Chapter I: Front Matter

WORTH WHILE STORIES
FOR EVERY DAY

ARRANGED, COMPILED, AND EDITED
BY
LAWTON B. EVANS, A.M.

WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE TEACHERS OF THE
PRIMARY GRADES OF THE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS OF AUGUSTA, GA.

1923
MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

COPYRIGHT, 1917,
BY MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY,
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

_Bradley Quality Books_

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A WORD TO STORY TELLERS

In order to make story-telling most effective, the story-teller should bear in mind certain conditions that are imposed by those who listen.

1. _Know the story._ Know it well enough to tell it in your own language, and in the language of the children who hear it. Know it well enough to amplify, vary, improve, make all kinds of excursions and side incidents, and yet return easily to the main body of the story.

2. _Tell the story._ Do not read it. The speaker is free and unbound by book or words; the reader is held by the formal page before him. The stories in this book are condensed, too condensed for reading and need the addition of words to make them of the right consistency. Those words should be the narrator’s own; the story then becomes the narrator’s story and not the author’s, and that is as it should be.

3. _Act the story._ Do not be afraid of the dramatic side of narration. Imitate all the sounds that belong to the story, such as the winds blowing, the thunder rolling, a bear growling, a dog barking, etc. Change your voice to meet the requirements of youth and age. Throw yourself heart and soul into the spirit of the narrative and do not be afraid to take all the parts, and to act each one in turn.

4. _Impress the story._ Remember that the story is the main thing and that the moral point is secondary. Do not make the story a sermon, and do not dwell severely upon its ethical features. If the story is amusing let it be without moral value. If it is historical let it remain so. Generally speaking you can bring out the moral features in a few words at the close. Children do not like too much sermonizing.

5. _Use the story._ If the story lends itself to dramatization, by all means let the children act the parts; if it is a good language exercise, let them tell it or write it in their own words; if it can be illustrated let them draw pictures on the board or at their seats; if it can be used for handwork in any way, let them make what they can.

6. _Enjoy the story._ Make it worth while for pupils to be punctual in order to hear the story; recur often to past stories when occasion recalls them to mind; let the imagination play around all the incidents so that the mind will be filled with those images that have been the joy of childhood since the world began.

Augusta. Ga. LAWTON B. EVANS.

CONTENTS

PAGE

ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 185
ABRAHAM LINCOLN (FEB. 12TH) 281
ABSALOM 322
ADVENTURES OF PERSEUS, THE, PART ONE 43
ADVENTURES OF PERSEUS, THE, PART TWO 46
ADVENTURES OF THESEUS, THE, PART ONE 92
ADVENTURES OF THESEUS, THE, PART TWO 94
ADVENTURES OF THOR, THE 103
ALL FOOLS’ DAY (APRIL 1ST) 346
AN ARMY OF TWO 130
ANDROCLUS AND THE LION 17
ANTONIO CANOVA 196
APPLE TREE’S CHILDREN, THE 39

BAD-TEMPERED SQUIRREL, THE 8
BAKER BOYS AND THE BEES, THE 409
BARMECIDE FEAST, THE 353
BEAUTIFUL HAND, THE 1
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, PART ONE 260
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, PART TWO 262
BELL OF ATRI, THE 344
BENNY IN BEASTLAND 269
BEOWULF CONQUERS THE MARSH MONSTER 187
BEOWULF SLAYS THE FIRE DRAGON 192
BEOWULF SLAYS THE WATER WITCH 189
BINDING OF FENRIR, THE 110
BIRTH OF JESUS, THE 156
BLIND MAN AND THE ELEPHANT, THE 5
BLUE RIBBON, THE 41
BOBBIE, THE POWDER BOY 89
BOYHOOD OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE (FEB. 22ND) 315
BOY WHO CRIED WOLF, THE 279
BOY WHO WANTED TO PLAY ALWAYS, THE 34
BRUCE AND THE SPIDER 21

CERES AND HER DAUGHTER 218
CINDERELLA 383
COLUMBUS (DISCOVERY DAY, OCT. 12TH) 48
COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE CITY MOUSE, THE 405
DAMON AND PYTHIAS 133
DAVID AND GOLIATH 50
DEATH OF BEOWULF, THE 194
DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT, PART ONE 369
DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT, PART TWO 371
DIRTY TOM 19
DISCONTENTED MEMBERS, THE 3
DISCONTENTED TAILOR, THE 180
DISOBEDIENT DICKY BIRD, A 237
DOG’S GRATITUDE, A 412
DOROTHY’S DREAM OF HAPPINESS 255
DRAGON SLAYER, THE 161
DUMMLING’S GOOSE 381
DUMMLING’S REQUEST 378

EGYPTIANS ARE DROWNED IN THE RED SEA, THE 140
ELEPHANT’S TRUNK, THE 82

FAIRY FISH QUEEN, THE 416
FAITHFUL BRUNO 285
FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE, THE 297
FOOLISH FRED 168
FOUR-LEAF CLOVER 392
FREYJA’S NECKLACE 108
FRIEDRICH FROEBEL (APRIL 21ST) 376

GIFTS OF THE NORTH WIND, THE 149
GINGERBREAD MAN, THE 311
GIRL WHO WANTED EVERYTHING, THE 299
GOLDEN TOUCH, THE 348
GOLD GIRL AND THE TAR GIRL, THE 364
GOOSE BOY AND THE KING, THE 283
GOOSE GIRL, THE, PART ONE 163
GOOSE GIRL, THE, PART TWO 166
GRATEFUL INDIAN, THE 87

HANS IN LUCK 175
HESTER’S EASTER OFFERING 388
HOW A GIRL SAVED A FORT 182
HOW ARTHUR BECAME KING 60
HOW ARTHUR CAME BY HIS SWORD 62
HOW GEORGE SAVED THE TRAIN 126
HOW JACK CAME TO HAVE A WINDOW BOX 253
HOW ROBIN HOOD BECAME AN OUTLAW 325
HOW ROBIN HOOD CEASED TO BE AN OUTLAW 334
HOW ROBIN HOOD MET FRIAR TUCK 329
HOW THE LITTLE BIRD REACHED HOME 244
HOW THE RABBIT GOT ITS COTTON TAIL 233
HOW WE CAME TO HAVE UMBRELLAS 249

JACK AND JILL 37
JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK, PART ONE 10
JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK, PART TWO 12
JACK AND THE GIANT 290
JOHNNY’S RABBIT 251
JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN, PART ONE 112
JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN, PART TWO 115
JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN, PART THREE 117
JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN, PART FOUR 119
JOURNEY OF A DROP OF WATER, THE 246
JULIA’S PRESENCE OF MIND 407

KILLING THE BIRDS 226
KIND-HEARTED POLICEMAN, THE 399
KING ALFRED AND THE CAKES 147
KING COPHETUA AND THE BEGGAR MAID 396
KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE, THE 64
KRIS AND THE BEAR 97

LAME PRINCE, THE 267
LATONA 216
LEADERSHIP OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE 320
LEAK IN THE DIKE, THE 198
LEGEND OF THE MOUNTAIN ASH, THE 121
LEGEND OF THE SPIDER WEB, THE 14
LEGEND OF THE WOODPECKER, THE 235
LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER’S GRANDDAUGHTER, THE 207
LITTLE GRAY LAMB, THE 76
LITTLE PINE TREE WHO WISHED FOR NEW LEAVES, THE 159
LITTLE RED HEN, THE 30
LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD 178
LOOKING-GLASS WITCH, THE 367
LOUIS AND THE THREE WISHES 145

MAGIC POT, THE 423
MIGHTY MEN, THE 414
MIRROR, THE 23
MOSES IN THE BULRUSHES 137
MOTHER EARTH’S CHILDREN 212

NÜRNBERG STOVE, THE, PART ONE 339
NÜRNBERG STOVE, THE, PART TWO 341

ODIN AND THE DWARFS 101
ONE-EYE, TWO-EYES, AND THREE-EYES, PART ONE 355
ONE-EYE, TWO-EYES, AND THREE-EYES, PART TWO 357

PASSING OF SIR GALAHAD, THE 69
PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN, THE 265
PIG AND THE SHEEP, THE 25
PIPPA PASSES 142
PLANTING AN ORCHARD (ARBOR DAY) 288
PRINCE AND THE DRAGON, THE 128
PRINCESS LOSES THE FOOT RACE, THE 258
PROUD KING, THE, PART ONE 360
PROUD KING, THE, PART TWO 362
PUSS IN BOOTS, PART ONE 301
PUSS IN BOOTS, PART TWO 304

RABBIT TRIES TO CATCH FISH, THE 73
RACE WITH A FLOOD, A 99
RAGS 421
ROBERT E. LEE (JAN 19TH) 240
ROBERT’S RIDE 78
ROBIN’S EGGS, THE 313
ROBIN HOOD MEETS LITTLE JOHN 327

SAINT GEORGE AND THE DRAGON 228
SAM DAVIS 124
SAMSON 276
SEEDS OF GOLD 214
SHOEMAKER AND THE ELVES, THE 28
SHOOTING MATCH AT NOTTINGHAM TOWN, THE 332
SIEGFRIED SLAYS THE DRAGON 135
SIR GALAHAD FINDS THE HOLY GRAIL 67
SIX SWABIANS, THE 171
SLEEPING BEAUTY, THE, PART ONE 203
SLEEPING BEAUTY, THE, PART TWO 205
SNOWFLAKE 419
SODOM AND GOMORRAH 374
SPINDLE, THE SHUTTLE AND THE NEEDLE, THE 336
STORY OF THE JACKBEAN 390
STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN, THE 173
SUNSHINE FAIRY, A 272
SWISS WOOD CARVER, THE 53

THANKSGIVING 85
THOR CONTENDS WITH THE GIANTS 106
THREE LITTLE GOLDFISH 401
THREE LUCKY SONS, THE 385
THRIFTY SQUIRRELS, THE 32
TINY TIM, PART ONE 152
TINY TIM, PART TWO 154
TOM THUMB, PART ONE 292
TOM THUMB, PART TWO 295
TRAVELING MUSICIANS, THE 394
TUBAL CAIN 201

UGLY DUCKLING, THE, PART ONE 221
UGLY DUCKLING, THE, PART TWO 223

VISION OF SIR LAUNFAL, THE, PART ONE 55
VISION OF SIR LAUNFAL, THE, PART TWO 57

WAX WINGS 403
WHAT THE STUPID SON LEARNED 274
WHITE CAT, THE, PART ONE 306
WHITE CAT, THE, PART TWO 309
WHY THE BLUEBIRD CARRIES HAPPINESS 242
WILLIAM TELL 80
WIND AND THE SUN, THE 210
WISDOM OF SOLOMON, THE 230
WISE LITTLE PIG, THE 350
WOODPECKER WHO WAS SELFISH, THE 71

YOUNG MANHOOD OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE 318

WORTH WHILE STORIES FOR EVERY DAY

THE BEAUTIFUL HAND

_The most beautiful thing in life is helping others, especially those in need._

It is right to have clean hands and well kept nails. We should remember that cleanliness of body is akin to purity of heart. I shall tell you a story of some hands that were not only clean but very beautiful.

Some young girls were talking by the brook, boasting of their beautiful hands. One of them dipped her hands in the sparkling water and the drops looked like diamonds falling from her palms.

“See what beautiful hands I have! The water runs from them like precious jewels,” said she, and held up her hands for the others to admire. They were very soft and white, for she had never done anything but wash them in clear, cold water.

Another one of them ran to get some strawberries and crushed them in her palms. The juice ran through her fingers like wine from a wine press until her fingers were as pink as the sunrise in the early morning.

“See what beautiful hands I have! The strawberry juice runs over them like wine,” said she, and she held up her hands for the others to admire. They were very pink and soft, for she had never done anything but wash them in strawberry juice every morning.

Another one gathered some violets and crushed the flowers in her hands until they smelled like perfume.

“See what beautiful hands I have! They smell like violets in the deep woods in the spring time,” said she, and she held up her hands for the others to admire. They were very soft and white, for she had never done anything but wash them in violets every morning.

The fourth girl did not show her hands but held them in her lap. An old woman came down the road and stopped before the girls. They all showed her their hands and asked her which were the most beautiful. She shook her head at each one and then asked to see the hands of the last girl who held hers in her lap. The last girl raised her hands timidly for the old woman to see.

“Oh, these hands are clean, indeed,” said the old woman, “but they are hard with toil, helping her mother clean the house and nurse the baby, and mend the clothes. They have carried food to the poor and have nursed the sick babies in the neighborhood.”

Then the old woman fumbled in her pocket and brought out a ring set with diamonds, with rubies redder than strawberries, and turquoise bluer than violets.

“Here, wear this ring, my child; you deserve the prize for the most beautiful hands, for they have been the most helpful.”

And the old woman vanished, leaving the four girls still sitting by the brook.

THE DISCONTENTED MEMBERS

_All the parts must work together for the good of the whole. In union there is strength and safety._

Once upon a time all the parts of the body began to complain of how little the stomach did, and of what each one did to support that lazy member.

“Just look at that stupid old stomach,” said the mouth. “It won’t say a word; never sings a song. Won’t even say ‘thank you,’ for what I let go by me on the way down to fill it up. I am getting tired of opening and shutting and swallowing and never a word of thanks.”

“You are perfectly right,” said the hands. “Here we are working hard all day, digging and pulling and pushing and doing our best to make a little money. Our palms are hard and knotty, and sometimes our fingers are sore and cold. Then to make it worse, when we come home we have to lift food to go into that good-for-nothing stomach, and never a word do we get for it.”

The head nodded violently: “Yes, indeed!” it said. “I have to lie awake at night thinking of ways to make food. I sometimes am positively worn out worrying about where I am going to find provisions enough to satisfy that stomach. I should think it would make some suggestions of its own, but not a sound do I ever hear.”

Then the legs began to beat on the floor in order to be heard.

“You have no idea how bad we feel,” said they. “We have to go about all day carrying that old stomach from one place to another. We have to stand up and sit down, and the loads that are put on us are absolutely frightful. Sometimes we are so tired out that we positively tremble with weakness. And as for getting any consideration--not a bit of it!”

All the other members joined it. The eyes said they kept a sharp look out; the ears said they listened for every sound, and even the ribs said they stood guard to catch any blow that might fall on the stomach.

The members all agreed not to help the stomach any more. The head would not think; the hand would not work; the mouth would not swallow, and so no more food went into the stomach.

But see what happened! The legs grew too weak to walk; the hands were too feeble to move; the head was dizzy from lack of strength, and all the body shrunk until it looked like a shadow.

Then the stomach spoke up at last and said:

“You foolish members! Do you not know that in feeding me you are feeding yourselves? You put food into me but I send it back to you in blood and strength so that you can all work. Unless you feed me I cannot help you.”

The head nodded wisely and said: “The stomach is right. Come, let us all go to work again, so that the good old stomach may give us back our strength.”

THE BLIND MAN AND THE ELEPHANT

(Adapted from a poem by John G. Saxe)

_We should not be sure of our opinions until we have seen all sides of the question._

There were six men of Hindoostan who were blind, but each man thought he could see as well with his hands as any one else could with his eyes. Whenever they touched anything they thought they knew all about it, though they had felt only a small part.

Now, these six blind men had never seen an elephant. They did not know what an elephant was like because nobody could describe an elephant so that they could know what it was like. Besides that, these blind men never believed what anybody told them.

One day an elephant came to their town and they decided to pay him a visit. The first blind man approached the elephant and stumbled against his big broad side. He felt along the rough hide up and down and as far as he could reach.

“Why, bless me! the elephant is just like a wall or the side of my house. I had no idea an elephant was like that!” said the first blind man.

Then the second blind man approached the elephant and caught hold of his hard tusks with the sharp points. He felt along the smooth tusk as far as he could reach.

“Why, bless me! the elephant is very like a spear. I had no idea an elephant looked like that!” said the second blind man.

Then the third blind man approached the elephant and caught hold of his trunk. The old elephant moved his trunk from side to side, and squirmed, while the third blind man felt of it as far as he could.

“I see the elephant is very like a snake. I had no idea an elephant was like that!” said the third blind man.

The fourth blind man now came up and took hold of the elephant’s leg. He felt how big and solid it was and he felt along the leg as far as he could reach.

“It is very clear to me that an elephant is very like a tree. I had no idea an elephant was like that!” said the fourth blind man.

The fifth blind man came and put his hand on the elephant’s ear. He felt along the big ear as far as he could.

“Well, this elephant is very like a fan. I had no idea an elephant looked like that!” said the fifth blind man.

The sixth blind man came up and caught the elephant by the tail. He pulled and twisted as hard as he could.

“I see, the elephant is very like a rope. I had no idea an elephant was like that!” said the sixth blind man.

And they quarreled all one day and late into the night, and they never did know what the elephant was like.

THE BAD-TEMPERED SQUIRREL

_An ill-natured child does not deserve good companionship._

Once there was a family of squirrels that lived in a nice warm hole in a tall tree. This would have been a happy family had it not been for the ill-temper of one of the little squirrels. When they gathered for supper he grabbed the biggest nuts and took more than his share. He pushed the others away and bit and scratched them. At night he took the best place to sleep and crowded the smaller ones to the edge where it was cold.

Mother squirrel tried to correct him, but at last father squirrel said he could stand his quarreling no longer. So one morning he told the little squirrel to follow him. They ran down the tree and over the dry leaves. On and on they went until they came to a place in the wood which the squirrel had never seen. Soon they came to a large oak tree and up the father went, the little squirrel following. Near the top they found a large hole. The father said:

“Go into this hole and stay there until you can be a good little squirrel.”

The little squirrel crept in and heard his father run down the tree and over the leaves. He felt very lonely. He began looking around the hole and found a soft bed of leaves and a pile of nice nuts. He thought:

“It will be fun to have this place all to myself, and do just as I please.” So he tried to play, but it was no fun playing alone. Then he went back into the hole and began to think that his brothers and sisters were better off than he had thought them. It began to grow dark, and there was no one to cuddle up to and keep warm, and no mother to say “good-night,” to him. The night was very long, and the next morning it was raining. He felt very far from home. He sat thinking of all the jolly things his brothers and sisters were doing, and he wanted to go home.

Late that night an old owl looked in the hole.

“You are a nice fat little squirrel,” he said. “I believe I’ll eat you in the morning.” The little squirrel sat up and trembled with fear.

“Oh, Mr. Owl, please don’t eat me. I will be very good,” cried the little squirrel. The old owl blinked and blinked but made no promises. That night was a very unhappy one for the poor little squirrel. He dare not go out for fear of the owl and the owl could not get in the small hole where the squirrel was.

Next morning his father came along and the owl flew away. His father looked in the hole and said:

“Now, will you be good?” But there was no need for an answer, the poor little squirrel was only too glad to go back home, and he was never bad afterwards.

JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK