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@@ -0,0 +1,11975 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Good Stories For Great Holidays, by +Frances Jenkins Olcott + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Good Stories For Great Holidays + Arranged for Story-Telling and Reading Aloud and for the + Children's Own Reading + +Author: Frances Jenkins Olcott + +Posting Date: July 11, 2008 [EBook #359] +Release Date: November, 1995 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOOD STORIES FOR GREAT HOLIDAYS *** + + + + +Produced by Mike Lough + + + + + +GOOD STORIES FOR GREAT HOLIDAYS + + +ARRANGED FOR STORY-TELLING AND READING ALOUD + +AND FOR THE CHILDREN'S OWN READING + +By Frances Jenkins Olcott + + +Index according to reading level is appended. + + + +TO THE STORY-TELLER + +This volume, though intended also for the children's own reading and for +reading aloud, is especially planned for story-telling. The latter is a +delightful way of arousing a gladsome holiday spirit, and of showing the +inner meanings of different holidays. As stories used for this purpose +are scattered through many volumes, and as they are not always in the +concrete form required for story-telling, I have endeavored to bring +together myths, legends, tales, and historical stories suitable to +holiday occasions. + +There are here collected one hundred and twenty stories for seventeen +holidays--stories grave, gay, humorous, or fanciful; also some that +are spiritual in feeling, and others that give the delicious thrill +of horror so craved by boys and girls at Halloween time. The range +of selection is wide, and touches all sides of wholesome boy and girl +nature, and the tales have the power to arouse an appropriate holiday +spirit. + +As far as possible the stories are presented in their original form. +When, however, they are too long for inclusion, or too loose in +structure for story-telling purposes, they are adapted. + +Adapted stories are of two sorts. Condensed: in which case a piece of +literature is shortened, scarcely any changes being made in the original +language. Rewritten: here the plot, imagery, language, and style of the +original are retained as far as possible, while the whole is moulded +into form suitable for story-telling. Some few stories are built up on a +slight framework of original matter. + +Thus it may be seen that the tales in this volume have not been reduced +to the necessarily limited vocabulary and uniform style of one editor, +but that they are varied in treatment and language, and are the products +of many minds. + +A glance at the table of contents will show that not only have +selections been made from modern authors and from the folklore of +different races, but that some quaint old literary sources have been +drawn on. Among the men and books contributing to these pages are the +Gesta Romanorum, Il Libro d'Oro, Xenophon, Ovid, Lucian, the Venerable +Bede, William of Malmesbury. John of Hildesheim, William Caxton, and the +more modern Washington Irving, Hugh Miller, Charles Dickens, and Henry +Cabot Lodge; also those immortals, Hans Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, +Horace E. Scudder, and others. + +The stories are arranged to meet the needs of story-telling in the +graded schools. Reading-lists, showing where to find additional material +for story-telling and collateral reading, are added. Grades in which the +recommended stories are useful are indicated. + +The number of selections in the volume, as well as the references +to other books, is limited by the amount and character of available +material. For instance, there is little to be found for Saint +Valentine's Day, while there is an overwhelming abundance of fine +stories for the Christmas season. Stories like Dickens's "Christmas +Carol," Ouida's "Dog of Flanders," and Hawthorne's tales, which are too +long for inclusion and would lose their literary beauty if condensed, +are referred to in the lists. Volumes containing these stories may be +procured at the public library. + +A subject index is appended. This indicates the ethical, historical, and +other subject-matter of interest to the teacher, thus making the volume +serviceable for other occasions besides holidays. + +In learning her tale the story-teller is advised not to commit it to +memory. Such a method is apt to produce a wooden or glib manner of +presentation. It is better for her to read the story over and over again +until its plot, imagery, style, and vocabulary become her own, and then +to retell it, as Miss Bryant says, "simply, vitally, joyously." + + + + + + +CONTENTS + +NEW YEAR'S DAY (January 1) + +THE FAIRY'S NEW YEAR GIFT: Emilie Poulsson, In the Child's World + +THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL: Hans Christian Andersen, Stories and Tales + +THE TWELVE MONTHS: Alexander Chodsvko, Slav Fairy Tales + +THE MAIL-COACH PASSENGERS: Hans Christian Andersen, Fairy Tales + +LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY (February 10) + +HE RESCUES THE BIRDS: Noah Brooks, Abraham Lincoln + +LINCOLN AND THE LITTLE GIRL: Charles W. Moores, Life of Abraham Lincoln +for Boys and Girls + +TRAINING FOR THE PRESIDENCY: Orison Swett Matden, Winning Out + +WHY LINCOLN WAS CALLED "HONEST ABE": Noah Brooks, Abraham Lincoln + +A STRANGER AT FIVE-POINTS: Adapted + +A SOLOMON COME TO JUDGMENT: Charles W. Moores, Life of Abraham Lincoln +for Boys and Girls + +GEORGE PICKETT'S FRIEND: Charles W. Moores, Life of Abraham Lincoln for +Boys and Girls + +LINCOLN THE LAWYER: Z. A. Mudge, The Forest Boy + +THE COURAGE OF HIS CONVICTIONS: Adapted + +MR. LINCOLN AND THE BIBLE: Z. A. Mudge, The Forest Boy + +HIS SPRINGFIELD FAREWELL ADDRESS [Lincoln] + +SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY (February 14) + +SAINT VALENTINE + +SAINT VALENTINE: Millicent Olmsted + +A GIRL'S VALENTINE CHARM: The Connoisseur, 1775 + +MR. PEPYS HIS VALENTINE: Samuel Pepys, Diary + +CUPID AND PSYCHE: Josephine Preston Peabody, Old Greek Folk Stories + +WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY (February 22) + +THREE OLD TALES: M. L. Weems, Life of George Washington, with Curious +Anecdotes + +YOUNG GEORGE AND THE COLT: Horace E. Scudder, George Washington + +WASHINGTON THE ATHLETE: Albert F. Blaisdell and Francis R. Ball, Hero +Stories from American History + +WASHINGTON'S MODESTY: Henry Cabot Lodge, George Washington + +WASHINGTON AT YORKTOWN: Henry Cabot lodge, George Washington + +RESURRECTION DAY (Easter Sunday) (March or April) + +A LESSON OF FAITH: Mrs. Alfred Gatty, Parables from Nature + +A CHILD'S DREAM OF A STAR: Charles Dickens + +THE LOVELIEST ROSE IN THE WORLD: Hans Christian Andersen, Stories and +Tales + +MAY DAY (May 1) THE SNOWDROP: Hans Christian Andersen; Adapted by Bailey +and Lewis + +THE THREE LITTLE BUTTERFLY BROTHERS: From the German + + +THE WATER DROP: Friedrich Wilhelm Carove, Story without an End, +translated by Sarah Austin + +THE SPRING BEAUTY: Henry R. Schoolcraft, The Myth of Hiawatha + +THE FAIRY TULIPS: English Folk-Tale + +THE STREAM THAT RAN AWAY: Mary Austin, The Basket Woman + +THE ELVES: Harriet Mazwell Converse, Myths and legends of the New York +State Iroquois + +THE CANYON FLOWERS: Ralph Connor, The Sky Pilot + +CLYTIE, THE HELIOTROPE: Ovid, Metamorphoses + +HYACINTHUS: Ovid, Metamorphoses + +ECHO AND NARCISSUS: Ovid, Metamorphoses + +MOTHERS' DAY (Second Sunday in May) + +THE LARK AND ITS YOUNG ONES: P. V. Ramuswami Raju, Indian Fables + +CORNELIA S JEWELS: James Baldwin, Fifty Famous Stories Retold + +QUEEN MARGARET AND THE ROBBERS: Albert F. Blaisdell, Stories from +Enylish History + +THE REVENGE OF CORIOLANUS: Charles Morris, Historical Tales + +THE WIDOW AND HER THREE SONS + +MEMORIAL DAY (May 30)[1] AND FLAG DAY (June 14) Confederate Memorial Day +is celebrated in some States on April 26 and in others on May 10. + +BETSY ROSS AND THE FLAG: Harry Pringle Ford + +THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER: Eva March Tappan, Hero Stories from American +History + +THE LITTLE DRUMMER-BOY: Aloert Bushnell Hart, The Romance of the Civil +War + +A FLAG INCIDENT: M. M. Thomas, Captain Phil + +TWO HERO-STORIES OF THE CIVIL WAR: Ben La Bree, Camp Fires of the +Confederacy + +THE YOUNG SENTINEL: Z. A. Mudge, The Forest Boy + +THE COLONEL OF THE ZOUAVES: Noah Brooks, Abraham Lincoln + +GENERAL SCOTT AND THE STARS AND STRIPES: E. D. Townsend, Anecdotes of +the Civil War + +INDEPENDENCE DAY (July 4) + +THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: Washington Irving, Life of Washington + +THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: H. A. Guerber, The Story +of the Thirteen Colonies + +A BRAVE GIRL: James Johonnot, Stories of Heroic Deeds + +THE BOSTON TEA-PARTY: John Andrews, Letter to a friend written in 1773 + +A GUNPOWDER STORY: John Esten Cooke, Stories of the Old Dominion + +THE CAPTURE OF FORT TICONDEROGA: Washington Irving, Life of Washington + +WASHINGTON AND THE COWARDS: Washington Irving, Life of Washington + +LABOR DAY (First Monday in September) + +THE SMITHY: P. V. Ramaswami Raju, Indian Fables + +THE NAIL: The Brothers Grimm, German Household Tales + +THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER: Horace E. Scudder, Book of Fables and Folk +Stories + +THE HILLMAN AND THE HOUSEWIFE: Juliana Horatia Ewing, Old Fashioned +Fairy Tales + +HOFUS THE STONE CUTTER, A JAPANESE LEGEND: The Riserside Third Reader + +ARACHNE: Josephine Preston Peabody, Old Greek Folk Stories + + +THE METAL KING: A German Folk-Tale + +THE CHOICE OF HERCULES: Xenophon, Memorabilia of Socrates + +THE SPEAKING STATUE: Gesta Romanorum + +THE CHAMPION STONE CUTTER: Hugh Miller + +BILL BROWN'S TEST: Cleveland Moffett, Careers of Danger and Daring + +COLUMBUS DAY (October 12) + +COLUMBUS AND THE EGG: James Baldwin, Thirty More Famous Stories Retold + +COLUMBUS AT LA RABIDA: Washington Irving, Life of Christopher Columbus + +THE MUTINY: A. de Lamartine, Life of Columbus + +THE FIRST LANDING OF COLUMBUS IN THE NEW WORLD: Washington Irving, Life +of Christopher Columbus + +HALLOWEEN (October 31) + +THE OLD WITCH: The Brothers Grimm, German Household Tales + +SHIPPEITARO: Mary F. Nixon-Roulet, Japanese Folk Stories and Fairy Tales + +HANSEL AND GRETHEL: The Brothers Grimm, German Household Tales + +BURG HILL'S ON FIRE: Elizabeth W. Grierson, Children's Book of Celtic +Stories + +THE KING OF THE CATS: Ernest Rhys, Fairy-Gold + +THE STRANGE VISITOR: Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales + +THE BENEVOLENT GOBLIN: Gesta Romanorum + +THE PHANTOM KNIGHT OF THE VANDAL CAMP: Gesta Romanorum + +THANKSGIVING DAY (Last Thursday in November) + +THE FIRST HARVEST-HOME IN PLYMOUTH: W. De Loss Lore, Jr., The Fast and +Thanksgiving Days of New England + +THE MASTER OF THE HARVEST: Mrs. Alfred Gatty, Parables from Nature + +SAINT CUTHBERT'S EAGLE: The Venerable Bede, Life and Miracles of Saint +Cuthbert + +THE EARS OF WHEAT: The Brothers Grimm, German Household Tales + +HOW INDIAN CORN CAME INTO THE WORLD: Henry R. Schoolcraft, The Myth of +Hiawatha + +THE NUTCRACKER DWARF: Count Franz Pocci, Fur Frohliche Kinder + +THE PUMPKIN PIRATES, A TALE FROM LUCIAN: Alfred J. Church, The Greek +Gulliver + +THE SPIRIT OF THE CORN: Harriet Mazwell Converse, +Myths and Legends of the New York State Iroquois + +THE HORN OF PLENTY: Ovid, Metamorphoses + +CHRISTMAS DAY (December 25) + +LITTLE PICCOLA: Celia Thazter, Stories and Poems for Children + +THE STRANGER CHILD, A LEGEND: Count Franz Pocci, Fur Frohliche Kinder + +SAINT CHRISTOPHER: William Caxton, Golden Legend + +THE CHRISTMAS ROSE, AN OLD LEGEND: Lizzie Deas, Flower Favourites + +THE WOODEN SHOES OF LITTLE WOLFF: Francois Coppee + +THE PINE TREE: Hans Christian Andersen, Wonder Stories + +THE CHRISTMAS CUCKOO: Frances Browne, Granny's Wonderful Chair + +THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY OF STRASBURG, A GERMAN FOLK-TALE: J. Stirling Coyne, +Illustrated London News + +THE THREE PURSES, A LEGEND: William S. Walsh, Story of Santa Klaus + +THE THUNDER OAK, A SCANDINAVIAN LEGEND: William S. Walsh and Others + +THE CHRISTMAS THORN OF GLASTONBURY, A LEGEND OF ANCIENT BRITAIN: William +of Malmesbury and Others + +THE THREE KINGS OF COLOGNE, A LEGEND OF THE MIDDLE AGES: John of +Hildesheim, Modernized by H. S. Morris + +ARBOR DAY + +THE LITTLE TREE THAT LONGED FOR OTHER LEAVES: Friedrieh Ruckert + +WHY THE EVERGREEN TREES NEVER LOSE THEIR LEAVES: Florence Holbrook, Book +of Nature Myths + +WHY THE ASPEN QUIVERS: Old legend + +THE WONDER TREE: Friedrich Adolph Krummacher, Parables + +THE PROUD OAK TREE: Old Fable + +BAUCIS AND PHILEMON: H. P. Maskell, Francis Storr, +Half-a-Hundred Hero Tales + +THE UNFRUITFUL TREE: Friedrich Adolph Krummacher, Parables + +THE DRYAD OF THE OLD OAK: James Russell Lowell, Rhoecus (a poem) + +DAPHNE: OVID, Metamorphoses BIRD DAY + +THE OLD WOMAN WHO BECAME A WOODPECKER: Phoebe Cary, A Legend of the +Northland (poem) + +THE BOY WHO BECAME A ROBIN: Henry R. Schoolcraft, The Myth of Hiawatha + +THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW: A. B. Mitford, Tales of Old Japan + +THE QUAILS, A LEGEND OF THE JATAKA: Riverside Fourth Reader + +THE MAGPIE'S NEST: Joseph Jacobs, English Fairy Tales + +THE GREEDY GEESE: Il Libro d'Oro + +THE KING OF THE BIRDS: The Brothers Grimm, German Household Tales + +THE DOVE WHO SPOKE TRUTH: Abbie Farwell Brown, The Curious Book of Birds + +THE BUSY BLUE JAY: Olive Thorne Miller, True Bird Stories + +BABES IN THE WOODS: John Burroughs, Bird Stories from Burroughs + +THE PRIDE OF THE REGIMENT: Harry M. Rieffer, The Recollections of a +Drummer Boy + +THE MOTHER MURRE: Dallas Lore Sharp, Summer + +REFERENCE LISTS FOR STORY-TELLING AND COLLATERAL READING + + + + + +GOOD STORIES FOR GREAT HOLIDAYS + + + + +THE FAIRY'S NEW YEAR GIFT + +BY EMILIE POULSSON (ADAPTED) + +Two little boys were at play one day when a Fairy suddenly appeared +before them and said: "I have been sent to give you New Year presents." + +She handed to each child a package, and in an instant was gone. + +Carl and Philip opened the packages and found in them two beautiful +books, with pages as pure and white as the snow when it first falls. + +Many months passed and the Fairy came again to the boys. "I have brought +you each another book?" said she, "and will take the first ones back to +Father Time who sent them to you." + +"May I not keep mine a little longer?" asked Philip. "I have hardly +thought about it lately. I'd like to paint something on the last leaf +that lies open." + +"No," said the Fairy; "I must take it just as it is." + +"I wish that I could look through mine just once," said Carl; "I have +only seen one page at a time, for when the leaf turns over it sticks +fast, and I can never open the book at more than one place each day." + +"You shall look at your book," said the Fairy, "and Philip, at his." And +she lit for them two little silver lamps, by the light of which they saw +the pages as she turned them. + +The boys looked in wonder. Could it be that these were the same fair +books she had given them a year ago? Where were the clean, white pages, +as pure and beautiful as the snow when it first falls? Here was a page +with ugly, black spots and scratches upon it; while the very next page +showed a lovely little picture. Some pages were decorated with gold and +silver and gorgeous colors, others with beautiful flowers, and still +others with a rainbow of softest, most delicate brightness. Yet even on +the most beautiful of the pages there were ugly blots and scratches. + +Carl and Philip looked up at the Fairy at last. + +"Who did this?" they asked. "Every page was white and fair as we opened +to it; yet now there is not a single blank place in the whole book!" + +"Shall I explain some of the pictures to you?" said the Fairy, smiling +at the two little boys. + +"See, Philip, the spray of roses blossomed on this page when you let +the baby have your playthings; and this pretty bird, that looks as if it +were singing with all its might, would never have been on this page +if you had not tried to be kind and pleasant the other day, instead of +quarreling." + +"But what makes this blot?" asked Philip. + +"That," said the Fairy sadly; "that came when you told an untruth one +day, and this when you did not mind mamma. All these blots and scratches +that look so ugly, both in your book and in Carl's, were made when you +were naughty. Each pretty thing in your books came on its page when you +were good." + +"Oh, if we could only have the books again!" said Carl and Philip. + +"That cannot be," said the Fairy. "See! they are dated for this year, +and they must now go back into Father Time's bookcase, but I have +brought you each a new one. Perhaps you can make these more beautiful +than the others." + +So saying, she vanished, and the boys were left alone, but each held in +his hand a new book open at the first page. + +And on the back of this book was written in letters of gold, "For the +New Year." + + + + +THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL + +BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (TRANSLATED) + +It was very, very cold; it snowed and it grew dark; it was the last +evening of the year, New Year's Eve. In the cold and dark a poor little +girl, with bare head and bare feet, was walking through the streets. +When she left her own house she certainly had had slippers on; but what +could they do? They were very big slippers, and her mother had used them +till then, so big were they. The little maid lost them as she slipped +across the road, where two carriages were rattling by terribly fast. One +slipper was not to be found again, and a boy ran away with the other. He +said he could use it for a cradle when he had children of his own. + +So now the little girl went with her little naked feet, which were quite +red and blue with the cold. In an old apron she carried a number of +matches, and a bundle of them in her hand. No one had bought anything +of her all day; no one had given her a copper. Hungry and cold she went, +and drew herself together, poor little thing! The snowflakes fell on her +long yellow hair, which curled prettily over her neck; but she did not +think of that now. In all the windows lights were shining, and there was +a glorious smell of roast goose out there in the street; it was no doubt +New Year's Eve. Yes, she thought of that! + +In a corner formed by two houses, one of which was a little farther from +the street than the other, she sat down and crept close. She had drawn +up her little feet, but she was still colder, and she did not dare to +go home, for she had sold no matches, and she had not a single cent; her +father would beat her; and besides, it was cold at home, for they had +nothing over the them but a roof through which the wind whistled, though +straw and rags stopped the largest holes. + +Her small hands were quite numb with the cold. Ah! a little match might +do her good if she only dared draw one from the bundle, and strike +it against the wall, and warm her fingers at it. She drew one out. +R-r-atch! how it spluttered and burned! It was a warm bright flame, like +a little candle, when she held her hands over it; it was a wonderful +little light! It really seemed to the little girl as if she sat before a +great polished stove, with bright brass feet and a brass cover. The +fire burned so nicely; it warmed her so well,--the little girl was just +putting out her feet to warm these, too,--when out went the flame; the +stove was gone;--she sat with only the end of the burned match in her +hand. + +She struck another; it burned; it gave a light; and where it shone on +the wall, the wall became thin like a veil, and she could see through it +into the room where a table stood, spread with a white cloth, and with +china on it; and the roast goose smoked gloriously, stuffed with apples +and dried plums. And what was still more splendid to behold, the goose +hopped down from the dish, and waddled along the floor, with a knife and +fork in its breast; straight to the little girl he came. Then the match +went out, and only the thick, damp, cold wall was before her. + +She lighted another. Then she was sitting under a beautiful Christmas +tree; it was greater and finer than the one she had seen through the +glass door at the rich merchant's. Thousands of candles burned upon +the green branches, and colored pictures like those in the shop windows +looked down upon them. The little girl stretched forth both hands toward +them; then the match went out. The Christmas lights went higher and +higher. She saw that now they were stars in the sky: one of them fell +and made a long line of fire. + +"Now some one is dying," said the little girl, for her old grandmother, +the only person who had been good to her, but who was now dead, had +said: "When a star falls a soul mounts up to God." + +She rubbed another match against the wall; it became bright again, and +in the light there stood the old grandmother clear and shining, mild and +lovely. + +"Grandmother!" cried the child. "Oh, take me with you! I know you will +go when the match is burned out. You will go away like the warm stove, +the nice roast goose, and the great glorious Christmas tree!" + +And she hastily rubbed the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to +hold her grandmother fast. And the matches burned with such a glow that +it became brighter than in the middle of the day; grandmother had never +been so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl up in her arms, +and both flew in the light and the joy so high, so high! and up there +was no cold, nor hunger, nor care--they were with God. + +But in the corner by the house sat the little girl, with red cheeks and +smiling mouth, frozen to death on the last evening of the Old Year. +The New Year's sun rose upon the little body, that sat there with the +matches, of which one bundle was burned. She wanted to warm herself, +the people said. No one knew what fine things she had seen, and in what +glory she had gone in with her grandmother to the New Year's Day. + + + + +THE TWELVE MONTHS + +A SLAV LEGEND + +BY ALEXANDER CHODZKO (ADAPTED) + +There was once a widow who had two daughters, Helen, her own child by +her dead husband, and Marouckla, his daughter by his first wife. She +loved Helen, but hated the poor orphan because she was far prettier than +her own daughter. + +Marouckla did not think about her good looks, and could not understand +why her stepmother should be angry at the sight of her. The hardest work +fell to her share. She cleaned out the rooms, cooked, washed, sewed, +spun, wove, brought in the hay, milked the cow, and all this without any +help. + +Helen, meanwhile, did nothing but dress herself in her best clothes and +go to one amusement after another. + +But Marouckla never complained. She bore the scoldings and bad temper of +mother and sister with a smile on her lips, and the patience of a lamb. +But this angelic behavior did not soften them. They became even more +tyrannical and grumpy, for Marouckla grew daily more beautiful, while +Helen's ugliness increased. So the stepmother determined to get rid of +Marouckla, for she knew that while she remained, her own daughter would +have no suitors. Hunger, every kind of privation, abuse, every means was +used to make the girl's life miserable. But in spite of it all Marouckla +grew ever sweeter and more charming. + +One day in the middle of winter Helen wanted some wood-violets. + +"Listen," cried she to Marouckla, "you must go up the mountain and +find me violets. I want some to put in my gown. They must be fresh and +sweet-scented-do you hear?" + +"But, my dear sister, whoever heard of violets blooming in the snow?" +said the poor orphan. + +"You wretched creature! Do you dare to disobey me?" said Helen. "Not +another word. Off with you! If you do not bring me some violets from the +mountain forest I will kill you." + +The stepmother also added her threats to those of Helen, and with +vigorous blows they pushed Marouckla outside and shut the door upon her. +The weeping girl made her way to the mountain. The snow lay deep, and +there was no trace of any human being. Long she wandered hither and +thither, and lost herself in the wood. She was hungry, and shivered with +cold, and prayed to die. + +Suddenly she saw a light in the distance, and climbed toward it till she +reached the top of the mountain. Upon the highest peak burned a large +fire, surrounded by twelve blocks of stone on which sat twelve strange +beings. Of these the first three had white hair, three were not quite so +old, three were young and handsome, and the rest still younger. + +There they all sat silently looking at the fire. They were the Twelve +Months of the Year. The great January was placed higher than the others. +His hair and mustache were white as snow, and in his hand he held a +wand. At first Marouckla was afraid, but after a while her courage +returned, and drawing near, she said:-- + +"Men of God, may I warm myself at your fire? I am chilled by the winter +cold." + +The great January raised his head and answered: "What brings thee here, +my daughter? What dost thou seek?" + +"I am looking for violets," replied the maiden. + +"This is not the season for violets. Dost thou not see the snow +everywhere?" said January. + +"I know well, but my sister Helen and my stepmother have ordered me to +bring them violets from your mountain. If I return without them they +will kill me. I pray you, good shepherds, tell me where they may be +found." + +Here the great January arose and went over to the youngest of the +Months, and, placing his wand in his hand, said:-- + +"Brother March, do thou take the highest place." + +March obeyed, at the same time waving his wand over the fire. +Immediately the flames rose toward the sky, the snow began to melt and +the trees and shrubs to bud. The grass became green, and from between +its blades peeped the pale primrose. It was spring, and the meadows were +blue with violets. + +"Gather them quickly, Marouckla," said March. + +Joyfully she hastened to pick the flowers, and having soon a large bunch +she thanked them and ran home. Helen and the stepmother were amazed at +the sight of the flowers, the scent of which filled the house. + +"Where did you find them?" asked Helen. + +"Under the trees on the mountain-side," said Marouckla. + +Helen kept the flowers for herself and her mother. She did not even +thank her stepsister for the trouble she had taken. The next day she +desired Marouckla to fetch her strawberries. + +"Run," said she, "and fetch me strawberries from the mountain. They must +be very sweet and ripe." + +"But whoever heard of strawberries ripening in the snow?" exclaimed +Marouckla. + +"Hold your tongue, worm; don't answer me. If I don't have my +strawberries I will kill you," said Helen. + +Then the stepmother pushed Marouckla into the yard and bolted the door. +The unhappy girl made her way toward the mountain and to the large +fire round which sat the Twelve Months. The great January occupied the +highest place. + +"Men of God, may I warm myself at your fire? The winter cold chills me," +said she, drawing near. + +The great January raised his head and asked: "Why comest thou here? What +dost thou seek?" + +"I am looking for strawberries," said she. + +"We are in the midst of winter," replied January, "strawberries do not +grow in the snow." + +"I know," said the girl sadly, "but my sister and stepmother have +ordered me to bring them strawberries. If I do not they will kill me. +Pray, good shepherds, tell me where to find them." + +The great January arose, crossed over to the Month opposite him, and +putting the wand in his hand, said: "Brother June, do thou take the +highest place." + +June obeyed, and as he waved his wand over the fire the flames leaped +toward the sky. Instantly the snow melted, the earth was covered with +verdure, trees were clothed with leaves, birds began to sing, and +various flowers blossomed in the forest. It was summer. Under the bushes +masses of star-shaped flowers changed into ripening strawberries, and +instantly they covered the glade, making it look like a sea of blood. + +"Gather them quickly, Marouckla," said June. + +Joyfully she thanked the Months, and having filled her apron ran happily +home. + +Helen and her mother wondered at seeing the strawberries, which filled +the house with their delicious fragrance. + +"Wherever did you find them?" asked Helen crossly. + +"Right up among the mountains. Those from under the beech trees are not +bad," answered Marouckla. + +Helen gave a few to her mother and ate the rest herself. Not one did she +offer to her stepsister. Being tired of strawberries, on the third day +she took a fancy for some fresh, red apples. + +"Run, Marouckla," said she, "and fetch me fresh, red apples from the +mountain." + +"Apples in winter, sister? Why, the trees have neither leaves nor +fruit!" + +"Idle thing, go this minute," said Helen; "unless you bring back apples +we will kill you." + +As before, the stepmother seized her roughly and turned her out of the +house. The poor girl went weeping up the mountain, across the deep snow, +and on toward the fire round which were the Twelve Months. Motionless +they sat there, and on the highest stone was the great January. + +"Men of God, may I warm myself at your fire? The winter cold chills me," +said she, drawing near. + +The great January raised his head. "Why comest thou here? What does thou +seek?" asked he. + +"I am come to look for red apples," replied Marouckla. + +"But this is winter, and not the season for red apples," observed the +great January. + +"I know," answered the girl, "but my sister and stepmother sent me to +fetch red apples from the mountain. If I return without them they will +kill me." + +Thereupon the great January arose and went over to one of the elderly +Months, to whom he handed the wand saying:-- + +"Brother September, do thou take the highest place." + +September moved to the highest stone, and waved his wand over the fire. +There was a flare of red flames, the snow disappeared, but the fading +leaves which trembled on the trees were sent by a cold northeast wind in +yellow masses to the glade. Only a few flowers of autumn were visible. +At first Marouckla looked in vain for red apples. Then she espied a tree +which grew at a great height, and from the branches of this hung the +bright, red fruit. September ordered her to gather some quickly. The +girl was delighted and shook the tree. First one apple fell, then +another. + +"That is enough," said September; "hurry home." + +Thanking the Months she returned joyfully. Helen and the stepmother +wondered at seeing the fruit. + +"Where did you gather them?" asked the stepsister. + +"There are more on the mountain-top," answered Marouckla. + +"Then, why did you not bring more?" said Helen angrily. "You must have +eaten them on your way back, you wicked girl." + +"No, dear sister, I have not even tasted them," said Marouckla. "I shook +the tree twice. One apple fell each time. Some shepherds would not allow +me to shake it again, but told me to return home." + +"Listen, mother," said Helen. "Give me my cloak. I will fetch some more +apples myself. I shall be able to find the mountain and the tree. The +shepherds may cry 'Stop!' but I will not leave go till I have shaken +down all the apples." + +In spite of her mother's advice she wrapped herself in her pelisse, +put on a warm hood, and took the road to the mountain. Snow covered +everything. Helen lost herself and wandered hither and thither. After +a while she saw a light above her, and, following in its direction, +reached the mountain-top. + +There was the flaming fire, the twelve blocks of stone, and the Twelve +Months. At first she was frightened and hesitated; then she came nearer +and warmed her hands. She did not ask permission, nor did she speak one +polite word. + +"What hath brought thee here? What dost thou seek?" said the great +January severely. + +"I am not obliged to tell you, old graybeard. What business is it of +yours?" she replied disdainfully, turning her back on the fire and going +toward the forest. + +The great January frowned, and waved his wand over his head. Instantly +the sky became covered with clouds, the fire went down, snow fell in +large flakes, an icy wind howled round the mountain. Amid the fury of +the storm Helen stumbled about. The pelisse failed to warm her benumbed +limbs. + +The mother kept on waiting for her. She looked from the window, she +watched from the doorstep, but her daughter came not. The hours passed +slowly, but Helen did not return. + +"Can it be that the apples have charmed her from her home?" thought the +mother. Then she clad herself in hood and pelisse, and went in search of +her daughter. Snow fell in huge masses. It covered all things. For long +she wandered hither and thither, the icy northeast wind whistled in the +mountain, but no voice answered her cries. + +Day after day Marouckla worked, and prayed, and waited, but neither +stepmother nor sister returned. They had been frozen to death on the +mountain. + +The inheritance of a small house, a field, and a cow fell to Marouckla. +In course of time an honest farmer came to share them with her, and +their lives were happy and peaceful. + + + + +THE MAIL-COACH PASSENGERS + +BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (ADAPTED) + +It was bitterly cold. The sky glittered with stars, and not a breeze +stirred. "Bump,"--an old pot was thrown at a neighbor's door; and, +"Bang! Bang!" went the guns, for they were greeting the New Year. + +It was New Year's Eve, and the church clock was striking twelve. +"Tan-ta-ra-ra, tan-ta-ra-ra!" sounded the horn, and the mail-coach came +lumbering up. The clumsy vehicle stopped at the gate of the town; all +the places had been taken, for there were twelve passengers in the +coach. + +"Hurrah! Hurrah!" cried the people in the town; for in every house the +New Year was being welcomed; and, as the clock struck, they stood up, +the full glasses in their hands, to drink success to the newcomer. "A +happy New Year," was the cry; "a pretty wife, plenty of money, and no +sorrow or care!" + +The wish passed round, and the glasses clashed together till they rang +again; while before the town-gate the mail-coach stopped with the twelve +strange passengers. And who were these strangers? Each of them had his +passport and his luggage with him; they even brought presents for me, +and for you, and for all the people in the town. Who were they? What did +they want? And what did they bring with them? + +"Good-morning!" they cried to the sentry at the town-gate. + +"Good-morning," replied the sentry, for the clock had struck twelve. + +"Your name and profession?" asked the sentry of the one who alighted +first from the carriage. + +"See for yourself in the passport," he replied. + +"I am myself!"--and a famous fellow he looked, arrayed in bearskin +and fur boots. "Come to me to-morrow, and I will give you a New Year's +present. I throw shillings and pence among the people. I give balls +every night, no less than thirty-one; indeed, that is the highest number +I can spare for balls. My ships are often frozen in, but in my offices +it is warm and comfortable. MY NAME IS JANUARY. I am a merchant, and I +generally bring my accounts with me." + +Then the second alighted. He seemed a merry fellow. He was a director of +a theater, a manager of masked balls, and a leader of all the amusements +we can imagine. His luggage consisted of a great cask. + +"We'll dance the bung out of the cask at carnival-time," said he. "I'll +prepare a merry tune for you and for myself, too. Unfortunately I have +not long to live,--the shortest time, in fact, of my whole family,--only +twenty-eight days. Sometimes they pop me in a day extra; but I trouble +myself very little about that. Hurrah!" + +"You must not shout so," said the sentry. + +"Certainly I may shout," retorted the man. + +"I'm Prince Carnival, traveling under THE NAME OF FEBRUARY." + +The third now got out. He looked the personification of fasting; but +he carried his nose very high, for he was a weather prophet. In his +buttonhole he wore a little bunch of violets, but they were very small. + +"MARCH, MARCH!" the fourth passenger called after him, slapping him +on the shoulder, "don't you smell something good? Make haste into the +guard-room, they are feasting in there. I can smell it already! FORWARD, +MASTER MARCH!" + +But it was not true. The speaker only wanted to make an APRIL FOOL of +him, for with that fun the fourth stranger generally began his career. +He looked very jovial, and did little work. + +"If the world were only more settled!" said he; "but sometimes I'm +obliged to be in a good humor, and sometimes a bad one. I can laugh or +cry according to circumstances. I have my summer wardrobe in this box +here, but it would be very foolish to put it on now!" + +After him a lady stepped out of the coach. SHE CALLED HERSELF MISS MAY. +She wore a summer dress and overshoes. Her dress was light green, and +there were anemones in her hair. She was so scented with wild thyme that +it made the sentry sneeze. + +"Your health, and God bless you!" was her greeting. + +How pretty she was! and such a singer! Not a theater singer nor a +ballad-singer; no, but a singer of the woods. For she wandered through +the gay, green forest, and had a concert there for her own amusement. + +"Now comes the young lady," said those in the coach; and out stepped a +young dame, delicate, proud, and pretty. IT WAS MISTRESS JUNE. In her +service people become lazy and fond of sleeping for hours. She gives +a feast on the longest day of the year, that there may be time for her +guests to partake of the numerous dishes at her table. Indeed, she keeps +her own carriage, but still she travels by the mail-coach with the rest +because she wishes to show that she is not proud. + +But she was not without a protector; her younger brother, JULY, was with +her. He was a plump, young fellow, clad in summer garments, and wearing +a straw hat. He had very little luggage because it was so cumbersome in +the great heat. He had, however, swimming-trousers with him, which are +nothing to carry. + +Then came the mother herself, MADAME AUGUST, a wholesale dealer +in fruit, proprietress of a large number of fish-ponds, and a +land-cultivator. She was fat and warm, yet she could use her hands well, +and would herself carry out food to the laborers in the field. After +work, came the recreations, dancing and playing in the greenwood, and +the "harvest home." She was a thorough housewife. + +After her a man stepped out of the coach. He is a painter, a master of +colors, and is NAMED SEPTEMBER. The forest on his arrival has to change +its colors, and how beautiful are those he chooses! The woods glow with +red, and gold, and brown. This great master painter can whistle like a +blackbird. There he stood with his color-pot in his hand, and that was +the whole of his luggage. + +A landowner followed, who in the month for sowing seed attends to his +ploughing and is fond of field sports. SQUIRE OCTOBER brought his dog +and his gun with him, and had nuts in his game-bag. + +"Crack! Crack!" He had a great deal of luggage, even a plough. He spoke +of farming, but what he said could scarcely be heard for the coughing +and sneezing of his neighbor. + +It WAS NOVEMBER, who coughed violently as he got out. He had a cold, but +he said he thought it would leave him when he went out woodcutting, for +he had to supply wood to the whole parish. He spent his evenings making +skates, for he knew, he said, that in a few weeks they would be needed. + +At length the last passenger made her appearance,--OLD MOTHER DECEMBER! +The dame was very aged, but her eyes glistened like two stars. She +carried on her arm a flower-pot, in which a little fir tree was growing. +"This tree I shall guard and cherish," she said, "that it may grow large +by Christmas Eve, and reach from the floor to the ceiling, to be adorned +with lighted candles, golden apples, and toys. I shall sit by the +fireplace, and bring a story-book out of my pocket, and read aloud to +all the little children. Then the toys on the tree will become alive, +and the little waxen Angel at the top will spread out his wings of gold +leaf, and fly down from his green perch. He will kiss every child in +the room, yes, and all the little children who stand out in the street +singing a carol about the 'Star of Bethlehem.'" + +"Well, now the coach may drive away," said the sentry; "we will keep all +the twelve months here with us." + +"First let the twelve come to me," said the Captain on duty, "one after +another. The passports I will keep here, each of them for one month. +When that has passed, I shall write the behavior of each stranger on his +passport. MR. JANUARY, have the goodness to come here." + +And MR. JANUARY stepped forward. + +When a year has passed, I think I shall be able to tell you what the +twelve passengers have brought to you, to me, and to all of us. Just +now I do not know, and probably even they do not know themselves, for we +live in strange times. + + + + +LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY + +(FEBRUARY 12) + + + + +HE RESCUES THE BIRDS + +BY NOAH BROOKS (ADAPTED) + +Once, while riding through the country with some other lawyers, Lincoln +was missed from the party, and was seen loitering near a thicket of wild +plum trees where the men had stopped a short time before to water their +horses. + +"Where is Lincoln?" asked one of the lawyers. + +"When I saw him last," answered another, "he had caught two young birds +that the wind had blown out of their nest, and was hunting for the nest +to put them back again." + +As Lincoln joined them, the lawyers rallied him on his +tender-heartedness, and he said:-- + +"I could not have slept unless I had restored those little birds to +their mother." + + + + +LINCOLN AND THE LITTLE GIRL + +BY CHARLES W. MOORES + +In the old days, when Lincoln was one of the leading lawyers of the +State, he noticed a little girl of ten who stood beside a trunk in front +of her home crying bitterly. He stopped to learn what was wrong, and was +told that she was about to miss a long-promised visit to Decatur because +the wagon had not come for her. + +"You needn't let that trouble you," was his cheering reply. "Just come +along with me and we shall make it all right." + +Lifting the trunk upon his shoulder, and taking the little girl by the +hand, he went through the streets of Springfield, a half-mile to the +railway station, put her and her trunk on the train, and sent her away +with a happiness in her heart that is still there. + + + + +TRAINING FOR THE PRESIDENCY + +BY ORISON SWETT MARDEN + +"I meant to take good care of your book, Mr. Crawford," said the boy, +"but I've damaged it a good deal without intending to, and now I want to +make it right with you. What shall I do to make it good?" + +"Why, what happened to it, Abe?" asked the rich farmer, as he took the +copy of Weems's "Life of Washington" which he had lent young Lincoln, +and looked at the stained leaves and warped binding. "It looks as if it +had been out through all last night's storm. How came you to forget, and +leave it out to soak?" + +"It was this way, Mr. Crawford," replied Abe. "I sat up late to read +it, and when I went to bed, I put it away carefully in my bookcase, as +I call it, a little opening between two logs in the wall of our cabin. I +dreamed about General Washington all night. When I woke up I took it out +to read a page or two before I did the chores, and you can't imagine how +I felt when I found it in this shape. It seems that the mud-daubing +had got out of the weather side of that crack, and the rain must have +dripped on it three or four hours before I took it out. I'm sorry, Mr. +Crawford, and want to fix it up with you, if you can tell me how, for I +have not got money to pay for it." + +"Well," said Mr. Crawford, "come and shuck corn three days, and the book +'s yours." + +Had Mr. Crawford told young Abraham Lincoln that he had fallen heir to +a fortune the boy could hardly have felt more elated. Shuck corn only +three days, and earn the book that told all about his greatest hero! + +"I don't intend to shuck corn, split rails, and the like always," he +told Mrs. Crawford, after he had read the volume. "I'm going to fit +myself for a profession." + +"Why, what do you want to be, now?" asked Mrs. Crawford in surprise. + +"Oh, I'll be President!" said Abe with a smile. + +"You'd make a pretty President with all your tricks and jokes, now, +wouldn't you?" said the farmer's wife. + +"Oh, I'll study and get ready," replied the boy, "and then maybe the +chance will come." + + + + +WHY LINCOLN WAS CALLED "HONEST ABE" + +BY NOAH BROOKS + +In managing the country store, as in everything that he undertook for +others, Lincoln did his very best. He was honest, civil, ready to do +anything that should encourage customers to come to the place, full of +pleasantries, patient, and alert. + +On one occasion, finding late at night, when he counted over his cash, +that he had taken a few cents from a customer more than was due, +he closed the store, and walked a long distance to make good the +deficiency. + +At another time, discovering on the scales in the morning a weight with +which he had weighed out a package of tea for a woman the night before, +he saw that he had given her too little for her money. He weighed out +what was due, and carried it to her, much to the surprise of the woman, +who had not known that she was short in the amount of her purchase. + +Innumerable incidents of this sort are related of Lincoln, and we should +not have space to tell of the alertness with which he sprang to protect +defenseless women from insult, or feeble children from tyranny; for in +the rude community in which he lived, the rights of the defenseless were +not always respected as they should have been. There were bullies then, +as now. + + + + +A STRANGER AT FIVE-POINTS + +(ADAPTED) + +One afternoon in February, 1860, when the Sunday School of the +Five-Point House of Industry in New York was assembled, the teacher +saw a most remarkable man enter the room and take his place among the +others. This stranger was tall, his frame was gaunt and sinewy, his head +powerful, with determined features overcast by a gentle melancholy. + +He listened with fixed attention to the exercises. His face expressed +such genuine interest that the teacher, approaching him, suggested that +he might have something to say to the children. + +The stranger accepted the invitation with evident pleasure. Coming +forward, he began to speak and at once fascinated every child in the +room. His language was beautiful yet simple, his tones were musical, and +he spoke with deep feeling. + +The faces of the boys and girls drooped sadly as he uttered warnings, +and then brightened with joy as he spoke cheerful words of promise. Once +or twice he tried to close his remarks, but the children shouted: "Go +on! Oh! do go on!" and he was forced to continue. + +At last he finished his talk and was leaving the room quietly when the +teacher begged to know his name. + +"Abra'm Lincoln, of Illinois," was the modest response. + + + + +A SOLOMON COME TO JUDGMENT + +BY CHARLES W. MOORES + +Lincoln's practical sense and his understanding of human nature enabled +him to save the life of the son of his old Clary's Grove friend, Jack +Armstrong, who was on trial for murder. Lincoln, learning of it, went +to the old mother who had been kind to him in the days of his boyhood +poverty, and promised her that he would get her boy free. + +The witnesses were sure that Armstrong was guilty, and one of them +declared that he had seen the fatal blow struck. It was late at night, +he said, and the light of the full moon had made it possible for him to +see the crime committed. Lincoln, on cross-examination, asked him only +questions enough to make the jury see that it was the full moon that +made it possible for the witness to see what occurred; got him to say +two or three times that he was sure of it, and seemed to give up any +further effort to save the boy. + +But when the evidence was finished, and Lincoln's time came to make his +argument, he called for an almanac, which the clerk of the court had +ready for him, and handed it to the jury. They saw at once that on the +night of the murder there was no moon at all. They were satisfied that +the witness had told what was not true. Lincoln's case was won. + + + + +GEORGE PICKETT'S FRIEND + +BY CHARLES W. MOORES + +George Pickett, who had known Lincoln in Illinois, years before, joined +the Southern army, and by his conspicuous bravery and ability had become +one of the great generals of the Confederacy. Toward the close of the +war, when a large part of Virginia had fallen into the possession of the +Union army, the President called at General Pickett's Virginia home. + +The general's wife, with her baby on her arm, met him at the door. She +herself has told the story for us. + +"'Is this George Pickett's home?' he asked. + +"With all the courage and dignity I could muster, I replied: 'Yes, and I +am his wife, and this is his baby.' + +"'I am Abraham Lincoln.' + +"'The President!' I gasped. I had never seen him, but I knew the intense +love and reverence with which my soldier always spoke of him. + +"The stranger shook his head and replied: 'No; Abraham Lincoln, George's +old friend.' + +"The baby pushed away from me and reached out his hands to Mr. Lincoln, +who took him in his arms. As he did so an expression of rapt, almost +divine tenderness and love lighted up the sad face. It was a look that +I have never seen on any other face. The baby opened his mouth wide and +insisted upon giving his father's friend a dewy kiss. + +"As Mr. Lincoln gave the little one back to me he said: 'Tell your +father, the rascal, that I forgive him for the sake of your bright +eyes.'" + + + + +LINCOLN THE LAWYER + +BY Z. A. MUDGE (ADAPTED) + +He delighted to advocate the cases of those whom he knew to be wronged, +but he would not defend the cause of the guilty. If he discovered in the +course of a trial that he was on the wrong side, he lost all interest, +and ceased to make any exertion. + +Once, while engaged in a prosecution, he discovered that his client's +cause was not a good one, and he refused to make the plea. His +associate, who was less scrupulous, made the plea and obtained a +decision in their favor. The fee was nine hundred dollars, half of which +was tendered to Mr. Lincoln, but he refused to accept a single cent of +it. + +His honesty was strongly illustrated by the way he kept his accounts +with his law-partner. When he had taken a fee in the latter's absence, +he put one half of it into his own pocket, and laid the other half +carefully away, labeling it "Billy," the name by which he familiarly +addressed his partner. When asked why he did not make a record of the +amount and, for the time being, use the whole, Mr. Lincoln answered: +"Because I promised my mother never to use money belonging to another +person." + + + + +THE COURAGE OF HIS CONVICTIONS + +(ADAPTED) + +Mr. Lincoln made the great speech of his famous senatorial campaign at +Springfield, Illinois. The convention before which he spoke consisted +of a thousand delegates together with the crowd that had gathered with +them. + +His speech was carefully prepared. Every sentence was guarded and +emphatic. It has since become famous as "The Divided House" speech. +Before entering the hall where it was to be delivered, he stepped into +the office of his law-partner, Mr. Herndon, and, locking the door, so +that their interview might be private, took his manuscript from +his pocket, and read one of the opening sentences: "I believe this +government cannot endure permanently, half slave and half free." + +Mr. Herndon remarked that the sentiment was true, but suggested that it +might not be GOOD POLICY to utter it at that time. + +Mr. Lincoln replied with great firmness: "No matter about the POLICY. It +is TRUE, and the nation is entitled to it. The proposition has been true +for six thousand years, and I will deliver it as it is written." + + + + +MR. LINCOLN AND THE BIBLE + +BY Z. A. MUDGE (ADAPTED) + +A visitor in Washington once had an appointment to see Mr. Lincoln +at five o'clock in the morning. The gentleman made a hasty toilet +and presented himself at a quarter of five in the waiting-room of the +President. He asked the usher if he could see Mr. Lincoln. + +"No," he replied. + +"But I have an engagement to meet him this morning," answered the +visitor. + +"At what hour?" asked the usher. + +"At five o'clock." + +"Well, sir, he will see you at five." + +The visitor waited patiently, walking to and fro for a few minutes, when +he heard a voice as if in grave conversation. + +"Who is talking in the next room?" he asked. + +"It is the President, sir," said the usher, who then explained that +it was Mr. Lincoln's custom to spend every morning from four to five +reading the Scriptures, and praying. + + + + +HIS SPRINGFIELD FAREWELL ADDRESS + +It was on the morning of February 11, 1861, that the President-elect, +together with his family and a small party of friends, bade adieu to the +city of Springfield, which, alas! he was never to see again. + +A large throng of Springfield citizens assembled at the railway station +to see the departure, and before the train left Mr. Lincoln addressed +them in the following words:-- + +"MY FRIENDS: No one, not in my position, can appreciate the sadness I +feel at this parting. To this people I owe all that I am. Here I have +lived more than a quarter of a century; here my children were born, and +here one of them lies buried. I know not how soon I shall see you again. +A duty devolves upon me which is, perhaps, greater than that which has +devolved upon any other man since the days of Washington. He never would +have succeeded except by the aid of Divine Providence, upon which he at +all times relied. I feel that I cannot succeed without the same Divine +aid which sustained him, and on the same Almighty Being I place my +reliance for support; and I hope you, my friends, will all pray that I +may receive that Divine assistance, without which I cannot succeed, +but with which success is certain. Again I bid you an affectionate +farewell." + + + + +SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY + +(FEBRUARY 14) + +SAINT VALENTINE + +The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius +II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs, and for this kind +deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of +Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his +head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about +the year 270. + +At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, +to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honor of +a heathen god. + +On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of +young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men +as chance directed. + +The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavored to do away +with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of +saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the +middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's +Day for the celebration of this new feast. + +So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for +valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this +wise. + + + + +A PRISONER'S VALENTINE + +BY MILLICENT OLMSTED (ADAPTED) + +Charles, Duke of Orleans, who was taken prisoner at the battle of +Agincourt in 1415, and detained in England twenty-five years, was the +author of the earliest known written valentines. He left about sixty of +them. They were written during his confinement in the Tower of London, +and are still to be seen among the royal papers in the British Museum. + +One of his valentines reads as follows:-- + + "Wilt thou be mine? dear Love, reply-- + Sweetly consent or else deny. + Whisper softly, none shall know, + Wilt thou be mine, Love?--aye or no? + + "Spite of Fortune, we may be + Happy by one word from thee. + Life flies swiftly--ere it go + Wilt thou be mine, Love?--aye or no?" + + + + +A GIRL'S VALENTINE CHARM + +AS TOLD BY HERSELF + +(FROM THE CONNOISSEUR, 1775) + +Last Friday was Valentine's Day, and I'll tell you what I did the night +before. I got five bay leaves, and pinned four of them to the four +corners of my pillow, and the fifth to the middle; and then if I dreamt +of my sweetheart, Betty said we would be married before the year was +out. + +But to make it more sure, I boiled an egg hard, and took out the yolk, +and filled it with salt, and when I went to bed ate it, shell and all, +without speaking or drinking after it. + +We also wrote our lovers' names upon bits of paper, and rolled them up +in clay and put them into water; and the first that rose up was to be +our valentine. Would you think it? Mr. Blossom was my man, and I lay +abed and shut my eyes all the morning, till he came to our house, for I +would not have seen another man before him for all the world. + + + + +MR. PEPYS HIS VALENTINE + +AS RELATED BY HIMSELF IN 1666 + +(ADAPTED) + +This morning, came up to my wife's bedside, I being up dressing myself, +little Will Mercer, to be her valentine; and brought her name writ upon +blue paper in gold letters, done by himself, very pretty; and we were +both well pleased with it. + +But I am also this year my wife's valentine; and it will cost me five +pounds; but that I must have laid out if we had not been valentines. + +I find also that Mrs. Pierce's little girl is my valentine, she having +drawn me; which I am not sorry for, it easing me of something more that +I must have given to others. + +But here I do first observe the fashion of drawing of mottoes as well as +names; so that Pierce, who drew my wife, did draw also a motto, and this +girl drew another for me. What mine was I have forgot, but my wife's +was: "Most virtuous and most fair," which, as it may be used, or an +anagram made upon each name, might be; very pretty. + + + + +CUPID AND PSYCHE + +BY JOSEPHINE PRESTON PEABODY + +THE ENCHANTED PALACE + +Once upon a time, through that Destiny that overrules the gods, Love +himself gave up his immortal heart to a mortal maiden. And thus it came +to pass:-- + +There was a certain king who had three beautiful daughters. The two +elder married princes of great renown; but Psyche, the youngest, was so +radiantly fair that no suitor seemed worthy of her. People thronged +to see her pass through the city, and sang hymns in her praise, while +strangers took her for the very goddess of beauty herself. + +This angered Venus, and she resolved to cast down her earthly rival. One +day, therefore, she called hither her son, Love (Cupid, some name him), +and bade him sharpen his weapons. He is an archer more to be dreaded +than Apollo, for Apollo's arrows take life, but Love's bring joy or +sorrow for a whole life long. + +"Come, Love," said Venus. "There is a mortal maid who robs me of my +honors in yonder city. Avenge your mother. Wound this precious Psyche, +and let her fall in love with some churlish creature mean in the eyes of +all men." + +Cupid made ready his weapons, and flew down to earth invisibly. At that +moment Psyche was asleep in her chamber; but he touched her heart with +his golden arrow of love, and she opened her eyes so suddenly that he +started (forgetting that he was invisible), and wounded himself with +his own shaft. Heedless of the hurt, moved only by the loveliness of the +maiden, he hastened to pour over her locks the healing joy that he ever +kept by him, undoing all his work. Back to her dream the princess went, +unshadowed by any thought of love. But Cupid, not so light of heart, +returned to the heavens, saying not a word of what had passed. + +Venus waited long; then, seeing that Psyche's heart had somehow escaped +love, she sent a spell upon the maiden. From that time, lovely as she +was, not a suitor came to woo; and her parents, who desired to see her a +queen at least, made a journey to the Oracle, and asked counsel. + +Said the voice: "The Princess Psyche shall never wed a mortal. She shall +be given to one who waits for her on yonder mountain; he overcomes gods +and men." + +At this terrible sentence the poor parents were half-distraught, and +the people gave themselves up to grief at the fate in store for their +beloved princess. Psyche alone bowed to her destiny. "We have angered +Venus unwittingly," she said, "and all for sake of me, heedless maiden +that I am! Give me up, therefore, dear father and mother. If I atone, it +may be that the city will prosper once more." + +So she besought them, until, after many unavailing denials, the parents +consented; and with a great company of people they led Psyche up +the mountain,--as an offering to the monster of whom the Oracle had +spoken,--and left her there alone. + +Full of courage, yet in a secret agony of grief, she watched her kindred +and her people wind down the mountain-path, too sad to look back, until +they were lost to sight. Then, indeed, she wept, but a sudden breeze +drew near, dried her tears, and caressed her hair, seeming to murmur +comfort. In truth, it was Zephyr, the kindly West Wind, come to befriend +her; and as she took heart, feeling some benignant presence, he lifted +her in his arms, and carried her on wings as even as a sea-gull's, over +the crest of the fateful mountain and into a valley below. There he left +her, resting on a bank of hospitable grass, and there the princess fell +asleep. + +When she awoke, it was near sunset. She looked about her for some sign +of the monster's approach; she wondered, then, if her grievous trial had +been but a dream. Near by she saw a sheltering forest, whose young +trees seemed to beckon as one maid beckons to another; and eager for the +protection of the dryads, she went thither. + +The call of running waters drew her farther and farther, till she +came out upon an open place, where there was a wide pool. A fountain +fluttered gladly in the midst of it, and beyond there stretched a white +palace wonderful to see. Coaxed by the bright promise of the place, she +drew near, and, seeing no one, entered softly. It was all kinglier than +her father's home, and as she stood in wonder and awe, soft airs stirred +about her. Little by little the silence grew murmurous like the woods, +and one voice, sweeter than the rest, took words. "All that you see is +yours, gentle high princess," it said. "Fear nothing; only command us, +for we are here to serve you." + +Full of amazement and delight, Psyche followed the voice from hall to +hall, and through the lordly rooms, beautiful with everything that could +delight a young princess. No pleasant thing was lacking. There was even +a pool, brightly tiled and fed with running waters, where she bathed her +weary limbs; and after she had put on the new and beautiful raiment that +lay ready for her, she sat down to break her fast, waited upon and sung +to by the unseen spirits. + +Surely he whom the Oracle had called her husband was no monster, but +some beneficent power, invisible like all the rest. When daylight waned +he came, and his voice, the beautiful voice of a god, inspired her to +trust her strange destiny and to look and long for his return. Often +she begged him to stay with her through the day, that she might see his +face; but this he would not grant. + +"Never doubt me, dearest Psyche," said he. "Perhaps you would fear if +you saw me, and love is all I ask. There is a necessity that keeps me +hidden now. Only believe." + +So for many days Psyche was content; but when she grew used to +happiness, she thought once more of her parents mourning her as lost, +and of her sisters who shared the lot of mortals while she lived as a +goddess. One night she told her husband of these regrets, and begged +that her sisters at least might come to see her. He sighed, but did not +refuse. + +"Zephyr shall bring them hither," said he. And on the following morning, +swift as a bird, the West Wind came over the crest of the high mountain +and down into the enchanted valley, bearing her two sisters. + +They greeted Psyche with joy and amazement, hardly knowing how they had +come hither. But when this fairest of the sisters led them through her +palace and showed them all the treasures that were hers, envy grew in +their hearts and choked their old love. Even while they sat at feast +with her, they grew more and more bitter; and hoping to find some little +flaw in her good fortune, they asked a thousand questions. + +"Where is your husband?" said they. "And why is he not here with you?" + +"Ah," stammered Psyche. "All the day long--he is gone, hunting upon the +mountains." + +"But what does he look like?" they asked; and Psyche could find no +answer. + +When they learned that she had never seen him, they laughed her faith to +scorn. + +"Poor Psyche," they said. "You are walking in a dream. Wake, before it +is too late. Have you forgotten what the Oracle decreed,--that you were +destined for a dreadful creature, the fear of gods and men? And are +you deceived by this show of kindliness? We have come to warn you. The +people told us, as we came over the mountain, that your husband is +a dragon, who feeds you well for the present, that he may feast the +better, some day soon. What is it that you trust? Good words! But only +take a dagger some night, and when the monster is asleep go, light a +lamp, and look at him. You can put him to death easily, and all his +riches will be yours--and ours." + +Psyche heard this wicked plan with horror. Nevertheless, after her +sisters were gone, she brooded over what they had said, not seeing their +evil intent; and she came to find some wisdom in their words. Little +by little, suspicion ate, like a moth, into her lovely mind; and +at nightfall, in shame and fear, she hid a lamp and a dagger in her +chamber. Towards midnight, when her husband was fast asleep, up she +rose, hardly daring to breathe; and coming softly to his side, she +uncovered the lamp to see some horror. + +But there the youngest of the gods lay sleeping,--most beautiful, most +irresistible of all immortals. His hair shone golden as the sun, his +face was radiant as dear Springtime, and from his shoulders sprang two +rainbow wings. + +Poor Psyche was overcome with self-reproach. As she leaned towards him, +filled with worship, her trembling hands held the lamp ill, and some +burning oil fell upon Love's shoulder and awakened him. + +He opened his eyes, to see at once his bride and the dark suspicion in +her heart. + +"O doubting Psyche!" he exclaimed with sudden grief,--and then he flew +away, out of the window. + +Wild with sorrow, Psyche tried to follow, but she fell to the ground +instead. When she recovered her senses, she stared about her. She was +alone, and the place was beautiful no longer. Garden and palace had +vanished with Love. + + + + +THE TRIAL OF PSYCHE: + + +Over mountains and valleys Psyche journeyed alone until she came to the +city where her two envious sisters lived with the princes whom they had +married. She stayed with them only long enough to tell the story of her +unbelief and its penalty. Then she set out again to search for Love. + +As she wandered one day, travel-worn but not hopeless, she saw a lofty +palace on a hill near by, and she turned her steps thither. The place +seemed deserted. Within the hall she saw no human being,--only heaps +of grain, loose ears of corn half torn from the husk, wheat and barley, +alike scattered in confusion on the floor. Without delay, she set to +work binding the sheaves together and gathering the scattered ears of +corn in seemly wise, as a princess would wish to see them. While she +was in the midst of her task, a voice startled her, and she looked up +to behold Demeter herself, the goddess of the harvest, smiling upon her +with good will. + +"Dear Psyche," said Demeter, "you are worthy of happiness, and you may +find it yet. But since you have displeased Venus, go to her and ask her +favor. Perhaps your patience will win her pardon." + +These motherly words gave Psyche heart, and she reverently took leave of +the goddess and set out for the temple of Venus. Most humbly she offered +up her prayer, but Venus could not look at her earthly beauty without +anger. + +"Vain girl," said she, "perhaps you have come to make amends for the +wound you dealt your husband; you shall do so. Such clever people can +always find work!" + +Then she led Psyche into a great chamber heaped high with mingled grain, +beans, and lentils (the food of her doves), and bade her separate them +all and have them ready in seemly fashion by night. Heracles would have +been helpless before such a vexatious task; and poor Psyche, left alone +in this desert of grain, had not courage to begin. But even as she sat +there, a moving thread of black crawled across the floor from a crevice +in the wall; and bending nearer, she saw that a great army of ants in +columns had come to her aid. The zealous little creatures worked in +swarms, with such industry over the work they like best, that, when +Venus came at night, she found the task completed. + +"Deceitful girl," she cried, shaking the roses out of her hair with +impatience, "this is my son's work, not yours. But he will soon forget +you. Eat this black bread if you are hungry, and refresh your dull mind +with sleep. To-morrow you will need more wit." + +Psyche wondered what new misfortune could be in store for her. But when +morning came, Venus led her to the brink of a river, and, pointing to +the wood across the water, said: "Go now to yonder grove where the sheep +with the golden fleece are wont to browse. Bring me a golden lock from +every one of them, or you must go your ways and never come back again." + +This seemed not difficult, and Psyche obediently bade the goddess +farewell, and stepped into the water, ready to wade across. But as Venus +disappeared, the reeds sang louder and the nymphs of the river, looking +up sweetly, blew bubbles to the surface and murmured: "Nay, nay, have a +care, Psyche. This flock has not the gentle ways of sheep. While the +sun burns aloft, they are themselves as fierce as flame; but when the +shadows are long, they go to rest and sleep, under the trees; and you +may cross the river without fear and pick the golden fleece off the +briers in the pasture." + +Thanking the water-creatures, Psyche sat down to rest near them, and +when the time came, she crossed in safety and followed their counsel. By +twilight she returned to Venus with her arms full of shining fleece. + +"No mortal wit did this," said Venus angrily. "But if you care to prove +your readiness, go now, with this little box, down to Proserpina and ask +her to enclose in it some of her beauty, for I have grown pale in caring +for my wounded son." + +It needed not the last taunt to sadden Psyche. She knew that it was not +for mortals to go into Hades and return alive; and feeling that Love had +forsaken her, she was minded to accept her doom as soon as might be. + +But even as she hastened towards the descent, another friendly voice +detained her. "Stay, Psyche, I know your grief. Only give ear and you +shall learn a safe way through all these trials." And the voice went on +to tell her how one might avoid all the dangers of Hades and come out +unscathed. (But such a secret could not pass from mouth to mouth, with +the rest of the story.) + +"And be sure," added the voice, "when Proserpina has returned the box, +not to open it, ever much you may long to do so." + +Psyche gave heed, and by this device, whatever it was, she found her way +into Hades safely, and made her errand known to Proserpina, and was soon +in the upper world again, wearied but hopeful. + +"Surely Love has not forgotten me," she said. "But humbled as I am and +worn with toil, how shall I ever please him? Venus can never need all +the beauty in this casket; and since I use it for Love's sake, it must +be right to take some." So saying, she opened the box, heedless as +Pandora! The spells and potions of Hades are not for mortal maids, and +no sooner had she inhaled the strange aroma than she fell down like one +dead, quite overcome. + +But it happened that Love himself was recovered from his wound, and he +had secretly fled from his chamber to seek out and rescue Psyche. +He found her lying by the wayside; he gathered into the casket what +remained of the philter, and awoke his beloved. + +"Take comfort," he said, smiling. "Return to our mother and do her +bidding till I come again." + +Away he flew; and while Psyche went cheerily homeward, he hastened up to +Olympus, where all the gods sat feasting, and begged them to intercede +for him with his angry mother. + +They heard his story and their hearts were touched. Zeus himself coaxed +Venus with kind words till at last she relented, and remembered that +anger hurt her beauty, and smiled once more. All the younger gods were +for welcoming Psyche at once, and Hermes was sent to bring her hither. +The maiden came, a shy newcomer among those bright creatures. She took +the cup that Hebe held out to her, drank the divine ambrosia, and became +immortal. + +Light came to her face like moonrise, two radiant wings sprang from her +shoulders; and even as a butterfly bursts from its dull cocoon, so the +human Psyche blossomed into immortality. + +Love took her by the hand, and they were never parted any more. + + + + +WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY + +(FEBRUARY 22) + + +THREE OLD TALES + +BY M. L. WEEMS (ADAPTED) + + + + +I. THE CHERRY TREE + +When George was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a +hatchet of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went +about chopping everything that came his way. + +One day, as he wandered about the garden amusing himself by hacking his +mother's pea-sticks, he found a beautiful, young English cherry tree, of +which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the +trunk of the tree and barked it so that it died. + +Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his +favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger, and demanded to +know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Nobody +could tell him anything about it. + +Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room. + +"George," said his father, "do you know who has killed my beautiful +little cherry tree yonder in the garden? I would not have taken five +guineas for it!" + +This was a hard question to answer, and for a moment George was +staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried:-- + +"I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it +with my little hatchet." + +The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in +his arms, he said:-- + +"My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me +than a thousand trees! yes, though they were blossomed with silver and +had leaves of the purest gold!" + + + + +II. THE APPLE ORCHARD + + +One fine morning in the autumn Mr. Washington, taking little George by +the hand, walked with him to the apple orchard, promising that he would +show him a fine sight. + +On arriving at the orchard they saw a fine sight, indeed! The green +grass under the trees was strewn with red-cheeked apples, and yet the +trees were bending under the weight of fruit that hung thick among the +leaves. + +"Now, George," said his father, "look, my son, see all this rich harvest +of fruit! Do you remember when your good cousin brought you a fine, +large apple last spring, how you refused to divide it with your +brothers? And yet I told you then that, if you would be generous, God +would give you plenty of apples this autumn." + +Poor George could not answer, but hanging down his head looked quite +confused, while with his little, naked, bare feet he scratched in the +soft ground. + +"Now, look up, my son," continued his father, "and see how the blessed +God has richly provided us with these trees loaded with the finest +fruit. See how abundant is the harvest. Some of the trees are bending +beneath their burdens, while the ground is covered with mellow apples, +more than you could eat, my son, in all your lifetime." + +George looked in silence on the orchard, he marked the busy, humming +bees, and heard the gay notes of the birds fluttering from tree to tree. +His eyes filled with tears and he answered softly:-- + +"Truly, father, I never will be selfish any more." + + + + +III. THE GARDEN-BED + + +One day Mr. Washington went into the garden and dug a little bed of +earth and prepared it for seed. He then took a stick and traced on the +bed George's name in full. After this he strewed the tracing thickly +with seeds, and smoothed all over nicely with his roller. + +This garden-bed he purposely prepared close to a gooseberry-walk. The +bushes were hung with the ripe fruit, and he knew that George would +visit them every morning. + +Not many days had passed away when one morning George came running +into the house, breathless with excitement, and his eyes shining with +happiness. + +"Come here! father, come here!" he cried. + +"What's the matter, my son?" asked his father. + +"O come, father," answered George, "and I'll show you such a sight as +you have never seen in all your lifetime." + +Mr. Washington gave the boy his hand, which he seized with great +eagerness. He led his father straight to the garden-bed, whereon in +large letters, in lines of soft green, was written:-- + +GEORGE WASHINGTON + + + + +YOUNG GEORGE AND THE COLT + +BY HORACE E. SCUDDER + +There is a story told of George Washington's boyhood,--unfortunately +there are not many stories,--which is to the point. His father had taken +a great deal of pride in his blooded horses, and his mother afterward +took pains to keep the stock pure. She had several young horses that +had not yet been broken, and one of them in particular, a sorrel, was +extremely spirited. No one had been able to do anything with it, and it +was pronounced thoroughly vicious as people are apt to pronounce horses +which they have not learned to master. + +George was determined to ride this colt, and told his companions that if +they would help him catch it, he would ride and tame it. + +Early in the morning they set out for the pasture, where the boys +managed to surround the sorrel, and then to put a bit into its mouth. +Washington sprang upon its back, the boys dropped the bridle, and away +flew the angry animal. + +Its rider at once began to command. The horse resisted, backing about +the field, rearing and plunging. The boys became thoroughly alarmed, +but Washington kept his seat, never once losing his self-control or his +mastery of the colt. + +The struggle was a sharp one; when suddenly, as if determined to rid +itself of its rider, the creature leaped into the air with a tremendous +bound. It was its last. The violence burst a blood-vessel, and the noble +horse fell dead. + +Before the boys could sufficiently recover to consider how they should +extricate themselves from the scrape, they were called to breakfast; +and the mistress of the house, knowing that they had been in the fields, +began to ask after her stock. + +"Pray, young gentlemen," said she, "have you seen my blooded colts in +your rambles? I hope they are well taken care of. My favorite, I am +told, is as large as his sire." + +The boys looked at one another, and no one liked to speak. Of course the +mother repeated her question. + +"The sorrel is dead, madam," said her son, "I killed him." + +And then he told the whole story. They say that his mother flushed with +anger, as her son often used to, and then, like him, controlled herself, +and presently said, quietly:-- + +"It is well; but while I regret the loss of my favorite, I rejoice in my +son who always speaks the truth." + + + + +WASHINGTON THE ATHLETE + +BY ALBERT F. BLAISDELL AND FRANCIS E. BALL + +Many stories are told of the mighty power of Washington's right arm. It +is said that he once threw a stone from the bed of the stream to the top +of the Natural Bridge, in Virginia. + +Again, we are told that once upon a time he rounded a piece of slate +to the size of a silver dollar, and threw it across the Rappahannock +at Fredericksburg, the slate falling at least thirty feet on the other +side. Many strong men have since tried the same feat, but have never +cleared the water. + +Peale, who was called the soldier-artist, was once visiting Washington +at Mount Vernon. One day, he tells us, some athletic young men were +pitching the iron bar in the presence of their host. Suddenly, without +taking off his coat, Washington grasped the bar and hurled it, with +little effort, much farther than any of them had done. + +"We were, indeed, amazed," said one of the young men, "as we stood +round, all stripped to the buff, and having thought ourselves very +clever fellows, while the Colonel, on retiring, pleasantly said:-- + +"'When you beat my pitch, young gentlemen, I'll try again.'" + +At another time, Washington witnessed a wrestling-match. The champion of +the day challenged him, in sport, to wrestle. Washington did not stop to +take off his coat, but grasped the "strong man of Virginia." It was +all over in a moment, for, said the wrestler, "In Washington's lionlike +grasp I became powerless, and was hurled to the ground with a force that +seemed to jar the very marrow in my bones." + +In the days of the Revolution, some of the riflemen and the backwoodsmen +were men of gigantic strength, but it was generally believed by good +judges that their commander-in-chief was the strongest man in the army. + + + + +WASHINGTON'S MODESTY + +BY HENRY CABOT LODGE (ADAPTED) + +Washington as soon as Fort Duquesne had fallen hurried home, resigned +his commission, and was married. The sunshine and glitter of the +wedding day must have appeared to Washington deeply appropriate, for +he certainly seemed to have all that heart of man could desire. Just +twenty-seven, in the first flush of young manhood, keen of sense and yet +wise in experience, life must have looked very fair and smiling. He had +left the army with a well-earned fame, and had come home to take the +wife of his choice, and enjoy the good will and respect of all men. + +While away on his last campaign he had been elected a member of +the House of Burgesses, and when he took his seat, on removing to +Williamsburg, three months after his marriage, Mr. Robinson, the +Speaker, thanked him publicly in eloquent words for his services to the +country. + +Washington rose to reply, but he was so utterly unable to talk about +himself that he stood before the House stammering and blushing until the +Speaker said:-- + +"Sit down, Mr. Washington, your modesty equals your valor, and that +surpasses the power of any language I possess." + + + + +WASHINGTON AT YORKTOWN + +BY HENRY CABOT LODGE + +During the assault Washington stood in an embrasure of the grand +battery, watching the advance of the men. He was always given to +exposing himself recklessly when there was fighting to be done, but not +when he was only an observer. + +This night, however, he was much exposed to the enemy's fire. One of his +aides, anxious and disturbed for his safety, told him that the place was +perilous. + +"If you think so," was the quiet answer, "you are at liberty to step +back." + +The moment was too exciting, too fraught with meaning, to think of +peril. The old fighting spirit of Braddock's field was unchained for the +last time. He would have liked to head the American assault, sword in +hand, and as he could not do that, he stood as near his troops as he +could, utterly regardless of the bullets whistling in the air about him. +Who can wonder at his intense excitement at that moment? + +Others saw a brilliant storming of two out-works, but to Washington the +whole Revolution and all the labor and thought and conflict of six years +were culminating in the smoke and din on those redoubts, while out of +the dust and heat of the sharp, quick fight success was coming. + +He had waited long, and worked hard, and his whole soul went out as he +watched the troops cross the abatis and scale the works. He could have +no thought of danger then, and when all was over, he turned to Knox and +said:-- + +"The work is done, and well done. Bring me my horse." + + + + +RESURRECTION DAY (EASTER) + +(MARCH OR APRIL) + + + + +A LESSON OF FAITH + +BY MRS. ALFRED GATTY (ADAPTED) + +"Let me hire you as a nurse for my poor children," said a butterfly to +a quiet caterpillar, who was strolling along a cabbage-leaf in her odd, +lumbering fashion. + +"See these little eggs," continued the butterfly; "I do not know how +long it will be before they come to life, and I feel very sick. If I +should die, who will take care of my baby butterflies when I am gone? +Will you, kind, mild, green caterpillar? They cannot, of course, live +on your rough food. You must give them early dew, and honey from the +flowers, and you must let them fly about only a little way at first. +Dear me! it is a sad pity that you cannot fly yourself. Dear, dear! I +cannot think what made me come and lay my eggs on a cabbage-leaf! What +a place for young butterflies to be bore upon! Here, take this gold-dust +from my wings as a reward. Oh, how dizzy I am! Caterpillar! you will +remember about the food--" + +And with these words the butterfly drooped her wings and died. The green +caterpillar, who had not had the opportunity of even saying "yes" +or "no" to the request, was left standing alone by the side of the +butterfly's eggs. + +"A pretty nurse she has chosen, indeed, poor lady!" exclaimed she, "and +a pretty business I have in hand. Why did she ever ask a poor crawling +creature like me to bring up her dainty little ones! Much they'll mind +me, truly, when they feel the gay wings on their backs, and can fly +away." + +However, the poor butterfly was dead, and there lay the eggs on the +cabbage-leaf, and the green caterpillar had a kind heart, so she +resolved to do her best. + +"But two heads are better than one," said she; "I will consult some wise +animal on the matter." + +Then she thought and thought till at last she thought of the lark, and +she fancied that because he went up so high, and nobody knew where he +went to, he must be very clever and know a great deal. + +Now in the neighboring cornfield there lived a lark, and the caterpillar +sent a message to him, begging him to come and talk to her. When he came +she told him all her difficulties, and asked him how she was to feed and +rear the little butterfly creatures. + +"Perhaps you will be able to inquire and learn something about it the +next time you go up high," said the caterpillar timidly. + +"Perhaps I can," answered the lark; and then he went singing upwards +into the bright, blue sky, till the green caterpillar could not hear a +sound, nor could she see him any more. So she began to walk round the +butterfly's eggs, nibbling a bit of the cabbage-leaf now and then as she +moved along. + +"What a time the lark has been gone!" she cried at last. "I wonder where +he is just now. He must have flown higher than usual this time. How I +should like to know where he goes, and what he hears in that curious +blue sky! He always sings going up and coming down, but he never lets +any secret out." + +And the green caterpillar took another turn round the butterfly's eggs. + +At last the lark's voice began to be heard again. The caterpillar almost +jumped for joy, and it was not long before she saw her friend descend +with hushed note to the cabbage bed. + +"News, news, glorious news, friend caterpillar!" sang the lark, "but the +worst of it is, you won't believe me!" + +"I believe anything I am told," said the caterpillar hastily. + +"Well, then, first of all, I will tell you what those little creatures +are to eat"--and the lark nodded his head toward the eggs. "What do you +think it is to be? Guess!" + +"Dew and honey out of the flowers, I am afraid!" sighed the caterpillar. + +"No such thing, my good friend," cried the lark exultantly; "you are to +feed them with cabbage-leaves!" + +"Never!" said the caterpillar indignantly. + +"It was their mother's last request that I should feed them on dew and +honey." + +"Their mother knew nothing about the matter," answered the lark; "but +why do you ask me, and then disbelieve what I say? You have neither +faith nor trust." + +"Oh, I believe everything I am told," said the caterpillar. + +"Nay, but you do not," replied the lark. + +"Why, caterpillar, what do you think those little eggs will turn out to +be?" + +"Butterflies, to be sure," said the caterpillar. + +"CATERPILLARS!" sang the lark; "and you'll find it out in time." And the +lark flew away. + +"I thought the lark was wise and kind," said the mild, green caterpillar +to herself, once more beginning to walk round the eggs, "but I find that +he is foolish and saucy instead. Perhaps he went up TOO high this time. +How I wonder what he sees, and what he does up yonder!" + +"I would tell you if you would believe me," sang the lark, descending +once more. + +"I believe everything I am told," answered the caterpillar. + +"Then I'll tell you something else," cried the lark. "YOU WILL ONE DAY +BE A BUTTERFLY YOURSELF!" + +"Wretched bird," exclaimed the caterpillar, "you are making fun of me. +You are now cruel as well as foolish! Go away! I will ask your advice no +more." + +"I told you you would not believe me," cried the lark. + +"I believe everything I am told," persisted the +caterpillar,--"everything that it is REASONABLE to believe. But to tell +me that butterflies' eggs are caterpillars, and that caterpillars leave +off crawling and get wings and become butterflies!--Lark! you do not +believe such nonsense yourself! You know it is impossible!" + +"I know no such thing," said the lark. "When I hover over the +cornfields, or go up into the depths of the sky, I see so many wonderful +things that I know there must be more. O caterpillar! it is because you +CRAWL, and never get beyond your cabbage-leaf, that you call anything +IMPOSSIBLE." + +"Nonsense," shouted the caterpillar, "I know what's possible and what's +impossible. Look at my long, green body, and many legs, and then talk to +me about having wings! Fool!" + +"More foolish you!" cried the indignant lark, "to attempt to reason +about what you cannot understand. Do you not hear how my song swells +with rejoicing as I soar upwards to the mysterious wonder-world above? +Oh, caterpillar, what comes from thence, receive as I do,--on trust." + +"What do you mean by that?" asked the caterpillar. + +"ON FAITH," answered the lark. + +"How am I to learn faith?" asked the caterpillar. + +At that moment she felt something at her side. She looked round,--eight +or ten little green caterpillars were moving about, and had already made +a hole in the cabbage-leaf. They had broken from the butterfly's eggs! + +Shame and amazement filled the green caterpillar's heart, but joy soon +followed. For as the first wonder was possible, the second might be so +too. + +"Teach me your lesson, lark," she cried. + +And the lark sang to her of the wonders of the earth below and of the +heaven above. And the caterpillar talked all the rest of her life of the +time when she should become a butterfly. + +But no one believed her. She nevertheless had learned the lark's lesson +of faith, and when she was going into her chrysalis, she said:-- + +"I shall be a butterfly some day!" + +But her relations thought her head was wandering, and they said, "Poor +thing!" + +And when she was a butterfly, and was going to die she said:-- + +"I have known many wonders,--I HAVE FAITH,--I can trust even now for the +wonder that shall come next." + + + + +A CHILD'S DREAM OF A STAR + +BY CHARLES DICKENS + +There was once a child, and he strolled about a good deal, and thought +of a number of things. He had a sister, who was a child, too, and his +constant companion. These two used to wonder all day long. They wondered +at the beauty of the flowers; they wondered at the height and blueness +of the sky; they wondered at the depth of the bright water; they +wondered at the goodness and the power of God who made the lovely world. + +They used to say to one another, sometimes: "Supposing all the children +upon earth were to die, would the flowers, and the water, and the sky +be sorry?" They believed they would be sorry. "For," said they, "the buds +are the children of the flowers, and the little playful streams that +gambol down the hillsides are the children of the water; and the +smallest, bright specks playing at hide and seek in the sky all night, +must surely be the children of the stars; and they would all be grieved +to see their playmates, the children of men, no more." + +There was one clear, shining star that used to come out in the sky +before the rest, near the church spire, above the graves. It was larger +and more beautiful, they thought, than all the others, and every night +they watched for it, standing hand in hand at a window. Whoever saw +it first cried out: "I see the star!" And often they cried out both +together, knowing so well when it would rise, and where. So they grew +to be such friends with it, that, before lying down in their beds, they +always looked out once again, to bid it good-night; and when they were +turning round to sleep, they used to say: "God bless the star!" + +But while she was still very young, oh, very, very young, the sister +drooped, and came to be so weak that she could no longer stand in the +window at night; and then the child looked sadly out by himself, and +when he saw the star turned round and said to the patient, pale face on +the bed: "I see the star!" and then a smile would come upon the face, +and a little weak voice used to say: "God bless my brother and the +star!" + +And so the time came all too soon, when the child looked out alone, and +when there was no face on the bed; and when there was a little grave +among the graves, not there before; and when the star made long rays +down towards him, as he saw it through his tears. + +Now, these rays were so bright, and they seemed to make such a shining +way from earth to heaven, that when the child went to his solitary bed +he dreamed about the star; and dreamed that, lying where he was, he saw +a train of people taken up that sparkling road by angels. And the star, +opening, showed him a great world of light, where many more such angels +waited to receive them. + +All these angels, who were waiting, turned their beaming eyes upon the +people who were carried up into the star; and some came out from the +long rows in which they stood, and fell upon the people's necks, and +kissed them tenderly, and went away with them down avenues of light, and +were so happy in their company, that lying in his bed he wept for joy. + +But there were many angels who did not go with them, and among them +one he knew. The patient face, that once had lain upon the bed, was +glorified and radiant, but his heart found out his sister among all the +host. + +His sister's angel lingered near the entrance of the star, and said to +the leader among those who had brought the people thither:-- + +"Is my brother come?" + +And he said: "No." + +She was turning hopefully away, when the child stretched out his arms, +and cried: "O sister, I am here! Take me!" And then she turned her +beaming eyes upon him, and it was night; and the star was shining into +the room, making long rays down towards him, as he saw it through his +tears. + +From that hour forth, the child looked out upon the star as on the home +he was to go to when his time should come; and he thought that he did +not belong to the earth alone, but to the star, too, because of his +sister's angel gone before. + +There was a baby born to be a brother to the child; and while he was so +little that he never yet had spoken word, he stretched his tiny form out +on his bed, and died. + +Again the child dreamed of the open star, and of the company of angels, +and the train of people, and the rows of angels with their beaming eyes +all turned upon those people's faces. + +Said his sister's angel to the leader:-- + +"Is my brother come?" + +And he said: "Not that one, but another." + +As the child beheld his brother's angel in her arms, he cried: "O +sister, I am here! Take me!" And she turned and smiled upon him, and the +star was shining. + +He grew to be a young man, and was busy at his books, when an old +servant came to him and said:-- + +"Thy mother is no more. I bring her blessing on her darling son." + +Again at night he saw the star, and all that former company. Said his +sister's angel to the leader:-- + +"Is my brother come?" + +And he said: "Thy mother!" + +A mighty cry of joy went forth through all the star, because the mother +was reunited to her two children. And he stretched out his arms and +cried: "O mother, sister, and brother, I am here! Take me!" And they +answered him: "Not yet." And the star was shining. + +He grew to be a man, whose hair was turning gray, and he was sitting in +his chair by the fireside, heavy with grief, and with his face bedewed +with tears, when the star opened once again. + +Said his sister's angel to the leader:-- + +"Is my brother come?" + +And he said: "Nay, but his maiden daughter." + +And the man, who had been the child, saw his daughter, newly lost to +him, a celestial creature among those three, and he said: "My daughter's +head is on my sister's bosom, and her arm is around my mother's neck, +and at her feet there is the baby of old time, and I can bear the +parting from her, God be praised!" + +And the star was shining. + +Thus the child came to be an old man, and his once smooth face was +wrinkled, and his steps were slow and feeble, and his back was bent. And +one night as he lay upon his bed, his children standing round, he cried, +as he had cried so long ago:-- + +"I see the star!" + +They whispered one to another: "He is dying." + +And he said: "I am. My age is falling from me like a garment, and I move +towards the star as a child. And, O my Father, now I thank Thee that it +has so often opened to receive those dear ones who await me!" + +And the star was shining; and it shines upon his grave. + + + + +THE LOVELIEST ROSE IN THE WORLD + +BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (ADAPTED) + +Once there reigned a queen, in whose garden were found the most glorious +flowers at all seasons and from all the lands of the world. But more +than all others she loved the roses, and she had many kinds of this +flower, from the wild dog-rose with its apple-scented green leaves to +the most splendid, large, crimson roses. They grew against the garden +walls, wound themselves around the pillars and wind-frames, and crept +through the windows into the rooms, and all along the ceilings in the +halls. And the roses were of many colors, and of every fragrance and +form. + +But care and sorrow dwelt in those halls. The queen lay upon a sick-bed, +and the doctors said she must die. + +"There is still one thing that can save her," said the wise man. "Bring +her the loveliest rose in the world, the rose that is the symbol of the +purest, the brightest love. If that is held before her eyes ere they +close, she will not die." + +Then old and young came from every side with roses, the loveliest that +bloomed in each garden, but they were not of the right sort. The flower +was to be plucked from the Garden of Love. But what rose in all that +garden expressed the highest and purest love? + +And the poets sang of the loveliest rose in the world,--of the love of +maid and youth, and of the love of dying heroes. + +"But they have not named the right flower," said the wise man. "They +have not pointed out the place where it blooms in its splendor. It is +not the rose that springs from the hearts of youthful lovers, though +this rose will ever be fragrant in song. It is not the bloom that +sprouts from the blood flowing from the breast of the hero who dies +for his country, though few deaths are sweeter than his, and no rose is +redder than the blood that flows then. Nor is it the wondrous flower +to which man devotes many a sleepless night and much of his fresh +life,--the magic flower of science." + +"But I know where it blooms," said a happy mother, who came with her +pretty child to the bedside of the dying queen. "I know where the +loveliest rose of love may be found. It springs in the blooming cheeks +of my sweet child, when, waking from sleep, it opens its eyes and smiles +tenderly at me." + +"Lovely is this rose, but there is a lovelier still," said the wise man. + +"I have seen the loveliest, purest rose that blooms," said a woman. "I +saw it on the cheeks of the queen. She had taken off her golden crown. +And in the long, dreary night she carried her sick child in her arms. +She wept, kissed it, and prayed for her child." + +"Holy and wonderful is the white rose of a mother's grief," answered the +wise man, "but it is not the one we seek." + +"The loveliest rose in the world I saw at the altar of the Lord," said +the good Bishop, "the young maidens went to the Lord's Table. Roses +were blushing and pale roses shining on their fresh cheeks. A young girl +stood there. She looked with all the love and purity of her spirit up to +heaven. That was the expression of the highest and purest love." + +"May she be blessed," said the wise man, "but not one of you has yet +named the loveliest rose in the world." + +Then there came into the room a child, the queen's little son. + +"Mother," cried the boy, "only hear what I have read." + +And the child sat by the bedside and read from the Book of Him who +suffered death upon the cross to save men, and even those who were not +yet born. "Greater love there is not." + +And a rosy glow spread over the cheeks of the queen, and her eyes +gleamed, for she saw that from the leaves of the Book there bloomed the +loveliest rose, that sprang from the blood of Christ shed on the cross. + +"I see it!" she said, "he who beholds this, the loveliest rose on earth, +shall never die." + + + + +MAY DAY + +(MAY 1) + + + + +THE SNOWDROP [1] + +BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (ADAPTED) + +[Footnote 1: From For the Children's Hour, by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey and +Clara M. Lewis. Copyright by the Milton Bradley Company.] + + +The snow lay deep, for it was winter-time. The winter winds blew cold, +but there was one house where all was snug and warm. And in the house +lay a little flower; in its bulb it lay, under the earth and the snow. + +One day the rain fell and it trickled through the ice and snow down into +the ground. And presently a sunbeam, pointed and slender, pierced down +through the earth, and tapped on the bulb. + +"Come in," said the flower. + +"I can't do that," said the sunbeam; "I'm not strong enough to lift the +latch. I shall be stronger when springtime comes." + +"When will it be spring?" asked the flower of every little sunbeam that +rapped on its door. But for a long time it was winter. The ground was +still covered with snow, and every night there was ice in the water. The +flower grew quite tired of waiting. + +"How long it is!" it said. "I feel quite cramped. I must stretch myself +and rise up a little. I must lift the latch, and look out, and say +'good-morning' to the spring." + +So the flower pushed and pushed. The walls were softened by the rain +and warmed by the little sunbeams, so the flower shot up from under the +snow, with a pale green bud on its stalk and some long narrow leaves on +either side. It was biting cold. + +"You are a little too early," said the wind and the weather; but every +sunbeam sang: "Welcome," and the flower raised its head from the snow +and unfolded itself--pure and white, and decked with green stripes. + +It was weather to freeze it to pieces,--such a delicate little +flower,--but it was stronger than any one knew. It stood in its white +dress in the white snow, bowing its head when the snow-flakes fell, +and raising it again to smile at the sunbeams, and every day it grew +sweeter. + +"Oh!" shouted the children, as they ran into the garden, "see the +snowdrop! There it stands so pretty, so beautiful,--the first, the only +one!" + + + + +THE THREE LITTLE BUTTERFLY BROTHERS + +(FROM THE GERMAN)[2] + +[Footnote 2: From Deutsches Drittes Lesebuch, by W. H. Weick and C. +Grebner. Copyright, 1886, by Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co. American Book +Company, publishers.] + + +There were once three little butterfly brothers, one white, one red, and +one yellow. They played in the sunshine, and danced among the flowers in +the garden, and they never grew tired because they were so happy. + +One day there came a heavy rain, and it wet their wings. They flew away +home, but when they got there they found the door locked and the key +gone. So they had to stay out of doors in the rain, and they grew wetter +and wetter. + +By and by they flew to the red and yellow striped tulip, and said: +"Friend Tulip, will you open your flower-cup and let us in till the +storm is over?" + +The tulip answered: "The red and yellow butterflies may enter, because +they are like me, but the white one may not come in." + +But the red and yellow butterflies said: "If our white brother may not +find shelter in your flowercup, why, then, we'll stay outside in the +rain with him." + +It rained harder and harder, and the poor little butterflies grew wetter +and wetter, so they flew to the white lily and said: "Good Lily, will +you open your bud a little so we may creep in out of the rain?" + +The lily answered: "The white butterfly may come in, because he is like +me, but the red and yellow ones must stay outside in the storm." + +Then the little white butterfly said: "If you won't receive my red and +yellow brothers, why, then, I'll stay out in the rain with them. We +would rather be wet than be parted." + +So the three little butterflies flew away. + +But the sun, who was behind a cloud, heard it all, and he knew what good +little brothers the butterflies were, and how they had held together in +spite of the wet. So he pushed his face through the clouds, and chased +away the rain, and shone brightly on the garden. + +He dried the wings of the three little butterflies, and warmed their +bodies. They ceased to sorrow, and danced among the flowers till +evening, then they flew away home, and found the door wide open. + + + + +THE WATER-DROP + +BY FRIEDRICH WILHELM CAROVE' + +(ADAPTED FROM THE TRANSLATION BY SARAH AUSTIN) + +There was once a child who lived in a little hut, and in the hut there +was nothing but a little bed and a looking-glass; but as soon as the +first sunbeam glided softly through the casement and kissed his sweet +eyelids, and the finch and the linnet waked him merrily with their +morning songs, he arose and went out into the green meadow. + +And he begged flour of the primrose, and sugar of the violet, and butter +of the buttercup. He shook dewdrops from the cowslip into the cup of the +harebell, spread out a large lime-leaf, set his breakfast upon it, and +feasted daintily. And he invited a humming-bee and a gay butterfly to +partake of his feast, but his favorite guest was a blue dragon-fly. + +The bee murmured a good deal about his riches, and the butterfly told +his adventures. Such talk delighted the child, and his breakfast was the +sweeter to him, and the sunshine on leaf and flower seemed more bright +and cheering. + +But when the bee had flown off to beg from flower to flower, and the +butterfly had fluttered away to his play-fellows, the dragon-fly still +remained, poised on a blade of grass. Her slender and burnished body, +more brightly and deeply blue than the deep blue sky, glistened in the +sunbeam. Her net-like wings laughed at the flowers because they could +not fly, but must stand still and abide the wind and rain. + +The dragon-fly sipped a little of the child's clear dewdrops and blue +violet honey, and then whispered her winged words. Such stories as the +dragon-fly did tell! And as the child sat motionless with his blue +eyes shut, and his head rested on his hands, she thought he had fallen +asleep; so she poised her double wings and flew into the rustling wood. + +But the child had only sunk into a dream of delight and was wishing he +were a sunbeam or a moonbeam; and he would have been glad to hear more +and more, and forever. + +But at last as all was still, he opened his eyes and looked around for +his dear guest, but she was flown far away. He could not bear to sit +there any longer alone, and he rose and went to the gurgling brook. It +gushed and rolled so merrily, and tumbled so wildly along as it hurried +to throw itself head-over-heels into the river, just as if the great +massy rock out of which it sprang were close behind it, and could only +be escaped by a breakneck leap. + +Then the child began to talk to the little waves and asked them whence +they came. They would not stay to give him an answer, but danced away +one over another; till at last, that the sweet child might not be +grieved, a water-drop stopped behind a piece of rock. + +"A long time ago," said the water-drop, "I lived with my countless +sisters in the great Ocean, in peace and unity. We had all sorts of +pastimes. Sometimes we mounted up high into the air, and peeped at the +stars. Then we sank plump down deep below, and looked how the coral +builders work till they are tired, that they may reach the light of day +at last. + +"But I was conceited, and thought myself much better than my sisters. +And so, one day, when the sun rose out of the sea, I clung fast to one +of his hot beams and thought how I should reach the stars and become one +of them. + +"But I had not ascended far when the sunbeam shook me off, and, in spite +of all I could say or do, let me fall into a dark cloud. And soon a +flash of fire darted through the cloud, and now I thought I must surely +die; but the cloud laid itself down softly upon the top of a mountain, +and so I escaped. + +"Now I thought I should remain hidden, when, all on a sudden, I slipped +over a round pebble, fell from one stone to another, down into the +depths of the mountain. At last it was pitch dark and I could neither +see nor hear anything. + +"Then I found, indeed, that 'pride goeth before a fall,' for, though I +had already laid aside all my unhappy pride in the cloud, my punishment +was to remain for some time in the heart of the mountain. After +undergoing many purifications from the hidden virtues of metals and +minerals, I was at length permitted to come up once more into the free +and cheerful air, and to gush from this rock and journey with this happy +stream. Now will I run back to my sisters in the Ocean, and there wait +patiently till I am called to something better." + +So said the water-drop to the child, but scarcely had she finished her +story, when the root of a For-Get-Me-Not caught the drop and sucked her +in, that she might become a floweret, and twinkle brightly as a blue +star on the green firmament of earth. + + + + +THE SPRING BEAUTY + +AN OJIBBEWAY LEGEND + +BY HENRY R. SCHOOLCRAFT (ADAPTED) + +An old man was sitting in his lodge, by the side of a frozen stream. It +was the end of winter, the air was not so cold, and his fire was +nearly out. He was old and alone. His locks were white with age, and he +trembled in every joint. Day after day passed, and he heard nothing but +the sound of the storm sweeping before it the new-fallen snow. + +One day while his fire was dying, a handsome young man approached and +entered the lodge. His cheeks were red, his eyes sparkled. He walked +with a quick, light step. His forehead was bound with a wreath of +sweet-grass, and he carried a bunch of fragrant flowers in his hand. + +"Ah, my son," said the old man, "I am happy to see you. Come in! Tell me +your adventures, and what strange lands you have seen. I will tell you +of my wonderful deeds, and what I can perform. You shall do the same, +and we will amuse each other." + +The old man then drew from a bag a curiously wrought pipe. He filled it +with mild tobacco, and handed it to his guest. They each smoked from the +pipe and then began their stories. + +"I am Peboan, the Spirit of Winter," said the old man. "I blow my +breath, and the streams stand still. The water becomes stiff and hard as +clear stone." + +"I am Seegwun, the Spirit of Spring," answered the youth. "I breathe, +and flowers spring up in the meadows and woods." + +"I shake my locks," said the old man, "and snow covers the land. The +leaves fall from the trees, and my breath blows them away. The birds fly +to a distant land, and the animals hide themselves from the cold." + +"I shake my ringlets," said the young man, "and warm showers of soft +rain fall upon the earth. The flowers lift their heads from the ground, +the grass grows thick and green. My voice recalls the birds, and they +come flying joyfully from the Southland. The warmth of my breath unbinds +the streams, and they sing the songs of summer. Music fills the groves +where-ever I walk, and all nature rejoices." + +And while they were talking thus a wonderful change took place. The sun +began to rise. A gentle warmth stole over the place. Peboan, the Spirit +of Winter, became silent. His head drooped, and the snow outside the +lodge melted away. Seegwun, the Spirit of Spring, grew more radiant, and +rose joyfully to his feet. The robin and the bluebird began to sing on +the top of the lodge. The stream began to murmur at the door, and the +fragrance of opening flowers came softly on the breeze. + +The lodge faded away, and Peboan sank down and dissolved into tiny +streams of water, that vanished under the brown leaves of the forest. +Thus the Spirit of Winter departed, and where he had melted away, there +the Indian children gathered the first blossoms, fragrant and delicately +pink,--the modest Spring Beauty. + + + + +THE FAIRY TULIPS + +ENGLISH FOLK-TALE + +Once upon a time there was a good old woman who lived in a little house. +She had in her garden a bed of beautiful striped tulips. + +One night she was wakened by the sounds of sweet singing and of babies +laughing. She looked out at the window. The sounds seemed to come from +the tulip bed, but she could see nothing. + +The next morning she walked among her flowers, but there were no signs +of any one having been there the night before. + +On the following night she was again wakened by sweet singing and babies +laughing. She rose and stole softly through her garden. The moon was +shining brightly on the tulip bed, and the flowers were swaying to and +fro. The old woman looked closely and she saw, standing by each tulip, +a little Fairy mother who was crooning and rocking the flower like a +cradle, while in each tulip-cup lay a little Fairy baby laughing and +playing. + +The good old woman stole quietly back to her house, and from that time +on she never picked a tulip, nor did she allow her neighbors to touch +the flowers. + +The tulips grew daily brighter in color and larger in size, and they +gave out a delicious perfume like that of roses. They began, too, to +bloom all the year round. And every night the little Fairy mothers +caressed their babies and rocked them to sleep in the flower-cups. + +The day came when the good old woman died, and the tulip-bed was torn +up by folks who did not know about the Fairies, and parsley was planted +there instead of the flowers. But the parsley withered, and so did all +the other plants in the garden, and from that time nothing would grow +there. + +But the good old woman's grave grew beautiful, for the Fairies sang +above it, and kept it green; while on the grave and all around it there +sprang up tulips, daffodils, and violets, and other lovely flowers of +spring. + + + + +THE STREAM THAT RAN AWAY + +BY MARY AUSTIN (ADAPTED) + +In a short and shallow canyon running eastward toward the sun, one may +find a clear, brown stream called the Creek of Pinon Pines; that is not +because it is unusual to find pinon trees in that country, but because +there are so few of them in the canyon of the stream. There are all +sorts higher up on the slopes,--long-leaved yellow pines, thimble cones, +tamarack, silver fir, and Douglas spruce; but in the canyon there +is only a group of the low-headed, gray nut pines which the earliest +inhabitants of that country called pinons. + +The Canyon of Pinon Pines has a pleasant outlook and lies open to the +sun. At the upper end there is no more room by the stream border than +will serve for a cattle trail; willows grow in it, choking the path +of the water; there are brown birches here and ropes of white clematis +tangled over thickets of brier rose. + +Low down, the ravine broadens out to inclose a meadow the width of a +lark's flight, blossomy and wet and good. Here the stream ran once in a +maze of soddy banks and watered all the ground, and afterward ran out at +the canyon's mouth across the mesa in a wash of bone-white boulders as +far as it could. That was not very far, for it was a slender stream. It +had its source on the high crests and hollows of the near-by mountain, +in the snow banks that melted and seeped downward through the rocks. But +the stream did not know any more of that than you know of what happened +to you before you were born, and could give no account of itself except +that it crept out from under a great heap of rubble far up in the Canyon +of the Pinon Pines. + +And because it had no pools in it deep enough for trout, and no trees on +its borders but gray nut pines; because, try as it might, it could never +get across the mesa to the town, the stream had fully made up its mind +to run away. + +"Pray, what good will that do you?" said the pines. "If you get to +the town, they will turn you into an irrigating ditch, and set you to +watering crops." + +"As to that," said the stream, "if I once get started I will not stop at +the town." + +Then it would fret between its banks until the spangled frills of the +mimulus were all tattered with its spray. Often at the end of the summer +it was worn quite thin and small with running, and not able to do more +than reach the meadow. + +"But some day," it whispered to the stones, "I shall run quite away." + +If the stream had been inclined for it, there was no lack of good +company on its own borders. Birds nested in the willows, rabbits came to +drink; one summer a bobcat made its lair up the bank opposite the brown +birches, and often the deer fed in the meadow. + +In the spring of one year two old men came up into the Canyon of Pinon +Pines. They had been miners and partners together for many years. They +had grown rich and grown poor, and had seen many hard places and strange +times. It was a day when the creek ran clear and the south wind smelled +of the earth. Wild bees began to whine among the willows, and the meadow +bloomed over with poppy-breasted larks. + +Then said one of the old men: "Here is good meadow and water enough; let +us build a house and grow trees. We are too old to dig in the mines." + +"Let us set about it," said the other; for that is the way with two who +have been a long time together,--what one thinks of, the other is for +doing. + +So they brought their possessions, and they built a house by the water +border and planted trees. One of the men was all for an orchard but the +other preferred vegetables. So they did each what he liked, and were +never so happy as when walking in the garden in the cool of the day, +touching the growing things as they walked, and praising each other's +work. + +They were very happy for three years. By this time the stream had become +so interested it had almost forgotten about running away. But every year +it noted that a larger bit of the meadow was turned under and planted, +and more and more the men made dams and ditches by which to turn the +water into their gardens. + +"In fact," said the stream, "I am being made into an irrigating ditch +before I have had my fling in the world. I really must make a start." + +That very winter, by the help of a great storm, the stream went roaring +down the meadow, over the mesa, and so clean away, with only a track of +muddy sand to show the way it had gone. + +All that winter the two men brought water for drinking from a spring, +and looked for the stream to come back. In the spring they hoped still, +for that was the season they looked for the orchard to bear. But no +fruit grew on the trees, and the seeds they planted shriveled in the +earth. So by the end of summer, when they understood that the water +would not come back at all, they went sadly away. + +Now the Creek of Pinon Pines did not have a happy time. It went out in +the world on the wings of the storm, and was very much tossed about and +mixed up with other waters, lost and bewildered. + +Everywhere it saw water at work, turning mills, watering fields, +carrying trade, falling as hail, rain, and snow; and at the last, after +many journeys it found itself creeping out from under the rocks of the +same old mountain, in the Canyon of Pinon Pines. + +"After all, home is best," said the little stream to itself, and ran +about in its choked channels looking for old friends. + +The willows were there, but grown shabby and dying at the top; the +birches were quite dead, and there was only rubbish where the white +clematis had been. Even the rabbits had gone away. + +The little stream ran whimpering in the meadow, fumbling at the ruined +ditches to comfort the fruit trees which were not quite dead. It was +very dull in those days living in the Canyon of Pinon Pines. + +"But it is really my own fault," said the stream. So it went on +repairing the borders as best it could. + +About the time the white clematis had come back to hide the ruin of the +brown birches, a young man came and camped with his wife and child in +the meadow. They were looking for a place to make a home. + +"What a charming place!" said the young wife; "just the right distance +from town, and a stream all to ourselves. And look, there are fruit +trees already planted. Do let us decide to stay!" + +Then she took off the child's shoes and stockings to let it play in +the stream. The water curled all about the bare feet and gurgled +delightedly. + +"Ah, do stay," begged the happy water. "I can be such a help to you, for +I know how a garden should be irrigated in the best manner." + +The child laughed, and stamped the water up to his bare knees. The young +wife watched anxiously while her husband walked up and down the stream +border and examined the fruit trees. + +"It is a delightful place," he said, "and the soil is rich, but I am +afraid the water cannot be depended upon. There are signs of a great +drought within the last two or three years. Look, there is a clump of +birches in the very path of the stream, but all dead; and the largest +limbs of the fruit trees have died. In this country one must be able +to make sure of the water-supply. I suppose the people who planted them +must have abandoned the place when the stream went dry. We must go on +farther." + +So they took their goods and the child and went on farther. + +"Ah, well," said the stream, "that is what is to be expected when has a +reputation for neglecting one's duty. But I wish they had stayed. That +baby and I understood each other." + +It had made up its mind not to run away again, though it could not be +expected to be quite cheerful after all that had happened. If you go to +the Canyon of Pinon Pines you will notice that the stream, where it goes +brokenly about the meadow, has a mournful sound. + + + + +THE ELVES + +AN IROQUOIS LEGEND + +BY HARRIET MAXWELL CONVERSE (ADAPTED) + +The little Elves of Darkness, so says the old Iroquois grandmother, were +wise and mysterious. They dwelt under the earth, where were deep forests +and broad plains. There they kept captive all the evil things that +wished to injure human beings,--the venomous reptiles, the wicked +spiders, and the fearful monsters. Sometimes one of these evil creatures +escaped and rushed upward to the bright, pure air, and spread its +poisonous breath over the living things of the upper-world. But such +happenings were rare, for the Elves of Darkness were faithful and +strong, and did not willingly allow the wicked beasts and reptiles to +harm human beings and the growing things. + +When the night was lighted by the moon's soft rays, and the woods of +the upper-world were sweet with the odor of the spring-flowers, then the +Elves of Darkness left the under-world, and creeping from their holes, +held a festival in the woods. And under many a tree, where the blades of +grass had refused to grow, the Little People danced until rings of green +sprang up beneath their feet. And to the festival came the Elves of +Light,--among whom were Tree-Elves, Flower-Elves, and Fruit-Elves. They +too danced and made merry. + +But when the moonlight faded away, and day began to break, then the +Elves of Darkness scampered back to their holes, and returned once more +to the under-world; while the Elves of Light began their daily tasks. + +For in the springtime these Little People of the Light hid in sheltered +places. They listened to the complaints of the seeds that lay covered in +the ground, and they whispered to the earth until the seeds burst their +pods and sent their shoots upward to the light. Then the little Elves +wandered over the fields and through the woods, bidding all growing +things to look upon the sun. + +The Tree-Elves tended the trees, unfolding their leaves, and feeding +their roots with sap from the earth. The Flower-Elves unwrapped the baby +buds, and tinted the petals of the opening flowers, and played with the +bees and the butterflies. + +But the busiest of all were the Fruit-Elves. Their greatest care in +the spring was the strawberry plant. When the ground softened from the +frost, the Fruit-Elves loosened the earth around each strawberry root, +that its shoots might push through to the light. They shaped the plant's +leaves, and turned its blossoms toward the warm rays of the sun. They +trained its runners, and assisted the timid fruit to form. They painted +the luscious berry, and bade it ripen. And when the first strawberries +blushed on the vines, these guardian Elves protected them from the evil +insects that had escaped from the world of darkness underground. + +And the old Iroquois grandmother tells, how once, when the fruit first +came to earth, the Evil Spirit, Hahgwehdaetgah, stole the strawberry +plant, and carried it to his gloomy cave, where he hid it away. And +there it lay until a tiny sunbeam pierced the damp mould, and finding +the little vine carried it back to its sunny fields. And ever since then +the strawberry plant has lived and thrived in the fields and woods. But +the Fruit-Elves, fearing lest the Evil One should one day steal the +vine again, watch day and night over their favorite. And when the +strawberries ripen they give the juicy, fragrant fruit to the Iroquois +children as they gather the spring flowers in the woods. + + + + +THE CANYON FLOWERS + +BY RALPH CONNOR (ADAPTED) + +At first there were no canyons, but only the broad, open prairie. One +day the Master of the Prairie, walking out over his great lawns, where +were only grasses, asked the Prairie: "Where are your flowers?" + +And the Prairie said: "Master, I have no seeds." + +Then he spoke to the birds, and they carried seeds of every kind of +flower and strewed them far and wide, and soon the Prairie bloomed with +crocuses and roses and buffalo beans and the yellow crowfoot and the +wild sunflowers and the red lilies, all the summer long. + +Then the Master came and was well pleased; but he missed the flowers he +loved best of all, and he said to the Prairie: "Where are the clematis +and the columbine, the sweet violets and wind-flowers, and all the ferns +and flowering shrubs?" + +And again the Prairie answered: "Master, I have no seeds." + +And again he spoke to the birds and again they carried all the seeds and +strewed them far and wide. + +But when next the Master came, he could not find the flowers he loved +best of all, and he said: "Where are those, my sweetest flowers?" + +And the Prairie cried sorrowfully: "O Master, I cannot keep the flowers, +for the winds sweep fiercely, and the sun beats upon my breast, and they +wither up and fly away." + +Then the Master spoke to the Lightning, and with one swift blow the +Lightning cleft the Prairie to the heart. And the Prairie rocked and +groaned in agony, and for many a day moaned bitterly over its black, +jagged, gaping wound. + +But a little river poured its waters through the cleft, and carried down +deep, black mould, and once more the birds carried seeds and strewed +them in the canyon. And after a long time the rough rocks were decked +out with soft mosses and trailing vines, and all the nooks were hung +with clematis and columbine, and great elms lifted their huge tops high +up into the sunlight, and down about their feet clustered the low cedars +and balsams, and everywhere the violets and wind-flowers and maiden-hair +grew and bloomed till the canyon became the Master's place for rest and +peace and joy. + + + + +CLYTIE, THE HELIOTROPE + +BY OVID (ADAPTED) + +There was once a Nymph named Clytie, who gazed ever at Apollo as he +drove his sun-chariot through the heavens. She watched him as he rose in +the east attended by the rosy-fingered Dawn and the dancing Hours. She +gazed as he ascended the heavens, urging his steeds still higher in +the fierce heat of the noonday. She looked with wonder as at evening +he guided his steeds downward to their many-colored pastures under the +western sky, where they fed all night on ambrosia. + +Apollo saw not Clytie. He had no thought for her, but he shed his +brightest beams upon her sister the white Nymph Leucothoe. And when +Clytie perceived this she was filled with envy and grief. + +Night and day she sat on the bare ground weeping. For nine days and nine +nights she never raised herself from the earth, nor did she take food +or drink; but ever she turned her weeping eyes toward the sun-god as he +moved through the sky. + +And her limbs became rooted to the ground. Green leaves enfolded her +body. Her beautiful face was concealed by tiny flowers, violet-colored +and sweet with perfume. Thus was she changed into a flower and her roots +held her fast to the ground; but ever she turned her blossom-covered +face toward the sun, following with eager gaze his daily flight. In vain +were her sorrow and tears, for Apollo regarded her not. + +And so through the ages has the Nymph turned her dew-washed face toward +the heavens, and men no longer call her Clytie, but the sun-flower, +heliotrope. + + + + +HYACINTHUS + +BY OVID (ADAPTED) + +Once when the golden-beamed Apollo roamed the earth, he made a companion +of Hyacinthus, the son of King Amyclas of Lacedaemon; and him he loved +with an exceeding great love, for the lad was beautiful beyond compare. + +The sun-god threw aside his lyre, and became the daily comrade of +Hyacinthus. Often they played games, or climbed the rugged mountain +ridges. Together they followed the chase or fished in the quiet and +shadowy pools; and the sun-god, unmindful of his dignity, carried the +lad's nets and held his dogs. + +It happened on a day that the two friends stripped off their garments, +rubbed the juice of the olive upon their bodies, and engaged in throwing +the quoit. First Apollo poised it and tossed it far. It cleaved the air +with its weight and fell heavily to earth. At that moment Hyacinthus ran +forwards and hastened to take up the disc, but the hard earth sent +it rebounding straight into his face, so that he fell wounded to the +ground. + +Ah! then, pale and fearful, the sun-god hastened to the side of his +fallen friend. He bore up the lad's sinking limbs and strove to stanch +his wound with healing herbs. All in vain! Alas! the wound would not +close. And as violets and lilies, when their stems are crushed, +hang their languid blossoms on their stalks and wither away, so did +Hyacinthus droop his beautiful head and die. + +Then the sun-god, full of grief, cried aloud in his anguish: "O Beloved! +thou fallest in thy early youth, and I alone am the cause of thy +destruction! Oh, that I could give my life for thee or with thee! but +since Fate will not permit this, thou shalt ever be with me, and thy +praise shall dwell on my lips. My lyre struck with my hand, my songs, +too, shall celebrate thee! And thou, dear lad, shalt become a new +flower, and on thy leaves will I write my lamentations." + +And even as the sun-god spoke, behold! the blood that had flowed from +Hyacinthus's wound stained the grass, and a flower, like a lily in +shape, sprang up, more bright than Tyrian purple. On its leaves did +Apollo inscribe the mournful characters: "ai, ai," which mean "alas! +alas!" + +And as oft as the spring drives away the winter, so oft does Hyacinthus +blossom in the fresh, green grass. + + + + +ECHO AND NARCISSUS + +BY OVID (ADAPTED) + +Long ago, in the ancient world, there was born to the blue-eyed Nymph +Liriope, a beautiful boy, whom she called Narcissus. An oracle foretold +at his birth that he should be happy and live to a good old age if he +"never saw himself." As this prophecy seemed ridiculous his mother soon +forgot all about it. + +Narcissus grew to be a stately, handsome youth. His limbs were firm and +straight. Curls clustered about his white brow, and his eyes shone +like two stars. He loved to wander among the meadow flowers and in the +pathless woodland. But he disdained his playmates, and would not listen +to their entreaties to join in their games. His heart was cold, and in +it was neither hate nor love. He lived indifferent to youth or maid, to +friend or foe. + +Now, in the forest near by dwelt a Nymph named Echo. She had been a +handmaiden of the goddess Juno. But though the Nymph was beautiful +of face, she was not loved. She had a noisy tongue. She told lies and +whispered slanders, and encouraged the other Nymphs in many misdoings. +So when Juno perceived all this, she ordered the troublesome Nymph away +from her court, and banished her to the wildwood, bidding her never +speak again except in imitation of other peoples' words. So Echo dwelt +in the woods, and forever mocked the words of youths and maidens. + +One day as Narcissus was wandering alone in the pathless forest, Echo, +peeping from behind a tree, saw his beauty, and as she gazed her heart +was filled with love. Stealthily she followed his footsteps, and often +she tried to call to him with endearing words, but she could not speak, +for she no longer had a voice of her own. + +At last Narcissus heard the sound of breaking branches, and he cried +out: "Is there any one here?" + +And Echo answered softly: "Here!" + +Narcissus, amazed, looking about on all sides and seeing no one, cried: +"Come!" + +And Echo answered: "Come!" + +Narcissus cried again: "Who art thou? Whom seekest thou?" + +And Echo answered: "Thou!" + +Then rushing from among the trees she tried to throw her arms about his +neck, but Narcissus fled through the forest, crying: "Away! away! I will +die before I love thee!" + +And Echo answered mournfully: "I love thee!" + +And thus rejected, she hid among the trees, and buried her blushing face +in the green leaves. And she pined, and pined, until her body wasted +quite away, and nothing but her voice was left. And some say that even +to this day her voice lives in lonely caves and answers men's words from +afar. + +Now, when Narcissus fled from Echo, he came to a clear spring, like +silver. Its waters were unsullied, for neither goats feeding upon the +mountains nor any other cattle had drunk from it, nor had wild beasts or +birds disturbed it, nor had branch or leaf fallen into its calm waters. +The trees bent above and shaded it from the hot sun, and the soft, green +grass grew on its margin. + +Here Narcissus, fatigued and thirsty after his flight, laid himself down +beside the spring to drink. He gazed into the mirror-like water, and saw +himself reflected in its tide. He knew not that it was his own image, +but thought that he saw a youth living in the spring. + +He gazed on two eyes like stars, on graceful slender fingers, on +clustering curls worthy of Apollo, on a mouth arched like Cupid's bow, +on blushing cheeks and ivory neck. And as he gazed his cold heart grew +warm, and love for this beautiful reflection rose up and filled his +soul. + +He rained kisses on the deceitful stream. He thrust his arms into the +water, and strove to grasp the image by the neck, but it fled away. +Again he kissed the stream, but the image mocked his love. And all day +and all night, lying there without food or drink, he continued to gaze +into the water. Then raising himself, he stretched out his arms to the +trees about him, and cried:-- + +"Did ever, O ye woods, one love as much as I! Have ye ever seen a lover +thus pine for the sake of unrequited affection?" + +Then turning once more, Narcissus addressed his reflection in the limpid +stream:-- + +"Why, dear youth, dost thou flee away from me? Neither a vast sea, nor +a long way, nor a great mountain separates us! only a little water keeps +us apart! Why, dear lad, dost thou deceive me, and whither dost thou go +when I try to grasp thee? Thou encouragest me with friendly looks. When +I extend my arms, thou extendest thine; when I smile, thou smilest in +return; when I weep, thou weepest; but when I try to clasp thee beneath +the stream, thou shunnest me and fleest away! Grief is taking my +strength, and my life will soon be over! In my early days am I cut off, +nor is Death grievous to me, now that he is about to remove my sorrows!" + +Thus mourned Narcissus, lying beside the woodland spring. He disturbed +the water with his tears, and made the woods to resound with his sighs. +And as the yellow wax is melted by the fire, or the hoar frost is +consumed by the heat of the sun, so did Narcissus pine away, his body +wasting by degrees. + +And often as he sighed: "Alas!" the grieving Echo from the wood +answered: "Alas!" + +With his last breath he looked into the water and sighed: "Ah, youth +beloved, farewell!" and Echo sighed: "Farewell!" + +And Narcissus, laying his weary head upon the grass, closed his eyes +forever. The Water-Nymphs wept for him, and the Wood-Dryads lamented +him, and Echo resounded their mourning. But when they sought his body +it had vanished away, and in its stead had grown up by the brink of the +stream a little flower, with silver leaves and golden heart,--and thus +was born to earth the woodland flower, Narcissus. + + + + + +MOTHERS' DAY + +(SECOND SUNDAY IN MAY) + +THE LARK AND ITS YOUNG ONES + +A HINDU FABLE + +BY P. V. RAMASWAMI RAJU (ADAPTED) + +A child went up to a lark and said: "Good lark, have you any young +ones?" + +"Yes, child, I have," said the mother lark, "and they are very pretty +ones, indeed." Then she pointed to the little birds and said: "This is +Fair Wing, that is Tiny Bill, and that other is Bright Eyes." + +"At home, we are three," said the child, "myself and two sisters. Mother +says that we are pretty children, and she loves us." + +To this the little larks replied: "Oh, yes, OUR mother is fond of us, +too." + +"Good mother lark," said the child, "will you let Tiny Bill go home with +me and play?" + +Before the mother lark could reply, Bright Eyes said: "Yes, if you will +send your little sister to play with us in our nest." + +"Oh, she will be so sorry to leave home," said the child; "she could not +come away from our mother." + +"Tiny Bill will be so sorry to leave our nest," answered Bright Eyes, +"and he will not go away from OUR mother." + +Then the child ran away to her mother, saying: "Ah, every one is fond of +home!" + + + + +CORNELIA'S JEWELS + +BY JAMES BALDWIN [3] + +[Footnote 3: From Fifty Famous Stories Retold. Copyright, 1896, by +American Book Company.] + + + + +It was a bright morning in the old city of Rome many hundred years ago. +In a vine-covered summer-house in a beautiful garden, two boys were +standing. They were looking at their mother and her friend, who were +walking among the flowers and trees. + +"Did you ever see so handsome a lady as our mother's friend?" asked the +younger boy, holding his tall brother's hand. "She looks like a queen." + +"Yet she is not so beautiful as our mother," said the elder boy. "She +has a fine dress, it is true; but her face is not noble and kind. It is +our mother who is like a queen." + +"That is true," said the other. "There is no woman in Rome so much like +a queen as our own dear mother." + +Soon Cornelia, their mother, came down the walk to speak with them. She +was simply dressed in a plain, white robe. Her arms and feet were bare, +as was the custom in those days; and no rings or chains glittered about +her hands and neck. For her only crown, long braids of soft brown hair +were coiled about her head; and a tender smile lit up her noble face as +she looked into her sons' proud eyes. + +"Boys," she said, "I have something to tell you." + +They bowed before her, as Roman lads were taught to do, and said: "What +is it, mother?" + +"You are to dine with us to-day, here in the garden; and then our friend +is going to show us that wonderful casket of jewels of which you have +heard so much." + +The brothers looked shyly at their mother's friend. Was it possible that +she had still other rings besides those on her fingers? Could she have +other gems besides those which sparkled in the chains about her neck? + +When the simple outdoor meal was over, a servant brought the casket from +the house. The lady opened it. Ah, how those jewels dazzled the eyes +of the wondering boys! There were ropes of pearls, white as milk, and +smooth as satin; heaps of shining rubies, red as the glowing coals; +sapphires as blue as the sky that summer day; and diamonds that flashed +and sparkled like the sunlight. + +The brothers looked long at the gems. "Ah!" whispered the younger; "if +our mother could only have such beautiful things!" + +At last, however, the casket was closed and carried carefully away. + +"Is it true, Cornelia, that you have no jewels?" asked her friend. "Is +it true, as I have heard it whispered, that you are poor?" + +"No, I am not poor," answered Cornelia, and as she spoke she drew her +two boys to her side; "for here are my jewels. They are worth more than +all your gems." + +The boys never forgot their mother's pride and love and care; and in +after years, when they had become great men in Rome, they often thought +of this scene in the garden. And the world still likes to hear the story +of Cornelia's jewels. + + + + +QUEEN MARGARET AND THE ROBBERS + +BY ALBERT F. BLAISDELL (ADAPTED) + +One day when roses were in bloom, two noblemen came to angry words in +the Temple Gardens, by the side of the river Thames. In the midst of +their quarrel one of them plucked a white rose from a bush, and, turning +to those who were near him, said:-- + +"He who will stand by me in this quarrel, let him pluck a white rose +with me, and wear it in his hat." + +Then the other gentleman tore a red rose from another bush, and said:-- + +"Let him who will stand by me pluck a red rose, and wear it as his +badge." + +Now this quarrel led to a great civil war, which was called "The War of +the Roses," for every soldier wore a white or red rose in his helmet to +show to which side he belonged. + +The leaders of the "Red Rose" sided with King Henry the Sixth and his +wife, Queen Margaret, who were fighting for the English throne. Many +great battles were fought, and wicked deeds were done in those dreadful +times. + +In a battle at a place called Hexham, the king's party was beaten, and +Queen Margaret and her little son, the Prince of Wales, had to flee for +their lives. They had not gone far before they met a band of robbers, +who stopped the queen and stole all her rich jewels, and, holding a +drawn sword over her head, threatened to take her life and that of her +child. + +The poor queen, overcome by terror, fell upon her knees and begged them +to spare her only son, the little prince. But the robbers, turning from +her, began to fight among themselves as to how they should divide the +plunder, and, drawing their weapons, they attacked one another. When +the queen saw what was happening she sprang to her feet, and, taking the +prince by the hand, made haste to escape. + +There was a thick wood close by, and the queen plunged into it, but she +was sorely afraid and trembled in every limb, for she knew that this +wood was the hiding-place of robbers and outlaws. Every tree seemed to +her excited fancy to be an armed man waiting to kill her and her little +son. + +On and on she went through the dark wood, this way and that, seeking +some place of shelter, but not knowing where she was going. At last she +saw by the light of the moon a tall, fierce-looking man step out from +behind a tree. He came directly toward her, and she knew by his dress +that he was an outlaw. But thinking that he might have children of his +own, she determined to throw herself and her son upon his mercy. + +When he came near she addressed him in a calm voice and with a stately +manner. + +"Friend," said she, "I am the queen. Kill me if thou wilt, but spare my +son, thy prince. Take him, I will trust him to thee. Keep him safe from +those that seek his life, and God will have pity on thee for all thy +sins." + +The words of the queen moved the heart of the outlaw. He told her that +he had once fought on her side, and was now hiding from the soldiers +of the "White Rose." He then lifted the little prince in his arms, and, +bidding the queen follow, led the way to a cave in the rocks. There he +gave them food and shelter, and kept them safe for two days, when the +queen's friends and attendants, discovering their hiding-place, came and +took them far away. + +If you ever go to Hexham Forest, you may see this robber's cave. It is +on the bank of a little stream that flows at the foot of a hill, and to +this day the people call it "Queen Margaret's Cave." + + + + +THE REVENGE OF CORIOLANUS + +BY CHARLES MORRIS (ADAPTED) + +Caius Marcius was a noble Roman youth, who fought valiantly, when but +seventeen years of age, in the battle of Lake Regillus, and was there +crowned with an oaken wreath, the Roman reward for saving the life of a +fellow soldier. This he showed with joy to his mother, Volumnia, whom he +loved exceedingly, it being his greatest pleasure to receive praise from +her lips. + +He afterward won many more crowns in battle, and became one of the +most famous of Roman soldiers. One of his memorable exploits took place +during a war with the Volscians, in which the Romans attacked the city +of Corioli. Through Caius's bravery the place was taken, and the Roman +general said: "Henceforth, let him be called after the name of this +city." So ever after he was known as Caius Marcius Coriolanus. + +Courage was not the only marked quality of Coriolanus. His pride was +equally great. He was a noble of the nobles, so haughty in demeanor and +so disdainful of the commons that they grew to hate him bitterly. + +At length came a time of great scarcity of food. The people were on +the verge of famine, to relieve which shiploads of corn were sent from +Sicily to Rome. The Senate resolved to distribute this corn among the +suffering people, but Coriolanus opposed this, saying: "If they want +corn, let them promise to obey the Patricians, as their fathers did. Let +them give up their tribunes. If they do this we will let them have corn, +and take care of them." + +When the people heard of what the proud noble had said, they broke +into a fury, and a mob gathered around the doors of the Senate house, +prepared to seize and tear him in pieces when he came out. But the +tribunes prevented this, and Coriolanus fled from Rome, exiled from his +native land by his pride and disdain of the people. + +The exile made his way to the land of the Volscians and became the +friend of Rome's great enemy, whom he had formerly helped to conquer. +He aroused the Volscians' ire against Rome, to a greater degree than +before, and placing himself at the head of a Volscian army greater +than the Roman forces, marched against his native city. The army swept +victoriously onward, taking city after city, and finally encamping +within five miles of Rome. + +The approach of this powerful host threw the Romans into dismay. They +had been assailed so suddenly that they had made no preparations for +defense, and the city seemed to lie at the mercy of its foes. The +women ran to the temples to pray for the favor of the gods. The people +demanded that the Senate should send deputies to the invading army to +treat for peace. + +The Senate, no less frightened than the people, obeyed, sending five +leading Patricians to the Volscian camp. These deputies were haughtily +received by Coriolanus, who offered them such severe terms that they +were unable to accept them. They returned and reported the matter, and +the Senate was thrown into confusion. The deputies were sent again, +instructed to ask for gentler terms, but now Coriolanus refused even +to let them enter his camp. This harsh repulse plunged Rome into mortal +terror. + +All else having failed, the noble women of Rome, with Volumnia, the +mother of Coriolanus, at their head, went in procession from the city to +the Volscian camp to pray for mercy. + +It was a sad and solemn spectacle, as this train of noble ladies, clad +in their habiliments of woe, and with bent heads and sorrowful faces, +wound through the hostile camp, from which they were not excluded as the +deputies had been. Even the Volscian soldiers watched them with pitying +eyes, and spoke no scornful word as they moved slowly past. + +On reaching the midst of the camp, they saw Coriolanus on the general's +seat, with the Volscian chiefs gathered around him. At first he wondered +who these women could be; but when they came near, and he saw his mother +at the head of the train, his deep love for her welled up so strongly in +his heart that he could not restrain himself, but sprang up and ran to +meet and kiss her. + +The Roman matron stopped him with a dignified gesture. "Ere you kiss +me," she said, "let me know whether I speak to an enemy or to my son; +whether I stand here as your prisoner or your mother." + +He stood before her in silence, with bent head, and unable to answer. + +"Must it, then, be that if I had never borne a son, Rome would have +never seen the camp of an enemy?" said Volumnia, in sorrowful tones. + +"But I am too old to endure much longer your shame and my misery. Think +not of me, but of your wife and children, whom you would doom to death +or to life in bondage." + +Then Virgilia, his wife, and his children, came forward and kissed him, +and all the noble ladies in the train burst into tears and bemoaned the +peril of their country. + +Coriolanus still stood silent, his face working with contending +thoughts. At length he cried out in heart-rending accents: "O mother! +What have you done to me?" + +Then clasping her hand he wrung it vehemently, saying: "Mother, the +victory is yours! A happy victory for you and Rome! but shame and ruin +for your son." + +Thereupon he embraced her with yearning heart, and afterward clasped his +wife and children to his breast, bidding them return with their tale +of conquest to Rome. As for himself, he said, only exile and shame +remained. + +Before the women reached home, the army of the Volscians was on its +homeward march. Coriolanus never led it against Rome again. He lived and +died in exile, far from his wife and children. + +The Romans, to honor Volumnia, and those who had gone with her to the +Volscian camp, built a temple to "Woman's Fortune," on the spot where +Coriolanus had yielded to his mother's entreaties. + + + + +THE WIDOW AND HER THREE SONS + +(ADAPTED) + +One day a poor woman approached Mr. Lincoln for an interview. She was +somewhat advanced in years and plainly clad, wearing a faded shawl and +worn hood. + +"Well, my good woman," said Mr. Lincoln, "what can I do for you this +morning?" + +"Mr. President," answered she, "my husband and three sons all went into +the army. My husband was killed in the battle of----. I get along very +badly since then living all alone, and I thought that I would come and +ask you to release to me my eldest son." + +Mr. Lincoln looked in her face for a moment, and then replied kindly:-- + +"Certainly! Certainly! If you have given us ALL, and your prop has been +taken away, you are justly entitled to one of your boys." + +He then made out an order discharging the young man, which the woman +took away, thanking him gratefully. + +She went to the front herself with the President's order, and found that +her son had been mortally wounded in a recent battle, and taken to the +hospital. + +She hastened to the hospital. But she was too late, the boy died, and +she saw him laid in a soldier's grave. + +She then returned to the President with his order, on the back of which +the attendant surgeon had stated the sad facts concerning the young man +it was intended to discharge. + +Mr. Lincoln was much moved by her story, and said: "I know what you wish +me to do now, and I shall do it without your asking. I shall release to +you your second son." + +Taking up his pen he began to write the order, while the grief-stricken +woman stood at his side and passed her hand softly over his head, and +stroked his rough hair as she would have stroked her boy's. + +When he had finished he handed her the paper, saying tenderly, his eyes +full of tears:-- + +"Now you have one of the two left, and I have one, that is no more than +right." + +She took the order and reverently placing her hand upon his head, +said:-- + +"The Lord bless you, Mr. President. May you live a thousand years, and +may you always be the head of this great nation." + + + + + +MEMORIAL DAY + +(APRIL OR MAY) + +FLAG DAY + +(JUNE 14) + + + + +BETSY ROSS AND THE FLAG + +BY HARRY PRINGLE FORD (ADAPTED) + +On the 14th day of June, 1777, the Continental Congress passed the +following resolution: "RESOLVED, That the flag of the thirteen United +States be thirteen stripes alternate red and white; that the Union +be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new +constellation." + +We are told that previous to this, in 1776, a committee was appointed to +look after the matter, and together with General Washington they called +at the house of Betsy Ross, 239 Arch Street, Philadelphia. + +Betsy Ross was a young widow of twenty-four heroically supporting +herself by continuing the upholstery business of her late husband, young +John Ross, a patriot who had died in the service of his country. +Betsy was noted for her exquisite needlework, and was engaged in the +flag-making business. + +The committee asked her if she thought she could make a flag from a +design, a rough drawing of which General Washington showed her. She +replied, with diffidence, that she did not know whether she could or +not, but would try. She noticed, however, that the star as drawn had six +points, and informed the committee that the correct star had but five. +They answered that as a great number of stars would be required, the +more regular form with six points could be more easily made than one +with five. + +She responded in a practical way by deftly folding a scrap of +paper; then with a single clip of her scissors she displayed a true, +symmetrical, five-pointed star. + +This decided the committee in her favor. A rough design was left for her +use, but she was permitted to make a sample flag according to her own +ideas of the arrangement of the stars and the proportions of the stripes +and the general form of the whole. + +Sometime after its completion it was presented to Congress, and the +committee had the pleasure of informing Betsy Ross that her flag was +accepted as the Nation's standard. + + + + +THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER + +BY EVA MARCH TAPPAN (ADAPTED) + +In 1814, while the War of 1812 was still going on, the people of +Maryland were in great trouble, for a British fleet began to attack +Baltimore. The enemy bombarded the forts, including Fort McHenry. For +twenty-four hours the terrific bombardment went on. + +"If Fort McHenry only stands, the city is safe," said Francis Scott Key +to a friend, and they gazed anxiously through the smoke to see if the +flag was still flying. + +These two men were in the strangest place that could be imagined. They +were in a little American vessel fast moored to the side of the British +admiral's flagship. A Maryland doctor had been seized as a prisoner by +the British, and the President had given permission for them to go out +under a flag of truce, to ask for his release. The British commander +finally decided that the prisoner might be set free; but he had no +idea of allowing the two men to go back to the city and carry any +information. "Until the attack on Baltimore is ended, you and your boat +must remain here," he said. + +The firing went on. As long as daylight lasted they could catch glimpses +of the Stars and Stripes whenever the wind swayed the clouds of smoke. +When night came they could still see the banner now and then by the +blaze of the cannon. A little after midnight the firing stopped. The two +men paced up and down the deck, straining their eyes to see if the flag +was still flying. "Can the fort have surrendered?" they questioned. "Oh, +if morning would only come!" + +At last the faint gray of dawn appeared. They could see that some flag +was flying, but it was too dark to tell which. More and more eagerly +they gazed. It grew lighter, a sudden breath of wind caught the flag, +and it floated out on the breeze. It was no English flag, it was their +own Stars and Stripes. The fort had stood, the city was safe. Then it +was that Key took from his pocket an old letter and on the back of it he +wrote the poem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." + +The British departed, and the little American boat went back to the +city. Mr. Key gave a copy of the poem to his uncle, who had been helping +to defend the fort. The uncle sent it to the printer, and had it struck +off on some handbills. Before the ink was dry the printer caught up one +and hurried away to a restaurant, where many patriots were assembled. +Waving the paper, he cried, "Listen to this!" and he read:-- + + "O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, + What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, + Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous + fight, + O'er the ramparts we watch'd were so gallantly streaming? + And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, + Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. + O say, does the star-spangled banner yet wave + O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?" + + +"Sing it! sing it!" cried the whole company. Charles Durang mounted a +chair and then for the first time "The Star-Spangled Banner" was sung. +The tune was "To Anacreon in Heaven," an air which had long been a +favorite. Halls, theaters, and private houses rang with its strains. + +The fleet was out of sight even before the poem was printed. In the +middle of the night the admiral had sent to the British soldiers this +message, "I can do nothing more," and they hurried on board the vessels. +It was not long before they left Chesapeake Bay altogether,--perhaps +with the new song ringing in their ears as they went. + + + + +THE LITTLE DRUMMER-BOY + +BY ALBERT BUSHNELL HART (ADAPTED) + +A few days before a certain regiment received orders to join General +Lyon, on his march to Wilson's Creek, the drummer-boy of the regiment +was taken sick, and carried to the hospital. + +Shortly after this there appeared before the captain's quarters, during +the beating of the reveille, a good-looking, middle-aged woman, dressed +in deep mourning, leading by the hand a sharp, sprightly looking boy, +apparently about twelve or thirteen years of age. + +Her story was soon told. She was from East Tennessee, where her husband +had been killed by the Confederates, and all her property destroyed. +Being destitute, she thought that if she could procure a situation for +her boy as drummer, she could find employment for herself. + +While she told her story, the little fellow kept his eyes intently fixed +upon the countenance of the captain. And just as the latter was about to +say that he could not take so small a boy, the lad spoke out:-- + +"Don't be afraid, Captain," said he, "I can drum." + +This was spoken with so much confidence that the captain smiled and said +to the sergeant:-- + +"Well, well, bring the drum, and order our fifer to come here." + +In a few moments a drum was produced and the fifer, a round-shouldered, +good-natured fellow, who stood six feet tall, made his appearance. Upon +being introduced to the lad, he stooped down, resting his hands on his +knees, and, after peering into the little fellow's face for a moment, +said:-- + +"My little man, can you drum?" + +"Yes, sir," answered the boy promptly. "I drummed for Captain Hill in +Tennessee." + +The fifer immediately straightened himself, and, placing his fife to +his lips, played the "Flowers of Edinburgh," one of the most difficult +things to follow with the drum. And nobly did the little fellow follow +him, showing himself to be master of the drum. + +When the music ceased the captain turned to the mother and observed:-- + +"Madam, I will take the boy. What is his name?" + +"Edward Lee," she replied. Then placing her hand upon the captain's arm, +she continued in a choking voice, "If he is not killed!--Captain,--you +will bring him back to me?" + +"Yes, yes," he replied, "we shall be certain to bring him back to you. +We shall be discharged in six weeks." + +An hour after, the company led the regiment out of camp, the drum and +fife playing "The Girl I left behind me." + +Eddie, as the soldiers called him, soon became a great favorite with +all the men of the company. When any of the boys returned from foraging, +Eddie's share of the peaches, melons, and other good things was meted +out first. During the heavy and fatiguing marches, the long-legged fifer +often waded through the mud with the little drummer mounted on his back, +and in the same fashion he carried Eddie when fording streams. + +During the fight at Wilson's Creek, a part of the company was stationed +on the right of Totten's battery, while the balance of the company was +ordered down into a deep ravine, at the left, in which it was known a +party of Confederates was concealed. + +An engagement took place. The contest in the ravine continued some time. +Totten suddenly wheeled his battery upon the enemy in that quarter, and +they soon retreated to high ground behind their lines. + +In less than twenty minutes after Totten had driven the Confederates +from the ravine, the word passed from man to man throughout the army, +"Lyon is killed!" And soon after, hostilities having ceased upon both +sides, the order came for the main part of the Federal force to fall +back upon Springfield, while the lesser part was to camp upon the +ground, and cover the retreat. + +That night a corporal was detailed for guard duty. His post was upon +a high eminence that overlooked the deep ravine in which the men had +engaged the enemy. It was a dreary, lonesome beat. The hours passed +slowly away, and at length the morning light began to streak along the +western sky, making surrounding objects visible. + +Presently the corporal heard a drum beating up the morning call. At +first he thought it came from the camp of the Confederates across the +creek, but as he listened he found that it came from the deep ravine. +For a few moments the sound stopped, then began again. The corporal +listened closely. The notes of the drum were familiar to him,--and then +he knew that it was the drummer-boy from Tennessee playing the morning +call. + +Just then the corporal was relieved from guard duty, and, asking +permission, went at once to Eddie's assistance. He started down the +hill, through the thick underbrush, and upon reaching the bottom of the +ravine, he followed the sound of the drum, and soon found the lad seated +upon the ground, his back leaning against a fallen tree, while his drum +hung upon a bush in front of him. + +As soon as the boy saw his rescuer he dropped his drumsticks, and +exclaimed:-- + +"O Corporal! I am so glad to see you! Give me a drink." + +The soldier took his empty canteen, and immediately turned to bring some +water from the brook that he could hear rippling through the bushes near +by, when, Eddie, thinking that he was about to leave him, cried out:-- + +"Don't leave me, Corporal, I can't walk." + +The corporal was soon back with the water, when he discovered that both +the lad's feet had been shot away by a cannon-ball. + +After satisfying his thirst, Eddie looked up into the corporal's face +and said:-- + +"You don't think I shall die, do you? This man said I should not,--he +said the surgeon could cure my feet." + +The corporal now looked about him and discovered a man lying in the +grass near by. By his dress he knew him to belong to the Confederate +army. It appeared that he had been shot and had fallen near Eddie. +Knowing that he could not live, and seeing the condition of the +drummer-boy, he had crawled to him, taken off his buckskin suspenders, +and had corded the little fellow's legs below the knees, and then he had +laid himself down and died. + +While Eddie was telling the corporal these particulars, they heard the +tramp of cavalry coming down the ravine, and in a moment a scout of the +enemy was upon them, and took them both prisoners. + +The corporal requested the officer in charge to take Eddie up in front +of him, and he did so, carrying the lad with great tenderness and care. +When they reached the Confederate camp the little fellow was dead. + + + + +A FLAG INCIDENT + +BY M. M. THOMAS (ADAPTED) + +When marching to Chattanooga the corps had reached a little wooded +valley between the mountains. The colonel, with others, rode ahead, +and, striking into a bypath, suddenly came upon a secluded little cabin +surrounded by a patch of cultivated ground. + +At the door an old woman, eighty years of age, was supporting herself +on a crutch. As they rode up she asked if they were "Yankees," and upon +their replying that they were, she said: "Have you got the Stars and +Stripes with you? My father fought the Tories in the Revolution, and my +old eyes ache for a sight of the true flag before I die." + +To gratify her the colonel sent to have the colors brought that way. +When they were unfurled and planted before her door, she passed her +trembling hands over them and held them close to her eyes that she might +view the stars once more. When the band gave her "Yankee Doodle," +and the "'Star-Spangled Banner," she sobbed like a child, as did her +daughter, a woman of fifty, while her three little grandchildren gazed +in wonder. + +They were Eastern people, who had gone to New Orleans to try to improve +their condition. Not being successful, they had moved from place to +place to better themselves, until finally they had settled on this spot, +the husband having taken several acres of land here for a debt. + +Then the war burst upon them. The man fled to the mountains to avoid the +conscription, and they knew not whether he was alive or dead. They had +managed to support life, but were so retired that they saw very few +people. + +Leaving them food and supplies, the colonel and the corps passed on. + + + + +TWO HERO-STORIES OF THE CIVIL WAR + +BY BEN LA BREE (ADAPTED) + +I. BRAVERY HONORED BY A FOE + +In a rifle-pit, on the brow of a hill near Fredericksburg, were a number +of Confederate soldiers who had exhausted their ammunition in the vain +attempt to check the advancing column of Hooker's finely equipped and +disciplined army which was crossing the river. To the relief of these +few came the brigade in double-quick time. But no sooner were the +soldiers intrenched than the firing on the opposite side of the river +became terrific. + +A heavy mist obscured the scene. The Federal soldiers poured a merciless +fire into the trenches. Soon many Confederates fell, and the agonized +cries of the wounded who lay there calling for water, smote the hearts +of their helpless comrades. + +"Water! Water!" But there was none to give, the canteens were-empty. + +"Boys," exclaimed Nathan Cunningham, a lad of eighteen, the color-bearer +for his regiment, "I can't stand this any more. They want water, and +water they must have. So let me have a few canteens and I'll go for +some." + +Carefully laying the colors, which he had borne on many a field, in a +trench, he seized some canteens, and, leaping into the mist, was soon +out of sight. + +Shortly after this the firing ceased for a while, and an order came for +the men to fall back to the main line. + +As the Confederates were retreating they met Nathan Cunningham, his +canteens full of water, hurrying to relieve the thirst of the wounded +men in the trenches. He glanced over the passing column and saw that +the faded flag, which he had carried so long, was not there. The men in +their haste to obey orders HAD FORGOTTEN OR OVERLOOKED THE COLORS. + +Quickly the lad sped to the trenches, intent now not only on giving +water to his comrades, but on rescuing the flag and so to save the honor +of his regiment. + +His mission of mercy was soon accomplished. The wounded men drank +freely. The lad then found and seized his colors, and turned to rejoin +his regiment. Scarcely had he gone three paces when a company of Federal +soldiers appeared ascending the hill. + +"Halt and surrender," came the stern command, and a hundred rifles were +leveled at the boy's breast. + +"NEVER! while I hold the colors," was his firm reply. + +The morning sun, piercing with a lurid glare the dense mist, showed the +lad proudly standing with his head thrown back and his flag grasped in +his hand, while his unprotected breast was exposed to the fire of his +foe. + +A moment's pause. Then the Federal officer gave his command:-- + +"Back with your pieces, men, don't shoot that brave boy." + +And Nathan Cunningham, with colors flying over his head, passed on and +joined his regiment. + +His comrades in arms still tell with pride of his brave deed and of the +generous act of a foe. + + + + +II. THE BRAVERY OF RICHARD KIRTLAND + + +Richard Kirtland was a sergeant in the Second Regiment of South Carolina +Volunteers. The day after the great battle of Fredericksburg, Kershaw's +brigade occupied the road at the foot of Marye's Hill. + +One hundred and fifty yards in front of the road, on the other side of +a stone wall, lay Sykes's division of the United States Army. Between +these troops and Kershaw's command a skirmish fight was continued +through the entire day. The ground between the lines was literally +covered with dead and dying Federal soldiers. + +All day long the wounded were calling, "Water! water! water!" + +In the afternoon, Sergeant Kirtland, a Confederate soldier, went to the +headquarters of General Kershaw, and said with deep emotion: "General, +all through last night and to-day; I have been hearing those poor +wounded Federal soldiers out there cry for water. Let me go and give +them some." + +"Don't you know," replied the general, "that you would get a bullet +through you the moment you stepped over the wall?" + +"Yes, sir," said the sergeant; "but if you will let me go I am willing +to try it." + +The general reflected a minute, then answered: "Kirtland, I ought not to +allow you to take this risk, but the spirit that moves you is so noble I +cannot refuse. Go, and may God protect you!" + +In the face of almost certain death the sergeant climbed the wall, +watched with anxiety by the soldiers of his army. Under the curious gaze +of his foes, and exposed to their fire, he dropped to the ground and +hastened on his errand of mercy. Unharmed, untouched, he reached the +nearest sufferer. He knelt beside him, tenderly raised his drooping +head, rested it gently on his breast, and poured the cooling life-giving +water down the parched throat. This done he laid him carefully down, +placed the soldier's knapsack under his head, straightened his broken +limbs, spread his coat over him, replaced the empty canteen with a full +one, then turned to another sufferer. + +By this time his conduct was understood by friend and foe alike and the +firing ceased on both sides. + +For an hour and a half did he pursue his noble mission, until he had +relieved the wounded on all parts of the battlefield. Then he returned +to his post uninjured. + +Surely such a noble deed is worthy of the admiration of men and angels. + + + + +THE YOUNG SENTINEL + +BY Z. A. MUDGE (ADAPTED) + +In the summer of 1862, a young man belonging to a Vermont regiment was +found sleeping at his post. He was tried and sentenced to be shot. The +day was fixed for the execution, and the young soldier calmly prepared +to meet his fate. + +Friends who knew of the case brought the matter to Mr. Lincoln's +attention. It seemed that the boy had been on duty one night, and on +the following night he had taken the place of a comrade too ill to stand +guard. The third night he had been again called out, and, being utterly +exhausted, had fallen asleep at his post. + +As soon as Mr. Lincoln understood the case, he signed a pardon, and +sent it to the camp. The morning before the execution arrived, and the +President had not heard whether the pardon had reached the officers in +charge of the matter. He began to feel uneasy. He ordered a telegram to +be sent to the camp, but received no answer. State papers could not +fix his mind, nor could he banish the condemned soldier boy from his +thoughts. + +At last, feeling that he MUST KNOW that the lad was safe, he ordered +the carriage and rode rapidly ten miles over a dusty road and beneath +a scorching sun. When he reached the camp he found that the pardon had +been received and the execution stayed. + +The sentinel was released, and his heart was filled with lasting +gratitude. When the campaign opened in the spring, the young man was +with his regiment near Yorktown, Virginia. They were ordered to attack a +fort, and he fell at the first volley of the enemy. + +His comrades caught him up and carried him bleeding and dying from the +field. "Bear witness," he said, "that I have proved myself not a coward, +and I am not afraid to die." Then, making a last effort, with his dying +breath he prayed for Abraham Lincoln. + + + + +THE COLONEL OF THE ZOUAVES + +BY NOAH BROOKS (ADAPTED) + +Among those who accompanied Mr. Lincoln, the President-elect, on his +journey from Illinois to the national capital, was Elmer E. Ellsworth, +a young man who had been employed in the law office of Lincoln and +Herndon, Springfield. + +He was a brave, handsome, and impetuous youth, and was among the first +to offer his services to the President in defense of the Union, as soon +as the mutterings of war were heard. + +Before the war he had organized a company of Zouaves from the Chicago +firemen, and had delighted and astonished many people by the exhibitions +of their skill in the evolutions through which they were put while +visiting some chief cities of the Republic. + +Now, being commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army, +he went to New York and organized from the firemen of that city a +similar regiment, known as the Eleventh New York. + +Colonel Ellsworth's Zouaves, on the evening of May 23, were sent with +a considerable force to occupy the heights overlooking Washington and +Alexandria, on the banks of the Potomac, opposite the national capital. + +Next day, seeing a Confederate flag flying from the Marshall House, +a tavern in Alexandria kept by a secessionist, he went up through the +building to the roof and pulled it down. While on his way down the +stairs, with the flag in his arms, he was met by the tavern-keeper, who +shot and killed him instantly. Ellsworth fell, dyeing the Confederate +flag with the blood that gushed from his heart. The tavern-keeper was +instantly killed by a shot from Private Brownell, of the Ellsworth +Zouaves, who was at hand when his commander fell. + +The death of Ellsworth, needless though it may have been, caused a +profound sensation throughout the country, where he was well known. He +was among the very first martyrs of the war, as he had been one of the +first volunteers. + +Lincoln was overwhelmed with sorrow. He had the body of the lamented +young officer taken to the White House, where it lay in state until the +burial took place, and, even in the midst of his increasing cares, he +found time to sit alone and in grief-stricken meditation by the bier of +the dead young soldier of whose career he had cherished so great hopes. + +The life-blood from Ellsworth's heart had stained not only the +Confederate flag, but a gold medal found under his uniform, bearing the +legend: "Non solum nobis, sed pro patria"; "Not for ourselves alone, but +for the country." + + + + +GENERAL SCOTT AND THE STARS AND STRIPES + +BY E. D. TOWNSEND (ADAPTED) + +One day, as the general was sitting at his table in the office, the +messenger announced that a person desired to see him a moment in order +to present a gift. + +A German was introduced, who said that he was commissioned by a house in +New York to present General Scott with a small silk banner. It was very +handsome, of the size of a regimental flag, and was made of a single +piece of silk stamped with the Stars and Stripes of the proper colors. + +The German said that the manufacturers who had sent the banner, wished +to express thus the great respect they felt for General Scott, and their +sense of his importance to the country in that perilous time. + +The general was highly pleased, and, in accepting the gift, assured +the donors that the flag should hang in his room wherever he went, and +enshroud him when he died. + +As soon as the man was gone, the general desired that the stars might be +counted to see if ALL the States were represented. They were ALL there. + +The flag was then draped between the windows over the couch where the +general frequently reclined for rest during the day. It went with him in +his berth when he sailed for Europe, after his retirement, and enveloped +his coffin when he was interred at West Point. + + + + + +INDEPENDENCE DAY + +(JULY 4) + + + + +THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE + +BY WASHINGTON IRVING + +While danger was gathering round New York, and its inhabitants were +in mute suspense and fearful anticipations, the General Congress +at Philadelphia was discussing, with closed doors, what John Adams +pronounced: "The greatest question ever debated in America, and as great +as ever was or will be debated among men." The result was, a resolution +passed unanimously on the 2d of July; "that these United Colonies are, +and of right ought to be, free and independent States." + +"The 2d of July," adds the same patriot statesman, "will be the most +memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it +will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary +festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by +solemn acts of devotion to Almighty God. It ought to be solemnized with +pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and +illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this +time forth forevermore." + +The glorious event has, indeed, given rise to an annual jubilee; but +not on the day designated by Adams. The FOURTH of July is the day of +national rejoicing, for on that day the "Declaration of Independence," +that solemn and sublime document, was adopted. + +Tradition gives a dramatic effect to its announcement. It was known +to be under discussion, but the closed doors of Congress excluded the +populace. They awaited, in throngs, an appointed signal. In the steeple +of the State House was a bell, imported twenty-three years previously +from London by the Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania. It bore the +portentous text from Scripture: "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the +land, unto all the inhabitants thereof." A joyous peal from that bell +gave notice that the bill had been passed. It was the knell of British +domination. + + + + +THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE + +BY H. A. GUERBER [4] + +[Footnote 4: From The Story of the Thirteen Colonies. Copyright, 1898, +by H. A. Guerber. American Book Company, publishers.] + + +John Hancock, President of Congress, was the first to sign the +Declaration of Independence, writing his name in large, plain letters, +and saying:-- + +"There! John Bull can read my name without spectacles. Now let him +double the price on my head, for this is my defiance." + +Then he turned to the other members, and solemnly declared:-- + +"We must be unanimous. There must be no pulling different ways. We must +all hang together." + +"Yes," said Franklin, quaintly: "we must all hang together, or most +assuredly we shall all hang separately." + +We are told that Charles Carroll, thinking that his writing looked +shaky, added the words, "of Carrollton," so that the king should not be +able to make any mistake as to whose name stood there. + + +A BRAVE GIRL + +BY JAMES JOHONNOT (ADAPTED) [41] + + +[Footnote 41: From Stories of Heroic Deeds. Copyright, 1887, by D. +Appleton and Company. American Book Company, publishers.] + + +In the year 1781 the war was chiefly carried on in the South, but the +North was constantly troubled by bands of Tories and Indians, who would +swoop down on small settlements and make off with whatever they could +lay their hands on. + +During this time General Schuyler was staying at his house, which stood +just outside the stockade or walls of Albany. The British commander sent +out a party of Tories and Indians to capture the general. + +When they reached the outskirts of the city they learned from a Dutch +laborer that the general's house was guarded by six soldiers, three +watching by night and three by day. They let the Dutchman go, and as +soon as the band was out of sight he hastened to Albany and warned the +general of their approach. + +Schuyler gathered his family in one of the upper rooms of his house, +and giving orders that the doors and windows should be barred, fired a +pistol from a top-story window, to alarm the neighborhood. + +The soldiers on guard, who had been lounging in the shade of a tree, +started to their feet at the sound of the pistol; but, alas! too late, +for they found themselves surrounded by a crowd of dusky forms, who +bound them hand and foot, before they had time to resist. + +In the room upstairs was the sturdy general, standing resolutely at the +door, with gun in hand, while his black slaves were gathered about him, +each with a weapon. At the other end of the room the women were huddled +together, some weeping and some praying. + +Suddenly a deafening crash was heard. The Indian band had broken +into the house. With loud shouts they began to pillage and to destroy +everything in sight. While they were yet busy downstairs, Mrs. Schuyler +sprang to her feet and rushed to the door; for she had suddenly +remembered that the baby, who was only a few months old, was asleep in +its cradle in a room on the first floor. + +The general caught his wife in his arms, and implored her not to go to +certain death, saying that if any one was to go he would. While this +generous struggle between husband and wife was going on, their young +daughter, who had been standing near the door, glided by them, and +descended the stairs. + +All was dark in the hall, excepting where the light shone from the +dining-room in which the Indians were pillaging the shelves and fighting +over their booty. How to get past the dining-room door was the question, +but the brave girl did not hesitate. Reaching the lower hall, she walked +very deliberately forward, softly but quickly passing the door, and +unobserved reached the room in which was the cradle. + +She caught up the baby, crept back past the open door, and was just +mounting the stairs, when one of the savages happened to see her. + +"WHIZ"--and his sharp tomahawk struck the stair rail within a few inches +of the baby's head. But the frightened girl hurried on, and in a few +seconds was safe in her father's arms. + +As for the Indians, fearing an attack from the near-by garrison, they +hastened away with the booty they had collected, and left General +Schuyler and his family unharmed. + + + + +THE BOSTON TEA-PARTY + +BY JOHN ANDREWS (ADAPTED) [5] + + +[Footnote 5: From a letter written to a friend in 1773.] + + +On November 29, 1773, there arrived in Boston Harbor a ship carrying an +hundred and odd chests of the detested tea. The people in the country +roundabout, as well as the town's folk, were unanimous against allowing +the landing of it; but the agents in charge of the consignment persisted +in their refusal to take the tea back to London. The town bells were +rung, for a general muster of the citizens. Handbills were stuck up +calling on "Friends! Citizens! Countrymen!" + +Mr. Rotch, the owner of the ship, found himself exposed not only to the +loss of his ship, but to the loss of the money-value of the tea itself, +if he should attempt to send her back without clearance papers from the +custom-house; for the admiral kept a vessel in readiness to seize +any ship which might leave without those papers. Therefore, Mr. Rotch +declared that his ship should not carry back the tea without either +the proper clearance or the promise of full indemnity for any losses he +might incur. + +Matters continued thus for some days, when a general muster was called +of the people of Boston and of all the neighboring towns. They met, to +the number of five or six thousand, at ten o'clock in the morning, in +the Old South Meeting-House; where they passed a unanimous vote THAT THE +TEA SHOULD GO OUT OF THE HARBOR THAT AFTERNOON! + +A committee, with Mr. Rotch, was sent to the custom-house to demand a +clearance. This the collector said he could not give without the duties +first being paid. Mr. Rotch was then sent to ask for a pass from +the governor, who returned answer that "consistent with the rules of +government and his duty to the king he could not grant one without they +produced a previous clearance from the office." + +By the time Mr. Rotch returned to the Old South Meeting-House with +this message, the candles were lighted and the house still crowded with +people. When the governor's message was read a prodigious shout was +raised, and soon afterward the moderator declared the meeting dissolved. +This caused another general shout, outdoors and in, and what with +the noise of breaking up the meeting, one might have thought that the +inhabitants of the infernal regions had been let loose. + +That night there mustered upon Fort Hill about two hundred strange +figures, SAID TO BE INDIANS FROM NARRAGANSETT. They were clothed in +blankets, with heads muffled, and had copper-colored countenances. Each +was armed with a hatchet or axe, and a pair of pistols. They spoke a +strange, unintelligible jargon. + +They proceeded two by two to Griffin's Wharf, where three tea-ships lay, +each with one hundred and fourteen chests of the ill-fated article on +board. And before nine o'clock in the evening every chest was knocked +into pieces and flung over the sides. + +Not the least insult was offered to any one, save one Captain Conner, +who had ripped up the linings of his coat and waistcoat, and, watching +his opportunity, had filled them with tea. But, being detected, he was +handled pretty roughly. They not only stripped him of his clothes, but +gave him a coat of mud, with a severe bruising into the bargain. Nothing +but their desire not to make a disturbance prevented his being tarred +and feathered. + +The tea being thrown overboard, all the Indians disappeared in a most +marvelous fashion. + +The next day, if a stranger had walked through the streets of Boston, +and had observed the calm composure of the people, he would hardly have +thought that ten thousand pounds sterling of East India Company's tea +had been destroyed the night before. + + + + +A GUNPOWDER STORY + +BY JOHN ESTEN COOKE (ADAPTED) + +[Footnote 6: From Stories of the Old Dominion. Used by permission of the +American Book Company, publishers.] + + +In the autumn of 1777 the English decided to attack Fort Henry, at +Wheeling, in northwestern Virginia. This was an important border fort +named in honor of Patrick Henry, and around which had grown up a small +village of about twenty-five log houses. + +A band of Indians, under the leadership of one Simon Girty, was supplied +by the English with muskets and ammunition, and sent against the fort. +This Girty was a white man, who, when a boy, had been captured by +Indians, and brought up by them. He had joined their tribes, and was a +ferocious and bloodthirsty leader of savage bands. + +When the settlers at Wheeling heard that Simon Girty and his Indians +were advancing on the town, they left their homes and hastened into the +fort. Scarcely had they done so when the savages made their appearance. + +The defenders of the fort knew that a desperate fight must now take +place, and there seemed little probability that they would be able to +hold out against their assailants. They had only forty two fighting men, +including old men and boys, while the Indian force numbered about five +hundred. + +What was worse they had but a small amount of gunpowder. A keg +containing the main supply had been left by accident in one of the +village houses. This misfortune, as you will soon see, brought about the +brave action of a young girl. + +After several encounters with the savages, which took place in the +village, the defenders withdrew to the fort. Then a number of Indians +advanced with loud yells, firing as they came. The fire was returned +by the defenders, each of whom had picked out his man, and taken deadly +aim. Most of the attacking party were killed, and the whole body of +Indians fell back into the near-by woods, and there awaited a more +favorable opportunity to renew hostilities. + +The men in the fort now discovered, to their great dismay, that their +gunpowder was nearly gone. What was to be done? Unless they could get +another supply, they would not be able to hold the fort, and they and +their women and children would either be massacred or carried into +captivity. + +Colonel Shepherd, who was in command, explained to the settlers exactly +how matters stood. He also told them of the forgotten keg of powder +which was in a house standing about sixty yards from the gate of the +fort. + +It was plain to all that if any man should attempt to procure the keg, +he would almost surely be shot by the lurking Indians. In spite of this +three or four young men volunteered to go on the dangerous mission. + +Colonel Shepherd replied that he could not spare three or four strong +men, as there were already too few for the defense. Only one man should +make the attempt and they might decide who was to go. This caused a +dispute. + +Just then a young girl stepped forward and said that SHE was ready +to go. Her name was Elizabeth Zane, and she had just returned from a +boarding-school in Philadelphia. This made her brave offer all the more +remarkable, since she had not been bred up to the fearless life of the +border. + +At first the men would not hear of her running such a risk. She was told +that it meant certain death. But she urged that they could not spare +a man from the defense, and that the loss of one girl would not be an +important matter. So after some discussion the settlers agreed that she +should go for the powder. + +The house, as has already been stated, stood about sixty yards from the +fort, and Elizabeth hoped to run thither and bring back the powder in a +few minutes. The gate was opened, and she passed through, running like a +deer. + +A few straggling Indians were dodging about the log houses of the town; +they saw the fleeing girl, but for some reason they did not fire upon +her. They may have supposed that she was returning to her home to rescue +her clothes. Possibly they thought it a waste of good ammunition to fire +at a woman, when they were so sure of taking the fort before long. So +they looked on quietly while, with flying skirts, Elizabeth ran across +the open, and entered the house. + +She found the keg of powder, which was not large. She lifted it with +both arms, and, holding the precious burden close to her breast, she +darted out of the house and ran in the direction of the fort. + +When the Indians saw what she was carrying they uttered fierce yells +and fired. The bullets fell like hail about her, but not one so much as +touched her garments. With the keg hugged to her bosom, she ran on, and +reached the fort in safety. The gate closed upon her just as the bullets +of the Indians buried themselves in its thick panels. + +The rescued gunpowder enabled the little garrison to hold out until help +arrived from the other settlements near Wheeling. And Girty, seeing that +there were no further hopes of taking Fort Henry, withdrew his band. + +Thus a weak but brave girl was the means of saving strong men with their +wives and children. It was a heroic act, and Americans should never +forget to honor the name of Elizabeth Zane. + + + + +THE CAPTURE OF FORT TICONDEROGA + +BY WASHINGTON IRVING (ADAPTED) + +Some bold spirits in Connecticut conceived the project of surprising the +old forts of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, already famous in the French +War. Their situation on Lake Champlain gave them the command of the main +route into Canada so that the possession of them would be all-important +in case of hostilities. They were feebly garrisoned and negligently +guarded, and abundantly furnished with artillery and military stores so +needed by the patriot army. + +At this juncture Ethan Allen stepped forward, a patriot, and volunteered +with his "Green Mountain Boys." He was well fitted for the enterprise. +During the border warfare over the New Hampshire Grants, he and his +lieutenants had been outlawed by the Legislature of New York and +rewards offered for their apprehension. He and his associates had armed +themselves, set New York at defiance, and had sworn they would be the +death of any one who should try to arrest them. + +Thus Ethan Allen had become a kind of Robin Hood among the mountains. +His experience as a frontier champion, his robustness of mind and +body, and his fearless spirit made him a most desirable leader in the +expedition against Fort Ticonderoga. Therefore he was appointed at the +head of the attacking force. + +Accompanied by Benjamin Arnold and two other officers, Allen and his +party of soldiers who had been enlisted from several States, set out +and arrived at Shoreham, opposite Fort Ticonderoga on the shore of Lake +Champlain. They reached the place at night-time. There were only a few +boats on hand, but the transfer of men began immediately. It was slow +work. The night wore away; day was about to break, and but eighty-three +men, with Allen and Arnold, had crossed. Should they wait for the rest +to cross over, day would dawn, the garrison wake, and their enterprise +might fail. + +Allen drew up his men, addressed them in his own emphatic style, and +announced his intention of making a dash at the fort without waiting for +more force. + +"It is a desperate attempt," said he, "and I ask no man to go against +his will. I will take the lead, and be the first to advance. You that +are willing to follow, poise your firelocks!" + +Not a firelock but was poised! + +They mounted the hill briskly but in silence, guided by a boy from the +neighborhood. + +The day dawned as Allen arrived at a sally-port. A sentry pulled trigger +on him, but his piece missed fire. He retreated through a covered way. +Allen and his men followed. Another sentry thrust at an officer with his +bayonet, but was struck down by Allen, and begged for quarter. It was +granted on condition of his leading the way instantly to the quarters of +the commandant, Captain Delaplace, who was yet in bed. + +Being arrived there, Allen thundered at the door, and demanded a +surrender of the fort. By this time his followers had formed into two +lines on the parade-ground, and given three hearty cheers. + +The commandant appeared at the door half-dressed, the frightened face +of his pretty wife peering over his shoulder. He gazed at Allen in +bewildered astonishment. + +"By whose authority do you act?" exclaimed he. + +"In the name of the Continental Congress!" replied Allen, with a +flourish of his sword, and an oath which we do not care to subjoin. + +There was no disputing the point. The garrison, like the commandant, +had been startled from sleep, and made prisoners as they rushed forth +in their confusion. A surrender accordingly took place. The captain +and forty-eight men who composed his garrison were sent prisoners to +Hartford, in Connecticut. + +And thus without the loss of a single man, one of the important forts, +commanding the main route into Canada, fell into the hands of the +patriots. + + + + +WASHINGTON AND THE COWARDS + +BY WASHINGTON IRVING (ADAPTED) + +During the evacuation of New York by Washington, two divisions of the +enemy, encamped on Long Island, one British under Sir Henry Clinton, the +other Hessian under Colonel Donop, emerged in boats from the deep wooded +recesses of Newtown Inlet, and under cover of the fire from the ships +began to land at two points between Turtle and Kip's Bays. + +The breastworks were manned by patriot militia who had recently served +in Brooklyn. Disheartened by their late defeat, they fled at the first +advance of the enemy. Two brigades of Putnam's Connecticut troops, +which had been sent that morning to support them, caught the panic, and, +regardless of the commands and entreaties of their officers, joined in +the general scamper. + +At this moment Washington, who had mounted his horse at the first sound +of the cannonade, came galloping to the scene of confusion. Riding in +among the fugitives he endeavored to rally and restore them to order. +All in vain. At the first appearance of sixty or seventy redcoats, they +broke again without firing a shot, and fled in headlong terror. + +Losing all self-command at the sight of such dastardly conduct, +Washington dashed his hat upon the ground in a transport of rage. + +"Are these the men," exclaimed he, "with whom I am to defend America!" + +In a paroxysm of passion and despair he snapped his pistols at some of +them, threatened others with his sword, and was so heedless of his own +danger that he might have fallen into the hands of the enemy, who were +not eighty yards distant, had not an aide-de-camp seized the bridle of +his horse, and absolutely hurried him away. + +It was one of the rare moments of his life when the vehement element of +his nature was stirred up from its deep recesses. He soon recovered his +self-possession, and took measures against the general peril. + + + + + +LABOR DAY + +(FIRST MONDAY IN SEPTEMBER) + + + + +THE SMITHY + +A HINDU FABLE + +BY P. V. RAMASWAMI RAJU (ADAPTED) + +Once words ran high in a smithy. + +The furnace said: "If I cease to burn, the smithy must close." + +The bellows said: "If I cease to blow, no fire, no smithy." + +The hammer and anvil, also, each claimed the sole credit for keeping up +the smithy. + +The ploughshare that had been shaped by the furnace, the bellows, the +hammer and the anvil, cried: "It is not each of you alone, that keeps up +the smithy, but ALL TOGETHER." + + + + +THE NAIL + +BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (TRANSLATED)[7] + + +[Footnote 7: From the Riverside Fourth Reader.] + + +A merchant had done good business at the fair; he had sold his wares, +and filled his bag with gold and silver. Then he set out at once on his +journey home, for he wished to be in his own house before night. + +At noon he rested in a town. When he wanted to go on, the stable-boy +brought his horse, saying: + +"A nail is wanting, sir, in the shoe of his left hind foot." + +"Let it be wanting," answered the merchant; "the shoe will stay on for +the six miles I have still to go. I am in a hurry." + +In the afternoon he got down at an inn and had his horse fed. The +stable-boy came into the room to him and said: "Sir, a shoe is wanting +from your horse's left hind foot. Shall I take him to the blacksmith?" + +"Let it still be wanting," said the man; "the horse can very well hold +out for a couple of miles more. I am in a hurry." + +So the merchant rode forth, but before long the horse began to limp. He +had not limped long before he began to stumble, and he had not stumbled +long before he fell down and broke his leg. The merchant had to leave +the horse where he fell, and unstrap the bag, take it on his back, and +go home on foot. + +"That unlucky nail," said he to himself, "has made all this trouble." + + + + +THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER + +BY HORACE E. SCUDDER + +There was once a shoemaker who worked very hard and was honest. Still, +he could not earn enough to live on. At last, all he had in the world +was gone except just leather enough to make one pair of shoes. He cut +these out at night, and meant to rise early the next morning to make +them up. + +His heart was light in spite of his troubles, for his conscience was +clear. So he went quietly to bed, left all his cares to God, and fell +asleep. In the morning he said his prayers, and sat down to work, when, +to his great wonder, there stood the shoes, already made, upon the +table. + +The good man knew not what to say or think. He looked at the work. There +was not one false stitch in the whole job. All was neat and true. + +That same day a customer came in, and the shoes pleased him so well that +he readily paid a price higher than usual for them. The shoemaker took +the money and bought leather enough to make two pairs more. He cut out +the work in the evening, and went to bed early. He wished to be up with +the sun and get to work. + +He was saved all trouble, for when he got up in the morning, the work +was done. Pretty soon buyers came in, who paid him well for his goods. +So he bought leather enough for four pairs more. + +He cut out the work again overnight, and found it finished in the +morning as before. So it went on for some time. What was got ready at +night was always done by daybreak, and the good man soon was well-to-do. + +One evening, at Christmas-time, he and his wife sat over the fire, +chatting, and he said: "I should like to sit up and watch to-night, that +we may see who it is that comes and does my work for me." So they left +the light burning, and hid themselves behind a curtain to see what would +happen. + +As soon as it was midnight, there came two little Elves. They sat upon +the shoemaker's bench, took up all the work that was cut out, and began +to ply their little fingers. They stitched and rapped and tapped at such +a rate that the shoemaker was amazed, and could not take his eyes off +them for a moment. + +On they went till the job was done, and the shoes stood, ready for use, +upon the table. This was long before daybreak. Then they ran away as +quick as lightning. + +The next day the wife said to the shoemaker: "These little Elves have +made us rich, and we ought to be thankful to them, and do them some +good in return. I am vexed to see them run about as they do. They have +nothing upon their backs to keep off the cold. I'll tell you what we +must do. I will make each of them a shirt, and a coat and waistcoat, and +a pair of pantaloons into the bargain. Do you make each of them a little +pair of shoes." + +The good shoemaker liked the thought very well. One evening he and his +wife had the clothes ready, and laid them on the table instead of the +work they used to cut out. Then they went and hid behind the curtain to +watch what the little Elves would do. + +At midnight the Elves came in and were going to sit down at their work +as usual. But when they saw the clothes lying there for them, they +laughed and were in high glee. They dressed themselves in the twinkling +of an eye, and danced and capered and sprang about as merry as could be, +till at last they danced out of the door, and over the green. + +The shoemaker saw them no more, but everything went well with him as +long as he lived. + + + + +THE HILLMAN AND THE HOUSEWIFE + +BY JULIANA HORATIA EWING (ADAPTED) + +It is well known that the Fairy People cannot abide meanness. They like +to be liberally dealt with when they beg or borrow of the human race; +and, on the other hand, to those who come to them in need, they are +invariably generous. + +Now there once lived a certain housewife who had a sharp eye to her own +interests, and gave alms of what she had no use for, hoping to get some +reward in return. One day a Hillman knocked at her door. + +"Can you lend us a saucepan, good mother?" said he. "There's a wedding +in the hill, and all the pots are in use." + +"Is he to have one?" asked the servant lass who had opened the door. + +"Aye, to be sure," answered the housewife; "one must be neighborly." + +But when the maid was taking a saucepan from the shelf, the housewife +pinched her arm and whispered sharply: "Not that, you good-for-nothing! +Get the old one out of the cupboard. It leaks, and the Hillmen are so +neat, and such nimble workers, that they are sure to mend it before they +send it home. So one obliges the Fairy People, and saves sixpence in +tinkering!" + +Thus bidden the maid fetched the saucepan, which had been laid by until +the tinker's next visit, and gave it to the Hillman, who thanked her and +went away. + +In due time the saucepan was returned, and, as the housewife had +foreseen, it was neatly mended and ready for use. + +At supper-time the maid filled the pan with milk, and set it on the fire +for the children's supper. But in a few minutes the milk was so burnt +and smoked that no one could touch it, and even the pigs refused to +drink it. + +"Ah, good-for-nothing hussy!" cried the housewife, as she refilled the +pan herself, "you would ruin the richest with your carelessness! There's +a whole quart of good milk wasted at once!" + +"AND THAT'S TWOPENCE!" cried a voice that seemed to come from the +chimney, in a whining tone, like some discontented old body going over +her grievances. + +The housewife had not left the saucepan for two minutes, when the milk +boiled over, and it was all burnt and smoked as before. + +"The pan must be dirty," muttered the good woman in vexation, "and there +are two full quarts of milk as good as thrown to the dogs." + +"AND THAT'S FOURPENCE!" added the voice in the chimney. + +After a thorough cleaning the saucepan was once more filled and set on +the fire, but with no better success. The milk boiled over again, and +was hopelessly spoiled. The housewife shed tears of anger at the waste +and cried: "Never before did such a thing befall me since I kept house! +Three quarts of new milk burnt for one meal." + +"AND THAT'S SIXPENCE!" cried the voice in the chimney. "You didn't save +the tinkering after all, mother!" + +With that the Hillman himself came tumbling down from the chimney, and +went off laughing through the door. + +But from then on the saucepan was as good as any other. + + + + +HOFUS THE STONE-CUTTER + +A JAPANESE LEGEND + +FROM THE RIVERSIDE THIRD READER (ADAPTED) + +Once upon a time in Japan, there was a poor stone-cutter, named Hofus, +who used to go every day to the mountain-side to cut great blocks of +stone. He lived near the mountain in a little stone hut, and worked hard +and was happy. + +One day he took a load of stone to the house of a rich man. There he saw +so many beautiful things that when he went back to his mountain he could +think of nothing else. Then he began to wish that he too might sleep in +a bed as soft as down, with curtains of silk, and tassels of gold. And +he sighed:-- + + "Ah me! Ah me! + If Hofus only were rich as he!" + + +To his surprise, the voice of the Mountain Spirit answered:-- + + "Have thou thy wish!" + + +When Hofus returned home that evening his little hut was gone, and in +its place stood a great palace. It was filled with beautiful things, and +the best of all was a bed of down, with curtains of silk and tassels of +gold. + +Hofus decided to work no more. But he was not used to being idle, and +time passed slowly,--the days seemed very long. + +One day as he sat by the window he saw a carriage dash past. It was +drawn by snow-white horses. In it sat a prince, while before and behind +were servants in suits of blue and white. One was holding a golden +umbrella over the prince. + +When the stone-cutter saw this, he began to feel unhappy, and he +sighed:-- + + "Ah me! Ah me! + If Hofus only a prince might be!" + + +And again the same voice that he had heard on the mountain answered:-- + + "Be thou a prince!" + + +Straightway Hofus was a prince. He had servants dressed in crimson and +gold, and he rode in a carriage with a golden umbrella over his head. + +For a short time he was happy, but one day, as he walked in the garden, +he saw that the flowers were drooping, the grass was dry and brown. And +when he rode out he felt the hot sun burn him in spite of his umbrella. + +"The sun is mightier than I," thought he, and then he sighed:-- + + "Ah me! Ah me! + If Hofus only the sun might be!" + + +And the voice answered:-- + + "Be thou the sun!" + +Straightway the great sun he became. He burned the grass and rice +fields. He dried up the streams. Rich and poor alike suffered from the +terrible heat. + +One day a cloud came and rested in front of him, and hid the earth from +his sight. He was angry and cried:-- + + "Ah me! Ah me! + If Hofus only a cloud might be!" + + +And the voice answered:-- + + "Be thou a cloud!" + + +Straightway a cloud he became. He floated before the face of the sun, +and hid the earth from it. + +Then day after day the cloud dropped rain. The rivers overflowed, and +the rice-fields were covered with water. Towns were swept away. Only the +great rocks on the mountain-side stood unmoved midst the flood. + +The cloud looked at them in wonder, then he sighed:-- + + "Ah me! Ah me! + If Hofus only a rock might be!" + + +And the voice answered:-- + + "Be thou a rock!" + + +Straightway a rock he became. Proudly he stood. The sun could not burn +him and the rain could not move him. + +"Now, at last," he said, "no one is mightier than I." + +But one day he was waked from his dreams by a noise,--tap! tap! +tap!--down at his feet. He looked and there was a stone-cutter driving +his tool into the rock. Another blow and the great rock shivered; a +block of stone broke away. + +"That man is mightier than I!" cried Hofus, and he sighed:-- + + "Ah me! Ah me! + If Hofus only the man might be!" + + +And the voice answered:-- + + "Be thou thyself!" + + +And straightway Hofus was himself again,--a poor stone-cutter, working +all day upon the mountain-side, and going home at night to his little +hut. But he was content and happy, and never again did he wish to be +other than Hofus the stone-cutter. + + + + +ARACHNE + +BY JOSEPHINE PRESTON PEABODY + +There was a certain maiden of Lydia, Arachne by name, renowned +throughout the country for her skill as a weaver. She was as nimble with +her fingers as Calypso, that Nymph who kept Odysseus for seven years in +her enchanted island. She was as untiring as Penelope, the hero's wife, +who wove day after day while she watched for his return. Day in and +day out, Arachne wove too. The very Nymphs would gather about her loom, +Naiads from the water and Dryads from the trees. + +"Maiden," they would say, shaking the leaves or the foam from their +hair, in wonder, "Pallas Athena must have taught you!" + +But this did not please Arachne. She would not acknowledge herself a +debtor, even to that goddess who protected all household arts, and by +whose grace alone one had any skill in them. + +"I learned not of Athena," said she. "If she can weave better, let her +come and try." + +The Nymphs shivered at this, and an aged woman, who was looking on, +turned to Arachne. + +"Be more heedful of your words, my daughter," said she. "The goddess may +pardon you if you ask forgiveness, but do not strive for honors with the +immortals." + +Arachne broke her thread, and the shuttle stopped humming. + +"Keep your counsel," she said. "I fear not Athena; no, nor any one +else." + +As she frowned at the old woman, she was amazed to see her change +suddenly into one tall, majestic, beautiful,--a maiden of gray eyes and +golden hair, crowned with a golden helmet. It was Athena herself. + +The bystanders shrank in fear and reverence; only Arachne was unawed and +held to her foolish boast. + +In silence the two began to weave, and the Nymphs stole nearer, coaxed +by the sound of the shuttles, that seemed to be humming with delight +over the two webs,--back and forth like bees. + +They gazed upon the loom where the goddess stood plying her task, and +they saw shapes and images come to bloom out of the wondrous colors, as +sunset clouds grow to be living creatures when we watch them. And they +saw that the goddess, still merciful, was spinning; as a warning for +Arachne, the pictures of her own triumph over reckless gods and mortals. + +In one corner of the web she made a story of her conquest over the +sea-god Poseidon. For the first king of Athens had promised to dedicate +the city to that god who should bestow upon it the most useful +gift. Poseidon gave the horse. But Athena gave the olive,--means of +livelihood,--symbol of peace and prosperity, and the city was called +after her name. Again she pictured a vain woman of Troy, who had been +turned into a crane for disputing the palm of beauty with a goddess. +Other corners of the web held similar images, and the whole shone like a +rainbow. + +Meanwhile Arachne, whose head was quite turned with vanity, embroidered +her web with stories against the gods, making light of Zeus himself and +of Apollo, and portraying them as birds and beasts. But she wove with +marvelous skill; the creatures seemed to breathe and speak, yet it was +all as fine as the gossamer that you find on the grass before rain. + +Athena herself was amazed. Not even her wrath at the girl's insolence +could wholly overcome her wonder. For an instant she stood entranced; +then she tore the web across, and three times she touched Arachne's +forehead with her spindle. + +"Live on, Arachne," she said. "And since it is your glory to weave, you +and yours must weave forever." So saying, she sprinkled upon the maiden +a certain magical potion. + +Away went Arachne's beauty; then her very human form shrank to that of a +spider, and so remained. As a spider she spent all her days weaving and +weaving; and you may see something like her handiwork any day among the +rafters. + + + + +THE METAL KING + +A GERMAN FOLE-TALE + +(ADAPTED) + +Once long ago there was a high mountain whose rocks were veined with +gold and silver and seamed with iron. At times, from a huge rent in the +mountain-side, there shot out roaring, red flames, and clouds of black +smoke. And when the village folk in the valley below saw this, they +would say: "Look! the Metal King is at his forge." For they knew that in +the gloomy heart of the mountain, the Metal King and his Spirits of the +Mines wrought in gold and iron. + +When the storm raged over the valley, the Metal King left his cavern +and riding on the wings of the wind, with thundering shouts, hurled +his red-hot bolts into the valley, now killing the peasants and their +cattle, now burning houses and barns. + +But when the weather was soft and mild, and the breezes blew gently +about the mouth of his cavern, the Metal King returned to his forge in +the depths of the mountain, and there shaped ploughshares and many other +implements of iron. These he placed outside his cavern door, as gifts to +the poor peasants. + +It happened, on a time, there lived in that valley a lazy lad, who +would neither till his fields nor ply a trade. He was avaricious, but he +longed to win gold without mining, and wealth and fame without labor. So +it came to pass that he set out one day to find the mountain treasure of +the Metal King. + +Taking a lighted lantern in one hand, a hatchet in the other, and a +bundle of twigs under his arm, he entered the dark cavern. The dampness +smote his cheek, bats flapped their wings in his face. Shivering with +fear and cold, he pressed on through a long passage under an arched +and blackened roof. As he passed along he dropped his twigs, one after +another, so that they might guide him aright when he returned. + +He came at last to a place where the passage branched off in two +directions,--to the right and to the left. Choosing the right-hand path, +he walked on and at length came to an iron door. He struck it twice with +his hammer. It flew open, and a strong current of air rushing forth put +out his light. + +"Come in! Come in!" shouted a voice like the rolling of thunder, and the +cavern echoes gave back the sounds. + +Almost overcome by terror and shivering in every limb, the lad entered. +As he stepped forward a dazzling light shone from the vaulted roof +upheld by massive columns, and across the crystal side-walls flittered +curious, shadowy figures. + +The Metal King, huge and fierce-eyed, surrounded by the misshapen +Spirits of the Mines, sat upon a block of pure silver, with a pile of +shining gold lying before him. + +"Come in, my friend!" he shouted again, and again the echoes rolled +through the cavern. + +"Come near, and sit beside me." + +The lad advanced, pale and trembling, and took his seat upon the silver +block. + +"Bring out more treasure," cried the Metal King, and at his command the +Mountain Spirits fluttered away like dreams, only to return in a moment +and pile high before the wondering lad bars of red gold, mounds of +silver coin, and stacks of precious jewels. + +And when the lad saw all that wealth he felt his heart burst with +longing to grasp it, but when he tried to put out his hand, he found +that he could not move his arm, nor could he lift his feet, nor turn his +head. + +"Thou seest these riches," said the Metal King; "they are but a handful +compared with those thou mayest gain if thou wilt work with us in the +mines. Hard is the service but rich the reward! Only say the word, and +for a year and a day thou shalt be a Mountain Spirit." + +"Nay," stammered the lad, in great terror, "nay, I came not to work. All +I beg of thee is one bar of gold and a handful of the jewels that lie +here. If they are mine I can dress better than the village lads, and +ride in my own coach!" + +"Lazy, ungrateful wretch!" cried the Metal King, rising from his seat, +while his figure seemed to tower until his head touched the cavern roof, +"wouldst thou seize without pay the treasures gained through the hard +labor of my Mountain Spirits! Hence! Get thee gone to thy place! Seek +not here for unearned riches! Cast away thy discontented disposition and +thou shalt turn stones into gold. Dig well thy garden and thy fields, +sow them and tend them diligently, search the mountain-sides; and thou +shalt gain through thine industry mines of gold and silver!" + +Scarcely had the Metal King spoken when there was heard a screeching +as of ravens, a crying as of night owls, and a mighty storm wind came +rushing against the lad; and catching him up it drove him forth along +the dark passage, and down the mountain-side, so that in a minute he +found himself on the steps of his own house. + +And from that time on a strange change came over the lad. He no longer +idled and dreamed of sudden wealth, but morning, noon, and evening +he labored diligently, sowing his fields, cultivating his garden, +and mining on the mountain-side. Years came and went; all he touched +prospered, and he grew to be the richest man in that country; but never +again did he see the Metal King or the Spirits of the Mines. + + + + +THE CHOICE OF HERCULES + +BY XENOPHON (ADAPTED) + +Long, long ago, when the world was young, there were many deeds waiting +to be wrought by daring heroes. It was then that the mighty Hercules, +who was yet a lad, felt an exceeding great and strong desire to go out +into the wide world to seek his fortune. + +One day, while wandering alone and thoughtful, he came to a place where +two paths met. And sitting down he gravely considered which he should +follow. + +One path led over flowery meadows toward the darkening distance; the +other, passing over rough stones and rugged, brown furrows, lost itself +in the glowing sunset. + +And as Hercules gazed into the distance, he saw two stately maidens +coming toward him. + +The first was tall and graceful, and wrapped round in a snow-white +mantle. Her countenance was calm and beautiful. With gracious mien and +modest glance she drew near the lad. + +The other maiden made haste to outrun the first. She, too, was tall, +but seemed taller than she really was. She, too, was beautiful, but her +glance was bold. As she ran, a rosy garment like a cloud floated about +her form, and she kept looking at her own round arms and shapely hands, +and ever and anon she seemed to gaze admiringly at her shadow as it +moved along the ground. And this fair one did outstrip the first maiden, +and rushing forward held out her white hands to the lad, exclaiming:-- + +"I see thou art hesitating, O Hercules, by what path to seek thy +fortune. Follow me along this flowery way, and I will make it a +delightful and easy road. Thou shalt taste to the full of every kind of +pleasure. No shadow of annoyance shall ever touch thee, nor strain nor +stress of war and state disturb thy peace. Instead thou shalt tread upon +carpets soft as velvet, and sit at golden tables, or recline upon silken +couches. The fairest of maidens shall attend thee, music and perfume +shall lull thy senses, and all that is delightful to eat and drink shall +be placed before thee. Never shalt thou labor, but always live in joy +and ease. Oh, come! I give my followers liberty and delight!" + +And as she spoke the maiden stretched forth her arms, and the tones of +her voice were sweet and caressing. + +"What, O maiden," asked Hercules, "is thy name?" + +"My friends," said she, "call me Happiness, but mine enemies name me +Vice." + +Even as she spoke, the white-robed maiden, who had drawn near, glided +forward, and addressed the lad in gracious tones and with words stately +and winning:-- + +"O beloved youth, who wouldst wander forth in search of Life, I too, +would plead with thee! I, Virtue, have watched and tended thee from a +child. I know the fond care thy parents have bestowed to train thee for +a hero's part. Direct now thy steps along yon rugged path that leads +to my dwelling. Honorable and noble mayest thou become through thy +illustrious deeds. + +"I will not seduce thee by promises of vain delights; instead will +I recount to thee the things that really are. Lasting fame and true +nobility come not to mortals save through pain and labor. If thou, +O Hercules, seekest the gracious gifts of Heaven, thou must remain +constant in prayer; if thou wouldst be beloved of thy friends, thou must +serve thy friends; if thou desirest to be honored of the people thou +must benefit the people; if thou art anxious to reap the fruits of the +earth, thou must till the earth with labor; and if thou wishest to be +strong in body and accomplish heroic deeds, thou must teach thy body to +obey thy mind. Yea, all this and more also must thou do." + +"Seest thou not, O Hercules," cried Vice, "over how difficult and +tedious a road this Virtue would drive thee? I, instead, will conduct +thy steps by a short and easy path to perfect Happiness." + +"Wretched being!" answered Virtue, "wouldst thou deceive this lad! What +lasting Happiness hast thou to offer! Thou pamperest thy followers with +riches, thou deludest them with idleness; thou surfeitest them with +luxury; thou enfeeblest them with softness. In youth they grow slothful +in body and weak in mind. They live without labor and wax fat. They come +to a wretched old age, dissatisfied, and ashamed, and oppressed by +the memory of their ill deeds; and, having run their course, they lay +themselves down in melancholy death and their name is remembered no +more. + +"But those fortunate youths who follow me receive other counsel. I +am the companion of virtuous men. Always I am welcome in the homes of +artisans and in the cottages of tillers of the soil. I am the guardian +of industrious households, and the rewarder of generous masters +and faithful servants. I am the promoter of the labors of peace. No +honorable deed is accomplished without me. + +"My friends have sweet repose and the untroubled enjoyment of the fruits +of their efforts. They remember their deeds with an easy conscience +and contentment, and are beloved of their friends and honored by their +country. And when they have run their course, and death overtakes them, +their names are celebrated in song and praise, and they live in the +hearts of their grateful countrymen. + +"Come, then, O Hercules, thou son of noble parents, come, follow thou +me, and by thy worthy and illustrious deeds secure for thyself exalted +Happiness." + +She ceased, and Hercules, withdrawing his gaze from the face of Vice, +arose from his place, and followed Virtue along the rugged, brown path +of Labor. + + + + +THE SPEAKING STATUE + +FROM GESTA ROMANORUM (ADAPTED) + +There was once a great emperor who made a law that whosoever worked on +the birthday of his eldest son should be put to death. He caused this +decree to be published throughout his empire, and, sending for his chief +magician, said to him:-- + +"I wish you to devise an instrument which will tell me the name of each +laborer who breaks my new law." + +"Sire," answered the magician, "your will shall be accomplished." And he +straightway constructed a wonderful, speaking statue, and placed it in +the public square of the capital city. By its magic power this statue +could discern all that went on in the empire on the birthday of the +eldest prince, and it could tell the name of each laborer who worked in +secret on that day. Thus things continued for some years, and many men +were put to death. + +Now, there was in the capital city a carpenter named Focus. He was a +diligent workman, laboring at his trade from early morning till late at +night. One year, when the prince's birthday came round, he continued to +work all that day. + +The next morning he arose, dressed himself, and, before any one was +astir in the streets, went to the magic statue and said:-- + +"O statue, statue! because you have denounced so many of our citizens, +causing them to be put to death, I vow, if you accuse me, I will break +your head!" + +Shortly after this the emperor dispatched messengers to the statue to +inquire if the law had been broken the day before. When the statue saw +them, it exclaimed:-- + +"Friends, look up! What see ye written on my forehead?" + +They looked up and beheld three sentences that ran thus:-- + + "Times are altered! + "Men grow worse! + "He who speaks the truth will have his head broken!" + + +"Go," said the statue, "declare to His Majesty what ye have seen and +read." + +The messenger accordingly departed and returned in haste to the emperor, +and related to him all that had occurred. + +The emperor ordered his guard to arm and to march instantly to the +public square, where the statue was, and commanded that if any one had +attempted to injure it, he should be seized, bound hand and foot, and +dragged to the judgment hall. + +The guard hastened to do the emperor's bidding. They approached the +statue and said:-- + +"Our emperor commands you to tell who it is that threatened you." + +The statue answered: "Seize Focus the carpenter. Yesterday he defied the +emperor's edict; this morning he threatened to break my head." + +The soldiers immediately arrested Focus, and dragged him to the judgment +hall. + +"Friend," said the emperor, "what do I hear of you? Why do you work on +my son's birthday?" + +"Your Majesty," answered Focus, "it is impossible for me to keep your +law. I am obliged to earn eight pennies every day, therefore was I +forced to work yesterday." + +"And why eight pennies?" asked the emperor. + +"Every day through the year," answered Focus, "I am bound to repay +two pennies I borrowed in my youth; two I lend; two I lose; and two I +spend." + +"How is this?" said the emperor; "explain yourself further." + +"Your Majesty," replied Focus, "listen to me. I am bound each day to +repay two pennies to my old father, for when I was a boy he expended +upon me daily the like sum. Now he is poor and needs my assistance, and +I return what I formerly borrowed. Two other pennies I lend my son, who +is pursuing his studies, in order that, if by chance I should fall into +poverty, he may restore the loan to me, just as I am now doing to his +grandfather. Again, I lose two pennies on my wife, who is a scold +and has an evil temper. On account of her bad disposition I consider +whatever I give her entirely lost. Lastly, two other pennies I spend on +myself for meat and drink. I cannot do all this without working +every day. You now know the truth, and, I pray you, give a righteous +judgment." + +"Friend," said the emperor, "you have answered well. Go and work +diligently at your calling." + +That same day the emperor annulled the law forbidding labor on his +son's birthday. Not long after this he died, and Focus the carpenter, +on account of his singular wisdom, was elected emperor in his stead. He +governed wisely, and after his death there was deposited in the royal +archives a portrait of Focus wearing a crown adorned with eight pennies. + + + + +THE CHAMPION STONE-CUTTER + +BY HUGH MILLER + +David Fraser was a famous Scotch hewer. On hearing that it had been +remarked among a party of Edinburgh masons that, though regarded as the +first of Glasgow stone-cutters, he would find in the eastern capital +at least his equals, he attired himself most uncouthly in a long-tailed +coat of tartan, and, looking to the life the untamed, untaught, +conceited little Celt, he presented himself on Monday morning, armed +with a letter of introduction from a Glasgow builder, before the foreman +of an Edinburgh squad of masons engaged upon one of the finer buildings +at that time in the course of erection. + +The letter specified neither his qualifications nor his name. It had +been written merely to secure for him the necessary employment, and the +necessary employment it did secure. + +The better workmen of the party were engaged, on his arrival, in hewing +columns, each of which was deemed sufficient work for a week; and David +was asked somewhat incredulously, by the foreman, if he could hew. + +"Oh, yes, HE THOUGHT he could hew." + +"Could he hew columns such as these?" + +"Oh, yes, HE THOUGHT he could hew columns such as these." + +A mass of stone, in which a possible column lay hid, was accordingly +placed before David, not under cover of the shed, which was already +occupied by workmen, but, agreeably to David's own request, directly +in front of it, where he might be seen by all, and where he straightway +commenced a most extraordinary course of antics. + +Buttoning his long tartan coat fast around him, he would first look +along the stone from the one end, anon from the other, and then examine +it in front and rear; or, quitting it altogether for the time, he would +take up his stand beside the other workmen, and, after looking at them +with great attention, return and give it a few taps with the mallet, in +a style evidently imitative of theirs, but monstrously a caricature. + +The shed all that day resounded with roars of laughter; and the only +thoroughly grave man on the ground was he who occasioned the mirth of +all the others. + +Next morning David again buttoned his coat; but he got on much better +this day than the former. He was less awkward and less idle, though not +less observant than before; and he succeeded ere evening in tracing, +in workmanlike fashion, a few draughts along the future column. He was +evidently greatly improving! + +On the morning of Wednesday he threw off his coat; and it was seen that, +though by no means in a hurry, he was seriously at work. There were no +more jokes or laughter; and it was whispered in the evening that the +strange Highlander had made astonishing progress during the day. + +By the middle of Thursday he had made up for his two days' trifling, and +was abreast of the other workmen. Before night he was far ahead of them; +and ere the evening of Friday, when they had still a full day's work +on each of their columns, David's was completed in a style that defied +criticism; and, his tartan coat again buttoned around him, he sat +resting himself beside it. + +The foreman went out and greeted him. + +"Well," he said, "you have beaten us all. You certainly CAN hew!" + +"Yes," said David, "I THOUGHT I could hew columns. Did the other men +take much more than a week to learn?" + +"Come, come, DAVID FRASER," replied the foreman, "we all guess who you +are. You have had your week's joke out; and now, I suppose, we must give +you your week's wages, and let you go away!" + +"Yes," said David, "work waits for me in Glasgow; but I just thought it +might be well to know how you hewed on this east side of the country." + + + + +BILL BROWN'S TEST + +BY CLEVELAND MOFFETT + +All firemen have courage, but it cannot be known until the test how many +have this particular kind,--Bill Brown's kind. + +What happened was this: Engine 29, pumping and pounding her prettiest, +stood at the northwest corner of Greenwich and Warren streets, so close +to the blazing drug-house that Driver Marks thought it wasn't safe there +for the three horses, and led them away. That was fortunate, but it left +Brown alone, right against the cheek of the fire, watching his boiler, +stoking in coal, keeping his steam-gauge at 75. As the fire gained, +chunks of red-hot sandstone began to smash down on the engine. Brown ran +his pressure up to 80, and watched the door anxiously where the boys had +gone in. + +Then the explosion came, and a blue flame, wide as a house, curled its +tongues halfway across the street, enwrapping engine and man, setting +fire to the elevated railway station overhead, or such wreck of it as +the shock had left. + +Bill Brown stood by his engine, with a wall of fire before him and a +sheet of fire above him. He heard quick footsteps on the pavements, and +voices, that grew fainter and fainter, crying, "Run for your lives!" +He heard the hose-wagon horses somewhere back in the smoke go plunging +away, mad with fright and their burns. He was alone with the fire, and +the skin was hanging in shreds on his hands, face, and neck. Only a +fireman knows how one blast of flame can shrivel up a man, and the pain +over the bared surfaces was,--well, there is no pain worse than that of +fire scorching in upon the quick flesh seared by fire. + +Here, I think, was a crisis to make a very brave man quail. Bill Brown +knew perfectly well why every one was running; there was going to be +another explosion in a couple of minutes, maybe sooner, out of this hell +in front of him. And the order had come for every man to save himself, +and every man had done it except the lads inside. And the question was, +Should he run or should he stay and die? It was tolerably certain that +he would die if he stayed. On the other hand, the boys of old 29 were +in there. Devanny and McArthur, and Gillon and Merron, his friends, his +chums. He'd seen them drag the hose in through that door,--there it was +now, a long, throbbing snake of it,--and they hadn't come out. Perhaps +they were dead. Yes, but perhaps they weren't. If they were alive, they +needed water now more than they ever needed anything before. And they +couldn't get water if he quit his engine. + +Bill Brown pondered this a long time, perhaps four seconds; then he fell +to stoking in coal, and he screwed her up another notch, and he eased +her running parts with the oiler. Explosion or not, pain or not, alone +or not, he was going to stay and make that engine hum. He had done the +greatest thing a man can do,--had offered his life for his friends. + +It is pleasant to know that this sacrifice was averted. A quarter of a +minute or so before the second and terrible explosion, Devanny and his +men came staggering from the building. Then it was that Merron fell, and +McArthur checked his fight to save him. Then it was, but not until +then, that Bill Brown left Engine 29 to her fate (she was crushed by the +falling walls), and ran for his life with his comrades. He had waited +for them, he had stood the great test. + + + + + +COLUMBUS DAY + +(OCTOBER 12) + + + + +COLUMBUS AND THE EGG + +BY JAMES BALDWIN (ADAPTED) [8] + +[Footnote 8: From Thirty More Famous Stories Retold. Copyright, 1903, by +American Book Company.] + + +One day Columbus was at a dinner which a Spanish gentleman had given +in his honor, and several persons were present who were jealous of the +great admiral's success. They were proud, conceited fellows, and they +very soon began to try to make Columbus uncomfortable. + +"You have discovered strange lands beyond the seas," they said, "but +what of that? We do not see why there should be so much said about +it. Anybody can sail across the ocean; and anybody can coast along the +islands on the other side, just as you have done. It is the simplest +thing in the world." + +Columbus made no answer; but after a while he took an egg from a dish +and said to the company:-- + +"Who among you, gentlemen, can make this egg stand on end?" + +One by one those at the table tried the experiment. When the egg had +gone entirely around and none had succeeded, all said that it could not +be done. + +Then Columbus took the egg and struck its small end gently upon the +table so as to break the shell a little. After that there was no trouble +in making it stand upright. + +"Gentlemen," said he, "what is easier than to do this which you said +was impossible? It is the simplest thing in the world. Anybody can do +it,--AFTER HE HAS BEEN SHOWN HOW!" + + + + +COLUMBUS AT LA RABIDA + +BY WASHINGTON IRVING (ADAPTED) + +About half a league from the little seaport of Palos de Moguer, in +Andalusia, there stood, and continues to stand at the present day, +an ancient convent of Franciscan friars, dedicated to Santa Maria de +Rabida. + +One day a stranger on foot, in humble guise, but of a distinguished air, +accompanied by a small boy, stopped at the gate of the convent and asked +of the porter a little bread and water for his child. While receiving +this humble refreshment, the prior of the convent, Juan Perez de +Marchena, happened to pass by, and was struck with the appearance of the +stranger. Observing from his air and accent that he was a foreigner, he +entered into conversation with him and soon learned the particulars of +his story. + +That stranger was Columbus. + +Accompanied by his little son Diego, he was on his way to the +neighboring town of Huelva, to seek a brother-in-law, who had married a +sister of his deceased wife. + +The prior was a man of extensive information. His attention had been +turned in some measure to geographical and nautical science. He was +greatly interested by the conversation of Columbus, and struck with the +grandeur of his views. When he found, however, that the voyager was +on the point of abandoning Spain to seek the patronage of the court of +France, the good friar took the alarm. + +He detained Columbus as his guest, and sent for a scientific friend +to converse with him. That friend was Garcia Fernandez, a physician of +Palos. He was equally struck with the appearance and conversation of +the stranger. Several conferences took place at the convent, at which +veteran mariners and pilots of Palos were present. + +Facts were related by some of these navigators in support of the theory +of Columbus. In a word, his project was treated with a deference in the +quiet cloisters of La Rabida and among the seafaring men of Palos which +had been sought in vain among sages and philosophers. + +Among the navigators of Palos was one Martin Alonzo Pinzon, the head +of a family of wealth, members of which were celebrated for their +adventurous expeditions. He was so convinced of the feasibility of +Columbus's plan that he offered to engage in it with purse and person, +and to bear the expenses of Columbus in an application to court. + +Fray Juan Perez, being now fully persuaded of the importance of the +proposed enterprise, advised Columbus to repair to the court, and make +his propositions to the Spanish sovereigns, offering to give him a +letter of recommendation to his friend, the Prior of the Convent +of Prado and confessor to the queen, and a man of great political +influence; through whose means he would, without doubt, immediately +obtain royal audience and favor. Martin Alonzo Pinzon, also, generously +furnished him with money for the journey, and the Friar took charge of +his youthful son, Diego, to maintain and educate him in the convent. + +Thus aided and encouraged and elated with fresh hopes, Columbus took +leave of the little junto at La Rabida, and set out, in the spring of +1486, for the Castilian court, which had just assembled at Cordova, +where the sovereigns were fully occupied with their chivalrous +enterprise for the conquest of Granada. But alas! success was not yet! +for Columbus met with continued disappointments and discouragements, +while his projects were opposed by many eminent prelates and Spanish +scientists, as being against religion and unscientific. Yet in spite +of this opposition, by degrees the theory of Columbus began to obtain +proselytes. He appeared in the presence of the king with modesty, +yet self-possession, inspired by a consciousness of the dignity and +importance of his errand; for he felt himself, as he afterwards +declared in his letters, animated as if by a sacred fire from above, and +considered himself an instrument in the hand of Heaven to accomplish +its great designs. For nearly seven years of apparently fruitless +solicitation, Columbus followed the royal court from place to place, at +times encouraged by the sovereigns, and at others neglected. + +At last he looked round in search of some other source of patronage, and +feeling averse to subjecting himself to further tantalizing delays +and disappointments of the court, determined to repair to Paris. He +departed, therefore, and went to the Convent of La Rabida to seek his +son Diego. When the worthy Friar Juan Perez de Marchena beheld Columbus +arrive once more at the gate of his convent after nearly seven years +of fruitless effort at court, and saw by the humility of his garb the +poverty he had experienced, he was greatly moved; but when he found that +he was about to carry his proposition to another country, his patriotism +took alarm. + +The Friar had once been confessor to the queen, and knew that she was +always accessible to persons of his sacred calling. He therefore wrote a +letter to her, and at the same time entreated Columbus to remain at +the convent until an answer could be received. The latter was easily +persuaded, for he felt as if on leaving Spain he was again abandoning +his home. + +The little council at La Rabida now cast round their eyes for an +ambassador to send on this momentous mission. They chose one Sebastian +Rodriguez, a pilot of Lepe, one of the most shrewd and important +personages in this maritime neighborhood. He so faithfully and +successfully conducted his embassy that he returned shortly with an +answer. + +Isabella had always been favorably disposed to the proposition of +Columbus. She thanked Juan Perez for his timely services and requested +him to repair immediately to the court, leaving Columbus in confident +hope until he should hear further from her. This royal letter, brought +back by the pilot at the end of fourteen days, spread great joy in the +little junto at the convent. + +No sooner did the warm-hearted friar receive it than he saddled +his mule, and departed, privately, before midnight to the court. He +journeyed through the countries of the Moors, and rode into the new city +of Santa Fe where Ferdinand and Isabella were engaged in besieging the +capital of Granada. + +The sacred office of Juan Perez gained him a ready admission into the +presence of the queen. He pleaded the cause of Columbus with enthusiasm. +He told of his honorable motives, of his knowledge and experience, and +his perfect capacity to fulfill the undertaking. He showed the solid +principles upon which the enterprise was founded, and the advantage that +must attend its success, and the glory it must shed upon the Spanish +Crown. + +Isabella, being warm and generous of nature and sanguine of disposition, +was moved by the representations of Juan Perez, and requested that +Columbus might be again sent to her. Bethinking herself of his poverty +and his humble plight, she ordered that money should be forwarded to +him, sufficient to bear his traveling expenses, and to furnish him with +decent raiment. + +The worthy friar lost no time in communicating the result of his +mission. He transmitted the money, and a letter, by the hand of an +inhabitant of Palos, to the physician, Garcia Fernandez, who delivered +them to Columbus The latter immediately changed his threadbare garb for +one more suited to the sphere of a court, and purchasing a mule, set out +again, reanimated by hopes, for the camp before Granada. + +This time, after some delay, his mission was attended with success. +The generous spirit of Isabella was enkindled, and it seemed as if +the subject, for the first time, broke upon her mind in all its real +grandeur. She declared her resolution to undertake the enterprise, but +paused for a moment, remembering that King Ferdinand looked coldly on +the affair, and that the royal treasury was absolutely drained by the +war. + +Her suspense was but momentary. With an enthusiasm worthy of herself +and of the cause, she exclaimed: "I undertake the enterprise for my +own crown of Castile, and will pledge my jewels to raise the necessary +funds." This was the proudest moment in the life of Isabella. It stamped +her renown forever as the patroness of the discovery of the New World. + + + + +THE MUTINY + +BY A. DE LAMARTINE (ADAPTED) + +When Columbus left the Canaries to pass with his three small ships into +the unknown seas, the eruptions of Teneriffe illuminated the heavens +and were reflected in the sea. This cast terror into the minds of his +seamen. They thought that it was the flaming sword of the angel who +expelled the first man from Eden, and who now was trying to drive +back in anger those presumptuous ones who were seeking entrance to the +forbidden and unknown seas and lands. But the admiral passed from ship +to ship explaining to his men, in a simple way, the action of volcanoes, +so that the sailors were no longer afraid. + +But as the peak of Teneriffe sank below the horizon, a great sadness +fell upon the men. It was their last beacon, the farthest sea-mark of +the Old World. They were seized with a nameless terror and loneliness. + +Then the admiral called them around him in his own ship, and told them +many stories of the things they might hope to find in the wonderful new +world to which they were going,--of the lands, the islands, the seas, +the kingdoms, the riches, the vegetation, the sunshine, the mines of +gold, the sands covered with pearls, the mountains shining with precious +stones, the plains loaded with spices. These stories, tinged with +the brilliant colors of their leader's rich imagination, filled the +discouraged sailors with hope and good spirits. + +But as they passed over the trackless ocean, and saw day by day the +great billows rolling between them and the mysterious horizon, the +sailors were again filled with dread. They lacked the courage to sail +onward into the unknown distance. The compass began to vacillate, and +no longer pointed toward the north; this confused both Columbus and his +pilots. The men fell into a panic, but the resolute and patient admiral +encouraged them once more. So buoyed up by his faith and hope, they +continued to sail onwards over the pathless waters. + +The next day a heron and a tropical bird flew about the masts of the +ships, and these seemed to the wondering sailors as two witnesses come +to confirm the reasoning of Columbus. + +The weather was mild and serene, the sky clear, the waves transparent, +the dolphins played across the bows, the airs were warm, and the +perfumes, which the waves brought from afar, seemed to exhale from +their foam. The brilliancy of the stars and the deep beauty of the night +breathed a feeling of calm security that comforted and sustained the +sailors. + +The sea also began to bring its messages. Unknown vegetations floated +upon its surface. Some were rock-plants, that had been swept off the +cliffs by the waves; some were fresh-water plants; and others, recently +torn from their roots, were still full of sap. One of them carried a +live crab,--a little sailor afloat on a tuft of grass. These plants +and living things could not have passed many days in the water without +fading and dying. And all encouraged the sailors to believe that they +were nearing land. + +At eve and morning the distant waning clouds, like those that gather +round the mountain-tops, took the form of cliffs and hills skirting the +horizon. The cry of "land" was on the tip of every tongue. But Columbus +by his reckoning knew that they must still be far from any land, but +fearing to discourage his men he kept his thoughts to himself, for he +found no trustworthy friend among his companions whose heart was firm +enough to bear his secret. + +During the long passage Columbus conversed with his own thoughts, and +with the stars, and with God whom he felt was his protector. He occupied +his days in making notes of what he observed. The nights he passed +on deck with his pilots, studying the stars and watching the seas. +He withdrew into himself, and his thoughtful gravity impressed his +companions sometimes with respect and sometimes with mistrust and awe. + +Each morning the bows of the vessels plunged through the fantastic +horizon which the evening mist had made the sailors mistake for a +shore. They kept rolling on through the boundless and bottomless abyss. +Gradually terror and discontent once more took possession of the crews. +They began to imagine that the steadfast east wind that drove them +westward prevailed eternally in this region, and that when the time came +to sail homeward, the same wind would prevent their return. For surely +their provisions and water could not hold out long enough for them to +beat their way eastward over those wide waters! + +Then the sailors began to murmur against the admiral and his seeming +fruitless obstinacy, and they blamed themselves for obeying him, when it +might mean the sacrifice of the lives of one hundred and twenty sailors. + +But each time the murmurs threatened to break out into mutiny, +Providence seemed to send more encouraging signs of land. And these for +the time being changed the complaints to hopes. At evening little birds +of the most delicate species, that build their nests in the shrubs of +the garden and orchard, hovered warbling about the masts. Their delicate +wings and joyous notes bore no signs of weariness or fright, as of birds +swept far away to sea by a storm. These signs again aroused hope. + +The green weeds on the surface of the ocean looked like waving corn +before the ears are ripe. The vegetation beneath the water delighted +the eyes of the sailors tired of the endless expanse of blue. But the +seaweed soon became so thick that they were afraid of entangling their +rudders and keels, and of remaining prisoners forever in the forests of +the ocean, as ships of the northern seas are shut in by ice. Thus each +joy soon turned to fear,--so terrible to man is the unknown. + +The wind ceased, the calms of the tropics alarmed the sailors. An +immense whale was seen sleeping on the waters. They fancied there were +monsters in the deep which would devour their ships. The roll of the +waves drove them upon currents which they could not stem for want of +wind. They imagined they were approaching the cataracts of the ocean, +and that they were being hurried toward the abysses into which the +deluge had poured its world of waters. + +Fierce and angry faces crowded round the mast. The murmurs rose louder +and louder. They talked of compelling the pilots to put about and of +throwing the admiral into the sea. Columbus, to whom their looks +and threats revealed these plans, defied them by his bold bearing or +disconcerted them by his coolness. + +Again nature came to his assistance, by giving him fresh breezes from +the east, and a calm sea under his bows. Before the close of the day +came the first cry of "Land ho!" from the lofty poop. All the crews, +repeating this cry of safety, life, and triumph, fell on their knees on +the decks, and struck up the hymn, "Glory be to God in heaven and upon +earth." When it was over, all climbed as high as they could up the +masts, yards, and rigging to see with their own eyes the new land that +had been sighted. + +But the sunrise destroyed this new hope all too quickly. The imaginary +land disappeared with the morning mist, and once more the ships seemed +to be sailing over a never-ending wilderness of waters. + +Despair took possession of the crews. Again the cry of "Land ho!" was +heard. But the sailors found as before that their hopes were but a +passing cloud. Nothing wearies the heart so much as false hopes and +bitter disappointments. + +Loud reproaches against the admiral were heard from every quarter. +Bread and water were beginning to fail. Despair changed to fury. The men +decided to turn the heads of the vessels toward Europe, and to beat back +against the winds that had favored the admiral, whom they intended to +chain to the mast of his own vessel and to give up to the vengeance of +Spain should they ever reach the port of their own country. + +These complaints now became clamorous. The admiral restrained them by +the calmness of his countenance. He called upon Heaven to decide between +himself and the sailors. He flinched not. He offered his life as a +pledge, if they would but trust and wait for three days more. He swore +that, if, in the course of the third day, land was not visible on the +horizon, he would yield to their wishes and steer for Europe. + +The mutinous men reluctantly consented and allowed him three days of +grace. . . . . . . . . . . + +At sunrise on the second day rushes recently torn up were seen floating +near the vessels. A plank hewn by an axe, a carved stick, a bough of +hawthorn in blossom, and lastly a bird's nest built on a branch which +the wind had broken, and full of eggs on which the parent-bird was +sitting, were seen swimming past on the waters. The sailors brought on +board these living witnesses of their approach to land. They were like a +message from the shore, confirming the promises of Columbus. + +The overjoyed and repentant mutineers fell on their knees before the +admiral whom they had insulted but the day before, and craved pardon for +their mistrust. + +As the day and night advanced many other sights and sounds showed that +land was very near. Toward day delicious and unknown perfumes borne on +a soft land breeze reached the vessels, and there was heard the roar of +the waves upon the reefs. + +The dawn, as it spread over the sky, gradually raised the shores of an +island from the waves. Its distant extremities were lost in the morning +mist. As the sun rose it shone on the land ascending from a low yellow +beach to the summit of hills whose dark-green covering contrasted +strongly with the clear blue of the heavens. The foam of the waves broke +on the yellow sand, and forests of tall and unknown trees stretched +away, one above another, over successive terraces of the island. Green +valleys, and bright clefts in the hollows afforded a half glimpse into +these mysterious wilds. And thus the land of golden promises, the land +of future greatness, first appeared to Christopher Columbus, the Admiral +of the Ocean, and thus he gave a New World to the nations to come. + + + + +THE FIRST LANDING OF COLUMBUS IN THE NEW WORLD + +BY WASHINGTON IRVING (ADAPTED) + +It was on Friday morning, the 12th of October, that Columbus first +beheld the New World. As the day dawned he saw before him an island, +several leagues in extent, and covered with trees like a continual +orchard. Though apparently uncultivated it was populous, for the +inhabitants were seen issuing from all parts of the woods and running to +the shore. They were perfectly naked, and, as they stood gazing at +the ships, appeared by their attitudes and gestures to be lost in +astonishment. + +Columbus made signals for the ships to cast anchor and the boats to be +manned and armed. He entered his own boat, richly attired in scarlet, +and holding the royal standard; while Martin Alonzo Pinzon and his +brother put off in company in their boats, each with a banner of the +enterprise emblazoned with a green cross, having on either side the +letters "F." and "Y.," the initials of the Castilian monarchs Fernando +and Ysabel, surmounted by crowns. + +As he approached the shore, Columbus was delighted with the purity and +suavity of the atmosphere, the crystal transparency of the sea, and +the extraordinary beauty of the vegetation. He beheld also fruits of an +unknown kind upon the trees which overhung the shores. + +On landing he threw himself on his knees, kissed the earth, and returned +thanks to God with tears of joy. His example was followed by the +rest. [9] "Almighty and Eternal God," prayed Columbus, "who by the energy +of Thy creative word hast made the firmament, the earth and the sea; +blessed and glorified be thy name in all places! May thy majesty and +dominion be exalted for ever and ever, as Thou hast permitted thy holy +name to be made known and spread by the most humble of thy servants, in +this hitherto unknown portion of Thine empire." + + +[Footnote: 9: This prayer is taken from Lamartine.] + + +Columbus, then rising, drew his sword, displayed the royal standard, and +assembling around him the two captains and the rest who had landed, he +took solemn possession in the name of the Castilian sovereigns, giving +the island the name of San Salvador. + + + + +HALLOWEEN + +(OCTOBER 31) + +THE OLD WITCH + +BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (TRANSLATED) + +There was once a little girl who was very willful and who never obeyed +when her elders spoke to her; so how could she be happy? + +One day she said to her parents: "I have heard so much of the old witch +that I will go and see her. People say she is a wonderful old woman, +and has many marvelous things in her house, and I am very curious to see +them." + +But her parents forbade her going, saying: "The witch is a wicked old +woman, who performs many godless deeds; and if you go near her, you are +no longer a child of ours." + +The girl, however, would not turn back at her parents' command, but went +to the witch's house. When she arrived there the old woman asked her:-- + +"Why are you so pale?" + +"Ah," she replied, trembling all over, "I have frightened myself so with +what I have just seen." + +"And what did you see?" inquired the old witch. + +"I saw a black man on your steps." + +"That was a collier," replied she. + +"Then I saw a gray man." + +"That was a sportsman," said the old woman. + +"After him I saw a blood-red man." + +"That was a butcher," replied the old woman. + +"But, oh, I was most terrified," continued the girl, "when I peeped +through your window, and saw not you, but a creature with a fiery head." + +"Then you have seen the witch in her proper dress," said the old woman. +"For you I have long waited, and now you shall give me light." + +So saying the witch changed the little girl into a block of wood, and +then threw it on the fire; and when it was fully alight, she sat down on +the hearth and warmed herself, saying:-- + +"How good I feel! The fire has not burned like this for a long time!" + + + + +SHIPPEITARO + +A JAPANESE FOLK-TALE: + +BY MARY F. NIXON-ROULET (ADAPTED) [10] + + +[Footnote 10: From Japanese Folk-Stories and Fairy Tales. Copyright, +1908, by American Book Company.] + + +Once upon a time there was a brave soldier lad who was seeking his +fortune in the wide, wide world. One day he lost his way in a pathless +forest, and wandered about until he came at length to a small clearing +in the midst of which stood a ruined temple. The huge trees waved above +its walls, and the leaves in the thicket whispered around them. No sun +ever shone there, and no human being lived there. + +A storm was coming up, and the soldier lad took refuge among the ruins. + +"Here is all I want," said he. "Here I shall have shelter from the +storm-god's wrath, and a comfortable place to sleep in." + +So he wrapped himself in his cloak, and, lying down, was soon fast +asleep. But his slumbers did not last long. At midnight he was wakened +by fearful shrieks, and springing to his feet, he looked out at the +temple door. + +The storm was over. Moonlight shone on the clearing. And there he saw +what seemed to be a troop of monstrous cats, who like huge phantoms +marched across the open space in front of the temple. They broke into +a wild dance, uttering shrieks, howls, and wicked laughs. Then they all +sang together:-- + + "Whisper not to Shippeitaro + That the Phantom Cats are near; + Whisper not to Shippeitaro, + Lest he soon appear!" + + +The soldier lad crouched low behind the door, for brave as he was he did +not wish these fearful creatures to see him. But soon, with a chorus of +wild yells, the Phantom Cats disappeared as quickly as they had come, +and all was quiet as before. + +Then the soldier lad lay down and went to sleep again, nor did he waken +till the sun peered into the temple and told him that it was morning. He +quickly found his way out of the forest and walked on until he came to +the cottage of a peasant. + +As he approached he heard sounds of bitter weeping. A beautiful young +maiden met him at the door, and her eyes were red with crying. She +greeted him kindly. + +"May I have some food?" said he. + +"Enter and welcome," she replied. "My parents are just having breakfast. +You may join them, for no one passes our door hungry." + +Thanking her the lad entered, and her parents greeted him courteously +but sadly, and shared their breakfast with him. He ate heartily, and, +when he was finished, rose to go. + +"Thank you many times for this good meal, kind friends," said he, "and +may happiness be yours." + +"Happiness can never again be ours!" answered the old man, weeping. + +"You are in trouble, then," said the lad. "Tell me about it; perhaps I +can help you in some way." + +"Alas!" replied the old man, "There is within yonder forest a ruined +temple. It is the abode of horrors too terrible for words. Each year a +demon, whom no one has ever seen, demands that the people of this land +give him a beautiful maiden to devour. She is placed in a cage and +carried to the temple just at sunset. This year it is my daughter's +turn to be offered to the fiend!" And the old man buried his face in his +hands and groaned. + +The soldier lad paused to think for a moment, then he said:-- + +"It is terrible, indeed! But do not despair. I think I know a way to +help you. Who is Shippeitaro?" + +"Shippeitaro is a beautiful dog, owned by our lord, the prince," +answered the old man. + +"That is just the thing!" cried the lad. "Only keep your daughter +closely at home. Do not let her out of your sight. Trust me and she +shall be saved." + +Then the soldier lad hurried away, and found the castle of the prince. +He begged that he might borrow Shippeitaro just for one night. + +"You may take him upon the condition that you bring him back safely," +said the prince. + +"To-morrow he shall return in safety," answered the lad. + +Taking Shippeitaro with him, he hurried to the peasant's cottage, and, +when evening was come, he placed the dog in the cage which was to have +carried the maiden. The bearers then took the cage to the ruined temple, +and, placing it on the ground, ran away as fast as their legs would +carry them. + +The lad, laughing softly to himself, hid inside the temple as before, +and so quiet was the spot that he fell asleep. At midnight he was +aroused by the same wild shrieks he had heard the night before. He rose +and looked out at the temple door. + +Through the darkness, into the moonlight, came the troop of Phantom +Cats. This time they were led by a fierce, black Tomcat. As they came +nearer they chanted with unearthly screeches:-- + + "Whisper not to Shippeitaro + That the Phantom Cats are near; + Whisper not to Shippeitaro, + Lest he soon appear!" + + +With that the great Tomcat caught sight of the cage and, uttering a +fearful yowl, sprang upon it, With one blow of his claws he tore open +the lid, when, instead of the dainty morsel he expected, out jumped +Shippeitaro! + +The dog sprang upon the Tomcat, and caught him by the throat; while the +Phantom Cats stood still in amazement. Drawing his sword the lad hurried +to Shippeitaro's side, and what with Shippeitaro's teeth and the lad's +hard blows, in an instant the great Tomcat was torn and cut into pieces. +When the Phantom Cats saw this, they uttered one wild shriek and fled +away, never to return again. + +Then the soldier lad, leading Shippeitaro, returned in triumph to the +peasant's cottage. There in terror the maiden awaited his arrival, but +great was the joy of herself and her parents when they knew that the +Tomcat was no more. + +"Oh, sir," cried the maiden, "I can never thank you! I am the only child +of my parents, and no one would have been left to care for them if I had +been the monster's victim." + +"Do not thank me," answered the lad. "Thank the brave Shippeitaro. It +was he who sprang upon the great Tomcat and chased away the Phantom +Creatures." + + + + +HANSEL AND GRETHEL + +BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (ADAPTED) + +Hard-by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his two children +and his wife who was their stepmother. The boy was called Hansel and the +girl Grethel. The wood-cutter had little to bite and to break, and once +when a great famine fell on the land he could no longer get daily bread. +Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in +his trouble, he groaned, and said to his wife:-- + +"What is to become of us? How are we to feed our poor children, when we +no longer have anything even for ourselves?" + +"I'll tell you what, husband," answered the woman; "early to-morrow +morning we will take the children out into the woods where it is the +thickest; there we will light a fire for them, and give each of them +one piece of bread more, and then we will go to our work and leave them +alone. They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of +them." + +"No, wife," said the man, "I will not do that; how can I bear to leave +my children alone in the woods?--the wild beasts would soon come and +tear them to pieces." + +"Oh, you fool!" said she. "Then we must all four die of hunger; you may +as well plane the planks for our coffins." And she left him no peace +until he said he would do as she wished. + +"But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all the same," said the +man. + +The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had +heard what their father's wife had said to their father. + +Grethel wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel, "Now all is over with +us." + +"Be quiet, Grethel," said Hansel, "do not be troubled; I will soon find +a way to help us." + +And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his little +coat, opened the door below, and crept outside. The moon shone brightly, +and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house shone like real +silver pennies. Hansel stooped and put as many of them in the little +pocket of his coat as he could make room for. Then he went back, and +said to Grethel, "Be at ease, dear little sister, and sleep in peace; +God will not forsake us." And he lay down again in his bed. + +When the day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came and +awoke the two children, saying:-- + +"Get up, you lazy things! we are going into the forest to fetch wood." +She gave each a little piece of bread, and said, "There is something for +your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you will get nothing +else." + +Grethel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his +pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest, and +Hansel threw one after another of the white pebble-stones out of his +pocket on the road. + +When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said, "Now, +children, pile up some wood and I will light a fire that you may not be +cold." + +Hansel and Grethel drew brushwood together till it was as high as a +little hill. + +The brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning very high +the woman said:-- + +"Now, children, lie down by the fire and rest; we will go into the +forest and cut some wood. When we have done, we will come back and fetch +you away." + +Hansel and Grethel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a +little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe +they were sure their father was near. But it was not the axe, it was +a branch which he had tied to a dry tree, and the wind was blowing it +backward and forward. As they had been sitting such a long time they +were tired, their eyes shut, and they fell fast asleep. When at last +they awoke, it was dark night. + +Grethel began to cry, and said, "How are we to get out of the forest +now?" + +But Hansel comforted her, saying, "Just wait a little, until the moon +has risen, and then we will soon find the way." + +And when the full moon had risen, Hansel took his little sister by the +hand, and followed the pebbles, which shone like bright silver pieces, +and showed them the way. + +They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more to +their father's house. + +They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it, and saw that it +was Hansel and Grethel, she said, "You naughty children, why have you +slept so long in the forest? we thought you were never coming back at +all!" + +The father, however, was glad, for it had cut him to the heart to leave +them behind alone. + +Not long after, there was once more a great lack of food in all parts, +and the children heard the woman saying at night to their father:-- + +"Everything is eaten again; we have one half-loaf left, and after that +there is an end. The children must go; we will take them farther into +the wood, so that they will not find their way out again; there is no +other means of saving ourselves!" + +The man's heart was heavy, and he thought, "It would be better to share +our last mouthful with the children." + +The woman, however, would listen to nothing he had to say, but scolded +him. He who says A must say B, too, and as he had given way the first +time, he had to do so a second time also. + +The children were still awake and had heard the talk. When the old folks +were asleep, Hansel again got up, and wanted to go and pick up pebbles, +but the woman had locked the door, and he could not get out. + +So he comforted his little sister, and said:-- + +"Do not cry, Grethel; go to sleep quietly, the good God will help us." + +Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their +beds. Their bit of bread was given to them, but it was still smaller +than the time before. On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his +in his pocket, and often threw a morsel on the ground until little by +little, he had thrown all the crumbs on the path. + +The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had +never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was again made, and +she said:-- + +"Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you may sleep a +little; we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the evening +when we are done, we will come and fetch you away." + +When it was noon, Grethel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had +scattered his by the way. Then they fell asleep, and evening came and +went, but no one came to the poor children. + +They did not awake until it was dark night, and Hansel comforted his +little sister, and said:-- + +"Just wait, Grethel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the +crumbs of bread which I have scattered about; they will show us our way +home again." + +When the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many +thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked +them all up. + +Hansel said to Grethel, "We shall soon find the way." + +But they did not find it. They walked the whole night and all the next +day, too, from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the +forest; they were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or +three berries which grew on the ground. And as they were so tired that +their legs would carry them no longer, they lay down under a tree and +fell asleep. + +It was now three mornings since they had left their father's house. They +began to walk again, but they always got deeper into the forest, and if +help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. When it +was midday, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough. It +sang so sweetly that they stood still and listened to it. And when +it had done, it spread its wings and flew away before them, and they +followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of which it +perched; and when they came quite up to the little house, they saw it +was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of +clear sugar. + +"We will set to work on that," said Hansel, "and have a good meal. +I will eat a bit of the roof, and you, Grethel, can eat some of the +window, it will taste sweet." + +Hansel reached up, and broke off a little of the roof to try how it +tasted, and Grethel leaned against the window and nibbled at the panes. + +Then a soft voice cried from the room,-- + + "Nibble, nibble, gnaw, + Who is nibbling at my little house?" + + +The children answered:-- + + "The wind, the wind, + The wind from heaven"; + +and went on eating. Hansel, who thought the roof tasted very nice, tore +down a great piece of it; and Grethel pushed out the whole of one round +window-pane, sat down, and went to eating it. + +All at once the door opened, and a very, very old woman, who leaned on +crutches, came creeping out. Hansel and Grethel were so scared that they +let fall what they had in their hands. + +The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said, "Oh, you dear +children, who has brought you here? Do come in, and stay with me. No +harm shall happen to you." + +She took them both by the hand, and led them into her little house. Then +good food was set before them, milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, +and nuts. Afterwards two pretty little beds were covered with clean +white linen, and Hansel and Grethel lay down in them, and thought they +were in heaven. + +The old woman had only pretended to be so kind; she was in reality a +wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had built the little +bread house in order to coax them there. + +Early in the morning, before the children were awake, she was already +up, and when she saw both of them sleeping and looking so pretty, with +their plump red cheeks, she muttered to herself, "That will be a dainty +mouthful!" + +Then she seized Hansel, carried him into a little stable, and shut him +in behind a grated door. He might scream as he liked,--it was of no use. +Then she went to Grethel, shook her till she awoke and cried: "Get up, +lazy thing; fetch some water, and cook something good for your brother; +he is in the stable outside, and is to be made fat. When he is fat, I +will eat him." + +Grethel began to weep, but it was all in vain; she was forced to do what +the wicked witch told her. + +And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Grethel got +nothing but crab-shells. + +Every morning the woman crept to the little stable, and cried, "Hansel, +stretch out your finger that I may feel if you will soon be fat." + +Hansel, however, stretched out a little bone to her, and the old woman, +who had dim eyes, could not see it; she thought it was Hansel's finger, +and wondered why he grew no fatter. When four weeks had gone by, and +Hansel still was thin, she could wait no longer. + +"Come, Grethel," she cried to the girl, "fly round and bring some water. +Let Hansel be fat or lean, to-morrow I will kill him, and cook him." + +Ah, how sad was the poor little sister when she had to fetch the water, +and how her tears did flow down over her cheeks! + +"Dear God, do help us," she cried. "If the wild beasts in the forest had +but eaten us, we should at any rate have died together." + +"Just keep your noise to yourself," said the old woman; "all that won't +help you at all." + +Early in the morning, Grethel had to go out and hang up the kettle with +the water, and light the fire. + +"We will bake first," said the old woman. "I have already heated the +oven, and got the dough ready." + +She pushed poor Grethel out to the oven, from which the flames of fire +were already darting. + +"Creep in," said the witch, "and see if it is heated, so that we can +shut the bread in." And when once Grethel was inside, she meant to shut +the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too. + +But Grethel saw what she had in her mind, and said, "I do not know how I +am to do it; how do you get in?" + +"Silly goose," said the old woman. "The door is big enough; just look, I +can get in myself!" and she crept up and thrust her head into the oven. +Then Grethel gave her a push that drove her far into it, and shut the +iron door, tight. + +Grethel ran as quick as lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable, +and cried, "Hansel, we are saved! The old witch is dead!" + +Then Hansel sprang out like a bird from its cage when the door is opened +for it. How they did dance about and kiss each other. And as they had +no longer any need to fear her, they went into the witch's house, and in +every corner there stood chests full of pearls and jewels. + +"These are far better than pebbles!" said Hansel, and filled his +pockets, and Grethel said, "I, too, will take something home with me," +and filled her pinafore. + +"But now we will go away," said Hansel, "that we may get out of the +witch's forest." When they had walked for two hours, they came to a +great piece of water. "We cannot get over," said Hansel; "I see no +foot-plank and no bridge." + +"And no boat crosses, either," answered Grethel, "but a white duck is +swimming there; if I ask her, she will help us over." Then she cried,-- + + "Little duck, little duck, dost thou see, + Hansel and Grethel are waiting for thee? + There's never a plank or bridge in sight, + Take us across on thy back so white." + + +The duck came to them, and Hansel sat on its back, and told his sister +to sit by him. + +"No," replied Grethel, "that will be too heavy for the little duck; she +shall take us across, one after the other." + +The good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and +had walked for a short time, they knew where they were, and at last they +saw from afar their father's house. + +Then they began to run, rushed in, and threw themselves into their +father's arms. The man had not known one happy hour since he had left +the children in the forest; the woman, however, was dead. Grethel +emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones rolled about the +floor, and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket +to add to them. Then all care was at an end, and they lived happily +together ever after. + +My tale is done; there runs a mouse; whosoever catches it may make +himself a big fur cap out of it. + + + + +BURG HILL'S ON FIRE + +A CELTIC FAIRY TALE + +BY ELIZABETH W. GRIERSON (ADAPTED) + + +Once upon a time there was a rich farmer who had a thrifty wife. She +used to go out and gather all the little bits of wool which she could +find on the hillsides, and bring them home. Then, after her family had +gone to bed, she would sit up and card the wool and spin it into yarn, +then she would weave the yarn into cloth to make garments for her +children. + +But all this work made her feel very tired, so that one night, sitting +at her loom, she laid down her shuttle and cried:-- + +"Oh, that some one would come from far or near, from land or sea, to +help me!" + +No sooner had the words left her lips than she heard some one knocking +at the door. + +"Who is there?" cried she. + +"Tell Quary, good housewife," answered a wee, wee voice. "Open the door +to me. As long as I have you'll get." + +She opened the door and there on the threshold stood a queer, little +woman, dressed in a green gown and wearing a white cap on her head. + +The good housewife was so astonished that she stood and stared at her +strange visitor; but without a word the little woman ran past her, and +seated herself at the spinning-wheel. + +The good housewife shut the door, but just then she heard another knock. + +"Who is there?" said she. + +"Tell Quary, good housewife. Open the door to me," said another wee, wee +voice. "As long as I have you'll get." + +And when she opened the door there was another queer, little woman, in a +lilac frock and a green cap, standing on the threshold. + +She, too, ran into the house without waiting to say, "By your leave," +and picking up the distaff, began to put some wool on it. + +Then before the housewife could get the door shut, a funny little +manikin, with green trousers and a red cap, came running in, and +followed the tiny women into the kitchen, seized hold of a handful of +wool, and began to card it. Another wee, wee woman followed him, and +then another tiny manikin, and another, and another, until it seemed +to the good housewife that all the fairies and pixies in Scotland were +coming into her house. + +The kitchen was alive with them. Some of them hung the great pot over +the fire to boil water to wash the wool that was dirty. Some teased the +clean wool, and some carded it. Some spun it into yarn, and some wove +the yarn into great webs of cloth. + +And the noise they made was like to make her head run round. "Splash! +splash! Whirr! whirr! Clack! clack!" The water in the pot bubbled over. +The spinning-wheel whirred. The shuttle in the loom flew backwards and +forwards. + +And the worst of it was that all the Fairies cried out for something +to eat, and although the good housewife put on her griddle and baked +bannocks as fast as she could, the bannocks were eaten up the moment +they were taken off the fire, and yet the Fairies shouted for more. + +At last the poor woman was so troubled that she went into the next room +to wake her husband. But although she shook him with all her might, she +could not wake him. It was very plain to see that he was bewitched. + +Frightened almost out of her senses, and leaving the Fairies eating her +last batch of bannocks, she stole out of the house and ran as fast as +she could to the cottage of the Wise Man who lived a mile away. + +She knocked at his door till he got up and put his head out of the +window, to see who was there; then she told him the whole story. + +"Thou foolish woman," said he, "let this be a lesson to thee never to +pray for things thou dost not need! Before thy husband can be loosed +from the spell the Fairies must be got out of the house and the +fulling-water, which they have boiled, must be thrown over him. Hurry +to the little hill that lies behind thy cottage, climb to the top of +it, and set the bushes on fire; then thou must shout three times: 'BURG +HILL'S ON FIRE!' Then will all the little Fairies run out to see if +this be true, for they live under the hill. When they are all out of the +cottage, do thou slip in as quickly as thou canst, and turn the kitchen +upside down. Upset everything the Fairies have worked with, else the +things their fingers have touched will open the door to them, and let +them in, in spite of thee." + +So the good housewife hurried away. She climbed to the top of the little +hill back of her cottage, set the bushes on fire, and cried out three +times as loud as she was able: "BURG HILL'S ON FIRE!" + +And sure enough, the door of the cottage was flung wide open, and all +the little Fairies came running out, knocking each other over in their +eagerness to be first at the hill. + +In the confusion the good housewife slipped away, and ran as fast as she +could to her cottage; and when she was once inside, it did not take her +long to bar the door, and turn everything upside down. + +She took the band off the spinning-wheel, and twisted the head of the +distaff the wrong way. She lifted the pot of fulling-water off the fire, +and turned the room topsy-turvy, and threw down the carding-combs. + +Scarcely had she done so, when the Fairies returned, and knocked at the +door. + +"Good housewife! let us in," they cried. + +"The door is shut and bolted, and I will not open it," answered she. + +"Good spinning-wheel, get up and open the door," they cried. + +"How can I," answered the spinning-wheel, "seeing that my band is +undone?" + +"Kind distaff, open the door for us," said they. + +"That would I gladly do," said the distaff, "but I cannot walk, for my +head is turned the wrong way." + +"Weaving-loom, have pity, and open the door." + +"I am all topsy-turvy, and cannot move," sighed the loom. + +"Fulling-water, open the door," they implored. + +"I am off the fire," growled the fulling-water, "and all my strength is +gone." + +"Oh! Is there nothing that will come to our aid, and open the door?" +they cried. + +"I will," said a little barley-bannock, that had lain hidden, toasting +on the hearth; and it rose and trundled like a wheel quickly across the +floor. + +But luckily the housewife saw it, and she nipped it between her finger +and thumb, and, because it was only half-baked, it fell with a "splatch" +on the cold floor. + +Then the Fairies gave up trying to get into the kitchen, and instead +they climbed up by the windows into the room where the good housewife's +husband was sleeping, and they swarmed upon his bed and tickled him +until he tossed about and muttered as if he had a fever. + +Then all of a sudden the good housewife remembered what the Wise Man had +said about the fulling-water. She ran to the kitchen and lifted a cupful +out of the pot, and carried it in, and threw it over the bed where her +husband was. + +In an instant he woke up in his right senses. Then he jumped out of bed, +ran across the room and opened the door, and the Fairies vanished. And +they have never been seen from that day to this. + + + + +THE KING OF THE CATS + +AN ENGLISH FOLK-TALE + +BY ERNEST RHYS + +Once upon a time there were two brothers who lived in a lonely house in +a very lonely part of Scotland. An old woman used to do the cooking, +and there was no one else, unless we count her cat and their own dogs, +within miles of them. + +One autumn afternoon the elder of the two, whom we will call Elshender, +said he would not go out; so the younger one, Fergus, went alone to +follow the path where they had been shooting the day before, far across +the mountains. + +He meant to return home before the early sunset; however, he did not do +so, and Elshender became very uneasy as he watched and waited in vain +till long after their usual supper-time. At last Fergus returned, wet +and exhausted, nor did he explain why he was so late. + +But after supper when the two brothers were seated before the fire, on +which the peat crackled cheerfully, the dogs lying at their feet, and +the old woman's black cat sitting gravely with half-shut eyes on the +hearth between them, Fergus recovered himself and began to tell his +adventures. + +"You must be wondering," said he, "what made me so late. I have had a +very, very strange adventure to-day. I hardly know what to say about it. +I went, as I told you I should, along our yesterday's track. A mountain +fog came on just as I was about to turn homewards, and I completely lost +my way. I wandered about for a long time not knowing where I was, till +at last I saw a light, and made for it, hoping to get help. + +"As I came near it, it disappeared, and I found myself close to an old +oak tree. I climbed into the branches the better to look for the light, +and, behold! there it was right beneath me, inside the hollow trunk of +the tree. I seemed to be looking down into a church, where a funeral was +taking place. I heard singing, and saw a coffin surrounded by torches, +all carried by--But I know you won't believe me, Elshender, if I tell +you!" + +His brother eagerly begged him to go on, and threw a dry peat on the +fire to encourage him. The dogs were sleeping quietly, but the cat was +sitting up, and seemed to be listening just as carefully and cannily as +Elshender himself. Both brothers, indeed, turned their eyes on the cat +as Fergus took up his story. + +"Yes," he continued, "it is as true as I sit here. The coffin and the +torches were both carried by CATS, and upon the coffin were marked a +crown and a scepter!" + +He got no farther, for the black cat started up, shrieking:-- + +"My stars! old Peter's dead, and I'm the King o' the Cats!"--Then rushed +up the chimney, and was seen no more. + + + + +THE STRANGE VISITOR + +AN ENGLISH FOLK-TALE + +BY JOSEPH JACOBS + +A woman was sitting at her reel one night; and still she sat, and still +she reeled, and still she wished for company. + +In came a pair of broad, broad soles, and sat down +at the fireside! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a pair of small, small legs, and sat down +on the broad, broad soles! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a pair of thick, thick knees, and sat down +on the small, small legs! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a pair of thin, thin thighs, and sat down +on the thick, thick knees! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a pair of huge, huge hips, and sat down +on the thin, thin thighs! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a wee, wee waist, and sat down on the +huge, huge hips! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a pair of broad, broad shoulders, and sat +down on the wee, wee waist! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a pair of small, small arms, and sat down +on the broad, broad shoulders! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a pair of huge, huge hands, and sat down +on the small, small arms! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a small, small neck, and sat down on the +broad, broad shoulders! + +And still she sat, and still she reeled, and still she +wished for company. + +In came a huge, huge head, and sat down on the +small, small neck! + +. . . . . . . . . + +"How did you get such broad, broad feet?" quoth the Woman. +"Much tramping, much tramping!" (GRUFFLY.) + +"How did you get such small, small legs?" "AIH-H-H!--late--and +WEE-E-E-moul!" (WHININGLY.) + +"How did you get such thick, thick knees?" "Much praying, much praying!" +(PIOUSLY.) + +"How did you get such thin, thin thighs?" "Aih-h-h!--late--and +wee-e-e-moul!" (WHININGLY.) + +"How did you get such big, big hips?" "Much sitting, much sitting!" +(GRUFFLY.) + +"How did you get such a wee, wee waist?" "Aih-h-h!--late--and +wee-e-e-moul!" (WHININGLY.) + +"How did you get such broad, broad shoulders?" "With carrying broom, +with carrying broom!" (GRUFFLY.) + +"How did you get such small arms?" "Aih-h-h!--late--and wee-e-e-moul!" +(WHININGLY.) + +"How did you get such huge, huge hands?" "Threshing with an iron flail! +Threshing with an iron flail!" (GRUFFLY.) + +"How did you get such a small, small neck?" "Aih-h-h!--late--and +wee-e-e-moul!" (PITIFULLY.) + +"How did you get such a huge, huge head?" "Much knowledge, much +knowledge!" (KEENLY.) + +"What do you come for?" "FOR YOU!!!" (AT THE TOP OF THE VOICE, WITH A +WAVE OF THE ARMS AND A STAMP OF THE FEET.) + + + + +THE BENEVOLENT GOBLIN + +FROM GESTA ROMANORUM (ADAPTED) + +In the kingdom of England there is a hillock in the midst of a dense +wood. Thither in old days knights and their followers were wont to +repair when tired and thirsty after the chase. When one of their number +called out, "I thirst!" there immediately started up a Goblin with +a cheerful countenance, clad in a crimson robe, and bearing in his +outstretched hand a large drinking-horn richly ornamented with gold and +precious jewels, and full of the most delicious, unknown beverage. + +The Goblin presented the horn to the thirsty knight, who drank and +instantly felt refreshed and cool. After the drinker had emptied the +horn, the Goblin offered a silken napkin to wipe the mouth. Then, +without waiting to be thanked, the strange creature vanished as suddenly +as he had come. + +Now once there was a knight of churlish nature, who was hunting alone +in those parts. Feeling thirsty and fatigued, he visited the hillock and +cried out:-- + +"I thirst!" + +Instantly the Goblin appeared and presented the horn. + +When the knight had drained it of its delicious beverage, instead of +returning the horn, he thrust it into his bosom, and rode hastily away. + +He boasted far and wide of his deed, and his feudal lord hearing thereof +caused him to be bound and cast into prison; then fearing lest he, too, +might become partaker in the theft and ingratitude of the knight, the +lord presented the jeweled horn to the King of England, who carefully +preserved it among the royal treasures. But never again did the +benevolent Goblin return to the hillock in the wood. + + + + +THE PHANTOM KNIGHT OF THE VANDAL CAMP + +FROM GESTA ROMANORUM (ADAPTED) + +There was once in Great Britain, a knight named Albert, strong in arms +and adorned with every virtue. One day as he was seeking for adventure, +he chanced to wander into a castle where he was hospitably entertained. + +At night, after supper, as was usual in great families during the +winter, the household gathered about the hearth and occupied the time in +relating divers tales. + +At last they told how in the near-by plain of Wandlesbury there was a +haunted mound. There in old days the Vandals, who laid waste the land +and slaughtered Christians, had pitched their camp and built about it a +great rampart. And it was further related that in the hush of the night, +if any one crossed the plain, ascended the mound, and called out in a +loud voice, "Let my adversary appear!" there immediately started up +from the ruined ramparts a huge, ghostly figure, armed and mounted for +battle. This phantom then attacked the knight who had cried out and +speedily overcame him. + +Now, when Albert heard this marvelous tale, he greatly doubted its +truth, and was determined to put the matter to a test. As the moon +was shining brightly, and the night was quiet, he armed, mounted, and +immediately hastened to the plain of Wandlesbury, accompanied by a +squire of noble blood. + +He ascended the mound, dismissed his attendant, and shouted:-- + +"Let my adversary appear!" + +Instantly there sprang from the ruins a huge, ghostly knight completely +armed and mounted on an enormous steed. + +This phantom rushed upon Albert, who spurred his horse, extended his +shield, and drove at his antagonist with his lance. Both knights were +shaken by the encounter. Albert, however, so resolutely and with so +strong an arm pressed his adversary that the latter was thrown violently +to the ground. Seeing this Albert hastily seized the steed of the fallen +knight, and started to leave the mound. + +But the phantom, rising to his feet, and seeing his horse led away, +flung his lance and cruelly wounded Albert in the thigh. This done he +vanished as suddenly as he had appeared. + +Our knight, overjoyed at his victory, returned in triumph to the castle, +where the household crowded around him and praised his bravery. But when +he put off his armor he found the cuish from his right thigh filled with +clots of blood from an angry wound in his side. The family, alarmed, +hastened to apply healing herbs and bandages. + +The captured horse was then brought forward. He was prodigiously large, +and black as jet. His eyes were fierce and flashing, his neck proudly +arched, and he wore a glittering war-saddle upon his back. + +As the first streaks of dawn began to appear, the animal reared wildly, +snorted as if with pain and anger, and struck the ground so furiously +with his hoofs that the sparks flew. The black cock of the castle crew +and the horse, uttering a terrible cry, instantly disappeared. + +And every year, on the selfsame night, at the selfsame hour, the wounds +of the knight Albert broke out afresh, and tormented him with agony. +Thus till his dying day he bore in his body a yearly reminder of his +encounter with the Phantom Knight of the Vandal Camp. + + + + +THANKSGIVING DAY + +(LAST THURSDAY IN NOVEMBER) + + + + +THE FIRST HARVEST-HOME IN PLYMOUTH + +BY W. DE LOSS LOVE, JR (ADAPTED) + +After prayer and fasting and a farewell feast, the Pilgrim Fathers left +the City of Leyden, and sought the new and unknown land. "So they lefte +ye goodly & pleasante citie," writes their historian Bradford, "which +had been ther resting place near 12 years, but they knew they were +pilgrimes & looked not much on those things, but lift up their eyes to +ye Heavens their dearest cuntrie, and quieted their spirits." + +When, after many vexing days upon the deep, the pilgrims first sighted +the New World, they were filled with praise and thanksgiving. Going +ashore they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven. And +after that, whenever they were delivered from accidents or despair, they +gave God "solemne thanks and praise." Such were the Pilgrims and such +their habit day by day. + +The first winter in the New World was marked by great suffering and +want. Hunger and illness thinned the little colony, and caused many +graves to be made on the near-by hillside. + +The spring of 1621 opened. The seed was sown in the fields. The +colonists cared for it without ceasing, and watched its growth with +anxiety; for well they knew that their lives depended upon a full +harvest. + +The days of spring and summer flew by, and the autumn came. Never in +Holland or England had the Pilgrims seen the like of the treasures +bounteous Nature now spread before them. The woodlands were arrayed in +gorgeous colors, brown, crimson, and gold, and swarmed with game of all +kinds, that had been concealed during the summer. The little farm-plots +had been blessed by the sunshine and showers, and now plentiful crops +stood ready for the gathering. The Pilgrims, rejoicing, reaped the fruit +of their labors, and housed it carefully for the winter. Then, filled +with the spirit of thanksgiving, they held the first harvest-home in New +England. + +For one whole week they rested from work, feasted, exercised their +arms, and enjoyed various recreations. Many Indians visited the colony, +amongst these their greatest king, Massasoit, with ninety of his braves. +The Pilgrims entertained them for three days. And the Indians went out +into the woods and killed fine deer, which they brought to the colony +and presented to the governor and the captain and others. So all made +merry together. + +And bountiful was the feast. Oysters, fish and wild turkey, Indian +maize and barley bread, geese and ducks, venison and other savory meats, +decked the board. Kettles, skillets, and spits were overworked, while +knives and spoons, kindly assisted by fingers, made merry music on +pewter plates. Wild grapes, "very sweete and strong," added zest to +the feast. As to the vegetables, why, the good governor describes them +thus:-- + + "All sorts of grain which our own land doth yield, + Was hither brought, and sown in every field; + As wheat and rye, barley, oats, beans, and pease + Here all thrive and they profit from them raise; + All sorts of roots and herbs in gardens grow,-- + Parsnips, carrots, turnips, or what you'll sow, + Onions, melons, cucumbers, radishes, + Skirets, beets, coleworts and fair cabbages." + + +Thus a royal feast it was the Pilgrims spread that first golden autumn +at Plymouth, a feast worthy of their Indian guests. + +All slumbering discontents they smothered with common rejoicings. When +the holiday was over, they were surely better, braver men because they +had turned aside to rest awhile and be thankful together. So the exiles +of Leyden claimed the harvests of New England. + +This festival was the bursting into life of a new conception of man's +dependence on God's gifts in Nature. It was the promise of autumnal +Thanksgivings to come. + + + + +THE MASTER OF THE HARVEST + +BY MRS. ALFRED GATTY (ADAPTED) + +The Master of the Harvest walked by the side of his cornfields in the +springtime. A frown was on his face, for there had been no rain for +several weeks, and the earth was hard from the parching of the east +winds. The young wheat had not been able to spring up. + +So as he looked over the long ridges that stretched in rows before him, +he was vexed and began to grumble and say:-- + +"The harvest will be backward, and all things will go wrong." + +Then he frowned more and more, and uttered complaints against Heaven +because there was no rain; against the earth because it was so dry; +against the corn because it had not sprung up. + +And the Master's discontent was whispered all over the field, and +along the ridges where the corn-seed lay. And the poor little seeds +murmured:-- + +"How cruel to complain! Are we not doing our best? Have we let one drop +of moisture pass by unused? Are we not striving every day to be ready +for the hour of breaking forth? Are we idle? How cruel to complain!" + +But of all this the Master of the Harvest heard nothing, so the gloom +did not pass from his face. Going to his comfortable home he repeated +to his wife the dark words, that the drought would ruin the harvest, for +the corn was not yet sprung up. + +Then his wife spoke cheering words, and taking her Bible she wrote some +texts upon the flyleaf, and after them the date of the day. + +And the words she wrote were these: "The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and +Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand +and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. How excellent is Thy +loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust +under the shadow of Thy wings. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more +than in the time that their corn and their wine increased." + +And so a few days passed as before, and the house was gloomy with the +discontent of the Master. But at last one evening there was rain all +over the land, and when the Master of the Harvest went out the next +morning for his early walk by the cornfields, the corn had sprung up at +last. + +The young shoots burst out at once, and very soon all along the ridges +were to be seen rows of tender blades, tinting the whole field with a +delicate green. And day by day the Master of the Harvest saw them, and +was satisfied, but he spoke of other things and forgot to rejoice. + +Then a murmur rose among the corn-blades. + +"The Master was angry because we did not come up; now that we have come +forth why is he not glad? Are we not doing our best? From morning and +evening dews, from the glow of the sun, from the juices of the earth, +from the freshening breezes, even from clouds and rain, are we not +taking food and strength, warmth and life? Why does he not rejoice?" + +And when the Master's wife asked him if the wheat was doing well he +answered, "Fairly well," and nothing more. + +But the wife opened her Book, and wrote again on the flyleaf: "Who hath +divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the +lightning of thunder, to cause it to rain on the earth where no man is, +on the wilderness wherein there is no man, to satisfy the desolate and +waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? +For He maketh small the drops of water; they pour down rain according +to the vapor thereof, which the clouds do drop and distil upon man +abundantly. Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the +noise of his tabernacle?" + +Very peaceful were the next few weeks. All nature seemed to rejoice in +the fine weather. The corn-blades shot up strong and tall. They burst +into flowers and gradually ripened into ears of grain. But alas! the +Master of the Harvest had still some fault to find. He looked at the +ears and saw that they were small. He grumbled and said:-- + +"The yield will be less than it ought to be. The harvest will be bad." + +And the voice of his discontent was breathed over the cornfield where +the plants were growing and growing. They shuddered and murmured: "How +thankless to complain! Are we not growing as fast as we can? If we were +idle would we bear wheat-ears at all? How thankless to complain!" + +Meanwhile a few weeks went by and a drought settled on the land. Rain +was needed, so that the corn-ears might fill. And behold, while the +wish for rain was yet on the Master's lips, the sky became full of +heavy clouds, darkness spread over the land, a wild wind arose, and the +roaring of thunder announced a storm. And such a storm! Along the ridges +of corn-plants drove the rain-laden wind, and the plants bent down +before it and rose again like the waves of the sea. They bowed down and +they rose up. Only where the whirlwind was the strongest they fell to +the ground and could not rise again. + +And when the storm was over, the Master of the Harvest saw here +and there patches of over-weighted corn, yet dripping from the +thunder-shower, and he grew angry with them, and forgot to think of the +long ridges where the corn-plants were still standing tall and strong, +and where the corn-ears were swelling and rejoicing. + +His face grew darker than ever. He railed against the rain. He railed +against the sun because it did not shine. He blamed the wheat because it +might perish before the harvest. + +"But why does he always complain?" moaned the corn-plants. "Have we not +done our best from the first? Has not God's blessing been with us? Are +we not growing daily more beautiful in strength and hope? Why does not +the Master trust, as we do, in the future richness of the harvest?" + +Of all this the Master of the Harvest heard nothing. But his wife wrote +on the flyleaf of her Book: "He watereth the hills from his chambers, +the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. He causeth the grass +to grow for the cattle and herb for the service of man, that he may +bring forth food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad the heart +of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth +man's heart." + +And day by day the hours of sunshine were more in number. And by degrees +the green corn-ears ripened into yellow, and the yellow turned into +gold, and the abundant harvest was ready, and the laborers were not +wanting. + +Then the bursting corn broke out into songs of rejoicing. "At least we +have not labored and watched in vain! Surely the earth hath yielded her +increase! Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits! Where +now is the Master of the Harvest? Come, let him rejoice with us!" + +And the Master's wife brought out her Book and her husband read the +texts she had written even from the day when the corn-seeds were held +back by the first drought, and as he read a new heart seemed to grow +within him, a heart that was thankful to the Lord of the Great Harvest. +And he read aloud from the Book:-- + +"Thou visitest the earth and waterest it; thou greatly enrichest it with +the river of God which is full of water; thou preparest them corn, +when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof +abundantly; thou settlest the furrows thereof; thou makest it soft with +showers; thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year +with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the +pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. +The pastures are clothed with flocks. The valleys also are covered over +with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.--O that men would praise +the Lord for His goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children +of men!" + + + + +SAINT CUTHBERT'S EAGLE + +BY THE VENERABLE BEDE (ADAPED) + +Once upon a time, the good Saint Cuthbert of Lindesfarne, went forth +from his monastery to preach to the poor. He took with him a young lad +as his only attendant. Together they walked along the dusty way. The +heat of the noonday sun beat upon their heads, and fatigue overcame +them. + +"Son," said Saint Cuthbert, "do you know any one on the road, whom we +may ask for food and a place in which to rest?" + +"I was just thinking the same thing," answered the lad, "but I know +nobody on the road who will entertain us. Alas! why did we not bring +along provisions? How can we proceed on our long journey without them?" + +"My son," answered the saint, "learn to have trust in God, who never +will suffer those to perish of hunger who believe in Him." + +Then looking up and seeing an eagle flying in the air, he added, "Do you +see the eagle yonder? It is possible for God to feed us by means of this +bird." + +While they were talking thus, they came to a river, and, lo! the eagle +stood on the bank. + +"Son," said Saint Cuthbert, "run and see what provision God has made for +us by his handmaid the bird." + +The lad ran, and found a good-sized fish that the eagle had just caught. +This he brought to the saint. + +"What have you done?" exclaimed the good man, "why have you not given a +part to God's handmaid? Cut the fish in two pieces, and give her one, as +her service well deserves." + +The lad did as he was bidden, and the eagle, taking the half fish in her +beak, flew away. + +Then entering a neighboring village, Saint Cuthbert gave the other half +to a peasant to cook, and while the lad and the villagers feasted, the +good saint preached to them the Word of God. + + + + +THE EARS OF WHEAT + +BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (TRANSLATED) + +Ages upon ages ago, says the German grandmother, when angels used to +wander on earth, the ground was more fruitful than it is now. Then +the stalks of wheat bore not fifty or sixty fold, but four times five +hundred fold. Then the wheat-ears grew from the bottom to the top of the +stalk. But the men of the earth forgot that this blessing came from God, +and they became idle and selfish. + +One day a woman went through a wheat-field, and her little child, who +accompanied her, fell into a puddle and soiled her frock. The mother +tore off a handful of the wheat-ears and cleaned the child's dress with +them. + +Just then an angel passed by and saw her. Wrathfully he spoke:-- + +"Wasteful woman, no longer shall the wheat-stalks produce ears. You +mortals are not worthy of the gifts of Heaven!" + +Some peasants who were gathering wheat in the fields heard this, and +falling on their knees, prayed and entreated the angel to leave the +wheat alone, not only on their account, but for the sake of the little +birds who otherwise must perish of hunger. + +The angel pitied their distress, and granted a part of the prayer. And +from that day to this the ears of wheat have grown as they do now. + + + + +HOW INDIAN CORN CAME INTO THE WORLD + +AN OJIBBEWAY LEGEND + +BY HENRY R. SCHOOLCRAFT (ADAPTED) + +Long, long ago, in a beautiful part of this country, there lived an +Indian with his wife and children. He was poor and found it hard to +provide food enough for his family. But though needy he was kind and +contented, and always gave thanks to the Great Spirit for everything +that he received. His eldest son, Wunzh, was likewise kind and gentle +and thankful of heart, and he longed greatly to do something for his +people. + +The time came that Wunzh reached the age when every Indian boy fasts so +that he may see in a vision the Spirit that is to be his guide through +life. Wunph's father built him a little lodge apart, so that the boy +might rest there undisturbed during his days of fasting. Then Wunzh +withdrew to begin the solemn rite. + +On the first day he walked alone in the woods looking at the flowers and +plants, and filling his mind with the beautiful images of growing things +so that he might see them in his night-dreams. He saw how the flowers +and herbs and berries grew, and he knew that some were good for food, +and that others healed wounds and cured sickness. And his heart was +filled with even a greater longing to do something for his family and +his tribe. + +"Truly," thought he, "the Great Spirit made all things. To Him we owe +our lives. But could He not make it easier for us to get our food than +by hunting and catching fish? I must try to find this out in my vision." + +So Wunzh returned to his lodge and fasted and slept. On the third day he +became weak and faint. Soon he saw in a vision a young brave coming down +from the sky and approaching the lodge. He was clad in rich garments of +green and yellow colors. On his head was a tuft of nodding green plumes, +and all his motions were graceful and swaying. + +"I am sent to you, O Wunzh," said the sky-stranger, "by that Great +Spirit who made all things in sky and earth. He has seen your fasting, +and knows how you wish to do good to your people, and that you do not +seek for strength in war nor for the praise of warriors. I am sent to +tell you how you may do good to your kindred. Arise and wrestle with me, +for only by overcoming me may you learn the secret." + +Wunzh, though he was weak from fasting, felt courage grow in his heart, +and he arose and wrestled with the stranger. But soon he became weaker +and exhausted, and the stranger, seeing this, smiled gently on him and +said: "My friend, this is enough for once, I will come again to-morrow." +And he vanished as suddenly as he had appeared. + +The next day the stranger came, and Wunzh felt himself weaker than +before; nevertheless he rose and wrestled bravely. Then the stranger +spoke a second time. "My friend," he said, "have courage! To-morrow will +be your last trial." And he disappeared from Wunzh's sight. + +On the third day the stranger came as before, and the struggle was +renewed. And Wunzh, though fainter in body, grew strong in mind and +will, and he determined to win or perish in the attempt. He exerted all +his powers, and, lo! in a while, he prevailed and overcame the stranger. + +"O Wunzh, my friend," said the conquered one, "you have wrestled +manfully. You have met your trial well. To-morrow I shall come again +and you must wrestle with me for the last time. You will prevail. Do you +then strip off my garments, throw me down, clean the earth of roots and +weeds, and bury me in that spot. When you have done so, leave my body in +the ground. Come often to the place and see whether I have come to life, +but be careful not to let weeds or grass grow on my grave. If you do all +this well, you will soon discover how to benefit your fellow creatures." +Having said this the stranger disappeared. + +In the morning Wunzh's father came to him with food. "My son," he said, +"you have fasted long. It is seven days since you have tasted food, and +you must not sacrifice your life. The Master of Life does not require +that." + +"My father," replied the boy, "wait until the sun goes down to-morrow. +For a certain reason I wish to fast until that hour." + +"Very well," said the old man, "I shall wait until the time arrives when +you feel inclined to eat." And he went away. + +The next day, at the usual hour, the sky stranger came again. And, +though Wunzh had fasted seven days, he felt a new power arise within +him. He grasped the stranger with superhuman strength, and threw him +down. He took from him his beautiful garments, and, finding him dead, +buried him in the softened earth, and did all else as he had been +directed. + +He then returned to his father's lodge, and partook sparingly of food. +There he abode for some time. But he never forgot the grave of his +friend. Daily he visited it, and pulled up the weeds and grass, and kept +the earth soft and moist. Very soon, to his great wonder, he saw the +tops of green plumes coming through the ground. + +Weeks passed by, the summer was drawing to a close. One day Wunzh asked +his father to follow him. He led him to a distant meadow. There, in +the place where the stranger had been buried, stood a tall and graceful +plant, with bright-colored, silken hair, and crowned by nodding green +plumes. Its stalk was covered with waving leaves, and there grew from +its sides clusters of milk-filled ears of corn, golden and sweet, each +ear closely wrapped in its green husks. + +"It is my friend!" shouted the boy joyously; "it is Mondawmin, the +Indian Corn! We need no longer depend on hunting, so long as this gift +is planted and cared for. The Great Spirit has heard my voice and has +sent us this food." + +Then the whole family feasted on the ears of corn and thanked the Great +Spirit who gave it. So Indian Corn came into the world. + + + + +THE NUTCRACKER DWARF + +BY COUNT FRANZ POCCI (TRANSLATED) + +Two boys gathered some hazelnuts in the woods. They sat down under a +tree and tried to eat them, but they did not have their knives, and +could not bite open the nuts with their teeth. + +"Oh," they complained, "if only some one would come and open the nuts +for us!" + +Hardly had they said this when a little man came through the woods. And +such a strange little man! He had a great, great head, and from the back +of it a slender pigtail hung down to his heels. He wore a golden cap, a +red coat and yellow stockings. + + +As he came near he sang:-- + + "Hight! hight! Bite! bite! + Hans hight I! Nuts bite I! + I chase the squirrels through the trees, + I gather nuts just as I please, + I place them 'twixt my jaws so strong, + And crack and eat them all day long!" + + +The boys almost died of laughter when they saw this funny little man, +who they knew was a Wood Dwarf. + +They called out to him: "If you know how to crack nuts, why, come here +and open ours." + +But the little man grumbled through his long white beard:-- + + "If I crack the nuts for you + Promise that you'll give me two." + + +"Yes, yes," cried the boys, "you shall have all the nuts you wish, only +crack some for us, and be quick about it!" + +The little man stood before them, for he could not sit down because of +his long, stiff pigtail that hung down behind, and he sang:-- + + "Lift my pigtail, long and thin, + Place your nuts my jaws within, + Pull the pigtail down, and then + I'll crack your nuts, my little men." + + +The boys did as they were told, laughing hard all the time. Whenever +they pulled down the pigtail, there was a sharp CRACK, and a broken nut +sprang out of the Nutcracker's mouth. + +Soon all the hazelnuts were opened, and the little man grumbled again:-- + + "Hight! hight! Bite! bite! + Your nuts are cracked, and now my pay + I'll take and then I'll go away." + + +Now one of the boys wished to give the little man his promised reward, +but the other, who was a bad boy, stopped him, saying:-- + +"Why do you give that old fellow our nuts? There are only enough for us. +As for you, Nutcracker, go away from here and find some for yourself." + +Then the little man grew angry, and he grumbled horribly:-- + + "If you do not pay my fee, + Why, then, you've told a lie to me! + I am hungry, you're well fed, + Quick, or I'll bite off your head!" + + +But the bad boy only laughed and said: "You 'll bite off my head, will +you! Go away from here just as fast as you can, or you shall feel these +nut-shells," and he shook his fist at the little man. + +The Nutcracker grew red with rage. He pulled up his pigtail, snapping +his jaws together,--CRACK,--and the bad boy's head was off. + + + + +THE PUMPKIN PIRATES + +A TALE FROM LUCIAN + +BY ALFRED J. CHURCH (ADAPTED) + +Once upon a time, one Lucian the Greek was filled with a desire to see +strange countries, and especially to discover whether there was any +opposite shore to the ocean by which he lived. + +So having purchased a vessel, he strengthened it for a voyage, that he +knew would without doubt be long and stormy. Then he chose fifty stout +young fellows having the same love of adventure as himself, and next he +hired the best captain that could be got for money, and put a store of +provisions and water on board. + +All this being done, he set sail. For many days he and his companions +voyaged on deep waters and in strange seas. At times the wind was +fair and gentle, and at others it blew so hard that the sea rose in a +terrible manner. + +One day there came a violent whirlwind which twisted the ship about, +and, lifting it into the air, carried it upward into the sky, until it +reached the Moon. There Lucian and his comrades disembarked and visited +the inhabitants of Moonland. They took part in a fierce battle between +the Moon-Folk, the Sun-Folk, and an army of Vulture-Horsemen; and, +after many other wonderful adventures, they departed from Moonland, +and sailing through the sky, visited the Morning Star. Then the wind +dropping, the ship settled once more upon the sea, and they sailed on +the water. + +One morning the wind began to blow vehemently, and they were driven by +storm for days. On the third day they fell in with the Pumpkin Pirates. +These were savages who were wont to sally forth from the islands that +lay in the seas thereabouts, and plunder them that sailed by. + +For ships they had large pumpkins, each being not less than ninety feet +in length. These pumpkins they dried, and afterward dug out all the +inner part of them till they were quite hollow. For masts they had +reeds, and for sails, in the place of canvas, pumpkin leaves. + +These savages attacked Lucian's vessel with two ships' or rather two +pumpkins' crews, and wounded many of his company. For stones they used +the pumpkin-seeds, which were about the bigness of a large apple. + +Lucian's company fought for some time, without gaining the advantage, +when about noon they saw coming toward them, in the rear of the Pumpkin +Pirates, the Nut-Shell Sailors. These two tribes were at war with each +other. + +As soon as the Pumpkin Pirates saw the others approaching, they left +off fighting Lucian's crew, and prepared to give battle to the Nut-Shell +Sailors. When Lucian saw this he ordered the captain to set all sails; +and they departed with speed. But looking back he could see that the +Nut-Shell Sailors had the best of the battle, being superior in numbers, +having five crews against two of the Pumpkin Pirates, and also because +their ships were stronger. As for their ships, they were the shells of +nuts which had been split in half, each measuring fifteen fathoms, or +thereabouts. + +As soon as the Pumpkin Pirates and the Nut-Shell Sailors were out +of sight, Lucian set himself to dressing the wounds of his injured +companions. And from that time on both Lucian and his crew wore their +armor continually, not knowing when another strange enemy might come +upon them. + + + + +THE SPIRIT OF THE CORN + +AN IROQUOIS LEGEND + +BY HARRIET MAXWELL CONVERSE (ADAPTED) + +There was a time, says the Iroquois grandmother, when it was not needful +to plant the corn-seed nor to hoe the fields, for the corn sprang up of +itself, and filled the broad meadows. Its stalks grew strong and tall, +and were covered with leaves like waving banners, and filled with ears +of pearly grain wrapped in silken green husks. + +In those days Onatah, the Spirit of the Corn, walked upon the earth. The +sun lovingly touched her dusky face with the blush of the morning, +and her eyes grew soft as the gleam of the stars on dark streams. Her +night-black hair was spread before the breeze like a wind-driven cloud. + +As she walked through the fields, the corn, the Indian maize, sprang up +of itself from the earth and filled the air with its fringed tassels and +whispering leaves. With Onatah walked her two sisters, the Spirits of +the Squash and the Bean. As they passed by, squash-vines and bean-plants +grew from the corn-hills. + +One day Onatah wandered away alone in search of early dew. Then the Evil +One of the earth, Hahgwehdaetgah, followed swiftly after. He grasped her +by the hair and dragged her beneath the ground down to his gloomy cave. +Then, sending out his fire-breathing monsters, he blighted Onatah's +grain. And when her sisters, the Spirits of the Squash and the Bean, +saw the flame-monsters raging through the fields, they flew far away in +terror. + +As for poor Onatah, she lay a trembling captive in the dark prison-cave +of the Evil One. She mourned the blight of her cornfields, and sorrowed +over her runaway sisters. + +"O warm, bright sun!" she cried, "if I may walk once more upon the +earth, never again will I leave my corn!" + +And the little birds of the air heard her cry, and winging their way +upward they carried her vow and gave it to the sun as he wandered +through the blue heavens. + +The sun, who loved Onatah, sent out many searching beams of light. They +pierced through the damp earth, and entering the prison-cave, guided her +back again to her fields. + +And ever after that she watched her fields alone, for no more did her +sisters, the Spirits of the Squash and Bean, watch with her. If +her fields thirsted, no longer could she seek the early dew. If the +flame-monsters burned her corn, she could not search the skies for +cooling winds. And when the great rains fell and injured her harvest, +her voice grew so faint that the friendly sun could not hear it. + +But ever Onatah tenderly watched her fields and the little birds of the +air flocked to her service. They followed her through the rows of corn, +and made war on the tiny enemies that gnawed at the roots of the grain. + +And at harvest-time the grateful Onatah scattered the first gathered +corn over her broad lands, and the little birds, fluttering and singing, +joyfully partook of the feast spread for them on the meadow-ground. + + + + +THE HORN OF PLENTY + +BY OVID (ADAPTED) + +Aeneus, King of Aetolia, had a daughter whose name was Deianira. So +beautiful was the maiden that her fame spread throughout the world, and +many princes came to woo her. Among these were two strangers, who drove +all the other suitors from the hall of King Aeneus. + +One was Hercules, huge of limb and broad of shoulder. He was clad in +the skins of beasts, and carried in his hand a knotted club. His tangled +hair hung down upon his brawny neck, and his fierce eyes gleamed from +behind his shaggy brows. + +The other stranger was Achelous, god of the Calydonian River. Slender +and graceful was he, and clad in flowing green raiment. In his hand +he carried a staff of plaited reeds, and on his head was a crown of +water-lilies. His voice was soft and caressing, like the gentle murmur +of summer brooks. + +"O King Aeneus," said Achelous, standing before the throne, "behold I +am the King of Waters. If thou wilt receive me as thy son-in-law I will +make the beautiful Deianira queen of my river kingdom." + +"King Aeneus," said the mighty Hercules, stepping forward, "Deianira is +mine, and I will not yield her to this river-god." + +"Impertinent stranger!" cried Achelous, turning toward the hero, while +his voice rose till it sounded like the thunder of distant cataracts, +and his green garment changed to the blackness of night,--"impertinent +stranger! how darest thou claim this maiden,--thou who hast mortal blood +in thy veins! Behold me, the god Achelous, the powerful King of the +Waters! I wind with majesty through the rich lands of my wide realms. I +make all fields through which I flow beautiful with grass and flowers. +By my right divine I claim this maiden." + +But with scowling eye and rising wrath Hercules made answer. "Thou +wouldst fight with words, like a woman, while I would win by my +strength! My right hand is better than my tongue. If thou wouldst have +the maiden, then must thou first overcome me in combat." + +Thereupon Achelous threw off his raiment and began to prepare himself +for the struggle. Hercules took off his garment of beasts' skins, and +cast aside his club. The two then anointed their bodies with oil, and +threw yellow sand upon themselves. + +They took their places, they attacked, they retired, they rushed again +to the conflict. They stood firm, and they yielded not. Long they +bravely wrestled and fought; till at length Hercules by his might +overcame Achelous and bore him to the ground. He pressed him down, and, +while the fallen river-god lay panting for breath, the hero seized him +by the neck. + +Then did Achelous have recourse to his magic arts. Transforming himself +into a serpent he escaped from the hero. He twisted his body into +winding folds, and darted out his forked tongue with frightful hissings. + +But Hercules laughed mockingly, and cried out: "Ah, Achelous! While yet +in my cradle I strangled two serpents! And what art thou compared to the +Hydra whose hundred heads I cut off? Every time I cut of I one head two +others grew in its place. Yet did I conquer that horror, in spite of its +branching serpents that darted from every wound! Thinkest thou, then, +that I fear thee, thou mimic snake?" And even as he spake he gripped, as +with a pair of pincers, the back of the river-god's head. + +And Achelous struggled in vain to escape. Then, again having recourse to +his magic, he became a raging bull, and renewed the fight. But Hercules, +that mighty hero, threw his huge arms over the brawny neck of the bull, +and dragged him about. Then seizing hold of his horns, he bent his head +to one side, and bearing down fastened them into the ground. And that +was not enough, but with relentless hand he broke one of the horns, and +tore it from Achelous's forehead. + +The river-god returned to his own shape. He roared aloud with rage and +pain, and hiding his mutilated head in his mantle, rushed from the hall +and plunged into the swirling waters of his stream. + +Then the goddess of Plenty, and all the Wood-Nymphs and Water-Nymphs +came forward to greet the conqueror with song and dance. They took +the huge horn of Achelous and heaped it high with the rich and glowing +fruits and flowers of autumn. They wreathed it with vines and with +clustering grapes, and bearing it aloft presented it to Hercules and his +beautiful bride Deianira. + +And ever since that day has the Horn of Plenty gladdened men's hearts at +Harvest-Time. + + + + + +CHRISTMAS DAY + +(DECEMBER 25) + +LITTLE PICCOLA + +AFTER CELIA THAXTER + +In the sunny land of France there lived many years ago a sweet little +maid named Piccola. + +Her father had died when she was a baby, and her mother was very poor +and had to work hard all day in the fields for a few sous. + +Little Piccola had no dolls and toys, and she was often hungry and cold, +but she was never sad nor lonely. + +What if there were no children for her to play with! What if she did not +have fine clothes and beautiful toys! In summer there were always the +birds in the forest, and the flowers in the fields and meadows,--the +birds sang so sweetly, and the flowers were so bright and pretty! + +In the winter when the ground was covered with snow, Piccola helped her +mother, and knit long stockings of blue wool. + +The snow-birds had to be fed with crumbs, if she could find any, and +then, there was Christmas Day. + +But one year her mother was ill and could not earn any money. Piccola +worked hard all the day long, and sold the stockings which she knit, +even when her own little bare feet were blue with the cold. + +As Christmas Day drew near she said to her mother, "I wonder what the +good Saint Nicholas will bring me this year. I cannot hang my stocking +in the fireplace, but I shall put my wooden shoe on the hearth for him. +He will not forget me, I am sure." + +"Do not think of it this year, my dear child," replied her mother. "We +must be glad if we have bread enough to eat." + +But Piccola could not believe that the good saint would forget her. On +Christmas Eve she put her little wooden patten on the hearth before the +fire, and went to sleep to dream of Saint Nicholas. + +As the poor mother looked at the little shoe, she thought how unhappy +her dear child would be to find it empty in the morning, and wished that +she had something, even if it were only a tiny cake, for a Christmas +gift. There was nothing in the house but a few sous, and these must be +saved to buy bread. + +When the morning dawned Piccola awoke and ran to her shoe. + +Saint Nicholas had come in the night. He had not forgotten the little +child who had thought of him with such faith. + +See what he had brought her. It lay in the wooden patten, looking up at +her with its two bright eyes, and chirping contentedly as she stroked +its soft feathers. + +A little swallow, cold and hungry, had flown into the chimney and down +to the room, and had crept into the shoe for warmth. + +Piccola danced for joy, and clasped the shivering swallow to her breast. + +She ran to her mother's bedside. "Look, look!" she cried. "A Christmas +gift, a gift from the good Saint Nicholas!" And she danced again in her +little bare feet. + +Then she fed and warmed the bird, and cared for it tenderly all winter +long; teaching it to take crumbs from her hand and her lips, and to sit +on her shoulder while she was working. + +In the spring she opened the window for it to fly away, but it lived +in the woods near by all summer, and came often in the early morning to +sing its sweetest songs at her door. + + + + +THE STRANGER CHILD + +A LEGEND + +BY COUNT FRANZ POCCI (TRANSLATED) + +There once lived a laborer who earned his daily bread by cutting wood. +His wife and two children, a boy and girl, helped him with his work. The +boy's name was Valentine, and the girl's, Marie. They were obedient and +pious and the joy and comfort of their poor parents. + +One winter evening, this good family gathered about the table to eat +their small loaf of bread, while the father read aloud from the Bible. +Just as they sat down there came a knock on the window, and a sweet +voice called:-- + +"O let me in! I am a little child, and I have nothing to eat, and no +place to sleep in. I am so cold and hungry! Please, good people, let me +in!" + +Valentine and Marie sprang from the table and ran to open the door, +saying:-- + +"Come in, poor child, we have but very little ourselves, not much more +than thou hast, but what we have we will share with thee." + +The stranger Child entered, and going to the fire began to warm his cold +hands. + +The children gave him a portion of their bread, and said:-- + +"Thou must be very tired; come, lie down in our bed, and we will sleep +on the bench here before the fire." + +Then answered the stranger Child: "May God in Heaven reward you for your +kindness." + +They led the little guest to their small room, laid him in their bed, +and covered him closely, thinking to themselves:-- + +"Oh! how much we have to be thankful for! We have our nice warm room and +comfortable bed, while this Child has nothing but the sky for a roof, +and the earth for a couch." + +When the parents went to their bed, Valentine and Marie lay down on the +bench before the fire, and said one to the other:-- + +"The stranger Child is happy now, because he is so warm! Good-night!" + +Then they fell asleep. + +They had not slept many hours, when little Marie awoke, and touching her +brother lightly, whispered:-- + +"Valentine, Valentine, wake up! wake up! Listen to the beautiful music +at the window." + +Valentine rubbed his eyes and listened. He heard the most wonderful +singing and the sweet notes of many harps. + + "Blessed Child, + Thee we greet, + With sound of harp + And singing sweet. + + "Sleep in peace, + Child so bright, + We have watched thee + All the night. + + "Blest the home + That holdeth Thee, + Peace, and love, + Its guardians be." + + +The children listened to the beautiful singing, and it seemed to fill +them with unspeakable happiness. Then creeping to the window they looked +out. + +They saw a rosy light in the east, and, before the house in the snow, +stood a number of little children holding golden harps and lutes in +their hands, and dressed in sparkling, silver robes. + +Full of wonder at this sight, Valentine and Marie continued to gaze out +at the window, when they heard a sound behind them, and turning saw the +stranger Child standing near. He was clad in a golden garment, and wore +a glistening, golden crown upon his soft hair. Sweetly he spoke to the +children:-- + +"I am the Christ Child, who wanders about the world seeking to bring +joy and good things to loving children. Because you have lodged me this +night I will leave with you my blessing." + +As the Christ Child spoke He stepped from the door, and breaking off +a bough from a fir tree that grew near, planted it in the ground, +saying:-- + +"This bough shall grow into a tree, and every year it shall bear +Christmas fruit for you." + +Having said this He vanished from their sight, together with the +silver-clad, singing children--the angels. + +And, as Valentine and Marie looked on in wonder, the fir bough grew, and +grew, and grew, into a stately Christmas Tree laden with golden apples, +silver nuts, and lovely toys. And after that, every year at Christmas +time, the Tree bore the same wonderful fruit. + +And you, dear boys and girls, when you gather around your richly +decorated trees, think of the two poor children who shared their bread +with a stranger child, and be thankful. + + + + +SAINT CHRISTOPHER + +A GOLDEN LEGEND + +ENGLISHED BY WILLIAM CAXTON (ADAPTED) + +Christopher was a Canaanite, and he was of a right great stature, twelve +cubits in height, and had a terrible countenance. And it is said that as +he served and dwelled with the King of Canaan, it came in his mind that +he would seek the greatest prince that was in the world, and him would +he serve and obey. + +So he went forth and came to a right great king, whom fame said was the +greatest of the world. And when the king saw him he received him into +his service, and made him to dwell in his court. + +Upon a time a minstrel sang before him a song in which he named oft the +devil. And the king, who was a Christian, when he heard him name the +devil, made anon the sign of the cross. + +And when Christopher saw that he marveled, and asked what the sign might +mean. And because the king would not say, he said: "If thou tell me not, +I shall no longer dwell with thee." + +And then the King told him, saying: "Alway when I hear the devil named +make I this sign lest he grieve or annoy me." + +Then said Christopher to him: "Fearest thou the devil? Then is the devil +more mighty and greater than thou art. I am then deceived, for I had +supposed that I had found the most mighty and the most greatest lord in +all the world! Fare thee well, for I will now go seek the devil to be my +lord and I his servant." + +So Christopher departed from this king and hastened to seek the devil. +And as he went by a great desert he saw a company of knights, and one of +them, a knight cruel and horrible, came to him and demanded whither he +went. + +And Christopher answered: "I go to seek the devil for to be my master." + +Then said the knight: "I am he that thou seekest." + +And then Christopher was glad and bound himself to be the devil's +servant, and took him for his master and lord. + +Now, as they went along the way they found there a cross, erect and +standing. And anon as the devil saw the cross he was afeared and fled. +And when Christopher saw that he marveled and demanded why he was +afeared, and why he fled away. And the devil would not tell him in no +wise. + +Then Christopher said to him: "If thou wilt not tell me, I shall anon +depart from thee and shall serve thee no more." + +Wherefore the devil was forced to tell him and said: "There was a man +called Christ, which was hanged on the cross, and when I see his sign I +am sore afraid and flee from it." + +To whom Christopher said: "Then he is greater and more mightier than +thou, since thou art afraid of his sign, and I see well that I have +labored in vain, and have not founden the greatest lord of the world. I +will serve thee no longer, but I will go seek Christ." + +And when Christopher had long sought where he should find Christ, at +last he came into a great desert, to a hermit that dwelt there. And he +inquired of him where Christ was to be found. + +Then answered the hermit: "The king whom thou desirest to serve, +requireth that thou must often fast." + +Christopher said: "Require of me some other thing and I shall do it, but +fast I may not." + +And the hermit said: "Thou must then wake and make many prayers." + +And Christopher said: "I do not know how to pray, so this I may not do." + +And the hermit said: "Seest thou yonder deep and wide river, in which +many people have perished? Because thou art noble, and of high stature +and strong of limb, so shalt thou live by the river and thou shalt bear +over all people who pass that way. And this thing will be pleasing to +our Lord Jesu Christ, whom thou desirest to serve, and I hope he shall +show himself to thee." + +Then said Christopher: "Certes, this service may I well do, and I +promise Him to do it." + +Then went Christopher to this river, and built himself there a hut. He +carried a great pole in his hand, to support himself in the water, and +bore over on his shoulders all manner of people to the other side. And +there he abode, thus doing many days. + +And on a time, as he slept in his hut, he heard the voice of a child +which called him:-- + +"Christopher, Christopher, come out and bear me over." + +Then he awoke and went out, but he found no man. And when he was again +in his house he heard the same voice, crying:-- + +"Christopher, Christopher, come out and bear me over." + +And he ran out and found nobody. + +And the third time he was called and ran thither, and he found a Child +by the brink of the river, which prayed him goodly to bear him over the +water. + +And then Christopher lifted up the Child on his shoulders, and took his +staff, and entered into the river for to pass over. And the water of the +river arose and swelled more and more; and the Child was heavy as lead, +and always as Christopher went farther the water increased and grew +more, and the Child more and more waxed heavy, insomuch that Christopher +suffered great anguish and was afeared to be drowned. + +And when he was escaped with great pain, and passed over the water, and +set the Child aground, he said:-- + +"Child, thou hast put me in great peril. Thou weighest almost as I had +all the world upon me. I might bear no greater burden." + +And the Child answered: "Christopher, marvel thee nothing, for thou hast +not only borne all the world upon thee, but thou hast borne Him that +created and made all the world, upon thy shoulders. I am Jesu Christ the +King whom thou servest. And that thou mayest know that I say the truth, +set thy staff in the earth by thy house, and thou shalt see to-morn that +it shall bear flowers and fruit." + +And anon the Child vanished from his eyes. + +And then Christopher set his staff in the earth, and when he arose on +the morn, he found his staff bearing flowers, leaves, and dates. + + + + +THE CHRISTMAS ROSE + +AN OLD LEGEND + +BY LIZZIE DEAS (ADAPTED) + +When the Magi laid their rich offerings of myrrh, frankincense, and +gold, by the bed of the sleeping Christ Child, legend says that a +shepherd maiden stood outside the door quietly weeping. + +She, too, had sought the Christ Child. She, too, desired to bring him +gifts. But she had nothing to offer, for she was very poor indeed. In +vain she had searched the countryside over for one little flower to +bring Him, but she could find neither bloom nor leaf, for the winter had +been cold. + +And as she stood there weeping, an angel passing saw her sorrow, and +stooping he brushed aside the snow at her feet. And there sprang up on +the spot a cluster of beautiful winter roses,--waxen white with pink +tipped petals. + +"Nor myrrh, nor frankincense, nor gold," said the angel, "is offering +more meet for the Christ Child than these pure Christmas Roses." + +Joyfully the shepherd maiden gathered the flowers and made her offering +to the Holy Child. + + + + +THE WOODEN SHOES OF LITTLE WOLFF + +BY FRANCOIS COPPEE (ADAPTED) + +Once upon a time,--so long ago that the world has forgotten the +date,--in a city of the North of Europe,--the name of which is so hard +to pronounce that no one remembers it,--there was a little boy, just +seven years old, whose name was Wolff. He was an orphan and lived with +his aunt, a hard-hearted, avaricious old woman, who never kissed him but +once a year, on New Year's Day; and who sighed with regret every time +she gave him a bowlful of soup. + +The poor little boy was so sweet-tempered that he loved the old woman in +spite of her bad treatment, but he could not look without trembling at +the wart, decorated with four gray hairs, which grew on the end of her +nose. + +As Wolff's aunt was known to have a house of her own and a woolen +stocking full of gold, she did not dare to send her nephew to the school +for the poor. But she wrangled so that the schoolmaster of the rich +boys' school was forced to lower his price and admit little Wolff among +his pupils. The bad schoolmaster was vexed to have a boy so meanly clad +and who paid so little, and he punished little Wolff severely without +cause, ridiculed him, and even incited against him his comrades, who +were the sons of rich citizens. They made the orphan their drudge and +mocked at him so much that the little boy was as miserable as the +stones in the street, and hid himself away in corners to cry--when the +Christmas season came. + +On the Eve of the great Day the schoolmaster was to take all his pupils +to the midnight mass, and then to conduct them home again to their +parents' houses. + +Now as the winter was very severe, and a quantity of snow had fallen +within the past few days, the boys came to the place of meeting warmly +wrapped up, with fur-lined caps drawn down over their ears, padded +jackets, gloves and knitted mittens, and good strong shoes with thick +soles. Only little Wolff presented himself shivering in his thin +everyday clothes, and wearing on his feet socks and wooden shoes. + +His naughty comrades tried to annoy him in every possible way, but +the orphan was so busy warming his hands by blowing on them, and was +suffering so much from chilblains, that he paid no heed to the taunts of +the others. Then the band of boys, marching two by two, started for the +parish church. + +It was comfortable inside the church, which was brilliant with lighted +tapers. And the pupils, made lively by the gentle warmth, the sound of +the organ, and the singing of the choir, began to chatter in low tones. +They boasted of the midnight treats awaiting them at home. The son of +the Mayor had seen, before leaving the house, a monstrous goose larded +with truffles so that it looked like a black-spotted leopard. Another +boy told of the fir tree waiting for him, on the branches of which hung +oranges, sugar-plums, and punchinellos. Then they talked about what the +Christ Child would bring them, or what he would leave in their shoes +which they would certainly be careful to place before the fire when they +went to bed. And the eyes of the little rogues, lively as a crowd of +mice, sparkled with delight as they thought of the many gifts they +would find on waking,--the pink bags of burnt almonds, the bonbons, lead +soldiers standing in rows, menageries, and magnificent jumping-jacks, +dressed in purple and gold. + +Little Wolff, alas! knew well that his miserly old aunt would send him +to bed without any supper; but as he had been good and industrious all +the year, he trusted that the Christ Child would not forget him, so he +meant that night to set his wooden shoes on the hearth. + +The midnight mass was ended. The worshipers hurried away, anxious to +enjoy the treats awaiting them in their homes. The band of pupils, two +by two, following the schoolmaster, passed out of the church. + +Now, under the porch, seated on a stone bench, in the shadow of an +arched niche, was a child asleep,--a little child dressed in a white +garment and with bare feet exposed to the cold. He was not a beggar, for +his dress was clean and new, and--beside him upon the ground, tied in a +cloth, were the tools of a carpenter's apprentice. + +Under the light of the stars, his face, with its closed eyes, shone +with an expression of divine sweetness, and his soft, curling blond hair +seemed to form an aureole of light about his forehead. But his tender +feet, blue with the cold on this cruel night of December, were pitiful +to see! + +The pupils so warmly clad and shod, passed with indifference before +the unknown child. Some, the sons of the greatest men in the city, cast +looks of scorn on the barefooted one. But little Wolff, coming last +out of the church, stopped deeply moved before the beautiful, sleeping +child. + +"Alas!" said the orphan to himself, "how dreadful! This poor little one +goes without stockings in weather so cold! And, what is worse, he has no +shoe to leave beside him while he sleeps, so that the Christ Child may +place something in it to comfort him in all his misery." + +And carried away by his tender heart, little Wolff drew off the wooden +shoe from his right foot, placed it before the sleeping child; and as +best as he was able, now hopping, now limping, and wetting his sock in +the snow, he returned to his aunt. + +"You good-for-nothing!" cried the old woman, full of rage as she saw +that one of his shoes was gone. "What have you done with your shoe, +little beggar?" + +Little Wolff did not know how to lie, and, though shivering with terror +as he saw the gray hairs on the end of her nose stand upright, he tried, +stammering, to tell his adventure. + +But the old miser burst into frightful laughter. "Ah! the sweet young +master takes off his shoe for a beggar! Ah! master spoils a pair of +shoes for a barefoot! This is something new, indeed! Ah! well, since +things are so, I will place the shoe that is left in the fireplace, and +to-night the Christ Child will put in a rod to whip you when you wake. +And to-morrow you shall have nothing to eat but water and dry bread, and +we shall see if the next time you will give away your shoe to the first +vagabond that comes along." + +And saying this the wicked woman gave him a box on each ear, and made +him climb to his wretched room in the loft. There the heartbroken little +one lay down in the darkness, and, drenching his pillow with tears, fell +asleep. + +But in the morning, when the old woman, awakened by the cold and shaken +by her cough, descended to the kitchen, oh! wonder of wonders! she +saw the great fireplace filled with bright toys, magnificent boxes of +sugar-plums, riches of all sorts, and in front of all this treasure, the +wooden shoe which her nephew had given to the vagabond, standing beside +the other shoe which she herself had placed there the night before, +intending to put in it a handful of switches. + +And as little Wolff, who had come running at the cries of his aunt, +stood in speechless delight before all the splendid Christmas gifts, +there came great shouts of laughter from the street. + +The old woman and the little boy went out to learn what it was all +about, and saw the gossips gathered around the public fountain. What +could have happened? Oh, a most amusing and extraordinary thing! The +children of all the rich men of the city, whose parents wished to +surprise them with the most beautiful gifts, had found nothing but +switches in their shoes! + +Then the old woman and little Wolff remembered with alarm all the riches +that were in their own fireplace, but just then they saw the pastor of +the parish church arriving with his face full of perplexity. + +Above the bench near the church door, in the very spot where the night +before a child, dressed in white, with bare feet exposed to the great +cold, had rested his sleeping head, the pastor had seen a golden +circle wrought into the old stones. Then all the people knew that the +beautiful, sleeping child, beside whom had lain the carpenter's tools, +was the Christ Child himself, and that he had rewarded the faith and +charity of little Wolff. + + + + +THE PINE TREE + +BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (TRANSLATED) + + +I. WHEN IT WAS LITTLE + +Out in the woods stood such a nice little Pine Tree: he had a good +place; the sun could get at him; there was fresh air enough; and round +him grew many big comrades, both pines and firs. But the little Pine +wanted so very much to be a grown-up tree. + +He did not think of the warm sun and of the fresh air, he did not care +for the little cottage-children who ran about and prattled when they +were looking for wild strawberries and raspberries. Often they came with +a whole jug full, or had their strawberries strung on a straw, and sat +down near the little Tree and said, "Oh, what a nice little fellow!" +This was what the Tree could not bear to hear. + +The year after he had shot up a good deal, and the next year after he +was still bigger; for with pine trees one can always tell by the shoots +how many years old they are. + +"Oh, were I but such a big tree as the others are," sighed the little +Tree. "Then I could spread my branches so far, and with the tops look +out into the wide world! Birds would build nests among my branches; and +when there was a breeze, I could nod as grandly as the others there." + +He had no delight at all in the sunshine, or in the birds, or the red +clouds which morning and evening sailed above him. + +When now it was winter and the snow all around lay glittering white, +a hare would often come leaping along, and jump right over the little +Tree. Oh, that made him so angry! But two winters went by, and with +the third the Tree was so big that the hare had to go round it. "Oh, to +grow, to grow, to become big and old, and be tall," thought the Tree: +"that, after all, is the most delightful thing in the world!" + +In autumn the wood-cutters always came and felled some of the largest +trees. This happened every year, and the young Pine Tree, that was now +quite well grown, trembled at the sight; for the great stately trees +fell to the earth with noise and cracking, the branches were lopped off, +and the trees looked quite bare, they were so long and thin; you would +hardly know them for trees, and then they were laid on carts, and horses +dragged them out of the wood. + +Where did they go to? What became of them? + +In spring, when the Swallow and the Stork came, the Tree asked them, +"Don't you know where they have been taken? Have you not met them +anywhere?" + +The Swallow did not know anything about it; but the Stork looked +doubtful, nodded his head, and said, "Yes; I have it; I met many new +ships as I was flying from Egypt; on the ships were splendid masts, and +I dare say it was they that smelt so of pine. I wish you joy, for they +lifted themselves on high in fine style!" + +"Oh, were I but old enough to fly across the sea! How does the sea +really look? and what is it like?" + +"Aye, that takes a long time to tell," said the Stork, and away he went. + +"Rejoice in thy youth!" said the Sunbeams, "rejoice in thy hearty +growth, and in the young life that is in thee!" + +And the Wind kissed the Tree, and the Dew wept tears over him, but the +Pine Tree understood it not. + + + +II. CHRISTMAS IN THE WOODS + + +When Christmas came, quite young trees were cut down; trees which were +not even so large or of the same age as this Pine Tree, who had no rest +or peace, but always wanted to be off. These young trees, and they were +always the finest looking, always kept their branches; they were laid on +carts, and the horses drew them out of the wood. + +"Where are they going to?" asked the Pine Tree. "They are not taller +than I; there was one, indeed, that was much shorter;--and why do they +keep all their branches? Where are they carrying them to?" + +"We know! we know!" chirped the Sparrows. "We have peeped in at the +windows down there in the town. We know where they are carrying them +to. Oh, they are going to where it is as bright and splendid as you can +think! We peeped through the windows, and saw them planted in the middle +of the warm room, and dressed with the most splendid things,--with +gilded apples, with gingerbread, with toys and many hundred lights!" + +"And then?" asked the Pine Tree, and he trembled in every bough. "And +then? What happens then?" + +"We did not see anything more: it beat everything!" + +"I wonder if I am to sparkle like that!" cried the Tree, rejoicing. +"That is still better than to go over the sea! How I do suffer for very +longing! Were Christmas but come! I am now tall, and stretch out like +the others that were carried off last year! Oh, if I were already on +the cart! I wish I were in the warm room with all the splendor and +brightness. And then? Yes; then will come something better, something +still grander, or why should they dress me out so? There must come +something better, something still grander,--but what? Oh, how I long, +how I suffer! I do not know myself what is the matter with me!" + +"Rejoice in us!" said the Air and the Sunlight; "rejoice in thy fresh +youth out here in the open air!" + +But the Tree did not rejoice at all; he grew and grew; and he stood +there in all his greenery; rich green was he winter and summer. People +that saw him said, "That's a fine tree!" and toward Christmas he was +the first that was cut down. The axe struck deep into the very pith; the +Tree fell to the earth with a sigh: he felt a pang--it was like a swoon; +he could not think of happiness, for he was sad at being parted from his +home, from the place where he had sprung up. He well knew that he should +never see his dear old comrades, the little bushes and flowers around +him, any more; perhaps not even the birds! The setting off was not at +all pleasant. + +The Tree only came to himself when he was unloaded in a courtyard with +other trees, and heard a man say, "That one is splendid! we don't want +the others." Then two servants came in rich livery and carried the +Pine Tree into a large and splendid room. Portraits were hanging on the +walls, and near the white porcelain stove stood two large Chinese vases +with lions on the covers. There, too, were large easy-chairs, silken +sofas, large tables full of picture-books, and full of toys worth a +hundred times a hundred dollars--at least so the children said. And the +Pine Tree was stuck upright in a cask filled with sand: but no one could +see that it was a cask, for green cloth was hung all around it, and it +stood on a gayly colored carpet. Oh, how the Tree quivered! What was to +happen? The servants, as well as the young ladies, dressed it. On one +branch there hung little nets cut out of colored paper; each net was +filled with sugar-plums; gilded apples and walnuts hung as though they +grew tightly there, and more than a hundred little red, blue, and white +tapers were stuck fast into the branches. Dolls that looked for all the +world like men--the Tree had never seen such things before--fluttered +among the leaves, and at the very top a large star of gold tinsel was +fixed. It was really splendid--splendid beyond telling. + +"This evening!" said they all; "how it will shine this evening!" + +"Oh," thought the Tree, "if it were only evening! If the tapers were but +lighted! And then I wonder what will happen! I wonder if the other trees +from the forest will come to look at me! I wonder if the sparrows will +beat against the window-panes! I wonder if I shall take root here, and +stand dressed so winter and summer!" + +Aye, aye, much he knew about the matter! but he had a real back-ache +for sheer longing, and a back-ache with trees is the same thing as a +head-ache with us. + + +III. CHRISTMAS IN THE HOUSE + + +The candles were now lighted. What brightness! What splendor! The Tree +trembled so in every bough that one of the tapers set fire to a green +branch. It blazed up splendidly. + +Now the Tree did not even dare to tremble. That was a fright! He was so +afraid of losing something of all his finery, that he was quite confused +amidst the glare and brightness; and now both folding-doors opened, and +a troop of children rushed in as if they would tip the whole Tree over. +The older folks came quietly behind; the little ones stood quite still, +but only for a moment, then they shouted so that the whole place echoed +their shouts, they danced round the Tree, and one present after another +was pulled off. + +"What are they about?" thought the Tree. "What is to happen now?" And +the lights burned down to the very branches, and as they burned down +they were put out one after the other, and then the children had leave +to plunder the Tree. Oh, they rushed upon it so that it cracked in all +its limbs; if its tip-top with the gold star on it had not been fastened +to the ceiling, it would have tumbled over. + +The children danced about with their pretty toys; no one looked at the +Tree except the old nurse, who peeped in among the branches; but it was +only to see if there was a fig or an apple that had been forgotten. + +"A story! a story!" cried the children, and they dragged a little fat +man toward the Tree. He sat down under it, and said, "Now we are in the +shade, and the Tree can hear very well too. But I shall tell only +one story. Now which will you have: that about Ivedy-Avedy, or about +Klumpy-Dumpy who tumbled downstairs, and came to the throne after all, +and married the princess?" + +"Ivedy-Avedy," cried some; "Klumpy-Dumpy," cried the others. There was +such a bawling and screaming!--the Pine Tree alone was silent, and he +thought to himself, "Am I not to bawl with the rest?--am I to do nothing +whatever?"--for he was one of them, and he had done what he had to do. + +And the man told about Klumpy-Dumpy who tumbled downstairs, and came to +the throne after all, and married the princess. And the children clapped +their hands, and cried out, "Go on, go on!" They wanted to hear about +Ivedy-Avedy too, but the little man only told them about Klumpy-Dumpy. +The Pine Tree stood quite still and thoughtful: the birds in the wood +had never told anything like this. "Klumpy-Dumpy fell downstairs, and +yet he married the princess! Yes, yes, that's the way of the world!" +thought the Pine Tree, and he believed it all, because it was such a +nice man who told the story. + +"Well, well! who knows, perhaps I may fall downstairs, too, and so get a +princess!" And he looked forward with joy to the next day when he should +be decked out with lights and toys, fruits and tinsel. + +"To-morrow I won't tremble!" thought the Pine Tree. "I will enjoy to +the full all my splendor! To-morrow I shall hear again the story of +Klumpy-Dumpy, and perhaps that of Ivedy-Avedy too." And the whole night +the Tree stood still in deep thought. + +In the morning the servant and the maid came in. + + +IV. IN THE ATTIC + + +"Now all the finery will begin again," thought the Pine. But they +dragged him out of the room, and up the stairs into the attic; and here +in a dark corner, where no daylight could enter, they left him. "What's +the meaning of this?" thought the Tree. "What am I to do here? What +shall I see and hear now, I wonder?" And he leaned against the wall and +stood and thought and thought. And plenty of time he had, for days and +nights passed, and nobody came up; and when at last somebody did come, +it was only to put some great trunks in the corner. There stood the Tree +quite hidden; it seemed as if he had been entirely forgotten. + +"'T is now winter out-of-doors!" thought the Tree. "The earth is hard +and covered with snow; men cannot plant me now; therefore I have been +put up here under cover till spring! How thoughtful that is! How good +men are, after all! If it were not so dark here, and so terribly lonely! +Not even a hare. Out there it was so pleasant in the woods, when the +snow was on the ground, and the hare leaped by; yes--even when he jumped +over me; but I did not like it then. It is terribly lonely here!" + +"Squeak! squeak!" said a little Mouse at the same moment, peeping out of +his hole. And then another little one came. They snuffed about the Pine +Tree, and rustled among the branches. + +"It is dreadfully cold," said the little Mouse. "But for that, it would +be delightful here, old Pine, wouldn't it!" + +"I am by no means old," said the Pine Tree. "There are many a good deal +older than I am." + +"Where do you come from?" asked the Mice; "and what can you do?" They +were so very curious. "Tell us about the most beautiful spot on earth. +Have you been there? Were you ever in the larder, where cheeses lie on +the shelves, and hams hang from above; where one dances about on tallow +candles; where one goes in lean and comes out fat?" + +"I don't know that place," said the Tree. "But I know the wood where the +sun shines, and where the little birds sing." + +And then he told his story from his youth up; and the little Mice had +never heard the like before; and they listened and said, "Well, to be +sure! How much you have seen! How happy you must have been!" + +"I!" said the Pine Tree, and he thought over what he had himself told. +"Yes, really those were happy times." And then he told about Christmas +Eve, when he was decked out with cakes and candles. + +"Oh," said the little Mice, "how lucky you have been, old Pine Tree!" + +"I am not at all old," said he. "I came from the wood this winter; I am +in my prime, and am only rather short of my age." + +"What delightful stories you know!" said the Mice: and the next night +they came with four other little Mice, who were to hear what the Tree +had to tell; and the more he told, the more plainly he remembered all +himself; and he thought: "That was a merry time! But it can come! it can +come! Klumpy-Dumpy fell down stairs, and yet he got a princess! Maybe I +can get a princess too!" And all of a sudden he thought of a nice little +Birch Tree growing out in the woods: to the Pine, that would be a really +charming princess. + +"Who is Klumpy-Dumpy?" asked the little Mice. + +So then the Pine Tree told the whole fairy tale, for he could remember +every single word of it; and the little Mice jumped for joy up to the +very top of the Tree. Next night two more Mice came, and on Sunday two +Rats, even; but they said the stories were not amusing, which vexed +the little Mice, because they, too, now began to think them not so very +amusing either. + +"Do you know only that one story?" asked the Rats. + +"Only that one!" answered the Tree. "I heard it on my happiest evening; +but I did not then know how happy I was." + +"It is a very stupid story! Don't you know one about bacon and tallow +candles? Can't you tell any larder-stories?" + +"No," said the Tree. + +"Thank you, then," said the Rats; and they went home. + +At last the little Mice stayed away also; and the Tree sighed: "After +all, it was very pleasant when the sleek little Mice sat round me and +heard what I told them. Now that too is over. But I will take good care +to enjoy myself when I am brought out again." + +But when was that to be? Why, it was one morning when there came a +number of people and set to work in the loft. The trunks were moved, the +tree was pulled out and thrown down; they knocked him upon the floor, +but a man drew him at once toward the stairs, where the daylight shone. + + +V. OUT OF DOORS AGAIN + + +"Now life begins again," thought the Tree. He felt the fresh air, the +first sunbeam,--and now he was out in the courtyard. All passed so +quickly that the Tree quite forgot to look to himself, there was so much +going on around him. The court adjoined a garden, and all was in flower; +the roses hung over the fence, so fresh and smelling so sweetly; +the lindens were in blossom, the Swallows flew by, and said, +"Quirre-virre-vit! my husband is come!" But it was not the Pine Tree +that they meant. + +"Now, I shall really live," said he with joy, and spread out his +branches; dear! dear! they were all dry and yellow. It was in a corner +among weeds and nettles that he lay. The golden star of tinsel was still +on top of the Tree, and shone in the bright sunshine. + +In the courtyard a few of the merry children were playing who had danced +at Christmas round the Tree, and were so glad at the sight of him. One +of the littlest ran and tore off the golden star. + +"See what is still on the ugly old Christmas Tree!" said he, and he +trampled on the branches, so that they cracked under his feet. + +And the Tree saw all the beauty of the flowers, and the freshness in the +garden; he saw himself, and he wished he had stayed in his dark corner +in the attic: he thought of his fresh youth in the wood, of the merry +Christmas Eve, and of the little Mice who had heard so gladly the story +of Klumpy-Dumpy. + +"Gone! gone!" said the poor Tree. "Had I but been happy when I could be. +Gone! gone!" + +And the gardener's boy came and chopped the Tree into small pieces; +there was a whole heap lying there. The wood flamed up finely under +the large brewing kettle, and it sighed so deeply! Each sigh was like a +little shot. So the children ran to where it lay and sat down before the +fire, and peeped in at the blaze, and shouted "Piff! paff!" But at every +snap there was a deep sigh. The Tree was thinking of summer days in +the wood, and of winter nights when the stars shone; it was thinking +of Christmas Eve and Klumpy-Dumpy, the only fairy tale it had heard and +knew how to tell,--and so the Tree burned out. + +The boys played about in the court, and the youngest wore the gold star +on his breast which the Tree had worn on the happiest evening of his +life. Now, that was gone, the Tree was gone, and gone too was the story. +All, all was gone, and that's the way with all stories. + + + + +THE CHRISTMAS CUCKOO + +BY FRANCES BROWNE (ADAPTED) + +Once upon a time there stood in the midst of a bleak moor, in the North +Country, a certain village. All its inhabitants were poor, for their +fields were barren, and they had little trade; but the poorest of them +all were two brothers called Scrub and Spare, who followed the cobbler's +craft. Their hut was built of clay and wattles. The door was low and +always open, for there was no window. The roof did not entirely keep out +the rain and the only thing comfortable was a wide fireplace, for which +the brothers could never find wood enough to make sufficient fire. +There they worked in most brotherly friendship, though with little +encouragement. + +On one unlucky day a new cobbler arrived in the village. He had lived in +the capital city of the kingdom and, by his own account, cobbled for the +queen and the princesses. His awls were sharp, his lasts were new; he +set up his stall in a neat cottage with two windows. The villagers soon +found out that one patch of his would outwear two of the brothers'. +In short, all the mending left Scrub and Spare, and went to the new +cobbler. + +The season had been wet and cold, their barley did not ripen well, and +the cabbages never half-closed in the garden. So the brothers were poor +that winter, and when Christmas came they had nothing to feast on but +a barley loaf and a piece of rusty bacon. Worse than that, the snow was +very deep and they could get no firewood. + +Their hut stood at the end of the village; beyond it spread the bleak +moor, now all white and silent. But that moor had once been a forest; +great roots of old trees were still to be found in it, loosened from +the soil and laid bare by the winds and rains. One of these, a rough, +gnarled log, lay hard by their door, the half of it above the snow, and +Spare said to his brother:-- + +"Shall we sit here cold on Christmas while the great root lies yonder? +Let us chop it up for firewood, the work will make us warm." + +"No," said Scrub, "it's not right to chop wood on Christmas; besides, +that root is too hard to be broken with any hatchet." + +"Hard or not, we must have a fire," replied Spare. "Come, brother, help +me in with it. Poor as we are there is nobody in the village will have +such a yule log as ours." + +Scrub liked a little grandeur, and, in hopes of having a fine yule log, +both brothers strained and strove with all their might till, between +pulling and pushing, the great old root was safe on the hearth, and +beginning to crackle and blaze with the red embers. + +In high glee the cobblers sat down to their bread and bacon. The door +was shut, for there was nothing but cold moonlight and snow outside; +but the hut, strewn with fir boughs and ornamented with holly, looked +cheerful as the ruddy blaze flared up and rejoiced their hearts. + +Then suddenly from out the blazing root they heard: "Cuckoo! cuckoo!" +as plain as ever the spring-bird's voice came over the moor on a May +morning. + +"What is that?" said Scrub, terribly frightened; "it is something bad!" + +"Maybe not," said Spare. + +And out of the deep hole at the side of the root, which the fire had not +reached, flew a large, gray cuckoo, and lit on the table before them. +Much as the cobblers had been surprised, they were still more so when it +said:-- + +"Good gentlemen, what season is this?" + +"It's Christmas," said Spare. + +"Then a merry Christmas to you!" said the cuckoo. "I went to sleep in +the hollow of that old root one evening last summer, and never woke till +the heat of your fire made me think it was summer again. But now since +you have burned my lodging, let me stay in your hut till the spring +comes round,--I only want a hole to sleep in, and when I go on my +travels next summer be assured I will bring you some present for your +trouble." + +"Stay and welcome," said Spare, while Scrub sat wondering if it were +something bad or not. + +"I'll make you a good warm hole in the thatch," said Spare. "But you +must be hungry after that long sleep,--here is a slice of barley bread. +Come help us to keep Christmas!" + +The cuckoo ate up the slice, drank water from a brown jug, and flew into +a snug hole which Spare scooped for it in the thatch of the hut. + +Scrub said he was afraid it wouldn't be lucky; but as it slept on and +the days passed he forgot his fears. + +So the snow melted, the heavy rains came, the cold grew less, the days +lengthened, and one sunny morning the brothers were awakened by the +cuckoo shouting its own cry to let them know the spring had come. + +"Now I'm going on my travels," said the bird, "over the world to tell +men of the spring. There is no country where trees bud, or flowers +bloom, that I will not cry in before the year goes round. Give me +another slice of barley bread to help me on my journey, and tell me what +present I shall bring you at the twelvemonth's end." + +Scrub would have been angry with his brother for cutting so large a +slice, their store of barley being low, but his mind was occupied with +what present it would be most prudent to ask for. + +"There are two trees hard by the well that lies at the world's end," +said the cuckoo; "one of them is called the golden tree, for its leaves +are all of beaten gold. Every winter they fall into the well with a +sound like scattered coin, and I know not what becomes of them. As for +the other, it is always green like a laurel. Some call it the wise, and +some the merry, tree. Its leaves never fall, but they that get one +of them keep a blithe heart in spite of all misfortunes, and can make +themselves as merry in a hut as in a palace." + +"Good master cuckoo, bring me a leaf off that tree!" cried Spare. + +"Now, brother, don't be a fool!" said Scrub; "think of the leaves of +beaten gold! Dear master cuckoo, bring me one of them!" + +Before another word could be spoken the cuckoo had flown out of the open +door, and was shouting its spring cry over moor and meadow. + +The brothers were poorer than ever that year. Nobody would send them a +single shoe to mend, and Scrub and Spare would have left the village +but for their barley-field and their cabbage-garden. They sowed their +barley, planted their cabbage, and, now that their trade was gone, +worked in the rich villagers' fields to make out a scanty living. + +So the seasons came and passed; spring, summer, harvest, and winter +followed each other as they have done from the beginning. At the end of +the latter Scrub and Spare had grown so poor and ragged that their old +neighbors forgot to invite them to wedding feasts or merrymakings, +and the brothers thought the cuckoo had forgotten them, too, when at +daybreak on the first of April they heard a hard beak knocking at their +door, and a voice crying:-- + +"Cuckoo! cuckoo! Let me in with my presents!" + +Spare ran to open the door, and in came the cuckoo, carrying on one +side of its bill a golden leaf larger than that of any tree in the North +Country; and in the other side of its bill, one like that of the common +laurel, only it had a fresher green. + +"Here," it said, giving the gold to Scrub and the green to Spare, "it is +a long carriage from the world's end. Give me a slice of barley bread, +for I must tell the North Country that the spring has come." + +Scrub did not grudge the thickness of that slice, though it was cut +from their last loaf. So much gold had never been in the cobbler's hands +before, and he could not help exulting over his brother. + +"See the wisdom of my choice," he said, holding up the large leaf of +gold. "As for yours, as good might be plucked from any hedge, I wonder a +sensible bird would carry the like so far." + +"Good master cobbler," cried the cuckoo, finishing its slice, +"your conclusions are more hasty than courteous. If your brother is +disappointed this time, I go on the same journey every year, and for +your hospitable entertainment will think it no trouble to bring each of +you whichever leaf you desire." + +"Darling cuckoo," cried Scrub, "bring me a golden one." + +And Spare, looking up from the green leaf on which he gazed as though it +were a crown-jewel, said:-- + +"Be sure to bring me one from the merry tree." + +And away flew the cuckoo. + +"This is the feast of All Fools, and it ought to be your birthday," said +Scrub. "Did ever man fling away such an opportunity of getting rich? +Much good your merry leaves will do in the midst of rags and poverty!" + +But Spare laughed at him, and answered with quaint old proverbs +concerning the cares that come with gold, till Scrub, at length getting +angry, vowed his brother was not fit to live with a respectable man; and +taking his lasts, his awls, and his golden leaf, he left the wattle hut, +and went to tell the villagers. + +They were astonished at the folly of Spare, and charmed with Scrub's +good sense, particularly when he showed them the golden leaf, and told +that the cuckoo would bring him one every spring. + +The new cobbler immediately took him into partnership; the greatest +people sent him their shoes to mend. Fairfeather, a beautiful village +maiden, smiled graciously upon him; and in the course of that summer +they were married, with a grand wedding feast, at which the whole +village danced except Spare, who was not invited, because the bride +could not bear his low-mindedness, and his brother thought him a +disgrace to the family. + +As for Scrub he established himself with Fairfeather in a cottage close +by that of the new cobbler, and quite as fine. There he mended shoes to +everybody's satisfaction, had a scarlet coat and a fat goose for +dinner on holidays. Fairfeather, too, had a crimson gown, and fine blue +ribbons; but neither she nor Scrub was content, for to buy this grandeur +the golden leaf had to be broken and parted With piece by piece, so the +last morsel was gone before the cuckoo came with another. + +Spare lived on in the old hut, and worked in the cabbage-garden. (Scrub +had got the barley-field because he was the elder.) Every day his coat +grew more ragged, and the hut more weather-beaten; but people remarked +that he never looked sad or sour. And the wonder was that, from the time +any one began to keep his company, he or she grew kinder, happier, and +content. + +Every first of April the cuckoo came tapping at their doors with the +golden leaf for Scrub, and the green for Spare. Fairfeather would have +entertained it nobly with wheaten bread and honey, for she had some +notion of persuading it to bring two golden leaves instead of one; but +the cuckoo flew away to eat barley bread with Spare, saying it was not +fit company for fine people, and liked the old hut where it slept so +snugly from Christmas till spring. + +Scrub spent the golden leaves, and remained always discontented; and +Spare kept the merry ones. + +I do not know how many years passed in this manner, when a certain great +lord, who owned that village, came to the neighborhood. His castle stood +on the moor. It was ancient and strong, with high towers and a deep +moat. All the country as far as one could see from the highest turret +belonged to its lord; but he had not been there for twenty years, and +would not have come then only he was melancholy. And there he lived in +a very bad temper. The servants said nothing would please him, and the +villagers put on their worst clothes lest he should raise their rents. + +But one day in the harvest-time His Lordship chanced to meet Spare +gathering water-cresses at a meadow stream, and fell into talk with the +cobbler. How it was nobody could tell, but from that hour the great lord +cast away his melancholy. He forgot all his woes, and went about with a +noble train, hunting, fishing, and making merry in his hall, where all +travelers were entertained, and all the poor were welcome. + +This strange story spread through the North Country, and great company +came to the cobbler's hut,--rich men who had lost their money, poor men +who had lost their friends, beauties who had grown old, wits who had +gone out of fashion,--all came to talk with Spare, and, whatever their +troubles had been, all went home merry. + +The rich gave him presents, the poor gave him thanks. Spare's coat +ceased to be ragged, he had bacon with his cabbage, and the villagers +began to think there was some sense in him. + + +By this time his fame had reached the capital city, and even the court. +There were a great many discontented people there; and the king had +lately fallen into ill humor because a neighboring princess, with seven +islands for her dowry, would not marry his eldest son. + +So a royal messenger was sent to Spare, with a velvet mantle, a diamond +ring, and a command that he should repair to court immediately. + +"To-morrow is the first of April," said Spare, "and I will go with you +two hours after sunrise." + +The messenger lodged all night at the castle, and the cuckoo came at +sunrise with the merry leaf. + +"Court is a fine place," it said, when the cobbler told it he was going, +"but I cannot come there; they would lay snares and catch me; so be +careful of the leaves I have brought you, and give me a farewell slice +of barley bread." + +Spare was sorry to part with the cuckoo, little as he had of its +company, but he gave it a slice which would have broken Scrub's heart in +former times, it was so thick and large. And having sewed up the leaves +in the lining of his leather doublet, he set out with the messenger on +his way to court. + +His coming caused great surprise there. Everybody wondered what the king +could see in such a common-looking man; but scarcely had His Majesty +conversed with him half an hour, when the princess and her seven islands +were forgotten and orders given that a feast for all comers should be +spread in the banquet hall. + +The princes of the blood, the great lords and ladies, the ministers of +state, after that discoursed with Spare, and the more they talked the +lighter grew their hearts, so that such changes had never been seen at +court. + +The lords forgot their spites and the ladies their envies, the princes +and ministers made friends among themselves, and the judges showed no +favor. + +As for Spare, he had a chamber assigned him in the palace, and a seat +at the king's table. One sent him rich robes, and another costly jewels; +but in the midst of all his grandeur he still wore the leathern doublet, +and continued to live at the king's court, happy and honored, and making +all others merry and content. + + + + +THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY OF STRASBURG + +A GERMAN FOLK-TALE + +BY J. STIRLING COYNE (ADAPTED) + +Once, long ago, there lived near the ancient city of Strasburg, on the +river Rhine, a young and handsome count, whose name was Otto. As the +years flew by he remained unwed, and never so much as cast a glance at +the fair maidens of the country round; for this reason people began to +call him "Stone-Heart." + +It chanced that Count Otto, on one Christmas Eve, ordered that a great +hunt should take place in the forest surrounding his castle. He and his +guests and his many retainers rode forth, and the chase became more +and more exciting. It led through thickets, and over pathless tracts +of forest, until at length Count Otto found himself separated from his +companions. + +He rode on by himself until he came to a spring of clear, bubbling +water, known to the people around as the "Fairy Well." Here Count Otto +dismounted. He bent over the spring and began to lave his hands in the +sparkling tide, but to his wonder he found that though the weather was +cold and frosty, the water was warm and delightfully caressing. He +felt a glow of joy pass through his veins, and, as he plunged his hands +deeper, he fancied that his right hand was grasped by another, soft +and small, which gently slipped from his finger the gold ring he always +wore. And, lo! when he drew out his hand, the gold ring was gone. + +Full of wonder at this mysterious event, the count mounted his horse and +returned to his castle, resolving in his mind that the very next day he +would have the Fairy Well emptied by his servants. + +He retired to his room, and, throwing himself just as he was upon his +couch, tried to sleep; but the strangeness of the adventure kept him +restless and wakeful. + +Suddenly he heard the hoarse baying of the watch-hounds in the +courtyard, and then the creaking of the drawbridge, as though it were +being lowered. Then came to his ear the patter of many small feet on +the stone staircase, and next he heard indistinctly the sound of light +footsteps in the chamber adjoining his own. + +Count Otto sprang from his couch, and as he did so there sounded a +strain of delicious music, and the door of his chamber was flung open. +Hurrying into the next room, he found himself in the midst of numberless +Fairy beings, clad in gay and sparkling robes. They paid no heed to +him, but began to dance, and laugh, and sing, to the sound of mysterious +music. + +In the center of the apartment stood a splendid Christmas Tree, the +first ever seen in that country. Instead of toys and candles there hung +on its lighted boughs diamond stars, pearl necklaces, bracelets of +gold ornamented with colored jewels, aigrettes of rubies and sapphires, +silken belts embroidered with Oriental pearls, and daggers mounted in +gold and studded with the rarest gems. The whole tree swayed, sparkled, +and glittered in the radiance of its many lights. + +Count Otto stood speechless, gazing at all this wonder, when suddenly +the Fairies stopped dancing and fell back, to make room for a lady of +dazzling beauty who came slowly toward him. + +She wore on her raven-black tresses a golden diadem set with jewels. +Her hair flowed down upon a robe of rosy satin and creamy velvet. She +stretched out two small, white hands to the count and addressed him in +sweet, alluring tones:-- + +"Dear Count Otto," said she, "I come to return your Christmas visit. I +am Ernestine, the Queen of the Fairies. I bring you something you lost +in the Fairy Well." + +And as she spoke she drew from her bosom a golden casket, set with +diamonds, and placed it in his hands. He opened it eagerly and found +within his lost gold ring. + +Carried away by the wonder of it all, and overcome by an irresistible +impulse, the count pressed the Fairy Ernestine to his heart, while she, +holding him by the hand, drew him into the magic mazes of the dance. The +mysterious music floated through the room, and the rest of that Fairy +company circled and whirled around the Fairy Queen and Count Otto, and +then gradually dissolved into a mist of many colors, leaving the count +and his beautiful guest alone. + +Then the young man, forgetting all his former coldness toward the +maidens of the country round about, fell on his knees before the Fairy +and besought her to become his bride. At last she consented on the +condition that he should never speak the word "death" in her presence. + +The next day the wedding of Count Otto and Ernestine, Queen of the +Fairies, was celebrated with great pomp and magnificence, and the two +continued to live happily for many years. + +Now it happened on a time, that the count and his Fairy wife were +to hunt in the forest around the castle. The horses were saddled and +bridled, and standing at the door, the company waited, and the count +paced the hall in great impatience; but still the Fairy Ernestine +tarried long in her chamber. At length she appeared at the door of the +hall, and the count addressed her in anger. + +"You have kept us waiting so long," he cried, "that you would make a +good messenger to send for Death!" + +Scarcely had he spoken the forbidden and fatal word, when the Fairy, +uttering a wild cry, vanished from his sight. In vain Count Otto, +overwhelmed with grief and remorse, searched the castle and the Fairy +Well, no trace could he find of his beautiful, lost wife but the imprint +of her delicate hand set in the stone arch above the castle gate. + +Years passed by, and the Fairy Ernestine did not return. The count +continued to grieve. Every Christmas Eve he set up a lighted tree in +the room where he had first met the Fairy, hoping in vain that she would +return to him. + +Time passed and the count died. The castle fell into ruins. But to this +day may be seen above the massive gate, deeply sunken in the stone arch, +the impress of a small and delicate hand. + +And such, say the good folk of Strasburg, was the origin of the +Christmas Tree. + + + + +THE THREE PURSES + +A LEGEND + +BY WILLIAM S. WALSH (ADAPTED) + +When Saint Nicholas was Bishop of Myra, there were among his people +three beautiful maidens, daughters of a nobleman. Their father was so +poor that he could not afford to give them dowries, and as in that land +no maid might marry without a dowry, so these three maidens could not +wed the youths who loved them. + +At last the father became so very poor that he no longer had money with +which to buy food or clothes for his daughters, and he was overcome by +shame and sorrow. As for the daughters they wept continually, for they +were both cold and hungry. + +One day Saint Nicholas heard of the sad state of this noble family. So +at night, when the maidens were asleep, and the father was watching, +sorrowful and lonely, the good saint took a handful of gold, and, tying +it in a purse, set off for the nobleman's house. Creeping to the open +window he threw the purse into the chamber, so that it fell on the bed +of the sleeping maidens. + +The father picked up the purse, and when he opened it and saw the gold, +he rejoiced greatly, and awakened his daughters. He gave most of the +gold to his eldest child for a dowry, and thus she was enabled to wed +the young man whom she loved. + +A few days later Saint Nicholas filled another purse with gold, and, +as before, went by night to the nobleman's house, and tossed the purse +through the open window. Thus the second daughter was enabled to marry +the young man whom she loved. + +Now, the nobleman felt very grateful to the unknown one who threw purses +of gold into his room and he longed to know who his benefactor was and +to thank him. So the next night he watched beneath the open window. +And when all was dark, lo! good Saint Nicholas came for the third time, +carrying a silken purse filled with gold, and as he was about to throw +it on the youngest maiden's bed, the nobleman caught him by his robe, +crying:-- + +"Ohs good Saint Nicholas! why do you hide yourself thus?" + +And he kissed the saint's hands and feet, but Saint Nicholas, overcome +with confusion at having his good deed discovered, begged the nobleman +to tell no man what had happened. + +Thus the nobleman's third daughter was enabled to marry the young man +whom she loved; and she and her father and her two sisters lived happily +for the remainder of their lives. + + + + +THE THUNDER OAK + +A SCANDINAVIAN LEGEND + +WILLIAM S. WALSH AND OTHER SOURCES + +When the heathen raged through the forests of the ancient Northland +there grew a giant tree branching with huge limbs toward the clouds. It +was the Thunder Oak of the war-god Thor. + +Thither, under cover of night, heathen priests were wont to bring +their victims--both men and beasts--and slay them upon the altar of the +thunder-god. There in the darkness was wrought many an evil deed, while +human blood was poured forth and watered the roots of that gloomy tree, +from whose branches depended the mistletoe, the fateful plant that +sprang from the blood-fed veins of the oak. So gloomy and terror-ridden +was the spot on which grew the tree that no beasts of field or forest +would lodge beneath its dark branches, nor would birds nest or perch +among its gnarled limbs. + +Long, long ago, on a white Christmas Eve, Thor's priests held their +winter rites beneath the Thunder Oak. Through the deep snow of the +dense forest hastened throngs of heathen folk, all intent on keeping +the mystic feast of the mighty Thor. In the hush of the night the folk +gathered in the glade where stood the tree. Closely they pressed around +the great altar-stone under the overhanging boughs where stood the +white-robed priests. Clearly shone the moonlight on all. + +Then from the altar flashed upward the sacrificial flames, casting their +lurid glow on the straining faces of the human victims awaiting the blow +of the priest's knife. + +But the knife never fell, for from the silent avenues of the dark forest +came the good Saint Winfred and his people. Swiftly the saint drew from +his girdle a shining axe. Fiercely he smote the Thunder Oak, hewing a +deep gash in its trunk. And while the heathen folk gazed in horror and +wonder, the bright blade of the axe circled faster and faster around +Saint Winfred's head, and the flakes of wood flew far and wide from the +deepening cut in the body of the tree. + +Suddenly there was heard overhead the sound of a mighty, rushing wind. A +whirling blast struck the tree. It gripped the oak from its foundations. +Backward it fell like a tower, groaning as it split into four pieces. + +But just behind it, unharmed by the ruin, stood a young fir tree, +pointing its green spire to heaven. + +Saint Winfred dropped his axe, and turned to speak to the people. +Joyously his voice rang out through the crisp, winter air:-- + +"This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be your holy tree +to-night. It is the tree of peace, for your houses are built of fir. It +is the sign of endless life, for its leaves are forever green. See how +it points upward to heaven! Let this be called the tree of the Christ +Child. Gather about it, not in the wildwood, but in your own homes. +There it will shelter no deeds of blood, but loving gifts and rites of +kindness. So shall the peace of the White Christ reign in your hearts!" + +And with songs of joy the multitude of heathen folk took up the little +fir tree and bore it to the house of their chief, and there with good +will and peace they kept the holy Christmastide. + + + + +THE CHRISTMAS THORN OF GLASTONBURY + +A LEGEND OF ANCIENT BRITAIN + +ADAPTED FROM WILLIAM OF MALMESBURY AND OTHER SOURCES + +There is a golden Christmas legend and it relates how Joseph of +Arimathea--that good man and just, who laid our Lord in his own +sepulcher, was persecuted by Pontius Pilate, and how he fled from +Jerusalem carrying with him the Holy Grail hidden beneath a cloth of +samite, mystical and white. + +For many moons he wandered, leaning on his staff cut from a white-thorn +bush. He passed over raging seas and dreary wastes, he wandered through +trackless forests, climbed rugged mountains, and forded many floods. +At last he came to Gaul where the Apostle Philip was preaching the glad +tidings to the heathen. And there Joseph abode for a little space. + +Now, upon a night while Joseph lay asleep in his hut, he was wakened +by a radiant light. And as he gazed with wondering eyes he saw an angel +standing by his couch, wrapped in a cloud of incense. + +"Joseph of Arimathea," said the angel, "cross thou over into Britain and +preach the glad tidings to King Arvigarus. And there, where a Christmas +miracle shall come to pass, do thou build the first Christian church in +that land." + +And while Joseph lay perplexed and wondering in his heart what answer he +should make, the angel vanished from his sight. + +Then Joseph left his hut and calling the Apostle Philip, gave him the +angel's message. And, when morning dawned, Philip sent him on his way, +accompanied by eleven chosen followers. To the water's side they went, +and embarking in a little ship, they came unto the coasts of Britain. + +And they were met there by the heathen who carried them before Arvigarus +their king. To him and to his people did Joseph of Arimathea preach the +glad tidings; but the king's heart, though moved, was not convinced. +Nevertheless he gave to Joseph and his followers Avalon, the happy isle, +the isle of the blessed, and he bade them depart straightway and build +there an altar to their God. + +And a wonderful gift was this same Avalon, sometimes called the Island +of Apples, and also known to the people of the land as Ynis-witren, the +Isle of Glassy Waters. Beautiful and peaceful was it. Deep it lay in +the midst of a green valley, and the balmy breezes fanned its apple +orchards, and scattered afar the sweet fragrance of rosy blossoms or +ripened fruit. Soft grew the green grass beneath the feet. The smooth +waves gently lapped the shore, and water-lilies floated on the surface +of the tide; while in the blue sky above sailed the fleecy clouds. + +And it was on the holy Christmas Eve that Joseph and his companions +reached the Isle of Avalon. With them they carried the Holy Grail hidden +beneath its cloth of snow-white samite. Heavily they toiled up the +steep ascent of the hill called Weary-All. And when they reached the top +Joseph thrust his thorn-staff into the ground. + +And, lo! a miracle! the thorn-staff put forth roots, sprouted and +budded, and burst into a mass of white and fragrant flowers! And on the +spot where the thorn had bloomed, there Joseph built the first Christian +church in Britain. And he made it "wattled all round" of osiers gathered +from the water's edge. And in the chapel they placed the Holy Grail. + +And so, it is said, ever since at Glastonbury Abbey--the name by which +that Avalon is known to-day--on Christmas Eve the white thorn buds and +blooms. + + + + +THE THREE KINGS OF COLOGNE + +A LEGEND OF THE MIDDLE AGES + +BY JOHN OF HILDESHEIM-MODERNIZED BY H. S. MORRIS (ADAPTED) + +THE STAR + +Now, when the Children of Israel were gone out of Egypt, and had won and +made subject to them Jerusalem and all the land lying about, there was +in the Kingdom of Ind a tall hill called the Hill of Vaws, or the Hill +of Victory. On this hill were stationed sentinels of Ind, who watched +day and night against the Children of Israel, and afterward against the +Romans. + +And if an enemy approached, the keepers of the Hill of Vaws made a great +fire to warn the inhabitants of the land so that the men might make +ready to defend themselves. + +Now in the time when Balaam prophesied of the Star that should betoken +the birth of Christ, all the great lords and the people of Ind and in +the East desired greatly to see this Star of which he spake; and they +gave gifts to the keepers of the Hill of Vaws, and bade them, if they +saw by night or by day any star in the air, that had not been seen +aforetime, that they, the keepers, should send anon word to the people +of Ind. + +And thus was it that for so long a time the fame of this Star was borne +throughout the lands of the East. And the more the Star was sought for, +and the more its fame increased, so much the more all the people of the +Land of Ind desired to see it. So they ordained twelve of the wisest +and greatest of the clerks of astronomy, that were in all that country +about, and gave them great hire to keep watch upon the Hill of Vaws for +the Star that was prophesied of Balaam. + +Now, when Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, His Star began to rise +in the manner of a sun, bright shining. It ascended above the Hill +of Vaws, and all that day in the highest air it abode without moving, +insomuch that when the sun was hot and most high there was no difference +in shining betwixt them. + +But when the day of the nativity was passed the Star ascended up into +the firmament, and it had right many long streaks and beams, more +burning and brighter than a brand of fire; and, as an eagle flying and +beating the air with his wings, right so the streaks and beams of the +Star stirred about. + +Then all the people, both man and woman, of all that country about when +they saw this marvelous Star, were full of wonder thereat; yet they knew +well that it was the Star that was prophesied of Balaam, and long time +was desired of all the people in that country. + +Now, when the three worshipful kings, who at that time reigned in Ind, +Chaldea, and Persia, were informed by the astronomers of this Star, they +were right glad that they had grace to see the Star in their days. + +Wherefore these three worshipful kings, Melchior, Balthazar, and Jasper +(in the same hour the Star appeared to all three), though each of them +was far from the other, and none knew of the others' purpose, decided +to go and seek and worship the Lord and King of the Jews, that was new +born, as the appearance of the Star announced. + +So each king prepared great and rich gifts, and trains of mules, camels, +and horses charged with treasure, and together with a great multitude of +people they set forth on their journeys. + + + + +THE CHILD + + +Now, when these three worshipful kings were passed forth out of their +kingdoms, the Star went before each king and his people. When they +stood still and rested, the Star stood still; and when they went forward +again, the Star always went before them in virtue and strength and gave +light all the way. + +And, as it is written, in the time that Christ was born, there was peace +in all the world, wherefore in all the cities and towns through which +they went there was no gate shut neither by night nor by day; and all +the people of those same cities and towns marveled wonderfully as they +saw kings and vast multitudes go by in great haste; but they knew not +what they were, nor whence they came, nor whither they should go. + +Furthermore these three kings rode forth over hills, waters, valleys, +plains, and other divers and perilous places without hindrance, for all +the way seemed to them plain and even. And they never took shelter by +night nor by day, nor ever rested, nor did their horses and other beasts +ever eat or drink till they had come to Bethlehem. And all this time it +did seem to them as one day. + +But when the three blessed kings had come near to Jerusalem, then a +great cloud of darkness hid the Star from their sight. And when Melchior +and his people were come fast by the city, they abode in fog and +darkness. Then came Balthazar, and he abode under the same cloud near +unto Melchior. Thereupon appeared Jasper with all his host. + +So these three glorious kings, each with his host and burdens and +beasts, met together in the highway without the city of Jerusalem. And, +notwithstanding that none of them ever before had seen the other, nor +knew him, nor had heard of his coming, yet at their meeting each one +with great reverence and joy kissed the other. So afterward, when they +had spoken together and each had told his purpose and the cause of his +journey, they were much more glad and fervent. So they rode forth, and +at the uprising of the sun, they came into Jerusalem. And yet the Star +appeared not. + +So then these three worshipful kings, when they were come into the city, +asked of the people concerning the Child that was born; and when Herod +heard this he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him, and he privately +summoned to him these three kings and learned of them the time when +the Star appeared. He then sent them forth, bidding them find the young +Child and return to him. + +Now when these three kings were passed out of Jerusalem the Star +appeared to them again as it did erst, and went before them till they +were come to Bethlehem. + +Now, the nearer the kings came to the place where Christ was born, the +brighter shined the Star, and they entered Bethlehem the sixth hour +of the day. And they rode through the streets till they came before a +little house. There the Star stood still, and then descended and shone +with so great a light that the little house was full of radiance; till +anon the Star went upward again into the air, and stood still always +above the same place. + +And the three kings went into the little house and found the Child with +his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him, and offered him gifts. + +And you shall understand that these three kings had brought great gifts +from their own lands, rich ornaments and divers golden vessels, and many +jewels and precious stones, and both gold and silver,--these they had +brought to offer to the King of the Jews. But when they found the Lord +in a little-house, in poor clothes, and when they saw that the Star gave +so great and holy a light in all the place that it seemed as though they +stood in a furnace of fire, then were they so sore afraid, that of all +the rich jewels and ornaments they had brought with them, they chose +from their treasures what came first to their hands. For Melchior took +a round apple of gold in his hand, and thirty gilt pennies, and these he +offered unto our Lord; and Balthazar took out of his treasury incense; +and Jasper took out myrrh, and that he offered with weeping and tears. + +And now after these three kings had worshiped the Lord, they abode in +Bethlehem for a little space, and as they abode, there came a command +to them, in their sleep, that they should not return to Herod; and so by +another way they went home to their kingdoms. But the Star that had gone +before appeared no more. + +So these three kings, who had suddenly met together in the highway +before Jerusalem, went home together with great joy and honor. And when, +after many days' journey over perilous places, they had come to the Hill +of Vaws, they made there a fair chapel in worship of the Child they had +sought. Also they agreed to meet together at the same place once in the +year, and they ordained that the Hill of Vaws should be the place of +their burial. + +So when the three worshipful kings had done what they would, they took +leave of each other, and each one with his people rode to his own land +rejoicing. + + + + +HOW THEY CAME TO COLOGNE + + +Now, after many years, a little before the feast of Christmas, there +appeared a wonderful Star above the cities where these three kings +dwelt, and they knew thereby that their time was come when they should +pass from earth. Then with one consent they built, at the Hill of +Vaws, a fair and large tomb, and there the three Holy Kings, Melchior, +Balthazar, and Jasper died, and were buried in the same tomb by their +sorrowing people. + +Now after much time had passed away, Queen Helen, the mother of the +Emperor Constantine, began to think greatly of the bodies of these three +kings, and she arrayed herself, and, accompanied by many attendants, +went into the Land of Ind. + +And you shall understand that after she had found the bodies of +Melchior, Balthazar, and Jasper, Queen Helen put them into one chest +and ornamented it with great riches, and she brought them into +Constantinople, with joy and reverence, and laid them in a church that +is called Saint Sophia; and this church the Emperor Constantine did +make,--he alone, with a little child, set up all the marble pillars +thereof. + +Now, after the death of the Emperor Constantine a persecution against +the Christian faith arose, and in this persecution the bodies of +the three worshipful kings were set at naught. Then came the Emperor +Mauricius of Rome, and, through his counsel, the bodies of these three +kings were carried to Italy, and there they were laid in a fair church +in the city of Milan. + +Then afterward, in the process of time, the city of Milan rebelled +against the Emperor Frederick the First, and he, being sore beset, sent +to Rainald, Archbishop of Cologne, asking for help. + +This Archbishop with his army did take the city of Milan, and delivered +it to the Emperor. And for this service did the Emperor grant, at the +Archbishop's great entreaty, that he should carry forth to Cologne the +bodies of the three blessed kings. + +Then the Archbishop, with great solemnity and in procession, did carry +forth from the city of Milan the bodies of the three kings, and brought +them unto Cologne and there placed them in the fair church of Saint +Peter. And all the people of the country roundabout, with all the +reverence they might, received these relics, and there in the city of +Cologne they are kept and beholden of all manner of nations unto this +day. + + +Thus endeth the legend of these three blessed kings,--Melchior, +Balthazar, and Jasper. + + + + + +ARBOR DAY + + + + +THE LITTLE TREE THAT LONGED FOR OTHER LEAVES + +BY FRIEDRICH RUCHERT (TRANSLATED) + +There was a little tree that stood in the woods through both good and +stormy weather, and it was covered from top to bottom with needles +instead of leaves. The needles were sharp and prickly, so the little +tree said to itself:-- + +"All my tree comrades have beautiful green leaves, and I have only sharp +needles. No one will touch me. If I could have a wish I would ask for +leaves of pure gold." + +When night came the little tree fell asleep, and, lo! in the morning it +woke early and found itself covered with glistening, golden leaves. + +"Ah, ah!" said the little tree, "how grand I am! No other tree in the +woods is dressed in gold." + +But at evening time there came a peddler with a great sack and a long +beard. He saw the glitter of the golden leaves. He picked them all and +hurried away leaving the little tree cold and bare. + +"Alas! alas!" cried the little tree in sorrow; "all my golden leaves +are gone! I am ashamed to stand among the other trees that have such +beautiful foliage. If I only had another wish I would ask for leaves of +glass." + +Then the little tree fell asleep, and when it woke early, it found +itself covered with bright and shining leaves of glass. + +"Now," said the little tree, "I am happy. No tree in the woods glistens +like me." + +But there came a fierce storm-wind driving through the woods. It struck +the glass, and in a moment all the shining leaves lay shattered on the +ground. + +"My leaves, my glass leaves!" moaned the little tree; "they lie broken +in the dust, while all the other trees are still dressed in their +beautiful foliage. Oh! if I had another wish I would ask for green +leaves." + +Then the little tree slept again, and in the morning it was covered with +fresh, green foliage. And it laughed merrily, and said: "Now, I need not +be ashamed any more. I am like my comrades of the woods." + +But along came a mother-goat, looking for grass and herbs for herself +and her young ones. She saw the crisp, new leaves; and she nibbled, and +nibbled, and nibbled them all away, and she ate up both stems and tender +shoots, till the little tree stood bare. + +"Alas!" cried the little tree in anguish, "I want no more leaves, +neither gold ones nor glass ones, nor green and red and yellow ones! If +I could only have my needles once more, I would never complain again." + +And sorrowfully the little tree fell asleep, but when it saw itself in +the morning sunshine, it laughed and laughed and laughed. And all the +other trees laughed, too, but the little tree did not care. Why did they +laugh? Because in the night all its needles had come again! You may see +this for yourself. Just go into the woods and look, but do not touch the +little tree. Why not? BECAUSE IT PRICKS. + + + + +WHY THE EVERGREEN TREES NEVER LOSE THEIR LEAVES + +BY FLORENCE HOLBROOK + +Winter was coming, and the birds had flown far to the south, where the +air was warm and they could find berries to eat. One little bird had +broken its wing and could not fly with the others. It was alone in the +cold world of frost and snow. The forest looked warm, and it made its +way to the trees as well as it could, to ask for help. + +First it came to a birch tree. "Beautiful birch tree," it said, "my +wing is broken, and my friends have flown away. May I live among your +branches till they come back to me?" + +"No, indeed," answered the birch tree, drawing her fair green leaves +away. "We of the great forest have our own birds to help. I can do +nothing for you." + +"The birch is not very strong," said the little bird to itself, "and it +might be that she could not hold me easily. I will ask the oak." So the +bird said: "Great oak tree, you are so strong, will you not let me live +on your boughs till my friends come back in the springtime?" + +"In the springtime!" cried the oak. "That is a long way off. How do I +know what you might do in all that time? Birds are always looking for +something to eat, and you might even eat up some of my acorns." + +"It may be that the willow will be kind to me," thought the bird, and +it said: "Gentle willow, my wing is broken, and I could not fly to +the south with the other birds. May I live on your branches till the +springtime?" + +The willow did not look gentle then, for she drew herself up proudly and +said: "Indeed, I do not know you, and we willows never talk to people +whom we do not know. Very likely there are trees somewhere that will +take in strange birds. Leave me at once." + +The poor little bird did not know what to do. Its wing was not yet +strong, but it began to fly away as well as it could. Before it had gone +far a voice was heard. "Little bird," it said, "where are you going?" + +"Indeed, I do not know," answered the bird sadly. "I am very cold." + +"Come right here, then," said the friendly spruce tree, for it was her +voice that had called. + +"You shall live on my warmest branch all winter if you choose." + +"Will you really let me?" asked the little bird eagerly. + +"Indeed, I will," answered the kind-hearted spruce tree. "If your +friends have flown away, it is time for the trees to help you. Here is +the branch where my leaves are thickest and softest." + +"My branches are not very thick," said the friendly pine tree, "but I am +big and strong, and I can keep the North Wind from you and the spruce." + +"I can help, too," said a little juniper tree. "I can give you berries +all winter long, and every bird knows that juniper berries are good." + +So the spruce gave the lonely little bird a home; the pine kept the cold +North Wind away from it; and the juniper gave it berries to eat. The +other trees looked on and talked together wisely. + +"I would not have strange birds on my boughs," said the birch. + +"I shall not give my acorns away for any one," said the oak. + +"I never have anything to do with strangers," said the willow, and the +three trees drew their leaves closely about them. + +In the morning all those shining, green leaves lay on the ground, for +a cold North Wind had come in the night, and every leaf that it touched +fell from the tree. + +"May I touch every leaf in the forest?" asked the wind in its frolic. + +"No," said the Frost King. "The trees that have been kind to the little +bird with the broken wing may keep their leaves." + +This is why the leaves of the spruce, the pine, and the juniper are +always green. + + + + +WHY THE ASPEN QUIVERS + +OLD LEGEND + +Long, long ago, so the legend says, when Joseph and Mary and the Holy +Babe fled out of Bethlehem into Egypt, they passed through the +green wildwood. And flowers and trees and plants bent their heads in +reverence. + +But the proud aspen held its head high and refused even to look at the +Holy Babe. In vain the birds sang in the aspen's branches, entreating it +to gaze for one moment at the wonderful One; the proud tree still held +its head erect in scorn. + +Then outspake Mary, his mother. "O aspen tree," she said, "why do you +not gaze on the Holy Child? Why do you not bow your head? A star arose +at his birth, angels sang his first lullaby, kings and shepherds came to +the brightness of his rising; why, then, O aspen, do you refuse to honor +your Lord and mine?" + +But the aspen could not answer. A strange shivering passed through its +stem and along its boughs, which set its leaves a-quivering. It trembled +before the Holy Babe. + +And so from age to age, even unto this day, the proud aspen shakes and +shivers. + + + + +THE WONDER TREE + +BY FRIEDRICH ADOLPH KRUMMACHER (ADAPTED) + +One day in the springtime, Prince Solomon was sitting under the palm +trees in the royal gardens, when he saw the Prophet Nathan walking near. + +"Nathan," said the Prince, "I would see a wonder." + +The Prophet smiled. "I had the same desire in the days of my youth," he +replied. + +"And was it fulfilled?" asked Solomon. + +"A Man of God came to me," said Nathan, "having a pomegranate seed in +his hand. 'Behold,' he said, 'what will become of this.' Then he made a +hole in the ground, and planted the seed, and covered it over. When he +withdrew his hand the clods of earth opened, and I saw two small leaves +coming forth. But scarcely had I beheld them, when they joined together +and became a small stem wrapped in bark; and the stem grew before my +eyes,--and it grew thicker and higher and became covered with branches. + +"I marveled, but the Man of God motioned me to be silent. 'Behold,' said +he, 'new creations begin.' + +"Then he took water in the palm of his hand, and sprinkled the branches +three times, and, lo! the branches were covered with green leaves, so +that a cool shade spread above us, and the air was fined with perfume. + +"'From whence come this perfume and this shade?' cried I. + +"'Dost thou not see,' he answered, 'these crimson flowers bursting from +among the leaves, and hanging in clusters?' + +"I was about to speak, but a gentle breeze moved the leaves, scattering +the petals of the flowers around us. Scarcely had the falling flowers +reached the ground when I saw ruddy pomegranates hanging beneath the +leaves of the tree, like almonds on Aaron's rod. Then the Man of God +left me, and I was lost in amazement." + +"Where is he, this Man of God?" asked Prince Solomon eagerly. "What is +his name? Is he still alive?" + + +"Son of David," answered Nathan, "I have spoken to thee of a vision." + +When the Prince heard this he was grieved to the heart. "How couldst +thou deceive me thus?" he asked. + +But the Prophet replied: "Behold in thy father's gardens thou mayest +daily see the unfolding of wonder trees. Doth not this same miracle +happen to the fig, the date, and the pomegranate? They spring from the +earth, they put out branches and leaves, they flower, they fruit,--not +in a moment, perhaps, but in months and years,--but canst thou tell the +difference betwixt a minute, a month, or a year in the eyes of Him with +whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day?" + + + + +THE PROUD OAK TREE + +OLD FABLE [11] + + +[Footnote 11: From Deutsches Drittes Lesebuch, by W. H. Weick and C. +Grebner. Copyright, 1886, by Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co. American Book +Company, publishers.] + + +(TRANSLATED) + +The oak said to the reed that grew by the river: "It is no wonder that +you make such a sorrowful moaning, for you are so weak that the little +wren is a burden for you, and the lightest breeze must seem like a +storm-wind. Now look at me! No storm has ever been able to bow my +head. You will be much safer if you grow close to my side so that I may +shelter you from the wind that is now playing with my leaves." + +"Do not worry about me," said the reed; "I have less reason to fear the +wind than you have. I bow myself, but I never break. He who laughs last, +laughs best!" + +That night there came a fearful hurricane. The oak stood erect. The +reed bowed itself before the blast. The wind grew more furious, and, +uprooting the proud oak, flung it on the ground. + +When the morning came there stood the slender reed, glittering with +dewdrops, and softly swaying in the breeze. + + + + +BAUCIS AND PHILEMON + +ADAPTED FROM H. P. MASKEL'S RENDERING OF THE GREEK MYTH + +On the slopes of the Phrygian hills, there once dwelt a pious old couple +named Baucis and Philemon. They had lived all their lives in a tiny +cottage of wattles, thatched with straw, cheerful and content in spite +of their poverty. + +As this worthy couple sat dozing by the fireside one evening in the late +autumn, two strangers came and begged a shelter for the night. They had +to stoop to enter the humble doorway, where the old man welcomed them +heartily and bade them rest their weary limbs on the settle before the +fire. + +Meanwhile Baucis stirred the embers, blowing them into a flame with dry +leaves, and heaped on the fagots to boil the stew-pot. Hanging from the +blackened beams was a rusty side of bacon. Philemon cut off a rasher +to roast, and, while his guests refreshed themselves with a wash at the +rustic trough, he gathered pot-herbs from his patch of garden. Then the +old woman, her hands trembling with age, laid the cloth and spread the +table. + +It was a frugal meal, but one that hungry wayfarers could well relish. +The first course was an omelette of curdled milk and eggs, garnished +with radishes and served on rude oaken platters. The cups of turned +beechwood were filled with homemade wine from an earthen jug. The second +course consisted of dried figs and dates, plums, sweet-smelling apples, +and grapes, with a piece of clear, white honeycomb. What made the +meal more grateful to the guests was the hearty spirit in which it was +offered. Their hosts gave all they had without stint or grudging. + +But all at once something happened which startled and amazed Baucis and +Philemon. They poured out wine for their guests, and, lo! each time the +pitcher filled itself again to the brim. + +The old couple then knew that their guests were not mere mortals; +indeed, they were no other than Jupiter and Mercury come down to +earth in the disguise of poor travelers. Being ashamed of their humble +entertainment, Philemon hurried out and gave chase to his only goose, +intending to kill and roast it. But his guests forbade him, saying:-- + +"In mortal shape we have come down, and at a hundred houses asked +for lodging and rest. For answer a hundred doors were shut and locked +against us. You alone, the poorest of all, have received us gladly and +given us of your best. Now it is for us to punish these impious people +who treat strangers so churlishly, but you two shall be spared. Only +leave your cottage and follow us to yonder mountain-top." + +So saying, Jupiter and Mercury led the way, and the two old folks +hobbled after them. Presently they reached the top of the mountain, and +Baucis and Philemon saw all the country round, with villages and people, +sinking into a marsh; while their own cottage alone was left standing. + +And while they gazed, their cottage was changed into a white temple. The +doorway became a porch with marble columns. The thatch grew into a roof +of golden tiles. The little garden about their home became a park. + +Then Jupiter, regarding Baucis and Philemon with kindly eyes, said: +"Tell me, O good old man and you good wife, what may we do in return for +your hospitality?" + +Philemon whispered for a moment with Baucis, and she nodded her +approval. "We desire," he replied, "to be your servants, and to have the +care of this temple. One other favor we would ask. From boyhood I have +loved only Baucis, and she has lived only for me. Let the selfsame hour +take us both away together. Let me never see the tomb of my wife, nor +let her suffer the misery of mourning my death." + +Jupiter and Mercury, pleased with these requests, willingly granted +both, and endowed Baucis and Philemon with youth and strength as well. +The gods then vanished from their sight, but as long as their lives +lasted Baucis and Philemon were the guardians of the white temple that +once had been their home. + +And when again old age overtook them, they were standing one day +in front of the sacred porch, and Baucis, turning her gaze upon her +husband, saw him slowly changing into a gnarled oak tree. And Philemon, +as he felt himself rooted to the ground, saw Baucis at the same time +turning into a leafy linden. + +And as their faces disappeared behind the green foliage, each cried +unto the other, "Farewell, dearest love!" and again, "Dearest love, +farewell!" And their human forms were changed to trees and branches. + +And still, if you visit the spot, you may see an oak and a linden tree +with branches intertwined. + + + + +THE UNFRUITFUL TREE + +BY FRIEDRICH ADOLPH KRUMMACHER + +A farmer had a brother in town who was a gardener, and who possessed a +magnificent orchard full of the finest fruit trees, so that his skill +and his beautiful trees were famous everywhere. + +One day the farmer went into town to visit his brother, and was +astonished at the rows of trees that grew slender and smooth as wax +tapers. + +"Look, my brother," said the gardener; "I will give you an apple tree, +the best from my garden, and you, and your children, and your children's +children shall enjoy it." + +Then the gardener called his workmen and ordered them to take up the +tree and carry it to his brother's farm. They did so, and the next +morning the farmer began to wonder where he should plant it. + +"If I plant it on the hill," said he to himself, "the wind might catch +it and shake down the delicious fruit before it is ripe; if I plant it +close to the road, passers-by will see it and rob me of its luscious +apples; but if I plant it too near the door of my house, my servants or +the children may pick the fruit." + +So, after he had thought the matter over, he planted the tree behind his +barn, saying to himself: "Prying thieves will not think to look for it +here." + +But behold, the tree bore neither fruit nor blossoms the first year +nor the second; then the farmer sent for his brother the gardener, and +reproached him angrily, saying:-- + +"You have deceived me, and given me a barren tree instead of a fruitful +one. For, behold, this is the third year and still it brings forth +nothing but leaves!" + +The gardener, when he saw where the tree was planted, laughed and +said:-- + +"You have planted the tree where it is exposed to cold winds, and has +neither sun nor warmth. How, then, could you expect flowers and fruit? +You have planted the tree with a greedy and suspicious heart; how, then, +could you expect to reap a rich and generous harvest?" + + + + +THE DRYAD OF THE OLD OAK + +BY JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL (ADAPTED) + +In olden times there was a youth named Rhoecus. One day as he wandered +through the wood he saw an ancient oak tree, trembling and about to +fall. Full of pity for so fair a tree, Rhoecus carefully propped up its +trunk, and as he did so he heard a soft voice murmur:-- + +"Rhoecus!" + +It sounded like the gentle sighing of the wind through the leaves; and +while Rhoecus paused bewildered to listen, again he heard the murmur +like a soft breeze:-- + +"Rhoecus!" + +And there stood before him, in the green glooms of the shadowy oak, a +wonderful maiden. + +"Rhoecus," said she, in low-toned words, serene and full, and as clear +as drops of dew, "I am the Dryad of this tree, and with it I am doomed +to live and die. Thou hadst compassion on my oak, and in saving it thou +hast saved my life. Now, ask me what thou wilt that I can give, and it +shall be thine." + +"Beauteous nymph," answered Rhoecus, with a flutter at the heart, +"surely nothing will satisfy the craving of my soul save to be with thee +forever. Give to me thy love!" + +"I give it, Rhoecus," answered she with sadness in her voice, "though it +be a perilous gift. An hour before sunset meet me here." + +And straightway she vanished, and Rhoecus could see nothing but the +green glooms beneath the shadowy oak. Not a sound came to his straining +ears but the low, trickling rustle of the leaves, and, from far away on +the emerald slope, the sweet sound of an idle shepherd's pipe. + +Filled with wonder and joy Rhoecus turned his steps homeward. The earth +seemed to spring beneath him as he walked. The clear, broad sky looked +bluer than its wont, and so full of joy was he that he could scarce +believe that he had not wings. + +Impatient for the trysting-time, he sought some companions, and to while +away the tedious hours, he played at dice, and soon forgot all else. + +The dice were rattling their merriest, and Rhoecus had just laughed in +triumph at a happy throw, when through the open window of the room +there hummed a yellow bee. It buzzed about his ears, and seemed ready +to alight upon his head. At this Rhoecus laughed, and with a rough, +impatient hand he brushed it off and cried:-- + +"The silly insect! does it take me for a rose?" + +But still the bee came back. Three times it buzzed about his head, and +three times he rudely beat it back. Then straight through the window +flew the wounded bee, while Rhoecus watched its fight with angry eyes. + +And as he looked--O sorrow!--the red disk of the setting sun descended +behind the sharp mountain peak of Thessaly. + +Then instantly the blood sank from his heart, as if its very walls had +caved in, for he remembered the trysting-hour-now gone by! Without a +word he turned and rushed forth madly through the city and the gate, +over the fields into the wood. + +Spent of breath he reached the tree, and, listening fearfully, he heard +once more the low voice murmur:-- + +"Rhoecus!" + +But as he looked he could see nothing but the deepening glooms beneath +the oak. + +Then the voice sighed: "O Rhoecus, nevermore shalt thou behold me by day +or night! Why didst thou fail to come ere sunset? Why didst thou scorn +my humble messenger, and send it back to me with bruised wings? We +spirits only show ourselves to gentle eyes! And he who scorns the +smallest thing alive is forever shut away from all that is beautiful in +woods and fields. Farewell! for thou canst see me no more!" + +Then Rhoecus beat his breast and groaned aloud. "Be pitiful," he cried. +"Forgive me yet this once!" + +"Alas," the voice replied, "I am not unmerciful! I can forgive! But I +have no skill to heal thy spirit's eyes, nor can I change the temper of +thy heart." And then again she murmured, "Nevermore!" + +And after that Rhoecus heard no other sound, save the rustling of the +oak's crisp leaves, like surf upon a distant shore. + + + + +DAPHNE + +BY OVID (ADAPTED) + +In ancient times, when Apollo, the god of the shining sun, roamed the +earth, he met Cupid, who with bended bow and drawn string was seeking +human beings to wound with the arrows of love. + +"Silly boy," said Apollo, "what dost thou with the warlike bow? Such +burden best befits my shoulders, for did I not slay the fierce serpent, +the Python, whose baleful breath destroyed all that came nigh him? +Warlike arms are for the mighty, not for boys like thee! Do thou carry a +torch with which to kindle love in human hearts, but no longer lay claim +to my weapon, the bow!" + +But Cupid replied in anger: "Let thy bow shoot what it will, Apollo, but +my bow shall shoot THEE!" And the god of love rose up, and beating the +air with his wings, he drew two magic arrows from his quiver. One was +of shining gold and with its barbed point could Cupid inflict wounds of +love; the other arrow was of dull silver and its wound had the power to +engender hate. + +The silver arrow Cupid fixed in the breast of Daphne, the daughter of +the river-god Peneus; and forthwith she fled away from the homes of men, +and hunted beasts in the forest. + +With the golden arrow Cupid grievously wounded Apollo, who fleeing to +the woods saw there the Nymph Daphne pursuing the deer; and straightway +the sun-god fell in love with her beauty. Her golden locks hung down +upon her neck, her eyes were like stars, her form was slender and +graceful and clothed in clinging white. Swifter than the light wind she +flew, and Apollo followed after. + +"O Nymph! daughter of Peneus," he cried, "stay, I entreat thee! Why dost +thou fly as a lamb from the wolf, as a deer from the lion, or as a dove +with trembling wings Bees from the eagle! I am no common man! I am no +shepherd! Thou knowest not, rash maid, from whom thou art flying! The +priests of Delphi and Tenedos pay their service to me. Jupiter is my +sire. Mine own arrow is unerring, but Cupid's aim is truer, for he has +made this wound in my heart! Alas! wretched me! though I am that great +one who discovered the art of healing, yet this love may not be healed +by my herbs nor my skill!" + +But Daphne stopped not at these words, she flew from him with timid +step. The winds fluttered her garments, the light breezes spread her +flowing locks behind her. Swiftly Apollo drew near even as the keen +greyhound draws near to the frightened hare he is pursuing. With +trembling limbs Daphne sought the river, the home of her father, Peneus. +Close behind her was Apollo, the sun-god. She felt his breath on her +hair and his hand on her shoulder. Her strength was spent, she grew +pale, and in faint accents she implored the river:-- + +"O save me, my father, save me from Apollo, the sun-god!" + +Scarcely had she thus spoken before a heaviness seized her limbs. Her +breast was covered with bark, her hair grew into green leaves, and her +arms into branches. Her feet, a moment before so swift, became rooted to +the ground. And Daphne was no longer a Nymph, but a green laurel tree. + +When Apollo beheld this change he cried out and embraced the tree, and +kissed its leaves. + +"Beautiful Daphne," he said, "since thou cannot be my bride, yet shalt +thou be my tree. Henceforth my hair, my lyre, and my quiver shall be +adorned with laurel. Thy wreaths shall be given to conquering chiefs, +to winners of fame and joy; and as my head has never been shorn of its +locks, so shalt thou wear thy green leaves, winter and summer--forever!" + +Apollo ceased speaking and the laurel bent its new-made boughs in +assent, and its stem seemed to shake and its leaves gently to murmur. + + + + + +BIRD DAY + + + + +THE OLD WOMAN WHO BECAME A WOODPECKER + +BY PHOEBE CARY (ADAPTED) + +Afar in the Northland, where the winter days are so short and the nights +so long, and where they harness the reindeer to sledges, and where the +children look like bear's cubs in their funny, furry clothes, there, +long ago, wandered a good Saint on the snowy roads. + +He came one day to the door of a cottage, and looking in saw a little +old woman making cakes, and baking them on the hearth. + +Now, the good Saint was faint with fasting, and he asked if she would +give him one small cake wherewith to stay his hunger. + +So the little old woman made a VERY SMALL cake and placed it on the +hearth; but as it lay baking she looked at it and thought: "That is a +big cake, indeed, quite too big for me to give away." + +Then she kneaded another cake, much smaller, and laid that on the hearth +to cook, but when she turned it over it looked larger than the first. + +So she took a tiny scrap of dough, and rolled it out, and rolled it out, +and baked it as thin as a wafer; but when it was done it looked so large +that she could not bear to part with it; and she said: "My cakes are +much too big to give away,"--and she put them on the shelf. + +Then the good Saint grew angry, for he was hungry and faint. "You are +too selfish to have a human form," said he. "You are too greedy to +deserve food, shelter, and a warm fire. Instead, henceforth, you shall +build as the birds do, and get your scanty living by picking up nuts and +berries and by boring, boring all the day long, in the bark of trees." + +Hardly had the good Saint said this when the little old woman went +straight up the chimney, and came out at the top changed into a +red-headed woodpecker with coal-black feathers. + +And now every country boy may see her in the woods, where she lives in +trees boring, boring, boring for her food. + + + + +THE BOY WHO BECAME A ROBIN + +AN OJIBBEWAY LEGEND + +BY HENRY R. SCHOOLCRAFT (ADAPTED) + +Once upon a time there was an old Indian who had an only son, whose name +was Opeechee. The boy had come to the age when every Indian lad makes a +long fast, in order to secure a Spirit to be his guardian for life. + +Now, the old man was very proud, and he wished his son to fast longer +than other boys, and to become a greater warrior than all others. So he +directed him to prepare with solemn ceremonies for the fast. + +After the boy had been in the sweating lodge and bath several times, +his father commanded him to lie down upon a clean mat, in a little lodge +apart from the rest. + +"My son," said he, "endure your hunger like a man, and at the end of +TWELVE DAYS, you shall receive food and a blessing from my hands." + +The boy carefully did all that his father commanded, and lay quietly +with his face covered, awaiting the arrival of his guardian Spirit who +was to bring him good or bad dreams. + +His father visited him every day, encouraging him to endure with +patience the pangs of hunger and thirst. He told him of the honor and +renown that would be his if he continued his fast to the end of the +twelve days. + +To all this the boy replied not, but lay on his mat without a murmur of +discontent, until the ninth day; when he said:-- + +"My father, the dreams tell me of evil. May I break my fast now, and at +a better time make a new one?" + +"My son," replied the old man, "you know not what you ask. If you get +up now, all your glory will depart. Wait patiently a little longer. You +have but three days more to fast, then glory and honor will be yours." + +The boy said nothing more, but, covering himself closer, he lay until +the eleventh day, when he spoke again:-- + +"My father," said he, "the dreams forebode evil. May I break my fast +now, and at a better time make a new one?" + +"My son," replied the old man again, "you know not what you ask. Wait +patiently a little longer. You have but one more day to fast. To-morrow +I will myself prepare a meal and bring it to you." + +The boy remained silent, beneath his covering, and motionless except for +the gentle heaving of his breast. + +Early the next morning his father, overjoyed at having gained his end, +prepared some food. He took it and hastened to the lodge intending to +set it before his son. + +On coming to the door of the lodge what was his surprise to hear the boy +talking to some one. He lifted the curtain hanging before the doorway, +and looking in saw his son painting his breast with vermilion. And as +the lad laid on the bright color as far back on his shoulders as he +could reach, he was saying to himself:-- + +"My father has destroyed my fortune as a man. He would not listen to my +requests. I shall be happy forever, because I was obedient to my parent; +but he shall suffer. My guardian Spirit has given me a new form, and now +I must go!" + +At this his father rushed into the lodge, crying: + +"My son! my son! I pray you leave me not!" + +But the boy, with the quickness of a bird, flew to the top of the lodge, +and perching upon the highest pole, was instantly changed into a most +beautiful robin redbreast. + +He looked down on his father with pity in his eyes, and said:-- + +"Do not sorrow, O my father, I am no longer your boy, but Opeechee the +robin. I shall always be a friend to men, and live near their dwellings. +I shall ever be happy and content. Every day will I sing you songs of +joy. The mountains and fields yield me food. My pathway is in the bright +air." + +Then Opeechee the robin stretched himself as if delighting in his new +wings, and caroling his sweetest song, he flew away to the near-by +trees. + + + + +THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW + +BY A. B. MITFORD (ADAPTED) + +Once upon a time there lived a little old man and a little old woman. +The little old man had a kind heart, and he kept a young sparrow, which +he cared for tenderly. Every morning it used to sing at the door of his +house. + +Now, the little old woman was a cross old thing, and one day when she +was going to starch her linen, the sparrow pecked at her paste. Then she +flew into a great rage and cut the sparrow's tongue and let the bird fly +away. + +When the little old man came home from the hills, where he had been +chopping wood, he found the sparrow gone. + +"Where is my little sparrow?" asked he. + +"It pecked at my starching-paste," answered the little old woman, "so I +cut its evil tongue and let it fly away." + +"Alas! Alas!" cried the little old man. "Poor thing! Poor thing! Poor +little tongue-cut sparrow! Where is your home now?" + +And then he wandered far and wide seeking his pet and crying:-- + +"Mr. Sparrow, Mr. Sparrow, where are you living?" + +And he wandered on and on, over mountain and valley, and dale and river, +until one day at the foot of a certain mountain he met the lost bird. +The little old man was filled with joy and the sparrow welcomed him with +its sweetest song. + +It led the little old man to its nest-house, introduced him to its wife +and small sparrows, and set before him all sorts of good things to eat +and drink. + +"Please partake of our humble fare," sang the sparrow; "poor as it is, +you are welcome." + +"What a polite sparrow," answered the little old man, and he stayed for +a long time as the bird's guest. At last one day the little old man said +that he must take his leave and return home. + +"Wait a bit," said the sparrow. + +And it went into the house and brought out two wicker baskets. One was +very heavy and the other light. + +"Take the one you wish," said the sparrow, "and good fortune go with +you." + +"I am very feeble," answered the little old man, "so I will take the +light one." + +He thanked the sparrow, and, shouldering the basket, said good-bye. Then +he trudged off leaving the sparrow family sad and lonely. + +When he reached home the little old woman was very angry, and began to +scold him, saying:-- + +"Well, and pray where have you been all these days? A pretty thing, +indeed, for you to be gadding about like this!" + +"Oh," he replied, "I have been on a visit to the tongue-cut sparrow, and +when I came away it gave me this wicker basket as a parting gift." + +Then they opened the basket to see what was inside, and lo and behold! +it was full of gold, silver, and other precious things! + +The little old woman was as greedy as she was cross, and when she saw +all the riches spread before her, she could not contain herself for joy. + +"Ho! Ho!" cried she. "Now I'll go and call on the sparrow, and get a +pretty present, too!" + +She asked the old man the way to the sparrow's house and set forth on +her journey. And she wandered on and on over mountain and valley, and +dale and river, until at last she saw the tongue-cut sparrow. + +"Well met, well met, Mr. Sparrow," cried she. "I have been looking +forward with much pleasure to seeing you." And then she tried to flatter +it with soft, sweet words. + +So the bird had to invite her to its nest-house, but it did not feast +her nor say anything about a parting gift. At last the little old woman +had to go, and she asked for something to carry with her to remember the +visit by. The sparrow, as before, brought out two wicker baskets. One +was very heavy and the other light. + +The greedy little old woman, choosing the heavy one, carried it off with +her. + +She hurried home as fast as she was able, and closing her doors and +windows so that no one might see, opened the basket. And, lo and behold! +out jumped all sorts of wicked hobgoblins and imps, and they scratched +and pinched her to death. + +As for the little old man he adopted a son, and his family grew rich and +prosperous. + + + + +THE QUAILS--A LEGEND OF THE JATAKA + +FROM THE RIVERSIDE FOURTH READER + +Ages ago a flock of more than a thousand quails lived together in a +forest in India. They would have been happy, but that they were in great +dread of their enemy, the quail-catcher. He used to imitate the call +of the quail; and when they gathered together in answer to it, he would +throw a great net over them, stuff them into his basket, and carry them +away to be sold. + +Now, one of the quails was very wise, and he said:-- + +"Brothers! I've thought of a good plan. In future, as soon as the fowler +throws his net over us, let each one put his head through a mesh in the +net and then all lift it up together and fly away with it. When we have +flown far enough, we can let the net drop on a thorn bush and escape +from under it." + +All agreed to the plan; and next day when the fowler threw his net, the +birds all lifted it together in the very way that the wise quail had +told them, threw it on a thorn bush and escaped. While the fowler tried +to free his net from the thorns, it grew dark, and he had to go home. + +This happened many days, till at last the fowler's wife grew angry and +asked her husband:-- + +"Why is it that you never catch any more quail?" + +Then the fowler said: "The trouble is that all the birds work together +and help one another. If they would only quarrel, I could catch them +fast enough." + +A few days later, one of the quails accidentally trod on the head of one +of his brothers, as they alighted on the feeding-ground. + +"Who trod on my head?" angrily inquired the quail who was hurt. + +"Don't be angry, I didn't mean to tread on you," said the first quail. + +But the brother quail went on quarreling. + +"I lifted all the weight of the net; you didn't help at all," he cried. + +That made the first quail angry, and before long all were drawn into +the dispute. Then the fowler saw his chance. He imitated the cry of the +quail and cast his net over those who came together. They were still +boasting and quarreling, and they did not help one another lift the net. +So the hunter lifted the net himself and crammed them into his basket. +But the wise quail gathered his friends together and flew far away, for +he knew that quarrels are the root of misfortune. + + + + +THE MAGPIE'S NEST + +BY JOSEPH JACOBS + +All the birds of the air came to the magpie and asked her to teach +them how to build nests. For the magpie is the cleverest bird of all +at building nests. So she put all the birds round her and began to show +them how to do it. First of all she took some mud and made a sort of +round cake with it. + +"Oh, that's how it's done!" said the thrush, and away it flew; and so +that's how thrushes build their nests. + +Then the magpie took some twigs and arranged them round in the mud. + +"Now I know all about it!" said the blackbird, and off it flew; and +that's how the blackbirds make their nests to this very day. + +Then the magpie put another layer of mud over the twigs. + +"Oh, that 's quite obvious!" said the wise owl, and away it flew; and +owls have never made better nests since. + +After this the magpie took some twigs and twined them round the outside. + +"The very thing!" said the sparrow, and off he went; so sparrows make +rather slovenly nests to this day. + +Well, then Madge magpie took some feathers and stuff, and lined the nest +very comfortably with it. + +"That suits me!" cried the starling, and off it flew; and very +comfortable nests have starlings. + +So it went on, every bird taking away some knowledge of how to build +nests, but none of them waiting to the end. + +Meanwhile Madge magpie went on working and working without looking up, +till the only bird that remained was the turtle-dove, and that hadn't +paid any attention all along, but only kept on saying its silly cry: +"Take two, Taffy, take two-o-o-o!" + +At last the magpie heard this just as she was putting a twig across, so +she said: "One's enough." + +But the turtle-dove kept on saying: "Take two, Taffy, take two-o-o-o!" + +Then the magpie got angry and said: "One's enough, I tell you!" + +Still the turtle-dove cried: "Take two, Taffy, take two-o-o-o!" + +At last, and at last, the magpie looked up and saw nobody near her but +the silly turtle-dove, and then she got rarely angry and flew away and +refused to tell the birds how to build nests again. + +And that is why different birds build their nests differently. + + + + +THE GREEDY GEESE + +FROM IL LIBRO D'ORO (ADAPTED) + +Many years ago there was near the sea a convent famed for the rich crops +of grain that grew on its farm. On a certain year a large flock of wild +geese descended on its fields and devoured first the corn, and then the +green blades. + +The superintendent of the farm hastened to the convent and called the +lady abbess. + +"Holy mother," said he, "this year the nuns will have to fast +continually, for there will be no food." + +"Why is that?" asked the abbess. + +"Because," answered the superintendent, "a flood of wild geese has +rained upon the land, and they have eaten up the corn, nor have they +left a single green blade." + +"Is it possible," said the abbess, "that these wicked birds have no +respect for the property of the convent! They shall do penance for their +misdeeds. Return at once to the fields, and order the geese from me to +come without delay to the convent door, so that they may receive just +punishment for their greediness." + +"But, mother," said the superintendent, "this is not a time for jesting! +These are not sheep to be guided into the fold, but birds with long, +strong wings, to fly away with." + +"Do you understand me!" answered the abbess. "Go at once, and bid them +come to me without delay, and render an account of their misdeeds." + +The superintendent ran back to the farm, and found the flock of +evildoers still there. He raised his voice and clapping his hands, +cried:-- + +"Come, come, ye greedy geese! The lady abbess commands you to hasten to +the convent door!" + +Wonderful sight! Hardly had he uttered these words than the geese raised +their necks as if to listen, then, without spreading their wings, they +placed themselves in single file, and in regular order began to march +toward the convent. As they proceeded they bowed their heads as if +confessing their fault and as though about to receive punishment. + +Arriving at the convent, they entered the courtyard in exact order, one +behind the other, and there awaited the coming of the abbess. All night +they stood thus without making a sound, as if struck dumb by their +guilty consciences. But when morning came, they uttered the most pitiful +cries as though asking pardon and permission to depart. + +Then the lady abbess, taking compassion on the repentant birds, appeared +with some nuns upon a balcony. Long she talked to the geese, asking them +why they had stolen the convent grain. She threatened them with a long +fast, and then, softening, began to offer them pardon if they would +never again attack her lands, nor eat her corn. To which the geese bowed +their heads low in assent. Then the abbess gave them her blessing and +permission to depart. + +Hardly had she done so when the geese, spreading their wings, made a +joyous circle above the convent towers, and flew away. Alighting at some +distance they counted their number and found one missing. For, alas! in +the night, when they had been shut in the courtyard, the convent cook, +seeing how fat they were, had stolen one bird and had killed, roasted, +and eaten it. + +When the birds discovered that one of their number was missing, they +again took wing and, hovering over the convent, they uttered mournful +cries, complaining of the loss of their comrade, and imploring the +abbess to return him to the flock. + +Now, when the lady abbess heard these melancholy pleas, she assembled +her household, and inquired of each member where the bird might be. +The cook, fearing that it might be already known to her, confessed the +theft, and begged for pardon. + +"You have been very audacious," said the abbess, "but at least collect +the bones and bring them to me." + +The cook did as directed, and the abbess at a word caused the bones to +come together and to assume flesh, and afterwards feathers, and, lo! the +original bird rose up. + +The geese, having received their lost companion, rejoiced loudly, +and, beating their wings gratefully, made many circles over the sacred +cloister, before they flew away. Neither did they in future ever dare +to place a foot on the lands of the convent, nor to touch one blade of +grass. + + + + +THE KING OF THE BIRDS + +BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (TRANSLATED) + +One day the birds took it into their heads that they would like a +master, and that one of their number must be chosen king. A meeting of +all the birds was called, and on a beautiful May morning they assembled +from woods and fields and meadows. The eagle, the robin, the bluebird, +the owl, the lark, the sparrow were all there. The cuckoo came, and the +lapwing, and so did all the other birds, too numerous to mention. There +also came a very little bird that had no name at all. + +There was great confusion and noise. There was piping, hissing, +chattering and clacking, and finally it was decided that the bird that +could fly the highest should be king. + +The signal was given and all the birds flew in a great flock into the +air. There was a loud rustling and whirring and beating of wings. The +air was full of dust, and it seemed as if a black cloud were floating +over the field. + +The little birds soon grew tired and fell back quickly to earth. The +larger ones held out longer, and flew higher and higher, but the eagle +flew highest of any. He rose, and rose, until he seemed to be flying +straight into the sun. + +The other birds gave out and one by one they fell back to earth; and +when the eagle saw this he thought, "What is the use of flying any +higher? It is settled: I am king!" + +Then the birds below called in one voice: "Come back, come back! You +must be our king! No one can fly as high as you." + +"Except me!" cried a shrill, shrill voice, and the little bird without +a name rose from the eagle's back, where he had lain hidden in the +feathers, and he flew into the air. Higher and higher he mounted till +he was lost to sight, then, folding his wings together, he sank to earth +crying shrilly: "I am king! I am king!" + +"You, our king!" the birds cried in anger; "you have done this by +trickery and cunning. We will not have you to reign over us." + +Then the birds gathered together again and made another condition, that +he should be king who could go the deepest into the earth. + +How the goose wallowed in the sand, and the duck strove to dig a hole! +All the other birds, too, tried to hide themselves in the ground. +The little bird without a name found a mouse's hole, and creeping in +cried:-- + +"I am king! I am king!" + +"You, our king!" all the birds cried again, more angrily than before. +"Do you think that we would reward your cunning in this way? No, no! You +shall stay in the earth till you die of hunger!" + +So they shut up the little bird in the mouse's hole, and bade the owl +watch him carefully night and day. Then all the birds went home to bed, +for they were very tired; but the owl found it lonely and wearisome +sitting alone staring at the mouse's hole. + +"I can close one eye and watch with the other," he thought. So he closed +one eye and stared steadfastly with the other; but before he knew it he +forgot to keep that one open, and both eyes were fast asleep. + +Then the little bird without a name peeped out, and when he saw Master +Owl's two eyes tight shut, he slipped from the hole and flew away. + +From this time on the owl has not dared to show himself by day lest +the birds should pull him to pieces. He flies about only at night-time, +hating and pursuing the mouse for having made the hole into which the +little bird crept. + +And the little bird also keeps out of sight, for he fears lest the other +birds should punish him for his cunning. He hides in the hedges, and +when he thinks himself quite safe, he sings out: "I am king! I am king!" + +And the other birds in mockery call out: "Yes, yes, the hedge-king! the +hedge-king!" + + + + +THE DOVE WHO SPOKE TRUTH + +BY ABBIE FARWELL BROWN + +The dove and the wrinkled little bat once went on a journey together. +When it came toward night a storm arose, and the two companions sought +everywhere for a shelter. But all the birds were sound asleep in their +nests and the animals in their holes and dens. They could find no +welcome anywhere until they came to the hollow tree where old Master Owl +lived, wide awake in the dark. + +"Let us knock here," said the shrewd bat; "I know the old fellow is not +asleep. This is his prowling hour, and but that it is a stormy night he +would be abroad hunting.--What ho, Master Owl!" he squeaked, "will you +let in two storm-tossed travelers for a night's lodging?" + +Gruffly the selfish old owl bade them enter, and grudgingly invited them +to share his supper. The poor dove was so tired that she could scarcely +eat, but the greedy bat's spirits rose as soon as he saw the viands +spread before him. He was a sly fellow, and immediately began to flatter +his host into good humor. He praised the owl's wisdom and his courage, +his gallantry and his generosity; though every one knew that however +wise old Master Owl might be, he was neither brave nor gallant. As +for his generosity--both the dove and the bat well remembered his +selfishness toward the poor wren, when the owl alone of all the birds +refused to give the little fire-bringer a feather to help cover his +scorched and shivering body. + +All this flattery pleased the owl. He puffed and ruffled himself, trying +to look as wise, gallant, and brave as possible. He pressed the bat to +help himself more generously to the viands, which invitation the sly +fellow was not slow to accept. + +During this time the dove had not uttered a word. She sat quite still +staring at the bat, and wondering to hear such insincere speeches of +flattery. Suddenly the owl turned to her. + +"As for you, Miss Pink-Eyes," he said gruffly, "you keep careful +silence. You are a dull table-companion. Pray, have you nothing to say +for yourself?" + +"Yes," exclaimed the mischievous bat; "have you no words of praise for +our kind host? Methinks he deserves some return for this wonderfully +generous, agreeable, tasteful, well-appointed, luxurious, elegant, and +altogether acceptable banquet. What have you to say, O little dove?" + +But the dove hung her head, ashamed of her companion, and said very +simply: "O Master Owl, I can only thank you with all my heart for the +hospitality and shelter which you have given me this night. I was beaten +by the storm, and you took me in. I was hungry, and you gave me your +best to eat. I cannot flatter nor make pretty speeches like the bat. I +never learned such manners. But I thank you." + +"What!" cried the bat, pretending to be shocked, "is that all you have +to say to our obliging host? Is he not the wisest, bravest, most gallant +and generous of gentlemen? Have you no praise for his noble character as +well as for his goodness to us? I am ashamed of you! You do not deserve +such hospitality. You do not deserve this shelter." + +The dove remained silent. Like Cordelia in the play she could not speak +untruths even for her own happiness. + +"Truly, you are an unamiable guest," snarled the owl, his yellow eyes +growing keen and fierce with anger and mortified pride. "You are an +ungrateful bird, Miss, and the bat is right. You do not deserve this +generous hospitality which I have offered, this goodly shelter which you +asked. Away with you! Leave my dwelling! Pack off into the storm and see +whether or not your silence will soothe the rain and the wind. Be off, I +say!" + +"Yes, away with her!" echoed the bat, flapping his leathery wings. + +And the two heartless creatures fell upon the poor little dove and drove +her out into the dark and stormy night. + +Poor little dove! All night she was tossed and beaten about shelterless +in the storm, because she had been too truthful to flatter the vain old +owl. But when the bright morning dawned, draggled and weary as she was, +she flew to the court of King Eagle and told him all her trouble. Great +was the indignation of that noble bird. + +"For his flattery and his cruelty let the bat never presume to fly +abroad until the sun goes down," he cried. "As for the owl, I have +already doomed him to this punishment for his treatment of the wren. But +henceforth let no bird have anything to do with either of them, the +bat or the owl. Let them be outcasts and night-prowlers, enemies to be +attacked and punished if they appear among us, to be avoided by all in +their loneliness. Flattery and inhospitality, deceit and cruelty,--what +are more hideous than these? Let them cover themselves in darkness and +shun the happy light of day. + +"As for you, little dove, let this be a lesson to you to shun the +company of flatterers, who are sure to get you into trouble. But you +shall always be loved for your simplicity and truth. And as a token +of our affection your name shall be used by poets as long as the world +shall last to rhyme with LOVE." + + + + +THE BUSY BLUE JAY + +BY OLIVE THORNE MILLER (ADAPTED) + +One of the most interesting birds who ever lived in my Bird Room was a +blue jay named Jakie. He was full of business from morning till night, +scarcely ever a moment still. + +Poor little fellow! He had been stolen from the nest before he could +fly, and reared in a house, long before he was given to me. Of course he +could not be set free, for he did not know how to take care of himself. + +Jays are very active birds, and being shut up in a room, my blue jay had +to find things to do, to keep himself busy. If he had been allowed to +grow up out of doors, he would have found plenty to do, planting acorns +and nuts, nesting, and bringing up families. + +Sometimes the things he did in the house were what we call mischief +because they annoy us, such as hammering the woodwork to pieces, tearing +bits out of the leaves of books, working holes in chair seats, or +pounding a cardboard box to pieces. But how is a poor little bird to +know what is mischief? + +Many things which Jakie did were very funny. For instance, he made it +his business to clear up the room. When he had more food than he +could eat at the moment, he did not leave it around, but put it away +carefully,--not in the garbage pail, for that was not in the room, but +in some safe nook where it did not offend the eye. Sometimes it was +behind the tray in his cage, or among the books on the shelf. The places +he liked best were about me,--in the fold of a ruffle or the loop of +a bow on my dress, and sometimes in the side of my slipper. The very +choicest place of all was in my loosely bound hair. That, of course, I +could not allow, and I had to keep very close watch of him, for fear I +might have a bit of bread or meat thrust among my locks. + +In his clearing up he always went carefully over the floor, picking +up pins, or any little thing he could find, and I often dropped burnt +matches, buttons, and other small things to give him something to do. +These he would pick up and put nicely away. + +Pins Jakie took lengthwise in his beak, and at first I thought he had +swallowed them, till I saw him hunt up a proper place to hide them. The +place he chose was between the leaves of a book. He would push a pin far +in out of sight, and then go after another. A match he always tried to +put in a crack, under the baseboard, between the breadths of matting, or +under my rockers. He first placed it, and then tried to hammer it in +out of sight. He could seldom get it in far enough to suit him, and this +worried him. Then he would take it out and try another place. + +Once the blue jay found a good match, of the parlor match variety. He +put it between the breadths of matting, and then began to pound on it +as usual. Pretty soon he hit the unburnt end and it went off with a loud +crack, as parlor matches do. Poor Jakie jumped two feet into the air, +nearly frightened out of his wits; and I was frightened, too, for I +feared he might set the house on fire. + +Often when I got up from my chair a shower of the bird's playthings +would fall from his various hiding-places about my dress,--nails, +matches, shoe-buttons, bread-crumbs, and other things. Then he had to +begin his work all over again. + +Jakie liked a small ball or a marble. His game was to give it a hard +peck and see it roll. If it rolled away from him, he ran after it and +pecked again; but sometimes it rolled toward him, and then he bounded +into the air as if he thought it would bite. And what was funny, he was +always offended at this conduct of the ball, and went off sulky for a +while. + + +He was a timid little fellow. Wind or storm outside the windows made him +wild. He would fly around the room, squawking at the top of his voice; +and the horrible tin horns the boys liked to blow at Thanksgiving and +Christmas drove him frantic. + +Once I brought a Christmas tree into the room to please the birds, and +all were delighted with it except my poor little blue jay, who was much +afraid of it. Think of the sadness of a bird being afraid of a tree! + + +II + + +Jakie had decided opinions about people who came into the room to see +me, or to see the birds. At some persons he would squawk every moment. +Others he saluted with a queer cry like "Ob-ble! ob-ble! ob-ble!" Once +when a lady came in with a baby, he fixed his eyes on that infant with a +savage look as if he would like to peck it, and jumped back and forth in +his cage, panting but perfectly silent. + +Jakie was very devoted to me. He always greeted me with a low, sweet +chatter, with wings quivering, and, if he were out of the cage, he would +come on the back of my chair and touch my cheek or lips very gently with +his beak, or offer me a bit of food if he had any; and to me alone when +no one else was near, he sang a low, exquisite song. I afterwards +heard a similar song sung by a wild blue jay to his mate while she was +sitting, and so I knew that my dear little captive had given me his +sweetest--his love-song. + +One of Jakie's amusements was dancing across the back of a tall chair, +taking funny little steps, coming down hard, "jouncing" his body, and +whistling as loud as he could. He would keep up this funny performance +as long as anybody would stand before him and pretend to dance too. + +My jay was fond of a sensation. One of his dearest bits of fun was to +drive the birds into a panic. This he did by flying furiously around the +room, feathers rustling, and squawking as loud as he could. He usually +managed to fly just over the head of each bird, and as he came like a +catapult, every one flew before him, so that in a minute the room was +full of birds flying madly about, trying to get out of his way. This +gave him great pleasure. + +Once a grasshopper got into the Bird Room, probably brought in clinging +to some one's dress in the way grasshoppers do. Jakie was in his cage, +but he noticed the stranger instantly, and I opened the door for him. +He went at once to look at the grasshopper, and when it hopped he was +so startled that he hopped too. Then he picked the insect up, but he +did not know what to do with it, so he dropped it again. Again the +grasshopper jumped directly up, and again the jay did the same. This +they did over and over, till every one was tired laughing at them. It +looked as if they were trying to see who could jump the highest. + +There was another bird in the room, however, who knew what grasshoppers +were good for. He was an orchard oriole, and after looking on awhile, +he came down and carried off the hopper to eat. The jay did not like +to lose his plaything; he ran after the thief, and stood on the floor +giving low cries and looking on while the oriole on a chair was eating +the dead grasshopper. When the oriole happened to drop it, Jakie,--who +had got a new idea what to do with grasshoppers,--snatched it up and +carried it under a chair and finished it. + +I could tell many more stories about my bird, but I have told them +before in one of my "grown-up" books, so I will not repeat them here. + + + + +BABES IN THE WOODS + +BY JOHN BURROUGHS + +One day in early May, Ted and I made an expedition to the Shattega, a +still, dark, deep stream that loiters silently through the woods not far +from my cabin. As we paddled along, we were on the alert for any bit of +wild life of bird or beast that might turn up. + +There were so many abandoned woodpecker chambers in the small dead +trees as we went along that I determined to secure the section of a tree +containing a good one to take home and put up for the bluebirds. "Why +don't the bluebirds occupy them here?" inquired Ted. "Oh," I replied, +"blue birds do not come so far into the woods as this. They prefer +nesting-places in the open, and near human habitations." After carefully +scrutinizing several of the trees, we at last saw one that seemed to +fill the bill. It was a small dead tree-trunk seven or eight inches in +diameter, that leaned out over the water, and from which the top had +been broken. The hole, round and firm, was ten or twelve feet above us. +After considerable effort I succeeded in breaking the stub off near the +ground, and brought it down into the boat. + +"Just the thing," I said; "surely the bluebirds will prefer this to an +artificial box." But, lo and behold, it already had bluebirds in it! We +had not heard a sound or seen a feather till the trunk was in our hands, +when, on peering into the cavity, we discovered two young bluebirds +about half grown. This was a predicament indeed! + +Well, the only thing we could do was to stand the tree-trunk up again as +well as we could, and as near as we could to where it had stood before. +This was no easy thing. But after a time we had it fairly well replaced, +one end standing in the mud of the shallow water and the other resting +against a tree. This left the hole to the nest about ten feet below and +to one side of its former position. Just then we heard the voice of one +of the parent birds, and we quickly paddled to the other side of the +stream, fifty feet away, to watch her proceedings, saying to each other, +"Too bad! too bad!" The mother bird had a large beetle in her beak. +She alighted upon a limb a few feet above the former site of her nest, +looked down upon us, uttered a note or two, and then dropped down +confidently to the point in the vacant air where the entrance to her +nest had been but a few moments before. Here she hovered on the wing +a second or two, looking for something that was not there, and then +returned to the perch she had just left, apparently not a little +disturbed. She hammered the beetle rather excitedly upon the limb a few +times, as if it were in some way at fault, then dropped down to try for +her nest again. Only vacant air there! She hovers and hovers, her blue +wings flickering in the checkered light; surely that precious hole MUST +be there; but no, again she is baffled, and again she returns to her +perch, and mauls the poor beetle till it must be reduced to a pulp. Then +she makes a third attempt, then a fourth, and a fifth, and a sixth, till +she becomes very much excited. "What could have happened? Am I dreaming? +Has that beetle hoodooed me?" she seems to say, and in her dismay she +lets the bug drop, and looks bewilderedly about her. Then she flies away +through the woods, calling. "Going for her mate," I said to Ted. "She is +in deep trouble, and she wants sympathy and help." + +In a few minutes we heard her mate answer, and presently the two birds +came hurrying to the spot, both with loaded beaks. They perched upon the +familiar limb above the site of the nest, and the mate seemed to say, +"My dear, what has happened to you? I can find that nest." And he dived +down, and brought up in the empty air just as the mother had done. How +he winnowed it with his eager wings! How he seemed to bear on to that +blank space! His mate sat regarding him intently, confident, I think, +that he would find the clue. But he did not. Baffled and excited, he +returned to the perch beside her. Then she tried again, then he rushed +down once more, then they both assaulted the place, but it would not +give up its secret. They talked, they encouraged each other, and they +kept up the search, now one, now the other, now both together. Sometimes +they dropped down to within a few feet of the entrance to the nest, +and we thought they would surely find it. No, their minds and eyes were +intent only upon that square foot of space where the nest had been. Soon +they withdrew to a large limb many feet higher up, and seemed to say to +themselves, + +"Well, it is not there, but it must be here somewhere; let us look +about." A few minutes elapsed, when we saw the mother bird spring from +her perch and go straight as an arrow to the nest. Her maternal eye had +proved the quicker. She had found her young. Something like reason and +common sense had come to her rescue; she had taken time to look about, +and behold! there was that precious doorway. She thrust her head into +it, then sent back a call to her mate, then went farther in, then +withdrew. "Yes, it is true, they are here, they are here!" Then she went +in again, gave them the food in her beak, and then gave place to her +mate, who, after similar demonstrations of joy, also gave them his +morsel. + +Ted and I breathed freer. A burden had been taken from our minds and +hearts, and we went cheerfully on our way. We had learned something, +too; we had learned that when in the deep woods you think of bluebirds, +bluebirds may be nearer you than you think. + + + + +THE PRIDE OF THE REGIMENT + +BY HARRY M. KIEFFER (ADAPTED) + +"Old Abe" was the war-eagle of the Eighth Wisconsin Volunteers. Whoever +it may have been that first conceived the idea, it was certainly a happy +thought to make a pet of an eagle. For the eagle is our national bird, +and to carry an eagle along with the colors of a regiment on the +march, and in battle, and all through the whole war, was surely very +appropriate, indeed. + +"Old Abe's" perch was on a shield, which was carried by a soldier, to +whom, and to whom alone, he looked as to a master. He would not allow +any one to carry or even to handle him, except this soldier, nor would +he ever receive his food from any other person's hands. He seemed to +have sense enough to know that he was sometimes a burden to his master +on the march, however, and, as if to relieve him, would occasionally +spread his wings and soar aloft to a great height, the men of all +regiments along the line of march cheering him as he went up. + +He regularly received his rations from the commissary, like any enlisted +man. Whenever fresh meat was scarce, and none could be found for him by +foraging parties, he would take things into his own claws, as it were, +and go out on a foraging expedition himself. On some such occasions he +would be gone two or three days at a time, during which nothing whatever +was seen of him; but he would invariably return, and seldom would come +back without a young lamb or a chicken in his talons. His long absences +occasioned his regiment not the slightest concern, for the men knew +that, though he might fly many miles away in quest of food, he would be +quite sure to find them again. + +In what way he distinguished the two hostile armies so accurately that +he was never once known to mistake the gray for the blue, no one can +tell. But so it was, that he was never known to alight save in his own +camp, and amongst his own men. + +At Jackson, Mississippi, during the hottest part of the battle before +that city, "Old Abe" soared up into the air, and remained there from +early morning until the fight closed at night, no doubt greatly enjoying +his bird's-eye view of the battle. He did the same at Mission Ridge. He +was, I believe, struck by Confederate bullets two or three times, but +his feathers were so thick that his body was not much hurt. The shield +on which he was carried, however, showed so many marks of Confederate +balls that it looked on top as if a groove plane had been run over it. + +At the Centennial celebration held in Philadelphia, in 1876, "Old Abe" +occupied a prominent place on his perch on the west side of the nave +in the Agricultural Building. He was evidently growing old, and was the +observed of all observers. Thousands of visitors, from all sections of +the country, paid their respects to the grand old bird, who, apparently +conscious of the honors conferred upon him, overlooked the sale of +his biography and photographs going on beneath his perch with entire +satisfaction. + +As was but just and right, the soldier who had carried him during the +war continued to have charge of him after the war was over, until the +day of his death, which occurred at the capital of Wisconsin, in 1881. + + + + +THE MOTHER MURRE + +BY DALLAS LORE SHARP + +One of the most striking cases of mother-love which has ever come under +my observation, I saw in the summer of 1912 on the bird rookeries of the +Three-Arch Rocks Reservation off the coast of Oregon. + +We were making our slow way toward the top of the outer rock. Through +rookery after rookery of birds, we climbed until we reached the edge of +the summit. Scrambling over this edge, we found ourselves in the midst +of a great colony of nesting murres--hundreds of them--covering this +steep rocky part of the top. + +As our heads appeared above the rim, many of the colony took wing and +whirred over us out to sea, but most of them sat close, each bird upon +its egg or over its chick, loath to leave, and so expose to us the +hidden treasure. + +The top of the rock was somewhat cone-shaped, and in order to reach the +peak and the colonies on the west side we had to make our way through +this rookery of the murres. The first step among them, and the whole +colony was gone, with a rush of wings and feet that sent several of the +top-shaped eggs rolling, and several of the young birds toppling over +the cliff to the pounding waves and ledges far below. + +We stopped, but the colony, almost to a bird, had bolted, leaving scores +of eggs, and scores of downy young squealing and running together for +shelter, like so many beetles under a lifted board. + +But the birds had not every one bolted, for here sat two of the colony +among the broken rocks. These two had not been frightened off. That both +of them were greatly alarmed, any one could see from their open beaks, +their rolling eyes, their tense bodies on tiptoe for flight. Yet here +they sat, their wings out like props, or more like gripping hands, as if +they were trying to hold themselves down to the rocks against their wild +desire to fly. + +And so they were, in truth, for under their extended wings I saw little +black feet moving. Those two mother murres were not going to forsake +their babies! No, not even for these approaching monsters, such as they +had never before seen, clambering over their rocks. + +What was different about these two? They had their young ones to +protect. Yes, but so had every bird in the great colony its young one, +or its egg, to protect, yet all the others had gone. Did these two +have more mother-love than the others? And hence, more courage, more +intelligence? + +We took another step toward them, and one of the two birds sprang into +the air, knocking her baby over and over with the stroke of her wing, +and coming within an inch of hurling it across the rim to be battered +on the ledges below. The other bird raised her wings to follow, then +clapped them back over her baby. Fear is the most contagious thing in +the world; and that flap of fear by the other bird thrilled her, too, +but as she had withstood the stampede of the colony, so she caught +herself again and held on. + +She was now alone on the bare top of the rock, with ten thousand +circling birds screaming to her in the air above, and with two men +creeping up to her with a big black camera that clicked ominously. She +let the multitude scream, and with threatening beak watched the two men +come on. A motherless baby, spying her, ran down the rock squealing +for his life. She spread a wing, put her bill behind him and shoved him +quickly in out of sight with her own baby. The man with the camera saw +the act, for I heard his machine click, and I heard him say something +under his breath that you would hardly expect a mere man and a +game-warden to say. But most men have a good deal of the mother in them; +and the old bird had acted with such decision, such courage, such swift, +compelling instinct, that any man, short of the wildest savage, would +have felt his heart quicken at the sight. + +"Just how compelling might that mother-instinct be?" I wondered. "Just +how much would that mother-love stand?" I had dropped to my knees, and +on all fours had crept up within about three feet of the bird. She still +had chance for flight. Would she allow me to crawl any nearer? Slowly, +very slowly, I stretched forward on my hands, like a measuring-worm, +until my body lay flat on the rocks, and my fingers were within three +INCHES of her. But her wings were twitching, a wild light danced in her +eyes, and her head turned toward the sea. + +For a whole minute I did not stir. I was watching--and the wings again +began to tighten about the babies, the wild light in the eyes died down, +the long, sharp beak turned once more toward me. + +Then slowly, very slowly, I raised my hand, touched her feathers with +the tip of one finger--with two fingers--with my whole hand, while the +loud camera click-clacked, click-clacked hardly four feet away! + +It was a thrilling moment. I was not killing anything. I had no +long-range rifle in my hands, coming up against the wind toward an +unsuspecting creature hundreds of yards away. This was no wounded +leopard charging me; no mother-bear defending with her giant might a +captured cub. It was only a mother-bird, the size of a wild duck, +with swift wings at her command, hiding under those wings her own and +another's young, and her own boundless fear! + +For the second time in my life I had taken captive with my bare hands a +free wild bird. No, I had not taken her captive. She had made herself a +captive; she had taken herself in the strong net of her mother-love. + +And now her terror seemed quite gone. At the first touch of my hand I +think she felt the love restraining it, and without fear or fret she let +me reach under her and pull out the babies. But she reached after them +with her bill to tuck them back out of sight, and when I did not let +them go, she sidled toward me, quacking softly, a language that I +perfectly understood, and was quick to respond to. I gave them back, +fuzzy and black and white. She got them under her, stood up over them, +pushed her wings down hard around them, her stout tail down hard behind +them, and together with them pushed in an abandoned egg that was +close at hand. Her own baby, some one else's baby, and some one else's +forsaken egg! She could cover no more; she had not feathers enough. But +she had heart enough; and into her mother's heart she had already tucked +every motherless egg and nestling of the thousands of frightened birds, +screaming and wheeling in the air high over her head. + + + + +THE END + + + + + +REFERENCE LISTS FOR STORY-TELLING AND COLLATERAL READING + + + + +REFERENCE LISTS FOR STORY-TELLING AND COLLATERAL READING + + +(The grades assigned are merely suggestive, as some of the stories may +be used in higher or lower grades than here indicated.) + + + + +NEW YEAR'S DAY + +For grades 1-4. + +An All-the-Year-Round Story, in Poulsson, In the Child's World; Peter +the Stone-Cutter, in Macdonell, Italian Fairy Book; The Forest Full of +Friends, in Alden, Why the Chimes Rang. + + +For grades 5-8. + +A Chinese New Year's in California, in Our Holidays Retold from St. +Nicholas; A New Year's Talk, in Stevenson, Days and Deeds (prose); Story +of the Year, in Andersen, Stories and Tales; The Animals' New Year's +Eve, in Lagerlof, Further Adventures of Nils. + + + + + +LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY + +For grades 1-4. + +A Westfield Incident, in Moores, Abraham Lincoln, page 87; Lincoln and +the Little Horse, in Werner's Readings, no. 46; Lincoln and the Pig, +in Gross, Lincoln's Own Stories; Lincoln and the Small Dog, in Moores, +Abraham Lincoln, page 25. + +For grades 5-6. + +A Backwoods Boyhood, in Moores, Abraham Lincoln; Choosing Abe Lincoln +Captain, in Schauffler, Lincoln's Birthday; Following the Surveyor's +Chain, in Baldwin, Abraham Lincoln; His Good Memory of Names, in +Gallaher, Best Lincoln Stories; Lincoln and the Doorkeeper, in Gross, + +Lincoln's Own Stories, page 78, Lincoln and the Unjust Client, in +Moores, Abraham Lincoln, page 46; Lincoln's Kindness to a Disabled +Soldier, in Gallaher, Best Lincoln Stories; The Clary's Grove Boys, in +Noah Brooks, Abraham Lincoln page 51; The Snow Boys, in Noah Brooks, +Abraham Lincoln page 122. + +For grades 7-8. + +Counsel Assigned, Andrews; He Knew lincoln, Tarbell; Lincoln and the +Sleeping Sentinel, Chittenden; Lincoln Remembered Him, in Gallaher, Best +Lincoln Stories; Lincoln's Springfield Farewell, in Moores, Abraham +lincoln, page 82; Perfect Tribute, Andrews. + + + + +SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY + +For grades 1-4. + +A Sunday Valentine, in White, When Molly was Six; Beauty and the Beast, +in Lang, Blue Fairy Book, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, in Lang, +Blue Fairy Book; The Fair One With Golden Locks, in Scudder, Children's +Book; The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood, in Scudder, Children's Book; The +Valentine (poem), in Brown, Fresh Posies. + +For grades 5-6. + +Gracieuse and Percinet, in D'Aulnoy, Fairy Tales; Jorinda and Joringel, +in Grimm, German Household Tales; The Day-Dream, Tennyson (poem), +in Story-Telling Poems; The Singing, Soaring Lark, in Grimm, German +Household Tales William and the Werewolf, in Darton, Wonder Book of Old +Romance. + +For grades 7-8. + +As You Like It, Shakespeare; Brunhild, in Baldwin, Story of Siegfried; +Floris and Blanchefleur, in Darton, Wonder Book of Old Romance; Palamon +and Arcita, in Darton, Tales of the Canterbury Pilgrims; The Fair Maid +of Perth, Scott, chapters 2-6; The Singing Leaves, Lowell (poem); The +Tempest, Shakespeare. + + + + +WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY + +For grades 1-4. + +Little George Washington, and Great George Washington, in Wiggin and +Smith, Story Hour; The Virginia Boy, in Wilson, Nature Study, Second +Reader. + +For grades 54. + +A Christmas Surprise, in Tappan, American Hero Stories Dolly Madison, +in Tappan, American Hero Stories; Going to Sea, in Scudder, George +Washington, page 33; How George Washington was Made Commander-in-Chief, +in Tomlinson, War for Independence; The Home of Washington, and The +Appearance of the Enemy, in Madison, Peggy Owen at Yorktown; Young +Washington in the Woods, in Eggleston, Strange Stories from History. + +For grades 7-8. + +Anecdotes and Stories, in Schauffler, Washington's Birthday; He Resigns +his Commission, in Lodge, George Washington, vol. I, page 338; The +British at Mount Vernon, in Lodge, George Washington, vol. I, page 295; +The Young Surveyor, in Scudder, George Washington; Washington Offered +the Supreme Power, in Lodge, George Washington, vol. I, page 328; +Washington's Farewell to His Officers, in Lodge, George Washington, vol. +I, page 387. + + + + +RESURRECTION DAY (EASTER) + +For grades 1-4. + +Easter Eggs, von Schmid; The Boy Who Discovered the Spring, in Alden, +Why the Chimes Rang; Herr Oster Hase, in Bailey and Lewis, For +the Children's Hour; The Legend of Easter Eggs, O'Brien (poem), in +Story-Telling Poems; The Rabbit's Ransom, Vawter; The White Hare, in +Stevenson, Days and Deeds (prose). + +For grades 5-8. + +Easter, Gilder (poem); The General's Easter Box, in Our Holidays +Retold from St. Nicholas; The Trinity Flower, Ewing; What Easter is, in +Stevenson, Days and Deeds (prose). + + + + + +MAY DAY + +For grades 1-4. + +A Story of the Springtime, in Kupfer, Legends of Greeee and Rome; How +the Water Lily Came, in Judd, Wigwam Stories; The Brook in the King's +Garden, in Alden, Why the Chimes Rang; The Legend of the Dandelion, in +Bailey and Lewis, For the Children's Hour; The Lilac Bush, in Riverside +Fourth Reader; The Maple Leaf and the Violet, in Wiggin and Smith, Story +Flour; The Story of the Anemone in Coe, First Book of Stories for the +Story-Teller; The Story of the First Butterflies, in Holbrook, Book of +Nature Myths; The Story of the First Snowdrops, in Holbrook, Book of +Nature Myths; The Story of the Rainbow, in Coe, First Book of Stories +for the Story-Teller; Two Little Seeds, in MacDonald, David Elginbrod, +chapter, "The Cave in the Straw;" Why the Morning-Glory Climbs, in +Bryant, How to Tell Stories to Children. + +For grades 5-6. + +Ladders to Heaven, Ewing; The Daisy, in Andersen, Wonder Stories; Five +out of One Shell, in Andersen, Stories and Tales; The Pomegranate Seeds, +in Hawthorne, Tanglewood Tales. + +For grades 7-8. + +The May-Pole at Merry Mount, in Hawthorne, Twice-Told Tales; The Opening +of the Eyes of Jasper, in Dyer The Richer Life; The Prisoner and the +Flower, in Stevenson, Days and Deeds (prose). + + + + +MOTHERS' DAY + +For grades 1-4. + +Hans and the Wonderful Flower, in Bailey and Lewis For the Children's +Hour; The Closing Door, in Lindsay Mother Stories; The Laughter of a +Samurai, in Nixon-Roulet, Japanese Folk-Stories; The Fairy Who Came to +our House, in Bailey and Lewis, For the Children's Hour; The Little +Traveler, in Lindsay, Mother Stories; Thorwald and the Star-Children, in +Boyesen, Modern Vikings. + +For grades 5-6. + +Lincoln's Letter to a Mother, in Moores, Abraham Lincoln, page 105; +My Angel Mother, in Baldwin, Abraham Lincoln; Napoleon and the English +Sailor Boy, Campbell (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The Song of the Old +Mother, Yeats (poem), in Riverside Eighth Reader; Valentine and Ursine +(poem), in Lanier, Boy's Perey. + +For grades 7-8. + +A Patriot Mother, in Tomlinson, War for Independence; Lincoln's Letter, +in Gross, Lincoln's Own Stories; President for One Hour, in St. Nicholas +Christmas Book; The Conqueror's Grave, Bryant (poem); The Gracci, in +Morris, Historical Tales (Roman); The Knight's Toast attributed to Scott +(poem), in Story-Telling Poems; Young Manhood, in Noah Brooks, Abraham +Lincoln. + + + + +MEMORIAL AND FLAG DAYS + +For grades 3-6. + +A Boy Who Won the Cross, in Hart and Stevens, Romance of the Civil War; +A Story of the Flag, in Our Holidays Retold from St. Nicholas; Betsy's +Battle Flag, Irving (poem), in Stevenson, Poems of American History; +Noteworthy Flag Incidents, in Smith, Our Nation's Flag; The Legs of +Duncan Ketcham, in Price, Lads and Lassies of Other Days; The Origin of +Memorial Day, in Stevenson, Days and Deeds (prose); The Planting of the +Colors, in Thomas, Captain Phil, page 227. + +For grades 7-8. + +Kearny at Seven Pines, Stedman (poem); Quivira, Guiterman (poem), in +Story-Telling Poems; Reading the List, in Sehauffler, Memorial Day; +Remember the Alamo, in Lodge and Roosevelt, Hero Tales, Reuben James, +Roche, (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The Defense of the Alamo, Miller +(poem), in Stevenson, Poems of American History; The Fire Rekindled, in +Schauffler, Memorial Day; The Flag-Bearer, in Lodge and Roosevelt, Hero +Tales; The March of the First Brigade, in Riverside Eighth Reader. + + + + + +INDEPENDENCE DAY + +For grades S-6. + +A Winter at Valley Forge, in Tappan, American Hero Stories; Cornwallis's +Buckles, in Revolutionary Stories Retold from St. Nicholas; Ethan Allen, +in Johonnot, Stories of Heroic Deeds; Fourth of July Among the Indians, +in Indian Stories Retold from St. Nicholas; How "Mad Anthony" Took Stony +Point, in Tappan, American Hero Stories; How the "Swamp Fox" Made the +British Miserable, in Tappan, American Hero Stories; John Paul Jones, +in Tappan, American Hero Stories; Laetitia and the Redcoats, in +Revolutionary Stories Retold from St. Nicholas; Molly Pitcher, in +Revolutionary Stories Retold from St. Nicholas; Paul Revere's Ride +Longfellow (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; Prescott and the Yankee Boy, +in Johonnot, Stories of Heroic Deeds; Rodney's Ride, Brooks (poem), in +Story-Telling Poems; The Boston Massacre, in Hawthorne, Grandfather's +Chair; The Bulb of the Crimson Tulip, in Revolutionary Stories Retold +from St Nicholas; The First Day of the Revolution, in Tappan; American +Hero Stories. + +For grades 7-8. + +A Woman's Heroism, in Tomlinson, War for Independence; Grandmother's +Story of Bunker-Hill Battle, Holmes (poem); How the Major Joined +Marion's Men, in Tomlinson, War for Independence; Molly Pitcher, +Sherwood (poem), in Stevenson, Poems of American History; Patrick Henry, +in Morris Historical Tales, American, Second Series; Song of Marion's +Men, Bryant (poem); That Bunker Hill Powder, in Revolutionary Stories +Retold from St. Nicholas; The Mantle of St. John de Matha, Whittier +(poem); The Tory's Farewell, in Hawthorne, Grandfather's Chair. + + + + + +LABOR DAY + +For grades 1-4. + +Dust Under the Rug, in Lindsay, Mother Stories, Giant Energy and +Fairy Skill, in Lindsay, Mother Stories; How Flax was Given to Men, in +Holbrook, Book of Nature Myths; My Friend the Housekeeper, in Riverside +Fourth Reader, + +Peasant Truth, in Riverside Third Reader; Prometheus, the Giver of Fire +in Coe, First Book of Stories for the Story-Teller; Six Soldiers of +Fortune, in Grimm, German Household Tales; The Country Maid and her +Milk-Pail, in Scudder, Book of Fables and Folk-Stories; The Flax, in +Andersen, Wonder Stories; The Hammer and the Anvil, in Ramaswami Raju, +Indian Fables; The Honest Woodman, in Poulsson, In the Child's World; +The Little Gray Pony, in Lindsay, Mother Stories; The Little House in +the Wood, in Grimm, German Household Tales; The Old Man Who Lived in +a Wood (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The Pixy Flower, in Rhys, +Fairy-Gold; The Spandies, in Gilchrist, Helen and the Uninvited Guests, +page 15; The Three Trades, in Grimm, German Household Tales; The Toy +of the Giant's Child, von Chamisso (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; +Vegetable Lambs, in Curtis, Story of Cotton; Vulcan the Mighty Smith, in +Poulsson, In the Child's World. + +For grades 5-6. A Handful of Clay, in Riverside Sixth Reader; How they +Built the Ship Argo in Iolcos, in Kingsley, Greek Heroes; Icarus and +DEedalus, in Peabody, Old Greek Folk-Stones; Master of All Masters, in +Jacobs, English Fairy Tales; The Dwarf's Gifts, in Brown, In the Days +of Giants; The Forging of Balmung, in Baldwin, Hero Tales; The +Giant Builder, in Brown, In the Days of Giants; The God of Fire, in +Francillon, Gods and Heroes; The Wicked Hornet, in Baldwin, The Sampo; +The Wish-Ring, in Fairy Stories Retold from St. Nicholas; The Wounds of +Labor, in d'Amicis, Heart (Cuore); Weland's Sword, in Kipling, Puck of +Pook's Hill. + +For grades 74. Careers of Danger and Daring, Moffett; David Maydole, +Hammer-Maker, in Riverside Seventh Reader; Jack Farley's Flying Switch, +in Warman, Short Rails; Histories of Two Boys, in Riverside Seventh +Reader; History of Labor Day, in Stevenson, Days and Deeds (prose); The +Arms of Aeneas, in Church, Stories from Virgil; The Blacksmith Boy and +the Battle, in Marden, Winning Out; The Duke's Armorer, in Stories of +Chivalry Retold from St. Nicholas; The Scullion Boy's Opportunity, in +Marden, Winning Out; The Vision of Anton the Clockmaker, in Dyer, The +Richer Life, Tubal Cain, Mackay (poem), in Story-Telling Poems. + + + + +COLUMBUS DAY + +For grades 4-8. + +Columbus, Miller (poem), in Riverside Seventh Reader; Columbus at the +Convent, Trowbridge (poem), in Stevenson, Poems of American History; +Guanahani, in Maores, Christopher Columbus; How Diego Mendez Got Food +for Columbus in Higginson, American Explorers; How Diego Mendez Saved +Columbus, in Higginson, American Explorers; In Search of the Grand +Khan, in Moores, Christopher Columbus; The Garden of Eden, in Moores, +Christopher Columbus. + + + + +HALLOWEEN + +For grades 1-4. + +The Smith and the Fairies, in Grierson, Children's Book of Celtic +Stories; The Witch, in Lang, Yellow Fairy Book; The Witch That was a +Hare, in Rhys, English Fairy Book; Tom-Tit Tot (Rumpelstiltskin), in +Jacobs, English Fairy Tales. + +For grades 5-6. + +Mr. Fox, in Jacobs, English Fairy Tales; The Godfather, in Grimm, German +Household Tales; The Golden Arm, in Jacobs, Enylish Fairy Tales; The +Robber Bridegroom, in Grimm, German Household Tales; The Story of a Cat, +Bedoliere; The Youth Who Could not Shiver or Shake, in Grimm, German +Household Tales. + +For grades 7-8. + +Alice Brand, in Scott, Lady of the Lake (poem); All-Hallow-Eve Myths, +in Our Holidays Retold from St. Nicholas; Black Andie's Tale of +Tod Lapraik, in Stevenson, David Balfour; History of Hallowe'en, in +Stevenson, Days and Deeds (prose); Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Rip +Van Winkle Irving; Macbeth, Shakespeare; The Bottle Imp, in Stevenson, +Island Nights' Entertainments; The Devil and Tom Walker, Irving; The +Fire-King, Scott (poem); The Speaking Rat, in Dickens, Uncommercial +Traveller, chapter 15. + + + + +THANKSGIVING DAY + +For grades 1-4 + +A Thanksgiving Dinner, in White, When Molly was Six; The Chestnut Boys, +in Poulsson, In the Child's World; The First Thanksgiving Day, in +Wiggin and Smith, Story Hour; The Marriage of Mondahmin, in Judd, Wigwam +Stories; The Turkey's Nest, in Lindsay, More Mother Stories; The Visit, +in Lindsay, More Mother Stories; Turkeys Turning the Tables, in Howells, +Christmas Every Day. + +For grades 5-6. + +A Dinner That Ran Away, in Miller, Kristy's Surprise Party; A Mystery +in the Kitchen, in Miller, Kristy's Surprise Party; Ann Mary, Her Two +Thanksgivings, in Wilkins, Young Lueretia; An Old-Time Thanksgiving, in +Indian Stories Retold from St. Nicholas; The Coming of Thanksgiving, and +The Season of Pumpkin Pies, in Warner, Being a Boy; The Magic Apples, +in Brown, In the Days of Giants; St. Francis's Sermon to the Birds, +Longfellow (poem), in Story-Telling Poems. + +For grades 7-8. + +An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving, Alcott; The First Thanksgiving Day, +Preston (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The Night Before Thanksgiving, +in Jewett, The Queen's Twin; The Peace Message (poem), in Stevenson, +Poems of American History; The Turkey Drive, in Sharp, Winter. + + + + + +CHRISTMAS DAY + +For grades 1-4. + +A Christmas Tree Reversed, in Brown, Little Miss Phoebe Gay; Babouseka, +Thomas (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; Christmas Every Day, Howells; +Fulfilled, in Bryant, How to Tell Stories to Children; His Christmas +Turkey, in Vawter, The Rabbi's Ransom; In the Great Walled Country, in +Alden, Why the Chimes Rang; Little Girl's Christmas, in Dickinson and +Skinner, Children's Book of Christmas Stories; Santa Claus and the +Mouse, Poulsson (poem), in St. Nicholas Christmas Book; The Christmas +Cake, in Lindsay, More Mother Stories; The Christmas Tree, in Austin, +Basket Woman; The First New England Christmas, in Stone and Fickett, +Every-Day Life in the Colonies; The Golden Cobwebs, in Bryant, How +to Tell Stories to Children; The Moon of Yule, in Davis, The Moons of +Balbanea; The Rileys' Christmas, in White, When Molly was Six; The Story +of Gretchen in Lindsay, Mother Stories; The Three Kings of Cologne, +Field (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The Turkey Doll, Gates; The +Voyage of the Wee Red Cap, in Dickinson and Skinner, Children's Book +of Christmas Stories; Toinette and the Elves, in Dickinson and Skinner, +Children's Book of Christmas Stones; 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, +Moore (poem); Why the Chimes Rang, Alden. + +For grades 5-6. + +Christmas Before Last, in Stockton, Bee-Man of Orn; Christmas in the +Alley, in Miller, Kristy's Queer Christmas; Dog of Flanders, Ramee; +Felix, in Stein, Troubadour Tales; Good King Wenceslas (poem), in +Story-Telling Poems; Hope's Christmas Tree, in Miller, Kristy's +Surprise Party, How a Bear Brought Christmas, in Miller, Kristy's Queer +Christmas; How Santa Claus Came to Simpson's Bar, in Harte, Luck of +Roaring Camp; How Uncle Sam Observes Christmas, in Our Holidays Retold +from St. Nicholas; Lottie's Christmas Tree, in Miller, Kristy's Rainy +Day Picnic; St. Nicholas and the Innkeeper, in Walsh, Story of Santa +Klaus; St. Nicholas and the Robbers, in Walsh, Story of Santa Klaus; St. +Nicholas and the Slave Boy, in Walsh, Story of Santa Klaus; Santa Claus +on a Lark, Gladden; Solomon Crow's Christmas Pockets, Stuart; The Birds' +Christmas Carol, Wiggin; The Coming of the Prince, in Field, Christmas +Tales and Christmas Verse; The Festival of St. Nicholas, in Dodge, +Hans Brinker; The Peace Egg, Ewing; The Symbol and the Saint, in Field, +Christmas Tales and Christmas Verse. + +For grades 7-8. + +A Christmas Carol, Dickens; A Still Christmas, Repplier, in Morris, In +the Yule-Log Glow; The First Christmas Tree, Van Dyke; The Lost Word, +Van Dyke; The Mansion, Van Dyke; The Other Wise Man, Van Dyke; Cosette, +in Hugo, Les Miserables, book 3; Where Love is, There God is Also, +Tolstoy. + + + + + +ARBOR DAY + +For grades 1-4. + +Flower of the Almond and Fruit of the Fig, in Foote, Little Fig-Tree +Stories; Earl and the Dryad, in Brown, Star Jewels; The Girl Who Became +a Pine Tree, in Judd, Wigwam Stories; The Kind Old Oak, in Poulsson, +In the Child's World; The Oak Tree, in Vawter, The Rabbit's Ransom; The +Workman and the Trees, in Ramaswami Raju, Indian Fables. + +For grades 5-6. + +Apple-Seed John, Child (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; How the Children +Saved Hamburg, in Marden, Winning Out; How the Indians Learned to Make +Maple Sugar, in University of the State of New York, Legends and Poetry +of the Forests; Old Pipes and the Dryad, in Stockton, Bee-Man of Orn; +Tale of Old Man and the Birch Tree, in University of the State of New +York, Legends and Poetry of the Forests; The Elm and the Vine, Rosas +(poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The Gourd and the Palm (poem), in +Story-Telling Poems; The Planting of the Apple Tree, Bryant (poem), in +Riverside Fifth Reader. + +For grades 7-8. + +Brier-Rose, Boyesen (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; How the Charter was +Saved, in Morris, Historical Tales, American; O-So-Ah, the Tall Pine +Speaks, in University of the State of New York, Legends and Poetry of +the Forests; The Eliot Oak, in Drake, New England Legends; The First of +the Trees, in University of the State of New York, Legends and Poetry of +the Forests; The Liberty Tree, in Hawthorne, Grandfather's Chair, part +3. chapter 2; The Plucky Prince, May Bryant (poem), in Story-Telling +Poems; The Story of a Thousand-Year Pine, Mills; The Washington Elm, in +Drake, New England Legends. + + + + +BIRD DAY + +For grades 1-4. + +Out of the Nest, in Lindsay, More Mother Stories; The Fox and the Crow, +in Jacobs, Aesop's Fables; The Jackdaw and the Doves, in Scudder, Book +of Fables and Folk-Stories; The Jay and the Peacock, in Jacobs, Aesop's +Fables; The King, the Falcon, and the Drinking Cup, in Dutton, The +Tortoise and the Geese; The Lark and her Young Ones, in Scudder, Book +of Fables and Folk-Stories; The Monk and the Bird, in Scudder, Book of +legends; The Owl and his School, in Ramaswami Raju, Indian Fables; +The Owl and the Pussy-Cat, Lear (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The +Partridge and the Crow, in Dutton, The Tortoise and the Geese; The Pious +Robin, in Brown, Curious Book of Birds; The Rustic and the Nightingale, +in Dutton, The Tortoise and the Geese; The Sparrows, Thaxter (poem), in +Story-Telling Poems; The Sparrows and the Snake, in Dutton, The Tortoise +and the Geese; The Spendthrift and the Swallow, in Scudder, Book +of Fables and Folk-Stories; The Story of the First Mocking-Bird, in +Holbrook, Book of Nature Myths; The Story of the Oriole, in Holbrook, +Book of Nature Myths; The Wren Who Brought Fire, in Brown, Curious Book +of Birds; Why the Peacock's Tail has a Hundred Eyes, in Holbrook, Book +of Nature Myths; Why the Peetweet Cries for Rain, in Holbrook, Book of +Nature Myths. + +For grades 5-6. + +A Madcap Thrush, in Miller, True Bird Stories; Antics in the Bird Room, +in Miller, True Bird Stories; Fate of the Children of Lir, in Grierson, +Children's Book of Celtie Stories; Halcyone, in Brown, Curious Book +of Birds; St. Francis's Sermon to the Birds, Longfellow (poem), in +Story-Telling Poems; Saint Kentigern and the Robin, in Brown, Book +of Saints and Friendly Beasts; The Donkey and the Mocking-Bird, Rosas +(poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The Early Girl, in Brown, Curious Book +of Birds; The Nightingale, in Andersen, Wonder Stories; The Parrot, +Campbell (poem), in Story-Telling Poems, The Phoenix, in Brown, Curious +Book of Birds; The Robin, Whittier (poem); The Sauey Oriole, in Miller, +True Bird Stories; The Wild Swans, in Andersen, Wonder Stories; Walter +son der Vogelweid, Longfellow (poem). + +For grades 7-8. + +Arnaux, the Chronicle of a Homing Pigeon, in Thompson-Seton, Animal +Heroes; King Edwin's Feast, Chadwiek (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; +Our New Neighbors at Ponkapog, in Riverside Seventh Reader; The Abbot +of Inisfalen, Allingham (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The Birds of +Killingworth, Longfellow (poem); The Downy Woodpecker, in Bird Stories +from Burroughs; The Eagle, Tennyson (poem); The Emperor's Bird's-Nest, +Longfellow (poem), in Story-Telling Poems; The Falcon of Ser Federigo, +Longfellow (poem); The Gulls, in Breck, Wilderness Pets, pages 103, 161; +The House Wren, in Bird Stories from Burroughs; The Keeper of the Nest, +in Roberts, The Feet of the Furtive; The Screech Owl, in Bird Stories +from Burroughs; The Song Sparrow, in Bird Stories from Burroughs. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Good Stories For Great Holidays, by +Frances Jenkins Olcott + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOOD STORIES FOR GREAT HOLIDAYS *** + +***** This file should be named 359.txt or 359.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/359/ + +Produced by Mike Lough + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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