stories to tell to children-第23节
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her way。
After a time； as she went； she met another
child。 This one shivered with the cold； and she
said to the little girl； 〃Won't you give me your
jacket； little girl？〃 And the little girl gave her
her jacket。 Then she went on again。
By…and…by she saw another child； crouching
almost naked by the wayside。 〃O little girl；〃
said the child； 〃won't you give me your dress？
I have nothing to keep me warm。〃 So the little
girl took off her dress and gave it to the other
child。 And now she had nothing left but her
little shirt。 It grew dark； and the wind was
cold； and the little girl crept into the woods； to
sleep for the night。 But in the woods a child
stood； weeping and naked。 〃I am cold；〃 she
said； 〃give me your little shirt！〃 And the
little girl thought； 〃It is dark； and the woods
will shelter me； I will give her my little shirt〃；
so she did； and now she had nothing left in all
the world。
She stood looking up at the sky； to say her
night…time prayer。 As she looked up； the whole
skyful of stars fell in a shower round her feet。
There they were； on the ground； shining bright；
and round。 The little girl saw that they were
silver dollars。 And in the midst of them was
the finest little shirt； all woven out of silk！ The
little girl put on the little silk shirt； and gathered
the star dollars； and she was rich； all the days
of her life。
THE LION AND THE GNAT＇1＇
＇1＇ This story has been told by the Rev。 Albert E。 Sims to
children in many parts of England。 On one occasion it was
told to an audience of over three thousand children in the
Great Assembly Hall； Mile End； London。
Far away in Central Africa； that vast land
where dense forests and wild beasts abound；
the shades of night were once more descending；
warning all creatures that it was time to seek
repose。
All day long the sun had been like a great
burning eye； but now； after painting the western
sky with crimson and scarlet and gold； he had
disappeared into his fleecy bed； the various
creatures of the forest had sought their holes
and resting…places； the last sound had rumbled
its rumble； the last bee had mumbled his mumble；
and the last bear had grumbled his grumble；
even the grasshoppers that had been chirruping；
chirruping； through all the long hours without
a pause； at length had ceased their shrill music；
tucked up their long legs； and given themselves
to slumber。
There on a nodding grass…blade； a tiny Gnat
had made a swinging couch； and he too had folded
his wings； closed his tiny eyes； and was fast asleep。
Darker； darker； darker became the night until
the darkness could almost be felt； and over all
was a solemn stillness as though some powerful
finger had been raised； and some potent voice
had whispered； 〃HUSH！〃
Just when all was perfectly still； there came
suddenly from the far away depths of the
forest； like the roll of thunder； a mighty
ROARRRR！
In a moment all the beasts and birds were
wide awake； and the poor little Gnat was nearly
frightened out of his little senses； and his little
heart went pit…a…pat。 He rubbed his little eyes
with his feelers； and then peered all around
trying to penetrate the deep gloom as he
whispered in terror〃WHATWASTHAT？〃
What do YOU think it was？ 。 。 。 Yes； a
LION！ A great； big lion who； while most other
denizens of the forest slept； was out hunting for
prey。 He came rushing and crashing through
the thick undergrowth of the forest； swirling
his long tail and opening wide his great jaws；
and as he rushed he RO…AR…R…R…ED！
Presently he reached the spot where the little
Gnat hung panting at the tip of the waving
grass…blade。 Now the little Gnat was not afraid
of lions； so when he saw it was only a lion； he
cried out
〃Hi； stop； stop！ What are you making that
horrible noise about？〃
The Lion stopped short； then backed slowly
and regarded the Gnat with scorn。
〃Why； you tiny； little； mean； insignificant
creature you； how DARE you speak to ME？〃 he
raged。
〃How dare I speak to you？〃 repeated the
Gnat quietly。 〃By the virtue of RIGHT； which
is always greater than MIGHT。 Why don't you
keep to your own part of the forest？ What
right have you to be here； disturbing folks at
this time of night？〃
By a mighty effort the Lion restrained his
angerhe knew that to obtain mastery over
others one must be master over oneself。
〃What RIGHT？〃 he repeated in dignified tones。
〃BECAUSE I'M KING OF THE FOREST。 That's why。
I can do no wrong； for all the other creatures of
the forest are afraid of me。 I DO what I please；
I SAY what I please； I EAT whom I please； I GO
where I pleasesimply because I'm King of the
Forest。〃
〃But who told you you were King？〃 demanded
the Gnat。 〃Just answer me that！〃
〃Who told ME？〃 roared the Lion。 〃Why；
everyone acknowledges itdon't I tell you that
everyone is afraid of me？〃
〃Indeed！〃 cried the Gnat disdainfully。
〃Pray don't say ALL； for I'm not afraid of you。
And further； I deny your right to be King。〃
This was too much for the Lion。 He now
worked himself into a perfect fury。
〃YouyouYOU deny my right as King？〃
〃I DO； and； what is more； you shall never be
King until you have fought and conquered me。〃
The Lion laughed a great lion laugh； and a
lion laugh cannot be laughed at like a cat laugh；
as everyone ought to know。
〃Fightdid you say fight？〃 he asked。
〃Who ever heard of a lion fighting a gnat？
Here； out of my way； you atom of nothing！
I'll blow you to the other end of the world。〃
But though the Lion puffed his cheeks until
they were like great bellows； and then blew
with all his might； he could not disturb the
little Gnat's hold on the swaying grass…blade。
〃You'll blow all your whiskers away if you
are not careful；〃 he said； with a laugh〃but
you won't move me。 And if you dare leave this
spot without fighting me； I'll tell all the beasts
of the forest that you are afraid of me； and
they'll make ME King。〃
〃Ho； ho！〃 roared the Lion。 〃Very well；
since you will fight； let it be so。〃
〃You agree to the conditions； then？ The
one who conquers shall be King？〃
〃Oh； certainly；〃 laughed the Lion； for he
expected an easy victory。 〃Are you ready？〃
〃Quite ready。〃
〃ThenGO！〃 roared the Lion。
And with that he sprang forward with open
jaws； thinking he could easily swallow a million
gnats。 But just as the great jaws were about
to close upon the blade of grass whereto the
Gnat clung； what should happen but that the
Gnat suddenly spread his wings and nimbly
flewwhere do you think？right into one of
the Lion's nostrils！ And there he began to
sting； sting； sting。 The Lion wondered； and
thundered； and blunderedbut the Gnat went
on stinging； he foamed； and he moaned； and he
groanedstill the Gnat went on stinging； he
rubbed his head on the ground in agony；
he swirled his tail in furious passion； he roared；
he spluttered； he sniffed； he snuffedand still
the Gnat went on stinging。
〃O my poor nose； my nose； my nose！〃 the
Lion began to moan。 〃Come down； come
DOWN； come DOWN！ My nose； my NOSE； my
NOSE！！ You're King of the Forest； you're
King； you're Kingonly come down。 My nose；
my NOSE； my NOSE！〃
So at last the Gnat flew out from the Lion's
nostril and went back to his waving grass…
blade； while the Lion slunk away into the
depths of the forest with his tail between his
legsBEATEN； and by a tiny Gnat！
〃What a fine fellow am I； to be sure！〃
exclaimed the Gnat； aa he proudly plumed his
wings。 〃I've beaten a liona LION！ Dear
me； I ought to have been King long ago； I'm so
clever； so big； so strongOH！〃
The Gnat's frightened cry was caused by
finding himself entangled in some silky sort of
threads。 While gloating over his victory； the
wind had risen； and his grass…blade had swayed
violently to and fro unnoticed by him。 A
stronger gust than usual had bent the blade
downward close to the ground； and then something
caught it and held it fast and with it the
victorious Gnat。 Oh； the desperate struggles
he made to get free！ Alas！ he became more
entangled than ever。 You can guess what it
wasa spider's web； hung out from the over…
hanging branch of a tree。 Thenflipperty…
flopperty； flippertyflopperty； flop； flip； flop
down his stairs came cunning Father Spider
and quickly gobbled up the little Gnat for his
supper； and that was the end of him。
A strong Lionand what overcame him？ A
GNAT。
A clever Gnatand what overcame him？ A
SPIDER'S WEB！ He who had beaten the strong
lion had been overcome by the subtle snare of
a spider's thread。
ESPECIALLY FOR CLASSES II。 AND III。
THE CAT AND THE PARROT
Once there was a cat； and a parrot。 And they
had agreed to ask each other to di
