Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17) Fun and Thought for Little Folk

A poem describing fiddlers playing a rare concert at night when the Queen is suddenly heard overhead, prompting the musicians to hastily end their performance.

A dialogue poem in which a cat defends her lazy afternoon by the fire, explaining that she thinks and purrs while resting, despite criticism from a visiting little dog.

A poem about the robin bird enduring the cold north wind with patience, trusting that spring will return, rather than complaining about winter's hardships.

A whimsical poem about a woman who keeps a tiny husband in a pint pot, eventually concluding that marriage is more trouble than she expected.

A nonsensical rhyme about a wise man who jumps into bramble bushes to scratch out his eyes and then back in again, and uses his ears to hear funny things.

A simple rhyme describing the way to Boston town as "one foot up, the other foot down."

A famous nursery rhyme about a pie containing twenty-four singing blackbirds, featuring a king counting money, a queen eating honey, and a maid who loses her nose to a bird.

A poem expressing affection for a cat and describing the care given to it, while noting that the cat scratches and causes trouble with dolls and dresses.

A poem about Jack Horner and his three brothers who mimic his every action, including sitting in corners at Christmas, with a fortunate coincidence that there are exactly four corners for all of them.

A short poem about a little old man with a shiny bald head who, upon hearing there is no bread, demands toast that is crusty and brown.

A cumulative, rhyming song about a farmer who accumulates a series of farm animals (hen, duck, cat, pig, sheep, cow) one by one, with each verse adding a new animal and its corresponding sound, building to the repeated humorous question of what the overwhelmed farmer can possibly do with all his animals.

A short poem by Lucy Fitch Perkins in which a passerby calls up to a stork perched on a high chimney and asks what it carries tucked under its wing; the stork is implied to bring a baby sister and brother, one for the speaker and one for their mother.

A story by Ellen Foster about young Elinor Gray, who travels by train and carriage to visit her grandmother in the country. Tired from her journey, she is woken up early the next morning by her grandmother's two excited dogs, Bruno and Bounder, who want to play with her; after a playful interruption where Bounder steals her slipper, Elinor gets dressed and enjoys a fun romp with the dogs in the garden after breakfast.

A story by Sara Josephine Albright for very young readers, about a pair of mice, Mr. and Mrs. Squeaky, who flee their home in a big empty cellar box when they overhear a boy planning to turn it into a dollhouse. They hide in an old shoe, where they raise a family of baby mice, and their secret home is discovered only by the young girl Maggie, who promises never to tell anyone where they live.

A cumulative story by L. Waldo Lockling about an obedient little pig sent to market to fetch a pail of milk for his father's supper. Along the way, he is joined by his animal friends (a calf, goat, dog, and cat), all of whom claim to love milk and want to come along; when they all drink the milk on the journey, the pig returns home with an empty pail, but a kind farmer provides a new full pail so the pig and his family can enjoy a nice supper.

A short, lyrical poem by Lucy Fitch Perkins describing a beautiful, magical place far away where happy babies play in gardens with mothers dressed in delicate lace and silk, surrounded by blossoming trees heavy with flowers and the air filled with sweet perfumes.

A very short, humorous poem about a kitten who is told to wait to have her face washed with soap and water, but disobeys and does not wait, leading to a playful depiction of her misbehavior.

A series of short, rhyming verses by Uncle Ned where a cow, cat, dog, and horse each offer to do something special for a three-year-old girl: the cow offers to give her milk for tea, the cat offers to catch mice to protect her cake, the dog offers to guard her by frightening away boys, and the horse offers to give her rides across the meadow.

A short, whimsical poem describing a small, amusing family that includes a lady with a spotted cow, a spotted pig, a dress covered in dots, and a dog with lots of spots, calling them a funny but very delightful family.

A story about a young boy named Charley, who is tasked with shoveling a path through deep snow piled higher than his head. Though he initially doubts he can do it, his mother encourages him to work "little by little," and he successfully clears the path by shoveling one small shovelful at a time. His father rewards him with a blue sled painted with the phrase "Little by Little" when he sees the finished path.

A note addressed to parents explaining that the cumulative, repetitive stories included in the chapter are a type of children's story favored by kindergarten educators. The repetitive structure helps children memorize the stories, while the gradual addition of new elements holds children's attention and interest, making these stories particularly useful for teaching and reading to young children.

A classic cumulative tale that builds verse by verse, starting with the house that Jack built and adding a new character and their related action each time (the malt, the rat that ate the malt, the cat that killed the rat, the dog that worried the cat, the cow with crumpled horn, the forlorn maiden, the tattered man, the shaven priest, the cock that crowed in the morn, and the farmer sowing his corn), until the full chain of connected events is told in full.

No content is provided for this section in the source text, as the provided text cuts off immediately after the section title.

A cumulative tale by Carolyn Wells where each verse adds a new element to the chain of causation, beginning with the house that Jill built, then progressing through a doll, cake, oven, wood, tree, axe, woodman, horse, knight, lady, glittering cavalcade, donkey, and finally a king.

A classic cumulative folk tale about an old woman who discovers a sixpence and buys a pig, but the pig refuses to cross a stile. The old woman then encounters a chain of animals and objects (dog, stick, fire, water, ox, butcher, rope, rat) who all refuse to help her. When she meets a cat, the cat agrees to help in exchange for milk from a cow, which requires hay from a farmer. This sets off a reverse chain of exchanges that ultimately results in the pig jumping over the stile and the old woman getting home.

A tale of a clever little lamb who escapes predators by promising to visit his granny and grow fatter first. After fattening himself in his granny's corn-bin for seven days, he makes a drum from his deceased brother's skin and hides inside it. When predators ask the "drumikin" if it has seen Lambikin, the lamb replies that Lambikin fell into the fire. However, the jackal recognizes the lamb's voice and tears open the drum, gobbling him up.

A cumulative tale where a cat bites off a mouse's tail and refuses to return it until the mouse brings milk. This initiates a chain of requests: the cow wants hay from the farmer, the farmer wants meat from the butcher, and the butcher wants bread from the baker. The baker provides bread with a warning not to eat his meal. The chain then reverses, with each character giving what was requested until the cat returns the mouse's tail.

A tale about Henny-Penny who believes something has hit her on the head and concludes the sky is falling. She sets off to tell the king and is joined by Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. They meet Foxy-woxy who claims to know a short cut, leading them to his cave. One by one, Foxy-woxy kills Turkey-lurkey, Goosey-poosey, Ducky-daddles, and Cocky-locky. Henny-penny escapes by running home.

A cumulative tale about a boy trying to chase goats out of a ryefield. A dog attempts to help but fails, followed by a fox, who also becomes exhausted. Finally, a bee flies to the first goat and buzzes in its ear, causing the goats to realize someone means business and presumably leave the field.

A bee buzzes and stings the first goat in the ear twice, prompting the goat to lead all three goats through a hole in the fence to where a little boy sits with a dog and a fox. The dog and fox comment that while the bee is small, he accomplished something they could not, and though the bee made little noise, what noise he did make counted more than all their barking.

A teeny-tiny woman lived in a teeny-tiny house in a teeny-tiny village. She went for a walk, found a teeny-tiny bone in a teeny-tiny meadow, and took it home for supper. She placed it in a teeny-tiny cupboard before going to sleep. Three times during the night, a teeny-tiny voice from the cupboard demanded "GIVE ME MY BONE!" each time louder than before. Each time, the frightened woman hid deeper under the covers. Finally, she emerged and said "TAKE IT!"

A cumulative poem that begins "Out in the green, green orchard" with a fine pear tree, progressing through increasingly smaller elements: branch, twig, nest, egg, bird, feather, then to a meadow where the feather becomes a bed, and the bed holds a beautiful child. The poem reverses the sequence at the end, returning from the child through bed, feather, bird, egg, nest, twig, branch, and tree.

Cock-alu, a boastful rooster, promises Hen-alie he will do anything for her, even travel to the sun. When she needs dew water from a silver-spring to cure a bean stuck in her throat, he sets off but delays along the way—gathering gifts from a snail, pigeon, and wild-cat instead of hurrying. He ignores the sheep-dog's warning to hurry and even stops to crow. By the time he reaches the spring at noon, it is dry and useless. Meanwhile, a humble shabby little hen, despised by all, quietly fetches the water and saves Hen-alie. Hen-alie rewards the little hen with the gifts meant for her, transforming the drab hen into the most beautiful in the yard. Cock-alu's empty promises contrast with the little hen's silent devotion.

A cumulative rhyme that lists items from the Kingdom inward to flowers in a basket, then reverses back out: Kingdom, city, town, street, lane, yard, house, room, bed, basket, and flowers, then returning through the same sequence back to the Kingdom as "the key of the Kingdom."

This section contains the story "Tommy and His Sister and Their New Pony-Cart" and illustrations of various children's stories, including the adventures of kittens and a foolish wish. An illustration shows Bunnie with a sign reading "YOU SEE WHAT IT SAYS ON THIS SIGN? NOW STOP YOUR BARKING AND GO RIGHT AWAY OR I'LL CALL A POLICEMAN!"

Tommy takes his sister out in their new pony-cart for a ride. They meet a little friend and invite her to ride along, then Billie comes along and they invite him too. But they have forgotten how fat Billie is, so their ride ends very suddenly.

Three little kittens set out to see the world with enthusiasm, cry out in distress, find sweet milk and take turns drinking it. Their noise brings Jack out who frightens them, and they run home as fast as they can go.

The kittens are told to lie down and go to sleep. They hear a noise and see a mouse tail, making a dash for the door to pull at it together. Working all together, they discover what was making the noise.

Teddy scowls and says "I WISH I WAS AN OWL" because then he could sit up the whole night through. Some fairies overhear him and proceed to make that awful wish come true.

Two short folk verses from Negro quarters: A jay-bird sitting on a hickory limb winks at the speaker, who winks back, followed by "'Taint gwine to rain no mo'." The second verse tells of a hawk and buzzard going to law, with the hawk falling down and breaking his jaw, again followed by "'Taint gwine to rain no mo'."

A four-stanza poem by Frederick Moxon describing a bouncingly fat baby named Timothy Trundle from Topplety Town. The verses trace his life from chubby infancy through boyhood, where his round shape overshadowed the hoop he played with, to an incident on a snowy hill where he rolled down like a snowball, and finally to his appearance as a clown at a circus where the narrator recognizes his distinctive "full-moon of a face." The poem uses playful language and rhythm characteristic of early twentieth-century children's verse.

A section of captioned illustrations by Culmer Barnes depicting various animal scenarios. The pictures include a cartoon of Doggie warning about the third rail with a chorus of bunnies responding, Father Owl scolding Mr. Woodpecker for disturbing their rest, a reunion of bear families at the seaside, and a sequence showing baby mice being instructed by their father about dangerous temptations. The captions employ humor through anthropomorphic dialogue and situational irony.

A brief illustrated narrative showing Roly Poly preparing for a jungle vacation. The illustration depicts a conductor announcing "All Aboard for the Jungle!" and a group of giraffe boys calling to Roly Poly from the water, complaining that it isn't deep enough for swimming. The section uses visual storytelling with minimal text.

An illustrated sequence showing Mother Goose in two scenarios: first demanding a transfer from a runaway trolley car, and second declaring she will never trust herself on land again after falling in the water. The captions employ dramatic humor depicting Mother Goose's exasperation with public transportation mishaps.

A picture sequence illustrating a story without written narration. The six illustrations show Ivan spotting a wolf, taking refuge in a hollow tree while fastening his basket with his staff, two baby bears impeding his way within the tree, the mother bear arriving home, and Ivan escaping with the cubs. The visual narrative appears to be a condensed version of a traditional folk tale.

A series of captioned illustrations featuring anthropomorphic animals. The first shows Mr. Bunnie trying to persuade Mr. Moley to try the elevated road, with Mr. Moley declining and noting he prefers the subway for better visibility. The second depicts a fretful porcupine complaining that nobody ever gives him a boost. The illustrations use dialogue to convey character personality traits.

A fifteen-part illustrated story about two bears discovering and fighting over a big jar of honey. The narrative follows their initial mischief-making, finding the honey, attempting to share but choosing to eat simultaneously, escalating into physical conflict with bumping and pushing, tumbling until heels over head, each trying to outmaneuver the other, until the jar breaks on Whitey's head. Both honey and jar are lost, and the comrades depart homeward slowly, sad and sorry. The story uses visual panels to tell a complete narrative arc.

A collection of humorous poems featuring animal characters in absurd situations.

A comedic poem by D. K. Stevens about a vain frog with one simple song who decides to host a concert recital. He bills himself as "Signor" and charges a shilling, attracting various animal friends including Crane, Cricket, Hare, Hedgehog, Coon, Fox, and a Critical Owl in a private box. When he performs his one song "_Ger-rump_," the Owl criticizes that he has sung it all summer long and questions why anyone should pay to hear it. The audience demands their money back and marches out, leaving the frog in deep dejection to sing alone in his bog.

A whimsical poem by D. K. Stevens describing three musicians who cannot earn a penny individually. A man with a flute plays "tootle-ti-toot," another with a tuba plays "_oom_-pah-pah," and two men with drum and cymbal play "_boom_-zing-zing." When they combine their sounds together, traveling wide and far, they make "the welkin ring" and successfully draw pennies from people. The poem uses onomatopoeia and repetition to create a musical, cumulative rhythm.

A humorous narrative poem by D.K. Stevens featuring a Cautious Cat and a Reckless Rat sailing with an Innocent Lamb. The trio sets out in a yawl with only a sugar-cured ham to eat, facing winds that blow high, low, and "a little bit in between." The Cat insists on sailing back to send a Marconi-o-gram despite the Rat's reluctance, declaring "If you balk you will have to walk." They return to port where the Reckless Rat accepts the decision and the Lamb says nothing at all.

A story by M. C. McNeill about three polite bears who visit town and enchant everyone with their manners. They bow beautifully, wear a red coat and a soft down tippet, and one is a renowned fiddler. Tommy Perkins offers to teach them school subjects—they learn their ABCs (though everyone whispers "fiddle-dee-dee"), try counting to four, and discuss the nature of manners. The bears explain they came to learn manners but found that not everyone has fine ones. They acknowledge Tommy Perkins taught them proper behavior, noting that despite living in the wood where no manners are required, they learned by watching and mimicking the polite behavior of townspeople. The bears dance home after farewells, blessing everyone with good day and good luck.

A brief poem by W. W. Ellsworth describing the building of a snowman and its subsequent melting. The narrator pours water to freeze the snowman, declaring it will last two years, but a warmer wind blows in the night and winter runs away. By morning, everything has "runned away," leaving no snowman. The poem uses simple language and a child's perspective on permanence and impermanence.

A section containing longer narrative stories for children featuring animal protagonists with moral undertones.

A story by A. L. Sykes written entirely in words of four letters or fewer. Tiny Hare tells his Mama he wants to do just as he likes, refusing all suggestions to play, eat nearby food, or wait for moonlit safety. His parents sleep while a Wind Ball (dry weed part) rolls by. Tiny Hare chases it, leaping after it as it rises and flies, until his feet are sore and he collapses. Man arrives and he hides in a tree hole; Dog passes and he hides in a wall hole; Hawk appears in the sky and he hides in a bush. Eventually Wind Ball returns when the wind is low, and Tiny Hare follows it home, limping. He admits he has not been good, and they all take a nap together.

A story by A. L. Sykes in four-letter words. Mama Hare warns Tiny Hare about Cat, who is not good for a Hare to meet. Tiny Hare insists on seeing Cat despite warnings. When rain comes and his parents leave for food, Tiny Hare ventures out and finds Cat sitting sadly by a fire, mourning her lost baby cats. Tiny Hare, wet and weak, lies on the step. Cat takes him in her soft lips and puts him in the box by the fire, planning to wash him as if he were her baby. When Man and Dog return, Dog barks and nearly attacks, but Cat blocks him with her claw. Man decides Cat wants to eat the hare. Cat washes Tiny Hare thoroughly, hurting him with occasional bites, until he is warm, dry, and has fur like silk. When everyone goes out to tea, Tiny Hare jumps out and runs home. His Mama is shocked at how much like Cat he appears, but Papa Hare confirms it is their Tiny Hare, just "too much like Cat."

An Arctic story announced in four chapters, illustrated but containing no provided narrative text. The section header appears in the original book structure but the corresponding story content was not included in the source material.

Tiny Hare was feeling sad and did not want to play. He sat near his home until dark when his Mama came out to comfort him. She rubbed him with moss and hay and washed him from head to feet. When she finished, she told him he looked like her dear Tiny Hare again and took him home. At nightfall, Tiny Hare promised to be good, and Papa Hare gave his ear a loving bite. The family then took a long nap together until dawn.

When Tiny Hare lay snug and warm with his Mama, she told him the story of a Wee Hare who knew how to run from danger. One day the Wee Hare asked to hear about the hare who went through the snow until finding the red fire. His Mama warned him that fire is dangerous and only humans can make it, telling him to eat the good food found near their home. The Wee Hare insisted he wanted to find the red bush he had seen in the distance, but his parents repeatedly warned him that fire burns and hurts, and that dogs and men would harm him if he wandered too far.

Despite his parents' warnings, the Wee Hare refused to obey. While his mother and father took their noon naps, he snuck out the door and ran into the wood. He searched and searched for the red bush but could not find it. He became so tired from running that he lay down in a bush to rest. When he woke up, snow covered all the paths in the wood, making it difficult for the little hare to find his way home.

As the sun set, its rays turned the snow red. The lame Wee Hare limped through the cold snow, struggling to find his way home. The wind grew bitter and threatened to blow him off the path. Just when he thought he could walk no further, he spotted the red fire ahead with a man and dog sitting beside it. The dog barked, but the man made it lie down. The Wee Hare hid in a small hole in a tree, watching the fire from a safe distance. He noticed that even the man and dog kept away from the flames, realizing that they feared it too. Eventually, the man put snow over the fire and left with the dog.

After the man departed, the Wee Hare ventured carefully through the snow. He regretted his disobedience and wished he had been good. The wind and snow felt sorry for him and decided to help. The moon rose high, making the night bright as day. The snow hardened like ice, allowing the Wee Hare to walk without sinking. The wind pushed him gently from behind, helping him hop, skip, and jump home. When he reached his burrow, he confessed to his mother that he had not been good. She was just glad to have him back safely. The Wee Hare promised to be good from then on, and the family took a nap until morning.

There was once a king in Spain who had only one leg and kept a special Animal Farm for animals who had lost legs. In another part of Spain lived a Little Half Chick with only one eye, one wing, and one leg. The other chickens gobbled all the food before she could eat, leaving her nearly starved. A donkey told her about the Good King, so she set off hoppity-hop to find him, telling her mother hen she was going to Madrid.

Along the road, the Little Half Chick met several creatures who wanted to join her journey. A Two-legged Cat fell in behind, followed by a Three-legged Dog, a One-legged Crow, and finally a Snake with no legs at all who rolled along loopity-loop. When they arrived in Madrid, they found the Good King and his daughter Margaret, who both laughed at the parade of funny animals. The king offered to show them his Animal Farm, so Margaret led the way with the king behind her, followed by all the animals. They went to the Animal Farm and lived happily there ever after.

The poem contrasts the benefits of going to bed early with the drawbacks of going to bed late. Early bedtime leads to joy upon waking, readiness for play, good health without needing doctors, and growth to become tall. Late bedtime results in cross children, moping all day, illness requiring medicine, and remaining small.

A little pink pig lived happily with his five spotted siblings in a wooden home with a white fence. When he asked his mother to let him go into the big road, she said he was too little and did not know enough yet. She promised to teach him about the road when he grew bigger. One day the milkman came to deliver milk and accidentally left the gate open. The little pink pig rushed out into the big road, determined to show his mother how much he knew.

The little pig had not gone far when a dog chased him and rolled him in the dust. He squealed but the dog eventually went away. The pig hid in a cornfield where a man found him and scolded him for being there. The man put him in a pen until the pig squeezed through a hole in the fence. He ran into a field where a cow chased him and tossed him into the air. Next, a speckled hen puffed up at him, and then a goose ran out and nipped his leg. Finally, he found himself back at his own little house.

The little pig ran inside and told his mother everything that happened. She explained what each creature was: the dog that chased him, the cornfield he should not enter, the cow with horns, the hen merely crossing the road, and the goose he must always avoid. His mother explained that this is a big world with many funny things in it, which is why little pigs should not go out on the big road until they know more. She promised to teach him more every day so he can take care of himself. Then she washed the muddy pig clean in a tub.

Fuzzy Wuz was a young white rabbit who wanted to go walking with her friend Chatter Chuk, a red squirrel. Her mother gave permission but warned her to stay away from Juggerjook's den and return home before the shadows fell. She also cautioned against letting Chatter Chuk lead her into mischief, calling red squirrels reckless. Fuzzy's mother sang to her about being careful and diffident, while Chatter Chuk's people taught him a song about going ahead and discovering the world.

When Fuzzy mentioned being afraid even of Juggerjook if she could climb trees, Chatter Chuk scornfully dismissed the danger. Fuzzy explained that the forest creatures brought presents to Juggerjook to earn his protection: bears brought wolves, wolves brought foxes, and foxes brought rabbits. Since rabbits did not kill other animals, they could only offer roots and clover, which Juggerjook did not like, so rabbits carefully avoided his den. Chatter Chuk claimed to have seen the den from nearby trees and offered to lead Fuzzy close to it to take a peek.

Chatter Chuk laughed at Fuzzy's mother's fears, calling her a afraid-cat, and challenged Fuzzy to have spirit and independence. Ashamed of being called shy, Fuzzy agreed to go see Juggerjook's den. Chatter Chuk led her close to the bushes near the den and warned her to go softly because Juggerjook had sharp ears. Just as they were about to explore further, the text cuts off with Fuzzy ready to peek at the den.

A lost kitten, knowing only the word "Mew," wanders far from home and asks passing earthworms, butterflies, robins, dogs, and cows for help finding her way back, but none understand her. Eventually, a kind little girl picks her up and takes her home, finally understanding the kitten's plea.

The narrator speculates about what a cat might be thinking—whether of food, climbing trees, chasing mice, basking in sunlight, or playing with a ball—and hopes the cat thinks of them too, knowing the cat's affection by the soft purring sound near their ear.

A small gray mouse runs frantically in all directions to escape a kitten's pursuit, while the kitten finds it great sport to let the mouse nearly escape before pouncing. Overconfident, the kitten closes her eyes and loses sight of her prey, which escapes up the chimney where cats cannot follow.

A little boy and girl prepare a Thanksgiving dinner in the cornfield for three woodland friends: parsley and cabbage for the rabbit, a mushroom for the turtle, and bread for the owl. When the children return home by moonlight, they see all three animals happily enjoying their feast at the pumpkin table and chairs.

The poem compares various animal homes—bunnies in their house, chickens in coops, kittens in basket beds, puppies in cellar boxes—and celebrates the narrator's own home, with special affection for the warm kitchen where Dinah cooks.

In this tale, Fuzzy Wuz the white rabbit and Chatter Chuk the red squirrel embark on an adventure to peek at the fearsome magician Juggerjook's den, only for Fuzzy to become trapped beneath a box when she stops to nibble carrots, triggering the spring mechanism. When Chatter Chuk flees in terror, Fuzzy's mother Mrs. Wuz discovers the predicament and forces the guilty squirrel to lead her to the scene, where she directs him to gnaw through the box while she watches for danger—but their efforts are interrupted when a trapper and his young son arrive with a net and capture both the mother and the squirrel before Fuzzy can squeeze through the half-finished hole and join them. The compassionate boy observes the marks left by the animals' desperate teamwork and implores his father to release the prisoners, arguing that the creatures' love and cooperation deserve mercy rather than death, and the man grants his wish, allowing all three to scamper away to safety.

A little girl and little boy set off for a walk together, inviting every animal they meet—an outgoing dog, a cat, a rooster, a duck, and finally a pinky-white pig with a curly tail—to join their journey. Each animal responds with its characteristic sound when greeted and accepts the invitation to walk along. The procession grows as they travel down the road. When they reach a pasture, an old red cow cannot join them because she cannot open the pasture bars. The children generously offer to let the bars down for her, and all the animals—including the dog on the cow's back, the cat on her neck, and the rooster on her head—traipse into the pasture to visit. After their visit, the children prepare to leave. Each animal responds with its distinct sound in farewell, and the children run home as fast as they can.

A cheerful girl named Gay, called that because she is always cheerful, takes her dog Spy for a walk in the woods in May. When Spy splashes into a brook chasing a bird taking a bath, Gay gently scolds him for frightening the bird away. Later, a red squirrel rustles through the leaves, and Spy gives chase down the path. Gay calls after him, but he disappears out of sight. Spy returns later, looking ashamed and proud because he failed to catch the squirrel—master squirrel escaped easily up a tree where Spy cannot climb. Gay decides to pick flowers for her grandmother instead of continuing the walk. She gathers white violets, blue flowers, and May-flowers until her hands are full. When it's time to leave, Spy is nowhere to be found. Gay hears him barking at a distance and discovers him trying to scare a rabbit near an old stone wall. Gay explains that the rabbit is safe in the wall and cannot be coaxed out. She urges Spy to come home, reminding him that supper is waiting and asking if he's as hungry as she is.

A sturdy gray donkey named Barney once decided to run away. He escaped through a dark barn door and galloped away with such determination that he ran and ran endlessly. Children, a groom, coachman, farmer, and farmer's man chased after him, some carrying whips and some carrying oats to coax him back. They called him by name, but Barney paid no attention to their cross or coaxing words—his hoofs clattered on regardless. The chase continued across meadows, over hills, through woods, and down dales. Barney ran through hayfields and bogs as if he would never tire. Eventually his pursuers gave up, and Barney stood as if to say, "Come catch me!" But the moment anyone started toward him, he would dash away again as if the chase had just begun. The foolish donkey finally captured himself. Running into the barnyard, he failed to calculate what would happen and ran into a swinging gate. The gate swung shut and the iron latch dropped, trapping Barney in the barnyard—catching the runaway. The children danced with joy, the groom roared with delight, and everyone laughed. But Barney still had mischief in him. When the coachman tried to lead him up the hill to the stable, Barney braced himself and stood completely still as if he weighed a ton. The powerful coachman dragged him up the hill roughly. Eventually Barney decided it would be easier to be good, and he walked the rest of the way to his stall. Once safely home, he looked so meek that no one would believe such a beast could ever run away again. His only thoughts now are of future chances to escape.

A fox named Scrapefoot lived alone in a great wood and was very afraid of three bears—a great big bear, a middling bear, and a little bear—who lived in a castle in that same wood. Despite his fear, Scrapefoot was curious about them and one day found himself near their castle. Seeing no one around, he quietly approached and found the door unlocked. Scrapefoot slipped inside and discovered a great hall with three chairs of different sizes. He tried sitting in the big chair first but found it so hard and uncomfortable it made his bones ache. The middling chair was better but still not comfortable no matter how much he turned around. Only the little chair was soft, warm, and cozy—but it broke to pieces under him. On a nearby table he found three saucers and, being very thirsty, tried the milk in each. The big saucer contained sour, nasty milk he wouldn't touch again. The middling saucer was only a little better, so he abandoned it. The little saucer held sweet, delicious milk he drank completely. Upstairs, Scrapefoot found three beds and climbed into the big bed, which was hard and lumpy. The middling bed was somewhat better but still uncomfortable. Only the little white bed was soft, warm, and nice—and he fell fast asleep immediately. When the Bears returned home, they discovered someone had sat in their chairs, drunk their milk, and broken the little chair. Upstairs, the little Bear found Scrapefoot asleep in his bed and announced, "See here he is!" The bears debated what to do: the big Bear wanted to hang him, the middling Bear wanted to drown him, and the little Bear suggested throwing him out the window. They chose the little Bear's punishment. Two bears held Scrapefoot's legs on each side and swung him back and forth before flinging him out the window. Poor Scrapefoot was terribly frightened, certain every bone must be broken, but he discovered nothing was hurt—not a single bone. He wagged his tail with relief and galloped home as fast as possible, never returning to the Bears' Castle again. Source: From "More English Fairy Tales," edited by Joseph Jacobs. Used by permission of G. P. Putnam's Sons.*

A bear cub recounts his life story, beginning with his birth in the Sierras of California, where snow lies in great banks and giant trees stand like sentinels. His first memory is of being in a burrow covered with snow while his mother broke through to lead him and his brother down the mountain. His mother showed them the green valleys and dark forests below, and eventually led them to a sheep ranch where she caught a lamb but never returned. The cub learned that ranchers had enjoyed the cruel sport of "roping a bear," capturing his mother with lassos thrown by horsemen who dragged her away—leaving the cubs as orphans. Soon the dogs found the cubs, and a man carried one home in a basket to his wife, who treated him kindly despite his unhappiness. He pretended to be content, ate everything he could, and watched for any chance to escape. When his mistress thought he was too knowing, she put a chain around his neck. At about four months old, he was sent to a friend in San Francisco. His new master was a butcher. Though he often felt homesick, longing for his mother and his brother (who had been taken somewhere unknown), the butcher's wife would sometimes let him sleep in her room, cuddled on a rug with his paws on her hand, where he would dream of his mountain home. One day his master announced he would be photographed. Taken by cable car, hidden under a coat, the bear uttered a whine that made passengers stare at his embarrassed master. In the photography studio, surrounded by pictures of faces, the bear was given sugar and began to relax. When the photographer expressed surprise that a "descendant of the early settlers" was actually a bear cub, his master joked that bears were relatives of early settlers all the same. The photographic session was traumatic. The bear thought he would be shot and tried to escape. He was placed in a child's chair with something propped against his head, which made both men laugh so loud it could be heard on the street. He was set atop a screen, straddling it with his hind feet hanging in the air, while the photographer went under a cloth. When told to smile, the bear only confused everyone. The photographer finally shook a tambourine, and when the bear turned to look, he heard a click—and was carried home relieved. Eventually his master showed him a card and said, "Here you are!"—it was the bear's picture, captured exactly as he had looked perched on the screen, looking terrified, believing he was about to be killed.

Summary of the Brothers Grimm tale *The Hare and the Hedgehog*: On a fine summer morning, a haughty Hare mocks a Hedgehog's short legs, leading to a wager of a louis d'or to settle a race. The clever Hedgehog has his wife wait at the opposite end of the hedge-lined race course. When the fast-running Hare reaches his goal, the Hedgehog's wife (who sounds identical to her husband) calls out that she has already arrived. The Hare runs back and forth 73 times, each time hearing the claim that the Hedgehog is already at the finish, until he collapses from exhaustion. The Hedgehogs collect their wager and return home.

Summary of the Scotch story *The Wee Robin's Christmas Song*, attributed to Robert Burns and adapted by Jennie Ellis Burdick: A wee Robin Redbreast travels to sing a Christmas song for the King, politely declining invitations from a gray pussy cat, a greedy hawk, and a sly fox who try to lure him with trinkets, as well as a shepherd boy who tries to catch him. He reaches the King, sings his song, and is given the wee Wren as his wife; the royal court dances at their wedding before the couple returns to their brookside home.

Summary of the poem *The Fox*: A hungry fox sneaks into a farmer's yard, steals a gray goose and a gray duck, and flees home to his den to share the meal with his wife and their ten kits. Farmer John blows a loud horn to chase the fox, but the fox dismisses the noise and enjoys the feast with his family.

Summary of the poem *Three Companions* by Dinah Maria Mulock-Craik: The speaker, their baby, and their old dog are three cheerful companions on walks in any weather. The baby is a gentle lady, the dog a brave protector of her, and the speaker reflects that they would rather be a kind dog than a cruel man.

Summary of the poem *'Fraid Cat!* by Frank Munro: A group of cats go to a movie theater, but panic and run out in terror when they see a dog policeman on screen, forgetting to ask for a refund. The narrator jokes that their foolish reaction earns them the teasing nickname "'Fraid cat!" from grown-ups.

Summary of the poem *The Spider and the Fly* by Mary Howitt: A cunning Spider repeatedly flatters a vain little Fly, inviting her into his parlor to admire her pretty wings and eyes, and promising to show her her reflection in a looking-glass. The Fly, enticed by the compliments, returns to the Spider's web, where he catches her and drags her into his den to eat her.

Summary of the collection *Everyday Verses* by Alden Arthur Knipe, illustrated by Emilie Benson Knipe: A set of short, child-friendly verses covering everyday life topics and gentle behavioral lessons.

Summary of the verse *A Little Gentleman*: A father teaches his child that a gentleman should pick up items his mother drops on the floor. The child always follows this rule, and his mother rewards him with a kiss after thanking him.

Summary of the verse *Time for Everything*: A short poem explaining that every activity has an appropriate time: running, walking, talking, working, playing, sleeping, standing, and sitting, and that actions should fit their assigned times for both children and adults.

Summary of the verse *Umbrellas and Rubbers*: A short rhyme reminding children not to forget umbrellas and rubber boots in rainy or wet weather, and to bring them back home when the weather clears for future use.

Summary of the verse *Whispering in School*: A short poem explaining the common school no-whispering rule: if children chattered about every small matter, there would be constant, overwhelming noise throughout the school day.

Summary of the verse *Recess*: A short rhyme describing recess activities: boys romp, shout, and play actively, while girls walk in quiet couples. Games rarely finish before the recess bell rings to call students back to class.

Summary of the verse *After School*: A short poem noting that while children enjoy school, they are happy to put away their books and slates when the school day ends to go play, leaving the kind teacher alone in the classroom.

Summary of the verse *Monday's Lessons*: A short rhyme advising children to study their Friday lessons well, as finishing them early leaves all of Saturday free for play.

Summary of the verse *At Dinner*: A humorous poem about family dinner time: children run to the table when the bell rings, excited by the smell of hot food. The father carves meat but often finishes after the children are done, and children eat their vegetables and meat to earn dessert, especially ice cream on Sundays when they are extra well-behaved.

Summary of the poem *Valor* by Lucy Fitch Perkins: A short, playful verse where the speaker declares there are no giants in the grim forest, and they would not be afraid even if one existed.

Summary of the poem *A Domestic Tragedy* by Lucy Fitch Perkins: A humorous poem lamenting the ruined state of a doll named Annabel: her wig, eyes, and legs are missing, her arms were stolen by a puppy, and hens ate her sawdust stuffing, leaving only her clothes and character.

Summary of the verse *The Capitalist*: A short rhyme about a child who buys a bag of marbles, a spinning top, and a pocketful of string on the first day of spring from the lollipop shop.

Summary of the poem *In Merry England* by Lucy Fitch Perkins: In merry England in May, Mary Ella Montague goes out in her best clothes despite her mother's warning that it looks like rain and suggestion to take an umbrella. She walks six miles and it does not rain at all.

Summary of the poem *The Goose Girl* by Lucy Fitch Perkins: A playful verse from the perspective of a goose, celebrating wandering over hill and dale in June while wise people stay indoors studying dusty books, and expressing joy that all the geese are "birds of a feather" together.

Summary of the poem *The Philosopher* by Lucy Fitch Perkins: A short rhyme introducing Mrs. O'Toole, a woman with little formal learning who is no fool, who loves her geese and comforts herself with a new feather bed when they die.

Summary of the verse *Thirsty Flowers*: A short poem about a child who uses a small two-quart watering pot to give plants water on hot days, imagining the flowers would say "We thank you, Sir" if they were able to speak.

Summary of the verse *Sharing with Others*: A short rhyme about sharing: when a child has extra money, they share a penny with a child who has none, as it is impossible to buy every desired item alone.

Summary of the verse *Pockets*: A playful rhyme listing the many small items pockets are ideal for holding: marbles, twine, knives, rubber bands, and anything except hands, which should stay out of pockets.

Summary of the verse *Waiting for Dinner*: A short poem about the frustration of waiting for dinner when hungry: minutes feel like hours, the clock seems slow, and it is best to think of other things so dinner arrives more quickly.

Summary of the verse *The Critic*: A short humorous rhyme where the speaker says they would be very pleased if fewer books were written, and all authors turned into cooks instead.

Summary of the poem *Diplomacy* by Lucy Fitch Perkins: A playful verse where the speaker admits their true motive for calling on the Widow Hill is not to pass the time of day, but because she has a fine plum-tree growing by her front door.

Summary of the poem *If I Were Queen* by Lucy Fitch Perkins: A whimsical verse imagining what the speaker would do if they were queen of anywhere: wear a golden crown, sit on a velvet chair, wear a satin gown, have a knight serve them treats, and a page to help with their stomach aches, with plenty of dessert including ice cream and birthday cake.

Summary of the poem *Thoughts in Church* by Lucy Fitch Perkins: A playful, mischievous verse where the speaker daydreams in church about being a sailor who travels to Greenland and India, and a Yankee boy who knocks down heathen idols, rather than paying attention to the service.

Summary of the section *The Days of the Week*: This section introduces two following verses: *This Is the Way*, which assigns daily chores and activities to each day of the week, and *Days of Birth*, a traditional folk verse about the traits of children born on each day of the week.

Summary of the verse *This Is the Way*: A cumulative children's rhyme assigning a different daily chore or activity to each day of the week: washing clothes Monday, ironing Tuesday, mending shoes Wednesday, visiting friends Thursday, sweeping the house Friday, baking cake Saturday, and going to church Sunday.

Summary of the verse *Days of Birth*: A traditional folk verse about the traits of children born on each day of the week, opening with the partial lines "Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace" (the source text cuts off before completing the full rhyme).

A traditional nursery rhyme exploring the characteristics associated with children born on different days of the week. The verse suggests that Wednesday-born children are brave and glad, while those born on Thursday are never bad. Friday's children are loving and kind, and Saturday's children possess clear minds. The most fortunate are children born on the Sabbath, described as fair, wise, good, and gay.

A humorous verse about which days are best for doing laundry. The rhyme playfully suggests that washing on Monday gives the whole week to dry the clothes, while those who wash on Saturday are "lazy indeed." Each day of the week is assigned a progressively more desperate reason for washing, from washing "for very shame" on Thursday to washing "because of need" on Friday.

A classic nursery rhyme presenting the life cycle of Solomon Grundy in reverse chronological order. Born on Monday, he was christened on Tuesday, married on Wednesday, took ill on Thursday, grew worse on Friday, died on Saturday, and was buried on Sunday. The rhyme concludes with the famous refrain "Born on a Monday, Christened on Tuesday, Married, etc.," suggesting the cyclical nature of life and death.

A simple verse listing the days of the week in a circular fashion, suggesting that a baby has every day available for play. The rhyme cycles through Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, emphasizing that young children need not distinguish between weekdays and weekends.

An illustrated verse presenting a playful question about choosing the prettiest among several little girls—Betty, Lou, Dolly, Polly, Sallie, and Sue—who are described as wearing butterfly bows. The speaker admits uncertainty and asks the reader to make the decision.

A counting rhyme by Stella George Stern following seven mice named after the days of the week. Little-Mouse-Sunday finds a bun, and each subsequent mouse wishes for one or reacts to the discovery. By Saturday, all seven mice have gathered enough to last a week, combining day-of-the-week wordplay with a simple narrative about sharing.

A whimsical dialogue between personified days of the week, where Monday greets Tuesday, who passes along greetings to Wednesday, who tells Thursday and Saturday to call on Sunday. The verse personifies the weekdays as friends engaged in social visits.

A humorous poem by Tudor Jenks telling the story of Tommy, who develops a mysterious "Weakness" on Monday morning after eating wheat-cakes and honey. Tommy attempts to convince his mother he is too ill for school, blaming his fatigue on playing football on Saturday. After discovering his forgotten books under the sofa, Tommy forgets his illness entirely and rushes to school—only to arrive late. The poem introduces the clever concept of "Idon'twantto" as the name for this common childhood ailment, with "Butyou'vegotto" as its cure.

A humorous poem by Henry Johnstone celebrating Saturday as a saint who loved ease and leisure. The legend explains that Saturday earned sainthood because he was so beloved for allowing children to play and never minding noise. The poem humorously suggests that Saturday decreed weekly holidays for schoolboys, making him the patron saint students should honor to succeed in examinations.

A section header introducing several counting rhymes and numerical verses for children.

A traditional counting verse where the speaker counts from one to five, catches a hare alive, then counts from six to ten and releases the hare. This simple rhyme teaches basic counting and introduces a playful narrative twist.

An extended counting rhyme by Olive A. Wadsworth describing various animal families living in different meadow habitats. Each stanza features a mother and her offspring (increasing from one to twelve) giving commands—from toads winking in the sand to ants toiling where men dig and delve. The cumulative structure teaches counting while introducing children to different animals and their behaviors.

A playful counting verse with romantic imagery, progressing from one to fourteen with whimsical associations. The rhyme begins with "One, I love; Two, I love" and continues through courtship and marriage imagery, concluding with "kisses" and "little witches" at thirteen and fourteen.

A brief poem by Lucy Fitch Perkins describing the challenge of distinguishing between twin babies—identifying "a sister and her infant brother"—while noting that "mother knows them very well." The simple verse celebrates maternal intuition.

A counting rhyme by Kate N. Mytinger following ten rabbits through various activities. Each number of rabbits makes different choices—running, climbing trees, swinging on a barn door, picking up sticks—and they eventually form a line to run through a gate together. The rhyme combines counting practice with playful rabbit behavior.

A playful counting-down poem by A. S. Webber describing ten firecrackers in a sequence of mishaps. Beginning with ten, each firecracker meets an unfortunate end through careless actions—lighting matches, catching sparks, playing with punk, smoking, and other dangerous behaviors—until only one firecracker remains, lamenting the risks of living in July.

A humorous verse by Mrs. John T Van Sant about Priscilla Penelope Powers, who visited a neighbor's house and was offered two pieces of pie and seven slices of chocolate cake. Overwhelmed by the generous offerings, she wished she could be her neighbor's little girl instead of her own, suggesting that another's treats always seem more appealing.

A humorous poem by Clara Odell Lyon presenting Winklelman Von Winkel as "the wisest man alive" who knows obvious facts—such as one and one making two, water running downhill, and the sun setting in the west. The ironic twist reveals that his profound wisdom consists entirely of commonplace knowledge, explaining why he doesn't mingle with "common folk."

A counting-down rhyme following ten cookies as various characters eat them one by one. Beginning with Grandma giving one to Baby and ending with Baby Jane eating the last cookie, the verse involves Betty, the butcher boy, an old hen, and others in the gradual disappearance of the cookies. Each line maintains the structure of naming the character and the remaining count.

A simple description of a baby's features, listing body parts and qualities—"One head with curly hair, Two arms so fat and bare, Two hands and one wee nose, Two feet with ten pink toes." The poem celebrates the softness of infant skin, comparing it to silk and milk.

A narrative poem by Elizabeth Prentiss telling the story of a white kitten and a little mousie in a barn setting. The poem traces the classic predator-prey scenario through counting elements—two black eyes, four soft paws, nine pearl teeth—before the mousie escapes from the kitty's grasp. The refrain "Long time ago" creates a nostalgic tone.

A traditional children's counting rhyme with nonsensical verse pairs. Numbers one through twenty are paired with increasingly absurd instructions and observations—from buckling shoes and opening doors to a good fat hen, drawing curtains, and the maids being in the kitchen and waiting. The poem ends with "my stomach's empty," providing comic relief.

A section header introducing a short story suitable for young female readers.

A story by H. G. Duryee about Clarabel Bradley and Josephine Brown, best friends on Amity Street who always wore mittens connected by ribbons. When Clarabel receives beautiful brown kid gloves from her Aunt Bessie, she becomes proud and treats her friend dismissively. Their friendship suffers until both girls face challenges—Clarabel stays late at school for poor grades, and Josephine must choose whether to abandon her friend. Josephine returns to help Clarabel with her arithmetic, and their friendship is restored. The story emphasizes that true friendship overcomes jealousy and that material possessions cannot replace genuine companionship.

Molly was such a little girl that she didn't seem big enough to have a party all her own with truly ice-cream in it. But she had asked for one so many times that at last Mother decided to give her one. And the party was to be a surprise to Molly herself. Early that afternoon Molly wanted to go for a little visit to Miss Eleanor. Miss Eleanor lived up Molly's street, in a white house with apple-green blinds. Molly often went all alone. Miss Eleanor was always so sunny and full of songs and stories and games that Molly loved her next best to Father and Mother and Baby. "You may go, dear," said Mother, "if you will come home exactly at three o'clock." "You always say exactly three o'clock, Mother," said Molly. "Well, five minutes after three, then," laughed Mother. "And, Molly, so that you won't forget this time, all the way to Miss Eleanor's, say over and over, 'Five minutes after three.' Then, just as soon as you get there, say the words quickly to Miss Eleanor, 'Five minutes after three.'" "Five minutes after three," said Molly; "I can remember that." "That will give me plenty of time to get ready for the party," thought Mother. Up the street with her white parasol flew Molly. "Five minutes after three," she said over and over in a whisper until she began to sing it. "Five minutes after three," she sang until she stopped a moment on the bridge to see some boys fishing. Just about there, a big dog who was a friend of Molly's ran out to say, "Good afternoon." "Oh, Fritzie," cried Molly, "I'm going to Miss Eleanor's to make her a visit. Want to come?" But Fritz had the house to look after. So Molly gave him a hug and ran along. "Three minutes after five," sang Molly; "three minutes after five," over and over until she ran into Miss Eleanor's sunny little sitting-room. "Three minutes after five," cried Molly; "that's how long I can stay. Won't that be nice?" "Why, it's little Molly!" cried Miss Eleanor, "I'm all alone and so glad to have company! We'll hear the clock strike five. Then, if you put on your wraps, you'll be all ready to start home at three minutes past." It seemed a very very short time to Molly before the little clock struck five. "There, deary," said Miss Eleanor. "Put on your things and hurry right along!" Molly put on her hat and coat. Then she kissed Miss Eleanor and hurried down the street. When she reached the corner, she saw that the parlor at home was all lighted. And out of it came such a hubbub of little voices all laughing and talking that Molly ran faster than ever. At the door she met Mother. "Oh, Molly, _where_ have you been?" cried Mother. "I couldn't go after you because I couldn't leave Baby. And I couldn't take him." Molly scarcely heard. "Oh, Mother, Mother," she cried, "it looks like a party. And it sounds like one. Is it a party, Mother?" "Yes," said Mother, "your own little party, Molly. And you're the only one who is late. How could you forget?" "But I didn't forget, Mother," cried Molly, hurrying out of her coat, "truly I didn't. Every step of the way I said it, and I said it to Miss Eleanor the very first thing." "What did you say?" asked Mother. "_Three minutes after five_," said Molly. Mother laughed. "Why, Molly dear, you got the hour and minutes turned around. I said _five_ minutes after _three_. Well, never mind. Run along just as you are. It's a lovely party, dear, with truly ice-cream in it."

Edith was a little girl who was just learning to write. Her mother told her one day that she could have a tea-party on the next Tuesday, if the weather was fine, and that she could invite her little friend Helen, who lived on the same street, though not very far away; but she must write the letter to ask Helen to come. So, Edith got up at her mother's writing-desk and took some of her own writing paper, and began to write. She could make the letters but she could not spell very well. She asked her mother how to spell the words and then she wrote them down. And this is the letter she wrote: Dear Helen, Mamma says I May ask you to come to my tea party next Tuesday at four oclock Bring your dolly. your loving friend. Edith Then she sealed the letter in the envelop, and put a stamp on it, and stood on the front piazza so as to give it to the postman herself. When Tuesday came, Edith's nurse dressed her in a fresh, white frock, and Edith dressed her dolly in her best dress, and went out under the trees where her nurse had set the table for two. And then she sat in a chair at the table and waited. But the big town clock struck four and no Helen came; and then she waited for half an hour longer. Then Edith put her dolly down on the chair and went in the house to find her mother. "Mama," she said, "I think Helen is very rude, she doesn't come to my party and I invited her!" "Just wait a little longer, dear," said her mother, "and she will come. Maybe her nurse was busy dressing Helen's little sister and brother and couldn't get her ready in time." "But I invited her," was all Edith could say; "but I invited her, and she doesn't come." Then her mother went to the telephone and called up Helen's mother. In a moment she came back. "Edith, dear," she said, "what day did you write Helen to come? Her mother says she thought it was to be Thursday, and so did Helen, and this is only Tuesday." "But I _did_ say Tuesday, mama," said Edith, who was almost ready to cry. "I remember because that was the hardest word to spell, and I think I made a blot when I wrote it." "Well, never mind, dear; Helen is getting ready now and will be over in a few minutes," said her mama. And Edith was very happy, and ran out to the tea-table under the trees with her doll to wait. But she did not have to wait very long this time, for in a little while Helen came running across the lawn carrying her doll; and so happy were both little girls that Edith forgot all about the long time she had been waiting for Helen to come. Helen wanted Edith to know that she had not been rude in staying away, so she brought with her the letter Edith had sent to her, so she could show it to Edith. And there, sure enough, the word "Tuesday" was written so badly that it looked more like "Thursday," and that was why Helen did not think she was expected on this day. Well, the very first thing they did was to undress their dolls and put them to sleep under one of the bushes on the lawn--in the shade, so that the sun would not hurt their eyes, and so that the wax would not be melted from their cheeks. Edith put her napkin over both dolls for a comforter, for you never know when it will blow up cold, and little girls have to be as careful of their dolls as their own mothers are! Very soon the maid came out with cookies and lady-fingers and make-believe tea, and another napkin to take the place of the one Edith had put over the dolls, and they had tea. Then the two little girls and Edith's nurse had a nice game of croquet, and they had a lovely tea-party after all, and Edith forgot all about waiting so long for Helen to come. But Edith never again made a mistake when she spelled "Tuesday."

I have a doll, Rebecca, She's quite a little care, I have to press her ribbons And comb her fluffy hair. I keep her clothes all mended, And wash her hands and face, And make her frocks and aprons, All trimmed in frills and lace. I have to cook her breakfast, And pet her when she's ill; And telephone the doctor When Rebecca has a chill. Rebecca doesn't like that, And says she's well and strong; And says she'll try--oh! very hard, To be good all day long. But when night comes, she's nodding; So into bed we creep And snuggle up together, And soon are fast asleep. I have no other dolly, For you can plainly see, In caring for Rebecca, I'm busy as can be!

"It seems very queer," said Dorothea thoughtfully, "people who are going to do something nice always have presents given them, but people who are going to do something horrid never get a thing, and they need it twice as much." "As for instance?" said her father, laying down his paper and drawing her onto his knee, while the rest of the family prepared to give the customary amused attention to their youngest's remarks. "Well, when Cousin Edith went to Europe we all gave her presents to take with her, and when she came home lots of people sent her flowers. Anita's been getting cups and things ever since she was engaged, and last spring, when Florence graduated, almost all the family gave her something; and when Mary Bowman was confirmed she got a lovely white prayer-book and a gold cross and chain. But when people are going to do what they hate to do, they're left out in the cold." "What are you going to do that you don't like, Baby?" asked Florence. "Why, you know, school begins again next week," said Dorothea. "It makes me feel quite mournful, and I don't see anything to cheer me up and make it interesting for me." A little smile was hidden in the corners of her mouth although her tone was as doleful as possible. "If you were going to boarding-school--" began Anita, who was apt to take everything seriously. "Then I'd have lots of things," interrupted Dorothea. "New clothes and a trunk and a bag, and you'd all come to see me off, and it would be interesting. But I'm going to work just as hard here at day-school, and yet I've got to bear it, all by myself." Her father pinched her ear, and her big brother Jim offered to have a bunch of roses placed on her desk at school if that would make her feel better, while her two sisters looked at each other as though the same idea had occurred to them both. On the morning of the first day of school, Dorothea was suddenly awakened by a loud ting-a-ling-a-ling. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. The room was flooded with morning light and the brass knobs on her bed gleamed cheerfully at her and seemed to say: "Get up, get up!" Now Dorothea was a "sleepyhead" and had seldom been known to get up when first awakened. It usually took at least three calls from her mother or the girls, and sometimes Jim stole in and administered a "cold pig," that is, a few drops of chilly water squeezed upon her neck from a sponge, before she was ready to leave her comfortable bed. "It's an alarm clock," thought Dorothea. "But where is it?" Her eyes traveled sleepily around the room but saw nothing that had not been there the night before. The ting-a-ling-a-ling sounded once more. "It's in this room somewhere!" she exclaimed, bouncing out of bed. She looked on bureau, washstand, bookcase, and window-seat, and then jumped, for the loud ting-a-ling came almost from underneath her feet. She hastily lifted the drooping cover of a little table that stood near the window, and there on the edge of the lower shelf stood an alarm-clock of the ordinary pattern but of rather extraordinary appearance, owing to a large yellow paper ruff which encircled its face. "How did it get there?" exclaimed Dorothea in astonishment; and as she gazed the clock burst forth with another loud ting-a-ling. "Isn't it ever going to stop doing that?" she said, lifting it as she spoke. The yellow ruff seemed to have something written on it, so she took it off and, smoothing it out, read: DEAR DOLLY: Happy school-day! After much earnest consideration I have selected this as a suitable reminder of this joyful (?) anniversary. It will continue to remind you five mornings in the week, thereby saving your family much wear and tear, for it will be properly wound and set every night by Your affectionate brother, JIM. P.S. When you are sufficiently aroused, press the lever and the alarm will stop. "It's one of those awful clocks that go off every minute!" said Dorothea, carefully examining it to find the lever. She almost dropped it when it began another of its loud and long rings, but she soon found and pressed the lever and thereafter the clock was silent except for its customary tick. "I don't believe I shall ask anybody to give me presents any more," she said, eying Jim's "reminder" with disfavor. But she changed her mind a little later when, on looking for a clean handkerchief, she discovered a flat square box tied with blue ribbon, and, opening it, saw half a dozen handkerchiefs with narrow blue borders and a little blue D in the corner. On the top was Cousin Edith's visiting-card, on the back of which was printed in fantastic letters: Dear Dolly: Use a handkerchief Whenever you're inclined to sniff. But with this band of blue I think They don't need polka-dots of ink. It was a constant wonder to the household what Dorothea did with her handkerchiefs when she was at school. In vain she protested that she didn't wipe her pen on them, and she didn't use them as blotters or to wash out her ink-well; but, nevertheless, black stains almost always appeared upon them, and Florence insisted that the family had to buy an extra pint of milk a day to take out all these ink-stains. Cousin Edith was too frequent a visitor not to know all the family plans and jokes, and Dolly, as she laughed and shook out one of the blue-bordered squares, resolved that "polka-dots" should be conspicuous by their absence, for Edith would be sure to know. She entered the breakfast room just as the family were sitting down to the table. "Behold the effects of my generosity and fore-thought!" exclaimed Jim waving his hand toward her. "Our Youngest is in time for breakfast!" "Many happy returns of the day, small sister," said Anita, just as if it was her birthday, kissing her good morning and slipping a little hard package into her hand. "Bob sends you this with his love." "I don't mind returns of the day when it's like this," said Dorothea, opening the package and at the same time spying a couple of tissue-paper parcels lying beside her plate. Inside was a small chamois-skin case out of which slid a little pearl-handled penknife. The accompanying card bore the name of her future brother-in-law, and also these words: I hesitate to offer you This knife, for I shall be Afraid that if you cut yourself You straightway will cut me. "How long did it take Bob to execute that masterpiece?" inquired Jim as Dorothea read it aloud. "You're jealous," she said. "Yours wasn't half so lovely as Cousin Edith's and Bob's. It wasn't poetry at all." "I left all the eloquence to my gift itself," answered Jim, helping himself to an orange. Dorothea paid no attention to him, for she was opening a small package fastened by a rubber band. It was a silver-mounted eraser with a tiny brush at one end. The inclosed note read: This advice I must repeat; Spare the rub and spoil the sheet. If you can't restrain your speed, This will prove a friend in need. Dolly joined rather shamefacedly in the general smile, as she thanked Florence, whose writing she had recognized. She was very apt to postpone her work until the last minute, and then rush through it as fast as possible; her compositions suffered from the many careless mistakes that she was always in too much of a hurry to correct, while her drawings belonged to what Jim called the "slap-dash school." "We shall know by the amount of rubber left at the end of the term whether you have taken my valuable advice," said Florence. "What's in that other package, Baby? I know it is Anita's by the extreme elegance of its appearance." Dorothea opened an oblong package tied with green ribbon and found a set of blotters fastened to a dark green suede cover ornamented with an openwork design of four-leaf clovers, and a pen-wiper to match. On top lay a slip of paper on which was written in Anita's pretty hand: Wishing "Our Youngest" good luck and a happy school year. "I'm not good at verses, so you'll have to be content with plain prose," said Anita, and Dorothea assured her that she was quite satisfied. "Half past eight, Dolly," said her mother when breakfast was over. "It is time you started." "Oh, not yet, mother," said Dorothea the Dawdler. "It only takes me fifteen minutes." "Now, see here," said Jim; "what do you suppose stirring young business-men like your father and brother are lingering until the nine o'clock train for, unless it is to see you off for school? We want to give you as good a send-off as possible, for you're going to be absent four whole hours, but we can't,--unless you do your part and begin to go pretty soon. I don't believe you've got all your books together, as it is." "Yes, I have," answered Dorothea triumphantly. "They are all on the hall table, for I put them there last night. Oh, gracious!" she exclaimed blankly: "I forgot to see whether I had any pencils! I don't believe I have one! Jim, lend me yours, won't you? Just for to-day." "Lend you my most cherished possession? Never!" said Jim, placing his hand dramatically over his breast pocket. "Then, Daddy, won't you please lend me yours?" "Trot along, trot along!" said her father; and Dorothea, not knowing quite what to make of having her demands thus ignored, put on her big sailor hat and started to gather up her books. On top of the pile was a slender inlaid box under a card bearing the words, "For Dolly, from Father." Pushing back the sliding cover, Dorothea saw that the box contained a row of pencils, all beautifully sharpened, a dozen pens, and a slim gunmetal penholder. "Oh!" she squealed with delight. "So that's why you wouldn't lend me any pencils!" and gave her father a hug. "Hurry up, now," said Jim. "Don't forget we've got to see ourselves off after we've seen you." "Why don't you take your bag?" asked Anita. "It's too small for my new Geography," answered Dorothea, placing this huge outward and visible sign of her progress in learning so that it would form a foundation for the rest of her books. "Besides, it's too shabby". "You had better take it to-day, anyhow, as you have so much to carry," suggested her mother. "I brought it downstairs and it's on the hat-rack." "I just hate it!" pouted Dorothea, turning; and then stopped in surprise, for instead of her little old satchel, a large new one made of soft dark brown leather was hanging on the rack. It was ornamented on one side with her monogram in raised tan-colored letters, and it was large enough for the largest Geography that she was ever likely to have. "Who gave me that?" she cried. "Oh, I know--Mother! It's just exactly what I wanted. I think going to school this way is perfectly lovely!" she added as she slipped her other possessions into the bag. "Twenty minutes to nine!" called Jim warningly. "All right, I'm going now," answered Dorothea gaily as she kissed them all around. "And the first day of school isn't so dismal after all, is it?" said her father. "Oh, it's splendid, just splendid!" she replied enthusiastically. At the gate she turned to wave her hand at the assembled family, who waved back at her vigorously; and then, swinging her bag, she ran off down the street toward school.

Doris's papa gave her a five-dollar bill, such a lot of money! Doris went to a big bank and asked if they could give her smaller money for it. The banker said he thought they could. So he gave her two two-dollar bills and a big silver dollar. How much did that make? Doris wanted the dollar changed again; so the banker asked if she would have two fifty-cent pieces, or one fifty-cent piece and two quarters--or perhaps four quarters or ten dimes--or twenty five-cent pieces--or a hundred pennies. Doris thought a hundred pennies would be a good many to count and to carry, so she said she would take two quarters, three dimes and four five-cent pieces. She laid away four dollars in the bank, those were the two bills, and put the change in her purse. When she went to the shop, she had such a lot of money that she thought she never could spend it. So she bought a paint-box with two little saucers in it for 10 cents; that left her 90 cents; and then a big rubber balloon for 25 cents; that left 65 cents; and a little one for 10 cents; and then Doris bought a whole pound of candy for thirty cents. Out of the 25 cents she had left, it cost 10 cents to go in the car.

Doris returns home with a dollar's worth of wasted purchases—a cheap paint-box, cut-out dolls, bad candy, and deflated balloons—leaving her with only 15 cents. Her wise mother consoles her and helps her make better choices with a second dollar. Together they visit a bookstore damaged by fire and purchase a quality animal storybook for 10 cents instead of its original 50 cents. Doris then buys marbles and a hoop for 10 cents, learns roller skates cost a dollar, and generously gives a sad little boy a red ball for 5 cents. When her father offers to buy skates downtown for 75 cents, Doris has enough saved. Through her experience, Doris learns that thoughtful spending yields useful, lasting goods rather than wasteful impulses.

Katharine Easton, feeling homesick and resentful about visiting Holland, travels by trekschuit with her father Colonel Easton to meet her nurse Marie's family. She initially scorns the Dutch children and their wooden shoes, or klompen, finding them odd compared to her New York life. Upon arriving at Marie's sisters' cottages, the seven shy Hollanders warmly welcome her with gifts including a doll, a boat model, Edam cheese, and a white kitten. During a foggy walk on the dike, Katharine falls into water and becomes lost. She stumbles upon Dame Donk's cottage, where she is warmed and dried while the fog clears. Marie and the children search frantically until Dame Donk sends word. Katharine is dressed in Gretel's too-small Dutch clothes, transforming her appearance. Her father arrives to find her happy and laughing, no longer homesick. The colonel buys Dutch garments as a memento, and Katharine declares she loves Holland and its children.

This brief poem describes the cultural differences between Japanese and Western customs through a little girl named Nami-Ko from Chu-Bo. It humorously contrasts Japanese writing characters with the Roman alphabet, describes the unique wooden geta shoes with their distinctive heels and toe shapes, explains the use of parasols instead of hats, and notes that Japanese children sleep on hard wooden pillows to protect their smooth hair from becoming disheveled.

The Little Cousin's seventh birthday party is cancelled when Mumps arrives uninvited. Despite her illness, the Merry Mother arranges a creative gift-delivery system using strings and wooden blocks labeled "PULL." The Little Cousin receives four presents: a doll with brown eyes and yellow curls wearing only a blanket; a trunk full of clothing including blue, pink, and white dresses; a small chair for the doll; and a dining-table complete with tablecloth, napkins, and china dishes. Overjoyed by these gifts, the Little Cousin forgets her disappointment about the cancelled party and busily dresses Dolly and prepares her luncheon set.

Retold from Grimm, this classic tale follows a beloved girl who receives a red velvet hood from her grandmother, earning her the name Little Red Riding-Hood. Her mother sends her to visit her sick grandmother with cake and wine, warning her to stay on the path and behave properly. In the woods, she encounters a wolf who tricks her into revealing her grandmother's location by asking about the flowers and birds. While she gathers flowers, the wolf goes directly to the grandmother's house, eats the old woman, and disguises himself in her nightclothes. When Little Red Riding-Hood arrives, she notices the wolf's huge ears, eyes, and teeth hidden beneath the nightcap. The wolf jumps from the bed to devour her, but grandmother and passing woodmen arrive just in time to rescue her from the wicked wolf.

This brief dialogue poem features Mary consulting Doctor John about her sick baby who refuses food and cries constantly. The doctor prescribes keeping the baby warm, administering medicine, avoiding overfeeding, and limiting diet to bread. However, Doctor Johnhelpfully "tastes" the prescribed cake multiple times, ultimately eating the entire thing intended for the patient. When Mary points out this breach of medical ethics, he claims it was all for the baby's benefit. He assures her the child will recover by tomorrow and takes his leave with cheerful farewells.

Hans Christian Andersen's tale begins with a childless woman receiving a magical barley-corn from a witch. She plants it, and a beautiful tulip blooms containing a tiny maiden no bigger than a thumb. Thumbelina sleeps in a walnut-shell cradle lined with blue, nestled on violets beneath a rose petal. She sails a tulip leaf across a water plate on a table, rowing with horsehair oars. One night, an ugly toad kidnaps Thumbelina and her cradle, intending her as a bride for her son. The fish, pitying the weeping maiden, gnaw through the lily stem holding her leaf, sending her floating free. A cockchafer later carries her to a tree, but after the local chafers criticise her appearance, she is released onto a daisy. As autumn turns to winter, Thumbelina seeks shelter with a field-mouse who offers food and lodging in exchange for housekeeping and storytelling. The field-mouse introduces her to the wealthy but blind Mole, suggesting they might marry. During a tour of underground passages, they discover a frozen swallow. While the others dismiss birds as useless, gentle Thumbelina covers the bird with hay and warmth. Over subsequent nights, she cares for the swallow, who recovers and promises to fly again in the sunshine.

Thumbelina cares for an injured swallow through the winter in an underground passage, providing water and visits with her torch. When spring arrives, the swallow offers to take her to warm countries, but she refuses to leave the kind field-mouse. The swallow departs, and Thumbelina must prepare wedding clothes for her upcoming marriage to the mole, who is dull and hates sunshine. Despite her tears and refusal, the wedding proceeds. At the last moment, the swallow returns and rescues Thumbelina, flying her over mountains and seas to warm countries. They arrive at a marble palace where swallows have nested. The swallow places Thumbelina in a sunflower, where she meets a tiny Prince who is the spirit of the flower and King of all flower spirits. The Prince offers Thumbelina his golden crown and asks her to be his bride and queen. Other flower spirits emerge and give her wings so she can fly between flowers. The swallow sings a bridal song as they marry.

A little red hen living in a white house with a green garden is captured by Papa Fox, who puts her in a bag. When she sneezes, she feels her scissors and cuts a hole in the bag. Seeing a stony hill ahead, she waits until Papa Fox stops to rest, then cuts a larger hole, jumps out, and replaces herself with a heavy stone. Papa Fox carries the bag home, where Mamma Fox and the baby foxes are waiting with boiling water. When Papa Fox drops the bag into the pot, the stone causes boiling water to splash all over the fox family, and they never try to catch the Little Red Hen again.

A poor shoemaker finds that shoes he cuts out overnight are completed by morning. He and his wife become prosperous from the mysterious help. Before Christmas, they decide to watch and discover two little elves who make the shoes. To show their gratitude, the wife makes tiny clothes for the elves and the husband makes shoes. The elves find the presents, dress in their new clothes, sing happily, and never return to work again. The shoemaker continues to prosper happily ever after.

An old woman bakes a gingerbread boy who jumps out of the oven and runs away. Despite the old man and woman chasing him, he escapes. He taunts pursuers as he runs past: first a barn full of threshers, then field mowers, then a cow, then a pig. When he meets a fox, he repeats his boast, but the fox catches him. The gingerbread boy announces his progress being eaten—"quarter gone," "half gone," "three-quarters gone"—until he is all gone.

This section titled "Stories for Little Boys" collects several traditional and original tales suitable for young readers. It opens with an extended passage from Thumbelina's story, depicting her tender care of a wounded swallow through the winter months, her reluctance to leave the kind field-mouse, and the subsequent threat of an unwanted marriage to the mole—until the returning swallow rescues her and carries her off to a warm country where a flower-spirit prince makes her his bride. Following Thumbelina, the section presents three classic Grimm-style stories: "The Fox and the Little Red Hen," in which a clever hen escapes a fox family's cooking pot by substituting herself with a stone; "The Shoemaker and the Little Elves," wherein two industriousgnomes secretly cobble shoes for a poor shoemaker until the grateful couple rewards them with tiny garments; and "The Gingerbread Boy," who boasts of escaping everyone until a fox finally catches and eats him. The collection then shifts to original animal stories for boys, including "Mischief," a puppy's humorous preparations for a journey to Milwaukee, and "Willie and His Dog Diver," a tale of a boy who saves a puppy from drowning only to be rescued by the grown dog years later when he falls into a mill-pond. The final story, "Gordon's Toy Castle on the Hill," begins as a boy plays with his Christmas toys after the tree comes down and receives a miniature Scottish castle with soldiers.

Mischief is a clever puppy who arrives as a forlorn pup and later lives in the kitchen, getting into mischief by chasing cats and stealing items. When he learns he must be sent to Milwaukee, he prepares for the journey by gathering his possessions: an old coat, milk-dish, stove-hook, gelatin-box, and mittens. He tries to bring a yellow kitten along but she refuses. Exhausted from his preparations, he naps until dinner. He is then shipped to his new master and arrives happy and healthy.

When Willie is a small child living near a mill, he sees a cruel boy throw a puppy into the mill-pond. Willie begs his father to save the puppy. Willie keeps the puppy, who grows into a large shaggy dog named Diver. One day when Willie is picking hazelnuts, he slips into deep water. Diver jumps in, grabs Willie's collar, and brings him safely to shore. The dog repays Willie's earlier kindness by saving his life.

Gordon Bruce receives a large Christmas tree and many toys. When his mother says the tree must come down because it's drying out, Gordon asks for one more day. On a rainy day with no friends present, he plays with his toys. Among his presents is a tiny castle like those from stories his Scottish father read about old castles in Scotland.

Gordon creates a make-believe game using his castle, soldiers, and colorful glass marbles given to him by his Uncle George. He arranges a chair with a rug to form a hill, placing his castle at the top and soldiers at the bottom. He rolls marbles down from the castle, watching them knock over the wooden soldiers one by one. After knocking them all down, he stands them up again and repeats the game. Gordon finds great enjoyment in this simple play, noting that the wooden soldiers with their painted red and blue uniforms are not harmed. The following day, his mother takes down the Christmas tree and carefully stores all the decorations until the next year.

Mrs. Stockchen sends her son Hans to take the cow Cowslip to pasture, warning him not to be late for supper. Hans falls asleep under five shady trees while the sun beats down. Upon waking at supper time, he discovers that Cowslip has escaped over the fence. His mother scolds him severely and sends him back to find the cow. Late at night, Hans encounters two soldiers who arrest him for allegedly stealing the cow and being impertinent. They lead Hans and Cowslip to prison, confining the boy in a dungeon while allowing the cow to wander outside. The next morning, Cowslip hears Hans crying at his prison window and offers to knock down the wall with her horns. After considerable effort, she creates a large enough hole for Hans to escape. Hans leaps onto Cowslip's back and they flee together over trees, stones, ditches, and hedges, finally reaching home where his overjoyed mother embraces him. The story ends with the family living happily ever after.

Little Boy Blue is the youngest of four brothers, distinguished by his bright blue eyes and entirely blue outfit. His mother takes him to visit Aunt Polly, who lives on a farm atop a high hill. Little Boy Blue stays for ten days while his mother returns home after two. Aunt Polly assigns him the job of watching the cows and sheep to ensure they don't stray into the crops. Each morning, a cuckoo clock wakes him at five o'clock, and he enjoys his breakfast of creamy milk and johnny-cake on the doorstep before heading out with his little blue horn. One day, while the sheep jump a wall into the meadow and the cows invade the corn, nobody hears Little Boy Blue's horn. Aunt Polly searches the farm and discovers him fast asleep under a haycock, where he had gone because the early morning and warm sun made him drowsy. From then on, Little Boy Blue takes a nap before his duties so he can stay awake. At the end of his visit, Aunt Polly rewards him with a woolly white lamb as a gift.

A cunning Fox captures a bumblebee and places it in a bag, then visits a series of cottages along a village street. At each house, he asks an old woman to watch his bag while he goes to the grocery store, warning her not to untie the string. In every case, the woman ignores his warning and opens the bag, causing a chain of losses and substitutions. The bumblebee escapes and is eaten by a rooster, so the Fox takes the rooster. The rooster escapes and is eaten by a pig, so the Fox takes the pig. The pig escapes and is gored by an ox, so the Fox takes the ox. The ox escapes and is chased into the woods by a little boy, so the Fox takes the boy. At the final cottage, a busy woman making cake leaves the bag untouched, but when the boy inside cries out for cake, she opens the bag and discovers him. She releases the boy and substitutes the house dog in the bag. When the Fox returns, the bag appears tied and untouched, so he carries it into the woods. Upon opening the bag, the dog jumps out and attacks the Fox, ending the Fox's travels permanently.

A boy named Oeyvind lives in a house beneath a barren cliff, where fir and birch trees overlook the roof. His little goat roams across the roof to prevent it from straying, and Oeyvind carries leaves and grass up to feed it. One day the goat leaps down and climbs the cliff to a place Oeyvind has never been. When Oeyvind searches for his missing goat, he discovers Marit, a four-year-old girl kneeling beside it on the brow of the hill. Marit immediately takes a fancy to the goat and offers Oeyvind a butter-cake in exchange. Though Oeyvind comes from poor circumstances and has only tasted butter-cake once in his life, he agrees to see the cake first. Marit throws it down, and it breaks into pieces. Oeyvind carefully gathers every fragment, but cannot resist tasting one piece, and then another, until he has eaten the entire cake. Marit declares the goat now belongs to her and laughs as the boy stands frozen with the last bit in his mouth. Oeyvind pleads for more time to say goodbye to his goat, but Marit continues laughing.

A girl arrives and claims a goat that Oeyvind has cared for since the previous winter, tying it to her with a garter and leading it away with a sung charm. Oeyvind, devastated, tells his mother he has sold the goat for a cake and swears never to do wrong again. The goat returns unexpectedly, and the girl reveals her grandfather was waiting for her. She formally apologizes, and Oeyvind accepts the return of her garter as a gift. His mother then teaches him about how all things in nature speak to one another—from mountains to streams to rivers to seas to sky, and so on through clouds, trees, grass, flies, animals, children, and adults. She sings what the cat and cock say, along with the birds on the ridge-pole. That summer, his mother begins teaching him to read, and the letters transform into animals in his imagination, though lessons eventually replace the stories. The next day, Oeyvind begins school at the neighboring farm, where many children sit reading together in a buzzing hum like a mill. The schoolmaster, an old gray-haired man, welcomes him and makes him laugh. Oeyvind discovers Marit sitting by the hearth and chooses to sit beside her. During reading time, she whispers that she also has a goat now and recites a song about a dance for him. The schoolmaster dismisses them after prayer and singing, and Oeyvind reflects that it was the best day of his life.

This section introduces a collection of children's stories and poems that follow under the heading of happy childhood days, featuring various animals and simple family moments.

Four children—Mollie, Jamie, Betty, and Teddy—play in their garden making mud-pies when Mrs. Tomkins, an old cat, repeatedly mews and touches them with her paw, trying to lead them somewhere. Their mother explains the cat wants them to check on her kittens. The children follow the cat to the stable, where they discover a hen has taken over the cat's kittens, sitting upon them and pecking the mother cat whenever she approaches. The children find this hilarious and wonder at the hen "adopting" the kittens. When the cat returns again the next day, the hen continues playing mother, pecking any kitten that pokes out its head. Mollie jokes that the cat should find a new house to escape such meddlesome neighbors. Eventually the children's mother allows the cat to move her five kittens to a cozy corner in the library, where she settles contentedly and purrs her gratitude. The children beg to keep the kittens, and a new home is made for them in a box in the woodhouse.

Dot, a little girl of five, receives a large round birthday cake adorned with five beautiful pink candles set in pink rosebuds. At dinner, she wears a pretty pink paper cap as the cake is brought in with all candles burning bright. She declares it too pretty to cut, but her mother offers to cut it. Dot imagines responses from her doll Marie and teddy bear Fuzzy, both politely declining, while enthusiastically inviting Papa and convincing her mother to have a piece. The mother cuts pieces for everyone while preserving the sections with candles. The cake lasts exactly five whole days before being finished.

Ned receives a new toy wagon from his papa and offers his puppy Rover a ride. When he spots his friend Tom running down the street, Ned runs after him calling out, forgetting Rover in the wagon. Rover barks "bow-wow" to express distress about falling out, and tumbles onto the road, running home frightened. Rover grows into a big dog. Later, Ned's younger brother Jack gets a little wagon, but Rover is now too big to ride in it. Jack harnesses Rover like a horse and climbs in to take the reins. When a rabbit appears, Rover chases it, dragging Jack in the wagon around and around despite Jack's calls to stop. The rabbit escapes into a hole under a wall, and Rover's momentum causes the wagon to strike a stone, tumbling Jack out. Jack immediately catches Rover and laughs it off, calling him a funny runaway horse and noting that he didn't catch his rabbit after all.

A brief poem describes lending a little grey kitten named Pussy to a lady while away. The lady petted the kitten and fed it generously to make it fat. Upon return, the narrator discovers the kitten has grown into a cat.

Polly's brother Ned brings his camera to the Meadowbrook Farm orchard on Polly's birthday to take her picture with all her pets. The animals create a great commotion—Blackie the cat chases a squirrel, Banty the hen scratches for worms far away, and Gyp the dog barks at a calf by the brook. The pig family rushes to see what is happening. Ned sets up his camera on its three legs while trying to gather Polly's pets around her, but none of them understand that this is her birthday picture day.

A didactic verse tells the story of a mischievous boy who refuses to learn, believing he can postpone his education until adulthood. His mother weeps over his choices, but Ben ignores her warnings. When he grows older and must earn a living, he discovers it is too late to gain the knowledge he neglected. The poem concludes with a moral lesson urging children not to delay their studies.

Young Chuckie Wuckie promises her father not to disturb the newly planted canna bed, yet each morning a hole appears beside the plants. Her father suspects she has broken her promise, though she maintains her innocence with tears in her eyes. Eventually, the mystery is solved when they discover a hop-toad has been excavating the holes as his home. Papa and Chuckie welcome the creature, allowing him to remain. By summer's end, the cannas have grown tall and thick, providing a safe refuge for their frog neighbor.

A self-important young mouse ignores his grandmother's warning about traps and ventures into what he believes is a cheese-house within a dining-room cupboard. He confidently analyzes the "reception-room" and "fresh air" ventilation, dismissing the warnings of experience. His grandmother's advice about "keeping a bright eye" goes unheeded as he boldly enters. The story ends abruptly with his horrified realization of the trap's true nature, completing only the preface to his tale.

A section header introducing a collection of poems celebrating mothers and the concept of motherhood. The section groups together multiple poems exploring various aspects of maternal relationships, including expressions of gratitude, playful observations of child behavior, and tender moments between mothers and children.

James Whitcomb Riley writes affectionately about a boy's devotion to his mother, celebrating her boundless capacity for love even during punishment. The speaker notes that his mother loves him whether he is glad or sad, good or bad, and even when she must discipline him. A tender scene depicts the family reunited at tea time, with the boy hugging both his mother and father in contentment.

Rose Fyleman presents a portrait of a mother at three different times of day. In the morning, she appears in her oldest clothes, ready to play in the garden. At tea time, she arrives in her everyday dress, eager and cheerful. At bedtime, she wears her evening dress and tells stories after prayers. Each vignette emphasizes her accessibility and joy in simple family moments.

A chance encounter on a cold evening shows a weary mother carrying bundles home, with her young son walking behind her. The boy calls out that she is "the goodest mother that ever was," and the narrator reflects on the comfort such words must bring to a woman who has labored hard all day. The poem encourages children to pause and express appreciation for their mothers.

A brief poem acknowledging the old-fashioned cooking wisdom passed from mother to daughter without the need for formal instruction or recipe books. The speaker credits her mother with teaching her everything she knows through daily experience rather than formal education.

A playful question-and-answer poem describes a mischievous child through a series of clues. Each stanza asks "Who is it?" and then provides details of typical childhood behavior—playing with mother's things, getting ink on fingers, being spoiled at bedtime. The answer to each question is always "me," creating an endearing portrait of a typical small child's activities.

A little knight fancies himself a brave champion while his mother serves as his noble lady. The child imagines himself wearing armor with shield and sword, while his mother sits by the window with light shining on her hair as she sews. The poem captures the imaginative world of a child who associates maternal love with chivalric romance.

A humorous poem about a child deciding how much sugar to add to chocolate reveals the various opinions in the household. Five lumps make it like candy, four are almost as good, three is what the nurse allows, and two satisfies Uncle Jack. The child ultimately decides to take just one lump and imitate dear Mama, resolving the dilemma by choosing moderation.

A verse describes a mother's preparations before leaving her child Bobby alone. She removes matches, locks the pantry, and hides potentially dangerous items before departing. Despite Bobby's promise to be good, his mother humorously wonders what mischief he will find to get into in her absence, creating a playful tension between the child's good intentions and the inevitable chaos.

A humorous poem describes a child's fancy of living in exotic locations with impressive names—Constantinople, Drachenfels-upon-the-Rhine, Yokohama, or Madagascar. The speaker admires these grand-sounding places but acknowledges they might be "too much snap" to actually live in. The conclusion reinforces the value of one's ordinary home, ending with the assertion that Smithville is best after all.

A section header introducing poems and stories focusing on extended family members including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and the special relationships children form with relatives beyond their immediate parents.

An elderly woman sits in her chair as the sun sets, her thoughts drifting back to childhood on her father's farm. She recalls the spinning wheel and happy songs, the sunlight dancing across the sanded floor, and the breeze through the open door. Beyond the window, she remembers the flower garden, the old well-sweep, and the distant waterfall's sound. The poem captures the hazy beauty of memories called up by golden summer days and reapers in the fields.

A child describes the special ritual of visiting her great-aunt, walking past quiet houses to reach her door. Aunt Lucy, a small and prim lady with kind blue eyes, sits knitting by the chimney. She wears lavender dresses with white kerchiefs and has silver hair beneath a cap. The child receives peppermints and answers questions about school and play, then enjoys cake and visits the garden with its roses, sweet-william, and arbor. The poem expresses a child's admiration for this elegant elderly relative and a wish to grow up similarly.

A cheerful poem describes the special treats different relatives bring when they visit. Grandma brings cookies and ginger cakes, Grandpa carries toys that move when wound, Uncle Jack gives quarters to spend, while Aunt Sarah suggests useful gifts instead. The poem captures the different personalities of extended family members through their gift-giving preferences.

Little Mary rocks her dolls while asking her grandmother questions about the old lady's childhood. Grandmamma responds by showing Mary a box containing a portrait of herself as a beautiful child with golden hair and hazel eyes. When Mary expresses surprise at the resemblance, Grandmamma reveals the picture shows who she once was. Mary delightedly declares she prefers her grandmother as she is now, climbing onto her lap to hear stories of the past. The poem concludes with May declaring the most wonderful thing her grandmother ever did was "to grow a beautiful grandma for me."

Lydia Maria Child's famous poem describes a sleigh ride through winter woods to grandfather's house for Thanksgiving. The horse knows the way through snow and wind, and the poem captures the excitement and chill of the journey. Bells ring and voices call "Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!" as the travelers hurry through the cold. The poem emphasizes the joy of family gathering and traditional celebration.

A nostalgic poem where a grandmother recounts dancing the stately minuet in her youth, describing the graceful, proper etiquette of the era and contrasting old-fashioned dance with modern styles. The speaker reflects that they will one day tell their own grandchild about the dances of their time, just as their grandmother did.

A cheerful poem by Norman Gale celebrating Aunt Jan's warm, playful visits to the family. She brings joy through singing, dancing, and piano playing, and the children adore her so deeply they cry when she leaves, comforted by the promise of her return in spring.

A cozy domestic poem describing a beloved evening routine shortly after tea: the narrator sits on their father's knee while he tells original, lovely stories, with their mother nearby sewing and listening. The narrator is certain their father's stories are the best they have ever heard.

An introductory header for a collection of playful, child-friendly alphabet verses, featuring varied characters and themes to make learning the alphabet engaging and fun.

A repetitive, playful alphabet verse where a narrator attempts to persuade a puppy, cockatoo, and cat to learn their letters in exchange for special treats, all of whom refuse. A little boy happily agrees to learn his alphabet, hoping to earn a pair of boots and spurs from his father.

A straightforward English alphabet list that pairs each letter from A to Z with four simple, common associated words, concluding with a note that the alphabet is complete.

A whimsical nonsense alphabet poem by Edward Lear, pairing each letter of the alphabet with a silly, charming character or object, accompanied by a short playful rhyme for each entry.

A whimsical alphabet poem by Edward Lear that frames each letter as a former object, paired with a set of rhyming related words to create playful, silly verses for every letter from A to Z.

A playful alphabet verse following the misadventures of a single apple pie, assigning each letter of the alphabet a different action related to the pie, from baking to eating to fighting over it, ending with every letter (and the ampersand) hoping for a slice.

A humorous alphabet poem by Carolyn Wells that introduces a different animal (or animal-like creature) for each letter of the alphabet, paired with silly, playful descriptions of their traits and habits, including both real and fictional creatures.

A classic traditional alphabet rhyme that assigns each letter of the alphabet to a character with a distinct occupation or trait, following a consistent rhyme scheme from A to Z.

A playful alphabet poem by Carolyn Wells that pairs each letter with a child's name and a short, whimsical rhyme describing a silly thing they did, designed to be fun and accessible for young readers.

A practical, child-focused alphabet poem by Mrs. Frederick Peterson that pairs each letter with a healthy food, habit, or wellness tip for children, designed to teach basic health concepts in a memorable, playful format. The provided excerpt covers entries from A to I.

The primary content presents a complete alphabet of health lessons spanning from letters J through Z. Each letter introduces health-related concepts: Jam and Joy for spreading happiness, the importance of clean kitchens, school luncheons, milk for building muscles, healthy habits news, oatmeal as breakfast food, vegetables and prunes, quiet rest after meals, soap hygiene, avoiding tea and coffee, understanding nutrition, water hydration, nutritious extras, youth health, and concluding with zest for life. The entire alphabet from A to Z is also presented in simple form for learning.

A simple alphabet listing song presents the complete alphabet from A through Z in verse form, serving as a basic learning tool for letter recognition and sequence. The playful rhyme captures the common childhood experience of learning to recite the alphabet.

An alphabetical catalog of children's literature titles provides suggested readings organized from A to V, featuring classic tales including Aladdin, Cinderella, The Gingerbread Boy, Little Red Hen, and Simple Simon, offering a curated reading list for young learners.