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Stories To Tell Children
tiny stairs to his own home。 But the little door was locked； and the little
Red Man had the key。 And he said to the poor mouse；
〃You shall be my servant； you shall make my bed and sweep my room
and cook my broth。〃
So the little brown Mouse was the little Red Man's servant； and every
day he made the little Red Man's bed and swept the little Red Man's room
and cooked the little Red Man's broth。 And every day the little Red Man
went away through the tiny door； and did not come back till afternoon。 But
he always locked the door after him； and carried away the key。
At last； one day he was in such a hurry that he turned the key before
the door was quite latched； which； of course； didn't lock it at all。 He went
away without noticing； he was in such a hurry。
The little Field Mouse knew that his chance had come to run away
home。 But he didn't want to go without the pretty； shiny acorn。 Where it
was he didn't know； so he looked everywhere。 He opened every little
drawer and looked in； but it wasn't in any of the drawers； he peeped on
every shelf； but it wasn't on a shelf； he hunted in every closet； but it wasn't
in there。 Finally； he climbed up on a chair and opened a wee； wee door in
the chimney… piece；and there it was！
He took it quickly in his forepaws； and then he took it in his mouth；
and then he ran away。 He pushed open the little door； he climbed up； up；
up the little stairs； he came out through the hole under the root； he ran and
ran through the fields； and at last he came to his own house。
When he was in his own house he set the shiny acorn on the table。 I
guess he set it down hard； for all at once； with a little snap； it opened！
exactly like a little box。
And what do you think！ There was a tiny necklace inside！ It was a
most beautiful tiny necklace； all made of jewels； and it was just big
enough for a lady mouse。 So the little Field Mouse gave the tiny necklace
to his little Mouse…sister。 She thought it was perfectly lovely。 And when
she wasn't wearing it she kept it in the shiny acorn box。
And the little Red Man never knew what had become of it； because he
didn't know where the little Field Mouse lived。
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Stories To Tell Children
ANOTHER LITTLE RED HEN＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from the verse version； which is given here as an
alternative。
Once upon a time there was a little Red Hen； who lived on a farm all
by herself。 An old Fox； crafty and sly； had a den in the rocks； on a hill near
her house。 Many and many a night this old Fox used to lie awake and
think to himself how good that little Red Hen would taste if he could once
get her in his big kettle and boil her for dinner。 But he couldn't catch the
little Red Hen； because she was too wise for him。 Every time she went out
to market she locked the door of the house behind her； and as soon as she
came in again she locked the door behind her and put the key in her apron
pocket； where she kept her scissors and a sugar cooky。
At last the old Fox thought up a way to catch the little Red Hen。 Early
in the morning he said to his old mother； 〃Have the kettle boiling when I
come home to… night； for I'll be bringing the little Red Hen for supper。〃
Then he took a big bag and slung it over his shoulder； and walked till he
came to the little Red Hen's house。 The little Red Hen was just coming out
of her door to pick up a few sticks for kindling wood。 So the old Fox hid
behind the wood… pile； and as soon as she bent down to get a stick； into the
house he slipped； and scurried behind the door。
In a minute the little Red Hen came quickly in； and shut the door and
locked it。 〃I'm glad I'm safely in；〃 she said。 Just as she said it； she turned
round； and there stood the ugly old Fox； with his big bag over his shoulder。
Whiff！ how scared the little Red Hen was！ She dropped her apronful of
sticks； and flew up to the big beam across the ceiling。 There she perched；
and she said to the old Fox； down below； 〃You may as well go home； for
you can't get me。〃
〃Can't I； though！〃 said the Fox。 And what do you think he did？ He
stood on the floor underneath the little Red Hen and twirled round in a
circle after his own tail。 And as he spun； and spun； and spun； faster； and
faster； and faster； the poor little Red Hen got so dizzy watching him that
she couldn't hold on to the perch。 She dropped off； and the old Fox picked
her up and put her in his bag； slung the bag over his shoulder； and started
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Stories To Tell Children
for home； where the kettle was boiling。
He had a very long way to go； up hill； and the little Red Hen was still
so dizzy that she didn't know where she was。 But when the dizziness
began to go off； she whisked her little scissors out of her apron pocket； and
snip！ she cut a little hole in the bag； then she poked her head out and saw
where she was； and as soon as they came to a good spot she cut the hole
bigger and jumped out herself。 There was a great big stone lying there； and
the little Red Hen picked it up and put it in the bag as quick as a wink。
Then she ran as fast as she could till she came to her own little farm…
house； and she went in and locked the door with the big key。
The old Fox went on carrying the stone and never knew the difference。
My； but it bumped him well！ He was pretty tired when he got home。 But
he was so pleased to think of the supper he was going to have that he did
not mind that at all。 As soon as his mother opened the door he said； 〃Is the
kettle boiling？〃
〃Yes；〃 said his mother； 〃have you got the little Red Hen？〃
〃I have；〃 said the old Fox。 〃When I open the bag you hold the cover
off the kettle and I'll shake the bag so that the Hen will fall in； and then
you pop the cover on； before she can jump out。〃
〃All right；〃 said his mean old mother； and she stood close by the
boiling kettle； ready to put the cover on。
The Fox lifted the big； heavy bag up till it was over the open kettle；
and gave it a shake。 Splash！ thump！ splash！ In went the stone and out
came the boiling water； all over the old Fox and the old Fox's mother！
And they were scalded to death。
But the little Red Hen lived happily ever after； in her own little
farmhouse。
THE STORY OF THE LITTLE RID HIN＇1＇
＇1＇ From Horace E。 Scudder's Doings of the Bodley Family in Town
and Country （Houghton； Mifflin & Co。）。
There was once't upon a time A little small Rid Hin； Off in the good
ould country Where yees ha' nivir bin。
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Nice and quiet shure she was； And nivir did any harrum； She lived
alane all be herself； And worked upon her farrum。
There lived out o'er the hill； In a great din o' rocks； A crafty； shly； and
wicked Ould folly iv a Fox。
This rashkill iv a Fox； He tuk it in his head He'd have the little Rid
Hin： So； whin he wint to bed；
He laid awake and thaught What a foine thing 'twad be To fetch her
home and bile her up For his ould marm and he。
And so he thaught and thaught； Until he grew so thin That there was
nothin' left of him But jist his bones and shkin。
But the small Rid Hin was wise； She always locked her door； And in
her pocket pit the key； To keep the Fox out shure。
But at last there came a schame Intil his wicked head； And he tuk a
great big bag And to his mither said；
〃Now have the pot all bilin' Agin the time I come； We'll ate the small
Rid Hin to…night； For shure I'll bring her home。〃
And so away he wint Wid the bag upon his back； An' up the hill and
through the woods Saftly he made his track。
An' thin he came alang； Craping as shtill's a mouse； To where the
little small Rid Hin Lived in her shnug ould house。
An' out she comes hersel'； Jist as he got in sight； To pick up shticks to
make her fire： 〃Aha！〃 says Fox； 〃all right。
〃Begorra； now； I'll have yees Widout much throuble more；〃 An' in he
shlips quite unbeknownst； An' hides be'ind the door。
An' thin； a minute afther； In comes the small Rid H