Hans The Innocent
: STORIES for LITTLE BOYS: Boys And Girls Bookshelf
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, my dear, will you
take Cowslip, the cow, to pasture, and remember not to be late for
supper." "Very well," said Hans, and he took up his stick and s
for the field.
The sun was very hot when he got there, and seeing a row of five shady
trees, he lay down underneath them and fell asleep in two seconds. He
snored with his mouth open. Cowslip had been watching him and when she
saw his eyes close, she said, "Now! here's my chance!" and, jumping over
the fence, she ran away.
Hans stopped snoring and awoke at supper-time. He looked for Cowslip,
but she had disappeared; he ran about calling for her, but she did not
come; and at last he went home to his mother with a very sad face and
said: "Oh, mother, Cowslip ran away while I was asleep. I have looked
for her and cannot find her anywhere."
"You lazy, careless, naughty, careless, naughty, lazy Boy!" cried Mrs.
Stockchen. "You have left my poor cow wandering all alone. She will lose
her way in the dark. Just you go and find her this instant. You will get
no supper till you bring her back, or my name is not Matilda Maria!"
Mrs. Stockchen had grown quite scarlet with rage and she shook the
soup-ladle at her son to make him go faster. It was getting quite dark
by the time Hans reached the field again and nowhere did he see any
trace of the cow. He did not know in what direction she had gone, so he
walked round and round the field, feeling very miserable.
Just as 10 o'clock was striking, Cowslip stepped out from behind a tree,
and kneeling at Hans's feet, said in a choking voice, "I am really very
sorry, Hans." "Well," said Hans, "I am sorry too, but let us get home
now." So they set out, tired and rather cross.
But when they came within sight of the light in their own cottage
window, they met two soldiers who stopped them, and asked what they were
doing out so late. "We're just going home," said Hans. "Why," said the
soldiers "you ought to have been there two hours ago."
"Well, I couldn't help it," said Hans, "this cow ran away and I had to
fetch her before going home to supper."
"Boy!" said the soldiers, "you are not speaking the truth, you have
stolen the cow, and you are very impertinent as well. We will take you
to prison."
They tied a rope round Hans's neck and another round the cow's, and took
them to prison. They put Hans into a dungeon full of horrid creatures,
but they let poor Cowslip wander about in the fields outside.
One morning when Hans was crying because the door was locked and because
the window bars looked so strong, Cowslip heard him. She came up beside
the window, and standing on her hind-legs she peeped in and said, "Hans,
my dear master, do you think that if I tried to knock down the wall with
my horns, you could get out?" "I will try," said Hans. It was rather
hard work for Cowslip, but at last she made a big enough hole and Hans
leaped out.
He knocked off his hat in doing so, but then Hans didn't care about a
little thing like that.
He jumped on her back, and away they went, over fallen trees, stones,
ditches, hedges, everything. They came in sight of the cottage at last,
and the sound of their approach caused Mrs. Stockchen to look out of the
window. When she saw who it was she fairly jumped for joy and she rushed
out at once to meet them.
Hans fell into his mother's arms. And they all lived happily ever
afterward.
More
-
German Law
The German Empire consists of twenty-six political States. These include four kingdoms, six grandduchies, five duchies, seven principalities, three free towns, and Alsace-Lorraine. With the exception of Alsace-Lorraine, whose affairs are administe... Giant Thunder Bones
I This is Giant Thunder Bones. II This is the Dwarf with anxious looks Who guarded the castle and kept the books For Giant Thunder Bones. III This is the Gnom... Gilling
Tradition informs us, but leaves us in ignorance as to the nature of the offence offered, that once upon a time, a long time ago, his satanic majesty took dire displeasure at the good folks of Hartforth, for some naughty trick, no doubt played upon ... Glossary
To facilitate the pronunciation of the words in this glossary the correct syllabication has been indicated. Of course, it is expected that the teacher will assist the pupil where any difficult com... God Sees The Truth But Does Not Tell At Once
In the city of Vladimir there lived a young merchant, Aksenov by name. He had two shops and a house. Aksenov was a light-complexioned, curly-headed, fine-looking man and a very jolly fellow and good singer. In his youth Aksenov had drunk much, ... Gold-tree And Silver-tree
Once upon a time there was a king who had a wife, whose name was Silver-tree, and a daughter whose name was Gold-tree. On a certain day of the days, Gold-tree and Silver-tree went to a glen, where there was a well, and in it there was a trout. ... Gold-tree And Silver-tree
In bygone days there lived a little Princess named Gold-Tree, and she was one of the prettiest children in the whole world. Although her mother was dead, she had a very happy life, for her father loved her dearly, and thought that nothing was to... Golden-rod And Aster
Golden Hair and Blue Eyes lived at the foot of a great hill. On the top of this hill in a little hut lived a strange, wise woman. It was said that she could change people into anything she wished. She looked so grim and severe that people were... Goosey Goosey Gander
Goosey, goosey, gander, where dost thou wander? Up stairs and down stairs, and in my lady's chamber; There I met an old man that would not say his prayers, I took him by his hind legs and threw him down stairs. ... Gordon's Toy Castle On The Hill
BY EVERETT WILSON Last Christmas little Gordon Bruce had a fine, large Christmas tree and lots of toys, just as a great many other nice boys and girls had. The tree was up in his playroom, a great, big, sunny room that used to be called the "nurs... Gotham
Three wise men of Gotham Went to sea in a bowl; And if the bowl had been stronger, My song would have been longer. Honour to whom honour is due! Mr. Lower will have it that Sussex is the county of the Gothamites. Gotham i... Grace Darling
On a small rocky island, off the north coast of England, there is a lighthouse. A man named William Darling was once keeper of this lighthouse, and his daughter Grace lived with him. Every day Grace Darling helped her father to trim the lamps, so ... Graciosa And Percinet
Once upon a time there lived a king and queen, who had an only daughter. Her incomparable beauty, sweetness, and intelligence caused her to be named Graciosa. She was all her mother's joy. Every day she had given her a different dress, of gold bro... Graciosa And Percinet
ONCE upon a time there lived a King and Queen who had one charming daughter. She was so graceful and pretty and clever that she was called Graciosa, and the Queen was so fond of her that she could think of nothing else. Everyday she gave the Prin... Grandfather's Eyes
THE STORY OF THREE WICKED YEZINKAS Once upon a time there was a poor boy whom everybody called Yanechek. His father and mother were dead and he was forced to start out alone in the world to make a living. For a long time he could find nothing ... Grandma's Minuet
Grandma told me all about it; Told me so I couldn't doubt it; How she danced--my grandma danced, Long ago. How she held her pretty head, How her dainty skirt she spread, How she turned her little toes,... Grandmother's Memories
BY HELEN A. BYROM Grandmother sits in her easy-chair, In the ruddy sunlight's glow; Her thoughts are wandering far away In the land of Long Ago. Again she dwells in her father's home, And before her loving... Grasp All Lose All
Once, in former times, there lived in a certain city in India a poor oil-seller, called Dena, who never could keep any money in his pockets; and when this story begins he had borrowed from a banker, of the name of Lena, the sum of one hundred rupe... Great Claus And Little Claus
IN A VILLAGE there once lived two men of the same name. Both of them were called Claus. But because one of them owned four horses while the other had but one, people called the one who had the four horses Big, or Great, Claus and the one who owned... Great Heart And The Three Tests
Somewhere near the sea in olden times a boy was living with his father and mother. He had no brothers or sisters. His father was a great hunter and the boy inherited something of his power, for he was always very successful in the killing... Great-aunt Lucy Lee
By Cora Walker Hayes Sometimes when I am tired of play My mother says to me, "Come, daughter, we will call to-day On Great-aunt Lucy Lee." And soon, by mother's side, I skip Along the quiet street, Wh... Green Gravel
All round the green gravel the grass grows so green, And all the pretty maids are fit to be seen, Wash them in milk, dress them in silk, And the first to go down shall be married in green. ... Green Willow
Tomodata, the young samurai, owed allegiance to the Lord of Noto. He was a soldier, a courtier, and a poet. He had a sweet voice and a beautiful face, a noble form and a very winning address. He was a graceful dancer, and excelled in every manly s... Greeting
Good little Mother, How do you do? Dear strong "Daddy," Glad to see you! Big tall Brother, Pleased you are here. Kind little Sister, You need not fear, Glad welcome we'll give you, An... Growing-up-like-one-who-has-a-grandmother
That was the name of a little Indian boy living on the North-West coast of America, and a very odd name it is, as well as a very long one. To be sure, in his own language it could all be put into seventeen letters, while in English it takes thirty... Gudbrand On The Hillside
There was once upon a time a man whose name was Gudbrand. He had a farm which lay far away up on the side of a hill, and therefore they called him Gudbrand on the hillside. He and his wife lived so happily together, and agreed so well, that wha... Guessing Length
<p>Take two common nails, or other thin bits of metal, and lay them on a table or board, at what you guess to be exactly one yard (36 inches) apart. Then let the Guide lay the tape-line on it, and, allowing 20 points for exactly right, take off 1 poi... Guleesh
There was once a boy in the County Mayo; Guleesh was his name. There was the finest rath a little way off from the gable of the house, and he was often in the habit of seating himself on the fine grass bank that was running round it. One night he ... Gull's Twinses
"Children of wealth or want, to each is given One spot of green, and all the blue of heaven!" "Mind! mind! I say, Tom, you're frizzing that 'erring black!" "I ain't." "My eyes! don't it smell fine? Oh! I do wish father'd come. He's allus... Guy Fawkes
In the time of James I, many of the English people were very hardly treated because of their religion. At last they could bear the ill-usage no longer, and they thought of a plan to get rid of the king and queen and their eldest son. Many barre... Habetrot The Spinstress
In byegone days, in an old farmhouse which stood by a river, there lived a beautiful girl called Maisie. She was tall and straight, with auburn hair and blue eyes, and she was the prettiest girl in all the valley. And one would have thought that s... Habogi
Once upon a time there lived two peasants who had three daughters, and, as generally happens, the youngest was the most beautiful and the best tempered, and when her sisters wanted to go out she was always ready to stay at home and do their work... Hampden
The following relation is given in the additions to Camden's Britannia, co. Bucks, p. 318. Tradition says the Black Prince, who held Hartwell, had large possessions at Prince's Risborough, where they show part of a wall of his palace, and a field wh... Hana-saka-jiji
In the early days there lived a good old couple. All their lives long they had been honest and hard-working, but they had always been poor. Now in their old age it was all they could do to make both ends meet, the poor old creatures. But they d... Handy-dandy
This game is now played as follows:--a child hides something in one hand, and then places both fists endways on each other, crying,-- Handy-dandy riddledy ro, Which will you have, high or low? Or, sometimes, the following distich,--... 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...