MOTHER GROUSE'S CHILDREN
: The Tale Of Tommy FoxThe very next day after his first lesson in hunting, when his mother
had brought home the live woodchuck, Tommy Fox went off into the woods
alone. He had made up his mind that he would surprise his mother by
bringing home some nice tidbit for dinner--a rabbit, perhaps, or maybe
a squirrel. He wasn't quite sure _what_ it would be, because you know
when hunting you have to take what you find--if you can catch it.
than he had expected. He was creeping through a thicket, making no
noise at all, when what should he see but that sly old Mother Grouse,
with all her eleven children! They were very young, were old Mother
Grouse's children; and they hadn't yet learned to fly. And there they
were, all on the ground, with the proud old lady in their midst.
Tommy Fox was so pleased that he almost laughed out loud. He tried to
keep still; but he couldn't help snickering a little. And old Mother
Grouse heard him. She started to fly. But instead of tearing off out
of danger, she lighted on the ground quite near Tommy.
"How stupid of her!" he thought. "I'll just catch the old lady first,
and then get the youngsters afterward. _They_ can't fly away."
So Tommy made a leap for old Mother Grouse. He just missed her.
She rose in the nick of time and slipped away from him. But she didn't
fly far. So Tommy followed. And he stole up very slyly; and once more,
when he was quite near the old lady, he sprang at her.
It was really very annoying. For again old Mother Grouse just escaped.
Again she flew a little further away, lighted on the ground, and
seemed to forget that Tommy Fox was so near.
That same thing happened as many as a dozen times. And the twelfth
time that Mrs. Grouse rose before one of Tommy's rushes she didn't
come down again. She lighted in a tree. And since it appeared to Tommy
that she had no intention of leaving her safe perch, he gave up in
disgust. He was very angry because he hadn't caught old Mother Grouse.
But there was her family! He would get _them_--the whole eleven of
them! And he turned back toward the place where he had first come upon
them.
Now, sly old Mother Grouse had played a trick on Tommy Fox. If he had
just left her alone he could have caught every one of her children.
But she had tempted him to follow her. And every time she rose from
the ground and flew a short distance, she led Tommy further away from
her little ones.
Tommy had some trouble in finding the exact spot where he had stumbled
upon Mrs. Grouse and her children. But he found it again, at last. And
little good it did him; for not a trace of those eleven young grouse
could he discover. They had all disappeared--every single one of them!
_They_ knew what to do when their mother led Tommy Fox away. Each of
them found a safe hiding-place. Some of them burrowed beneath the
fallen leaves; some of them hid behind old stumps; some of them crept
into a hollow log. And try as he would, Tommy Fox was unable to find
so much as one downy feather.
He was so disappointed--and so ashamed--that he went home and stayed
there. But he had learned something. Yes! Tommy Fox knew that if he
ever met old Mother Grouse and her family again he would catch her
children first. Afterward he would try to capture the sly old lady
herself. But he didn't believe, just then, that he would ever be able
to catch her. You see, Tommy realized that he wasn't quite so clever
as he had thought.
More
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... MISS DINAH MORRIS,
Care of Mrs. Lawrence Delaney, ... MOSES STRIKING THE ROCK.
After the Israelites left Egypt they crossed the Red Sea, whose waters divided so that they passed through on dry land. Then they travelled through the wilderness toward Mount Sinai. Passing onward, they wanted water and food; and forgetting the g... MOTHER GROUSE'S CHILDREN
The very next day after his first lesson in hunting, when his mother had brought home the live woodchuck, Tommy Fox went off into the woods alone. He had made up his mind that he would surprise his mother by bringing home some nice tidbit for dinn... MR. BLUFF'S EXPERIENCES OF HOLIDAYS
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... MY BED IS A BOAT
My bed is like a little boat; Nurse helps me in when I embark; She girds me in my sailor's coat And starts me in the dark. At night, I go on board and say Good night to all my friends on shore; I shut my eyes and sail away, And see a... MY KINGDOM
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"I say, professor?" "Very well, Waldo; proceed." "Wonder if this isn't a portion of the glorious climate, broken loose from its native California, and drifting up this way on a lark?" "If so, said lark must be roasted to a turn," declared th... NEW ORLEANS, LA.
If she can read what is on the outside of this box she can have what is inside. And as Dinah read every word plainly and quickly, of course she had for her very own the fine roller-skates the box held. And now sitting curled up in the sun, doin... NIGHT FLOWERS.
There are some flowers that never see the sun. One of the most curious is the "evening primrose." About six o'clock it suddenly bursts open, with a popping sound, and at six next morning closes. If you watch that pretty flower, and listen, you ca... NOSE!"
So at last the Gnat flew out from the Lion's nostril and went back to his waving grass-blade, while the Lion slunk away into the depths of the forest with his tail between his legs--_beaten_, and by a tiny Gnat! "What a fine fellow am I, to be sur... O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
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There was a very good reason why Mrs. Fox did not come home that day when the dog Spot chased Tommy Fox into his house. She had heard old Spot barking in the field and she had hurried toward home as fast as she could, to see what was the matter. ... OLIVER HERFOLD.
... ON THE GRASSHOPPER AND CRICKET
John Keats The poetry of earth is never dead: When all the birds are faint with the hot sun, And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead; That is the grasshopper's--he takes the lead In summer... OPPORTUNITY
Edward Rowland Sill This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:-- There spread a cloud of dust along a plain; And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords Shocked upon swords and shields. A prince's banne... OR,
... OUR COUNTRY AMERICA
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Down by the sliprails stands our cow Chewing, chewing, chewing, She does not care what folks out there In the great, big world are doing. She sees the small cloud-shadows pass And green grass shining under. If she does think, what does s... OUR STREET
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"I've been reading Bible stories," Patty said, "and I believe That Adam's name MEANT "Morning,' Because his wife was 'Eve.'" ... PAUL'S DISCOURSE ON CHARITY
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, ... PAUL'S DISCOURSE ON CHARITY
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, ... PAYING A CALL ON A FRIEND
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Bruno caught an imperfect view of moving figures at no great distance ahead, but ere he could fairly decide just what they might be, his red-skinned guide swiftly whispered: "More come look. You don't say. Ixtli fool 'em--easy!" Making not th... PETER AND THE TRIBUTE-MONEY.
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After Jesus had left the Centurion He went to the house of his disciple Peter, and there He saw Peter's wife's mother, laid on a bed, sick with fever. And He took her by the hand and lifted her up. The fever left her and she was cured. She rose up...