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قراءة كتاب A Kindergarten Story Book

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‏اللغة: English
A Kindergarten Story Book

A Kindergarten Story Book

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دار النشر: Project Gutenberg
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basket in the hands of his eldest son. As the boy walked quickly toward the pond, a little bird hopped along the path in front of him, and in a sweet voice sang:—

  "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay,[*]
  And carry a basketful away."

[*]From an old folk tale.

The boy did not know what the bird was saying. "Out of my path, you stupid creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. But the little bird flew away into the forest, where he was quite safe. When at last the boy reached the pond, there sat a great green frog who croaked in a great hoarse voice:—

  "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay,
  And carry a basketful away."

But the boy did not know what the frog was saying. "Out of my way, you ugly creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. The great frog jumped back into the water, where he was quite safe. The eldest boy covered the bottom of the basket with sand, thinking that that would keep the water from running out; then he filled it to the very brim. But, though he ran all the way home, not a single drop of water was left inside the basket when he reached his father.

Then it was the second son's turn. As he walked quickly toward the pond, the same little bird hopped along the path in front of him, and in the same sweet voice sang:—

  "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay,
  And carry a basketful away."

The boy did not know what the bird was saying. "Out of my path, you stupid creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. But the little bird flew away into the forest, where he was quite safe. When at last the boy reached the pond, there sat the same great green frog who croaked in the same great hoarse voice:—

  "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay,
  And carry a basketful away."

But the boy did not know what the frog was saying. "Out of my way, you ugly creature!" he cried, flinging a stone at it. The great frog jumped back into the water, where he was quite safe. The second boy covered the bottom of the basket with leaves, thinking that they would keep the water from running out; then he filled it to the very brim. But, though he too ran all the way home, not a single drop of water was left inside the basket when he reached his father.

Now, at last, it was Dunny's turn; but the two elder brothers teased him, saying, "Of what use is it for such a stupid as you to try, when we, who are so much more clever than you, have failed?"

As Dunny walked quickly toward the pond, the same little bird hopped along the path in front of him, and in the same sweet voice sang:—

  "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay,
  And carry a basketful away."

Now Dunny was very fond of all the wild creatures of the woods and fields, and often spent long hours in their company; and he knew what the little bird was saying. And he was never happier than when playing with the frogs and fishes in the pond; so when the great green frog, in his great hoarse voice, croaked:—

  "Fill it with moss and fill it with clay,
  And carry a basketful away."

Dunny knew what he was saying, and, gathering moss and clay from the bank of the pond, he carefully stopped all the holes and cracks in the basket. Then filling it with water to the very brim, he carried it safely home to his father and did not lose even a single drop. So the pony was given to him, and his brothers never called him Dunny again.

LUDWIG AND MARLEEN.

"Help me out! Help me out, little Ludwig!" cried a great red fox, caught fast in a trap in the woods. "Help me out, and it shall be well with you!" Now Ludwig loved the wild creatures of the forest; he was their friend and playmate, their sorrows were his own; so, stepping to the trap, he pressed the spring, and the fox was free. When, however, the poor beast tried to limp away, so great was the pain in his foot that he was forced to lie down instead. Seeing this, Ludwig ran to a spring near by and, dipping his handkerchief into the clear cool water, tenderly bound up the bruised and swollen foot.

"You have been very kind, my little friend," said the fox. "You have saved my life. If you have a wish, tell me what it is and it shall be granted."

"Oh, as to that," said Ludwig, "I wish my little pail here were full of berries, for my sister and I are very hungry." Hardly had he spoken when his pail, which before had been quite empty, became full to the very brim with great delicious strawberries. Ludwig ran swiftly home to the little brown hut where he and his sister lived quite alone on the edge of the forest.

"See, sister dear," he called, "what a fine breakfast I have brought."

"I am glad, brother," said Marleen, "for I am very hungry; but where did you find so many berries in so short a time, and such delicious ones, too?"

Then Ludwig told his sister all about the fox, and how he had wished for the berries.

"Was I not wise, dear sister, to get such a good breakfast for us with so little trouble?"

But Marleen was not satisfied, and cried:

"Foolish boy! It was no ordinary fox whose foot you pulled out of the trap. If he could fill your pail with berries, just for the asking, he could do far greater things. You should have wished for something better. Go back into the forest, find the fox, and tell him that our cupboard must be always full of food whenever we are hungry."

"Be satisfied, dear sister," said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we are. When we are again hungry I will go and find food in the forest as I have always done before."

"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as I tell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again into the forest.

"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig coming toward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?"

"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the pail of berries," said
Ludwig.

"What would she, little brother?"

"That our cupboard should be always full whenever we are hungry."

"Go, little brother, it shall be as she wishes," said the fox.

Now, after this, whenever brother or sister were hungry, they found plenty of food just to their liking in the cupboard; and, as Ludwig had no longer to seek for nuts and berries in the forest, he could play all day long with his sister, and they were very happy because they were never separated. But after a time Marleen refused to play, and sat moping on the doorstone. "Why are you so troubled, sister? Come, let us play in the sunshine," said the boy.

"Why should I be happy?" said Marleen. "Why should I play? We have no toys, only ugly sticks and stones for playthings. If you will go to the fox and get a beautiful doll, then I will play."

"Be satisfied, dear sister," said Ludwig. "We are quite happy as we are."

"No, no, I will not be satisfied!" said Marleen. "You must do as I tell you;" and she gave her brother no peace until he went again into the forest.

"How now, little brother!" said the fox, when he saw Ludwig coming toward him through the trees; "is it not well with you?"

"Alas, my sister is not satisfied with the food always in the cupboard."

"What would she, little brother?"

"She would have a beautiful doll all dressed in shining silk."

"Go, little

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