Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building Part 45

They soon came to the field, and the Hedgehog stationed himself at one end of the hedge, and his Wife at the other end; and as soon as they had taken their places the Hare arrived. "Are you ready to start?" asked the Hare. "Yes," answered the Hedgehog, and each took his place. "Off once, off twice, three times and off!" cried the Hare, and ran up the field like a whirlwind; while the Hedgehog took three steps and then returned to his place.

The Hare soon arrived at his goal, as he ran all the way at top speed, but before he could reach it, the Hedgehog's Wife on the other side called out, "I am here already!" The Hare was thunderstruck to hear this said, for he thought it really was his opponent, since there was no difference in the voices of the Hedgehog and his Wife. "This will not do!" thought the Hare to himself; but presently he called out, "Once, twice, and off again;" and away he went as fast as possible, leaving the Hedgehog quietly sitting in her place. "I am here before you," cried Mr. Hedgehog, as soon as the Hare approached. "What! again?" exclaimed the Hare in a rage; and added, "Will you dare another trial!" "Oh! as many as you like; do not be afraid on my account," said Mr. Hedgehog, courteously.

So the Hare then ran backwards and forwards three-and-seventy times, but each time the Hedgehogs had the advantage of him, for either Mr. or Mrs.

shouted before he could reach the goal, "Here I am already!"

The four-and-seventieth time the Hare was unable to run any more. In the middle of the course he stopped and dropped down quite exhausted, and there he lay motionless for some time. But the Hedgehog took the louis d'or which he had won, and went composedly home with his Wife.

THE WEE ROBIN'S CHRISTMAS SONG

A SCOTCH STORY, ATTRIBUTED TO ROBERT BURNS

ADAPTED BY JENNIE ELLIS BURd.i.c.k

There was an old gray p.u.s.s.y Cat, and she went away down by a brookside.

There she saw a wee Robin Redbreast hopping on a brier bush.

Says the gray p.u.s.s.y Cat: "Where are you going, wee Robin?"

And the wee Robin makes answer: "I'm going away to the King to sing him a song this glad Christmas morning."

And the gray p.u.s.s.y Cat says, "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let you see a pretty white ring I have around my neck."

But the wee Robin says: "No, no! gray p.u.s.s.y Cat, no, no! You worried the wee mousie, but you cannot worry me!"

So the wee Robin flew away until he came to a wall of earth and gra.s.s, and there he saw a gray greedy Hawk sitting.

And the gray greedy Hawk says: "Where are you going, wee Robin?"

And the wee Robin makes answer: "I'm going away to the King to sing him a song this glad Christmas morning."

And the gray greedy Hawk says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let you see the bright feather in my wing."

[Ill.u.s.tration: WEE ROBIN AND THE OLD GRAY p.u.s.s.y CAT]

But wee Robin says: "No, no! gray greedy Hawk, no, no! You pecked the little Meadowlark, but you cannot peck me!"

So the wee Robin flew away until he came to a steep, rocky hillside, and there he saw a sly Fox sitting. And the sly Fox says, "Where are you going, wee Robin?"

And the wee Robin makes answer: "I'm going away to the King to sing him a song this glad Christmas morning."

And the sly Fox says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let you see the pretty spot on the tip of my tail."

But the wee Robin says: "No, no! sly Fox, no, no! You worried the little Lamb, but you cannot worry me!"

So the wee Robin flew away until he came to a gra.s.sy meadow, and there he saw a little shepherd boy.

And the little shepherd says: "Where are you going, wee Robin?"

And wee Robin makes answer: "I'm going away to the King to sing him a song this glad Christmas morning."

And the little shepherd boy says: "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll give you some crumbs from my lunch."

But the wee Robin says: "No, no! little shepherd boy, no, no! You caught the Goldfinch, but you cannot catch me!"

So the wee Robin flew away till he came to the King; and there he sat on a plowshare, and sang the King a cheery song. And the King says to the Queen: "What will we give to the wee Robin for singing us this cheery song?"

And the Queen makes answer to the King: "I think we'll give him the wee Wren to be his wife."

So the wee Robin and the wee Wren were married, and the King and the Queen, and all the court danced at the wedding. Then the wee Robin and the wee Wren flew away home to the wee Robin's own brookside, and hopped on the brier bush.

THE FOX

The Fox set out in a hungry plight, And begged the moon to give him light, For he'd many a mile to travel that night Before he could reach his den O!

First he came to a farmer's yard, Where the ducks and geese declared it was hard That their nerves should be shaken, and their rest be marred By a visit from Mr. Fox O!

He seized the gray goose by the sleeve, Says he, "Madam Gray Goose, by your leave, I'll carry you off without reprieve, And take you away to my den O!"

He seized the gray duck by the neck, And flung her over across his back, While the old duck cried out, "Quack, quack, quack,"

With her legs dangling down behind O!

Then old Mrs. Flipper Flapper jumped out of bed, And out of the window she popped her head, Crying, "John, John, John, the gray goose is gone, And the Fox is off to his den O!"

Then John went up to the top of the hill, And he blew a blast both loud and shrill.

Says the Fox, "That is fine music, still I'd rather be off to my den O!"

So the Fox he hurried home to his den, To his dear little foxes eight, nine, ten.

Says he, "We're in luck, here's a big fat duck With her legs dangling down behind O!"

Then the Fox sat down with his hungry wife, And they made a good meal without fork or knife.

They never had a better time in all their life, And the little ones picked the bones O!

THREE COMPANIONS

BY DINAH MARIA MULOCK-CRAIK

We go on our walk together-- Baby and dog and I-- Three little merry companions, 'Neath any sort of sky Blue as our baby's eyes are, Gray like our old dog's tail; Be it windy or cloudy or stormy, Our courage will never fail.

Baby's a little lady; Dog is a gentleman brave; If he had two legs as you have, He'd kneel to her like a slave; As it is, he loves and protects her, As dog and gentleman can.

I'd rather be a kind doggie, I think, than a cruel man.

"'FRAID CAT!"