how to tell stories to children-第10部分

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and　safe　at　his　mother's　knees。　I　nod　to　him；　and　he　looks　at　me。　　I　wonder　if　he　knows　how　happy　he　is！

〃‘See；　all　my　leaves　are　dark　crimson。　Every　day　they　dry　and　wither　more　and　more；　by　and　by　they　will　be　so　weak　they　can　scarcely　cling　to　my　branches；　and　the　north　wind　will　tear　them　all　away；　and　nobody　will　remember　them　any　more。　Then　the　snow　will　sink　down　and　wrap　　me　close。　　Then　the　snow　will　melt　again　and　icy　rain　will　clothe　me；　and　the　bitter　wind　will　rattle　my　bare　twigs　up　and　down。

〃‘I　nod　my　head　to　all　who　pass；　and　dreary　nights　and　dreary　days　go　by；　but　in　the　happy　house；　so　warm　and　bright；　the　little　boy　plays　all　day　with　books　and　toys。　　His　mother　and　his　father　cherish　him；　he　nestles　on　their　knees　in　the　red　firelight　at　night；　while　they　read　to　him　lovely　stories；　or　sing　sweet　old　songs　to　him；the　happy　little　boy！　　And　outside　I　peep　over　the　snow　and　see　a　stream　of　ruddy　light　from　a　crack　in　the　window…　shutter；　and　I　nod　out　here　alone　in　the　dark；　thinking　how　beautiful　it　is。

〃‘And　here　I　wait　patiently。　　I　take　the　snow　and　the　rain　and　the　cold；　and　I　am　not　sorry；　but　glad；　for　in　my　roots　I　feel　warmth　and　life；　and　I　know　that　a　store　of　greenness　and　beauty　is　shut　up　safe　in　my　small　brown　buds。　　Day　and　night　go　again　and　again；　little　by　little　the　snow　melts　all　away；　the　ground　grows　soft；　the　sky　is　blue；　the　little　birds　fly　over　crying；　〃It　is　spring！　it　is　spring！〃　　Ah！　　then　through　all　my　twigs　I　feel　the　slow　sap　stirring。

〃‘Warmer　grow　the　sunbeams；　and　softer　the　air。　　The　small　blades　of　grass　creep　thick　about　my　feet；　the　sweet　rain　helps　swell　my　shining　buds。　　More　and　more　I　push　forth　my　leaves；　till　out　I　burst　in　a　gay　green　dress；　and　nod　in　joy　and　pride。　　The　little　boy　comes　running　to　look　at　me；　and　cries；　〃Oh；　mamma！　the　little　blackberry…bush　is　alive　and　beautiful　and　green。　　Oh；　come　and　see！〃　　And　I　hear；　and　I　bow　my　head　in　the　summer　wind；　and　every　day　they　watch　me　grow　more　beautiful；　till　at　last　I　shake　out　blossoms；　fair　and　fragrant。

〃‘A　few　days　more；　and　I　drop　the　white　petals　down　among　the　grass；　and；　lo！　the　green　tiny　berries！　　Carefully　I　hold　them　up　to　the　sun；　carefully　I　gather　the　dew　in　the　summer　nights；　slowly　they　ripen；　they　grow　larger　and　redder　and　darker；　and　at　last　they　are　black；　shining；　delicious。　　I　hold　them　as　high　as　I　can　for　the　little　boy；　who　comes　dancing　out。　　He　shouts　with　joy；　and　gathers　them　in　his　dear　hand；　and　he　runs　to　share　them　with　　his　mother；　saying；　〃Here　is　what　the　patient　blackberry…bush　bore　for　us：　see　how　nice；　mamma！〃

〃‘Ah！　then　indeed　I　am　glad；　and　would　say；　if　I　could；　〃Yes；　take　them；　dear　little　boy；　I　kept　them　for　you；　held　them　long　up　to　sun　and　rain　to　make　them　sweet　and　ripe　for　you；〃　and　I　nod　and　nod　in　full　content；　for　my　work　is　done。　　From　the　window　he　watches　me　and　thinks；　〃There　is　the　little　blackberry…bush　that　was　so　kind　to　me。　　I　see　it　and　I　love　it。　　I　know　it　is　safe　out　there　nodding　all　alone；　and　next　summer　it　will　hold　ripe　berries　up　for　me　to　gather　again。〃　'〃


Then　the　wee　boy　smiled；　and　liked　the　little　story。　　His　mother　took　him　up　in　her　arms；　and　they　went　out　to　supper　and　left　the　blackberry…bush　nodding　up　and　down　in　the　wind；　and　there　it　is　nodding　yet。



THE　FAIRIES＇1＇

＇1＇　By　William　Allingham。

　Up　the　airy　mountain；　　　　Down　the　rushy　glen；　　We　daren't　go　a…hunting　　　　For　fear　of　little　men。　　Wee　folk；　good　folk；　　　　Trooping　all　together；　　Green　jacket；　red　cap；　　　　And　white　owl's　feather！

　Down　along　the　rocky　shore　　　　Some　make　their　home　　They　live　on　crispy　pancakes　　　　Of　yellow　tide…foam；　　Some　in　the　reeds　　　　Of　the　black　mountain…lake；　　With　frogs　for　their　watch…dogs；　　　　All　night　awake。

　High　on　the　hilltop　　　　The　old　King　sits；　　He　is　now　so　old　and　gray；　　　　He's　nigh　lost　his　wits。　　With　a　bridge　of　white　mist　　　　Columbkill　he　crosses；　　On　his　stately　journeys　　　　From　Slieveleague　to　Rosses；　　Or　going　up　with　music　　　　On　cold　starry　nights；　　To　sup　with　the　Queen　　　　Of　the　gay　Northern　Lights。

　They　stole　little　Bridget　　　　For　seven　years　long；　　When　she　came　down　again　　　　Her　friends　were　all　gone。　　They　took　her　lightly　back；　　　　Between　the　night　and　morrow；　　They　thought　that　she　was　fast　　　　　　　asleep；　　　　But　she　was　dead　with　sorrow。　　They　have　kept　her　ever　since　　　　Deep　within　the　lake；　　On　a　bed　of　flag…leaves；　　　　Watching　till　she　wake。

　By　the　craggy　hillside；　　　　Through　the　mosses　bare；　　They　have　planted　thorn…trees；　　　　For　pleasure　here　and　there。　　Is　any　man　so　daring　　　　As　dig　them　up　in　spite；　　He　shall　find　their　sharpest　thorns　　　　In　his　bed　at　night。

　Up　the　airy　mountain；　　　　Down　the　rushy　glen；　　We　daren't　go　a…hunting　　　　For　fear　of　little　men。　　Wee　folk；　good　folk；　　　　Trooping　all　together；　　Green　jacket；　red　cap；　　　　And　white　owl's　feather！



THE　ADVENTURES　OF　THE　LITTLE　FIELD　MOUSE


Once　upon　a　time；　there　was　a　little　brown　Field　Mouse；　and　one　day　he　was　out　in　the　fields　to　see　what　he　could　see。　　He　was　running　along　in　the　grass；　poking　his　nose　into　everything　and　looking　with　his　two　eyes　all　about；　when　he　saw　a　smooth；　shiny　acorn；　lying　in　the　grass。　　It　was　such　a　fine　shiny　little　acorn　that　he　thought　he　would　take　it　home　with　him；　so　he　put　out　his　paw　to　touch　it；　but　the　little　acorn　rolled　away　from　him。　　He　ran　after　it；　but　it　kept　rolling　on；　just　ahead　of　him；　till　it　　came　to　a　place　where　a　big　oak…tree　had　its　roots　spread　all　over　the　ground。　　Then　it　rolled　under　a　big　round　root。

Little　Mr。　Field　Mouse　ran　to　the　root　and　poked　his　nose　under　after　the　acorn；　and　there　he　saw　a　small　round　hole　in　the　ground。　　He　slipped　through　and　saw　some　stairs　going　down　into　the　earth。　The　acorn　was　rolling　down；　with　a　soft　tapping　sound；　ahead　of　him；　so　down　he　went　too。　　Down；　down；　down；　rolled　the　acorn；　and　down；　down；　down；　went　the　Field　Mouse；　until　suddenly　he　saw　a　tiny　door　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs。

The　shiny　acorn　rolled　to　the　door　and　struck　against　it　with　a　tap。　　Quickly　the　little　door　opened　and　the　acorn　rolled　inside。　　The　Field　Mouse　hurried　as　fast　as　he　could　down　the　last　stairs；　and　pushed　through　just　as　the　door　was　closing。　　It　shut　behind　him；　and　he　was　in　a　little　room。　　And　there；　before　him；　stood　a　queer　little　Red　Man！　　He　had　a　little　red　cap；　and　a　little　red　jacket；　and　odd　little　red　shoes　with　points　at　the　toes。

〃You　are　my　prisoner；〃　he　said　to　the　Field　Mouse。


〃What　for？〃　said　the　Field　Mouse。

〃Because　you　tried　to　steal　my　acorn；〃　said　the　little　Red　Man。

〃It　is　my　acorn；〃　said　the　Field　Mouse；　〃I　found　it。〃

〃No；　it　isn't；〃　said　the　little　Red　Man；　〃I　have　it；　you　will　never　see　it　again。〃

The　little　Field　Mouse　looked　all　about　the　room　as　fast　as　he　could；　but　he　could　not　see　any　acorn。　　Then　he　thought　he　would　go　back　up　the　tiny　stairs　to　his　own　home。　　But　the　little　door　was　locked；　and　the　little　Red　Man　had　the　key。　　And　he　said　to　the　poor　mouse；

〃You　shall　be　my　servant；　you　shall　make　my　bed　and　sweep　my　room　and　cook　my　broth。〃

So　the　little　brown　Mouse　was　the　little　Red　Man's　servant；　and　every　day　he　made　the　little　Red　Man's　bed　and　swept　the　little　Red　Man's　room　and　cooked　the　little　Red　Man's　broth。　　And　every　day　the　little　Red　Man　went　away　through　the　tiny　door；　and　did　not　come　back　till　afternoon。　But　he　always　locked　the　door　after　him；　and　carried　away　the　key。

At　last；　one　day　he　was　in　such　a　hurry　　that　he　turned　the　key　before　the　door　was　quite　latched；　which；　of　course；　didn't　lock　it　at　all。　　He　went　away　without　noticing；　he　was　in　such　a　hurry。

The　little　Field　Mouse　knew　that　his　chance　had　come　to　run　away　home。　　But　he　didn't　want　to　go　without　the　pretty；　shiny　acorn。　　Where　it　was　he　didn't　know；　so　he　looked　everywhere。　　He　opened　every　little　drawer　and　looked　in；　but　it　wasn't　in　any　of　the　drawers；　he　peeped　on　every　shelf；　but　it　wasn't　on　a　shelf；　he　hunted　in　every　closet；　but　it　wasn't　in　there。　Finally；　he　climbed　up　on　a　chair　and　opened　a　wee；　wee　door　in　the　chimney…　piece；and　there　it　was！

He　took　it　quickly　in　his　forepaws；　and　then　he　took　it　in　his　mouth；　and　then　he　ran　away。　　He　pushed　open　the　little　door；　he　climbed　up；　up；　up　the　little　stairs；　he　came　out　through　the　hole　under　the　root；　he　ran　and　ran　through　the　fields；　and　at　last　he　came　to　his　own　house。

When　he　was　in　his　own　house　he　set　the　shiny　acorn　on　the　table。　　I　guess　he　set　it　down　hard；　for　all　at　once；　with　a　little　snap；　it　opened！exactly　like　a　little　box。

And　what　do　you　think！　　There　was　a　tiny　necklace　inside！　　It　was　a　most　beautiful　tiny　necklace；　all　made　of　jewels；　and　it　was　just　big　enough　for　a　lady　mouse。　So　the　little　Field　Mouse　gave　the　tiny　necklace　to　his　little　Mouse…sister。　　She　thought　it　was　perfectly　lovely。　　And　when　she　wasn't　wearing　it　she　kept　it　in　the　shiny　acorn　box。

And　the　little　Red　Man　never　knew　what　had　become　of　it；　because　he　didn't　know　where　the　little　Field　Mouse　lived。



ANOTHER　LITTLE　RED　HEN＇1＇

＇1＇　Adapted　from　the　verse　version；　which　is　given　here　as　an　alternative。


Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　little　Red　Hen；　who　lived　on　a　farm　all　by　her