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"Then," said the little bird, "I'll moult all my feathers." So he moulted all his pretty feathers. Now there was a little girl walking below, carrying a jug of milk for her brothers' and sisters' supper, and when she saw the poor little bird moult all its feathers, she said: "Little bird, why do you moult all your feathers?" "Oh!" said the little bird, "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, the old form runs round the house, the walnut-tree sheds its leaves, and so I moult all my feathers."
"Then," said the little girl, "I'll spill the milk." So she dropped the pitcher and spilt the milk. Now there was an old man just by on the top of a ladder thatching a rick, and when he saw the little girl spill the milk, he said: "Little girl, what do you mean by spilling the milk? Your little brothers and sisters must go without their supper." Then said the little girl: "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps, the stool hops, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and the window creaks, the old form runs round the house, the walnut-tree sheds all its leaves, the little bird moults all its feathers, and so I spill the milk."
"Oh!" said the old man, "then I'll tumble off the ladder and break my neck." So he tumbled off the ladder and broke his neck; and when the old man broke his neck, the great walnut-tree fell down with a crash, and upset the old form and house, and the house falling knocked the window out, and the window knocked the door down, and the door upset the broom, and the broom upset the stool, and poor little Tatty Mouse was buried beneath the ruins.
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T
HEREwas once upon a time a teeny-tiny woman who lived in a teeny-tiny house in a teeny-tiny village. Now, one day this teeny-tiny woman put on her teeny-tiny bonnet, and went[page 59]out of her teeny-tiny house to take a teeny-tiny walk. And when this teeny-tiny woman had gone a teeny-tiny way, she came to a teeny-tiny gate; so the teeny-tiny woman opened the teeny-tiny gate, and went into a teeny-tiny churchyard. And when this teeny-tiny woman had got into the teeny-tiny churchyard, she saw a teeny-tiny bone on a teeny-tiny grave, and the teeny-tiny woman said to her teeny-tiny self: "This teeny-tiny bone will make me some teeny-tiny soup for my teeny-tiny supper." So the teeny-tiny woman put the teeny-tiny bone into her teeny-tiny pocket, and went home to her teeny-tiny house.
Now, when the teeny-tiny woman got home to her teeny-tiny house, she was a teeny-tiny tired; so she went up her teeny-tiny stairs to her teeny-tiny bed, and put the teeny-tiny bone into a teeny-tiny cupboard. And when this teeny-tiny woman had been to sleep a teeny-tiny time, she was awakened by a teeny-tiny voice from the teeny-tiny cupboard, which said—
"give me my bone!"
And this teeny-tiny woman was a teeny-tiny frightened, so she hid her teeny-tiny head under the teeny-tiny clothes, and went to sleep again. And when she had been asleep again a teeny-tiny time, the teeny-tiny voice cried out from the teeny-tiny cupboard a teeny-tiny louder—
"GIVE ME MY BONE!"
This made the teeny-tiny woman a teeny-tiny more frightened, so she hid her teeny-tiny head a teeny-tiny farther under the teeny-tiny clothes. And when the teeny-tiny woman had been asleep again a teeny-tiny time, the teeny-tiny voice from the teeny-tiny cupboard said again a teeny-tiny louder—
"GIVE ME MY BONE!"
At this the teeny-tiny woman was a teeny-tiny bit more frightened; but she put her teeny-tiny head out of the teeny-tiny clothes, and said in her loudest teeny-tiny voice—
"TAKE IT!!"
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A
SPIDERand a Flea dwelt together in one house, and brewed their beer in an egg-shell. One day, when the Spider was stirring it up, she fell in and scalded herself. Thereupon the Flea began to scream. And then the door asked: "Why are you screaming, Flea?"
"Because little Spider has scalded herself in the beer-tub," replied she.
Thereupon the door began to creak as if it were in pain; and a broom, which stood in the corner, asked, "What are you creaking for, door?"
"May I not creak?" it replied:
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps."
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps."
"The little Spider's scalt herself,
And the Flea weeps."
So the broom began to sweep industriously, and presently a little cart came by, and asked the reason.
"May I not sweep?" replied the broom:
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,"—
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,"—
"The little Spider's scalt herself,
And the Flea weeps;
The little door creaks with the pain,"—
Thereupon the little cart said: "So will I run," and began to run very fast, past a heap of ashes, which cried out: "Why do you run, little cart?"
"Because," replied the cart:
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,And the broom sweeps."
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,And the broom sweeps."
"The little Spider's scalt herself,
And the Flea weeps;
The little door creaks with the pain,
And the broom sweeps."
"Then," said the ashes, "I will burn furiously." Now, next the ashes there grew a tree, which asked: "Little heap, why do you burn?"
"Because," was the reply:
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,And the broom sweeps;The little cart runs on so fast,"—
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,And the broom sweeps;The little cart runs on so fast,"—
"The little Spider's scalt herself,
And the Flea weeps;
The little door creaks with the pain,
And the broom sweeps;
The little cart runs on so fast,"—
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Thereupon the tree cried, "I will shake myself!" and went on shaking till all its leaves fell off.
A little girl passing by with a water-pitcher saw it shaking, and asked: "Why do you shake yourself, little tree?"
"Why may I not?" said the tree:
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,And the broom sweeps;The little cart runs on so fast,And the ashes burn."
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,And the broom sweeps;The little cart runs on so fast,And the ashes burn."
"The little Spider's scalt herself,
And the Flea weeps;
The little door creaks with the pain,
And the broom sweeps;
The little cart runs on so fast,
And the ashes burn."
Then the maiden said: "If so, I will break my pitcher;" and she threw it down and broke it.
At this the streamlet, from which she drew the water, asked:
"Why do you break your pitcher, my little girl?"
"Why may I not?" she replied; for
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,And the broom sweeps;The little cart runs on so fast,And the ashes burn;The little tree shakes down its leaves—Now it is my turn!"
"The little Spider's scalt herself,And the Flea weeps;The little door creaks with the pain,And the broom sweeps;The little cart runs on so fast,And the ashes burn;The little tree shakes down its leaves—Now it is my turn!"
"The little Spider's scalt herself,
And the Flea weeps;
The little door creaks with the pain,
And the broom sweeps;
The little cart runs on so fast,
And the ashes burn;
The little tree shakes down its leaves—
Now it is my turn!"
"Ah, then," said the streamlet, "now must I begin to flow." And it flowed and flowed along, in a great stream, which kept getting bigger and bigger, until at last it swallowed up the little girl, the little tree, the ashes, the cart, the broom, the door, the Flea, and, last of all, the Spider, all together.
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O
NCEupon a time there was a little shepherd boy who was famed far and wide for the wise answers which he gave to all questions. Now the King of the country heard of this lad, but he would not believe what was said about him, so the boy was ordered to come to court. When he arrived the King[page 62]said to him: "If you can give me answers to each of the three questions which I will now put to you, I will bring you up as my own child, and you shall live here with me in my palace."
"What are these three questions?" asked the boy.
"The first is: How many drops of water are there in the sea?"
"My lord King," replied the shepherd boy, "let all the waters be stopped up on the earth, so that not one drop shall run into the sea before I count it, and then I will tell you how many drops there are in the sea!"
"The second question," said the King, "is: How many stars are there in the sky?"
"Give me a large sheet of paper," said the boy; and then he made in it with a pin so many minute holes that they were far too numerous to see or to count, and dazzled the eyes of whomsoever looked at them. This done, he said: "So many stars are there in the sky as there are holes in this paper; now count them." But nobody was able. Thereupon the King said: "The third question is: How many seconds are there in eternity?"
"In Lower Pomerania is situated the adamantine mountain, one mile in height, one mile in breadth, and one mile deep; and thither comes a bird once in every thousand years which rubs its beak against the hill, and, when the whole shall be rubbed away, then will the first second of eternity be gone by."
"You have answered the three questions like a sage," said the King, "and from henceforward you shall live with me in my palace, and I will treat you as my own child."
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O
NCEupon a time there was a lazy maiden who would not spin, and, let her mother say what she would, she could not make her do it. At last, the mother, in a fit of impatience, gave her a blow which made the girl cry out loudly.
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At that very instant, the Queen drove by, and, hearing the screams, she stopped the carriage, came into the house, and asked the mother why she beat her daughter in such a way that people in passing could hear the cries.
Then the mother felt ashamed that her daughter's laziness should be known, so she said: "Oh, your Majesty, I cannot take her away from her spinning: she spins from morning till night, and I am so poor that I cannot afford to buy the flax."
"There is nothing I like better than to hear the sound of spinning," the Queen replied, "and nothing pleases me more than the whirl of spinning-wheels. Let me take your daughter home with me to the castle; I have flax enough, and she may spin there to her heart's content."
The mother rejoiced greatly in her heart, and the Queen took the maiden home with her. When they arrived in the castle, she led her up into three rooms, which were piled from top to bottom with the finest flax.
"Now spin me this flax," said the Queen, "and when thou has spun it all, thou shalt have my eldest son for a husband. Although thou art poor, yet I do not despise thee on that account, for thy untiring industry is dowry enough."
The maiden was filled with inward terror, for she could not have spun the flax had she sat there day and night until she was three hundred years old! When she was left alone, she began to weep, and thus she sat for three days without stirring a finger.
On the third day the Queen came, and when she saw that nothing was as yet spun, she wondered over it, but the maiden excused herself by saying that she could not begin in consequence of the great sorrow she felt in being separated from her mother.
This satisfied the Queen, who, on leaving her, said:
"Thou must begin to work for me to-morrow."
But when the maiden was once more alone, she did not know what to do, or how to help herself, and in her distress she went to the window and looked out. She saw three women passing by, the first of whom had a great broad foot, the second such a large under-lip that it hung down to her chin, and the third an enormous thumb.
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They stopped under the window, and, looking up, asked the maiden what was the matter.
When she had told them of her trouble, they immediately offered her their help, and said:
"Wilt thou invite us to the wedding, and not be ashamed of us, but call us thy aunts, and let us sit at thy table? If thou wilt, we will spin all the flax, and do it in a very short time."
"With all my heart," answered the girl, "only come in, and begin at once."
Then she admitted the three strange women, and, making a clear space in the first room, they sat themselves down and began spinning.
One drew the thread and trod the wheel, the other moistened the thread, the third pressed it and beat it on the table, and every time she did so, a pile of thread fell on the ground spun in the finest way.
The maiden concealed the three spinners from the Queen, but showed her the heaps of spun yarn whenever she came, and received no end of praise for it.
When the first room was empty, the second was commenced, and when that was finished, the third was begun, and very soon cleared.
Then the three spinners took their leave, saying to the maiden:
"Forget not what thou hast promised us; it will make thy fortune."
When the girl showed the Queen the empty rooms and the great piles of thread, the wedding was announced. The bridegroom rejoiced that he had won so clever and industrious a wife, and he praised her exceedingly.
"I have three aunts," said the maiden, "and as they have done me many kindnesses, I could not forget them in my good fortune; permit me to invite them to our wedding and allow them to sit with me at table."
So the Queen and the bridegroom consented.
When the feast commenced, the three old women entered, clothed in the greatest splendor, and the bride said—
"Welcome, my dear aunts!"
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"Alas!" exclaimed the bridegroom, "how is it you have such ugly relations?" and going up to the one with a broad foot, he asked:
"Why have you such a broad foot?"
"From threading, from threading," she answered.
Then he went to the second, and asked:
"Why have you such an overhanging lip?"
"From moistening the thread," she replied, "from moistening the thread."
Then he asked the third:
"Why have you such a big thumb?"
"From pressing the thread," answered she.
Then the Prince became frightened, and said:
"Then shall my lovely bride never more turn a spinning-wheel, as long as she lives!"
Thus was the maiden freed from the hated flax-spinning.
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A
CAThaving made the acquaintance of a mouse, told her so much of the great love and affection that he had for her, that the mouse at last consented to live in the same house with him, and to have their domestic affairs in common. "But we must provide for the winter," said the cat, "or we shall be starved; you, little mouse, cannot go everywhere looking for food, or you will meet with an accident."
This advice was followed, and a pot was brought with some grease in it. However, when they had got it, they could not imagine where it should be put; but at last, after a long consideration, the cat said: "I know no better place to put it than in the church, for there no one dares to steal anything; we will set it beneath the organ, and not touch it till we really want it."
So the pot was put away in safety; but not long afterward the[page 66]cat began to wish for it again, so he spoke to the mouse and said: "I have to tell you that I am asked by my aunt to stand godfather to a little son, white with brown marks, whom she has just brought into the world, and so I must go to the christening. Let me go out to-day, and do you stop at home and keep house."
"Certainly," answered the mouse; "pray, go; and if you eat anything nice, think of me; I would also willingly drink a little of the sweet red christening-wine."
But, alas! it was all a story; for the cat had no aunt, and had not been asked to stand godfather to any one. He went straight to the church, crept up to the grease-pot, and licked it till he had eaten off the top; then he took a walk on the roofs of the houses in the town, thinking over his situation, and now and then stretching himself in the sun and stroking his whiskers as often as he thought of his meal. When it was evening he went home again, and the mouse said: "So you have come at last; what a charming day you must have had!"
"Yes," answered the cat; "it went off very well!"
"What have you named the kitten?" asked the mouse.
"Top-off," said the cat very quickly.
"Top-off!" replied the mouse; "that is a curious and remarkable name; is it common in your family?"
"What does that matter?" said the cat; "it is not worse than Crumb-stealer, as your children are called."
Not long afterward the cat felt the same longing as before, and said to the mouse: "You must oblige me by taking care of the house once more by yourself; I am again asked to stand godfather, and, since the youngster has a white ring round his neck, I cannot get off the invitation." So the good little mouse consented, and the cat crept away behind the wall to the church again, and ate half the contents of the grease-pot. "Nothing tastes better than what one eats by one's self," said he, quite contented with his day's work; and when he came home the mouse asked how this child was named.
"Half-out," answered the cat.
"Half-out!What do you mean? I never heard such a name before in my life; I will wager anything it is not in the calendar," but the cat replied nothing.
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Pussy's mouth soon began to water again at the recollection of the feasting. "All good things come in threes," said he to the mouse. "I am again required to be godfather; this child is quite black, and has little white claws, but not a single white hair on his body; such a thing only happens once in two years, so pray excuse me this time."
"Top-off! Half-out!" answered the mouse; "those are such curious names, they make me a bit suspicious."
"Ah!" replied the cat, "there you sit in your gray coat and long tail, thinking nonsense. That comes of never going out."
The mouse busied herself during the cat's absence in putting the house in order, but meanwhile greedy puss licked the grease-pot clean out. "When it is all done one will rest in peace," thought he to himself, and as soon as night came he went home fat and tired. The mouse, however, again asked what name the third child had received. "It will not please you any better," answered the cat, "for he is calledAll-out."
"All-out!" exclaimed the mouse; "well, that is certainly the most curious name by far. I have never yet seen it in print.All-out!What can that mean?" and, shaking her head, she rolled herself up and went to sleep.
After that nobody else asked the cat to stand godfather; but the winter had arrived, and nothing more was to be picked up out of doors; so the mouse bethought herself of their store of provision, and said, "Come, friend cat, we will go to our grease-pot which we laid by; it will taste well now."
"Yes, indeed," replied the cat; "it will taste as well as if you stroked your tongue against the window."
So they set out on their journey, and when they arrived at the church the pot stood in its old place—but it was empty! "Ah," said the mouse, "I see what has happened; now I know you are indeed a faithful friend. You have eaten the whole as you stood godfather; firstTop-off,thenHalf-out,then—"
"Will you be quiet?" cried the cat. "Not a word, or I'll eat you." But the poor mouse had "All-out"at her tongue's end, and had scarcely uttered it when the cat made a spring, seized her in his mouth, and swallowed her.
This happens every day in the world.
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O
NCEon a time there was a poor but very good little girl, who lived alone with her mother, and when my story begins, they had nothing in the house to eat. So the child went out into the forest, and there she met an old woman, who already knew her distress, and who presented her with a pot which had the following power. If one said to it, "Boil, little pot!" it would cook sweet soup; and when one said: "Stop, little pot!" it would immediately cease to boil. The little girl took the pot home to her mother, and now their poverty and distresses were at an end, for they could have sweet broth as often as they pleased.
One day, however, the little girl went out, and in her absence the mother said: "Boil, little pot!" So it began to cook, and she soon ate all she wished; but when the poor woman wanted to have the pot stop, she found she did not know the word. Away, therefore, the pot boiled, and very quickly was over the edge; and as it boiled and boiled the kitchen presently became full, then the house, and the next house, and soon the whole street. It seemed likely to satisfy all the world, for, though there was the greatest necessity to do so, nobody knew how to stop it. At last, when only a very small cottage of all the village was left unfilled with soup, the child returned and said at once: "Stop, little pot!"
Immediately it ceased to boil; but whoever wishes to enter the village now must eat his way through the soup!!!
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A
LLalone, in a quiet little village, lived a poor old woman. One day she had a dish of beans which she wanted to cook for dinner, so she made a fire on the hearth, and in order that it should burn up quickly she lighted it with a handful of straw.
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She hung the pot over the fire, and poured in the beans; but one fell on to the floor without her noticing it, and rolled away beside a piece of straw. Soon afterwards a live coal flew out of the fire and joined their company. Then the straw began to speak.
"Dear friends," said he, "whence come you?"
"I was fortunate enough to spring out of the fire," answered the coal. "Had I not exerted myself to get out when I did, I should most certainly have been burnt to ashes."
"I have also just managed to save my skin," said the bean. "Had the old woman succeeded in putting me into the pot, I should have been stewed without mercy, just as my comrades are being served now."
"My fate might have been no better," the straw told them. "The old woman burnt sixty of my brothers at once, but fortunately I was able to slip through her fingers."
"What shall we do now?" said the coal.
"Well," answered the bean, "my opinion is that, as we have all been so fortunate as to escape death, we should leave this place before any new misfortune overtakes us. Let us all three become traveling companions and set out upon a journey to some unknown country."
This suggestion pleased both the straw and the coal, so away they all went at once. Before long they came to a brook, and as there was no bridge across it they did not know how to get to the other side; but the straw had a good idea: "I will lay myself over the water, and you can walk across me as though I were a bridge," he said. So he stretched himself from one bank to the other, and the coal, who was of a hasty disposition, at once tripped gaily on to the newly-built bridge. Half way across she hesitated, and began to feel afraid of the rushing water beneath her. She dared go no farther, but neither would she return; but she stood there so long that the straw caught fire, broke in two, and fell into the stream. Of course, the coal was bound to follow. No sooner did she touch the water than—hiss, zish! out she went, and never glowed again.
The bean, who was a careful fellow, had stayed on the bank, to watch how the coal got across, before trusting himself to[page 70]such a slender bridge. But when he saw what very queer figures his friends cut, he could not help laughing. He laughed and laughed till he could not stop, and at length he split his side.
It would have gone badly with him then, had not a tailor happened to pass by. He was a kind-hearted fellow, and at once took out his needle and thread and began to repair the mischief.
The bean thanked him politely, for he knew that the tailor had saved his life, but unfortunately he had used black thread, and from that time till to-day every bean has a little black stitch in its side.
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O
NEwinter's day the bear met the fox, who came slinking along with a string of fish he had stolen.
"Hi! stop a minute! Where did you get those from?" demanded the bear.
"Oh, my Lord Bruin, I've been out fishing and caught them," said the fox.
So the bear had a mind to learn to fish, too, and bade the fox tell him how he was to set about it.
"Oh, it is quite easy," answered the fox, "and soon learned. You've only got to go upon the ice, and cut a hole and stick your tail down through it, and hold it there as long as you can. You're not to mind if it smarts a little; that's when the fish bite. The longer you hold it there, the more fish you'll get; and then all at once out with it, with a cross pull side ways and a strong pull, too."
Well, the bear did as the fox said, and though he felt very cold, and his tail smarted very much, he kept it a long, long time down in the hole, till at last it was frozen in, though of[page 71]course he did not know that. Then he pulled it out with a strong pull, and it snapped short off, and that's why Bruin goes about with a stumpy tail to this day!
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O
NCEupon a time, when pigs could talk and no one had ever heard of bacon, there lived an old piggy mother with her three little sons.
They had a very pleasant home in the middle of an oak forest, and were all just as happy as the day was long, until one sad year the acorn crop failed; then, indeed, poor Mrs. Piggy-wiggy often had hard work to make both ends meet.
One day she called her sons to her, and, with tears in her eyes, told them that she must send them out into the wide world to seek their fortune.
She kissed them all round, and the three little pigs set out upon their travels, each taking a different road, and carrying a bundle slung on a stick across his shoulder.
The first little pig had not gone far before he met a man carrying a bundle of straw; so he said to him: "Please, man, give me that straw to build me a house?" The man was very good-natured, so he gave him the bundle of straw, and the little pig built a pretty little house with it.
No sooner was it finished, and the little pig thinking of going to bed, than a wolf came along, knocked at the door, and said: "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."
But the little pig laughed softly, and answered: "No, no, by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin."
Then said the wolf sternly: "I willmakeyou let me in; for I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!"
So he huffed and he puffed, and he blew his house in, because, you see, it was only of straw and too light; and when he had[page 72]blown the house in, he ate up the little pig, and did not leave so much as the tip of his tail.
The second little pig also met a man, andhewas carrying a bundle of furze; so piggy said politely: "Please, kind man, will you give me that furze to build me a house?"
The man agreed, and piggy set to work to build himself a snug little house before the night came on. It was scarcely finished when the wolf came along, and said: "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."
"No, no, by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin," answered the second little pig.
"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!" said the wolf. So he huffed and he puffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and at last he blew the house in, and gobbled the little pig up in a trice.
Now, the third little pig met a man with a load of bricks and mortar, and he said: "Please, man, will you give me those bricks to build a house with?"
So the man gave him the bricks and mortar, and a little trowel as well, and the little pig built himself a nice strong little house. As soon as it was finished the wolf came to call, just as he had done to the other little pigs, and said: "Little pig, little pig, let me in!"
But the little pig answered: "No, no, by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin."
"Then," said the wolf, "I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in."
Well, he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and he huffed, and he puffed; but he couldnotget the house down. At last he had no breath left to huff and puff with, so he sat down outside the little pig's house and thought for awhile.
Presently he called out: "Little pig, I know where there is a nice field of turnips."
"Where?" said the little pig.
"Behind the farmer's house, three fields away, and if you will be ready to-morrow morning I will call for you, and we will go together and get some breakfast."
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"Very well," said the little pig; "I will be sure to be ready. What time do you mean to start?"
"At six o'clock," replied the wolf.
Well, the wise little pig got up at five, scampered away to the field, and brought home a fine load of turnips before the wolf came. At six o'clock the wolf came to the little pig's house and said: "Little pig, are you ready?"
"Ready!" cried the little pig. "Why, I have been to the field and come back long ago, and now I am busy boiling a potful of turnips for breakfast."
The wolf was very angry indeed; but he made up his mind to catch the little pig somehow or other; so he told him that he knew where there was a nice apple-tree.
"Where?" said the little pig.
"Round the hill in the squire's orchard," the wolf said. "So if you will promise to play me no tricks, I will come for you tomorrow morning at five o'clock, and we will go there together and get some rosy-cheeked apples."
The next morning piggy got up at four o'clock and was off and away long before the wolf came.
But the orchard was a long way off, and besides, he had the tree to climb, which is a difficult matter for a little pig, so that before the sack he had brought with him was quite filled he saw the wolf coming towards him.
He was dreadfully frightened, but he thought it better to put a good face on the matter, so when the wolf said: "Little pig, why are you here before me? Are they nice apples?" he replied at once: "Yes, very; I will throw down one for you to taste." So he picked an apple and threw it so far that whilst the wolf was running to fetch it he had time to jump down and scamper away home.
The next day the wolf came again, and told the little pig that there was going to be a fair in the town that afternoon, and asked him if he would go with him.
"Oh! yes," said the pig, "I will go with pleasure. What time will you be ready to start?"
"At half-past three," said the wolf.
Of course, the little pig started long before the time, went to[page 74]the fair, and bought a fine large butter-churn, and was trotting away with it on his back when he saw the wolf coming.
He did not know what to do, so he crept into the churn to hide, and by so doing started it rolling.
Down the hill it went, rolling over and over, with the little pig squeaking inside.
The wolf could not think what the strange thing rolling down the hill could be; so he turned tail and ran away home in a fright without ever going to the fair at all. He went to the little pig's house to tell him how frightened he had been by a large round thing which came rolling past him down the hill.
"Ha! ha!" laughed the little pig; "so I frightened you, eh? I had been to the fair and bought a butter-churn; when I saw you I got inside it and rolled down the hill."
This made the wolf so angry that he declared that hewouldeat up the little pig, and that nothing should save him, for he would jump down the chimney.
But the clever little pig hung a pot full of water over the hearth and then made a blazing fire, and just as the wolf was coming down the chimney he took off the cover and in fell the wolf. In a second the little pig had popped the lid on again.
Then he boiled the wolf, and ate him for supper, and after that he lived quietly and comfortably all his days, and was never troubled by a wolf again.
clover-leaves
[page 75]
Three children sliding on the iceUpon a summer's day,As it fell out they all fell in,The rest they ran away.Now, had these children been at home,Or sliding on dry ground,Ten thousand pounds to one pennyThey had not all been drowned.You parents all that children have,And you too that have none,If you would have them safe abroadPray keep them safe at home.Anonymous
Three children sliding on the iceUpon a summer's day,As it fell out they all fell in,The rest they ran away.
Three children sliding on the ice
Upon a summer's day,
As it fell out they all fell in,
The rest they ran away.
Now, had these children been at home,Or sliding on dry ground,Ten thousand pounds to one pennyThey had not all been drowned.
Now, had these children been at home,
Or sliding on dry ground,
Ten thousand pounds to one penny
They had not all been drowned.
You parents all that children have,And you too that have none,If you would have them safe abroadPray keep them safe at home.
You parents all that children have,
And you too that have none,
If you would have them safe abroad
Pray keep them safe at home.
Anonymous
Anonymous
clover-leaves
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to seaIn a beautiful pea-green boat:They took some honey, and plenty of moneyWrapped up in a five-pound note.[page 76]The Owl looked up to the stars above,And sang to a small guitar,"Oh lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,What a beautiful Pussy you are,You are,You are!What a beautiful Pussy you are!"
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to seaIn a beautiful pea-green boat:They took some honey, and plenty of moneyWrapped up in a five-pound note.[page 76]The Owl looked up to the stars above,And sang to a small guitar,"Oh lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,What a beautiful Pussy you are,You are,You are!What a beautiful Pussy you are!"
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat:
They took some honey, and plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
"Oh lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!"
Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl,How charmingly sweet you sing!Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried;But what shall we do for a ring?"They sailed away, for a year and a day,To the land where the bong-tree grows;And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,With a ring at the end of his nose,His nose,His nose,With a ring at the end of his nose.
Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl,How charmingly sweet you sing!Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried;But what shall we do for a ring?"They sailed away, for a year and a day,To the land where the bong-tree grows;And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,With a ring at the end of his nose,His nose,His nose,With a ring at the end of his nose.
Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl,
How charmingly sweet you sing!
Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried;
But what shall we do for a ring?"
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the bong-tree grows;
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.
"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shillingYour ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."So they took it away, and were married next dayBy the turkey who lives on the hill.They dined on mince and slices of quince,Which they ate with a runcible spoon;And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,They danced by the light of the moon,The moon,The moon,They danced by the light of the moon.Edward Lear
"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shillingYour ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."So they took it away, and were married next dayBy the turkey who lives on the hill.They dined on mince and slices of quince,Which they ate with a runcible spoon;And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,They danced by the light of the moon,The moon,The moon,They danced by the light of the moon.
"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
Edward Lear
Edward Lear
[page 77]
clover-leaves
Little children, never givePain to things that feel and live:Let the gentle robin comeFor the crumbs you save at home,—As his meat you throw alongHe'll repay you with a song;Never hurt the timid harePeeping from her green grass lair,Let her come and sport and playOn the lawn at close of day;The little lark goes soaring highTo the bright windows of the sky,Singing as if 'twere always spring,And fluttering on an untired wing,—Oh! let him sing his happy song,Nor do these gentle creatures wrong.Unknown
Little children, never givePain to things that feel and live:Let the gentle robin comeFor the crumbs you save at home,—As his meat you throw alongHe'll repay you with a song;Never hurt the timid harePeeping from her green grass lair,Let her come and sport and playOn the lawn at close of day;The little lark goes soaring highTo the bright windows of the sky,Singing as if 'twere always spring,And fluttering on an untired wing,—Oh! let him sing his happy song,Nor do these gentle creatures wrong.
Little children, never give
Pain to things that feel and live:
Let the gentle robin come
For the crumbs you save at home,—
As his meat you throw along
He'll repay you with a song;
Never hurt the timid hare
Peeping from her green grass lair,
Let her come and sport and play
On the lawn at close of day;
The little lark goes soaring high
To the bright windows of the sky,
Singing as if 'twere always spring,
And fluttering on an untired wing,—
Oh! let him sing his happy song,
Nor do these gentle creatures wrong.
Unknown
Unknown
clover-leaves
How doth the little busy beeImprove each shining hour,And gather honey all the dayFrom every opening flow'r!How skilfully she builds her cell!How neat she spreads the wax!And labors hard to store it wellWith the sweet food she makes.In works of labor or of skill,I would be busy too;For Satan finds some mischief stillFor idle hands to do.[page 78]In books, or work, or healthful play,Let my first years be past,That I may give for ev'ry daySome good account at last.Isaac Watts
How doth the little busy beeImprove each shining hour,And gather honey all the dayFrom every opening flow'r!
How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining hour,
And gather honey all the day
From every opening flow'r!
How skilfully she builds her cell!How neat she spreads the wax!And labors hard to store it wellWith the sweet food she makes.
How skilfully she builds her cell!
How neat she spreads the wax!
And labors hard to store it well
With the sweet food she makes.
In works of labor or of skill,I would be busy too;For Satan finds some mischief stillFor idle hands to do.[page 78]
In works of labor or of skill,
I would be busy too;
For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do.
In books, or work, or healthful play,Let my first years be past,That I may give for ev'ry daySome good account at last.
In books, or work, or healthful play,
Let my first years be past,
That I may give for ev'ry day
Some good account at last.
Isaac Watts
Isaac Watts
clover-leaves
Suppose, my little lady,Your doll should break her head,Could you make it whole by cryingTill your eyes and nose are red?And wouldn't it be pleasanterTo treat it as a joke,And say you're glad 'twas Dolly's,And not your head that broke?Suppose you're dressed for walking,And the rain comes pouring down,Will it clear off any soonerBecause you scold and frown?And wouldn't it be nicerFor you to smile than pout,And so make sunshine in the houseWhen there is none without?Suppose your task, my little man,Is very hard to get,Will it make it any easierFor you to sit and fret?And wouldn't it be wiserThan waiting, like a dunce,To go to work in earnestAnd learn the thing at once?[page 79]Suppose that some boys have a horse,And some a coach and pair,Will it tire you less while walkingTo say, "It is n't fair?"And would n't it be noblerTo keep your temper sweet,And in your heart be thankfulYou can walk upon your feet?And suppose the world don't please you,Nor the way some people do,Do you think the whole creationWill be altered just for you?And isn't it, my boy or girl,The wisest, bravest plan,Whatever comes, or does n't come,To do the best you can?Phœbe Cary
Suppose, my little lady,Your doll should break her head,Could you make it whole by cryingTill your eyes and nose are red?And wouldn't it be pleasanterTo treat it as a joke,And say you're glad 'twas Dolly's,And not your head that broke?
Suppose, my little lady,
Your doll should break her head,
Could you make it whole by crying
Till your eyes and nose are red?
And wouldn't it be pleasanter
To treat it as a joke,
And say you're glad 'twas Dolly's,
And not your head that broke?
Suppose you're dressed for walking,And the rain comes pouring down,Will it clear off any soonerBecause you scold and frown?And wouldn't it be nicerFor you to smile than pout,And so make sunshine in the houseWhen there is none without?
Suppose you're dressed for walking,
And the rain comes pouring down,
Will it clear off any sooner
Because you scold and frown?
And wouldn't it be nicer
For you to smile than pout,
And so make sunshine in the house
When there is none without?
Suppose your task, my little man,Is very hard to get,Will it make it any easierFor you to sit and fret?And wouldn't it be wiserThan waiting, like a dunce,To go to work in earnestAnd learn the thing at once?[page 79]
Suppose your task, my little man,
Is very hard to get,
Will it make it any easier
For you to sit and fret?
And wouldn't it be wiser
Than waiting, like a dunce,
To go to work in earnest
And learn the thing at once?
Suppose that some boys have a horse,And some a coach and pair,Will it tire you less while walkingTo say, "It is n't fair?"And would n't it be noblerTo keep your temper sweet,And in your heart be thankfulYou can walk upon your feet?
Suppose that some boys have a horse,
And some a coach and pair,
Will it tire you less while walking
To say, "It is n't fair?"
And would n't it be nobler
To keep your temper sweet,
And in your heart be thankful
You can walk upon your feet?
And suppose the world don't please you,Nor the way some people do,Do you think the whole creationWill be altered just for you?And isn't it, my boy or girl,The wisest, bravest plan,Whatever comes, or does n't come,To do the best you can?
And suppose the world don't please you,
Nor the way some people do,
Do you think the whole creation
Will be altered just for you?
And isn't it, my boy or girl,
The wisest, bravest plan,
Whatever comes, or does n't come,
To do the best you can?
Phœbe Cary
Phœbe Cary