walked behind. They passed through a forest and across a meadow, and
finally came to a river. There was no bridge over this river; but as
the procession came to the river bank a straw, which lay there, wanted
to be helpful and said, “I will be your bridge.” Then he laid himself
across the water.
The little mice tried first to cross. They stepped upon the straw
bridge and snap! it broke. All the mice fell into the water and were
drowned. A coal then happened to come along. He said, “I am big enough;
I will lay myself over the water.” He had hardly touched the water when
he sank to the bottom.
The poor hen was very much frightened and did not know what to do. Just
then a long stone, that lay near and had seen all that had happened,
laid himself over the river. The hen took the wagon herself and drew it
over safe to the other side.
All the animals tried to go over, but there were so many of them that
the stone broke and they fell into the river and were drowned. Then the
hen was alone again. She dug a grave, laid the cock in it, and made
a little mound over it. When she had done this, the hen sat upon the
grave and grieved over the death of the cock till she, too, died.
Suggestions.
In which stories have you heard of a forest? Of meadows? Of brooks? Of
rivers?
Explain _bridges_, _materials of_, etc.
BIRDIE AND LENA.
I.
Preparation.
A story of a little child who was found by a hunter in an eagle’s nest.
Children tell what they know about the eagle. In what story did we
learn about the eagle?
Narration.
HOW THE HUNTER FOUND BIRDIE.
Once upon a time a mother was walking through a woods with a little
child in her arms. She became very tired and sat down under a tree to
rest. She fell asleep as she sat there, and the baby slept in her lap.
By and by an eagle that was flying far overhead saw the child in the
mother’s lap. He flew down, caught up the child in his strong claws,
and carried it away to his nest in a great oak tree.
A hunter saw the eagle flying towards the oak tree. He thought that he
saw something strange in the eagle’s claws. He waited until the eagle
had laid the child in his nest. Then the hunter fired his gun. The
noise frightened the eagle away.
Climbing the tree, the hunter found the little baby lying in the
eagle’s nest. He took the little one in his strong arms and carried it
home with him. He had but one child--a little daughter whose name was
Lena.
When he brought the little one home he said, “Here is a little sister
for you, Lena. We will call her Birdie because I found her in an
eagle’s nest.” Lena was glad to see the baby girl, and kissed her. The
two children played and ate and slept together. They grew to love each
other so much that, if they were parted for even a little while, they
felt lonely and sad.
Suggestions.
Talk about the hunter and hunting wild animals.
II.
Preparation.
The cook in the hunter’s home did not like Birdie. Recall characters
in preceding part of story. Talk about work of the cook and the
idea--_housekeeper_.
Narration.
THE COOK.
An old woman lived in the hunter’s home. She was the cook. She was busy
all day long doing the work and taking care of the children, for Lena’s
mother was dead.
The hunter went out early in the morning. At night he came home,
bringing what he had shot in the woods. Then he played with the
children or told them wonderful stories.
Lena and her father both loved Birdie dearly and were always kind to
her. But the old cook did not love her at all. She was angry when the
hunter brought the little child home. She had more work to do caring
for two children than for one; and the children were often noisy in
their play. All this made the old cook dislike Birdie. So she made up
her mind to get rid of her.
A great iron pot stood in the kitchen. One day Lena saw the old cook
carrying pails of water from the spring near the house. She poured the
water into the big pot and went for more. This she did again and again.
Lena wondered why she was doing this. She asked, “Why are you carrying
in so much water?” The cook looked around to see if anyone else were
near. Then she whispered to Lena, “I will tell you, Lena, if you
promise never, never to tell anyone.” Lena promised. Then the old
woman said, “I do not like Birdie. I am filling this big pot with water
and to-morrow, when your father is gone, I will drown her in it.”
Suggestions.
Talk of _springs_; _cooking_; _value of good cooking_.
III.
Preparation.
Birdie is saved by Lena. Talk of Birdie’s danger. Children imagine how
she might be saved.
Narration.
HOW BIRDIE WAS SAVED.
Lena felt very sad indeed when the old cook said, “I am going to drown
Birdie.” Oh, how sorry she was that she had made such a promise! All
day long she thought about it and grew sadder and sadder. Birdie would
ask, “What is the matter, dear Lena?” But Lena would say, “I cannot
tell you, Birdie.”
Night came and the children went to bed; but Lena could not sleep. At
last she said to herself, “That was not a good promise. I will not keep
it.” So she woke Birdie and told her all about what the old cook had
said and done.
Then she said, “But I can save you, Birdie, if you will trust me and
do just as I say.” “O, Lena,” said Birdie, “I do trust you. I know you
love me and I will do just as you say.” “Then,” said Lena, “let us
get up and dress ourselves. We will slip quietly out of the house and
hide in the forest before the old cook is up.” So the children dressed
themselves. They went softly out of the house and ran far away into the
forest.
When the hunter had eaten his breakfast and left the house, the old
cook went to the children’s room to get Birdie. How astonished she was
to find the bed empty and both the children gone. How frightened she
felt when she thought of the hunter’s anger when he should come home.
“Oh,” she cried, “what shall I say when the hunter comes home and finds
that the children are gone?”
Suggestions.
Breaking a bad promise.
Apprehensions of evil doers.
IV.
Preparation.
The cook sends servants to find the two girls, but they are not
successful. Children imagine where the servants will search for Lena
and Birdie.
Narration.
THE SEARCH.
The cook sent the servants to look for Birdie and Lena. They went into
the woods looking everywhere, behind trees and among the bushes. Lena
saw them coming towards the place where she and Birdie were hiding.
“Birdie,” she said, “will you do just as I say?” “Yes, Lena,” said
Birdie, “I will.” “Then,” said Lena, “we must change quickly so that
the servants will not find us. You must be a rosebush, Birdie, and I
will be a red rose growing upon it.” As she spoke they were changed.
Birdie became a rosebush and Lena a sweet red rose growing upon it.
The servants came and looked all around for the children; but, as they
could not find them anywhere, they went back to the house. The old
cook was at the window watching anxiously for them. “Where are the
children?” she cried. “We could not find them,” answered the servants.
“We thought once that we saw them, but when we reached the place they
were nowhere to be seen. There was nothing there but a rosebush with a
rose upon it.”
“O you stupid things,” cried the cook; “why did you not bring me the
rose? Go back and get it.”
V.
Preparation.
The servants try to find the rosebush and the rose. The children escape
again. Children imagine how they escape.
Narration.
THE SERVANTS GO AGAIN TO THE FOREST.
When the old cook said, “Go back to the forest and bring me the rose,”
the servants went back. As they came near the place where they had
seen the rosebush and rose, Lena saw them coming. “We must change
again, dear Birdie,” she said. “You must be a church and I will be the
steeple.”
When the servants came to the place the rosebush and the rose were
gone. And there stood a tiny church with a tall steeple! The servants
were astonished. They said to one another, “I did not see that church
here before. Did you? Well, we can not find the rosebush and rose, so
we may as well go back. My! but won’t the old cook be cross?”
VI.
Preparation.
The cook goes out to look for the children and is punished. Talk of
cook’s wicked plan and what her punishment may be.
Explain _pond_.
Narration.
THE COOK PUNISHED.
So the cook set out to look for the children herself and the servants
went with her. By and by they came near the place where Birdie and
Lena were. Lena saw them coming because she was the steeple and could
see far around her. “O Birdie,” she cried, “here comes the old cook.
We must change again. You must be a pond, dear Birdie, and I will be a
duck swimming upon the pond.”
It was no sooner said than done; and when the old woman and the
servants came, the church and the steeple had disappeared. And there,
among the trees, they saw a little pond with a snow-white duck swimming
upon it. “There they are,” cried the wicked old woman; “I am going to
drink all that water up.” And so saying she stooped down to drink up
all the water; but she lost her balance and, falling head-first into
the pond, was drowned.
Birdie and Lena took back their own shapes again. You may be sure the
servants were astonished when they heard the whole story. As for the
old cook, they said, “She was a wicked woman; she is well punished.”
The children went back to the house and, when the hunter came home,
told him all about the old woman’s wicked plan and how Birdie was
saved. He, too, said, “She was a wicked woman. She is well punished.”
And now that the old cook was gone, Birdie and her kind friends lived
happily together all the rest of their lives.
Suggestions.
Punishment. Recall punishment in previous stories.
[Illustration]
THE WOLF AND THE FOX.
I.
Preparation.
A wolf made a fox get his food for him. He made him take food from
farmers’ yards and houses.
What kind of food would a wolf find in a farmer’s yard?
Narration.
AT THE FARMYARD.
Once upon a time a wolf caught a fox and kept him as a servant.
Whatever the wolf said, the fox must do. One day they were going
through a forest and the wolf said to the fox, “Get me some food or I
will eat you.” The fox said, “I know a farmyard where there are two
young lambs which, if you wish, I will fetch for you?” This pleased the
wolf very much. They went to the farmyard and the fox, slipping slyly
into the yard, stole a fine young lamb and brought it to the wolf.
When he had done this he ran away, leaving the wolf alone to enjoy
his dinner. The wolf quickly devoured the lamb, but did not feel
satisfied. He wanted more, and went to get the other lamb from the
yard. But he was so clumsy and made so much noise that the mother sheep
heard him. She cried out, “Baa! baa!” This wakened the farmers and they
came running to help her. They found the wolf and, before the thief
could get over the fence, they beat him severely. He ran limping to the
fox and said, “You have led me into a fine place! When I went to get
the other lamb the farmers came out and beat me terribly.”
“That is because you are such a glutton,” said the fox. “You always
want too much.”
Suggestions.
Compare wolf and fox, their homes, food, etc.
Explain _glutton_.
Describe the conduct of the wolf. Did he deserve punishment?
II.
Preparation.
The wolf and the fox visit a farm house to get some pancakes.
Narration.
AT THE FARM HOUSE.
The next day the wolf and the fox again went into the forest and the
greedy wolf said to the fox. “Get me something to eat right quick or I
will eat you!” The fox said he knew of a farm house near by where the
cook was going to make some pancakes that very day. So they turned and
went there.
When they got there the sly fox crept up very quietly and entered the
house. He sneaked around till he found where the dish was that held
the pancakes. He then slyly drew out six of the cakes and took them to
the wolf, saying, “Here is something for you to eat,” and ran away as
before.
The wolf ate them and, in a minute or two, wishing to have more, he
went into the house and tried to get some out of the dish. But he was
so clumsy that he knocked the dish down. It fell with a loud crash and
was broken in pieces. The noise alarmed the cook who came running out.
When she saw the wolf she called the family. The farmer came and beat
him with such good will that he ran home to the fox howling, and with
two lame legs.
“What a fine place you have drawn me into now!” he cried. “The farmers
have caught me again and dressed my skin till my bones cracked.” “Why,
then, are you such a glutton?” asked the fox.
III.
Preparation.
On the third day they visited a farmer’s cellar.
Explain _cellar_. Food found there.
Narration.
IN THE CELLAR.
They went out again the third day, the wolf limping along very
painfully. When they were some distance from home the wolf said to the
fox, “Get me something to eat quick, or I will eat you.”
The fox said he knew a man who had just killed a pig and salted it
down in a cask in his cellar. The wolf replied, “I will go with you if
you promise to help me if we get into trouble.” “Of course I will help
you,” said the fox, and showed him how to get into the cellar.
Once in, there was plenty of meat. The wolf was delighted at the sight
and set to work at once. The fox, too, liked meat; but he kept looking
around while eating and running now and then to the hole through
which they came, to see if his body would still slip through easily.
Presently the wolf asked, “Why are you running about so?” “I want to
see if any one is coming,” replied the cunning fox. “Mind you don’t eat
too much!”
The wolf said he would not leave till all the meat was eaten.
Meanwhile the farmer, who had heard the noise made by the pair in the
cellar, walked in. The fox, as soon as he saw him, made a spring and
was out through the hole in a jiffy.
The wolf tried to follow, but he had eaten so much that his body was
too big for the hole and he stuck fast. Then came the farmer with a
stout cudgel and beat him to death.
The fox ran away into the forest, very glad to be rid of his greedy
master.
Suggestions.
Farms, farmers. Where does our food come from? Preserving meat.
Why did the fox serve the wolf? Was either one honest? Who was made to
do wrong?
[Illustration]
THE STREET MUSICIANS.
I.
Preparation.
Our story to-day tells of four animals that formed a plan to go to a
city called Bremen and become street musicians. But darkness overtook
them on the way and they had to spend the night in a forest. What
animals might become musicians? What music can each one make? Tell
about street musicians you have seen. What kind of instruments did they
play on?
Narration.
HOW THE MUSICIANS CAME TOGETHER.
A man once had a donkey that, for many years, had carried heavy sacks
of grain to the mill for him. At last the donkey grew old. He became
weak and could no longer carry heavy loads.
One day, as he was eating hay in his stall, he heard his master say,
“That old donkey is good for nothing. I am not going to feed him any
longer. When he dies I will have his tough old hide for a cover to my
wagon.”
At this the poor donkey felt very sad. He said to himself: “I have
worked hard for my master all these years and now the hard-hearted man
cares nothing for me and is going to turn me out and let me die of
starvation. But he is mistaken about that. I will not stay here to die.
I will help myself. I have always had a beautiful, strong voice. It is
fine and good yet. I will go to the great city, Bremen, and be a street
musician. The people will gladly pay to hear such fine music as I can
make; and with the money I can buy food for myself in my old age.”
So the old donkey set out on the road to Bremen. As he walked along he
saw a dog lying by the roadside. The dog was panting and seemed very
tired. The donkey stopped and looked at him. “What is the matter with
you?” he asked. “You look as if you are in trouble.”
“Indeed, I am in trouble,” said the dog. “I am too old and weak to go
hunting with my master and I heard him say this morning that he intends
to kill me. No wonder I am sad.” The donkey replied: “I have just left
my master because he was going to turn me out to starve, and I am going
to Bremen to be a street musician and earn my living. You may go, too.
So come along; we will go together.” “That I will,” said the dog. So
the two went on side by side toward the city.
By and by they came to a cat sitting on a fence by the roadside. She
looked as though she had not a friend in all the wide world. The two
friends stopped to speak to her. “What is the matter with you, old
whiskers?” said the donkey. “You look as dismal as three days of rainy
weather.”
“No wonder,” answered the cat. “I am now too old to catch mice; my
teeth are gone and my claws are dull; and my heartless master says he
is going to drown me in the pond.” “Cheer up,” said the donkey. “We two
are going to be musicians. You can sing tenor to our bass. You are just
the one we want. Come with us to Bremen.” The cat thanked the donkey
for the kind invitation and said she was delighted with the plan and
would go gladly. So the three went on towards Bremen.
As they were passing by a farm they saw a cock perched upon a barn
door. He was crowing as loud as he could. The donkey called out, “What
ails you, old red comb? You are crowing as if you meant to split your
throat.” “I am crowing while I can,” said the cock; “to-morrow the
cook is going to put me into the soup pot.” And he went on crowing
louder than ever. “I can tell you something better than that,” said the
donkey. “We are all going to be musicians. You have a fine voice, so
come with us.” “Thank you,” said the cock. “I will gladly go. I have
no taste for soup.” He flew down, and the four friends went on merrily
together.
Model Treatment.
Tell what the donkey had done all his life. Why did his master want
to get rid of him? Give the conversation between the donkey and the
dog, the donkey and each of the other animals.
To what city were the animals going? Bremen is a large city in
Germany, across the ocean. Do you know any one that has come from
Germany? Do you live in a city? In what large city have you been?
Which is the more useful, the donkey or the dog? Tell what each does
for us. Tell about the different kinds of dogs that you know. What do
shepherd dogs do? Newfoundland dogs?
Why did the masters wish to be rid of these animals? How should
animals be treated in their old age? What do we say of those that try
to support themselves?
II.
Preparation.
I will now tell you how the four musicians passed the night in a forest
on the way to Bremen, and what happened to them there. Do you remember
any one in the stories we have heard that passed the night in a forest?
Tell how it happened? Why does one not like to stay in a forest all
night? What dangers are there in a forest?
Narration.
IN THE FOREST.
The four companions could not reach Bremen in one day, so must pass
the night on the road. Night came on them as they were passing through
a deep forest. They could no longer see the way, and so they stopped.
The donkey leaned up against a great tree. The dog lay on the ground
beneath, the cat curled herself up on a branch, and the cock flew up
to the very top.
After a time the cock said, “I see a light. It seems to come from the
window of a house.” “Oh,” said the donkey, “let us go to it; perhaps
some kind people live in the house. They may give us something to eat.
I am hungry. I would like a mouthful of hay.” “I would be thankful for
even a couple of bones,” said the dog. The cat and the cock, too, were
hungry. So the four animals went on toward the light.
As they came nearer the light grew larger and clearer. Finally they
came to a house, the home of a band of robbers. The donkey, being the
largest, went to the window and looked in. “What do you see?” said the
cock.
“Oh! I see a table with all kinds of good things to eat on it. Around
it there seems to be a band of robbers, eating and drinking and having
a merry time,” said the donkey.
“There must be something there for us,” said the cock. “Yes, indeed!”
said the donkey. “Some of that food must be for us.” The four animals
then agreed upon a plan to frighten the robbers away from the house
so that they might go in and eat. The donkey put his fore feet on the
window sill. The dog jumped up on the donkey’s back. The cat sprang up
on the dog’s back, and the cock flew up on top of the cat.
When they were all ready, each one made his music as loud as he could.
The donkey brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed.
The noise they made was so loud and strong that the window rattled and
the whole house shook. The robbers heard the noise outside but could
not tell what it was. They were all terribly frightened. One thought it
was the police. Another cried, “It is the soldiers!”
And so hallowing, one this, the other that, they ran pell mell out of
the house and hid in the woods. Then the four friends went in and sat
at the robbers’ table and ate and drank until they were satisfied. Then
they put out the light and each one found a comfortable place in which
to sleep. The donkey stretched himself out on some straw in the yard.
The dog lay behind the door. The cat lay down by the hearth, and the
cock flew up on the rafter. They were so tired after their long journey
that they were soon fast asleep, and so all was quiet in the little
house in the woods.
Model Treatment.
Where did the animals plan to spend the night? Tell how each one
made ready for sleep. Who saw the light? Why did they go toward it?
Who peeped in? What did he see? Tell how the animals frightened the
robbers away.
In what stories have you heard of a cock? Tell how the cat differs
from the dog. Of what use are cats? How do they catch mice? Did you
ever see a cat sharpen her claws? What animals are like cats?
Why did the robbers live in the forest?
Why were they so easily frightened?
Why did they think of police and soldiers?
III.
Preparation.
We shall now learn that the robbers came back while the four musicians
were asleep in the house, and what happened. Tell where each animal
went to sleep. What do you think they did when the robbers came back?
Let us see.
Narration.
THE ROBBERS RETURN.
The robbers did not go very far away. They hid in the woods and watched
to see what went on in the house. Along about midnight one of the
robbers said: “See, the light is out. Perhaps the police have gone
away.” “Yes,” said all the other robbers, as they looked, “the light is
out.”
The captain of the robbers then sent one of the band to see if all
was safe. He stole softly through the woods and crept into the house.
When once in he saw something shining in the fireplace. It was the
cat’s eyes, but he thought it was two coals of fire. So he took the
candle from the table and stooped to light it at the coals. The cat at
once sprang at him and scratched his face with her claws. The robber,
badly scared, ran out of the house. As he ran, the dog awoke and
bit him in the leg. The donkey kicked him, and the cock cried out,
“Cock--a--doodle--do.” Still worse frightened, he ran back to where the
others were hiding.
“Oh!” he said, “I wouldn’t go back there for the world! There was a
terrible old woman sitting by the fireplace. She scratched me with her
long finger nails. A man lay behind the door: he cut me in the leg with
his long knife. A giant, who was lying in the yard, struck me with his
great club. Then some one cried out, ‘Bring a rope and hang the thief.’
So I ran back as fast as I could.”
When the other robbers heard this they all said, “No, it is not safe to
go back there;” and they went away to another part of the country. The
four musicians liked the little house in the woods so much that they
remained there all the rest of their days in joy and comfort.
Model Treatment.
1. Tell where the robbers went when they ran away. Tell what the one
said who saw that the light was out. What did the captain then say?
What did the cat do to the robber? The dog? The donkey? The cock? Tell
what report he made to his brother robbers. What did they then do?
2. Why did the robber go to the fireplace? What is a candle? What do
we use in place of candles? A long time ago people used candles. Of
what were they made? What is burned in lamps? Where do we get it?
Where do we get gas? Can cats see better than dogs or donkeys or
chickens? Where do cats sleep? Dogs? Donkeys? Cocks?
Why do chickens sleep up so high?
Why are robbers afraid of police?
What are _policemen_?
What is their duty? Who pays policemen? In what other stories did we
hear of a fireplace? (In “The Cock and the Hen.”) Tell about it.
Detail of Form Work.