Moisture
: STORIES FROM PHYSICS: Fables For Children, Stories For Children, Natural Science Stori
I.
Why does a spider sometimes make a close cobweb, and sit in the very
middle of its nest, and at other times leave its nest and start a new
spider-web?
The spider makes its cobweb according to the weather, both the present
and the future weather. Looking at a spider, you can tell what kind of
weather it is going to be: if it sits tightly in the middle of the
cobweb and does no
leaves the nest and makes new cobwebs, it is going to clear off.
How can the spider know in advance what weather it is going to be?
The spider's senses are so fine that as soon as the moisture begins to
gather in the air,--though we do not yet feel it, and for us the weather
is clear,--for the spider it is already raining.
Just as a naked man will feel the moisture, when a man in his clothes
does not, so it is already raining for a spider, while for us it is only
getting ready to rain.
II.
Why do the doors swell in the winter and close badly, while in the
summer they shrink and close well?
Because in the fall and winter the wood is saturated with water, like a
sponge, and spreads out, while in the summer the water comes out as a
vapour, and the wood shrinks.
Why does soft wood, like aspen, swell more, and oak less?
Because in the hard wood, in the oak, the empty places are smaller, and
the water cannot gather there, while in the soft wood in the aspen,
there are larger empty places, and the water can gather there. In rotten
wood these empty places are still larger, and so rotten wood swells most
and shrinks most.
Beehives are made out of the softest and rottenest wood; the very best
are made from rotten willow wood. Why? Because the air passes through
the rotten wood, and in such a hive the bees feel better.
Why do boards warp?
Because they dry unevenly. If you place a damp board with one side
toward the stove, the water will leave it, and the board will contract
on that side and will pull the other side along; but the damp side
cannot contract, because it is full of water, and so the whole board
will be bent.
To keep the floors from warping, the dry boards are cut into small
pieces, and these pieces are boiled in water. When all the water is
boiled out of them, they are glued together, and then they never warp
(parquetry).
More
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Lord And Master
There was once a young shepherd, an honest industrious fellow, who passed most of his time in the hills looking after his master's flocks. One afternoon he happened upon a bush which some gipsies had set a-fire. As he stopped to watch it he heard ... Lord Soulis
"Lord Soulis he sat in Hermitage Castle, And beside him Old Redcap sly;-- 'Now, tell me, thou sprite, who art meikle of might, The death that I must die.' They roll'd him in a sheet of lead, A sheet of lead for a fu... Love And Vanity
The breezy morning breath'd perfume, The wak'ning flow'rs unveil'd their bloom; Up with the sun, from short repose, Gay HEALTH, and lusty LABOUR, rose; The milk-maid carol'd at her pail, And shepherds whistled o'er the dale; When ... Love Divinations
Butter-dock.--The seeds of butterdock must be sowed by a young unmarried woman half an hour before sunrise on a Friday morning, in a lonesome place. She must strew the seeds gradually on the grass, saying these words-- I sow, I sow! ... Lovely Ilonka
There was once a king's son who told his father that he wished to marry. 'No, no!' said the king; 'you must not be in such a hurry. Wait till you have done some great deed. My father did not let me marry till I had won the golden sword you see me ... Lu-san Daughter Of Heaven
Lu-san went to bed without any supper, but her little heart was hungry for something more than food. She nestled up close beside her sleeping brothers, but even in their slumber they seemed to deny her that love which she craved. The gentle lap... Lucky Luck
Once upon a time there was a king who had an only son. When the lad was about eighteen years old his father had to go to fight in a war against a neighbouring country, and the king led his troops in person. He bade his son act as Regent in his absen... Lullaby
BY GERTRUDE THOMPSON MILLER Come lay your head on my breast, my dear, That I may feel your sweet form near; Then we'll rock, rock, in the rocking chair, And play we're sailing up through the air. Your body so warm, so ... Madschun
Once upon a time there lived, in a small cottage among some hills, a woman with her son, and, to her great grief, the young man, though hardly more than twenty years of age, had not as much hair on his head as a baby. But, old as he looked, the yo... Maggie's Very Own Secret
By SARA JOSEPHINE ALBRIGHT (For Very Little Folk) Mr. and Mrs. Squeaky were two little, gray mice. They lived away back in the corner of a great, big, empty box in the cellar. One morning Mr. Squeaky went up the cellar stairs on tiptoes, to h... Magpies
Wide-spread is the superstition that it is unlucky to see magpies under certain conditions, but these vary considerably in different localities. Thus, in some counties, two bring sorrow, in others joy; while, in some places, we are instructed that o... Mahalaxmi And The Two Queens
Once upon a time there was a town called Atpat. In it there lived a king who had two queens. Of one of them he was very fond, but the other one he did not care for. The name of the favoured one was Patmadhavrani, and the name of the unloved one was ... Maiden Bright-eye
From the Danish Once, upon a time there was a man and his wife who had two children, a boy and a girl. The wife died, and the man married again. His new wife had an only daughter, who was both ugly and untidy, whereas her stepdaughter was a bea... Malaria
You remember, John, I told you about the "wiggle-tails," or baby mosquitoes, in the rain barrel, and how eager my mother was to put oil on the water and kill them. Well, Mother told me a long story about the baby mosquitoes and what they do whe... Mally Dixon And Knurre-murre
Stories of fairies appearing in the shape of cats are common in the North of England. Mr. Longstaffe relates that a farmer of Staindrop, in Durham, was one night crossing a bridge, when a cat jumped out, stood before him, and looking him full in the... Marianna
[Illustration: Young girl sitting on tree trunk; a small bird is perched on her left hand; a small bottle is fastened to her belt.] Once upon a time a wicked nobleman rose in rebellion against his rightful king, and taking the royal forces by su... Marum
If you set it, The cats will eat it; If you sow it, The cats will know it. BIRD-SHOOER'S SONG. Awa', birds, awa', Take a peck And leave a seck, And come no more to day! This is the univer... Mary Brown Fair Gundela
A slightly dramatic character may be observed in this game, which was obtained from Essex. Children form a ring, one girl kneeling in the centre, and sorrowfully hiding her face with her hands. One in the ring then says,-- Here we all stand... Master And Pupil
From the Danish. There was once a man who had a son who was very clever at reading, and took great delight in it. He went out into the world to seek service somewhere, and as he was walking between some mounds he met a man, who asked him where ... Master Of All Masters
A Girl once went to the fair to hire herself for servant. At last a funny-looking old gentleman engaged her and took her home to his house. When she got there, he told her that he had something to teach her, for that in his house he had his own na... Master Smith
Is Master Smith within? Yes, that he is. Can he set a shoe? Ay, marry, two. Here a nail, and there a nail, Tick--tack--too. LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST Little Robin Redbreast Sat upon a rail, ... May-day
Rise up, fair maidens, fie, for shame, For I've been four lang miles from hame; I've been gathering my garlands gay; Rise up, fair maids, and take in your May. This old Newcastle May-day song is given by Brockett, ii. 32. ... Mercury and the Sculptor
MERCURY ONCE DETERMINED to learn in what esteem he was held among mortals. For this purpose he assumed the character of a man and visited in this disguise a Sculptor's studio having looked at various statues, he demanded the price of two figures of... Mercury and the Workmen
A WORKMAN, felling wood by the side of a river, let his axe drop - by accident into a deep pool. Being thus deprived of the means of his livelihood, he sat down on the bank and lamented his hard fate. Mercury appeared and demanded the cause of his... Merry Sunshine
"Good morning, Merry Sunshine, How did you wake so soon? You've scared the little stars away, And shined away the moon. I saw you go to sleep last night Before I ceased my playing... Milton And Bulka
I bought me a setter to hunt pheasants with. The name of the dog was Milton. He was a big, thin, gray, spotted dog, with long lips and ears, and he was very strong and intelligent. He did not fight with Bulka. No dog ever tried to get into a fight... Minnikin
THERE was once upon a time a couple of needy folk who lived in a wretched hut, in which there was nothing but black want; so they had neither food to eat nor wood to burn. But if they had next to nothing of all else they had the blessing of God so f... Miscellaneous Puerile Amusements
I went to the sea, And saw twentee Geese all in a row: My glove I would give Full of gold, if my wife Was as white as those. These lines are to be repeated rapidly and correctly, inserting the word cothe... Mischief
BY ROSAMOND UPHAM Mischief was a cunning little fellow from the very first day that I saw him. Such a round, plump little body, such short, clumsy legs, and such a roguish face; just the one of all his nine brothers and sisters about whom to writ... Misery In Company
The rain is falling, The fire is out! Jane has the toothache, John has the gout! ... Miss Peggy And The Frog
(An old nursery tale told from memory.) Once there lived a widow, whose only child was a pretty girl named Peggy. Peggy loved to play by the water-side with her young companions, and one day a large frog hopped out of the water and sat gazing at... Mogarzea And His Son
There was once a young lad who had neither father nor mother. Every thing his parents had left him was in the care of guardians, and at last he could bear their unjust reproaches no longer, but went out into the wide world, entered a path leading to ... Mogarzea And His Son
There was once a little boy, whose father and mother, when they were dying, left him to the care of a guardian. But the guardian whom they chose turned out to be a wicked man, and spent all the money, so the boy determined to go away and strike out... Mohammed With The Magic Finger
Once upon a time, there lived a woman who had a son and a daughter. One morning she said to them: 'I have heard of a town where there is no such thing as death: let us go and dwell there.' So she broke up her house, and went away with her son an... Moisture
I. Why does a spider sometimes make a close cobweb, and sit in the very middle of its nest, and at other times leave its nest and start a new spider-web? The spider makes its cobweb according to the weather, both the present and the future w... Molly Whuppie And The Double-faced Giant
Once upon a time there was a man and his wife who were not over rich. And they had so many children that they couldn't find meat for them; so, as the three youngest were girls, they just took them out to the forest one day, and left them there to ... Momotaro
If you'll believe me there was a time when the fairies were none so shy as they are now. That was the time when beasts talked to men, when there were spells and enchantments and magic every day, when there was great store of hidden treasure to be ... Monday
Here's a little wash bench, Here's a little tub. Here's a little scrubbing-board, And here's the way to rub. Here's a little cake of soap, Here's a dipper new. Here's a basket wide & deep, And here are clo... Monday's Lessons
Study them well on Friday, For it's much the better way, Because when once they're finished You've all Saturday for play. ... Mongan's Frenzy
CHAPTER I The abbot of the Monastery of Moville sent word to the story-tellers of Ireland that when they were in his neighbourhood they should call at the monastery, for he wished to collect and write down the stories which were in danger of be... Mopsa The Fairy
RETOLD FROM JEAN INGELOW "For he that hath his own world Hath many worlds more." A boy, whom I knew very well, was once going through a meadow which was full of buttercups. He sat down by an old hawthorn hedge which was covered wit... Morning-glory
Once upon a time there was a very little Morning-glory that grew on the end of a high vine, and one day when the wind was blowing a brisk breeze passed by the little Morning-glory, making it wish it, too, could go along and see more of the world.... Mother
BY ROSE FYLEMAN When mother comes each morning She wears her oldest things, She doesn't make a rustle, She hasn't any rings; She says, "Good-morning, chickies, It's such a lovely day, Let's go into the ... Mother Holle
Once upon a time there was a widow who had two daughters; one of them was beautiful and industrious, the other ugly and lazy. The mother, however, loved the ugly and lazy one best, because she was her own daughter, and so the other, who was only her... Mother Holle
ONCE upon a time there was a widow who had two daughters; one of them was pretty and clever, and the other ugly and lazy. But as the ugly one was her own daughter, she liked her far the best of the two, and the pretty one had to do all the work of t... Mother's Darling Jack
Once upon a time something happened. If it had not happened it would not be told. There was once a man who had a child. This child was the youngest of seven which the Lord had given him, so it was destined from its birth to be lucky. It was christ... Mother's Way
BY CARRIE WILLIAMS Nowadays girls go to cooking-school And learn to cook just so by rule; But all I know, I'm glad to say, My mother taught me day by day. She did not need a great cook-book; She knew how much and... Motiratika
Once upon a time, in a very hot country, a man lived with his wife in a little hut, which was surrounded by grass and flowers. They were perfectly happy together till, by-and-by, the woman fell ill and refused to take any food. The husband tried to ... Moving Pictures
<p>One of the best developers of imagination is the Moving Picture. Sometimes called Pantomime, or Dumb-show which means all signs without sounds.</p> <p>The one who is to put on the "movie" is given a subject and must then stand out on the... Mr And Mrs Owl's Storeroom
"Two owls," commenced daddy, "lived in a soft feathered nest in the big woods. After a time they got a little tired of talking and scolding and hunting and midnight parties, so Mrs. Owl, who was always saving odds and ends, thought it would mak... Mr And Mrs Vinegar
Mr. and Mrs. Vinegar, a worthy couple, lived in a glass pickle-jar. The house, though small, was snug, and so light that each speck of dust on the furniture showed like a mole-hill; so while Mr. Vinegar tilled his garden with a pickle-fork and gre... Mr Crow Goes And Tells
Mr. Coon and Mr. Possum lived near each other in the woods, and one day they decided to give a supper the first bright moonlight night. "It will be much easier for us to provide the supper together," said Mr. Coon, "because we are bachelors and... Mr Crow Looks On
Nimble and his friend Dodger the Deer picked themselves up off the ground where they had fallen after their collision in the air. They did not feel any too pleasant. One of Dodger's sharp tines had given Nimble a good prick. And one of Nimble's po... Mr Fly And Mrs Mosquito
One day in the summer, Mr. Fly and Mrs. Mosquito stopped to rest on the window pane of a house in the country. Mr. Fly, after sitting for some time rubbing his nose with his front feet, looked up and said, "Good morning." "Mr. Fly," replie... Mr Fox
Lady Mary was young and Lady Mary was fair, and she had more lovers than she could count on the fingers of both hands. She lived with her two brothers, who were very proud and very fond of their beautiful sister, and very anxious that she should... Mr Fox Cuts The Cottontails
Mr. Fox decided that the only way to get all the wood animals to have a good opinion of him was to give a big dinner, for he had somehow got rather a bad name among the animals for being so tricky. So all day long he went about telling all the ... Mr Fox's Housewarming
Mr. Fox had been so much disturbed by Mr. Dog and his master that he decided to try living somewhere besides on the ground floor of the woods. One night he took a look around in the moonlight, and to his delight he discovered the very place fo... Mr Lincoln And The Bible
BY Z. A. MUDGE (ADAPTED) A visitor in Washington once had an appointment to see Mr. Lincoln at five o'clock in the morning. The gentleman made a hasty toilet and presented himself at a quarter of five in the waiting-room of the President. He aske... Mr Nightingale's New Friend Mr Blackbird
"I heard a story the other day," said daddy, "a quite true story. Mr. Nightingale had built too large a nest. "After a while he thought of a visitor he would like to have all the time, and off he started on his travels. "As he went along, ... Mr Pepys His Valentine
AS RELATED BY HIMSELF IN 1666 (ADAPTED) This morning, came up to my wife's bedside, I being up dressing myself, little Will Mercer, to be her valentine; and brought her name writ upon blue paper in gold letters, done by himself, very pretty; an... Mr Plain Sparrow Calls On Ducks
"It was such a hot day yesterday," said daddy, "that Mr. Plain Sparrow simply could not get cool. You see he never goes away in the winter and so he gets used to really cold weather. On a day as hot as it was yesterday he simply doesn't know wh... Mr Wardle's Servant Joe
AN old country gentleman named Wardle had a servant of whom he was very proud, not because of the latter's diligence, but because Joe, commonly called the "Fat Boy," was a character which could not be matched anywhere in the world. At the time whe... Mrs Deer Explains
For the first time in his life Nimble felt quite grown up. He forgot that he had not yet lived a whole summer. He had made a suggestion to his mother which she had promptly acted upon. It had never happened before. And that was enough to cause him... Mrs Veal's Ghost
Now you are going to hear a ghost story published, but he says, not written, by Daniel Defoe the author of 'Robinson Crusoe.' If you read it carefully, you will find how very curious it is. Miss Veal, or as she was then called according to custo... Muckle-mou'ed Meg
"O wha hasna heard o' the bauld Juden Murray, The Lord o' the Elibank Castle sae high? An' wha hasna heard o' that notable foray, Whan Willie o' Harden was catched wi' the kye?" Of all the towers and castles which belonged t... Munachar And Manachar
There once lived a Munachar and a Manachar, a long time ago, and it is a long time since it was, and if they were alive now they would not be alive then. They went out together to pick raspberries, and as many as Munachar used to pick Manachar ... My Cock Lily-cock
An inferior version of the following, which was obtained from Essex, is printed in Mr. Chambers's Popular Rhymes of Scotland, ed. 1847, p. 190. A Swedish version, or rather a variation, in Lilja, p. 17, commences as follows: "I served a farmer for f... My Daughter Jane
Eccleshall version, played as a game by the schoolgirls. See the Nursery Rhymes of England, p. 114. Suitors. Here come two dukes all out of Spain, A courting to your daughter Jane. Mother. My daughter Jane, she is ...