Christmas Under the Snow - Part 1

The story have 3 parts
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Story :

It was just before Christmas, and Mr. Barnes was starting for the nearest village. The family were out at the door to see him start, and give him the last charges.

"Don't forget the Christmas dinner, papa," said Willie.

'"Specially the chickens for the pie!" put in Nora.

"An' the waisins," piped up little Tot, standing on tiptoe to give papa a good-bye kiss.

"I hate to have you go, George," said Mrs. Barnes anxiously. "It looks to me like a storm."

"Oh, I guess it won't be much," said Mr. Barnes lightly; "and the youngsters must have their Christmas dinner, you know."

"Well," said Mrs. Barnes, "remember this, George: if there is a bad storm don't try to come back. Stay in the village till it is over. We can get along alone for a few days, can't we, Willie?" turning to the boy who was giving the last touches to the harness of old Tim, the horse.

"Oh, yes! Papa, I can take care of mamma," said Willie earnestly.

"And get up the Christmas dinner out of nothing?" asked papa, smiling.

"I don't know," said Willie, hesitating, as he remembered the proposed dinner, in which he felt a deep interest.

"What could you do for the chicken pie?" went on papa with a roguish look in his eye, "or the plum-pudding?"

"Or the waisins?" broke in Tot anxiously.

"Tot has set her heart on the raisins," said papa, tossing the small maiden up higher than his head, and dropping her all laughing on the door-step, "and Tot shall have them sure, if papa can find them in S--. Now good-bye, all! Willie, remember to take care of mamma, and I depend on you to get up a Christmas dinner if I don't get back. Now, wife, don't worry!" were his last words as the faithful old horse started down the road.

Mrs. Barnes turned one more glance to the west, where a low, heavy bank of clouds was slowly rising, and went into the little house to attend to her morning duties.

"Willie," she said, when they were all in the snug little log-cabin in which they lived, "I'm sure there's going to be a storm, and it may be snow. You had better prepare enough wood for two or three days; Nora will help bring it in."

"Me, too!" said grave little Tot.

"Yes, Tot may help too," said mamma.

This simple little home was a busy place, and soon every one was hard at work. It was late in the afternoon before the pile of wood, which had been steadily growing all day, was high enough to satisfy Willie, for now there was no doubt about the coming storm, and it would probably bring snow; no one could guess how much, in that country of heavy storms.

"I wish the village was not so far off, so that papa could get back to-night," said Willie, as he came in with his last load.

Mrs. Barnes glanced out of the window. Broad scattering snowflakes were silently falling; the advance guard, she felt them to be, of a numerous host.

"So do I," she replied anxiously, "or that he did not have to come over that dreadful prairie, where it is so easy to get lost."

"But old Tim knows the way, even in the dark," said Willie proudly. "I believe Tim knows more'n some folks."

"No doubt he does, about the way home," said mamma, "and we won't worry about papa, but have our supper and go to bed. That'll make the time seem short."

The meal was soon eaten and cleared away, the fire carefully covered up on the hearth, and the whole little family quietly in bed. Then the storm, which had been making ready all day, came down upon them in earnest.

The bleak wind howled around the corners, the white flakes by millions and millions came with it, and hurled themselves upon that house. In fact, that poor little cabin alone on the wide prairie seemed to be the object of their sport. They sifted through the cracks in the walls, around the windows, and under the door, and made pretty little drifts on the floor. They piled up against it outside, covered the steps, and then the door, and then the windows, and then the roof, and at last buried it completely out of sight under the soft, white mass.

And all the time the mother and her three children lay snugly covered up in their beds fast asleep, and knew nothing about it.

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Christmas Under the Snow - Part 2

The story have 3 parts
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Contniue...

The night passed away and morning came, but no light broke through the windows of the cabin. Mrs. Barnes woke at the usual time, but finding it still dark and perfectly quiet outside, she concluded that the storm was over, and with a sigh of relief turned over to sleep again. About eight o'clock, however, she could sleep no more, and became wide awake enough to think the darkness strange. At that moment the clock struck, and the truth flashed over her.

Being buried under snow is no uncommon thing on the wide prairies, and since they had wood and cornmeal in plenty, she would not have been much alarmed if her husband had been home. But snow deep enough to bury them must cover up all landmarks, and she knew her husband would not rest till he had found them. To get lost on the trackless prairie was fearfully easy, and to suffer and die almost in sight of home was no unusual thing, and was her one dread in living there.

A few moments she lay quiet in bed, to calm herself and get control of her own anxieties before she spoke to the children.

"Willie," she said at last, "are you awake?"

"Yes, mamma," said Willie; "I've been awake ever so long; isn't it most morning?"

"Willie," said the mother quietly, "we mustn't be frightened, but I think--I'm afraid--we are snowed in."

Willie bounded to his feet and ran to the door. "Don't open it!" said mamma hastily; "the snow may fall in. Light a candle and look out the window."

In a moment the flickering rays of the candle fell upon the window. Willie drew back the curtain. Snow was tightly banked up against it to the top.

"Why, mamma," he exclaimed, "so we are! and how can papa find us? and what shall we do?"

"We must do the best we can," said mamma, in a voice which she tried to make steady, "and trust that it isn't very deep, and that Tim and papa will find us, and dig us out."

By this time the little girls were awake and inclined to be very much frightened, but mamma was calm now, and Willie was brave and hopeful. They all dressed, and Willie started the fire. The smoke refused to rise, but puffed out into the room, and Mrs. Barnes knew that if the chimney were closed they would probably suffocate, if they did not starve or freeze.

The smoke in a few minutes choked them, and, seeing that something must be done, she put the two girls, well wrapped in blankets, into the shed outside the back door, closed the door to keep out the smoke, and then went with Willie to the low attic, where a scuttle door opened onto the roof.

"We must try," she said, "to get it open without letting in too much snow, and see if we can manage to clear the chimney."

"I can reach the chimney from the scuttle with a shovel," said Willie. "I often have with a stick."

After much labour, and several small avalanches of snow, the scuttle was opened far enough for Willie to stand on the top round of the short ladder, and beat a hole through to the light, which was only a foot above. He then shovelled off the top of the chimney, which was ornamented with a big round cushion of snow, and then by beating and shovelling he was able to clear the door, which he opened wide, and Mrs. Barnes came up on the ladder to look out. Dreary indeed was the scene! Nothing but snow as far as the eye could reach, and flakes still falling, though lightly.

The storm was evidently almost over, but the sky was gray and overcast.

They closed the door, went down, and soon had a fire, hoping that the smoke would guide somebody to them.

Breakfast was taken by candle-light, dinner--in time--in the same way, and supper passed with no sound from the outside world.

Many times Willie and mamma went to the scuttle door to see if any one was in sight, but not a shadow broke the broad expanse of white over which toward night the sun shone. Of course there were no signs of the roads, for through so deep snow none could be broken, and until the sun and frost should form a crust on top there was little hope of their being reached.

The second morning broke, and Willie hurried up to his post of lookout the first thing. No person was in sight, but he found a light crust on the snow, and the first thing he noticed was a few half-starved birds trying in vain to pick up something to eat. They looked weak and almost exhausted, and a thought struck Willie.

It was hard to keep up the courage of the little household. Nora had openly lamented that to-night was Christmas Eve, and no Christmas dinner to be had. Tot had grown very tearful about her "waisins," and Mrs. Barnes, though she tried to keep up heart, had become very pale and silent.

Willie, though he felt unbounded faith in papa, and especially in Tim, found it hard to suppress his own complaints when he remembered that Christmas would probably be passed in the same dismal way, with fears for papa added to their own misery.

The wood, too, was getting low, and mamma dared not let the fire go out, as that was the only sign of their existence to anybody; and though she did not speak of it, Willie knew, too, that they had not many candles, and in two days at farthest they would be left in the dark.

The thought that struck Willie pleased him greatly, and he was sure it would cheer up the rest. He made his plans, and went to work to carry them out without saying anything about it.

He brought out of a corner of the attic an old boxtrap he had used in the summer to catch birds and small animals, set it carefully on the snow, and scattered crumbs of corn-bread to attract the birds.

In half an hour he went up again, and found to his delight he had caught bigger game--a poor rabbit which had come from no one knows where over the crust to find food.

This gave Willie a new idea; they could save their Christmas dinner after all; rabbits made very nice pies.

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Christmas Under the Snow - Part 3

The story have 3 parts
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Contniue...

Poor Bunny was quietly laid to rest, and the trap set again. This time another rabbit was caught, perhaps the mate of the first. This was the last of the rabbits, but the next catch was a couple of snowbirds. These Willie carefully placed in a corner of the attic, using the trap for a cage, and giving them plenty of food and water.

When the girls were fast asleep, with tears on their cheeks for the dreadful Christmas they were going to have, Willie told mamma about his plans. Mamma was pale and weak with anxiety, and his news first made her laugh and then cry. But after a few moments given to her long pent-up tears, she felt much better and entered into his plans heartily.

The two captives up in the attic were to be Christmas presents to the girls, and the rabbits were to make the long anticipated pie. As for plum-pudding, of course that couldn't be thought of.

"But don't you think, mamma," said Willie eagerly, "that you could make some sort of a cake out of meal, and wouldn't hickory nuts be good in it? You know I have some left up in the attic, and I might crack them softly up there, and don't you think they would be good?" he concluded anxiously.

"Well, perhaps so," said mamma, anxious to please him and help him in his generous plans. "I can try. If I only had some eggs--but seems to me I have heard that snow beaten into cake would make it light--and there's snow enough, I'm sure," she added with a faint smile, the first Willie had seen for three days.

The smile alone he felt to be a great achievement, and he crept carefully up the ladder, cracked the nuts to the last one, brought them down, and mamma picked the meats out, while he dressed the two rabbits which had come so opportunely to be their Christmas dinner. "Wish you Merry Christmas!" he called out to Nora and Tot when they waked. "See what Santa Claus has brought you!"

Before they had time to remember what a sorry Christmas it was to be, they received their presents, a live bird, for each, a bird that was never to be kept in a cage, but fly about the house till summer came, and then to go away if it wished.

Pets were scarce on the prairie, and the girls were delighted. Nothing papa could have brought them would have given them so much happiness.

They thought no more of the dinner, but hurried to dress themselves and feed the birds, which were quite tame from hunger and weariness. But after a while they saw preparations for dinner, too. Mamma made a crust and lined a deep dish--the chicken pie dish--and then she brought a mysterious something out of the cupboard, all cut up so that it looked as if it might be chicken, and put it in the dish with other things, and then she tucked them all under a thick crust, and set it down in a tin oven before the fire to bake. And that was not all. She got out some more cornmeal, and made a batter, and put in some sugar and something else which she slipped in from a bowl, and which looked in the batter something like raisins; and at the last moment Willie brought her a cup of snow and she hastily beat it into the cake, or pudding, whichever you might call it, while the children laughed at the idea of making a cake out of snow. This went into the same oven and pretty soon it rose up light and showed a beautiful brown crust, while the pie was steaming through little fork holes on top, and sending out most delicious odours.

At the last minute, when the table was set and everything ready to come up, Willie ran up to look out of the scuttle, as he had every hour of daylight since they were buried. In a moment came a wild shout down the ladder.

"They're coming! Hurrah for old Tim!"

Mamma rushed up and looked out, and saw--to be sure--old Tim slowly coming along over the crust, drawing after him a wood sled on which were two men.

"It's papa!" shouted Willie, waving his arms to attract their attention.

"Willie!" came back over the snow in tones of agony. "Is that you? Are all well?"

"All well!" shouted Willie, "and just going to have our Christmas dinner."

"Dinner?" echoed papa, who was now nearer.

"Where is the house, then?"

"Oh, down here!" said Willie, "under the snow; but we're all right, only we mustn't let the plum-pudding spoil."

Looking into the attic, Willie found that mamma had fainted away, and this news brought to her aid papa and the other man, who proved to be a good friend who had come to help.

Tim was tied to the chimney, whose thread of smoke had guided them home, and all went down into the dark room. Mrs. Barnes soon recovered, and while Willie dished up the smoking dinner, stories were told on both sides.

Mr. Barnes had been trying to get through the snow and to find them all the time, but until the last night had made a stiff crust he had been unable to do so. Then Mrs. Barnes told her story, winding up with the account of Willie's Christmas dinner. "And if it hadn't been for his keeping up our hearts I don't know what would have become of us," she said at last.

"Well, my son," said papa, "you did take care of mamma, and get up a dinner out of nothing, sure enough; and now we'll eat the dinner, which I am sure is delicious."

So it proved to be; even the cake, or pudding, which Tot christened snow pudding, was voted very nice, and the hickory nuts as good as raisins. When they had finished, Mr. Barnes brought in his packages, gave Tot and the rest some "sure-enough waisins," and added his Christmas presents to Willie's; but though all were overjoyed, nothing was quite so nice in their eyes as the two live birds.

After dinner the two men and Willie dug out passages from the doors, through the snow, which had wasted a good deal, uncovered the windows, and made a slanting way to his shed for old Tim. Then for two or three days Willie made tunnels and little rooms under the snow, and for two weeks, while the snow lasted, Nora and Tot had fine times in the little snow playhouses.

♦♦ End ♦♦

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A Great Sacrifice

Story :

Though the people of Rajasthan are well known for their Chivalry and valour, they too had their share of villains. Banvir was one such character. Invited by nobles to be the guardian of the weak but arrogant king, Vikramaditya, he exploited the situation to fulfill his own ambitions. And he might have been successful too, had it not been for Panna. Inspite of his lineage, rich in the respectability and the valour of Sisodias, Vikramaditya, who ascended the throne of Mewar was a very insolent and arrogant king. Many self-respecting nobles found his behavior intolerable and left Chittor never to return till Vikramaditya was on the throne.

Rani Karnavati, Vikramaditya's mother was equally distressed with her son's behavior and one day confided her grief to her trusted maidservant Panna. The wise Panna suggested that the queen should ever, in the meantime, Mewar was attacked for the second time by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, at whose hands Vikramaditya had earlier received an ignominious defeat. It was a matter of great concern for Rani Karnavati.

The antagonized nobles were not ready to fight for Vikramaditya and the imminent battle was sure to be another blot in the history of Sisodias. On Panna's suggestion Rani Karnavati wrote to the nobles to come forward for the shake of the honour of the Sisodias, and was able to persuade the nobles to fight for Mewar, if not for Vikramaditya. There sole condition was that Vikramaditya and Uday Singh should go to Bundi during the war for their personal safety.

Rani Karnavati agreed to send her sons to Bundi and told Panna to accompany them and take good care of them. Panna was reluctant, but surrendered to the wishes of the queen, when she assured her that with the renewed support of the nobles and the expected help from Humayun, all would be well.

However, tidings from Chittor were not good and a messenger informed Panna that the Sisodias had fought valiantly, but they were outnumbered and the war was lost. Rani Karnavati had committed jauhar, a ritual of self-immolation in circumstances such that were prevailing then.

Bahadur Shah had to, however, flee from Chittor when Mughal military reinforcements arrived. The loyal Rajput of Chittor sent a message to Bundi that Chittor was safe and the Rana could return without danger. Rana Vikramaditya and his brother along with Panna returned to the capital, but Vikramaditya soon reverted to his old ways and accumulated a big cluster of sycophants around him. One of the most dangerous among his courtiers was Banvir, who was also related to the Rana, and whom the Rana's father had banished from his kingdom.

Banvir had plans of his own. He felt that there were only two obstacles between him and the throne-Vikramaditya and his brother Uday Singh. He secretly conspired to kill both. After he had assassinated Vikramaditya, Banvir was spotted by Rajmani, a maidservant and seeing his crimson sword, she promptly informed Panna of the cruel deed and said that Banvir was now coming for Uday Singh.

Panna's mind began racing. She had to save the only living heir to the throne of Mewar. She ordered that a big basket and some fruits be brought. She then concealed Uday Singh in the basket and covered him with fruits and the future Maharana of the Mewar was smuggled out of the reach of Banvir. Panna placed her own sleeping son Chandan, on the bed of Uday Singh. When Banvir came, he unknowingly slew Chandan, thinking that it was Uday Singh sleeping in his bed. Soon Panna, who could not even mourn for her son, was hurrying away from Chittor with Uday Singh in search of help from other chieftains. The Rao Asa Sah of Kumbhamer was ready to give them shelter. Four year passed and Uday Singh was married to a Rajput princess. Panna then contacted the Rajput chieftains and revealed to them the story of Uday Singh's escape. The Rajput chieftain, on coming to know the truth, considered their duty to restore the throne to the rightful owner. They joined Uday Singh in the revolt against Banvir and in a battle fought near Maholi, Banvir's entire army was routed.

At last Uday Singh returned to Chittor and was later crowned as the Maharana of Mewar. He was much indebted to Panna for her great sacrifice, yet Panna in the same Rajput tradition felt that it was her duty and all her sorrow was washed away on seeing Uday Singh on the throne.

♦♦ End ♦♦

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The Little Fish And The Big Fat Bean

Story :

One day, a little fish was out swimming in the river with her mother.

The water was clear and warm, but the little fish wanted to swim faster and go farther. So the swam on and on till she reached the riverbank. She looked, and there, growing on the bank, she saw a large bean stalk and on the bean stalk, a big, fat bean. The little fish thought that she had never seen anything so funny.

"Hullo there, Fatso!" she called to the bean.

"Hullo, Midge!" the bean called back.

The little fish felt very hurt that she should be called that. She burst into tears and hurried off to complain to her mother about it.

"Oh, Mother!" she wailed. "That big fat bean called me Midge, of all things! I'm not as tiny as that, am I? I even have a tail!"

"Perhaps you hurt the bean's feelings yourself in some way," said the mother fish.

"Oh, no, mother dear, I didn't!"

"Well, let's swim back to the bank again and I'll ask the bean what made him say such a thing."

And the two of them, mother and daughter, made for the bank.

"Good morning, Mr. Bean!" the mother fish called.

"Good morning to you, Mrs. Fish!" the bean called back.

"Tell me, Mr. Bean, what made you hurt my little daughter's feelings? Why did you call her Midge?"

"She only got as good as she gave. She called me Fatso, so I called her Midge in return!"

♦♦ End ♦♦

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The Lost and Found Anteater Baby

Story :

Father and Mother Anteater and their baby Alice were all resting near some bushes in the grasslands of South America. Father and Mother Anteater had long pointed noses and long pointed tongues, but their tails were thick ad bushy. As they rested, they spread their tails and covered themselves with the long, grayish fur. They looked as if they were resting under two grey tents. Alice was curled up beside them, dozing in the hot sunshine.

After a while Father and Mother woke up. They both felt hungry, and seeing that Alice was asleep they went off to look for some ants and other tasty insects. Before long Father smelt a nest and began digging with his sharp pointed nose, whilst his tongue shot in and out to catch the insects.

Meanwhile Baby Alice woke and found she was alone. Uncurling herself, she set off to find her mother and father, but she went the wrong way. In no time she came to a village where she was soon captured by a little boy and put into a wooden crate.

Father and Mother Anteater went to the bushes where they had left Alice, but Alice wasn't there. Anxiously they sniffed with their long sharp noses until they found her trail, then they hurried after her until they came to the place where she was hidden.

All was quite in the village, everyone had gone to bed. Father and Mother Anteater tore at the wooden crate with their strong claws, then they poked with their long noses, until at last Alice was free.

Back to the grasslands the little family hurried. Then they settled beside the bushes, spread their tails over themselves once more, and were soon fast asleep under their grey, furry tents.

♦♦ End ♦♦

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Goldilocks and the three bears

Story :

Once upon a time there were three bears, who lived in a little house in the woods.

There was Father Bear, a great big bear, Mother Bear, a middle sized bear and Baby Bear, a tiny bear.

One day Mother Bear made some porridge and poured it into three bowls.

There was a great big bowl for Father Bear, a middle sized bowl for Mother Bear and a tiny little bowl for Baby Bear.

Then, they left their porridge to cool and went for a walk.

While they were out, a little girl called Goldilocks came along.

She looked through the window - Nosy girl ! Seeing no one about, she opened the door, walked in and had a good look round.

She saw the porridge on the table and helped herself.

First she tried Father Bear's porridge- That was too hot.

She tried Mother Bear's porridge- That was too cold.

But when she tasted Baby Bear's porridge it was just right. So she ate it all up!

Goldilocks looked around for somewhere to sit.

First she sat in Father Bear's chair. It was too high.

Then she tried Mother Bear's chair. That was too wide.

Then she saw Baby Bear's sweet little chair. It looked just right, so she plonked herself down in it !

The little chair broke into pieces! "Oh bother !" cried Goldilocks and ran up the stairs.

Goldilocks then felt quite sleepy. She saw the three bears' beds and they looked very comfy.

First she tried Father Bear's bed - It was too hard.

Then she lay down on Mother Bear's bed. It was too soft.

She then tried Baby Bear's bed. It was lovely and cosy. Just right ! So she got under the blankets and went to sleep.

At that moment the three bears came home ! They were hungry and were looking forward to their porridge.

They were shocked to see the mess in the house.

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN EATING MY PORRIDGE !" said Father Bear in a deep growly voice.

"Somebody has been eating my porridge" said Mother Bear in a middle sized voice. "Somebody has been eating my porridge" said Baby Bear in a tiny little voice. "And they've eaten it all up!"

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR!" said Father Bear in a deep growly voice.

"Somebody has been sitting in my chair" said Mother Bear in a middle sized voice.

"Somebody has been sitting in my chair " said Baby Bear in a tiny little voice. "And they've broken it !"

The three bears went upstairs...

"SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SLEEPING IN MY BED !" said Father Bear in a deep growly voice.

"Somebody has been sleeping in my bed" said Mother Bear in a middle sized voice.

"Somebody has been sleeping in my bed" said Baby Bear in a tiny little voice. "And look! She's still here!"

Goldilocks got such a fright that she jumped out of bed, ran down stairs and out of the house.

When she got home she was sent to bed without any supper for being out so long.

Which served her right, didn't it?

♦♦ End ♦♦

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The Rooster That Wouldn’t Crow

Story :

It was the driest summer on record, and all the crops were wilting away. Every farmer in the region was reeling from their losses. Desperate to change his fortunes, Peter Harpole decided to try his luck with poultry farming. Peter didn't know much about chickens, but selling eggs would be a great source of food, and hopefully income for him and his family. If he was successful at it!

As the sun got closer to rising over the Harpole farm, Toby, the Harpole's new rooster, took his place atop a wooden fence next to the barn. It was Toby's first chance to showcase his ability to crow. Peter purchased Toby the night before from the McHenry farm down the road. The Harpole's were desperate for a good crower, because the other rooster on their farm had laryngitis. With the purchase of Toby, the Harpole's now had a total of two roosters, and twelve hens.

When the sun broke across the horizon it triggered Toby's internal clock. He clinched the spurs of his feet against the wood, and then proceeded to belt out the loudest MOOOOOOOOOOO you ever heard. Again, and again, Toby proceeded to belt out MOOOOOOOOOOO, MOOOOOOOOOOO, and MOOOOOOOOOOO some more. Toby's mooing shocked everyone on the farm - especially since the Harpole's didn't own a cow.

"Ma, did you hear that?" asked Peter to his wife.

"Are you referring to the biscuits in your stomach, or our new cow you forgot to tell me about?"

"I didn't buy any cow."

Peter got up from the table and proceeded to walk out the front door of his home. His two daughters, Annie, and Ellie followed him.

"It's probably just some old cow that got loose from the McHenry farm, Peter," shouted Mrs. Harpole from behind the screen door.

As Peter and his daughters approached the barn, Toby was still sitting atop the wooden fence.

"Hello, Toby. Where's the cow at?" asked Peter.

Toby didn't say anything.

"Toby, where did that mooing come from?" asked Peter.

Toby started to shake because he still had some moo left in him. He tried to keep it inside, but his body started to twitch as if he had been holding his breathe for over two minutes. His shaking became uncontrollable. Unable to hold it in any longer, Toby let out the loudest MOOOOOOOOOOO ever heard in Brackford County.

Annie and Ellie jumped up and down with excitement.

"Daddy, we have a cow now," said Annie.

"Yeah, listen to him moo, Daddy," said Ellie. Both of the girls laughed hysterically.

"We don't have a cow. What we've got is a rooster with a weird sense of humor. Girls, go inside with your Mother. I want to talk with Toby alone please."

"But, Daddy, I want to play with him," said Ellie.

"You heard me. Get along now."

As the girls walked away disappointed, Peter looked Toby over and shook his head. "Well, let's take it from the top," said Peter. "What's with the mooing, Toby?"

"Mr. Harpole, you seem really nice and I hope that you'll have some patience with what I am about to share with you."

"All right, I'm listening," said Peter.

"I'll explain the mooing in a minute, but first there is something I have to tell you. Last night, I was taken from my home, and nobody even asked me if I was okay with it. I had a life at the McHenry farm and was very happy there."

"Toby, this is your home now. I paid for you. Mr. McHenry was your rightful owner and he had every right to sell you if he wanted. If it's a nice hen you're looking to settle down with they're plenty available on this farm. In case you haven't already met her, Hazel's the cute brown-and-white colored hen over in the henhouse. She's a little feisty, but I think you two would hit it off once you got to know her."

"But I already care about somebody else, and I miss her terribly," said Toby in a sad voice.

"Toby, you're going to have to get used to living here. This is your home now. Forget that hen over at the McHenry farm, and move on with your life."

"She isn't a hen," said Toby.

"What do you mean?" asked Peter with a puzzled look on his face.

Toby broke out in tears and said, "My Edna, oh how I miss my dear Edna."

"All right, all right, take it easy. Edna's very important to you. I get it. That's nice. I am curious though, Toby - if Edna isn't a hen, what is she?"

"She's a cow, Mr. Harpole. Edna is a big, beautiful cow."

"You're joking, right?" asked Peter.

"No, sir, I'm not. That's why I've been mooing. I told Edna before I was taken away that I would moo as loud as I could for her. I want her to hear me so she knows I am thinking of her."

"Toby, the first question I have for you, is how did you fall in love with a cow? You're a rooster for crying out loud."

"Whoever said love was easy, Mr. Harpole."

"Well, I'll give you that. But Toby, Mr. McHenry doesn't have any other roosters to sell. I asked him about that last night. He's one of the few farmers close by that even has chickens. Farmers in this region aren't looking to sell their roosters right now anyway, because they're trying to breed them. If you haven't noticed the crops aren't doing so well this year."

"I realize that Mr. Harpole, but what's the problem with me mooing anyway? Is it really that big a deal?" asked Toby.

"When it's coming from a rooster, yes, Toby it is. Let's say word gets out around town that my rooster moos instead of crows. The local grocers would probably quit buying from me, because they think I have defective chickens."

"This just isn't fair, Mr. Harpole."

"Toby, I want you to think about everything we've discussed. Bright and early tomorrow morning, when you start to cackle, I'll be expecting to hear several loud crows out of you." As Peter walked back toward the house, Toby collected his thoughts and pondered what he was going to do.

"Excuse me," said one of the hens to Toby. "I hope you don't mind, but I was listening to your conversation with Mr. Harpole, and I would like to offer you some friendly advice."

"Sure, fire away," said Toby. "I could use it right now".

"Well, first you've got to understand Mr. Harpole's just trying to make an honest living to support his family," said the hen.

"And what's so wrong with our place anyway? I think you would really like it here if you gave it a chance."

"Let me stop you right there. I completely understand and appreciate Mr. Harpole's situation. I really do. But what kind of life are we living for ourselves, if we just settle for whatever makes everyone else happy? This is a great farm, and everyone here has been wonderful so far. This isn't about where I live. I'm talking about how I live. I'm talking about being with the one I care about. Please don't take this personally."

"It's a little hard not to. Your wanting to be on a different farm is one thing, but wanting to get back to a cow; well, now every hen on this farm believes you feel you're too good for them."

"That is absolutely not true. Haven't you ever been in love?"

"Yes, Toby, but it wasn't with a frog, a goat or a tiger. His name was Charlie, and he was, believe it or not, a rooster. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that. I know this is tough, but you'll figure everything out. My name is Paula, Toby. If you ever need to talk just come over to the coop and peck three times."

"I will, Paula. And thanks for the advice."

Toby couldn't sleep a wink that night. He didn't know what he was going to do. He thought about running back to the McHenry farm, but was afraid that would get him and Edna both in trouble. The next morning as the sun peeked over the horizon, Toby followed his heart and let out a very loud MOOOOOOOOOOO. About ten seconds after doing so, Peter ran out of the house to confront Toby!

"Toby, what are you doing? Did you not listen to a thing I said yesterday?"

"I did, Mr. Harpole. But I've got to do what I believe in."

Peter shook his head and went back into his house to get the keys to his truck.

"Where are you going so early?" asked Mrs. Harpole.

"I'm going to town to hopefully find a buyer for that crazy rooster."

"Daddy, please don't sell Toby? We love him," pleaded Annie.

"I don't have a choice, Annie. We've got to make a living." Peter stormed out of the house and sped off in his truck.

"Mommy, please don't let Daddy sell Toby? Please, Mommy!" cried Ellie.

The next month was not the best of times at the Harpole farm. Peter had failed to find a buyer for Toby, because word had already spread about his mooing rooster. Every morning Toby mooed with all his might. People were starting to flock to the Harpole farm like seagulls to see Toby moo his heart out. When Toby's unusual behavior was mentioned in the local paper, Peter had all he could stand, and decided he would have to find a buyer for Toby out of the region. He didn't care if it meant driving three states away. Peter wanted to be done with this troublesome bird once and for all.

One evening during supper, Peter mentioned his intensions to sell Toby out of state. It didn't sit well with his daughters.

"Daddy, I am begging you. Can we please keep Toby?" asked Annie.

"Annie, we've already talked about this. We can no longer have this rooster causing so much disruption in our lives."

"He doesn't cause me dis-rup-tins, Daddy," cried Ellie. Peter looked at his daughters’ sad faces and it tore him up inside.

He got up from the table and walked outside to take a walk. As Ellie was being consoled by her mother, Annie became excited and blurted out, "I have an idea, Mommy. I have an idea how we can save Toby."

"Well, what is it?" asked Mrs. Harpole.

"Toby wants to be with Edna more than anything, right?"

"Yes, I'm listening."

"Well, why can't Toby and Edna be together at the petting zoo in Belvar?"

Mrs. Harpole was sold on Annie's idea the moment she suggested it, and was anxious to share it with Peter upon his return. Mrs. Harpole believed in her heart this could be the solution to their ever-growing dilemma. And it was. After a long sit down talk with both Peter and Mr. McHenry, the Belvar petting zoo agreed to take on Toby and Edna as pets.

Most of the money generated to see this unusual couple would go to the petting zoo, and the rest would be split equally between Peter, and Mr. McHenry.

In no time at all Peter had made more money from the zoo than he would have with twenty roosters on his farm. As for Toby and Edna, well, they're still together to this day. They couldn't be happier. People who see them now don't find it that odd anymore. But they do have the strangest looking kids you ever did see.

♦♦ End ♦♦

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The Lazy Loppin Goat

Story :

The grass was tall - very, very, tall - but it shouldn’t have been. Alfred Lambert had the worst luck with lawnmowers, you see, and no matter how many new lawnmowers Alfred bought none ever worked for him. Alfred’s luck was so bad that the store he bought lawnmowers from made sure to have a new one waiting for him every day; they just knew he would be coming back for another.

At first, Alfred’s neighbors were mad at the way his yard made the whole neighborhood look. Many folks in town were so fed up that they offered to cut Alfred’s grass for free, but Alfred refused any help. He was determined to cut his own lawn.

As Alfred’s grass grew to historic heights, the whole town of Belvar eventually embraced the jungle known as Alfred’s yard. The Mayor of Belvar even declared Alfred’s yard a town landmark. Next to the clouds in the sky, Alfred’s yard was the tallest thing in town. Alfred didn’t like all of the attention his yard was receiving though, and he felt embarrassed at how tall his grass had become.

One evening, after yet another failed attempt to buy a working lawnmower, Alfred was ready to give up on finding a way to mow his jungle-of-a-yard. Then out of nowhere a faint little bleat from a goat could be heard in the distance. Alfred’s face lit up like a Christmas tree upon hearing the goat’s bleat. Alfred felt he found the solution to cutting his lawn, because goats love to eat grass, and any goat would be thrilled to feast in Alfred’s yard.

After climbing up the grass in his yard and looking down at the telephone poles, Alfred worked his way out of his yard and darted to the nearest farm. The Cline family lived down the road from Alfred, and they had several kinds of animals on their farm. In addition to chickens, cattle and hogs, the Clines had one little caramel colored goat with dark stockings. She was a friendly little goat, but the Cline family seldom paid her much attention. The little goat felt lonely and spent most of her days walking aimlessly in the green pasture. When Alfred approached the Cline family about his idea, Mr. Cline and his entire family started to laugh hysterically. And it didn’t stop there! The chickens, cattle and hogs nearby all laughed, too.

“That’s one lazy loppin goat,” declared Mr. Cline. “You can have her for free.”

“May I ask why you feel the goat is lazy?” asked Alfred.

“It doesn’t want to work. It doesn’t want to do much of anything,” said Mr. Cline.

“Well, since you’re offering her for free, I don’t have anything to lose,” said Alfred.

“Very well,” said Mr. Cline. “She’s all yours.”

As Alfred walked across the Cline’s farm in search of the little goat, several of the farm animals were still laughing.

“Good luck with that goat. You’re going to need it,” said one of the chickens.

The chicken’s comment made all the other animals laugh even harder. Alfred ignored the animals’ laughter and spotted the little goat down on the meadow. As Alfred approached the little goat, she lifted her head out of the creek she was drinking from to see what he wanted.

“Excuse me, my name is Alfred, and I live down the road from here.”

“How do you do?” asked the little goat.

“I am fine, thanks. Do you have a name?” asked Alfred.

“Yes,” replied the little goat. “My name is Irene.”

“Well, very nice to meet you, Irene. I just spoke with Mr. Cline, and he said that I could be your new owner.”

“What do you mean?” asked the little goat. “What did he get in return?”

“Nothing, he gave you to me for free. Mr. Cline said you’re lazy and don’t like to work. Is that true?”

“No, sir, it’s not,” replied the little goat. “I love to work, but nobody on this farm understands that.”

“Well, I’ve got a situation I was hoping you could help me with. Come with me and we’ll discuss it along the way,” said Alfred.

The little goat’s feelings were hurt that the Cline family was so willing to give her away for free, but she thought moving might be the new start she was looking for. As Alfred and the little goat walked toward his home, Alfred’s yard became visible almost immediately.

“What in the world is that?” asked the little goat.

“That’s my yard,” replied Alfred.

“Wait a minute. I’ve heard of you. You’re that Lambert fellow with the yard that touches the sky.”

Alfred couldn’t believe that his yard had become gossip even among farm animals.



“Yes, that’s my yard,” replied Alfred. “The height of my grass is why you’re coming with me. I need my grass to be down to a respectable height.”

“First of all, you don’t need a goat for that, Alfred, you need about 25 combines,” said the little goat. “Secondly, I am allergic to grass.”

“You’re joking, right?” asked Alfred.

“No, I’m not,” replied the little goat.

Alfred became upset at the little goat, because he thought she was lying to him.

“How can a goat be allergic to grass? Don’t you live for that stuff?”

“Grass isn’t cotton candy, Alfred,” replied the little goat. “And since when do any of us decide what we’re allergic to?”

“I don’t buy this for one second,” said Alfred. “It’s like Mr. Cline said - you’re a lazy loppin goat.”

Fed up with Alfred not believing her, the little goat walked over to the side of Alfred’s yard and took a huge bite out of it. Almost immediately after taking the bite of grass, the little goat broke out in green and purple polka dots. Alfred couldn’t believe his eyes. After just one bite of grass, Alfred had a rainbow-colored goat on his hands.

“I’m really sorry,” said Alfred. “I should have believed you. Can I get you anything?”

“Yes,” replied the little goat. “I need some fresh water and something to help settle my stomach.”

“I thought goats were supposed to be garbage disposals,” said Alfred.

“That’s what everyone at the Cline farm thought too,” said the little goat. “I’m not a lazy loppin goat, Alfred, I just happen to be a goat that’s allergic to grass.”



“Well, you’re more than welcome to stay here anyway. I’ll just find something else for you to do if you can’t eat grass,” said Alfred.

“I’ll tell you what, Alfred, I’ll help you mow this yard, and all I’ll need in return is just two things,” said the little goat.

“Just two things?” asked Alfred. “Name it. Anything you want.”

“As you now know, I can’t eat grass, but what I do love to eat is lima beans. I can’t get enough of them,” said the little goat. “That’s the first thing I’ll need.”

“Well, that’s easy enough,” said Alfred. “What’s the second thing you’ll need?”

“The second thing is really more for us than just me,” said the little goat.

“What is it?” asked Alfred.

The little goat tapped her hoof on Alfred’s lawnmower and said, “We’ll need gas for the lawnmower, Alfred. We’ll need gas for the lawnmower.”

♦♦ End ♦♦

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The Red Shoes

Story :

Once upon a time there was little girl, pretty and dainty. But in summer time she was obliged to go barefooted because she was poor, and in winter she had to wear large wooden shoes, so that her little instep grew quite red.

In the middle of the village lived an old shoemaker's wife; she sat down and made, as well as she could, a pair of little shoes out of some old pieces of red cloth. They were clumsy, but she meant well, for they were intended for the little girl, whose name was Karen.

Karen received the shoes and wore them for the first time on the day of her mother's funeral. They were certainly not suitable for mourning; but she had no others, and so she put her bare feet into them and walked behind the humble coffin.

Just then a large old carriage came by, and in it sat an old lady; she looked at the little girl, and taking pity on her, said to the clergyman, "Look here, if you will give me the little girl, I will take care of her."

Karen believed that this was all on account of the red shoes, but the old lady thought them hideous, and so they were burnt. Karen herself was dressed very neatly and cleanly; she was taught to read and to sew, and people said that she was pretty. But the mirror told her, "You are more than pretty - you are beautiful."

One day the Queen was travelling through that part of the country, and had her little daughter, who was a princess, with her. All the people, amongst them Karen too, streamed towards the castle, where the little princess, in fine white clothes, stood before the window and allowed herself to be stared at. She wore neither a train nor a golden crown, but beautiful red morocco shoes; they were indeed much finer than those which the shoemaker's wife had sewn for little Karen. There is really nothing in the world that can be compared to red shoes!

Karen was now old enough to be confirmed; she received some new clothes, and she was also to have some new shoes. The rich shoemaker in the town took the measure of her little foot in his own room, in which there stood great glass cases full of pretty shoes and white slippers. It all looked very lovely, but the old lady could not see very well, and therefore did not get much pleasure out of it. Amongst the shoes stood a pair of red ones, like those which the princess had worn. How beautiful they were! and the shoemaker said that they had been made for a count's daughter, but that they had not fitted her.

"I suppose they are of shiny leather?" asked the old lady. "They shine so."

"Yes, they do shine," said Karen. They fitted her, and were bought. But the old lady knew nothing of their being red, for she would never have allowed Karen to be confirmed in red shoes, as she was now to be.

Everybody looked at her feet, and the whole of the way from the church door to the choir it seemed to her as if even the ancient figures on the monuments, in their stiff collars and long black robes, had their eyes fixed on her red shoes. It was only of these that she thought when the clergyman laid his hand upon her head and spoke of the holy baptism, of the covenant with God, and told her that she was now to be a grown-up Christian. The organ pealed forth solemnly, and the sweet children's voices mingled with that of their old leader; but Karen thought only of her red shoes. In the afternoon the old lady heard from everybody that Karen had worn red shoes. She said that it was a shocking thing to do, that it was very improper, and that Karen was always to go to church in future in black shoes, even if they were old.

On the following Sunday there was Communion. Karen looked first at the black shoes, then at the red ones - looked at the red ones again, and put them on.

The sun was shining gloriously, so Karen and the old lady went along the footpath through the corn, where it was rather dusty.

At the church door stood an old crippled soldier leaning on a crutch; he had a wonderfully long beard, more red than white, and he bowed down to the ground and asked the old lady whether he might wipe her shoes. Then Karen put out her little foot too.

"Dear me, what pretty dancing-shoes!" said the soldier. "Sit fast, when you dance," said he, addressing the shoes, and slapping the soles with his hand.

The old lady gave the soldier some money and then went with Karen into the church.

And all the people inside looked at Karen's red shoes, and all the figures gazed at them; when Karen knelt before the altar and put the golden goblet to her mouth, she thought only of the red shoes. It seemed to her as though they were swimming about in the goblet, and she forgot to sing the psalm, forgot to say the "Lord's Prayer."

Now every one came out of church, and the old lady stepped into her carriage. But just as Karen was lifting up her foot to get in too, the old soldier said: "Dear me, what pretty dancing shoes!" and Karen could not help it, she was obliged to dance a few steps; and when she had once begun, her legs continued to dance. It seemed as if the shoes had got power over them. She danced round the church corner, for she could not stop; the coachman had to run after her and seize her. He lifted her into the carriage, but her feet continued to dance, so that she kicked the good old lady violently. At last they took off her shoes, and her legs were at rest.

At home the shoes were put into the cupboard, but Karen could not help looking at them.

Now the old lady fell ill, and it was said that she would not rise from her bed again. She had to be nursed and waited upon, and this was no one's duty more than Karen's. But there was a grand ball in the town, and Karen was invited. She looked at the red shoes, saying to herself that there was no sin in doing that; she put the red shoes on, thinking there was no harm in that either; and then she went to the ball; and commenced to dance.

But when she wanted to go to the right, the shoes danced to the left, and when she wanted to dance up the room, the shoes danced down the room, down the stairs through the street, and out through the gates of the town. She danced, and was obliged to dance, far out into the dark wood. Suddenly something shone up among the trees, and she believed it was the moon, for it was a face. But it was the old soldier with the red beard; he sat there nodding his head and said: "Dear me, what pretty dancing shoes!"

She was frightened, and wanted to throw the red shoes away; but they stuck fast. She tore off her stockings, but the shoes had grown fast to her feet. She danced and was obliged to go on dancing over field and meadow, in rain and sunshine, by night and by day - but by night it was most horrible.

She danced out into the open churchyard; but the dead there did not dance. They had something better to do than that. She wanted to sit down on the pauper's grave where the bitter fern grows; but for her there was neither peace nor rest. And as she danced past the open church door she saw an angel there in long white robes, with wings reaching from his shoulders down to the earth; his face was stern and grave, and in his hand he held a broad shining sword.

"Dance you shall," said he, "dance in your red shoes till you are pale and cold, till your skin shrivels up and you are a skeleton! Dance you shall, from door to door, and where proud and wicked children live you shall knock, so that they may hear you and fear you! Dance you shall, dance!"

"Mercy!" cried Karen. But she did not hear what the angel answered, for the shoes carried her through the gate into the fields, along highways and byways, and unceasingly she had to dance.

One morning she danced past a door that she knew well; they were singing a psalm inside, and a coffin was being carried out covered with flowers. Then she knew that she was forsaken by every one and damned by the angel of God.

She danced, and was obliged to go on dancing through the dark night. The shoes bore her away over thorns and stumps till she was all torn and bleeding; she danced away over the heath to a lonely little house. Here, she knew, lived the executioner; and she tapped with her finger at the window and said:

"Come out, come out! I cannot come in, for I must dance."

And the executioner said: "I don't suppose you know who I am. I strike off the heads of the wicked, and I notice that my axe is tingling to do so."

"Don't cut off my head!" said Karen, "for then I could not repent of my sin. But cut off my feet with the red shoes."

And then she confessed all her sin, and the executioner struck off her feet with the red shoes; but the shoes danced away with the little feet across the field into the deep forest.

And he carved her a pair of wooden feet and some crutches, and taught her a psalm which is always sung by sinners; she kissed the hand that guided the axe, and went away over the heath.

"Now, I have suffered enough for the red shoes," she said; "I will go to church, so that people can see me." And she went quickly up to the church-door; but when she came there, the red shoes were dancing before her, and she was frightened, and turned back.

During the whole week she was sad and wept many bitter tears, but when Sunday came again she said: "Now I have suffered and striven enough. I believe I am quite as good as many of those who sit in church and give themselves airs." And so she went boldly on; but she had not got farther than the churchyard gate when she saw the red shoes dancing along before her. Then she became terrified, and turned back and repented right heartily of her sin.

She went to the parsonage, and begged that she might be taken into service there. She would be industrious, she said, and do everything that she could; she did not mind about the wages as long as she had a roof over her, and was with good people. The pastor's wife had pity on her, and took her into service. And she was industrious and thoughtful. She sat quiet and listened when the pastor read aloud from the Bible in the evening. All the children liked her very much, but when they spoke about dress and grandeur and beauty she would shake her head.

On the following Sunday they all went to church, and she was asked whether she wished to go too; but, with tears in her eyes, she looked sadly at her crutches. And then the others went to hear God's Word, but she went alone into her little room; this was only large enough to hold the bed and a chair. Here she sat down with her hymn-book, and as she was reading it with a pious mind, the wind carried the notes of the organ over to her from the church, and in tears she lifted up her face and said: "O God! help me!"

Then the sun shone so brightly, and right before her stood an angel of God in white robes; it was the same one whom she had seen that night at the church-door. He no longer carried the sharp sword, but a beautiful green branch, full of roses; with this he touched the ceiling, which rose up very high, and where he had touched it there shone a golden star. He touched the walls, which opened wide apart, and she saw the organ which was pealing forth; she saw the pictures of the old pastors and their wives, and the congregation sitting in the polished chairs and singing from their hymn-books. The church itself had come to the poor girl in her narrow room, or the room had gone to the church. She sat in the pew with the rest of the pastor's household, and when they had finished the hymn and looked up, they nodded and said, "It was right of you to come, Karen."


"It was mercy," said she.

The organ played and the children's voices in the choir sounded soft and lovely. The bright warm sunshine streamed through the window into the pew where Karen sat, and her heart became so filled with it, so filled with peace and joy, that it broke. Her soul flew on the sunbeams to Heaven, and no one was there who asked after the Red Shoes.

♦♦ End ♦♦

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The Little Mermaid - Part 11

The Story Have 11 Parts

Part 1                         Part 2                         Part 3
Part 4                         Part 5                         Part 6
Part 7                         Part 8                         Part 9
Part 10                       Part 11                      


Story :

"We have given our hair to the witch," said they, "to obtain help for you, that you may not die to-night. She has given us a knife: here it is, see it is very sharp. Before the sun rises you must plunge it into the heart of the prince; when the warm blood falls upon your feet they will grow together again, and form into a fish's tail, and you will be once more a mermaid, and return to us to live out your three hundred years before you die and change into the salt sea foam. Haste, then; he or you must die before sunrise. Our old grandmother moans so for you, that her white hair is falling off from sorrow, as ours fell under the witch's scissors. Kill the prince and come back; hasten: do you not see the first red streaks in the sky? In a few minutes the sun will rise, and you must die." And then they sighed deeply and mournfully, and sank down beneath the waves.

The little mermaid drew back the crimson curtain of the tent, and beheld the fair bride with her head resting on the prince's breast. She bent down and kissed his fair brow, then looked at the sky on which the rosy dawn grew brighter and brighter; then she glanced at the sharp knife, and again fixed her eyes on the prince, who whispered the name of his bride in his dreams. She was in his thoughts, and the knife trembled in the hand of the little mermaid: then she flung it far away from her into the waves; the water turned red where it fell, and the drops that spurted up looked like blood. She cast one more lingering, half-fainting glance at the prince, and then threw herself from the ship into the sea, and thought her body was dissolving into foam.

The sun rose above the waves, and his warm rays fell on the cold foam of the little mermaid, who did not feel as if she were dying. She saw the bright sun, and all around her floated hundreds of transparent beautiful beings; she could see through them the white sails of the ship, and the red clouds in the sky; their speech was melodious, but too ethereal to be heard by mortal ears, as they were also unseen by mortal eyes. The little mermaid perceived that she had a body like theirs, and that she continued to rise higher and higher out of the foam.

"Where am I?" asked she, and her voice sounded ethereal, as the voice of those who were with her; no earthly music could imitate it.

"Among the daughters of the air," answered one of them. "A mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being. On the power of another hangs her eternal destiny. But the daughters of the air, although they do not possess an immortal soul, can, by their good deeds, procure one for themselves. We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence. We carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration. After we have striven for three hundred years to all the good in our power, we receive an immortal soul and take part in the happiness of mankind. You, poor little mermaid, have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing; you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit-world by your good deeds; and now, by striving for three hundred years in the same way, you may obtain an immortal soul."

The little mermaid lifted her glorified eyes towards the sun, and felt them, for the first time, filling with tears. On the ship, in which she had left the prince, there were life and noise; she saw him and his beautiful bride searching for her; sorrowfully they gazed at the pearly foam, as if they knew she had thrown herself into the waves. Unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride, and fanned the prince, and then mounted with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the aether.

"After three hundred years, thus shall we float into the kingdom of heaven," said she.

"And we may even get there sooner," whispered one of her companions. "Unseen we can enter the houses of men, where there are children, and for every day on which we find a good child, who is the joy of his parents and deserves their love, our time of probation is shortened. The child does not know, when we fly through the room, that we smile with joy at his good conduct, for we can count one year less of our three hundred years. But when we see a naughty or a wicked child, we shed tears of sorrow, and for every tear a day is added to our time of trial!"

♦♦♦ End ♦♦♦

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The Little Mermaid - Part 9

The Story Have 11 Parts

Part 1                         Part 2                         Part 3
Part 4                         Part 5                         Part 6
Part 7                         Part 8                         Part 9
Part 10                       Part 11                      


Story :

The slaves next performed some pretty fairy-like dances, to the sound of beautiful music. Then the little mermaid raised her lovely white arms, stood on the tips of her toes, and glided over the floor, and danced as no one yet had been able to dance. At each moment her beauty became more revealed, and her expressive eyes appealed more directly to the heart than the songs of the slaves. Every one was enchanted, especially the prince, who called her his little foundling; and she danced again quite readily, to please him, though each time her foot touched the floor it seemed as if she trod on sharp knives.

The prince said she should remain with him always, and she received permission to sleep at his door, on a velvet cushion. He had a page's dress made for her, that she might accompany him on horseback. They rode together through the sweet-scented woods, where the green boughs touched their shoulders, and the little birds sang among the fresh leaves. She climbed with the prince to the tops of high mountains; and although her tender feet bled so that even her steps were marked, she only laughed, and followed him till they could see the clouds beneath them looking like a flock of birds travelling to distant lands. While at the prince's palace, and when all the household were asleep, she would go and sit on the broad marble steps; for it eased her burning feet to bathe them in the cold sea-water; and then she thought of all those below in the deep.

Once during the night her sisters came up arm-in-arm, singing sorrowfully, as they floated on the water. She beckoned to them, and then they recognized her, and told her how she had grieved them. After that, they came to the same place every night; and once she saw in the distance her old grandmother, who had not been to the surface of the sea for many years, and the old Sea King, her father, with his crown on his head. They stretched out their hands towards her, but they did not venture so near the land as her sisters did.

As the days passed, she loved the prince more fondly, and he loved her as he would love a little child, but it never came into his head to make her his wife; yet, unless he married her, she could not receive an immortal soul; and, on the morning after his marriage with another, she would dissolve into the foam of the sea.

"Do you not love me the best of them all?" the eyes of the little mermaid seemed to say, when he took her in his arms, and kissed her fair forehead.

"Yes, you are dear to me," said the prince; "for you have the best heart, and you are the most devoted to me; you are like a young maiden whom I once saw, but whom I shall never meet again. I was in a ship that was wrecked, and the waves cast me ashore near a holy temple, where several young maidens performed the service. The youngest of them found me on the shore, and saved my life. I saw her but twice, and she is the only one in the world whom I could love; but you are like her, and you have almost driven her image out of my mind. She belongs to the holy temple, and my good fortune has sent you to me instead of her; and we will never part."

"Ah, he knows not that it was I who saved his life," thought the little mermaid. "I carried him over the sea to the wood where the temple stands: I sat beneath the foam, and watched till the human beings came to help him. I saw the pretty maiden that he loves better than he loves me;" and the mermaid sighed deeply, but she could not shed tears. "He says the maiden belongs to the holy temple, therefore she will never return to the world. They will meet no more: while I am by his side, and see him every day. I will take care of him, and love him, and give up my life for his sake."

Very soon it was said that the prince must marry, and that the beautiful daughter of a neighboring king would be his wife, for a fine ship was being fitted out. Although the prince gave out that he merely intended to pay a visit to the king, it was generally supposed that he really went to see his daughter. A great company were to go with him. The little mermaid smiled, and shook her head. She knew the prince's thoughts better than any of the others.

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The Little Mermaid - Part 8

The Story Have 11 Parts

Part 1                         Part 2                         Part 3
Part 4                         Part 5                         Part 6
Part 7                         Part 8                         Part 9
Part 10                       Part 11                      


Story :

"I will do it," said the little mermaid, and she became pale as death.

"But I must be paid also," said the witch, "and it is not a trifle that I ask. You have the sweetest voice of any who dwell here in the depths of the sea, and you believe that you will be able to charm the prince with it also, but this voice you must give to me; the best thing you possess will I have for the price of my draught. My own blood must be mixed with it, that it may be as sharp as a two-edged sword."

"But if you take away my voice," said the little mermaid, "what is left for me?"

"Your beautiful form, your graceful walk, and your expressive eyes; surely with these you can enchain a man's heart. Well, have you lost your courage? Put out your little tongue that I may cut it off as my payment; then you shall have the powerful draught."

"It shall be," said the little mermaid.

Then the witch placed her cauldron on the fire, to prepare the magic draught.

"Cleanliness is a good thing," said she, scouring the vessel with snakes, which she had tied together in a large knot; then she pricked herself in the breast, and let the black blood drop into it. The steam that rose formed itself into such horrible shapes that no one could look at them without fear. Every moment the witch threw something else into the vessel, and when it began to boil, the sound was like the weeping of a crocodile. When at last the magic draught was ready, it looked like the clearest water.

"There it is for you," said the witch. Then she cut off the mermaid's tongue, so that she became dumb, and would never again speak or sing. "If the polypi should seize hold of you as you return through the wood," said the witch, "throw over them a few drops of the potion, and their fingers will be torn into a thousand pieces." But the little mermaid had no occasion to do this, for the polypi sprang back in terror when they caught sight of the glittering draught, which shone in her hand like a twinkling star.

So she passed quickly through the wood and the marsh, and between the rushing whirlpools. She saw that in her father's palace the torches in the ballroom were extinguished, and all within asleep; but she did not venture to go in to them, for now she was dumb and going to leave them forever, she felt as if her heart would break. She stole into the garden, took a flower from the flower-beds of each of her sisters, kissed her hand a thousand times towards the palace, and then rose up through the dark blue waters.

The sun had not risen when she came in sight of the prince's palace, and approached the beautiful marble steps, but the moon shone clear and bright. Then the little mermaid drank the magic draught, and it seemed as if a two-edged sword went through her delicate body: she fell into a swoon, and lay like one dead.

When the sun arose and shone over the sea, she recovered, and felt a sharp pain; but just before her stood the handsome young prince. He fixed his coal-black eyes upon her so earnestly that she cast down her own, and then became aware that her fish's tail was gone, and that she had as pretty a pair of white legs and tiny feet as any little maiden could have; but she had no clothes, so she wrapped herself in her long, thick hair. The prince asked her who she was, and where she came from, and she looked at him mildly and sorrowfully with her deep blue eyes; but she could not speak. Every step she took was as the witch had said it would be, she felt as if treading upon the points of needles or sharp knives; but she bore it willingly, and stepped as lightly by the prince's side as a soap-bubble, so that he and all who saw her wondered at her graceful-swaying movements. She was very soon arrayed in costly robes of silk and muslin, and was the most beautiful creature in the palace; but she was dumb, and could neither speak nor sing.

Beautiful female slaves, dressed in silk and gold, stepped forward and sang before the prince and his royal parents: one sang better than all the others, and the prince clapped his hands and smiled at her. This was great sorrow to the little mermaid; she knew how much more sweetly she herself could sing once, and she thought, "Oh if he could only know that! I have given away my voice forever, to be with him."

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The Little Mermaid - Part 7

The Story Have 11 Parts

Part 1                         Part 2                         Part 3
Part 4                         Part 5                         Part 6
Part 7                         Part 8                         Part 9
Part 10                       Part 11                      


Story :

And then the little mermaid went out from her garden, and took the road to the foaming whirlpools, behind which the sorceress lived. She had never been that way before: neither flowers nor grass grew there; nothing but bare, gray, sandy ground stretched out to the whirlpool, where the water, like foaming mill-wheels, whirled round everything that it seized, and cast it into the fathomless deep. Through the midst of these crushing whirlpools the little mermaid was obliged to pass, to reach the dominions of the sea witch; and also for a long distance the only road lay right across a quantity of warm, bubbling mire, called by the witch her turfmoor. Beyond this stood her house, in the centre of a strange forest, in which all the trees and flowers were polypi, half animals and half plants; they looked like serpents with a hundred heads growing out of the ground. The branches were long slimy arms, with fingers like flexible worms, moving limb after limb from the root to the top. All that could be reached in the sea they seized upon, and held fast, so that it never escaped from their clutches.

The little mermaid was so alarmed at what she saw, that she stood still, and her heart beat with fear, and she was very nearly turning back; but she thought of the prince, and of the human soul for which she longed, and her courage returned. She fastened her long flowing hair round her head, so that the polypi might not seize hold of it. She laid her hands together across her bosom, and then she darted forward as a fish shoots through the water, between the supple arms and fingers of the ugly polypi, which were stretched out on each side of her. She saw that each held in its grasp something it had seized with its numerous little arms, as if they were iron bands. The white skeletons of human beings who had perished at sea, and had sunk down into the deep waters, skeletons of land animals, oars, rudders, and chests of ships were lying tightly grasped by their clinging arms; even a little mermaid, whom they had caught and strangled; and this seemed the most shocking of all to the little princess.

She now came to a space of marshy ground in the wood, where large, fat water-snakes were rolling in the mire, and showing their ugly, drab-colored bodies. In the midst of this spot stood a house, built with the bones of shipwrecked human beings. There sat the sea witch, allowing a toad to eat from her mouth, just as people sometimes feed a canary with a piece of sugar. She called the ugly water-snakes her little chickens, and allowed them to crawl all over her bosom.

"I know what you want," said the sea witch; "it is very stupid of you, but you shall have your way, and it will bring you to sorrow, my pretty princess. You want to get rid of your fish's tail, and to have two supports instead of it, like human beings on earth, so that the young prince may fall in love with you, and that you may have an immortal soul." And then the witch laughed so loud and disgustingly, that the toad and the snakes fell to the ground, and lay there wriggling about. "You are but just in time," said the witch; "for after sunrise to-morrow I should not be able to help you till the end of another year. I will prepare a draught for you, with which you must swim to land tomorrow before sunrise, and sit down on the shore and drink it. Your tail will then disappear, and shrink up into what mankind calls legs, and you will feel great pain, as if a sword were passing through you. But all who see you will say that you are the prettiest little human being they ever saw. You will still have the same floating gracefulness of movement, and no dancer will ever tread so lightly; but at every step you take it will feel as if you were treading upon sharp knives, and that the blood must flow. If you will bear all this, I will help you."

"Yes, I will," said the little princess in a trembling voice, as she thought of the prince and the immortal soul.

"But think again," said the witch; "for when once your shape has become like a human being, you can no more be a mermaid. You will never return through the water to your sisters, or to your father's palace again; and if you do not win the love of the prince, so that he is willing to forget his father and mother for your sake, and to love you with his whole soul, and allow the priest to join your hands that you may be man and wife, then you will never have an immortal soul. The first morning after he marries another your heart will break, and you will become foam on the crest of the waves."

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The Little Mermaid - Part 6

The Story Have 11 Parts

Part 1                         Part 2                         Part 3
Part 4                         Part 5                         Part 6
Part 7                         Part 8                         Part 9
Part 10                       Part 11                      


Story :

"If human beings are not drowned," asked the little mermaid, "can they live forever? do they never die as we do here in the sea?"

"Yes," replied the old lady, "they must also die, and their term of life is even shorter than ours. We sometimes live to three hundred years, but when we cease to exist here we only become the foam on the surface of the water, and we have not even a grave down here of those we love. We have not immortal souls, we shall never live again; but, like the green sea-weed, when once it has been cut off, we can never flourish more. Human beings, on the contrary, have a soul which lives forever, lives after the body has been turned to dust. It rises up through the clear, pure air beyond the glittering stars. As we rise out of the water, and behold all the land of the earth, so do they rise to unknown and glorious regions which we shall never see."

"Why have not we an immortal soul?" asked the little mermaid mournfully; "I would give gladly all the hundreds of years that I have to live, to be a human being only for one day, and to have the hope of knowing the happiness of that glorious world above the stars."

"You must not think of that," said the old woman; "we feel ourselves to be much happier and much better off than human beings."

"So I shall die," said the little mermaid, "and as the foam of the sea I shall be driven about never again to hear the music of the waves, or to see the pretty flowers nor the red sun. Is there anything I can do to win an immortal soul?"

"No," said the old woman, "unless a man were to love you so much that you were more to him than his father or mother; and if all his thoughts and all his love were fixed upon you, and the priest placed his right hand in yours, and he promised to be true to you here and hereafter, then his soul would glide into your body and you would obtain a share in the future happiness of mankind. He would give a soul to you and retain his own as well; but this can never happen. Your fish's tail, which amongst us is considered so beautiful, is thought on earth to be quite ugly; they do not know any better, and they think it necessary to have two stout props, which they call legs, in order to be handsome."

Then the little mermaid sighed, and looked sorrowfully at her fish's tail. "Let us be happy," said the old lady, "and dart and spring about during the three hundred years that we have to live, which is really quite long enough; after that we can rest ourselves all the better. This evening we are going to have a court ball."

It is one of those splendid sights which we can never see on earth. The walls and the ceiling of the large ball-room were of thick, but transparent crystal. May hundreds of colossal shells, some of a deep red, others of a grass green, stood on each side in rows, with blue fire in them, which lighted up the whole saloon, and shone through the walls, so that the sea was also illuminated. Innumerable fishes, great and small, swam past the crystal walls; on some of them the scales glowed with a purple brilliancy, and on others they shone like silver and gold. Through the halls flowed a broad stream, and in it danced the mermen and the mermaids to the music of their own sweet singing. No one on earth has such a lovely voice as theirs. The little mermaid sang more sweetly than them all. The whole court applauded her with hands and tails; and for a moment her heart felt quite gay, for she knew she had the loveliest voice of any on earth or in the sea. But she soon thought again of the world above her, for she could not forget the charming prince, nor her sorrow that she had not an immortal soul like his; therefore she crept away silently out of her father's palace, and while everything within was gladness and song, she sat in her own little garden sorrowful and alone. Then she heard the bugle sounding through the water, and thought: "He is certainly sailing above, he on whom my wishes depend, and in whose hands I should like to place the happiness of my life. I will venture all for him, and to win an immortal soul, while my sisters are dancing in my father's palace, I will go to the sea witch, of whom I have always been so much afraid, but she can give me counsel and help."

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The Little Mermaid - Part 5

The Story Have 11 Parts

Part 1                         Part 2                         Part 3
Part 4                         Part 5                         Part 6
Part 7                         Part 8                         Part 9
Part 10                       Part 11                      


Story :

She did not wait long before she saw a young girl approach the spot where he lay. She seemed frightened at first, but only for a moment; then she fetched a number of people, and the mermaid saw that the prince came to life again, and smiled upon those who stood round him. But to her he sent no smile; he knew not that she had saved him. This made her very unhappy, and when he was led away into the great building, she dived down sorrowfully into the water, and returned to her father's castle.

She had always been silent and thoughtful, and now she was more so than ever. Her sisters asked her what she had seen during her first visit to the surface of the water; but she would tell them nothing. Many an evening and morning did she rise to the place where she had left the prince. She saw the fruits in the garden ripen till they were gathered, the snow on the tops of the mountains melt away; but she never saw the prince, and therefore she returned home, always more sorrowful than before. It was her only comfort to sit in her own little garden, and fling her arm round the beautiful marble statue which was like the prince; but she gave up tending her flowers, and they grew in wild confusion over the paths, twining their long leaves and stems round the branches of the trees, so that the whole place became dark and gloomy.

At length she could bear it no longer, and told one of her sisters all about it. Then the others heard the secret, and very soon it became known to two mermaids whose intimate friend happened to know who the prince was. She had also seen the festival on board ship, and she told them where the prince came from, and where his palace stood.

"Come, little sister," said the other princesses; then they entwined their arms and rose up in a long row to the surface of the water, close by the spot where they knew the prince's palace stood.

It was built of bright yellow shining stone, with long flights of marble steps, one of which reached quite down to the sea. Splendid gilded cupolas rose over the roof, and between the pillars that surrounded the whole building stood life-like statues of marble. Through the clear crystal of the lofty windows could be seen noble rooms, with costly silk curtains and hangings of tapestry; while the walls were covered with beautiful paintings which were a pleasure to look at. In the centre of the largest saloon a fountain threw its sparkling jets high up into the glass cupola of the ceiling, through which the sun shone down upon the water and upon the beautiful plants growing round the basin of the fountain.

Now that she knew where he lived, she spent many an evening and many a night on the water near the palace. She would swim much nearer the shore than any of the others ventured to do; indeed once she went quite up the narrow channel under the marble balcony, which threw a broad shadow on the water. Here she would sit and watch the young prince, who thought himself quite alone in the bright moonlight. She saw him many times of an evening sailing in a pleasant boat, with music playing and flags waving. She peeped out from among the green rushes, and if the wind caught her long silvery-white veil, those who saw it believed it to be a swan, spreading out its wings. On many a night, too, when the fishermen, with their torches, were out at sea, she heard them relate so many good things about the doings of the young prince, that she was glad she had saved his life when he had been tossed about half-dead on the waves. And she remembered that his head had rested on her bosom, and how heartily she had kissed him; but he knew nothing of all this, and could not even dream of her. She grew more and more fond of human beings, and wished more and more to be able to wander about with those whose world seemed to be so much larger than her own. They could fly over the sea in ships, and mount the high hills which were far above the clouds; and the lands they possessed, their woods and their fields, stretched far away beyond the reach of her sight. There was so much that she wished to know, and her sisters were unable to answer all her questions. Then she applied to her old grandmother, who knew all about the upper world, which she very rightly called the lands above the sea.

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