"Cat, cat, kill rat!

Rat won't gnaw rope;
Rope won't hang butcher;
Butcher won't kill ox;
Ox won't drink water;
Water won't quench fire;
Fire won't burn stick;
Stick won't beat dog;

Dog won't bite pig;

Pig won't get over the stile,

And I shan't get home to-night."

The cat said, "If you will give me a saucer of milk, I will kill the rat."

So the old woman gave the cat the milk. When it had lapped up the milk

The cat began to kill the rat;

The rat began to gnaw the rope;
The rope began to hang the butcher;
The butcher began to kill the ox;

The ox began to drink the water;

The water began to quench the fire;
The fire began to burn the stick;
The stick began to beat the dog;
The dog began to bite the pig;
The pig jumped over the stile,

And so the old woman got home that night.

WHY THE BEAR IS STUMPY-TAILED

A NORSE FOLK TALE

One day the Bear met the Fox. The Fox had a string of fish which he had stolen.

"How did you get those fine fish?" asked the Bear.

"Oh! that is easy," answered the Fox. "Cut a hole in the ice and stick your tail into it. Never mind if your tail hurts you a little. That is when the fish bite."

The Bear did as the Fox said. He held his tail a long, long time in the hole, till it was frozen fast. Then he gave a hard pull and it snapped off short. That is why the Bear is stumpy-tailed.

As I went through the garden gap,
Whom should I meet but Dick Red-cap!
A stick in his hand, a stone in his throat,
If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a groat.
Answer: A cherry.

THE SONG OF THE THRUSH

BY LUCY LARCOM

There's a merry brown thrush sitting up in the

tree;

"He's singing to me! he's singing to me!" And what does he say, little girl, little boy? "Oh, the world's running over with joy! Don't you hear? don't you see?

Hush! Look! in my tree

I'm as happy as happy can be.”

And the brown thrush keeps singing, "A nest do you see,

And five eggs, hid by me in the big cherry-tree? Don't meddle! don't touch! little girl, little boy, Or the world will lose some of its joy!

Now I'm glad! now I'm free!

And I always shall be,

If you never bring sorrow to me."

So the merry brown thrush sings away in the tree,

and to me, to you and to me:

And he sings all the day, little girl, little boy, "Oh, the world's running over with joy!

But long it won't be,

Don't you know? don't

you see?

Unless we are as good as can be!”

THE FOX AND THE STORK

By Esop

One day the Fox asked the Stork to dinner. Now, the Fox likes to play tricks. He put some soup in a plate. "Do take some soup," said he to the Stork.

"It looks very good," said the Stork. But he could not drink from the plate. His bill was too long.

The Fox ate a good dinner and had some fun, too. The Stork did not let the Fox see how angry he felt.

In a few days the Stork asked the Fox to dinner. "Thank you," said the Fox, "I shall be happy to come."

The Stork placed between his guest and himself a tall jar with a long neck. The jar was filled with bits of meat.

"Do take some meat," said the Stork to the Fox.

"You know very well I can not eat out of that jar," said the Fox angrily.

"I am sure you can eat my dinner quite as well as I ate yours,"

said the Stork.

At this the

Stork ate a

good dinner,

and the Fox

had not a word

to say for he

saw that the
Stork had paid
him back in his

own coin. He

played no more

tricks on the

Stork.