The Wee Hare And The Red Fire
: ANIMAL STORIES: Boys And Girls Bookshelf
[IN WORDS OF NOT MORE THAN FOUR LETTERS]
BY A. L. SYKES
One day in the cold time when he lay snug and warm by his Mama, Tiny
Hare said, "Tell me of the hare who went step, step, step in the snow
till he came to the RED FIRE."
So his Mama gave him a hug and said:
Once upon a time was a wise Wee Hare who knew how to run fast when MAN
came by. He knew ho
spot in the sky that HAWK made, how fast he did jump to his Mama! But
Wee Hare did not like to go out and run and jump and play in the sun.
"I do not want to run and jump and play in the sun. I want to run far,
far in the wood, and find the red bush. I have seen it away off in the
dark. It is good for me to eat, I know."
"It is FIRE," said his Mama. "Only MAN can make it, and it is not good
for you. It can burn and hurt. You may eat the good food that you can
find near our home," and she bit his ear for a kiss.
"I do not want to eat the good food that I can see here. I want to do
just as I like. I want to pick the red food from the red bush. I know it
is like buds in the warm time."
"Hush," said Papa Hare, very low and deep. "You are not good. When you
are good, and the moon is high in the sky, and it is just like day, I
will take you far out in the wood, and you may run and jump and play and
eat the food that is best for you."
"I do not want to go out in the wood, and run and jump and play when the
moon is high in the sky. I want to do just as I like. I want to eat the
red buds from the red bush," said the Wee Hare.
"Shut your eyes, and put your ears down, and take your nap," said his
Mama. "You are too tiny to go away from me. Now, hush, do not say one
more word. The red bush is the RED FIRE. It can hurt and burn. MAN has
it, and DOG is with man. They can hurt you, and if you run too far in
the wood, WIND may blow too hard for a wee hare, and SNOW may come and
bury you. Shut your eyes, and put your ears down, and take your nap."
It was noon; the sun was high in the sky.
Good Papa Hare took his nap, and Mama Hare took her nap. The Wee
Hare shut his eyes, and put his ears down, but he took no nap. By and by
he went out of the door, and ran and ran till he came to the wood. Then
he ran and ran in the wood, but he did not come to the RED FIRE, and he
ran and ran and ran till his feet were sore, but he did not come to the
RED FIRE, and he ran and ran and ran and ran till he was not able to run
any more, and no RED FIRE did he see. He lay down to rest in a bush, and
very soon his eyes were shut, and he did not see or hear, for it was
long past the hour for his nap. When he woke SNOW lay on all the open
ways of the wood. The Wee Hare gave a leap from his bush, for he knew
that SNOW can grow deep and deep, and a wee hare cannot walk in it. How
he did wish he was at home!
The sun was far down in the west, and its last rays lay red on the SNOW.
Step, step, step went the lame Wee Hare in the cold SNOW. He went back
into the wood to try to find his way home. It grew gray, and it grew
dark, and SNOW grew so deep that the Wee Hare had hard work to walk.
Then WIND came. It was so cold, and blew him out of the path, and how
he did wish he was at home! Step, step, step in the SNOW he went. The
WIND blew more and more.
"I can not walk; my feet are too lame," said the Wee Hare, and just then
he saw the RED FIRE! It grew in the path in the wood, and by it sat MAN
and DOG. Oh, how the Wee Hare felt! His nose grew hot, and his ears grew
cold, and he was not able to move. Then DOG said "WOW!" and put his ears
up, but MAN said: "Lie down," and DOG lay down by the RED FIRE. The Wee
Hare went into a tiny, tiny hole in a tree, and sat on his feet to warm
them. He saw the RED FIRE. He did not like to see it. MAN and DOG did
not let it come too near them, and he saw them keep away from the RED
FIRE.
"They fear it, too," said the Wee Hare. "It is not good for me. I must
take care or it will come and hurt me." He sat on his cold feet, and did
not dare to take a nap.
By and by MAN put SNOW over the RED FIRE, and he and DOG went away, and
the Wee Hare went step, step, step in the snow, soft, soft, soft, for
fear.
"I wish I had been good," said the Wee Hare, and WIND and SNOW were
able to hear, and they felt sad for a wee hare.
"We will help him," they said, but low and soft so he did not hear. The
moon came up high in the sky till it was just like day, and it grew very
cold. SNOW grew hard as ice in the cold, and the Wee Hare did not sink
in it any more. WIND did not blow so hard. It came back of Wee Hare now,
push, push, push, to help the Wee Hare over the SNOW. How fast he
went--hop, skip, and jump! Soon he came to his home. How glad he was! He
went in and lay down by his Mama.
"I have not been good, Mama," he said, very low in her ear.
"Be good now, then," his Mama said, and he did not know how glad she was
to have him back.
"I want to be good," said the Wee Hare; and he shut his eyes, and put
his ears down, and they all took a nap till the dawn came.
"Just like us," said Tiny Hare, and he was glad that he lay snug and
warm by his Mama, and he was glad she had told him the tale of the Wee
Hare and the RED FIRE.
More
-
The Unseen Bridegroom
Once upon a time there was a king and queen, as many a one has been, and they had three daughters, all of them beautiful; but the most beautiful of all was the youngest whose name was Anima. Now it happened one day that all three sisters were play... The Vain Goldfinch Learns A Lesson
"Mr. Goldfinch," said daddy, "was very conceited and proud of himself. To be sure, a goldfinch's voice is very much like a canary's--but it's not quite so lovely--and he can't do the wonderful trills a canary can without his voice cracking. Of ... The Vain Jackdaw
JUPITER DETERMINED, it is said, to create a sovereign over the birds, and made proclamation that on a certain day they should all present themselves before him, when he would himself choose the most beautiful among them to be king. The Jackdaw, kno... The Valiant Little Tailor
One summer's morning a little tailor was sitting on his table by the window; he was in good spirits, and sewed with all his might. Then came a peasant woman down the street crying: 'Good jams, cheap! Good jams, cheap!' This rang pleasantly in the ta... The Vilas' Spring
There was once a rich man who had two sons. The older son was overbearing, greedy, and covetous. He was dishonest, too, and thought nothing of taking things that belonged to others. The younger brother was gentle and kind. He was always ready to s... The Vine and the Goat
A VINE was luxuriant in the time of vintage with leaves and grapes. A Goat, passing by, nibbled its young tendrils and its leaves. The Vine addressed him and said: "Why do you thus injure me without a cause, and crop my leaves? Is there no young ... The Vintage
Henry began to walk rapidly and perceived with great delight that every step brought him nearer to the summit of the mountain. In three hours he had walked two-thirds of the way. But suddenly he found himself arrested by a very high wall which he ... The Viper and the File
A LION, entering the workshop of a smith, sought from the tools the means of satisfying his hunger. He more particularly addressed himself to a File, and asked of him the favor of a meal. The File replied, "You must indeed be a simple-minded fell... The Viper And The Leech
"A strangely inconsistent crew!"-- Said the Viper to the simple Leech,-- "Men fly from me and seek for you; Although they get a bite from each." "All very true,"--the Leech replied,-- "But the two things are different q... The Vision Of The Pope
It was the evening of October 7, 1571, when the Christian fleet, under the command of Don John of Austria, had defeated the Turks at the battle of Lepanto--one of the 'Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World.' Far away from the narrow Greek seas, wh... The Vision Of Victory
More than two thousand years ago there lived a king in the land of Macedon who was a great conqueror, and when his son, Alexander, was born, the soothsayers and the priestesses of the temples predicted that he would be a greater warrior than his fat... The Voice Of Death
Once upon a time something happened. If it had not happened, it would not be told. There was once a man who prayed daily to God to grant him riches. One day his numerous and frequent prayers found our Lord in the mood to listen to them. When the m... The Voice Of Death
ONCE upon a time there lived a man whose one wish and prayer was to get rich. Day and night he thought of nothing else, and at last his prayers were granted, and he became very wealthy. Now being so rich, and having so much to lose, he felt that it ... The Wake-up Story
BY EUDORA S. BUMSTEAD The sun was up and the breeze was blowing, and the five chicks, and four geese, and three rabbits, and two kitties, and one little dog were just as noisy and lively as they knew how to be. They were all watching for Baby R... The Wall-flower And The Thyme
A Wall-flower spoke,--as I have somewhere read,-- A Thyme-plant growing in a neighboring bed, In the flower language, scornfully addressing: "Heaven help you, Thyme! 'Tis really distressing! Though the most fragrant of all plants, ... The Walnut-Tree
A WALNUT TREE standing by the roadside bore an abundant crop of fruit. For the sake of the nuts, the passers-by broke its branches with stones and sticks. The Walnut-Tree piteously exclaimed, "O wretched me! that those whom I cheer with my fruit ... The Walnut-tree
There is a common persuasion amongst country people that whipping a walnut-tree tends to increase the produce, and improve the flavour of the fruit. This belief is embodied in the following distich: A woman, a spaniel, and a walnut-tree, ... The Wandering Monarch
<p>Did you ever read the old Greek story of Ulysses, King of Ithaca, the Wandering Monarch, who for twenty years roamed over sea and land away from home—always trying to get back, but doomed to keep on travelling, homesick and weary, but still ... The War Of The Wolf And The Fox
There was once upon a time a man and his wife who had an old cat and an old dog. One day the man, whose name was Simon, said to his wife, whose name was Susan, 'Why should we keep our old cat any longer? She never catches any mice now-a-days, an... The War-horse And The Ass
A War-Horse, grand in all the trappings of war, came with a great noise down the road. The ground rang with the sound of his hoofs. At the same time a meek Ass went with tired step down the same road with a great load on his back. The Horse cried ... The Warlock O' Oakwood
"Ae gloamin' as the sinking sun Gaed owre the wastlin' braes, And shed on Oakwood's haunted towers His bright but fading rays, Auld Michael sat his leafu' lane Down by the streamlet's side, Beneath a spreading ... The Washing
They that wash on Monday Have all the week to dry; They that wash on Tuesday Are not so much awry; They that wash on Wednesday Are not so much to blame; They that wash on Thursday Wash for very sha... The Wasp and the Snake
A WASP seated himself upon the head of a Snake and, striking him unceasingly with his stings, wounded him to death. The Snake, being in great torment and not knowing how to rid himself of his enemy, saw a wagon heavily laden with wood, and went and... The Wasps, the Partridges, and the Farmer
THE WASPS and the Partridges, overcome with thirst, came to a Farmer and besought him to give them some water to drink. They promised amply to repay him the favor which they asked. The Partridges declared that they would dig around his vines and m... The Watches
A knot of friends, invited to a feast, At table sat--a loitering guest, Who came long after all the rest, Sought for his tardiness to make excuse: And, by his comrades for a reason pressed, Drew out his Watch, and, holding it o... The Water Of Life
Long before you or I were born, there reigned, in a country a great way off, a king who had three sons. This king once fell very ill--so ill that nobody thought he could live. His sons were very much grieved at their father's sickness; and as they w... The Water Of Life
Cuentos Populars Catalans, per lo Dr. D. Francisco de S. Maspous y Labros. Barcelona, 1885. Three brothers and one sister lived together in a small cottage, and they loved one another dearly. One day the eldest brother, who had never done anyth... The Water-babe
Floating in a basket on the River Nile, Princess Bathia, the daughter of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, found a tiny little water-babe. Princess Bathia was a widow and had no children, and she was so delighted that she took the child home to the palace a... The Water-drop
BY FRIEDRICH WILHELM CAROVE' (ADAPTED FROM THE TRANSLATION BY SARAH AUSTIN) There was once a child who lived in a little hut, and in the hut there was nothing but a little bed and a looking-glass; but as soon as the first sunbeam glided softly ... The Water-lily The Gold-spinners
Once upon a time, in a large forest, there lived an old woman and three maidens. They were all three beautiful, but the youngest was the fairest. Their hut was quite hidden by trees, and none saw their beauty but the sun by day, and the moon by n... The Weasel and the Mice
A WEASEL, inactive from age and infirmities, was not able to catch mice as he once did. He therefore rolled himself in flour and lay down in a dark corner. A Mouse, supposing him to be food, leaped upon him, and was instantly caught and squeezed t... The Wedding Of Mrs Fox
FIRST STORY There was once upon a time an old fox with nine tails, who believed that his wife was not faithful to him, and wished to put her to the test. He stretched himself out under the bench, did not move a limb, and behaved as if he were s... The Wedding Of Robin Redbreast And Jenny Wren
There was once an old grey Pussy Baudrons, and she went out for a stroll one Christmas morning to see what she could see. And as she was walking down the burnside she saw a little Robin Redbreast hopping up and down on the branches of a briar bush... The Wednesday And Thursday Story
There was once upon a time a town called Atpat. In it there lived a prince who had seven sons and seven daughters-in-law. Every day there used to come to the prince's house two Brahmans, an uncle and a nephew. But when they asked for alms the daught... The Wee Bannock
"Some tell about their sweethearts, How they tirled them to the winnock, But I'll tell you a bonnie tale About a guid oatmeal bannock." There was once an old man and his wife, who lived in a dear little cottage by the side ... The Wee Bannock
Once upon a time there was an old man and his old wife who lived in a wee cottage beside a wee burnie. They had two cows, five hens, and a cock, a cat and two kittens. Now the old man looked after the cows, the cock looked after the hens, the cat ... The Wee Hare And The Red Fire
[IN WORDS OF NOT MORE THAN FOUR LETTERS] BY A. L. SYKES One day in the cold time when he lay snug and warm by his Mama, Tiny Hare said, "Tell me of the hare who went step, step, step in the snow till he came to the RED FIRE." So his Mam... The Wee Robin's Christmas Song
A SCOTCH STORY, ATTRIBUTED TO ROBERT BURNS ADAPTED BY JENNIE ELLIS BURDICK There was an old gray Pussy Cat, and she went away down by a brookside. There she saw a wee Robin Redbreast hopping on a brier bush. Says the gray Pussy Cat: "Where ar... The Well
Agnella, Violette and Passerose walked slowly towards the burned walls of the farmhouse. With the courage of despair they removed the smoking ruins. They worked diligently two days before this work was completed. No vestige of poor Ourson appeared... The Well O' The World's End
There was once an old widow woman, who lived in a little cottage with her only daughter, who was such a bonnie lassie that everyone liked to look at her. One day the old woman took a notion into her head to bake a girdleful of cakes. So she too... The Well Of The World's End
Once upon a time, and a very good time it was, though it wasn't in my time, nor in your time, nor any one else's time, there was a girl whose mother had died, and her father had married again. And her stepmother hated her because she was more beau... The Werewolf
Once upon a time there was a king, who reigned over a great kingdom. He had a queen, but only a single daughter, a girl. In consequence the little girl was the apple of her parents' eyes; they loved her above everything else in the world, and thei... The Whirlwind
In a far-off country, beyond the sea and the mountains, there lived a king and queen, with a beautiful daughter, who was called Princess Ladna. A great many princes came to woo her; but she liked only one of them, called Prince Dobrotek; so the... The White Cat
There was once a king who had three sons, all handsome, brave and noble of heart. Nevertheless, some wicked courtiers made their father believe they were eager to wear his crown, which, though he was old, he had no mind to resign. He therefore inv... The White Cat
Once upon a time there was a king who had three sons, who were all so clever and brave that he began to be afraid that they would want to reign over the kingdom before he was dead. Now the King, though he felt that he was growing old, did not at ... The White Doe
Once upon a time there lived a king and queen who loved each other dearly, and would have been perfectly happy if they had only had a little son or daughter to play with. They never talked about it, and always pretended that there was nothin... The White Dove
From the Danish. A king had two sons. They were a pair of reckless fellows, who always had something foolish to do. One day they rowed out alone on the sea in a little boat. It was beautiful weather when they set out, but as soon as they had go... The White Duck
Once upon a time a great and powerful King married a lovely Princess. No couple were ever so happy; but before their honeymoon was over they were forced to part, for the King had to go on a warlike expedition to a far country, and leave his young ... The White Ship
The night was dark, and a stormy wind was blowing, when the White Ship set sail from the shore of France. Prince William of England and his sister and their young friends were going back to their own land, after a visit to the French king. The ... The White Ship
We are going to have a story to-day about something that happened nearly eight hundred years ago. In that far-away time there lived a King of England whose name was Henry I. He was a great warrior, and his enemies generally had the worst of it ... The White Slipper
Once upon a time there lived a king who had a daughter just fifteen years old. And what a daughter! Even the mothers who had daughters of their own could not help allowing that the princess was much more beautiful and graceful than any of ... The White Snake
A long time ago there lived a king who was famed for his wisdom through all the land. Nothing was hidden from him, and it seemed as if news of the most secret things was brought to him through the air. But he had a strange custom; every day after di... The White Snake
Not very long ago there lived a King, the fame of whose wisdom was spread far and wide. Nothing appeared to be unknown to him, and it really seemed as if tidings of the most secret matters must be borne to him by the winds. He had one very pecul... The White Wolf
Once upon a time there was a king who had three daughters; they were all beautiful, but the youngest was the fairest of the three. Now it happened that one day their father had to set out for a tour in a distant part of his kingdom. Before he le... The Wicked Hoptoad And The Little Yellow Dragon
<div> <img src="/images/i099.png" alt="The Wicked Hoptoad and the Little Yellow Dragon" title="The Wicked Hoptoad and the Little Yellow Dragon" height="400" width="288" /> The Wicked Hoptoad and the Little Yellow Dragon </div> <p>Once upon a time, there... The Wicked Wolverine
One day a wolverine was out walking on the hill-side, when, on turning a corner, he suddenly saw a large rock. 'Was that you I heard walking about just now?' he asked, for wolverines are cautious animals, and always like to know the reasons of... The Widow and Her Little Maidens
A WIDOW who was fond of cleaning had two little maidens to wait on her. She was in the habit of waking them early in the morning, at cockcrow. The maidens, aggravated by such excessive labor, resolved to kill the cock who roused their mistress so ... The Widow And Her Three Sons
(ADAPTED) One day a poor woman approached Mr. Lincoln for an interview. She was somewhat advanced in years and plainly clad, wearing a faded shawl and worn hood. "Well, my good woman," said Mr. Lincoln, "what can I do for you this morning?" ... The Widow and the Sheep
A CERTAIN poor widow had one solitary Sheep. At shearing time, wishing to take his fleece and to avoid expense, she sheared him herself, but used the shears so unskillfully that with the fleece she sheared the flesh. The Sheep, writhing with pain,... The Widow's Son
Once on a time there was a poor, poor Widow, who had an only Son. She dragged on with the boy till he had been confirmed, and then she said she couldn't feed him any longer, he must just go out and earn his own bread. So the lad wandered out into ... The Wild Ass and the Lion
A WILD ASS and a Lion entered into an alliance so that they might capture the beasts of the forest with greater ease. The Lion agreed to assist the Wild Ass with his strength, while the Wild Ass gave the Lion the benefit of his greater speed. When... The Wild Boar
Two years passed. One day Ourson had been cutting wood in the forest. Violette was to bring him his dinner and return with him in the evening. At midday Passerose hung on Violette's arm a basket containing wine, bread, a little pot of butter, some... The Wild Boar and the Fox
A WILD BOAR stood under a tree and rubbed his tusks against the trunk. A Fox passing by asked him why he thus sharpened his teeth when there was no danger threatening from either huntsman or hound. He replied, "I do it advisedly; for it would neve... The Wild Swans
BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN Far away, where the swallows fly when our Winter comes on, lived a King who had eleven sons, and one daughter named Eliza. The eleven brothers were Princes, and each went to school with a star on his breast and his sw... The Wild Swans
Far away, where the swallows take refuge in winter, lived a king who had eleven sons and one daughter, Elise. The eleven brothers--they were all princes--used to go to school with stars on their breasts and swords at their sides. They wrote upon g... The Wild Swans
FAR away, in the land to which the swallows fly when it is winter, dwelt a king who had eleven sons, and one daughter, named Eliza. The eleven brothers were princes, and each went to school with a star on his breast and a sword by his side. They... The Wild Woodsman
Once there lived a peasant whose only daughter, Martha, had eyes as blue as corn-flowers and long hair like the silk around an ear of corn. All the lads of the village were after her, but she cared only for John, a young huntsman, who was calle... The Willow
During Easter week a peasant went out to see whether the ground was all thawed out. He went into the garden and touched the soil with a stick. The earth was soft. The peasant went into the woods; here the catkins were already swelling on the wi... The Willow-wren And The Bear
Once in summer-time the bear and the wolf were walking in the forest, and the bear heard a bird singing so beautifully that he said: 'Brother wolf, what bird is it that sings so well?' 'That is the King of birds,' said the wolf, 'before whom we must... The Wind
Arthur O'Bower has broken his band, He comes roaring up the land-- A King of Scots, with all his power, Cannot turn Arthur of the Bower. ... The Wind
When the wind is in the east, Then the fishes do bite least; When the wind is in the west, Then the fishes bite the best; When the wind is in the north, Then the fishes do come forth; When the wind is in ... The Wind In The Pine Tree
It was a Deity from High Heaven that planted the Pine Tree. So long ago that the crane cannot remember it, and the tortoise knows it only by hearsay from his great-grandmother, the heavenly deity descended. Lightly, lightly he came by way of the...