Chapter VI: Part II: Stories to Tell (3)

Long ago in a country far away there was a town that was troubled with rats. These rats fought the dogs and killed the cats and bit the babies in their cradles. They ate up all the cheese. Yes, and often a man would find a rat’s nest in his Sunday hat. The people began to think they would have to move out and let the rats have the town. At last the Mayor and Council met to see if they could think of a way to get rid of them. They had almost given up when they heard a rap at the door. “Come in,” they said; and there stood a strange, tall, thin man, with a queer long coat, half yellow and half red, that came down to his heels, and a pipe upon which he played. “My friends,” said he, “I see you have a great many rats in your town. If I can rid you of them, will you give me a thousand guilders?” “Yes, fifty,” they cried; “only take away the rats!” Then Pied Piper stepped out into the street and began to blow on his pipe. Before he had played three notes, out of the houses the rats came tumbling--great rats, small rats, lean rats, fat rats, black rats, gray rats, brown rats, all following the Piper as if for their very lives. Straight to the river he walked, drawing the rats after him. In they plunged head first, and were all drowned. How the bells rang for joy! How the people shouted! The Mayor gave orders to poke out all the nests and fill up the holes. “First, if you please, my thousand guilders,” said the Piper. The Mayor and Council laughed: “Now the rats are dead, they won’t come back to life, you know. It was only a joke we spoke. We won’t give you more than fifty guilders.” Pied Piper threatened, but the Mayor said, “Do your worst. Blow your pipe till you burst.” Then the Piper stepped into the street again and played three notes, and at once all the children of the town came running, tripping, skipping, shouting merrily after the Piper and his wonderful music. When they reached the mountainside a great door suddenly opened and all the children went in with the Piper--all except one poor little lame boy who could not keep up, and came too late. And the door was shut. No one ever heard of the Piper or the children again. But the Mayor and Council agreed that when they owed any one anything after that they would pay it. And these words were kept in the town where all could see them: “Always keep your promise!”

8. DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT

Once there was a little boy named Dick Whittington, whose father and mother died and the people who took care of him were very poor. Often he had no breakfast or dinner. In the town where he lived Dick often heard about London, the great city, where people said nobody was ever hungry, nobody had to work, and the streets were paved with gold. Dick longed to go there. So one day when a big wagon, drawn by eight horses, all with bells on their heads, was going to London, Dick went along. But he was disappointed to find the streets covered with dirt instead of gold, and none would give the hungry boy even a crust of dry bread. At night he was so cold and tired he sat down on the stone steps of a great house and longed to be back in the town where he was born. Next day Dick found some work to do in the kitchen of this great house. He would have been happy there, but the cook beat him, and the rats and mice in the garret where he slept kept him awake at night, often running over his face. One day a gentleman gave him a penny. Dick bought a cat, which soon drove away all the rats and mice, and then the poor boy slept soundly every night.

Dick’s master was a rich merchant with great ships that he used to fill with all kinds of things to send to foreign lands. Whenever a ship was ready to sail it was his custom to call together all his servants and ask them to send something in the ship to trade for profit. So one day when the ship was ready, all the servants had something to send, except Dick, who said he had nothing in the world but a cat. “Send your cat, my lad,” said the master; “perhaps you will get something of profit for her.” Dick, with tears in his eyes, carried poor puss down to the ship and gave her to the captain. After the cat was gone the rats and mice came back and the cook treated Dick so cruelly that early one morning he ran away. He had not gone very far when he sat down on a stone to rest, and listened to the ringing of a merry chime of bells, which seemed to him to say:

Turn again, Whittington!
Turn again, Whittington!
Thrice Lord Mayor of London!

“If I am to be Lord Mayor of London,” said Dick, “I will go back and let the cook scold me as much as she pleases.” Then Dick turned back and reached the kitchen before any one missed him. Some time after that the ship came back, and the captain said Dick’s cat had won him a great fortune, for an African chief had bought the cat at a great price to drive away the rats and mice from the dining-table of his palace. Dick was cleaning pots in the kitchen when his master called him into his office. “Mr. Whittington,” he said, “your cat has brought you more money than I have in the whole world.” Dick was too kind to keep all for himself. He gave presents to his master’s daughter Alice, and to the captain, and to the sailors, and even to the cross old cook. When he was dressed in a nice suit of clothes he looked as handsome as any young man in London. So Dick Whittington, through his cat, became a rich merchant, married his master’s daughter, and became three times Lord Mayor of London.

9. THE BOY WHO HATED TREES

One night Dick was told by his father to rise early the next morning and help set out some new trees. “I hate trees,” said Dick, “I want to go fishing. I wish I lived in a land where there were no trees!” Then Dick fell asleep, and in his dream he heard the queerest rustling noise, and then a voice called out, “Here is a boy who hates trees!” A procession of trees came toward him. The willow was weeping; the poplar was trembling; the aspen was quaking; the pine and elm and maple and oak were followed by the fruit trees, like the apple and pear and cherry, while the walnut and birch and palm slowly brought up the rear. When all was quiet the Pine began: “Here is a boy that hates trees, and says we are of no use!” “Yes,” said the Maple, “and this morning he ate some of my sugar.” “Yes,” said the Willow, “and he made a whistle out of me.” “Yes,” said the Palm, “and he fanned himself with one of my leaves.” “And he got his bicycle tire out of me, and his rubber boots too,” said another tree. The Elm said: “I have a plan. The wind will help us. The wind is our friend.” So the wind took Dick and hurled him off to a great desert and dropped him down in a land where there were no trees. Dick felt very lonely and was full of fright when he saw a bear coming toward him in the distance, and there was no tree to climb. How glad he was that he was mistaken and that it was not a bear coming, but camels, with men on them. The men beckoned him to get up and ride, which he was glad to do. Soon he saw the men bowing down and thanking God and then waving their hands. Dick looked and saw a spot of green grass, a spring of cool water, and one of the things he hated--a tree. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life. He tumbled off the camel, ran toward the tree, and threw his arms about it, saying, “Dear tree, dear tree!”

The next morning Dick was glad to help his father plant the trees, and the school-teacher on Arbor Day said, “I think if good care will help the trees, they will get it from Dick.”

10. THE PRINCE WHO HATED SPIDERS AND FLIES

A young Prince in a rage once said, “I wish all the spiders and flies were driven out of the world!” Not long after that he had to hide at the close of a great battle in a wood, where he fell asleep under a tree. A soldier found him there, and was about to kill him, when a fly tickled the Prince’s face, which awoke him, and made the soldier run away. That same night the Prince hid himself in a cave across the mouth of which a spider wove a web. Next morning two soldiers seeking him were about to enter the cave when they saw the spider’s web. “He can’t be in there,” they said, and passed on. So a hated fly and a spider, after all, saved the Prince’s life!

11. TIRED OF BEING A LITTLE GIRL

“Oh, dear me,” sighed a little girl one fine morning, “I wish I could be something else!” “What would you like to be?” said a little voice. “I would like to be a rosebud,” she said. In a moment she felt her skirts twisting about her body, and when she touched her pink dress it was not calico but rose-leaves. She looked at her feet and they had turned green. So she knew she was a rosebud, growing on a bush in a garden. The wind swung her back and forth. It was so nice to be a rosebud. Suddenly a beautiful Fairy bent over and said, “I will drink the dew and eat the tender leaves of the rosebud for dinner.” “Don’t, don’t,” cried the little girl, “if you do you will eat my head.” The Fairy began to laugh. “Please, make me something else, quick,” cried the little girl; “make me into a bird.” In a minute she was a real, live bird hopping around among the daisies. “This is great fun,” she cried, “but I begin to feel hungry.” “Do you?” said a little voice; “then I’ll feed you.” In front of her stood the ugliest little man, holding in his hand a slimy worm, which he wanted to put into her mouth. She screamed out, “I won’t eat that worm! I’m not a real bird! I’m a--I’m a----” Just then she awoke and found she had been dreaming under the apple tree. Then she ran as fast as she could into the house, and cried, “O mamma, I’d rather be a little girl than anything else.”

12. THE ELEPHANT AND THE TAILOR

One day a tailor was sitting with his feet crossed by an open window, making some fine clothes, when an elephant, passing down to the river, playfully put his trunk in at the window. The tailor, out of meanness, pricked the elephant’s trunk with his sharp needle. The elephant in pain quickly drew it back and jogged on his way to the riverside, where, after quenching his thirst, he filled his trunk and mouth with the muddiest water he could find, and went back to the tailor’s window and squirted it all over him and his fine clothes, making him a laughing-stock to all his neighbors.

13. THE LOST CAMEL

A wise man of the East once met a company of merchants who had lost their camel in the desert. “Was the camel blind in his right eye, and lame in his left foot?” asked the man. “Yes,” they said. “Had he lost a front tooth?” “He had.” “And was he loaded with wheat on one side and with honey on the other?” “Yes, yes.” “Then,” said the man, “I haven’t seen your camel.” The merchants were angry and said: “You must have seen him, because you know all about him. You have taken our jewels and money from his load.” They seized the man and brought him to the judge, who heard the story. The judge, as well as the merchants, thought the man knew more about the camel than he wished to tell. “How did you know the camel was blind in one eye?” asked the judge. “I knew the camel was blind in one eye because it had eaten the grass on only one side of the path.” “How did you know it was lame in its left leg?” “Because I saw that the print of that foot was fainter.” “How did you know he had lost a tooth?” “Because wherever it had grazed a small tuft of grass was left untouched in the center of the bunch.” “But how could you tell what its load was?” cried the merchants; “tell us that.” “The busy ants on one side and the flies on the other showed me the camel was loaded with wheat and honey, and I knew it had strayed because there were no footprints before or behind.” “Go,” said the judge, “look for your camel.” The merchants did so, and found the beast not far away.

14. THE STORY WITHOUT AN END

Once a King who never tired of hearing stories said: “If any one can tell me a story that will last forever, I will give him my daughter and half my kingdom, but if he fails he shall have his head cut off.” The King’s daughter was very pretty, so many young men tried; but a week, a month, two or three months was all they could spin out their story, and off came their heads. At last a young man came who said, “I can tell a story that will last forever.” The King and his daughter begged him not to try, for they did not want to see another fine fellow lose his head. But he insisted that he would not fail, and so began his story: “Once upon a time a king built a high granary, and filled it with wheat to the very top. But in building it the workmen had left a very little hole near the ground, just large enough to let one little ant through. So a little ant went in and carried off a grain of wheat, then another little ant went in and carried off another grain of wheat, then another little ant went in and carried off another grain of wheat.” Day after day, week after week, the story-teller kept saying, “Then another little ant went in and carried off another grain of wheat.” “Tell us what happened after that?” pleaded the King. “O King, I must first tell you this,” he said; and so he continued several weeks longer. At last the King cried; “Man! Man! you will drive me wild with your ants. Take my daughter; be my heir; rule my kingdom; but let me hear no more of your abominable ants.” So the man married the King’s daughter, and they lived happily. But the King never cared to hear any more stories.

V

CHRISTMAS STORIES

(_Adapted for Children, Six to Twelve Years._)

1. SAINT CHRISTOPHER

Once there was a very strong man who could carry such heavy loads that he was called “Offero,” meaning “The Bearer.” He was very proud of his strength and said, “I will serve only the greatest king on earth.” He found a rich and powerful king and served him, until one day he saw his master tremble. “Why do you tremble, O king?” he asked. “Because I fear Satan, who is too strong for me.” “Then I will serve him,” said Offero. He went at once and served Satan, until one day he noticed his new master tremble before a cross, the cross on which Christ hung to overcome the strength of Satan. Then Offero went everywhere in search of the stronger master, Christ. He found a boy who said: “Yes, Christ is the strongest King on earth or in heaven. But to find him you must cross a broad river whose current is so swift that men are drowned in trying to cross. If you serve Christ by carrying over on your strong shoulders the weak and the little ones, you shall find the Christ of your search on the other side.” Offero built a hut beside the swift-flowing river, and whenever he saw a poor traveler trying to cross the stream, he bore him on his strong shoulders. Well was he named “The Bearer,” for he carried many across, and not one was lost. His staff was a great palm tree which he had plucked up by the roots. One night as he was resting in his hut he heard the cry of a little child, calling, “Offero, will you carry me over this night?” A weak little child stood near the river. Offero helped him on his strong shoulders and, staff in hand, began to cross the flood. But the wind blew furiously, the waves rose high, and there was a roaring in his ears as if a great ocean were let loose. The weight upon his shoulders bore him down until he feared he would sink. But he held firmly to his strong staff and at last reached the other bank and placed the child safely on the ground. “What have I borne?” cried Offero; “it could not have been simply a young child, for the weight was too great!” Just then the child suddenly changed into the form of the strong Christ-King, who said: “Offero, as thou didst wish to serve me, I accepted thee as my servant. Thou hast borne, not the weight of a child, but the weight of a world. Thou shalt be called ‘Christ-Offer--the Christ-Bearer,’ and shalt serve me always. Plant thy staff in the ground, and it shall put forth leaves and fruit.” Christopher did so, and the dry staff flourished as the palm tree, and was covered with clusters of fruit; but the Christ-Child had vanished from his sight.

2. THE FIR TREE

Far away in the forest grew a little Fir Tree. Around him stood tall pines and firs so large that the little Fir felt very discontented, wishing so much to be like the other trees. “If I were tall like them,” sighed the Fir, “I would spread my branches so far the birds would build their nests in my boughs, and when the wind blew, I should bow grandly like them.” So unhappy was the little tree that he took no pleasure in the warm sunshine, the birds, or the bright clouds. One day in winter when the snow was on the ground, a little rabbit jumped right over the little tree’s head. Oh, that made him so angry! Two years after, the wood-cutters came and cut down several of the largest trees and carried them away. “Where do they take these trees?” the Fir Tree said; and a stork replied: “As I was flying here from Egypt I saw great masts on the ships. That is what large trees become.” “Oh, how I wish I were tall enough to be a mast and sail on the sea!” sighed the Fir Tree.

Christmastime came, and many young trees were cut down, some that were even smaller than the Fir Tree, and men carried them away in wagons. “Where do they take those trees?” the Fir Tree asked; and the sparrows chirped: “We know! we know! We peeped in at the windows in the town and saw little trees like those planted in the middle of a warm room, and made beautiful with gilded apples, gingerbread, toys, and a hundred lights.” “I wonder if anything like that will ever happen to me?” cried the discontented Fir Tree; “that would be better than crossing the sea. Oh, when will Christmas come?” The wind and air and sun and birds tried to make the Fir Tree happy, but he only grew more discontented with his lot. One day, just before Christmas, the wood-cutter came again, and this time the Fir Tree was the first to be cut down and carried off. But he could not think of happiness now, for he was sad at leaving his home in the forest. He knew that he would never again see his dear old friends, the trees, the bushes, the birds, and the flowers. That morning the Fir Tree was stuck upright in a tub that stood on a rich carpet in a splendid parlor. Some ladies came in and began to dress his boughs with very pretty things--sugar-plums, apples, oranges, walnuts, dolls; red, blue, and white candles; and to the top was fastened a glittering golden star that shone as brightly as any star in the sky. The tree looked very beautiful. “Oh,” sighed the tree, “I wish all the candles were lighted! Will the trees of the forest come to see me? Will the sparrows peep in at the windows? I wonder if I shall stay pretty like this always?” At last the candles were lighted; the folding doors opened; happy children trooped into the room shouting and dancing with joy at the sight of the wonderful Christmas tree. Older people came too, to look at the sight and enjoy the presents which were taken one after the other from the tree, until all the candles were burned low and put out and only the glittering star remained. The happy children danced about the room with their pretty toys, and no one cared for the tree or looked at him except the nurse, who peeped among his branches to see if an apple or a fig had been forgotten. All night the tree stood in darkness. In the morning the servants dragged the tree from the tub and placed him upstairs in the dark attic, where he stayed all winter, hidden away from sight and forgotten by every one. In the spring the tree was carried down-stairs and taken out into the yard. “Now I shall live again,” said the Fir Tree, and he spread out his branches. But alas! his leaves were all withered and yellow, yet the star of gold still hung in the top, glittering in the sunshine. A boy seeing the star ran up and pulled it off the tree. “Look what was sticking to this ugly old Christmas tree,” he cried, trampling on the branches until they cracked under his feet. A few minutes later the gardeners boy came up with an axe and chopped the tree into small pieces and threw them into the fire. And just as he was dying, the Fir Tree saw the little boy wearing the star on his breast and sighed, “The night I was crowned with that beautiful golden star was the happiest night of my life.” And he knew that night of happiness was the longed-for Christmas Eve.--_Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen._

3. THE CHRISTMAS GIFT

Once in the sunny land of France there was a little girl named Piccola, who lived all alone with her mother. They were very poor, and little Piccola had no dolls or toys, and she was often hungry and cold. One day when her mother was ill, Piccola worked hard all day trying to sell the stockings which she knit, while her own little bare feet were blue with cold. As Christmas drew near she said to her mother: “I wonder what Saint Nicholas will bring me this year? I have no stocking to hang in the fireplace, but I shall put my wooden shoe on the hearth for him. He will not forget me, I am sure.” “Do not think of it this year, my dear child,” replied her mother; “we should be glad if we have bread enough to eat.” But Piccola could not believe she would be forgotten. On Christmas Eve she put her little wooden shoe on the hearth before the fire and went to sleep to dream of good Saint Nicholas. The poor mother looked at the shoe and thought how disappointed the little girl would be to find it empty in the morning, and sighed to think she had nothing to put in it. When the morning dawned Piccola awoke and ran to her shoe, and there in it lay something with bright eyes looking up at her. A little swallow, cold and hungry, had flown into the chimney and down to the room and had crept into the shoe for warmth. Piccola danced for joy, and clasped the shivering swallow to her breast. “Look! Look!” she said to her mother. “A Christmas gift, a gift from the good Saint Nicholas!” and she danced again in her little bare feet. Then she fed and warmed the little bird, and cared for it tenderly all winter long. In the spring she opened the window for it to fly away, but it lived in the woods near-by, and sang often at her door.--_Adapted from “Child Life in Many Lands,” Blaisdell._

4. THE GOLDEN COBWEBS

(A story to be told by the Christmas tree)

The night before Christmas the tree was all trimmed with pop-corn, and silver nuts, and golden apples, and oranges, and walnuts, and dolls, and bonbons, and a hundred colored candles. It was placed safely out of sight in a locked room where the children could not see it until the proper time. But ever so many other little house-folks had seen it. Pussy saw it with her great gray eyes. The house-dog saw it with his steady brown eyes. The yellow canary saw it with his wise bright eyes. Even the little mice had a good peek at it. But there was some one who had not seen the Christmas tree. It was the little gray spider! The housemother had swept and dusted and scrubbed to make everything clean for the Christ-Child’s birthday and every spider had scampered away. At last the little gray spider went to the Christ-Child, and said: “All the others see the Christmas tree, dear Christ-Child, but we are cleaned up! We like to see beautiful things too!” The Christ-Child was sorry for the little spider, and he said, “You shall see it.” So on Christmas morning before any of the children were awake, the spiders came creeping, creeping, creeping down the attic stairs, along the hall, under the door, and into the room where the Christmas tree was standing. Oh! it was beautiful to their little eyes as they looked upon it as much as they liked. Then father spider, mother spider, and all the spider family went creeping, creeping, creeping up the tree and all over its branches, and in great joy hurried back to their home in the attic. The Christ-Child looked down to see if the tree was all ready for the children, and oh!--it was all covered over with cobwebs! “How badly the housewife will feel at seeing those cobwebs!” said the Christ-Child. “I will change them into golden cobwebs for the beauty of the Christmas tree.” So that is how the Christmas tree came to have golden cobwebs.--_Adapted from “How to Tell Stories to Children,” by Sara Cone Bryant._

5. THE LEGEND OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE

One cold, wintry night, two little children were sitting by the fire when suddenly they heard a timid knock at the door. One of the children ran quickly and opened it. Outside in the cold and darkness, they saw a poor little boy, shivering, without shoes on his feet, and dressed in thin, ragged clothing. “Please, may I come in and warm myself?” he said. “Yes, indeed,” cried the children, “you shall have our place by the fire. Come in!” The little stranger boy came in and the kind children shared their supper with him and gave him their bed, while they slept on the hard bench. In the night they were awakened by strains of sweetest music, and, looking out of the window, they saw a band of children in shining garments coming near the house. They were playing on golden harps, and the air was full of Christmas music. Then lo! the Stranger-child, no longer in rags, but clad in silvery light, stood before them, and in his soft voice said: “I was cold and you let me in. I was hungry and you fed me. I was very tired and you gave me your nice soft bed. I am the Christ-Child who comes to bring peace and happiness to all kind children. As you have been good to me, may this tree every year bring rich gifts to you.” He broke a branch from the fir tree that grew near the door and planted it in the ground, and disappeared. But the branch grew into the Tree of Love, and every year it bore golden fruit for the kind children.--_Adapted from Lucy Wheelock in Bailey-Lewis, “For the Children’s Hour.”_

VI

BIBLE STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

(_Adapted for Children, Six to Twelve Years._)

1. HOW THE WORLD WAS MADE

(Genesis 1, 2)

In the beginning, long, long ago, God created this wonderful world and all things in it. At first there was no earth, no sun, no moon or stars, no grass or trees, no seas or sky. This great round ball, on which we live, was nothing but a great cloud of mist without shape or size. Everywhere there was great darkness. God was living in his home in heaven, and he said, “Let there be light.” So light was the first wonderful thing God made. Then God separated the sky mists from the earth mists. He made the waters roll back into seas; and the mountains, with great lakes between, appeared. When the sun and moon and stars shone out more brightly, driving the mists and water away from the dry land, God made grass and trees and flowers to spring up in great beauty and abundance; and each tree and flower had little, tiny seeds to send up little shoots to make others. Then great swarms of living things appeared--strange fishes and sea-monsters to swim in the waters, reptiles and creeping things to creep on the land, birds to fly through the air, and all kinds of four-footed beasts to roam through the forests. Still, there was no man nor woman, nor any little child anywhere to enjoy what God had made. So God created a man and called his name Adam. God placed him in a large garden called Eden, filled with beautiful and useful things--rivers of water to water it, gold and precious stones, trees good for food, animals, birds, and fishes. Adam gave names to all the animals. But among them all there was not one to talk with him. So God made a beautiful companion for Adam and called her name Eve. This first man and woman lived together very happily in this beautiful Garden of Eden, caring for the flowers and fruit, watching the animals, loving each other, and talking with God, their Creator and Friend.

2. HOW A HAPPY HOME WAS LOST

(Genesis 3)

Adam and Eve were very happy in their beautiful garden-home in Eden. In the cool of the day, when the sun went down, and the garden was quiet, they knew that God was very, very near them, walking and talking with them. All the animals and plants, all the beautiful trees were for their use. But there was one tree with fruit that God, to teach them to obey, told them not to eat. For a long time they thought of nothing else but doing exactly what God told them. But one day Eve stopped in front of the tree and looked at the fruit. How good it looked! She wondered how it tasted. Then she turned to go away, for she knew that God had said that whoever tasted it would die. Just then she heard a voice. She looked, and the voice came from a bright, shining snake, coiled close in front of the tree. The snake said, “Did God say you shall not eat of any tree of this garden?” Eve said, “God said we shall not eat of this tree, nor touch it, lest we die.” “You will be like God if you eat it; you will know good and evil.” She listened to this voice tempting her to do what was wrong. Then she looked at the tree again. It looked so good to eat and so pretty, and as if it would make one know a great deal, that she picked some of the fruit and ate it. Then she ran and gave some to Adam, and he ate it too. That evening, when the sun was going down, making long shadows upon the grass, and a cool breeze was rustling the leaves, and the garden was all lonely and still, Adam heard the sound of God in the garden. Instead of gladly running to meet their heavenly Father and Friend, as they had always done before when he came to talk with them, they were afraid, and ran and hid themselves among the trees. God called to Adam, “Where art thou?” Guilty and ashamed, Adam said, “I heard thy voice, and I was afraid.” God said, “Hast thou eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee not to eat?” Adam said, “Eve gave it to me and I ate.” Eve said, “The snake tempted me, and I ate.” God told the snake he must crawl always flat on the ground, and every animal and man would hate him more than any other creature. He told Adam and Eve, because they had disobeyed him, they must be driven out of the beautiful garden and must dig and work hard in getting their food in desert lands among thistles and thorns, stones and timber, and at last, he said, they must die. But God still loved them, and gave them a beautiful promise of a loving Saviour who would be so obedient and pure and strong that he would prepare for them a beautiful city in the place of their garden-home, which they had lost through disobedience.

3. THE FIRST TWO BROTHERS

(Genesis 4)

The first two brothers in the world were Cain and Abel. They were born after their parents were driven out of their beautiful garden-home in Eden. When these boys grew up, Cain, the elder, became a farmer, and Abel became a shepherd. Their parents brought them up always to ask God to forgive them when they did wrong, and to bring offerings to him of what they had. One day when they came with their gifts, Abel, with a loving heart, carried a lamb, the best of his flock, but Cain brought some fruit in a careless way. God was well pleased with Abel’s gift, because of the love that came with it; but not with Cain’s, because Cain kept hatred to his brother in his heart. Cain was angry and his face became dark and scowling. God said: “Why are you angry and scowling? If you do well, will you not be happy? If you do not well, hatred in your heart will crouch, like a lion, ready to spring at you.”

But Cain paid no attention to God’s loving word. One day he said to Abel, “Come into the field with me.” When they were there alone, the crouching lion of hatred in Cain’s heart sprang up, and Cain lifted up his hand and slew his brother. Then Cain heard God’s voice saying, “Where is thy brother?” He answered untruthfully, “I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?” Then as Cain had done this wicked deed, God sent him from his home and parents to become a wanderer on the earth, working even harder than his father and his mother did. Cain’s suffering was just what he had brought upon himself, yet he said, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” He was afraid wherever he went men would seek to kill him, for he knew he deserved to be killed. But God gave him a mark by which he could know that God was still watching over him and would not let any one kill him. So Cain went away and built a city and lived unhappily the rest of his life, away from his father and mother, because he had allowed hatred instead of love to live in his heart, and because he had not tried to please his loving Father in heaven.

4. THE FLOOD AND THE RAINBOW

(Genesis 6-8)

Once when God looked down on the people of the earth, he saw that there was only one good man to be found anywhere. All the rest were disobedient and very wicked. So God planned to save all who would be obedient to him, but to destroy all the disobedient, in order that such great wickedness should not increase over all the earth. God told Noah, the one just and good man, his plan. He told him to build a large ark, half boat and half house. It was to be five hundred feet long, fifty feet high, and eighty-three feet wide--about the size of a big ocean steamer to-day. There were to be three stories, many rooms, and a window on the top. The one door was to be on the side. This great houseboat was not to be for travel, but only to float on the water. In the ark Noah, his wife and sons, and his sons’ wives, and all others who would obey God, were to be saved. For one hundred long years Noah and his sons worked away building this strange ship--hammering, sawing, planing, and laying great beams hundreds of feet long. The people laughed at Noah and mocked him. It was very hard for Noah to be mocked, but he kept right on with his work, telling them of God and his holiness and how their wickedness was grieving God. But they would not listen, nor change their ways, nor believe any flood would come. At last the great ark was finished. Then Noah gathered together two of every kind of birds and animals, and they marched or flew into the ark, and behind them Noah and his family went in, with food for all to last for many months. And God shut the door. So they were safe because they had obeyed God.

Then the rain began to fall. Thunder crashed and echoed from the mountains and the wind dashed the rain against the ark. Torrents of rain came down, until soon the ark began to float. Higher and higher it rose, rocking and tossing, up above the treetops, above the hills, above the mountains. The flood had come, and the wicked people were all drowned. But Noah and his family were safe inside the ark. After forty days the rain stopped, but the water flooded in from the sea. For one hundred and fifty days the waters rose, and then began to go down. But the ark rested on one of the high mountains. Noah opened the window and sent forth a raven, and then a dove. The raven flew away, resting on things floating in the water. The dove came back several times, once bearing an olive-branch in her beak. At last she did not return, by which Noah knew the dove had found land on which to rest, and that the water was gone. Then Noah and all in the ark went out, after being in it more than a year. The first thing Noah did was to thank God for saving him and his family. Then Noah looked up in the clear, blue sky and there was a wonderful rainbow, with every color in it, arching the heavens. This was God’s sign and promise that he would never again destroy the world with water. So every time they saw a rainbow after that, they remembered that God was looking at it too, remembering this promise of his: “During all the days of the earth, sowing and reaping, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease.”

My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky;
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The child is father to the man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

5· THE GENEROUS UNCLE AND THE SELFISH NEPHEW

(Genesis 12-19)

Long, long after the flood, there lived a good man whose name was Abram, “the friend of God.” He was the first Hebrew. At first he lived in a large city on the river Euphrates. It was a beautiful city with fine buildings, gardens, fountains, statuary, and other things for comfort and pleasure. Abram and his people were rich. They had everything to make them happy, excepting one thing. Abram saw that in all that great city, in all that country, none worshiped God but himself. There were many temples where the people worshiped the sun, moon, stars, and many false gods. There were beautiful temples built, and beautiful music sung to the Sun-god, but no thanks were given to the great Creator of the sun and moon and man. A good deal of their worship was very wicked and cruel, and often boys and girls were burned to please the idols. Abram saw all this was false and wicked. One day God told him to leave that land and take a long journey to another land that God would show him. At last Abram reached a land so rich in vines, fruit trees, and pastures for flocks and herds, that it was called “the land flowing with milk and honey.” Here Abram and Lot, his brother’s son, lived in tents. Both were very rich in cattle, goats, sheep, servants, and silver and gold. But when the servants of Lot and Abram kept quarreling over which should have the best pasture for feeding their flocks, Abram said to Lot: “Let there be no quarrel between thee and me, and between our servants, for we are brethren. Choose the land you wish, and I will take what is left.” Abram was older than Lot, and had always been kind and generous, like a father, to him. Lot should have given his uncle the first choice. Instead of that, Lot greedily chose the well-watered plain-lands near the river Jordan, leaving to his uncle the hilly land. Abram generously let him keep them. Lot moved close to the wicked city of Sodom. Soon after, in a battle, Lot and his family and his servants were taken prisoners. Lot had not treated his uncle well, but that made no difference to Abram. He was a true friend, loving Lot even when he did not do right. So he rescued Lot and saved all the property the kings had stolen. Lot went back to Sodom, making his home this time inside the city, among its wicked people, and he grew more forgetful of God.

One day, in Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities of the plain, a great fire broke out which destroyed everything Lot had. Only for Abram’s prayer to God, Lot would have been burned up too. But for Abram’s sake, two angels came and led Lot and his wife and two daughters out of the city, telling them not to look back nor stay in all the plain, but flee to the mountains. Lot’s wife looked longingly back at the wicked cities, and was changed into a pillar of salt in the very plain upon which she, with Lot, had so much set her heart. Lot and his two daughters were saved only by fleeing to the mountain land that Lot had despised and Abram had taken. So, after all, the selfish nephew did not choose so well as the unselfish uncle, “the friend of God.”

Yes, Faith, Life, Song, most meetly named him “Friend”;
All men’s he was and is, till time shall end.
And in the Christ-path he so closely trod
That all men saw he was “the Friend of God.”

6. THE OBLIGING GIRL AT THE WELL

(Genesis 24)

“Laughter” is a queer name for a boy. But “Laughter” is the name Abraham gave his son. That is what Isaac means. When Isaac grew up Abraham did not like the idea of his son marrying any of the young women of that land because they all worshiped idols; so he called his head servant and told him to go far away to the country where Abraham’s own people lived, and there find a young woman who would be the right sort of wife for Isaac. It was a long, long journey across the desert. Abraham gave the servant ten camels, and servants, and tents, with gold and silver, and precious stones and rich robes, to give as presents to the young woman and her family. After many days of travel the servant came to a city where some of Abraham’s people were still living. Outside the city was a well with a trough for the camels to drink from. He knew every evening young girls and women came with their pitchers for drinking water to this well. He decided when they came he would ask for a drink, and whoever gave him a drink and also offered to give the camels a drink by filling the watering-trough, would prove the wife for Isaac. He also prayed God to guide him. While he was praying there came to the well a beautiful young girl carrying a pitcher on her shoulder. When she had filled her pitcher the servant said, “Let me drink, please.” She said, “Drink, my lord,” and quickly let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him a drink. Then seeing how tired the camels looked, her kind heart made her say, “I will get water for your camels too.” Camels drink a great deal of water, and there were ten of them, but this obliging girl did not stop filling the large watering-trough until every thirsty beast had drunk enough. Quietly the servant watched her, and when he saw how friendly she was he gave her a splendid gold earring and two beautiful bracelets of gold and asked her name and whether there was room in her father’s house for him to stay over night. She told him her name was Rebecca--a relative of Abraham’s family--and said there was plenty of room for them to spend the night. Then the servant thanked God, for he knew this kind, obliging girl was just the one whom God wanted to become Isaac’s wife. When they came to the house, the servant told his story to all, and gave still more beautiful presents to Rebecca and to her sister and brothers. Early the next morning the old servant wanted to start back at once, because God had prospered his journey. They called Rebecca and said to her, “Wilt thou go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” So Rebecca’s queer bridal party, herself and her old nurse, Deborah, and several maids, mounted on camels and escorted by Abraham’s servants, began the long march to Isaac’s home in Canaan where she and Isaac were married. They loved each other dearly. And Abraham was glad that “Laughter” had found so good and true a wife in the friendly girl at the well.

7. THE LADDER THAT REACHED TO HEAVEN

(Genesis 28)

Isaac and Rebecca had two boys, Esau and Jacob. Esau became a hunter, and Jacob a shepherd. One day Esau came home from hunting very hungry. He asked Jacob to give him some of the red broth that he had just cooked. Jacob knew that Esau cared nothing for his birthright (that is, all that he would receive as the eldest son). But Jacob wanted that more than anything else in the world. So Jacob said, “Will you give me your birthright if I do?” Esau said, “Yes, I am starving; give me the broth for the blessing.” Jacob could not believe Esau meant it; but he did mean it, and so sold his birthright for something to eat. Not long after, Jacob received the birthright blessing from his father, Isaac. Then Esau was sorry and angry, and hated his brother, and planned to kill him. Rebecca told Jacob what Esau was planning to do, and sent him to her brother’s home to save Jacob’s life.

So Jacob had to leave his father and mother and home and start alone on a long journey with nothing but a long cloak to wrap about him at night. When the sun went down, as he was thinking of the great wrong he had done his brother, tired and sad at heart, he lay down to sleep on a stony hillside, placing one of the stones under his head for a pillow. At last he fell asleep, and in his dream he saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven. He saw beautiful shining angels coming down the ladder and going back. At the top he saw God looking down on him, saying, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham and thy father Isaac.” God promised if he would do what was right, that he would forgive all his wrong--be with him in all his journey and give him the wonderful promises made to Abraham and Isaac.

Early in the morning, when Jacob awoke, he knelt beside that stone, promising God that he would be a better man. He lived to be an aged man--one hundred and forty-seven years old--but he never forgot that place which he called “The House of God,” from which he saw the ladder that reached to heaven, showing him that God was near him.

From this story the beautiful lines of the hymn, which have been such a comfort to many upon battlefields and in the hour of death, were written:

Though like a wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,
Yet, in my dreams I’d be,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee.

8. THE SLAVE-BOY WHO BECAME A PRINCE

(Genesis 37 to 47)

Jacob had twelve sons, and Joseph was next to the youngest. He was the best loved of all, and his father showed how much he loved him by giving him a coat of many colors. This made his older brothers jealous and angry. When Joseph was sixteen years old he dreamed that he was binding sheaves of grain in a field with his eleven brothers and his father and mother, and all the other sheaves bowed down to his sheaf. Another dream he had was that the sun and moon and eleven stars bowed down to him. When Joseph awoke he told these queer dreams to his brothers. No wonder they called him “the dreamer” and teasingly said, “Shall we all, indeed, come to bow down to you?” Soon after this his nine big brothers caught this boy out in a field and put him down into a deep pit, and then sold him to camel-drivers as a slave for twenty pieces of silver (about one hundred and twenty dollars). Then they killed one of their own goats, dipped Joseph’s coat of many colors, which they had taken off him, into the blood, and taking it home, wickedly made their father think a wild beast had eaten Joseph. Jacob mourned for him as dead, and the brothers thought the dreamer would never tell any more of his dreams.