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in the nest all day。 But the mother Wren told
him all about what she saw in the world; when
she came flying home at night。 She used to
tell him about the beautiful Morning…Glory she
saw on the ground。 She told him about the
Morning…Glory every day; until the little Wren
was filled with a desire to see her for himself。
〃How I wish I could see the Morning…
Glory!〃 he said。
The Morning…Glory heard this; and she
longed to let the little Wren see her face。
She pulled herself along the ground; a little at
a time; until she was at the foot of the tree
where the little Wren lived。 But she could
not get any farther; because she did not know
how to climb。 At last she wanted to go up so
much; that she caught hold of the bark of the
tree; and pulled herself up a little。 And little
by little; before she knew it; she was climbing。
And she climbed right up the tree to the
little Wren's nest; and put her sweet face over
the edge of the nest; where the little Wren
could see。
That was how the Morning…Glory came to climb。
THE STORY OF LITTLE TAVWOTS'1'
'1' Adapted from The Basket Woman; by Mary Austin。
This is the story an Indian woman told a
little white boy who lived with his father and
mother near the Indians' country; and Tavwots
is the name of the little rabbit。
But once; long ago; Tavwots was not little;
he was the largest of all four…footed things;
and a mighty hunter。 He used to hunt every
day; as soon as it was day; and light enough
to see; he used to get up; and go to his hunting。
But every day he saw the track of a great foot
on the trail; before him。 This troubled him; for
his pride was as big as his body。
〃Who is this;〃 he cried; 〃that goes before
me to the hunting; and makes so great a stride?
Does he think to put me to shame?〃
〃T'…sst!〃 said his mother; 〃there is none
greater than thou。〃
〃Still; there are the footprints in the trail;〃
said Tavwots。
And the next morning he got up earlier; but
still the great footprints and the mighty stride
were before him。 The next morning he got up
still earlier; but there were the mighty foot…
tracks and the long; long stride。
〃Now I will set me a trap for this impudent
fellow;〃 said Tavwots; for he was very cunning。
So he made a snare of his bowstring and set it
in the trail overnight。
And when in the morning he went to look;
behold; he had caught the sun in his snare!
All that part of the earth was beginning to
smoke with the heat of it。
〃Is it you who made the tracks in my trail?〃
cried Tavwots。
〃It is I;〃 said the sun; 〃come and set me
free; before the whole earth is afire。〃
Then Tavwots saw what he had to do;
and he drew his sharp hunting…knife and ran
to cut the bowstring。 But the heat was so
great that he ran back before he had done
it; and when he ran back he was melted
down to half his size! Then the earth began
to burn; and the smoke curled up against the
sky。
〃Come again; Tavwots;〃 cried the sun。
And Tavwots ran again to cut the bowstring。
But the heat was so great that he ran back
before he had done it; and he was melted down
to a quarter of his size!
〃Come again; Tavwots; and quickly;〃 cried
the sun; 〃or all the world will be burnt up。〃
And Tavwots ran again; this time he cut the
bowstring and set the sun free。 But when he
got back he was melted down to the size he is
now! Only one thing is left of all his greatness:
you may still see by the print of his feet as he
leaps in the trail; how great his stride was when
he caught the sun in his snare。
THE PIG BROTHER'1'
'1' From The Golden Windows; by Laura E。 Richards。 (H。 R。
Allenson Ltd。 2s。 6d; net。)
There was once a child who was untidy。 He
left his books on the floor; and his muddy shoes
on the table; he put his fingers in the jam pots;
and spilled ink on his best pinafore; there was
really no end to his untidiness。
One day the Tidy Angel came into his
nursery。
〃This will never do!〃 said the Angel。 〃This
is really shocking。 You must go out and stay
with your brother while I set things to rights
here。〃
〃I have no brother!〃 said the child。
〃Yes; you have;〃 said the Angel。 〃You may
not know him; but he will know you。 Go out
in the garden and watch for him; and he will
soon come。〃
〃I don't know what you mean!〃 said the
child; but he went out into the garden and
waited。
Presently a squirrel came along; whisking his
tail。
〃Are you my brother?〃 asked the child。
The squirrel looked him over carefully。
〃Well; I should hope not!〃 he said。 〃My
fur is neat and smooth; my nest is handsomely
made; and in perfect order; and my young ones
are properly brought up。 Why do you insult
me by asking such a question?〃
He whisked off; and the child waited。
Presently a wren came hopping by。
〃Are you my brother?〃 asked the child。
〃No; indeed!〃 said the wren。 〃What
impertinence! You will find no tidier person than
I in the whole garden。 Not a feather is out of
place; and my eggs are the wonder of all for
smoothness and beauty。 Brother; indeed!〃
He hopped off; ruffling his feathers; and the
child waited。
By…and…by a large Tommy Cat came along。
〃Are you my brother?〃 asked the child。
〃Go and look at yourself in the glass;〃 said
the Tommy Cat haughtily; 〃and you will have
your answer。 I have been washing myself in
the sun all the morning; while it is clear that no
water has come near you for a long time。 There
are no such creatures as you in my family; I am
humbly thankful to say。〃
He walked on; waving his tail; and the child
waited。
Presently a pig came trotting along。
The child did not wish to ask the pig if he were
his brother; but the pig did not wait to be asked。
〃Hallo; brother!〃 he grunted。
〃I am not your brother!〃 said the child。
〃Oh yes; you are!〃 said the pig。 〃I confess
I am not proud of you; but there is no mistaking
the members of our family。 Come along; and
have a good roll in the barnyard! There is
some lovely black mud there。〃
〃I don't like to roll in mud!〃 said the child。
〃Tell that to the hens!〃 said the Pig Brother。
〃Look at your hands and your shoes; and your
pinafore! Come along; I say! You may have
some of the pig…wash for supper; if there is more
than I want。〃
〃I don't want pig…wash!〃 said the child; and
he began to cry。
Just then the Tidy Angel came out。
〃I have set everything to rights;〃 she said;
〃and so it must stay。 Now; will you go with
the Pig Brother; or will you come back with me;
and be a tidy child?〃
〃With you; with you!〃 cried the child; and
he clung to the Angel's dress。
The Pig Brother grunted。
〃Small loss!〃 he said。 〃There will be all
the more wash for me!〃 And he trotted off。