I.
Preparation.
A story of a mother and her two daughters. One was beautiful and lazy, the other ugly and industrious. The mother loved the beautiful one and allowed her to be idle, but she made the industrious one do all the spinning and household work.
Talk of the different kinds of household work. Explainspindle,spinning, anda well.
Narration.
There was once a widow who had two daughters. One was beautiful and lazy, the other ugly and industrious. The mother, however, for some reason showed more love for the beautiful one than she did for the ugly one, who did all the work about the house.
Because her mother did not love her, she lived in the kitchen and was very sad. The poor maid had to go out every day and sit by the great road that ran near the house andspin. Near the road was a deep well. She liked best to sit near this because so many travelers stopped there to draw the cool water from the deep well.
She spun so much yarn that her fingers became worn and thin, and bled a great deal. One day it happened that her spindle slipped from her fingers and fell into the well.
She was very much frightened and ran home, crying, to her mother, and told her that she had lost her spindle in the well. The mother scolded her and was so angry that at last she said, “Since you have been so careless as to lose your spindle in the well, you must get it out again as best you can.”
Suggestions.
Materials used to make yarn. Wool, cotton, etc. Sources.Different ways of spinning. Twisting by the hands. Spinning wheel. Uses of yarn. Knitting and weaving. Source of drinking water. Different ways of getting it from a well—buckets, windlass, pump, etc.Idleness.Industry.Tell who the idle and who the industrious ones are in preceding stories.
Materials used to make yarn. Wool, cotton, etc. Sources.
Different ways of spinning. Twisting by the hands. Spinning wheel. Uses of yarn. Knitting and weaving. Source of drinking water. Different ways of getting it from a well—buckets, windlass, pump, etc.
Idleness.Industry.Tell who the idle and who the industrious ones are in preceding stories.
II.
Preparation.
Talk about the ways the maid might attempt to regain her spindle. Recallmeadow.
Narration.
The maid went back to the road. She did not know how to get the spindle out of the well. So she jumped down into the water to get it. For a while she did not know anything, but presently she found herself in a beautiful meadow where the sun was shining and many thousands of flowers blooming all around her.
She got up and walked along till she came to a bake oven. The oven was full of bread which cried out, “Draw me out or I shall burn. I have baked long enough.” So she went up and took the bread shovel that stood by the oven and drew out one loaf after another.
Then she walked on farther and came to an apple tree. The tree cried out, “Shake me! Shake me! My apples are all ripe.” So she shook the tree till the apples fell down like rain. When there were no more left on the tree she gathered them into a heap and went on.
At last she came to a cottage out of which an old woman was peeping. The old woman had such large teeth that the maid was frightened and started to run away. But the old woman called her back, saying, “Why are you afraid, my child? Stay with me. If you will put things in order in my house, all will go well with you. Only you must be careful and shakemy bed well and make the feathers fly. Then it will snow on the earth. I am old Mother Frost.”
As the old woman spoke kindly, the timid maid stayed and worked for her. Everything was pleasant. Old Mother Frost was very kind and the industrious maid was contented. She shook the bed well every day and made the feathers fly downward as flakes of snow. She was very happy. She had enough to eat and kind words from Mother Frost.
Suggestions.
Talk about apple-trees and orchards. The baking of bread. Connect with snow. Jack Frost. Use of snow, etc.
Talk about apple-trees and orchards. The baking of bread. Connect with snow. Jack Frost. Use of snow, etc.
III.
Preparation.
Develop out of the children’s experiences the longing for home—homesickness.
Narration.
The maiden stayed with Mother Frost a long time. But after a while she became very sad. She did not know what the matter was. At last she found that she was homesick; and, although she now fared a thousand times better than when at home, she longed to go back.
So she said to Mother Frost, “I wish to go home to my mother and sister.” Mother Frost replied, “It pleases methat you wish to go home; and since you have served me so faithfully, I will myself take you home.” She thereupon took her by the hand and led her to a great door. It flew open at their coming, and, as the maid stood in the doorway, a shower of gold fell upon her. The gold remained sticking in her hair, on her dress, and even in her shoes. “All this gold is for you because you have been so faithful and industrious. Here is your spindle also,” were the parting words of Mother Frost.
When she stepped out the door closed behind her, and the maid found herself near her mother’s house. As she came into the yard the cock which was perched upon the hen-house cried out, “Cock—a—doodle—do! Our golden maid comes home again.”
Her mother and sister were surprised to see her, and because she had so much gold they welcomed her very heartily.
Suggestions.
Talk about source and uses of gold, its qualities, etc.What children can do in the home, at school.
Talk about source and uses of gold, its qualities, etc.
What children can do in the home, at school.
IV.
Preparation.
The idle maid now tries to get gold. She throws her spindle into the well and jumps in after it. Children tell whatthey think she will do at the oven, at the apple-tree, at Mother Frost’s. Will she get gold? Explainpitch.
Narration.
The good sister told all that had happened while she was away, and when her mother heard how she came by all her gold she said to the lazy sister, “You must try your luck, also.” So the mother had her go and spin by the well. But the lazy girl soon became tired of spinning and threw the spindle into the well. Then she jumped in after it.
Like her sister, she came to the beautiful meadow and traveled the same path. When she came to the bake oven, the bread called, “Draw me out! Draw me out!” But the lazy maid said, “I have no wish to make myself dirty with you!”
Soon she came to the apple tree. The tree cried out, “Shake me! shake me! My apples are ripe.” But the maid said, “I will not shake you. Your apples might fall on my head.” She was not afraid of old Mother Frost, for she had heard of her large teeth. She promised to serve her as her sister had done.
The first day she worked hard because she thought of the gold. The second day she began to grow careless. The thirdday she did not get up until noon. Mother Frost said, “I think you are tired of working for me. You had better go home.” The lazy maid was very glad; for she thought, “Now, I will get my gold!”
Mother Frost led her also to the door; but, as she stood within the doorway, instead of gold there was a shower of pitch. “This is the reward for your service,” said Mother Frost, and closed the door. As the lazy maid came home the cock cried, “Cock—a—doodle—do! Our dirty maid comes home again.” The pitch stuck to her as long as she lived.
Suggestions.
Explainoven,pitch.Talk about the industrious maid and her reward. The idle and dishonest one and her punishment. Who was rewarded in “The Stardollar” story? Who was punished in “The Seven Little Goats”? In “Red Riding Hood”?
Explainoven,pitch.
Talk about the industrious maid and her reward. The idle and dishonest one and her punishment. Who was rewarded in “The Stardollar” story? Who was punished in “The Seven Little Goats”? In “Red Riding Hood”?