按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
just a pet dog。 She seemed very happy and she was always good。
But after a while； the family noticed something odd； something very
strange indeed； about their pet。 Every single Tuesday night； about nine
o'clock； Wylie DISAPPEARED。 They would look for her； call her；no；
she was gone。 And she would be gone all night。 But every Wednesday
morning； there she was at the door； waiting to be let in。 Her silky coat was
all sweaty and muddy and her feet heavy with weariness； but her bright
eyes looked up at her masters as if she were trying to explain where she
had been。
Week after week the same thing happened。 Nobody could imagine
where Wylie went every Tuesday night。 They tried to follow her to find
out； but she always slipped away； they tried to shut her in； but she always
found a way out。 It grew to be a real mystery。 Where in the world did
Wylie go？
You never could guess； so I am going to tell you。
In the city near the town where the kind young men lived was a big
market like （naming one in the neighbourhood）。 Every sort of thing was
sold there； even live cows and sheep and hens。 On Tuesday nights； the
farmers used to come down from the hills with their sheep to sell； and
drive them through the city streets into the pens； ready to sell on
Wednesday morning； that was the day they sold them。
The sheep weren't used to the city noises and sights； and they always
grew afraid and wild； and gave the farmers and the sheepdogs a great deal
of trouble。 They broke away and ran about； in everybody's way。
But just as the trouble was worst； about sunrise； the farmers would see
a little silky； sharp… eared dog come trotting all alone down the road； into
106
… Page 107…
HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
the midst of them。
And then！
In and out the little dog ran like the wind； round and about； always in
the right place； drivingcoaxingpushingmaking the sheep mind like a
good school…teacher； and never frightening them； till they were all safely
in！ All the other dogs together could not do as much as the little strange
dog。 She was a perfect wonder。 And no one knew whose dog she was or
where she came from。 The farmers grew to watch for her； every week； and
they called her 〃the wee fell yin〃 which is Scots for 〃the little terror〃； they
used to say when they saw her coming； 〃There's the wee fell yin！ Now
we'll get them in。〃
Every farmer would have liked to keep her； but she let no one catch
her。 As soon as her work was done she was off and away like a fairy dog；
no one knew where。 Week after week this happened； and nobody knew
who the little strange dog was。
But one day Wylie went to walk with her two masters； and they
happened to meet some sheep farmers。 The sheep farmers stopped short
and stared at Wylie； and then they cried out； 〃Why； THAT'S THE DOG！
That's the wee fell yin！〃 And so it was。 The little strange dog who helped
with the sheep was Wylie。
Her masters； of course； didn't know what the farmers meant； till they
were told all about what I have been telling you。 But when they heard
about the pretty strange dog who came to market all alone； they knew at
last where Wylie went； every Tuesday night。 And they loved her better
than ever
Wasn't it wise of the dear little dog to go and work for other people
when her own work was taken away？ I fancy she knew that the best
people and the best dogs always work hard at something。 Any way she did
that same thing as long as she lived； and she was always just as gentle； and
silky…haired； and loving as at first。
107
… Page 108…
HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
LITTLE DAYLIGHT＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from At the Back of the North Wind； by George
Macdonald。
Once there was a beautiful palace； which had a great wood at one
side。 The king and his courtiers hunted in the wood near the palace； and
there it was kept open； free from underbrush。 But farther away it grew
wilder and wilder； till at last it was so thick that nobody knew what was
there。 It was a very great wood indeed。
In the wood lived eight fairies。 Seven of them were good fairies； who
had lived there always； the eighth was a bad fairy； who had just come。 And
the worst of it was that nobody but the other fairies knew she WAS a fairy；
people thought she was just an ugly old witch。 The good fairies lived in
the dearest little houses！ One lived in a hollow silver birch； one in a little
moss cottage； and so on。 But the bad fairy lived in a horrid mud house in
the middle of a dark swamp。
Now when the first baby was born to the king and queen； her father
and mother decided to name her 〃Daylight；〃 because she was so bright and
sweet。 And of course they had a christening party。 And of COURSE they
invited the fairies； because the good fairies had always been at the
christening party when a princess was born in the palace； and everybody
knew that they brought good gifts。
But； alas； no one knew about the swamp fairy； and she was not
invited；which really pleased her； because it gave her an excuse for doing
something mean。
The good fairies came to the christening party； and； one after another；
five of them gave little Daylight good gifts。 The other two stood among
the guests； so that no one noticed them。 The swamp fairy thought there
were no more of them； so she stepped forward； just as the archbishop was
handing the baby back to the lady…in…waiting。
〃I am just a little deaf；〃 she said； mumbling a laugh with her toothless
gums。 〃Will your reverence tell me the baby's name again？〃
〃Certainly； my good woman；〃 said the bishop； 〃the infant is little
Daylight。〃
108
… Page 109…
HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN AND SOME STORIES TO TELL
〃And little Daylight it shall be； forsooth；〃 cried the bad fairy。 〃I decree
that she shall sleep all day。〃 Then she laughed a horrid shrieking laugh；
〃He； he； hi； hi！〃
Everyone looked at everyone else in despair； but out stepped the sixth
good fairy； who by arrangement with her sisters had remained in the
background to undo what she could of any evil that the swamp fairy might
decree。
〃Then at least she shall wake all night；〃 she said； sadly。
〃Ah！〃 screamed the swamp fairy； 〃you spoke before I had finished；
which is against the law； and gives me another chance。〃 All the fairies
started at once to say； 〃I beg your pardon！〃 But the bad fairy said； 〃I had
only laughed ‘he； he！' and ‘hi； hi！' I had still ‘ho； ho！' and ‘hu； hu！' to
laugh。〃
The fairies could not gainsay this； and the bad fairy had her other
chance。 She said；
〃Since she is to wake all night； I decree that she shall wax and wane
with the moon！ Ho； ho； hu； hu！〃
Out stepped the seventh good fairy。 〃Until a prince shall kiss her
without knowing who she is；〃 she said； quickly。
The swamp fairy had been prepared for the trick of keeping back one
good fairy； but she had not suspected it of two； and she could not say a
word； for she had laughed 〃ho； ho！〃 and 〃hu； hu！〃
The poor king and queen looked sad enough。 〃We don't know what
you mean；〃 they said to the good fairy who had spoken last。 But the good
fairy smiled。 〃The meaning of the thing will come with the thing；〃 she
said。
That was the end of the party； but it was only the beginning of the
trouble。 Can you imagine what a queer household it would be； where the
baby laughed and crowed all night； and slept all day？ Little Daylight was
as merry and bright all night as any baby in the world； but with the first
sign of dawn she fell asleep； and slept like a little dormouse till dark。
Nothing could waken her while day lasted。 Still； the royal family got used
to this； but the rest of the bad fairy's gift was a great deal worse；that
about waxing and waning