The Poplar Tree
: Nature Myths And Stories For Little ChildrenOne night, just at sunset, an old man found the pot of gold which lies
under the end of the rainbow.
His home was far beyond the dark forest, through which he was passing.
The pot of gold was heavy, and he soon began to look for a safe place in
which to hide it until morning.
A poplar tree stood near the path stretching its branches straight out
from the trunk.
That was the way the poplar trees grew in those days.
"Ah," said the man, "This tree is the very place in which to conceal my
treasure.
"The trees are all asleep, I see, and these leaves are large and thick."
He carefully placed the pot of gold in the tree, and hurried home to
tell of his good fortune.
Very early the next morning, Iris, the rainbow messenger, missed the
precious pot of gold.
She hastened to Zeus and told him of the loss.
Zeus immediately sent Hermes in search of it.
Hermes soon came to the forest where it was hidden.
He awakened the trees, and asked them if they had seen the pot of gold.
They shook their heads sleepily, and murmured something which Hermes
could not understand.
Then Zeus himself spoke to them. "Hold your arms high above your heads,"
he said, "that I may see that all are awake."
Up went the arms, but alas, down to the ground came the pot of gold.
The poplar tree was more surprised than any one else.
He was a very honest tree and for a moment hung his head in grief and
shame. Then again he stretched his arms high above his head, and said,
"Forgive me, great father; hereafter I shall stand in this way that you
may know that I hide nothing from the sun, my king."
At first the poplar tree was much laughed at.
He was often told that he looked like a great umbrella which a storm had
turned inside out.
But as years went by every small poplar was taught to grow as fearless,
straight and open hearted as himself, and the whole poplar family became
respected and loved for its uprightness and strength.
More
-
The Peasant and the Apple-Tree
A PEASANT had in his garden an Apple-Tree which bore no fruit but only served as a harbor for the sparrows and grasshoppers. He resolved to cut it down, and taking his axe in his hand, made a bold stroke at its roots. The grasshoppers and sparrows... The Peasant And The Cucumbers
A peasant once went to the gardener's, to steal cucumbers. He crept up to the cucumbers, and thought: "I will carry off a bag of cucumbers, which I will sell; with the money I will buy a hen. The hen will lay eggs, hatch them, and raise a lot of... The Peasant and the Eagle
A PEASANT found an Eagle captured in a trap, and much admiring the bird, set him free. The Eagle did not prove ungrateful to his deliverer, for seeing the Peasant sitting under a wall which was not safe, he flew toward him and with his talons snatc... The Pen And The Inkstand
IN A POET'S room, where his inkstand stood on the table, the remark was once made: "It is wonderful what can be brought out of an inkstand. What will come next? It is indeed wonderful." "Yes, certainly," said the inkstand to the pen and to the o... The Peony Lantern
In Yedo there dwelt a samurai called Hagiwara. He was a samurai of the hatamoto, which is of all the ranks of samurai the most honourable. He possessed a noble figure and a very beautiful face, and was beloved of many a lady of Yedo, both openl... The Perplexity Of Zadig
On the banks of the river Euphrates there once lived a man called Zadig, who spent all his days watching the animals he saw about him and in learning their ways, and in studying the plants that grew near his hut. And the more he knew of them, the ... The Pet Bird Of The Ward
"Well," said daddy, "I suppose you are ready for your story, and this evening I am going to tell you about a little boy I saw as I passed by a ward in a hospital I was visiting to-day." Jack and Evelyn sat up and listened eagerly, as they lov... The Pets Of Aurore Dupin
During the years in which Napoleon and his armies were fighting in Spain, in Germany, and in Russia, a little girl might be seen running wild in the province of Berry, which is almost in the very centre of France. In those days if you had asked he... The Phantom Knight Of The Vandal Camp
FROM GESTA ROMANORUM (ADAPTED) There was once in Great Britain, a knight named Albert, strong in arms and adorned with every virtue. One day as he was seeking for adventure, he chanced to wander into a castle where he was hospitably entertained. ... The Phantom Vessel
Once a ship loaded with pleasure-seekers was sailing from North China to Shanghai. High winds and stormy weather had delayed her, and she was still one week from port when a great plague broke out on board. This plague was of the worst kind. It... The Philosopher
BY LUCY FITCH PERKINS Let me make you acquainted with Mrs. O'Toole, Though she's had little learning, she's nobody's fool, She loves her fine geese, but when they are dead She'll comfort herself with a new feather bed. ... The Philosopher, the Ants, and Mercury
A PHILOSOPHER witnessed from the shore the shipwreck of a vessel, of which the crew and passengers were all drowned. He inveighed against the injustice of Providence, which would for the sake of one criminal perchance sailing in the ship allow so m... The Pig The Cock And The Lamb
In a court-yard a poultry-house did lie, Where a brisk Cock around at pleasure ran; Behind the court, in a convenient sty, Lay a stout Pig--fat as an alderman. In the same yard, a little Lamb there lived; And good compani... The Pigeon House
A Froebel Finger Play Now I'm going to open my pigeon-house door. The pigeons fly out to the light, Straight to the meadows so pleasant they soar, And flutter about with delight. But at evening they'll all come home ... The Pigeon's Bride
There was once a King who had an only daughter. She was as lovely as a princess ought to be and by the time she reached a marriageable age the fame of her beauty had spread far and wide over all the world. Neighboring kings and even distant ones w... The Piglet, the Sheep, and the Goat
A YOUNG PIG was shut up in a fold-yard with a Goat and a Sheep. On one occasion when the shepherd laid hold of him, he grunted and squeaked and resisted violently. The Sheep and the Goat complained of his distressing cries, saying, "He often handle... The Pilgrim Fathers
There was a time when the people of England were not allowed to pray to God in the way they thought right, but were punished if they did not worship as the king ordered. This was very hard, and when James I was king, a little band of brave people,... The Pine Tree
BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN (TRANSLATED) I. WHEN IT WAS LITTLE Out in the woods stood such a nice little Pine Tree: he had a good place; the sun could get at him; there was fresh air enough; and round him grew many big comrades, both pines and... The Pink
There was once upon a time a queen to whom God had given no children. Every morning she went into the garden and prayed to God in heaven to bestow on her a son or a daughter. Then an angel from heaven came to her and said: 'Be at rest, you shall hav... The Plant Of Life
When he had saluted the Cat respectfully, Henry ran towards the garden of the plant of life, which was only a hundred steps from him. He trembled lest some new obstacle should retard him but he reached the garden lattice without any difficulty. He... The Playful Ass
AN ASS climbed up to the roof of a building, and frisking about there, broke in the tiling. The owner went up after him and quickly drove him down, beating him severely with a thick wooden cudgel. The Ass said, "Why, I saw the Monkey do this very ... The Playroom Wedding
Paper Doll had been the maid of honor, but she did not at all approve of the match. "It will never be a happy marriage," she told Teddy Bear the night of the wedding. "Such marriages never are. How I should feel married to a man who wore dress... The Pleiades That Orion Fired At The Bull
<div> <img src="/images/i151.png" alt="The Pleiades" title="The Pleiades" height="248" width="300" /> The Pleiades </div> <p>When late autumn comes the Pleiades (Ply'-a-dees) appear in the evening sky to the eastward. These are the seven shots in the ... The Poet And His Patron
Why, CELIA, is your spreading waist So loose, so negligently lac'd? Why must the wrapping bed-gown hide Your snowy bosom's swelling pride? How ill that dress adorns your head, Disdain'd and rumpled from the bed! Those clouds, that... The Pomegranate, Apple-Tree, and Bramble
THE POMEGRANATE and Apple-Tree disputed as to which was the most beautiful. When their strife was at its height, a Bramble from the neighboring hedge lifted up its voice, and said in a boastful tone: "Pray, my dear friends, in my presence at least... The Poor Boy
Once upon a time something happened. If it hadn't happened, it wouldn't be told. There was once a poor widow, so poor that even the flies would not stay in her house, and this widow had two children, a boy and a girl. The boy was such a brave fell... The Poor Devil
Once upon a time there was a peasant, who led his cow to pasture in the spring, and prayed God to have her in His care. The evil one was sitting in a bush, heard him, and said to himself: "When things turn out well, they thank God for it; but if... The Poor Sick Mother
There was a poor woman, a widow, who lived alone with her little son Henry. She loved him tenderly and she had good reason to do so, for no one had ever seen a more charming child. Although he was but seven years old, he kept the house while his g... The Poor Soldier
Children form a half-circle, first choosing one of their number to represent the poor soldier. The chief regulation is that none of the players may use the words, yes, no, black, white, or gray. The poor soldier traverses the semicircle, thus addres... The Poor Woman Of Babylon
One child stands in the middle of a ring formed by the other children joining hands round her. They sing-- Here comes a poor woman from Babylon, With three small children all alone: One can brew, and one can bake, The oth... The Pope's Game Of Chess
Nearly a thousand years ago in the town of Mayence, on the bank of the Rhine, there dwelt a pious Jew of the name of Simon ben Isaac. Of a most charitable disposition, learned and ever ready to assist the poor with money and wise counsel, he was r... The Poplar Tree
One night, just at sunset, an old man found the pot of gold which lies under the end of the rainbow. His home was far beyond the dark forest, through which he was passing. The pot of gold was heavy, and he soon began to look for a safe place i... The Portrait
A spreading contagion, defacing our tongue With phrases outlandish, our critics bemoan. But some fools have their notions of purity hung Upon obsolete terms superseding our own. Living words they despise as a vulgar intrusion, ... The Portuguese Duck
A DUCK once arrived from Portugal. There were some who said she came from Spain, but that is almost the same thing. At all events, she was called the Portuguese duck, and she laid eggs, was killed and cooked, and that was the end of her. The du... The Pot Of Gold
BY MARY E. WILKINS FREEMAN The Flower family lived in a little house in a broad grassy meadow, which sloped a few rods from their front door down to a gentle, silvery river. Right across the river rose a lovely dark green mountain, and when the... The Pot-herb That Sailed With The Pilgrims
<p>"Come," said the Guide, "to-day I am going to show you a Pot-herb that came from England with the Pilgrim Fathers and spread over the whole of America. There is a story about it that will keep it ever in your memory."</p> <div>... The Prairie-girl With Yellow Hair
<div> <img src="/images/i025.png" alt="The Prairie-girl" title="The Prairie-girl" height="400" width="268" /> The Prairie-girl </div> <p>Tall and fair was the Prairie-girl. She was not very pretty, but her form was slender and graceful, and her head w... The Pride Of The Regiment
BY HARRY M. KIEFFER (ADAPTED) "Old Abe" was the war-eagle of the Eighth Wisconsin Volunteers. Whoever it may have been that first conceived the idea, it was certainly a happy thought to make a pet of an eagle. For the eagle is our national bird, ... The Prince And Princess In The Forest
There were, once upon a time, a king and queen of Denmark who had an only son, a handsome and clever lad. When he was eighteen, his father, the old king, fell very ill, and there was no hope that he would ever get well again. The queen and the pri... The Prince And The Dragon
Once upon a time there lived an emperor who had three sons. They were all fine young men, and fond of hunting, and scarcely a day passed without one or other of them going out to look for game. One morning the eldest of the three princes mounted h... The Prince And The Lions
From the Persian. IN an Eastern city there once lived a young Prince named Azgid. He was virtuous and accomplished, but had one fault--he was a bit of a coward! Prince Azgid's father had recently died, and he was looking forward to his corona... The Prince And The Three Fates
Once upon a time a little boy was born to a king who ruled over a great country through which ran a wide river. The king was nearly beside himself with joy, for he had always longed for a son to inherit his crown, and he sent messages to beg all... The Prince Gracious
While Rosalie was thus quietly sleeping, the prince Gracious was engaged in a hunt through the forest by torch-light. The fawn, pursued fiercely by the dogs, came trembling with terror to crouch down near the brook by which Rosalie was sleeping. T... The Prince Who Wanted To See The World
There was once a king who had only one son, and this young man tormented his father from morning till night to allow him to travel in far countries. For a long time the king refused to give him leave; but at last, wearied out, he granted permission... The Prince Who Would Seek Immortality
Once upon a time, in the very middle of the middle of a large kingdom, there was a town, and in the town a palace, and in the palace a king. This king had one son whom his father thought was wiser and cleverer than any son ever was before, and indee... The Prince With The Nose
There was once a king who was passionately in love with a beautiful princess, but she could not be married because a magician had enchanted her. The king went to a good fairy to inquire what he should do. Said the fairy, after receiving him gracio... The Princess And The Fisherman
Once upon a time something happened. If it had not happened, it would not be told. There was once a fisherman, neither very well off nor very poor, but he was young, with a mustache that curled fiercely at the ends, you know, and a fine-looking fe... The Princess And The Glass Mountain
Once upon a time there was a king who took such a joy in the chase, that he knew no greater pleasure than hunting wild beasts. Early and late he camped in the forest with hawk and hound, and good fortune always followed his hunting. But it chanced... The Princess Bella-flor
Once upon a time there lived a man who had two sons. When they grew up the elder went to seek his fortune in a far country, and for many years no one heard anything about him. Meanwhile the younger son stayed at home with his father, who di... The Princess Eglantine
A certain queen had twin children, a boy and a girl, both as beautiful as the dawn of a summer morning. As the mother was one day hanging over the double cradle, shaped like two silver lilies growing on one stem, an old aunt of hers, who knew a go... The Princess In The Chest
Translated from the Danish. There were once a king and a queen who lived in a beautiful castle, and had a large, and fair, and rich, and happy land to rule over. From the very first they loved each other greatly, and lived very happily together... The Princess Kwan-yin
Once upon a time in China there lived a certain king who had three daughters. The fairest and best of these was Kwan-yin, the youngest. The old king was justly proud of this daughter, for of all the women who had ever lived in the palace she wa... The Princess Mayblossom
ONCE upon a time there lived a King and Queen whose children had all died, first one and then another, until at last only one little daughter remained, and the Queen was at her wits' end to know where to find a really good nurse who would take care ... The Princess Of Babylon
Belus, King of Babylon, thought himself the greatest man in all the earth, for his subjects were continually telling him so and he had no difficulty in believing them. It was very absurd, of course, but there is this to be said in his excuse, that... The Princess Of Canterbury
In days of yore, when this country was governed by several sovereigns, amongst them was the King of Canterbury, who had an only daughter, wise, fair, and beautiful. She was unmarried, and according to a custom not unusual in those days, of assigning... The Princess Of The Brazen Mountain
There was a young prince, who was not only most handsome and well-grown, but also most kind-hearted and good. Now sooner or later kindness always meets its reward, though it may not seem so at first. One summer's evening the prince was walking o... The Princess Of The Tower
I Princess Solima was sick, not exactly ill, but so much out of sorts that her father, King Zuliman, was both annoyed and perturbed. The princess was as beautiful as a princess of those days should be; her long tresses were like threads of gold... The Princess On The Glass Hill
Once upon a time there was a man who had a meadow which lay on the side of a mountain, and in the meadow there was a barn in which he stored hay. But there had not been much hay in the barn for the last two years, for every St. John's eve, when t... The Princess On The Glass Hill
Once on a time there was a man who had a meadow, which lay high up on the hill-side, and in the meadow was a barn, which he had built to keep his hay in. Now, I must tell you, there hadn't been much in the barn for the last year or two, for every ... The Princess Who Despised All Men
By Charles Smith Cheltnam. THERE was once a King and Queen who, having everything a King and Queen could reasonably desire, might have been as happy as the day was long--if they had only taken the right means for making the best of their good f... The Princess Who Was Hidden Underground
Once there was a king who had great riches, which, when he died, he divided among his three sons. The two eldest of these lived in rioting and feasting, and thus wasted and squandered their father's wealth till nothing remained, and they found them... The Prophet
A WIZARD, sitting in the marketplace, was telling the fortunes of the passers-by when a person ran up in great haste, and announced to him that the doors of his house had been broken open and that all his goods were being stolen. He sighed heavily ...