how to tell stories to children-第13节

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　crabs　in　the　water　today？〃

The　old　Alligator　was　hidden　down　in　the　mud　at　the　bottom　of　the　river；　and　when　he　heard　what　the　little　Jackal　said；　he　thought；　〃Aha！　　I'll　pretend　to　be　a　little　crab；　and　when　he　puts　his　paw　in；　I'll　make　my　dinner　of　him。〃　　So　he　stuck　the　black　end　of　his　snout　above　the　water　and　waited。

The　little　Jackal　took　one　look；　and　then　he　said；

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Alligator！　　Kind　Mr。　Alligator！　　You　are　EXCEEDINGLY　kind　to　show　me　where　you　are！　　I　will　have　dinner　elsewhere。〃　　And　he　ran　away　like　the　wind。

The　old　Alligator　foamed　at　the　mouth；　he　was　so　angry；　but　the　little　Jackal　was　gone。

For　two　whole　weeks　the　little　Jackal　　kept　away　from　the　river。　　Then；　one　day　he　got　a　feeling　inside　him　that　nothing　but　crabs　could　satisfy；　he　felt　that　he　must　have　at　least　one　crab。　　Very　cautiously；　he　went　down　to　the　river　and　looked　all　around。　　He　saw　no　sign　of　the　old　Alligator。　　Still；　he　did　not　mean　to　take　any　chances。　　So　he　stood　quite　still　and　began　to　talk　to　himself；it　was　a　little　way　he　had。　　He　said；

〃When　I　don't　see　any　little　crabs　on　the　shore；　or　sticking　up　out　of　the　water；　I　usually　see　them　blowing　bubbles　from　under　the　water；　the　little　bubbles　go　PUFF；　PUFF；　PUFF；　and　then　they　go　POP；　POP；　POP；　and　they　show　me　where　the　little　juicy　crabs　are；　so　I　can　put　my　paw　in　and　catch　them。　　I　wonder　if　I　shall　see　any　little　bubbles　to…day？〃

The　old　Alligator；　lying　low　in　the　mud　and　weeds；　heard　this；　and　he　thought；　〃Pooh！　　THAT'S　easy　enough；　I'll　just　blow　some　little　crab…bubbles；　and　then　he　will　put　his　paw　in　where　I　can　get　it。〃

So　he　blew；　and　he　blew；　a　mighty　blast；　and　the　bubbles　rose　in　a　perfect　whirlpool；　fizzing　and　swirling。

The　little　Jackal　didn't　have　to　be　told　who　was　underneath　those　bubbles：　he　took　one　quick　look；　and　off　he　ran。　　But　as　he　went；　he　sang；

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Alligator！　　Kind　Mr。　Alligator！　　You　are　the　kindest　Alligator　in　the　world；　to　show　me　where　you　are；　so　nicely！　　I'll　breakfast　at　another　part　of　the　river。〃

The　old　Alligator　was　so　furious　that　he　crawled　up　on　the　bank　and　went　after　the　little　Jackal；　but；　dear；　dear；　he　couldn't　catch　the　little　Jackal；　he　ran　far　too　fast。

After　this；　the　little　Jackal　did　not　like　to　risk　going　near　the　water；　so　he　ate　no　more　crabs。　　But　he　found　a　garden　of　wild　figs；　which　were　so　good　that　he　went　there　every　day；　and　ate　them　instead　of　shell…fish。

Now　the　old　Alligator　found　this　out；　and　he　made　up　his　mind　to　have　the　little　Jackal　for　supper；　or　to　die　trying。　　So　he　crept；　and　crawled；　and　dragged　himself　over　the　ground　to　the　garden　of　wild　figs。　There　he　made　a　huge　pile　of　figs　under　the　biggest　of　the　wild　fig　trees；　and　hid　himself　in　the　pile。

After　a　while　the　little　Jackal　came　dancing　into　the　garden；　very　happy　and　care…free；BUT　looking　all　around。　　He　saw　the　huge　pile　of　figs　under　the　big　fig　tree。

〃H…m；〃　he　thought；　〃that　looks　singularly　like　my　friend；　the　Alligator。　　I'll　investigate　a　bit。〃

He　stood　quite　still　and　began　to　talk　to　himself；it　was　a　little　way　he　had。　　He　said；

〃The　little　figs　I　like　best　are　the　fat；　ripe；　juicy　ones　that　drop　off　when　the　breeze　blows；　and　then　the　wind　blows　them　about　on　the　ground；　this　way　and　that；　the　great　heap　of　figs　over　there　is　so　still　that　I　think　they　must　be　all　bad　figs。〃

The　old　Alligator；　underneath　his　fig　pile；　thought；

〃Bother　the　suspicious　little　Jackal；　I　shall　have　to　make　these　figs　roll　about；　so　that　he　will　think　the　wind　moves　them。〃　　And　straightway　he　humped　himself　up　and　moved；　and　sent　the　little　figs　flying；and　his　back　showed　through。

The　little　Jackal　did　not　wait　for　a　　second　look。　　He　ran　out　of　the　garden　like　the　wind。　　But　as　he　ran　he　called　back；

〃Thank　you；　again；　Mr。　Alligator；　very　sweet　of　you　to　show　me　where　you　are；　I　can't　stay　to　thank　you　as　I　should　like：　good…by！〃

At　this　the　old　Alligator　was　beside　himself　with　rage。　　He　vowed　that　he　would　have　the　little　Jackal　for　supper　this　time；　come　what　might。　　So　he　crept　and　crawled　over　the　ground　till　he　came　to　the　little　Jackal's　house。　　Then　he　crept　and　crawled　inside；　and　hid　himself　there　in　the　house；　to　wait　till　the　little　Jackal　should　come　home。

By　and　by　the　little　Jackal　came　dancing　home；　happy　and　care…free；BUT　looking　all　around。　　Presently；　as　he　came　along；　he　saw　that　the　ground　was　all　scratched　up　as　if　something　very　heavy　had　been　dragged　over　it。　　The　little　Jackal　stopped　and　looked。

〃What's　this？　what's　this？〃　he　said。

Then　he　saw　that　the　door　of　his　house　was　crushed　at　the　sides　and　broken；　as　if　something　very　big　had　gone　through　it。

〃What's　this？　　What's　this？〃　the　little　Jackal　said。　　〃I　think　I'll　investigate　a　little！〃

So　he　stood　quite　still　and　began　to　talk　to　himself　（you　remember；　it　was　a　little　way　he　had）；　but　loudly。　　He　said；

〃How　strange　that　my　little　House　doesn't　speak　to　me！　　Why　don't　you　speak　to　me；　little　House？　　You　always　speak　to　me；　if　everything　is　all　right；　when　I　come　home。　　I　wonder　if　anything　is　wrong　with　my　little　House？〃

The　old　Alligator　thought　to　himself　that　he　must　certainly　pretend　to　be　the　little　House；　or　the　little　Jackal　would　never　come　in。　　So　he　put　on　as　pleasant　a　voice　as　he　could　（which　is　not　saying　much）　and　said；

〃Hullo；　little　Jackal！〃

Oh！　when　the　little　Jackal　heard　that；　he　was　frightened　enough；　for　once。

〃It's　the　old　Alligator；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　I　don't　make　an　end　of　him　this　time　he　will　certainly　make　an　end　of　me。　　What　shall　I　do？〃

He　thought　very　fast。　　Then　he　spoke　out　pleasantly。

〃Thank　you；　little　House；〃　he　said；　〃it's　good　to　hear　your　pretty　voice；　dear　little　House；　and　I　will　be　in　with　you　in　a　minute；　only　first　I　must　gather　some　firewood　for　dinner。〃

Then　he　went　and　gathered　firewood；　and　more　firewood；　and　more　firewood；　and　he　piled　it　all　up　solid　against　the　door　and　round　the　house；　and　then　he　set　fire　to　it！

And　it　smoked　and　burned　till　it　smoked　that　old　Alligator　to　smoked　herring！



THE　LARKS　IN　THE　CORNFIELD


There　was　once　a　family　of　little　Larks　who　lived　with　their　mother　in　a　nest　in　a　cornfield。　　When　the　corn　was　ripe　the　mother　Lark　watched　very　carefully　to　see　if　there　were　any　sign　of　the　reapers'　coming；　for　she　knew　that　when　they　came　their　sharp　knives　would　cut　down　the　nest　and　hurt　the　baby　Larks。　　So　every　day；　when　she　went　out　for　food；　she　told　the　little　Larks　to　look　and　listen　very　closely　to　everything　that　went　on；　and　to　　tell　her　all　they　saw　and　heard　when　she　came　home。

One　day　when　she　came　home　the　little　Larks　were　much　frightened。

〃Oh；　Mother；　dear　Mother；〃　they　said；　〃you　must　move　us　away　to…night！　　The　farmer　was　in　the　field　to…day；　and　he　said；　‘The　corn　is　ready　to　cut；　we　must　call　in　the　neighbors　to　help。'　　And　then　he　told　his　son　to　go　out　to…night　and　ask　all　the　neighbors　to　come　and　reap　the　corn　to…morrow。〃

The　mother　Lark　laughed。　　〃Don't　be　frightened；〃　she　said；　〃if　he　waits　for　his　neighbors　to　reap　the　corn　we　shall　have　plenty　of　time　to　move；　tell　me　what　he　says　to…morrow。〃

The　next　night　the　little　Larks　were　quite　trembling　with　fear；　the　moment　their　mother　got　home　they　cried　out；　〃Mother；　you　must　surely　move　us　to…night！　　The　farmer　came　to…day　and　said；　‘The　corn　is　getting　too　ripe；　we　cannot　wait　for　our　neighbors；　we　must　ask　our　relatives　to　help　us。'　　And　then　he　called　his　son　and　told　him　to　ask　all　the　uncles　and　cousins　to　come　to…morrow　and　cut　the　corn。　　Shall　we　not　move　to…night？〃

〃Don't　worry；〃　said　the　mother　Lark；　〃the　uncles　and　cousins　have　plenty　of　reaping　to　do　for　themselves；　we'll　not　move　yet。〃

The　third　night；　when　the　mother　Lark　came　home；　the　baby　Larks　said；　〃Mother；　dear；　the　farmer　came　to　the　field　to…day；　and　when　he　looked　at　the　corn　he　was　quite　angry；　he　said；　‘This　will　never　do！　The　corn　is　getting　too　ripe；　it's　no　use　to　wait　for　our　relatives；　we　shall　have　to　cut　this　corn　ourselves。'　　And　then　he　called　his　son　and　said；　‘Go　out　to…night　and　hire　reapers；　and　to…morrow　we　will　begin　to　cut。'〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　mother；　〃that　is　another　story；　when　a　man　begins　to　do　his　own　business；　instead　of　asking　somebody　else　to　do　it；　things　get　done。　　I　will　move　you　out　to…night。〃



A　TRUE　STORY　ABOUT　A　GIRL


Once　there　were　four　little　girls　who　lived　in　a　big；　bare　house；　in　the　country。　They　were　very　poor；　but　they　had　the　　happiest　times　you　ever　heard　of；　because　they　were　very　rich　in　everything　except　just　money。　　They　had　a　wonderful；　wise　father；　who　knew　stories　to　tell；　and　who　taught　them　their　lessons　in　such　a　beautiful　way　that　it　was　better　than　play；　they　had　a　lovely；　merry；　kind　mother；　who　was　never　too　tired　to　help　them　work　or　watch　them　play；　and　they　had　all　the　great　green　country　to　play　in。　　There　were　dark；　shadowy　woods；　and　fields　of　flowers；　and　a　river。　　And　there　was　a　big　barn。

One　of　the　little　girls　was　named　Louisa。　She　was　very　pretty；　and　ever　so　strong；　she　could　run　for　miles　through　the　woods　and　not　get　tired。　　And　she　had　a　splendid　brain　in　her　little　head；　it　liked　study；　and　it　thought　interesting　thoughts　all　d