> + <p> + Just then they spied a window swing open on its hinges. The tiny stars + came out and peeped into the window, and the lady-moon sent silvery + moonbeams down to help the dimples find a resting place. Then the dimples + flew through the window, and there, close by, in her crib, curtained + around with white, was a wee baby, rosy, sweet, and bright. + </p> + <p> + "Oh," said one dimple, "I would love to rest on that rosy cheek." "So + would I," said the other dimple. And they each took a rosy cheek for a + couch, and here they rested the whole night long. + </p> + <p> + The robins early in the dawn sat on the cheery boughs and sang loud and + long, thus waking the dimples, who now knew not what to do. "But," said + one dimple, "we have not yet found our work." The other dimple said: "Let + us stay here. Baby's eyes are opening, and we must hide," and each dimple + nestled away in baby's cheeks. Then her big, blue eyes opened wide, to see + the sunbeams that had crept through the windows to her crib. + </p> + <p> + The sunbeams coaxed the dimples to come out and play, but the dimples + would only peep out, and when they did, they brought smiles around baby's + rosy lips and sunny eyes. + </p> + <p> + "So you have found your work at last," said the sunbeams. And they had, + for they helped to bring out the smiles in baby's cheeks. If you look the + next time you see baby you may see the dimples playing hide and seek. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0011" id="link2H_4_0011"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE PROUD LITTLE APPLE BLOSSOM + </h2> + <p> + It was the month of May, but the wind still blew cool, for the sun was not + yet ready to shed his warmest rays on the waiting earth. + </p> + <p> + Yet some of the birds had come, and more were on their way, and many + beautiful blossoms were already showing their pink and white blooms, so + that from bush and tree, field and flower, came the glad cry, "Spring is + here! Spring is here." Now, it happened that a young princess rode by a + beautiful orchard in full bloom, and she stopped to pick a branch of apple + blossoms to take to her palace. All who saw the apple blossom praised its + beauty and fragrance until the blossom became proud, and thought that + beauty was the only valuable thing in the world. But as the apple blossom + looked out upon the field she thought: "Not all of the plants are rich and + beautiful, as I am, some seem poor and plain." And she noticed a little, + common, yellow flower, which seemed to lift up its sunny head and grow + everywhere. + </p> + <p> + The apple blossom said to the plain little flower, "What is your name?" + </p> + <p> + "I am called the dandelion," replied the little flower. + </p> + <p> + "Poor little plant," said the apple blossom. "It is not your fault; but + how sad you must feel to be so plain and to bear such an ugly name." + </p> + <p> + Before the little plant could reply a lovely little sunbeam came dancing + along and said: "I see no ugly flowers. They are all beautiful alike to + me." And he kissed the apple blossom; but he stooped low and lingered long + to kiss the little yellow dandelion in the field. + </p> + <p> + And then some little children came tripping across the field. The youngest + laughed when they saw the dandelions and kissed them with delight. The + older children made wreaths and dainty chains of them. They picked + carefully those that had gone to seed, and tried to blow the feathery down + off with one breath, making joyous wishes. + </p> + <p> + "Do you see," said the sunbeam, "the beauty of the dandelion?" + </p> + <p> + "Only to children are they beautiful," said the proud apple blossom. + </p> + <p> + By and by an old woman came into the field. She gathered the roots of the + dandelions, out of which she made tea for the sick, and she sold others + for money to buy milk for the children. + </p> + <p> + "But beauty is better than all this," still said the proud little apple + blossom. Just then the princess came along. In her hand she carried + something that seemed like a beautiful flower. She covered it carefully + from the wind. What do you think it was? It was the feathery crown of the + dandelion. "See!" she said, "how beautiful it is! I will paint it in a + picture with the apple blossoms." + </p> + <p> + Then the sunbeam kissed the apple blossom, and as he stooped low to kiss + the dandelion the apple blossom blushed with shame. + </p> + <p> + Hans Christian Andersen {Adapted} + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0012" id="link2H_4_0012"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE BRAVE KNIGHT + </h2> + <p> + When Christ was on earth, He had a little band of disciples who loved him + very much. The night before He went away from them, He took them to a + little upstairs room and there had a supper with them. And it was said + that at that supper, He used a beautiful golden cup in which He passed the + wine to them, and when He went away from earth, the disciples loved + everything He had touched, and they seemed to love most of all this golden + cup. They called it the Holy Grail, and it was given to a very good man, + who cared for it carefully, and for years it passed from one good man to + another, for it was said that if it ever fell into the hands of a man who + was not good and Christ-loving the cup would be lost. + </p> + <p> + So for many years it was carefully kept, and people took long journeys to + see the Holy Grail, which the Master himself used when He was on earth. + But one day the cup passed into the hands of one who was not worthy, and, + as it had been said, it was lost. + </p> + <p> + They searched for it far and near, but it could not be found. Finally + there came some men who called themselves knights. They were brave, strong + men, who did many wonderful things for the king, and many of them said: + "We will spend our lives hunting for the Holy Grail. We will take long + pilgrimages until we find it." And so the knights searched over land and + sea, over mountain and plain, hunting for the Holy Grail, but still they + found it not. Then there came a knight whose name was Sir Launfal. He was + very young—so young that he had never made a journey, nor worn an + armor, nor had he ever done a wonderful deed. But he was brave, and said + in his heart: "I will find the Holy Grail." So he went to the silversmith + and had a beautiful silver armor and golden spurs made, and to the + helmet-maker, who made him a helmet of shining silver. Next he chose from + the stables the finest steed, and he was then ready for the journey, and + Sir Launfal's heart was full of hope. + </p> + <p> + On the night before the pilgrimage he lay in his room, and the armor hung + on the wall before him, with the helmet beside it, and the horse stood + ready in the stable. At the first ray of morning he was to begin his + journey, and as he lay he slept, and dreamed a dream. He thought it was + already morning—the morning of his pilgrimage. He had on his armor + and his silver helmet, and was riding out of the castle gate on his + beautiful steed. It was a June morning, and everything was beautiful. The + very flowers and green grass beneath his feet seemed to bring Sir Launfal + a message of hope. And as he rode his heart was very glad, and he said: "I + shall find the Holy Grail." He was riding out of the great castle gate + when he heard a voice which was tired and weak, and it said: "Will you + please give me something?" Sir Launfal looked in surprise, and there, + crouching beside the castle gate, was a beggar, poor and ragged and weak, + and it was he who had asked in a tired voice, "Will you please give me + something?" Sir Launfal looked at him and frowned, and said in his heart, + "Why does this beggar lie at my castle gate to spoil the beauty of the + morning?" But, because he was a knight and felt that he must give + something, he took from his purse a piece of gold and threw it to the + beggar. But the beggar looked at him and said, seeing his scornful frown: + "I do not wish your gold that you give with scorn. Better to me a poor + man's crust." But Sir Launfal rode proudly down the road on his way, for + he felt that he could no longer listen to the poor beggar. Then he rode + over land and sea, over mountain and plain, searching everywhere for the + Holy Grail, and, although it sometimes seemed very near, he did not find + it. + </p> + <p> + He had now grown to be an old man. The helmet and armor were rusted, his + clothes had become thin and ragged, he was stooped and gray, and his eyes + had grown dim with the years, but still he searched, and said in his + heart: "I will find the Holy Grail." Then he seemed to be near his old + home one night, and he said to himself: "Before I go on my way I will once + more look at my old home." And he entered the gate, and as he was walking + up the path he heard a voice, tired and weak, and it said: "Will you + please give me something?" He looked down, and there by his feet lay the + beggar who had asked for something at his castle gate the morning he had + started on his pilgrimage. + </p> + <p> + This time Sir Launfal looked at him and smiled. Then he said: "I have only + a crust of bread, but I will gladly share it with you." Then, taking from + his pocket a single crust of bread, he stooped and gave the half to the + beggar. Then Sir Launfal said: "I will get you water to quench your + thirst," and he went to where the little spring ran merrily along in the + twilight, and, taking from his pocket a little tin cup, battered and + rusted from years of use, he filled it to the brim with clear, cold water, + and returned with it to the beggar. As soon as the tin cup touched the + beggar's hand it turned into a shining cup of gold, and behold! the beggar + was no longer there, but in his place there stood a man, tall, strong and + beautiful, wearing shining white garments, and around his head there + seemed a radiant glow of light. The beautiful man looked at Sir Launfal, + and he said, in a voice full of love and gentleness: "In your own castle + yard you have found the Holy Grail by doing kindly service to one of my + needy ones." + </p> + <p> + The beautiful man was gone. Sir Launfal lay in his room. The morning + sunlight came in through the window, telling him it was time to arise and + go on his journey. And his helmet and armor still hung on the wall, ready + for him; but Sir Launfal lay long in thought. There was no need of his + long pilgrimage, for the poor and the needy were close to his door, and he + stayed to help them with gifts of love. + </p> + <p> + James Russell Lowell {Adapted} + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0013" id="link2H_4_0013"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + KING ROBERT OF SICILY + </h2> + <p> + King Robert was ruler of all Sicily. Many lands and beautiful castles were + his, and he had many servants, who obeyed his every word; but they obeyed + not because they loved him, but because they feared him. He was a proud + king, and haughty—that is, he would look over his lands, and he + would say: "Surely, this is a great kingdom, and I am a great king!" + </p> + <p> + One Easter Sunday morning, King Robert went to church. He wore his finest + robes, and riding with him were all of his lords and ladies. The morning + was beautiful, and everything seemed to bear a message of love and joy. + The grass and flowers that grew by the roadside, the trees that waved + their branches above, and the blue sky, all seemed to bear the same + message. + </p> + <p> + But King Robert saw nothing beautiful. He was thinking only of himself. + They reached the church, and the sunlight came through the beautiful + windows, seeming to speak of God above. The pure white lilies on the altar + whispered to each other, "On this day Christ was risen!" The music from + the organ seemed to reach every heart, but King Robert sat unmoved in his + pew. When the minister spoke, the king heard nothing of the sermon until + certain words caught his ear. The minister was saying these words: "The + Lord can exalt the humble and can bring down the proud and mighty from + their seats." The choir chanted the words again and again. + </p> + <p> + As the king heard, he threw back his head and said: "Why do they teach + such words as these? There is no power on earth or in heaven above that + could take my throne." + </p> + <p> + By and by the king fell asleep in his pew. He must have slept a long time, + for when he awoke the great church was dark and the moonlight was + streaming through the great glass windows. The king sprang to his feet in + alarm, and said: "How dare they go away and leave me alone?" He rushed + quickly to the door, but it was locked. He called loudly and knocked upon + the door, and finally the old sexton, asleep on the outside, heard the + noise and shouted: "Who is there?" And the king answered: "It is I—the + king. Open the door!" + </p> + <p> + The old sexton shook his head and murmured to himself: "It must be some + madman locked in the church," but he unlocked the door, and the king + rushed wildly out—on out in the street, where the moonlight fell + upon him. Then suddenly he stopped and gazed at his clothes in amazement, + for instead of wearing his royal robes he wore nothing but rags. His crown + was gone, and he seemed a beggar, and he cried out: "How can these things + be? Some one has robbed me while I have slept, and left me these rags." + </p> + <p> + Then he rushed on to the great castle, and at the gate he again called: + "Open! I, the king, am here." The great gate swung open and the king + rushed on through the great castle halls, never pausing until he reached + the throne room, and there he stopped and stood looking in surprise and + amazement, for there on his throne sat another king, wearing his crown and + wearing his robes, and holding in his hand his scepter. King Robert looked + at the new king and cried: "Why do you sit on my throne, wearing my robes + and my crown and my scepter?" + </p> + <p> + The new king only smiled and said: "I am the king, and who art thou?" + </p> + <p> + King Robert threw back his head haughtily and answered: "I am the king. + You have no right on my throne." + </p> + <p> + At these words the strange king smiled sadly, and replied: "I am the king, + and thou shalt be my servant. Yes, thou shalt be the servant of all my + servants, for thou shalt be court jester, and wear the cap and bells, and + have for your companion the ugly ape." + </p> + <p> + Before King Robert could say more, the servants came and hurried him + through the castle halls, down to a little room, cold and bare, with + nothing but a pile of straw in a corner, and there they left him alone, + save for the ugly ape, which sat in the corner grinning at him. As King + Robert looked down on the rough pile of straw he said: "It must surely be + a dream, and I will awaken in the morning and find myself the king." + </p> + <p> + The morning came, but when he awoke he heard the rustle of the straw + beneath him, and there in the corner still sat the ugly ape. That day the + new king called him to the throne, and, looking at him, said: "Art thou + the king?" And King Robert proudly threw back his head as before and + answered: "I am the king." + </p> + <p> + And each day the new king sent for him and asked him the same question, + and each day King Robert gave the same proud and haughty answer. One day + there came a summons to the court—King Robert's brother, the Emperor + of Rome, sent word for King Robert and all of his court to visit him at + Easter-time, and great preparations were made for the journey. When the + train was ready it formed a beautiful procession. The new king rode at its + head, in his splendor, and all the beautiful ladies and the brave knights + came riding behind in their gorgeous robes. At the last of this splendid + train rode King Robert on a queer old mule. He had on the cap and bells, + and behind him sat the ugly ape, and, as they passed along the street, the + boys laughed and jeered; but King Robert said to himself: "They will not + laugh long," because his heart was glad now, for they were going to Rome, + where his own brother ruled, and now surely he would be restored to his + rights, for his brother would see and know that the new king was an + impostor. Thus the splendid train rode to Rome, and the emperor was there + to meet them. + </p> + <p> + When the emperor saw the strange king he went to him and embraced him and + called him "brother." At this, King Robert rushed forward and cried out: + "I am the king, thy brother. This man is an impostor. Do you not know me? + I am the king." But the emperor only looked at him strangely, and, turning + to the strange king, he said: "Why do you keep this madman at your court?" + The new king only smiled, and made no answer. + </p> + <p> + The visit ended, and again the splendid train passed back to Sicily, and + King Robert still rode behind. His heart was very sad, because he thought: + "If my own brother knows me not, what hope can there be?" + </p> + <p> + When the new king came back to Sicily he changed many of the cruel laws, + and the whole land was made glad and happy, as it had never been before. + King Robert noticed the change and wondered at it. + </p> + <p> + It was Easter-time again, and King Robert said in his heart, "I will go to + church again this morning." Behind all the procession he rode, as usual, + and took his seat in the back of the church, so that no one might see him. + Everything was beautiful at this Easter-time. The church, the flowers, the + music, all bore the Easter message. When the music began it crept into + King Robert's heart, and as he listened the tears rolled down his cheek, + and he bowed his head in prayer. The first words that he heard were the + old, familiar ones: "The Lord can exalt the humble and bring down the + proud and mighty from their seats." As poor King Robert listened he humbly + bowed his head and said: "Ah, surely that is true; the Lord in heaven is + mightiest of all. He is the king." + </p> + <p> + When the king and his court had reached home again that day, the new king + called King Robert immediately to his throne room, and upon his face there + seemed to be a glorious light shining forth, and, looking at King Robert + with a wondrous smile, he asked the old, old question: "Art thou the + king?" But King Robert only bowed his head and said: "I know not who I am. + I only know that I am the most humble and most unworthy of all men to be + the king." To these words the new king replied: "Thou art indeed the king, + and I—I am an angel sent from Heaven to help thee for a little + while." + </p> + <p> + When King Robert raised his head, behold! he was alone. The angel had + gone. He again had on his own robes, his own crown, and was bearing his + own scepter. + </p> + <p> + That day, when the courtiers came to wait upon the king, they found him + kneeling beside his throne in prayer. + </p> + <p> + Henry Wadsworth Longfellow {Adapted} + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0014" id="link2H_4_0014"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE GREAT STONE FACE + </h2> + <p> + One afternoon, when the sun was going down, a mother and her little boy + sat at the door of their cottage talking together and watching the great + mountains before them, as they changed with the tints of the setting sun, + from gold to crimson, and then to deep purple, till finally the afterglow + was gone, leaving only the bare mountains standing out in gray relief + against the evening sky. + </p> + <p> + "Mother," said the child, whose name was Ernest, "the Great Stone Face is + smiling at us. I wish it could speak, for it looks so very kind that I + know its voice is pleasant." + </p> + <p> + And what was the Great Stone Face? + </p> + <p> + Off in the distance one great mountain rose far up above the others, and + stood like a great giant among its fellows. By some peculiar art the rocks + had been thrown together in such a way as to make the mountain look almost + exactly like a human face. There was the broad arch of the forehead, a + hundred feet in length; the nose, with its long bridge, and the great + lips, which, if they could have spoken, would surely have rolled thunder + from one end of the valley to the other. + </p> + <p> + It was a happy lot for children to grow up to manhood or womanhood with + the Great Stone Face before their eyes, because all of its features were + noble, so that just to look at it made one wish to be better. + </p> + <p> + This, then, was what Ernest and his mother sat looking at long after the + sun had sunk behind those great piles of stones. + </p> + <p> + "Mother," said Ernest, "if I were to see a man with such a face I know I + should love him." + </p> + <p> + "If an old prophecy comes true," answered his mother, "we may see a man + some time or other with exactly such a face as that." + </p> + <p> + "Oh, tell me about it, mother. Will it really come true?" eagerly inquired + Ernest. + </p> + <p> + Then his mother told him a story which her mother had told to her when she + was a child. No one knew who had heard it first. The Indians had known it + years before, and they said it had been murmured by the mountain streams + and whispered by the wind among the treetops. And the story was this: At + some future day—no one knew when—a child would be born in the + valley who would grow up to be the noblest and greatest man of his time, + and his face would look exactly like the Great Stone Face which had gazed + kindly down on the valley for so many years. Many of the people in the + valley said this was only a foolish tale, never to come to pass, but a few + still watched and waited, hoping for the great man to come, but as yet he + had not appeared. + </p> + <p> + When Ernest heard the story he clapped his hands, and said eagerly: "Oh, + mother, dear mother, I do hope I shall live to see him." + </p> + <p> + The mother smiled, and, putting her hand on the boy's head, said: "Perhaps + you may." + </p> + <p> + Ernest never forgot the story his mother told him. It was always in his + mind whenever he looked upon the Great Stone Face. He spent his boyhood + days in the humble little cottage, helping his mother with the simple + household duties, and, as he grew older, working in the fields to earn + their daily bread. + </p> + <p> + Ernest was a quiet boy, but happy. There was no school in the little + village, but a great teacher was there. After the day's toil was over + Ernest would sit for hours watching the Great Stone Face, and to him it + became the teacher of all that was good and noble. Many times, as the + sunset rays tinted the side of the great mountain and lighted up all the + features of the wonderful face, Ernest would imagine that it smiled on + him, and perhaps it did. Who knows? + </p> + <p> + Often a great longing would come to Ernest as he watched the Great Face, + and he would say again, "Oh, I wish the great man would come." + </p> + <p> + But the years passed by, and Ernest grew from a happy little child to a + quiet, thoughtful boy, and still the great man did not appear. + </p> + <p> + But one time a rumor went through all the valley that the great man had at + last arrived. His early home had been in the quiet valley, but as a young + man he had gone into the world to seek his fortune, and truly he had found + it, for everything he attempted prospered exceedingly, till it might be + said of him, as of Midas in the fable, that whatever his fingers touched + changed at once to piles of gold. His name was Mr. Gathergold. All who saw + him declared him to be the exact image of the Great Stone Face on the + mountain side, and the man so long expected to fulfill the prophecy. + </p> + <p> + The whole valley was in a state of great excitement, for the wonderful + personage was coming back to his native home to spend his last days in + peace and quiet. He sent before him a whole army of architects and + workmen, who built for him a palace more beautiful and grand than anything + the simple village people had ever before seen. + </p> + <p> + The outside was of pure marble, dazzling white, while the interior was + inlaid with solid gold and precious stones. + </p> + <p> + Ernest watched the great palace grow, and his heart was glad, for finally + his hopes were to come true. He waited eagerly for the great man himself + to come. He spent more time than usual gazing at the face on the mountain + side, that he might know exactly how Mr. Gathergold would look. + </p> + <p> + Finally the day of the great man's arrival came. The whole village came + out to see him. The rumbling of wheels was heard, and a carriage drawn by + four horses dashed down the road. + </p> + <p> + "Here he comes!" cried the people. "Here comes the great Mr. Gathergold!" + </p> + <p> + As the carriage drew near the people pressed around, and there through the + window they saw the great man. He was little and old, with a face as hard + and yellow as the piles of gold he had gathered together. He had a low + forehead, small, sharp eyes, puckered about with many wrinkles, and very + sharp lips. + </p> + <p> + "The very image of the Great Stone Face!" shouted the people. "Sure + enough, the old prophecy is true, and here we have the great man come at + last." + </p> + <p> + By the roadside there chanced to be a poor woman and her two children, + who, as the carriage passed, held out their hands and asked for help. A + hand was thrust out of the window, and a few pennies were thrown on the + ground. Then the carriage rolled on, and the people continued to shout, + "He is the very image of the Great Stone Face." + </p> + <p> + But Ernest stood apart from the crowd, nor did he join in the shout, for + his heart was full of sorrow and disappointment. Through an opening in the + trees he saw the Great Stone Face looking benignly down upon him, and the + great lips seemed to say: "He will come. Fear not, Ernest. The man will + come." + </p> + <p> + The years went on, and Ernest ceased to be a boy. He had grown to be a + young man now. He was not much noticed in the valley, for he was still + quiet and modest. They saw nothing remarkable about his way of living, + save that when the work of the day was done he loved to go apart and gaze + upon the Great Stone Face. + </p> + <p> + They knew not that it had become his greatest teacher, filling his heart + and mind with thoughts and hopes far above earthly things. + </p> + <p> + By this time poor old Mr. Gathergold was dead and buried, and the strange + part about the matter was that when his wealth left him, as it did some + time before he died, and he became a poor old man, the people seemed to + forget that there ever had been a resemblance to the Great Stone Face. + Indeed, they said it was all a mistake, and the great man was yet to come. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly through the valley there ran another rumor. Years before a young + man had left the valley, had gone into the world as a warrior, and finally + had become a great commander. Such had been his character and life that + the illustrious man was called by the name of Old Blood-and-Thunder. This + old general, being worn out with warfare, decided to return to his native + valley and spend his last days in peace. But the most wonderful thing + about Old Blood-and-Thunder was the fact that all who knew him said that + he was the man so long hoped for in the valley, for he looked exactly like + the Great Stone Face. + </p> + <p> + Great preparations, therefore, were made to receive the General—a + banquet was to be given and speeches made in his honor. On the day of the + festival Ernest, with all the others of the village, left their work and + went to the woods, where the banquet was held. A great crowd surrounded + the tables, so that Ernest at first could not see the great man for whom + he had waited and hoped so long, so he contented himself with looking at + the great face on the mountain side, which he could see plainly through + the trees. Meanwhile he could hear those around him talking about Old + Blood-and-Thunder and the Great Stone Face. + </p> + <p> + "'Tis the same face, to a hair," cried one man, clapping his hands for + joy. + </p> + <p> + "Wonderfully like, that's a fact," said another. + </p> + <p> + "Like! Why, I call it Old Blood-and-Thunder himself, in a monstrous + looking-glass," cried a third. + </p> + <p> + Just then a silence fell on the crowd, for the General rose to speak, and + as he did so Ernest for the first time saw the hero. There he stood, head + and shoulders above the crowd, with the golden epaulets glittering on his + uniform. Long and eagerly Ernest gazed on his face, and then beyond, to + the one on the mountain side. Were they, indeed, alike? Ernest saw in the + warrior's face only cruelty and hardness, with none of the tender sympathy + he knew so well in the other face. + </p> + <p> + "This is not the man," sighed Ernest, as he turned sadly away. "Must we + wait longer yet?" + </p> + <p> + But as the great mountain rose before him, once again the lips seemed to + say: "Fear not, Ernest; fear not. He will come." + </p> + <p> + The years sped swiftly by. Ernest still lived in the valley, a quiet and + gentle man, doing his work as best he knew. But gradually the people of + the village had come to know and feel that Ernest knew more than they. Not + a day passed by that the world was not better because this man, humble as + he was, had lived. He would always help a neighbor in need, and the people + had learned to know where to come for aid. His thoughts were of things + good and noble, and so his deeds and words were always good. + </p> + <p> + By this time the people had seen their mistake in thinking Old + Blood-and-Thunder was the great man of prophecy; but now again there were + reports saying that without doubt the great man had at last appeared. He, + like Mr. Gathergold and Old Blood-and-Thunder, was a native of the valley, + but had left it as a young man, and had now become a great man. He had not + the rich man's wealth, nor the honor of the General, but he had a tongue + which could speak more beautiful words than the world had ever heard + before. Great crowds flocked to hear him from all parts of the country. + </p> + <p> + The people of the village were proud to think that they could claim the + great man, for it was said he bore an exact likeness to the Great Stone + Face—so much so that they called him "Old Stony Phiz." + </p> + <p> + And now the illustrious man was once more coming to visit his native land, + and great preparations were made to receive him. + </p> + <p> + With great eagerness and hope Ernest waited for his coming, and on the day + appointed went with the crowd to meet him. The air was filled with music + and the shouts of the people, for now they felt that surely the old + prophecy was to be fulfilled. + </p> + <p> + Then the great man's carriage came in view. There he sat, smiling and + bowing to the people, while they threw up their hats in wild excitement + and enthusiasm, and shouted: "Hoorah for Old Stony Phiz. The great man has + come at last." + </p> + <p> + Ernest looked long at the man as he sat in his carriage, but finally + turned away sadly and slowly, and said: "The features are alike, but he + has not the heart nor the love and sympathy which make a face beautiful. + He is not the man, but he might have been, had he lived the best he knew." + </p> + <p> + Then again he turned to his great teacher on the mountain side, and, as + the late afternoon sun tinted all its features, it seemed to smile on + Ernest, and once more the lips seemed to speak: + </p> + <p> + "Lo, here I am, Ernest. I have waited longer than thou, and am not yet + weary. Fear not. The man will come." + </p> + <p> + The years hurried onward, and now they began to bring white hairs and + scatter them over the head of Ernest. They made wrinkles across his + forehead and furrows in his cheeks. He was an old man; but more than the + white hairs on his head were the beautiful thoughts in his mind, and the + loving words from his lips, and the kindly deeds from his hands. He was no + longer unknown. Great men from far and near came to see and talk with him, + and as they went away their hearts were better for having been with him. + He had become a preacher, and often, just as the sun set, he would stand + on a little knoll and talk with the people who crowded to hear the words + he spoke. + </p> + <p> + One evening, as Ernest sat at his doorstep, a friend came to talk with + him. He was a poet, and wrote of things which God had made, in language so + beautiful that one wished always to hear it. Ernest loved to read his + words, and this evening, as they sat together, he looked long and + earnestly at the poet and then up at the Great Stone Face, which seemed to + be smiling down upon them. Then he sighed and shook his head sadly. + </p> + <p> + "Why are you sad?" asked the poet. + </p> + <p> + Then Ernest told him of the prophecy which he had longed all his life to + see fulfilled. "And," he said, "when I read your beautiful words, I think + surely you are worthy to be the man I have longed to see, and yet I see no + likeness." + </p> + <p> + The poet sadly shook his head, and said: "No, Ernest. I am not worthy. My + words, indeed, may be beautiful, but my life has not been so great and + good as the words I write." + </p> + <p> + Then, as sunset drew near, the two walked to the little knoll where Ernest + was to talk to the people. + </p> + <p> + He stood in a little niche, with the mountains above him, and the glory of + the evening sun shone around his silvered hair. At a distance could be + seen the Great Stone Pace, surrounded by a golden light. + </p> + <p> + As Ernest talked his face glowed with the depth of his feeling, and + suddenly the poet threw his arms above his head and shouted: + </p> + <p> + "Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone Face!" + </p> + <p> + Then all the people looked and saw that what the poet had said was true. + The prophecy was fulfilled. The Great Man had come at last. + </p> + <p> + Nathaniel Hawthorne {Adapted} + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0015" id="link2H_4_0015"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE + </h2> + <p> + In a forest in the far, far East grew a great many pine trees. Most of + them were tall trees, higher than the houses that we see, and with wide, + strong branches. But there was one tree that was not nearly so tall as the + others; in fact, it was no taller than some of the children in the + kindergarten. + </p> + <p> + Now, the tall trees could see far, far out over the hilltops and into the + valleys, and they could hear all the noises that went on in the world + beyond the forest, but the Little Tree was so small and the other trees + grew so high and thick about it that it could not see nor hear these + things at all; but the other trees were very kind, and they would stoop + down and tell them to the Little Tree. One night in the winter time there + seemed to be something strange happening in the little town among the + hills, for the trees did not go to sleep after the sun went down, but put + their heads together and spoke in strange, low whispers that were full of + awe and wonder. The Little Tree, from its place close down to the ground, + did not understand what it was all about. It listened awhile, and then + lifted its head as high as ever it could and shouted to its tall neighbor: + "Will you not stoop and tell me what is happening?" And the big tree + stooped down and whispered: "The shepherds out on the hilltops are telling + strange stories while they watch their sheep. The air is filled with sweet + music, and there is a wonderful star coming up in the east, traveling + westward always, and the shepherds say that they are waiting for it to + stop and shine over a humble stable in their little town. I have not heard + why it is going to stop there, but I will look again and listen." So the + tall tree lifted up its head again, and reached far out so that it might + hear more of the wonderful story. + </p> + <p> + Bye and bye it stooped down again, and whispered to the Little Tree: "Oh, + Little Tree, listen! There are angels among the shepherds on the hills, + and they are all talking together. They seem to be awaiting the birth of a + little child, who will be a king among the people, and the beautiful star + will shine above the stable where the little king will be laid in a + manger." The tree again raised its head to listen, and the Little Tree, + much puzzled, thought within itself: "It is very strange, indeed. * * * + Oh, how I wish that I could see it all!" + </p> + <p> + It waited a little longer, and everything grew quiet, and a great peace + came upon the forest. * * * Then suddenly the town, and even the forest + was illuminated with a strange, white light that made everything as bright + as day, and the air was filled with the flutter of angels' wings, and with + music such as the world had never heard before. + </p> + <p> + The people and the trees, even the stars in the heaven, lifted up their + voices and sang together * * * and the whole world was filled with music + and joy and love for the little Christ-child who had come to dwell upon + the earth. + </p> + <p> + The Little Tree was filled with fear and wonder, for so great was the + excitement that the other trees had almost forgotten it, and it could not + understand the mysterious sounds; but bye and bye its tall friend said: + "Listen, listen, Little Tree! Such news I have to tell! The Christ has + come—the King! And the whole world is singing such beautiful music. + There are wise men coming from the East, bringing beautiful gifts to the + Christ-child. The angels, too, are upon the earth, and they bear gifts of + gold and rare, beautiful stones. Wait! I will tell you more." + </p> + <p> + The tall tree had scarcely lifted up its head when it stooped again and + whispered to the Little Tree: "Look! Look! Little Tree! They are coming + this way; the angels are coming here, into our forest! Lift up your head + high and you will see them as they pass." + </p> + <p> + The Little Tree lifted up its head and saw the white flutter of angel + robes and heard the weird, sweet voices of the heavenly host who came with + precious gifts into the forest. + </p> + <p> + "Oh," said the Little Tree, "they are coming here, toward me! What shall I + do?" And in fear it bent its head so low that it almost touched the + ground. But the music came nearer and nearer, and the Little Tree felt a + tender hand upon its branches, and a soft, gentle voice said to it: + "Arise, Little Tree, and come with us, for we have come into the forest to + seek you. Yes, you, the very smallest among the trees, are to be our + gift-bearer. Come; lift up your head." + </p> + <p> + In fear and trembling the Little Tree did as the angel bade it. But when + it looked into the angel's face and saw the love and kindness there, all + fear was gone, and it said to the angel: "Yes; make me ready. I will come + with you to the little Christ-child in the manger." So all the angels + brought their gifts of precious jewels and shining gold, and fastened them + upon the branches of the Little Tree. Then the leader of the angels' band + took up the Little Tree from the ground and bore it, laden with its + precious burden, to the feet of the Christ-child. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0016" id="link2H_4_0016"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE STORY OF ABRAHAM + </h2> + <p> + Long, long ago there lived in the far away land of Ur a man who was very + wealthy. His name was Abraham. The country in which he lived was beautiful + and very rich. The fields were not only well watered by rivers and + streams, but were carefully cultivated. Corn, dates, apples and grapes + grew there abundantly. Fine harvests were reaped from their farms. + Splendid herds of cattle and flocks of sheep were pastured in the meadows. + In the city were beautiful homes, for the people were prosperous. They + painted fine pictures and cut beautiful figures out of marble blocks, and + were fond of music. But Abraham was not so much interested in the city as + in the country, for he belonged to a family of shepherds. He did not care + so much for walled cities as for meadow lands, forest trees and running + streams. When Abraham grew a little older he became very thoughtful, and + began to dislike the ways of the people of Ur, for they were idolaters. So + when some of the servants brought back from the city, idols into his + father's home, he broke them. His one desire was to do right and to be + good. + </p> + <p> + One day, when he was herding his cattle not far from his father's home, he + heard a strange Voice saying to him: "Get thee out of thy country and from + thy kindred, and come unto a land which I shall show thee." He was greatly + surprised, and looked around to find out who was speaking to him. He saw + no man, so he thought that the Voice was only a fancy or a day dream. A + few days after, when he was bringing home some wandering sheep, he heard + the same Voice, the same words, and thought he saw a gleam of light. He + felt that God was speaking to him, but the words made him very sad. If he + obeyed the Voice he knew that he would have to leave his friends, the + fields where he sported with his boy companions and loved ones, but + something within him kept saying that he ought to obey the Voice, because + it was God's Voice. So he resolved to take his nephew, Lot, with him, and + set out for the Promised Land. The day for starting came. Great bundles of + goods were put upon the camels and led off by the drivers. Flocks of sheep + and herds of cattle filled the morning air with their bleatings and their + bellowings. Some of the people thought that Abraham was very foolish to + undertake such a journey, and would certainly come to grief. His brother + Nahor pleaded with Abraham not to go. He told Abraham about a great desert + that he would have to cross. Even if he crossed it safely, the people in + that far away country were very cruel, and would fight them and kill them, + and make slaves of their children. Abraham listened to his brother, and + said that he knew there were difficulties ahead of him, but he must obey + the Voice of God. Then his face brightened, when he added that he felt + sure God would watch over them all as a shepherd watches over his sheep. + He looked brave and noble as he bade them all good-by and started off. + </p> + <p> + At the close of the first day they halted beside a stream, where the + cattle drank and rested until morning. The servants pitched a number of + tents and made Abraham and his family comfortable. Abraham rolled together + a few big stones and built an altar, and in the presence of his family and + servants offered up an evening sacrifice and prayed that God should guide + them and their little ones into the Promised Land. After many weary days + and nights they reached Canaan. It was a beautiful country, full of vines + and harvest fields, and pasture lands. The valleys were warm and the + highlands were cool. Here and there on the hillsides they saw the oak, the + sycamore, and the pine growing. Best of all, the people were kind to + Abraham and his servants, and helped them to get settled in their new + homes. Their new friends were not so rich as their old ones. They wore + rough garments made of camel's hair and fastened round the waist with a + belt. They lived in rough huts and rocky caves, and were warlike. But they + treated Abraham generously and were very kind to the little children. + Abraham was delighted with the Promised Land, although he passed through + many a severe trial in it. + </p> + <p> + There was one joy, however, that brightened his life—God had given + him a beautiful son. The little boy had grown to be a strong, beautiful + youth. His mother took loving care in making his little garments, and his + father gave him a pet lamb, and often brought home to him a wild bird. + Abraham was growing old, and thought of the day when his boy would be a + strong man, caring for herds and flocks. Many a time he prayed to God for + his boy, that he might be true and brave and good, and worthy of the + promises that God had made to him concerning his people. But one day, when + he was returning from a visit to his herdsmen and was resting beside a + well in the grove which he had planted in Beersheba, he heard the Voice + again saying: "Take thy son, thine only son Isaac, and offer him up for a + sacrifice on a mount which I shall show thee." Abraham was grieved. He + said to himself: "I have left Ur and the land of my brother and my father. + I have endured many hardships, and surely I will not be called upon to + sacrifice my only son, my sweet, loving boy. I can not bear it. His mother + can not live when she hears of it." But the Voice said more earnestly than + ever: "Take thy son, thine only son Isaac, and offer him up for a + sacrifice on the mount that I shall show thee." He knew that it was the + same Voice that had spoken to him many times, and that he must obey it. + And there gradually came into his life strength and a willingness to obey + the Voice. After necessary preparation Abraham, his son, and his servants + set out for the mountain. For three days they journeyed under divine + guidance, until they came to the foot of the mount. Then Abraham said to + his servants: "Abide ye here, and I and the lad will go and worship + yonder, and come unto you again." The young lad was happy over the coming + sacrifice. He shouldered the bundle of wood and started off up the + hillside. But he did not see the lamb, and, turning to his father, said: + "Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt + offering?" The question so innocently asked grieved the father's heart, + for he knew that God had commanded him to offer up his son instead of a + lamb. He felt that he could not tell his boy about it, so he said: "God + Himself will provide a lamb for the burnt offering." At last they came to + the spot where the sacrifice was to be offered. The father, very sad and + broken-hearted, began rolling together some stones for an altar. Slowly he + laid the wood in its place, and wept when he thought of the sacrifice. + Then with a tearful voice he told the lad that he was to be the sacrifice. + He laid the boy upon the altar and kissed him. At that moment he heard a + Voice, louder than ever before, saying: "Abraham." He answered, "Here am + I." The Voice said: "Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do any harm + unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not + withheld thy son, thine only son, from me." With glad wonder Abraham + looked around, and there, to his great surprise, a ram was caught in some + thick bushes. Hurriedly he caught the ram, unbound his son, and offered up + the ram as a sacrifice with great joy. And, kneeling beside the altar, the + aged father thanked God, and homeward they returned with glad hearts and + happy spirits. + </p> + <p> + And Isaac grew to be a good and noble man, and the Lord prospered him. His + father, Abraham, lived many years in the Promised Land, and when he died + the whole country was full of grief, and with sorrow mingled with love + they followed the aged saint to the sunny slopes of beautiful Macpelah and + laid him in the tomb. Each whispered to the other that he was a good and + brave man. Many a time they would visit the cave where the great man lay + and tell one another about his wonderful life, his many trials, his noble + faith, and how he always obeyed the Voice of God. + </p> + <p> + On a rough stone beside the tomb a friend chiseled the words: "Abraham, + the Friend of God." + </p> + <p> + Bible {Adapted} + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0017" id="link2H_4_0017"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE STORY OF MOSES + </h2> + <p> + Many years ago, the Heavenly Father sent a baby boy into a home in a far + country. + </p> + <p> + When a baby comes to your home you want to tell every one you see, do you + not? + </p> + <p> + But in that little home it was very different. Miriam, the baby's sister, + could not tell any one about the little brother, and the poor mother had + to keep the baby hidden away. Shall I tell you why? + </p> + <p> + In that country there lived a wicked king, who did not love little + children, and whenever he heard that a boy baby had come into a house he + sent his soldiers to take the baby away. + </p> + <p> + This mother loved her baby dearly, and she wanted to keep him always. But + when the baby began to grow, and to laugh and to cry, just as all babies + do, the mother's heart was very sad, for she knew she could hide him no + longer. + </p> + <p> + One day she took the baby and went down to the river. There she gathered a + great many of the tall grasses that grew on the river bank, and of these + grasses she made a little basket, or ark, just large enough to hold the + baby. She wove it carefully, and when it was finished she covered it over + with pitch and slime, so that no water could come into it. + </p> + <p> + Then she lifted her baby, put him into the queer little basket, carried + the basket to the river and set it down carefully in the water. The tall + rushes growing there held the little cradle, that the water might not wash + it away. + </p> + <p> + The mother turned and went quickly to her home. But do you think she left + the baby alone? Ah, no. Among the tall grasses near the river's brim stood + Miriam, the sister, patiently watching the queer cradle. + </p> + <p> + While Miriam watched, the princess came to the river to bathe. The maidens + who had come to help her walked along the river's side. + </p> + <p> + Presently the princess saw the queer little basket and sent one of her + maids to get it. + </p> + <p> + When the princess opened the basket, the baby wakened and began to cry, + and the princess felt very sorry for the little one. + </p> + <p> + Miriam, who had watched so faithfully beside the river, now came to the + princess. + </p> + <p> + "Shall I go and find thee a woman who will take care of the child?" she + said. And the princess said, "Go." + </p> + <p> + What did Miriam do, do you think? She ran as fast as she could and brought + the baby's own mother. + </p> + <p> + When the princess saw the mother she did not know that it was the baby's + own mother, and she said to her: "Take this child away and nurse it for + me, and I will give thee thy wages." + </p> + <p> + Do you not think that mother's heart was glad as she took her own baby + home? The baby could run and play now, and laugh and crow as much as it + liked, for the great princess loved him, and no harm could come to him. + </p> + <p> + The mother called the baby's name "Moses," she said, "because I drew him + out of the water," and in that far country that is what the name "Moses" + means. + </p> + <p> + Bible {Adapted} + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0018" id="link2H_4_0018"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE STORY OF DAVID + </h2> + <p> + Long, long ago, on the green hills of Bethlehem, a little shepherd boy + tended his sheep. + </p> + <p> + Ruddy and strong was little David, for the sun gave him rosy cheeks, and + the bracing wind made him long to run races with his own shadow, just from + pure happiness. + </p> + <p> + Many a time he lay on the soft grass, gazing up at the blue sky, dotted + with fleecy white clouds—white as his own lambs. Many a time, as he + led his flock homeward at evening, he saw the sun sink in the gold and + crimson west, and, as the dusk deepened, the great round moon rise above + the hills, flooding the world with silvery light. + </p> + <p> + With all this beauty around him, do you wonder that he was good and happy? + </p> + <p> + One day, while David was watching his sheep in the field, Samuel, the High + Priest of the Lord, appeared before Jesse, David's father. + </p> + <p> + On a very wonderful errand had he come. + </p> + <p> + He told David's father that the Lord had chosen one of his sons to be the + new king of Israel, because Saul, the old king, was no longer fit to rule. + </p> + <p> + "Call all your sons before me," said Samuel, "that I may anoint the Lord's + chosen one." + </p> + <p> + Oh, how proudly Jesse called his eldest son! + </p> + <p> + Tall, and straight, and strong, he stood there, looking every inch a king. + </p> + <p> + "Surely," thought Samuel, "I have found him!" + </p> + <p> + But the Lord looked down into his heart—just as he looks into our + hearts today—and saw that all was not right there, and so the Lord + said to Samuel: "He is not the chosen one." + </p> + <p> + Then Samuel asked Jesse to call his second son. + </p> + <p> + But when the Lord read his thoughts He said to the priest: "No; I have not + chosen this one." + </p> + <p> + Jesse called his third son, but Samuel only shook his head. In haste, + Jesse called all his other sons before the High Priest, but Samuel was + forced to say sadly, "The Lord hath not chosen these." Almost in despair, + he turned to Jesse, asking: "Are all thy children here?" And he answered: + "There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep." + </p> + <p> + Joyfully Samuel cried: "Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till + he come hither." And he sent and brought him in. + </p> + <p> + When Samuel looked into his pure, innocent face, he knew that now the + chosen one of the Lord stood before him. + </p> + <p> + Taking his horn of oil, he anointed him King of Israel, "and the spirit of + the Lord came upon David from that day forward." + </p> + <p> + When Samuel left him, David went quietly back to the field, and tended his + sheep, just as of old. + </p> + <p> + Day by day he tried to do every duty well, so that bye and bye he would be + worthy to be a king. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile, up in his royal palace, King Saul was in deep trouble. In his + distress he longed to hear the beautiful music of the harp. He therefore + sent for David, that he might play for him. When David came he paused + beside the throne, and Saul, looking up, saw before him a tall and + handsome youth, bearing a golden harp. + </p> + <p> + Bowing low, David begged permission to play for his King. Gladly Saul bade + him begin. + </p> + <p> + First, the young harpist struck a ringing chord that thrilled through the + vast hall. + </p> + <p> + Then he began to play a low, sweet melody! + </p> + <p> + It sounded like the summer breeze sighing softly over a grassy meadow, and + setting the dainty daisies and buttercups swaying on their stems. Suddenly + the music swelled stronger, until it seemed like a flashing fountain, + springing up in a burst of sparkling spray. + </p> + <p> + Then the sweet tones slowly softened. + </p> + <p> + Fainter they grew—and yet fainter—like the music of a dream—till + at last they died away into silence. + </p> + <p> + Spellbound sat King Saul when the player ceased. + </p> + <p> + And David came to Saul and stood before him, and Saul loved him greatly, + and he became his armor bearer. + </p> + <p> + Long afterward David wore the crown of Israel. + </p> + <p> + He was a wise and good king, for the Heavenly Father, who blessed his + youth, watched over him all his days. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0019" id="link2H_4_0019"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE STORY OF JOSEPH + </h2> + <p> + Many years ago there lived a little lad named Joseph. He was comely, and + his face was beautiful, because his heart was pure and good. + </p> + <p> + Joseph had many brothers, but because of his gentleness and comeliness the + old father loved him more than all the others. One time he gave Joseph a + coat woven with many beautiful colors, as a token of his love for his + favorite son. + </p> + <p> + Now, when the older brothers saw this they were angry and jealous, and + from that time on they sought to do him harm. + </p> + <p> + Jacob, the father, owned many sheep, and the sons cared for them, + sometimes leading them far from home to find the best pastures. Joseph + often went with the brothers to tend the flocks, but he loved best to care + for the tender little lambs, leading them into the greenest pastures and + beside the quiet water. + </p> + <p> + One time the brothers were far from home with the flocks, and the father, + being anxious for them and longing to know how they fared, sent Joseph, + the beloved son, with many provisions, to the place where his brothers + were. The lad started on his journey with a light and merry heart, for all + the world looked bright to him. He wore the beautiful coat of many colors, + and the people often stopped to look at the lad, with his comely face and + beautiful coat. + </p> + <p> + As he approached the place where his brothers were they saw him when he + was yet some distance away, but the anger and jealousy arose in their + hearts, and they said: "Ah! Here comes the best beloved son. Let us do + away with him. Then the love which our father gives to him may be bestowed + upon us." So, as the lad drew nearer, they planned how they might destroy + him. But one, the oldest brother, loved Joseph, and tried to save him from + the hands of his evil brothers. So when they said, "Let us destroy him," + Reuben, the eldest, said: "Nay, but let us cast him into a pit near by," + thinking he would save him when the other brothers left. + </p> + <p> + So when Joseph drew near they seized him, stripped him of his coat of many + colors, and cast him into a pit, and left him there alone. + </p> + <p> + Then they said: "Let us make a feast. See, our father hath sent us many + things." And they sat down and made a feast with the things which their + brother Joseph had brought to them. + </p> + <p> + As they were eating they looked up, and, coming down the roadway, they saw + a large company of merchantmen passing on their way to Egypt. Then an evil + plan came to the mind of one brother, and he said: "It is going to bring + us no gain to keep Joseph in the pit. Let us sell him to those men and + gain money for ourselves." The brothers agreed, and Joseph, the beloved + son, was sold into Egypt for twenty pieces of silver. + </p> + <p> + When the brothers went home they took the coat of many colors to the old + father, and said: "Is not this thy son's coat which we found? An evil + beast hath surely destroyed him." And the old father wept for Joseph, his + son, and would not be comforted. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_PART2" id="link2H_PART2"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + PART II. + </h2> + <p> + The great caravan moved toward Egypt, and there the boy was sold again + into the hands of a very rich man, in whose sight he found great favor, + and who placed him in a position of honor in his own household. And Joseph + grew in comeliness and beauty, for his heart was pure and the Lord was his + friend and helper, prospering him in all that he did. He grew in favor + with his master, who in turn made him ruler over all his house. + </p> + <p> + But Joseph had an enemy in the house, one who was jealous of his great + honor and position, and she tried in every way to do Joseph harm. One day + she falsely told the master of the house that Joseph had done a very evil + thing. The master, being exceedingly angry, and thinking Joseph had + betrayed his trust, stripped him of his fine garments and cast him into + prison. + </p> + <p> + But the Lord was still with Joseph in his great trouble, so that he found + favor with the keeper of the prison, who treated him most kindly, and + Joseph sought in many ways to relieve the suffering and sorrow of those in + the prison with him. + </p> + <p> + One day he helped two of the king's servants by telling them the meaning + of two strange dreams they had, for dreams in those olden days were often + sent to people by God to warn them, or prepare them for something which + would happen, and God gave to Joseph the wisdom to understand the meaning + and interpretation of those dreams. Thus, when the two servants were + troubled because of their dreams, Joseph told them the meaning. One + servant was released from the prison, and as he left, Joseph asked that he + might remember him when he came before the king, that he, too, might be + released. But the servant, when he was free, forgot the one who had helped + him when in trouble. + </p> + <p> + Two years passed away, and Joseph remained in prison, but he still trusted + in his God. + </p> + <p> + One night Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, was much troubled by his strange + dreams. He called together all of his wise men and magicians, to know the + interpretation of them, but none could tell the meaning. The king's + trouble became known to his servants, and suddenly the one who had been in + prison remembered Joseph, the man who had interpreted his own dream. He + quickly told the king, who ordered Joseph to be brought immediately before + him. + </p> + <p> + When Joseph stood before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, he humbly bowed his + head, and said: "The wisdom is not mine, but God in heaven shall tell thee + the interpretation of thy dreams." And Joseph spoke to the king as God + gave him wisdom, and told him the meaning of his dreams. And this was the + meaning: + </p> + <p> + There should be seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt, and after + that, seven years of famine throughout the land. + </p> + <p> + Then Joseph said: "Let Pharaoh, the king, choose a man, wise and discreet, + who will sow and gather the harvest for the seven years of plenty, to fill + the barns and storehouses with grain, so that when the seven years of + famine come there will be grain enough and to spare in the land of Egypt." + </p> + <p> + As Pharaoh, the king, looked upon Joseph and heard him speak, he loved + him, and said: "In all Egypt there is no man so wise as thou. Gather the + harvest, to fill the barns and storehouses, in the seven years of plenty. + I will make thee ruler over all Egypt. Thou shalt dwell with me and all + men shall obey thee." + </p> + <p> + And Pharaoh took off the ring from his own hand and put it upon Joseph's + hand, and dressed him in beautiful garments, and put a gold chain about + his neck. And Joseph rode in the chariot next to the king of Egypt, and as + they rode through the streets all the people bowed before Joseph and knew + him as their ruler, and loved him. + </p> + <p> + Then Joseph went throughout all Egypt and commanded the people to build + great storehouses and barns, and to gather in the corn and grain, and fill + them full, against the seven years of famine which were to come. When the + seven years of plenty were passed, and the famine was over all the land, + there was grain and to spare in all Egypt, because Joseph had gathered the + storehouses full. + </p> + <p> + When the people from other countries heard this they came to Egypt to buy + bread, and the king sent them to Joseph. And Joseph opened the great + storehouses, and sold grain to all who came. And the Lord was with Joseph + and prospered him in all that he did. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_PART3" id="link2H_PART3"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + PART III. + </h2> + <p> + Now, Jacob, with his eleven sons, Joseph's brothers, still lived in the + land of Canaan, and the famine was over all the land, so that there was no + bread in the house to eat. + </p> + <p> + Then Jacob, the father, called his sons to him and said: "I have heard + that there is corn in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us, that we may + live and not die." + </p> + <p> + So Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to buy grain, and Joseph was ruler over + all Egypt, and sold grain to all who came. His brothers came before him + and bowed their faces to the ground as they asked for food, for the famine + was sore in their land. Now, Joseph knew his brothers when he saw them, + but they knew not the little lad they had sold into the land of Egypt for + twenty pieces of silver. + </p> + <p> + Joseph did not make himself known to his brothers, but asked them about + their country and their homes, if they had a father and other brothers; + and when they spoke of the old father, Jacob, and the youngest brother, + Benjamin, who had stayed with the old father, Joseph longed to tell them + that he was the brother whom the father had mourned as lost; but he + waited, and treated his brothers as strangers, for they knew him not. Then + he sent them home with their sacks full of grain, and took no money for + it. But when they returned the second time to Egypt, Joseph's heart + yearned for them, and for his old father and youngest brother. When they + were alone, he stood before his brothers, and, looking at them, said: "Do + you not know me? I am your brother, Joseph, the little lad whom you sold + into Egypt." + </p> + <p> + But when his brothers heard this they were much afraid, and drew away from + him, for they thought, now that he was ruler over all Egypt, he would + surely punish them for their evil treatment of him. But Joseph said: "Come + near me and do not be afraid, nor grieve that you sold me into Egypt, for + God has been with me and kept me, and made me ruler, so that I have been + able to save many people from the famine." + </p> + <p> + Then the brothers drew near, and Joseph wept with them, for he loved them. + Then he said: "Go back and bring my father, Jacob, and my youngest + brother, Benjamin, that we may live together once more." + </p> + <p> + And Joseph went to meet his father in a chariot, and brought him before + Pharaoh, and the king was much pleased, for he loved Joseph and all his + household. + </p> + <p> + Then Joseph gave to his father and brothers houses and lands, so that they + all lived together in peace in the land of Egypt. + </p> + <p> + And the Lord was with Joseph and prospered him all the days of his life. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0022" id="link2H_4_0022"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE COURTESY OF THE SPARTAN BOY + </h2> + <p> + There were, hundreds of years ago, two very large and grand cities, which + strove to excel each other. The one city was Sparta, the other was Athens. + These cities were not like our cities of today. They had beautiful, broad + streets, but no street cars. They had magnificent buildings, but no + electric lights. They did have schools, but they were unlike our schools. + The boys in both Athens and Sparta were taken away to school when they + were six years of age. + </p> + <p> + In Athens the boys were taught that they must become very strong and + manly. They had running, jumping, leaping, swimming, and racing exercises, + to give them rigid muscles and strong, healthy bodies. Occasionally they + were allowed to visit at their homes for a day or two. The boys were also + taught to sing and to read. + </p> + <p> + The Spartan boy was taught that he must become very strong and + self-reliant. His schoolroom was very plain and bare. He was never allowed + to go home to visit. He had to wear, in both summer and winter, the same + plain, loose clothing. He slept out of doors in the summer-time, under the + trees. In the wintertime he slept in a very open building, on a bed of + reeds and rushes, which he had to gather from the river in the long, + heated summer days for his winter bed. He had no bedclothing except the + down which the wild ducks had shed, and which he had gathered in the + forests. He learned to read, write, and to sing. He learned to run, to + leap, to swim, and to throw the javelin. + </p> + <p> + One time the boys from both Athens and Sparta were to meet in a great + amphitheater to hear a very wise and learned old man speak. The boys had + all gathered, and with them many other people. The amphitheater was full. + Not a vacant seat was left, and the people were patiently waiting for the + old man to appear. At last he came. He came in so quietly that he was not + noticed, except by two boys, one on each side of the aisle. One was a + Spartan boy and one was an Athenian. The Athenian boy and Spartan boy both + rose immediately. The Athenian boy sat down, but the Spartan boy still + stood. He insisted that the old man take his seat, but the old man gently + refused, and passed on up the aisle to the place from which he was to + address the people. Then the Spartan boy sat down. The old man recognized + this act of courtesy, and, while talking to the boys, said that the + Athenian boy knew what to do, but did not do it. The Spartan boy had the + courage to do it. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0023" id="link2H_4_0023"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + TWENTY-THIRD PSALM. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. + + He maketh me to lie down in green + pastures: he leadeth me beside the + still waters. + + He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me + in paths of righteousness for his + name's sake. + + Yea, though I walk through the valley + of the shadow of death, I will fear no + evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy + staff they comfort me. + + Thou preparest a table before me in + the presence of mine enemies: thou + annointest my head with oil; my cup + runneth over. + + Surely goodness and mercy shall follow + me all the days of my life: and I will + dwell in the house of the Lord forever. +</pre> + <div style="height: 6em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Child's Story Garden, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHILD'S STORY GARDEN *** + +***** This file should be named 7868-h.htm or 7868-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/7/8/6/7868/ + + +Text file produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +HTML file produced by David Widger + + +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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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + + +</pre> + + </body> +</html> diff --git a/7868.txt b/7868.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9fd23a0 --- /dev/null +++ b/7868.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2658 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Child's Story Garden, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Child's Story Garden + +Author: Various + + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7868] +This file was first posted on May 28, 2003 +Last Updated: May 14, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHILD'S STORY GARDEN *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + + + + +A CHILD'S STORY GARDEN + +[Illustration] + +TO THE LITTLE CHILDREN + +[Illustration] + +By Various + +Compiled by Elizabeth Heber + + + + +NOTE + +These selected stories have been used by teachers of the kindergarten +and primary grades in the Indianapolis Schools. This little book has +been compiled for mothers and teachers with the purpose of meeting a +demand for children's literature that will not only add to the child's +literary culture, but will also suggest high ideals through the story +form. For material used we gratefully acknowledge our indebtedness to: +Rev. Neil McPherson, Sarah L. Kirlin, Leonore D. Eldridge, Martha A. +Gill, Bessie Brown Adkinson, Edith D. Wachstetter, Grace Erskine DeVere, +Fords Hulburt Publishing Co., for the selections, "The Anxious Leaf" and +"Coming and Going" from Henry Ward Beecher's, "Norwood." + +ELIZABETH HEBER + +Primary Teacher School No. 4 Indianapolis,--Indiana + +Illustrations by + +GRACE GARFIELD + + + + +CONTENTS + + +Siegfried, the King's Son + +The Song of the Pine Tree + +A Christmas Story + +The Myth of Arachne + +The Birds of Killingworth + +The Myth of Pan + +The Bell of Atri + +The Anxious Leaf + +Coming and Going + +How the Dimples Came + +The Proud Little Apple Blossom + +The Brave Knight + +King Robert of Sicily + +The Great Stone Face + +The First Christmas Tree + +The Story of Abraham + +The Story of Moses + +The Story of David + +The Story of Joseph + +The Courtesy of the Spartan Boy + +Twenty-third Psalm + + + + +SIEGFRIED, THE KING'S SON + + +Siegfried was the son of the good King Siegmund. He lived in the great +palace with his father and the gentle queen, his mother. + +Siegfried had everything his heart could desire. He was loved by every +one about the palace. He had many servants to wait upon him, and +beautiful clothes to wear at all times. More than this, the stables of +the great palace were full of horses, and Siegfried could ride or drive +whenever he wished to do so. + +Now, the king was as wise as he was good, and he knew that if Siegfried +would grow to be a good king he must learn to work with his hands. The +king and queen talked of it, and, although they disliked to part with +their son, they decided to send Siegfried to Mimer, the wonderful +blacksmith. + +Mimer was a queer little man. His back was bent and his hair was long +and white. He had a long white beard and two very sharp, black eyes. +Mimer's shop was out in the great, dark forest, and many boys came to +learn of this wonderful master, for Mimer, you must know, was the best +blacksmith in all the king's country. + +To this shop Siegfried was sent. At first he was very lonely and +unhappy. There were no servants now to wait upon him. His soft, +beautiful clothing had been exchanged for a suit of the coarsest +material and a huge leather apron. There was no soft bed waiting for him +at night, only a pile of straw in the corner. But Siegfried was a brave +boy, and lost no time complaining. He worked patiently at his anvil, day +after day, learning from his master to make strong chains of iron, as +well as dainty chains of gold and silver, for the queen to wear. One day +Mimer came into the shop and sat down beside Siegfried's anvil. The boys +could see that he was troubled, and they left their anvils and came to +the master, begging him to tell them what troubled him. + +Slowly he raised his head and looked at them all. Then he said: "A giant +has come into the country, who says he is the most wonderful smith of +all. He says he has made a coat of armor that no sword can pierce. I +have worked day and night, and cannot make a strong sword. Who is +willing to try for me?" + +The boys all hung their heads, for they knew not how to help Mimer. Then +Siegfried stood before his master and said: "Let me try, oh, Mimer!" And +the master was willing. Siegfried went to work at once, and for seven +long days he did not leave his place at the anvil. + +At the end of the time he brought to Mimer a sword that was strong and +bright. "We will try it," said Mimer, and called together all the boys, +and took them to a little stream near the shop. Mimer then took a single +thread of wool and threw it into the water. As it was carried along, +Mimer took the sword and held it before the thread. The water carried +the thread along until it reached the sword. Then one half of the thread +passed to the right of the sword and the other to the left, and the +thread was not moved from its course. "This is a good blade," said Mimer +proudly. But Siegfried was not satisfied. He took the sword and broke it +in pieces and put it into the fire again. For three long weeks Siegfried +worked patiently at the anvil. Then he brought to Mimer a sword that was +sharper and brighter and stronger than the first. + +Again the boys were taken to the little stream, and this time a handful +of wool was thrown into the water. When it reached the edge of the sword +half of the wool passed to the right and half to the left of the sword, +and not one single thread was moved from its place. Siegfried, however, +was not satisfied, and again broke the sword into pieces and put it back +into the fire. + +Patiently and faithfully he worked for seven long weeks. The sword that +he brought to Mimer now was stronger and brighter and more beautiful +than either of the others. The handle was wound with flowers, and the +edge was as bright as the lightning. + +This time, when the boys gathered at the little stream, a pack of wool +was thrown into the water. When the wool reached the edge of the blade, +half passed to one side and half to the other, and not one thread was +moved from its place. + +"We will give it another trial," said Siegfried. He ran quickly to the +shop and paused a moment before the great anvil. Then he swung the +sword, once, twice, thrice, about his head, and then brought it down +onto the iron. There was no noise, but the great anvil fell apart, and +the sword was as sharp and bright as ever. + +"This is the best I can do," said Siegfried. "Good master, my sword is +done!" Then Mimer sent his swiftest messenger to the king to tell him +that he was ready to meet the giant. + +The day of the contest came. Mimer's friends sat on one side of the +road, the giant's friends on the other. At the top of the hill the two +masters were to meet, the giant with his armor, Mimer with his sword. +Soon a mighty shout arose! The giant, wearing the wonderful coat of +glittering steel, came up the hill. He sat down on a huge rock at the +top of the hill. As the people waited, a queer little man was seen +coming slowly up the hill. His back was bent, and his white hair hung +about his shoulders. At his side he carried a sword so bright that the +lightning seemed to play about its edge, as he walked. + +Slowly he went to the top of the hill and stood before the giant. It was +Mimer, the master. He loosed the sword from his side and raised it above +his head. "Are you ready?" he asked. "Yes; strike," said the giant, +laughing, for he was not afraid. One, two, three times the sword flashed +about Mimer's head. Then it fell again at his side. "I do not wish to +hurt you," he said, "but if you will take off your armor and place it on +that stone, I will show you what this wonderful blade can do." The giant +only laughed again--laughed so loud and so long that the very earth +seemed to tremble. Then he took off the armor and laid it on the rock. +Mimer stepped back, raised the sword again, swung it about his head +until the light seemed to blind the people. Then it came down. The +people waited. There was no clash of iron. All was still. + +Then Mimer stepped up to the armor and touched it with his foot. It fell +apart, and the rock beneath it fell apart, too. Half the rock started to +roll down the hill. On, on it went, faster and faster, and fell with a +mighty splash into the river at the foot of the hill, and if you should +go to that far-away country you could see it lying there, far down below +the surface of the water. + +Then a mighty shout arose! Mimer's friends, and the great king, too, +joined in the applause. The giant, no longer boastful, stooped down, +gathered up the two parts of the armor, and went with his friends into a +far country. Mimer took the wonderful sword and went back to his place +in the blacksmith shop, still the master of all the smiths. + +Very few people, however, knew that it was the king's own son, +Siegfried, who had made the wonderful sword. + + + + +THE SONG OF THE PINE TREE + + +It was a wee pine tree in a very large forest. It could not see anything +around it, for the other pine trees about it were so very tall. They +could only tell the little pine tree what they saw. At night the little +tree would often gaze at the sky and the stars that peeped out. And +sometimes the big, round moon would pass over the sky. And all day long, +all that the little pine tree could see above it was the blue sky, and +the beautiful white clouds that went sailing by like so many ships on +the sea. The little pine tree wished to grow and be tall, like the rest +of the trees, for it wanted to see what was in the world outside of the +forest. The tall pine trees would sing songs as the wind whistled +through their branches, and the little pine tree waited day after day, +so that it might be tall and sing songs, too. When summer came the birds +would rest on the branches of this wee tree, but would not build nests, +because it was too low. When winter came little white snowflakes came +fluttering down and rested on the branches of the little pine tree. + +Year after year the little tree waited, but it grew all this time, and +seemed to stretch higher and higher its beautiful green branches. + +One day, when the little snowflakes had fluttered down and made all the +world white, and the wind was whistling a merry tune, the little pine +tree heard some strange noises. The tall pine trees nodded their heads, +for they knew who were coming. They were the woodmen. They had a sled +with them, drawn by horses. The sight was strange to the pine tree, for +it had never before seen woodmen, nor a sled, nor horses. But the old +pine trees knew what it all meant, for they had seen the woodmen many +times. They wondered which tree the woodmen would choose. Now, the +little pine tree had grown, and it was not a wee tree any longer, but +was a straight, strong, beautiful tree. The woodmen walked about with +something very bright and shining in their hands. When they came to this +pine tree they looked at it, shook it and sounded the ax against its +trunk. + +How queer the pine tree felt! It wondered what they were going to do +with it. Suddenly a sharp sound rang out in the air, and another, and +still another one. And the pine tree felt itself swaying and swaying, +and down it went, lower and lower, until its branches touched the soft +white snow on the ground. The woodmen lifted the pine tree very +carefully, placed it on the sled and drove the horses away. Pine Tree +was happy now, for he was going to see something of the great, wonderful +world. + +The woodmen drove the horses out of the forest into the beautiful white +world. On and on they went until at last they came to a little village +by the sea. They drove through the village and into a great shipyard, +where saws were buzzing, hammers were pounding, and busy men were +hurrying about. Pine Tree had never seen anything like this before. He +was lifted from the sled and his beautiful branches were taken from the +trunk. Then he lay with, many other logs for a long time, until one day +the carpenters took him away, and he found that he was helping to make a +part of a ship. Boards were nailed on, and the busy carpenters worked +day after day. + +At last the strong and stately ship was finished. It glided gracefully +into the water and sailed away. Pine Tree was very happy now, for he was +seeing new and strange things. The waves dashed carelessly against the +ship. They seemed to have a song, too. Pine Tree had not forgotten the +songs that the old pines used to sing. The waves did not always sing the +same song--sometimes they would rush and roll against the ship very hard +until they grew tired, and then they would roll on, and sing a quiet +song again. + +Sometimes the ship would stop at strange countries, people would get +off, other people would get on, and then the ship would sail off out +into the sea again. Now, the pine tree had been a part of the ship for +many years, when one night while the ship was sailing the seas the waves +grew so high and strong that the parts of the ship could not stay +together. So Pine Tree was thrown out upon the angry waves and was +rocked all night long--very roughly at first, but gently afterwards. +When the sunshine looked down upon the sand the next morning it saw Pine +Tree. Pine Tree lay there many days. + +How lonesome Pine Tree was! He seemed to hear the songs of the old +pines, and sometimes the songs of the waves. One day he heard another +song. It was a new song to the pine tree, for the song was sung by some +little children who were digging in the sand close by. They came here +every day to play, and once a man came with them. When he saw Pine Tree +lying upon the sand he said: "This is just what I have been looking for. +I will use this for the ridge-pole for my little cottage." So he took +Pine Tree away with him. After a time Pine Tree found himself a part of +the man's cottage, and, of course, he could not hear the songs of the +forest, nor the songs of the waves, but he heard new songs. They were +rock-a-bye-baby songs that the mother in this little cottage would sing +to her children in the evening, when it was time for them to go to +sleep. + +Years passed, and the children grew to be men and women, and after a +while all the songs Pine Tree heard were those of the grandmother, which +were soft and low. At last these, too, were heard no more--the little +cottage grew quiet and everything was still. Pine Tree wondered where +everybody was. The only company he had were the birds that came in +through the window and built nests in the attic. Now the cottage was no +longer a home, but was used as a barn, and the gentle cows, the woolly +sheep and the kind horses rested there at night. They, too, seemed to +sing a song to Pine Tree, but by and by even their song could not be +heard--nothing but the wind and the owls in the trees outside--because +what had once been the cottage, and then a barn, was now a forsaken +little hut. + +One day Pine Tree heard a man whistling. Oh! how he hoped he would come +in, for he had not seen anybody nor heard any of the songs he had loved +for so long. Pine Tree heard the whistle come nearer and nearer, and at +last the man stepped through the doorway. He looked about him and saw +the spider webs hanging in the corners and the birds flying in and out +of the windows, and he wondered how long it had been since people had +lived there. He looked up and saw the ridge-pole, which had once been +Pine Tree. "Oh!" he said, "I have found what I have long been looking +for." So he climbed up and loosened the boards and took Pine Tree out of +his resting place. Now Pine Tree was going once more out into the world. +The man carried him on and took him into a little shop. It was a queer +shop, too, for there were many bright, shining things lying on the +work-bench. They were tools, you know. The man had a kind face and he +handled Pine Tree very carefully. He sawed and smoothed Pine Tree many +days, and as he worked he whistled and sang, for he was happy. Sometimes +he would whistle some of the songs that Pine Tree had heard when he +lived in the forest, and then sometimes those he had heard on the ocean, +and again he would whistle the songs that Pine Tree had heard in the +home of the children. + +At last the man's work was finished. Pine Tree had been made into a +wonderful musical instrument--a violin. The man took a bow and drew it +across the strings, and as he did so he smiled and nodded his head, for +the music was very sweet. The violin, which had once been Pine Tree, and +then part of a ship, and the ridge-pole of the cottage and the barn, +seemed to sing to the man the songs of the forest, the songs of the +ocean, the songs of the home, and the songs of the lowly barn. + +One day the man put the violin in a case and took it away on a long +journey. When the case was opened, the violin saw that they were in a +strange hall full of people, and many of them were talking of this +man--the violin-maker. + +The man lifted the violin from the case and went out upon a large +platform before the people, and began playing for them. He seemed to say +to the violin, "Sing for me," and as he drew the bow across the strings +the violin sang. It sang to the people, first the very songs that the +tall pines sang in the forest. The song changed, and the lap of the +waters, and the dip of the oar could be heard as on a moonlight summer +night; then the angry wind and the dash of the waves could be heard as +in a fierce storm. Slowly this song died, and everything was quiet. +Then, after a little while, the faraway sound of children's +voices--their laughter and singing--was heard, and then came the sweet +lullaby to the sleepy babes. + +These songs all died away, and the violin sang the songs of the birds in +the summer-time, and the lowing of cattle, and the bleating of sheep in +the cold winter-time. + +At last the violin could sing no longer the songs it knew, but a new +song came forth which was also very beautiful, and which caused the +people to bend forward and listen with eager faces, for it was the song +that came from the heart of the old man who was master of the violin. + + + + +A CHRISTMAS STORY + + +It was so long ago that the whole world has forgotten the date and even +the name of the little town in which lived a little boy whose name was +Hans. + +Little Hans lived with his aunt, who was quite an old lady. She was not +always kind to Hans, but this made no difference to him. He loved her +just the same, and forgot that she was ever cross and very unkind to him +at times. + +Hans went to school with many other boys, but he was not clothed as they +were. He had to wear the same clothes both week days and Sundays; the +same even in the summer that he wore in the winter. + +It was now midwinter, when everything was wrapped in snow and glazed +with ice, while the north winds sang loud and whistled down the +chimneys, played very roughly with the bare trees, and crept through +every crack and crevice of the house. The frost, too, was busy pinching +the cheeks and biting the toes of the boys, and making them run, jump +and dance to keep warm. + +The children were wild with the excitement and the joy that was astir at +this time. For there were secrets in the air. Every one was busy making +gifts for some loved one. + +It was the night before Christmas, the one great birthday on which the +whole world rejoiceth and when all endeavor to make their fellow men +happy. + +The schoolmaster and all of his pupils started for the midnight worship +and prayer at the church. All of the boys were well clothed, with heavy +coats, fur caps, thick mittens, and very heavy and warm shoes. But +little Hans had only a poor, plain, ragged suit, with no overcoat, no +mittens, and his shoes were only wooden ones. It was a very cold night, +and the boys and the schoolmaster had to walk very fast to keep warm. +But little Hans did not mind the cold so much, because the stars smiled +down upon him and seemed like so many diamonds set in a deep blue +canopy, each one glittering and flashing in the darkness. The snow, too, +was a sparkling mass, and Hans wondered if the stars could see +themselves reflected in the tiny snow crystals which covered the earth. + +At last they reached the church, whose windows were shedding forth a +soft, golden light on the stillness and darkness of the cold winter +night. This little group of worshipers quietly passed into the church +and sank noiselessly into their pews. It was a beautiful place to Hans. +He loved it dearly, and was always happy to come here. The candles were +all lighted, and they burned steadily brighter and brighter, filling the +church with a beautiful mellow light. The grand old organ softly and +clearly sent forth its tones, each one growing richer, deeper and +sweeter, and gradually the voices of the choir boys and the tones of the +organ filled the old church with such beautiful music that little Hans's +heart seemed to bound within him, and his whole soul was enraptured, +while there shone from his face a radiance that only a divine +inspiration could bring forth. + +At length, after the people had sung, each one knelt and offered +thanksgiving to the Heavenly Father, little Hans, too, knelt and offered +thanks for the blessings which he had received during that year, and for +the tender care of the Father of all. + +The people then quietly passed out of the warm church into the cold of +the night. Hans was the last one out, and as he carefully made his way +down the icy steps he noticed a little boy no larger than himself +sitting on the steps, with his head resting against the church. He was +fast asleep. His face was beautiful, and seemed clothed in a golden +light. Beside him, tied in a cloth, were a square, a hammer, a saw and +other tools of a carpenter. He had neither shoes nor stockings on his +feet, although his clothing was spotless and of the purest white. It +grieved Hans that the child should have no shoes, not even one to place +for the Christ-child to fill with gifts. + +Hans stooped and took from his right foot the wooden shoe and placed it +in front of the sleeping child, so that the Christ-child would not pass +him by. Hans then limped along on the ice and snow, not feeling how cold +it was, but only thinking of the poor child asleep out in the cold. + +The other boys were talking of the good things awaiting them at home, of +the feasts, the plum pudding, the Christmas trees, and the many drums, +wagons and blocks the Christ-child would put in their shoes that night. + +When Hans arrived home he found his aunt awaiting him, and when she saw +that he had only one shoe, and he had told her all about the other one, +she was very angry with him, and sent him to bed. Hans placed the wooden +shoe from his left foot at the fireside, hoping that the Christ-child +would remember him as he passed by. + +The first sunbeam that crept into Hans's bedroom and kissed him the next +morning awoke him, and he bounded downstairs, and flew to the great open +fireplace to find his shoe. + +Hans rubbed his eyes and caught his breath, for, to his great surprise, +there were both of his wooden shoes, filled with beautiful toys; by the +fireside he found warm clothing and many other things to make him +comfortable and happy. + +Hearing loud voices, Hans went to the door. The people were standing in +a crowd about the priest, who was talking to them. He told Hans that +where he had seen the child asleep on the church steps there was now in +the window above a beautiful crown set with precious jewels. He said +that the child was the Christ-child, whom the Heavenly Father had again +sent among men on earth for that night, and that it was He with whom +Hans had shared his wooden shoes. + +The people bowed themselves before that miracle that the good God had +seen fit to work, to reward the faith and charity of a child. + +Francois Coppee, [Adapted] + + + + +THE MYTH OF ARACHNE + + +A long time ago there lived a maiden whose name was Arachne. She could +weave the most beautiful fabrics that people had ever seen. She chose +the most exquisite colors. They were the colors that were found in the +flowers, the green of the trees and grass, and the varied, dainty tints +and shades from the blue sky and its gorgeous sunsets. + +People had said that Arachne learned to weave from the birds, although +some of them thought that Arachne had been taught to weave by the +goddess Athena. When Arachne heard that the people thought that Athena +had taught her to weave she became very angry. She declared that Athena +had not taught her to weave; that no one had taught her. She said she +would compete with the goddess Athena in weaving. The goddess Athena was +a noble goddess. She was the Goddess of Wisdom, and of all the Arts and +Crafts. When she heard what Arachne had declared she said: "It is very +wrong that Arachne should be so proud and envious. I will go to see +her." + +The goddess Athena disguised herself in humble apparel and visited +Arachne. She talked with her about her weaving, and still Arachne +boasted of the wonderful weaving she could do; but the goddess told her +that she was foolish to be so boastful. + +This made Arachne angry, and she said: "I am not afraid at all, not of +any one in the world." At this moment the goddess threw aside her plain +garments and revealed herself the goddess Athena. This did not frighten +Arachne. She looked calmly at Athena and told her that she would give up +anything, even her life, to prove to the people that she could weave +even better than the goddess. + +They then set about to arrange their looms, to select their threads, and +to begin work. At last they began. Whirr! Whirr! went the shuttles. +Spin! Spin! they sang, faster and faster, in and out, over and under, +flew the shuttles. + +Arachne had chosen the most delicate, lovely threads that she could +find, but while she wove these beautiful threads she was thinking of her +revenge and other evil and wicked thoughts, while her skillful and swift +fingers moved faster and faster. + +At the same time Athena was sitting in the sunlight, busily and +carefully weaving over and under, and in and out, her dainty, beautiful +silken threads, which seemed to have come from the very sunbeams +themselves. The colors were most harmonious and exquisite. Even the +rainbow was surpassed. Athena was thinking of the fleecy clouds, which +were to her as white ships that sailed through the blue sea of the sky. +She thought of the brown earth, with its emerald decking of trees and +meadows; of the buttercups and daisies of gold, and the roses and lilies +which dotted Mother Earth's carpet. She thought of the butterflies that +flitted about, and of the birds, in coats of red, blue, glossy black, +and dazzling gold. + +When Arachne looked at Athena's work she shuddered with shame, for, +although her own work had been skillfully done, it was marred by the +envy, malice and evil thoughts she had woven into it. While Athena's +work was no more skillfully woven, it was by far the more beautiful. The +azure sky, with fluffy white clouds; the meadows, dotted with flowers, +and fields, with their shady green trees, filled with birds of gorgeous +hues, all made a wonderful picture. + +Poor Arachne knew her fate. She hastened away and took with her the +threads that she had been using in weaving, and wrapped them about her +neck. She thought she would end her life by hanging to a tree. This made +the beautiful and kind Athena sad, and she said to Arachne: "You must +live--live on forever," and she touched Arachne and changed her form. +Arachne gradually grew smaller and smaller, until she was no larger than +a honeybee. She had many legs and wore a brown, fuzzy coat. Instead of +hanging by the threads she had used she now hung from a dainty silken +spider web, for Arachne was still a weaver, but not a weaver as of old. + +Today, perchance, if you should see a busy little spider, it might be +one of Arachne's children, or perhaps Arachne herself. No one +knows--neither you nor I. + + + + +THE BIRDS OF KILLINGWORTH + + +It was spring, and the little town of Killingworth told of the joy of +living again. Every little rivulet had broken from its frozen chain, +which had held it fast during the long winter, and was rushing on, +rejoicing at its freedom. The purple buds, holding wonderful secrets of +things to come, were bursting forth from every tree and bush, while from +the topmost boughs the birds called and sang to their mates: "Oh! be +happy, be happy, for spring has come!" + +There were all the messengers of spring--the robin, the oriole, and the +bluebird--filling the orchard with their glad melody. The little sparrow +chirped in glee for the very joy of living, and the hungry crows, in +great crowds, called loudly the tidings of spring. But not long could +they stop to sing, for the homes must be made, and soon from every tree +and bush could be seen these dainty, downy nests, and in every nest the +eggs, and in every egg a wonderful secret about which all the happy +birds twittered and sang together. + +The farmers, as they plowed their fields and made their gardens that +spring, heard these tree-top concerts, and saw the multitude playing and +working about them, and they shook their heads and said: "Never before +have we had so many birds in Killingworth. We must surely do something, +or they will eat up half of our crops, and take the grain and fruits +that should go to feed our own children." Then it was decided to have a +meeting. All in the town were free to come, and here they were to decide +what was to be done with the troublesome birds. The meeting was held in +the new town hall, and to it came all the great men of the town, and +from far and near the farmers gathered. The great hall was crowded. The +doors and windows were open, and through them came a beautiful flood of +bird music, but the sturdy farmers and great men shook their heads as +they heard it. And then they told how the birds were eating the grains +and spoiling the fruit, and every one said the birds must go. There +seemed to be not a single friend to the singers outside, until one man +arose--the teacher in the town, much loved by the children, and himself +loving everything that God had made. He looked sadly on the men around +him, and then he said: + +"My friends, can you drive away these birds that God has made and sent +to us, for a few handfuls of grain and a little fruit? Will you lose all +this music that you hear outside? Think of the woods and orchard without +the birds, and of the empty nests you will see. You say the birds are +robbing you; but instead they are your greatest helpers. With their +bright little eyes they see the little bugs and worms which destroy the +fruit. Think who has made them. Who has taught them the songs and the +secret of building their nests. You will be sorry when they are gone and +will wish them back." + +But still the farmers shook their heads and said: "The birds must go." +So the birds of Killingworth were driven away, until not a single note +was heard, and only empty nests were left. The little children of the +town were hoping each day to see their friends again, and a strange +stillness and loneliness seemed to fill the little town, for the music +in the air had ceased. + +The summer came, and never before had it been so hot. The little insects +and worms which the little birds had always driven away covered every +tree and bush, eating the leaves until nothing was left but the bare +twigs. The streets were hot and shadeless. In the orchard the fruit +dropped, scorched and dried by the sun. When the grains were gathered +one-half of the crop had been destroyed by the insects. Now the old +farmers said among themselves: + +"We have made a great mistake. We need the birds." + +One day in the early spring a strange sight was seen in the little town +of Killingworth. A great wagon covered with green branches was driven +down the main street, and among the branches were huge cages, and the +cages were filled with birds. Oh! they were all there--the robin, the +bluebird, the lark and the oriole--birds of every color and kind. When +the great wagon reached the town hall it stopped. The cages were taken +down from the branches of green, and little children, with eager hands +and happy eyes, threw open the doors. Out came the birds and away they +flew to field and orchard and wood, singing again and again: + +"Oh! we are glad to be here! We are glad to be here!" + +The little children sang, too, and the gray-haired farmers said: "The +birds must always stay in Killingworth." + +Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [Adapted] + + + + +THE MYTH OF PAN + + +In a very far-away country, a long time ago, there lived a man who loved +music and little children and the birds and flowers. And the little +children loved Pan--for that was his name--because he told them such +beautiful stories and played on a set of pipes which he had made from +the reeds which grew by the river. Every evening, when it was time for +the sun to go to sleep and all the little stars to wake up, Pan would +take his pipes, go down to the river side, and play all the songs he +knew. Everybody could hear Pan's music for miles and miles, but many of +them did not like his music, and wished that he would not play. Once +some of these people gathered together and planned how they could stop +Pan from playing his pipes, and while they were talking, some beetles +near by heard their plans. Now, one of these beetles had hurt his wing +at one time and had fallen down in the dust on the road, and could go no +farther. It was a very hot day, and the poor little beetle was almost +dead from the heat. Soon Pan came walking along and saw the beetle, and, +picking it up very carefully, he carried it on some green leaves to a +shady place, where he left it to rest and get well. The beetle had never +forgotten Pan's kindness, and when he heard the plans these bad people +had made he said: "Come, friends, and go with me, for we must hurry and +tell Pan what the wicked people have planned, so that he will not be +there when they go to push him into the river." + +The beetles had only one day in which to reach Pan, for the evil people +were going to carry out their plans the next night, so they spread their +wings and flew as fast as they could fly. They could not travel far at a +time, because their wings grew very tired and their bodies were so +heavy. When they could fly no longer they would walk, and when they were +tired walking they would fly again. In this way they hurried on and on, +for the day was growing into night, and they could hear Pan playing his +beautiful songs way down by the river bank. They had almost reached him +when they heard what seemed to be a crowd of people running through the +bushes and among the trees, and it seemed that they were going toward +the river. Next there was a big splash and many voices talking loudly, +and after that--silence. When the beetles reached the place where Pan +always sat they could not find him; but there in the river were his +pipes, which he loved so well. + +The people had reached Pan before the beetles, and had pushed him into +the river, and his pipes fell in, too, but Pan did not wait to get them. +He climbed out and ran as fast as his feet would carry him. The people +ran after him, but he leaped and bounded over the bushes and flowers, +and ran on and on. Sometimes they were almost upon him, but he always +out-ran them. He wished to hide, but could find no place. He could not +climb the trees, for the people could climb trees, too, and he could not +hide in the grass or under the bushes, for they would be sure to find +him there. + +At last, along the river bank, he spied the little violets that had +closed their eyes, but were still gazing at the stars. One little violet +seemed to say to him, "I will hide you," and it folded its little petals +around him. Pan was safe now, and from his hiding place he could hear +the people searching for him. They looked for a long time, but they did +not find him. He was happy and thankful, and, as he was very tired and +the soft petals of the violets made a pleasant resting place, he was +soon fast asleep. + +Away back on the river bank, where Pan always sat, were the beetles. +They were very sorry that they had not reached him in time to tell him +that the people were coming, and that they could not get his pipes out +of the water, where they had fallen. And, though they never saw him +again, they always remembered him and the beautiful music he used to +play. + +One day some little children were picking violets by the river, and they +found one little violet that had eyes just like Pan's eyes. They took it +home and named it Pan's Eye, in memory of their old friend, but, as that +was rather a hard name for the little children to say, they called it +Pansy. + + + + +THE BELL OF ATRI + + +In the little town of Atri, which was nestled on the side of a wooded +hill, there was a strange custom. + +The king had one day brought to the town a great bell, which he hung in +the market place beneath a shed, protected from the sun and rain. Then +he went forth with all his knightly train through the streets of Atri +and proclaimed to all the people that whenever a wrong was done to any +one, he should go to the market place and ring the great bell, and +immediately the king would see that the wrong was righted. + +Many years had gone by. Many times the great bell had rung in the little +town of Atri, and, as the king had said, the wrongs of which it told, +were always righted. + +In time, however, the great rope by which the bell was rung, unraveled +at the end and was unwound, thread by thread. For a long time it +remained this way, while the great bell hung silent. But close by, a +grape-vine grew, and, reaching upward, finally entwined its tendrils +around the ragged end of the bell rope, making it strong and firm again +as it grew around it, up toward the great bell itself. + +Now, in the town of Atri there lived a knight, who, in his younger days, +had loved to ride and hunt; but as he grew old he cared no more for +these things. He sold his lands, his horses and hounds, for he now loved +only the gold which the sale of them brought to him. This he hoarded and +saved, living poorly, that he might save the more. + +Only one thing he kept--his favorite horse, who had served him +faithfully all his life. But even this faithful friend he kept in a poor +old stable, often allowing him to go cold and hungry. + +Finally the old man said: "Why should I keep this beast now? He is old +and lazy, and no longer of any use to me. Besides, his food costs me +much that I might save for myself. I will turn him out and let him find +food where he can." + +So the faithful old horse, who had served his master all his days, was +turned out without a home. He wandered through the streets of the town, +trying to find something to eat. Often the dogs barked at him, and the +cold winds made him shiver as he wandered about, hungry and homeless, +with no one to care for him. + +One summer afternoon, when all the drowsy little town seemed sleeping, +the tones of the great bell rang out, loud and clear, waking the people +from their naps and calling them forth to see who was ringing the bell +of justice. + +The judge, with a great crowd following, hurried to the market place, +but when they came near, they stopped in surprise. No man was near, who +might have rung the bell; no one but a thin old horse, who stood quietly +munching the vine which grew around the bell rope. He had spied the +green leaves growing there, and, being hungry, had reached for them, +thus ringing the great bell of Atri, and calling forth the judge and all +the people. + +"'Tis the old knight's horse," the people cried. Then many told the tale +of how the old horse had been turned out to starve, while his master +hoarded and saved his gold. + +"The horse has rung the bell for justice, and justice he shall have," +said the judge. "Go, bring the old knight to me." + +The knight was hurried to the place, where, before all the people, the +judge censured him for his cruel treatment of his faithful old horse, +and asked him to give a reason for it. + +"The old beast is useless," said his master. "He is mine, and I have a +right to do with him as I wish." + +"Not so," said the judge. "He has served you faithfully all his life. He +can not speak to tell of his wrongs, so we must speak for him. Go, now; +take him home. Build a new stable and care for him well." + +The old knight walked slowly home, while the horse was led behind by the +crowd. + +So the Great Bell of Atri had righted one more wrong, for it was even as +the judge had commanded. The faithful old horse lived in comfort all the +rest of his life, for his master, in caring for him, learned to love him +again, and treated him as only a faithful friend should be treated. + +When the king heard the story he said: + +"Surely, never will the bell ring in a better cause than in speaking for +a suffering dumb creature who can not speak for himself." + +Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [Adapted] + + + + +THE ANXIOUS LEAF + + +Once upon a time a little leaf was heard to sigh and cry, as leaves +often do when a gentle wind is about. And the twig said: "What is the +matter, little leaf?" 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!" + +The twig told it to the branch on which it grew, and the branch told it +to the tree. 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. 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. 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. 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." + +Then the little leaf began to want to go, too, 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 bright color in them, and so the leaf said: +"O branches! why are you lead-color and we golden?" + +"We must keep on our work-clothes, for our life is not done; but your +clothes are for holiday, because your tasks are over," said the +branches. + +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 dropped gently +down under the edge of the fence, among hundreds of leaves, and fell +into a dream, and it never waked up to tell what it dreamed about. + + + + +COMING AND GOING + + +There came to our fields a pair of birds that had never built a nest nor +seen a winter. How beautiful was everything! The fields were full of +flowers and the grass was growing tall, and the bees were humming +everywhere. Then one of the birds began singing, and the other bird +said: "Who told you to sing?" And he answered: "The flowers told me, and +the bees told me, and the winds and leaves told me, and the blue sky +told me, and you told me to sing." Then his mate answered: "When did I +tell you to sing?" And he said: "Every time you brought in tender grass +for the nest, and every time your soft wings fluttered off again for +hair and feathers to line the nest." Then his mate said: "What are you +singing about?" And he answered: "I am singing about everything and +nothing. It is because I am so happy that I sing." + +By and by five little speckled eggs were in the nest, and his mate said: +"Is there anything in all the world as pretty as my eggs?" Then they +both looked down on some people that were passing by and pitied them +because they were not birds. + +In a week or two, one day, when the father bird came home, the mother +bird said: "Oh, what do you think has happened?" + +"What?" + +"One of my eggs has been peeping and moving!" Pretty soon another egg +moved under her feathers, and then another and another, till five little +birds were hatched! Now the father bird sang louder and louder than +ever. The mother bird, too, wanted to sing, but she had no time, and she +turned her song into work. So hungry were these little birds that it +kept both parents busy feeding them. Away each one flew. The moment the +little birds heard their wings fluttering among the leaves, five little +yellow mouths flew open wide, so that nothing could be seen but five +yellow mouths! + +"Can anybody be happier?" said the father bird to the mother bird. "We +will live in this tree always, for there is no sorrow here. It is a tree +that always bears joy." + +Soon the little birds were big enough to fly, and great was their +parents' joy to see them leave the nest and sit crumpled up upon the +branches. There was then a great time, the two old birds talking and +chatting to make the young ones go alone! In a little time they had +learned to use their own wings, and they flew away and away, and found +their own food, and built their own nests, and sang their own songs with +joy. + +Then the old birds sat silent and looked at each other, until the mother +bird said: "Why don't you sing?" And he answered: "I can't sing--I can +only think and think." "What are you thinking of?" "I am thinking how +everything changes. The leaves are falling off from this tree, and soon +there will be no roof over our heads; the flowers are all going; last +night there was a frost; almost all the birds have flown away. Something +calls me, and I feel as if I would like to fly away." + +"Let us fly away together!" + +Then they arose silently, and, lifting themselves far up in the air, +they looked to the north. Far away they saw the snow coming. They looked +to the south. There they saw flowers and green leaves. All day they +flew, and all night they flew and flew, till they found a land where +there was no winter--where flowers always blossom, and birds always +sing. + + + + +HOW THE DIMPLES CAME + + +One bright, beautiful spring day, when the earth was fresh in its new +green dress decked with flowers, while the birds sang their sweetest +songs, and the brooks babbled merrily on their way to the rivers, two +wee dimples were sent by Mother Nature on a journey to find their work +in the world. + +It was a delightful journey through the blue sky and past the fleecy +white clouds. + +They played and danced with the sunbeams who led them on their way to +the earth. + +The dimples could see nothing for them to do, so on they went, +frolicking and playing. + +At last they found themselves among the trees and the bright flowers of +the earth. + +They chased the sunbeams under the leaves, they rode on the butterflies' +wings, they sipped the honey with the bees from the flowers. Still, they +could find nothing to do. The sunbeams bade the dimples good-by and +silently crept home. "Oh," said the dimples, "what shall we do? We have +no place to rest tonight." "Here is a bird's nest; let us rest in this," +said one dimple. "No, that will never do," said the other dimple, "for +there is the mother bird, who rests in her nest all night." + +Just then they spied a window swing open on its hinges. The tiny stars +came out and peeped into the window, and the lady-moon sent silvery +moonbeams down to help the dimples find a resting place. Then the +dimples flew through the window, and there, close by, in her crib, +curtained around with white, was a wee baby, rosy, sweet, and bright. + +"Oh," said one dimple, "I would love to rest on that rosy cheek." "So +would I," said the other dimple. And they each took a rosy cheek for a +couch, and here they rested the whole night long. + +The robins early in the dawn sat on the cheery boughs and sang loud and +long, thus waking the dimples, who now knew not what to do. "But," said +one dimple, "we have not yet found our work." The other dimple said: +"Let us stay here. Baby's eyes are opening, and we must hide," and each +dimple nestled away in baby's cheeks. Then her big, blue eyes opened +wide, to see the sunbeams that had crept through the windows to her +crib. + +The sunbeams coaxed the dimples to come out and play, but the dimples +would only peep out, and when they did, they brought smiles around +baby's rosy lips and sunny eyes. + +"So you have found your work at last," said the sunbeams. And they had, +for they helped to bring out the smiles in baby's cheeks. If you look +the next time you see baby you may see the dimples playing hide and +seek. + + + + +THE PROUD LITTLE APPLE BLOSSOM + + +It was the month of May, but the wind still blew cool, for the sun was +not yet ready to shed his warmest rays on the waiting earth. + +Yet some of the birds had come, and more were on their way, and many +beautiful blossoms were already showing their pink and white blooms, so +that from bush and tree, field and flower, came the glad cry, "Spring is +here! Spring is here." Now, it happened that a young princess rode by a +beautiful orchard in full bloom, and she stopped to pick a branch of +apple blossoms to take to her palace. All who saw the apple blossom +praised its beauty and fragrance until the blossom became proud, and +thought that beauty was the only valuable thing in the world. But as the +apple blossom looked out upon the field she thought: "Not all of the +plants are rich and beautiful, as I am, some seem poor and plain." And +she noticed a little, common, yellow flower, which seemed to lift up its +sunny head and grow everywhere. + +The apple blossom said to the plain little flower, "What is your name?" + +"I am called the dandelion," replied the little flower. + +"Poor little plant," said the apple blossom. "It is not your fault; but +how sad you must feel to be so plain and to bear such an ugly name." + +Before the little plant could reply a lovely little sunbeam came dancing +along and said: "I see no ugly flowers. They are all beautiful alike to +me." And he kissed the apple blossom; but he stooped low and lingered +long to kiss the little yellow dandelion in the field. + +And then some little children came tripping across the field. The +youngest laughed when they saw the dandelions and kissed them with +delight. The older children made wreaths and dainty chains of them. They +picked carefully those that had gone to seed, and tried to blow the +feathery down off with one breath, making joyous wishes. + +"Do you see," said the sunbeam, "the beauty of the dandelion?" + +"Only to children are they beautiful," said the proud apple blossom. + +By and by an old woman came into the field. She gathered the roots of +the dandelions, out of which she made tea for the sick, and she sold +others for money to buy milk for the children. + +"But beauty is better than all this," still said the proud little apple +blossom. Just then the princess came along. In her hand she carried +something that seemed like a beautiful flower. She covered it carefully +from the wind. What do you think it was? It was the feathery crown of +the dandelion. "See!" she said, "how beautiful it is! I will paint it in +a picture with the apple blossoms." + +Then the sunbeam kissed the apple blossom, and as he stooped low to kiss +the dandelion the apple blossom blushed with shame. + +Hans Christian Andersen [Adapted] + + + + +THE BRAVE KNIGHT + + +When Christ was on earth, He had a little band of disciples who loved +him very much. The night before He went away from them, He took them to +a little upstairs room and there had a supper with them. And it was said +that at that supper, He used a beautiful golden cup in which He passed +the wine to them, and when He went away from earth, the disciples loved +everything He had touched, and they seemed to love most of all this +golden cup. They called it the Holy Grail, and it was given to a very +good man, who cared for it carefully, and for years it passed from one +good man to another, for it was said that if it ever fell into the hands +of a man who was not good and Christ-loving the cup would be lost. + +So for many years it was carefully kept, and people took long journeys +to see the Holy Grail, which the Master himself used when He was on +earth. But one day the cup passed into the hands of one who was not +worthy, and, as it had been said, it was lost. + +They searched for it far and near, but it could not be found. Finally +there came some men who called themselves knights. They were brave, +strong men, who did many wonderful things for the king, and many of them +said: "We will spend our lives hunting for the Holy Grail. We will take +long pilgrimages until we find it." And so the knights searched over +land and sea, over mountain and plain, hunting for the Holy Grail, but +still they found it not. Then there came a knight whose name was Sir +Launfal. He was very young--so young that he had never made a journey, +nor worn an armor, nor had he ever done a wonderful deed. But he was +brave, and said in his heart: "I will find the Holy Grail." So he went +to the silversmith and had a beautiful silver armor and golden spurs +made, and to the helmet-maker, who made him a helmet of shining silver. +Next he chose from the stables the finest steed, and he was then ready +for the journey, and Sir Launfal's heart was full of hope. + +On the night before the pilgrimage he lay in his room, and the armor +hung on the wall before him, with the helmet beside it, and the horse +stood ready in the stable. At the first ray of morning he was to begin +his journey, and as he lay he slept, and dreamed a dream. He thought it +was already morning--the morning of his pilgrimage. He had on his armor +and his silver helmet, and was riding out of the castle gate on his +beautiful steed. It was a June morning, and everything was beautiful. +The very flowers and green grass beneath his feet seemed to bring Sir +Launfal a message of hope. And as he rode his heart was very glad, and +he said: "I shall find the Holy Grail." He was riding out of the great +castle gate when he heard a voice which was tired and weak, and it said: +"Will you please give me something?" Sir Launfal looked in surprise, and +there, crouching beside the castle gate, was a beggar, poor and ragged +and weak, and it was he who had asked in a tired voice, "Will you please +give me something?" Sir Launfal looked at him and frowned, and said in +his heart, "Why does this beggar lie at my castle gate to spoil the +beauty of the morning?" But, because he was a knight and felt that he +must give something, he took from his purse a piece of gold and threw it +to the beggar. But the beggar looked at him and said, seeing his +scornful frown: "I do not wish your gold that you give with scorn. +Better to me a poor man's crust." But Sir Launfal rode proudly down the +road on his way, for he felt that he could no longer listen to the poor +beggar. Then he rode over land and sea, over mountain and plain, +searching everywhere for the Holy Grail, and, although it sometimes +seemed very near, he did not find it. + +He had now grown to be an old man. The helmet and armor were rusted, his +clothes had become thin and ragged, he was stooped and gray, and his +eyes had grown dim with the years, but still he searched, and said in +his heart: "I will find the Holy Grail." Then he seemed to be near his +old home one night, and he said to himself: "Before I go on my way I +will once more look at my old home." And he entered the gate, and as he +was walking up the path he heard a voice, tired and weak, and it said: +"Will you please give me something?" He looked down, and there by his +feet lay the beggar who had asked for something at his castle gate the +morning he had started on his pilgrimage. + +This time Sir Launfal looked at him and smiled. Then he said: "I have +only a crust of bread, but I will gladly share it with you." Then, +taking from his pocket a single crust of bread, he stooped and gave the +half to the beggar. Then Sir Launfal said: "I will get you water to +quench your thirst," and he went to where the little spring ran merrily +along in the twilight, and, taking from his pocket a little tin cup, +battered and rusted from years of use, he filled it to the brim with +clear, cold water, and returned with it to the beggar. As soon as the +tin cup touched the beggar's hand it turned into a shining cup of gold, +and behold! the beggar was no longer there, but in his place there stood +a man, tall, strong and beautiful, wearing shining white garments, and +around his head there seemed a radiant glow of light. The beautiful man +looked at Sir Launfal, and he said, in a voice full of love and +gentleness: "In your own castle yard you have found the Holy Grail by +doing kindly service to one of my needy ones." + +The beautiful man was gone. Sir Launfal lay in his room. The morning +sunlight came in through the window, telling him it was time to arise +and go on his journey. And his helmet and armor still hung on the wall, +ready for him; but Sir Launfal lay long in thought. There was no need of +his long pilgrimage, for the poor and the needy were close to his door, +and he stayed to help them with gifts of love. + +James Russell Lowell [Adapted] + + + + +KING ROBERT OF SICILY + + +King Robert was ruler of all Sicily. Many lands and beautiful castles +were his, and he had many servants, who obeyed his every word; but they +obeyed not because they loved him, but because they feared him. He was a +proud king, and haughty--that is, he would look over his lands, and he +would say: "Surely, this is a great kingdom, and I am a great king!" + +One Easter Sunday morning, King Robert went to church. He wore his +finest robes, and riding with him were all of his lords and ladies. The +morning was beautiful, and everything seemed to bear a message of love +and joy. The grass and flowers that grew by the roadside, the trees that +waved their branches above, and the blue sky, all seemed to bear the +same message. + +But King Robert saw nothing beautiful. He was thinking only of himself. +They reached the church, and the sunlight came through the beautiful +windows, seeming to speak of God above. The pure white lilies on the +altar whispered to each other, "On this day Christ was risen!" The music +from the organ seemed to reach every heart, but King Robert sat unmoved +in his pew. When the minister spoke, the king heard nothing of the +sermon until certain words caught his ear. The minister was saying these +words: "The Lord can exalt the humble and can bring down the proud and +mighty from their seats." The choir chanted the words again and again. + +As the king heard, he threw back his head and said: "Why do they teach +such words as these? There is no power on earth or in heaven above that +could take my throne." + +By and by the king fell asleep in his pew. He must have slept a long +time, for when he awoke the great church was dark and the moonlight was +streaming through the great glass windows. The king sprang to his feet +in alarm, and said: "How dare they go away and leave me alone?" He +rushed quickly to the door, but it was locked. He called loudly and +knocked upon the door, and finally the old sexton, asleep on the +outside, heard the noise and shouted: "Who is there?" And the king +answered: "It is I--the king. Open the door!" + +The old sexton shook his head and murmured to himself: "It must be some +madman locked in the church," but he unlocked the door, and the king +rushed wildly out--on out in the street, where the moonlight fell upon +him. Then suddenly he stopped and gazed at his clothes in amazement, for +instead of wearing his royal robes he wore nothing but rags. His crown +was gone, and he seemed a beggar, and he cried out: "How can these +things be? Some one has robbed me while I have slept, and left me these +rags." + +Then he rushed on to the great castle, and at the gate he again called: +"Open! I, the king, am here." The great gate swung open and the king +rushed on through the great castle halls, never pausing until he reached +the throne room, and there he stopped and stood looking in surprise and +amazement, for there on his throne sat another king, wearing his crown +and wearing his robes, and holding in his hand his scepter. King Robert +looked at the new king and cried: "Why do you sit on my throne, wearing +my robes and my crown and my scepter?" + +The new king only smiled and said: "I am the king, and who art thou?" + +King Robert threw back his head haughtily and answered: "I am the king. +You have no right on my throne." + +At these words the strange king smiled sadly, and replied: "I am the +king, and thou shalt be my servant. Yes, thou shalt be the servant of +all my servants, for thou shalt be court jester, and wear the cap and +bells, and have for your companion the ugly ape." + +Before King Robert could say more, the servants came and hurried him +through the castle halls, down to a little room, cold and bare, with +nothing but a pile of straw in a corner, and there they left him alone, +save for the ugly ape, which sat in the corner grinning at him. As King +Robert looked down on the rough pile of straw he said: "It must surely +be a dream, and I will awaken in the morning and find myself the king." + +The morning came, but when he awoke he heard the rustle of the straw +beneath him, and there in the corner still sat the ugly ape. That day +the new king called him to the throne, and, looking at him, said: "Art +thou the king?" And King Robert proudly threw back his head as before +and answered: "I am the king." + +And each day the new king sent for him and asked him the same question, +and each day King Robert gave the same proud and haughty answer. One day +there came a summons to the court--King Robert's brother, the Emperor of +Rome, sent word for King Robert and all of his court to visit him at +Easter-time, and great preparations were made for the journey. When the +train was ready it formed a beautiful procession. The new king rode at +its head, in his splendor, and all the beautiful ladies and the brave +knights came riding behind in their gorgeous robes. At the last of this +splendid train rode King Robert on a queer old mule. He had on the cap +and bells, and behind him sat the ugly ape, and, as they passed along +the street, the boys laughed and jeered; but King Robert said to +himself: "They will not laugh long," because his heart was glad now, for +they were going to Rome, where his own brother ruled, and now surely he +would be restored to his rights, for his brother would see and know that +the new king was an impostor. Thus the splendid train rode to Rome, and +the emperor was there to meet them. + +When the emperor saw the strange king he went to him and embraced him +and called him "brother." At this, King Robert rushed forward and cried +out: "I am the king, thy brother. This man is an impostor. Do you not +know me? I am the king." But the emperor only looked at him strangely, +and, turning to the strange king, he said: "Why do you keep this madman +at your court?" The new king only smiled, and made no answer. + +The visit ended, and again the splendid train passed back to Sicily, and +King Robert still rode behind. His heart was very sad, because he +thought: "If my own brother knows me not, what hope can there be?" + +When the new king came back to Sicily he changed many of the cruel laws, +and the whole land was made glad and happy, as it had never been before. +King Robert noticed the change and wondered at it. + +It was Easter-time again, and King Robert said in his heart, "I will go +to church again this morning." Behind all the procession he rode, as +usual, and took his seat in the back of the church, so that no one might +see him. Everything was beautiful at this Easter-time. The church, the +flowers, the music, all bore the Easter message. When the music began it +crept into King Robert's heart, and as he listened the tears rolled down +his cheek, and he bowed his head in prayer. The first words that he +heard were the old, familiar ones: "The Lord can exalt the humble and +bring down the proud and mighty from their seats." As poor King Robert +listened he humbly bowed his head and said: "Ah, surely that is true; +the Lord in heaven is mightiest of all. He is the king." + +When the king and his court had reached home again that day, the new +king called King Robert immediately to his throne room, and upon his +face there seemed to be a glorious light shining forth, and, looking at +King Robert with a wondrous smile, he asked the old, old question: "Art +thou the king?" But King Robert only bowed his head and said: "I know +not who I am. I only know that I am the most humble and most unworthy of +all men to be the king." To these words the new king replied: "Thou art +indeed the king, and I--I am an angel sent from Heaven to help thee for +a little while." + +When King Robert raised his head, behold! he was alone. The angel had +gone. He again had on his own robes, his own crown, and was bearing his +own scepter. + +That day, when the courtiers came to wait upon the king, they found him +kneeling beside his throne in prayer. + +Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [Adapted] + + + + +THE GREAT STONE FACE + + +One afternoon, when the sun was going down, a mother and her little boy +sat at the door of their cottage talking together and watching the great +mountains before them, as they changed with the tints of the setting +sun, from gold to crimson, and then to deep purple, till finally the +afterglow was gone, leaving only the bare mountains standing out in gray +relief against the evening sky. + +"Mother," said the child, whose name was Ernest, "the Great Stone Face +is smiling at us. I wish it could speak, for it looks so very kind that +I know its voice is pleasant." + +And what was the Great Stone Face? + +Off in the distance one great mountain rose far up above the others, and +stood like a great giant among its fellows. By some peculiar art the +rocks had been thrown together in such a way as to make the mountain +look almost exactly like a human face. There was the broad arch of the +forehead, a hundred feet in length; the nose, with its long bridge, and +the great lips, which, if they could have spoken, would surely have +rolled thunder from one end of the valley to the other. + +It was a happy lot for children to grow up to manhood or womanhood with +the Great Stone Face before their eyes, because all of its features were +noble, so that just to look at it made one wish to be better. + +This, then, was what Ernest and his mother sat looking at long after the +sun had sunk behind those great piles of stones. + +"Mother," said Ernest, "if I were to see a man with such a face I know I +should love him." + +"If an old prophecy comes true," answered his mother, "we may see a man +some time or other with exactly such a face as that." + +"Oh, tell me about it, mother. Will it really come true?" eagerly +inquired Ernest. + +Then his mother told him a story which her mother had told to her when +she was a child. No one knew who had heard it first. The Indians had +known it years before, and they said it had been murmured by the +mountain streams and whispered by the wind among the treetops. And the +story was this: At some future day--no one knew when--a child would be +born in the valley who would grow up to be the noblest and greatest man +of his time, and his face would look exactly like the Great Stone Face +which had gazed kindly down on the valley for so many years. Many of the +people in the valley said this was only a foolish tale, never to come to +pass, but a few still watched and waited, hoping for the great man to +come, but as yet he had not appeared. + +When Ernest heard the story he clapped his hands, and said eagerly: "Oh, +mother, dear mother, I do hope I shall live to see him." + +The mother smiled, and, putting her hand on the boy's head, said: +"Perhaps you may." + +Ernest never forgot the story his mother told him. It was always in his +mind whenever he looked upon the Great Stone Face. He spent his boyhood +days in the humble little cottage, helping his mother with the simple +household duties, and, as he grew older, working in the fields to earn +their daily bread. + +Ernest was a quiet boy, but happy. There was no school in the little +village, but a great teacher was there. After the day's toil was over +Ernest would sit for hours watching the Great Stone Face, and to him it +became the teacher of all that was good and noble. Many times, as the +sunset rays tinted the side of the great mountain and lighted up all the +features of the wonderful face, Ernest would imagine that it smiled on +him, and perhaps it did. Who knows? + +Often a great longing would come to Ernest as he watched the Great Face, +and he would say again, "Oh, I wish the great man would come." + +But the years passed by, and Ernest grew from a happy little child to a +quiet, thoughtful boy, and still the great man did not appear. + +But one time a rumor went through all the valley that the great man had +at last arrived. His early home had been in the quiet valley, but as a +young man he had gone into the world to seek his fortune, and truly he +had found it, for everything he attempted prospered exceedingly, till it +might be said of him, as of Midas in the fable, that whatever his +fingers touched changed at once to piles of gold. His name was Mr. +Gathergold. All who saw him declared him to be the exact image of the +Great Stone Face on the mountain side, and the man so long expected to +fulfill the prophecy. + +The whole valley was in a state of great excitement, for the wonderful +personage was coming back to his native home to spend his last days in +peace and quiet. He sent before him a whole army of architects and +workmen, who built for him a palace more beautiful and grand than +anything the simple village people had ever before seen. + +The outside was of pure marble, dazzling white, while the interior was +inlaid with solid gold and precious stones. + +Ernest watched the great palace grow, and his heart was glad, for +finally his hopes were to come true. He waited eagerly for the great man +himself to come. He spent more time than usual gazing at the face on the +mountain side, that he might know exactly how Mr. Gathergold would look. + +Finally the day of the great man's arrival came. The whole village came +out to see him. The rumbling of wheels was heard, and a carriage drawn +by four horses dashed down the road. + +"Here he comes!" cried the people. "Here comes the great Mr. +Gathergold!" + +As the carriage drew near the people pressed around, and there through +the window they saw the great man. He was little and old, with a face as +hard and yellow as the piles of gold he had gathered together. He had a +low forehead, small, sharp eyes, puckered about with many wrinkles, and +very sharp lips. + +"The very image of the Great Stone Face!" shouted the people. "Sure +enough, the old prophecy is true, and here we have the great man come at +last." + +By the roadside there chanced to be a poor woman and her two children, +who, as the carriage passed, held out their hands and asked for help. A +hand was thrust out of the window, and a few pennies were thrown on the +ground. Then the carriage rolled on, and the people continued to shout, +"He is the very image of the Great Stone Face." + +But Ernest stood apart from the crowd, nor did he join in the shout, for +his heart was full of sorrow and disappointment. Through an opening in +the trees he saw the Great Stone Face looking benignly down upon him, +and the great lips seemed to say: "He will come. Fear not, Ernest. The +man will come." + +The years went on, and Ernest ceased to be a boy. He had grown to be a +young man now. He was not much noticed in the valley, for he was still +quiet and modest. They saw nothing remarkable about his way of living, +save that when the work of the day was done he loved to go apart and +gaze upon the Great Stone Face. + +They knew not that it had become his greatest teacher, filling his heart +and mind with thoughts and hopes far above earthly things. + +By this time poor old Mr. Gathergold was dead and buried, and the +strange part about the matter was that when his wealth left him, as it +did some time before he died, and he became a poor old man, the people +seemed to forget that there ever had been a resemblance to the Great +Stone Face. Indeed, they said it was all a mistake, and the great man +was yet to come. + +Suddenly through the valley there ran another rumor. Years before a +young man had left the valley, had gone into the world as a warrior, and +finally had become a great commander. Such had been his character and +life that the illustrious man was called by the name of Old +Blood-and-Thunder. This old general, being worn out with warfare, +decided to return to his native valley and spend his last days in peace. +But the most wonderful thing about Old Blood-and-Thunder was the fact +that all who knew him said that he was the man so long hoped for in the +valley, for he looked exactly like the Great Stone Face. + +Great preparations, therefore, were made to receive the General--a +banquet was to be given and speeches made in his honor. On the day of +the festival Ernest, with all the others of the village, left their work +and went to the woods, where the banquet was held. A great crowd +surrounded the tables, so that Ernest at first could not see the great +man for whom he had waited and hoped so long, so he contented himself +with looking at the great face on the mountain side, which he could see +plainly through the trees. Meanwhile he could hear those around him +talking about Old Blood-and-Thunder and the Great Stone Face. + +"'Tis the same face, to a hair," cried one man, clapping his hands for +joy. + +"Wonderfully like, that's a fact," said another. + +"Like! Why, I call it Old Blood-and-Thunder himself, in a monstrous +looking-glass," cried a third. + +Just then a silence fell on the crowd, for the General rose to speak, +and as he did so Ernest for the first time saw the hero. There he stood, +head and shoulders above the crowd, with the golden epaulets glittering +on his uniform. Long and eagerly Ernest gazed on his face, and then +beyond, to the one on the mountain side. Were they, indeed, alike? +Ernest saw in the warrior's face only cruelty and hardness, with none of +the tender sympathy he knew so well in the other face. + +"This is not the man," sighed Ernest, as he turned sadly away. "Must we +wait longer yet?" + +But as the great mountain rose before him, once again the lips seemed to +say: "Fear not, Ernest; fear not. He will come." + +The years sped swiftly by. Ernest still lived in the valley, a quiet and +gentle man, doing his work as best he knew. But gradually the people of +the village had come to know and feel that Ernest knew more than they. +Not a day passed by that the world was not better because this man, +humble as he was, had lived. He would always help a neighbor in need, +and the people had learned to know where to come for aid. His thoughts +were of things good and noble, and so his deeds and words were always +good. + +By this time the people had seen their mistake in thinking Old +Blood-and-Thunder was the great man of prophecy; but now again there +were reports saying that without doubt the great man had at last +appeared. He, like Mr. Gathergold and Old Blood-and-Thunder, was a +native of the valley, but had left it as a young man, and had now become +a great man. He had not the rich man's wealth, nor the honor of the +General, but he had a tongue which could speak more beautiful words than +the world had ever heard before. Great crowds flocked to hear him from +all parts of the country. + +The people of the village were proud to think that they could claim the +great man, for it was said he bore an exact likeness to the Great Stone +Face--so much so that they called him "Old Stony Phiz." + +And now the illustrious man was once more coming to visit his native +land, and great preparations were made to receive him. + +With great eagerness and hope Ernest waited for his coming, and on the +day appointed went with the crowd to meet him. The air was filled with +music and the shouts of the people, for now they felt that surely the +old prophecy was to be fulfilled. + +Then the great man's carriage came in view. There he sat, smiling and +bowing to the people, while they threw up their hats in wild excitement +and enthusiasm, and shouted: "Hoorah for Old Stony Phiz. The great man +has come at last." + +Ernest looked long at the man as he sat in his carriage, but finally +turned away sadly and slowly, and said: "The features are alike, but he +has not the heart nor the love and sympathy which make a face beautiful. +He is not the man, but he might have been, had he lived the best he +knew." + +Then again he turned to his great teacher on the mountain side, and, as +the late afternoon sun tinted all its features, it seemed to smile on +Ernest, and once more the lips seemed to speak: + +"Lo, here I am, Ernest. I have waited longer than thou, and am not yet +weary. Fear not. The man will come." + +The years hurried onward, and now they began to bring white hairs and +scatter them over the head of Ernest. They made wrinkles across his +forehead and furrows in his cheeks. He was an old man; but more than the +white hairs on his head were the beautiful thoughts in his mind, and the +loving words from his lips, and the kindly deeds from his hands. He was +no longer unknown. Great men from far and near came to see and talk with +him, and as they went away their hearts were better for having been with +him. He had become a preacher, and often, just as the sun set, he would +stand on a little knoll and talk with the people who crowded to hear the +words he spoke. + +One evening, as Ernest sat at his doorstep, a friend came to talk with +him. He was a poet, and wrote of things which God had made, in language +so beautiful that one wished always to hear it. Ernest loved to read his +words, and this evening, as they sat together, he looked long and +earnestly at the poet and then up at the Great Stone Face, which seemed +to be smiling down upon them. Then he sighed and shook his head sadly. + +"Why are you sad?" asked the poet. + +Then Ernest told him of the prophecy which he had longed all his life to +see fulfilled. "And," he said, "when I read your beautiful words, I +think surely you are worthy to be the man I have longed to see, and yet +I see no likeness." + +The poet sadly shook his head, and said: "No, Ernest. I am not worthy. +My words, indeed, may be beautiful, but my life has not been so great +and good as the words I write." + +Then, as sunset drew near, the two walked to the little knoll where +Ernest was to talk to the people. + +He stood in a little niche, with the mountains above him, and the glory +of the evening sun shone around his silvered hair. At a distance could +be seen the Great Stone Pace, surrounded by a golden light. + +As Ernest talked his face glowed with the depth of his feeling, and +suddenly the poet threw his arms above his head and shouted: + +"Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone +Face!" + +Then all the people looked and saw that what the poet had said was true. +The prophecy was fulfilled. The Great Man had come at last. + +Nathaniel Hawthorne [Adapted] + + + + +THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE + + +In a forest in the far, far East grew a great many pine trees. Most of +them were tall trees, higher than the houses that we see, and with wide, +strong branches. But there was one tree that was not nearly so tall as +the others; in fact, it was no taller than some of the children in the +kindergarten. + +Now, the tall trees could see far, far out over the hilltops and into +the valleys, and they could hear all the noises that went on in the +world beyond the forest, but the Little Tree was so small and the other +trees grew so high and thick about it that it could not see nor hear +these things at all; but the other trees were very kind, and they would +stoop down and tell them to the Little Tree. One night in the winter +time there seemed to be something strange happening in the little town +among the hills, for the trees did not go to sleep after the sun went +down, but put their heads together and spoke in strange, low whispers +that were full of awe and wonder. The Little Tree, from its place close +down to the ground, did not understand what it was all about. It +listened awhile, and then lifted its head as high as ever it could and +shouted to its tall neighbor: "Will you not stoop and tell me what is +happening?" And the big tree stooped down and whispered: "The shepherds +out on the hilltops are telling strange stories while they watch their +sheep. The air is filled with sweet music, and there is a wonderful star +coming up in the east, traveling westward always, and the shepherds say +that they are waiting for it to stop and shine over a humble stable in +their little town. I have not heard why it is going to stop there, but I +will look again and listen." So the tall tree lifted up its head again, +and reached far out so that it might hear more of the wonderful story. + +Bye and bye it stooped down again, and whispered to the Little Tree: +"Oh, Little Tree, listen! There are angels among the shepherds on the +hills, and they are all talking together. They seem to be awaiting the +birth of a little child, who will be a king among the people, and the +beautiful star will shine above the stable where the little king will be +laid in a manger." The tree again raised its head to listen, and the +Little Tree, much puzzled, thought within itself: "It is very strange, +indeed. * * * Oh, how I wish that I could see it all!" + +It waited a little longer, and everything grew quiet, and a great peace +came upon the forest. * * * Then suddenly the town, and even the forest +was illuminated with a strange, white light that made everything as +bright as day, and the air was filled with the flutter of angels' wings, +and with music such as the world had never heard before. + +The people and the trees, even the stars in the heaven, lifted up their +voices and sang together * * * and the whole world was filled with music +and joy and love for the little Christ-child who had come to dwell upon +the earth. + +The Little Tree was filled with fear and wonder, for so great was the +excitement that the other trees had almost forgotten it, and it could +not understand the mysterious sounds; but bye and bye its tall friend +said: "Listen, listen, Little Tree! Such news I have to tell! The Christ +has come--the King! And the whole world is singing such beautiful music. +There are wise men coming from the East, bringing beautiful gifts to the +Christ-child. The angels, too, are upon the earth, and they bear gifts +of gold and rare, beautiful stones. Wait! I will tell you more." + +The tall tree had scarcely lifted up its head when it stooped again and +whispered to the Little Tree: "Look! Look! Little Tree! They are coming +this way; the angels are coming here, into our forest! Lift up your head +high and you will see them as they pass." + +The Little Tree lifted up its head and saw the white flutter of angel +robes and heard the weird, sweet voices of the heavenly host who came +with precious gifts into the forest. + +"Oh," said the Little Tree, "they are coming here, toward me! What +shall I do?" And in fear it bent its head so low that it almost touched +the ground. But the music came nearer and nearer, and the Little Tree +felt a tender hand upon its branches, and a soft, gentle voice said to +it: "Arise, Little Tree, and come with us, for we have come into the +forest to seek you. Yes, you, the very smallest among the trees, are to +be our gift-bearer. Come; lift up your head." + +In fear and trembling the Little Tree did as the angel bade it. But when +it looked into the angel's face and saw the love and kindness there, all +fear was gone, and it said to the angel: "Yes; make me ready. I will +come with you to the little Christ-child in the manger." So all the +angels brought their gifts of precious jewels and shining gold, and +fastened them upon the branches of the Little Tree. Then the leader of +the angels' band took up the Little Tree from the ground and bore it, +laden with its precious burden, to the feet of the Christ-child. + + + + +THE STORY OF ABRAHAM + + +Long, long ago there lived in the far away land of Ur a man who was very +wealthy. His name was Abraham. The country in which he lived was +beautiful and very rich. The fields were not only well watered by rivers +and streams, but were carefully cultivated. Corn, dates, apples and +grapes grew there abundantly. Fine harvests were reaped from their +farms. Splendid herds of cattle and flocks of sheep were pastured in the +meadows. In the city were beautiful homes, for the people were +prosperous. They painted fine pictures and cut beautiful figures out of +marble blocks, and were fond of music. But Abraham was not so much +interested in the city as in the country, for he belonged to a family of +shepherds. He did not care so much for walled cities as for meadow +lands, forest trees and running streams. When Abraham grew a little +older he became very thoughtful, and began to dislike the ways of the +people of Ur, for they were idolaters. So when some of the servants +brought back from the city, idols into his father's home, he broke them. +His one desire was to do right and to be good. + +One day, when he was herding his cattle not far from his father's home, +he heard a strange Voice saying to him: "Get thee out of thy country and +from thy kindred, and come unto a land which I shall show thee." He was +greatly surprised, and looked around to find out who was speaking to +him. He saw no man, so he thought that the Voice was only a fancy or a +day dream. A few days after, when he was bringing home some wandering +sheep, he heard the same Voice, the same words, and thought he saw a +gleam of light. He felt that God was speaking to him, but the words made +him very sad. If he obeyed the Voice he knew that he would have to leave +his friends, the fields where he sported with his boy companions and +loved ones, but something within him kept saying that he ought to obey +the Voice, because it was God's Voice. So he resolved to take his +nephew, Lot, with him, and set out for the Promised Land. The day for +starting came. Great bundles of goods were put upon the camels and led +off by the drivers. Flocks of sheep and herds of cattle filled the +morning air with their bleatings and their bellowings. Some of the +people thought that Abraham was very foolish to undertake such a +journey, and would certainly come to grief. His brother Nahor pleaded +with Abraham not to go. He told Abraham about a great desert that he +would have to cross. Even if he crossed it safely, the people in that +far away country were very cruel, and would fight them and kill them, +and make slaves of their children. Abraham listened to his brother, and +said that he knew there were difficulties ahead of him, but he must obey +the Voice of God. Then his face brightened, when he added that he felt +sure God would watch over them all as a shepherd watches over his sheep. +He looked brave and noble as he bade them all good-by and started off. + +At the close of the first day they halted beside a stream, where the +cattle drank and rested until morning. The servants pitched a number of +tents and made Abraham and his family comfortable. Abraham rolled +together a few big stones and built an altar, and in the presence of his +family and servants offered up an evening sacrifice and prayed that God +should guide them and their little ones into the Promised Land. After +many weary days and nights they reached Canaan. It was a beautiful +country, full of vines and harvest fields, and pasture lands. The +valleys were warm and the highlands were cool. Here and there on the +hillsides they saw the oak, the sycamore, and the pine growing. Best of +all, the people were kind to Abraham and his servants, and helped them +to get settled in their new homes. Their new friends were not so rich as +their old ones. They wore rough garments made of camel's hair and +fastened round the waist with a belt. They lived in rough huts and rocky +caves, and were warlike. But they treated Abraham generously and were +very kind to the little children. Abraham was delighted with the +Promised Land, although he passed through many a severe trial in it. + +There was one joy, however, that brightened his life--God had given him +a beautiful son. The little boy had grown to be a strong, beautiful +youth. His mother took loving care in making his little garments, and +his father gave him a pet lamb, and often brought home to him a wild +bird. Abraham was growing old, and thought of the day when his boy would +be a strong man, caring for herds and flocks. Many a time he prayed to +God for his boy, that he might be true and brave and good, and worthy of +the promises that God had made to him concerning his people. But one +day, when he was returning from a visit to his herdsmen and was resting +beside a well in the grove which he had planted in Beersheba, he heard +the Voice again saying: "Take thy son, thine only son Isaac, and offer +him up for a sacrifice on a mount which I shall show thee." Abraham was +grieved. He said to himself: "I have left Ur and the land of my brother +and my father. I have endured many hardships, and surely I will not be +called upon to sacrifice my only son, my sweet, loving boy. I can not +bear it. His mother can not live when she hears of it." But the Voice +said more earnestly than ever: "Take thy son, thine only son Isaac, and +offer him up for a sacrifice on the mount that I shall show thee." He +knew that it was the same Voice that had spoken to him many times, and +that he must obey it. And there gradually came into his life strength +and a willingness to obey the Voice. After necessary preparation +Abraham, his son, and his servants set out for the mountain. For three +days they journeyed under divine guidance, until they came to the foot +of the mount. Then Abraham said to his servants: "Abide ye here, and I +and the lad will go and worship yonder, and come unto you again." The +young lad was happy over the coming sacrifice. He shouldered the bundle +of wood and started off up the hillside. But he did not see the lamb, +and, turning to his father, said: "Behold the fire and the wood, but +where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" The question so innocently +asked grieved the father's heart, for he knew that God had commanded him +to offer up his son instead of a lamb. He felt that he could not tell +his boy about it, so he said: "God Himself will provide a lamb for the +burnt offering." At last they came to the spot where the sacrifice was +to be offered. The father, very sad and broken-hearted, began rolling +together some stones for an altar. Slowly he laid the wood in its place, +and wept when he thought of the sacrifice. Then with a tearful voice he +told the lad that he was to be the sacrifice. He laid the boy upon the +altar and kissed him. At that moment he heard a Voice, louder than ever +before, saying: "Abraham." He answered, "Here am I." The Voice said: +"Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do any harm unto him, for now I +know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, +thine only son, from me." With glad wonder Abraham looked around, and +there, to his great surprise, a ram was caught in some thick bushes. +Hurriedly he caught the ram, unbound his son, and offered up the ram as +a sacrifice with great joy. And, kneeling beside the altar, the aged +father thanked God, and homeward they returned with glad hearts and +happy spirits. + +And Isaac grew to be a good and noble man, and the Lord prospered him. +His father, Abraham, lived many years in the Promised Land, and when he +died the whole country was full of grief, and with sorrow mingled with +love they followed the aged saint to the sunny slopes of beautiful +Macpelah and laid him in the tomb. Each whispered to the other that he +was a good and brave man. Many a time they would visit the cave where +the great man lay and tell one another about his wonderful life, his +many trials, his noble faith, and how he always obeyed the Voice of God. + +On a rough stone beside the tomb a friend chiseled the words: "Abraham, +the Friend of God." + +Bible [Adapted] + + + + +THE STORY OF MOSES + + +Many years ago, the Heavenly Father sent a baby boy into a home in a far +country. + +When a baby comes to your home you want to tell every one you see, do +you not? + +But in that little home it was very different. Miriam, the baby's +sister, could not tell any one about the little brother, and the poor +mother had to keep the baby hidden away. Shall I tell you why? + +In that country there lived a wicked king, who did not love little +children, and whenever he heard that a boy baby had come into a house he +sent his soldiers to take the baby away. + +This mother loved her baby dearly, and she wanted to keep him always. +But when the baby began to grow, and to laugh and to cry, just as all +babies do, the mother's heart was very sad, for she knew she could hide +him no longer. + +One day she took the baby and went down to the river. There she gathered +a great many of the tall grasses that grew on the river bank, and of +these grasses she made a little basket, or ark, just large enough to +hold the baby. She wove it carefully, and when it was finished she +covered it over with pitch and slime, so that no water could come into +it. + +Then she lifted her baby, put him into the queer little basket, carried +the basket to the river and set it down carefully in the water. The tall +rushes growing there held the little cradle, that the water might not +wash it away. + +The mother turned and went quickly to her home. But do you think she +left the baby alone? Ah, no. Among the tall grasses near the river's +brim stood Miriam, the sister, patiently watching the queer cradle. + +While Miriam watched, the princess came to the river to bathe. The +maidens who had come to help her walked along the river's side. + +Presently the princess saw the queer little basket and sent one of her +maids to get it. + +When the princess opened the basket, the baby wakened and began to cry, +and the princess felt very sorry for the little one. + +Miriam, who had watched so faithfully beside the river, now came to the +princess. + +"Shall I go and find thee a woman who will take care of the child?" she +said. And the princess said, "Go." + +What did Miriam do, do you think? She ran as fast as she could and +brought the baby's own mother. + +When the princess saw the mother she did not know that it was the baby's +own mother, and she said to her: "Take this child away and nurse it for +me, and I will give thee thy wages." + +Do you not think that mother's heart was glad as she took her own baby +home? The baby could run and play now, and laugh and crow as much as it +liked, for the great princess loved him, and no harm could come to him. + +The mother called the baby's name "Moses," she said, "because I drew him +out of the water," and in that far country that is what the name "Moses" +means. + +Bible [Adapted] + + + + +THE STORY OF DAVID + + +Long, long ago, on the green hills of Bethlehem, a little shepherd boy +tended his sheep. + +Ruddy and strong was little David, for the sun gave him rosy cheeks, and +the bracing wind made him long to run races with his own shadow, just +from pure happiness. + +Many a time he lay on the soft grass, gazing up at the blue sky, dotted +with fleecy white clouds--white as his own lambs. Many a time, as he led +his flock homeward at evening, he saw the sun sink in the gold and +crimson west, and, as the dusk deepened, the great round moon rise above +the hills, flooding the world with silvery light. + +With all this beauty around him, do you wonder that he was good and +happy? + +One day, while David was watching his sheep in the field, Samuel, the +High Priest of the Lord, appeared before Jesse, David's father. + +On a very wonderful errand had he come. + +He told David's father that the Lord had chosen one of his sons to be +the new king of Israel, because Saul, the old king, was no longer fit to +rule. + +"Call all your sons before me," said Samuel, "that I may anoint the +Lord's chosen one." + +Oh, how proudly Jesse called his eldest son! + +Tall, and straight, and strong, he stood there, looking every inch a +king. + +"Surely," thought Samuel, "I have found him!" + +But the Lord looked down into his heart--just as he looks into our +hearts today--and saw that all was not right there, and so the Lord said +to Samuel: "He is not the chosen one." + +Then Samuel asked Jesse to call his second son. + +But when the Lord read his thoughts He said to the priest: "No; I have +not chosen this one." + +Jesse called his third son, but Samuel only shook his head. In haste, +Jesse called all his other sons before the High Priest, but Samuel was +forced to say sadly, "The Lord hath not chosen these." Almost in +despair, he turned to Jesse, asking: "Are all thy children here?" And he +answered: "There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the +sheep." + +Joyfully Samuel cried: "Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down +till he come hither." And he sent and brought him in. + +When Samuel looked into his pure, innocent face, he knew that now the +chosen one of the Lord stood before him. + +Taking his horn of oil, he anointed him King of Israel, "and the spirit +of the Lord came upon David from that day forward." + +When Samuel left him, David went quietly back to the field, and tended +his sheep, just as of old. + +Day by day he tried to do every duty well, so that bye and bye he would +be worthy to be a king. + +Meanwhile, up in his royal palace, King Saul was in deep trouble. In his +distress he longed to hear the beautiful music of the harp. He therefore +sent for David, that he might play for him. When David came he paused +beside the throne, and Saul, looking up, saw before him a tall and +handsome youth, bearing a golden harp. + +Bowing low, David begged permission to play for his King. Gladly Saul +bade him begin. + +First, the young harpist struck a ringing chord that thrilled through +the vast hall. + +Then he began to play a low, sweet melody! + +It sounded like the summer breeze sighing softly over a grassy meadow, +and setting the dainty daisies and buttercups swaying on their stems. +Suddenly the music swelled stronger, until it seemed like a flashing +fountain, springing up in a burst of sparkling spray. + +Then the sweet tones slowly softened. + +Fainter they grew--and yet fainter--like the music of a dream--till at +last they died away into silence. + +Spellbound sat King Saul when the player ceased. + +And David came to Saul and stood before him, and Saul loved him greatly, +and he became his armor bearer. + +Long afterward David wore the crown of Israel. + +He was a wise and good king, for the Heavenly Father, who blessed his +youth, watched over him all his days. + + + + +THE STORY OF JOSEPH + + +Many years ago there lived a little lad named Joseph. He was comely, and +his face was beautiful, because his heart was pure and good. + +Joseph had many brothers, but because of his gentleness and comeliness +the old father loved him more than all the others. One time he gave +Joseph a coat woven with many beautiful colors, as a token of his love +for his favorite son. + +Now, when the older brothers saw this they were angry and jealous, and +from that time on they sought to do him harm. + +Jacob, the father, owned many sheep, and the sons cared for them, +sometimes leading them far from home to find the best pastures. Joseph +often went with the brothers to tend the flocks, but he loved best to +care for the tender little lambs, leading them into the greenest +pastures and beside the quiet water. + +One time the brothers were far from home with the flocks, and the +father, being anxious for them and longing to know how they fared, sent +Joseph, the beloved son, with many provisions, to the place where his +brothers were. The lad started on his journey with a light and merry +heart, for all the world looked bright to him. He wore the beautiful +coat of many colors, and the people often stopped to look at the lad, +with his comely face and beautiful coat. + +As he approached the place where his brothers were they saw him when he +was yet some distance away, but the anger and jealousy arose in their +hearts, and they said: "Ah! Here comes the best beloved son. Let us do +away with him. Then the love which our father gives to him may be +bestowed upon us." So, as the lad drew nearer, they planned how they +might destroy him. But one, the oldest brother, loved Joseph, and tried +to save him from the hands of his evil brothers. So when they said, "Let +us destroy him," Reuben, the eldest, said: "Nay, but let us cast him +into a pit near by," thinking he would save him when the other brothers +left. + +So when Joseph drew near they seized him, stripped him of his coat of +many colors, and cast him into a pit, and left him there alone. + +Then they said: "Let us make a feast. See, our father hath sent us many +things." And they sat down and made a feast with the things which their +brother Joseph had brought to them. + +As they were eating they looked up, and, coming down the roadway, they +saw a large company of merchantmen passing on their way to Egypt. Then +an evil plan came to the mind of one brother, and he said: "It is going +to bring us no gain to keep Joseph in the pit. Let us sell him to those +men and gain money for ourselves." The brothers agreed, and Joseph, the +beloved son, was sold into Egypt for twenty pieces of silver. + +When the brothers went home they took the coat of many colors to the old +father, and said: "Is not this thy son's coat which we found? An evil +beast hath surely destroyed him." And the old father wept for Joseph, +his son, and would not be comforted. + + +PART II. + + +The great caravan moved toward Egypt, and there the boy was sold again +into the hands of a very rich man, in whose sight he found great favor, +and who placed him in a position of honor in his own household. And +Joseph grew in comeliness and beauty, for his heart was pure and the +Lord was his friend and helper, prospering him in all that he did. He +grew in favor with his master, who in turn made him ruler over all his +house. + +But Joseph had an enemy in the house, one who was jealous of his great +honor and position, and she tried in every way to do Joseph harm. One +day she falsely told the master of the house that Joseph had done a very +evil thing. The master, being exceedingly angry, and thinking Joseph had +betrayed his trust, stripped him of his fine garments and cast him into +prison. + +But the Lord was still with Joseph in his great trouble, so that he +found favor with the keeper of the prison, who treated him most kindly, +and Joseph sought in many ways to relieve the suffering and sorrow of +those in the prison with him. + +One day he helped two of the king's servants by telling them the meaning +of two strange dreams they had, for dreams in those olden days were +often sent to people by God to warn them, or prepare them for something +which would happen, and God gave to Joseph the wisdom to understand the +meaning and interpretation of those dreams. Thus, when the two servants +were troubled because of their dreams, Joseph told them the meaning. One +servant was released from the prison, and as he left, Joseph asked that +he might remember him when he came before the king, that he, too, might +be released. But the servant, when he was free, forgot the one who had +helped him when in trouble. + +Two years passed away, and Joseph remained in prison, but he still +trusted in his God. + +One night Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, was much troubled by his strange +dreams. He called together all of his wise men and magicians, to know +the interpretation of them, but none could tell the meaning. The king's +trouble became known to his servants, and suddenly the one who had been +in prison remembered Joseph, the man who had interpreted his own dream. +He quickly told the king, who ordered Joseph to be brought immediately +before him. + +When Joseph stood before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, he humbly bowed his +head, and said: "The wisdom is not mine, but God in heaven shall tell +thee the interpretation of thy dreams." And Joseph spoke to the king as +God gave him wisdom, and told him the meaning of his dreams. And this +was the meaning: + +There should be seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt, and after +that, seven years of famine throughout the land. + +Then Joseph said: "Let Pharaoh, the king, choose a man, wise and +discreet, who will sow and gather the harvest for the seven years of +plenty, to fill the barns and storehouses with grain, so that when the +seven years of famine come there will be grain enough and to spare in +the land of Egypt." + +As Pharaoh, the king, looked upon Joseph and heard him speak, he loved +him, and said: "In all Egypt there is no man so wise as thou. Gather the +harvest, to fill the barns and storehouses, in the seven years of +plenty. I will make thee ruler over all Egypt. Thou shalt dwell with me +and all men shall obey thee." + +And Pharaoh took off the ring from his own hand and put it upon Joseph's +hand, and dressed him in beautiful garments, and put a gold chain about +his neck. And Joseph rode in the chariot next to the king of Egypt, and +as they rode through the streets all the people bowed before Joseph and +knew him as their ruler, and loved him. + +Then Joseph went throughout all Egypt and commanded the people to build +great storehouses and barns, and to gather in the corn and grain, and +fill them full, against the seven years of famine which were to come. +When the seven years of plenty were passed, and the famine was over all +the land, there was grain and to spare in all Egypt, because Joseph had +gathered the storehouses full. + +When the people from other countries heard this they came to Egypt to +buy bread, and the king sent them to Joseph. And Joseph opened the great +storehouses, and sold grain to all who came. And the Lord was with +Joseph and prospered him in all that he did. + + +PART III. + + +Now, Jacob, with his eleven sons, Joseph's brothers, still lived in the +land of Canaan, and the famine was over all the land, so that there was +no bread in the house to eat. + +Then Jacob, the father, called his sons to him and said: "I have heard +that there is corn in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us, that we may +live and not die." + +So Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to buy grain, and Joseph was ruler +over all Egypt, and sold grain to all who came. His brothers came before +him and bowed their faces to the ground as they asked for food, for the +famine was sore in their land. Now, Joseph knew his brothers when he saw +them, but they knew not the little lad they had sold into the land of +Egypt for twenty pieces of silver. + +Joseph did not make himself known to his brothers, but asked them about +their country and their homes, if they had a father and other brothers; +and when they spoke of the old father, Jacob, and the youngest brother, +Benjamin, who had stayed with the old father, Joseph longed to tell them +that he was the brother whom the father had mourned as lost; but he +waited, and treated his brothers as strangers, for they knew him not. +Then he sent them home with their sacks full of grain, and took no money +for it. But when they returned the second time to Egypt, Joseph's heart +yearned for them, and for his old father and youngest brother. When they +were alone, he stood before his brothers, and, looking at them, said: +"Do you not know me? I am your brother, Joseph, the little lad whom you +sold into Egypt." + +But when his brothers heard this they were much afraid, and drew away +from him, for they thought, now that he was ruler over all Egypt, he +would surely punish them for their evil treatment of him. But Joseph +said: "Come near me and do not be afraid, nor grieve that you sold me +into Egypt, for God has been with me and kept me, and made me ruler, so +that I have been able to save many people from the famine." + +Then the brothers drew near, and Joseph wept with them, for he loved +them. Then he said: "Go back and bring my father, Jacob, and my youngest +brother, Benjamin, that we may live together once more." + +And Joseph went to meet his father in a chariot, and brought him before +Pharaoh, and the king was much pleased, for he loved Joseph and all his +household. + +Then Joseph gave to his father and brothers houses and lands, so that +they all lived together in peace in the land of Egypt. + +And the Lord was with Joseph and prospered him all the days of his life. + + + + +THE COURTESY OF THE SPARTAN BOY + + +There were, hundreds of years ago, two very large and grand cities, +which strove to excel each other. The one city was Sparta, the other was +Athens. These cities were not like our cities of today. They had +beautiful, broad streets, but no street cars. They had magnificent +buildings, but no electric lights. They did have schools, but they were +unlike our schools. The boys in both Athens and Sparta were taken away +to school when they were six years of age. + +In Athens the boys were taught that they must become very strong and +manly. They had running, jumping, leaping, swimming, and racing +exercises, to give them rigid muscles and strong, healthy bodies. +Occasionally they were allowed to visit at their homes for a day or two. +The boys were also taught to sing and to read. + +The Spartan boy was taught that he must become very strong and +self-reliant. His schoolroom was very plain and bare. He was never +allowed to go home to visit. He had to wear, in both summer and winter, +the same plain, loose clothing. He slept out of doors in the +summer-time, under the trees. In the wintertime he slept in a very open +building, on a bed of reeds and rushes, which he had to gather from the +river in the long, heated summer days for his winter bed. He had no +bedclothing except the down which the wild ducks had shed, and which he +had gathered in the forests. He learned to read, write, and to sing. He +learned to run, to leap, to swim, and to throw the javelin. + +One time the boys from both Athens and Sparta were to meet in a great +amphitheater to hear a very wise and learned old man speak. The boys had +all gathered, and with them many other people. The amphitheater was +full. Not a vacant seat was left, and the people were patiently waiting +for the old man to appear. At last he came. He came in so quietly that +he was not noticed, except by two boys, one on each side of the aisle. +One was a Spartan boy and one was an Athenian. The Athenian boy and +Spartan boy both rose immediately. The Athenian boy sat down, but the +Spartan boy still stood. He insisted that the old man take his seat, but +the old man gently refused, and passed on up the aisle to the place from +which he was to address the people. Then the Spartan boy sat down. The +old man recognized this act of courtesy, and, while talking to the boys, +said that the Athenian boy knew what to do, but did not do it. The +Spartan boy had the courage to do it. + + + + +TWENTY-THIRD PSALM. + + + The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. + + He maketh me to lie down in green + pastures: he leadeth me beside the + still waters. + + He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me + in paths of righteousness for his + name's sake. + + Yea, though I walk through the valley + of the shadow of death, I will fear no + evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy + staff they comfort me. + + Thou preparest a table before me in + the presence of mine enemies: thou + annointest my head with oil; my cup + runneth over. + + Surely goodness and mercy shall follow + me all the days of my life: and I will + dwell in the house of the Lord forever. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Child's Story Garden, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHILD'S STORY GARDEN *** + +***** This file should be named 7868.txt or 7868.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/7/8/6/7868/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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