Transcriber's Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
LITTLE DROPS OF WATER, LITTLE GRAINS OF SAND.
Our Story Book
JINGLES, STORIES and RHYMES
for
LITTLE FOLKS
Profusely Illustrated
NEW YORK
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
Copyright, 1916, by
Cupples & Leon Company
CONTENTS
[There Were Seven Froggies of Lee]
[The Doings of Dickie and Daisy]
[Bunny and Chick, Or Sulky Sammy.]
[Tittle-tattle Tales, Or Fireside Stories.]
[Silly Billy and the Kittens.]
[The Cats and the Cheese, Or, Better Agree Than Go to Law.]
[The Fox That Lost His Tail, Or, Do Not Follow Every Fashion You See.]
[Under the Big Hat, Or, Jackie and Me.]
[The Dog and the Wolf; Or, Be Content With Your Lot.]
[Tommy's First Day at School.]
[The Muzzle That Fitted Too Much.]
[Pity the Sorrows of a Poor Little Dog.]
[How Pussy Caught Her First Bird.]
Wideawake Willy.
His real name was Willy. But because he was always on the look-out for any fun or mischief, Father and Mother called him “Wideawake” as well.
One sunny day he and his little friends went out to play cricket.
“I'm going to make a hundred runs!” cried Willy, as he took up the bat. But when he had made ten, Freddy bowled him out, and the other boys were glad it was their turn to go in.
In the winter, father made a big slide, and Willy and the boys went down it as fast as they could go. When he fell half way down, Willy thought it great fun, and called to his snowman as he glided past, “Look at me old fellow! Don't you wish you could slide?”
On his birthday he had a party. It was a merry time. They played “Blind Man's Buff,” and “Puss in the Corner,” and Willy always managed to catch the little girls by their long curls.
It was spring when Wideawake Willy went exploring. He shot his Teddy Bear, and tied it up in a scarlet handkerchief, for he knew explorers ate bears. Then he stuck a long feather in his hat, and strode gaily down the road. Presently he came to a big house. The door was open, and a lady asked him to go in. She showed him all sorts of wonderful things. What he liked best was Chin Chan, the Chinese boy, whose long pig-tail touched the floor. The lady told Willy that in China he lived in a boat, and helped his mother look after the chickens.
After seeing other Chinese people, he went home and told his mother what strange things he had seen.
The Little Old Woman.
There was an old Woman,
And what do you think?
She lived upon nothing but
Victuals and drink;
And though victuals and drink
Were the chief of her diet,
This little Old Woman could never be quiet.
This little Old Woman (the story so goes)
Had nothing to wear but
Abundance of clothes.
And, oh, let me weep
At the dismal news,
She would have been barefooted, but for her shoes.
This Little Old Woman,
Twas always the case,
Never looked in the glass
But she saw her own face;
And what was still worse,
Yet, we vouch for its truth,
By growing so old, she had lost all her youth.
This Little Old Woman,
The tale too declares,
Had nothing to sit on
But sofas and chairs.
No place to repose in
At night but her bed;
No pillows, but those made of down, for her head.
This Little Old Woman,
We here may remark,
Had no house to live in,
But one in the park,
And none to wait on her,
Poor soul, but her maids,
With some livery servants of different grades.
This Little Old Woman,
I'm sorry to tell,
Had always bad health,
When she was not quite well.
And hard was her lot,
For they tell me that she
Was ever in want
When she wanted her tea.
This Little Old Woman,
On dying, we find,
Left nothing—except
A large fortune, behind.
So pity her fate,
Gentle reader, and say,
Such women are not to be found every day.
Quite an Adventure.
Mrs. Hen, one sunny day,
Took her chickens for a walk,
Dick, the youngest, strayed away
While his mother stopped to talk.
Then he saw the strangest sight,
'Twas a monster aeroplane,
But it gave him such a fright
That he scurried home again!
Funny Toys
❀ ❀ ❀
Here's a number of funny toys
For good little girls and good little boys,
First comes Jackie all ready for fun,
After the animals see him run.
Next is a bird of colours gay,
If he spreads his wings he will fly away.
Poor Master Duckie cries “Quack, quack, quack!
To my farmyard pond please take me back.”
What a dear little doggie Bunty his name,
I am sure that he looks quite friendly and tame.
His bright eyes are gazing up in the air,
I wonder what ever he sees up there!
“Croak, croak, croak!” cries Mr. Green Frog,
“I really am quite afraid of that dog!”
And that dear little clockwork mouse on wheels—
I know if you pinch him hard he squeals!
C.M. Rutley.
There were seven froggies of Lee
Who were happy as happy could be,
Till a duck close by
Just winked his eye,
As he thought of his afternoon tea.
With a hop, and a skip, and a run,
He soon put an end to their fun,
For as they went past
He snapped up the last,
And that tells you my story is done.
Mr. and Mrs. Ostrich and their Children.
Tinklebell Tales.
Frisk was a dear little dog. He belonged to Mistress Molly.
One morning Molly said, “Now Frisk, I am going to the town, and you must stay and look after the house, for Mother is going out too.”
Frisk sat down in his little chair, and held his walking stick between his paws.
“No one shall steal the dinner while I am here,” he said. “Bow, wow!”
On her way to the town, Molly saw her cousin Tommy leaning over a gate.
“Oh, Tommy!” she said, “If you are passing our house, please look in and see how Frisk is getting on.”
And Tommy ran off at once.
Frisk was glad to see Tommy, who gave him a good drink of water from a tub.
When Molly reached the town she went into the baker's shop to buy a loaf of bread.
But when she put her hand in her pocket she found her purse had gone!
“Don't cry, my dear,” said the baker.
And he left his shop, and went with Molly down the road.
Very soon they found the purse with all the money quite safe inside.
Then Molly saw a shop with “SALE” printed in the window, and went in.
“Good morning, ma'am!” said the shopman. “What can I get for you?”
“I want some stockings, please,” said Molly.
“How do you like these?” said the shopman. “They are only one shilling the pair, because it is sale time!”
“They are lovely!” said Molly, “And the scarlet stripes just match my dress! Please make them into a tiny parcel, and I will put them in my pocket.” Then she paid her money, and set off home.
And what had Frisk been doing all this time?
He soon grew tired of looking after the dinner, and spied his master's hat.
“Bow wow!” he said. “What fun!”
He poked his head into the hat, and though it came right down on to his shoulders he didn't mind a bit.
He hopped into the garden on his hind legs, and when the birds saw him they thought it was a scarecrow come to frighten them away!
“Bow wow!” said Frisk. “I'm hungry!” He went back indoors, pushed the lid off the pot, and dragged out a bone. How good it was!
Then a tiny mouse scampered past, and Frisk pounced on it and killed it.
“Oh, Frisk, Frisk!” cried Molly, when she came home. “You naughty dog! I shall never be able to leave you in charge again!”
“Bow, wow!” cried Frisk. “Bow, wow! I'm very glad. For I'd much rather go to the town with you!”
Holiday Time.
Jack always said he should be a sailor when he grew up.
No toy ever pleased him so much as a boat, and he was constantly imitating the ways of sailors, from dancing a hornpipe, down to floating about in a big round tub on the little stream which ran at the end of the garden.
“Wouldn't it be too lovely for words,” he said on one occasion when he was taking his sisters for a voyage in his tub-ship, “if we could go in a real big boat, and sail away across the sea?”
And that is exactly what they did do! For one summer day, Father and Mother and the children, Elsie, Doris and Jack, all went on board a big boat and steamed across the channel to France for a long holiday.
Oh! what a glorious time they had! What fun the bathing was, undressing in the little rocky caves and running down the firm sand, and then tumbling into the water with shouts of joy. Then afterwards they paddled and dug in the sands, and searched for shells and seaweed, and thoroughly enjoyed themselves the whole day long.
There was so much to interest them, too, in the little French village, and they were delighted with the quaint dresses of the peasants.
One girl came to bring them fruit and vegetables, and the children thought how pretty she looked in her snowy cap, coloured skirt and wooden shoes, as she lifted her little sister to look for father's boat.
Jack, of course, was just in his glory, and never tired of watching the fishing boats sailing out to sea.
Sometimes he went on the water himself, and soon learned to row, tho' the first time he tried, his oar swung round and knocked him head over heels into the bottom of the boat.
This, Father explained, was called “catching a crab!”
Afterwards they made a huge sandcastle, and Jackie sat at the top of it, singing: “I'm the King of the Castle!” at the top of his voice.
Presently he began to examine some shells and treasures which he had been collecting in his pail, and was so intent on this, that he did not notice how quickly the tide had come in.
When he looked up he found, somewhat to his horror, that he was quite surrounded by water.
The castle was soon washed away; but not before the “King” was rescued from his perilous position.
Father waded out, and pick-a-backed him safely ashore.
That was the little sailor's first adventure at sea!
The last time for Jackie to sail his boat came all too soon for him, and the next day the children found themselves back in old England once more.
But they hope some day to return for another delightful holiday to the dear little French fishing village where they spent such a pleasant time.
Constance M. Lowe.
The Twins.
There lived some twins named Joan and Jack,
And they were eight years old;
Jack's curly hair was black as black,
While Joan's was fair like gold.
Their mother said to them one day—
“Dears, walk to Russett Hall
And take these eggs to Mrs. Gray,
Mind, don't you let them fall.”—
The children started off with pride,
The basket was so big,
That carefully each held a side,
Until they met a pig.
“Why, he's escaped from Farmer Brown,”
Cried Jack, “that's very wrong!”
And so they put the basket down,
To chase the pig along.
And when they'd sent him back again,
Joan found a pretty flow'r,
Then off they wandered down a lane,
And played for half an hour.
On, on they walked, and looked around.
An orchard was near by,
With apples lying on the ground,
And others hanging high.
They scrambled through the fence, alas!
T'was very wrong 'tis true,
But Farmer Brown soon chanced to pass,
And roared “Be off, you two!”
They rushed away, just like the wind,
Then Joan exclaimed “Oh, dear,
We've left the basket far behind,
It will be gone, I fear!”
They hurried back with all their might,
“Hurrah! it's here,” Jack cried,
Yes, it was safe, to their delight,
With all the eggs inside!
The Five Little Frogs.
Five little frogs were sent to school
Upon a winter day,
Their shoes were light and their pinafores white,
And their hearts were bright and gay;
And their mother stood by the door to watch,
And said, “Don't stop to play.”
So the five little frogs ran merrily off,
Till they had gone far from home;
When one said, “Brothers, do as you like,
But I do not mean to come;
I don't want to sit in school and croak,
When in sunshine I can roam.”
So the four little frogs ran off to school,
They would not stay to play;
But their naughty brother turned his head
And went another way;
But he knew all the time he was doing wrong,
So could not feel bright and gay.
He almost wished he had gone to school,
When a fat white duck came by,
And as she was sailing down the brook,
Little froggy caught her eye;
So she swallowed him up with a joyful quack,
And that froggy had to die.
Still many a mother-frog tells the tale
Of the sad, sad fate he met,
As she gathers her little ones by her side,
And the warning they'll never forget.
And the four little brothers are all grown up,
And living in frog-land yet.
Lucy Hyatt.
The Doings of Dickie and Daisy
Dickie and Daisy sat on the grass reading. They had been gardening, and were rather hot.
“Let's go to the pond,” said Dickie. “Nurse isn't here to say 'don't.'”
“Let's,” agreed Daisy. She always agreed with Dickie.
“We'll get father's rod and line, and catch some fish,” said Dickie. So when no one was looking they got the things and ran to the water.
“You have the rod,” said Dickie, “and I'll have the hook. Don't make a noise or the fish won't come.” They sat quite quiet till there came a big tug at Daisy's rod, so big that it dragged her to the edge of the pond.
“Oh, Dickie,” she cried, “help me! I b'lieve I've caught a whale!”
But before Dickie could catch hold of her, in she went. The water ran into her eyes and mouth, and washed her curls quite straight.
Dickie was dreadfully frightened. He made a grab at her, and she made a grab at him. By the time she was safely on land both were nearly as wet as the other. Father's rod had disappeared.
“I think we'd better go home,” sobbed Daisy.
Mother didn't wait to ask questions. She hurried them into nice warm nighties, and popped them into bed. Dickie was soon all right, but Daisy caught a cold. When Dickie got up he put on his spectacles and brought out his watch. He put his fingers on the little thumper in her wrist.
“You must stay in bed” he said, “and take Lemon Squash. Lemon is good for coughs, so you won't get one, and Squash will squash all the other poorliness out of you.”
When Father heard he was very cross. He said, “If you go near the pond again I shall buy another kind of rod, and use it too.”
But they had had enough of water, and didn't enjoy their Saturday tub for a long time.
Follow my Leader.
“Come, follow me
The whole pack;
Right, left; right, left;
Quack! Quack!
If you make
Such a clack,
You'll not hear me say
Quack! Quack!
How many are there
At my back?
Nineteen, eh?
Quack! Quack!
Come, follow me,
No fun you'll lack;
Mind what I say,
Quack! Quack!”
Bunny and Chick,
or
Sulky Sammy.
“Sulky Sammy,”—that's what they called me. I live in a stable, in a big farmyard, and everybody used to say I was the most disagreeable little puppy dog they knew!
One morning I was having a drink of water when two other little pups came along.
“Will you come and have a game?” they said.
But I had a fit of the sulks on, and didn't want to play with anyone, so I frowned, and said nothing. Close by Chick was having breakfast with her sisters, and I heard her say, “There's Sulky Sammy—disagreeable again!”
I don't like Chick. Mother often says to me, “Oh, Sammy! How I wish you were as sweet and gentle as Chick!” And Master Mousie tells his friends Mrs. Puss, and her three little kittens, long stories of Chick's goodness, and my naughtiness and sulks.
One day I chased Chick out of the farmyard, and left her all alone in a big field.
I hoped she would never come back any more, but Mr. Tortoise found her, and asked Bunny and his brother to take her home. That nasty Bunny told everybody what I had done. So Mr. Turkey chased me out of the farmyard. In a field I met such a funny man. Two birds sat on his arms, and one said, “Everyone would be quite fond of Sammy if he only left off being disagreeable!” I trotted home, and began to try at once. Nobody ever calls me “Sulky Sammy” now.
C. M. R.
Mountain Goats.
DOGGIE AND PUSS.
A doggie lay upon a mat,
And as on it he lay,
A little puss came up to him
And said, “Oh! come away.
The sun is shining brightly
And everything looks gay.”
Said Doggie, “Yes, I'll come with you
And take a holiday.”
Then said he, as they strolled about,
“It is the first of May.”
Said Puss, “Of that I knew before,
Have you nothing else to say?”
Poor Doggie then offended was,
He wished her a good day,
He turned upon his heel and went
And walked another way.
DAISY GRACE.
Squirrels
Tittle-Tattle Tales,
Or Fireside Stories.
Before we go to bed at night,
And Nursie takes away the light,
Aunt Grace tells tales to Ted and me,
Such lovely stories, you'll agree,
About a sweet Princess named May,
Who gathered flow'rs one summer day;
Her peacock followed close behind,
He loved her, for she was so kind.
But when she reached the palace door,
She heard a sudden, dreadful roar,
There stood the dragon, fierce and grim!
Poor May had often heard of him;
And as he roared and lashed his tail,
She shook with fear and grew quite pale,
But then her peacock came in sight,
And rushing up with all his might,
He pecked the dragon hard and long,
Though small, he was both brave and strong.
And soon, I'm very glad to say,
That horrid dragon went away!
Aunt tells another story then,—
Some nigger boys, there were just ten,
Kept disappearing, one by one,
Until one morning there were none
So then we beg her to be quick,
And tell us of a boy named Dick,
Who was so very, very poor,
Such patched and ragged clothes he wore.
But still he tried to do his best,
And didn't mean to feel distressed,
So went to London town one day,
And had adventures on the way.
A shopman gave him work to do,
He worked so hard, and nicely too,
That he got rich, grew strong and tall,
And was Lord Mayor after all.
Then Father Christmas, as you know,
On Christmas Eve has far to go,
And once he got in such a state,
For fear that he should be too late,
But Auntie tells how he drove fast,
And filled the stockings up at last,—
And then she kisses me and Ted,
And says—“Now, darlings, go to bed!”
THE KITKIN FAMILY
My name is Snowball—Miss Snowball Kitkin.
I was called Snowball because I am quite white all over, and very soft and fluffy.
There are four of us altogether—Kitty, Tabby, Fluffy, and me.
When we were very little we used to live up in the stable loft with our Mother, and she used to teach us all the things a cat should know.
We did not like learning very much, but I don't believe anyone ever does.
It was horrid having to wash our faces every morning, and I used to wish I was black like Kitty, then I need not have been so particular, but Mother said that was all nonsense.
When we were clean and tidy, we had breakfast out of the brown saucer; we liked that, especially when Cook remembered to sweeten the milk with lumps of sugar.
As soon as we were old enough to go out by ourselves, we had fine fun.
But one day Tabby very nearly got himself into trouble.
Tabby, you see, was rather a bold, bad kitten; he was always wanting to fight people, and one day he thought it would be splendid to have a quarrel with Mike.
Mike was the black and white fox terrier, who thought no end of himself; but Tabby did not care a bit what he thought, so he just stood in front of him, stuck up his tail, and—spat as hard as he could.
This was not at all what Mike was accustomed to, and he got stiff all over, and then—he growled and showed his teeth. In another minute I think he would have gone for Tabby, had not Miss Daisy picked him up and carried him off. Tabby never told me, but I believe he was very glad to find himself out of Mike's reach.
As this story is told by me, I thought you would like to have a picture of me, taken all by myself, so what do you think I did?
I knew Miss Daisy had been given a dear little camera on her birthday, and that she was making pictures with it all day long, so one morning I went and sat on the wooden chair in the hall, just where the sun was shining very brightly. I sat quite still, and then Miss Daisy and her camera came along, as I felt sure they would, and I had my likeness taken, and—here it is.
Oh how proud I was of myself after that, and Miss Daisy was so pleased with me for sitting so still that she gave me a beautiful blue ribbon to wear round my neck.
Alas! that blue ribbon was the cause of great trouble to me.
I just jumped on the kitchen table to look at myself in the glass, and—I upset a bowl of milk that Cook had put ready for a pudding.
I jumped after it, and—oh what a lovely feast I had; but my ribbon got all splashed and wet—I was in such a hurry—and that was how Cook found out it was I who had upset the milk. She would not let me go into the kitchen for three whole days afterwards.
I was very dull for those three days. You see, there were mice and all kinds of nice things in the kitchen, and my whiskers were growing fast, and that makes you feel that you want mice more than anything else almost.
On the third day I went and explored in Cook's bedroom.
All kinds of funny things I found in it, and oh! such lovely slippers to play with.
I took one of these slippers, one with a big bow on the toe. I took it and hid it in the garden, to punish Cook for being so angry with me. It was a very difficult thing for a kitten to do, I can tell you, and I had to rest many times on the way, but I did it, and then I went and sat in the sun and watched, and what do you think I saw? Why, that horrid person, Mike, must have seen all I did, for he went straight to where I had hidden it, and carried it off to Cook. She gives him bones; that is why he chums up to her. Oh, how I should have liked to have—scratched him.
I must not forget to tell you about Tabby and Fluffy and their “night out.”
It was in the summer time, and they had been playing all the evening on the lawn, and then they disappeared.
They never came in to supper, and they never came in to bed. We never saw a sign of them till the next morning, when they came back looking as proud as you please.
Then they told us what they had been doing. They had been having a mouse hunt in the kitchen.
They had hidden under the big armchair in which Cook sits on Sundays, and then, when it was all quite dark and quiet, they had watched the big hole by the store cupboard.
In a little while, two fat mice had popped out, and then—the hunt began.
“We caught them both,” said Fluffy. “We had one each. Oh, what a lovely time we had!”
Next time they go hunting, I am going, too.
One day Kitty and I had a most tremendous adventure. We went to the grand Show up in London.
The journey was not a bit nice, but we kept very close to each other, and shut our eyes up tight, and tried to pretend we were not shut up in a hamper, but under Cook's chair, waiting for the mice to come out.
When we got to the Show we felt a little strange, but we soon got used to the noise and all the people.
“We must look our best, Kitty, Miss Daisy said so,” I whispered. “We are much handsomer than the other cats here; let us show ourselves off.”
And we did.
Presently a lady came and pinned a big white card, with “First Prize” on it, right in front of us. We showed ourselves off more than ever after that.
This is our picture. Don't you think we deserved the First Prize?
I do!
Nora Pitt-Taylor.
Wooden Toys.
I have a little cartie, and
I have a little horse,
And I have a little dolly;
All are made of wood, of course.
I have a wooden farmyard,
With wooden sheep and cows,
With wooden trees and houses,
Wooden pigs, cats and bow-wows.
Then I have a wooden bucket,
And a little wooden spade;
Of wooden bricks a lovely
Little doll's house I have made.
Now mamma says, when I grow up
Things different will be;
My horses, if I have any,
Will real horses be.
That sheep will not be made of wood,
And no more wooden cows
Or pigs; that dogs will bark and bite,
Unlike good wood bow-wows.
Just fancy, dogs that bark and bite;
And other creatures real;
How very funny I at first
Shall, when I'm with them, feel.
So let me love you very much,
You pretty wooden toys;
How kind they are to make such things
For little girls and boys.
Tick Tock
I'm a tall old-fashioned clock,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
Though I chatter all the day,
Two words only do I say,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
I'm a curious old clock,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
And a carved old oaken case,
Both my hands are on my face,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
Once Miss Bessie tore her frock,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
Nurse then put her into bed,
She was cross—I only said
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
Master Bertie did me mock,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
Then he shook me till I stopped,
I cried when he to bed was popped,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
Once his head got such a knock,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
That they thought he'd surely die,
While he screamed I made reply,
Tick-tock! Tick-tock!
Nurse will oft the cradle rock,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
Near to me it stands, and I
Sing the baby's lullaby,
Tick-tock! tick-tock!
Neddy
On Monday morn when I went out,
I had a big surprise;
There was a baby donkey,
With the beautif'llest brown eyes!
His coat was grey and very soft,
And his legs were long as long;
He wasn't near so tall as me,
And just 'bout half as strong.
When I carry him a bowl of milk
I say out loud and plain;
“If you drink it up so quickly, Ned,
You'll surely have a pain!”
My Daddy says I must not ride
Him round the field just yet,
For my legs must grow longer first,
And his must stouter get.
His mummy's name is Bunny Brown,
She has a comfy shed
Upon a hillock in the field,
Where Neddy's put to bed.
Poor Trust is lying in the shed,
His foot is tied up tight,
'Cause Father put some stuff on it,
To make it feel all right.
Trust went too near the naughty cow,
That's always rather cross;
She ran at him and knocked him down,
Then gave him such a toss.
I hope my darling little Ned
Will take the greatest care
To keep alongside Bunny Brown
If Jenny should be near.
If she should hurt my pretty Ned,
I don't know what I'd do!
I think I'd hit her very hard,
Until she simply flew.
I'll give my Neddy lots of milk,
Until he's quite, quite grown,
For Father's given him to me,
For my very, very own.
Silly Billy and the Kittens.
“I want some milk,” said Kitten Number One.
“So do we,” said his brothers, and away they pattered to the yard, where they found a lovely saucer full.
“Saucers are too babyish for me,” said Kitten Number One, “I shall drink out of the jug.” And up on the table he jumped.
Along came Silly Billy, the kid.
“You will never do it like that,” he said. “Bite a hole in the jug, like this.”
What happened then, you can plainly see by the picture, and it is the kind of thing that does happen when Silly Billy comes along.
When the Kittens and Silly Billy were safely out of the way, Mr. and Mrs. Whiskers popped out of their front door.
“Milk, milk, I sniff milk,” squeaked Mrs. Whiskers, and she began to drink up every drop she could find, while poor Mr. Whiskers sat and cried because he could not find any.
But he soon dried his tears when they got to the scrap heap, where they ate till they were like little round barrels.
Meanwhile, Silly Billy had told the kittens of a lovely plate of food, outside the kennel where Jack lived.
And the foolish kittens hurried to it, and began to eat as fast as they could.
Out of his kennel came Jack, with a mighty shout, which sent the kittens rolling over with fright. They never tried to eat Jack's dinner again, and it was a long time before they quite forgave Silly Billy for being so silly.
Nora Pitt-Taylor.
Tony
Tony is a little dog,
That lives just up our street.
He really is the sweetest dog
That ever you could meet.
When I go out he runs to me,
And says, “What shall we play?
At hide-and-seek, or fox and goose?”
That's what he seems to say—
Sometimes we play at motor-cars,
My! how I have to run!
But Tony thinks That chasing cats
Is quite the bestest fun!
But if he bites poor Pussy's Tail,
Then I am very strict;
I make him sit up straight and beg
Until his conscience's pricked.
THE CATS AND THE CHEESE,
Or, Better Agree than Go to Law.
Two cats took some stolen cheese to a monkey to divide for them, as they could not agree about it. The monkey put a piece of cheese into each side of the scales. One piece weighed down the other, and from this the monkey took a large bite; this made the other side heavier, so he bit a great piece off that.
The cats tried to stop him, but he only laughed and went on biting first one piece and then the other, until both had disappeared, and the cats were left with nothing at all.
The Doll's House To Let.
This dear little house you can see is “To Let,”
For our dollies are moving away;
Will you run round to-morrow and see if it suits?
For we shall be busy to-day.
Now Jackie and Mollie pretended they were
The man on the furniture van,
They loaded the truck as full as they could,
And off down the garden they ran.
We took out the dollies, and sat them all down,
While we packed up each table and chair,
We all worked so hard, that when tea-time came round
We were ready the good things to share.
We got some nice paper, and pen, and some ink,
We printed “To Let” on the bill;
And we wrote on a card which we sent to friends,
“Pray live in this house, if you will.”
The postman soon brought a reply to our note,
Which asked if a stranger might call,
We told him to come as soon as he could,
And we waited for him in the hall.
The visitor came and looked over the house,
And promised to take it next June;
They liked all the rooms, and the garden as well,
So our house will be full again soon.
P. S. Bruff.
The Fox that Lost his Tail,
Or, Do not Follow every Fashion you see.
From ÆSOP'S FABLES.
A young fox who went to steal chickens in a farmyard, got his beautiful bushy tail caught in a trap.
Finding it impossible to get away, he bit off his tail and ran home, feeling very much ashamed of his appearance when the other foxes laughed.
“Tails are quite out of fashion,” he said, as they went on laughing.
“They are no use, and dangerous, too. You can run faster without them. Why not cut them off as I have done?”
Some of the smart young foxes were eager to be in the fashion; but a wise old one slyly said, “We will wait till we are caught in traps before we bite off our tails.”
The Early Bird that Catches the Worm
Mrs. Gamp and Mrs. Puss-Cat
Mrs. Gamp and Mrs. Puss-Cat lived all by themselves in a wee wee house. Mrs. Gamp was a dear old soul with snowy white hair, and rosy red cheeks, and such a smiling face and kind soft heart.
Mrs. Puss-Cat had a lovely tabby coat, as smooth as velvet, and a beautiful fluffy tail. Her eyes were bright and twinkly, and she would sit in front of the fire for hours and hours thinking of nothing but mischief.
One day Mrs. Gamp was invited out to tea. She put on her very best gown, and her new mob-cap trimmed with ribbons and flowers.
When she looked at herself in the glass she felt pleased!
As soon as Mrs. Gamp had gone, Mrs. Puss-Cat gave three loud purrs of joy, and all the mischief she had been thinking came out at once.
She trotted into the garden and got her feet all covered with mud.
Then she scampered upstairs, and danced a cat dance all over the clean white counterpane on Mrs. Gamp's bed. She climbed on the washstand, and upset the water jug, then she squeezed into the wardrobe, and pulled Mrs. Gamp's dresses out on to the floor. And some of them she tore to teeny tiny shreds!
When she had finished she darted out of the room.
But alack-a-day! At the top of the stairs she slipped, and fell—bumpetty, bumpetty, bump, all the way to the bottom.
Presently Mrs. Gamp came home. And the first thing she heard was a strange noise in the kitchen. First a miaou. Then a sob. Then more miaous. Then—sob, sob, sob! She opened the door, and there, perched upon a stool in front of the dresser sat Mrs. Puss-Cat.
Her head was swollen very, very big. Round her neck was tied some of the ribbon off Mrs. Gamp's best bonnet, and another piece was twisted round one fat paw. And from her big round eyes great tear-drops were falling—splash, splash upon the floor.
Mrs. Gamp threw up her arms. “Oh! dearie me!” she cried. “What ever is the matter? Oh! dearie, dearie me!”
“Miaou, miaou!” sobbed Mrs. Puss-Cat. “Oh! my poor paw! My poor, poor paw!”
Mrs. Gamp's tender heart was touched. She rushed upstairs to fetch some ointment. But when she opened her bedroom door—well! you know what she saw!
Her tender heart grew cold as stone, and oh! she was so angry! She raced downstairs, and gave Mrs. Puss-Cat the biggest whipping she had ever given her before.
Then she took off her best ribbon, and opened the front door wide.
And Mrs. Puss-Cat went slinking out with her tail between her legs, and a terribly vicious look in her big round eyes.
But Mrs. Gamp's heart soon grew tender again.
She opened the front door, and called Mrs. Puss-Cat back. And Mrs. Puss-Cat came at once, looking very penitent and sad.
Mrs. Gamp gave her some nice hot milk, and put her in a comfy basket in front of the fire.
Then she sat by her side, and stroked her smooth velvety head.
And slowly all the naughty mischief slipped out of Mrs. Puss-Cat's head, and nice, kind thoughts came in.
And now she is really and truly the nicest Mrs. Puss-Cat in the world.
The Conceited Golliwog.
Said a conceited Golliwog,
Whose name was Billy Brown,
“I can play the banjo better
Than any man in town.”
When Billy Brown a concert gave,
He'd scarce begun to play,
When half the audience stopped their ears,
And half ran fast away!
O Billy Brown, O Boys and Girls,
Who to be famous thirst,
Remember, if you would succeed,
You're bound to practise first.
Dolly's Name.
I knew a charming little girl!
They call her “Darling May,”
She was so glad when mother bought
For her a doll, one day.
She skipped and jumped and ran about,
And clapped her hands with glee,
“Oh dear!” she said, “I'm sure mamma
This cannot be for me?
“Just see what lovely eyes it has,
What lovely golden hair;
It's feet and hands are made of wax,
“'Tis perfect everywhere.
“I'll set to work and make its clothes,
A hat, too, with the rest,
And it must have a pretty name,
I wonder which is best!
“'Alice' and 'Bess' and 'Mary Annie'
Are not so very new;
No, dolly, dear, I'll try to find
A better name for you.
“'Priscilla Prue' sounds rather nice,
So does 'Belinda Jane,'
But they're so long—dear me, how hard
It is to choose a name!
“I wonder how mamma chose mine,
It's 'Alice Evelyn May;'
I'm sure it must have taken her
Much longer than a day.
“Perhaps, she asked me which I'd like,
Tho' it's so long ago—
Six great long years—that if she did
I've quite forgot you know.
“I think, dear dolly, quite new names
Are rather hard to find,
So if I cannot think of one,
I hope you will not mind.
“I'd like to find you one that's grand,
But nice and pretty too—
Oh! now I know, 'Victoria Rose,'
Is just the name for you.”
AUNTIE.
The Call to Arms.
The gallant soldiers, here they come!
A crowd of girls and boys,
Dot walks in front, and beats the drum,
It makes a splendid noise!
Sue has a flag, and Rose a gun,
So very fierce is she,
She will take aim at ev'ryone,
And nearly shoots a tree!
But “Who goes there?” shouts little Jack,
“Speak, is it friend or foe?
I've got my gun—they're going back,
I heard a cart, I know!”
“My cart,” says Sergeant Tom, with pride,
“Take care, you musn't shake,
I've got six wounded men inside,
Who badly need some cake!
“I'm 'fraid this one is rather bad,
He's lost a lot of paint.”
“Poor fellow,” Rosie cries, “how sad,
I hope that he won't faint!
“Some tea will quickly cure his pain,
And here's a currant bun.”
So soon, they're all quite well again,
And joining in the fun.
“Now back to war!” shouts Captain Jim,
“Come on to do or die!”
His soldiers bravely follow him,
And wave their flags on high.
Hurrah! Hurrah! they've seized the fort,
As Captain Jimmy said!—
“Oh dear, why are the days so short?
Nurse says it's time for bed!”
“Lieutenant Sue's the best I've found,
I noticed in the fight,
With bullets flying all around,
She kept our flag upright.”
He sighs, for, though the bugle blows,
The soldiers want their tea,
“My tea set's new, do come,” cries Rose,
“And have a cup with me!”
Then Captain Jimmy with a smile
Says “Yes, my men, all right,
You're all “off duty” for a while,
The rest will help you fight.”
Jim rides a chair—I mean a horse—
And reads the paper too,
For captains have to learn, of course,
What other armies do;
The way to rout the enemy,
And bring the wounded in.
“My fellows are so brave,” says he,
“I'm certain they will win!”
To London Town.
To London town, to London town,
Which is the way to London Town?
One foot up, and one foot down,
That is the way to London town.
A Home in the Wainscot.
One day two little mice entered an old house where they hoped to settle down and make their home, Mr. and Mrs. Mousey by name.
After looking about for some time they decided on a corner close to the kitchen wainscot, and not far from the larder.
They made a cosy little nest of string and paper, working hard all day, hardly resting till late at night. As to food, Mr. Mousey soon found where that was to be got. Many were the visits he paid to the larder, and delicious were the biscuits and cheese that he found there. It almost seemed as if things were left for them, for the biscuits were in bags and the cheese uncovered.
At last the nest was finished and they lay down to rest.
The very next morning six very tiny pinkish-looking things were to be seen in the nest. They had bright eyes and long tails, and would soon grow into brown little animals like their father and mother. Oh, how proud the latter were! Mr. Mousey could hardly keep his eyes off them, and Mrs. Mousey danced round squeaking with delight. “They are beautiful, my dear,” said Mr. Mousey, “just like you.”
“Pardon me, my love,” said his wife, with a proud look at their darlings, “they are likely to be as handsome as you.” The parents embraced each other tenderly, and then Mr. Mousey started off to find food for the little family.
Every day the children grew bigger and stronger, and merry games they had, as they chased each other round the nest.
But, alas! their happiness was not to continue. One sad day a terrible disappointment awaited Mr. Mousey. He had started off on his usual visit to the larder. He returned almost at once, saying,
“My dear, we must move. I heard the Cook say everything was to be put in tins, so we shall starve if we stay, and,” with a shudder, “worse still, she has got a cat. I fear she will hear the children's voices, and we shall be caught.”
So gathering their family around them they told the sad news, and glancing tearfully at their cosy nest, they crept sadly away.
Mary Hamilton.
MILKING TIME.
We Three
Three little dogs
On mischief bent
Out to play in
The garden went.
Nip lost a shoe,
Rip tore his clothes,
And Chip fell down
And broke his nose—
Chip chased the cat,
Rip drowned the pig
And Nip made mud-pies!
In the gig.
At last their mother
Came out to see;
Then—off to bed
Without their tea!
Under the Big Hat,
or, Jackie and Me.
Jennie and Jackie were twins. They had two dearly-loved playmates, Fifie the puppy, and Fipps the kitten. Fifie was nearly always in disgrace.
One day Fifie thought, “Now I will be good to-day. I will sit in the field and there will be nothing to make me naughty.”
But as he passed through the hall he spied Jennie's doll on a chair.
“Ah!” said Fifie, “Betsy Ann enjoys the fresh air. I'll take her with me.”
So he carried her off and carefully laid her on the grass.
After a while he grew fidgetty and then he saw that Betsy Ann was staring at him with her great eyes.
“Don't stare at me like that!” he barked.
But she took no notice and went on staring. This made him so angry that he bit her foot, and when it came off in his mouth he tore her arm, and then rolled her over and shook and worried her, until she was lying scattered all round him in lots of pieces.
When Jennie ran up with her ball, he was just gnawing off Betsy Ann's left hand.
Jennie was terribly upset about it, and when Nurse came, Fifie was soundly smacked.
Not long after there were fearful mi-ows from the pond. Jennie rushed with her butterfly net, and was just in time to save Fipps from drowning.
He had been trying to catch fish in the pond and had fallen in.
So Jennie carried him home and put him in Betsy Ann's bed.
Jackie used sometimes to dab a little butter on the tip of Fifie's nose just for the fun of seeing him try to lick it off with his tongue and roll his eyes round and round to try and see it.
When Mother heard of Fifie's naughtiness with Betsy Ann, she said that Fifie must wear a muzzle for some hours every day until he learnt to behave better. Poor Fifie! how he hated it and longed to join in the romps with Jennie and Fipps.
However he was so good for a week, that Mother said the muzzle might be left off.
And here you see Jennie with Fifie and Fipps, celebrating the happy occasion with fairy cakes which cook had given them.
Out in the Cold.
There once lived three children named Jones,
Who were constantly breaking their bones;
The youngest, named Jack,
Fell flat on his back,
And uttered some terrible groans.
THE NAUGHTY KITTEN.
She was only a little kitten,
And her fur was very wet,
But her face was round and very soft,
And her hair was black as jet.
This was the kitten's story,
And I think you'll weep to hear,
That she woke one summer's morning
In a temper bad—I fear!
She pulled her mother's whiskers,
And scratched her sister's nose,
And while her brother drank his milk,
She stamped upon his toes.
And then she left the straw place,
In spite of mother's words,
And ran along the meadow,
To tease the little birds.
But as she frisked and trotted,
A fearful sight she saw:
A creature with a scarlet comb,
And a gigantic claw.
It said in voice stentorian,
“Ah! cock-a-doodle doo,”
Which meant although she did not know,
“Small pussy—how d'ye do?”
She turned and fled in terror,
Across the meadow wide,
But she did not see the duck pond,
Until she fell inside!
Then such a splash and mewing,
Made all the field resound;
And if a true friend had not come,
She would have straight been drowned.
This naughty little kitten,
Was whipped and put to bed,
And if you talk of duck ponds,
She always hangs her head.
C. E. C. Warner.
The Goose Girl.
Gretchen was a goose girl. She lived in a tiny cottage with a red roof, all amidst the fields, and woods, and hills, and every day she took a big stick and drove her geese across the common to the pond on the other side.
One summer morning her mother said she might take a holiday, and go and visit her Auntie Jeanne. So Gretchen dressed herself in her best clothes, and set out to the village. She spent a happy time with her auntie, and after tea started for home.
Just on the edge of the common she met her geese.
When they saw her they began to cackle in great excitement, and caught hold of her skirts. Gretchen drove them off with her umbrella. But they only waddled on a little way, then looked back to see what she was doing.
“I believe they want me to follow them!” cried Gretchen.
As soon as the geese saw her coming they began to run, and Gretchen ran after. On and on they went, over the common, across the fields, until they came to a little shady dell in a wood. And here Gretchen stopped, and clapped her hands with delight, for on the mossy ground was spread the most delicious tea she had ever seen. All around sat a number of little brown rabbits. Peter Bunny spied Gretchen first.
“Look, mother!” he cried. “There's a little servant girl!”
“So there is!” exclaimed Mrs. Bunny, staring at Gretchen. “What wages do you ask, my dear?”
Gretchen thought this great fun. “If you please,” she said, “I should be quite satisfied with some of those lovely cakes.”
“As many as you like,” said Mrs. Bunny. “Now go and fetch the tea.”
The geese had vanished, so Gretchen filled the tea pot from the little kettle on the fire, and Peter Bunny carried dishes of cakes. Then they all sat down, and Gretchen had as many cakes as she could eat. When tea was over, Mrs. Bunny told Gretchen to go and play with the children until bedtime.
“What's that?” asked Peter, presently, pointing to the umbrella, and Gretchen showed him how it opened and shut.
“I know!” he cried. “We'll go for a sail in the air.”
“Hurrah!” cried all the other rabbits, and they dragged Gretchen and the umbrella on to the common.
She opened the umbrella wide, Peter caught hold of her skirts, and the other rabbits joined on behind, holding on to each other's tails. “One, two, three—go!” cried Peter, and the whole party went soaring into the air. It was a delicious feeling. Higher and higher they went, until at last they were right above the clouds.
“Oh!” cried Gretchen, suddenly, “the umbrella's shutting up! Oh! whatever shall we do?” Sure enough the umbrella was no longer puffed out like a balloon, but hanging loosely round the handle, and the next moment it began to fall.
“We're tumbling into the sea!” cried the rabbit at the bottom of the chain, and there was a loud splash.
Splash, splash, splash! One by one all the bunnies fell in until only Peter and Gretchen were left. All of a sudden the umbrella flew out of her hands, and she awoke to find herself sitting by the side of the pond, while her geese were splashing in for their evening swim. On the ground in front of her lay the umbrella, but Peter and the rest of the rabbits had completely disappeared.
“I hope they're not drowned,” she said, as she got up and peered into the pond. But the water was so clear she could look right to the bottom, and no sign of a bunny rabbit could she see.
“It must have been a dream,” she said, as she smoothed out her dress. “But those cakes were lovely. So was the journey through the air.” She picked up her umbrella and opened it, but it wouldn't lift her an inch off the ground. So she scampered home to find mother standing in the doorway looking for her, but when she told her story, mother laughed.
Goose-girl.
“Goose-girl, Goose-girl,
Whither do you wander?”
“Uphill, down-dale,
To find my goose and gander!”