Chapter I: Preface

ALTHOUGH it is admitted by all teachers, in theory at least, that morals and manners are essential subjects in the curriculum of life, how very few give them an appointed place in the school routine. Every other subject has its special time allotted, but these--the most important subjects--are left to chance, or taken up, haphazard, at any time; surely this is wrong.

Incidents often occur in the school or home life which afford fitting opportunity for the inculcation of some special moral truth, but maybe the teacher or mother has no suitable illustration just at hand, and the occasion is passed over with a reproof. It is hoped that where such want is felt this little book may supply the need.

The stories may be either told or read to the children, and are as suitable for the home as the school. "The Fairy Temple" should be read as an introduction to the Story Lessons, for the _teaching_ of the latter is based on this introductory fairy tale. If used at home the blackboard sketch may be written on a slate or slip of paper. The children will not weary if the stories are repeated again and again (this at least was the writer's experience), and they will be eager to pronounce what is the teaching of the tale. In this way the lessons are reiterated and enforced. The method is one which the writer found exceedingly effective during long years of experience. Picture-teaching is an ideal way of conveying truths to children, and these little stories are intended to be pictures in which the children may see and contrast the good with the bad, and learn to love the good. The faults of young children are almost invariably due either to thoughtlessness or want of knowledge, and the little ones are delighted to learn and put into practice the lessons taught in these stories, which teaching should be applied in the class or home as occasion arises. _E.g._, a child is passing in front of another without any apology, the teacher says, immediately: "Remember Minnie, you do not wish to be rude, like she was" (Story Lesson 111). Or if a child omits to say "Thank you," he may be reminded by asking: "Have you forgotten 'Alec and the Fairies'?" (Story Lesson 95). The story lessons should be read to the children until they become perfectly familiar with them, so that each may be applied in the manner indicated.

CONTENTS.

1.--MORALS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I. INTRODUCTORY STORY--
1. The Fairy Temple 1

II. OBEDIENCE--
2. The Two Voices 4
3. (Why we Should Obey.) The Pilot 6
4. (Why we Should Obey.) The Dog that did not
like to be Washed 7
5. (Ready Obedience.) Robert and the Marbles 9
6. (Unready, Sulky Obedience.) Jimmy and the
Overcoat 9

III. LOYALTY--
7. Rowland and the Apple Tart 10

IV. TRUTHFULNESS--
8. (Direct Untruth.) Lucy and the Jug of Milk 12
9. (Untruth, by not Speaking.) Mabel and Fritz 13
10. (Untruth, by not Telling _All_.) A Game of
Cricket 14
11. (Untruth, by "Stretching"--Exaggeration.)
The Three Feathers 16

V. HONESTY--
12. Lulu and the Pretty Coloured Wool 17
13. (Taking Little Things.) Carl and the Lump
of Sugar 19
14. (Taking Little Things.) Lilie and the Scent 19
15. Copying 20
16. On Finding Things 22

VI. KINDNESS--
17. Squeaking Wheels 23
18. Birds and Trees 24
19. Flowers and Bees 25
20. Lulu and the Bundle 26
VII. THOUGHTFULNESS--
21. Baby Elsie and the Stool 27
22. The Thoughtful Soldier 28

VIII. HELP ONE ANOTHER--
23. The Cat and the Parrot 29
24. The Two Monkeys 30
25. The Wounded Bird 31

IX. ON BEING BRAVE--
26. (Brave in Danger.) How Leonard Saved his
Little Brother 32
27. (Brave in Little Things.) The Twins 33
28. (Brave in Suffering.) The Broken Arm 34
29. (Brave in Suffering.) The Brave Monkey 35

X. TRY, TRY AGAIN--
30. The Sparrow that would not be Beaten 35
31. The Railway Train 36
32. The Man who Found America 37

XI. PATIENCE--
33. Walter and the Spoilt Page 38
34. The Drawings Eaten by the Rats 39

XII. ON GIVING IN--
35. Playing at Shop 40
36. The Two Goats 41

XIII. ON BEING GENEROUS--
37. Lilie and the Beggar Girl 41
38. Bertie and the Porridge 42

XIV. FORGIVENESS--
39. The Two Dogs 43

XV. GOOD FOR EVIL--
40. The Blotted Copy-book 43

XVI. GENTLENESS--
41. The Horse and the Child 45
42. The Overturned Fruit Stall 46

XVII. ON BEING GRATEFUL--
43. Rose and her Birthday Present 47
44. The Boy who _was_ Grateful 47

XVIII. SELF-HELP--
45. The Crow and the Pitcher 48

XIX. CONTENT--
46. Harold and the Blind Man 49

XX. TIDINESS--
47. The Slovenly Boy 50
48. Pussy and the Knitting 51
49. The Packing of the Trunks 53

XXI. MODESTY--
50. The Violet 54
51. Modesty in Dress 55

XXII. ON GIVING PLEASURE TO OTHERS--
52. "Selfless" and "Thoughtful". A Fairy Tale 56
53. The Bunch of Roses 56
54. Edwin and the Birthday Party 57
55. Davie's Christmas Present 59

XXIII. CLEANLINESS--
56. Why we Should be Clean 61
57. Little Creatures who like to be Clean 62
58. The Boy who did not like to be Washed 63
59. The Nails and the Teeth 64

XXIV. PURE LANGUAGE--
60. Toads and Diamonds. A Fairy Tale 66

XXV. PUNCTUALITY--
61. Lewis and the School Picnic 67

XXVI. ALL WORK HONOURABLE--
62. The Chimney-sweep 69

XXVII. BAD COMPANIONS--
63. Playing with Pitch 70
64. Stealing Strawberries 71

XXVIII. ON FORGETTING--
65. Maggie's Birthday Present 73
66. The Promised Drive 74
67. The Boy who Remembered 75

XXIX. KINDNESS TO ANIMALS--
68. Lulu and the Sparrow 76
69. Why we Should be Kind to Animals 77
70. The Butterfly 78
71. The Kind-hearted Dog 78

XXX. BAD TEMPER--
72. How Paul was Cured 79
73. The Young Horse 80

XXXI. SELFISHNESS--
74. The Child on the Coach 82
75. Edna and the Cherries 82
76. The Boy who liked always to Win 83
77. The two Boxes of Chocolate 84
78. Eva 85

XXXII. CARELESSNESS--
79. The Misfortunes of Elinor 86

XXXIII. ON BEING OBSTINATE--
80. How Daisy's Holiday was Spoilt 87

XXXIV. GREEDINESS--
81. Stephen and the Buns 89

XXXV. BOASTING--
82. The Stag and his Horns 90

XXXVI. WASTEFULNESS--
83. The Little Girl who was Lost 91

XXXVII. LAZINESS--
84. The Sluggard 91

XXXVIII. ON BEING ASHAMED--
85. The Elephant that Stole the Cakes 92

XXXIX. EARS AND NO EARS--
86. Heedless Albert 94
87. Olive and Gertie 95

XL. EYES AND NO EYES--
88. The Two Brothers 97
89. Ruby and the Wall 98

XLI. LOVE OF THE BEAUTIFUL--
90. The Daisy 99

XLII. ON DESTROYING THINGS--
91. Beauty and Goodness 100

XLIII. ON TURNING BACK WHEN WRONG--
92. The Lost Path 101

XLIV. ONE BAD "STONE" MAY SPOIL THE "TEMPLE"--
93. Intemperance 103

2.--MANNERS.

XLV. PRELIMINARY STORY LESSON--
94. The Watch and its Springs 104

XLVI. ON SAYING "PLEASE" AND "THANK YOU"--
95. Fairy Tale of Alec and his Toys 105

XLVII. ON BEING RESPECTFUL--
96. Story Lesson 108

XLVIII. PUTTING FEET UP--
97. Alice and the Pink Frock 109

XLIX. BANGING DOORS--
98. How Maurice came Home from School 110
99. Lulu and the Glass Door 111

L. PUSHING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE--
100. The Big Boy and the Little Lady 112

LI. KEEPING TO THE RIGHT--
101. Story Lesson 113

LII. CLUMSY PEOPLE--
102. Story Lesson 114

LIII. TURNING ROUND WHEN WALKING--
103. The Girl and her Eggs 115

LIV. ON STARING--
104. Ruth and the Window 116

LV. WALKING SOFTLY--
105. Florence Nightingale 117

LVI. ANSWERING WHEN SPOKEN TO--
106. The Civil Boy 118

LVII. ON SPEAKING LOUDLY--
107. The Woman who Shouted 119

LVIII. ON SPEAKING WHEN OTHERS ARE SPEAKING--
108. Margery and the Picnic 120

LIX. LOOK AT PEOPLE WHEN SPEAKING TO THEM--
109. Fred and his Master 122

LX. ON TALKING TOO MUCH--
110. Story Lesson 122

LXI. GOING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE--
111. Minnie and the Book 124
112. The Man and his Luggage 124

LXII. WHEN TO SAY "I BEG YOUR PARDON"--
113. Story Lesson 125
114. The Lady and the Poor Boy 126

LXIII. RAISING CAP--
115. Story Lesson 126

LXIV. ON OFFERING SEAT TO LADY--
116. Story Lesson 127

LXV. ON SHAKING HANDS--
117. Reggie and the Visitors 129

LXVI. KNOCKING BEFORE ENTERING A ROOM--
118. The Boy who Forgot 130

LXVII. HANGING HATS UP, ETC.--
119. Careless Percy 130

LXVIII. HOW TO OFFER SWEETS, ETC.--
120. How Baby did it 132

LXIX. YAWNING, COUGHING AND SNEEZING--
121. Story Lesson 132

LXX. HOW A SLATE SHOULD NOT BE CLEANED--
122. Story Lesson 133

LXXI. THE POCKET-HANDKERCHIEF--
123. Story Lesson 135

LXXII. HOW TO BEHAVE AT TABLE--
124. (On Sitting Still at Table.) Phil's Disaster 136
125. (On Sitting Still at Table.) Fidgety Katie 136
126. (Thinking of Others at Table.) The Helpful
Little Girl 137
127. (Upsetting Things at Table.) Leslie and the
Christmas Dinner 138
128. Cherry Stones 138

LXXIII. ON EATING AND DRINKING--
129. Rhymes 140
130. Rhymes 141