Chapter 2

A little fairy comes at night, Her eyes are blue, her hair is brown, With silver spots upon her wings, And from the moon she flutters down.

She has a little silver wand, And when a good child goes to bed, She waves her hand from right to left, And makes a circle round its head.

And then it dreams of pleasant things-- Of fountains filled with fairy fish, And trees that bear delicious fruit, And bow their branches at a wish.

Of arbors filled with dainty scents From lovely flowers that never fade; Bright flies that glitter in the sun, And glowworms shining in the shade.

And talking birds with gifted tongues, For singing songs and telling tales, And pretty dwarfs to show the way Through fairy hills and fairy dales.

But when a bad child goes to bed, From left to right she weaves her rings, And then it dreams all through the night Of only ugly, horrid things!

Then lions come with glaring eyes, And tigers growl, a dreadful noise, And ogres draw their cruel knives, To shed the blood of girls and boys.

Then stormy waves rush on to drown, Or raging flames come scorching round, Fierce dragons hover in the air, And serpents crawl along the ground.

Then wicked children wake and weep, And wish the long black gloom away; But good ones love the dark, and find The night as pleasant as the day.

THOMAS HOOD.

CINDERELLA

Once upon a time, there was a proud, selfish woman who had three daughters. The youngest was prettier than her sisters, and they were jealous of her beauty. They made her do all the housework, while they went to parties and balls.

The girl washed the dishes and swept the floors. She tended the fire and fed the parrot whose cage hung by the kitchen window. She spent so much time among the ashes and cinders, that her sisters called her Cinderella.

Now it happened that the king was to give a ball, in honor of the young prince. Cinderella's mother and sisters were invited.

How pleased they were to receive the invitation! They could think of nothing but the fine clothes they intended to wear.

They sent for the best dressmaker they could find. The oldest sister chose a pink silk gown. "I shall wear my red satin cloak trimmed with swan's-down," said she.

The second sister chose a gown of green velvet, saying, "The green velvet will show my diamonds to advantage."

The night of the great ball came at last. Cinderella helped her sisters to dress.

"Do you not wish that you were going to the ball?" said one of them.

"Yes, indeed!" sighed poor Cinderella.

But her sisters only laughed.

Cinderella watched them from the kitchen window as they drove away in their fine carriage. Then she sat down by the fire and began to cry.

"Why are you crying, Cinderella?" said some one gently.

There stood her Fairy Godmother.

"I wish I could--I wish I could--" sobbed Cinderella.

"You wish that you could go to the prince's ball," said the Fairy Godmother.

"Yes," nodded Cinderella.

"Stop crying and you may go," said the Fairy Godmother. "Run into the garden and bring me the largest pumpkin that you can find."

Cinderella could not think how a pumpkin would help her to go, but she obeyed.

The Fairy Godmother scooped out the inside of the pumpkin, leaving only the rind. She carried it to the kitchen door. Then she touched the rind with her wand. Instantly there stood a great coach covered with gold.

"Where shall we find horses for such a great coach?" cried Cinderella.

"Bring the mouse trap from the cellar," the Fairy Godmother replied.

"Here are six live mice in the trap," said Cinderella breathlessly.

The Fairy Godmother lifted the door of the trap. She touched each of the mice with her wand as it ran out. The mice became six beautiful white horses standing before the coach.

"Where shall we find a coachman to drive the horses?" asked Cinderella.

"Bring the rat trap to me," replied the Fairy Godmother.

Cinderella brought the rat trap, and in it was a large gray rat.

At a touch of the wand, the rat was changed into a coachman. He sat in state upon the coach.

"Now run into the garden again. You will find two lizards behind the watering pot. Bring them to me."

The Fairy Godmother touched the lizards with her wand. In their place stood two footmen in splendid livery.

They stepped to the back of the coach as if they had been footmen all their lives.

Then the kind Fairy Godmother touched Cinderella's clothes with her wand. The rags became a beautiful costume of satin, covered with pearls. In place of her old shoes were glass slippers that had been made by the fairies. They were the very prettiest little slippers in the world.

Never had Cinderella been so happy!

"Now you may go to the ball, but do not fail to leave before midnight," said the Fairy Godmother.

"If you stay until the clock strikes twelve," added the Fairy Godmother, "your coach will again become a pumpkin; your horses will be mice; your coachman will be a rat; your footmen will be lizards, and your beautiful dress will become rags."

Cinderella stepped into the coach. A few minutes later, the white horses dashed into the royal courtyard.

The door of the coach was flung open, and Cinderella stepped out.

As Cinderella entered the ball room, the prince hastened to meet her.

"Never," said he to himself, "have I seen anyone so lovely!"

Cinderella was so beautiful, so elegantly dressed, and she danced so well, that the prince fell in love with her. He would dance with no one else.

The evening passed away like a dream. Suddenly Cinderella heard a clock chime three quarters past eleven.

She bade the prince good-night and was soon on her way home in the pumpkin coach.

When Cinderella reached home, she found her Fairy Godmother waiting to hear about the ball.

"It was fine!" said Cinderella. "The prince has invited me to attend the ball to be given to-morrow night. Oh, how I wish that I might go!"

"You may certainly go to the prince's ball to-morrow night. I wish to make you very happy, dear child," said the Fairy Godmother.

By the time the mother and sisters had returned home from the ball, the Fairy Godmother had disappeared.

Cinderella was sitting by the kitchen fire in her rags.

"Do you not wish that you had been to the ball?" asked the sisters. "There was a wonderful princess there. The prince would dance with no one else."

"Who was she?" asked Cinderella.

"That we cannot say," answered the two sisters. "She would not tell her name, though the prince, on bended knee, begged her to do so."

The next night, as soon as the mother and sisters had started in their carriage to attend the ball, the Fairy Godmother appeared once more.

Again, at the touch of her wand, the pumpkin became a coach; the mice became horses; the rat became a coachman, and the lizards became footmen.

The Fairy Godmother touched Cinderella's clothes with her wand, and this time her rags became a beautiful costume of silver cloth, covered with rubies. In place of the worn-out shoes were the wonderful glass slippers.

"Whatever you do, remember to leave before the clock strikes twelve," said the Fairy Godmother, as Cinderella drove away.

When Cinderella arrived at the king's palace, the prince met her at the door. He would dance with no one else.

Cinderella was very happy. The hours passed swiftly away, but she left the palace before the clock struck twelve.

The king gave another ball the third night. This time Cinderella wore a costume of gold cloth, covered with sparkling diamonds; and on her feet were the wonderful glass slippers.

The prince met her at the door. He led her to the ball room and again would dance with no one else.

This time Cinderella was enjoying the ball so much that she forgot the warning of the Fairy Godmother.

Suddenly the clock began to strike twelve. With a cry of alarm she fled from the ball room, dropping one of her glass slippers in her haste.

The prince hurried after her, but by the time he reached the royal courtyard the beautiful maiden had disappeared.

As Cinderella arrived at her own gate, the coach became a pumpkin; the horses became mice; the coachman became a rat and the footmen lizards.

Cinderella was again clothed in rags, but in her hand she carried one of the glass slippers that she had worn at the prince's ball.

The mother and sisters came home soon afterwards. They could talk of nothing but the sudden disappearance of the beautiful princess.

On the following morning, there was a noise of trumpets and drums.

The king's messengers passed through the town, crying, "The king's son will marry the fair maiden whose foot the glass slipper exactly fits."

The prince rode behind in his coach. He was followed by a company of attendants, who carried the glass slipper upon a velvet cushion.

At last the procession arrived at the home of Cinderella.

The mother and sisters saw the prince coming.

They at once hid pretty Cinderella under a tub in the kitchen.

The prince tried to fit the glass slipper to the foot of the oldest daughter. The foot was too long and too thin at the heel.

"You can pare off the heel," said the mother.

But the prince only laughed.

He tried the glass slipper on the foot of the second daughter. Her foot was too short and too fat at the toe.

"You can pare off the toe," said the mother.

But the prince only laughed.

Suddenly the parrot called, from his cage by the kitchen window,

"You may pare off the heels, Or pare off the toes, But under the tub The slipper goes."

The prince ordered his attendants to lift the tub. Crouching under it sat Cinderella, clothed in rags but wearing on one foot the mate to the glass slipper.

The prince knelt upon the velvet cushion, and tried on Cinderella's foot the little glass slipper which he had found in the ball room. It fitted exactly. It was like the slipper that Cinderella had on the other foot.

At that moment, the Fairy Godmother appeared. She touched Cinderella's clothes with her wand.

There stood Cinderella, dressed in a costume even more beautiful than those she had worn at the palace.

Then the prince saw that Cinderella was indeed the lovely maiden for whom he was searching. He arose and kissed her, and begged her to become his wife.

The prince and Cinderella were married, and in time they became king and queen. They ruled the kingdom long and well.

THE WIND

I saw yon toss the kites on high And blow the birds about the sky; And all around I heard you pass, Like ladies' skirts across the grass-- O wind, a-blowing all day long! O wind, that sings so loud a song!

I saw the different things you did, But always you yourself you hid. I felt you push, I heard you call, I could not see yourself at all-- O wind, a-blowing all day long! O wind, that sings so loud a song!

O you that are so strong and cold, O blower, are you young or old? Are you a beast of field and tree, Or just a stronger child than me? O wind, a-blowing all day long! O wind, that sings so loud a song!

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

THE BAG OF WINDS

The great caves of an island, far away in the midst of the sea, were the home of the Winds.

Eolus was ruler of the Winds. He kept them imprisoned in the caves. Sometimes he allowed them to go free for a time, to have a frolic or take exercise.

Although the Winds were often unruly and were fond of mischief, they always obeyed the voice of Eolus.

North Wind was the roughest of all. He would go from his cave on the wildest errands.

Sometimes he would pile the waves mountains high and would lash them into a tempest. He would tear the sails and break the masts of the vessels. He would uproot the forest trees and tear the roofs from the houses.

But at the command of Eolus, North Wind would cease his roaring and would go sullenly back to his cave.

"South Wind!" Eolus would call. "Send a gentle, playful breeze among the flowers. Bring gay sunshine and soft showers. Sing a song of spring.

"West Wind! Blow steadily against the sails of the ships and speed them on their journey.

"East Wind! Go forth in a jolly, merry mood. Whirl the leaves over the ground and scatter the seeds far and wide.

"North Wind! Cover the earth with a blanket of snow. Freeze the waters of the lakes and rivers."

Thus Eolus would command the Winds, and they would do his bidding.

One day a ship stopped near the island of the Winds, and anchored. The captain of the ship and the sailors went ashore.

Eolus treated the visitors very kindly.

When the sailors discovered that they had come to the home of the Winds, they cried, "O Eolus! Tell West Wind to blow and help us reach home quickly:"

Then Eolus took a leather bag and put into it all the unruly Winds. He tied the end of the bag with a silver string. Giving the bag to the captain, he said, "Fasten the bag to the mast of your ship. Do not open it, or trouble will follow."

Then Eolus called West Wind from his island cave.

The captain and the sailors thanked Eolus and started off in the ship. West Wind blew gently, and the ship sailed over smooth waters day and night. Each day found them nearer home.

At last, on the evening of the ninth day, they saw the shores of their own land.

The captain cried, "Land, ahoy! We shall anchor in the harbor to-morrow."

Tired with long watching, and thinking that the ship was safe, he went to sleep.

Then the sailors began to whisper softly to each other.

"What do you suppose there is in the bag?" said one.

"It is tied with a silver cord. I am sure that it is full of gold," said another.

Then they planned to rob the captain of his treasure.

One of the sailors untied the bag.

Out rushed the angry Winds! They raged and roared. A storm arose, and the ship was sent far out of its course. The captain begged West Wind to help the sailors, but he could not.

At last the ship was driven back to the home of the Winds.

Eolus was surprised when he saw the ship again.

"Why have you returned?" asked Eolus.

"The sailors untied the silver cord at the end of the bag and set the unruly Winds free," replied the captain. "Please call them back to their caves and help us."

"Depart!" cried Eolus angrily. "I will show you no more favors."

Sadly they sailed away, and no kind West Wind helped them.

They toiled for many days and nights, and they suffered great hardship before they came once more in sight of their own land.

DIANA AND APOLLO

On an island in the sea, there lived a beautiful woman who had two children, twins. The girl's name was Diana, the boy's Apollo.

It was a floating island. Neptune, the king of the sea, had placed four marble pillars under it, and had fastened it with heavy chains.

The two children grew rapidly. Diana became tall and graceful. Jupiter, king of heaven and earth, saw that she was very fair.

One day as Diana was walking through the forest, Jupiter met her and spoke to her, saying, "Fair Diana, hereafter you shall be called Queen of the Woods."

Diana, followed by her maids the wood nymphs, often wandered through the forest. She took care of the deer and all helpless creatures, but she hunted fierce animals.

Apollo, also, grew to be fair and strong.

Jupiter bestowed many gifts upon the youth. He gave Apollo a pair of swans and a golden chariot, so that the boy could go anywhere, on land or sea.

The most wonderful present that Jupiter gave to Apollo was a silver bow, with sharp arrows which never missed the mark. Apollo prized the bow so highly and used it so very skillfully, that he came to be called "Master of the Silver Bow."

THE TREE

Green stood the Tree, With its leaves tender bright. "Shall I take them?" said Frost, As he breathed thro' the night. "Oh! pray let them be, Till my blossoms you see!" Begged the Tree, as she shivered And shook in affright.

Sweet sang the birds The fair blossoms among. "Shall I take them?" said Wind, As he swayed them and swung. "Oh! pray let them be, Till my berries you see!" Begged the Tree, as its branches All quivering hung.

Bright grew the berries Beneath the sun's heat. "Shall I take them?" said Lassie So young and so sweet. "Ah! take them, I crave! Take all that I have!" Begged the Tree, as it bent Its full boughs to her feet.

ADAPTED.

THE FAIRY TREE

Long, long ago, on an island in the sea, lived a family of seven sisters. The oldest girl ruled the household, and her sisters obeyed her commands. Flora, the youngest sister, was sent to the forest each day, to gather wood for the kitchen fire.

Near the edge of the forest was a cave under some rocks. A stream of water fell over the rocks into a basin in the cave.

This was a delightfully cool spot, and Flora often rested here on her way home after gathering wood in the forest. She would lie on the mossy bank of the stream, for hours, and dream.

One morning as Flora ran along the grassy path that led to the cave, she saw a little fish in the stream. Its scales flashed out all the colors of the rainbow.

"I am going to keep the fish for a pet," said the girl to herself. "I will call him Rainbow."

So she caught the pretty fish and put him into the basin in the cave.

The next day Flora went to the forest for wood. She carried some crumbs of bread which she had saved from her breakfast.

On the way home she stopped at the cave. The fish was waiting for her. He came to the edge of the basin, and she fed the crumbs to him.

How delighted the girl was! She had been so lonely, and now she had a playfellow!

Every morning, instead of eating the bread which her sister gave to her, Flora would save it and feed the crumbs to her pet. The fish would leap to catch them.

"Here are some crumbs, Rainbow," she would say. "This is all to-day, but I shall come again to-morrow."

Then she would sing a little song.

Flora began to grow thin, and her sisters wondered what could be the matter.

One day the oldest sister followed her to the cave and saw her feed the crumbs of bread to the fish.

While Flora was away in the forest, the oldest sister caught the fish, carried him home and baked him for supper.

The bones were buried under the kitchen fire.

The next morning, Flora went to the cave as usual, but no fish was there. She sang her little song, and still he did not come.

"Rainbow cannot be dead," she said, "for I do not see him in the water."

Then Flora hastened home. She threw herself upon her bed and was soon fast asleep.

The following morning, a rooster flew up to Flora's window and crowed,

"Cock-a-doodle-doodle-doo! The bones of Rainbow wait for you, Under the kitchen fire, too."

Flora arose at once and went downstairs. There, under the kitchen fire, she found the bones of her pet. She wept as she gathered the bones and placed them in a box.

She went to the forest and buried the box near the cave.

Then Flora sat down on a mossy bank near the cave and sang this song:

"Rainbow, Rainbow, hear my cry, My great wish do not deny. If you can't come back to me, Pray, O pray, become a tree!"

As the last words of the song echoed through the cave, there sprang up beside the girl a wonderful Fairy Tree.

Its trunk was of ivory. Its leaves were of silver fringed with pearls. Its flowers were gold, and its fruit gems from which sparkled the bright colors of the rainbow.

One day the summer breeze carried a leaf from the Fairy Tree across the sea to another island. It fell at the feet of the king.

He picked up the wonderful leaf, saying, "I shall never rest until I find the tree from which this leaf came."

The king set sail with his attendants. He soon landed on the island where the seven sisters lived.

As the king and his men were marching through the forest, they found the Fairy Tree growing at the entrance to the cave.

The king tried to pick some of the leaves, but he could not.

Then he heard the sweet voice of a girl. She was singing,

"Rainbow, Rainbow, speak to me! Bend your branches, Fairy Tree!"

And Flora came tripping along the grassy path that led to the cave.

The king said, "Fair maiden, if you can pick a leaf or a flower from this tree, you shall be my queen."

As Flora reached to pick a flower, the tree bowed low, and every leaf trembled with delight.

The maiden at once presented the flower to the king.

As he took the flower, the king exclaimed,

"To you belongs the Fairy Tree; Pray be my bride and rule with me."

Flora thought she must be dreaming, but they were married next day, beneath the branches of the Fairy Tree.

Adapted from "The Lilac Fairy Book" by Andrew Lang

HIAWATHA'S SAILING

Thus the Birch Canoe was builded In the valley, by the river, In the bosom of the forest; And the forest life was in it, All its mystery and its magic, All the lightness of the birch tree, All the toughness of the cedar, All the larch's supple sinews; And it floated on the river Like a yellow leaf in autumn, Like a yellow water lily.

HENRY W LONGFELLOW

GRAY MOLE AND THE INDIAN

An Indian was once wandering across the prairie. He was tired, and hungry, and very lonely. He had traveled many miles.

At last he came to a brook, in a meadow at the foot of a hill.

"I will rest here until noon," thought the Indian. He sat down upon the mossy bank beside the brook.

Presently he heard some one whisper, "Lift me up and carry me with you, and I will be your friend."

The Indian looked carefully about him, to find who was speaking. He saw a small, gray animal peeping from out of the moss.

"Ha, ha, Gray Mole!" laughed the Indian. "Why should I carry you?"

"I am far from my island home. If you will carry me to the cliff near the Place of Breaking Light, I can then reach my burrow safely," replied Gray Mole.

The Indian placed Gray Mole in his large wampum belt.

"Very well, little friend," he said. "You may travel with me, but I shall rest here for a time before starting on the journey."

Then, covering himself with his deerskin robe, he lay down upon the moss. He was soon fast asleep.

At about noon Sun passed overhead. Sun traveled so close to the earth that his rays scorched and shriveled the deerskin robe.

When the Indian awoke, he found that his deerskin robe had been scorched and shriveled by Sun. He was furiously angry.

"I will follow Sun and punish him," said the Indian.

Sun had traveled far beyond the meadow and was now fast disappearing behind the hill. The Indian started to follow.

At last the Indian reached the summit of the hill and could look down the other side. Sun could no longer be seen. He had hidden in his cave beyond the Western Sea.

The Indian traveled until he came to the edge of a cliff. The Shining Big Sea Water beat high against the rocks, and in the distance he could see the Place of Breaking Light.

"We have come to the cliff, little friend. Jump out of my wampum belt," said the Indian. "But how are you going to reach your burrow on the island yonder?"

"I shall wait here with you until the break of day," replied Gray Mole.

Many trees grew near the cliff. East Wind blew gently through their branches, rustling the leaves and carrying messages to the Indian.

Oak Tree said proudly, "I am King of the Forest. The Great Chief summons his warriors beneath my boughs. Here he holds his councils. Of my branches the strong arrows are made."

Ash Tree whispered, "My pliant branches make the bows which speed the arrows in their flight."

Maple Tree said softly, "I am the food of the Great Chief. My sap is sweet and wholesome. People of all nations delight to show me honor."

Red Willow bowed low and said, "My bark is used for the peace pipe of the Great Chief. Of my branches the women weave baskets and mats for their wigwams."

Marsh Reeds, growing near Red Willow, chimed sweetly, "Our stalks are used for the stems of the peace pipes."

Linden Tree swayed to and fro, saying, "I am used for the cradles in which the children are rocked."

Pine Tree said gently, "My sweet singing lulls the children to sleep." And she murmured a soft lullaby.

Birch Tree was standing near the path.