,,stories ,,and ,,story-,,telling ,,stories ,,and ,,story-,,telling ,,by ,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,head ,,of ,,the ,,department ,,of ,,english1 ,,brooklyn ,,training ,,school ,,for ,,teachers ,illustration ,,new ,,york ,,and ,,london ,d4 ,,appleton ,,and ,,company #aiaf ,,copyright1 #aiaa1 ,,by ,d4 ,,appleton ,,and ,,company ,printed in the ,united ,states of ,america ,,preface ,all the stories in this book have been tested with children4 ,favorites easily available in other collections have been omitted4 ,the seventy-five or more very short stories1 intended to help young children to express their observations1 experiences1 and fancies1 have been included at the request of many teachers4 ,the writer hopes that by providing the busy teacher with 8tellable0 stories1 she may help to win for story-telling the dignity of established scholastic place4 ,,contents ,,page ,,story-,,telling #a ,,kinds ,,of ,,stories ,,to ,,tell #ab ,,the ,,principles ,,of ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,telling ,,stories #ae ,,getting ,,the ,,story #af ,,telling ,,the ,,story #cc ,,the ,,child',s ,,part ,,in ,,story-,,telling #fb ,,stories #ge ,,the ,,fairy ,,horseshoe ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #gg ,,the ,,mouse ,,and ,,the ,,sausage ,french ,folk ,tale #gi ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,little ,,boy ,,and ,,the ,,little ,,dog ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #ha ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,two ,,cakes ,,that ,,loved ,,each ,,other ,,in ,,silence ,hans ,christian ,andersen #hd ,,how ,,the ,,rooster ,,built ,a ,,house ,,of ,,his ,,own ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #he ,,thumbelina ,hans ,christian ,andersen #hh ,a ,,visit ,,from ,,an ,,elf ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #aja ,,how ,,the ,,cat ,,got ,,all ,,the ,,grain ,eastern ,folk ,tale #ajc ,,the ,,table ,,and ,,the ,,chair ,edward ,lear #ajd ,,the ,,wonderful ,,ship ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #ajf ,,the ,,clever ,,geese ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #aji ,,the ,,happy ,,prince ,oscar ,wilde #aaj ,,the ,,dwarf ,,roots' ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,pumpkin ,,seed ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #aba ,a ,,horse',s ,,story ,from ,anna ,sewell #abf ,a ,,bewitched ,,donkey ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #acj ,,the ,,straw1 ,,the ,,coal1 ,,and ,,the ,,bean ,folk ,tale #acf ,,mother ,,holle ,folk ,tale #ach ,,tom ,,thumb ,english ,folk ,tale #adc ,,the ,,two ,,brothers ,folk ,tale #aeh ,,the ,,wooing ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #afb ,,jack-,,the-,,giant-,,killer ,english ,folk ,tale #afe ,,the ,,pixies' ,,thanks ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #afg ,,the ,,cat ,,and ,,the ,,parrot ,eastern ,folk ,tale #agj ,,lampblack ,la ,rame #agd ,,lazy ,,jack ,folk ,tale #ahc ,,the ,,time ,,that ,,will ,,come ,,again ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #ahh ,,the ,,owl',s ,,answer ,,to ,,tommy ,from ,mrs4 ,ewing's ,brownies #aig ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,coquerico ,spanish ,folk ,tale #bjd ,,the ,,scarecrow ,a4 ,m4 ,k4 #bji ,,oeyvind ,,and ,,marit ,bjrnstjerne ,bjrnson #bad ,,blunder ,louise ,e4 ,chollet #bai ,,the ,,golden ,,pears ,folk ,tale #bbg ,,some ,,very ,,short ,,stories #bcg ,,story-,,telling ,with high esteem and full of respect ,i greet a genuine story-teller2 with intense gratitude ,i grasp him by the hand4 --,,froebel ,the school is joining hands with the children for fuller recognition of the story and story-telling4 ,note1 by the way1 that it is with the children4 ,in an elder day grown-ups1 too1 yielded themselves to the witchery of the story4 ,but printing and the book banished the wandering story-teller2 with a little progress in science came recoil from the superstitions and absurdities of the folk tale2 the increasing complexity of life bred in the superficial thinker contempt for the unperplexed nursery fable2 the intellectual pedant found it distressingly nave2 pressure of affairs robbed the busy man of any leisure for it4 ,so1 among peoples advancing in civilization1 the grown-ups gradually left the story more and more to the children4 ,and the children1 wise youngsters that they are1 have never allowed themselves to outgrow it4 ,is it not delightful to note that learning is bringing the adult back to the story8 ,the trend of thought to-day1 urging him to look to the natural beginnings of things1 is taking him back to the story4 ,the historian searches it for early glimpses of fact2 the philosopher sees lasting wisdom in it2 the literary seer marvels at the truth and beauty of fairy-tale symbols of life2 the busy man of affairs accompanies his children to juvenile drama and nonsense opera4 ,the art of story-telling itself is again finding an audience among men and women1 as well as children4 ,best of all1 the school1 directing its effort toward the natural development of the young child1 is pressing the educational properties of the story4 ,reiteration of these properties now is timely4 ,psychology is throwing clearer light on the education of the feelings and the taste2 the story should be helpful here4 ,the thoughtful in the community are urging more attention to the spiritualizing and humanizing subjects in the courses of study2 the story belongs in this class4 ,other favorable present conditions will appear as the merits of the story are briefly set forth4 ,the story and story-telling will 7#a7 ,give pleasure4 7#b7 ,stir and direct the imagination4 7#c7 ,arouse and direct the feelings4 7#d7 ,cultivate the taste4 7#e7 ,help to shape thought and language mode4 7#f7 ,stimulate and direct potential literary creativity4 7#g7 ,serve as foreword for book-study of literature4 7#h7 ,give knowledge of life4 7#a7 ,the story will give pleasure4 ,educational thought is growing more and more cordial toward this value4 ,undisturbed by any charge of 8soft pedagogy10 it finds wholesome pleasure1 not merely relaxing1 but constructive1 building toward physical health1 mental brightness1 and moral virtue4 ,here is the story's opportunity4 ,every one admits it is pleasure-giving4 ,the stern-minded among us must realize that this is its deepest educational value4 ,it is from the good pleasure the child gets from the story that will ripen good taste1 good will1 good effort1 and all the other goods some teachers and parents regard as more substantial merit4 ,besides1 joy appears to be here to stay4 ,to attempt to take it out of the plan of things is1 to say the least1 short-sighted4 ,american civilization is looking hopefully to the school for better national standards of pleasure4 ,the school is under obligation to educate the children to enjoyment of wholesome pleasure4 7#b7 ,the story will stir and direct the imagination4 ,we do not yet grant in practice the importance of the imagination4 ,we do not purposefully exercise it1 as we do1 for example1 the reason4 ,we say glibly that imagination is at the root of the successful man's arrival at material profit1 of the explorer's discovery and the practical scientist's invention1 of the poet's song and the philanthropist's vision of a state of society in which the kingdom of heaven will be nearer at hand2 but we give little or no training to the imagination4 ,here again is the story's opportunity4 ,through the story the interpretative story-teller may give the imagination consistent exercise4 7#c7 ,the story will arouse and direct the pupil's feelings4 ,the school to-day is emphasizing the necessity of educating the heart1 the climactic third of the three great ,h's1--the ,head1 the ,hand1 and the ,heart4 ,and psychologists are telling us that to educate a child to be kind1 unselfish1 filial1 reverent1 gentle1 courageous1 good-tempered1 to educate him to admire goodness1 justice1 valor1 to be sensible of beauty1 to aspire and make effort toward excellence1 is as practicable as to train him to do or to make something4 ,it calls for more delicate but not different treatment2 working not by dictation1 but by magnetic suggestion4 ,the story-teller may render a great service to the individual and to the community by helping to form right feeling-habit4 7#d7 ,the well-chosen story will cultivate the taste4 ,psychology is urging early direction also of the sthetic sense4 ,the story-teller1 through her own joyous response to beauty1 has it in her power to awaken and direct the children's appreciation of beauty4 ,it is she1 too1 who must help to lay the foundation for that better taste in novel or play that ,america eagerly desires1 and that publisher and playwright say they stand ready to satisfy as soon as the public arrives at it4 7#e7 ,the story will help to form the child's thought and language habit4 ,as this is the value most often acknowledged in classroom practice--though not always by the best methods--it is not necessary to do more at this point than restate it4 ,mastery in thought and language is far-reaching usefulness1 affecting individual growth and social harmony4 ,the story1 because of its easy1 more or less artless composition and graphic diction1 lends itself to starting right thought and language mode4 7#f7 ,story-telling may help to stimulate and direct potential literary creativity4 ,in spite of its breadth of view the school appears insensible to the rights of children born creative4 ,the array of geniuses recently marshaled by a ,chicago professor1 that teachers pronounced hopeless dunces and in some cases drove from their classes1 should set the school thinking4 ,it is reaching out helpful hands to the little unfortunate ones1 the blind and the deaf and the sick2 but it continues to dismiss the divinely commissioned little sister or brother1 with the platitude that his genius will survive if it be sufficiently sturdy4 ,this is a specious half-truth unworthy of repetition4 ,it is1 besides1 discrimination against the individual4 ,the school is not meeting its obligation to all the children of the community4 ,it will not do to lay the blame to the community's 8commercialized0 standards4 ,in spite of apparent emphasis on the useful arts1 the community would not lose from the varied web of its civilization the bright thread of painting and music and story4 ,maturing thought is convincing it that the fine arts are finely utilitarian4 ,here1 again1 is the story's opportunity4 ,the simple materials and childlike fancy in it may stimulate gradually and naturally play of the creative imagination4 7#g7 ,story-telling should be at least foreword for book-study of literature4 ,the thoughtful teacher of literature to-day finds in the classic story all the elements of her material1 and sees in the child listening to it the most promising student of literature4 ,at the freely sympathetic period the child becomes familiar with the inner life of language as used to represent fundamental motive1 character1 and action4 ,this is precisely the kind of knowledge that he should bring as basis for study of more advanced literature4 ,the printed page will be informed with lively meaning1 to which his imagination1 feeling1 and sthetic sense can respond4 ,it is largely the school's neglect of oral foundation in literature1 which1 by the way1 should not be confined to the lowest grades1 that is at the root of feeble appreciation in book-study of literature4 7#h7 ,the story holds in it a greater value1 as much greater as life is than literature2 it will give knowledge of life4 ,the writer might have said experience of life1 because of the child's strong tendency to be and to do what attracts him4 ,students of literature1 to-day1 are urging that it is not a mere 8polishing0 study1 but the substantially useful subject from which we may get clear and inspiring knowledge of life4 ,they would have literature recognized as the reflection of life1 idealized1 it may be1 but therefore stronger reflection4 ,as life is the occupation that all of us1 no matter what our special vocation may be1 must engage in together1 a study that throws light on it is indispensable4 ,here is a great opportunity for the story4 ,every genuine story1 sense or nonsense1 is a glimpse of life1 which will early give guiding knowledge and experience4 ,the story-teller cannot1 by the way1 afford to ignore the evil in life4 ,you may have read the story of ,kipling's 8kid02 how the parents in fond but foolish love for their only son shut away from him all knowledge that evil has come into the world1 and how the son1 grown to manhood1 enters army life1 where he meets his first temptation and falls4 ,the moral of the tale is obvious4 ,though it is wise to keep in the wake of their experience with evil1 the story should help to provide the children with knowledge and modes of conduct for the situations of real life4 ,the cunning story-teller1 presenting this or that bit of life1 from which he has not made the mistake of taking out the evil already within the child's experience or presently to be met1 touches the child into recoil from evil and into admiration and imitation of the triumphant way of virtue4 ,the story should1 however1 oftener engage children's attention with good1 rather than evil1 as the central1 active force in life4 ,and the story told to the growing boy or girl1 and to the youth1 should prompt him to fine and finer endeavor4 ,it is a fatal error to assume that teachers and parents cannot help to raise the community's standards1 that the best the rising generation may carry out from home and school is negative prudence1 readiness to accept questionable social practices and ideals1 that they themselves may achieve worldly success4 ,if each generation does not leave the world a little better for its part in it1 it has lived in vain1 and its 8guides1 philosophers1 and friends10 the parents and teachers of it1 have denied their office4 ,the story helping toward this kind of constructivity should lead4 ,it is to the habit formed in its children that society must look for higher standards of living4 ,the story will widen the child's outlook on life4 ,on the wings of the word the listener may fly away to the uttermost bounds of the earth4 ,in the story world he1 if poor1 may be rich2 if sad1 merry2 if inarticulate1 he may find expression4 ,though it is not exhaustive1 this is an imposing array of reasons for admitting the story to unquestioned educational dignity4 ,if the school feel the need of broad1 scholarly precedent1 it may find it in the work or in the recorded opinions of such seers as the ,lambs1 ,longfellow1 ,carroll1 ,hawthorne1 ,scott1 ,stevenson1 ,browning1 ,ruskin1 ,froebel1 ,emerson4 ,as yet story-telling is largely left optional with the teacher4 ,should it not be made a delightful school requirement8 ,it addresses itself1 it is true1 mainly to the sthetic taste and the feelings1 it does not guarantee consequent action4 ,but give it place early enough1 and1 if it must bring it1 the other good effect will be added unto it4 ,the best reason for admitting the story to scholastic dignity still remains the best1 its lasting charm for the children4 ,,kinds ,,of ,,stories ,,to ,,tell ,we appear to be coming to the agreement that we should tell the children many of the old1 old stories and some of the new1 many stories from the world of the imagination1 some from the real world2 stories that will aid them in interpreting their world1 themselves1 other children1 some grown-ups1 nature2 stories that will direct aright the imagination1 the sympathies1 and the taste2 playful stories and more serious1 sensible and nonsensical2 short stories and longer2 stories to be told over and over again1 stories to be told in passing4 ,to meet the child's and later the girl's and boy's changing tastes and interests1 and the needs of their developing imagination and sympathies1 our choice should embrace1 besides a great many others that as yet have eluded classification1 fairy tales1 fables1 myths1 legends1 romances1 tales of adventure1 stories of animal life1 child life1 growing boy and girl life1 stories of great men and women4 ,some teachers find it hard to see any educational value in play-stories like 8,the ,three ,bears10 nonsense stories like 8,chicken-,licken10 and drolls1 or farce 8funny0 stories like 8,lazy ,jack40 ,they do not get the child's point of view4 ,they are disturbed by the apparently idle pleasure or extravagance of them4 8,chicken-,licken0 appears to be nothing but driveling nonsense4 ,the writer has no desire to attempt to turn it into sense nor to press unduly the claim of this particular type of story4 ,but why not let it in as a nonsense tale1 an opportunity for giving the mind a frolic8 ,this is advanced by some students of the tale as its possible origin4 ,it may be thought of as a reflection in literature of the navet of childhood2 it catches capitally its guilelessness in motive1 social intercourse1 and deed4 ,its form also is childlike4 ,the child ekes out invention in the manner of the tale1 by the open artifice of cumulation and repetition4 ,or the story may be dignified into literary introduction to that type of classic which records the very common human situation1 8much ado about nothing40 ,the same teachers are disturbed also by the ethical code of many of the folk tales2 they find it crude and fleshly4 ,it deals in large and sense-delighting rewards4 ,but may it not be possible that the child must be allowed time to grow to a more discriminating standard of conduct and a finer kind of satisfaction8 ,it is to be hoped1 however1 that even then the child will retain his capacity for laughing at merry play and hearty comedy4 ,laughter is good for the world4 ,it is a tonic to the emotions1 and regeneration to the spirit1 spurring it to fresh and better effort2 it is a sign1 too1 of broadening imagination and sympathy4 ,the man that has no laughter in him is like ,shakespeare's man that has no music in him1 8fit for treasons1 stratagems1 and spoils4 ,let no such man be trusted40 ,most stories will give the children a more reserved pleasure1 happy mental and sthetic satisfaction2 some a fine gladness and exaltation4 ,but let us not be too narrow to admit the wholesomely 8funny0 story4 ,the over-strained1 anmic1 goody-good story is likely to breed up a generation of canting hypocrites4 ,the little child is much occupied1 it is true1 with the task of being good1 and he is a great admirer of the good people in the stories4 ,there is room in children's literature for the rather obviously moral tale1 if it be not too often presented and if it be really charming4 ,from this point of view1 ,constance ,d',arcy ,mackay's book of plays called 8,the ,house of the ,heart and ,other ,tales0 is a suggestive contribution to children's drama4 ,for the younger children the story with plenty of action1 often with animals as characters1 and with happy ending has proved best4 ,the story with less joyous 8inevitable ending0 is1 however1 not to be excluded2 life is not to be distorted4 ,besides1 not all sad-ending stories are negative in effect1 leaving the child knowing only 8what not to do0 rather than 8what to do40 ,a story like ,hans ,andersen's 8,daisy10 for example1 induces constructive inference and effect4 ,,the ,,principles ,,of ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,telling ,,stories ,story-telling is one of the most spontaneous of the social arts4 ,yet it is an art1 governed by at least partially discerned principles4 ,analysis of them will be helpful to the story-teller1 but only in so far as he grasps the fundamental principle that story telling among the speech arts1 like wood-carving among the manual arts1 indeed1 even to a greater degree1 must be kept what it is by nature1 apparently without art1 nave and unelaborate4 ,,getting ,,the ,,story ,the story-teller must wholly take into himself the life of which he speaks1 must let it live and operate in himself freely4 --,,froebel4 ,the story-teller must himself possess the story before attempting to give it to another4 ,this sounds obvious1 but it is not granted in practice4 ,much poor schoolroom story-telling is evidently 8unprepared40 ,people born with a natural turn for story-telling1 and those who in their childhood heard real story-telling1 need to make less preparation than others2 but all story-tellers need to make preparation4 ,much of the story-telling masquerading as such is quackery1 showing neither genius nor study4 ,even in the very early days when formal instruction in story-telling was unknown1 the wandering story-teller watched constantly to make his performance tell1 modifying his method in the light of its effect upon his hearers4 ,later on1 in the ,middle ,ages1 the court story-teller was professionally trained 7and also handsomely remunerated and given the place of honor at the banquet74 ,intellectual study of the story will not1 by the way1 destroy spontaneity4 ,it may dash it temporarily4 ,coleridge tells us that his professor in poetics did not hesitate to subject to the scrutiny of the microscope the most delicate flowers and fruits of fancy4 7,english in the schools has suffered from the results1 in its teachers1 of the 8literary affectation10 which condemns attempt at definite ,english scholarship47 ,let us give all outlet possible to natural ability1 and to the inspiration of time and audience2 but let us not neglect the forethought of preparation4 ,shakespeare did not1 ,sir ,henry ,irving did not1 ,duse does not4 ,some teachers fall back on reading the story2 this has its own place1 but it cannot take the place of telling4 ,the belief that story-telling should be studied is gaining ground in a most convincing quarter1 the home4 ,the office of motherhood is deeply associated with things done instinctively right2 but the mother herself at mothers' clubs and elsewhere is seeking instruction in this chief mother art4 ,to get the story1 relax your imagination and sympathy and let them go out to it4 ,sit down with it and read and re-read it1 or listen to it1 and brood upon it until you absorb its life1 until you think and feel and move in its being4 ,conjure up its scene and people and happening4 ,some may find imagining difficult4 ,perhaps it was neglected in their training4 ,let them not be discouraged2 each succeeding attempt to realize scene and person and action will make the task easier4 ,you may1 by the way1 study the story in either of two places3 a lovely natural spot1 where under the lure of century-wisdomed tree1 or amid sweet smells1 or flash of birds1 or beckonings of shadows1 you may catch the glamour of the old-world setting in the stories2 or in a city street swarming with children1 old-faced before their time4 ,the environment in the second studio1 far from destroying your effort to grasp the wonder-world of the story1 will make special appeal to you4 ,here you will feel divine compulsion to make child life more abundant3 to bring from story land bright hosts of gay fairies and gentle children and brave knights and real as well as fiction heroes as saving company for the little worldlings1 to make them chuckle with a child's hearty glee at trick of goblin or sprite1 or quake with delicious tremor at the tread of the terrible giant4 ,you will find that the 8toughest10 most crabbed city urchin will succumb to the witchery of the fairy folk1 to the charm of beauty and the fair play of kindness and honesty4 ,the child's world reflected in the story is the right of the child in the city tenement district1 and society's hope for him4 ,it is1 by the way1 no less the right of the rich child and no less society's hope for him4 ,after you have let the story take possession of you1 take possession of it4 ,to take possession of the story1 7#a7 ,seek its spirit and intention4 7#b7 ,grasp its elements2 its setting1 its action1 its characters4 7#c7 ,master its workmanship1 or its composition and style4 ,its spirit and intention4 ,students of folklore hesitate to impose on the folk tales ethical or sthetical motive2 but they would not object to our seeing in them1 in addition to certain primitive ideas1 this or that playful fancy or more serious reflection of life2 in 8,the ,elves and the ,shoemaker10 for example1 hearty testimony to the worth of honest effort1 the record raised to some degree of sthetic merit by the charm of elfin appreciation2 in 8,star ,dollars10 crude sketch of childlike goodness and faith1 the picture touched into beauty by the benediction of heaven2 lovely symbol of gentle living1 like 8,diamonds and ,toads02 sweet blossom of immortal beauty and goodness blighted by the withering poison of envy1 yet triumphantly blooming1 like 8,snow ,white20 simple appreciation of kindness of heart1 like the 8,hut in the ,wood20 idyl of the beauty and integrity of goodness1 like 8,beauty and the ,beast20 in 8,the ,straw1 the ,coal1 and the ,bean10 nave history of a merry-tragic situation2 in 8,the ,wolf and the ,seven ,kids10 the happy triumph of mother wit sharpened by love4 ,for the children they1 as well as the more modern tales1 must be kept direct1 simple stories4 ,but the student need not miss a broader significance4 ,he can hardly fail to appreciate the analogies to human conduct so often implied in ,hans ,andersen's tales1 done1 as in ,dante's great tale1 with conscious intent4 ,he must not1 however1 ask the children to probe for hidden meanings1 and he must not strain at suggesting them in his interpretation4 ,the story is not to be turned into an abstraction2 its concreteness is the secret of its power to please and to move4 ,after you have thus characterized the story to yourself1 grasp its elements3 its setting1 or time and place2 its action2 its persons1 or characters4 ,and cultivate sensibility to their appropriateness4 ,the setting4 ,the lovely fairy romances1 old and new1 like 8,the ,frog ,prince10 8,cinderella10 ,andersen's 8,princess on the ,pea10 occurred in the all-possible 8once upon a time10 or in that delectable bygone when 8wishing was having10 or in such right good kingly times as ,arthur's or ,charlemagne's4 ,sometimes the place was an enchanted castle shut away behind a hedge of thorns and trees1 in the very heart of a forest1 a hedge that sprang up in a quarter of an hour1 with thorns long enough to impale unworthy suitors2 sometimes it was the highroad out to the world1 upon which many a stout hero set foot to seek fortune4 ,the merry gallant history of 8,tom ,thumb10 fairy fledgeling1 wizard-fostered1 king's jester and doughty knightling1 is referred to the magical days of ,merlin and the chivalrous court of ,arthur4 ,we find him1 too1 versatile little imp1 in his mother's practical pudding bowl1 in the red cow's mouth1 in a giant's stomach1 inside a fish2 and each place is capital setting for him4 ,who says that giants are figments of the imagination8 ,the people of ,cornwall record that it was in their land that ,jack killed the giant1 and they point out a castle built on a rock standing in the sea as the stronghold of the monster4 7,let the folklorists find in this primitive belief1 if they will2 let us find1 also1 artistic fitness47 ,what a delightful plausibility the tale takes on from this minutely recorded geographical setting1 as delightful in its way as the vague long ago and dim place of other tales6 ,here1 in the apparently artless tale1 is the artistic device by which ,defoe hoodwinked the ,england of his day into believing that ,robinson ,crusoe was fact and not truer fiction4 ,note the appropriateness in change of scene2 ,andersen's 8,ugly ,duckling10 among the modern tales1 affords a good study4 ,the artistic principle is applied more navely in the old story of 8,the ,hut in the ,wood0 at the transformation of the hut into a castle to be fit setting for the sovereign power and beauty of kindness2 also in 8,mother ,holle10 at the emergence of the child from the dark well and darker despair into the lovely meadow where the sun was shining1 and thousands of flowers were blooming1 and wonderful little ovens and red apple-trees called out to her1 and golden shower fell on her and glorified her4 ,in 8,dummling10 at the stage when enchantment is brought in1 the scene changes completely to a stone castle in whose courtyard are stalls containing stone horses4 ,note the narrative use made of setting4 ,the appearance of the sea1 in 8,the ,fisherman and his ,wife10 as the fisherman carries each succeeding wish of his wife to the flounder1 does as much to tell the story as the action itself4 ,setting1 then1 is part of the whole4 ,it is not to be overdone1 nor is any part in the simple story1 but its appropriateness is worth appreciation4 ,the action4 ,the action is of course the chief part of the story4 ,the motive of the action is easy to find4 ,but again note that it is faithful to life and that it paves the way for appreciation of the motives of greater literature4 ,in the simple tales1 as in the novel and the drama1 the action arises from love1 hate1 envy1 spirit of adventure1 friendship1 malice1 spirit of fun and play4 ,grasp the details of the action4 ,in some versions of 8,the ,frog ,prince0 the falling of the princess's golden ball into the well is made the occasion for the appearance of the magical frog1 which1 for the aid he offers1 imposes the condition of companionship and love4 ,the princess pretends agreement4 ,her repugnance to the frog becomes the complicating force4 ,and 7in some tales7 her father's insistence that she keep her promise to the frog makes all come out happily2 the frog stands revealed a prince in disguise1 and marries the princess4 ,in 8,dummling0 the despised stupid third and youngest brother sets out to seek his elders2 then come the three acts of unkindness he prevents2 then the failure of the elders at the task set forth in the enchanted castle1 and ,dummling's success1 due to the aid of the creatures to whom he had shown kindness1 followed by his triumphant marriage to the youngest and dearest of the princesses4 ,in 8,the ,cat and the ,mouse in ,partnership10 the story opens with the doubtful compact entered into by the mouse on the cat's representation of friendship1 and her agreement to his proposal that they lay by a pot of fat for the winter4 ,the cat has the hardihood to propose the church as the safest hiding place for the pot of fat1 hypocritically saying that no one would dare steal anything from a church4 ,then comes the cat's first 8gulling0 of the frank little mouse with his story of having been asked to be godfather to his cousin's remarkable child4 8,beauty and the ,beast0 is another good character study1 and from an important point of view for the little child's story a better one1 as this time virtue is unmistakably triumphant4 ,the student will gradually develop sensibility to the typical materials of folk story3 human difficulty overcome by supernatural aid2 the task of guessing a name1 or the forfeit of a child1 as a condition for aid1 as in 8,rumpelstiltskin20 trial and triumph of the despised ugly third sister or stupid third brother2 doughty deeds that overcome bulk of body with nimbleness of wit1 as in 8,jack the ,giant ,killer20 greed of wishing whose indulgence precipitates loss of all1 as in 8,the ,fisherman and his ,wife20 reward of kindness to animals1 as in 8,the ,hut in the ,wood40 ,the characters4 ,characterize the people in the story4 ,in their varied company is the story-teller's opportunity to acquaint the child with the chief kinds of persons to be found in literature and life2 the child himself1 cherishing mother1 doting grandmother1 virile father sending his sons out to find their place in the world1 loving brother and sister1 gentle people1 hateful people1 ill-tempered people1 cruel people1 jealous people1 kind people1 wily people1 frank people1 brave people1 cowards1 old people1 children1 sad people1 merry people4 ,besides these1 animals1 pigs and bears1 cows and hens and goats1 inhabit the child's world side by side with man1 helping the story to make its way to the child's affections4 ,then there is the host of witching fairy folk3 fairies1 giants1 elves1 pixies1 witches1 goblins4 ,music as well as language has attempted to suggest them1 and with surprising agreement in artistic convention4 ,language makes fairies light1 airy1 tripping2 goblins1 grotesque2 so does music4 ,language makes the giant huge1 clumsy1 big-handed and big-footed1 but stupid2 ,wagner gives ponderous musical motif to the dragon1 the 8laidly worm10 the giant of his music dramas1 and also makes him conquerable4 ,the workmanship1 composition1 and style4 ,much story-telling is spoiled by disregard of the composition of the narrative4 ,by composition here is meant what is meant in painting or sculpture1 the arranging1 or grouping1 of the materials1 to build out the whole4 ,the method of grouping in the folk story is apparent4 ,at the beginning of the story are the time and place1 some of the principal characters1 and the motive of the action4 ,next follows the action1 easily separable into rise1 course1 resolution4 ,in many of the stories1 for example1 in 8,the ,frog ,prince10 there is after the action an explanation of enchantment2 and an assurance that all went well ever after or quaint formula like that parodied in 8,they stepped on a tin1 and the tin bended1 so my story's ended10 whose purpose1 similar to that of ,shakespeare's rhyming couplet in his earlier dramas1 is to give conclusive ending to the tale4 ,like 8,mrs4 ,wiggs of the ,cabbage ,patch10 who stayed on at the theater after the curtain had gone down on the last scene1 the children1 though sensitive to artistic reserve1 are not always satisfied with highly reserved ending4 ,the story-teller should cultivate sensibility to story-building2 it is the creative principle of story-telling4 ,it is really surprising how lacking the beginner is in consciousness of structure4 ,he should study structure until he can feel the tale making3 the scene putting in1 the people coming in1 the motive revealing itself1 the action starting1 and going forward until it arrives at climax and solution1 the whole winding up with happy prophecy of the far future4 ,grasp especially the composition of the action4 ,it is usually built on one of the following plans3 7a7 ,the single line of sequence1 as in ,hans ,andersen's 8,princess on the ,pea10 or 8,the ,sleeping ,beauty10 or 8,the ,frog ,prince20 7b7 ,the three-parallel line--what the first did1 what the second did1 what the third did1--as in 8,the ,golden ,pears0 and in 8,dummling20 7c7 ,the balanced antithetical plan1 two contrasting courses of action placed side by side1 what the beautiful1 what the ugly1 industrious child did idle child did1 as in 8,mother ,holle0 or in 8,diamonds and ,toads40 7d7 ,the cumulative plan1 as in 8,henny-,penny10 8,the ,cat and the ,mouse in the ,malt ,house10 8,the ,house that ,jack ,built10 8,the ,old ,woman and her ,pig40 ,do not miss the increase in interest and suspense4 ,note in the three-parallel structure the climactic 8thirdness0 and its distinguishing characteristic2 it is the youngest and the stupid third member of the family who turns out to be the cleverest and most favored of fortune2 it is ,dummling who marries the sweetest princess2 it is the woodcutter's third daughter who proves considerate of the dumb animals1 frees the castle of enchantment1 and marries the prince4 ,note1 too1 that the old-world story-tellers were sensitive to the dramatic effect of the contrasts in life4 ,the miller's daughter1 innocent victim of her father's ambition1 sits down in despair to weep over an impossible task1 and 8at this moment the door opens and in comes a comical little dwarf0 who with three magical whirrs of the spinning-wheel turn a roomful of straw into gold4 ,it is the very day of her fifteenth birthday that the princess must take to explore the castle and come upon unsuspected spinning-wheel with which to prick her finger that the witch's prophecy may be fulfilled1 but1 as is the merry good luck of romance1 it is on the last day of the hundred years that the prince goes hunting to spy1 not deer1 but the towers of the identical castle in which the ,sleeping ,beauty lies1 inquires about it of everyone until he meets the very man who can tell him what 8my father told me10 and rides off to awaken the princess4 ,it is always so in literature sound at heart1 whether it be in a ,shakespearean comedy1 in which cottages appear in the forest in the nick of time as night is falling and lovely ladies and gallant knights are footsore and weary2 or whether it be in simple fairy tale abounding in porridge pots1 appearing when folks are on the brink of starvation and cooking like mad1 8as if they would feed the whole world0 at the magic words1 8,little pot1 cook10 or in frogs popping out of near by wells in time to say1 8,your wish shall be fulfilled1 within a year you shall have a little child10 or in small ovens and red apple-trees placed 8conveniently low40 ,the scholarly student of narrative or dramatic technique recognizes this as what he calls comic relief to offset the pathos of the situation2 the student lacking this knowledge accepts with satisfaction the plausibleness of timely happening4 ,after this careful work read the story again for enriched appreciation of it4 ,now put the book away and go about your business4 ,by and by see whether you know the story4 ,let no mistrust born of book dependence and neglect of the constructive imagination daunt you4 ,boldly sketch in time and place1 introduce the first characters1 suggest the motive of the action1 start the action1 carry it forward to climax and solution1 wind up the whole4 ,now criticise your product4 ,is it the thing you meant it to be8 ,thackeray tells us his characters and plots got out of his hands and finished themselves4 ,is it the tale as 8'twas told to you10 is it an improved version1 is it a new story8 ,one and all may be in place4 ,some will feel that they have spoiled the story4 ,they have bungled the structure through unskillful placing1 or omission of necessary details4 ,they have dulled life1 dimmed beauty1 obscured truth for lack of words4 ,well1 there is no harm done as yet4 ,these students1 studying again the parts in which they failed1 will appreciate now more thoroughly play and interplay of character1 detail and course of action1 vivid word4 ,the cat in 8,the ,bremen ,town ,musicians10 they will note1 is capitally described 7in some accepted texts7 as having a face that looked like 8three days of rainy weather20 ,snow-,white and ,rose-,red were 8like the rose-bushes in their mother's garden20 they will not miss in 8,the ,cat and the ,mouse0 the cat's sly description of the pot of fat and the apt names he gives his bogus godchildren4 ,in this way the appropriate word or phrase will come to them easily4 ,the question often asked1 8,am ,i to hold myself to the text80 is interesting4 ,it applies of course only to artistic texts1 not to formless source material4 ,some people contend that this destroys the spirit of story-telling1 making the art mechanical instead of creative4 ,story-telling is creative effort1 never mere repetition of the letter4 ,it is creative effort1 whether you make live again something produced by another1 or make live more abundantly by perfecting matter and form produced by another1 or make new life4 ,the question cannot be answered offhand4 ,if it were true that the text form1 the composition and diction1 in which you found the story1 were the perfect reflection of its life and that the story suffered no change in your comprehension of it1 and that it were your intention to pass it on without modification or loss to the child1 and that he could receive it without change in form1 then the answer appears to follow3 you are to be faithful to the text4 ,in some cases the form in which the folk tale is found has suffered through translation1 in others it may be intrinsically faulty2 in many texts of 8,the ,frog ,prince10 for example1 the ,iron ,john incident is too detached and very much out of perspective4 ,the story-teller who can make it better should do so1 or who feels prompted to give the children another product from old materials will use them1 though the folklorists will forbid him to palm off his product as old-world lore4 ,any training in story-telling that does not give outlet and direction to such ability and to originality neglects an important obligation to the student4 ,it is notable1 by the way1 that it is the student with the literary artist's instinct who is surest to 8get0 the style of any good original he may be reproducing4 ,proper simplification of standard texts and the question of adaptation to younger and older audiences will be considered later4 ,are we not inconsistent in our attitude toward form in language8 ,we profess to recognize reverently an intimate relation between the matter and the manner in the sculptor's1 the painter's1 the musician's art4 ,but we constantly deny any integrity to language as a medium of expression4 ,we do not1 to be sure1 attempt to tamper with the form the great poets gave their message4 ,indeed we 8get0 the verse running through the simple prose tale1 although it is scarcely less artless than is the prose4 ,but everyone because he can speak in words appears to feel competent to tell the prose body of the stories in 8his own words40 ,now1 every word in the folktale may not be so necessary to its thought as very minute details in ,shakespeare's or even in ,kipling's or ,andersen's or ,stockton's form are considered to his thought4 ,but there is such a thing as folk-story style1 easy1 loose sentence liberally sprinkled with ands and sos1 picture-making word1 distinctive epithet1 recurrent jingle1 rhythmic swing4 ,it is surprising how insensible students are to it4 ,yet it is due largely1 no doubt1 to the best of all causes1 the belief that the story is to be given living form by the teller4 ,dull rote memorizing will not of course do this4 ,the method of study set forth suggests how the story-teller may easily develop sensibility to folk-story style and easily train himself to 8do10 or 8catch10 it4 ,let us not be afraid of a due regard for form4 ,right attention to form is not testimony to the worth of the superficial4 ,the poet says1 8,the soul is form and doth the body make40 ,let us see to it that we make the language body of our story by clear reflection of its spirit4 ,the question of oral interpretation1 or oral form1 the more important aspect of form1 while properly a matter to be settled by the student during the stage of preparation1 is here more conveniently considered under the next head4 ,,telling ,,the ,,story ,this is truly the stage of creation4 ,no matter how familiar you made yourself with the story in the privacy of your studio1 you will now find happening something surprising4 ,the story will come to your own ears and stand revealed to your imagination with the joy of discovery4 ,the truth is1 it was made to be shared with another1 and you hadn't it at all until you gave it away4 ,what spontaneity rewards you6 ,how you find yourself rising to the occasion--your own latent capabilities1 the expanding possibilities in the story1 the response of your audience6 ,let us take up the topic1 telling the story1 under the practical heads3 7#a7 ,choosing or meeting story-telling time2 7#b7 ,the story-teller's part2 7#c7 ,controlling canons of the story-teller's part4 7#a7 ,choosing or meeting story-telling time4 8,to everything10 says ,ecclesiastes1 8there is a season and a time for every purpose under the heaven 444 a time to weep and a time to laugh 444 a time to keep silence and a time to speak40 ,is there an ideal time for telling a story8 ,assuredly2 at this time the story comes to the listener with more pleasure1 or stronger appeal to the feelings4 ,but the 8pedagogical0 story-teller1 parent or teacher1 must take care not to mistake suitable occasion4 ,the error is not that the story-teller may have1 like the ,ancient ,mariner1 a tale of sin and virtue to tell to the soul that must hear it4 ,to say that the story must not be narrowed to didactic purpose is not to exclude altogether the story that may work spiritual reformation4 ,the trouble is that the story-teller sometimes precipitates irritation rather than reformation by untimeliness4 ,the moment when the child is defiant or angry and the teacher or parent cross is not the psychological moment for such a story4 ,it is at the turn in the tide of feeling that the story-teller may send into the wavering stream the saving grace of the tale4 ,there are times when the pupils are 8on0 for a mental frolic2 these are the times for the play or 8funny0 stories4 ,sometimes1 in order to quicken desirable response1 the teacher or parent will judge it better to run counter to the mood of the children4 ,she will sharpen the wits of dull children with a humorous story1 or broaden the horizon of the narrowly matter-of-fact with a tale of adventure or of supernatural occurrence4 ,celebrations or memorials call out appropriate stories4 ,the early ,hebrew father took advantage of his sons' questions about the festivals celebrated in their midst to tell the great ,bible story4 ,the ,christian ,church sometimes narrates the lives of the saints to her children on feast days to inspire the heroism of holy living4 ,things observed in nature1 and home and school circumstances1 will suggest many stories4 ,and when all has been said about special times1 it remains true that almost any time in the wonder years of childhood is story time4 ,but the teacher may say1 8,story-telling time means precisely eleven-fifteen on ,tuesday morning2 the individual teacher has nothing to say about it40 ,the thing to do1 then1 is to induce the story-telling mood at eleven-fifteen ,tuesday morning4 ,what we should urge here between ourselves is the obligation to give place heartily at this time to the story4 ,no matter how ill things may have gone and how cross we ourselves may have become1 we must now let pleasurable anticipation take possession of the classroom4 7#b7 ,the story-teller's part4 ,the rle of story-teller is simple yet subtle1 more easily shown than explained4 ,the story-teller is recounter of a happening1 real or fictitious1 merry or pathetic1 that because of its appeal to the imagination and sympathies has been given currency in language4 ,to share with another the glimpse of life it gives the imagination1 the feeling it arouses1 the sthetic satisfaction it yields1 was man's reason for telling it4 ,the story-teller's part1 then1 is so to employ and interpret the medium of currency as to free this force4 ,beginning the story4 ,the story-teller should begin the story with the air of having something interesting and enjoyable to tell4 ,if the contents of the story had not been interesting1 they would never have made a story2 the story-teller may depend on this intrinsic interest4 ,he should have also the air of leisure2 story-telling is one of the social arts of leisure and pleasure2 besides1 stories record significant occurrences1 which should be given the emphasis of time4 ,his initial manner should give hint of the spirit of the particular story he is to tell4 ,the first phrase1 8,there were five-and-twenty tin soldiers10 sounds the playful martial spirit of ,hans ,andersen's 8,brave ,tin ,soldier20 the story-teller echoes it in martial bearing and in martial swing and ring in his speech1 in1 of course1 the playful manner of a story about a little toy soldier4 ,mother-love broods through the story of 8,the ,wolf and the ,seven ,kids20 the story-teller suggests1 in voice and eyes and fostering posture1 its loving pride and anxiety4 ,should the story-teller begin in rather obvious make-believe-matter-of-fact style1 his eyes hinting fun1 the children will chuckle in delighted anticipation of a nonsense or a humorous story4 ,the wholly impassive manner adopted by some story-tellers in telling 8funny0 stories to adult audiences will not do with children4 ,the adult's enjoyment consists largely in his ability to remake as fun what the teller is representing as sober fact4 ,children1 because of their lack of knowledge and experience1 need more leading4 ,stories like 8,the ,three ,bears0 correspond in spirit to nursery rhymes like 8,this little pig went to market20 they should be kept as childlike1 mimetic1 rhythmic1 and playful4 ,southey gives the key to the spirit of 8,the ,three ,bears0 in the setting4 ,every detail shows how well he caught the child-note3 interest in wild animals1 the bear a favorite2 tendency to dramatic mimicry2 response to rhythm2 pleasure in possessions1 this very complete 8house of their own10 kept by bears1 delights the children4 ,a hero story like 8,jack the ,giant ,killer0 calls for a bold spirit4 8,snow-,white and ,rose-,red0 sounds the domestic note3 cheerful fireside group2 mother reading from a 8large book10 children spinning1 animals lying near4 ,the setting here1 though long1 may easily be made attractive by the story-teller's own pleasure in every detail4 ,the characters also should be introduced with hint of their personality4 8,snow-,white and ,rose-,red were as happy1 as busy and cheerful10 says the story-teller1 showing cheerful pleasure in them1 8as any two children in the world40 8,snow-,white10 softening voice and eyes1 8was more quiet and gentle2 ,rose-,red10 adopting a livelier manner1 8liked better to run about the fields and pick flowers and chase butterflies40 8,there was once a widow who had two daughters2 one of them10 says the story-teller1 smiling in the pleasure goodness and beauty1 whether physical or spiritual1 always excite in us1 8was pretty and industrious2 the other10 voice and face expressing disapproval of her1 8was ugly and idle40 8,a certain man had a donkey10 says the story-teller1 with such suggestion of possibilities in the donkey evident in forward posture1 in face and voice1 that the listener at once suspects that1 as ,hans ,andersen would put it1 that donkey 8became worth talking about40 ,the story-teller begins then1 as both prophet and sibyl1 telling yet1 especially at this stage1 not 8giving it away40 ,he must let the story reveal and the child discover2 this is the joy of it4 ,building out the story4 ,having laid the foundation upon which he is to build the happening1 the story-teller should1 as a rule1 in building fashion pause4 ,he then enters upon the action1 carrying it forward1 slowly or rapidly1 according as its course demands1 arousing suspense and increasing the interest in the outcome4 ,how he does this will be suggested farther on4 ,as the story proceeds he must of course treat character consistently4 ,sensibility to the nature of the particular character he is interpreting will enable him to voice and conduct it appropriately4 ,nothing more than suggestion is in place4 ,the story-teller's fairy voice may be light and tinkling like silver bells1 his witch made graphic through pointed1 hag-like chin and fingers and stooped body1 his fox smooth and sly1 his wolf snarling1 his giant1 as said before1 big-voiced and ponderous4 ,he can hardly fail to catch the steely high voice and proud manner ,hans ,andersen intended for the vain but delightful ,darning ,needle4 ,after1 as a rule1 pausing to give effect to the climax of the action1 the story-teller passes in many stories to a brief but clear explanation of enchantment1 and winds up the whole happily1 leaving the child supremely pleased4 7#c7 ,controlling canons of the story-teller's part4 ,some of the chief canons governing the story-teller are directness1 spontaneity1 graphicness1 reserve1 skill in the use of the voice1 simplicity4 ,directness is the principle of immediateness1 by virtue of which story and listener are brought into contact4 ,it has its roots in the social and magnetic nature of the art4 ,in its fullest sense it is comprehensive of all the other canons4 ,directness concerns both the outer and the inner self of the story-teller4 ,the part played by the outer self is simple4 ,before beginning his story the story-teller should 8go to0 and 8gather0 his listeners4 ,he does this by assuming the physical position and mental attitude of communicator4 ,a person who has anything to tell another that he thinks will move or please him does not stand aloof4 ,the story-teller should not stand aloof4 ,he may place himself in front of his listeners1 at such a point as will enable him to command all4 ,before beginning he will get the listening attention by invitation of posture and direct face to face look1 or by the magnetic force of the story now animating his whole person4 ,some story-tellers then begin to address themselves to someone near by whom they feel to be the most responsive listener1 or whom they wish to interest1 then address a wider and wider circle until they are reaching everyone4 ,others project the story into the ears of someone in the middle of the group1 making this the radiating point from which to grasp all4 ,the story-teller through his outer self must observe the principle of directness in another way4 ,in looks and actions his external self must help to convey the spirit of the story3 posture1 facial expression1 gesture1 voice must not contradict but declare what the lips are saying4 ,it is in recognition of the relation between the external self of the story-teller and his story that some story-tellers 8make up10 or put on appropriate costume4 ,this has its power and charm4 ,but for the 8everydayness0 of story-telling in home and school it is undesirable1 unnecessary1 and impracticable4 ,what is necessary is something less troublesome but more important3 such domination1 or absorption1 of the external self by the spirit of the story as will subdue it to the story-teller's use4 ,this will help to induce the right feeling response4 ,feeling1 as everyone knows1 is 8catching40 ,fun will call out fun2 pathos1 pathos2 gladness at beauty1 goodness1 or truth1 like joy4 ,the whole being of the ,ancient ,mariner told his story4 ,simple stories do not demand emotional intensity1 but the principle remains4 ,the student will find it helpful to sit opposite ,tadema's 8,reading ,homer10 to get an idea of the recounter's abandon4 ,the principle of directness as it applies through the inner self of the story-teller is as easy to understand4 ,the story-teller must not allow any intruding mental state or circumstance1 any intruding 8self10 to come between the story and the listener4 ,such a self may be 7#a7 ,the diffident or embarrassed self of the self-conscious story-teller4 7#b7 ,the vain or affected self of the insincere story-teller4 7#c7 ,the weakening self of the patronizing story-teller4 7#d7 ,the non-seeing self of the non-spontaneous story-teller4 7#e7 ,the non-sensible1 or non-artistic1 self of the 8sledge hammer0 story-teller4 7#f7 ,the non-communicating self of the 8acting0 story-teller4 7#g7 ,the misinformed self of the lifeless story-teller4 7#a7 ,the self-conscious self is not hard to overcome4 ,diffidence arises from a false modesty1 due to the story-teller's failure to realize his obligation to the child and to the story4 ,his part now is not to occupy himself with mistrust of his own ability1 but to bend all his energies to interpreting the story for the listener4 ,embarrassment may be due to natural shyness or to lack of ease in the art of story-telling4 ,if due to the first1 it should also disappear as the story-teller realizes his obligation2 if to the second1 time and practice will probably cure it4 ,it is well to throw off embarrassment vigorously at the outset and plunge into the story2 it is surprising how easy and complete will be the victory4 7#b7 ,vain insincerity is a more serious intrusion4 ,it shows itself usually in an affected manner and a false ring in the voice4 ,the story-teller is not engaged in telling the story1 but in exhibiting himself4 ,the children will at once sense such a fraud4 ,the pity is that they should ever have had the chance to do so2 it is often the beginning of insincerity in them4 ,this story-teller also must strive to realize his important office4 7#c7 ,a patronizing story-teller is as great an obstruction4 ,his manner is unctuous and 8glawming40 ,it dwarfs the listener1 belittling him and undermining his frankness4 ,hear how the great queen did in ,morris's tale3 8,then she held him a little season on her weary and happy breast1 ,and she told him of ,sigmund and ,volsung and the best sprung from the best2 ,she spake to the new-born baby as one who might understand40 ,the spirit of the italicized words should be the story-teller's guide4 ,watch the child the first time he comes under the sway of the patronizing story-teller1 how he eyes the babying smile meant to be engaging1 how he holds aloof4 ,the story-teller must trust the child and trust the story4 ,he chooses the story for its suitability in arousing and directing the child's imagination1 sympathies1 or sthetic sense4 ,having made the selection on this basis1 his part now is to be1 not officious meddler1 no matter how well meaning1 but communicator4 ,the patronizing story-teller is inclined to 8thin out0 the story4 ,there is a proper kind of remaking allowable in telling a story or in fitting it to younger or older audiences4 ,if too much is necessary1 the story is probably not in any degree suitable2 it might better be left until the children are older4 ,there are for the meantime plenty of stories more nearly available4 ,some modes of simplification of the content allowable are3 omission of details in description and omission of minor characters and incidents1 in some cases to be added later2 preparatory talk or explanation1 reduced to its very lowest terms2 conversation or explanation after the telling1 to be followed soon by another telling4 ,the form may be made easier by simplification of the complicated sentences or unchildlike modes of speech1 by very sparing use of running explanation1 by use of roundabout easier phrase to be replaced by the directly descriptive word4 ,the power and the glory for the listening child are more surely in the message as the seer1 yourself or another story inventor1 saw and delivered it1 than in any garbled paraphrase of it1 all that many attempting story-telling can manage4 ,their opportunity lies in the field of interpretation1 unless they are genuinely engaged in changing the story or in themselves telling a different story or in truly artistic simplification4 ,have faith in the little child3 in his sensibility to artistic fitness1 in his intelligence1 in his ready sympathy4 ,have faith in the story4 ,best of all modes1 the story may be simplified1 not by making it over into something else1 but by making it into itself through interpretation4 7#d7 ,some story-tellers bring an uninformed self to the story4 ,the root of their difficulty is failure to see and feel the child world4 ,so important is the principle of insight that it will be taken up at length1 under the heading spontaneity4 7#e7 ,a story-teller lacking in artistic sensibility does not discern the story as a form of art1 though a nave form4 ,he intrudes between the story and the child what1 for lack of a better term1 the writer called a 8sledge-hammer0 self1 or a didactic self4 ,it resorts to pedagogical pounding1 dealing largely in stress on words and in the falling inflection4 ,it vainly attempts to force the story and the child into contact through the intellect1 or sometimes the bugaboo of conscience1 instead of by the open pathway made by freeing the spirit of the story4 ,one example1 by the way1 of the tendency to force the didactic note is the made over version of ,southey's 8,three ,bears10 in which the story begins with ,silver ,locks 7the little wee woman of the older version is coming back7 and makes much of her naughtiness1 left in ,southey's story to indirect playful condemnation4 ,this puts her at once in the emphatic position1 robbing the three bears of their rank1 and the story and the children of the play spirit4 7#f7 ,the story-teller who confounds dramatization 7not dramatic suggestion7 with narration substitutes a detached exhibiting self for the story-teller's intimate1 communicating self4 ,he fails to tell the story4 ,this also will be considered at length under another canon4 7#g7 ,finally1 an intruding self is the misinformed self of the lifeless story-teller4 ,it makes story-telling nothing but colorless word-calling4 ,it arises from a false psychology1 resting on the assumption that the child's imaginative and emotional life differs in kind from the adult's 7sound in so far as it condemns strain on the imagination and the emotions72 a false ethics1 mistrusting attention to oral form1 or to beauty of speech2 wrong habit in speech4 ,whatever its source1 it prevents the contact of child and story4 ,the canon of directness1 then1 requires that both the outer and the inner self lend themselves to telling the story to the listener without obstruction4 ,spontaneity is the canon of naturalness1 by virtue of which the story has genuine life4 ,it creates the illusion that the story-teller is spinning his tale from within out1 its life having become part and parcel of his imaginative and emotional experience4 ,it depends upon insight4 ,the story-teller of childlike tales must 8live with our children10 as ,froebel said2 he must cultivate sensibility to the child's world1 catch its spirit of play and happiness and activity1 respect its serious moods1 note its affectionate intimacy with animals1 cats and dogs and hens and horses1 respond to its humor1 feel above all its emotional sincerity and simplicity4 ,the child carries himself unaffectedly4 ,it is easy to detect the story-teller who fails of insight into the child's world4 ,he is either wholly insensible to its characteristics1 or he grotesquely exaggerates everything4 ,the first method leaves the child unmoved1 the second undermines his sincerity4 ,the story-teller need not1 however1 be afraid to give full value to story materials3 to idealize its people and happenings2 to make its heroines frankly good and beautiful1 its supernatural properties adequate1 its 8great huge bears0 satisfyingly huge2 to give its seven-leagued giants voice possibilities that will cause half-quaking1 half-chuckling listeners to shake in their shoes in whole-hearted enjoyment2 to make its porridge pots1 that cooked or stopped the minute a certain good little girl said so1 magical4 ,story art1 like all art1 idealizes its materials the moment it selects them2 the story-teller in turn holds them up to view of the imagination4 ,nor need the adult story-teller be afraid of illumining the view more fully than might a child teller1 by the light of the adult's richer knowledge and experience4 ,no1 the story-teller is not to impoverish nor dull the story2 but he is to guard against giving the listener the impression of unsuccessful pretense at it1 and against urging him to strained imagining and feeling4 ,until1 alas1 custom stales him to its false ring1 a child condemns the unseeing story-teller1 not recognizing him as kith nor kin4 ,to satisfy the canon of spontaneity1 then1 the story-teller must see and feel the tale he attempts to tell1 that he may re-create its spirit4 ,by graphicness is meant vividness1 by virtue of which the story is made plain to the imagination and quick to the feelings4 ,it is secured by the various means of oral interpretation 7to be considered under another heading71 helped out by facial expression1 and sometimes by gesture or by dramatic suggestion4 ,it is governed by the imperative complementary canon of reserve4 ,reserve is the canon of artistic restraint2 as applied here1 it keeps story-telling the art of communicating1 not allowing it to pass beyond the limits of dramatic suggestion into dramatization4 ,it is the greater degree of artistic reserve that divides story-telling sharply from dramatization and gives it its special magnetic charm and enduring strength4 ,the essence of dramatization is sensible actualization1 the essence of story-telling is imaginative suggestion4 ,the story tells1 yet leaves to the listener exhaustless discovery4 ,at each re-telling the story allures the listener's imagination to catch added import4 ,the listener maturing into the adult may penetrate a specific detail in the childlike allegory and uncover a symbol of everlasting life1 eternal youth or truth or beauty1 and having found it1 he can never with listening exhaust the depths of it4 ,is it fanciful to conjecture whether it be some response to this imperishable integrity that urges children to demand the same tale over and over again8 ,psychology has discerned in them wiseacres learning the realities of life through play4 ,why not also through story8 ,dramatic suggestion as an aid to language and subordinate to it is1 however1 in place4 ,it was indulged in freely by primitive story-tellers4 ,children use it instinctively4 ,hint of happening1 by show of action2 or glimpse of character1 by posture1 facial expression1 suggestion in tone1 is sufficient4 ,such hint at once makes the situation or character plain to the imagination4 ,the queen in ,hans ,andersen's 8,princess on the ,pea10 for example1 is well brought into the story by the story-teller's taking on a look of shrewdness1 with perhaps shaking of the head1 before he tells what the queen thinks of this 8real0 princess who presents herself thus bedraggled4 ,in doing this the story-teller must preserve the appearance and intention of narration4 ,as soon as some students of story-telling attempt dramatic suggestion they lose the listener and lapse into playing rather than telling4 ,even when dialogue or monologue demands a degree of impersonation the story-teller must keep in mind that it is for the purpose of telling the story to the listener4 ,he shows1 or illustrates1 looking back to insure that the listener is following1 or to make communication4 ,after the story-teller's pantomime of surprise and delight at finding the shoes1 in 8,the ,elves and the ,shoemaker10 for example1 he looks at his listeners to communicate his feeling to them and invite their corresponding emotion1 then makes verbal communication to them4 ,suggestive gesture may also be used to make language graphic4 7,beginners often neglect to keep the hands free for gesture they may be impelled to use47 ,for the sake of the child we must recover1 if we have lost it1 the speaking face1 animated body1 and eloquent hand of our childhood4 ,as the word gains in meaning1 we resort to gesture more sparingly4 ,gesture should precede the word4 ,watch the unconscious child in his use of gesture2 he tells with the hand and body before he tells with the word4 ,some beginners drop a gesture so quickly that they might as well have done without it1 others sustain it too long4 ,gesture is used1 as a rule1 for one of two chief purposes1 demonstration or appeal to the imagination or feelings4 ,when the story-teller is using it to show shape or size or place1 he does not need it any longer after he has done this4 ,if he is using it to send the imagination of his listeners out or to appeal to their emotions1 he must sustain it until it has accomplished its effect4 ,sometimes a quick strong gesture makes powerful appeal to the imagination2 sometimes sustained gesture serves as aftermath1 still telling to the imagination4 ,gesture must not appear detached from the story-teller1 that is1 put on from the outside2 it should come from within1 in the story-teller's effort to tell4 ,it is helpful1 too1 to note that gesture partakes of the imitativeness of art1--thus we speak of kingly gesture1 commanding gesture1 witchlike gesture4 ,when dealing with things that address themselves to the expanding imagination1 gesture should be indefinite and broadly suggestive rather than definitive4 ,too prescriptive an indication of the size of the bears in 8,the ,three ,bears10 for example1 dwarfs for some generous imaginations the delightful hugeness of the great huge bear and the irresistible littleness of the little small wee bear4 ,free sweeping gesture is in place in the heroic legend4 ,suggestive posture is another means of giving vividness4 ,the story-teller might learn much from the painter and the sculptor about the eloquence of pose4 ,the ,pre-,raphaelite school of painting was no doubt guilty of extravagance1 but in pose and facial expression it caught some of the secrets of artistic suggestion4 ,we know how the sculptor1 too1 represents listening1 or surprise1 or courage4 ,the sculptor is1 of course1 very much more dependent on posture than is the speaker4 ,but posture should help the story-teller1 just as do tone and quality and rate of voice4 ,it will not do1 for example1 to settle back heavily in the seat while telling1 8,out popped the gingerbread boy and--0 ,it must not be forgotten1 however1 that pose also is under the imperative restriction of reserve2 narration is not the static art of posing4 ,constant or violent change in posture1 too1 except in particular stories demanding it1 is out of place2 story-telling is the quiet if animated and graphic art of communication4 ,posture and facial expression1 like gesture1 should precede the word1 prophesying of it1 and sometimes be sustained during pause for effect4 ,before leaving this canon1 the story-teller should understand that graphicness should sometimes be veiled under a pervading elusiveness4 ,some stories should be wrapped about with the charm of impalpability2 the mystery of them is the secret of their appeal4 ,this is the atmosphere for the romantic fairy tale1 like 8,the ,sleeping ,beauty10 and for many of the legends and romances4 ,we are now ready to sum up the canon of graphicness4 ,we have defined it as the dynamic principle of vividness by virtue of which the story is made plain to the imagination4 ,it is secured by the supreme agency of speech1 aided sometimes1 in greater or less degree1 by posture1 gesture1 facial expression1 and dramatic suggestion4 ,it is under the imperative restriction of the canon of reserve4 ,in an art defined as story-telling the skillful use of the voice is the chief technique to be mastered1 and1 alas1 the least regarded4 ,it is1 however1 gaining ground4 ,story-tellers are finding it increasingly reasonable to believe there is close connection between what is to be told and how it is told4 ,while it is true that so strong is the vitality of the what that it will usually triumph in some degree over the how1 this is no sound argument for abandoning it to that fate4 ,it is also true1 because of the social nature of language1 that the listener will do much1 no matter how dull the how1 to inform and transform the what in the light of his own knowledge and experience4 ,this is precisely in just measure what he is to do4 ,but this argument also is weak4 ,man tries to utter his meaning1 to give sound to the sense of his thought4 ,all students of words appear to agree to this as a primary creative principle4 ,and in the utterance of language he employs instinctively what some story-tellers condemn as the 8show0 tricks of elocutionists3 suggestive quality or pitch of voice2 slow or rapid rate of speaking2 grouping1 inflection1 and pause4 ,mastery of this instinctive use of speech in its fullness and perfection1 as a means to an end1 is what is meant by mastery of oral technique4 ,whatever the method of mastery1 direct or indirect1 surely the end should be granted4 ,it has taken many people a long time to convince themselves that the speaking voice is in need of proper exercise and training4 ,they have expected too much of the speaker4 ,the living person back of the speech1 the personality1 is the chief element in speech2 without the speaker to utter his meaning1 speech would be nothing but empty word mouthing4 ,but they should give the speaker at least as much fair play as has the singer1 training in the use of the voice4 ,the set jaw1 wrong cordination1 the half-open throat1 the closed glottis1 or 8voice box10 the immobile lip 7whose remedy1 by the way1 is not mouthing71 the thick tongue1--all these1 causing indistinctness1 nasality1 throatiness1 are impediments to speech4 ,so are throat or nasal or dental obstructions4 ,so is incorrect breathing4 ,the nice art of enunciation and articulation is worth mastery4 ,phonics appears to some people like a science of very small things4 ,it has not only an sthetic value1 but1 if you must separate them1 an intellectual value4 ,masters of enunciation and articulation give not only finish but richer meaning to language4 ,this1 again1 is no doubt due to the lively connection between sound and sense4 ,open mouth and throat well to pronounce the vowels in joy1 or shine1 and confirm the truth of this2 note the force of vowels1 consonants1 or aspirate pronounced accurately in glisten1 shimmering1 hushed1 croaked1 scream1 harsh4 ,it will be understood of course that the requirements of character suggestion may demand slurring1 chopping off1 drawling1 and all sorts of speech vices2 when in place they become virtues4 ,we are fond of using the expression 8as natural as breathing40 ,how many are breathing as nature would have them8 ,the speaker should be past master of breathing3 be able to expand the diaphragm and fill full and deep1 to supplement this basal stock1 as opening the mouth to enunciate a vowel or to speak a phrase gives easy1 unobtrusive opportunity1 to expend breath economically4 ,the story-teller should 8find0 his particular voice4 ,to do this he may read or speak in his ordinary tone and note where it vibrates4 ,this is his natural1 or at least second-nature1 voice1 working basis for improvement2 re-placing1 purifying1 strengthening1 making flexible4 ,he should be able to place tone1 to give it this or that quality1 as the needs of interpretation may demand4 ,he should be able to keep feeling out of the voice1 and to speak with feeling without violating the principle of reserve4 ,understanding1 feeling1 and sthetic appreciation are rooted in the story-teller1 to be sure1 but they must be transmitted by the organs of voice4 ,he will be delighted to find that the physical action of these organs1 if easy and responsive1 appears to deepen his own understanding and feeling and to send them in greater fullness to the listener4 ,one of the most important principles of oral technique is perspective1 through which the central idea is kept dominant throughout the story4 ,proper application of this principle gives the whole story unity and increasing interest and point4 ,to give the story perspective the story-teller employs grouping1 pause1 rate1 pitch1 and inflection4 ,space permits of nothing more than this mere enumeration of these means and of pointing out a very limited use of one or two4 ,beginners often err in grouping4 ,in the story of 8,the ,frog ,prince10 for example1 they will say 8there was a king10 making this a more or less complete and leading idea1 instead of 8there was a king who had beautiful daughters20 at this point1 moreover1 by use of the complete falling inflection they destroy the subordinate relation of this idea to the succeeding one1 8but the youngest was the most beautiful40 ,untrained speakers and badly trained readers overuse the falling inflection4 ,story-tellers will find it helpful to practice the sustained1 or 8forward pointing10 voice4 ,it is necessary to the proper building out of units of thought4 ,the story-teller should 8make10 for example1 the word picture with the voice1 bit by bit1 much as the painter does the line and color picture with the brush1 each added detail going toward the whole4 ,mastery of pause is important4 ,in ordinary communication the story-teller1 as does everyone else1 uses pause a hundred times a day1 but he is inclined at first to overlook its part in story-telling4 ,he should learn to pause to make clear not only the divisions of single sentences1 but of the whole story1 its setting1 action1 resolution1 and close4 ,he should use it also to set off for dramatic emphasis or emotional effect significant or climactic circumstances1 persons1 or details of action4 ,pause is one of the simplest and most effective means of emphasis4 ,of course1 like every other means of speech1 it is sometimes best ignored4 ,this bare glance at speech technique shows us that the story-teller should have such command over the agencies of oral transmission as will enable him to convey the story fully to the listener4 ,let his point of departure be the effort to utter his meaning4 ,when telling stories to young children the story-teller may do more or less 8leading0 of the feelings and the taste1 thus educating the child to respond to what is playful or brave or humorous or beautiful4 ,if the story-teller will show pleasure in obedience1 fun1 good-nature1 loveliness in nature or art1 shape1 for example1 or color1 or sound1 or adaptability to use1 the imitative listener will respond in like appreciation4 ,some beginners find it difficult to do this4 ,sometimes the source of the difficulty is bad habit in reading4 ,this affects story-telling when the story has been prepared from the printed page4 ,the student comes to the story-telling class with the habit formed of suppressing in his reading appreciation of excellence or of beauty4 ,two students talking together outside of class may do the natural thing2 if describing beauty--loveliness of nature1 human loveliness1 goodness1 heroism--they show pleasure in it by smiling lip and softly shining eye2 8beauty10 as ,wordsworth has it1 8makes them glad40 ,but nine times out of ten the beginner in story-telling who has prepared the story from a book allows no appreciation of beauty to get into voice or self as he tells1 for example1 8,in olden times1 when wishing was having1 there lived a king who had beautiful daughters1 but the youngest was so lovely that even the sun himself1 who has seen so much1 marveled whenever he shone in her face40 ,he is not of course to magnify this phrase unduly2 he must keep it in proper perspective4 ,it is astonishing how imperfectly we talk and tell4 ,as indicated before1 words as they are uttered represent to the young listener1 and1 so lively is language1 in great degree to the adult also1 exactly what the speaker puts into them4 ,if he utters bright dully1 he contradicts truth2 if he pronounces loved coldly1 he robs it of the human warmth of itself2 if he mumbles lovely1 he dwarfs beauty4 ,to correct wrong habit in speaking1 the student of story-telling should cultivate sensibility to the feeling and sthetic suggestions in language1 and during the stage of apprenticeship be content to be conscious until more spontaneous appreciation shall relieve him of watchfulness4 ,to take another example1 in the story of 8,the ,hut in the ,wood10 beginners often fairly shout 8night was coming on10 8the owl hooted10 8the trees rustled40 ,the thing to be communicated here through the details is the emotional state of the girl4 ,it is communicated by sympathetic interpretation3 lowering of voice1 with suggestion in it of the sounds heard1 accompanied by shrinking in posture and dawning of fear in the face4 ,leading is open to abuse4 ,the more the language of the story tells on its face when interpreted so as to set free the associations bound up in it1 the more the story-teller must trust it to carry its own effects4 ,the story-teller is governed most by the supreme canon of simplicity4 ,his must be a peculiarly unelaborate1 apparently artless art4 ,in gesture and facial expression1 in dramatic suggestion1 in speech1 his is that form or degree of the artistic manner that will carry to the listener the unaffected1 frank1 childlike kind of life with which the child story deals3 not intense in manner2 not intellectual nor artificial in gesture2 not pedantic nor studied in speech--but sincere and simple4 ,,the ,,child',s ,,part ,,in ,,story-,,telling ,let us tabulate some of the things the child naturally does as his part in story-telling4 ,the table will be incomplete1 but it may be suggestive4 ,what is the child's part in story-telling8 7#a7 ,it is listening4 7#b7 ,it is remaining silent4 7#c7 ,it is commenting4 7#d7 ,it is joining in4 7#e7 ,it is re-telling4 7#f7 ,it is partial re-telling4 7#g7 ,it is telling other stories4 7#h7 ,it is inventing stories4 7#i7 ,it is expressing sometimes story images in other media4 7#aj7 ,it is sometimes playing the stories4 7#aa7 ,it is growing by the power and grace of the story4 7#a7 ,it is listening4 ,let us not underrate the child's quiet part as listener harkening to the story again and again to catch wider and deeper vision of it4 7#b7 ,it is remaining silent4 ,when it is the silence of delight1 be content2 this is result enough4 ,when it is the spiritual silence out of whose brooding may be born reverent awe or insight into justice or cheerful good will or virile endeavor1 bring all your wisdom to bear to decide whether you will help or hinder by leaving the child to himself1 and in case of doubt give the story the benefit of it1 trusting it to deliver its own message in due season4 7#c7 ,it is commenting4 ,on the other hand1 do not be unmindful of another opportunity4 ,a child1 like an adult1 is inclined to talk some stories over2 meet him halfway4 ,indeed1 in some cases1 lead the way2 stimulate an inert class to talk over some of the more objective type of stories4 ,it is your opportunity to get and clarify the child's point of view4 7#d7 ,it is joining in4 ,we learn1 from the snatches of story-telling history that have come down to us1 that it was the custom of the audience to join in at the rhythmic repetitions1 as people do at the chorus of a comic song4 ,the children show the same tendency2 encourage it4 ,it not only pleases them1 but it is an easy and natural beginning in reproduction4 ,the child's dramatic sense prompts him to come in also when the story-teller reaches dialogue2 encourage this also4 7#e7 ,it is re-telling4 ,rightly conducted1 reproduction of stories is profitable for shaping the pupil's thought and language mode4 ,but is the exercise rightly conducted8 ,the children listen in breathless delight as the teacher tells the story2 she demands it 8back10 the children struggle1 interest flags1 teacher and children toil on1 and joy dies out in story and listener4 ,this is too bad4 ,story-telling is a legitimate opportunity for unalloyed pleasure2 the school is not too lavish of such times4 ,what is the root of the trouble8 ,it lies in one or more sources3 the practice of requiring premature reproduction of some types of story not grasped by the children to the definite point of re-telling2 the teacher's unreasonable or wrong standards of achievement2 the pupil's lack of familiarity with the story1 due to the teacher's tendency to turn reproduction into a test or task4 ,the tendency of the school to require immediate verbal reproduction of all stories is unwise utilitarianism4 ,it is limiting the teacher's choice of stories undesirably4 ,feeling compelled to demand reproduction of every story1 the teacher confines her choice to stories the children will take hold of easily4 ,we can all testify that we have heard and been moved or delighted by recitals we could not reproduce2 their purpose was to accomplish exactly what they did accomplish4 ,the child is capable of responding in sthetic pleasure or spiritual uplift to stories as yet beyond his re-telling4 ,it is highly desirable that he be given the chance of contact with such material and that its seed be given time to root and flower4 ,to urge him to immediate reproduction is to develop shallow glibness at the sacrifice of something finer4 ,under the compulsion of reproduction the teacher excludes1 also1 not only beautiful and spiritualizing stories1 but long stories4 ,long stories are not desirable on the mere ground of length1 but even this ground has its claim4 ,the longer stories give sustained exercise to the imagination1 and they give the story-teller ampler field to set forth character or action and to let the story yield fuller measure of delight4 ,short and long and longer and shorter are all in place4 ,and not all need nor should be reproduced4 ,how much should the teacher expect when she asks pupils to tell back any stories they have heard only once1 or at most twice8 ,exactly what the pupil gives1 what he grasped4 ,many teachers are disturbed1 however1 by the meager 8language training0 afforded by this very brief re-telling4 ,why not let the stories1 by reiteration of them on the teacher's part1 impose their thought process and language mode on the forming habit of the child8 ,this does not mean that reproduction must be verbatim repetition1 nor that the children's individuality is to be suppressed4 ,but what a mockery1 especially in some quarters1 is this prevalent idea in the schools that the child must not be familiarized with the language of the story1 but that he should be compelled to 8tell it in his own words40 ,alas1 8his own words06 ,would not familiarity with the story's language bring riches to the thought-starved and language-starved children of some unschooled parents1 anxious that their children shall enjoy advantages denied to themselves8 ,would it not help in foreign sections8 7#f7 ,it is partial re-telling4 ,let the children come into possession of the story naturally and gradually4 ,at each re-telling of it by yourself look for firmer and fuller reproduction4 ,help to keep the children's interest centered in the story1 not so much by commenting patronizingly1 8,how well ,john told the story60 but rather by openly enjoying the story ,john is telling4 ,let language come1 as it should1 with the effort to express the thought4 ,and do not interfere with composition by unnecessary questioning4 ,your first method of helping the pupils' reproduction might be by supplying omitted parts rather than by questioning analytically for them1 as is so commonly done at present4 7,questioning has of course its place3 it serves to lift into consciousness the relations existing among the parts of the story47 ,try co-operative telling3 tell part yourself1 then let a child or several in succession tell the next1 helping if necessary but not anticipating1 and perhaps finish the story yourself4 ,the children will soon be able to manage more4 ,simple1 artistic illustrative picture or blackboard sketches1 showing in succession the main divisions of the story1 will help to give it uninterrupted sequence4 7,when divisions are made either orally or pictorially1 they should be true portions of the whole47 ,presently the children will find themselves telling the whole of some stories without undue feeling of strain1 and with great pleasure to themselves and their classmates4 ,is it natural1 by the way1 to reproduce in the same company a story just heard8 ,this is the common school practice4 ,in an adult audience this would of course never be done except on the frank basis of practice in so doing or for some other accepted purpose4 ,the children enjoy dwelling on the story4 ,and they may practice1 with the motive of telling the story at home4 ,the teacher need not1 therefore1 strain at devices to make reproduction more natural1 yet she might often take advantage of or contrive more natural occasion for it4 ,the natural occasion is social intercourse and entertainment4 ,there is space only to indicate one or two ways of securing this attractive natural motive4 ,sometimes let at least a day elapse before asking for the reproduction2 you may then let the exercise be an opportunity to enjoy the story again4 ,tell the same story over and over 7if it be a good one7 yourself on appropriate occasions1 and encourage the children to do the same thing4 ,let individuals1 or groups1 or classes1 visit and exchange stories4 7#g7 ,the child's part1 telling similar stories and 7#h7 inventing stories1 should go without saying4 ,do not neglect the opportunity offered by 7#h74 ,if you reduce the class to workable groups at a time for this exercise1 it should be practicable4 ,do not press prematurely the creative imagination1 but do not neglect it4 ,give play to the natural working of a little child's fancy1 the boy's or girl's1 the youth's imagination4 ,it is wise to follow the lead of the child here1 then be at hand1 not to deprive the child of the efficiency of independence and of the pleasure of making1 but to help when necessary that his attempt may be encouragingly successful4 7#i7 ,it is sometimes expressing story images in other media4 ,here1 again1 the adult will do well to follow the lead of the child2 of course of the most freely expressive child4 ,the inert must be stimulated4 ,left to himself the child would not commit some of the excesses in sensible representation that adults impose upon children1 though objective representation is natural to man at the childlike stage4 ,it is not necessary that the child represent materially every set of language ideas4 ,the teacher should not1 on the other hand1 stop natural attempt to represent even the more elusive kinds of ideas2 there may be a budding ,watts or ,chase in her class1 capable of picturing the highly fanciful and spiritual4 ,keep the exercise growing4 ,its aim is to give constructive outlet to the child4 ,the child's conception of the story1 with expression of it and each re-hearing1 is growing4 ,the practice of keeping a child's first attempts at expression in drawing or modeling or cutting or his attempts at any one stage too long about the classroom1 before his eyes1 is dwarfing4 ,there is1 of course1 the other side to the question4 ,to accept nothing as accomplishment is deadening to effort4 ,it is possible1 however1 is it not1 to meet the child on childlike standard of achievement1 to acknowledge the day's accomplishment1 yet without disheartening him1 or even talking to him about the better things he will do1 to keep our own faces turned toward the morrow8 7#aj7 ,it is playing the stories4 ,this1 if not done with every story without discrimination1 or without reference to the children's instinctive selective sense1 if kept at least fairly spontaneous and progressive1 is a form of constructivity heartily enjoyed by the children4 ,it is wise here again to follow the child's lead4 ,let us understand1 however1 by this the lead of the majority of our most normal children and of the most gifted individuals4 ,many children meager in imagination1 feeble in initiative1 inadequate in execution1 will need the strong lead of other children or of the teacher1 qualified child seer from her experience with more favored children4 ,let her give to these from her abundance1 becoming best playfellow and guide4 ,but let her keep herself in the attitude of playing with the children4 ,let us see how playing the story might develop4 ,as soon as the story takes possession of the child he shows a tendency to enter into its persons and its action2 to mimic the voices1 to ape the manners1 to do the doings4 ,give outlet to this2 let the child take on and play out the life of the story1 or yourself propose playing the story4 ,do not1 by the way1 clutter up the child's direct outlet with staging and properties and stage terms4 ,it destroys spontaneity and reality4 ,let the schoolroom be the place1 and1 as a rule1 the school furnishings any necessary things1 and the school children1 in their ordinary clothes1 the people4 ,the delight of 8dressing up0 may sometimes be allowed2 but a mere suggestion in costume1 if it be something distinctive of the character impersonated1 is all that is necessary2 a gold paper crown1 for example1 will at once make a queen of any child4 ,why not with the little children talk simply and naturally3 8,let us play0 7not act nor dramatize7 so and so4 ,who'll be so and so8 ,i'll be so and so4 ,where will you have your home8 ,and so on4 ,do not at the beginning press even this simple kind of planning2 let the play develop with the playing of it4 ,help the children1 however1 gradually to gain in planning4 ,playing has a tendency to make the form static2 it is a mistake to let this happen too soon4 ,do not1 as is the practice1 stop telling the story yourself after the children have once played it4 ,you will find that their intimate experience in playing it will bring a more pointed attention to the next hearing of it1 and that their next playing will be richer in detail1 or stronger in structure1 or truer in characterization1 or more appropriate in dialogue4 ,do not1 of course1 keep the children on one story either for playing or other form of reproduction until they weary of it4 ,far from deploring1 by the way1 the child's crudities in dialogue1 appreciate the opportunity to let him express himself and to develop his language sense4 ,keep the language way open to him4 ,he will catch the force of your comment on how some character spoke1 himself suggest to another pupil what the person the pupil is impersonating should say1 note how you talk when you impersonate1 or how you respond in dialogue with him4 ,playing the stories is open to educational abuse by being turned into insincere show work4 ,this results1 too1 in exclusion of pupils who do not excel4 ,keep playing the stories1 at least for the little children1 the spontaneous universal thing they make it--play4 ,their own selective sense guides them in assigning or assuming rles4 ,it is abused1 also1 by adult patronage4 ,the teacher laughs at the children rather than with them1 or laughs when the true child seer would be serious4 ,the child thoroughly enjoys playing the stories1 but this does not mean that he laughs constantly or at his own performance4 ,encourage him to catch the fun or humor of a situation or of a remark2 enjoy the playing openly when it is merry1 laugh and laugh heartily1 but do not turn his genuine playing into a sham4 ,do not1 on the other hand1 take him too seriously2 he does not always take himself so4 ,in short1 get the child's point of view here as elsewhere4 ,the 8last's the best of all the game20 it is 7#aa7 growing by the power and grace of the story4 ,may the child nurtured on the wit and wisdom of the simple story simply told live happy ever after6 ,thus we arrived at this place together1 where the people were in the habit of spinning up the tow4 ,it was an enforced custom with them that each in turn should relate some little tale1 or history1 and to tell the truth1 not only the noble women1 but also myself and my friend1 found our entire pleasure in such stories1 and we often used to stop old beggars and give them a trifle more for telling us them4 --,,jucundus ,,jucundissimus1 #afhj4 ,,stories ,now the children all draw near ',tis the time a tale to hear4 ,,the ,,fairy ,,horseshoe ,at midnight a long time ago an honest hard-working blacksmith heard someone in his shop hammering1 hammering1 hammering1 for all the world like another blacksmith making a shoe4 ,but the sound was very quick and light1 more like tapping1 tapping1 tapping4 ,and all the time1 whoever it was was whistling the prettiest tune you ever heard1 and singing between times3 8,i'm a cunning blacksmith1 ,i can make a shoe1 ,heat the iron1 ,bend the iron1 ,hammer it true-- ,il y ho1 il y hoo1 ,il y ho1 il y hoo-- ,i'm a cunning blacksmith1 ,i can make a shoe40 ,the blacksmith listened and thought1 and listened and thought1 and listened and thought4 ,then he sprang out of bed on tiptoe1 crying softly1 8,i have it6 ,i have it6 ,it's one of the wee small people4 ,i'll catch him if ,i can for good luck40 ,the blacksmith needed some good luck4 ,his work was to shoe the horse and shoe the colt and shoe the wild mare2 and he did it well4 ,but he hadn't enough to do1 and so he was very poor4 ,well1 to go back1 the blacksmith sprang out of bed on tiptoe4 ,then without making the least bit of noise in the world that ever was heard1 he opened the door of his bedroom and looked all about the shop4 ,he couldn't see sight nor light of anybody1 but he heard the hammering1 and whistling1 and the singing between times3 8,i'm a cunning blacksmith1 ,i can make a shoe1 ,heat the iron1 ,bend the iron1 ,hammer it true-- ,il y ho1 il y hoo1 ,il y ho1 il y hoo-- ,i'm a cunning blacksmith1 ,i can make a shoe40 8,it's very odd10 said he1 under his breath2 8where can the wee small thing be60 ,all of a sudden1 as he peered about more sharply1 he spied it stuck in the girth of a white mare standing in the stall nearest the forge4 ,the elfin smith was wearing a bit of an apron before him1 and a tid of a nightcap on his head1 and hammering away at a speck of a horseshoe4 8,he'll bring me good luck1 if ,i can only catch him10 said the blacksmith so softly that his own ears could scarcely hear4 ,and without making the least bit of noise in the world that ever was heard1 he tiptoed up behind the wee small body1 opened his hand1 and--snatched him up1 crying1 8,ha1 ha1 ,i have you40 ,with that he opened two fingers to take a look1 when--out jumped the elf1 crying1 8,ho1 ho1 see me go10 and away he did go like a streak of lightning4 ,but he left the wee bit horseshoe in the blacksmith's hand4 ,and it did bring him good luck1 so that ever after he had plenty to do4 ,so many horses and colts and wild mares came to be shod that he had to build a larger shop with nine-and-seven stalls4 ,when the blacksmith died1 he left the good luck fairy horseshoe to his sons1 and they left it to their sons1 and they left it to their sons2 so that if they haven't lost it the blacksmith's great1 great1 great1 great1 great1 great1 great grandchildren have it yet4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,the ,,mouse ,,and ,,the ,,sausage ,once upon a time a little mouse and a little sausage1 who loved each other like sisters1 decided to live together4 ,they planned it so that every day one would go to walk in the fields1 or to buy things in the town1 and the other would stay at home to keep the house4 ,one day1 when the little sausage had prepared cabbage for dinner1 the little mouse1 who had come back from town with a good appetite1 enjoyed it so heartily that she exclaimed3 8,how delicious the cabbage is to-day1 my dear60 8,ah60 answered the little sausage1 8that is because ,i popped myself into the pot while it was cooking40 ,on the next day1 when it was her turn to prepare the meals1 the little mouse said to herself3 8,now ,i will do as much for my friend as she did for me2 we shall have lentils for dinner1 and ,i will jump into the pot while they are boiling40 ,so she did1 without stopping to think that a simple sausage can do some things not to be attempted by even the wisest mouse4 ,when the sausage came home1 she found the house lonely and silent4 ,she called again and again1 8,my little mouse6 ,mouse of my heart60 but no one answered4 ,then she went to look at the lentils boiling on the stove1 and1 alas6 found within the pot her good little friend1 who had perished for love of her4 ,poor mousie had stayed too long at her cookery1 and when she tried to climb out of the pot1 she had no longer the strength to do so4 ,the little sausage could never be consoled6 ,that is why to-day1 when you put one in the pan or on the gridiron1 you will hear her weep and sigh1 8,m-my p-poor m-mouse6 ,ah1 m-my p-poor m-mouse60 --,,french ,,folk ,,tale ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,little ,,boy ,,and ,,the ,,little ,,dog ,there was a little boy and there was a little dog4 ,the two lived together and loved each other1 and where one went the other followed4 ,now1 all of a sudden1 the little boy and his nurse moved away to another city1 far1 far off4 ,this puzzled the little boy so much that for once he forgot the little dog4 ,when he remembered him1 it was the middle of the night4 ,but1 for all that1 he got up and waked his nurse to ask her where the little dog could be4 ,the nurse rubbed her sleepy eyes and said1 8,sleep now1 my lamb1 and wait till day1 ,thy little dog is on the way40 ,then she closed her eyes and straightway fell fast asleep1 and so there was nothing for the little boy to do but to fall asleep1 too4 ,at break of day the little boy was at the window watching for the little dog4 ,but alas6 no little dog came4 ,when the little boy asked his nurse what could be keeping the little dog1 she said1 8,be patient1 my lamb1 'tis but peep of day1 ,thy little dog is on the way40 ,well1 the morning and the noon passed1 and no little dog came4 ,the little boy grieved so that he could neither eat nor play4 ,at last when evening began to darken1 and still no little dog came1 and still the little boy watched at the window1 the nurse put on her bonnet and shawl and went out to find the little lost dog4 ,it wasn't long before she was back with a dog that looked something like the dear lost one1 but much thinner and quieter4 ,when the little boy said so to his nurse1 she said1 8,yes1 poor doggie6 ,but he came a long way1 ,without bite or sup1 a night and a day2 ,give him1 my lamb1 a bowl of warm milk1 ,and soon you'll see him as sleek as silk40 ,the little boy ran and gave him the milk4 ,when the little dog had lapped up the milk1 he felt so much better that he licked the little boy's face1 and the two frisked about the room4 ,but the little boy noticed that the little dog did not caper so merrily as he used to do4 ,indeed1 the poor creature soon became quiet and sad again4 ,and1 although the little boy made his own legs go as fast as a windmill1 he could not coax the little dog to run a race with him4 ,he saw1 too1 that the little dog found it very hard to curl himself up on the hearthrug for a nap4 ,and the next day the little dog was so wretched that he refused to eat4 8,poor1 poor doggie1 what ails you1 whatever ails you80 cried the little boy4 8,you'll die if you do not eat40 ,he lifted the dog tenderly into his lap1 when--what should he feel on the stomach but a seam6 8,nurse10 he cried1 8come quickly2 something is stitched so tight around the poor dog's body he cannot eat nor breathe40 ,the nurse ran in with the scissors in her hand4 ,and lo6 ,with a nip and a snip1 and snip and a nip1 ,and a very loud pip6 out came the little boy's own little dog4 8,now ,i see through it all10 cried the nurse4 ,and what she saw was what had really happened4 ,while the little dog was on his way to the little boy1 a dog-seller snatched him up and carried him into a shop4 ,there he tried to change him into a ,french poodle by sewing him into a skin-tight black jacket with curly trimming4 ,but by great good luck it was down the street past this very shop the nurse walked and spied the little dog peeping out to see how he might escape4 8,oh1 ,i'll never forget thee again10 cried the little boy4 ,and he didn't4 ,the two lived happy together ever after1 and where one went the other followed4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,two ,,cakes ,,who ,,loved ,,each ,,other ,,in ,,silence ,on the shop counter lay two gingerbread cakes4 ,one was the shape of a man with a hat1 the other of a maiden without a bonnet4 ,both their faces were on the side that was turned up1 for they were to be looked at on that side1 and not on the other4 ,on the left the man wore a bitter almond--that was his heart4 ,the maiden was honey-cake all over4 ,as they were only samples1 they stayed on the counter a long time4 ,and1 at last1 they fell in love with each other4 ,but neither told the other1 as should have been done1 if anything was to come of it4 8,he is a man and must speak first10 thought she4 ,but she was happy1 for she knew he loved her4 ,his thoughts were far more extravagant2 that is the way with men4 ,he dreamed that he was a real street boy1 and that he had four pennies of his own1 and that he bought the sweet maiden and ate her up4 ,so they lay on the counter for weeks and weeks1 and grew dry and hard4 ,but the thoughts of the maiden became ever more gentle and maidenly4 8,it is enough for me that ,i have lived on the same table with him10 she said1 and--crack6 she broke in two4 8,if she had only known of my love10 thought he1 8she would have kept together a little longer40 99 99 99 99 99 8,and that is their story1 and here they are1 both of them10 said the baker1 for it was he who was telling the story4 8,they are remarkable for their curious history1 and for their silent love1 which never came to anything4 ,there they are for you40 ,so saying1 he gave the man1 who was yet whole1 to ,joanna1 and the broken maiden to ,knud4 ,but the children were so impressed with the story that they could only look at them1 they could not eat them up just yet4 --,,hans ,,christian ,,andersen ,,how ,,the ,,rooster ,,built ,a ,,house ,,of ,,his ,,own ,one spring day a young rooster set out on his two stout legs to build a house of his own4 ,on he went1 a long1 long way1 and a long1 long way farther1 and a long1 long way farther than that4 ,then he lifted up his voice and flapped his wings and crowed1 8,cock-a-doodle-doo4 ,i want a dame1 ,i do40 ,at this out from somewhere stepped a bonny1 wee white hen and fared along beside him4 ,on went the young rooster and the bonny1 wee white hen a long1 long way1 and a long1 long way farther1 and a long1 long way farther than that4 ,then the young rooster lifted up his voice1 flapped his wings1 and crowed1 8,cock-a-doodle-doo1 ,there's room for a friend or two40 ,at this out from somewhere stepped a bearded goat1 and a brindled cow1 and a long-tailed horse1 and a whiskered cat1 and fared along beside him4 ,on went the young rooster1 and the bonny1 wee white hen1 and the bearded goat1 and the brindled cow1 and the long-tailed horse1 and the whiskered cat1 a long1 long way1 and a long1 long way farther1 and a long1 long way farther than that4 ,then the young rooster lifted up his voice1 flapped his wings1 and crowed1 8,cock-a-doodle-doo1 ,my friends1 will this place do80 ,the bearded goat climbed up to browse on a rocky hill near by1 and said it would4 ,the brindled cow cropped the grass beside a running stream1 and said it would4 ,the long-tailed horse took a mouthful from a clump of wild oats1 and said it would4 ,the whiskered cat spied a field mouse scurrying into her hole1 and said it would4 ,the bonny1 wee white hen had not spoken4 ,the rooster looked about for her1 so did the bearded goat1 and the brindled cow1 and the long-tailed horse1 and the whiskered cat1 but she was nowhere to be seen4 ,the young rooster lifted up his voice1 flapped his wings1 and crowed1 8,cock-a-doodle-doo1 ,dame ,hen1 now where are you80 8,cut-cut-cut-cut-cadah-cut1 ,cut-cut-cut-cut-cadah-cut60 cried the bonny1 wee white hen1 running out to tell him of an egg she had laid in the long soft hay4 8,well done10 cried ,father ,rooster1 looking very proud of her2 8our peeping chicks will soon be out of the shell40 ,so then they all knew the place would do1 and they set about building the house of their own4 ,the long-tailed horse cut down a tree for wood with his strong teeth1 the bearded goat rubbed the edges smooth with his horns1 the brindled cow carried the beams on her broad back and stood them up in place with her forelegs1 the whiskered cat sprang up and down the beams and nailed them together1 the young rooster gave the orders to everyone1 and when the house was done the bonny1 wee white hen swept it clean as a new pin4 ,then they all moved in4 ,and there they lived in this house of their own for a year and a day1 and a year and a day1 and a great many more1 as happy as bees in clover4 ,and the young rooster was cock of the walk4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,thumbelina 7,arranged as a continued story7 ,,how ,,she ,,came ,,to ,,the ,,woman ,once a woman wished she had a very little child1 but she did not know where to get one4 ,so she went to an old witch and said1 8,i wish ,i had a very little child4 ,can you tell me where ,i might get one80 8,oh1 that ,i can easily10 said the old witch4 8,here is a barleycorn for you4 ,it is not the kind that grows in everyone's field and the chickens eat4 ,put it into a flower pot1 and you shall see what you shall see40 8,thank you10 said the woman1 and she gave the witch twelve shillings1 for that was the price of the barleycorn4 ,well1 the woman planted the barleycorn4 ,and immediately there grew up a great handsome flower4 ,it was like a tulip1 but the petals were tightly closed as if it were still a bud4 8,what a beautiful flower10 cried the woman1 and she kissed its yellow and red leaves4 8,pop10 the flower opened4 ,it was a real tulip1 but in the middle1 there upon the green velvet stamens sat a tiny maiden1 lovely as a fairy1 and only half a thumb's height4 ,so her mother called her ,thumbelina4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and that is how she got her4 ,,thumbelina ,,how ,,she ,,is ,,carried ,,off ,,by ,,the ,,toad ,one night as ,thumbelina lay sleeping in her pretty walnut-shell cradle1 there came creeping through the open window an old ,toad4 ,he hopped straight down the table where ,thumbelina lay4 8,ah1 she would make a lovely wife for my son10 said he4 ,so he picked up the cradle with ,thumbelina in it1 and hopped through the window and down the garden to the brook4 ,here he lived with his son4 8,what do you say to her for your bride1 my son80 said he4 8,croak6 croak6 brek-kek-kek60 was all the son could say4 8,hush6 ,don't speak so loudly1 or she will awake10 whispered the old ,toad4 8,she might run away from us1 for she is as light as swan's down4 ,we will put her out in the brook on one of the broad lily leaves2 that will be just like an island to her1 and she won't be able to get away4 ,then we'll go and get the best room in the marsh in order1 where you are to live and keep house together40 ,so they swam out with her1 and when they came to a broad lily leaf lifted her out of the cradle very gently without waking her1 and swam back with it1 because they intended to place it in the bridal room4 ,well1 when ,thumbelina woke and saw where she was she began to cry bitterly1 for there was water on every side of the great leaf and she could not get to land at all4 ,the little fishes swimming below stuck their heads out of the water to see what was the matter4 ,and when they saw ,thumbelina they thought her so pretty that they drew in their heads and put them together under the water1 and nibbled away at the stem until the leaf was free4 ,then away sailed ,thumbelina1 far off from the ridiculous toad and his son who could only say1 8,croak1 croak1 brek-kek-kek40 ,,thumbelina ,,how ,,she ,,got ,,to ,,land ,thumbelina sailed by many cities1 and the little birds who sat in the bushes saw her1 and said1 8,what a lovely little girl60 ,a white butterfly fluttered round her and at last alighted on the leaf with her4 ,thumbelina was glad of his company2 she took her girdle and tied one end of it around the butterfly and the other to the leaf4 ,on she went1 faster than ever now4 ,soon there came a big ,may-bug flying toward her4 ,when he saw her he thought her so pretty he clasped his claws round her waist1 and flew with her up into a tree4 ,mercy6 how frightened poor little ,thumbelina was6 ,but the ,may-bug did her no harm4 ,he seated himself with her upon the biggest green leaf of the tree1 gave her the sweet part of the flowers to eat1 and told her she was lovely1 although she did not look a bit like a ,may-bug4 ,when the other ,may-bugs who lived in the tree heard of it1 they all came to pay a visit4 ,they looked at ,thumbelina1 and one said1 8,why1 she hasn't more than two legs2 how very odd that is60 8,and she hasn't any feelers60 cried another4 8,how squeezed she is at the waist--fie6 ,how ugly she is60 said all the lady ,may-bugs4 ,so at last the ,may-bug who had carried her off thought so1 too1 although she was really very pretty2 and he flew down with her from the tree and set her on a daisy and left her there4 ,but1 anyway1 she was on land again2 that was something4 ,,thumbelina ,,how ,,she ,,goes ,,to ,,live ,,with ,,the ,,field-,,mouse ,the whole summer through ,thumbelina lived quite alone in the great wood4 ,she wove herself a bed out of blades of grass1 and hung it up under a shamrock to be sheltered from the rain4 ,she scooped the honey out of the flowers for food1 and she drank the dew that stood every morning on the leaves4 ,so summer and autumn passed4 ,now came the winter1 the long cold winter4 ,all the sweet birds who used to sing to her flew away4 ,the trees and flowers lost their leaves4 ,the great shamrock she lived under shriveled up1 and left her shivering4 ,she tried to wrap herself in a dry leaf1 but that tore in the middle4 ,soon it began to snow4 ,every snowflake that fell on her was like a whole shovelful thrown on us1 for we are tall and she was only an inch high4 ,poor little ,thumbelina6 she was nearly frozen6 ,she wandered out of the wood into a withered cornfield4 ,the corn had gone long ago2 nothing but dry stubble stood up out of the frozen ground4 ,but it was like a great forest for ,thumbelina to be lost in4 ,how she trembled with the cold6 ,after some time she came to a field-mouse's home4 ,it was in a little hole under the corn stubble1 warm and cosy4 ,there was a kitchen in it and a pantry filled with corn4 ,little ,thumbelina stood at the door just like a poor beggar girl and begged for a little bit of barleycorn4 8,i haven't eaten a crumb in two days10 she cried pitifully4 8,you poor little creature10 said the kind field-mouse1 8come into my warm kitchen and eat as much as you wish40 ,and when ,thumbelina came in1 the field-mouse liked her so well that she said1 8,if you wish you may stay with me all winter1 but you must keep my room clean and neat1 and tell me little stories1 for ,i am very fond of them40 ,so ,thumbelina did1 and had a very good time of it4 ,,thumbelina ,,how ,,she ,,meets ,,the ,,mole ,one day when ,thumbelina had tidied the house and made it look as neat as a new pin1 she sat down to chat with the field-mouse4 8,my dear10 said the field-mouse1 8we shall soon have a visit from my neighbor1 the mole4 ,he comes to see me once a week4 ,do you know1 he would make you a good husband4 ,he is rich4 ,he lives in a much larger house than mine1 and wears beautiful black velvet fur4 ,when he comes you must tell him the prettiest stories you know40 ,and1 sure enough1 the mole came to see them1 dressed in his black velvet fur4 ,thumbelina did not care for him at all4 ,he talked about nothing but himself4 ,he told how rich he was and how large his rooms were1 twenty times larger than the field-mouse's1 and he said he didn't like the sun and flowers1 just because he had never seen them4 8,how can you talk so60 cried ,thumbelina1 indignantly4 8,sing us one of your sweet songs1 ,thumbelina1 my dear10 said the field-mouse4 ,so ,thumbelina had to sing4 ,she sang1 8,ladybug1 fly away40 ,she sang it so sweetly that the mole fell in love with her4 ,but he did not tell her so yet4 ,as for her1 she was glad when his visit was over4 ,,thumbelina ,,how ,,she ,,takes ,,care ,,of ,,the ,,swallow ,well1 the mole had dug a long passage through the earth from his house to the field-mouse's1 and he told ,thumbelina and the field-mouse they might walk in the passage whenever they chose4 8,don't be afraid of the dead bird lying there10 said he2 8come with me and ,i'll show you where it is40 ,he led the way with a bit of rotted wood in his mouth to light up the long dark passage4 ,when he came to the place1 he thrust his broad nose through the ceiling to make a hole so that the daylight might shine down4 ,and there in the middle of the floor lay a dead swallow1 with his beautiful wings pressed close against his sides and his feet and head drawn in under the feathers4 ,the poor thing looked as if he had died of cold4 ,thumbelina was very sorry for him1 but the mole gave the bird a push with his crooked legs and said1 8,now he can't pipe any more4 ,i'm glad ,i was not born a bird1 and that none of my children can ever be birds4 ,a bird can do nothing but say #8tweet tweet' in summer and starve in winter40 8,yes1 indeed10 cried the field-mouse1 8you may well say you are better off to be a mole4 ,you are clever1 you can build and make underground passages where you may keep snug and warm in the winter4 ,of what use is all this #8tweet tweet' to a bird when the frost comes80 ,but ,thumbelina did not agree with them at all4 ,when they turned their backs on the bird she bent down1 gently moved the feathers aside1 and kissed him on the closed eyes4 8,perhaps10 she thought1 8it was this very bird that sang so sweetly to me in the wood4 ,he did far more for me than the mole does4 ,how much pleasure he gave me1 the dear1 beautiful bird60 ,the mole now closed up the hole and escorted the ladies home4 ,but that night ,thumbelina could not sleep for thinking of the dead bird4 ,so she got out of her bed and wove a soft blanket of hay4 ,she carried this out into the dark passage and spread it over the poor bird4 ,as she did so she laid her hand on the bird's heart4 ,it was beating6 ,he was not dead at all6 only numb with cold4 ,when he grew warm through and through he opened his eyes and looked at ,thumbelina4 ,at first she trembled1 she was so frightened1 for the bird was very large to her1 who was only an inch in height4 ,but she was too kind to run away from him4 8,thank you1 pretty child10 said the sick swallow in a weak voice4 8,now that ,i am warm ,i shall get strong again and be able to fly on my way40 8,oh1 stay where you are10 said ,thumbelina1 8it is so cold outside4 ,it snows and freezes4 ,stay in your warm bed and ,i will nurse you40 ,she brought the swallow water in the petal of a flower4 ,when he had drunk he told her all about himself4 ,he had set out for the south1 the warm countries1 with the other swallows2 but as he flew he caught one of his wings in a thorn bush and tore it4 ,after this he could not fly so fast as the others1 so the winter overtook him and he could not stand the cold4 ,it benumbed him so that he fell to the ground4 ,he could remember nothing more after this1 until he opened his eyes and found ,thumbelina at his side4 ,the whole winter ,thumbelina nursed the swallow4 ,and when the spring came and the sun was warm1 she opened the hole in the ceiling and let the sunshine pour in on him4 8,i am strong enough now to fly out into the sunshine10 said the swallow4 8,sit on my back and let us fly far into the green wood40 ,but ,thumbelina would not do this2 she knew that the old field-mouse would be lonely without her4 8,no1 ,i cannot10 said she4 8,farewell then1 you pretty1 good child10 said the swallow1 and he flew off into the sunshine4 ,thumbelina looked after him1 and the tears came into her eyes1 she was so sorry to part with him4 8,tweet-tweet10 he sang1 as she lost sight of him in the green wood4 ,,thumbelina ,,how ,,she ,,is ,,helped ,,by ,,the ,,swallow 8,my dear10 said the field-mouse one day after the mole had paid her a visit1 8the mole has asked me to give you to him for his wife4 ,you are very fortunate1 a poor child like you4 ,you must be ready to marry him as soon as possible4 ,set to work at once on your wedding-dress40 ,so ,thumbelina had to turn the spindle to make herself not only a wedding-dress but plenty of wool and linen1 for the field-mouse said she would not have her go to the mole empty-handed1 as if she were a beggar-girl4 ,and the mole himself hired four spiders to weave her a beautiful cobweb veil4 ,and every evening he paid her a visit1 and said they must be married as soon as the summer was over4 ,poor ,thumbelina did not know what to do4 ,she did not wish to marry the mole1 and live under the ground1 where the sun never shone4 ,the first thing every morning and the last every evening1 she crept outdoors1 and when the wind blew the corn leaves apart1 she looked up at the sky and wished the swallow would come to her4 ,but he did not4 ,when autumn came1 ,thumbelina had everything ready4 8,only four weeks more for the wedding10 cried the mole4 ,but when he had gone home ,thumbelina wept and said she could not marry the ugly mole1 who talked about nothing but himself4 8,nonsense60 said the field-mouse1 8don't be obstinate1 or ,i'll bite you with my sharp teeth4 ,the ,queen herself has not such black velvet fur4 ,and his kitchen and cellar are full4 ,be thankful for your good fortune40 ,well1 the wedding day arrived4 ,the mole1 dressed in his best black velvet1 came to fetch ,thumbelina to his house4 8,farewell1 thou bright sun60 she cried1 running out of the house a little way4 8,farewell10 she cried1 twining her arms around a little red flower still blooming there2 8say farewell to the little swallow for me1 if you see him again40 8,tweet-tweet6 tweet-tweet60 suddenly sounded over her head4 ,she looked up2 it was the little swallow1 just flying by4 ,he stopped when he saw ,thumbelina1 he was so glad4 ,and ,thumbelina told him how she was to marry the mole1 and live deep under the earth1 where the sun never shone4 ,she could not help weeping as she told of it4 8,come with me10 said the swallow1 8,i am on my way far off to the warm countries4 ,sit on my back1 and we will fly from the ugly mole and his dark room4 ,only fly with me1 you dear little ,thumbelina1 who were so good to me when ,i lay frozen in the dark passage40 8,yes10 cried ,thumbelina1 8,i will go with you40 ,and she seated herself on the bird's back1 and bound her girdle to one of his strongest feathers4 ,then the swallow flew up into the air and away over forest and sea and great high mountains1 where the snow always lies1 and on1 on1 on to the beautiful warm countries4 ,,thumbelina ,,what ,,became ,,of ,,her ,,at ,,last ,in the warm countries the sun shone so bright that in the ditches and on the hedges grew big juicy blue and green grapes1 lemons and oranges hung in the woods1 and the loveliest children ran about the roads chasing gorgeous butterflies4 ,the swallow flew on until he came to a great palace with dazzling white marble pillars4 8,my house is at the top of one of those pillars10 said he1 8but it is not good enough for you4 ,it is not yet so well furnished as ,i should like it to be if you were to live in it4 ,pick out one of the splendid flowers you see down there1 and ,i will set you down in it40 8,that will be a beautiful home10 cried ,thumbelina1 and clapped her hands4 ,she chose a great white flower4 ,the swallow flew down with her and set her on one of the broad leaves4 ,what was ,thumbelina's surprise8 ,there in the flower sat a little man1 shining white1 with a tiny gold crown on his head1 and bright wings on his shoulders2 and he wasn't a bit bigger than ,thumbelina herself4 8,how handsome he is60 whispered she to the swallow4 8,that is the king of all the flowers10 whispered the swallow back to her4 ,the little king was afraid of the big swallow1 but he liked ,thumbelina the minute he saw her4 ,she was the prettiest maiden he had ever laid eyes on4 ,instantly he took off his golden crown and put it on her head1 asked her name1 and begged her to be his wife and queen of all the flowers4 ,now of course such a husband was much better than the toad's son who could say nothing from morning till night but 8,croak1 croak1 brek-kek-brek20 and the field-mouse's neighbor1 the mole1 who could do nothing from morning till night but talk of himself4 ,so ,thumbelina said 8,yes10 with a right good will1 to the charming ,prince4 ,and out of every flower came a lady or lord1 lovely to behold1 and each brought ,thumbelina a wedding present4 ,but the best gift was a pair of beautiful wings that had once belonged to a great white fly4 ,when these had been fastened on her by one of the lovely ladies1 ,thumbelina could fly from flower to flower1 and visit everyone in her kingdom4 ,it was a joyful wedding4 ,the little swallow sat above them in the nest1--he was to sing the marriage-song4 ,and although his heart was sad to lose ,thumbelina1 he sang it sweetly4 ,so that is the end1 and ,thumbelina lived happy ever after4 --,,hans ,,christian ,,andersen ,a ,,visit ,,from ,,an ,,elf ,one evening1 as a farmer was crossing a field to his home1 what should he see sitting on a stone in the middle of it but a tiny creature6 ,the little thing looked something like a very1 very1 very small1 teeny1 weeny1 tiny little child4 ,and it was blue and shivering with cold4 ,the farmer saw that it must be an elf4 ,he knew it would bring him good luck to be kind to it4 ,besides1 he pitied it from his heart4 ,so he took it home and placed it on a stool by the hearth1 and fed it with sweet milk4 ,soon the bantling was warm and lively4 ,he capered and sprang about the kitchen merrier than a cricket1 and twice as light-footed4 ,well1 he didn't go the next day nor the next nor the next4 ,he stayed for many days4 ,a curious thing about him was that he never spoke4 ,but that did not matter1 for he kept the farmer and the farmer's wife laughing at his tricks4 ,he and they had many a play together4 ,sometimes1 when the farmer's wife was not looking1 he would creep into the keyhole4 ,then the farmer would call out1 8,find him1 wife40 ,at this the farmer's wife would search all about the kitchen1 under the chairs1 in the closet1 behind the wood box1 even in the clock case4 ,but she could not find him4 ,then she would cry out1 8,where are you1 ,tinykins80 ,the farmer would chuckle and hee-haw1 and slap his knee1 and wink1 and say1 8,he's neither in1 ,and he's neither out2 ,he's where something goes in ,when the light goes out40 ,quick as the crow flies before the farmer's empty gun the farmer's wife would guess1 8,you're in the keyhole1 ,tinykins1 you rogue1 come out40 ,and out he would pop in high glee4 ,the way he went was as strange as the way he came4 ,i'll tell you about it ,one evening as the little fellow was frisking about the farm kitchen1 a shrill voice from the farmyard called three times1 8,tolman ,grig6 ,tolman ,grig6 ,tolman ,grig60 8,ho6 ho6 ho6 ,my daddy is come10 cried the elf1 springing up and speaking for the first time4 ,with that1 off he flew through the keyhole4 ,that was the last the farmer or his wife ever saw of him4 ,but forever after they were happy and prosperous4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,how ,,the ,,cat ,,got ,,all ,,the ,,grain ,once upon a time a ,cat and a ,parrot owned a field together4 ,one day the ,cat said to the ,parrot1 8,come1 friend1 'tis time to till the field40 ,said the ,parrot1 8,i can't come now1 because ,i am whetting my bill on the branch of a mango-tree40 ,so the ,cat went alone and plowed the field4 ,when it was plowed the ,cat went again to the ,parrot and said1 8,come1 friend1 let us sow the corn40 ,said the ,parrot1 8,i can't come now1 because ,i am whetting my bill on the branch of a mango-tree40 ,so the ,cat went alone and sowed the corn4 ,the corn took root1 and sprouted1 and put forth the blade1 and the ear1 and the ripe corn in the ear4 ,then the ,cat went again to the ,parrot and said1 8,come1 friend1 let us go and gather in the harvest40 ,said the ,parrot1 8,i can't come now1 because ,i am whetting my bill on the branch of a mango-tree40 ,so the ,cat went alone and gathered in the harvest4 ,she put it away in barns and made ready for the threshing4 ,then she went again to the ,parrot and said1 8,come1 friend1 let us winnow the grain from the chaff40 ,said the ,parrot1 8,i can't come now1 because ,i am whetting my bill on the branch of a mango-tree40 ,so the ,cat went alone and winnowed the grain from the chaff4 ,then she went again to the ,parrot and said1 8,come1 friend1 the grain is all winnowed and sifted4 ,come and let us divide it between us40 8,i will10 shrieked the ,parrot so loudly that he lost his balance1 fell from the branch of the mango-tree1 and cracked open his poll4 ,that put an end to him4 ,so the ,cat had all the grain for herself4 --,,eastern ,,folk ,,tale ,,the ,,table ,,and ,,the ,,chair ,said the ,table to the ,chair1 8,you can hardly be aware ,how ,i suffer from the heat ,and from chilblains on my feet4 ,if we took a little walk1 ,we might have a little talk2 ,pray let us take the air10 ,said the ,table to the ,chair4 ,said the ,chair unto the ,table1 8,now you know we are not able2 ,how foolishly you talk1 ,when you know we cannot walk60 ,said the ,table1 with a sigh1 8,it can do no harm to try1 ,i've as many legs as you1 ,why can't we walk on two80 ,so they both went slowly down ,and walked about the town ,with a cheerful bumpy sound ,as they toddled round and round2 ,and all the people cried1 ,as they hastened to their side1 8,see6 the ,table and the ,chair ,have come out to take the air60 ,but in going down an alley ,to a castle in a valley1 ,they completely lost their way ,and wandered all the day2 ,till1 to see them safely back1 ,they paid a ,ducky-quack1 ,and a ,beetle and a ,mouse ,who took them to their house4 ,then they whispered to each other1 8,o delightful little brother1 ,what a lovely walk we've taken6 ,let us dine on beans and bacon40 ,so the ,ducky and the leetle ,browny-,mousy and the ,beetle ,dined and danced upon their heads ,till they toddled to their beds4 --,,edward ,,lear ,,the ,,wonderful ,,ship 8,once upon a time10 said the stork1 8and a very good time it was1 there was a ship1 a wonderful ship that could sail on land1 dry land40 8,oh60 said the chicks4 8,i know what ,i tell10 ,cried the stork1 8,i know it well1 very well1 ,i saw it with my own eyes40 8,this wonderful ship went on legs10 said the stork4 8,long legs40 8,oh60 said the chicks and the ducklings4 8,i know what ,i tell1 ,i know what ,i tell10 ,shouted the stork1 8,i know it well1 very well1 ,i saw it with my own eyes40 8,it had a head1 and a neck that came down and went up like a hook10 said the stork1 8a big hook40 8,oh60 said the chicks and the ducklings and the little turkeys4 8,i know what ,i tell1 ,i know what ,i tell10 ,shrieked the stork1 8,i know it well1 very well1 ,i saw it with my own eyes40 8,it had a hump on its back10 said the stork1 8a hump or two40 8,oh60 said the chicks and the ducklings and the little turkeys and the goslings4 8,i know what ,i tell1 ,i know what ,i tell10 ,cried the stork1 8,i know it well1 very well1 ,i saw it with my own eyes40 8,it was--alive60 said the stork1 opening his eyes and his mouth up so high that he could hardly get them down again4 8,ah1 it wasn't a real ship at all10 whispered the chicks to the ducklings1 and they whispered it to the little turkeys1 and they whispered it to the goslings4 8,it was a camel10 said the stork4 8,what's that80 asked the chicks1 the ducklings1 the little turkeys1 and the goslings4 ,and they crowded around him4 8,he's called the ship of the desert10 said the stork4 ,and he drew back to see what they thought of it4 8,why80 asked the chicks1 the ducklings1 the little turkeys1 and the goslings4 8,ask your teacher10 said he1 flying off to his nest in the chimney top2 8,i must attend to my babies4 ,go to school2 ,if you don't1 ,you'll turn out geese and gabies40 ,at this minute1 by great good luck1 they heard ,nan say to ,ned1 her brother1 8,let's play school4 ,i'll be the teacher40 ,so they went to school4 ,and by great good luck ,ned's lesson was about camels4 8,i'm not at all surprised10 whispered the smallest chick to the biggest gosling2 8,i found a four-leaf clover in the grass this morning4 ,i knew then we should have good luck40 ,they listened with all their might to the lesson1 and when they found it too hard they stopped listening to talk it over4 ,this was pretty often4 ,so when they went home they knew as much about camels as the stork does1 and maybe as much as you know4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,the ,,clever ,,geese ,a long1 long time ago when there were more foxes' dens than cats' cradles1 there lived a very sly fox4 ,every evening this sly fox sneaked up through the tall grass and weeds and around the tree-trunks1 pounced upon a plump young goose1 and carried it off to his den4 ,first1 he had one hidden away1 then two1 then three1 then four1 then five1 then six1 and by and by as many more4 ,well1 when he had a round dozen1 he called them before him in a circle1 fixed them with his bold sharp eyes1 and said1 8,my dumplings1 prepare to die4 ,at moonlight1 to-night1 ,i dine on young goose40 8,you'll surely give us time to say good-by10 cried the poor simpletons1 who suddenly turned clever to save their necks4 8,we have become the dearest of friends40 8,with all my heart10 said the fox1 with a bow4 8,take as much time as you like1 my dainties1 for the sweet parting40 ,and off he went4 ,one silly goose began to giggle at their cleverness before he was out of earshot4 ,but her sisters ran at her and pecked her into silence4 ,they laughed with their eyes only1 and so long as the fox kept walking away and not looking back that was perfectly safe4 ,well1 at moonlight1 sure enough1 the fox came home to dine4 ,and at once the geese began to say good-by4 8,ga-ga-ga-ga-ga-0 said one4 ,and when he stopped for breath1 8,ga-ga-ga-ga-0 said another4 ,and1 when he stopped1 another took it up4 ,and after that1 another and another4 ,so1 for all ,i know1 they are at it still4 ,the fox has not yet dined1 and the geese are alive and gabbling1 though1 as the story says at the beginning1 it all happened a very long time ago1 before any of us were born4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,the ,,happy ,,prince 7,especially suitable in winter season7 ,high above the city1 on a tall column1 stood the statue of the ,happy ,prince4 ,he was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold1 for eyes he had two bright sapphires1 and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt4 8,why can't you be like the ,happy ,prince80 asked a mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon4 8,the ,happy ,prince never dreams of crying for anything40 8,i am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy10 muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue4 8,he looks just like an angel10 said the ,orphan ,children1 as they came out of the cathedral4 8,how do you know80 said the ,mathematical ,master1 8you have never seen one40 8,ah6 but we have1 in our dreams10 answered the children2 and the ,mathematical ,master frowned and looked very severe1 for he did not approve of dreaming4 ,one night there flew over the city a little ,swallow4 ,his friends had gone away to ,egypt six weeks before1 but he had stayed behind with the beautiful ,reed4 ,he had seen her early in the spring as he was flying down the river after a big yellow moth1 and had stopped to talk to her4 8,shall ,i love you80 said he4 8,shall ,i love you80 ,and the ,reed made him a low bow4 ,so he flew round and round her1 touching the water with his wings1 and making silver ripples4 ,this lasted through the summer4 ,then1 when the autumn came1 the other swallows all flew away4 ,after they had gone he felt lonely4 8,i am off to the ,pyramids10 said he to the ,reed4 8,good-by60 and he flew after them4 ,all day long he flew1 and at night-time he arrived at the city4 8,where shall ,i put up80 he said2 8,i hope the town has made preparations40 ,then he saw the statue on the tall column4 8,i will put up there10 he cried2 8it is a high place with plenty of fresh air40 ,so he alighted just between the feet of the ,happy ,prince4 8,i have a golden bedroom10 he said softly to himself as he looked round and prepared to go to sleep2 but as he was putting his head under his wing a large drop of water fell on him4 8,what a curious thing60 he cried2 8there is not a single cloud in the sky1 the stars are quite clear and bright1 and yet it is raining4 ,the climate in the north of ,europe is really dreadful40 ,then another drop fell4 8,what is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off80 he said2 8,i must look for a good chimney-pot10 and he made up his mind to fly away4 ,but before he had opened his wings1 a third drop fell1 and he looked up and saw--,ah6 what did he see8 ,the eyes of the ,happy ,prince were filled with tears1 and tears were running down his golden cheeks4 ,his face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the little ,swallow was filled with pity4 8,who are you80 he said4 8,i am the ,happy ,prince40 8,why are you weeping then80 asked the ,swallow4 8,you have quite drenched me40 8,when ,i was alive and had a heart to feel10 answered the statue1 8,i lived in a palace4 ,in the daytime ,i played with my companions in the garden1 and in the evening ,i led the dance in the ,great ,hall4 ,round the garden ran a very lofty wall1 but ,i never cared to ask what lay beyond it4 ,my courtiers called me the ,happy ,prince4 ,so ,i lived and died4 ,and now that ,i am dead they have set me up here so high that ,i can see all the ugliness and all the misery of my city1 and though my heart is made of lead1 yet ,i cannot choose but weep40 8,what6 is he not solid gold80 said the ,swallow to himself4 ,he was too polite to make any personal remarks out loud4 8,far away10 continued the statue1 8far away in a little street there is a poor house4 ,one of the windows is open1 and through it ,i can see a woman seated at a table4 ,her face is thin and worn1 and she has coarse1 red hands1 all pricked by the needle1 for she is a seamstress4 ,she is embroidering flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest of the queen's maids-of-honor to wear at the next court-ball4 ,in a bed in the corner of the room her little boy is lying ill4 ,he has a fever1 and is asking for oranges4 ,his mother has nothing to give him but river water1 so he is crying4 ,swallow1 ,swallow1 little ,swallow1 will you not take her the ruby out of my sword-hilt8 ,my feet are fastened to this pedestal and ,i cannot move40 8,i am waited for in ,egypt10 said the ,swallow4 8,my friends are flying up and down the ,nile40 8,swallow1 ,swallow1 little ,swallow10 said the ,prince1 8will you not stay with me for one night1 and be my messenger8 ,the boy is so thirsty1 and the mother so sad40 8,i don't think ,i like boys10 answered the ,swallow4 8,last summer1 when ,i was staying on the river1 there were two rude boys1 the miller's sons1 who were always throwing stones at me4 ,they never hit me1 of course2 we swallows fly far too well for that1 and besides1 ,i come of a family famous for its swiftness2 but still it was a mark of disrespect40 ,but the ,happy ,prince looked so sad that the little ,swallow was sorry4 8,it is very cold here10 he said2 8but ,i will stay with you for one night and be your messenger40 8,thank you1 little ,swallow10 said the ,prince4 ,so the ,swallow picked out the great ruby from the ,prince's sword1 and flew away with it in his beak over the roofs of the town4 ,he passed by the cathedral tower1 where the white marble angels were sculptured4 ,he passed by the palace and heard a beautiful girl say1 8,i hope my dress will be ready in time for the ,state-ball4 ,i have ordered flowers to be embroidered on it2 but the seamstresses are so lazy40 ,at last he came to the poor house and looked in4 ,the boy was tossing feverishly on his bed1 and the mother had fallen asleep1 she was so tired4 ,in he hopped1 and laid the great ruby on the table beside the woman's thimble4 ,then he flew gently round the bed1 fanning the boy's forehead with his wings4 8,how cool ,i feel10 said the boy1 8,i must be getting better20 and he sank into a delicious slumber4 ,then the ,swallow flew back to the ,happy ,prince4 8,it is strange10 he remarked1 8but ,i feel quite warm now1 although it is so cold40 8,that is because you have done a good action10 said the ,prince4 ,and the little ,swallow began to think1 and then he fell asleep4 ,thinking always made him sleepy4 ,when day broke he flew down to the river and had a bath4 8,what a remarkable phenomenon10 said the ,bird ,professor as he was passing over the bridge4 8,a swallow in winter60 ,and he wrote a long letter about it to the local newspaper4 8,to-night ,i go to ,egypt10 said the ,swallow1 and he was in high spirits4 ,he visited all the public monuments1 and sat a long time on top of the church steeple4 ,wherever he went the ,sparrows chirruped1 and said to each other1 8,what a distinguished stranger60 so he enjoyed himself very much4 ,when the moon rose he flew back to the ,happy ,prince4 8,have you any commissions for ,egypt80 he cried2 8,i am just starting40 8,swallow1 ,swallow1 little ,swallow10 said the ,prince1 8will you not stay with me one night longer80 8,i am waited for in ,egypt10 answered the ,swallow4 8,to-morrow my friends will fly up to the ,second ,cataract4 ,the river-horse couches there among the bulrushes4 ,at noon the lions come down to the water's edge to drink4 ,they have eyes like green beryls1 and their roar is louder than the roar of the cataract40 8,swallow1 ,swallow1 little ,swallow10 said the ,prince1 8far away across the city ,i see a young man in a garret4 ,he is leaning over a desk covered with papers4 ,he is trying to finish a play1 but he is too cold to write any more4 ,there is no fire in the grate1 and hunger has made him faint40 8,i will wait with you one night longer10 said the ,swallow1 who really had a good heart4 8,shall ,i take him another ruby80 8,alas60 said the ,prince2 8my eyes are all that ,i have left4 ,but they are made of rare sapphires1 brought out of ,india a thousand years ago4 ,pluck out one of them and take it to him4 ,he will sell it to the jeweler1 and buy food and firewood1 and finish his play40 8,dear ,prince10 said the ,swallow1 8,i cannot do that20 and he began to weep4 8,swallow1 ,swallow1 little ,swallow10 said the ,prince1 8do as ,i command you40 ,so the ,swallow plucked out the ,prince's eye1 and flew away to the student's garret4 ,it was easy enough to get in1 as there was a hole in the roof4 ,through this he darted1 and came into the room4 ,the young man had his head buried in his hands1 so he did not hear the flutter of the bird's wings1 and when he looked up he found the beautiful sapphire4 8,now ,i can finish my play10 he cried1 and he looked quite happy4 ,the next day the ,swallow flew down to the harbor4 ,he sat on the mast of a large vessel and watched the sailors hauling big chests out of the hold with ropes4 8,heave a-hoy60 they shouted as each chest came up4 8,i am going to ,egypt10 cried the ,swallow1 but nobody minded1 and when the moon rose he flew back to the ,happy ,prince4 8,i am come to bid you good-by10 he cried4 8,swallow1 ,swallow1 little ,swallow10 said the ,prince1 8will you not stay with me one night longer80 8,it is winter10 answered the ,swallow1 8and the chill snow will soon be here4 ,in ,egypt the sun is warm on the green palm-trees1 and the crocodiles lie in the mud4 ,my companions are building a nest4 ,dear ,prince1 ,i must leave you1 but ,i will never forget you1 and next spring ,i will bring you back two beautiful jewels in place of those you have given away4 ,the ruby shall be redder than a red rose1 and the sapphire shall be as blue as the great sea40 8,in the square below10 said the ,happy ,prince1 8there stands a little match-girl4 ,she has let her matches fall in the gutter1 and they are all spoiled4 ,her father will beat her if she does not take home some money1 and she is crying4 ,she has no shoes or stockings1 and her little head is bare4 ,pluck out my other eye1 and give it to her1 and her father will not beat her40 8,i will stay with you one night longer10 said the ,swallow1 8but ,i cannot pluck out your eye4 ,you would be quite blind then40 8,swallow1 ,swallow1 little ,swallow10 said the ,prince1 8do as ,i command you40 ,so he plucked out the ,prince's other eye1 and darted down with it4 ,he swooped past the match-girl1 and slipped the jewel into the palm of her hand4 8,what a lovely bit of glass60 cried the little girl2 and she ran home1 laughing4 ,then the ,swallow came back to the ,prince4 8,you are blind now10 he said1 8so ,i will stay with you always40 8,no1 little ,swallow10 said the poor ,prince1 8you must go away to ,egypt40 8,i will stay with you always10 said the ,swallow1 and he slept at the ,prince's feet4 ,all the next day he sat on the ,prince's shoulder1 and told him stories of what he had seen in strange lands4 ,he told him of the red ibises1 who stand in long rows on the banks of the ,nile1 and catch gold-fish in their beaks2 and of the ,sphinx1 who is as old as the world itself1 and lives in the desert1 and knows everything4 8,dear little ,swallow10 said the ,prince1 8you tell me of marvelous things1 but fly over my city1 little ,swallow1 and tell me what you see there40 ,so the ,swallow flew over the great city1 and saw the rich making merry in their beautiful houses1 while the beggars were sitting at the gates4 ,he flew into dark lanes1 and saw the white faces of starving children looking out listlessly at the black streets4 ,under the archway of a bridge two little boys were lying in one another's arms to try and keep themselves warm4 8,how hungry we are60 they said4 8,you must not lie here10 shouted the ,watchman1 and they wandered out into the rain4 ,then he flew back and told the ,prince what he had seen4 8,i am covered with fine gold10 said the ,prince1 8you must take it off1 leaf by leaf1 and give it to my poor40 ,leaf after leaf of the fine gold the ,swallow picked off1 till the ,happy ,prince looked quite dull and gray4 ,leaf after leaf of the fine gold he took to the poor4 8,we have bread now60 they cried4 ,and the children's faces grew rosier1 and they laughed and played games in the street4 ,then the snow came1 and after the snow came the frost4 ,the streets looked as if they were made of silver1 they were so bright and glistening2 long icicles like crystal daggers hung down from the eaves of the houses4 ,the poor little ,swallow grew colder and colder1 but he would not leave the ,prince2 he loved him too well4 ,he picked up crumbs outside the baker's door1 and tried to keep himself warm by flapping his wings4 ,but at last he knew that he was going to die4 ,he had just strength to fly up to the ,prince's shoulder once more4 8,good-by1 dear ,prince60 he murmured4 8,will you let me kiss your hand80 8,i am glad that you are going to ,egypt at last1 little ,swallow10 said the ,prince1 8you have stayed too long here2 but kiss me on the lips1 for ,i love you40 8,it is not to ,egypt that ,i am going10 said the ,swallow4 8,i am going to ,death4 ,death is the brother of ,sleep1 is he not80 ,and he kissed the happy ,prince on the lips1 and fell down dead at his feet4 ,at that moment a curious crack sounded inside the statue1 as if something had broken4 ,the fact is that the leaden heart had snapped in two4 ,it certainly was a hard frost4 ,early the next morning the ,mayor was walking in the square below in company with the ,town ,councilors4 ,as they passed the column he looked up at the statue4 8,dear me6 how shabby the ,happy ,prince looks60 he said4 8,how shabby indeed60 cried the ,town ,councilors1 who always agreed with the ,mayor1 and they went up to look at it4 8,the ruby has fallen out of his sword1 his eyes are gone10 said the ,mayor2 8in fact1 he is little better than a beggar60 ,so they pulled down the statue of the ,happy ,prince and sent it to be melted in a furnace4 8,what a strange thing60 said the overseer of the workmen at the foundry4 8,this broken lead heart will not melt in the furnace4 ,we must throw it away40 ,so they threw it on a dust-heap where the dead ,swallow was also lying4 8,bring me the two precious things in the city10 said ,god to one of ,his ,angels2 and the ,angel took ,him the leaden heart and the dead bird4 8,you have chosen rightly10 said ,god2 8in my garden of ,paradise this little bird shall sing for evermore1 and in my city of gold the ,happy ,prince shall praise me40 --,,oscar ,,wilde ,,the ,,dwarf ,,roots' ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,pumpkin ,,seed ,did you ever hear the story of the ,pumpkin ,seed that made a feast of his insides1 and found his outsides changed most surprisingly1 and went down a pig's throat and was happy8 ,ever since it happened the ,dwarf ,roots1 who live below the ground1 tell it to the pumpkin seeds4 ,they say they heard it from the wind one day when the farmer's spade laid the ground open and let the wind in4 ,and the wind says he heard the farm children's grandmother tell it4 ,and she says she heard it from her grandmother4 ,so you see it is an old story1 and time you heard it4 ,then ,throw the nuts in ,and let us straight begin4 ,before the ,dwarf ,roots tell the story they stroke their beards that have grown fast into the ground1 like hairy threads1 and cry out1 8,once upon a1 twice upon a1 thrice upon a time20 and all the little pumpkin seeds lying low in the ground know a story is coming and swell with joy4 ,after that the ,dwarf ,roots tell the story as 'twas told to me4 ,so ,throw the nuts in ,and turn the first about4 ,and let's not stop again ,until the tale is out4 ,here's the tale4 ,early in the spring1 when things with legs all walk abroad and garden folks are born1 a little ,pumpkin ,seed stuck his head above ground4 ,he arrived with his cap on1 as pumpkin seeds do1 but as soon as possible he shook it off1 and looked about him to find out what to do next4 ,and who should he see come trotting down the garden path toward him but a little sniffing1 squealing pig1 poking his snout into everything and gobbling it up6 ,now1 how he came to know it the little ,pumpkin ,seed never could tell1 but all of a sudden he sang out3 8,i'm for your betters1 ,not you1 piggy wig1 ,when juicy ,i've grown ,and round and big2 ,then ,i'll change into something ,which winks and blinks ,and with boys and girls ,plays high jinks2 ,but when ,i'm out1 ,snip1 snap1 snout1 ,you may have me1 ,it's your turn to shout40 ,the little pig was so astonished that he stood straight up on his hind legs and curled his tail in a tight knot1 for all the world as if he were a performing pig in a circus4 ,when he was firm on his legs again1 he was just going to open his mouth1 when he saw the farmer coming down the path1 so he ran squealing from the garden4 ,some ,dwarf ,roots who tell the story say he was going to gobble up the little ,pumpkin1 and others say he was going to answer in pig's rhyme3 8,when it's time to shout1 ,with my sniffy snout ,i'll smell you out40 ,however that may be1 the next time he came trotting that way he poked his snout into a wire netting the farmer had put around the kitchen garden to keep him out1 so that was the last the little ,pumpkin ,seed saw of him for many a long day4 ,but the ,pumpkin ,seed knew now what he should do4 ,he stood up straight in the sunlight and soft rain1 and grew and grew and covered himself with blossoms1 and then let them all drop off except one4 ,and out of that he made a little pumpy pumpkin1 and by harvest time he had that so fat and round and yellow and juicy that the ,dwarf ,roots' mouths water when they tell of it4 ,the farmer gathered the ,pumpkin in a great basket1 and his wife scooped out the splendid insides of it and made of them deep rich pies for the ,thanksgiving feast that the farmer's family eat together in thankfulness to ,god for health and plenty4 ,everyone comes to the feast3 grandfather and grandmother and uncles and aunts and all the children1 first cousins and second cousins and third cousins and fourth cousins and fifth cousins1 down to the littlest babies that can do nothing1 when they're not feeding and sleeping1 but gurgle and crow at their fingers and toes4 ,to be sure1 when the grown-ups bite into the deep rich pumpkin pie they can do nothing either but gurgle and smack their lips4 ,so it was that the inside of the ,pumpkin did its part and made a feast and came to glory4 ,but what of the outside8 ,you shall hear4 ,it happened that very night4 ,the outside fell into the hands of a boy who could work surprising changes in things4 ,he worked one in the outside of the ,pumpkin4 ,some ,dwarf ,roots say he turned it into a ,jack-o'-lantern1 and some say into a goblin4 ,anyway1 there it was that night1 stuck in the farmer's hitching-post and changed most surprisingly4 ,it had a head that glowed like fire in the darkness1 and big round eyes that winked and blinked every time the wind blew1 and a mouth that grinned from ear to ear when the big boys and girls made the little ones run past it4 ,the little ones would steal up softly1 and just when they were near the fiery head the big ones would cry out1 8,look out1 little uns1 the goblin'll get cher02 and the little ones would dash past1 laughing and shrieking4 ,so it was that the outside of the ,pumpkin did its part and played high jinks with the children4 ,great fun it was2 and it kept up until the farmer called out1 8,time for bed1 boys and girls40 ,just as he said this the wind put the fire out of the ,pumpkin's head and blew him off the hitching post4 ,and the next thing he knew he was going down a pig's throat1 the very piggy wig he met so long ago4 ,snip1 snap1 snout1 ,this tale's out3 ,the pig has him now1 ,and it's his turn to shout4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,a ,,horse',s ,,story ,here is a story told by ,black ,beauty1 as pretty a little horse as ever wore a white star on his forehead4 99 99 99 99 99 ,one day late in the autumn my master had a long journey to go on business4 ,i was put to the dog-cart1 and ,john1 the coachman1 drove4 ,there had been a great deal of rain1 and now the wind was very high and blew the dry leaves across the road in a shower4 ,we went along merrily till we came to the toll-bar and the low wooden bridge4 ,the river banks were rather high1 and the bridge1 instead of rising1 went across just level1 so that in the middle1 if the river was full1 the water would be nearly up to the woodwork and planks4 ,but as there were good1 substantial rails on each side1 people did not mind it4 ,the man at the gate said the river was rising fast1 and he feared it would be a bad night4 ,many of the meadows were under water1 and in one low part of the road the water was halfway up to my knees4 ,the bottom was good1 however1 and master drove gently1 so it was no matter4 ,when we got to the town ,i had1 of course1 a good feed1 but as the master's business engaged him a long time1 we did not start for home till rather late in the afternoon4 ,the wind was then much higher1 and ,i heard the master say to ,john we had never been out in such a storm4 ,and so ,i thought1 as we went along the skirts of a wood1 where the great branches were swaying about like twigs1 and the rushing sound was terrible4 8,i wish we were well out of this wood10 said my master4 8,yes1 sir10 said ,john1 8it would be rather awkward if one of these branches came down on us40 ,the words were scarcely out of his mouth when there was a groan1 and a crack1 and a splitting sound4 ,and crashing down amongst the older trees came an oak1 torn up by the roots4 ,it fell across the road just before us4 ,i will never say ,i was not frightened1 for ,i was4 ,i stopped still1 and ,i believe ,i trembled4 ,of course ,i did not turn round or run away2 ,i was not brought up to that4 ,john jumped out and in a moment was at my head4 8,that came very near10 said my master4 8,what's to be done now80 8,well1 sir1 we can't drive over that tree1 nor yet get round it4 ,there's nothing for us but to go back to the four cross-ways1 and that will be a good six miles before we get round to the wooden bridge again4 ,it will make us late1 but the horse is fresh40 ,so back we went and round by the cross roads4 ,by the time we got to the bridge it was very nearly dark4 ,we could just see that the water was over the middle of it4 ,as this sometimes happened when there were floods1 master did not stop4 ,we were going along at a good pace1 but the moment my feet touched the first part of the bridge1 ,i felt sure there was something wrong4 ,i dared not go forward1 and ,i made a dead stop4 8,go on1 ,beauty10 said my master1 and he gave me a touch with the whip1 but ,i dared not stir4 ,he gave me a sharp cut4 ,i jumped1 but ,i dared not go forward4 8,there's something wrong1 sir10 said ,john1 and he sprang out of the dog-cart1 and came to my head and looked all about4 ,he tried to lead me forward4 8,come on1 ,beauty2 what's the matter80 ,of course1 ,i could not tell him1 but ,i knew very well that the bridge was not safe4 ,just then the man at the toll-gate on the other side ran out of the house1 tossing a torch about violently4 8,hoy1 hoy1 hoy6 halloo6 stop60 he cried4 8,what's the matter80 shouted my master4 8,the bridge is broken in the middle1 and part of it is carried away2 if you come on you'll be into the river40 8,thank ,god60 said my master4 8,you ,beauty60 said ,john1 and took the bridle and gently turned me round to the right-hand road by the river side4 ,the sun had set some time4 ,the wind seemed to have lulled off after that furious blast which tore up the tree4 ,it grew darker and darker1 stiller and stiller4 ,i trotted quietly along1 the wheels hardly making a sound on the soft road4 ,for a good while neither master nor ,john spoke1 and then master began in a serious voice4 ,i could not understand much of what they said1 but ,i found they thought that if ,i had gone on as the master wanted me1 horse1 chaise1 master1 and man would have fallen into the river4 ,master said1 ,god had given men reason1 by which they could find out things for themselves2 but he had given animals instinct1 which did not depend on reason1 and which was much more prompt and perfect in its way1 and by which they had often saved the lives of men4 ,at last we came to the park gates1 and found the gardener looking out for us4 ,he said that mistress had been much alarmed ever since dark1 fearing some accident had happened1 and that she had sent ,james off on ,justice1 the roan cob1 towards the wooden bridge to make inquiry after us4 ,we saw a light at the hall door and at the upper windows1 and as we came up1 mistress ran out1 saying to master1 8,are you really safe1 my dear8 ,oh6 ,i have been so anxious1 fancying all sorts of things4 ,have you had no accident80 8,no1 but if your ,black ,beauty had not been wiser than we were1 we should all have been carried down the river at the wooden bridge40 ,i heard no more1 as they went into the house1 and ,john took me to the stable4 ,oh1 what a good supper he gave me that night1 a good bran mash and some crushed beans with my oats1 and such a thick bed of straw6 and ,i was glad of it1 for ,i was tired4 --,,anna ,,sewell ,a ,,bewitched ,,donkey ,there was once a little donkey who lived with a little old woman and her tabby cat and her rooster and his hens and their chicks in a little cottage out in the country4 ,every morning1 after cropping the dewy grass1 the little donkey used to poke his head in at the cottage window1 as much as to say1 8,it's time we were off10 and the little old woman used to say1 8,i'll be with you in two shakes of ,tabby's tail40 ,presently out she would bring two baskets of fresh-laid eggs from the hens and hang them across the donkey's back1 and off to market they'd go4 ,tabby would stop washing her face to wave her paw at them1 and the little old woman would wave her hand back1 and the little donkey would turn and wave his head4 ,they were as happy and loving as any people that ever lived together1 and the donkey was the man of the family4 ,but one morning something got into the donkey4 ,he seemed to be bewitched4 ,you shall hear4 ,when he had cropped the dewy grass as usual1 he poked his head in at the cottage window1 as much as to say1 8,it's time we were off10 and the little old woman said1 8,i'll be with you in two shakes of ,tabby's tail40 ,but the minute she came to the door with the two baskets of fresh-laid eggs from the hens1 up went the little donkey's heels1 and away he ran with such a kick and a run and a run and a kick that the little old woman couldn't keep up with him were she never so quick4 ,all at once she was so surprised at him that she stood stock still4 ,immediately stock still stood the little donkey and laughed at her till his fat little sides shook1 8,hee haw1 hee haw1 hee haw40 ,this was too much for the little old woman4 8,can it be that my own little donkey is laughing at his little old woman80 she said4 ,and one basket of eggs dropped smash on the ground and she began to cry4 ,at this out came ,tabby1 and up came running all the hens and their little chicks and the lordly rooster1 and they all rubbed against the little old woman's skirts1 and ,tabby miowed1 8,our little old woman1 do not cry10 and the hens cackled it1 and the little chicks peeped it1 and the rooster crowed it4 ,and then they all said it together1 each in his own way4 8,but the man of the family has run away from us and he laughs at it10 said the little old woman2 8whatever shall we do60 8,let us give him another chance10 said the big white hen with the kind face4 8,begin all over again and see what happens40 ,so the rooster led the way back to the yard1 and the hens followed him and the little chicks followed them4 ,at the same time ,tabby led the way back to the cottage and the little old woman followed her4 ,when the little old woman was inside she began packing the one basket of eggs into the two baskets4 ,well1 sure enough1 the little donkey did his part1 too4 ,he ran back and began cropping the dewy grass1 and then he poked his head in at the cottage window as much as to say1 8,it's time we were off10 and the little old woman in high glee called out1 8,i'll be with you in two shakes of ,tabby's tail40 ,but the minute she came to the door with the two baskets of fresh-laid eggs from the hens1 up went the little donkey's heels1 and away he ran with such a kick and a run and a run and a kick that the little old woman couldn't keep up with him were she never so quick4 ,and as before1 all at once she was so surprised at him that she stood stock still4 ,immediately stock still stood the little donkey and laughed at her till his fat little sides shook1 8,hee haw1 hee haw1 hee haw40 ,and1 as before1 this was too much for the little old woman4 8,can it be that my own little donkey is laughing at his little old woman80 she said4 ,and one basket of eggs dropped smash on the ground and she began to cry4 ,at this out came ,tabby1 and up came running all the hens and their little chicks and the lordly rooster1 and they all rubbed against the little old woman's skirts1 and ,tabby miowed1 8,our little old woman1 do not cry10 and the hens cackled it1 and the little chicks peeped it1 and the rooster crowed it4 ,and then they all said it together1 each in his own way4 ,so it was of no use4 ,but at last the little old woman thought of a plan1 such an easy thing1 too1 and sure to be what a little old woman would think of sooner or later to keep the man of the family4 ,instead of staying in the cottage1 when they went back to try it over a third time1 she went out by a back door and crept around the side of the house4 ,when the donkey poked his head in at the window she ran out1 caught him by the heels1 shoved him in1 jumped in after him1 and held him4 ,the lordly rooster and the hen and the little chicks were watching1 and they ran in and shut both doors fast4 ,and then they all waited and listened1 and presently the donkey began to explain himself4 ,the moonlight the night before was so strong1 he said1 that it woke him up4 ,as he opened his eyes he heard little voices1 as sweet as silver bells1 singing1 8,o lovely moon1 queen of the night1 ,beautiful moon1 glorious and bright1 ,hail1 all hail60 ,he looked out of his shed into the moonlight1 and there on the green he saw the most exquisite fairies1 with wings shining with all the colors of the rainbow1 hand in hand with big-eyed tiny elves with bumpy heads and little legs4 ,they were all dancing in a ring and looking up at the moon4 ,and the moon was gazing down at them4 ,now he knew very well that the fairy folk do not like to be spied on2 he had often heard the little old woman tell it to her gossip1 ,tabby1 the cat4 ,and she had warned him to stay in his stall and not go prying on the night folk4 ,and he said he was truly sorry now that he did it1 but at the time he thought it would be fun4 ,so he stole up around a stack of hay near where they were dancing in honor of the moon1 and all at once he gave such a bray that the fairies fell to the ground in little swoons1 and the elves jumped so high into the air that for a whole second he lost sight of them4 ,but the moonlight showed them where he was4 ,quick as a wink they whipped little horns out of their belts and blew together three times4 ,up came hobbling from the shadows an old witch4 ,she saw the donkey at once1 and pointing her long finger at his heels cried1 8,kick him1 heels1 ,until he feels ,ashamed to spy ,at fairy reels1 ,he-he-he6 ,he must kick ,and run away1 ,and fill the air ,with donkey bray1 ,until he eats ,a wisp of hay ,given by bat ,or by cat40 ,well1 ,tabby was off to a stable before one shake of her own tail1 and presently back she came with the wisp of hay4 ,the little old woman gave it to the little donkey and held her breath to see what would happen1 and so did ,tabby and the lordly rooster and the hens and the little chicks4 ,no sooner had the donkey swallowed it than he left off kicking and trying to run away6 ,so now1 of course1 everything came right4 ,the lordly rooster led his wives and children back to the henyard1 and the little old woman and the little donkey set off to market with the eggs that had not been smashed4 ,tabby stopped washing her face to wave her paw at them1 and the little old woman waved her hand back1 and the little donkey turned and waved his head4 ,and ever after they were as loving and happy as any people that ever lived together1 and the donkey was the man of the family4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,the ,,straw1 ,,the ,,coal1 ,,and ,,the ,,bean 7,tell with stick-figure blackboard illustrations47 ,in a village there lived an old woman who one day gathered some beans from her garden to cook4 ,she had a good fire on the hearth1 but1 to make it burn more quickly1 she threw on a handful of straw4 ,as she threw the beans into the pot to boil1 one of them fell on the floor unseen by the old woman1 not far from a wisp of straw4 ,suddenly a glowing coal bounced out of the fire1 and fell close to them4 ,they both started away1 and exclaimed1 8,dear friend1 don't come near me till you are cooler4 ,whatever brings you out here80 8,oh10 replied the coal1 8the heat luckily made me so strong that ,i was able to bounce from the fire4 ,had ,i not done so1 my death would have been certain1 and ,i should have been burnt to ashes by this time40 8,i1 too1 have escaped with a whole skin10 said the bean2 8for had the old woman put me into the pot with my comrades1 ,i should have been boiled to broth40 8,i might have shared the same fate10 said the straw1 8for all my brothers were pushed into fire and smoke by the old woman4 ,she seized sixty of us at once1 and brought us in here to take away our lives1 but luckily ,i slipped through her fingers40 8,well1 now what shall we do with ourselves80 said the coal4 8,i think10 answered the bean1 8as we have been so fortunate as to escape death together1 we may as well be companions1 and travel away together to some more friendly country40 ,this pleased the two others2 so they started on their journey together4 ,after traveling a little distance1 they came to a stream1 over which there was no bridge of any sort4 ,then the straw thought of a plan1 and said1 8,i will lay myself across the stream1 so that you may step over me1 as if ,i were a bridge40 ,so the straw stretched himself from one shore to the other1 and the coal1 who was rather hot-headed1 tripped out quite boldly on the newly built bridge4 ,but when he reached the middle of the stream1 and heard the water rushing under him1 he was so frightened that he stood still1 and dared not move a step farther4 ,the straw began to burn1 broke in two1 and fell into the brook4 ,the coal slid after him1 hissed as he reached the water1 and gave up the ghost4 ,the bean1 who had cautiously remained behind on the shore1 could not keep in when she saw what had happened1 and laughed so heartily that she burst her sides4 ,it would have been all over with her1 too2 but1 as good luck would have it1 a tailor1 out on his travels1 came to rest by the brook1 and noticed the bean4 ,he was a kind-hearted man1 so he took a needle and thread out of his pocket1 and1 taking up the bean1 sewed her together4 ,she thanked him prettily1 but unfortunately he had only black thread to sew with1 and so since that time all beans have a black seam down their sides4 --,,folk ,,tale ,,mother ,,holle ,there was once a widow who had two daughters4 ,one of them was pretty and industrious1 but the other was ugly and idle4 ,now the mother was much fonder of the ugly and idle one1 because this was her own daughter4 ,she made the other do all the work1 and be the ,cinderella of the house4 ,every day the poor girl had to sit by a well1 in the highway1 and spin and spin till her fingers bled4 ,one day as she worked the shuttle got marked with her blood1 so she dipped it into the well1 to wash the mark off4 ,but it dropped out of her hand and fell to the bottom4 ,she began to weep1 and ran to her mother and told her of the mishap4 ,but the mother scolded her sharply1 and was so cruel as to say1 8,as you have let the shuttle fall in1 you must fetch it out again40 ,the girl went back to the well1 and did not know what to do4 ,in the sorrow of her heart she jumped into the well1 and lost her senses from fright4 ,when she awoke and came to herself again1 she was in a beautiful meadow where the sun was shining and many thousands of flowers were growing4 ,along this meadow she went1 and came to a baker's oven full of bread1 and the bread cried out1 8,oh1 take me out6 ,take me out6 ,or ,i shall burn2 ,i have baked a long time60 ,so she went up to it1 and took out all the loaves1 one after another1 with the bread-shovel4 ,after that she went on till she came to a tree covered with apples1 which called out to her1 8,oh1 shake me6 ,shake me6 ,we apples are all ripe60 ,so she shook the tree till the apples fell like rain1 and went on shaking till they were all down1 and when she had gathered them into a heap1 she went on her way4 ,at last she came to a little house out of which peeped an old woman4 ,the old woman had such large teeth that the girl was frightened1 and was about to run away4 ,but the old woman said1 8,what are you afraid of1 dear child8 ,stay with me2 if you will do all the work in the house properly1 you shall be the better for it4 ,only you must take care to make my bed well1 and to shake it thoroughly till the feathers fly--for then there is snow on the earth4 ,i am ,mother ,holle40 ,the old woman spoke so kindly to her1 the girl took courage and agreed to enter her service4 ,she did everything so well that she pleased her mistress1 and always shook her bed so vigorously that the feathers flew about like snowflakes4 ,she had a pleasant life with the old woman1 never an angry word1 and boiled or roast meat every day4 ,but after she had stayed some time with ,mother ,holle1 she became sad4 ,at first she did not know what was the matter with her1 but at last she felt it was homesickness4 ,although she was many thousand times better off here than at home1 still she had a longing to be there4 ,so one day she said to the old woman1 8,i wish ,i were home1 no matter how well off ,i am down here1 ,i cannot stay any longer2 ,i must go up again to my own people40 ,mother ,holle said1 8,i am glad that you long for your home1 and as you have served me so truly1 ,i myself will take you up again40 ,she took her by the hand1 and led her to a large door4 ,the door opened1 and just as the maiden was standing beneath the door-way1 a heavy shower of golden rain fell1 and all the gold remained on her1 so that she was covered with it4 8,you shall have that because you are so industrious10 said ,mother ,holle2 and at the same time she gave her back the shuttle which the girl had let fall into the well4 ,then the door closed1 and the maiden found herself up above the earth1 not far from her mother's house4 ,as she went into the yard1 the cock standing by the well-side cried1 8,cock-a-doodle-doo6 ,your golden girl's come back to you60 ,so she went in to her mother4 ,and because she arrived covered with gold1 her mother and sister were glad to have her back4 ,the girl told all that had happened to her4 ,as soon as the mother heard how she had come by so much gold1 she was very anxious that the same good luck should come to the ugly and lazy daughter4 ,so she made her seat herself by the well and spin4 ,but the idle girl did not work4 ,to stain the spindle with blood1 she stuck her hand into a thorn bush and pricked her finger4 ,then she threw the shuttle into the well1 and jumped in after it4 ,she came1 like the other1 to the beautiful meadow and walked along the very same path4 ,when she came to the oven1 the bread again cried1 8,oh1 take me out6 ,take me out6 ,or ,i shall burn2 ,i have baked a long time60 ,but the lazy thing answered1 8,as if ,i had any wish to make myself dirty80 and on she went4 ,soon she came to the apple-tree1 which cried1 8,oh1 shake me6 ,shake me6 ,we apples are all ripe60 ,but she answered1 8,i like that6 ,one of you might fall on my head10 and so went on4 ,when she came to ,mother ,holle's house1 she was not afraid1 for she had already heard of her big teeth1 and she hired herself to her immediately4 ,the first day she forced herself to work diligently1 and obeyed ,mother ,holle when she told her to do anything1 for she was thinking of all the gold she would give her4 ,but on the second day she began to be lazy1 and on the third day still more so1 and then she would not get up in the morning at all4 ,neither did she make ,mother ,holle's bed as she ought1 and did not shake it so as to make the feathers fly up4 ,mother ,holle was soon tired of this1 and gave her notice to leave4 ,the lazy girl was willing enough to go1 and thought that now the golden rain would come4 ,mother ,holle led her1 too1 to the great door2 but while she was standing beneath it1 instead of the gold a big kettle of black pitch was emptied over her4 8,that is the reward of your service10 said ,mother ,holle1 and shut the door4 ,so the lazy girl went home2 but she was quite covered with pitch1 and the cock by the well-side1 as soon as he saw her1 cried out1 8,cock-a-doodle-doo6 ,your pitchy girl's come back to you60 ,and the pitch stuck fast to her1 and could not be got off as long as she lived4 --,,folk ,,tale ,,tom ,,thumb 7,arranged as a continued story7 ,,how ,,he ,,came ,,to ,,his ,,mother ,,and ,,father ,long1 long ago1 when good ,king ,arthur ruled in ,britain1 there lived a magician named ,merlin4 ,he could change himself into anything he chose1 and one day when he had changed himself into a beggar he stopped at a plowman's cottage to ask for food4 8,come in1 poor fellow10 cried the plowman1 8there's always a bite for another40 ,and the plowman's wife set on the table a bowl of milk and a platter heaped with sweet brown bread4 ,merlin was greatly pleased with the good people's kindness to him4 ,now1 by and by he noticed that although everything in the cottage was neat and comfortable1 something was troubling these kind people4 ,so he asked them what it was4 8,ah10 cried the poor woman1 with tears in her eyes1 8we have no little son4 ,if ,i only had a little son1 ,i should be the happiest woman in the world1 even if he were no bigger than my husband's thumb40 ,well1 ,merlin said nothing1 and when he had rested he went on his way4 ,but he did not forget the kind people's sorrow4 ,as soon as he could1 he paid a visit to the queen of the fairies1 and told her about it and begged her to grant the woman's wish4 ,sure enough1 after a time the plowman's wife had a little son1 and lo and behold6 he was not a bit bigger than her husband's thumb4 ,while his mother was admiring him1 the queen of the fairies came in at the window4 ,she kissed the child and called him ,tom ,thumb4 ,she sent for some of the fairies to dress him1 and she herself told what he should wear4 ,so the fairies came and dressed the little man according to the queen's directions3 8,an oak leaf hat he had for a crown2 ,his shirt of web by spiders spun2 ,with jacket wove of thistle down2 ,his trousers were of feathers done4 ,his stockings1 of apple-rind1 they tie ,with eyelash from his mother's eye2 ,his shoes were made of mouse's skin1 ,tann'd with the downy hair within40 ,so it was that ,tom ,thumb1 the fairy mannikin1 came into the world2 and1 wonderful to tell1 he never grew any bigger than his father's thumb4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,how ,,he ,,grows ,,up ,,full ,,of ,,tricks ,but as he got older he grew to be full of tricks4 ,he used to play cherry-stones with the boys4 ,when he had lost all his own stones1 he would creep slyly into his playmates' bags1 quickly fill his pockets with their stones1 creep out unseen1 and join again in the game4 ,one day as he did this the boy who owned the bag caught him at it4 8,ah1 ha6 my little ,tommy10 he cried1 8at last ,i have caught you stealing my cherry-stones4 ,i'll teach you to stop that40 ,and he quickly drew the string1 shutting ,tom into the bag1 and gave the bag such a shake that the poor little fellow's legs and thighs and body were sadly bruised4 ,tom roared with pain and promised never to do that again4 ,so he was cured of that trick4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,how ,,he ,,has ,a ,,narrow ,,escape ,,from ,a ,,batter ,,pudding ,a short time afterwards ,tom's mother was making a batter pudding for supper1 and inquisitive little ,tom must of course see how it was made4 ,so he climbed up to the edge of the bowl2 but unfortunately his foot slipped and in he plumped1 head and ears1 into the batter4 ,his mother1 poor woman1 never caught sight nor light of him1 so she stirred him into the batter and put it into the pot to boil4 ,now1 the batter had filled ,tom's mouth and kept him from crying out to his mother4 ,but when he felt the water getting hot1 he kicked and struggled so much in the pot that his mother thought the pudding must be bewitched4 ,she pulled it out of the pot and threw it outdoors4 ,a poor tinker crying1 8,pots to mend1 kettles to mend10 was passing in the nick of time1 so1 thinking it would make him a good dinner1 he stuffed it into his pack and walked off with it4 ,by this time ,tom's mouth was clear of the batter1 so he yelled lustily to be let out4 ,the terrified tinker flung down his pack and ran away4 ,the pudding broke to pieces1 and ,tom crept out1 covered with batter1 but glad to be alive and to make his way home as fast as he could4 ,when ,tom's mother saw the state of her darling she was ready to weep4 ,she put him into a teacup of warm water and washed off the mess4 ,then1 forgetting the loss of her pudding1 she kissed him and tucked him into bed4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,how ,,he ,,gets ,,into ,,the ,,red ,,cow',s ,,stomach ,well1 soon after the batter pudding mischief1 ,tom's mother went to milk her cow in the meadow1 and she took ,tom along with her4 ,as the wind was strong she was afraid he might be blown away1 so she took out of her pocket a piece of fine thread and tied him to a thistle4 ,then she set about milking the cow4 ,it wasn't long before the cow caught sight of ,tom's oak leaf hat1 and thrusting out her tongue she took in poor ,tom and the thistle at a mouthful4 ,tom was terrified4 ,but while the cow was chewing the thistle he had time to collect his wits1 although he was afraid every minute her monstrous teeth would crush him in pieces4 ,so he roared out as loudly as he could1 8,mother1 mother60 8,where are you1 ,tommy1 my darling8 where are you80 cried his mother1 dropping her milking4 8,here1 mother10 he shouted1 8here1 in the red cow's mouth40 ,at this his poor mother began to cry and wring her hands1 looking helplessly at the cow4 ,but what was her joy6 ,the cow1 surprised at the odd noise in her throat1 opened her mouth and let ,tom drop out4 ,quick as a flash his mother caught him up before he could fall to the ground1 and she ran home with him4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,how ,,he ,,comes ,,to ,,belong ,,to ,,the ,,king ,one day when ,tom went into the fields to drive the cattle with a whip of barley straw his father had given him1 he slipped and rolled into one of the furrows4 ,a raven flying overhead picked him up and flew with him to the top of a giant's castle near the sea1 and there left him4 ,tom did not know what to do4 ,but this was not the worst of it4 ,he heard a heavy tread1 tramp6 tramp6 and out strode ,grumbo1 the giant who owned the castle4 ,he saw ,tom1 picked him up and gulped him down in a twinkling1 as if he were a pill4 ,but in a minute he was sorry4 ,for ,tom began to kick and jump about so that the giant could not stand him in his stomach1 but rushed to the castle wall and vomited him into the sea4 ,well1 the instant ,tom struck the water a great fish swallowed him4 ,soon a fisherman caught this very fish1 took it to market1 and there sold it for ,king ,arthur's own table4 ,and when the king's cook cut the fish open1 out stepped ,tom1 alive and well1 and stood on his head for joy to find himself safe and free again4 ,the astonished cook ran with him to the king1 and ,tom so delighted the king and queen and all the knights of the ,round ,table with his tricks that the king called him his dwarf1 to make fun for him and the court4 ,in time the king grew so fond of ,tom that he took him everywhere with him1 and even let him creep into his pocket for shelter if it should rain when they were out together4 ,so now ,tom ,thumb was ,king ,arthur's dwarf and lived at court4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,how ,,he ,,carries ,,money ,,to ,,his ,,parents ,one day ,king ,arthur asked ,tom about his parents1 whether they were as small as ,tom1 and whether they were rich or poor4 ,tom told the king his father and mother were as tall as any of the people at court but they were poor4 ,at this the king took ,tom into the treasury and told him to take home to his parents as much money as he could carry4 ,tom capered for joy4 ,he ran off to get a purse1 and into this he stuffed a silver threepenny piece4 ,he had some trouble hoisting the bag of money on his back1 but at last he succeeded1 and set out on his journey4 ,it was a short distance1 but tiny ,tom had to rest more than a hundred times by the way1 so that it took him two days and two nights to reach his father's house4 ,his mother ran out to meet him1 and carried him into the house more dead than alive4 ,she and the father were overjoyed to see him1 the more so as he had brought such a great sum of money2 but they were grieved that he was so worn out4 ,his mother placed him tenderly in a walnut shell1 and feasted him three whole days on a hazel nut4 ,to her sorrow this made him sick1 for he should not have eaten a whole nut in less than a month4 ,in time1 ,tom was able to run about and to think of returning to court4 ,but as there had been a heavy fall of rain his mother said the roads were too wet for him to walk4 ,so when the wind was blowing in the direction of the king's castle she made a little umbrella of paper1 tied ,tom to it1 gave him a puff into the air with her mouth1 and away he went back to ,king ,arthur4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,how ,,he ,,becomes ,,ill ,,and ,,who ,,nurses ,,him ,well1 ,tom was never tired making fun for the king and queen and all the court4 ,the courtiers laughed till their sides ached at his antics1 and the king said to the queen1 8,did you ever see the like80 ,and she said1 8,no1 never60 ,but he did so much1 he at last made himself ill4 ,the whole court was filled with sorrow1 for everyone feared the little fellow would die4 ,the king came constantly to his bedside to ask how he was1 and brought his cleverest physicians to cure him4 ,but they could not4 ,in the midst of their anxiety the queen of the fairies ordered her chariot drawn by winged butterflies1 and set out for the palace4 ,she lifted ,tom tenderly out of his bed and carried him with her to fairyland4 ,here she herself nursed him back to health and let him play with the fairies until he was as strong and merry as ever4 ,then she ordered a breeze to rise4 ,and on this she placed ,tom and sent him back to the king4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,how ,,tom ,,escapes ,,hanging ,now1 just as ,tom came flying back to ,king ,arthur's court1 the cook happened to be passing with the king's great bowl of frumenty1 a dish the king was very fond of4 ,unfortunately the little fellow fell plump into the middle of it1 splashing the hot frumenty in the cook's face4 ,the cook1 in a rage at ,tom for frightening and scalding him1 ran to tell the king that ,tom had jumped into his ,majesty's favorite dish out of idle mischief4 ,the king's anger was terrible4 ,he ordered ,tom to be seized and tried4 ,no one dared plead for him1 so the king commanded that his head be cut off4 ,a crowd followed the headsman to see it done4 ,the headsman lifted his ax4 ,poor little ,tom fell a-trembling and looked about for some means of escape4 ,in the crowd he saw a miller with his mouth open1 like the booby he was4 ,at a bound ,tom leaped into the miller's mouth4 ,he sprang in so nimbly that no one1 not even the miller himself1 saw where he went4 ,so1 as the headsman could not find ,tom to take off ,tom's head1 he1 like a sensible man1 shouldered his ax and went home2 and the miller went back to his mill4 ,when ,tom heard the miller at work in the mill1 he knew he was far away from the court and entirely safe1 so he immediately set about getting out4 ,he began to roll and tumble about in such an alarming way that the miller took to bed and sent for a doctor4 ,when the doctor arrived1 ,tom began to dance and sing1 and the doctor1 as much frightened as the miller1 sent in hot haste for five more doctors and twenty learned men4 ,while the six doctors and the twenty learned men were putting their wise heads together1 the miller happened to yawn4 ,seizing the chance1 ,tom took another jump1 but out of the miller's mouth this time1 and alighted safe on his feet in the middle of a table near the bed4 ,well1 when the miller saw the little bit of a creature that had tormented him1 it was his turn to fall into a rage at ,tom4 ,he laid hands on him1 opened the window1 and threw him into the river4 ,and a second time ,tom was swallowed by a fish6 ,a large salmon swimming along snapped him up4 ,a fisherman caught the salmon and sold it in the market for a great lord's table4 ,but when the lord saw it he thought it such a fine fish that he made a present of it to ,king ,arthur4 ,so when the cook cut open the fish he found poor ,tom and ran to the king with him to make sure that he should not escape again4 ,but the king was busy and ordered ,tom to be kept locked up until he should send for him4 ,the cook was determined that ,tom should not get away1 so he put him into a mouse trap closely wired4 ,when ,tom had spent a week in the trap peeping through the wires1 the king sent for him4 ,but to the cook's disappointment and ,tom's great delight1 his anger had gone4 ,he forgave ,tom for falling into the frumenty1 and made him again his dwarf1 to make fun for him and the court4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,how ,,he ,,is ,,knighted ,,by ,,the ,,king ,to reward ,tom for his services to the court1 the king made him a knight4 ,he told ,tom to kneel down4 ,then he struck him with his sword and said1 8,with this sword ,i dub thee knight4 ,arise1 ,sir ,thomas ,thumb40 ,as ,tom's clothes had suffered in the batter pudding1 the frumenty1 and the insides of the giant1 the miller1 and the fishes1 the king ordered that the new knight should be given a handsome suit of clothes and a horse and sword4 ,how proud ,tom was and how splendid he looked6 ,you shall hear about his dress and his horse and sword3 ,of butterfly's wings his shirt was made1 ,his boots of chicken's hide2 ,and by a nimble fairy blade1 ,well learned in the tailoring trade1 ,his clothing was supplied4-- ,a needle dangled by his side2 ,a dapper mouse he used to ride1 ,thus strutted ,tom in lordly pride4 ,it was great fun to see ,tom mounted on the mouse1 as he rode out a-hunting with the king and the other knights4 ,they were all ready to die with laughter as they looked at him and his prancing charger4 ,but they were glad to call him a brother knight1 he was so brave4 ,one day as they were riding past a farmhouse a large cat lurking about a door made a spring at ,tom and the mouse1 seized them1 and ran up a tree with them4 ,here she began to devour the mouse4 ,tom boldly drew his sword and stuck it into the cat so fiercely that she was at last forced to drop them4 ,as they fell1 one of the knights held out his hat and caught them4 ,he carried ,tom home and laid him on a bed of down in a little ivory cabinet until he should get over the attack4 ,tom was soon himself again1 and dearer than ever to the king and court4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,how ,,he ,,goes ,,away ,,and ,,comes ,,back ,,again ,soon after1 the queen of the fairies came to pay ,tom a visit1 and when she left she took ,tom back with her to fairyland4 ,there he stayed several years4 ,while he was gone ,king ,arthur and the queen and all the knights who knew ,tom died1 so when he came back he found a new king reigning1 ,king ,thunstone4 ,all the courtiers flocked about the mannikin1 and asked him who he was1 and whence he came1 and where he lived4 ,tom answered1 8,my name is ,tom ,thumb1 ,from the fairies ,i've come4 ,when ,king ,arthur shone1 ,this court was my home4 ,in me he delighted1 ,by him ,i was knighted2 ,have you never heard of ,sir ,thomas ,thumb80 ,the king was so charmed with this speech that he at once made ,tom court dwarf4 ,he ordered his builders to build ,tom a gold palace a span high1 with a door an inch wide1 and he ordered his coachmen to give ,tom a coach drawn by six small mice4 ,and so that he might sit upon the king's table close to his elbow1 he ordered his cabinet makers to make ,tom a little ivory chair4 ,so there was ,tom back at court again and king's favorite4 ,,tom ,,thumb ,,what ,,became ,,of ,,him ,,at ,,last ,but ,tom did not live much longer4 ,a large spider one day attacked him4 ,tom drew his sword and fought well1 but at last the spider's poisonous breath overcame him4 8,he fell dead on the ground where he stood1 ,and the spider suck'd up every drop of his blood40 ,well1 of course he had to die some time4 ,king ,thunstone and his whole court were so sorry that they went into mourning for him1 and over his grave they raised a white marble monument4 ,and the king's engraver wrote this on it3 8,here lyes ,tom ,thumb1 ,king ,arthur's knight1 ,who died by a cruel spider's bite4 ,he was well known in ,arthur's court1 ,where he afforded gallant sport2 ,he rode at tilt and tournament1 ,and on a mouse a-hunting went4 ,alive he filled the court with mirth2 ,his death to sorrow soon gave birth4 ,wipe1 wipe your eyes1 and shake your head ,and cry1--#8,alas6 ,tom ,thumb is dead6'0 --,,english ,,folk ,,tale ,,the ,,two ,,brothers ,once upon a time there were two brothers4 ,each had ten loaves of bread and nothing else4 ,so they said1 8,let us go and seek our fortune40 ,and they went4 ,when they had gone a little way they were hungry4 ,one brother said to the other1 8,come1 let us eat thy bread first1 then we shall eat mine40 ,so they did and went on their way4 ,when they had gone farther they were hungry again4 ,the first brother said again to the other1 8,come1 let us eat thy bread1 then we shall eat mine40 ,they did and went on their way4 ,and when they had gone farther they finished the ten loaves4 ,then the first brother1 who had yet kept his loaves1 said to the other1 8,now thou mayst go thy way1 and ,i shall go mine4 ,thou hast no loaves left1 and ,i will not let thee eat my bread40 ,and the heartless fellow turned his back and left his brother to go on alone without a morsel of food4 ,well1 the brother went on and on and on1 more and more feebly1 for want of food1 till he came to a mill in a dark forest4 ,he said to the miller1 8,i can go no farther2 pray let me stay here to-night40 ,now the miller was a truer brother to him than his own had been1 and he answered1 8,brother1 ,i would not turn thee away if it were safe4 ,but wild beasts come into this wood at night1 perhaps into this very mill4 ,i myself do not wait to see40 8,i feel no fear10 said the poor boy2 8the beasts will not harm me40 ,so while the miller went off home he crept into the hopper of the mill4 ,at midnight from some place or other a big bear1 a wolf1 and a jackal came into the mill1 and went leaping and bounding about as if they were having a dance4 ,when they had done the bear said1 8,come1 let us each tell something he has seen or heard4 ,i'll begin4 8,i know a hill where there is a great heap of money4 ,it glitters when the sun shines4 ,if anyone should go there on a sunny day1 he would find his fortune40 8,i know a town10 said the wolf1 8where there is no water4 ,every mouthful has to be brought from a great distance4 ,now1 in the center of that very town1 hidden under a stone1 where no one can see it1 is beautiful pure water4 ,whoever finds the stone will make a fortune40 8,what ,i can tell is best of all10 said the jackal4 8,i know of a king who has only one daughter1 and she lies weak and pale now three long years4 ,if only someone would bathe her in beech leaves she would grow strong and rosy4 ,whoever cures her will make his fortune40 ,at the last word day began to dawn4 ,the bear1 the wolf1 and the jackal left the mill and disappeared into the wood4 ,the boy had heard it all4 ,full of thanks he came out of the hopper4 8,perhaps10 said he to himself1 8,i may be the one to find the money1 take away the stone1 and cure the king's daughter4 ,if so1 my fortune is sure40 ,he set forward with a stout heart just as the sun rose4 ,soon its beams fell on a hill to the right and something glittered in its rays4 ,and here he found the great heap of money1 a fortune in itself4 ,farther on he came to the town where the people had no water4 ,in the center of it there was the stone4 ,he rolled it away1 and behold6 streams of clear water gushed forth4 ,the people ran to get pitchers and filled them to overflowing4 ,and they gave him a great sum of gold and silver4 ,after this he set out for the kingdom of which the jackal had spoken4 ,when he arrived he asked the king1 8,what wilt thou give me if ,i cure thy daughter80 8,if thou canst do this10 said the king1 8thy fortune is made1 for ,i will give thee my daughter as thy wife40 ,the youth gathered the beech leaves1 the princess bathed in them1 and was cured4 ,in great joy the king married the maiden to the youth4 ,so now his fortune was made4 ,the news of this reached the ears of the selfish brother4 ,he came to his brother and asked how it had all happened4 ,when he heard he said1 8,i also will go and stay at that mill a night or two40 ,his brother warned him of the danger4 ,but he would not listen4 ,he reached the mill1 crept into the hopper1 and waited4 ,as before1 at midnight1 from some place or other1 the bear1 the wolf1 and the jackal came into the mill1 and went leaping and bounding about as if they were having a dance4 ,and when they had done the bear said1 8,come1 let us each tell something he has seen or heard4 ,i'll begin4 8,next day after ,i told you my story the money was all taken away40 ,the wolf said1 8,and the stone was rolled away and the water found40 8,and the king's daughter was cured10 added the jackal4 8,then perhaps someone was listening when we talked here10 growled the bear4 8,perhaps someone is here now10 howled the wolf and the jackal4 8,let us go and look10 shrieked the three4 ,they looked up and down and round about and in all the corners4 ,at last they poked their noses into the hopper4 ,and that was the end of the greedy brother4 ,but he who had married the king's daughter lived happy ever after and when the king died ruled well and wisely4 --,,folk ,,tale4 ,,the ,,wooing ,one morning bright and early a young cock from the next farm stepped into the barnyard where lived a certain young chick4 8,good day1 ,father ,rooster10 said he4 8,many thanks1 young sir10 said ,father ,rooster4 8,i've come a-wooing4 ,may ,i have your fair daughter ,peep for my bride80 8,ask ,mother ,hen1 ,brother ,bantam1 ,sister ,cluck1 and fair ,peep herself2 and then we'll see10 said ,father ,rooster4 8,where is ,mother ,hen80 8,she is sitting in the hay hatching her eggs40 ,so away went young cock ,with a fly and a leap1 ,so anxious was he ,to marry fair ,peep4 8,good day1 ,mother ,hen10 said he4 8,many thanks1 young sir10 said ,mother ,hen4 8,i've come a-wooing4 ,may ,i have your fair daughter ,peep for my bride80 8,ask ,father ,rooster1 ,brother ,bantam1 ,sister ,cluck1 and fair ,peep herself2 then we'll see10 said ,mother ,hen4 8,where is ,brother ,bantam80 8,he's on the gate-post learning to crow40 ,so away went young cock ,with a fly and a leap1 ,so anxious was he ,to marry fair ,peep4 8,good day1 ,brother ,bantam10 said he4 8,many thanks10 said the other4 8,i've come a-wooing4 ,may ,i have your fair sister ,peep for my bride80 8,ask ,father ,rooster1 ,mother ,hen1 ,sister ,cluck1 and fair ,peep herself2 then we'll see10 said ,brother ,bantam4 8,where is ,sister ,cluck80 8,she's with fair ,peep40 8,and where is fair ,peep80 8,she's with ,sister ,cluck40 ,well1 away went young cock ,with a fly and a leap1 ,so anxious was he ,to marry fair ,peep4 ,and when he came to two very close together1 he said to one1 8,good day1 ,sister ,cluck40 ,and one answered1 8,many thanks1 young sir40 8,i've come a-wooing4 ,may ,i have your fair sister ,peep for my bride80 8,ask ,father ,rooster1 ,mother ,hen1 ,brother ,bantam1 and fair ,peep herself2 then we'll see10 said ,sister ,cluck4 8,fair ,peep1 wilt thou be my bride80 said he4 ,and all the family came up to hear her answer and it wasn't no1 so it must have been yes4 8,what hast thou to keep house on80 said ,mother ,hen to her daughter4 ,and ,brother ,bantam answered for her1 8,a sweet voice20 and ,sister ,cluck added1 8,a sweet temper40 8,with these to begin10 ,said ,mother ,hen1 8,there'll be no din40 8,what is thy trade1 young ,master ,cock80 asked ,father ,rooster2 8art thou a tailor80 8,something else for my talents40 8,a blacksmith80 8,it suits me not40 8,perhaps thou art a watchmaker40 8,no1 but ,i'm a time-keeper2 ,i tell people when it is time to rise and go about their work4 ,is it not a useful trade80 8,that it is4 8,gladly we give thee fair ,peep1 ,to love and to keep ,safe in thy heart1 ,till death do thee part40 8,then come1 thou1 sweet wife1 ,my love and my life1 ,step out by my side1 ,my bonny wee bride40 ,as they took their way home ,they stepped on a tin1 ,and the tin it bended1 ,so my story's ended4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,jack-,,the-,,giant-,,killer ,when good ,king ,arthur ruled the land1 there lived near ,land's ,end in ,england1 in a place called ,cornwall1 a farmer who had an only son named ,jack4 ,jack was wide awake and ready of wit1 so that nobody and nothing could worst him4 ,in those days the ,mount of ,cornwall was kept by a huge giant named ,cormoran4 ,he was so fierce and frightful to look at that he was the terror of all the neighboring towns and villages4 ,he lived in a cave in the side of the mount1 and whenever he wanted food he waded over to the mainland and took whatever came in his way4 ,at his coming everybody ran away1 and then of course he seized the cattle1 making nothing of carrying off half-a-dozen oxen on his back at a time1 and as for sheep and hogs he tied them around his waist as if they were tallow dips4 ,he had done this for many years1 and all ,cornwall was in despair4 ,one day ,jack happened to be in the town-hall when the magistrates were sitting in council to think what was best to do4 8,what reward10 he asked1 8will be given to the man who kills ,cormoran80 8,he may take the treasure the giant has stored in his cave10 they said4 ,quoth ,jack1 8,let me have a try at it40 ,so he got a horn and shovel and pickaxe4 ,and in the dark of a winter's evening he went over to the mount and fell to work4 ,before morning he had dug a pit twenty-two feet deep and nearly as broad1 and covered it with sticks and straw4 ,then he strewed a little earth over it so that it looked like plain ground4 ,he then placed himself on the farther side of the pit1 and just at the break of day put his horn to his mouth and blew1 ,tan-tiv-y1 ,tan-tiv-y6 ,the noise roused the giant4 ,he rushed out of his cave1 crying1 8,you villain1 have you come here to disturb my rest8 ,you shall pay dearly for this4 ,i will take you whole and broil you for breakfast40 ,he had no sooner said this than he tumbled into the pit and made the very foundations of the mount shake4 8,oh1 ,giant10 quoth ,jack1 8where are you8 ,has the earth swallowed you up8 ,what do you think now of broiling me for breakfast8 ,will no other food do than sweet ,jack80 ,then he gave a most mighty knock with his pickaxe on the very crown of the giant's big head1 and killed him on the spot4 ,jack then filled up the pit with earth1 and went to the cave and took the treasure4 ,when the magistrates heard of ,jack's success1 they made a law and wrote it on their books that henceforth he should be called ,jack-the-,giant-,killer1 and they presented him with a sword and belt1 and on the belt they wrote these words1 8,here's the right valiant ,cornish man ,who slew the giant ,cormoran40 --,,english ,,folk ,,tale ,,the ,,pixies' ,,thanks ,once upon a time1 and a long time ago1 and a long1 long time before that1 a little old woman had a garden4 ,and in this garden she planted a beautiful bed of tulips4 ,the slim green stalks of them stood in the earth1 tall and straight4 ,and every other row of lovely cups they held was red and every other was yellow4 ,at twilight the little old woman patted down the last of them1 and went in to boil the kettle for her tea4 ,now1 as soon as she was gone there came peeping and tripping from the field near by a crowd of pixies4 ,they ran between the rows1 and skipped from one flower to the next1 and put their slender fingers down into the cups1 and clapped their fairy palms together and cried1 8,how lovely60 ,but the little old woman drinking her tea before the fire didn't hear a word4 ,well1 night came1 and the pixies' teeny weeny bits of elfin babies grew sleepy4 ,they must have bawled1 though of course big ears like yours and mine couldn't have heard them1 for all of a sudden all the little pixies scampered home1 crying1 8,coming1 ,my teeny one1 ,coming1 ,my weeny one1 ,watch glowworm ,bright1 ,my speck of delight60 ,and then the cleverest little pixie mother among them thought of something4 8,let's lay them in those lovely cradles10 said she2 8they'll be as safe as a bug in a rose while we are greeting the queen40 ,she at once picked up her baby and ran back with it to the garden4 ,and so did the others with theirs4 ,they laid the tiny babies in the tulip cups and sang them to rest4 ,the tulips rocked to and fro in the wind and made music for the lullaby4 ,the little old woman washing her teacup caught a note of the music and singing1 and stopped her clatter to listen1 it was so sweet4 ,as soon as the elfin babies were fast asleep1 the pixies tripped lightly off on the very tiptop tips of their toes4 ,the silver ,moon was rising1 and they were just in time to form a ring on the green and dance in her honor4 ,they circled nine times and then looked up at her1 and she beamed down on them and they bowed low4 ,then she passed on through the heavens to make way for the day4 ,it was now the dawn of morning4 ,the pixies ran back to the tulip cradles in the little old woman's garden1 crying1 8,weeny ,sleepy head1 ,leave ,dewy bed1 ,time ,to get up ,from ,soft tulip ,cup40 ,the little old woman awoke in the nick of time to hear them kissing and caressing the elfin babies as they carried them home4 ,in a bound she was out of bed and at the window1 but they had vanished4 ,for all that she knew they had been there4 ,she could tell it by the tulips4 ,the slim green stalks of them stood in the earth1 as they had when she planted them1 tall and straight4 ,and every other row of lovely cups they held was red and every other was yellow4 ,yet there was a wonderful change4 ,it wasn't only the shining drops of dew on them4 ,no1 it was something more wonderful--it was fairy fragrance4 ,every tulip smelled as sweet as a rose4 ,this was the pixies' thanks to the little old woman4 ,news of these rare tulips went far and wide1 and people came from here1 there1 and everywhere to buy them4 ,so for the rest of her days the little old woman had plenty of money for many a cup of tea1 and a pinch of snuff into the bargain4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,the ,,cat ,,and ,,the ,,parrot ,once there was a cat and once there was a parrot4 ,they agreed to invite each other to dinner1 turn and turn about4 ,the cat should ask the parrot to-day1 and the parrot should ask the cat to-morrow4 ,well1 it was the cat's turn first4 ,the cat went to market and bought nothing but a pennyworth of rice4 ,the parrot could make no dinner on this meager fare4 ,and what is more1 the cat was so ill-mannered that he actually made the parrot cook the food himself4 ,of course the parrot was too well-bred to complain4 ,next day came the parrot's turn4 ,he went to market and bought a leg of meat and a whole fish1 head and tail and all1 and about thirty pounds of flour1 and a tub of butter1 and great bunches of luscious grapes4 ,and before his guest came he cooked the food4 ,he made heaps and heaps of brown1 crisp spice cakes1 thick with currants1 oh1 enough to fill a washerwoman's basket4 ,well1 the cat came1 and the parrot set the whole meal before him1 keeping only two cakes for himself4 ,the cat ate the meat till he licked the plate1 and he picked the fish till the bones were clean1 and he sucked the grapes till the skins were dry1 and then he began on the cakes2 and he ate the whole basketful4 ,then he looked up at the parrot and said1 8,have you any more80 8,take my two cakes10 said the parrot4 ,and the cat took them4 ,then he looked up at the parrot and said1 8,have you any more80 ,this was too much for the parrot4 ,bristling his feathers1 he said sharply1 8,there's nothing left but me40 ,and the cat looked him over1 licked his chops1 and--gullup1 gulloo--down went the parrot1 bones1 beak1 and feathers4 ,now an old woman had seen it all1 and she was so shocked she picked up a stone1 and cried1 8,you unnatural cat1 how could you eat your friend the parrot8 ,scat6 away with you1 before ,i hit you with this stone40 8,old woman10 said the cat1 8,i've eaten a basketful of cakes1 ,i've eaten my friend the parrot1 and shall ,i blush to eat an old hag like you8 ,no1 surely not40 ,and--gullup1 gulloo--down went the old woman with the stone in her hand4 ,then the cat walked along the road till he met a man beating a donkey to make him go4 8,cat10 cried the man1 8get out of the way1 or my donkey may kick you40 8,man10 said the cat1 8,i've eaten a basketful of cakes1 ,i've eaten my friend the parrot1 ,i've eaten an old woman1 and shall ,i blush to eat a miserable donkey driver8 ,no1 surely not40 ,and--gullup1 gulloo--down went the man and his donkey4 ,after this the cat walked on again till he met a wedding procession4 ,at the head came the king with his newly made bride1 and behind him marched a company of soldiers1 and behind them tramped ever and ever so many elephants1 two and two1 and two and two1 and two and two1 and a great many more4 8,cat10 said the happy king1 kindly1 8turn out of the road a little1 or my elephants may trample you to death40 8,king10 said the cat1 8you don't know me4 ,i've eaten a basketful of cakes1 ,i've eaten my friend the parrot1 ,i've eaten a miserable man and his donkey1 and shall ,i blush to eat a beggarly king8 ,no1 surely not40 ,and--gullup1 gulloo--down went the king1 down went the queen1 down went the soldiers1 bayonets and all1 down went the elephants1 two and two and two and two4 ,after this the cat walked on more slowly1 for he was somewhat heavy4 ,on the way two landcrabs went scuttling across the road4 8,run away1 run away1 ,pussycat10 they squeaked1 8or we might nip you40 8,ha1 ha1 ha60 laughed the cat1 shaking his fat sides4 8,ho1 ho1 ho60 he roared1 showing his teeth2 8you don't know me4 ,i've eaten a basketful of cakes1 ,i've eaten my friend the parrot1 ,i've eaten a miserable man and his donkey1 ,i've eaten a king and his bride1 ,i've eaten a company of soldiers1 ,i've eaten a herd of elephants1 two and two1 and shall ,i blush to eat two silly little landcrabs8 ,nay1 not so40 ,and he pounced upon the landcrabs1 gullup1 gulloo1 gulloo1 gullup1 in two swallows they were inside the cat4 ,but--when their eyes were used to the darkness1 the landcrabs made out the king sitting with his head in his hands1 very unhappy4 ,across his knee lay the newly made bride in a dead faint4 ,near them the company of soldiers were trying to form fours4 ,behind these the elephants were trumpeting1 the donkey was braying1 the parrot was whetting his beak on his own claws1 and the old woman was scolding the cat roundly4 ,in a corner they made out a great pile of cakes4 ,the landcrabs said1 8,his sides are soft3 let's get out40 ,nip1 nip1 they went1 nip1 nip1 nip4 ,and out they scuttled4 ,then out walked the king with his bride on his arm1 out marched the soldiers1 out tramped the elephants1 two and two1 out went the man and his donkey without any beating1 out hobbled the old woman1 and out flew the parrot4 ,and the cat had to spend a night and a day sewing up his sides4 --,,eastern ,,folk ,,tale ,,lampblack ,a poor black paint lay very unhappy in its tube4 ,it had tumbled out of an artist's color-box and had lain unnoticed for a year4 8,i am only ,lampblack10 he said to himself4 8,the master never looks at me3 he says ,i am heavy1 dull1 lusterless1 useless4 ,i wish ,i could cake and dry up and die1 as poor ,flakewhite did40 ,but ,lampblack could not die2 he could only lie in his tin tube and pine1 like a silly1 sorrowful thing as he was1 in company with some broken bits of charcoal and a rusty palette-knife4 ,the master never touched him2 month after month passed by1 and he was never thought of2 the other paints had all their turn of fair fortune1 and went out into the world to great halls and mighty palaces1 transfigured and rejoicing in a thousand beautiful shapes and services4 ,but ,lampblack was always passed over as dull and coarse4 ,indeed he knew himself to be so1 poor fellow1 and this made it all the worse4 8,you are only a deposit60 said the other colors to him2 and he felt that it was disgraceful to be a deposit1 though he was not quite sure what it meant4 8,if only ,i were happy like the others60 thought poor1 sooty ,lampblack1 sorrowful in his corner4 8,there is ,bistre1 now1 he is not so very much better-looking than ,i am1 and yet they can do nothing without him1 whether it is a girl's face or a wimple in a river60 ,the others were all so happy in this beautiful bright studio1 where the open casements were hung with green myrtle1 and where the silence was filled with the singing of nightingales4 ,cobalt1 with a touch or two1 became the loveliness of summer skies at morning2 the ,lakes and ,carmines bloomed in a thousand exquisite flowers and fancies2 the ,chromes and ,ochres 7mere dull earths7 were allowed to spread themselves in sheets of gold that took the shine of the sun into the darkest places2 ,umber1 a somber and gloomy thing1 could lurk in a child's curls and laugh in a child's smiles2 whilst all the families of the ,vermilions1 the ,blues1 the ,greens1 lived in a perpetual glory of sunset or sunrise1 of ocean waves or autumn woods1 of kingly pageant or of martial pomp4 ,it was very hard4 ,poor ,lampblack felt as if his very heart would break1 above all when he thought of pretty little ,rose ,madder1 whom he loved dearly1 and who never would even look at him1 she was so proud1 because she was always placed in nothing less than rosy clouds1 or the hearts of roses1 or something as fair and spiritual4 8,i am only a wretched deposit60 sighed ,lampblack1 and the rusty palette-knife grumbled back1 8,my own life has been ruined in cleaning dirty brushes60 8,but at least you were of use once2 but ,i never am1--never60 said ,lampblack4 ,and indeed he had been there so long that the spiders had spun their silver fleeces all about him1 and he was growing as gray as an old bottle does in a dark cellar4 ,at that moment the door of the studio opened1 and there came a flood of light1 and the step of a man was heard2 the hearts of all the colors jumped for joy4 ,it was their magician1 who out of mere common clays and ground ores could raise them at a touch into splendors immortal4 ,only the heart of poor dusty ,lampblack did not beat a throb the more1 because he was always left alone and never was thought worthy of even a glance4 ,but he could not believe his senses when the master crossed the floor to the dark corner where he lay under the spiders' webs4 ,lampblack felt sick and faint with rapture4 ,had his turn come at last8 ,the master took him up4 8,you will do for this work10 he said2 and ,lampblack was borne trembling to an easel4 ,the colors1 for once neglected1 crowded together to watch1 looking in their bright tin tubes like rows of little soldiers in armor4 8,it is dull ,old ,deposit10 they murmured to one another1 and felt contemptuous1 but curious1 as scornful people often will be4 8,i am going to be glorious and great10 thought ,lampblack1 and his heart swelled high2 for nevermore would they be able to hurl the name of ,deposit at him1 a name which hurt all the more because he did not know what it meant4 8,you will do for this work10 said the master1 and let ,lampblack out of his metal prison-house into the light and touched him with the brush that was the wand of magic4 8,what am ,i going to be80 wondered ,lampblack1 as he felt himself taken on to a large piece of deal board1 so large that he felt he must be going to make at the least the outline of an athlete or the shadows of a tempest4 ,he could not tell what he was becoming2 but he was happy enough and grand enough only to be used4 ,he began to dream a thousand things of all the scenes he would be in1 and all the hues that he would wear1 and all the praise that he would hear when he went out into that wonderful world where his master was so much admired4 ,but he was harshly roused from his secret dreams2 all the colors were laughing and tittering round him till the little tin helmets they wore shook with their merriment4 8,old ,deposit is going to be a sign-post10 they cried to one another so merrily that the spiders1 who are not companionable creatures1 came to the doors of their dens to chuckle too4 ,a sign-post6 ,lampblack1 stretched out in joy upon the board1 roused himself and gazed at the change4 ,he had been made into seven letters1 thus3 ,,bandita4 ,this word in the ,italian country1 where the ,english painter's studio was1 means1 ,do not trespass1 ,do not shoot1 ,do not show yourself here3 anything1 indeed1 that is uncivil to all comers4 ,in these seven letters1 outspread upon the board1 was ,lampblack disgraced6 ,farewell1 hopes and dreams6 ,he had been employed to paint a sign-board1 a thing stoned by the boys1 blown on by the winds1 gnawed by the rats1 and drenched with the winter's rains4 ,better the dust and the cobwebs of his old corner than such shame as this6 ,but there was no help for it4 ,he was dried with a drench of turpentine1 hastily clothed in a coat of copal1 and1 ere he yet was fully aware of all his misery1 was being borne away upon the great board out of doors and handed to the gardener4 ,it was the master himself who did this to him4 ,as the door closed on him1 he heard all the colors laughing1 and the laugh of little ,rose ,madder was highest of all as she cried to ,naples ,yellow1 who was a dandy and made court to her1 8,poor old ugly ,deposit6 ,he will grumble to the owls and the bats now60 ,the door shut him out forever from all the joyous company and the palace of beauty1 and the rough hands of the gardener grasped him and carried him to the edge of the garden1 where the wall overlooked the public road1 and there fastened him up on high with a band of iron round the trunk of a tree4 ,that night it rained heavily1 the north wind blew1 and there was thunder4 ,lampblack1 out in the storm without his tin house to shelter him1 felt that of all creatures wretched on the face of the earth there was not one so miserable as he4 ,a sign-board6 ,nothing but a sign-board6 ,a color1 created for art and artists1 could not feel more grievously disgraced4 ,oh1 how he longed for his tin tube and the quiet nook with the charcoal and the palette-knife6 ,he had been unhappy there indeed1 but he had had some sort of hope to comfort him1--some chance still remaining that one day he might be allowed to be at least the shadow of some immortal work4 ,now--nevermore could he be anything but what he was2 change there could be none till weather and time should have done their work on him1 and he be rotting on the wet earth1 a shattered and worm-eaten wreck4 ,day broke1--a gloomy1 misty morning4 ,from where he was disgraced upon the tree-trunk he could no longer even see his beloved home1 the studio2 he could see only a dusky1 intricate tangle of branches all about him1 and below the wall of flint1 with the ,banksia that grew on it1 and the hard muddy highway1 drenched with the storm of the night4 ,a man passed in a miller's cart1 and stood up and scowled at him1 because the people had liked to come and shoot and trap the birds of the master's wooded gardens1 and they knew that they must not do it now4 ,a slug crawled over him1 and a snail also4 ,a woodpecker hammered at him with its strong beak4 ,a boy went by under the wall1 and threw stones at him1 and called him names4 ,the rain poured down again heavily4 ,he thought of the happy painting-room1 where it had seemed always summer and always sunshine1 and where now in the forenoon all the colors were marshaling in the pageantry of the ,arts1 as he had seen them do hundreds of times from his lonely corner4 ,all the misery of the past looked happiness now4 8,if ,i were only dead1 like ,flakewhite10 he thought2 but the stones only bruised1 they did not kill him2 and the iron band only hurt1 it did not stifle him4 ,for whatever suffers very much1 has much strength to continue to exist4 ,his loyal heart almost hated the master who had brought him to such a fate as this4 ,the day grew apace1 and noon went by1 and with it the rain passed4 ,the sun shone out once more1 and ,lampblack1 even imprisoned and wretched as he was1 could not but see how beautiful the wet leaves looked1 and the gossamers all hung with rain-drops1 and the blue sky that shone through the boughs2 for he had not lived with an artist all his days to be blind1 even in pain1 to the loveliness of nature4 ,some little brown birds tripped out too with the sun--very simple and plain in their dress1 but ,lampblack knew they were the loves of the poets1 for he had heard the master call them so many times in summer nights4 ,the little brown birds came tripping and pecking about on the grass underneath his tree-trunk1 and then flew on the top of the wall1 which was covered with ,banksia and many other creepers4 ,the brown birds sang a little song1 for though they sing most in the moonlight they do sing by day too1 and sometimes all day long4 ,and what they sang was this3 8,oh1 how happy we are1 how happy6 ,no nets dare now be spread for us1 ,no cruel boys dare climb1 ,and no cruel shooters fire4 ,we are safe1 quite safe1 ,and the sweet summer has begun60 ,lampblack listened1 and even in his misery was soothed by the tender liquid sounds that these little throats poured out among the bloom of the ,banksia flowers4 ,and when one of the brown birds came and sat on a branch by him1 swaying itself and drinking the rain-drops off a leaf1 he ventured to ask1 as well as he could for the iron that strangled him1 why they were so safe1 and what made them so happy4 ,the bird looked at him in surprise4 8,do you not know80 he said4 8,it is you60 8,i60 echoed ,lampblack1 and could say no more1 for he feared that the bird was mocking him1 a poor1 silly1 rusty black paint1 only spread out to rot in fair weather and foul4 ,what good could he do to any creature8 8,you10 repeated the nightingale4 8,did you not see that man under the wall8 ,he had a gun2 we should have been dead but for you4 ,we will come and sing to you all night long1 as you like it2 and when we go to bed at dawn1 ,i will tell my cousins1 the thrushes and merles1 to take our places1 so that you shall hear somebody singing near you all day long40 ,lampblack was silent4 ,his heart was too full to speak4 ,was it possible that he was of use1 after all4 8,can it be true80 he said1 timidly4 8,quite true10 said the nightingale4 8,then the master knew best10 thought ,lampblack4 ,the colors in the studio had all the glories of the world1 but he was of use in it1 after all2 he could save these little lives4 ,he was poor and despised1 bruised by stones and drenched by storms2 yet was he content1 for he had not been made quite in vain4 ,the sunset poured its red and golden splendors through the darkness of the boughs1 and the birds sang all together1 shouting for joy and praising ,god4 --,,la ,,ram,e ,,lazy ,,jack ,once upon a time there was a boy whose name was ,jack4 ,his mother was very poor1 but she was hard-working and tried to get her living by spinning4 ,jack was so lazy he never did anything to help her4 ,so1 at last1 she said that he should not eat his porridge unless he earned it4 ,at this out shuffled ,jack and hired himself to a farmer and got for his day's labor a shining new penny4 ,home he went with it1 but on the way let it slip out of his fingers into a brook1 unknown to himself4 ,when his mother saw him smiling and holding his fist closed1 she said1 8,well1 ,jack1 did you earn your porridge to-day80 8,that ,i did1 mother10 said ,jack1 8and here's the penny40 ,with that he opened his empty hand4 8,a penny10 cried his mother1 in high delight1 8give it here1 my darling boy40 ,but when she saw the empty hand she changed her tune4 8,you stupid lout10 said she1 8you've lost the good money4 ,that's no way to bring home a penny4 ,the safest thing to do with a penny is to put it into your pocket and come straight home40 8,say no more about it1 sweet mother10 whimpered ,jack1 8that's what ,i'll do the next time40 ,so his mother gave him his supper4 ,the next day ,jack went out again1 and this time hired himself to a cowherd and got for his day's labor a jug of new milk4 ,jack took the jug1 squeezed it into the largest pocket of his coat1 and set off home1 spilling the milk at every step1 so that by the time he got home there wasn't a drop left4 ,when his mother saw his pocket bulging out1 she asked1 8,what have you there1 ,jack1 my son80 8,a jug of new milk1 mother10 answered ,jack1 tugging it out of his pocket4 8,a jug of new milk10 cried his mother1 8and you've spilled it6 ,have you no sense1 you ninny-hammer8 ,that's no way to bring home a jug of milk4 ,the safest way to carry a jug of milk is to put it on your head and hold it with both hands and come straight home40 8,say no more about it1 sweet mother10 whimpered ,jack1 beginning to blubber2 8that's what ,i'll do the next time40 ,so his mother gave him his supper that time1 too4 ,well1 the next day ,jack hired himself to a farmer1 and got for his day's labor a fine fresh cream cheese4 ,jack took that cheese1 placed it on his head1 held it down firmly with both hands1 and set out home4 ,now1 ,jack's head was warm and the cheese was soft4 ,so it wasn't long before it began to get softer4 ,by the time he reached home part of it had oozed down over his face and more of it had matted into his hair2 he was a sight to behold4 ,when his mother saw him1 she threw up her arms and cried1 8,dearie me1 dearie me1 whatever has happened to my own bonny son80 8,why1 nothing1 mother10 said ,jack1 8and see the fine cheese ,i've brought you home40 ,with that he took down from his head a bit of grease in each hand4 8,you've spoiled a cheese1 a fine cream cheese10 screamed his mother4 8,have you no sense at all1 at all1 in your empty head1 you numbskull8 ,that's no way to bring home a cheese4 ,the safest thing to do with a cheese is to take it in both hands1 hold it out before you1 and come straight home40 8,say no more about it1 sweet mother10 said ,jack1 beginning to snuffle1 8that's what ,i'll do the next time40 ,so he didn't go supperless to bed that night either4 ,it was a baker ,jack hired himself to the next day1 and at the close of it the baker gave him a cat4 8,your mother will find her a good mouser10 said he4 ,and ,jack said1 8,thank you1 kindly1 sir10 and took the cat4 ,he held her with both hands out before him and started straight for home4 ,on the way a mouse scurried across his path and the cat leaped from his hands2 but ,jack still held them out1 ready for her when she should come back1 and kept on toward home4 ,when he reached home his mother looked at his hands and said1 8,what have you in your hands1 ,jack80 8,i had a cat1 mother10 said he1 8a good mouser1 but she made after a mouse and hasn't come back yet40 8,get out of my sight10 cried his mother1 8before ,i lose my patience and do something ,i might be sorry for4 ,haven't you an atom of sense about you at all1 at all1 at all8 ,wouldn't a child know that's no way to bring home a live cat8 ,the safest thing to do with a cat is to tie a string around her neck1 put her on the ground1 and draw her home after you40 8,say no more about it1 sweet mother10 cried ,jack1 bawling outright2 8that's what ,i'll do the very next time40 ,so his mother wouldn't see him starve that night4 ,well1 the very next day ,jack hired out to a butcher1 and got for his day's labor a splendid shoulder of mutton for ,sunday's dinner1 for this was ,saturday4 ,jack took the mutton1 tied a string around it1 put it on the ground1 and dragged it home after him in the mud and dirt4 ,so by the time he got home the meat was completely ruined4 ,when his mother saw it she was so upset that she threw her apron over her head and rocked herself to and fro and wept aloud4 8,if you had the least grain of sense in you1 you useless omadhaun10 she wailed1 8you'd have brought the sweet meat home on your shoulder40 ,jack put his arms around his mother and kissed her and promised to do that the next time4 ,so she gave him his supper1 but they had to make their ,sunday dinner of cabbage4 ,monday morning1 bright and early1 ,jack went out once more and hired himself to a cattle-drover and for his day's labor got a donkey4 ,although ,jack was a husky fellow1 he found it hard to hoist the donkey on his shoulder1 but mindful of his mother's grief he got it up and set out home slowly with the prize4 ,now it chanced that on the way home he had to pass the house of a beautiful girl who unfortunately was deaf and dumb4 ,the doctors said she would never speak until someone should make her laugh4 ,many had tried but without success4 ,in despair her father1 who was very rich1 had promised that very day whoever could make her laugh should marry her4 ,the girl happened to be looking out of the window when ,jack came along with the donkey on his shoulders1 its legs sticking up in the air4 ,he looked so funny she burst into a merry fit of laughter1 and at once was able to hear and speak4 ,so her father1 overjoyed1 gave her to ,jack with a sackful of money and more to come4 8,my love1 your fortune is made10 cried his mother1 when she heard the good news4 ,and she went to live with ,jack and his bride1 and they all had plenty and were happy ever after4 ,ting-a-ling-a-ling1 ,let the wedding bells ring4 --,,folk ,,tale ,,the ,,time ,,that ,,will ,,come ,,again ,one warm bright day in autumn1 when the whole world was changing to brown and red and gold1 a little squealing pig was sent by his mother to bring home some beechnuts to ,piggikin1 the baby4 8,they're dropping now1 tender and sweet1 in the wood10 said ,mother ,sow4 8,off with you and get some40 ,so ,with a run and a squeal ,away went the pig1 ,with an odd little reel4 ,now1 on the way he passed a boy and a girl sitting by the roadside1 with their backs to him4 ,and the boy was saying to the girl1 8,a long time ago when pigs had wings ,and pups grew in the tree-tops1 ,in that good time donkeys brayed in rhyme ,and fiddles danced the barn hops0-- 8,that's very strange10 said the pig2 8can it be true8 ,i'll ask the old witch owl about it4 ,i'd like a pair of wings2 ,i'd fly high1 ,i can tell you40 ,so ,with a run and a squeal ,away went the pig1 ,with an odd little reel2 and he left the path to the wood to make for a barn half a mile off1 where the old witch owl lived4 ,on the way he met a pup whose father had told him to guard the kennel while he himself went in search of a bone4 ,the pup was rolling on the ground in the sunshine4 8,o roly-poly pup10 called out the pig1 8what do you think ,i heard this morning80 8,what80 said the roly-poly pup1 running away from the kennel4 8,a long time ago when pigs had wings ,and pups grew in the tree-tops1 ,in that good time ,donkeys brayed in rhyme ,and fiddles danced the barn hops40 8,that's very strange10 said the pup2 8can it be true8 ,we'll ask the old witch owl about it4 ,i'd like to grow in a tree-top4 ,i'd see farther than my nose1 ,i can tell you40 ,so ,with a run and a squeal ,away went the pig with an odd little reel ,and the roly-poly pup followed after4 ,well1 on the way they met a donkey kicking his heels to get rid of the pack on his back4 ,and they called out to him1 8,o kicking1 kicking donkey1 what do you think we heard this very morning80 8,what80 said the kicking1 kicking donkey1 as he kicked the pack from his back4 8,a long time ago when pigs had wings ,and pups grew in the tree-tops1 ,in that good time donkeys brayed in rhyme ,and fiddles danced the barn hops40 8,that's very strange10 said the donkey2 8can it be true8 ,we'll ask the old witch owl about it4 ,i'd like to bray in rhyme4 ,i'd bring down the house1 ,i can tell you40 ,so ,with a run and a squeal ,away went the pig with an odd little reel1 ,and the roly-poly pup and the kicking1 kicking donkey followed after4 ,halfway to the barn they met a fiddle lying near a bench4 ,he was in such a bad temper that he had broken the string that makes the sweetest music4 ,but the others were too full of their news to notice his ill humor4 8,o fiddle diddle10 they cried1 8what do you think we heard this very morning80 8,what80 snapped the fiddle1 and he broke another string4 8,a long time ago when pigs had wings ,and pups grew in the tree-tops1 ,in that good time donkeys brayed in rhyme1 ,and fiddles danced the barn hops40 8,what nonsense60 growled the fiddle1 in such an ugly tone that even the donkey rose on his hind legs to cover his big ears with his forefeet4 8,we're going to ask the old witch owl about it10 said the pup4 8,come along and hear what she says40 8,rr-r-r-r-zing1 you silly thing10 snarled the fiddle1 so fiercely that without waiting for more1 ,with a run and a squeal ,away went the pig with an odd little reel1 ,and the roly-poly pup and the kicking1 kicking donkey1 ,and the ill-tempered fiddle followed after4 ,he sneaked along1 though1 behind the others1 and tripped often in his broken strings1 and this made his temper worse4 ,well1 the day was darkening into twilight when they reached the barn4 ,but they were so anxious to hear the old witch owl's opinion that they didn't notice this4 ,the old witch owl stood in a little round opening in the front of the barn1 high up near the pointed top where the weathercock turns4 ,she was looking out into the gathering darkness1 planning her voyage into the night4 8,there she is10 squealed the pig in a whisper1 getting behind the pup4 8,her ears are bigger than mine10 said the donkey1 getting behind the pig4 ,but the fiddle pushed to the front and growled1 8,rr-r-r-r-zing1 you silly thing1 ,i'm not afraid of an old witch owl4 ,i'll ask the ridiculous question40 8,do1 sweet fiddle10 whispered the little squealing pig and the roly-poly pup and the kicking1 kicking donkey1 8how kind of you to have come40 8,rr-r-r-r-zing1 you silly thing1 and you1 and you2 ,i came to please myself40 8,madame ,witch ,owl10 he growled1 spoiling the music of the verse1 8is it true that 8,a long time ago pigs had wings ,and pups grew in the tree-tops1 ,in that good time donkeys brayed in rhyme1 ,and fiddles danced the barn hops80 ,the old witch looked down at him4 ,and her eyes glowed so much like two round wheels of fire that the fiddle in secret fright burst another string4 ,but for all that he stared back at her4 8,hoot-hoot-hoot10 she cried1 8wait till ,i've heard your betters4 ,let the pig stand forth and the pup and the donkey40 ,out came the little squealing pig1 but not very far1 so that the roly-poly pup might catch him by the tail in case of need2 and out came the roly-poly pup1 but not very far1 so that the little squealing pig might catch him by the tail in case of need2 and out came the kicking1 kicking donkey1 but not very far1 so that he might get behind the pup and the pig in case of need4 8,pig1 pig10 said the old witch owl1 8how did you hear this80 ,and the little pig began in a squealing little voice to tell her how ,mother ,sow had sent him to the wood to get some beechnuts for ,piggikin1 the baby1 and how he had heard the boy tell it to the girl1 and how he had set off to ask her about it4 8,and ,piggikin is still hungry for the beechnuts1 is he80 asked the old witch owl1 looking beyond the little pig into the darkness4 8,yes10 said the little pig1 in a very little voice4 8,and ,mother ,sow is getting anxious as the night grows darker40 8,the night10 cried the little squealing pig and the roly-poly pup and the kicking1 kicking donkey1 drawing nearer together4 ,and they looked fearfully over their shoulders as the shadows of the apple-tree near the barn moved nearer to them4 ,when the old witch owl brought back her eyes from the darkness1 she looked at the roly-poly pup1 and he went on to tell1 in a very loud voice to give himself courage1 how his father had left him to guard the kennel1 but how when he heard the news he1 too1 set off to ask her about it4 8,and the kennel is still unguarded1 is it80 asked the old witch owl1 looking beyond the roly-poly pup into the darkness4 8,yes10 said the roly-poly pup1 in a very small voice4 8,and ,father ,dog is getting anxious as the night grows darker40 8,the night10 cried the roly-poly pup and the kicking1 kicking donkey and the little squealing pig1 drawing nearer together4 ,and they looked fearfully over their shoulders as the shadows of the apple-tree near the barn moved nearer to them4 ,when the old witch owl brought her eyes back from the darkness she looked at the kicking1 kicking donkey1 and he straightway began to roar how his master had given him a pack to carry1 but how1 when he heard the news1 he had kicked it off and set out to ask her about it4 ,when he finished he joined forepaws with the pig and the pup and danced around the fiddle2 the pig singing1 8,o for a pair of wings to fly high10 and the pup singing1 8,o to grow in a tree-top and see farther than my nose10 and the donkey singing1 8,o to bray in rhyme and bring down the house40 ,and then they all sang together1 8,o for the time when pigs had wings ,and pups grew in the tree-tops1 ,in that good time donkeys brayed in rhyme1 ,and fiddles danced the barn hops40 ,the fiddle never even noticed them2 he still stared at the old witch owl1 though he did not dare to say anything4 8,you kicked off the pack1 did you80 asked the old witch owl1 turning the full blaze of her eyes on the donkey4 8,yes10 he gasped1 running behind the pup and the pig1 and the pig tried to catch the pup by the tail1 and the pup tried to catch the pig by the tail4 8,do you think10 she cried in a frightful voice1 and her feathers stood out straight around her1 8that runaways and idlers will ever fly high or see farther than their noses or bring music into the world8 ,they bring nothing but sorrow1 sorrow to those that love them40 ,and suddenly the old witch owl looked out into the night and called1 8,hoo-oo-oo-oo4 ,is it you-oo-oo8 ,is it you-oo-oo80 ,immediately out of the night walked the mother of the squealing pig and the father of the roly-poly pup and the master of the kicking1 kicking donkey4 ,and into the sky came the moon4 ,and into the moonlight trooped crowds of boys and girls from the land of dreams1 led by the boy and girl the little pig had passed in the morning1 more and more of them1 till they surrounded the barn and covered the shadows cast by the apple-tree4 ,the little squealing pig ran to his mother and the roly-poly pup ran to his father and the kicking1 kicking donkey ran to his master2 and there was great rejoicing4 ,the donkey begged his master for a beating1 saying he richly deserved it1 and so did the pup and the pig4 ,but the grown-ups said1 8,they'll do better next time40 ,when the dream children heard this they streamed out into the moonlight back to their dreams1 singing1 8,the time will come again when pigs will have wings ,and pups will grow in the tree-tops1 ,in that good time donkeys will bray in rhyme1 ,and fiddles will dance the barn hops40 ,and lo and behold6 when the fiddle heard them he felt his ill-humor slipping away4 ,and as the old witch owl looked at them his strings mended themselves4 ,dancing down the path and out into the moonlight after the children he sounded his sweetest notes in time to their singing2 and the little pig and his mother and the roly-poly pup and his father and the donkey and his master followed and took up the children's song4 ,to the very end of it the fiddle danced and played his merriest4 ,at the turn of the road he looked back at the old witch owl and she was looking at him4 8,the little pig's news is good10 he cried1 8,i'm off to spread it far and wide40 ,and as she sailed off into the night he was sure she nodded at him4 ,and ,piggikin got the nuts after all1 though they were a day late4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,the ,,owl',s ,,answer ,,to ,,tommy ,one evening ,tommy's grandmother had been telling him and his little brother ,johnny a story about a brownie who used to do all the work in a neighbor's house before the family got up in the morning4 ,but the maids caught sight of him one night1 and they felt so sorry to see his ragged coat that the next night they laid near his bowl of bread and milk a new suit and a new linen shirt4 ,brownie put the things on and danced around the room1 singing1 8,what have we here8 ,hemten hamten6 ,here will ,i nevermore tread nor stampen40 ,and away he danced through the door and never came back again4 ,tommy wanted to know why1 but his grandmother couldn't tell him4 8,the ,old ,owl knows10 she said1 8,i don't4 ,ask her40 ,now ,tommy was a lazy boy4 ,he thought that if only he could find a brownie that would do his work he would save himself a great deal of trouble4 ,so that night1 while little ,johnnie lay sound asleep beside him1 in the loft of the kitchen1 as rosy and rosier than an apple1 he lay broad awake1 thinking of his grandmother's story4 8,there's an owl living in the old shed by the lake10 he thought4 8,it may be the ,old ,owl herself1 and she knows1 ,granny says4 ,when father's gone to bed and the moon rises1 ,i'll go and ask her40 ,by and by the moon rose like gold and went up into the heavens like silver1 flooding the fields with a pale ghostly light4 ,tom crept softly down the ladder and stole out4 ,it was a glorious night1 though everything but the wind and ,tommy seemed asleep4 ,the stones1 the walls1 the gleaming lanes1 were so intensely still1 the church tower in the valley seemed awake and watching1 but silent2 the houses in the village round it had all their eyes shut2 and it seemed to ,tommy as if the very fields had drawn white sheets over them1 and lay sleeping also4 8,hoot6 hoot60 said a voice from the fir wood behind him4 ,somebody else was awake1 then4 8,it's the ,old ,owl10 said ,tommy2 and there she came swinging heavily across the moor with a flapping stately flight1 and sailed into the shed by the lake4 ,the old lady moved faster than she appeared to do1 and though ,tommy ran hard she was in the shed some time before him4 ,when he got in1 no bird was to be seen1 but he heard a sound from above1 and there sat the ,old ,owl1 blinking at him--,tommy--with yellow eyes4 8,come up1 come up60 said she hoarsely4 ,she could speak then6 ,beyond all doubt it was the ,old ,owl1 and none other4 8,come up here6 come up here60 said the ,old ,owl4 ,tommy had often climbed up for fun to the beam that ran across the shed where the ,old ,owl sat4 ,he climbed up now1 and sat face to face with her1 and thought her eyes looked as if they were made of flame4 8,now1 what do you want80 said the ,owl4 8,please10 said ,tommy1 8can you tell me where to find the brownies1 and how to get one to come and live with us80 8,oohoo60 said the ,owl1 8that's it1 is it8 ,i know of two brownies40 8,hurrah60 said ,tommy4 8,where do they live80 8,in your house10 said the ,owl4 ,tommy was aghast4 8,in our house60 he exclaimed4 8,whereabouts8 ,let me rummage them out4 ,why do they do nothing80 8,one of them is too young10 said the ,owl4 8,but why doesn't the other work80 asked ,tommy4 8,he is idle1 he is idle10 said the ,owl1 and she gave herself such a shake as she said it that the fluff went flying through the shed1 and ,tommy nearly tumbled off the beam in fright4 8,then we don't want him10 said he4 8,what is the use of having brownies if they do nothing to help us8 ,but perhaps if you would tell me where to find them10 said ,tommy1 8,i could tell them what to do40 8,could you80 said the ,owl4 8,oohoo6 oohoo60 and ,tommy couldn't tell whether she were hooting or laughing4 8,of course ,i could10 he said4 8,they might be up and sweep the house1 and light the fire1 and spread the tables1 and that sort of thing1 before ,father came down4 ,the ,brownie did all that in ,granny's mother's young days4 ,and they might tidy the room1 and fetch the turf1 and pick up my chips1 and sort ,granny's scraps4 ,oh6 there's plenty to do40 8,so there is10 said the ,owl4 8,oohoo6 ,well1 ,i can tell you where to find one of the brownies2 and if you can find him1 he will tell you where his brother is4 ,but all this depends upon whether you feel equal to undertaking it1 and whether you will follow my directions40 8,i am quite ready to go10 said ,tommy1 8and ,i will do as you tell me4 ,i feel sure ,i could persuade them to come2 if they only knew how every one would love them if they made themselves useful60 8,oohoo6 oohoo60 said the ,owl4 8,now listen4 ,you must go to the north side of the lake when the moon is shining--78,i know brownies like water10 muttered ,tommy7--and turn yourself round three times1 saying this charm3 #8,twist me1 and turn me1 and show me the ,elf-- ,i looked in the water1 and saw--' ,when you have got so far look into the water1 and think of a word that will rhyme with ,elf1 and at the same moment you will see the brownie40 8,is the brownie a merman10 said ,tommy1 8that he lives under water80 8,that depends on whether he has a fish's tail10 said the ,owl1 8and that you can see for yourself40 8,well1 the moon is shining1 so ,i shall go10 said ,tommy4 8,gooby-by1 and thank you1 ,ma'am20 and he jumped down and went1 saying to himself1 8,i believe he is a merman1 all the same1 or else how could he live in the lake80 ,the moon shone very brightly on the center of the lake4 ,tommy knew the place well1 for there was an ,echo there1 with whom he had often talked4 ,round the edges grew rushes and water plants1 and turning himself three times1 as the ,old ,owl had told him1 he repeated the charm3 8,twist me and turn me and show me the ,elf-- ,i looked in the water and saw--0 ,now for it6 ,he looked in1 and saw--his own face4 8,why1 there's no one there but myself60 said ,tommy4 8,and what can the word be8 ,i must have done it wrong4 ,it cannot be myself40 8,myself60 said the ,echo4 ,tommy was almost surprised to find the ,echo awake at this time of night4 8,much you know about it60 said he4 8,belf6 ,celf6 ,delf6 ,felf6 ,helf6 ,jelf6 ,there can't be a word to fit it4 ,and then to look for a brownie and see nothing but myself60 8,myself10 said the ,echo4 8,will you be quiet80 said ,tommy4 8,if you would tell me the word there would be some meaning in your interference2 but to roar #8,myself6' at me1 which neither rhymes nor runs--it does rhyme1 though1 as it happens10 he added2 8how very odd6 it runs too-- #8,twist me and turn me and show me the ,elf-- ,i looked in the water and saw myself1'-- which ,i certainly did4 ,what can it mean8 ,the ,old ,owl knows1 as ,granny would say2 so ,i shall go back and ask her40 ,and back he went4 ,there sat the ,old ,owl as before4 8,oohoo60 said she1 as ,tommy climbed up4 8,what did you see in the lake80 8,i saw nothing but myself10 said ,tommy1 indignantly4 8,and what did you expect to see80 asked the ,owl4 8,i expected to see a brownie10 said ,tommy2 8you told me40 8,and what are brownies like1 pray80 inquired the ,owl4 8,the one ,granny knew was a useful little fellow1 something like a man10 said ,tommy4 8,ah60 said the ,owl1 8but you know at present this one is an idle little fellow1 something like a little man4 ,oohoo6 oohoo6 ,good night1 or rather1 good morning1 for it is long past midnight40 ,and the old lady began to shake her feathers for a start4 8,stay10 said she1 8,i think ,i had better take you home40 8,i know the way1 thank you10 said ,tommy4 8,do as ,i say10 said the ,owl4 8,lean your full weight against me and shut your eyes40 ,tommy laid his head against the ,owl's feathers4 ,down he sank and sank4 ,he jumped up with a start to save himself1 opened his eyes1 and found that he was sitting in the loft with ,johnnie sleeping by his side4 8,get up1 ,johnnie1 ,i've a story to tell you10 he cried4 ,and he told ,johnnie all about it4 ,and after that ,tommy and ,johnnie were the most useful little brownies in that whole country4 --,from ,,mrs4 ,,ewing',s ,,brownies ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,coquerico ,hear the story of this one4 ,he was a queer-looking little creature4 ,he came out in the brood of a handsome black ,spanish hen4 ,all his brothers and sisters were as pretty as you would see in a day's walk1 but he was very odd-looking4 ,he had only one good eye1 one good wing1 and one good leg to carry him about1 hippety-hop1 hippety-hop4 ,when his mother saw he was crippled1 she at once loved him best1 and gave him the splendid name of ,coquerico4 ,but hear about him4 ,maybe you think a one-eyed1 one-armed1 one-legged chick like ,coquerico would be good and gentle4 ,why1 if one of his brothers ran against him without meaning to1 ,coquerico flew at the poor fellow and called him names4 ,and he was so conceited that he thought himself better than his brothers and sisters1 and that he knew more than his mother4 ,so one day he hippety-hopped up to his mother and said1 8,my lady mother1 ,i am too good for this family2 ,i should be in the king's court4 ,i'm off to ,madrid1 where the king lives40 8,what are you thinking of1 my poor little one80 cried his mother4 8,who has put such nonsense into your head8 ,where would my little crippled one find a home like this--mulberry trees to shade him1 a white-washed henroost1 a high dunghill1 worms and corn in plenty1 brothers and sisters that are fond of him1 and a mother who loves him dearly4 ,stay where you are1 my child2 believe me ,i know what is best for you40 8,do you think so80 said ,coquerico1 saucily4 8,i don't4 ,i wish to go out into the world1 where everyone may hear of me1 ,i am so clever4 ,i'm off to ,madrid to see the king40 8,but1 my son1 have you never looked in the brook80 asked his mother4 8,don't you know that you have only one eye1 one wing1 and one leg8 ,to make your way in the world you need the sharp eyes of a fox1 the swift wings of a hawk1 and the many soft legs of a spider4 ,once outside1 you are lost40 8,my good mother10 said ,coquerico1 just as saucily1 8,i am well able to take care of myself4 ,i am better than my family and must find people who can see how clever ,i am4 ,so ,i'm off to ,madrid to see the king40 8,well1 my son10 said the anxious mother-hen1 8listen to your mother's last words4 ,keep away from people known as cooks and scullions2 you will know them by their paper caps1 tucked up sleeves1 and great sharp knives40 ,so away went ,coquerico1 making believe not to see the tear in his mother's eye4 ,without caring for those he left1 he hippety-hopped out the gate and stopped only long enough to crow three times1 8,cock-a-doodle-doo60 ,then over the fields he went hippety-hop1 hippety-hop4 ,by and by he came to a small brook almost choked by a couple of dead leaves4 8,my friend10 it called out to him1 8will you free me that ,i may flow on8 ,one stroke of your beak is enough40 8,do ,i look like a brook-sweeper80 answered ,coquerico4 8,help yourself2 ,i'm off to ,madrid to see the king40 ,and on he went1 hippety-hop1 hippety-hop4 ,a little farther on ,coquerico saw the wind lying breathless on the ground4 8,dear friend1 help me10 it cried2 8here on earth we should help one another4 ,if you will fan me a little with your wing ,i shall have strength to rise to my place among the clouds1 where ,i am needed for the next whirlwind40 8,do ,i look like a wind-bellows10 answered ,coquerico2 8help yourself4 ,i am off to ,madrid to see the king40 ,and on he went1 hippety-hop1 hippety-hop4 ,a little farther on he came to a newly mown field1 where the farmers had piled up the weeds to burn them4 ,as he stopped his hippety-hop to search among a smoking heap for a kernel of corn1 he saw a little flame1 barely flickering1 it was so nearly out4 8,my dear friend10 cried the flame1 faintly1 8will you bring me a few dry straws to rekindle me that ,i may burn brightly80 8,do ,i look like a servant80 cried ,coquerico1 haughtily2 8,i'll teach you to call out to a fowl that has business with the king40 ,and he leaped on the heap of dried weeds and trampled it down till it smothered the flame6 ,then he flapped his one wing and crowed three times1 8,cock-a-doodle-doo10 as if he had done something to be proud of4 ,and so strutting and crowing1 though he had to go hippety-hop1 he arrived at ,madrid and the king's palace4 ,grand and beautiful as it was1 he did not stop to look at it1 but made for the hen yard1 stopping every second step to crow1 8,cock-a-doodle10 to tell the king and all the world he was coming4 ,in the hen yard there was of course no king1 but a boy with a paper cap on his head and sleeves tucked up and a great sharp knife in his hand4 8,a scullion1 ,i suppose10 said ,coquerico to himself1 8but he will not stop me2 ,i have business with the king40 8,well1 you're an odd one10 cried the boy1 coming over to look at the new-comer4 8,cook wants a rare bird for the king's dinner1 you're just in time40 ,and he seized ,coquerico and carried him into the kitchen4 ,here the cook popped him into a pot of water and left him1 and with the boy went out of the kitchen to attend to something else4 ,the water began to get warm and then hot4 8,oh1 ,madame ,water10 cried ,coquerico1 becoming all at once as meek as a dove1 8good and gentle water1 best and purest in the world1 do not scald me1 ,i beg of you40 8,did you show any pity1 selfish wretch80 answered the ,water1 boiling with indignation4 ,coquerico leaped out of the pot1 knocking off the cover1 only to land on the fire4 8,oh1 ,fire1 ,fire1 do not burn me10 he cried1 dancing around on his back2 8oh1 beautiful and brilliant flame1 brother of the sun1 and cousin of the shining diamond1 do not roast me40 8,did you have any pity1 you selfish wretch80 cried the ,fire1 blazing so fiercely with anger that the chick in frightful pain leaped out of a window near by4 ,but as he landed on the flagging the ,wind caught him and whirled him up4 8,oh1 ,wind10 shrieked ,coquerico1 faintly1 8oh1 kindly ,wind1 oh1 cooling breeze1 you make me so dizzy my head reels4 ,pray let me down that ,i may rest40 8,let you rest10 roared the ,wind1 8wait and ,i'll teach you1 you selfish wretch40 ,and with one blast it sent him up so high that as he fell down he stuck on a steeple4 ,there1 if you look1 you may see him to this very day1 forced at last to help others in this world1 a weathervane4 --,,spanish ,,folk ,,tale ,,the ,,scarecrow ,once upon a time there was an old black crow1 as old as the hills4 ,and once there was a scarecrow1 brand new to his business4 ,the scarecrow was made of a corn stalk wearing the farmer's cast-off hat and coat4 ,the very first day he took up his post in the cornfield1 the old black crow1 flying over1 laughed at his disguise4 8,caw1 caw1 caw10 she cried1 8,i know you1 poor old stalk1 ,bloodless is your body1 ,you neither run nor walk40 ,the scarecrow kept his temper and said nothing1 and this looks as if he were clever4 ,for the old crow had to take herself off without knowing what he was thinking of4 ,now the scarecrow was clever4 ,he made friends with ,magic ,darkness and ,moving ,wind4 ,he had made up his mind to frighten thieving crows away1 no matter how old and knowing they might be4 ,and that very evening when the old black crow1 as old as the hills1 came flying toward the cornfield1 with her five black children after her1 he whispered1 8,now1 ,magic ,darkness and ,moving ,wind1 help me40 ,and they did4 ,magic ,darkness came down and hid his headlessness1 and ,moving ,wind bent his body and pushed his arms together so that he looked exactly as if he were the farmer stooping to load a gun4 ,when the old black crow saw this1 she whispered1 8,turn back1 children1 and don't speak for your lives20 and although she was as old as the hills1 she turned tail as fast as she could1 with her five black children after her4 ,when she reached her nest built of sticks in the fork of an apple-tree a quarter of a mile away1 she breathed more freely4 8,oh1 my children10 she panted1 8it was no cornstalk scarecrow at all2 it was the farmer himself1 alive and loading his gun for us40 ,but when she awoke in the morning light1 she felt rather puzzled4 8,i've seen a good many scarecrows in my time10 she said2 8,i should know a man from a shadow4 ,i'll go and have a look at him in broad daylight40 ,so as soon as breakfast was over and the crow children had gone to school to hear how featherless children make crow's nests with their fingers1 she spread her wings for the cornfield where she had seen the brand new scarecrow4 ,there he stood as plain a humbug as ever deceived the eyes of a blind crow4 8,i'm not old enough to be blind yet10 she said2 8you're a dried-up cornstalk if ever there was one4 ,you'll not frighten me this evening and send me and my children scurrying home40 ,and she sang mockingly1 8,caw1 caw1 caw1 ,i know you1 poor old stalk1 ,bloodless is your body1 ,you neither run nor walk40 ,but the clever scarecrow kept his temper and answered never a word4 ,so again the old crow had to take herself off no wiser about his thoughts4 ,well1 toward evening along came flying again the old black crow1 as old as the hills1 with her five black children after her4 ,and again the scarecrow whispered1 8,now1 ,magic ,darkness and ,moving ,wind1 help me40 ,and they did4 ,magic ,darkness came down and hid his headlessness1 and ,moving ,wind bent his body and pushed his arms together1 then straightened him suddenly1 like this1 halfway1 and held his arms out in front1 one hand beyond the other1 so1 as if he were searching for the trigger of a gun4 ,when the old crow saw him she cried1 8,turn back1 children1 at once10 turning herself so suddenly that she bumped into the beak of the first little crow behind her4 ,it was not until she reached her nest built of sticks in the fork of the apple-tree a quarter of a mile away1 and had rested a minute1 that she breathed freely4 8,oh1 my children10 she said1 8without doubt it was no scarecrow2 it was the farmer1 alive1 and placing his finger on the trigger of his gun to shoot us40 ,but again when she awoke in the morning light she felt puzzled4 8,it's very strange10 she said4 8,i've seen a good many scarecrows in my time4 ,i should know a man from a shadow4 ,i'll have another look at him in the broad daylight40 ,so1 as soon as breakfast was over and the crow children had gone to school to hear how featherless grown-ups get crow's feet on their faces1 she spread her wings for the cornfield4 ,there stood the scarecrow as plain a humbug as ever deceived the eyes of a blind crow4 8,well10 she said1 8unless blindness is catching and the bats gave it to me1 you're a dried-up corn stalk if ever there was one4 ,if an old crow that was living before you were even thought of knows anything1 you'll not frighten me this evening60 ,and she sang mockingly1 8,caw1 caw1 caw1 ,i know you1 poor old stalk1 ,bloodless is your body1 ,you neither run nor walk40 ,but the clever scarecrow kept his temper1 and answered never a word4 ,so again the old crow had to take herself off no wiser about his thoughts4 ,well1 all good things go in threes1 as every child who knows more than a crow can tell you4 ,so the third evening along came flying the old black crow1 as old as the hills1 with her five black children after her4 ,and the third time he whispered1 8,now1 ,magic ,darkness and ,moving ,wind1 help me40 ,and the third time they did4 ,magic ,darkness came down and hid his headlessness1 and ,moving ,wind bent him sharply down1 lifted him halfway with his arms held out1 one hand beyond the other1 like this2 then suddenly straightened him up with arms pointing up at the crows4 8,don't shoot1 dear farmer10 shrieked the old crow4 ,she hadn't time to turn tail4 8,my children and ,i will let your corn alone until you have harvested it40 ,immediately ,moving ,wind dropped the scarecrow's armless sleeves and brought his hat back to its position on the top of the stalk4 ,and away flew the old crow1 as old as the hills1 with her five black children after her4 ,when she reached her nest built of sticks in the fork of the apple-tree a quarter of a mile away1 and she had rested two minutes1 she said1 8,my children1 keep away from that field until ,i tell you the corn has been gathered in40 ,when the corn was harvested1 the old black crow and her five black children went gleaning to pick up the kernels that had dropped1 and fat eating they had4 ,and the scarecrow let them enjoy their meal in peace2 his duty was done4 --,,angela ,m4 ,,keyes ,,oeyvind ,,and ,,marit ,there was once a boy named ,oeyvind who lived in a hut at the foot of a steep rocky hill4 ,on the roof of the hut walked a little goat4 ,it was ,oeyvind's own4 ,oeyvind kept it there so that it should not go astray1 and he carried up leaves and grass to it4 ,but one fine day the goat leaped down1 and away it went up the hill until it came where it never had been before4 ,when ,oeyvind ran out of the hut after dinner1 he missed his little goat and at once thought of the fox4 ,he looked all about1 calling1 8,killy-killy-killy-goat60 8,bay-ay-ay10 said the goat1 from the top of the hill1 as it cocked its head on one side and looked down4 ,and at the side of the goat kneeled a little girl4 8,is it yours1 this goat80 she asked4 ,oeyvind stared at her1 with eyes and mouth wide open1 and asked1 8,who are you80 8,i am ,marit1 mother's little one1 father's fiddle1 grandfather's elf1 four years old in the autumn1 two days after the frost nights40 8,are you1 though80 he said1 as soon as he could get his breath4 8,is it yours1 this goat80 she asked4 8,yes10 he said4 8,i should like it4 ,you will not give it to me80 8,no1 that ,i won't40 ,marit lay down1 kicking her legs and looking up at him1 and then she said1 8,not if ,i give you a butter cake for him80 ,oeyvind had eaten butter cake only once in his life1 when his grandfather came to visit2 anything like it he had never eaten before nor since4 8,let me see the butter cake first10 said he4 ,it didn't take ,marit long to pull out a large cake4 8,here it is10 she said1 and threw it down to him4 8,ow1 it went to pieces10 said the boy4 ,he gathered up every crumb1 and he couldn't help tasting a very small one4 ,that was so good he had to eat another4 ,before he knew it he had eaten up the whole cake4 8,now the goat is mine10 said the girl1 and she laughed and clapped her hands4 ,the boy stopped with the last bit in his mouth4 8,wait a little while80 he begged1 for he loved his little goat4 ,the small girl got up quickly4 8,no1 the goat is mine10 she said1 and she threw her arms around its neck4 ,she loosened one of her garters and fastened it round the goat's neck and began pulling the goat after her4 ,the goat would not follow3 it stretched its neck down to see ,oeyvind4 8,bay-ay-ay10 it said4 ,but the girl took hold of its fleece with one hand and pulled the string with the other1 and said1 sweetly1 8,come1 little goat1 you shall go into my room and eat out of my apron40 ,and then she sang1 8,come1 boy's goat1 ,come1 mother's calf1 ,come1 mewing cat ,in snow-white shoes2 ,come1 yellow ducks1 ,come out of your hiding-place2 ,come little chickens1 ,who can hardly go2 ,come1 my doves ,with soft feathers2 ,see1 the grass is wet1 ,but the sun does you good3 ,and early1 early1 is it in summer1 ,but call for the autumn1 and it will come40 ,and away she went with the goat1 calling on all living things she loved to follow her4 ,the boy stood still as a stone4 ,he had taken care of the goat since the winter before1 and he had never thought he would lose it4 ,but now it was gone in a moment and he would never see it again4 ,he lay down and wept4 ,his mother came along and saw him crying4 8,what are you crying about80 she asked4 8,oh1 the goat1 the goat60 8,yes1 where is the goat80 asked the mother1 looking up at the roof4 8,it will never come back10 said the boy4 8,why1 how could that happen60 ,he could not tell her at once4 8,has the fox taken it80 8,no1 oh1 no40 8,are your wits gone10 said his mother2 8what has become of the goat80 8,oh-h-h--,i sold it for--for--a cake60 ,as soon as he had said it he knew what it was to sell the goat for a cake4 8,what can the little goat think of you1 to sell him for a cake80 said his mother4 ,the boy was so sorry that he said to himself he would never again do anything wrong4 ,he would never cut the thread on the spinning-wheel1 he would never let the goats out of the fold1 he would never go down to the sea alone4 ,he fell asleep where he lay1 and he dreamed that the little goat had gone to heaven and that he sat alone on the roof and could not go to it4 ,suddenly there came something wet close up to his ear4 ,he started up4 8,bay-ay-ay60 it said4 ,it was the little goat come back4 8,what1 have you come back80 he cried4 ,he jumped up1 took it by the forelegs1 and danced with it as if it were a brother4 ,he tickled it and pulled its beard1 and set off with it to the hut to tell his mother the good news4 ,just then he heard someone behind him2 it was the little girl4 8,oh1 so it was you brought it back80 said he4 8,grandfather would not let me keep it10 said she2 8he is waiting near for me40 ,a sharp voice called out1 8,now60 ,it was her grandfather's1 and she remembered what she was to do4 ,she put one of her muddy hands into ,oeyvind's and said1 8,i beg your pardon for taking the little goat40 ,then she could keep in no longer2 she threw her arms around the goat's neck and wept aloud4 8,you may have the goat10 said ,oeyvind4 8,make haste10 cried grandfather4 ,so ,marit had to go1 and ,oeyvind had his little goat again4 --,,bj,,rnstjerne ,,bj,,rnson ,,blunder ,blunder was going to the ,wishing-,gate1 to wish for a pair of ,shetland ,ponies1 and a little coach1 like ,tom ,thumb's4 ,and of course you may have your wish1 if you once get there4 ,but the thing is1 to find it2 for it is not1 as you imagine1 a great gate1 with a tall marble pillar on each side1 and a sign over the top1 like this1 ,,wishing-,,gate1--but just an old stile1 made of three sticks4 ,put up two fingers1 cross them on the top with another finger1 and you have it exactly1--the way it looks1 ,i mean1--a worm-eaten stile1 in a meadow2 and as there are plenty of old stiles in meadows1 how are you to know which is the one8 ,blunder's fairy godmother knew1 but then she could not tell him1 for that was not according to fairy rules and regulations4 ,she could only direct him to follow the road1 and ask the way of the first owl he met2 and over and over she charged him1 for ,blunder was a very careless little boy1 and seldom found anything1 8,be sure you don't miss him1--be sure you don't pass him by40 ,and so far ,blunder had come on very well1 for the road was straight2 but at the turn it forked4 ,should he go through the wood or turn to the right8 ,there was an owl nodding in a tall oak-tree1 the first owl ,blunder had seen2 but he was a little afraid to wake him up1 for ,blunder's fairy godmother had told him that this was a great philosopher1 who sat up all night to study the habits of frogs and mice1 and knew everything but what went on in the daylight1 under his nose2 and he could think of nothing better to say to this great philosopher than1 8,good ,mr4 ,owl1 will you please show me the way to the ,wishing-,gate80 8,eh6 what's that80 cried the owl1 starting out of his nap4 8,have you brought me a frog80 8,no10 said ,blunder1 8,i did not know that you would like one4 ,can you tell me the way to ,wishing-,gate80 8,wishing-,gate6 ,wishing-,gate60 hooted the owl1 very angry4 8,winks and naps6 how dare you disturb me for such a thing as that8 ,do you take me for a mile-stone8 ,follow your nose1 sir1 follow your nose60--and1 ruffling up his feathers1 the owl was asleep again in a moment4 ,but how could ,blunder follow his nose8 ,his nose would turn to the right1 or take him through the woods1 whichever way his legs went1 and 8what was the use of asking the owl10 thought ,blunder1 8if this was all80 ,while he hesitated1 a chipmunk came scurrying down the path1 and1 seeing ,blunder1 stopped short with a little squeak4 8,good ,mrs4 ,chipmunk10 said ,blunder1 8can you tell me the way to the ,wishing-,gate80 8,i can't1 indeed10 answered the chipmunk1 politely4 8,what with getting in nuts1 and the care of a young family1 ,i have so little time to visit anything6 ,but if you will follow the brook1 you will find an old water-sprite under a slanting stone1 over which the water pours all day with a noise like wabble6 wabble6 who1 ,i have no doubt1 can tell you all about it40 ,so ,blunder went on up the brook1 and1 seeing nothing of the water-sprite1 or the slanting-stone1 was just saying to himself1 8,i am sure ,i don't know where he is1--,i can't find it10 when he spied a frog sitting on a wet stone4 8,mr4 ,frog10 asked ,blunder1 8can you tell me the way to the ,wishing-,gate80 8,i cannot10 said the frog4 8,i am very sorry1 but the fact is1 ,i am an artist4 ,young as ,i am1 my voice is already remarked at our concerts1 and ,i devote myself so entirely to my profession of music that ,i have no time for general information4 ,but in a pine-tree beyond1 you will find an old crow1 who1 ,i am quite sure1 can show you the way1 as he is a traveler1 and a bird of an inquiring turn of mind40 8,i don't know where the pine is1--,i am sure ,i can never find him10 answered ,blunder1 discontentedly2 but still he went on up the brook1 till1 hot and tired1 and out of patience at seeing neither crow nor pine1 he sat down under a great tree to rest4 ,there he heard tiny voices squabbling4 ,and looking about him1 ,blunder spied a bee1 quarreling with a morning-glory elf1 who was shutting up the morning-glory in his face4 8,elf1 do you know which is the way to the ,wishing-,gate80 asked ,blunder4 8,no10 said the elf1 8,i don't know anything about geography4 ,i was always too delicate to study4 ,but if you will keep on in this path1 you will find a ,dream-man1 coming down from fairyland1 with his bags of dreams on his shoulder2 and if anybody can tell you about the ,wishing-,gate1 he can40 8,but how can ,i find him80 asked ,blunder1 more and more impatient4 8,i don't know1 ,i am sure10 answered the elf1 8unless you look for him40 ,so there was no help for it but to go on2 and presently ,blunder passed the ,dream-man1 asleep under a witch-hazel1 with his bags of good and bad dreams laid over him to keep him from fluttering away4 ,but ,blunder had a habit of not using his eyes1 for at home1 when told to find anything1 he always said1 8,i don't know where it is10 or1 8,i can't find it10 and then his mother or sister went straight and found it for him4 ,so he passed the ,dream-man without seeing him1 and went on till he stumbled on ,jack-o'-,lantern4 8,can you show me the way to the ,wishing-,gate80 said ,blunder4 8,certainly1 with pleasure10 answered ,jack1 and1 catching up his lantern1 set out at once4 ,blunder followed close1 but1 in watching the lantern1 he forgot to look to his feet1 and fell into a hole filled with black mud4 8,i say6 the ,wishing-,gate is not down there10 called out ,jack1 whisking off among the tree-tops4 8,but ,i can't come up there10 whimpered ,blunder4 8,that is not my fault1 then10 answered ,jack1 merrily1 dancing out of sight4 ,oh1 a very angry little boy was ,blunder1 when he clambered out of the hole4 8,i don't know where it is10 he said1 crying2 8,i can't find it1 and ,i'll go straight home40 ,just then he stepped on an old1 moss-grown1 rotten stump2 and it happening1 unluckily1 that this rotten stump was a wood-goblin's chimney1 ,blunder fell through1 headlong1 in among the pots and pans in which the goblin's cook was cooking the goblin's supper4 ,the old goblin1 who was asleep upstairs1 started up in a fright at the tremendous clash and clatter1 and1 finding that his house was tumbling about his ears1 as he thought at first1 stumped down to the kitchen to see what was the matter4 ,the cook heard him coming1 and looked about her in a fright to hide ,blunder4 8,quick60 cried she4 8,if my master catches you1 he will have you in a pie4 ,in the next room stands a pair of shoes4 ,jump into them1 and they will take you up the chimney40 ,off flew ,blunder1 burst open the door1 and tore frantically about the room1 in one corner of which stood the shoes2 but of course he could not see them1 because he was not in the habit of using his eyes4 8,i can't find them6 ,oh1 ,i can't find them60 sobbed poor little ,blunder1 running back to the cook4 8,run into the closet10 said the cook4 ,blunder made a dash at the window1 but--8,i don't know where it is10 he called out4 ,clump6 clump6 ,that was the goblin1 halfway down the stairs4 8,mercy me60 exclaimed cook4 8,he is coming4 ,the boy will be eaten in spite of me4 ,jump into the meal-chest40 8,i don't see it10 squeaked ,blunder1 rushing towards the fireplace4 8,where is it80 ,clump6 clump6 ,that was the goblin at the foot of the stairs1 and coming towards the kitchen door4 8,there is an invisible cloak hanging on that peg4 ,get into that10 cried cook1 quite beside herself4 ,but ,blunder could no more see the cloak than he could see the shoes1 the closet1 and the meal-chest2 and no doubt the goblin1 whose hand was on the latch1 would have found him prancing around the kitchen1 and crying out1 8,i can't find it10 but1 fortunately for himself1 ,blunder caught his foot in the invisible cloak1 and tumbled down1 pulling the cloak over him4 ,there he lay1 hardly daring to breathe4 8,what was all that noise about80 asked the goblin gruffly1 coming into the kitchen4 ,but as he could see nothing amiss1 he went grumbling upstairs again1 while the shoes took ,blunder up chimney1 and landed him in a meadow1 safe enough1 but so miserable6 ,he was cross1 he was disappointed1 he was hungry4 ,it was dark1 he did not know the way home1 and1 seeing an old stile1 he climbed up1 and sat down on the top of it1 for he was too tired to stir4 ,just then came along the ,south ,wind1 with his pockets crammed full of showers1 and1 as he happened to be going ,blunder's way1 he took ,blunder home4 ,the boy was glad enough of this1 only he would have liked it better if the ,wind had not laughed all the way4 ,for what would you think1 if you were walking along a road with a fat old gentleman1 who went chuckling to himself1 and slapping his knees1 and poking himself1 till he was purple in the face1 when he would burst out in a great windy roar of laughter every other minute8 8,what are you laughing at80 asked ,blunder1 at last4 8,at two things that ,i saw in my travels10 answered the ,wind2 8a hen1 that died of starvation1 sitting on an empty peck-measure in front of a bushel of grain2 and a little boy who sat on the top of the ,wishing-,gate1 and came home because he could not find it40 8,what8 what's that80 cried ,blunder2 but just then he found himself at home4 ,there sat his godmother by the fire1 her mouse-skin cloak hung up on a peg1 and toeing off a spider's silk stocking an eighth of an inch long2 and though everybody cried1 8,what luck80 and1 8,where is the ,wishing-,gate80 she sat mum4 8,i don't know where it is10 answered ,blunder4 8,i couldn't find it20 and thereon told the story of his troubles4 8,poor boy60 said his mother1 kissing him1 while his sister ran to bring him some bread and milk4 8,yes1 that is all very fine10 cried his godmother1 pulling out her needles1 and rolling up her ball of silk2 8but now hear my story4 ,there was once a little boy who must needs go to the ,wishing-,gate1 and his godmother showed him the road as far as the turn1 and told him to ask the first owl he met what to do then2 but this little boy seldom used his eyes1 so he passed the first owl1 and waked up the wrong owl2 so he passed the water-sprite1 and found only a frog2 so he sat down under the pine-tree1 and never saw the crow2 so he passed the ,dream-man1 and ran after ,jack-o'-,lantern2 so he tumbled into the goblin's chimney1 and couldn't find the shoes and the closet and the chest and the cloak2 and so he sat on the top of the ,wishing-,gate till the ,south ,wind brought him home1 and never knew it4 ,ugh6 ,bah60 ,and away went the fairy godmother up the chimney in such deep disgust that she did not even stop for her mouse-skin cloak4 --,,louise ,e4 ,,chollet ,,the ,,golden ,,pears ,there was once a poor peasant of ,brs who had nothing in the world but three sons1 and a pear-tree that grew in front of his cottage4 ,but the pears were very fine1 and the ,kaiser was fond of the fruit1 so he said to his sons1 one day1 that he would send the ,kaiser a basket as a present4 8,perhaps10 said he1 8if the fruit please him he may help me and mine40 ,he plaited a krattle1 or basket1 and lined it with fresh leaves4 ,then he gathered the finest pears from the tree1 large ones as yellow as gold1 and laid them on the green leaves4 8,take these to the ,kaiser10 said he to his eldest son1 8and see that thou dost not let anyone rob thee of them by the way40 8,leave that to me1 father10 said the boy1 8,i know how to take care of my own4 ,it isn't much anyone will get out of me by asking4 ,i'll have my answer1 ,i can tell you40 ,so he closed up the mouth of the basket with fresh leaves and set out to take the pears to the ,kaiser4 ,it was autumn and the sun struck hot all through the midday hours2 so when the boy came at last to a wayside fountain he stopped to drink and to rest in its coolness4 ,a little doubled-up old woman was washing some rags at the fountain and singing a ditty all out of tune4 8,a witch1 ,i'll be bound10 said the boy to himself1 8she'll be trying to get my pears1 by hook or by crook1 but ,i'll be up to her40 8,a fair day1 my lad10 said the little old wife2 8that's a weighty burden you have to carry4 ,what may it be with which you are so heavily laden80 8,a load of sweepings from the road1 to see whether ,i may turn a penny by it10 answered the boy1 shortly1 to stop any further questioning4 8,road-sweepings10 repeated the hag1 as if she did not believe it4 8,belike you don't mean that80 8,but ,i do mean it10 retorted the boy4 8,oh1 very well4 ,you will find out when you get to your journey's end40 ,and she went on washing and singing her ditty that was all out of tune4 8,she means something10 said the boy to himself1 8that's clear4 ,but at all events my basket is safe4 ,i haven't even let her look at the fruit with her evil eye1 so there's no harm done40 ,but he felt uneasy1 and as he could not rest1 he got up and went on his way4 ,soon he reached the palace1 and on telling his errand was admitted4 8,you have brought me some pears1 have you1 my boy80 said the ,kaiser1 well pleased2 and his mouth began to water for the luscious fruit4 8,yes1 your ,majesty1 some of the finest golden pears in your ,majesty's whole empire10 said the boy4 ,the ,kaiser was delighted to hear this and he himself removed the covering of leaves4 ,but what was his anger to find under it nothing but ill-smelling sweepings from the road6 ,the attendants1 who stood by1 were equally indignant at the insult offered to the emperor1 and barely waited for his order to hustle the boy off to prison4 8,it is all due to that old hag by the fountain10 said he to himself2 8,i thought she meant mischief to me40 ,this was what he said the first day and the second1 but the quiet and solitude of the prison led him to think more closely and to remember the answer he had made to the old wife's question4 8,i have often heard my father say10 he thought1 8how strong truth makes the tongue4 ,alas1 that ,i did not use it as a weapon to take care of my own40 ,meantime the father said to his two sons1 8,you see how well your elder brother has fared4 ,he kept his eyes wide awake and carried the krattle of golden fruit in safety to the ,kaiser1 who was no doubt so well pleased with it that he has kept the boy near his person and made him a rich man40 8,i am as clever as he10 said the second brother2 8give me a krattle of the pears and let me take them to the ,kaiser1 and become a rich man too1 only ,i won't keep it all for myself4 ,i will send for you to share it with me40 8,well said1 my son10 answered the father2 8,i have worked hard for you all my life1 and it is but meet that in my old age you should share your good fortune with me40 ,and as the season for pears had just come around again1 he plaited another krattle and lined it with fresh green leaves and laid in it a goodly heap of the golden fruit4 ,the second son took the basket and went his way1 even in better spirits than his elder brother1 for he had the supposed success of the first to give wings to his feet4 ,the autumn sun was as hot through the midday as it had been the year before1 so that when he had traveled three days and arrived at the wayside fountain1 he too stopped to drink and rest in its coolness4 ,the doubled-up old woman was washing her rags at the fountain and singing her ditty all out of tune4 ,she stopped her croaking as before1 to ask him the same question as she had asked his brother4 8,it's pigs' wash10 said he2 8,i am taking it to see whether ,i may turn a penny by it40 8,pigs' wash10 repeated she1 as if she did not believe it4 8,belike you don't mean that80 8,but ,i do mean it10 retorted he1 rudely4 ,and at this she made the same remark she had made his brother4 ,sure enough1 when the ,kaiser removed the leaves1 instead of golden pears there was a mess of pigs' wash4 ,the attendants hurried the second boy off to the cell next his brother1 and pitched him in with even less ceremony4 ,meantime the year was passing away and bringing no tidings to the father of the good fortune promised him by his son4 8,the ingratitude of children is like a sharp sting10 said he1 in the bitterness of his grief and disappointment4 ,he would often say to his third son1 who was considered too stupid to be good for much1 8,what a pity it is that you are so dull-headed6 ,if ,i only dared trust you ,i might send you to see what has befallen your brothers40 ,the lad was used to hear himself called a good-for-nothing1 so he did not think for a long time that he might even attempt the task4 ,but as the days went by and his father's distress grew more sore1 his loving heart was moved1 and one day he summoned courage to ask whether he might not try to find his brothers4 8,do you really think you can keep yourself out of harm's way80 exclaimed the father1 glad to find the boy anxious to undertake the venture4 8,i will do whatever you tell me10 said the lad1 eagerly4 8,well1 you sha'n't go empty-handed1 at all events10 said the father4 ,and as the pears were just ripe again he laid the choicest of the year's stock in a krattle and sent him on his way4 ,the boy walked along1 looking neither to right nor left1 but with his heart beating1 lest he should come across the 8,harm0 out of whose way he had promised to keep himself4 ,all went well1 however1 except that the sun shone down on him fiercely1 so that when he too reached the wayside fountain he was glad to stop to drink and rest in the coolness4 ,the old wife was washing her rags in the water1 and as she patted the linen1 singing a ditty all out of tune4 8,here comes a third of those surly dogs1 ,i declare10 she said to herself1 as she saw him arrive with another load of the magnificent pears4 8,i suppose he'll try to make game of me too as if ,i didn't know the sweet smell of ripe golden pears from road-sweepings or pigs' wash6 a likely thing6 ,but ,i'm ready for him40 8,good morning1 little mother60 said the boy in his direct way1 doffing his cap as he had been taught1 although she was old and ugly4 8,he's sweeter behaved than the other louts1 for all he doesn't look so bright-faced10 said the hag to herself2 and she stopped her song out of tune to return his greeting4 8,may ,i sit down here a bit1 please1 good mother80 asked the boy1 for he was so simple that he thought the fountain must belong to her4 8,that you may1 and take a draught of the cool water1 too10 she answered1 wondrously softened by his civil manners4 8,and what may it be with which you are so laden1 my pretty boy80 she asked4 8,it should be a precious burden to be worth carrying so far as you appear to have come4 ,what have you in your krattle80 8,precious indeed they are1 ,i believe you10 said the boy1 8at least so you would think from the store my father sets by them4 ,they are truly golden pears1 and he says there are no finer grown in the whole kingdom4 ,i am taking them to the ,kaiser1 who is fond of the fruit40 8,only ripe pears and yet so heavy10 returned the old wife2 8one would say it is something heavier than pears4 ,but you'll see when you come to your journey's end40 ,the boy assured her they were nothing but pears2 and as one of his father's commands had been not to lose time by the way1 he bade the old dame a courteous farewell and continued on his way4 ,when the servants saw another peasant boy from ,brs come to the palace with the story that he had pears for the king1 they said1 8,no1 no6 we've had enough of that6 ,you may turn around and go back40 ,but the poor boy was so disappointed that he could not carry out his task that he sank down on the step and sobbed bitterly1 and there he remained sobbing till the ,kaiser came out4 ,the ,kaiser's little daughter was with her father4 ,when she saw the boy sobbing1 she asked what ailed him1 and learned it was another boy from ,brs come to insult the ,kaiser with a basket of refuse4 ,and the servants asked her whether they should not take the boy off to prison straightway4 ,the ,kaiser left the question to his daughter4 8,but ,i have pears10 sobbed the boy2 8and my father says there are no finer in the empire40 8,yes1 yes10 jeered the servants1 8we know that by heart20 and they attempted to drag him away4 8,but won't you look at my pears first1 fair princess8 ,the pears that ,i have brought all this way for the ,kaiser8 ,my father will be so sorry40 ,the princess was struck with the earnestness with which he spoke1 and decided to see the basket herself4 ,the moment she said so the boy walked straight up to her with his krattle1 so strong in the truth that he felt no fear of the whole troop of lackeys4 ,the princess removed the leaves and--there indeed were golden pears1 not merely yellow with ripeness1 but really gold1 each1 large as it was1 a shining pear of solid gold6 8,these are pears fit for a king10 she said1 and presented them to her father4 ,the ,kaiser was greatly pleased4 ,he ordered the gold fruit to be placed in his cabinet of treasures1 and to the boy1 as a reward1 he promised whatever he should ask4 8,all ,i wish is to find my two brothers1 who hold some high office in your ,majesty's court10 said the boy4 8,if those who came with pears before are your brothers1 as ,i suspect1 they hold office in prison10 said the ,kaiser1 and commanded that they be brought4 ,as soon as the two were led in1 the third ran to them and embraced them4 ,then the ,kaiser bade each tell his story4 8,strong indeed does truth make the tongue to keep its own10 said the ,kaiser1 using almost the same words the boys had often heard their father speak4 ,and they were truly sorry they had not kept his counsel4 ,the ,kaiser sent for the father and gave him and his sons charge of the king's gardens4 ,the father brought with him the pear-tree that1 by the power of the truth told of it1 had made golden fortune for them4 ,and he and his sons had plenty ever after and were well content4 --,,folk ,,tale ,,some ,,very ,,short ,,stories ,for all little children who fain would tell ,what in their tender hearts doth dwell ,,the ,,puppy',s ,,bark ,our puppy is so little that he can hardly stand up4 ,but he wants the kitten to think him a big dog4 ,so the other day he steadied himself on his legs and tried to give a loud bark4 8,bow wow10 he said4 ,and down he tumbled4 ,,what ,,happened ,,to ,,the ,,white ,,kitten ,once when a white kitten spied the tip of her tail1 she tried to catch it4 ,round and round she went so fast that she turned into a white ball4 ,but1 of course1 the tail went as fast as she did1 so she couldn't catch up with it4 ,soon she grew so dizzy that she had to stop4 ,there she was back again1 a sensible white kitten4 ,a ,,conceited ,,grasshopper ,the other day a very young grasshopper and an old rooster were out in the field together4 8,i can jump higher than anyone in this field10 cried the grasshopper4 ,the rooster said nothing1 but opened his mouth as if he meant to yawn4 8,here ,i go10 cried the grasshopper1 and she jumped so high that she landed in the rooster's mouth4 ,the rooster gobbled her up4 ,and that was the end of her and her boasting4 ,,the ,,mouse',s ,,escape ,a little gray mouse lived in a hole in our kitchen closet4 ,one day she smelled some cheese4 8,m-m10 she said1 8how delicious60 ,she peeped out to see whether ,tom1 our cat1 was in the kitchen4 ,he wasn't4 ,out she stole1 sniffed about1 and found the cheese4 ,just as she began to nibble it1 along came ,tom4 ,the little mouse darted back into her safe hole4 ,,what ,,the ,,white ,,hen ,,did ,,for ,,the ,,world ,one morning the white hen went into the barn4 ,the rooster saw her go1 but he didn't stop her4 ,after a few minutes out she came1 clucking to the whole world1 8,cut-cut-cut-cut-cadah-cut6 ,cut-cut-cut-cut-cadah-cut60 ,and the whole world as well as the rooster knew she had laid an egg4 ,,the ,,golden ,,goose ,once a man owned a wonderful goose4 ,every morning when he said1 8,lay10 it laid a golden egg4 ,by and by the man grew so greedy that he wanted all the golden eggs at once4 ,so he cut open the goose4 ,there wasn't one egg in it4 ,and1 of course1 the goose couldn't lay any more eggs now4 ,the foolish man had killed the goose that laid the golden eggs4 --,,sop ,,the ,,moon ,,and ,,her ,,mother 7,this story may be accompanied by blackboard sketches of the phases of the moon47 ,one day the moon asked her mother for a cloak that would fit her well4 8,how can ,i make a cloak that will fit you80 answered the mother4 8,you are always changing your size4 ,one day you are a new moon4 ,another day you are a full moon4 ,and another day you are neither40 ,so the little moon has to go without a cloak4 --,,old ,,fable ,,mother ,,carey',s ,,chickens ,one day in winter the snowflakes came down as soft and light and white as feathers4 ,the little children looking out at the window sang1 8,old ,mother ,carey's chickens1 ,old ,mother ,carey's chickens2 ,they are up in the sky1 ,ever so high2 ,old ,mother ,carey's chickens40 ,down fell the snowflakes1 thick and fast1 and more and more and more1 till they made a snowstorm4 ,when they were all down the children brought out their sleds1 and away they went coasting on ,mother ,carey's chickens' feathers4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,wee1 ,,wee ,,bone ,once a wee1 wee girl came across a wee1 wee dog scratching a wee1 wee hole to bury a wee1 wee bone4 ,when the wee1 wee dog had buried the wee1 wee bone1 he trotted off on his wee1 wee legs4 ,and when he had gone a wee1 wee way1 the wee1 wee girl dug her wee1 wee fingers into the wee1 wee hole1 and took away the wee1 wee bone4 ,but the wee1 wee dog smelled her out with his wee1 wee nose and said1 8,give me back my wee1 wee bone2 you can't eat it and ,i can40 ,the wee1 wee girl wouldn't4 ,then the wee1 wee dog sat up on his wee1 wee hind legs and cried a wee1 wee tear4 ,this made the wee1 wee girl sorry4 ,so she gave the wee1 wee dog his wee1 wee bone4 ,the wee1 wee dog dried the wee1 wee tear with his wee1 wee paw1 and ate up the wee1 wee bone4 ,and that's the end of this wee1 wee story4 ,,the ,,missing ,,lamb ,one evening a shepherd was turning away from the fold when one of the sheep bleated mournfully4 8,is thy lamb missing1 poor mother80 asked the shepherd4 ,just then he heard a loud bark1 and there half a field away was ,carlo1 his dog1 guiding home a frightened lamb4 ,the little creature had strayed away from her mother to find the very sweetest bits of sheep sorrel4 8,bow wow1 master10 called ,carlo1 8don't close up yet40 8,ba-a-a1 ba-a-a-a10 cried the little lamb1 8dear mother1 where are you80 ,the mother heard her and bounded into the air with joy4 8,ba-a-a1 come to me1 my lamb10 she called1 8come to me1 my lambkin1 my wee lambkin1 my wee wee little lamb40 ,the little lamb leaped to her mother's side and was safe in the fold4 ,the shepherd patted ,carlo on the head and called him 8,good dog0 and said1 8,come with me1 my dog1 and ,i'll give thee a bone thick with meat40 ,,the ,,ant ,,and ,,the ,,dove ,once an ant went to the bank of a river to quench her thirst4 ,as she stooped to the water she fell in and was nearly drowned4 ,a dove perched on a tree overhanging the river saw her and quickly dropped down a leaf to her4 ,the ant climbed up on the leaf and it floated to the bank4 ,she went ashore1 safe and sound4 ,not long after this1 a bird catcher stepped softly up to the tree to set a snare to catch the dove4 ,the ant saw him and quickly stung him in the foot4 ,the bird catcher's cry at the pain startled the dove4 ,away she flew1 safe and sound4 --,,sop ,,the ,,boy ,,and ,,the ,,nuts ,a boy put his hand into a jar to take some nuts4 ,he grasped so many that there was no room for his hand to come out4 ,in a great fright he burst into tears4 8,be satisfied with half as many10 said a man who was watching him1 8and your hand will come out easily40 ,the greedy boy dropped half1 and at once out came his hand4 --,,sop ,,did ,,she ,,catch ,,him8 ,one day a little girl said to her wisest aunt1 8,i wish ,i could catch that sparrow40 8,the next time he comes10 said her wisest aunt1 8shake some salt on his tail4 ,but be sure not to let him see nor hear you40 ,the little girl went into the house and brought out some salt4 ,pretty soon the sparrow alighted near her4 ,she tiptoed up behind him with the salt ready in her hand4 ,nearer and nearer she stole4 ,just as she stooped to shake the salt on his tail1 the sparrow cocked his head at her and flew away4 ,,the ,,bears ,,at ,,play ,a small brown bear and a small black bear walked up to each other and rubbed noses4 8,will you play with me if ,i play with you80 whispered the brown one to the other4 ,and the other whispered1 8,i will40 ,the two trotted out to the center of the cage4 ,the brown one turned a somersault and the black one turned a bigger somersault4 ,after this they both turned somersaults together4 ,when the play was over1 they rubbed noses again and each went back to his own cave in the rocks4 ,,how ,,the ,,grocer ,,played ,a ,,trick ,,on ,,kit ,kit was the grocer's horse4 ,one day as the grocer came up to her she whinnied and rubbed her nose against his pocket4 8,ha1 ha1 ha1 ,i've caught you this time2 it isn't in my pocket10 said the grocer2 8here it is40 ,he held out to her a ripe red apple he had been hiding behind his back4 ,kit didn't wait to laugh at the joke2 she ate the apple in one big bite4 ,,the ,,short ,,tale ,,of ,,the ,,rabbits ,,who ,,went ,,out ,,to ,,see ,,the ,,world ,two white rabbits lived in a hutch in our back yard4 ,one sunny morning said ,one to the ,other1 8,let us go out to see the world40 ,so they did4 ,they went up the alley way to the front garden4 ,here the grass was growing fresh and green4 8,ah10 said the ,other to ,one1 8the world was made for us4 ,it is nothing but a big cabbage leaf4 ,taste it40 ,just as they put their noses down to nibble a bit of it1 a dog poked his nose through the railing and said1 8,bow wow40 8,oh my1 the world belongs to him10 they cried2 8he may have it40 ,and back they scurried to their safe hutch4 ,there they stayed1 eating cabbage leaves and letting the world alone4 ,,the ,,dispute ,,between ,,the ,,pot ,,and ,,the ,,kettle ,the pot said the kettle was black4 ,and the kettle said the pot was black4 ,and the pot said the kettle was black4 ,and the kettle said the pot was black4 ,and they kept it up4 ,in the middle of the dispute in came two servants4 ,one seized the pot and the other seized the kettle1 and they scrubbed them both within an inch of their lives4 ,so ,i suppose the servants thought both were black4 ,what do you think8 ,,how ,,the ,,turtle ,,got ,,his ,,dinner ,it was the small black turtle's dinner time4 ,he drew in his head and watched4 ,a bluebottle buzzed by1 singing4 ,snap6 out came the turtle's head4 ,the bluebottle's song was over1 the turtle was eating him for dinner4 8,a bluebottle is a delicious morsel10 said the turtle aloud to anyone who might happen to be passing4 ,he dined that day on foolish bluebottles who didn't know he had a head4 ,,the ,,caterpillar ,,caught ,,in ,,the ,,rain ,the other day a caterpillar was out walking on a leaf1 when it began to rain4 ,he had no umbrella1 but that did not bother him4 ,he crawled under the leaf1 and waited for the shower to be over4 ,when the rain-drops stopped pattering over his head1 he stuck out his head to see whether the sky had cleared4 ,it had4 ,a beautiful rainbow was just fading out of the sky4 ,up the caterpillar climbed1 dry and comfortable1 and went on with his walk4 ,,the ,,song ,,the ,,cockle-,,shell ,,sings ,one day ,anna ,lucy held a cockle-shell to her ear4 ,she listened and then began to smile4 8,do you hear anything80 asked her little brother ,frank4 8,yes10 answered ,anna ,lucy1 8you may hear it too40 ,she held the shell to ,frank's ear4 ,frank listened1 then he began to smile4 8,what is it80 he whispered4 8,it is the song of the sea10 said ,anna ,lucy2 8the shell sings it in her heart40 ,,the ,,water-,,snail',s ,,ride ,a little water-snail with his house on his back floated on the top of the water4 ,suddenly he must have thought of something downstairs that he needed1 for he drew himself into his house4 ,down it went to the bottom of the water4 ,the water-snail stuck out his horns and head1 and ate up a tiny bit of seaweed4 ,so ,i suppose that is what he needed4 ,in he drew himself again1 and up went his house just as if it were an elevator4 8,you must find that house very convenient10 said ,i to him4 ,but he said nothing to me2 he only floated on the top of the water4 ,,it ,,takes ,,time ,,to ,,grow ,a toadstool sprang up in a night4 ,but it fell to earth next day when the first passer-by touched it4 ,an acorn took a hundred years to grow into an oak4 ,but the oak is still standing1 strong and tall4 ,,the ,,fright ,,they ,,had ,one day as a snail with his house on his back crawled up a vine he met a ladybug4 ,the two stopped to chat about their children4 ,all of a sudden a little girl1 who was passing1 cried out1 8,ladybug1 ,ladybug1 fly away home1 ,your house is on fire1 ,your children all burned40 ,home flew ,ladybug1 pale with fright4 8,how thankful ,i am10 said the snail1 8that ,i carry my house on my back60 ,but on second thought he too turned pale with fright4 8,perhaps my darling children will crawl near poor ,ladybug's house to see the fire1 and be burned to death40 ,he turned about and crawled home as fast as his snail's pace would let him1 and that wasn't very fast4 ,but it was all a joke2 it happened on ,april ,fool's ,day4 ,the snail's children were quite safe and so were ,ladybug's4 8,ha1 ha1 ha1 ,mr4 ,snail1 you're an ,april ,fool10 cried the little girl1 skipping past again4 ,but ,i don't know whether they understood her4 ,what do you think8 ,,himself 8,who are you80 said ,tom1 to a small black shadow beside him4 8,why1 ,i'm you10 said the shadow2 8don't you know me80 8,what1 a little fellow like you60 cried ,tom2 8you're very much mistaken40 ,and away he strode4 8,no1 a big fellow like you10 said the shadow1 as he shot out in front of ,tom4 ,,why ,,the ,,canary ,,sang ,,in ,,his ,,cage ,a canary swung in his golden cage and sang joyously4 ,the window was open1 so a lark heard him as she rose into the air4 ,she alighted on the window sill in wonder4 8,how can you sing shut up in a cage60 she exclaimed4 8,come out into the free air and up into the sky with me40 ,the canary stopped his song to listen to the lark4 8,why do you stop singing1 little canary80 asked a sick boy1 in a feeble voice4 ,he was in a bed near the canary's cage4 ,the lark could not see him1 but she heard him4 8,your song10 said the boy1 8makes me forget my pain40 ,the canary burst into a sweeter song4 8,now ,i know10 said the lark1 8he sings because it makes the sick boy happy40 ,and she flew upward1 wiser than before4 ,,who ,,the ,,bird ,,was ,one hot day in ,july a bird perched at the very top of a tall hemlock4 ,the blazing sun shone on his scarlet body and made it glow like fire4 8,what a foolish bird to be out in the scorching sun10 cried ,mother ,robin to her husband4 8,he'll be sunstruck40 ,she and ,father ,robin stood shading their eyes under the cool maple leaves to look up at him4 8,who can he be80 8,i think1 my dear10 said ,father ,robin1 8that ,i had better go up and tell him to come down40 8,oh10 cried ,mother ,robin1 8what would the birdlings and ,i do if anything should happen to you60 and she caught him by the tail just as he was flying off4 ,as ,father ,robin opened his mouth to answer1 the scarlet bird spread shining black wings and flew into the sunshine1 singing1 8,i love the sun1 the light1 the flame1 ,scarlet tanager is my name40 8,never fear for him10 said ,mother ,robin1 8the sun and he are good friends40 ,,how ,,the ,,old ,,trout ,,served ,,tom ,once a water-baby named ,tom swam close to some little trout4 ,he began tormenting them and trying to catch them4 ,they slipped through his fingers and jumped dean out of the water in their fright4 ,as ,tom chased them he swam near a dark pool under an alder root4 ,out floushed a huge old brown trout ten times as big as he4 ,she ran straight at ,tom and knocked nearly all the breath out of his body4 ,so it was ,tom's turn to be frightened4 ,after that you may be sure he let the little trout alone4 --,from ,,kingsley ,a ,,clever ,,cow ,a quick-witted old cow learned how to shake apples down from the trees4 ,while rubbing herself against the tree she noticed that an apple sometimes fell4 ,she rubbed a little harder1 and more apples fell4 ,soon the farmer had to keep an eye on her to save his apples4 --,from ,,burroughs ,,the ,,snowman ,when the sun got up one morning in winter he found a snowman staring at him rudely4 8,don't stare at me4 ,if you do you'll melt10 said the sun4 8,indeed60 said the snowman4 8,a cat may look at a king4 ,i'll look at you if ,i like40 ,and he stared harder than ever4 ,pretty soon he felt the top of his head softening4 8,i feel very queer10 said he to himself4 ,but he didn't stop staring4 8,ugh60 he shivered1 8water is running down my back4 ,my nose is going4 ,my toes are going4 ,i'm going40 ,and he went4 ,,the ,,race ,the kitten lay curled up in a ball fast asleep4 ,the pup was broad awake4 ,he stole up to kitty1 lifted his paw1 and gave her a tap on the nose4 ,then he scampered off4 ,up started kitty1 and round and round the kitchen went the pup with kitty after him4 ,it made the kitchen clock so dizzy to watch them that she put up her long hand to steady her head4--8,one10 rang the bell inside of her4 8,time's up10 cried the pup4 ,and he and kitty sat down on the mat side by side and the pup put out his tongue and laughed at the fun4 ,,brave ,,dan ,everybody was out4 ,so of course ,dan1 the pup1 was master of the house4 ,he trotted proudly through the halls and poked his nose into every room1 for burglars4 ,in his master's room he heard something say1 8,tick1 tick1 tick1 tick40 ,dan pricked up his ears4 ,somebody was in the house4 ,who could it be8 ,a glove lay on the floor near the mantel4 ,dan walked over and began to sniff at it4 8,one10 struck the clock on the mantelpiece4 ,dan scampered off as fast as his legs could carry him4 ,,the ,,wind',s ,,frolic 8,down you go10 cried the wind to the leaves one morning in autumn4 ,and down he blew them in crowds from the trees1 brown ones1 red ones1 and yellow ones4 ,then he drove them scurrying before him up the street4 ,at last he swirled them together in heaps1 and left off to rest4 ,so there we too shall let them lie4 ,,the ,,dead ,,canary ,the little yellow canary that used to sing so sweetly grew sick and died4 ,the children wept to see it4 8,let us bury him under the apple-tree10 said ,alice2 8every spring it will cover his grave with white blossoms40 ,so ,robert dug a small grave under the apple-tree1 and ,alice laid the canary gently in it4 ,they covered him with the soft earth4 ,every spring the apple-tree sent down his white blossoms on the grave4 ,,the ,,swan',s ,,meal ,one morning as a shining white swan sailed about on the lake he saw a boy on the bank1 eating some bread4 ,he swam over to the boy and thrust out his long white neck toward the bread4 8,the beautiful swan wants my bread10 cried the boy4 ,he was delighted4 ,he broke it and threw it bit by bit on a lily pad4 ,the swan ate it1 to the last crumb4 ,then he bent his head as if to thank the boy1 and sailed away4 ,,the ,,boy ,,and ,,the ,,frogs ,some boys at play near a pond began to pelt the frogs with stones1 just for the fun of seeing them go under water4 ,they killed several of them4 ,at last one of the frogs lifted his head high out of the water1 and cried out1 8,pray stop1 boys2 what is fun for you is death to us40 8,that is true10 said one of the boys2 8let us leave the poor creatures in peace40 ,and they did4 --,from ,,sop ,,sweet ,,porridge ,there was a poor but good little girl who lived alone with her mother4 ,one day they no longer had anything to eat4 ,the child went out into the forest1 and there an old woman gave her a wonderful little pot4 ,when you said to it1 8,cook1 little pot1 cook10 it would cook good sweet porridge4 ,and when you said1 8,stop1 little pot1 stop10 it would stop cooking4 ,the girl took the pot home to her mother1 and they were no longer hungry1 but ate sweet porridge whenever they chose4 ,once when the girl had gone out her mother said1 8,cook1 little pot1 cook40 ,the mother ate till she was satisfied4 ,but when she wanted the pot to stop she found she did not know the word4 ,so it went on cooking and the porridge rose over the edge4 ,,still it cooked on until the kitchen and the whole house were full1 and then the next house1 and then the whole street1 as if it meant to feed the whole world4 ,no one could stop it4 ,at last when only one house remained the child came home from the opposite direction and just said1 8,stop1 little pot1 stop10 and it stopped4 ,but whoever wished to come back to the town that night had to eat his way back4 --,,folk ,,story ,,finding ,a ,,home ,early in spring a couple of bluebirds set out to look for a home4 8,what do you think of this vacant dove-cote for our nest1 sweet wife80 asked he4 8,the view from the top of the gable is beautiful40 8,i am afraid of all these windows10 said she1 peeping in at each4 8,the wind might prove too strong for our little ones when they come40 8,parents must think of that10 said he4 ,and on they flew4 ,under the eaves of a barn they found an empty swallow's nest4 8,the very thing for us10 they both cried1 and alighted to look at it4 ,at this minute who should arrive from the south but the swallow who owned it8 ,he saw at once what they were at and flew straight into it1 crying1 8,kwi-kwi-kwivet1 ,my house is not to let40 8,how delightful to own a home of your own10 said the she-bluebird4 8,isn't it80 agreed the he-bluebird4 8,is that a wren's house over there80 asked she1 flying over4 ,but when she attempted to poke her nose inside1 out rushed two little wrens at her and scolded her away4 8,my love10 said he1 8how you are trembling4 ,let us build a house of our own40 ,and that's what they did4 ,in a stump in an open field they found exactly the hole they wanted and there they made their nest4 ,it wasn't long before their little ones came and found it the snuggest in the world4 ,,did ,,jip ,,dine ,,on ,,chicken8 ,one day a dog named ,jip went for a walk4 ,he came to a yard where there was a hen with her brood of chicks4 ,said ,jip to himself1 8,a downy little yellow chick would make a sweet dinner for a dog4 ,i think ,i'll have it40 ,he turned in at the gate4 ,but ,mother ,hen had something to say about it4 8,cluck1 cluck10 she cried to her chicks1 and spread out her wings to hide them4 ,then she lowered her head1 stuck out her sharp beak1 and made straight for ,jip4 ,he turned tail and fled home as fast as his legs would carry him4 ,,the ,,dog ,,in ,,the ,,manger ,once when some oxen went to their manger to eat hay they found a small dog in it4 ,the dog growled and snapped at the oxen and would not let them come near the hay4 ,the stableman saw it all4 8,get out of there1 you selfish cur60 he cried to the dog4 8,you cannot eat the hay yourself and you will not let those who can40 ,he seized a whip and the dog was glad to run yelping away4 --,from ,,sop ,,the ,,two ,,apples ,a real apple and a clay apple lay side by side4 ,the real apple was jealous of the clay apple4 ,a little girl had smoothed and pressed and patted the cheek of the clay apple1 but she had only looked at him4 ,soon along came the little girl with her hat and coat on4 ,she picked up the real apple4 8,come1 ripe red apple10 said she2 8we'll go visiting4 ,i know a little lame boy who will like a bite of you4 ,my clay apple would never do for that40 ,as she looked at him1 the real apple felt himself turning a deeper red1 he was so ashamed that he had been jealous4 ,,the ,,dog ,,and ,,the ,,shadow ,a dog was crossing a stream of water1 with a piece of meat in his mouth4 ,as he looked down1 he thought he saw another dog with a larger piece of meat4 ,said the greedy fellow to himself1 8,i'll have that too40 ,he dropped his own meat and sprang into the water after the shadow4 ,the real meat fell into the water and floated away4 --,,sop ,,the ,,quarrel ,one morning ,tom's right foot said to ,tom's left foot1 8,let me go first40 8,no10 said ,tom's left foot1 8you let me go first40 8,no10 said ,tom's right foot1 8you let me go first40 ,and they began all over again4 ,suddenly ,tom's left ear remarked to ,tom's right ear1 8,perhaps1 the silly things will set out together40 8,the very thing to do10 cried both feet1 and they started off4 ,this left ,tom without a leg to stand on4 ,so he fell down and bruised them both4 ,they were black and blue for three whole days4 ,,what ,,happened ,,to ,,the ,,wax ,,doll ,the wax doll went to visit the rag doll and sat in a sunny window1 where the people passing might admire her4 8,how handsome you are10 said the rag doll4 8,i wish ,i had large blue eyes and red and white cheeks4 ,that white silk dress is very becoming40 ,the wax doll only stared and smiled4 8,towser1 the dog1 leads me a life of it10 went on the rag doll4 ,she felt she must make conversation for her guest4 8,why10 said she1 8the other day he tore me almost to pieces1 when--0 ,she stopped suddenly4 ,something dreadful was happening to the wax doll4 ,her face was running down on her white silk dress4 ,just then in came the little girl who owned the dolls4 8,dear1 dear me10 said she1 8the wax doll has melted10 and she threw her into a corner4 8,after all10 said the rag doll to herself1 thoughtfully1 8,i am not beautiful1 and ,towser troubles me1 but ,i have much to be thankful for40 ,,the ,,routing ,,of ,,tom ,one morning ,tom met the geese on their way to the pond1 and for once the gander was not leading them4 ,tom made sure of this4 ,gander had once chased him half a mile for teasing the geese4 8,i'll be master instead of the gander10 said he to the geese4 8,shoo6 back you go40 ,he spread out his arms to drive them back4 ,when they turned to go1 he ran around in front of them4 8,shoo6 forward you go10 said he4 ,once more the geese set off hopefully for the pond4 8,shoo6 back you go10 cried ,tom4 ,so he kept the poor geese running back and forth distracted4 ,at last one small goose plucked up her courage4 8,hiss-s-s-s-s10 she cried1 stretching out her long neck toward ,tom4 ,instantly out went twenty necks and twenty geese made for ,tom1 crying1 8,hiss-ss-ss-ss40 ,tom took to his heels4 ,,mrs4 ,,vixen ,,and ,,her ,,cubs ,,at ,,play ,under a rock lay a great brown1 sharp-nosed creature1 with a white tip to her brush1 and round her four or five little cubs1 the funniest fellows you ever saw4 ,it was ,mrs4 ,vixen1 a mother fox1 and her children4 ,the mother lay on her back1 rolling about1 and stretching out her legs and head and tail in the bright sunshine4 ,the cubs jumped over her1 and ran around her1 and nibbled her paws1 and lugged her about by the tail1 and she enjoyed it mightily4 ,but one selfish little fellow put an end to all the fun4 ,he stole away from the rest to a dead crow close by1 and dragged it off to hide it1 though it was nearly as big as himself4 ,his brothers caught him at it and set off after him in full cry4 ,before they knew it they were seen by a man4 ,they left the dead crow and ran back to tell their mother4 ,up jumped ,mrs4 ,vixen4 ,she caught the smallest one up in her mouth1 and the rest toddled after her4 ,soon she had them safe at home in a dark opening in the rocks4 ,but the fun was over for that day4 --,from ,,kingsley ,,the ,,foolish ,,hoop 8,why do you strike me and hold me in80 cried the hoop to the stick4 8,shall ,i let you go80 asked the stick4 8,do10 said the hoop2 8,i do not need your guidance40 8,very well10 said the stick4 ,and she let him go4 ,down the street rolled the hoop4 ,fast and faster he went4 ,he could not stop himself4 ,a turn in the flags headed him straight toward the street4 ,out he plunged under the wheels of a passing wagon1 and was crushed to pieces4 ,,how ,,the ,,clock ,,came ,,into ,,the ,,story ,once a little round-faced clock lived on the desk of a man who wrote stories4 ,the clock had a chance to hear most of the stories4 ,for when the man finished a story he usually called a beautiful lady into the room and read it to her4 ,the beautiful lady laughed at the fun in the story and the little clock's face shone4 ,but perhaps that is what a clean little clock's face always does4 ,one day the man read from the story1 8,the prince and the princess were married just as the clock struck0--8,one60 rang the little clock4 ,its heart almost stopped beating2 it had not meant to interrupt the story4 ,the beautiful lady cried1 8,why1 the clock knows the story40 ,but she laughed as she said it4 ,what do you think about it8 ,,baby ,,goes ,,on ,a ,,voyage ,the other day baby went on a voyage on the good ship ,hands and ,knees4 ,she crept out into the hall so softly that mother did not hear her go4 ,out there was the cuckoo clock that said 8,r-r-r-r-40 ,baby stopped and looked up at it4 ,a door in the clock opened1 and out came a little bird who cried1 8,cuck-oo1 cuck-oo1 cuck-oo40 ,in he went again and the door shut4 ,baby gurgled with glee4 8,i tee oo10 she cried4 ,she sat down to wait for the little bird to come out and play again4 ,but mother found her1 and carried her back on the good ship ,mother's ,arms4 ,,the ,,runaways ,one day four little white pigs and three little white geese met together near ,rover's kennel4 ,but they were so full of themselves that they did not notice where they were4 8,we stole out while ,mother ,sow was dozing after dinner10 screamed the little pigs4 ,they laughed so much they rolled on the ground4 8,we stole out while ,mother ,goose was gabbling with a neighbor10 giggled the little geese4 ,and they hugged their sides to think how clever they were4 8,what's this6 what's this60 growled ,rover1 coming to the door of his kennel4 ,the pigs squealed with fright and the geese clacked in terror4 ,all took to their heels1 back to their mothers4 ,,the ,,nail ,a merchant had done good business at the fair2 he had sold his wares1 and filled his bag with gold and silver4 ,then he set out at once on his journey home1 for he wished to be in his own house before night4 ,he packed his bag with the money on his horse1 and rode away4 ,at noon he rested in a town2 when he wanted to go on1 the stable-boy brought out his horse1 and said1-- 8,a nail is wanting1 sir1 in the shoe of its left hind foot40 8,let it be wanting10 answered the merchant2 8the shoe will stay on for the six miles ,i have still to go4 ,i am in a hurry40 ,in the afternoon1 when he once more got down and had his horse fed1 the stable-boy went into the room to him1 and said1-- 8,sir1 a shoe is wanting from your horse's left hind foot4 ,shall ,i take him to the blacksmith80 8,let it still be wanting10 said the man2 8the horse can very well hold out for a couple of miles more4 ,i am in a hurry40 ,he rode forth1 but before long the horse began to limp4 ,it had not limped long before it began to stumble1 and it had not stumbled long before it fell down and broke its leg4 ,the merchant had to leave the horse where it was1 and unstrap the bag1 take it on his back1 and go home on foot4 ,and he did not get there until quite late at night4 8,that unlucky nail10 said he to himself1 8has made all this trouble40 ,make haste slowly4 --,,old ,,tale ,,the ,,soap ,,bubbles ,anna ,mary invited ,dan1 her dog1 into the yard to see her make soap bubbles4 ,she blew out a beautiful one shining with all the colors of the rainbow4 ,dan watched it as it floated on the air4 8,what can the lovely thing be80 thought he to himself4 ,it passed close to him4 ,he put out his paw to touch it4 ,the delicate bubble was gone4 ,there was nothing but a wet spot on ,dan's inquisitive nose4 8,goosy ,dan10 said ,anna ,mary1 scolding him1 8lovely moons floating in the air are not to be touched by clumsy paws40 ,she blew the next one high above ,dan's head4 ,,the ,,peacock',s ,,tail ,the peacock pretended not to see anyone4 ,he strutted about picking up corn4 ,but he must have glanced out of the corner of his eye every time he stooped for another kernel4 ,for when a crowd had gathered he left off eating and faced about in front of the people4 ,he swelled out his chest till he could not see his ugly feet4 ,out he spread slowly his shining blue and green tail with its hundreds of eyes4 ,it came up around his head like a gorgeous frame4 ,all the little boys and girls in the crowd held their breath until it came out in a great 8,ah60 ,the peacock let them look a whole minute4 ,then he lowered his tail and strutted away4 ,,how ,,the ,,rooster ,,was ,,deceived ,the rooster with the reddest comb perched himself up on the gate-post to crow4 ,as he stretched his neck he caught sight of another rooster higher up on the barn4 8,i'll have no one in this barnyard higher than ,i10 said he2 8,i am master here40 ,and he flew up at the rooster4 ,but his wings were so short that he barely reached the edge of the roof4 ,had he fallen he would have been disgraced before all the fowls in the barnyard4 ,he was so furious at the thought that he rushed up the sloping roof and pecked at the rooster savagely4 ,the rooster never budged4 8,ha1 ha1 silly cockscomb60 screamed ,poll1 the parrot1 shaking with laughter4 8,it serves you right4 ,did you hurt your beak8 ,he isn't a live rooster at all4 ,he's only a weathervane40 ,,the ,,shoes ,,that ,,walked ,,most ,the cobbler sat at his bench4 ,the shoes stood in a row before him4 8,which shall ,i mend first80 thought he to himself4 8,i know10 he said aloud2 8,i'll begin with whichever pair has walked most40 ,at this out toddled baby's shoes4 ,the cobbler laughed at them4 8,why10 said he1 8baby has been in the world only two years at most4 ,you can't have walked far yet40 8,well10 said the shoe for the right foot1 8baby's mother says we never stop going until she takes us off at night4 ,we notice that grown people sit down a great deal40 8,well1 well10 said the cobbler1 8have your way40 ,so he waxed his thread and sewed a patch on each small sole4 ,,what ,o',,clock8 ,mary and ,anna ,jane were playing in the fields4 ,suddenly ,mary stopped and said1 8,i wonder what time it is4 ,mother said we should go home at four o'clock40 ,a dandelion spoke up politely4 8,my head will tell you what o'clock it is10 said he4 8,blow it off1 and1 as you blow1 count40 8,you are very kind1 sir10 said ,anna ,jane4 ,mary was too much astonished to speak4 ,anna ,jane blew once4 8,one o'clock10 said she4 8,go on10 cried the dandelion4 8,my head is at your service40 ,anna ,jane went on blowing and counting4 8,two o'clock1 three o'clock1 four o'clock40 ,the whole head was off4 8,thank you1 dandelion10 said ,anna ,jane1 although she was not sure whether the dandelion could hear without his head4 8,it's time for us to be going home40 ,so ,anna ,jane and ,mary went home at the right time4 ,,the ,,wonderful ,,change ,it was time for the caterpillar to shut himself in and prepare for a new life4 ,so he chose a low branch and began spinning his cocoon about him4 ,he made it firm and strong1 so that no one should break through it and disturb him4 ,it wrapped him about like a shroud4 ,the caterpillar lay down in it and waited4 ,days passed and a new day came4 ,the caterpillar burst from the cocoon1 changed most gloriously2 no longer a crawling worm1 but a splendid butterfly with wings4 ,at first he tried his wings timidly4 ,soon he spread them wide and flew up into the sunshine4 ,grown people as well as little children wondered at the change1 and felt joy in it4 ,,how ,,nan ,,and ,,the ,,moon ,,went ,,for ,a ,,walk ,one evening as ,nan started out for a walk the white moon in the sky went before her4 8,why1 the moon is coming1 too10 said ,nan1 and she stood still1 she was so surprised4 ,the white moon stood still too4 ,nan walked on faster4 ,the white moon went faster before her4 ,at the corner ,nan turned to go home4 ,now the white moon was behind1 but it followed her even to the door4 ,nan looked up at it before going in1 and the white moon looked down at ,nan4 ,that night before she jumped into bed ,nan looked out of the window4 ,there in the starry sky was the moon gazing down at her4 8,were you waiting for me all this time1 moon80 asked ,nan4 8,i can't come out until to-morrow night4 ,we'll have another walk then40 ,and they did4 ,,what ,,christopher ,,columbus ,,did ,a great many years ago in far-off ,italy lived ,christopher ,columbus4 ,he did a wonderful thing4 ,he and some companions and sailors set out in three small ships to cross the great wide ocean4 ,the huge waves tossed the ships about and came up over their bows4 ,the sailors were so terrified they begged ,columbus to turn back4 ,but he was too brave to do that4 ,he kept on till he came to a new country4 ,it was ,america1 our country4 ,then he and all with him knelt on the shore and gave thanks to ,god4 ,,what ,,the ,,moon ,,saw 8,yesterday10 said the ,moon to me1 8,i looked down into a small yard4 ,there sat a clucking hen with eleven chicks1 and a pretty little girl was running and jumping around them4 ,the poor hen didn't know what to make of it4 ,she screamed and spread out her wings over her brood4 ,the noise brought the girl's father out4 ,he scolded his daughter and sent her into the house4 ,i glided on and thought no more about it4 8,but this evening1 only a few minutes ago1 ,i looked down into the same yard4 ,the hen and her chicks had gone to roost4 ,everything was quiet4 ,out came the little girl1 crept to the hen-house1 pushed back the bolt1 and slipped in4 ,the hen and chicks cried out at once and came fluttering down from their perches4 ,i saw it all1 for ,i looked through a hole in the hen-house wall4 ,i was angry with the obstinate child4 ,and so was her father4 ,he came out and seized her by the arm4 8#8,what are you about8' he asked4 8,the little girl wept and sobbed4 #8,i wanted to kiss the hen and beg her pardon for frightening her yesterday1 but she does not understand40 8#8,i do now1' said her father4 ,and he kissed her on the forehead and on the mouth and on the eyes4 #8,you are my own sweet little daughter4 ,the hen will understand best if you let her alone4'0 --,,hans ,,christian ,,andersen ,,the ,,elf ,,who ,,stayed ,,out ,,too ,,late ,in a beautiful rose there dwelt a little elf4 ,with a fairy microscope you could see his wings reaching from his shoulders to his feet4 ,without it you couldn't see him at all4 ,one day when he went out into the sunshine to play he had such fun that he forgot all about getting home in time4 ,he flew from flower to flower4 ,he danced on the wings of the passing butterfly4 ,best of all1 he measured how many steps it would take to cross all the roads made of veins on the geranium leaf4 ,it was this that delayed him so long4 ,before he knew it the sun was down1 dewdrops sprinkled the leaf1 and the night began to darken4 ,the poor little elf was very much frightened4 ,he began to shiver1 too1 with the cold4 ,indeed1 he grew so numb that he could hardly spread his wings to fly back to the rosebush4 ,but he managed it4 ,the beautiful rose was just closing her petals for the night4 ,in he dived under the warm leaves4 ,,the ,,bold ,,weed ,the weed smelled rank to heaven4 ,but she looked out at everyone as bold as brass4 8,hold up your heads10 she cried to the violets4 8,push yourselves forward where people may see you40 ,but the violets held down their heads modestly4 ,along came ,lucy looking for some flowers4 8,ugh6 what a rank smell that weed has60 she cried4 ,she plucked it up by the root and threw it on a heap of rubbish4 ,but she gathered a great bunch of the dewy violets for her grandmother's birthday4 ,,odds ,,and ,,ends ,there was once on a time a maiden who was pretty but very lazy and wasteful4 ,when a little knot came in the flax she was spinning1 she at once pulled out a whole heap of it and threw it away4 ,her servant gathered up the bits of flax that had been thrown away1 cleaned them1 spun them1 and wove them into a piece of fine linen4 ,out of this she made herself a beautiful dress4 ,well1 the maiden was to be married4 ,on the eve of the wedding the servant was dancing about in the pretty dress she had made4 ,the bride said to the bridegroom1 8,how that girl jumps about dressed in my odds and ends60 ,the bridegroom asked the bride what she meant4 ,then she told him that the servant was wearing a dress made of the flax she had thrown away4 ,when the bridegroom heard that1 he knew how lazy and wasteful she was4 8,the other girl is the wife for me10 said he4 ,and he married the other girl in the very dress she had made out of the odds and ends4 --,,folk ,,tale ,,abraham ,,lincoln',s ,,kindness ,one day as ,abraham ,lincoln rode along on his horse he saw a pig struggling to keep herself from sinking into a deep place filled with mud4 ,the poor thing was squealing in terror1 because the mud was sucking her in4 ,at first ,lincoln rode by without stopping4 ,but his kind heart could not forget the pig4 ,he turned back1 got down from his horse1 and drew the pig out of the mud4 ,,the ,,ant ,,and ,,the ,,grasshopper ,there was once a foolish little grasshopper that spent all her time playing4 ,through the long summer and autumn she did nothing but sing from morning till night4 ,so when winter came and the snow covered the ground1 she hadn't a morsel of food stored away in her house4 ,soon she was so faint with hunger that she begged her neighbor1 the ant1 to give her something to eat4 8,i am starving10 she said2 8give me a grain of wheat40 8,why did you not save some grain at harvest time80 asked the ant4 8,there was plenty to be had4 ,what were you doing80 8,i was singing10 answered the grasshopper4 8,i had no time for work40 8,hoity toity60 cried the ant2 8if you sang all summer you must dance hungry to bed in winter40 --,,sop ,,the ,,donkey ,,and ,,the ,,mule ,a donkey and a mule set out with their master on a long journey4 ,each animal carried a load4 ,as he climbed the steep path up a mountain the donkey felt his load heavier than he could bear4 ,he begged the mule to help him4 8,help me1 brother10 he cried1 8or ,i shall drop40 ,but the mule pretended not to hear4 ,after struggling along a little farther the poor donkey fell dead4 ,the master now placed the donkey's load on the mule1 giving him two loads to carry4 ,and on top of both he piled the donkey4 8,it serves me right10 said the mule to himself2 8had ,i helped the donkey ,i should not now be carrying his burden40 --,,sop ,,why ,,the ,,magpie',s ,,nest ,,is ,,badly ,,made ,once on a time1 when the world was very young1 the magpie was the only bird that did not know how to build a nest4 ,she told her trouble to the other birds and they all met to teach her4 8,place that stick there10 said the blackbird4 ,he flew over and did it for her himself4 8,oh10 said the magpie1 8,i knew that before40 8,place this stick here10 said the thrush1 placing it for her4 8,oh10 said the magpie1 8,i knew that before40 ,the wren and the robin1 the goldfinch and the chaffinch1 the lark and the swallow1 and many other birds went on showing her how to build the nest4 ,as each bit was added1 she said1 8,oh1 ,i knew that before40 ,at last1 when the nest was only half finished1 the birds lost patience with the conceited empty-head4 8,well1 ,mistress ,mag10 cried they1 flying away1 8as you know all about it1 you may e'en finish the nest yourself40 ,that is the reason the magpie's nest is so badly made4 --,,folk ,,tale ,,how ,,butterflies ,,came ,one day the flowers flew off their stalks high into the air4 ,they waved their leaves for wings4 ,because they behaved themselves so well the fairies let them fly again and again1 and they no longer had to sit still on their stalks and remain home from morning till night4 ,so by and by their leaves became wings4 ,the flowers had changed into butterflies1 red1 yellow1 and white4 --,from ,,hans ,,christian ,,andersen ,,the ,,monkey ,,dances ,the organ-grinder called out to the monkey seated on his shoulder1 8,dance for the children1 ,jacko1 and ,i will play40 ,jacko swung himself lightly to the sidewalk1 pulled off his velvet cap1 and bowed low4 ,then he put the cap on again1 pressing it down firmly on his head1 and held out his little red skirt with his paws4 8,begin10 cried his master4 ,and ,jacko began to step and turn and slide in time to the music4 ,the children clapped their hands4 ,faster and faster went the music and faster and faster went ,jacko4 ,at last he spun round and round until he looked like a red top4 ,the music stopped suddenly4 ,jacko stood motionless on the very tip of his toes4 ,after this he pulled off his cap and bowed low4 8,bravo1 ,jacko10 cried the children1 and each threw a penny into his cap for food for himself and his master4 ,,an ,,april ,,fool ,,story ,one day all the rabbits were close together near a back fence1 sitting up on their haunches4 ,the rabbit in the middle was telling the others a story4 ,it was about a rabbit4 8,so10 said he1 going on with the story1 8whenever the little rabbit was hungry all he had to say was #8,garden fairy1 sweet1 ,some lettuce ,i'd eat1' ,and straightway a whole head of lettuce would grow up before him40 8,oh1 my10 cried all the rabbits together1 8how ,i wish that would happen to me60 ,and story-teller and all turned a somersault at the very thought of it4 ,after this they sat up again to hear the rest of the story4 ,but their pink eyes almost burst out of their heads and their ears stood straight up toward the sky4 ,there in front of each was a large leaf of lettuce4 8,why1 the story's coming true10 cried the story-teller1 and he tasted the lettuce4 8,yes10 said he1 8this is real lettuce40 ,the others were sure of it4 ,they were eating theirs as fast as they could4 ,now the dog1 who kept the yard1 hadn't turned a somersault1 so he knew about it4 ,he saw ,fred1 hiding behind the fence1 throw down the lettuce leaves4 8,ha1 ha10 he barked1 8the silly things don't know that to-day is ,april ,fool's ,day4 ,of course10 said he1 thoughtfully1 8they have eaten juicy lettuce leaves4 ,that's not foolish4 ,fred and ,i have eaten nothing40 8,that story had a happy ending10 said the rabbits1 as they scampered off to play4 99 99 99 99 99 ,which do you think was ,april-fooled8 ,,the ,,foolish ,,puppies ,the biggest puppy said one day to the little puppies1 8,let us jump up on the table and enjoy ourselves4 ,there are plenty of bread-crumbs on it4 ,our mistress has gone out to pay some visits40 ,the little dogs said1 8,no1 no1 no1 we will not go4 ,if our mistress should hear of it she would beat us40 8,she will know nothing about it10 said the other2 8come on1 the crumbs are fresh and sweet40 8,nay1 nay1 we must let them alone4 ,we must not go10 said the little pups again4 ,but the big one gave them no peace until at last they went1 and got up on the table1 and ate up the bread-crumbs with all their might4 ,while they were at it a shadow of someone passing the window fell on the table4 ,the big pup knew what it meant4 ,he jumped down and made off4 ,but the little pups were caught4 ,their mistress seized a stick and whipped them out of the room4 ,outside the little pups said to the big pup1 8,dost1 dost1 dost1 dost thou see80 ,but the mean cur gave them no satisfaction4 8,didn't1 didn't1 didn't you expect it80 said he4 ,so they had to grin and bear it1 and make up their minds to be wiser the next time4 ,a ,,golden ,,story ,there was once a buttercup shining in the green grass4 8,you're a little golden sun that turns everything into gold10 said a child who saw it2 8perhaps you can tell a golden story40 ,and would you believe it8 ,the buttercup began without waiting a single moment3 8,a certain old grandmother sits out of doors every afternoon in her chair4 ,the hands resting in her lap are wrinkled and so is her face1 and her hair is as white as the driven snow4 ,all of a sudden two small smooth hands steal round from the back of her chair and cover her eyes4 ,and grandmother immediately says1 #8,it's my sweet grandchild2 ,i'm sure of it1 because she never fails to visit me1' and she reaches up to touch a golden head40 8,why1 the story's about me10 cried the little girl2 8grandmother's guess is never wrong40 ,but the buttercup went on without pretending to hear4 8,then the child runs around in front of the chair and kisses her old grandmother4 ,there is gold in that kiss1 ,i am certain10 said the buttercup1 8because it leaves a mark of itself on grandmother's face2 it smoothes out the wrinkles and it makes her eyes shine with joy4 8,that's my golden story10 said the buttercup2 8every child may go home and play it40 ,and the little child was happy that what she did had been put into a golden story4 --,,hans ,,christian ,,andersen ,,how ,,the ,,clocks ,,played ,,school ,three little clocks sat in a row on the mantelpiece4 ,the servant had put them there to wash their faces1 but they made believe they had come to school4 ,the tall grandfather clock from the hall was the teacher4 ,the servant had wheeled him in to sweep behind him1 but he too made believe he had come to school4 8,be sure10said ,grandfather ,clock to his scholars1 8that you tell the right time4 ,everyone in the house looks to you for the time to get up1 the time to eat1 the time to work1 the time to play1 and the time to sleep4 ,is there any little clock here who cannot tell time8 ,all you have to do is to move your hands around your face4 ,when it is time to strike the hour1 be sure your large hand is at twelve1 and your small hand at the hour4 ,it is very easy40 8,is it1 indeed60 said the smallest clock2 8how about it when people forget to wind us up80 8,yes1 yes10 cried the other two little clocks1 8how about that80 8,silence10 cried ,grandfather ,clock1 sternly2 8that is a saucy way for little clocks to talk40 ,at this moment the servant began to wheel ,grandfather ,clock back into the hall4 8,school is out10 he said4 ,so that was the end of it4 ,,how ,,mother ,,tabby ,,played ,,with ,,her ,,kittens ,once three small black kittens begged their mother to play with them4 ,mother ,tabby said nothing1 but gave her tail a sly wag to one side4 ,the kittens started back and looked at it4 ,mother ,tabby whisked it over to the other side4 8,it is alive10 thought the kittens4 ,they arched their backs1 and the smallest kitten put out his paw to make it move again4 ,whack6 went ,mother ,tabby's tail on his nose4 ,the little kitten scampered off4 ,but he was back again in a minute1 and the fun kept up until ,mother ,tabby walked off as if to say1 8,it is time for little kittens to be in bed40 ,,the ,,joke ,last ,hallowe'en a saucy red apple played a joke4 ,when little ,tom ducked for him he bobbed backward and forward so dizzily that little ,tom lost his balance and toppled into the tub4 ,the saucy red apple laughed as loudly as any apple can laugh4 ,but what was that he heard ,tom's big brother saying8 ,the big brother had pulled ,tom out of the water before you could say 8,jack ,robinson10 and ,tom was dripping wet and bawling with fright4 ,what did the saucy red apple hear8 ,it was ,tom's big brother saying1 8,here1 ,tom1 is a little red apple for you40 ,and he handed the saucy red apple to ,tom4 ,the saucy red apple stopped laughing suddenly1 for he found himself between little ,tom's sharp teeth4 99 99 99 99 99 ,so ,tom had the best of the joke after all1 hadn't he8 ,,the ,,sisters 8,you dirty black thing10 cried the diamond to the coal1 8do not come near me40 8,i will not indeed10 said the coal2 8you are too beautiful for the likes of me4 ,i might dim your brilliance40 ,when she heard this answer1 the proud diamond was ashamed of herself4 8,press close to me10 she said1 8you are my own sister4 ,i am only more highly polished40 ,,the ,,lion ,,and ,,the ,,shepherd ,once a lion roaming through the forest trod on a thorn and it stuck in his foot4 ,in great pain he limped out to a shepherd and looked up at him beseechingly4 ,the shepherd gently drew out the thorn4 ,the lion fawned upon him and licked his hand to thank him4 ,not long after the shepherd was blamed for a wrong he had not done4 ,the king said he must die4 8,throw him to the lions and let him be torn to pieces10 commanded the king4 ,the king's officers seized the poor shepherd and threw him into the arena1 before the lion's cage4 ,out stalked a lion4 ,it was the very one the shepherd had helped4 ,and lo6 instead of tearing the shepherd to pieces the noble beast fawned upon him and licked his hand4 ,the king was amazed4 ,he ordered the shepherd to tell him what it all meant4 ,when he heard he let the shepherd go back to his sheep and the lion back to the free forest4 ,,what ,,happened ,,to ,,the ,,balloon ,one night a gorgeous balloon when his candle was lighted found himself beside a dull brown acorn4 8,what a stupid dolt you are to stay here where you cannot be seen60 he cried1 as someone sent him up into the air4 ,higher and higher he mounted above the roofs of the houses4 8,perhaps he will reach the stars10 said the acorn1 gazing up after him4 ,just then the balloon turned giddy with pride4 ,he reeled1 caught fire1 and his brief splendor was over4 ,years after1 in the spot where the acorn had lain that night1 a great oak stood up toward heaven and spread his branches wide over the earth4 ,,the ,,end