_Even a little child can bring courage and consolation to those who
toil in the world’s affairs._
There was a little girl named Pippa who worked in a great mill
where they made silk. All day she worked in the mill, winding silk
on the spools. Sometimes she looked out of the windows and saw
the woods and sky, and then she would sigh for the birds and the
flowers. Sometimes she would see a lovely lady go by in a silk
dress, and then she would say: “We helped make that dress,” and
then she would feel very proud of the great mill.
There was one day in the year that Pippa had for her very own. She
could go out in the woods and gather flowers and hear the brook
ripple along, and she could sing just as the birds did in the
trees. When this day came Pippa was a very happy little girl.
The time was coming for Pippa’s holiday. The night before she
prayed that the day might be gentle and sunny. The next morning she
woke early and saw that the sun was bright and the sky was blue.
She clapped her hands with joy and began to sing. She sang to the
sunshine; she sang to the sky and to the flowers. She sang as she
put on her clothes and even hummed her song as she ate her morning
meal. Her heart was singing all the time, and she could not keep
from letting the song flow out of her mouth.
The song was a wonderful one. It was low and sweet and no one had
ever heard it before. It sounded like birds singing, only her song
had words to it. Pippa sang her song as she went down the street of
her little village. Everybody stood still to listen and then they
would smile and say:
“Pippa passes! Bless her heart for her cheerful song!”
A poet was writing a song, and when he heard Pippa pass he played
the strain so sweetly that he set the whole air singing. The
children heard her and began to dance. A sick man heard her and
felt better. A lame man heard her and tried to throw away his
crutches. A blind man at the corner tried to forget he was blind,
and wanted to run after the wonderful song.
Out beyond the village men were building a castle. A young man was
making the staircase and was discouraged because it was only the
steps for people to tread on. Pippa passed and sang her song. The
young builder listened and then went back to do his work gladly and
properly. In the next house lived a man who was called on to make
a great sacrifice. He hesitated until he heard Pippa pass singing.
Then he leaped on his horse and was gone to do a great deed.
Pippa sang all that glorious day. She did not know what her song
had done for others. When she lay down to sleep she said:
“I should have done something to-day besides sing,” but those who
heard her thought that Pippa had done a wonderful thing.