Hunting Worse Than Slavery
: STORIES FOR CHILDREN: Fables For Children, Stories For Children, Natural Science Stori
We were hunting bears. My companion had a chance to shoot at a bear: he
wounded him, but only in a soft spot. A little blood was left on the
snow, but the bear got away.
We met in the forest and began to discuss what to do: whether to go and
find that bear, or to wait two or three days until the bear should lie
down again.
We asked the peasant bear drivers whether we could now surround the
bear. An old bear driver said:
"No, we must give the bear a chance to calm himself. In about five days
it will be possible to surround him, but if we go after him now he will
only be frightened and will not lie down."
But a young bear driver disputed with the old man, and said that he
could surround him now.
"Over this snow," he said, "the bear cannot get away far,--he is fat. He
will lie down to-day again. And if he does not, I will overtake him on
snow-shoes."
My companion, too, did not want to surround the bear now, and advised
waiting.
But I said:
"What is the use of discussing the matter? Do as you please, but I will
go with Demyan along the track. If we overtake him, so much is gained;
if not,--I have nothing else to do to-day anyway, and it is not yet
late."
And so we did.
My companions went to the sleigh, and back to the village, but Demyan
and I took bread with us, and remained in the woods.
When all had left us, Demyan and I examined our guns, tucked our fur
coats over our belts, and followed the track.
It was fine weather, chilly and calm. But walking on snow-shoes was a
hard matter: the snow was deep and powdery.
The snow had not settled in the forest, and, besides, fresh snow had
fallen on the day before, so that the snow-shoes sunk half a foot in the
snow, and in places even deeper.
The bear track could be seen a distance away. We could see the way the
bear had walked, for in spots he had fallen in the snow to his belly and
had swept the snow aside. At first we walked in plain sight of the
track, through a forest of large trees; then, when the track went into a
small pine wood, Demyan stopped.
"We must now give up the track," he said. "He will, no doubt, lie down
here. He has been sitting on his haunches,--you can see it by the snow.
Let us go away from the track, and make a circle around him. But we must
walk softly and make no noise, not even cough, or we shall scare him."
We went away from the track, to the left. We walked about five hundred
steps and there we again saw the track before us. We again followed the
track, and this took us to the road. We stopped on the road and began to
look around, to see in what direction the bear had gone. Here and there
on the road we could see the bear's paws with all the toes printed on
the snow, while in others we could see the tracks of a peasant's bast
shoes. He had, evidently, gone to the village.
We walked along the road. Demyan said to me:
"We need not watch the road; somewhere he will turn off the road, to the
right or to the left,--we shall see in the snow. Somewhere he will turn
off,--he will not go to the village."
We walked thus about a mile along the road; suddenly we saw the track
turn off from the road. We looked at it, and see the wonder! It was a
bear's track, but leading not from the road to the woods, but from the
woods to the road: the toes were turned to the road. I said:
"That is another bear."
Demyan looked at it, and thought awhile.
"No," he said, "that is the same bear, only he has begun to cheat. He
left the road backwards."
We followed the track, and so it was. The bear had evidently walked
about ten steps backwards from the road, until he got beyond a fir-tree,
and then he had turned and gone on straight ahead. Demyan stopped, and
said:
"Now we shall certainly fall in with him. He has no place but this swamp
to lie down in. Let us surround him."
We started to surround him, going through the dense pine forest. I was
getting tired, and it was now much harder to travel. Now I would strike
against a juniper-bush, and get caught in it; or a small pine-tree would
get under my feet; or the snow-shoes would twist, as I was not used to
them; or I would strike a stump or a block under the snow. I was
beginning to be worn out. I took off my fur coat, and the sweat was just
pouring down from me. But Demyan sailed along as in a boat. It looked as
though the snow-shoes walked under him of their own accord. He neither
caught in anything, nor did his shoes turn on him.
And he even threw my fur coat over his shoulders, and kept urging me on.
We made about three versts in a circle, and walked past the swamp.
Demyan suddenly stopped in front of me, and waved his hand. I walked
over to him. Demyan bent down, and pointed with his hand, and whispered
to me:
"Do you see, a magpie is chattering on a windfall: the bird is scenting
the bear from a distance. It is he."
We walked to one side, made another verst, and again hit the old trail.
Thus we had made a circle around the bear, and he was inside of it. We
stopped. I took off my hat and loosened my wraps: I felt as hot as in a
bath, and was as wet as a mouse. Demyan, too, was all red, and he wiped
his face with his sleeve.
"Well," he said, "we have done our work, sir, so we may take a rest."
The evening glow could be seen through the forest. We sat down on the
snow-shoes to rest ourselves. We took the bread and salt out of the
bags; first I ate a little snow, and then the bread. The bread tasted to
me better than any I had eaten in all my life. We sat awhile; it began
to grow dark. I asked Demyan how far it was to the village.
"About twelve versts. We shall reach it in the night; but now we must
rest. Put on your fur coat, sir, or you will catch a cold."
Demyan broke off some pine branches, knocked down the snow, made a bed,
and we lay down beside each other, with our arms under our heads. I do
not remember how I fell asleep. I awoke about two hours later. Something
crashed.
I had been sleeping so soundly that I forgot where I was. I looked
around me: what marvel was that? Where was I? Above me were some white
chambers, and white posts, and on everything glistened white tinsel. I
looked up: there was a white, checkered cloth, and between the checks
was a black vault in which burned fires of all colours. I looked around,
and I recalled that we were in the forest, and that the snow-covered
trees had appeared to me as chambers, and that the fires were nothing
but the stars that flickered between the branches.
In the night a hoarfrost had fallen, and there was hoarfrost on the
branches, and on my fur coat, and Demyan was all covered with hoarfrost,
and hoarfrost fell from above. I awoke Demyan. We got up on our
snow-shoes and started. The forest was quiet. All that could be heard
was the sound we made as we slid on our snow-shoes over the soft snow,
or when a tree would crackle from the frost, and a hollow sound would
pass through the whole woods. Only once did something living stir close
to us and run away again. I thought it was the bear. We walked over to
the place from where the noise had come, and we saw hare tracks. The
young aspens were nibbled down. The hares had been feeding on them.
We came out to the road, tied the snow-shoes behind us, and walked down
the road. It was easy to walk. The snow-shoes rattled and rumbled over
the beaten road; the snow creaked under our boots; the cold hoarfrost
stuck to our faces like down. And the stars seemed to run toward us
along the branches: they would flash, and go out again,--just as though
the sky were walking round and round.
My companion was asleep,--I awoke him. We told him how we had made a
circle around the bear, and told the landlord to collect the drivers for
the morning. We ate our supper and lay down to sleep.
I was so tired that I could have slept until dinner, but my companion
woke me. I jumped up and saw that my companion was all dressed and busy
with his gun.
"Where is Demyan?"
"He has been in the forest for quite awhile. He has investigated the
circle, and has been back to take the drivers out."
I washed myself, put on my clothes, and loaded my guns. We seated
ourselves in the sleigh, and started.
There was a severe frost, the air was calm, and the sun could not be
seen: there was a mist above, and the hoarfrost was settling.
We travelled about three versts by the road, and reached the forest. We
saw a blue smoke in a hollow, and peasants, men and women, were there
with clubs.
We climbed out of the sleigh and went up to the people. The peasants
were sitting and baking potatoes, and joking with the women.
Demyan was with them. The people got up, and Demyan took them away to
place them in our last night's circuit. The men and women stretched
themselves out in single file,--there were thirty of them and they could
be seen only from the belt up,--and went into the woods; then my
companion and I followed their tracks.
Though they had made a path, it was hard to walk; still, we could not
fall, for it was like walking between two walls.
Thus we walked for half a verst. I looked up, and there was Demyan
running to us from the other side on snow-shoes, and waving his hand for
us to come to him.
We went up to him, and he showed us where to stand. I took up my
position and looked around.
To the left of me was a tall pine forest. I could see far through it,
and beyond the trees I saw the black spot of a peasant driver. Opposite
me was a young pine growth, as tall as a man's stature. In this pine
growth the branches were hanging down and stuck together from the snow.
The path through the middle of the pine grove was covered with snow.
This path was leading toward me. To the right of me was a dense pine
forest, and beyond the pine grove there was a clearing. And on this
clearing I saw Demyan place my companion.
I examined my two guns and cocked them, and began to think where to take
up a stand. Behind me, about three steps from me, there was a pine-tree.
"I will stand by that pine, and will lean the other gun against it." I
made my way to that pine, walking knee-deep in snow. I tramped down a
space of about four feet each way, and there took my stand. One gun I
took into my hands, and the other, with hammers raised, I placed against
the tree. I unsheathed my dagger and put it back in the scabbard, to be
sure that in case of need it would come out easily.
I had hardly fixed myself, when Demyan shouted from the woods:
"Start it now, start it!"
And as Demyan shouted this, the peasants in the circuit cried, each with
a different tone of voice: "Come now! OO-oo-oo!" and the women cried, in
their thin voices: "Ai! Eekh!"
The bear was in the circle. Demyan was driving him. In the circuit the
people shouted, and only my companion and I stood still, did not speak
or move, and waited for the bear. I stood, and looked, and listened, and
my heart went pitapat. I was clutching my gun and trembling. Now, now he
will jump out, I thought, and I will aim and shoot, and he will fall--
Suddenly I heard to the left something tumbling through the snow, only
it was far away. I looked into the tall pine forest: about fifty steps
from me, behind the trees, stood something large and black. I aimed and
waited. I thought it might come nearer. I saw it move its ears and turn
around. Now I could see the whole of him from the side. It was a huge
beast. I aimed hastily. Bang! I heard the bullet strike the tree.
Through the smoke I saw the bear make back for the cover and disappear
in the forest. "Well," I thought, "my business is spoiled: he will not
run up to me again; either my companion will have a chance to shoot at
him, or he will go through between the peasants, but never again toward
me." I reloaded the gun, and stood and listened. The peasants were
shouting on all sides, but on the right, not far from my companion, I
heard a woman yell, "Here he is! Here he is! Here he is! This way! This
way! Oi, oi, oi! Ai, ai, ai!"
There was the bear, in full sight. I was no longer expecting the bear
to come toward me, and so looked to the right toward my companion. I saw
Demyan running without the snow-shoes along the path, with a stick in
his hand, and going up to my companion, sitting down near him, and
pointing with the stick at something, as though he were aiming. I saw my
companion raise his gun and aim at where Demyan was pointing. Bang! he
fired it off.
"Well," I thought, "he has killed him." But I saw that my companion was
not running toward the bear. "Evidently he missed him, or did not strike
him right. He will get away," I thought, "but he will not come toward
me."
What was that? Suddenly I heard something in front of me: somebody was
flying like a whirlwind, and scattering the snow near by, and panting. I
looked ahead of me, but he was making headlong toward me along the path
through the dense pine growth. I could see that he was beside himself
with fear. When he was within five steps of me I could see the whole of
him: his chest was black and his head was enormous, and of a reddish
colour. He was flying straight toward me, and scattering the snow in all
directions. I could see by the bear's eyes that he did not see me and in
his fright was rushing headlong. He was making straight for the pine
where I was standing. I raised my gun, and shot, but he came still
nearer. I saw that I had not hit him: the bullet was carried past him.
He heard nothing, plunged onward, and did not see me. I bent down the
gun, almost rested it against his head. Bang! This time I hit him, but
did not kill him.
He raised his head, dropped his ears, showed his teeth,--and straight
toward me. I grasped the other gun; but before I had it in my hand, he
was already on me, knocked me down, and flew over me. "Well," I thought,
"that is good, he will not touch me." I was just getting up, when I
felt something pressing against me and holding me down. In his onrush he
ran past me, but he turned around and rushed against me with his whole
breast. I felt something heavy upon me, something warm over my face, and
I felt him taking my face into his jaws. My nose was already in his
mouth, and I felt hot, and smelled his blood. He pressed my shoulders
with his paws, and I could not stir. All I could do was to pull my head
out of his jaws and press it against my breast, and I turned my nose and
eyes away. But he was trying to get at my eyes and nose. I felt him
strike the teeth of his upper jaw into my forehead, right below the
hair, and the lower jaw into the cheek-bones below the eyes, and he
began to crush me. It was as though my head were cut with knives. I
jerked and pulled out my head, but he chawed and chawed and snapped at
me like a dog. I would turn my head away, and he would catch it again.
"Well," I thought, "my end has come." Suddenly I felt lighter. I looked
up, and he was gone: he had jumped away from me, and was running now.
When my companion and Demyan saw that the bear had knocked me into the
snow, they dashed for me. My companion wanted to get there as fast as
possible, but lost his way; instead of running on the trodden path, he
ran straight ahead, and fell down. While he was trying to get out of the
snow, the bear was gnawing at me. Demyan ran up to me along the path,
without a gun, just with the stick which he had in his hands, and he
shouted, "He is eating up the gentleman! He is eating up the gentleman!"
And he kept running and shouting, "Oh, you wretched beast! What are you
doing? Stop! Stop!"
The bear listened to him, stopped, and ran away. When I got up, there
was much blood on the snow, just as though a sheep had been killed, and
over my eyes the flesh hung in rags. While the wound was fresh I felt no
pain.
My companion ran up to me, and the peasants gathered around me. They
looked at my wounds, and washed them with snow. I had entirely forgotten
about the wounds, and only asked, "Where is the bear? Where has he
gone?"
Suddenly we heard, "Here he is! Here he is!" We saw the bear running
once more against us. We grasped our guns, but before we fired he ran
past us. The bear was mad: he wanted to bite me again, but when he saw
so many people he became frightened. We saw by the track that the bear
was bleeding from the head. We wanted to follow him up, but my head hurt
me, and so we drove to town to see a doctor.
The doctor sewed up my wounds with silk, and they began to heal.
A month later we went out again to hunt that bear; but I did not get the
chance to kill him. The bear would not leave the cover, and kept walking
around and around and roaring terribly. Demyan killed him. My shot had
crushed his lower jaw and knocked out a tooth.
This bear was very large, and he had beautiful black fur. I had the skin
stuffed, and it is lying now in my room. The wounds on my head have
healed, so that one can scarcely see where they were.
More
-
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, ... How The Hermit Helped To Win The King's Daughter
Sicilianische Mahrchen Long ago there lived a very rich man who had three sons. When he felt himself to be dying he divided his property between them, making them share alike, both in money and lands. Soon after he died the king set forth a pro... How The Indian Pipe Came
<div> <img src="/images/i108.png" alt="How the Indian Pipe Came" title="How the Indian Pipe Came" height="400" width="353" /> How the Indian Pipe Came </div> <p>In the last tale you learned the fate of the Rev. John T. Arum, and the origin of Jack-in-t... How The Indian Summer Came
<p>Wahkonda, the Great Spirit, the Ruler of the World, had found pleasure the whole summer long in making mountains, lakes, and forests. Then when the autumn came, and the leaves fell from the trees, He lighted His pipe and sat down to look over the ... How The Leopard Got His Spots
IN the days when everybody started fair, Best Beloved, the Leopard lived in a place called the High Veldt. 'Member it wasn't the Low Veldt, or the Bush Veldt, or the Sour Veldt, but the 'sclusively bare, hot, shiny High Veldt, where there was sand... How The Little Brother Set Free His Big Brothers
In a small hut, right in the middle of the forest, lived a man, his wife, three sons and a daughter. For some reason, all the animals seemed to have left that part of the country, and food grew very scarce; so, one morning, after a night of snow... How The Little Redbird Became Red
Jack and Evelyn had been playing circus all day. Jack had been the big man who stands in the middle of the ring and cracks his whip, while Evelyn had turned somersaults and made pretty bows. They told daddy all about it when he came home that e... How The Littlest Owl Came
<p>After the Great Spirit had made the world and the creatures in it, he made the Gitchee O-kok-o-hoo. This was like an Owl, but bigger than anything else alive, and his voice was like a river plunging over a rocky ledge. He was so big that he though... How The Mouse-bird Made Fun Of The Brownie
<div> <img src="/images/i058.png" alt="The Brownie and the Mouse-bird" title="The Brownie and the Mouse-bird" height="400" width="264" /> The Brownie and the<br /> Mouse-bird </div> <hr /> <p>Once there was a conceited Brownie, who thought he cou... How The Pine Tree Tells Its Own Story
<div> <img src="/images/i168.png" alt="How the Pine Tree Tells Its Own Story" title="How the Pine Tree Tells Its Own Story" height="400" width="262" /> How the Pine Tree Tells Its Own Story </div> <hr /> <p>Suppose you are in the woods, and your woods ... How The Red Clover Got The White Mark On Its Leaves
<div> <img src="/images/i064.png" alt="How the Red Clover Got the White Mark on Its Leaves" title="How the Red Clover Got the White Mark on Its Leaves" height="400" width="312" /> How the Red Clover Got the White Mark on Its Leaves </div> <p>Once upon a... How The Rhinoceros Got His Skin
ONCE upon a time, on an uninhabited island on the shores of the Red Sea, there lived a Parsee from whose hat the rays of the sun were reflected in more-than-oriental splendour. And the Parsee lived by the Red Sea with nothing but his hat and his k... How The Robin's Breast Became Red
Long ago in the far North, where it is very cold, there was only one fire. A hunter and his little son took care of this fire and kept it burning day and night. They knew that if the fire went out the people would freeze and the white bear woul... How The Shad Came And How The Chestnut Got Its Burrs
<p>In the woods of Poconic there once roamed a very discontented Porcupine. She was forever fretting. She complained that everything was wrong, till it was perfectly scandalous, and Wahkonda, the Great Spirit, getting tired of her grumbling, said:</p... How The Spark Of Fire Was Saved
Long ago when fire was first brought to earth, it was given into the care of two beldams at the end of the world. The Cahroc Indians knew where it was hidden. They needed fire and were always planning ways to get it. They went at last to the ... How The Stalos Were Tricked
'Mother, I have seen such a wonderful man,' said a little boy one day, as he entered a hut in Lapland, bearing in his arms the bundle of sticks he had been sent out to gather. 'Have you, my son; and what was he like?' asked the mother, as sh... How The Violets Came
<div> The Meadow she was sorry<br /> For her sister Sky, you see,<br /> 'Cause, though her robe of blue was bright,<br /> 'Twas plain as it could be.<br /> <br /> And so she sent a skylark up<br /> To trim the Sky robe right<br /> Wi... How The Whale Got His Throat
IN the sea, once upon a time, O my Best Beloved, there was a Whale, and he ate fishes. He ate the starfish and the garfish, and the crab and the dab, and the plaice and the dace, and the skate and his mate, and the mackereel and the pickereel, and... How The Wicked Tanuki Was Punished
The hunters had hunted the wood for so many years that no wild animal was any more to be found in it. You might walk from one end to the other without ever seeing a hare, or a deer, or a boar, or hearing the cooing of the doves in their nest. If the... How The Wolves Teach Their Whelps
I was walking along the road, and heard a shout behind me. It was the shepherd boy who was shouting. He was running through the field, and pointing to something. I looked, and saw two wolves running through the field: one was full-grown, and th... How The Wren Became King Of The Birds
<p>The story is very old, and it may not be true, but this is how they tell it in many countries.</p> <p>The animals had chosen the lion for their King because his looks and his powers seemed to fit him best of all for the place. So the birds made up... How Tiny Hare Met Cat
[IN WORDS OF NOT MORE THAN FOUR LETTERS] BY A. L. SYKES Once, just as the long, dark time that is at the end of each day came, Mama Hare said to Tiny Hare, who was at play, "Come in, now, it is time for bed. You know you must hide from M... How To Find Out A True Friend
Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who longed to have a son. As none came, one day they made a vow at the shrine of St. James that if their prayers were granted the boy should set out on a pilgrimage as soon as he had passed his eighteent... How To Tell A True Princess
There was once upon a time a Prince who wanted to marry a Princess, but she must be a true Princess. So he travelled through the whole world to find one, but there was always something against each. There were plenty of Princesses, but he could n... How Trees Walk
One day we were cleaning an overgrown path on a hillock near the pond. We cut down a lot of brier bushes, willows, and poplars,--then came the turn of a bird-cherry. It was growing on the path, and it was so old and stout that it could not be less... Hudden And Dudden And Donald O'neary
There was once upon a time two farmers, and their names were Hudden and Dudden. They had poultry in their yards, sheep on the uplands, and scores of cattle in the meadow-land alongside the river. But for all that they weren't happy. For just be... Hugh Of Lincoln
He tossed the ball so high, so high, He tossed the ball so low; He tossed the ball in the Jew's garden, And the Jews were all below. Oh, then out came the Jew's daughter, She was dressed all in green; ... Humpty Dumpty
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King's horses and all the King's men Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again." I There he lay, stretched out on the ground, ... Hungarian Marriage And Divorce Laws
In Hungary proper and Transylvania, together with Fiume and certain parts of the Military Boundary, the marriage law of 1894, supplemented by the Civil Registration Act of the same year, is in operation for all citizens, without regard to religiou... Hunting Worse Than Slavery
We were hunting bears. My companion had a chance to shoot at a bear: he wounded him, but only in a soft spot. A little blood was left on the snow, but the bear got away. We met in the forest and began to discuss what to do: whether to go and fi... Hush-a-bye Baby
Hush-a-bye, baby, in the tree top: When the wind blows, the cradle will rock; When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, Down will come baby, cradle, and all. ... Hyacinthus
BY OVID (ADAPTED) Once when the golden-beamed Apollo roamed the earth, he made a companion of Hyacinthus, the son of King Amyclas of Lacedaemon; and him he loved with an exceeding great love, for the lad was beautiful beyond compare. The sun-go... Hymen And Death
Sixteen, d'ye say? Nay, then 'tis time; Another year destroys your prime. But stay--The settlement? "That's made?" Why then's my simple girl afraid? Yet hold a moment, if you can, And heedfully the fable scan. The shades were ... Hynde Horn
"'Oh, it's Hynde Horn fair, and it's Hynde Horn free; Oh, where were you born, and in what countrie?' 'In a far distant countrie I was born; But of home and friends I am quite forlorn.'" Once upon a time there was a King o... I Had A Little Husband
"I had a little husband No bigger than my thumb, I put him in a pint pot, And there I bid him drum I bought a little handkerchief To wipe his little nose, And a pair of little garters To tie his little hose... I Know What I Have Learned
From the Danish. There was once a man who had three daughters, and they were all married to trolls, who lived underground. One day the man thought that he would pay them a visit, and his wife gave him some dry bread to eat by the way. After he ... I Love Little Pussy
"I love little pussy, her coat is so warm, And if I don't hurt her, she'll do me no harm. I'll sit by the fire and give her some food, And pussy will love me because I am good." I never will dress her again, that is sure. ... I Saw A Ship A-sailing
I saw a ship a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea; And, oh! it was all laden With pretty things for thee! There were candies in the cabin, And apples in the hold; The sails were made of silk, And the ... Idle Ben
Idle Ben was a naughty boy (If you please, this story's true), He caused his teachers great annoy, And his worthy parents, too. Idle Ben, in a boastful way To his anxious parents told That while he was y... If I Were Queen
BY LUCY FITCH PERKINS. If I were Queen of Anywhere, I'd have a golden crown, And sit upon a velvet chair, And wear a satin gown. A Knight of noble pedigree Should wait beside my seat, To serve me upon b... Ii The Bravery Of Richard Kirtland
Richard Kirtland was a sergeant in the Second Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers. The day after the great battle of Fredericksburg, Kershaw's brigade occupied the road at the foot of Marye's Hill. One hundred and fifty yards in front of the r... Ilyas
In the Government of Ufa there lived a Bashkir, Ilyas. His father had left him no wealth. His father had died a year after he had got his son married. At that time Ilyas had seven mares, two cows, and a score of sheep; but Ilyas was a good master ... In July
BY A. S. WEBBER. 10 Ten little fire crackers Standing in a line, One thought he'd light a match Then-- There were nine. 9 Nine little fire crackers Walking very... In Merry England
BY LUCY FITCH PERKINS. In merry, merry England, In the merry month of May, Miss Mary Ella Montague Went out in best array. Her wise mama called out to her, "My darling Mary Ella, It looks like rain to-d... In The Land Of Souls
From the Red Indian. Far away, in North America, where the Red Indians dwell, there lived a long time ago a beautiful maiden, who was lovelier than any other girl in the whole tribe. Many of the young braves sought her in marriage, but she woul... Ingleborough
"Here are three great hills, not far distant asunder, seeming to be as high as the clouds, which are Ingleborow, Penigent, and Pendle, on the top of which grows a peculiar plant called cloudsberry, as though it came out of the clouds. This hill form... Injurious Air
In the village of Nikolskoe, the people went on a holiday to mass. In the manor yard were left the cow-tender, the elder, and the groom. The cow-tender went to the well for water. The well was in the yard itself. She pulled out the bucket, but cou... Inquisitive Mr Possum
It was Mr. Owl who gave the wood folk the warning by calling out one night, "To whom it may concern!" At least the wood people knew that was what he meant, but anyone else might have thought he just cried "To whoo! To whoo!" So when all the ... Inside Again
A man was walking through the forest one day when he saw a funny black thing like a whip wriggling about under a big stone. He was curious to know what it all meant. So he lifted up the stone and found there a huge black snake. "That's well," s... Introduction To Notes
Ever since the Brothers Grimm in 1812 made for the first time a fairly complete collection of the folk-tales of a definite local or national area in Europe, the resemblance of many of these tales, not alone in isolated incidents but in continuous ... Ireland
Ireland like Scotland has its separate judicial system, and many of its laws differ from those of all other parts of the British Empire. The Irish law relating to marriage and matrimonial controversies is administered under the Matrimonial Cause... Iris' Bridge
In the sky where the amber tints are seen on the clouds, Iris was born. She loved her home and all the beautiful things around her. Perhaps she sailed in the moon's silver boat and knew why the stars kept twinkling. Perhaps she feasted on s... Iron Hans
There was once upon a time a king who had a great forest near his palace, full of all kinds of wild animals. One day he sent out a huntsman to shoot him a roe, but he did not come back. 'Perhaps some accident has befallen him,' said the king, and th... Isle Of Man
All the bairns unborn will rue the day That the Isle of Man was sold away; And there's ne'er a wife that loves a dram, But what will lament for the Isle of Man. ... Isle Of Wight Shrovers
Until within about the last thirty years, it had been the custom in the Isle of Wight from time immemorial at all the farms and some other charitable houses to distribute cakes on Shrove-Tuesday, called Shrove-cakes, to the poor children of the pari... It Is Quite True!
"That is a terrible story!" said a Hen in a quarter of the town where the affair had not happened. "That is a terrible story from a poultry-yard. I dare not sleep alone to-night! It is quite fortunate that there are so many of us on the roost toge... It Is Time That You Should Stop
"Whenever you spit, whenever you sneeze, Whenever your rugs you beat, When you scatter dust with a feather broom, And shake it on the street, Where rubbish you pile upon the road, ... It Was All Those Horrid Bellows!
A STORY TOLD BY A LITTLE GIRL. I heard Dick--he's my biggest brother--learning his "Rep" the other day. I don't quite know what "Rep" is; but he was saying some words over and over again, and some of them stuck in my head. I can remember them no... Italy
MARRIAGE.--Marriage in Italy is governed in practically all its aspects and connections by the regulations contained in the chapter on marriage in the Italian Civil Code (Il Codice Civile del regno d'Italia), which went into effect in 1866. These ... Jack And His Comrades
Once there was a poor widow, as often there has been, and she had one son. A very scarce summer came, and they didn't know how they'd live till the new potatoes would be fit for eating. So Jack said to his mother one evening, "Mother, bake my cake... Jack And His Master
A poor woman had three sons. The eldest and second eldest were cunning, clever fellows, but they called the youngest Jack the Fool, because they thought he was no better than a simpleton. The eldest got tired of staying at home, and said he'd go l... Jack And Jill
Jack and Jill went up the hill, To draw a pail of water; Jack fell down and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after. Up Jack got, and home did trot As fast as he could caper; Went to bed to mend hi... Jack And The Bean-stalk
In the days of King Alfred, there lived a poor woman, whose cottage was in a remote country village, many miles from London. She had been a widow some years, and had an only child named Jack, whom she indulged so much that he never paid the least ... Jack And The Bean-stalk
In the days of King Alfred there lived a poor woman whose cottage was in a remote country village many miles from London. She had been a widow some years, and had an only child named Jack, whom she indulged so much that he never paid the least att... Jack And The Beanstalk
Jack was an idle, lazy boy who would do no work to support his widowed mother; and at last they both came to such poverty that the poor woman had to sell her cow to buy food to keep them from starving. She sent Jack to market with the cow, tell...