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！
〃I must go home now； it is late；〃 said the Moon。
34
… Page 35…
Stories To Tell Children
〃I will go with you； make a path！〃 said Little Jack Rollaround。
The kind Moon made a path up to the sky； and up sailed the little bed
into the midst of the sky。 All the little bright Stars were there with their
nice little lamps。 And when he saw them； that naughty Little Jack
Rollaround began to tease。 〃Out of the way； there！ I am coming！〃 he
shouted； and sailed the trundle…bed boat straight at them。 He bumped the
little Stars right and left； all over the sky； until every one of them put his
little lamp out and left it dark。
〃Do not treat the little Stars so；〃 said the good Moon。
But Jack Rollaround only behaved the worse： 〃Get out of the way； old
Moon！〃 he shouted； 〃I am coming！〃
And he steered the little trundle…bed boat straight into the old Moon's
face； and bumped his nose！
This was too much for the good Moon； he put out his big light； all at
once； and left the sky pitch…black。
〃Make a light； old Moon！ Make a light！〃 shouted the little boy。 But the
Moon answered never a word； and Jack Rollaround could not see where to
steer。 He went rolling criss…cross； up and down； all over the sky； knocking
into the planets and stumbling into the clouds； till he did not know where
he was。
Suddenly he saw a big yellow light at the very edge of the sky。 He
thought it was the Moon。 〃Look out； I am coming！〃 he cried； and steered
for the light。
But it was not the kind old Moon at all； it was the great mother Sun；
just coming up out of her home in the sea； to begin her day's work。
〃Aha； youngster； what are you doing in my sky？〃 she said。 And she
picked Little Jack Rollaround up and threw him； trundle…bed boat and all；
into the middle of the sea！
And I suppose he is there yet； unless somebody picked him out again。
HOW BROTHER RABBIT FOOLED THE WHALE AND THE
ELEPHANT＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from two tales included in the records of the American
Folk…Lore Society。
One day little Brother Rabbit was running along on the sand； lippety；
35
… Page 36…
Stories To Tell Children
lippety； when he saw the Whale and the Elephant talking together。 Little
Brother Rabbit crouched down and listened to what they were saying。 This
was what they were saying：
〃You are the biggest thing on the land； Brother Elephant；〃 said the
Whale； 〃and I am the biggest thing in the sea； if we join together we can
rule all the animals in the world； and have our way about everything。〃
〃Very good； very good；〃 trumpeted the Elephant； 〃that suits me； we
will do it。〃
Little Brother Rabbit snickered to himself。 〃They won't rule me；〃 he
said。 He ran away and got a very long； very strong rope； and he got his big
drum； and hid the drum a long way off in the bushes。 Then he went along
the beach till he came to the Whale。
〃Oh； please； dear； strong Mr。 Whale；〃 he said； 〃will you have the great
kindness to do me a favor？ My cow is stuck in the mud； a quarter of a mile
from here。 And I can't pull her out。 But you are so strong and so obliging；
that I venture to trust you will help me out。〃
The Whale was so pleased with the compliment that he said； 〃Yes；〃 at
once。
〃Then；〃 said the Rabbit； 〃I will tie this end of my long rope to you； and
I will run away and tie the other end round my cow； and when I am ready I
will beat my big drum。 When you hear that； pull very； very hard； for the
cow is stuck very deep in the mud。〃
〃Huh！〃 grunted the Whale； 〃I'll pull her out； if she is stuck to the
horns。〃
Little Brother Rabbit tied the rope…end to the whale； and ran off；
lippety； lippety； till he came to the place where the Elephant was。
〃Oh； please； mighty and kindly Elephant；〃 he said； making a very low
bow 〃will you do me a favor？〃
〃What is it？〃 asked the Elephant。
〃My cow is stuck in the mud； about a quarter of a mile from here；〃
said little Brother Rabbit； 〃and I cannot pull her out。 Of course you could。
If you will be so very obliging as to help me〃
〃Certainly；〃 said the Elephant grandly； 〃certainly。〃
〃Then；〃 said little Brother Rabbit； 〃I will tie one end of this long rope
36
… Page 37…
Stories To Tell Children
to your trunk； and the other to my cow； and as soon as I have tied her
tightly I will beat my big drum。 When you hear that； pull； pull as hard as
you can； for my cow is very heavy。〃
〃Never fear；〃 said the Elephant； 〃I could pull twenty cows。〃
〃I am sure you could；〃 said the Rabbit； politely； 〃only be sure to begin
gently； and pull harder and harder till you get her。〃
Then he tied the end of the rope tightly round the Elephant's trunk； and
ran away into the bushes。 There he sat down and beat the big drum。
The Whale began to pull； and the Elephant began to pull； and in a jiffy
the rope tightened till it was stretched as hard as could be。
〃This is a remarkably heavy cow；〃 said the Elephant； 〃but I'll fetch
her！〃 And he braced his forefeet in the earth； and gave a tremendous pull。
〃Dear me！〃 said the Whale。 〃That cow must be stuck mighty tight；〃
and he drove his tail deep in the water； and gave a marvelous pull。
He pulled harder； the Elephant pulled harder。 Pretty soon the Whale
found himself sliding toward the land。 The reason was； of course； that the
Elephant had something solid to brace against； and； too； as fast as he
pulled the rope in a little； he took a turn with it round his trunk！
But when the Whale found himself sliding toward the land he was so
provoked with the cow that he dove head first； down to the bottom of the
sea。 That was a pull！ The Elephant was jerked off his feet； and came
slipping and sliding to the beach； and into the surf。 He was terribly angry。
He braced himself with all his might； and pulled his best。 At the jerk； up
came the Whale out of the water。
〃Who is pulling me？〃 spouted the Whale。
〃Who is pulling me？〃 trumpeted the Elephant。
And then each saw the rope in the other's hold。
〃I'll teach you to play cow！〃 roared the Elephant。
〃I'll show you how to fool me！〃 fumed the Whale。 And they began to
pull again。 But this time the rope broke； the Whale turned a somersault；
and the Elephant fell over backwards。
At that； they were both so ashamed that neither would speak to the
other。 So that broke up the bargain between them。
And little Brother Rabbit sat in the bushes and laughed； and laughed；
37
… Page 38…
Stories To Tell Children
and laughed。
THE LITTLE HALF…CHICK
There was once upon a time a Spanish Hen； who hatched out some
nice little chickens。 She was much pleased with their looks as they came
from the shell。 One； two； three； came out plump and fluffy； but when the
fourth shell broke； out came a little half…chick！ It had only one leg and one
wing and one eye！ It was just half a chicken。
The Hen…mother did not know what in the world to do with the queer
little Half… Chick。 She was afraid something would happen to it； and she
tried hard to protect it and keep it from harm。 But as soon as it could walk
the little Half…Chick showed a most headstrong spirit； worse than any of
its brothers。 It would not mind； and it would go wherever it wanted to； it
walked with a funny little hoppity…kick； hoppity… kick； and got along
pretty fast。
One day the little Half…Chick said； 〃Mother； I am off to Madrid； to see
the King！ Good…by。〃
The poor Hen…mother did everything she could think of； to keep him
from doing so foolish a thing； but the little Half…Chick laughed at her
naughtily。 〃I'm for seeing the King；〃 he said； 〃this life is too quiet for me。〃
And away he went； hoppity…kick； hoppity…kick； over the fields。
When he had gone some distance the little Half…Chick came to a little
brook that was caught in the weeds and in much trouble。
〃Little Half…Chick；〃 whispered the Water； 〃I a