how to tell stories to children-第20部分

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r；　and　rubies；　and　emeralds；　and　diamonds。　　When　it　was　wound　up　it　played　a　waltz　tune；　and　as　it　played　it　moved　its　little　tail　up　and　down。　　Everybody　in　the　court　was　filled　with　delight　at　the　music　of　the　new　nightingale。　　They　made　it　sing　that　same　tune　thirty…three　times；　and　still　they　had　not　had　enough。　　They　would　have　made　it　sing　the　tune　thirty…four　times；　but　the　Emperor　said；　〃I　should　like　to　hear　the　real　Nightingale　sing；　now。〃

But　when　they　looked　about　for　the　real　little　Nightingale；　they　could　not　find　her　anywhere！　　She　had　taken　the　chance；　while　everybody　was　listening　to　the　waltz　tunes；　to　fly　away　through　the　window　to　her　own　greenwood。

〃What　a　very　ungrateful　bird！〃　said　the　lords　and　ladies。　　〃But　it　does　not　matter；　the　new　nightingale　is　just　as　good。〃

So　the　artificial　nightingale　was　given　the　real　Nightingale's　little　gold　perch；　and　every　night　the　Emperor　wound　her　up；　and　she　sang　waltz　tunes　to　him。　　The　people　in　the　court　liked　her　even　better　than　the　old　Nightingale；　because　they　could　all　whistle　her　tunes；which　you　can't　do　with　real　nightingales。

About　a　year　after　the　artificial　nightingale　came；　the　Emperor　was　listening　to　her　waltz…tune；　when　there　was　a　SNAP　and　WHIR…R…R　inside　the　bird；　and　the　music　stopped。　　The　Emperor　ran　to　his　doctor　but　he　could　not　do　anything。　　Then　he　ran　to　his　clock…maker；　but　he　could　not　do　much。　　Nobody　could　do　much。　　The　best　they　could　do　was　to　patch　the　gold　nightingale　up　so　that　it　could　sing　once　a　year；　even　that　was　almost　too　much；　and　the　tune　was　pretty　shaky。　　Still；　the　Emperor　kept　the　gold　nightingale　on　the　perch　in　his　own　room。

A　long　time　went　by；　and　then；　at　last；　the　Emperor　grew　very　ill；　and　was　about　to　die。　　When　it　was　sure　that　he　could　not　live　much　longer；　the　people　chose　a　new　emperor　and　waited　for　the　old　one　to　die。　　The　poor　Emperor　lay；　quite　cold　and　pale；　in　his　great　big　bed；　with　velvet　　curtains；　and　tall　candlesticks　all　about。　He　was　quite　alone；　for　all　the　courtiers　had　gone　to　congratulate　the　new　emperor；　and　all　the　servants　had　gone　to　talk　it　over。

When　the　Emperor　woke　up；　he　felt　a　terrible　weight　on　his　chest。　　He　opened　his　eyes；　and　there　was　Death；　sitting　on　his　heart。　　Death　had　put　on　the　Emperor's　gold　crown；　and　he　had　the　gold　sceptre　in　one　hand；　and　the　silken　banner　in　the　other；　and　he　looked　at　the　Emperor　with　his　great　hollow　eyes。　　The　room　was　full　of　shadows；　and　the　shadows　were　full　of　faces。　　Everywhere　the　Emperor　looked；　there　were　faces。　　Some　were　very；　very　ugly；　and　some　were　sweet　and　lovely；　they　were　all　the　things　the　Emperor　had　done　in　his　life；　good　and　bad。　　And　as　he　looked　at　them　they　began　to　whisper。　They　whispered；　〃DO　YOU　REMEMBER　THIS？〃　〃DO　YOU　REMEMBER　THAT？〃　　The　Emperor　remembered　so　much　that　he　cried　out　loud；　〃Oh；　bring　the　great　drum！　　Make　music；　so　that　I　may　not　hear　these　dreadful　whispers！〃　　But　there　was　nobody　there　to　bring　the　drum。

Then　the　Emperor　cried；　〃You　little　gold　nightingale；　can　you　not　sing　something　for　me？　　I　have　given　you　gifts　of　gold　and　jewels；　and　kept　you　always　by　my　side；　will　you　not　help　me　now？〃　　But　there　was　nobody　to　wind　the　little　gold　nightingale　up；　and　of　course　it　could　not　sing。

The　Emperor's　heart　grew　colder　and　colder　where　Death　crouched　upon　it；　and　the　dreadful　whispers　grew　louder　and　louder；　and　the　Emperor's　life　was　almost　gone。　　Suddenly；　through　the　open　window；　there　came　a　most　lovely　song。　　It　was　so　sweet　and　so　loud　that　the　whispers　died　quite　away。　　Presently　the　Emperor　felt　his　heart　grow　warm；　then　he　felt　the　blood　flow　through　his　limbs　again；　he　listened　to　the　song　until　the　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks；　he　knew　that　it　was　the　little　real　Nightingale　who　had　flown　away　from　him　when　the　gold　nightingale　came。

Death　was　listening　to　the　song；　too；　and　when　it　was　done　and　the　Emperor　begged　for　more；　Death；　too；　said；　〃Please　sing　again；　little　Nightingale！〃

〃Will　you　give　me　the　Emperor's　gold　crown　for　a　song？〃　said　the　little　Nightingale。

〃Yes；〃　said　Death；　and　the　little　Nightingale　bought　the　Emperor's　crown　for　a　song。

〃Oh；　sing　again；　little　Nightingale；〃　begged　Death。

〃Will　you　give　me　the　Emperor's　sceptre　for　another　song？〃　said　the　little　gray　Nightingale。

〃Yes；〃　said　Death；　and　the　little　Nightingale　bought　the　Emperor's　sceptre　for　another　song。

Once　more　Death　begged　for　a　song；　and　this　time　the　little　Nightingale　got　the　banner　for　her　singing。　　Then　she　sang　one　more　song；　so　sweet　and　so　sad　that　it　made　Death　think　of　his　garden　in　the　churchyard；　where　he　always　liked　best　to　be。　　And　he　rose　from　the　Emperor's　heart　and　floated　away　through　the　window。

When　Death　was　gone；　the　Emperor　said　to　the　little　Nightingale；　〃Oh；　dear　little　Nightingale；　you　have　saved　me　from　Death！　　Do　not　leave　me　again。　　Stay　with　me　on　this　little　gold　perch；　and　sing　to　me　always！〃


〃No；　dear　Emperor；〃　said　the　little　Nightingale；　〃I　sing　best　when　I　am　free；　I　cannot　live　in　a　palace。　　But　every　night　when　you　are　quite　alone；　I　will　come　and　sit　in　the　window　and　sing　to　you；　and　tell　you　everything　that　goes　on　in　your　kingdom：　I　will　tell　you　where　the　poor　people　are　who　ought　to　be　helped；　and　where　the　wicked　people　are　who　ought　to　be　punished。　　Only；　dear　Emperor；　be　sure　that　you　never　let　anybody　know　that　you　have　a　little　bird　who　tells　you　everything。〃

After　the　little　Nightingale　had　flown　away；　the　Emperor　felt　so　well　and　strong　that　he　dressed　himself　in　his　royal　robes　and　took　his　gold　sceptre　in　his　hand。　And　when　the　courtiers　came　in　to　see　if　he　were　dead；　there　stood　the　Emperor　with　his　sword　in　one　hand　and　his　sceptre　in　the　other；　and　said；　〃Good…morning！〃



MARGERY'S　GARDEN＇1＇

＇1＇　I　have　always　been　inclined　to　avoid；　in　my　work　among　children；　the　〃how　to　make〃　and　〃how　to　do〃　kind　of　story；　it　is　too　likely　to　trespass　on　the　ground　belonging　by　right　to　its　more　artistic　and　less　intentional　kinsfolk。　　Nevertheless；　there　is　a　legitimate　place　for　the　instruction…story。　　Within　its　own　limits；　and　especially　in　a　school　use；　it　has　a　real　purpose　to　serve；　and　a　real　desire　to　meet。　　Children　have　a　genuine　taste　for　such　morsels　of　practical　information；　if　the　bites　aren't　made　too　big　and　too　solid。　　And　to　the　teacher　of　the　first　grades；　from　whom　so　much　is　demanded　in　the　way　of　practical　instruction；　I　know　that　these　stories　are　a　boon。　　They　must　be　chosen　with　care；　and　used　with　discretion；　but　they　need　never　be　ignored。

I　venture　to　give　some　little　stories　of　this　type；　which　I　hope　may　be　of　use　in　the　schools　where　country　life　and　country　work　is　an　unknown　experience　to　the　children。


There　was　once　a　little　girl　named　Margery；　who　had　always　lived　in　the　city。　The　flat　where　her　mother　and　father　lived　was　at　the　top　of　a　big　apartment…house；　and　you　couldn't　see　a　great　deal　from　the　windows；　except　clothes…lines　on　other　people's　roofs。　　Margery　did　not　know　much　about　trees　and　flowers；　but　she　loved　them　dearly；　whenever　it　was　a　pleasant　Sunday　she　used　to　go　with　her　mother　and　father　to　the　park　and　look　at　the　lovely　flower…beds。　　They　seemed　always　to　be　finished；　though；　and　Margery　was　always　wishing　she　could　see　them　grow。

One　spring；　when　Margery　was　nine；　her　father's　work　changed　so　that　he　could　move　into　the　country；　and　he　took　a　little　house　a　short　distance　outside　the　town　where　his　new　position　was。　　Margery　was　delighted。　　And　the　very　first　thing　she　said；　when　her　father　told　her　about　it；　was；　〃Oh；　may　I　have　a　garden？　　MAY　I　have　a　garden？〃

Margery's　mother　was　almost　as　eager　for　a　garden　as　she　was；　and　Margery's　father　said　he　expected　to　live　on　their　vegetables　all　the　rest　of　his　life！　　So　it　was　soon　agreed　that　the　garden　should　be　the　first　thing　attended　to。

Behind　the　little　house　were　apple　trees；　a　plum　tree；　and　two　or　three　pear　trees；　then　came　a　stretch　of　rough　grass；　and　then　a　stone　wall；　with　a　gate　leading　into　the　pasture。　　It　was　in　the　grassy　land　that　the　garden　was　to　be。　　A　big　piece　was　to　be　used　for　corn　and　peas　and　beans；　and　a　little　piece　at　the　end　was　to　be　saved　for　Margery。

〃What　shall　we　have　in　it？〃　asked　her　mother。

〃Flowers；〃　said　Margery；　with　shining　eyes；〃blue；　and　white；　and　yellow；　and　pink；every　kind　of　flower！〃

〃Surely；　flowers；〃　said　her　mother；　〃and　shall　we　not　have　a　little　salad　garden　in　the　midst；　as　they　do　in　England？〃

〃What　is　a　salad　garden？〃　Margery　asked。

〃It　is　a　garden　where　you　have　all　the　things　that　make　nice　salad；〃　said　her　mother；　laughing；　for　Margery　was　fond　of　salads；　〃you　have　lettuce；　and　endive；　and　romaine；　and　parsley；　and　radishes；　and　cucumbers；　and　perhaps　little　beets　and　young　onions。〃　

〃Oh！　how　good　it　sounds！〃　said　Margery。　　〃I　vote　for　the　salad　garden。〃

That　very　evening；　Margery's　father　took　pencil　and　paper；　and　drew　out　a　plan　for　her　garden；　first；　they　talked　it　all　over；　then　he　drew　what　they　decided　on；　it　looked　like　the　diagram　on　the　next　page。

〃The　outside　strip　is　for　flowers；〃　said　Margery's　father；　〃and　the　next　marks　mean　a　footpath；　all　the　way　round　the　beds；　that　is　so　you　can　get　at　the　fl