how to tell stories to children-第6部分

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〃I　have　run　away　from　a　little　old　woman；

〃A　little　old　man；

〃A　cow；

〃A　horse；

〃And　I　can　run　away　from　you；　I　can！〃

And　when　he　found　that　he　was　ahead　of　the　threshers；　he　turned　and　shouted　back　to　them；

〃Run！　run！　as　fast　as　you　can！

〃You　can't　catch　me；　I'm　the　Gingerbread　Man！〃

And　the　threshers　couldn't　catch　him。

Then　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　ran　faster　than　ever。　　He　ran　and　ran　until　he　came　to　a　field　full　of　mowers。　　When　the　mowers　saw　how　fine　he　looked；　they　ran　after　him；　calling　out；　〃Wait　a　bit！　wait　a　bit；　little　Gingerbread　Boy；　we　wish　to　eat　you！〃　　But　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　laughed　harder　than　ever；　and　ran　like　the　wind。　　〃Oho！　oho！〃　he　said；

〃I　have　run　away　from　a　little　old　woman；

〃A　little　old　man；

〃A　cow；

〃A　horse；

〃A　barn　full　of　threshers；

〃And　I　can　run　away　from　you；　I　can！〃

And　when　he　found　that　he　was　ahead　of　the　mowers；　he　turned　and　shouted　back　to　them；

〃Run！　run！　as　fast　as　you　can！

〃You　can't　catch　me；　I'm　the　Gingerbread　Man！〃

And　the　mowers　couldn't　catch　him。

By　this　time　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　was　so　proud　that　he　didn't　think　anybody　could　catch　him。　　Pretty　soon　he　saw　a　fox　coming　across　a　field。　　The　fox　looked　　at　him　and　began　to　run。　　But　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　shouted　across　to　him；　〃You　can't　catch　me！〃　　The　fox　began　to　run　faster；　and　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　ran　faster；　and　as　he　ran　he　chuckled；

〃I　have　run　away　from　a　little　old　woman；

〃A　little　old　man；

〃A　cow；

〃A　horse；

〃A　barn　full　of　threshers；

〃A　field　full　of　mowers；

〃And　I　can　run　away　from　you；　I　can！

〃Run！　run！　as　fast　as　you　can！

〃You　can't　catch　me；　I'm　the　Gingerbread　Man！〃

〃Why；〃　said　the　fox；　〃I　would　not　catch　you　if　I　could。　　I　would　not　think　of　disturbing　you。〃

Just　then；　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　came　to　a　river。　　He　could　not　swim　across；　and　he　wanted　to　keep　running　away　from　the　cow　and　the　horse　and　the　people。

〃Jump　on　my　tail；　and　I　will　take　you　across；〃　said　the　fox。

So　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　jumped　on　the　fox's　tail；　and　the　fox　swam　into　the　　river。　　When　he　was　a　little　way　from　shore　he　turned　his　head；　and　said；　〃You　are　too　heavy　on　my　tail；　little　Gingerbread　Boy；　I　fear　I　shall　let　you　get　wet；　jump　on　my　back。〃

The　little　Gingerbread　Boy　jumped　on　his　back。

A　little　farther　out；　the　fox　said；　〃I　am　afraid　the　water　will　cover　you；　there；　jump　on　my　shoulder。〃

The　little　Gingerbread　Boy　jumped　on　his　shoulder。

In　the　middle　of　the　stream　the　fox　said；　〃Oh；　dear！　little　Gingerbread　Boy；　my　shoulder　is　sinking；　jump　on　my　nose；　and　I　can　hold　you　out　of　water。〃

So　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　jumped　on　his　nose。

The　minute　the　fox　got　on　shore　he　threw　back　his　head；　and　gave　a　snap！

〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy；　〃I　am　a　quarter　gone！〃　　The　next　minute　he　said；　〃Why；　I　am　half　gone！〃　The　next　minute　he　said；　〃My　goodness　gracious；　I　am　three　quarters　gone！〃

And　after　that；　the　little　Gingerbread　Boy　never　said　anything　more　at　all。



THE　LITTLE　JACKALS　AND　THE　LION＇1＇

＇1＇　The　four　stories　of　the　little　Jackal；　in　this　book；　are　adapted　from　stories　in　Old　Deccan　Days；　a　collection　of　orally　transmitted　Hindu　folk　tales；　which　every　teacher　would　gain　by　knowing。　　In　the　Hindu　animal　legends　the　Jackal　seems　to　play　the　role　assigned　in　Germanic　lore　to　Reynard　the　Fox；　and　to　〃Bre'r　Rabbit〃　in　the　stories　of　our　Southern　negroes：　he　is　the　clever　and　humorous　trickster　who　comes　out　of　every　encounter　with　a　whole　skin；　and　turns　the　laugh　on　every　enemy；　however　mighty。


Once　there　was　a　great　big　jungle；　and　in　the　jungle　there　was　a　great　big　Lion；　and　the　Lion　was　king　of　the　jungle。　　Whenever　he　wanted　anything　to　eat；　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　come　up　out　of　his　cave　in　the　stones　and　earth　and　ROAR。　　When　he　had　roared　a　few　times　all　the　little　people　of　the　jungle　were　so　frightened　that　they　came　out　of　their　holes　and　hiding…places　and　ran；　this　way　and　that；　to　get　away。　Then；　of　course；　the　Lion　could　see　where　they　were。　　And　he　pounced　on　them；　killed　them；　and　gobbled　them　up。

He　did　this　so　often　that　at　last　there　was　not　a　single　thing　left　alive　in　the　jungle　besides　the　Lion；　except　two　little　Jackals；　a　little　father　Jackal　and　a　little　mother　Jackal。

They　had　run　away　so　many　times　that　they　were　quite　thin　and　very　tired；　and　they　could　not　run　so　fast　any　more。　　And　one　day　the　Lion　was　so　near　that　the　little　mother　Jackal　grew　frightened；　she　said；

〃Oh；　Father　Jackal；　Father　Jackal！　I　b'lieve　our　time　has　come！　the　Lion　will　surely　catch　us　this　time！〃

〃Pooh！　nonsense；　mother！〃　said　the　little　father　Jackal。　　〃Come；　we'll　run　on　a　bit！〃

And　they　ran；　ran；　ran　very　fast；　and　the　Lion　did　not　catch　them　that　time。

But　at　last　a　day　came　when　the　Lion　was　nearer　still　and　the　little　mother　Jackal　was　frightened　about　to　death。

〃Oh；　Father　Jackal；　Father　Jackal！〃　she　cried；　〃I'm　sure　our　time　has　come！　The　Lion's　going　to　eat　us　this　time！〃

〃Now；　mother；　don't　you　fret；〃　said　the　little　father　Jackal；　〃you　do　just　as　I　tell　you；　and　it　will　be　all　right。〃

Then　what　did　those　cunning　little　Jackals　do　but　take　hold　of　hands　and　run　up　towards　the　Lion；　as　if　they　had　meant　　to　come　all　the　time。　　When　he　saw　them　coming　he　stood　up；　and　roared　in　a　terrible　voice；

〃You　miserable　little　wretches；　come　here　and　be　eaten；　at　once！　　Why　didn't　you　come　before？〃

The　father　Jackal　bowed　very　low。

〃Indeed；　Father　Lion；〃　he　said；　〃we　meant　to　come　before；　we　knew　we　ought　to　come　before；　and　we　wanted　to　come　before；　but　every　time　we　started　to　come；　a　dreadful　great　lion　came　out　of　the　woods　and　roared　at　us；　and　frightened　us　so　that　we　ran　away。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　roared　the　Lion。　〃There's　no　other　lion　in　this　jungle；　and　you　know　it！〃

〃Indeed；　indeed；　Father　Lion；〃　said　the　little　Jackal；　〃I　know　that　is　what　everybody　thinks；　but　indeed　and　indeed　there　is　another　lion！　　And　he　is　as　much　bigger　than　you　as　you　are　bigger　than　I！　　His　face　is　much　more　terrible；　and　his　roar　far；　far　more　dreadful。　　Oh；　he　is　far　more　fearful　than　you！〃

At　that　the　Lion　stood　up　and　roared　so　that　the　jungle　shook。

〃Take　me　to　this　lion；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　eat　him　up　and　then　I'll　eat　you　up。〃

The　little　Jackals　danced　on　ahead；　and　the　Lion　stalked　behind。　　They　led　him　to　a　place　where　there　was　a　round；　deep　well　of　clear　water。　　They　went　round　on　one　side　of　it；　and　the　Lion　stalked　up　to　the　other。

〃He　lives　down　there；　Father　Lion！〃　said　the　little　Jackal。　　〃He　lives　down　there！〃

The　Lion　came　close　and　looked　down　into　the　water；and　a　lion's　face　looked　back　at　him　out　of　the　water！

When　he　saw　that；　the　Lion　roared　and　shook　his　mane　and　showed　his　teeth。　　And　the　lion　in　the　water　shook　his　mane　and　showed　his　teeth。　　The　Lion　above　shook　his　mane　again　and　growled　again；　and　made　a　terrible　face。　　But　the　lion　in　the　water　made　just　as　terrible　a　one；　back。　The　Lion　above　couldn't　stand　that。　　He　leaped　down　into　the　well　after　the　other　lion。

But；　of　course；　as　you　know　very　well；　there　wasn't　any　other　lion！　　It　was　only　the　reflection　in　the　water！

So　the　poor　old　Lion　floundered　about　and　floundered　about；　and　as　he　couldn't　get　up　the　steep　sides　of　the　well；　he　was　drowned　dead。　　And　when　he　was　drowned　the　little　Jackals　took　hold　of　hands　and　danced　round　the　well；　and　sang；

〃The　Lion　is　dead！　The　Lion　is　dead！

〃We　have　killed　the　great　Lion　who　would　have　killed　us！

〃The　Lion　is　dead！　　The　Lion　is　dead！

〃Ao！　Ao！　Ao！〃



THE　COUNTRY　MOUSE　AND　THE　CITY　MOUSE＇1＇

＇1＇　The　following　story　of　the　two　mice；　with　the　similar　fables　of　The　Boy　who　cried　Wolf；　The　Frog　King；　and　The　Sun　and　the　Wind；　are　given　here　with　the　hope　that　they　may　be　of　use　to　the　many　teachers　who　find　the　over…familiar　material　of　the　fables　difficult　to　adapt；　and　who　are　yet　aware　of　the　great　usefulness　of　the　stories　to　young　minds。　　A　certain　degree　of　vividness　and　amplitude　must　be　added　to　the　compact　statement　of　the　famous　collections；　and　yet　it　is　not　wise　to　change　the　style…effect　of　a　fable；　wholly。　　I　venture　to　give　these　versions；　not　as　perfect　models；　surely；　but　as　renderings　which　have　been　acceptable　to　children；　and　which　I　believe　retain　the　original　point　simply　and　strongly。


Once　a　little　mouse　who　lived　in　the　country　invited　a　little　Mouse　from　the　city　to　visit　him。　　When　the　little　City　Mouse　　sat　down　to　dinner　he　was　surprised　to　find　that　the　Country　Mouse　had　nothing　to　eat　except　barley　and　grain。

〃Really；〃　he　said；　〃you　do　not　live　well　at　all；　you　should　see　how　I　live！　　I　have　all　sorts　of　fine　things　to　eat　every　day。　　You　must　come　to　visit　me　and　see　how　nice　it　is　to　live　in　the　city。〃

The　little　Country　Mouse　was　glad　to　do　this；　and　after　a　while　he　went　to　the　city　to　visit　his　friend。

The　very　first　place　that　the　City　Mouse　took　the　Country　Mouse　to　see　was　the　kitchen　cupboard　of　the　house　where　he　lived。　　There；　on　the　lowest　shelf；　behind　some　stone　jars；　stood　a　big　paper　bag　of　brown　sugar。　　The　little　City　Mouse　gnawed　a　hole　in　the　bag　and　invited　his　friend　to　nibble　for　himself。

The　two　little　mice　nibbled　and　nibbled；　and　the　Country　Mouse　thought　he　had　never　tasted　anything　so　delicious　in　his　life。　　He　was　just　thinking　how　lucky　the　City　Mouse　was；　when　suddenly　the　door　opened　with　a　bang；　and　in　came　the　cook　to　get　some　flour。

〃Run！〃　whispered　the　City　Mouse。　And　they　ran　as　fast　as　they　could　to　the　little　hole　where　they　had　come　in。　　The　little　Country　Mouse　was　shaking　all　over　when　they　got　safely　away；　but　the　little　City　Mouse　said；　〃That　is　nothing；　she　will　soon　go　away　and　then　we　can　go　back。〃

After　the　cook　had　gone　away　and　shut　the　door　they　stole　softly　back；　and　this　time　the　City　Mouse　had　something　new　to　show：　he　took　the　little　Country　Mouse　into　a　corner　on　the　top　shelf；　where　a　big　jar　of　dried　prunes　stood　open。　　After　much　tugging　and　pulling　they　got　a　large　dried　prune　out　of　the　jar　on　to　the　shelf　and　began　to　nibble　at　it。　　This　was　even　better　than　the　brown　sugar。　　The　little　Country　Mouse　liked　the　taste　so　much　that　he　could　hardly　nibble