stories to tell to children-第28节
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not noticed that the sky was growing dark
and the wind was rising。 Suddenly there was
a clap of thunder。 The princess danced on。
But another clap came louder； and then a
sudden great flash of lightning that lit up the
sky from end to end。 The prince couldn't help
shutting his eyes； but he opened them quickly
to see if Daylight was hurt。 Alas； she was
lying on the ground。 The prince ran to her；
but she was already up again。
〃Who are you？〃 she said。
〃I thought；〃 stammered the prince； 〃you
might be hurt。〃
〃There is nothing the matter。 Go away。〃
The prince went sadly。
〃Come back；〃 said the princess。 The prince
came。 〃I like you； you do as you are told。
Are you good？〃
〃Not so good as I should like to be；〃 said
the prince。
〃Then go and grow better；〃 said the princess。
The prince went； more sadly。
〃Come back；〃 said the princess。 The prince
came。 〃I think you must be a prince；〃 she
said。
〃Why？〃 said the prince。
〃Because you do as you are told； and you
tell the truth。 Will you tell me what the sun
looks like？〃
〃Why； everybody knows that；〃 said the
prince。
〃I am different from everybody；〃 said the
princess；〃I don't know。〃
〃But；〃 said the prince； 〃do you not look
when you wake up in the morning？〃
〃That's just it；〃 said the princess； 〃I never
do wake up in the morning。 I never can wake
up until〃 Then the princess remembered
that she was talking to a prince； and putting
her hands over her face she walked swiftly
away。 The prince followed her； but she turned
and put up her hand to tell him not to。 And
like the gentleman prince that he was； he
obeyed her at once。
Now all this time； the wicked swamp fairy
had not known a word about what was going
on。 But now she found out； and she was
furious； for fear that little Daylight should be
delivered from her spell。 So she cast her
spells to keep the prince from finding Daylight
again。 Night after night the poor prince
wandered and wandered； and never could find
the little dell。 And when daytime came； of
course； there was no princess to be seen。
Finally； at the time that the moon was almost
gone； the swamp fairy stopped her spells；
because she knew that by this time Daylight
would be so changed and ugly that the prince
would never know her if he did see her。 She
said to herself with a wicked laugh：
〃No fear of his wanting to kiss her now！〃
That night the prince did find the dell； but
no princess came。 A little after midnight he
passed near the lovely little house where she
lived； and there he overheard her waiting…
women talking about her。 They seemed in
great distress。 They were saying that the
princess had wandered into the woods and
was lost。 The prince didn't know； of course；
what it meant； but he did understand that the
princess was lost somewhere； and he started
off to find her。 After he had gone a long
way without finding her； he came to a big
old tree； and there he thought he would light
a fire to show her the way if she should happen
to see it。
As the blaze flared up； he suddenly saw a
little black heap on the other side of the tree。
Somebody was lying there。 He ran to the
spot； his heart beating with hope。 But when
he lifted the cloak which was huddled about
the form； he saw at once that it was not
Daylight。 A pinched； withered； white； little old
woman's face shone out at him。 The hood was
drawn close down over her forehead； the eyes
were closed； and as the prince lifted the cloak；
the old woman's lips moaned faintly。
〃Oh； poor mother；〃 said the prince； 〃what
is the matter？〃 The old woman only moaned
again。 The prince lifted her and carried her
over to the warm fire； and rubbed her hands；
trying to find out what was the matter。 But
she only moaned； and her face was so terribly
strange and white that the prince's tender heart
ached for her。 Remembering his little flask；
he poured some of his liquid between her lips；
and then he thought the best thing he could do
was to carry her to the princess's house； where
she could be taken care of。
As he lifted the poor little form in his arms；
two great tears stole out from the old woman's
closed eyes and ran down her wrinkled cheeks。
〃Oh； poor； poor mother；〃 said the prince
pityingly； and he stooped and kissed her
withered lips。
As he walked through the forest with the
old woman in his arms； it seemed to him that
she grew heavier and heavier； he could hardly
carry her at all； and then she stirred； and at
last he was obliged to set her down； to rest。
He meant to lay her on the ground。 But the
old woman stood upon her feet。
And then the hood fell back from her face。
As she looked up at the prince； the first； long；
yellow ray of the rising sun struck full upon
her；and it was the Princess Daylight！ Her
hair was golden as the sun itself； and her eyes
as blue as the flower that grows in the corn。
The prince fell on his knees before her。 But
she gave him her hand and made him rise。
〃You kissed me when I was an old woman；〃
said the princess； 〃I'll kiss you now that I am
a young princess。〃 And she did。
And then she turned her face toward the
dawn。
〃Dear Prince；〃 she said； 〃is that the sun？〃
THE SAILOR MAN＇1＇
＇1＇ From The Golden Windows； by Laura E。 Richards。
（H。 R。 Allenson Ltd。 2s。 6d。 net。）
Once upon a time； two children came to the
house of a sailor man； who lived beside the
salt sea； and they found the sailor man sitting
in his doorway knotting ropes。
〃How do you do？〃 asked the sailor man。
〃We are very well； thank you；〃 said the
children； who had learned manners； 〃and we
hope you are the same。 We heard that you
had a boat； and we thought that perhaps you
would take us out in her； and teach us how to
sail； for that is what we most wish to know。〃
〃All in good time；〃 said the sailor man。 〃I
am busy now； but by…and…by； when my work
is done； I may perhaps take one of you if you
are ready to learn。 Meantime here are some
ropes that need knotting； you might be doing
that； since it has to be done。〃 And he showed
them how the knots should be tied； and went
away and left them。
When he was gone the first child ran to the
window and looked out。
〃There is the sea；〃 he said。 〃The waves
come up on the beach； almost to the door of
the house。 They run up all white； like prancing
horses； and then they go dragging back。 Come
and look！〃
〃I cannot；〃 said the second child。 〃I am
tying a knot。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried the first child； 〃I see the boat。
She is dancing like a lady at a ball； I never
saw such a beauty。 Come and look！〃
〃I cannot；〃 said the second child。 〃I am
tying a knot。〃
〃I shall have a delightful sail in that boat；〃
said the first child。 〃I expect that the sailor
man will take me； because I am the eldest and
I know more about it。 There was no need of
my watching when he showed you the knots；
because I knew how already。〃
Just then the sailor man came in。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃my work is over。 What
have you been doing in the meantime？〃
〃I have been looking at the boat；〃 said the
first child。 〃What a beauty she is！ I shall
have the best time in her that ever I had in
my life。〃
〃I have been tying knots；〃 said the second
child。
〃Come； then；〃 said the sailor man； and he
held out his hand to the second child。 〃I will
take you out in the boat； and teach you to sail
her。〃
〃But I am the eldest；〃 cried the first child；
〃and I know a great deal more than she does。〃
〃That may be；〃 said the sailor man； 〃but
a person must learn to tie a knot before he can
learn to sail a boat。〃
〃But I have learned to tie a knot；〃 cried the
child。 〃I know all about it！〃
〃How can I tell that？〃 asked the sailor man。
THE STORY OF JAIRUS'S DAUGHTER＇1＇
＇1＇ This should usually be prefaced by a brief statement
of Jesus habit of healing and comforting all with whom He
came in close contact。 The exact form of the preface must
depend on how much of His life has already been given in
stories。
Once； while Jesus was journeying about； He
passed near a town where a man named Jairus
lived。 This man was a ruler in the synagogue；
and he had just one little daughter about twelve
years of age。 At the time that Jesus was there
the little daughter was very sick； and at last
she lay a…dying。
Her father heard that there was a wonderful
man near the town； who was healing sick people
whom no one else could help； and in his despair
he ran out into the streets to search for Him。
He found Jesus walking in the midst of a
crowd of people； and when he saw Him he fell
down at Jesus feet and besought Him to come
into his house； to heal his daughter。 A
