The Beacon Second Reader | Page 2

money the poor shoemaker bought leather for two pairs of shoes.
Then he said to his wife, "I will cut out the leather for two pairs of shoes.
To-morrow I will sew them and peg them."
So he cut out the leather for the shoes and left it on his bench.
The next morning when he went into his shop to make the shoes, what did he find!
[Illustration]
Yes, there were two pairs of shoes already made.
The work was so well done that those shoes were also sold very quickly.
With the money the poor shoemaker bought enough leather for four pairs of shoes.
Those he also cut out and left upon his bench.
The next morning he found four pairs of beautiful shoes, all well made.
And so it went on and on. Instead of being a very poor shoemaker, he became a very rich shoemaker.
His shoes were so well made that even the queen herself wore them.
[Illustration]
THE SHOEMAKER AND THE ELVES--II
At last the shoemaker said to his wife, "We must find out who makes the shoes."
So one bright moonlight night they hid behind a curtain, where they could watch the bench and not be seen.
Just on the stroke of midnight, two little elves jumped through the window.
They went skipping and dancing up to the bench.
Sitting cross-legged they took up the leather and began to work.
How their needles flew back and forth, back and forth!
How their little hammers beat rap-a-tap-tap, rap-a-tap-tap!
Almost before the shoemaker and his wife could think, the work was all done.
The tiny elves ran about, skipping and dancing, skipping and dancing.
Then, whisk! quick as a wink, they were gone.
The next morning the good shoemaker said to his wife, "What can we do for those dear little elves?"
"I should like very much to make some clothes for them," said his wife. "They were almost naked."
"If you will make their coats, I will make them some shoes," said the shoemaker. "Their little feet were bare."
When the clothes and shoes were ready, they were put upon the bench.
[Illustration]
The shoemaker and his wife again hid behind the curtain.
Just as before, when the clock struck twelve, in jumped the tiny elves.
They went skipping and dancing, skipping and dancing, to their work.
They saw the little coats, the tiny stockings, and the neat little shoes.
They clapped their hands for joy.
Then, slipping on their clothes, they skipped, hand in hand, out of the window.
The shoemaker and his wife never saw the little elves again, but after that night, good luck seemed always to be with them.
English Folk Tale

THE SHIP
laden move
I saw a ship a-sailing, A-sailing on the sea; And, oh, it was all laden With pretty things for thee!
There were comfits in the cabin, And apples in the hold; The sails were made of silk, And the masts were made of gold.
The four and twenty sailors That stood between the decks Were four and twenty white mice, With chains about their necks.
The captain was a duck, With a jacket on his back; And when the ship began to move, The captain said, "Quack! quack!"
Old English Rhyme

[Illustration]
THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN YOUNG KIDS--I
quietly rough piece scissors learned thought chalk youngest
There was once an old goat who had seven little kids.
She loved them all as much as any mother ever loved her children.
One day the old goat wished to go into the woods to get food for her kids.
Before she started she called them all to her and said:
"Dear children, I am going into the woods.
Now do not open the door while I am away.
If the old wolf should get into our hut, he would eat you all up, and not a hair would be left.
You can easily tell him by his rough voice and his black feet."
"Dear mother," cried all the young kids, "we will be very careful not to let the old wolf in.
You need not think of us at all, for we shall be quite safe."
So the old goat went on her way into the dark woods.
She had not been gone long when there came a loud rap at the door, and a voice cried:
"Open the door, my dear children. I have something here for each of you."
But the young kids knew by the rough voice that this was the old wolf.
So one of them said, "We shall not open the door. Our mother's voice is soft and gentle. Your voice is rough. You are a wolf."
The old wolf ran away to a shop, where he ate a piece of white chalk to make his voice soft.
Then he went back to the goat's hut and rapped at the door.
He spoke in a soft voice and said, "Open the door for me, my dear children. I am your mother."
But the oldest little goat thought of what his mother had said.
"If you are our mother, put your foot on the window sill, that we