A Primary Reader | Page 3

gave him bread and cake.
It was a happy time for the ugly duckling.

THE LITTLE PINE TREE
pine leaves other woods needles better fairy gold sleep
A little pine tree was in the woods.
It had no leaves. It had needles.
The little tree said, "I do not like needles. All the other trees in the woods have pretty leaves. I want leaves, too. But I will have better leaves. I want gold leaves."
Night came and the little tree went to sleep. A fairy came by and gave it gold leaves.
[Illustration: THE FAIRY GIVES THE PINK TREE GOLD LEAVES.]
woke cried glass little again pretty
When the little tree woke it had leaves of gold.
It said, "Oh, I am so pretty! No other tree has gold leaves."
Night came.
A man came by with a bag. He saw the gold leaves. He took them all and put them into his bag.
The poor little tree cried, "I do not want gold leaves again. I will have glass leaves."
* * * * * * *
night sunshine bright looked wind blew
So the little tree went to sleep. The fairy came by and put the glass leaves on it.
The little tree woke and saw its glass leaves.
How pretty they looked in the sunshine! 'No other tree was so bright.
Then a wind came up. It blew and blew.
The glass leaves all fell from the tree and were broken.
* * * * *
again green goat hungry
Again the little tree had no leaves. It was very sad, and said, "I will not have gold leaves and I will not have glass leaves. I want green leaves. I want to be like the other trees."
And the little tree went to sleep. When it woke, it was like other trees. It had green leaves.
A goat came by. He saw the green leaves on the little tree. The goat was hungry and he ate all the leaves.
[Illustration: THE GOAT EATS THE GREEN LEAVES.]
happy best
Then the little tree said, "I do not want any leaves. I will not have green leaves, nor glass leaves, nor gold leaves. I like my needles best."
[Illustration: THE PINE TREE WITH NEEDLES.]
And the little tree went to sleep. The fairy gave it what it wanted.
When it woke, it had its needles again. Then the little pine tree was happy.

THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL.
almost match across dark running bare year slippers fell
It was very cold. The snow fell and it was almost dark.
It was the last day of the year.
A little match girl was running in the street. Her name was Gretchen. She had no hat on.
Her feet were bare. When she left home, she had on some big slippers of her mama's. But they were so large that she lost them when she ran across the street.
* * * * * * *
apron curly lights bunch about smelled could matches cooking
Gretchen had a lot of matches in her old apron.
She had a little bunch in her hand.
But she could not sell her matches. No one would buy them.
Poor little Gretchen!
She was cold and hungry.
The snow fell on her curly hair. But she did not think about that.
She saw lights in the houses.
She smelled good things cooking.
She said to herself, "This is the last night of the year."
* * * * * * *
knew window fire money even pile
Gretchen got colder and colder.
She was afraid to go home. She knew her papa would whip her, if she did not take some money to him.
It was as cold at home as in the street. They were too poor to have a fire. They had to put rags in the windows to keep out the wind.
Gretchen did not even have a bed. She had to sleep on a pile of rags.
* * * * * * *
frozen candle sitting lighted thought stove near think step
She sat down on a door step.
[Illustration: GRETCHEN ON THE DOOR STEP.]
Her little hands were almost frozen.
She took a match and lighted it to warm her hands. The match looked like a little candle.
Gretchen thought she was sitting by a big stove. It was so bright.
She put the match near her feet, to warm them. Then the light went out. She did not think that she was by the stove any more.
* * * * * * *
another dishes roast table cloth ready fork knife turkey
Gretchen lighted another match.
Now she thought she could look into a room. In this room was a table.
A white cloth and pretty dishes were on the table. There was a roast turkey, too. It was cooked and ready to eat. The knife and fork were in his back. The turkey jumped from the dish and ran to the little girl.
The light went out and she was in the cold and dark again.
Christmas candles many until
Gretchen lighted another match. Then she thought she was sitting by a Christmas tree. Very many