Madeline Brandeis

“ But still the toy maker held the violin.
Now he turned once more to Fritz and boomed, "Do you think one makes toys to be given away to every beggar on the streets? Each time I go out, something happens. Toys are ruined or given away or stolen! And all the time you must fiddle, fiddle, fiddle!"
"Yes, yes, Father, you are right," agreed clever Mitzi. "Fritz is a stupid little donkey! But now it is Mitz who will keep the violin. You can trust me, Father. Come! Let me have the violin." ”

“ The Guignol plays are over for the day. The men who make them are packing to go.
Now everyone is gone but Jeanne. Jeanne and the Pierrot are alone. The little girl goes up to the puppet.
"They have forgotten you, Pierrot," she says softly, "but maybe they do not care."
Then Jeanne sits down on a bench with Pierrot in her arms.
"But come, come. You must not mind, Pierrot, if they do not love you. You must not mind if they throw you aside and clap for Guignol. See! I love you very much. And even if you do wear shabby clothes and your paint is dull, that does not matter." ”

“ Bah did not spend much time in her hogan. No sooner was she up in the morning than she was outside gathering sticks for the breakfast fire. From the time she put her little brown face outside the hogan door, bright and early in the morning, until nightfall when she cuddled down in her warm Navajo blanket, she was out in the air—and the air is so fresh out there in the desert; so much fresher than it is in the big smoky cities. ”

“ Belgium has more miles of railway than any other country of its size in the world.
Philippe was having a noisy ride, huddled up in the corner of a freight car. He was tired out from all the excitement of travel during the day. Even the sounds of passing trains, the swaying motion, the puff-puffing and shrill whistling all around him could not keep him awake. Philippe and Trompke slept.
Philippe did not know how long he had been sleeping when he suddenly sat up straight. The train had stopped. The boy rubbed his eyes. All was black around him. He could feel the soft coat of Trompke beside him. ”

“ The many lands I've seen and the many strange things would open wide your eyes. I am in a fairy city. The lights at night do be shining like the stars. And the noise is like a thousand thunders.
"But the shoemaker is kind. I work hard, but I am paid a handsome sum. And I study at night in a fine school. I am happy but for the sorrow of leaving you. Keep in your heart your faith, for I'll be coming back to get you.
Your Shaun."
When Eileen walked back to the village with her letter clasped in her hand, a crowd of children surrounded her. ”

“ In the wee village of Aberfoyle, which is in Perthshire County, Scotland, lived Alan Craig, a shepherd.
The sheep of Scotland, like the bagpipes and bluebells, are famous, and in Aberfoyle there are many.
Dotted alongside the road are the bright bluebells, lighting up in true fairy array the darkness made by big, shady trees.
Shrieking through the stillness of a summer evening, comes the sound of the bagpipes. This music is fur [Pg 12] nished by a tattered piper marching up and down, up and down. He hopes that the people will throw pennies for the love of the tune he plays. ”

“ Anna looked up. "Why, Papa?" she asked.
"Because it is filled with cats," answered her father. "Tabbies and Tommies, black and white, grey and yellow. They wander about and sprawl in the shade of fine old trees. They have plenty to eat and nothing to fear. It is a kitty paradise!"
"I want to go to that park some day," said Anna.
"There is a magic fountain in Rome," read her father. "It is said that he who drinks from the Fontana Trevi will some day be drawn back to The Eternal City.
"The Appian Way is sometimes called The Queen of Roads. It was a great highway built by the ancient Romans. ”

“ The two gentlemen laughed. The Englishman had, of course, translated the words to his friend. They thought Philippe a very jolly lad. They did not know how really discontented he was. How little we can tell sometimes by looking at people what is really going on in their hearts!
"But now tell us," asked the Englishman. "Have you always lived in Brussels?"
"I have lived here all my life," Philippe answered. He then added timidly, "If you would like me to take you around the city after lunch I could show you many interesting sights. There are few places I do not know in Brussels." ”

“ Billy didn't like to press her, so, dragging his blanket, and with his crown over one ear, he stumbled over to the loom and stood before Mrs. Fighting Bull with the query: "Why don't Navajos like fish?"
Mrs. Fighting Bull did not smile, for once, and replied: "Not because no like! No eat because ancestors once turned into fish. If Navajo eat fish, he eat ancestor!"
Satisfied with this explanation, Billy thanked her and trotted back to his friend. "I understand now, Bah," he said. "But you see this isn't a real fish, it's candy! You try." ”

“ They stood looking up at the toy maker like gingerbread children out of "Hansel and Gretel."
Mr. Toymaker reached out his hand to take the violin from Fritz. But the boy put it behind his back.
"Please, please," he said, "don't take it away from me, Father!"
Now Mr. Toymaker really did not want to hurt Fritz any more than he could help. He loved this little fellow, even if he did think the boy to be only an idle, music-loving scamp.
"Fritz," he said in a kinder tone, "you will soon be a man. You must learn to bear disappointments. Come, now! Give me the violin like a good boy." ”

“ IN OLD CADIZ (A Legend of the Castanets)
Before the Moors came into Spain, Cadiz, or Gadir, as it was then called, had become famous for its dancers. Throughout the land they were known for their grace and beauty.
Now there lived at this time one who had grown too old to dance any more. So she wished to teach her little daughter the steps she had once loved so well.
But strangely enough, she was afraid to do this—afraid, because a savage race called the Visigoths (vĭz ́ĭ gŏths) were sweeping through Spain and were trying to destroy the art of the people. ”

“ Is he a coward?"
The little man drew himself up. "Where is the island?" he asked.
"Come," said Erik. "I will show you."
He led the way to the edge of the lake. The white night lit up the countryside and gave to it an elfin beauty. Erik pointed to a deserted strip of land far out in the center of the lake.
"That," he said, "is the island."
The Baron swallowed a pill. "Where is the boat?" he gulped. His voice still shook, but Erik began to wonder if perhaps Baron Karl was braver than he had supposed.
If so, this would be a good joke on Erik. For it was he who had left Greta on the island. ”

“ And when Auntie had left them alone, Jeanne whispered to her little puppet friend, "Pierrot, the policeman shall not be bad in our stories! He is good, you see. In our stories you shall be the hero. The policeman shall be a kind man who loves children. Guignol shall be the wicked one, and you shall kick and beat him." ”

“ Then she said, "John, how do you know that I am a fairy?"
The little boy answered promptly, "Because I was after calling the fairies that day by the lake. And because I did take off my petticoat and put on the clothes of a boy."
"Do you believe that was the reason I took you away?" asked Marjorie.
"I do," answered John firmly. "And," he continued, "if I had been in the petticoats of a girl, you would never have noticed me at all."
"Why?" Marjorie queried.
"Sure, and the Good People do be wanting the boys to work for themselves. They'll not be noticing girls, and they so weak!" John answered. ”

“ CHAPTER III PIPERS
"Do you think my dog would grieve if I should die?" asked Ian, as he brushed away a tear with his sleeve and tried to distract Sandy's attention from his action.
"Ay, if you treat him kindly, lad," answered the old man. "Beasties are faithful to us when they know we love them."
"Ay," said Ian. "Roy is faithful, and a smart sheep dog, too."
"Do you like fine to herd the sheep, laddie?" asked Sandy. ”

“ TONY, ANNA, AND TINA
Tony sat up and stretched. He felt very weak but the fever had passed. The day was young. Nobody stirred in the streets of Pompeii. It was too early for the gates to open.
Tony arose. "Come," he said to his dog. "Let us go. We can crawl through the fence. We shall have breakfast. Then, I know what I shall do."
It was all so simple. It had come to him quite suddenly. He must be a thief no longer! He must take Tina back to Anna. Tina was Anna's pet.
He bought some food for the dog. But Tony himself could not eat. His heart ached. He was going to lose his dear little friend. ”

“ Thus it happened that Auntie Sue arrived at the nursery door in time to hear the two little girls discussing a serious question.
Auntie Sue did not want to eavesdrop. She would not have listened to the children if she could have helped herself. But the fact of the matter was that Auntie Sue became rooted to the floor, and she could not move.
For the first thing she heard was Jeanne's voice saying, "Oh, Margot! I hate all those silly clothes! I hate being a model. I want to be just a little girl." ”

“ Everyone strolls in Seville; there is no hurry. Nearly everyone sings; there is no worry. Hurry and worry are as much out of place in this city as a woman's hat shop. For white flowers and black lace shawls take the place of hats in Seville.
Pilar hummed to herself as she walked along. Some day she would grow up to be a great dancer like her mother and—
What was that? A light in her house? She looked through the window and saw the doctor bending over her grandfather's bed. ”

“ Go into the cave with the other children."
"I must go home to Mother and Father and Fritz," said Mitzi. "It grows late. See! The sun is sinking."
Indeed, it had become darker, and there was a chill in the air.
"Go into the cave, Mitzi," repeated the tall stranger quietly.
Then he began to play the sweetest music that Mitzi had ever heard. He walked into the cave, prancing as he walked. Mitzi got up. She wanted to run home, but she could not. She could only follow the Piper into the cave.
Now, at the toy maker's wagon the family began to worry. It was almost dark, and Mitzi had not come home. ”

“ The Swedes love peace. In fact, all Scandinavian peoples love peace. This fact is shown by the wise way in which Sweden and Norway, who were united for many years under a Swedish king, dissolved their union in 1905. Without the firing of a gun or the shedding of a drop of blood, the two countries [Pg 26] broke the bond and settled their differences in a peace that has lasted to this day. For over a century, they have not had war, and Erik was as peaceful as a boy could be. But then, Sweden has never been invaded by a conquering enemy, and Hanssonborg had. ”

“ Still, instead of being jealous of Philippe, the stranger kept smiling at his neighbor. When the crowd had gone and it was time to start for home, the man came over to Philippe's booth.
"Did my Zelie tell you of her travels?" he asked Philippe.
"Oh, yes," replied the boy eagerly. "What great fortune to be able to wander about the country as you do, sir!"
The man looked at Philippe with those flashing eyes.
Then he said, "You could do so, too. You and the singing bird could earn great sums of money wandering about and singing. Why not go?" ”

“ That was the whisper that buzzed all about the village the next day.
Little Eileen, with swollen eyes, told her mother how she had left the lad on the bank of the lake. She told how he had planned to put on the clothing of a boy and call the fairies. She wept as she told how brave he had been and how he had promised to write to her.
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Her mother smiled sadly and said, "Och, the poor lad will never write! Never will Ireland see himself again! Sure, it's lost he is, and he standing by the banks of that lake in the clothing of a man child! For the fairies do be looking for his likes. ”