The Big Book for Toddlers

Page 1

The big book for

T o dd l e r s

AcTiviTies

< fAiry TAles < gAmes < Nursery rhymes < soNgs < sTories



This book belongs to:

A gift from:


welcome

books 2 NEW YORK


The big book for

Balloon Fun!

T o dd L e r s

Children love balloons! The first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experimenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and supervise young children accordingly.)

edited by Alice Wong inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction GAS BALLOON & Lena Tabori between the vinegar, which is high in acetic balloon, empty bottle with a small neck, funnel, acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate).

vinegar, baking soda

1. Placing the funnel into the mouth of the bottle, help your child put two teaspoons of baking soda into the bottle. 2. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the balloon using the funnel. 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You may want to hold onto the neck for support, since the reaction can sometimes be quite strong. 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the vinegar to start mixing with the baking soda. The mixture should begin fizzing, expanding the balloon at an enormous rate. 5. You can explain to your child that gas is "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that

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MORE BALLOON FUN

1. Blow a balloon up really big and then let it go. (Make sure you have enough room.) 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while stretching the end of the balloon neck. 3. Rub an inflated balloon against a wooly sweater and then stick it to your hair. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of them in their hands. 5. Impress someone with this “magic� trick. Tape a small piece of scotch tape to an inflated balloon. If you stick a pin through the taped area, the balloon will not pop.


Published in 2009 by Welcome Books® An imprint of Welcome Enterprises, Inc. 6 West 18th Street New York, NY 10011 www.welcomebooks.com Text by Sara Baysinger, Katrina Fried, Deirdra Garcia, Nicholas Liu, Jacinta O’Halloran, Monique Peterson, Wendy Wax, Alice Wong Musical arrangements by Frank Zuback Line Illustrations by Megan Halsey, Sarah Kaplan, Kathryn Shaw Designed by Amanda Webster and Kristen Sasamoto Art Credits: Front & back cover art by Jessie Willcox Smith; Pgs. 5, 99: Hilda Austin; Pg. 12: Dovis M. Ward; Pg. 20: Lawson Wood; Pg. 39: Margaret Evans Price; Tiny Boats J.H. Hartley; Pg 45: The P. & M. Company, Inc.; Pg. 46: Kate Greenaway; Pgs. 50, 82: Maxfield Parrish; Pgs. 60-61, 68: Eul Alie; Pg. 62: Lenski; Pgs. 72-72: E. Curtis; Pgs. 74-75: Ida Waugh; Pg. 80: Margaret Evans Price; Pg. 83: Peter Fraser; Pg. 109: Fern Bisel Peat; Pgs. 115, 116, 145: Frank Hart; Pg. 131 Rosa C. Petherick; Pgs. 138-139: John Gee; Pg. 155 C.M. Bird; Pgs. 198, 201: Frances Brundage; Pg, 212: R.H. Porteous Copyright © 2009 Welcome Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file. ISBN: 978-1-59962-071-8 Printed in China First Edition 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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Balloon Fun! Children love balloons! The first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experimenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and supervise young children accordingly.)

GAS BALLOON

inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction between the vinegar, which is high in acetic acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate).

balloon, empty bottle with a small neck, funnel, vinegar, baking soda 1. Placing the funnel into the mouth of the bottle, help your child put two teaspoons of baking soda into the bottle. 2. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the balloon using the funnel. 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You may want to hold onto the neck for support, since the reaction can sometimes be quite strong. 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the vinegar to start mixing with the baking soda. The mixture should begin fizzing, expanding the balloon at an enormous rate. 5. You can explain to your child that gas is "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that

5

MORE BALLOON FUN

1. Blow a balloon up really big and then let it go. (Make sure you have enough room.) 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while stretching the end of the balloon neck. 3. Rub an inflated balloon against a wooly sweater and then stick it to your hair. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of them in their hands. 5. Impress someone with this “magic� trick. Tape a small piece of scotch tape to an inflated balloon. If you stick a pin through the taped area, the balloon will not pop.


CONTENTS

<Activites & Crafts Christmas Decorations........................................................................13 A Circus Train.........................................................................................14 Easter Bunny Eggs................................................................................17 Egg Carton Insects.................................................................................18 Galactic Mobile......................................................................................20 Halloween Crafts...................................................................................23 Homemade Valentines..........................................................................25 Independence Day Parade....................................................................26 Leaf Rubbings........................................................................................28 Mouth Puppets......................................................................................30 Noisemakers............................................................................................32 Paperplate Masks..................................................................................35 Snowy Day Fun.....................................................................................37 Starry-Night Snow Globe.......................................................................38 Tiny Boats..............................................................................................40

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<Balloon Nursery Rhymes Fun!

Children balloons! first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experBaa,love Baa, Black The Sheep...........................................................................44 imenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple Curly-Locks....................................................................................47 things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and suFive Toes....................................................................................................48 pervise young children accordingly.) Humpty Dumpty....................................................................................51

Jack and Jill............................................................................................53 inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction GAS BALLOON Little Bo-Peep........................................................................................54 between the vinegar, which is high in acetic balloon, empty bottle with a small neck, funnel, Little Miss Muffet...................................................................................56 acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium vinegar, baking soda Mary’s Lamb..........................................................................................58 bicarbonate). Old King Cole.........................................................................................60 1. Placing the funnel into the mouth Old Mother Hubbard............................................................................62 of the bottle, help your child put MORE BALLOON FUN One, Two,ofBuckle Myinto Shoe....................................................................64 two teaspoons baking soda 1. Blow a balloon up really big and the bottle. One,Two, Three..........................................................................................66 then let it go. (Make sure you have enough 2. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the balloon room.) Pat-a-Cake.........................................................................................68 usingRub-a-Dub-Dub...............................................................................70 the funnel. 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while There Was an Old Woman.....................................................................72

mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You stretching the end of the balloon neck. may want to hold onto the neck for support, 3. Rub an inflated balloon against a wooly since the reaction can sometimes be quite sweater and then stick it to your hair. strong. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of vinegar to start mixing with the baking soda. Balloons....................................................................................................76 them in their hands. The mixture should fizzing, expanding 5. Impress someone with this “magic” trick. Do Your Earsbegin Hang Low?.........................................................................78 the balloon at an enormous rate. Tape a small piece of scotch tape to an Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes!.......................................................77 5. You can explain to your child that gas is inflated balloon. If you stick a pin through the Five Little Monkeys................................................................................81 "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that taped area, the balloon will not pop.

< Games

Follow the Leader..................................................................................82

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Duck, Duck, Goose................................................................................84 Here Is the Church................................................................................87 Itsy, Bitsy Spider....................................................................................89 Leap Frog...............................................................................................91 Open, Shut Them..................................................................................92 Ring Around the Rosey.........................................................................94 Shadow Puppets....................................................................................96 Simon Says.............................................................................................98 The Wheels on the Bus......................................................................100

< Songs

The Animal Fair...................................................................................105 Ants Go Marching...............................................................................106 The Big Rock Candy Mountain..........................................................108 B-I-N-G-O...............................................................................................112 Down by The Station..........................................................................114 The Hokey Pokey.................................................................................117 If You’re Happy....................................................................................119 Inchworm..............................................................................................120 Little Bunny Foo Foo..........................................................................122 Mulberry Bush.....................................................................................125 Old MacDonald.....................................................................................126 Pop! Goes the Weasel!.........................................................................129 Rain, Rain Go Away...............................................................................130

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Balloon Fun!

Shoo Fly................................................................................................133 This Old Man.......................................................................................135 Children love balloons! TheLittle first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experTwinkle, Twinkle Star................................................................137 imenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and supervise young children accordingly.)

< Fairy Tales

GAS BALLOON

inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction between the vinegar, which is high in acetic balloon, empty with a smallWolf....................................................................140 neck, funnel, The Boybottle Who Cried acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium vinegar, baking The Catsoda and the Fiddle........................................................................144 bicarbonate). Chicken Little......................................................................................150 1. Placing the funnel into the mouth Four and Twenty of the bottle, help your childBlackbirds..............................................................154 put MORE BALLOON FUN Goldilocks and the Three Bears.......................................................156 two teaspoons of baking soda into 1. Blow a balloon up really big and the bottle. Hansel and Gretel................................................................................164 then let it go. (Make sure you have enough 2. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the balloon room.) The Little Mermaid............................................................................174 using the funnel. 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing The Little Red Hen..............................................................................178 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while Little Red Riding Hood.......................................................................180 mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You stretching the end of the balloon neck. The Princess and the Pea..................................................................186 may want to hold onto the neck for support, 3. Rub an inflated balloon against a wooly sincePuss the reaction can sometimes be quite in Boots.......................................................................................190 sweater and then stick it to your hair. strong. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath Rapunzel..............................................................................................196 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of Three Little Kittens.............................................................................202 vinegar to start mixing with the baking soda. them in their hands. The Three Little Pigs..........................................................................210 The mixture should begin fizzing, expanding 5. Impress someone with this “magic� trick. The Ugly the balloon at anDuckling...............................................................................216 enormous rate. Tape a small piece of scotch tape to an 5. You can explain to your child that gas is inflated balloon. If you stick a pin through the "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that taped area, the balloon will not pop. Index.....................................................................................................222

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Activities & Crafts



Sec21:2


Christmas Decorations Glitter Stars

wax paper, glue, glitter or confetti, scissors, string 1. Draw stars with glue on a sheet of wax paper and fill in the shapes with a thin layer of glue. 2. Sprinkle glitter or confetti on the glue shapes. 3. Allow to dry; cut out stars. 4. To hang stars, pierce a small hole in the end of one point and loop a piece of string through it.

Paper Chain

scissors, multicolored construction paper, markers, glitter, glue 1. Cut several 5-inch strips of paper. Try cutting zig-zaggy, squiggly, and wavy edges. 2. Decorate with markers or glitter.

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3. Glue one strip closed into a ring. 4. Thread another strip into the first ring, then glue shut. 5. Continue connecting rings until the chain is as long as desired. Use as streamers or as tree decoration.

Stocking Ornament red construction paper, scissors, tape, hole puncher, yarn, markers, glue, cotton balls

1. Cut same-sized stocking shapes from 2 pieces of paper and tape edges, except the top, together. 2. Punch a hole at the top end and loop yarn through. 3. Write name and decorate with markers. 4. Glue cotton balls around top of stocking. 5. Insert notes, pictures, sticker, or other little surprises into stocking and hang on tree.


A Circus Train small pantry-item boxes (such as empty tea or cracker boxes), scissors, brown wrapping paper, tape, paintbrushes, finger paint, markers, glue, buttons, large paper clips Collect small boxes as cars for bears, kangaroos, tigers, giraffes, lions, elephants, and other circus animals. Cut brown wrapping paper and use tape to wrap it around each box. With finger paints, make thumb and finger prints along the sides ofthe boxes to create various animal bodies. Then use a marker to draw animal eyes,ears, tails, and feet on the thumbprint bodies. Using paintbrushes, add bars to the circus cars and decorate the tops and ends of each car. Glue buttons on each car to make train wheels. To connect the cars, straighten paper clips and bend each end to point down at a 90-degree angle. Poke holes in the ends of each car, then insert paper clip ends into the holes to link the cars together. Get ready to step right up and see the big-top show!

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Balloon Fun! Children love balloons! The first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experimenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and supervise young children accordingly.)

GAS BALLOON

inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction between the vinegar, which is high in acetic acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate).

balloon, empty bottle with a small neck, funnel, vinegar, baking soda 1. Placing the funnel into the mouth of the bottle, help your child put two teaspoons of baking soda into the bottle. 2. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the balloon using the funnel. 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You may want to hold onto the neck for support, since the reaction can sometimes be quite strong. 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the vinegar to start mixing with the baking soda. The mixture should begin fizzing, expanding the balloon at an enormous rate. 5. You can explain to your child that gas is "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that

15

MORE BALLOON FUN

1. Blow a balloon up really big and then let it go. (Make sure you have enough room.) 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while stretching the end of the balloon neck. 3. Rub an inflated balloon against a wooly sweater and then stick it to your hair. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of them in their hands. 5. Impress someone with this “magic� trick. Tape a small piece of scotch tape to an inflated balloon. If you stick a pin through the taped area, the balloon will not pop.


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Easter Bunny Eggs pot, water, white eggs, spoon, wax crayons, pink egg dye, bowl, scissors, pink paper, tape 1. Fill pot with water and boil eggs for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove with spoon and let cool. 2. Decorate eggs with wax crayons by drawing two circles for eyes, an upsidedown triangle for a nose, whiskers on each side, and two front teeth. 3. Prepare dye in bowl, dip each egg into dye, and let dry. 4. Draw and cut out long ears from pink paper, then glue them on to each egg. 5. Cut a 4 x 1/2-inch strip of paper and tape ends together to form rings. 6. Set bunny eggs on rings to stand and leave for your child to discover.

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Egg Carton Insects cardboard egg cartons, scissors, tempera paint, paintbrushes, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, markers

, ntennae a 2 , s p u Ant: 3 c ; blue paint 6 legs cups, 6 o t 4 : r n paint e a l l e i r p g r ; e e t a n Ca 2 anten tennae, 6 legs; cup, 2 an paints 1 : g u b y Lad black red and , 8 legs; p u c 1 : r Spide int black pa

To make egg carton insects, cut one to six cups from an egg carton. Decorate with tempera paint and let dry. To make legs, poke a hole in the side of each cup and insert pipe cleaners. To make antennae, poke two small holes in the top of the first cup and insert pipe cleaners. Glue on googly eyes and draw on a mouth. Will the insects save the colony, become warriors, or just join the circus?

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Galactic Mobile

Markers, cardboard, scissors, aluminum foil, hole punch, string, glue, glitter, yellow plastic container lid, four yellow or orange pipe cleaners, Styrofoam balls, paint, paintbrush, toothpicks, plastic lid, large needle, thread, two sticks about a foot long

MOON

1. Draw a crescent or full moon on cardboard. Cut out and wrap with aluminum foil. 2. Punch a hole near the top. Thread string through and attach to the mobile base.

STARS

1. Draw different-sized stars on cardboard. Make some with longer and shorter points. 2. Spread a thin layer of glue on top and sprinkle each with a different color glitter. Let dry. Repeat on other side. 3. Punch a hole near the end of a point. Thread string through and tie to mobile base.

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SUN

Saturn is encircled by thin, prominent 1 rings. Create the rings by inserting two toothpicks opposite from each other on each side of a ball. Cut out the center of a plastic lid, leaving enough room for the planet, and then slip on top of the toothpicks to create the ring. Uranus is a large planet. Methane gases 1 in the atmosphere cause it to appear blue-green. Neptune contains a layer of cold water 1 around its core that moves to the surface and becomes a gas, giving the large planet a bluish color. 2. To hang, have a grown-up thread a large needle with thread and knot it. Push the needle through the bottom of the planet so it comes out the top. The knot should catch on the bottom. Tie to the mobile.

1. Cut eight small equally spaced slits along the rim of the yellow plastic lid. 2. Bend each pipe cleaner into a V-shape, and slip the two ends into a slit. You should have the bent part sticking out to form triangular sunbeams all around the lid edge. 3. Thread a piece of string through one of the top triangles and attach to mobile base.

Planets

1. Create the eight planets using differentsized Styrofoam balls and paint. Design each of the planets with a different characteristic: Mercury is half the size of Earth, making 1 it the second smallest planet in the solar system. It has a gray surface. Venus is about the size of Earth and has 1 a thick cloud cover that reflects sunlight and makes it appear white. Earth is medium-sized, with water and 1 clouds on the planet’s surface, making it appear blue with white swirls. Mars is smaller than Earth and has a 1 fiery red color. Jupiter is the largest planet and has 1 swirls of brown, white, gray, and blue.

Mobile Base

1. Use string to bind the two sticks together in the middle so they make an X-shape. 2. Attach a string from the center of the X so you can hang the mobile. 3. Hang your sun in the center of the mobile and then arrange planets around it in the order of their distance from the sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Fill in with moon and stars!

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Halloween Crafts Pipe Cleaner Spiders Black pipe cleaners, string

The Mummy Game Rolls of cheap toilet paper

1. Twist pipe cleaners together to form round bodies with eight legs each.

1. Whoever is chosen to be the mummy stands with arms and legs apart.

2. Attach string and hang from door-frame to about top-of-head height. Scatter little ones around house.

2. Wrap up the mummy with toilet paper!

Fingerprint Shapes Black inkpad, paper, markers, glue, glitter, scissors

3. Mummy chases the other children (arms front, legs straight, clumps around and moans). Yikes!

Tub of Worms

1. Let children make as many Halloween shapes as they can come up with using fingerprints and markers. Add glowing eyes with dabs of glue and glitter. Cut out shapes to decorate house. Some suggestions: Spider: thumbprint; draw on legs. Cat: pinky print for head, thumbprint for body; draw on ears, tail, and legs. Owl: pinky print for head, thumbprint for body; draw on ears and claw feet. Bat: thumbprint; draw on wings.

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Cooked spaghetti, oil, plastic tub, wrapped candy, several peeled whole grapes, baby carrots, blindfold (optional) 1. Prepare tub before children arrive. Mix spaghetti with a bit of oil to get things slimy. Add wrapped candy, grapes, and carrots. 2. Children feel around the “worms� to find treats. Do not pull out anything that feels like eyeballs and fingers!


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Homemade Valentines Lacy Doily Valentine red construction paper, tape, glue, doily

1. Cut 2 hearts out of red paper 2. Hinge them together with tape. 3. Glue the bottom heart onto the white doily 4. Lift the top heart to write your message.

Three-Dimensional Valentine red paper, scissors, stapler

1. Cut 4 hearts out of red paper and place on top of each other. 2. Fold hearts in half vertically to crease, and staple together down the center along the crease. 3. Spread open all the sides to make a threedimensional heart. 4. Print a message on all 16 sides of the heart.

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Valentine Pendant cardboard, red paper, aluminum foil, glue, pink ribbon

1. Cut 3 hearts out of cardboard, red paper, and aluminum foil. 2. Holding the cardboard heart, glue red paper heart to one side and aluminum foil heart to the other. 3. Write a message on the paper side if desired. 4. Pierce a hole and loop a long pink ribbon through top of heart to make a necklace.


Independence Day STARS AND STRIPES CROWN

Paper Flag

Scissors, white and blue construction paper, red yarn, paper glue or paste, pencil, silver glitter, stapler

Rectangular sheet of white paper, red and blue construction paper, scissors, paper glue or paste, pencil, sliver glitter, newspaper, tape

1. Cut a band of white paper 3 inches wide and long enough to fit around child’s head. 2. Cut seven pieces of yarn the length of the white band. Glue the first piece of yarn to top edge of band. Glue rest of yarn 1/2 inch apart to form the thirteen stripes of the flag. 3. Cut a 3- by 4-inch rectangle of blue paper and glue to middle of band. 4. Use a pencil to mark fifty dots on the blue rectangle: nine rows, alternating six dots and five dots per row. 5. Place a dab of glue on each pencil mark. Sprinkle glitter over glue, let dry, and shake off excess. 6. Fit crown to child’s head and staple ends of band together.

1. Cut seven strips of red paper and glue onto white paper. 2. Cut small blue rectangle and glue to top left corner. 3. Follow steps 4 and 5 of Stars and Stripes Crown. 4. Take a large sheet of newspaper and fold in half. Start at one corner and roll tightly into a long stick shape. Tape securely. 5. Attach flag to top.

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Variation: Tape red, white, and blue crepepaper streamers to end of newspaper rolled into stick for a fireworks baton.


Balloon Fun! Children love balloons! The first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experimenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and supervise young children accordingly.)

GAS BALLOON

inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction between the vinegar, which is high in acetic acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate).

balloon, empty bottle with a small neck, funnel, vinegar, baking soda 1. Placing the funnel into the mouth of the bottle, help your child put two teaspoons of baking soda into the bottle. 2. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the balloon using the funnel. 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You may want to hold onto the neck for support, since the reaction can sometimes be quite strong. 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the vinegar to start mixing with the baking soda. The mixture should begin fizzing, expanding the balloon at an enormous rate. 5. You can explain to your child that gas is "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that

27

MORE BALLOON FUN

1. Blow a balloon up really big and then let it go. (Make sure you have enough room.) 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while stretching the end of the balloon neck. 3. Rub an inflated balloon against a wooly sweater and then stick it to your hair. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of them in their hands. 5. Impress someone with this “magic� trick. Tape a small piece of scotch tape to an inflated balloon. If you stick a pin through the taped area, the balloon will not pop.


Leaf Rubbings various-shaped leaves, tracing or parchment paper, crayons, scissors, tape, yarn

Collect a variety of nicely shaped leaves and place them on a flat surface. Cover each leaf with a piece of paper. Remove the paper wrapper from each of the crayons. Rub the long side of the crayon on the surface of the paper over the leaf. Repeat with different colored crayons until the image of the leaf comes through onto the paper. Cut out the leaf shapes and tape them to a long string of yarn. String the leaves in a window or along a wall. The next time the wind blows, what do the “colors of the wind� tell you?

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Mouth Puppets crayons, 81/2� x 11� sheet of paper, glue 1. Fold the sheet of paper into three equal sections, lengthwise.

2. Then fold it in half width-wise, to make a tent.

3. Fold each half of the tent in half again to create a W shape.

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4. Draw an animal face on the outside and a mouth on the inside. You can also glue on ears, tongues, whiskers, as you like. Tuck your hand into the openings, and chatter away!

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Noisemakers Paper Whistle

Fold a piece of paper in half and cut a hole at the middle of the fold. Now, fold each side back so there is a crease facing you (see right). Hold your lips against the front crease and blow to produce an ear-splitting whistle!

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Comb Warbler

Fold a piece of tissue paper over a medium-size hair comb. Place your lips against the comb and sing or hum to create a truly weird sound and tickling sensation.

Kazoo

Take a square of waxed paper and cover one end of an empty toilet paper roll. Secure the waxed paper with tape or a rubber band and make two slits in it. Hum through the open end of the tube to create a kazoo-like sound.

Whistling Grass

Find a wide, unbroken blade of grass about as long as your finger. Hold the blade of grass between your thumbs by pressing the flat sides of the grass with the sides of your thumbs. Your other fingers should be held in loose fists, and your thumbnails should be facing you. There should be a small gap, between the first and second joints on your thumbs, where you can see the blade of grass. Make sure the grass is stretched tightly across this gap. Put your lips to the hole and blow. You should make a high piercing whistle. If you’re not getting a sound, try stretching the grass tighter or finding a broader blade.

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Animal Masks

paper plate, scissors, crayons, construction paper, glue, hole punch, yarn optional: tissue paper, glitter, pipe cleaners 1. With the help of an adult, place a clean paper plate over your face and mark where your eyes should go. Cut out your peepholes. 2. Using crayons, start drawing the animal face onto the mask. Remember that almost all animals have a mouth, whether it’s a lion’s bearded scowl, or a pair of insect mandibles.

3. Draw in a nose. Add some hairs if you are a mammal, scales if you are feeling reptilian, or feathers to fluff in the birdbath. Pipe cleaners and glue make for good whiskers. Ears, jaws, and tongues can be made from construction paper, and the bottoms of egg cartons create great buggy eyes. Colored yarn also serves as a nice furry mane. 4. When you finish decorating, punch a hole on either side of the mask. String two pieces of yarn through the holes and knot them in place. To wear your mask, tie both ends together behind your head. Instant MANIMAL!

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Snowy Day Fun Snow Family

Snow Angels

at least 4 inches of fresh snow, sticks, buttons

snow

1. Start by making a big snowball, and then rolling it around in the snow, changing directions every so often to make it nice and round. Keep rolling the ball in fresh snow until it’s as large as you want it. 2. Make three snowballs: a large base, a medium body, a small head. Pile them on top of one another. 3. Use sticks for arms and buttons for eyes, nose, and mouth. Instead of making just one snowman, make an entire snow family modeled after your own. Dress up each snowperson with a personal belonging of each family member!

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1. Have your little angel lay on a fresh patch of snow. 2. He or she should go through the motion of “jumping jacks,” but while laying on the ground. 3. Help your child get up carefully so as not to disturb the angel impression.


Starry-Night Snow Globe Glass or plastic jar with a wide mouth and tightly fitting lid, aluminum foil, glow-in-thedark tape (optional), glitter, distilled water, dishwashing liquid, black electrical tape 1. Wash the jar and remove any labels. 2. Mold a crescent-moon shape out of the aluminum foil. If you wish, cover it in glowin-the-dark tape. Put the moon in the jar. 3. Sprinkle glitter into the jar until the bottom is covered. 4. Fill the jar with distilled water all the way to the top. Add a drop of dishwashing liquid to the water to make sure it doesn’t get cloudy or moldy.

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5. Screw the lid on tightly and wrap a piece of black electrical tape around the bottom to make sure the lid doesn’t come off. 6. To have a starry night any time, turn the jar over and gently shake.



Tiny Boats Peanut Canoe

Cut the top off of a large peanut lengthwise, making sure to leave the ends on. Remove the peanut to hollow out the inside. Add a brave little matchstick sailor, and your peanut canoe is ready for action!

Walnut or Eggshell Boat

Make a sail by drawing a design or picture on a small piece of paper using crayons or markers. Make two small slits at the top and bottom, and then weave a toothpick through the slits to create a mast. Use craft glue or a small piece of craft gum to attach the toothpick mast to the inside at one end of half a walnut shell for a tiny one-man sea cruiser. You could also use one half of a clean eggshell.

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Matchstick People

Remove a match from a matchbook. Using a pair of scissors, cut a slit in the bottom to about halfway up and slightly separate the two pieces. Be careful not to break them. These will be the legs. Carefully make two slits on either side of the matchstick from the middle up to a little bit before the matchstick head. These will be the arms. Gently fold the legs to make your matchstick person sit in a boat.

Aluminum-foil Boat

Start with a piece of foil approximately 6 inches square. Fold the square in half and slightly scrunch and pinch the two ends closed. Reopen the boat gently. Stand the boat on a flat surface and use your fingers to flatten the bottom down a little so it will float.

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Nu r ser y R h y me s

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Baa, Baa, Black Sheep Baa, baa, black sheep, Have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, Three bags full; One for my master, One for my dame, But none for the little boy Who cries in the lane. 44


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Curly-Lock Curly-Locks, Curly-Locks, wilt thou be mine?

Thou shalt not wash the dishes, nor yet feed the swine;

But sit on a cushion, and sew a fine seam,

And feed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream. 47


F i ve Toe s This little pig went to market; This little pig stayed at home; This little pig had roast beef; This little pig had none; This little pig said, “Wee, wee! I can’t find my way home.” 48


49


50


Humpty Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

All the King’s horses, and all the King’s men

Cannot put Humpty Dumpty together again.

Dumpty 51


52


Jac k a n d Ji l l Jack and Jill went up the hill, to fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down, and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after. Then up Jack got and off did trot, as fast as he could caper, To old Dame Dob, who patched his nob with vinegar and brown paper. 53


Little B o - Pe e p Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,

And can’t tell where to find them;

Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,

54


And bring their tails behind them. 55


Little Miss Muffet Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet, Eating of curds and whey;

There came a big spider, And sat down beside her,

And frightened Miss Muffet away. 56



M a r y ’s L a m b

58


Mary had a little lamb, It’s fleece was white as snow; And everywhere that Mary went The Lamb was sure to go. He followed her to school one day; Which was against the rule; It made the children laugh and play To see a lamb at school. And so the teacher turned him out, But still he lingered near, And waited patiently about Till Mary did appear. Then he ran to her, and laid His head upon her arm, As if he said, “I’m not afraid,— You’ll keep me from all harm.”


Old K i ng Cole Old King Cole was a merry old soul, and a merry old soul was he; He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl, and he called for his fiddlers three!

60


And every fiddler, he had a fine fiddle, and a very fine fiddle had he. “ Twee tweedle dee, tweedle dee” went the fiddlers. Oh, there’s none so rare as can compare with King Cole and his fiddlers three. 61


62


Old Mother H u bb a r d Old Mother Hubbard Went to the cupboard, To give her poor dog a bone; But when she got there The cupboard was bare, And so the poor dog had none. 63


One, two, Buckle my shoe; Three, four, Knock at the door; Five, six, Pick up sticks; Seven, eight, Lay them straight;

O ne, T wo, Buck le My


Nine, ten, A good, fat hen; Eleven, twelve, Dig and delve; Thirteen, fourteen, Maids a-courting; Fifteen, sixteen, Maids in the kitchen; Seventeen, eighteen, Maids a-waiting;

S hoe

Nineteen, twenty, My plate’s empty.


O ne ,


T wo, T h r e e One, two, three, four, five, Once I caught a fish alive. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, But I let it go again. Why did you let it go? Because it bit my finger so. Which finger did it bite? The little one upon the right.

67



Pa t - a - C a k e Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, Baker’s man!

So I do, master, As fast as I can.

Pat it, and prick it, And mark it with T,

Put it in the oven For Tommy and me. 69


Rub-a-dub-dub Three men in a tub.

The butcher, the baker And the candlestick maker.

Rub-a-D ub70


Dub


T h e r e Wa s a n There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children she didn’t know what to do.

72


O l d Wo m a n

She gave them some broth without any bread. She kissed them all soundly and put them to bed.

73



gAMes


o o l n l s a B This is the way We blow our balloon.

Blow!

Blow! This is the way We break our balloon. 766 7

Blow!

Oh, oh, no!



r Ears Hang u o Y Low? Do

Do your ears hang low?

Can you tie them in a bow?

Do they wobble to and fro?

Can you throw them over your shoulder like a 788 7

Can you tie them in a knot?

Do your ears hang low? continental soldier?


! d l u e o h r S s , s , K d e n Balloon Fun! o e T e & s a e H Children love balloons! The first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experimenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and supervise young children accordingly.)

GAS BALLOON

inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction between the vinegar, which is high in acetic acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate).

balloon, empty bottle with a small neck, funnel, vinegar, baking soda

1. Placing the funnel into the mouth knees and toes,BALLOON knees and FUN toes! of the bottle,Head, help your shoulders, child put MORE two teaspoons of baking soda into Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes! 1. Blow a balloon up really big and the bottle. then let it go. (Make sure you have enough 2. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the balloon room.) using the funnel. 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You stretching the end of the balloon neck. may want to hold onto the neck for support, 3. Rub an inflated balloon against a wooly since the reaction can sometimes be quite sweater and then stick it to your hair. strong. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of vinegar to start mixing with the baking soda. them in their hands. The mixture should begin fizzing, expanding 5. Impress someone with this “magic� trick. Eyes and ears andTape mouth andofnose, the balloon at an enormous rate. a small piece scotch tape to an 5. You can explain to your child that gas is inflated balloon. If you stick through the head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees anda pin toes! "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that taped area, the balloon will not pop.

7 799


80


t l t e i M L onk e v i eys F One fell off and bumped his head. (Bounce five fingers) Five little monkeys jumping on the bed.

Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said, “That’s what you get for jumping on the bed!”

81

(Repeat for four, three, two, one little monkey, bouncing correct number of fingers. End with “...no more monkeys jumping on the bed!”)


w t h o e l L e ad l o F er

An active and daring child should be chosen as leader. The others follow him or her, one behind the other, as closely as they can, doing as the leader does and going where the leader goes. The leader can choose to hop, skip, and jump; or crawl under and climb over obstacles. If anyone fails to accomplish any one feat, he or she leaves the line. The final person left in the line becomes the next leader.

822 8



ck, Duck, Goo u D se 1. Choose one player to be “It.” Everyone else sits in a circle facing each other. 2. “ It” walks around the outside of the circle, tapping each person on the head, calling out the word “Duck.” When “It” calls a player “Goose!” that player must get up and chase “It” around the circle and tag “It”. 3. If Goose does not tag “It” before “It” makes it all the way around the circle and back into Goose’s spot, then Goose becomes “It” and the game starts over. If Goose does catch “It,” then Goose gets to sit back in the circle and “It” starts again.

844 8



86


t h s e I e Chu rFun! r e H Balloon ch

Children love balloons! The first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experimenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and supervise young children accordingly.)

GAS BALLOON

inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction between the vinegar, which is high in acetic acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate).

balloon, empty bottle with a small neck, funnel, vinegar, baking soda 1. Placing the funnel into the mouth of the bottle, help your child put Here is the church. two teaspoons of baking soda into the bottle. 2. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the balloon using the funnel. 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You may want to hold onto the neck for support, since the reaction can sometimes be quite strong. 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the vinegar to start mixing with the baking soda. The mixture should begin fizzing, expanding the balloon at an enormous rate. 5. You canOpen explain to yourdoors. child that gas is the "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that

87 87

MORE BALLOON FUN Here is the steeple. 1. Blow a balloon up really big and

then let it go. (Make sure you have enough room.) 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while stretching the end of the balloon neck. 3. Rub an inflated balloon against a wooly sweater and then stick it to your hair. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of them in their hands. 5. Impress someone with this “magic� trick. Tape a small piece of scotch tape to an inflated balloon. you stick pin through the AndIf see alla the people. taped area, the balloon will not pop.


88


Itsy-Bitsy S eBalloon h p i de r Fun! T

Children love balloons! The first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experimenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and supervise young children accordingly.)

GAS BALLOON

inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction between the vinegar, which is high in acetic acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate).

balloon, empty bottle with a small neck, funnel, vinegar, baking soda

The itsy-bitsy

1. Placing the funnel into the mouth DownMORE came BALLOON climbed up And FUN washed of thespider bottle, help your child put two teaspoons of baking soda into the rain the water spout. thebigspider out! 1. Blow a balloon up really and the bottle. then let it go. (Make sure you have enough 2. Pour 1/3 cup of vinegar into the balloon room.) using the funnel. 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You stretching the end of the balloon neck. may want to hold onto the neck for support, 3. Rub an inflated balloon against a wooly since the reaction can sometimes be quite sweater and then stick it to your hair. strong. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of vinegar to start mixing with the baking soda. them in their hands. The mixture should begin fizzing, expanding Impress withthe this “magic� trick. And itsy-bitsy Out came and dried5.up all someone the balloon at an enormous rate. Tape a small piece of scotch tape to an spider went up thetosun 5. You can explain your child that gas isthe rain. inflated balloon. If you stick a pin through the "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that the will spout again! taped area, the balloon not pop.

89 89



Frog p a e L Balloon

Fun!

Children love balloons! The first activity is educational, and a great introduction to experimenting and science. The suggestions that follow are a reminder of all the fun and simple things you can do with balloons. (Remember that balloons present a choking hazard and supervise young children accordingly.)

GAS BALLOON

balloon, empty bottle with a small neck, funnel, vinegar, baking soda

1. Everybody stands in a

inflates the balloon is caused by the reaction between the vinegar, which is high in acetic acid, and the baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate). straight line.

1. Placing the funnel into the mouth of the bottle, help your child put MORE BALLOON FUN at 2. Each player crouches in frog position by bending two teaspoons of baking soda into 1. Blow a balloon up really big and the knees. Evenly distribute weight between the bottle. then letyour it go. (Make sure you have enough 2. Pour 1/3your cup of vinegar into the balloon room.) hands and feet. Make sure you all have your using the funnel. 2. Make wonderful noises by blowing heads down. 3. Stretch the neck of the balloon over the up a balloon and releasing the air slowly while mouth of the bottle, pulling it on securely. You stretching the end of the balloon neck. may want hold onto the neck for“frog” support, at the 3. toStart with the end of the line. Shea wooly 3. Rub an inflated balloon against since the reaction canher sometimes be quite sweaterof andthe then frog stick itin to your hair. of places hands on the back front strong. 4. Fill a small balloon with water for the bath her, and leaps over that person with her legs on 4. Hold the balloon upright to allow the or outdoors. Younger children love the feel of vinegar to start mixing with the soda. She either side of baking him/her. continues them in their hands. down the line The mixtureuntil should begin fizzing, expanding 5. Impress someone with this she’s jumped over everybody. Then the“magic” newtrick. the balloon at an enormous rate. Tape a small piece of scotch tape to an last frog jumping, and so on. 5. You can explain to yourbegins child that gas is inflated balloon. If you stick a pin through the "hidden" in the baking soda. The gas that taped area, the balloon will not pop.

9 911


h S u , t n The e p O m

Open, Shut them.

Give a little clap.

Open, Shut them. Open, Shut them.

Place them in your lap.

(Creep hands Open wide up, tickling) your little mouth, Creep them, creep them. Creep them, But do not let Right up to your chin. creep them. them in. 922 9



o r u A nd the R g n o s ie Ri At least two players join hands, forming a ring, and walk around singing:

Ring around the rosey A pocket full of posies Ashes, ashes, We all fall down.

After singing the last line, players collapse to the floor. Then they get up and begin singing all over again.

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P w uppe o d a h ts S hands, light, a wall

Pull your right thumb away from your fingers to make a panther roar.

Wiggle your fingers to make the spider walk.

Twitch your rabbit’s ears by moving the third and fourth fingers of your left hand.

Move your right thumb for a boxing wallaby. 966 9


Wave your hands to make the bird fly. Shift your fourth finger and pinky to make the birds talk.

paper plate

Try moving your hands so that your dog sniffs the air. 97

Pull back your right arm to make the snail disappear into its shell.


on Says m i S

One child is “Simon.” The other children spread out near Simon and wait for his directions. Simon will give the group commands, like “touch toes,” “rub belly,” “hop on one foot,” etc. If Simon precedes each command with the phrase “Simon says” the group has to follow his command. If his directions are not preceded with “Simon says,” anyone who follows the command is out of the game. The last person in the game wins and is Simon in the next round. An adult can play this game with one child to test his or her concentration and focus.

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heels on th W e e h Bus T

(Roll fists) The wheels on the bus Go round and round, Round and round, Round and round. The wheels on the bus Go round and round, All over town!

The driver on the bus Goes “Move to the rear! Move to the rear! Move to the rear!” The driver on the bus Goes “Move to the rear!” All over town! 10000 1


(Jump up and down) The people on the bus Go up and down, Up and down, Up and down. The people on the bus Go up and down, All over town!

The babies on the bus Go “Wah! Wah! Wah!” “Wah! Wah! Wah!” “Wah! Wah! Wah!” The babies on the bus Go “Wah! Wah! Wah!” All over town!

The mothers on the bus Go “Shh, shh, shh!” “Shh, shh, shh!” “Shh, shh, shh!” The mothers on the bus Go “Shh, shh, shh!” All over town! (Also: Wipers . . . swish; money . . . jingle jangle; doors . . . open and shut)

101


102


The Animal Fair

SONGS 103


104


The Animal Fair

105


Ants Go

106


Marching

2 3 4 5 6

...two by two...tie his shoe... ...three by three...climb a tree... ...four by four...shut the door... ...five by five...take a dive... ...six by six...pick up sticks...

7 ...seven by seven...pray to heaven... 8 ...eight by eight...shut the gate... 9 ...nine by nine...check the time... 10 ...ten by ten...say “THE END!”

107


The Big Rock Candy Mountain

108


109


The Big Rock Candy Mountain

110


The Big Rock Candy Mountain

2. In the Big Rock Candy Mountains, You never change your socks, And little streams of lemonade Come a-tricklin’ down the rocks, The hobos there are friendly

And their fires all burn bright, There’s a lake of stew and soda, too, You can paddle all around ’em in a big canoe In the Big Rock Candy Mountains. Chorus

111


Bingo

112


Bingo

2. There was a farmer had a dog and Bingo was his name-o. (Clap)-I-N-G-O, (Clap)-I-N-G-O, (Clap)-I-N-G-O, And Bingo was his name-o. There was a farmer had a dog and Bingo was his name-o. (Clap)-(Clap)-N-G-O, (Clap)-(Clap)-N-G-O, (Clap)-(Clap)-N-G-O, And Bingo was his name-o. There was a farmer had a dog and Bingo was his name-o. (Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-G-O, (Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-G-O, (Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-G-O, And Bingo was his name-o. There was a farmer had a dog and Bingo was his name-o. (Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-O, (Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-O, (Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-O, And Bingo was his name-o. There was a farmer had a dog and Bingo was his name-o. (Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap), (Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap), (Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap),

113


Down by the Station

114


115


116


The Hokey Pokey

2. You put your left hand in . . .

7. Right hip in

3. Right foot in

8. Left hip in

4. Left foot in

9. Head in

5. Right shoulder in

10. Whole self in

6. Left shoulder in

117


118


If You’re Happy

2. …stomp your feet (stomp, stomp)… 3. …shout hurray (Hurray!)… 4. …do all three (clap, clap, stomp, stomp, hurray!)

119


Inchworm

2. Inch worm, Inchworm, measuring the marigolds, 0 2 1 seems to me you’d stop and see how beautiful they are.


121


Little Bunny

122


Foo Foo

Spoken: The next day:

3. “I’ll give you one more chance . . .”

2. Same as verse 1 except on line 6, “I’ll give you two more chances . . .”

4. “I gave you three chances and you didn’t behave. Now you’re a goon! POOF!!”

123


124


Mulberry Bush

2. This is the way we wash our face, wash our face, wash our face, so early in the morning.

4. This is the way we brush our teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth, so early in the morning.

3. This is the way we comb our hair, comb our hair, comb our hair, so early in the morning.

5. This is the way we put on our clothes, put on our clothes, put on our clothes, so early in the mornin

125


Old Macdonald

2. duck...“quack, quack” 3. chick...“chick, chick” 4. turkey...“gobble, gobble”

5. cow...“moo, moo” 6. horse...“neigh, neigh” 7. sheep...“baa, baa”

126


127


128


Pop! Goes the Weasel

129


Rain, Rain, Go Away

130


131


132


Shoo Fly

133


134


This Old Man

2. This old man, he played two, He played nick-nack on my shoe; With a nick-nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone, This old man came rolling home.

6. . . . six . . . on my sticks

3. . . . three . . . on my knee

9. . . . nine . . . on my spine

4. . . . four . . . on my door

10. . . . ten . . . once again

5. . . . five . . . on my hive

135

7. . . . seven . . . up in heaven 8. . . . eight . . . on my gate


136


Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

137


138


The Animal Fair

Fairy Tales

139


The boy who cried wolf nce upon a time, a shepherd boy lived in a tiny village high in the tallest mountains. Every morning, he led the villagers’ sheep up a steep, grassy hill to graze. From the shady spot where he sat, he’d often look down at the ant-size villagers and wondered what it would be like to bake bread, give haircuts, or cobble shoes for a living, surrounded by other people instead of sheep. “It wouldn’t be as boring as watching sheep,” he muttered. “All sheep do is eat and sleep and say Baa all day. I’m so, sooooo bored!” Suddenly, he had idea.

0 40 14

“Wolf! Wolf!” he cried loudly. “A wolf is chasing the sheep!” The villagers immediately dropped what they were doing and hurried up the hill. “I don’t see a wolf,” said the butcher, huffing and puffing from the steep climb. “Our sheep are fine. What is going on here?” said the doctor, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Oh! I just wanted some company!” said the shepherd boy. “Don’t cry ‘wolf’ when there’s no wolf, or you’ll be sorry,” the villagers scolded the shepherd boy. But the boy


The Animal The cat and the fiddle Fair when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

141

his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


2 142


The the Animal boy who cried wolf Fair was laughing so hard tears ran down his cheeks. The next day, from the shady spot where he sat, he looked down at the ant-size villagers again. And again he said, “All sheep do is eat and sleep and say Baa all day. I’m so, sooooo bored!” So again the boy yelled, “Wolf! Wolf! A wolf is chasing the sheep!” Again, the villagers climbed the steep hill. “I don’t see a wolf,” said the butcher, huffing and puffing even more than the day before. “He did it again!” yelled the doctor.

“ Don’t cry ‘wolf’ when there is no wolf, of you’ll be sorry,” they warned. But the shepherd boy just laughed, thrilled that he’d made his life more fun. The next day it happened. From the top of the hill the boy saw a REAL

114433

wolf—furry, fierce, and drooling— sneaking from tree to tree, closer and closer. “Wolf! Wolf!” the shepherd boy shouted in a panic. “WOLF! WOLF!” The villagers heard him. But the butcher said, “He’s doing it again!” And the doctor said, “I’m not running up that hill for nothing again.” They thought the shepherd boy was trying to fool them like the two days before. This time they didn’t come. And, just as the villagers had warned, the shepherd boy sure was sorry. With no one to help him, the shepherd boy lost all his sheep to the wolf.

>


The cat and the fiddle erhaps you think this verse is all nonsense, and that the things it mentions could never have happened; but they did happen, as you will understand when I have explained them all to you clearly. Little Bobby was the only son of a small farmer who lived out of town upon a country road. Bobby’s mother looked after the house and Bobby’s father took care of the farm, and Bobby himself, who was not very big, helped them both as much as he was able. It was lonely upon the farm, especially when his father and mother were both

144

busy at work, but the boy had one way to amuse himself that served to pass many an hour when he would not otherwise have known what to do. He was very fond of music, and his father one day brought him from the town a small fiddle, or violin, which he soon learned to play upon. I don’t suppose he was a very fine musician, but the tunes he played pleased himself, as well as his father and mother, and Bobby’s fiddle soon became his constant companion. One day in the warm summer the farmer and his wife determined


The Animal Fair

145


The cat and the fiddle to drive to the town to sell their butter and eggs and bring back some groceries in exchange for them, and while they were gone Bobby was to be left alone. “We shall not be back till late in the evening,” said his mother, “for the weather is too warm to drive very fast. But I have left you a dish of bread and milk for your supper, and you must be a good boy and amuse yourself with your fiddle until we return.” Bobby promised to be good and look after the house, and then his father and mother climbed into the wagon and drove away to the town. The boy was not entirely alone, for there was the big black tabbycat lying upon the floor in the kitchen, and the little yellow dog barking at the wagon as it drove away,

466 14

and the big moolie-cow lowing in the pasture down by the brook. Animals are often very good company, and Bobby did not feel nearly as lonely as he would had there been no living thing about the house. Besides he had some work to do in the garden, pulling up the weeds that grew thick in the carrotbed, and when the last faint sounds of the wheels had died away he went into the garden and began his task. The little dog went too, for dogs love to be with people and to watch what is going on; and he sat down near Bobby and cocked up his ears and wagged his tail and seemed to take a great interest in the weeding. Once in a while he would rush away to chase a butterfly or bark at a beetle that crawled through the garden, but he always came back to the boy and kept near his side. By and by the cat, wthich found it lonely in the big, empty kitchen, now that Bobby’s mother was gone, came


The Animal The cat and the fiddle Fair walking into the garden also, and lay down upon a path in the sunshine and lazily watched the boy at his work. The dog and the cat were good friends, having lived together so long that they did not care to fight each other. To be sure Towser, as the little dog was called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, being himself very mischievous; but when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.”

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It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he


The cat and the fiddle played he watched the moon rise higher eggs andreflected bring back andbutter higherand until it was in the some groceries in exchange for them, smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, and while they were gone Bobby was Bobby could not tell which was the to be left alone. plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the “We shall not be back till late in moon in the water. The little dog lay the evening,” said his mother, “for the quietly on onewarm side oftohim, and thefast. cat weather is too drive very softly purred other, even the But I have leftupon youthe a dish of and bread and moolie-cow attracted by the music milk for yourwas supper, and you must be wandered near untilyourself she was browsing aand good boy and amuse with the grass the edge of the ”brook. your fiddleatuntil we return. After apromised time, when had played Bobby to Bobby be good and look after thehe house, his fiddle all the tunes knew,and he then laid the father mother climbed into the down and beside him, near to where the cat wagon and drove away to the town. slept, and then he lay down upon the Theand boybegan was not entirely alone, for bank to think. there was thehard big black tabby-cat lyinga It is very to think long upon upon the floor in the kitchen, and the dreamy summer night without falling little yellow dog barking at the wagon asleep, and very soon Bobby’s eyes as it drove away, and the big moolieclosed and he forgot all about the dog cow lowing in the pasture down by andbrook. the catAnimals and the are cowoften and the the veryfiddle, and dreamed was Jack the good company,heand Bobby did Giant not feel Killer and was just about to slay the nearly as lonely as he would had there biggest the world. been no giant livingin thing about the house. And while he dreamed, thetocat Besides he had some work dosat in the garden, pulling the weeds that up and yawned andup stretched herself,

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and then began wagging her long tail grew inside the and carrotbed, andthe when from thick side to watching the lastthat faintwas sounds of the had moon reflected inwheels the water. died away he went into the garden and But the fiddle lay just behind her, began his task. and as she moved her tail, she drew it The little dog went too, for dogs between the strings of the fiddle, love to be with people and to watch whereisitgoing caught shedown gave near her what on;fast. andThen he sat tail a jerk pulled against Bobby andand cocked upthe his fiddle ears and the tree,his which madeseemed a loud noise wagged tail and to takeThis a frightened notin great interestthe in cat the greatly, weeding.and Once wasrush the away matter her aknowing while hewhat would towith chase atail, butterfly or bark a beetle she started to at run as fastthat as she crawled through thefiddle garden, buttoheher could. But still the clung always came back to theitboy and kept tail, and at every step bounded near side. alonghis and made such a noise that she By and by theterror. cat, which found it screamed with And in her fright lonely the big,towards empty the kitchen, now she raninstraight cow, which, that Bobby’s mother was gone, came seeing a black streak coming at her, and walking into the garden also, and lay hearing the racket made by the fiddle, down upon a path in the sunshine and became also frightened and made such lazily watched the boy at his work. The a jump of the way that she dog andto theget catout were good friends, jumpedlived righttogether across the brook, leaping having so long that they over the very spot where the moon did not care to fight each other. To shone the water! be sureinTowser, as the little dog was Bobby had been tried awakened by the noise, called, sometimes to tease pussy, being himself butcow and opened hisvery eyesmischievous; in time to see the


The cat and the fiddle jump; and at first it seemed to him that she when the cat put out her had actually jumped over thesharp moonclaws in the and showed her teeth, Towser, like sky, instead of the one in the brook. a wise little ranataway, and so The dogdog, wasquickly delighted the sudden they managed to get along in a friendly excitement caused by the cat, and ran manner. barking and dancing along the bank, so By the time the carrot-bed was all that he presently knocked against the weeded, the sun was sinking behind dish,edge andof behold! it slid down the the forest and the the newbank, carrying the spoon and fell with moon rising in the with east, it, and now a splashbegan into the water of theand brook. Bobby to feel hungry went soon as Bobby from intoAs the house for his recovered dish of bread and his surprise he ran after the cat, which milk. thinktoI’ll my and supper had“Iraced thetake house, soondown came to where the brook, he said himself, “and the ”fiddle lay to upon the ground, sit upon the grassy bank from whilethe I eat it. it having at last dropped cat’s And I’ll examined take my fiddle, too, and play tail. He it carefully, and was upon it to pass the time until father glad to find it was not hurt, in spite of and mother come home. ” he had to go its rough usage. And then It was a good idea, for down by across the brook and drive the cow the brook it was cool and pleasant; back over the little bridge, and also to so Bobby took his fiddle under his roll up sleevehis anddish reach into the arm andhis carried of bread and water to recover the dish and the spoon. milk down to the bank that sloped to hethe went backItto therather house theThen edge of brook. was a and lighted lamp, andsat satupon downthe to steep bank, abut Bobby compose new tune his father edge, andaplacing hisbefore fiddle beside him, and mother returned. leaned against a tree and began to eat

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The cat had recovered from her his supper. fright and lay quietly under the stove, The little sat dogupon had the followed at his and Towser floor panting, heels, and the cat alsoopen, cameand slowly with his mouth wide looking walking after him, and as Bobby ate, so comical that Bobby thought he was they sat one on either side of him and actually laughing at the whole occurrence. looked earnestly into his face as if they wereSothe the tooAnd werethese hungry. hewords threwto some tune Bobby composed night: of thethat bread to Towser, whothat grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of andiddle, eye. And diddle, Bobby left Hey, some of the milk in the dish for the cat, The cat and the fiddle, also, and she came lazily up and drank Thesober cowfashion, jumped it in a dainty, and licked both the dish andthe spoon until no drop over moon! of the milk was left. TheBobby little doguplaughed Then picked his fiddle and tuned and began play some Toitsee suchtosport, of the pretty tunes he knew. And while Andhethe dishtheran away he played watched moon rise higher and higherthe untilspoon! it was reflected with in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by

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Chicken Little nce upon a time, there was a sweet, small chicken named Chicken Little. One morning as she was scratching the ground in her yard, looking for a juicy worm or two, a pebble fell off the roof of her house and hit her right on the head. “Oh dear!” she cried. “The sky is falling! I must go and tell the king!” And with that, she set off for the palace. A little way down the road, Chicken Little met Henny Penny, who was doing her grocery shopping. “Where are you going?” asked Henny Penny. “I’m going to tell the king that the sky is falling! A piece of it fell and hit

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me on the head this very day!” Chicken Little answered. “May I go with you?” begged Henny Penny, and Chicken Little agreed. As they traveled down the road, they saw Cocky Locky, who was just about to go to the post office. “Say, where are you two going in such a rush?” he asked. “We’re going to tell the king that the sky is falling!” Henny Penny said. “How do you know it’s falling?” “Because Chicken Little told me so!” said Henny Penny with annoyance. “A piece of it fell on my head!” declared Chicken Little.


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The Chicken cat and little the fiddle Forgetting his letters, Cocky Locky butter andI go eggs andyou?” bring back asked, “May with some groceries in exchange for them, “Certainly, ” Chicken Little and Henny and while they were gone Bobby was Penny answered, and the three were off. to be left alone. They had just turned a corner when “We shall not be back till late in they almost ran into Goosey Loosey, the evening,” said his mother, “for the who had is decided to go the movies weather too warm toto drive very fast. that afternoon. But I have left you a dish of bread and “Watch where you’re she be milk for your supper, andgoing!” you must spluttered. theyourself matter with a good boy “What’s and amuse with you yourthree?” fiddle until we return.” Cocky answered, BobbyLocky promised to be “We goodhave and look afterand thetell house, and then his sky to hurry the king that the and mother climbed into the isfather falling!” wagon awayGoosey to the town. “Theand sky drove is falling?” Loosey The boy was not entirely alone, asked with wide eyes, “How do youfor there that?” was the big black tabby-cat lying know upon the floor in the kitchen, and the “Henny Penny told me,” little yellow dog barking at the wagon said Cocky Locky. as it drove away, and the big moolie“Chicken Little told cow lowing in the pasture down by me,” said Henny Penny. the brook. Animals are often very piece of fell feel good company, and“ABobby diditnot and hit me the nearly as lonely as he would hadonthere head!” cried been no living thing about the house. Besides he had someChicken work toLittle. do in the garden, pulling up the “I weeds didn’tthat

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realize how serious this was!” said grew thick in the carrotbed, and when Goosey Loosey. “May I join you?” the“Of lastcourse!” faint sounds of the wheels had they exclaimed. died away he went into the garden and Then Goosey Loosey followed began his task. Chicken Little, Henny Penny, and The little dog went too, for dogs Cocky Locky down the road. love to be with people and to watch After walking time, they what is going on;for andsome he sat down near decided to take a short rest. Suddenly, Bobby and cocked up his ears and Foxy Loxy from behind wagged hisslipped tail andout seemed to take a some rocks. All of the birds looked great interest in the weeding. Once in very tasty him, rush and he asked, with a while heto would away to chase butterfly bark atare a beetle that aa sly smile,or “Where you all off crawled the garden, but he to on thisthrough fine afternoon?” always to and the boy andgoing kept “Thecame sky isback falling we are near to tellhis theside. king!” they answered. By and bydo theyou cat,know which found it “But how that?” Foxy lonelyinquired. in the big, empty kitchen, now Loxy that Bobby’s mother was gone, came “Cocky Locky told me,” declared walking into the garden also, and lay Goosey Loosey. down upon a path in the sunshine and “Henny Penny told me,” answered lazily watched the boy at his work. The Cocky Locky. dog and the cat were good friends, “Chicken toldsome, ” provided having lived Little together long that they Henny Penny. did not care to fight each other. To a piece of anddog almost be “And sure Towser, as it thefell little was squashed me!” finished Little. called, sometimes triedChicken to tease pussy, being himself verygo mischievous; “So, now we must and tell the but king!”


The chicken cat and little the fiddle “But you silly birds have been going when the cat putFoxy out her sharp the wrong way!” Loxy toldclaws them. and showed her teeth, Towser, like “Let me show you the correct way ato wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so the palace. ” they managed to get along in a friendly “Of course!” said the birds, and manner. they followed Foxy Loxy all the way By the time the carrot-bed was all to a darkthe hole in was the side of abehind hill. weeded, sun sinking in. “Just theFoxy edgeLoxy of themotioned forest andthem the new step through here. is just moon rising in the The east,palace and now through this tunnel, on the other side Bobby began to feel hungry and went of the hill!” into the house for his dish of bread and Now, luckily for the foolish birds, milk. “I think I’ll squirrel take my supper down a sharp-eyed had seen the to the brook, said to himself, “and whole thing,” he and before even one sit upon grassy whileto I eat it. could setthe a wing in,bank she called them, And I’llgo take fiddle, andyour play “Don’t in!my Don’t go too, in! All upon to pass the and timeyou’ll until never father see necksithe’ll wring, and mother come home.” the king!” It was a good idea, for down by The birds turned to run, and Foxy the brook it was cool and pleasant; Loxy sprang forward and almost got so Bobby took his fiddle under his aholdand of Goosey Loosey. But the little arm carried his dish of bread and squirrel threw a stone and got him— milk down to the bank that sloped to BONK!—right the forehead. the edge of the on brook. It was rather a Foxy Loxy rubbed steep bank, but Bobbyhis sathead. upon“The the sky is and falling!” he screamed, and dove edge, placing his fiddle beside him, into theagainst hole. a tree and began to eat leaned

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Happy to escape from the wicked his fox,supper. Chicken Little, Henny Penny, The little dog followed at his Cocky Locky, andhad Goosey Loosey all heels, and the cat also came slowly ran as fast as they could for the palace. walking after him, and as Bobby ate, Finally, they arrived at the gate they sat one on either side of him and and were admitted inside. They were looked earnestly into his face as if they brought the of the wise too werebefore hungry. Sothrone he threw some king, all to at Towser, once they shouted: of theand bread who grabbed “The sky is falling! The sky is it eagerly and swallowed it in falling!” the “How do youeye. know sky isleft twinkling of an Andthe Bobby falling?” asked theinking. some of the milk the dish for the cat, “Because piecelazily of it fell on my also, and she acame up and drank it in a” dainty, sober fashion, head, said Chicken Little. and licked both the dish and spoon no drop “Come a little closer,until Chicken of the”milk left. He leaned forward Little, said was the king. Bobby pickedfrom up his andThen plucked a pebble thefiddle feathers and tuned it and began to play some on Chicken Little’s head. of the pretty knew. And “Look, it tunes wasn’the the sky at all!while It he played he watched the moon rise was just a little pebble that fell on you!” higher and higher until it was reflected The king chuckled. “Now, you should in the smooth, still water of the brook. all go home in could peace.not Maybe next was Indeed, Bobby tell which timeplainest you won’t be the so quick the to see, moonto injump the sky to conclusions. ” or the moon in the water. The little dog the silly birds left palace lay So, quietly on one side ofthe him, and the andsoftly started on the long back cat purred upon thewalk other, and home,the weary, but a little wiser. by even moolie-cow wasbit attracted

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Four and twenty blackbirds by frances lillian taylor nce there was a king who was very fond of good dinners. One day he sent for his chief cook. “Make ready for a feast,” said the king. “Let there be many dishes. And last of all set before me a new kind of food.” The cook went away in great trouble, for she could think of nothing new. Now, the cook was a great friend to the birds. Every day she filled her pocket with grains of rye to scatter by the wayside. A little bird heard what the king had said. He told the other birds. Very

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soon a blackbird came flying to the kitchen window. “I am king of the blackbirds!” he said. “The good cook has fed me and my people. Now we will help her.” “What shall I do, O king of the blackbirds?” asked the cook. “Get a pie platter as large as a tub,” said the bird. “And make two crusts for a pie.” So the dish was brought and the crusts baked. “Place branches bearing ripe cherries in the pie,” said the bird. And it was done.


TheFourAnimal Fair and twenty blackbirds “Send the cook to me,” said the king. The cook came, and, behold, her pocket was full of grains of rye for the birds. “Change every grain of rye to a silver sixpence,” said the king. “And after this let the birds be fed every day.” Then the blackbirds sang a new song. All the people learned it and sang it again and again. And it was sung into a book and it shall be sung to you. Then the king of the blackbirds called. Four and twenty blackbirds heard the call. They flew into the pie and hid among the cherry branches. The feast was made ready. Last of all the great pie was set before the king. “Here is a new dish, indeed,” said the king as he opened the pie. Then the twenty-four blackbirds began to sing. And their song was all about the good cook and her pocket of rye.

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Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie. When the pie was opened The birds began to sing; Was not this a dainty dish To set before a king?

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goldilocks and the three bears nce upon a time there was a little girl whose hair was the color of the sun. Her name was Goldilocks, and she lived in a small house with her mom and dad on the edge of a big forest. One beautiful spring morning, Goldilocks went for a walk in the forest to pick some wildflowers. She wandered deeper and deeper into the woods looking for her mom’s most favorite flowers, bright purple violets. Goldilocks searched long and hard, but couldn’t find a single one! Finally,

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she started to get hungry and decided to go home. But she had walked so far, she discovered she was lost! Goldilocks became very afraid and sat down on an old log and began to cry. Just then a bluebird flew by and let out a beautiful loud “tweet!” Startled, Goldilocks looked up and saw through her tear-filled eyes a little wooden cottage nestled between the forest trees. “Oh, thank goodness!” she cried. “I’m sure there’s a grown-up living there who can help me get back home!” And she raced to the front


The Animal Fair The catand andthe thethree fiddlebears Goldilocks whenand thebanged cat put loudly out herwith sharp door herclaws little and showed her teeth, Towser, like fists. But nobody answered. So she a wise little dog, quickly rantill away, walked around the house she and cameso they managed to get along in a friendly to a small open window and, standing manner. on her tippy toes, she peered inside. By the time the carrot-bed was all This what she saw: an empty room weeded,isthe sun was sinking behind with a crackling fire and long table the edge of the forest andathe new with of porridge. moonthree risingsteamy in the bowls east, and now At the sight ofto the porridge, Bobby began feel hungry Goldilocks’ and went stomach gave out hungry growl. into the house forahis dish of bread“I’ll and just have one or two bites while I wait milk. think I’ll take my supper down for “I this family to come home,” she to the brook, ” he said to himself, “and thought, and climbed through the window. sit upon the grassy while I eat it. First she went to thebank largest bowl and And aI’llheaping take myspoonful. fiddle, too, and play took “Ow!” she upon it to pass the time until father cried, as she put the spoon in her mouth, and mother ” “this porridgecome is toohome. hot!” Then she took It was a good idea, for down by a bite from the medium-sized bowl. the brook it was cool and pleasant; “Ohhh!” she cried, “this porridge is too so Bobby took his fiddle under his cold!” Finally shehis took a bite from and the arm and carried dish of bread smallest bowltoon thebank table.that “Mmmm,” she milk down the sloped to said, “thisofporridge is just right.” Anda the edge the brook. It was rather she atebank, up the bowl. steep butwhole Bobby sat upon the With a full, warm Goldilocks edge, and placing histummy, fiddle beside him, walked over to athe glowing fire where leaned against tree and began to eat

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his supper. three chairs of different sizes stood: The little had followed his one large, onedog medium, and oneatsmall. heels, and she the cat also came slowly “Perhaps,” thought, “I’ll have a walking after him, and as Bobby ate, seat here in front of the warm fire they sat one on either side of him and while I’m waiting.” First she tried looked earnestly into his face as if they sitting in the biggest chair, butsome it was too were hungry. So he threw too high. Then triedwho sitting in of the bread to she Towser, grabbed the middle-sized chair, but it was it eagerly and swallowed it in the way too low. Finally smallest twinkling of anshe eye.tried Andthe Bobby left chair, it milk was just right! justcat, as some and of the in the dishBut for the Goldilocks was curling a nap, also, and she came lazilyupupfor and drank it inchair a dainty, the gavesober way fashion, beneathand her licked and both the dish Goldilocks and spoon until drop broke in two! fell tonothe of theand milklanded was left. floor on her tushy with a Then Bobby picked fiddle loud THUMP! “Ouch!” up shehis cried, and and tuned it and began to play some stood up, brushing herself off. of the pretty she tunes he knew. And while “Maybe,” thought, “there’s a he played he watched the moon rise nice place to sleep upstairs.” So she higher and higher until it was reflected climbed the log staircase and found in the smooth, still water of the brook. herself a largecould cheerful with was Indeed,inBobby notroom tell which three beds oftodifferent sizes: in one the plainest see, the moon thebig, sky one medium, and one small. “How or the moon in the water. The little dog lovely it is in she of thought. “I’llthe lay quietly onhere,” one side him, and just lie down for aupon few minutes and cat softly purred the other, and rest First shewas triedattracted the largest evenmy theeyes.” moolie-cow by




Goldilocks The catand andthe thethree fiddlebears butter and bring bed, but itand waseggs too hard. Thenback she tried some groceries in exchange for them, the medium-sized bed, but it was way and while they were gone Bobby was too soft. Finally she tried the smallest to be left alone. bed, and it was just right. Before she knew “We shall not be back till late in it, Goldilocks had fallen fast asleep. the evening,” said his mother, “for the As Goldilocks dreamed weather is too warm to driveupstairs very fast. of warm porridge and a crackling fire, But I have left you a dish of bread and downstairs owners of you the house milk for yourthe supper, and must be from their morning areturned good boyhome and amuse yourself with walk.fiddle Who until livedwe in this little your return. ” cabin tucked away in the woods? Well, three Bobby promised to be good and look the house, and then bearsafter of course! There was big his furry father and mother climbed intoBear, the Papa Bear, kind pretty Mama wagon andfuzzy droveBaby awayBear. to the town. and little The boy wassaid not Papa entirely alone, “Let’s eat,” Bear, “I’mfor there was the lying starving!” As big theblack bearstabby-cat took their upon the floor in the kitchen, and the seats at the table, Papa Bear grumbled, little yellow dog barking at the wagon “Someone’s been eating my porridge!” as it drove away, and the big moolieThen Mama Bear said, “Someone’s cow lowing in the pasture down by been eatingAnimals my porridge, too!” And the brook. are often very then Baby Bear and cried, “Someone’s good company, Bobby did not been feel eating my porridge, and there’s none nearly as lonely as he would had there left for been nome!” living thing about the house. Hungryhe and grumpy, Papato Bear Besides had some work do in the garden, pulling up and the weeds that went to sit by the fire read the

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grew thickpaper. in theBut carrotbed, morning as soon and as hewhen sat the last faint sounds of the wheels had down, he growled, “Someone’s been died away he went into the garden and sitting in my chair.” Then Mama Bear began his task. said, “Someone’s been sitting in my The little dog went too, for dogs chair, too!” And then Baby Bear cried love to be with people and to watch out, “Someone’s sitting in mynear what is going on;been and he sat down chair, and broke two!” Bobby and they cocked up it hisinears and The three bears marched wagged his tail and seemed to up takethe a stairsinterest to see ifin anything else was outin great the weeding. Once place.hePapa Bear roared saw aofwhile would rush awayas tohe chase ahis butterfly or bark atbeen a beetle that bed, “Someone sleeping crawled through garden, but he in my bed!” Thenthe Mama Bear said, always camebeen backsleeping to the boy andbed, kept “Someone’s in my near side. too!”his And then Baby Bear cried, By and by the cat, whichinfound it “Someone’s been sleeping my bed, lonely in the big, empty kitchen, now and look, THERE SHE IS!!!” that Bobby’s mother was gone, came Mama Bear gasped and Papa Bear walking into the garden also, and lay let out a loud angry growl. Goldilocks down upon a path in the sunshine and woke with a terrible start. As soon lazily watched the boy at his work. The as she bearsfriends, towering dog andsaw thethe cat three were good over her she together let out a so piercing scream having lived long that they and threw herself under the covers! did not care to fight each other. To “Go away!” Goldilocks cried. “Go be sure Towser, as the little dog was away!?”sometimes Replied Baby “Butpussy, we called, triedBear, to tease being himself very mischievous; but live here!”


Goldilocks The catand andthe thethree fiddlebears when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


Goldilocks The catand andthe thethree fiddlebears butter eggs andpeeked bring back Slowlyand Goldilocks her some in exchange head groceries out and saw that this for wasthem, just and while they family were gone BobbyShe was a nice normal of bears. to be left alone. explained to them how she had gotten “We shall notviolets, be backand till late lost looking for thatin she’d the evening, ” said his mother, “for eaten their porridge because shethe weather is too warm to drive very fast. was so hungry, and how the broken But I have left you a dish of bread and chair was just an accident. The bears milk for your supper, and you must be andamuse Baby yourself Bear offered aunderstood good boy and with to show Goldilocks the way back to your fiddle until we return.” herBobby house.promised She thanked and to bethem goodall, and askedafter if she visit them look thecould house, and thenagain. his “Of course,” said Mama Bear, father and mother climbed into“if theyou don’t get lost!” And they wagon and drove away toall thelaughed town. boy was not entirely alone, for andThe hugged good-bye. there theway big back, black Baby tabby-cat Onwas their Bearlying upon theGoldilocks floor in theakitchen, and the showed secret hidden little dog purple barkingviolets at the and wagon patchyellow of bright as it drove away, and the big moolieGoldilocks picked a huge bunch for cow lowing in the pasture down by her mother. As they reached the edge the brook. Animals are often very of the forest, Goldilocks turned to say good company, and Bobby did not feel good-bye to Baby Bear, but he was nearly as lonely as he would had there already been no gone! living thing about the house. When gotwork home, BesidesGoldilocks he had some to her do in parents swooped her up in their the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew in the carrotbed, when armsthick and kissed her cheeks,and nose, the faint sounds of been the wheels had andlast forehead. She had gone more died he went into thehad garden thanaway two hours and they beenand began his task.They were relieved to very worried! dog went for dogs seeThe herlittle safe and soundtoo, at home, and love to be with people and to watch her mother adored the violets! what is going on; and he sat down near Goldilocks told them all about her Bobby and cocked up his ears and adventure with the bears and how she wagged his tail and seemed to take a got back home.inHer smiled and great interest theparents weeding. Once in nodded, and praised Goldilocks for a while he would rush away to chase such wonderful imagination. ahaving butterfly or abark at a beetle that At first Goldilocks tried to convince crawled through the garden, but he them that wasn’t make-believe, always cameitback to the boy and kept but after a while, she gave up. The near his side. By and bywould the cat,have which found three bears to be her it lonely in the big, empty kitchen, now own special secret. thatGoldilocks Bobby’s mother was gone, never could find came the walking into the garden and lay bear’s cottage again, no also, matter how down upon a path thedid sunshine hard she tried. Butinshe find herand lazily watched thepatch boy atofhis work. The way back to that violets, dog and the cat were good friends, where she picked a bouquet for her having lived together so long that they mom every single week. did not care to fight each other. To be sure Towser, as the little dog was called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, being himself very mischievous; but

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The cat and the fiddle when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


hansel and gretel nce upon a time there were a brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel who lived with their father, a woodcutter, and their evil stepmother. Their log house stood nestled on a daisy covered hillside overlooking a big forest. Hansel was one year older than his sister, and made sure to look out for Gretel whenever they were together. He even shared his portion of bread with her at mealtime, though he was weak from hunger. You see, times had been hard in their part of the land, and the woodcutter had very few customers

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who could afford to buy his lumber. Over time, he had sold off nearly all their valuables to raise enough money to feed his family. Finally, the day came when he had nothing left to sell. At the dinner table one evening, Hansel and Gretel’s stepmother served four cold bowls of stew and bitterly announced, “This is the very last of our food. The pantry and cupboards are bare, and there is no money to buy any more. So make this bowl last, for I have no idea when the next bowl will come.� With that, she sat down and loudly slurped down her portion of


The Animal The cat and the fiddle Fair when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” stew, which Hansel could not help It was a good idea, for down by but the brook was cool and as pleasant; notice wasittwice as large everyone so Bobby took his fiddleher under else’s. As Gretel licked bowlhis for any arm andremains, carried his of bread and meager herdish stomach let out milk the bank thatenough sloped to a longdown growltothat was loud for the edge of the brook. It was rather a everyone to hear. steep bank,kind but of Bobby satlets upon “What a man histhe poor edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, children starve?” cried out their father, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while “I am nothing but a failure who rise does he played he watched the moon higher and higher until it was reflected not deserve the love of his family.” in the smooth, stillwith water the brook. Covering his face hisofhands, he Indeed, could not tell which was let out aBobby great sob. theThat plainest to see, thewoodcutter moon in the night, as the laysky or the moon in the water. The tossing and turning in bed, hislittle wifedog lay quietly on one side of him, and the whispered to him coldly, “We will cat softly purred upon the other, and all four die if something is not done even the moolie-cow was attracted by


The cat and fiddle hansel andthe gretel quickly. There just toobring manyback mouths butter and are eggs and to feed. Tomorrow we will take the some groceries in exchange for them, children intogone the forest chop and whilewith theyus were Bobbytowas wood. When it begins to get dark, we to be left alone. shall notthere be back tilland late sneak in will“We leave them alone the evening, said mother, the home. They ”are farhis too young “for to find weather too warm to drive very fast. their wayisback out, and will surely die.” But“Kill I have youchildren!” a dish of bread and myleft own boomed milk for your supper, you must be the woodcutter, “justand to save myself?! aNever!” good boy and amuse yourself with your fiddle until we return.” So his wife said nothing more about Bobby promised to be good and her plan and brought her husband look after the house, and then his a cup and of tea to help him rest. father mother climbed into The the woodcutter drank it down gladly and wagon and drove away to the town. fellThe intoboy a deep, sleep. You see,for was deep not entirely alone, his wife thetabby-cat tea withlying a there washad the mixed big black specialthe herb that anyone who upon floor in causes the kitchen, and the swallows it to sleep for nearly whole little yellow dog barking at theawagon as it drove away, and the big moolienight and day. cowThrough lowing in the pasture down by the thin wall separating the Animals are often theirbrook. own bedroom from theirvery parents’, good company, andoverheard Bobby didtheir not feel Hansel and Gretel nearly as lonely as he idea would there stepmother’s beastly to had abandon been living thing about the house. them.no Frightened and confused, Gretel Besides he had some work to do in wept at the thought of starving to the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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deaththick in theinwoods. With tear-stained grew the carrotbed, and when cheeks to of her brother, the last she faintwailed sounds the wheels“Oh had Hansel, what shall become of us?” died away he went into the garden and “Have fear, Gretel,” Hansel began his no task. The little wentlettoo, for dogs assured her, dog “I won’t anything love to be with andhe to gently watch bad happen to people you.” And what is going and he sat down near squeezed her on; hand. Bobby andmiddle cockedofup ears and In the thehisnight, while wagged his tail and seemed to a his parents lay sleeping, Hanseltake snuck great interest in the weeding. Once outside and collected handfuls of in a while he would rush away to chase bright shiny stones that glittered in a butterfly or bark at a beetle that the moonlight like sparkling gems. crawled through the garden, but he He stuffed pockets them always camehis back to thefull boyof and kept before slipping silently back into bed. near his side. Theand next Hansel and it By bymorning, the cat, which found Gretel’s explained lonely in stepmother the big, empty kitchen,that now their father was ill, and could not that Bobby’s mother was gone, came come outinto to collect wood. Soand the lay walking the garden also, down upon a path in the and three of them set out intosunshine the forest lazily watched the worked boy at his work. without him, and late into The dog and the catWhen were good friends, the afternoon. the sun dipped having lived together so long that they below the horizon, their stepmother did carefor tothe fight each other. To builtnot a fire children and told be sure as the was them toTowser, rest while she little wentdog to gather called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, some twigs. But she never returned. being himself very mischievous; but



The cat and the fiddle butter and eggs and bring back some groceries in exchange for them, and while they were gone Bobby was to be left alone. “We shall not be back till late in the evening,” said his mother, “for the weather is too warm to drive very fast. But I have left you a dish of bread and milk for your supper, and you must be a good boy and amuse yourself with your fiddle until we return.” Bobby promised to be good and look after the house, and then his father and mother climbed into the wagon and drove away to the town. The boy was not entirely alone, for there was the big black tabby-cat lying upon the floor in the kitchen, and the little yellow dog barking at the wagon as it drove away, and the big mooliecow lowing in the pasture down by the brook. Animals are often very good company, and Bobby did not feel nearly as lonely as he would had there been no living thing about the house. Besides he had some work to do in the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew thick in the carrotbed, and when the last faint sounds of the wheels had died away he went into the garden and began his task. The little dog went too, for dogs love to be with people and to watch what is going on; and he sat down near Bobby and cocked up his ears and wagged his tail and seemed to take a great interest in the weeding. Once in a while he would rush away to chase a butterfly or bark at a beetle that crawled through the garden, but he always came back to the boy and kept near his side. By and by the cat, which found it lonely in the big, empty kitchen, now that Bobby’s mother was gone, came walking into the garden also, and lay down upon a path in the sunshine and lazily watched the boy at his work. The dog and the cat were good friends, having lived together so long that they did not care to fight each other. To be sure Towser, as the little dog was called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, being himself very mischievous; but


The hansel cat and andthe gretel fiddle “Ohthe Hansel, weout shall when cat put hernever sharpfind claws our home!” like a andway showed her cried teeth,Gretel. Towser, “Have fear, sister.ran I dropped a so wise littleno dog, quickly away, and shiny pebble every few stepsinon our they managed to get along a friendly manner. way here,” said Hansel. “As soon as the By rises the time thereflect carrot-bed all moon it will off thewas stones, weeded,them the sun was sinking behind making twinkle like little stars. the we edge of the forest and the newand All have to do is follow them, moonberising the east, and now we’ll homeinbefore dawn.” Bobby to feel hungry and went Surebegan enough, when the moon into the house for his dish of bread and appeared in the sky, Hansel and Gretel milk. followed the pebbles home. As they “I think I’ll take my supper down arrived at the”door of their little house, to the brook, he said to himself, “and their father rushed outside and scooped sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. them up take in hismy arms. “Mytoo, dearand children!” And I’ll fiddle, play he cried, “I thought were lost forever! upon it to pass theyou time until father Thank goodness home safe.” and mother comeyou’re home. ” Then stepmother angrily It wastheir a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; scolded, “You naughty children! You so Bobby his fiddle his ran off andtook I couldn’t find under you! I thought arm and carried bread and you’d been eaten his by dish wild of animals!” milk downlater, to thethe bank that sloped A week cupboards wereto the edge of the It was rather a bare again, andbrook. the children’s steep bank, made but Bobby the stepmother a plansat toupon take the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, them even farther into woods, where leaned against a tree and began to eat

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they could never find their way his supper. home. shefollowed drugged at the TheThat littlenight, dog had his woodcutter’s tea again. But Hansel heels, and the cat also came slowly and Gretel knew what Hansel walking after him, andto asdo. Bobby ate, they sat one onout either side ofmore him and tried to sneak to collect looked but, earnestly into his face as if they stones, alas, their stepmother too locked were hungry. So door! he threw some had the front of the to Towser, who “Ohbread Hansel, what shall wegrabbed do?” it eagerly and swallowed it in the cried Gretel. twinkling of fear, an eye. AndI’ll Bobby “Have no sister. thinkleft of some of the milk in the dish for the cat, something,” assured Hansel. also, and she came lazily up and drank The next morning, the woodcutter’s it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked wife eachand of the children a bothgave the dish spoon until half no drop stale and took them deep into the of theroll milk was left. forest. Again shepicked built them a fire as Then Bobby up his fiddle dusk set in,itand left them, and tuned andagain beganshe to play some pretending to go in search of kindling. of the pretty tunes he knew. And while As skyhe grew dark Gretel began he the played watched the moon rise higher and higher to whimper in fear.until it was reflected in the smooth, still water the brook. “Don’t cry, Gretel,” saidofHansel, “I Indeed, Bobby could which was dropped crumbs fromnot mytell bread every the plainest see,way the here. moonWhen in the sky few steps ontoour or the moon in the water. The little off dog the moon comes out it will reflect lay quietly one him, and the crumbson and weside willoffollow themthe cat softly purred upon the other, and safely home.” even the moolie-cow was attracted by


The hansel cat and andthe gretel fiddle butter and the eggsmoon and bring But when roseback over the some groceries exchange forcrumbs them, blackened sky, in there were no and while they were left to be found. Thegone birdsBobby in the was forest to beflown left alone. had down and gobbled them “We shall not be back till late in all up! the “Surely evening,we ” said hisdie mother, “for the will out here!” weather is too warm to drive very fast. cried Gretel. But I have left you a dish of bread and Even Hansel was a little worried, milk for your supper, and you must be he put brave front, telling abut good boy up anda amuse yourself with Gretel, “Don’t say such silly things. We your fiddle until we return.” willBobby sleep promised here tonight by good the fire, to be andand find our look afterway thehome house,tomorrow.” and then his The next day, the children walked father and mother climbed into the and walked, but away couldtonot their wagon and drove thefind town. wasthick, not entirely alone,As for wayThe outboy of the dark forest. there the big black tabby-cat lying nightwas descended, a light rain began upon in the kitchen, and the to fallthe andfloor a chilly wind whipped little yellow barking the wagon through thedog trees. The at children had as it drove away, and the big moolieeaten nothing since sharing Gretel’s cow lowing in the pasture bread the day before, anddown both by were the brook. Animals are often very starving and tired. As supper time good company, and Bobby did not feel approached, Gretel dropped to ground, nearly as lonely as he would had there clutching her stomach in hunger. “Oh, been no living thing about the house. Hansel,” she “I canwork go no Besides hecried, had some tofarther. do in You must leave me here and go ahead.” the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew thick inathe when Just then, rollcarrotbed, of thunderand cracked the last in faint of athe wheels loudly thesounds sky and bolt of had died away lifted he went the garden lightning theinto forest’s veil of and began his task. darkness for a brief moment. In The little went too,what for dogs that second, dog Hansel spied looked love to be with people and to watch like a little cottage not far ahead. what is going on; and he sat down near “Gretel, we are saved!” Hansel yelled, Bobby and cocked up his ears and and he lifted her from the ground. wagged his tail and seemed to take a As they neared the weeding. little house, the great interest in the Once in children saw that it was made not of a while he would rush away to chase and or stone, gingerbread awood butterfly barkbut at aofbeetle that and candy! The roof was a layer crawled through the garden, but he of thick, white icing, andboy theand windows always came back to the kept werehis made of clear hardened sugar near side. Byshutters and by the which found it with of cat, chocolate. Gumballs lonely in the big, empty kitchen, and jellies trimmed the house, andnow that Bobby’s mother gone, came a lovely white picketwas fence made of walking into the garden also, and lay marshmallow surrounded the cottage. down a patheyes in the sunshine and Theupon children’s went wide with lazily watched the boy at in hisheaven!” work. The glee. “Oh Hansel, we’re dog and the cat were good friends, exclaimed Gretel, as she ran to the having lived together so long that they fence and broke off a big piece. Hansel did not care to fight each other. To fellsure to his knees and dug out dog an m&m be Towser, as the little was from the candy pathway leading to called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, the front door. being himself very mischievous; but


The hansel cat and andthe gretel fiddle when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and Just then, a high piercing voice milk. called out from themy cottage, “Nibble, “I think I’ll take supper down nibble like a mouse. Who’s that to the brook,” he said to himself, “and nibbling at my house?” sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. Hansel replied, “It’s just And I’ll take my fiddle, too, the andwind play upon it to father blowing topass and the fro,time backuntil and forth, and mother come home.” high and low.” It was a good downgone by No sooner hadidea, the for children the brook it was cool pleasant; back to munching on and the sweets, when so Bobby took his fiddle under his a little old lady with white pasty skin arm and carried his dish of bread and and long black fingernails hobbled milk down to the bank that sloped to out of the cottage. Hansel and Gretel the edge of the brook. It was rather a screamed in fright and began to run steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the away old woman called outhim, in edge, but andthe placing his fiddle beside the kindest voice, “Don’t afraid, leaned against a tree and be began to eat

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my little friends. Come back and I’ll his supper. had followed fix The you alittle hot dog delicious meal.” at his heels, and theand cat also came slowly So Hansel Gretel went inside walking after him, and Bobby ate, the candy cottage andas the old lady theythem sat one either side of with him and fed hoton apple pancakes looked and earnestly his With face astheir if they raisins mapleinto syrup. too were hungry. So he threw some bellies full and warm, they snuggled of the bread to Towser, who grabbed into two small beds the old lady had it eagerly and swallowed it in the made up, and she sang them a lullaby twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left till they fell fast some of the milkasleep. in the dish for the cat, While the children dreamt also, and she came lazily up andofdrank gingerbread and white it in a dainty,houses sober fashion, and licked chocolate flowers, the old lady crept both the dish and spoon until no drop downstairs and left. pulled out a special of the milk was Then Bobby up his fiddle cookbook from picked her bookshelf, titled and tuned it and began to play Child Delicacies. She turned tosome a of thewith pretty tunes called he knew. AndBoy while page a recipe “Little he played he watched moon rise Fricassee,” and cackledthe with delight. higher and until it was reflected You see, thehigher old lady was really a in the smooth, still water of the brook. wicked witch who only pretended to Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was be kind to lure lost children into the plainest to see, the moon in the sky her home, where she could cook them or the moon in the water. The little dog up and eat them! lay quietly on one side of him, and the next morning, witch cat The softly purred upon the the evil other, and grabbed Hansel while he was still even the moolie-cow was attracted by


The hansel cat and andthe gretel fiddle butterwith andsleep eggs and groggy and bring threwback him some inin exchange for them, into agroceries large cage her kitchen. and while gone Bobby was Then she they wokewere up Gretel with a hard to be left alone. shake. “Get up you lazy brat! Go cook “We shall be back tilloflate in your brothernot a tasty meal fatty the evening, ” saidWhen his mother, “fornice the steak and milk. he gets weather is too warm to drive very fast. and plump, I’ll bake him in my oven But I have left you a dish of bread and with carrots and potatoes. He’ll be my milk for your supper, and you must be child yet!” And amost goodscrumptious boy and amuse yourself with she shoved the crying Gretel down your fiddle until we return.” theBobby stairs.promised to be good and weeks, the wicked witchhisforced lookFor after the house, and then Greteland to feed her climbed brother into onlythe the father mother finest, richest foods. And day she wagon and drove away toevery the town. TheHansel boy wasstick not out entirely alone, made a finger forfor her there was so theshe big could black tabby-cat lying to pinch, see whether upon theyet floor in the kitchen, he was fat enough to eat. and But the the little dog barking at the wagon witchyellow was nearly blind, and Hansel as it drove away, the big mooliecleverly stuck outand a little chicken bone cow lowing in the pasture down by instead. Gradually, the old witch the brook. Animals are often very became more and more frustrated that good company, and Bobby did not feel Hansel was still so thin. After a month, nearly as lonely as he would had there she could waitthing no longer. care been no living about “I thedon’t house. if you feel like skinsome and bones, Besides he had work toyou’ll do in make a yummy morsel anyway!” the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew in theprepared carrotbed, and when Asthick the witch a special the last faint of the had basting saucesounds for Hansel, shewheels instructed died away he went into the and Gretel to put the bread in garden the oven began hisGretel task. was small, however, to bake. went fortodogs andThe herlittle armsdog were tootoo, short push love to be with people and to watch the loaf in far enough. “You’ll have what is going on; and he sat down near to climb inside a little ways. Don’t Bobby and cocked up his ears and worry, I’ll hold your legs, so you don’t wagged his tail and seemed to take a slip,” interest coaxed the witch, with such great in the weeding. Oncea in smile lipsrush nearly cracked. But abig while he her would away to chase knew was aGretel butterfly or the barkold at awoman beetle that trying tothrough trick her that she crawled thesogarden, butcould he shove her in the oven and cook her, too. always came back to the boy and kept won’t fit in the opening,” insisted near“Ihis side. By and by the cat, which found it Gretel. lonely in stupid the big,girl,” empty now “You thekitchen, witch snorted, that mother wasSee?” gone, came “evenBobby’s I can get in there. And the walking into her the head garden also, andinside lay witch stuck and arms down upon aoven pathto indemonstrate. the sunshine and the broiling lazily watched the boy his witch work. aThe Quickly, Gretel gaveatthe dog and the cat were good friends, big push, stuffing her whole body into having lived together so long that they the burning fire. The witch screamed did not care to fight each other. To as sure the flames be Towser,surrounded as the little her, dog but was Gretel quickly shut the oven door and called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, held her ears until witch was dead. being himself verythe mischievous; but


The hansel cat and andthe gretel fiddle Gretel setout herher brother when the then cat put sharpfree claws and showed teeth, Towser, like a from the cageher and the two children wise little quickly ranThey away,filled and so danced anddog, sang with joy. they managed towith get along friendly up two suitcases piles in of ajewels manner. and gold coins they found hidden in By timethe theold carrot-bed wasand all a chestthe under witch’s bed, weeded, the sun was sinking behind set off for home. the edge of the forest and the new Two days later, Hansel and Gretel moon rising in the east, and now finally found their way back out of the Bobby began to feel hungry and went forest. Their father cried tears of joyand into the house for his dish of bread when milk. he laid eyes on them, and held them so close hismy chest theydown could “I think I’llto take supper to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. barely breath. The woodcutter’s wife little dogdead had followed at his hadThe been struck by a falling tree heels, theafter cat also came slowlythe not twoand days she abandoned walking after him, and as Bobby ate, children, and their fathert had spent they sathours one on either sidesearching of him and endless desperately looked earnestly his face as if they the woods for hisinto children. too were hungry. So he threw some “My beautiful son and daughter are of the bread to Towser, who grabbed alive and well,” he wept, it eagerly and swallowed it in the as he kissed the tops of their heads, twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left “I’ll never letmilk you out mydish sight some of the in the foragain.” the cat, The two children gave their father also, and she came lazily up and drank the found, and sold it intreasures a dainty, they’d sober fashion, andhe licked them for dish so much moneyuntil he never both the and spoon no drop had to milk workwas again. of the left. Then Bobby picked his fiddle So Hansel and Greteluplived happily and tuned it and began to play some ever after with their father on the of thecovered pretty tunes he knew. while daisy hillside they’dAnd grown he on, played he watched moon rise up in the little logthe house the higher and higher until it was reflected woodcutter had built. in the smooth, water of the brook. And, do youstill know? They never Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was touched another sweet again! the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by

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the little mermaid nce upon a time, there was a little mermaid who lived far out to sea, where the water is the darkest blue and so deep that no anchor can touch the bottom. She wasn’t just any girl with a fish tail; she was the daughter of the sea king and the granddaughter of the noble queen mother. Nevertheless this mermaid, who had so much to be thankful for—good friends, loving sisters, a wonderful father, a doting grandmother, and all the treasures you could imagine—was really quite miserable. Ever since her grandmother had first told her stories about the great

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ships upon the surface of the sea, she had longed to know more about the lives of the humans: What did they look like? Were they like her? What did they do for adventure? Her grandmother, too, had been very curious about the “upper world” in her youth. She tried her best to paint a full picture of human life for her youngest granddaughter. But the little mermaid’s father thought the surface was a dangerous place, and made her promise not to go there until after her fifteenth birthday. Well, one day she quite forgot her promise, and swam up to the sunlight.


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The thecat little andmermaid the fiddle She came up close to a sailing ship. butternot and and bring Careful toeggs be noticed, sheback spied some in exchange forthe them, on thegroceries people aboard. Among and while they gone Bobby was passengers waswere a handsome prince. to left alone. Thebelittle mermaid fell in love with shallsight. not be back till late in him“We at first theSuddenly evening,” asaid his broke mother, “for the storm out, and weather tooviolently warm totossed drive very fast. the ship is was on the But I have you a dish of bread and waves. Theleft crew was forced to jump milk for your supper, and you must be overboard, and the prince struggled atogood boy and amuse yourself with stay afloat. Without hesitation, your fiddle until weswam return. the little mermaid to” him and Bobby to be shore, good and pulled himpromised to the nearest next look theWanting house, and then his to hisafter castle. to make sure he father mother climbed intosurf, the was alland right, she waited in the wagon and drove to the town. out of sight. Whenaway he awoke, he saw a The boy was not entirelyover alone, for beautiful woman standing him. there was the tabby-cat lying Thinking shebig wasblack the one who saved upon thesmiled floor in the him, he at the her.kitchen, Well, it and turns little yellow barkingand at the out she was dog a princess, thewagon prince as it drove and theThey big moolieasked her toaway, be his wife. were cow in in thea pasture to belowing married week. down by theThe brook. arewas often very littleAnimals mermaid heartbroken. good company, Bobby didkingdom not feel She swam downand to her father’s nearly as heBut would as fast as lonely she could. sincehad shethere was been no living the house. not allowed tothing go toabout the surface, she Besides he anyone had some to do in dared not tell in work her family the garden, pulling up the weedseven that about what had happened—not

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her beloved grandmother. The next grew thick in the carrotbed, when day, she visited the dreadful and sea witch the faint of “I the wheels had andlast asked forsounds her help. know what died awaycome he went the garden you have for, into my pretty,” saidand began his task. the witch. “If you agree to leave your The little dogthen wentI will too, grant for dogs tongue behind, your love toThe be with andagreed. to watch wish.” littlepeople mermaid what is snorted going on;the and he sat down near “Well,” witch, “you can’t Bobby cocked up his ears and expect and to win the prince’s heart wagged tailfins.” and seemed to take a wearing his those Legs magically great interest in the weeding. Once in appeared where little mermaid’s atail while would rushgive away chase hadhe been. “I will youtothree adays butterfly or bark at ain beetle to make him fall love that with you. crawled through garden, butinto he If you should fail, the I will melt you always came to cackled. the boy and kept foam,” the seaback witch “Your near soul his willside. be lost forever!” The little By andsped by the which found mermaid upcat, to the surface, forit lonely in the empty kitchen, she could no big, longer breathe as a now fish. thatShe Bobby’s gone, where came swammother back towas the shore walking intothe theprince. gardenHe also, and lay she had left was down upon path in the sunshine walking on athe beach with his dogand lazily theher. boyShe at his work. The when watched he spotted seemed dog and the cat were friends, familiar to him, but good he could not having livedwhere together long thatAnd they remember theysohad met. did to fightcouldn’t each other. To the not littlecare mermaid tell him be Towser, as the littlehim dog from was thatsure it was she who saved called, sometimes triedshe to no tease pussy, the shipwreck because longer being himself mischievous; had her voice. very So they just smiledbut at


The thecat little andmermaid the fiddle each other, and he invited her to stay when the cat As putthe outdays her passed, sharp claws at his castle. he and showed herofteeth, Towser, like a grew very fond the little mermaid, wisehe little quickly ran away, but wasdog, already engaged to theand so they managed to gethad along in a him. friendly woman he thought saved manner. When the week was through, the By the time the wasthe all prince married thecarrot-bed princess, and weeded, the sunreturned was sinking behind little mermaid to the shore the edge of the forest andtothe new and waited to be turned foam. moon rising in the andinnow Instead, she saw hereast, sisters the surf. Bobbyhad began to feel hungry and went They all lost their hair. They had into forwitch his dish of bread and sold the it tohouse the sea in exchange milk. for the little mermaid’s life. Her oldest “I think I’ll take mydagger supper down sister gave her a tiny and told to the he said himself, “and her shebrook, must” stab theto prince through sit upon grassy bank Then while she I eat it. the heartthe while he slept. And I’llregain take my too,become and play would herfiddle, tail and a upon it toagain. pass the time until father mermaid andThat mother come night, thehome. little”mermaid It was a good idea, ship for down went to the wedding wherebythe the brook was coolslept. and pleasant; prince anditprincess She bent so Bobby fiddle over theirtook bed,his and gaveunder themhis each and kiss. carried dish ofdown breadatand aarm tender Shehis glanced milkgruesome down to the bankshe thatheld, sloped the dagger andto the edge of the It was rather a threw it into thebrook. sea. Then she jumped steep bank,and but immediately Bobby sat upon the overboard, turned edge, andItplacing his fiddle beside to foam. appeared that the sea him, leaned against a tree andto began eat witch’s curse had come passto after

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all, and that the little mermaid’s soul his wassupper. lost forever. The alittle dog hadthing followed at his But wonderful happened. heels,sun’s and rays the cat also came The warmed the slowly foam walking after him, as Bobby ate, and lifted it up to and the sky. The little they sat oneloving on either sideand of him mermaid’s nature theand looked earnestly intodeed his face as ifher they unselfishness of her caused toofloat wereinto hungry. So heShe threw some to paradise. became of the to Towser, grabbed one of bread the spirits of the who air who watch it eagerly and swallowed theworld. over all the little childrenitofinthe twinkling an eye. And Bobby left If you lookofvery carefully, you just some theher milk in theondish for the mightofsee sitting a cloud orcat, also, and she came lazily up and drank sliding down a rainbow. it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by

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the little red hen nce upon a time, in a very noisy farmyard, lived the Little Red Hen. “Cluck cluck! Cluck cluck!” she chirped every day, from sunrise to sunset, as she waddled busily about with her little chicks close behind her. One day, the Little Red Hen found a grain of wheat. “Cluck cluck!” she exclaimed, looking around the yard. “Who wants to plant this wheat?” “Honk honk! Not I,” said the Goose. “I’m going for a swim.” “Quack quack! Not I,” said the Duck. “I’m going for a walk.”

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“Then I’ll plant it myself,” said the Little Red Hen. And that’s just what she did. A few weeks later, the wheat was ready. “Cluck cluck!” said the Little Red Hen. “Who wants to take this wheat to the mill?” “Honk honk! Not I,” said the Goose. “I’m going to talk to Sheep.” “Quack quack! Not I,” said the Duck. “I’m going to play with Pig.” “Then I’ll take it myself,” said the Little Red Hen. And that’s just what she did.


the little red hen Fair The Animal “I’m sure you do, you lazy pair!” said the Little Red Hen. “But I did all the work, and I think I’ll enjoy this myself with my family.” Then she broke the bread into little bits and shared it with her chicks.

A few days later, the wheat had been made into flour. “Cluck cluck!” said the Little Red Hen. “Who wants to bake bread with this flour?” “Honk honk! Not I,” said the Goose. “I’m going sunbathing.” “Quack quack! Not I,” said the Duck. “I’m going to take a nap.” “Then I’ll do it,” said the Little Red Hen. And that’s just what she did. “Who wants to eat this bread?” the Little Red Hen asked when the bread was ready. “Honk honk! I do,” said the Goose, drooling in the dirt. “I’m really hungry.” “Quack quack! I do,” said the Duck, sniffing the sweet aroma. “It smells great.”

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“ Cluck cluck cluck!” It sure was delicious!

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little red riding hood nce upon a time there was a lovely girl who wore her favorite red hooded cape everywhere she went, even to bed! Her nickname was Little Red Riding Hood. One sunny summer afternoon, Little Red Riding Hood’s mother sent her to take a “get well” basket of chicken soup and crackers to her grandmother who had a terrible cold. Her grandmother lived near their house, in a little cabin in the woods. Little Red Riding Hood loved her grandmother more than anyone else in the whole world, except for her mother, of course.

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As she set off into the forest with her basket in hand, her mother cautioned Little Red Riding Hood sternly, “Do not stray from the path even to pick berries, and no matter what, don’t talk to strangers! Make sure to call me as soon as you get there!” Little Red Riding Hood dutifully obeyed her mother’s instructions and stopped only to pick berries that lined the dirt trail. About half way to her grandmother’s house she stooped to pluck one especially juicy raspberry from its vine, but in so doing she tripped on a root and fell flat on the


little red riding hood Fair The Animal ground. The berries she had already collected scattered all over the path and her basket flipped over, spilling out everything inside. “Oh, dear!” cried Little Red Riding Hood as she scrambled to pick up her things. Just then, a big bad wolf jumped out from the trees where he had been watching Little Red Riding Hood for some time. He was waiting for her to walk farther into the woods so he could eat her up where no one would come upon them. “Hello young lady,” said the wicked wolf in his sweetest voice, “can I help you gather your berries?” “Well,” said Little Red Riding Hood, “you look like a nice wolf, but I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.” “I see,” replied the Wolf, “then I won’t say another word!” and he began picking up the berries in silence. This seemed all right to Little Red Riding Hood. After all, her mother

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didn’t say she couldn’t gather berries with a stranger. It took some time, but finally they put all her belongings back into the basket. “My, it’s getting late,” yawned the big bad Wolf, “it’s almost my bedtime.”


The little catred and riding the fiddle hood butter andRiding eggs and bring back at Little Red Hood looked some groceries in exchange for them, her watch and saw she had been gone and while they were gone Bobby was almost an hour. It normally took half to betime left alone. that to get to her grandmother’s, “We shall not be back tillbe late in and her mother would surely worried the evening, saidsoon. his mother, “for the if she didn’t ”call She explained weather is too warm to drive very fast. her predicament to the wolf, and he But I have left you a dish of bread and offered to show her a short cut through milk for your supper, and you must be woods. her mother hadwith told athe good boy Now and amuse yourself her not to stray the path, but the your fiddle until from we return. ” wolfBobby seemed friendly to enough, andand this promised be good was aafter special after all.his look the situation, house, and then So the led climbed Little Red Riding father and wolf mother into the Hood to a much and wagon and drovesmaller away totrail the town. was notitentirely toldThe herboy to follow straightalone, to herfor there was the bigShe black tabby-cat grandmother’s. thanked himlying for upon the floor in waved the kitchen, and the his kindness and good-bye. little yellow doghadn’t barking at theher wagon But the wolf shown a as it drove away, and the big moolieshortcut, at all. In fact, the new path cow lowing in theRed pasture down by would take Little Riding Hood the brook. Animals are often very twice as long as the one she had been good company, and Bobby did not feel on. You see, when the wolf understood nearly as lonely as he would had there that she going to visit her grandmother, been nowas living thing about the house. he decided that a grown-up would Besides he had some work to do in make a much better meal than a tiny the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew in the Little carrotbed, and when girl. thick He tricked Red Riding the lastinto faint sounds the wheels Hood taking theoflonger way sohad died away he went theand garden and that he could sneakinto ahead eat her began his task.before she got there! grandmother The dog went for woman’s dogs The little wolf arrived at too, the old love and to lightly. watch cabintoinbea with flash,people and knocked what is going on; and he sat down near When she called out from her bed, Bobby and cocked up his ears and “Who’s there?” the wicked Wolf wagged his tail and seemed to take a answered in his voice,Once “It’s in just great interest in sweetest the weeding. grandma, Little Redaway Riding Hood.” ame while he would rush to chase “Well come upstairs, my dear,” a butterfly or bark at a beetle that replied her Grandmother. crawled through the garden, but he So the big back bad wolf went to the always came to the boyupand kept old lady’s room and, before she near his side. By it, and theforward cat, which found it knew he by leapt and swallowed lonely empty her upininthe onebig, huge bite.kitchen, But thenow that came WolfBobby’s was stillmother hungrywas andgone, decided to walking theRed garden also, and lay wait for into Little Riding Hood down path the sunshine and eatupon her, atoo, forindessert. He putand lazily the boynightgown at his work.and The on herwatched grandmother’s dog and the cat were good friends, sleeping cap, pulled down the window having lived together so long that they shades, and crawled into the old did not care to fight each other. To woman’s bed. as the little dog was be sure Towser, A few momentstried later,toLittle called, sometimes teaseRed pussy, Riding Hood finally arrived. Finding being himself very mischievous; but


The little catred and riding the fiddle hood when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


The cat and the fiddle butter and eggs and bring back some groceries in exchange for them, and while they were gone Bobby was to be left alone. “We shall not be back till late in the evening,” said his mother, “for the weather is too warm to drive very fast. But I have left you a dish of bread and milk for your supper, and you must be a good boy and amuse yourself with your fiddle until we return.” Bobby promised to be good and look after the house, and then his father and mother climbed into the wagon and drove away to the town. boy was not entirely alone, for herThe grandmother’s front door wide there big black tabby-cat open,was she the let herself in and walkedlying upon the floorto inthe thebedroom. kitchen, and the right upstairs little“Granny,” yellow dog theLittle wagon she barking said, “it’satme, Red as it drove away, and the big moolieRiding Hood. I’ve brought you some soup cow lowing in thetopasture down and fresh berries make you feel by better.” the brook. Animals are often very “Come closer where I can see you, good company, and Bobby did not feel child,” called the wolf in his kindest nearly as lonely as he would had there voice,no “you know how poorthe myhouse. vision been living thing about is.”Besides So LittleheRed took hadRiding some Hood work to do ain fewgarden, steps forward. the pulling up the weeds that

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grew thick in the carrotbed, and when the last faint sounds of the wheels had died away he went into the garden and began his task. The little dog went too, for dogs love to be with people and to watch what is going on; and he sat down near Bobby and cocked up his ears and wagged his tail and seemed to take a great interest in the weeding. Once in a while he would rush away to chase a butterfly or bark at a beetle that crawled through the garden, but he always came back to the boy and kept near his side. By and bywhat the cat, found it “Granny, big which eyes you have,” lonely in the big,Red empty kitchen, now remarked Little Riding Hood. that“The Bobby’s waswith, gone, came bettermother to see you dear. Now walking into the garden andwolf. lay come closer,” replied thealso, sneaky down path in theHood sunshine As upon LittleaRed Riding tookand lazily watched thesaid, boy“Granny, at his work. The another step she what dog and the cat were good friends, big ears you have.” having lived together so long that they “The better to hear you with,” did not care to fight each other. To explained the wolf. be sure Towser, as the little dog was “And what a bigtried nosetoyou have, called, sometimes tease pussy, Granny,” she observed. being himself very mischievous; but


The little catred and riding the fiddle hood “The smell with. when thebetter cat puttoout her you sharp claws and showed Towser, likethe a Come just a her littleteeth, bit closer, dear,” wise dog, quickly ran away, and so wolf little beckoned. theyLittle managed to getHood alongtook in a friendly Red Riding a couple manner. more steps till she was standing right Bytothe was aall next thetime bed.the “Ohcarrot-bed Granny, what weeded, the sun was sinking behind BIG mouth you have!” she exclaimed. the edge of the forest and the new “Yes,” growled the Wolf, “the better moon rising in the east, and now to eat you with!” And with that he Bobby began to feel hungry and went grabbed Little Red Riding before into the house for his dish Hood of bread and she could run away, and swallowed her milk. whole in one “I think I’llgreat take bite. my supper down A hunter who had been out in“and the to the brook,” he said to himself, woods Little bank Red Riding sit uponheard the grassy while IHood eat it. scream fright followed theplay sound And I’ll in take my and fiddle, too, and upon to pass theold time untilcabin. fatherHe of heritvoice to the lady’s and mother come home.” the wolf ran upstairs and discovered It was aongood idea,licking for down lounging the bed, his by lips in the brook it was cool and pleasant; post-meal satisfaction. With his big gun so fiddle under theBobby huntertook tookhis aim at the wolfhis and arm and carried his dish of bread and shot him once, killing him instantly. milk down to the bank that sloped to Without a moment’s hesitation, the the edge of the brook. It was rather a hunter sliced open the wolf’s belly and steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the pulledand outplacing Little Red Hood him, and edge, his Riding fiddle beside her grandmother, who were bothtostill leaned against a tree and began eat

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his supper. alive! Little Red Riding Hood threw little dog had at hisand herThe arms around the followed hunter’s neck heels, andhim thefor catsaving also came thanked theirslowly lives. walking and as Hood Bobbyhad ate, Afterafter Littlehim, Red Riding they on either calledsat herone mother to tellside herof shehim wasand safe, looked earnestly into his face as if they she and her Grandmother invited the too were hungry. So he threw some hunter to stay for dinner and join them of the bread to Towser, who grabbed for bowl of soup and berries with cream. it eagerly and swallowed it in the Little Red Riding Hood learned a twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left very important some of the milklesson in thethat dishday forabout the cat, listening to her mother. And you can also, and she came lazily up and drank beinvery sure that she NEVER path it a dainty, sober fashion,left andthe licked or talked withand a stranger EVERnoagain both the dish spoon until drop (especially of the milk big wasbad left.wolf strangers)! Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by

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the princess and the pea nce upon a time there was a handsome Prince who lived in a big stone castle with his father and mother, the King and Queen. He had everything a young man could want: wealth, good looks, and all the sweets he could eat! And yet, the Prince was very sad. He wandered around the castle halls day and night, leaving behind him a fresh trail of tear drops. The King and Queen were very worried about their son. One evening, they begged him to explain what was wrong. “You have everything a young man could want. What could be causing you such despair?” pleaded his mother.

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“I have everything but the one thing I most long for: True love. I wish to have a princess at my side and a family of my own,” said the Prince. The King and Queen agreed it was finally time for their son to marry. But there were no princesses left in all the kingdom for their dear Prince to woo. So they decided to send him on a journey around the world, where he might find the princess of his dreams. The Prince was gone for many days and many nights. He visited far away cities and towns, from China to Peru, and met many nice princesses. Some were beautiful, some were kind, some


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the Theprincess cat andand the the fiddle pea were funny, and others quite serious. and eggscaptured and bring Butbutter none of them theback Prince’s some groceries in exchange for them, heart. You see, there is no formula for and while they were gone Bobby was why two people fall in love; it’s one of to be left alone. the greatest mysteries. But the Prince “We shall not be back till late in felt sure he’d know when he found the the evening,” said his mother, “for the right young lady. weather is too warm to drive very fast. All gloom and Princeand But I have left youdoom, a dishthe of bread returned homesupper, to his mother milk for your and youand must be father, him with awith a goodwho boy consoled and amuse yourself hundred hugs andwekisses. your fiddle until return.” Some later, ato terrible storm Bobbydays promised be good and look after the and thenthe hiswalls raged across thehouse, land, shaking father and mother climbed into the with booming CRACKS of thunder, wagon and drove away to the town. and charging the sky with The boyBOLTS was not alone, for enormous of entirely lightning. there the lay big in black tabby-cat lying As thewas Prince his bed upon the floor in the kitchen, and the that night, staring hopelessly little yellow dog barking at the wagon out the window, he heard a as it drove away, and the big mooliebanging on the castle’s front cow lowing in the pasture down by door. Wrapping himself in very the brook. Animals are often agood blanket, he descended thedid not feel company, and Bobby long winding staircase to thehad there nearly as lonely as he would entry hall. BANG! BANG! been no living thing about the house. BANG! Thehe knocking grew Besides had some work to do in the garden, pullingAs uphe the weeds that louder and louder. pulled

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open the heavy wooden door it let out in the carrotbed, and when agrew loudthick CREAK. Standing there before the last sounds of the wheels had him wasfaint a young woman soaked from died away he went into the garden and head to toe and shivering from the began his task. freezing rain. As the Prince raised The little dog went too, for dogs his eyes to meet the girl’s gaze, he fell love to be with people and to watch instantly head-over-heels in love. what is going on; and he sat down near “Come in, dear lady, come Bobby and cocked up his earsin,” andsaid the Prince her into the a wagged hisand tailushered and seemed to take front wrappedOnce her in great parlor, interestwhere in theheweeding. in his blanket and fedrush heraway hot chocolate a while he would to chase a butterfly or bark at a beetle with extra whipped cream. Thethat King crawled through the garden, and Queen awoke but andhe always came rushed back todown the boy andwhat kept to see near his side. all the commotion By and by the which found it wascat, about.Through lonely in the big, empty kitchen, chattering teeth, thenow that Bobby’s mother was gone, came young woman introduced walking into the garden also, and lay herself as Princess Angeline. down upon a path in the sunshine and She had been traveling home from lazily watched the boy at his work. The a trip when he dog and thewith cat her werechaperone good friends, waslived struck down by having together solightening long thatand they killed. Lost and alone, she wandered did not care to fight each other. To along the road, tilllittle she found be sure Towser, as the dog was herself at the walls castle. called, sometimes triedoftothe tease pussy, being himselfthe very mischievous; She thanked King and Queenbut for


the Theprincess cat andand the the fiddle pea their hospitality and, especially, the when the cat put her sharp Prince, whom sheout couldn’t takeclaws her and showed her teeth, Towser, like a eyes off of. wiseThe little dog, could quickly ran away, and so Queen see her son was they managed to get along in a friendly smitten with this beautiful girl, but how manner. could she be certain the girl was By the time the carrot-bed was all telling truth being abehind princess? weeded,the the sun about was sinking Suddenly, of athe waynew to test the edge ofshe thethought forest and the girl’s honesty. called in one of moon rising in theShe east, and now her maids andtoinstructed herand to place Bobby began feel hungry went a single under piledish of ten mattresses into the pea house for ahis of bread and in the guest room, where Angeline was milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to sleep. Then the Queen showed the to the brook, himself, “anda young lady to” he hersaid bed,toand bid a her sit upon the grassy good night’s rest. bank while I eat it. AndAngeline I’ll take my too, and hadfiddle, never seen suchplay a tall upon it to pass the time until father bed! But she didn’t wish to offend her and mother home. hosts, so shecome climbed to ”the very top It was a good idea, for down by and tucked herself in. the brook it was cool and pleasant; That night the Prince dreamt so Bobby took his fiddle under his onlyand of the beautiful Princess. Butand the arm carried his dish of bread Princess didtonot of anything milk down thedream bank that sloped toat all. edge In fact, a wink the of she the barely brook.slept It was ratherthe a wholebank, nightbut long! steep Bobby sat upon the The next morning, as thebeside Princess edge, and placing his fiddle him, joined the royala family forbegan breakfast, leaned against tree and to eat

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the Queen asked her politely, “My dear, his didsupper. you have a pleasant rest?” The little dog at his “Madame, I dohad notfollowed wish to sound heels, and the also came ungrateful, butcat that was the slowly most walking after him, and as Bobby ate, uncomfortable bed I’ve ever slept in! I they sat one on either side of him and felt as though I were lying upon a huge looked earnestly into his face as if they jagged rock, and awoke all soresome and too were hungry. So he threw covered withtobruises.” of the bread Towser, who grabbed “Ah-hah!” the Queen exclaimed, it eagerly and swallowed it in the as she clapped hands together, for she twinkling of her an eye. And Bobby left knew of that girl be afor princess some thethis milk inmust the dish the cat, if sheand hadshe thecame sensitivity pea also, lazily to upfeel andthe drank itbeneath in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked all those mattresses. both theweeks dish and spoon until no drop Two later, the Prince asked of milk was left. him, and she thethe Princess to marry Then Bobby picked up hisday, fiddle accepted. On their wedding the and tuned it and began to play some Prince presented the Princess with a of the pretty he knew. And while special gift, atunes beautiful gold necklace he played he watched the moon rise with an unusual sparkling ball higher and higher until it was reflected dangling from the end of the chain. in the smooth, still water of the brook. You see,Bobby it was could that very pea was Indeed, notsame tell which she’d slept on, dipped real gold, the plainest to see, thein moon in theand sky covered with glittering diamonds! or the moon in the water. The little dog the and Princess lay From quietlythat on day one forward, side of him, the never tookpurred that necklace Andand she cat softly upon theoff. other, and her lived happily ever after. even thePrince moolie-cow was attracted by

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puss in boots nce upon a time, a miller died and left his eldest son a mill, his second son a donkey, and his third son a cat. “What a useless cat,” the third son said, watching it sleep in the grass. “All it does is sleep, sleep, sleep! At least my brothers can earn a living with a mill and a donkey. But who ever heard of earning a living with a cat? I might as well just eat it and be full for a day!” “No way!” the cat exclaimed, springing to its feet. “Fetch me a pair of boots and a sack, Master, and I’ll see that you have great riches in no time.”

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The young man stared at the cat, for he had never heard it speak. “The name is Puss,” the cat said. “And I wear size six in a boot.” The young man did as he was asked and was impressed at how charming Puss looked in his shiny new boots. Quick as a flash, Puss scampered into the woods, caught a rabbit, and stuffed it into his sack. Then he went to the palace and presented it to the king. “Sire, the Marquis of Carabas sends you this fine rabbit,” he announced. Though the king had never heard of the Marquis of Carabas (Puss had


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The cat the fiddle pussand in boots butter and bring back made himand up),eggs he did love rabbit. some groceries inMarquis,” exchange for them, “Please thank the he said, and whilePuss theya were gone Bobby was handing gold coin. to be leftthe alone. Over next few days, Puss brought “We shall notabe backand tillalate in the king a quail, trout, pheasant. the evening, ” saidthe his Marquis,” mother, “for “Be sure to thank thethe king weather is too warm to drive very fast. said each time, handing Puss a gold coin. But I have left you a dish of bread and Meanwhile back at the cottage, which milk for your supper, and you must be they hadboy bought two gold coins, a good and with amuse yourself withthe young man until was amused. “Me? your fiddle we return. ” The Marquis Carabas?”tohebesaid, chuckling. Bobbyofpromised good and But he was grateful for the gold. look after the house, and then his Oneand morning, heardinto thatthe the father motherPuss climbed king and hisdrove prettyaway daughter wagon and to thewould town. be Theout boy not entirely alone, going forwas a drive along the river.for there was the bighe black tabby-cat lying “Hurry, Master!” cried. “Jump in the uponand the act floor in you’re the kitchen, and the river like drowning.” little dogthe barking at the wagon Byyellow the time king’s carriage rolled as it drove away, and the big moolietoward the river, the young man was cow lowing in spluttering the pasturein down by splashing and the water. the brook. Animals are often very “Help!” Puss cried, waving infront good company, and Bobby did not feel of the carriage. “The Marquis of nearly as lonely as he would had there Carabas drowning! Thieves his been no is living thing about thestole house. clothes!” (Puss hadsome reallywork hidden them Besides he had to do in under a rock.) the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew thick in thePuss, carrotbed, and when Recognizing the king shouted the lasttofaint sounds of thethe wheels had orders his men: “Rescue Marquis died away hefor went into thenew garden and at once! Send some fine clothes.” began his long, task. the young man was Before The little dog went too, The for dogs dressed in satins and silks. king love to be with people and to watch was impressed by how handsome he what is going on; and he sat down near looked—but not as impressed as the Bobby and cocked up his ears and princess. “Join us on our drive,” she wagged his tail and seemed to take a said making on theOnce seat.in greatshyly, interest in theroom weeding. The young man climbed intotothe a while he would rush away chase carriage and found the princess to be a butterfly or bark at a beetle that quite charming. crawled through the garden, but he Puss dashed ahead and came an always came back to the boy andtokept orchard. “When the king asks,” he said near his side. By and by the cat, found it to the harvesters, “tellwhich him this orchard lonely intothe emptyof kitchen, now belongs thebig, Marquis Carabas.” that“Okay,” Bobby’s was gone, themother harvesters said. came walking intolater, the garden also, andasked lay Minutes when the king downthe upon a path in the sunshine who orchard belonged to, the and lazily watched the boy“The at his work. The harvesters answered, Marquis of dog and the cat were good friends, Carabas.” The king raised an eyebrow. having lived together so long that they By then, Puss was up ahead, giving did not care to fight each other. To orders a groupasofthe fishermen. be suretoTowser, little dog was “Who owns these boats?” king called called, sometimes tried to the tease pussy, out when the carriage rolled by thebut dock. being himself very mischievous;


The cat pussand in boots the fiddle “The Marquis Carabas,” answered when the cat put of out her sharp claws andfishermen. showed her teeth, a the The kingTowser, beamedlike at the wise little quickly away, and so young mandog, sitting next ran to his daughter. they managed to gettoalong in a friendly Soon Puss came an ogre’s castle manner. that was every bit as elegant as the By palace. the time theogre carrot-bed was all all king’s The also owned weeded, the sun was sinking behind the surrounding land. the edge of the forest and the new “Who have we here?” the ogre moon rising in the east, and now sneered, inspecting Puss from head to Bobby began to feel hungry and went boot tip. house for his dish of bread and into the “The name is Puss, and I’m here to milk. find“Iout if the true. down Can think I’llrumors take myare supper you really turn yourself a lion?” to the brook, ” he said tointo himself, “and roared thebank ogre,while and Iheeat it. sit “Grrr!” upon the grassy instantly became a ferocious lion.play And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and upon it to pass thePuss timesaid, until father “Incr-r-redible,” and mother home.”when trembling. Hecome was relieved wasbecame a goodhimself idea, foragain. down by the It ogre the brook wascouldn’t cool and pleasant; “But I’ll betityou turn so Bobby took hismouse.” fiddle under his yourself into a tiny arm and carried his dish of bread and “Oh yeah?” the ogre milk down to the bank that sloped to sneered. Instantly, a tiny the edge of the brook. It was rather a mouse stood in his place. steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the Quick as aplacing flash, Puss edge, and his fiddle beside him, gobbled him up. leaned against a tree and began to eat

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hisBy supper. the time the king’s carriage arrived The little Puss dog had his at the castle, was followed standing at proudly heels, and the cat“Welcome, also cameSire, slowly at the front gate. to the walking afterMarquis him, and Bobby ate, home of the ofas Carabas!” they sat one on either side of him “What a magnificent home!” theand looked earnestly into his face as if they king said admiringly. too were hungry. So he threw some “Why thank you,” said the young of the bread to Towser, who grabbed man, suddenly feeling it eagerly and swallowed it in the like a realMarquis. twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left “Won’t you some of the milk in the dish for the cat, come in?” also, and she came lazily up and drank

it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


The cat pussand in boots the fiddle butter and you eggsagree and bring backme,” “Not until to marry some groceries in blushing. exchange for them, the princess said, and“Splendid while theyidea!” weresaid gone Bobby the king,was to be left alone. overjoyed. “I’d be honored to have the “We shall not be back late in Marquis of Carabas as mytill son-in-law.” the “I’d evening, ” said his “for the be honored tomother, marry your weather is too warm to drive very fast. daughter,” said the Marquis, taking the But I have left you a dish of bread and princess’s hand. milk for your supper, and you must be Theyboy were next with day. The a good andmarried amuse the yourself Marquis’s came your fiddlebrothers, until we who return. ” as guests, were amazed at theirtobrother’s Bobby promised be good success. and

look after the house, and then his father and mother climbed into the “I have the cat to thank,” wagon and drove away to the town. the of Carabas The Marquis boy was not entirely alone, for theresaid, was the big blackproudly tabby-cat lying smiling upon the floor in the kitchen, and the Puss. millatand a littleat yellow dog“A barking the wagon as it drove away, and the big mooliedonkey are nice, but cow lowing in the pasture down by brook. are often very athecat in Animals boots—now, that’s good company, and Bobby did not feel nearlyaasreal lonelyaastreasure!” he would had there been no living thing about the house. Besides he had some work to do in the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew thick inceremony, the carrotbed, and when After the the Marquis the last faint sounds appointed Puss Lordof ofthe thewheels Castle had and died away hehim went the garden and proclaimed theinto Smartest Cat in began his task. the Land. And Puss spent the rest of The little dog went for dogs his days sleeping to histoo, heart’s content, love to be with people and to watch without fear of being eaten by man what is going on; and he sat down near or beast. Bobby and cocked up his ears and wagged his tail and seemed to take a great interest in the weeding. Once in a while he would rush away to chase a butterfly or bark at a beetle that crawled through the garden, but he always came back to the boy and kept near his side. By and by the cat, which found it lonely in the big, empty kitchen, now that Bobby’s mother was gone, came walking into the garden also, and lay down upon a path in the sunshine and lazily watched the boy at his work. The dog and the cat were good friends, having lived together so long that they did not care to fight each other. To be sure Towser, as the little dog was called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, being himself very mischievous; but

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The cat and the fiddle when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


rapunzel nce upon a time there was a couple who dreamed of having a child. Finally, their prayers were answered and they happily awaited the birth of their baby. Now, this couple lived in a house that overlooked the loveliest garden, which was surrounded by a high wall. No one dared to enter this garden, for it belonged to an evil sorceress. One day, the woman looked down into the garden and saw a bed full of the finest rapunzel lettuce. The leaves looked so fresh and green that she longed to eat them. Day by day, as she

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waited for her child to be born, her craving grew until she couldn’t stand it. “If I don’t get some of that rapunzel, I will certainly die,” she moaned to her husband. Her husband loved her dearly and was determined to help her. At dusk, he climbed over the wall and dropped into the sorceress’s garden. He quickly gathered some rapunzel and returned to his wife. It tasted so good that she desperately wanted more. So at dusk the next day, her husband set off to fetch her more rapunzel. Over the wall he went, but when he


The Animal Fair rapunzel reached the other side he drew back in fear. Standing before him was the evil sorceress herself. “How dare you climb into my garden and steal my lettuce?” she said, with an angry stare. “You will pay for this!” “Oh!” he pleaded, “I beg your pardon, but I had to come. My wife saw your rapunzel from our window, and thought that she’d rather die than not have some. I came to get it to save both she and our unborn child.” The sorceress’s anger quickly faded, and a smile crept across her face. “If what you say is true, then you may take as much rapunzel as you wish, on one condition: Your newborn shall be mine!” The man had no choice but to agree, and as soon as the child was born the sorceress appeared to claim her. She named her Rapunzel, and took her away. When the girl reached the age of twelve, the sorceress locked her in a tower in the middle of the forest. The tower had no stairs or doors, but only a

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small window near the very top. When the sorceress wished to get in, she stood down below and called out,

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let down your hair. Rapunzel would unpin her long, golden braids and let them fall down from the window. The sorceress used the braids to climb the sixty-foot wall of the tower. She always left before dark, and lonely Rapunzel would sing herself to sleep. One evening, a prince was riding through the forest and happened to pass by the tower. Upon hearing Rapunzel’s sweet song, he stopped and listened. The prince longed to see the woman whose voice was so delightful, but he could not find the tower door. He returned to the tower every


The cat rapunzel and the fiddle butter and eggs and bring back some groceries in exchange for them, and while they were gone Bobby was to be left alone. “We shall not be back till late in the evening,” said his mother, “for the weather is too warm to drive very fast. But I have left you a dish of bread and milk for your supper, and you must be a good boy and amuse yourself with your fiddle until we return.” Bobby promised to be good and look after the house, and then his father and mother climbed into the wagon and drove away to the town. The boy was not entirely alone, for there was the big black tabby-cat lying upon the floor in the kitchen, and the little yellow dog barking at the wagon as it drove away, and the big mooliecow lowing in the pasture down by the brook. Animals are often very good company, and Bobby did not feel nearly as lonely as he would had there been no living thing about the house. Besides he had some work to do in the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew thick in the carrotbed, and when the last faint sounds of the wheels had died away he went into the garden and began his task. The little dog went too, for dogs love to be with people and to watch what is going on; and he sat down near Bobby and cocked up his ears and wagged his tail and seemed to take a great interest in the weeding. Once in a while he would rush away to chase a butterfly or bark at a beetle that crawled through the garden, but he always came back to the boy and kept near his side. By and by the cat, which found it lonely in the big, empty kitchen, now that Bobby’s mother was gone, came walking into the garden also, and lay down upon a path in the sunshine and lazily watched the boy at his work. The dog and the cat were good friends, having lived together so long that they did not care to fight each other. To be sure Towser, as the little dog was called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, being himself very mischievous; but


The cat rapunzel and the fiddle day tothe listen to the song. when cat put outenchanting her sharp claws and teeth, Towser, like athan Oneshowed day, theher prince arrived earlier wise quickly and so usuallittle anddog, did not hearran anyaway, singing; they getunder along the in ashade friendly so hemanaged stretchedtoout manner. of a tree to wait. Soon the sorceress By the timeand thethe carrot-bed was all approached, prince heard her weeded, the sun was sinking behind call out, the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Bobby feel hungry Letbegan downtoyour hair. and went into the house for his dish of bread and Rapunzel let down her braids, and milk. the“Isorceress up the tower. think I’ll climbed take my supper down “So that’s how it’s done,” said the“and to the brook,” he said to himself, prince. I too will visit the songbird.” sit upon“Then the grassy bank while I eat it. following evening, AndThe I’ll take my fiddle, too,the andprince play upon pass until father went ittotothe footthe oftime the tower and cried, and mother come home.” It Rapunzel, was a goodRapunzel, idea, for down by Let down the brook it wasyour coolhair. and pleasant; so Bobby took As soon as his shefiddle had letunder downhis her arm and carried his dish of bread and braids, the prince climbed up to her. At milk down to the bank that sloped to first Rapunzel was terribly frightened, the edge of the brook. It was rather a for she had never seen a man before. steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the But the spoke gently,beside and told edge, andprince placing his fiddle him, her that her singing had touched his leaned against a tree and began to eat

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heart. Very soon Rapunzel forgot her his supper. The little doghe had followed his fear, and when asked her toatmarry heels, andagreed the catatalso came slowly him, she once. “Yes, I will walking after asitBobby ate, gladly go withhim, you,and only will take they one for on me either sidedown of him somesatwork to get outand of looked earnestly into his face as if they the tower. Every night when you come, too were hungry. So he threw some bring me a spool of silk thread. I will of the bread to Towser, who grabbed weave a strong ladder, and when it is it eagerly and swallowed it in the finished I will climb down.” twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left The course, knew some of sorceress, the milk inofthe dish for the cat, nothing of their plan, until one also, and she came lazily up and day, drank Rapunzel accidentally turned to her it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked and said, “Why you so much both the dish andare spoon until no drop heavier than myleft. prince? It takes no of the milk was Then Bobby picked up hisme. fiddle time at all for him to reach He and tuned it andme began play some always reaches in a to moment.” of the pretty knew.cried And while “Oh, you tunes wickedhechild!” the he played he rise sorceress. “I watched thought Ithe hadmoon hidden you higher and higher until it was reflected safely from the world, and yet you have in the smooth, still water managed to deceive me.” of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was In her rage, she grabbed Rapunzel’s the plainest to see, the moon in the sky beautiful hair, wound it around her or the moon in the water. The little dog wrist, and snipped it off with a pair of lay quietly on one side of him, and the scissors. sorceress Rapunzel cat softlyThe purred uponthen the took other, and to a deserted place, and left her to even the moolie-cow was attracted die. by


The cat Rapunzel and the fiddle butter and eggs and bringfastened back That night, the sorceress some groceries in exchange for them, the braids to a hook on the tower and whileThe they werecame goneand Bobby was window. prince called out, to be left alone. Rapunzel, “We shall not be back till late in Rapunzel, the Let evening, ” said hishair. mother, “for the down your weather is too warm to drive very fast. The sorceress let down the braids, But I have left you a dish of bread and and the prince climbed up as usual. milk for your supper, and you must be instead of his dear yourself Rapunzel, he aBut good boy and amuse with foundfiddle the sorceress, who screamed, your until we return. ” Bobby promised to be good and look after the house, and then his father and mother climbed into the wagon and drove away to the town. The boy was not entirely alone, for there was the big black tabby-cat lying upon the floor in the kitchen, and the little yellow dog barking at the wagon as it drove away, and the big mooliecow lowing in the pasture down by the brook. Animals are often very good company, and Bobby did not feel nearly as lonely as he would had there been no living thing about the house. Besides he had some work to do in the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew thick in thought the carrotbed, andyour when “Aha! You you’d find the last faint sounds ofbird the wheels beloved, but the pretty is gone had died away he went the garden from this nest, and into her song is done.and began task.the bird, and will scratch The cathis caught little yourThe eyes out dog too.”went too, for dogs loveThe to be withwas people andhimself to watch prince beside with what is going on; and he sat down near grief, and in his despair he jumped Bobby and cocked up his ears and down from the tower. He escaped wagged his tail and seemed to take a with life, but the weeding. thorns heOnce fell into greathis interest in the in pierced his eyes. Blind and miserable, a while he would rush away to chase he wandered forest for a butterfly or through bark at athe beetle that some years, as unhappy as hebut could crawled through the garden, he be. At last he came to to thethe deserted place always came back boy and kept where Rapunzel near his side. was living. Suddenly and by the acat, which theBy prince heard voice thatfound lifted it his lonelyup. in the big, toward empty kitchen, now heart He ran the sound, that when Bobby’s was gone, came and he mother was quite close, Rapunzel walking intohim. the Weeping, garden also, recognized sheand ranlay to down upon a path in the sunshine and embrace him. Two of her tears touched lazily watched boy at his his eyes, and inthe a moment he work. could The dog and the cat were good friends, see as well as ever. He led her to his having lived together so long that they kingdom, where they were received did not care to fight each other. To and welcomed great joy.dog They be sure Towser,with as the little was had a beautiful wedding and they lived called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, happily ever after. being himself very mischievous; but

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The cat rapunzel and the fiddle when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


three little kittens by grace c. floyd nce upon a time there were three little Kittens, who loved to play and frisk about, and run after their own tails and each other’s, and anything else that came in their way. One day their mother said, “Now children, I’m going to be very busy, so you can go out to play by yourselves, but be sure you are very good, and don’t spoil your neckties nor lose your mittens.” Then Mrs. Tabby washed their faces, tied their neckties

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afresh, put on their mittens, and sent them off. She watched them with pride till they were out of sight, then she bustled back into the kitchen and set to work to make a pie for dinner. “I’ll give the children a treat,” she thought, “they deserve it for they are the best children in the world and quite the prettiest, and how smart they look in their ties and mittens!” Meanwhile the Kittens were having fine games, and they rolled each other over until they


The Animal three little kittens Fair were quiet out of breath and sat down to rest. They were very warm too, so

“ The three little Kittens they took off their mittens, When they had done their play, But a Jackdaw so sly those six mittens did spy, And stole them all away.” The Kittens did not notice the Jackdaw, and presently they jumped down off the wall and ran home, quite forgetting all about their mittens. They peeped in at the kitchen door, and there they saw, O, joy! their mother making a pie, a mouse pie too, which they loved more than anything. Then they scampered off again for they knew mother did not like to be disturbed when she was busy, so they had more games until they were called in to dinner. O, how quickly they clambered up on

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to their little stools, and took up their knives and forks ready to begin; the pie was baked such a lovely brown and it smelt so good! “Good children” said Mrs. Tabby, “now put you ties straight and smooth your mittens,— but where are your mittens?” Then the Kittens looked down at their paws and saw that their mittens were gone, for

“ The three little Kittens had lost their mittens, So they began to cry ‘ O, Mammy dear, we greatly fear That we have lost our mittens!’ ‘ Lost your mittens, you naughty Kittens, Then you shall have no pie’”


The cat and the fiddle butter and eggs and bring back some groceries in exchange for them, and while they were gone Bobby was to be left alone. “We shall not be back till late in the evening,” said his mother, “for the weather is too warm to drive very fast. But I have left you a dish of bread and milk for your supper, and you must be a good boy and amuse yourself with your fiddle until we return.” Bobby promised to be good and look after the house, and then his father and mother climbed into the wagon and drove away to the town. The boy was not entirely alone, for there was the big black tabby-cat lying upon the floor in the kitchen, and the little yellow dog barking at the wagon as it drove away, and the big mooliecow lowing in the pasture down by the brook. Animals are often very good company, and Bobby did not feel nearly as lonely as he would had there been no living thing about the house. Besides he had some work to do in the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew thick in the carrotbed, and when the last faint sounds of the wheels had died away he went into the garden and began his task. The little dog went too, for dogs love to be with people and to watch what is going on; and he sat down near Bobby and cocked up his ears and wagged his tail and seemed to take a great interest in the weeding. Once in a while he would rush away to chase a butterfly or bark at a beetle that crawled through the garden, but he always came back to the boy and kept near his side. By and by the cat, which found it lonely in the big, empty kitchen, now that Bobby’s mother was gone, came walking into the garden also, and lay down upon a path in the sunshine and lazily watched the boy at his work. The dog and the cat were good friends, having lived together so long that they did not care to fight each other. To be sure Towser, as the little dog was called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, being himself very mischievous; but


The catlittle and the fiddle three kittens when the cat put out her sharp claws theirher mother an angry voice; andsaid showed teeth,inTowser, like a “Miaou, Miaou, Miaou, ” cried all the wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so poormanaged little Kits,tofor were they getthey along in avery friendly manner. hungry, “Miaou, Miaou, Miaou,” but ByTabby the time carrot-bed was all Mrs. wasthe very angry indeed, and weeded, was sinking behind she said, the “No,sun you shall have no pie,” the of the forest and the new and andedge she carried it all lovely, brown moon rising in the and nowKittens steaming, away. Theeast, three little Bobby began to hungry went cried bitterly forfeel some time and but at last into the house for his dish of bread and said, “Well, it’s no use crying, we must milk. try to find out mittens.” So they wrote “I think I’ll take my supper down in very large ”letters, sheets“and of to the brook, he saidon tobig himself, paper, that pairs of while mittens were sit upon thethree grassy bank I eat it. lost and that any person who found And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and playthe same,itshould fine,until fat mouse upon to passhave the atime father as reward. Then theyhome. pasted and mother come ” these bills up It allwas overa the place, home good idea,and for ran down by the brook was cool andagain. pleasant; to hunt forittheir mittens They so Bobby for tookthem his fiddle under his searched everywhere; they arm andincarried his dish though, of breadas and peeped the saucepan, milk down to the sloped that had been on abank highthat shelf all dayto the of the It was rather a withedge the lid on, brook. they could hardly have steep bank, butand Bobby upon got into there, thensat they felt the in the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, pockets of their little trousers, though leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. they could havefollowed been there either The littlehardly dog had at his as theyand only wore on Sundays, heels, the cat them also came slowly and this wasafter Thursday, afterwards they walking him, and as Bobby ate, they saton one either sidethey of him looked theonwall where had and been looked face as if they sitting earnestly and whereinto theyhis only now too were hungry. hehad threw some remembered that So they hung them of the to Towser, who grabbed but no,bread they had gone and were nowhere it eagerly and swallowed it in the to be found. But, at last, in the market, twinkling of an eye. And left in the old Jackdaw’s nest, Bobby they found some of the milk in the dish for the cat, them put out for sale, and Mr. Jackdaw also, and she came lazily up and drank close by as bold as brass, waiting for it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked customers. Oh, how angry they both the dish and spoon until nowere! drop They took old Jack, and they beat him of the milk was left. andThen pulled out his feathers, though Bobby picked up hisand fiddle he tried hard to peck, one and tuned it and beganhetowas playonly some against three,tunes so it he wasknew. no use andwhile at of the pretty And lastplayed he gave and thethe Kittens he heinwatched moontook rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


The three catlittle and the kittens fiddle butter and and eggsran andhome bringwith backthem their mittens some groceries in exchange for them, in high glee to their mother calling out and while they were wasFor “O, Mammy dear, seegone here,Bobby see here, to leftfound alone.our mittens!” Mrs. Tabby webe have shall not be back till late was“We highly delighted too, and said,in the evening, ” saidand hisrubbing mother,her “forpaws, the purring proudly weather is too warm to drive very fast. But I have youmittens, a dish of bread and “ Put onleft your milk for your supper, and you must be you good little Kittens a good boy and amuse yourself with And you shall have some pie, your fiddle until we return. ” Yes, you shall have someand pie!” Bobby promised to be good look after the house, and then his So and mother climbed into the father wagon and drove away to the town. “ The Theboy three Kittens, waslittle not entirely alone, for there wasput the on bigtheir black mittens tabby-cat lying they upon thesoon flooreat in the And upkitchen, the pie.”and the little yellow dog barking at the wagon as itAlthough drove away, anda the it was verybig bigmoolieone, cow lowing in the pasture down byit but then they were so hungry and the brook. Animals are often very tasted so good. They felt very happy good company, and Bobby did not feel and comfortable afterwards until they nearly as lonely as he would had there happened to glance theirthe mittens, been no living thing at about house. andBesides then they saw that they had he had some work to do in dropped some gravy them. the garden, pulling upon the weeds that

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grew in the carrotbed, andfear when “ O, thick Mammy dear, we greatly theThat last faint sounds of the had we have soiled ourwheels mittens, ” died away he went into the garden and began his task. they, for they were whimpered The little little Kitties dog went for dogs honest andtoo, always told love to be with people and to watch mother directly they had done what is going on; and he sat down near something naughty, and did not try Bobby and cocked up his ears and to hide it. wagged his tail and seemed to take a “Soiled your you naughty great interest in mittens, the weeding. Once in Kittens!” said Mrs. Tabby, and she a while he would rush away to chase and fetched awent butterfly or barkher at abirch beetlerod, thatto give them a whipping, so garden, they all but three crawled through the heran off as fast as they were always came back could. to the But boy they and kept very his sorry that they had made mother near side. By andso bythey the cat, found it so angry, put which their little heads lonely in the empty kitchen, now together, andbig, began to think what they that Bobby’s mother was could do to please her. “I gone, know,”came said walking into the garden also, and lay the eldest, “Let’s wash our mittens. ” down upon a path in the sunshine and So they crept back to the house, very lazily watched boy at his work. quietly, so thatthe their mother shouldThe dog and the cat were good friends, not hear, and they lighted the copper having lived together so long that they fire, and then they got a tub and some did not care to fight each other. To hotsure water, and soap and blue, and they be Towser, as the little dog was took offsometimes their mittens put them in called, triedand to tease pussy, the tub, and then rubbed and being himself verythey mischievous; but


The cat and the fiddle when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


The three catlittle and the kittens fiddle butter and eggs and bring back some groceries in exchange for them, and while they were gone Bobby was to be left alone. “We shall not be back till late in rubbed, and scrubbed and scrubbed, the evening,” said his mother, “for the and boiled andwarm rinsedtothem weather is too driveuntil verythey fast. were quite clean. Mrs. Tabby saw, she But I have left you a dish of bread and did not anything, milk forsay your supper, but and she youthought must be herself, in all the world atogood boy“I’m andsure amuse yourself with therefiddle were never such children, they your until we return. ” areBobby just as promised clever as they pretty. to beare good and” look after the house, and then his When father and mother climbed into the wagon drove away to the had town. “ Theand three little Kittens The boy was notmittens entirely alone, for washed their there was the big black tabby-cat lying They hung them out to dry,” upon the floor in the kitchen, and the little yellow dog barking at the wagon The Jackdaw was perched on a as it drove away, and the big mooliebough close by. He looked such a poor cow lowing in the pasture down by miserable thing,are notoften at all very like the the brook.old Animals sleek Mr. Jackdaw was when he feel good company, andheBobby did not stole the nearly as three lonelylittle as heKittens’ would mittens. had there He said himself “I about could the veryhouse. easily been noto living thing steal those mittens againwork if I wanted Besides he had some to do in to, but no, never again willweeds I do such the garden, pulling up the thata

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grew inmuch the carrotbed, andmy when thing,thick for I’d rather have own the last faint sounds of the wheels had feathers than other people’s mittens.” died away he went into the garden and So the little kittens left their mittens began his task. hanging on the line to dry, and then The little dog went too, for dogs ran indoors and said to their mother love to be with people and to watch what is going on; and he sat down near dear, seeears here, “ O, Mammy Bobby and cocked up his and see here, For we have washed wagged his tail and seemed to take a great interest in the our mittens. ” weeding. Once in a while he would rush away to chase Mrs. Tabby gaveatthem eachthat a kiss a butterfly or bark a beetle crawled saying through the garden, but he always came back to the boy and kept “ Washed near his side.your mittens, By and by the cat,Kittens— which found it you good little lonely in the big, empty kitchen, now But hark!— that Bobby’s mother was gone, came I hearinto a mouse close by,and lay walking the garden also, To catch us try. ” down upon ahim pathlet in the sunshine and lazily watched the boy at his work. The they scampered the dogSo and theallcat were goodafter friends, mouse,lived and they caught and athey fine having together so him, long that fat mouse hetowas too. did not care fight each other. To be sure Towser, as the little dog was called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, being himself very mischievous; but

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The cat and the fiddle when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


the three little pigs nce upon a time there were three little pigs. Every week, mama pig gave each of the little pigs a quarter to do with as he pleased. And every week she counseled, “Oink oink! Put this quarter somewhere safe oink oink! and save it for something very important. You never know when you’ll really need it oink oink!” One day, shortly after the youngest pig turned eighteen, mama pig sat her sons down and said, “Oink oink! My dearest little pigs, you’re not so

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very little anymore! Oink oink! Now that you are all grown up, it’s time for you to go out into the world and make your fortune.” “But mama!” cried the youngest pig, “where shall we live?!” “Well,” replied mama pig, “you can take the money that you’ve saved and build yourself a little house.” “But I have almost no money left!,” squealed the youngest pig, “I spent it


The Animal The three little pigs Fair all on yummy delicious candy!” —for he had run straight to the candy store every time he got his quarter. “And I spent all mine on pretty new clothes!” chimed in the middle pig—for he had insisted on wearing the most stylish outfits. “I’m afraid Oink oink! I have no more money to give to you,” said mama

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pig. “You’ll have to get a job oink oink! and save up your wages.” Now, all this time, the oldest pig was very quiet. For he had saved his quarters every week just as his mama had advised, and had a nice sum of money tucked away in his piggy bank. The three little pigs promised their mama they’d write, and off they went to seek their fortunes. The youngest pig scraped together just enough money to build a small house made of hay and spent his days sleeping and stuffing himself with apples. The middle pig could only afford to build a medium-sized house made of twigs and had just enough change left over to buy a sewing machine. He spent his days rolling in the mud and making himself new clothes. The oldest pig had saved so much money, he built himself a beautiful mansion made of bricks. Every day he


The thecat three andlittle the fiddle pigs butter and eggs and bring back some groceries in exchange for them, and while they were gone Bobby was to be left alone. “We shall not be back till late in the evening,” said his mother, “for the weather is too warm to drive very fast. But I have left you a dish of bread and milk for your supper, and you must be a good boy and amuse yourself with your fiddle until we return.” Bobby promised to be good and look after the house, and then his father and mother climbed into the wagon and drove away to the town. The boy was not entirely alone, for there was the big black tabby-cat lying upon the floor in the kitchen, and the little yellow dog barking at the wagon as it drove away, and the big mooliecow lowing in the pasture down by the brook. Animals are often very good company, and Bobby did not feel nearly as lonely as he would had there been no living thing about the house. Besides he had some work to do in the garden, pulling up the weeds that

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grew thick in the carrotbed, and when the last faint sounds of the wheels had died away he went into the garden and began his task. The little dog went too, for dogs love to be with people and to watch what is going on; and he sat down near Bobby and cocked up his ears and wagged his tail and seemed to take a great interest in the weeding. Once in a while he would rush away to chase a butterfly or bark at a beetle that crawled through the garden, but he always came back to the boy and kept near his side. By and by the cat, which found it lonely in the big, empty kitchen, now that Bobby’s mother was gone, came walking into the garden also, and lay down upon a path in the sunshine and lazily watched the boy at his work. The dog and the cat were good friends, having lived together so long that they did not care to fight each other. To be sure Towser, as the little dog was called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, being himself very mischievous; but


The Thecat three andlittle the fiddle pigs worked dawn tillher dusk plowing when thefrom cat put out sharp claws and planting showed her teeth,around Towser,hislike a the fields house, wise dog, quickly ran away, and so untillittle he was a very successful farmer. theyOne managed to get in a friendly day, while thealong youngest pig manner. was taking a nap, a big bad wolf came theand carrot-bed was all outBy of the the time woods banged loudly weeded, the sun was sinking behind on his door. the edge of the forest and the new “Little pig, little pig, let me in!” moon rising in the east, and now growled the wolf as he licked his lips. Bobby began to feel hungry and went by the for hairhis ondish my of chinny into“Not the house breadchin and chin!” cried the little pig. milk. “Then puff and I’ll “I thinkI’ll I’llhuff takeand myI’ll supper down blow house in!” barked the wolf. to theyour brook, ” he said to himself, “and “Go ahead and try!” sit upon the grassy bankcalled whileback I eatthe it. little I’ll pig.take my fiddle, too, and play And upon to wolf pass huffed the time until father Soitthe and he puffed and mother home. ” he blew come the straw house into a It waspieces. a goodThe idea, forpig down by million little screamed, the it was pleasant; “Ohbrook no!” and rancool nextand door to his so Bobby took his fiddle under his middle brother’s house. arm and carried his dish of bread and “Help me!” squealed the youngest milk down to the bank that sloped to pig, “a big bad wolf is trying to eat me the edge of the brook. It was rather a up and he’s headed this way.” steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the Sure came edge, andenough, placingthe hiswolf fiddle beside him, knocking on the twig house door. leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his “Little supper.pigs, little pigs, let me in!” The little dog had followed at his growled the wolf. heels, and also slowlychin “Not bythe thecat hair oncame our chinny walking after out him,the and as little Bobby ate, chins!” cried two pigs. they“Then sat one either sidepuff of him I’ll on huff and I’ll and and I’ll looked earnestly into his face as if they blow your house in!” barked the wolf. too were hungry. So he threw some “Go ahead and try!” called back the of the bread to Towser, who grabbed little pigs. it eagerly and swallowed it in the So the wolf huffed and he puffed twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left and heofblew the twig house a cat, some the milk in the dishinto for the million The lazily little pigs screamed, also, andpieces. she came up and drank “Oh no!” and ran next door to their it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked oldestthe brother’s house. both dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


The thecat three andlittle the fiddle pigs butter and eggs and bring back some groceries in exchange for them, and while they were gone Bobby was to be left alone. “We shall not be back till late in the evening,” said his mother, “for the weather is too warm to drive very fast. But I have left you a dish of bread and “Help us! Help us!” they cried, “a big milk for your supper, and you must be wolf is trying to eatyourself us up and he’s abad good boy and amuse with headed thisuntil way.”we return.” your fiddle “Have no fear,” said thegood oldest pig, Bobby promised to be and “you’ll be safe here.” and then his look after the house, Notand a moment thereinto wasthe a father mother later climbed knocking the brick wagon andon drove awayhouse to the door. town. The boypigs, waslittle not entirely “Little pigs, let alone, me in!”for there wasthe thewolf. big black tabby-cat lying growled upon theby floor theon kitchen, and the “Not the in hair our chinny chin little yellow at little the wagon chins!” crieddog outbarking the three pigs. as it“Then droveI’ll away, and the big mooliehuff and I’ll puff and I’ll cow lowing in thein!” pasture down by blow your house barked the wolf. the brook. Animals are often very “Go ahead and try!” called back good company, and Bobby did not feel the oldest pig. nearly as lonely as he would had there Sono theliving wolf thing huffedabout and he been thepuffed, house. butBesides no matter how hard he tried he in he had some work to do couldn’t blow downup thethe bigweeds brick house. the garden, pulling that

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grew thick thewolf carrotbed, and when Just theninthe spied the chimney the lastroof faintand sounds of the on the thought to wheels himself,had “I’ll died away he went into gardenand and just climb through that the chimney began his task. take those little piggies by surprise.” The little went dogs “Oh littledog pigs,” saidtoo, thefor wolf in love to be with people and to watch his sweetest voice, “I’m just putting what is going on; and he sat down near my legs in you’re chimney. No need to Bobby and cocked up his ears and be afraid.” wagged his tail and seemed to take a “Go right in ahead,” said theOnce in great interest the weeding. ayoungest while he pig. would rush away to chase “Now I’m my arms a butterfly or just barkputting at a beetle that in the chimney,” said the wolf. crawled through the garden, but he “That’s fine with always came back tous,” the chirped boy andthe kept middle near hispig. side. By andI think by theI’ll cat, which it “And just pokefound my head lonely insaid the big, empty kitchen, now in, too,” the wolf, who thought he that mother was Bobby’s being very sly. was gone, came walking intoguest,” the garden also, and “Be our called out thelay down oldestupon pig. a path in the sunshine and lazily watchedthe thebig boy at wolf his work. The Suddenly, bad slid down dog and the cat were good friends, the chimney into the little pig’s house. having lived together so long that they But the surprise was on him. The three did not care to fight each other. To little pigs had litasa great firedog in the be sure Towser, the little was fireplace and the wolf landed SPLAT! called, sometimes tried to tease pussy, right in the middle of it. being himself very mischievous; but


The Thecat three andlittle the fiddle pigs “OOOHHHH! OOOOOOHH! when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, likeasa he OOOOOOOH!” howled the wolf wise quickly ran away, and so leaptlittle backdog, out of the chimney in one they managed to getrunning along ininto a friendly big jump and went the manner. forest with his tail on fire! By timelittle the pigs carrot-bed Thethe three shoutedwas outall weeded, the sun was sinking behind with joy, and sang: the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now “ Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf, Bobby began to feel hungry and went the the big house bad wolf, thedish bigofbad wolf? into for his bread and Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf, milk. tra“Ilathink la laI’ll la!” take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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oldest pig had so much extra his The supper. Theinlittle dog had followed at his room his house that he invited his heels, andtothe cat live alsowith camehim. slowly brothers come They walking him, and as Bobby all went after to work together, tendingate, his they sat one on either side of him and farm, and lived happily ever after. looked earnestly face as if they So now we seeinto thathis it is better too were hungry. So he threw some save our pennies for something really of the bread to Towser, who grabbed important than to spend them on silly it eagerly and swallowed it in the things! twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by

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the ugly duckling nce upon a time there was a mother duck who lived in the tall grass on the edge of a great pond. It was springtime and she was preparing a nest for her new little eggs to hatch in. One day, as she was coming home from gathering leaves to make beds for her soon-tobe ducklings, she came across a lone egg at the foot of her nest. “Oh dear,” said Mother Duck, “one of my many babies must have fallen from my nest.” Although the egg looked unfamiliar to her, she figured its shape must have changed during its fall, and she picked

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it up in her mouth and gently placed it back with the rest of her little eggs. The next day, the eggs began to tremble and shake and, before long, cute duckling heads started popping out of their shells. Raoul was first, and with his sharp beak and narrow eyes, Mother Duck was sure he would be the heartbreaker of the great pond. Then came Uma and Prudence with their thick yellow hair. Mother Duck knew at once they would be the envy of all their duckling girlfriends. Next came Baxter and Max who busted out of their shells with such force that Mother


The Animal Fair the ugly duckling Duck worried they would become the bullies of the pond. The last egg to crack was the one that Mother Duck was the most concerned about. This was the odd little egg that just didn’t seem to fit in with the others. When the head of her sixth duckling, Nathan, poked out of his shell, Mother Duck gasped in disbelief. He acted like a duck, he smelled like a duck, he even quacked like a duck, but there was definitely something strange about his appearance. In fact, this was the ugliest little duckling she had ever seen! And although she loved Nathan every bit as much as her other babies, she began to worry about what would become of him in the future. All that spring, Mother Duck taught her six little ducklings how to paddle around, dunk for delicious insects and crumbs, and build cozy nests. Although Nathan’s brothers and sisters let him play with them, the other ducklings on the great pond were

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not so friendly. When Mother Duck took her children for a swim, they would paddle around Nathan calling out nasty names and laughing at him. “You’re uglier than a fat toad,” they would sneer while splashing wildly. Though his brothers, Baxter and Max, would chase all the mean ducks away, he could see in their eyes that even they were ashamed of him. As summer approached, the name calling and teasing got worse, and it began to affect Mother Duck’s happy feathered family. Uma and Prudence, in an effort not to be associated with their ugly duckling brother, began hanging out late with other ducks and only spent time with their family when Mother Duck would put her webfoot down. Raoul whined that the stress of his home life was giving him frizzy fur, and Max and Baxter began to gain reputations as hooligans around the great pond. Nathan could see his mother’s worry and decided enough


The the cat ugly andduckling the fiddle was enough. “I’m the cause of all this butterthought and eggs and bring trouble,” Nathan, “I’m back so hideous some groceries in exchange for them, looking it’s breaking up my family.” So and while they were gone Bobby was Nathan decided to sneak away to go live to be left alone. on the other side of the great pond, and “We shall not be back till late in hide away where no one would see him the evening,” said his mother, “for the and laugh. weather is too warm to drive very fast. All through thea long summer But I have left you dish hot of bread and Nathan hid in the pond’s tall grass far milk for your supper, and you must be from and sisters. away good boyhis andbrothers amuse yourself withHe didn’t see anyone whole your fiddle until wethe return. ” time, not even a tadpole. Then, fall day, Bobby promised to one be good andas he look afteron thehis house, thenup hisat the paddled back and looking father and into him the say, clouds, he mother heard a climbed voice behind wagon and drove away “Hey handsome, what to arethe youtown. doing?” The boy was not entirely alone, Startled, Nathan turned aroundfor to there was the big black tabby-cat lying find the most beautiful swan he had upon the floor in the kitchen, and the ever seen. “Are you talking to me?” little yellow dog barking at the wagon asked Nathan. as it drove away, and the big moolie“Sure I am, handsome,” she said cow lowing in the pasture down by back, “my Animals name is Sofia, what’s yours?” the brook. are often very name isand Nathan, amfeel good“My company, Bobby but did Inot not handsome.” nearly as lonely as he would had there you are, sweetie, just been“Sure no living thing about you’re the house. about the cutest swan I’vetoever laid Besides he hadboy some work do in the garden, pulling up the weeds that eyes on,” replied Sofia with a smile.

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“What are you talking about? I’m grew thean carrotbed, and when not athick swan,inI’m ugly duck!” the last sounds the wheels “Youfaint really don’tof know you arehad died away he went into the garden and a swan, honey? Swim out with me to began his task. the still water and look down at The little dog went too, for dogs your reflection.” love to be with people and to watch enough, when swam whatSure is going on; and heNathan sat down near out into the open pond and looked Bobby and cocked up his ears and down into the and calmseemed water, he wagged his tail to saw takethat a over interest the summer had developed great in theheweeding. Once in a striking swan. ainto while he would rushNathan away towas chase aoverjoyed butterfly or bark atSofia a beetle and took backthat to meet crawled through the garden, but his family who were all happy tohe see always came back at to his thetransformation. boy and kept him and amazed near his side. Mother Duck hugged Nathan close By and by the cat, which found it and said that whether he was a swan lonely in theshe’d big, always empty love kitchen, or a duck, himnow as that Bobby’s mother was gone, came her son, and made him promise he’d walking into the garden also, and lay never disappear again. Even Raoul was down upon a path in the sunshine and impressed with Nathan’s fine feathers lazily watched the boy at his work. The andand thick coat.good friends, dog thewhite cat were Thelived nexttogether spring, Nathan having so longand thatSofia they got married and lived happily ever did not care to fight each other. To after. evenashad be sureThey Towser, thetheir littleown dog litter was of “ugly ducklings” their own called, sometimeswho triedall, to in tease pussy, being mischievous; time,himself emergedvery as lovely swans. but

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The cat and the fiddle when the cat put out her sharp claws and showed her teeth, Towser, like a wise little dog, quickly ran away, and so they managed to get along in a friendly manner. By the time the carrot-bed was all weeded, the sun was sinking behind the edge of the forest and the new moon rising in the east, and now Bobby began to feel hungry and went into the house for his dish of bread and milk. “I think I’ll take my supper down to the brook,” he said to himself, “and sit upon the grassy bank while I eat it. And I’ll take my fiddle, too, and play upon it to pass the time until father and mother come home.” It was a good idea, for down by the brook it was cool and pleasant; so Bobby took his fiddle under his arm and carried his dish of bread and milk down to the bank that sloped to the edge of the brook. It was rather a steep bank, but Bobby sat upon the edge, and placing his fiddle beside him, leaned against a tree and began to eat

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his supper. The little dog had followed at his heels, and the cat also came slowly walking after him, and as Bobby ate, they sat one on either side of him and looked earnestly into his face as if they too were hungry. So he threw some of the bread to Towser, who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed it in the twinkling of an eye. And Bobby left some of the milk in the dish for the cat, also, and she came lazily up and drank it in a dainty, sober fashion, and licked both the dish and spoon until no drop of the milk was left. Then Bobby picked up his fiddle and tuned it and began to play some of the pretty tunes he knew. And while he played he watched the moon rise higher and higher until it was reflected in the smooth, still water of the brook. Indeed, Bobby could not tell which was the plainest to see, the moon in the sky or the moon in the water. The little dog lay quietly on one side of him, and the cat softly purred upon the other, and even the moolie-cow was attracted by


220


The Animal Fair

221


Index Animal Fair, The, 105

Easter Bunny Eggs, 17

Ants Go Marching, 106

Egg Carton Insects, 18

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, 44

Five Little Monkeys, 81

Balloons, 76 Big Rock Candy Mountain, The, 108 B-I-N-G-O, 112 Boy Who Cried Wolf, The, 140

Cat and The Fiddle, The, 144

Five Toes, 48 Follow the Leader, 82 Four and Twenty Blackbirds, 154

Galactic Mobile, 20

Goldilocks and the Three Bears, 156

Chicken Little, 150 Christmas Decorations, 13 Circus Train, A, 14 Curly-Locks, 47

Halloween Crafts, 23

Hansel and Gretel, 164 Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes!, 77 Here Is the Church, 87 Hokey Pokey, The, 117 Homemade Valentines, 25 Humpty Dumpty, 51

Do Your Ears Hang Low?, 78

Down by The Station, 114 Duck, Duck, Goose, 84

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The Animal Fair I P f You’re Happy, 119 Inchworm, 120 Independence Day Parade, 26 Itsy, Bitsy Spider, 89

aperplate Masks, 35 Pat-a-Cake, 68 Pop! Goes the Weasel!, 129 Princess and the Pea, The, 186 Puss in Boots, 190

Jack and Jill, 53 Leaf Rubbings, 28

Rain, Rain, Go Away, 130

Rapunzel, 196 Ring Around the Rosey, 94 Rub-a-Dub-Dub, 70

Leap Frog, 91 Little Bo-Peep, 54 Little Bunny Foo Foo, 122 Little Mermaid, The, 174 Little Miss Muffet, 56 Little Red Hen, The, 178 Little Red Riding Hood, 180

Shadow Puppets, 96

Shoo Fly, 133 Simon Says, 98 Snowy Day Fun, 37 Starry-Night Snow Globe, 38

Mary’s Lamb, 58

There Was an Old Woman, 72

Mouth Puppets, 30 Mulberry Bush, 125

This Old Man, 135 Three Little Kittens, 202 Three Little Pigs, The, 210 Tiny Boats, 40 Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, 137

Noisemakers, 32 Old King Cole, 60

Old MacDonald, 126 Old Mother Hubbard, 62 One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, 64 One, Two, Three, 66 Open, Shut Them, 92

Ugly Duckling, The, 216 Wheels on the Bus, The, 100 223


k

The world is so full of a number of things I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings. --Robert Louis Stevenson


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