Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic][subsumed][merged small]

"I see no bridge, anywhere," said Hansel. "We cannot get over.

[ocr errors]

"And there is no boat, either," said Grethel. "But there swims a beautiful white duck; I will ask sang:

her to help us over if she can." Then she

"Little duck, little duck,
With broad white wings;
Little duck, little duck,
With broad white wings;
'Tis your Grethel sings:
Take us on your strong white back,
Take us to the other shore."

The duck paddled over to them, and Hansel, taking a seat on its back, asked Grethel to get up behind him.

"No," said Grethel, "that would be too much for the little duck. She must take us over one at a time."

When both were safely on the other side and had gone a little way, they found themselves in a wellknown part of the woods, and pretty soon they saw the smoke from the chimney of their father's house. Then they began to run, and bursting into the room they climbed into their father's lap and hugged and kissed him till he was nearly smothered. He was the happiest man in the world, for not one comfortable hour had he known since he left the children in the wood. Besides, his wife had died, and he was living alone in the house.

Then Grethel shook her apron, and the pearls and diamonds and other precious stones rolled out in every direction on the floor, and Hansel pulled out

of his pockets one handful after another, till the whole table was covered with the glistening things.

Now were their troubles all ended, and they lived together happily ever afterward.

Now my story is done. There runs a mouse. Catch it and make a cap out of its fur.

THE LION, THE FOX AND THE ASS

ON

[ocr errors]

NE day, when a Fox and an Ass were strolling along together, they were met by a fierce and hungry Lion.

The terrified Fox ran cringing up to the Lion, and whispered into his ear: "Dear Mr. Lion, don't you see how young and plump that Ass is over there? If you would like to make a dinner of him, I'll show you a pitfall near by into which we can lead him without any trouble. Shall we do it?"

The Lion very readily agreed, though he kept one sage eye resting on the Fox all the time. The latter, however, was as good as his word, and led the Ass along till it stumbled and fell into the deep pit.

When the Lion saw that the Ass was secured and could be killed and eaten at leisure, he slew the treacherous Fox with a single blow and took the body for the first course in his dinner.

O

[blocks in formation]

CINDERELLA

Adapted from CHARLES PERRAULT

THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER

ONG ago there lived a very rich gentleman whose beloved wife died quite suddenly, leaving in his care a young daughter, who in gentleness of disposition and beauty of face was the exact likeness of her mother. Both father and daughter mourned very deeply over their loss, and for a long time lived quietly together.

Then the father, thinking that his little girl needed more attention and care than he was able to give her, married a beautiful widow to whom he had become very much attached. Unfortunately, however, the lady whom he married was proud, and the most haughty woman ever known. Nothing seemed to please her, and no matter how polite people were to her, she treated them with insult and disdain. Moreover, she had two daughters of her own, whom

[graphic]

she had brought up to be as proud and idle as herself. In fact, both of them had every unkind and unpleasant trait of their mother. They did not love to study and they would not learn to work; in short, they were much disliked by everybody who knew them. Of course, when the gentleman married her, he knew nothing about these unpleasant things, for she tried to appear very gentle and well behaved toward him; but scarcely was the marriage ceremony over before the wife began to show her real temper. Especially did she dislike her husband's little girl, whose sweet and obliging manners made her own daughters appear a thousand times more hateful and disagreeable, and whose beauty put them to shame.

She therefore ordered the child to live in the kitchen, and if she happened to come into the parlor for anything the woman scolded her roundly till she was out of sight. The little girl was made to work with the servants, wash the dishes and polish the tables and chairs, and it was her place always to scrub the woman's chamber and that of her daughters, and to polish the furniture, which was all of mahogany finely inlaid with pearls. The beds were of the newest fashion, and in both rooms were looking-glasses so long and so broad that the women could see themselves from head to foot.

The little girl slept in a sorry garret upon the floor, in a wretched straw bed which had neither curtains about it nor clothes enough to keep her comfortable. The poor child bore everything without complaint, not daring to say one word to her father, for she saw that he was blind to the faults of his wife, who had him completely in her power. When

« PreviousContinue »