Transcriber’s Notes

Because the chapters are relatively short, the illustrations have been placed to best suit the chapter sizes.

Click on the [Listen to MP3] link to download and listen to the music file. If you are reading this e-book in a format other than HTML you may not be able to use the link.

WINDMILLS AND WOODEN SHOES

WINDMILLS AND WOODEN SHOES
BY
MAUDE M. GRANT
ILLUSTRATED BY
BESS BRUCE CLEAVELAND
THE SOUTHERN PUBLISHING COMPANY
DALLAS, TEXAS
1919

Copyrighted 1919
BY
THE SOUTHERN PUBLISHING COMPANY
Dallas, Texas

PREFATORY NOTE

In “Windmills and Wooden Shoes” we have a continuous story of the doings of the Dutch children, Jan and Katrina and their little friends.

Teach the children to read this book so that the personalities of the children depicted therein will become vividly lifelike to the little readers. Encourage them to bring to class pictures of Dutch life and of Holland scenery.

Make the children in the book live for the children in the class. Let them close their eyes and see in imagination the big windmill, the canals with the drooping willow trees, the slow-moving barge, and the shadows in the water. Picture the busy market place, and the Dutch children at work and at play. Teach the children the words and music of the little song found on page 6. Both the words and music have been arranged to give the rhythmic sound of the wooden shoes as the little Dutch wearers “klip klop” about in their work and play.

The lessons in the book may be illustrated by the children with drawings and paper cuttings,—the Dutch house, the windmill, the Dutch children, the flowers in the garden, the stork, the geese, the dog and the milk-cart, the boats, the wooden shoes, and many other things that will suggest themselves from the text to the ingenious teacher.

MAUDE M. GRANT,
Monroe, Michigan.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Dutch Children

M. M. GRANT
M. M. GRANT

1. Oh, the children of Holland wear wooden shoes,[A]

With a klip, klop, klip, klop, klip, klop!

They can run, jump and walk just as fast as they choose,

With a klip, klop, klip, klop, klip, klop!

2. To the windmill they go for the meal and the flour,

With a klip, klop, klip, klop, klip, klop!

In the fields they tend great flocks of geese by the hour,

With a klip, klop, klip, klop, klip, klop!

3. Oh, I think ’twould be quite hard to walk, don’t you?

With a klip, klop, klip, klop, klip, klop!

Oh, I really don’t see how the Dutch children do,

When they walk with a klip, klip, klop!

(Used by permission of F. A. Owen Publishing Company.)]

[A] The children may beat time with their hands on the desks as they sing “Klip, klop.”

[[audio/mpeg]]

IN THE LAND OF WINDMILLS AND WOODEN SHOES

O, the wind it is blowing with never a stop,

And the arms of the windmill go “Flip, flop, flop,”

Flip, flop, flop,

And around and round,

Till the water is pumped and the corn is ground.

O, the Dutch wooden shoes go “Klip, klop, klop,”

Toward the windmill that turns with its “Flip, flop, flop,”

Flip, flop, flop,

And around and round,

Till the water is pumped and the corn is ground.

And the little Dutch children with “Klip, klip, klop,”

Run away to the windmill that goes “Flip, flop,”

Flip, flop, flop,

And around and round,

Till the water is pumped and the corn is ground.

HOLLAND

Far over the sea is a country called Holland. It is not a large country.

The Dutch people live in Holland. They have made dikes to keep the sea from their land.

Do you know what dikes are?

They are huge walls made of stone. They are very large and strong. If a dike should break, the country would be flooded.

There are many canals in Holland. Some of the canals are so large and deep that big ocean steamships can sail on them.

There are many boats on the canals. People live on the boats all the year round.

THE DUTCH PEOPLE

The Dutch people are very clean and neat.

Indeed, Holland is said to be the cleanest country in the world.

The Dutch mothers scrub their houses both inside and outside. They scrub the bricks on the sidewalks. If there is a tree near by, they scrub the trunk of that.

Oh, they are very, very clean. You would find no dust in their houses. Their houses are always clean and shining.

THE WINDMILLS

There are many, many windmills in Holland.

They whirl and whirl all day long.

When the long arms of the windmills whirl, they make a creaking sound.

The windmills are busy workers.

They work for the people of Holland.

You think that is strange, do you not? Perhaps you are wondering what work a windmill can do as it whirls and whirls in the wind?

I will tell you.

The windmills pump water. The windmills grind corn and other grain. The windmills saw wood, too. The Dutch people could not do without their big windmills.

JAN AND KATRINA

Jan and Katrina are Dutch children. They live in a little blue house.

Their house is near a big, brown windmill.

The roof of their house is made of red tile.

Near the chimney is a big stork’s nest.

It is made of sticks and straw.

Jan and Katrina like to watch the storks.

They are glad when the little storks peep out of the nest.

THE WOODEN SHOES

Jan and Katrina wear wooden shoes. When they walk, the shoes go “Klip, klop, klip, klop.”

I think it would be hard to walk in wooden shoes.

Do you not think so?

Katrina and Jan do not think so.

They can run and jump and walk in their wooden shoes.

They keep them very clean and white. They scrub them every night before they go to bed. Then they are all nice and clean to put on in the morning.

You might think that a wooden shoe is heavy. It is not heavier than your own shoe.

It is smooth inside. It is as smooth as your own little shoe.

It is held on the foot by a leather strap. Some wooden shoes are painted and have patterns on them. Others are scrubbed as white as snow.

THE DUTCH FATHER

Katrina and Jan get up very early in the morning. Their father and mother get up early too.

Their father goes out in his fishing boat. He is gone all day. At sunset, he comes home.

Katrina and Jan run to meet him. Sometimes they run on the high dike. They tell their father all that has happened during the day.

They are very happy together.

THE DUTCH MOTHER

Katrina’s mother has some cows. They are black and white. The Dutch mother gets up early in the morning to milk the cows.

She puts the milk into shining pans. Then she waits for the cream to rise. She takes the cream and from it she makes butter and cheese.

Katrina helps her mother. She churns the butter. Sometimes she puts the cheeses on the shelves.

Katrina’s mother makes brown bread and white bread. Katrina likes the brown bread, but Jan likes the white bread best. He likes to eat it with butter and honey.

THE BLUE DISHES

Katrina’s mother has some pretty dishes. They are blue and white dishes.

Katrina has a little plate. Jan has a plate, too. They use their plates at breakfast, dinner, and supper.

Katrina likes to wash her mother’s blue and white dishes. She dries them with a little towel. When she dries them, she puts them away in the cupboard. She is very careful. She puts them neatly on the shelves in the cupboard.

JAN’S WORK

Jan’s mother wants Jan and Katrina to be busy children. She does not want them to play all the time.

So Jan drives the black and white cows to the green meadow. At night he goes after them. He tends the geese, too. They have great flocks of geese.

Katrina helps Jan watch the geese in the meadow. They are big, white geese. They look like patches of snow on the green meadow.

KATRINA’S WORK

Katrina’s mother is very kind to her.

She gave her some knitting needles one day. She gave her a big ball of red yarn.

She showed Katrina how to knit.

Katrina learned very fast.

Soon she could knit as well as her mother.

Her mother showed her how to knit stockings, mittens, lace, and even a hood. Katrina is very proud of her knitting work.

KATRINA’S DUCKS

Katrina has some ducks of her own. They are big, white ducks.

She is fond of her big, white ducks. She takes them to the little pond in the meadow. They like to swim in the pond.

Katrina takes her knitting with her. She knits while the ducks swim.

The ducks say “Quack, quack,” as they swim about. Katrina sings a little song while she knits. She sings:

“O, the arms of the windmill

Are high, oh, so high,

And they creak and they creak

As they go whirling by,

O, I wonder, I wonder,

Do they touch the sky,

The arms of the mill

As they go whirling by?”

KATRINA’S BAKING

“Will you make me some rolls, Katrina?” asked Jan one day. “Bram and I are going out in the meadow. Mother said we could stay until it is time to bring the cows home.”

“But I have no meal,” said Katrina.

“I will go over to Mynheer Van’s windmill. I will bring you some meal,” said Jan. So Jan ran to the windmill and brought home the meal.

Katrina made him some rolls. She made him a cake too. She put little seeds in the cake. It was very good.

Then she got a pat of butter and a slice of cheese. She put the rolls, cake, butter, and cheese in a basket. She spread a clean napkin over the top.

“Here is your lunch, Jan,” she called. “There is enough for Bram, too.”

“You are a good little sister, Katrina. Thank you very much,” said Jan. Then he and Bram went away to the meadow to stay until sunset.

KATRINA’S MOTHER

The Dutch mother is busy all day. She looks very neat at her work. She wears a blue dress. She wears a stiff white cap. She wears a big brown apron.

Sometimes when it is cool, she wears a pretty red shawl. She has some gold ear-rings.

Katrina says she is going to wear gold ear-rings when she grows up. She thinks her mother’s ear-rings are very pretty.

Katrina’s mother wears wooden shoes, too, but her shoes are much larger than Jan’s or Katrina’s.

Jan’s mother made him a little coat. She made it of blue cloth. She put big brass buttons on it.

Jan likes to count his buttons. He plays a game with them. He makes a wish; and pointing to his buttons, he says, “Yes, no, yes, no.” He pretends the buttons tell him if he will get his wish.

Jan is proud of his fine blue coat.

He wears it when he goes to town.

The mother made Katrina a little stiff cap and a pretty white apron. The apron had lace on it. Katrina’s mother knit the lace.

JAN’S DOG, RINK

Jan has a dog. He is a good strong dog. His name is Rink.

Jan has a big cart. It is a milk cart. It is always full of tall, shining milk-cans.

Rink draws the cart. He draws it to the town. Jan drives him.

When they go to the town, Jan sells his good sweet milk. Jan is kind to Rink. He helps him pull the cart when the way is rough. He pats Rink on the head and says, “Good Rink, good Rink. You are a good dog. I will give you a big bone when I get home.”

And Jan always does what he says. He always gives Rink a bone, and a drink of fresh water, when he comes back from the town.

THE LITTLE DUTCH FRIENDS

Hilda, Kassie, and Karl are little Dutch children, too. They do not live far from the blue house where Jan and Katrina live.

They live over on the other side of the big, brown windmill. They come to play with Jan and Katrina. Katrina and Jan go over to play with them.

Hilda, Kassie, and Karl live in a red house. It is by the canal.

The children like to play there. They have a little flatboat. They sail around on the canal. Sometimes they sail under the little bridge by the meadow.

SELLING THE MILK

“O mother,” said Katrina one day, “there goes Jan to town with the milk cart! May I go with him and Rink? Please let me go, mother?”

“Yes, Katrina,” said mother, “you may go, but you must take your knitting with you. You can knit as you walk along with Jan beside the milk cart, and when the milk is sold, you may ride home in the cart.”

So Katrina ran for her knitting, and soon she was walking along by the side of Jan and Rink.

Her ball of yarn was in the big pocket of her apron, and she knit busily as she walked. She was careful not to drop any stitches.

When they came to the town, Katrina helped Jan sell the milk. Soon all the milk was sold and the big cans were empty.

“Get in the cart, Katrina,” said Jan, “and have a ride home.” “No,” said Katrina, “it is such a warm day, and poor Rink is tired. Just think! He pulled all these heavy milk cans to town!”

HILDA’S VISIT

Hilda came over to the blue house one day. Jan’s mother was busy. She was washing her pretty blue dishes. She was all alone.

“Where is Jan?” asked Hilda.

“Jan has gone to town with Rink and the cart,” said Mother.

“Where is Katrina?”

“Katrina has gone over to the windmill to get water,” said Mother.

“She will be home soon.

“Come in, Hilda.”

So Hilda went in and sat down in Jan’s little red chair. “Katrina said she would come and play with me. I will wait for her,” said Hilda.

“Where are you going to play?” asked Mother.

“We are going to play by the canal,” said Hilda, “and Karl says he will take us to ride in the boat.”

“There is Katrina now,” said Mother. “See! she has two pails of water. How careful she is! She does not spill a drop!”

Katrina was very glad to see Hilda. She set her pails of water on the broad shelf in the kitchen.

“Here is the fresh water, Mother,” she cried; “now you can have a nice cool drink.”

Then she and Hilda ran away to play with Karl and Kassie down by the canal.

THE DUTCH BEDS

The Dutch beds are not like our beds. They are built in the walls of houses like cupboards. They are like little shelves or presses in the wall.

They have feather beds on them. The feather beds are nice and soft.

In summer, the Dutch boys and girls have quilts over them. In the winter, they sleep on one feather bed, and have another feather bed and quilts to cover them. They are very warm.

Katrina has a blue and white quilt on her bed. Jan has a red and green quilt. Their grandmother made the quilts for them.

Their grandmother is a dear little Dutch lady who lives down near the ocean. The children like to go and see her.

THE DUTCH GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE

Jan’s grandmother lives in a little pink and white house by the sea. You can hear the waves as they come up on the sandy shore.

You can stand in grandmother’s garden and look away out over the sea.

Sometimes the water looks bright and blue. Sometimes it looks deep and green. Sometimes it looks dark gray, and the waves have white caps of foam. The children call them the “Sea-King’s White Horses.”

Grandmother’s house is very neat and clean. She has brick floors in her house. She covers her brick floors with clean white sand.

Grandmother has a very old black table in her house. She has some old black chairs, too. She rubs them every day. They are always bright and shining.

Grandmother loves to keep them so.

Jan says he can see his face in the top of grandmother’s table. It is so shiny that it is like a looking-glass.

Grandmother has a row of plates on her wall. They look like silver.

She has some blue dishes, too. Katrina says that they are like her mother’s dishes. They have boats and windmills on them.

Grandmother says they are Delft dishes. They were made in Delft. Delft is a city in Holland where they make beautiful dishes.

THE CUCKOO CLOCK

Jan’s grandmother has a clock. It is a beautiful clock. It is made of carved wood. It is made in the shape of a little house.

There is a door in the house and there are windows.

The weights that hang down look like big acorns.

The numbers on the face of the clock are white.

The hands are white, too.

When it is time for the clock to strike, a little bell rings. The little door flies open. Out pops a dear little white bird. It is a cuckoo. It says “Cuckoo, cuckoo!”

If it is three o’clock, it says “Cuckoo” three times. If it is six o’clock, it says “Cuckoo” six times.

What hour does it say “Cuckoo” the most times? What name do we call that hour in the day-time? When does it say “Cuckoo” only once?

Grandmother winds the cuckoo clock once a week. She winds it every Sunday morning. She winds it just before she goes to church.