Maud Summers

“ Proserpina told her all about King Pluto’s castle.
“I was so unhappy, Mother dear,” she said, “that I did not eat anything until to-day. Then King Pluto gave me some fruit that had grown in one of your gardens.”
“Oh, my little Proserpina!” said Mother Ceres. “Why did you eat it?”
“I did not eat all of it,” said the little girl. “I swallowed only six seeds.”
“My child,” said Mother Ceres sadly, “you ate those six seeds in King Pluto’s castle. So you will have to spend six months of every year under the ground with him. While you are gone nothing shall grow. ”

“ THE FEAST OF EGGS.
There was once a princess who left her beautiful castle. She went to live in a little house in the country.
One day she told her servant to go to the village and buy some eggs for supper.
“Eggs!” said the servant. “There are no birds’ eggs.”
“I did not ask for birds’ eggs,” said the princess. “Buy hens’ eggs, of course.”
The servant shook her head and said, “We have no hens. I do not know what kind of birds they are.”
The princess thought that she would surprise the boys and the girls of the village. So she sent an old man far away. ”

“ Queen Darkness gladly carried their good servant, the Moon, to her dark castle to live with Queen Sunshine’s children.
She named them the Star-children. Queen Darkness always keeps the Star-children near her. The little ones are so close together that they look like a silver ribbon on her dress. ”

“ The next spring it was great fun to look for the flowers which The Traveler’s Joy had planted.
One day Mary’s father sent for her. When she came home, she found the old Squire talking to her father. He held some cowslips in his hand.
He gave them to Mary, and said, “My dear, I am sorry that I sent you out of the meadow.”
“But I was not digging up your cowslips,” Mary said.
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The old Squire put his hand on her head. “I know, my child,” he said. “You are The Traveler’s Joy.”
“I am glad the cowslips grew,” Mary said. “I hope they will grow all over your meadow.” ”

“ PATTIE’S NEW DRESS.
When Pattie was a little girl, long ago, she needed a warm new dress.
Grandmother said, “I’ll spin the wool for it.”
“And I’ll weave the cloth,” said Sister Rachel.
“And I’ll make the dress,” said the little girl’s mother.
The sheep had given the wool from their backs for Pattie’s new dress.
“It is as soft as down, and as white as milk, and as beautiful as snow,” said Pattie.
Grandmother carded the wool fine and smooth. Then she fastened it on her spindle and sent the spinning-wheel whirling round. ”

“ Mother Ceres! Come quickly and help me!”
But Mother Ceres was a great way off, and could not hear her cry.
“I will not harm you,” said the man. “I am King Pluto. All the gold and silver under the ground belong to me.
“I will give you a garden full of prettier [127] flowers than those in your hand. Where I live all the flowers are made of pearls and rubies.”
Just then Proserpina saw Mother Ceres in a field far away. She gave a loud cry, but King Pluto only made the horses go faster.
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As they went under the earth it grew darker and darker. By and by they came to his castle. ”

“ What a good time the children had getting ready for the feast! They gathered the wild plums and grapes. They put pop-corn in the ashes of the wide fireplace. Then they watched until the “Snap! Crack! Snap!” was heard.
The Indians came, gaily dressed in skins, and paint, and feathers. They brought five large deer to the feast.
The Indians came in time for breakfast and stayed three whole days. So they must have had a good time. They played games, and danced, and sang.
Before the feast the Indians and the Pilgrims thanked God for His goodness to them. ”

“ The people said that he could play the Nixie’s music. They came from far and near to hear it. But Nils knew that he could not play it, although he could still hear it.
He played at all the feasts. He made more money with his violin than he did when he worked in the woods.
When he grew to be a man, he was very gentle and kind. People came to him when they were sad and wanted help. They called him Wise Nils.
Once two men were traveling through the country. They came to hear Nils play.
The travelers had never heard such beautiful music. They asked Nils to go with them and play in many countries. ”

“ She had no apples and nuts to give them. So she colored some eggs red, blue, and yellow.
When the children came, the princess took them into the woods. She told them to make nests out of the grass and leaves.
They left the nests under the trees. Then they went into the garden where a feast was waiting for them.
While they were eating, the princess carried the colored eggs into the woods. She filled the nests with them.
Then she went back to the children and said, “Come, now! Let us look for our nests.”
The children hunted everywhere. When they found the nests, they clapped their hands for joy. ”

“ When Philemon and Baucis turned to go back, the older traveler said, “Good Philemon and Baucis, you gave us not only milk and bread but also a kind welcome. Ask for anything you want, and you shall have it.”
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Philemon and Baucis looked at each other and said, “Grant that we may die together.”
“You shall have your wish,” said the traveler. “Now look at your home.”
They saw a beautiful white castle standing where their little house had been.
The old people fell on their knees to give thanks. When they looked up, the travelers were not there. ”

“ She thought the bird was dead.
“Poor little Swallow!” she said. “You must not lie on the cold snow.”
Thumbling wove a mat of hay. Then she laid it over the Swallow. She found some soft wool and made a warm bed.
“Good-by, you pretty little Swallow,” she said.
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Then Thumbling laid her head against the bird. The Swallow moved. It was not dead. It was only cold.
The Swallow opened its eyes and looked at Thumbling.
“Thank you, pretty child,” he said. “I am warm now. Soon I shall fly about in the bright sunshine.”
“Oh!” said Thumbling. “You cannot live out of doors. Cold winter is here. ”

“ THE FEAST OF FLAGS.
The fifth of May is the great day for boys in Japan. It is called the Feast of Flags.
Everywhere poles with gold paper balls on the top may be seen. Paper flags of all colors fly from these.
The boys get up early on the day of the Feast [99] of Flags. They go to the room where the dolls had their feast.
Now the room is filled with flags, toy soldiers, and the games that boys like. Their grandfathers and great-grandfathers played with some of these.
All day long the boys play at war with their soldiers. Sometimes they go into the garden and shoot at straw soldiers. ”

“ But there was one kind fairy who had not made her wish.
“No!” she said. “The princess shall not die. She shall fall asleep for a hundred years.”
The king and the queen were frightened. So they said that no spinning-wheel should be used in all the land.
II
One day, when the princess was fifteen years old, she went into a high tower of the castle. There sat an old woman spinning.
“Good morning,” said the princess. “What are you doing?”
“I am spinning,” said the old woman.
“Oh,” cried the princess, “how I should like to spin!” ”

“ At last some one told her that Proserpina had been carried off by King Pluto.
Then Mother Ceres said, “The grain shall not grow, nor the flowers bloom, until my little girl is given back to me.”
The earth turned brown, and there was no food for men nor animals. So they asked King Pluto to make the earth green by sending Proserpina home. ”

“ I do not like to live in the dark ground when it is so beautiful above.”
Thumbling sat upon the Swallow’s back. Then he flew high up into the air.
By and by they came to a warm country.
A large white flower was growing in a garden. The Swallow flew down and set Thumbling upon one of its broad leaves.
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VII
In the middle of the flower she saw a little tiny man. He was no larger than Thumbling.
The tiny man was as pure and white as if made of glass. He had a gold crown on his head and bright wings on his shoulders.
He was the King of the flower fairies. ”

“ PICCOLA.
Fred and May lived one winter in a country where the sun was always bright and warm.
What good times they had playing in the garden!
One day they saw a queer little girl watching them. She did not look like the little girls they played with at home.
She wore a long red dress. On her feet were little wooden shoes.
She said that her name was Piccola. She told them that she was alone all day, because her mother went out to work.
Fred and May asked her to come and play with them in the garden.
One day the children were talking about Santa Claus.
“Who is that?” asked Piccola. ”

“ Naka lives where it is very cold. There is snow and ice nearly all the year.
Naka lives in a queer little round house made of cakes of snow. The door is so close to the ground that she has to creep in and out on her hands and knees.
One day Naka’s mother dressed the little girl in her warm fur clothes. ”

“ One day some white people came over the sea in a ship. They were called Pilgrims.
It was cold, and snow was on the ground.
The Pilgrims sent out some men to walk along the shore.
They were looking for a good place to build their log-houses.
They soon came to a pile of sand. They began to dig, and found a basket full of corn. It belonged to the Indians.
The Pilgrims did not know that the Indians could make such large, strong baskets. It took two men to lift the basket of corn from the ground.
The white men had never seen Indian corn. ”

“ All day and all night the bright sun was shining on the earth. Naka had a merry time playing in the warm sunshine.
She ran about on the soft green grass and picked the pretty flowers.
She found some berries one day and carried them home to her mother. ”

“ They all sat around the bonfire and ate the good things which Mother and Sister Polly carried down in a basket.
Father showed them how to toast apples, pop corn and roast nuts in the fire.
“Now let us march around with the pumpkins on our heads,” said Brother Ben.
Mother sat on a rug and watched them. After a while little Martha joined her and soon the rug held them all.
“Please, Mother, tell us a story,” said little Martha.
Mother told them about the brownies and elves who come out on Hallowe’en to help the farmer, and all the busy people who work for us. ”

“ Philemon and Baucis lived in the castle a long, long time. One morning they could not be found.
The people looked everywhere for them. At last they saw two large trees standing in front of the castle.
One was an oak, the other was a linden-tree. The people wondered where they came from. Just then the wind began to blow, and the trees seemed to be talking.
“I am Philemon,” said the Oak.
“I am Baucis,” said the Linden.
Whenever a traveler rested under the trees, the leaves seemed to say, “Welcome, dear traveler! Welcome!”
Nathaniel Hawthorne (Adapted) .
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NOVEMBER.
Ah! ”

“ It is so strong that it can swim very fast and even jump over waterfalls.
In America, fathers tell their sons to be brave and strong like the eagle. But in Japan, they tell them to be brave and strong like the carp.
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FRANKLIN’S KITE.
A long time ago there lived a wise man named Benjamin Franklin.
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People did not know much about lightning in those days. Franklin made a kite to catch some of it.
He knew that rain would spoil paper, so he covered his kite with silk. He put a piece of pointed wire at the top of the kite to draw the lightning into it. ”

“ Each day Robert put the nuts nearer the house.
They named the squirrel Lady Gray.
One day Robert’s mother sat down in a chair on the porch. She put some nuts on the floor and kept very still.
After a while Lady Gray came up on the porch. She looked at Robert’s mother, then she took a nut and ran away as fast as she could.
By and by Lady Gray became so gentle that she would hunt for nuts in their pockets.
One morning Father put a nut on his shoulder. Lady Gray jumped on Father’s shoulder and ate the nut. How they all laughed. ”

“ Lincoln read them over and over.
One day a man let him take a book about George Washington. When he went to bed, Lincoln put it between the logs of the house.
When he awoke he found that the snow had fallen upon the book and spoiled it. He took it back to the man and told him he was very sorry.
The man said, “You must either pay for the book, or work three days in my corn-field.”
At the end of the three days the man said, “You are an honest boy, Abe. You may keep the book.” ”

“ Some young men lived with him. The master artist taught them how to make the same beautiful things.
One summer day, one of these young men was very sad. A little boy with golden hair ran up to him and said, “Dear Luca, why are you so unhappy?”
“Oh, Raphael!” said Luca. “The great duke wants us to paint him a bowl and a vase. The master says that the artist who makes the most beautiful one may live with him always. He will also have a gift from the duke.”
“When must the bowl and the vase be ready?” ”

“ Soon Little Son was as gentle as Lady Gray. Sometimes he would let them put their hands on his soft fur.
One day Robert was out walking with his father. They saw a hole in an old tree.
Robert’s father held him up so that he could put his hand in the hole. The squirrel’s nest was almost full of nuts.
All summer Robert had good times, playing with Lady Gray and Little Son.
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THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER.
There was once a kind old shoemaker who was very poor. He had leather to make only one pair of shoes. ”

“ THE BIRDS’ CHRISTMAS FEAST.
Far away across the sea, there is a very cold country.
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The ground is covered with snow almost all the year, and the birds cannot get enough to eat.
So every Christmas the children are the birds’ Santa Claus.
In the summer the children go into the fields and gather grain for the birds.
The day before Christmas such a wonderful thing happens!
Over the snow the birds come from north, south, east, and west. ”