The Beacon Second Reader | Page 9

tree, Young birds in their pretty nest; I must not, in play, Steal the birds away, To grieve their mother's breast.
My mother, I know, Would sorrow so, Should I be stolen away; So I'll speak to the birds In my softest words, Nor hurt them in my play.
And when they can fly In the bright blue sky, They'll warble a song to me; And then if I'm sad It will make me glad To think they are happy and free.
LYDIA MARIA CHILD

[Illustration]
WHY THE BEAR'S TAIL IS SHORT
Did you ever go to a circus where there was a bear in a cage?
Did you notice how short his tail was?
I will tell you how the bear's tail came to be short.
One very cold day in winter, a fox saw some men taking home a load of fish.
The fox jumped upon the wagon while the men were not looking.
He threw off some of the best fish until he had enough for his dinner.
Then Mr. Fox jumped from the wagon and began to eat the fish.
While he was eating the fish, Mr. Bear came along.
"Good morning," said Mr. Bear, "you have had good luck fishing to-day. Those are very fine fish. How did you catch them?"
"They are fine fish," said Mr. Fox.
"If you will go fishing with me to-night, I will show you how to catch even better fish than these."
"I will go with you gladly," said the bear. "I will bring my hook and line too."
"You don't need a hook and line," said the fox.
"I always catch fish with my tail. You have a much longer tail than I, and can fish so much the better."
At sunset the bear met the fox.
They went across the frozen river until they came to a small hole in the ice.
"Now, Mr. Bear," said the fox, "sit down here on the ice and put your tail through the hole. You must keep still for a long while. That is the best way to catch fish.
Wait until a great many fish take hold of your tail. Then pull with all your might."
The bear sat very still for a long time.
At last he began to feel cold and he moved a little.
"Ow!" he cried, for his tail had begun freeze in the ice.
"Is it not time to pull out the fish?" said the bear.
"No, no," cried the fox.
"Wait until more fish have taken hold of your tail. You are very strong. You can wait a little longer."
So the poor bear waited until it was almost morning.
[Illustration]
Just then some dogs began to bark on the bank of the river.
The bear was so afraid that he jumped up quickly and pulled with all his might, but his tail was frozen fast in the ice.
He pulled and pulled until at length the tail was broken short off.
Mr. Fox ran away laughing and laughing at the trick he had played upon Mr. Bear.
Bears' tails have been short ever since.
German Folk Tale

[Illustration]
RUMPELSTILTSKIN--I
glistened guess mourn chamber
Once upon a time there lived a miller who had a beautiful daughter.
Now the miller had to visit the king's castle and, while there, he happened to meet the king face to face.
The king stopped and spoke to the miller. The miller, wishing the king to think that he was very rich, told him that he had a daughter who could spin straw into gold.
"Ah," said the king, "that is indeed a wonderful gift. To-morrow you must bring your daughter to my castle, that she may spin some gold for me."
Then the miller was afraid and wished he had not spoken, but he had to do as the king ordered.
The next day he brought his daughter to the castle.
Now it happened that the king loved gold above all things. So taking the poor girl by the hand, he led her into one of the great rooms of the castle.
There, in the middle of the room, stood a spinning wheel, and near it was a great heap of straw.
The king turned to the miller's daughter, and said:
"There is your spinning wheel, and here is the straw. If you do not spin all of it into gold by morning, your head shall be cut off."
Then the king left the room and locked the door behind him.
The poor girl could only sit and weep, for she had not the least idea how to spin straw into gold.
While she was crying, the door flew open and a little old man stepped into the room.
He had bandy legs, a long red nose, and wore a tall, peaked cap. Bowing low to the maiden he said:
"Good evening, my dear young lady. Why are you crying?"
"Alas," said the girl, "the king has ordered me to spin all this straw into gold, and I do not know how."
Then the little man said, "What will you give me if