how to tell stories to children-第8节

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he　stopped。　　But　Little　Jack　Rollaround　kept　on　crying；　〃Roll　around！　roll　around！〃

By　and　by　the　Moon　peeped　in　at　the　window。　　He　saw　a　funny　sight：　Little　Jack　Rollaround　was　lying　in　his　trundle…　bed；　and　he　had　put　up　one　little　fat　leg　for　a　mast；　and　fastened　the　corner　of　his　wee　shirt　to　it　for　a　sail；　and　he　was　blowing　at　it　with　all　his　might；　and　saying；　〃Roll　around！　roll　around！〃　　Slowly；　　slowly；　the　little　trundle…bed　boat　began　to　move；　it　sailed　along　the　floor　and　up　the　wall　and　across　the　ceiling　and　down　again！

〃More！　more！〃　cried　Little　Jack　Rollaround；　and　the　little　boat　sailed　faster　up　the　wall；　across　the　ceiling；　down　the　wall；　and　over　the　floor。　　The　Moon　laughed　at　the　sight；　but　when　Little　Jack　Rollaround　saw　the　Moon；　he　called　out；　〃Open　the　door；　old　Moon！　I　want　to　roll　through　the　town；　so　that　the　people　can　see　me！〃

The　Moon　could　not　open　the　door；　but　he　shone　in　through　the　keyhole；　in　a　broad　band。　　And　Little　Jack　Rollaround　sailed　his　trundle…bed　boat　up　the　beam；　through　the　keyhole；　and　into　the　street。

〃Make　a　light；　old　Moon；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　the　people　to　see　me！〃

So　the　good　Moon　made　a　light　and　went　along　with　him；　and　the　little　trundle…　bed　boat　went　sailing　down　the　streets　into　the　main　street　of　the　village。　　They　rolled　past　the　town　hall　and　the　schoolhouse　and　the　church；　but　nobody　saw　little　Jack　Rollaround；　because　everybody　was　in　bed；　asleep。

〃Why　don't　the　people　come　to　see　me？〃　he　shouted。

High　up　on　the　church　steeple；　the　Weather…vane　answered；　〃It　is　no　time　for　people　to　be　in　the　streets；　decent　folk　are　in　their　beds。〃

〃Then　I'll　go　to　the　woods；　so　that　the　animals　may　see　me；〃　said　Little　Jack。　〃Come　along；　old　Moon；　and　make　a　light！〃

The　good　Moon　went　along　and　made　a　light；　and　they　came　to　the　forest。　　〃Roll！　roll！〃　cried　the　little　boy；　and　the　trundle…　bed　went　trundling　among　the　trees　in　the　great　wood；　scaring　up　the　chipmunks　and　startling　the　little　leaves　on　the　trees。　　The　poor　old　Moon　began　to　have　a　bad　time　of　it；　for　the　tree…trunks　got　in　his　way　so　that　he　could　not　go　so　fast　as　the　bed；　and　every　time　he　got　behind；　the　little　boy　called；　〃Hurry　up；　old　Moon；　I　want　the　beasts　to　see　me！〃

But　all　the　animals　were　asleep；　and　nobody　at　all　looked　at　Little　Jack　Rollaround　except　an　old　White　Owl；　and　all　she　said　was；　〃Who　are　you？〃

The　little　boy　did　not　like　her；　so　he　blew　harder；　and　the　trundle…bed　boat　went　sailing　through　the　forest　till　it　came　to　the　end　of　the　world。

〃I　must　go　home　now；　it　is　late；〃　said　the　Moon。

〃I　will　go　with　you；　make　a　path！〃　said　Little　Jack　Rollaround。

The　kind　Moon　made　a　path　up　to　the　sky；　and　up　sailed　the　little　bed　into　the　midst　of　the　sky。　　All　the　little　bright　Stars　were　there　with　their　nice　little　lamps。　　And　when　he　saw　them；　that　naughty　Little　Jack　Rollaround　began　to　tease。　　〃Out　of　the　way；　there！　　I　am　coming！〃　he　shouted；　and　sailed　the　trundle…bed　boat　straight　at　them。　　He　bumped　the　little　Stars　right　and　left；　all　over　the　sky；　until　every　one　of　them　put　his　little　lamp　out　and　left　it　dark。

〃Do　not　treat　the　little　Stars　so；〃　said　the　good　Moon。

But　Jack　Rollaround　only　behaved　the　worse：　　〃Get　out　of　the　way；　old　Moon！〃　he　shouted；　〃I　am　coming！〃

And　he　steered　the　little　trundle…bed　boat　straight　into　the　old　Moon's　face；　and　bumped　his　nose！

This　was　too　much　for　the　good　Moon；　he　put　out　his　big　light；　all　at　once；　and　left　the　sky　pitch…black。

〃Make　a　light；　old　Moon！　　Make　a　light！〃　shouted　the　little　boy。　　But　the　Moon　answered　never　a　word；　and　Jack　Rollaround　could　not　see　where　to　steer。　He　went　rolling　criss…cross；　up　and　down；　all　over　the　sky；　knocking　into　the　planets　and　stumbling　into　the　clouds；　till　he　did　not　know　where　he　was。

Suddenly　he　saw　a　big　yellow　light　at　the　very　edge　of　the　sky。　　He　thought　it　was　the　Moon。　　〃Look　out；　I　am　coming！〃　he　cried；　and　steered　for　the　light。

But　it　was　not　the　kind　old　Moon　at　all；　it　was　the　great　mother　Sun；　just　coming　up　out　of　her　home　in　the　sea；　to　begin　her　day's　work。

〃Aha；　youngster；　what　are　you　doing　in　my　sky？〃　she　said。　　And　she　picked　Little　Jack　Rollaround　up　and　threw　him；　trundle…bed　boat　and　all；　into　the　middle　of　the　sea！

And　I　suppose　he　is　there　yet；　unless　somebody　picked　him　out　again。


HOW　BROTHER　RABBIT　FOOLED　THE　WHALE　AND　THE　ELEPHANT＇1＇

＇1＇　Adapted　from　two　tales　included　in　the　records　of　the　American　Folk…Lore　Society。


One　day　little　Brother　Rabbit　was　running　along　on　the　sand；　lippety；　lippety；　when　he　saw　the　Whale　and　the　Elephant　talking　together。　　Little　Brother　Rabbit　crouched　down　and　listened　to　what　they　were　saying。　　This　was　what　they　were　saying：

〃You　are　the　biggest　thing　on　the　land；　Brother　Elephant；〃　said　the　Whale；　〃and　I　am　the　biggest　thing　in　the　sea；　if　we　join　together　we　can　rule　all　the　animals　in　the　world；　and　have　our　way　about　everything。〃

〃Very　good；　very　good；〃　trumpeted　the　Elephant；　〃that　suits　me；　we　will　do　it。〃

Little　Brother　Rabbit　snickered　to　himself。　　〃They　won't　rule　me；〃　he　said。　　He　ran　away　and　got　a　very　long；　very　strong　rope；　and　he　got　his　big　drum；　and　hid　the　drum　a　long　way　off　in　the　bushes。　　Then　he　went　along　the　beach　till　he　came　to　the　Whale。

〃Oh；　please；　dear；　strong　Mr。　Whale；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　have　the　great　kindness　to　do　me　a　favor？　　My　cow　is　stuck　in　the　mud；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　here。　　And　I　can't　pull　her　out。　　But　you　are　so　strong　and　so　obliging；　that　I　venture　to　trust　you　will　help　me　out。〃

The　Whale　was　so　pleased　with　the　compliment　that　he　said；　〃Yes；〃　at　once。

〃Then；〃　said　the　Rabbit；　〃I　will　tie　this　end　of　my　long　rope　to　you；　and　I　will　run　away　and　tie　the　other　end　round　my　cow；　and　when　I　am　ready　I　will　beat　my　big　drum。　　When　you　hear　that；　pull　very；　very　hard；　for　the　cow　is　stuck　very　deep　in　the　mud。〃

〃Huh！〃　grunted　the　Whale；　〃I'll　pull　her　out；　if　she　is　stuck　to　the　horns。〃

Little　Brother　Rabbit　tied　the　rope…end　to　the　whale；　and　ran　off；　lippety；　lippety；　till　he　came　to　the　place　where　the　Elephant　was。

〃Oh；　please；　mighty　and　kindly　Elephant；〃　he　said；　making　a　very　low　bow　〃will　you　do　me　a　favor？〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　the　Elephant。

〃My　cow　is　stuck　in　the　mud；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　here；〃　said　little　Brother　Rabbit；　〃and　I　cannot　pull　her　out。　　Of　course　you　could。　　If　you　will　be　so　very　obliging　as　to　help　me〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　Elephant　grandly；　〃certainly。〃

〃Then；〃　said　little　Brother　Rabbit；　〃I　will　tie　one　end　of　this　long　rope　to　your　trunk；　and　the　other　to　my　cow；　and　as　soon　as　I　have　tied　her　tightly　I　will　beat　my　big　drum。　　When　you　hear　that；　pull；　pull　as　hard　as　you　can；　for　my　cow　is　very　heavy。〃

〃Never　fear；〃　said　the　Elephant；　〃I　could　pull　twenty　cows。〃

〃I　am　sure　you　could；〃　said　the　Rabbit；　politely；　〃only　be　sure　to　begin　gently；　and　pull　harder　and　harder　till　you　get　her。〃

Then　he　tied　the　end　of　the　rope　tightly　round　the　Elephant's　trunk；　and　ran　away　into　the　bushes。　　There　he　sat　down　and　beat　the　big　drum。

The　Whale　began　to　pull；　and　the　Elephant　began　to　pull；　and　in　a　jiffy　the　rope　tightened　till　it　was　stretched　as　hard　as　could　be。

〃This　is　a　remarkably　heavy　cow；〃　said　the　Elephant；　〃but　I'll　fetch　her！〃　　And　he　braced　his　forefeet　in　the　earth；　and　gave　a　tremendous　pull。

〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　Whale。　　〃That　cow　must　be　stuck　mighty　tight；〃　and　he　drove　his　tail　deep　in　the　water；　and　gave　a　marvelous　pull。

He　pulled　harder；　the　Elephant　pulled　harder。　　Pretty　soon　the　Whale　found　himself　sliding　toward　the　land。　　The　reason　was；　of　course；　that　the　Elephant　had　something　solid　to　brace　against；　and；　too；　as　fast　as　he　pulled　the　rope　in　a　little；　he　took　a　turn　with　it　round　his　trunk！

But　when　the　Whale　found　himself　sliding　toward　the　land　he　was　so　provoked　with　the　cow　that　he　dove　head　first；　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　　That　was　a　pull！　　The　Elephant　was　jerked　off　his　feet；　and　came　slipping　and　sliding　to　the　beach；　and　into　the　surf。　　He　was　terribly　angry。　　He　braced　himself　with　all　his　might；　and　pulled　his　best。　　At　the　jerk；　up　came　the　Whale　out　of　the　water。

〃Who　is　pulling　me？〃　spouted　the　Whale。

〃Who　is　pulling　me？〃　trumpeted　the　Elephant。

And　then　each　saw　the　rope　in　the　other's　hold。

〃I'll　teach　you　to　play　cow！〃　roared　the　Elephant。

〃I'll　show　you　how　to　fool　me！〃　fumed　the　Whale。　　And　they　began　to　pull　again。　But　this　time　the　rope　broke；　the　Whale　turned　a　somersault；　and　the　Elephant　fell　over　backwards。

At　that；　they　were　both　so　ashamed　that　neither　would　speak　to　the　other。　　So　that　broke　up　the　bargain　between　them。

And　little　Brother　Rabbit　sat　in　the　bushes　and　laughed；　and　laughed；　and　laughed。



THE　LITTLE　HALF…CHICK


There　was　once　upon　a　time　a　Spanish　Hen；　who　hatched　out　some　nice　little　chickens。　　She　was　much　pleased　with　their　looks　as　they　came　from　the　shell。　　One；　two；　three；　came　out　plump　and　fluffy；　but　when　the　fourth　shell　broke；　out　came　a　little　half…chick！　　It　had　only　one　leg　and　one　wing　and　one　eye！　　It　was　just　half　a　chicken。

The　Hen…mother　did　not　know　what　in　the　world　to　do　with　the　queer　little　Half…　Chick