how to tell stories to children-第6部分

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　earth；　I　will　help　you；　come　what　may！〃

The　thought　made　her　suddenly　marvelously　big　and　strong　and　powerful。　　Never　had　she　dreamed　that　she　could　be　so　big。　Like　a　mighty　angel　of　blessing　she　stood　above　the　earth；　and　lifted　her　head　and　spread　her　wings　far　over　the　fields　and　woods。　　She　was　so　great；　so　majestic；　that　men　and　animals　were　awe…struck　at　the　sight；　the　trees　and　the　grasses　bowed　before　her；　yet　all　the　earth…creatures　felt　that　she　meant　them　well。

〃Yes；　I　will　help　you；〃　cried　the　Cloud　once　more。　　〃Take　me　to　yourselves；　I　will　give　my　life　for　you！〃

As　she　said　the　words　a　wonderful　light　glowed　from　her　heart；　the　sound　of　thunder　　rolled　through　the　sky；　and　a　love　greater　than　words　can　tell　filled　the　Cloud；　down；　down；　close　to　the　earth　she　swept；　and　gave　up　her　life　in　a　blessed；　healing　shower　of　rain。

That　rain　was　the　Cloud's　great　deed；　it　was　her　death；　too；　but　it　was　also　her　glory。　　Over　the　whole　country…side；　as　far　as　the　rain　fell；　a　lovely　rainbow　sprang　its　arch；　and　all　the　brightest　rays　of　heaven　made　its　colors；　it　was　the　last　greeting　of　a　love　so　great　that　it　sacrificed　itself。

Soon　that；　too；　was　gone；　but　long；　long　afterward　the　men　and　animals　who　were　saved　by　the　Cloud　kept　her　blessing　in　their　hearts。



THE　LITTLE　RED　HEN


The　little　Red　Hen　was　in　the　farmyard　with　her　chickens；　when　she　found　a　grain　of　wheat。

〃Who　will　plant　this　wheat？〃　she　said。

〃Not　I；〃　said　the　Goose。

〃Not　I；〃　said　the　Duck。

〃I　will；　then；〃　said　the　little　Red　Hen；　and　she　planted　the　grain　of　wheat。

When　the　wheat　was　ripe　she　said；　〃Who　will　take　this　wheat　to　the　mill？〃

〃Not　I；〃　said　the　Goose。

〃Not　I；〃　said　the　Duck。

〃I　will；　then；〃　said　the　little　Red　Hen；　and　she　took　the　wheat　to　the　mill。

When　she　brought　the　flour　home　she　said；　〃Who　will　make　some　bread　with　this　flour？〃

〃Not　I；〃　said　the　Goose。

〃Not　I；〃　said　the　Duck。

〃I　will；　then；〃　said　the　little　Red　Hen。

When　the　bread　was　baked；　she　said；　〃Who　will　eat　this　bread？〃

〃I　will；〃　said　the　Goose

〃I　will；〃　said　the　Duck

〃No；　you　won't；〃　said　the　little　Red　Hen。　〃I　shall　eat　it　myself。　　Cluck！　cluck！〃　　And　she　called　her　chickens　to　help　her。


THE　GINGERBREAD　MAN＇1＇

＇1＇　I　have　tried　to　give　this　story　in　the　most　familiar　form；　it　varies　a　good　deal　in　the　hands　of　different　story…tellers；　but　this　is　substantially　the　version　I　was　〃brought　up　on。〃　　The　form　of　the　ending　was　suggested　to　me　by　the　story　in　Carolyn　Bailey's　For　the　Children's　Hour　（Milton　Bradley　Co。）。


Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　little　old　woman　and　a　little　old　man；　and　they　　lived　all　alone　in　a　little　old　house。　　They　hadn't　any　little　girls　or　any　little　boys；　at　all。　　So　one　day；　the　little　old　woman　made　a　boy　out　of　gingerbread；　she　made　him　a　chocolate　jacket；　and　put　cinnamon　seeds　in　it　for　buttons；　his　eyes　were　made　of　fine；　fat　currants；　his　mouth　was　made　of　rose…colored　sugar；　and　he　had　a　gay　little　cap　of　orange　sugar…candy。　　When　the　little　old　woman　had　rolled　him　out；　and　dressed　him　up；　and　pinched　his　gingerbread　shoes　into　shape；　she　put　him　in　a　pan；　then　she　put　the　pan　in　the　oven　and　shut　the　door；　and　she　thought；　〃Now　I　shall　have　a　little　boy　of　my　own。〃

When　it　was　time　for　the　Gingerbread　Boy　to　be　done　she　opened　the　oven　door　and　pulled　out　the　pan。　　Out　jumped　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　on　to　the　floor；　and　away　he　ran；　out　of　the　door　and　down　the　street！　　The　little　old　woman　and　the　little　old　man　ran　after　him　as　fast　as　they　could；　but　he　just　laughed；　and　shouted；

〃Run！　run！　as　fast　as　you　can！

〃You　can't　catch　me；　I'm　the　Gingerbread　Man！〃

And　they　couldn't　catch　him。

The　little　Gingerbread　Boy　ran　on　and　on；　until　he　came　to　a　cow；　by　the　roadside。　〃Stop；　little　Gingerbread　Boy；〃　said　the　cow；　〃I　want　to　eat　you。〃　　The　little　Gingerbread　Boy　laughed；　and　said；

〃I　have　run　away　from　a　little　old　woman；

〃And　a　little　old　man；

〃And　I　can　run　away　from　you；　I　can！〃

And；　as　the　cow　chased　him；　he　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　cried；

〃Run！　run！　as　fast　as　you　can！

〃You　can't　catch　me；　I'm　the　Gingerbread　Man！〃

And　the　cow　couldn't　catch　him。

The　little　Gingerbread　Boy　ran　on；　and　on；　and　on；　till　he　came　to　a　horse；　in　the　pasture。　　〃Please　stop；　little　Gingerbread　Boy；〃　said　the　horse；　〃you　look　very　good　to　eat。〃　　But　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　laughed　out　loud。　　〃Oho！　oho！〃　he　said；

〃I　have　run　away　from　a　little　old　woman；

〃A　little　old　man；

〃A　cow；

〃And　I　can　run　away　from　you；　I　can！〃

And；　as　the　horse　chased　him；　he　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　cried；

〃Run！　run！　as　fast　as　you　can！

〃You　can't　catch　me；　I'm　the　Gingerbread　Man！〃

And　the　horse　couldn't　catch　him。

By　and　by　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　came　to　a　barn　full　of　threshers。　　When　the　threshers　smelled　the　Gingerbread　Boy；　they　tried　to　pick　him　up；　and　said；　〃Don't　run　so　fast；　little　Gingerbread　Boy；　you　look　very　good　to　eat。〃　　But　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　ran　harder　than　ever；　and　as　he　ran　he　cried　out；

〃I　have　run　away　from　a　little　old　woman；

〃A　little　old　man；

〃A　cow；

〃A　horse；

〃And　I　can　run　away　from　you；　I　can！〃

And　when　he　found　that　he　was　ahead　of　the　threshers；　he　turned　and　shouted　back　to　them；

〃Run！　run！　as　fast　as　you　can！

〃You　can't　catch　me；　I'm　the　Gingerbread　Man！〃

And　the　threshers　couldn't　catch　him。

Then　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　ran　faster　than　ever。　　He　ran　and　ran　until　he　came　to　a　field　full　of　mowers。　　When　the　mowers　saw　how　fine　he　looked；　they　ran　after　him；　calling　out；　〃Wait　a　bit！　wait　a　bit；　little　Gingerbread　Boy；　we　wish　to　eat　you！〃　　But　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　laughed　harder　than　ever；　and　ran　like　the　wind。　　〃Oho！　oho！〃　he　said；

〃I　have　run　away　from　a　little　old　woman；

〃A　little　old　man；

〃A　cow；

〃A　horse；

〃A　barn　full　of　threshers；

〃And　I　can　run　away　from　you；　I　can！〃

And　when　he　found　that　he　was　ahead　of　the　mowers；　he　turned　and　shouted　back　to　them；

〃Run！　run！　as　fast　as　you　can！

〃You　can't　catch　me；　I'm　the　Gingerbread　Man！〃

And　the　mowers　couldn't　catch　him。

By　this　time　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　was　so　proud　that　he　didn't　think　anybody　could　catch　him。　　Pretty　soon　he　saw　a　fox　coming　across　a　field。　　The　fox　looked　　at　him　and　began　to　run。　　But　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　shouted　across　to　him；　〃You　can't　catch　me！〃　　The　fox　began　to　run　faster；　and　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　ran　faster；　and　as　he　ran　he　chuckled；

〃I　have　run　away　from　a　little　old　woman；

〃A　little　old　man；

〃A　cow；

〃A　horse；

〃A　barn　full　of　threshers；

〃A　field　full　of　mowers；

〃And　I　can　run　away　from　you；　I　can！

〃Run！　run！　as　fast　as　you　can！

〃You　can't　catch　me；　I'm　the　Gingerbread　Man！〃

〃Why；〃　said　the　fox；　〃I　would　not　catch　you　if　I　could。　　I　would　not　think　of　disturbing　you。〃

Just　then；　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　came　to　a　river。　　He　could　not　swim　across；　and　he　wanted　to　keep　running　away　from　the　cow　and　the　horse　and　the　people。

〃Jump　on　my　tail；　and　I　will　take　you　across；〃　said　the　fox。

So　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　jumped　on　the　fox's　tail；　and　the　fox　swam　into　the　　river。　　When　he　was　a　little　way　from　shore　he　turned　his　head；　and　said；　〃You　are　too　heavy　on　my　tail；　little　Gingerbread　Boy；　I　fear　I　shall　let　you　get　wet；　jump　on　my　back。〃

The　little　Gingerbread　Boy　jumped　on　his　back。

A　little　farther　out；　the　fox　said；　〃I　am　afraid　the　water　will　cover　you；　there；　jump　on　my　shoulder。〃

The　little　Gingerbread　Boy　jumped　on　his　shoulder。

In　the　middle　of　the　stream　the　fox　said；　〃Oh；　dear！　little　Gingerbread　Boy；　my　shoulder　is　sinking；　jump　on　my　nose；　and　I　can　hold　you　out　of　water。〃

So　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　jumped　on　his　nose。

The　minute　the　fox　got　on　shore　he　threw　back　his　head；　and　gave　a　snap！

〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy；　〃I　am　a　quarter　gone！〃　　The　next　minute　he　said；　〃Why；　I　am　half　gone！〃　The　next　minute　he　said；　〃My　goodness　gracious；　I　am　three　quarters　gone！〃

And　after　that；　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　never　said　anything　more　at　all。



THE　LITTLE　JACKALS　AND　THE　LION＇1＇

＇1＇　The　four　stories　of　the　little　Jackal；　in　this　book；　are　adapted　from　stories　in　Old　Deccan　Days；　a　collection　of　orally　transmitted　Hindu　folk　tales；　which　every　teacher　would　gain　by　knowing。　　In　the　Hindu　animal　legends　the　Jackal　seems　to　play　the　role　assigned　in　Germanic　lore　to　Reynard　the　Fox；　and　to　〃Bre'r　Rabbit〃　in　the　stories　of　our　Southern　negroes：　he　is　the　clever　and　humorous　trickster　who　comes　out　of　every　encounter　with　a　whole　skin；　and　turns　the　laugh　on　every　enemy；　however　mighty。


Once　there　was　a　great　big　jungle；　and　in　the　jungle　there　was　a　great　big　Lion；　and　the　Lion　was　king　of　the　jungle。　　Whenever　he　wanted　anything　to　eat；　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　come　up　out　of　his　cave　in　the　stones　and　earth　and　ROAR。　　When　he　had　roared　a　few　times　all　the　little　people　of　the　jungle　were　so　frightened　that　they　came　out　of　their　holes　and　hiding…places　and　ran；　this　way　and　that；　to　get　away。　Then；　of　course；　the　Lion　could　see　where　they　were。　　And　he　pounced　on　them；　killed　them；　and　gobbled　them　up。

He　did　this　so　oft