I.
Preparation.
A story of a little child who was found by a hunter in an eagle’s nest. Children tell what they know about the eagle. In what story did we learn about the eagle?
Narration.
Once upon a time a mother was walking through a woods with a little child in her arms. She became very tired and sat down under a tree to rest. She fell asleep as she sat there, and the baby slept in her lap.
By and by an eagle that was flying far overhead saw the child in the mother’s lap. He flew down, caught up the child in his strong claws, and carried it away to his nest in a great oak tree.
A hunter saw the eagle flying towards the oak tree. He thought that he saw something strange in the eagle’s claws.He waited until the eagle had laid the child in his nest. Then the hunter fired his gun. The noise frightened the eagle away.
Climbing the tree, the hunter found the little baby lying in the eagle’s nest. He took the little one in his strong arms and carried it home with him. He had but one child—a little daughter whose name was Lena.
When he brought the little one home he said, “Here is a little sister for you, Lena. We will call her Birdie because I found her in an eagle’s nest.” Lena was glad to see the baby girl, and kissed her. The two children played and ate and slept together. They grew to love each other so much that, if they were parted for even a little while, they felt lonely and sad.
Suggestions.
Talk about the hunter and hunting wild animals.
Talk about the hunter and hunting wild animals.
II.
Preparation.
The cook in the hunter’s home did not like Birdie. Recall characters in preceding part of story. Talk about work of the cook and the idea—housekeeper.
Narration.
An old woman lived in the hunter’s home. She was the cook. She was busy all day long doing the work and taking care of the children, for Lena’s mother was dead.
The hunter went out early in the morning. At night he came home, bringing what he had shot in the woods. Then he played with the children or told them wonderful stories.
Lena and her father both loved Birdie dearly and were always kind to her. But the old cook did not love her at all. She was angry when the hunter brought the little child home. She had more work to do caring for two children than for one; and the children were often noisy in their play. All this made the old cook dislike Birdie. So she made up her mind to get rid of her.
A great iron pot stood in the kitchen. One day Lena saw the old cook carrying pails of water from the spring near the house. She poured the water into the big pot and went for more. This she did again and again.
Lena wondered why she was doing this. She asked, “Why are you carrying in so much water?” The cook looked around to see if anyone else were near. Then she whispered to Lena, “I will tell you, Lena, if you promise never, never totell anyone.” Lena promised. Then the old woman said, “I do not like Birdie. I am filling this big pot with water and to-morrow, when your father is gone, I will drown her in it.”
Suggestions.
Talk ofsprings;cooking;value of good cooking.
Talk ofsprings;cooking;value of good cooking.
III.
Preparation.
Birdie is saved by Lena. Talk of Birdie’s danger. Children imagine how she might be saved.
Narration.
Lena felt very sad indeed when the old cook said, “I am going to drown Birdie.” Oh, how sorry she was that she had made such a promise! All day long she thought about it and grew sadder and sadder. Birdie would ask, “What is the matter, dear Lena?” But Lena would say, “I cannot tell you, Birdie.”
Night came and the children went to bed; but Lena could not sleep. At last she said to herself, “That was not a good promise. I will not keep it.” So she woke Birdie and told her all about what the old cook had said and done.
Then she said, “But I can save you, Birdie, if you will trust me and do just as I say.” “O, Lena,” said Birdie, “I do trust you. I know you love me and I will do just as you say.” “Then,” said Lena, “let us get up and dress ourselves. We will slip quietly out of the house and hide in the forest before the old cook is up.” So the children dressed themselves. They went softly out of the house and ran far away into the forest.
When the hunter had eaten his breakfast and left the house, the old cook went to the children’s room to get Birdie. How astonished she was to find the bed empty and both the children gone. How frightened she felt when she thought of the hunter’s anger when he should come home. “Oh,” she cried, “what shall I say when the hunter comes home and finds that the children are gone?”
Suggestions.
Breaking a bad promise.Apprehensions of evil doers.
Breaking a bad promise.
Apprehensions of evil doers.
IV.
Preparation.
The cook sends servants to find the two girls, but they are not successful. Children imagine where the servants will search for Lena and Birdie.
Narration.
The cook sent the servants to look for Birdie and Lena. They went into the woods looking everywhere, behind trees and among the bushes. Lena saw them coming towards the place where she and Birdie were hiding. “Birdie,” she said, “will you do just as I say?” “Yes, Lena,” said Birdie, “I will.” “Then,” said Lena, “we must change quickly so that the servants will not find us. You must be a rosebush, Birdie, and I will be a red rose growing upon it.” As she spoke they were changed. Birdie became a rosebush and Lena a sweet red rose growing upon it.
The servants came and looked all around for the children; but, as they could not find them anywhere, they went back to the house. The old cook was at the window watching anxiously for them. “Where are the children?” she cried. “We could not find them,” answered the servants. “We thought once that we saw them, but when we reached the place they were nowhere to be seen. There was nothing there but a rosebush with a rose upon it.”
“O you stupid things,” cried the cook; “why did you not bring me the rose? Go back and get it.”
V.
Preparation.
The servants try to find the rosebush and the rose. The children escape again. Children imagine how they escape.
Narration.
When the old cook said, “Go back to the forest and bring me the rose,” the servants went back. As they came near the place where they had seen the rosebush and rose, Lena saw them coming. “We must change again, dear Birdie,” she said. “You must be a church and I will be the steeple.”
When the servants came to the place the rosebush and the rose were gone. And there stood a tiny church with a tall steeple! The servants were astonished. They said to one another, “I did not see that church here before. Did you? Well, we can not find the rosebush and rose, so we may as well go back. My! but won’t the old cook be cross?”
VI.
Preparation.
The cook goes out to look for the children and is punished. Talk of cook’s wicked plan and what her punishment may be.
Explainpond.
Narration.
So the cook set out to look for the children herself and the servants went with her. By and by they came near the place where Birdie and Lena were. Lena saw them coming because she was the steeple and could see far around her. “O Birdie,” she cried, “here comes the old cook. We must change again. You must be a pond, dear Birdie, and I will be a duck swimming upon the pond.”
It was no sooner said than done; and when the old woman and the servants came, the church and the steeple had disappeared. And there, among the trees, they saw a little pond with a snow-white duck swimming upon it. “There they are,” cried the wicked old woman; “I am going to drink all thatwater up.” And so saying she stooped down to drink up all the water; but she lost her balance and, falling head-first into the pond, was drowned.
Birdie and Lena took back their own shapes again. You may be sure the servants were astonished when they heard the whole story. As for the old cook, they said, “She was a wicked woman; she is well punished.”
The children went back to the house and, when the hunter came home, told him all about the old woman’s wicked plan and how Birdie was saved. He, too, said, “She was a wicked woman. She is well punished.” And now that the old cook was gone, Birdie and her kind friends lived happily together all the rest of their lives.
Suggestions.
Punishment. Recall punishment in previous stories.
Punishment. Recall punishment in previous stories.