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face looked back at him out of the water！
When he saw that； the Lion roared and shook his mane and showed his
teeth。 And the lion in the water shook his mane and showed his teeth。 The
Lion above shook his mane again and growled again； and made a terrible
face。 But the lion in the water made just as terrible a one； back。 The Lion
above couldn't stand that。 He leaped down into the well after the other
lion。
But； of course； as you know very well； there wasn't any other lion！ It
was only the reflection in the water！
So the poor old Lion floundered about and floundered about； and as he
couldn't get up the steep sides of the well； he was drowned dead。 And
when he was drowned the little Jackals took hold of hands and danced
round the well； and sang；
〃The Lion is dead！ The Lion is dead！
〃We have killed the great Lion who would have killed us！
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Stories To Tell Children
〃The Lion is dead！ The Lion is dead！
〃Ao！ Ao！ Ao！〃
THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE CITY
MOUSE＇1＇
＇1＇ The following story of the two mice； with the similar fables of The
Boy who cried Wolf； The Frog King； and The Sun and the Wind； are given
here with the hope that they may be of use to the many teachers who find
the over…familiar material of the fables difficult to adapt； and who are yet
aware of the great usefulness of the stories to young minds。 A certain
degree of vividness and amplitude must be added to the compact statement
of the famous collections； and yet it is not wise to change the style…effect
of a fable； wholly。 I venture to give these versions； not as perfect models；
surely； but as renderings which have been acceptable to children； and
which I believe retain the original point simply and strongly。
Once a little mouse who lived in the country invited a little Mouse
from the city to visit him。 When the little City Mouse sat down to dinner
he was surprised to find that the Country Mouse had nothing to eat except
barley and grain。
〃Really；〃 he said； 〃you do not live well at all； you should see how I
live！ I have all sorts of fine things to eat every day。 You must come to visit
me and see how nice it is to live in the city。〃
The little Country Mouse was glad to do this； and after a while he went
to the city to visit his friend。
The very first place that the City Mouse took the Country Mouse to
see was the kitchen cupboard of the house where he lived。 There； on the
lowest shelf； behind some stone jars； stood a big paper bag of brown sugar。
The little City Mouse gnawed a hole in the bag and invited his friend to
nibble for himself。
The two little mice nibbled and nibbled； and the Country Mouse
thought he had never tasted anything so delicious in his life。 He was just
thinking how lucky the City Mouse was； when suddenly the door opened
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Stories To Tell Children
with a bang； and in came the cook to get some flour。
〃Run！〃 whispered the City Mouse。 And they ran as fast as they could
to the little hole where they had come in。 The little Country Mouse was
shaking all over when they got safely away； but the little City Mouse said；
〃That is nothing； she will soon go away and then we can go back。〃
After the cook had gone away and shut the door they stole softly back；
and this time the City Mouse had something new to show： he took the
little Country Mouse into a corner on the top shelf； where a big jar of dried
prunes stood open。 After much tugging and pulling they got a large dried
prune out of the jar on to the shelf and began to nibble at it。 This was even
better than the brown sugar。 The little Country Mouse liked the taste so
much that he could hardly nibble fast enough。 But all at once； in the midst
of their eating； there came a scratching at the door and a sharp； loud
MIAOUW！
〃What is that？〃 said the Country Mouse。 The City Mouse just
whispered； 〃Sh！〃 and ran as fast as he could to the hole。 The Country
Mouse ran after； you may be sure； as fast as HE could。 As soon as they
were out of danger the City Mouse said； 〃That was the old Cat； she is the
best mouser in town；if she once gets you； you are lost。〃
〃This is very terrible；〃 said the little Country Mouse； 〃let us not go
back to the cupboard again。〃
〃No；〃 said the City Mouse； 〃I will take you to the cellar； there is
something especial there。〃
So the City Mouse took his little friend down the cellar stairs and into
a big cupboard where there were many shelves。 On the shelves were jars
of butter； and cheeses in bags and out of bags。 Overhead hung bunches of
sausages； and there were spicy apples in barrels standing about。 It smelled
so good that it went to the little Country Mouse's head。 He ran along the
shelf and nibbled at a cheese here； and a bit of butter there； until he saw an
especially rich； very delicious…smelling piece of cheese on a queer little
stand in a corner。 He was just on the point of putting his teeth into the
cheese when the City Mouse saw him。
〃Stop！ stop！〃 cried the City Mouse。 〃That is a trap！〃
The little Country Mouse stopped and said； 〃What is a trap？〃
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〃That thing is a trap；〃 said the little City Mouse。 〃The minute you
touch the cheese with your teeth something comes down on your head
hard； and you're dead。〃
The little Country Mouse looked at the trap； and he looked at the
cheese； and he looked at the little City Mouse。 〃If you'll excuse me；〃 he
said； 〃I think I will go home。 I'd rather have barley and grain to eat and eat
it in peace and comfort； than have brown sugar and dried prunes and
cheese；and be frightened to death all the time！〃
So the little Country Mouse went back to his home； and there he
stayed all the rest of his life。
LITTLE JACK ROLLAROUND＇1＇
＇1＇ Based on Theodor Storm's story of Der Kleine Hawelmanu
（George Westermann； Braunschweig）。 Very freely adapted from the
German story。
Once upon a ti