The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Kindergarten Story Book, by Jane L. Hoxie

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Title: A Kindergarten Story Book

Author: Jane L. Hoxie

Release Date: November 22, 2004 [EBook #14127]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A KINDERGARTEN STORY BOOK ***

Produced by Al Haines

A KINDERGARTEN STORY BOOK

By JANE L. HOXIE

TENTH EDITION

PUBLISHED BY

MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY

SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

NEW YORK BOSTON PHILADELPHIA

ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO

1916

COPYRIGHT, 1966

BY MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY

SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

TO MY FATHER

whose evening story-hour is the happiest memory of my childhood this little volume is affectionately inscribed

INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

A number of the stories in this little book have been told to thousands of children in the kindergartens of Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Pittsburg, and other cities. The delight with which they have everywhere been listened to is an assurance of their appeal to child thought and sympathy. I know no equally simple, varied, and interesting collection of stories for children between the ages of four and six; and I earnestly hope that A KINDERGARTEN STORY BOOK may rapidly win the popularity it merits.

SUSAN E. BLOW.

PREFACE.

It is the author's aim in this collection to furnish stories for the child that shall be short, simple in form and familiar in subject, that shall contain much repetition, rhythm, dramatic possibility, alliteration, and also onomatopoetical and imaginative qualities, all of which the young child craves in the literature which is presented to him. The writer has striven to avoid elaborate introductions, long and intricate descriptions, and all those characteristics from which the child instinctively turns.

The matter here presented naturally falls under three heads: first, original stories; secondly, favorite childhood stories rewritten; thirdly, adaptations of popular tales.

Nearly all of the purely original stories are based upon some of the more vital motifs to be found in the best of our fairy lore.

Of the favorite childhood stories, "Billy Bobtail" is evidently founded upon "The Bremen Town-Musicians"; and, as it is given here, it is an adaptation of a story heard frequently during the writer's childhood. It will readily be seen that "Kid Would Not Go" is only another form of "The Old Woman and Her Pig," and that "Fox Lox" is identical with the tale of "Chicken Little." "The Wee, Wee Woman" is supposedly an adaptation of the old English story of "Teeny Weeny." It is given here in the form in which it was told to the author by a friend. "The Little Long Tail" will be recognized by many as a prime favorite of their early childhood.

In the three stories from Grimm it has been the aim to simplify, to shorten, and to eliminate all objectionable qualities; as, for instance, the cruel step-mother element to be found in the original Cinderella.

The two stories from Mrs. Ewing and the adaptation of Saintine's "Picciola" have proved fascinating to the childish audiences to which they have been presented.

Simplicity of form and language makes it possible for the teacher not only to tell the stories contained in this collection, but also to read them to the children, with good effect. Some of the tales, notably the favorite childhood stories rewritten, may be placed in the hands of the children themselves, to be used in the primary grades as supplementary reading material.

This little volume is the result of several years of practical experience, and it is hoped that it will prove a valuable addition to the story repertoire of kindergartners and primary teachers.

J.L.H.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

ORIGINAL STORIES.

  DUNNY
  LUDWIG AND MARLEEN
  FROGGY'S ADVENTURE
  WHAT HAPPENED ON THE ROAD TO GRANDFATHER GOODFIELD'S
  THE LOST COMB
  THE TOPSY STORIES—
      I. The Coming of Topsy
     II. How Topsy Kept Warm
    III. How Topsy Mothered Her Neighbor's Kittens
     IV. Topsy's Hiding Place
      V. Topsy's Babies
  ETHEL'S FRIENDS

REWRITTEN STORIES

BILLY BOBTAIL KID WOULD NOT GO FOX LOX THE WEE, WEE WOMAN THE LITTLE LONG TAIL

ADAPTED STORIES

THE BROWNIES THE FAIRY SHOES PICCIOLA CINDERELLA THE HUT IN THE FOREST THE SLEEPING PRINCESS

DUNNY.

Once there were three children, three brothers, who played together in the sunshine about their father's door. Now the youngest of them all was not as large and strong as his brothers; and for that reason they often teased him, saying: "You are not as tall as we. You cannot run as fast. See! we can jump farther and swing higher than you." If ever they wrestled together, the youngest was the first to be thrown to the ground; and no matter what he tried to do, the others always laughed, and called out: "Oh! you are so stupid. That is not the way. Let me show you how, you dunny!" So after a while they called him nothing but Dunny.

One day a traveler, with a wonderful pony, stopped at the door of the cottage. His little animal not only could perform all manner of curious tricks, but he was the most gentle little beast in the whole world and, withal, as sleek and pretty a creature as one could wish to see.

The three brothers were wild with delight at the pony's antics, and gave their father no peace until at last he consented to buy the little animal. At first they were very happy with their new play-fellow, but soon they quarreled.

"He is my pony!" said the eldest.

"He is not!" said Dunny.

"Father bought him for me,", said the second brother, "and neither of you shall play with him at all!"

"It is not so! He is all mine!" said the first, as he caught the little beast by the rein and tried to drag him away.

But his brother snatched the bridle also. "You shall not have him!" he cried.

"Boys! boys! What does this mean?" said their father. "Why are you quarreling? The pony belongs to all three."

But the boys would not have it so; and, at last, the father said: "He shall be given to the one of you who will bring this basket to me filled full with the water of yonder pond." Now the basket was very old and full of holes, but the three brothers eagerly consented to the plan.

"You shall be the first to try your luck," said the father, placing the