365 Bedtime Stories
[Illustration: THE BEDTIME STORY]
365
Bedtime Stories
_By_
Mary Graham Bonner
_With twenty illustrations in color by_
Florence Choate and Elizabeth Curtis
[Illustration]
New York
Frederick A. Stokes Company
MCMXXIII
_Copyright, 1923, by_
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
_All rights reserved_
_Printed in the United States of America_
_This book is dedicated with all my love and all my admiration and all my
affection to_
EUGENE EDWARD EARLY
CONTENTS
PAGE
JANUARY 1: A NEW YEAR’S PARTY 1
2: THE RHYMING YEARS 2
3: NAUGHTY WIND 3
4: THE SELFISH OYSTER CRABS 4
5: BROWNIE’S TOOTHACHE 4
6: THE PINK COCKATOO 4
7: THE PET MONKEY 5
8: THE BRAVERY MEDAL 6
9: THE JACK-KNIFE 6
10: THE BRAVE LITTLE SISTER 7
11: BABY BEARS 7
12: THE SNOW HOUSE 8
13: PETER GOBLIN’S TRIP 9
14: THE WORDS 10
15: THE MEDICINE BOTTLE 10
16: A LOAF OF BREAD 11
17: THE TAME CANARY 12
18: LITTLE CARRY’S BIRTHDAY 13
19: MAGGIE’S MEALS 14
20: WINTER TREES 14
21: POOR PRUNES 15
22: MOLLY’S PIANO RECITAL 16
23: GOBLINS’ SECRETS 17
24: IN THE FISH BOWL 17
25: MAC, THE DOG 18
26: THE THREE HORSES 19
27: IN THE KITCHEN 20
28: THE LITTLE NEEDLE 21
29: REAL DOGS 21
30: THE LITTLE OLD MAN 22
31: THE FUSSY CAT 23
FEBRUARY 1: MICE ARE DISCOVERED 24
2: IN THE SEA 25
3: THE CIRCUS DREAM 26
4: LITTLE MILDRED’S MUFF 28
5: THE COAL-BIN 28
6: IN DREAMLAND 29
7: HOW THE INKFISHES PROTECT THEMSELVES 30
8: THE VEGETABLES 31
9: THE LIFE SAVING ST. BERNARDS 31
10: THE BIRTHDAY GOBLIN 32
11: A MAKE-BELIEVE AND REAL PRESIDENT 33
12: ABRAHAM LINCOLN 33
13: ISA’S VALENTINE PARTY 34
14: WHY THERE IS A SAINT VALENTINE’S DAY 34
15: THE DESK AND THE INK-WELL 35
16: DR. SUN 36
17: MR. MOON HIDES 37
18: A CARELESS MASTER 37
19: THE CAT SHOW 39
20: THE QUEER PETS 40
21: HARRY’S COMPOSITION 40
22: FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY 41
23: THE STAMP TRAVELER 42
24: HOW ROWDY SHARED HIS HOME 43
25: THE TIRED EAGLES 44
26: THE SQUIRRELS’ PEANUT HUNT 45
27: THE GAME OF MANNERS 45
28: NAUGHTY JULIUS 46
29: THE WHISTLING BOY 47
MARCH 1: LUCY’S TONSILS 48
2: LUCY’S VISITORS 49
3: THE HOMESICK PUPPY 51
4: LADY ETHEL 52
5: THE SOUP 52
6: ELEPHANT WAYS 53
7: THE MARBLES 53
8: TOMATOES’ ADVANTAGES 54
9: THE OLD WOMAN AND THE POT OF DAFFODILS 55
10: THE TICK-TOCK TWINS 55
11: THE FIG 57
12: HAPPY COMPTON 58
13: ICE BOX AND FURNACE 58
14: THE PET DOGS 59
15: BIDDLE’S TRICK 61
16: THE NAUGHTY COLDS 61
17: WHY THE SHAMROCK IS WORN ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY 63
18: ST. PATRICK 63
19: THE CLOCKS 64
20: A PARTY AND POLLY 65
21: SALT, PEPPER AND SUGAR 65
22: A SUN PARLOR FOR BIRDS 66
23: THE AUTOMOBILES 67
24: THE TRAILING ARBUTUS 68
25: THE TELEPHONE DOG 69
26: THE KETTLE’S TROUBLE 69
27: MR. MEASLES’ PUZZLE 70
28: WINTER’S EXIT 72
29: ANOTHER BIDDLE STORY 72
30: THE SQUIRRELS’ SPRING WORK 73
31: THE BUNCH OF KEYS 74
APRIL 1: MARKETING 74
2: THE BUDS’ SECRETS 75
3: THE CLOCK AND THE WATCH 76
4: BILLIE’S SPRINGTIME 76
5: BRENDA’S EASTER VISIT 78
6: AN UNINVITED GUEST 79
7: THE TIRED HONEYSUCKLE 80
8: THE FLOWER PARADE 81
9: THE BIG PARADE 82
10: THE ALPHABET LETTERS 82
11: THE SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER 84
12: THE WOODPECKER BAND 85
13: THE TEASE 86
14: THE ONION’S SPEECH 87
15: A BOOKWORM 88
16: THE WILD BLACK CHERRY 89
17: SPRING BLOSSOMS 89
18: THE BUTTON BAG 90
19: THE PATIENT CHIMPANZEE 92
20: THE TOAD 92
21: THE PINE NEEDLES 93
22: THE CAT’S MISTAKE 93
23: THE BUTTERFLY WHO LOVED THE SUN 94
24: THE HORSE-CHESTNUT 95
25: THE LOVING MATES 95
26: THE DANDELION 96
27: BUTTERFLY’S GROWTH 96
28: THE TACK AND THE NAIL 97
29: MOON’S MISUNDERSTANDING 98
30: MARION’S FERN GARDEN 99
MAY 1: THE TREE SWALLOWS 99
2: THE PIG WHO TOOK A WALK 100
3: THE FAIRY AND THE KANGAROO 101
4: THE MAPLE TREE TALKS 102
5: THE DAISIES’ NAME 102
6: THE TWO RABBITS 102
7: EVELYN DECIDES SOMETHING 104
8: BOSSY WHITE’S ESCAPE 105
9: THE SPRING SNOW-STORM 106
10: A REWARD FOR MR. WALRUS 108
11: KAY AND THE TRUNK 109
12: THE SUN TALKS TO HARRY 109
13: OLD MR. OWL WRITES A BOOK 110
14: THE LITTLE TURKEYS 111
15: BILLY’S TRIP IN THE COACH 112
16: MOTHER MAPLE TREE 113
17: THE SPORT FISH 114
18: MOTHER SHEEP 115
19: THE MONKEYS’ VICTORY 116
20: THE MOSQUITOES 117
21: THE POTATO BUGS 118
22: MEADOW MOUSE AND MOLE 120
23: WISHES 120
24: THE TREE’S COMPLAINT 122
25: SAVING A TAIL 122
26: LIFE IN THE FIREPLACE 123
27: THE JEWELWEED’S VISITOR 124
28: PETER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY 125
29: THE SPRING FLOWERS’ TALK 127
30: DECORATION DAY 127
31: WHAT THE FLAG SAID TO FRED 128
JUNE 1: THE ROBIN PARENTS 128
2: THE ROBINS COME TO THE RESCUE 129
3: THE PERSIAN LILACS 130
4: HOW A WISH SAVED THE RACCOONS 131
5: THE NEW MOLE HOME 132
6: THE GREEN CANOE 133
7: THE BUNNIE AND THE FOX 134
8: THE HOMEBODY BEE 136
9: LADYBUG’S LECTURE 136
10: THE WAVES’ WISHES 138
11: THE WAVES’ ADVENTURES 138
12: THE WAVES’ STORY 140
13: A POOR WEED 140
14: THE BICYCLE’S JOY 141
15: THE BEST APPLE TREE OF ALL 142
16: AN ELEPHANT’S WANDERINGS 143
17: THE STORY THE OAK TREE TOLD 144
18: THE WEEDS AND THE FLOWERS 145
19: THE INSULTED FLOWERS 146
20: THE COLORED BAGS 147
21: A SPIDER’S CURIOSITY 148
22: THE SUN-DIAL 149
23: SHOES AND STOCKINGS 150
24: MOSQUITOES AND SNAILS 150
25: THE ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK 151
26: THE GOLDFISHES 153
27: THE PIGEONS’ BATH 153
28: THE MAN IN THE MOON’S PARTY 154
29: BILLY AND THE DRAGON 155
30: COZY BALSAM FLOWERS 156
JULY 1: A BROTHER’S PLAN 156
2: THE BEST DREAM 157
3: THE HASH AND THE WATERMELON 158
4: INDEPENDENCE DAY 159
5: THE SUN AND THE THUNDER 159
6: THE TRUE STORY OF A DOG 159
7: THE RABBIT NAMED PIGEON 160
8: THE BIG TENT 161
9: MRS. HIPPOPOTAMUS 162
10: THE PAPOOSE 163
11: A FEAST FOR THE MICE 165
12: KNOWING HOW TO SWIM 165
13: FLOWER DREAMS 165
14: THE NAUGHTY BREEZES 166
15: THE CORAL FAMILIES 166
16: THE GARDEN TOOLS 168
17: THE JOLLY DUST BROTHERS 169
18: THE BAD POISON IVY 170
19: THE SUN FAIRIES 171
20: THE MEADOW FRITILLARY FAMILY 171
21: GEORGE AND THE GOBLIN 173
22: JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT 174
23: THE TIDE 175
24: LITTLE EDITH’S GARDEN 177
25: THE EARTH VISITS THE MOON 177
26: THE ELEPHANT’S TOOTHACHE 179
27: THE POTATO SKINS 179
28: THE TRAVELING FLOWERS 180
29: THE VISITORS 181
30: THE LITTLE BUMBLEBEE’S MISTAKE 182
31: RIPE RASPBERRIES 183
AUGUST 1: THE BRAVE MOCKING BIRD 183
2: THE MILKWEED PLANTS 184
3: TELEPHONE PEAS 184
4: THE HAREBELL UMBRELLAS 185
5: A CHILDREN’S CIRCUS 186
6: THE BANK SWALLOW 187
7: THE CUCKOO-CLOCK 188
8: ZUZEPPA, THE MONKEY 190
9: MR. BULLFROG 191
10: ALLIE BAA’S LETTER 191
11: CHICKADEE 193
12: THE LITTLE CATERPILLARS 193
13: THE CATBIRD 194
14: THE FAIRY QUEEN’S STORY 195
15: A HOSPITAL CIRCUS 196
16: THE FIRE 197
17: FRIENDS OF ANIMALS 198
18: THE ORANGEADE 199
19: THE CLIMBING PERCH 199
20: THE ONION’S INSULT 201
21: HARRIET’S MONKEY 201
22: SUMMER CORN 202
23: A BEE STORY 203
24: ALLIE BAA’S PORTRAIT 204
25: SAVING THE ELM 205
26: A MAGIC LANTERN SHOW 205
27: THE BABY EAR 206
28: HOW ARTHUR SAVED A LITTLE GIRL 207
29: THE HUCKLEBERRY PICKERS 207
30: MR. SUN’S BIRTHDAY 208
31: THE LOST DOG 209
SEPTEMBER 1: THE WHIPPOORWILLS 210
2: THE MONKEY 211
3: PAPER DOLLS 213
4: LARRY’S LABOR DAY 214
5: IN THE BARNYARD 215
6: THE ANIMALS’ TALK 215
7: DOCTOR BIRDS 216
8: NINE YEARS OLD 217
9: EVELYN’S STORY 218
10: THE GALLANT ROOSTER 218
11: THE FAIRY QUEEN STORY 218
12: THE WHITE OAK 219
13: WASTED MOMENTS 220
14: WELCOME, THE DOG 220
15: THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 221
16: PRINCE, THE HORSE 222
17: THE DEER 223
18: A BLACK CAT 225
19: THE OYSTERS 225
20: THE ELEVATOR 225
21: THE FOG 226
22: THE LAND OF NOD 226
23: THE HOMESICK CHICKEN 227
24: MRS. DUCK’S DINNER 228
25: DOLL CHILDREN 229
26: THE LEAVES 229
27: THE DAWN FAIRIES 229
28: THE DREAM 229
29: THE MONKEY’S COLLAR 230
30: MR. FOX’S MARKETING 231
OCTOBER 1: GYPSY, THE CAT 232
2: THE MAKE-BELIEVE ELEPHANT 233
3: CANARY CLOUDY WINGS 234
4: THE ABUSED PENCIL 234
5: THE ONIONS 236
6: TRIXIE’S BURGLAR 237
7: AN AUTUMN PARTY 238
8: A LITTLE DOG 238
9: ALTA’S GUINEA PIGS 239
10: A DEVOTED DOG 240
11: A BIRD’S SECRET 240
12: COLUMBUS DAY 241
13: THE CAMELS 241
14: A NAUGHTY CAT 242
15: THE CHIPMUNKS 243
16: THE FAIRIES’ TRIP 243
17: THE LION BABIES 244
18: MAX’S ESCAPE 246
19: THE FIRE BELL 246
20: THE RAIN 247
21: GRANDFATHER PINE TREE 247
22: JACK FROST’S EVENING 248
23: BEANS AND PEAS 249
24: TIGER WEST’S FOOD 249
25: AUTUMN LEAVES 250
26: BLACKIE’S ESCAPE 251
27: A TALK WITH THE SUN 253
28: THE SQUASH 254
29: JACK O’LANTERN 254
30: DADDY’S HALLOWE’EN 255
31: HALLOWE’EN 256
NOVEMBER 1: THE BROWNIES HELP 257
2: THE BUTTERFLY AND BUMBLE-BEE 258
3: THE FURNACE 259
4: THE ELEPHANT’S BATH 259
5: WAVING AND DREAMING 261
6: THE CLEVER FIRE HORSES 261
7: THE TWO ROSES 262
8: THE MOTH BALLS 262
9: GOOD-WINTER 263
10: THE HORSE’S COMPLAINT 264
11: ARMISTICE DAY 264
12: WINDOW CASTLES 266
13: THE AUTUMN PAINT CLUB 266
14: MOTHER BROWN BAT 267
15: THE MAGIC SLATE 268
16: PETER’S TRIP WITH THE MAN IN THE MOON 269
17: DINAH 270
18: WINTER SLEEPERS 271
19: TOODY RUGGLES’ LUCK 271
20: THE LIMPETS 272
21: THE RESCUE 273
22: THE OLD MAN IN THE WOODS 274
23: THE QUEEN’S PIN 274
24: EAGLE’S THANKSGIVING 275
25: THANKSGIVING DAY 276
26: THANKSGIVING DAY 277
27: GOOD NEWS 278
28: THE NEWSBOY’S DOG 278
29: THE GUN-METAL WATCH 279
30: BARNYARD THOUGHTS 279
DECEMBER 1: THE TOY-SHOP 280
2: A STORY OF THE FIREPLACE 281
3: THE PIG WHO HAD NO TABLE MANNERS 281
4: JIMMIE’S AIRPLANE 282
5: THE CHRISTMAS DOG 282
6: THE PRIDE OF TOYS 284
7: CHRISTMAS WITH THE SQUIRRELS 285
8: HOW TO ADDRESS SANTA 285
9: A LETTER TO SANTA CLAUS AND THE ANSWER 285
10: BETTY’S DREAM 286
11: THE SNOW MAN 287
12: SHARPY AND CHAPPY 287
13: CHRISTMAS LETTERS 288
14: CANDY TOYS 290
15: SANTA’S GIFTS 290
16: THE GRAY RABBIT 291
17: SANTA CLAUS AND TEDDY 291
18: BLUE SKY AND SUN 292
19: CHRISTMAS TIME JOY 294
20: SANTA IN ESKIMO LAND 294
21: SANTA’S TOY-SHOP 295
22: A WHITE CHRISTMAS 295
23: THE TREE AND THE STOCKINGS 295
24: THE TWO LITTLE MICE’S CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY 296
25: CHRISTMAS MORNING 297
26: SANTA’S TELESCOPE 298
27: CHRISTMAS LETTERS 299
28: HOMES WITHOUT CHIMNEYS 299
29: THE BARNYARD CHRISTMAS 300
30: AMBITIONS 300
31: LITTLE PITCHERS 301
ILLUSTRATIONS
The Bedtime Story Hour _Frontispiece_
FACING
PAGE
“In the afternoons Elizabeth lets him out of his cage” 12
“‘Hurry, Dream Fairies, tie up the dreams for me to take
around’” 30
“‘We’ve been on this chair so long,’ said the fourth eagle” 44
“A lovely gray felt bunny and a brown felt monkey always
were with Lucy” 50
“‘This is the season for us to tap the sirup from the
maple trees, and you are spending your time swinging
in a hammock’” 74
“The butterfly thought, ‘Well, this may be my first party,
but it won’t be my last’” 94
“Mr. Owl awakened the fairies and told them to listen
to his book” 112
“The mother humming-bird hurried back” 130
“‘The Fairy Queen brings all the little fairies to
admire us’” 142
“The Fairy Queen was dressed in glittering gold” 154
“‘You are paying me a fine compliment’” 162
“As the bumble-bees got nearer, they, too, saw they had
made a mistake” 182
“For a moment Mr. Sun was hidden by a purple cloud” 208
“After a long time the lovely dawn fairies came out from
their sleeping places” 230
“So off they sailed, feeling just like birds with the
delightful flying motion of the ships” 244
“There would be fortune-telling, too, and Janet’s mother
had promised to be the fortune-telling witch who would
sit by her caldron” 256
“Peter felt a little afraid at first that he’d fall” 270
“If he couldn’t reach a thing he’d climb on the table” 282
“They ate until they could eat no more” 296
365 Bedtime Stories
JANUARY 1: A New Year’s Party
“Just because it was the first day of the year,” commenced daddy, “and
because parties were about the nicest things in the world to the mind of
a little girl named Ella, her mother decided to give her one.
“‘It certainly does seem like the first of the year, or the first of
something,’ said Ella. ‘It’s a new day, a new year and we have new toys
and new games. We are even going to have supper out of new dishes.’
“For among the presents Santa Claus had brought to Ella was a fine set of
dishes. They were pink and white and there were six cups and saucers, six
little plates, a teapot, sugar bowl and cream jug. It was really a very
complete set.
“They had thin bread and butter, hot chocolate with whipped cream and a
cake which Ella’s mother called a New Year’s cake. It was pink and white
on the top with pink sugared trimmings on the white frosting.
“In the center of the cake was one pink candle, for Ella’s mother said it
would be quite impossible to have a candle for the number of years there
had been, and too, it would be nice to have a new way and just consider
the year a day old.
“After the cake had been almost entirely eaten they played house. Each
little girl took a corner of the room as her house and fixed it up with
some of Ella’s things. They all had their own dolls and many of their
other toys so they really felt quite at home.
“Then they began calling on each other, dressing up in shawls and
old hats which Ella’s mother let them use. After a while they heard
a flutter, flutter against the window pane, and then another little
flapping sound.
“‘It’s a little bird,’ said Ella, as she looked out of the window. ‘It’s
right on the sill, and I am dreadfully afraid it has hurt its wings. Poor
little dear.’
“They opened the window and Ella took the little bird in her hands. Oh,
how cold the little bird’s feathers were!
“‘We’ll take care of you,’ said Ella. They gave the little bird some
bread-crumbs and some water. Then he had a delicious piece of lettuce
from the seeds which Ella had started in a box in her room.
“Pretty soon the bird began to grow much better and hopped and chirped
about the room, and then they let him out for he had simply been very
hungry.
“‘We’ll put some suet in that tree over there,’ said Ella.
“‘Let’s put some bread-crumbs,’ said her friends, and then one of them
added,
“‘And let’s give some of the New Year cake crumbs too.’
“So the little bird was given a regular New Year’s feast, and Ella and
her friends were among other children who decided to look after the
feathered people through the cold months of the winter and to give them
bread-crumbs and suet which they love so well.”
JANUARY 2: The Rhyming Years
“Well,” said the Old Year, “I am going to make up a poem about myself. I
feel quite poetical.”
“And,” said the New Year, “I will, too.” For the New Year didn’t want
to have the Old Year think that he was unable to do anything like that,
even though he was young. But he felt very much pleased when the Old Year
said: “Though I have lived twelve whole months, I have not become a poet.”
“I think age should be given the right to speak first,” said the New Year.
The Old Year shook his white hair and smiled so that the wrinkles in his
face all ran in together.
This is what he said:
“Yes, it is true I was feeling old,
Yes, it is true I was also cold,
Yes, it is true I heard them cheer,
Welcoming in the glad New Year.”
Then New Year recited this verse:
“Of course, you see I was out for fun,
My life has only just begun,
They said ‘He is young and full of vim,
No one can help but welcome him.’
“You mustn’t think I am conceited,” he added. “I say a lot to make my
rhyme come out right.”
“Of course,” said the Old Year, “for I do too. Well. I will give my
second verse. Don’t believe it all, though!” Then the Old Year took an
old harp he had and he began to play and sing, and this was what he sang:
“And Poor Old Year—he almost wept
As he packed up his things and left.
But as he turned to say good-by,
Something in him made him cry:
‘Though my work is mostly done,
I, have, too, had lots of fun,
And ’ere I go upon my way,
This I certainly would say:
‘Happy New Year, big and small,
Happy New Year, short and tall,
Happy New Year, every one!
May you all have lots of fun!’”
JANUARY 3: Naughty Wind
“The Clothes-Pins on the line,” said daddy, “were having a very jolly
time.
“‘I’ll blow those clothes away,’ said the North Wind.
“‘Oh, no you won’t,’ said the Clothes-Pins in chorus.
“‘You are only little wooden things,’ said the Wind. ‘I am strong and
powerful and can do just exactly as I like.’
“Now the Fairies saw that the Clothes-Pins were doing their work so well
that they thought they would like to help them, so they all perched on
the line and began to sing:
‘Heigh-ho, heigh-ho,
Let the North Wind blow,
The Clothes-Pins and we,
Will certainly see,
That the clothes will stay here.
The day’s nice and clear,
The sun’s good and strong,
And the wind is quite wrong.
To try such a trick,
But the Clothes-Pins will stick.’
“The Clothes-Pins did stick to the line and the Fairies helped them,
singing all the time. The Wind kept on blowing and tried his hardest
to get the better of the Fairies, but he had no luck at all and the
Clothes-Pins won!”
JANUARY 4: The Selfish Oyster Crabs
“You know, I think oyster-crabs are perhaps the most selfish of all the
sea animals,” began daddy. “The oyster-crabs really belong to the crab
family. They are called oyster-crabs, however, because above all things
they love the juice of an oyster and absolutely live on it. And what I am
going to tell you about now is the way they get it.
“First of all, the oyster-crab hovers around the oysters and then picks
out a nice, fat, juicy looking oyster, saying to himself: ‘You look as if
you could feed me well without any effort. I think I will crawl into your
shell.’ So then he crawls right inside the oyster’s shell and proceeds to
enjoy himself. He prefers just to ‘sponge’ on others, as the expression
goes!”
JANUARY 5: Brownie’s Toothache
Going to the dentist’s always frightened Evelyn. “Dear me,” said daddy,
“I think I will have to tell you about the brownie’s trip to the dentist,
for I think his case was very similar to yours.
“This little brownie had had a toothache which had bothered him for some
time, but he dreaded to go to the dentist’s, just the way you do.
“One day, though, it got awfully painful and he felt he could stand it
no longer. He went right off to see the brownie dentist. He was a very
clever dentist and very kind and gentle. He got a pair of pullers, and
after a moment or two Dr. Brownie said:
“‘Well, here’s the old toothache.’
“‘What, my tooth already out?’ said the little brownie. ‘And to think of
all I’ve suffered before I came to you.’”
JANUARY 6: The Pink Cockatoo
“On the morning of the birthday of a little girl named Natalie,” said
daddy, “a pink cockatoo was ready to greet her when she awoke. Well, you
can imagine how happy Natalie was. And she kept saying over and over
again:
“‘Oh, how lovely you are.’ The cockatoo would raise up his pink crest
on the top of his head at that—just as some people raise up their
foreheads—only his crest went way, way higher. He did that whenever he
felt like it, and he always felt like it when he was being talked to.
“And after a very short time the cockatoo was just as tame as could be
and he seemed to grow more beautiful every day.
“Before long he began to talk just as a parrot will and follow Natalie
around the house. He had his food out of special little pink dishes
Natalie had given him to match his pink feathers, and every morning he
took his bath in a pink soup bowl which he thought was very fine indeed.
“Maybe you will think he got spoiled by so much fussing and attention,
but he just became tamer and tamer every day. He learned many tricks and
would often perform them for Natalie’s friends.
“And when it came time for Natalie’s next birthday she gave a party. On
the invitation it said the party was being given by Natalie and the pink
cockatoo. And in one corner was a little colored drawing Natalie had made
of her cockatoo. When the cockatoo saw it he put his crest way up in the
air, and said in a funny voice:
“‘Goodie, Natalie,’ which was his pet name for his Mistress.
“And this is a truly true story, you know.”
JANUARY 7: The Pet Monkey
“Once there was an old lady,” said daddy, “who lived all alone. One day,
though, she went to town and bought a pet monkey. She named him Niles. He
was only seven inches long and had a curly tail. He was a very dark gray
color. He proved to be a most expensive pet, for he liked all the most
delicious fruits and would only eat his bread and rice when plenty of
rich cream was poured over it. What fascinated him above all was the old
lady’s rings.
“When the old lady saw how fond Niles was of jewels she took out her
jewel box. Niles had the most glorious time playing with its contents. He
decorated himself with all the beads and chains and bangles and looked at
himself in the mirror. He shook all over, for he liked the noise as well
as the glitter of the jewels.
“So the old lady was very, very happy with her pet monkey. Niles was
delighted with his new home and his new mistress, for he had never had
jewels to play with in the animal shop.”
JANUARY 8: The Bravery Medal
“Two children,” said daddy, “were skating on a pond. It was a blustery,
snowy afternoon, and they were the only ones on the ice.
“A big dog was taking a good run on this cold winter’s day when he spied
the children on the pond.
“He went down to the pond and ran across it a little way, but the ice
had a bad way of creaking, and he was sure it was not so very firm. He
decided that he had better stay around to see that nothing happened to
the children.
“He had been there but a moment or two when a terrific crack in the ice
sounded. It gave way, and the two children fell through. The sheet of ice
broke rapidly, and the water was soon clear for some distance around them.
“Quickly the dog went to the rescue of the children and swam to the shore
with them. He saw some people drive by in a sleigh on the road above, and
he barked so frantically that they stopped to see what the trouble was.
Then, of course, they drove the two children to their home. The big dog
went along too. The hero simply said ‘Bow-wow!’ when later they fastened
a medal on his collar. He wanted to tell them that he thought they were
being very good to him, and he thanked them, but at the same time he was
so modest that he didn’t think he had been so brave. He felt any other
dog would have done just the same, as he adored children.”
JANUARY 9: The Jack-knife
“This evening,” said daddy, “I am going to tell you about the little boy
who was given a jack-knife as a birthday present. He did so many things
with his knife that I think it might give you some ideas and suggestions
of things you might make with the help of the knife. He set up a little
carpentry shop in his room with a workstand.
“He made little bird-houses, little squirrel houses, chairs, stands,
boats, an express cart, and, oh, countless other things! In fact, he just
made all the things that boys like.
“Before he had his jack-knife he was not at all interested in carpentry.
But his knife helped so much. It was far more useful to him than his
other tools.”
JANUARY 10: The Brave Little Sister
“There was once a little boy who had a sister just about Evelyn’s age,”
said daddy. “He was much disappointed that his sister didn’t care more
for long walks and boys’ games and that animals seemed to frighten her.
“He used to scold her about it instead of helping her to get over her
fear. One day these two children were taking a walk. They went into the
country along a quiet road. They passed a little house in which lived
an old woman who had a great many cats. She was very queer and her cats
seemed to be queer too. Anyway, it was said that they hated strangers.
“The little boy didn’t believe this, and when his sister tried to hurry
by he laughed at her.
“‘Oh, come and see this nice cat!’ he said. And he tried to pick the cat
up.
“The cat objected to strangers, as all the people had said, and he
started to scratch the little boy. With a cry his sister rushed to him.
She grabbed the back of the cat and got him off. Then she cried ‘Shoo!’
to the cat, which made him go right home, for he didn’t care about
hurting the little boy. He only would not be played with.
“‘I shall never make fun of you again, sister,’ he said. ‘You saved me by
taking off that cat, of which you were afraid. I have not been at all a
nice brother to you, and I don’t deserve such a good sister, for it was
love for me that made you forget about your fear. But you may be quite
sure I will never make fun of you in the future, for really you are the
brave one.’”
JANUARY 11: Baby Bears
“In the winter, at the start of the new year,” said daddy, “when Mother
Bear was sleeping and dozing and dreaming in her home back in the hole of
a big rock, the little bears arrived. She taught them about the berries
they must eat and about the things which would make them feel well and
strong. She also told them of the bad things they must not touch—the
things which would make their little tummies feel very miserable indeed
and which would make them quite, quite sick.
“And when, at last, they went out of the cave, and saw the real world,
the trees and the forest paths, they wanted to start off at once for
adventures, for the world looked so mysterious and wondrous.
“‘Do you want to leave your old mother?’ the black bear asked.
“‘We love you, mother, but we want to see the world,’ they said.
“‘Bang,’ suddenly went a gun, and Mother Bear received a slight wound.
“The baby bears were around her in a flash, but mother bear was safe, for
the man with the gun had hurriedly gone when he had seen how near the old
bear was. And he had seen her teeth and had almost been able to feel them!
“And the babies knew their teeth would never have done. They, too, had
had a glimpse of their mother’s anger and their mother’s strength.
“And as they licked the wound they said,
“‘We won’t leave you, Mother Bear. We don’t know the world as yet.’
“And Mother Black Bear groaned with the hurt from the slight wound in her
shoulder, but still more she grunted with pleasure, for her babies had
seen that they still needed their mother.”
JANUARY 12: The Snow House
“At night after the children had gone to bed and it had grown colder and
colder Old Man Snow came around to see what the children had been doing,”
said daddy.
“‘Well, well, well,’ he said as he saw a snow house and a snow fort and
a snow man, ‘this is fine. They appreciate me. They know what handsome
things I can make. This is really gorgeous.’
“‘Look, Prince Icicle, isn’t this fine?’
“Prince Icicle appeared with a number of the other princes and princesses
who hung down from the roof of the snow house and the top of the snow
fort and from the shoulders of the snow man. Prince Icicle himself took a
very fine place over the doorway of the snow house.
“‘Isn’t this handsome?’ asked Old Man Snow. ‘Our fine king will be
delighted and his royal majesty will be honored.’
“As Old Man Snow said these words along came King Snow. He wore a most
beautiful crown of snow and he showed the Icicle family the compliment of
wearing icicles from his beard and his crown and his locks of snow and
from his hanging snowy sleeves.
“‘They stopped me as I went by the brook,’ said King Snow, ‘and begged me
to have some of their jeweled icicles. Don’t they sparkle beautifully?
Yes, they asked me to have them, and the brook, which was beginning to
freeze around the edges, begged me to listen to its story.’
“‘It had so much to tell of its travels, how it ran down a long and
winding hill and how it couldn’t help trickling and laughing all the time
with the jokes and merry tales it kept hearing.’
“So Old Man Snow, King Snow, Prince Icicle and the other princes and
princesses talked all through the night and told wonderful stories as
they sat in the children’s snow house.”
JANUARY 13: Peter Goblin’s Trip
“To think,” and Peter Goblin looked as if he were going to cry, “to
think,” he repeated, “that children shouldn’t like us. Why, children are
the nicest creatures in all the world, and I love them, I do. That’s why
I am so unhappy when they talk about me.”
The Fairy Queen had been listening to this talk and she felt sorry that
so many untrue stories had gone around the children’s world about Peter
Goblin and the goblin brothers.
“I’ll tell you what I’d do, Peter,” she said.
“Keep on trying to tell as many children as you can how much you like
them. Tell them that in years gone by people were far more nervous than
they are now. They were afraid of the dark and things like that.
“Tell them that you never jump out at them in the dark, and that you only
come to them when they are asleep. Explain as much and as often as you
can that you never carry them far away from home, but that you simply sit
on their bedposts and talk to them. I’ll help you too, Peter.”
“Thank you,” said Peter Goblin, as he hopped and jumped away, for he felt
far more cheerful now.
He went to call on his friends, the children. He had a very hard time
with one little girl. “Good evening,” said Peter, as he perched himself
on the edge of the right bedpost of her bed.
She drew the clothes over her head. “Oh, don’t do that,” screamed Peter.
“It will make you have bad dreams and maybe you’ll smother.”
“Oh, dear,” thought Peter, “she will dream I’m horrid indeed if she does
that.” But after a moment she poked her head out again and looked at
Peter.
She couldn’t help laughing at him, for he looked so funny and yet so
sad. But still she was frightened, until after she had looked again (for
between looks she hid her face), when she saw two big tears rolling down
Peter Goblin’s funny little face.
“What’s the matter, little sir?” she asked. She wanted to be polite when
he felt so badly and yet he seemed so small and tiny to be called just
Sir.
“I’m blue and sad,” said Peter, “‘cause children think I’m bad. They
think I hide in the dark to catch them. And I love them, and want to tell
them stories. Not a single goblin has ever hurt a child—no, no, no! Why,
we would disown a bad goblin, we would.” And the little girl promised
Peter she’d let all her friends know this.
JANUARY 14: The Words
The words Beautiful, Gorgeous, Glorious and Wonderful were talking. “You
see,” said Beautiful, “we’ve all been feeling rather sad that no one used
us. We’re always trying to live up to our names. We’re always trying to
be beautiful and gorgeous and glorious.
“We don’t try to be mean or horrid or ugly. We haven’t been jealous of
you, Wonderful.”
“Ah,” said Wonderful, “I understand. You’ve never gone back on your
names. You’ve always meant the same things. You’ve been fine to keep your
names and to be beautiful and gorgeous and glorious.
“But you needn’t feel sad because you haven’t been given much attention
and because you haven’t been used much lately. People have got into the
habit of saying everything is wonderful.
“Really and truly I’ve been worked to death. I don’t like to be worked so
hard. I really and truly don’t. I get tired, and yet I have to be ready
when they want me. I’m just jumping from one to another and sometimes I’m
half with one and half with another at the same time.
“But you keep on being Beautiful and Gorgeous and Glorious, for you are
three lovely words and Wonderful couldn’t get along without you.”
“Ah, Wonderful,” said Beautiful, “you do cheer us up. Yes, you are
Wonderful.”
And they all laughed as they saw what a useful, fitting, wonderful word
it really was!
JANUARY 15: The Medicine Bottle
“If you think my life is a pleasant one,” said the Medicine Bottle, “I’ll
tell you from the start that it isn’t.
“In the first place I was in the doctor’s office. I saw the people quake
and shake when they were told they had to take some bitter medicine. I
don’t suppose they really shook as much as I thought they did, but I was
standing quite still at the time and they seemed to make a great deal of
fuss.
“Then I heard some one say,
“‘Doctors give us horrible stuff,
When we think we’re sick enough,
But after all they make us well,
And this fact, too, I think we should tell.’
“Then some one else said,
“‘I wonder if the doctor has taken
From the medicine bottle which must be shaken.
It’s hard to swallow it and be held by the nose
While we get down the horrible dose.’
“Such are the things I’ve heard,” said the Medicine Bottle.
“Did all the people speak like that?” asked the little White Pills.
“They didn’t speak in rhyme like that,” said the Medicine Bottle, “but
those were the things they said which I’ve changed into rhymes.
“A medicine bottle must have something to cheer it up at times.
“Yes, I’ll tell you my life is not a pleasant one. I’m never greeted with
a smile. Fancy that, White Pills! I’m never greeted with a smile.
“Here I sit on the mantelpiece and three times a day I am taken down and
shaken as though they’d like to kill me, I do believe, and then with
groans or tears or complaints I’m swallowed. Or rather, some of the
medicine from me is swallowed. It’s a terrible life that I lead!”
JANUARY 16: A Loaf of Bread
“One day in a baker’s shop,” said daddy, “appeared a very small-sized
loaf of bread.
“A little girl named Lucy was shopping with her grandmother.
“‘Oh, look,’ said Lucy, ‘look at the tiny loaf of bread.’
“Now the loaf of bread would have smiled, only loaves of bread can’t
smile and if they should laugh they would crumble, so the loaf of bread
kept a perfectly straight face.
“‘I thought I’d be noticed by a child,’ said the small loaf of bread.
“‘You won’t last as long as we will,’ said a larger loaf of bread.
“‘Oh, who cares about the size,’ said the small loaf.
“‘Of course you don’t,’ said another larger loaf.
“‘Now, now,’ said the small loaf, ‘don’t be mean and unkind to your
little friend and relative, the small loaf of bread. I’m the only small
one here, though I heard the baker say if folks liked me the size I am
and if mothers bought me for their children he’d make a lot like me.’
“‘We didn’t mean to be unkind or mean,’ said the larger loaves, ‘only we
are a little envious. We’ve been the same size always. We have to follow
our relatives who are baked ahead of us and are sold ahead of us. We
always have to follow their example.
“‘But you have been made differently. You have been made a small size.
You’re cunning and different. You are just like us in taste and shape and
kind, but smaller in size and that makes you very interesting.’
“‘Hush,’ said the small loaf of bread, ‘I am being bought. Hush!’
“And off went the little tiny loaf, in a paper bag, carried by Lucy. Just
as soon as it got home, having been carried all the way, for Lucy knew it
couldn’t walk or run home, a nice fat crust was cut off and Lucy ate it
with joy.
“‘My nice little baby loaf of bread,’ she said, ‘you are so cunning and
so good to eat!’ And the loaf of bread was glad it had been made so tiny
and cunning and yet so good.”
JANUARY 17: The Tame Canary Bird
Daddy had heard that afternoon the story of a very tame canary bird. The
little girl who owned the bird, and who was a friend of Jack and Evelyn,
had told daddy about her little pet. So when daddy got home in the
evening he was ready at once to tell the story of the little bird.
“I am going to tell you about the little bird Elizabeth has. Her daddy
gave him to her several weeks ago, and he is just as tame as tame can
be,” said daddy. “She has named him Bubsie, and he knows his name too,
for whenever she calls ‘Bubsie!’ he replies with a little ‘Peep, peep!’
“Every morning, bright and early, he wakes up and begins to sing the
most beautiful songs. He sings so steadily that Elizabeth says it is a
surprise to her that he doesn’t burst his little throat.
“After Elizabeth gets up she always gives him a little piece of apple
before she begins her breakfast. She puts it on her finger between two
wires of the cage, and he hops right over on his little bar and takes it
from her finger.
[Illustration: “IN THE AFTERNOONS ELIZABETH LETS HIM OUT OF HIS
CAGE.”—_Page 13_]
“The next thing is his bath, which he takes soon after breakfast. He
loves that. He spatters the water about and has just the best time in the
world. He acts as if it were the most wonderful game. After his bath he
has a treat of delicious lettuce to eat, and then he sits in the sun and
smoothes down his feathers.
“In his cage there is a swing, and he swings on it and hops from one
perch to the other. In fact, he has a fine romp. He usually does this
right after his bath, for then he feels so energetic.
“In the afternoon Elizabeth lets him out of his cage. Of course she sees
first that there are no windows up or doors ajar before she opens the
door of the cage. When the cage door is open Bubsie flies out and makes
a tour of the room. How he does enjoy flying around and perching back of
the different pictures and on the window-sill. The thing he likes more
than anything else is to play with Elizabeth. He perches on her shoulder
and walks around on her hand. And he loves to tease her too, for if there
are any flowers in the room he will fly over to them, peck at them and
begin munching at them. Then he won’t let Elizabeth catch him. He thinks
this a huge joke, and he always flies to some high spot in the room and
begins to sing which is his favorite trick of all.”
JANUARY 18: Little Carry’s Birthday
“Carry was nine years old,” daddy said. “A few minutes before eleven
Carry’s little brother came to her, ringing a large bell. ‘Come to the
celebration for the queen of the day!’ he shouted and all the family
joined the procession.
“In the center of the room was a table. And such a marvelously covered
table! But, first of all, they seated Carry in a big rocking-chair at the
head of the table. They were all dressed up in funny costumes which they
always wore for birthday celebrations. The table was full of presents,
and in the center was a cake with nine lighted candles on it. ‘Many happy
returns of the day!’ they all cried together.
“She opened her presents one by one. She had lovely pink knitted bed-room
slippers from her mother, a beautiful doll from her daddy, a workbag from
her granny, a paint box from her auntie and a big box of candy from her
brother, which he’d bought with his very own saved-up money, and which to
Carry was the best present of all!”
JANUARY 19: Maggie’s Meals
“There was once a little girl whose name was Maggie,” said daddy, “and
how she did love meals! Now, one evening when Maggie had gone to bed
along came a fine looking creature very handsomely dressed.
“‘Who are you?’ asked Maggie.
“‘I’m the Dream King and I’m going to take you to a party.’
“So Maggie went with the Dream King and they visited such interesting and
hospitable people.
“They went to a huge city which seemed to be made of delicious things to
eat and which, as soon as people ate from the city, the food grew or was
cooked back again!
“It was all very marvelous. And to Maggie’s surprise she saw Duke Ice
Cream take up a spoon and scoop a huge mouthful right off his very arm.
And in another few minutes his arm was as before.
“The Duke told her he liked the cold weather and that he always lived in
the coldest part of the city.
“Lady Lettuce was followed everywhere by her pages, the Vinegar and Oil
boys. And sometimes she had friends to call on her like the Tomato Twins
and the Cucumber Cousins and the Potato Pals. Maggie also met Apple, the
queen of all the Pies.
“Maggie had the very best time in the world and when the Dream King told
her he must be taking her back Maggie said:
“‘And you’ve not told me I was wrong to enjoy my meals so much.’
“‘I gave you a surprise, in not scolding you, eh?’ asked the Dream King.
‘Well, you’re never greedy or selfish and if you like your food I think
it is fine. Good-night!’”
JANUARY 20: Winter Trees
“All the winter things,” said daddy, “such as the cold Winds, the Snow
and the Ice told the Pine Trees and the Fir Trees and the Spruce Trees
how much they liked them.
“‘I will tell you a secret,’ said the Pine Tree.
“‘Yes,’ said the Snow, as it nestled closer to the branches of the big
tree.
“‘Years and years and years ago, I talked to my family about dropping off
in the Winter-time. We never got any further than talking about it, for
just as I had said, “Well, and what do you think of the scheme?” some
of the Snow Flakes came and rested on our branches. “Oh,” they said,
“you’re so much nicer than the branches without any leaves. There we have
to fill up the corners, but with you we can nestle down.”
“‘The North Wind told us,’ continued the Pine Tree, ‘that it was such
a joy to have a good strong tree around that wouldn’t feel hurt if he
played about and had a good time. And so we discovered how much the North
Wind liked us.
“‘Then,’ said the Pine Tree, ‘we heard the Grown-Ups. They said what a
comfort it was to have some green trees in the Winter and they said how
horrible it would be if every tree were quite bare and ugly. And then
came the Children. They walked through the woods one snowy day and they
stopped to look up at us. “Ah, how tall those trees are. And how warm it
is in these woods. Our favorite trees are the Winter Trees—the Spruce
Trees, the Fir Trees, the Pine Trees.”
“‘Now do you understand how we have to be as fine looking in the Winter
as in the Spring?’ And the Snow understood.”
JANUARY 21: Poor Prunes
“My life is a sad one,” said the stewed prune.
“How is that?” asked the orange, near by.
“Oh, dear, no one loves me. People usually eat me when they can’t get
anything else.”
“But I saw them eat you, and buy you, of course I mean members of your
illustrious prune family, when a member of my family was around.”
“Once in a while that happens,” said the prune, “but it is very, very
seldom. One morning,” continued the prune, “some one at the breakfast
table apologized and said, ‘I’m sorry, but we only have prunes this
morning.’
“Wasn’t that sad? Enough to break the poor heart of a prune.”
“You haven’t a heart, prune, dear; you only have a stone as your
heart—heart of stone—that means hard-hearted, and so forth,” said the
orange.
“Ah, but that’s wrong,” said the prune. “I felt dreadfully to think that
such a thing should be said of us. ‘Sorry, but we only have prunes.’
You’d have thought she had said, ‘Sorry, but we only have bricks for
breakfast,’ from the tone in which she said it.
“And then what was our joy and a thing the family has never forgotten
nor ever will forget when in reply the person at the table said she
actually and really liked prunes.
“That event will be put down as the greatest event that has happened in a
long time.
“And following that great event are a number of others, and we plan to
erect a monument made of prune stones and made only of those stones left
by people who’ve enjoyed the prunes!
“Isn’t that a good idea?”
“Yes, indeed,” said the orange.
Just then the orange was called for and the prune with its brothers and
sisters stayed behind.
“Poor prunes,” cried the prune who had been talking, “our great monument
may not go up so fast as for a moment I had hopes that it would.
“Ah, well, we have the ever-ready prune juice to receive the sad tears of
the prunes.” And then they sang this ditty:
“Poor prunes, poor prunes, how sad is your lot;
Some people like you, but, alas, most do not.
But you’re really, poor prunes, you’re really good food,
And those who say not, are, I fear, very rude.”
JANUARY 22: Molly’s Piano Recital
“Molly,” began daddy, “was very musical and ever since she had been a
little girl, so little that she had to be lifted to the piano stool, she
had been able to play anything she heard.
“Her family were far from being well off, but they strove to give Molly a
musical education.
“One day it was decided that Molly was so talented she could give a
concert. So the evening for the concert was decided upon. Molly practiced
and practiced the pieces she was to play.
“She was not at all nervous. She was very proud of her pretty new dress,
for she had always before had the dresses of her older sisters cut down
and made smaller for her. Unknown to her, Molly’s teacher had invited an
old friend of his to the concert. This gentleman was very rich and fond
of music. He liked to help along any one he felt deserved it. He was so
delighted with Molly’s playing that he rushed up to the little girl,
saying: ‘I shall send you and your mother abroad. There you’ll have the
finest music teachers in the world. You will come back making us all very
proud of you.’”
JANUARY 23: Goblins’ Secrets
“One night, not long ago, Peter Goblin went a-calling,” said daddy. “From
house to house he went, and in every house he went to the bedsides of the
little boys and girls and invited them to go on the greatest coasting
party of the year.
“‘We’re going to coast,’ said Peter, ‘down the hill of Dreams.’
“They all put their sleds together and down the hill of Dreams they went
until they reached the valley below.
“‘Down this valley all the dreams come,’ said Peter Goblin. ‘Then our
Goblin Dream Workers must tie them up into little packages, for every
nice dream must be saved. It must be made to come true some day or some
time—that is, if it’s all for the very best that it should come true.
For the Goblins are wise little Creatures!’ And as the Children watched
the Goblin Dream Workers they certainly decided they looked very bright
indeed.
“‘They tie the dreams into the little packages and then the Goblin
Visitors take them back to the land of Children and drop them in their
bedrooms at night as they sleep.’
“‘But,’ said the Boys and Girls, ‘we’ve never seen packages like these.’
“‘No,’ said Peter Goblin. ‘In one of these packages a good many dreams
will come true, and so the contents of the package are dropped,—some
parts in the corners, some around the ceiling. And one by one they come
out into the room later on when they’re COMING TRUE!
“‘So on our way back tonight,’ said Peter, ‘a lot of us will lead you to
your little rooms and we’ll drop the contents of the packages of dreams
which will sometime come true. But now we must be off for more coasting,
hurrah, hurrah!’”
JANUARY 24: In the Fish Bowl
“There was once a little girl named Susan,” said daddy, “who had in her
room a great big glass bowl which held some helleries.”
“What are helleries?” of course asked Evelyn.
“They are fresh-water fish that live in climates where the water is sure
always to be very warm. Susan also kept some snails in the water with the
helleries.
“The helleries are about the size of minnows, but of a different shape,
being more round than the minnows are.”
“One day Susan saw the big hellery daddy trying to chase the mother
hellery around so that she could not get hold of any of the little ones.
Susan grabbed the mother hellery and put her quickly into a glass of
water that was standing near by. The next thing Susan did was to count
the little helleries and, to her delight, she found that all the twenty
were quite alive. But they had evidently been very much frightened, for
they were all in a corner of the bowl, as near to the daddy hellery as
possible, and the big daddy hellery was quiet and seemed to be much
relieved that the danger was over. The snails, as you can imagine, were
only too glad to rest once more. Susan gave them all some delicious fish
food to comfort them.
“And she kept the mother hellery in a separate bowl until the little ones
were grown up, and then she was welcomed back.”
“Why was she kept in a separate bowl?” asked Jack.
“Because the mother hellery doesn’t care for her children until they are
big, and she might harm them. But the daddy loves them, even when they
are little bits of things!”
JANUARY 25: Mac, the Dog
“There was a dog named Mac,” said daddy, “a beautiful Airedale dog and
he belonged to two young girls named Janet and Mildred. They were much
excited for their daddy was to have a birthday.
“At last came the birthday.
“Mac thought to himself that he wouldn’t be much pleased with the
presents their daddy received, a pipe, tobacco, a necktie. Mac had been
dressed up in a beautiful ribbon on a number of special occasions but he
didn’t think much of neckties. There were some candies, though, and they
were all right. Candies were really a sensible present.
“Mac knew that there were going to be more festivities. He sat about and
waited.
“‘It’s time for the birthday cake,’ they called at last.
“Up got Mac. ‘It’s rude to be late,’ he said to himself, ‘and I’ll show
them that an Airedale dog doesn’t forget his manners.’
“After it was all over and Mac was about to go to bed, he smiled to
himself:
“‘Well, it was foolish to have all those candles but the cake was good,
mighty good!’”
JANUARY 26: The Three Horses
In a barn there were three horses and their names were Danny and Fanny
and Prince. Somehow Bobbie, who was the farmer’s youngest son, always
liked it when the horses had their ears up though he couldn’t have quite
told you why. They seemed to be so very, very friendly then.
Bobbie had been having a very fine day, and as he tumbled into bed he
hardly had time to whisper to his old friend the Dream King. He used to
say, just before he went off to sleep, “Please, Mr. Dream King, send me
nice dreams.”
If he did not feel so dreadfully, dreadfully sleepy he would make his
little speech longer and would say, “Your gracious majesty, Mr. Dream
King, will your royal highness do a poor, humble subject like myself the
great and noble and wondrous honor of sending me most royal and noble
dreams?”
This evening all he said was, “Nice dreams, please.”
Soon, oh, so soon, it seemed as though he saw Danny and Fanny and Prince
walking into his room. And then they stood at the end of the bed, all in
a row.
“Hello, Bobbie,” they said.
“Hello, Danny and Fanny and Prince,” said Bobbie.