A KINDERGARTEN STORY BOOK

By JANE L. HOXIE

TENTH EDITION

PUBLISHED BY

MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 

NEW YORK BOSTON PHILADELPHIA

ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO

1916

COPYRIGHT, 1966

BY MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 

TO MY FATHER

 whose evening story-hour is the happiest memory of my childhood this little volume is affectionately inscribed

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 

A number of the stories in this little book have been told to thousandsof children in the kindergartens of Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburg, and other cities. The delight withwhich they have everywhere been listened to is an assurance of theirappeal to child thought and sympathy. I know no equally simple, varied, and interesting collection of stories for children between theages of four and six; and I earnestly hope that A KINDERGARTEN STORYBOOK may rapidly win the popularity it merits. 

SUSAN E. BLOW. 

PREFACE. 

It is the author's aim in this collection to furnish stories for thechild that shall be short, simple in form and familiar in subject, thatshall contain much repetition, rhythm, dramatic possibility, alliteration, and also onomatopoetical and imaginative qualities, allof which the young child craves in the literature which is presented tohim. The writer has striven to avoid elaborate introductions, long andintricate descriptions, and all those characteristics from which thechild instinctively turns. 

The matter here presented naturally falls under three heads: first, original stories; secondly, favorite childhood stories rewritten;thirdly, adaptations of popular tales. 

Nearly all of the purely original stories are based upon some of themore vital motifs to be found in the best of our fairy lore. 

Of the favorite childhood stories, "Billy Bobtail" is evidently foundedupon "The Bremen Town-Musicians"; and, as it is given here, it is anadaptation of a story heard frequently during the writer's childhood. It will readily be seen that "Kid Would Not Go" is only another form of"The Old Woman and Her Pig, " and that "Fox Lox" is identical with thetale of "Chicken Little. " "The Wee, Wee Woman" is supposedly anadaptation of the old English story of "Teeny Weeny. " It is given herein the form in which it was told to the author by a friend. "TheLittle Long Tail" will be recognized by many as a prime favorite oftheir early childhood. 

In the three stories from Grimm it has been the aim to simplify, toshorten, and to eliminate all objectionable qualities; as, forinstance, the cruel step-mother element to be found in the originalCinderella. 

The two stories from Mrs. Ewing and the adaptation of Saintine's"Picciola" have proved fascinating to the childish audiences to whichthey have been presented. 

Simplicity of form and language makes it possible for the teacher notonly to tell the stories contained in this collection, but also to readthem to the children, with good effect. Some of the tales, notably thefavorite childhood stories rewritten, may be placed in the hands of thechildren themselves, to be used in the primary grades as supplementaryreading material. 

This little volume is the result of several years of practicalexperience, and it is hoped that it will prove a valuable addition tothe story repertoire of kindergartners and primary teachers. 

J. L. H. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

ORIGINAL STORIES. 

 DUNNY LUDWIG AND MARLEEN FROGGY'S ADVENTURE WHAT HAPPENED ON THE ROAD TO GRANDFATHER GOODFIELD'S THE LOST COMB THE TOPSY STORIES-- I. The Coming of Topsy II. How Topsy Kept Warm III. How Topsy Mothered Her Neighbor's Kittens IV. Topsy's Hiding Place V. Topsy's Babies ETHEL'S FRIENDS

REWRITTEN STORIES

 BILLY BOBTAIL KID WOULD NOT GO FOX LOX THE WEE, WEE WOMAN THE LITTLE LONG TAIL

ADAPTED STORIES

 THE BROWNIES THE FAIRY SHOES PICCIOLA CINDERELLA THE HUT IN THE FOREST THE SLEEPING PRINCESS

DUNNY. 

Once there were three children, three brothers, who played together inthe sunshine about their father's door. Now the youngest of them allwas not as large and strong as his brothers; and for that reason theyoften teased him, saying: "You are not as tall as we. You cannot runas fast. See! we can jump farther and swing higher than you. " If everthey wrestled together, the youngest was the first to be thrown to theground; and no matter what he tried to do, the others always laughed, and called out: "Oh! you are so stupid. That is not the way. Let meshow you how, you dunny!" So after a while they called him nothing butDunny. 

One day a traveler, with a wonderful pony, stopped at the door of thecottage. His little animal not only could perform all manner ofcurious tricks, but he was the most gentle little beast in the wholeworld and, withal, as sleek and pretty a creature as one could wish tosee. 

The three brothers were wild with delight at the pony's antics, andgave their father no peace until at last he consented to buy the littleanimal. At first they were very happy with their new play-fellow, butsoon they quarreled. 

"He is my pony!" said the eldest. 

"He is not!" said Dunny. 

"Father bought him for me, ", said the second brother, "and neither ofyou shall play with him at all!"

"It is not so! He is all mine!" said the first, as he caught thelittle beast by the rein and tried to drag him away. 

But his brother snatched the bridle also. "You shall not have him!" hecried. 

"Boys! boys! What does this mean?" said their father. "Why are youquarreling? The pony belongs to all three. "

But the boys would not have it so; and, at last, the father said: "Heshall be given to the one of you who will bring this basket to mefilled full with the water of yonder pond. " Now the basket was veryold and full of holes, but the three brothers eagerly consented to theplan. 

"You shall be the first to try your luck, " said the father, placing thebasket in the hands of his eldest son. As the boy walked quicklytoward the pond, a little bird hopped along the path in front of him, and in a sweet voice sang:--

 "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, [*] And carry a basketful away. "

[*]From an old folk tale. 

The boy did not know what the bird was saying. "Out of my path, youstupid creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. But the littlebird flew away into the forest, where he was quite safe. When at lastthe boy reached the pond, there sat a great green frog who croaked in agreat hoarse voice:--

 "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away. "

But the boy did not know what the frog was saying. "Out of my way, youugly creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. The great frogjumped back into the water, where he was quite safe. The eldest boycovered the bottom of the basket with sand, thinking that that wouldkeep the water from running out; then he filled it to the very brim. But, though he ran all the way home, not a single drop of water wasleft inside the basket when he reached his father. 

Then it was the second son's turn. As he walked quickly toward thepond, the same little bird hopped along the path in front of him, andin the same sweet voice sang:--

 "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away. "

The boy did not know what the bird was saying. "Out of my path, youstupid creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. But the littlebird flew away into the forest, where he was quite safe. When at lastthe boy reached the pond, there sat the same great green frog whocroaked in the same great hoarse voice:--

 "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away. "

But the boy did not know what the frog was saying. "Out of my way, youugly creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. The great frogjumped back into the water, where he was quite safe. The second boycovered the bottom of the basket with leaves, thinking that they wouldkeep the water from running out; then he filled it to the very brim. But, though he too ran all the way home, not a single drop of water wasleft inside the basket when he reached his father. 

Now, at last, it was Dunny's turn; but the two elder brothers teasedhim, saying, "Of what use is it for such a stupid as you to try, whenwe, who are so much more clever than you, have failed?"

As Dunny walked quickly toward the pond, the same little bird hoppedalong the path in front of him, and in the same sweet voice sang:--

 "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away. "

Now Dunny was very fond of all the wild creatures of the woods andfields, and often spent long hours in their company; and he knew whatthe little bird was saying. And he was never happier than when playingwith the frogs and fishes in the pond; so when the great green frog, inhis great hoarse voice, croaked:--

 "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay, And carry a basketful away. "

Dunny knew what he was saying, and, gathering moss and clay from thebank of the pond, he carefully stopped all the holes and cracks in thebasket. Then filling it with water to the very brim, he carried itsafely home to his father and did not lose even a single drop. So thepony was given to him, and his brothers never called him Dunny again. 

LUDWIG AND MARLEEN. 

"Help me out! Help me out, little Ludwig!" cried a great red fox, caught fast in a trap in the woods. "Help me out, and it shall be wellwith you!" Now Ludwig loved the wild creatures of the forest; he wastheir friend and playmate, their sorrows were his own; so, stepping tothe trap, he pressed the spring, and the fox was free. When, however, the poor beast tried to limp away, so great was the pain in his footthat he was forced to lie down instead. Seeing this, Ludwig ran to aspring near by and, dipping his handkerchief into the clear cool water, tenderly bound up the bruised and swollen foot. 

"You have been very kind, my little friend, " said the fox. "You havesaved my life. If you have a wish, tell me what it is and it shall begranted. "

"Oh, as to that, " said Ludwig, "I wish my little pail here were full ofberries, for my sister and I are very hungry. " Hardly had he spokenwhen his pail, which before had been quite empty, became full to thevery brim with great delicious strawberries. Ludwig ran swiftly hometo the little brown hut where he and his sister lived quite alone onthe edge of the forest. 

"See, sister dear, " he called, "what a fine breakfast I have brought. "

"I am glad, brother, " said Marleen, "for I am very hungry; but wheredid you find so many berries in so short a time, and such deliciousones, too?"

Then Ludwig told his sister all about the fox, and how he had wishedfor the berries. 

"Was I not wise, dear sister, to get such a good breakfast for us withso little trouble?"

But Marleen was not satisfied, and cried:

"Foolish boy! It was no ordinary fox whose foot you pulled out of thetrap. If he could fill your pail with berries, just for the asking, hecould do far greater things. You should have wished for somethingbetter. Go back into the forest, find the fox, and tell him that ourcupboard must be always full of food whenever we are hungry. "

"Be satisfied, dear sister, " said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as weare. When we are again hungry I will go and find food in the forest asI have always done before. "

"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as Itell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again intothe forest. 

"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig comingtoward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?"

"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the pail of berries, " saidLudwig. 

"What would she, little brother?"

"That our cupboard should be always full whenever we are hungry. "

"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes, " said the fox. 

Now, after this, whenever brother or sister were hungry, they foundplenty of food just to their liking in the cupboard; and, as Ludwig hadno longer to seek for nuts and berries in the forest, he could play allday long with his sister, and they were very happy because they werenever separated. But after a time Marleen refused to play, and satmoping on the doorstone. "Why are you so troubled, sister? Come, letus play in the sunshine, " said the boy. 

"Why should I be happy?" said Marleen. "Why should I play? We have notoys, only ugly sticks and stones for playthings. If you will go tothe fox and get a beautiful doll, then I will play. "

"Be satisfied, dear sister, " said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as weare. "

"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as Itell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again intothe forest. 

"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig comingtoward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?"

"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the food always in the cupboard. "

"What would she, little brother?"

"She would have a beautiful doll all dressed in shining silk. "

"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes, " said the fox. 

Now Marleen was quite happy for a few days; but soon she grew tired ofthe doll and again refused to play. "I, too, must have a fine silkdress to wear, " said she. "Go to the fox, brother, and get it for me. "

"Be satisfied, dear sister, " said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as weare. Your dress is warm and fine enough. "

"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as Itell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again intothe forest. 

"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig comingtoward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?"

"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the doll. "

"What would she, little brother?"

"She would have for herself a dress of shining silk. "

"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes, " said the fox. 

But only for a time was Marleen content with the beautiful dress. "Iwill stay no longer in this smoky old hut, " said she. "Go, brother, and ask the fox for a fine house to live in. He can give us one if hewill. "

"Be satisfied, dear sister, " said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as weare. "

"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen, "You must do as I tellyou;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again into theforest. 

"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig comingtoward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?"

"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the dress, " said Ludwig. 

"What would she, little brother?"

"A fine house in place of our poor old hut. "

"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes, " said the fox. 

Soon Marleen wearied also of the stately house in which they now lived. "I am tired to death of this old doll and this empty house and thispoor dress, " she said. "I must have something to amuse me. Go, brother, to the fox and tell him that I must have one of every kind oftoy in the whole world, and quickly, too. "

"Be satisfied, dear sister, " said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as weare. "

"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as Itell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again intothe forest. 

"How now, little brother!" said the fox when he saw Ludwig comingtoward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?"

"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the house. "

"What would she, little brother?"

"One of every kind of toy in the whole world. "

"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes, " said the fox. 

Now there were so many of the toys that they filled the whole house, and it took days and days just to look at them. At last, however, Marleen had seen and touched every one, and she cried:

"These things are dull and stupid. I must have something to amuse me. Go, brother, and tell the fox that these toys are all ugly and useless;but that there is one thing that I would like above all else, one thingthat would make me quite happy. Tell him I must have the great silveryball that hangs at night above us in the sky, "

"Be satisfied, dear sister, " said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as weare. "

"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as Itell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again intothe forest. 

"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig comingtoward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?"

"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the toys. "

"What would she, little brother?"

"That the great silvery moon that hangs high in the heavens at nightshould be her plaything. "

Very slowly the fox answered:--

"Go, little brother, it shall NOT be as she wishes. "

Now when Ludwig reached home once more, in place of the stately house, there stood their little old hut again. Marleen sat weeping in thedoorway, her fine silk dress was gone, her beautiful doll was nowhereto be seen, all the lovely toys had vanished. 

"Do not cry, dear sister, " said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we are. Come, let us have supper, for I am very hungry. " But alas, when theywent to the cupboard it was quite empty; and ever afterwards, when theywere hungry, Ludwig and Marleen were forced to seek for nuts andberries in the forest. The great silvery moon still looked down upontheir little hut at night; but though Ludwig sought through the wholeforest, far and wide, he never saw his friend the fox again. 

FROGGY'S ADVENTURE. 

"Knee-deep! Knee-deep! Knee-deep!" came a shrill cry from the middleof the pond. 

"Better-go-round! Better-go-round! Better-go-round!" croaked a hoarsevoice from the bank. 

Now all the little frogs, when they heard their mother call, turnedback, and, swimming far around the deep place, got safely to the shore. 

Did I say all? No, one little frog failed to hear his mother's voiceand, piping in his little shrill tone: "Who's afraid! Who's afraid!Who's afraid!" he swam straight on. Suddenly one of his hind legs gottangled among the weeds at the bottom of the pond; and, though hepulled and jerked with all his little might, he could not free himself. At last, after a long struggle, he gave it up and called loudly:"Help-me-out! Help-me-out! Help-me-out!"

The other frogs heard and came swimming all about, --little and big, young and old; but when they saw poor Froggy caught fast, instead oftrying to free him, they began peeping and croaking and "kerchugging, "until such a noise went up from the pond as was never heard before. 

The little frogs all sat around in a little circle, crying in theirlittle shrill voices: "Oh-he'll-die! Oh-he'll-die! Oh-he'll-die!"

And the great frogs all sat around in a great circle, croaking in theirgreat hoarse voices: "Oh-he'll-drown! Oh-he'll-drown! Oh-he'll-drown!"

"Help! Help! Help!" shrieked the little frogs in their little shrillvoices. 

"Help! Help! Help!" croaked the great frogs in their great hoarsevoices. 

The little frogs sobbed and moaned, and wiped the tears from theirlittle bulgy eyes with their little, flat, green hands; the great frogssobbed and moaned, and wiped the tears from their great bulgy eyes withtheir great, flat, green hands. Altogether they raised such a noiseand commotion that every creature in the pond poked his nose from hishouse and came out to see what could be the matter. 

At last a great, friendly fish, who, with his wife and children, wassummering in a quiet corner of the pond, swam up to find what all thenoise was about. When he saw poor Froggy struggling to free himself(feebly now, for his strength was nearly gone) with all his friends andrelations sitting by, sobbing and moaning and croaking, but not tryingto help him out at all, the fish flew into a terrible rage, and, lashing the water all around into a white foam with his great tail, hecried:

"Pull him out! Pull him out!"

But the little frogs only wiped the tears from their little bulgy eyeswith their little, flat, green hands and went on with their piping:"Oh-he'll-die! Oh-he'll-die! Oh-he'll-die!"

The great frogs only wiped the tears from their great bulgy eyes withtheir great, flat, green hands and went on with their croaking:"Oh-he'll-drown! Oh-he'll-drown! Oh-he'll-drown!"

"You stupids!" cried the great fish; and, pushing the little frogs andthe big frogs all to the right and left with his huge body, he swam tolittle drowning Froggy, seized the poor little fellow in his big mouthand carried him safely to his home by the shore. There the great fishleft Froggy, to be cuddled by his silly brothers and to be crooned overby his good but stupid mother. 

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE ROAD TO GRANDFATHER GOODFIELD'S. 

"Oh, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder, " said Alice, as she trudged alongthe dusty road, a bright tin pail held tightly in her hand. "Why doyou wonder, little maid?" said a deep, deep voice. On looking up, Alice saw close beside her a great tawny lion. At first she wasafraid, but the great beast looking kindly upon her, placed his greatpaw softly on her arm and once more said, "why do you wonder, Alice?"

"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mammahas promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely toGrandfather Goodfield, who lives under the hill by the great darkforest yonder, but oh! it has grown so heavy, and my feet have grown sotired. I must go quickly and I must not even peep inside. Justlisten! such a funny noise. " Alice held the pail close to the greatlion's ear, --"Buzz z z z z z z" came a muffled sound. "Oh, I wonderwhat can be inside!" she said. 

"Do not wonder, little maid, " said the great lion, "but hurry thylittle feet as thy mother hath bidden thee, else the sun will be in hisbed ere thy journey be ended, and thy little bed will be empty and thymother's heart will be heavy with watching. "

So Alice hastened on. Soon again her little feet were lagging; andonce more her eyes turned curiously upon the pail she carried and againshe said, "Oh, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder. " "Why do you wonder, little maid?" said a deep, gruff voice. On looking up once more Alicesaw close beside her, not her friend the tawny lion, but a shaggy blackbear. At first she was afraid; but the great beast, looking kindlyupon her, placed his great paw softly on her arm and once more said, "Why do you wonder, Alice?"

"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mammahas promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely toGrandfather Goodfield, who lives under the hill by the great darkforest yonder, but oh! it has grown so heavy, and my feet have grown sotired. I must go quickly, and I must not even peep inside. Justlisten! such a funny noise. " Alice held the pail close to the greatbear's ear, --"Buzz z z z z z z z" came a muffled sound. "Oh, I wonderwhat can be inside!" she said. 

"Do not wonder, little maid, " said the great bear, "but hurry thylittle feet as thy mother hath bidden thee, else the sun will be in hisbed ere thy journey be ended, and thy little bed will be empty and thymother's heart will be heavy with watching. "

So Alice hastened on. Soon again her feet were lagging and once moreher eyes turned curiously upon the pail she carried and again she said, "Oh, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder. " "Why do you wonder, little maid?"said a harsh strong voice. On looking up, Alice saw close beside her, not her friend the shaggy bear, but a gaunt gray wolf. At first shewas afraid, but the great beast, looking kindly upon her, placed hisgreat paw softly on her arm and once more said, "Why do you wonder, Alice?"

"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mammahas promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely toGrandfather Goodfield, who lives under the hill by the great darkforest yonder, but oh! it has grown so heavy and my feet have grown sotired. I must go quickly and I must not even peep inside. Justlisten! such a funny noise. " Alice held the pail close to the greatwolf's ear, --"Buzz z z z z z z z" came a muffled sound. "Oh, I wonderwhat can be inside!" she said. 

"Do not wonder, little maid, " said the great wolf, "but hurry thylittle feet as thy mother hath bidden thee, else the sun will be in hisbed ere thy journey be ended, and thy little bed will be empty and thymother's heart will be heavy with watching. "

So Alice hastened on. Soon again her feet were lagging and once moreher eyes turned curiously upon the pail she carried and again she said, "Oh, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder. " "Why do you wonder, little maid?"said a sweet soft voice. On looking up, Alice saw close beside her, not her friend the gaunt gray wolf, but a little child like herself. The boy placed his hand softly upon her arm; and with his great darkeyes looking straight into her own he said, "Why do you wonder, Alice?"

"Ah!" cried the girl crossly, "I wonder what is in this pail. Mammahas promised me a pretty red sash if I do but carry it safely toGrandfather Goodfield, who lives under the hill by the great darkforest yonder, but oh! it has grown so heavy and my feet have grown sotired. I must go quickly and I must not even peep inside. Justlisten! such a funny noise. " Alice held the pail close to the boy'sear, --"Buzz-z z z z z z z" came a muffled sound. "Oh, I wonder whatcan be inside!" she said. 

"Do not wonder but let us look and see, " said the boy. "No! no!" criedAlice. "My mother has forbidden it. " "She will never know, " said theboy. "Only one little peep. Surely it can do no harm. See, I willraise the cover for you. " "No! no!" said Alice and, tightly claspingthe pail, she started again upon her journey. 

"You are so tired, " called the boy running after, "do but stop and restawhile. See, your feet are really bleeding from the sharp stones youhave traveled over. Look, what a soft green bank yonder under theshade of that great tree. Do but sit down upon it for a moment. Youwill be able to go on all the faster after a quiet rest, then I will gowith you. "

Now Alice was really very tired indeed; and the bank with its coolshade looked so tempting that at last she seated herself upon it, letting her feet sink deep into its mossy side. She clasped theprecious pail tightly in her hands, but the noise inside grew louder, and now it had an angry sound. "Oh, I wonder what it can be!" saidAlice. 

"Do let me take the pail for a moment, " said the boy drawing it gentlyfrom her hand. "Now I will peep inside. What harm can it do? See, Iwill lift the cover ever so gently. " He put his eye to the crack, whensuddenly the cover slipped from his hand and rolled away upon the bank. A great swarm of angry, buzzing creatures flew into his face. Hestruck at them with his hands, but it was of no use. They stung andstung him. "Alice! Alice!" he cried, "oh, I am stung! I am stung!"The girl sprang quickly to help him but the angry bees flew at her alsoand stung her tender hands and face until she cried out with the pain. "Oh, what have we done! What have we done!" and, snatching the cover, Alice tried to place it upon the pail again--but too late, for not asingle bee was left inside. For a little time the air was filled withangry buzzing, but soon the bees flew far away into the wood and Aliceand her friend were left alone. 

Smarting with pain the girl turned toward her home. Her little feetmoved wearily, and the empty pail hung loosely on her arm. That nightshe cried herself to sleep in mother's arms, but the pretty red sashwas never worn by Alice, except sometimes in her dreams. 

THE LOST COMB. 

One day while Lesa was picking flowers in the wood the beautiful goldencomb that she always wore fell out of her hair and was lost. Shesearched and she searched, but she could not find it. At last shebegan to cry, and she cried and she cried. 

Just then along came Rollicking Robin. 

"Oh, do help me, Rollicking Robin!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost my comb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my father willscold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely come to meif I do not find it. "

"Cheer up, cheer up, cheer up! I'll go seek it. " sang RollickingRobin, "I will find your golden comb, have no fear. "

So he looked and he looked and he looked, but no comb could he find. 

Just then along came Busy Bee. 

"Oh, do help me, Busy Bee!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost my comb, mygolden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my father willscold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely come to meif I do not find it. "

"Buzz, buzz, buzz! I'll go seek it, " hummed Busy Bee. "I will findyour golden comb, have no fear. "

So she looked and she looked and she looked, but no comb could she find. 

Just then along came Fleet-footed Field Mouse. 

"Oh, do help me, Fleet-footed Field Mouse!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lostmy comb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, myfather will scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surelycome to me if I do not find it. "

"Eep, eep, eep! I'll go seek it, " squeaked Fleet-footed Field Mouse. "I will find your golden comb, have no fear. "

So he looked and he looked and he looked, but no comb could he find. 

Just then along came Chirping Cricket. 

"Oh, do help me, Chirping Cricket!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost my comb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my father willscold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely come to meif I do not find it. "

"Chirp, chirp, chirp! I'll go seek it, " piped Chirping Cricket. "Iwill find your golden comb, have no fear. "

So he looked and he looked and he looked, but no comb could he find. 

Just then along came Gliding Brown Snake. 

"Oh, do help me, Gliding Brown Snake!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost mycomb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my fatherwill scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely cometo me if I do not find it. "

"Sssssssss! I'll go seek it, " hissed Gliding Brown Snake. "I willfind your golden comb, have no fear. "

So he looked and he looked and he looked, but no comb could he find. 

Just then along came Cunning Black Ant. 

"Oh, do help me, Cunning Black Ant!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost mycomb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my fatherwill scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely cometo me if I do not find it. "

"I'll go seek it, " said Cunning Black Ant. "I will find your goldencomb, have no fear. "

So she looked and she looked and she looked, but no comb could she find. 

Just then along came Flitting Butterfly. 

"Oh, do help me, Flitting Butterfly!" sobbed Lesa. "I have lost mycomb, my golden comb. What shall I do? My mother will fret, my fatherwill scold, my little sister will cry, and some harm will surely cometo me if I do not find it. "

"I'll go seek it, " said Flitting Butterfly. "I will find your goldencomb, have no fear. "

So she looked and she looked and she looked, but no comb could she find. 

Just then along came Wrinkled Brown Toad. 

"Oo-o-o-o! You ugly thing! Out of my sight!" cried Lesa. "I havetrouble enough without you! I have lost my comb, my golden comb! Noone can find it! Oh, what shall I do?"

"I'll go seek it, " croaked Wrinkled Brown Toad. "I will find yourgolden comb, have no fear. "

"You find my comb!" cried Lesa. "If Rollicking Robin and Busy Bee andFleet-footed Field Mouse and Chirping Cricket and Gliding Brown Snakeand Cunning Black Ant and Flitting Butterfly cannot help me, how cansuch a stupid, ugly, hobbling thing as you find my golden comb? Beoff! Get out of my sight!"

Poor Wrinkled Brown Toad hopped away and Lesa was left alone. "Oh, what shall I do? What shall I do?" she cried. "Oh, my comb, my goldencomb! Some harm will surely come to me if I do not find it!" And, throwing herself upon the ground, Lesa sobbed as if her heart wouldbreak. 

For a long time this forlorn little girl lay with her face buried inthe moss and leaves. Suddenly she heard a strange noise behind her. She sprang to her feet and, turning, saw coming toward her with greatflying leaps--whom do you suppose? Yes, it was Wrinkled Brown Toadagain. And what do you suppose he held in his ugly jaws? Yes, it wasLesa's golden comb. 

"Oh, there it is! There it is! Oh, I'm so glad, so glad!" cried Lesa. "Oh, thank you! Thank you! Where did you find it? I'm sorry I wascross! I'm sorry I called you stupid and ugly and hobbling! You havebright eyes. I did not notice them before. Yes, they are reallybeautiful, all golden like my comb. "

And Lesa bent and stroked Wrinkled Brown Toad on his ugly head; and, ever after that, they were friends. 

BILLY BOBTAIL. 

Once upon a time a little boy named Billy Bobtail went to seek hisfortune; and on the road he met a bull. 

"Moo, moo, moo!" said the bull. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. 

"May I go, too?" said the bull. 

"No, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Yes, I will, " said the bull. 

"Well, then, come along, " said Billy Bobtail. 

So the bull followed on after Billy Bobtail. 

They went along a little way farther, and met a goat. 

"Baa, baa, baa!" said the goat. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. 

"May I go, too?" said the goat. 

"No, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Yes, I will, " said the goat. 

"Well, then, come along, " said Billy Bobtail. 

So the goat followed on after Billy Bobtail. 

They went along a little way farther and met a sheep. 

"Maa, maa, maa!" said the sheep. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. 

"May I go, too?" said the sheep. 

"No, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Yes, I will, " said the sheep. 

"Well, then, come along, " said Billy Bobtail. 

So the sheep followed on after Billy Bobtail. 

They went along a little way farther and met a pig. 

"Wee, wee, wee!" said the pig. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. 

"May I go, too?" said the pig. 

"No, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Yes, I will, " said the pig. 

"Well, then, come along, " said Billy Bobtail. 

So the pig followed on after Billy Bobtail. 

They went along a little way farther and met a dog. 

"Bow, wow, wow!" said the dog. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. 

"May I go, too?" said the dog. 

"No, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Yes, I will, " said the dog. 

"Well, then, come along, " said Billy Bobtail. 

So the dog followed on after Billy Bobtail. 

They went along a little way farther and met a cat. 

"Meow, meow, meow!" said the cat. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. 

"May I go, too?" said the cat. 

"No, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Yes, I will, " said the cat. 

"Well, then, come along, " said Billy Bobtail. 

So the cat followed on after Billy Bobtail. 

They went along a little way farther and met a turkey. 

"Gobble, gobble, gobble!" said the turkey. "Where are you going, BillyBobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. 

"May I go, too?" said the turkey. 

"No, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Yes, I will, " said the turkey. 

"Well, then, come along, " said Billy Bobtail. 

So the turkey followed on after Billy Bobtail. 

They went along a little way farther and met a rooster. 

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" said the rooster. "Where are you going, BillyBobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. 

"May I go, too?" said the rooster. 

"No, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Yes, I will, " said the rooster. 

"Well, then, come along, " said Billy Bobtail. 

So the rooster followed on after Billy Bobtail. 

They went along a little way farther and met a hen. 

"Cut-cut-cut-cut-ka-dat-cut!" said the hen. "Where are you going, Billy Bobtail?"

"Oh, I'm going to seek my fortune!" said Billy Bobtail. 

"May I go, too?" said the hen. 

"No, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Yes, I will, " said the hen. 

"Well, then, come along, " said Billy Bobtail. 

So the hen followed on after Billy Bobtail. And there theywere, --first Billy Bobtail and then the bull and then the goat and thenthe sheep and then the pig and then the dog and then the cat and thenthe turkey and then the rooster and then the hen, --all following onafter Billy Bobtail. On and on they walked. All day long theytraveled; and, just as it began to grow dark, they came to a deep, deepwood. It looked so dark that Billy Bobtail almost felt afraid. "Nevermind!" said he, "if anything tries to hurt us, I can whistle and throwstones. "

"And I can bellow and hook, " said the bull. 

"And I can butt and bleat, " said the goat. 

"And I can butt and bleat, " said the sheep. 

"And I can squeal and bite, " said the pig. 

"And I can bark and bite, " said the dog. 

"And I can mew and scratch, " said the cat. 

"And I can gobble, " said the turkey. 

"And I can crow, " said the rooster. 

"And I can cackle, " said the hen. 

"Very well, " said Billy Bobtail; "I think we shall be quite safe. "

So on they went through the wood; but suddenly they heard a crashingand trampling in the underbrush and then a savage growl, as of somegreat wild creature about to rush upon them. 

Billy Bobtail began to whistle and throw stones. 

The bull began to bellow. 

The goat began to bleat. 

The sheep began to bleat. 

The pig began to squeal. 

The dog began to bark. 

The cat began to mew. 

The turkey began to gobble. 

The rooster began to crow. 

The hen began to cackle. 

And they all made such a noise that the creature, whoever he was, wasso frightened that he ran away as fast as his legs could carry him, never even once stopping to look back. 

Soon Billy Bobtail and his friends came to a clearing--a place in thewood where the trees had all been cut away. Right in the middle ofthis clearing stood a little house. 

"What a fine place for us to stay in all night, " said Billy Bobtail, for it was now almost dark. 

"But suppose the people are not friendly?" said the bull, thinking ofthe savage creature that they had just frightened away. 

"I will go and peep in at the window and find out, " said the cat. "Ican walk softly on my four cushions, and with my green eyes I can seein the dark. "

So the cat crept to the window of the little house, and peeped in. Soon she came back and said, "There is no one at home, and it does notlook as if anyone had lived here for a long, long time. "

When Billy Bobtail and his friends went inside the little house theyfound it very comfortable. 

"Hurrah! I shall sleep in the bed, " said Billy Bobtail. 

"Bow, wow, wow! I shall sleep under the bed, " said the dog, "and guardmy master. "

"Wee, wee!" said the pig, "I shall sleep in the oven where it is niceand warm. "

"Gobble, gobble, gobble!" "Cock-a-doodle-doo!""Cut-cut-cut-cut-ka-dat-cut!" cried the turkey, the rooster, and thehen all together, "we shall roost high up on the mantelshelf. "

"Baa!" said the goat, "I shall sleep on the front doorstone and keepguard. "

"Maa, maa! I shall sleep just inside the front door and help to keepguard, " said the sheep. 

"Moo, moo, moo!" called the bull, "the wood shed is the place for me. "

"Meow, meow, meow!" cried the cat, "I do not care about sleeping in thenight. I shall keep watch that no harm comes nigh. "

They had a good night's rest. When morning came and Billy Bobtail sawwhat a cozy house it was and that there was a fine garden too, he said, "This is my fortune. I'm not going any farther to seek it!"

So Billy Bobtail and his friends lived safely in the little house inthe clearing for many years, and were very, very happy. 

KID WOULD NOT GO. 

One day as I was going across London Bridge I found a penny and boughta kid. Kid would not go. 

 "See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

I went along a little farther and met a staff. 

 "Staff, staff, beat kid! Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

But the staff would not. 

I went along a little way farther and met a hatchet. 

 "Hatchet, hatchet, hack staff! Staff will not beat kid. Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

But the hatchet would not. 

I went along a little way farther and met some fire. 

 "Fire, fire, burn hatchet! Hatchet will not hack staff. Staff will not beat kid. Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

But the fire would not. 

I went along a little way farther and met some water. 

 "Water, water, quench fire! Fire will not burn hatchet. Hatchet will not hack staff. Staff will not beat kid. Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

But the water would not. 

I went along a little way farther and met an ox. 

 "Ox, ox, drink water! Water will not quench fire. Fire will not burn hatchet. Hatchet will not hack staff. Staff will not beat kid. Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

But the ox would not. 

I went along a little way farther and met a rope. 

 "Rope, rope, hang ox! Ox will not drink water. Water will not quench fire. Fire will not burn hatchet. Hatchet will not hack staff. Staff will not beat kid. Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

But the rope would not. 

I went along a little way farther and met some grease. 

 "Grease, grease, grease rope! Rope will not hang ox. Ox will not drink water. Water will not quench fire. Fire will not burn hatchet. Hatchet will not hack staff. Staff will not beat kid. Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight, Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

But the grease would not. 

I went along a little way farther and met a rat. 

 "Rat, rat, gnaw grease! Grease will not grease rope. Rope will not hang ox. Ox will not drink water. Water will not quench fire. Fire will not burn hatchet. Hatchet will not hack staff. Staff will not beat kid. Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

But the rat would not. 

I went along a little way farther and met a cat. 

 "Cat, cat, catch rat! Rat will not gnaw grease. Grease will not grease rope. Rope will not hang ox. Ox will not drink water. Water will not quench fire. Fire will not burn hatchet. Hatchet will not hack staff. Staff will not beat kid. Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

But the cat would not. 

I went along a little way farther and met a dog. 

 "Dog, dog, bite cat! Cat will not catch rat. Rat will not gnaw grease. Grease will not grease rope. Rope will not hang ox. Ox will not drink water. Water will not quench fire. Fire will not burn hatchet. Hatchet will not hack staff. Staff will not beat kid. Kid will not go. See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Time kid and I were home an hour and a half ago. "

 The dog began to bite the cat. The cat began to catch the rat. The rat began to gnaw the grease. The grease began to grease the rope. The rope began to hang the ox. The ox began to drink the water. The water began to quench the fire. The fire began to burn the hatchet. The hatchet began to hack the staff. The staff began to beat the kid. The kid began to go. "See, by the moonlight, it is almost midnight. Kid and I got home an hour and a half ago. "

FOX LOX. 

Once upon a time hungry Fox Lox was prowling about under a great treeon the hillside, when a chestnut burr fell thump upon his head. "Ah!"said cunning Fox Lox, "by this I will get a fine dinner. " Just thenalong came Chicker Ricker. 

"Oh, run down hill with me where you will be quite safe, ChickerRicker, " cried Fox Lox, "for the sky is surely tumbling down!"

"Who told you, Fox Lox?"

"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown!"

"Then I will run down hill with you, " cried Chicker Ricker. 

So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Hen Ren. 

"The sky is tumbling down, Hen Ren!" cried Chicker Ricker. 

"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?"

"Oh, Fox Lox!"

"Who told you, Fox Lox?"

"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Rundown hill with me where you will be quite safe, " said Fox Lox. 

"That I will!" cried Hen Ren. 

So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Cock Lock. 

"The sky is tumbling down, Cock Lock!" cried Hen Ren. 

"Who told you, Hen Ren?"

"Oh, Chicker Ricker!"

"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?"

"Oh, Fox Lox!"

"Who told you, Fox Lox?"

"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Rundown hill with me where you will be quite safe, " said Fox Lox. 

"That I will!" cried Cock Lock. 

So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Duck Luck. 

"The sky is tumbling down, Duck Luck!" cried Cock Lock. 

"Who told you, Cock Lock?"

"Oh, Hen Ren!"

"Who told you, Hen Ren?"

"Oh, Chicker Ricker!"

"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?"

"Oh, Fox Lox!"

"Who told you, Fox Lox?"

"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Rundown hill with me where you will be quite safe, " said Fox Lox. 

"That I will!" cried Duck Luck. 

So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Drake Lake. 

"The sky is tumbling down, Drake Lake!" cried Duck Luck. 

"Who told you, Duck Luck?"

"Oh, Cock Lock!"

"Who told you, Cock Lock?"

"Oh, Hen Ren!"

"Who told you, Hen Ren?"

"Oh, Chicker Ricker!"

"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?"

"Oh, Fox Lox!"

"Who told you, Fox Lox?"

"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Rundown hill with me where you will be quite safe, " said Fox Lox. 

"That I will!" cried Drake Lake. 

So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Goose Loose. 

"The sky is tumbling down, Goose Loose!" cried Drake Lake. 

"Who told you, Drake Lake?"

"Oh, Duck Luck!"

"Who told you, Duck Luck?"

"Oh, Cock Lock!"

"Who told you, Cock Lock?"

"Oh, Hen Ren!"

"Who told you, Hen Ren?"

"Oh, Chicker Ricker!"

"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?"

"Oh, Fox Lox!"

"Who told you, Fox Lox?"

"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Rundown hill with me where you will be quite safe, " said Fox Lox. 

"That I will!" cried Goose Loose. 

So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Gander Lander. 

"The sky is tumbling down, Gander Lander!" cried Goose Loose. 

"Who told you, Goose Loose?"

"Oh, Drake Lake!"

"Who told you, Drake Lake?"

"Oh, Duck Luck!"

"Who told you, Duck Luck?"

"Oh, Cock Lock!"

"Who told you, Cock Lock?"

"Oh, Hen Ren!"

"Who told you, Hen Ren?"

"Oh, Chicker Ricker!"

"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?"

"Oh, Fox Lox!"

"Who told you, Fox Lox?"

"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Rundown hill with me where you will be quite safe, " said Fox Lox. 

"That I will!" cried Gander Lander. 

So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Turk Lurk. 

"The sky is tumbling down, Turk Lurk!" cried Gander Lander. 

"Who told you, Gander Lander?"

"Oh, Goose Loose!"

"Who told you, Goose Loose?"

"Oh, Drake Lake!"

"Who told you, Drake Lake?"

"Oh, Duck Luck!"

"Who told you, Duck Luck?"

"Oh, Cock Lock!"

"Who told you, Cock Lock?"

"Oh, Hen Ren!"

"Who told you, Hen Ren?"

"Oh, Chicker Ricker!"

"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?"

"Oh, Fox Lox!"

"Who told you, Fox Lox?"

"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Rundown hill with me where you will be quite safe, " said Fox Lox. 

"That I will!" cried Turk Lurk. 

So they ran and they ran and they ran. Soon they met Dove Love. 

"The sky is tumbling down, Dove Love!" cried Turk Lurk. 

"Who told you, Turk Lurk?"

"Oh, Gander Lander!"

"Who told you, Gander Lander?"

"Oh, Goose Loose!"

"Who told you, Goose Loose?"

"Oh, Drake Lake!"

"Who told you, Drake Lake?"

"Oh, Duck Luck!"

"Who told you, Duck Luck?"

"Oh, Cock Lock!"

"Who told you, Cock Lock?"

"Oh, Hen Ren!"

"Who told you, Hen Ren?"

"Oh, Chicker Ricker!"

"Who told you, Chicker Ricker?"

"Oh, Fox Lox!"

"Who told you, Fox Lox?"

"Oh, I heard it and I felt it and it came thump upon my crown! Rundown hill with me where you will be quite safe, " said Fox Lox. 

"That I will!" cried Dove Love. 

So they ran and they ran and they ran; and when Chicker Ricker and HenRen and Cock Lock and Duck Luck and Drake Lake and Goose Loose andGander Lander and Turk Lurk and Dove Love reached the bottom of thehill, they were going so fast that they could not stop and they ranstraight into Fox Lox's hole. 

"Now I have you! Now I have you!" cried Fox Lox. And he gobbled themall up. 

THE WEE, WEE WOMAN. 

Once upon a time there was a wee, wee woman who lived all alone in awee, wee house. 

One night this wee, wee woman lighted her wee, wee candle, crept softlyup her wee, wee stairs, got into her wee, wee bed, and fell fastasleep. Soon this wee, wee woman was awakened by a noise. She jumpedout of her wee, wee bed, lighted her wee, wee candle and looked behindher wee, wee door, but there was nothing there. Then she looked underher wee, wee bed, but there was nothing there. 

So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, crept softly down her wee, wee stairs and, when she reached the roombelow, she looked under her wee, wee chair, but there was nothingthere. Then she looked into her wee, wee cupboard, but there wasnothing there. Then she looked behind her wee, wee stove, but therewas nothing there. Then she looked under her wee, wee table, but therewas nothing there. 

So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, crept softly up her wee, wee stairs, got into her wee, wee bed and fellfast asleep. Soon this wee, wee woman was awakened by a noise. Shejumped out of her wee, wee bed, lighted her wee, wee candle and lookedbehind, her wee, wee door, but there was nothing there. Then shelooked under her wee, wee bed, but there was nothing there. 

So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, crept softly down her wee, wee stairs, and, when she reached the roombelow, she looked under her wee, wee chair, but there was nothingthere. Then she looked into her wee, wee cupboard, but there wasnothing there. Then she looked behind her wee, wee stove, but therewas nothing there. Then she looked under her wee, wee table, but therewas nothing there. 

So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, crept softly up her wee, wee stairs, got into her wee, wee bed and fellfast asleep. Soon this wee, wee woman was awakened by a noise. Shejumped out of her wee, wee bed, lighted her wee, wee candle and lookedbehind her wee, wee door, but there was nothing there. Then she lookedunder her wee, wee bed, but there was nothing there. 

So this wee, wee woman took her wee, wee candle in her wee, wee hand, crept softly down her wee, wee stairs, and, when she reached the roombelow, she looked under her wee, wee chair, but there was nothingthere. Then she looked into her wee, wee cupboard, but there wasnothing there. Then she looked behind her wee, wee stove, but therewas nothing there. Then she looked under her wee, wee table and outjumped--BOO!!!

THE LITTLE LONG TAIL. 

 As a cat and a mouse ran over a rail The cat bit off the mouse's tail. 

The little mouse cried, "Cat, Cat, give back my little long tail again!"

"That I will if you'll give me milk!" said Cat. 

The little mouse ran to Cow and cried, "Cow, Cow, give me milk, that Imay give Cat milk, that Cat may give back my little long tail again!"

"That I will if you'll give me hay!" said Cow. 

The little mouse ran to Barn and cried, "Barn, Barn, give me hay, thatI may give Cow hay, that Cow may give me milk, that I may give Catmilk, that Cat may give back my little long tail again!"

"That I will if you'll give me key!" said Barn. 

The little mouse ran to Smith and cried, "Smith, Smith, give me key, that I may give Barn key, that Barn may give me hay, that I may giveCow hay, that Cow may give me milk, that I may give Cat milk, that Catmay give back my little long tail again!"

"That I will if you'll give me coal!" said Smith. 

The little mouse ran to Miner and cried, "Miner, Miner, give me coal, that I may give Smith coal, that Smith may give me key, that I may giveBarn key, that Barn may give me hay, that I may give Cow hay, that Cowmay give me milk, that I may give Cat milk, that Cat may give back mylittle long tail again!"

"That I will!" cried Miner, and he gave the mouse coal. The mouse gaveSmith coal and Smith gave him key. The mouse gave Barn key and Barngave him hay. The mouse gave Cow hay and Cow gave him milk. The mousegave Cat milk and Cat gave back his little long tail again. 

THE BROWNIES. 

ADAPTED FROM MRS. EWING. 

Such wonderful stories as grandmother told Johnnie and Tommy! Storiesof ghosts and hob-goblins, of dwarfs and fairies; and once she toldthem about a brownie that was said to have lived in their own family, long ago, --a brownie who did all manner of wonderful and useful things. He was a little fellow no larger than Tommy, she said, but very activeand very shy. He slept by the kitchen fire, and no one ever saw him;but, early in the morning, when all the family were in their beds, thisbrownie would get up, sweep the room, build the fire, spread the table, milk the cow, churn the cream, bring the water, scrub and dust, untilthere was not a speck of dirt anywhere to be seen. 

The children liked this story very much, and oh! how they did wish sucha brownie would come to live in their house now! Over and over againthey said: "Was there really and truly a brownie, grandmother, and didhe really help all the people as you say? How we wish he would comeback again! Why, he could mind the baby and tidy the room and bring inthe wood and wait on you, grandmother! Can't we do something to gethim back again?"

"I don't know, my dears, " said the grandmother; "but they used to say, in my young days, that if one set a bowl of bread and milk or even apan of clear water for him over night he would be sure to come, andwould do all the work just for that. "

"Oh! let us try it!" said both the boys; and one ran to get a pan, andthe other to fetch fresh water from the well, for they knew, poorhungry lads, that there was no bread or milk in the house. Theirfather, who was a poor tailor, could scarcely earn money enough to buyfood for them all. His wife had died when the baby was born and hecould not make as many coats as before, for he must now do all the workof the house. Johnnie and Tommy were idle and lazy and too thoughtlessto help their father, although they were fine grown lads of five andseven. 

One night Tommy had a wonderful dream. He thought he went down in themeadow by the old mill pond, and there he saw an owl who shook herfeathers, rolled her great eyes, and called: "Tuwhit, tuwhoo! Tuwhoo, whoo-o-o-o! Tommy, what are you doing way down here this time ofnight?"

"Please, I came to find the brownies, " said Tommy; "can you tell mewhere they live, ma'am?"

"Tuwhoo, tuwhoo!" screamed the old owl; "so it's the brownies you areafter, is it? Tuwhoo, tuwhoo! Go look in the mill pond. Tuwhoo, tuwhoo! Go look in the water at midnight, and you'll see one. By thelight of the moon a brownie you'll see, to be sure, but such a lazyone! Tuwhoo, tuwhoo!" screamed the old owl; and, flapping her wings, she went sailing away in the moonlight. 

"The mill pond, at midnight, by moonlight, " thought Tommy. What couldthe old owl mean? It was midnight then, and moonlight, too; and therehe was right down by the water. "Silly old thing, " said Tommy, "brownies don't live in the water. " But for all that Tommy went to thebank and peeped in. The moon was shining as bright as day; and what doyou suppose he saw? Why, just a picture of himself in the water, andthat was all. "Humph! I'm no brownie, " said he to himself; but thelonger he looked the harder he thought. At last he said:

"Am I a brownie? Perhaps I am one, after all. Grandmother said theyare about as large as I, and the old owl said that I would see a verylazy one if I looked in the water. Am I lazy? That must be what shemeant. I am the brownie myself. " The longer he thought about it thesurer he was that he must be a brownie. "Why, " he said, "if I am one, Johnnie must be another; then there are two of us. I'll go home andtell Johnnie all about it. "

Off he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, and just as he wascalling, "Johnnie, Johnnie! We are brownies! The old owl told me!" hefound himself wide awake, sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes, whileJohnnie lay fast asleep by his side. The first faint rays of morninglight were just creeping in at their chamber window. "Johnnie, Johnnie, wake up! I have something to tell you!"

After telling his brother all about his strange dream, Tommy said: "Letus play we really are brownies, John, even if we are not; it will besuch fun for once to surprise father and grandmother. We will keep outof sight and tell about it afterwards. Oh, do come! It will be suchfun!"

So these two brownies put on their clothes in a great hurry and creptsoftly down to the kitchen, where at first there seemed enough work fora dozen brownies to do. Tommy built up a blazing fire, and, while thekettle was boiling, swept the untidy floor, while Johnnie dusted, placed his grandmother's chair, got the cradle ready for the baby andspread the table. Just as everything was in order they heard theirfather's footstep on the stairs. "Run!" whispered Tommy, "or he willsee us. " So the boys scampered away to their bed in the loft andpretended to be fast asleep when their father called them to breakfast. 

The poor tailor was fairly beside himself with delight andastonishment, and believed that the brownie he had heard so much aboutin his childhood had really come back again. The old grandmother wasdelighted, too, and said: "What did I tell you, son Thomas? I alwaysknew there were real brownies. "

Although being brownies was fun for the boys, it was hard work, too, and they sometimes thought they would leave off; but then they wouldthink of their hard-working father and would grow quite ashamed. Things were so much better at home than they used to be. The tailornever scolded now, the grandmother was more cheerful than of old, thebaby was less fretful, the house was always tidy; and because thetailor had more time for his work, now that the brownies helped, hecould make more coats and could get more money, and the boys did not gohungry to bed as they used to do; but there was always bread and milkenough, and a great bowlful to spare that they set each night for thebrownie. 

At last the tailor said, "I am going to do something for that brownie. He has done so much for us all. " So he cut and stitched the neatestlittle coat you ever saw; for he said: "I have always heard that abrownie's clothes are ragged, so our brownie will need this, I know. "When the coat was done it just fitted Tommy and was very fine to see, all stitched with gold thread and covered with brave brass buttons. 

That night the little coat was placed by the bowl of milk set for thebrownie and, when the early morning came, the tailor was awakened bythe sound of laughter and scuffling in the kitchen. "It's thebrownie, " thought he; and getting out of bed he crept softly down thestairs. 

But when he reached the kitchen, instead of the brownie, he saw Johnnieand Tommy sweeping and making the fire and dusting and setting thetable. Tommy had put on the coat that the tailor had made for thebrownie, and was skipping about in it laughing and calling to Johnnieto see how fine he looked, but saying: "I wish he had made it to fityou, John. "

"Boys, what does all this mean?" cried the tailor. "Tommy, why haveyou put on that coat?"

When the boys saw their father they ran to him and tried to tell himall about it. "There is no brownie, father, " they cried, "but we havedone the work. And O father! we are sorry that we were lazy and idleso long; but we mean to be brownies now, real brownies, and help youtill we grow to be big men. " The poor tailor was so happy that he knewnot what to say, and there were tears in his eyes as he kissed eachlittle son. 

Tommy and Johnnie kept their promise and continued being brownies untilthey went away to homes of their own. But their little sister grew tobe the best brownie of all; and she kept her father's house so brightand clean with mop and brush and broom and dustpan that not a speck ofdirt was anywhere to be seen. 

THE FAIRY SHOES. 

ADAPTED FROM MRS. EWING. 

Once upon a time a baby boy was born in a little brown house, far awayin a country village, and everybody was invited to his christening andeverybody was glad to come. 

Now the baby's mother had a fairy godmother of whom she was very fond. This fairy was rich and all the people said, "Surely she will bring apresent to the baby on his christening-day, that is worth a great dealof money. " But, at last when the time came, what do you suppose shereally brought?--a pair of stout little leather shoes with copper toes. 

In spite of the disappointment at the fairy's present the festivitieswent merrily on and, when the party was over and the fairy bade hergod-daughter good-bye, she said: "My little present is not quite asshabby as it looks. Those shoes will never wear out and, besides, thelittle feet that have them on can never go wrong. When your baby hasgrown large enough to wear those shoes, if you send him on an errand, and tell him to come back quickly, and he forgets and stops to play, those little shoes will help him to remember by pinching his feet andpulling and twitching at his ankles until he will be glad to go onagain. They will remind him to go straight to school and to comestraight home again as you have bidden him. Indeed, wherever he issent he will be quite sure to go, and he will come back again at justthe right moment and, by the time his feet have grown too large to wearthe little shoes, he will no longer need their help. "

Days passed by, months passed by. The boy was no longer a baby, buthad grown large enough to wear the fairy's shoes and, just as she hadsaid, they always helped him to go the right way. 

Months sped and years sped and another baby boy came to stay in thelittle brown house, and then another and another and another, until themother had nine boys. Each one in turn wore the little shoes and, justas the fairy had said, they never wore out. At last they descended tothe ninth and youngest boy and became Timothy's shoes. 

Now the eighth little boy had rather small feet and had worn the shoeslonger than the others, besides Timothy was the baby and, for onereason and another like these, his mother hated to put the rough littleshoes upon him. For a long time Timothy had gone his own way, whichwas rarely the right way. At last he played truant from school sooften and was late to dinner so many times, that his mother said shecould bear it no longer, he must wear the fairy shoes. So she had themfreshly blackened and the copper tips newly polished and, one morning, she brought them out and told Timothy to put them on. 

"Now, Tim dear, " she said, "go straight to school this morning. If youdon't these little shoes will pinch your feet terribly. "

But Timothy did not mind. It was a bright, sunny morning in May and, if he had loitered on the way when the cold March winds blew up hisjacket sleeves and made him shiver, and when the snow lay in greatdrifts by the roadside, how could he help wishing to linger now whenevery bush held a bird and every bank a flower?

Once or twice Timothy stopped to pick spring flowers, but the shoespinched his feet and he ran on again. At last he reached the bankoverlooking the swamp and, gazing down, he saw great clumps ofcowslips, with their dark green leaves and crowns of beautiful yellowflowers. 

Then Timothy forgot all about school, forgot what his mother had said, forgot the shoes and their pinches and thought only of the cowslips. Oh, he must have some!

In a moment away went his satchel on the grass and away went theflowers he had picked and he began scrambling down the bank toward theswamp as fast as he could go. But the little shoes, they meant to goanother way. They meant to go to school and they pinched Timothy'sfeet and pulled and twitched at his ankles, trying to make him turnabout and go in the right way, until he thought his feet would bewrenched off. Timothy was very determined, the harder the little shoespinched the more he was bound to have the bright yellow flowers; so, inspite of the pain, he kept on going down toward the swamp. 

When at last this little boy reached the foot of the bank and came tothe edge of the swamp he found that the cowslips were all out of reach. Still he would have them. Round and round the swamp he went, the shoespinching and pulling harder at every step, till at last he grew quitedesperate and, giving a big jump, he landed right out in the swamp inthe very middle of a large clump of the flowers. Then somethingstrange happened, his feet sank down, down into the mud and water untilthe little shoes were soaked right off. Poor, wayward Timothy's bestfriends were gone, but he did not know that. He just waded around inthe swamp and picked cowslips to his heart's content. 

At last, however, Timothy grew very tired. He hurt his foot on a sharpstick. A great green frog jumped into his face and startled him. Hehad more flowers than he could carry. Suddenly he remembered schooland his lost shoes and thought of what his mother had told him. Oh!how he did wish now that he had done just as she asked him to do. 

"What shall I say to the teacher?" he thought. "Oh, what shall I do?How I wish I had gone straight to school as the little shoes tried tohave me go!"

Weary and sad Timothy climbed the bank. Wiping the mud from hisclothes with his handkerchief and taking his satchel, he started slowlyfor school again, all the time wondering what he should say to theteacher about being late. At last he reached the door and prepared totiptoe quietly in, but he had no sooner put his head inside andcommenced to make an excuse than all the children began to laugh. Timothy was very much ashamed. He looked to find, what they werelaughing at and saw--What do you suppose he saw? Standing in themiddle of the floor, in the place in the class where he himself shouldhave stood, were his little shoes, very muddy indeed and with a cowslipin each one of them. 

"You have been in the swamp, Timothy, " said the teacher. "Put on yourshoes. "

When his lessons and his punishment were over, Timothy was very glad tolet the little shoes take him quickly home. And always after that hetried to do what his mother and the little shoes wished him to do. 

PICCIOLA. 

ADAPTED FROM "SAINTINE. "

Long, long ago a good man was thrown into prison by a great king. Theprison was dark and cold and still; for the gray stone walls and thestone roof and floor shut out the sunlight and all the beautiful sightsand sounds of the world. There was no one for the man to talk to, andthere was no work for him to do. There was one little window to let inthe air, but it was so high up beyond his reach that he could not evenget a glimpse of the blue sky. Here he was kept for weeks and monthsand years, and was not allowed to know anything about his family, friends or home. At last a door was opened into another part of theprison. The walls of this part were high and strong, and the floor waspaved with the same great, gray stones, but there was no roof overhead. Here the wind could come in and the rain and the sunlight. He wasallowed to walk here just for one short hour each day, and then he hadto go back to his dark cell and the door was shut upon him. 

Once while walking here the prisoner saw a little mound of earth risingbetween two of the great stones of the floor. At first he thought thatsome tiny worm or insect was trying to build a house for itself. Looking closer he saw that it was only the home of a little plant. Thestray seed had been brought by the wind, and it was now sending itsroots down into the crevice between the stones. "Poor little plant!"said the prisoner, "what a sad home you have found! Shall I not crushyou? No! Perhaps you have come to comfort me in this terrible place. "Hurrying to his cell, he brought his cup of precious water. "Drink!little one, " he cried, as he poured the water out around it. "Drink!and lift up your head. "

The next day he watched it again and watered it, and the next day, andthe next. How bravely it seemed to struggle to push its head up andits roots down, to open its leaves and to catch, the dull light. Atlast the little plant became a dear friend and companion to the man. He would bend over it the whole hour each day and talk softly to it. He called it Picciola, --his Picciola, --his little one, and as the plantgrew and put on new beauty he forgot his wrongs and his heart wasfilled with love and gentleness. 

Once there was a storm, and great hailstones beat down upon Picciola. "Ah, my poor little one will be killed!" cried the prisoner. And hebent over her and sheltered her and the cruel hail fell upon his ownhead until the storm was past. Fearing that other storms might comewhen he was shut away from her, he built a little house around her withthe wood that was given him to keep him warm, and made a roof over herwith a mat which he wove from the straw of his own bed. This made himhappy; for, though he could be with his Picciola for but one short houreach day, he felt that she was safe. So the little plant grew andgrew, and opened her flowers and sent out her perfume to make glad theheart of her lonely friend. 

But, alas! the day came when Picciola began to droop and wither. Sheseemed about to die. The poor prisoner was frantic with grief andcried, "Is my little one, my joy, my hope, the only thing for which Ilive, to be taken from me?" Searching, he found that as Picciola hadgrown taller her stem had had grown larger, and now there was not roomenough for it in the crevice between the stones. Her sap, --her lifeblood, --was running away, as the rough edges of the stones cut into herdelicate stem. Nothing could save her but to lift those cruel stones. The prisoner tore at them with his weak hands. Weeping, he begged thejailer to raise them, but the jailer could do nothing. No one but theking could cause them to be lifted. But how could the prisoner ask theking? The king was far away. The prisoner must send a letter to him, but he had no pen, ink or paper; so he wrote on his handkerchief with abit of charred wood and begged, not for his own life, but for the lifeof Picciola, --that the king would cause the stones that were killingher to be raised. 

When the king read the prisoner's letter he said, "No man who is reallywicked could care so much for a little, simple flower. I will not onlyhave the stones raised that are killing his Picciola, but I will pardonhim. He shall be free because of the love he bears his plant. "

So the prisoner left his lonely cell carrying with him hisPicciola, --his little one whom he had saved and who in turn had set himfree. 

CINDERELLA. 

The room was dark, the fire was out and a little girl sat crying allalone in the ashes. "I want to go to the party too!" she sobbed. "Iwant to dance and wear a pretty dress, but my dress is ragged. Mysisters have gone and left me. Nobody wants me. It's so dark here I'mafraid. Oh! I'm so cold. " The tears ran down the face of this forlornlittle girl and fell in the ashes at her feet. Poor child! Poorlittle maid! She had to wash and scrub and dust, while her sisters didnothing but wear pretty clothes and go to all the parties. They neverthought of taking her with them. She was only fit to blacken theirboots and to mend their dresses. Because her hands and her hair weresometimes gray and dusty from tending the fire and sweeping the hearth, they called her Cinderella. She had helped her sisters to dress thatvery night, smiling all the time, but now that they were gone, Cinderella could keep back the tears no longer. She was sobbing as ifher heart would break, when suddenly she heard a noise, the room wasfilled with light and, right in front of her stood a curious little oldwoman, with a long stick in her hand. She had pointed shoes on herfeet and a tassel in her cap. 

"You shall go to the party!" said the queer little creature, stampingher foot on the floor. "You have always been a good child. You haveas much right to go as your sisters. You shall go! and you shall weara pretty dress and ride in a fine carriage too, so dry your eyes, mydear, and bring me the biggest yellow pumpkin you can find in thegarden, " said the fairy; for this little old woman was really a fairy. 

The pumpkin was so large that Cinderella could hardly lift it. With anod of her pointed cap, the old woman touched it with her curious stickand a carriage, a wonderful carriage, stood in its place. Thecushion's were soft velvet ones, the windows were hung with curtains ofsilk and there were silver handles on both the doors. 

"Now quickly, " said the fairy, "bring me the traps from the cellar!"There were six little shivering mice in one trap and two plump grayrats in the other. "Open the doors!" said the old woman. As the sixmice crept slowly out she touched them, one at a time, with her longstick, which was really a fairy wand, and in a minute each little mousewas turned into a prancing gray horse that sprang to his place in frontof the carriage. Tap! Tap! went the wand, and the rats were nowhereto be seen. In their place stood two big, tall men with shiny boots ontheir feet and high hats on their heads. They jumped upon the box andone of them caught the reins in his hands. 

"Now one thing more, my dear, " said the fairy to Cinderella; "run intothe garden again and bring the six lizards you will find under a bigstone by the wall. " When the lizards were brought, the fairy touchedthem too and, in a twinkling, they jumped up from the ground and stoodbeside the carriage doors, three on one side and three on theother, --six little footmen, with six little green coats on their backsand six little red hats in their hands, all ready to help Cinderellainto her wonderful carriage. 

Another touch of the old woman's wand and Cinderella herself stooddressed in a gown as blue as the blue sky above and all covered fromtop to toe with shining silver stars. She was just going to step intothe carriage and drive away when, looking down, she saw that her feetwere quite bare, she had no shoes on. The fairy saw too. She smiledand took a pair of little slippers from her pocket. They were all madeof glass and they were such tiny, tiny slippers that, when Cinderellahad put them on, she looked the most beautiful maiden in the whole wideworld. "Take good care of them, my dear, " said the old woman. "If youwant to be happy be careful how you use those little shoes. Now go, child, but there is one thing you must remember, --when the clockstrikes twelve you must be at home again in this very room. If you arenot, all your beautiful things will vanish and you will be left alonejust a poor little, ragged cinder-maid. "

Cinderella promised to remember. She thanked the fairy and drovequickly away. At last she reached the big house where the Prince wasgiving the party. There was music and dancing in the great hall, butwhen Cinderella walked in, everybody stopped dancing and looked at her. They said, "What a pretty girl! Who is she? Where did she come from?She must be a princess to wear such wonderful clothes! She has on sucha fine dress, she must surely be a princess!" When the Prince saw her, he asked her to dance with him and, after that, he would dance with noone else. But Cinderella remembered what the fairy had told her and, just before midnight, she slipped away and was safe in the kitchen athome when the clock struck twelve. No one had seen her leave the greathall. No one had seen her drive away, but the Prince missed her themoment she was gone and had the great house searched from top tobottom, but not a trace of the pretty maiden could be found. 

On the second night of the great party all happened as on the first. Cinderella was made ready by the fairy and, when she reached the bighouse on the hill, the Prince ran to welcome her. He would dance withno one else as before and, when Cinderella vanished just before theclock struck twelve, he was so unhappy that no one could comfort him. 

Now the third and last night of the party had come. The Prince couldthink of nothing but the pretty maid. "I must know who she is andwhere she comes from, or I shall never be happy again. I will keepfast hold of her hand to-night. She shall not slip away this time asshe has always done before, " said the Prince. 

Never had Cinderella been as happy as on that evening, never had shedanced as well, never had the lights shone brighter or the musicsounded sweeter, never had the Prince been half as gay. Cinderelladanced on and on. She forgot the fairy, she forgot her promise, sheforgot the hour. The great clock in the hall ticked off the minutes. It was nearly twelve, still Cinderella danced on without a thought. The six gray horses pawed restlessly at the door. Louder and loudergrew the music, faster and faster flew the dancers, and the gayest ofthem all was Cinderella as she whirled by on the arm of the happyPrince. But, hark! What's that? Above the noise of the dancing, above the music and laughter, a sound is heard. It is the great clockstriking the hour of midnight. 

Cinderella heard at last, at last she remembered. She snatched herhand from the hand of the Prince. She rushed to the doorway, but shetripped upon the mat and one of her little glass slippers fell off. The Prince ran after her, but he stopped to pick up her slipper, andwhen he reached the gateway the beautiful lady was nowhere to be seen. All was dark and still, only a ragged beggar-maid, sobbing as if herheart would break, went quickly away into the night. Poor, poorCinderella! Her wonderful carriage had vanished, her beautiful dresswas gone, nothing was left her but one tiny glass slipper. She stoopedand taking it from her foot she put it carefully into the pocket of herragged dress, and walked barefoot all the way home alone in thedarkness. 

Time passed, the poor Prince could not sleep by night and could notrest by day for he had lost his beautiful lady. He had her littleslipper and that was his only comfort. At last he said, "Whoever canwear this slipper shall be my queen and queen of all my people. "

He took the precious slipper and he traveled far and near through allthe land. He stopped at every cottage and he stopped at every castleand he begged every maiden whom he met to try it on. But, alas! hefound no one with foot small enough to wear it. At last, one day, hestopped before the only house that, in all his kingdom, he had notvisited. Cinderella's sisters hurried to meet him for it was at theirdoor he stood. They tried and tried to crowd their great feet into thetiny slipper, but it was of no use. The Prince was turning sadly awaythinking, "I shall never see my beautiful lady again, " when he caughtsight of a face at the kitchen window. "Who is that?" he cried. "Oh, it is only Cinderella! a poor kitchen maid, " said the sisters. "Lether be brought! She too shall try the slipper!" said the Prince. "No!no! She is too ragged and dirty to be seen. Do you think that acinder-maid can wear your shoe when we cannot get it on?" But thePrince would have his way. 

When Cinderella was brought, her dainty little foot slid into the glassshoe as easily as though she had worn it all her life. She smiled andtook its mate from the pocket of her ragged dress. The Prince smiledtoo and, looking into Cinderella's face, he saw his long lost lady ofthe party. With a cry of joy he lifted her, all ragged as she was, upon his horse and the Prince and his chosen princess rode away. 

THE HUT IN THE FOREST. 

"Indra! Indra! Indra! Oh, Indra! Where are you?" called Carla andAlween. "Come, Indra, we are going home. Come, it will soon be dark. Hurry, or we shall lose our way. " But Indra did not answer. In hereagerness to find the biggest berries she had strayed away from hersisters. Now it was quite dark, and she could not find the path. Shecalled and called but heard nothing save the sound of her own voice. At last, just as she was thinking, "I will have to pass the night hereall alone in the wood, " she saw a light shining through the darkness. Following this light, Indra soon stood in front of a small house at thedoor of which she knocked. "Come in!" called a harsh voice. Steppinginside, the girl saw before her an old man whose beard was long, whosehair was white and whose back was bent almost double; while lying nearhim in front of the fire, were a cock, a hen and a brindled cow. 

"I have lost my way in the forest, " said Indra. "It is dark, I havenowhere to sleep and I am so hungry. Will you not give me something toeat and a bed to lie on?"

The old man looked at her for a long time with his sharp, gray eyesthen, turning to the animals by the fire, he said, --

 "My cock, my hen, My brindled cow, What say you now? What say you now?"

The cock, the hen, and the brindled cow all opened their mouths andcalled out together, --

 "Oh, let her stay! We'll not say nay. "

"Go into the kitchen and cook us some supper, " said the old man turningagain to Indra. The girl did as she was bidden. Soon a good meal wasready which she placed upon the table, but she gave nothing to theanimals and without speaking to them, or even so much as looking atthem, she sat down at the old man's side and ate heartily. 

"Now I am satisfied, " said Indra. "Show me where to sleep. " Theanimals said nothing. "Go into the room above and make ready the twobeds you will find there, then I will come and lie down and sleep also, for I am weary, " said the old man. 

Indra spread the two beds with fresh linen. Then without giving onethought to the hungry animals below, she laid herself down in one ofthe beds and fell fast asleep. 

When at last the old man climbed to the loft and saw Indra lying in adeep slumber, he looked sorrowfully at her for a long time. Thenshaking his head sadly and slowly, he opened a curious door beneath thebed on which the girl lay and let her down into the dark, undergroundcellar of the hut. 

That night there was trouble and sorrow for good Mother Grougans andfor Carla and Alween. As soon as daylight came they went forth tosearch for Sister Indra; but, though they scoured the forest far andwide, not a trace of her could be found, and at last they were forcedto give their dear one up as lost. 

Now as the two sisters Carla and Alween gathered berries in the forestone day not long after, Carla, in her eagerness to fill her pail withthe biggest berries, strayed away just as her sister Indra had done. Alween was forced to return home alone, and it happened with Carla justas it had with her elder sister. She followed the light that shonefrom the cottage window, knocked at the door, entered, and saw the oldman sitting and the animals lying by the fire. She too begged for foodand a bed in which to sleep. 

Turning to the animals the old man said, --

 "My cock, my hen, My brindled cow, What say you now? What say you now?"

The cock, the hen, and the brindled cow all opened their mouths andcalled out together, --

 "Oh, let her stay! We'll not say nay. "

Then the old man sent Carla to prepare supper. Just as her sister haddone, she cooked and ate and gave not so much as a glance or a thoughtto the hungry animals. "Now I am satisfied, " said Carla at last. "Show me where to sleep. " The animals said nothing, but the old mantold her to prepare the two beds in the loft. After spreading themwith fresh linen the girl laid herself down upon one of the beds andfell fast asleep. 

When the old man climbed to the loft and saw Carla lying in a soundslumber, he opened the curious door again and let her also down intothe cellar. 

Now when Carla failed to return home. Mother Grougans was lost ingrief and she forbade her youngest daughter, Alween, to go into thewood on any account whatsoever. And she said, "Shall I lose myyoungest and my dearest also?" But soon mother and daughter were bothso hungry that Alween was forced to go into the forbidden forest insearch of food. In her eagerness to get the largest and the sweetestberries for her mother, she too strayed away from the path, and allhappened with her as it had with her sisters. 

When Alween entered the hut and begged for food and shelter, the oldman turned to his animals and said, --

 "My cock, my hen, My brindled cow, What say you now? What say you now?"

The cock, the hen, and the brindled cow all opened their mouths andcalled out together, --

 "Oh, let her stay! We'll not say nay. "

Then Alween thanked the animals for their kindness and, going close tothem, she stroked the smooth feathers of the cock and the hen andpatted the brindled cow on the white star in her forehead. She madeready the supper and set it before the old man; but, before satisfyingher own hunger, she said, "The good animals are hungry too. I mustfirst get food for them. " So she placed a bundle of hay in front ofthe brindled cow and scattered wheat and barley for the cock and thehen and brought a fresh drink of water for all. Then she herself ateand was satisfied. 

That night Alween slept soundly in the loft of the little hut, but notbefore she had seen the old man tucked snugly into his bed and fastasleep. When she wakened, with the first rays of morning light, shethought, "I must dress quickly and get breakfast for the poor old manand feed the little cock and the little hen and the pretty brindledcow. " But when she opened her eyes she seemed to be no longer in theloft of the little old hut in the wood. Instead of its dingy walls shesaw before her a vast hall hung with cloth of gold and richembroideries, and light and sunshine and flowers were everywhere. "Iam surely dreaming, " said Alween. Pushing aside the rich silkencurtain of her bed, which also seemed a part of her dream, she thoughtto dress herself; but the poor ragged clothes she had put off the nightbefore were nowhere to be found. In their place lay costly garments ofsatin and velvet. 

"Oh, this is a dream, a dream!" thought the girl. She rubbed her eyesagain and again as she gazed at the rich curtains and the costlygarments and the splendid walls with their gay embroideries. Shecalled aloud. She ran to the old man's bed to see if he were stillasleep, --there in his place lay a stranger, young and handsome. 

"Oh, where is the little old hut in the forest and where is the poorold man? Oh, where is the little cock and the little hen and thepretty brindled cow and where, oh, where am I?" she cried. At this thestranger wakened and, sitting up in bed, he called softly: "Do not runaway. Alween! Alween! Come back! Come back! Do not be frightened. We are all here. I was the old man with the long white beard and myservants yonder were the cock, the hen and the brindled cow. You havesaved our lives. You have set us free. You have delivered us fromworse than death. I am a king's son, but I was bewitched by a wickedold fairy and forced, in the form of an old, old man, to live here in ahut in the forest all alone, except for my three servants, who weremade to take the form of a cock, of a hen, and of a brindled cow. Herewe were obliged to stay until some one came to us who showed love andkindness toward my animals as well as toward myself. You have savedus. You have set us free and this great palace and all within it isyours. "

And Alween married the king's son and they were very happy together formany, many years; but her sisters were forced to live lives of hardshipand poverty until their hearts had grown more kindly toward all livingcreatures. 

THE SLEEPING PRINCESS. 

Once, a long, long time ago, there lived a brave king and a beautifulqueen. They ruled the land wisely; they loved each other dearly, andthey would have been happy but for one thing--they had no children. 

At last there came a day of joy--a day that brought a little princessto the palace. The baby girl grew strong and rosy and the time for herchristening drew near. Then came twelve good fairy godmothers to eatfrom the king's twelve golden plates, to drink from his twelve goldengoblets and to bring twelve good wishes to his little daughter. 

Now thirteen fairies lived in the kingdom; but, as the king had onlytwelve golden plates and twelve golden goblets, the thirteenth fairywas not invited. This made her very angry and she cried, "I will go tothe christening! I will see the king's daughter and the king shall ruethe day on which he dared to slight me!"

They named the little princess Briar Rose. The first fairy godmothergave her beauty. The second gave happiness. "Wisdom is my gift, " saidnumber three. "Grace shall be hers, " cried four. "I give her wit, "said five. The sixth godmother gave sympathy. The seventh gavewealth. The eighth said, "The princess shall have courage and shall bestrong and brave. " Number nine cried, "Health is hers as long as evershe may live. " The tenth gave youth. "The Briar Rose shall love herpeople and she shall rule gently and where she goes joy shall go too, "said number eleven. The twelfth fairy opened her lips to wish longlife, when, just at that moment, the thirteenth fairy, who had not beeninvited, burst into the room. She pushed the good fairy aside and, before anyone could stop her, she cried out in a loud angry voice, "Theprincess shall prick her finger with a spindle, on her fifteenthbirthday, and shall die!" In a moment all was excitement. The jealousold fairy rushed from the palace, but the people dashed after her. "Drive the wicked witch from the kingdom! Burn every spindle in theland!" they cried. 

The twelfth fairy could not take away the bad wish, she could onlysoften it. "The princess shall not die, " she said, "but she shall fallinto a deep sleep that shall last for a hundred years. "

The jealous old fairy was driven far, far away. The king ordered thatevery spindle in the whole land be burned. Then every one was happyonce more, for now all thought that no harm could come near the littleBriar Rose. 

Day by day the princess grew more gentle and more beautiful and all whosaw her loved her. Years flew by, the bad wish of the jealous oldfairy was forgotten. All the people thought that some day the littleprincess would be their queen. She was a big girl now, almost a woman. At last her fifteenth birthday came and, to amuse herself upon thatvery morning, she went wandering about the old palace all alone. Shepeeped into unused rooms; she took curious old treasures into herhands; she walked through long halls; she ran up and down darkcorridors. 

At last the princess reached the topmost tower of the great palace. Here a flight of wooden steps led up to a little door that she hadnever before seen. The door was close shut, but a rusty key stood inthe lock. She sprang upon the stairs. She turned the rusty key. Thedoor swung slowly open and the princess saw that, in a far corner of adimly lighted room, sat a little, bent old woman. She was spinning. It was really the jealous old fairy, who had uttered the bad wish somany years ago, but the princess did not know this. 

"Good morrow, good mother, " she said. But the old woman kept onspinning. 

"Who are you and where did you come from?" cried the princess. But theold woman kept on spinning. 

"Why do you sit by yourself in this dark room? Have you no home? Haveyou no friends? Have you no fire to warm you, or light to cheer you?"But the old woman kept on spinning. 

At last, getting no answer to her questions, the little Briar Rosestepped across the threshold. She stood beside the old woman's chair, and, bending over it, called out in her sweet tones, "What is that Isee in your hand, good mother, which whirls about so merrily?" But theold woman only kept on spinning. 

"Let me take that curious thing, " said the princess, reaching out herhand for the spindle. 

Then for the first time the old woman lifted her ugly face. She rosequickly from her chair. She thrust the spindle into the girl's hand. She opened her wicked old lips. "Take it, " she croaked, "and may deathgo with it!"

Scarcely had the spindle touched the hand of the poor princess when atiny stream of blood flowed from her little finger and she fell into adeep, deep sleep. 

At that moment every one in the great palace fell fast asleep also. The king slept upon his golden throne; the queen slept in her royalparlor; the judges slept on the council benches. Fast asleep felllords and ladies of the court. Even the flies slept on the walls, andthe fires died down upon the palace hearths. The dogs slept in theirkennels, and the horses in their stalls. Outside the birds slept onthe branches, and the drowsy bees slept in the drooping flowers. Noteven a leaf stirred upon a single tree within the castle yard, but allwas quiet and as still as death. A hedge of thorn trees shot up aroundthe palace and, in a single night, the hedge grew so thick that not achink of light shone through it, and so tall that not even the tallestpalace spire could be seen above it. 

Years went by and Briar Rose was forgotten. No one living knew whatwas hidden behind the great hedge. Old tales were sometimes told of abeautiful princess who lay there asleep and, every now and then, a boldyoung prince would try to force his way through the hedge; but thethorns were so sharp that no one had ever caught so much as a glimpseeven of the old castle, in which this beautiful princess slept. 

At last there came a handsome prince, bolder than all the others, whocried, "I will break down this hedge! I will set this princess free!"Now it happened that that very day ended the long sleep of the BriarRose. All the hundred summers had just passed by. The wish had cometrue and it was now time for the beautiful princess to awake, but thebold prince did not know this. He drew his sword. He rushed upon thehedge, when, lo! the sharp thorns turned aside; the branches opened andthere before him stood the sleeping palace. 

He burst the gates. Not even a leaf stirred upon a single tree withinthe castle yard. Not a dog bayed in the kennels. Not a horse whinniedin the stalls. Not a bird sang in the branches. Not a bee droned inthe flowers. All was as still as death. He burst the palace doors. There slept the king upon his golden throne. There slept the queenwithin her royal parlor. There slept the judges on the councilbenches. There slept the lords and ladies of the court; but theprincess, the beautiful princess, where was she? He looked in all thesplendid rooms. He searched the halls and corridors but no princesscould he find. He climbed the winding stairway, --higher and higher uphe went, higher and yet higher still. At last he reached the littlechamber. Would he find her here? He turned the rusty key. The lowdoor opened. He entered. There before him lay--could it be she, thesleeping beauty? Her eyes were closed, but her cheeks were pink likethe wild roses at the gate. Her lips were red like the scarlet ribbonthat she wore. Her black hair had grown to her very feet and lay abouther like a splendid dress. "Would she waken?" thought the prince. Hestooped! He caught his breath! He kissed her! The charm was broken!Her eyes flew open and the princess smiled upon her prince. 

Just at that moment the king rose from his golden throne. The queenswept from her royal parlor. The judges yawned on the council benches. Awake came lords and ladies of the court. Again the fires leaped upupon the palace hearths. Again the flies buzzed on the window panes. A wind blew through the castle yard. Again the birds sang in thebranches and the bees droned in the flowers. Again the dogs barked inthe kennels and the horses whinnied in the stalls. 

The hundred years were past and all was life and joy once more. Out ofthe palace gates rode the bold prince, and beside him rode the happyprincess, whom his kiss had waked. 

TOPSY STORIES. 

I. THE COMING OF TOPSY. 

One night, when Alice was a very little girl, her papa came home earlyfrom the office. He carried a small basket in his hand, but when hesaw Alice he put the basket behind his back; his eyes twinkled as hedid so. 

"Guess what I have brought you, little daughter, " he said. "Somethingto play with. "

Alice ran and caught fast hold of her papa's knees with her two chubbyarms, and her eyes grew big and bright as she peeped around at thebasket. 

"Oh, what is it, papa? Do let me see. "

"You must guess first, " said her papa; "such a fine plaything. "

"I know; it's a dolly!" cried Alice. 

Papa laughed. "No, it's ever so much better than a dolly, for it'salive, " he said. 

"Oh, then it's a bird, " cried the little girl. 

But her papa only shook his head. 

"Maybe it's a bunny, then, " said Alice. 

"No, no, you will never guess right, " laughed papa, "so I will have totell you. Just listen a moment, " he said, as he held the basket closeto Alice's ear. 

The little girl stood on her tiptoes and fairly held her breath. Soonshe heard a faint sound: "Meow! meow! meow!"

"It's a kitty! It's a kitty! Do open the basket quickly, papa, " criedAlice, dancing up and down and clapping her hands. Then she tried topush her fingers under the cover. 

Sure enough, when the basket was opened there lay a tiny kitten. 

"Oh, isn't she black!" cried the little girl. 

"Yes, indeed, she is, " said Alice's papa. "I should call her Topsy. There isn't a white hair in her whole glossy coat, from the tip of herlittle pink nose to the end of her little black tail. "

"What big yellow eyes! And oh, look! look! what funny feet she has!Why are they so large, papa?" asked Alice. 

"That's because she is a seven-toed kitten, little daughter. I expectthat she will catch a great many mice with those big feet of hers, whenshe grows to be a cat. "

Alice turned one of the funny front paws over. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, " she counted. "Yes, there are just seven toes here, but look, papa, there are not so many on her hind feet. I wonder ifshe is hungry. May I feed her, mamma?"

Mamma brought some milk, and soon Topsy seemed to feel quite at home. She lapped the milk with her little red tongue, until there was not adrop of it left in the saucer. Then she began to purr and to rub herface against the hand of her new mistress. Finally she curled up inAlice's lap until she looked like a shiny black ball, and beganblinking at the fire with sleepy eyes. 

Alice was sleepy, too. She curled up in papa's lap, just as kitty haddone in hers, and soon Topsy and she were both fast asleep. 

TOPSY STORIES. 

II. HOW TOPSY KEPT WARM. 

"Is that Topsy crying?" said Alice's mamma, one morning. "Listen amoment. "

Alice stopped playing with her doll and kept very quiet. Yes, shecould hear a faint meow. She ran to the outside door and opened it, but kitty was not there. She listened again, and again she heard thesame sound: "Meow! meow! meow!"

"Perhaps kitty is at the other door, " said Alice's mamma. 

Alice turned the knob and pulled the door wide open; but only a rush ofcold air and a few snowflakes came in. 

"Where can she be, mamma? Oh, I know now! She is down cellar, " saidAlice. But no kitty was there. "Maybe she is in the wood shed. I'llrun and see! No, mamma, she isn't there, either. I don't think she ishappy, wherever she is. She doesn't sound so. Just hear her cry!"

Both listened again to the half-smothered meow. 

"No, she doesn't sound very happy, pet, " said mamma. "She is shut upsomewhere and can't get out. We must find her. "

So the mother and the little girl began to search for Topsy. Upstairsand downstairs they went, looking everywhere. They opened all thecloset doors, they looked into all the trunks and boxes. They evenpeeped into the baby's hamper and lifted the lid of grandmother's bigworkbasket; but no kitty did they find. Still they could hear hercrying "Meow! meow! meow!" all the time. 

Back to the kitchen they went. "She must be in this room, " said mamma;"the meowing sounds louder here than it does anywhere else. "

Round and round the room went Alice, peeping everywhere. Her motherlooked in all the places, too. No kitty in the cupboard, no kitty inthe china closet, no kitty in the washtubs, no kitty in the wood box!

At last Alice stood still, quite close to the big stove, wonderingwhere she could look next. 

"Meow! meow! meow!"

"Oh, mamma. It sounds loudest right here!"

Alice's mother bent her head and listened. "So it does, " she said. Then she put her hand on the door of the big warming oven. She pulledit open, and--out walked Topsy, very warm indeed, but not hurt at all. 

Alice caught kitty up in her arms and gave her a good hug. The poorcat's fur was quite hot. 

"It's a good thing for pussy that we found her as soon as we did, " saidmamma. 

Alice gave Topsy a saucer of milk, and soon her pet was curled up inthe doll's cradle fast asleep and none the worse for her warming. 

TOPSY STORIES. 

III. HOW TOPSY MOTHERED HER NEIGHBOR'S KITTENS. 

Topsy had no babies of her own. Tarlequin, her next door neighbor, hadtwo soft, little, cuddley ones. Topsy was lonely. Her tail grew bigand bushy, and her eyes grew dark and bright as she trotted off towardthe wood shed where, in a barrel of nice smelling shavings, herneighbor had set up housekeeping. 

Tarlequin was not at home that morning. Topsy did not stop to knock, but gave a big spring and landed right in the middle of the babies'bed. Then she took one of the babies right in her mouth by the looseskin at the back of its neck, jumped out of the barrel, and ran home asfast as she could. She laid the stolen kitten softly down on her ownbed, and began to wash it all over with her funny rough tongue. 

Soon the kitten began to cry, for it was hungry and missed its ownmother. 

Alice heard the strange sound and ran to find out what it could be. 

When Topsy saw her little mistress, she curled herself up all aroundthe stolen baby and began to growl and hiss, something she had neverdone to Alice before. 

"Oh, mamma, do come and see what Topsy has found!"

"Well, well!" said mamma. "It is one of Tarlequin's babies. Where didshe get it?"

"Why are Topsy's eyes so shiny, and why does she growl at me, mamma? Iam afraid to touch her, " said Alice. 

"She thinks that you are going to take the kitten away, littledaughter; but it will never do to let her keep it. Tarlequin will missit and, besides, we have no way of feeding it. "

Alice's mother began to talk softly to Topsy. After a while she puther hand down and gently stroked the cat's face. Very soon Topsyallowed mamma to take both herself and the little kitten up in herarms. Then mamma carried them back to Tarlequin's barrel in theneighbor's wood shed. 

Tarlequin was at home this time. She seemed very glad to see her lostbaby back again and called, "Meow! meow! meow!"

Mamma stroked Tarlequin, saying, "Nice kitty! nice kitty!" Then sheput Topsy right down in the nest beside Tarlequin and stroked her. Soon the two cats were purring softly and licking each other and thetwo kittens by turns. 

That was the last time that Topsy was ever lonely, for she lived inTarlequin's barrel after that, and helped bring up Tarlequin's babies;and she took just as good care of them as their own mother did, too. 

She cuddled close to them when they were asleep so that they would notfeel cold. Every day she licked their coats until they were smooth andshiny. When the kittens were big enough, Topsy brought them all theplump mice they could eat, and she let them tumble and scramble allover her, nip at her ears and play with her tail as much as ever theyliked. 

"Isn't Tarlequin real good, mamma, " said Alice one day, as she saw herpet frolicking with the two kittens, "to let poor Topsy help bring upher babies?"

"Yes, indeed, " said mamma; "and I wonder if there was ever a family ofkits before that had two mothers at the same time!"

TOPSY STORIES. 

IV. TOPSY'S HIDING PLACE. 

All around the kitchen they went, playing hide and seek. Topsy hidunder the stove, Alice hid in the cupboard; Topsy hid behind the woodbox, Alice hid under the table; Topsy hid in the corner back of thecoal hod, Alice hid in the folds of mamma's big apron hanging behindthe kitchen door; but they never failed to find each other and alwayshad a great frolic after each one's hiding place was discovered. 

At last the play was over and Topsy went fast asleep, lying on her backin the doll's cradle. She looked very funny, with her paws stickingstraight up in the air. 

Soon Alice wanted to put dolly to bed; so Topsy found another niceresting place, stretched out in mamma's workbasket, with her front pawslying on the pincushion; but when mamma came for thimble and threadkitty was forced to move again. 

"Meow! meow!" she said. "I will get out of every one's way, and gowhere I can sleep as long as I please without being disturbed!" SoTopsy sprang upon the table, then upon a tall folded screen near by, and, with a big jump, landed at last on the very tiptop of the chinacloset. No one saw her. She crept far back against the wall and wassoon fast asleep, lying in a nice warm corner, just under the ceiling. 

After a time Alice grew tired of playing with her doll and looked aboutfor kitty, but kitty was nowhere to be seen. The little girl went tothe door and called, "Kitty! kitty! kitty!" but no kitty came. Shecalled again, but no shrill meow answered her. She called again andagain, but still no Topsy was to be heard or seen. 

"Oh, mamma, where can kitty be?" said Alice, with tears in her eyes. "I am afraid she is lost. I haven't seen her for ever so long. "

"Have you looked in all the hiding places? Perhaps she has gone fastasleep somewhere and doesn't hear you call, " said mamma. 

So Alice began to search for her pet, but though she looked everywhereno kitty did she find. She called and called again, but all in vain;no Topsy answered her. 

"Never mind, little daughter, " said mamma, "kitty has probably gone offhunting and will surprise you by and by with a big fat mouse. "

So Alice was comforted; and though she felt very lonely with no furryball snuggled in her lap and no bright-eyed playmate scampering at herheels, she tried to be happy playing with her dolly and looking at hernew picture book. 

At last the long day was over and night came. It brought no Topsy, butit did bring papa from his work. When Alice saw him coming, she ranout to meet him and, throwing herself into his arms, poured out all hertrouble: "Oh, papa, Topsy is lost! We can't find her anywhere! Shehas been gone all day long! I have looked and looked, and called andcalled, but she doesn't come!"

Papa comforted his little daughter as papas know how to do. "Cheer up!little girl. We will find her after supper, " he said. 

When the pleasant evening meal was over and all the family sat aroundthe cozy fire, papa said: "I think I know how to make Topsy come, ifshe is in the house. "

"Oh, how?" cried Alice. 

Papa said nothing but he puckered up his lips and began to whistle inloud, shrill tones. At the first note something stirred on top of thechina closet. Then there was a short, protesting meow. Papa kept onwhistling. Kitty stood up and began to stretch. As the shrill musiccontinued, Topsy walked to the edge of the cupboard and looked down. 

"Oh, there she is! there she is!" cried Alice. "Oh, my own dear kitty!But what a funny place to hide in!"

Louder and shriller grew papa's whistling. Kitty jumped upon thescreen and then leaped to the table. Still papa whistled on. Topsysprang to the floor and, jumping into papa's lap, began to rub her faceagainst his breast. "Meow! meow!" she said. Still the shrill noisedid not atop. Pussy put her front paws high up on papa's chest andrubbed her face against his chin, at the same time nipping it gentlywith her teeth and calling, "Meow! meow!" which meant, "Stop! stop!Please, master, I am here. What do you want? Oh, do stop thatdreadful noise!"

So papa stopped whistling and Alice and Topsy had a fine frolic beforebedtime. 

This was the first and only time that Topsy was ever lost; but to thisday, she will sometimes steal away and sleep for hours on her loftyperch, heedless of coaxing or scolding, and only dislodged at night bypapa's shrill whistle. 

TOPSY STORIES. 

V. TOPSY'S BABIES. 

"I must teach the kittens some tricks, " said Alice one day. "They aregetting so big and plump. Don't you think they are old enough to learnto do things, mamma?"

"Well, little daughter, suppose you try teaching them, " said mamma. 

So Alice went to the door and called: "Kittens! kittens! kittens!Come, Tip! Come, Trot! Come, kittens!" Now their real names wereTipkins and Trotkins, but Alice always called them Tip and Trot forshort. 

When the kittens heard their little mistress call, they came running asfast as their fat little bodies and their short little legs would letthem come; for "Kittens, kittens, kittens!" almost always meant: "Hereis some nice warm milk to drink. "

Alice gathered the funny little things up in her arms. They lookedjust exactly alike, for Tipkins had a black spot on the end of histail, and Trotkins had a black spot on the end of his tail, too;Tipkins' eyes were blue, so were Trotkins'; Tipkins' nose was black, and Trotkins' nose was black, too. Alice often wondered how theirmother, Topsy, ever told them apart. 

"Now, " said the little girl, "you have grown to be such big pussiesthat it is time you learned to work. You must earn your dinner. Whatdo you say to that?"

"Meow! meow!" said Tipkins. "Meow! meow!" said Trotkins. "Meow!meow!" said Tipkins and Trotkins together. Which seemed to mean, "Thatwe will, little mistress; only show us how. "

Alice took a tiny bit of meat in her fingers and let one of the kittenssmell of it; then she said very slowly, "Now, pussy, roll over. " Thekitten liked the smell of the meat very much, so he said, "Meow! meow!"but he did not know in the least what "roll over" meant, so he didnothing. "Roll over, kitty, " said his little mistress again, but heonly said, "Meow! meow! meow!" once more. Then Alice made pussy liedown, and she gently rolled him over with her hand, saying very slowlyas she did so, "Roll over. " After this she gave him the bit of meat. 

Then it was the other kitten's turn. He had no more idea than hisbrother what "roll over" meant; but after Alice had said the words twoor three times, she gently rolled his plump little body over, too, andthen gave him the nice bit of meat also. Then she set a big saucer ofmilk down in front of her pets, and so ended the first lesson ofTipkins and Trotkins. 

This was only the first of many lessons, however. Alice workedpatiently with the kittens every day for a whole month and, at the endof that time, both Tipkins and Trotkins knew just what she meant andwould roll over every time she told them to, even though they got not ascrap of anything good to eat in return. 

Tipkins seemed to think it was great fun, and he would sometimes rollover five or six times without stopping, just as Alice herself oftenrolled on the grass when at play. But Trotkins never seemed to likedoing it, and would turn round and round until he was fairly dizzybefore finally lying down. Then, as he rolled over, he would give afunny meow, as much as to say, "I don't like to; but, if I must, Iwill. "

Tipkins learned to ring a small bell by striking it with one of hisfront paws. Trotkins could never be coaxed to touch this bell; but hewould sit by while his brother rang it and cry, "Meow! meow! meow!"Alice thought that this was very funny, and she said that Trot sangwhile Tip did the playing. 

Both the kittens learned to jump over a stick when their mistress heldone out in her hand, about a foot from the floor; and Alice taughtTipkins to jump through a small wooden hoop; but she could neverpersuade Trotkins even once to try to jump through the hoop. 

As Tipkins and Trotkins grew older, their mother, Topsy, taught them tohunt for mice in the big, dark barn, and to catch moles andgrasshoppers in the field. They had less and less time, as the dayswent by, to play with their little mistress; and Alice found them sosleepy, when they did have time, that at last she gave up trying toteach them any new antics. 

As the months passed by they grew sleek and fat. They were kittens nolonger, but had grown as large and could hunt as well as Mother Topsy;and although they learned no new tricks now, the old ones, taught themby their little mistress, were never forgotten by Tipkins and Trotkins. 

ETHEL'S FRIENDS. 

Ethel was a little girl who lived in the great city of New York, butshe loved the country very much and often wished that she could play inthe big, green fields or pick wild flowers in the wood. She rememberedone summer, when she was a very little girl, staying in the country forever so many days, almost a whole month, and having such a happy timelying on the grass, listening to the birds, and watching the cows andhorses and sheep, the cunning little lambs, and the old white hen withher brood of downy chicks. Oh, how she did wish that she could seethem all again! But the country was far, far away, and Ethel's papaand mamma were too busy to take their little daughter there. 

There was a place in the big city called Central Park that seemed toEthel like the country. She loved to go there, and had a happy timewatching the sparrows as they scratched for seeds and looked about forcrumbs, and trying to get the gray squirrels to come nearer and takenuts from her hand. Here, some days, O happiest times of all! shecould lie with her rosy face buried in the short, green grass, andpress it close, oh! so close to the "great brown house, " the home ofthe flowers. 

One sunshiny day in June Ethel had been playing in the park for a longtime. Though she had coaxed and coaxed the squirrels, they would notcome near; and though she had listened for a long time to the hoarsecroak of a frog, and watched and waited, and looked about with bigbright eyes, she could not get even so much as a peep at him. At lastshe grew very tired and sat down upon a bench near by to rest beforegoing home. Scarcely was she seated when she heard some one call hername. "Ethel! Ethel!" a sweet voice said. She looked all about butcould see no one. "Ethel! Ethel!" it called again, this time verynear. She looked around, saying, "Here I am; who is calling?" "It isI. Don't you see me? I am close beside you, " said the same sweetvoice. 

Looking down Ethel saw at her feet a tiny creature all dressed indainty green. "Oh!" thought she, "this must really and truly be afairy. Why, I supposed fairies were only make-believe people!" andEthel was so surprised that she forgot to answer the little creature. 

Soon the fairy said: "Ethel, because you love the birds and the flowersand the trees and all the animals, I have come to take you out into thecountry to visit your friends. "

Ethel clapped her hands and said: "Oh, I should love to go to thecountry! but I haven't any friends there. "

"Yes, you have, " said the fairy, "come and see. "

So away they went, and Ethel all the time wondered whom the fairy couldpossibly mean by her friends; but they went so fast that, before shehad time to do much thinking, Ethel found herself in a great, greenmeadow, bright and fresh and cool. Soon they came to a tree withspreading branches; and there, lying under it and resting in its shade, was a gentle looking creature with soft eyes, long smooth horns, and ahairy dress of red and white. 

"Here, " said the fairy, "is one of your friends, and a very good friendshe is too. " "Oh, " said Ethel, "now I know whom you mean by myfriends!"

I wonder who can tell me why the fairy called the cow Ethel's friend. Yes, because without this friend Ethel would miss her cup of milk atbreakfast and the golden butter for her bread. 

Ethel gave the white star on the cow's forehead a gentle pat and, looking into her great dark eyes, she said, "Surely you are my friend, Bossy. " But the fairy said, "Come on, little girl, there are many morefriends to see. " So Ethel visited all the friendly animals, --the sheepwith their woolly coats, the pigs in their sty, the chickens, the ducksand the geese in the barnyard, the pigeons in their home on the roof, the great clever collie in his kennel; and she found that she owedsomething to every one of them. 

Just as she was giving Rover a farewell pat, old Dobbin, harnessed tothe farm wagon, came clattering up to the barn. "Here comes the bestfriend of all!" cried Ethel. "What should we do without Dobbin tocarry the milk and the butter and the eggs to the city, to draw thewood and the coal that keep us warm, to help the farmer plow and harrowthe ground in the springtime, to draw in the hay and the grain in theautumn, and to trot cheerfully along the country road when the childrentake a ride? Oh! I hope the farmer gives him a good, dry bed to sleepupon, a manger of hay and a measure of oats when he is hungry. I hopehe combs and smooths Dobbin's black coat well, and puts a blanket onhis back when the weather is cold. I'm sure the farmer wouldn't cutoff Dobbin's shiny black tail for the world, for how could Dobbin driveaway the flies that trouble him, without his tail? I know that thereis always plenty of fresh water for Dobbin to drink whenever he isthirsty, and that, sometimes, the children give him a lump of sugar toeat. The farmer never lets Dobbin lose a shoe, I'm sure, for fear hemight go lame, but always takes him to the blacksmith if only a nail isloose. "

Buzz z z z! buzz z z z! sounded close to Ethel's ear. She opened hereyes and looked about. There she sat upon a bench in the park. Thesun had gone down behind the tall buildings, and it was almost dark. The pretty elfin in green had vanished. Her country friends werenowhere to be seen. A bee's gauzy wings and yellow legs weredisappearing in the distance. "There goes another of my friends, " saidEthel, "I think he must have come to tell me that it is time to gohome. "

So Ethel ran home and told her mother all about the fairy and herfriends. "Oh, mamma! do you suppose the fairy really and truly took meto the country?" said Ethel. 

"No, " said mamma, "I think my little girl was asleep and dreaming; but, for all that, the animals on the farm are really among our very bestfriends. "

"Yes, I know that, " said Ethel, "how I wish I could see them!" And formany days after her wonderful dream Ethel never went to the parkwithout thinking of how the little fairy in green took her to visit allher friends in the country.