THE 
 
 ALI BU 
 
 FIRST READER 
 
 D'C'HEATH & COMPANY 
 
EDUCATION DEPT. 
 
BAIEQKIO 
 
 MSTREADER 
 
 HALIBURTON 
 
 D.C.HEATH & COMPANY 
 BOSTON NEWYOEK: CHICAGO 
 
EDUCATION DEFT. 
 
 STORY GROUPS 
 
 With the Children and the Birds . . Pages 1-13 
 
 In Summer Time .... . . . . 14-39 
 
 Fun for Rainy Days , . . ..' . . . 40-63 
 
 At Sunset 64-70 
 
 In the Fall Woods . . . v . . . . 71-87 
 
 Winter Days and Nights .... . 88-115 
 
 The Year's at the Spring .... . 116-133 
 
 Vocabulary . 134-137 
 
 Suggestions to Teachers . .... v 138-140 
 
 Words for Phonic Drill ..'.... . . . . 140-142 
 
 In the story groups will be found brief selections from 
 Thomas Bailey Aldrich, Mary Mapes Dodge, Robert Loveman, 
 George Macdonald, Christina Rossetti, Sir Walter Scott, Robert 
 Louis Stevenson and Celia Thaxter. 
 
 For kind permission to use " Farewell to the Farm " the author 
 and publishers are indebted to Messrs. Charles Scribner's Sons; 
 and for "It is not Raining Rain to Me" to Mr. Robert Loveman. 
 The copyrighted poems "Spring" by Celia Thaxter, and "Pleasanter 
 than All" by Thomas Bailey Aldrich, are reprinted by permission of the 
 Hough ton Mifflin Co. 
 
 COPYRIGHT, D. C. HEATH & COMPANY, 1912 
 
 < V ' 
 
 L > 9 
 
SOME LITTLE GIRLS WE KNOW 
 
 Here are Grace and Alice. 
 
 Their little sister is with them. 
 
 Do you know their little sister's name ? 
 
 Her name is Betty. 
 
 Betty says she is not a baby now. 
 
 The little girls came here to play. 
 
 came 
 name 
 
 game same 
 
 dame tame 
 
 i ' 
 
 frame 
 shame 
 
 M187526 
 
THE BIRD SWING 
 
 Grace was jumping a rope by the wall. 
 She saw a bird's nest in the oak tree. 
 Alice said, "I will get up 
 
 on the wall, Grace. 
 Then I can see what is in the nest. 
 The nest is like a little swing. 
 I hope some dear baby birds are in it. 
 I hope I can see the dear little birds. 
 I see the mother bird in the tree. 
 I hope she will sing to us 
 
 about the bird swing. 
 Sing, mother bird, sing! 
 Sing a little song to me." 
 
 hope 
 rope 
 
 pope 
 mope 
 
 cope 
 tope 
 
 lope 
 slope 
 
SING A SONG FOR ME 
 
 Little birdie in the tree, 
 In the tree, in the tree, 
 
 Little birdie in the tree, 
 Sing a song for me. 
 
 Sing about the red, red rose 
 On the wall, on the wall. 
 
 Sing about the bird swing 
 In the tree-top tall. 
 
 Little birdie in the tree, 
 In the tree, in the tree, 
 
 Little birdie in the tree, 
 Sing a song for me. 
 
 rose nose close chose 
 
 3 
 
THE CHILDREN'S HOME 
 
 Here is the children's home. 
 
 The children are happy in the old home. 
 
 Here are Father and Mother. 
 
 What are they doing? 
 
 Do yon see Frank and Max? 
 
 Which boy has the ball? 
 
 Which boy has the bat? 
 
 Do yon see Betty's doll and the kitty? 
 
 The kitty's name is Mink. 
 
 Do yon see the hen and chicks? 
 
 The hen's name is Cinck-clnck. 
 
 What are Alice and Grace doing? 
 
 Alice and Grace go to school. 
 
 Betty does not go to school. 
 
 Betty is three years old. 
 
 which rich mnch snch 
 
 5 
 
THE OLD OAK 
 
 The old oak is tall. 
 The bird's nest is on 
 
 the big bough. 
 The big bongh is high 
 
 up on the old oak. 
 Alice said, "The nest is just like a swing. 
 It is up so high I cannot see into it. 
 The birds are happy in their swing. 
 The wind will say ; <Rock-a-by ; rock-a-by/ 
 
 to the birdies in the tree-top. 
 I hope the dear little birdies are safe. 
 We must watch the baby birds. 
 The wind may make them come 
 
 tumbling down to the ground. 
 
 must dust rust trust 
 
 just gust crust thrust 
 
 6 
 
UP SO HIGH 
 
 There's a dear little nest 
 
 In the old oak tree. 
 Safe and high, safe and high. 
 
 There are three little eggs 
 
 Blue as blue can be, 
 Like the sky, like the sky. 
 
 There are three baby birds 
 
 In that little nest, 
 Up so high, up so high. 
 
 And the wind rocks the bough 
 
 Where they safely rest, 
 Rock-a-by, rock-a-by! 
 
 nest west best lest 
 
 rest zest chest blest 
 
THE BIRDS' STORY 
 
 We were two happy little birds. 
 One day we flew to a tall oak tree. 
 A rose vine runs high up on the tree. 
 We liked the tall oak 
 
 and the pretty rose vine. 
 We made a nest in the tall tree. 
 It hung in the pretty rose vine. 
 By and by, there were three baby birds 
 
 in the nest. 
 Then sweet songs were sung 
 
 where the nest hung. 
 They were sung to the baby birds. 
 One day we flew away to find something 
 
 for the birdies to eat. 
 We came back to the tall tree. 
 There hung the nest. But the birdies 
 
 were gone. 
 
 8 
 
THE GREEN TREE 
 
 1. To a green tree 
 
 A briar rose clung. 
 In that green tree 
 Our nest we hung. 
 
 2. By breezes free 
 
 Our nest was swung. 
 To birdies three 
 
 Sweet songs were sung. 
 
 3. When the green trees 
 
 Their shadows flung, 
 On the soft breeze 
 Glad notes had rung. 
 
 clung 
 hung 
 
 swung 
 sung 
 
 flung 
 rung 
 
 M. S. WILLIS. 
 
 4. Sad now search we The leaves a - mong. 
 
 Ah m 
 
 m P 
 
 ! n 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 ^ * 
 
 
 s 
 
 
 
 From the green tree... Gone are the young. 
 
 9 
 
SOME BABY BIRDS 
 
 Frank, did you and Max see the nest 
 
 in the rose vine? 
 
 Yes. It is such a fine home for birdies. 
 But the baby birds are gone, Frank. 
 The father and mother birds 
 
 are looking for them. 
 I hope they will find their baby birds. 
 Max found a lark's nest on the ground. 
 It is such a cunning nest, Alice. 
 I hope the baby larks are not gone. 
 
 vine 
 fine 
 
 mine 
 nine 
 
 dine 
 pine 
 
 thine 
 shine 
 
 10 
 
THE MEADOW LARKS 
 
 Up, up in the sky 
 The meadow larks fly, 
 Up in the air so high. 
 
 Down, down on the ground 
 Is a meadow lark found, 
 Down in a nest so round. 
 
 As they go to sleep, 
 The birdies say, "Peep!" 
 Down in the grass so deep 
 
 round 
 ground 
 wound 
 found 
 
 sound 
 hound 
 bound 
 pound 
 
 around 
 aground 
 abound 
 abounds 
 
 11 
 
A HAPPY DAY 
 
 It is the spring time. The sky is blue. 
 
 The birds fly through the sweet air. 
 
 They sing in the tree tops. 
 
 The bees hum through the orchard. 
 
 The lambs run and jump in the clover. 
 
 The children sing and play with the lambs, 
 
 Betty and Alice have pet lambs. 
 
 Do you see the flowers on Alice's lamb? 
 
 Alice likes to put flowers 
 
 on the lamb's neck. 
 
 She says, "See the flowers I have, Grace. 
 Let us put them on my lamb's neck. 
 Come here, Betty, we will put 
 
 some flowers on your pet's neck." 
 
 neck 
 deck 
 
 peck 
 speck 
 
 beck 
 check 
 
 fleck 
 wreck 
 
SPRING 
 
 The little birds fly over, 
 
 And oh, how sweet they sing! 
 To tell the happy children 
 
 That once again 'tis spring. 
 
 Here blooms the sweet red clover. 
 
 There peeps the violet blue. 
 Oh, happy little children, 
 
 God made them all for you. 
 
 Celia Thaxter 
 
 13 
 
MAKING HAY 
 
 It's summer, the meadow grass is green. 
 Father has come to mow 
 
 the green meadow grass. 
 "Let me help you, Father/ 7 says Frank. 
 Father says, " Thank you, my boy. 
 I like to have you help me. 77 
 
 thank Frank bank sank 
 
 14 
 
GOING A-MOWING 
 
 Max was going to see Father mow. 
 He says it is fun to see Father mow. 
 The little girls were swinging 
 
 in the orchard. 
 
 They saw Max going to the meadow. 
 He said, "Come and go with me, Alice." 
 
 Then Alice sang, 
 
 "Little boy, little boy, 
 
 where are you going? 
 I will go with you, if I may. ;; 
 Max sang, 
 
 "I'm going to the meadow 
 
 to see them a-mowing. 
 I'm going to help them cut the hay." 
 
 hay 
 may 
 
 day 
 
 say 
 
 gay 
 
 play 
 
 stay 
 gray 
 
 15 
 
A SUMMER NIGHT 
 
 It is a beautiful summer night. 
 The air is sweet with clover blooms. 
 The bright stars shine in the sky. 
 The birds in the tree tops are asleep. 
 So are the larks in the meadow. 
 The baby larks are asleep 
 
 in the deep grass. 
 
 The mother lark is on the pretty nest. 
 The lambs are asleep in the clover. 
 The mother sheep are at rest with them. 
 The bright stars peep down at the larks 
 
 in the deep grass. 
 
 They peep down at the sleeping lambs. 
 There is a song about the summer night. 
 It tells about the larks and the lambs. 
 It tells about the beautiful bright stars. 
 
 16 
 
M. S. WILLIS. 
 
 
 * 
 
 i. Peep, peep, peep! Bright stars, peep! Be - hind the hills so 
 
 steep, In theclo-ver deep, The lambs and mother 
 
 PP -= ^=-ritard. 
 
 m 
 
 'I ^ " 
 
 sheep Are all a - sleep, All a - sleep, 
 17 
 
ALL ASLEEP 
 
 1. Peep, peep, peep! 
 
 Bright stars, peep! peep 
 
 Behind the hills so steep, steep 
 
 In the clover deep, deep 
 
 The lambs and mother sheep sheep 
 
 Are all asleep, sleep 
 
 All asleep. 
 
 2. Sleep, sleep, sleep! 
 
 Birdies, sleep! sleep 
 
 Beneath the soft wings creep, creep 
 
 While the night winds sweep, sweep 
 
 The mother bird will keep keep 
 
 Birdies asleep, sleep 
 
 Safe in sleep. 
 
 18 
 
LITTLE COUSINS 
 
 One day the children found a mouse 
 
 in the meadow. 
 
 Alice said, "I saw a mouse just now. 
 It is such a pretty little mouse! 
 I hope it will come out again." 
 "It is a field mouse/' said Father. 
 "It lives here in the fields and meadows. 
 It is a cousin to the rats and mice 
 
 that live in the house. 
 Another mouse cousin lives in the woods. 
 I caught one once. It had a nest 
 
 in the top of a tree. 
 It sang something like a bird." 
 Then Father told the children stories. 
 One story was about the mouse cousins. 
 
 mouse house grouse souse 
 
 19 
 
THE FIELD MOUSE AND THE TOWN MOUSE 
 
 A little mouse lived in a town. 
 
 One day he went to see the field mouse. 
 
 Such fine fun 
 
 as the little mice had! 
 
 The field mouse said, 
 
 "We must have some- 
 thing to eat soon. 
 
 I hope you like 
 
 wheat and corn. Cousin." 
 
 "Are wheat and corn all you have?" 
 said the town mouse. 
 
 "Yes," said the field mouse. "I eat 
 wheat and corn year after year." 
 
 "Come with me," said the town mouse. 
 
 "I will give you something good to eat." 
 
 field yield shield wield 
 
 20 
 
n 
 
 The field mouse was glad to go home 
 
 with his cousin. 
 
 So away the two mice went to town. 
 Soon they came safely to a fine house. 
 "This is my home/ 7 said the town mouse. 
 "Now I will show you the things I eat." 
 So they stole into the house, and oh, 
 
 such good things as they saw! 
 There were sweet cakes and buns. 
 There were oranges and apples. 
 There was pudding, and some meat. 
 "This is fine!" cried the field mouse. 
 "Just look at that meat! I do like meat! 
 I shall not live in the fields again." 
 
 meat heat beat treat 
 
 seat wheat neat bleat 
 
Ill 
 
 The mice fell to eating meat at once. 
 A boy with a dog came into the room. 
 " There is Jack with the dog! Run!" 
 
 cried the town mouse. 
 You should have seen the two mice run ! 
 The dog went after them with a growl. 
 But the mice got to the hole safe. 
 Then the boy and the dog went out. 
 Soon the mice ran into the room again. 
 Just then a girl came in with the broom. 
 She struck at the mice with the broom. 
 " There is Jill with the broom ! 
 Run! Hide!" 
 
 cried the town mouse. 
 
 room groom loom gloom 
 broom boom bloom doom 
 
When the girl with the broom had gone 
 the mice stole back again. 
 
 The boy stole back into the room, too. 
 
 This time he had a black cat with him. 
 
 The town mouse cried, "There's the cat! 
 Jump! Run! Hide!" " 
 
 Soon the mice were safe in the hole. 
 
 Then the field mouse said, "Grood-by. 
 
 I'm going where corn and wheat grow. 
 
 To be sure I have not much to eat. 
 
 But I'm safe there. Grood-by, Cousin." 
 
 hole 
 
 stole 
 
 pole 
 
 whole 
 
LAMBIKIN 
 
 Here is a story that Father told.- 
 
 Lambikin was a wee happy lamb. 
 
 One day Lambikin said, 
 
 "Pm going to the other side of the hill. 
 
 Pm going to see my granny!" 
 
 So he went hopping, jumping 
 
 and dancing along. 
 Soon Lambikin saw a fox. 
 The fox said with a growl, 
 
 "Lambikin! Lambikin! I'll eat you!" 
 
 long 
 along 
 
 way 
 away 
 
 sleep 
 asleep 
 
 side 
 aside 
 
n 
 
 Lambikin looked back and said, 
 " Don't eat Lambikin 
 Till he goes to Grannikin. 
 Then very fat he'll grow. 
 And you can eat him so." 
 
 The fox liked fat lambs, and said, 
 
 " Well, go on to your granny's house. 
 
 But be sure to come back this way." 
 
 Away went Lambikin, hopping, jumping 
 and dancing along. 
 
 Soon Lambikin saw a wolf. 
 
 The wolf said with a howl, 
 
 "Lambikin ! Lambikin ! I'll eat you !' 7 
 
Ill 
 
 Lambikin looked back and said, 
 "Don't eat Lambikin 
 Till he goes to Grannikin. 
 Then very fat hell grow. 
 And you can eat him so." 
 
 The wolf liked fat lambs, 
 
 So he said with a howl, 
 
 "Well, go on to your granny's house. 
 
 But be sure to come back this way." 
 
 Away went Lambikin, hopping, jumping 
 and dancing along. 
 
 Soon Lambikin met a lion. 
 
 The lion said with a roar, 
 
 "Lambikin! Lambikin! I'll eat you!" 
 
 howl cowl prowl fowl 
 
 growl scowl jowl * owl 
 
IV 
 
 Lambikin looked back and said, 
 "Don't eat Lambikin 
 Till he goes to Grannikin. 
 Then very fat he'll grow, 
 And you can eat him so." 
 The lion liked fat lambs. 
 So he said with another roar, 
 "Well, go on to your granny's house, 
 but be sure to come back this way." 
 Away went Lambikin, hopping, jumping 
 
 and dancing along. 
 At last he came to kind old Granny's house. 
 
 27 
 
Lambikin called, "Pm here, Grannikin! 
 IVe come to eat grass and grow fat." 
 And then you should have seen him eat ! 
 At last Granny said, " Lambikin, my pet, 
 
 you are as fat as you can be. 
 You must go home to-morrow." 
 Then Lambikin said, "What shall I do? 
 The fox, the wolf and the lion 
 
 like just such fat lambs as I am. 
 They will be sure to eat me to-morrow." 
 "No, no," said kind old Granny. 
 "You shall go in a sheep skin drum." 
 So Granny made a drum of sheep skin. 
 She put Lambikin in the sheep skin drum 
 
 and said, "Now roll away, my pet." 
 
 call called roll rolled 
 
 28 
 
VI 
 
 Lambikin went rolling along 
 
 and met the lion. 
 The lion could not see Lambikin. 
 So he roared, "Drumikin! Drumikin! 
 
 Have you seen Lambikin?" 
 Lambikin called out, 
 
 "Fallen into the fire, and so will you. 
 
 On, little Drumikin! Tum-tum-too! " 
 " The woods must be on fire/' 
 
 said the lion with a roar. 
 Away he ran as fast as he could go. 
 Lambikin went rolling along 
 
 and met the wolf. 
 The wolf could not see Lambikin. 
 So he said with a howl, 
 
 " Drumikin 1 Drumikin ! 
 
 Have you seen Lambikin?" 
 
 29 
 
VII 
 
 Lambikin called out, 
 
 " Fallen into the fire, and so will you. 
 On, little Drumikin 1 Tum-tum-too !" 
 " The woods are on fire," said the wolf. 
 Away he ran as fast as he could go. 
 Lambikin went rolling along 
 
 and met the fox. 
 The fox could not see Lambikin. 
 So he growled, " Drumikin I Drumikin! 
 
 Have you seen Lambikin ?" 
 Lambikin called out, 
 
 " Fallen into the fire, and so will you. 
 On, little Drumikin 1 Tum-tum-too ! " 
 " Lambikin is in that Drumikin 
 
 as sure as I'm a fox. 
 And Drumikin is nothing 
 
 but an old sheep skin," said the fox. 
 
 30 
 
VIII 
 
 " I'll soon stop your ride, Mr. Lambikin/' 
 
 said the cunning fox. 
 With a howl he ran after Lambikin 
 
 as fast as he could go. 
 But the drum was rolling safely along. 
 Down the side of the hill it went. 
 The fox could hear Lambikin as he sang, 
 " I'm in the Drumikin 1 Tum-tum-too ! 
 I'm safe at home. How do you do?" 
 
 side 
 hide 
 
 ride 
 bride 
 
 pride 
 bide 
 
 wide 
 slide 
 
 31 
 
IN THE HAYLOFT 
 
 Do yon see the children in the stable? 
 They like this big old stable. 
 It is a fine place for play. 
 There is a big hayloft in the stable. 
 The children like to play in the hayloft. 
 They go np to the hayloft by a ladder. 
 Little Betty can walk np the ladder. 
 Do yon see Alice on the ladder? 
 Grace and Betty are watching Father 
 
 from the hayloft. 
 
 He will pitch the hay into the hayloft. 
 Frank and Max have had a ride 
 
 on the hay. 
 Now they will rnn np the ladder and 
 
 play in the hayloft. 
 
 place lace Grace race 
 
 33 
 
IN THE GARDEN 
 
 The girls are in the garden. 
 There are beautiful flowers in the garden. 
 There are red and white flowers. 
 There are red roses and rosebuds. 
 There are no bright yellow daffodils. 
 There are beds of blue violets. 
 Alice is gathering violets for somebody. 
 She is gathering roses, too. 
 She is gathering them for Mother. 
 Betty is looking at the rosebuds. 
 Grace says, "Look at the rosebuds, Betty. 
 They will soon bloom into big roses. 
 Do you know what the rosebuds say? 
 The wind makes the rosebuds say, 
 < How do you do, little girl? ? 
 You must say, 'How do you do ? ; " 
 
 34 
 
THE SWEET RED ROSE 
 
 Good-morrow, pretty rosebuds. 
 
 I pray you tell me true, 
 To be as sweet as the red, red rose. 
 
 What must a body do? 
 To be as sweet as a red, red rose, 
 
 A little girl like you 
 Just grows, and grows, and grows, 
 
 and grows. 
 
 And that's what she must do. 
 
 Mary Mapes Dodge. 
 
 35 
 
DAFFYDOWNDILLY 
 
 Now here is little Daifydowndilly. 
 
 Little Daifydowndilly 
 
 is a daffodil. 
 See Daffy downdilly's 
 
 yellow bonnet. 
 See her green gown. 
 
 Daifydowndilly has 
 come up to town, 
 In a yellow bonnet 
 And a green gown. 
 
 now 
 how 
 
 town 
 gown 
 
 down 
 brown 
 
 frown 
 drown 
 
 36 
 
LITTLE BETTY BLUE 
 
 Betty's bonnet isn't like Daffy do wndilly's. 
 Betty's bonnet is blue to match her eyes. 
 Betty has a blue gown to match her 
 
 blue bonnet. 
 She has blue shoes, too. 
 Father sings to Betty, 
 
 " Little Betty Blue 
 Lost her little shoe. 
 What can little 
 
 Betty do? 
 Give her another 
 To match the other, 
 And then she may 
 
 walk in two." 
 
 lost 
 
 cost 
 
 37 
 
 frost 
 
THE QUEEN IN THE GARDEN 
 
 Alice, let us play Queen in the Garden. 
 
 Betty shall be the queen in the garden. 
 
 The queen has no bonnet. 
 
 She must have a crown. 
 
 Will the little green vine make a crown? 
 
 No, we will make a crown of violets. 
 
 Put daffodils on the queen's gown. 
 
 Put rosebuds around her neck. 
 
 The rosebuds are her diamonds. 
 
 Am I the little girl in the garden, Grace? 
 
 Yes. You are to say you have been 
 
 gathering flowers for the queen. 
 You must say that she gave you 
 
 a diamond as big as your shoe. 
 
 queen green sheen ween 
 
 seen preen keen screen 
 
 38 
 
Grace: Little girl, little girl, 
 
 Where have you been? 
 
 Alice: I've been gathering roses 
 To give to the queen. 
 
 Grace: Little girl, little girl, 
 
 What gave she to you? 
 
 Alice: She gave me a diamond 
 As big as my shoe. 
 
 39 
 
RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY 
 
 The children were watching the rain. 
 They said, " We want 
 
 to go to the meadow. 
 We want to go 
 
 and play." 
 Then they sang, 
 
 " Rain, rain, 
 Gro away. 
 Come again, 
 
 Some other day . ' -. "' "^ " \v '" 
 
 Little children want to play, 
 
 In the meadow on the hay. 
 
 Rain, rain, go to Spain, 
 
 Be sure you don't come back again." 
 
 rain 
 
 Spain 
 
 gram 
 
 vain 
 
 40 
 
IT IS NOT RAINING RAIN TO ME 
 
 Alice said, " I don't like the rain. r 
 Max said, " I want to see the sun shine." 
 Mother said, " Don't fret about the rain. 
 You should sing and not fret. 
 The rain makes the flowers grow. 
 We should fret if there were no flowers." 
 
 Then mother sang the rain song. 
 
 " It is not raining rain to me. 
 
 It's raining daffodils. 
 In every little drop, I see 
 Field flowers on the hills. 
 
 And here is to the happy. 
 
 A fig for him who frets. 
 It is not raining rain to me. 
 
 It's raining violets." 
 
 41 
 
WITH MOTHER GOOSE 
 
 Let it rain. We can read and tell stories. 
 We will read in our story book. 
 No, get Betty's Mother Goose book. 
 We will look at the pictures in the book. 
 Betty likes the Mother Goose pictures. 
 We will find the pictures for her. 
 Come, look at your Mother Goose book, 
 
 my little Betty. 
 
 We will read the rimes of Mother Goose. 
 We can read the rimes and play them. 
 
 book look rook crook 
 
 took cook brook shook 
 
 42 
 
HARK! HARK! THE DOGS DO BARK 
 
 See the beggars coming to town. 
 See the beggars in velvet gowns. 
 Some are in rags and tags. 
 Hark! How the dogs bark and growl! 
 Hark! Hark! 
 The dogs 
 
 do bark. 
 The beggars 
 are coming 
 
 to town. 
 Some in rags, 
 Some in tags. 
 And some in 
 velvet gowns. 
 
 hark 
 bark 
 
 lark 
 dark 
 
LITTLE BOY BLUE 
 
 Let us play Boy Blue. Max is Boy Blue. 
 Here is your horn, Max. 
 Alice, you must wake Boy Blue. 
 You must say, "Where is the little boy?" 
 Then Frank must say, 
 " He's under the haystack fast asleep." 
 The broom and this chair will make 
 a fine haystack. 
 
 horn 
 corn 
 
 born 
 lorn 
 
 thorn 
 morn 
 
 for 
 nor 
 
 44 
 
n 
 
 Alice 
 
 Frank 
 
 Alice : 
 Frank 
 
 Little Boy Blue, 
 Come blow your horn. 
 The sheep are in the meadow. 
 The cows are in th" ^orn. 
 Where's the boy who looks 
 
 after the sheep? 
 He's under the haystack 
 
 fast asleep. 
 Will you wake him? 
 Oh, no, not I, 
 For if I do, he is sure to cry. 
 
 45 
 
PUSSY-CAT AND THE QUEEN 
 
 Nowlet us play Pussy-Cat and the Queen. 
 Max and Grace must say the rime. 
 Grace is Pussy-Cat. She will answer Max. 
 Betty is the frightened mouse. She 
 
 must run when Grace jumps at her. 
 Alice is the Queen this time. 
 
 Max: Pussy-Cat, Pussy-Cat, 
 
 Where have you been? 
 Grace: IVe been to London 
 To see the Queen. 
 ' Max : Pussy-Cat, Pussy-Cat, 
 
 What did you there ? 
 Grace: I frightened a little mouse 
 under the chair. 
 
 time 
 
 dime 
 
 chime 
 
 clime 
 
 rime 
 
 prime 
 
 lime 
 
 slime 
 
 
 
 46 
 
 
COMING FROM TOWN 
 
 Pussy-Cat went to London to buy a hat. 
 Now she is coming back from London. 
 Her three kittens went with her. 
 They went to London to buy mittens. 
 Let us play "Coming from Town." 
 I am Mrs. Pussy-Cat, you know. 
 Yes, Grace, and you have a straw hat. 
 In the picture, Mrs. Pussy has on 
 
 a big straw hat. 
 Max, Betty and Alice 
 
 are the three kittens. 
 Your hands are your paws, Betty. 
 You must have mittens on your paws. 
 Frank must say to me, "Where 
 
 have you been, Mrs. Pussy-Oat ?" 
 He must say to Max, Betty and Alice, 
 "Where have you been, little kittens?" 
 
 47 
 
n 
 
 Frank: Where have you 
 
 been, 
 
 Mrs. Pussy-Cat ? 
 Grace: IVebeentoLondon 
 
 to buy me a hat. 
 Frank: What! a hat 
 for a cat ? 
 Who ever did see 
 A cat in a hat ? 
 
 Frank: Where haveyoubeen, 
 
 My little kittens? 
 The Others: We Ve been to 
 London 
 
 To buy us some 
 mittens. 
 
 Frank: What! mittens 
 for kittens ? 
 Who ever did see 
 Kittens in mittens? 
 
 48 
 
THE THREE LITTLE KITTENS 
 
 The three little kittens lost their mittens. 
 Frank may tell what the kittens did. 
 Alice, Max and Betty are the kittens. 
 They must say what the bad kittens did. 
 Alice, write down what the kittens say. 
 Tell Betty how to say it. 
 The three kittens must show their paws 
 
 without the mittens they had at first. 
 They cry about their mittens. 
 When they find their mittens 
 
 they jump and dance. 
 I am Mrs. Pussy-Cat, you know. 
 What shall we have for a pie? 
 You know Mrs. Pussy made a pie. 
 Take this pan for the pie, Alice. 
 
 pie tie die lie 
 
 49 
 
n 
 
 Frank: The three little kittens 
 
 Lost their mittens, 
 And they began to cry. 
 The others: Oh, Mother dear, 
 
 We very much fear 
 That we have lost our mittens. 
 Grace: What! Lost your mittens ? 
 
 You bad, bad kittens ! 
 Then you shall have no pie. 
 The Others: Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow! 
 Grace: No, you shall have no pie ! 
 The others: Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow 1 
 
Ill 
 
 Frank: The three little kittens 
 
 Found their mittens. 
 
 And they began to cry. 
 The Others: Oh, Mother dear, 
 
 See here, see here! 
 
 See, we have found our mittens. 
 Grace: What! Found your mittens? 
 
 You dear, dear kittens ! 
 
 Then you shall have some pie ! 
 The Others: Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r! 
 
 Oh, let us have the pie ! 
 
 Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r ! 
 
THE GINGERBREAD BOY 
 
 One day it was raining, and Grace said, 
 " Let us read about the Gingerbread Boy." 
 Once there was a little old woman 
 
 and a little old man. 
 They lived in a little old house 
 
 by the wood. 
 They had a little, old kettle 
 
 and a little old pan. 
 They had a little old dog 
 
 whose name was Dan. 
 They had a little old cow 
 
 whose name was Fan. 
 And they were very, very kind 
 to their pets. 
 
 kind mind blind find 
 
 bind hind rind wind 
 
 52 
 
One day the little old woman was making 
 
 some gingerbread. 
 She said, "I wish we had a little boy 
 
 to eat this gingerbread." 
 " I wish we had a little boy, too," 
 
 said the little old man. 
 "I could love a little boy very much." 
 " I'll cut this cake to look like a boy," 
 
 said the little old woman. 
 So the little old woman cut a cake 
 
 to look like a boy. 
 She said, "I'll put the cake 
 
 in the little old pan to bake. 
 When it is done, I'll take it up 
 
 in the little old dish." 
 
 dish fish wish swish 
 
 53 
 
Ill 
 
 The little old woman put the cake 
 
 into the pan to bake. 
 When it was done, she said, 
 
 " The cake is done. 
 I'll take it up in the little old dish." 
 But the Gingerbread Boy made a jump 
 
 in the air and over the dish. 
 Then he went rolling away. 
 The little old kettle ran after him. 
 So did the little old pan. 
 Then the little old woman ran after him. 
 So did the little old man. 
 But they never could catch him. 
 
 54 
 
The Gingerbread Boy ran by 
 
 the little old dog whose name was Dan. 
 He cried out to the dog, "I've run away 
 from the little old kettle 
 and the little old pan, 
 the little old woman 
 
 and the little old man. 
 I can run away from you, too-oo! 
 
 I can, and I can." 
 Then the dog ran after him, 
 
 but he never could catch him. 
 The Gingerbread Boy ran by 
 the little old cow whose name was Fan. 
 
 55 
 
The Gingerbread Boy cried out to the cow, 
 "I've run away 
 
 from the little old kettle 
 and the little old pan, 
 
 the little old woman 
 and the little old man, 
 
 and the little old dog 
 
 whose name is Dan. 
 I can run away from you, too-oo ! 
 
 I can, and I can." 
 Then the cow ran after him, 
 
 but she never could catch him. 
 The Gingerbread Boy ran on and on. 
 At last he came to the dark wood. 
 There he saw a poor little boy crying. 
 The poor little boy had no home, 
 and he had nothing to eat. 
 
 56 
 
VI 
 
 The Gingerbread Boy cried, 
 
 " I've run away 
 
 from the little old kettle 
 
 and the little old pan, 
 
 the little old woman 
 
 and the little old man, 
 
 the little old dog 
 
 whose name is Dan, 
 
 and the little old cow 
 
 whose name is Fan. 
 
 I can run away from you, too-oo! 
 
 And I will if you don't eat me. 
 
 Eat me as quick as you can." 
 The little boy said, "Thank you, I will." 
 Soon the Gingerbread Boy said, 
 "I'm going! I'm half gone! 
 I'm all gone." And so he was. 
 
 57 
 
VII 
 
 Tip came the little old woman 
 
 and the little old man. 
 
 With the little old kettle 
 
 came the little old pan. 
 
 With the little old dog, |S 
 
 whose name was Dan, 
 came the little old cow, 
 whose name was Fan. 
 
 They all said at once, 
 
 ."Have yon seen the Gingerbread Boy?" 
 
 "Yes," said the little boy, "he told me 
 to eat him." 
 
 "Poor little boy!" they all said' at once. 
 
 "Come along with us and be our boy." 
 
 "I should like that!" said the little boy. 
 
 So they all went back to live 
 
 in the little old house by the dark wood. 
 
 58 
 
THE PIG WITH A CURLY TAIL 
 
 A pig with a curly tail 
 
 lived in a rail pen. // 
 One rainy day he said, 
 
 "I don't like to live 
 
 in a rail pen that leaks. 
 I'm going to the woods to build me 
 
 a house that will never leak." 
 On his way to the woods he met a rabbit. 
 "Good morning, Rabbit," said the pig. 
 "Good morning, Pig," said the rabbit. 
 "Where are you going this rainy day?" 
 "Fm going to the woods to build me 
 
 a house that will never leak. 
 I don't like to live in a rail pen," 
 
 said the pig with the curly tail. 
 
 tail rail trail wail 
 
 59 
 
n 
 
 The rabbit said, 
 "May I go with you?" 
 "Can you help build 
 
 my house?" said the pig. 
 "I fear you can not do much but hop." 
 "I have very sharp teeth/' said the rabbit. 
 "I can cut down the trees 
 
 with my sharp teeth." 
 "Well, come along with me," said the pig. 
 On their way they met a duck. 
 "Good morning, Duck," said the pig. 
 "Good morning, Pig," said the duck. 
 "Where are you going this rainy day?" 
 "I'm going to the woods to build me 
 
 a house that will never leak. 
 I don't like to live in a rail pen," 
 
 said the pig with the curly tail. 
 
 60 
 
Ill 
 
 The duck said, 
 "May I go 
 
 with you?" \ 
 " What can you do 
 
 to help build my house?" said the pig. 
 a l fear you can not do much but quack." 
 "You will want plaster/ 7 said the duck. 
 " I can make plaster and carry it." 
 "Well, come along with me," said the pig. 
 "I'll take you to make plaster for me." 
 On their way they met a rooster. 
 "Good morning, Rooster," said the pig. 
 "Good morning, Pig," said the rooster. 
 "Where are you going this rainy day?" 
 "I'm going to the woods to build me 
 
 a house that will never leak," 
 
 said the pig with the curly tail 
 
 61 
 
IV 
 
 The rooster said, 
 "May I go with you?' 7 
 "What can yon do 
 
 to help?' 7 said the pig. 
 "Well," said the rooster, 
 "I can sing so that 
 all the world can hear. 
 I will sing with all my might 
 
 and wake yon every day in the year." 
 "Well, come along with me," said the pig. 
 "I'll take yon to sing and wake us." 
 So they all went on to the woods. 
 There they soon made a honse 
 that will never leak. 
 
 hear year near clear 
 
 fear dear . tear rear 
 
 62 
 
COCK-A-DOODLE 
 
 Cock-a-doodle-doo! 
 
 My dame has lost her shoe. 
 My master's lost his fiddling stick, 
 And knows not what to do. 
 Cock-a-doodle-doo! 
 
 What is my dame to do? 
 Till master finds his fiddling stick, 
 She'll dance without her shoe. 
 
 Cock-a-doodle-doo! 
 
 My dame has found her shoe. 
 And master's found his fiddling stick. 
 Sing Cock-a-doodle-doo! 
 My dame will dance with you, 
 While master fiddles his fiddling stick 
 For dame and doodle-doo! 
 
 63 
 
THE RAINBOW 
 
 Look at the beautiful rainbow in the sky, 
 It is raining while the sun shines. 
 The sun shines through the clouds. 
 It shines on the drops of rain. 
 The sun and the rain make the rainbow. 
 Don't you think the rainbow 
 
 looks like a bridge? 
 You shall hear the story 
 
 of the Beautiful Bridge. 
 
 64 
 
THE BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE 
 
 Once a king had a beautiful daughter 
 
 whose name was Iris. 
 The king lived with Iris in the sky. 
 Iris had a beautiful queen mother. 
 She did not live in the sky. 
 She lived on the top of a high mountain. 
 The king and the queen met 
 
 on the high mountain. 
 There they made beautiful things 
 
 from the clouds. 
 They made them for Iris. 
 They made them of the beautiful colors 
 
 that Iris loved. 
 The colors were red, orange, yellow, 
 
 green, blue and violet. 
 They are the colors that you see 
 
 in the rainbow. 
 
 65 
 
n 
 
 The king and queen made a beautiful 
 
 bridge for their daughter Iris. 
 It was made of orange and violet 
 
 and the other colors that Iris loved. 
 Iris went up and down over her bridge. 
 The bridge was so made that Iris 
 
 could drop it to the mountains. 
 She could lift it again to the sky. 
 It was said that Iris once hid 
 
 a pot of gold. 
 
 She hid it at the foot of her bridge. 
 Shouldn't you like to find it ? 
 Do you think you could find the foot 
 
 of the bridge? 
 Have you ever seen the beautiful bridge? 
 
 bridge ridge midge 
 
 66 
 
IN THE SKY 
 
 I see some sheep that are 
 
 white, white, white. 
 I see a horn that is 
 
 bright, bright, bright. 
 I see a meadow that is 
 
 blue, blue, blue. 
 And what I tell you is 
 
 true, true, true. 
 
 Can you answer this riddle ? 
 The answer to the riddle is in the sky. 
 The sheep so white are the clouds. 
 The horn so bright is the moon. 
 The meadow so blue is the sky. 
 
 true blue flue glue 
 
 67 
 
THE FIRST STAR 
 
 Have you seen the sunset sky ? 
 The colors are orange and gold at first. 
 Have you seen the rosy clouds 
 grow more and more rosy ? 
 
 Do you watch for the first star 
 
 in the sunset sky? 
 Do you ever make a wish when you see 
 
 the first star after sunset? 
 Here is a pretty rime to say when 
 
 you see the first sunset star. 
 
 Star light, star bright, 
 The first star I've seen to-night, 
 I wish I may, I wish I might 
 Have the wish I wish to-night. 
 
 light might right fright 
 
 night fight bright knight 
 
 68 
 
TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR 
 
 Twinkle, twinkle, little star. 
 How I wonder what you are, 
 Up above the world so high, 
 Like a diamond in the sky! 
 
 When the great round sun is set. 
 When the grass with dew is wet, 
 Then you show your little light, 
 Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. 
 
A BONNY BOAT 
 
 I wonder who can answer this riddle. 
 It is about a silver boat that is afloat. 
 I think you can answer this riddle. 
 
 One, two, three, 
 A bonny boat I see, 
 A silver boat, 
 And it's afloat 
 Upon a rosy sea. 
 
 One, two, three, 
 I'll answer it for thee. 
 The moon afloat 
 Is the bonny boat. 
 The sunset is the sea. 
 
 boat 
 
 float 
 
 coat 
 
 goat 
 
 70 
 
A GOLDEN DAY 
 
 Mother and the children are in the wood. 
 They will rest by the little brook 
 
 and tell stories. 
 The trees are bright red 
 
 and golden yellow. 
 Mother says it is a golden day. 
 Grace says, "See the leaves falling 
 
 on the brook. 
 The beautiful yellow leaves 
 
 are like golden boats afloat." 
 
 gold wood bright fall 
 
 golden wooden brighten fallen 
 
 71 
 
THE BROOK 
 
 "Stop, stop, pretty water I" 
 
 Said Mary one day, 
 To a bright happy brook 
 
 That was running away. 
 
 "You run on so fast! 
 
 I wish you would stay, 
 My boat and my flowers 
 
 You will carry away. 
 
 But I will run after, 
 
 Mother says that I may; 
 
 For I would know where 
 You are running away." 
 
 So Mary ran on, 
 
 But I have heard say 
 That she never could find 
 
 Where the brook ran away, 
 
 72 
 
THE HONEST WOODMAN 
 
 A woodman stood chopping the boughs 
 
 from a tall oak tree. 
 
 Deep water was at the foot of the tree. 
 As the woodman stood chopping, his ax 
 
 fell into the deep water. 
 He looked into the dark water and cried, 
 "Oh, what shall I do? ' 
 I have lost my good, sharp ax." 
 A kind fairy lived in the water. 
 She came up out of the water. 
 "Why do you cry, my poor man?" 
 
 said the kind fairy. 
 "My ax fell into the water," 
 
 said the poor woodman. 
 "I can not work without it." 
 
 wood stood good hood 
 
 73 
 
II 
 
 "I will get your ax," said the fairy. 
 She went down into the dark water 
 
 and came up with a silver ax. 
 a Here is your ax/ 7 said the fairy. 
 "That is not my ax," said the man. 
 The fairy went down deeper 
 
 into the water. 
 
 Soon she came up with an ax of gold. 
 "Is this your ax?" said the fairy. 
 "No, oh, no!" said the woodman. 
 
 74 
 
Ill 
 
 The fairy went down still deeper 
 
 into the dark water. 
 She came up with the woodman's old ax. 
 "Oh, thank you," said the honest man. 
 "That is my ax. 'Now I can work." 
 "Why would you not take the silver ax 
 
 or the golden ax? " said the fairy. 
 " The silver ax was not my ax. 
 Neither was the golden ax my ax ? " 
 
 was the honest woodman's answer. 
 " You are a very honest man/' 
 
 said the fairy. 
 " Carry the silver ax and the golden ax 
 
 with you. I give them to you." 
 
 deep dark sharp old 
 
 deeper darker sharper older 
 
 75 
 
76 
 
THE THREE BROTHERS 
 
 Once a king had a beautiful castle. 
 There was not such another castle 
 
 in all the world. 
 
 Now a great tree grew near the castle. 
 It had stood there for a hundred years. 
 It had more than a hundred boughs. 
 This made the castle very dark. 
 The king said, " This great tree 
 
 must be cut down before long." 
 Now there was no spring near the castle. 
 So the king said, "I must have 
 
 a deep well near my castle. 
 I have to send a long way for water." 
 But no one could dig the deep well, or 
 
 cut down the great tree. 
 
 grew threw drew crew 
 
 77 
 
n 
 
 Every day the king stood before the door 
 
 of his castle and cried, 
 "Is there no man of my kingdom 
 
 who can cut down the great tree? 
 Is there no man of my kingdom 
 
 who can dig the deep well? 
 I will give the half of my kingdom 
 
 to the man who will do this. 
 The half of my kingdom, I will give!" 
 Now there were three brothers 
 
 who had heard what the king said. 
 So they set out to go to the king's castle. 
 As they were going through the forest, 
 
 they heard a chopping noise. 
 "Do you hear that chopping noise?" 
 
 said the youngest brother. 
 "I wonder what it can be ; " said he. 
 
 78 
 
Ill 
 
 "Did you never before hear a woodman 
 
 at work?" said the oldest brother. 
 
 "Yes," said the youngest brother. 
 "But I should like to know what it is 
 
 that I hear now. I'm going to see." 
 Far away in the forest he found an ax. 
 It was chopping down a tree. 
 "Good morning, Ax," he said. 
 "Why are you here all by yourself?" 
 "IVe been chopping at this place 
 
 for more than a hundred years. 
 I am waiting for you/' said the ax. 
 " Well, here I am to carry you with me," 
 said the youngest brother. 
 
 old great deep dark 
 
 oldest greatest deepest darkest 
 
 79 
 
IV 
 
 The youngest brother took the ax, 
 
 and then he ran after the others. 
 As they were passing a mountain, 
 
 they heard something picking. 
 "Do you hear that picking noise?" 
 
 said the youngest brother. 
 "I wonder what it is." 
 "Did you never hear men digging 
 
 before?" said the second brother. 
 "Yes, I have heard men digging," 
 
 said the youngest brother. 
 "But I should like to know what it is 
 
 that I hear now. I'm going to see." 
 Away up the side of the mountain, 
 
 he found a pick digging. 
 "Good morning, Pick," he said. 
 "Why are you here all by yourself?" 
 
 80 
 
"I have been digging in this place 
 
 for more than a hundred years. 
 I am waiting for you," said the pick. 
 "Well, here I am to carry you with me," 
 
 said the youngest brother. 
 He put the pick into his bag. 
 Then he ran to catch up with the others. 
 As they were passing along by a stream, 
 
 they sat down near it to rest. 
 "Look at this stream! I wonder 
 
 where this stream comes from," 
 
 said the youngest brother. 
 "Did you never see a stream before ? ?: 
 
 said the oldest brother. 
 "Yes," said the youngest brother. 
 "But I am going to see 
 
 where this stream comes from." 
 
 81 
 
VI 
 
 As the youngest brother went up 
 
 the brook he saw a walnut. 
 A little stream of water ran from a hole 
 
 in the side of the walnut. 
 "Good morning, Walnut!" he said. 
 " Why are you here all by yourself?" 
 " I have been in the moss for more than 
 
 a hundred years/' said the walnut. 
 "I am waiting for you. Lift me up 
 
 and carry me with you." 
 " So I will," said the youngest brother. 
 " I shall stop this hole with moss." 
 He put some moss into the hole. 
 Then he put the walnut into his bag, 
 
 and ran to catch up with the others. 
 
 moss toss cross loss 
 
 82 
 
vn 
 
 Then the brothers came to the castle. 
 The king was crying, "The half of 
 
 my kingdom ! Who will cut down 
 
 the great tree and dig the well?" 
 More than a hundred men had tried. 
 The oldest brother said, "I will try." 
 So the oldest brother tried to cut down 
 
 the great tree. 
 Then the second brother tried, 
 
 but neither of them could do it. 
 The more they cut, the more 
 
 the tree grew. 
 The king said, "The youngest brother 
 
 has not tried. Let him try." 
 
 try 
 tried 
 
 cry 
 cried 
 
 spy 
 
 spied 
 
 shy 
 shied 
 
 83 
 
VIII 
 
 Then the youngest brother took the ax 
 
 from his bag. 
 
 "Cut for yourself, my Ax," he said. 
 Without a word, the ax began chopping. 
 Soon the great oak dropped to the ground. 
 Then he took his pick from the bag. 
 "Dig for yourself, my Pick," he said. 
 Without a word, the pick began digging. 
 Soon there was a deep hole in the ground. 
 Then he took the moss from the walnut. 
 He let the walnut fall into 
 
 the deep hole in the ground. 
 a Eun ? Water, run," he said, and a stream 
 
 of water ran from the walnut. 
 Soon the hole was a deep well of water. 
 So the king gave the half of his kingdom 
 
 to the youngest brother. 
 
 84 
 
A GREAT RIME 
 
 If all the seas were one sea, 
 What a great sea that would be! 
 If all the trees were one tree, 
 What a great tree that would be! 
 If all the axes were one ax, 
 What a great ax that would be! 
 If all the men were one man, 
 What a great man that would be! 
 And if the great man took 
 
 the great ax, 
 
 And cut down the great tree, 
 And let it fall into the great sea, 
 What a great splash that would be! 
 
 lash flash rash dash 
 
 splash crash mash sash 
 
 splashes crashes mashes sashes 
 
 85 
 
GATHERING NUTS 
 
 The children are gathering nuts. 
 They are gathering nuts for the winter. 
 The dead leaves are flying from the trees. 
 But the nuts still hang on the trees. 
 The children say, " Winter is coming. 
 
 It will soon be here. 
 The birds are flying away. 
 They are going far away. 
 They are going where there is no winter. 
 But we children love winter time." 
 
 86 
 
GOOD-BY TO THE BIRDS 
 
 Good-by, little birdies. 
 
 Fly through the sky, 
 Singing and singing 
 
 A merry good-by. 
 
 Tell aU the birdies 
 
 Flying above, 
 We in our garden 
 
 Send them our love. 
 
 We'd like to go with you 
 If we could fly. 
 
 It must be so beautiful 
 Up in the sky. 
 
 sky fly try spy 
 
 skies . flies tries spies 
 
 87 
 
WINTER FUN 
 
 It is a snowy winter day. 
 
 The children are having fun in the snow. 
 
 They are catching the big white flakes. 
 
 The flakes look like tiny white feathers. 
 
 They fall thicker and thicker. 
 
 Frank says, "I don't like a rainy day. 
 
 But I do like a snowy day like this." 
 
 snow 
 snowy 
 
 wind 
 windy 
 
 air 
 airy 
 
 rain 
 rainy 
 
 88 
 
n 
 
 The short winter days are full of fun. 
 The children like to be out in the snow. 
 They have fine rides down the sides 
 
 of the hills and on the pond. 
 Father takes them for sleigh rides, too. 
 They have fun in the long winter nights. 
 They roast apples and toast nuts. 
 They sing, "Roast, Apples, roast! 
 
 Toast, Nuts, toast!" 
 They tell stories and answer riddles. 
 They play games and sing songs. 
 The children say that winter is pleasanter 
 
 than spring or summer or fall. 
 They say that winter nights are 
 
 pleasantest of all. 
 
 toast roast coast boast 
 
 89 
 
A WINTER NIGHT 
 
 FIVE SPRITES IN A ROW" 
 
 90 
 
A WINTER NIGHT A SONG 
 
 1. Her silvery bow, bow 
 
 The new moon hangs low. low 
 
 Above the white snow, snow 
 
 Stars glitter and glow. glow 
 
 2. The dark waters flow flow 
 
 So silent and slow. slow 
 
 The winter winds blow blow 
 
 And icicles grow. grow 
 
 3. The flames blaze and glow glow 
 
 And queer shadows throw, throw 
 
 Then rising, they show show 
 
 Five sprites in a row. row 
 
 M. S. Willis. 
 
 i 
 
 i. Her sil - ver - y bow The new moon hangs low. 
 
 A - bove the white snow, Stars glit - ter and glow. 
 91 
 
MATCHING RIMES 
 
 Did you see the children by the fire ? 
 They were playing a game that 
 
 they sometimes play at school. 
 The game is called " Matching Rimes." 
 This is the way they play the game. 
 Some one says, " Match my rime." 
 Then he gives a short saying. 
 Every one must try to be the first 
 
 to give another short saying. 
 It must match, or rime, with 
 
 the first short saying. 
 The short saying must be one 
 
 that everybody knows. 
 All who cannot give a short saying 
 
 must give words. 
 The words must match, or rime, with 
 
 the last word of the short saying. 
 
 92 
 
n 
 
 This is how the children played 
 the game of Matching Rimes. 
 
 Frank: As green as grass. 
 Grace: As smooth as glass. 
 
 The others: grass mass pass class 
 glass bass lass brass 
 
 Alice: As bright as a star. 
 Max: As black as tar. 
 
 The others: star bar far par 
 tar jar car spar 
 
 Grace: As still as mice. 
 
 Frank: As Cold as ice. 
 
 The others: ice nice price dice 
 mice rice vice slice 
 
 93 
 
A TEENY-TINY STORY 
 
 On a winter night Betty likes to hear 
 
 the story of the teeny-tiny lady. 
 Once there was a teeny-tiny lady. 
 She lived in a teeny-tiny house. 
 One winter night the teeny-tiny lady 
 
 had been asleep a teeny-tiny while. 
 All at once she heard a teeny-tiny noise, 
 
 "Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap!" 
 At first she hid her teeny-tiny head. 
 But she heard the teeny-tiny noise again, 
 
 "Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap!" 
 She jumped out of her teeny-tiny bed. 
 She took the teeny-tiny candle 
 
 in her teeny-tiny hand. 
 Then she stole down the teeny-tiny stair. 
 She looked under her teeny-tiny table. 
 There was nothing under the table. 
 
 94 
 
n 
 
 She looked under her teeny-tiny chair. 
 There was nothing under the chair. 
 She went back up her teeny-tiny stair 
 
 with her teeny-tiny candle. 
 She got into her teeny-tiny bed. 
 Soon the teeny-tiny lady heard 
 
 the teeny-tiny noise again. 
 She took her teeny-tiny candle. 
 She stole down her teeny-tiny stair. 
 She looked under her teeny-tiny table. 
 Out jumped a teeny-tiny ..-..! 
 " A mouse ! A mouse 1 A mouse 1 " 
 
 cried the teeny-tiny lady. 
 And up her teeny-tiny stair she ran. 
 
 chair stair fair 
 
 hair pair air 
 
 95 
 
BILLY BOY AND HIS FRIENDS 
 
 Once there was a boy named Billy. 
 
 Every one called him Billy Boy. 
 
 Billy was a poor little lad. 
 
 He had never had a home. 
 
 One day Billy said, "I'm going out 
 
 into the world to find my fortune." 
 As Billy was passing a barn 
 
 he saw a poor old donkey. 
 His head was hanging down as he cried, 
 
 " Wee-haw 1 Wee-haw !" 
 "What's the matter, old Wee-haw? 
 Why hang your head?" said Billy. 
 "I'll tell you what's the matter," 
 
 said the poor old donkey. 
 "My master gives me nothing to eat 
 
 but old wheat straw. 
 He says I am too old to work." 
 
 96 
 
n 
 
 "Come with me, old Wee-haw," said Billy. 
 "You may help me work for my fortune. 
 You shall have sweet hay, not old straw." 
 So on went Billy Boy and his friend, 
 
 the donkey, to find a fortune. 
 In a little while they met a poor dog. 
 His head was hanging down as he cried, 
 
 "Bow-wow ! Bow-wow ! " 
 "What's the matter, old Bow-wow? 
 Why do you hang your head?" said Billy. 
 "My master says I'm too old 
 
 to watch and bark at night. 
 So he never gives me meat to eat," 
 
 said the poor old dog. 
 " Come with me, old Bow-wow," said Billy. 
 "Help watch for my fortune and 
 
 you shall eat meat every day." 
 
 97 
 
m 
 
 On went Billy and his friends, the donkey 
 and the dog, to find the fortune. 
 
 After a while they saw a poor cat. 
 
 Her head was hanging down as she cried, 
 "Mee-ow! Mee-ow! Mee-ow!" 
 
 '^What's the matter, old Mee-ow mee-ow? 
 
 Why do yon hang yonr head?" said Billy. 
 
 "My master knows that my teeth are old. 
 
 Tet he gives me nothing to eat/ 7 
 said the poor old cat. 
 
 "While my teeth are not sharp now, 
 my claws are as sharp as ever. 
 
 Still it takes a long time to catch mice. 
 
 I should have meat to eat." 
 
 saw raw straw claw 
 
 paw draw jaw squaw 
 
 98 
 
IV 
 
 " Come with me, old Mee-ow mee-ow," 
 
 said Billy. 
 
 " You may help catch my fortune. 
 Then your claws and paws will do all 
 
 that you want them to do." 
 So on went Billy Boy and his friends. 
 After a while they saw a fat rooster. 
 He was sitting high up in a tree -top. 
 " Cock-a-doodle-doo ! " said the rooster. 
 " What's the matter, old Cock-a-dopdle ? 
 Why are you singing in the tree -top at 
 
 this time of day?' : said Billy. 
 " My master says I'm to go into the pot. 
 I'm to boil, boil, boil, then roast and toast 
 
 till I'm done/' said the rooster. 
 
 boil toil soil spoil 
 
 99 
 
"Come with me, old Cock-a-doodle. 
 You may help me sing for my fortune. 
 Then no one shall boil you/' said Billy. 
 So on went Billy Boy, the donkey, 
 
 the dog, the cat, and the rooster. 
 By and by ? as they were passing through 
 
 a great dark forest Billy said, 
 " Let us rest here, my friends. 
 To-morrow we will march into the forest." 
 The rooster flew into a tree top. 
 " I see a light, friends/ 7 he said. 
 " Is it the light of the moon?" said Billy. 
 "No," said the rooster, "it is not." 
 "If it is not the moon, let us go and see 
 
 what it is," said Billy. 
 So they went on through the forest. 
 
 Then they saw the light in a little house. 
 
 100 
 
The light came through the window. 
 The window was high above the ground. 
 " I can't see into 
 
 the house," said Billy. 
 "I'll make a ladder. 
 Come here. Bow-wow. 
 You jump on 
 
 "Wee-haw's back. i 
 
 Come, Mee-ow mee-ow. 
 You bounce up 
 
 on Bow-wow's back. 
 Come, Cock-a-doodle. 
 You fly up on 
 Mee-ow mee-ow's back. 
 Tell me what you see, 
 
 Cock-a-doodle." Cock-a-doodle said, 
 "I see some men sitting around a table. 
 They have gold in a heap on the table." 
 
 101 
 
vn 
 
 "The men in the house are robbers," 
 
 said Billy Boy. 
 
 "I think we can drive the robbers away. 
 When I say, 'One, two, three/ 
 
 make all the noise you can. 
 One, two, three P said Billy. 
 " Wee-haw! Wee-haw!" said the donkey. 
 " Bow- wow! Bow-wow!" said the dog. 
 "Mee-ow! Mee-ow!" said the cat. 
 " Cock-a-doodle-doo! " said the rooster. 
 Such a noise you never heard. 
 The frightened robbers jumped and ran 
 
 to the forest with all their might. 
 Then the friends went into the house. 
 
 jump watch march bark 
 
 jumped watched marched barked 
 
 102 
 
vm 
 
 Billy found a bed and went to sleep. 
 The cat jumped into a chair by the fire. 
 The dog lay down under the table. 
 The donkey lay down in some straw 
 
 before the barn door. 
 The rooster flew to the top of a high tree. 
 By and by, one of the robbers came back. 
 He stole in by the back door. 
 In the dark, he ran over the cat's chair. 
 The cat jumped up in a rage and 
 
 gave him a scratch in the eyes. 
 The dog jumped up and bit him. 
 As he ran by the barn, the donkey 
 
 gave him a kick. Down he went. 
 " Cock-a-doodle-doo ! " cried the rooster. 
 
 her hers herd herds 
 
 103 
 
IX 
 
 The frightened robber jumped up 
 
 and ran with all his might. 
 He told the other robbers that he 
 
 would never go back to that house. 
 " There's an old woman there who tried 
 
 to scratch my eyes out," he said. 
 " There's a man there with a sharp knife. 
 He cut me with his knife as I ran. 
 A man at the barn had a big stick. 
 He gave me a knock, and down I went. 
 As I got up to run, a little man cried, 
 < I'll knock the noodle, too ! ? " 
 So the robbers never went back. 
 But Billy Boy and his friends lived there 
 
 safely for a long, long time. 
 
 rage cage P a ge sage 
 
 104 
 
ROBIN'S YULE SONG 
 
 Robin Redbreast was hopping about 
 
 in the woods at Yule time. 
 The Yule time is Christmas time. 
 In the woods, Robin Redbreast saw 
 
 an old, gray, greedy Pussy-Cat ; 
 The cat said, " Pray, where are you going, 
 
 Wee Robin?" 
 
 Robin said, " I'm going to see the king. 
 I'll sing a song to Grod and the king 
 
 this good Yule morning." 
 Pussy said, "Come here, Wee Robin. 
 I'll show you a bonny white ring 
 
 around my neck." 
 But Robin Redbreast said, " No, no, 
 
 Q gray, greedy Pussy. 
 I saw you catch the wee mouse, 
 
 but you shall not catch me." 
 
 105 
 
II 
 
 So Robin flew away and away. 
 By and by he came to a wall. 
 There he saw a gray, greedy hawk. 
 The hawk said, "Pray, where 
 
 are you going, Wee Robin ?" 
 Robin said, "I'm going to see the king. 
 I'll sing a song to God and the king 
 
 this good Yule morning." 
 The hawk said, " Come here, Wee Robin. 
 I'll show you a bonny white feather 
 
 in my wing." 
 But Robin Redbreast said, "No, no, 
 
 gray, greedy Hawk. 
 I saw you catch the wee mouse, but 
 
 you shall not catch me." 
 So Robin flew away, and by and by he 
 
 came to a great heap of rock. 
 
 106 
 
m 
 
 By the great heap of rock, Kobin saw 
 
 a gray, greedy fox. 
 The fox said, "Pray, where are you going, 
 
 Wee Robin?" 
 
 Robin said, " I'm going to see the king. 
 Til sing a song to God and the -king 
 
 this good Yule morning." 
 The fox said, "Come here, Wee Robin. 
 I'll show you a bonny white spot 
 
 on the tip of my tail." 
 Robin said, "No, no, gray, greedy Fox. 
 I saw you catch the wee lamb, 
 
 but you shall not catch me." 
 So Robin Redbreast flew away and away. 
 He came safely to the king's house. 
 He shook his feathers and his wings 
 
 and sat in the king's window. 
 
 107 
 
IV 
 
 Then Robin sang a sweet song to God 
 and a merry song to the king. 
 
 The king said, "What shall we give Robin 
 for singing such a merry song 
 this good Yule morning?' 7 
 
 And the. queen said, "Let us give him 
 the wee Jenny Wren to be his bride." 
 
 So Robin Redbreast flew away and away 
 to find the wee Jenny Wren. 
 
 yule 
 
 mule pule 
 
 108 
 
 gule 
 
ROBIN REDBREAST AND JENNY WREN 
 
 Robin Redbreast went flying away 
 
 through the wood. 
 There he saw his friend the sparrow 
 
 with his bow and arrow. 
 He told the sparrow about his bride, 
 
 the wee Jenny Wren. 
 The sparrow said, " I will fly away and tell 
 
 all the birds about the wedding." 
 So the sparrow took his bow and arrow. 
 He told all the birds about the wedding 
 
 of Robin and Jenny Wren. 
 So all the birds came to sing 
 
 at the wedding of Robin Redbreast. 
 The chickadee came with the little birds. 
 The owl came with the big birds. 
 The cuckoo came with the others 
 
 to sing for Robin and Jenny Wren. 
 
 109 
 
n 
 
 Now, no one liked the cuckoo, because 
 
 he was never kind to other birds. 
 He fell into a rage with Jenny, the bride. 
 He began to pick out her feathers 
 
 and pull her pretty wings. 
 Robin Redbreast was trembling with 
 
 rage at the cuckoo. 
 His friend, the sparrow, was angry, too. 
 So the sparrow let fly his arrow 
 
 at the cuckoo. 
 But the arrow struck poor, poor 
 
 Robin Redbreast and killed him. 
 The birds fell to sighing and sobbing 
 
 for poor, dead Robin. 
 Great was the sobbing of Jenny Wren. 
 But no sighing and sobbing 
 
 was as great as the sparrow's, 
 no 
 
WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN? 
 
 Who killed Cock Robin ? 
 
 " I," said the sparrow, 
 " With my bow and arrow. 
 
 I killed Cock Robin 
 
 Who saw him die ? 
 
 "I," said the fly, 
 " With ray little eye. 
 
 I saw him die." 
 
 Who'll dig his grave? 
 
 " I," said the owl, 
 " With my spade and show'l 
 
 I'll dig his grave." 
 
 Who'll toll the bell? 
 
 I," said the bull, 
 a Because I can pull. 
 
 I'll toll the bell." 
 111 
 
All the birds of the air 
 
 Fell to sighing and sobbing, 
 When they heard the bell toll 
 
 For poor Cock Robin. 
 
 pull 
 
 full 
 
 bull 
 
 toll 
 poll 
 boll 
 
 112 
 
 roll 
 
 troll 
 
 stroll 
 
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 
 
 It is the night before Christmas. 
 The wind whistles and howls out of doors. 
 The flakes of snow fall thicker and thicker. 
 The snow grows deeper and deeper. 
 Frank heaps on more wood and 
 
 the fire roars up the chimney-flue. 
 Father is making shadow pictures 
 
 on the wall for Betty. 
 Mother is knitting stockings. 
 Do you see Grace and Alice working 
 
 on the Christmas tree? 
 Max is peeping up the chimney-flue. 
 He says, "Mr. Santa Claus, we will hang 
 
 up our stockings, to-night." 
 Mother says, "Look at the clock, children. 
 It's time to hang up your stockings. 
 Then we will sing our Christmas songs." 
 
 113 
 
PLEASANTER THAN ALL 
 
 Little fairy snowflakes 
 
 Dancing in the flue; 
 Old Mr. Santa Claus, 
 
 What is keeping you? 
 
 Twilight and firelight 
 Shadows come and go; 
 
 Merry chimes of sleigh bells 
 Tinkle through the snow. 
 
 Mother's knitting stockings. 
 
 Pussy's got the ball. 
 Don't you think that winter's 
 
 Pleasanter than all? 
 
 Thomas Bailey Aldrich. 
 
 sleigh neigh weigh 
 
 sleighs neighs weighs 
 
 114 
 
Heap on more wood, 
 
 The wind is chill. 
 But let it whistle 
 
 As it will, 
 We'll keep our Christmas 
 
 Merry still. waiter Scott. 
 
 115 
 
WHEN SPRING COMES AGAIN 
 
 The children have been happy all winter. 
 Winter has seemed very short to them. 
 While it was still winter they said, 
 " Winter is pleasanter than all." 
 But now they say that the trees and 
 
 the flowers seem to be dead. 
 Betty says, "Has Jack Frost killed them?" 
 " No, no, the flowers do not die," 
 
 says Mother. 
 
 " Jack Frost has only put them to sleep. 
 They will wake and bloom again 
 
 when the spring comes." 
 Then the children say, " We shall be glad 
 
 when spring comes again." 
 
 bloom kill seem snow 
 
 bloomed killed seemed snowed 
 
 116 
 
WHEN THE MORNING SHINES 
 
 The flower is asleep. 
 But it is not dead. 
 When the morning shines, 
 It will lift up its head. 
 
 When the winter comes, 
 It will die ! No, no 1 
 It will only hide 
 From the frost and snow. 
 
 Sure is the summer. 
 Sure is the sun. 
 The night and the winter, 
 Away they run. 
 
 George Macdonald. 
 
 dead head bread lead 
 
 117 
 
SPRINGTIME FUN 
 
 The children are flying kites. 
 
 They pitch the kites into the air. 
 
 The kites are afloat in the air. 
 
 See how the wind lifts the kites and 
 
 tosses them about. 
 Betty cries, "Blow, wind, blow! 
 
 Catch my kite! 
 Lift it and make it dance! " 
 Kite flying is fun for the spring time. 
 
 toss catch pitch dance 
 
 tosses catches pitches dances 
 
 118 
 
THE WIND AND THE SUN 
 
 Here is an old story that the children 
 
 like to read. 
 
 It is the story of the Wind and the Sun. 
 Once the Wind said to the Sun ; 
 " You are not so strong as I am. 
 See how the great trees bow before me. 
 See how the leaves are trembling. 
 The trembling leaves know that I broke 
 
 the tree you see on the ground. 
 You can not make great trees fall 
 
 to the ground. 
 You can not do this because 
 
 you are not so strong as I am." 
 The Sun said, "I can make the trees 
 
 and flowers grow. 
 You are not so strong as I am, for 
 
 you can not make a tree grow." 
 
 119 
 
n 
 
 Just then a man came over the hill. 
 The Sun said, "Let us see who can make 
 
 that man take off his coat." 
 " Let me try first/' said the "Wind. 
 So he blew and blew and blew and blew. 
 "Whew! How cold that wind is!" 
 
 said the man, holding his coat. 
 The Wind blew again, but the man 
 
 would not take off his coat. 
 Then the Sun said, " Wow I will try." 
 So the Sun began to shine down 
 
 on the man with all his might. 
 "Whew!" said the man. "How hot it is!" 
 And then the man took off his coat. 
 
 blew 
 flew 
 
 dew 
 new 
 
 pew 
 mew 
 
 few 
 whew 
 
THE WIND 
 
 Who has seen the wind? 
 
 Neither I nor you. 
 But when the leaves hang 
 
 trembling, 
 The wind is passing through. 
 
 Who has seen the wind? 
 
 Neither you nor I, 
 But when the trees bow down 
 
 their heads. 
 The wind is passing by. 
 
 Christina Rossetti. 
 
 hang 
 bang 
 
 sang 
 clang 
 
 rang 
 fang 
 
 sprang 
 gang 
 
 121 
 
BRIAR ROSE 
 
 There is a story that Mother tells 
 
 in the happy spring time. 
 She tells it when the flowers and trees 
 
 are waking from their winter sleep. 
 It is the story of Briar Rose. 
 There was once a good king and queen 
 
 who had no children. 
 Every day the queen would say, 
 " I wish we had a little daughter." 
 One day the queen sat by a stream. 
 She heard a noise, " Splash! Splash!" 
 A frog came out of the water and said, 
 a Your wish shall come true. 
 Before the year has gone by, 
 
 you shall have a little daughter." 
 And before the year was over, the queen 
 
 had a little daughter. 
 
n 
 
 The king said, " We must have a feast 
 
 for all the wise men and women." 
 Now there were six wise women 
 
 in the kingdom. 
 There was another wise woman 
 
 who had been away for a long time. 
 She had just come back to the kingdom. 
 The king had forgotten all about her. 
 So he had only six gold plates made. 
 These plates were for the wise women. 
 The feast day came at last, and 
 
 everybody seemed very happy. 
 The six wise women came to make 
 
 their gifts to the king's daughter. 
 
 six ox Max box 
 
 fix fox ax 
 
 123 
 
III. 
 
 The first wise woman said, " This is 
 
 my gift to the princess. 
 She shall be very sweet and good." 
 Then one by one the wise women said, 
 " The princess shall be very wise." 
 " The princess shall be very strong." 
 " The princess shall be very beautiful." 
 "Every one shall love the princess." 
 The last wise woman was about to say, 
 "The princess shall live a long time." 
 Just then, in came another wise woman. 
 She was the one the king had forgotten. 
 No gold plate had been set for her. 
 This angry wise woman was trembling 
 
 all over with rage. 
 She said, " What ! 'No gold dish for me ? 
 Then you shall hear what my gift is." 
 
 124 
 
125 
 
IV 
 
 This was the angry wise woman's gift: 
 " The princess shall stick a spindle 
 
 into her hand when she is sixteen. 
 Then she shall fall down dead." 
 With that, the angry woman went away. 
 But one of the wise women had not made 
 
 her gift to the princess. 
 So she said, " Now, I will make my gift. 
 I can't do away with all the bad gift 
 
 of the angry wise woman. 
 But the princess shall not die when 
 
 she is sixteen years old. 
 She must stick a spindle into her hand, 
 But she will only fall into a deep sleep,. 
 She will sleep for a hundred years. 
 Then a brave and strong prince 
 
 shall come and wake her." 
 
 126 
 
Then the king said, "Burn the spindles. 
 Burn every spindle in the kingdom. 
 Let there be no spinning in the kingdom." 
 So no more spinning was done 
 
 in that kingdom. 
 The princess lived in the great castle 
 
 until she was sixteen years old. 
 One day she came to a dark, narrow stair. 
 Everybody had forgotten about the stair. 
 The princess went up the narrow stair 
 
 that had been so long forgotten. 
 At the top she came to a little room. 
 There was an old woman there spinning. 
 She made the spindle turn and whirl 
 
 round and round. 
 
 burn turn churn urn 
 
 127 
 
VI 
 
 "Grood-day, Mother/ 7 said the princess. 
 "Please tell me what you are doing." 
 "I am spinning," said the old woman. 
 "How do you turn this funny thing 
 
 that goes whirl, whirl, whirl?" 
 As the princess said this, she tried 
 
 to turn the sharp spindle. 
 The spindle struck her hand and 
 
 she fell upon a bed that stood by. 
 In one second, the princess and all 
 
 in the castle had fallen asleep. 
 The horses in the stable and the dogs 
 
 on the lawn fell asleep. 
 ~No sound was heard. The birds, the trees 
 
 and the flowers had fallen asleep. 
 
 girl twirl whirl whirls 
 
 128 
 
VII 
 
 A great hedge of briars grew up 
 
 all around the castle and hid it. 
 Every year the great hedge of briars 
 
 grew thicker and thicker. 
 The story of the sleeping princess 
 
 was told in other kingdoms far away. 
 Sometimes they called her Briar Rose. 
 More than one brave prince tried 
 
 to find the sleeping castle. 
 But no one could get through the hedge. 
 Long years went by. The sleeping princess 
 
 seemed forgotten by every one. 
 Only the oldest men ever told the story. 
 For a hundred years the princess 
 
 lay sleeping in the old castle. 
 
 hedge wedge sedge pledge 
 
 129 
 
130 
 
VIII 
 
 At last a brave prince, far away, 
 
 heard of the sleeping castle. 
 He came to find Briar Rose. 
 The oldest men told him that no one 
 
 could get through the briar hedge. 
 But the prince would not turn back. 
 He broke the briars with his hands. 
 Then snowy flowers bloomed where 
 
 the briars had been. 
 
 And the prince came safe to the castle. 
 He found everything fast asleep. 
 No wind was blowing. No sound 
 
 was heard in all the castle. 
 At last the prince came to 
 
 the foot of the narrow stair. 
 In a room at the top of the stair 
 
 he found Briar Rose fast asleep. 
 
 131 
 
IX 
 
 Briar Rose was as sweet and rosy as 
 
 when she first fell asleep. 
 The prince said, " Wake, dear princess." 
 She opened her eyes and smiled. 
 "IVe been waiting for you/ 7 she said. 
 Then all the world began to wake. 
 The king and the queen opened their 
 
 eyes. 
 The birds began to sing. The wind 
 
 began to blow through the trees. 
 The sweet flowers began to bloom. 
 "Come, Briar Rose/ 7 said the prince. 
 And they went down the dark stair 
 
 out into the beautiful world. 
 " Of all the stories, we like Briar Rose 
 
 the best/' said the children. 
 
 narrow arrow sparrow 
 
 132 
 
FAREWELL TO THE FARM 
 
 To house and garden, field and lawn, 
 The meadow gate we swang upon, 
 To pump and stable, tree and swing, 
 Good-by, good-by to everything. 
 
 And fare you well for ever more, 
 ladder at the hayloft door 1 
 hayloft where the cobwebs cling I 
 Good-by, good-by to everything. 
 
 Robert Louis Stevenson. 
 
VOCABULARY 
 
 The following list gives .all the new words that 
 the order, by pages, in which they appear. Those 
 are here omitted. 
 
 are to be drilled upon as wholes in 
 pages containing no such new words 
 
 1. 
 
 their 
 
 found 
 
 lived 
 
 28. called 
 
 
 Betty 
 
 larks 
 
 wheat 
 
 to-morrow 
 
 
 girls 
 
 
 corn 
 
 I've 
 
 
 
 11. air 
 
 
 roll 
 
 2. 
 
 oak 
 
 round 21. 
 
 stole 
 
 skin 
 
 
 hope 
 
 grass 
 
 oranges 
 
 
 
 dear 
 
 deep 
 
 meat 
 
 29. could 
 
 
 
 
 cried 
 
 Drumikin 
 
 3. 
 
 birdie 
 
 12. neck 
 
 shall 
 
 fallen 
 
 
 rose 
 
 put aa 
 
 
 fire 
 
 
 tree-top 
 for 
 
 22. 
 
 13. once 
 'tis 
 
 seen 
 should 
 growl 
 
 Turn-turn 
 fast 
 
 5. 
 
 happy 
 three 
 
 God 
 
 room 
 broom 
 
 30. nothing 
 growled 
 
 
 years 
 
 14. summer 23. 
 
 grow 
 
 
 6. 
 
 bough 
 just 
 wind 
 
 green 
 mow 04 
 help 
 
 sure 
 
 Lambikin 
 side 
 
 33. stable 
 place 
 hayloft 
 ladder 
 
 
 rock-a-by 
 safe 
 
 15. sang 
 
 if 
 I_. 
 
 granny 
 along 
 fox 
 
 from 
 34. garden 
 
 
 1 i 
 
 m 
 
 I'll 
 
 rosebuds 
 
 7. 
 8. 
 
 blue 
 safely 
 rest 
 
 vine 
 
 16. beautiful 25 ' 
 stars 
 bright 
 asleep 
 
 Grannikin 
 he'll 
 wolf 
 howl 
 
 yellow 
 daffodils 
 gathering 
 
 35. pray 
 
 
 hung 
 
 26. 
 
 lion 
 
 true 
 
 
 sung 
 something 
 
 19. field 
 mice 
 
 roar 
 roared 
 
 body 
 
 
 eat 
 
 story 
 
 like 
 
 36. Daffy- 
 
 
 gone 
 
 stories 
 
 
 downdilly 
 
 
 
 27. 
 
 last 
 
 bonnet 
 
 0. 
 
 such 
 
 20. soon 
 
 kind 
 
 gown 
 
 
 
 134 
 
 
 
37. 
 
 eyes 
 
 47. 
 
 buy 
 
 60. 
 
 sharp 
 
 
 great 
 
 
 shoe 
 
 
 kittens 
 
 
 teeth 
 
 
 dew 
 
 
 lost 
 
 
 mittens 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 straw 
 
 61. 
 
 plaster 
 
 70. 
 
 bonny 
 
 38. 
 
 queen 
 diamonds 
 
 
 paw 
 
 
 carry 
 rooster 
 
 
 boat 
 silver 
 
 
 been 
 
 48. 
 
 ever 
 
 
 
 
 a-float 
 
 
 gave 
 
 
 we've 
 
 62. 
 
 world 
 
 
 sea' 
 
 40. 
 
 rain 
 
 49. 
 
 first 
 
 
 might 
 
 71. 
 
 golden 
 
 
 want 
 
 
 pie 
 
 63. 
 
 dame 
 
 
 leaves 
 
 41. 
 
 Spain 
 
 every 
 who 
 
 50. 
 
 fear 
 mee-ow 
 began 
 
 
 master 
 fiddling 
 she'll 
 Cock-a- 
 
 72. 
 
 stay 
 Mary 
 heard 
 
 
 would 
 
 51. 
 
 purr-r 
 
 
 doodle 
 while 
 
 73. 
 
 chopping 
 stood 
 
 42. 
 
 our 
 read 
 
 52. 
 
 ginger- 
 bread 
 
 64. 
 
 rainbow 
 
 
 fairy 
 work 
 
 
 book 
 
 
 woman 
 
 
 clouds 
 
 
 
 
 Goose 
 
 
 kettle 
 
 
 bridge 
 
 74. 
 
 deeper 
 
 
 picture 
 
 
 whose 
 
 
 
 
 
 43. 
 
 beggars 
 
 53. 
 
 wish 
 
 65. 
 
 daughter 
 Iris 
 
 75. 
 
 honest 
 or 
 
 
 velvet 
 
 
 love 
 
 
 above 
 
 
 neither 
 
 
 hark 
 bark 
 
 
 done 
 dish 
 
 
 mountains 
 colors 
 
 77. 
 
 castle 
 
 
 rags 
 tags 
 
 
 take 
 
 66. 
 
 lift 
 
 
 near 
 hundred 
 
 
 
 54. 
 
 never 
 
 
 foot 
 
 
 grew 
 
 44. 
 
 horn 
 
 
 
 
 shouldn't 
 
 
 before 
 
 
 wake 
 
 56. 
 
 dark 
 
 
 
 
 nor 
 
 
 haystack 
 
 
 poor 
 
 67. 
 
 riddle 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 chair 
 
 
 
 
 moon 
 
 78. 
 
 door 
 
 
 
 57. 
 
 half 
 
 
 
 
 kingdom 
 
 45. 
 
 blow 
 
 
 
 68. 
 
 rosy 
 
 
 brother 
 
 
 
 59. 
 
 rainy 
 
 
 more 
 
 
 forest 
 
 46. 
 
 Pussy 
 
 
 rail 
 
 
 light 
 
 
 youngest 
 
 
 answer 
 
 
 build 
 
 
 
 
 noise 
 
 
 frightened 
 
 
 leak 
 
 69. 
 
 twinkle 
 
 
 
 
 London 
 
 
 morning 
 
 
 wonder 
 
 79. 
 
 oldest 
 
 
 
 
 
 135 
 
 
 
 

 far 
 
 94. 
 
 lady 
 
 wedding 
 
 122. 
 
 Briar 
 
 
 yourself 
 
 
 teeny- 
 
 cuckoo 
 
 
 
 
 waiting 
 
 
 tiny 
 
 
 123. 
 
 feast 
 
 
 
 
 stair 110. 
 
 because 
 
 
 women 
 
 80. 
 
 passing 
 
 
 table 
 
 angry 
 
 
 wise 
 
 
 second 
 
 
 
 killed 
 
 
 six 
 
 81. 
 
 stream 
 
 96. 
 
 Billy 
 fortune 
 
 sighing 
 sobbing 
 
 
 gifts 
 forgotten 
 
 82. 
 
 walnut 
 moss 
 
 
 donkey 
 Wee-haw 111. 
 
 die 
 
 
 plates 
 
 
 
 
 matter 
 
 grave 
 
 124. 
 
 princess 
 
 83. 
 
 tried 
 
 
 
 spade 
 
 
 
 
 
 97. 
 
 friend 
 
 show'l 
 
 126. 
 
 spindle 
 
 84. 
 
 word 
 
 
 
 toll 
 
 
 sixteen 
 
 
 dropped 
 
 98. 
 
 claw 
 
 bull 
 
 
 brave 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 prince 
 
 85. 
 
 axes 
 
 99. 
 
 boil 113. 
 
 chimney- 
 
 
 can't 
 
 
 splash 
 
 
 
 flue 
 
 
 
 86. 
 
 dead 
 hang 
 winter 
 
 101. 
 102. 
 
 heap 
 robbers 
 
 shadow 
 knitting 
 stocking 
 Santa 
 
 127. 
 
 burn 
 spinning 
 turn 
 narrow 
 
 87. 
 
 merry 
 
 103. 
 
 rage 
 
 Clans 
 
 
 whirl 
 
 88. 
 
 we'd 
 feathers 
 
 104. 
 
 knife n 5> 
 noodle 
 
 twilight 
 chimes 
 
 128. 
 
 sound 
 lawn 
 
 
 flakes 
 thicker 
 
 105. 
 
 Robin j|g 
 
 Redbreast 
 Vnl 
 
 seem 
 seemed 
 
 129. 
 
 hedge 
 lay 
 
 89. 
 
 sleigh 
 roast 
 
 
 x uie 
 Christmas 
 
 frost 
 
 132. 
 
 opened 
 
 
 toast 
 
 
 gray ng 
 
 kites 
 
 
 smiled 
 
 
 pleasanter 
 
 106. 
 
 hawk 
 
 
 
 best 
 
 
 short 
 
 
 119. 
 
 bow 
 
 
 awake 
 
 
 
 108. 
 
 Jenny 
 
 trembling 
 
 
 
 92. 
 
 only 
 
 
 bride 
 
 
 133. 
 
 swang 
 
 
 
 
 120. 
 
 coat 
 
 
 pump 
 
 93. 
 
 glass 
 
 109. 
 
 sparrow 
 
 off 
 
 
 gate 
 
 
 tar 
 
 
 arrow 
 
 holding 
 
 
 fare 
 
 
 ice 
 
 
 bow 
 
 whew 
 
 
 cobwebs 
 
 136 
 
The following words occurring in the text of this book were given in the phonic 
 drills of the Primer. For this reason, as well as on account of their extreme simplicity, 
 they will require no special drill. The child will recognize them at a glance. This list, 
 together with the preceding Vocabulary, includes all the new words hi the First 
 Reader. 
 
 fat 
 sat 
 bad 
 had 
 bag 
 rag 
 tag 
 man 
 .Dan 
 Fan 
 pan 
 than 
 hand 
 sand 
 match 
 scratch 
 tall 
 
 fall 
 
 wall 
 
 got 
 
 not 
 
 top 
 
 drop 
 
 long 
 
 strong 
 
 pet 
 
 met 
 
 set 
 
 wet 
 
 fret 
 
 men 
 
 wren 
 
 send 
 
 bend 
 
 fine 
 
 shine 
 
 bit 
 
 fit 
 
 dig 
 
 fig 
 
 hid 
 
 did 
 
 tip 
 
 trip 
 
 king 
 
 ring 
 
 whig 
 
 cling 
 
 spring 
 
 pick 
 
 slick 
 
 cluck 
 
 till 
 
 chill 
 
 still 
 
 think 
 
 fun 
 
 sun 
 
 cut 
 
 nut 
 
 cry 
 
 sky 
 
 why 
 
 told 
 
 gold 
 
 cold 
 
 wee 
 
 thee 
 
 137 
 
TO THE TEACHER 
 
 In the First Reader there are several phonic jingles of the kind 
 found in the Primer. These are to be read by the teacher and 
 sung by the pupils. These jingles and the lists of words which 
 close many of the lessons furnish most appropriate material for 
 phonic drill. In every instance one or more of the words given in 
 these lists has been previously used in sentences and has been 
 made familiar to the pupils as a whole word. Such words are used 
 as keywords for analyzing the other words of the lists into their 
 component parts. It is not at all necessary, however, that the 
 pupil should know the meaning of all the words given for purely 
 mechanical drill. 
 
 The teacher may wish, on occasion, to review some sound or to 
 teach some needed new sounds. If at all possible, this should 
 always be done when no list of words for phonic drill is provided 
 with the reading lesson. At the close of the book, several lists of 
 drill words are given which may be used whenever the teacher 
 finds it convenient to do so. It is understood that the teacher will 
 expand these lists, as well as those at the end of the reading les- 
 sons, by adding, as they are developed from day to day in the 
 regular class work, other words containing the same sound and 
 symbol. For instance, at the end of the reading lesson on page 
 117, the words, head, dead, lead, and bread will be found. When 
 the teacher shows these words to the pupil, she should try to elicit 
 such words as read, dread, tread, thread, spread, etc., which she will 
 then write on the blackboard. If the children cannot think of 
 such additional words, the teacher, herself, should give them. 
 Thus the method suggested becomes extremely helpful and flex- 
 ible. 
 
 Practically all the words of the Primer are repeated in the First 
 Reader something not true of many First Readers. About 
 400 new words are introduced. The vocabulary listed on pages 
 
 138 
 
134, 135, and 136 includes only the words upon which the pupils 
 should be drilled as whole words. But there are other words, simple 
 and analogous in form, which require no special drill, and these 
 should not be, and are not, listed with the words that do need such 
 drill. 
 
 To illustrate: the words man, Fan, and Dan occur on page 52 
 as new words in the text. They require no drill; yet, because this 
 is the first time they have appeared in the text, they should be 
 listed somewhere in this book. Such words are to be found on 
 page 137, with other words which the pupils can master at a 
 glance. These lists of analogous words furnish opportunity for 
 the pupils to test their own ability to master words at sight. 
 
 Much has been said and written regarding the time and 
 energy that is wasted in drilling pupils upon words that they 
 should be able, and are able, to pronounce at sight. Yet in many 
 First Reader vocabularies we find such words listed with those 
 that require drill. Such an illogical and unpedagogical arrange- 
 ment has been avoided in this book by the classification men- 
 tioned above. 
 
 In spite of this precaution, however, the teacher will find in the 
 drill vocabulary, on pages 134, 135, and 136, some words which the 
 pupils can pronounce at sight, and this they should be encouraged 
 to do. Nevertheless, all such words should be taught first as 
 wholes, after which they may be used, if desired, as keywords in 
 making new lists for phonic drill. 
 
 Up to this point, we have considered only the mechanics of 
 reading. But there is another side of reading of even greater 
 importance; namely, the bringing of the child into that receptive 
 and sympathetic mood without which no real reading can be 
 accomplished. Even where the lesson consists of only a few lines, 
 the teacher, by showing the lesson picture and conversing with the 
 children about it, or by discussing with them the underlying thought 
 of the text, will have no difficulty in arousing the necessary interest. 
 
 139 
 
Many of the lessons in this book lend themselves to simple, but 
 none the less vivid, dramatization. Some of those that are most 
 suitable for dramatic action are indicated in the text. It is hoped 
 that these examples will suggest to the pupils how other lessons 
 may be dramatized without any special preparation, in the sense of 
 rehearsing, and without any special paraphernalia whatever except 
 the articles usually found in the ordinary schoolroom. The pupils 
 should be given frequent opportunities to plan by themselves for 
 such dramatization, precisely as done by the children in the book 
 itself. They should be led gradually to create dialogue and action 
 for themselves, the teacher withdrawing herself more and more 
 into the background. 
 
 The children who appear in this First Reader are the same 
 children who made the Primer a connected story. But the 
 interest in them, as they appear in this later book, is in no wise 
 dependent upon a knowledge of the Primer. The experiences 
 and adventures of these five children, binding as they do, the 
 lessons together, give an admirable unity and sequence to the 
 whole. 
 
 LIST OF WORDS FOR PHONIC DRILL 
 
 lamp leg ten tent 
 
 damp beg den bent 
 
 camp keg fen sent 
 
 stamp peg glen went 
 
 nut gun hump limp 
 
 rut nun pump crimp 
 
 hut pun lump shrimp 
 
 shut shun clump imp 
 
 sell dull hill kept 
 
 shell gull hilly slept 
 
 smell cull sill wept 
 
 spell mull silly swept 
 
 140 
 
neck 
 necks 
 speck 
 specks 
 
 left 
 theft 
 
 muff 
 stuff 
 
 dress 
 dresses 
 
 brick 
 bricks 
 trick 
 tricks 
 
 help 
 yelp 
 
 doff 
 off 
 
 bless 
 blesses 
 
 clock 
 clocks 
 block 
 blocks 
 
 lift 
 gift 
 
 staff 
 quaff 
 
 cress 
 cresses 
 
 cluck 
 clucks 
 duck 
 ducks 
 
 drift 
 shift 
 
 miss 
 
 fuss 
 fusses 
 
 spade 
 grade 
 shade 
 wade 
 
 shape 
 grape 
 drape 
 scrape 
 
 cave 
 wave 
 brave 
 grave 
 
 late 
 gate 
 rate 
 mate 
 
 tale 
 vale 
 dale 
 
 more 
 wore 
 fore 
 snore 
 
 soon 
 moon 
 spoon 
 coon 
 
 road 
 toad 
 load 
 goad 
 
 wake 
 shake 
 sake 
 flake 
 
 note 
 wrote 
 dote 
 quote 
 
 gloom 
 gloomy 
 room 
 roomy 
 
 oak 
 soak 
 cloak 
 croak 
 
 blaze 
 blazes 
 gaze 
 gazes 
 
 cone 
 bone 
 tone 
 lone 
 
 goose 
 loose 
 moose 
 noose 
 
 plain 
 drain 
 gain 
 gram 
 
 141 
 
 vase 
 vases 
 case 
 cases 
 
 spoke 
 broke 
 choke 
 stroke 
 
 moor 
 moors 
 
 paint 
 saint 
 faint 
 quaint 
 
laid 
 maid 
 paid 
 
 sharp 
 harp 
 carp 
 
 lawn 
 dawn 
 fawn 
 
 grief 
 chief 
 thief 
 
 while 
 mile 
 smile 
 pile 
 
 kite 
 site 
 spite 
 sprite 
 
 seal 
 deal 
 steal 
 peal 
 
 leak 
 weak 
 peak 
 speak 
 
 deer 
 queer 
 seer 
 
 need 
 seed 
 steed 
 
 side 
 beside 
 
 fore 
 before 
 
 shout 
 shouting 
 sprout 
 sprouting 
 
 right 
 righted 
 light 
 lighted 
 
 care 
 fare 
 bare 
 stare 
 
 let 
 letter 
 bet 
 better 
 
 battle 
 rattle 
 
 kettle 
 settle 
 
 willow 
 pillow 
 
 broken 
 spoken 
 
 hard 
 yard 
 card 
 
 part 
 cart 
 dart 
 
 piece 
 niece 
 
 dye 
 lye 
 
 nieces 
 
 rye 
 
 fire 
 
 five 
 
 wire 
 
 live 
 
 tire 
 
 dive 
 
 spire 
 
 hive 
 
 feast 
 
 bean 
 
 least 
 
 mean 
 
 beast 
 
 clean 
 
 yeast 
 
 glean 
 
 feet 
 
 deem 
 
 meet 
 
 seem 
 
 sweet 
 
 seemed 
 
 long 
 belong 
 
 hind 
 behind 
 
 wrong 
 wronged 
 prong 
 pronged 
 
 story 
 stories 
 lady 
 ladies 
 
 but 
 
 bit 
 
 butter 
 
 bitter 
 
 cut 
 
 lit 
 
 cutter 
 
 litter 
 
 tinkle 
 
 whistle 
 
 twinkle 
 
 thistle 
 
 often 
 
 listen 
 
 soften 
 
 glisten 
 
 142 
 
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