The Beacon Second Reader | Page 6

Oh, what a change!
The rags tumbled to the floor.
And, what do you think! in their place was a beautiful pink silk dress.
The ugly shoes fell off.
And, lo! a tiny pair of glass slippers were on Cinderella's little feet.
"Now listen to what I say," said the fairy godmother. "You must not
stay after the clock strikes twelve.
At that time your coach will again be a pumpkin, the men will be mice,
and you will have on your old ragged dress."
Cinderella said she would not forget.
Then she jumped into the coach, and away she drove to the king's ball.
CINDERELLA--II
The king's son was charmed with Cinderella.
She was so very beautiful that he would dance with her and with no one

else.
Cinderella had such a good time that she forgot about the clock.
It began to strike twelve--one, two, three.
Cinderella ran from the room.
Down the steps of the palace she flew.
She ran so fast that she lost one of her little glass slippers.
The clock finished striking.
Lo! the coach turned into a pumpkin.
The horses and men turned into mice.
Poor Cinderella had to walk home in her ragged clothes.
The next morning the prince found Cinderella's little glass slipper on
the stairs.
"There is only one maiden in all the world who can wear so tiny a
slipper," said the prince. "I will marry her and no other."
The prince hunted far and wide for a maiden who could put it on. Many
tried, but none could do it.
At last he came to the house where Cinderella lived. The two older
sisters tried and tried to put the slipper on their large feet.
While the prince was waiting, Cinderella came into the room.
"Let me try it," she said.
"You!" cried the older sisters. "You could never put it on."
"Let her try it," said the prince.
At once the little glass slipper was fitted to the tiny foot.
[Illustration]
Then Cinderella stood up; her ragged clothes turned into a beautiful
silk dress, and there were two little slippers on her two little feet.
Then the prince knew that Cinderella was the one he had danced with at
the ball, and taking her hand, he led her out to his coach.
Soon they were married and lived happily ever after.
English Fairy Tale

RAINDROPS
Oh, where do you come from, You little drops of rain, Pitter-patter,
pitter-patter, Down the windowpane?
Tell me, little raindrops, Is that the way you play? Pitter-patter,
pitter-patter, All the rainy day?

I sit here at the window; I've nothing else to do; Oh, I wish that I could
play, This rainy day, with you!
The little raindrops cannot speak, But "pitter-patter-pat" Means, "We
can play on this side, Why can't you play on that?"
ANN HAWKSHAWE

[Illustration]
THE FOUR FRIENDS--I
comb music giants chief
Once upon a time a man had a donkey.
His donkey had worked for him many years.
At last the donkey grew so old that he was no longer of any use for
work, and his master wished to get rid of him.
The donkey, fearing he might be killed, ran away.
He took the road to Bremen, where he had often heard the street band
playing.
He liked music, so he thought he might join the band.
He had not gone far when he came upon an old dog.
The dog was panting, as if he had been running a long way.
"Why are you panting, my friend?" asked the donkey.
"Ah," said the dog, "I am too old for the hunt. My master wished to
have me killed. So I ran away. But how I am to find bread and meat, I
do not know."
"Well," said the donkey, "come with me. I am going to play in the band
at Bremen. I think you and I can easily earn a living by music. I can
play the lute, and you can play the kettledrum."
The dog was quite willing, and so they be walked on.
They had not gone far when they saw a cat sitting in a yard.
He looked as sad as three days of rainy weather.
"What's the matter with you, old Tom?" asked the donkey.
"You would be sad, too," said the cat, "if you were in my place; for
now that I am getting old and cannot catch mice, they wish to drown
me. I have run away, but how I am going to live, I do not know."
"Come with us to Bremen," said the donkey. "We are going to play in
the band.
I know you love music, as you sing so well at night. You too can join
the band."

"That is just what I should like