Hop-o'-my-thumb
: The Best Popular Stories Selected And Rendered AnewThere once lived in a village a faggot-maker and his wife, who had
seven children, all boys; the eldest was no more than ten years old,
and the youngest was only seven.
It was odd enough, to be sure, that they should have so many children
in such a short time; but the truth is, the wife always brought him
two and once three at a time. This made him very poor, for not one of
these boys was old enough to ge
the youngest was a puny little fellow who hardly ever spoke a word.
Now this, indeed, was a mark of his good sense, but it made his father
and mother suppose him to be silly, and they thought that at last he
would turn out quite a fool. This boy was the least size ever seen;
for when he was born he was no bigger than a man's thumb, which made
him be christened by the name of Hop-o'-my-thumb. The poor child was
the drudge of the whole house and always bore the blame of everything
that was done wrong. For all this, Hop-o'-my-thumb was far more clever
than any of his brothers; and though he spoke but little, he heard and
knew more than people thought. It happened just at this time, that for
want of rain the fields had grown but half as much corn and potatoes
as they used to grow; so that the faggot-maker and his wife could not
give the boys the food they had before, which was always either bread
or potatoes.
After the father and mother had grieved some time, they thought that
as they could contrive no other way to live, they must somehow get rid
of their children. One night when the boys were gone to bed, and the
faggot-maker and his wife were sitting over a few lighted sticks, to
warm themselves, the husband sighed deeply, and said, You see, my
dear, we cannot maintain our children any longer, and to see them die
of hunger before my eyes is what I could never bear. I will,
therefore, to-morrow morning take them to the forest, and leave them
in the thickest part of it, so that they will not be able to find
their way back: this will be very easy; for while they amuse
themselves with tying up the faggots, we need only slip away when they
are looking some other way.
Ah! husband, cried the poor wife, you cannot, no, you never can
consent to be the death of your own children.
The husband in vain told her to think how very poor they were.
The wife replied that this was true, to be sure; but if she was poor,
she was still their mother; and then she cried as if her heart would
break. At last she thought how shocking it would be to see them
starved to death before their eyes; so she agreed to what her husband
had said, and then went sobbing to bed.
Hop-o'-my-thumb had been awake all the time; and when he heard his
father talk very seriously, he slipped away from his brothers' side,
and crept under his father's bed, to hear all that was said without
being seen.
When his father and mother had left off talking, he got back to his
own place, and passed the night in thinking what he should do the next
morning.
He rose early, and ran to the river's side, where he filled his
pockets with small white pebbles, and then went back home. In the
morning they all set out, as their father and mother had agreed on;
and Hop-o'-my-thumb did not say a word to any of his brothers about
what he had heard. They came to a forest that was so very thick that
they could not see each other a few yards off. The faggot-maker set to
work cutting down wood; and the children began to gather the twigs, to
make faggots of them.
When the father and mother saw that the young ones were all very busy,
they slipped away without being seen. The children soon found
themselves alone, and began to cry as loud as they could.
Hop-o'-my-thumb let them cry on, for he knew well enough how to lead
them safe home, an he had taken care to drop the white pebbles he had
in his pocket along all the way he had come. He only said to them,
Never mind it, my lads: father and mother have left us here by
ourselves, but only take care to follow me, and I will lead you back
again.
When they heard this they left off crying, and followed
Hop-o'-my-thumb, who soon brought them to their father's house by the
very same path which they had come along. At first they had not the
courage to go in; but stood at the door to hear what their parents
were talking about. Just as the faggot-maker and his wife had come
home without their children, a great gentleman of the village sent to
pay them two guineas, for work they had done for him, which he had
owed them so long that they never thought of getting a farthing of it.
This money made them quite happy; for the poor creatures were very
hungry, and had no other way of getting anything to eat.
The faggot-maker sent his wife out immediately to buy some meat; and
as it was a long time since she had made a hearty meal, she bought as
much meat as would have been enough for six or eight persons. The
truth was, when she was thinking what would be enough for dinner, she
forgot that her children were not at home; but as soon as she and her
husband had done eating, she cried out, Alas! where are our poor
children? how they would feast on what we have left! It was all your
fault, husband! I told you we should repent leaving them to starve in
the forest!--Oh mercy! perhaps they have already been eaten by the
hungry wolves! The poor woman shed plenty of tears: Alas! alas!
said she, over and over again, what is become of my dear children?
The children, who were all at the door, cried out together, Here we
are, mother, here we are!
She flew like lightning to let them in, and kissed every one of them.
The faggot-maker and his wife were charmed at having their children
once more with them, and their joy for this lasted till their money
was all spent; but then they found themselves quite as ill off as
before. So by degrees they again thought of leaving them in the
forest: and that the young ones might not come back a second time,
they said they would take them a great deal farther than they did at
first. They could not talk about this matter so slily but that
Hop-o'-my-thumb found means to hear all that passed between them; but
he cared very little about it, for he thought it would be easy for him
to do just the same as he had done before. But though he got up very
early the next morning to go to the river's side to get the pebbles, a
thing which he had not thought of hindered him; for he found that the
house-door was double-locked. Hop-o'-my-thumb was now quite at a loss
what to do; but soon after this, his mother gave each of the children
a piece of bread for breakfast, and then it came into his head that he
could make his share do as well as the pebbles, by dropping crumbs of
it all the way as he went. So he did not eat his piece, but put it
into his pocket.
It was not long before they all set out, and their parents took care
to lead them into the very thickest and darkest part of the forest.
They then slipped away by a by-path as before, and left the children
by themselves again. All this did not give Hop-o'-my-thumb any
concern, for he thought himself quite sure of getting back by means
of the crumbs that he had dropped by the way; but when he came to look
for them he found that not a crumb was left, for the birds had eaten
them all up.
The poor children were now sadly off, for the further they went the
harder it was for them to get out of the forest. At last night came
on, and the noise of the wind among the trees seemed to them like the
howling of wolves, so that every moment they thought they should be
eaten up. They hardly dared to speak a word, or to move a limb, for
fear. Soon after there came a heavy rain, which wetted them to the
very skin, and made the ground so slippery, that they fell down almost
at every step, and got dirty all over.
Before it was quite dark, Hop-o'-my-thumb climbed up to the top of a
tree, and looked round on all sides to see if he could find any way of
getting help. He saw a small light, like that of a candle, but it was
a very great way off, and beyond the forest. He then came down from
the tree, to try to find the way to it; but he could not see it when
he was on the ground, and he was in the utmost trouble what to do
next. They walked on towards the place where he had seen the light,
and at last reached the end of the forest, and got sight of it again.
They now walked faster; and after being much tired and vexed (for
every time they got into lower ground they lost sight of the light),
came to the house it was in. They knocked at the door, which was
opened by a very good-natured-looking lady, who asked what brought
them there. Hop-o'-my-thumb told her that they were poor children, who
had lost their way in the forest, and begged that she would give them
a bed till morning. When the lady saw that they had such pretty faces,
she began to shed tears and said, Ah! my poor children, you do not
know what place you are come to. This is the house of an Ogre, who
eats up little boys and girls.
Alas! madam, replied Hop-o'-my-thumb, who trembled from head to
foot, what shall we do? If we go back to the forest, we are sure of
being torn to pieces by the wolves; we would rather, therefore, be
eaten by the gentleman: besides, when he sees us, perhaps he may take
pity on us and spare our lives.
The Ogre's wife thought she could contrive to hide them from her
husband till morning; so she let them go in and warm themselves by a
good fire, before which there was a whole sheep roasting for the
Ogre's supper. When they had stood a short time by the fire, there
came a loud knocking at the door: this was the Ogre come home. His
wife hurried the children under the bed, and told them to lie still,
and she then let her husband in.
The Ogre asked if supper were ready, and if the wine were fetched from
the cellar; and then he sat down at the table. The sheep was not quite
done, but he liked it much better half raw. In a minute or two the
Ogre began to snuff to his right and left, and said he smelt child's
flesh.
It must be this calf which has just been killed, said his wife.
I smell child's flesh, I tell thee once more, cried the Ogre,
looking all about the room; I smell child's flesh; there is something
going on that I do not know of.
As soon as he had spoken these words, he rose from his chair and went
towards the bed.
Ah! madam, said he, you thought to cheat me, did you? Wretch! thou
art old and tough thyself, or else I would eat thee up too! But come,
come, this is lucky enough; for the brats will make a nice dish for
three Ogres, who are my particular friends, and who are to dine with
me to-morrow.
He then drew them out one by one from under the bed. The poor children
fell on their knees and begged his pardon as humbly as they could; but
this Ogre was the most cruel of all Ogres, and instead of feeling any
pity, he only began to think how sweet and tender their flesh would
be; so he told his wife they would be nice morsels, if she served them
up with plenty of sauce. He then fetched a large knife, and began to
sharpen it on a long whetstone that he held in his left hand; and all
the while he came nearer and nearer to the bed. The Ogre took up one
of the children, and was going to set about cutting him to pieces; but
his wife said to him, What in the world makes you take the trouble of
killing them to-night? Will it not be time enough to-morrow morning?
Hold your prating, replied the Ogre; they will grow tender by being
kept a little while after they are killed.
But, said his wife, you have got so much meat in the house already;
here is a calf, two sheep and half a pig.
True, said the Ogre, so give them all a good supper, that they may
not get lean, and then send them to bed.
The good creature was quite glad at this. She gave them plenty for
their supper, but the poor children were so terrified that they could
not eat a bit.
The Ogre sat down to his wine, very much pleased with the thought of
giving his friends such a dainty dish: this made him drink rather more
than common, and he was soon obliged to go to bed himself. Now the
Ogre had seven daughters, who were all very young like Hop-o'-my-thumb
and his brothers. These young Ogresses had fair skins, because they
fed on raw meat like their father; but they had small grey eyes, quite
round, and sunk in their heads, hooked noses, wide mouths, and very
long sharp teeth standing a great way off each other. They were too
young as yet to do much mischief; but they showed that if they lived
to be as old as their father, they would grow quite as cruel as he
was, for they took pleasure already in biting young children, and
sucking their blood. The Ogresses had been put to bed very early that
night; they were all in one bed, which was very large, and every one
of them had a crown of gold on her head. There was another bed of the
same size in the room, and in this the Ogre's wife put the seven
little boys, and then went to bed herself along with her husband.
Now Hop-o'-my-thumb was afraid that the Ogre would wake in the night
and kill him and his brothers while they were asleep. So he got out of
bed in the middle of the night as softly as he could, took off all his
brothers' nightcaps and his own, and crept with them to the bed that
the Ogre's daughters were in: he then took off their crowns, and put
the nightcaps on their heads instead: next he put the crowns on his
brothers' heads and his own, and got into bed again; expecting, after
this, that, if the Ogre should come, he would take him and his
brothers for his own children. Everything turned out as he wished. The
Ogre waked soon after midnight, and began to be very sorry that he had
put off killing the boys till the morning: so he jumped out of bed,
and took hold of his large knife. Let us see, said he, what the
young rogues are about, and do the business at once! He then walked
softly to the room where they all slept, and went up to the bed the
boys were in, who were all asleep except Hop-o'-my-thumb. He touched
their heads one at a time, and feeling the crowns of gold, said to
himself, Oh, oh! I had like to have made such a mistake. I must have
drunk too much wine last night.
He went next to the bed that his own little Ogresses were in, and when
he felt the nightcaps, he said, Ah! here you are, my lads: and so in
a moment he cut the throats of all his daughters.
He was very much pleased when he had done this, and then went back to
his own bed. As soon as Hop-o'-my-thumb heard him snore, he awoke his
brothers, and told them to put on their clothes quickly, and follow
him. They stole down softly into the garden, and then jumped from the
wall into the road: they ran as fast as their legs could carry them,
but were so much afraid all the while, that they hardly knew which way
to take. When the Ogre waked in the morning, he said to his wife,
grinning, My dear, go and dress the young rogues I saw last night.
The wife was quite surprised at hearing her husband speak so kindly,
and did not dream of the real meaning of his words. She supposed he
wanted her to help them to put on their clothes; so she went upstairs,
and the first thing she saw was her seven daughters with their throats
cut and all over blood. This threw her into a fainting fit. The Ogre
was afraid his wife might be too long in doing what he had set her
about, so he went himself to help her; but he was as much shocked as
she had been at the dreadful sight of his bleeding children. Ah! what
have I done? he cried; but the little rascals shall pay for it, I
warrant them.
He first threw some water on his wife's face; and, as soon as she came
to herself, he said to her: Bring me quickly my seven-league boots,
that I may go and catch the little vipers.
The Ogre then put on these boots, and set out with all speed. He
strided over many parts of the country, and at last turned into the
very road in which the poor children were. For they had set off
towards the faggot-maker's cottage, which they had almost reached.
They watched the Ogre stepping from mountain to mountain at one step,
and crossing rivers as if they had been tiny brooks. At this
Hop-o'-my-thumb thought a little what was to be done; and spying a
hollow place under a large rock, he made his brothers get into it. He
then crept in himself, but kept his eye fixed on the Ogre, to see what
he would do next.
The Ogre found himself quite weary with the journey he had gone, for
seven-league boots are very tiresome to the person who wears them; so
he now began to think of resting, and happened to sit down on the very
rock where the poor children were hid. As he was so tired, and it was
a very hot day, he fell fast asleep, and soon began to snore so loud,
that the little fellows were terrified.
When Hop-o'-my-thumb saw this he said to his brothers, Courage, my
lads! never fear! you have nothing to do but to steal away and get
home while the Ogre is fast asleep, and leave me to shift for myself.
The brothers now were very glad to do whatever he told them, and so
they soon came to their father's house. In the mean time
Hop-o'-my-thumb went up to the Ogre softly, pulled off his
seven-league boots very gently, and put them on his own legs: for
though the boots were very large, yet being fairy-boots, they could
make themselves small enough to fit any leg they pleased.
As soon as ever Hop-o'-my-thumb had made sure of the Ogre's
seven-league boots, he went at once to the palace, and offered his
services to carry orders from the king to his army, which was a great
way off, and to bring back the quickest accounts of the battle they
were just at that time fighting with the enemy. In short, he thought
he could be of more use to the king than all his mail coaches, and so
should make his fortune in this manner. He succeeded so well, that in
a short time he made money enough to keep himself, his father, mother,
and six brothers, without the trouble of working, for the rest of
their lives. Having done this, he went back to his father's cottage,
where all the family were delighted to see him again. As the great
fame of his boots had been talked of at court in this time, the king
sent for him, and indeed employed him very often in the greatest
affairs of the state, so that he became one of the richest men in the
kingdom.
And now let us see what became of the wicked Ogre. He slept so soundly
that he never discovered the loss of his boots; but having an evil
conscience and bad dreams, he fell in his sleep from the corner of the
rock where Hop-o'-my-thumb and his brothers had left him, and bruised
himself so much from head to foot, that he could not stir: so he was
forced to stretch himself out at full length, and wait for some one to
come and help him.
Now a good many faggot-makers passed near the place where the Ogre
lay; and, when they heard him groan, they went up to ask him what was
the matter. But the Ogre had eaten such a great number of children in
his lifetime, that he had grown so very big and fat that these men
could not even have carried one of his legs; so they were forced to
leave him there. At last night came on, and then a large serpent came
out of a wood just by, and stung him, so that he died in great pain.
By and by, Hop-o'-my-thumb, who had become the king's first favourite,
heard of the Ogre's death; and the first thing he did was to tell his
majesty all that the good-natured Ogress had done to save the lives of
himself and brothers. The king was so much pleased at what he heard,
that he asked Hop-o'-my-thumb if there was any favour he could bestow
upon her? Hop-o'-my-thumb thanked the king, and desired that the
Ogress might have the noble title of Duchess of Draggletail given to
her; which was no sooner asked than granted. The Ogress then came to
court, and lived very happily for many years, enjoying the vast
fortune she had found in the Ogre's chests. As for Hop-o'-my-thumb, he
every day grew more witty and brave; till at last the king made him
the greatest lord in the kingdom, and set him over all his affairs.
More
-
Hans In Luck
Some men are born to good luck: all they do or try to do comes right--all that falls to them is so much gain--all their geese are swans--all their cards are trumps--toss them which way you will, they will always, like poor puss, alight upon their le... Hans The Innocent
WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY M. I. WOOD Once upon a time there was a woman called Mrs. Stockchen and she had a son named Hans. They lived together in a little cottage and they had a hen and a cow. One morning Mrs. Stockchen said to her son: "Hans... Hans The Mermaid's Son
Translated from the Danish. In a village there once lived a smith called Basmus, who was in a very poor way. He was still a young man, and a strong handsome fellow to boot, but he had many little children and there was little to be earned by hi... Hansel And Gretel
Once upon a time there dwelt near a large wood a poor wood-cutter, with his wife and two children by his former marriage, a little boy called Hansel and a girl named Gretel. He had little enough to eat; and once, when there was a great famine i... Hansel And Gretel
Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel. He had little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily... Hansel And Grethel
BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (ADAPTED) Hard-by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his two children and his wife who was their stepmother. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Grethel. The wood-cutter had little to bite and to break, and once ... Hansel And Grethel
BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM Once upon a time there dwelt near a large wood a poor wood-cutter, with his wife and two children by his former marriage, a little boy called Hansel, and a girl named Grethel. He had little enough to break or bite; and onc... Hansel And Grettel
Once upon a time there dwelt on the outskirts of a large forest a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children; the boy was called Hansel and the girl Grettel. He had always little enough to live on, and once, when there was a great famine in t... Happy Let Us Be
Merry are the bells, and merry would they ring; Merry was myself, and merry could I sing; With a merry ding-dong, happy, gay, and free, And a merry sing-song, happy let us be! Merry have we met, and merry have we been; ... Hares And Wolves
The hares feed at night on tree bark; the field hares eat the winter rye and the grass, and the threshing-floor hares eat the grain in the granary. Through the night the hares make a deep, visible track through the snow. The hares are hunted by me... Hark! Hark!
Hark, Hark the dogs do bark! The beggars have come to town. Some in rags, and some in tags, And some in velvet gowns. Hear, hear, they're drawing near! Just hark to the tramp of feet! So haste about, set... Harvest-home
Here's a health unto our maister, The founder of the feast, And I hope to God wi' all my heart, His soul in heaven mid rest. That everything mid prosper That ever he tiak in hand, Vor we be all hi... Hashnu The Stonecutter
A Japanese Story Hashnu the Stonecutter sat beside the highway cutting stone. It was hard work, and the sun shone hot upon him. "Ah me!" said Hashnu, "if one only did not have to work all day. I would that I could sit and rest, and not have t... Hawley
Blow the wind high, blow the wind low, It bloweth good to Hawley's hoe. These lines are said to relate to one John Hawley, a wealthy merchant of Devon some centuries ago, who was fortunate in his shipping. According to Prince, p. 477,... He Rescues The Birds
BY NOAH BROOKS (ADAPTED) Once, while riding through the country with some other lawyers, Lincoln was missed from the party, and was seen loitering near a thicket of wild plum trees where the men had stopped a short time before to water their hors... He Wins Who Waits
Once upon a time there reigned a king who had an only daughter. The girl had been spoiled by everybody from her birth, and, besides being beautiful, was clever and wilful, and when she grew old enough to be married she refused to have anything to ... Hearing
<p>Can you hear like an owl? An owl can find his prey by hearing after dark. His ears are wonderful. Let us try if yours are.</p> <p>1. <em>Watch-test.</em> First, you must be blindfolded, and in some perfectly quiet place indoors. Now have the Guide... Heart Of Ice
Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who were foolish beyond all telling, but nevertheless they were vastly fond of one another. It is true that certain spiteful people were heard to say that this was only one proof the more of their ex... Henny-penny
One day Henny-penny was picking up corn in the cornyard when--whack!--something hit her upon the head. "Goodness gracious me!" says Henny-penny; "the sky's a-going to fall; I must go and tell the king." So she went along, and she went along, and ... Henny-penny
One day Henny-penny was picking up corn in the rickyard when--whack!--an acorn hit her upon the head. "Goodness gracious me!" said Henny-penny, "the sky's a-going to fall; I must go and tell the King." So she went along, and she went along, and ... Hercules and the Wagoner
A CARTER was driving a wagon along a country lane, when the wheels sank down deep into a rut. The rustic driver, stupefied and aghast, stood looking at the wagon, and did nothing but utter loud cries to Hercules to come and help him. Hercules, it ... Here Goes My Lord
Here goes my lord-- A trot! a trot! a trot! a trot! Here goes my lady-- A canter! a canter! a canter! a canter! Here goes my young master-- Jockey-hitch! jockey-hitch! jockey-hitch! jockey-hitch! ... Here's A B C D
Here's A, B, C, D, E, F and G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z, And oh, dear me, When shall I learn My A, B, C. ... Hereward The Wake
When William of Normandy came over the sea, and took the crown of England, many English people would not call him king. The young lord Hereward was one of these. He and his men made for themselves a "Camp of Refuge" among the reeds and rushes on t... Hermes
AEolus was the father of all the winds, great and small. Long ago, they all lived happily together in a dark cave near the sea. On holidays, North Wind, South Wind, East Wind and West Wind and their faithful sisters, came home and told of thei... Hermod And Hadvor
From the Icelandic. Once upon a time there were a King and a Queen who had an only daughter, called Hadvor, who was fair and beautiful, and being an only child, was heir to the kingdom. The King and Queen had also a foster son, named Hermod, wh... Herr Lazarus And The Draken
Once upon a time there was a cobbler called Lazarus, who was very fond of honey. One day, as he ate some while he sat at work, the flies collected in such numbers that with one blow he killed forty. Then he went and ordered a sword to be made fo... Hewley-puley
The children are seated and the following questions put by one of the party, holding a twisted handkerchief or something of the sort in the hand. The handkerchief was called hewley-puley, and the questions are asked by the child who holds it. If one... Hey Diddle Diddle![58]
Hey diddle diddle, The cat scraped the fiddle, The cow jump'd over the moon; The little dog bayed To see such sports played, And the dish ran away with the spoon. The unmeaning ... His Springfield Farewell Address
It was on the morning of February 11, 1861, that the President-elect, together with his family and a small party of friends, bade adieu to the city of Springfield, which, alas! he was never to see again. A large throng of Springfield citizens asse... Hitty-titty
Hitty-titty in-doors, Hitty-titty out; You touch Hitty-titty, And Hitty-titty will bite you. These lines are said by children when one of them has hid herself. They then run away, and the one who is bitten (caught) be... Hofus The Stone-cutter
A JAPANESE LEGEND FROM THE RIVERSIDE THIRD READER (ADAPTED) Once upon a time in Japan, there was a poor stone-cutter, named Hofus, who used to go every day to the mountain-side to cut great blocks of stone. He lived near the mountain in a littl... Holiday Adventures
PART I O it was so hot, so hot; the earth was well-nigh parched up, and moreover the use of water was restricted in the town where the children lived. The flowers in the little garden were drooping for want of moisture, and the trees began to s... Holland
MARRIAGE.--A male must be eighteen years or more and a female sixteen years or more in order to be lawfully married. Marriage is forbidden between all descendants and ascendants, legitimate or otherwise, and in the collateral line marriages are ... Hollenmadchen
'But where is he to find the Witch-maiden?' said the first bird. 'She has no settled dwelling, but is here to-day and gone to-morrow. He might as well try to catch the wind.' The other replied, 'I do not know, certainly, where she is at prese... Homes
BY ANNIE WILLIS McCULLOUGH My bunnies like their cozy house, although they scamper out to play; My chickens like the slatted coop where all the mother hens must stay. My kitten likes her basket bed out in the woodshed near our door,... Hop-o'-my-thumb
There once lived in a village a faggot-maker and his wife, who had seven children, all boys; the eldest was no more than ten years old, and the youngest was only seven. It was odd enough, to be sure, that they should have so many children in su... Hop-o'-my-thumb
There once lived in a village a fagot-maker and his wife who had seven children--all boys; the eldest was no more than ten years old, and the youngest was only seven. It was odd enough, to be sure, that they should have so many children in such a ... Horaizan
Jofuku was the Wise Man of China. Many books he read, and he never forgot what was in them. All the characters he knew as he knew the lines in the palm of his hand. He learned secrets from birds and beasts, and herbs and flowers and trees, and roc... House Island
There lived in Norway, not far from the city of Drontheim, a rich and prosperous gentleman. He had an only daughter, called Aslog, the fame of whose beauty spread far and wide. The greatest men of the country sought her, but all were alike unsucce... How A Fish Swam In The Air And A Hare In The Water
Once upon a time an old man and his wife lived together in a little village. They might have been happy if only the old woman had had the sense to hold her tongue at proper times. But anything which might happen indoors, or any bit of news which h... How Aurore Learnt To Ride
When Aurore was old enough to leave the convent she went back to Nohant to live with her grandmother, who was failing fast and died the following year. Aurore was sixteen now, and things looked very different from what they did three years earlier... How Ball-carrier Finished His Task
After Ball-Carrier had managed to drown the Bad One so that he could not do any more mischief, he forgot the way to his grandmother's house, and could not find it again, though he searched everywhere. During this time he wandered into many strange... How Balloons Are Made
If you take a blown-up bladder under water and let go of it, it will fly up to the surface of the water and will swim on it. Just so, when water is boiled in a pot, it becomes light at the bottom, over the fire,--it is turned into a gas; and when ... How Brave Walter Hunted Wolves
A little back from the high road there stands a house which is called 'Hemgard.' Perhaps you remember the two beautiful mountain ash trees by the reddish-brown palings, and the high gate, and the garden with the beautiful barberry bushes which... How Cats Came To Purr
BY JOHN BENNETT A Boy having a Pet Cat which he Wished to Feed, Said to Her, "Come, Cat, Drink this Dish of Cream; it will Keep your Fur as Soft as Silk, and Make you Purr like a Coffee-Mill." He had no sooner said this than the Cat, with a G... How Cousin Wildcat Served Br'er Fox
Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox had both been paying calls one evening at the same house. They sat there, and after a while Br'er Rabbit looked out, and said: "Now then, folks and friends, I must say good-by. Cloud coming up yonder, and before we kn... How Footbinding Started
In the very beginning of all things, when the gods were creating the world, at last the time came to separate the earth from the heavens. This was hard work, and if it had not been for the coolness and skill of a young goddess all would have fa... How Geirald The Coward Was Punished
Once upon a time there lived a poor knight who had a great many children, and found it very hard to get enough for them to eat. One day he sent his eldest son, Rosald, a brave and honest youth, to the neighbouring town to do some business, and h... How Glooskap Made The Birds
Once upon a time long before the white men came to Canada there lived a wicked giant who caused great trouble and sorrow wherever he went. Men called him Wolf-Wind. Where he was born no man knows, but his home was in the Cave of the Winds, far in ... How I Learned To Ride
When I was a little fellow, we used to study every day, and only on Sundays and holidays went out and played with our brothers. Once my father said: "The children must learn to ride. Send them to the riding-school!" I was the youngest of the ... How Indian Corn Came Into The World
AN OJIBBEWAY LEGEND BY HENRY R. SCHOOLCRAFT (ADAPTED) Long, long ago, in a beautiful part of this country, there lived an Indian with his wife and children. He was poor and found it hard to provide food enough for his family. But though needy h... How Jack Went Out To Seek His Fortune
Once on a time there was a boy named Jack, and one morning he started to go and seek his fortune. He hadn't gone very far before he met a cat. "Where are you going, Jack?" said the cat. "I am going to seek my fortune." "May I go with you... How Many Lumps!
How many lumps of sugar Ought a little girl to use To sweeten a cup of chocolate? I can take just what I choose. Five make it just like candy, And four are most as good-- There's no one to say I mustn't,... How Many Miles To Babylon?
"HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON? THREE SCORE MILES AND TEN CAN I GET THERE BY CANDLELIGHT? YES, AND BACK AGAIN." How shall I go to Babylon? Who will tell me true? Oh, there are trains, and there are boats, ... How Nimble Helped
Billy Woodchuck and Fatty Coon had come early to Jimmy Rabbit's party. And Jimmy had told them to hang their hats and coats upon his new hat-rack--meaning Nimble Deer's antlers. But when they tried to do as they were bid they found that the antler... How Polly Had Her Picture Taken
BY EVERETT WILSON It was a bright spring morning, and all the animals on the Meadowbrook Farm had been given their breakfast, and the Piggy-wig family had settled down to a cozy nap. Suddenly there was heard a great noise and rushing out in the a... How Rabbit Deceived Fox
Long ago in Indian days in Canada, when Rabbit worked for Glooskap as his forest guide, he was a great thief. He liked most of all to steal by moonlight, and he crept quietly into gardens and fields where Indian vegetables were growing, f... How Raven Brought Fire To The Indians
Many ages ago when the world was still young, Raven and White Sea-gull lived near together in Canada, far in the north country on the shores of the Great Water in the west. They were very good friends and they always worked in harmony and... How Reynard Outwitted Bruin
Once on a time there was a bear, who sat on a hillside in the sun and slept. Just then Reynard came slouching by and caught sight of him. "There you sit taking your ease, grandsire," said the fox. "Now, see if I don't play you a trick." So he we... How Sampo Lappelill Saw The Mountain King
From the Swedish of Z. Topelius. FAR away in Lapland, at a place called Aimio, near the River Jana, there lived, in a little hut, a Laplander and his wife, with their small son, Sampo. Sampo Lappelill was now between seven and eight years of ... How Six Men Travelled Through The Wide World
There was once upon a time a man who understood all sorts of arts; he served in the war, and bore himself bravely and well; but when the war was over, he got his discharge, and set out on his travels with three farthings of his pay in his pocket. ... How Smaland And Schonen Came To Be
The Smalanders declare: At the time when our Lord created the earth, he made a level and fruitful stretch of land, and that was Schonen. But the devil had been busy in the meantime, and had created Smaland, a barren region consisting mainly of ... How Some Wild Animals Became Tame Ones
Once upon a time there lived a miller who was so rich that, when he was going to be married, he asked to the feast not only his own friends but also the wild animals who dwelt in the hills and woods round about. The chief of the bears, the wolve... How The Alphabet Was Made
THE week after Taffimai Metallumai (we will still call her Taffy, Best Beloved) made that little mistake about her Daddy's spear and the Stranger-man and the picture-letter and all, she went carp-fishing again with her Daddy. Her Mummy wanted her ... How The Beggar Boy Turned Into Count Piro
Once upon a time there lived a man who had only one son, a lazy, stupid boy, who would never do anything he was told. When the father was dying, he sent for his son and told him that he would soon be left alone in the world, with no possessions but ... How The Bluebird Came
<p>Nana-bo-jou, that some think is the Indian name for El Sol and some say is Mother Carey, was sleeping his winter's sleep in the big island just above the thunder-dam that men call Niagara. Four moons had waned, but still he slept. The frost draper... How The Buttercup Grew Yellow
Long, long ago it is told that the flowers were all white and that each received its color by some magic power. The little Daisy, with its yellow eye, received its golden center when the angry elves pelted the little Fairies with sunbeams. T... How The Camel Got His Hump
NOW this is the next tale, and it tells how the Camel got his big hump. In the beginning of years, when the world was so new and all, and the Animals were just beginning to work for Man, there was a Camel, and he lived in the middle of a Howling... How The Chipmunk Got The Stripes On Its Back
Do you all know the little striped chipmunk which lives in our woods? He has a cousin in far off India called the geloori. It is said the stripes came on the back of the geloori in a wonderful way. One day the great Shiva saw a little gray ... How The Dragon Was Tricked
From Griechtsche und Albanesische Marchen, von J. G. von Hahn. (Leipzig: Engelmann. 1864.) Once upon a time there lived a man who had two sons but they did not get on at all well together, for the younger was much handsomer than his elder broth... How The First Letter Was Written
ONCE upon a most early time was a Neolithic man. He was not a Jute or an Angle, or even a Dravidian, which he might well have been, Best Beloved, but never mind why. He was a Primitive, and he lived cavily in a Cave, and he wore very few clothes, ...